Coffee Shop Update

Exciting improvements are coming to the Coffee Shop!

Throughout August, we’ll be installing a brand-new, hard-wearing wooden floor in both the Coffee Shop and the Lower Hall. We’re looking forward to creating an even better space for everyone to enjoy.

While this essential work is taking place, there will be a few temporary changes to our opening arrangements:

  • Monday 3 August – Friday 7 August: The Coffee Shop will be open as usual, but operating from the Lower Hall.
  • Monday 10 August – Friday 14 August: The Coffee Shop will be closed while the new floor is installed.
  • Monday 17 August – Friday 28 August: The Lower Hall will be closed, but the Coffee Shop will be open as normal in its newly refurbished space.

Saturday opening:
To help us manage the refurbishment, the Coffee Shop will be closed on all Saturdays throughout August (1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 August). We’ll let you know our Saturday opening plans for September onwards as soon as they’re confirmed.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we carry out these improvements. We can’t wait to welcome you back to enjoy the refreshed Coffee Shop!

We’re also looking for some willing volunteers to help us move furniture on 8 and 15 August. If you can help please fill in the form here or get in touch with the church office

Our PCC

Our PCC

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) at St Michael’s works in partnership with the clergy to support the mission and ministry of the church. PCC members are trustees of St Michael’s and share responsibility for prayerfully discerning the direction of the church, ensuring that its life and work reflect our Christian faith and serve the whole community.

The PCC has a key role in overseeing the spiritual, pastoral, financial and practical affairs of the parish. This includes caring for the church buildings, managing finances responsibly, complying with charity and safeguarding requirements, and encouraging the church’s involvement in worship, outreach and community life.

PCC members are elected from the congregation and are committed to serving with integrity, openness and teamwork, seeking God’s guidance as they support St Michael’s in growing and learning together, serving together and sharing Jesus together. 

The PCC meets each month and receives reports from different ministry areas. Below are some of the reports received over the past year. They are a great way to celebrate all that God has been doing through our various ministries.

Rule of Life

One of our objectives for 2024-2027 is:

To continue to build a Rule of Life following the Practicing the Way Resources.

By adopting not just the teaching, but the practices, from Jesus’ life, we open ourselves up to God and allow him to transform us.

The nine core Practices work together to form a Rule of Life for the modern era.

So far we have had sermon series on Sabbath, Fasting, Prayer, Solitude, Generosity and Community.

Each sermon series can be seen on a YouTube playlist. The links are below:

You can also read more about Fasting here

And you can read more about the Solitude practice here

Our Current series is on Service and runs each Sunday from 19 April to 10 May.

On Sunday 12 April, we reviewed the previous practices – view the talk here

The teaching is from the Practicing the Way resources, which can be found online here

We also recommend the Practicing the Way book by John Mark Comer

Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Live as he did: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did” by John Mark Comer (Available from all good book stores ISBN  0281086672 and on Amazon ))

There is also a podcast specifically on the book – listen on spotify here.

The Rule of Life podcast is also recommended

#financialquestions

Why do we have two gift days a year?

St Michael’s is made up of two charities and we hold a Gift Day for each:

1: St Michael’s Church Centre (SMCC) – Gift Day for Buildings and Resources

2: St Michael’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) – Gift Day for Mission and Ministry

Click here for info on how to give

Don’t we get any money from the Church of England?

All ministry at St Michael’s is resourced by us.

We have amazing buildings, don’t we have lots of money?

The short answer is no. We still have daily running costs on our buildings, and we have loans which still need to be repaid.

Why is there a gap in our finances?

Expenditure is always tightly monitored. But there is a gap in our finances, because only 50% of those who worship here give financially to the Church.

Click here for info on how to give