Thackley Methodist Church and Community Centre

OUT OF THE ORDINARY: GOD IN US Bible readings Isaiah 9:2-7 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—  on them light has shined. You have multiplied exultation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Great will be his authority, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lo...

PREPARING FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY: LISTENING Bible readings 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Now when the king was settled in his house and the Lord had given him rest  from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now,  I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to  the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my  servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live  in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel  from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a  word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd  my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now  therefore thu...

PREPARING FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY: POINTING TO THE LIGHT Bible readings Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. For I, the Lord, love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their ...

PREPARING FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY: CHANGING YOUR MIND Bible readings Isaiah 40:1-11 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass; their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers; the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers; the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Get you...

PREPARING FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY: LETTING STUFF GO Bible readings Isaiah 64:1-9 O that you would tear open the heaven and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence— as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down; the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name or attempts to take hold of you, for you have hidden your ...

As we journey through Advent, we explore the wonder of how God’s love is revealed in the ordinary…  How a seemingly ordinary birth becomes God’s out of the ordinary world-saving event through Jesus.  How every day, ordinary acts of kindness can breakthrough to the extraordinary. This year we are using Advent & Christmas materials produced by the Methodist Church of Great Britain that encourage us to scratch beneath the surface to explore and reflect upon what God is saying to us. You can engage with these through either this blog, or our Facebook page .  The following links will become live each Sunday commencing 3 December 2023. Advent 1 - Preparing for the extraordinary: Letting stuff go . Advent 2 - Preparing for the extraordinary: Changing your mind. Advent 3 - Preparing for the extraordinary: Pointing to the light. Advent 4 - Preparing for the extraordinary: Listening. Christmas Day - Out of the ordinary: God in us . Advent Baubles In previous years we have decorated our...

Our Christmas activities started in early November collecting donations for Christmas hampers for Bradford North Foodbank. Our Christmas Fair swiftly followed on a very chilly late November morning with the first snow of winter! The Fair raised over £600 and we are grateful to Monday Mums for serving refreshments, to the Ladies Group for their yummy cake stall, to the Brownies for their chocolate tombola, the Guides for their tombola and for making lip balm and to everyone else at Team TMC for the many varied ways in which they contributed to the success of the morning. For several years we have shared one big card and given the money we would usually spend on cards to charity. The charity is Caring for Life which changes lives by sharing Jesus' love with the vulnerable; if you've not visited their wonderful coffee shop, make it a New Year's resolution to do so. This year's fabulous Christmas card was made for us by Junior Church and donations amounted to £104.10...

Christmas Fair 10.00 am to 12.00 noon Saturday 25 November 2017 We hope you will join us.

Sunday 21 December 10.30 am Favourite Carols Christmas Eve 7.30 pm Carol Service - collection for Bradford Soup Run Christmas Day We have decided that this year we will worship with friends at nearby churches: 10.30 am Worship at Calverley Methodist Church . OR 11.00 am Family Worship at Holy Trinity , Idle

Christmas Services Sunday 15 December - 3.00 pm Nativity & Christingle Sunday 22 December - 10.30 am Favourite Carols Christmas Eve - 7.30 pm Carol Service Christmas Day - 10.30 am Family Worship Sunday 29 December - No service

Thank you to everyone who supported the collections at our Christmas services: • Morning carol service - £43.94 for Action For Children • Christmas Eve carol service - £163.59 for Bradford Soup Run • Christmas Day - £95.10 for Macmillan Cancer Support • Church Christmas Card - £60.35 for the Blenheim Project That's a total of £362.98! Your generosity is very much appreciated.

Christmas Services 3.00 pm Sunday 16 December Family Nativity The cash offering from this service will go to Action for Children 10.30 am Sunday 23 December Carol Service 7.30 pm Christmas Eve Candlelit Carol Service Rev Sarah Jemison The cash offering from this service will go to Bradford Soup Run 10.00 am Christmas Day Family Worship Rev Phil Drake The cash offering from this service will go to McMillan Cancer Support You are warmly invited to join us.

Christmas Fair Saturday 24 November 2012 10.00 am to 12.00 noon Entrance £1.50 including prize draw Refreshments available (inc bacon butties!)

December proved to be a busy month with our Christmas celebrations.  Here's a quick round-up: Carol Service  11 Dec - We were blessed by a wonderful service of readings of carols led by two of our worship leaders, Chris and John, with the help of many readers and videos - http://www.paperlesschristmas.org.uk/ Thackley Christmas Lights Switch On 17 Dec - We didn't hesitate to accept the invitation to lead the singing for the switch on of the Christmas Lights.  There were lots of our church members there; however, it was so dark we didn't manage to find each other!  Nevertheless we did our best to swell the singing.  This is a lovely opportunity for our local community to come together and we thank everyone who contributed. Christingle Service 18 Dec - We were delighted to welcome a number of visiting families.  As always, it was very special and moving to light our Christingle candles and sing our last carol by candlelight.  The collection from t...

Sunday 11 December - 10.30 am Family Carol Service Sunday 18 December - 3.00 pm Family Christingle Christmas Eve - 7.30 pm Carol Service Christmas Day - 10.30 am Family Worship Please join us.

Christmas lights, good sing along carols, mince pies and more!  Sound good?  Then you are all invited: Then join us for the switch on of the Thackley Village Christmas Tree in the Cricket Club car park.  After last year's successful event it is hoped it will become a tradition in the village and many more will turn up to start the celebration of the festive season. 6.00 pm Saturday 17 December 2011

Our Christmas Magazine (pdf) is now available.

A great big  thank you to everyone who helped with the Christmas Fair. It was wonderful the way everyone pulled together to make it such a successful event with a warm, friendly feel. From the people who moved the furniture to set up and dismantle the stalls, everyone who ran the stalls, served refreshments, washed up, invited their friends, spent their money - we couldn't have done it without you. And the big news is that as of Saturday evening, the Fair has raised £873.52 plus the £283.12 raised on the Fair Trade stall!!!

We hope you will join us for our Christmas Fair between 10.00 am and 12.00 noon on Saturday 26 November 2011.  As always, there'll be lots going on.  Entrance !.50 including Christmas draw.

Thank you to everyone for your donations to charity at our recent Christmas services. Because of your generosity we are able to send the following amounts: Action for Children (Christingle) - £64.79 Bradford Soup Run (Christmas Eve) - £161.82 Caring for Life (Christmas Day) - £67.48