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CONTACT

Magazine of Erdington Methodist Church !

Station Road - October 2014 1

Contents

" Minister’s Letter! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Athletic Beavers! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Vision Report for September! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Illuminating the Shadows! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Urgent Help Needed!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Did you know?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

The Joys of Music and Poetry! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Black History Month Service! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Children’s Pages! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Happy 75th Birthday Citizens Advice Bureau! ! ! !

Temperature Gauge?! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Harvest Gifts!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Improve your English!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Vestry Team! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Help with a type of conversion . . .! ! ! ! ! ! !

What would Jesus do?!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

HYMN: The story behind . . . Come Ye Thankful People Come!

Do we take the Bible for granted?! ! ! ! ! ! !

Singing the faith plus - the movie! ! ! ! ! ! !

Fantastic Acts!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

October Regular Meetings! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Weekly Church Activities! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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Minister’s Letter

" Dear friends!

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You might have heard the radio programme, ‘What’s the point of the Methodists?’ The presenter spent a lot of time looking back at history and portrayed Methodism as an organised (methodical) and enthusiastic pressure group, stirred by hymn-singing and a desire to see social renewal. It mentioned Methodism’s part in the abolition of slavery, the rise of the trade unions and in the temperance (‘tee-total’) movement.!

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The programme came about because of the news that the Methodist Church is continuing to reduce in size. (This is true in Britain, of course, but in many other parts of the world it is growing tremendously. Some congregations here are growing, too.

However, in Great Britain there are only now about 200,000 of us, compared with about 900,000 in 1932 (when the British population was much smaller). Statistically speaking, the decline is largely because we are an elderly denomination and members are dying more quickly than we are making new ones.!

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The programme suggested two possible futures. One is that we join with the Church of England, either by being absorbed into the Church of England or by merging with it to form a new denomination, the Church In England. The other is that we rediscover our reason for existing and become revitalised. It isn’t an either/or choice. In 2000, the Methodist Church produced a document called ‘Our calling’, which continued a process that aimed to renew our sense of purpose. Since 2001, the Methodist Church has been in a covenant with the Church of England which 3

commits us to working together wherever possible. Some would argue that we need both a union with the Church of England and revitalisation. Others say we don’t need union with the C of E. All agree, though, that we need revitalising!!

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Personally, I think this means getting back to our roots of being a people who believe in transformation. This has always been at the heart of what God has done through Methodism. We are a movement of people who are being transformed as individuals, a process that begins when we are reborn through the Holy Spirit (Titus 3: 4-7) and continues as we are ’changed from glory into glory’ (2 Cor. 3:18). This leads us to work for transformed societies and communities and, ultimately, a transformed world, as God’s rule extends through each. This, it seems to me, is the heart of Methodism. It is also an inspiring vision which might capture the hearts and minds of all who long for transformation and new life.

And it is close to the heart of God, who says, ‘I am making everything new!’ (Rev. 21:5).!

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Many have lost sight of this calling. Some Methodists have exchanged it for a ‘holy huddle’ mentality, where we enjoy fellowship together but close the doors on the ‘nasty’ world.

Sometimes we have made it a moralistic club, looking down on people who aren’t ‘nice’. Some have reduced it to ‘getting people to heaven when they die’; others have reduced it to campaigning for justice in this world. Some have given up on the whole venture, as if God had nothing to offer to people that they would want or need. But I firmly believe that under God this calling has the power to liberate us and to instil in us again the passion which led people to call the early Methodists ‘Enthusiasts’!!

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Your friend and minister!

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" Athletic Beavers

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Rev Paul!

On Wednesday 11th June 2014 the 177th Beavers attended the joint District Beavers/Cubs Athletics event which was held at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. Our Beavers were defending the District Beaver Shield which they had won in 2013. Several other Beaver Colonies from Tame Valley District were present but yet again our Beavers did us proud by winning the Beaver Shield for another year.!

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Congratulations to the following Beavers who took part in the events: Jasper Beattie, Sam McCormack, Malachy Hayes, Ethan Walcott, Antonia Barker and Josh Howarth.!

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Ahmeek (Lynn) and the winning team.!

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Vision Report for September

" Now that work is underway there will be less need for regular reports as most of you will be able to see the progress for yourselves. At this time there is a lot of ground work happening, but the windows on the Wesley Road side are completed and make a great difference to the church already.!

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We have received a second, generous grant of £5000 from the Douglas Turner Trust and are grateful to all who have made grants or pledges. A list is on the board in the church. !

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Our total to date is £208,000 with £37,000 still to raise.!

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I thought it worth saying more about some of the grant-funding charities and how they operate. Many of them are established by a family whose ancestor with money and a particular interest in areas of medicine, poverty, heritage community etc. wanted to set up a trust, or was set up in memory.

Some make small donations, with a ceiling of £1,000; others can be very much larger.! !

It seems that many well known companies have their own Trust Funds; Sainsbury have a number of different ones, but we haven’t been successful with them yet. My latest find is the Birmingham Airport Trust Fund, with thanks to David Hewitt, who suggested there might be one. We fill their criteria on 2 accounts. We are in the right area under their flight path ( many people in the area might not think it the ‘right area’ to live in!!) and one of their areas of support is community based. !

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This is what they say:! !

‘The Community Trust Fund enables Birmingham Airport to invest in a range of local projects which benefit your community and environment. By investing in the Community Trust Fund, the Airport recognises that communities close to the Airport suffer disturbance from aircraft activity and seeks to make a positive contribution to the quality of life in those areas. The Airport Company pays £50,000 each year into the Trust and this is topped up by the fines imposed on airlines that exceed the airport’s noise violation levels. ‘!

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The administrator encouraged us to put in an application but unfortunately we have just missed one deadline, so will have to wait until next April for a result!!

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Our own fund-raising goes on and the next event will be the Barn Dance on October 18th. This is also the Harvest weekend but this event had already been booked for Vision. Our Christmas Tree Festival is our last main event of the year on November 29th and 30th. We hope there will be many trees of all sizes and not necessarily decorated in traditional fashion! We are hoping to have a musical interlude on both afternoons and details will be forthcoming, but Barbara’s bells will be one of the features.!

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We have some interesting events for 2015 and the group will be meeting soon to finalise the calendar.

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Hilary - for the Vision Group!

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Illuminating the Shadows

" ‘Grief comes in many forms. It may come with the loss of a dream, a loss of health or youth, the death of a loved one or in any number of other ways. For me it came with the illness then death of my husband Pat in the summer of 2011.’ These words from Ruth Sprague introduce us to ‘Illuminating the Shadows’. This is a collection of some of her journal entries and textiles which reflect on her journey with grief and God and which help us to reflect interactively on our own experiences. We can read her words, handle the textiles and pray and reflect on what it means to know and trust God in the depths of grief.!

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Like the psalmists before her, Ruth never flinches from honestly expressing herself to God. The resulting blend of darkness and light, pain and joy and, through it all, faith, hope and love, offer powerful insights into what it means to be humans living in the shadow of death and the light of eternity.!

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In August Ruth took ‘Illuminating the Shadows’ to Lindisfarne where many people were deeply touched and liberated by it. It’s wonderful that she has agreed to share it with us in Erdington over the weekend of 1st - 2nd November, as we celebrate All Saints.!

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‘Everyone experiences grief differently and there is no wrong or right way.

Here I share with you the journey I have made thus far, as journaled in my words and stitches.’ !

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Do come along to share Ruth’s experience of her journey. It will include opportunities for you to remember your own loved ones and will be available at Stockland Green Methodist Church on 8

Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd November, from 2.00 - 4.00 pm.

Come when you can and stay for as long as you like. On Sunday 2nd at 6.30pm we shall hold our annual Saints in Light service at Stockland Green, to remember with thanks those who have gone before us in the way of Jesus. !

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All are welcome.!

" " Urgent Help Needed!

" What for?!

When?! !

Time?! !

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Luncheon Club!

1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month (on a rota) 11.00 am to 2.00 pm-ish!

Job Description! Vegetable prep, laying tables, serving food,! ! ! ! ! washing up, having fun!

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Qualifications!

Keep Smiling!

Payment!!

Free dinner!

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More information and application to Elizabeth Livingstone or Marion Griffin.!

" Did you know?

175 years ago:- on 19th Oct 1839 that Bradshaw’s Railway Guide, the world’s first compilation of railway timetables, was published in Manchester.!

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The Joys of Music and Poetry "

A concert will be held in Sutton Coldfield United Reformed Church on October 16th starting at 3.00pm "

All are welcome ~~~ "

Songs by professional soprano soloist, Catherine Mason "

An assortment of music played by A local team of Handbell Ringers Led by Barbara Rawson "

Poems introduced and read by Diane Wiggett and Friends "

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Entrance is free but if you wish to make a donation the monies raised will be sent to “Vine Trust” – the church project in Tanzania connecting people to change lives.

The afternoon’s entertainment will finish at approximately 4.15pm and light refreshments will follow.

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Churches Together in Erdington

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A service celebrating

Black History Month

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Sunday 5th October

4.00 pm

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George Road Baptist Church

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Happy 75th Birthday

Citizens Advice Bureau

" The initial idea for the Citizens Advice Bureau began as an idea in 1935 to link in with the new Social Welfare Service, to assist people with their everyday problems. By 1938, with war looming, there was more urgency to the planning because consideration was being given to how the needs of the Civilian population might be met if, indeed, war came. It may have been accident or design, I have not been able to determine, but war was declared on 3rd September 1939 and by the end of September that year, 200 bureaux had opened.!

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The questions addressed then were not significantly different from those now - helping ordinary people cope with the bureaucracy of the time. Examples include lost ration books and false teeth, missing relatives and debts. Indebtedness followed on very quickly after the call up began because families suddenly had to live on reduced incomes after the breadwinner disappeared. The Bureaux operated from similar premises to now, public buildings, churches and libraries. There was at least one noteworthy alternative, a converted horse box, aimed at providing a service as rapidly as possible in a bomb-damaged area. Then as now volunteers staffed the Bureaux. Their number peaked in 1942 at 1074.!

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After the war austerity ruled and the numbers of Bureaux halved, with much support coming from other charitable organisations.

Since then the fortunes of CAB has waxed and waned with the vagaries of Government inertia or interest. The most recent 14

statistics suggest that the service is now provided from over 3,400 locations in England and Wales relying upon 21,500 trained volunteers and 7,000 paid staff. In addition since 1999 the CAB has also provides an on-line self-help service www.adviceguide.org.uk!

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As a previous user I can only say long may it continue to provide its services. However I doubt that in this day and age many will be asking about lost Ration Books or lost false teeth.!

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" " Temperature Gauge?Â

Peter Farley!

Here's a fun experiment to try if you want to find out what the temperature is and don't have a thermometer. The frequency of a cricket's chirps fluctuates with the temperature, so if you count a cricket's chirps for 15 seconds and add 37, you will have the approximate outdoor temperature (in Fahrenheit).! Â !

Well fancy that!!

" " Harvest Gifts

This year the Harvest dried foods, given at our Harvest Festival, will go to Birmingham City Mission while any money donated will go to Water Aid.!

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Marion Griffin!

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Vestry team

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the vestry before a service?? Well, there’s the basic hospitality of welcoming the preacher and making sure that he or she has everything they need and that they are prayed with. There are some practical jobs to be done in the worship area – putting hymn numbers on the board, checking the sound system, making sure there’s a hymn book and a glass of water in the pulpit, etc. We have a rota of people who do these things and if you would like to help with any of these jobs, please ask one of the stewards about going on the rota. They’ll guide you through what happens and how to do it.!

" " Help with a type of conversion . . .

Do you have a gizmo to convert slides to digital photos? Would you be willing to let someone borrow it, in exchange for a donation to Church funds? If so, please let Rev Paul know.!

" What would Jesus do?

While waiting in line to check out at a Christian bookstore, a man in front of me asked the clerk about a display of hats with the letters WWJD on them. The clerk explained that WWJD stands for "What would Jesus do?" and that the idea is to get people to consider this question when making decisions.!

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The man pondered a moment, then replied, "I don't think he'd pay £17.95 for that hat.”!

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from the Parish Pump Website!

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HYMN: The story behind . . .

Come Ye Thankful People Come

" Come, ye thankful people, come,!

Raise the song of harvest home!!

All be safely gathered in,!

Ere the winter storms begin;!

God, our maker, doth provide!

For our wants to be supplied;!

Come to God’s own temple, come;!

Raise the song of harvest home!!

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We ourselves are God’s own field,!

Fruit unto his praise to yield;!

Wheat and tares together sown,!

Unto joy or sorrow grown;!

First the blade and then the ear,!

Then the full corn shall appear:!

Grant, O harvest Lord, that we!

Wholesome grain and pure may be….!

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By H Alford (1810 – 71)!

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Very probably, you will sing this well-loved Harvest hymn this month. It was written by the Rev Henry Aldford, DD, a Victorian clergyman who had been a fellow student at Trinity College, Cambridge with Alfred Tennyson, and whose transparent goodness and friendliness seem to have made him liked and appreciated wherever he went.!

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His ministry began as vicar of Wymeswold, a tiny village in Leicestershire with a badly neglected church. Over 18 years, Henry rebuilt the faltering Christian community, faithfully visiting every person in his parish, and preaching his way through the Bible in sermons that were so clear that everyone could understand him.

He then moved on to the incumbency of Quebec Chapel in London for four years, before moving to the Deanery of Canterbury, in 1857, where he lived until his death in early 1871.!

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Henry was one of life’s good people; gentle, kindly, grateful for everything he had (he used to say ‘grace’ before AND after each meal), and eager to encourage all those whom he served. He was prodigiously productive: writing something like 50 books. The best known of these was a four volume exposition of the New Testament, which took him nearly 20 years.!

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His famous hymn draws upon two of Jesus’ parables: the story of the wheat and tares (Mt 13:24-30) and also the story of the seed that grows unbeknown to the sower (Mark 4:26-29). Both are parables draw from agriculture; both are about the ultimate harvest of our souls before God. During this lifetime we properly give thanks to God for our harvest of his gifts of creation, but we should also reflect on what seed we are sowing in our lives, and what harvest we may expect; as one day God will gather together only his own for the eternal heavenly harvest.!

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from the Parish Pump Website!

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Do we take the Bible for granted?

When we approach Bible Sunday, on the 26th October, we remember our debt to those who first translated the Bible into English. We have so many different translations and paraphrases to choose from today. But the Bible had never been in our vernacular until John Wycliffe’s translation, completed with the help of others in about 1384. For this and criticism of the Church and its teaching, Wycliffe and his followers, the Lollard lay preachers, were condemned as heretics.!

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It was not until 1525 that William Tyndale’s translation of the Gospels into English was completed and printed, though still in defiance of the law in England. For this Tyndale was condemned and eventually burnt at the stake, in Antwerp, where he had worked in exile. Myles Coverdale continued Tyndale’s work and the whole Bible in English was printed in 1535, and eventually the English Bible became accessible to everyone who could read. It is a freedom we in Britain take for granted now. Though in parts of the world where Christians are persecuted minorities this freedom can still be denied.!

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Even in Uganda in 1972, a largely Christian country, a crisis arose in which the use of the Bible in public worship seemed under threat. President Amin had recently expelled all Israeli citizens from Uganda because he suspected Israeli military advisors of subversive activity.!

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Soon afterwards a Bible reading during Thought for Today, on Radio Uganda, quoted from the Old Testament that the People of Israel were coming into their Promised Land. Amin saw this as a 20

modern day threat, and banned the name ‘Israel’ from being spoken in Uganda.!

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The Archbishop of Uganda, Erica Sabiti (the first Ugandan to be Archbishop), went to confront the President in his Command Post.

The President repeated that the name Israel was never to be spoken. The Archbishop replied, ‘But your Excellency, the Children of Israel in the Bible is not the same as the State of Israel today.’!

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‘I forbid it!’ the President repeated.!

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‘Your Excellency, if you forbid us to speak the name Israel, you are forbidding us to use this book. The name Israel is written in the Bible from beginning to end.’!

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‘I forbid it!’!

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The Archbishop, who was small in stature and quite frail, held up a copy of the Bible in front of the towering form of the President.

‘Your Excellency, down the centuries Christians have been willing to die to defend the right to read this book. We are ready again.’!

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The President backed down. Thought for Today, however, was banned.!

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from the Parish Pump Website!

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Singing the faith plus - the movie

A new DVD resource has been prepared, especially with local preachers and worship leaders in mind. Free copies of Making the most of Singing the Faith Plus are being sent to superintendents and local preacher secretaries throughout Britain, for use with local preacher and worship leader meetings or in other suitable ways. !

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This 11-minute programme offers an overview of all the website’s main features and encourages site users to share its resources with those not so comfortable with computer technology.

It is also available on the Singing the Faith Plus website.!

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Also... Singing the Faith is now on Facebook. There you can share ideas and be first to know what’s new on Singing the Faith Plus.! !

Fantastic Acts!

Here is the story of the Book of Acts, but not like you’ve seen it before.

Fantastic Acts! is the Riding Lights Theatre Company’s new show, currently on tour across the UK. Fun, vitality and inspiration abound in this vividly told story of the remarkable lives of the men and women who formed the first churches. !

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For full tour schedule see www.ridinglights.org/acts.!

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October Regular Meetings

" Coffee Mornings

Each Saturday 10.00 am to 12.00 noon!

" " Tuesday Club

Every 4th Tuesday in the month at 2.30 pm!

" " Sunday Worship

All worship starts at 10.30 am unless stated otherwise below. ! 


" 5th! !

12th!!

19th!! ! !

26th!!

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HOLY COMMUNION - Rev Gerald Hainsworth!

Tom Watts!

ALL AGE WORSHIP - HARVEST FESTIVAL! Rev Paul Dunstan!

Gail Morgan!

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Weekly Church Activities

" Sunday

10.30 am

MORNING WORSHIP and Young Church

Tuesday

9.30 - 12.30 pm 2.00 pm

Pre-School : Karen Homer Tuesday Afternoon Meeting : Ann Tomes (4th)

Wednesday

9.30 - 11.30 am 9.30 - 12.30 pm 12.30 pm

Stay and Play Pre-School : Karen Homer Luncheon Club - (1st and 3rd)

Thursday

9.30 - 12.30 pm

Pre-School : Karen Homer

Friday

9.30 - 12.30 pm 5.00 - 6.15 pm 6.15 - 7.45 pm 7.45 - 9.15 pm 7.45 - 9.15 pm 5.30 - 6.30 pm 5.00 - 6.30 pm 7.30 - 9.00 pm

Pre-School : Karen Homer Beavers : Lynn Turner Cubs : Elizabeth Baizon Scouts : Lisa Porter Explorers : Lucy Porter Rainbows : Debbie Barnett Brownies : Lesley Carter Guides : Helen Rainsford

Saturday

10.00 - 12.00 noon 10.30 - 11.30 am

Coffee Morning : Lesley Morgan Church open for prayer : Margaret Curzon

Please hand any items for the November CONTACT to any of the Editorial Team (Peter Farley, Christine Rankin, Ann Tomes & Nick Riley) by 15th October 2014 at the latest please or alternatively email me: nickriley@blueyonder.co.uk with the word ‘CONTACT’ in the title.

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