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.
August ECO TIPS from A Rocha UK
Week 4. Support an Environmental Charity. Join a Christian Environmental Charity like A Rocha UK https://arocha.org.uk . Or why not support Friends of the Earth, The World Wildlife Fund or The World Food Programme
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?
LOOSE WOMEN
Meet on the second Wednesday of the month, usually at 7.30pm in the Community 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 event is cancelled - 11th Jun - An evening with Alexandra, Trinidadian plantation owner and writer.
9th July - Viv Anderson, death doula, advance planning we all need to be thinking about.
August - no meeting.
ST MATTHEW'S WALKING GROUP
Please join us for a 5-mile circular walk from Shadwell to Roundhay Park, including the lake and parkland, on the morning of Saturday 23rd August. We'll congregate outside St Matthew's Church to sort out lifts and depart at 10am or meet at the Red Lion, Shadwell, at 10.20am. Parking is available in their carpark provided we will be customers at lunchtime! For those wishing to eat a pub lunch a table has been booked there at 1pm. See their Spring/Summer 25 Menu
For further details and/or to confirm your place, please contact Doug Pollock before the end of Wednesday 20th August.
ST MATTHEW'S LATE SUMMER FAYRE
Please save the date and tell your friends and family that our Late Summer Fayre is taking place again this year Saturday 13th September 2pm-4pm.
DONATIONS REQUIRED FOR ST MATTHEW'S CHURCH SUMMER FAYRE
Our Summer Fayre will be here sooner than you think so please can you think about donating the following items ready for Saturday 13th September 2-4pm We are looking for the following; • RAFFLE PRIZES, TOMBOLA PRIZES and BOOKS (Just for Kids). Please bring these to church any Sunday before the event.
• PLANTS and CAKES Please bring on the day but please let Helen know cake and plant pledges as soon as you can, thank you!
CHURCHES TOGETHER AT CHAPEL ALLERTON ARTS FESTIVAL
Churches Together are running their usual stall at the Festival this year on Saturday 30th August 11am-5pm and they are looking for volunteers to man the stall for one of the 1 hour slots. If you can spare an hour to be on the stall please let Rachel Hirst know at They will be asking people to hunt for sweets in the table top sandpit and then pick out a blessing. This has proved really popular in previous years. So much so that they also need volunteers to write some blessings. If you like the sound of this please also contact Rachel for more details.
GARDENING AROUND THE CHURCH
There are opportunities for gardening tasks through the year on alternate Tuesdays between 1.30 - 3pm to maintain the beautiful space around the church for all to enjoy. NEXT SESSION Tuesday 9th September To volunteer your help, please contact Doug Pollock.
SNICKET SQUAD LITTERPICKING
(Every 3rd Saturday) Next session is Saturday 20th September.
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 café visit.
ST MATTHEW'S DAVY CELEBRATION SERVICE
This year we will be once again celebrating St Matthew’s day in style with a wonderful evening of Songs of Praise followed by a supper of Pie and Peas. We will be joined by extra choir friends and special guests YEP Brass. It is set to be another truly memorable event so please save the date of Sunday 21st September 6.30pm and think of who you might want to bring along. Songs of Praise is open to everyone and is free. We will be selling tickets for the Pie and Peas supper from Wednesday 3rd September at our Community Cafe. There is a sign-up sheet at the back of church for you to put your name down if you want a ticket. They are priced at £10 each to cover the costs of the event.
JOINING THE FAMILY SERVICES TEAM
Anyone interested in storytelling, narrating and or acting in future Family Services please speak to Ellen Carter or email us for more information.
GRASS CUTTING OF THE CHURCH LAWNS
Would you be willing to give a couple of hours or so, of your time once every 2-3 months? As a member of the grass cutting team of volunteers on a rota, you would be given access to the church's lawnmower/fuel and receive full instruction on its operation. To volunteer your help, please contact Doug Pollock.
LEEDS NORTH & WEST FOODBANK
BISCUITS. We are continuing with our more targeted approach to our giving to the foodbank. During August, we encourage you to donate packets of Biscuits. 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 team are always looking for new volunteers and it would be great to get some new people joining us. 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
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.
PAFRAS (Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers)
URGENT APPEAL - Thank you for your support last year! Unfortunately there is still a shortage of enough food for the Asylum Seekers and Refugees who need their help at the moment. If you can help, these are the main items of food you can donate now: tins of chickpeas, red kidney beans, sweetcorn, green lentils, tomatoes; bottles of cooking oil; packets of pasta and rice; packets of biscuits e.g. Malted Milk. Please leave in the green PAFRAS box just inside the main church entrance. Many thanks, Doug Pollock. To subscribe to the 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.
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
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.
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)