St Matthew's Church. Wood Lane, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, United Kingdom LS7 3QF
07484 635886 revsijones@outlook.com or stmatthewschurch1900@gmail.com
Touch Here to Give
And
Thank YOU in Advance
Please visit our Home page for our latest news about Services.
Keep in touch - we will continue to produce our weekly bulletin (an abridged version of this page) available by ‘joining our mailing list’ from the link in the header above. Hard copies available.
Please tell others about this!
OUR WEBSITE IS CONSTANTLY DEVELOPING -
If you have any suggestions for improving it, please contact either Fred Rowland or David Keighley.
PLEASE LET US KNOW
if you are aware of anyone from Church who is poorly, or become housebound or in need of some support, and especially those in hospital, and if you yourselves are going to hospital, so that the Pastoral Visiting Team can arrange for someone to visit. Please contact any of the staff team.
Help us to help Others by donating to the running of St Matthew's Church Chapel Allerton THANK YOU!
Donate Here Thank You In Advance
UKRAINE CRISIS
WE PRAY for the people of Ukraine.
CAFOD has established an appeal to support them at this critical time.
UKRAINE CRISIS
The Church of England has produced a toolkit for parishes responding to the Ukraine crisis, it has lots of good information which might be of interest.
SCRAMBLERS
takes place for children aged 3-6 during the 10am Communion Service
usually on the 3rd Sunday of the month. See Homepage
TEDDY PRAISE
a short informal pram service for pre-school children and their parents/carers, followed by craft/play and refreshments. We are always pleased to welcome new families. In the meeting room at 10am every Wednesday in term time.
WHERE DO YOU FIT IN?
Please don’t forget to pray for our vision here at St Matthew’s and for God to show you where you might join in with what we are trying to achieve with a renewed commitment, rebuilt church and restored lives. Check out our vision board in church and complete one of our ‘Where do you fit in?’ forms and we can get in touch and get you involved.
MUSIC @ ST MATTHEW'S
St Matthew’s enjoys a rich and varied musical tradition. Why not become a part of it? If you play an instrument, you could join our Music Group; if you’re an enthusiastic singer but unable to commit on a weekly basis, you could join our Family Service Singers; if you have some singing experience and can sing with our St Matthew’s Choir – why not consider joining them! Or, if you’re an experienced singer with strong reading abilities – you could join our Extra Choir and sing with us at major festivals. For more information, speak to Josh, Nick or Ellen after the service.
MARCH ECO TIP from A Rocha UK
Week 1. As Lent gets underway, how can we use these 40 days to live more sustainably? Get some tips
and for more eco-tips visit https://arocha.org.uk
COMMUNITY CAFÉ/WELCOME SPACE
We invite you to our Community Café, serving a variety of refreshments as well as soup lunches every Wednesday 9am to 1pm. Please come along and invite your friends too?
DRAWING SESSIONS AT COMMUNITY CAFÉ/
Join us from 10am on the first Wednesday of the month to draw and sketch around the church interior.
Paper and pencils etc provided but feel free to bring your own if you wish.
LOOSE WOMEN
Meet on the second Wednesday of the month, usually at 7.30pm in the Meeting Room. New members always welcome. Dates for 2025 as follows: 8th Jan - Post Christmas catch up and games night. 12th Feb - Meal out - Deliziosa. 12th Mar - Roger Quick. 9th Apr - Freedom for Girls. 14th May - TBC. 11th Jun - Neurographic art.
LENT GROUPS
We will again be running two Lent groups this year with one meeting at St Matthew’s on a Sunday afternoon at 4pm and one meeting at Chapel Allerton Methodist Church on a Monday morning at 10am. The groups will be meeting for six weeks starting from Sunday 2nd March and Monday 3rd March respectively. If you wish to attend one of these groups, please can you email Simon letting him know which group so we can ensure enough books are available. And also, please put your name down on the sign-up sheet at the back of church and take a book for which we are asking for a donation (suggested minimum £5). This year we will be reading through Hannah Steele’s book ‘Living His Story’.
SNICKET SQUAD LITTERPICKING
(Every 3rd Saturday) Next session is Saturday 15th March.
Meet outside Toby Carvery (Queen's Arms) at 9.45 or better still, join us for breakfast with friends from Cornerstone Baptist Church (from 8am). Text 07999 699200 to let us know you're helping (we'll get more grabbers) or to join the WhatsApp group to keep updated of changes (due to weather etc.) and suggest sites for future pickings. Not suitable for young children. Finishing with a visit to Crust and Crumb at around 11.15am.
MUSIC WITH CAKE IN MIND
Chapel Allerton Methodists are pleased to welcome Wesley Singers who join them for a concert followed by a famous Chapel Allerton tea and cake on Saturday March 22nd at 2.30pm. Concert tickets, priced £10 are available from Paul Chaplin or David Barnfield.
TEDDY PRAISE EASTER SPECIAL
Wednesday 2nd April 10am. A short informal service for preschool children and their parents or carers. Start by making an Easter Crown in the meeting room, then follow the donkey around the church on his Palm Sunday journey. Ending with the Easter story and songs followed by prayers with Rev Simon before returning to the Meeting Room for more crafts, a catch up and refreshments. Hope to see you there.
LENT SOUP EVENING
Churches Together invite you to what has become a much-loved annual get-together on Thursday 3rd April at Stainbeck Church, Stainbeck Lane at 7pm. Join us for delicious homemade soup, as we hear from each church something that they are doing which is positive and exciting.
CHAPEL ALLERTON ALLOTMENT AND GARDENS ASSOCIATION
will be holding their Spring Show in the Methodist Centre on Saturday 12th April 3-4.30pm.
LEEDS NORTH & WEST FOODBANK
PASTA SAUCES We would like to stick with our more targeted approach to our giving to the foodbank. During March, we encourage you to donate Pasta Sauces. Thank you in advance. Let’s continue to show the foodbank we care about the people they support and help them to provide what’s really needed. Any questions speak to Helen Jones or Audrey Reed.
ST MATTHEW'S REFRESHMENTS TEAM
The new rota for the team serving refreshments after our Sunday morning service is being drawn up. The team are always looking for new volunteers and it would be great to get some new people joining the team. Please do think about whether this is a way you could be serving here at St Matthew’s. Please speak to Tina Rowe for more information.
THRIVE
Thrive Leeds are thankful for £10,000 Lottery grant towards establishing a youth base at Stainbeck URC. Fundraising efforts continue for premises to support youth outreach into this part of our parish. For details of Thrive activities, please see our latest newsletter here. Please continue to pray for this important outreach.
We have a fantastic group of young people who gather on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and are looking to grow the team as we meet again after lockdown. Could you help by...
- welcoming and showing an interest?
- preparing and sharing snacks?
- joining in discussions about faith and life?
- showing young people they are valued?
Totally Tuesday is for 9-12s and meets from 7-8pm.
WOW is for those 13+ and meets from 8-9pm on Wednesdays.
Thank you for the support that you give Thrive - we really appreciate you and how you encourage us!
A couple of ways that you can continue to support us:
By praying - let us know if you would like to join the Thrive prayer WhatsApp group.
By nominating us for the Co-op Community Fund - we are excited that Thrive Leeds have been chosen as one of the local causes for the Co-op Community Fund this year! The money raised will go towards exploring youth work in Meanwood (including the area in St. Matthew's' Parish) - empowering young people to take the lead and shape how things develop, as we build on our current work. If you are a Co-op member, you could nominate ThriveLeeds as your favoured charity. You can do this on the app or by ringing 0800 0686 727. If you're not a member yet, please become one and then nominate us! Check this out.
View or download our latest Newsletter from the base of our Home Page
Contact Hannah Dey or your church's Thrive Trustee (Helen Copeland)
if you would like to explore this opportunity. See our Annual Report.
VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY AT THRIVE
We are supporting four young people in employment for a couple of hours a week as part of a URC programme, and one of them needs support! Hello all, I've got an exciting new volunteering opportunity for anyone who loves games. I am starting a new games club for people in year 7, 8 and 9 from the local community. It will be from 3.45-4.45 on Thursdays (up to the end of July) and we need adults to supervise. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, please contact Hannah Dey.
CHURCH TREASURER
We are looking for someone to work as an understudy to our current church treasurer with the intention of taking on the role at some point in the future. If you have a head for numbers and are comfortable with on-line banking, spreadsheets and other forms of computer software then please do prayerfully consider if this could be you. If you think this might be something you could take on, then please contact Rev Simon.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
We are looking for someone to help lead our Health and Safety here at St Matthew’s. The role would involve working with our Church Wardens and our Deputy Wardens to ensure our policies and procedures are up to date and fit for purpose, that appropriate training is in place for the relevant volunteers and that we conduct appropriate risk assessments for all our events and activities. If you think this might be something you could help with them please speak to Rev Simon or one of our Wardens (Fred Rowland or Colin Powell). Thank you.
PAFRAS (Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers)
Dear Friends and Supporters, Thank you very much for your donations of food on 08.08.2024, this is very kind of all of you. The need for PAFRAS's services is growing. Every week we distribute around 80 food parcels which are almost entirely made up out of donations from our supporters. We couldn't provide our vital services without the support of our fabulous donors and supporters - we are incredibly grateful to you for your support, especially now when there is so much hostility and racism towards people who are viewed as migrants. To subscribe to our newsletter, visit our website and go to ‘subscribe’ at the bottom of the page. If you can help please put donations of food (Tomatoes, Chickpeas and Rice are particularly helpful) and/or toiletries in the (green) collection box at the back of church. Many thanks. Read their latest newsletter.
COMMUNITY CAFÉ
Our Community Café is becoming increasingly popular as a Welcome Space here in Chapel Allerton. People are beating the winter blues and making new friends and enjoying lovely soup lunches. Because of this we need more helpers to help serve in our café and also to come along and befriend newcomers and offer hospitality and conversation. If you are interested, please come along to the café any Wednesday and meet the team.
WYDAN NIGHT SHELTER
Please consider supporting WYDAN's Night Shelter, either behind the scenes (please contact Doug Pollock to find out more) or financially WYDAN's work financially (payment can be made online here)
View or download the latest Newsletter from the base of our Home Page
SCOUTING FOR VOLUNTEERS
7th St. Matthew’s Scout Group needs Section Helpers, Assistant Leaders and Leaders! Are you interested in working with and supporting our young people. If you can give an hour a month, a week or more please get in touch for more information at: falcon.stmatthewsbeavers@gmail.com
COFFEE ROTA
Thanks to all those who help serve refreshments after the Sunday service. It would be great to have more volunteers on the rota. If you can help, please let us know. Thanks, The Coffee Crew.
BELL RINGERS
The team are looking for new members. Have you got what it takes? Ringing is for anyone aged between 10 and 80 – all you need is to be able to climb a few steps to the ringing room and be able to stand and raise your arms aloft. Initial training would be at your convenience, secondary training would be on Friday evenings. Ringing before Sunday morning 10am service is desirable once trained. If interested - please contact Peter Oldfield, Tower Captain, or pop up when you hear us ringing.
CHAPEL ALLERTON METHODIST CHURCH LUNCH CLUB
New members and volunteers welcome. Booking is essential. The 2 course lunch costs £5, and is served at 12.30pm. Transport can be arranged if needed. Please visit their website.
GENEROUS LIVING AND PLANNED GIVING
If you would like to contribute to the upkeep of our beautiful building and make it a place for worship, meetings, drama and music. Please help by making a regular payment to our scheme this is to help with our charitable giving and payment of the various bills we have to pay to keep this building in good working order, for all that seek to find God and also help our local community and those less fortunate.
Please use the attached form by clicking the donate button this will take you to our donation form which you can then fill in. And if you are a UK tax payer please consider gift aiding your contribution this will not affect your pocket, but the Tax Man will give us .25p for every £1.00 you give us. Thank you in advance and remember click donate.
InterACT
We believe communities are important: they give us belonging, human contact and shape our identity. And we believe that we all have something to learn from one another. Getting to know one another is a pretty important part of community, so when we began as a project around 15 years ago, we were all about meeting other people - mainly through creative arts activities. Since then, we've expanded what we do a little, reflecting the needs and passions of our local area. However, the vision remains to bring people together from across the various neighbourhoods that make up and connect to Meanwood, so that we all have opportunity to share in what it offers, what we can learn from one another, and what we can give. As a partnership of 5 local churches, we seek spiritual wellbeing and fullness of life for all. And because we work alongside other agencies in the area, we are able to signpost people to other services where needed. Our Official Vision Statement:
Hearing Christ’s call to unity and recognising that we are stronger together than we are apart, the Partnership seeks to:
Work together to demonstrate God's love in word and actions
Serve and witness in Meanwood and beyond.
Work with other agencies in reaching out to our local communities.
SUPPORTING GOOD MENTAL HEALTH
A booklet produced by the Church of England. You can read thirteen daily reflections written by Professor Chris Cook and accompanied by "have a go" habits developed by Ruth Rice.
The effects of mental health problems are huge. Nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems have been affected by stigma and discrimination. Given the challenging times we are living in with coronavirus, the reflections in this booklet were updated and new resources written in March 2020. They seek to provide hope, reassurance and comfort. If you want to speak to someone, please visit the Mental Health Foundation website, which has lots of helpful resources and contacts. Visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk
ROGER QUICK "Entertaining Saints"
Some of us remember that Revd. Roger Quick was curate of St. Matthew’s from 1996-2000. Since 2013 he has been Chaplain to St George’s Crypt, the homeless charity in Leeds which St. Matthew’s has supported for many years. Roger has written a book about life in the Crypt, called Entertaining Saints. He describes every day as being a mixture of laughter and tears. The new Archbishop of York has written the foreword, in which he describes Roger’s book as “Vivid and engaging”. Copies are available in paperback from publisher Darton, Longman and Todd ISBN 0232534896: or from St George’s Crypt Charity Shop on Street Lane. The illustrations are by the Leeds-based artist Si Smith. Roger also has "Sheltering Saints" book available ISBN 9781913657680.
HOME SCHOOLING (from Libby Kennedy)
If you, or anyone you know needs advice on home schooling primary school aged children, please get in touch. I can offer assessments, catch-up lessons, materials to work from, teaching tips for parents or just a chat for reassurance and ideas. Please contact Libby Kennedy.
DAILY HOPE
The Church of England has launched a free national phone line as a simple new way to bring worship and prayer into people’s homes. ‘Daily Hope’ offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services at the end of a telephone line. The line – which is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044.
IBY KNILL
If you would like to order either book ‘The Woman with Nine Lives’ or 'The Woman Without a Number', by our much loved and dear departed friend, Iby Knill, please search for Iby's publisher's website.
STRUGGLING WITH DEBT?
Free debt counselling for everyone from an award winning charity. This service has recently expanded to cover our area, with sponsorship from Chapel A Baptist Church. If you know anyone who would benefit from this expert service, please ask them to call free on 0800 328 0006.
EVENTS
If you would like to hear about upcoming social events at St. Matthew's (including Loose Women and Men on the Loose), please send your contact details to eventsatStMatthews@yahoo.com to be put on the mailing list. Thanks, Tina.
To submit a notice please contact:
Revd. Simon Jones, Vicar, St. Matthew’s Church, Chapel Allerton
(by Tuesday evenings for the Bulletin on the following Sunday).
Email: revsijones@outlook.com
Mobile: 07484 635886
(St. Matthew's Church is not responsible for content of external websites)