Ashbourne Methodist Church
Magazine
July - August 2006
What's Going on at AMC?
What's going on in our Church? Well, the Steward in me has quite a long list. In addition to our Sunday worship, our prayer and our fellowships we have a lot on our plate - we've had our Year of Prayer and reviewed our Stewardship; we had our Worship Consultation and now we've got our action plan. We run Powersource, Basement, Cornerstone, Gateway, Praise, Children's Church and Lunch Club to name but a few and of course we've had countless meetings and done lots more beside.
We've been very busy discussing, planning, organising, arranging, and putting ourselves to the task; all good things, all important, all for God. It will never end. We're still at it; celebrating our Church Anniversary, consulting about our Minister's appointment, planning the appointment of a new ecumenical Youth Worker, preparing for our Church Family Weekend, training new Worship teams, and all the while we're looking for volunteers here, volunteers there. And now and then we hear some creaking at the seams and we worry and we pray. There's a lot going on. We have a great deal to thank God for. I wonder what God thinks of it all.
Yes, in Ashbourne we like to do a lot and to do things well; we do big things, hold big events; we expand our premises and install impressive equipment. We are proud of our church. We have a mission.
In "Something Beautiful for God" Mother Teresa said "I do not agree with the big way of doing things. To us what matters is an individual............I believe in person to person; every person is Christ for me, and since there is only one Jesus, that person is the only person in the world for me at that moment."
She goes on "In these times of development everybody is in a rush, and on the way there are people falling down, who are not able to compete. These are the ones we want to love and serve and take care of." Who are these people in our church and in our community?
My simple, and perhaps rather clumsy, point is that in these busy and challenging times for our church let us all take care as individuals and as a church not to lose our way amongst all the activity, and as our number one priority look out for those who are falling down. Let's use our precious time and resources wisely on things that are important, trying to see things in perspective as God sees them, through the eyes of the poor and the sick, the lonely and the disadvantaged. Let's pray constantly, read the Bible and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. In other words let's make sure we get the basics right.
And let's keep it simple too. The Christian life is not meant to be complicated. Again, in the words of Mother Teresa, "Sanctity is a simple duty for you and for me, and sanctity, what is sanctity? Sanctity is acceptance of the will of God with a big smile........that's all."
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require
of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
David Bale
Mission Matters
MRDF Methodist Relief and Development Fund
Another "small miracle" account from MRDF:
Vegetable farms and orchards are springing up all over Limbe, Cameroon, thanks
to MRDF partner Youth Development Centre (YDC). In 2005 vegetable farms were
set up at seven schools and more than 3,200 seedlings were transplanted.
The farm produce is eaten by pupils to improve nutrition or sold to raise
essential project funds. The skills that the pupils acquire will stay with
them for many years to come, and many of the children have already started
their own fruit and vegetable plots at home. YDC provides tools, skills training,
and advice on farm management and, in some cases, water pumps. More than 350
children were trained last year by YDC. Maurine Andoh from Ewongo/Wotutu Catholic
School says, "We have a small garden now at home where we plant and harvest
vegetables for sale. The activity helped my parents to pay for my schooling".
Thank you to all who pray and support MRDF.
Phakamisa
There is a new update letter from the Educare project in Pinetown, South
Africa on the mission notice board at Ashbourne Methodist Church. If anyone
would like to receive it direct via email please speak to Ruth Mallard. (Tel:
01335 348342. Email: ruth@mallards.me.uk)
JMA and the Pakistan earthquake
We have more news about the Abottabad District of Pakistan, which was devastated
by massive earthquakes last October. It is hard to imagine the devastation
caused by the earthquake physically, economically, socially and psychologically.
Although some houses were not demolished in the earthquake, there have been
over 1,500 aftershocks and people still sleep outside for fear of being trapped
in their homes. Tens of thousands of people now live in tent villages, with
20,000 in one such settlement near Batgram alone.
But the camps are also giving many children the opportunity to attend school
for the very first time, personal and community counselling are offered and
people are being enabled to think about the future. So while it is a big shock
to the system, people are being given the tools they need to recover from
this tragedy. There are many needs to address and the recovery stage will
take a very long time but inspirational work is being done there.
The Diocese of Raiwind has been given an enormous opportunity by the government of this Muslim country and Bishop Sammy Azariah has asked JMA for help to take full advantage of it. A piece of land has been made available, and the Church as been asked to provide a hospital. JMA has accepted the challenge to raise money and we are asked if we can help with this. One off gifts for this can be given to any of the JMA collectors or to Ruth Mallard, JMA Secretary or you may wish to give regular support to one of the children or young people who collect for JMA within our church.
For more information see http://www.methodistchildren.org.uk/adults/pakistan.htm
JMA collecting boxes
Could all JMA members ensure that their collectors empty their collecting
boxes so the money can be banked before the end of July. Thank you.
Bible Society news (from Word in Action)
8:32 campaign, waking up to Bible poverty: John 8:32 "Then you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you free".
Braille
Every 5 seconds someone goes blind - but the Bible in Braille exists in only
30 languages.
· 90% of blind people live in the developing world.
· 75 million people will be blind by 2020 if trends continue.
· More than half of the world's blind live in India (9 million), Africa
(7 million) and China (6 million).
For millions, their lack of sight means being shut out from the Bible's life
changing message. Blindness is a tragedy we may seldom think of or encounter.
But, for the world's poorest communities, it is far more common than we can
imagine. In fact, more than 800 million people are either blind or so visually
impaired that they are not able to read. If they encounter the life-changing
message of the Bible they must have it in Braille. But for those speaking
6,870 of the world's languages that can only be a dream. Obviously blind people
can hear the Bible - providing it's available in audio in their language.
But a personal, hands on, encounter can never be theirs.
The Bible Society is assisting in these areas of work producing God's word in Braille and audio formats. For further information: www.its832.org or 0845 2020832 Donations line: 08707 747676.
Challenging Poverty. The Church Urban Fund
The Church Urban Fund Challenging Poverty Campaign is about stamping out the
injustice of poverty in this country. The Fund supports churches and projects
practically tackling poverty in England's poorest communities. Most of us
don't have to worry about whether we will have a good meal today, where we
will sleep tonight or whether someone loves and cares for us.
The cold facts:
· 11.4 million people in Britain live in poverty including 3.4 million
children.
· One in five people over 65 spend more than 12 hours on their own
every day resulting in isolation, depression and ill-health.
· It is estimated that there are between 310,000 and 380,000 single
homeless people in Britain.
Some examples:
· Esther won't see or speak to anyone at all today. Her carer and husband
of 55 years has recently passed away, her own failing health has left her
housebound. Tomorrow he same silence will envelop her in a cocoon of loneliness
and isolation.
· Paul will be sleeping on the streets tonight. His father physically
and sexually abused him for many years and when he invited his friends to
do the same Paul chose a park bench over living in constant fear of the next
assault.
· Nicky's husband has left her. She now has sole responsibility for
her three small children, no qualifications to get a job and now way of earning
enough money to support her family. She would love to be working today but
her confidence is at rock bottom and she feels trapped by her circumstance.
What can be done?: Giving, Fundraising, Prayer and Volunteering.
To find out more: Write to -Church Urban Fund, Church House, 27 Great Smith St. London SW1P 3AZ. Tel: 020 7898 1647. www.cuf.org.uk www.challengingpoverty.org
Prayer (from the Church Urban Fund 2006)
Dear Lord,
Help us to follow your example by looking for those who each day feel that
they are marginalized, who cannot find hope, who believe that they have little
to offer, who are overcome by the challenges of poverty.
Help us to widen our horizons, to make space for the stranger, to watch out
for those who feel invisible, to give time to the outsider, to talk to the
person facing silence, to restore justice and value.
Give us the courage to undertake this, the determination to join with others
in seeing grace in every human face, the faith to embrace the opportunity
in your name. Amen.
Ruth Mallard
PRAYER TRIPLES, & OTHER PRAYER GROUPS.
When you are meeting to pray, and praying individually please will you remember
to start and think about the Church weekend in September?
I have still some names of people who would like to be involved in a prayer
triple, however unfortunately I have been unable to fit them in with anyone
at their available times. If you are interested in joining with a small group
to pray please let me have your name, and the times you are able to meet with
others.
Heather Garbutt.
We continue to ask for you to especially remember the following in your prayers this month:
3 July People with mental health problems
4 July For those involved in the Prayer Triplets
5 July People with Alzheimers and their carers
6 July The Church of North India - especially Patna Diocese -
For St John's School Taljhari staff and pupils
7 July Young people and helpers at The Basement
8 July Preachers preparing to lead services tomorrow
9 July Friends at Kniveton
10 July For the work of Women's Network
11 July For those working to eradicate world poverty
12 July Friends at Brailsford
13 July The leaders of this country and the world
14 July Those who serve on committees for the Church and Circuit
15 July For the Praise celebration this evening
16 July Those attending Powersource groups today
17 July Friends at Parwich
18 July Those who feel unloved and unlovely
19 July Witness of the Mildale Chapel & Service there tonight
20 July Friends at Tissington
21 July Members of the Ashbourne choir practicing for Sunday
22 July Those serving at Cornerstone
23 July Friends at Kirk Ireton
24 July Farmers who are not paid a fair price for their produce
25 July Friends at Stanton
26 July All those involved in Youth Work in the Circuit
27 July The work of NCH
28 July Friends at Hulland
29 July Local Farmers
30 July For the work of Methodist Homes
Smile Lines
This month we devote this page to alleged howlers by children in their
written response to questions about the Bible, some you may have read before
but they do bear reading a second time! Spelling is the original.
1.IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.
2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.
3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.
4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.
5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH.
6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.
7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS.
8, THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT.
AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
10th July 7.30pm Network AGM Century Hall
11th July 7.30pm Chernobyl - Clear Voices Concert Ashbourne
15th July 2.00pm Retirement Service Rev Harry Jones - Ashby MC
15th July 7.00pm Praise Century Hall
19th July 7.00pm Milldale Service Milldale Chapel
20th July 7.30pm Romanian Children's Choir St John's Church
Ashbourne
25th July 12.30pm Church Lunch Century Hall
27th July NCH Cake Stall Town Hall steps
1st August 7.30pm Summer Fellowship Cornerstone
8th August 7.30pm Summer Fellowship Cornerstone
15th August 7.30pm Summer Fellowship Cornerstone
16th August 7.00pm Milldale Service Milldale Chapel
22nd August 7.30pm Circuit Summer Fellowship Century Hall
"What kind of Bishops?"
29th August 12.30pm Church Lunch Century Hall
7.30pm Summer Fellowship Cornerstone
Some Reflections on A Father's Day Service
Notes, quotes (by kind permission of the Elim Church) & (My thoughts in brackets)
Q. What do fathers do, jobs around the home?
Q. What gifts do fathers give to their children?
The children gave a range of answers.
- Dads think their children are the best in the world. (So with God. He loves
to hear our voices first thing in the morning.)
- The most precious gift we can give our children is quality time. (So with
God. The most precious gift we can give Him is quality time and so He with
us.)
The Prodigal Son - remember the father still loved both sons.
HOW GOD FATHER'S US
1. Lasting Love - he waited and watched, kept believing attitudes would change.
2. Balanced Love - son was free to leave home and make wrong choices. After repentance he assumed responsibilities as a son.
3. All-Embracing Love - different personalities need different expressions of God's love.
HOW WE SHOULD 'FATHER' OUR CHILDREN
F - Faith, No 1 gift to our children is prayer.
A - Acceptance - make them feel accepted and appreciated.
T - Time - give them the gift of quality time.
H - Help - show them how to do things and why. Be a good communicator.
E - Encourage - be No 1 encourager and supporter.
R - Rock - be their refuge. (Be there listening)
(Mrs) Chris Morris
crafts - food - teas - coffees - jewellery
- gifts
will be on sale from Traidcraft's range of
fairly traded goods
at
Cornerstone
on
Thursday 27th July
Friday 28th July
Saturday 29th July
from
10am to 3pm
_______________
Thanks to all those who have supported "Traidcraft"
throughout the last year. If you could spare a couple of hours
to help staff the stall on the above dates Clare Sales would be pleased to
hear from you.
WOMEN'S NETWORK
Sandra Lewer - President Elect - Women's Network in the Methodist Church writes -
Antigua.
This proved to be a fascinating visit the purpose of which was to represent
the British Methodist Church along side the World Church Secretary for the
Caribbean and South America - Rev Tom Quenet, at the 3 yearly conference of
the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and Americas.
This was held in St John the capital of Antigua from 24th May until 1st June
with 50 representatives from the Districts of the Bahamas, Haiti, Leeward
Islands, Panama and Costa Rica, Belize and Honduras, South Caribbean and the
one mainland English speaking District of Guyana.
Each day was busy with breakfast at the conference centre at 7.30 a.m. and
the day continuing into the evening of discussion and debate. A new hymn book
was decided upon to replace the old Methodist Hymn book which has been in
use since the 30's. Finance of course is always a difficult area with some
Districts able to pay and others unable. The Connexion with its particular
difficulties of geography, Social Issues, Resources and Development, Ministry
and the Diaconate, Mission Evangelism and Education were other areas of debate.
Morning worship on Conference Sunday began at 7a.m. so as to be cool and the
choirs wore gowns, preachers their gowns and the form of service appears to
be similar to Britain in the 1920's.
Cliff joined me for a week of holiday following the conference and we were
able to visit my host family and many of the beautiful places on this desperately
poor but attractive island of some 75000 people and 365 beaches.
Attending a Brownie Guide meeting was special as was the 2 ½ hr morning
worship including communion for over 250 after which we were told that because
of the Test Match between India and the West Indies the congregation was depleted.
Korea.
Preparations are under way for departure on 4th July for the World Methodist and Uniting Women's Conference on Jeju Island South Korea and the World Methodist Conference in Seoul the Capital City, no doubt a wealth of wonderful experiences will ensue and a report will appear in these pages.
Commissioning Service
This takes place on 16th September at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School beginning with a lunch at 12.30 p.m. at a cost of £10 and the service at 2.30p.m. Tickets for either or both lunch and service will soon be available from Alma Swan. This is usually a splendid day with visitors from around the connexion.
Sandra Lewer
AGM - Monday 10 July
Our AGM will be held in the Century Hall on Monday 10 July commencing at 7.30
pm. As usual we shall try to keep the business to a minimum with written reports.
It will be followed by a Baked Potato Supper and the after-dinner speaker
will be Mr Paul Rimmer on the Chernobyl Children's Lifeline. The tickets for
the Supper, price 4.00, are now available from Alma, Gwenda, Jackie, Betty
(Douce) and Betty (Hadley). We do hope you will come and join us for this
event. The profit from the evening will be given to the Chemobyl Children's
Lifeline.
Meeting at Hulland - Thursday 7 September
We shall be joining our friends at Hulland for their meeting on this day.
It commences at 2.15 pm. There will be a 'bring and buy' stall and refreshments
at the end. There will, of course, be a speaker - watch the notices for details!
Do make a note of this in your diaries and try and come along - you will be
most welcome! If transport is required, please contact Alma (343751) who will
endeavour to arrange this.
Alma Swan
CHURCH LIBRARY
Further suggestions are welcome for "Discipleship" reading material
for the Church weekend away.Rev.Chris Eddy has asked me to add this topic
to the church library.
Book Review: "Discipleship" by David Watson
"A challenge to Christians in the West to actually become disciples of Jesus, live lives that honour Christ and heal wounds in His body.This is not a day in which to play religious games as pew-fillers and hymn-singers, but to make an impact on society as it happened in the 1st century." (David Watson)
Very readable chapters. A thoughtful approach and prayerful preparation for the church weekend away.
CHURCH LIBRARY IS COMING TO YOU
on 9, 16, 23 July in Century Hall at coffee after church. May we encourage
holiday reading to include "Discipleship" in readiness for our "Church
Weekend Away" in September. PLEASE return library books you've finished
with. Any books on "Discipleship" would be gratefully received.
Thank you.
Chris Morris (Mrs)
New Expressions of Church
JUST two years after the virtual doors swung shut on the world's first online church, a new worshipping community, St Pixels, officially re-opened on Tuesday 13 June - with plans to go 3D in the autumn.
Created by UK Christian webzine shipoffools.com, St Pixels will be sponsored by the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
In the summer of 2004, shipoffools.com spent four months trialling an online church. In different parts of the world, people logged in at their computers and became cartoon characters - 'seeing' each other onscreen in a gothic-styled church. They talked together through speech bubbles, sang hymns, listened to sermons and prayed. The church generated high levels of traffic, achieving an international profile and reputation.
There were 41,000 attempts to log into the church on the busiest day of the pilot, and on average 7,337 visits per day were recorded throughout the four months. More than half of the visitors were under 30 years old and 60 per cent male.
'We are enormously encouraged by the Methodist Church's support of this new adventure,' said Simon Jenkins. 'We are looking forward to a creative partnership with them in the years ahead.'
Jonathan Kerry, of the Methodist Church, said: "'Foolish' was the reaction of some stalwart Methodists to the news that we were supporting an online church but many more were delighted, intrigued and inspired by the pilot project.
'Methodism's 18th century founder, John Wesley said: '"The world is my parish" and 300 years later that parish includes cyber-space as well. We are extremely glad to continue our support of the project into its next phase. Bricks and mortar churches will continue, but now supplemented by on-line Christian communities.'
Why not try it for yourself? www.shipoffools.com or www.stpixels.com
Church Piano
The new instrument is in place and has a splendid new dust cover. The pianists
have reported delight with it and it is now to be tuned to concert pitch.
Coincidental to this opportunist purchase donations have been made to enable
a keyboard to be purchased to complement the band and other instruments, it
is hoped to acquire this fairly soon.
Cliff Lewer
NCH Events in July.
The NCH Ashbourne Support Group have arranged two events to take place in
July.The first is on Sunday 9th July when we will be marking NCH Sunday during
theservice.Later that month we will have our annual cakes and home produce
stall outside the town hall.This will be on the morning of Thursday 27 July.If
you can provide some cakes and/or preserves for us to sell we would be grateful.This
stall is always popular with the public and is usually a sell-out.Any gifts
of jams, cakes, etc. can be given to any member of the group,we can freeze
cakes made in
advance.Thank you for your help.
Val Howse. Judith Starkie. Betty and Mike Hadley.Eric and Marianne Matthews.Heather Garbutt.Betty Little.Sandra and Cliff Lewer.Doris Harrison.
SUMMER FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS
During August many of the Housegroups will not be meeting and it has been the custom to hold combined meetings on church premises. This year we are continuing this practice on each Tuesday evening at 7.30pm when we will gather in Cornerstone. Everyone is welcome whether or not you usually attend a Housegroup.
However, Tuesday, 22nd August is an exception. On this evening there will
be a Powerpoint presentation In Century Hall on the subject of "What
sort of Bishops?" This is a very important subject for the Methodist
Church and every circuit in the Connexion has been asked to make such a presentation
and have a discussion. Please do your utmost to be there so that our voice
can be heard. We hope you will find all the meetings interesting and appealing.
The arrangements are, therefore:
Aug. 1st 'The problem of evil' led by Fiona Green
Aug. 8th "Faith and Farming" led by John Lowe
Aug.l5th' A night at the movies' led by David Higham
Aug.22nd 7.30 Century Hall 'What sort of Bishops?'
Powerpoint presentation and discussion led by Rev. Chris Eddy
Aug.29th 'Relationships - how to revive them !' led by Sigrid Mustow
Calling all Lesson Readers and Prayer Leaders!
You may have wondered how people are chosen to read lessons from the Bible and to lead prayers in our Sunday services. The answer is that whilst people are sometimes chosen by those leading worship, more often than not they are chosen from a list by the Stewards on duty for the service concerned. This list is being continually updated and a copy is on the notice board in the vestibule. If you are not already on the list but would like to read a lesson occasionally or to lead prayers, please let me know.
David Bale
ASHBOURNE CHURCH COUNCIL
Summary of Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 15 June 2006 at 7.30 pm in
Century Hall. The full minutes and reports can be found on the notice board
in the vestibule.
Appointments were made for the coming year starting 1 September 2006: Treasurer, Church Council Secretary, Communion Stewards, Representatives to Circuit Meeting, Pastoral Secretary, Pastoral Visitors, Finance Committee, Property Committee, Property Committee (Lay Chairman), Property Committee Secretary, Ashbourne Churches Together, Ashbourne Partnership. There is a vacancy for Independent Examiner.
Youth and Community Worker - A Holiday Club will run on Monday 31 July and
7/14/21 August from 10:00am until 3:00pm. The cost for each child will be
£2 with lunch included. Support is required for helping with the children
and making lunch.
"Any Questions Bible Study" for young people will take place during
4 weeks of the open Powersource sessions during the summer holidays. (Breakfast
included.)
Ecumenical Youth Worker (ACE Youth Worker) - Problems with funding means the appointment will not be made before next year.
Stewards Report - Next Annual Church Meeting confirmed as Sunday 22 April 2007. Summer Fellowship will take place on the following Tuesdays: 1/8, 8/8, 15/8, 22/8 and 29/8. Consultation about Chris Eddy's Ministerial Appointment will take place before 5 July. The United Reformed Church wish to be released from the commitment of pastoral care of the Ashbourne URC members as they are trying to appoint a new minister for Wirksworth. Mair Bradley will continue to take services.
Property matters - The grand piano will be tuned shortly. The favoured option for the Sound and Audio/Visual area is to raise it by 15/18 inches with a permanent locked box around the equipment. This would secure the equipment and make operating it during services easier. B & H sound engineers have offered to help during an active service and train operators in the use of the sound desk. A decision on the extension for extra storage (principally for Basement) needs to be taken soon. Meanwhile, a door in the end wall of Waterside would ease the problems of moving equipment to the container. The external painting of church will start in 2 weeks.
Finance A cheque has arrived for tax reclaimed through Gift Aid for £10,000.
Powersource (Young People's Group) - Powersource is desperate for helpers with training being offered later in the year. We need to provide Christian input for our children! People on the rotas do not always turn up and do not make other arrangements to cover their session. The young people will be taking the Powersource service on 16 July and encouragement would be appreciated.
Essence - Without new leaders there is a possibility that this work will
have to stop.
Basement - A reduced rota has been drawn up for the summer when it is quieter.
However 4 workers will be needed in September when numbers are likely to increase.
The young people could be invited to discussion evenings (perhaps Essence).
Children's Church - They use the lectionary to plan meetings and will follow the theme preaching in the autumn.
Cornerstone - Helen is desperate for help - for the third Saturday in a row the Coffeeshop had to close during the afternoon due to a lack of volunteers. Helen recently helped at 5 of the 6 sessions.
Worship Development Group - Training for worship leaders is taking place with a view to starting the revised worship sessions (first 20 minutes) in October. Teams will be set up to prepare this worship which will include a local preacher. Anyone may attend the Worship Development meetings to add their ideas.
Ashbourne Churches Together - A volunteer for organising the Christian Aid collections needs to be found.
Harvest Festival - this will be on 1 October with one of the worship teams leading.
Christmas Fair - Late night shopping is on 9 December. Decision to be made at next Church Council on the format of a Christmas Fair.
Comment - The whole church is feeling stretched but good work is taking place. We are being tested! Prayer is essential.
Date of next meeting will be on Thursday 28 September at 7:30 pm in the Century
Hall
Future dates: Church Council - Thursday 14 December 2006, Annual Church Meeting
- Sunday 22 April 2007.
Carole Thorpe
THE ONE THING YOU LACK
The rich young man came to Jesus one day
Asked a question to see what He'd say
"How can I gain this eternal world?"
"I've kept all the laws since I was a child."
Jesus said, "your wealth gets in the way
Sell all to the poor, come with me stay.
Riches in heaven are your possession.
You love the clutter, that's your confession."
Rich young man turned away, walked alone
Couldn't take wealth with him to God's throne.
Jesus looked sad at retreating back.
"To love Me first, is the one thing you lack."
Mary and Martha had Jesus to tea,
Martha worked, while Mary sat by his knee.
Fretting, hurry, scurry and clatter.
"Martha, my dear, whatever's the matter?"
Mary listened about what I thought,
Pondered and cherished all that I taught.
"Your meals are good, dishes in the rack
To love Me first, is the one thing you lack."
"My church is busy from dawn to night.
No time to listen or keep Me in sight.
Your treasures and jobs heaped in a stack
To love Me first, is the one thing you lack."
(Jesus you need to be our first love)
Anon
Rev. Harry & Mrs. Lyn Jones
We have received an invitation from the Circuit Steward of the Ashby and
Coalville Circuit to a special service to mark Harry's retirement from active
Ministry.
This will be held at the Ashby Methodist Church on the afternoon of Saturday
July 15th. 2006. The event will start at 2pm.with praise worship led by Matt
Jones, followed by the service itself at 2.30pm.
Car parking is available in the school car park on Burton Rd. Ashby, directly
opposite the front entrance to the Church. Anyone who would like to go but
who has no transport can contact me and I will endeavour to arrange a lift
for them.
As requested, I have replied to the Ashby Circuit that I am sure that we will
be well represented but at this stage no numbers can be given.
Eric Matthews
Children's Church and God's Creation.
If anyone can marvel at God's Creation, young children can and there was
plenty to marvel at on the Children's Church trip to Ruth and John Lowe's
Farm on 8th May.
For a start, there was the coach to get there, which wound its way up the
country lanes from outside Ashbourne Methodist Church to many excited cries
of 'cow' and 'sheep' and, best of all 'lambs'! But the day was only to get
better.
The awed children and possibly equally impressed adults, picnicked in one of the main barns, surrounded at close quarters by cows and sheep and even the much-admired lambs. As we ate our sandwiches, the animals leaned through the fence, keen to se what was going on in their home. It was hard to know who was more curious, them or the children and there were many conversations struck up between species during lunch-time.
After we'd eaten our lunch, it was time to meet the animals properly. Those of the children who wished had the special treat of holding a couple of the young lambs and even of feeding them with a bottle of milk. Then we were able to visit a number of calves, including one who had a friendly chicken determinedly laying eggs in its stall, another who was only three days old and more than happy to be petted. It wasn't just farm animals that were on show however, as Ruth also brought out a pet rabbit and a very friendly guinea-pig for the children to hold and the farm cats were keen to get a bit of the loving as well. The children, of all ages, were wide-eyed at being this close to God's, especially when still so newly brought into the world.
Possibly the highlight of the day, however, was a ride in John's cattle-trailer. We all squeezed onto very comfortable hay-bales seats and were shut away as if we were in Noah's Ark itself. With only thin slits of windows it was a bit of a magical mystery tour and we bumped across the fields to feed sheep to squeals of delight.
There were several halts to open gates and even one to allow a clutch of Lapwing chicks to cross in front of us which the children - who were about the right size for the 'windows' - loved. And then we were there and it was hard to tell who was making more noise, us or the hungry sheep. John scattered their feed and we were able to watch the lambs bouncing and racing after their mothers to reach it. Even the unfortunate onset of a bit of rain couldn't dampen the joy of the experience and we travelled home full of it.
Our farm trip was a simple, loving day out and wonderful for that. It was
amazing to se the children so thrilled by meeting the farm animals and so
excited by their bumpy trailer ride. John and Ruth were open and welcoming
and the setting of their lovely farm is quite stunning.
It was a day to be grateful for what God lays on for us right here in our
own fields.
Everyone at Children's Church had a wonderful time and we would like to thank John and Ruth for their kind, entertaining hospitality and Tracy for organising this day and, indeed, Children's Church every week.
with love, From, Jo, Hannah and Alec.
World Church Home Collecting Boxes
May I say thank you to the members who have already passed their home collecting boxes to me. May I ask that if you have not already done so, you let me have your box when convenient so that I can bank the monies for use in the work of the World Church.
We appear to be in an age where disasters are a regular feature of the news reaching us from distant parts of the World. The most recent, as I write this note was the volcano disaster in Java. Yet again poor and needy people were injured, rendered homeless and nearly 6,000 known to have been killed. World Mission funds are not used for direct relief work in the field in such cases. However if appropriate they will give additional support to any established Mission partners working in the affected areas.
The Methodist Church Fund for World Mission ,to use the full title, helps,
as far as available funds allow, projects in many parts of the world. It brings
the Good News of the love of God via our Mission partners to many, many
people.
All Methodist funds are in desperate need of stronger support. If anyone would
like to know more about the World Church home collecting box scheme please
speak to me. Don't be shy. I am only too pleased to be able to tell you some
of the work that is done in the world through the generosity of the Methodist
people. I never cease to be mindful of the generosity of our people in their
giving to help others.
Can you help? Will you help, please?.
Hedley Alcock. Tel 343800.
Gateway Bookings
July
1st - 8thBally Kelly Girl's Brigade, Northern Ireland
11th - 13th Clear Voices Choir, Belarus
14th - 17th Bideford Youth Pipe Band, Devon
21st - 23rd Family Group, Sutton Coldfield
24th -28thth Liverpool Girl's Brigade
August
st - 2ndBrailsford Brownies
3rd - 6thSomething Special, Nottingham
7th - 11th1st Breadsall Brownies
12th - 18th 3rd New Parks Brownies, Leicester
18th - 21st Trinity Methodist Church, Loughborough
21st - 25th 4th Sawley Brownies
Nigel Jeffrey -Walker
Book Review: "5 Insights to Discovering Your Place in the Body of Christ" by Selwyn Hughes
"Every Christian has at least one basic gift. You may feel very inept and inadequate but, believe me, God has gifted you to do at least one thing well in the community of believers we call the Church. So congratulations - you're gifted!" (Selwyn Hughes)
This book is written in an easy-to-read style. To get the most from it you
will need your Bible, pen and paper to hand as you read. A later opportunity
to discuss this with other Christians, who know you well, will help too.
Margaret Heaton
CHURCH FAMILY NEWS
NEW LIFE - We rejoice in the birth of Ethan Joseph Green and offer our congratulations to Catherine and Stuart.
FAREWELL - To David and Monica Whitton who have recently left us to make
a new home in Nantwich. We have fond memories of them and offer our best wishes
and prayers for the future.
Premier Radio launches 'TV on demand'
A new UK internet television channel started transmitting this Spring.
Live news is broadcast twice daily from Premier's Westminster studios in central London, but unlike conventional television programmes, viewers won't be restricted by a broadcast schedule. They will be able to watch their favourite shows - featuring news, current affairs, worship, original music and teaching - whenever they like.
David Heron, Chairman of Premier Media Group, said: 'The arrival of internet
television provides a new opportunity for ministries to get their messages
across to a wider congregation. It truly is TV on demand!'
Go to www.premier.tv
Viewers will access Premier.tv through their PC by going to www.premier.tv.
Radio has broadcast Christian news, music and teachings for over a decade.
A blessing for you today
May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
The Senility Prayer
God grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones that I do, and the eyesight to tell
the difference.
CIRCUIT CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday Ashboume 10.30am with young people's groups. - Becky Dutton (343494)
6.30pm
Brailsford 9.00am Alive@9 on 2nd and 4th Sunday
6.30pm United service 10.45am monthly on 1st Sunday
Hulland 2.30pm
Kirk Ireton 630pm monthly on 4th Sunday
Kniveton 2.30pm Family service 11am monthly on last Sunday
Milldale Special services - see Dates for Your Diary
Parwich 10.00am Parwich Praise, monthly on 1st Sunday
2.30pm fortnightly
Stanton 2.30pm
Tissington 230pm monthly on 3rd Sunday
ASHBOURNE CHURCH ACTIVITIES
Sunday 6.30pm Essence (for young people in school years 8+): weekly Leaders
- Stuart & Catherine Green (2300338)
Monday 2pm Children's Church: weekly during term-time, Church
Leader- Tracy Dawson (344263)
7.30pm Housegroup: monthly
Contact- Peter Dawson (344263)
7.30pm Housegroup: weekly
Leader - Gareth Rutledge (344948)
Tuesday 10.30am Housegroup: weekly
Leaders - John & Elizabeth Hurfurt (342859)
1230pm Luncheon Club - Last Tuesday in month, Century Hall
Contact - John & Elizabeth Hurfurt (342859)
2.l5pm Womens' Fellowship - fortnightly, Cornerstone
7.00pm Youth Club - weekly, Lower Hall
Leader - Roger Mallard (346107)
7.30pm Housegroup: fortnightly
Leaders - Diana Whitmill (01889 590509)
Trevor Staniforth (347319)
Wednesday Walk and Talk Group - 1st & 3rd Wednesday
Contacts - Chris and John Dakin(345280)
7.30pm Housegroup: fortnightly
Leader - Stuart Mustow (343924)
Thursday 7.15pm Housegroup - weekly
Leader David Higham (350151)
Friday 9.30am Housegroup: weekly during term-time
Contact - Tracy Dawson(344263)
7.00pm - 10pm The Basement (chill-out for young people in school years 8+)
Contact - Roger Mallard (346107)
7.30pm Choir Practice - weekly, Church
Leader - Tim Dutton (343494)
Saturday 7.00pm Praise: 3 Saturday in Month, Century Hall
Contact - Tim Dutton (343494)
Circuit Staff
Rev Chris Eddy Sister Merle Wilde
33 The Green Road 124 The Green Road
Ashbourne Ashboume
Note: Rev Chris Eddy is on a Sabbatical until 15th August.
Emergency contact Rev Martin Williams Tel 01629 822456. Other matters contact
a Church Steward.
Dear Friends, Thank you for your contributions and feedback , please keep
them both coming. The next edition will launch our new title "CONNECTIONS",
a title which reflects I hope the aim of the Magazine. The September edition
will be a Circuit one and I hope to publish on August 27th. Deadline for contributions
9.00pm Wed 16th August. E-mail ashbournemethodistmagzine@supanet.com by post
to 2 Hambleton Close Ashbourne DE6 1NG or newsletter pigeon hole at church.
Arthur Watts
Home Services
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Circuit News