Contact201606

CONTACT

Magazine of Erdington Methodist Church Station Road - June 2016 1

Contents Minister’s Letter Upcoming Coffee Mornings Themes Noticeboard in Corridor Beanstalk Think, Pray, Vote: Balance Organ Fund Activities Vision Circuit Celebration Service Local Arrangement - 26th June Real life answers in exams Football Stars The Peasant Poet by John Clare (1793 - 1864) Reaching the standard?!

Chernobyl ReIMAGINE: Silent Reading Parties Palestine Youth Orchestra June Regular Meetings Coffee Mornings Tuesday Club Sunday Worship Weekly Church Activities

2

3 5 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 11 13 17 17 18 19 21 22 25 27 27 27 27 28

Minister’s Letter Dear friends It’s exam time! Many of you at school, college or university (and those with children and grandchildren there) will say ‘Thanks for the reminder.’

Exams are important, of course, and we’ll be praying over these next weeks for all who are taking them, that you have clear minds and focus so that you achieve your best. But for many people the toughest question is what to do when you’ve got your results.

What career choice will you make, and what will help you make that choice?

Sadly, many people don’t have a choice of career. Many things, especially poverty or a lack of education, limit people’s opportunities, so we should be grateful if we have a choice. But how do we choose? There’s lots of advice, some good and some bad, and I don’t want to add to the bad advice so I’ll let my words be few.

St Augustine used to say, ‘Love God and do what you want.’ Very often people ignore the first part of that and just do what they want, in their careers and in every other part of their lives! They justify it by saying they are following their hearts. In our work lives, it can be good to follow our hearts if that means being enthusiastic about what we do. But following our hearts can be a dangerous thing, because ‘the heart is deceitful above all things’ (Jeremiah 17:9); it can lead us into greed or folly. The first part of the statement, ‘Love God and do what you want’, is vital.

3

If we truly love God, what we want to do will be good, godly and right. (Actually, the whole of Jeremiah 17: 5-11 is worth reading and reflecting on as we think about our life choices.)

Loving God will sometimes lead us to do something that people think is crazy. When I was a teenager my rich aunt (does everybody have one?) advised me, ‘Aim for the top’. By that, she meant ‘Get a well-paid job with power and influence.’ But is that what really matters for followers of Jesus? Methodist Ministers have a kind of power and influence in some places and our stipends are enough to live on, but my friends from school days are now earning 2, 3 or 4 times my salary. Yet doing God’s will is a privilege and an honour, even when it doesn’t bring any kudos in the eyes of the world. If we do what we do out of love for God, what else matters? There’s a satisfaction and fulfilment in that which no amount of money or kudos can give. That’s true whether someone is a bus driver or a brain surgeon, a shop assistant or a dancer.

If Jesus were giving careers advice, what would he say? My hunch is that it would be ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well’ (Matthew 6:33). In other words, seek to do God’s will in God’s way, and God will meet all our needs along the way. And that, of course, is advice not just for those who are making a career choice.

Your friend and minister Rev Paul 4

Upcoming Coffee Mornings June 11th June 18th June 25th July 2nd

currently FREE MS Cake and Bake - Jan Payne currently FREE Phoenix Group (John Taylor Hospice)

As always, it would be appreciated if anyone could run the coffee mornings which are FREE. It doesn't have to be a massive, money raising event but simply serving drinks and toast.

I would especially like someone to run the coffee morning on 25th June as I will not be available that weekend.

With thanks, Lesley Morgan

Themes Noticeboard in Corridor For some years Marion and Hilary have been regularly changing the display to reflect the Methodist Church Yearly Diary. This year they will be very pleased if individuals or groups would be willing to create one display. The Young Church created a marvellous collage for Easter and will also be doing something for Harvest.

If you would like to 'have a go' then please talk to Marion, Hilary, or one of the Stewards. It will be great to see new ideas.

5

Beanstalk Do you have a passion for reading?

Are you looking for a really rewarding volunteering experience that will change a child’s life?

Life is better when everyone can read well and express themselves confidently. Sadly, that isn’t always the case. Last year one in four children in Birmingham left primary school unable to read to the required level, something that will have devastating consequences on their future prospects.

Beanstalk is a children’s literacy charity that aims to rewrite this story with the help of local volunteers. Beanstalk recruits, trains, and supports volunteers to work with children who are struggling with their reading, ensuring that they have the skills and confidence to reach their true potential and lead successful lives.

Beanstalk’s trained reading helpers work with children on a one-toone basis, giving them consistent support to improve their reading levels, increase overall confidence and enjoyment of reading.

Together, they read, play and talk and with Beanstalk’s support the child’s approach to learning and enjoying reading is transformed.

Beanstalk is looking for volunteers to become reading helpers in a variety of schools across Birmingham. If you or anyone that you know loves to read and are looking for a worthwhile volunteering opportunity please get in touch.

6

Who can apply?

You must be fluent in English and a competent reader. You will be required to pass some standard checking procedures for people working with children.

How much time will I need to give?

Each Beanstalk reading helper will go into a local school for two 90 minute sessions a week, during term-time.

How do I Volunteer?

Please visit www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk to complete an application or alternatively contact Liz at liz.gordon-smith@beanstalkcharity.org.uk or call 07841504419 to find out more.

NB. further leaflets and information are on the table in the foyer - ed

Think, Pray, Vote: EU referendum resources for churches A series of briefing notes has been produced by the Joint Public Issues Team of the Methodist Church, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Church of Scotland and United Reformed Church, with the support of the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office.

It covers different topics and includes background information, issues for debate and questions, and can be used for conversations with groups or for personal reflection.

Visit the website: http://methodist-news.org.uk 7

Balance As I drove to the Annual Church Meeting I saw a man on a unicycle riding down Boldmere Road. He was obviously a competent rider because during the time from when I first saw him to the time he disappeared from my rear view mirror he must have cycled about 100 yards. It looked so easy it made me want to try.

This was at the end of a week where I had seen several groups of patients, at work, being instructed in basic Tai Chi moves. We have to call them moves because even the use of the word “exercise� turns many of our patients off. Apart from the achievement of persuading these patients to voluntarily undertaking any nonessential basic movement the most important benefit from Tai Chi is relearning balance. Being able to stand, at least momentarily, on one foot.

A while ago, some will remember, I walked from Fort William to Cape Wrath on the north Scottish coast, about 170 miles in total. I returned with two ruptured Achilles tendons. I can only remember one thing about the subsequent physiotherapy that I had at Sutton Cottage hospital. The physiotherapist who treated me told me in no uncertain terms that I needed to relearn standing on one foot.

Her reasoning was that this was the most successful therapy to minimise the risk of slipping and tripping.

All of this came back when I saw Paul’s upturned Harvest triangle at the annual church meeting. Riding a unicycle requires practice and balance to stay upright. Tai Chi movements require practice and balance not to fall over. Older people, as the physiotherapist 8

obviously categorised me, need practice and balance to help them not to fall over.

In the same way our church's triangle needs practice and balance not to fall over. But the church is only the sum of the people who are there. Therefore the question is what are you going to do to improve your balance practice to help prevent both yourself and our church triangle from falling over?

Peter Farley

Organ Fund Activities Here is a list of activities coming up in the next few months: Sat. June 4th 7.00 pm

Severn Trent Choir

Sat. July 16th 10.00 am

Organ Coffee Morning

Sat. September 10th 10.00 am

Organ Coffee Morning

September (date TBC)

Ethan’s BROC Group

Sat. October 8th 10.00 am

Organ Coffee Morning

November (TBC)

Possible Jo Dwyer Singers

Sat. November 12th 10.00 am

Organ Coffee Morning

Sat. December 3rd 10.00 am

Christmas Extravaganza

9

Vision Circuit Celebration Service The circuit service on Sunday May 1st finally marked the end of the Vision Project. The official ending was March 31st, and we marked this with the first of our extra 'drop in' sessions. The last event was a coffee morning two weeks earlier with the Silent Auction. So we had drawn out the conclusion of all our efforts as much as possible, and shared our success with a circuit celebration service; definitely one of the highlights of four years of hard work.

Apart from visitors from our circuit, past members came, a trustee from the Birmingham Airport Trust and local councillors who had helped with our application for the Community Trust. We were pleased to welcome Rev Donald Sampson, one of our previous ministers, with his wife Annette.

The superintendent Rev Dr Alan Smithson opened the service, our minister Rev Paul Dunstan led worship, and Rev Ian Howarth, Chair of the Birmingham District, was the preacher. He preached on Revelations 21 verse 5 “Behold I make everything new�. It was a very apt reading and an uplifting service.

Comments after the service left us in doubt how much people had enjoyed it, how much the invitations were appreciated, and above all, praise for what had been achieved in the refurbishment.

Hilary Price 10

Local Arrangement - 26th June At a recent Steward’s Meeting we were discussing the material that has been distributed about the Circuit response to the refugee crisis. As we have a Local Arrangement planned for the 26th June the Stewards thought that this would be good theme on which to base our service.

What we want you to do is have a think around the theme of Refugees and have a search for some material that you could bring to that service. It might be something about current day refugees or the many occasions that refugees are mentioned in the Bible.

It might be a prayer, a bible reading, a song or hymn, a display, a poem or some recorded music (or even some drama if you are prepared to have a go!).

Then the week before (after Sunday worship on 19th June) we will all get together and put a service together from what we all bring.

We need lots of you to get involved so get your thinking caps on and join in. The Stewards and Rev Paul think it could be a wonderful service.

The Stewards

Real life answers in exams Q. What did Mahatma Gandhi and Genghis Khan have in common?

A. Unusual names.

11

12

Football Stars The 177th Cubs represented Tame Valley District at the Birmingham County Cub Football Competition, and came 2nd!!!!

They played really well, and showed great sportsmanship.

We are all really proud of them.

Matt Sambrook - Team manager

13

14

15

16

The Peasant Poet by John Clare (1793 - 1864) He loved the brook's soft sound, The swallow swimming by.

He loved the daisy-covered ground, The cloud-bedappled sky.

To him the dismal storm appeared The very voice of God; And when the evening rack was reared Stood Moses with his rod And everything his eyes surveyed, The insects in the brake, Were creatures God Almighty made, He loved them for His sake-- A silent man in life's affairs, A thinker from a boy, A peasant in his daily cares, A poet in his joy.

N.B. ‘the evening rack was reared’ probably means the disappearance of the bank of cloud.

Clare once wrote: "I live here among the ignorant like a lost man ….I find more pleasure in wandering the fields than in musing among my silent neighbours who are insensible to everything but toiling and talking of it and that to no purpose."

17

John Clare was the son of a farm labourer. He wrote many poems about rural life and he became known as The Peasant Poet.

Although he was a very ordinary man of little education (he left school at the age of 7) he had a great gift for writing poetry. His early poems celebrate the joys and beauty of nature and they make delightful, refreshing reading.

Barbara Rawson

Reaching the standard?!

As you sit wedged in your standard seat on the train, you might be pleased to know that not all that long ago you would not only have been just as squashed, but also regarded as third class. In the early days of railways in Britain seating was first, second or third class.

However, in 1875 ‘second class’ was abolished, labelling the rest of us ‘third class’. Finally, 60 years ago this month, third class was renamed ‘standard class’. Mind you, the accommodation didn’t get any better. ‘Standard class’ nowadays often means serious overcrowding. First class means comfortable seats and free refreshments (at a price).

It seems the British love categorising people into ‘classes’, even on trains and airplanes. However, the next time you’re forced to stand in your ‘standard’ accommodation while the first class passengers stretch their legs in comfort, remind yourself that ‘standard’, according to the Oxford Dictionary, means ‘a required or agreed level of attainment’. You have actually made it! from the Parish Pump Website 18

Chernobyl It is now 30 years since the Chernobyl disaster, at Pripyat, Ukraine on the 26th April 1986. An explosion in Turbine Hall 4 liberated a large quantity of radioactive material into the air, which was carried by the wind across all of Western Europe except for Spain and Portugal. This nuclear disaster has been classified as the worst possible, level 7. The only other disaster rated at level 7 was the more recent Fukushima Tsunami event.

At the time the Soviet authorities tried to maintain a news blackout.

It was the discovery of radioactive contamination at the Forsemark Nuclear Power Plant in Sweden, which alerted the world to what was actually going on.

There has been much debate about the cause of the disaster. The initial report, which was based upon the partial information published by the then Soviet Authorities, blamed an unauthorised experiment by the operating staff, supposedly to test the resilience of the plant to an external power failure. The Ukrainian authorities have now published classified KGB documents, from the period between 1971 and 1988. These have revealed that during this period there were 29 emergency situations at the Pripyat plant, 8 of which were related to the competence of the staff. The most recent understanding of the cause of this disaster is that two factors contributed to the disaster. • Human error at the time. • A deficient safety culture, throughout the Soviet Union with regard to designing, building, operating and running nuclear facilities.

19

Since then the amount of radioactive material, which is lying about in the environment from this disaster has slowly diminished.

Immediately after the disaster restrictions preventing meat from more than 4,000,000 upland sheep in the UK from entering the food chain were put in place, because of the fallout of radioactive Caesium. The last of these restrictions was finally lifted from the Lake District fells in 2012.

One of the outcomes that resulted from this disaster was the sudden diminution of the popularity of using nuclear power to generate electricity. Unfortunately the on going rise of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere from almost any human activities is probably resulting in some climate change. The current forest fire in Alberta probably has its origins in the strength of the El NiĂąo effect in the Pacific and which relates in some way to climate change. I also note a report on the web this week of the disappearance of three small islands in the Pacific, washed away by rising ocean levels. The generation of electricity using nuclear power does not liberate carbon dioxide, which means it should be a welcome addition to our electricity generating security.

This leaves us with a dilemma. On the one hand it is important that the lights do not go off, the cash dispensers continue to work and the water/toilets continue to function. On the other hand it is also equally important that we control the relentless increase in the level of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere so that we do not head down the road of unacceptable and intolerable climate change and flooding.

Over the last few years the Methodist Church has been campaigning to try and make our churches as green as possible.

20

As members of the church this should also apply to us. What are we each doing to help protect our environment? Our church teaches that God gives us all of the good things that the world can offers for us to enjoy. However such a privilege comes with an equal measure of responsibility, to ensure that we leave a world fit to pass on to our children and grandchildren.

So, what are you going to do at this time when we are reminded of the dangers associated with one of the main sources of carbon dioxide free electricity?

Peter Farley

ReIMAGINE: 3rd - 5th October 2016 Held at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, here is an opportunity for all who love the Church and seek to nurture its mission to the world.

Keynote speakers include the Revd Graham Horsley (Methodist Connexional Fresh Expressions Missioner), the Revd Dr Calvin T Samuel (Director of the Wesley Study Centre, Durham), Dr Rachel Jordan (National Adviser for Mission and Evangelism for the Church of England) and the Revd Ashley Cooper (Senior Pastor at Swanbank Church, Stoke-on-Trent). There will also be workshops to help you renew and refresh the local church, engage with culture and develop a ‘mixed ecology’ circuit, amongst others.

Find more details and booking information at methodist-news.org.uk (Note: Early booking discount ends on Friday 3 June.)

21

Silent Reading Parties If you are a reader, you know the special pleasure of going out to read in public. But for most of us, reading in public has meant reading in public alone. But recently, a few recurring Silent Reading Parties have sprung up, giving readers a chance to read along in public, but together. That’s right: a bunch of people get together and read. And that’s it. Doesn't it sound great?

Here is their advice about hosting a silent reading party of your own.

Pick a Place You Love.

Seattle’s Silent Reading Party founder, Christopher Frizzelle, told us to choose a place that we absolutely loved. For us that meant a place with comfortable seating, good lighting, some ambience, some comfort, some dignity… The kind of place that makes you want to read. We love our home at Beech Street Parlour. It’s a Victorian house with gorgeous flocked wallpaper, period couches, and wood floors. And of course it has a full bar–that’s important too. We’re also constantly dreaming up other locations for special 22

pop-up parties. It would be so cool to do silent reading parties in public parks, at the art museum, at a bookstore… We don’t know how well those will work yet, but we’re hoping we get to try.

Two Hours is Just About Right.

We’ve scheduled silent reading parties for weeknights from 6-8, after work for most people. We’ve also scheduled them for Sunday afternoons from 3-5, when most people are winding up their weekend. So far there doesn’t seem to be a clear preference for one over the other. Two hours seems to be about the right amount of time. People come and go throughout, but for those who stay the whole time (including us) two hours is about the point at which you want to stand up, stretch, and say a few words out loud.

Make People Read Quietly. For Real.

It hasn't come up often and it’s our least favourite thing, to have to shush people – but we decided at the outset that really, the one thing that sets Silent Reading Party apart is, well, silence. If people start chatting, it breaks the spell and then you’re just out for a couple of hours at any old bar. Most of the time the silence manages itself, and it’s a really magical experience.

A Little Background Music is a Good Idea.

We love playing ambient music during the party. It sets the mood and helps reduce any awkwardness about being silent together.

Our host at Beech Street Parlour, Maryam, is also our DJ. She’s put together special playlists, including some Brian Eno, that’s been perfect. Once or twice some Strauss marching bands have slipped into the mix, and we've had to skip those.

23

Let People Know When It’s Over.

We have a beautiful old bell, like something a Victorian schoolmistress would have on her desk, that we ring at the end of the session. The bell belonged to Amanda’s grandmother – it was part of her vast bell collection that was swept away in Hurricane Opal and that the family rediscovered later on a beach. So it comes with its own history and patina. Also, people usually clap when we’re finished, which is nice.

Enforce the Quietude, Quietly.

We recently invested in some lovely, saucy “Shh…” business cards that we can hand-deliver with a smile to people who don’t understand the silent vibe.

Trust That People Will Enjoy It. When we started this, we weren't sure people would come.

We’d tell friends about it – “It’s a silent party, everyone just reads!”

– and everyone thought it sounded weird and great. But that’s different from really showing up. So when we threw the first party and people came, we were delighted. Now we hear from people that they can’t fit reading time into their lives, and this gives them the excuse to do it. People tell us they love being around other readers, getting a break from high-contact socialising, getting affirmation that other people love books too. And there’s something special about the silence, too. We so rarely sit quietly with strangers. It’s restorative, almost church-like. It’s really beautiful to look around and see a room full of people who've made time in their lives to read together. It gives you faith in our species.

Article submitted by Elizabeth Baizon 24

Palestine Youth Orchestra For its first ever UK tour the Palestine Youth Orchestra joins up with young musicians from the UK and vocalist Nai Barghouti, a rising star of Arabic music. Equally at home with Western classical and Arabic music, the Palestine Youth Orchestra maintains a unique position amongst youth orchestras internationally. They will perform music by Beethoven, Graham Fitkin and Mussorgsky, as well as songs by legendary Arabic singers Om Kolthoum and Fayrouz.

&RQGXFWRU 6LDQ (GZDUGV 9RLFH 1DL %DUJKRXWL

%HHWKRYHQ /HRQRUH 1R 6RQJV RI 2P .ROWKRXP DQG )D\URX] *UDKDP )LWNLQ 0HWDO 0XVVRUJVN\ RUFK 5DYHO 3LFWXUHV DW DQ ([KLELWLRQ 3UHVHQWHG E\

2CNOWUKE 7- CPF

25

FRI 29 JULY 7.30 pm BIRMINGHAM Town Hall 0121 345 0600

Erdington Methodist Church Presents

Severn Trent Choir

Saturday 4th June 2016 - 7.30 pm Proceeds in aid of the Church Organ Fund Tickets ÂŁ6 including light refreshment available from Nick Riley - nickriley@blueyonder.co.uk

26

A see s no TV n

June 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

HOLY COMMUNION - Rev Paul Dunstan

12th

Glyn Constantine

19th

ALL AGE WORSHIP - John Rutherford

26th

Local Arrangement (see detail in this month’s magazine)

27

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 : Margaret Hillman (2nd)

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 July/August CONTACT to any of the Editorial Team (Peter Farley, Christine Rankin, Ann Tomes & Nick Riley) by 15th June 2016 at the latest please or alternatively email me: nickriley@blueyonder.co.uk with the word ‘CONTACT’ in the title.

28