This is the index page for web material which has been archived for reference purposes.

Use the browser toolbar at the top -  Edit then the drop down menu Find (On this Page) or use the Control key plus F , enter your interest, use name or phrase.

or use the Search above and select cache this will highlight the words/text you seek

Please note there may be more than one reference in different sections

Or just browse through the text below or go direct to

Obituaries

Major Donald William Boydell 1919 – 2007

Tribute to Denis Tyrrell, from the Funeral Service 10 April 2007

Brian John Slade from the Service of Thanksgiving, Wednesday 4 April 2007

Dorothy Ingman 18 September 1910 – 26 February 2006

Francis Lloyd Reed 'Frank' 1918 - 2006

Eric de Bourcier  1924- 2005

Alf Johnson 1920 -2005

Alf Young  1906 - 2005

Geoffrey Stuart Price 1943 - 2005

Rev Dr Leonard P Barnett

Leonard Barnett a Tribute

Rev. Leslie Skinner TD

Ruby Leyland

Muriel Eugenie de Hamel 1917-2004

---

This is the story of the first Christingle:

One Christmas time back in 1747 at a town in Germany, Pastor John sat at home in front of his fire. He was thinking how he could explain the love of Jesus, and what Christmas really meant to the children in the church. He decided to prepare a simple symbol to help make the message of Christmas fresh and lively for them. Pastor John gave each child a lighted candle wrapped in a red ribbon, with a prayer that said "Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these dear children's hearts".
This was the first ever Christingle service, in 1968, Christingle services were introduced to the Anglican Church in Britain, and the custom spread quickly:

An orange representing the world with

A red ribbon around it representing the blood of Jesus

Fruits and sweets (usually dolly mixtures) are skewered on 4 cocktail sticks which are pushed into the orange representing the fruits of the earth and the four seasons

And a lighted candle is pushed into the centre of the orange representing Christ, the light of the world.

---

African Children's Choir

Straight from their performance at the Princess Diana concert at the new Wembley Stadium on 1st-July 2007, the highly acclaimed African Children's Choir will be coming to Leatherhead on Wednesday 4 July and Epsom on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 July. The Choir features children aged 7 - 11, many of whom have lost one or both parents through the devastation of war, famine and disease.

The last two performances in 2005 and 2006 in Claygate were sell out successes. Audiences started smiling the moment the choir burst onto the stage. They wore tribal paint and colourful costumes, ululating with childish enthusiasm and natural expertise. Their performances were a celebration - full of joy, movement and song. The children were natural performers with rhythmic percussion and authentic dance moves, singing hymns to nature, to God and their homeland. Yet, these talented children hadn't been over drilled - they had retained their raw charm. Their sincere testimony combined with their unfettered effervescence packed quite an emotional punch.

The choir information  in summary:

The African Children’s Choir was started 22 years ago by Ray Barnett and is run by the charity "Music For Life". With the funds raised by Music For Life, over 6,700 children in Africa are supported. Music For Life’s relief and development programs are carried out in Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. They have built, maintain and run training academies, primary schools, secondary schools, teacher training colleges and health clinics. They run seminars, leadership training and Music For Life camps as well as providing relief and counselling. They also sponsor children in primary and secondary schools as well as in orphanages. It is a highly effective charity.

The African Children’s Choir is not only a lifeline to the choir children, but Music For Life and Ray Barnett have high ambitions. They do not just want these children to be clothed, educated and fed both physically and spiritually - they provide these children with the tools they need to become future leaders in Africa. These children represent more than 13 million children in sub-Saharan Africa that have been orphaned by AIDS.

This year, the choir is from Uganda. There are 26 children all of whom have lost one or both of their parents to AIDS or poverty.

In 2005 and 2006, demand for tickets has far exceeded supply, get your tickets early!

If you want further information, please email us on : choir2007@hotmail.co.uk

 

---

The annual Dovecote Christmas Carol Concert - was held on Thursday 15th December 2005 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, St. Margaret's Drive, Epsom with thanks to the administration for allowing this concert to take place in their beautiful Church.

The Epsom and Ewell Silver Band (at very short noticed!) played and the Leatherhead Pilgrim Singers under their Musical Director Rev. Ian Howarth sang to the enjoyment of the assembled host, whilst The Rt. Rev. Christopher Hill (left) The Bishop of Guildford compeered the evening in a professional manner with interesting facts or were they fiction? about the origins and composers of the carols  

                   
 

We were equally delighted that The Mayor Jean Smith and Consort (husband Dennis left), plus our member of parliament for Epsom & Ewell Chris Grayling, with the C E O of the Council David Smith, and Nancy and Roy Richmond were able to attend.
 

The Mayor, MP Chris Grayling, Christopher Hill, David Smith

The Pilgrim Singers are members of the Churches in Leatherhead, Epsom, Cobham and Effingham and any others who wish to join them. They gave a wide variety of carols and other suitable festive songs four sections of two couplets and for each Ian their director gave more interesting facts which made each song much more interesting for our enjoyment.
 

The Silver Band who stepped in at the last minute played for all the congregational hymns and carols, whilst they could only muster 50% of their normal strength due to other engagements, they performed at a very high standard and kept the singing to a welcome fast pace, whilst conductorless they kept perfect timing and deserved the extended applause. Their Christmas medley was most appropriated and enjoyable.
 

Nancy Richmond gave the first reading from St Luke Chapter 1 reading verses 26 to 28.

1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name [was] Mary.

1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women.

The second reading was Luke Chapter 2 verses 8 to 20 and was read by David Smith the Chief Executive Officer for the Borough Council of Epsom and Ewell.

2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

2:12 And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

2:15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

2:17 And when they had seen [it], they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

2:18 And all they that heard [it] wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered [them] in her heart.

2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

King James (Authorized) Version

Midway in the service Christopher Hill gave his Christmas message based on the Russian story of Babushka The gist of the story is: The three wise men following the star to find the Christ Child stop at Babushka's cottage asking for food and shelter. She willingly takes them in, they invite her to go with them to find the Babe, but she says she has to clean the cottage, find her best clothes, she has no suitable gift and many more reasons, a bit like us.

They leave without her and she promises she will follow as soon as she has things ready for the trip. She then starts using her craft skills to make a suitable gift, a small wooden toy, she continues until she has a sack full. By the time she is ready the star has moved across the sky and disappeared and although she sets out on the trip she gets lost and never finds the Christ child, but each time she finds a suitable child she leaves a toy by the time she arrived in Bethlehem all her toys had gone but so had the Christ child who had fled with his earthly parents to Egypt to escape the wroth of King Herod. This is why today she leaves gifts in children's stockings. The Bishop used this story to illustrate that all Christians have the chance to emulated Babushka's spirit not only over the Advent season but on each step of our Christian pilgrimage.

Everyone enjoyed the evening at St. Joseph's Catholic Church and the opportunity to sing favourite carols before sharing together with refreshments.

Over £800 was raised for Christian Outreach in Epsom.

Official opening of new premises a report.

Local dignitaries, members of the public, trustees, volunteers and Friends of Dovecote gathered together, in brilliant sunshine, at 10am on Monday 24 May 2004 for the official opening, by Chris Grayling MP for Epsom and Ewell of the new bookshop premises in Ashley Road.

Councillor and Trustee Michael Arthur welcomed all to the event and expressed his thanks to Rev. David Coote, Minister of Epsom Methodist Church, for making the premises available. He also presented a book to Chris Grayling to mark the occasion.

After Chris Grayling cut the ribbon and declared the shop open, the Rev. David Coote then pronounced a prayer of dedication for the newly located Christian Dovecote Bookshop.

Later Chris Grayling toured the shop together with the Mayor, Councillor Brian Angus, the Council’s Chief Executive, David Smith, and Annabel, Lady Titman whose husband Sir John Titman was until his death, a Trustee of the Dovecote project.

Weeks of hard work had turned the former derelict garage next to Epsom Methodist Church into a smart new Bookshop selling gifts and cards for all occasions as well as Christian Books, Bibles and much more.

The shop has an office and store section behind the shop itself. A local firm, Bradley and Arthur converted the building, and volunteers carried out the finishing fitting out and decorations.

Later refreshments were taken in the Lower Lounge of the Epsom Methodist Church.

 

Prayer for World Peace Award 2005

On 23^rd October 2005, at the Buddhist temple at Oxford Circus, the Zimbabwe Victim Support Fund will be presented with the 2005 award from the national organisers of the Week of Prayer for World Peace, for the work of care and support being provided by a team of committed people who are working against all odds in the Bulawayo area of Matebeleland.

Zimbabwe’s programme of ‘land re-distribution’ in the early years of this new century, became a devastating scheme of seizure and destruction of thousands of farms by the Zimbabwe government, burning the homes of African farm workers and driving them away.  White farmers were imprisoned and some killed.  Black workers were brutalised and displaced, losing their homes, their work and their income, and too many of them lost their lives.  At that point the Zimbabwe Victim Support Fund was set up to provide some relief for those who were falling victims to the systematic programme of destruction, which masqueraded as reclaiming justice from colonial controllers.  Zimbabwe’s agricultural industry, previously the major means of export, has been ruined and the national economy irreparably damaged.

Whilst I was Minister at Hillside Methodist Church, Bulawayo, we established a relief programme during the severe drought and famine of 1992, working with rural chiefs and church stewards to distribute maize meal to nearly a thousand hungry families.  This was possible because funds were sent from churches and individual supporters around the world.  This programme was resurrected to respond to the new crisis, with Reverend Graham Shaw, based in Bulawayo, working with Catholic Bishop Pius Ncube, under increasing difficulties, backed up by a team of devoted Christian people.  In the UK John Lark of Surbiton and Clem Frank of Haywards Heath and I became trustees to establish the Zimbabwe Victim Support Fund.

The situation deteriorated as the national election became a programme of intimidation and brutality against supporters of the opposition party, including the withholding of food from areas of hunger and sickness during drought and famine.  The recent ‘urban cleansing campaign’ concentrated on areas of political opposition in the towns, destroying homes and businesses and dispersing many thousands of families to the rural areas, where they have no means of shelter or of earning a living.  Our churches sheltered many hundreds in and around their buildings, until the government instructed the police to evict them and transport them to rural lands.  The plight of some millions of the population deteriorated as severe drought, drastic shortage of food leading to starvation for some, the government’s control of food distribution (including voluntary agencies) the virtual collapse of the economy, aids and other diseases increased.  Those who resist the government, or attempt to alleviate hunger and suffering, risk their lives – but a group of faithful Christians from a number of churches in Bulawayo believe that they can do no other.  They receive money directly from the fund to buy maize meal and transport it immediately to the areas of greatest need.  All the work and the transport are given voluntarily and no charges are made by those who administer the fund, so you can be sure that every penny is spent on seeking to meet the need.  We are regularly in touch with those on the receiving end, through folk at the church at Hillside in Bulawayo, who, with others, are continuing to do the hard work – despite the fact that some have been imprisoned, and some brought to court by the police because of their continuing commitment to this work.

Contributions are received from churches and from individuals who seek a way that is independent of government control to assist those who are suffering in Zimbabwe.  May I add a word of thanks to an anonymous donor who leaves an envelope from time to time, and to a contribution raised by the Drama Group during their recent production.

David Winwood

---

Isn’t it strange ?

Isn’t it strange how a £10 note seems like such a large amount when you donate it to Church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?

Isn’t it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you’re at church, and how short they seem when you’re watching a good movie?

Isn’t it strange that you can’t find a word to say when you’re praying, but you have no trouble thinking what to talk about with a friend?

Isn’t it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?

Isn’t it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games, but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in Church?

Isn’t it strange how we need to know about an event for Church 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our diary, but we can adjust it for other events in the last minute?

Isn’t it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others, but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?

Isn’t it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers say, but we question the words in the Bible?

Isn’t it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven, but they don’t want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?

IT’S STRANGE ISN’T IT?

---

MAMMON AND THE MASTS will this come to EPSOM?

Helensburgh (Scotland) councillors find themselves apparently powerless to stop developments by two unlikely "neighbours from hell". St Columba Church in Sinclair Street and the United Reformed Church have both decided that the most appropriate, and lucrative, symbols to adorn the tops of their buildings are mobile 'phone masts.

Trampling on local democracy

If a normal citizen wanted to do this they would be subject to planning regulations and, indeed, with both churches being listed buildings, consent applications were submitted to Argyll and Bute Council who unanimously rejected them. The churches were both presented with petitions signed by more than 400 local residents objecting to the installations and were made aware of the recommendations saying that masts should not be sited in densely populated areas or near schools. Hermitage Primary School, Helensburgh's largest, is in the shadow of St Columba's tower where Vodafone wants to add an antenna.

Democracy is apparently of little interest to God's representatives in Helensburgh. Both churches have claimed ecclesiastical exemption from the planning regulations which govern the conduct of mere mortals and decided to go ahead, in the case of St Columba by a split vote of the Kirk session, the unelected, unrepresentative body of twenty or so church members, many of whom do not even live near the church. The United Reformed Church apparently consulted its entire congregation, all 32 of them, in deciding One-2-One's application.

St Columba has already an Orange communications antenna on its tower and has a planning application in to increase the strength of emission from this for a second time. Perhaps some in the church are embarrassed at the pieces of silver they are taking. The statutory notice regarding the application posted on the gate of the church was pulled down within a day, as was the subsequent replacement, while the advertisements for a coffee morning remained.

Financial ruin ahead?

This is not the way in which rejected planning applications are supposed to be determined according to the pilot ecclesiastical scheme set up by Historic Scotland. Whether it is the Decision Making Body for each denomination, as that scheme calls for, or a small cabal of church members who have a financial stake in the outcome of the decision seems largely irrelevant. The European Convention on Human Rights, now adopted in UK legislation, has already been used to demonstrate that the appointment of a Reporter by the Scottish Executive to judge a planning decision is illegal. How much more of a contravention is the applicant deciding his own application against the wishes of the community and its elected representatives? If the local council is unable to enforce its decision it may be legal action under the Human Rights Act which drives the moneylenders from the temple. When local citizens need, as individuals, to resort to European legislation grudgingly implemented in the UK, the value of the local council needs to be questioned.

---

Countdown To The End Of The World

On the 7th day to the end of the world, man made weapons and man said, “We must create nuclear weapons in case our alien enemies attack and try to take over”.

On the 6th day to the end of the world, man created petrol and man said “With petrol we can travel wherever we want and if it does pollute the world it will be millions of years from now”.

On the 5th day to the end of the world, man invented drugs and man said “We don’t need God’s good creations to make us feel happy, we can take lovely Heroin and fags to make us feel great and drugs can’t kill”.

On the 4th day to the end of the world, man said, “We do not like people who do not look like us and should fight them and even kill them and it won’t make any difference to the world”?.

On the 3rd day to the end of the world, man said, “Who cares if we drop litter on the ground, it is a waste of energy to walk to a bin”.

On the 2nd day to the end of the world, man said, “Trees make the world look dark and people fall off trees and die so we should chop down trees to make wooden furniture”.

On the last day to the end of the world, man looked at the mess he made and said “God help me”. And God said, “One more chance to make a difference”.

Leo Elbourne

---

Challenge of big gap between young adults and the Church

RESEARCH undertaken into the experiences and lifestyles of young adults in their 20s and 30s has revealed a critical view of the Church, with participants rejecting what they believed to be orthodox teaching on some issues. Leading the research as part of the "20s30s Initiative", the Rev Roger Hutchings set up a series of structured conversations with small groups in a variety of town and city locations. More than 100 self-selecting young adults, mainly from Methodist congregations, took part. Under the promise of confidentiality, the participants revealed information on backgrounds, early experiences and influences, "rebellion" against the Church, personal relationships, family lifestyles, present attitudes to the Methodist Church and hopes and fears for the future. Mr Hutchings hopes that the report which draws together the research and is to be presented at the Methodist Conference will start people talking about the gap that exists between young people and the Church as a whole. Regarding young people's knowledge of the Church, he said "the level of sheer ignorance is enormous".

---

Snoop on your worshippers to find out how much they are worth, vicars told

By Chris Hastings and Beth Jones by kind permission of the Sunday Telegraph 29/05/2005

Vicars are being urged to look out for Jaguars, BMW, Volvo People Carriers and Mercedes in their car parks in order to identify wealthy churchgoers who can boost parish coffers.

Dioceses across Britain are urging churches to collate sensitive financial details about their congregations so they can work out which parishes should be contributing most to local running costs.

In a move branded intrusive by some clergy, churches are collecting information about the types of homes and cars owned by members of their congregations. Some are asking parishioners to fill in income declaration forms.

The diocese of Salisbury, one of the oldest in Britain, is among those asking clergy to turn financial detective. In a letter it asks them to detail the "earning capacity" and "employment types" of their worshippers and asks staff to collect information about the size and style of homes owned by churchgoers. The advice urges clergy to "look in the car park" to gauge the earning power of worshippers.

Financial information is being collated by a growing number of dioceses which have introduced "fair share" schemes through which wealthier churches subsidise their poorer neighbours. Diocesan financial officers use the data to place parishes in income bands and members of the congregation are then encouraged to make annual donations appropriate to their band.

In Salisbury the recommended annual sums range from £193 in the bottom band to £350 for worshippers at the 73 churches in the higher band. Angie Wheeler, the accounts officer for the diocese, last night admitted that the scheme, which was introduced in January, was not without its critics but said that collecting information about homes and cars was preferable to asking people directly about their incomes.

"I know it has been suggested that people look at the cars in their car parks," she said. "That is up to individual parishes. It is not a bad way of thinking about it. People will often say we can't contribute that much because we are a poor parish and then you see a car park full of Jags and Mercs and you think 'hang on'."

The scheme has met with opposition from some clergy, however. The Rev John Holbrook, the rector of Wimbourne Minster, said that he thought that compiling this sort of data was a waste of valuable time. He preferred to consult local estate agents to find out more about the socio-economic make-up of his area.

"The scheme is a real irritation. I have always consulted the local estate agents - they have a good idea about whether the area is desirable," he said. "Gathering this sort of information is a major administrative exercise which is a nuisance. There is a degree of resistance to it which is building up considerable tensions."

Dr Malcolm Walsh, the treasurer of the parish of Holy Trinity in Bradford on Avon in the diocese of Salisbury was also critical.

"Some of us now regard the diocese as robber barons, like those in the Middle Ages," he said. "There is a danger that in the long run that the Church will be seen as a money-grabbing institution."

The Diocese of Southwark, which wants donations of between £276 and £1,300 a year, has been asking parishioners to fill in an anonymous declaration-of-income form. The scheme is proving controversial, however, because many feel that income bands are too broad and that they are being asked to pay too much.

One businessman, who has written to complain to the diocesan magazine, says that he will struggle to make the donation of £950 being sought by his parish.

He writes: "I expect to take home £15,000 this year. I cannot make a contribution of £950 which would be five per cent of £19,000 - the upper limit of the band that I ticked. In fact, my church will be lucky to see £200 from me this year, yet I will be assessed on more than that. I am left feeling like a leper in that I am not contributing 'properly' to my church."

John Henson, the fair shares co-ordinator for the diocese, said: "We ask people to fill in the information on an anonymous basis. No one is obliged to pay the amount we ask for. Having said that, we find that about 60 per cent of people in a band are able to pay the appropriate sum."

Not all the dioceses that operate fair share schemes ask for such a detailed breakdown of earnings. A spokesman for Bath and Wells last night said that its officials knew enough about the diocese to know where to place individual churches. "We do not ask people to disclose financial information," he said.

Other dioceses such as Guildford are rethinking plans for income declaration after complaints from clergy.

A spokesman for the Church of England said that it had not asked individual dioceses to collate this kind of information.
 

---

EMC Financial position November 2005

There is good news that including income from interest on deposited funds last year, the surplus on the year to 31^st August was £5,462. I will be presenting the unaudited accounts at the Church Council and then put a copy in the blue folder in the rack in the vestibule.

On a completely different note, in the two Sundays on which the MRDF envelopes have been in the pews, the amount that has been donated is £656.94. Of this total, £414.90 is available for Gift Aid which will add a further £117. The total given to date is already well over the total for last year of £512.64. Well done and thank you.

Richard Smith

---

EMC Financial position October 2005

I have almost completed the accounts for the church’s general fund for the year that ended on 31^st August. As I write, I am waiting for the account reports from the church’s Manchester office.

However, without that information (which will be a bit more interest) I am delighted to be able to let you know that there was a surplus of just over £3,200 for the past year. This is brilliant news after our concern at Easter over the projected deficit. In all, you donated £23,472 to the general fund during the past year. We are grateful to God and most grateful to those who responded generously to the special appeal. Without this extra giving, we would not have been in the position we are now. It means that now, at the end of the year, the Church is in a healthier position.

But … we are not there yet. The projection for this financial year is currently showing a deficit of £12,700. I have not yet put in a figure for donations, but a few generous donations would help towards this. But it is the regular giving which does need to increase. I have put in a figure of £85,000 for the year. This itself is an increase over the past year, but if it could be raised to £100,000 we would have a much safer financial foundation.

If you have not been able to increase your giving in the past, please will you look at it again. I would love to be able to report around Christmas that we were financially secure for not only this year, but future years too.

We have also been talking with all those who use the premises to encourage a more realistic approach to their contributions to the costs of lighting, heating, cleaning, caretaking and maintenance of the premises. This will enable all members of the EMC family share more fully in the costs of the life of the church.

Thank you for all that you do in the church, not only in your giving, but in everything that you offer your time and talents too.

Richard Smith

---

Personal view: Rock-star economics are not helping poor Africans

If you have just read the above action call, then read an Africans view on the topic

By Franklin Cudjoe (Daily Telegraph: 18/04/2005)....................more.

Franklin Cudjoe (Ghanaian) is director of Imani. He will speak at the Global Development Summit in London on June 28 2005

Imani Director, Franklin Cudjoe will speak at the Global Development Forum to be held in London. Given the high profile of Ghana (map above) in the make poverty history campaign, Imani will contribute to panel discussions on trade, entrepreneurship and aid.

Imani is an independent, non-partisan and non-profit educational organization founded in 2003.

Mission: To stimulate public discussion of the promotion of economic prosperity in Ghana and Africa through market solutions such as property rights, the rule of law, free markets and free speech.

Vision: To educate and create a core of young scholars that will promote free enterprise, individual liberty, personal responsibility and voluntary action to facilitate a free and prosperous society.

---

Zimbabwe Victims' Support Fund - Report on Feeding Scheme

Something I read in the Methodist Recorder recently caught my attention. It was a report on Nelson Mandela's address to the crowd of 20,000 or more who had gathered in Trafalgar Square in support of the "Make Poverty History" Campaign. In the course of a moving address this Nobel Laureate who has become an icon of justice and freedom, said the following words: "Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evils ".

The "massive poverty and obscene inequality" to which Mandela was referring is of course a world-wide phenomenon, but nowhere is it more tragically manifest than in Zimbabwe today. Through their insatiable greed and the betrayal of the noble ideals of the liberation struggle the ruling elite have created a society marked by extremes of wealth and poverty - on the one hand the obscene wealth of those enjoying the dictator's patronage (lavish mansions, stolen farms, top of the range 4x4s, and conspicuous consumption), and on the other the massive, and growing, poverty of the vast majority.

 According to the latest report of the US-based Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET) up to 4.8 million Zimbabweans urgently require food aid or they could starve. The prospect of a major famine looms ever closer, particularly, as the report notes, in the drier and food insecure provinces of Matabeleland (where Bulawayo is situated), Masvingo, Manicaland and some parts of lower Zambezi Valley.

Faced with this evolving tragedy the words of Nelson Mandela ring clear and true: "Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists there is no true freedom. "

So dear friends, you who have given so generously to the feeding programme of the Zimbabwe Victims' Support Fund, thank you not only for your solidarity in an act of Christian compassion but for your "act of justice ". Thank you for standing with us in asserting a basic human right of dignity and a decent life. Thank you for striking a blow for freedom. I wish 1 could tell you freely and in detail what a blessing the food purchased through your generosity has been to those in desperate need.

Alas those who created this tragic situation are now conspiring to use that very suffering to their own short term political advantage. Their near monopoly hold on the supply and distribution of staple foods (maize and wheat) has given them a powerful political weapon which they wield without mercy in the run-up to the parliamentary election on March 31. And in order to enhance that power they are suppressing other relief work. I cannot therefore give details of our operations without putting that work at risk

But please understand that the feeding scheme is going forward and continues to make a significant difference to the lives of some of those who are most vulnerable to starvation in this region. I could tell you, if it were safe to do so, of a group of school children at a rural primary school who now receive a regular mid-day meal when previously they were not even strong enough to make the daily walk to school from their villages. I could tell you of another group whose crops have failed and who has been cut of from an international donor feeding scheme by ZANU--PF decree, and for whom our drop of mealie-meal has become a lifeline.

Or of yet another very remote community in dire straits and on whose behalf a caring civic official appealed to us for help. Or of a street children's home, or a shelter for the homeless, or a geriatric home, all here in Bulawayo, all struggling in the harshest economic climate, and all so very grateful for the regular consignment of mealie-meal, sugar beans and kapenta (the highly nutritional dried fish harvested from Lake Kariba). For the three years that the feeding scheme has been running we have not once been without the financial resources to take advantage of any. ”Window of opportunity" that has come along to purchase basic foods and this has increased our capacity to respond positively to situations of great need as they occur.

You will have heard no doubt of the Non Governmental Organisations (NGO) Act - an infamous piece of legislation crafted by the Mugabe regime with the deliberate intention of closing down those NGOs concerned with issues of governance and human rights and seizing control of others involved in relief and development work The supreme irony is that the Act has not yet been signed into law, yet the police and a good number of both local and international NGOs are already acting as if it were law. Hence while the dictator avoids the odium of enacting such an oppressive statute, he has already achieved the intended result. Such is the terrifying power of intimidation in Zimbabwe today.

The question is whether the Church should allow itself to fall victim to this intimidation. Should we make a strategic decision to suspend the feeding scheme until better times, or should we apply to the state for permission to continue our God-appointed work of compassion. Clearly neither option is possible for a Church which operates by divine mandate. We must obey God rather than Caesar.

A difficult situation then and not without its attendant dangers, but by the grace of God (and thanks to your generosity) we are able to continue to provide a lifeline to many in great need. And the fact that the Church perseveres is itself a powerful witness to the community that our God cares, and that his love will always find a way.

Thank you for being apart of that Christian witness to a suffering nation. God bless and keep you in his love.

Your partner in that mission,

March 2005

Trustees: David Winwood,

John Lark Clem Frank (Treasurer)
 

---

On Tour with the Gamble's December 2005

After spending the Summer in the North of England and spending a lovely time with our family we set off on another adventure.

Our ferry arrived in Calais on time and we set off for Monkswalm in Belgium, arriving in the late afternoon. We had expected to speak French here but discovered we were in the Flemish area. However the site owners spoke some English so we were OK. We enjoyed our stay in Belgium and were very impressed by their railways which are reliable and cheap. We used the train to visit Brugge and Brussels. Next we moved on to Spa, the original ‘spa town’. Again we used the train to visit Liege, where we found we had arrived on the day for the Food festival and watched an interesting and fun parade after lunch. The big problem we had in Belgium and also in the other countries we have passed through is that acceptance of credit and debit cards is very hit and miss. At many stores, filling stations and cash machines the electronic systems would not recognise our cards.

We moved from Belgium to Wachenheim in Germany on 21st September and discovered that it was the time of the New Wine Festival. For the first time we arrived to find the site was full but the kind owner found a space for us among the mobile home area. Whilst in Germany we took advantage of the good walking routes. We also went to Heidelberg on the train and arrived during the Heidelburger Herbst when the town was packed. We enjoyed the day but it was not easy to do the normal tourist things so we would like to return when it’s a bit quieter. From here we moved South to Lindau on Bodensee (Lake Constance) at the border of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Again we walked in the hills and had an interesting day out when we took a trip on the Lake to Freidrichshaffen, where Count Von Zeppelin built his Airships.

Our next move was into Austria and Kitzbuhl. Beautiful scenery here and of course Kitzbuhl is a popular centre for skiing. We had a look round the very pretty town and walked in the hills but did not stay long as the cold weather was catching up with us.

We drove over the Thurn pass and through the Glossglockner tunnel and all the way to Venice.

We stayed at a site just ten minute by bus from the city and had two days exploring. Venice lived up to our expectations. It is just as we imagined although a street plan is essential to navigate the narrow twisting streets and canals.

From Venice we followed the Adriatic Coast, staying first at Bellaria. From here we visited Rimmini and the tiny republic of San Marino. We moved down to the San Giovanni di Rotondo on the Gargano Promontory. This is an interesting place because it is a centre of pilgrimage for the devotees of Santo Padre Pio. There are beautiful National Parks advertised on the promontory and we looked forward to some good walks but were frustrated by the lack of information or maps. Still following the coast we went as far as Monopoli. The ‘must see’ place near here is the town of Alberobello which is made up of the lovely ‘Trulli’ houses. We also saw many of these house as we drove around the area. Another move south took us to Corigliano. Here there was a firework party on the beach and we realised that it was probably for Halloween.

The Adriatic Coast is very beautiful but the people only really cater for Summer Tourists. We found that most facilities are closed by October and although we enjoyed some wonderful weather and overlooked the super beaches there was little in the way of entertainment or information. For this reason we have moved through the country more quickly that we intended.

While at Corigliano we met an English couple who were also making their way to Sicily and we arranged to meet them at a site near Palmi which is near the Ferry terminal to Sicily. We then crossed to the Island together in our car to look for a suitable site. After a long day and rejecting many places we discovered a lovely site at Finale di Pollina on the north coast of the Island about 50 miles from Palermo.

We moved here on 11th November. It is very quiet here and we had a choice of pitches. We are on a terrace above the swimming pool and from our caravan window look over the sea to the Aeolian islands. A Scottish couple arrived in a motor home and they too are settled for some time so we are a little community which is nice.

We are getting quite good at translating Italian although conversation is not easy, however we will persevere.

We booked a flight from Palermo to Stansted on 15th December and our friends Mike and Margaret ran us to the Airport, so now we are looking forward to Christmas with the family before we return to continue our travels.

We hope you have a very Happy Christmas and wish you all the best for 2006

God bless you

Pat and Brian

 

---

On Tour with the Gamble's 2005

Hello All EMC Folk. (September 2005)

Here is the next instalment of our travel diary.

Since our last message before Easter 2005 when we were in Galicia in Northern Spain we have continued to enjoy our travels, we spent Holy Week near Ferrol where we discovered the wonderful Holy Week processions when effigies from the churches are paraded through the streets, each one by it's own 'brotherhood', these start on Palm Sunday and continue through the week culminating on Saturday with a silent torchlight procession, we watched three of the fourteen which took place on Good Friday and found the occasion very moving.

Each 'Paso' which bears the effigy is carried on the shoulders of about sixty people, they are led by a band and the other members of the brotherhood in elaborate costumes which hide all their faces, the atmosphere is reverent but at the same time light hearted and friendly.

We also visited Santiago da Compostela where the cathedral is very impressive, it was interesting to see the pilgrims with their staffs and scallop shells, from Ferrol we followed the coast, through Santander and Bilbao, to the Basque country where we spent a few days at St Jean de Luz,

from here we visited Biarritz, which still shows its heritage as a favourite watering place for English visitors, we also walked in the mountains, enjoying views over France and Spain and visited the Basque Folk Museum learning about the local culture.

Next we spent a few days revisiting Bordeaux, walking again in the parks which surround the city and we now noticed the pilgrims on their way to Compostela, Guerande in Southern Brittany was our next stop, there is a lot to do and see in this area, Guerande is a walled mediaeval town on the edge of La Briere, the second largest salt marsh after the Carmargue and close to the sea,

 we went to the popular resort of La Baule and also the shipyards of St Nazaire where the European Airbus is also constructed.

On to Dol de Bretagne which is close to Mont Saint Michel, we had a lovely visit to the island with its impressive Abbey where we took the guided tour, we enjoyed walks in the area nearby is Dinard which we thought resembled Biarritz and has a similar atmosphere.

Whilst looking for the Temple Protestant we came across the Anglican Church where we went to worship on the Sunday morning, we felt that we had to go to see the tapestry at Bayeux and spent a few more days there, we had been unaware that the town was so close to the Normandy beaches of D-Day and where General De Gaulle set up his first Free French government, our stay coincided with the sixtieth anniversary of the Liberation, we visited some of the war cemeteries and found the experience very moving, we also saw the landing beaches and on our last day had lunch at Café Gondree at Pegasus Bridge.

Our next stop should have been Rouen but we could not find an acceptable site there so continued northwards to the pretty town of Neufchatel en Bray where we had a relaxing time walking in the area.

From here to Calais, we decided to spend a few days there to see the port and the countryside which everyone usually speeds through en route to somewhere else, the history trail around the town was interesting but we found the town itself very run down and the surrounding area taken over by wine hypermarkets, we don't plan to stay there again.

On 18th May 2005 we returned to Great Britain and spent a few days at Leatherhead taking the opportunity to visit out friends at Epsom, always an enjoyable experience.

We have spent the summer in the North catching up with family and friends and have enjoyed looking after our three grandchildren during the school holidays, we are now ready for our next adventure when we hope to spend some months in Italy visiting Belgium, Germany and Austria on the way our ferry leaves on 12th September 2005

Best wishes Pat and Brian

---

NASA & THE BIBLE

For all the scientists or engineers out there, and for all who have a hard time convincing people regarding the truth of the Bible, here's something that shows God's awesome creation, and that He is still in control.

 

Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called "myth" in the Bible is true?

Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland, and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.

I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts, space scientists/engineers at Green Belt, Maryland.

 

They were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 years and 1,000 years from now. We have to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its later life cycles.

We have to predict the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not malfunction.

 

They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong with either the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.

They called in the technical experts to check it out, and they said, 'What's wrong?' Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.

 

They scratched their heads and tore their hair out. There was no answer.

Finally a Christian man on the team said, 'You know, one time I was in Sunday School, and they talked about the sun standing still.' While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, 'Show us'

 

He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense.' There they found the Lord saying to Joshua, 'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Thee.'

 

Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy! And if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right... 'The sun stood still and the moon stayed and lasted not to go down about a whole day!'

(Joshua 10:12-13)

 

The astronauts, scientists and engineers said. “There is the missing day!”

They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes ... not a whole day.

They read the Bible, and there it was about [approximately] a day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now.

Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.

The scientists and engineers told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings that told of the following story: Hezekiah, on his deathbed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said 'Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?'

Hezekiah said, 'It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.' Isaiah spoke to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!

Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe! Isn't it amazing?

References: Joshua 10:8 and 12, 13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.

---

RETURN

 

As from September 2003 the project for the further development of EMC has had dramatic changes. The latest proposal is to incorporate a Council sponsored Day Centre within the premises.

A new architect has been engaged from CPL, Church Projects Ltd.

The preliminary plans have been accepted by the Church Council, including the possibility of including the Dovecote Christian Bookshop as part of the overall plan. Two plans are  available on this site, please note these are subjected to alterations as appropriate, so keep an eye on these pages.

Note the plans are larger than the normal screen and are best viewed in full and then track across or down the page as required.

May 2004:- All three views have been replaced.

Plan of the EMC Ground floor layout.......more (195 Kbytes) 

Plan of the EMC First floor layout    .......more (109 Kbytes)

Front Elevation of Proposed EMC    .......more (100 Kbytes)

---

Radical Changes, since the above outline proposals, these are the latest configurations of the development plans of May 2004, the Christian Bookshop is still part of the plans.

Note the plans are larger than the normal screen and are best viewed in full and then track across or down the page as required, using your mouse on side and bottom bars.

Plan of the EMC Ground floor layout.......more (386 Kbytes)

Plan of the EMC First floor layout    .......more (150 Kbytes)

For those who are not able to get the printed information about the reasons for the proposed changes. An updated summary of part of the introduction to the business plan, which was presented, to the Church Council on April 29^th 2004................CLICK here. This is printed in black and white and it is suggested you print and read at your leisure.

The very old plans have been moved to this sites Archives and those wishing to view these plans.....please CLICK here, or for Archives here................ or for Artists impressions of previous designs .....................

Bosnian Refugees

EMC Development – fund raising report June 2003

The Spring Fayre raised over £1,000 and money is still coming in! Thank you to all who helped in a variety of ways both on and before the day.

A list of stalls and money raised is below.

PRAYERS IN A TIME OF WAR CLICK here for prayer guidance.

Also join our Prayers Direct.

Annual General Church Meeting - 10th April 2003

With the exception of Malcolm Boyd who is taking up the responsibility of Senior Circuit Steward, the continuing appointment of current Leadership Team Stewards (Carol Stringer, Keith Halstead, Barbara Warren, Paul McGregor, Mark Angel, Sarah Meech, Matthew Tong, Hazel Yu, Edmund Tsui) was confirmed.

There were seven vacancies arising at the Church Council. Margaret Shiels, Philippa Allen, and Sarah Peters were re-elected for a further 3 years and the meeting confirmed the additional appointments of James Child, Pam Brogan, Jacqui Raggett, and Diane Lynch.

David Coote shared with the meeting that he had been nominated as the Chair of the Channel Islands District. There is still a number of governing bodies to go through before any appointment is confirmed.

Real Lives Weekend – The Secretary reported on the weekend and feedback from the weekend. A fuller article appears on this website but in most respects the weekend was a huge success in many ways. Organisationally, it all came together in the end with over 150 people being catered for at times but more importantly the weekend was successful in a spiritual sense. There is still much feedback to digest, which the Leadership Team will ponder on, but certainly the areas of House Groups, Bible Study and Youth work were the strongest themes arising from the weekend.

Church Finances – Tony Mickelburgh presented the audited accounts for 2001 -2002 and Keith Halstead presented the budget for the coming year which has highlighted an uplift of some £10k as a result of increases in Circuit Assessment etc. The regular giving at EMC is running currently at £87.5k and would have to increase to meet the uplift. At this point Ted Lavender was asked to share with the meeting some work and investigation that he has been doing with TRIO (The Responsibility Is Ours). TRIO is a structured way of helping us give in proportion to our income. A number of local Churches have adopted the scheme to great success. Although at this time it would be difficult to adopt the scheme, it was agreed that the Leadership Team would actively pursue the matter with the potential for a ‘Finance Sunday Day’ taking place in November. The meeting discussed the numerous financial initiatives in place at the moment without any definitive conclusion but the Chairman wished to emphasise that these were not just appeals for money but should be viewed as a response to what God has given and giving generously and sacrificially.

Church Redevelopment – Sarah Meech presented to the meeting the revised proposal as per the plans recently distributed. It is possible that the revised scheme could cost in excess of the anticipated £1.6m. The recent Extraordinary Church Council meting held on 27^th March 2003 endorsed the revised proposal despite counter proposals being put forward as being the most realistic and cost effective.

David Coote then outlined the exciting new development with the Borough Council on using the premises as a Day Care Centre. There were significant advantages in pursuing this proposal not least financial, as the Borough Council would assist with the funding both in on going rental and building costs. Importantly the proposal also reaches closer the vision of the Church in the Community.

Tony Blakeburn

Secretary to the Church Council.

Dovecote Christian Bookshop holds a signing on Tuesday 6^th May from 10.30am until 2pm for the book

‘Like A Child’

– by Tony and Frances Miles

CLICK here for more information

PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT - PROPOSAL TO CHURCH COUNCIL - et al

All Age Worship 

Overview of Life at EMC - a continuous slide sequence, takes a little while to download so be patient.

Real Lives - 2003

March 21st - 23rd.

This really will be a very special weekend for you and your life in the Church.

But what is this Real Lives 2003 all about?

How will it affect me?

What’s happening?

What do I need to do?

Well, events like these have been described by other Churches as a sort of ‘spiritual health check’, where we can give ourselves some time to focus on our faith, look at the life of our Church, meet and share with others what Christ has done in our lives and taking time out to listen to God without the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.

OK - but practically, what is it?

It is a time during which a team of lay people come to our church and share their Christian experiences and encourage us to take stock and think about our life with Christ and where God is leading us. It is important to note that there is no ministerial involvement in any of the leadership during the weekend - all of the team are lay people, many with jobs, many retired but they are all ordinary people who have encountered the living Christ. They have been changed in some way and are still being changed by their daily experience of the love of Christ. They, too, are growing Christians putting their faith to work. They are all involved in the work of their local churches.

The team will stay as guests with members of our church (volunteers welcome!) from Friday through to Sunday.

What happens during the weekend?

People share with others, in variety of ways, their personal experiences of trying to live the Christian life. They will share the good and the bad, the struggles and heartaches as well as the joys and victories. They will share this in small groups and 1:1 if requested. However, it is important to remember that there will be no pressure put on anyone to speak up - the team is there for us to listen to and share. The team is aware that many feel uncomfortable in small group discussions but the team has asked me to emphasise that there will be no pressures in these group sessions.

The programme begins on Friday evening 21st March 7.00p.m. with a meal together, after which the team is introduced and 2 or 3 will share something of their Christian experience. There will then be some small discussion groups with the team.

Groups will meet on Saturday mornings (or Saturday afternoons) probably at peoples’ homes. Saturday evening will follow much the same pattern as Friday evening with an evening meal at 7.00 p.m.

The team who will then depart for their homes in the afternoon takes Sunday morning service.

What is the cost?

Nothing apart from your time.

What happens afterwards?

Results from these weekends vary. Generally a huge number of people are awakened to a new and vital faith, some make new commitments to Christ, and some take a new interest in the life of the Church. Either way there will some follow up from the weekend so watch this space.

So, in conclusion, if you are interested in developing your faith, maybe just listening to others and their experiences or just simply to take some time out to focus on your faith put the dates in your diary.

More below

If you want any further information please do not hesitate to contact me,

Tony Blakeburn

Regards

Tony

I promise to pray for Real Lives Weekend

and especially on

Points for prayer

People seeking new direction

Opportunities to share fellowship

Openness for God to touch lives

 

R	emember to pray for the whole weekend’s events and for a good response
E	xpect great and wonderful things to develop and that people will enjoy it all
A	sk for God’s protection to be with all participants
L	isten to the Holy Spirit as He guides and directs

 

 

L	ook out for opportunities to show God’s love
I	ntercede for the team, the leaders and our ministers
V	isualise wearing the armour of God (Ephesians Chapter 6 verses 11 - 18)
E	nthuse and encourage everyone, especially young people
S	pend time with God, seeking His will and blessing on your own life

Latest News

On Sunday 12th January 2003, we met the leaders of the weekend. They are Colin and Jill Jones from Leeds. They are very excited about the weekend and told us a lot about what we needed to do over the next two months. They are hoping that the team who will be visiting will be about 28 people.

To summarise what Tony Blakeburn said this weekend is an opportunity to listen to other Christians telling us about their personal Christian experiences. The most important aspect of this weekend is that there is no pressure for anyone to have to speak; you can simply come along and listen. There are a number of meals during the weekend, which will give an opportunity to meet other people in the church. There are also a number of opportunities to meet in-groups to listen to others and to take part if you want to.

The exact times of all the events are not yet finalised, but the following timetable will give you some idea of what is taking place. It means that you can reserve specific parts of the weekend if you want to come along.

The Evening of Friday March 21st

There will be a meal at the church followed by some of the visitors talking about their Christian life. This will be followed by small groups (no participation if you just want to listen) and should finish by 10.00pm.

Saturday March 22nd

During the morning starting at 10.30am there will be groups meeting in members’ homes, again attended by the visiting team who will talk about their Christian life.

This will be followed by lunch at the church. There will be a short group session after lunch. The rest of the afternoon is free from about 2.15pm.

There is another meal at the church in the evening, again followed by groups.

Sunday March 23rd

There will be a service of Holy Communion at 8.00am to which everyone is invited. There will not be a 9.00am service but a combined service at 10.30am. Then in the evening, there will be a celebration service at 6.30pm at which there will be the opportunity for people to share what the weekend has meant to them.