EVANGELISE TODAY - April 2008 -NEWSLETTER - HEXHAM AND NEWCASTLE DIOCESE You are subscribed to this newsletter because you have asked to be. This message was sent to the subscribed address [Email] If you prefer to read this issue on the web: www.rcdhn.org.uk/evangel2/newslet/newslet2.php If your email progamme does not display clickable hyperlinks then this is the one to use. Dear [Name], Welcome to the April Enewsletter for Evangelisation in Hexham and Newcastle Diocese.   Evangelisation Team pays tribute to Bishop Kevin, who died on the 1st March Sr Michael, the Co-ordinator of the Diocesan Evangelisation Team, pays tribute to Bishop Kevin on behalf of the Team, and reflects on how the Bishop was instrumental in setting up our Diocesan Evangelisation Team: "When Bishop Kevin was ordained in May 2004, he moved immediately to re-vitalise the whole process of evangelisation begun by Bishop Ambrose, giving it a structure and a high profile in the life of the diocese. He delighted in quoting from Paul V1’s Evangelii Nuntiandi that “evangelisation is the very life blood of the church….and without evangelisation, no church”. "By January 2005, a working group had come together from around the diocese to consider a way forward. He listened to our recommendations and by February we had a Central Diocesan Co-ordinating Team of priests, sisters and representatives of groups in the diocese already working in the field. Led by Sr Michael and with Fr Martin Stempczyck as our liaison with the Bishop, we have worked together for three years now. Bishop Kevin and the Team at one of the initial meetings in 2006 "Bishop Kevin saw our task as urgent – to explore the call of all to live and share the Gospel in the society we live in with all its challenges and to transform our diocese into a beacon of outreach and mission. "The best tribute we could give him would be to work for the realisation of his vision." Read full article...http://www.rcdhn.org.uk/evangel2/reflections/tributekd.php Upcoming Events We are delighted to announce that Clare Ward, from CASE, is going to be presenting a series of days in five different areas in the Diocese focusing on Evangelisation. These days will be followed up by further events organised by the Diocesan Evangelisation Team. Media Listen (1minute 40sec) to how being invited into a church led to becoming a Catholic (MP3 - 700K) http://www.rcdhn.org.uk/evangel2/media/interview.mp3 New Diocesan Team Members The Diocesan Evangelisation Team has two new members - Rosemary Saunders and Doreen Arrowsmith. Doreen, a Senior Hospital Staff Counsellor, is from Jarrow, and Rosemary, a Hospital Secretary, is from Boldon Colliery. Both have experience in evangelisation and the Diocesan Team is delighted to welcome them. This brings the total membership of the team to fifteen. The people who form the group come from different walks of life and ministries and are all working in, or have had experience of direct evangelisation. Reflection on Scripture A series written by a different member of the Diocesan Team each month. This month the reflection is on Hospitality. "If a stranger lives with you in your land, do not molest him. You must count him as one of your own countrymen and love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. For I am Yahweh your God” Leviticus 19.33-34. "It is He who loves the stranger, gives him food and clothing. Love the stranger then, for you were strangers in Egypt” Deuteronomy 10.18. Read full reflection at www.rcdhn.org.uk/evangel2/reflections/ref2.php Here is an excerpt.... "Hospitality was the key instrument in making friends, open to giving the stranger a home and community to be part of and share. Consequently the very act of offering hospitality entailed the beginning of reconciliation between peoples. Only afterwards did the questions arise - who are you? Where do you come from? Why are you here?" Quote "There can be no more pressing priority than evangelisation. This lies at the heart of our baptismal calling. Jesus invites us all ever more heroically to witness to and share our Catholic faith to the point of dying to self. Let us pray that each of us is given this grace…………                                                                             Bishop Kevin     Sept  06 Evangelise month by month April: Choose someone to pray for. Ask God to send people into that person's life to being them the Good News (Matt. 9:38). (Look up Matt. 9:38 - www.biblegateway.com ) Bottom Line A man was telling his friend about his upstairs neighbours.  "They started to jump up and down on the floor at five o'clock in the morning!" His friend asked, "Well, didn't that disturb you?  Didn't you complain? "No - it didn't disturb me.  I was practising my trumpet." Bottom Bottom Line Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, this time more wisely. Unknown Thank you for reading this monthly newsletter from the Diocesan Evangelisation Team