A Plate of Poppadoms and the Parable of Prince Philip and the Prince of Peace - Sharing Jesus Through Storytelling Mark Roques
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A Plate of Poppadoms and
the Parable of Prince Philip
and the Prince of Peace
Sharing Jesus Through Storytelling
Mark Roques, page 16
August & September 2018
August - September 2018 Page 1
August - September 2018
In a large church like South Parade, it can be hard to find a place and
to get to know other people. Small groups can really help with this -
find out more about these in your Mission Community. This month
in Intouch we meet two church members and find out about their life
in and outside of South Parade in the new “Getting to Know You”
feature (page 30). If you’re asked to take part in this column in future
months, be prepared to share, to help everyone feel part of our
Community in Christ. Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Contents
Page 3 From the Ministry Team: When You’ve Just Had Enough
Page 5 Around the Church
Page 11 Debt Centre News: Opportunity Knocks
Page 14 Jane’s Journeys: Re-entry Cycle
Page 16 From Prince Philip to Jesus: Joy in Evangelism
Page 19 Prayer Diary
Page 23 In Touch - Really?
Page 24 Postcard from Africa
Page 26 Guiding the Ship: Church Administrators Network
Page 28 One to One: A Man of Integrity
Page 30 Getting to Know You: Ruth Moody & Ruth Hughes
Page 33 Ford’s Focus: John’s Gospel: The Vine and the Branches
Page 36 Poetry to Ponder: Cleaning House
Page 37 Church Noticeboard
Page 38 CartoonChurch & Christianity Exploded
Matthew Newman Editor
Informed, Involved, Inspired... Intouch!
Contributions to: magazine@spbc.org.uk or to the church office
Deadline for contributions: 21 September 2018
Next edition published: 7 October 2018
Page 2 August - September 2018
From the Ministry Team
When You’ve Just Had Enough
I’ve just begun to read had enough!
2 Corinthians.
Some speculate that he had a
I
t’s not the New Testament’s nervous breakdown and if the
most popular read but it’s just as exchange of letters with the
well it’s not the letter that may Corinthians (and maybe a “painful
have been between 1 and 2 visit”) took place during the
Corinthians, which is variously events of Acts 19, Paul’s
referred to as the angry, imprisonment and rough
painful or sad letter. handling at Ephesus, are we
really surprised?
What on earth had
happened to the Apostle He was in trouble, in anguish and in
Paul that he writes he need of comfort. Was Paul a
despaired of life itself? closet Yorkshireman, so
We must take this at honest and direct?
face value: Paul had (Well no,
Yorkshiremen don’t talk about their
feelings do they?) To top it all off he
was receiving criticism for not being
able to make his mind up… was he
going to visit them or not?!
S
o how are you finding life as a
Christian today? In your place
of work or on your street?
How do you feel about the church,
its stance on some matters, its
leadership. How do you feel about
August - September 2018 Page 3
the prospect of change in the future
and the difficulties of the recent I for one need to
past? Have you like Paul, had
enough?
learn more about
how to rely on God
I
t was so encouraging to attend
the celebration of Anne
Morden’s life, to hear how many Paul tells us it’s all in the context of
people could say that she had learning to rely on God and not on
pointed them to Jesus and set an ourselves (verse 9).
example to them. But even this is in
the context of the loss that the This is perhaps the biggest test for
Morden family (and all of us) feel. the Church in the West. We rely
Others have also recently lost close on our bank balance, the car on our
family. drive, our education, our methods,
our holidays and even the people
What was Paul’s approach? Be around us rather than rely on God!
more organised? Let’s pull together!
Look on the bright side of life? I for one need to learn more about
how to rely on God then I may
It seems that the sufferings of know a bit more of His comfort!
Christ will overflow into our lives
(2 Corinthians 1 verse 5) but so will How about you?
the comfort that comes by being
united with Him (verse 4). Mmm,
what does that mean?
Geoff
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all
comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that
we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort
we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share
abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our
comfort abounds through Christ.
2 Corinthians 1.3-5 (NIV)
Page 4 August - September 2018
Around the Church
South Africa Trip cooking project with the children
Taking love from Horsforth to and on top of that the team will
children in South Africa take £8,000 raised during a Three
Peaks challenge. That money will
A team from Horsforth will make help the team with practical
their fifth biannual trip to the Valley projects but also support children
of a Thousand Hills, South Africa who are in acute need either with
this August. They will go to work food parcels or with school
with a project called Sethani which uniforms without which they cannot
seeks to empower a community go to school.
and relieve orphan poverty in
KwaNgcolosi, a semi-rural tribal “The children we
area of KwaZula-Natal just north of
Durban. Duncan Stow, trip meet are amazing and
organiser, said “Horsforth has always greet us with a
shown itself to be a very generous giant smile”
community. As we have talked
about the children we go to
support, lots of people have wanted The team which includes a wide
to be generous.” range from 5 to 68 years will
organise a Bible holiday club and
Students at Horsforth school made run lots of fun play activities. Under
dresses as part of their year 9 the supervision of DT teacher
work, Featherbank school children Graeme Collins they will undertake
are giving their school uniforms, and practical jobs. On their last visit
students at St Mary’s school took they built a couple of small
time to make friendship pompoms playgrounds on the site and make a
to send out to the children in South sheltered astro-turf area for
Africa. Horsforth Junk Food Café children to eat their lunch on.
have given us a grant to run a
August - September 2018 Page 5
Hannah, a former student from Headingley
Horsforth School who will be going In the last issue of Intouch it was
back for a third time, says “the highlighted that the Headingley
children we meet are amazing, they Morning Leadership Team had
have very little, almost nothing in recently and significantly reduced in
terms of material possessions but number, effectively leaving Scott and
they always greet us with a giant me to share the workload. We are
smile.” happy to report that we will soon
be joined by Nelly Dumenu, having
We go to go to give, ready to do been unanimously voted for at the
whatever is helpful but we always MC Meeting on 12 July.
end up being the ones who receive.
It is a special thing that the children Before I report further on the MC
remember us from the last visit and Meeting, it seems proper to
they are as pleased to see us as we mention some highlights from the
are to see them. summer, beginning with the
outdoor service that took place on
Duncan Stow Sunday 10 June. Pretty much all the
Cragg credit must go to Sarah Newman
for spotting the opportunity and for
Pictures from previous
Cragg South Africa trips
Page 6 August - September 2018There was a positive
atmosphere of affirming
the gospel message to the
local community and
passers-by
Outdoor Service at Headingley on 10 June
making the whole thing happened. traffic control measures were
themselves quite noisy! We have
For those not fortunate to have had feedback, and I can add my
been able to attend, we set up personal feeling, that there was a
some sound equipment and a few positive atmosphere of affirming the
chairs in the courtyard. gospel message to the local
Refreshments were available in the community and passers-by,
Green House and an even more compared to worshipping within
relaxed attitude than usual was the confines of the church building.
adopted for the start time of the Paul Rockley delivered an effective
service. This allowed for people to message based on John 3.16, broken
mingle and chat to others, with up into short sections with songs in
whom they may not ordinarily be between.
engaged. Traffic noise should have
been much reduced compared to a The following Sunday was another
normal Sunday, although the chance to mingle and enjoy
vehicles involved in installing the fellowship, this time at our post-
August - September 2018 Page 7service bring and share picnic. As planned for around 1 September.
advertised on several occasions, Keep an eye on the notice sheet
both in print and on Sunday and announcements on a Sunday,
mornings, these events are being confirming the details. It would be
arranged with the intention that really great to see people there
everybody involved with Headingley from right across the cultural
MC (not just members, or regular spectrum of Headingley morning
attendees, or those in well congregation, building community in
established cliques) should make an Christ.
effort to engage
with these It’s Your Move is an
opportunities. The initiative run by
book of Acts Heather for schools
describes the early around the local
church being area. It is intended
involved with each to be part of the
other “…and ate together with glad transitional process as the pupils
and sincere hearts, praising God….” leave primary school and move up
Being church together is in itself an to high school. Heather reports:
act of worship.
It was great this year with 120 kids
An opportunity arose on 15 July, in coming along from 4 schools. Sadly
which we could help the under 5’s 2 schools had to pull out at the last
group set up for their summer minute because of other things
parties and enabled us to join in going on at school. For the first time
with the annual Friends and we paired up with the Gideons, co-
residents of Beckett Park
picnic (see photo below).
Again it was promoted for
all the Mission Community
to get involved. On both
picnic occasions, it seemed
that new friendships were
started, games were played,
food was enjoyed and it
was good to see people
outside the usual environs
of the church building. The
next event of this type is Picnic at Becketts Park on 15 July
Page 8 August - September 2018ordinated through Tim and Hazel for children, the junior leaders and
Rowe, and gave all the children a for the adults involved. For some
New Testament and Psalms. The children, this weekend is the only
schools were very grateful and one contact they have with church, and
school emailed after and said the some children from church invite
children were very excited about their friends to come along too.
receiving them. It’s great to see a
real mix of people helping out at The idea behind Redmire Sundays is
these events, I think this really adds for them to be run monthly on the
to what we deliver to the schools. first Sunday of the month from
We are always open to new people September, and to emulate the
helping out. atmosphere of the residential
weekend, but within the timeslot of
the “normal” Sunday session. These
Redmire Sundays will will give the kids a different kind of
emulate the atmosphere session, fast moving with up front
of the residential weekend teaching, music, quiz and then age
within the timeslot of the appropriate groups for craft/
discussion. This gives the Junior
normal Sunday session Church leaders a week off from
planning and we’ll need fewer
leaders, as we’re all in the same
At the end of the Spring half-term room. We will also be involving the
break, Heather and a group of junior leaders we have at Redmire
leaders organise a residential and getting them involved in helping
weekend, called Redmire. It is often at junior church.
reported how beneficial the time is
This initiative does not really
alleviate the need for more support
in running our valuable Junior
Church sessions, which has seen a
steady but significant decline over
the last year or more. If you are
able to help, (and why would you
not be able?) please speak to either
Heather or Greg for the
opportunity to see our children
develop their personalities and to
engage with their spiritual growth.
August - September 2018 Page 9On Thursday 12 July we held our • A proposal received by email
most recent Mission Community that we discussed as a
meeting. 11 people were present. Leadership Team and thought
• As mentioned above, we would benefit from further
unanimously voted in consideration at the MC
favour of Nelly Dumenu meeting was the potential to
joining the Leadership run an “English café”. It is a
Team. simple idea, using resources
• We discussed the idea of already present at Headingley
having a service centred during the week and would
around supporting people who require just a few more
have experienced significant life volunteers to help out. There
change, such as grief. It was are refugees and asylum seekers
positively received, with some in the Leeds area who would
thoughtful suggestions on benefit greatly from being able
content and links to established to engage in conversational
resources. English. If we could run a
• We got feedback on recent session each week, to provide
preaching subjects / preachers / refreshments and access to
service content etc, and willing volunteers for the
gathered some suggestions that conversation element, it would
may be incorporated into the be helpful to those in need.
autumn preaching schedule.
• The potential to reach out to Please do get in touch if you have
the new student intake in the any suggestions about the content
local area was given some time, above, if you would like further
with group discussions and information, or to get more
feedback generating some useful involved with the wider work of
and interesting ideas. Following our Mission Community. Scott and I
the success of the open air can be contacted directly or
service in June, it was suggested through the church office.
to have a similar event in
September. Richard Sykes
Headingley MC Leadership Team
...informed…
Share news from your corner of the church by emailing
magazine@spbc.org.uk
Page 10 August - September 2018Debt Centre News
Opportunity Knocks
Bethany Cowling introduces chance to build community in
the next update from South Christ!
Parade’s CAP Debt Centre.
Steve Fairhall, our Centre Manager,
I
n the month of June alone, our and a befriender (more on that
CAP Debt Centre met with 6 later) have first visited these homes
new individuals and families who to find out more about their
are in unmanageable debt and situations and explain how CAP can
approached us for help. In addition help, before arranging further visits
to these new contacts, our to get into the nitty gritty of the
volunteers carried out follow up debts that need dealing with. They
visits with a further 4 clients. have also introduced South Parade
Baptist Church as a place where
In a month, our church has had the everyone will receive a warm
opportunity to take the Gospel into welcome, spoken about the God
10 homes that we otherwise had no that we worship and offered prayer.
contact with. What a privilege and
Last time, I promised to share some
real-life stories from our Debt
Centre, so here are the stories of 2
of the new households we’re now
working with:
• Client 1 is a single Mum with
two school-aged children and a
baby. She suffers from mental
health issues and has been a
victim of domestic violence.
Isolated and with no family close
by to help out, she has a 12 mile
August - September 2018 Page 11round bus journey to her there really is no “typical” CAP
children’s school each morning, client. There are many reasons why
and again to collect in the someone may be in debt. There are
afternoon. Before she started families, couples, single people, old
receiving our help, she was and young, employed, unemployed
living in fear as she was being – I could go on. But a common
aggressively pursued for theme is that debt is frightening,
repayment of her debts. She isolating and impoverishing.
would ask the children to be
quiet every time the doorbell
rang so that it would appear Thank you for praying
that no-one was home. We for our Debt Centre.
pray that through our CAP
Debt Centre, Client 1 can
Could you provide
become debt-free, and find a practical help too?
loving, Christ-centred
community at South Parade
A
who will welcome her and her nd, of course, all of these
children in, provide friendship people need Jesus, their
and practical support, and tell only Saviour and hope. We
her about the God who loves can show him to them. “Come to
her. me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
• Client 2 is middle-aged man my yoke upon you and learn from me,
who, through his financial for I am gentle and humble in heart,
difficulties, has lost his home and you will find rest for your souls. For
and is staying with various my yoke is easy and my burden is
friends to avoid living on the light.” (Matthew 11.23-30)
streets. We have met with him
in our church building as he has Thank you for praying for our Debt
no home we can visit. How Centre. Please could you prayerfully
brilliant that we can invite him consider whether you can provide
to join our Rooted group and practical help too? Every visit that
use this as another way to we make to a client needs a
demonstrate God’s love for befriender for safeguarding reasons,
him. and also so that there are more
faithful members of South Parade
Whilst these are only two building relationships with the
examples, I hope you can see that people we meet.
Page 12 August - September 2018We currently have a very small pool it sees our church stepping out of
of volunteers who generously give its comfort zone and into the
their time to attend these visits, homes of some of the most
but, if we want to continue reaching marginalised in our local
6 new households a month (or community.
more!) then we desperately need
more people to help out. Please It’s in these faith-stretching activities
come and speak to me, or email me that God loves to show us his
at bethanycowling@capuk.org with power at work. Join us and come
any questions you may have. and see for yourself!
Our CAP Debt Centre doesn’t only
throw open the doors of the
Bethany Cowling
Christians Against Poverty
church for new people to come in – Headingley Morning Mission Community
...involved...
If you would like to receive regular prayer updates from the CAP Debt
Centre, please email bethanycowling@capuk.org
...informed...
For service times, locations,
Mission Communities, children’s and
student work, the weekly notice
sheet, sermon downloads, this
magazine and much more, go to the
church website!
www.spbc.org.uk
If Thou art my Shield and my Sun,
the night is no darkness to me;
and fast as my moments roll on,
they bring me but nearer to Thee.
Augustus Toplady
August - September 2018 Page 13Jane’s Journeys
Re-entry Cycle
As Jane Waites further public, hoping to bring a smile and
develops her role with Teach sunshine into their day.
Beyond and SHARE, here are
some highlights from her latest The end of February found me in
newsletter. Budapest for my first taste of a
Family Education Conference (FEC)
W
ow! Phew, a… with SHARE. What an
n…d rest! What absolute privilege to both
a full few months, see this endeavour in
since I last wrote. Working action alongside my new
at Caring For Life, Christmas, colleagues and be a part of
Easter, a conference, a 70th supporting the families we
birthday, one team and one work with. I had the
operational planning meeting, chance to observe each
plus a couple of revolutions part of the conference:
further through the washing children’s work, seminars,
cycle Re-entry. Jane Waites the all-together meetings
and testing. It was an
Huge thanks go to Caring for Life, honour to be allowed to sit in on
who have been fantastic in some educational testing and family
facilitating my new work by consultancy sessions.
supporting my requests for days off,
T
switching and then offering extra his gift of time helped
shifts when I’m back. I very much determine where I will fit
feel in partnership with the work within SHARE and the teams
there. Not to mention the interest, I will be joining. I am therefore
encouragement and support they pleased to let you know I have
give. I love the opportunity to joined the Education Testing Team
work in a community setting again, and the Staff Development/Member
having regular contact with the Care Team. My head is still
Page 14 August - September 2018spinning from all I have to learn and between. Remote working is a new
get my brain around. experience for me and one I have
not found easy. Hearing the voice
At the end of April, I joined the of a colleague in my head and
testing team for training in Serbia, picturing them speaking as I read an
(for my birthday, with gorgeous email or Skype without video makes
weather, I might add, what a treat!). all the difference.
I
referred earlier to the washing
The time spent with my cycle I’ve renamed Re-entry. It’s
new colleagues was very 19 months since I left my last
precious and hugely company and place of work.
Reflecting, I can liken the process to
beneficial. I now feel much “living in a washing machine cycle”.
more connected The programme starts with a
couple of gentle tumbles and then
all is still, calm, for a while as the
From Serbia, it was on to Budapest, water fills up and I start to feel a
for Operational Planning meetings, little soggy! Then the tumbling
with the core of SHARE Staff. begins… there is a lull for draining,
More information to process and moments later the world begins to
dots to connect! A lot of work was spin! Then a pause for refilling, and
focused on the new GDPRs and the on we go. I think I am about three-
effect they have on the data quarters of the way through, but
protocols SHARE already have in I’m not sure about the final spin. I
place and how they am hoping I’m in the
need adapting or woollens cycle, so the
increasing, and on dates spin is gentle!
and initial thoughts for
planning next years Thank you so much
meetings and FECs. for all your continued
encouragement and
The time spent with my support. I can’t do
new colleagues was this alone.
very precious and hugely beneficial.
I now feel much more connected With Love
and part of an organisation that only
meets four or five times a year,
connecting over the internet in
Jane Waites
August - September 2018 Page 15From Prince Philip to Jesus
Joy in Evangelism
Mark Roques explains how a Fast forward to last November. I
story-telling approach, aware am at a family do, scoffing sandwich-
of secular mindsets, is in keep- es, sipping tea and I am talking to an
ing with how Jesus communi- old friend, Elke from Sweden and I
cated 2,000 years ago. have never talked to her about Je-
sus before. I told her a parable that
I
t was the worst of times. It was I had crafted for anyone who enjoys
the best of times. Years ago I talking about the royal family. Elke
tried to tell a non-Christian loves chatting about
friend, Derek about the Windsors so I
my Christian faith. I said: “Did you
was walking along know that there
a road in Bishop- are people on
ston, Bristol talk- the island of Tan-
ing football and na in the South
suddenly I blurt- Pacific Ocean who
ed out: “Derek, worship the Duke
you need Jesus.” Derek of Edinburgh as a god?”
said nothing. He just gave me a
withering look. We went back to Elke looked intrigued and her body
our conversation about Bristol Rov- language encouraged me to contin-
ers and their bitter rivalry with Bris- ue: “The islanders used to be com-
tol City. mitted cannibals and they ate the
first two missionaries who came to
I’ve spent a lot of time since then their island. More missionaries ar-
pondering my abject failure to com- rived, told them about Jesus and
municate my faith to my friend. many of the locals became Chris-
How could I witness in such a way tians and stopped eating each other.
that the conversation would flow Now they have exchanged the
naturally and engagingly? Without Prince of Peace for Prince Philip.
evoking that cold contempt. What do you make of that?”
Page 16 August - September 2018Elke started to giggle. “That’s a fas- thankful as I took the train home. I
cinating story. It can’t be true?” “It had sowed gospel seeds in their
is true”, I replied. “There are four lives.
ways of looking at the Prince Philip
religion.”
I adopted a storytelling
“Go on, tell me more”, she said as approach to sharing faith;
she nibbled on her cupcake. something I had learned
from Jesus
“Well, atheists would say that both
faith in Jesus and faith in Prince Phil-
ip is superstitious nonsense. Only It’s helpful to compare and contrast
physical things exist!” Others say these two encounters. With Derek
that there are no right or wrong it was awful. There was nothing
answers; just go with whatever natural or inviting about my God-
works for you. Prince Philip wor- talk; it was clumsy and inappropri-
shippers would proclaim - ate. I didn’t engage with Derek at
“Worship the Duke of Edinburgh. all. In my conversation with Elke I
He answers our prayers and when had adopted a storytelling approach
he returns to Tanna, the fish in the to sharing faith; something I had
sea will dance with joy.” The Chris- learned from Jesus. First I asked her
tian faith has a different take on the a question about the Duke of Edin-
story: Christians believe that Jesus burgh; something that she already
is Lord! He can forgive sins because knew about and found interesting.
He is the Son of God and He died Then I told her a story which she
on the cross for us. Prince Philip enjoyed. I then invited her to look
cannot forgive sins, nor can his at the story from four different an-
wife.” gles.
E
lke smiled warmly and before The tone and style of this approach
you knew it, she, her husband is invitational and non-threatening. I
and I were sitting in an Indian was comparing and contrasting dif-
restaurant chatting about the royal ferent ways of understanding the
family, Frank Sinatra, Mafia hit-men Prince Philip religion. To do this it’s
and the Christian faith for several vital to understand two very popu-
hours as we munched on the pop- lar secular mindsets. Secular people
padoms. At the end of the evening live as if there is no God. Some are
they both thanked me for a great materialists and others are relativ-
time together. I felt joyful and ists.
August - September 2018 Page 17Materialists believe that physical Philip and contrasting it with faith in
stuff is all there is. There is no im- Jesus. Traditional evangelism often
material realm beyond physical de- ignores secular mindsets and that is
tection (no spirit, soul, angels, one reason why it fails to engage.
God). There is no intelligence, de- The storytelling compare and con-
sign or purpose behind, or at work trast method allowed me to spend
in the universe. American professor two hours talking to Elke and her
Marvin Minsky put it like this: “A husband about repentance, the
human-being is a computer made of cross and resurrection hope. There
meat.” was no disdain. No withering looks.
R
elativists believe that there is In conclusion I believe that this sto-
no absolute truth. There are rytelling way of communication is
only individual preferences exactly what Jesus did 2,000 years
that are subjective. Individual choice ago. He got a crowd around him
is sacred. American artist Tom and told parables and asked ques-
Friedman hired a witch in 1992 to tions about God’s kingdom. Why
curse a space above a white block. aren’t we doing this today?
His comments were relativist: “If
you believed it, it exists. If you did-
n’t, it didn’t exist.”
Mark Roques
Mark Roques preaches at Cragg Hill Baptist
I helped Elke and her husband to church in Horsforth. He is the director of
understand these secular mindsets RealityBites which is part of the Thinking
before unpacking faith in Prince Faith Network based in Leeds. Find out
more at https://thinkfaith.net/realitybites
...inspired...
If you would like to know more about this creative,
storytelling approach to evangelism read Mark’s new
book The Spy, the Rat and the Bed of Nails:
Creative Ways of Talking about Christian Faith.
“All Jesus did that day was tell stories -
a long storytelling afternoon.”
Matthew 13.34 (The Message)
Page 18 August - September 2018Prayer
Diary
August - September 2018
AUGUST
Sun 5 The Ministry Team
Mon 6 The Morden Family
Tue 7 Heather McLeen
Wed 8 Your Mission Community Leadership Team
Thu 9 The Arabic Christian Fellowship
Fri 10 Your neighbours
Sat 11 Your homegroup, small group or cell group leader
Sun 12 Preachers and worship leaders in all Mission Communities
Mon 13 The Cragg trip to South Africa
Tue 14 Rooted
Wed 15 Your friends and family who don’t know Jesus
Thu 16 Students getting A level results
Fri 17 The church office
Sat 18 People getting married this summer
Sun 19 All of South Parade’s Mission Communities
August - September 2018 Page 19
Pull out and use!Mon 20 Irene West
Tue 21 Colin & Jill Jones and their work with the church in Normandy
Wed 22 Geoff King
Thu 23 People who have been baptised recently
Fri 24 The Deacons
Sat 25 Nathan Shipley
Sun 26 Junior Church leaders and helpers
Mon 27 Kate Burkett
Tue 28 Sam and Katie
Wed 29 Jane Waites
Thu 30 The Elders
Fri 31 Paul Rockley
SEPTEMBER
Sat 1 Levi Booth
Sun 2 Redmire Sunday
Mon 3 Young People meeting in Cell Groups
Tue 4 Kate Churchill
Wed 5 New and returning students to Leeds
Thu 6 Teddy Praise and Play
Fri 7 ABC Coffee Shop
Sat 8 Transformations Leeds
Sun 9 Connect Mission Community
Mon 10 Steve Fairhall and the work of the CAP centre
Tue 11 Missionaries with BMS World Mission
Wed 12 TLG mentors working with children in schools
Page 20 August - September 2018Thu 13 George’s Crypt
Fri 14 Joanna Project
Sat 15 Those in hospital or waiting for treatment
Sun 16 Headingley Morning Mission Community
Mon 17 Retired people in the church
Tue 18 Cragg Mission Community
Wed 19 Work with children and young people across the church
Thu 20 Sent Mission Community
Fri 21 BMS working with children around the world.
Sat 22 Megan Hobbs
Sun 23 Everyone who works to keep the church clean and maintained
Mon 24 Peter Morden
Tue 25 Katharine Widdowson, church treasurer
Wed 26 Chris Gnanakan
Thu 27 Charles Fletcher, church secretary
Fri 28 Your Mission Community
Sat 29 All those who’ve lost loved ones recently
Sun 30 St George’s Crypt
OCTOBER
Mon 1 Tim Jackson in his new role in Austria
Tue 2 Leeds Faith in Schools
Wed 3 Ruth Moody & Ruth Hughes
Thu 4 CAP Debt Centre volunteers
Fri 5 Caring for Life
Sat 6 The Ministry Team
August - September 2018 Page 21Anne Morden
At Anne Morden’s Thanksgiving Service at South Parade on
4 July the church came together with her family and friends
to remember her, to thank God for her life, and to support
the family in their time of grief. We continue to pray for
Peter, Joe and Rachel and the wider family over the coming
weeks.
There is a higher throne than all this world has known,
Where faithful ones from every tongue will one day come.
Before the Son we’ll stand, made faultless through the Lamb;
Believing hearts find promised grace - salvation comes.
And there we’ll find our home, our life before the throne;
We’ll honour Him in perfect song, where we belong.
He’ll wipe each tear-stained eye as thirst and hunger die,
The Lamb becomes our Shepherd King; we’ll reign with Him.
Hear heaven’s voices sing; their thunderous anthem rings
Through emerald courts and sapphire skies, their praises rise.
All glory, wisdom, power, strength, thanks, and honour are
To God our King, who reigns on high, forevermore.
Keith & Kristyn Getty
© 2003 Thankyou Music CCLI 1730
Page 22 August - September 2018In Touch - Really?
This magazine will give you If you did not receive an email in
some information about what May with a user name and initial
is going on, but for members password it could be that we don’t
and friends there is lots more. have a correct email address for
you. Please contact me at
S
unday worship, and a small secretary@spbc.org.uk
group during the week, usually
in someone’s home. We know that some have
Prayer meetings and the had difficulty with logging
bi-monthly Church Meet- in to read the privacy poli-
ing for seeking God’s will cy. We now know that
for his church. And occa- this can occur due to in-
sional emails to inform ternet browser programs
and update you. And “remembering” incor-
online access to church rect, inappropriate or
documents etc. outdated information. There is a
simple fix, telling your browser to
To have online access to the vari- forget “history”, but if this applies
ous church documents you need a to you then you will first need to
user name and a password, and to ask me for a new initial password,
log in with these to read and as these are time-limited and expire
acknowledge our “Privacy and Data after 30 days whether used or not.
Protection Policy” online. If you Further help will be given individual-
have received an email with a user ly as necessary.
name and initial password but for
any reason did not use it, or failed
to log in please contact me, secre- Charles Fletcher
tary@spbc.org.uk for a fresh initial Church Secretary
password. secretray@spbc.org.uk
August - September 2018 Page 23Postcard from Africa
Everyone at South Parade
c/o Intouch Magazine
South Parade Baptist Church
Kirkstall Lane
Headingley
Leeds LS6 3LF
UK
Greetings!
Page 24 August - September 2018Dear friends
A glass of tea… It’s interesting how so much of life gets
lived around such a small thing. From the highest to the
lowest, the richest to the poorest, it is a joy that everybody
here shares.
For us it has been a means of connecting with people,
learning to make tea that our friends and neighbours
appreciate, and the gentle tease when they say yet again
that it isn’t sweet enough.
We have been here for 6 months now and are starting to
adapt to the language and culture around us.We have
already been blessed with opportunities to share
something of the Hope that we have.
Lots of love and many blessings,
S&K
August - September 2018 Page 25Guiding the Ship
Church Administrators Network
Ministry Team member Kate us with a lovely lunch, seen as
Churchill reflects on her role something of a highlight by the oth-
after the church recently host- er churches present.
ed the UK Church Administra-
tors Network (UCAN) for
their area training day. This image of steering and
guiding the ship is of great
I
t was fantastic to meet other
church administrators from the encouragement to me
local area and interesting to dis-
cover that we had as many com-
monalities as differences in our ex- The theme was “Administration:
periences. I hope to get involved in biblical and creative” and the train-
a local group, meeting others ing was delivered by John
about once a term to share Truscott. He is an
best practice, encourage amazing and inspira-
each other and pray for tional speaker who
our respective founded UCAN
churches. and works as a
church consultant.
Megan Hobbs came One of the things
along with me: she has he talked about
been supporting the was the gift of ad-
activities of the church ministration. The
office as part of her South word for administration
Parade Internship, particularly in the original Greek is ku-
thinking about ways we can develop bernēsis, which comes from a verb
a communication strategy. Claire meaning to steer or guide a ship.
Ginn was also there as she provided This was such an interesting way of
Page 26 August - September 2018looking at my role and gifting at opportunity to do some planning
South Parade in the church office, a for future development. Last year,
place I have now called home for we were all encouraged through
nearly three years. Rio’s Internship to use the Church
Library in the Summer Reads initia-
I have sometimes wondered how tive and this was brought back into
my administration tasks fitted with focus this week in the Sent Weekly
being in the Ministry Team, espe- News email. I will be attempting to
cially when I need to talk to them read, reflect and consider what I
about GDPR, health and safety, and should do next.
calendars while they talk about
L
much more exciting topics like Al- ast year, I was fortunate to
pha courses, Christianity Explored, attend the monthly School of
Barnabas Bunch, CAP and children, Theology sessions which were
youth and student work. At other brilliant at improving my confidence
times, I have said that I feel like I am and biblical knowledge. One of my
the Church Mum, trying to get eve- options for more formal develop-
ryone sorted and out of the door ment would be to undertake a dis-
on time for school. This image of tance learning course in church ad-
steering and guiding the ship is of ministration, run in collaboration
great encouragement to me, it felt with UCAN and St John’s College,
like it married my two experiences Nottingham. Please keep praying
of this role, giving me permission to with me for our Ministry Team’s
bring people’s attention to our legal professional and spiritual develop-
obligations and commitments but ment.
doing so creatively and in God’s
strength.
The summertime is a great oppor-
Kate Churchill
Church Administrator
tunity for reflection and to seize the
...informed…
Discover more on the UK Church
Administrators Network at
www.churchadministrators.net
Find more about speaker John Truscott at www.john-truscott.co.uk
August - September 2018 Page 27One to One
A Man of Integrity
If you could have a “one-to-one”
with anyone in the world, dead He was a man of
or alive, who would you choose? personal integrity who
C
an you guess my choice from “walked the talk” every
the following clues? Choco- day of his life
late for anyone who gets it
before clue 3. crusades, became a household name.
• He was the son of a dairy farmer, Ordained, aged 21, at Florida Bible
milking cows twice a day. Institute, he went on to further study
• He was converted, aged 16, at Wheaton College, where he met
through the ministry of Dr Mor- his future wife, Ruth. They married in
decai Ham. 1943 and went on to have five
• He preached to 215 million children and 19 grandchildren.
people all over the world. In 1950 he founded the Billy
• He preached to our Queen Graham Evangelistic Organisa-
at Windsor and Sandringham. tion, which sponsored his many
• He counselled 9 presi- crusades around the world.
dents of the USA.
• He was voted one of This organisation en-
the “ten most ad- couraged churches to
mired men in the be proactive in prayer
world”, 51 times. and witness before the crusade so
that the ground was well prepared.
• He died in February this year,
Likewise, they expected nurture
aged 99.
groups to be ready and waiting for
new converts; and this was the re-
The guy was Dr Billy Graham who,
sponsibility of local churches.
through radio, TV and international
Page 28 August - September 2018In 1992, aged 74, he was diagnosed Someone else at South Parade has
with an illness related to Parkin- been similarly influenced. After
son’s disease and Franklin, his son much soul-searching, Owen Carey
took over the reins. His wife, Ruth, Jones visited Yeadon Town Hall to
predeceased him. His death, this hear a relay of the 1985 Crusade.
year, was broadcast by the BBC His heart was moved and he walked
and, indeed, all over the world. forward to give his life to Christ.
P
ersonally, if I had had the Billy Graham was a man of personal
chance to speak to him “one- integrity who “walked the talk” eve-
to-one”, I would have ry day of his life. I suppose you
thanked him for the inspiration he could say his mantra was “the
has been in my life. I first heard him Cross”. He declared “Christ died
in 1966 at the Earl’s Court Stadium on the Cross and the Cross be-
in London. Together with a crowd comes the door which becomes the
from my college Christian Union, gate to eternal life”. “Anyone who
we piled into a coach travelling is in Christ is a new creation. The
down from Bromsgrove. Two of my old has gone and the new has
special friends were converted and come.” (2 Corinthians 5.17).
still hold firm to their faith to this
day. At Mission England 1989, in the
Crystal Palace Stadium, I was able
Janet Jackson
Headingley Morning Mission Community
to train as a counsellor and witness
our own son, Ed, walk forward to
give his life to Christ.
Better Than The Beach
One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship,
beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.
I’d rather scrub floors in the house of my God
than be honoured as a guest in the palace of sin.
All sunshine and sovereign is God, generous in gifts and glory.
He doesn’t scrimp with his travelling companions.
It’s smooth sailing all the way with God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
Psalm 84.10-12 (The Message)
August - September 2018 Page 29Getting to Know You
Ruth Moody & Ruth Hughes
This month we meet two peo- and provide support to the Treas-
ple called Ruth in two different urer.
South Parade Mission Commu-
nities. What do you do the rest of the week?
I work part-time as the Financial
Ruth Moody Controller for a charity, Harrogate
What role do you have in the life of International Festivals, which puts
SPBC? on Literature and Music Festivals.
A
lthough I don’t have a Some of you may have seen recent
named role at Cragg, as a coverage on local TV. Which is also
member of the mission how I spend my spare time, going
community, I help out in different to concerts and literature events
ways when needed. I occasionally with my friends.
do the Bible reading or sing in the
I am also a member of the Art Fund
worship group during the services. I
and the National Trust and like vis-
also steward at Headingley for Sent
iting Galleries, Museums and Stately
Homes. And I volunteer once a
month with Torch at their Leeds
meeting. Torch is Christian fellow-
ship where blind and sighted people
meet on equal terms. Some 110
Torch Fellowship Groups meet in-
formally on a monthly basis across
the UK, with many more interna-
tionally.
Who supports you as you live out your
faith?
My house group and friends are my
Page 30 August - September 2018main support as I live out my faith, team (Nathan), mission community
because they are the people who leader (Chris Dyson) and Megan
know me. Hobbs.
It is easier to get to know What do you do the rest of the week?
A large part of my week is spent at
people at Cragg than in a the university where I work as a
bigger congregation support scientist, helping people
design experiments and image their
samples on the microscopes as well
How can the church family cherish you as developing new microscopy tech-
better? niques. I’m very privileged to have
I
like Cragg mission community such a varied and interesting job,
as it is smaller and it is easier to and thank God for the opportunity,
get to know people than in a and the chances it brings to share
bigger congregation. Also, quite a my faith.
number of the congregation live
nearby which means that I can meet Outside of work I enjoy going for
people outside of church as well walks and watching (too much) TV!
and Cragg also puts on social events
for everybody. I’m fortunate to be a
I feel as a single person without any part of a supportive
family in Leeds that Cragg suits me homegroup, where we
best but sometimes feel my church model to each other
family could encourage me better
by listening to me and remembering
living out our faith
what I say.
Who supports you as you live out your
Ruth Moody faith?
I’m very fortunate to be a part of a
supportive homegroup, where we
Ruth Hughes explore together and try to model
to each other living out our
What role do you have in the life of
faith, even in the messy bits of life,
SPBC?
I
through Bible study, prayer and
’m an Elder, with particular focus
building relationships. Being a part
for Sent and have the privilege to
of the Eldership and the Sent LT is
be a part of the Sent leadership
also a great encouragement. Having
team, serving alongside the ministry
August - September 2018 Page 31so many people around who are ing that, or hearing people share
generous enough to share from what they think God might be say-
their own experiences is a great ing to them or doing in their lives,
support. is such an encouragement - so feel
free to stop me and share, whether
How can the church family cherish you you think its exciting or unsettling,
better? it would be wonderful to have a
T
he thing that always makes better sense of where God is lead-
my heart glad is when I see ing and working.
God working in people’s
lives and them stepping out to try
and explore more of what God’s
Ruth Hughes
call on their life looks like. Just see-
BMS World News
The children we meet need
your prayers
Please pray and help to transform
the lives of children in countries all
over the world. God moves in
prayer. Please take a moment to
join us.
• Pray for refugee children in Lebanon who are now getting an
education thanks to you. Pray that they will feel safe in their
environment.
• Preschools across Bangladesh are being supported by you. Pray for
the children, that they can concentrate on learning.
• BMS is working to transform the lives of children by improving
teaching in Nepal. Pray for Nepali teachers that are receiving
training, that they will continue to transform the lives of
their students.
For more prayer requests, head here:
www.bmsworldmission.org/prayforchildren
Page 32 August - September 2018Ford’s Focus
John’s Gospel Part 19: The Vine and the Branches
John 15 control and his disciples, along with
us, the reader in the 21st century,
This chapter is a continuation can rest assured that God knows
of chapter 14 and so is there- what he is doing.
fore part of the same discourse
that Jesus is giving to his disci- Jesus then says that the gardener
ples. prunes the vine by removing the
dead branches and cutting back
W
hilst he is saying to his those that do produce fruit in order
disciples in John 14.30 that the vine will produce more
“I do not have much fruit.
time to talk to you” he reassures
them that he and the father know Jesus is saying is that we
what they are doing and in John
15.1 he says “I am the vine and my all need pruning in order
father is the gardener” immediately for us to produce fruit
taking his disciples into a place of
security where the gardener is in
It is the gardener’s job to ensure
that the vine produces fruit, the job
of the gardener is never-ending, he
is required to prune, weed, water,
care for and monitor the plants
within the garden to ensure that
the place is kept in a manner that
pleases and provides a place of sol-
ace and encouragement for the
owner and onlookers.
Pruning of a vine is a necessary part
August - September 2018 Page 33of vineyard husbandry and is re- dresser who Jesus tells us in verse 1
quired in order for the vine to pro- is his Father.
duce a good quality and quantity of
grape, and also to ensure that ade- In verse 3 Jesus begins to piece the
quate young shoots are being en- picture together by saying “you
couraged for next season’s growth. have already been pruned” (or in
Vines only produce fruit from the KJV “you are already clean”)
shoots that are one year old and “because of the word or message
so require removing once fruit- I have already spoken to
ing has finished. you”. Jesus is speaking
here to the converted,
S
o what Jesus is saying is his disciples. He is com-
that we all need forting and preparing his
pruning continu- disciples for life on earth
ally in order for us to without him. He has
produce fruit and for already made it clear
us to be prepared for that he is the vine and
fruiting year on year. that every branch of
his that is unprofitable is
A vine has a stock and taken out by the father
branches but essentially and destroyed and every fruitful
they appear to be indistinguishable branch is pruned in order to pro-
from each other, so when Jesus says duce more fruit. So here he as-
in verse 5 “I am the vine and you sumes a point in time where the
are the branches” what he is saying pruning process has taken place and
is I am the vine, you are the vine, I he makes it very clear that in order
am the branch, you are the branch. for us to be fruitful we must remain
Essentially Jesus and me are one and in the vine and the vine must re-
the gardener does not distinguish main in us.
between them, he selects the un-
A
healthy branches and the branches s I have already pointed out
that have already fruited he cuts off a vine and its branch are
from the vine so that the vine will virtually indistinguishable
continue to be fruitful year on year. and Jesus is saying that one must
remain in the other to produce
This pruning process is a continual fruit, which is obvious, but probably
process that is applied to our lives overlooked by most of us at some
to make us fit for purpose, the pur- point in our lives. One without the
pose of producing fruit for the vine- other renders both useless for the
Page 34 August - September 2018purpose it was intended, that of to those who have been made clean
producing fruit. by Jesus, that life will work if we
abide in the vine and the vine
The point that Jesus is also making abides in us: it is together that we
about the importance of remaining work life out.
in the vine is that he knows that his
ministry on earth has been divisive This producing of fruit is all about
because he knows that essentially remaining spiritual, it is not about
“everything is spiritual” and when a how many souls we have influenced
person starts from that perspective into accepting Christ or how many
their life will be at odds with the people have joined our church or
world because it is so fundamentally how many missionaries we support.
different to the selfish, sinful nature It is all about knowing Christ and
of human desire that has been him crucified and the power of his
brought about by the fallen state of risen life intertwined and immersed
humanity, the state that Jesus came into our innermost spiritual parts so
to restore to a right relationship to that we are able to stand firm in a
God the Father and creator of all. It turbulent and unstable world,
is in the remaining or abiding in the knowing that life is safe and secure
vine that we find the true meaning beacuse the vine dresser is fully
of life. committed to tending his vine so
that it produces good fruit for his
table.
Life will work if we
Jesus’ call to action in this chapter is
abide in the vine and not that we strive to produce fruit
the vine abides in us but that we abide in the vine and
remain indistinguishably joined to
the root so that we can testify to
By ensuring that we remain in the the ministry of Jesus and can know
vine, and as Jesus promises to re- a place of security in a topsy-turvy
main in us by the power of the in- world.
dwelling Spirit that has been given
by the Father, we will produce fruit,
fruit that will remain.
Steve Ford
Headingley Morning Mission Community
S
blog.steveford.me.uk
o Jesus is saying here, to his
disciples and to anyone
through the expanse of time,
August - September 2018 Page 35Poetry to Ponder
Cleaning House
Pat Dalgleish finds another so we can share it with the whole
poem to inspire and encourage church.
us.
Cleaning House
This anonymous poem has been Last week I threw out Worrying,
widely shared on social media and it was getting old and in the way.
encourages us to look at our lives, It kept me from being me;
and in the spirit of Hebrews 12.1 I couldn't do things God's way.
urges us to “throw off every-
thing that hinders and the sin I threw out those Inhibitions;
that so easily entangles they were just crowding me out.
and… run with perseverance Made room for my New Growth,
the race marked out for us”. got rid of my old dreams and doubts.
If you have found inspi- I threw out a book on MY PAST
ration or comfort in a (didn't have time to read it anyway).
poem or short piece of Replaced it with New Goals,
prose please send it to the magazine started reading it today.
I threw out hate and bad memories,
(remember how I treasured them so)?
Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY too,
threw out the one from long ago.
Brought in some new books too,
called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.
Threw out I might, I think and I ought.
WOW, You should've seen the dust.
I ran across an OLD FRIEND,
haven't seen him in a while.
Page 36 August - September 2018I believe his name is GOD, Yes, I've got my house looking nice.
Yes, I really like His style. Looks good around the place.
For things like Worry and Trouble
He helped me to do some cleaning there just isn't any place.
and added some things Himself.
Like PRAYER, HOPE and FAITH, It's good to do a little house cleaning,
Yes, I placed them right on the shelf. get rid of the old things on the shelf.
It sure makes things brighter;
I picked up this special thing maybe you should TRY IT YOURSELF.
and placed it at the front door.
I FOUND IT - it's called PEACE. Author Unknown
Nothing gets me down anymore.
Church Noticeboard
August - September 2018 Page 37christianityexploded.tumblr.com
This CartoonChurch.com cartoon by Dave Walker originally appeared in the Church Times.
August - September 2018
Page 38South Parade meets as four distinctive Mission Communities across Leeds:
in Headingley and Cragg on a Sunday Morning, and as Sent at
Headingley on Sunday evenings. Connect meets in the community in
Bramley. We run a CAP Debt Centre and run the ABC Coffee Shop in
Holt Park, and have a partnership with the Arabic Christian Fellowship.
To find out more, visit the website or contact the church office.
Together, we have a shared vision to build community in Christ. We
hope that all who meet us will be helped to belong to Christ and his
people, will discover what it means to believe in him, and will become
all that he invites them to be in character, lifestyle, witness and service.
Senior Minister Peter Morden
Minister Paul Rockley
Associate Pastor for Nathan Shipley
Youth and Young Adults
Children’s Worker Heather McLeen
Associate Pastor Geoff King
Church Administrator Kate Churchill
Under 5s Co-ordinator Kate Burkett
Elders Andrew Bedingham,
Freeman Dumenu,
Charles Fletcher (Church Secretary),
Ruth Hughes, John Pelham,
Sue Ricketts, Tim Rowe, Joe Walsh
South Parade Baptist Church 0113 275 4989
Kirkstall Lane, Headingley www.spbc.org.uk
LEEDS LS6 3LF info@spbc.org.uk
August - September 2018 Page 39“
Jesus spoke all these things to
the crowd in parables;
he did not say anything to them
without using a parable.
”
Matthew 13.34 (NIV)
Page 40 August - September 2018You can also read
