1. family and parenting
2. children

10th & 17th August 2014
Number – 778
A warm welcome to everyone especially those visiting
Llangollen
Flowers for the 10th are provided by Elisabeth & Norman to
celebrate their Ruby Wedding
Flowers for the 17th are provided by Marion & Ted to
celebrate their Diamond Wedding
Sunday 10th August
11:00 Holy Communion— Rev Dan Parry & Deacon Grace Parry
Monday 11th August
7:30 This ‘n’ That — The Tolpuddle Martyrs by Alan Loveless —
Memorial Hall
Sunday 17th August
11:00 Morning Worship— Philip Oliver
Sunday 24th August
11:00 Morning Worship— Tim Guy
Sunday 31st August
11:00 Morning Worship— Philip Edwards
Sunday 7th September
11:00 Holy Communion — Rev Philip Poole
Lectionary Readings
1 Kings 19:9–18
Matthew 14:22–33
Page 331 in the Old Testament
section of the pew Bible
Page 15 in the New Testament
section of the pew Bible
Do join us for tea &
coffee after the service
this morning
11:00 Holy Communion — Rev Dan Parry and Deacon Grace Parry
Music provided by Ted Blackman, Peter Brookfield, the church
musicians and singing group.
Refreshments provided by Margaret Davies and Sue Cheshire
You were greeted at the door by Sue Smith and the books were given
out by Nan Edwards
Readings by Alan Loveless & Elisabeth Pybus
Today’s steward is Sue Cheshire
Gaza Appeal
A Garden ‘Cream Scone Tea’
Thanks for helping
11:00 Morning Worship — Philip Oliver
Music provided by Ted Blackman.
Refreshments provided by the Jackson Family You were greeted at the
door by Sue Cheshire and the books were given out by Marion Blackman
Readings by Rachel Horne & Sue Cheshire
Today’s steward is Margaret Davies
Information for ‘Riverside Weekly’ should be sent to the editor,
Page 2
Norman Pybus (01978) 861390 Email:[email protected]
T h e C o m i n gWe e k s
Monday 11th August
7:30 This ‘n’ That—The Tolpuddle Martyrs by Alan Loveless — Memorial
Hall
Tuesday 12th August
10:00 Coffee Morning for Friends of The Orthopaedic Hospital —
Memorial Hall
Wednesday 13th August
10:00 Prayer Group—Vestry
Tuesday 19th August
10:00 Coffee Morning for St Thomas’ Church —Memorial Hall
Wednesday 20th August
10:00 Prayer Group—Vestry
Friday 22nd August
9:30 Ian Forrester’s Charity Sale for Nightingale House—Memorial Hall
Saturday 23rd August
9:30 Ian Forrester’s Charity Sale for Nightingale House—Memorial Hall
Tuesday 26th August
10:00 Our Church’s Coffee Morning —Memorial Hall
Church Coffee Morning
Help required for the Coffee Morning on Tuesday 26th August. Helpers,
baked goods, raffle prizes and items for sale are all wanted
Help is also required from 8:30 to set things up and prepare.
Door
Refreshments
Books
Readers
Steward
Page 3
17th August
Sue Cheshire
Jackson Family
Marion Blackman
Rachel Horne
Sue Cheshire
Margaret Davies
24th August
Sue Cheshire
Eileen Lomax
Amanda Brookfield
Sue Smith
Alan Williams
Sheila Spedding
Alan Williams
Today’s Bible Study ( from the Methodist Church Website)
Matthew 14:13-21 “Jesus withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by
himself ... When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion
for them and cured their sick.” (vv. 13a,14)
Background
There are two versions of this story in Matthew’s Gospel, this one and the
feeding of the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39). The initial context for the feeding
of the 5,000 was quite stark - Jesus had just heard of the execution of his
cousin, John the Baptist on Herod’s orders (Matthew 14:1-12). It was in
that light that he went away to a quiet place. We might think that this was
quite an understandable reaction in the circumstances. Jesus, as a human
person, needed space for mourning, reflection and prayer in response to
such devastating news. Jesus presumably also heard of Herod’s fears that
he himself was John raised from the dead and might then have been fearing
for his own life too. Despite this when people from the towns find their way
there he had compassion for them and cured their sick. The crowds must
have travelled a distance as Jesus came by boat yet they went over land.
The actions of Jesus in sharing the bread and fish with the crowd have
echoes of sacred meals. Readers might see in this reflections of stories such
as the provision of food for the widow at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-16) and
this might serve to place Jesus in the line of prophets which includes Elijah.
John the Baptist was often also associated with Elijah and this gives us a
broader picture of the questions around Jesus’ identity as a fulfilment of the
prophetic line. However we read that, Jesus’ feeding of the hungry crowd
points to his compassion and love for them, even in the midst of his own
grief and turmoil. It calls us to acknowledge his identity as one bringing
God’s revelation.
To Ponder
Where in your life are you able to find space for reflection and peace?
How might you support those who face persecution for their faith or
action?
How can we live as people of compassion through whatever life brings?
Bible notes author: The Revd Joanne Cox
Minister:- Rev Philip Poole (01978) 860877 Email:-
Some of the religious programmes on TV & Radio in the coming weeks
BBC2 — 17:00 Sunday 10th August Songs of Praise — Sacred Gardens
Radio Wales — 7:30 & 17:30 Sunday — Celebration— A weekly act of
worship from churches around Wales
Radio 2 — 6:00 Sunday Morning —The Sunday Hour—Diane Louise Jordan
plays spiritually uplifting and inspiring music through hymns, Gospel and
choral classics.
Radio 2 — 7:00 Sunday Morning — Good Morning Sunday with Clare
Balding Clare Balding discussing ethical and religious issues, with guests
and spiritual music.
Radio 4 — 8:10 Sunday Morning — Sunday Worship—A service from a
church in the British Isles
Prayer of Confession
God our redeemer, when we are too proud to admit our fears,
Forgive us and give us your humility.
When we lack the courage to face our fears,
Forgive us and give us your strength.
When we are too busy to reach out to others, in the time of their fear,
Forgive us and give us your compassion.
When we try to go alone,
Forgive us and draw us back into the community of faith.
All this we ask in the name of Jesus our Saviour.
Amen
From the editor’s keyboard!
I have put in details for two weeks as we are away some of
the coming week, and may not be able to produce a new
edition next week.
As we read and listen to the news, we find all that’s
happening in Gaza and Iraq so terrible. Please pray that
lasting solutions will be found to save even more innocent
lives being destroyed.
Norman
Page 5
Prayer & Praise
Thanks & Praise
== For the answers we have seen to our prayers
== For each one in the church and all their gifts and abilities
Church
== Those preaching throughout the circuit next Sunday, in particular Philip
Oliver preparing for the service here
== For Una & Colin and Phil & Lisa as they settle into their new homes
== Circuit prayer focus:–Ruabon Methodist Church
Health
== Cath Critchley — Bernadette Maxwell —Jan & Don Ware — Raymond
Jones — Clifford Jones — Winnie Jones — Norman & Dorothy King —
Jack Lomax — Helen Evans — Jane Loveless — Mary Humphreys —
Eileen Lomax
== Those suffering from depressive illness
== All those who have been bereaved and those who have recently received
bad news
Community
== For Children and teachers through the summer holidays
== All the visitors to our town over the summer, that they will have a good
time.
== Camps and Holiday Clubs being held this week
Wider World
== The families caught up in the areas of conflict, and the refugees seeking
safety — Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Iraq, Israel and
Palestine
== Those taking relief and aid to troubled parts of the world
== Those serving as missionaries around the world
== Those who are persecuted for their Faith
== The work of Action for Children
== The continuing work of CALM
== For Asylum Seekers and those who support them
‘This is my third war in Gaza and I’m only 12’
These are the heartbreaking words of a young boy who approached one of
our partners as they stood amid the rubble of his neighbour’s house. Just
a few days later, we heard that two pupils from the Embrace-supported
Lighthouse School would never even reach the age of 12.
Jihad Issam Shuhaibar (10) and Wasim Issam Shuhaibar (9) will not be going
back after the summer break. They and their ten-year-old cousin were killed
by a missile whilst playing on the roof of their home on 17 July — the latest
additions to the tragic list of child fatalities in this conflict.
The social care and support systems in Gaza have been
overwhelmed by over 32,000 displaced people. The schools have become
field hospitals. Children are terrified and traumatised by the explosions, the
fires and the plumes of black smoke.
Amid the conflict and oppression, a tiny Christian community stands ready
to pick up the pieces. There are only 1,300 Christians left in Gaza, but they
are champions of social justice in this shattered environment.
They provide an emergency medical response and humanitarian aid, counsel
traumatised and bereaved people, and educate a generation that longs to see
a future beyond the cycle of hatred and violence.
We have launched an appeal for our partners in Gaza. I know that you will
want to help them through this difficult time. Your prayers and your financial
support will be a huge comfort to them.
Please consider one or more of the following options.
Just £6.60 would provide a child with essential medicines and nutritional
supplements - vital as the cost of fresh food spirals out of the reach of many
families.
Prayer request: ‘Pray that we might be different from the darkness that is
spreading around us. Pray that we will stay true to the message of the Gospel.
Pray that we will be salt and light to the people around us at this time.’ Another
asks ‘Today I call on you to intensify your prayers so that the suffering ends
soon and that justice will prevail so that peace becomes possible.’
You could even provide a clinic doctor for a day for just £26.50.
Please do what you can to support the Christian population in Gaza as
they share the compassion of Christ with their neighbours in such frightful
circumstances.
Yours sincerely
Jeremy Moodey — Chief Executive of Embrace the Middle East Page 7
Believe in Yourself—God
Does!
‘God is working in you, giving you
the desire and the power to do what
pleases Him.’
Philippians 2:13
O
wning your dream means
having your belief in yourself
outweigh your fears. Acclaimed
author
Marianne
Williamson
wrote in her book ‘A return to love’
the inspiring verse: ‘Our deepest
fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure. We ask
ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?”
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing
small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about
shrinking so that other people
don’t feel insecure around you.
We are born to make manifest the
glory of God that is within us. And
as we let our own light shine, we
unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same. As we
are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates
others.’ What does this mean? It
Word
for
Today
means that we are not supposed
to be afraid. But what are we not
supposed to be afraid of? We are
not to be afraid of ourselves, of our
own unique abilities and talents.
You will never embrace your Godgiven destiny until you first believe
in yourself. And that belief comes
from knowing: ‘God is working
in [me], giving [me] the desire and
the power to do what pleases Him.’
God gave you these unique abilities
because He has plans for you ‘…
plans to prosper and not harm
you…give you hope and a future’
(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
Published by UCB, Stoke on Trent
For free daily readings see
Elisabeth or Norman