When did it become acceptable to be horrible to each other? At the time of writing, party political adverts are popping through the door and popping up on social media, pundits are making pronouncements on the TV and radio, and so often people are demonising some group or other that they hardly know. By contrast I’ve found that getting to know people who are different from myself in background or opinion makes life much more interesting. It doesn’t hurt to have my own views challenged. Whether I change my mind or become more confirmed in what I think, at least I’ll be acting on the basis of deeper knowledge rather than prejudice.The Bible is full of practical advice for people from different cultures trying to muddle on together in what were then brand-new churches. One such line is ‘Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.’ Whether we’re crossing continents or trying to put up with the people next door, it’s good advice for us too.Services in Barmston Church in May:Sunday 5th May – Holy Communion at 9.30 am.Sunday 12th May – Family Service at 4.00 pm.Sunday 19th May – Holy Communion at 9.30 am.Our weekly services on Sundays at Emmanuel are at 11.00 and are livestreamed on our Facebook page and are available shortly afterwards on YouTube.
From the Curate, the Revd Heather Groocock...After what has been a long, cold and very wet winter, nature is beginning to show signs of Spring – daffodils are in flower in our gardens and road verges, hedges and trees are showing signs of new leaf growth. In our garden, blackbirds have been busily gathering nesting material and taking it into the hedge. In Bempton, where I live, the gannets and other seabirds are returning to the cliffs. Nature, which has seemed dead and cold, especially with the dark nights for the last few months is coming alive again.When Christians celebrate Easter we remember Jesus coming to life again having been publicly crucified and placed in a grave. From his death and resurrection came new life for us all who believe in his grace and mercy.There is an Easter hymn, ‘Now the Green Blade Riseth’ which links the theme of grain, which has lain in the ground all winter, and which springs to live as the weather warms up, with Christ’s resurrection, which brings forth again God’s love for us all. The hymn has four short verses, the final line of each is, ‘Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.’May you all have a joyous and blessed Easter, and with the coming of Spring, remember the new life that is promised to all of us in Christ.Services in Barmston Church in April:-Sunday 7th April – Holy Communion at 9.30 am.Sunday 14th April – Family Service at 4.00 pm.Sunday 21st April – Holy Communion at 9.30 am.Our weekly services on Sundays at Emmanuel are at 11.00 and are livestreamed on our Facebook page and are available shortly afterwards on YouTube.
There is something particularly awful about homelessness that just feels wrong. It’s good to know that Barmston church is one of the 20-or-so churches in the area that clubbed together to form a charity, Hope Housing Bridlington, to make a difference. We are heading for our fifth anniversary and in the time since we were formed have housed about a dozen different men, some for just a few weeks and some for a number of years. We have two three-bedroomed terraced houses in town, leased from our national partner Green Pastures, so we can house up to six formerly homeless men at a time.It's proved to be very hard work, but sometimes rewarding too. We’ve seen some residents move on to independent living, restore broken relationships or explore Christian faith. Others have refused to engage with our employed Housing Support Officers, have fallen back into destructive habits or sadly have had to be evicted.If you want to know more, get involved as a volunteer, or come to a fundraising concert on 27 April featuring legendary saxophonist Snake Davis and Grammy award nominated composer, arranger and pianist Robin A. Smith, have a look at our new website, www.hopehousingbridlington.org.uk. And to find out more about a faith that motivates this kind of activity, do come along on a Sunday:Sun 3rd Mar at 9.30 am – Holy CommunionSun 10th Mar at 4.00 pm – Family Service for Mothering SundaySun 17th Mar at 9.30 am – Holy CommunionSun 31st Mar at 9.30 am – Holy Communion for Easter DayThere is online worship from our sister church at Emmanuel, Cardigan Road, Bridlington every Sunday, live on Facebook or in person at 11.00 am, or later in the day on our YouTube channel.
Have you noticed that there are fewer stiles on country footpaths these days? Over the years there’s been a concerted effort to replace them with gates, making the paths more accessible to those of us with stiffer joints and older legs than we used to have! Jesus likened the entering of his kingdom to passing through a gate – but, rather scarily, he implies it’s not as accessible as you might think. “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it,” he said. “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7: 13-14). Perhaps I should say, rather, that the gate is perfectly accessible, but most choose to go their own way instead.Talking of gates, we’re enormously grateful to Paul Rich, who for a couple of years has been unlocking church regularly but is now needing to step down. So we need a volunteer to open and lock the church, at least at weekends, so that visitors and locals alike can come in, look round, perhaps say a prayer, and enjoy the peace and quiet. If you’re able to help, please would you give me a ring on 01262 229503? Thank you so much.We would love you to ‘enter through the narrow gate’ and come to our services at Barmston Church in February, which are as follows: Sun 4th Feb at 9.30 am – Holy CommunionSun 11th Feb at 4.00 pm – Family ServiceSun 18th Feb at 9.30 am – Holy CommunionThere is online worship from our sister church at Emmanuel, Cardigan Road, Bridlington every Sunday, live on Facebook or in person at 11.00 am, or later in the day on our YouTube channel.
