Lanzarote Relocation

A Message from Father Idris:

“A New Day has Dawned”

These words are part of a Collect for Easter Day, but I also remember reading them in a saying about death.  “Death is not the snuffing out of a candle, but the putting out of the lamp, because a new day has dawned”

This is what Easter is about. It reminds us that death has been overcome and that God brings us out of darkness into His own marvellous light. New life is offered for all “who put their trust in him”.

As I often say, it reminds us that we are a Resurrection People.  We believe that God can, and does, bring us through those “deaths” that we all experience in life. Some are small and insignificant and we deal with them. Other are huge and traumatic and painful, and we cry “from whence cometh my help?”  The psalmist answers his own question “My help cometh from the Lord” (psalm 121)

At these difficult and painful times God is there. However, to experience the Resurrection and become a Resurrection People, we have to experience a death…a letting go. This is essential if we are to experience the new life Jesus offers us.  It is no good if we just mouth these words but do not really believe them.

As many of you will know by now, I am to retire in June and return to the UK.
This will be one such “death” both for me and for you, and will bring with it the inevitable pain of separation. However, under God, new things can emerge. We have to trust that, if we keep faith with God, He will lead us all towards the good things He has in store for us. He will lead us on to fulfil His purpose and His mission both for you in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura  and for me in the UK.

My ministry has not ended, just taken a different direction. Your mission has not ended, but will be guided by God and His Holy Spirit, provided we all stay faithful.

Please join us at our Easter services this year where together we can raise the shout “He is Risen”. “He is Risen indeed”.

With God’s blessing

Fr Idris

Meetings and events to be held in April include:

Apostles Lunch:   The next Apostles lunch, which is a monthly informal social event, will be held at 1.30 pm on Tuesday 13th April.  The venue will be the El Salinero restaurant at the entrance to Las Brenas.  If you would like to attend, please contact Phyllis Robinson on 928 518091 or Sheila Lewis on 928 517894.

Bible Study  is held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month.  Please contact David Dowdell on 928 834351.

Mothers’ Union:   There will be no Mothers’ Union meeting in April.  Regular monthly meetings will begin again in October.

Notices

Volunteers needed.  We urgently need to find volunteers to act a) as our deputy web-master, supporting David in the up-dating of our website, and b) as a member of our Publicity Committee.  If you would be willing to fill either or both of these untaxing, but valuable, roles  please contact any of the persons on the back page of this newsletter.

lanzarotechurch.com.  This is our website. Please visit it if you are able.  We would welcome your comments which should be addressed to David Dowdell at david.dowdell@btinternet.com or on 928 834351

Our thanks go to Brian and Val Weatherburn and their daughter, Julie, who have raised 200 euros towards the cost of providing the new hymn books.

A genuine blooper from another church magazine:
Miss Charlene Mason sang “I will not pass this way again”, giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

Holy Week and Easter Services.

1st  April – Maundy Thursday: 12.30pm in Playa Blanca.  Holy Communion
with washing of feet.
2nd April – Good Friday:
12.30pm in Puerto del Carmen.  A dramatised reading of the Passion
6.00pm in Puerto del Carmen. Ecumenical celebration of the Way of the Cross

4th April – Easter Day:  Services as usual.

Normal services during April will be as follows:

Costa Teguise  – “Avecost” Meeting Hall, C/La Fragata.  9.30 am
1st & 3rd Sundays: – Morning Prayer
All other Sundays: – Holy Communion

Nazaret   -  Church of Nuestra Señora de Nazaret      -    10.00 am
1st and 3rd Sundays only: – Holy Communion

Puerto del Carmen -  Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen
in the harbour area of the Old Town   -  12.30 pm
Every Sunday: – Holy Communion

Playa Blanca – Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen – 5.30 pm
Every Sunday: – Holy Communion

NB:  If you would like prayers for loved ones during intercessions at our Sunday services, please contact Father Idris  (see below).

Principal Church contacts are:

Chaplain:   The Reverend Idris Vaughan        928 514241 Chaplaincy House, Calle Los Sabandenos 37,  35510   Puerto del Carmen

Reader:   David Dowdell                928 834351

Churchwarden & Secretary to the PCC: Linda Davis   928 520803

Churchwarden:   Ken Rees                928 173003

Lay Vice-President:   Michael Norsworthy        928 173052

If you would like to be e-mailed a copy of this newsletter, or if you have any ideas, messages or prayer requests for future newsletters, please contact
Michael Norsworthy at  mnorsworthy34@yahoo.co.uk   or  928 173052.

Transport to Church Services.  If anyone should wish to attend one of our church services but is unable to do so for lack of transport, please contact Ray Macfarlane-Archer on 928 845818.  Details of the scheme are shown on the website. Volunteers to provide occasional lifts, please contact Ray.

You may also enjoy reading the following:

1. Church Newsletter – Dec 08 The Anglican Parish of St Laurence in Lanzarote Newsletter – December 2008 A Message from our Chaplain, the Revd Idris Vaughan “And the Word became...
2. Church newsletter – Feb 09 A Message from our Chaplain, the Revd Idris Vaughan: “For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6.21) A vicar stood...
3. Church Newsletter – January 2010 A Message from our Chaplain, the Revd Idris Vaughan: BE STILL On the 16th November the Mothers’ Union held their usual Quiet Day at Nazaret. ...
4. Anglican Church Newsletter – May / June 2010 Father Idris’s Retirement.  As you may know, Fr Idris is retiring in June and we shall have the opportunity to say au revoir to him...
5. Anglican Church Newsletter. July / August 2010 A Message from our Reader, David Dowdell: “When the saints go marching…….” This time of year, here in the Canaries, we experience a succession of...