United Stockport Community Sponsorship Scheme - The family we are supporting are very grateful for the help we’re continuing to provide. They hosted a delicious meal for us recently. They have asked us to pray for their family members who remain in Lebanon, having escaped from Syria. Because of the bombing, they have had to flee to the north. Thank you. Margaret Riley

The CACTUS Project running at Tiviot Dale Methodist Church is looking for volunteers to help at their Community Café which is every Thursday from 2 – 6pm. Volunteers are needed to sit with people who need a listening ear, to be in the dining room, to chat and engage in activities such as jigsaws, puzzles and colouring, and share in a meal together. If you could help – maybe once a month, please contact Deacon Janet Amey or Maggie Thompson at Tiviot Dale - property@stockportcircuit.org.uk.

Rainbow Advent Event 2024 - For many years the praise and worship band Rainbow have put together an event in preparation for the Christmas season. As in previous years we will once again attempt to focus hearts and minds on the real reason for the celebration. Through traditional and contemporary song, words and drama we prepare to celebrate the greatest gift of all – the gift of God’s own Son born to be our Saviour. The event will take place at St Chad’s Church Romiley on Sunday 8th December in the evening at 7.00pm. The event is free but there will be a retiring collection in aid of our charity of this year “Alzheimer’s UK”

Marple Methodist Church, Marple URC and Marple Bridge URC have all decided to join together for worship for the first six months of next year, spending a month worshipping at each church in turn. More details will be available closer to the time, but for now, note that during January 2025 we will be worshipping at Marple URC

Stockport Foodbank Reverse Advent 2024

During Advent we look forward to taking chocolate or other treats from our calendar – but perhaps this year you could put something back into our community to help those in need by adding a daily food item into a bag for life and donating it to Stockport Foodbank?

No need to register, just start collecting in your home, church, workplace or community and then drop your bag at our warehouse in Hazel Grove during December (Monday-Friday from 9am to 12noon) or at any of our foodbank centres during session.

Donations of long-life food items including milk, juice, tinned puddings, tinned fish, tinned meats, tinned vegetables, biscuits, Christmas treats, snacks and toiletries including soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste are all welcome but, please, no Christmas puddings or Christmas fayre containing alcohol.

There will be an Advent Group meeting to look at the book ‘The Art of Advent: A Painting a Day from Advent to Epiphany’ by Jane Williams. Two sets of 4 sessions are planned:

• 1.30pm at St Paul’s, Compstall – 28th Nov, 5th, 12th & 19th Dec
• 7pm at the Norfolk Arms, Marple Bridge - 28th Nov, 5th, 12th & 16th Dec.

Plastic Recycling – Note that you can now recycle your plastic pots (such as yoghurt, soup and hair gel containers), tubs (such as such as margarine, chocolate and laundry powder containers) and trays (such as containers for cooked or raw meat, and fruit and veg punnets) in with your bottles, tins and foil in your brown recycling bin (and, of course, you can recycle your soft plastic at the Co-op at the bottom of the hill).

1st Dec. - Circuit Carol Service - 6.30pm at Tiviot Dale, preceded by curry at 5.30pm