St. Joseph's Church, Merry Hill, Wolverhampton

Disappointment comes in all sizes, doesn’t it? Any time our hopes are not realized or our expectations or desires are not fulfilled, we feel disappointed. Disappointment can be a passing emotion over a temporary loss, or it may strike powerfully when something permanently changes our lives. A major disappointment can remain within us all the time, shadowing our reactions to everything.

We all experience disappointment for different reasons. In itself, feeling disappointed is not a sin. How we handle it is the crucial issue. Disappointment is so common to humanity that it was difficult to choose which biblical characters to best illustrate it. The Bible is full of disappointed people! Think of the years of disappointment experienced by Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Elizabeth. Month after month, year after year, they saw the evidence of their childlessness. Job and Joseph had good reason to be disappointed, too, both in people and in God. Elijah the prophet expected the great evidence of God’s power on Mount Carmel would bring revival. Instead, it only put a price on his head. He was so disappointed he asked to die. The disciples were left alone, bewildered, lost, lonely and in a state of confusion.

When you feel so low you cant get any lower, when your heart is so broken its beyond mending, but in disappointment and pain there is hope. Come and join us this Sunday as we look at real life issues in a real way. Presence touching and changing lives.

Sunday 20th May – St. Joes 6:00pm onwards

Sermon Series Audio

Housegroup Session 1

Speaker : Rev Dr Carl Rudd – recorded St. Josephs Church 5/5/12

A: All Involved – Speaker : Pam Teece – recorded St. Josephs Church 13/5/12

Paul is teaching the church that everyone has something to contribute when they meet together; everyone has a ministry, no-one is a spectator. Every person is listened to and valued, and all are encouraged to find and develop their gifts.

Housegroup Session 2

You may have seen posters around church regarding the new home group structure. If, like me you have not read them all, I have reproduced it all below.
Please continue to pray for our church, homegroups and the leadership team involved in this change which will bring us all closer to God.

A: All Involved

Paul is teaching the church that everyone has something to contribute when they meet together; everyone has a ministry, no-one is a spectator.
Every person is listened to and valued, and all are encouraged to find and develop their gifts.

B: Becoming Disciples

Becoming like Jesus, is what becoming a disciple is all about. Jesus told us to ‘make disciples’ in Matthew 28 v 18. Disciples are followers of Jesus.
We encourage each other to grow in our life with Christ. As we learn to apply God’s Word to our lives, so our lives reflect Christ more.

C: Creating Community

Community is the experience of being together and sharing our lives together.
This means more than just attending a meeting! We learn to grow together, share each others’ burdens, accept each other, forgive one another and serve each other.

D: Doing Evangelism

Our work in the Lord includes caring and serving each other but it also involves our labour with those who don’t know Jesus. This is a lifelong mission of reaching out to those around us.
This means more than sharing our faith, it includes acts of kindness and love. The group prays for others, serves them, and invites them to come and see.

E: Encountering God

When we come together with other Christians, Jesus is with us in a special way. He makes that promise to us.
As a group we set aside time to meet God. As we do so, we experience his presence and power in our midst.

The Structure of a Homegroup Meeting

Welcome

The group gathers together for a time which allows each person to be valued, and creates a sense of community. This focussed start gives a sense of direction to the meeting.

Worship

Simple, creative worship helps the group to connect with God. Worship can be as varied as the members of the group.

Word

‘What is God saying to me or to us as a group?’
In a Homegroup the emphasis is always on applying God’s Word practically. To do this we will often take the passage from the previous Sunday with 2 or 3 simple questions which help us to respond.

Witness

The Homegroup finishes in the most practical way possible. Here the focus is outwards. We may pray for each other, or for our friends and families. We may plan a social to meet with them, or to serve them in some way. The possibilities are endless – so everything is rooted in prayer.

Homegroups develop their own special character. But homegroups always pay attention to each of the four ‘W’s.

What should the new groups be called?

Homegroups
Cells
Mission Communities
Meeting Points
Discipleship Communities
Something else

Let Carl have your thoughts

A half night of prayer is an opportunity for individuals to come together to seek the will of God for the whole church.

Friday 11th May 7pm-12pm

Worship from 7-8pm
Then hour slots through till 12pm.

Give God some time with you this week

We begin our new sermon series with an introduction to the series introduced by Rev Carl Rudd. Subsequent sessions will appear weekly

Housegroup Session 1

Speaker : Rev Dr Carl Rudd – recorded St’ Josephs Church 5/5/12

Housegroup Session 2

A: All Involved – Speaker : Pam Teece – recorded St’ Josephs Church 13/5/12

Paul is teaching the church that everyone has something to contribute when they meet together; everyone has a ministry, no-one is a spectator. Every person is listened to and valued, and all are encouraged to find and develop their gifts.

If you are reading this in your inbox please visit the web site for all the news !

Carl is talking about homegroups this Sunday. If you are a homegroup member or want to know more then please do join us this sunday.

Services this week

Every Saturday
Cafe open at 10.00 to 1.00 for tea, coffee and cake.

Sunday 6 May
Our Service today has the theme of Introduction to Homegroups with readings from Matt 13:10-23
9.00am Holy Communion Service Leader Mike Bannister Speaker Carl Rudd
10.30am Morning Service Leader Petra Grigat-Bradley Speaker Carl Rudd
Service sheets for home group study can always be found here

Wednesday 9 May
11.00 Holy Communion with cafe from 1030.

Friday 11 May
Half-night of Prayer
7pm-Midnight Worship to Start and prayer through the Evening.
Come for an hour or longer if you can.
Sign-up sheet available, everyone welcome, everyone wanted

Sunday 13 May
Our Service today has the theme of All Involved with readings from Mark 10:42-45 & 1Cor 14:26
9.00am Morning Service Leader Carl Rudd Speaker Pam Teece
10.30am Holy Communion Service Leader Carl Rudd Speaker Pam Teece
6.30pm Prayer Focus
Service sheets for home group study can always be found here

DCC
New members are in the staff team page.
Next Meeting 14 May 7.45pm

Rotas
Rotas for church, cafe and explorers can always be found here here.
If you have a rota that is not listed can you please let us know comms@saintjosephs.co.uk.

Prayer Diary
The prayer diary can always be found here

Bulletin
Our bulletin archive can be found here
Latest Bulletin –

Download (PDF, 518.58KB)

An evangelism resource for churches, bible colleges, outreach teams & individuals, because …
Digital media have transformed the world in the last 15 years. We have entered a new ‘digital communication culture’ where all the rules for effective communication have changed. Even offline!

There are 2+ billion web users, and over 4 billion people use mobile phones (increasingly these are web-equipped). The Web is not just another means of communication, but a hyper-medium that subsumes, links together, and enhances all previous media.

Read more here
at Internet Evangelism Day

If you are reading this in your inbox please visit the web site for all the news !

Services this week

Every Saturday
Cafe open at 10.00 to 1.00 for tea, coffee and cake.

Sunday 22 April
Our Service today has the theme of Vision Sunday with readings from Isaiah 54:1-10.
9.00am Morning Service Leader Mal Harris Speaker Carl Rudd
10.30am Morning Service Leader Pam Teece Speaker Carl Rudd
6.30pm Parish Praise and AGM at St Philips

Wednesday 25 April
11.00 Holy Communion with cafe from 1030.

Sunday 29 April
Our Service today has the theme of Walk to Emmaus with readings from Luke 24:13-35
9.00am Morning Service Leader Carl Rudd Speaker David Primrose
10.30am Morning Service Leader Petra Grigat-Bradley Speaker David Primrose

DCC Meeting
The minutes from the meeting on 5 March will be on notice board this Sunday. Topics covered include, homegroups, building a younger congregation and finance.

Rotas
Rotas for church, cafe and explorers can always be found here here.
If you have a rota that is not listed can you please let us know comms@saintjosephs.co.uk.

Prayer Diary
The prayer diary can always be found here

Bulletin
Our bulletin archive can be found here
Latest Bulletin –

Download (PDF, 465.69KB)