Earlier this month, I shared with PCC (our Leadership team) where I hoped we, as a church, might be in the next five years. I pray that this might be our direction of travel:
Where will our church be in 5 years?
• A community that is excited about God and quick to chat to others about what they have discovered.
• A worshipping community – that worships God with the same passion and honesty on a Monday, as we do on a Sunday.
• A welcoming community, where we don’t have enough friends - where everyone has ‘someone like me’; multi-generational, multi-ethnic, neuro-diverse etc.
• Deeply loving and relational, inclusive, family; wildly forgiving, practically supportive and gracefully accountable.
• Spiritually well-fed, a people of depth, but hungry for more.
• Equipped to feed themselves - to notice and to serve God upon our frontlines.
• Filled with the curious, the ‘toe-dippers’ but with no passengers.
• At the heart of the community of Ruddington
• For everyone in Ruddington to know that we are a loving, welcoming, warm community, where if you want God, you can find God here.
• Financially sustainable, administrationally robust, with Safeguarding in our very DNA.
• Centred upon scripture and tradition but intentionally diverse (stylistically and theologically), in order to reflect the infinite grandeur of God, the fragility of our understanding - and so that all have a place to belong.
• Consistently, lovingly, giving ourselves away - taking every opportunity to share the treasure of Jesus, in word and deed, beyond our community.
• A community of fun, where we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
This is my vision. What do you think?
God bless,
Andrew
Prayer for the week: Please pray for peace in Ukraine.
Pentecost on the Green: On Sunday 8th June, our Pentecost service will be outside on the village Green. This is a service where all the churches in Ruddington join together to celebrate the Church's birthday. Join us on the village green at 10:30 for the service. Bring a picnic if you'd like to.
Bulletin: There will not be a weekly bulletin for the next two weeks; the next bulletin will go out on 20th June.
Administrator Role: As you may know, we are looking for a new Church Administrator, starting from October 2025. The post is part-time, initially 8 hours a week. If you are interested in this post, please contact Nikki Roe by email at ruddoffice@gmail.com for details and a job description. Application is by letter and CV, and the deadline date for applications is June 23rd 2025.
Clifton Food Bank: The foodbank are currently short of some items. If anyone is thinking of bringing something in to church for the food bank, please would you consider these items? The items can be put in the shopping trolley at the front of church. Thank you.
Here are the items: new or used carrier bags, tinned tomatoes, tinned sweetcorn, coffee, hot chocolate, adult toothpaste, adult single toothbrushes, washing up liquid, washing up powder/ pods.
Boat Trip: On 21st June we’re hiring a spacious, well-equipped, wide-beam boat based in Loughborough at the Peter le Marchant Trust. It has plenty of seats, a galley for hot drinks and also a decent toilet. £20 per person for a day out on the river/canal from 10:00am until 3:00pm. Bring a packed lunch and we’ll probably stop at a pub for a drink. Any questions or to book, email Mike Houghton (mjhoughton@yahoo.co.uk) as soon as possible. £20 per person (cash preferred next time you see Mike, but bank transfer is possible – ask for details).
Children's Activities: There are organised children’s activities provided by St Peter’s and Ruddington Baptist Churches most Sundays (term time only) from 11:00 - 11:45am in St Peter’s Rooms where the Baptist Church meet. Generally the age group catered for is KS1, KS2 and KS3. Younger children would need a parent with them. We also have a creche for our youngest children.
Your News Snippets Still Wanted: For example, any challenges that have been overcome or what Christian resources you have found helpful. Or indeed, any other faith or church-related news. So, if you have something you would like to share, it doesn’t have to be “special”, send your contribution to Nikki Roe at ruddoffice@gmail.com – suggested length about 250 words maximum.