April Newsletter 2025

APRIL 25 NEWSLETTER

Julie Writes
The sun is shining today, and I’ve managed an hour in the garden pruning and cutting away old growth to make space for the new buds to flourish. A blackbird came for a splash in the pond and the frogs are busy doing what frogs do at this time of year. Spring has definitely sprung.
I’m reminded of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey and the reckless praise of the people as they recognise the God-moment, breaking off palm branches and throwing their precious coats beneath the hooves of the donkey, welcoming Jesus as ‘Son of David’, a title of the Messiah. Jesus does not whip up the crowds, he comes on a humble donkey, but he does accept their praise. The religious leaders were angered by this and tell Jesus to control his disciples. Jesus declares that the very stones would cry out if the crowd were quiet.
God may not come to us riding on a donkey, the God-moments are not always explosive in significance as Palm Sunday was. But God is not absent from his world. There are many smaller God-moments. God often comes to us through others, through his world, through events and we can know his presence in the everyday. Of course, we just need to make the time to recognise that God moment and give our hearts to honouring God, to see beyond the commonplace and the mundane and see the glory in the dust.
We have a few more weeks to go until that ‘Glorious Easter morn’ but I look forward to journeying with you on the way.

Prayer Harmony

For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. Ps 22:24
As we complete our time of Lent, with the intensity of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, culminating in the glorious rejoicing of Easter Sunday, we pray that God’s Kingdom will be completed in the world, and that His holy Name will be honoured throughout the earth, beginning, of course, with ourselves.
We pray for the Liverpool Diocese, as we adjust to our new interim bishop, Ruth, asking for God’s blessing on her, and that she will find a genuine welcome amongst loving colleagues. We pray for all deaneries that are undergoing changes to their parishes or are considering them. May they listen well to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
We continue to pray for the process of finding a new Vicar for our parishes. We pray for the Trustees (the church patrons), the PCC representatives and all involved in the process. We pray that God will guide the right person to apply for the post.
We pray for all our young people during the school holidays, and the start of the summer term. Many of our youngsters will be taking GCSE and other exams, and we pray that they will be able to do their best without too much stress and concern, remembering that they are wonderfully loved by God regardless of their academic success. We pray for on-line safety for them, that they will not be touched by bullying or abuse.
And we continue to pray for lasting and enduring peace in the places of conflict in the world, that justice and mercy may be shown in every nation, and exploitation, greed and power-hungriness may be a thing of the past.
Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’} John20:16

Dates In April

Lent Course

Rev Paul Ellis will be leading this year’s Lent reflections in Holy Trinity Church Formby. ‘The Season of Love’ The reflections will follow the ancient Pilgrim’s way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain -the Camino! And over a four-week journey with four pilgrims in the movie ‘The Way’ We will reflect on their emerging journey stories and indeed our own. This is a beautiful film with surprises.

Lent Course dates are

Tuesdays at 7.30pm 1st April, 8th April

Wednesdays at 10am {Before the 11 .00am Holy Communion Service}

2nd April & 9th April

You only need to attend one of the dates on a Tuesday or Wednesday, but you can mix and match if you can’t make one of the dates. Please speak to Paul if you have any questions

Good Friday Walkof Witness & Passion Play 18th April

11.00am Chapel Lane near Boots. 11.20am Formby Pool Gardens. All Welcome.
Wear Purple for Lent or Yellow for Easter and join us on our walk to celebrate the Easter Story.

Parish Breakfast

In the light of ever decreasing pool of volunteers, the Parish Breakfast will operate with one team going forward. Therefore, breakfasts will occur every two months.
Sunday 6^th April will be as planned. Dates thereafter will be as follows:
Sunday 29^th June, Sunday 31^st August, Sunday 26^th October,
No breakfast in December as close to Christmas.

Compassion Acts
‘There comes a time when we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.”
– Archbishop Desmond Tutu
In 2022 Compassion Acts launched a new strategy, called ‘going upstream’.
This is based on the premise that we need to catch people before they fall rather than just helping them after the fact. As a poverty reduction charity, we know that it is essential to support those in need, but more importantly we also need to find the root causes of their problems and what led them to the position of needing such support, then put measures in place to prevent this.
Our 5-year strategy lays out the details of how we intend to work in a more preventative way; catching people before they reach a crisis point and needing emergency interventions such as Foodbank support.
For more information contact John Paton on 07947030827

Hellos Sculpture
Get ready to bask in the brilliance of Helios, the awe-inspiring illuminated sculpture of the Sun, premiering at Liverpool Cathedral from Friday 4th April to Friday 9th May 2025.
Experience the Sun Like Never Before… Luke Jerram’s Helios at Liverpool Cathedral
For the first time ever, the UK’s largest Cathedral will host this dazzling masterpiece by world-renowned British artist Luke Jerram, after having also hosted Museum of the Moon and Gaia.
Helios Concept Imagery
Original photograph: Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. Images by Gareth Jones

Dean of Liverpool, Very Revd Dr Sue Jones, shares: “We are thrilled to be the first cathedral to host Helios and to complete the celestial trilogy of Luke Jerram’s artworks here at Liverpool Cathedral. Helios is a stunning celebration of the Sun’s life-giving power and its significance across cultures and faiths. It’s a privilege to bring such an awe-inspiring installation to our community and visitors, reaffirming our place at the heart of Liverpool’s cultural life. We are delighted that Helios will be installed over the Easter period which helps us to reflect on light and the life-giving light of the resurrection which brings new life. We look forward to welcoming everyone to experience this breathtaking artwork in our magnificent space.”

New Bishop of Wigan to be the Interim Bishop of Liverpool
Downing Street has announced that the Rt Revd Ruth Worsley will become the new suffragan Bishop of Wigan in the Diocese of Liverpool. Bishop Ruth will also serve as the Interim Bishop of Liverpool.
As Interim Bishop of Liverpool, Bishop Ruth will work closely with the senior leadership team, the Bishop’s Council, and the Diocesan Synod to support the diocese’s vision and mission as it seeks to be God’s church in the world.
Bishop Ruth Worsley said:
“The Diocese of Liverpool is a vibrant and faithful community, and I look forward to working alongside the leadership team, clergy, and laypeople as we navigate this season together. My prayer is that we will listen to God’s voice, find our hope renewed, and seek to live out his love for all by being a Church of welcome, care, and healing.”
Bishop Ruth’s commissioning Service will be on Saturday 3^rd May at 3.00pm in Liverpool Cathedral.