Ashbourne Methodist Church Magazine
April 2004
From the Manse
Dear friends,
April brings us to Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter.
We focus on the events that took place in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. We watch
Jesus approaching the city where he knows the dénouement will take
place, the final confrontation with the authorities, the showdown.
Everything that happens in that week comes into sharper focus. The crowds
singing their songs of praise on Palm Sunday know this is their King, but
they do not know what lies ahead. Every day we find Jesus teaching in the
temple. The crowds are enthralled but the teachers of the law are increasingly
incensed by his teaching for so many of his stories are told against them.
When Jesus teaches that this temple building itself will be thrown down, not
one stone left on top of another, that seems to be the catalyst that determines
them to arrest him and bring him to trial. At last they now have a charge
they can make stick.
And so we come to the denouement, Jesus final meal with his disciples, the
arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, the early morning mock trial, the handing
over to Pilate. The crowds are whipped up to shout "crucify him".
Then comes the scourging and the crucifixion. Jesus final words are "It
is finished". He gives up his spirit and dies. Joseph of Arimathea claims
the body and lays it in the tomb.
After the burst of activity there is a shocking silence. It is all over. Their
hoped for King, dead. Three years of high expectation, gone.
I think of the Madrid bombings, hundreds of ordinary people heading into their
Capital city, when "boom", "boom", 200 lives are wiped
out and hundreds more injured. The evil of terrorism has struck again. 200
families with high expectations, now all of that wiped out. Those families
then left with a gaping hole in their lives where the day before all had been
normal.
But the message of Easter is that evil does not triumph. On the Sunday morning,
the women went to the tomb and found it empty. That left them bewildered and
distraught. But slowly, one by one, Jesus comes to them, alive, risen from
the dead. Slowly their unbelief turns to belief, their sorrow turns to joy.
For here is a risen Jesus, one who will now be with them, always. One who
can never be taken away from them.
The little book "God at Eventide" has messages from God given to
"two listeners". This week it said "This earthly life is only
a parenthesis. The real life is the spirit life for which this life is but
a brief interlude". The resurrection of Jesus points to this truth. The
more we are immersed in the spirit life of God, the more we see the transitory
nature of this earthly life.
We still have to live this earthly life. We still have to endure its traumas.
The loss of a loved one is devastating. But Easter says it is not the end.
There is more to come. The more we tune in to the spirit life, John's gospel
calls it "Eternal Life", the more we become aware of the risen Jesus
present with us, transforming our traumas and giving a new sense of purpose
in life.
And, importantly, it gives us the assurance that evil cannot triumph. A terrorist
bomb may be devastating, but it is not the end. God will bring new life and
new hope.
Christ is alive! His Spirit burns
Through this and every future age,
Till all creation lives and learns
His joy, his justice, love and praise.
Brian Wren HP190v4
God Bless,
Chris
Tissington Well Dressings
THURSDAY 22ND - SUNDAY 24TH APRIL
There will be the usual Traidcraft and Christian Aid Cake stalls at Tissington
this year. We need help in manning these stalls and tray bakes to sell on
the cake stall. A rota for you to sign up will be appearing shortly. This
year we shall need extra help with the stalls as Jean and Gerald Humphries
will not be available to look after the Traidcraft stall unaided as they have
in recent years. Please consult your diaries and see if you can spare a couple
of hours on one of the days as well as doing some baking for us.
John and Elizabeth Hurfurt
Annual Church Meeting
MONDAY 26TH APRIL
This is an open meeting for all members of our church when we elect Church
Stewards and representatives to the Church Council. Nominations for Church
Council members may be made on the poster on the vestibule notice board -
these should be made by 19th April. An invitation letter, agenda and information
on voting was included in the notice-sheet for 28th March, and some spare
ones should be on the vestibule table. If you cannot find one, please ask
Carole.
There is also an opportunity to raise questions from the reports of the various
activities of our church. There will be a discussion on the recent research
on the needs of the community and your views are both important and welcome.
Please do come and share with us for this important meeting. 7.30pm Monday
26th April in The Century Hall.
"Out of the Black Shadows"
BY STEPHEN LUNGU (Monarch Books Pub. 2001)
This book is in the Ashbourne Church Lending Library.
Stephen Lungu was the son of a teenage mother married off to a much older
man, living in a black township near Salisbury, Zimbabwe. Abandoned by his
parents when he was four, and "cared for" by a reluctant Aunt, he
ran away at 11, preferring life on the streets. To survive, he slept under
bridges and scavenged from dustbins. He was recruited into a revolutionary
gang and sent to firebomb a popular evangelistic tent-meeting. He carried
his bag of home-made bombs and mingled with the crowd. Instead of throwing
the bombs, his attention was caught and he listened - what followed was more
amazing than any fiction.
This gripping story will speak to your heart, and inform and encourage you.
Stephen Lungu is now an evangelist used by God across Africa and also the
wider world. It is a great book. Get it from the Church lending library and
read it. It will do you good!
Trevor Staniforth
Ashbourne - A Fair Trade Town
The One World Group is establishing a group to campaign for Ashbourne to become
a "Fairtrade Town". We are well on the way to achieving the necessary
objectives and in February the Town Council discussed and approved the scheme.
Our Town Council notepaper heading will soon include "Ashbourne supports
Fairtrade". The next step is to formally establish the group and to this
end a public meeting has been called for Wednesday 31st March at 7.30pm in
the Town Hall. Anyone interested in Fairtrade is encouraged to support this
meeting and to consider joining the steering group. The Fairtrade Towns initiative
is gaining ground and Derby recently joined the ranks. We hope Ashbourne will
not be far behind. If you have any questions, please speak to Stuart or Catherine
Green, or John or Liz Hurfurt.
Ashbourne One World Group
Mooiplaas Update - South Africa Evening
As you may know, we have just returned from a visit to Mooiplaas, South Africa.
Our trip, with John and Liz Hurfurt, was a great adventure and we will share
much of it with you on Friday 2nd April at a South Africa Evening.
For those of you who don't know, Mooiplaas is a collection of villages in
the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The Director of the Mooiplaas Centre
for Sustainable Development, Rev Welile Sigabi (pictured right), visited Ashbourne
to preach and also talk about the project. Members of the Youth Fellowship
were interested in the project and, in addition to our recent visit, Danny
Ffoulkes and Teresa Hall will be visiting Mooiplaas in July.
The Mooiplaas Centre has several different projects, including ones focussing
on permaculture and sustainable farming craftwork, livestock distribution, housing development and HIV/AIDS
education. We were lucky enough during our visit to see many of these projects
in action and we will talk about some of these at the South Africa Evening.
The Youth Fellowship made a commitment in November to support the people of
Mooiplaas in prayer, time and money. We ask you to join us in praying for
the work that is ongoing in Mooiplaas, and in particular for the Welile Sigabi
who puts so much energy into the project. We have been organising a range
of fundraising events over the past few months, and we are on target to reach
our aim of £1500 by August. However, we have now seen first-hand the
impact that our support can have on these projects and we would like to raise
our target to £2000. We believe that this is achievable, but it depends
on your support for our future fundraising events. We therefore ask not only
for your prayers, but for your practical support in coming to our events and
in spreading the word. I think we can safely say that those who have come
along to our Quiz Night and Room 101 Night have thoroughly enjoyed themselves
So, please join us on Friday 2nd April at 7.30pm in the Century Hall for a
South Africa Evening. This will include a South African-style meal and a talk
on our recent visit to Mooiplaas. We are hoping to attract around 120 people
- so spread the word to your friends. Tickets cost £5 and are available
from members of Youth Fellowship, Stuart or Catherine Green or Natural Choice.
If you do not have a ticket but would like to come, please give us a ring
and we will reserve one for you to collect on the night.
Stuart and Catherine Green
Mission Matters
JMA
All JMA members are invited to a JMA "Surfing South Pacific" lunch
event in Cornerstone on Sunday 25th April at 12 noon until 2.30pm.
Invitations have been sent out with the last Rainbow magazine. Please RSVP
to Ruth Mallard by 11th April.
Diary date: Steve Pearce, editor of Rainbow magazine and JMA co-ordinator
for the Methodist Church is based at Methodist House in London. He will be
here to share our JMA and Mission Sunday on 24th October.
Ruth Mallard
We are all missionaries
Susan Johnson the UK Methodist Mission Education Co-ordinator says that in
her travels around the connection she has discovered many people are unable
to see their role in participating in the mission of God, as they do not have
confidence in their abilities. We all need to remember that God has a purpose
in calling each of us to follow the ways of Jesus in caring, loving and accepting,
transforming communities. Be encouraged that every act of love and compassion
is evidence of the bringing in of the kingdom of God.
Ruth Mallard
The Leprosy Mission is 130 years old
THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXTRACT FROM THE CURRENT TLM MAGAZINE:
"Whilst global wealth has increased by 700% and the average income has
tripled in the last 35 years, there has also been a silent emergence of global
poverty. Absolute poverty in developing countries has increased, with almost
1.3 billion people (70% of whom are women) living on the brink of survival.
Our Lord in heaven hates the oppression of the poor and just as Jesus' ministry
centred on meeting the needs of the underprivileged and outcast, so TLM [The
Leprosy Mission] is reaching out in Christian love to those who have no hope.
By its very nature, love creates and builds up. Love also transforms with
redemptive power."
Ruth Mallard
Save money on bills and help the Bible Society
You could help Bible work while saving yourself money! SwitchandGive is a
government-approved service that independently compares prices from all gas
and electric suppliers in the UK to find your best possible deal. If you switch
providers the Bible Society will receive up to £40. For more info. call
SwitchandGive quoting Bible Society, on 0845 0840 300 or visit www.switchandgive.com/biblesociety
Ruth Mallard
Life without the Bible?
Its difficult to imagine not having the Bible, which has shaped our culture
for hundreds of years and is available in umpteen versions. What idea would
we have about God? What would we base our faith on? Would there be any churches?
And what about prayer, worship, evangelism and teaching? Yet for millions
of people around the world God's word just doesn't exist, or only in a form
they cannot understand.
On 16th May a growing number of churches are planning No Bible Sunday services
in order to focus on the wonderful blessing of having the Bible, and the urgency
to share it with others. Imagine No Bible Sunday ... You walk into church
and all the Bibles are locked away and so are the hymn books and OHP slides
because they've all got Bible verses. Your own Bible is confiscated. What
will you sing? How are you going to worship God? For the Bible reading someone
reads from the Greek New Testament (probably very badly). At least you assume
it is the New Testament. The sermon is all very interesting but you would
like to check ... did Jesus really say that? ... Hopefully people will think
about what they may take for granted and about the many "unreached peoples"
for whom every day is "No Bible" day.
There are 6,809 languages in the world and 2,303 have some Scripture. Work
is in progress in 1,410 languages and work has to be started in about 3,000.
For more information and a free Words for Life magazine please contact: Wycliffe
Bible Translators, Horsleys Green, High Wycombe, Bucks. HP14 3XL. Tel: 01494
682268 email: askus@wycliffe.org www.wycliffe.org.uk There is also a large
and growing network of 13-18 year olds who want to get actively involve in
Bible Translation through Wycliffe. Wynet organises loads of things to facilitate
this. Look at www.wynet.org/uk
Ruth Mallard
The Leprosy Mission
The Annual Leprosy Mission Meeting will be held in Hulland Chapel on Thursday
6th May at 2.15pm. At the meeting, there will be a slide show and a bring-and-buy
stall. Sister Merle will lead the meeting.
Betsy Allsop
Prayers & Family News
We send our congratulations to Gemma Rutledge, daughter of Val and Gareth,
who has recently become engaged to Lee George who is from Derby. Also, Gareth
and Val send many thanks for the prayers and support for Jane, who is recovering
from a successful operation for breast cancer.We pray for all those who have
been unwell recently and we ask for God to be with them all.We continue to
ask for you to especially remember the following things in your prayers this
month:
28th March Those who are not able to be at Church today
29th March The campaign for Trade Justice
30th March The Youth Club
31st March Those attending the meeting about Ashbourne as a Fairtrade Town
1st April The Church of North India
2nd April The people of Mooiplaas, South Africa
3rd April Mission work around the world
4th April Groups staying in The Gateway Centre
5th April The young people of our church
6th April Our friends at other churches in Ashbourne
7th April Members of housegroups
8th April Local Farmers
9th April Those who see the Walk of Witness, that they may come to know God
10th April Those enjoying time off for Easter
11th April Preachers at churches in our area
12th April Walkers passing Milldale chapel
13th April Those considering helping with Explorers
14th April People thinking about coming to the Alpha supper
15th April Missionaries throughout the world
16th April The work of the London City Mission
17th April The work of Christian Aid
18th April Youth Fellowship members
19th April Those who look after our church building
20th April St Luke's Hospital, Hiranpur
21st April Fairtrade organisations
22nd April People attending the Alpha supper
23rd April The work of NCH and its supporters
24th April Explorers leaders preparing to lead groups tomorrow
NCH Auction of Promises
FRIDAY 23RD APRIL 2004
ASHBOURNE METHODIST CHURCH, WATERSIDE
6 pm - Viewing the goods and asking questions
Refreshments - sandwiches, cakes and tea
7 pm - Auction commences
Auctioneer - Mr John Taylor of Fidler Taylor
8.15 pm (approx.) - Auction ends
NCH Auction of Promises
Admission to the Auction is by catalogue, which costs £1. This price
includes all refreshments. Catalogues are available from Val Howse, Betty
& Mike Hadley, Marianne & Eric Matthews, Doris Harrison and Cliff
and Sandra Lewer. Would you sell some for us to your family and friends?
Many of you will have made super promises, for which we offer a big thank
you, butit is equally important that we have people to come along and bid
for what is on offer.
f you are unable to join us on the night but would like to make a bid for
one of the items there is a proxy bid form in the catalogue, which also gives
full instructions regarding the Auction. It makes entertaining reading.
Never been to an auction before? Come along on 23rd April to Waterside. Celebrate
St George's Day, with an evening of fun. There are some great bargains to
be had with some unusual and useful lots. You could buy yourself a candlelit
meal for two in a haunted cottage, or a trip to a virtual Aladdin's Cave,
or a bargain break in a cottage in South Devon. Do you fancy a trip to the
Houses of Parliament as the guest of our local MP, Patrick McLoughlin, who
will be with us at the Auction on 23rd April. There are 70 items listed, and
there is certain to be at least one which appeals to you. Try it - you'll
like it!
Betty Hadley
Women's Network
EVENING MEAL AT WILLERSLEY CASTLE
The District have arranged an evening meal at Willersley Castle on Thursday
8th May. It commences at 6.45pm and the cost is £10.50. The after-dinner
speaker is Mrs Elaine Robinson. If you are interested, please see Alma.
QUIET DAY
We are arranging a Quiet Day at Kirk Ireton Chapel on Saturday 8th May. This
will be led by our own Liz Mawdsley. It is likely to run from 10am to 1pm.
Please book the date in your diary and watch out for further details.
Alma Swan
Easter Offerings
On Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, envelopes for Easter Offerings will be placed
in the pews. All proceeds go to the Fund for World Mission. This enables,
among other things, the following to be funded:
Grants for Partner Churches overseas
Training for Mission Partners
Support for long- and short-term Mission Partners
World Church in Britain programme
Mission Live programme
Funding of the work of Nationals in Mission Appointments
Special Projects
Training scholarships for those from our Partner Churches
Our Partner Churches are grateful for the help we give them and for the interest
shown. The envelopes are provided for your offering - please give generously
to provide the necessary resources for the work of sharing the love of God
throughout the world
The offerings will be dedicated at a Circuit Service to be held at Ashbourne
on Sunday 25th April at 6.30pm. The service, entitled 'A stranger in a strange
land' will be led by ladies from Brailsford. Mrs Rowena Webster of Borrowash
will be the speaker. Please book the date and come along.
Alma Swan
Wanted!
Is there someone amongst our congregation or known by one of them who would
be interested in some gardening this summer? Probably mainly weeding and maybe
lawn-mowing - say 4-5 hours a week at the going rate - actual times for negotiation
- probably April until July. If anyone can help with this, please telephone
Daphne Dyster
Lost Property
There is an assortment of gloves, coats and umbrellas that have been left
in the Church and Cornerstone. I will be having a spring-clean soon - so please
check if any are your items. Any unclaimed will be given to charity.
Enid Stubbs
Church Weekend
15TH - 17TH OCTOBER, CLEOBURY MORTIMER, SHROPSHIRE
Letters have been distributed to anyone who expressed an interest in attending
the Church Weekend, so we can now confirm the booking. If you haven't received
a letter and you may wish to come along, please let me know.
Ian Marsh
Ashbourne Churches Together
The ACT Holy Week Service will be on Tuesday 6th April at 7.30 pm in our church.
Please join your fellow Christians at this Service. Following our own Good
Friday Service (which is at 10.30am) there will be the ACT Walk of Witness
at 12.15pm. This year this starts in the Market Place and we are asked to
walk in silence. We will stop for a reading, a hymn and a prayer in Victoria
Square, outside the Health Centre and at Sainsbury's.
Elizabeth Hurfurt
ACT - Patna Partnership Visit
16TH - 31ST MAY.
We now have the names of the five people visiting and air tickets are being
booked. The programme is being planned and at the moment the visitors first
engagement is to worship at our evening service on Sunday 16th May, the day
they arrive. They are being invited to our Church Lunch on Tuesday 25th May
and to the Circuit Service of Drama on Pentecost Sunday (30th May pm). The
Bishop will be preaching at the Tissington Well Dressing Service on Thursday
20th May. Other activities are being planned and the programme will be on
display when it is finalised.
It is likely that we shall need help with transport during the fortnight that
they are here and also offers to host one or more of our visitors for an evening
meal would be appreciated.
Elizabeth Hurfurt
'Praise with Africa' Choir from Zambia
On Wednesday 19th May, the "Praise with Africa" Choir will be visiting
Ashbourne Methodist Church at 7.30pm. The young people come from Chililabombwe
in Zambia and it's their second UK tour. A warm invitation is extended to
everyone to bring family and friends of all ages to experience the sounds
of true African praise and worship as the choir share their stories. Admission
is free, but there will be a collection for the needs of the New Beginnings
Primary School in Chililabombwe. The choir will also be singing in Victoria
Square during the afternoon.
Stuart Mustow
Music for a Spring Evening
As an introduction to Christian Aid Week (9th - 15th May) we are proud to
present "Prince of Wales Brass" for a concert in St Oswald's Church
Hall. Prince of Wales Brass is made up of members of the City of Birmingham
Symphony Orchestra and they will be entertaining us with a popular mixture
of serious and light-hearted music - including some audience participation.
Tickets will cost £8 with all profits for Christian Aid. So please put
the event in your diary for 7.30pm on Saturday 8th May and look out for further
information and tickets going on sale.
Church Bursary
The church has established a Bursary to help people who wish to use some of
their time in mission or supporting others.
1. Who may apply?
Primarily but not exclusively young people under 25.
Primarily those with a link to Ashbourne Methodist Church.
2. What can it be used for?
Mission; Activities consistent with the Christian Faith; Activities providing
a benefit to others; Training where the skill acquired provides the ability
to help with any of the above.
3. How does someone apply?
Requests should be made to the Minister, Rev Chris Eddy, in writing with details
of name, age and a brief outline of the proposed activity.
4. How much?
There is no fixed sum or proportion but applicants will be encouraged to seek
funding elsewhere as well and to fund part of the activity themselves
5. Other requirements
Applicants will be requested to give regular feedback and will be encouraged
to speak about their experience.
If you have any ideas or thoughts please discuss them with Rev. Chris Eddy.
Methodist Conference
This gathering of the Methodist Church is in our District this year, in Loughborough
from 26th - 27th June. There is an opportunity to attend the following services:
Sat 2pm Opening of Conference - this includes the induction of the new President
and Vice-President.
Sun 10am Morning Worship
Sun 2pm Reception into Full Connexion - this includes the welcoming of the
60 new Ordinands.
Sun 6.30pm Ordination Services - these are in nine churches around Leicester,
Nottingham and Derby.
You need tickets to attend the services, but I am the Ticketing Coordinator
so you can apply directly to me. An order form has been put in a sleeve on
the noticeboard. Please photocopy this and replace the original. This is a
wonderful opportunity to see the workings of Methodism nationally and internationally.
Ian Marsh
Women's Fellowship
Women's Fellowship continues to meet every fortnight at 2.15pm in Cornerstone.
Everyone will be most welcome to join us.
20th April John Hurfurt Life in Mooiplaas
4th May Paul Rimmer Chernobyl Children's Lifeline
If transport is required please ring Carole Thorpe no later than the Sunday
before the meeting on the following Tuesday.
Dates for your Diary
MARCH
Mon 29th 10.45am Network Day of Fellowship Willersley Castle
Tue 30th 12.30pm Church Lunch Century Hall
Wed 31st 7.30pm Ashbourne Fairtrade Town Public Meeting Town Hall
APRIL
Fri 2nd 7.30pm South Africa Evening Century Hall
Sat 3rd District World Mission Event Stapleford
Tue 6th 7:30pm ACT Ecumenical Service Methodist Church
Thu 8th 7:30pm Maundy Thursday Communion Service Ashbourne
Fri 9th 10:30am Good Friday Service Ashbourne
Fri 9th 12:15pm Walk of Witness Ashbourne
Sat 10th 11:00am Circuit Walk from Milldale car park Milldale
Sat 10th 2:30pm followed by Service at Milldale Chapel Milldale
Thu 22nd 7:30pm Alpha Supper
Fri 23rd from 6pm Auction of Promises for NCH Waterside
Sat 24th District Synod Radcliffe-on-Trent
Sun 25th 6:30pm Easter Offering - Circuit Service Ashbourne
Mon 26th 7:30pm Ashbourne Annual Church meeting Century Hall
Tue 27th 12.30pm Ashbourne Church Lunch Century Hall
If you would like to contribute an article for the magazine, I will be happy
to publish it.
Items for the May Ashbourne Church Magazine to me by 9pm on Wednesday 14th
April
Home Services
Church Groups Methodism
Message Churches
Together Ashbourne
Circuit News