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Epsom United Reformed ChurchNewsletter for January 2005 |
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Alan Wood Once again, if I’d thought to have a little News Sheet out for January, I had to rethink it. Here we are, another full-blown issue that I hope you will enjoy reading. The Asian disaster has shocked everyone. We have a letter from Christian Aid, which is pleading for funds, and also advises how your gifts can be used. The immediate response by the country has been magnificent: it is obvious that assistance aid and funds will be needed not just in the short term, but over the months, and possibly years, ahead. Information is provided on various ways that donations may be made, and we will be receiving retiring collections for forwarding to this cause. At the start of a New Year, I would like to thank my regular contributors who pass on to me the essential information of which you all need to be aware. May I also plead for some pieces from more of you? I’m sure that you must have something worth saying. Take a look at the by-lines and see how few contributors there actually are, and resolve to join them. Tell us about The Alzheimer’s Society, or give us a potted biography of Robert Burns, with your thoughts on the Burns’ Supper. Finally, may I wish you all a Happy, Prosperous and Peaceful New Year. Our Minister, Pat, is still attending Moorfields Eye Hospital, but we earnestly hope that ere long she will be given the All-Clear. Most people will know that Lynne Lewis had a fall at the Croft, injuring her back, and has been in Elizabeth Ward at Epsom General Hospital. In the meantime, Del is being cared for at Appleby House. Our love and prayers are with them both and we hope that they may soon be re-united. Charles Senior has experienced a blip following cataract surgery. We hope that things soon improve. Our best wishes go with Joe Wilson this month when he visits St George’s, Tooting, for fitting of a pacemaker. You will be in our prayers, Joe. Mary Hallifax remains very frail, preventing her attending Sunday worship. Our best wishes go also to Jock Beer who has been having treatment following a severe asthma attack during the last week. Many friends have been under the weather recently, affecting their normal routine. We trust they are all restored to face the New Year with a good spirit. Musings from the Minister 
Dear Friends; Local and world events have given us much to think about in recent months, haven’t they? Graphic pictures of war zones and flood victims have made sure that we are kept well aware of current events. The generosity of people for the victims of the tsunami is overwhelming. Governments and aid agencies are all reporting large sums of money donated by the public. This is one of the things that the wealthier people of the world can do. It is a way of doing something positive. Thank God for people like ourselves who have money to give so that victims of natural disasters can receive aid. Terrorism, and the war in Iraq, the Palestinian and Israeli conflict, the Sudan, global warming, debt relief, continue to dominate news reports. It is much less clear to most of us how to deal with these things. I fear for the future of this planet if we cannot find a way to deal with the violence of terrorism other than with more violence. Surely we need to be addressing more seriously the inequalities that exist in the world, between north and south, between people of different races, to name but a few. It is, I believe, the wealthier countries who cause the most pollution, yet it will almost surely be the poorest ones who will suffer most from it. The Magi, we read, went back to their own country by a different way. They did not go back the way that they came. In what ways do we, our congregations, our countiry, our world, need to take a different path? Are there things that we need to change, are there ways that we need to adopt, in order that we might help to bring in the kingdom of God? What things do we need to keep on doing? God be with you in 2005 Pat
Secretary’s
Letter It is difficult to know just where to begin this month. Part of my mind keeps seeing the images from the television pictures of the devastation, terror and misery across the other side of the world from that awful disaster, and yet the other part sees the joy and happiness that we had as a family at Christmas. Sharing an early Christmas with our daughter, partner and step-son, us all going to the Advent Workshop at Ewell, Jack and Abbie sharing opening their presents, going to the pantomime with Abbie, decorating the tree in France with our daughter and at home with our granddaughter, the Candlelight Carol Service, the Christmas morning service when walking from the car a beautiful robin was singing his heart out, a huge silver moon on Christmas night, and walking in the frost on Boxing Day, pictures from France of snow on Christmas Day, but most of all the look of wonder in our new grandson’s eyes at the lights on the Christmas tree. It is difficult to comprehend that while we are enjoying all this, such terrible things can have happened in such a beautiful part of the world. I am sure we shall have the opportunity to help in some financial way when the rescue teams have assessed the area. On a different note, I would like to wish you all a Happy and Peaceful 2005, and thank you for all your support. I hope 2005 will be a very active year for Epsom: as you will be aware, there are many ideas in the pipeline; all we need to do now is to get on with them! THANK YOU SERVICE. To mark the anniversary of Pat’s first year with us a joint "Thank you Service" for Pat and everyone who does so much in both Congregations is to be held at EWELL U.R.C. at 10. 30p.m. on JANUARY 23rd. There will be a list in the Foyer please sign if you require transport to Ewell. Sheila. (top) ‘Carols by Candlelight’ Service As is usual, our candle-lit Carol Service was held on the Sunday before Christmas. Once again, the candelabra were pressed into service and renovated by Wendy and Neil Stuart, with new ivy and candles, and were ready to welcome a full congregation.
We were pleased to see so many old friends, especially our friends from Ewell URC: their organist, Malcolm Saunders, played the organ for us and our combined choirs sang the carol ‘Sing Lullaby’.
Following the service, people met in Unity Hall for a chat with
old friends over some traditional fare. BURNS’ SUPPER Address to the Haggis Fair fa' yer honest, sonsie face, A Burns Supper will be held in Unity Hall on
Saturday, 29th January 2005. Proceeds will be donated to the Shooting
Star Hospice for Children. Bring your own Wine There will also be a Charity Auction. If a Coffee Morning can raise £200 for this
charity, Post Box for your Christmas Cards Our Post Box was out in the foyer last month for members of the congregation to post their cards to friends in the church community, and to enable them to donate the money in lieu of postage to Christian Aid. This has raised the good sum of £59.80 for Christian Aid, which, like many other aid agencies at this time, is after all the funds going to enable them to try and cope with the Asian tragedy on Boxing Day. Borderlands Artists’ Consortium
The exhibit will travel from The Riverhouse Gallery in Walton-on-Thames, to Haslemere Educational Museum, Milestones Living History Museum in Basingstoke, to The West End Centre in Aldershot. No prior art experience necessary. Tuesday workshops will be at The
Barn, Riverside Gallery, From Christian Aid
"During 2005, Christian Aid is joining Comic Relief, Oxfam, CAFOD, churches, a host of celebrities and other organisations in what could become the most powerful campaign ever against world poverty. "Why 2005? Because the UK will be playing a unique role, as they host the G8 summit of world leaders in July and hold the presidency of the European Union from July to December. It's a great opportunity for the government to challenge the unjust trade rules and practices, to cancel poor countries' debts and to deliver more aid. And you can help to persuade them to MAKE POVERTY HISTORY by joining us today! "You can be part of this exciting campaign by adding your details below. We'll make sure you are sent the latest news and easy actions to take which will help get your voice heard."
Sheila Smith says, "If you wish to sign up, please complete the form which I have placed on the table at the back of the Church so that the folk who attend Epsom U.R.C. can get their voices heard." Letter from Christian Aid 28 December 2004 Dear Friend, In the last few days I have written to you about the MAKE POVERTY HISTORY campaign which is launched today, and to thank you for all your support for Christian Aid's work over the last year. I am now writing to ask for your help in our emergency relief operation in south Asia. I' m sure you' re very much aware that on 26 December a giant tsunami hit coastal regions in south Asia, with Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and India among the countries worst hit. At the time of writing, the tsunami has been confirmed to have killed 40,000 people and made well over a million homeless. As your church' s official relief agency, I' m sure you'll want to know how we are responding to the emergency and what you can do to help. Christian Aid has made immediate payments totalling £250,000, enabling our partners in India and Sri Lanka to provide shelter and rations for more than 50,000 families. But there is still a lot more to be done. Through Christian Aid, you and your church can make an enormous difference. We urgently need more money to get emergency food and shelter to families in the region over the coming weeks, and then to help them rebuild their lives over the longer term. Please encourage members of your church to give generously. £15 will buy a hot meal for 125 people in emergency feeding centres;
£25 will provide basic shelter, food parcels and household items £50 will supply tarpaulins to provide basic shelter for ten families; £100 will pay for emergency food parcels to feed 60 families for one month; £250 will provide essential emergency shelter and food for 20 families or 100 people. Speaking about the disaster in south Asia, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams said, 'Hardship on this scale is a real challenge to the world community which calls for a generous response.' Many other people in your community will want to help as well; please make this emergency appeal known to as many people as possible and encourage them to be generous. Remember, Christian Aid supports people in the greatest need, irrespective of their faith. There is more information on the current situation and Christian Aid's response to it on our website, www.christianaid.org.uk. Thank you for your support; you are making a real difference and transforming lives. Yours sincerely,
O Lord, No words can ease the pain of the bereaved, the fear of the survivors, the shock of the nations. But let our words bring the promise of shelter to the homeless, food to the hungry, healing to the sick for all in Asia this day. Amen ~~ ~ ~ ~ ‘Out of the Ashes’ Some of these were bought at a discount by the Museum in Bourne Hall Library for selling on. Not all were sold, and, following a recent re-arrangement of exhibits there, the remainder, being surplus to their requirements, have been returned to us. So, if anybody missed out on getting a copy of this historical document when first produced, please contact Sheila Smith for a copy. These have already been paid for, so there is no charge! ‘It’s a Cracker’ This was the title of the latest in a very long line – at least sixty years – of Nativity plays produced by Junior Church. It is amazing that authors can still find new ways of presenting the 2000-year-old story, with a new slant, or a new approach, so that on each year’s telling it remains as fresh as ever.
Nowadays, of course, with a CD of the songs and an up-to-date sound system, there are no forgotten words, and no problems with audibility, but children still have to turn up for rehearsals, and the Junior Church leaders still have to organize the costumes and props, and direct the movements, all of which must have happened. The evidence for this was shown by the presentation given on Toy Sunday, which had all its usual charm. The pulpit was used to good effect by the angels, and use of the rostra ensured that the congregation had a good view of the proceedings. Much credit is due to all the performers and back-stagers, but if I may be allowed, may I say how much I enjoyed the first entrance of the third Wise Man – we only knew he was there by the sight of the crown bobbing up and down behind the camel! Well done, everybody! (top)National Blood Service in Unity Hall A little earlier than the scheduled time of 12:00, the cars and equipment lorry of the NBS arrived in Depot Road Car Park on 14th December to prepare for the arrival at 14:00 of all those eager donors. As it was their first time in Unity Hall, there was a short discussion on the layout of the equipment; then the team swung into action, and, soon after 13:00 the hall was all laid out, giving the personnel time for their lunch before the doors opened. Attendance was pretty brisk to start with in the afternoon – one person had actually arrived in the morning during the Shooting Stars Coffee Morning, and was advised to return later! – but got rather slow in the evening. The total number of donations taken was 104 pints, and I was told that this was good for a new venue, and bearing in mind the time of year, when people have got other things on their minds. The team were very pleased with the hall, and the facilities provided, and the layout worked well: we had to make up some notices quickly to advise donors entering from Church Street to go down the side of Unity Hall to enter at the main front door where the Reception area was set up – some appeared to want their cups of tea first by entering at the kitchen end! At the end of the session the equipment was very speedily packed up and stowed in their lorry, tables and chairs away, and the hall ready in time for a slightly delayed Badminton session. Copies of the NewsLetter and the ‘Special Events’ leaflet had been made available in Unity Hall; whether this will have any positive feedback remains to be seen. We now will try and find further dates when the hall will be available, to arrange further visits. With the recent letting of an hour on Friday afternoons to the Phillomena School of Dance, this means that we only have school holiday times available. For photographs please see last month's On Line NewsLetter And now the answers to our Blood Quiz 1. Who carried out the first successful blood transfusion in
animals? 2. Who first demonstrated the
circulation of blood? 3. Who discovered the four
main blood groups? 4. Where are red blood
cells manufactured in the human body? 5. What was
the National Blood Service previously called? 6. How many pints of blood
are required by the NBS each day to meet the demand? 7. What percentage of the
eligible population donates blood? 8. How many times a year
can a person normally donate blood? 9. At what age can you
start giving blood? 10. How many litres of
blood are in the average person? Afternoon Fellowship On Thursday, 16th December, Barbara arranged a loveley afternoon of readings and carols, assisted, as always, by John. Sadly, a number of regular attenders were unable to be present due to illness and other commitments, but it was much appreciated by those fortunate enough to attend. The Afternoon Fellowshiip will resume its meetings in March. Watch this space! (top)Evening Church Fellowship Betty Hurley’s visit on 1st November was as usual very varied and well presented, with music to suit everyone. ‘The Wurlitzer’ on 6th December was such a different programme; the video recording presented by Paula and David showed the amount of skill needed by the organist. The evening finished with Christmas bites to quieten us down! It has been decided due to lack of support not to hold the annual New Year Party, but to have a meeting on 10th January. This will start at 7.30 pm; there will be light snacks, and humorous entertainment arranged by Gwyneth. We would welcome a few sweet or savoury contributions. (top)Women’s Church Council As a result of our efforts at the December Coffee Morning, we were ablke to send £200 to the Shooting Star Hospice for Children at Hampton Hill. With warm thanks to several friends together with the WCC we were pleased to decorate the church for Christmas. Also we served coffee and mince pies in Unity Hall after the Service of Carols by Candlelight’. The first Coffee Morning of 2005 is on 11th January, and all proceeds will be given to the Alzheimer’s Society. The Coffee Rota for 2005 is now on the board in the foyer, and ready for you to add your name to it. We would appreciate any donations for your tea nad coffee, which are donated to Christian Aid. Sybil Read – An Appreciation by Bethan Galliers For most children the first day at primary school is quite
daunting but I was lucky enough to have a familiar face there in the shape
of Miss Read. I knew Miss Read as my Junior Church teacher so it was
a bit strange seeing her in a different context but at least I knew I was in
safe hands. Unity Hall Bookings 2005 The KinderGarten Many of you will know that some changes are planned at The KinderGarten, and whilst matters are proceeding satisfactorily, for next term at least i.e. until 31st March 2005 there will be no change and Linda Walker will remain in charge. The Phillomena School of Dance We have a new and regular hirer of the hall starting on Friday 21st January 2005 between 4.00pm and 5.00pm and classes will run more or less in regular school term times. The hirer is a Mrs. Lynda Blyth-Phillips and as the name suggests she teaches dancing. It is hoped that as time goes by she will use the hall for more hours per week thus filling in the few remaining gaps. All of this means that the hall is pretty well fully booked in term-time, except for Saturdays and Sundays, but there are many free days in school holidays.
Answers to our Christmas Quiz
How did you do?
Valerie Wood Several of our Brownies joined in with other units from Spring Downs District singing carols outside Sainsbury’s at Kiln Lane on 11th December. Each District in the Epsom Division sang for an hour and over the whole day they raised over £900 for ‘Riding for the Disabled’. The Brownies that took part in the Junior Church musical all performed very well, and the Junior Church staff were all very thankful to them as it would not have possible to cast all the parts without them. It was lovely to have so many people joining in and enjoying the service with us. On the following Monday evening eight Brownies, a few parents and two Guiders sang carols for some of the residents of ‘The Croft’. The residents enjoyed the Brownies singing and were pleased to sing along. Thanks to Sheila Carpenter for replanting two of the Brownie troughs, they are looking much nicer again. What’s in a Name? During his sermon on Sunday morning Tom Rhind-Tutt explained to us the importance of a name. He began with the name Emmanuel that God told the Jews would be the name of their Messiah. The Jews knew that the meaning of Emmanuel was ‘God with us’. In the New Testament we read that God instructed Joseph to call the baby that Mary had conceived Jesus. It is important to remember that God gave Jesus his Name. When we have a new baby in the family it is the parents that deliberate over what they shall name the child, and usually this name has some special meaning for the couple involved. The point I am trying to make is that if, as was suggested a few months ago, we give our Church a name, it is essential that the name be chosen and agreed upon by the members themselves. It should be chosen at a Church meeting when, as is the belief of the United Reformed Church, it will be guided by the Holy Spirit. I have heard it suggested that we should make a competition of it throughout the community as we did for the name of Unity Hall. I feel that this would be insensitive and that any name not chosen directly by the Church meeting would hold no great significance to our members. Anchor Boys We have been informed that the new Anchor Boys’ Programme Packs will now be sent to us sometime over the Christmas period and we are looking forward to introducing them in the new term. During November the boys have made a firework picture using glitter glue pens, made shakers from Pringle boxes, made a paper Father Christmas and decorated a calendar with a 3-D effect. They have enjoyed playing games such as ‘Grandma’s Keys’, ‘What’s the time Mr. Wolf?’ and ‘Wink Murder’. Monday 6th December was our last before Christmas and we had an evening with special food and party games. The Anchor Boys and their leaders hope that you have had an enjoyable Christmas and we wish you all the best in the New Year. Friday Zone Friday Zone celebrated Christmas with a party evening,
attended by approx 40 children. The children took part in mad
team games involving scooters, parcels to be delivered, big bars of
chocolate which had to be eaten with knives and forks, and various
other fab games organised by Stuart. At the same time small
groups took a tour through the church to decorate the Friday Zone
Christmas tree which we hope you will have enjoyed in the foyer of the
church. This was a very successful exercise, and
prompted comments from the children as they entered the side door of
the church: Copy for the next issue of the NewsLetter should be with the Editor by 30th January for publication on 6th February 2005. And Finally . . . "A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat!" |
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