St John's, Lepton

May you find hope in the shadows. May God hold you through uncertainty and remind you that the night will pass, no matter how long it has lasted or how dark it has been. May you be given eyes of faith to receive comfort in the chaos and strength in the struggle.

Christingle , St Johns Church Lepton. Sunday 10th December.
Make your own Christingle at 3.30 pm for 4 pm service.

May you make space for grace. Sometimes the person you are hardest with is yourself. May God help you to see yourself as God sees you, and may you be able to understand others through the lens of mercy. God gives you another chance, so do the same with others.

Advent in 2 Minutes (NEW!) Warning: This video uses a flashing/strobing effect that may affect photosensitive viewers.*Watch in 1080p HD for best results*What is Advent all about? How ...

We cannot stop time. No matter how hard you try, it slips through your fingers like grains of sand. May God remind you that, in the midst of the unstoppable advance of the minutes and days you face, He holds you. He makes all things beautiful in His time. Trust Him.

May God light a candle of Hope in your soul. May its flame burn brightly. When you are surrounded by darkness, may it light your path. When you are frozen with fear, may its warmth bring assurance to your heart. When you are lost in loss, may Hope guide you home.

Thankyou all for your Christmas gifts which will be distributed by the NSPCC.

Christmas Messy Church. THIS Sunday 3rd December. Everyone is invited and we're looking forward to having so much fun.

Grief tries to consume us. It lies to us, telling us, 'This is the end, there is no hope, you are trapped in despair'. May God break the lie. May He remind you that He gives strength to face the sadness; may His whispered voice shatter the silence of your mourning.

God's feet touch the bottom. When you feel like you are drowning, may He lift you up. When you have come to the end of yourself, may His Spirit remind you that God's grace has not run out. When fear engulfs you, may mercy rescue you. You are seen. You are loved.

Tomorrow is a word that can bring possibility or fear, excitement or dread. May God give you grace today to trust Him for tomorrow. Whatever lies ahead of you, may you be reminded that God got there first. He was there yesterday, He is there today and He's got this.

Take a moment. Catch your breath. Find perspective. Rest. Pause. Wait. Allow God's word to you to give courage for what comes next and His promises to give peace right here, right now. God won't drop you. He isn't going anywhere. He is right here. That's enough.

If you would like to read one of the lessons at our carol service we would be delighted. Either indicate below or message us.

Faith voices in the north to be shared - Diocese of Leeds Prompted by the recent launch of the Archbishop of York’s Faith in the North initiative, the husband of our Bishop Smitha is recording local voices talking about their faith journeys.

We are holding our annual gift service at St John’s on the morning of Sunday December 3rd at 10:30 am.
We invite you to bring a wrapped gift for a child , labelled to indicate whether it is for a boy or girl and a guide to age suitability. Your gifts will be distributed by the NSPCC to children facing a bleak Christmas.
Gifts can also be dropped off at 86 Rowley Lane.

Sunday School had a lovely morning learning about Advent. They also had a special surprise.....but they had to wait for it! 🤣 Oh the excitement, the anticipation, the suspense - just like every year when we get ready to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. I think we all enjoyed the game Sunday School Sally made for us. We also made an Advent candle, which is on display on the Sunday School table in church, a wreath for our bedrooms and coloured in a picture of Advent candles. We also got a countdown to Christmas picture to colour in each day to take home. Christmas is coming 🧡🐭 # # #

Year 4 and Reception have enjoyed reading with their grown ups this morning 📚

We will remember them.

November's Sunday School will take place on the 19th November 2023.
Molly Mouse is so excited. She can't wait. She is crossing off the days in her countdown. But is she patient? She is getting ready, are you? We can't wait to see you. Sunday School Sally and Molly Mouse 🧡🐭

Christmas Messy Church Sunday 3rd December 2023. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Faith in the North | Bishop Smitha | November 2023
On a glorious October day, I was privileged to accompany Archbishop Stephen on a walk from South Ossett to Dewsbury Minster for the launch of Faith in the North; an initiative to celebrate the faith stories of the province.

The project is inspired by the upcoming 1400th anniversary of the baptism of Edwin by Paulinus in AD 627, and asks the Holy Spirit for the same courage and creativity of those who planted the Gospel in our communities long ago. People like Ethelreda, Oswin, Oswald, Hilda, Cuthbert, James and others who lived in turbulent time and whose constancy is evidenced by churches across the North today.
In uncertain times in which we live, the challenge is to resist the pull of the world and become polarised. How do we find ways to live in harmony with one another and with creation especially where matters of economy, politics, faith and identity run deep and are potentially divisive?

For times when there is a trembling of the heart, the call of disciples in every generation has always been to discern what God is doing, sacrifice self for others, and hasten the Kingdom. And for this to happen, the touchstone is prayer. It is a way of participating in the work of God and is formative, a source of unity and a striving for Christ-likeness in common with saints across time and space.

Aged 19, I discovered a rhythm of prayer through Scripture and song which has called me to reconciliation and right relationships ever since. It has encouraged me to think of Christian witness as something which is reflected in community and in solidarity with others, in simplicity and joy of heart. My direction for prayer is the Taizé community which on Advent Sunday will welcome and commission Brother Matthew as its new Prior.

Who would have thought that Br Matthew’s life was also about Faith in the North? He was born in Pudsey, Leeds and has spent his whole life “loving, living, learning” by encouraging young people in their prayer life. Pray for him and for each other in the words of a Taizé chant: “In our darkest night, you kindle the fire that never dies away, that never dies away.” May the divine spark light your life this Advent and beyond.

CATHEDRAL REFLECTIONS

Today's reflection is provided by the Revd Janet Bellamy.

A prayer for peace in the Holy Land, sacred to the the three Abrahamic faiths, here represented by a Jewish, a Muslim and a Christian boy.

Two peoples, one land.
Three faiths, one root.
One earth, one mother.
One sky, one beginning, one destiny.
One broken heart, one God.
We pray to you: grant us a vision of unity;
May we see the many in the one and the one in the many.
May you, Life of all the worlds, Source of all amazing differences,
help us to see clearly.
Guide us gently and firmly towards each other and towards peace.

(Rabbi Sheila Weinberg)

May you be given grace to greet a new day with fresh hope, new-found faith and the gift of courage. If sleep is difficult, may you be given a good night’s rest. May your soul be strengthened and your spirit steeled to face the challenges and demands of tomorrow.

Middle East Emergency Appeal Your donation will help local churches provide vital aid to those impacted by the humanitarian crisis.

May your life offer hope and help to others. Learning that we can give support to someone else liberates is from unhealthy dependency and invites us into the beauty of interdependence. May your home, heart and experiences become conduits of grace to others.

May you embrace the possibility of a fresh start rather than fearing it. A blank page can be inimidating because it feels like the unknown and unexpected; but instead may God give you grace to see it as a chance to learn, to grow, to go further and discover more.

May Christ’s Cross remind you how much God loves you. May you see the freedom it secured, the price it paid and the hope it offers. May God give you faith to embrace the Cross and may you have the humility to kneel before it finding forgiveness, grace and peace.

Well worth a visit…do go if you can.

Ancient words bring hope to seeking hearts. May the God of life speak hope into your heart through Holy Scripture. May the Breath of God, that inspired these words, inspire you as you read them. May you hear and see Christ and may He guide you on the path of life.

Autumn frosts remind us that seasons change and we must learn to change with them. May God help you to know when one season is ending and another is beginning, and may you be given grace to know what you need to leave behind and what you need to carry with you.

"The dark can be scary", "I FEEL ALONE IN THE DARK", "I can't see in the dark". Do you sometimes feel like this?
Sunday School looked at darkness, how it makes us feel and learnt that God is our light and with him we will never be alone. We read passages from the Bible, made a poster, which is on display in the church, made one to take home and decorated our trinket boxes and were given glow sticks and battery operated tea lights to put in our trinket boxes for home. 🐭🧡 # # #

When the storm is raging, God has got you. May you know the nearness of the Holy Spirit as the winds blow. May you know the comfort of Christ as the clouds gather. May you know the embrace of the Father as uncertainty rises and may God’s presence give you peace.

Stillness. An attitude not just an external reality. However demanding your situation is, may God still your soul and quieten your spirit. In the midst of busy-ness may you have peace. When your heart is overwhelmed, remember you are held in the grip of God’s grace.

Our Diocesan Synod meets tomorrow in Leeds! Topics that will be covered include our Barnabas work, our diocesan overseas links and more! Please pray for wisdom for those attending, that the right decisions are taken for furthering God's Kingdom here in our region.

Follow along with everything happening over on our Twitter/X account 👉 https://twitter.com/LeedsCofE

May you value friendships as gifts from God. To know that someone has your back and you have theirs, that they love you as you are but care enough to tell you the truth is a blessing. Tell your friends how grateful you are for them. Don’t take them for granted.