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1 DEC 10.30 AM MARY SALTER
6.00 PM AT ADDINGTON
8 DEC 10.30 AM ALL-AGE WORSHIPGIFT SERVICE
BENNIE HARMS
15 DEC 10.30 AM HOLY COMMUNION REVD JANE CASSIDY
22 DEC 10.30AM
6.00 PM CANDLELIGHTCAROL SERVICE
ANN ATKINS
REVD JANE CASSIDY
24 DEC 11.15 PM HOLY COMMUNION
25 DEC 10.30 AM CHRISTMAS DAY REVD JANE CASSIDY
29 DEC 10.30 AM REVD JANE CASSIDY
5 JAN 10.30 AM
6.00 PM
COVENANT SERVICEHOLY COMMUNION
AT ADDINGTON
REVD JANE CASSIDY
12 JAN 10.30 AM ALL AGE WORSHIP BENNIE HARMS
6.00 PM AT PARCHMORE
19 JAN 10.30AM
6.00 PM CHURCHES TOGETHER INSHIRLEY
JEREMY DAVIES
TO BE ARRANGED
26 JAN 10.30 AM REVD PETER CLARKE
6.00PM HOLY COMMUNION REVD EBUTE OBIBAIO
Worship in December & January
The morning service starts with Gathering Time at 10.15 am: organ music, informalsinging or recorded music.A crèche is available in the lounge staffed by two members of the congregation. Inaddition, there are bags with small toys and books available at the back of the churchfor any families to use.Sunday Morning Club is held during the morning service and provides young peoplewith a chance to explore the Bible, as well as with a wide range of activities.
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This month our Minister’s Letter is written by Revd Andy Lyons
One part of the Christmas story astold in Matthew’s gospel is thejourney of the Magi from the East tovisit Mary and Joseph and to payhomage to the infant Jesus. Giventhe considerable distance involved inthat journey they must have startedout a good time before the birth ofJesus. They must have made plansand packed provisions even if theyweren’t completely sure where they
were heading.
As Christmas fallsvery near the endof the year we
perhaps begin to plan our journeys,and our holidays for the followingyear around this time. In this circuitthere are many people who plantheir journeys ‘home’ – to Africa orthe Caribbean or other destinationsso that they can connect again withtheir families. We perhaps makeresolutions a few days later in theNew Year. These resolutions areoften about doing something thatwill help us in our (metaphorical)journey through life - to get fitter,stop smoking, eat better etc.
Organisations, including the Church,make plans too. Our circuit iscurrently planning a journey – apilgrimage in which all of us can joinin. This journey will take place inJune 2014. The physical part of thejourney is to travel between the
different circuit churches – butjourneys and pilgrimages have aspiritual purpose too. Our pilgrimagewill help us grow in knowledge andlove of each other as we share ourstories in the different churches.
Undertaking pilgrimage has a longtradition in the Christian faith. Oneof the most rewarding experiences Ihave had in recent years is the weekI spent at the Iona community on theisland of Iona in Scotland. Although Idid not walk it felt like a pilgrimageas it is a long journey – and then thereal sense of rest for one’s soul wasexperienced as I shared in prayerwith other travellers who had comefrom various parts of the world.
But not all journeys are entered intovoluntarily; returning to Matthew’sgospel we find that Mary, Josephand Jesus have to make a journey toEgypt to flee from Herod’sprogramme of infanticide. Across theworld, seen perhaps most visibly inSyria this year, people flee and areforced intotakinginvoluntaryjourneys,because of warand terror orthe failure ofcrop harvestsor by stormsand tsunamiand so on.
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It is incumbent upon us to not be tooromantic about pilgrimage orjourney. Our brothers and sistersfrom the Caribbean and Africaperhaps know this best of all. Theyknow of the forced journeys thatmany had to make in the form of theslave trade (which of coursecontinues today in different but stillvery real forms). They know also ofjourneys made to the ‘mothercountry’ – to the UK – perhapsvoluntarily – perhaps due to theneed to find work and earn a living –and they know that travellers are notalways welcomed by the ‘host’community.
I am writing this letter just afterRemembrance Sunday. A good friendof mine – whose family made thejourney from Jamaica to England –has told me that he will not wear ared poppy. This is because hesupported an elderly Jamaican man,who came to Britain to volunteer tofight in WW2, even paying his ownfare, who was then threatened with,and indeed was, deported.
On Remembrance Sunday atDownsview we celebrated HolyCommunion. We are commanded in
the Eucharist toremember Jesus aswe share his breadand wine. One ofthe main
characteristics of Jesus, that thechurch when true to him, follows, isto welcome the stranger and togather with whoever is in need of
the mercy and grace of God. Aroundour table, as around all the tables ofthe churches in the Croydon Circuit,are people from every part of theworld. In that moment we movefrom being travellers to being hostswho welcome all at the table of ourLord. We can call our communiontables ‘Holy Tables’. Holy means tobe set apart – but the holiness of thisseparation is not to set apart thegood from the bad – black fromwhite – man from woman – gay fromstraight – visitor from resident – theholiness of the table is to set it apartfrom the other tables of this worldthat are reserved for one group only.
Let us return then to Matthew’sgospel. The inclusion of the story ofthe Magi who were foreigners andoutsiders is anindicator thatthis Jesus, bornin humblecircumstance,yet to becomea King, is to beLord of all. Inthe Kingdom of God there is to be nodistinction between human beings.Let us be a community in which Godhas brought together all kinds ofhuman beings; a community whoseholy tables are indeed places of, andsigns of, the true holiness of God asrevealed to us in Jesus.
Every Blessing
Andy
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Carols onChristmas Eve
Everyone is invited tocome along to Hall Grange andshare the joy of Christmas. Weshall start our service at 10am sothat you still have plenty of timeto get ready for Christmas Day!
The Shirley Singers’CHRISTMAS CONCERT
will be at our church onSaturday, December 7th at 7.30 pm.
Saturday 21st December4.30 – 6pm
Carol Singing in the Streets
Christ Church Methodist
Carols by Candelight
Shirley Methodist
Sunday 22nd December
6.00pm
Gift Service - 8th DecemberThis year our gift Service donations will begoing to The Whitechape Mission - a chari-ty which looks after the homeless in Lon-don. Some of you will remember that wehave supported them in the past.The mission has particularly requested
tinned meat, tinned vegetables & soupnew socks, gloves, underwearscarves , hatstoothbrushes & toothpasterazors & shaving creamshampoo, soap
CROYDON MALE VOICECHOIR
DECEMBER 14TH 7.30PM
SHIRLEY METHODIST
CHRISTMAS MORNINGFAMILY SERVICE
10.30AM
SHIRLEY METHODIST
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The following members of our Church community would like towish their friends in the church a Happy Christmas and
a Peaceful New Year .
Some of our friends named above will be putting a donation in thebox in the Welcome Area instead of giving cards. This money will beshared between Christian Aid and The Leprosy Mission.
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FAMILY NEWS
Elizabeth Smart writes:
It has been wonderful to sharenews of grandchildren arriving tothree of our church families. Davidand Kay Bateson brought their ipadto show us pictures of their first
grandchild, ReginaldAnthony, who was bornto their daughter Annaand her husband Jameson 2nd November.
Lis and Andrew Black are delightedwith the arrival of a grandsonjoining their two granddaughters -Alastair was born on 25th Octoberto Alex and Bebe Isobel is delightedto be a big sister!I had an email from Nairobi Airportfrom Jeremy and Jerica Daviessharing the news of their firstgranddaughter Akari SithembileThandeka Mthethwa born on 11thOctober to Katy and Tony. Jeremyand Jerica have been able to spend3 weeks with them which has beenvery special. They send their loveto all their friends in Shirley.We just give thanks for the safedelivery of these babies and sharein the joy that they will bring intotheir families.
In our Church family we rememberat this time Ann Hatherill and herfamily Mary and David and theirchildren Ellen, Edward and John,following her husband Gordon’s
death on 3rd November. One ofGordon’s skills was engineering;you may have been lucky enoughto have had a train ride round hisgarden! He was a member of theSociety of Model & ExperimentalEngineers for 53 years and was alife member of the Talylln RailwayPreservation Society. He was ViceChairman of the The CroydonWelsh Society as well as a guide atShirley Windmill..
We continue to pray forAlan Youngs, Essie Green,Gwen Cole and her family,Lis and Andrew Black, InezCurry, Joy and DerekFunnell, Alex and Glenna Fullick,Pearl Spittle and her family, Sueand Bill Gale and her fatherKenneth Greet and his family, Johnand Margaret King, Adele and RonSluce. We also remember thosewho are unable to come toworship – Peggy Bridger, JeanCooper, Anita Graham, HelenHarvey, Margaret Lloyd, June Main,Joan Miller, Irene Owens, BrianReed, Shanti Ratnayake, DorothyWinter and Christopher Land.
Our thoughts and prayers are withall our friends at Hall Grange, withthe staff and all who help in caringfor them. Eleanor Harris, activitiesmanager at Hall Grange is retiring
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I remember going to Grandma’s andGrandad’s for roast dinner, and help-ing Grandad set the table whilstchatting about everything from hiswar days to my maths homework. Inthe afternoon Granddad would tellus many corny jokes, most of which Ifailed to understand the first timearound. Unfortunately my reactionwould get more laughs than the jokeitself. Jamie and I remember lovelyholidays spent with our parents andGrandma and Grandad in Dorset.We particularly enjoyed trips on theSwanage Railway steam train, andgoing to the beach where Grandmaand Grandad would enjoy watchingus in the sea. My brother Jamieloved having Grandad pick him upfrom infant school, armed with afruit shoot and a packet of quaversat the ready. As Grandad got olderone of his favourite sayings was ‘Thespirit’s willing, but the flesh is weak’.This was indeed true of Grandad
who never complained, instead al-ways putting others before himself.
JemmaDear Grandad
You’re like a gleam in the sun,We will always believe in you,
You will be in our hearts always,You never stopped trying,Now that you’re an angel
We will miss you,You were the best Grandad in the
world.
Georgina and Callum
Aren’t grandparents special ?And actually aren’t grandchildren
special too!
this month and we wish her ahappy retirement. Eleanor hasorganised visiting speakers andmusicians as well as providing awide range of activities to keepminds alert and bodies fit! She willbe missed by so many.
Many of our church family will betravelling to see loved ones - somefaraway - some quite near. Wewish them well. Others will be
busy shopping ,cooking, entertain-ing at home. For others howeverChristmas is a quiet, lonely timewhen precious memories of earlierChristmases arerecalled. We remem-ber these peopleespecially and hopethat they find a senseof fellowship atShirley Methodist.
George Cole will be missed by so many - here are two tributes toGeorge from his grandchildren.
If you would like to have adedication to a loved one printed inone of our hymn books pleasespeak to Kate Marsden or ElizabethSmart.
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Music Notes
The November Lunchtime Concertwas enjoyed by an audience ofover 100 people. As alwaysMelanie Mehta and her partnersRichard Hill and Martin Sharpeprovided a well balancedprogramme combining humorousitems with pieces of a moreserious nature. The two readingsat the end of the concert weresensitively and clearly delivered byJonathan Baxter and Reg Young.
The next concert in the series willtake place on Thursday 5th Decem-ber at 1.15pm and will be given bythe Trinity Boys Choir. At the timeof writing I do not know exactlywhat the programme will includebut I expect there to be someseasonal content in it. Past experi-ence leads me to expect a capacityaudience and if you intend comingI would recommend getting to thechurch in good time. If Hazel,Derek, Joy and I get to actually sitinside the church during theconcert it will be the first time ithas happened at what has nowbecome an annual event!
Since the first Thursday in Januaryfalls on the January 2nd ( the dayafter the New Year Holiday) therewill be no concert then. The firstconcert of the New Year will begiven on Thursday 6th February at1.15 pm by students from Seven-oaks School and the concert will bemasterminded by their Head ofKeyboard, our own Tau Wey. Theconcert which the students per-formed last year was of the highestquality (the spontaneous burst ofapplause at the end ofMendelssohn's Introduction andRondo Capriccioso still lingers inmy memory!). Funnily enough alady enquired at the last concert ifthere were plans for the studentsto give another performance andshe was delighted when Iconfirmed this to be the case.
I shall be giving details of theSpring/Summer series of concertsin the next issue of the magazinebut in the meantime wish both ouraudience and the congregation avery Happy Christmas. Paul Davies
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The Guild in December and JanuaryAttendance at Guild has been good during the last twomonths. Let’s hope that the weather will be kind to us onThursday evenings during the darker days ahead. Cold out-side? It’s warm in the Lounge! We meet at 8pm.
Thursday 5th December Kate Marsden took time off from her busy sched-ule to become a Gamesmaker during the 2012 Olympic Games. We lookforward to hearing about her duties that summer.
Thursday 12th December The Christmas meeting will have music withmince pies! Poetry with punch! (using Lucy’s secret recipe) – a treat not tobe missed!
Thursday 9th January Another party – yes! We welcome in the New Yearwith entertainment by the members, games, nibbles and quizzes.
Thursday 16th January Janet Ambrose, who has previously entertained uswith her mandolin and her poetry, promises us an evening of ‘LaughterTherapy’.
Thursday 23rd January Jenny Long, well known to so many of us at ShirleyMethodist, will be giving a talk entitled ‘Crossing Continents’.
Thursday 30th January Peter Jones, a speaker from the National Trust,will be wearing a different hat on this Guild evening. We will learn abouthis long career in ‘Fingerprinting’. Amateur sleuths are welcome.
Doreen Platt 8654 8327
We shall be placing a Christmas Tree in the WelcomeArea during Advent and would like to invite everyonewho wishes to hang a star on its branches to
remember someone or perhaps an organisation or agroup of people
during the season of Advent.At the Candlelight Christmas Service of Readings and
Carols on 22nd Decemberwe shall offer a special blessing onthose who are named on the stars.
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Great Book Sale - Saturday 15th March.
Yes - it’s that time of year and we are so looking forward toit. If you have not already done so, please put the date in your 2014 diarynow as we shall need lots of help setting up on Friday 14th March as wellas on the day itself when we need both help & customers (of course!).Please tell everyone about GBS11 - it has become a very popular Shirleycommunity event.
We shall start sorting books from early January, normally on Wednesdaymornings (10-12 midday) in the Upper Room. Please add your name to thelist on the Notice Board in the Welcome Area if you can help on anyWednesday during January-mid March. Leaflets giving details of GBS11and asking for books, DVDs, etc. will be distributed after Christmas andagain you can help us with this task .….. walking may well help you to losea few pounds after all that Christmas food!!
Watch out for further information on how you can help. By the way .…….if you have books for GBS11 please do NOT bring them to Church untilJanuary as at present we have no room to store them.
Dave Bateson, Jonathan Baxter, Brian Cantrell, Steve Hunt, Mike Tarling (GBS11 Organisers)
Have you discovered ‘Dinner with a perfect Stranger’ by David Gregory?
Nick Cominsky a stressed, overworked business man isinvited to dinner with a man calling himself Jesus ofNazareth. He assumes his fellow workers are pulling aprank. However, on arrival at the restaurant the strangerintroduces himself as Jesus. Nick decides to play alongbut by the time coffee is served he begins to wonder.
It is an interesting and at times challenging read.
There is a copy circulating among the congregation -watch out for it!
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Christian Aid News
The recent ‘Typhoon Haiyan’ which hit the Philippinesshocked us all and called for an immediate response tohelp the many thousands of victims. If you have notalready donated, and wish to do so, be sure to look at the‘Take A Look’ noticeboard in the Rear Hall. You can phone0370 6060 900, the Disasters Emergency Committee’s phone number(D.E.C.) or go online: www.dec.org.uk Many of our charities, includingChristian Aid, are part of this.
Coincidentally, the current Christian Aid News, available in the WelcomeArea, features an article by Nick Guttmann, head of Christian Aid’sHumanitarian Division. He writes: “Providing aid in a crisis goes in severalphases: the first to provide immediate relief such as food, water, medicalsupplies and shelter. Then comes the task of helping people re-establishtheir lives, providing seeds, tools and help with livelihoods. The third phaseis to prevent, as far as possible, such devastation happening again –helping communities to build reservoirs to see them through a droughtand providing early warning systems and evacuation procedures whenfloods arrive.” He works with a team of twenty two highly trained staff,which includes engineers, security experts, and people with medicalprogrammes. They are on hand to help in emergencies overseas, ready touse their skills to aid people who have lost everything. We rememberthem in their challenging work.
On Christian Aid Sunday, 27th October, we welcomed our AreaRepresentative Dionne Parris and Youth Worker Danielle Simpkin, whogave us an update on what is being done and future plans. Lorna Beck’sInternational Tea Party on 10th November proved very popular. Many ofus enjoyed a delicious tea, followed by entertainment by our youngpeople. £100 was donated to Christian Aid. Many thanks, Lorna. Thankyou for your giving.
The Christian Aid Committee
Paul James from the The Croydon Refugee Day Centre has writtento thank the Church for the gifts that we collected at our HarvestFestival Service. He tells us that they helped to fill the cupboardsand so continue to distribute food weekly to those in need.
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Getting to know our stewards - Christine Elliot
Where were you born? I was born in Croydon.
What is your earliest memory? Peeping inside thecot and seeing my new baby brother who had justbeen brought home from the hospital. He is threeyears younger than me.
Could you tell us a little about your family? I ammarried to Austin and we have three sons and agrandson.
What is your current job? I teach religious studies and law at a girls’school in Carshalton.
How long have you been worshipping at Shirley Methodist? I startedregularly attending Shirley Methodist about three years ago. I had visitedfrom time to time prior to joining.
Which church did you attend before? West Croydon Methodist.
Why did you decide to make Shirley ‘your’ church? We had lived in thearea for a long time and thought that it was better to be members of alocal church.
How do you feel about being one of our stewards? I am pleased to beable to make a contribution to the life of the church.
What do you like to do in your leisure time (if you have any!)? I like thetheatre and going out for meals with the family and my friends.
Tell us something about you which might surprise us! I captain a netballteam and play goal shooter. And ......... when I was a pupil at John Ruskin,Jenny Crook was one of the teachers (I called her Mrs Crook of course!)
Sadly some incredibly colourful words have become endangered. Do youknow what these mean?
blatteroon ninnyhammer slubberdigullion ramfeezled snirlte kedge-belly fratchy begrumpled
See page 31 for the answers!
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Roslyn Powlett shares her recentexperience with Street Kids in
Mombasa
I flew out with 3 friends to Mombasaon 1 September with Team Holiplayto take part in the Street Kids Project.I was simply raring to go! As thename suggests, the project workswith homeless and poor children whohave been living on the streets. Thechildren we were to be working withwere often being supported by theGrandsons of Abraham Rescue Centrein the district of Mikindani. On thefirst day we settled into ouraccommodation which was verydifferent from our usual Shirleysurroundings! We were welcomed bythe Sister who runs the project andshe gave us history of the origins ofGrandsons and some very clear rules;the major one was that we were notallowed out after 8pm and this wasenforced by the security guards!
The Street Kids Project providesshelter, food, schooling and acounselling service to boys between
the ages of 4 and 17 who have beenorphaned or who have lost theirhomes. They are often in ill health,drug dependent and are obviouslymalnourished. When we first went tothe centre we were escorted by threevolunteers who had arrived a fewweeks before us. We spent the firstevening planning our sessions withthe children and how we would splitinto groups. I found this very dauntingas I am not a teacher by professionand felt slightly out of my comfortzone!
My first meeting with the boys soondissolved these feelings though as Iwas faced with a group of young boyswho looked so like children fromhome; excited to see new faces andeager to get to know us. We walkedinto the house to find the boysironing their own clothes and takingpride with their appearance eventhough it was clear that their clotheshad been donated. The boys swarmedaround the volunteers with whomthey were familiar and this made mea little anxious, (we had been given
clear rules about boundaries andnot having favourites) and I wasworried I would become attachedas the boys were so verywelcoming.
The children are given the oppor-tunity to drastically change theircircumstances but they are ex-pected to show a commitment bymaking their own way to theGrandsons Rescue Centre andonce there, to follow a full-time
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rehabilitation programme. The hopeis for the boys to reintegrate back intomainstream school and possibly theirfamilies. Some children had travelledacross Africa to find hope of a betterlife in the centre. Sadly it doesn’talways work out for them and someleave and return to the street.However the Centre has managed tosuccessfully rehabilitate thousands ofchildren over the last 18 years.
For 3 weeks we worked alongside theCatholic Sisters and Housefathers.They went out every week into theslums and backstreets of Mombasawhere they would find children asyoung as 4 years old begging for foodand living in the most destitute ofconditions. We were privileged to ac-company one of the Housefathers onhis journey. Seeing the kids washeart-breaking, they were seen open-ly sniffing glue and children as youngas 3 walking around without shoesand wearing few clothes. The youngboys who spoke to us openly sharedtheir stories of how they had becomehomeless. I can honestly say this wasthe most frightening, poignant mo-ment of our journey and I was totallyout of my depth. I hoped I was able tokeep that hidden while spending timewith the boys me met on the street.We were taken down an alley wherefamilies had built homes out of tin.Abuse was directed at us by thosewho have been there for years andseen so many people come traipsingthrough their home but not bringingmuch needed support. It brought megreat sadness to think the boys we
had been teaching had once comefrom the same surroundings. Wewanted to leave something behind forthe boys so together with the othervolunteers and the boys themselveswe designed and built a table tennistable which also doubles up as a din-ing table. Having this meant that theycould use some of the sports equip-ment we had brought.
On a fun note we did get some downtime and were we were able to ex-plore Mombasa. We went on safariand it was amazing to see animals intheir natural environment, though itwas a little scary as there was only athin sheet of metal between our-selves and the cheetahs!!!! And wewere lucky to experience firsthandsome very cheeky baboons who raid-ed our rooms for food and stole treatswe had been saving since arriving!!!!We were able to snorkel with fish,and the dolphins graced us with theirpresence. We shared some amazingfood from a different culture and hadsome exciting experiences which willkeep us grounded in the paths wetake in the future.
We loved being part of Team Holiplay,we were humbled by this experienceand eternally grateful for the oppor-tunity to be able to make a contribu-tion. If you would like to find outmore or if you would like to make adonation please visitwww.grandsonsofabraham.org. Wealso have a wonderful video of ourtime in Kenya please visitwww.holiplay.co.uk
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Christmas celebrations have become enriched over theyears with a wide range of legends, traditions and super-stitions coming from different countries. Many of theseconcern animals - though there is actually no mention ofanimals being in the stable in the gospel stories.It is not surprising perhaps that animals have takencentre stage when we remember that in the past themajority of people hearing the Christmas story from thepulpit would have been living in rural areas.Here are just a few legends concerning animals atChristmas .…… maybe you know others?
Christmas traditions
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Much folklore grew around robins, whose inquisitivenature endears them to us. They, more than any otherbird, are associated with modern Christmas and ap-pear on so many cards. Robins are most visible inmidwinter as they come into our gardens looking for
food. They puff out their feathers against the cold and theirredbreast is so vivid. In one legend, the robin gets its colouringwhen it punctured its breast trying to pluck thorns fromChrist’s head at the crucifixion.The following children’s story based on that by Louise BettsEgan is a lovely one to share with small children
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The story is told about the nightThe Babe was born in the stable.
The animals gathered round the childAdmiring Him in the cradle.
Because they worshipped that little Babe,And sang their praises to Him
God has granted them one night a yearThey can talk with the seraphim.
Late at night, on Christmas EveIn every stable and barn,
The critters gather in Jesus’ NameWarm and safe from harm.
At the stroke of midnight, a miracle!Lowing and braying takes form
As words of love and praise come forthAnd the creatures voices transform
Into lovely, sweet, and comforting soundsAs they utter worshipful words
No one’s left out, there are sheep and elkCoyotes, cougars and birds.
The angels sing and play their lutes,The drummer boy thumps his drum.
The horses nicker an “Agnus Dei”And all of the animals come.
To lend their voices in adorationAt the birth of the blessed child
And teach us gentle lessonsIn tones both sweet and mild.
“O holy Night”, the mother ewe bleatsAs she snuggles her little lamb,While benediction is offered upBy a majestic curly horned ram.
Voices ring out from the top of the lofts,Across prairies and plains,
A chorus of joyful, Heavenly notes.The Christ Child’s Glory proclaimed.
A tradition developed in rural communities here and in Scandinavia,Poland and America that animals could talk for just this one nightof the year. It was thought that at midnight, as Jesus was born,the animals who shared his stable talked to each other about whatthey had witnessed. Only Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus heardthem of course. The animals never spoke again except at midnightevery Christmas Eve. The poem below was written by the American‘Cowboy poet’ Rusty Calhoun .
Can animals talk on on Christmas Eve?
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Our Church and our young people have long been supporters ofTLM and this year is no exception. So far £95 worth of Christmascards have been sold. As well as appreciating cash gifts, TLMcollects various bits and pieces which they use to raise much-needed funds. Over the last 30 years £1m has been raised in thisway alone. Currently they need
� Stamps (British & foreign ….carefully trimmed if possible)� Postcards -(British & foreign)� Foreign currency, medals, jewellery, cigarette cards, old match boxes
There is a lovely selection of gifts available from TLM - why not have a look attheir website - www.tlmtrading.com . If your friends seem to have ‘everythingthey need’ why not buy an e-gift and help someone who has leprosy. There isa good selection including a pair of orthopaedic sandals and even a donkey!
Facts - and a case study
Leprosy is a mildly infectious disease associated with poverty. It iseasily cured. It starts by damaging the small nerves on the skin’ssurface resulting in a loss of sensation. Without the feeling of paineveryday activities are fraught with danger. Unnoticed burns andulcers can lead to permanent disability.
Nafisa Aminou, 20, is from Nigeria and was told, aged 14, that shehad leprosy and was advised to go to hospital for treatment. Sadlyinstead of doing so and being given multidrug therapy she received atraditional herbal treatment for 5 years. By the time she waseventually seen by professionals at a TLM funded clinic she haddeveloped painful ulcers on her legs which were seriously deformed.Wheelchair-bound, she began physiotherapy sessions to improve hermobility. Her legs were put in a plaster cast to straighten them. She isnow able to walk with the help of a walking frame. Despite herdisabilities Nafisa is hugely grateful for the medical treatment andlove she has received at Danja Clinic. She is optimistic that hermobility will continue to improve and she dreams of marrying andhaving children.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer Romans 12:12
Matthew Moran Ellis - who is the London coordinator for TLM has beenbooked to take part in a Sunday morning service once again - but sadly weshall have to wait till March 9th! A date for your new diaries.
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On Valuing Older People
When Ryelands, the first Methodist Residential CareHome, opened in Wallington in 1945 there were only
12 rooms available, which were offered to “12 elderly ladies in their 60’s”. Italways makes me smile when I read that – to think of being elderly at 60 – butit also shows us how different life is today. When MHA began it was primarilyto provide somewhere for people who had no family to care for them as theybecame older. The majority were physically fit, and leading active social lives.Today most people choose to move into residential care when they are nolonger able to care for themselves either because of physical difficulties or be-cause of the onset of dementia, and the average age for making this move isnow in 90 plus. This means that life in MHA homes has had to change dramati-cally over recent years. There are now a large number of people in the olderage range still living in their own homes, receiving appropriate care and sup-port, but very much in need of social interaction and friendship.
Some recent research reveals that over a third of people aged 64-74 have asense of belonging to a church, but with those aged 85 and over it is less thana fifth. My work with MHA has enabled me to listen to the stories of olderpeople in a much more intense way than was ever possible in circuit ministryand to reflect on the way in which the church can enhance the lives of olderpeople both within the church family and in the wider community; often invery simple ways but vitally important ways. At the September Synod for theLondon District I was involved in a workshop entitled ‘Engaging with OlderPeople’ and it was apparent that many churches have a real desire to supportand engage with older people in much more positive ways but were not reallysure whether they were being effective.
When you have been involved in the life of a church for many years it is veryeasy for faith in God to be so bound up there that when you are less able toget to the church it can feel as though your faith has been taken away. This is avery familiar situation with the people I now work with, and my response is,through the use of familiar Bible stories, to encourage them to discover newimages of God, developing more of the personal relationship with God.
Contact with the church is also a vital part of this changing development offaith. Receiving the church magazine or newsletter or beingsent letters, cards or flowers is valued every bit as much asa pastoral visit. Sometimes older age brings issues withmobility, eye sight, hearing, memory loss or dementia
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which make it harder to join in with worship. When uncomfortable in anyway, either physically or mentally, it is hard to focus wholly on God. Recognis-ing these needs and making small changes in the worship space or patterns ofworship can make it easier. For someone with dementia the change might justbe the need to introduce things more slowly and clearly. Dementia means it isonly possible to process one instruction at a time. As we get older we stillwant to be able to make a valuable contribution to life and to find ways ofenabling everyone to participate in activities that benefit others is very impor-tant. We know that social interaction and mental stimulation have positivebenefits for health and well being as does being involved in creative activities.
An opportunity to reflect on our life journey becomes more important as weget older and also to be able to discuss issues to do with death and dyingopenly. These are some of the things we discussed at Synod. If you would liketo explore these issues further there will be an opportunity to do so at aCircuit Training Event in March 2014.
With every blessing,
AnneRevd Anne Rusbridge, MHA Chaplain
Maybe you recall the article in the September magazine aboutthe fund-raising campaign for Daniel Pretty (Liz & Andy Bebing-ton’s 6 year old grandson). His parents were aiming to raise
£50 000 by April so that Daniel could fly to USA and have a life changingoperation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotom. Incredibly the target has beenreached (exceeded, in fact) already. Daniel might even be able to have theoperation at Great Ormond Street as they have recently started doing theprocedure (though not on the NHS). Despite Daniel's level of disability he isconsidered a suitable candidate.
The family thanks everyone who made a donations and included Danieland his family in prayers. They will let us know how he gets on.
Plastic bottle tops will be collected until the end of December - and thendiscontinued .……………. thanks to those of you who have been collectingthem.
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Being a secret restaurant critic has its surprises - andSunday November 10th was no exception! I had the
pleasure of my second afternoon tea hosted by young people fromShirley Methodist Church. I had been promised a tea with aninternational theme! On arrival I was offered hot & spicy treats byLorna , clad in an elegant sari. Lorna told me that she is raisingmoney to go to India with the Guides next year when she will bedoing community service with young children.Guests were shown to tables and happy chatter filled the air asplatters of sandwiches appeared. Small children scampered about;enjoying each other’s company as well as the food, and the chanceto play hide and seek in spooky darkened rooms. Scones wereserved, and then a selection of cakes. The cream filled meringueswere particularly delicious. A 5 star experience!A table quiz and a talk about a 4000km Salt Hedge in Indiaincreased my general knowledge! The international entertainmentbegan with Maya playing the Trinidadian steel pan (I rememberlast time this talented young lady played an Irish medley on herviolin) Malik followed - not on the piano this time but reading apoem he had written in Mandarin. Peter gave us a lively anddramatic reading of the poem ‘Downhill Racer’. The final act wasThomas, a current Irish Dancing champion who wowed us all withhis impressive solo dance - his upper body so controlled while hisfeet moved at an astonishing speed but with such precision. Hislegs kicked up so high. He will be competing in the worldchampionship next year All too soon the event drew to an endand I very much look forward to reviewing yet another SundayMorning Club event . Lorna tells me that £380 was raised - £100 ofwhich will be given to Christian Aid. What an achievement!
M. Iste Recritick
There are three reports this month about Sunday Morning Club - showingus just some of their wide-ranging activities. Many thanks must surely begiven to the SMC team who show such dedication and to the youngstersthemselves who are so enthusiastic and committed . We are so veryblessed to have them all in our Church family.
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Dare to be a DanielThis was the theme of Cafe Worship led by our young people onNovember 17th. After a time of sharing some delicious food and drink(some of which had been prepared by Sunday Morning Club earlier)we had a presentation of the story of Daniel using some puppets thatthe younger children had made. The lions were especially effectivealthough not very scary!!
This led on to a lively discussion; much of it prompted by ideas,developed by the teenagers in the group, about what it meant todayto stand up for what is right rather than just going with the crowd.Maya read a passage from Romans which includes the phrase, “Donot be conformed to the present age”. The questions the groupslooked at included ones that challenged our reactions to difficultsituations at home, work and socially.
There was plenty of singing, including a solo from Maya, and theprayers were led by Lindsey, Thomas and Malik. A Christian Aid repre-sentative working in Methodist Churches in the London area conclud-ed our worship by encouraging us all not to accept the facile attitudeto poverty; thinking that that the problem is simply too big for us totackle. You will be hearing more about her ideas later, so beprepared!
On Sunday 17th November, the Shirley Methodist Academy oncemore took to the pitch to face their friends and arch rivals from St.Mildred’s. With St Mildred’s keen to exact revenge for their defeat inthe final of the Kick London summer tournaments and Shirley eagerto prove that their victory was not a ‘flash in the pan’, it was alwayslikely to be a competitive, hard fought Derby match.
Shirley had the best of the opening exchanges, pressing their oppo-nents back for much of the half, but could not convert their territorialsuperiority into a lead, due to some stout defending from the homeside. The break through came just before the break, when a low shotfrom outside the area found it’s way into the bottom left hand cornerof the goal. Having gained the lead, Shirley quickly doubled their lead.and found themselves 2-0 up at the break.
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In the second half, Shirley again enjoyed much of the territorial advantageand with their dynamic midfield pressing forward, soon doubled their leadto 4-0. The home side found their ‘second wind’ and pressed forward for aconsolation goal, which duly came after a melee in the penalty area. How-ever, before they could entertain thoughts of a dramatic comeback, Shirleyproduced the best move of the match, which culminated in a devastatingvolley into the top left hand corner from our lethal attacker, Jesse.
Shirley saw out the remainder of the match to seal an impressive 5-1 victoryover their rivals. Congratulations to all who played their part in a fine teamperformance.
Nevin: ‘The cat’. A fearless and agile goal keeper.Matthew: A solid and talented defender who cut out dangerous crossesat their source.Lennie: A ‘no nonsense’ defender whose awesome kick quickly turneddefence into attack.Patrick: A rock in defence, whose consistent performance enabled theteam to attack with confidence.Emmanuel: A talented defender who set up much of the forward play.Keanu: A tenacious midfielder who often tackled opponents twice hissize!Kirijan: A versatile player who provided vital cover at key moments in thematch.Sindujan Played a true captain’s role, encouraging and driving the teamforward.Ben: A hardworking and talented player who held the midfield together.Eldhose: A new addition to the team who linked midfield and attack.Sean: A midfielder and attacker who drove the team forward with pur-pose.Will: A tricky left footed winger and attacker with the ability to perplexthe opposition.Deverton: The ‘heartbeat of the team’ who brought others into play.Jesse: A lethal attacker who sealed the win with a thumping volley.
The team: An impressive team performance that combined defensivesolidity, a dynamic midfield and clinical finishing.
If you know anyone who would like to join our academy please contactSimon Tayler. Our academy meets on the second Sunday of the month atthe Spring Park
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The Circuit Youth Forum convenedin November at West CroydonMethodist Church. A variety ofyoung people, youth leaders,church stewards and Circuit staffgot to know a little more abouteach other and their churches.There were two parts to the ses-sion. During the first half youngpeople had a chance to share, withthe minister responsible for theirchurch, the things they found help-ful and difficult within church life. Itwas encouraging to see some of thequieter young people clearly ex-pressing their thoughts alongsidethose of all ages who are moreconfident. Views were said in waysthat helped further conversationsunfold. Ministers and stewards alsohad the chance to share theirthoughts in what were healthy andopen ended ways. Each church wasasked to prioritise something forthe next year. Norbury are consid-ering an all-age teddy bear picnic aspart of their 110th anniversary.Downsview would like to redeco-rate their multi-media room andfund-raise for some new furniture.South Norwood anticipate youngpeople leading a worship serviceeach term. Others are yet to decide.The second half offered a chancefor everyone to think of new ideasfor the Circuit's 13 - 30's work.These ideas were prioritised andwill be considered by my management group in January for
implementation. A Circuit 'Bake-off' was most favoured, followed byone off interest and cultural eve-nings, book clubs, debate groupsetc. Sports events and day tripswere also suggested. It was heart-ening to be part of such a warm andpositive group where new Circuitconnections were made and Chris-tian fellowship created a hopefulsense of the future. As you cele-brate Christmas and the New Yearmay God also encourage you withthe blessings of new friendships andnew chances to do good things.
Here some events that may appealto your or someone in your family.
Circuit Bowling - 6th Dec 7.30pm,Kick London- 8th Dec 12th Jan, 9th Feb3pmConfused.com 8th Dec 12th Jan, 9th Feb 3pmSunday Afternoon Club - 8th Dec, 12thJan 9th Feb 4.30pm,Ice Skating 14th Deb 10amAM:PM (messy church) - 17th Dec, 21stJan, 11th Feb, 3.30pm,Circuit Covenant Service 12th Jan, 5pm,Youth Officer Group 16th Jan,Worship Leaders' Meeting 21st Jan,8pmSafeguarding Policy Meeting 29th Jan,8pm,Christ Church Café Worship 25th Jan,22nd Feb 5pm,
Lindsey Macfarlane, 8653 2424
Layworker's Link
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Guiding in Shirley
An incredible 944 photos were takenby girls in Shirley alone when theywere challenged to capture the funto be had in Guiding! The idea was toshow some of our amazing activi-ties. The judging panel had great funfinding winners - no easy task! Wealso hoped that the photos wouldhelp us to dispel some of the out-dated images that some still have of
Guiding. Rainbows arenow having sleep-overs; Brownies arealways busy – one
pack have just held a fancy dressparty and sampled food from roundthe world (that’s our pack); theGuides have been to a pop concertat Wembley Arena and 3 of them areoff to India next year (Lorna Beck in-cluded); and Senior Section who areaged 14-26 have been to Iceland(Kate Smart wrote about this trip inthe October magazine).
Guiding provides girls with a widevariety of opportunities and I amdelighted to report that it is thrivingin Shirley. Guiding has changed a lotsince it began in 1910 but in com-mon with those very first Guidestoday’s Rainbows, Brownies, Guides,Senior Section members and adultvolunteers all share the same senseof adventure, excitement and pur-pose. We currently have vacanciesin all sections – but particularly inBrownies, Guides and Senior Section.
We are also looking fora few more adultvolunteers to work insome of our units.Guiding provides agreat opportunity toenhance skills and career prospects,try new things, make friends, dosomething worthwhile, help the girlsto develop and mature ..... and did Imention the fun? And apparentlybeing a volunteer has been provento be good for your heart! Researchhas shown that giving time andenergy to others not only makes usfeel good, but also has a positiveeffect on physical well-being.
To find out more please contact me,Jane Marcroft on 01883 625995 or go towww.girlguiding.org.uk/joinus.
Shirley Library Events
Hilary George, a puppy trainer forGuide Dogs, and her 11 month oldpuppy in training, Gilby, will come inon Thursday 5th Dec from 2.15-3.30pm.
Barrie McKay will talk about The Crystal Palace Fire - Accident or Arson? Tues 17th Dec from 2.15-3.30pm. (Phone to book a place forthese talks)
Adult Reading Group – Thurs 19thDec from 6-7pm. (The Painter of
Silence by Georgina Harding)
Card making on Tues 10th Dec2.30pm
Stitch,Knit & Natter - Fri 13th Dec2.30pm
Contact: Fiona or Irene at Shirley Li-brary on 8726 6900
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There was an article recently in The Times by Shawn Achor who is areowned expert on positive psychology .…… an expert on happiness if youlike. He believes that positive and optimistic people improve the worldaround them . It got me thinking that Christians - by spreading the Christianmessage or at least by behaving in a caring Christian way - also improve theworld around them. He considers that there are two sorts of optimism -theirrational sugar-coated blind variety which does not reflect reality, and therational one that is so beneficial and life enhancing. Surely this is what theGospel teaches us. He claims that by changing your mindset and creatingnew habits beneficial effects will ripple out to our families, our colleaguesand even to strangers on the street. Achor claims that when you seesomeone smile, mirror neurons in your brain tell you it is actually you that issmiling and before you realise it, dopamine will be released into your systemwhich will then raise your level of happiness and you find yourself smilingback. (Think of Morecambe & Wise singing ‘ When you’re smiling) . On thecontrary , if you are surrounded by negative people your brain will take it inlike second-hand smoke. Achor teaches people how to be happy(!) and oneof the methods is known as The Three Gratitudes. Each day people areencouraged to write down 3 new and very specific things for which theyshould be grateful. After just 21 days the brain is trained to look automat-ically for the positive in daily life. Christians too are taught to count theirblessings and thank God for all that He has done for us. What a shame thatShawn Achor made no reference whatsoever to religion - writing as if he hadinvented such a way of thinking!
Count your blessings instead of your crossesCount your gains instead of your lossesCount your joys instead of your woes
Count your friends instead of your foesCount your smiles instead of your tearsCount your courage instead of your fearsCount your full years instead of your lean
Count your kind deeds instead of your meanCount your health instead of your wealth.
Count on God instead of yourself
Laugh and the world laughs with you …….
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Men Are Just Happier People!
Your last name stays put.Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.You can never be pregnant.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.Wrinkles add character.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
A week’s holiday needs only one suitcase.You can open all your own jars.If someone forgets to invite you,He or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is £ 4.99 for a three-pack.Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
Everything on your face stays its original colour.The same hairstyle lasts for years, even decades.
You only have to shave your face.One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one colour for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives
On December 24 in 25 minutes.
Thanks to theanonymous manwho sent this to
the magazine!
NEWS FROM THE BROWNIES
We have just held our Annual Christmas Shopping Evening; thegirls were able to buy gifts for friends and family. We then gotcreative with the ribbon and wrapping paper to make sure alltheir presents were ready to go under the tree. Thank you to
everyone who came to our stall on Remembrance Sunday and bought a knit-ted toy. We were simply delighted with your generosity - we raised an amaz-ing £208. We are very lucky to have been given the opportunity to sponsor aGuide dog for the Blind.…. but after this result we can sponsor a Hearing dogas well! We will keep you posted when the Brownies have finally decidedwhich ones to pick! (They are very cute!) Lucy, a Guide who helps us eachweek is going to India with Guiding next summer (along with Lorna Beck) andneeds to do rather a lot of fund-raising! She will be selling jewellery after theDecember Church parade - for this purpose. We wish all at Church a veryHappy Christmas.
Karen & Julie & all the Brownies
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Last year you may recall that there was last minute Christmas party for 200guests at Gilroy Court (in response to the problem of so many familiesspending Christmas in B&B accommodation). This year Croydon church folkhave decided to do it again - but this year with more time for planning!Hopefully this one will be even more memorable. It would be great to seethose of you who volunteered last year and new people who would love to beinvolved. We promise joy and a feeling of fulfilment (hard work too!!!) whenyou serve families who need some support and encouragement during theChristmas season. WE AIM TO PROVIDE AT THIS YEAR’S CELEBRATION:
A 3 course Traditional English Christmas meal for up to 200 A party for adults in the evening Outdoor activities for the children (Daytime) Gifts and hampers for the children and families who
are guests at Gilroy & nearby hostelsThere is a long list of things needed - for details (andalso to volunteer your services) please contactDamian Luke Croydon Churches Forum (CCF).Praise House, (3rd Floor), 145-151 London Road,CR0 2RG www.croydonchurch.org.uk
You probably read the moving news story of Harold Jellicoe Percivalwho recently died aged 99 in Lytham St Annes. He had been one of theWW2 Dambusters team. His funeral, held at 11am on November 11th,was attended by more than 700 people. But did you know that the
service was taken Revd Alan Clarke - who used to be minister atChrist Church? This is part of his address: “It seemed Harold’sfuneral would be sparsely attended, if indeed anyone would
attend at all but you have come in numbers surpassing any-thing that was expected. You come not because you knewhim, but because each of us are part of each other. We havea common humanity.”
Have you visited the Tea Cosy -next to Halfords onWickham Road? It is so prettily decorated - theowner Linda, bought some of the little knick-knacks and vintage crockery from our Jumble Sale.The Tea Cosy is open every day except Mondayfrom
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Articles for the FEBRUARY issue should be submitted by Thursday23rd January. This edition will be available on Sunday 2ndFebruary. Articles can be placed in the box in the Welcome area, orsent to either: Margaret Chan 31 Ashburton Rd, Addiscombe(8406 0088) [email protected] or Jenny Crook 29 Bingham Rd,Addiscombe (8406 1342) [email protected]
This monthly magazine can also be read via thewebsite - enabling those who have moved awayto keep in touch and save the cost of stamps!www.shirleymeth.org.uk
kick it
blatteroon - senseless boaster ninnyhammer - a fool slubberdigullion - a scoundrel
ramfeezled - exhausted snirlte - to laugh in snorts kedge-belly - bulging stomach
fratchy - irritable begrumpled - sad
Shirley Neighbourhood Care Shopping Bus to Tesco
December Wed 4th & 18th Tues 10th & 17th
January 2014 Tues 7th & 21st Wed 15th & 29th
RETURN FARE: £5.00 The bus will pick you up from your home andreturn you there. A volunteer escort will be on hand, to help you onand off the bus, and help carry shopping to your home. The minibus isadapted for wheelchairs. Please indicate your mobility when booking.Early booking is recommended! Please call: Shirley NeighbourhoodCare Office on 020 8662 9599 to book your seat.
SNC need additional drivers to take elderly folk tomedical appointments. Do you have time tospare? Please give this some thought and contactthe SNC office to find out more.
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Church phone(in kitchen) 8656 6087
Revd Jane Cassidy Bennie Harms
Minister 07896 993 041
8289 3512
Ruth Dodoo Sen.Steward 8777 1987 [email protected]
Elizabeth Smart PastoralCare
8681 0057 [email protected]
Dorothy Cox MondayFellowship
8654 6392 [email protected]
Lucy Rogers Guild 8656 1729
Pearl Spittle PrayerFellowship
8654 5894
LindseyMacfarlane
YouthDevelop-ment
8653 2424 [email protected]@croydonmeth.org
Margaret King Choir 8777 3770 [email protected]
Bill Smart Property 8681 0057 [email protected]
Karen Smith
Julie Burns
Brownies 07701 088 362
07988 658 473
Margaret Walker
Ruth Dodoo
Weeklynotices
8777 4888
8777 1987
Rosemary Jones SundayMorn. Club
8656 1915 [email protected]
Heather Tarling Ch. Council 8656 5961 [email protected]
Christina Lyon-Williams
ShirleyNeighb’dCare
8662 9599 [email protected]
Bill Smart LettingsSecretary
8681 0057 [email protected]
Okon Edeke Treasurer 8777 8385 [email protected]
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Shirley Methodist Church
As followers of Jesus Christ, our mission is
to honour God by our daily living as individualsand our corporate life as a church
to offer God worship which is both lively anddignified
to offer welcome and care to all, regardless ofage, status, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexualorientation, ability or disability
to stimulate one another to grow in our faithand develop our discipleship
to work with our fellow-Christians in Shirley toserve our neighbours and share with others ourexperience of God’s love
www.shirleymeth.org
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