Contact - June 2012

CONTACT

Magazine of Erdington Methodist Church Station Road - June 2012 1

Contents In CONTACT this month . . .

A Star in our midst Study Success! . . . and from Lesley Stay & Play Sleeping rough for Make Runaways Safe and Ghanaian children St Ignatius of Loyola - The basis of Jane’s retreats and sabbatical Why does MHA care? - Because they are worth it!

Memories Didn’t quite get it together...

It Couldn't Be Done Project ‘Vision’ update Handworth Gangshow Tourette’s syndrome In the right spirit!

Children’s Pages - Our Page - the Saint & the Monster Children’s Pages - Mouse Makes - look out for symbols of the Trinity PSALM 23 – Variations on a Theme!

Charity of the Month for June Amnesty have three key campaign priorities for 2012 Anniversaries Did Noah fish?

Cleric John Wesley’s little-known occupation as a man of medicine Don’t forget the other half Midlands Hospital Choir - Summer Concert June 2012 Regular Meetings Weekly Church Activities __________________________

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3 4 5 6 6 7 9 10 11 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 22 25 29 31 32 33 34 35 36

In CONTACT this month . . .

We learn about several stars in our midst and for various reasons . . .

We find out why our scouts and explorers slept rough . . .

We learn about St Ignatius of Loyala and what he has to do with Jane, our minister . . .

We find out ‘It couldn’t be done’ . . . .

We have an update on our ‘Vision’ project . . .

We find out what it is like to take part in a Gang Show . . .

We learn that Tourette’s syndrome maybe isn’t quite what we thought . . .

We learn a little about the language our Bibles were/are written in . . .

We learn about the work of the charity Amnesty International . . .

We ask - Did you know that John Wesley was a man of medicine? . . . and our children’s pages, some jokes, and much more We hope it’s a good read The Editorial Team Reminder: The quality and content of this magazine relies on you, the reader, submitting information to the editorial team. If you, or a group you belong to, does something interesting, or has a speaker that is interesting why not write an article for CONTACT and tell us all about it? - ed 3

A Star in our midst One of my favourite entertainment activities is going to the theatre. I enjoy plays, music and shows of any genre. I love the whole experience. My latest trip to the Hippodrome was to see a musical whose familiar and memorable melodies include, ‘Getting to Know You’, ‘Shall we Dance’ and ‘Hello, Young Lovers’. Yes, you’ve guessed it, The King and I. This is one of the classics which was first performed on Broadway in 1952 with a then, unknown Yul Bryner. It is based on the true story about a volatile relationship between Anna, a British schoolteacher and the King of Siam, who was coming to understand some of the benefits of Western ideas and science but equally didn’t want to be colonised or loose the beautiful identity of his country. The story is set against the background of political intrigue and the large family of children and wives of the King.

My real draw to the show on this occasion was to see the star of the production. No, I’m not talking about the main characters, the King of Siam or Anna the schoolteacher, but one of the king’s children, as Daniel Porter (son of Lisa & Phil and Grandson of Lindsay & Gerald) had been selected through an arduous audition process to perform in the show. Although the main cast are ‘on tour’ around the country for several months, the king’s children are auditioned locally and form two teams of 16 who are a vital element in the story line and their contribution and commitment to the production is essential. The iconic moment in the story arrived when the children are presented to Anna and I had been told to look out for the entry of child number 4 as that was Daniel. It was very exciting and Daniel appeared so confident and appeared very much at home on the vast stage.

He was a natural and did not seem fazed by the huge venue and the sea of faces watching him and most importantly he looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Well done Daniel, you were fantastic. So what’s next.......?

Christine Rankin

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Study Success!

Most of you will know that both Lesley and I have been spending time over these last five or six years studying for an Open University degree. I think there were times when we wondered why we were doing it, but eventually got what we were aiming for. Both of us were awarded an Open Degree, as opposed to a subject based one. This meant that we could mix and match what we did to suit ourselves - well to a certain extent!

You had to do specific levels and amass the right number of points.

You can choose which venue to receive the award and we ended at The Symphony Hall on the same day, and at the same time, hence the photo.

We couldn't resist! The gowns are dark blue and the hoods light blue and gold. I can't imagine how Lesley managed to wear a blouse exactly the same colour as the hood! Thank goodness we didn't have to wear mortar boards!

Both of us agreed that we had a really enjoyable day.

Hilary Price

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. . . and from Lesley Hilary and I both have an Open degree but the subjects were quite different reflecting the breadth and variety of choice. It was not easy! I lived and breathed the course for most of the time and I found myself greatly challenged, especially when attending compulsory Summer School in Caen where everyone was expected to speak French at all times AND be computer literate (in French)!!

It was the survival of that week which made me realize that if you put your mind into something you can get through it. To set off on a course of study as a 'mature' student is difficult because there are so many other distractions and reasons not to start at all.

Hilary and I have different educational backgrounds. Although I have had professional jobs in my life I left school with one ‘O’ level so the completion of my degree has given me a huge sense of achievement.

Lesley Morgan

Stay & Play The Stay & Play group meets in the games room upstairs at church every Tuesday & Wednesday during term time from 9.30am to 11.30am.

It is run by Bridget supported by Hazel on the coffee/tea bar and a group of church members.

They aim to provide a warm welcome to children under 3 years & their parent, grandparent or carer. There are many activities & toys for the children & endless tea/coffee, toast & chats for the adults - ALL FOR £1 PER SESSION!!

Please come along and give it a try. You will be most welcome.

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Sleeping rough to support Make Runaways Safe and Ghanaian children On a chilly Friday in February the 177th Erdington Methodist Scout and Explorer groups took part in a sleepout to raise money and awareness for The Children’s Society. In all, around 30 Scouts and Explorers (aged 10-18) slept outside to support young people.

The children came up with the idea when planning for their Global Challenge Badge work, which required them to consider issues affecting people in their community, and compare this to the same issue faced by communities abroad.

They chose to investigate the issue of children who run away, and they took part in a session exploring the reasons children might run away, and the consequences of this.

Make Runaways Safe and Childrens House of Hope Part of the requirement for their challenge was the consider the same issue at home and abroad, so we thought about child runaways and homelessness in our home city of Birmingham, and also in the villages of Abura and Takoradi in Ghana.

They chose to support The Children’s Society due to their fantastic work in Birmingham with young runaways, and an organisation called Childrens House of Hope for their work delivering help and aid to children of all ages in the villages mentioned in Ghana.

The children collected clothes, toys and stationery to send to Ghana, and raised the money to ship the box. They also raised funds from family and friends to sleep outside to raise money for The Children’s Society.

A cardboard box and a sleeping bag For the sleepout, they were provided with cardboard boxes, and were allowed to bring a sleeping bag, but the rest was up to them.

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We stayed outside until around 5am (quite impressive as we had the police helicopter, a dog barking and numerous sirens to contend with!) before we got really cold and came indoors.

Then it was up at 7am to prepare for the coffee morning. Leaders and parents and Explorers made cupcakes, cookies, bacon rolls and hot drinks to sell to parents, family, friends and members of the church and scouting communities.

'Proud that I’m making a difference' Scouts and Explorers served and washed up, and raised an additional £150 on top of the money raised at the carol service collections over Christmas, and we think we have raised in excess of £700 for The Children’s Society, though the money is still coming in!

Scouts were asked to write how the experience had made them feel the next morning, and we reflected on these words by candlelight at the next group meeting. Common feelings that were described included feeling cold, squashed, lonely, uncomfortable, drained, frightened and tired. One, however, read: 'Proud that I’m making a difference'. I think that just about sums it up.

Camilla Legate assistant Scout leader with the 177th Erdington Methodist Scouts 8

St Ignatius of Loyola The basis of Jane’s retreats and sabbatical Ignatius was the founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and was its first Superior General. He was born in the Basque city of Loyola, Spain, in the late fifteenth century. As a young man he was a soldier under the leadership of the Duke of Najera, developing diplomacy and leadership qualities which made him very useful to the Duke. However in 1512 he was badly injured and his recovery took a long time. The enforced convalescence changed his life and he didn’t put his uniform again.

While recovering he read ‘De Vita Christi’ by Ludolph of Saxony. No doubt, like me, you have never heard of Ludolph, but this book, taking many years to complete, had an enormous influence on Ignatius’ life. In it, the readers are encouraged to imagine themselves in different scenes of the gospel story - to visualise the crib at the nativity, place themselves among the crowd listening to Jesus’ teaching, or to witness a miracle of healing. This is a form of prayer known as Simple Contemplation, or meditation, which is in common use today.

Ignatius read many more religious books becoming fired with enthusiasm to lead a life of self-denial, resolving to devote himself to the conversion of non-Christians. In preparation for his new life he visited monasteries, studied the lives of the saints and spent months alone in a remote cave, in contemplation.

Ignatius is best remembered for his Spiritual Exercises, which were developed from his reading and from his meditative experiences. The aim of them is to ‘help people to find God’s will for their life, and to give them the motivation and courage to follow that will’. There are 20 sections of them including thoughts, rules, encouragements, meditations and prayers, aimed to be studied over a month with professional guidance.

Jesuit retreats can be found in many parts of the world and there are three in England. They are open to people who want to spend time in quiet reflection and prayer, and usually there is a trained person who offers direction and help.

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In a previous sabbatical Jane took part in the whole programme of Spiritual Exercises. Each year she spends some time at one of these centres. This year, building on her previous experiences, she will spend a week at St Bueno’s Centre in North Wales, and ten days at Loyola Hall near Liverpool.

It will be up to her whether she shares her experiences with her churches or not. A sabbatical is for the minister’s own spiritual health, a time completely away from their normal life, where they can recharge the batteries and follow an interest they may not otherwise have time to study. Jane may, or may not share her time away directly, but it is likely that her preaching will be influenced by her time away.

Hilary Price

Why does MHA care? - Because they are worth it!

This is the theme for the 2012 Methodist Homes Sunday. The slogan ‘because you’re worth it’ is a well known advertising phrase which seeks to persuade people to buy a company’s products, not primarily because they need such treatments but because they deserve them. Methodist Homes (MHA) believes that older people both need and deserve good quality care.

The need for care and accommodation for older people continues to grow and the longstanding support from members of the Methodist Church still proclaims the Church in action for older people.

The official date for Methodist Homes Sunday 2012 is 10 June but this can be moved to fit in with local arrangements. MHA are again asking for support and invite churches to join them on their special Sunday to celebrate ageing, valuing older people, offering them the support they need and proving to all that they are indeed worth it! from the Methodist Church News Service Look out for MHA envelopes on Sunday mornings in June and please give generously thanks.

Nick Riley - MHA Representative 10

Memories As we progress through our 40th Anniversary year people have been asked to put pen to paper and tell us about their memories of celebratory events within the life of the church over the years. Here are some memories from Marjorie Barnett.

We celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s Silver wedding anniversary in style when Albert and Cynthia Weston (who lived in the church flat at that time) dressed as a King & Queen and waved from the balcony of the flat while children played games on the car park.

I remember a 6ft lighthouse in the church which had been made by John Trenchard and also a cardboard Birthday Cake and candles on the altar.

For a Young People’s fun day together, Don Rawson painted a mural on a large screen on the stage in the hall with the help of the young folk For the opening of the church in 1972 we had meal together using the brand new facilities within the church and hall.

Thank you Marjorie for these reminders. Do these trigger any memories for you? If so, jot them down or tell us about them and we will print them here in the magazine.

Christine Rankin

Didn’t quite get it together...

A young man called his mother and announced excitedly that he had just met the woman of his dreams! Now what should he do? His mother advised: "Send her flowers, and on the card invite her to your place for a homecooked meal!" So that's what he did. His mother called the day after the big date to see how things had gone. Her son was desolate, and said that the evening had been a disaster. "Why, didn't she come over?" asked his mother.

"Oh, she came over, okay, but then she refused to cook..."

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It Couldn't Be Done

By Edgar A. Guest Somebody said that it couldn't be done, But he with a chuckle replied That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that; At least no one ever has done it"; But he took off his coat and he took off his hat, And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, Without any doubting or quiddit, He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure; There are thousands to point out to you, one by one, The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, Just take off your coat and go to it; Just start to sing as you tackle the thing That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.

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Project ‘Vision’ update From the beginning our aim has been to keep the church family informed about each stage of the project, and involved as much as possible.

Discussions are taking place around ideas put forward, and two main areas of action will be taking place over the next few months.

A. There are some tasks that can be started now at low cost and using our own man/woman power! We are getting advice about repainting the cross at the front of the church, looking at costs of replacing carpeting, and designating which areas to start redecorating. Help will be required and we hope for a good response when asked for this.

B. For the bigger, major ideas we will need funds! We shall be applying for grants and have a list of suitable agencies to contact. We shall have professional help in putting the proposal together, and we shall need written estimates. We already have a number of estimates for all round doubleglazing, and will be obtaining others in the near future for refurbishment of toilets, a glass screen at back of church, carpets and exterior work including wall mounted notice boards.

At the same time we are starting our own fund-raising efforts, which will be well advertised in the Contact, weekly notices and other posters, and around the circuit where appropriate We had a good response when we asked for ideas and priorities and continue to ask for your help. PLEASE support events that are arranged whenever you can and encourage your families and friends to come. There are a number of very different activities arranged and we hope that you will find something that interests you. Would you run a fundraising event please?

Saturday coffee mornings are a good place to start, but more original ideas will be very welcome.

If you haven’t yet taken a savings box, there are still plenty available. Do you know of house bound people, with an interest in the church, who would like to contribute in this way?

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Dates to note June 9th./10th Look for the £1.00 coin trail in the exhibition in the church.

We want to write the word ‘VISION’ in pound coins!

June 23rd. 10 - 12 Bric-a-Brac coffee morning. Some individual items to buy, but mainly you will be invited to buy a bag for £2.00 and fill it with as much as you can!

July 21st 10 - 12 Coffee morning and demonstration by the Quilting Group.

August 18th 2.30pm. A Potpourri of Poetry by Barbara Rawson. For £3.00 have a relaxing and entertaining afternoon and enjoy coffee/tea and cakes.

Oct 6th 7.00 pm Ladies' fashion Show. Enjoy a welcoming drink, watch the fashion show, then take the opportunity to buy High St clothes at greatly reduced prices, with refreshments - all for only £5.00 Tickets on sale soon.

Nov 10th Coffee morning run by the Tuesday Club A Beetle Drive by popular request! Details to come.

The project Group are Gerald Peel, Jacky Scott, Lesley Morgan, Jan Payne , Hilary Price

Handworth Gangshow Monday 13th - Saturday 18th February 2012.

Rehearsals: We started to rehearse in September 2011. All the cast had to attend rehearsals on a Sunday from 12-2. These rehearsals continued right up until the dress rehearsal on stage at The Crescent Theatre. Our rehearsals got later once the cast had learnt everything mainly off-by-heart. Our rehearsal times then increased to 12-6pm.

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The Show: The show onstage was really good. We had lots of music and fun, energetic dances. The cast was really good at all the dances and songs. Nobody forgot their lines and also the cubs had their own scene to do and that was fantastic!

On stage I felt excited and energetic. The Finale was my favourite part, and to be honest it was the most lively and energetic dances, and songs we had all show! I'm not sure about the rest of the cast (as there was many of us) but I definitely enjoyed myself.

Backstage: Backstage the chaperones were getting people ready for the next number they were in, we had somebody sorting out microphones and we also had dressing rooms which we had to rush off to, to get changed for the next number. Our chaperones had one of the hard jobs, they were to run round fetching the right clothes for the right person and they had to make sure we were the right side of stage to come on for the next number.

Extras: Karen and Colin had the hardest job of all..... They had to choreograph the WHOLE performance, they had to make sure all the songs, dances and lines were perfect before going on stage. I remember feeling really nervous about the first show and I felt really pleased that I remembered the songs and dances and excited for the second one to come and I felt ready for the second show. Also I think the parents had a hard job too because they were the ones who had to make sure their child(ren) were in the right place at the right time and they had to make sure that their child(ren) were picked up after the show and rehearsals.

The experience was fantastic and I will go back and do it again next year.

Carly Porter

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Tourette’s syndrome If I said to you Tourette’s what would you think, be honest now?

I expect that most of you would think obscenities and I suppose if I were honest also I would have thought that. So I was surprised, heartened and inspired to write when an item, about this unusual condition was slated the other morning on the Today programme. My reaction to Today is mixed, containing ‘grumpy old man’ responses as well as regular doses of glee when someone ‘great and good’ is worked over by one of the team. My response to the Tourette slot was gratitude that here at last was an encapsulation of the problem, which really wasn’t nearly as bad as popular culture, would have us believe. James Naughtie interviewed Jess Thom, a Tourette sufferer who was selected for interview because she had created a website www.Touretteshero.com on which she aims to celebrate the creativity and humour of Tourette’s syndrome sufferers. The interview was like many on the Today Program, articulate, interesting, informative with a touch of humour. The only thing that made this interview in the slightest bit different from one with Lord Beddington the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor or Lenny Henry, talking about his latest Shakespeare project, was that whilst it was going on it sounded as if someone else in the studio was shouting, at random moments the word ’biscuit’. Such is the power of the human mind that I very soon adapted to listening to the interview, filtering out the random interruptions, a bit like tuning in to an unusual or very broad accent.

I have no idea what the total number of interruptions was but I would think that over the course of the interview the word ‘biscuit’ could well have appeared between 50 and 100 times. I found the whole piece both moving and challenging, hence this piece. It was also a wonderful way to break the taboos surrounding this handicap.

Tourette’s is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterised by multiple tics, such as grimacing, blinking or shrugging, however at least one of them must be vocal. Greater understanding has led to a realisation that it is much more common than previously thought. Estimates vary but it has been suggested that between 0.4 and 3.8% of children between 5 and 18 have this condition.

The tics wax and wane and tend to diminish after adolescence. The current popular image of Tourette sufferers living their lives constantly injecting 16

expletives into conversations is far from the reality of the condition. That particular tic (coprolalia) is apparently no more likely than any other tic, so in the grand scheme of things is pretty rare.

Treatment for this condition is limited and may not progress past education, explanation and reassurance. Much more damaging for the individual is when it is linked with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Famous people who have of might have had Tourette’s include Mozart, Tim Howard (Olympic and Manchester United goalkeeper), Howard Hughes (film director and aviator), Howie Mandel (St Elsewhere) and Dan Acroyd (Ghostbusters).

More information about Tourette’s can be found on the following web sites.

The Today interview was still there when I re-accessed it recently. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourette_syndrome http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tourette/detail_tourette.htm http://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/ http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9714000/9714435.stm Peter Farley

In the right spirit!

The Methodist Minister was partial to a drop of Cherry Brandy.

Her neighbour offered to make her a gift of ten bottles on condition that the gift was acknowledged in the church magazine.

“No Problem,” said the Minister.

The following acknowledgement appeared in the next edition of the church magazine: “The Minister wishes to thank her neighbour for his kind gift of fruit and also for the spirit in which is was given.”

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PSALM 23 – Variations on a Theme!

The first hand-written English language Bible manuscripts were produced in the 1380's AD by John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, scholar, and theologian. Most of the translating from a late 4thcentury Latin version of the Bible was done by his pupils and colleagues, but Wycliffe was the motivating force.

Psalm 23 according to John Wycliffe circa 1380 – 1388 1. The Lord gouerneth me, and no thing schal faile to me; 2. in the place of pasture there he hath set me.

3. He nurschide me on the watir of refreischyng; he conuertide my soule.

4. He ledde me forth on the pathis of righfulnesse; for his name. For whi thoug Y schal go in the myddis of schadewe of deeth; Y schal not drede yuels, for thou art with me. Thi gerde and thi staf; tho han coumfortid me.

5. Thou hast maad redi a boord in my sigt; agens hem that troblen me. Thou hast maad fat myn heed with oyle; and my cuppe, fillinge greetli, is ful cleer.

6.And thi merci schal sue me; in alle the daies of my lijf. And that Y dwelle in the hows of the Lord; in to the lengthe of daies. ~~~ William Tyndale (born 1492) produced the first printed English New Testament in 1526. He revised it in 1534 and 1535. Due to his death, he did not complete The Old Testament. He only translated the Pentateuch and Jonah.

Psalm 23 - Tyndale Bible, 1537 1. The LORDE is my shepherde, I can wante nothinge.

2. He fedeth me in a grene pasture, and ledeth me to a fresh water.

3. He quickeneth my soule, & bringeth me forth in the waye of rightuousnes for his names sake.

4. Though I shulde walke now in the valley of the shadowe of death, yet I feare no euell, for thou art with me: thy staffe & thy shepehoke comforte me.

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5. Thou preparest a table before me agaynst mine enemies: thou anoyntest my heade with oyle, & fyllest my cuppe full.

6. Oh let thy louynge kyndnes & mercy folowe me all the dayes off my life, that I maye dwell in the house off the LORDE for euer. ~~~ King James I of England, 19 June 1566 - 27 March 1625, authorized a complete revision of the English Bible. It was produced by about fifty scholars. In 1611 the first editions of The King James Bible came off the printing press. These huge 1611 pulpit-size King James Bibles were chained to every church pulpit in England.

Psalm 23 - King James Authorised Version , 1611 1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. ~~~ The Good News Bible, first published in 1976 and revised in 1994, was translated into everyday English for people worldwide who understand the language. The aim was to write in manner that is user friendly to all regardless of age and background.

Psalm 23 - Good News Bible 1. The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.

2. He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.

3. He gives me new strength.

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He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised.

4. Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me.

Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me.

5. You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me; you welcome me as an honoured guest and fill my cup to the brim.

6. I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live. ~~~ It is impossible to include examples of the 23rd Psalm from all the English translations of the Bible; nevertheless, these four versions provide a clear insight into the way our language has developed over the centuries in the world’s most widely sold book.

Barbara Rawson

Charity of the Month for June Our highlighted charity this month is the work of Amnesty International.

Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty and AI) is a nongovernmental organisation focused on human rights with over 3 million members and supporters around the world. The objective of the organisation is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."

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Amnesty International was founded in London in 1961, following the publication of the article ‘The Forgotten Prisoners’ in The Observer on 28th May 1961, by the lawyer Peter Benenson. Amnesty draws attention to human rights abuses and campaigns for compliance with international laws and standards. It works to mobilise public opinion to put pressure on governments that allow abuse take place. The organisation was awarded the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize for its ‘campaign against torture’, and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978.

In the field of international human rights organisations, Amnesty has the longest history and broadest name recognition, and ‘is believed by many to set standards for the movement as a whole.’

Women's rights are human rights Through our Women's Human Rights programme, we champion the rights of women and girls and hold governments accountable for ending discrimination and inequality.

We focus on: Women, peace and security Women human rights defenders Sexual and reproductive rights Violence against women Women's rights in Afghanistan 10 years on from the invasion of Afghanistan by international forces, including the UK, women's rights in the country are at serious risk of being compromised, as the coalition government seeks to broker a deal with the Taliban. Progress made in allowing women equal rights and opportunities to access education and work could soon be rolled back.

We're part of an international coalition working to ensure women's rights in the country are protected, begun in the negotiation process at the Bonn Conference on 5 December 2011.

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Women in the Middle East and North Africa In the Middle East and North Africa protesters are calling for democracy, freedom equality. And throughout the region, women have stood alongside men; they have carried banners and placards demanding change. Women, like men, risked their lives: they dodged bullets, they were tear-gassed and they were detained by authorities. However, women are now being left out of discussions to reshape their countries' futures.

Why we work on women's rights Simply being born female can mean automatic and systematic disadvantage.

Women and girls are still fighting for the most basic right of control over their own bodies and their own lives. Women face discrimination and violence at the hands of the state, the community and the family.

Around the world, women are: Missing: More than a 100 million women are missing from the worlds population – a result of discrimination against women and girls, including female infanticide.

Illiterate: Two thirds of the 774 million adult illiterates worldwide are women – the same proportion for the past 20 years and across most regions.

Forced into marriage: More than 60 million girls worldwide are forced into marriage before the age of 18.

Dying in pregnancy and childbirth: Each year 358,000 women die from pregnancy and child-birth related causes At Risk: An estimated 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk of female genital mutilation/cutting each year.

Christine Rankin - gleaned from the Amnesty Website

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Amnesty have three key campaign priorities for 2012 Arms trade treaty In 2012, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure an effective international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). A UN conference in July will see the culmination of nearly a decade of worldwide campaigning in which Amnesty has played a leading role.

The human cost of the global arms trade is overwhelming. One person dies every minute from armed violence, and millions more are injured, displaced or have their lives or livelihoods torn apart. Irresponsible arms transfers fuel poverty, destabilise regions and prolong wars.

In 2012 the UN will conclude negotiations on the text of the ATT, working from a draft produced by a UN committee in 2011. The run-up to these negotiations is crucial if we are to achieve a robust, legally-binding global treaty to deal with the arms trade. Amnesty has been a leader in international campaigning for the ATT since 2003, when we joined forces with Oxfam and the International Action Network on Small Arms to launch the global Control Arms campaign.

Together we gathered support from citizens and governments worldwide and collected a million photos of people who support an effective ATT. The Million Faces petition was presented to the UN Secretary General in June 2006. At the end of that year, the UN General Assembly voted to begin work on the treaty.

To be effective, the ATT must follow Amnesty’s ‘Golden Rule’ and forbid any transfer of arms where there is substantial risk they will be used to 25

commit serious human rights or international law violations, undermine peace and security, fuel conflict or undermine socio-economic development.

The current draft text of the treaty, prepared by a UN committee in 2011, includes this rule. We must ensure that it is not removed or watered down in the final negotiations: in the preliminary talks on the draft, while many states expressed support for a strong and comprehensive treaty, a few sought to weaken its provisions.

Another worrying development is that certain types of security and police equipment – used in the recent repression in North Africa and the Middle East – are not specifically included in the treaty text. Moreover, some states are seeking to exclude ammunition and certain categories of small arms and light weapons. About 60 per cent of human rights violations documented by Amnesty involve these types of weapons.

A strong ATT should also cover the broadest possible range of transactions.

Without strong controls, it is easy for arms dealers to exploit loopholes in the rules. So far, provisions for reporting and transparency provisions are weak. The ATT therefore needs explicit commitment to reporting which is public and open to scrutiny, with strong independent oversight.

The UK, one of the world’s biggest arms exporters, is a leading supporter of the ATT. However, the government must demonstrate leadership, not just support, in the run-up to the final negotiations.

An effective ATT is within reach. We need to grasp this opportunity and show that we will settle for nothing less than a strong, robust and comprehensive treaty.

Forced evictions: poverty and human rights Every year hundreds of thousands of women, men and children are made homeless and destitute in a series of entirely unnatural disasters. They are forced out of their homes and off their lands, with little notice or none at all, often with the threat or use of violence. They lose their livelihoods, their 26

neighbourhoods and social networks, their access to basic services such as schools, medical care, water and sanitation.

This catastrophe is most often inflicted in the name of development: to ‘regenerate’ the city, to build a road or a dam, or to create a tourist resort.

The people targeted are almost always poor, and often belong to the most marginalised social groups, including ethnic minorities and Indigenous Peoples. And the perpetrators, more often than not, are the governments that are supposed to protect them.

Forced evictions are among the most widespread forms of human rights violation, and they affect people in both developed and developing countries.

For instance Italy’s ‘Nomad Plan’, which envisages the destruction of Roma settlements, is likely to leave more than 1,000 people homeless.

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights defines forced evictions as ‘the permanent or temporary removal against their will of individuals, families and/or communities from the homes and/or land which they occupy, without the provision of, and access to, appropriate forms of legal or other protection’.

Such evictions violate not only the right to housing, but also the rights to information, participation, and remedy.

Without timely, relevant and accurate information about plans for eviction, rehabilitation or compensation, the people affected cannot challenge an eviction order or seek legal redress.

Individuals and groups at risk Amnesty International was founded as an organisation of people taking action in solidarity with individuals whose 27

rights were being abused, and this type of action remains at the core of our work.

Today, we campaign for prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders, community leaders, social media activists, women’s rights champions, and communities under threat from violence or forced eviction. This work enables us to put a face to the issues affecting individuals, communities and human rights defenders across a wide range of Amnesty’s key human rights concerns. And it means campaigning to stop specific abuses that affect particular individuals and groups.

Some of the issues we will be focusing on will be: • repression of individuals’ freedoms of expression, association and assembly; • use of the death penalty, including against juveniles; • failure to provide access to truth, justice and reparations to victims of crimes against humanity, war crimes, enforced disappearance, and similar grave abuses of human rights; • threats from corporations to the land and homes of poor, marginalised communities and individuals; • the threat of forced eviction for people living in slums or informal settlements, and the lack of justice or support after they have been forcibly removed; • unlawful detention, torture and ill-treatment arising from state counterterrorism policy and national security concerns, and inadequate access to justice for the individuals affected; • abuses of police power (eg torture and ill-treatment in detention), and abuses in judicial systems (eg unfair trials).

Nick Riley Taken from the guide to Amnesty Campaigns available on the Amnesty Website

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Anniversaries Whilst contemplating what I should write for Contact this month I came across a selection of unrelated anniversaries, which seemed to me to be worth mentioning in passing. It was in May 1962 that Universal Comics reported that Dr Bruce Banner irradiated himself with his own gamma bomb which led directly to the creation of the his alter ego the Incredible Hulk.

More seriously 2012 is the centenary of the formation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). In 1911 in response to prompting from enthusiasts the then Prime Minister Herbert Asquith set up a sub-group of the Committee of Imperial Defence (CoID) to investigate whether or not heavier than air flight as demonstrated by the Wright brothers in December 1903 could have any military significance. At the time the military were probably driven by Wellington’s aphorism that he would give his right arm to see over the next hill. The result of the report to the CoID led to the formation of Royal Flying Corps in May 1912. This consisted of 133 officers, 12 manned balloons and 36 aeroplanes. At the same time a naval equivalent was formed under bizarre circumstances. An enthusiastic Naval Officer advertised for pilots who were single men, who could afford the membership fees of the Royal Aero Club where they were to learn to fly.

At the outbreak of World War 1 the entire RFC was moved to France. One balloon observation squadron and four others, including the first two squadrons of fixed wing aircraft in the world. They spent the early part of the war moving form one field to another. Their major role was spotting for the artillery with occasional pistol shots at an equivalent German plane.

Over the course of the next four years the RFC grew to an immense organisation comprising 150 squadrons. The technological advances were just about as remarkable. Developments in aeronautical engineering enable planes to fly faster, further and higher. Their overall altitude being limited by the cold; enclosed cockpits and heating only came later. A significant breakthrough came in 1915 with the development of the interrupter gear, which enabled a machine gun to fire through the revolving propeller so that aiming the plane also aimed the gun. Aerial photography also became commonplace from 1915 forming the basis of the 1:10,000 maps used 29

throughout the war. Proportionately losses in the RFC were probably similar to those on the ground. During the battle of the Somme it was recorded that the overage life of a pilot was three weeks; 800 aircraft were brought down and 550 aircrew killed. Such was the scale of the losses that the RFC commanders were forced to instigate a new training regimen.

By the end of the war it had become apparent that aircraft were not only useful for observation and attacking but they could also drop bombs. This led indirectly to a reorganisation and the creation of the Royal Air Force (RAF) which was independent of the both the Army and the Navy.

Competition between the two services had been noted as wasteful during the conflict.

On a lighter note 2012 is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Edward Lear, the man who will always be remembered for the Owl and the Pussy-cat. He was born on 11th May 2012, the 21st child of Ann and Jeremiah Lear and as was the norm at that time, he was brought up by an elder sibling, who was also called Ann. An asthmatic and epileptic child Lear battled to overcome isolation and guilt. Fortunately for him his ‘aura’ was sufficient to allow him to be out of the public eye when his ‘grand mal’ struck. By the age of 16 he was drawing for a living and for a short time was drawing teacher Queen Victoria. However his inability to observe court protocol prevented that from being a long-term job. The nonsense rhymes came later starting in 1846 and the ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ in 1867.

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea In a beautiful pea green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five pound note.

The Owl looked up to the stars above, And sang to a small guitar, 'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love, What a beautiful Pussy you are, You are, You are!

What a beautiful Pussy you are!'

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Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!

How charmingly sweet you sing!

O let us be married! too long we have tarried: But what shall we do for a ring?'

They sailed away, for a year and a day, To the land where the Bong-tree grows And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood With a ring at the end of his nose, His nose, His nose, With a ring at the end of his nose.

'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.'

So they took it away, and were married next day By the Turkey who lives on the hill.

They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon, The moon, The moon, They danced by the light of the moon.

Forever in my memory as sung by Elton Hayes on Children’s Favourites.

Peter Farley

Did Noah fish?

The Sunday school teacher asked: "James, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark ?"

"No," replied James. “How could he? He only had two worms."

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Cleric John Wesley’s little-known occupation as a man of medicine As one of the founding fathers of Methodism, John Wesley is well-known throughout the world as a Christian evangelist. But his experiments into producing cures for the sick are not often talked about – until now.

An exhibition revealing the surprising and illuminating history of Wesley’s wild and wonderful medical ideas are now touring the country until 30 September, visiting Epworth, Bristol, Launceston, Englesea Brook, London and Newcastle. The exhibition, entitled ‘Wesley and Well-being’, will explore Wesley’s medicinal manual, Primitive Physic, which was so popular in its day that it was republished 23 times, making it an 18th century best-seller.

Although some of his “cures” were denounced by 18th century critics as “possibly deadly”, his thinking was occasionally ahead of his time: honey is used in many of his remedies, even though its antiseptic and antibacterial properties have only been recently confirmed by science. It was only in the 1700s that medicine in Western Europe began to be a respectable profession and care for the sick was not seen as an extension of the pastoral care provided by the Church.

When Wesley’s Primitive Physic was published in 1747, doctors were still more likely to kill at a price than cure for a fee. Wesley wanted to put the knowledge of curing diseases into ordinary people’s hands. Some of his remedies, such as holding a live puppy over the stomach to cure colic, sound comic to us today. But, to Wesley’s credit, if he thought a critic’s claim was well-founded, then he would make changes in the next edition.

Wesley opened free clinics in London and dispensaries in London, Bristol and Newcastle. He took remedies and cures from other published medical books and re-wrote them in plain English. He tried to make all the remedies cheap and easy to get hold of and he asked his preachers to sell his book, encouraging them to add their own cures. He provided remedies and preventions on a range of ailments and diseases, from headaches to the plague, and gout to obesity. His ‘cures’ ranged from advising people to 32

exercise around two to three hours a day in order to “soften the evils of life” to drying and powdering a toad into small pills in order to help ease asthma.

Dr Richard Vautrey, Former Vice-President of the Methodist Conference and a practising GP, said: “John Wesley took the command to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind’ seriously, working to ensure that Methodists were not only nurturing their spiritual health but looking after their physical health as well. Whilst some of his ideas belong in the 18th century, many are as relevant today as they were then. All Methodists today would do well to follow his advice by increasing the amount of exercise we do and reducing the amount of salt in our diets. By doing so whilst our hearts may still be "strangely warmed" – as Wesley’s was – they won't overheat!”

The Church's Olympic and Paralympic Co-ordinator Ish Lennox is supporting the exhibition. “The Methodist influence on Britain’s sporting heritage can be seen clearly in the history of football," she said. "Aston Villa FC was formed in March 1874 by four members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel. Walter Tull was brought up in the Methodist orphanage in Bethnal Green. He was one of Britain’s first black footballers, playing for Tottenham Hotspur." from the Parish Pump website

Don’t forget the other half When my daughter said her bedtime prayers, she would bless every family member, every friend, and every animal (current and past). Then one night, after we had finished the nightly prayer, she added: "And all girls." This soon became part of her nightly routine.

Finally my curiosity got the best of me and I asked her why she had begun adding the part about all girls. Her response? "Because at church the minister only ever says ‘all men!’”

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Midlands Hospitals Choir

Summer Concert Saturday 7th July Ladywood ARC

Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances & Other pieces inc: Elgar, Brahms, Adams & Gardiner

RAISING FUNDS FOR CLIC SARGENT A charity which cares for children with cancer and supports their families

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June 2012 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 3rd

Mrs S Hall

10th

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY - Rev R Jones with HOLY COMMUNION

20th

ALL AGE WORSHIP - Allison Gee

27th

Mrs N Murcott

Egyptian this and that A group of tourists was watching the re-enactment of an ancient Egyptian religious ritual. One pointed to the statue that was being praised, and asked a nearby local for the name of the god. "Why do you ask?" the local man replied.

The tourist shrugged. "Oh, just idol curiosity!"

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Weekly Church Activities Sunday

10.30 am

MORNING WORSHIP and Young Church

Tuesday

9.30 - 11.30 am 9.30 - 12.30 pm 2.00 pm

Stay and Play 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 : Caroline Joyce Rainbows : Louise Rawson Brownies : Lesley Carter Guides : Helen Rainsford

Saturday

10.00 - 12.00 noon Coffee Morning : Lesley Morgan 10.30 - 11.30 am Church open for prayer : Margaret Curzon

Please hand any items for the July/August CONTACT to any of the Editorial Team (Elizabeth Baizon, Peter Farley, Christine Rankin, Ann Tomes & Nick Riley) by 15th June 2012 at the latest please or alternatively email me: nickriley@blueyonder.co.uk

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