New Kidderminster East website

As of 1st June 2012, The Parish of St George’s Church Kidderminster (incorporating St Chad’s and St Cecilia’s) joined with St Mary’s (Stone) and St Cassian’s (Chaddesley Corbett) to form the new Parish of Kidderminster East.

Over the last couple of months we’ve been working on our new website, and this has now been launched at:

www.kidderminstereast.org.uk

Much of the day to day life of the churches continues without any immediate changes but our hope and prayer is that God will richly bless us as we seek to serve Him and live out the Kingdom of God in Kidderminster East.

The day away was a part of the youth alpha course which the younger youth group are taking part in this term and the older youth are helping to lead (youth alpha is a fun place for youth to explore what Christianity might mean for them). For some of the young people this will lead to being confirmed on the 10th of June.

It is a place for families to have fun eat and worship God, it is open to any family whether or not you normally come to church.

Come and join us next on Sunday 1st July.

Messy Church Logo Copyright Bible Reading Fellowship© 1998 – 2010. Seewww.messychurch.org.uk

“Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm” (a definition of mercy)

What do you deserve? Forgiveness, acceptance, compassion, care, a hug, punishment, and death. Some of those things or all of them? What do we get from God: Forgiveness, acceptance, compassion, care, a hug, love, listening, dying for us, healing, hope, new life.

What should we do when people break the law, when they hurt and damage people or the society we live in? God suggests a simple approach

1. Be disgusted, hate what is wrong, have no time for it at all
2. Love the person more than they can imagine, serve them care, for them, accept them.

That is what God does for us over and over and over and over (and over) (and over) again. It is quicker and easier for us to judge and to hate, more costly and a hundred times more powerful to love and accept.

As you have shown mercy may you show mercy to others, not ignoring what is wrong but loving mercy as God loves you.

Oli

In February three men – three adults chose to be baptised; chose to stand up in front of friends, family and strangers and say “I am weak”, “Iam poor”, “I can’t do it on my own”. That isn’t an easy thing, it isn’t the kind of thing men often do. I know something happened, something big enough, important enough and powerful enough to turn around and flip on their head three people’s lives. Their friends may think they have gone mad (lost the plot or joined a cult). We might wonder what has been going on, but actually what we see in their lives is the most normal thing in the world.

Paul says

that when we meet Jesus we just know that God is so powerful that our whole lives are changed – it is as simple as that! When we know that God is more powerful, more wise, moreknowing, more kind, more thoughtful, more compassionate everything must change. Paul says it may look like crazy foolishness but that is just how it is.

(1 Corinthians Chapter 1 verses 18 & 19).

A vicar I once knew understood this secret. It just seemed to overflowout of him in his kindness and gentleness, humility and wisdom. He would whisper it like it was the most exciting and thrilling thing you could ever hear, he would whisper “Jesus is alive”. That is who those three men have met; the living Jesus and that is not foolishness but hope for them, for you, for me and for the world.

Oli Douglas-Pennant

Christmas is about humility + openness = love

Paul says in Ephesians 4: “The Holy Spirit makes you one in every way. So try your best to remain as one. Let peace keep you together.”

Built in celebration of victory at the battle of Waterloo the building was originally a chapel belonging to St.Mary’s and All Saints. Consecrated on the 13th September 1824 the chapel had 2,000 seats for the rapidly growing town. Parish Church status came in 1867 but perhaps the most significant event was its complete destruction by fire in 1922. Rebuilt under the direction of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, architect of Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, it was rededicated exactly 101 years after its consecration on 13th September 1925.

St.George’s Schools, the Parish Room, the daughter churches of St.Cecilia’s and St Chad’s together with the history of St.Andrew’s, “the tin church”, demolished to make way for the ring-road, are all covered in 164 pages packed with information and photographs.

The social life of the town and the early influence of the carpet “masters” also form part of this fascinating history. Parish life is well featured with many stories about the clergy, congregation and the characters that have played their part in the church’s traditions.

The book has been compiled and written by Melvyn Thompson whose association with St.George’s choir started near the end of the Second World War.

Priced at £12.99 in the shops the book is also available “post-free” [UK only] from -

Melvyn Thompson, 2 Flint Close, Kidderminster DY10 1YF   [cheques "M.Thompson"]

For other information, multiple orders or overseas enquiries contact Melvyn at the above address or telephone 01562 67077 or email mel.thompson@sky.com

“St.George’s – a Waterloo Church” is also the title of a popular talk to local organisations !

All income to St.George’s Fabric Fund.

St.George’s History

While the book is a wealth of information it was not possible to include everything.

The main location of historical information is the County Records Office at County Hall in Worcester. Accession Numbers 8446, 9205 and 9799.

The deposit contains a mixture of parish magazines, service registers, minutes of committee meetings together with some registers of births, baptisms, marriages [including banns of marriage] and burials. There are a number of inventories of the church’s assets, insurance policies and faculties. Information regarding the daughter churches of St.Andrew,s, St.Cecilia’s and St.Chad’s are included with records from the formation of St.George’s Schools.

Kidderminster Library Reference Section retains a selection of photographs and parish magazines together with a copy of some of the registers, all on micro-film.

The Census registers and past issues of local newspapers are also a wealth of information; they are also on micro-film.

In the preparation of the book Melvyn Thompson formed a small collection of document copies and photographs and will help where he can if other sources fail !

He is also available to receive any new donations.