Children helped to pause and reflect before starting secondary school

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Transition generalThis week we invited the school leavers from Burnside, Gillas Lane and Bernard Gilpin Primary Schools for a special interactive service to help them to look back and give thanks for their time at primary school and look forward to their move to secondary school – putting their concerns into God’s hands.

There were five different prayer spaces:

 

 

Sorry

 

Transition sorryThe children thought of regrets they had whilst holding a small pebble and then washed the pebbles clean as a sign of letting go and receiving God’s forgiveness.

Thank you

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The children thought of people that they especially wanted to thank God for. They wrote their names on post-it notes and made a person from pipe cleaners to take home.
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Please

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The children drew around their hands and cut them out and wrote on them prayers of concern about the move to secondary school – symbolising putting their worries into God’s hands.

Jigsaw

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The children thought about what made them unique and drew a mini portrait on a jigsaw piece – then they joined up all the pieces together showing how we’re all together but different.

Wow

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The children thought about their ‘wow’ moments from their time at school and decorated flags depicting these. Wow moments ranged from school trips to scoring goals to being in an anti-bullying team.

These services were supported by the Prayer Project at Durham Diocese and inspired by similar services that were held for church schools at Durham Cathedral.

Find out more about the Prayer Project on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dioceseofdurhamprayerproject 

A big thank you to the Diocese for the resources and support from Phil Togwell and Sharon Pritchard, to our wonderful church volunteers and to all the schools for taking part.

Tudor Belassis Brass plaque returns to St Michael’s

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The Belassis Brass which has been away being restored and conserved has been returned to the Gilpin Transept in St Michael and All Angels church. It depicts the remarkable Marjorie Belassis, a friend of Rector Bernard Gilpin and member of the congregation.

Marjorie died aged 90 years, her husband having died when she was 32.  Lucky for her as she already had 12 children.  She lived in Morton House, which is situated on the small lane between the Chilton Hotel, Fencehouses and the Fence Houses War Memorial. The brass talks of her life’s dedication to hospitality and the relief of the poor.

Come and have a look at the brass in situ, and count her numerous children!

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Classical Guitar Concert Giulio Tampalini Wed 22 June, 7.30pm

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Giulio Tampalini 1

We don’t have many guitarists at Master Musicians, but when we do, they are only the best. Giulio leaves his young family in Italy to play more than a dozen recitals in the North East and he plays works by Rodrigo, Tarrega and Maffani. He will be performing at St Michael’s on Wednesday 22nd June at 7.30pm, Admission is £8.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear a world class musician here in Houghton!

Here is a taster:

Celebrating Faith – our children and the Mothers’ Union at Durham Cathedral

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For the last few weeks in Young Church our young people have been creating a beautiful banner to be processed at the Mothers’ Union Festival Service at Durham Cathedral on Tuesday 31st May.

The children loved being part of a huge procession in the cathedral and singing such familiar songs as ‘Our God is a great big God’. I’m not sure if the older members of the Mothers’ Union knew what hit them! The cathedral was full of brightly coloured banners made by children all across the diocese – a wonderful reminder of the work of the Mothers’ Union in promoting family values and education all around the world.

A huge thank you to Sue Elsey and Clare Taylor and all those that helped the children to create our beautiful banner and for attending the service.

A prayer card was given to everyone with the following prayer:

Dear God,

We thank you for

Good things every day

Oranges and all we eat

Drawing and dancing

 

Inside days for play

Sweets and treats

 

Laughter and fun

Owls otters and other creatures

Very nice people

Everything

Amen.

This is the finished banner back and front:

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Here are some pictures from the day:

Celebrating God’s love for all at Durham Pride 2016

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This Bank Holiday Monday a group of us from St Michael’s joined thousands in the centre of Durham to take part in Durham Pride – celebrating the breadth of diversity across our region.

We had a very positive time witnessing to God’s love for everyone. Plenty of people were delighted to see us there and see what it said on our t-shirts: ‘Jesus welcomes all and so do we! St Michael and All Angels Church, Houghton-le-Spring’.

Lots of interesting conversations were had about being an inclusive welcoming church. We even met one girl who remembered us from Ashes to Go on Ash Wednesday!

Thank you to everyone from St Michael’s who supported us.

Durham Pride 2016

Afternoon Tea celebrating the Queen’s 90th Birthday

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The Next 900 Team put on a wonderful afternoon tea in celebration of the Queen’s 90th Birthday on Sunday 15th May. A big group of us enjoyed a sumptuous feast of delicate sandwiches, small cakes and delicious scones. A prize draw saw two people win a commemorative £5 coin and a 1977 Silver Jubilee Paperweight. The event raised some much needed funds for the church. A huge thank you to the team for a wonderful afternoon’s entertainment. And Happy Birthday Your Majesty!

New Church Wardens sworn in

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Congratulations to our Church Wardens, Simon Hardy and John Lambton who were officially ‘sworn in’ with our new Assistant Church Warden, Rita Turnbull supporting them at the Archdeacon’s Visitation service last night. There was a huge turnout from Parishes in our Deanery and further afield too as the Archdeacon of Sunderland, The Ven Stuart Bain spoke to them about their duties. In particular the Archdeacon reminded them of

  1. representing the laity,
  2. co-operation with the incumbent and
  3. encouragement of all people in the Church.

Let us celebrate this event and give them a pat on the back when you see them! Well done Simon, John, Rita and also Thelma Steel, Assistant Church Warden of many years.

BE INSPIRED BY BERNARD GILPIN AS WE PRAY FOR NORTH EAST – Durham Cathedral 13th May

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As part of Thy Kingdom Come national wave of prayer between Ascension Day and Pentecost (8-15 May)  we will be leading prayer inspired by Houghton Rector, Apostle of the North, Bernard Gilpin (1517-1583) at Durham Cathedral on Friday 13 May, 8.00pm-9.30pm. Come and pray with us!

Thy Kingdom Bernard Gilpin
Friday 13 May
9.15am – 5.15pm

The Galilee Chapel – prayer space for Thy Kingdom Come – a special week of prayer, today’s focus is Bernard Gilpin, Apostle to the North.

8.00pm – 9.30pm 

The Gregory Chapel – a prayer gathering inspired by Bernard Gilpin, Apostle to the North.

Bernard Gilpin, known as The Apostle of the North, lived through the tumultuous and dangerous times of the sixteenth century Reformation. His early academic career was marked by the theological controversies of the time, but during the reign of Queen Elizabeth he became Rector of Houghton-le-Spring and for the next 26 years was known for his generosity, help for the poor, and his annual travel in the border area of England and Scotland where he endured hardship in order to preach the gospel and care for the people living in poverty. Following his example, we pray for the mission of the church in proclaiming the gospel and caring for people in need, especially in this North East region.

Lord God,
whose Son Jesus Christ loves the Church
and desires to present it holy and without stain:
we thank you for Bernard Gilpin, Apostle of the North,
and pray that like him we may show forth
integrity in the faith and purity of life;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.    Amen.