Notices

Notices for the week beginning
3rd August 

For further information about any of the items below, please email enquiries@templetaunton.uk

HOLY COMMUNION AT TEMPLE at 9.00 am:
Third Sunday of the month, followed by Iona style breakfast in the Hall.
STREAMED SERVICE at 9.30 am:
Each Sunday, taken by one of our other circuit worship leaders. Link here.
SUNDAY SERVICES AT TEMPLE at 10:30 am:
Every Sunday, with Holy Communion every first Sunday of the month.
CAKE & CONVERSATION at 5:00 pm in the hall:
Every second  Sunday of the month.
ZOOM WORSHIP at 6.30pm:
On a Sunday twice monthly. Contact enquiries@templetaunton.uk for details on joining in.

AFTERNOON CHOIR:
Tuesdays at 2:00pm in the hall.
ZOOM CIRCUIT BIBLE STUDY:
At 7.30pm 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month. Contact enquiries@templetaunton.uk for details on joining in.
ZOOM CIRCUIT PRAYER MEETING:
At 7.30pm 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month. Contact enquiries@templetaunton.uk for details on joining in.
PRAYER 45:
In the Chapel at 9:30am every 1st Wednesday of the month
and 7:30pm every 3rd Wednesday of the month.
POP-IN / COFFEE PLUS:
Every Wednesday at 10:30am.
Next on Wednesday 6th August. Join us for a drink and a chat.
MIDWEEK SERVICES:
Every Wednesday at 12:15pm in the chapel followed by a light lunch.
Next on Wednesday 6th August led by Rev Deborah Kirk
CHURCH LUNCH:
Normally on the third Wednesday of the month 1:00pm in the hall.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON GROUP:
Meetings take place on third Thursday of each month at 2:30pm in the hall.
Next meeting will be in the autumn on Thursday 18th September.

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND ANY EVENT IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESS
AND WE WISH YOU A SPEEDY RECOVERY

ALSO SEE  Upcoming Services , Church Life Activities , Upcoming Events 

CHURCH NOTICES: If you would like to receive the Weekly Notices by email please contact Hazel Jordan.
CIRCUIT LINK: If you would like to receive the monthly Circuit Link by email please contact Janet Dickinson.
PASTORAL TEAMS:  Please contact Anne Jordan or Rev Deborah Kirk with any pastoral concerns.
HOME COMMUNION: For anyone who would wish to receive home communion please contact Anne Jordan or Rev. Deborah Kirk.
PRAYER GROUP: If you would like to be part of the group, please let Hazel Jordan have your email address to add to the group. When a prayer request comes in, it will be forwarded to the group for a prayer response.
CIRCUIT ADMINISTRATOR: Natalie Knight can be contacted at office@pilgrimpeople.co.uk.
CHURCH FAMILY NEWS: Please note that although we cannot put personal details on the website, Church Family News can be found in the Notices distributed via email. If you wish to be added to the email list please contact Hazel Jordan.

FACEBOOK: You can follow us on facebook
YOUTUBE: Livestream services and previously streamed services can be found on our Youtube Channel
TAUNTON URC MONTHLY CHURCH MAGAZINE: A copy of the monthly URC magazine can be found here.
RESOURCES FOR HOME WORSHIP: See our This Week's Services , Prayer Page , and Home Worship pages. 

NOTICE

FOCUS

Our Challenge for the summer: The holiday season is upon us - enjoyment for many. However, the heat is a danger for some people. Please encourage all the family to keep cool and drink water as much as possible. You are the face the hands and the voice of God to so many - family, friends, neighbours and all whom you meet, plus yourselves.

Remember to take care of yourself in this hot weather. Plenty to drink and keep out of the sun as much as possible. Also keep an eye on those neighbours who need that little extra care.

POP IN: Pop-in this Wednesday 6th August, from 10.30am, is coffee (or tea) and conversation. In other words, a good chat with friends. Games will also be available to play. Lunch follows the midweek service which begins at 12.15pm

METHODIST PRAYER HANDBOOK is published each year at the beginning of September and provides a selection of prayers for each day of the year together with the daily readings. The 25/26 edition has a renewed look and style with a broader variety of prayers, prayer prompts and links to online content. If you have previously ordered a copy I will automatically order the new standard A5 edition for you. If you would like to make a change i.e. cancel, or receive a large print edition please let me know. If you have not had a copy before and would like one please get in touch. Cost will be £4.40 each. Thank you, Kevin Rigg

FILM NIGHT: For anyone who missed Paddington in Peru, there will be a catch up screening on Friday 15th August. 6.30 pm for pizza and pudding with the film at 7.30 pm. Please let Hazel know if you would like to attend. The next new film will be The Penguin Lessons on Friday 12th September.

BIG BUTTERFLY COUNT: FRIDAY 18TH JULY UNTIL SUNDAY 10TH AUGUST:
Take part in Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count (a UK wide survey) and help assess the health of our environment simply by counting butterflies. Launched in 2010 it is the world's biggest survey of butterflies. You can join in by:

• Visiting the web site or downloading the free app and ID chart Big Butterfly Count

• Watch butterflies and moths from your chosen spot for 15 minutes (e.g. garden, balcony, park or on a walk)

• Record the species you see and add your counts (you can do as many as you want during these dates)

TEMPLE SOLAR PANELS:  As part of the renovation of the Temple roof a couple of years ago we took the opportunity to install 47 solar panels on our south facing roof to help mitigate our electricity costs and reduce our carbon footprint.  This sunny May was a good test of our panels. Our electric bill for the month would have been £158, including the cost of heating our hot water by electricity generated by the panels.  Excess power is returned to the National Grid, for which we were paid £127, so the net bill became £31.  May we continue to have lots of sunshine so that we use less fossil fuels and we help to look after our planet in our capacity as an eco church.

3Generate 2025, 3 - 5 October at the NEC, Birmingham: 3Generate is an event for children and young people aged 4-18 includes various activities, workshops, and worship sessions designed to help young people explore their faith, develop leadership skills, and make a positive impact in their communities. Our hope is that 3Generate will offer a wonderful opportunity to encounter God, gather together and be reminded of their vital place within the wider Methodist Church.
More information can be found here, or see Barbara

MONTHLY VIGILS FOR PEACE: Taunton Quakers extend an invitation to all people of faith and none to stand in silence on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 12.00 to 12.45 pm near the Tourist Information Office, to witness to our commitment to seek peace in the world.  

PRAYER 45: The 1st Wednesday of the month at 9.30am, and the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm, which may take the form of Compline. These times will be open to anyone and will initially be led by Deborah - (in time, those who come may like to lead). The time will be about 45 minutes, but you are free to come for as long or short a time as you are able, and if you come once, you will not be expected to come every time. During the time together we shall reflect on a portion or verse of scripture, then spend some time in prayer, silent or spoken. 

READERS NEEDED: We are looking for new people to add to our pool of people to read the Bible lessons on a Sunday. Please speak to Hazel Jordan if you are interested in reading on Sundays.

ORGANISTS: Does anybody know of any organist who might like to play at Temple for our Sunday worship services? I'm trying to uncover some new players who might like to play, either regularly or on an occasional basis. Fees and level of commitment negotiable. Please contact Kevin Rigg. Thank you, Kevin. 

TRANSPORT: We realise many people can no longer get to church easily but often feel they do not want to ask for lifts. Is there someone in the congregation who would be willing to coordinate, able and willing drivers to be available to give people lifts to church? If so, or you are willing to give lifts, please contact Anne Jordan.

TAUNTON FOODBANK APPEAL: Stocks are at their lowest for 7 years and over the last few months we have given out over a tonne and a half more food than has been donated. Please check the website . https://taunton.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/ to find out what food is needed. 

From Methodist News …

PALESTINE - SUPPORTING THE CALL FOR AN INDEPENDENT STATE: The President and Vice-President of the Methodist Church are among those who have called on the UK Government to recognise Palestine as an independent state. The call was made just prior to the announcement that Britain may recognise Palestinian statehood in September unless Israel allows more aid to enter Gaza.

"We have been appalled and horrified by the pictures and first-hand witness accounts of the dire situation in Gaza, particularly around access to food for those existing there. No-one could fail to be moved by the images of emaciated children and we have a moral duty to heed and act on the warnings from countless aid agencies of mass starvation and malnutrition. We welcome the pause in military activity, but this is not enough. Red lines in international law have been crossed by the Israeli Government and they and Hamas must provide explicit acceptance of the right to peace, security and prosperity for all Israelis and Palestinians." Read the full statement here.

THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR GAZA FAMINE AND STARVATION: The Revd Raj Patta, a minister in the United Stockport Methodist Circuit, shares this reimagining of The Lord's Prayer in the context of Gazan famine and starvation. Read the prayer here.

APPEAL: The Gaza/Lebanon Justice Appeal, launched by the Methodist Church in Britain and supported by All We Can and the United Reformed Church, benefits partners working in the area. Donate here.

BABY BASKETS - BRINGING HOPE TO VULNERABLE FAMILIES: In the heart of Manchester, a small community project is making an extraordinary difference to the lives of new mothers and their babies. Baby Baskets, run by Moston Methodist Church, has been quietly transforming lives for six years, providing essential support to families in one of Manchester's most deprived areas. Read more about the project here.

KAIROS ARTS - RESTORING HOPE AND SELF-WORTH THROUGH CREATIVE ARTS: “There was nothing. We are still the sole provider of therapeutic arts provision in Jersey, and there was a lot of understanding that the arts could make a difference, but nobody was working at a particularly intentional level or a high level of using therapeutic arts. So the flood gates opened.” What do lumps of unformed white clay and plasticine have in common? In the hands of Kairos Arts, a Methodist-backed charity in Jersey, they are life changing for hundreds of people. Read how Kairos Arts is changing lives.

A PRAYER FOR THOSE AWAITING EXAMS: With the exam result season upon us, Bea Hulme, the Youth President of the Methodist Church, shares this prayer:

Dear Lord,

We pray for those awaiting exam results this summer.

May they be able to enjoy their time without worry

and know that you are with them regardless of what the results may be.

We pray for peace, and trust that your plan for them will show the way.

Amen.

SWPD eNEWS:
Follow this link for more information about the Newsletter, or visit the SWPD website 

From Methodist Publishing ...

New Products
Our Church's Future Story This pack aims to give you the guidance and resources you need to develop a really useful growth plan for your church, circuit or new Christian community. The booklet explains what a growth plan is, what it should include, and how to go about creating it together. The card pack offers activities for you to use as you work on your plan as a church. The cards have been written for use by anyone in a leadership role, such as a steward, lay employee or minister. Growth planning involves the whole church and wider community, but a smaller group of people will need to lead the process. This could be the church stewards along with the minister and lay employees or, if you are creating a circuit growth plan, the Circuit Leadership Team. We suggest each member of the group has a copy of this pack.

the connexion So much more In issue 36, you can read about Bea Hulme, the Youth President, explaining why young people need encouragement, and Phoebe Parkin, a past Youth President bringing stories of hope from Colombia, where she helped young people learn media skills.

A Methodist Way of Life Pocket Guide - Order here

Connexional Year 2025/2026 resources
Essential resources in the Methodist Church to fulfil Our Calling of responding to God’s love in Christ and living out its discipleship in worship and mission.

Methodist Prayer Handbook: The 2025/2026 Prayer Handbook.
Our Story, Our Song calls upon the Methodist people to join in a soul expedition deep into the heart of our calling, journeying afresh into the story of grace and the vocation that God has placed upon us – learning to live, work, pray and play in ways both true to our roots and open to the presence of God in the songs and stories of others.
Pray with Our Story, Our Song to discover A Shared Story, A Shared Harmony, A New Song, A New Chapter. Ideal for individual prayer, small groups or church devotions, this new-look Methodist Prayer Handbook offers a broader variety of prayers, greater accessibility, easy-to-use prayer prompts, guidance to form your own prayers, QR codes and links to related online content, as well as prayers for every day of the year together with the daily lectionary for the year.

New releases from Methodist Publishing and other products of interest to Methodists can be found here.

The Methodist Church Learning Network 

The role of the Learning Network is to equip and resource the Church through a wide range of learning and development opportunities. The Learning Network works together connexionally, on national projects, and in regional teams, in delivering regional training and learning events. 

FREE TELEPHONE PRAYER AND NEWS

Prayers and news from the Methodist Church.

Listen to a prayer:   0808 281 2514

Listen to news:        0808 281 2478

Content is updated every Thursday afternoon.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER SCAMS

Please be aware that unfortunately in these uncertain and difficult times when we may be more vulnerable than normal, there are people who are taking advantage of our desire to communicate with one another via social media. Other routes used include cold calls on your phone, text messages or emails, and bogus websites. The following websites have advice on recognising and reporting scams, and what to do if you think you have fallen prey to a scam.

Recent scams include recorded messages purporting to be regarding misuse of your online shopping account or internet service. Please hang up immediately and use call blocking if you have it (1572). Others try to get bank account or card details by purporting to be from warranty firms for white goods extending your protection or warranty. Some are calls impersonating the NHS, well-known government organisations, or law enforcement agencies - these will not call by phone or text and will never ask for bank or card details.

If someone you don't know contacts you by phone, text, email, social media, or at your home unexpectedly
CHALLENGE - Could it be fake? It’s OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests that don’t feel right.
DECLINE - Do NOT respond to electronic messages by following links or recorded phone messages by pressing numbers. NEVER give out personal information such as bank details, bank card numbers, passport numbers, NHS numbers, National Insurance numbers or passwords.
CHECK - Only use official websites, postal addresses or phone numbers to contact people if you are unsure - do NOT use the contact details provided by those you are suspicious of.
REPORT - Let someone know. Especially if you believe you've become a victim of fraud, or you can stop someone else becoming a victim.

UK Government - Avoid and report internet scams and phishing

Citizens Advice - Check if something might be a scam

Age UK - Scams and fraud

National Cyber Security Centre:
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.

Action Fraud:
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud or identity theft, you should report this directly to Action Fraud either online; actionfraud.police.uk or via phone 0300 123 2040.

Crimestoppers:
If you have any information relating to vaccine fraud you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers COVID Fraud Hotline online; covidfraudhotline.org or phone 0800 587 5030.