“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.” (Mark 9:43, NIV)
As we read Mark's Gospel, we are asked to consider three questions: Who is Jesus? Why did he come? What does it mean to follow him? In the passage we are looking at this week, Jesus presents us with the choice between life and death - not just now, but for eternity. Following Jesus can be hard at times: there will be many things that we want to do that God says we shouldn't be doing. We should, instead, be so focused on walking in Jesus path, that we will get rid of anything that would distracts us, or cause us to lose our step. It might seem painful, or uncomfortable, at the time, but our trials and our devotion to God will lead to our growth in holiness. I hope that you'll be able to join us at 8:30, at 10:30, or online (details below), as we look at this together.
Sunday Services
Our 8:30am Sunday services of Holy Communion continue in St Thomas, Northaw. More details are available on our website.
The 10:30am Sunday service will be taking place simultaneously online and at St Andrew. These first few weeks are somewhat fluid, as we move from recorded services to a fully live, and live-streamed, service. This week, the service at St Andrew will be followed by our annual meetings.
Please use this form, or contact me directly (chris@norcuff.com, 07446 516945), to let me know that you are planning to attend.
Details of how to join the online services are on the website and are advertised on our Facebook page.
Audio Recordings
By about 12:00 on Sunday, the audio from the 10:30 service should be available to listen to by calling 01707 927907. As well as the ‘dial-in’ service, audio recordings of all services are also available through SoundCloud.
Church Family Fellowship
After the Sunday service, we’ll have coffee together via Zoom (details on the website); if you’d like to be part of the meeting, please email me.
Harvest Food Donations
Thank you to all those who donated items for the food bank. As well as any direct and online donations, we were able to make a large delivery to Broxbourne food bank.
Harvest Plants
Thank you to all those who donated and delivered plants. We have had a number of messages of gratitude for them.
Annual Church Meetings
Our annual meetings are this Sunday (11th October), in St Andrew, following the 10:30 service. In line with the current guidance, these will be kept as short as possible, while still allowing for all the business required to be carried out. If you have relevant questions or issues to raise, you are very welcome to bring them up at the meetings, but it would help to streamline the meetings if you could let me know them in advance.
As part of the meetings, we will be electing churchwardens, PCC members, and representatives to the Deanery Synod. Do please be in touch with me, or the churchwardens, if you feel able to support the church family in one of those roles. The Annual Report has been published already, and is in each of the church buildings, we also have a report from the Deanery Synod. If you would like a copy of either of them emailing to you, please be in touch with me (chris@norcuff.com).
The Annual Meeting of Parishioners is open to all those on the Electoral Roll of the parish, and those resident in the parish who are on the register of local government electors. The Annual Parochial Church Meeting is open to all those on the Electoral Roll of the parish.
All Souls Service
With the current restrictions in place, I am very sad that we will be unable to hold our annual 'All Souls' service this year. If we are able to arrange for some kind of memorial service or event, the details will be in these emails and on the website.
Remembrance Sunday
At this point, it is still unclear as to what we will be permitted to do on Remembrance Sunday. There will be, I hope, some kind of Act of Remembrance at the memorial in Northaw, but I'm not sure what that will be, nor how many people will be able to attend.
Advent and Christmas
Advent may be 7 weeks away, however we are starting to plan already. Much is unknown about what we will be able to do, but we will be trying to do as many of our usual services and events as we can. If you would be willing to be part of a 'Christmas Choir', please be in touch with me (chris@norcuff.com).
Praying at Noon
Please can I encourage you, when possible, to stop at noon and spend a few minutes praying - we may be physically separate, but we can still pray together; we’ll email out possible areas for prayer each week. If you would like to make any suggestions, please email prayers@norcuff.com.
How to join us live
The website has the information on how to join our live services and virtual coffee. Do feel free to share the links to our services with friends and relatives; everyone is very welcome to join us, no matter where they are in the world.