News and Coming Up

Our thoughts are with Mollie Burnham whose son Ian passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly a few days ago whilst on holiday in Tenerife. Please remember Mollie, Rachel, Ellie, Izzy, Brenda and the rest of the family in your prayers.

The Coffee Morning next Saturday (28^th) will be hosted by Christine Beard and profits will go to Action for Children. As we have reported previously, Christine is, after many years, standing down as our Action for Children Secretary and this will be her last event in the role. Please do come and support it if you can. Also, no one has volunteered to take over from Christine – please think and pray about this.

The Lunch on Saturday 13th April raised £87 for church funds. Thank you very much Brenda for making it happen and thank you also to everyone who supported it.

Next Sunday (28^th), worship is being led by David Alderman who is our Circuit Superintendent.

The Leadership Team is due to meet on Monday 29^th April. If there is anything you would like discussed please have a word with Helen, Michael, Peter, Lynda, Yvonne or P. J.

Thank you Bob Fear for sorting out the electric sockets in the dirty kitchen.

A reminder: we need to put together a rota for grass cutting. Please, if you are able to offer help to keep the grass under control, speak to Lynda. 

On or near your seat on Sunday should be an Easter Offering Envelope.This year’s theme is ‘Longer Tables, Lower Fences’. There are also book marks around which explain more about what happens to any donation you able to make.

Sue Parker has lost a bracelet which she wore last Sunday (7^th). It is silver and has a heart where the link to attach it went through. If anyone knows anything about it please let Sue know.

Before the service last Sunday, a short film was shown about ‘The Noise’. This is a series of community events happening around Bristol over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. Posters about the 2 nearest events – in Fishponds and Downend – have been put on the downstairs noticeboard.

Many of you have recently attended a Foundation Safeguarding course. Now being advertised is an Advanced Safeguarding Course. This is for those who hold leadership posts within the church such as stewards, safeguarding officers etc. It goes further than the Foundation Course by discussing what procedures should be taken when crisis arise, keeping church records, DBS forms, keeping the church safe by risk assessment etc.  It is about understanding the full responsibility of the church with regard to Safeguarding and each person’s role within that. The course is scheduled for Tuesday 21^st May, 9:30am to 3pm. If you would like to attend please let know. Also let me know if you would like to do the course but cannot make this date.

The Malawi Appeal has raised £111.30: thank you very much everyone who donated.

Our previous cluster held a number of events as a cluster. However, our new cluster does not hold any such events. P. J,, quite rightly, wants to change this so a Praise and Prayer Service is being held at Yate Methodist Church on Saturday 1^st June, from 4 to 6pm..

Between 6^th and 22^nd April, 52 brightly coloured llamas, decorated by local schools and youth groups, will be hiding in the shops throughout Broadmead, Cabot Circus, the Arcade and the Galleries in the Bristol Shopping Quarter. Pick up a trail map from The New Room then see how many you can find – they all have names! When you have found as many as you can, take your trail map back to the chapel, spot the final llamas and collect a small chocolate prize and other goodies.

As previously mentioned, we intend to hold a Summer Fayre on Saturday 22^nd June. Sam Skuse is leading but her request for support has been met with a rather poor response. If anyone is thinking that because, we have received a generous legacy from Ocky Roberts, we do not need to fund raise anymore, then you are very wrong. There still remains a great and urgent need to increase income so that we can cut our operating deficit. If you can help or if you would to more information, please contact Sam.

After many years in the role, Christine Beard is standing down as our National Children’s Homes Secretary. Is there anyone willing to take on this role or is this something else the church is going to add the ever-growing list of things we no longer do? If you want to know what it involves, please have a word with Christine.

The number of people willing to serve refreshments after Sunday worship is diminishing and some people seem to be doing it week after week. This is not right and we urgently need more volunteers. Or are we going to reach the very sad stage that we no longer have this social occasion?

Are you likely to be in the centre of Bristol any time soon? Then why not visit the New Room to see the just installed 3 panelled stain glass window which depicts the life of John Wesley. Listen to Radio 4 on Sunday (13^th) between 7:10am and 7:55 to hear about it.

The 2019 KMC Bible Holiday Club will run from Monday 29^th July to Friday 2^nd August. This is a different week to which we normally hold the club.

KMC is now a designated Trussell Trust Foodbank Referral Agency. This means that if, someone comes onto the premises looking for food, they can be given a voucher to exchange at the Foodbank located in the Bourne Christian Church, just down the road. Or it can be exchanged at any other Trussell Trust Foodbank. There are strict rules on the issue of these vouchers and the only people who can do it are Liz Marks, Lynda Stone and Peter Shears.

The purpose of Kingswood Methodist Church is to respond to God's Love in Christ and to live out that love in God's world.