West Craven Baptist Church

Our vision: - To reveal God's heart at the heart of the community.

We are a Baptist Church working with others  from our centres in Barnoldswick, Earby and Salterforth. 

Barnoldswick BB18 5NZ

Earby BB18 6QS

Salterforth BB185TU

Welcome to the website for the West Craven Baptist Church.  For us church is not just about Sunday, but flows out into the whole of life.  We aim to live out our faith in our homes, schools, work places - wherever we are.  Through the week we also offer a kaleidoscope of activities to bring people together and build community, such as coffee mornings, parent and toddler groups, home groups, Tuesday Club for children, social events and so on. See our 'Whats On' page

Margaret writes . . . . . . .

It is a common complaint that time is speeding up and we don’t know where it is going. However unscientific this idea may be, it is often an accurate description of how we feel in December as we rush headlong to Christmas.

As we move into the Advent season we are often overwhelmed by ‘so much to do, so little time’.

This year I am going to try to make a conscious effort to use Advent as a season of preparation. “In the Celtic tradition Advent started on the 16th November as this was the traditional beginning of monastic fasting and preparation for the feast of Christmas, reflecting Lent in lasting for forty days.

We seek to prepare the way for the Lord to come right to the centre of our lives. Every valley and pot-hole should be filled in, every mountain and hill levelled and every obstacle removed. The mountains are the wrongs we do, and the pot-holes are the good things we fail to do.

It is said that the door to the stable where the Christ-child has been born is very low – and only those who kneel find access. Being ready for Christmas should mean that our thoughts are focused not just on letters, cards, food and drink, and presents, but on repentance, humility and interior ‘house-cleaning’. The more we prepare in this way, the less we will be overwhelmed by the commercialisation of Christmas.

Prepare a way for the Lord!

Show me, Lord Jesus, how I may best prepare to celebrate Your birth into this world. Show me those things I need to repent of, that I may find Your forgiveness.

Show me how to avoid the greed and selfishness of this season and focus on what is truly essential. Amen.”  (Northumbria community).

Engaging with our community this advent

COME yourself and invite your friends to the Advent Hope Service at Barnoldswick Baptist Church on Sunday 1st December at 6.00 p.m. when we will hear about the way in which we can help Dalit women in India.

We will also pray that the Christmas angels will be a blessing on our local communities.

HELP distribute angels on Thursday 12th December. See Margaret for more information.

TREAT your friends to tickets for the JOURNEY OF THE MAJI on Saturday 14th December at 6.30 p.m. at St Joseph’s.  Tickets are available from Helen Edmondson, Sheila Turner and Julie Lewis.

INVITE anyone you know who will be alone at Christmas to The Home Alone Christmas Day Lunch at St Joseph’s OR Volunteer to help  - See Margaret for more information.

BRING your family and neighbours to our Christmas services. There is something to suit everyone: a traditional carol service, a crib service, an informal Christmas celebration and our Christmas Day service.

GIVE a copy of our magazine to a friend and have a chat about some of the content.

News

What a busy few weeks we have had here at Food Bank following your never ending generosity in continuing to support our work by donating your harvest gifts - our store room is like a TARDIS in its ability to accommodate whatever amounts you all give us each year, and even when we think no more can be fitted in, we manage it, AND the shelves don't buckle and collapse either!  Thank you all so much - your generosity is greatly appreciated by the team and by all those who receive food parcels each week. 

I'm sure you'll be interested to know that deliveries since our November 2018 AGM have seen a 46% increase on last year's figures - we have made 627 deliveries and supported 277 people, 46% of whom were children.  We are pleased to be able to help those struggling through a difficult patch but we certainly couldn't do it without you, and you can be sure that your donations are being well used to help people in our community, and that when they thank us for our help, they are also thanking you.

With many thanks, as ever,

Liz,

Liz Grose (Secretary and Volunteer Co-ordinator)

 Our links with others: -