Church Newsletter Issue #120 1st November 2026
Finding Joy – Celebrating Lay Leadership
“Serve the Lord with gladness.” – Psalm 100:2
St James' welcomed lay leaders from across Manchester South and Stretford Deanery for the Finding Joy conference on 24 October, celebrating the gifts and calling of those serving in our churches.
Revd Kausar George shares her reflection from being their to support and host the event along with Amit:
"Attending the Lay Leadership Conference was a blessing that strengthened my relationship with God. I enjoyed meaningful conversations about serving the Lord with joy. The message about carrying Christ’s fragrance touched my heart, inspiring me to spread His love through kindness, respect, compassion and peace to children, families and communities.
This experience encouraged me to reflect deeply on my personal life and spiritual journey. I desire to grow closer to God through prayer, faith and loving service, bringing happiness, reconciliation, restoration and reassurance to others. May my life bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit and reflect Christ’s joyful presence."
Celebrating Growing Ministry
We also celebrate Javid and Farhart, who have begun their journey towards Pastoral Authorised Lay Ministry (ALM), and Raja, who has one further training requirement before authorisation. Thank you for your commitment to learning and serving the Lord!
A special thank you to our Mothers’ Union (MU) for their wonderful, lively display celebrating 150 years of Mothers’ Union and its ministry across our benefice. Thank you to everyone who contributed to such a colourful celebration of faith and service.
Could God be calling you into lay leadership? Speak with Revd Tom or our clergy team to explore your gifts and calling.
🙏 Overflowing with Joy, Hope and New Life!
What an encouraging start! We've enjoyed two lively prayer gatherings this week, seeking God's guidance and fresh life for our churches. Thank you to everyone who joined us!
As we explore Leading Your Church into Growth (LyCiG), grow Dwell @ The Well and seek renewal across St James and St Edmund's, let's keep praying with joyful expectation!
Join us Mondays and Wednesdays at 8am on Zoom for just 20 minutes, continuing until Advent.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.” — Romans 15:13
🙏 Click here to join on Zoom
✨ Light Night – This Saturday!
When the nights grow darker, let's shine a little brighter! 🌟
Join us for a fun-filled evening of light, laughter and community!
📅 Saturday 31 October
🕠 5.30–7.30pm
📍 St Margaret's Church, Rufford Road, Whalley Range
🎃 Pumpkin carving
✨ Sparkling lights and music
🔎 Church treasure hunt
☕ Hot chocolate and hot dogs
❤️ Fun and friendship for everyone!
Bring your family, friends and neighbours — everyone's welcome!
📞 More information: 07769 644191
💛 We're looking forward to a wonderful evening together and sharing all the news and highlights from Light Night afterwards!
Remembering Those We Love
Sunday 1 November | 4.00pm | St James', Moss Side
We warmly invite you to our Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving. Through music, readings, prayer and the lighting of candles, we will remember those we love who have died and give thanks for their lives. Whether your loss is recent or many years ago, you are welcome.
Dwell @ The Well, between 1pm and 4pm, a place to bring a friend or yourself, stop for a bit or just long enough to have a coffee, some food and some gentle time with Jesus. Games, worship, prayer if you need, a time to go deeper in conversation or time to enjoy fellowship and connection.
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LIFE + HOPE | THE WEEK AHEAD |
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Sunday 25 October – Bible Sunday |
Readings: Isaiah 66.20–23; Psalm 33.1–5; Matthew 5.1–12
St Edmund's, Whalley Range
9.15am for 9.30am – Short Service of the Word (arrivals from 9.15 for refreshments - ends 10am)
10.30am – Communion
St James', Moss Side
10.30am – Service of the Word with Youth: 'School of Theology'
1-4pm – Dwell @ the Well
4pm – Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance (see below)
Grace Community at St Edmund's
4.00pm – Urdu-language worship |
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The Week Ahead – 26–31 October |
Monday 2 November
9.30am – Morning Prayer, St Edmund's |
Tuesday 3 November
9.30am – Morning Prayer, St James'
10.00am – Place of Welcome, St James' |
Wednesday 4 November
10.30am–12 noon – Coffee Morning, St Edmund's
This week will be a Bible Study, focusing on John Ch 5 verses 1-8, 'At the back of the queue'. Come along and find out more and as always, hot drinks and friendly chat. We would love to see you. |
Thursday 5 November
11.30am – Grieving Together Café, St James'
7.15pm – The Chosen, St Edmund's - Final episode of Season 5 |
Friday 6 November
10.00am – Happy Cats Toddler Group, St Edmund's |
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Next Sunday – 8 November (Remembrance Sunday) |
Readings: Amos 5.18–24; Psalm 70; Matthew 25.1–13
St Edmund's
9.15am for 9.30am – Short Communion (arrivals from 9.15 for refreshments - ends 10am)
10.30am – Intergenerational Worship prayers and remembrance at the War Memorial
St James'
10.30am – Communion with Call of the names from the War Memorial
Grace Community at St Edmund's
4.00pm – Urdu-language worship |
Full worship teams and volunteer availability:
View our live service rotas » |
🙏 JPCC Meeting – Monday 9 November
St Edmund’s Church | 7pm refreshments, 7.15pm start
Please pray for our Joint PCC as we gather to discern God's direction for St James and St Edmund's.
We'll be reflecting on Leading Your Church into Growth (LyCiG), our mission and renewal, safeguarding, finances, buildings and the priorities emerging from our parish committees.
Pray for wisdom, unity and joyful expectation as we seek Life + Hope for All, serving our churches and communities together.
The Maria's Care School Bus Has Arrived!
Wonderful news from Maria's Care in Uganda — their long-awaited school bus has finally arrived!
A huge thank you to everyone who helped raise funds by sponsoring 50 pupils and 11 staff from Maria's Care in the Kagulu Hiking Challenge in July 2025, and Julie, Charles, Oliver, Razieh, Roya and Meriel from St Edmund's, who took part in the 30th Anniversary Hike in May 2026.
The 16-seater Toyota HiAce minibus arrived on 5 October, bringing great excitement to pupils and staff. Their dream had finally come true! The school celebrated with joyful singing, prayers and thanksgiving.
The bus will help transport children from outlying villages to school each day. It can also be used for school trips and hired out at weekends and during holidays to generate additional income.
Watch the bus arrive » |
Watch the prayers for the bus »
Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible!
Meriel
Big Quiz Night – Saturday 14 November, 6pm at St Edmund's
Fancy a quiz, a bowl of soup and some good company? We're joining Tearfund's Big Quiz Night on Saturday 14 November at 6.00pm, sharing a soup-and-bread meal and a fun evening together while supporting Tearfund's work to tackle extreme poverty.
Can you help make it happen? We need two quiz hosts, a refreshments team to help with soup and bread, and helping hands to set up and clear away the church. You don't need to be a quiz expert — Tearfund provides the quiz materials!
Please speak to Revd Tom if you can help, and invite friends and neighbours to come along.
Remembering Those We Love
Sunday 1 November | 4.00pm | St James', Moss Side
We warmly invite you to our Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving. Through music, readings, prayer and the lighting of candles, we will remember those we love who have died and give thanks for their lives. Whether your loss is recent or many years ago, you are welcome.
Help Shape Our Worship – Rotas & Volunteering
Worship is something we share together, and everyone has gifts to offer! As we put into practice what we've learned through Leading your Church into Growth, we want to encourage more people to take part in worship.
Whether you enjoy reading Scripture, leading prayers or helping with technology, there's a place for you. Thank you to everyone who already serves so faithfully — and if you're new to volunteering, we'd love to help you find your place.
Live rotas: St James' | St Edmund's LINK>>
Offer your availability: St James' | St Edmund's LINK>>
Message from Mothers’ Union - Come Dine with Us
We have a date for our Mothers’ Union Come Dine with Us
Sunday Lunch Fundraiser - 29 November at St Edmund’s Church 1pm,after the joint service.
Join us for a homemade 3-course meal, cooked and served at St Edmund’s by our Mothers’ Union members
To book your seat at the table contact:
St James' – Jessica/Madhuri/Barbara
St Edmund’s – Lyn/Deborah/Carol B
Or write your name on the list circulating at both churches
Tickets are £7 per person or £15 per family (2 adults and up to three children up
to 13yrs)
We’ll enjoy food and fellowship and hope to get a top score from everyone!!
An Indian Classical Music Invitation
We were sent the following and now advertise as it may be of some interest:
Dear Team,
We are Rajeev Kumar and Shabd Pyari, and we run KalaSudha. We present Indian classical music concerts independently, without external funding, and we are writing to ask St James with St Clement, Moss Side for a small piece of help.
On Friday 20 November 2026 we bring four musicians to The Stoller Hall, next to Manchester Victoria station. Vinay Desai plays the santoor, Kashmir's hundred-stringed instrument. Adnan Khan, the Grammy-nominated sitarist from Delhi, plays in the gayaki ang, which shapes the sitar on the singing voice. Two tabla masters share the night: Ustad Akram Khan of the Ajrada gharana, and Ustad Shahbaz Hussain, who lives and teaches in Manchester. Doors open at 6:45 PM and the music runs from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM.
Your hall and noticeboard reach people across the neighbourhood, and a flyer there helps local people find the concert.
Could you put the attached A4 flyer on your noticeboard, or mention the concert to your members? One of these is plenty. The flyer is print-ready for any home printer, and its QR square takes people straight to the booking page. If a short note for your newsletter or social media suits you better, reply and we will send ready-written wording.
Tickets: front stalls £30 and stalls £25 early bird until 5 November, then £35 and £30. Students £15.
Tickets and details: https://kalasudha.com/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi
Thank you for reading. We would be glad to welcome you on the night, and if you come, please say hello.
BBC Song of Praise invite
You are warmly invited to join us for a BBC Songs of Praise hymn recording at Christ Church West Didsbury.
We are looking for enthusiastic singers of all ages, so please do spread the word among your congregation, choir members, friends and local community.
