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For six years our family has been part of Fulwood Free Methodist Churtch.

We have different roles in the church, playing in the music band, signing services for the deaf, and our children are part of Junior Church.

This article is about our third child, Reuben who is now 4 years old. The scans during pregnancy with him showed nothing unusual, and we were thrilled when he arrived three days before his due date, healthy, beautiful and perfect.

We have always prayedHowever, within 20 minutes Reuben was unexpectedly in the special care baby unit and since then, he has been to countless hospitals and clinics for appoint-ments, scans, tests and surgeries. We had done nappies, teething and weaning before with our other 2 cthildren, but suddenly we had to learn about wound dressings and complicated medical terminology.

As Christians we have always prayed and trusted God, and now we asked God to help us as we made difficult decisions for our baby. We knew God was with us through this time. Proverbs 3:5 says ‘Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.’ This verse from the Bible can mean a lot to us.

Many conditionsReuben had many minor conditions but then at aged 7 months, Reuben

was diagnosed with IDIOPATHIC THORACIC SCOLIOSIS, a

significant curvature of the spine. After scans,

tests and x-rays he was put on the serial plaster cast pro-gramme. To prevent the curve from worsening, Reuben

had to be in plaster from neck to hips for

two years. His cast was changed under general

anaesthetic every ten weeks. It was tough for him, because it was sore and restrictive. Reuben couldn’t have a bath, swim or play in sand, but he was resilient and learnt to walk and

Andy and Amanda Cross share the joys and struggles of bringing up their son Reuben.

S U P E R H E R O

C O N C R E T EB O Y

Cov

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O N E P E R S O N A T A T I M E

I can’t understand anyone wanting to climb Everest! The enormity of it; huge

rocks, freezing temperatures and the lack of oxygen. Sheer terror. Yet others thrive on facing pressure, adventure and challenge. Fortunately I don’t have to face Everest, but I am constantly bom-barded by a different challenge: the ‘People with Problems’ Mountain. It can overwhelm me when the news shows so much human suffering, from food banks to famine, from work pressures to endless wars. Frankly, it can become all too much, so I stick my head in the sand and do nothing.

I can climb a molehillHowever, some years ago, I started saying to myself ‘One person at a time.’ I can’t climb Everest, but I can easily climb a molehill. I can’t feed the world, but I can foster one child at a time; I can donate food to a food-bank or help someone write a CV for a job.

Sponsoring needy childrenFulwood Free Methodist Church is just one of many churches full of people just like you who want to make a difference to our city. Some of our congregation recently shared a hotpot lunch after church then spent time listening to each other, hearing what each other is doing to make our city a better place. Some of the stories are in this issue of Heart magazine. Read about Sandra on page 4 who lives in Ingol and ‘does life’ with older Barnardo’s chil-dren; or Dave and Hazel on page 10 who sponsor extremely needy children from all over the world, which makes a difference to whole communities.

There is hopeI know you will enjoy reading these and more. The sadness in the world can overwhelm us, but be encouraged by these stories. There is hope. Be inspired.

Katharine (Editor)

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“The 10 hours Reuben spent in theatre were the longest hours of our lives but the results were extraordinary.”

Helpful websitesThe Scoliosis Association UK: www.sauk.org.uk The National Autistic Society: www.autism.org.uk

just get on with things as well as he could. At night he was uncomfortable and he’d wake hourly to be turned. The casts were heavy and hard. Lifting Reuben was like picking up a block of concrete – this led to us affectionately naming him our ‘Superhero Concrete Boy!’ We wrote updates on his blog http://superheroconcreteboy.blogspot.com to keep our family and friends informed. A good offshoot of this was that people experiencing similar things started to contact us, shared their stories and asked advice.

Twenty more operationsDespite the casting though, last year Reuben’s spinal curve deteriorated quickly. In October he underwent two spinal operations; one to remove four discs from his spine and the other to insert titanium rods either side of his spine, attached by screws and hooks to his bones, to hold him straight as he grows. The 10 hours Reuben spent in theatre were the longest hours of our lives but the results were extraor-

dinary, he looked so unbelievably straight! It was a long recovery but he’s now back to his usual lively self! This is only the beginning of this stage though, he had another operation in February and he still needs about twenty more operations, culminat-ing with a spinal fusion when he is a teenager so we still have a lot to go

through yet.Within this time, Reuben has

also been diagnosed with Bimanual Synkinesis, a neurological condition which affects the way his fingers work, he has Irritable Bowel Syndrome with wheat and food intolerances so he is on a gluten-free diet and he has Au-tistic Spectrum Disorder which affects his interaction with others, meaning he struggles to understand new things and any changes to routine.

Part of his routine is church life which he enjoys. He has been made very welcome and accepted in his ‘Junior Church’ group, even when he has one of his noisy moments! For us, the church is a safe and accepting place. We have been humbled to hear that many people have prayed for us, and some kindly called in to do the ironing or bring us meals during his procedures and time in hospital, even though we live several miles away.

A beautiful blessingTo doctors, Reuben is a list of medi-cal conditions, but to us he is a lively, beautiful blessing to our family. We had to decide to give up a job to care for him, but he has taught us so much and it is a privilege to be his parents. There is a long road ahead and there are many more challenges to come, but God is with us. In the Bible, a man called Paul who faced immense challenges said, ‘I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.’ And we are strengthened. We can face this together.

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£3.50

Note: While ‘Lunch Fellowship’ is usually the 3rd Wednesday in the month, this is not always the case, so if you are planning on coming please contact the church office. Vicky will tell you when each event is and, if you like, she’ll send you a programme in the post.

Enjoy a two-course meal followed by a cuppa and a short service where we sing a couple of hymns, have a short Bible message and pray. This group is aimed at those who are retired.

Lu nch FeL Lowship1 out of 4 Wednesdays. This hot meal is served to everyone at 12.30pm. The fellowship ends by 2pm.

“What I found was a safe place, people who cared and didn’t judge, people who also had problems, thoughts of failure and strange feelings and behaviours like me.”

The last time I went into a church I was a small child. I was more or less forced every Sunday to attend with my grandparents.

It was always cold, dark and full of old people, ladies in hats and men in suits, all singing hymns (this was my view as a child and one I continued to hold long after I had left the church). I never intended to go back again except for weddings and funerals. However, five years ago I moved to Preston and a copy of the Heart magazine fell onto my doormat. I usually put these things right in the bin, but on this occasion I found myself reading it. I saw an advert for a free starter course in British Sign Language. I enrolled, mainly due to problems with my own hearing loss, and I really wanted to give BSL a try – plus I was new to the area and needed to meet new people and get out. So for nine Wednesday evenings I went to the church for the sign course. It was fun and I met people of all ages, all of whom were really friendly. We had a laugh, especially when I stood at the front of the class and signed, ‘Hi, my name is

Carol, and my hobby is riding a bike,’ to which the whole room collapsed in laughter. Then

someone pointed out what I had actu-ally said was ‘Hi, my name is Carol,

and my hobby is milking cows!’ Af-ter the course, I picked up some

leaflets about the church, read them, then placed them in a drawer and forgot about them. I finished the sign course and didn’t go back into the church for two years.

Struggling with battles of depression

Then in 2011, I started to suffer with anxiety and depression. I had great

friends, a loving partner and a beautiful family, yet I was in this dark place. I’d stopped going out, meeting friends and had eventually finished work on health grounds. Then I remembered that I’d picked up a leaflet in church about a course called Celebrate Recovery (CR). I was struggling from so many battles with the anxiety and depression and I didn’t know how to help myself. I even-tually plucked up the courage to go back to church one Mon-day evening for the CR course. I was very anxious going in on my own, wondering what everyone would be like, but it was made easier because I had already been inside for the signing course. I didn’t know what to expect and doubted very much if it could be of any benefit, all else having failed so many times before. What I did find was a safe place, people who cared and didn’t judge, people who also had problems, thoughts of failure and strange feelings and behaviours like me. I was able to cry and to be honest and I never felt judged or weak. The encouragement and sup-port the group offered filled me with hope. I am attending the course for a second year now and working on other issues.

I felt part of a growing familyAt no time was there any pressure to go to a church ser-vice, but one day I decided to go. I’d already made friends with the women from my CR class, enjoying meeting up with them every Monday night at the course. I felt part of

Carol is a retail assistant in Preston. She lives in Cottam.

My Hobby is Milking Cows! (Really?)

Or...

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£2.50

7.30–9.30pm M O N D AY SF ulwood Free Methodist Church

Small groups • Individual support

Struggling with hurts, hang-ups

or habits?

Come to Celebrate Recovery!

a growing family. When I went to church for the first time, I was hoping to find a sense of peace and maybe understand if God could be in my life. I arrived in the foyer at 6.15pm and bumped straight into Katharine Gardner who had helped run the sign language course all those years before. I was surprised because the service was nothing like I had imagined, thinking back to those days at church as a small child. What I found here was a lively service, a live band on stage, along with a singer to help us sing and a full sound system which meant I could sing my heart out without scaring the person next to me! The place was full of young people, family people, old and new alike. Since that evening I have come whenever possible.

Moving forward in lifeMy life is still a struggle but then, no one promised a rose garden. Slowly I feel that I am moving forward. I’m more confident, finding peace and learning to cope. I’m less anxious. My depression is going and I’m back at work part-time. I’m going out and meeting friends. Life is good. I still have lots of questions about faith and want to discov-er more about what it means to live as a Christian and to know the Lord, so along with some of the CR members, we joined another church course called Alpha, which is for anyone who is curious about faith. You can ask ques-tions, chat with others and make up your own mind about things. We met each Thursday evening last term - and they even laid on a lovely meal each week before the session. Everything was completely free!

Church is not a scary and boring placeThen, recently, I also went to the Wednesday ‘Lunchbreak’, where you can have homemade soup, roll, cake and a

brew for £2.50 - yet another meeting place for all the new friends I have made. I have started to read bits of the Bible and I’ve started to pray for the first time. I am working through the 12-steps from CR. Yes, I have a long way to go, but every journey starts with baby steps. My first step was reading Heart Magazine and the difference that has made in my life is huge. I have a network of friends, a social life, a group of ladies that I can call on at any time. Church is not the scary, boring place I had once thought it was.

Join us for Homemade Soup, a fresh warm roll and a glass of fruit juice followed by a homemade cake and a cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea – the choice is yours! You get all this for only £2.50. All are welcome, we have young mums with babes in arms, business folk on their lunch break, the retired and students on study days! Please do come in and meet us all.

Lu nch Br ea k 3 out of 4 Wednesdays from 12 noon – 1.30pm.

My Hobby is Milking Cows! (Really?)

CrècheBabies and toddlers are welcome in crèche and they can bring parents or carers along too. CRB checked volunteers help out. There are good quality toys and puzzles to keep visitors entertained. The crèche room is divided from the church service by a glass window, so you can be part of the worship, although the children can’t be heard!

Aunty Anne’s classFor children aged 2 to 5. They enjoy stories, songs and games. Aunty Anne has taught these little ones for many years with the support of lovely volunteers.

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Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.Colossians: chapter 3

Care. Listen. Learn. Nurture.Enjoy growing up together

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Who can attend Energize?Anyone aged 2 – 11. Parents, grandparents, or other carers can bring them every Sunday morning and know they are in safe hands.

How will I know my child is safe?A registration team is positioned at the door on arrival and will register your child. On your child’s first visit a leader introduces you both to the class teacher and explains what goes on. The leader also asks where you are sitting in church just in case your child needs you later on, but you are welcome to stay in Energize with your child if you wish. Children are not allowed out of the room unless accom-panied by one of the Energize staff. If your child visits for a second week we will ask you to complete registration and medical forms.

What does it cost?It is always free.

What time does it start?You can turn up any time before 9.50am, but please wait in the café area until 9.50am. Stewards will tell you when it is time to go into the hall (known as Oak). At 9.50am they go into Oak to play games, or other quiet activities and settle in to begin at 10am promptly.

How long does it last?Just over an hour. At the end, the children are taken into the main service to find their parents or carers, in time for the last couple of songs and closing prayer.

Can my child wear jeans or do you prefer smart clothes?It doesn’t matter what your child wears. Children wear jeans, shorts, dresses – it doesn’t matter at all.

My child is shy – are there lots of children? Will my child have to join in if they don’t want to?Yes we do have a lot of children but we split into age groups so the children get used to their own teachers. The children are encouraged to join in but are never forced. We often find that after a couple of weeks the shyer children are joining in happily with the rest.

Is there anything to eat or drink?

We don’t usually have anything to eat or drink

because refreshments are served to everyone

who wants to socialise after the service, and

when children are with their parents. Food/sweets

do sometimes play a part in games/quizzes etc.

Parents will be asked about allergies and

preferences on the registration forms.

What do you do in Energize?

We have fun! There are stories and songs, games,

quizzes and lots of crafts that teach the children

about the Bible, and learning Christian

values such as kindness, generosity,

peace-making and so much

more. There is something

for everyone. A couple

of times a year we

join with the whole

church for special

services. And of

course we do the

Nativity play each

Christmas. Many

of these children

form strong peer

groups as they

grow which is a good

foundation in prepa-ration for the more challenging

teenage years.

EnergizeThese groups are for primary aged children. They have fun! Stories, songs, crafts and games teach the children about Jesus and give them a solid foundation for life as they grow.

KickstartCan’t make Sundays? Years 3 – 6 fun on Wednesdays 6-7pm. 50p entry.First session free!

IgniteIf you are at secondary

school then Ignite is for you. It starts with a sausage buttie

and activities followed by lively worship and relevant Bible study in a fun atmosphere.

Our new name for Junior Church

Care. Listen. Learn. Nurture.Enjoy growing up together

“Barnardo’s believe in the potential of every young person no matter who they are”

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Sandra Bell

Soup doesn’t always come in a Tin

With thanks to Barnardo’swith my daughter, a friendship which will continue long into the future.

What if I can’t cope?It is natural to worry about opening your home to strangers. All sorts of questions arise such as What if some-thing goes wrong? What if I can’t cope? and so on, but I was put at ease with the excellent training provided by the Barnardo’s Moving On scheme. They are so supportive in every way, for example, if necessary, they will move the young person out while you go on holiday.

Help each one to learn to liveAll the girls attended college and I continued doing my full-time job with no problem. My role is to help each one learn how to live independently, to show them respect and give them the space to make their own decisions. They choose to move on when they are confident and ready. One young lady desperately wanted to learn how to cook and was amazed to discover that soup doesn’t always come in a tin! For me, it is fulfilling to be used as a ‘stepping-stone’ for some people to find their way in the world.

Hi, I am Sandra. I live in Ingol and work as a teaching assistant at

Ashton Science College in the Impaired Hearing Unit.

I have always loved supporting young people to learn and develop, so when my children flew the nest, I decided it would be selfish of me to keep my 4-bedroomed house just for me and my youngest daughter Libby. I looked for ways to use the space wisely and discovered Barnardo’s. Barnardo’s believe in the potential of every young person no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. The aim is to bring out the best in everyone by supporting them through a period of difficulty.

A troublesome eating disorderSo far, three very different girls, all in their twenties, have lived in my home. One of these arrived with a trouble-some eating disorder. A voice inside

constantly told her she was ‘rubbish.’ This problem gradually eased as she attended an Alpha course, as well as taking herself to Celebrate Recovery where she understood how valuable and lovely she really is. This girl was such a pleasure to have in our home and she has become close friends

The number of children who are seeking our help has risen by 34% in just one year.

Help us to support the unsupported by visiting www.barnardos.org.uk/support-the-unsupported.htm

We offer these vulnerable young people the kind of emotional and practical support you give your children, so that they can start to rebuild their lives.

In July, my year of training and working with this church comes to an end and I hope to start a degree with a view to one day possibly becom-ing a teacher.

This year has been invaluable in so many ways. Moving away from home helped me grow up – my friends and family in Corn-wall have noticed a really positive change in me. They don’t mind that I can call Preston ‘home,’ and that I have developed a clear sense of independence and direction for my life. They know that I love it here.

Most days, I work as a volunteer, from 10am to 5pm. I plan for groups, organise events and projects and attend other things in the evening such as youth groups. I visit schools to help

run groups and classes. I also do pastoral visits to some people from the church. I enjoy singing so I have sometimes helped the band lead the congregation-al singing on a Sunday.

The biggest learning curve has been to work in a team with a completely new set of people, who all work in different ways and come from totally different backgrounds. Each term our youth group runs something called the Big Night Out! I really love planning it. We invite lots of teenagers from across the city and beyond for a special youth event in the church. It is a great way to connect with other young people and we know that they return to their own churches encouraged and enthused!

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It’s been great living in Ingol with Sandra (see opposite) – she doesn’t only open her home to Barnardo’s children! I am going to miss her family, all my friends, the church

people and so much more when I move on in the summer, but I will always cherish my time here and seriously hope to come back after my degree!

With thanks to Barnardo’s

Come in and find a superb range of books, CDs, DVDs, cards and gifts for special occasions at the Christian Resource Bookshop on Fox Street, Preston. Friendly staff will help you find what you are looking for.

Web: www.christian-book-centre.co.ukPhone: 01772 259279Email: cbcpreston@aol.com

DISCOVER MORE.. .

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia and a growing problem in the UK and across the world. The loss of precious memories affects the lives of patients, careers, families and friends.

For over 15 years Dr Trevor Crawford, from the Centre of Aging Research at Lancaster University, who is also a partner at Fulwood Free Methodist Church, has been conducting research to improve the

diagnosis of this disease so that patients will have access to earlier treatment.  

On September 6th, Saturday 3-4pm (Followed by refreshments) at Fulwood Free Methodist Church, Dr Crawford will give a presentation of his work, and explain how we can all help in the fight against this awful disease. 

You are warmly invited to join us, please feel free to bring family and friends.

6 SEPTEMBER 3.00 – 4.00pmDate For Your DiaryFighting Alzheimer’s

J E S S W I L L I A M S O N

I was introduced in the last magazine as ‘the new intern from Cornwall’. 

How fast time flies!

A N I N V A L U A B L E Y E A R

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Dave and Hazel Sewell have sponsored children via Compassion International for many years and share some of their experiences with us. Hazel was awarded an MBE in 2012 for her work in setting up the Cedar House Counselling Centre in Pres-ton. www.Cedar-House.eu

For more information go to: www.my.compassionuk.org/app/thebigpicture

Or ring: 01932 836490. Heart magazine thanks Bekah Legg, PR and Media Manager, Compassion UK for the up-to-date information.

Compassion runs through

all they do

Some Compassion Facts: • Compassion has been running for 62 years and works in 26

countries around the poverty belt of the planet. Compassion currently has 1.3 million children on their books.

• 80% of sponsorship money goes directly to programmes that benefit the child.

• 12 % goes towards finding the next sponsor.• 2% goes to the child ministry which facilitates a one-to-one

relationship between the sponsor.• 6% goes to admin and governance. • Independent research last year resulted in the Wydick Report

which stated that Compassion-sponsored children were more likely than their peers to enter ‘White Collar’ jobs, stay in school and be leaders in the communities and beyond.

Mong is eight years old. He lives in Bangladesh, one of the most poverty-stricken countries on the planet.

He mostly eats rice and vegetables and has not been in good health for some time. Thankfully he has been able to have treatment recently and is doing better.

Marwin comes from a poor community in Equador. Iya lives in Indonesia, as does Elza. Byeringere

was from Rwanda - he was eleven in 1994 when the genocide struck. We never heard from him again. Rosadette was a teenager from Haiti – her time with the project came to an end so we said ‘good-bye’. We wonder what has happened to her since.

These are just a few of the children we have been privileged to sponsor during the last 20 years or so. We

have learned so much from their letters, drawings, project reports and photos. All this is made possible by ‘Compassion,’ an amazing charity which is trans-forming the lives and futures of 1.5 million children worldwide who otherwise would have had no hope of breaking out of the gruelling cycle of poverty in their families and communities.

And it’s such good value! For only £25 a month (the price of a meal out?) the children get daily food, health care, education and support for their family – life-changing stuff! On top of that, each child gets to know that there is someone out there who cares for them, writes to them, sends photos and remembers them in their prayers. This, in turn, enriches their families and communities and we get to know that we have been part of something which really makes a difference.

We are so grateful to Compassion for giving us this opportunity. They have over 60 years of experience, huge resourcefulness and their real sense of yes! Compassion runs through all they do, like the letters in Blackpool rock! You can check out their website at www.compassionuk.org

Maybe you feel drawn to change a life in some far-flung corner of the world. With a modest financial commitment, a little time sending letters and photos (which you can do on-line) and some space in your heart and your prayers, a child’s life could be allowed to blossom, a family helped and a community blessed.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” Proverbs 31:8

ToddlersIf you are an expectant or new mum there is a relaxed, friendly place for you and your baby in our café area. Walk through the

front door and meet other mums and make friends.

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Compassion runs through

all they do

Tuesdays 10am - 11.30am(term-time only)

Come to our popular Toddler group with your pre-schooler; a

time for you to have a cuppa and chat while watching your toddler play. There is Bible story time in a separate space for the over 3s and a singing time for everyone to enjoy at the end of the morning. There is plenty of parking and disabled access and facilities.

Cost: £1.50 for 1 adult with up to 3 children.

We meet in the car park of the church on Lightfoot Lane. Everyone of all ages is welcome to join us on our monthly country walks, along canal towpaths,

riverbanks, or even venturing into the Dales or Lake District from time to time. Dogs welcome too!

Our walks take between 3-6 hours followed by a hot drink at a cafe!

Phone: 01772 861597 email: general@fulwoodfmc.net

L i g ht fo ot R amb lers

Tuesdays 10.15am – 11.30am (most weeks)Bump & BaBy

If you are a teenager and want to find out more about the youth groups at Fulwood Free Methodist Church, phone the church during the daytime on 861597 or go to our website for more information.

British Sign Language for the DeafIf you are deaf, the 10am services are signed in BSL and SSE by members of the congregation. Everyone enjoys the high use of visuals that illustrate the talks. There is space to sit and enjoy a free coffee and chat after the services.

If you want to pop in during the week, especially for Wednesday ‘Lunch Break’, there are usually people who communicate in sign language who will welcome you.

Our wonderful house-keeper, June Steele, is deaf. She works in the building most weekdays – just ask on reception to speak to her.

Sunday10-11.15am Morning ServiceDepending on their age, children go straight to Créche, Energize or the youth hall (known as Cypress).

Toddlers aged 2-3 head for their special room upstairs, known as Aunty Anne’s class.

Hymns and songs are led by one of several music bands. There is time to pray and listen to a talk or message from the Bible. The talks are usually recorded and available from our website (see back page).

All morning services are signed/interpreted by a team of volunteers for those who are deaf. Other events such as Alpha may be signed on request.

6.30-8.00pm Evening ServiceFollowed by free tea and coffee

Fulwood Free Methodist Church

Links to all the news and upcoming events, plus many more resources via the church website.

ADDRESSFulwood FMCLightfoot LaneFulwoodPrestonPR2 3LT

TELEPHONE01772 861597 FI

ND

USWEBSITE

www.fulwoodfmc.netfor info on our churchfor podcsasts – listen to our Sunday messages online for blogs – thoughts and ideas for you to read

EMAILgeneral@fulwoodfmc.net

CONTACT

It’s our Family Fun Day again.7th June at the church.All Welcome. Free!

Special EventsFind out what’s on in the coming days, then come along and make friends. You can phone Vicky on reception and check out the details; she is happy to answer your questions.

Regular EventsThis menu link will point you to what happens each week from Toddlers to Teens, Who Let the Dad’s Out, Ramblers, Craft afternoons or Prayer evenings. There is also up-to-date information on Wednesday Lunchbreak, Celebrate Recovery and much more!

Walk through our website!www.fulwoodfmc.net

Curious about the Christian faith?Alpha is a friendly event to meet others with similar questions and no pressure to conform to anyone else’s view • All very welcome • No cost • 10 evenings – usually Thursdays 7.30pm – 9.30pm • A meal followed by a short DVD then discussion in a small group.

Life is Worth Exploring – Try Alpha.

For information on the date of the next Alpha, call in at Fulwood Free Methodist Church or contact us by email or phone using the details on the back of Heart magazine.

Registered Charity No. 514359