Lansdowne News
Contents
(Click on a title to go directly to the article)
| Special Events at Lansdowne Crescent |
| Church Life |
The Church Family
Notes from Church Council meeting
Outreach Project 2012/13
Sunday coffee
The Year of the Bible
| Around the region |
Unity choir
Human Trafficking in the Midlands
Life in the West Bank - Palestine
Gloucester cathedral Bring-and-Share supper
Upper Welland News
| Special Events at Lansdowne Crescent |
(SS -Sunday school. Youngsters leave the main service after the second hymn and go downstairs for arts and crafts activities and Junior Prayers)
(FS -Family service. Youngsters remain in the main service which is structured for parents and young children)
| Church Life |
Epiphany is often used to describe a moment of insight or sudden intuitive perception into something that may have been quite a commonplace occurrence but then the penny drops and a new understanding is revealed. In the Christian calendar, Epiphany is a time and also a season. In the West we have celebrated Epiphany as a Christian feast day on 6th January since the 4th century, on the twelfth night after Christmas. We focus on the arrival of the three wise men, guided by a star, to the place where Jesus is revealed to them as the one promised by God and spoken of through the prophets down the ages. Epiphany is also a season in many church calendars that extends from 6th January to Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.
This Christmas I received a card which showed the three wise men arriving outside Bethlehem. Their camels were parked by a huge concrete wall and they had set about digging a hole to get into Bethlehem. This separation is the reality for many people in that little town today. The 25 feet high wall with military watch towers, dominates the skyline and divides both mindsets and people. Israeli Jewish people are unable to pass freely into Bethlehem unless they are on military duty and the occupants, Palestinian Christian and Muslim people who live peacefully together, no longer have the right to move freely, requiring a permit to pass through the checkpoints.
The wall has cut off many people from their families, land and businesses, with busy roads becoming dead ends. One in five people in Bethlehem are now unemployed, the innkeeper in Jesus’ time would be struggling today and many of the shepherds’ fields would be confiscated for illegal Israeli settlements. In fact, as Jewish people, Joseph and Mary would not be allowed to stay in Bethlehem today. Going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Amos Trust in 2009 and visiting the people, both Israeli Jews in the settlements and Palestinian Christians and Muslims was an epiphany time for me. I would encourage anyone to take an alternative pilgrimage to the Holy Land but there are also other opportunities to learn more. Come and hear Ann Farr speak on Sunday 12th February about her experiences as an EAPPI working for the World Council of Churches in the West Bank, Palestine.
In December I visited The Holocaust Centre in Laxton, Notts. (the only centre in the UK) with ministers from the Methodist Church. This was also another epiphany moment, when I wept as a survivor told his story. He was one of the few who escaped the annihilation of 11 million people, including 6 million Jewish people.
Today we are called as disciples of Jesus, to speak out against injustice and to work for peace for all people in God’s world. May we continue to experience epiphany moments when God breaks into our comfortable lives and brings new insight and challenges into this complex world we are privileged to live in.
May God’s disturbing, yet deep peace be with us all this coming year.
Alison
Thank You Lansdowne
Recently, we have been greatly touched by several gifts of flowers from the church. Apart from the enjoyment that comes from having unexpected beautiful things to brighten the home, we have been very conscious of being supported by the love of the ‘Lansdowne Family’, of which we have long been a part.
So, “Thank you, Lansdowne” for these kind gifts and “Thank you Winnie, Norma and Chris and Tom”, the gracious ‘flower messengers’ who brought them.
May and Bob Ball
From David Richards
Dear All
Just a quick note to say a sincere thank you to everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers for both myself and Alison after my operation. I am well on the way to a full recovery and Harvey and I will soon be back up on the Beacon!
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year.
Baptism
Nov. 27th Shane Ethan Andrew Roberts
Joshua Peter Roberts
Jamie John Gregory
Amongst the items considered by the Church Council at its meeting on 31st October were the following:
· Talks relating to the proposed amalgamation of the Birmingham and the Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury Districts have ceased to continue.
· Richard Rogers as Circuit Steward introduced a Paper entitled ‘The Circuit – A Resource from Everybody for Everybody’. Copies have been distributed for consideration, with replies being brought to the February Church Council.
· A decision on purchasing copies of the new Methodist Hymn Book ‘Singing the Faith’ was deferred until the next Church Council meeting.
· Anne Rich reported that she had made 100 visits in the past year and felt honoured and privileged to be in her current role as Pastoral Worker assisting Alison. Anne’s contract runs until February 2013.
· It was proposed that an open Worship Consultation meeting should be held twice a year (and the first such meeting was held on 28th November).
· Gwyneth Tweats was appointed as a new Pastoral Visitor.
· It was agreed letters be sent to Rev. Janet Roe on the death of her husband, Barry, and to Terry and Jean Isherwood, welcoming them back to Malvern.
The next Church Council meeting will take place on Monday 20th February, and the Annual Church Meeting will be held on Monday 23rd April, both at 7.30 pm.
Outreach Project 2012/13
Following really successful outreach projects for Four Homes of Mercy in Palestine and for Home Start Malvern Hills, it is now time to think about what project to sponsor next year. Please give prayerful thought to possible charities or projects for us to raise money and pray. Please let me have your suggestions by the end of January.
Jack Rolls
Sunday Coffee
| Around
the region |
Extracts from the part of the Handwritten Bible written outside the Guidhall in Worcester on Easter Saturday last year can now be seen at the following links:
Exodus 22
Matthew 21
Methodist Prayer Handbook 2011/12 – ‘Run the Race’
In preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Year 2012, the new edition of the Methodist Prayer Handbook draws on themes of spiritual training, perseverance, endurance and self-discipline as well as focusing on our solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world. The title Run the Race is inspired by sporting metaphors in Scripture and hymns.
The Methodist Prayer
Handbook connects Christians from
different times, places and walks of life. Timeless
prayers are interwoven with new
contributions – many from Methodists across
the districts and around the world. For
more information follow the link
http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.potd
WEEK
OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
18th
– 25th January 2012
Events
in Malvern to which all are invited
Theme-
‘We will all be changed’
Weekday
Lunchtimes
12 – 1.00pm
Weds18th,
Thursday 19th Friday 20th
Mon 23rd, Tues 24th,
Weds 25th
Lyttelton
Well Prayer Room
Led
Prayer Meetings
Wednesday 18th 7.15pm Somers
Park Methodist Church
Unity
Games Evening
Friday 20th 10.30am United
Reformed Church Malvern Link
Shoppers’
Service followed by Prayer Vigil
Sunday 22nd am Link
and Central Groups
Morning
Service – Exchange of Pulpits
4.00pm
Christ
Church, Avenue Road – Unity Service
with Unity Choir
Speaker
– Canon Dr Ann Holt O.B.E
Director
of Programme – Bible Society
Tuesday
24th 7.30-8.30am ‘Prayer
on the Hills’ meet Beacon Car Park
7.45pm Somers
Park Methodist Church
Open
invitation to Ladies Club – Speaker
Rev
Eric Knowles
Wednesday
25th 7.45pm St
James West Malvern
Prayer
and
Praise Evening for all
Unity Choir
It is hoped once again to have a
Unity Choir to take part in the Unity
Service on Sunday 22nd January.
This year it will be under the leadership
of Barbara Brickwell.
The choir is open to all who enjoy singing
and there will be two rehearsals at 7.30pm
on Thursday 12th January and Wednesday
18th January in Christ Church.
If you wish for further details please
contact Barbara Brickwell.
The talk will be followed by a bring-and-share tea at 4.30 and the afternoon will conclude with a short epilogue.
Everybody in the Circuit is encouraged to come to what should be a most informative afternoon. This is a Circuit Mission in Britain event. Please speak to me if you have any queries or need more information.
Mary Wetherall
Malvern Churches Justice & Peace Group
On February 12th 2012 at 3.00 pm at the Friends’ Meeting House, Orchard Road: “Life in the West Bank – Palestine”: Ann Farr, from Birmingham, an accompanist with EAPPI (Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel,) will speak on her recent experiences “surrounded by olive trees and settlers.”
Spirit of Peace/Friendship Cafe Bring & Share Supper
Date: Tuesday 10th January 2012, 7pm
Venue: Chapter House, Gloucester Cathedral, 12 College Green, Gloucester GL1 2LX
As part of the “Loss of Innocence” Exhibition Week at Gloucester Cathedral the date of the first 2012 Bring & Share Community Supper is now Tuesday 10th January.
We shall meet in the Chapter House at the Cathedral for 7pm when the event will begin. You are warmly invited to the evening.
The evening will include a speaker from "Jews for Justice for Palestinians", a pressure group based in the UK which advocates human and civil rights along with economic and political freedom for the Palestinian people.
Spirit of Peace supports the peace and trauma relief work at the internationally acclaimed Hope Flowers School in Bethlehem. Pictures by children from Hope Flowers will be exhibited alongside the "Loss of Innocence" exhibition.
Admission is free but donations will be invited to enable Spirit of Peace to continue its crucial peacebuilding work in the Middle East and UK.
Please bring some food to share which does not contain alcohol and meat.
Please note the change of date/day and venue and help us by encouraging as many people as possible to attend.
Contact: David on dbpeace@hotmail.co.uk or Imran on gymnation@btclick.com
Upper Welland News
Geoffrey Blackmore