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Scripture readings for Sunday
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New Year is always a time for resolutions, and for some members of our congregation their resolutions are rather special this year.
Several adults and young people from our congregation are to be confirmed by the Bishop of Grantham when he visits us on Sunday 9th January. Following a period of preparation either at Pathfinders or in special confirmation classes, they will resolve to turn to Christ, to submit to him and to come to him, rejecting rebellion against God, renouncing evil and repenting of their sins. Thus they will take their place in the communicant membership of Christ's Church, given to them at their Baptism.
Since this confirmation takes place within our Sunday morning service, many of us will be there to pray for the candidates, to support them and to welcome them, and let us pray too for ourselves, that we may be steadfast in our own discipleship as we celebrate together with those who are committing themselves now.
Perhaps we should all make a resolution this year to follow Christ more closely: to study his teaching in the Gospels, to pray more regularly and to live according to his way of self-giving love for God and neighbour.
The Eucharist for Healing this month will be held at 6pm on the first Sunday, 5th January, and not as usual on the second Sunday.
The 10am Sung Eucharist on 19th January will include Confirmation and the president will be the Bishop of Grantham.
Sunday 12th January at 7 pm in the Church Hall Cost £3.00 Tickets available from Bill Flegg
We wish to thank all those who gave so generously to the Leprosy mission during 2002. A total of £307.47 has been sent to our link, Belgaum Leprosy Hospital in South India. If anyone would like a collecting pot please contact either Sybil or Bernard Babb
At the time of the inaugural World Leprosy Day in 1953, the work of The Leprosy Mission (TLM) in showing the love and compassion of Jesus to leprosy sufferers was almost eighty years old. This ministry to the poorest of the poor, in the darkest days when a medical cure for the disease was still some years distant, epitomised the Scripture from Hebrews 13: 5 wherein God said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you'.
Since 1982 when multidrug therapy (MDT) was introduced, over 11 million people have been cured of the disease, at an average cost of only £15. Most of these were treated before they developed disabilities and were spared the stigma, the deformity and disfigurement.
TLM's life-transforming vocational training programmes provide the means for former patients to gain employment, independence and acceptance in society, as do TLM's enterprise loans -provided to cured patients to enable them to set up small businesses. Ironically, many of these businesses prosper and become so successful that others wish they'd had leprosy!
Perhaps the biggest hurdle to TLM's work is that leprosy is often presumed to be a thing of the past. Yet 631,342 new cases were detected in 2001, and it is still a public health problem in fifteen of the world's poorest countries
Let's make World Leprosy Day 2003 a truly golden event by telling our friends about leprosy and TLM. Please join us so that we can help TLM to bring heading and hope to the 60,000 new leprosy patients whom the Mission expects to treat during the year.
A New Year's treat for a vegetarian and delicious for most of us
Put onions and celery in a large pan with butter and saute over low heat until onions are transparent. Add mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until juices run. Add herbs, basil and flour and cook for 1 minute. Add stock and seasoning, stir, cook gently for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, Stir in cream, season if necessary. Heat very gently to serve but do not allow to boil. Garnish to serve. Cook enough rice to serve 4-6 people, season and stir in a little butter.
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Copyright © 2002 Deeping St James PCC