We are a
Fairtrade Church
Remembrance Sunday
9 November
NOVEMBER 2014
‘Seas of blood’
Never forgotten
Pastoral letter
Page 2
Thinking of you
Remembering WWI lives
Page 5
News of Kristian
Family News
Page 3
Diary events
Sponsored child grows up
Page 6
A tree for a new life
Special dates in November
Page 4
Sycamore Trust
www.southdownchurch.org.uk
Page 7
Southdown Methodist Church
November 2014
We will remember them
D
‘They shall grow not old, as we
who are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them or the
years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning,
We will remember them. ‘
ear Friends
As Remembrance Day approaches
I have been looking at some of the
war poetry that has been written
over the ages.
For centuries soldiers have used
poetry to describe the horrors and
futilities of war. When someone
reads a war poem they get the most
vivid impression of what war is
like - more memorable than
photographs. Many photos have
been taken during wars and yet it
is the words of poets such as
Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen
and Rupert Brooke that we
remember.
I thought I would draw some
attention to the poetry you might
hear at Remembrance Day
Services, both the ones you might
attend locally in your own
churches and at war memorials as
well as those used at such
occasions as ‘The Remembrance
Festival’ at the Albert Hall and the
Remembrance Service from the
Cenotaph at Whitehall, both of
which are televised.
One of the most famous war
poems is ‘In Flanders Fields’ written during the First World War
by a Canadian physician,
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.
He was inspired to write this poem
after presiding over the funeral of
a friend who died in the Second
Battle of Ypres. Its reference to
the red poppies that grew over the
graves of fallen soldiers resulted in
the remembrance poppy becoming
one of the world’s most recognized
memorial symbols for soldiers
who have died in conflict and the
one taken up by the British Legion
to raise money for wounded
soldiers and for their families.
Pastoral Letter
Another well-known quote is
inscribed on the Kohima
Memorial, which was erected to
remember the Allied soldiers who
died whilst repulsing the Japanese
15th Army that invaded India in
1944. The words are attributed to
John Maxwell Edmonds who put
together a collection of 12 war
epitaphs in 1916.
‘When you go home,
tell them of us,
For your tomorrow,
they gave their today.’
‘In Flanders fields
the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place;
and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
There is so much poetry written
around the wars, far too numerous
to name here. If I have sparked an
interest, then Google ‘War poetry.’
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn,
saw sunset glow
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Much has also been written around
the modern day wars especially by
soldiers who wrote about the war
in Afghanistan. Their words
confirm the continuing horror of
war today.
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you from failing hands
we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow.
In Flanders fields.
This year we have heard the
‘Invictus Day Games Anthem’,
‘I AM’, penned by Chris Martin of
Coldplay to celebrate the power of
sport in the recovery of wounded
warriors. I mention it because it
reminds us that war is not only
about death but it is about giving
life and living a life that is worth
living even for these soldiers and
their families who have given
everything and have been so badly
wounded.
Another poem that we will hear at
Remembrance Day Festivals is
‘Ode to Remembrance’, often said
just before the two minutes
silence. These lines are part of
Laurence Binyan’s poem ‘For the
Fallen’ which was written as he sat
on the Pentire Cliffs of Cornwall
during the first month of World
War 1 September 1914.
2
Jenny Cope
Our own Remembrance Service
will be held at 10.30am on
Sunday 9 November led by
Rev Gill Hulme.
Southdown Methodist Church
O
ur Harvest weekend was
extremely busy. We began
with Messy Church on the Friday
when we continued our theme of
the Lord’s Prayer. On Saturday
we hosted a full house at our
harvest concert with Caritas
Harmony - I think everyone
agreed that the evening was a real
treat. We raised a total of £371.52
which will be divided between the
two charities, Macmillan and the
Southdown ‘Toilet twinning’
project which is to provide clean
water and sanitation for poorer
communities in the world.
On Sunday our uniformed
organisations joined us to celebrate
Harvest and the church was
beautifully decorated - not with
flowers and vegetables but with
various vessels of water. The
collection also went to ‘Toilet
twinning’. Food donations will be
taken to a local food bank.
On the following Friday 90
children from The Grove School
year 2 came to the church to
celebrate their Harvest Festival.
One six-year-old told us that his
toilet was already twinned to one
in Ethiopia and he had the
certificate to prove it!
And now we look forward to an
equally busy November. On 9
November, we will be holding our
morning Remembrance service.
November 2014
Family News
A
Grove Schools will be singing in
the church and there will be the
usual Christmas Fair in the church
halls. If you can help in any way
on this occasion please let me
know. We will need help
particularly with the Messy
Church activities.
I am really heartened to see a
visible increase in young people at
Junior Church recently. We have
an excellent team which is very
supportive, not only the children
but to each other. Thank you to the
staff who regularly give their time.
Led by Susan Sharp, the other
teachers are Marion Thompson,
Christine Taylor, Chris Lea and
myself. Arden, Christine’s
husband also regularly helps us.
Please take time to get to know
them all.
It was wonderful to have Muriel
back with us again and she will
certainly remain in our prayers.
We have had to manage Women’s
Own on a smaller team recently,
but thanks again to all the
members of the team who have
pulled so well together.
We send our prayers and best
wishes also to Linda Smith for a
speedy recovery.
In the afternoon we will hold a
service of Thanksgiving and
Remembrance, remembering
personal family members and
friends that we have lost. This
service will be held at 3pm and
followed by a tea.
At the end of November ‘Lights
Up’ takes place on Friday 28
November. . The children from the
An open letter to the
Methodist Family
June Muzuka Tomlinson has also
had a worrying time with her
daughter Rumbi who has been in
hospital. I think I will award June
‘Grandmother of the year’ as she
looks after her family so well, even
collecting her grandchildren from
Watford so they can attend Junior
Church.
At the end of this month we look
forward to Advent and the start of
the Christmas season.
Jenny Cope
3
s part of the commitment of
the Methodist Church to
creating safer spaces Conference
agreed to undertake a Past Cases
Review across the Connexion. The
remit of the Review is to look at
any safeguarding cases connected
to the Methodist Church over the
last 60 years, involving children
and/or vulnerable adults.
The Review has two main aims.
First, to take any action that may
still be necessary to ensure that
children or vulnerable adults are
protected in particular situations
that are brought to the attention of
the review team, and second, to
ensure that learning from past
cases is embedded in good practice
across the Church in the future.
All ministers have been required to
participate in the Review and with
only a very few exceptions they
have already responded with great
thought and care.
The perspective of lay people
within the Church is crucial
however. Lay people often carry
information in churches that may
not be passed on to ministers,
particularly in the past when the
importance of recording
information was not as well
understood as it is now. It is vitally
importantly that anyone who has
experienced abuse within the
Church context has the opportunity
to tell their story to the Review.
The purpose of this letter is to
remind any person within the
Methodist Church of the
opportunity to contribute to the
Review.
Details of how to participate in the
Review and the form to be
completed are on the Methodist
Church website
www.methodist.org.uk.
(Continued on page 3)
Southdown Methodist Church
Safeguarding Review (Cont)
If you are not able to use the
internet, response forms are
available from the Connexional
Safeguarding team by ringing
0207 467 5125 and speaking to the
Past Cases Review Administrator.
It can be very difficult to relive
painful experiences and there is
support available to anyone who
wants it. Ministers will be more
than willing to support members of
their congregation in completing
response forms for those who feel
comfortable doing it this way.
Others may not want to discuss it
with someone they know or they
may need more specialist help.
Every Methodist District has a
Safeguarding Officer and their
names and contact details can be
found on the Safeguarding page of
the Methodist Church website. If
they cannot help directly they can
point people to where they might
get the support they need. A list of
organisations that offer specialist
counselling or help with specific
forms of abuse is also found on the
Safeguarding page of the
Methodist Church website.
We Ask You
We ask you God, to strengthen and
guide all who are in positions of
trust and authority.
May they always make wise and
informed decisions that will
protect the defenceless and small.
We ask you God, to guide all
agencies who work towards
safeguarding children.
May they never lose sight of the
needs of children.
We ask you God, to be with us as
we gather to carry out our work
towards safeguarding children
May we invest ourselves in the
detail of our work and let us
always keep vividly before us the
ministry that has been
entrusted to us.
Amen
November 2014
Sunday 30 November
Advent Sunday
Southdown
Crib Festival
D
o you have a special nativity
set in your house - perhaps
one that has sentimental value?
Maybe it is slightly battered
around the edges; perhaps your
children have helped to create it.
Brunch Service 10am
Wednesday 3 December
MWiB Advent Service
‘Watching and Waiting’
Flamstead Methodist 2.30pm
Speaker: Jenny Cope
Other seasonal events and
entertainments taking place at the
end of November and beginning of
December
26th - 28th November
High Street Players present
The Ghost Train
by Arnold Ridley
at High Street Methodist Church
Tickets £7 Weds,
£8 Thurs and Friday (£9 on door )
Friday 28 November
Southdown Lights Up
5.30pm – 7.30pm
Messy Church activities
for children
Saturday 6 December
Flamstead
Christmas Tree Festival
We are asking the church family
and the church groups to bring
their cribs into church on
Friday 5 December
so they can be displayed in our
first ever
Crib Festival
Saturday 6th December
It would be really good if you
could put your name and a few
words about why the crib is special
to you, so we can display it
alongside your crib.
Church groups like Pre-school
Teddy Bears and Messy Church
will also be creating cribs in their
own inimitable styles!
The other 'half' of this is that as
part of this Lights Up we are
inviting local businesses to display
a nativity set in their windows
until 5 December. These 'cribs'
will have a little messy church
sheep alongside them, and children
will be invited to see how many of
these sheep they can spot in our
local shops, with a 'trail' so that
they can find the lost sheep!
This will, we hope, build
relationships between our
community and church, and these
cribs will be brought into church
too for the festival on Saturday.
Theme: ‘FLYING’
12noon – 2.30pm
Light refreshments
4
If you can help with refreshments
during the day, there will be a sign
up sheet at the back of the church,
or let Gill know.
Southdown Methodist Church
November 2014
The Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red
I
n October I went to London to
view the brilliant ceramic poppy
moat at the Tower of London –
and it was well-worth the journey,
but quite shocking to see the great
sea of ‘blood’ representing lives
lost during WWI.
The Blood Swept Lands
and Seas of Red
The blood swept lands and
seas of red,
Where angels dare to tread.
As I put my hand to reach,
As God cried a tear of pain
as the angels fell,
Again and again.
From 5 August to 11 November,
this major artistic installation
entitled 'Blood Swept Lands and
Seas of Red' sees the Tower of
London's famous dry moat filled
with ceramic poppies to create a
powerful visual commemoration
for the First World War Centenary.
There will be 888,246 poppies
installed, one for each British and
Colonial fatality during the war.
On 17 July YS Crawford Butler,
the longest serving of the Tower of
London’s iconic Yeoman Warders,
planted the first ceramic poppy.
The rest of the poppies are being
installed by a team of over 8,000
volunteers from across the UK and
the last poppy will be planted on
Armistice Day, 11 November.
A staff of 52 people work
overlapping shifts is currently
producing over 7,000 flowers a
day in order to meet the daunting
six-figure target. But even though
the poppies are being produced on
an industrial scale, the factory
workers give their creations a
respect worthy of the fallen heroes
they represent.
‘We treat each flower with
reverence because, to us, each one
really does represent a life’, says
factory worker Niall Young.
General the Lord Dannatt,
Constable of the Tower of London,
said:
‘For this important anniversary
year, we wanted the Tower of
London's commemorations to
serve as a fitting tribute to those
who lost their lives during the First
World War, whilst encouraging
others to reflect on our past.
As the tears of mine
fell to the ground
To sleep with the flowers of red
As any be dead
‘The First World War was a
pivotal moment in our history,
claiming the lives of over 16
million people across the globe; its
consequences have shaped our
modern society. We hope that
people across Britain, Europe and
the rest of the world will join us by
being a part of this unique moment
which we feel reflects the
magnitude of this centenary year.’
The ceramic poppies are not
planted in orderly rows. They look
like an undulating sea from afar;
up close, each bloom is unique.
Against the walls of the Tower,
they crest like a wave of blood.
The concept came from a ceramic
artist named Paul Cummings. Each
poppy can be purchased for £25
and since the first flower was
planted on 17 July, Mr Cummins'
project has raised an incredible
£11.2million for charity. The
money raised will go to British
charities such as the Royal British
Legion and Help for Heroes,
which help British veterans.
When the installation is
dismantled, each donor will
receive their poppy memorial.
(The picture above is my own
work! Ed)
5
My children see and work
through fields of my
Own with corn and wheat,
Blessed by love so far from
pain of my resting
Fields so far from my love.
It be time to put my hand up
and end this pain
Of living hell, to see the people
around me
Fall someone angel as the mist
falls around
And the rain so thick with black
thunder I hear
Over the clouds, to sleep forever
and kiss
The flower of my people gone
before time
To sleep and cry no more
I put my hand up and see
the land of red,
This is my time to go over,
I may not come back
So sleep, kiss the boys for me
Anonymous (Unknown Soldier)
Southdown Methodist Church
November 2014
A cup of coffee makes all the difference!
S
ince the Coffee mornings
began we have been
sponsoring two children - one
child through Embrace the Middle
East (formerly BibleLands) and
the other child through World
Vision.
We have sponsored Kristian from
Lexha in northern Albania through
World Vision from November
2003 when he was 5 years old and
not attending school to the present
day. This was the first time that
World Vision had tried to help in
Albania - the poorest country in
Europe with not only extreme
poverty but blood feuds and
domestic violence which were
then, and probably still are, a way
of life in some parts.
Kristian aged 5 years
Albania was under communist rule
until 1991, after that the
population was unprepared for
what was a new market-based
economy, and was ill-equipped to
deal with the many problems they
faced.
At that time most people in
Albania earned their living by
farming. World Vision was able to
help people find ways to improve
their livelihoods by offering
training in better farming
techniques and also providing
small loans to start local business
enterprises. Other projects
included improving roads, access
to clean water and electricity and
supporting local health centres.
World Vision also tried to
introduce peace-building
initiatives to prevent some of the
violence which often left families
frightened of their neighbours.
The first step was to bring
communities together to discuss a
vision for the future and enable
them to make that vision a reality..
church community buying cups of
tea and coffee. Large oaks from
little acorns grow and this has
proved a reality in Kristian’s
community.
In 2003, 30 out of every 100
children died before their fifth
birthday, 14% of under 5s were
underweight for their age, and
15% of the adult population could
not read or write.
The situation today has improved
to some extent, and big difference
is in evidence. Many children now
have access to social services,
which creates awareness about the
risks some children still face due
to abuse and blood feuds. In Lexha
30 children from some of the
poorest parts of the community
were able to attend kindergarten by
partnering with a local church.
They now have a safe place to play
and learn through play so that they
can just be children.
Now, aged 16, Kristian may move
– perhaps to find work for example
- but while he is part of his
community we will continue to
support him. This means
supporting his whole community
so everyone benefits.
The latest news I have from him is
that his ‘golden adventure’ is to
visit the beach at Dubai as he feels
it would be calming and relaxing.
He tells me that his sister was able
to buy him a T shirt and his
favourite animal is the lion. He
still helps his parents a lot as he
says living in a village takes much
hard work. He would also like to
achieve good grades at school.
So now – 11 years later he can
really dream a dream and who
knows in the future those dreams
may come true thanks to us as a
6
Kristian aged 16 years
In one of his earlier letters Kristian
said that his dream was to own a
football. Another letter told me
that they were unable to attend
school (if allowed) in the winter as
there was no bridge over the
frozen river. We would not even
give a thought to things like that as
they just do not happen here, but
which are so important to a poor
community.
I hope you have enjoyed hearing
about and supporting Kristian. It
really does make a difference and
it gives us the chance to learn
about other communities.
If you would like any more
information on either child or
would like to write a very short
letter to one of them perhaps once
each year then do contact me.
Thanks
Margaret North
768818
Southdown Methodist Church
November 2014
The Sycamore Tree brings healing
Prison Sunday 16 November
L
ast year, at Southdown, we
heard about the work of The
Sycamore Trust from Linda
Downie who is a prison visitor at
Bedford Gaol. The Prison
Fellowship runs a programme
entitled ‘Sycamore Tree’ which is
a victim awareness programme
that teaches the principles of
restorative justice. Sycamore Tree
is currently running in 40 prisons
across England and Wales.
The Sycamore Tree course is
taught in prisons in groups of up to
20 learners by Prison Fellowship
volunteers. Prisoners on the
programme explore the effects of
crime on victims, offenders, and
the community, and discuss what it
would mean to take responsibility
for their personal actions.
ST uses the example of how
Zacchaeus was changed when he
met Jesus. Offenders are
encouraged to think about how
people at that time suffered
because Zacchaeus took more
taxes from them than was justified.
His attitude towards his actions
was ‘If I don’t do it, someone else
will.’ And the bottom line was,
really, the fact that he liked having
a lot of money. The same applies
to offenders, whatever the crime.
‘If I don’t sell drugs, burgle your
house, steal your car … someone
else will.’
During the sessions, offenders
begin to appreciate how their
actions affect others and
themselves. Offenders are often
looking over their shoulders in
case they are caught. When caught
they land up in prison, which not
only affects them but their
families. Their spouse has to cope
alone; their children become
ashamed that a parent is in prison.
Prisoners are encouraged to realise
that if they stopped offending their
lives too, would be changed and
they could take a place in society
without people and the local
community being constantly afraid
of them.
For most offenders on Sycamore
Tree the most powerful element of
the programme is when a victim of
crime comes in to talk through
how crime has impacted their
lives. During the final session of
the course, prisoners have the
option to present letters, poems or
art works as an expression of
remorse, and as a symbolic act of
restitution.
‘Fantastic Acts’ at High Street!
R
iding Lights Theatre
Company is one of
the UK’s most
productive and longestablished independent
theatre companies.
Founded in York over 30
years ago, the company
continues to take
innovative, accessible
theatre into all kinds of
communities far and wide.
The aim is to create
unforgettable, entertaining
theatre in response to
current issues and the
hopes and fears of the
world we share. The
company will be
performing at High Street
Monday 10 November
at 7.45pm. Tickets £10
Joy Watts 0779 2613 433
7
God’s promise of Grace
oes the word ‘grace’ make
you think of John Newton’s
hymn, ‘Amazing Grace’?
D
Billy Graham said,
‘Grace is not sought nor bought
nor wrought. It is a free gift of
Almighty God to needy mankind.’
And we are all needy, in as much
as we have all ‘fallen short of the
glory of God.’ (Romans 3:23).
However, Paul goes on to say in
Ephesians 2:8, ‘by grace you have
been saved though faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is a gift of
God.’
As well as the ‘saving grace of
God’ we must acknowledge his
‘guiding grace.’ Alluding back to
the article last month (The Gift of
Change), we must allow ourselves
to accept that we can be changed
by the guiding grace of God. Paul
heard the voice of Christ on the
Damascus Road, and he listened.
Despite Paul’s previous acts of
persecution of the early Christians,
God reached down in grace to
change him, and so he was able to
say ‘by God’s grace I am what I
am.’
Life throws some curve balls at us
sometimes, and how we cope with
these depends on how much we
trust the grace of God. ‘My grace
is sufficient for you.’ (2 Cor. 12:9)
God’s grace empowers us through
times of difficulty.
To allow the promise of grace to
work in your life you must:
Give thanks … that you are under
grace
Respond … in love and obedience
Ask God … for wisdom to
understand what his grace means
Commune … with others in your
church
Extend God’s grace … to others,
by sharing, caring and loving.
God’s grace is, indeed, ‘amazing’.
(What God wants to do for you.
Jim George)
Southdown Methodist Church
Sunday Services November
2
Paul Acheaw
10.30am
9
Holy Communion
Rev Gill Hulme
Worship Team
Mike Lees
Rev Hilary Oakley
10.30am
16
23
30
Brunch Service
Rev Gill Hulme
November 2014
Harpenden Ministry Team
The Rev Gill Hulme
33 Thornbury,
Harpenden AL5 5SN
T: 01582 768347
E: [email protected]
10.30am
10.30am
The Rev Linda Woolacott
16 The Park,
Redbourn AL3 7RL
T: 01582 791993
E: [email protected]
10.00am
Messy Church -Jenny Cope 768087
Outreach Lay Worker (P/T)
Mrs Jenny Cope
Alzey Gardens,
Harpenden AL5 5SY
T: 768087
E: [email protected]
7 November
Usually 1 Friday of month in halls
3.30pm – 5.30pm
Women’s Own - Jenny Cope
st
Tuesday fellowship 3 – 4pm
Diary for November
4
MWiB
18
tba
11
David Nye
25
tba
Koinonia - Vivienne Kendall 629930
Tuesday lunchtime 1 - 3pm
Ecumenical Bible study fellowship
Pre-school - Julia Prince
07908121891
Weekdays (except Wednesday)
9.10am – 12.10pm in halls
Prayer Time - Jenny Cope
Tuesday 9.30am - in lounge
Study Group – Rev Gill Hulme
768347
Alternate Wednesdays in lounge
Brownies and Guides
17th Rainbows
5pm
14th Brownies
6.15pm
Weds
9th Brownies
6.15pm
rd
3 Guides
7.30pm
Thurs
17th Brownies
6.15pm
17th Guides
7.30pm
Hall Bookings 01582 769871
Tues
Transport to church
Ken Holmes 761675
Church Office 01582 769871
Open Thursday and Friday
2pm –4pm
Newsletter
Please provide copy by
e-mail by 10th of previous month
Editor: Vivienne Kendall
114 Lower Luton Road
Wheathampstead AL4 8HH
T: 629930
E: [email protected]
Distribution: Geoff Bullimore
T: 767840
Other dates in November
10
Riding Lights
High Street 7.45pm
26,27,28 ‘The Ghost Train’
High St 8pm
28
Lights Up 5.30pm
Saints and souls
A
ll Saints' Day, 1 November,
is celebrated by Anglicans
and Roman Catholics.
It is an opportunity for believers to
remember all saints and martyrs,
known and unknown, throughout
Christian history. As part of this
day of obligation, believers are
required to attend church.
Remembering saints and martyrs
and dedicating a specific day to
them each year has been a
Christian tradition since the 4th
century CE, but it wasn't until
609CE that Pope Boniface IV
decided to remember all martyrs.
All Souls' Day is marked on
2 November, and is an opportunity
for Roman Catholics and AngloCatholic churches to pray for the
faithful departed.
They remember and pray for the
souls of people who are in
Purgatory - the place (or state) in
which those who have died atone
for their less grave sins before
being granted the vision of God in
Heaven (called Beatific vision).
Reasoning behind this stems from
the notion that when a soul leaves
the body, it is not entirely cleansed
from venial (minor) sins, but
through the power of prayer and
self-denial, the faithful left on
earth may be able to help these
souls gain the Beatific Vision they
seek, bringing the soul eternal
sublime happiness.
Mission Statement
The aim of Southdown Newsletter
is to help develop the Christian
faith through reporting about
people, worship and activities of
Southdown Methodist Church
Cards for
Good Causes
On sale at URC
Vaughan Road
8
Wednesday 5 November
11am Free Church service
Followed by fellowship lunch
Your intercessions are
asked this month for our
friends on page s 12 and
13 of the church
directory