after darkness, light; after winter, spring; after dying, life: alleluia! alleluia!€¦ · ·...
TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 2017
After darkness, light;
After winter, spring;
After dying, LIFE:
Alleluia! Alleluia! (Fred Pratt Green)
www.southdownchurch.org.uk
Southdown Methodist Church April 2017
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Harpenden Ministry Team Weekday Activities
The Rev Gill Hulme
33 Thornbury,
Harpenden AL5 5SN
T: 01582 768347
The Rev Rachael Hawkins
32 Finch Road, Berkhamsted HP4 3LQ
T: 01442 866324
Outreach Lay Worker (P/T)
Mrs Jenny Cope
Alzey Gardens
Harpenden AL5 5SY
T: 01582 768087
Church Office
T: 01582 769871
Open Wednesdays 10am –4pm
Newsletter
Please provide copy by
E-mail by 10th of previous month
Editor: Vivienne Kendall Your intercessions are asked
114 Lower Luton Road this month for our friends
Wheathampstead AL4 8HH on p.7 of the church directory
T: 01582 629930
Mission Statement The aim of Southdown Newsletter is to help develop the Christian
faith through reporting about worship, people and activities of
Southdown Methodist Church.
Pre-school - Julia Prince 07908121891
Weekdays (except
Wednesday)
9.10am – 12.10pm in halls
Study Group Rev Gill Hulme 768347 Alternate Wednesdays
lounge 8pm
Brownies and Guides
Tuesday
17th Rainbows
14th Brownies
5pm
6.15pm
Wednesday
9th Brownies
3rd Guides
6.15pm
7.30pm
Thursday
17th Brownies
17th Guides
6.15pm
7.30pm
Hall Bookings
01582 769871
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ear friends,
I’ve been struck recently by a video produced by
Action for Children which asks a group of
children – Do you know what Lent is? The
children shake their heads, until at last a small girl
says yes – it is when you give something up and
get it back at Easter!
And it set me wondering, is this how the world
sees Christians, insisting that people to give up
what they enjoy?
However, another video on Lent tells a completely different story, but
again starts by asking what you think about when you hear the word Lent,
and goes onto say that it is all about Baptism. (Yes, Baptism - not about
‘giving something up’!)
You see, Christians believe that God radically changed the universe by the
passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which Lent reminds us of.
Indeed in the Early Church Lent was the 40 day retreat that prepared
Christians for their baptism, and the readings during Lent all link into this
theme. So we are encouraged to think about discipleship; and the living
water that Christ can bring; about illumination in dark times, and above all
about the New Life in the resurrection of Christ himself.
My favourite part of the baptism service in the Methodist tradition is
where the candidate for baptism (or the baby held in the minister’s arms)
is told the following: ‘For you Jesus Christ came into the world
For you he lived and showed God’s love
For you he suffered death on the cross
For you he triumphed over death,
Rising to newness of life
For you he prays at God’s right hand
- all this for you,
Before you could know anything of it,
In your baptism the word of Scripture is fulfilled;
We love, because God first loved us.’
D
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This is at the heart of the Easter message, whether you can remember your
baptism or not, because for all of us Christ came into the world to show
the depth of God’s love, and to bring us from darkness into the Light.
My prayer is that we can all know in our hearts this love that has
surrounded us, before we are able to respond to it, and that we can open
our hearts and minds to this amazing love.
Indeed as we shout for joy this Easter, may we spread that light and love
to our friends, neighbours, colleagues and community. Even if in our
secular society people aren’t sure about what Lent is, hopefully by our
faith in action, we can show them what Easter life, love and resurrection is
all about.
Every Blessing Gill
(If you have access to the internet you can see videos by clicking on the
links on the Southdown Methodist Facebook page.)
African Appeal t the end of March it was decided to support the famine appeal for
East Africa, and so we made ‘Cakes for Africa’ instead of our
sponsored child, Fatima. Thanks for your generous support.
The proceeds from Gill & Graham’s Lent Lunches will also be sent to the
appeal. We’ll let you know how much was raised figures next month.
Services at Southdown during April lease make sure you read the plan and take notice of the following
information re times!
2 April – Brunch Service at 10am in the halls. This service, which
usually happens on the 5th Sunday, has moved to the FIRST Sunday this
month, due to Gill’s other service commitments
On 9 and 23 April we welcome two preachers who are currently ‘on
trial’. Malcolm Lindo is a worship leader at All Saints, Berkhamsted and
will be with us on 9 April, and on 23 April we have another visit from
Helen Smith, from High Street.
A
P
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Many thanks to those who have
sponsored me or who are
supporting my ‘Purple for Lent’
appeal for Methodist Homes for
the Aged. I have raised over
£100 already and only two
weeks into Lent! Lots of people are supporting me by wearing purple and
by lending me purple things to wear.
Betty Martin’s thanksgiving service was both beautiful and poignant
and, as well as thanking Gill for a very moving service, I would also like
to thank Mary Hoare who arranged and distributed the daffodils to
everyone and to Adrian Harper and Lynda Woods for stewarding at the
service. As well as arranging church flowers Mary also buys and arranges
the flowers for funerals in keeping with the family’s wishes. Funerals are
always upsetting occasions for the families and to have the church
beautifully decorated helps to uplift them and us all on these occasions.
At present there are no flowers in the church as it is Lent but look out for a
sudden burst on Easter Sunday.
Gill Pruden has spent some time in hospital but is now back at Willow
Court. We hope that she will be feeling better soon and able to enjoy her
new surroundings and the company she may find there. Her son, Rev Ian
Pruden, was married to Lis in March but sadly Gill was unable to attend
the wedding.
Elsie Cooksley is now also living at Willow Court and settling in there at
the moment. If anyone can visit these two members of our church I am
sure they would appreciate seeing you. Both are feeling unsettled and
neither have families who are near enough to visit frequently.
Meanwhile we send our love to others who are unwell at this time.
Jenny Cope
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Easter at Southdown Wednesday 12th April
Taize Service United at St John’s at 8pm Maundy Thursday – April 13th
Tennebrae Service of darkness & light with Holy Communion at Southdown at 8pm
Good Friday – April 14th 9am – Service in church at Southdown – Rev Gill Hulme
10 am - Witness on Southdown Green with St John’s 10.30am - Walk of Witness (from Park Hall)
Walking the walk The following words are from testimonials of those who take part in the Walk of Witness each year with their local communities.
*The unity of God’s people is
close to the heart of God. Many
churches unite on Good Friday to
commemorate Christ’s sacrificial
love for us. Co-operation between
the churches in a town is essential,
to show the life of Christ to people.
*To walk behind a cross along the main street of a town is a simple, yet
powerful declaration of faith. It is also a visible reminder to all who watch
that there is hope to be found in the death and resurrection of Christ.
We have a hope of forgiveness, of new beginnings and a purpose to live
for.
*This year it rained and the wind blew, it was cold and wet - but
miserable? Oh no! The walk went ahead with more people and even
greater enthusiasm. Banners proclaimed who we were and what Jesus had
done for us. The day was wet but wonderful.
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In Gethsemane - the test of Faith
ne night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee
flames by jumping to the ground from the roof. His father stood on
the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll
catch you." But the boy was afraid - he couldn't see his father - all he
could see was flame, smoke, and blackness. He was afraid. Still, his father
kept yelling: "Jump son! I will catch you!" But the boy refused, crying,
"Daddy, I can't see you!" His father replied, "It's OK son - I can see you -
and that's all that matters!"
That’s what faith is. It’s putting your belief and trust in something or
somebody outside of yourself, and then acting on that belief.
The Garden of Gethsemane, on the side of the Mount of Olives in
Jerusalem, is where Jesus went to pray before his ordeal on the Cross.
He was troubled and overwhelmed with sorrow, to the point of sweating
drops of blood. Three times he prayed that if it were possible the cup of
suffering would be taken from him, but that the will of the Father would
nevertheless be done.
Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus “endured the cross, scorning its shame” and
that he did this “for the joy set before him”. Although he was under
immense pressure, and in torment at the suffering he was undergoing, he
pressed on, firstly, because it was the will of the Father and, secondly,
because, by faith, he knew that he would have great joy on the other side
of the suffering.
Gethsemane is a corruption into English
of two Hebrew words GAT and
SHMANIM – literally “a winepress of
oils”.
At the press, olives were gathered into
sacks and stacked one on top of another.
A beam was lowered onto the stack and
increasing weight was added to the end
of the beam to press oil from the olives.
O
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Olive oil, in the symbolism of the Bible, is a picture of the presence of the
Spirit of God (Gen 28: 16 – 18). Oil was used for anointing priests (Ex
29:7), and kings (1 Sam 10:1 and 2 Sam 2:4). It was also used to bring
light in the Temple and the home.
Adding the imagery of a winepress brings an extra dimension to the
picture, for the Bible says that wine “gladdens the heart”. Wine is not to
be taken ‘unto drunkenness’, but it is a gift from God. There are several
pictures in the Bible of wine and oil symbolising the favour of God
(Psalms 104:14 – 15, Hosea 2:8, Joel 2:24).
The suffering and sacrifice of Jesus allowed the Holy Spirit to be poured
out on those who believe in Him. There is joy in our salvation, and joy in
the promise of what is to come in eternity.
Trials and tribulations, pressure and suffering, are part of the human
condition. Christians do not escape. However, Christians have the joy of
knowing that God is with us through times of pressure and suffering, and
that he allows it because the final outcome will be good. The arms of the
Father and his Son are there for us when we jump.
The Wonder of the Cross
s Easter approaches we look forward to singing those ‘old’ familiar
hymns – and, yet, there are many new hymns and songs (which
David North has pointed out in the past) in Singing the Faith, that we have
not included in our services. A search through the relevant Easter sections
of StF will reveal new material, the words of which can speak anew to us.
One such hymn, StF 279, written by Vicky Beeching, made me stop and
think about the familiarity with which we sing words without truly taking
them in (Well, I’m speaking for myself here! Ed). The refrain especially
gave me pause for thought.
May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the cross.
May I see it like the first time, standing as a sinner lost.
Undone by mercy and left speechless watching wide-eyed at the cost.
May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the cross.
A
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Vicky is a regular commentator on BBC1, Sky
News, Channel 4, Radio 2, Radio 4 and a
frequent contributor to national newspapers.
The Guardian called her “arguably the most
influential Christian of her generation” for her
progressive impact on the Church, and the
Telegraph placed her in their “Top 100
Britons”.
She is one of the most well-known Equality
Campaigners in the UK for religious LGBT
inclusion and has been recognised with various
awards and nominations for this work.
She has degrees in Theology from Oxford, and current doctoral research
at Durham University, and has studied Christianity in great depth – both
its ancient past and its current ethical dilemmas. One of her major interests
is the intersection of Christianity and LGBT identity. This includes
questions around how the Church of England responds to calls for gay
marriage within its walls; how LGBT people of faith can feel fully equal
and welcome in faith communities; how we understand what the Bible
says about relationships; whether the current tensions will eventually split
the Church.
She is frequently on TV and radio discussing the latest advances in this
area, as well as broader stories about religion and the church. From time to
time, she exchanges her ‘TV commentator’ hat for ‘TV presenter’- guest-
presenting religiously-themed shows like BBC1’s Songs of Praise and
BBC1’s Sunday Morning Live and you can often catch her delivering the
spiritually-themed segment ‘Thought For The Day’ on Radio 4’s Today
Programme.
Of course, many hymnists have felt the wonder of the Cross. Isaac Watts’
great hymn will still be many preacher’s choice his Easter.
When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.
Southdown Methodist Church April 2017
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Shining like Stars Easter Offering
(Methodist Women in Britain)
t takes a lot of faith and dedication to shine like a star is some areas of
our troubled world. The three examples below highlight the work of
nationals in Mission Appointments (NMAs).
Rev Maria do Carmo works with young people held at three young
offenders’ institutes in Rio de Janeiro and its neighbourhood. In a country
where the age of criminal responsibility for some crimes was lowered
from 18 to 16 in 2015, the work Maria does with these young people is
essential for showing them the love and hope of Jesus Christ.
The environment within these institutes often does not foster rehabilitation
and restoration. Violent and often fatal gang warfare that takes place
outside of young offenders’ institutes frequently continues inside when
rival gangs are forced to live together. “A major challenge is to develop
pastoral work with different gangs at the same institution,” says Maria.
Hope for Teens started in 2012 in Accra, Ghana, to help girls who had
dropped out of school due to lack of funds or teenage pregnancy. Joanna
Akyeampong is the Programme Coordinator with a passion to help these
vulnerable girls. This vocational training and support from their peers
offer hope, new skills and knowledge to improve their standard of living
and their life expectations. In March 2016 there were 18 female students
in catering, sewing, bead/hat making and hairdressing classes under the
National Vocational Training Institute Certificate courses.
Jennifer Jag Jivan shines like a star in what sometimes feels like a dark
place. She is passionate about dialogue and through her work at the
Christian Study Centre in Rawalpindi. She helps Muslims and Christians
to understand each other a little better and find ways of enjoying each
other’s presence in Pakistan, rather than resenting it. Every single small
encounter in this work can change many lives.
I
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Dignity I - Anatomy of a rescue Our quiz evening in March raised £320 for MSF. Thanks to all who
supported this event and, hopefully, enjoyed fish & chips for supper.
Below is an account from Courtney Bercan, a nurse aboard
one of MSF’s rescue vessels patrolling the Mediterranean.
t’s still pitch black out when I wake up to a siren-like alarm. It’s 4:34 am
and I remember that I am aboard Médecins Sans Frontières’ rescue
vessel, Dignity I.
The alarm means that we have received a distress call from one or more
boats that left in the night to attempt to cross the Mediterranean from
Libya to Italy. This is my first rescue ever and I am so nervous thinking
about everything that could go wrong that I think I may vomit. I receive a
reassuring smile from the logistician who grins and says: “This is it. This
is why we are here”. And I know he is right. We are well stocked,
organised, and prepared for a safe rescue.
The flimsy white boat I can barely make out in the distance has more
than 100 people in it, and that there are several more boats in the vicinity.
I feel unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotion when I see the refugees
perched, without life jackets, on the sides of the dinghy. It is so dark; all it
would take is one stray wave and the entire boatload of people would be
swept into the sea, the only proof that they were ever there, being some
white plastic and floating water bottles. It’s truly a terrifying thought and I
feel much more at ease when I see our sailors distributing life jackets to
everyone and bringing the first group on board.
The sun is coming up by the
time they are all aboard. During
a lull I strike up a conversation
with one of our new
passengers. When we first saw
their boat, it appeared to be
heading away from us. I
ask him if they were trying to
avoid our boat.
I
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“Some of us, we were so scared," he says. "We thought you were going to
shoot us. We didn’t know what to do. We were so scared."
Hearing this, it becomes very clear to me why people collapse upon
boarding our boat - they have just gone from abject terror to relief and that
is a lot for a malnourished, dehydrated, sea sick, heat exhausted person to
process.
The man goes on to tell me that he had left his country a year ago to
escape a difficult life there. When he arrived in the new country he had his
papers confiscated and was put to work in slave-like conditions. He shows
me the scars he has from abuse at his previous 'job'. Is it still considered a
job, I ask myself, when you are being kept against your will and only paid
sporadically? His fear that we would shoot them makes a lot of sense to
me now.
We arrive at another boat with 100-plus passengers, including more than
20 women and children. I try to smile and make eye contact with each
woman and child as I register them. I can see that many are still scared or
unsure and I want them to know they don’t have to be.
Early the next morning we
arrive at the port in Sicily. The
Red Cross tents are waiting for
us, along with other non-
governmental organisations’,
Italian government officials
and a medical team. The
disembarkation of our
passengers takes several hours
and the atmosphere is a little
impatient, a little nervous, but
joyous. Finally our last passenger disembarks and we set to the task of
cleaning the ship. We are tired, but happy. Every one of our 466
passengers has made it to shore alive.
(MSF publication ‘Dispatches’ Spring 2017)
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Easter Trivia Quiz
1. In the UK it’s Good Friday and in Russia, Passion Friday. How is it
translated in Scandinavian languages?
Great Friday Holy Friday Long Friday
2. Which is an 8-pointed cross, having 4 V-shaped arms?
Celtic Cross Maltese Cross Cross of Tau
3. Edward I had crosses erected in memory of his wife, Eleanor, marking
each of the places her body rested on its way to London. Which mainline
station was built nearest to her last resting place?
Charing Cross King’s Cross St Pancras
4. Easter Island, discovered on Easter Sunday 1722 is now a territory of
which country? The Netherlands The UK Chile
5. As well as painting eggs and going cross-country skiing, which
country’s inhabitants like to spend Easter week solving murder mysteries?
Norway Sweden Austria
6. Several English monarchs attempted to ban hot cross ban as ‘a
dangerous symbol of Catholicism’. But who passed a law permitting them
to be sold only at Easter and Christmas?
Mary I Elizabeth I Henry VII
7. Archaeologists excavating this ancient city, buried under volcanic ash
since AD 79, found two buns marked with a cross. Which city?
Pompeii Messina Herculaneum
8. We all like a chocolate egg! In which year was the word chocolate first
recorded in English?
1558 1604 1666
9. What percentage of annual chocolate sales in the UK do Easter eggs
account for? Four Six Eight
10. Which is the only Shakespeare play that mentions Easter?
Romeo and Juliet All's Well That Ends Well
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Southdown Methodist Church April 2017
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The Welcome Signs of Spring?
ow that the clocks have gone forward it is ‘officially’ Summer time,
and definitely there is ‘spring in the air’. That being so we can expect
to hear and smell some of the signs of spring in the next few weeks.
During the drier periods listen out for the lawnmower bird,
with its whirring tones – sometimes a monotonous droning in
the distance. This birdsong is easily distinguished
from the call of the strimmerbird, which has a
higher pitch and intermittent call. The answering calls of both
birds can readily be heard from most surrounding gardens.
Two other birds which, however, are not so easily distinguished
from each other are the Mr Whippy bird and the Tonibel bird.
They are both neighbourhood birds and can be heard as they
travel along local streets, often together. Their
calls are musical, some may say melodic, although it this is
a matter for debate among musicians and scholars of
birdsong. Attractively coloured, they are especially loved
by children who will clamour to see them.
On particularly hot summer afternoons and evenings you cannot miss the
scents arising from the bonfire bush and the BBQ bush. The bonfire bush
is native to the UK, probably the oldest living plant these islands have
ever known. It has an evocative perfume, conjuring up memories of idyllic
days of yore.
The BBQ bush is an imported plant from Australia, arriving here only in
the last 60 years or so. Its scent is much stronger and contains a certain
chemical undertone overlaid with a pungent, eye-watering element.
Nevertheless, many owners open their gardens in the
summer and invite family and friends to join them around
the bush. This is a traditional custom from Australia,
where the BBQ bush is affectionately known as a
‘Barbie’. So loved is this bush that most Australians’
Christmas celebrations centre around the bush, rather than
pine or fir trees.
N
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Dates for your diary
Tuesday 4 July - Boat trip from
Windsor to Bray
Saturday 22 July 7pm
Celebration of Gill’s Ministry
and concert with Luton Male
Voice Choir. Tickets for both these will be
available very soon.
Sunday 23 July 6pm
Gill’s Farewell Service
at North Watford
Sunday 4 September - 6.30pm Welcome Service for Mmasape
and Ruth at High Street
If you go down to the
woods today…
The young lad went on
a woodland walk with
his grandpa. Grandpa
pointed out the violets
in the hedgerow and the
wood anemones.
On arrival back
home the lad told
Answers: Easter Trivia mother,
1. Long Friday 6. Elizabeth ‘I’ve seen violence in the
2. Maltese cross 7. Herculaneum hedgerow and wooden enemies.
3. Charing Cross 8. 1604
4. Chile 9. 8%
5. Norway 10. Romeo & Juliet
April
2 Breakfast Service
Rev Gill Hulme
10.00am
9 Malcolm Lindo 10.30am
16 Easter Worship
Rev Gill Hulme
11.00am
23 Helen Smith 10.30am
30 Baptism Service
Rev Gill Hulme
10.30am
Messy Church Jenny Cope 01582 768087
May
Friday 5th in Halls
3.30pm – 5.30pm
Tuesday at Three Jenny Cope
Meeting in the church 3 – 4pm
Diary for April
4 Easter tea
11 & 18 No meeting
25 tba
Lent study - Gill Hulme
Apr 5 The Crucified Jew Discussion Group resumes 26 April
Alternate Wednesdays 8pm - lounge