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
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