This Sunday is ‘Bible Sunday’ where churches throughout the nation and beyond celebrate the word of God. Our Bible passage is 2 Timothy. Some key questions to consider:
- Who wrote it? The apostle Paul
- When? Around 717,000 days ago!
- Who to? A youngish pastor called Timothy
- Why was it written? To encourage Timothy to keep sharing the gospel to the churches in Ephesus
- Why does it matter to us? We need to keep sharing the gospel!
Paul wrote the letter to Timothy whilst bound in chains in prison. But he said to Timothy, that despite being bound in chains “the word of God is not bound” and therefore Timothy should rightly handle the word of God. The gospel cannot be held back – the good news reaches to the ends of the earth.
We’re spending four weeks looking at Paul’s second letter to Timothy and we’re calling these four weeks our ‘Bible Festival.’ of which this Sunday is part two.
Remember…the clocks go back this weekend! In the early hours of Sunday morning at 2:00 AM the United Kingdom will revert to Greenwich Mean Time by going back one hour, to 1:00 AM (officially marking the end of summer!).
I’m setting off in an hour to Grange-over-Sands to lead the Treehouse Weekend Away at Thornleigh Christian Hotel. There’s 30 people going, plus another four coming for the day on Saturday. It’s going to be a brilliant weekend of worship, fellowship, and growing in faith. Wish you’d booked to come? Pencil the date in your diary for next year: 31st October to Sunday 2nd November. Please do pray for all those at the weekend – especially for the children and young people – that like Timothy, they will be encouraged and strengthened – and that the word of God will not be bound.
——————————-
Sunday Services The services and activities on Sunday 27th October are:
- 9:00 AM Traditional (The Book of Common Prayer) Service of Holy Communion (with refreshments afterwards)
- 10:00 AM Meadows Books open (until 10:45 AM)
- 11:00 AM Contemporary Communion Service (livestreamed with refreshments afterwards)
- 12:15 PM Meadows Books’ open (until 12:45 PM)
- 5:00 PM Treehouse Family Worship (with refreshments)
- 6:00 PM Meadows Books open (until 6:15 PM)
——————————-
Watching Online, Bible Reading and Order of Service
Our livestream can be viewed on our YouTube channel here and our Facebook channel here. In our morning services we will be looking at two Bible Readings: 2 Timothy 2:1-26 (page 995 of the Church Bibles). The 11:00 AM order of service is available here (apologies for the file being missing last week – it is now on).
——————————
Treehouse Weekend Away
Save the date now for next year! It will be from Friday 31st October to Sunday 2nd November 2025.
——————————-
Illuminations Party!
Children, young people and their families are invited to our first ever Illuminations Party on Thursday 31st October at 6:00 PM. It’s a free Christian alternative for autumn and Halloween-time. Meet outside the Top Chippy on Red Bank Road in Bispham, for chips, donuts, and a walk through the illumination tabloids. Damian will organise the chips and donuts. Come dressed as your favourite Hero if you’d like – but please no spooky costumes! In the event of really bad weather, our back-up plan will be to run an event in the Community Centre Hall instead – an email will be sent out on the morning of Thursday 31st October to confirm.
——————————
‘Cookhouse’ Family Teatime Cookery Class
Cookhouse returns this Friday on Friday 1st November, from 5:00 PM to 6:45/7:00 PM ish. Please book using this link here.
——————————
Men Utd!
The next gathering for men for a delicious meal and gentlemanly chat is on Friday 1st November at 7:30 PM at the Bay Horse in Thornton. To book your place please speak to John Hearnshaw.
——————————
PCC Awayday
Will take place on Saturday 2nd November at Whalley Abbey. It is hoped all PCC members can gather for this important day away. Clergy, ALMs and the trustees of The Friends of Thornton Parish Church are also welcome to this day. Please speak to Sally Johnson to book your place. The day will follow on from the ‘Mission, Vision, and Values’ evenings and will look at the following three things:
- Where we’ve been (what God has been doing)
- Where we are (what God is doing)
- Where we want to be (what God has in store)
Damian will propose a draft strategy for the coming years for the PCC to review, discuss and pray about.
——————————
Advent Concert
We’re looking forward to hosting an Advent Concert on Friday 29th November at 7:30 PM. We’ll be hosting once again Christian singer-songwriters Yvonne Lyon, Gareth Davies-Jones and David Lyon as they bring you an evening of live acoustic seasonal music.
Expect wonderful melodies, soaring harmonies, and an acoustic warmth and intimacy generated by three creative artists at the top of their craft.
This event is perfect to invite a friend or family member to – expecially someone who wouldn’t usually come to Church.
Please book tickets in advance, costing £10.00 adult, £5.00 child. Click on this link here to book.
——————————-
Christmas Tree Lighting
Come along to the Christmas Tree Lighting at 5:00 PM on Sunday 1st December in the Car Park. With carols around the outdoor tree, lovely mince pies and hot chocolate, this annual event is a fun occasion for all ages, and the tree lighting is a moment of excitement for children (and adults!) Wrap up warm!
——————————
Not Getting Inn!
It’s Pan-tivity time! It’s a nativity, and a pantomime (“oh yes it is!”).
A Roman census, tired guests, a broken stable, and a surprise inn-spection. There’s no room at the inn, so when a pregnant woman knocks at the door, how on earth will Bucky the Bell-Boy squeeze them inn?
The Nativity story meets Fawlty Towers in this farcical panto, with songs, slapstick, and plenty of laughs! 4Front Theatre Company are joining us once again, bringing a show full to the rafters with fun, all the while delivering a message of hope, found in the birth of Jesus. It’s on Thursday 5th December, from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. To enable as many children, their families, and adults to come and enjoy the evening, it will be free of charge. So please spread the word, put the date in your diary, and let’s fill every seat.
——————————-
Can you host some actors?
We are looking for volunteers to act as hosts for the four team members from the 4 Front Theatre Company for the evenings of Tuesday 3rd December and Wednesday the 4th December. If you have a spare bed at your inn and would like to host one of the team could you please email martin@christchurchthornton.uk by the 6th November.
——————————-
Christmas Coach Trip to Chester
Damian will be leading a coach trip to Chester on Friday 6th December.
The coach will be setting off from Christ Church Thornton at 8:30 AM, arriving in Chester just before 10:30 AM. The coach will leave Chester at 4:30 PM, arriving back at Christ Church around 6:30 PM, traffic dependent.
This will be a lovely opportunity to visit the Christmas Market outside the Town Hall near to Chester Cathedral (there’s around 70 stalls). You can explore Chester at your own leisure, and if interested, to visit Chester Cathedral. The Refectory Cafe is lovely place for lunch or coffee and cake. If you wish you could pay to go on a tour of the Cathedral with a guide. NB: due to a concert taking place at the Cathedral that evening, some parts of the Cathedral might not be as accessible as usual.
The cost for the travel only is £20 per person. Bookings can be made online using this link here.
——————————-
Christmas Cracker – Concert with Thornton Cleveleys Brass Band
We’re delighted to be partnering with the local and brilliant Thornton-Cleveleys Brass Band to host a ‘Christmas Cracker.’ It will be on Saturday 7th December at 7:30 PM. The cost is £7.50 per person, payable on the door on the night.
——————————-
Carols at Blackpool Tower
An organisation in Blackpool called Refreshment UK are running a special celebration of carols at the Tower. It’s on Tuesday 10th December from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Favourite carols will be accompanied by the band from the Salvation Army at Blackpool Citadel. For more information and tickets please click on this link here.
——————————-
Playhouse Nativity
Each morning at Playhouse (for babies, toddlers and their parents/carers) from Monday 16th to Thursday 19th December there will be a pop-up nativity (for those who attend Playhouse). It’s from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in the Community Centre Hall.
Going on a special tour of the building, Banjo Bob, Lyrical Lauren, and Deputy Damian will be leading the cast of mini actors. The first stop will be the Pilgrim’s Rest. Will there be any water or snacks for the donkey? The next stop will be the bookshop. Will there be any room at the Inn? The next stop will be the Choir Vestry. Where are the shepherds? The final stop will be the Church, in preparation for the birth of a very special baby. Where are the angels?
Parents and carers are encouraged to bring costumes for themselves and their children!
——————————-
Festive Musical Lunches
You’re invited to the very popular (book early!) Festive Musical Lunches – with carrot & coriander soup, turkey sandwiches, yule log, and cheese and crackers. There’ll be Christmas crackers, carols, and the opportunity to join Banjo Bob to spin the wheel with his famous catchphrases: “round and round the wheel goes, where it stops nobody knows…once completed it must be deleted!”
Please please please BOOK here using this link rather than just tell someone you are coming.
They are on:
- Monday 16th December, 12:00 Noon.
- Tuesday 17th December, 12:00 Noon.
- Wednesday 18th December, 12:00 Noon.
- Thursday 19th December, 12:00 Noon.
The cost is £10 per person per lunch. If affordability is a problem, please don’t let that put you off. Have a chat with Damian or one of the team.
——————————-
Christmas Carol Services & Treehouse Nativity
Join us to sing your favourite carols at one of our Carol Services and the Treehouse Nativity on Sunday 22nd December:
- 10:00 AM Traditional Carols and Communion
- 5:00 PM Treehouse Nativity
- 6:00 PM Mince Pies and Mulled Wine
- 7:00 PM Contemporary Service of Lessons and Carols
——————————-
Orange & Chat!
Christingle Elves needed! This annual event to prepare the Christingles will be on Monday 23rd December from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM in the Community Centre Hall. We’ll be getting all the components together. Various roles required, from bagging up sweets, to wrapping the oranges, to dropping a doughnut in each bag. Come along and have some fun.
——————————-
Christingle
An orange, some red ribbon, sweets on sticks and a glow stick. Somehow it all points to the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World. Come and join us for our Christingle service at 3:00 PM on Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24th December.
——————————-
Christmas Day Community Dinner 2024“Delicious Food, Friendship, Faith, and Joy”
We are looking forward to hosting a joy filled afternoon on Wednesday 25th December from 1:00 PM onwards in the Community Centre Hall. The meal is for anyone who might benefit from having company on Christmas Day. Enjoy a proper Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings, followed of course by pudding, cake, and cheese and biscuits! There will be a quiz and live music.
There is no charge for any of the food or the activities. God gave the generous gift of Jesus at the first Christmas. We believe in sharing the generous love of God with anyone who would like to receive it.
Booking is essential. Please sign up using this link here.
——————————-
Sermon Series
Here is an insight into what’s coming up in our services….
- Sunday 27th October
- Theme: ‘The word of God is not bound’ (Bible Festival part 2)
- Passage: 2 Timothy 2
- Sunday 3rd November
- Theme: ‘Wise for salvation’ (Bible Festival part 3)
- Passage: 2 Timothy 3
- Sunday 10th November
- Remembrance Sunday
- Passage: John 15:12-17
- Sunday 17th November
- Theme: ‘Crown of righteousness’ (Bible Festival part 4)
- Passage: 2 Timothy 4
- Sunday 24th November
- Theme: ‘God will wipe away every tear’
- Passage: Revelation 7
- Sunday 1st December (Advent 1)
- Theme: ‘The marriage supper of the Lamb’
- Passage: Revelation 19
- Sunday 8th December (Advent 2)
- Theme: ‘The dwelling place of God is with man’
- Passage: Revelation 21
- Sunday 15th December (Advent 3)
- Theme: “I am coming soon”
- Passage: Revelation 22
——————————-
Who is God?
The greatest question any human could ever ask!
Our life’s work ought to be knowing God, the one in whom “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The Diocese of Blackburn have launched a podcast entitled ‘The Otherness of God,’ which looks at who God is, especially the ways in which He is different to us.
- Episode 1, ‘Needless,’ looks at how God is self existent and relies on no one or anything to be who He is.
- Episode 2, ‘Changeless,’ looks at how God is always the same, always has been, and always will be. He doesn’t fluctuate in any aspect of who He is.
- Episode 3, ‘Timeless,’ looks at how God is eternal.
- Episode 4, ‘Limitless,’ looks at how God is everywhere, all at once, all of the time.
- Episode 5, ‘Onesness,’ looks at how God is everything that He is all at once – for example, He is eternally self-sufficient, and at the same time He is eternally everywhere, without changing.
To listen to all the episodes (six in total), download the Fruitful App from Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Search ‘Fruitful:Dicoese of Blackburn.’ You can also find them on the Fruitful website.
——————————-
Knowing God
I’m undertaking a review of the discipleship options on offer for everyone at Christ Church. Ideas for the future include running another Alpha Course, Bible Course, Romans Course (made by the same people as The Bible Course), and resuming the Catechism Classes. If you’d like to offer any thoughts of what you think will be useful, please do let me know, as any feedback will help shape the planning.
——————————
Sanctuary for Youth
Sanctuary for Youth has moved from the last Sunday of the month to the first Sunday of the month. Pizza, hot chocolate, table tennis, pool, games and more, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM – the next one is on Sunday 3rd November. It’s for young people of High School age.
——————————-
Church WhatsApp number
We are trialing having a Church WhatsApp facility – a quick and easy way to ask a question. Several people will be connected to it and will be able to respond. The number is 07356 024257. An easy way to use it is to click this link here.
——————————-
Job opportunity in Fleetwood
In his new role as curate-in-charge at St. Peter’s and St. David’s Fleetwood, Andrew Downes is recruiting a part-time Parish Administration Assistant (14 hours per week). For details of the role and how to apply, visit https://www.fleetwood.church/jobs
——————————-
Church WhatsApp Announcement Group
We are also trialing a Church WhatsApp Announcement Group (often called a WhatsApp Community). Short and quick-to-read useful messages of information about church life and activities will be posted on it. If you subscribe to it, no one can see your number except the administrator (currently Damian, with one or two more people to be added going forward).
To try it out and get involved click on this link here to be added to it. If you like it, you can keep on it and if you don’t like it you can easily ‘exit’ the group at any time. You can also ‘mute’ notifications at any time.
If it works, we’ll launch sub-groups by WhatsApp for various church activities going forward as an efficient way to broadcast useful and activity-specific important information (in addition to the weekly news).
——————————
Giving to God
There are numerous ways to give to God and contribute to the mission and ministry of Christ Church:
- Bank transfer – details available here
- By dated giving envelopes (on request)
- By contactless machine at the back of Church (or sometimes positioned in the Pilgrim’s Rest or the Community Centre)
- Online giving – you can give online here
- You can give by text with a smartphone. Send a text to 07380 307 800 containing our keyword “CCTFY5”, followed by the word “give”, followed by the amount you wish to give. For example “CCTFY5 give £10” to give £10. Step by step instuctions here
- Cash in the collection plate (positioned on the font)
Bank transfer or standing order is the preferred method of giving as they do not have any processing fees attached. Tax payers can add Gift Aid to their gift. More information about this can be found on the website here.
——————————-
Diary of Activities and Services
Monday 28th October
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Playhouse (parent, baby and toddlers) in the Community Centre
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 12:00 Noon to 1:45 PM – Lyrics and Lunch in the Community Centre and Church
- 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM – Bowl & Chat in the Community Centre
- 7:45 PM to 9:15 PM – Growth Group in the Community Centre
Tuesday 29th October
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Playhouse (parent, baby and toddlers) in the Community Centre
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Craft & Chat in Church
- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Lunch in the Community Centre
- 3:45 PM to 4:45 PM – KICK Academy at Thornton Cleveleys Football Club on Gamble Road
Wednesday 30th October
- 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM – Breakfast Club and Walking Bus to Royles Brook School in the Community Centre
- 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM – Fridaymen volunteers in the Churchyard and Church
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Playhouse (parent, baby and toddlers) in the Community Centre
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM – Wednesday Morning Growth Group in Church
- 11:15 AM to 12:00 Noon – Traditional (BCP) service of Holy Communion in Church
- 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM – Lunches for Seniors in the Community Centre
- 5:30 PM to 6:45 PM – Lighthouse in the Community Centre
- 7:30 PM to 8:45 PM – Worship Team Rehearsal
Thursday 31st October
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM – Playhouse (parent, baby and toddlers) in the Community Centre
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 12:00 Noon to 1:45 PM – Lyrics and Lunch in the Community Centre and Church
- 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM – Bat & Chat in the Community Centre
- 6:00 PM – Illuminations Party – meeting at the promenade *this is our Christian alternative to Halloween*
Friday 1st November
- 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM – Fridaymen volunteers in the Churchyard and Church
- 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Morning Prayer in Church
- 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – Pilgrim’s Rest in the Chapel
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – Food Pantry available (emergency food support)
- 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM – Alexandra Court Rest Home Communion Service
- 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM – Move and Chat in the Community Centre
- 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM – ‘Cookhouse’ Family Teatime Cookery Class in the Community Centre
- 7:30 PM to 9:30+ PM – Men United at the Bay Horse
Saturday 2nd November
- 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM – The Meadows Bookshop and Giftshop
- 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM – PCC Vision Awayday at Whalley Abbey (arriving for between 9:30 and 9:45 AM)
Sunday 3rd November
- 9:00 AM Traditional (The Book of Common Prayer) Service of Holy Communion (with refreshments afterwards)
- 10:00 AM Meadows Books open (until 10:45 AM)
- 11:00 AM Contemporary Service of Holy Communion livestreamed (with refreshments afterwards)
- 12:15 PM Meadows Books’ open (until 12:45 PM)
- 3:00 PM Traditional Service of Evensong (with refreshments)
- 5:00 PM Treehouse Family Communion Service (with refreshments)
- 6:00 PM Meadows Books open (until 6:15 PM)
- 7:00 PM Sanctuary Youth Group in the Community Centre
——————————-
With blessings,
Damian
