pulse July - August 2017
Services in July 2nd
11.00 a.m. 6.00 p.m.
Family Service Evening Communion Service
9th
11.00 a.m.
Family Service
16th
11.00 a.m.
Family Service with Holy Communion
23rd
11.00 a.m.
Family Service
30th
11.00 a.m.
Family Service
Services in August 6th
11.00 a.m. 6.00 p.m.
Family Service Evening Communion Service
13th
11.00 a.m.
Family Service (Shortened Service followed by Prayer Walk)
20th
11.00 a.m.
Family Service with Holy Communion (Pontprennau Community Church may be joining us for this – TBC)
27th
11.00a.m.
Holiday Bible Club Service
2
Minister’s Letter
I haven’t ridden a bicycle for many years, not just because I’m lazy but also because I’m a bit nervous. And, as a car driver and a pedestrian, I get rather annoyed by some cyclists who try to keep moving at all costs, dangerously weaving their way through stationary traffic and refusing to stop at zebra crossings.
But there is a real danger that a church can lose its sense of motion, especially during the summer. For we are now in the holiday period: families with children are eagerly awaiting the end of the school year, while retired folk have already been making their escape before prices reach their peak. Many of our church’s regular activities will soon be put “on hold” or merely tick over.
But those cyclists do have the laws of physics on their side. For all moving objects possess both momentum and kinetic energy, which can only be restored by the input of fresh energy. In simple terms this means that a cyclist who slows down will have to pedal hard to get back to their former speed. The power required – especially on steep Welsh hills – can only come from the rider’s aching muscles!
There is nothing wrong with this, as all pilgrims deserve a break to rest their weary feet or take a refreshing drink. But, as every walker knows, if you pause for too long your muscles seize up and it becomes hard to get moving again. Equally, everyone who’s had a holiday has experienced that “I really don’t want to go back to work” feeling when they return home. Lethargy can very easily become the order of the day!
I think that churches possess a kind of spiritual momentum. This can’t, of course, be measured in any scientific way, yet we all know when things are going well and we feel that we’re “getting somewhere”. Actually this shouldn’t surprise us, for every congregation is supposed to be a community in movement, seeking to follow our leader who is God. This pilgrim theme runs through the Bible from Abraham to Jesus and beyond.
So, when summer comes to its end, we will have to overcome our inertia. For once we’ve all caught our breath after the Holiday Bible Club, we’ll be “kicking off” our autumn season with the Golden Jubilee weekend, complete with Quiz Night, Concert and special services. The Playgroup and our other regular activities will recommence. We’ll have Harvest, Remembrance and the Autumn Fair. And, before we know it, we’ll be starting Panto
Momentum
3
rehearsals and thinking of Christmas a gift which they should use to serve – what a thought! Christ in his Church. But we haven’t yet arrived at that point; the quieter weeks of summer still lie ahead of us. So might I urge us all to use some of that fallow time in thinking and praying about two things, ready for the autumn.
Please do enjoy the summer, especially if you have been working hard for God during the rest of the year. I hope that we will all have time to relax, reflect and think. And then, when autumn comes, let’s move ahead with renewed vigour and find The first is mission and outreach to a new momentum which will be our neighbourhood. I am very aware quite unstoppable! that although lots of young people come through our doors each week, Best wishes, we aren’t making many meaningful Andrew contacts with the people who live around us. We have a responsibility to share our Christian message with them – but how can we do this? People are not going to beat a path to our doors, so we need to discover ways of interacting with them. The second is our own involvement in church life. It’s all too easy for Christians to come to church and assume that other folk will do all the necessary jobs to keep things running, whether that be cutting the grass, making the tea, photocopying the notice-sheet or simply welcoming visitors. But activities and events don’t happen by themselves and all churches rely on willing volunteers to run them. Some folk at Christchurch are doing a great deal: so is there anything that you could do, however small it may seem, to bear part of their load? You may think you have nothing to contribute – so remember that St. Paul says that every Christian has 4
50th Anniversary Celebration Concert A concert featuring the Dowlais Male Voice Choir, together with the brass ensemble, Cathays Brass will be held on Saturday, September 2nd at 7.00p.m. Admission to the concert will be free, but tickets will be issued , as this will help to record the numbers attending. There will be a retiring collection, with the proceeds of the evening going to local charities.
tickets@christchurchunitedcardiff. org.uk If you do take a ticket, and then decide not to attend the concert, please could we ask that you return the ticket. This will allow us to offer it to someone else, and also ensure that we are able to keep a record of numbers attending.
It promises to be a special evening and a wonderful opportunity to If you would like a ticket, available celebrate, through music and song, from Sunday, July 9th, please see our 50th Anniversary. Eirian or Ian after morning service. Eirian and Ian Kelly You can also contact Eirian by phone on 029 2065 5691 or via email at
Filling the Church with Gold !!! No , I'm not asking you for all your jewels and riches !!! The idea is that on the Anniversary Weekend the church is ablaze with golden ( yellow, orange, bronze, gold ) flowers.
sure our Treasurer will come up with some more, if I ask him, (well, here's hoping!!!) but if anyone would like to contribute towards the Anniversary flowers, please see me between now and the end of August.
Perhaps you've all got gardens full of Thank you. these colours we can use but if not I'm afraid we'll have to buy them.
Linda Jones
I know only too well how generous you all are buying the flowers each week in Christchurch. We've got some money in the kitty and I'm 5
JULY 2017
Sunday
Monday
25th
26th
27th
2nd
3rd
4th
11.00am Family Service 3.00pm HBC Leaders Training 6.00pm Evening Communion Service
7.00pm Playgroup Shopping/Social Evening
2.00pm Ladies’ Circle
9th
10th
11th
11.00am Family Service 6.30pm Sunday Takeaway
16th
2.00pm Ladies’ Circle
17th
11.00am Family Service with Holy Communion
23rd 11.00am Family Service
6
Tuesday
18th 1.30pm Ladies’ Circle Summer Buffet
24th
25th
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
28th
29th
30th
1st
5th
6th
7th
8th
1.45pm Toddlers’ Group
11.00am Prayer Meeting 7.00pm Seven11
12th
13th
14th
1.45pm Toddlers’ Group 7.00pm Deacons’ Meeting
7.30pm Fellowship Group
11.00am Prayer Meeting 7.00pm Seven11
19th
20th
21st
1.45pm Toddlers’ Group
26th
15th
22nd
11.00am Prayer Meeting 7.00pm Seven11
27th
28th
7.30pm Fellowship Group
11.00am Prayer Meeting
29th
7
Sunday 30sth (July)
Monday 31st (July)
Tuesday 1st
11.00am family Service
SEE WEEKLY N OTHER AUG 6th
7th
8th
14th
15th
20th
21st
22nd
11.00am Family Worship and Communion
9.30am - 12.00pm Holiday Bible Club
9.30am - 12.00pm Holiday Bible Club
27th
28th
29th
AUGUST 2017
11.00am Family Service 6.00pm Evening Worship and Communion
13th 11.00am Family Service (shortened service followed by Prayer Walk)
11.00am Holiday Bible Club Service followed by buffet lunch
8
Wednesday 2nd
Thursday 3rd
4th
Saturday 5th
11.00am Prayer Meeting
NOTICES FOR GUST EVENTS 9th
Friday
10th
11th
12th
11.00am Prayer Meeting
16th
17th
18th
19th
11.00am Prayer Meeting
23rd
24th
25th
26th
9.30am - 12.00pm Holiday Bible Club
9.30am - 12.00pm Holiday Bible Club
9.30am - 12.00pm Holiday Bible Club
Holiday Bible Club Beach Party
30th
31st
1st
2nd
9
Playgroup As I write this, the weather is glorious and we are preparing for rd our annual sponsored Toddle and held in the hall on Monday, 3 July trip to Heath Park Model Train from 7.00 p.m. All are very welcome to come and support us and to do centre. some shopping! Tickets cost £3 This year I am telling parents to which can be bought on the door or remember the sun block and sun from me in advance. hats. Makes a change from wellies We have escorted the older group of and brollies! children (our ‘Schoolies’ group) to Kath, a representative from the the library in the Powerhouse, and Noah's Ark Appeal is coming to we have also had a Road Safety speak to the children about how we event recently at Playgroup, and can help the charity. We incorporate learned about the life cycle of a this with a hospital type of home frog. The children even made corner and sing "Miss Polly had a frogspawn (out of green jelly and Dolly" in Playgroup. Kath will also be chocolate drops!) and made a frog accompanying us on our Toddle at headband to wear home. the Train Centre and will give out stickers/certificates to all who took We are finishing the term with end of year parties, and will be inviting part. parents in to see their children sing We are also busy making and receive their report folders. arrangements for We will be having a well-earned another fundraiser event - break for summer, but will be back our Shopping/ full of enthusiasm in September! Social evening Debbie Munton
Ladies’ Circle Ladies’ Circle is organising a Summer ladies. We hope as many of you can Buffet on Tuesday the 18th July at join us before we break up for the 1.30p.m. Tickets priced at £4.00 are summer holiday period. available, as usual, from the Circle Jean Richards 10
WALK and PRAY We’re all going on a prayer walk! “A doing?” and, “Why are you here?” what?”, I hear you say. So let me This will give us an opportunity to say who we are: after all, most folk explain. only see our building from the road After our morning service on August and have never ventured inside! 13th – which will be shorter than usual – we shall sally forth from the Now for some practicalities! Our church and take a short walk around Prayer Walk will not be a highour neighbourhood. During our powered “March for Jesus” with journey we will stop at various banners and music: we shall simply points and pray. Finally we will walk slowly and pause at a number return to the church for a “cuppa” of pre-determined points. At each stopping-place I hope that someone before going home. will lead us in a short prayer; a signWhy are we doing this? There are a up sheet for doing this will be number of reasons. The first is that available in church beforehand. The we want God to open our eyes so “pray-ers” can prepare their words that we are more aware of our beforehand or speak “off the cuff”; if community’s needs. It is all too easy needed I can give them some for those of us who don’t live in guidance. So praying won’t be Llanedeyrn to “commute” to and arduous or frightening – the from our church building without important thing will be to speak taking much notice of what lies loudly enough for everyone to hear! around it. Although I hope that as many folk as Second, we think it is a good thing to possible will come on our Walk, I pray: for the built environment, the realise that some might find it Maelfa redevelopment, the school physically difficult. For them I hope and even the pub! More important, to arrange a “Virtual Walk” in church we want to pray for our neighbours with photographs of each stoppingand their needs. A walk such as this place projected on a screen and will inform our intercessions. prepared pointers for prayer. Again Finally – and this is not the principal we will need at least one person to reason for our walk – we may just lead this. (This also gives us a Plan B find that this becomes an if the day is very wet!) opportunity for witness. For people So: are we up for this? I hope that may see us and ask, “What are you we all are! Andrew 11
SHOPPING & SOCIAL EVENING
Christchurch, Llanedeyrn Drive Tickets £3 (inc a drink) Mon 3rd July ‘17 @ 7pm Call Debbie Munton on 07866 848279 for further details Organised by Christchurch Playgroup
News The Tortoise Plodding On The Tortoise (Savings Scheme) is still plodding on. With interest rates looking likely to rise, it would be nice to increase the hundred or so pounds for the church to over a thousand, especially as, thanks to the church fall back account, the overall balance in the Scheme is now much higher than ever. It would be nice, however, to see some more of you saving for a rainy dayyou can have your money back whenever you want it. I give advance notice, however, that there will be no Savings Scheme on the 20th August as Les, Wynford and I are off on our annual pilgrimage to Alison’s. I hope that all of you yet to go on holiday will have a good time. Ian Travis 12
Church Cleaning There is a new church cleaning rota on the notice board covering the period from August 2017 to April 2018.
May Skoles I was so pleased to read that Hywel and Jean were able to attend May’s funeral which was held in Oxfordshire. It’s lovely that Jean has shared May’s ‘life’ story with us all. We tend to chat to people on a Sunday in church or at one of our church functions and give little thought to their history before we knew them. I loved that she was an Elvis and Engelbert Humperdinck fan, and that she met Jeffrey in the Top Rank. That took me back some years as I was a frequent visitor to Top Rank myself ! I remember going to see the Four Pennies there with a boyfriend (I can remember the Four Pennies, but not the boyfriend!). I was moved by May’s story and I wish I had made more of an effort to know her better; she was a gentle, delightful lady. Thank you, Jean, for sharing May’s story.
Di Thorne
Secret Gardens I’d like to thank the lovely people who welcomed us to their gardens, and for the refreshments, both on May 20th and June 17th. I only managed some of them, unfortunately, but they were all very different and all stunning in their own way. I love beautiful gardens, but I’m not a gardener myself (anyone who knows me will agree). John keeps it tidy, and I have a little dabble with my many pots, which I love. I can only imagine how many hours of work it must take to produce such gorgeous results. A real labour of love. Thank you all. Di Thorne th
The second Secret Gardens of Christchurch on June 17 was another huge success. The weather was very kind to us on this occasion, and I would like to thank those who opened up their gardens and helped make it a great day! A total of just under £200 was made from brochure sales and refreshment donations. Gareth Joshua 13
Rotas - July Stewards July
Cleaning
Ruth Dickinson, Sandra Bastable, Hilary Widdison
(Further details from Jean Richards or Gareth Joshua)
Week commencing July 3rd
Tesni and Erfyl Williams
July 10th
Jan Derrett and Hywel Williams
July 17th
Kundai Chuma and Sandy
July 24th
Travis family
July 31st
Sandra Bastable and Linda Jones
Flowers
14
July 2nd
Sandy
July 9th
Alison and Alan Ridgway
July 16th
Jean Mitchell
July 23rd
Trudy and Gareth Joshua
July 30th
Shan Hill
Rotas - August Stewards August
Liz Dickinson, Frances Stacey, Pat Ballard
September
Ralph Jeffrey, Diane Thorne, Jean Richards
Cleaning
(Further details from Jean Richards or Gareth Joshua)
Week commencing August 7th
Ruth and Liz Dickinson
August 14th
Trudy and Gareth Joshua
August 21st
Jean Richards
August 28th
Barbara and Gerard Garness
September 4th
Carole Cox and Alison Ridgway
Flowers August 6th
Ann Heaps
August 13th August 20th
Hilary Widdison
August 27th
Holiday Bible Club
September 3rd
Anniversary Weekend
15
Christchurch United Church Llanedeyrn Drive Llanedeyrn Cardiff CF23 7JQ
Welcome to Christchurch We are a united church in east Cardiff, and offer a warm welcome to all visitors. Worship reflects the inter-denominational composition of our congregation. Baptist, Methodist and Covenant Rite Liturgies are used, infant and believer’s baptism and infant dedication are practised. We have an open Communion table at which the invitation is to ‘All who love our Lord Jesus Christ’. There are many church and community activities during the week, and some special events each month. We have strong links with other churches in our area and hold United Services on a regular basis.
www.christchurchunitedcardiff.org.uk
Items for the September edition of PULSE to Eirian by lunchtime on August 20th. Contact:
editor@christchurchunitedcardiff.org.uk 029 2065 5691 PULSE box in the church porch