St Andrew's, Dearnley

St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

Littleborough Churches Together are considering the possibility of staging a 'Mission' throughout the district and we at St Andrew's, the parish church of Dearnley and Smithy Bridge, would like to play an active role in it.

To that end everyone who was in church last Sunday was handed a questionnaire and asked to respond to the following questions:

What is mission?
Who's responsibility is it?
What is its purpose?
Who should it be directed towards?
What are the missional aspects of church?
Should mission include social, political or financial action?
Where should we do mission - in our parishes or elsewhere?
Is mission something we do, or something we are?
Should Christians be involved in politics or local government and if so, why?
What strengths does your church have that could be employed in Mission?
What are the greatest needs in our community?
Are those needs for the Church only to serve, or should we be working with other agencies?
Who would be our natural partners in furthering the kingdom of God in our area?
What is our relationship like with those with whom we should be working?
Does involvement with Mission excite you, worry you or frighten you?
Would you be willing to get involved? 

On a different tack we welcome David White, who is training to be a Reader and who will be on placement with us until Easter.

David will be with us on Sundays and contribute to the life of the church during the week. He will have an opportunity to read, preach, lead intercessions and immerse himself in the life of the parish.

Our new bookstall is open in time for Lent, and now is the time, for those intending to do so, to sign up for our Lent groups which will take place in the Vicarage, in the parish room, at Barbara Gordon's home and also at a venue on Bents' Farm Estate which has still to be announced.

You can choose between Tuesdays at 7.30 in the Vicarage; Wednesdays at 1.30pm at Barbara's home; Thursdays at 2pm at the Bents' Farm venue; or Thursdays at 7.30pm in the parish room with the Rev George Dobbs on February 21, 28, March 14 and 21.

In Church on Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent, we have Eucharist at 8am and Sung Eucharist at 10am, to which all who seek God are welcome.

Parish rota: lay assistants, J Paterson, C Cook; readers, J Paterson, C Cook; Intercessions, S Knight; sidespersons, P Shrigley, B Kelly.