March 2019 - United Church Winchester
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The United Church 01962 849559 Jewry Street Winchester SO23 8RZ New website: ucw.org.uk Minister Revd Tim Searle Fellowship, Worship and Education Co-ordinator Pat Fry 01962 880748 Asst Co-ordinator Juli Wills 01962 863057 Pastoral Co-ordinator Graham Rolfe 01962 861506 Bereavement Sandy Foster 01489 890334 Flowers Distribution Lesley Worrall 01962 882269 Cradle Roll Ann Coleman 07739 793488 Students Sam Barnes 02380 685531 Finance Co-ordinator Christine Cook 01962 884510 Payments and Expenses Ralph Jessop 01962 843114 Donations and Gift Aid David Worrall 01962 882269 Administration Co-ordinator Bob Lord 01962 855910 Asst Co-ordinator Dorothy Lusmore 01962 885824 Office Administrator Naomi Honey 01962 849559 office@ucw.org.uk Mission Co-ordinators Jo Crocker 01962 622654 Jo Pellatt 01962 849334 Youth Worker Sam Barnes 07742 077114 sambarnesyouthworker@gmail.com Live at Home Anna Miles 01962 890995 Magazine Editor Barbara Dunton 01962 882012 yours@unitedchurchwinchester.org.uk 2
Minister’s Letter Sabbatical Reflections: Part 3 – More on mindfulness As part of our new church strategy you’ll have noticed that exploring mindfulness as a church is one of our new strategic priorities. In case it’s passed you by, here’s the relevant excerpt from our new website (www.ucw.org.uk) which you can find under ‘About Us’ (scroll down to ‘The Way Forward’ point 2): Supporting ourselves and others, of all faiths and none, by embracing Christian mindfulness in which we seek to examine our lifestyles from a spiritual perspective, particularly those aspects that affect our mental health and well-being; our responsibility for God’s people. That’s all well and good, you might say, but what do we actually mean when talking about mindfulness? What’s it all about? Is it just another meditative technique, or the latest craze in a long line of self-help fads? Is it Buddhist in origin, and if so what are we doing with it? Does it have anything to do with Brian Draper’s soulfulness approach? Well to all of these questions we could answer; yes … and no! When talking about ‘Mindfulness’ (capital ‘M’) I’m most likely referring to the therapeutic approach called MBCT (Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy) which was developed by Zindel Segal and Mark Williams and was subsequently turned into a bestselling book by Williams and Danny Penman. Much of Williams and Segal’s MBCT approach is based on the stress reduction research of Jon Kabat-Zinn who in the 70s explored how eastern, particularly Buddhist meditation practices, could be used to treat the chronically ill. Kabat-Zinn found that by employing certain breathing techniques, and centring or grounding exercises like the body-scan, that the symptoms of stress were noticeably reduced. Williams and Segal picked up on this research and developed it into a 3
psychotherapeutic approach which encourages the practice of certain meditations as part of an eight-week course. Their research showed that those who completed the course were less likely to relapse into chronic illnesses such as depression or anxiety. Furthermore, research suggests that continued use of the meditations might actually change our brain chemistry for the better. At the heart of the approach are four key principles: 1. Being aware of our thoughts (as opposed to automatically following them) 2. Accepting our thoughts and our experience of them (rather than over-analysing) 3. Being grounded in the present (instead of replaying the past/worrying about the future) 4. Not-judging our thoughts (rather than feeling guilt or shame, for example, about them) By approaching our thoughts in this way, and by taking the time to slow down and reflect on how we’re thinking, we become better able to deal with the mental load of our frantic world. As I mentioned in my December letter, my first experiences of yoga were as much about becoming more mentally aware of body and mind in the present, as they were about the physical exercise itself. Those of you who are planning to come on our church weekend in June will have the opportunity to learn more about mindfulness. Under the guidance of Tim Stead, a leading mindfulness practitioner and Anglican priest, we’ll begin to explore what a Christian approach to mindfulness might look like. Can it help us in our prayer life? Can it deepen our experience of worship? By becoming more mindful of ourselves can we also become more mindful of God? I hope that together we’ll approach some of these questions with an open-mind and be willing to allow our thinking to be truly challenged. Sincerely, Tim 4
Church Family News A number of members of our church have moved house recently. So we send our best wishes to Martin and Jessica Tringham, Yvonne North, and Hilary Lock, and hope that they will all soon be happily settled in their new homes. Several members of our congregation are faced with serious illness. We continue to remember them and their families in our prayers. Graham Rolfe When the Bough Breaks (A poem in response to the Minister’s Letter in February Yours) When the bough breaks birds spread their wings And fly towards another Spring. Earthbound creatures can but crawl through Winter’s frosted, rutted lane Brought to our knees by shock and pain. Each old, familiar structure gone, with blinded eyes we stumble on Our hands upraised to ward off blows We slip and slide through drifting snows. Protectively we grow a shell to hide each personal glimpse of hell Our sores heal slowly, rarely cured but bravely borne and so endured. With faith we find our souls have wings to fold around all broken things When the bough breaks. Rosemary MacMullen 5
Church Flowers Thank you to everyone who has helped by donating money towards the flowers and those who arrange them. The third task is to dismantle the flowers and make a pastoral visit to members. If you are interested in joining either the team who arrange the flowers or those who deliver them to our members in need, we should love to have you join us. You would also be most welcome to come to All Saints Flower Club. Our March meeting is on Thursday 28th at 2 pm. We have a demonstration by Martina Coleman entitled ‘Inspirations’. We meet at the Millennium Hall in Littleton and the cost is £5, which includes refreshments. We look forward to seeing you there. Lesley Worrall 01962 882269 Winchester Churches Christmas Project 2018 The Christmas Project started within our Church in 1993, so 2018 marked 25 years since the very beginning. It started to grow with the involvement of St Lawrence’s and St Swithun’s parish the following year and has now grown to be truly ecumenical with 79 volunteers from 17 different churches, with donations from nine churches and many individuals. Over the years we have managed to transform Christmas for many families, and volunteers have found an extra blessing in their own Christmas celebrations. We work closely with a range of local agencies including A2 Dominion Care and Support, Hampshire Children’s Services, Trinity Centre Women’s Services, Home-Start, Health Visitors, Winchester Young Carers Project and The Women’s Refuge. We only take on families referred by such agencies. 6
From mid-November onwards, each pair of volunteers will visit a family to ascertain their needs and then to shop with, or on behalf of them. Those visited are in charge as much as possible – they choose what will make Christmas special for them. Each family has a set amount of money allocated and there are no strings attached to our help. Some items chosen are strictly utilitarian, such as the buying of warm winter clothes or payment of a worrying bill. Others are food – essentials with some treats thrown in – or the fun stuff such as toys, presents or a morale-boosting treat. Among other items this year were a drone, a printer, petrol and several haircuts. Last Christmas, as usual, the help given by our wonderful volunteers was thoughtful and imaginative. We show our Christian faith and witness in caring for and helping those we visit. Sometimes the money is not the most important bit – knowing that someone is prepared to spend time and take the trouble to listen can mean a lot. This year the Project helped 27 families (42 adults + 49 children), 6 single people and 16 young people living in the City Road and Sussex Street Hostels. A total of 113 people. We hope that our efforts have helped people at a difficult time of year and given a glimpse of God’s love through our practical action. A flavour of what it meant to some families… • ‘Thank you for helping to make our first Christmas in our new home extra special. We had a great time thanks to your help.’ • ‘We had a lovely time with them [our volunteers].’ • ‘Thank you so much for making our holiday so special! You managed to turn a difficult year into a happy ending! Thank you.’ 7
• ‘They [our volunteers] have been very kind to us and really made our Christmas better. The two ladies were amazing and I would like to tell them THANK YOU!!’ • ‘I can’t thank you enough for helping to put smiles on all our faces and making this Christmas special. As a family we enjoyed all the lovely treats and goodies on the table, a new working kettle and gorgeous clothes for the children.’ • ‘We went to Asda with our volunteers, it was great! It really helped us out. It took the pressure off worrying about the Christmas food. Thank you so much!’ • ‘…we also got a delicious Christmas cake which was such a surprise!’ Each year, for many years, Isabel Witham has cooked and decorated eleven small Christmas cakes for our families – eleven! They are exquisite and delicious and give families a lovely extra surprise. Now Isabel has reluctantly decided she cannot continue so we would like to record our enormous thanks to her for all she has done for the Project. One of the agencies said ‘Thank you for being part of such a special project. I know that this can be challenging but your kindness makes a real difference. What you may not realise is that it helps build trust and faith within them that other people do care and want to support … Thank you for all you do and your generosity.’ We are very grateful for everyone who supported the Project – through donations, volunteering and prayer. Thank you so much. Do consider becoming a volunteer next Christmas! Helen McTiffin Joint Co-ordinator 8
A Methodist Church in Barbados Whilst Alison Wood was recently on holiday on Barbados (now wearing a hair shirt since reading Tim’s February letter) she sent the following email to her House Group. They suggested to Alison that she should send it to Yours as they felt it was worth sharing with everyone. Hopefully you agree with them. Ed. I thought I’d just share a little about our experience this morning attending the service at Holetown Methodist Church, Barbados. It was an interesting mix of old and new. It is many years since I have sung ‘Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam’, together with ladies wearing hats (probably 50! – years I mean, not hats) and yet the screen and projection were right up to date. I don’t know if you had Nehemiah chapter 8 as your Old Testament reading today but I did admire the reader who was faultless with all the difficult names. What Clive and I really talked about afterwards, though, were the notices, welcome and time of sharing. There was such enthusiasm about all the activities and a microphone was handed around so that those involved could give more details and a personal invitation. Then came the welcome to newcomers and visitors (about ten of us). We were invited to stand, which we did, only then to be informed that they would like us to introduce ourselves and the microphone was passed to each one of us to say where we came from and a little about ourselves. We were all given a pen with the name of the church and minister plus her telephone number printed on it. After that the names of those with birthdays the following week had to stand while we all sang ‘Happy Birthday’. There was a bouquet of flowers and present for anyone over 80. Finally, the microphone was passed round again so that any pastoral news could be shared including congratulations, 9
information about people who are ill and someone who had had a fall. Although it was a little nerve-racking to do the introduction, the combination of everything meant that at the end of the service people very naturally came up to speak to us and we had things to say to them about their lives and the life of the church. I’m not suggesting we necessarily adopt this at The United Church but it does give food for thought. There was certainly no chance of visitors being overlooked or not welcomed! Alison Wood Annual Church Meeting Sunday 24 March 2019 The Annual Church Meeting of The United Church will be held immediately after the 10.30 service on Sunday 24 March. It will be followed by a Bring and Share lunch. Everybody in our congregation is invited to attend the meeting, although voting is restricted to members of the church. This meeting is the annual opportunity to take stock of the progress of The United Church over the past year. It will include the presentation of the annual accounts for 2018. Elsewhere in this edition of Yours you will find reports from the co-ordinators of the various areas of church life: these will be taken as read at the meeting, so please look at them before then. Our constitution says that elections for membership of Church Council should take place at the Annual Meeting. Our minister, Tim Searle, is the Chair of the Council; all other members are elected for three years in the first instance. Christine Cook (Finance Co-ordinator), Jo Crocker and Jo 10
Pellatt (joint Mission Co-ordinators) have served three years, but are willing to continue if the meeting agrees. Helen McTiffin and Lorraine Giffin (both Council members without portfolio) and Graham Rolfe (Pastoral Co-ordinator) are retiring from the Council. So there are three vacancies, i.e. Pastoral Co-ordinator and two members without portfolio. In addition, a Minutes Secretary is needed for the Church Council. There are also vacancies for the following posts: Worship stewards United Church representative to the URC Wessex Synod United Church representative to the Methodist Circuit Do give these vacancies serious thought. If you feel able to offer to take on one of these roles (or would like to nominate someone else!), please tell Graham Rolfe by Sunday 10 March. And if you have any item for the agenda, please tell Graham by the same date. The agenda will be published on Sunday 17 March. Co-ordinator Reports Fellowship, Worship and Education Report – Pat Fry Worship is always central to the life of a church; it is good that we are able to continue to provide two different worship services on a Sunday, and a short service on a Friday morning. We are fortunate that so many people are willing and able to play a part in enabling our services whether as preachers, worship leaders, stewards, musicians, intercessors, flower- arrangers, or in a host of less obvious but equally essential ways behind the scenes: helping with IT, simply being welcoming, supporting with prayer, sorting the heating, ...and all the things I’ve failed to mention. We are all grateful for so much faithful service. In particular, I would like to thank Mike Foster for organising the rotas so efficiently. If you would like to 11
play a practical part in facilitating worship, please speak to me, Juli, Tim or Mike. It is only a few weeks since I took on the co-ordinator role, and I would like to stress it is just that – a co- ordinator for a team effort. We have six house groups meeting regularly, and during the year we have explored a range of topics including sustainability, Bible studies on both Jonah and the post-Easter stories, and the ethical and pastoral issues raised by the television series Broken. New members are always welcome. This year’s Bible month topic will be Colossians, and we will engage with it during late June and July. Wednesday Fellowship provides an afternoon of Christian fellowship with a range of speakers, much appreciated by some older members. Young children and their parents and carers find a welcome at Baby and Toddler Group, Coffee Bar Playtime and Messy Church. Perhaps the highlight of the year was the Church Re-Launch in December, and the Advent Angel display. Lots of visitors came in, and the thoughtful ‘Journey through Advent’ was much appreciated. Many people had never been upstairs to the sanctuary before, and were delighted to find a welcoming and prayerful oasis away from the pre-Christmas bustle of the city. We look forward to our church weekend away in June. At the time of writing, there are still a few places available, so if you would like to take this opportunity for us to get to know each other better, please speak to a member of Church Council. Pastoral Report – Graham Rolfe At the last Annual Meeting in April 2018, the number of Church Members was 164. Since then, we have received two new members by transfer, two people have moved away, and two members have died, so the current total is 162. During the year there have been two weddings in the church, three baptisms and two funerals. We are sad to have to record the 12
deaths of June Beard, who was a long-standing member of The United Church, and Maggie Gerard, who came into church membership fairly recently. We miss them both. I am very grateful for the support given by the other members of the pastoral team and for the regular work done by the pastoral visitors by keeping in touch with members of the congregation. The helpers in the Coffee Bar provide an important part of pastoral care – both with members of the fellowship and with other customers. The support and advice of the Live at Home Scheme is much valued. Two other teams should be mentioned – the hospitality team who prepare food at various times through the year, and the team of flower arrangers, together with friends, who deliver the church flowers to members of the congregation who are in particular need at the time. Finally, I must express our thanks to Tim Searle for his concern and care for members of the congregation, shown in so many ways. Please pray for the continuing work of pastoral care within and beyond the church fellowship. Finance Report – Christine Cooke The budget agreed for 2018 at last year’s ACM was a planned deficit of £66k. We ended up with a deficit of just under £50k, so better than planned, but this was because some of the agreed capital work has not taken place, and we have not yet made the final payment on the dais. If all this had taken place, we would probably have spent another £20k, so would have ended up with a larger deficit than planned. If we take out the effect of capital expenditure, the Manse money, the Reg Wooldridge legacy, and the Roy Smith fund the planned outcome was a surplus of £1,500, and the actual was a deficit of £15,437. 13
This was a combination of lower income and higher costs. The lower income was due mostly to lower than expected income from premises and church organisations. Higher expenditure was mostly due to the extra one-off cost of £4.5k for publicity, etc. for the updated website, logo and open days, which was agreed at Church Meeting, but we also spent more than expected on Maintenance, Gas and Electricity. We are looking at how to improve this in 2019. A small group is helping Naomi with the invoicing to users of the premises, which should improve that figure. We have recently changed Electricity provider, which should save a significant amount over the year. We still have a very healthy reserve, significantly above our stated minimum, but in the longer term, as we complete the planned building work we need to run a balanced budget. This may mean we need to look at further savings, or ways to increase our income. If you are a UK income-tax payer, you can help with this by ensuring that your giving to The United Church is covered by Gift Aid. If you are not already doing this David Worrall or myself would be very happy to talk to you about how to do this. The full annual accounts are planned to be complete and scrutinised by the Annual Church meeting, so that they can be approved. I will present a summary from the accounts at the meeting, as there will not be time to go into the full details. A printout of the full accounts will be available at the meeting, and copies will also available in advance from the church office, from Sunday 10 March. . If you do have any questions about the figures or the accounts please let me know, as I am happy to explain them in more detail. 14
Administration Report– Bob Lord Thanks to all those who work behind the scenes to keep our building safe, warm, well-lit and well maintained. I am grateful to Eric Craig, Tim James, Christine Cook, Robin Cook, David Teale, Martin Ramsey and John Heath. Thanks also to Richard Coleman for his initiative in improving our communications. Thanks to his work and the help of Tim Searle, Dorothy Lusmore and Mike Holt we have a new website which receives many visitors, and regularly updated social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter and, by the time you read this, Instagram. We have an updated logo and noticeboards, all with the aim of making ourselves more visible to potential newcomers. Our Church Relaunch Open Days went ahead at the beginning of Advent, an event which was enhanced by the wonderful Christmas Revealed and by many volunteers welcoming our many visitors warmly, offering free coffee or playing delightful music. We were able share what we are about with regular users of the building as well those coming in especially for the Open Days. In the last year we have updated our Safety Policy, and implemented a Data Protection and Privacy Policy. I am grateful to our staff: Naomi Honey offering a warm welcome in the office, and Dave Gibbons who keeps the building clean with his unflaggingly cheerful disposition. Finally thank you also to Dorothy Lusmore for her invaluable help and support as Assistant Co-ordinator. Mission Report – World Action Group/World Mission – Jo Pellatt We have had a successful year of fundraising and recently sent £6,000 to our World Action Group project Luna Children’s Charity who train local practitioners in several countries to provide therapy to children suffering trauma and PTSD. This brings the total sent so far to £8,000 and we are on track to meet our target of £10,000 over two years. 15
Events have included a sunny summer afternoon of desserts and ice cream and an autumn evening of curry. We will shortly be holding our annual pancake event (5 March) and Mike and Hilary Holt will be hosting an AV evening on 23 March which will be well worth attending. The money that we have sent most recently will be used to fund an upcoming training trip. Our initial two-year support for Luna comes to an end this summer and the World Action Group would be grateful for feedback as to whether we would like to continue this support for a further year, as we have sometimes done with projects in the past, or whether we should start the process of choosing a new project. Please let a member of the group know your thoughts. Just a note that Luna Children’s Charity have a new working name which is ‘Action for Child Trauma International’ which they feel more accurately reflects the work that they do. We marked Christian Aid week with another Big Brekkie; a little extra to add to the important funds raised by all in our church who are dedicated Christian Aid Week collectors. The Traidcraft stall continues to be appreciated by regular and occasional customers and we were glad that the possible closure of Traidcraft did not have to happen; many thanks to those who give their time to allow this to run and particularly to Hilary Lock and all the time and effort that she dedicates to keeping it stocked and running smoothly. Fairtrade Fortnight has a focus on chocolate this year and the Coffee Bar plan to offer a chocolate cake every day containing fairtrade ingredients. As part of the Churches Together in Winchester support for Syrian families relocated to Winchester, we have been able to offer our premises to host occasional get-togethers and the families all feel very at home at United; most recently we had a Christmas tea and the families were able to enjoy some time up in the sanctuary to see the Angels. The ladies continue to meet in the Coffee Bar for conversation sessions, and the Rural 16
Refugee Network, through Stella Charman, have utilised the building for activities in the school holidays. I represent United on the Circuit Refugee Support Group which, as well as supporting a Syrian family in Alresford, has been holding regular coffee mornings to raise funds for charities connected to refugees or asylum seekers. The group has come to the decision that it is now time to re-assess their role and activities, and rather than continue to meet regularly and hold any more coffee mornings hope to do more hands- on activity – several members recently volunteered at a session sorting donations for Southampton Action. Mission Report – Care for Creation – Jo Crocker • June 2018 Church Meeting vote for Education for Sustainability (EfS) focus within The Way Forward • Green Week The inaugural Winchester Green Week organised by WinACC, Churches Together in Winchester and the University of Winchester. The United Church was a key partner in terms of the coffee bar involvement (featured on That’s TV Hampshire), fairtrade shop, Green Service. • Hope for Planet Earth series in Yours throughout 2018 • Church Council Plus session on EfS in October 2018. Vision statements out of that in November Yours. • Sustainability and Church? House Group material ran in Autumn 2018. Feedback comments in Feb 2019 Yours. • Ongoing work towards achieving Bronze level on the Eco Church Awards, including switching to a renewable energy supplier for electricity (Good Energy), and measuring the Church’s Carbon Footprint (27 tonnes based on 2017 data). 17
• Advent Revealed Angels constructed by people in our community using donated and recycled resources (i.e. very little ‘new’ materials), and most deconstructed at end of Advent and sorted to be reused (by craft club and junior church or recycled – plastic, paper and fabric) leaving only one shopping bag size of ‘rubbish’. • Formation of an EfS group of leaders who have developed a framework for the year ahead (see article elsewhere in this Yours). Junior Church Report – Pat Fry This is a brief report, in Rosie Mellor’s absence working for the Methodist Church in Hong Kong. Junior Church continues to meet on Sunday mornings as two or three groups. The programme usually follows the lectionary using ‘Roots’; also the older group have completed a Youth Alpha course. New children are always welcome. Inspirational Christians This is the sixth and final article in a series introducing inspirational Christians, as discovered by South Wonston House Group. The idea is to learn a bit more about what is behind well-known names and to encourage people to find out more for themselves. We have heard about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, St Francis of Assisi, Oscar Romero, Cecil Alexander and Julian of Norwich. This month it is: Corrie ten Boom ‘Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, … and receives the impossible.’ You are my hiding place; you will save me from trouble. I sing aloud of your salvation, because you protect me. Psalm 32:7 18
Corrie ten Boom was born in 1892 into a Calvinist family, members of the Dutch Reformed Church. Her father was a watchmaker and Corrie herself trained and qualified as the first female licensed watchmaker in Holland. In addition to working in her father's shop, she established a youth club for teenage girls, which provided religious instruction as well as classes in the performing arts, sewing and handicrafts. The family’s faith inspired them to serve their society, offering shelter, food, and money to those in need, and they firmly believed that Israel was God’s chosen people which formed a basis for their work with the Jews. Together with her family, Corrie became part of an underground movement for Jews and refugees in the early 1940s and helped many to escape the Nazi Holocaust during the Second World War by hiding them in their home. Her father took to wearing the yellow star to show solidarity with the Jews and they honoured the Jewish Sabbath but made no attempt at the conversion of those staying in their home. Through friends, they managed to get ration cards to pass on to Jewish people who could not get cards themselves. In 1942 the Resistance sent an architect to the Ten Boom home to build a secret room in a wardrobe, which later became known as the Hiding Place, and also an alert buzzer to warn the refugees to get into the room as quickly as possible. In 1944 they were betrayed to the authorities and the whole family was arrested for illegally obtaining ration cards. However, six people remained undetected in the secret room – after four days in hiding they were transferred along the underground route and escaped. Some family members were released but her father, Corrie, and her sister Betsy were transferred to a concentration camp where her father soon died. The sisters were sent to Ravensbruck, a female labour camp, in Germany 19
where they held worship services after hard days at work, using a Bible that they had managed to smuggle in. Whilst there they began to discuss plans for a place of healing after the war but Betsy's health deteriorated and she died on 16 December 1944. Two weeks later Corrie was released due to a clerical error, shortly before all the women in her age group were sent to the gas chambers. She returned home alone and opened her doors to disabled people who were hiding for fear of execution. After the war she set up a rehabilitation centre for concentration-camp survivors and for the unemployed people who had collaborated with Germans during the Occupation. Practicing and teaching forgiveness, Corrie returned to Germany in 1946 and met with, and forgave, two Germans who had been employed at Ravensbrück, one of whom was particularly cruel to Betsy. Although teaching and speaking about the importance of forgiveness, it was a struggle for it to become personal reality for her as she shook hands with her sister’s tormentor. Accounts of her life, work, and teaching on forgiveness may be found in her book The Hiding Place, and she travelled to more than sixty countries as a public speaker. ‘It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability that counts.’ ‘Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.’ Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.’ ‘When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.’ Corrie ten Boom was Knighted by the Queen of the Netherlands in recognition of her work during the war and Israel honoured her with the designation ‘Righteous Among the Nations’. Holocaust Remembrance Day was 27 January. 20
The Wednesday Fellowship Join us for fun and fellowship over a good cup of tea. March 2019 Please read the Weekly Notice Sheets for Events 6 March Yvonne North Making Bags for Presents 13 March A.G.M. Songs of Praise 20 March Pat Fry Pressure Cookers & Daffodils, TLC for your mind 27 March Barbara Hillier Hebridean Adventure In January we enjoyed the following events: 23 January Pamela Gilbert New Beginnings Jesus said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ His promise is to all - to each of us individuals and to the world as a whole - his words speak to every aspect of life, to every place and every time. It is a promise that finds an echo in the coming season of spring, and again in the glorious Easter Message of resurrection and new life. Yet all too often we forget, losing sight of the transforming power of God in Christ. In the reading of Ecclesiastes 2: 22-26, are the words, "there is nothing new under the sun". It feels like that sometimes, doesn't it? The same problems beset our lives, the same failings afflict the Church, the same tensions divide our world. Can things really change? Does it make sense to talk of hope? Or is our talk of new beginnings mere naivety? Well- intentioned but misguided idealism? We claim, for example, to be a new creation, yet all too often the old self rears its head in such a way that we despair sometimes of ever 21
changing. We long to be different, to follow Christ more faithfully, but though the spirit is willing the flesh is weak. If that's how you feel, take heart from the words of Paul to the Romans. In Romans 7: 14-25, Paul here gives expression to the frustration we have all felt at our inability to change, but he speaks also of the hope we share in Christ, reminding us that what we cannot do, God can. We speak of new beginnings, but these are not always in evidence. For in hope we are saved. Now, hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we can wait for it with patience. 30 January Richard Costard Songs from the South Richard showed us a powerpoint presentation of the history of slavery which was practiced throughout the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries. African slaves helped build the new nation into an economic powerhouse through the production of lucrative crops such as tobacco and cotton. By the mid-19th century, America’s westward expansion and the abolition movement provoked a great debate over slavery that would tear the nation apart in the bloody Civil War. Though the Union victory freed the nation’s four million slaves, the legacy of slavery continued to influence American history, from the Reconstruction era to the Civil Rights movement that emerged a century after emancipation. From the 1830s to the 1860s, the movement to abolish slavery in America gained strength, led by free blacks such as Frederick Douglas and white supporters such as Willian Lloyd Douglas, founder of the radical newspaper The Liberator, and Harriet Beecher Stowe, who published the bestselling antislavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. 22
On 22 September, 1862, Lincoln issued a preliminary emancipation proclamation, and on 1 January 1863, he made it official that ‘slaves within any State, or designated part of a State in rebellion…shall be then, thence forward, and forever free.’ During the afternoon's presentation we sang a number of songs that had been sung by the slaves including ‘Michael row the boat ashore’, ‘Steal away, steal away to Jesus’ and ‘Swing low sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home’. Pamela Gilbert The letter below was sent to Churches for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It was decided to reproduce it in Yours so everyone has the opportunity to read it. Leading Church Figures Urge Christians to Participate In Week of Prayer For Christian Unity (18–25 January) Christian leaders across the UK have today (18 January) issued a joint letter encouraging Christians of all denominations to join in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which runs from 18 to 25 January 2019. The letter, whose signatories include Archbishop Justin Welby (Archbishop of Canterbury); Cardinal Archbishop Vincent Nichols (Archbishop of Westminster); The Revd Michaela Youngson (President of the Methodist Conference), His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos (Coptic Archbishop of London) and Pastor Agu Irukwu (Chair of Redeemed Christian Church of God UK) – invites Christians to participate in this call to prayer with the ‘utmost seriousness’. The letter’s central message urges Christians to ‘pray together for Christian unity, in our life together, our witness and our longing to see the Kingdom of God in the midst of our world’ and to ‘find ways to give expression to our search for greater unity in obedience to the command of Christ that we love one another,’ citing Jesus’s last prayer on unity taken from John 17. 23
The leaders also encourage Christians not just to pray during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity but also to get involved in Thy Kingdom Come – a global ecumenical prayer movement in which Christians pray for more people to become followers of Jesus Christ. Thy Kingdom Come, now in its fourth year, has united over a million Christians from more than 65 different denominations and traditions, in more than 114 countries to pray for evangelisation. It takes place between Ascension to Pentecost which this year is 30 May–9 June. Commenting on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Cardinal Vincent Nichols said: ‘We should never underestimate the power of prayer nor our need of the strength that God gives us through prayer. I appeal to all to take to heart this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Growth in unity comes about, above all, as a gift of God. Our shared life in Christ is the powerful source of our shared mission. May this Week of Prayer, as well as the time of prayer at Pentecost, ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, strengthen our common life and mission.’ The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: ‘Unity in truth and faithfulness in witness are gifts to the Church from the heart of God. Each requires the other. Please join with us and other faithful servants of Christ in churches across England as we pray for the Holy Spirit to work in us to fulfil God’s purpose (Philippians 2.13).’ Lynn Green, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, said: ‘As I meet churches and leaders across Baptists Together it is very clear to me that God is at work stirring up a renewed passion for prayer and a fresh desire to work together because we long to see God’s Kingdom come in our communities and nations. Pray, deepen relationships and be part of what God is doing in these days!’ 24
Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Archbishop of London, said: ‘As we experience significant challenges across our own nation and become more aware of the very real struggles experienced by Christian sisters and brothers in the Middle East and around the world, as well as so many others who struggle in a variety of ways, it is paramount that we come together and offer our prayers collectively. It is especially at times of apparent hopelessness and powerlessness that we call upon God’s grace and are reminded of the collective strength we have in prayer, being and offering light in darkness as the Body of Christ.’ Speaking about Thy Kingdom Come, the Revd Michaela Youngson, President of Methodist Conference, said: ‘Thy Kingdom Come is a fantastic example of Christian Churches working together, not for their own sake but for the sake of all God’s people. Prayer is at the heart of all we do, leading us to acts of love and care in response to the love of God that we see most clearly in Jesus Christ.’ EfS@church Education for Sustainability – a process of learning, towards constructive ways of living. First, let me introduce the group of EfS leaders. We are individuals with a breadth of experience and passion in areas of sustainability, leadership, linking theology with issues of our time, ethics and education: Tim Searle, Neil Messer, Andrea Berriman, Steve Lawson, Howard Mellor and Jo Crocker. We aim to be a guiding body, to steer our community along this EfS process. It is not a working group that has been delegated to take action for our church. We share with you the framework we have come up with for our approach over the year ahead, because all of us in the church are involved in inspiring each other, learning from 25
each other and taking practical action which shapes our community. So, what is the point of a framework like this? It helps us ensure we are taking a holistic approach to a complex and challenging issue. It will help us ensure everyone is part of it because we recognise the individual and collective levels of involvement. We want to make connections between head and heart and hands – thinking, inspiration and practical doing. Whenever you have a question or an idea or learn something or make an observation – throw it into the mix by raising it with one of the leaders. Out of the melting pot will come tasks and projects and pieces of work that will call on particular gifts. Specifically at this stage we are looking for: • people who like dealing with statistics and data • crafters who would like to help make a 3d model of the world We have an exciting year ahead. Coming up: To follow up on February’s EfS@Church article, over 200 people attended the film Tomorrow shown by WinACC and the University on 5 February at The Stripe, and many lingered afterwards for an hour to reflect on the stories shared. They were inspired to learn of low carbon approaches to food, 26
waste, energy, education and democracy. Another opportunity for anyone to discuss issues of sustainability is coming up on Saturday 9 March at a WinACC Café Gathering: informal drop in 10-11.30 at The Bike Hub at Open House Deli (4a Middle Brook Street). Lastly, although many of you will be using the ‘Broken’ material in house groups through Lent, you may be interested to look at the following material for use on your own. Living Lent is an initiative hosted by JPIT (the Joint Public Issues Team of the URC, Methodist Church, the Church of Scotland and the Baptist Union). You are invited to become part of an online community who will respond to the call to climate action by making significant personal commitments to changing our lifestyles for the climate. Find out more at https://livinglent.org Jo Crocker New Coffee Bar Helpers Needed The Coffee Bar is a great way that the church supports the local community and visitors to the city. It is open Monday to Saturday and is run entirely by volunteers. If you are interested in being involved then please contact Pauline Brooks (01962 851554) or speak to Naomi in the church office. A number of volunteers have joined our team through 'word of mouth' via church members. Not all helpers are members of this church. Please also encourage any contacts of yours who might be interested to get in touch. The time commitment is very variable, for instance once a week, once a month or filling in empty slots as suits. Shifts are 9.30–12.00 or 12.00–2.30 Monday to Friday, 10.00–12.30 Saturday. Your availability will always be sought before the rota is compiled. 27
You will be given information and support as a new helper. We're very grateful to all our helpers, old and new! I hope that I speak for us all in saying that this is an enjoyable way of serving our community. Pauline Brookes Fundraising Event for Luna Children’s Charity 28
PANCAKES! Join us on Shrove Tuesday to enjoy freshly cooked pancakes served with a range of sweet and savoury toppings. United Church, Jewry Street Tuesday 5 March 4.00 pm–6.30 pm Our Pancake event will be to raise funds for our overseas mission project - please do join us to eat lots and give generously! The project that we are currently supporting is Luna Children’s Charity (now Action for Child Trauma International) which is a charity that helps children who have experienced trauma to move forward with their lives. It is a child-centred organisation that trains and supports local people working with children and young people traumatised by conflict, violence and disaster. Skilled and experienced volunteer child mental health and education practitioners are trained in the UK and overseas to lead the work. They train local mental health professionals and others working closely with child victims of trauma, together with their families and communities, to relieve the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They use a child-centred therapeutic protocol, Children’s Accelerated Trauma Therapy (CATT), which empowers local communities with a new and effective individual approach to the treatment of psychological trauma in children suffering from some of the 29
worst effects of violence. Luna’s model not only enables local people to use CATT, but provides those who have gained a high level of experience with the skills to train others. This generates growth in the skills and knowledge needed to manage and treat PTSD, and ensures the sustainability of the work. Because CATT may be used by people who are not mental health practitioners, Luna’s model is able to address the suffering of children in parts of the world where mental health services are non-existent or under-resourced. World Action Group Mission Project Audio Visual Evening We are planning to give another of our Audio-Visual Presentations in support of the LUNA Mission Project on Saturday 23 March 2019 at 7.30 pm. This will include AVs from our visits to India’s Golden Triangle and South Africa, including rural life, wildlife, and cultural highlights. Make it a date for your diary and bring along your friends for what should be an entertaining and informative evening, with light refreshments. Hilary & Mike Holt April 2019 Yours Magazine Publication date for the April 2019 magazine (the next one) is Sunday 31 March. The deadline for articles and notices is Monday 18 March. All contributions gratefully received. The Yours Team is: Barbara Dunton and Sophie Armstrong Email: yours@unitedchurchwinchester.org.uk 30
Mental Health First Aid I was fortunate to have the opportunity to take part in the mental health first aid training course here organised by the Wessex Synod. The concept was new to me, and probably to many of you. So let me try to answer frequently asked questions. 1 Why mental health first aid? In the developed world there is a huge increase in mental illness and suicide. Much of this increase is the result of high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Getting appropriate help early is vital. There are many commonsense things we can do to help ourselves and those we care about cope before stress gets too bad. 2 What has a mental health first aider learnt? During the two-day course I had the opportunity to: a) Hone my listening skills; b) Learn to be aware of signals that there is a problem, and when that problem requires immediate professional help; c) Learn about less well-known sources of help; d) Learn about ways of boosting our own mental health; e) Learn to be aware of triggers to avoid when dealing with someone in mental distress, and how to reduce risk whilst waiting for professional help. 3 What a mental health first aider is not Just as a first aider is not a paramedic or a doctor, I am not a qualified counsellor, nurse or doctor. I cannot diagnose, I do not have medical training. 4 What can a mental health first aider do? • Listen with greater awareness when someone offloads stress or anxiety; 31
• Notice when someone is struggling, and suggest where help may be found; • Address the stigma, prejudice, and inappropriate fear often associated with mental illness; • Know what to do in an emergency situation for safety whilst waiting for professional help; • Publicise information about self help to manage stress. Useful website: www.actionforhappiness.org: see Ten keys to happier living . Pat Fry World Day of Prayer Friday 1 March 2019 at 12 15 pm United Church, Jewry St An ecumenical Service prepared by the people of Slovenia All welcome ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Church Offertory Envelopes The new church offertory envelopes starting from April will be available for collection from the table at the top of the ramp from Sunday 3 March. If you have any queries about the scheme please contact Tim Peshall via the church office. 32
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Dates for March 2019 1 Friday Worship in the Church 11-11.20am World Day of Prayer at United Church 12.15pm 5 Baby & Toddler Group in the Hall 2pm-3.30pm Daytime House Group in the Chapel 2.30pm PANCAKES in aid of Luna in the Hall 4-6.30pm 6 Fairtrade stall in the Coffee Lounge 10am-2pm Wednesday Fellowship in Room 1 2.30pm 7 Coffee Bar Playtime in Room 1 10am-1pm MESSY CHURCH 3.30-5.15pm 8 Friday Worship in the Church 11-11.20am 12 Baby & Toddler Group in the Hall 2pm-3.30pm 13 Wednesday Fellowship 2.30pm 14 Coffee Bar Playtime in Room 1 10am-1pm TOY SALE for Luna Children’s Charity 10-12noon 15 Friday Worship in the Church 11-11.20am 19 Baby & Toddler Group in the Hall 2pm-3.30pm Daytime House Group in the Chapel 2.30pm 20 Fairtrade stall in the Coffee Lounge 10am-2pm Wednesday Fellowship in Room 1 2.30pm 21 Coffee Bar Playtime in Room 1 10am-1pm 22 Friday Worship in the Church 11-11.20am 25 Craft Club in Room 1 10-12noon 26 Baby & Toddler Group in the Hall 2pm-3.30pm 27 Wednesday Fellowship in Room 1 2.30pm 28 Coffee Bar Playtime in Room 1 10am-1pm Circuit Events in March Circuit Prayer Fellowship: 14 March at Cadnam Methodist at 7.30 pm Circuit Meeting: 19 March at Chandlers Ford at 7.30 pm Local Preachers & Worship Leaders Meeting: 7 March at Romsey Methodist Church, 7.30 pm 35
Services for March 2019 3 MARCH 9.00 am Word & Worship Revd Robert Kitching 10.30 am Holy Communion Revd Tim Searle 10 MARCH – LENT 1 9.00 am Holy Communion Revd Tim Searle 10.30 am Morning Worship Revd Tim Searle 17 MARCH – LENT 2 9.00 am Word & Worship Revd Tim Searle 10.30 am Morning Worship Revd Susan Keegan von Allmen 24 MARCH – LENT 3 9.00 am Holy Communion Revd Tim Searle 10.30 am Morning Worship Revd Tim Searle followed by Annual Church Meeting 31 MARCH – MOTHERING SUNDAY; LENT 4 9.00 am Holy Communion Revd Tim Searle 10.30am Morning Worship Revd Tim Searle Additional Services in March Friday Worship: pause for thought (weekly), 11–11.20 am Messy Church – 7 March 3.30–5.15 pm (straight from school) Fun, games, craft, DVD, Bible Stories and a shared meal. Children must bring an adult with them. Future date: 4 April 36
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