Sunday 2nd August
Extra Notices
Ride and Stride
Saturday 12th September 2015
The 4 F’s – Fun, Fellowship and Finance for the Future
Fun
It’s a challenge: visit as many churches, chapels and meeting houses as
you can in one day. Challenge yourself and your friends to join you.
Fellowship
Doing something good and useful in the company of others creates a
community spirit. Try walking for 5 minutes and not talking – impossible!
Chat with friends, put the world to rights, laugh, share jokes, have a good
time. Walking is healthy and gives time to relax and enjoy yourself
particularly in the company of other fun-loving people.
Finance for the Future
Many historic churches, chapels and meeting houses are battling to
survive. Roofs leak, ancient timbers rot and medieval stonework
crumbles. These buildings represent some of the finest design,
architecture, stained glass, sculpture, wood carvings and wall paintings
and many have witnessed amazing and significant chapters in our history.
Ride and Stride participants and their sponsors seek to raise money for
the repair and preservation these beautiful and often historic buildings.
Raise a little (or a lot!) of money while you walk or cycle by getting
friends and neighbours to sponsor your efforts. Half of the money raised
will go to the Leicestershire Historic Churches Trust and will be spent
saving and protecting some of the most beautiful and historic churches,
chapels and meeting houses in the county. The other half of your
sponsorship can be donated to the church, chapel or meeting place of
your choice or, if you wish, to the Leicestershire Historic Churches
Trust. With your help, these buildings that are at risk can be kept open
and in use, alive in the heart of their communities.Your contribution, no
matter how small, will help protect our heritage for future generations
to enjoy.
How can you contribute?
On foot, cycle or roller-skate, go by bus and walk from the bus stop, but
visit as many churches, chapels or meeting places as you can in one day.
For a full list of participating venues and a sponsorship form, please
contact me. Even if you only sponsor yourself, your efforts will be
worthwhile but if you can get 10 people to sponsor you, then your
contribution will be magnificent.
Legs not what they were?
We will need help staffing Our Lady and St Nicholas for the day and
hopefully welcoming visitors (St James will not be open as part of ‘Ride
and Stride’). If you could come and help, whether it is just for half an
hour or longer it would be great. Or just come along to the Hall and
sample the Coffee Shop which will be open all day. John Ward (email
jfw001@aol.com)
Prayer Chain
If you have an urgent prayer request for yourself or for someone you
know, please contact Doreen Wilson on 2674680 or Gill Pope on
2675086. The message will then be passed round the members of the
prayer chain as quickly as possible, in strictest confidence.
Prayer Team
Please approach anyone wearing a Prayer Team badge at any time if you
would like prayer. Two people will be available at the front left of the
main church during the Communion at the 10am service, but we would
love to pray with you at any time. Contact Kerry Emmett (319 4736) for
further information.
Flowers for special occasions
We are fortunate to have two hugely experienced and professional
flower arranging teams at Birstall & Wanlip who are willing to receive
requests for flower arrangements to be placed in Church to mark your
special occasion. This might be anything from a 50th wedding anniversary
to remembering the day a loved one died. Donations for the cost of the
flowers are always welcome, but not always necessary. If you would like
the teams to arrange a flower display with your special occasion in mind,
contact Sylvia Simes on 2674206 or at johnsimes@talktalk.net for
Birstall and Marjorie Bonshor on 2207964 for Wanlip.
Items for Information Sheet
To ensure all events, meetings etc are advertised in the Information
Sheet, can you ensure they are put in the Church Diary, by sending the
details to the church office via e-mail (stjames.birstall@btconnect.com),
or by telephoning 2671797 (you can leave a message if Sally is not there),
or by leaving a note next to the computer in the office. Please note that
you have until 11am on the Friday to get your items included in that
week’s news sheet.