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Flood appeal
The area Dean and Vicar of St Lawrence Yorkshire has launched an appeal for donations to help the people of Fishlake and the neighbouring hamlets which have also been affected by the flooding.

If you would like to donate please hand to the Church office or one of the church wardens. Thank you.

18/11/19

When Charles received his tool kit this year, he began to dream bigger for his community! 

Uganda has the youngest population in the world and the highest rate of youth unemployment.  Unemployment stands at 65% compared to 14% in the UK.

In 2019, Uganda Youth Development and Training Programme received tools from TOOLS WITH A MISSION for their students embarking on transformative rural community work.  The ministry of Uganda Youth Development and Training is to train leaders who have a desire to develop their rural communities and empower other youth in Bukedea District.  The training courses include tailoring, knitting, carpentry and joinery.

When the trainees complete their courses they have all the skills, energy and enthusiasm they need to transform their lives, but they have no means of buying the tools or equipment to do so.  This is where TOOLS WITH A MISSION fits in.  We provide the trainees with the vital tool kits they so desperately need.

Many of the trainees will cherish and look after these tools for the rest of their lives and will never forget the priceless gift of hope provided by Uganda Youth Development and Training and TOOLS WITH A MISSION.

Omogot Charles, joined Uganda Youth Development and Training in February 2019, enrolling on the Carpentry and Joinery course.   Charles, aged 21, had completed his senior four exams (equivalent of GCSE's) but did not have the money to continue to higher education.    He says…
 

"I was stranded due to a lack of school fees to continue to the next level.  I sat at home, sometimes farming with other family members with no hope to continue studies again. I would spend my life lingering in shops, watching football, and doing nothing productive. Life was really hard and meaningless to me.

Luckily, I met some boys who were attending a Uganda Youth Development and Training Programme  who told me how they see life positively after their training. They encouraged me to join the training programme and learn some skills.

I joined Uganda Youth Development and Training to acquire skills that will help me get employed; I can now generate an income for myself, my community and my family too!

I also plan to start a carpentry workshop with other youth in the community, so that we can support each other through the skills we get from Uganda Youth Development and Training, working as a team.

When I joined Uganda Youth Development and Training, there were not enough tools to go around, especially in the carpentry department and the tools in Uganda are very expensive.  When Uganda Youth Development and Training received the gift of tools we were all delighted. The tools have helped improve the training itself and I thank Uganda Youth Development and Training’s friends from TOOLS WITH A MISSION for the great work they do in our community!"

Charles reminds us that the gift of a tool kit is about much more than the ability to earn a living; it is about giving someone the opportunity to dream of a better life for all in their community!

19/11/19

Thanks to all Riders and
Striders and Sponsors.

All sponsorship money for the 2019 Ride+Stride has now been forwarded to the Dorset Historic Churches Trust.  A total of £670 was raised and half of this will be returned to us for use on the fabric of the Parish Church.
There should be an additional £140 through Gift Aid. 
To all those involved ‘well done and thank you’

17/11/19

Thank you so much for all your support, donations and filled shoeboxes. Together with the playgroup we sent 100 boxes!

17/11/19

 ‘No.5 Bell Replacement’  Follow the twists
and turns of the removal of the cracked bell at Lytchett Minster Parish Church. See photos on Bell Ringers page

8/11/19

The annual homeless sleepout took take place on Friday 8th November at CJ's.  All donations will go towards the church's food budget for organising the monthly lunch at Routes to Roots in Poole. 

10/11/19

The Carol Service Choir are now rehearsing on Sunday afternoons 3pm-4.30pm at Lytchett Minster Parish Church.

It will be a help (but it’s not essential) if you can read music a little. Please contact Elizabeth Rathbone (see Church Directory for contact details)

28/10/19

On behalf of TWAM,
Robin SeQueira would like to thank the many people who kindly donated their old and redundant work and garden tools.  All have now been refurbished and are productively being used in a number of African countries. Our churches have now donated about a third of a container full of these implements. 
TWAM continues to seek donations of tools.  Contact Robin for more details.

13/10/19

The inspecting Architects’ comments following our five year inspection of the Parish Church

“Lytchett Minister Parish Church is in good condition. Numerous repairs have been undertaken since the last inspection and the PCC have ambitious plans for the future. It is evident that there is a hardworking, enthusiastic, competent and active core group of people at the church”

22/9/19

New Wine is a Christian network of Churches that want to see ‘Local Churches Changing Nations’. New Wine works with leaders and churches all year round and has an annual ‘United’ gathering that has been taking place each Summer for the last 30 years.

The annual gathering is now located at the East of England Showground near Peterborough. ‘United 2020’ will be a chance to ‘Experience impactful teaching, worship, a programme for all, friendships for life and transformational encounters with God.’

All age groups are catered for. Accommodation can be in a tent or caravan, or there are a number of hotels just a 5-minute walk away.

Rev & Mrs Stephen Partridge and others from St Mary's, Lytchett Matravers will be attending the second week next year, from 2nd – 8th August 2020. They also went this year and, despite the weather, had a wonderful time, so do speak to them if you are interested.

Tickets are on sale on https://www.new-wine.org  or for more details contact Rev Stephen Partridge

Sept 2019

Old News and a few non-time-specific items below...

After nine years of running MESSY CHURCH the time has come to end this ministry. It was pioneered by Allie Kerr and Karen Neagle and has served many members of our community with great love. Scores of church members have served in a host of ways over these years in running craft activities, preparing and serving food, providing welcome and sharing the love of Jesus. Thank you to everyone who has served so faithfully – especially Karen Neagle
3/1/19

 
Tools With A Mission (TWAM) is a Christian Charity that collects and refurbishes old, unused and redundant tools and gardening equipment for good use in the Third World. This enables many people there to become self sufficient. Their condition does not matter, they will be 'made' good!
Please have a look in your sheds, workshops and garages for any items you no longer need.

Contact Robin SeQueira who will gladly collect from your home (see church directory for contact details) 
25/8/19

A team from Lytchett Minster and St Dunstan's parish provide lunch on the first Sunday of each month for around 20 homeless people.  Other churches provide lunches similarly on other Sundays in the month.

Five people take part on each occasion but a larger number are involved and this allows for absences and holidays etc..  Anyone interested in being involved should get in touch with Jeff and Karen N  (see Church Directory for contact info or ask the Church Office)

October '18

 Published in January 2018, a collection of poems by
Jodi Page-Clark, illustrated by Wendy Alcock.

“Poetry of an Appalachian pilgrim:
Reflections of a Fisherfolk songwriter”

Click the book cover to see details on Amazon. 
Available in kindle format and as a paperback.

These poems and reflections span Jodi’s life from recollections of childhood, her experiences of joyful worship, the impact of rejection and abuse, and her struggles with facing old age.
She combines musings about faith and human existence with insights from her psychotherapy training and the work she undertook with the discouraged and wounded people who often looked for help to the Christian community of which Jodi was a leading member for some thirty years.
With honesty and humour she writes simply about family life, falling in love, relationship breakdown, reconciliation and hope.  
Jodi is part mystic, which makes her reflections a refreshingly candid prompt for others who struggle with aspects of life and faith.
Many readers will identify, perhaps with a tear or a smile, with many of the phrases you will find within.  A collection of poems to warm the heart and stimulate the soul.

21/1/18

CJ's in the car park of Lytchett Minster Parish Church can be hired by groups, clubs or organisations.  For a pdf of the main features, see here