LETTER FROM OUR MINISTER Dear Friends, As we approach the autumn (is summer nearly gone already?), and the new Connexional year begins - which of course is 1 st September – we are looking forward to an exciting time in the Circuit, with the arrival of Rev. Steve Swann, working as a pioneer minister in the west of the Circuit. To have been able to appoint a new minister for this work makes a firm statement about how the Circuit is developing its vision: for it would have been easier, no doubt, to have succumbed to the temptation to appoint a minister whose focus in ministry was along more traditional lines - more of the same, in other words. There is nothing wrong with traditional ministry, in itself, of course: it is, after all, the model of ministry which many of us grew up experiencing from the ministers who nurtured and inspired us - including those who then went forward themselves as candidates for ordination. However, as someone ordained in the early nineteen nineties, I have found that, along with the vast majority of my colleagues, my ministry has been characterised by the tension which arises when trying to bridge the gap between those who yearn for a return to the golden age of the Church, and those whose desire is to see the Church re-invented in its entirety for the twenty first century: one of which has gone for good, and the other of which has yet to come to fruition. In our more rational moments, we all recognise that change is inevitable, but at a personal level we know that as we get older, the ability to embrace change, and to grow with it, becomes more and more difficult. It therefore gets ever more tempting to revert to ‘what we know’, even when we are aware that ‘what we know’ no longer appears to be working, in terms of the Church’s mission - which among other things, is to ‘go, make disciples of all nations’. Steve’s ministry among us in this Circuit is not the whole answer to the question of how we make the Methodist Church correspond to its original purpose and mission. We will not drop him down into Stanway/Tollgate area and expect him to get on with it on his own, thinking that merely by appointing him we have fulfilled our missionary obligations, and the rest of us can just get on with doing (or, more to the point, not doing) our own thing in the way we have always (or not!) done it. If the Church is to renew itself, it can only be done in reference to those to whom we wish to reach out in love - and that is not the work of one person, it can only be the work of the whole community. So this new appointment is not just the beginning of Steve’s new form of ministry here. It is the beginning of ours, too. With every good wish, Alan Jenkins ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PRAYER CORNER Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for the beauty of each new day, which we can enjoy. At this harvest time we give thanks for the foods which we have and we remember the people of the developing world; for farmers and growers working hard to provide for their families, that they may receive a fair price for their goods. We pray Lord for ourselves, our names are written on the palms of your hands and we
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LETTER FROM OURMINISTER
Dear Friends,
As we approach the autumn (is summer nearly gone already?), and the new Connexional year begins - which of course is 1st September – we are looking forward to an exciting time in the Circuit, with the arrival ofRev. Steve Swann, working as a pioneer minister in the west of the Circuit.
To have been able to appoint a new minister for this work makes a firm statement about how the Circuit is developing its vision: for it would have been easier, no doubt, to have succumbed to the temptation to appoint a minister whose focus in ministry was along more traditional lines - more of the same, in other words.
There is nothing wrong with traditional ministry, in itself, of course: it is, after all, themodel of ministry which many of us grew up experiencing from the ministers who nurtured and inspired us - including those who then went forward themselves as candidates for ordination.
However, as someone ordained in the early nineteen nineties, I have found that, along with the vast majority of my colleagues, my ministry has been characterised by the tension which arises when trying to bridgethe gap between those who yearn for a return to the golden age of the Church, and those whose desire is to see the Church re-invented in its entirety for the twenty first century: oneof which has gone for good, and the other of which has yet to come to fruition.
In our more rational moments, we all recognise that change is inevitable, but at a personal level we know that as we get older, the ability to embrace change, and to grow with it, becomes more and more difficult.
It therefore gets ever more tempting to revertto ‘what we know’, even when we are aware that ‘what we know’ no longer appears to be working, in terms of the Church’s mission - which among other things, is to ‘go, make disciples of all nations’.
Steve’s ministry among us in this Circuit is not the whole answer to the question of how we make the Methodist Church correspond to its original purpose and mission. We will not drop him down into Stanway/Tollgate area and expect him to get on with it on his own, thinking that merely by appointing him we have fulfilled our missionary obligations, and the rest of us can just get on with doing (or, more to the point, not doing) our own thing in the way we have always (or not!) done it.
If the Church is to renew itself, it can only be done in reference to those to whom we wish to reach out in love - and that is not the work of one person, it can only be the work of the whole community.
So this new appointment is not just the beginning of Steve’s new form of ministry here. It is the beginning of ours, too.
With every good wish, Alan Jenkins
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PRAYER CORNER
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the beauty of each new day, which we can enjoy.
At this harvest time we give thanks for the foods which we have and we remember the people of the developing world; for farmers and growers working hard to provide for their families, that they may receive a fair price for their goods.
We pray Lord for ourselves, our names are written on the palms of your hands and we
thank you for the love you give to each of us and we bring our prayers in Jesus’ name.
Amen~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTES FROM THE VESTRY
I have been very fortunate to have seen the magnificent splendour of the fall in New England for myself and it was very humbling and quite spectacular.
The colours of autumn with their gold and reds rival the fresh vibrant yellows and green of the spring – both are very special to me, but the autumn is always tinged with sadness, whilst the spring encourages more hopeful thoughts.
Here are a few quotes, which also echo my sentiments:
Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons. (Jim Bishop)
Autumn repays the earth the leaves which summer lent it. (Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–1799), translated by Norman Alliston, 1908)
Autumn is the hush before winter. (FrenchProverb)
Autumn is the perfect time to take accountof what we’ve done, what we didn’t do, and what we’d like to do next year. (Author Unknown)
At Wimpole Road we are commencing our new year of meetings, special services and celebrationswithout one well-loved member of our church family. Our dear friend, Betty Fothergill, was instrumental in so many of our church commitments and part of virtually every aspect of our church life, and will be greatly missed by everyone.
Her life of service and dedication was truly inspirational, not only for the major roles but also for the numerous ‘behind the scenes’ tasks, which Betty willingly undertook.
Here are a few of her (yet to be filled vacancies). Soup Run sandwich maker; Thursday Circle pianist; Lent/ Fellowship Lunches organiser; Pastoral Visitor; Christmas Gifts co-ordinator;Reader; Toddler Group treasurer and helper; Sunday Coffee helper; Property & Finance Secretary; unofficial church housekeeper – kitchen, toilets etc; Thursday Circle representative on Church Council and other committees.
Please give them prayerful consideration and if you feel able to help in any way, please speak to one of the stewards and we will gladly give you more information.
I’m sure that the phrase, ‘Ask Betty’ – will take a long time to be eradicated from our vocabulary.
The words of Norma’s poem ‘And the Sun Still Shone’ (featured in the last WRN) have been especially poignant for me these last few weeks, and it also applies to Betty.
I quote: ‘The world moved on, ignoring our pain, not waiting for us to join it again. And we who loved her, grieved alone, on the day she died, when the sun still shone’.
Alison Ablewhite~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AMAZING GRACE, HOW SWEET THE SOUND
What we now think of as one of the most treasured hymns in the Church’s repertoire was in fact almost forgotten, at least in the UK, until fairly recently. ‘Amazing Grace’, by John Newton,was first published in the Olney Hymns of 1779, which he wrote with the poet William Cowper.
However, it soon passed largely out of use, though it was remembered and treasured in the United States Appalachians. It was widely revived only in the 1960’s when its tune was recorded by a pipe band. Since then it has become universally known and loved.
Newton originally entitled it ‘Faith’s Review and Expectation’ and included a reference to I Chronicles, 17, verses 16-17, where David responds to what the prophet Nathan tells him about God’s care for him throughout his life, beginning:
‘Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, who am I, O Lord God, and
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what is my house that you have brought me thus far?’
The answer to Newton is that David is no one special, any more than any of us:
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far/and grace will lead me home’.
We do not have what we deserve, but what we are given by the unmeritable mercy of God. This sense of gift and gratitude is echoed in other lines. ‘I once was lost but now am found’ – is a reference to the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son in Luke 15.‘Was blind, but now I see’ – is a direct quote from John 9, verse 25, in which the man whose sight Jesus has restored confronts the Pharisees with the unassailable evidence of his healing.
The hymn reflects the conversion pattern which was well understood in 18th century evangelicalism, the wrestling with doubt and darkness before the light of conviction dawns on the ‘rebel soul’.
The tendency is to speak of submission before the overwhelming might of God, in which human beings in their natural state are worthless,‘worms’, as they are called in some hymns. Newton’s friend, William Cowper, was much moreinclined to this sort of language, by temperament as much as by theology.
Newton was of a more cheerful disposition. However, when we read the lines, ‘Through many dangers, toils and snares/I have already come’, while we might justifiably take them to refer to Newton’s life of peril, hardship and sin, we should take them as well to refer to his spiritual journey. Grace did not only keep him alive, but brought him to new life.
We are all on a journey, too, and we are kept by the same grace through the dangers, toilsand snares which beset us along the way. They may be different from those faced by Newton – though the great temptations of money, sex and power remain constant through the ages – but they are still ‘Giants to slay on the way to celestial city’, as Bunyan would have put it.
In Newton’s original hymn, there is a logical procession, which focuses on his conversion, considers the difficulties of his life and contemplates death and the end of the world.It is not often sung as he wrote it. His fifth verse:
‘Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease, I shall possess within the veil, a life of joy and peace’ is often omitted, while his sixth and final verse:
‘The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine, but God, who called me
here below will be for ever mine’ - is hardly ever sung, which is a pity.
The usual last verse, beginning, ‘When we’ve been there ten thousand years/bright shining as the sun’ – is not by Newton, though it is old (1790). {Dee Major – Methodist Recorder}
BUILDING A FUTURE
Sir Richard Branson recently revealed that 3% of new Virgin trains employees are ex-offenders. He’s not the only one to have spotted that potential – the charity Bounce Back teaches former prisoners construction skills to give them the opportunity to make a fresh start.
One man grew up in Peckham, South London, and was studying politics at university when he was arrested. He spent two years and three months in prison in Dorset for possession and intent to supply drugs.
“Prison doesn’t reform you – you have to reform yourself”, he said.
For him, Bounce Back, has proved invaluable, and he now helps to coach new recruits. In the UK there is a 50% chance of people who have served prison sentences lastingless than a year re-offending, while those who have served between one and four years have a 36% re-offending rate.
The charity and social enterprise, which has a commercial decorating business attached, has now trained more than 500 people. Many areemployed through Bounce Back, and once they have experience, many go on to set up their own businesses.
The group has three training centres in HMP Brixton, HMP Wandsworth, as well as on-site safety courses in a number of other prisons.They have received support from big construction companies including Land Securities, Landlease, Mace, Keltbray and Alandale, which all make sure people get jobs straight out of prison.
The entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson, believes that hiring former prisoners increases the talent pool, lowers the price tag for re0ffending, nurtures entrepreneurial spirit and contributes to safe communities.
Another man has been working with the company since 2013. Now, aged 36, he finished his last sentence in 2008, for possession and intent to supply drugs, and found Bounce Back through the probation service.
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“I was already out of the stage of being in prison, but I just needed somebody to give me a chance”, he said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. I John 4. v7
A STORY OF SACRIFICE
The handwritten will of a Scottish woman who died in Auschwitz after refusing to abandon Jewish girls in her care at a missionary school in Budapest has been discovered in church archives. Jane Haining is the only Scot names as ‘Righteousamong the Nations’ – non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews from the Nazis – by Yad Vashem, Israel’s holocaust memorial.
Her will, which bequeaths ‘money left after meeting funeral expenses’ along with her wireless, typewriter, fur coat and watches was found in a box in the archives of the Church of Scotland’s World Mission Council in Edinburgh.
The box also held about 70 photographs ofHaining with her young charges, and documents revealing efforts to secure her release from the Nazi death camp. The material is to be handed over to the National Library of Scotland.
The Rev. Ian Alexander, secretary of the World Mission Council, said Haining’s story was
‘One of heroism and personal sacrifice. The discovery of a will gives a sense she was fullyaware of the risks she was taking”, he said.
“Scottish missionaries were advised to return home from Europe during the dark days of the Second World War, but Jane declined and wrote:
‘If these children need me in days of sunshine, how much do they need me in days of darkness?’
She embodies so much of the internationalspirit”, he added.
Haining moved to Budapest in the early 1930’s to work as a matron in a church run schoolafter a sheltered childhood on a farm and 10 yearsworking as a secretary. Many of the 315 pupils at the school were girls from the city’s growing Jewish population.
In 1939, when war broke out, Haining wason holiday in Cornwall but immediately returned
to Budapest and her girls. A year later she was ordered by the Church to return to Scotland, but refused.
When Nazi troops entered Budapest in March 1944, she again rejected orders to leave, instead sewing yellow stars on to the clothes of Jewish girls on Gestapo demands.
Within weeks, the Gestapo arrested her onsuspicion of spying, giving her 15 minutes to gather her belongings. Haining was charged with eight offences, including listening to news broadcasts on the BBC.
By May she was in Auschwitz, working inthe labour camps, and by August she was dead. Her British citizenship meant the Nazis sent a death certificate to the Church of Scotland.
As well as being honoured by Yad Vashem in 1997, after a 10 year investigation, Haining was posthumously awarded a Hero of theHolocaust medal by the UK Government in 2010.
Two glass windows bear tribute to her ‘service and sacrifice’ at her former church in Queen’s Park, Glasgow. A street in Budapest is named after her.
Rev. Susan Brown of the World Mission Council said:
“The previously unseen documents and photographs have, for me, evoked fresh feelings of awe about this already tremendously moving, inspiring and important story.
To hear of Jane’s determination to continue to care for ‘her’ girls, even when she knew it put her own life at risk, is truly humbling”.
The design of a national holocaust memorial to be built next to the Houses of Parliament in 2017 will be decided by an international competition.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAIL NEWS Spruced up with a fresh vinyl, an Abellio
Greater Anglia train has undergone re-branding to promote a new rail line. The ‘Gainsborough Line’ train was unveiled at Marks Tey Station and is the third in a series of four Abellio trains to be made over. The train operates across Abelloio’s East Anglia Rail network and will help to market the Gainsborough Line, which travels between Sudbury and Marks Tey. The project is a joint initiative between Abellio and the Essex and Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, which workswith local authorities and groups and aims to encourage greater use of the line to Sudbury.
In Cirencester there is a large house in the town centre known as ‘Bingham House’. Here is the story of the man who had the house built. Daniel George Bingham (1830-1913) was born in Black Jack Street, Cirencester and began his working career with the Great Western Railway at the town’s station before moving to Utrecht, where he helped to re-organise the Dutch railway network. In 1905 he
used his personal wealth as a benefactor to build and endow the Bingham Library, a ‘noble gift’ to his native town. The library moved to new premises in 1975 since when the building has continued to be owned and managed as a public resource by the Bingham Library Trust.
The railway line arrived in Tendring exactly 150 years ago and was one of the most significant events in the area’s economic and social history. In those days, the peninsula was dominated by farming with Clacton, Frinton and Waltonlittle more than peaceful rural villages. The first train ran to Kirby Cross on 28 July, 1866. Proposals to build a line to Clacton started in 1866 but nothing happened until 1877 when the Clacton-on-Sea railway was incorporated and the connection opened in 1882. Branch lines were built with one arriving in Brightlingsea in 1866. It operated until it fell victim to the Beeching cuts in 1964. The railways were nationalised in 1948 and electrification took place in the fifties with completion to Clacton in 1962. But with roads taking more traffic, Thorrington Railway Station closed in 1961 and following the Beeching Report in 1963, goods facilities were withdrawn from all stations in the area.
Southwold’s Railway Trust (SRT) application to develop a workshop and tourist attraction at Blyth Road, Southwold was granted planning permission by Waveney District Council on 17 May. The scheme will provide a multi-purpose loco shed/workshop containing two internal 3ft-gauge tracks, which opens to a small yard with tracks enabling locomotive driving and shunting demonstrations. North of the tracks the
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majority of the site will form a new nature reserve surrounding a 7¼ inch gauge miniature railway circuit. The attraction will also include a shop and café. The Blyth Road site is directly next to the original Southwold track bed, which leads west to the river and Blyth Bridge to Walberswick Station, and east to the site of Southwold Station. {Perhaps this could form part of an annual church outing to Southwold and Aldeburgh}.
Overhead power lines on routes radiating from Liverpool Street into Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk are being replaced in an effortto reduce the number of heat-related train delays during the summer months. Network Rail’s £250 million project will ultimately see almost 200 miles of overhead line replaced with new wire that is not affected by heat. This will eliminate the problems caused by the older type lines, which expand and sag when temperatures rise, thereby causing delays. Since the operation began in March 2014, around 54 miles of new wire has been installed, with 13 miles being renewed between Liverpool Street and Chelmsford since the start of the year. The project is due to complete in 2019.
The number of daily services operated by Freightliner out of the Port of Felixstowe has risen to 23 after a new service to and from the company’s rail port at Doncaster was announced. The new service increasesthe total number of daily trains, leaving the port, by all operators to 32.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE NIGHT OF THE GREAT CRASH
On the night of 23 September, 1916, at one o’clock in the morning a Zeppelin crash landed on Copt Hall Lane, Little Wigborough.
The crew and their commander, Commander Boecker, decided to make their way to Colchester to surrender.
At Peldon Post Office they were arrested by Constable Smith who handed them over to a nervous military guard.
Fortunately, at 2 a.m. on a Saturday night the Vicar of West Mersea was cycling to The Strood to see what was going on. The Reverend Pierrepoint Edwards was a well-known local character, nicknamed the ‘Fighting Parson’, for boxing skills which he had developed in the East End of London.
The vicar took over. Arriving at West Mersea the local fishermen were ready with lengths of rope to give the Germans a very hard time. The vicar stopped them, telling them to raise the Union Jack instead and give three cheersfor King George. They did.
The vicar put the men in the church hall where they spent the night. The vicar’s wife had assembled ‘ a detachment of local nurses’ who tended various burns and bruises which the men had suffered and bandaged them up, while two cooks prepared tea and snacks.
“The German Crew”, the vicar told the press, “With one or two exceptions are a decent lot”.
One exception was Commander Boecker, who demanded private accommodation for the night as befitting a German officer. Rev. Pierrepoint Edwards, who was home on leave after 11 months on the Western Front, for which he had received the Military Cross, was not impressed.
His wife found one of the crew had a broken rib. She made up a bed in the vicarage for him, while Boecker sulked in the church hall.
News of what happened spread fast. The local papers felt able to cover the story. ConstableSmith was instantly promoted to Sergeant and thegroup of Special Constables who had escorted theGermans to The Strood received gold watches and lavish praise.
However a tragedy occurred that no one expected. When the crewman’s broken rib was discovered at Peldon they decided to call for an ambulance.
A local young farmer went off on his motorcycle towards Colchester Garrison. Driving
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on the wrong side of the road, he hit a car – an unlikely accident at 2 a.m. in 1916. His leg was sobadly injured that it was amputated the next day atColchester Hospital.
The shock killed him, the only death caused by the great Zeppelin crash.
FOLLOWING JESUS
There was a man called Jesus, who came down here on earth. And found a group of people, who would help him in his work.
He first turned to some fishermen, in their boats upon the sea. Told them of God’s message and said, “Come, follow me.
I have come to free you all from guilt and from neglect, and give you God’s new life plan, of love and of respect.
My path will be a stony one and sometimes hard to bear but I need you to support me, if only you’ll be there”.
Then others followed Jesus as he went upon his way.
They watched him heal the blind and lame and kept the crowds at bay.
Were with him when he held a child, and raised her from the dead, then helped him feed the multitude, with a few fish and some bread.
We all can follow Jesus, every woman, child and man; look at how we live our lives and keep to God’s own plan.
For Jesus is our pattern so our aim must surely be to hold his hand and walk with him, when he says, “Follow Me”.
Norma Peckston~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ORDER OF SERVICEAn order of service, 17 April 2016, from the Covenant Church of Naples in Florida - the Covenant Church is a member of the Presbyterian Church in America.
Contemporary Service 9 a.m. Family Life (Come to the Water)Call to Worship (a Mighty Fortress good, good Father)Missions Moment (Stephen Ministry)The Offering (Dwelling Place)At 9 a.m. children 3-5 years old dismissed for Children’s Church in fellowship hallScripture Reading (Joshua 4)Message (Looking Back to Go Ahead – Pastor Bob Petterson)(We Will Remember)Deacon SundayBenediction
Traditional Service 11 a.m.Family Life (Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah)Call to Worship (O God, our Help in Ages Past; Be Thou my Vision)Missions Moment (Stephen Ministry)The Offering (Dwelling Place)Scripture Reading (Joshua 4)
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Message (Looking Back to Go Ahead – Pastor Bob Petterson)(We Will Remember)Deacon SundayBenedictionSermon Notes – 3rd in series, Crossing OverMemorial Stones – Looking Back to Go AheadPassage: Joshua 4Principle: If we are going to win battles ahead, weneed to remember victories behind.
Points to Ponder:1. Valour that advances kingdoms should be
remembered (Joshua 4: 22)
2. Memorials are made of real stone (Joshua 4: 6)
Remembering is costly (Joshua 4: 5)
Visiting is costly (Joshua 4: 6 & 7)
Building personal memories is costly (Joshua 4: 9)
3. The Best Memorials are made of Flesh! (Joshua 4: 21, 22 & 24)
{With thanks to John Richards for yet anotherinteresting contribution to our magazine}
ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY
Balkerne Hill is named after the significant piece of Colchester’s history found alongside it.
Balkerne Gate is the 1st century gateway in the town centre, which is the largest surviving gateway in RomanBritain.
Built where the Roman road from Londinium intersected with the town wall it has Grade One listed building status and is the best preserved Romangateway of its kind anywhere in the country.
Historians believe it was built between AD 70 and AD 96 and it originally had two main arched passageways with separate arched footways on both sides.
These can no longer be seen but the remaining structure we see today, being the south side arched footway.
Remains of a guard tower can also be seen. Roman town gates could have as many as three entrances but were usually limited to one or two.
But the Balkerne Gate had four gates, and unusually wide carriageways. It was the main gate outof town, set in the centre of the western section of the walls.
The north wall, also, has two gates, North Gate and Duncan’s Gate, the east wall had the modern East Gateand the southern wall had the modern South Gate and Head Gate.
Headgate Street, in the town centre and Eastgates, near the Hythe, both take their names from these structures.
There are no other quadruple gates, like the Balkerne Gate in Britain but there are a few elsewhere in Europe, including at the Porte d’Auguste at Nimes in France and the Palatine Towers in Turin, Italy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LOOKING INTO OLD HEATH’S
PASTA collection of memories of
growing up and living in the Old Heath
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area of Colchester over the past century form the basis of a new book.
Local historian, Patrick Denney, first began speaking to the older residents of the area 25 years ago and has now added these to a set of new memories he began collecting last summer.
More than 40 residents contributed to the book, which has been sponsored by the Old Heath Community Trust and focuses on different topics for each chapter.
Margaret Moss, who was born in 1934, spoke about her vivid memories of the Old Heath Laundry being bombed in 1940, while teacher Mary Bareham recalled the large classes at Old Heath Primary School.
Others remember the Gardening Club, the trades and occupations in the town, what people did in their leisure time and the role of the church in Old Heath.
The book costs £6.00 and is available to buy from Red Lion Books inColchester High Street.
THE WIMPOLE BEARS
It was on August Bank Holiday Monday that the Wimpole Bears travelled to Ipswich and went on a pig hunt.
These were not real pigs however, the town was full of larger than life pig sculptures, which had been decorated by artists and schools, and had been sponsored by local businesses.
The Bears spent some time followingthe pig trail, there were lots of other families doing the same thing.
Each of the Bears had a favourite pig – Father Archibald loves football, so heliked ‘Porkman Road’ pig, which was near to
the football ground and was painted in blueand white.
Some other favourites were ‘Sir Bradley Piggins’; ‘Elvis Porksley’ and ‘The Trotters Pig’, from ‘Only Fools and Horses’.All the pigs looked really colourful and Walter and Wilfred would have liked to have taken one home.
Mother Henrietta said they were far too big and they wouldn’t fit into the car.
Father Archibald wanted to download some information on the pigs on an App, but he wasn’t too good at it and was having a lot of difficulty when a young boy came along and soon helped him out. His mum said he’d helped several older people that day!
After having some lunch and doing a little shopping the Bears made their way home.
The Bears are sitting in the Vestibule and would be pleased to come into church with any little people during the service.
They have enjoyed the warm summer days and now that the days are turning autumnal they will soon be sitting in front of their cosy fire and eating theirfavourite honey.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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LOVE THY NEIGHBOURThe following letter appeared in The Courier, a community newspaper serving Mersea Island andthe surrounding areas. It was written by the Reverend David Moody, who lives on the island.
“Thankfully not all residents of Merseahold racist views nor express themselves in abusive language as reported in the latest edition of The Courier.
Whether or not we agree with the UK leaving the European Union, it should in no way affect our attitude to other people of different race, religion or colour. In the Christian vocabulary we are all equally valued.
It might be of interest to your readers that a resolution passed by the Methodist Conference meeting during the first week of July sets out the Christian perspective:
‘The Methodist Conference believes that the British Isles are enriched by diversity and celebrates the contribution made by those who have come from other parts of the world.
The Christian tradition calls for respect, tolerance, love of neighbour and hospitality of speaking and acting for healing,reconciliation and mutual respect’”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE ANNUAL CHURCH OUTING
This year’s church outing included a trip on the Bure Valley Railway from Aylshamto Wroxham followed by a cruise on the Norfolk Broads.
It was lovely to see all our friends again but we were sorry that Alison and Terry, and Lionel and Roy were unable to be with us this year but there is always the next time.
Before departing from Wimpole Road we had our customary short prayer, a few words from our driver Steve and a short outline of the day’s itinerary. Within a few minutes we were off and settling down for
our journey through Essex, Suffolk and into the Norfolk countryside.
The time passed quickly as Steve negotiated the quieter Suffolk roads and we could enjoy the tranquil countryside from the comfort of our Kings Coach seats. However, the Norwich ring road was far busier but, again Steve’s driving took us safely onwards to our destination in Aylsham.
The Bure Valley Railway travels along a nine mile stretch of lovely, rural Norfolk between Aylsham and Wroxham. We were booked on the 12.40 p.m. train and therefore had time to spend looking round the station and the workshops.
On arrival we all made our way to ‘The Whistlestop Café’ for some refreshments and a chat with our friends. Asa special treat the railway company providedus with a complimentary dish of delicious Norfolk strawberries and cream.
A few of us including Roy Carter visited the workshop and Roy, who had worked in the motor trade, said,
“How much he loved the smell of grease and engine oil”.
At 12.40 p.m. everybody was on board and ready for our ride along the River Bure and stopping at the stations at Brampton, Buxton, Coltishall and the capital of The Broads, Wroxham.
The journey took about an hour and as we left the train at Wroxham it had started to rain. Luckily we had decided to make the short journey into Wroxham by coach and as we approached the town it became evident that we had made the right decision. In a few minutes the monsoon rain had flooded the car park to a depth of at
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least two inches and for twenty minutes we were unable to leave the safety of the coach.
When the rain stopped most people went in search of some lunch but a few remained behind to await the sailing time of our cruise at 3.30 p.m.
There were several fish and chip shops in Wroxham and they all served excellent fish and chips.
It was a great surprise to see Gillian and Peter Simpson and family as well as Jon and Margaret Bloom meeting us on the quay at Wroxham and as Jon said in his letter,
“I hear we cast off at 3.30 p.m. so willbe in place well before then”.
By 3.30 p.m. we were all aboard the ‘Belle of the Broads’ and looking forward to acruise on the Norfolk Broads.
The weather was now perfect and as our boat moved away from its mooring we waved to people watching from the river bank as the captain expertly navigated the narrow entrance to Wroxham Harbour and steered his ship out into deeper waters.
We were soon passing by some beautiful houses including one owned by a former Norwich City footballer and another one once owned by the entertainer, George Formby.
There were lots of cruisers on the river and boats of all shapes and sizes. We saw a number of birds including great crested grebe, heron and gulls. It was very interesting and the captain contributed to a lovely afternoon with a fascinating commentary.
Our cruise ended at 5 p.m. and once back on land we had time to say our final farewells to the Simpson family and to Jon and Margaret Bloom. It was lovely to see our good friends once again.
The return journey to Colchester did not take too long and we were soon back at Wimpole Road having enjoyed a day of fun and fellowship with our friends.
During the outward journey we had been entertained with another lovely poem from the very talented Norma Peckston and a quiz that are both a popular part of our days out together. The poem and quiz appear in this edition of the Wimpole Road News.
On a personal note Christine and Graham would like to thank everyone for their very generous gifts. They would also like to thank Grace, Matthew and Sarah for their present. The notebook entitled, ‘How to be a world class tour guide’ will be put to good use.
It is very sad to end our report with having to mention that this was to be Betty Fothergill’s final outing. Betty had been on all of our trips and she will be missed so very much. We will remember Betty with great affection.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He who plants a garden,plants happiness.
Chinese ProverbOLD TIMES
Of all the forms of transport, there are in the world today, I much prefer the old ones, in every single way.
The steam train is my favourite, with its carriages jostling along, speeding along the silver rails to its own particular song.
It’s nice to look out of the windows, if the weather is sunny, or grey,
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you’ll see sheep and cows in the meadows, if the smoke doesn’t get in the way.
If you want a more peaceful journey, then a trip on the river for you. Silently drifting along on the water, round each bend a different view.
On the banks in the reeds and the rushes, many creatures have made their home, making their nests or their burrows, a safe place to care for their young.
But whatever you choose it’s relaxing, a reminder of days gone by, when you had time to enjoy your surroundings, and see the sweeter things in life.
Norma Peckston~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘BREAKFAST FORWARD’
The charitable enterprise behind the Café on the Rec and the Holy Trinity Church Café in Colchester is now reaching out to the homeless and those in need by launching the ‘Breakfast Forward’ scheme. S donation of £5 will provide a cooked breakfast and a hot drink to a homeless person.
Donations can be made at either café, and hopefully the idea will be a success. The venue onthe Recreation Ground would be ideal if we wanted to launch our own church Breakfast Club or something similar on a regular basis.
MOTHERS’ UNION
One hundred and forty years ago MarySumner founded Mothers’ Union to help mothers understand their responsibilities in providing for the spiritual and moral upbringing of their children and to support them in developing parenting skills.
The movement grew from a meeting inher home and spread throughout the country.In 1896 the Central Council of Mothers’ Unionwas founded and marriage, parenting and prayer were prioritised as vital to the future of
family life. A year later Queen Victoria became its first royal patron.
Central Presidents (now called Worldwide Presidents) continue to dedicate themselves to ‘The encouragement, strengthening, support of marriage and family life’, as they travel the world visiting Mothers’ Union members in 83 countries.
In this their 140th anniversary we remember the work of Mary Sumner and pray her personal prayer:
All this day, O Lord, let me touch as many lives as possible for thee; and every life I touch, do thou by thy spirit quicken whether through the word I speak, the prayerI breathe, or the life I live”.
For 400 years the beautiful parish church of St. John was in the care of the nearby abbey and it’s Augustinian Order. Though the abbey is no longer there the prayer of St. Augustine remains:
Lord God. The light of the minds that know thee, the life of the souls that love thee, and the strength of the wills that serve thee, teach us to know thee that we may truly love thee, and so to love thee that we may fully serve thee, whose service is perfect freedom.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leaves are like ideas in the mind. They come when needed. They flourish and give life,light and wisdom. When ideas have served their purpose, they need to be swept away.
We must constantly sweep out the old to make way for the new.
Jan McKeithen
MISSION ACCOMPLISHEDFor the first time ever Sightsavers
have reached a point in a country where their work is done and they can prepare to move on, satisfied that the eye care services they’ve set up and supported can continue without them.
The country is Sri Lanka, and in thelast 20 years, Sightsavers have built a rich
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and lasting legacy of eye care and social inclusion.
One of the most far-reaching successes they have supported is the national plan for tackling avoidable blindness, through the international 2020 programme.
They have worked closely with the Ministry of Health and College of Ophthalmologists to help implement the 2020 programme and the low vision, childhood blindness and primary eye care programmes that now form part of Sri Lanka’s national health system.
Through these programmes, thousands of medical staff and health workers have been trained to screen and treat countless numbers of people, eye careclinics have been established across the country, and more than 50,000 pairs of glasses have been distributed for free.
Another major milestone is the development of a national employment plan for people with disabilities. Through it, people who are getting the chance to find jobs and earn a living.
Before their departure, Sightsavers, helped Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health to carry out a national survey of blindness, visual impairment and disability. The results will inform the planning and delivery of eye health services for years to come.
POSTCARD FROM KAJIADO
On a cold afternoon three women are gathering dry grass and feeding it into a hand operated baling machine. In no time a bale of hay emerges and is lifted onto a pile partially covered with plastic sheeting.
The three Masai women – Mary Nkaru, Susan Tonuo and Charity Kokwai – used to find enough grass for their cattle
on their community’s big communally owned ranches in Southern Kenya.
But communal grazing land in Kajiado County, where they live is vanishing as a result of sales, division of land and rapid urbanisation, with Kenya’s capital Nairobi, not far away. That, and worsening drought, has forced pastoralist families to turn to more sedentary lifestyles to survive.
“Decades ago, it was men’s role to search for pasture for the livestock but of late women are looking after the animals”,Charity Kokwai said.
The change has come as land has shifted from communal to individual ownership.
“Suddenly we were being told that animals entering a neighbour’s land could attract a trespass fine from their owner. It was crazy”, said Mary Nkaru, “Dividing communal land has also favoured the rich.
We had people with thousands of acres while others had to contend with a few hundred or less”.
~~~POSTCARD FROM MUHEZA
Tatu Mtulya looks older than her age. Her sun-parched skin and the repairs to her well-worn dress say it all.
The 49 year old single mother lives in a grass-thatched house with her four children in a village next to a highway in Tanzania’s northern Muheza district.
She was among thousands of women singled out to receive cash handouts as part of the government’s efforts to lift its citizens out of poverty under the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) scheme.
Tatu spent her grant of 355,000 Tanzanian shillings (£120) to set up a cafeteria selling dishes of rice, meat, chicken and the local staple, ugali, so she could earn a regular income.
“Through my business I get a good income to help me pay for what my children need”, she said. “On a good day I could get up to 30,000 Tanzanian shillings in profit a day.”
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She is still in her two-roomed shack that’s prone to flooding. Her two daughters, aged 19 and 15, share a narrowbed in one of the rooms. Tatu sleeps in the other room with her two sons, aged 11 and8.
More than 6,000 families in Muheza have received financial support to improve their livelihoods under the conditional cash transfer initiative run by the government.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PRAYER BEFORE AN EXAMINATION
Dear Lord, as I take this exam, I thankyou that my value is not based on my performance, but on your great love for me.
Come into my heart so that we can walk through this time together.
Help me, not only with this test, but the many tests of life that are sure to come my way.
As I take this exam, bring back to my mind everything I have studied and be gracious with what I have overlooked.
Help me to remain focused and calm, confident in the facts and in my ability, and firm in the knowledge that no matter what happens today, you are there with me.
Amen.
{from ‘Spotlight’ – the magazine of the Launceston Area Methodist Church)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~COMMUNITY DAY PROFITS HELP
JIGSAW STUDY CENTRE
Derek Pitcher is seen in the photograph presenting a cheque in the sumof £290 to the teacher responsible for the woodcraft workshop in Gosbecks Road, Colchester.
Jigsaw Study Centre is owned and run by Autism Anglia and houses a fully equipped woodcraft workshop; an arts andcrafts studio with multimedia and textiles facilities; a PE department with large, modern gymnasium, outdoor area and access to many off-site facilities; an up to date and dynamic IT suite, featuring business speed broadband and a life skills department with in-house provision for domestic skills, aimed at promoting independent living.
On the day of the presentation Derek was shown round the workshop, where Mollie and Derek’s son, Andrew, works on a Monday afternoon.
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The amount of £290 represented 50% of the profits from the New Town Community Day in June.
The money will be used to buy new woodwork tools for use in the workshop.
DUTHIE’S DIARYSaturday 2 July.
Arrived back home at 4.30 p.m. following a perfect day out where we met good friends, a zoo-keeper and spent time trying to solve a quiz based around flower arrangements.
Christine and myself had decided tovisit the Great Bentley Methodist Church annual Flower Show and were looking forward to, hopefully seeing John and Jane Allison.
We left home at about 10 o’clock and soon arrived in the village of Great Bentley and parked our car in the railway station’s car park. Many years ago when meand my brother were taken to Clacton and Walton by our parents we travelled by train and loved to see the very attractive station gardens carefully tended by the resident station masters. Sadly days lost forever.
The only reference I could find about stations on the route in my copy of Bradshaw’s Handbook referred to Walton-le-Soken or Walton-on-the-Naze.
Apparently the word ‘soken’ is derived from some exclusive privileges formerly granted to certain refugees fromthe Netherlands, who established themselves here and introduced several manufacturing businesses, particularly that of cloth.
As we walked to the Methodist Church on a lovely sunny day we passed thepretty home of Jane and John. It was a good walk across the village green. Having received a warm welcome from a church member we were asked if we would like to take part in the quiz.
The quiz involved matching the flower arrangements to certain suspects – Gilbert and Sullivan; John Wesley; NottingHill Carnival and ‘You Rang m’Lord’ - very interesting and very imaginative displays that we could perhaps think about at Wimpole Road. We completed the quiz but were still searching for one remaining
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answer when we were told there was one inthe hall where the refreshments were being served.
Up to now we had not seen either Jane or John, but the first friends we meet are Beryl Partridge and David Ablewhite. It was good to see them.
Jane spotted us first and having exchanged a handshake and a kiss she told us that they had been very busy visiting family and friends, enjoying a holiday in Italy and attending a celebration in Cumbria followed by a few days in Scotland.
John was equally pleased to see us and to tell us that his health is good and allthe regular checks are delivering positive news.
As it is nearly lunchtime we are tempted by the appearance of bacon rolls on the menu and order two plus two cups ofcoffee. The bacon rolls when they arrive are very tasty and the bacon has been cooked to perfection.
Before saying our goodbyes I buy myself a jar of homemade marmalade, a jarof honey and a book on holidays in France.
There are some beautiful houses andgardens to see in the village and on the wayback to the car we talk to a lady who is tidying up her very pretty front garden. Sadly in many towns and villages the front garden is disappearing only to be replaced by paving and turned into a car park.
As it is still only twelve thirty we decide to drive to Clacton and spend a couple of hours in one of my favourite places. I have always loved Clacton as it is where we spent many happy hours either on holiday or on a family day out.
In the town centre we are able to do some shopping but it is not too long before I need to go and have a sit down asI am too tired/bored to continue.
There is a little kiosk by the gardens in Clacton and that is where I usually like to rest and enjoy a cup of tea or an ice cream.
When I have been there a few minutes I remark about the weather to the gentleman sitting next to me and this signals the start of a very interesting conversation.
His name is Mr Downing and he is in Clacton for the day. I tell him that we live in Colchester and he tells me that he is now a part-time zoo keeper at Colchester Zoo, where he has worked for the past twenty years.
The animals he has looked after include lions, tigers and elephants and when I ask him what animals are the most difficult to look after he immediately replies, “Human Beings!”
During his career he has met Barbara Windsor, Simon Cowell and Sir David Attenborough. We talk about Desmond Morris and Johnny Morris and how Colchester Zoo tries to re-introduce animals back into the wild.
When Christine catches up with us we have a cup of tea and soon say our farewells to Mr Downing, and tell him how much we have enjoyed talking to him.
We stroll back to the car and are soon on our way home but not before I have filled up with petrol at the appropriately named ‘Pumphill Service Station’.
Our good day out ends with news that Andy Murray is through to the next
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round at Wimbledon, Mark Cavendish won the first stage of Le Tour de France and Lewis Hamilton qualified as the fastest driver for the Austrian Grand Prix the following day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE BEST PLACE FOR CHILDREN
With its sandstone cliffs, seal colonies and an idyllic landscape the Orkney Islands are an oasis of tranquillity.
To the islanders it perhaps comes as no surprise that they have been singled out as the best place to bring up children anywhere in Britain.
The children’s quality of life study looked at employment rates, average house sizes, school performance levels, population density and personal wellbeing to make its findings.
The Orkneys, the Shetland Islands and the Western Isles took the top three spots for the best places for youngsters to live out their childhood.
Children have the ability to walk round in ‘relative freedom’ in the beautiful landscape, with an average of 71 vehicles per square kilometre in the Western Isles, 142 in the Orkneys and 145 in the Shetland, compared with an average of 9,587 across Britain.
Office for National Statistics data on personal wellbeing suggests adults are among the happiest, most satisfied and least anxious in Britain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CRICKET IN THE COMMUNITY
The Essex County Cricket Board has supported a project in East London to encourage and build upon the passion for cricket that the South Asian community continues to show. During 2015 the Cricket Board maintained its involvement in the following South Asian leagues:
National Cricket League
Elliot Davis Cricket League
Gujarati Metropolitan League
British Tamil Cricket League
English Tamil Cricket League
UK Malayee Cricket League
London Underground Cricket League
Essex County Cricket Board helped approximately 2,000 playing members with over 700 fixtures for outdoor cricket and over 1,000 indoor matches played in East London.
They have also played a part in the Faith Schools Indoor and Outdoor Festival by initially sending coaches into the mosques, synagogues and temples to engage with and encourage individualsto attend and participate.
Certain programmes have gone from strength to strength and this has resulted in a closer and stronger bond within the East London and South Asian communities.
One example is the ‘women only’ sessions and, again, members of the South Asian community have explained the cultural and religious importance of having a female coach as this helpsto make those taking part to feel more relaxed.
The key to the success of this project is down to working closely with key partners and stakeholders who have shared their vision on establishing what cricket in East London should look like.
Perhaps the following passage from ‘Kings of Cricket’ sums up how cricket plays its part in bridging the gap between race, religion and ability.
‘Cricket is a very humanising game. It appeals to the emotions of local patriotism and pride. It is eminently unselfish; the love of it
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never leaves us, and binds all the brethren together, whatever their politics and rank may be.
There is nothing like it in the sports of mankind. Everyone, however young, can try himself at it, though excellence be for the few, or perhaps not entirely for the few’. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OXFORD UNIVERSITY CRICKET
The first Oxford and Cambridge match was played at Lord’s in 1827, but was drawn owing to wet weather.
Among the players for Oxford was the Right Reverend Charles Wordsworth, Bishop of St. Andrews, as he afterwards became. He clean bowled for only 25 runs seven Cambridge wicketswith his fast left-handed under-hand, twisting from the off.
Herbert Jenner, the famous wicket-keeper, alone withstood him, scoring 47, or more than half the runs on the Cambridge side. From earlier accounts it appears that the Reverend Charles Wordsworth was instrumental in getting up the match, and had peculiar facilities for doing so, because his father was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, while he himself was at Christ Church, Oxford.
One feels, in reading what he says, how difficult it was before railways to organise any concerted action between the universities.
In the match of 1836 against Cambridge atLord’s, Oxford won by 121 runs. The Reverend G. Rawlinson, Canon of Canterbury, and celebrated for his work on Herodotus and many other books, made 12 and 6 for Oxford.
{From the Jubilee Book of Cricket by Prince Ranjitsinhji dedicated by her gracious permission, to her Majesty the Queen Empress.}~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I used to pray that God would do this or that. Now I pray that God will make his will known tome … then I go ahead, leaving the results to him. Madame Chiang Katshek
WESLEY’S LONDON – AN A – Z
Continuing our series with places and streets in the City of London, where John Wesley walkedand preached.
Ethelburga (Saint) – go up Bishopsgate Street and a little beyond St. Helens, will be found, half hidden by shops, the little church of St. Ethelburga. It dates, at least, from the fourteenth century, and was one of the few London churches that escaped the Great Fire. In the journal of Sunday 20February 1783, we read, “I preached in the afternoon at St. Ethelburga’s”. The diary shows that his text was Galatians, chapter 3, verse 22.
Fetter Lane – about midway between Ludgate Circus and the Law Courts, Fetter Lane runs north from Fleet Street toHolborn. On 1 May 1738 Wesley records,“This evening our little society began, which afterwards met in Fetter Lane”. Heproceeds to give the rules of the society. This was a Church of England, not, as hasoften been erroneously stated, a Moraviansociety. It was formed in James Hutton’s house at the ‘Sign of the Bible and Sun’ inLittle Wide Street. It was about September that the meeting place was changed to ‘a room in Fetter Lane’. The exact location of the room is uncertain butit has been variously suggested that it was in Elim Place, where there was a brick building, ‘originally in the occupation of the celebrated Mr John Wesley’.
Finsbury Dispensary – go up FarringdonRoad from Ludgate Circus; about a mile from the circus, turn to the right along Exmouth Street and follow it to its junction with Rosoman Street, close to theClerkenwell Town Hall. The dispensary was in Rosoman Street, where it was opened on 12 August 1780, mainly through the exertions of Mr George Friend and Dr Lettsom. It still exists but
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has been removed to Brewer Street, off Goswell Road. On Sunday 16 December 1787, Wesley says, “After preaching at Spitalfields, I hastened to St. Johns Clerkenwell and preached a charity sermon for the Finsbury Dispensary”. This was in the morning, and the text was I Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 3. Rowland Hill preached in the evening and the collection for the day amounted to £20.0s.4d.
Finsbury Square – go south from Wesley’s Chapel along City Road and youwill shortly find yourself in Finsbury Square. It was planned and built about 1760; twenty years after Wesley took possession of the adjacent foundery. Here lived, during the latter part of his business career, the famous James Lackington. His shop was called the ‘Temple of the Muses’and was so large that a coach and six couldhave been driven into it. It was burnt downin 1841. Lackington got his first start in business by means of help given him from the Lending Society started at the foundery by Wesley in 1747. He became the largest bookseller in England and was a faithful member of the Society at the Foundery until his retirement to Budleigh Salterton, where he died in 1815.
Forster Lane – now Foster Lane. The firstturning to the left off Cheapside after leaving the corner of St. Paul’s Churchyard. A little way up the lane, on the right is St. Vedast’s Church. Charles Wesley, in his journal, 30 October 1737 says, “I walked them (Miss Betty and Jacky Delamotte) at five and attended them to Forster Lane, where we heard Mr Whitefield and communicated together”, doubtless at St. Vedast’s.
Friday Street – go along Cheapside from St. Paul’s; the second turning on the right is Friday Street, which runs south to Watling Street. In his diary Sunday 2 March 1783, Wesley enters, “8 Friday Street, coach, within sleep”. The journal for the same day says, “In the evening I took coach, and the next evening preached at Bath”. The coach evidently started from Friday Street for Bath. In Elizabethan times, as Taylor in Carrier’s Cosmography tells us, the carriers for Bath and Bristol started from Bread Street, which is the next street to Friday Street. It is interesting to note the stages of the journey in the diary. Wesley reached Newberry at 7.30 on Monday morning; Chippenham at 3.30, where he dined; and Bath at 6, where he preached at6.30.
{From ‘John Wesley’s London’ by Edward H. Sugden, M.A. – published in 1932} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOHN WESLEY’S BEECH TREES
Two intertwining beech trees planted by John Wesley in Northern Ireland have been shortlisted for a national ‘Tree of the Year’ competition.
Wesley twisted together two beech saplings in Lambeg, County Down to symbolise the connection between the Anglican Church and Methodism.
One winner from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be announced later this year and the four successful treeswill be entered into a European ‘Tree of the Year’ competition.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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A BOY’S PRAYER
God who created menimble and light of limbin three elements free,to run, to ride, to swim:
not when the sense is dim,but now from the heart of joy,
I would remember him:take the thanks of a boy.
Canon H. C. Beeching (from the LonsdaleAnthology of Sporting Prose and Verse)
ESSEX, SUFFOLK AND NORFOLKTRAVEL AND HISTORY QUIZ
1. Wimpole Road is home to which
political party?
2. What was the name of the mill and
business which operated at the bottom of East Hill?
3. This garden centre/nursery was started
by Major Fenwick in Ipswich Road butis now a housing development. What was its name?
4. Can you name the landscape artist
whose paintings of Dedham and Flatford made him famous?
5. What was the favourite subject of the
artist Alfred Munnings whose home was in Dedham?
6. What is the name of Ipswich Town’s
football ground?
7. The Suffolk Punch is a breed of what
type of animal?
8. The town near Stowmarket where
Christine and Graham were married?
9. In 1805 a Norfolk born admiral
commanded the English fleet that defeated the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. What was his name?
10. Today is a significant anniversary
of what famous event in the history of English football masterminded by a
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former Ipswich Town manager. What isthe event?
11. We visited this Norfolk town on
another railway outing. Solve the anagram to find its name. OYHMDMWAN
12. The Norfolk Broads are manmade.
True or false?
13. Wroxham is home to what well
known store?
14. What was the name of the Norfolk
born ‘singing postman’?
15. Norfolk is the home for the
manufacture of what famous make of car?
16. What is the name of Norwich City’s
football ground?
17. She is a popular TV chef and a
director of Norwich City FC. What is her name?
18.A museum in Thetford is dedicated to a very
popular TV series. Name the series?
{Answers on Page 28}
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE NORTHERN CROSS
Cygnus, the Swan, is a constellation that contains lots of stars and looks only a little bit like a swan.
Fortunately we don’t have to worry about that because the brightest stars at the heart of this constellation form a very to
recognise shape, a cross, known as the Northern Cross.
Once you’ve recognised this cross in the sky a few times it is very easy to spot andthen even easier to use it to find the North Star.
My method involves imagining the most famous cross in history and then the most famous person associated with it.
First find the Northern Cross, then imagine Jesus on the cross using his right hand to point the way north for you.
Strange imagery, I grant you, but it works and it’s unlikely you’ll forget it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HUNDREDS VISIT SHERINGHAM
FLOWER FESTIVALA couple of years ago friends and
members of Wimpole Road enjoyed a lovely tea at Sheringham Methodist Church, following the annual church outing to Sheringham and a ride on the North Norfolk Railway (the Poppy Line).
During the summer the annual Flower Festival at Sheringham Church took the theme of “I am…” with the 30 large stunning arrangements depicting the “I am” sayings of Jesus, along with other titles such as ‘I am a Fisherman’; ‘aCarpenter’; ‘the Potter’, and ‘I am a Bake-off contestant’, which was done by members of the church’s ‘Sonseekers’ young people’s group.
Hundreds of visitors were welcomed to the festival, many booking their holidays to be there especially for it. Along with the flowers they enjoyed background music by a rota of organists and meals and snacks provided in the cafeteria. There were several stalls and
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souvenirs of items made from photos of the festival, as well as quizzes and plants. There was also a prayer space and a children’s area.
The festival raised a grand total of £9,958, which will go towards the upkeep of the church and its outreach work. A ten per cent donation is also given from the festival each year to charity, which this year is the ‘Nook Appeal’ of EACH (East Anglian Children’s Hospices).
GARDEN OF HOPE
Among the stunning gardens on display at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show was a spectacular charity garden featuring waves of turf.
Award winning garden designer John Warland, who is the designer behind the Queen’s Coronation Arch at Windsor Castle, took the ‘Unpredictability of Life’ as his starting point to create a thought provoking, horticultural installation for Christian children’s charity ‘WorldVision’.
The garden was inspired by the vulnerability of children, especially those surviving in extreme places, and featured ribbons of grass rising up to two metres. The grass was moulded over mild steel so that it appeared as if it had just been peeled from the earth. The natural rustiness of the metal helped create the illusion of looking at the earthy underside of the turf.
The garden also included large Pyrus Chanticleer trees and densely planted orange tulips and springtime anemones to provoke, according to thedesigner, ‘Uplifting Hope for Uncertain Times’.
Mr Warland was inspired by the charity’s work in Sierra Leone throughout the Ebola crisis and explained that the ribbons of turf reflected the community and family links ‘World Vision’ forges through its work.
“One ribbon alone is relatively weak but as a chain it talks on a whole new strength”, he said.
“The traumatic events of the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone are a good example of how a fragmented society turn apart by disease and fearcan be slowly woven into a strong and coherent community once more”. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Yes, in the poor man’s garden grow far more than herbs and flowers – kind thoughts, contentment, peace of mind, and joy for weary hours.
Mary Howitt (from ‘The Poor Man’s Garden’)
I’VE LEARNT A LOT!
I've learned...that the best classroom in theworld is at the feet of an elderly person.
I've learned...that when you're in love, it shows.
I've learned...that just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.
I've learned...that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
I've learned...that being kind is more important than being right.
I've learned...that you should never say noto a gift from a child.
I've learned...that I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength tohelp him in some other way.
I've learned...that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
I've learned...that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
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I've learned...that simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I've learned...that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I've learned...that we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
I've learned...that money doesn't buy class.
I've learned...that it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.I've learned...that under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I've learned...that the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?
I've learned...that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
I've learned...that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
I've learned...that love, not time, heals all wounds.
I've learned...that the easiest way for me togrow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
I've learned...that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned...that there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.
I've learned...that no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I've learned...that life is tough, but I'm tougher.
I've learned...that opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
I've learned...that when you harbour bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
I've learned...that I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.
I've learned...that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned...that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.I've learned...that I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.
I've learned...that when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
I've learned...that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
I've learned...that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.
I've learned...that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.
{by Andy Rooney – with thanks to Norman Peckston for sourcing this item.}
STORIES OF A SCHOOL INSPECTOR by Gervase Phinn
The vicar began assembly by asking thechildren to guess what was in his head.
He told them that walking through the churchyard that morning he had seen something in a tree.
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“I had such a surprise. There it was poking its little greyhead through the branches; its great bushy tail twitching, and its little darting, black eyes staring at me.
What do you think I am talking about?” “Well” – replied a boy at the front, “I know its Jesus, but it sounds very
like a squirrel to me!”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The children were giving the teacher Easter presents at the end of term, chocolates, flowers, handkerchiefs and colourful scarves.
One little girl presented the teacher with a small bag of sugar coated chocolate eggs.
“These are for you Miss, because you’remy favourite teacher”.
A small boy then approached and he too proffered a little egg.
“My goodness”, said Miss, “Thank you. Shall I eat that now?”
She popped it in her mouth and crunched, just as he proudly announced –
“Our budgie laid it this morning!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE OAK AND THE ASH
Way back in the spring, before all the excitement (or not) caused by our esteemed political masters, I wrote some nonsense about a very old farm worker in Suffolk, who told me about the oak and the ash trees – whichever comes into leaf first, would tell you if it was to bea wet or a dry summer.
In Copford, the oak trees came into leaf before the ash trees, which would mean a dry summer. It’s been a very long time since we havehad such a wet summer. So much for old farm workers’ stories, but it has made me think. Globalwarming!
Doughy, the old man in question, was born during Queen Victoria’s reign; he remembered his mother telling him about the funeral, so some time in the mid 60’s he would have been about 70 years old. Just imagine how many changes he would have seen during his lifetime; perhaps some of those changes have affected our climate: the way we live, our constant demand for power to run all the gadgets we think are so essential to our lives.
Perhaps we should look towards generating our power in other ways. Wind turbines seem to cause a lot of negative thoughts, although I have always found them strangely beautiful. I first came across them in Denmark way back in the 70’s. Denmark now generates 42% of its power from wind turbines – have we
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missed out, or is it a vested interest in the use of gas and oil?
We have to accept some changes to the way we live today; not only in caring for the world and its climate but also in the way we govern ourselves. Earlier I made a flippant comment about our political masters but they, too,have to think of the future and remember the past – history always seems to repeat itself, yet we never seem to learn.
Over the past few months we have heard a lot about immigrants, most coming from the Middle East. Why? Is it, perhaps, that decisions made by governments in the west over the past two decades have left such a power vacuum that vast numbers of people have been seeking a peaceful place to live, and who can blame them?
Moses gave us the Ten Commandments, Jesus gave us two – the first to ‘love God’ and thesecond to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’.
We are moving away from both these commandments. As the Archbishop of Canterburysaid only recently about this country:
“We are beginning to see a split within our communities, along with an encouragement toracism.”
This is not the way forward to a peaceful, prosperous nation.
{Reverend Peter Streete – Curate, St. John the Baptist Church, Layer de la Haye}
~~~ And talking about global warming the
highest temperature ever recorded on earthoccurred in July this year at a weather station in Mitribah, a remote featureless area of North-West Kuwait, with a reading of 54˚C (129.3F)
Almost nine out of ten young people think it is important for politicians to protect the environment and wildlife. Two-thirds of 16 to 34 year-olds also said the environment was a top voting priority for them, the poll of 1,000 people of all ages by Censuswide revealed.
The findings come as a report by young environmental campaigners called on the government to take steps to ensure nature is flourishing by 2050 and beyond. Other plans included tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuels in the UK should be
redirected to renewables. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What lies in front we cannot see;If happiness for you and me,
Let us be glad indeed.
But if troubles wait for us ahead,God grant us strength that road to tread,
till brighter days succeed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LANCELOT ‘CAPABILITY’ BROWN
The name Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown is said to be to landscaping what Turner is to painting and Wordsworth is to poetry.
And his legacy remains for us all to see in immense parkland and gardens, both at home and abroad.
Born in 1716, one of six children to a yeoman farmer in Northumberland, Brown’s daily walk to school from Kirkharle to Cambo across the Wallington estate may have inspired his naturalistic designs.
Among his most prestigious commissions are the gardens and grounds ofBlenheim Palace, Alnwick Castle, Longleat, Warwick Castle, Burghley House and Highclere Castle in Berkshire, where Downton Abbey was filmed.
His nickname of ‘Capability’ is thoughtto have come from his describing landscapesas having ‘great capabilities’.
During his 32 year career as a landscape gardener he shaped more than 170 estates and his designs changed the face of the 18th century British landscape, creating rolling parkland, flowing rivers and serpentine lakes.
Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown died in 1783 and his epitaph by Reverend W. Masonreads:
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“You sons of elegance, who truly taste, the simple charms which genuine art supplies, come from the sylvan scenes his genius graced, and offer here your tributary sighs, but know that more than genius slumbers here, virtues were his which art’s best powers transcend, come, ye superior train who these revere, and weep the Christian, husband, father, friend.”
[Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown 1716 – 1783}~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Christian Faith is not a kind of armour that protects inadequate and scared people who have no resources of their own.
It is a way of life that is given by God and that makes us the kind of people God wants us to be. {Dr George Carey} SIR ALEX FERGUSON AND THE
BOYS BRIGADE
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has backed the Boys Brigade ahead of its latest recruitment drive in a bid to welcome a new wave of children and young peopleto its 430 groups across Scotland.
Sir Alex has spoken of his own time in the BB when he was a member of the 129th Glasgow Company and howthe experience helped gear him up for success in later life.
The new BB campaign, ‘One for All’, aims to support companies and battalions in setting new challenges andwelcoming new members.
The BB wants each section, including Anchor, Junior, Company and Senior, to take part in the campaign and to grow their membership by at least one member.
However, the legendary football manager’s message wasn’t only for young people, but also for parents and carers.
“As a parent you give values to your children, which my parents did very well”, said Sir Alex.
“Going to the BB is an inspirationwhere you learn about teamwork, helping each other and that the enjoyment of being in the BB is a fantastic experience”.
The church based organisation now wants to welcome new members to come and explore new experiences, make new friends and learn in a fun and safe environment.
{from the Methodist Recorder}~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~May God’s breath cleanses and empower us. May God’s strength lead us in times of temptation. May God’s guidance help us to seek for alternatives. May God’s sensitivity make us tread lightly on creation. Amen (Sri Lankan prayer)
HOW PAPER BEATSTECHNOLOGY
I know that I speak for at least two of my friends at Wimpole Road in expressing my disappointment and concerns as to how the growth of on-line ticket sales, on-line shoppingand on-line banking is threatening to marginalise those people who do not have access to the internet or some other technological device.
However, I was pleased to read the following article in a recent ‘Big Issue’ magazine:
‘Most of the ideas and attitudes commonly embraced today about the role of technology are completely wrong. Simply stated, this fallacy is the belief that technology changes society. A look at the history of paper or most any other technology,though few have a 2,000 year global history, shows that just the opposite takes place.
Society changes for a variety of social, cultural, economic or political reasons, and then calls up technology to serve that change.
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Historians seem uncertain whether the wheel, invented in Mesopotamia more than 5,000 years ago, was developed to make Sumerians more mobile or as a better way of fashioning pottery. But it is certain that they were becoming more mobile and were making more pottery before the wheel – that is why it was invented.
In first century China or possibly earlier, the discovery of the technique to produce an early form of paper came about because China had a growing need for better writing material. Over the next 1,500 years, societies around the world became increasinglyliterate and adopted the Chinese idea. This technological advance was always accompanied by warnings that it would lead to society’s ruin.
Plato, who used written language, warned that it would ruin memory and that those who simply looked things up in books had no true knowledge.
Doesn’t this all sound familiar? Society turned to computers, computers didn’t take over society. We did it because we had too much information and needed a way to store and access it.
This doesn’t mean the end of knowledgeor memory. By the way it doesn’t mean the end of paper either. Though its demise was predicted a decade ago we now see that it has a necessary role in society. It can do things computers cannot. People enjoy reading books, just like they enjoy listening to vinyl records.
It is also the most secure communication because it burns so easily and cannot be hacked. This is why encrypters always record their codes on paper. If society changes, someday we won’t need paper any more, but you will have to blame that on society, not computers.’
Technology is also being used to change the way we watch cricket.
Martin Johnson in ‘The Cricket Paper’ writes:
‘Then there is the analysis of the day’s play, complete with diagrams, studio experts, video clips and Sky’s resident presenter, Bob Willis. In stark contrast to days gone by, whenthe day’s play would be summed up by a single person sitting on a balcony called E. W. Swanton. ‘Jim’, as he was known, didn’t have a sidekick, as his opinion was regarded as akin toa Moses tablet, and not to be argued with.
“Well I suppose you could say that England have enjoyed a passably satisfactory day”, Jim would say in a voice you last heard coming from a church pulpit.
And somewhere on that balcony in the sky – the ethereal one as opposed to the TV channel – you can picture the bloke who playedthe doc in Star Trek taking a slightly bemusedSwanton quietly to one side and whispering in his ear:
“It’s cricket Jim. But not as we know it”.
CAUGHT NOT TAUGHT
I met a man as I went walkingWe got talking man and I.His hands were gnarled; he limped in his gait,His mind was clear – his talk was straight,There was hope in his eyes,As we went walking, down by the riverThat man and I.
I met a woman as I went walking,We got talking woman and I.Her feet well shod– her hair turned grey,She was warmly clad as she walked my way,There was faith in her eyes,As we went walking, across the fieldsThat woman and I.
I met a couple as I went walking,We got talking that couple and I.They were young and fair And the girl was short,
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Their joy was infectious and quickly caught; there was love in their eyesAs we went walking, up in the hillsThat couple and I.
I thought of them all as I went walking,Not talking today to the passer-by,Of the faith of the woman – the love of the pair,The hope of the man who was bent with care,What was seen in my eyes,As we went walking, talking and partingThose people and I?
{From the Parish Life magazine of Cirencester with Watermoor and Chesterton} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Men are often capable of greater things than they perform. They are sent into the world with bills of credit, and seldom draw to their full extent. {Horace Walpole}
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE
The Royal Mail has recently issued a new set of stamps commemorating the life and works of Agatha Christie.
A number of us from Wimpole Road enjoyed seeing Debbie starring in ‘Then there were None’ at the Ipswich Regent Theatre last year.
The six special edition stamps all feature a different novel – ‘The Mysterious Affair atStyles’; ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’; ‘Murder on the Orient Express’; ‘And Then there were None’; ‘The Body in the Library’ and ‘A Murder is Announced’.
In the ten years following her second marriage to Max Mallowan in 1930 Agatha Christie published more than 20 books, including her two most famous works, ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (1934) and ‘Then there were None’ (1939).
The next decade saw her established as a major playwright. ‘The Mousetrap’ opened in London’s West End in November 1952 and has been running ever since.
After writing 66 detective novels; six romantic novels; 150 short stories; 19 plays; two poetry collections and two memoirs, 85 year old Agatha Christie diedon 12 January 1976 at her home in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, the undisputed ‘Queen of Crime Writers’.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, God is good – in earth and sky,from ocean depths and spreading wood,
ten thousand voices seem to cry;‘God made us all and God is good’.
John Hampden Gurney (1802-62)
NATIVE OYSTER RESTORATION
More than 25,000 mature native oysters have been re-introduced to the Blackwater area in an attempt to restore a nationally important breeding population that once supported hundreds of fishermen.
Among the 28tabilizing28s involved are the Zoological Society of London, Cambridge University, the Nature Conservancy and the Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries Authority.
The project is a milestone and a significant step towards the restoration of Britain’s native oyster beds. Populations of the European Native or Colchester Oyster (ostrea edulis) are estimated to have been reduced by more than 95% due to historic over-harvesting, disease, competition from invasive species and predators.
Oyster beds used to be an important structural and ecological component of Britain’s bays and estuaries, fuelling waterside economies for centuries and forming a natural part of our coastal culture.
The popular shellfish are known as ‘ecosystem engineers’ because they facilitate
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the wider conditions for nature to thrive –29tabilizing shorelines, filtering water and providing vital food and habitat for coastal wildlife.
Mersea oysterman Allan Bird said: “The oyster industry in West Mersea, which is home of the native oyster in the UK, is pleased to work with all the partners and wish to thank everybody involved in the project. Our long history of oyster culture stands a good chance of being rejuvenated through this exciting venture.”
Intrinsically linked to Essex, any loss of this iconic species would be felt far and wide and hopefully this initiative will begin thereversal of the oyster’s decline. Dredging is prohibited in the area for the next few years and will continue until oyster stocks are sufficiently recovered to begin sustainable harvesting.
The project has been supported by Selfridges through its ‘Project Ocean’ campaign, while the long term monitoring of the oysters will be supported by volunteer dive network ‘Seasearch’.
This long term plan will take many years to complete but we will keep you up to date with developments in future editions of the Wimpole Road News.
ESSEX, SUFFOLK AND NORFOLKTRAVEL AND HISTORY QUIZ
ANSWERS:
1. Liberal Democrats
2. Marriages
3. By-Pass Nursery
4. John Constable
5. Horses
6. Portman Road
7. Horse
8. Needham Market
9. Lord Horatio Nelson
10.England winning the 1966 World Cup
11.Wymondham
12.True
13.Roy’s
14.Alan Smethurst
15.Lotus
16.Carrow Road
17.Delia Smith
18.Dad’s Army
The Cross is the proof that there is no length to which the love of God will refuse to go, in order to win men’s hearts.
The Cross is the medium of reconciliation because the Cross is the final proof of the love of God; and a love like that demands an answering love.
If the Cross will not waken love and wonder in men’s hearts, nothing will.
William Barclay
PEARL’S SUMMER HOLIDAY
Pearl and her dad went to Madrid in Spain in the summer. Pearl kept a diary and here is heraccount of an exciting holiday.Dear Diary. Today I have been travelling to Madrid. First I left home and got on a coach. It was cool. It took us to Stansted Airport and we then flew to Madrid. Me and my dad are now in our hotel. Also I had the best ice-cream ever!!
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Dear Diary. Today we went swimming. It was epic. We also explored the city and had dinner. It was o.k.Dear Diary. Today me and my dad went to see the royal palace. I loved it and the ceiling was amazing.Dear Diary. Today I went to a Catholic church. It was ‘humungous’. Me and dad could not understand because it was in Latin. But I love my church and all the people there. It’s the best!!Dear Diary. Today I had to go to the launderette again but then me and my dad went swimming. It was the best. Now, though I have sunburn.Dear Diary. Today I was meant to go to Toledo but we will now do that tomorrow. Instead we went to the art gallery. It was o.k.Dear Diary. Today I went on a day trip to Toledo. I loved Toledo. It used to be the capital but not now. We went on a city sight-seeing bus.Dear Diary. Today me and my dad have been preparing for tomorrow. This was our last day in Spain. Can’t wait to get home.Thank you Pearl for sharing the time you spentin Spain with us. It sounded like a very fun filled and interesting holiday. Pearl brought me back from her holiday two postcards featuring paintings by the artist Pablo Picasso. One is Hombre, Mujer y Nino (man, woman and child) and the other is Arlequin Sentado (a sedate harlequin). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A GOOD CAR GUIDE
Ignition: this speaks of the Holy Spirit, which ignites us to follow Jesus.
Accelerator: when we trust the Lord we should then start to serve him.
Fuel: we cannot go anywhere without this.Our fuel is prayer and worship.
Clutch: grasp tightly to the Lord every day of our lives.
Gears: we must not be neutral in our faith or stay in low gear. We must progress through the gears and know more of Jesus and how to serve him.
Indicators: we should let others know where we are going; we should let them know that we serve Jesus through our words and deeds.
Brake: put a stop to things before it is too late – a lack of forgiveness for others, gossip, ill temper. We must also stop to take time to pray and be with God.
Lights: let your light shine so that people may see your good works and glorify yourfather in heaven.
Demister: when the road isn’t clear and we aren’t able to see clearly, turn to God for guidance.
Mirrors: we are all made in God’s image.Let us mirror him in compassion and love for others. Let us also recognise God in other people and afford them respect.
Wipers: God will wipe away all our sins, if we confess them and seek repentance, and set us free.
SPECIAL EVENTS
AND SERVICES¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Tuesday 18 October
7.00 p.m.
Service of Dedication for ChurchOfficers and Holy Communion
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Sunday 13 November
11.00 a.m.
REMEMBRANCE DAYSERVICE
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Saturday 19 November
CHRISTMAS FAYRE
10.30 a.m. – 1.30 p.m.
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Sunday 20 November
11.00 a.m.
SHOEBOX SERVICE
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Sunday 4 December
4.00 p.m.
CRIB SERVICE
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Sunday 18 December
6.00 p.m.
FAMILY CAROL SERVICEWITH BOXTED BAND
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SUNDAY SERVICES11.00 am
ALL AGE WORSHIP
Second Sunday every month
SUNDAY KID’S CLUB
For children and young people between the ages of 3 yrs & 15 yrs.
Sunday mornings during worship
WEEKDAY & EVENINGMEETINGS
=========================
MONDAYS:
Toddler Group 12.45 pm
Beavers 6.00 pm
Brownies 6.30 pm
WEDNESDAYS:
Indoor Bowls Club 2.15 p.m.
Rainbows 5.00 p.m.
THURSDAYS:
Thursday Circle 7.00 pm
FRIDAYS:
Choir Practice 6.30 pm
Cub Scouts 6.30 pm===================================
EDITORS: Graham Duthie, Christine Duthieand Alison Ablewhite
Visit our website at:www.wimpoleroadchurch.org.uk
WORLD LINKMount Zion Society of the Methodist Church in
Korle Gonno in Accra, Ghana.
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