This is the index page for web material which has been archived for reference purposes.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

Rev Michael Whelton 1923 - 2009

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.
 

---

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

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.

What about Children and Young People?

They are not being forgotten. There will be parallel activity for all those over crèche age. There will also be a crèche for the very young children so that everyone can take part in the activities.

How do I take part?

During February everyone in the church will be visited and the weekend explained to him or her. This is the opportunity to find out more about it. You will be left with an information leaflet and registration form so that you can indicate the different activities you want to attend. Do note that if you register, say, only for the Friday evening (in case you do not feel able to cope with the whole weekend) and then find that it is so exciting that you want to come to everything else, then you will be able to. There will be no exclusions because of not booking. We do not want you to miss out on what we expect to be the highlight, not only of the year, but also possibly of your life.

If you have any further questions,

Do get in touch with Tony Blakeburn

The preparations are well in hand for the weekend. It is going to be an exciting time where we can grow in our faith and deepen our relationships with other people in the church.

In case you have not yet seen it, the diary for the weekend is:

Friday 21^st March

7.30pm Church Family Meal – an opportunity to get together in an informal atmosphere.

8.30pm First general session and group discussion led by team members.

Saturday 22^nd March

10.30am Coffee groups in local people’s homes

12.30pm Church lunch followed by the second general session

Afternoon is free

6.30pm Church family supper

7.30pm Third general session and group discussions

Sunday 23^rd March

8.00am Holy Communion

Please note :-There will not be a 9.00am service

10.30am Family worship led by the team

6.30pm Celebration service

Please pray for all those who are taking part, especially Colin and Jill Jones who are leading the visiting team. They are part of a team of 28 who will be sharing with us during the general sessions. They will also be leading the coffee groups on the Saturday morning.

Please come. You will not be disappointed.

PRAYERS

A prayer for the leaders of the nations

O God our heavenly father,

whose love sets no boundaries and whose strength is in service;

grant to the leaders of the nations wisdom

courage and insight at this time of darkness and fear.

Give to all who exercise authority

a determination to defend the principles of freedom, love and tolerance

strength to protect and safeguard the innocent

and clarity of vision to guide the world into the paths of justice and peace.

This we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

A BENEDICTION

The fruit of the Spirit is patience.

Let us wait on the Lord to renew our strength.

The fruit of the Spirit is self-control.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is humility.

What does the Lord require of us, but to seek justice and walk humbly with our God.

The fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness.

Let us press on toward the goal to which God has called us.

The fruit of the Spirit is peace.

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ

And the love of God

And the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all,

Now and forever. Amen

STANDING TOGETHER AGAINST INTOLERANCE

A Statement from people of faith in London gathered together by the Muslim Council of Britain and the London Civic Forum

"We, the people of faith in London, have gathered together to show our solidarity in the wake of the appalling events of the last few weeks.

We stand together, united by our shared belief in God's compassionate love and our commitment to treat each other with respect and dignity.

We stand together in condemnation of indiscriminate acts of violence against innocent people

We stand together, opposed to intolerance and racism, to condemn all threatening behaviour, whether physical or verbal, directed against individuals or communities because of their race or religious affiliation.

We stand together, united in the struggle to build a society founded on justice and peace.

This Trail of Pain

By Gina Wingo - I watched television the morning of September 11. I said all the right words to co-workers that day. I comforted, I reasoned. I never felt fear. After all, it was so far away from Pocahontas, Arkansas. And if the worst did happen, I knew my God would take me to heaven to be with Him.

It wasn’t until I walked outside on the playground with my pre-school class, that a new understanding overwhelmed me. The sky was crystal blue; there was a hint of coolness in the air. Perfect day for children to run and play. Normally, on days like this one, we would all watch the jets fly overhead. One of the subjects I teach relates to community helpers. I would tell the children about my cousin, Sara, who was a flight attendant on one of those big planes we watched overhead. But this day was different. The sky was empty. It was the oddest thing I had ever seen. That’s when I realised I should call home, just to ease my mind. That was the beginning of my journey on what my uncle Mike calls, "this trail of pain". I sat in a darkened room of pre-schoolers napping peacefully and innocently as I heard the words from my sister-in-law that everyone had dreaded to hear, "the airline called…" Evil had entered my personal world.

"God doesn’t give us more than we can handle", (I Corinthians 10:15) is often quoted to those travelling the trail of pain. Reading this from Eugene H. Peterson’s The Message puts it in terms I can deal with: "All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it." Or as the Rev. Vic Nixon put it so well at Sarah’s memorial service, "Jesus is with us on this side of tragedy."

Part of my spiritual journey, since September 11, has been the constant struggle to remember that God is with each one who is travelling this trail, and that it isn’t up to me to fix it. I’m used to rushing in to "fix" things. Some things can’t be "fixed." They must be lived out, one day at a time. God has been with me through the death of my father, through the ups and downs of having a spouse in the ministry, through personal illness, through parenting our own two daughters, through happy times and through life changing decisions. He has been constant and faithful.

My other struggle has been finding a nice way to say to people that I believe God does not make things happen to test us, or that God doesn’t cause death because it is that person’s time. We are human, there is evil in this world. Horrible things happen. God is there, crying with us, loving us, hurting with us. Giving us his Son. Reminding us that this pain is an earthly feeling and we have His presence to look forward to.

Gina Wingo, a native of Batesville Arkansas, is an early childhood special education teacher. 

She and her husband, Steve, have two daughters and recently celebrated 22 years of marriage and ministry in the North Arkansas Conference. 

Gina serves as chair of Outdoor Ministries.

 

   "This Trial of Pain" from the United Methodists Website.

CLICK on Logo to enter their site.

To see an enlarged picture of Epsom Methodist Church CLICK here.

MAKES YOU THINK

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen? (regarding the attacks on September 11th). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leaves us alone?

I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools,

And we said 0K.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school, the Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbour as yourself.

And we said OK.

Then Dr Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about.

And we said OK.

Then someone said teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. The school administrators said no faculty member in this school better touch a student when they misbehave because we don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be sued (there's a big difference between disciplining, touching, beating, smacking, humiliating, kicking etc.).

And we said OK.

Then someone said, let's let our daughters have abortions if they want, and they won't even have to tell their parents.

And we said OK.

Then some wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they're going to do it anyway, let's give our sons all the condoms they want so they can have all the fun they desire, and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school.

And we said OK.

Then some of our top elected officials said it doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do our jobs. Agreeing with them, we said it doesn't matter to me what anyone, including the President does in private as long as I have a job and the economy is good. Then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and all the wholesome, down-to-earth appreciation for the beauty of the female body.

And we said OK.

And then someone else took that appreciation a step further and published pictures of nude children and then further again by making them available on the Internet.

And we said OK; they're entitled to free speech.

Then the entertainment industry said; let's make TV shows and movies that promotes profanity, violence, and illicit sex. Let's record music that encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes. And we said its just entertainment, it has no adverse effect, nobody takes it seriously anyway,

So go right ahead.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW." Funny how simple it is for peoples to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how you can send "Jokes" through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they WILL think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it. No one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in!

Are you thinking?

2001 WELCOME TO.......newly elected member of the Leadership Team

Barbara Warren who has been a member of EMC since 1981. She has been married for 42 years to Ron, has a son, David who is in the Metropolitan Police and getting married to Melanie next year and a daughter, Karen, son in law, Matt, and one and a half grandchildren who are about to move to the Isle of Wight. Her hobbies include music (she plays the organ at some of our services), gardening, cross stitching and water colour painting.

Mark Angel

As a newly elected member of the Leadership Team I have been asked to write a short introduction to myself

My name is Mark Angel and I am 39 years old. I am a branch manager for AXA Insurance working up in the City, although my work often takes me overseas.

I have been married to Jan for 13 years. We live in Chessington with our two cats, Jasper & Alpi.

We have both been members since moving into the area from Wallington in 1993. Both Jan & I are Communion stewards at EMC and I have been a Steward previously, in both Beddington Gardens Methodist Church in Wallington and Burgess Hill Methodist Church in Sussex, where we originally hail from.

I am looking forward to the challenge of being part of the Leadership Team in a period of significant change and development for our Church.

and

Paul McGregor

After being elected onto the Leadership Team at EMC, I have been asked to say a few words about myself. With my wife, Tricia and six-year-old son Ross, we have been attending the church for the past three years. We were keen to find a local church after moving to the area from Worcester Park. We had previously attended Cheam Baptist Church where we had both met and were married. I am a serving police officer based in South West London and Tricia is the Speech and Language Therapy manager for Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust. These are exciting times for EMC and I look forward to playing my part in the development of the Church over the coming months.

who have all joined the Leadership Team.

TOP

 

The Leadership Team is made up of the Ministers and seven elected stewards, plus three nominated Chinese representatives.

Each steward will focus on a particular area of the Church’s life (see above). The team will concentrate on seeking God’s vision for EMC and recommending to the Church Council ways of turning this into reality.

The team meets regularly for prayer and planning and individual members will attend a range of mid-week meetings, but stewards will no longer be expected to deal with arrangements for Sunday services.

A separate team of "Worship Stewards" support Ministers on a Sunday making sure that all the practical arrangements are in hand so that services run smoothly. These stewards will serve at Sunday (and occasional other) services only and will not generally be expected to attend mid-week meetings.

TOP

 

Circuit Good News Bad News - 2001

First the bad news

For the past year and until next September 2001 Michael Whelton and I have had to take pastoral care for additional circuit churches. Michael has taken care of Banstead and I of Great Tattenham’s, two very lively churches in the Circuit. I, as Superintendent Minister, along with the Circuit Stewards have the responsibility to ensure, as best we are able, that the Churches in our Sutton Circuit have adequate Pastoral oversight. It is the circuit policy that as a Circuit we do everything we can to enable our churches to thrive in what is arguably a very difficult social environment.

The reason Michael and I have had these additional responsibilites is because we are in the Circuit one minister short. It was our hope in a recent round of ‘stationing’, a process when Chairman of the Districts meet to match ministers moving on to appointments available in September 2001, that we would get a new minister. Unfortunately this was not the case. A second attempt at matching takes place on January 16th but we are not holding out very much hope of being successful given that connexionally (countrywide) the Methodist Church is 79 ministers short.

Following a meeting with the Senior Stewards of Banstead and Great Tattenhams we have decided to explore every possible way of obtaining a minister from next September and to develop a strategy if we don’t. We are concerned that the absence of a minister will harm the mission of these two churches and put even greater pressure on the ministers remaining in the Circuit. We have already decided that it would not be right to ask Michael to continue at Banstead. He does a superb job as Chaplain at the hospital and I could not have wished for a more helpful and dedicated EMC and Circuit colleague. Before Banstead he stepped into the breach for two years at Cheam. It would be unfair to ask him to do more. As we know he is no whippersnapper!

We have asked Martin, the Chairman of the District, to follow up any international possibilities and we in the Circuit will do the same by approaching friends in the United States. If no news is received following the Stationing Committee meeting on January 16th we will advertise in the Methodist Recorder for an active Supernumerary, i.e. a retired minister, who may be able to help for a year or two.

Of course if all this fails then some how we will need to use what resources we have, both lay and ministerial, to respond to the situation. An extraordinary Circuit Meeting will be held on February 1st for all the Circuit churches to reflect and pray together about the way forward.

You may have noticed on the Circuit plan the names of three new preachers on note -the first stage for training as a local preacher. Since publication I have been delighted to give yet another note to Shirley Leung, a member of our Chinese congregation. Other names from other churches in the Circuit are likely to follow church council support in the spring. This is very encouraging especially in the light of my bad news. On reading this you may feel that God may be calling you to a preaching ministry in the Church. If you do, then please speak to me, Alan or KK.

David Coote, Superintendent Minister

Following the news above Good News Bad News. The bad news was the news that the Stationing Committee of the Methodist Church could not provide a minister, due to a shortage of ministers, for Banstead and Great Tattenham churches in our Circuit. We had not expected the unexpected! You will be delighted to know that Rev Christine Keyte has been invited to serve in our Circuit with responsibility for these churches and has enthusiastically agreed. Christine is a Probationer minister who moved here in December from South Africa with her husband Shaun, who has a job with Shell. The appointment is subject to Methodist Conference approval but no problems are envisaged. It is hoped that she will begin work in the Circuit on March 1^st 2001

More Good News

Faith & Worship Local Preachers Training Course

A Local Preacher is appointed to mentor the 'On Note' pupil. At present, the estimated participation of Local Preachers in the Methodist Church in the United Kingdom is two out of every three services. The format of the course consists of an introductory module of three units and an assignment in the third unit. If an individual decides to withdraw from the course at the introductory stage, there is no obligatory financial commitment to cover the initial cost. However, the purchase of a 'Toolkit' is the pupil's responsibility.

The term of the course can run from two years to four years and paced at the pupil's time availability.

Mrs Hazel Yu

Mrs Shirley Leung

Mr Edmond Tsui

Mr YC Tan

Rev David Coote, Superintendent Minister assisted by Rev KK Yap met with the group on three occasions to discuss the contents of Units 1 and 2.

Miss Jean Jones

Mr Richard Smith

Mr Brian Gamble

From Carshalton: -

Miss Natalie McCullough

mentor by Miss Susan Bothamley,

Mr David Wearing

mentor by Mr Alan Jameson,

From Cheam: -

Miss Dawn Hepburn

mentor by Mrs Lynda Russell and from

From Great Tattenhams: -

Miss Mel Bracey

mentor by Mr Leon Grant.

The Circuit Tutors are: -

Mrs Sheila Webb

Mr David Carter

The 'On Note' pupils accompany their Mentors (Circuit Plan) and participate in the services. The 'mileage' covered is dependent on reports submitted by the Tutors and Mentors to the Local Preachers Office. This 'On Note' period is about a year before the pupil proceeds to 'On Trial.'

House Groups

House group leaders met together in November and considered the proposals brought by Alan and myself. In next month’s Focus we will publish a comprehensive list of our house groups and we hope that this will be helpful especially for newcomers. On February 24th the house group leaders will come together with us to reflect on material we have chosen to be used in the house groups during lent and following Easter. Meanwhile if you would like to contribute to the building up of our house groups or would like to join one please have a word with either of us.

David and Alan

A very big Thank you

We owe a real debt of gratitude to so many people in EMC for their commitment of time, talent and money. A very big thank you go to all those who have been involved in all the activities which have been going on in the past month. The Christmas Fair, the church services, the gift distribution and the wonderful porch display are among many things, which have been going on in December, and your help has been very much appreciated.

David and the Leadership Team.

TOP

 

There are so many encouraging signs of how God is at work in our community. One in particular is the new commitment among the churches in Epsom to look at ways in which we can better work together in order to improve our mission and to seek each others views on our own individual situations.

In many ways this mirrors what is taking place at the national level as the Methodist and Anglican churches seek to recognise each others ministries and remove the barriers that prevent us from being united in God's mission through a formal Covenant.

However, for me, what is most encouraging is not the words but the real support and generosity we are being given by other Christians in Epsom. I was deeply moved by a letter and kind gift that we received from the Generation Church and would like to share it with you.

---

Re: Building Fund - Generation Church

Please find enclosed a cheque for £1000 for your church building fund from Generation Church. Sorry it is small compared to the amount needed. However it comes with a large amount of love and support to you all for your vision to continue to raise a Jesus banner in Epsom Town Centre and to encourage you with your desire to provide a suitable space to achieve this.

As a church, we confess that we readily give our money to our own projects or outside para-church missions, but rarely think to bless our brothers and sisters who are our close neighbours.

We continue to pray for David and your Leadership Team and that the barriers between churches in Epsom and Ewell will come down as we refuse to let division weaken the good news message we all stand for.

On behalf of all Generation

Jacky Oliver

This letter reminded me that our development is part of God's plan not just for EMC but for the wider community and my prayer is that we too might grasp this vision. In order to start work soon we need to build on the present generosity and sacrifice of many of our members and raise £500,000. This is an amazing project and I hope you to are encouraged by the support of our friends from Generation.

---

Our Vision

Epsom Methodist Church known by many people across the Connexion as EMC has raised or has been promised £650,000 towards its £2.4 million building improvement scheme launched in March 2000. This scheme is only one aspect of EMC's desire to develop its life and work in the centre of a community and a town that is rapidly changing shape. It is not the purpose of the church simply to build bigger and better but for the church to play a constructive part in shaping the life of Epsom for many years to come.

In the past year the church has grown new house groups, has sought ways of making connections with the business and commercial life of the town, introduced a very successful ‘café’ style evening worship and with the deep involvement of a Chinese speaking congregation forwarded its aim of being an inclusive church enabling people of all backgrounds to live and grow in faith. Whilst EMC has challenged its members and friends to a deeper financial commitment, it has been careful not to let fundraising dominate the agenda.

When the Church Council some years ago took, the decision to engage in a major improvement to the premises it did so after much prayer and agonising. Nevertheless it became and remains the conviction of the Leadership Team and Church Council that God is calling EMC to do something to radically improve facilities for worship, other church and community activities and to provide good quality activity halls incorporating a new Scout headquarters.

The renewed buildings will it is believed, bear witness to the vibrancy of the Christian life and faith of those who seek to share in Gods Mission through EMC. 

Graphics by Bob Knight, more details CLICK here.

---

Treasurer’s Talk  

Building Together @ EMC

Here are some high lights of the past few months: -

	£
Chinese Congregation Mid-Autumn Festival	4670
Thanksgiving Day 28 October	12831(including tax recovery)
Craft Fair	1349

We should not forget other ongoing activities such as contributions from the organisations, Small Change Club, sale of Helpful Prayers and of course our constant prayers.

As we draw close to the year-end, I would like to give an update on the fund-raising situation and to thank everyone for his or her contribution in time, money and prayer.

It is good news that we have progressed 33% towards our target thanks to generous giving. I do not mean generous in size alone. There has been sacrificial giving too.

If those who are still debating the issue had also joined in we would have progressed much further.

Richard Chandra-Rajan (Development Treasurer) 2002

---

Building Together @ EMC

The Spring Fair held on 19 May raised £1942. We donated 10% of the net receipts to NCH. Thank you to all the helpers and to every visitor for making the Fair such a success. I overheard a comment that sums up the spirit of the Fair. "It is very satisfying to raise this amount of money, but the opportunity for so many EMC members from different organisations to work together with a shared vision is all the more rewarding."

Development Appeal Finances: It is encouraging to note that our funds have increased by a further £14,000 since the last report two months ago. Funds raised up to 31 May 2001 is summarised below:

Pledges	£
Paid to date	75,174
Yet to be paid	177,773
Estimated tax recovery on these	55,580
Sub Total	308,527
Individual Donations	£
Cheques and cash gifts	126,897
Estimated tax recovery on these	17,500
Sub Total	144,397
Historical Funds	£
(Property Development etc.)	47,578
Organisations and Events	43,589
Methodist Grants (agreed in principle)	103,000
Grand Total	647,091

In addition to personal giving, it is refreshing to note the diversity of activities that contribute to the funds. A selection of donations during the first 5 months of this year are listed below:

	£
Drama Group	360
Chinese Congregation	1000
Monday Club	362
Sunday Lunch	300
Organ Recital	499
Spring Fair (1942 less 10%)	1748
Small Change Club	238
Funeral Donations	639
Chattanooga Singers	138

 

"We are hungry to do great things for God. That is very good because there are great things to be done". (From New Daylight)

 

TOP

Annual General Church Meeting - 2002

The annual General Church Meeting took place on Thursday 25 April,. Topics discussed included a progress report on the Redevelopment scheme, an update on our finances, a report on the work with teenagers and young people and the planned Lay Witness Weekend in March 2003.

The continuing appointment for a further year of the current Church Stewards viz Keith Halstead, Malcolm Boyd, Sarah Meech, Carol Stringer, Mark Angel, Paul McGregor and Barbara Warren was confirmed. Joining them as members of the Leadership team would continue to be Matthew Tong, Edmond Tsui and Hazel Yu as the appointed Stewards from the Chinese congregation.

Following a ballot, Hywell Jones, Jill Long and Alison Willard were elected, and Peter Brooker and Jean Jones re-elected, as representatives to serve on the Church Council.

The out-turn on the General Account for 2000/2001 showed a welcome surplus, particularly due on a one-off basis to tax recovery accumulated over several years.

It did not seem realistic at present to expect a similar favourable out-turn for the current financial year.

Fundraising for the Redevelopment project, taking account of foreseen further income currently stood at some 34% of the estimated cost at the launch of fundraising of £2.2M.

Encouraging progress had been made with the key tasks identified for 2001 related to Sunday evening worship, to the House group structure and to the deepening relationship with the Chinese congregation. For the current year, important initiatives were under way in relation to work with teenagers and young people and to preparation for the Lay Witness Weekend in March 2003.

Accelerating progress with the Redevelopment scheme was a key objective for 2002. A "conversation" between David Coote and Alan Bradley sought to respond to a number of uncertainties and concerns, which had been voiced since last year's Meeting and served as an introduction to a discussion, in which many of those present participated, aimed at highlighting the perceived benefits of the intended redevelopment. Summing up the discussion, David Coote expressed the hope that it had more clearly identified the potential benefits of the scheme and would therefore enable further progress to be made in moving ahead with it. Above all, the redevelopment would help to ensure that EMC continued to provide a significant Christian base and witness in the local community.

TOP

BRIEF CRICKET REPORT – 2001

We had a poor season winning only seven of the 25 games but there were many notable performances.

Pick of the bowlers were Tim Snelson who took eleven wickets at an average of 11.1, closely followed by Geoff Morris who took twenty eight wickets at an average of 16.4

Richard Darke haul of nine catches was only equalled by wicketkeeper Dave Saunders who was also responsible for nine stumpings.

The batting was topped by

Geoff Cawthorn who scored 767 runs at an average of 42.6.

Tim Snelson averaged 32.0

and Mark Johnson 21.8.

Much improvement is required and the team is already in full training for next season.

TOP

27 November 2002

Mr Iqbal Sacranie OBE, Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain

Dear Mr Sacranie,

I write on behalf of the Methodist Church in Britain in the light of current anxieties about possible military action against Iraq and the impact this might have on relationships between Muslims and Christians in Britain. The Methodist Church is committed to building understanding and respect between faiths and does not want to see an increase of tension between Muslims and Christians. This letter is therefore written to you in friendship. One of our fundamental commitments in our multi-religious society in Britain is to develop relationships of friendship with people of all world faiths. We do this in the spirit of words of our founder, John Wesley, who urged Methodists to show themselves 'the friends of all, the enemies of none'.

Among Christians there is a long and honourable pacifist tradition. In the light of this, many Christians, including a considerable number of Methodists, would say that there is never sufficient justification for war or military action. The majority position among Christians, however, is that war and armed conflict, whilst always evil, might be justified as the lesser of evils and as a 'last resort' under certain strict conditions. These conditions include:

* There must be Just Cause; an example would be upholding a UN Resolution;

* Every other means of resolving conflict should have been tried;

* There must be a proper declaration of war or military action by a lawful authority;

* There must be a reasonable balance between the evil that will inevitably result from military action and the good that might accrue;

* There must be a 'moral certainty' that the side of justice will emerge victorious. This implies that there should be a clear aim of how a war could be concluded.

In addition, Christian teaching enunciates a series of principles regarding conduct during a war, most of which are also found in Islamic sources. These are largely incorporated into international law in the Hague Convention of 1907, the Law of Geneva of 1949, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 1998.

The Methodist Church calls on the Government of the United Kingdom to take account of this teaching and these provisions before committing its armed forces to military action, and in all cases to observe the requirements of international law.

Indeed the Methodist Church will urge the Government not to proceed immediately to military action, even if lamentably the Iraqi Government fails in the first instance fully to comply with the requirements of the UN Resolution. Our hope is that the international diplomatic community can explore creatively and speedily positive inducements which will enable the Government of Iraq to reconsider its long term interests and co-operate with the removal of any weapons of mass destruction because it sees great benefits from such a course of action.

Taking a wider view, Christians share a long-term commitment to peace, which is more than an absence of war; it includes human flourishing and a fairer distribution of the world's resources. Within Britain, we are committed to promoting a society in which people of all faiths can worship without fear of discrimination or acts of religious hatred. Should Britain's forces be involved in military action against Iraq, we will not give support to any who seek to use the conflict to create divisions between citizens of this country, be they Muslim, Christian or another faith.

With warm wishes

Yours sincerely,

The Revd Ian T White, President of the Methodist Conference

---

From Manhattan to Bali and all in between.

Heavenly Father, please hold all the nations of the world in your hands. Sustain those who lives have been devastated; comfort all who mourn and give your gifts of healing and peace to those who are hurting in body, mind or soul. Give your loving kindness to those who feel neglected, unloved or forgotten and put from them any anxiety or fear. May your Holy Spirit guide all who are bearing the burden of great responsibility and prosper their efforts for good, for the welfare of the world.

On the Anniversary of September 11 th,  Epsom Methodist Church in Surrey, UK met for Prayer and Meditation.

If you were not able to be present then please join us at this very moment.

If you CLICK here this will go to a page for your meditation.

Trusts and Business Fundraising Group

Following our first success (a grant of £10,000 from the Norwood and Newton Settlement) we have now been successful in a second grant application and have been awarded £300 from the Allchurches Trust. The Allchurches Trust is the parent company of the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, who pass on all profits to the Trust. The Trust provides grants to appeals in support of churches, Church establishments and other charities and its aims are to promote the Christian religion.

We have also had a very encouraging letter in response to our application to the Beatrice Laing Trust. This Trust is one of the Laing Family Trusts whose aims are the advancement of Christian religion. The Beatrice Laing Trust has funds available for new church building or expansion, especially where the church is becoming involved in the needs of the local community. They will not give us a grant at this stage in our fundraising but have asked us to write again when we reach the stage of beginning to build.

Applications to trusts and local businesses are continuing.

EMC Development – fund raising report

Lots of really good news this month!

The children’s mega quiz run over the summer had three winners –

1st prize of 4 tickets to Chessington World of Adventure went to Daniel Moore, 2nd prize of 4 tickets to the Odeon Cinema went to Michael Page and third prize of a McDonalds voucher went to Oliver Garrod. Thank you to the three companies who donated the prizes and to Florence Haynes for setting the quiz and marking it. Finally well done to our three prizewinners.

The Christmas craft and gift fair raised well over £1,000 and that was after Ryelands received 10% towards their development. Thank you to stall holders and helpers for your hard work and to the customers for your support. Everyone I spoke to wishes to come back next year!

Sale of the special EMC fund raising Christmas cards raised over £200. This is the last time that we will be selling them; all remaining stock has been found a good home.

The drama group organised a one off Christmas medley and donated the proceeds, thank you Chris Watts and team.

Another thank you to Catherine Alexander who organised a plant and cake sale and donated the proceeds to the development fund.

Fund raising doesn’t just mean a few big events; we need lots of events, both big and small and everyone contributing in different ways.

The small change club continues to swell the coffers, new members are welcome and there are jars in the foyer of the church. The drink can collection continues to keep us busy crushing and sorting out the steel cans from the aluminium – every little helps. (Please no food cans as they are invariably steel – please recycle them in one of the council collection points).

The shop in Kingston Road, Ewell is always looking for good quality goods to sell – have you any unwanted goods after Christmas? Have you popped in to see what they have got?

If you haven’t bought one of the winter coats from the Chinese church’s collection you are missing out on a bargain! Watch out for their next sale and have a look!

The Giant Book Sale is already being planned for the end of February; we have already received many books and are looking for lots more to ensure a bumper sale. Don’t forget to pop in and browse over Friday 28th February and/or Saturday 1st March (before you go to the Gang Show!)

The Walkathon on the 5th April is an event that I hope EVERYONE will participate in from the youngest playgroup member, all the uniformed organisations to the oldest ‘care and share’ member and everyone in between. As well as raising funds it is an opportunity for the whole church family to get together and meet each other so please reserve the date now.

The Olde Worlde Spring Fair on 10th May is another opportunity for everyone to get involved. I am hoping that every organisation that meets regularly on the premises will be able to run a stall or sideshow. Please let me know, as soon as possible what you would like to run so that I can ensure that there are no clashes. We don’t want 50 ice cream stalls and nothing else!

Looking even further ahead we are starting to see of we can organise a harvest festival extravaganza that will include a horticultural show, barn dance, flower displays etc. If you have any ideas for this weekend (or any other ideas), please let me know.

I’m sure that I have missed out something (apologies) but that’s all for this month, please support the events that are taking place during 2003.

Neil Dallen
Development fund raising Chairman

Building Together @ EMC - November 2002

Fundraising:-

Total funds raised at the end of the last Financial Year (31 August 2002) were :-

 £773,384

(35% of the target of £2.2 million)

New money raised during the 12 months to 31 August 2002 was only £114, 406

The table below shows the summary of funds raised.

We have been successful in obtaining the first external grant (£10,000) and funds raised through events and organisations are very encouraging. However, the backbone of the fundraising, direct giving, during the year was much below the levels in previous years.

Here is a short list of recent notable achievements in fundraising.

Sale of Helpful Prayers and the Small Change Club both surpassed £1,000.

£617 from Richard Muddiman in Concert.

£647 from the winter garments sale.

£2225 from the Autumn Festival.

Takings at the recently started Charity Shop exceeded £1,500.

Gifts received during the recent Gift week mounted to £25,002 including possible tax recoveries. New donations and pledges were £20,205, the balance being payments towards existing pledges. There were 105 individual donations in total. Thank you for this generous support for extending our mission through the Church Development. You will of course be aware that we are still far short of the amount needed for the project. Please continue to pray and think about the urgent need for a speedy start so that building cost inflation does not erode the sacrificial giving so far. Pledges and donations can always be passed to the Development Treasurer or to one of our Ministers.

Every gift is individually acknowledged, mainly through the pigeonhole system. This time there were a number of donations from friends of EMC. Acknowledgements have been sent by post where their addresses were known. Others are in the pigeonholes, which may not be collected if the donors do not attend Services regularly. It would be a great help if Church members who are near neighbours of any of these people could deliver them by hand.

The number of donations accompanied by Gift Aid Declarations was one of the highest so far. Every £1 donated with a Gift Aid Declaration by a taxpayer brings in a further 28 pence from the Inland Revenue. Our hardworking Gift Aid Secretary is tenacious in recovering every penny due from this source.

Richard Chandra-Rajan, Development Treasurer

Giving Shares:

Some times we hold small parcels of shares, which are probably uneconomical to sell. Such shares if given to a charity (such as EMC Development Fund) would benefit the charity and the donor. The donor can set off the market value of the shares against income tax liability at basic rate or higher rate as appropriate. Moreover, you will not have to pay any Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on any increase in the value of shares since you bought them. Any one wishing to remain anonymous or wishing to give to more than one charity could do so through

Charities Aid Foundation (Tel. 01732 520000)

or

Sharegift (Tel. 202 7337 0501).

If you require further information regarding share gifts to EMC Development Fund please feel free to contact the Development Treasurer (Richard Chandra-Rajan)

If you have further questions concerning Church Development you would like the ministers to address, please pass them through the Church Office. Alan and David will gladly meet with anyone who wants to discuss issues raised by OUR CHURCH DEVELOPMENT.

More details and previous material are in Archives

CLICK here

On the first day of Christmas

Traditionally, the Christmas holiday was celebrated for 12 days and nights from 26 December to 6 January, and the eponymous song that celebrates the 12 days of Christmas, although seemingly light-hearted, has serious religious symbolism. In the 18th century, the carol contained a sort of secret catechism in its lyrics - a list of Catholic beliefs. A partridge often feigns injury in the wild to draw attention away from her young and on to herself to protect them from danger. In the 18th century, inspired by its admirable self-sacrifice, Catholics used the partridge to represent Christ in the lyrics of this carol. As for the pear tree - it was once thought of as the celestial counterpart to the lowly apple, which might explain why this is why the partridge comes to roost in the tree.

Two turtledoves represent the Old and New Testaments. Turtledoves are associated with enduring friendships and marriage because they mate for life and a similar bond is believed to join the two Testaments.

Three French hens are thought to signify either the gifts from the Three Wise Men - gold, frankincense and myrrh - or the Holy Trinity, - Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Four calling birds represent the apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and their gift of the Gospels.

Five golden rings are representative of the lasting quality of the five books of the Old Testament because of the everlasting quality of the gold in rings.

Six geese a laying because eggs symbolise new life, so the geese are associated with the six days of God's creation.

Seven swans a-swimming are linked with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership and mercy.

Eight maids a milking stand for the eight Beatitudes, which Jesus gave in his Sermon on the Mount to spell out blessings for the poor, meek and lowly -the most well known of which is probably Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.

Nine ladies dancing are associated with the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, self-control, peace, joy, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness and kindness.

Ten lords a-leaping represent the law and leadership, symbolised by the teachings of The Ten Commandments.

Eleven pipers piping are believed to signify the 11 apostles who stayed faithful to Christ.

Twelve drummers drumming are symbolic of the 12 teachings of the creed, which summarise the main beliefs of the Catholic Church.