Author: monksroadadmin

March 1, 2020

March 2020 Newsletter

Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord, He goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear, nor be dismayed.”

God’s promises are wonderful. He made this promise to the Israelites when they were in trouble and He makes the same promise to us today. We need to remind ourselves daily that He is there before us; that He will never leave us and that He will always be with us, no matter what happens to us in life or in the world.

Throughout the Bible God makes promises to His people and His promises never fail. Psalm 100 says ”…his love endures for ever and his faithfulness continues through all generations”. How many of God’s promises can you find or recall? When we remember and realise that God’s promises are true and solid our faith calls us to respond by the way we live.

Living a Christian life is not always easy but resting on God’s promises day by day gives us strength to face any difficulties, courage to carry on and a deep joy that nothing else can give us. With this knowledge we know that “..nothing can separate us from the love of God” and whatever happens “…if God is for us who can be against us.” God blesses you every day – walk in His light. Amen

Services in March

Worship at 10:30am

1st – Revd T Nowell Holy Communion
8th – Mr K Chester
15th Revd A Burrows

All Church services have been cancelled until further notice, following the guidance from the government. Please see this post for details of alternative online services and resources.

Dates for your Diary

Mon. 02 March. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Wed. 04 March. – 1st Lent meeting, Steps to the Cross – 2pm
Fri. 06 March. – World Day of Prayer at All Saints – 10.30am
Fri. 06 March – Coffee Drop-in each Friday from now – 9-10am
Mon. 09 March – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Thurs. 12 March – 2nd Lent meeting – 2pm

All events have been cancelled until further notice, following the guidance from the government. Please follow us on Facebook to keep in touch during this time.

Environmental Concerns

The churches are full of people trying to care for God’s creation. The church of England’s lenten journey is called Care for God’s Creation. The Methodist church, along with other churches, is part of Creating a climate of Change – Living Lent.

Living Lent encourages us to become part of a community who will respond to the call to climate action by making significant personal commitments to changing our lifestyles for the sake of climate. Living Lent majors on us realising that changing our climate is not just an activity but a lifestyle.

Can you change your lifestyle for Lent? 40 days but 40 days which might help us to continue changing as we hunger & thirst for righteousness, for instance, knowing that we might refuse a plastic bag for our fashion buy but think deeper about the child who might have made the item in a sweatshop! We need to think beyond the obvious in our living.

Groups and Events

Fairtrade Fortnight | 24th February – 8th March

The Fairtrade foundation campaigns for living wages for millions of those across the world who provide a lot of our food. This year they are concentrating on cocoa farmers. A Fairtade price for their crops means they are more likely to receive a living wage meaning they can feed and educate their children. Please support Fairtrade.

Pantomime

Thank you so much to all our players, backstage helpers, front of house staff, singers and Jonathan, our Musical Director for the wonderful production of our pantomime on 14th & 15th February. Three full houses cheered on and joined in as well as enjoying choc ices and trying for one of our fantastic raffle prizes. The amount raised was £1,020. This will help the church pay for the fire alarm system which will cost nearly £6,000 but is necessary to ensure safety to everyone on our premises.

Mission in Britain

Thank you to everyone who attended the coffee morning which raised £89.40 to help the Methodist church carry out it’s mission throughout the country. Thank you also to those who collect through the year in Mission in Britain boxes.

Fundraising

Our shrapnel and FISH

Our loose change does a lot of good, supporting different charities during the Autumn up to Christmas. We have decided to put out the loose change box again to support Food in School Holidays. Lots of families struggle to feed their children during school holidays when there are no school meals. Because of this the local churches provide vouchers to ensure the children don’t go hungry. If you can help by dropping your loose change in the box, the money will be very helpful to alleviate the struggle some parents might have.

Goodbye to our dear friends, Sylvia Marrows & Marjorie Farnsworth

Sylvia moved to our church when ‘Big Wesley’ closed and used her musical gifts from the beginning in our choir. She was Sunday School treasurer for a long time and a member of the Women’s Circle until fairly recently when, after a fall and a broken hip, she was unable to walk very well. For many years she sold choc ices with Mrs Brown at the pantomime. Her faith enabled her to be a central and much loved member of the church. Her funeral is in church on Tuesday, 10th March at noon.

Marjorie also was a life-long Christian and as a child attended the Salvation Army. Living in Walmer Street meant she could easily become involved in many aspects of our church life. She was a member of our Women’s Circle and leader for many years and she enjoyed singing at the pantomimes and with the singing group. Marjorie had worked as a cook and used her baking and sewing skills to support all the churches activities. Whenever she was asked to read in church there was no hesitation and she had a beautiful reading voice. Her funeral is in church on Tuesday 24th March at noon. There will be a thanksgiving service held in church at a later date.

We shall miss both Sylvia and Marjorie but thank God that we were able to share part of our Christian journeys with them. Romans 14:8 ‘If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.’

Closing Prayer

Thank you God for times of fun & laughter. Help me to remember You in times of happiness as well as times of trouble. Amen

Download a PDF version of the Newsletter

To download a PDF version of the newsletter, please click here.

February 13, 2020

Celebrating 30 Years of Pantomimes

This year we will be putting on our 30th annual pantomime, following a tradition that started all the way back in 1990 with our very first production. So we thought we’d take a look back over the past 3 decades, from the early beginnings to today’s beloved annual event.

We began pantomimes in 1990 as a way of involving folk in something that was fun and enjoyable for all ages. Terry, our minister both at that time and today, looked at scripts in the music and drama library, and began writing Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and he’s been writing them ever since!

We do repeat them from time to time! We have always included local references and names to make the shows more accessible, and little has changed over the years in terms of story lines – whoever turns up gets a part or a job of some sort.

A lot of the folk from our early years are no longer with us – Kath Chester, Leila Pickwell, and Bill Raby, but others like Heather and David are still firm favourites year after year. Irene has always looked after costumes and roped others in to sewing too. And Jonathan has done the music every year apart from 1990. when Irene was the pianist as Jonathan was at university in Leeds.

Sue Wells has been in many of the shows, and her dad and mum kept the shows on the road when Terry and Irene were in Nottingham between 2003 and 2012, by using Terry’s scripts. They also run the choc ice stall during the interval, which is a highlight for many children.

This year we will be showing Dick Whittington, with some new cast members joining the old hands, along with our wonderful choir to make it as fun as ever. We hope to see you there.

Take a trip down memory lane

Here are some photos taken through the years at our pantomimes. We’ll add some more from the church’s history folder, once we’ve had chance to digitise them. If you have any other photos to share with us, please send them to Amanda at admin@monksroadmethodistchurch.org.uk (or pass them on to Tim at church on a Sunday, so we can scan them and get them back to you the following week).

Babes in The Wood – 1995
Dick Whittington – 1997
Sleeping Beauty – 1998
The Three Little Pigs – 1999
Making scenery for the pantomime

February 4, 2020

February 2020 Newsletter

God’s Closeness

As Christians we believe God is close to us and that in Jesus we see his human face and that gives us comfort and assurance. Do you sometimes feel though that YOU are far from God? Are we sometimes like St Paul – so sure of our rightness that we don’t even consider what God would require in our living? And yet God came close to Paul and showed him how vital a Christian way of life is to His world.

The 25th January is the day when Paul is commemorated by Malta when he was shipwrecked. He was so impressed and thankful for the kindness and hospitality he and his fellow travellers were shown. The Week of Prayer this year focused on hospitality and was prepared by Christians Together in Malta & Gozo. We long always to know the closeness of God but
sometimes we have to readjust our thinking and living. It is easy to slip and forget to welcome and be a part of our church community, our support of others who are not like us, and to be generous to those who have little.

Paul said he received “unusual kindness” and with humility we need to offer this to those of other denominations, religions, nationalities, refugees, those who are different – and to do this simply because this is what our faith demands and is the way we will show that God is close and working through our lives and our world.

Services in February

Worship at 10:30am

2nd – Revd Nowell, HC
9th – Revd Nowell
16th – Revd Nowell – Mission in Britain, Cafe Church
223rd – Section Service at Central Methodist Church

Dates for your Diary

Mon. 03 Feb. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 10 Feb. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Fri. 14 Feb. – Dick Whittington – 7.30pm
Sat. 15 Feb. – Dick Whittington – 2pm and 7.30pm
Sat. 22 Feb. – Mission in Britain Coffee – 10-11am
Mon. 24 Feb. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Wed. 26 Feb. – Church Council – 2pm
Thurs 27 Feb – Men’s Meeting – 7.15pm

Environmental Concerns

Throughout 2019 we considered several ways of helping our environment and the climate: illegal palm oil in a lot of our food, particularly confectionery and what it is doing to wildlife forests in Borneo and the rain forests across the world; how plastic wrapping paper and glitter cards at Christmas cannot be recycled; consideration of overconsumption to satisfy our wants rather than our needs; the careless over-use of single-use plastic; care with our use of water in our homes & gardens and re-usable water bottles; fast fashion which demands vast resources. These are just a few of the ways of living we considered.

Have you needed to adjust your ways of living and shopping e.g. using less plastic, and, if so, how have you been able to adapt to a more sustainable way of living? It is clear from what is happening in the world, with exceptional floods and heat that the climate is warming and we need to live sustainably if we are going to be able to save God’s world. Perhaps you need to email / write to your MP to ensure they lobby for right living, or to shops which are full of plastic? One letter or email is thought to say to those in power that at least eleven others are thinking the same, so don’t hesitate to speak out.

Heavenly Father, give us courage to care for your wonderful world. We pray that we will be filled with a spirit of concern for the future of our environment; bring an end to the exploitation of the earth’s scarce resources; and live as responsible stewards protecting and respecting this gift of creation God has placed in our hands. Amen.

Groups and Events

Pantomime – Don’t forget your tickets!

Friday evening 14th February, 7.30pm
Saturday 15th February, 2pm & 7.30pm

Tickets £5.00 from any cast member or Terry on (01522) 754254

Mission in Britain February

Sunday service on 16th February at 10.30am when we consider how our church supports Mission in Britain.

Saturday Coffee 22nd February with Cake & Bric-a-brac stalls along with a raffle. If you have a Mission in Britain box please bring it to be emptied.

Men’s Group – 27th February

Men’s Group will meet at 7.15pm on 27th February when the speaker will be Paul Disley, all men are welcome.

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks

Leaving Care Gift Service

Thank you to everyone who supported the young people who are making the transition from Care to independent living.

Christmas Giving

Our shrapnel (loose change) and the Folk Carol Service, with thanks to Jonathan and friends, raised £325.00, which will mean we can provide nine toilets for families in Africa so they will not have to go into the unsafe bush and the threat of disease because of unhygienic conditions will be greatly lessened.

NOMAD Lunch

Thank you to everyone who supported our soup lunch for the homeless which raised £180, and we sent 20 hats, 31 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of gloves and 10 books.

Other News

Church Envelopes & Assessment

The new year’s envelopes are now available. If you do not have church envelopes and think you would be able to give through the scheme them please ask Rosemary and she will provide them. The benefit of using envelopes is that even when you cannot attend church you are still able to put away your weekly contribution and can put the envelopes on the plate next time you are at church. This means that our church has a steady income which ensures we can carry out our mission more effectively, pay our gas & electricity & upkeep and pay our assessment.

Our assessment is the amount we have to pay each quarter to the circuit as our contribution to our Minister’s stipend and living expenses. At this time our assessment is £11,500 per
year. Totalling our assessment and our own church expenses means that to keep afloat we require £10 a week from each member. We also realise that not everyone can contribute this amount so we have events through the year to raise funds so we can continue our work here on Monks Road.

Thank you everyone for your support, not only of our church, but for the support you give to all the charities and good causes to which we contribute throughout the year.

Download a PDF version of the Newsletter

To download a PDF version of the newsletter, please click here.

January 18, 2020

December & January Newsletter

Apologies for the delay in posting this newsletter to the website – December was a busy month!

Advent

A time of anticipation, of waiting, a time when Christians look forward to the coming of Jesus and all that means for our lives both here and in eternity. This year advent begins on 29 November, and our Advent Bible study begins on Wednesday 27 November at 2pm in the lounge to which everyone is invited. We shall be studying the paintings of He Qi as we consider and ponder what the coming of Jesus has to say to us in today’s world.

Enjoy all the aspects of Christmas, the colours, the lights, the food, the friends and family get-togethers. It is an important time when we make efforts to meet or contact those we haven’t been in touch with for a while and keep friendship and loving alive. Importantly for Christians it is a time when we can try to realise again how much God loves us and how he shows us this by sending Jesus to us.

Through this season we use our Advent wreath at church. This gives us a shorthand way of thinking about the history of our church and the different aspects – God’s people, the prophets, John the Baptist and Mary who responded to God’s call – all of which can ground us in our faith and urge us on to live our lives within the indescribable love of God and for his people. A happy and blessed Christmas to you all and a new year filled with purpose for God’s kingdom.

Services in December

Worship at 10:30am

1 – Revd Nowell, HC
8 – Revd Nowell – Gift Service
15 – Revd Nowell, Cafe (plus Carols at 6pm, see below)
22nd – Folk Carols at 3pm
29 – Revd Nowell, Cafe

Gift Service – 8th December

If you would like to help the young people who are leaving care this Christmas we shall be collecting presents to help them on their way. Lorraine has been in touch with Lincolnshire Leaving Care Service and they would like personal things like gloves, hats, scarves, socks and underwear; also tinned food that has a long shelf life would be acceptable. This year they do not need toiletries as they have been given some by a company. Leaving Care supports young people who are making the transition from Care to independent living, with follow-on services providing skills, knowledge and access to 1:1 advice; including access to supported lodgings, help getting a job and on the Job Training scheme.

Carols with the Beevor Band – 15th December at 6pm

Please join us as we sing and celebrate Christmas with our friends from the Beevor Band. The band has kindly offered us this evening so please invite your families and friends to this traditional Christmas event.

Folk Carol Service – 22nd December at 3pm

You are warmly invited to our Folk Carol Service on Sunday 22nd December at 3pm. Come and share Christmas with us in an informal and lively celebration of old yuletide carols and songs. Music led by Jonathan Nowell and friends.

Christmas Day Service – 25th December at 10:30am

Join us to celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Please bring a present to open if you would like.

Services in January

Worship at 10:30am

5 – Revd Nowell, Covenant HC
12 – Revd A Burrows
19 – Revd Nowell
26 – Revd Nowell, Cafe

Homeless Sunday – 26th January

We shall be sharing a soup lunch after the morning service to support Nomad, our Lincolnshire Homeless Charity.

Dates for your Diary

Mon. 02 Dec. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Wed. 04 Dec. – 2nd Advent Study 2pm
Mon. 09 Dec. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 09 Dec. – Women’s Circle Christmas Evening 6pm
Wed. 11 Dec. – 3rd Advent Study 2pm
Mon. 16 Dec. – Craft & Friendship group followed by lunch
Wed. 18 Dec. – 4th Advent Study 2pm
Mon. 13 Jan. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 20 Jan. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 27 Jan – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Thurs 30 Jan. – Men’s Meeting – 7.15pm

Environmental Concerns

Have you ever wondered what is in your chocolate or spread? There is one item that you should check for – PALM OIL. November 10th – 16th was a week you have probably not heard of but it was Orangutan Caring Week, an annual event aimed at drawing attention to the plight of the critically endangered orangutan and its rainforest home. The Borneo rainforest is vital for the earth, animals, insects, & humans who live there and rely on it for sustenance. Between 1985 & 2001 more than half was deforested for hardwood, that’s about the size of Belgium. Since then deforestation has risen horrendously from 600,000 hectares in 1985 to over 6 million hectares by 2007 for the production of palm oil, a lot of it produced illegally. Palm oil is in many of our foods and some of the biggest companies use it in our chocolates, spreads, confectionery, cakes & sweets and lots of the biggest banks support this. Because of Palm Oil production the habitat of the orangutan and other forest-dwelling creatures is desperately shrunken. The latest count of our critically endangered orangutans is just over 13,000 and their habitat is shrinking so fast that even if this number survives the size of
their surviving habitat will not be enough to sustain them. It is vital that we check that what we buy does not contribute to this decline. Check the packaging to ensure you are not buying anything that contains PALM OIL.

Groups and Events

Women’s Circle – 9th December

Thanks to Lynne & Mick Breward who will be hosting our Christmas evening again. If you are
coming you are invited to bring a secret Santa that costs £1 or only a very little more. Everyone is invited also to bring a small plate of nibbles. As agreed at our AGM we shall not meet again until 7th April when we have decided to meet on Tuesday afternoons.

Men’s Group – 30th January

Men’s Group will meet at 7.15pm on 30th January when the speaker will be Revd Terry Nowell. A variety of interesting speakers are invited through the year and all men are invited.

Christmas Fair

What a wonderful morning we had. A huge thank you to everyone who helped and supported this annual event – we raised £673 on the day and since we have added to it so now have raised £711.21 to help our work here.

Other News

Modern Day Slavery

We are all cheering on Sam Morton who begins his 300km, five day run on 25 November to help fight modern-day slavery.

Church Christmas Card

If you want to protect the environment you can sign our Church Christmas Card and read it to see who has sent you good wishes. The postbox will also be out on 1st, 8th and 15th December.

Download a PDF version of the Newsletter

To download a PDF version of the newsletter, please click here.

November 9, 2019

November Newsletter

A Methodist Way of Life

Have you still got the slip of paper given to us by our minister a few weeks ago? Did you just fold it up and forget about it? If you still have it do you look at it and use it in your prayers? Hopefully it is being looked at and helping in your daily life.

The paper covers “Our Calling” with the four headings we have tried to follow for many years now – Worship, Learning & Caring, Service and Evangelism. The Methodist Way of Life fills out all these headings and can be helpful in our daily prayers and life.

Individually you have to pray daily and bring God into our daily experiences; and together we are encouraged to worship regularly.
As a church we seek to Learn & Care week by week in our services, our Coffee Mornings, our Homework Club, our Christmas Fair, our Halloween evening and so on; we learn about our environment and how our efforts can make a difference and in all our events we seek to be welcoming and hospitable.
In our Service we try to be good neighbours with those close by and those farther afield – support of local charities like Nomad, FiSH, Lincoln Community Larder, Dementia Care, Barnado’s, Action for Children and more, and overseas concerns – Christian Aid, Shoeboxes, Methodist Relief in many ways eg providing toilets, Leprosy Mission etc.
Lastly we speak to others of our faith and all the above! All this because of our wonderful Saviour who fills our life with joy and wonder.

Services in November

Worship at 10:30am

3rd – Revd Nowell, Holy Communion
10th – Revd Nowell, Remembrance
17th – Revd Nowell
24th – Revd Nowell, Cafe Church

Dates for your Diary

Sat. 02 Nov. – Modern-day Slavery Coffee Morning – 10-11am
Mon. 04 Nov. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 04 Nov. – Bible Study 10.30am & each Monday term time
Sun. 10 Nov. – Miss A Rands 75 years LP & 100 Birthday, Bailgate 4pm
Mon. 11 Nov. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 18 Nov. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Sat. 23 Nov. – Christmas Fair – 10-11.30am
Wed. 27 Nov. – 1st Advent Study – in the lounge at 2pm
Thurs 28 Nov. – Men’s Meeting – 7.15pm
Sat. 30 Nov. – Messy Christmas – 10.30am

Coming up in December

Sunday 15th Dec. – Beevor Band – Traditional Christmas evening, 6pm
Sunday, 22nd Dec. – Folk Carol service – 3pm

Environmental Concerns

Christmas! Christmas can be a plastic bonanza. We really need to consider what we buy. Wrapping paper and cards can be real contaminates. Plastic wrapping paper and glitter on cards means they cannot be recycled so please don’t buy them and don’t contaminate your recycling bin with them. In fact our Church card is a really environmental way to wish your church friends a ‘Happy Christmas’.

Have you thought about Christmas crackers – they contain lots of plastic toys that can’t be recycled? Can you do without crackers and think of another way to dress your table and welcome your guests?

Groups and Events

Coffee Morning – Saturday 2nd November, 10-11am

Modern-day Slavery. We have heard so much about this abominable activity on the news bulletins in the past few years. We have the opportunity to work against this and support Sam Morton who is doing a five-day run of about 300km to help this cause. So come to our Coffee Morning.

Women’s Circle – Monday 9th December, 6pm

We welcome any women who would like to join a friendly group. Thanks to Lynne & Mick Breward who will be hosting our Christmas evening again. If you are coming please bring a Secret Santa that costs no more, or very little more, than £1. Everyone is invited also to bring a small plate of nibbles. As agreed at our AGM we shall not meet again until 7th April when we have decided to meet on Tuesday afternoons.

Christmas Fair – Saturday 23rd November, 10-11.30am

Please come and enjoy the morning, buy some Christmas goodies that everyone has been working hard to create, have a coffee and a mince pie and start your Christmas here.

Advent Bible Study – Wednesday, 27th November – 2pm

Come and wait for the greatest gift of all and study what this gift means for you and the world. Everyone welcome.

Men’s Group – Thursday 28th November – 7.15pm

All men are welcome. This month the speaker will be Ken Chester. A variety of interesting speakers are invited through the year and all men are invited.

Messy Christmas – Saturday, 30th November 10.30am

Come and enjoy some Christmas fun & crafts, learn and retell the true meaning of Christmas, sing Christmas songs and share lunch. Everyone is welcome.

Other News

Shoeboxes

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the shoeboxes for HOPE and thank you to Heather & Phillip for delivering them. We sent 18 boxes which will be a great help to those who have little.

Fundraising

Macmillan Coffee Morning – 29.09.19 £103.00
Women’s Circle Coffee Morning -12.10.19 £76.90
Harvest Lunch – 06.10.19 £113.00
Jumble Sale – 19.10.19 £120.50

Thank you to everyone who helped and supported these events, all of which help us carry on our work here and also to support other vital causes.

Download a PDF copy of the Newsletter

If you would like to download a PDF copy of the newsletter, you can do so here.

October 3, 2019

October Newsletter

Isaiah 40: 31… those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, the will walk and not be faint.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.

As we begin a new church year the two verses above are a wonderful encouragement. They remind us of the love God has for each one of us and that God is in charge so if you feel tired or afraid be assured by the verses above that He is in control, so rest in Him; speak to Him and tell Him of your concerns; hand everything over to Him and feel at peace; and be thankful, thankful for his love for you and for the assurance our Christian faith brings. God is love so live in love, love for yourself and for everyone you come into contact with day by day. We are often concerned about how we can share our Christian faith but if we spread love and thankfulness around, God’s love is being distributed whether we realise it or not. Happy New Christian Year.

Psalm 121 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber. Amen

Services in October

Worship at 10:30am

6th – Revd T Nowell, Harvest & lunch
13th – Vicki Vallow, Women’s Anniversary
20th – Maureen Birch
27th – Revd T Nowell, Baptism

Dates for your Diary

Mon. 30 Sept – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 30 Sept – Bible Study 10.30am & each Monday term time
Sun. 06 Oct. – Harvest Festival followed by Lunch
Mon. 07 Oct. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Sat. 12 Oct. – Women’s Coffee Morning – 10-11.30am
Sun. 13 Oct. – Women’s Anniversary 10.30am, preacher Vicki Vallow
Mon. 14 Oct. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 14 Oct. – Women’s Circle – 7pm, speaker Karen Lane
Wed. 16 Oct. – Church Council – 2pm
Sat. 19 Oct – Jumble Sale – 10am
Mon. 21 Oct. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Thurs. 24 Oct. – Men’s AGM – 7.15pm
Mon. 28 Oct. – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30.
Thurs 31 Oct – Halloween evening – 6pm

Family News

Irene and Terry would like thank everyone for their good wishes on the occasion of their Golden Wedding anniversary.

Rosemary Smith and the family are providing the church flowers on Sunday 20th October in memory of their mum, and our friend, Pat England.

Environmental Concerns

There are so many things in our lives we have become used to that we are now finding are bad for our planet. Whatever we buy – food, clothes, fuel for our cars, heating for our homes – has some affect on our surroundings. Caring for our world is an imperative of being a Christian but as a race we have over-consumed and been careless. Consideration for the earth and our fellow human beings has to be a concern for us all and make us think about how we live and spend. God, our creator, gave us a wonderful world that provides all that we need – we are the earth’s guardians.

Groups and Events

Harvest Festival

Our Harvest Festival service will be held on Sunday 6th October at 10:30am. Come and worship with who us and be thankful for all we have. Our gifts this year will again be tins and packets for the Community Larder as they seek to support those in our community who are struggling. After the service we shall share in our harvest lunch. If you would like to attend the lunch please sign up on the form at the back of church.

Lord please grow in us a harvest for the world. Sow a seed of hope within our souls, that we might yield goodness, patience & kindness in abundance. Amen

Craft Group

Our Craft and Friendship group meets on Monday mornings from 10am. Our new term will see us creating items ready for the Shoeboxes which provide items for those in Eastern Europe who have very little. We shall also be making and wrapping things for our Christmas Fair. Please come and join us, bring you own craft, help us wrap Shoeboxes and prepare for Christmas Fair; or just come and share friendship with us. We have soup and a roll at the end of the morning before we head home and everyone is welcome.

Women’s Circle

Next meeting: Monday 14th October at 7pm in the hall. Our speaker will be Karen Lane on “Textiles”. Please join our easy-going group, we’d love to see you and welcome your input. Women’s Anniversary Weekend will be 12th and 13th October when we have our Coffee Morning on Saturday and welcome our visiting preacher, Vicki Vallow on Sunday.

Church Council

Did you know that everyone in our church family is eligible and welcome to attend Church Council? We talk about our business – how we keep the church alive, practically and spiritually. In effect we try to follow “Our Calling” – The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission. So please come along and help us as we share in our work. We meet in the lounge off the hall, and our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 16th October at 2pm.

Men’s Group

Our AGM will be held on 24th October. All men are welcome at 7.15am when a variety of speakers are invited through the year.

Jumble Sale

We’re having another jumble sale on Saturday 19th October at 10am. Please come and help if you can. Helpers please meet at 9.15am so we can set up the tables.

Halloween Fun

After the two successful previous years, we’ll be handing out goody bags & smiles on Thursday, 31 October as well as providing games & coffee. Helpers and donations welcome – we are aiming to spend £1 per bag if you can help and would like to hand out 100 bags.

Other News

Shoeboxes will need to be collected at the end of October so please remember to get your items ready.

Thank you to everyone who helped at our Messy Harvest. 14 people attended to enjoy crafts, singing & lunch.

Thank you to everyone who supported our MacMillan Coffee Morning. Details of amount raised next time.

Download a PDF copy of the Newsletter

If you would like to download a PDF copy of the newsletter, you can do so here.

September 14, 2019

September Newsletter

“What’s to do?” A new Methodist year, new activities to get involved with, new ways to welcome folk into church. What would God have us do in our community? What will you be able to do to keep our church alive and welcoming? What will you do, try, pray?

The new homework club might be something you could help with; maybe you could help with the Friday coffee drop in. Don’t think these are things you can’t do, just get involved, even once a month, and God will honour your efforts.

Our craft and friendship group is another occasion where we open our church to anyone who would like to share friendship – bring your own craft or not – it is a way of sharing and welcoming. Our Men’s Group and Women’s Circle meet once a month so if you know of anyone who would like to be part of these meetings, then please don’t hesitate to invite them, we would love to welcome them.

We also have Beavers, Cubs and Scouts meeting on our premises. Do you know of a family whose children would like to enjoy their activities – tell them.

All the above activities and invitations are ways we can show friendship and love. Moreover our church services can be a real life-changer. Invite someone to get to know Jesus and tell them the difference being His friend makes in your life. That would be the most wonderful invitation and could result in a life changed which again could change another when they tell the story too.

Services in September

Worship at 10:30am

1st – Revd T Nowell, Holy Communion
8th – Mr K Chester
15th – Own Arrangements
22nd – Revd T Nowell, Cafe Church
29th Revd T Nowell, Baptism

Dates for your Diary

Mon. 16 Sept – Women’s Circle – 7pm
Tues. 24 Sept – Homework Club – 3.30-5pm
Fri. 27 Sept – Coffee Drop-in – 9.10-30am
Sat. 28 Sept – Messy Harvest – 10.30-lunch
Mon. 30 Sept – Craft & Friendship group – 10.30am
Mon. 30 Sept – Bible Study 10.30am
Sun. 06 Oct. – Harvest Festival followed by Lunch
Sat. 19 Oct – Jumble Sale

Environmental Concerns

Do you look round your house and wonder where changes could help protect our environment. One room which often has lots of plastic bottles and tubs is the bathroom. Plastic toothbrushes from decades ago have been dug up and they have not degraded and so one small item millions of times over polluting our earth. Bamboo toothbrushes with degradable bristles are widely available now.
Holland & Barratt sell bio-degradable heads for electric toothbrushes.

Have you looked at the toothpaste you use? Is its tube recyclable and are the ingredients natural? Look further afield and find a natural product without chemicals – it will clean your teeth just as well and help our environment. Do you turn off the tap while cleaning your teeth? We can waste six litres or more of water by leaving the tap running. Fill a small cup with water and use this to rinse your brush and mouth.

The toilet too uses lots of water – 15-20 litres – reduce your consumption by placing a brick (carefully) in the cistern or fill a plastic bottle with water, cap it and place in the cistern; as well as helping our environment your water bills will be reduced.

Lastly save trees. On average families use 110 rolls of toilet paper over a year and less that 10% are made with recycled paper which means virgin forests in Scandinavia are used. With regard to paper tissues also, did you know you can buy tissues made from sugar cane? Much sweeter than cutting down virgin forest!

Groups and Events

Women’s Circle

When we hold our September meeting we have our very short AGM looking back and looking forward to what our speakers will have to tell us. Please join our easy-going group, we’d love to see you and welcome your input.

Women’s Anniversary Celebration Weekend will be 15th and 16th October when we have our Coffee Morning on the Saturday and welcome our visiting preacher, Vicki Vallow.

Men’s Group

All men are welcome at 7.15am when a variety of speakers are invited through the year. Thank you to
everyone who supported our Coffee morning, we raised £63.30.

Messy Harvest

Saturday, 28th September, 10.30am – noon Come and share a fun morning with us as we think
about the world God has given to us and how we can protect and cherish it. Crafts, singing and lunch will fill our morning. Everyone is welcome.

Craft Group

Please come and join us, bring you own craft, help us wrap Shoeboxes and prepare for Christmas Fair; or just come and share friendship with us. We have soup and a roll at the end of the morning before we head home and everyone is welcome.

Other News

Jam Jars

If you bought jam from church recently, please could you let me have the empty jars ready for another batch of jam! Thanks, Irene.

Shoeboxes

Shoeboxes will need to be collected at the end of October so please remember to get your items ready.

Deadline for October Newsletter – 22nd September 2019

If you have any news to share then please be aware of the above date and let Irene have your item a few days before.

Closing Thoughts

Responding to the Gospel is the title of this year’s Prayer Handbook – a resource which helps us think about God’s world and God’s people. However, the title is something all Christians try to do day by day. Let God’s love speak to you as you read your Bible and pray for His world and His people with thanksgiving, with penitence and intercession, asking God that we take responsibility for our actions and participate in the healing of creation.

Here is a prayer from this year’s handbook and most appropriate for our new initiatives with the Coffee Drop and Homework Club.

Lord of the Harvest, we pray for more harvest hands. We come to you knowing that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. We pray for willing harvest hands to join in your work in our communities so that all might come to know they are loved and cherished. As we commit ourselves to pray, renew our hope and restore our passion so that we might welcome your guidance and influence. May your kingdom come and your will be done. Amen.

Download a PDF copy of the Newsletter

If you would like to download a PDF copy of the newsletter, you can do so here.

July 13, 2019

July & August Newsletter

Summertime often brings a feeling of brightness, happiness and enjoyment with the longer daylight hours and more sunshine. Lots of us manage a holiday away but even if we are staying at home there is often the same feelings of relaxation with not as many commitments we might have during the rest of the year.

Though we are thankful to God every day for all his blessings and encouragement, in the Summer when we are more relaxed maybe we have more opportunity to thank Him for everything we have – family, friends, glorious weather, wonderful views and the love of Jesus. If we are one of those who benefits from these feelings of lightness and thankfulness it should not make us oblivious to those who, because of circumstances, still feel weighed down by life. Can you offer a little help by listening, by contributing in kind or financially? Our prayers of thankfulness need to have hands, feet and purses if our faith means anything.

We pray for those who live healthy and prosperous lives, asking that they may be thankful for the security that their health and wealth give them, and that they may show their gratitude for these gifts by using them to enrich the lives of those who find life a struggle. AMEN

Services in July and August

Worship at 10.30am for July

7th – Revd T Nowell Holy Communion
14th – Revd T Nowell; 21st – Dr R Jackson
28th – Revd T Nowell Cafe Church

Worship at 10.30am for August
4th – Revd T Nowell Holy Communion
11th – Revd T Nowell
18th – Revd A Burrows
25th – Revd T Nowell Cafe Church

Dates for your Diary

Mon. 08 July – Women’s Circle – 7pm
Mon. 12 Aug. – Women’s Circle Planning meeting 7pm
Sat. 31 Aug – Men’s Coffee morning 10-11am
Mon. 09 Sept – Women’s Circle – 7pm

Environmental Concerns

Did you see Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall trying to address the problem of plastic? He encouraged the neighbours in one street to bring out all their plastic from their bathrooms and the amount was incredible. I’m sure we are the same with handwash, shampoo, body creams & lotions, cleaning products – nearly everything we use is in plastic that more often than not is not recyclable.

Have you written to any of the manufacturers to suggest or ask if there is any way they can use disposable containers? One thing that is hard to recycle are the plungers used on many products. Why not email or write and ask if an item can be made with an ordinary cap so we can re-use the plunger? As a nation we are becoming more aware of the alarming danger we are causing and we need to respond in as many ways as we can. Maybe you can think of other items we could suggest can be altered to save God’s wonderful world.

Fundraising Updates

Anniversary Weekend

Thank you to everyone who supported and gave so generously to our Gift Day. We welcomed friends to our coffee morning on the Saturday and enjoyed our Service and lunch on the Sunday. The amount raised during our anniversary weekend of £2029.59 helps us keep our church open so we can show something of God’s love and care in and around our community, as well as supporting many other needs across our wider world and Christian family. As everyone knows, home essentials like light, heating, water, keep increasing and so do our church costs so thank you for your support.

Garden Party

Thank you to Lynne and Mick for hosting the annual garden party. The weather was fine, the garden was beautiful as always and the company was good. £124.00 was raised for church funds.

Beevor Band Concert

Thank you to those who supported this lovely evening. £170 was collected for FiSH. The churches need to raise £3,000 for this charity to ensure these families can feed their children through the school holidays. The band was pleased to come and help and also to show us how they are encouraging folk to play an instrument and enjoy music, so though we didn’t have many in the audience we are most grateful for the band’s support.

Other News

Women’s Circle

The group enjoyed lunch at Mill Lodge in June and heard our speaker from Baby’s Basket, tell us how appreciated the charity is in offering baby and hospital essentials to any parent having difficulty providing for the practical needs of their new baby. The cause much appreciated the gifts we supplied. All women are welcome to our friendly group.

Messy Church

Despite many of our helpers being unable to come and wondering whether we would have many folk to share with we ended up with 28 people, and despite the heavy rain! The notice that went round at school obviously had a good effect. So we thank God that He is on our side even if we feel we may be below par in our enthu- siasm. Thank you to everyone who helped to make our visitors welcome – they all seemed to enjoyed their sausage sandwiches and fruit. Our next Messy Church will be around harvest time on 28th September.

Closing Thoughts

Prayer is God’s initiative, a gift which enables us to be attentive to the presence of God in our lives and in the world. It is also a means of expressing what we believe about God and can prompt us to act to change the world as we respond to God’s love. (Taken from the Methodist Church website, encouraging us to ‘Pray without ceasing’ despite our own situation whether up or down.)

Download a PDF copy of the newsletter

If you would like to download a PDF copy of the newsletter, you can do so here.