Lees Street Congregational Church

The Bigger Picture

2011-11-15T18:09:00.004Z

Our completed mosaics
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

We started with Hope - the hope that we could finish the project ... To help us, we remembered our Faith, which had kept the church going in the past and continues to sustain us ... As the work progressed, we were expressing our longing for Peace, as we pieced together broken fragments of mosaic and built a bigger picture ... And now it is done, we celebrate with Joy!
On Sunday 2nd October we marked this moment with celebration - and the community artist who helped to start us off returned and was very impressed by the quality of the work. So we give thanks that we stuck with it, and made the mosaics say something about us: though each of us is small, rough-edged, and shaded differently, we contribute to a bigger picture.
We hope this says something too about our actions in the world and our welcome for all people, of all shapes and sizes - help us be a bigger picture!

For more about the Mosaic Project - see recent article here in The Congregationalist

Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 - Show off your label

2011-02-27T19:35:00.001Z

Lees Street tries buy fair trade to support producers around the world.

Christmas - Don't be Afraid! It's only a baby!

2010-12-26T16:33:00.002Z

It's easy to say, but not so easy to put into practice ... but this Christmas at Lees Street, one of the things we valued was the angel's word of encouragement to Joseph: "Do not be afraid" - and we said it to each other. It's something we need to hear in today's world; that we are here for each other, to help comfort one another in our fear, to help bring God's peace. Do not be afraid ...

In our Christingle service, I said that the angel had said this, and Sofia (aged 4) added, "It's only a baby!" Don't be afraid - it's only a baby! She thought it was funny that Joseph should be scared at all - why worry? It's only a baby! And on the one hand, it was certainly a funny moment - and it helped put the whole Christmas story and stress into perspective - don't worry; don't worry about getting everything just so; don't worry about all the wrapping, all the lists of things that 'need' doing, because it's only a baby - and a baby doesn't worry about all those things ... all the baby worries about is some love ... (as well as some food, and warmth, and security, of course) ... not a bad thing to focus on - love.

But on the other hand, the story tells us that some people were fearful of this baby - represented by the King Herod. The powers-that-be feared that this baby represented a new kind of start, as prophets and wise men foresaw. And this is something to give us hope - Joseph needn't worry, because God isn't afraid of scandal; but the powers-that-be, the vested interests in our world ought to be worried, because this birth represents a new beginning ... so take heart, dream wide awake, be ready to join with God in this new thing, do not be afraid, because it's only a baby - a baby who will shake the world and turn things upside-down.

Easter 2010

2010-04-07T11:48:00.003+01:00

Messy Easter 2010
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

This Easter has seen many signs of new life at Lees Street.
It has been a busy, messy, reflective time, as we have tried to explore the Easter story in different ways. Through our Maundy Thursday Agape meal, Good Friday and Easter Sunday services, we recalled the events of Easter, being free to ask questions and see the story in new ways.

We also shared the Easter Story through our new groups at Lees Street.

Our new group Inspiration reflected on the events of the Easter story by thinking about endings and beginnings. We shared our own stories of endings and beginnings and discussed our thoughts and questions about the Easter story.

We were pleased to welcome new children and adults to our Messy Church Easter celebration. We enjoyed painting eggs, making chocolate nests and egg puppets, decorating Easter magnets, and creating a New Life banner. We also explored the different feelings in the Easter story - from happiness to anger, from despair to hope.

You can see photos of what we got up to by clicking on the Flickr photos. We are trying out Messy Church on Saturdays. The next dates are 15th May , 19th June.

Lees Street Insight Group and Friends present the pantomime :

2010-02-22T20:54:00.004Z

Treasure Island
25th - 27th February 2010

7.30 pm

(Sat. matinee at 2.30 pm)

Tickets £3.50

Contact 0161 231 0004

Fairtrade Fortnight 22nd Feb. - 3rd March

2010-02-22T20:44:00.005Z

Lees Street supports fairtrade. You can find out more about products which provide a better deal for producers at the Fairtrade Foundation website. Click here

Messy Christmas

2010-01-07T17:15:00.002Z

Messy Christmas
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

We enjoyed baking biscuits at our Messy Church Christmas - they were really tasty. We made angels and stars, while thinking about what we were doing to get ready for Christmas. We also made trees and reindeer bags as we talked about waiting for something exciting to happen. Some of us also made Christingles ready for the 11 o'clock service, reminding us that the birth of Jesus brings light to the world.

We will be having a break in January but Messy Church will return at 9.15am on 14th February.

Window of Peace

2010-01-05T15:21:00.003Z

Window of Peace
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

We were pleased to celebrate the completion and unveiling of our third mosaic - Peace. It is fantastic addition to our series of mosaics, brightening up our corner of Manchester and sharing our faith, hopes and dreams with our community.

Recently, we received an encouraging email from Brian Raymond, the community artist who helped with the initial designs for the mosaic project.

“Whenever I find myself passing Lees Street, I drive down to see if the next in the series of mosaics has been completed. For a long time I have wondered what was happening to the mosaic-making part of the project – but – last week my patience was rewarded when the third stunning design appeared alongside the first two.

I must say I was very impressed by the standard of mosaic making. I am so impressed by the mosaic group’s dedication and endurance! I can only agree with the design changes they decided to make and am pleased they have the confidence to make these decisions as the project continues. Soon they will be designing and mosaic-ing all on their own.

Well done to everyone working on the project – what a brilliant Christmas present for the church.”

We hope that our third mosaic will be enjoyed by our local community and beyond as we pray for peace in Openshaw and around the world.

Click on the flickr photos for more pictures of our mosaics.

Our own way of being Good News

2009-11-19T15:12:00.003Z

Church can be a rollercoaster. One minute, there are frustrations - the work seems too hard, it's not always easy to spot signs of new life - but next minute, a really positive conversation with someone or a group can turn things round. Our recent "Outlook discussion" was a positive experience. Of course, we face big challenges: the world around us seems to change so fast, often people's lives are quite chaotic (especially in the inner-city), and many people have little or no experience of the church - so we've got to reconnect with people and make a special effort to show that we genuinely have Good News. But we are not a church which has it all neatly packaged in a shiny brochure or a ten-point plan; we don't think Christian faith is 'black and white', because we are aware of many grey areas, and we try to be sensitive to the real world, with all its questions ... but still we try to be people of Good News ... and it's because we are open to all sorts of people, at all sorts of stages on life's journey, and we strive to be welcoming to everyone (including those who feel confident, and those who don't), that we truly believe we are a sign of the good news of Jesus Christ, who welcomed all kinds of people, and saw the best in them. What do you think?

A Question of Religion: Part 2

2009-10-10T13:15:00.003+01:00

The next Question of Religion evening in on Tuesday 13th October at 7.30 pm.

Our panel will look at some of the questions we didn't manage to cover at the first meeting and there will be an opportunity for informal discussion on other topics.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Two by two

2009-09-28T19:04:00.002+01:00

Play dough animals
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

At our latest messychurch we used salt dough to make our favourite animals. We also made boats and animals to help us think about the story of Noah.

During our celebration time, we acted out the story and thought about how God gives us a new start. We also used the colours of the rainbow to help us think and pray for people and countries.

You can see more photos of what we got up to on Flickr.

Our next messychurch is on 11th October, when we celebrate the harvest.

Messy Creation

2009-08-09T16:40:00.002+01:00

Messy gloop!
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

Everyone enjoyed exploring the theme of creation at our August Messy Church.

Breakfast included making some yummy fruit smoothies, thinking about all the tasty fruit in our world.

Our activities included :

- making cornflour gloop and exploring its different textures and creating patterns with it.

- thinking about the land and sea while making our own earth balloons.

- designing our own bugs using pipe cleaners and pom-poms.

- cutting and sticking different materials to create our own creation collage.

We celebrated all that we had made by using actions to tell a creation story and thinking about how we could look after our world.

Look at our photos on flickr to see what we got up to...

August Messy Church - Creation

2009-08-03T20:12:00.006+01:00

Making mosaic fish
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

The next messychurch@leesstreet will be on :-

9th August

9.15 - 10.45am

Including breakfast, crafts and celebration
about the theme of creation.

Future dates for messychurch are :-

13th September
11th October
8th November
13th December

A Question of Religion

2009-08-03T20:08:00.002+01:00

A Question of Religion
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

A panel of people from church took on the challenge of responsing to a range of questions about religion.

The questions were raised by young people from the musical and drama society based at Lees Street. An interesting discussion was had about beliefs about God, Jesus and the Bible.

We hope this will be the start of opportunities to discuss questions of faith that we all have.
Watch this space...

At the seaside at Messy Church

2009-07-31T19:59:00.001+01:00

Seaside cards
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

We had lots of fun thinking about the seaside at our first breakfast Messy Church in July.

The seaside was the setting for our story about the Wise man who build his house on the rock and the Foolish man who built his house on the sand.

Look at our pictures on Flickr to see us eating, making, sticking, cutting, colouring and fishing.

messychurch is coming!

2009-07-01T11:01:00.006+01:00

It's messy, and it's church - but not as you know it!

12th July, 9.15am - 10.45am,
"messychurch @ leesstreet"
theme: Breakfast on the Beach!

Breakfast, craft activities, & a time of celebration!

It's open to all ages (children need to be accompanied by an adult).
It's a hands-on kind of church, about being creative, connecting with God and other people, and wanting to make a difference!
Come along and be a part of it ...

Easter Egg People

2009-04-15T21:51:00.007+01:00

Easter Egg People
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

This Easter we shared breakfast with each other and got busy making egg people and other craft activities.

It was a great chance for everyone to get creative and celebrate new life.

We are hoping this might be the start of Messy Church at Lees Street - watch this space...

Chat and Craft Gallery

2009-04-15T19:03:00.003+01:00

Autumn Breeze
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

Chat and Craft have been busy creating their own pieces of art - they have even sold one of them!!

You can see their creations at church or on Flickr .

Living in the Living God: Easter Celebrations

2009-04-05T21:56:00.004+01:00

Join us to celebrate Easter - you will be very welcome!

* Maundy Thursday, 9th April - reflections and meal, from 7.30pm

* Good Friday, 10th April: "Passers-by or Participants?" from 10.30am

* Easter Breakfast, 12th April, from 9.00am - an "Eggstra Special" Sunday, with breakfast, crafts and songs - for children & adults

* Easter Worship, 12th April, from 11.00am - an all-age time of celebration

* Easter Cafe-Church, 19th April, from 11.00am - an informal service for all ages

Happy Easter!

Aim Lower, Think Smaller ... eh?

2009-01-26T20:13:00.004Z

At a recent training event, I was struck by this strange message: "Aim Lower. Think Smaller. Give up. Go have a cup of coffee." It is supposed to be a strategy for churches' work with children: but it's also cleverly having a bit of a go at how some churches behave! After all, some do aim low, think small and give up - but the idea is to turn these things into positives!

Aim lower: In other words, the Church should target more of its work at children, not only because they are often receptive to Good News, but because it is impossible to put a price on the value of children's presence, liveliness, disruptiveness, and inquisitiveness - they prompt adults to practise our faith more hospitably, more generously and more energetically.

Think smaller: We should recognise that it is not only 'grown-ups' who have gifts, but children too, with so much to offer - and they draw our attention to different ways of seeing the world, to notice smaller details, to care for the voiceless, the un-noticed, the vulnerable.

Give up: Remember that each local church is not the full extent of the Church, and that there may be things we can and should give up for the sake of the church in another place, just as we can also receive from others - and children help us to make these connections.

Go have a cup of coffee (or squash!): It's not about resigning ourselves to the default position of 'a time of fellowship', but affirming that we are, first and foremost, a living community of people gathering to support one another - people of all ages, together.

So, let's aim lower, think smaller, give up, and go have a cup of coffee. A good vision for us all!

What to do with a difficult book: the Bible!

2009-01-12T15:41:00.005Z

Happy New Year! And straight to work - I've noticed a couple of times recently that how we read the Bible is central to how we understand ourselves as a Christian community and how we understand our good news. There are those who find the issue quite easy - they just say, 'Do what the Bible says, because the Bible has all the answers.' And yet I suspect most people who say that are just as inconsistent with their use of the Bible as anyone else, because it's simply not a straightforward 'guide book' or 'manual', but involves some 'getting into'. On the other hand, there are those who say, 'It's just too difficult', so let's pick the bits we like but leave the rest - but that fails to appreciate how even the hard bits can be so fruitful for us, especially in the way they help us to take into account different voices within our community - because different people find different bits hard. So here's an example of a more balanced & fruitful approach:

Mark starts his Gospel (probably the first Gospel to be written) being fully aware that Jewish people were under the impression that God had stopped speaking (it says so in Malachi, at the end of their scriptures), so how can these Christian people dare to say that God has done a new thing? Well, he pumps his opening verses full of Scriptural references, quoting Malachi, who prophesied a new messenger, and Isaiah, who spoke of new things 'in the wilderness', referring to John the Baptist, and showing that he was clothed just like the ancient prophet Elijah - i.e. these are signals that the God of the Jewish Scriptures is still acting. And then there is the explosive idea, when Jesus comes to be baptised, that the heavens are opened - reversing their closure in Malachi - and God's Spirit comes - reflecting the opening of Genesis, where God's Spirit stirs the earth into new life - i.e. a signal that new creation is happening now!

What this tells us is, 1) Mark was a sophisticated writer, piecing together his material in such a way to show the vitality of his new kind of faith; and 2) the Bible refers to itself in a way which often needs de-coding, though different people find different answers, but best of all: 3) it tells of a God who does new things, who gives new insights, new wisdom, new possibilities, so must not be confined within fixed interpretations, because God speaks to every generation, rooted in an ancient history but pouring out into the future too. So what is on the horizon for us?

The X-mas Factor

2008-12-19T10:15:00.003Z

I know, the title is a bit naff - 'The X-mas Factor' - and probably not very original, but it's hard work always having to try to come up with new ways to talk about Christmas! I sometimes feel that there is this pressure from traditional church - whether or not the pressure is real - to reinforce that the Christmas message always stays the same, in the midst of a changing world. But the more I look at the Bible readings we use during Advent - particularly the words of prophets like Isaiah, but also the 'traditional' nativity stories of Jesus too - the more I feel that 'God is doing a new thing', not just way back when in history, but time and time again ... After all, what we need to realise is that there's something genuinely unexpected about the birth of Jesus - and to 'get' it, every year, we need to witness it as a surprise each time. The Roman Empire taught its people that it was the source of peace, and there were stories about the Emperor being miraculously born, and people being guided to his birth by a mysterious star - so when Matthew and Luke wrote their nativity stories, they were doing something dangerous and unexpected: they were saying God doesn't bless the imperial teachings, but, as the nativity shows, is to be found working through a family for whom 'there is no room' - a very different power at work, and a very different X-mas factor, bringing peace from below, in solidarity with the vulnerable.

Yes We Can!

2008-11-07T17:26:00.003Z

It's an inspiring moment in world history. Less than 50 years since black people were not allowed to vote, in some American States, a black man has become President of the USA. But more than than, Barack Obama created a new coalition of people - including many who had never donated to political campaigns, or who had never thought that politics was about them - who led him to the White House on a tidal wave directed towards 'change'. Of course, he knows well that the hard work really begins now, and of course, many people are so used to being disappointed by their leaders that there is nearly always a hint of cynicism around; but surely we can see this moment for what it is: a profound reminder of the possibility of real change. It's not just about the individual, or the family, or even how America must now see itself differently, because its 'first family' represents the nation in a very different way; but is also about the possibility of change itself. So may we encourage each other to believe that real change is possible, and that it begins with us ...

A Different Story to Tell

2008-10-03T17:53:00.003+01:00

The news is dominated by bad news - and, particularly at the moment, by stories of anxiety concerning global finance, banking, housing, as well as energy and food prices, which hit the poorest hardest. It would be too glib to say instead that we have good news, as though we are indifferent to the bad news, because we must care deeply about every bit of bad news - and yet we are called to be people of good news, to share a different story, a story of hope in the face of despair, the dignity of people in the face of their belittlement, and love in the face of fear. So let's bear that responsibility gratefully but seriously - we are people of good news, for those who are hungry, for those who are left out ... we believe another world is possible, and it begins even with the small things we do together ... even as we break bread together, so that everyone eats! So let us tell our stories boldly - of people being accepted, valued, loved - stories the world needs to hear.

Cafe Church - the story continues

2008-09-18T14:21:00.003+01:00

A forward notice - we will be having our second "Cafe-style" service at Lees Street on Sunday 19th October, starting at 11am. At our recent 'Church Day' we decided to do our worship in this way, once every two months - on the third Sundays in October, December, February, etc. It is an informal way for people to meet, to enjoy refreshments, to be partly guided through a 'menu' of different experiences, but also to share in discussion about a faith-issue in groups. A team of people are responsible for each occasion - and the theme on 19th October is "beginnings". Please come along and give it a try! People of all ages enjoyed our first attempt, and there should be something for everybody each time ...

Messy Church - a crafty feast

2008-08-29T22:27:00.003+01:00

On 3rd August we ventured for the first time into 'Messy Church', playing around with our morning service in the most radical way to date. We all sat round a long 'banquet-style' table, ready prepared with a tablecloth and paper plates - but more needed to be done. Starting with the Parable of the Great Banquet, when Jesus emphasises that the feast of God's kingdom - the party of faith and life - is open to all sorts of people, rather than those who may sometimes think they can take their place for granted. So we then went into different groups - some decorated cakes, some did some weaving of colourful place-mats, some painted self-portraits to celebrate that we are all invited, and some did something a bit more wordy - thinking about how different groups can be made to feel welcome. We then came back together, sharing in a simple meal of fruit, cakes, biscuits, and culminating in Communion, the breaking and sharing of bread, remembering the life and ministry of Jesus. It was an experiment well worth the effort - and more of it may follow, as we continue to explore 'messy church' as a way of expressing our hospitality to young children and people of all ages ... so watch this space, and be welcome!

Cafe Church - our first go

2008-07-30T20:10:00.003+01:00

On 20th July, we did our first attempt at "Cafe Church" - a way of doing worship which combines some elements of drinking in a cafe with some elements of a church service - and people of all ages found it a good experience. People were surprised to be offered a drink as soon as they arrived, and wondered if they had gate-crashed a party of some kind, with the church chairs set around several coffee tables, but they soon got the idea that the whole experience was informal ... and during the service, people discussed some questions based on a Bible reading, and the children made some great 'clocks' (because the theme was "Time" - especially looking back, to think about the things that have shaped us, so the Bible reading was Ecclesiastes 3: verses 1-8, "a time for everything ... for planting and pulling up, for weeping and a time for dancing ... a time for searching and giving up ...") And at the end, several people said we should try it again, when more of our members are around, so more people get to experience it - and perhaps we will try it more regularly (something for us to think about at our Church Day - a time to celebrate, to discuss our challenges and to dream new dreams!) But for now, think for yourselves: when have you planted, and when have you pulled up your roots? When have you wept, and when have you danced? When have you searched, and when have you given up? Or: when have you tried something new, and when have you tried it again ...?

Climate Change and Children's Game

2008-07-28T17:09:00.005+01:00

On Sunday 27th July, in the later part of our church's morning service, we had a discussion - about Climate Change. Half the church were invited to be Cynics, to play the role of people who aren't convinced we should bother about it, and half were Activists, passionate advocates of the idea that this issue is vital. And it worked quite well - people got in to role, we aired some of the issues, and maybe we even came slightly closer to convincing one or two 'real-life cynics' that human beings are largely responsible for the speed of the world's average temperature increase - and that we can still do things to make a difference. But, although that was the part of the service which took the most planning, there was another moment earlier on, when the children were playing a game, when Good News came to life! It was a game of uncovering pairs of cards, which had pictures of times when we get stuck or of times when we get 'unstuck' - and one girl, getting into it, shouted out, "I like this game!" Of course, the adults' discussion was vital - not a game, but even an issue of life or death for millions of people most vulnerable to the effects of irreversible climate change - and yet it was also vital to hear a child declaring that she liked a game we were playing during worship! It all matters ...

One World Food Crisis

2008-07-08T10:19:00.003+01:00

It is becoming more and more obvious how all things are tied together - and so we should learn to behave in ways which reflect this 'one world' reality. Increased food prices in richer countries are caused by several global factors, but the effect of more expensive food is even more painful in poorer countries where a higher proportion of people's income goes on food. It's partly due to the rise in oil prices, which is itself caused by much higher demand for oil, as China and India continue to develop rapidly, and because oil production will reach its peak in a few years, before it starts to decrease - so we need to become less dependent on oil, not only for environmental reasons, but for economic ones too. We can't afford to live as we currently live - and this becomes increasingly obvious as more and more countries develop more western-style economies - such as eating more beef, which requires more and more grain production, with less land available for growing food for human consumption. So what can we do? Support public transport as much as possible. Eat less meat. Become more fuel efficient. Recycle more. Now is not the time to turn our backs on Green issues - for the sake of God's world, and all God's people.

Christian Aid Week, 11- 17 May 2008

2008-05-03T16:15:00.003+01:00

Next week is Christian Aid Week when all over the country, people will be collecting money and sharing stories of how Christian Aid is making a difference in developing countries. This year the focus for the week is Bangladesh where poor communities are facing the effects of climate change, increasingly at risk of severe flooding.

Christain Aid is working with partner organisations to help families and communities cope when disaster strikes. You can find out more about Christian Aid from their website. Click on link below or on the envelope to see how your money can multiply.

Easter is coming ...

2008-03-13T22:21:00.003Z

Stop. Look. Listen. You're at the edge of the pavement, and it's a busy road. You need to stop. Look. Listen. It's a strange way to start talking about Easter, but I think there's a real sense that the Easter stories in the Bible, stories which the Church can so easily take for granted, are like a busy and dangerous road. So stop. Look. Listen. It's significant that the Gospels tell us that when the women encountered the empty tomb and the angel with the news of Jesus' resurrection, they fled in "terror and amazement" (Mark 16:8) ... terror, because they were genuinely terrified at this new experience, and with the sense of responsibility it gave them, but amazement, because they would now find themselves living in the world in a new way.
But more than that, these stories are dangerous in two other ways: 1) it can be especially dangerous to read these, if not any, Bible stories on your own - you might be likely to think that your interpretation of them is enough, and you are likely to be satisfied that you can possess the truth in your own life - whereas the Bible demands interpretation in community, which is partly the point of the resurrection stories themselves - the good news is to be "shared" with the whole discipleship community; it is not the possession of individuals, but something which comes alive and makes more sense through the testing and enriching process of conversation with fellow travellers ... which is why those who say they can be Christians on their own are a sign of our individualistic times, whereas the counter-cultural thing to do is to go to Bible study!
2) The Easter stories are dangerous, because they challenge our world - where Good Friday teaches the power of violence, Easter says that violence shall be overcome; where Good Friday teaches that goodness and hope can be crushed, Easter says hope strikes back! and where Good Friday teaches that any movement, any idea, any story, any interpretation can be entombed or pinned down or finalised, Easter insists that there is always new life: the story might not be quite as you had thought, the interpretation might be only half an answer, the thing which looked like a full stop might be exposed as a comma, because the story continues, new life strikes again!

It's good to talk!

2008-02-14T21:14:00.002Z

It may be true - I may be obsessed - but I can't help but want to say something about the need for churches to develop a culture of conversation. Not only conversation about people's welfare, how they're feeling, important pastoral conversations which are about sharing our love with each other. But also a different kind of conversation: about the faith we share, the different ways in which we express it, the questions we have, the hopes we have, the sense of good news we want to share with others. Churches need to grow in the confidence to talk about these things - not forcing everyone to speak, but certainly encouraging people to believe their humblest ideas are worth hearing; not so that we all reach the same conclusions, but so that we grow through conversation with different views, being challenged by different insights - but why? Partly because the world around us doesn't really know what we're about, but also because this deeper kind of conversation should help us to do things differently, with a greater sense of purpose: because if our good news comes more to the surface, if we become more conscious of our faith, we might start to act with greater purpose, and people might see something distinctive, and wonder why. But on the other hand, I won't go on about it too much! - because the small steps in confidence and conversation that have already been made are still signs of change ... Amen.

With a little help from friends...

2007-12-03T22:15:00.001Z

With a little help from friends
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

you can achieve a lot!

We are putting the finishing touches to our Faith mosaic window. A dedicated group of people have been working hard this year on our second mosaic. It includes a row of terraced houses, with rays of sunshine and heart-shaped trees, representing the church seeking to be the light and breath at the heart of the community. Higher up, there are images of communion, the food we share in faith, and symbols of baptism - the waters of new life - and weddings, and the Bible, with a shepherd's crook reminding us of Jesus the Good Shepherd who guides us. It is a striking picture with a background of blue, which contrasts colourfully with the mostly red Hope mosaic.

So, we are half way there. Watch this space for Joy and Peace...

You can see more pictures of the mosaic by clicking on the Flickr badge

They certainly do things differently here

2007-11-05T11:31:00.001Z

It was a striking phrase - key to the whole thing. I don't know if you watched the Stephen Poliakoff drama, "Joe's Palace", on BBC1 on 4th November, but it was powerful stuff. A billionnaire was trying to find out how his father had made his fortune, and eventually we discover it was from doing business with the Nazis through the 1930s. But in his diaries there was this story of his visit to Germany, with some business associates, and of their Sunday stroll in the park, where the Gestapo were making Jewish men undress and race each other, and forcing Jewish women to climb trees and make bird-noises - or else they would be beaten. In the diary, it simply said, "We all agreed, they certainly do things differently here". The billionnaire was appalled at his father - not just because he did business with the Nazis, but even more because his father had witnessed this disgraceful humiliation of Jewish people and all he could be bothered to say about it was "they do things differently". It suggests two things: 1) sometimes we cannot just stand by: obviously, it wouldn't have been easy to have tackled the Gestapo personally, but some things make us think 'what can I do about it?' and 2) there are some standards which apply across all cultures, and it's not enough just to say 'that's their culture' or 'they do things differently here' - but the challenging thing is to work out what things are cultural and what things can be and should be changed ... not just in 'their' cultures either, but sometimes in 'ours' too! Let's try to be sensitive to any kind of prejudice - and practise a kind of love which breaks down barriers between all peoples. Amen.

Been busy, lately?

2007-10-18T10:39:00.000+01:00

Strange, isn't it, but there seems to have been so many different things to tell about, lately, that we haven't had time to tell about them - from the Peace Day service, where a small number of us met and prayed for peace, to the Harvest Meal, where Rev Terry (Yeong-Jong) Jin shared with us about Korea, or from the Chat & Craft Christian Aid Tea Party, to the Harvest Festival service, where we offered gifts for the work of Rainbow Haven, a drop-in centre for asylum-seekers and refugees, and Mary & Joseph House, a residential home for men with mental health and alcohol-related difficulties. What were the highlights? Some of the young people from the Musical Society adding their own thoughts to our 'Build Peace' board, after the Peace service. Or Lewis' powerpoint about the Parable of the Sower - the cartoon image of someone being 'strangled' by the thorns! The evening service, with guests from Germany and Peru, after the morning had hosted students from Madagascar and Nigeria! What will be next? The new Mosaic is almost ready to go on the wall ... Discussion Group is developing well ... Sing a New Song group has just put together a second edition of our songbook ... But let's not give the impression that all our busyness means everything is perfect - because there continue to be people who need our prayers; we are still worried about some thingsin our own lives or the life of the church; and even the busyness canot hide our shared anxieties. So, even as we hope that things can come together in a fruitful way, we also remember to be here for one another. Shalom!

Peace Day

2007-09-17T20:38:00.000+01:00

We will be holding a Peace Day service on Thursday 20th September to recommit ourselves to finding ways of peace in our homes, community and the world.

You are welcome to join us or click on the link below to make your commitment for peace.

Pink Party

2007-08-21T12:36:00.001+01:00

Pink Party
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

Our Women's Guild celebrated their fundraising efforts for Farm Africa by holding a Pink Party. Here's what happened...

We certainly had fun at our last meeting before the summer break. We were asked to dress in something pink and some of the outfits were quite spectacular indeed. There were pink wigs, pink hats, a pink housecoat and slippers, and one lady sported a pink tiara! (The meeting was at Lees Street not the Town Hall.

After our usual opening with a hymn, prayer and bible reading we were in for a real afternoon of fun. Poems were read, we sang songs all with a pink theme and a talk was given on how the word pink is used in our speech, e.g. tickled pink, seeing pink elephants, pink champagne, Pink Panther, Pink Floyd.

And for our refreshments we had pink wafer biscuits, buns with pink icing and ice cream with pink syrup, even the dishes with were pink.

Then after we had each received a gift, all of them wrapped in pink paper, we sang our favourite blessing and made our way home certainly feeling IN THE PINK!

During the year we have been collecting money for the organisation Farm-Africa which aims to support poor farmers and herders to improve their well-being by providing them with goats, chickens and other animals. We have raised the grand sum of £150, so hopefully this will help to buy quite a few goats and chickens. I wonder if they come in shades of pink?
Ruth

It sounds as though Women’s Guild had fun at their Pink Party and we congratulate them on their fundraising efforts. You can find out more about Farm Africa at http://www.farmafrica.org.uk/ and see more photos from the Pink Party by clicking on the Our Photos Flickr link.

Shared roots

2007-06-11T17:26:00.001+01:00

000_0024
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

On 3rd June, 3 of us from Lees Street helped to lead worship at St Mark's URC in Wythenshawe. It is the church which partly inspired our mosaic ideas - the picture shows one of their mosaics, "the tree of life". It is good for us to build links with other churches, to see how we share common roots, to learn from each other, to encourage each other in the face of similar challenges. Read about the experience from their perspective on the 7th June entry on the blog - www.breadbreaker.blogspot.com - where we see that the things we discussed provoked lots of good questions and discussions afterwards. After all, we were thinking about how we are called to "proclaim" - to tell our good news in words - which takes courage, and which can upset not only our comfort zones, but other people's too. So we pray for the courage to speak out - or in 'tree' terms, we pray that our leaves may be life-giving and we will bear fruit ... In hope, Graham.

Wake up and smell the coffee

2007-05-28T10:18:00.000+01:00

At Lees Street we support Fairtrade so we encourage you to watch 'Black Gold' to find out more about the coffee trade.

This film is showing at the Cornerhouse in Manchester, 8-14 June and at cinemas across the country.

Click on the trailer above or the link below to find out more about the film.

We Are A Mosaic

2007-05-24T11:18:00.001+01:00

An All-Age Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

I love this picture - Kathleen's smile, Victor's concentration with the hammer, Lewis ready to help out. It says a lot - particularly that, not only are we in the process of creating our second large-scale mosaic ("Faith"), but we are a mosaic ourselves! At Lees Street, we are like different sized, different coloured, different aged pieces, sometimes a bit broken, sometimes shiny, often with rough edges, sometimes difficult to fit together, but still all coming together to make something more beautiful ... but of course, the difference between the mosaics on the wall and the real-life mosaic is that we will never be finished - there is always room for more pieces, with more colours, more rough edges, more unique gifts to add to the overall picture. So let's celebrate our creative mix! Graham.

Shaping the Future - Living it Now

2007-05-17T12:26:00.001+01:00

Johannesburg: dusk or dawn?
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

This is going to become a major theme! It matters, because churches are usually playing 'catch-up' - not only in terms of using one bit of technology just as the next one is going out of fashion, but more generally, we tend not to be 'ahead of the game'. (Incidentally, a BIG THANKS to Sheryl for creating this blogsite - a huge leap forward, which really helps us to play the game!) So what would be involved in seizing the initiative, so we once again shape the future?

After all, that's what 'the kingdom of God' is all about - when Jesus urges us to see what a different future looks like, in which the last are first, in which the hungry are fed, the humble inherit the earth, and enemies are loved, and he dares us to live it now. What this means for churches is that we should have a vision, not only for our own church-life, but for our society and the world too - how do we want things to look? And we should say and do things which specifically strive for that vision in the here and now. In some respects, we do this already, but we can be bolder ... so, what is involved in encouraging us to believe in shaping a new future?

Graham

Christian Aid Week: 13th - 19th May 2007

2007-05-11T18:16:00.000+01:00

Next week is Christian Aid Week when all over the country, people will be collecting money and sharing stories of how Christian Aid is making a difference in developing countries.

This year the focus for the week is El Salvador, South America where poor communities are at the mercy of natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. Christain Aid is working with partner organisations to help families and communities cope when disaster strikes.

You can find out more about Christian Aid from their website. Click on link below or on the envelope to see how your money can multiply.

What do Insight Group get up to?

2007-05-10T19:03:00.000+01:00

At our recent AGM, children from our Insight Group shared what they had done over the last year.

They enjoyed sticking, colouring, drawing, painting, planting, playing with the toys, shaking instruments, making things with playdough, playing games, having a sports day, creating a powerpoint presentation for a service, reading in church and creating displays of Noah's Ark and Jesus' Miracles.

What does Sing a New Song get up to?

2007-05-10T16:32:00.000+01:00

Sing a New Song
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

Sing a New Song meets once a month on Wednesday evenings.

Anyone is welcome to come and sing new and familiar songs.

The group helped choose the hymns and songs for a Sing a New Song book which is used regularly in services by our minister, Graham and also visiting preachers.

Over the past year, the singing group have shared new hymns and African songs in our morning services and have performed at the 'Lees Street Unplugged' event organised by the Musical Society.

'Our meetings are very lively and we usually have a laugh (sometimes we can become quite giddy) and this does cheer us up' - Margaret

What does Women's Guild get up to?

2007-05-10T16:30:00.000+01:00

Women's Guild of Christian Service is a group of women that meet on Wednesday afternoons. Their sessions usually include a time of worship and a speaker. Over the last year, the talks have been on a wide range of subjects from roses to The Da Vinci Code to travels in America. Highighlights have also included piano classics from our organist, Robert and a healing service. The Guild have also collected shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child and are collecting money to buy a goat through Farm Africa.

What does Chat and Craft get up to?

2007-05-10T14:30:00.000+01:00

Chat and Craft meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month and are a small group of people who get together for chat, craft and fellowship. They always have good fun with laughter and stories.

Over the past year, they have made all kinds of things including flower table decorations, God's Eyes which can be found in Latin American churches and pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. They have also recently planted little tubs of flower and herb seeds which will bring new life to our church.

Sticking together!

2007-05-01T22:55:00.001+01:00

Sticking together!
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

We recently had a fantastic weekend with some "visitors from the east" - Rev Michael Heaney, the General Secretary of the Congregational Federation, who works in Nottingham, together with Rose and their son Sam, joined us for a social evening on Saturday 21st April, and led worship on the Sunday morning. On the Saturday, we enjoyed 'foods of the world' and three of our members led us in a quiz about their home countries (Denmark, Sierra Leone, and Malawi). Michael also shared stories of his experiences of the family of the Council for World Mission, our global partnership of churches. He particularly focused on how different cultures do meals, not least Communion, to help us reflect on the rich diversity - and the challenge to break down barriers. We closed with singing "For everyone born a place at the table". As several people remarked, it was one of the best evenings we have had at Lees Street. And then in worship the next day, by reflecting on the life of John Newton, the author of 'Amazing Grace', Michael helped us think about "unlocking" our good news, unlocking our gifts, to rid ourselves of the chains which hem us in or hold us back - as individuals and as churches. Afterwards, as pictured, Rose and Michael added to our second mosaic - "Faith". It was great for Lees Street to meet representatives of the wider church, and it was a wholly positive time of togetherness.

Anne's Diary

2007-04-29T18:15:00.000+01:00

Lees Street Amateur and Musical Dramatic Society recently presented a play about the life and diary of Anne Frank.

It was a moving way of bringing to our attention the wisdom and courage of the young writer, Anne, a Jew, who hid with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, though ultimately they were betrayed and she died in Bergen-Belsen, just weeks before the war ended. But it also brought to mind the situations where persecution and hatred persist.

Anne wrote this: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” It is quite a thought for us. So what about the Anne Frank Declaration:

“Anne Frank is a symbol of the millions of children who have been victims of persecution.
Anne’s life and death show us what can happen when prejudice and hatred go unchallenged.
And because prejudice and hatred harm us all, we declare that:
We will stand up for what is right and speak out against what is unfair and wrong.
We will try to defend those who cannot defend themselves.
We will strive for a world in which our differences will make no difference –
a world in which everyone is treated fairly and has an equal chance in life.”

Let’s not just think about it

Easter: putting us together again

2007-04-09T14:53:00.001+01:00

Easter Cross
Originally uploaded by Lees Street.

On Good Friday, we marked the way in which the breaking of Jesus' body was mirrored in the breaking of his community. This was signalled most clearly by Peter's denial of his Teacher - he was cutting himself off from 'the body of Christ'. And as Jesus died, we read that the women 'stood at a distance'. Others fled, or hid, and stayed silent. But Easter signals the healing of the body - just as Jesus is risen, so his community rises to new life. The disciples on the road to Emmaus start talking things through; they are open to the wisdom of an apparent outsider; they are hospitable again, despite their inevitable fears; they share bread; and they go and share good news, once their eyes are 'opened'. The body is being restored! And so it is with Peter - in John's Gospel, chapter 21, Jesus gives him chance to put right each of his three denials, and he re-commits to feeding Jesus' sheep ... the journey can go on; for the body is restored. This is good news: Even through the very worst things, there is hope as God chooses and uses broken and fragile people to be agents of good news. So it is that, in 1 Corinthians 15 (vs 12-20, 42-44), we are encouraged because 'what is sown in weakness is raised in strength, what is sown in dishonour is raised in glory, what is sown physically is raised spiritually.' The risen Christ is 'the first-fruits' of this hope: so there is more to come ... each time we are broken, we can be restored, to go on and share good news. Otherwise, we are left with nothing; so thank God, who puts us together again, and again, to carry on being compassionate, forgiving, as wounded travellers seeking peace and justice together.

Abolition Act - act against slavery again

2007-04-02T21:02:00.000+01:00

One of the best things in the resources for the commemoration of the abolition of the British Empire's slave trade (in 1807) has been the information about the lesser known "abolitionists". William Wilberforce did not achieve it on his own. We have rediscovered Olaudah Equiano, the former slave who travelled Britain, telling his story. We have rediscovered Harriet Tubman who escaped slavery but returned to help free a further 300 people through the 'Underground Railroad', the network of secret contacts and safe houses. Also there was Hannah More, a British writer who inspired many women to join the movement. They remind us of Shiphrah and Puah in the Book of Exodus, chapter 2: Egyptian midwives who undermined the Pharaoh's instructions to kill the newborn male Hewbrews. For freedom was not won by Moses acting alone! So, on 25th March, the anniversary date, Lees Street looked at the call of Moses: faced with a burning bush, revealing God's presence, he 'hid his face'. How true that we want to hide our faces from the realities of slavery - which still goes on - and from God's call to us to act, again and again. But faced with God's call, the God who has been there throughout the ages, the God who hears the people's cries and seeks a way for freedom to be brought into being, Moses found himself saying, "Here I am." So we too must hear the cries, hear the call, and see where we are ... here we are! So we made our paper chains, symbols of enslavement, joining with other churches doing the same thing, and we signed the 'stop the traffik' petition, and our remembrance of one 'abolition act' became a commitment to abolition today. Moses and Wilberforce did not act alone; Shiphrah, Puah, Equiano, Tubman, More, countless others ... and now, hopefully, we add our own names to the movement for human freedom, again and again.

Click on these links for more info. Set All Free or Stop the Traffik

Window on Hope

2007-03-02T16:59:00.000Z

After months of hard work, we are proud and pleased to unveil our first mosaic - Hope.

We hope that it will be enjoyed by everyone who sees it and show our commitment to sharing God's love with our community.

Click on mosaic to read more about our project.

2007-01-15T21:26:00.000Z

Lees Street Insight Group Presents:

Cinderella

14th-17th February 2007

----------------------------------

Tickets available: 0161 231 0004

You can see photos from the pantomime by clicking on Our Church Photos Flickr badge

Fairtrade Fortnight: 26 Feb - 11 March 2007

2007-01-15T20:50:00.000Z

The theme this year is Change Today, Choose Fairtrade.

With over 2000 Fairtrade certified products now available, it’s easier than ever to change what you eat drink and wear to Fairtrade. Look out for events at Lees Street during Fairtrade Fortnight...

Controversy about Diversity!

2007-01-10T16:10:00.000Z

I recently gave a talk about Islam to a church group - for two reasons, I suppose: 1) because it's a contemporary subject which deserves some attention, not least because most news coverage is negative; and 2) because I believe it is a Christian responsibility to listen to others; after all, Jesus practised such hospitality that he would welcome even the people who were feared and avoided by most others. And the responses were interesting! Most were fascinated; they appreciated the need to understand better the religious tradition of Muslims. But someone thought I was "preaching Islam" - I'm not sure how, because I kept emphasising that we have differences, even as we also considered some of the interesting areas of overlap (e.g. Jesus is deeply respected in the Qur'an as a Great Prophet and a revelation of peace.)
Of course, it is always risky for someone of one faith to describe the beliefs of another faith - we can't help but over-simplify things and see them through our own eyes. But it's still important to try to understand where different people are coming from, just as the ecumenical movement has helped different church traditions to understand each other better. It is possible, too, to stand up for what you believe in while also listening to what others say. And in some respects, it is essential.

Happy New Year vision!

2007-01-02T18:43:00.000Z

Happy New Year to you all! Even though it can be said without much thought, it's still a greeting of goodwill. It's not just words; it's a way of reaching out to one another. So, for us at Lees Street church at the beginning of 2007, where will our hopes and goodwill lead us? In Proverbs 29, verse 18, in the old Authorised Version of the Bible, it says "where there is no vision, the people perish." Later, more accurate translations put it this way: "where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint." The idea is that, 'prophecy' - or the discernment of God's word, God's ways - encourages people to be 'restrained', to 'stay true' to their calling. The alternative is: without vision, without prophecy, without God's word, people become reckless - they head off 'doing their own thing'. Obviously, people disagree greatly about the implications of this - one person's restraint is another person's recklessness! - but still there's the crucial idea that, as people of faith, we're called to root what we do in the vision God offers to us ... a vision of happiness, yes, but more importantly a vision of compassion, justice, peace, healing and hope.

"I am shocked" - in a good way!

2006-12-22T16:21:00.000Z

Our Christmas Carol service was a good occasion when members of both the church and the Musical Society came together, sang traditional and new carols, took part in Christmas sketches, and prepared a simple cradle with strips of cloth. One highlight was the Nativity Play performed mostly by adults, but they did it as though they were infant school children, with Joseph's catchphrase being "I am shocked" as the events unfolded. It's easy to forget the shocking message - that God did not come to us with force and power, or with big boots on, but even through the cries of a vulnerable baby we witness God's relationship with us - and it's easy to squander the hope of such a message, burying it under busy-ness, tinsel and seasonal stress, but the hope remains: a new world is possible, if we follow the example of the Prince of Peace, if we love our enemies, if we forgive one another and put the needs of 'the last' first. Shocking, eh?

Christmas at Lees Street

2006-12-08T20:54:00.000Z

You are warmly invited to join us to for our Christmas services.

21st December - 7pm
Cloth for the Cradle Carol service

Christmas Eve - 11am
Christingle Service

Christmas Day - 10.30am
Christmas Morning service

Living in the new world today

2006-12-01T12:53:00.000Z

This is one of the hardest things to believe: that "the kingdom of God" is not something in the distant future, or in another place altogether, but that it starts here and now. We are invited to live as though it is already here, and this is possible if we practise what Jesus preached and did. Of course it's hard, because it involves "going against the grain" of so many of our 'natural' reactions (or we're told that they're natural??). Take the example of being hurt by what someone says to you. When it happens to me, I get upset - don't you? And there's nothing wrong with being upset or saying you're upset. But then there's the challenge: Jesus says pray for those who hurt you. In 'worldly' terms, it sounds crazy! But in terms of 'living in the new world today', it's an important first-step towards breaking the age-old cycles, and making God's kingdom a reality. Of course, what helps to make this happen is other people who walk with you: so I give thanks to God wholeheartedly for those people who listen to me when I'm upset, who allow me to be angry, who give me the space, and who pray for me. It's because of them, that I can begin to find the strength to pray for those who hurt or misunderstand me.

The Church as a House

2006-11-24T15:46:00.000Z

We're used to thinking of a church as "the house of God", but I've been reading a book called "Congregation: Stories and Structures" which recommends that we think of a church much like any house. The point is that we already behave this way; we just need to recognise it. So what does this mean? Well, if we think about it, we'll realise that we do treat the church like a house - and not just the building; it's about 'the family' who gather together. Like all the best homes, we try to demonstrate hospitality, to make people feel welcome, but it's not always easy - after all, every 'house' has its own rules, doesn't it? They may not be written down anywhere. They may not even be spoken. But people find their place in the house according to certain standards of behaviour, certain ways of doing things, particular "understandings" about who is in charge of what, who is responsible for what. Every house is a bit like this, and each church has its own unique "understandings" as well. We can't help it. But the question is: can we see what we're doing? There's also the question about who is the head of the household? Like most houses, it will depend what issue you're talking about - some people are in charge of the shopping and kitchen, others in charge of the fixtures and fittings, etc. But as a church, the true head should not be any individual or the minister, but the Spirit of Christ - which reminds us to always check out how well the running of our house accords with Christ's Spirit ... which isn't primarily about maintaining the structures, but is about showing particular concern for 'outsiders' ... Mmm.

Movers and Shakers

2006-11-14T20:55:00.000Z

Who'd have thought it? Not just that our Sunday worship seems to have been enhanced by the use of musical instruments ... but that it is not only children who take the shakers out of the box! It is fantastic - to see people of a wide range of ages taking a shaker or seed-filled egg or tambourine! Without meaning to sound over-the-top, it's one of the best things about being the minister of this church! Why? Because it's not just about making the singing better than before - with people contributing to the overall sound in new ways. It's also about worship being a community activity - it's something we all do - and a bodily activity - it involves not just our mouths, or ears, but our arms and hips! And to play instruments, along with the organ, with three-year olds and seventy-three year olds, we certainly need our ears, but also our arms - and our smiles (because sometimes it's really funny), as well as our patience (because sometimes the shakers are shaken at the "wrong" time!) But more than that - may be it also helps us to think of ourselves as "movers and shakers" out in the world, too ... to see that our worship of God leads us to be people of hope and joy, justice and peace in the world. That's a thought.

Turning the world upside down

2006-11-03T16:29:00.000Z

It's hard work being Christian. There's so much to do, and so little time to do it! Which is why I'm not sure that it's very authentic to be a Christian 'on your own' - because there's a real danger that, when you're not sure what to do, you'd simply allow yourself to reach your own decision, which might well happen to confirm your current prejudices! Instead, we should subject ourselves to the views of others - we are called to build a community, which Jesus called 'the kingdom of God', where God's priorities keep upsetting our prejudices and challenging our assumptions. And so we need each other - for support, encouragement, a shoulder to cry on, but also for mutual challenge, as we face the hard work of being Christian together! ... And we know it's hard, because Jesus asks such tough things of us, things which are very different from 'the ways of the world'. For instance, a foreign woman comes to him (Mark 7:24-30), and at first even Jesus isn't sure about it - he seems to think his mission is for the Jews only; but she persuades him otherwise; and so this is a challenge to our prejudices: how do 'outsiders' prompt us to review our mission, to enlarge our vision? And then, when faced with disciples arguing about who's the best (Mark 9: 33-37), Jesus puts a child in their midst: here he demonstrates what it means for the 'first to be last' and the 'last to be first', because to put children at the centre of things starts to turn our world upside down: as the ones who suffer first whenever there is conflict, Jesus invites us to stand in solidarity with them, the vulnerable ones. It is a priority which churches still struggle with - which we even try to 'tame' by implying that he meant 'be innocent, just as children are innocent', as though we don't know any children! No, it is a decision to be in solidarity with vulnerable people, to see them as people, to put the least before the powerful ... what a different world; no wonder it's hard work.

God's Eyes @ Chat and Craft

2006-10-05T21:05:00.000+01:00

Members of our Chat and Craft group recently learnt how to create "God's Eyes".

Huichol Indians of Mexico and Aymara Indians Bolivia weave brightly coloured yarn on a simple wood cross to form an "Ojo de Dios" or "Eye of God". They are often sold in Latin American markets reminding us that God looks with love on people everywhere.

How old are you? In what way?

2006-09-27T15:09:00.000+01:00

Last Sunday, 24th September, we talked about the expectations on men and women to do particular things. It's not something we talk about very much, but people became quite vocal, and took very different positions. We considered the idea that the God we believe in is a God who wants to disrupt systems and structures which keep people 'in their place' - including those 'unwritten rules' which tell women to do this, men to do that. But it made me think of another thing we don't talk about very much, even though it's so relevant to the life of churches. We don't talk about age openly. Of course, there can sometimes be tensions when one age-group or another feels left out, but we don't actually talk about what it means to be an older adult, or what it means to be a younger person. This has increasingly struck me, because I have realised that I am still quite young (31 isn't middle-aged!!!!) - which affects how I see the world. And we can't escape this: because while older people can have 'a young outlook' or younger people can be 'old-fashioned', it still remains the case that our age does affect how we see things. And it is a challenge for churches to try to take seriously the very different perspectives about the world.

A Thought: What is Renewal? Does it ever end?!

2006-09-06T14:46:00.001+01:00

In Mark's Gospel, chapter 2, verse 22, we find Jesus challenging us again! He says new wine cannot be put into old wineskins, because the skins will burst and wine will be spilt. Instead, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins. Now, I know we have bottles today, but I think we can still get the point! Sometimes, the form that things take can get in the way of the substance. Sometimes the way we 'package' our message actually risks losing the message. Ouch! But people might well say: "Yes, but because our message doesn't change, so we don't need to change" - and on the one hand this is true, because the message of our faith is supposed to be more consistent than 'the ways of the world'. But on the other hand, the message of our faith is supposed to be about change - so if we aren't really having much of an impact on the world, then we're overlooking what is central to our faith: It Should Make A Difference! Now, for some people, some of our 'old' wineskins do continue to help them to live faithful lives in the world; but for many other people, our old 'forms' have stopped working. So we need renewal - again and again - so that how we do things in our churches actually reflects the message of good news. This means exploring new ideas - e.g. "emerging churches" are trying radically different ideas to help Christians relate their faith to all different groups of people - and it involves making changes in our worship, in how we discuss faith with each other, and in how we are led. Renewal is very demanding, but it can also be very liberating, as we find ourselves 'released' to do churches in ways which begin to make sense to the world as it is today. So let's encourage each other to be renewed, step by step, little by little - because we want our faith to make a difference!

Harvest 2006

2006-09-03T16:04:00.000+01:00

Come and share “Fruits of the whole Earth” at our Harvest Celebration Meal.
Saturday 30th September, 7.30pm

This celebration meal will include foods from different parts of the world – so come along and taste ‘the fruits of the whole earth’ …

You will also be most welcome at our Harvest Service on

Sunday 1st October, 11 am

Our Harvest celebrations this year will include a particular focus on Malawi, because the Congregational Federation has been building a special link through the Council for World Mission with “the Churches of Christ in Malawi”. This year there is a national appeal to help CCM, as Malawi has suffered real problems due to a severe drought – so our Communion Offerings in September and October will go to this national appeal.

Thank you to everyone who donated gifts of food that were distributed to a local hostel and a drop in for refugees and asylum seekers

Peace One Day

2006-08-15T20:57:00.000+01:00

21 September has been adopted by all UN member states as an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on the UN International Day of Peace. We are invited to share with people all over the world in commiting to peace and global unity.

It seems timely particularly with conflict in the Middle East and alleged terrorist plots in our own country that at Lees Street we come together to celebrate hope and make our own commitment to peace.

You can find out more info at www.peaceoneday.org.uk

You may also be interested in reading about the Archbishop of York, Rev. Dr. John Sentamu and his week long fast for peace. Click here

A Feast of Hope!

2006-07-31T12:53:00.000+01:00

In our worship on 30th July, we enjoyed a feast of fish and bread - tuna sandwiches! - to celebrate the story of the Feeding of the 5000 (found in Mark, chapter 6, verses 30-44). In the same way as Elisha had had compassion for famine stricken people (2 Kings 4: 42-44), sharing a simple offering with them, so Jesus saw the needs of a hungry crowd, who suffered like neglected 'sheep' under care-less 'shepherds', so calling us to have compassion as well. We saw, too, that he used his head, as well as his heart, asking what gifts the disciples had between them. Although they did not think much of their handful of loaves and fish, Jesus saw them as invaluable - so how can our few gifts be used to great purpose? For he then organised the disciples to organise the crowd - and all were fed and filled. So, too, we are called to use what we have, to help to create a fairer world where everyone has enough. So we shared peace with one another, encouraging the gifts we have within us, and enjoyed a simple feast, with the young people taking the lead to hand out the sandwiches. And there were left-overs, temporarily! The challenge, though, is to ensure it was not only "food for thought", but a vision to pursue ...

Thought for a few days

2006-07-25T00:07:00.000+01:00

Martin Luther King said this: "The hope of a secure life and a liveable world lies with disciplined non-conformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and community." It's quite a thought, in a world which often feels very insecure and, for many people, almost 'un-liveable', because of fear, violence, hunger or despair. And it's all the more challenging because he invites us to be "disciplined non-conformists" - that is, people who are committed to living life differently. Not to be curiosities just for the sake of being different. Not so that we feel good about ourselves. But so that we live a kind of life which makes people ask, "I wonder why they do that, because it seems to make a difference." So in churches, we need to practise the art of non-conformity, to encourage each other to live differently - perhaps most of all, by showing that we are concerned for people who are different from us, not only for those who we easily agree with. G

Mosaic Project

2006-07-22T14:30:00.000+01:00

We are currently creating four large mosaics to go on the outside wall of our building. The first one is "Hope" which celebrates new life. The others are "Faith", "Peace" and "Joy", and they each tell some of the story of the church's life in the community.
With the help of a professional artist, members of the church created the designs, and the project hopes to involve people of all ages.

Our History

2006-07-22T13:53:00.000+01:00

Here is a picture of the original church built in 1880. It was a massive building seating over 1000 people and was constructed in the Victorian style know as "Brick Gothic". Sadly, in 1980, the congregation felt unable to maintain the building and it was demolished.

The original church was situated next to the Sunday School building, erected in 1871 and is where we now meet.

Our Minister

2006-07-12T16:02:00.001+01:00

Our minister, Rev. Graham Adams, says: "My role is to help us all think what it means to be Christians today; to help build a community which celebrates our diversity; and to help us always to look outwards, because churches must not exist for themselves but for the good of all."

"Working with Lees Street part-time (while also developing Growing Disciples - a programme to help churches develop), I focus on trying to make worship inclusive and relevant, leading people to explore questions of faith, and highlighting how we are called to transform injustice."

"As the surrounding area is being regenerated, there is both a sense of anxiety and a sense of hope. It is for us to see this as an opportunity to share good news: for we believe that God's love makes a distinctive kind of community possible, a community which is for all kinds of people."

Fairtrade

2006-06-26T20:42:00.000+01:00

At Lees Street we support buying Fairtrade products. The Fairtrade Mark guarantees that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal.

We have a regular stall selling fairtrade food and drinks supplied by Traidcraft, a Christian organisation dedicated to fighting poverty through trade.

"Before you've finished your breakfast this morning, you'll have relied on half the world"

Martin Luther King

Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society

2006-06-25T21:40:00.003+01:00

Members of our church formed the Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society in 1934 and it has performed many different musicals and plays over the past 70 years.

Today, the society welcomes people of all ages and abilities from the church and the wider community.

The next production is:

A play - Family Matters

For more info, please see their website:Lees Street AMDS

About Our Church

2006-06-18T21:45:00.000+01:00

We are a diverse family church that tries to be inclusive of different styles of worship, discover more about God and show God's love in our daily lives.

Lees Street Congregational Church has been a part of the life and community of Higher Openshaw since 1871.

We are a member of the Congregational Federation, formed in 1972 as the continuing denomination of independent congregational churches.

The Congregational Federation is connected to the wider world church through the Council for World Mission.

A typical diary of events:

2006-06-18T20:29:00.000+01:00

Sunday 11am Worship, with Insight Group for children and young people
(with Communion on the first Sunday of the month)
6pm Worship including the sharing of Communion (on the 3rd Sunday of the month)

Monday/Thursday 7.45pm Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society
Tuesday 7.45pm Chat and Craft (a small group gets creative over a cup of tea, on the 3rd Tuesday)

Wednesday 1.30pm Women’s Guild - open to all women, with speakers (alternate Weds)
7.30pm Sing a New Song ... practising new songs for worship (1st Wed. of the month)
7.00pm Outlook Discussion ... exploring questions of faith (3rd Wed. of the month)

Saturdays 11.30 Lunches (3 or 4 per year), open to everyone
11.30 Church Fayres (one in the summer, one in the winter), open to everyone

Every February, members and friends of the church perform a Pantomime involving people of all ages.