Tidings May 2012

Tidings, May 2012

The magazine of Banstead United Reformed Church

2012

, Tidings, May 2012

BANSTEAD UNITED REFORMED CHURCH SERVICES

Our Family Worship is held every Sunday at 10.30am a crèche is provided.

Junior Church for children aged 3-14 meets at the same time,

and we have a music group which meets at 10.10am.

Holy Communion is normally celebrated during our morning service on the first Sunday of each month.

An Evening Service, in a variety of styles, is held at 6.00pm on the third Sunday of the month. This service is shared with the Methodists and is held alternately at our church and the Drive

Methodist church. Please see the diary sheet for details.

The Prayer Circle meets every two weeks.

Please note: Monday is the Minister’s day off.

For details of future events and important dates for your diary please see the monthly Diary Sheet or check out our Website:

www.bansteadurc.org.uk

Tidings is edited by Linda Richards.

Address: 3 Breech Lane, Walton on the Hill, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7SQ

Tel 01737 813617, e-mail [email protected]

I am happy to receive your contributions, ideas and suggestions for Tidings at any time but copy for the next edition should be

with the editor by

Sunday, 20th May 2012

Tidings, May 2012

Dear Friends May brings with it a number of high events in the life of our church – on Saturday 5 May we have the opportunity to raise the profile of Banstead URC in the community as we take part in the May Queen procession, and on Sunday 6 May we are delighted to welcome the May Queens and their retinue to our Sunday morning worship. It is wonderful to see them in their beautiful costumes, and good to know that Amber-Jade and Holly have given so much thought to using their year to benefit the work of the Children’s Trust at Tadworth. In mid-May we celebrate Christian Aid week, and although in some places the annual house-to-house collections have been given up, here in Banstead people are still prepared to go out and knock on doors, taking the message of God’s love shown in practical Christian witness out into our community. As our Lent course looked at the challenge of living in a secular society, we are able to show through our actions that the Christian faith is alive and active and making a difference in the world. We give thanks for all those who organise the collections, and steadfastly go out delivering and collecting envelopes for Christian Aid, and we pray God’s blessing on them all, and on those whom they visit. And then, as if to underline these events of outreach both locally and overseas, we celebrate Pentecost. We give thanks to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which constantly breathes new life into the faith, the witness, and the mission of the Church. As Pentecost marks a hinge point in the Christian year, turning our focus towards how we, in the power of the Spirit, fulfil our Christian calling as disciples of Jesus, we pray that we may be ready to respond to the guiding of the Holy Spirit – our constant, if unseen, companion, ever leading us in new ways, so that the love of Jesus may bring life and peace to all the world. Yours in Christ Jenny

, Tidings, May 2012

OUR NEW WEBSITE AND E - TIDINGS

Our new church website is now up and running with lots of new photographs and links. Please take a look -

www.bansteadurc.org.uk Each month’s Diary Sheet is available there and it is now possible to read Tidings on line too. Because of the public nature of a website we have placed more personal news, such as our Church Family News, in a members only section of the website. If you wish to have access to that area please let me know. We would like to encourage as many people as possible to view Tidings on line. This will reduce the load on the photocopier and, perhaps more importantly, on the environment. If you would like to be notified when a new edition is available then please e-mail me at [email protected] with your name(s) and the words 'Please notify me when e-Tidings is available on line'. There will still be paper copies available for those who do not have internet access or feel strongly that they would prefer to read Tidings in its original format. Linda Richards

TRINITY TREK FOR MAY

Saturday 12th May starting at 2pm Length of walk: 5 miles Duration: about 2½ hours Meet: Hand in Hand pub, Woodhayes Road, Wimbledon Common Grid reference OS map 161 - 234707 Further details available from John Mason.

Tidings, May 2012

CHURCH FAMILY NEWS

is available in the members’ log in page or in the paper copy of Tidings.

For details of the log in and password please

contact [email protected]

, Tidings, May 2012

BELATED TRIBUTE TO NORMAN SMALL

It is with sadness that we have just learned of Norman’s death in January. With his wife Jean, and son and daughter, he worshipped with us from 1965, becoming a lay preacher, and being much involved in Junior Church, the 9.15 am service and the Rose Homes. The many services he conducted here included the baptism of his two grandchildren, Megan and Calum! Headmaster of a Wimbledon

school, Norman was a kind and gentle man with a strong faith. Writing from America, Ian Stewart, our past minister, remembers him as a great friend and member of the Church, and Doug Nurse recalls playing the organ at services led by Norman in some of the city churches. Since 1994 he has fought a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease, endured bravely and uncomplainingly. Nursed by Jean when restricted in movement and speech, he maintained a thirst for knowledge and took up painting and birdwatching, being a devotee of The Times daily crossword! We are grateful for his valued contribution to the life of Banstead URC and send our sincere sympathy and love to Jean, Adrian and Lindsay and their families. Olive Worsley

DON’T FORGET BANSTEAD MAY FAYRE ON MAY 5TH

Meet in the church car park at 11am to join the procession down the High street. We want the village to see and hear us so please, please come along to prepared to make a great noise!

Tidings, May 2012

PRAYERS FOR MAY

Two prayers from Christian Aid for Christian Aid Week:

Gracious God, who bids us to love one another, may we listen to the voices of all who speak out for a more loving world; inspire us to gifts of love and friendship; sustain us when we stand together for change; and transform our offerings so that we become a part of the miracle of your love.

God of love, we praise you for calling us friends and giving us all we need to flourish; a world of beauty and diversity, the knowledge to sustain it, and the capacity to love one another. May we learn from all whose friendship helps others to flourish; and may our bonds of friendship reflect the love that you have revealed among us.

And at Pentecost we pray for the Holy Spirit in our lives:

Come down, O Love Divine, seek thou this soul of mine, and visit it with thine own ardour glowing; O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear, and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing. (Bianco da Siena)

, Tidings, May 2012

B5Y FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR STREET LIFE STREET LIFE helps and supports projects in India to bring hope and life to children and adults living on the streets and in the slums of India's largest city, Mumbai. Working currently with the Vision Rescue project, the money raised through STREET LIFE goes to help feed, clothe and educate slum and street children, bring health promotion and medical help to families in the Mumbai slums, free girls from prostitution, and rehabilitate drug addicts. 14 teenagers, 130 cupcakes, numerous gingerbread men and a lot of chocolate – a recipe for disaster? What had we let ourselves in for? Fortunately, with Chris’ expert guidance everyone quickly settled down and worked industriously for over two hours, making, decorating and packaging all sorts of cakes. By the time we were finished the youngsters were ready for their austerity supper. They then had time for a chat and a couple of games. After a mammoth tidy up we were able to send a mountain of cakes to each of the 5 churches, where they were sold after the morning service. All Saint’s £38.25 St Ann’s £60.90 St Paul’s £44.30 URC £56.05 Methodist £36.40 Austerity Supper £42

Thank you to everyone who donated or bought cakes. We raised a total of £277.90 which we have been able to round up to £300 from B5Y funds! Beverley Kent

Tidings, May 2012

ST PAUL’S, NORK - TRIP TO SALISBURY

Last June Ruth Williams and I joined St. Paul’s for their trip to Oxford led by tour guide, Geoff Marshall, who lives in Nork. On Saturday, 21 April Ruth and I had a very enjoyable visit to Salisbury with Geoff Marshall again acting as our guide. As before the visit was thrown open to members of the Banstead 5. Just before arriving in Salisbury we passed by Old Sarum and learnt of the move to Salisbury from there in the 13th century and the building of the cathedral which was consecrated in 1258. The tower and spire (Britain’s tallest at 404ft) were added between 1310 and 1330. Before lunch we were given a detailed and interesting tour of the cathedral and then the Chapter House which houses one of 4 surviving original Magna Carta sealed by King John in 1215. The cathedral houses the world’s oldest mechanical working clock (1386). In the afternoon we visited the Cathedral Close and St. Thomas’ Church. Alan Kirby

, Tidings, May 2012

Being “green” isn’t a new thing. In the old days...

We dried clothes on a clothes line in the garden, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts. Wind and solar power really did dry the clothes.

Milk was supplied in glass bottles. They were sent back to be washed, sterilised and refilled, so the same bottles were used over and over again. So they really were recycled.

We had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not plastic bubble wrap.

We didn't start an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power.

We didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza restaurant.

We walked to the grocery shop and didn't climb into a 300 horsepower machine every time we had to go half a mile.

We brought our own bags to the shop instead of expecting the shop to provide free plastic bags

Tidings, May 2012

CYCLE CHALLENGE FOR EKWENDENI - 720 MILES IN 7 DAYS

Most readers will have heard of Ekwendeni, Malawi, through our Junior Church’s support for its primary school. In the week following 28th April Martyn Sanders (Robin’s brother) will be undertaking a challenge of cycling 720 miles in just seven days riding from Dover to Cape Wrath in aid of the Church of Scotland’s mission in Ekwendeni. Martyn is a Reader in the Church of Scotland and Pastoral Assistant with the parishes in the Annan and Gretna district on the north coast of the Solway Firth. The Church of Scotland has had a strong friendship with people and churches across Malawi for over 150 years. It’s the poorest country in Africa with more than half the population living below the poverty line. Most people in Malawi rely on subsistence farming, but the country suffers from extremes of drought and heavy rainfalls requiring food supply to be supported by thousands of tonnes of food aid every year. HIV/AIDS also poses a challenge both to adults and children. Many nurses at Ekwendeni hospital have been sent home because the government is unable to pay them. The mission has a ten year old Land Rover that requires replacement whilst diesel for vehicles and electricity generators is very expensive and not always available. Martyn is not new to this kind of challenge having literally cycled the length and breadth of the country; from St David’s to Lowestoft and Land’s End to John O’Groats. He says, “whilst many are feeling the financial pinch at home it’s important that we don’t turn our backs on those in need elsewhere.” If you’d like to support Martyn any cheques should be made payable to the Presbytery of Annandale and Eskdale and sent to; Martyn’s Bike Challenge, Further Ministries Team, Church Centre, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire, DG14 0RA, or you can pop it in an envelope marked “Cycle Challenge” and give it to Robin who will forward it to the Presbytery.

, Tidings, May 2012

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2012

from 13th to 19th of May.

You will start seeing posters appearing around the church which highlight this year's theme which is "let's give the tools to help people in poverty out of poverty".

The people who kindly helped with the collection effort last year have been contacted by e-mail to see if they are willing to help out again this year, but we do have some roads which will need volunteers to be identified to help out.

The counting of the money we collect will be held here at the church from 7pm on Monday 21st May, and we are also looking for volunteers to help with this.

If you have not seen the e-mail but should have, or if you are a new volunteer who would be willing to help out this year, or if you just want to know more about the Christian Aid effort then please contact either Emma Sabin or Jo Patel as soon as possible.

CHRISTIAN AID QUIZ

St Paul's church in Nork are holding a quiz with all proceeds going to Christian Aid. The quiz will be held on Saturday 12th May starting at 7pm. If you are interested in entering a team then there are flyers with the full details available outside so please help yourself.

Tidings, May 2012

YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE THE RECIPE

A teenage girl was complaining to her grandmother how everything was going wrong for her: she hated school, she was fighting with her sister, her mum was driving her crazy, and a friend at school had let her down. Meanwhile, her granny was baking a cake. She asked her granddaughter if she would like a snack, which of course she did. "Here, have some cooking oil." "Yeuch" says the girl, horrified. "How about a couple raw eggs? " "Grannie, that is disgusting!" "Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Grannie, they’re horrible!” To which her grandmother replied: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, and allowed to change in the oven, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!" She continued, "God works the same way in our lives. Problems can bring you blessings of growth in your life. But you need to let him change you on the inside."

, Tidings, May 2012

NEWS FROM AROUND THE URC

Chorley URC on Google Earth - Chorley United Reformed Church, Lancashire, believes it has painted itself into history by producing a giant white cross in its car park which is large enough to be seen from the sky. The minister, the Revd Martin Whiffen, together with three volunteers, set to work just before Easter with paint and brushes. The result is a cross, 25 metres long and 10 metres wide, thought to be the largest of its kind in the UK. It will mean that anyone looking at an aerial online view of the area, once Google Earth images are updated, or passing over in a plane or hot-air balloon, will instantly be able to pick out the church.

Revd Whiffen said: “We thought it would be a fun, modern and effective way of advertising the church and the town. A lot of people use Google Earth to help them explore Britain and the huge cross will draw their attention to us, and hopefully the work we do. We believe this is the first time this has ever been done in Britain and it’s already generated a lot of interest.” Double Celebration - Moderator of General Assembly, Mrs Val Morrison, recently visited Braunston URC/Methodist Church in North Devon for a double celebration. The church was celebrating 350 years of Christian witness, being one of the non-conformist churches founded in 1662 when the local vicar was ejected from the Church of England. It was also a celebration of 25 years since the coming together of the URC and Methodist congregations in Braunston. In the congregation for the Sunday morning service was the Rt Rev Alan Winstanley, Assistant Bishop of Exeter, demonstrating how far we have all come since those days of the great ejection.

Tidings, May 2012

Bible Society has given 12 Bibles to signalmen and other staff on railways in Wales. The move is part of a legacy that dates back 143 years. In 1869, a director of the Taff Vale Railway, Mr T. W. Hill, left a legacy of £100 in his will so that Bibles, New Testaments and copies of the Psalms could be placed in railway stations along the line. In his column for the Daily Mail, Chris Evans writes about his intrigue with questions about God. He tells of an afternoon spent watching 'God vs All Comers' videos on YouTube, prompted by the recent Dawkins-Williams debate. Conceding that he is unsure what he thinks, Evans writes that 'my mate Prof Brian Cox says he doesn’t believe in God, because you can’t see Him. But you can’t see hope, or write down its formula...and that definitely exists'.

B5Y will be helping to run a couple of stalls at the May Fayre, on May 5th. Come and join us when you can, in a B5Y Tshirt if you have one!

, Tidings, May 2012

THE CHURCH ACTUALLY....

This was the theme for Spring Harvest 2012 held in April, which I had the great privilege of attending.

This event has been running for over 30 years, held at Butlins holiday camps in Minehead and Skegness. It runs for a total of 4 weeks and over 24,000 people attend for 6 days at a time. The programme is repeated but with different speakers and team leaders but the message is the same; so that the church is ‘Equipped for Action’ and people go home having encountered God, been changed by that encounter and go and change the world!!

The theme ‘Church Actually’ (i.e. what is the church?) was explored in many different ways to help people from every denomination and every kind of church setting to refresh their relationship with God and to get to grips with what it means to be the Body of Christ. We could attend sessions discussing this theologically, historically or experientially. There were also seminars and workshops about every topic you can think of, for every age; starting life at university, parenting, relationships, leading small groups, youth work, leading worship, dance and drama, honouring seniors, pastoral care, understanding addiction, urban issues, building communities.....the list is exhaustive! These all ran alongside an extensive children and teenage programmes, plus all-age worship, adult celebrations in the Big Top and concerts to round off each day!

I went with Verity, my Mum and Emily Cole and we were all pretty shattered by the end of the week! Because this is all set at a Butlins site (open only for Spring Harvest goers) there is comfortable accommodation, plenty of eating places and lots of free facilities like the swimming pool and fun fair. We couldn’t fit it all in!

http://www.springharvest.org/

Tidings, May 2012

Verity had a wonderful time and made new friends at her daily group called ‘Whizz Kids’. She experienced a fresh expression of worship at the all age meetings and there were puppets, magicians, a pantomime and competitions each day; all used to teach the children about God’s love and about being the church in their homes, schools and with their friends.

Emily and I couldn’t get enough of the Big Top worship times. A glimpse of heaven on earth....celebrating with 4,000 people in one place, all worshipping in harmony..it is life changing! We also spent time in the prayer room, a beautiful, quiet space with inspirational ways to pray and be still in Gods presence.

I came home with so much from my Spring Harvest experience...books, CDs, copious notes from the teaching times, but also a refreshed heart, refocused on why we are Christians, how we live a daily walk in tune with God, how we know His heart and pray for His world, the people around us and the Body of Christ. We studied how Jesus lived and what he taught us about being church...inside the building and outside in the High Street! We are still the church whether we are gathered or dispersed and Jesus’ holiness shone through His hospitality and His acceptance of everyone. It would seem this is God’s heart for His church, at this time, in this nation, as He is using Radical Welcome to teach us in the URC the same message.

So...next year we would love to go to Spring Harvest again. The theme for 2013 is ‘The Source’ ...focusing on what Jesus being the Good News means in today’s world. It would be wonderful to go as a church group and experience this time together as well as spending fun time away. The booking lines open in June for April 2013 and the standard chalets go fast! If you are interested in coming as a family, couple or individual, there is a reduced rate for group bookings (and you can still have your own chalet!). I have all the details and prices or you can look on the website springharvest.org. So please ask me, if your are serious about booking or if you just want to know more.

Jo Patel

, Tidings, May 2012

Tidings, May 2012

St MATTHIAS

May 14th

There is no mention of a Matthias among the lists of followers of Jesus in the Gospels but we assume that he was part of the larger group, outside the 12 disciples, during Jesus’ ministry.

According to chapter one of Acts, after Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, the disciples sought to replace him. They nominated two men; Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias to replace Judas out of a group of about 120. The disciples prayed, and then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. Acts, chapter 1, verses 23-26.

And that is all we really know about Matthias. That he was chosen.

But we do know that he was one of the witnesses of Jesus’s ministry. He was one of the great cloud of witnesses that includes us today, to the power of God in changing lives.

CHANGE OVER

Can you rearrange these letters to make the names of people mentioned in the Bible? Answers at the bottom of the page.

1. A C B O J

2. N A N A

3. M A T H A R

4. N I S O M E U S

5. H A T B A T I

6. K O Z A D

7. S H A M I T A T

8. L I R E B A G

What do you call a bee born in

May? A maybe.

What is green and fluffy?

A sea-sick poodle.

What do you call a person who can’t weave?

Unbeweavable.

Answers: 1.Jacob 2.Anna 3.Martha 4.Onesimus 5.Tabitha 6.Zadok

7.Matthias 8.Gabriel

, Tidings, May 2012

Minister: Revd. Jennifer Morgan, 01737 355026

Church Secretary: Kevin Dinnage 01737 356380

Copy for the next edition should be with the editor by

Sunday, 20th May 2012.

Email: [email protected]

Tidings May 2012

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