In preparation for Christian Aid Week (14th - 23rd May) Christian Aid are organising a one day ‘Changemakers’ Zoom conference on 4 March. Anyone interested in attending should register via the Christian Aid website.

United Stockport Sponsorship Scheme. The United Stockport Circuit has taken a bold step in committing to give practical help to resettling a refugee family in Stockport. This will be a family nominated by the Home Office as part of a 2 year resettlement programme.

The United Stockport Sponsorship Scheme has been set up to organise things; Meryl and I have volunteered to be part of it.

The family will move into a spare manse but we will need more cash to furnish and equip the house and to pay for things like translation services and English teaching support when they arrive.

So, please pray for the success of the scheme and think about ways in which you could help, for instance by volunteering or donating items or money. Many thanks. Margaret Riley

The United Stockport Circuit Community Sponsorship Group have created a Lenten Journey for your use during Lent. Hard copies will be given out on Sunday 26th Feb. or use the electronic version here

World Day of Prayer 2023 - Friday 3rd March - This year’s World Day of Prayer service has been prepared by Christian women of Taiwan on the theme ‘I have heard about your faith’. The service will be held at Holy Spirit Church, Leigh Avenue, Marple, at 2.00pm. All are welcome.

Action for Children Lantern boxes Thank-you to everyone who donated to Action for Children via the Lantern boxes in 2022. The amount raised was £230.20. Sue Palmer

Lent Course 2023 - The circuit will be holding a lent course using the book ‘Hospitality and Sanctuary for All’ by Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal OBE. It will be held online on Thursday evenings at 7pm on the 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th March.

I invite you to join me for a simple soup and bread Lent lunch on three Mondays in Lent: 27th February, 13th March & 20th March at The Ridge Church starting at 12.30pm at which there will be an opportunity to share food, fellowship and prayer. If you feel able to do so, small donations towards the Circuit Community Refugee Sponsorship project will be welcome. You don’t have to book in advance, but if you plan to join me, letting me know will help me plan numbers; all welcome to just ‘drop in’ too Viki Packman.

Deacon Annette will be hosting a Fellowship/Bible study group at the Manse on alternate Tuesday evenings commencing at 7.30pm on 7th March. We hope that this will be a time of lively open discussion and exploration of the scriptures and their relevance to our 21st Century lives. Any questions - please contact Annette on 0161 4272509 or by e-mail annette.sharp@methodist.org.uk.

As most of you will be aware our Deacon, Annette will be retiring at the end of this Connexional year and as a Circuit we entered the process of stationing for a new Deacon to work in this section alongside Rev. Katie Smith. We are happy to be able to confirm that we have been matched with someone and she has visited the Circuit. Further details will be circulated once Conference has approved the stations in the summer.

The Seed Café is pleased to have obtained a grant from Stockport Council to enable us to open as a Warm Space this winter and provide some free food and hot drinks. These are running on Friday afternoons between 2.30 and 5.30 pm and urgently need volunteers able to help during that period. If you are able to help or know someone who might, please get in touch with Geoff Tomlinson on 07717 221238 or Deacon Annette as soon as possible.

Shoe boxes - We are still collecting knitted hats for shoe boxes. International Aid are collecting all the year round so please keep knitting!!! However, at the moment they are short of toothbrushes, toothpastes and toiletries to go in the boxes so donations of these and any other stationery items will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Ruth Little

Stockport Foodbank are delighted to announce that a new centre will be opening at Tiviot Dale Church this Autumn to meet the increasing need for emergency food parcels within our community. In common with other foodbanks around the town, each centre is staffed by ‘willing volunteers’ and at this time we are looking to build up a team to work at Tiviot Dale on Wednesday afternoons. Work will include meeting and chatting with our visitors, packing of food, making refreshments as well as general duties in the store room. If anyone would like further information about this exciting new project and how they can help, please contact Stockport Foodbank on 07483 115349 or email janet@stockportfoodbank.org.uk.

The Wellspring in Stockport continues to collect warm clothing, sleeping bags and rucksacks. They are not accepting duvets, pillows or blankets. They continue to accept toiletries and food donations - anything they can make meals out of such as tinned chilli, tinned curry, tinned rice pudding. They have plenty of soup and baked beans. If you could put them in the box in the concourse at Marple we will take them down to the Wellspring. Thank you so much. Sue Wheeldon & Pat Nicoll.