Catalyst

March 2014

THE MAGAZINE OFHAYES FREE CHURCH (U.R.C.)

Copy for the April 2014 edition needs to be handed in bySunday, 16th March.

Please submit items in good time.You can leave copy in the “B” Pigeon Hole for Richard Brown to collect,

or hand it directly to him on a Sunday morning.You can also e-mail copy to richardmbrown6@gmail.com

Thank You. Editor

Principal ContactsMinister: Rev. Sue Powell Tel: 020 8462 2212Church Secretary: Mrs Mavis Righini Tel: 020 8462 1168Fabric Steward Mr. Chris Wood Tel: 020 8462 2444Treasurer: Mr. Simon Narracott Tel: 020 8462 2004Lettings Secretary: Mrs Undine Connolly Tel: 020 8776 0108Caretaker: Mr. Ian Jones Tel: 020 8313 1556Church Website www.hayesfreechurch.comCatalystEditor: Mr Richard Brown

Contents : - Items not covered by the diary of events.

HAYES FREE CHURCH111, Pickhurst Lane, Hayes, Kent BR2 7HUSunday Services. 10.30 a.m. & 6.00 p.m.We are a member of the United Reformed Church.We believe in Justice and Peace.

This month’s website: -The website of the month is an example of another church's venture

into the virtual world. Short excerpts from this church’s magazinehave been published in Catalyst in the past..

Here is the web address: www.ainsdalevillagechurch.comNow, turn to Page 16 for more details. Ed

Sunday Services; CTH items; a saying 2Church Notices 3 - 5The HFC website; FYI - heating 5Fair Trade Fortnight (J & P) 6Lunchtime concerts 7Marjorie Curry - Obituary 8Catalyst Needs You! 9Notice Board 10 - 11

Website of the month and Sue’s Interview (Pt 2) 12Wordless Prayer 13Deaf Access 15Sacred Space; Forgiving others 16December Competition;The way things once were 17A Thought for Today 19Whitechapel Mission letter 20Church Organisations I B C

1

Letter from the Minister

Dear Friends,

In a recent Bible Study, we looked at the Epistle ofJude: noting how alike it was with the Epistle of 2Peter, acknowledging various scholars who wouldargue its inclusion within the Bible, and delighting in the doxology. Asever, no one is quite sure who wrote it, but its message is clear: we areto remain faithful to the moral teachings of the Bible. And we are askedto save those who are wavering.

How many of us waver?

We all come across parts of the Bible that make us stop and think aboutour own lives and how we live out our faith. To have lived in the time ofthe Early Church and to have been a part of it, would have taken greatcourage. To stand against the strength of Rome, to be thrown out bythe Jewish Temple that had been ours since birth, to be strong enoughto stand firm in the teaching of Jesus Christ against all the obstaclesplaced in our way – would we have wavered?

Many Christians in our world today face persecution for their faith,many thousands died last year… if we stood in their shoes, would wewaver?

I’m sure we would all like to think that we would never deny our love ofGod; but life here is easy by comparison and we have no one to challengeus with any real force.

Yet people do waver – they are not sure if they believe in God, they donot really believe there is anything following death, they are notconvinced that Christianity isn’t anything other than wishful thinking.And we are asked to save those who waver…

Let’s invite in those wavering people, speak to them of God’s love, showthem the difference faith can make in life, and how being God’s peoplecan make a difference in this world.

Let’s invite and bring, and through God’s love, save.

2

Sunday ServicesMarch

2nd 10.30 am - Morning Service - Mike Tinson 6.00 pm - Holy Communion - The Minister

9th 10.30 am - Parade Service - The Minister 6.00 pm - Evening Service - The Minister

16th 10.30 am - Morning Service - Dr Clive Timehin 6.00 pm - Evening Service - The Minister

23rd 10.30 am - Holy Communion - The Minister 6.00 pm - Evening Service - David & Alison Hawthorn

30th 10.30 am - Morning Service - The Minister 6.00 pm - Evening Service - The Minister

v Mike Tinson is a Methodist preacher.v Dr. Clive Timehin is a local preacher who comes from Bromley

Methodist Church. He is a member of the Methodist CouncilMedical Committee. He has conducted Sunday worship at HFCon many occasions.

v David and Alison Hawthorn are members of HFC. David hascontributed articles for Catalyst. They are taking the lead in twogroups at HFC.

Some notes on the visiting preachers.

Churches Together in HayesAt the January meeting, it was decided that the Lent Course this yearwould once again follow the York Course of booklets as it did overseveral years.

Meetings will be held in the small hall at Hayes Free Church starting onTuesday 11 March at 7.30 p.m. The course will run for 5 weeks.

It was also decided that we will again have anAgape meal which is to be held at Hayes Free Church

on Friday 9th May 2014 at 7.00 p.m.The speaker and more details will be announced later.

Please keep the date free for this enjoyable evening which we sharewith friends from other Churches in Hayes.

Don't judge men's wealth or godliness by their Sunday appearance.

Benjamin Franklin, statesman, author, and inventor (1706-1790)

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News of the Church FamilyAnnouncements are welcome :-BMD - Changes of address, etc.

DeathsIt is with deep regret we have to announce thedeath of Rhoda Leeds aged 99 years on 9February. She was the only remaining founder member of HFC. Anobituary will appear in next month’s magazine.

We offer of sincere condolences to her daughter Christine, her familyand other members of Rhoda’s family in this country and in Australia.

Your prayers would be appreciated for: -Ruth Rees, Jessie Martin, and Helen Hebbs.

Church MeetingsThe next Elders’ meeting will be on Tuesday, 4th March at 8.00 pm inthe small hall.

The next Church meeting will be on Sunday 23rd March at 12.00 noonafter the morning service.

Women's Contact GroupThe Contact Group will be meeting on 3rd March at Connie Russell’shome - 234 Pickhurst Lane. We will then meet on 7th April at MarionBowman’s home - 26 Stambourne Way, West Wickham.Meetings start at 8.00 pm.

Sylvia MackTuesday Prayer Meetings for MarchHeld at 10.00am at the following homes:- 4th Martin Nunn’s. 11th Betty Coster’s. 18th Brenda Cordingley’s. 25th The Church.Then in April: - 1st Martin Nunn’s.Please address any queries to Martin Nunn.

Saturday FellowshipThe next meeting will be on the 1st of March at 2.30pm at BarbaraJones’ home. Martin Nunn will be leading a Bible Study. You arewelcome to join us.

Men's GroupOur next meeting will be in the small hall on Thursday 20th March at8.00 pm when Tony Russell will lead a Quiz.

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Ministry of FlowersThank you to those who will be providing flowers this month.

A big thank you to those who kindly arrange the flowers when needed.After the Sunday evening services, the flowers are distributed tomembers and friends, bringing joy to the recipients.Mavis RighiniHayes Mothers’ & Toddlers’ ClubWe welcome all babies and children under school age, accompanied

by their parents, grandparents or carers, to our club on Fridayafternoons between 2 and 4pm during term time. The fee is £1 perfamily – tea, squash and biscuits are provided. This is a time whenadults can meet up, while the children in their care are busy playingwith toys and activities in the company of other children.

Our last meeting of term is on March 28th and we meet again afterEaster on April 25th.

We look forward to seeing you.Judith Stoner - Secretary.

Bible Study GroupThe Bible Study group meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of eachmonth at 2.30pm in the small hall.

Worship GroupThe Wednesday Reflections Group meets at 6.30pm on the 4thWednesday of each month.Linda MichieNotice Sheets - February & 1st Sunday in March March 2nd Joan Smith 8462 3920 9th & 16th Daphne Cummings 8777 2487 23rd & 30th Brenda Cordingley 8462 3867 April 6th Pam Collison 8658 0748

If you require items to be included in the notice sheets, please contactthe appropriate person by the previous Tuesday.

2nd - Maggie Greenwood 9th - Anon16th - Mike Duke 23rd - Gill and Chris Wood

i.m.o. Matthew30th -

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Women's Fellowship

M eetings are in the small hall at 2.00 p.m., unless otherwise stated,on Tuesdays and finish about 3.30 p.m.

The February meetings will be: - 4th Woodland Farm Trust11th Michies on Cambodia18th U3A talk on the U3A25th Anne Bartlett – Holiday Slides

The first meeting in April will be: - 1st Bromley Museum

MINI-AMBULANCEMembers who use the mini-ambulance are asked to phone

Marion Swanborough on 8462 3981 by 9.00 am on any Tuesday whenthey are unable to come to the meetings.

As always, we welcome all ladies to our meetings. Please come along for apleasant afternoon. We do have a very varied programme with plenty tointerest everyone.

Sue & Marion

The Church website-------------

We have been given information regarding our website.In the past year we have received: -

9,627 Page Views; The number of times a web page has been viewed.3,557 Visits; The number of people who have looked at a page or

pages on the HFC website.14,157 Hits; The number of times an item, such as a page or an image,

has been retrieved from the website.

For Your Information ...The Home Heat Help-line (0080 336699) found that one in seven Britishhomes is entitled to assistance with their heating bills. They includelow income pensioners, disadvantaged families with children andthose who live in deprived areas.

You may qualify for the £135 Warm Home Discount on energy bills.

Joan Smith

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Fair Trade FortnightBanana pricing campaign

---------------------------The campaign for Fair Trade Fortnight this year is on the theme of fairprices for bananas. Bananas are a thriving food crop – the fourth mostimportant in the world after rice, wheat and maize. Bananas generateda massive US $8 billion in global export earnings in 2011 but noteveryone is enjoying the benefits.

The majority of bananas are grown by small-scale farmers in LatinAmerica, the Caribbean and Africa, and their earnings have fallen inreal terms while their costs of production have soared. The main causeof the problem is the severe pressure to keep prices low imposed bysupermarkets. In the last ten years, the cost of producing bananas hasdoubled while UK supermarkets have almost halved the shelf price ofbananas.

In the UK, a third of bananas sold are Fair Trade, which brings realbenefits to banana farmers and workers by providing a fair income thatthey can live on. But for other banana workers, the situation is bleak.

Fair Trade Fortnight (24 February to 9 March) is calling for change in thebanana industry by petitioning the Government to work withsupermarkets in the UK to end unfair pricing practices.

On Sunday 2 March the Justice and Peace group will be asking youafter the service to sign a petition calling on the Government to takeaction. We would also like you to bake some cakes for Sunday 2 Marchusing free trade ingredients, to help celebrate Fair Trade Fortnight. Wewill be serving the cakes after the morning service.

During the morning service on 2 March we will also be holding a surveyto obtain an overview of what members of the church are alreadydoing in terms of supporting the poor. This will help the Justice andPeace group to co-ordinate activities and to build on what is alreadyhappening. We’ll be handing out cards and asking you to write downany activities or charities you already support.

Don’t forget to support the Women’s Coffee Morning on Saturday8 March and the Fair Trade stall after the morning service on Sunday9 March. Both are raising funds for poor smallholder farmers.

Finally, if anyone would like to join the Justice and Peace group,we’d love to have you on board. Our next meeting is at 8 pm onWednesday 2 April at Sue’s house (247 Pickhurst Lane).

You don’t have to commit yourself to coming to every meeting; evenoccasional help will be much appreciated.

Justice and Peace group

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Women’s Contact Coffee MorningWe will be holding the next coffee morning in the Small

Hall on the 8th of March from 10.00am to 12.00 Noon.We are continuing to raise monies to contribute to disaster

relief funds in different parts of the world.We hope to see you at the Coffee Morning, and why not bring a friend?Please note that the monies raised from the coffee mornings areseparate from those raised through the refreshments trolley afterSunday morning services.

Barbara Jones

The Fairtrade Sunday StallWe hold a fair trade stall after the morning service on the 2nd and 4th

Sunday of each month.In March, the stall will be held on the 9th and the 23rd.Please continue to support your fair trade stall. Thank you.

Richard and Barbara.

Fairtrade Fortnight will take place from the 24th of February tothe 9th of March. The “Big Brew is a main event during this time.This year, some of the world’s smallest and poorest smallholder

farmers will be supported.We will be joining in with the Big Brew on the last weekend ofFairtrade Fortnight: -

ü Saturday 8th March - The Women’s CoffeeMorning will be involved.

ü Sunday, 9th March - A contribution will bemade from the takings of the Fairtrade stallwhich will be open after the Morning Service.

Please support the lunch-time concerts in Bromley Central Hall,given by Adrian Boynton and his guests, on March 6th, July 3rd,

October 2nd, and December 18th.Time 12.00 noon to 2.00 pm.Tickets are £5.00, available from the Enquiry Desk in the ReferenceLibrary.

The concerts are always very enjoyable.

Betty Coster

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Marjorie Curry22 June 1937 - 11 January 2014

-----------------------Marjorie was born in Upper Norwood, and lived there for many years untilthe family moved to Streatham. She was educated at Virgo Fidelisconvent in Upper Norwood. After leaving school she qualified as aNursery Nurse and set up two nurseries in Upper Norwood, running one inthe morning and the other in the afternoon.

Marjorie and John met at St Aubyn's Congregational Church whereMarjorie taught in the Sunday school. They were married on August 30th1969 and came to live in Hayes. In 1971 they transferred theirmembership to Hayes Free Church where Marjorie spent many years asa leader of the primary department in the Junior Church. She alsoworked for St Mary's Church in Hayes in their nursery school for seventeenyears. Marjorie had a great love for young children and in 1971 Grahamwas born followed by Zoë in 1975.

After retiring when she was 60 Marjorie worked for an agency helping theelderly. Sadly in 2000 she was diagnosed with cancer and although sherecovered , in 2004 she started to decline mentally. John became herfull-time carer until 2009 when she went into Homefield Nursing Home.

Marjorie's love of children showed through every aspect of her life - in herwork with children and her home life with the family and grandchildren.All those who knew Marjorie will remember her for the love and kindnessshe showed to everybody.

Ignatian spirituality groupThe group meets on the second and fourth Thursdays in the month at8pm.

In March, this will be on 13 March (venue to be confirmed) and 27March at Sue’s house (247 Pickhurst Lane).

In the first meeting each month we reflect upon a passage from theBible and allow it to speak into our lives.

In the second meeting we do a meditation or exercise to help us linkour faith and our daily life.

If you’d like to join the group, we’d be very pleased to see you.For more details, contact David on 020 8249 7188,davidw.hawthorn1@btinternet.com

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Catalyst Needs You!This page will be kept for YOUR contributions - NOTHING ELSE will go on this page.

Hopefully, you will be inspired to share some pictures, poetry or stories.

A LETTER TO ALL AT HFC

I want to say a BIG "Thank you" to everyone who has supportedme and my family over the past month.I have received just over 100 cards and 35 letters and e-mails.Over 50 people turned up at the crematorium and over 150attended the Service of Thanksgiving in the afternoon. I havereceived many favourable comments regarding the Service ofThanksgiving which went really well. My grateful thanks toMalcolm Cheyne. Eric and Malcolm Hitch and Sue for theirtremendous assistance. 1 have received £965 for the Alzheimer'sDay Centre in Bromley that Marjorie attended twice a week fromOctober 2006-April 2009. With additional donations sent direct tothe Undertakers, the total will exceed £1.000.

John

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NOTICE

Women's World Day of Prayer--------------

This year the Service will be led by St. Mary's ParishChurch.

The Service will be held at St. Mary'sat 2 p.m. on Friday 7th March 2014.

The Service has been prepared by Christian women ofEgypt and is entitled "Streams in the Desert”.

Hayes Ladies Choir will lead the singing ,as well as singing their own anthem.

Refreshments will be available after the Service and allare welcome; men and women,

We do hope to see you there.

Sylvia Mack

Meetings in March--------

13th Thursday - Ignatianspirituality group

27th Thursday - Ignatianspirituality group

The meetings start at 8.00 pm.More details on page 8, orfrom: -

David Hawthorn Tel: 8249 7188

Sacred Space----------

Sunday, 23rd Marchat 6.00 pm.

Sacred Space: -The gift of remembering

Details from: - David Hawthorn Tel: 8249 7188

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BOARD

Hayes Horticultural SocietyQuiz Night

---------------------------Come and join us

on Saturday 8th March 2014at 7.45pm

at the Village Hall.

Tickets are at £10 each, including a fish and chipsupper, and are available from

Brenda Cordingley.

Tables are for 8, but we will try to accommodateanyone who would like to come.

Kent Association for the Blind … VIPAS groupVisually Impaired Persons Activity and Social group.Invite you to a Quiz night at the Hayes Free Church.

---------------------------All proceeds in aid of the Visually Impaired in the local area.

Friday 11th April. Quiz Night.Meet 6.45 pm for 7 pm Quiz.

AtHayes Free Church, Church Hall. 111 Pickhurst Lane, Hayes,

Bromley. BR2 7HU. A friendly fun Quiz night, with Raffle. Teams willbe up to 8 people so why not try to raise your own team.

Don't worry if you are coming along on your own as we willorganize teams on the night.

Finish approximately 9.30 pm. Cost £3 per person.------------------------------

Please bring your own drink and nibbles, (and take home withyou any rubbish, bottles plates etc.)

Book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.To book… Contact: Joan Dixon 020 8462 7903

eyejandk@btinternet.com

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Website of the Month The Ainsdale Village ChurchDear Friends,As you are all aware, our church has now officially got a properwebsite. Hurrah!

We have been working very hard to create a site that promotes thefriendly and public spirited church which has such a special place inour hearts.

Please have a look and tell us what you think ......Also there is a blog page ....... We would like you to contribute bywriting up a monthly news report or a reflection on a past event (e.g.Passover meal) or a 'food for thought' post with your view on anythingto do with Christianity or something you found that you would like toshare. ........

God Bless,Paul Green & Jonathan Jones

Sue Powell’s interview on the Huffington Post websiteContinued from last month.......4 I am personally moved by the idea of forgiveness - Mandela is the first

example to come to mind but it is actually in 'everyday' life that I feel itcan transform people's wellbeing. Imagine the relationships that can besaved if one partner was capable of forgiving the other?It is hard, even impossible for people to see past the hurt that anotherperson has caused him/her - if you could advise anyone on how theycan forgive another person, what would you say?

If the tables were turned, what would you need? None of us are perfect,no one is totally innocent. I helped a couple where the man had anaffair, and it devastated his wife. She asked him to renew his marriagevows... she stood there totally prepared to give him another chance, acomplete fresh start, and he stood there checking his mobile phone...Sometimes we want so badly to forgive and start again, and it is notwhat the other wants or needs. Trying to put yourself in the place of theother, to see things the way they see things, can help you discover whatis needed, and sometimes that might not be what we want. But if wecannot forgive, we cannot move on. Forgiveness is not forgetting, it isacknowledging what is wrong, and either doing something about fixingit or moving on - as Christians we say that God forgives when we aresorry - and if we are sorry, it means we try very hard not to do it again. Itis hard to forgive someone who intends to behave that way again, andin truth fairly pointless - but for our own well being, we must forgive and ifwe cannot fix it, we must move on.

... To be continued next month

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WORDLESS PRAYERRomans 8 v 26-27----------------------

In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness.We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself

intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches ourheads knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes forGod's people in accordance with the will of God

'Lord, teach us to pray' said the disciples to Jesus (Luke 11 v1). It haslong been the cry of believers that they want to pray and yet do notknow how. How reassuring, then, that the great apostle Paul, whonever seemed to be short of words, also knew what it felt like to bespeechless when it came to praying. Now we learn that even the HolySpirit groans with wordless prayers, through us and for us.

Anyone who has kept the faith has surely experienced the frustrated,inarticulate state of prayerlessness that Paul describes. It is comfortingto discover that not only Paul, but even the Holy Spirit, are sometimesfound to be lost for words — that this is actually a normal state to be in.While we often place a high premium on words, Paul suggests thatprayer is not primarily a matter of finding the right words, but more acase of finding an empathy with what God longs for. Sighs, groans,aching and longing: these are prayers in themselves, even if wecannot completely articulate what we mean by them.

Prayer meetings can be dominated by a few who pray lengthyhomilies while the rest are simply intimidated rather than being drawninto a sense of prayer. Might these meetings be transformed if thosepresent are able to sit in quiet longing instead.

Reflection. The pressure is off when we realise that it is not ourresponsibility to try and make things happen by saying the 'rightprayers'.

If you would like to have a time of quiet longing, come along once amonth on Wednesday from 6 - 7 pm. in the church. Dates are asfollows: -

26th March, 23rd April, 28th May, 25th June.We are a small group who feel that silent prayer for a particular subject

will bring results!

"You, Lord Jesus, pray in me. Let me be silent so that your voice alonemay be heard".

Father Lee

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ROTARY CLUB OF LANGLEY PARK & DEAF ACCESS

Saturday 22nd March2014

10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.AT

HAYES FREE CHURCHPICKHURST LANE

HAYESKENT

LUNCHES & REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE

Interested table holders – tables available D P Connolly.Tel: 020 8776 0108.

ENTRANCE £1.00Sponsored by:- Ennis-Webb & Co. Solicitors, Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts

Elite House, 155 Main Road, Biggin Hill, Kent TN16 3JP tel. 01959 577000

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DEAF ACCESSUndine and I, some 37 years ago, were involved in setting up a charityfor people with hearing problems because our young daughter Sarahwas born deaf and we discovered that there was little in the way ofsupport for people with hearing problems. That charity ‘Bromley Chain’eventually formed another charity about 15 years ago being ‘TheBromley Resource centre for the Hearing Impaired’ known as DeafAccess with a venue.Now the company secretary, I was a joint founding chairman of theorganisation and Undine was a trustee. The centre was set up toprovide support to people of all ages in the borough who havehearing problems from, hard of hearing to profoundly deaf. Thecentre is located centrally in Community House, South St, Bromley. Itprovides a resource centre with equipment that can be tried beforebuying. We have organised meetings for clubs such as the hard ofhearing and tinnitus sufferers, mothers with toddlers, hearing parentswith deaf children and deaf parents with hearing children. We run jobclubs and support for those unemployed, and run Deaf AwarenessCourses and signing classes. The centre also provides support by wayof advocacy to help those who need guidance, such asunderstanding letters or to make contact with organisations to clarifyor organise matters where that person is unable to use the telephone.The centre represents people with hearing problems and holds atubing and battery clinic for hearing aid users.

As one client said;- “To get my needs across is difficult as I amprofoundly deaf I was struggling to get the support Ineeded.....communication was difficult. Without Deaf Accesssignposting me to correct people I would not of been able to do it.Their letter given me to support my argument played a big part in mysuccess,”

The centre is therefore an important support organisation for peoplewith a hearing problem, more so now as the Bromley Council haveremoved the last social worker for the deaf and we are finding morepeople are coming to the centre for help and guidance. We havesome paid staff and also many valuable volunteers, but we have topay rent and maintenance for the accommodation occupied. Weare funded by way of a grant from the council which did cover ourbasic costs but the grant has been cut by 25% over the last few yearsand funding is now becoming difficult. We therefore are looking forfurther funding in order to continue the valuable support provided.

David Connolly

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Forgiving others is good for your heartForgiving people who have wronged you or even hurt you is good foryou.

Letting go of anger results in healthier blood pressure.Researchers at the University of California found that hanging on toanger raised the blood pressure which could be damaging over time.

Jesus warned that it is even more serious than that.

"If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father willalso forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive youyour sins".

Matthew Ch. 6, verses 14-15.

Seen in the Ainsdale URC Village Church magazine.

Sacred Spacereflective worship on the fourth Sunday evening in the month

--------------------Alison and I will be planning reflective worship services on the fourthSunday evening in the month. We’re calling these services SacredSpace to highlight that they are different to normal Sunday eveningservices.

Each service will explore a different theme and will be reflective intone. Services may feature times of quiet, meditations, exercises, ritu-als and displays. They will also include a mixture of hymns and songs.They will not normally feature sermons, liturgy or long prayers. Themesfor the next few months are: Loving ourselves (February), The gift ofremembering (March) and Personality and prayer (April).

We hope that the services will appeal both to existing worshippers andto people on the fringe or outside of the church. If you know of any-one who doesn’t regularly attend the church but might be interestedin Sacred Space, please tell them about the service. There are someleaflets at the back of the church which you can give to people.

If you would like to help us plan or lead any of the services, please letus know. Also, if you play a musical instrument and would like to playduring the services, we’d like to hear from you. It would be great if wecould form a music group.

David and Alison Hawthorn

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FutilityBy Wilfred Owen

-------------------Move him into the sun —Gently its touch awoke him once,At home, whispering of fields half-sown.Always it woke him, even in France,Until this morning and this snow.If anything might rouse him nowThe kind old sun will know.

Think how it wakes the seeds, —Woke, once, the clays of a cold star.Are limbs, so dear-achieved, are sides,Full-nerved — still warm — too hard to stir?Was it for this the clay grew tall?

— O what made fatuous sunbeams toilTo break earth’s sleep at all?

© The British Library / The Wilfred Owen Literary Estate-------------------------------------

A scan of the handwritten poem is in The Great War Archive, University of Oxford(www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa); © Julia Allison

The way things once wereThis year’s theme covers sayings or poetry from the First World War

The December CompetitionNo one tried to answer the competition. Therefore, thecompetition is now closed. The answers are: -1) What is Item A and whose name is associated with it?The answer is.: - A Christmas Comforts Tin which was

issued to the soldiers in the trenches by ‘The Princess Mary’.2) What is Item B? The answer is: - An aeroplane broach3) How many images are associated with Item A. The answeris: - Five4) Who contributed the image for the second item? Item B.

The Answer is: - Laurie Thomas.On a personal note, the nil response was disappointing,

especially as this is the centenary year of the outbreak of the FirstWorld War. The on-line archive which contains these objects is mostinteresting, and it should prove educational for those who wish to learnmore about the war. Ed

Item A

Item B

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March 20141st Sat St. David's Day

10.00 am - Saturday Fellowship Page 3

2nd Sun 10.30 am - Morning Service - Mike Tinson 6.00 pm - Holy Communion - The Minister

3rd Mon 8.00 pm - Women’s Contact Group Page 3

4th Tue

Shrove Tuesday10.00 am - Tuesday Prayer Meeting Page 3 2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship Page 5 8.00 pm - Women’s Contact Group Page 3 8.00 pm - Elders’ Meeting Page 3

5th Wed Ash Wednesday6th Thu

7th Fri 2.00 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Group Page 4 2.00 pm - Women’s World Day of Prayer Page 10

8th Sat 10.00 am - Women’s Contact Coffee Morning (Supporting Fairtrade Fortnight) Page 7

9th Sun10.30 am - Parade Service - The Minister Followed by Fairtrade Stall (support F/T F’nite) Page 7 6.00 pm - Evening Service - The Minister

10th Mon

11th Tue 10.00 am - Tuesday Prayer Meeting Page 3 2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship Page 5

12th Wed

13th Thu 2.30 pm - Bible Study Group Page 4 8.00 pm - Ignatian Spirituality Group Page 8

14th Fri 2.00 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Group Page 415th Sat

16th Sun 10.30 am - Morning Service - Dr Clive Timehin 6.00 pm - Evening Service - The Minister

17th Mon

18th Tue 10.00 am - Tuesday Prayer Meeting Page 3 2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship Page 5

19th Wed20th Thu 8.00 pm - Men’s Group Page 321st Fri 2.00 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Group Page 422nd Sat 10.00 am - Antiques & Collectors Fair Page 14

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY17 April Maundy Thursday Service18 April Good Friday CTH Service 10.00am at the Rosary Church.20 April Easter Sunday. Communion 8.00 am25 May AGM. 12.00 noon

A Thought for TodayNotice the little minor things around you, and feel the inner beautythrough all of them. That's what makes your life worth living for.

Ritu Ghatourey

April 20141st Tue 10.00 am - Tuesday Prayer Meeting Page 3

2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship Page 52nd Wed3rd Thu4th Fri5th Sat

6th Sun 10.30 am - Morning Service - Martin Wilcox, Child Aid 6.00 pm - Holy Communion - The Minister

March 2014

23rd Sun

10.30 am - Holy Communion - The Minister Followed by Fairtrade Stall Page 712.00 noon - Church Meeting Page 3 6.00 pm - Evening Service - David & Alison Hawthorn

24th Mon

25th Tue 10.00 am - Tuesday Prayer Meeting Page 3 2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship Page 5

26th Wed 6.30 pm - Worship Group Page 4

27th Thu 2.30 pm - Bible Study Group Page 4 8.00 pm - Ignatian Spirituality Group Page 8

28th Fri 2.00 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Group Page 429th Sat30th Sun BST Begins31st Mon

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CHURCH ORGANISATIONSDay Organisation Contact PhoneSunday10.25am Sunday Club Mike Duke 8462 5103Weekdays 9.15 -12.15pm12.15 -12.45pm

Pre School GroupP/School lunch club

Jayne Carvell 07913 299773

Monday5.45pm Brownies Sarah Humphrey 8249 99826.30pm Cubs Brenda Petts 8325 39568.00pm - 1st Women's Contact

GroupSylvia Mack 8462 1938

Tuesday10.00am Prayer Meeting Martin Nunn 8462 59182.00pm Women's Fellowship Sue Powell 8462 22127.00pm Scouts Paul Hasling 3236 0083Wednesday3.30pm - 4th Messy Church Sue Powell 8462 22125.15pm Rainbows Jenny Longman 07730 5749626.00pm Beavers Brenda Petts 8325 39566.30pm - 4th Reflections Group Bill Michie 8658 41678.00pm Explorers Tom Strachan 07745 813 295Thursday2.30pm - 2nd, & 4th

Bible Study Sue Powell 8462 2212

5.30pm Brownies Stevie Blair. 8325 34697.15 - 8.45pm Senior Guides Georgina Chappell 07983 4713088.00pm - 3rd Men's Group Bruce Tannock 8325 62648.00pm - 2nd,

& 4thIgnatian Spirituality

GroupDavid Hawthorn 8249 7188

Friday9.00 - 12.00pm Coffee morning during term times2.00pm Mothers & Toddlers Judith Stoner 8462 30236.30pm Guides Teresa Cheyne 8777 6042Saturday2.30pm - 1st Saturday Fellowship Martin Nunn 8462 5918

NOTE: - Some of the organisations meet once or twice per month.This is indicated by 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th. The numbers relate to which

week day of the month, NOT the calendar date.

Final ThoughtLentFast from grumbling and feast on thanksgivingFast from criticism and feast on praise.Fast from self pity and feast on thinking about

others.Fast from anger and feast on peace.Fast from despair and feast on hope.Fast from green and feast on contentment.

Fast from complaining and feast on gratitude.Fast from pessimism and feast on optimism.

Fast from harsh judgements and feast on kindlythoughts.

Fast from worry and feast on trusting DivineProvidence.

Fast from discouragement and feast on beingfull of hope.

Fast from bitterness and feast on forgiveness.Fast from hatred and feast on returning good for

evil.

Fast from negativism and feast on being positive.Fast from anger and feast on more patience.Fast from pettiness and feast on becoming

mature.Fast from gloom and feast on enjoying the

beauty that is all around you.Fast from jealously and feast on praying for trust.Fast from gossiping and feast on controlling your

tongue.Fast from sin and feast on turning to virtue.Fast from giving up and feast on embracing life

for all it's worth.