september highbury news

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Highbury Congregational Church

Oxford Street. Cheltenham. GL52 6DUwww.highburychurch.co.uk

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Highbury News - 2 - September 2012

Deadline for October Highbury News:Sunday 9th September

... to a very special celebration ofHarvest.Not that it isn’t always very special!Over our harvest weekend we will behaving our Highbury @ Home weekend.It’s great that so many people havealready booked in for the weekend ...but we would really love as manypeople as possible to join us.Beginning with supper, that will set thescene and lead into an entertainingevening on the Friday, and there willthen be a sleepover for primary schoolage children.Saturday morning will be a time toshare together in worship and a timeto go back to our roots in the New

Testament and reflect together onwhat we need to do to help Highburygo from strength to strength.Saturday afternoon will be an informaltime together, before taking ourthinking forward again prior to supperand a Quiz evening.Following a Hy-Tec sleepover we shallbe having breakfast and a café churchmorning, when we will focus on theCongregational Federation’s Nicaraguapartnership which will be part of ourHarvest collection.Do join us for what promises to be avery special weekend helping us tomove forward as a church familytogether.

An invitation ...

Highbury Congregational Church belongs tothe Congregational Federation and is in partnership with

the Council for World Mission and Churches Together

01242 522050

[email protected]


Room for all!It began at the Church Meeting back inJanuary.Everyone was asked to come up withfive words or phrases that capturedwhat was special about Highbury.That produced something well over200 words and phrases.At the next Deacons’ Meeting slips ofpaper with the words and phraseswere shared round the deacons. Afterabout twenty minutes standing arounda table they had grouped them into sixcategories.It was fascinating to see the way apicture emerged of the church to whichwe all belong.Each month over the last six monthswe have focused on each category inturn here in Highbury News, and inother ways at church.Uppermost was the conviction thatHighbury is a welcoming churchwhich is friendly, warm and caring.Pastoral Care is very much at theheart of our church life as people seekto be supportive, helpful andconcerned.That’s all under-pinned by ourworship and prayer. With a teachingfocus on God and the basic Christianmessage that’s relevant, down to earthand challenging, we seek to be apraying church.With an active concern for thecommunity and an outward lookingapproach we seek, we have missionat the heart of our church life, and

seek to be mission-minded in what wedo.We stand in a long tradition that goesright back to the beginnings of ourchurch when we seek to be child-friendly and regard children not asthe church of the future but very muchas part of the church of today.With an ecumenical involvement withother churches locally Highbury is aninclusive, diverse church which canbe a place to find yourself and findothers. Friendships and sharing are allimportant.If that’s the picture we had of ourchurch at Highbury as we gatheredtogether in our Church Meeting inJanuary, what do we measure it by?At Highbury @ Home, our weekend atthe end of September, we are going totake a look at five churches that weknow quite a lot about from the NewTestament, the churches in Rome,Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi and Corinth.What was special about each of thosechurches?As we build up a picture of what thosechurches were like maybe we shall findthings that challenge us to think againabout our own church here at Highbury.The hope is that we can come up withmore words that focus on the thingswe need to do to build up the churchhere at Highbury, so that we can betrue to the calling God gives us as achurch.That will then help us to identify thethings we need to focus on to build upthe church for the future.

Minister’s Memo


In among all the words we share, howimportant it is that we listen out forGod’s Word for us.That then gives rise to one morechallenge.We are called to be not so much‘hearers of the word’ but ‘doers of theword’.

Let’s seek God’s blessing as we seek toput our words into action!

Sue’s NewsSummer is almost over, and it was ourusual British Summer, with somesunny days but too many requiringumbrellas, brightened by the jubilationof the Jubilee and the excitement ofthe London 2012 Olympic Games. Sowe now look forward to autumn withthe hopes that any feel good factorfrom those events will be carriedforward for a long time.August has been quiet as usual, withmany taking holidays, includingRichard and Felicity. In their absence,Sundays with different preachersleading worship may not pleaseeveryone. We should appreciate thedifferent approach and delivery ofvisiting preachers and be glad thatthey are willing to come and lead ourworship. Even the early Christiansmust have had their own personalities,thoughts and methods of preaching.All, then and now, speak to spread theGood News of the gospels. I believe weshould embrace the variety.August has also been the time for afacelift and upgrade of the Churchkitchen. This must be one of thehardest worked rooms in the buildingand, like all of us, eventually showssigns of wear and tear. We aregrateful to Darryl for his time anddedication in using his experience and

connections to again improve thefacilities of Highbury.September means Harvest and thatmeans Harvest Festival, this year asthe finale of our Weekend Away @Home. This weekend will be a wholenew venture and gives us theopportunity for discussion andsocialising more intensively than usual.The hope is that this will lead usforward with the life of Highbury andits Mission. If you missed the deadlinefor enrolling, I’m sure you might be stillbe slipped in at this late stage.Last September, we were consideringholding a regular monthly lunch. Weconsidered, we tried it, and howsuccessful it has been! The team ofcaterers has unfailingly produced avariety of good healthy meals andexcellent value. They are hoping to pullin more volunteers so, if you havetalents for cooking please considerjoining the team (see page 9.)Similarly, the Community Café, hasrelied on the volunteer coffee and cakemakers to take turns at providing forthe regular appreciative customers onThursday mornings. These areinvariably happy little gatherings andanother means of outreach to localpeople.


Chosen Charity for September and Harvest:Congregational Federation Nicaragua Appeal

In September we combine themonthly charity with the annualHarvest Appeal, and this year we aresupporting the CongregationalFederation’s work, with Christian Aid,to help projects in Nicaragua.Nicaragua is approximately the samesize as England and is in CentralAmerica, between Honduras andCosta Rica. It has a population ofalmost 6 million people, a quarter ofthem living in the capital city Managua.The country, which lies within thetropics, is regularly hit by hurricanesand tropical storms that sweep acrossthe Atlantic each year. The destructionthese cause have held back thecountry’s economic development.Nicaragua’s problems have beenmade worse by its turbulent recenthistory.Following many years of militarydictatorship, a revolution in 1979 anda counter revolution in the 1980s leftthe country’s infrastructure ruined andits people desperately poor. Nicaraguais the second poorest country in thewestern hemisphere after Haiti: 80 percent of the population live on less thanUS$2 per day.

Christian Aid in NicaraguaThe country faces two key challengesthat Christian Aid and its partners areseeking to tackle.Climate change: Nicaragua is one ofthe three countries in the world worstaffected by weather catastrophes, andthe United Nations has warned thatstorms here will only get worse.Economic justice: in Nicaragua, 80%of urban jobs are in small companies,and 90% of rural businesses arelinked to small, family-run farms. Oneof the biggest challenges for smallproducers is being able to reach amarket where they can sell theirproducts. With limited access totransport, little bargaining power andno marketing or sales expertise, manystruggle to earn a living.Christian Aid works with three mainpartner organisations in Nicaragua.Our gifts will be funding the overallNicaragua country programme.This summary is taken from theCongregational Federation’s website.If you are able to access it yourselfyou will find details of individualprojects, and I am sure we will besharing more details in church duringthis month.

Mary Michael

Highbury Community CaféEvery Thursday 10.00am until 11.30am

Coffee, Tea, and Homemade CakeBring your friends and neighbours


CONGRATULATIONS to- grandparents, Richard and Alison Sharpe, on the birth of anothergranddaughter, Lily Mae, on Wednesday 1st August- Walter Kirstein who celebrated his 80th birthday on Monday 13th AugustIT IS GOOD TO REPORT that- June Tremlett is home again, recuperating after an operation- Rachel Jacques is also home after a hospital stay, but continuing to receivetreatmentWELCOME to- Elaine Smith who was received into Church Membership on Sunday 19th AugustWELCOME BACK to- all who have been away in the holiday season, enjoying a ‘summer’ break fromthe normal routine - we have missed you, and pray that you have returnedrefreshed!GOOD WISHES to- all the young people of the church, as they return to college and school at thestart of another academic year. (But whoever said that these are the best yearsof life?)NEW ADDRESS We wish Becky Hartwell well in her new home

OUR SYMPATHY to- James Martin whose friend, Kathy, passed away on Thursday 2nd August- Paula Rea whose friend, Vivienne Kay, passed away on Saturday 4th AugustPLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:- Gwen Clark - Ruth and Charles Adams- Diana and Dick Adams - Margaret and David Sheen- Ian and Hilare Pulford - Caroline and Christopher Gregory- Ann and Stan Jones - Felicia Tennant - Joan Lee- Ann and Ernie Hansen - Rachel Jacques - Ivy Sadler- Ray and Margaret Morgan - Janet Rhodes - Gwen Taylor- Raymond and Brenda Clarke - June Tremlett - Maurice Wilce- others with a variety of problems – personal, family, health, work, education- or simply feeling down, and in need of our love and prayerful support- also remembering those who care for all these folk

News of the Church Family


Open the BookWho is this Jesus?

Thursday 13th September 7-30 to 9-00At the heart of the Christian faith is not a creed or a statement of faith but aperson, Jesus Christ. I have become more and more convinced that whatmakes us distinct in our Christian faith is this Jesus Christ. But who is this Jesus?At the second of our meetings I hope that Stefan will be able to join us andshare some of his reflections on the heart of the Christian message after thework he has shared in the seminary in Brazil.Do join us as we open the book and share together our insights into who thisJesus is.Thursday 13th September Mark 2 - 3: 6 A day in the Life of JesusThursday 11th October Insights from Brazil with Stefan KüerleThursday 8th November Mark 8: 27ff Who do you say I am?Thursday 13th December Luke 1 - 2 Who is this child to be born?

Richard Cleaves

Recycling Cards for the Cobalt UnitPlease may I thank everyone who has given their cards to me for Cobalt.They are re-cycled and sold, and the proceeds all go to the Cobalt.At the moment Cobalt are trying to raise £1 million to buy a new CT Scannerwhich will benefit everyone. The new machine can scan a person in a fewseconds, saving valuable time in cases of strokes, heart attacks andaccidents, getting people on the road to recovery even quicker. It can alsodetect the early signs of Dementia and Alzheimers disease. That has to bea good thing.The good news is that Cobalt has nearly raised the £1,000,000So please keep those cards coming.Once again, many thanks.

Tricia Stone

CHURCH FAMILY NEWS, AND VISITING REQUESTS please contact:

Joyce and Philip Arnold ( 01242 285705

David and Betty Butcher ( 01242 300581

PRAYER CHAIN REQUESTS please contact:

Lorraine Gasside ( 01242 239838 [email protected]


The Hope GroupNurtured several years ago by Cecile Whitmore and Sue Bamford, this groupis restarting bi-monthly, on Thursday 27th September at 7-30 pm, in SueCole’s home, Holland House, 49 Brooklyn Road, with an informal evening.Ladies please bring a plate (of food!)

Hospital Chaplaincy Volunteers’ Training CourseWednesday Mornings

19th September to 21st November 2012at Redwood Education Centre

Gloucestershire Royal HospitalGreat Western RoadGloucester GL1 3NN

for people interested in becoming a chaplaincy volunteerat Gloucestershire Royal Hospital or

Cheltenham General HospitalDo you like meeting new people? Are you good at listening? Do you have apersonal belief? Can you accept and care for those who may have very differentbeliefs or values from your own? Are you concerned for the well-being of otherpeople? Are you able to pray for people? If you answer YES to most or all ofthese questions, you may want to consider becoming a hospital chaplaincyvolunteer.The Department of Spiritual Care (Chaplaincy) at The Gloucestershire HospitalsTrust is looking to recruit and train new volunteers to a variety of different roleswhich will support the spiritual, religious and pastoral needs of patients inhospital. These roles include visiting of hospital wards, helping with activities forpatients including those with dementia and assisting with sacramental ministry.It is not about proselytising or converting people to a particular set of beliefs.Volunteers will be expected to offer and provide support to those who want itwhilst adhering to strict hospital guidelines.

For further information and an application form, please contact:Reverend Mark Read - 08454 22 6200 - [email protected]

Mary Michael and Lorraine Gasside have been part of the Chaplaincy Team forquite a while, and find it very rewarding work. If you are interested in this newChaplaincy Course do have a word with Mary or Lorraine, or Richard Cleaves.


Please can you help?Both the Wednesday lunch held on the second Wednesday each month andthe Community Café held weekly on Thursdays, are proving very popular!This is great!There are teams for both which are rather stretched and could do with someextra volunteer helpers.There are teams for both which are rather stretched and could do with someextra volunteer helpers.If you could help with the cooking occasionally, that would be good, but alsovery importantly there is a need for people to meet, greet and get to knowand befriend the guests, prepare and clear tables and wash up afterwards.So what if you are not free at those times? Could you consider baking forthe café, or preparing a pudding in advance as appropriate?(All expenses are reimbursed.)Please contact either of us if you can offer to help in some way.We all have fun working together and we’d love to hear from you!

Jean Gregory (01242) 526002Felicity Cleaves (01242) 522050

News from HebronA Palestinian Supper Evening

Saturday 20th October 7-00pmTickets £8-00

For three months last year Rosamond Robertson was an EcumenicalAccompanier in and around Hebron Bank in Palestine. She is going to sharesome of her experiences with us.Joanne Moston is going to bring along a stall selling Palestinian crafts and giveus a brief update on the people we visited in Bethlehem on our Pilgrimage.Bassam from the Mirage Café is going to prepare a Palestinian supper.Do come along and join us for what promises to be a special evening.It’s almost 60 years since Rosamond’s father, Lawrence Squires, came toHighbury as Minister. Last year he celebrated his 100th birthday and is stillgoing strong. Lawrence will be joining Rosamond at church that Sunday andsharing with us in our worship.A very special weekend to look forward to.

Richard Cleaves


Chosen CharitiesCommunion offerings and money donated at coffeetime after morning worship will go to our chosencharity for September and Harvest, which is TheCongregational Federation Nicaraguan Appeal- see page 5.The total raised by our communion offerings and bythose who stayed for coffee after morning services inJuly, for the Gloucestershire Kidney Patients’Association amounted to £194.30

Hy-WayWe meet again on Wednesday 5th September

in the Morton Brown Room from 2.00pm to 3.45pmand all are welcome to join us!

Help is needed in a variety of ways. It’s a great group and fun to be with.Please contact me to find out more.

Jenny Bartlett( 01242 231644 - [email protected]

Welcoming Team for SeptemberSunday MORNING Sunday EVENINGJohn Pickles Shirley FiddimoreLorna White Sue SillenceIan White Heather Tarling

Vestry DutySunday MORNING Sunday EVENINGIain McLeod Jean Gregory

Poetry/Prayer BookFolk at Highbury are planning to produce a poetry/prayer book. We havesome poetry and prayers but wish also, to invite everyone to contribute.If you have written any you would like to include, please contact either JudiMarsh or Shirley Fiddimore. If you haven't then it would be a pleasurablechallenge to write a few and send them to us. This includes ALL ages.

Shirley Fiddimore


‘Ukebox Jury’ on Saturday 27th October at 7.00pmPlease join us for an evening with this Ukelele Band

you are guaranteed a fun evening, in aid of Church funds.Tickets £7 each (to include interval refreshments)

will be available from Wednesday 5th September from:

John & Tricia Stone(702144 or Lorraine & Neil Gasside( 239838

Christ in All ThingsIntroducing Congregational Church Membership

It’s been great to welcome so many new people into church membership in thelast couple of years. As people feel at home in our church family we very muchhope they will join us in church membership. One of the things that makes usthe church we are is that everyone who shares a very simple faith in God andin Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and becomes a church member is able toshare in shaping the life of our church.The Congregational Federation has recently published a new introduction toCongregational Church Membership. It is a short course of five sessions that Ihope to run from Tuesday 2nd November through to Tuesday 4th December from8-00 until 9-30pm, for those who have recently joined Highbury and for thosewho are thinking of making a church home here. So make a note of those datesin your diary. We will begin with coffee and puddings!

Richard Cleaves

Sunday 30th SeptemberIt’s been great over the last few years joining with churches throughout thecountry to mark Back to Church Sunday. This year the churches ofCheltenham are going to make a concerted effort to publicise this weekend.It is always the last Sunday in September and therefore coincides with ourHarvest Celebration. This year it will come at the end of our Highbury @Home Weekend. It will be a great opportunity to invite people to come backto church on that Sunday. And that really is the point of Back to ChurchSunday. It is not based on a big advertising campaign, though that brings itto the attention of people. It is really based on us taking the opportunity togive a personal invitation to a friend, neighbour, work colleague. Manypeople we know have had some involvement in church in the past and forall sorts of reasons are no longer involved. This is a Sunday to give a specificinvitation in prayer. So it would be great to make use of an invitation cardor simply give an invitation to someone you know.


Harvest Foodshare!Our flower arrangers have come up with a brilliant idea for decorating thechurch for Harvest. Instead of getting flowers they want everyone tocontribute some things for , from the list below, and thenthey intend to make a wonderfully creative display of all the items in church!Then IN ADDITION you can bring into church on Sunday an extracontribution as well!CCP is an emergency food distribution service for people andfamilies in times of crisis, and at present their stocks are extremely low.The scheme provides food parcels to cover the immediate crisis, or to givesupport in the intervening period before statutory agencies can beginongoing longer term assistance.There is an urgent need to replenish stocks of non-perishable food, inparticular meat based products such as tinned curry, minced beef, tinnedstew, Fray Bentos pies, corned beef, tinned ham etc..Donations of staple foods such as rice, pasta and mash, packet and othertinned foods are also needed.

Please bring your gifts to churchTHE SUNDAY BEFORE HARVEST (i.e. Sunday 23rd September)

so that our flower arrangers can make a good display!Please also remember that every Sunday gifts for the foodshare box,

in the church porch, are needed more than ever at the moment!Lorraine Gasside

Church Weekend Away 2013The dates for next year’s visit to Brunel Manor are

from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th June.If you are interested please note the dates for your diary.

Bookings will be handled in the same way as with a holiday companyto be fair to the Manor, therefore I will not be offering forms to you.

You need to approach meand receipt of the booking form is a firm commitment to attend

and to pay the balance six weeks prior to the weekend.Thank you

Lorraine Gasside - 01242 239838 - [email protected]


Prayer Rota for Sundays in September Morning

Sunday 2nd September Felicity Cleaves Sunday 9th September Adrian/Kate Blazey Sunday 16th September Richard Cleaves Sunday 23rd September Weekend Away @ Home Sunday 30th September Roger GregoryEvening Sunday 16th September Diana Adams

S.W. Midlands Area of the Congregational Federationinvites us to pray for …

Sunday 2nd September Schools and Colleges starting a new year Sunday 9th September Berkeley Sunday 16th September Highbury Cheltenham Sunday 23rd September Harvest

Sunday 30th September North Wraxall

Prayer Focus - District 9Maz Allen

Robert and Rosemary DonnellyPeter and Jonquil Harrison

Andrew and Amanda SargeantDeacon: Iain MacLeod

Visitor: Jonquil Harrison

When I needed a neighbour were you there, were you there?I was hungry and thirsty were you there, were you there?I was cold, I was naked were you there, were you there?When I needed a shelter were you there, were you there?When I needed a healer were you there, were you there?Wherever you travel I’ll be there, I’ll be there.And the creed and the colour and the name won't matter - I’ll be there?


Day Meeting Contact Tel. Number

Sunday 10-30am Morning Service Richard Cleaves

Sunday 6-30pm Evening Service Richard Cleaves

Sunday 7-15pm Hy-Tec Adrian Blazey

Monday 6-45pm Scouts Andy Sargent

Tuesday 9-45am Toddlers Felicity Cleaves

Tuesday 5-45pm Transformers Carolyn Tennant

Wednesday 2-00pm Hy-Way Sue Cole

Wednesday 6-15pm Cubs Ian Miller

Wednesday 6-00pm Brownies Christine Lodge

3rd Wednesday 8pm House Group Sharon Wallington

Thursday 10 - 11.30 Community Café Felicity Cleaves

Thursday 7-30pm Church Meeting

Deacons’ Meeting

Open the Book

Sue Cole

Richard Cleaves

Friday 7-00pm Guides Tania Ashdown

Friday 7-30pm Choir Mary Clifford

Saturday 10-00am Beavers Amanda Sargent

1st Saturday 2-30pm Friendship Group Olga Slack

2nd Saturday 6.30pm Hy-Speed Peter Tennant

Sunday 9-30 am Hy-Spirit Mary Buchanan


Calendar for September 2012

Saturday 1st 10.00am to 12 noon All are welcome to ‘On Your Marks’ Holiday Club Café Morning with Hy-Speed - see page 25

SUNDAY 2nd 10.30am All-Age Holiday Club Service 6.30pm Evening Prayers with Holy CommunionThursday 6th 7.30pm Church Meeting – all are welcome

SUNDAY 16th 10.30am Morning Worship with Holy Communion 6.30pm Evening PrayersTuesday 18th 7.30pm Street Pastors’ Prayer Event

SUNDAY 23rd 10.30am Morning Worship 6.30pm Evening PrayersThursday 27th 7.30pm Hope Group – see page 8Friday 28th – Sunday 30th Weekend Away @ Home - see page 16

SUNDAY 9th 10.30am Morning Worship led by Liz Palin 6.30pm Evening Prayers led by Priscilla BurrowsWednesday 12th 12.30pm Highbury LunchThursday 13th 7.30pm Open the Book – see page 7Saturday 15th 8.30am Maintenance Day - see page 16

SUNDAY 30th BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY- see page 11and HARVEST THANKSGIVING - see page 12

10.30am Morning Worship 6.30pm Evening Prayers

We thank you, O God, for your goodness, for the joy and abundance of crops, for food that is stored in our larders, for all we can buy in the shops.


Highbury@HomeFriday 28th to Sunday 30th September

Having discovered everything that is good about Highbury Churchwe now look to what we can do to make it even better!

What is included?Evening meal on Friday.Lunch and Evening Meal on Saturday.Breakfast for those are on the sleepovers or for the early birds.Opportunities for fellowship, discussion, to have your say on Highbury’s future.Meeting people you only know by sight. Worshipping together. Engaging withthe Bible. Having fun together.What is expected of you?That you commit to the full programme from Friday evening through to Sunday.Friday night sleepover option for year 1 to year 6.Saturday night sleepover option (with film) for year 6 upwards.What to do next!If you haven’t already booked for Highbury @ Home there’s still room for more!We are very much hoping that as many people as possible from all parts of ourchurch life can come together to share the weekend together.So, if you haven’t already done so, please fill in a form and book!!It promises to be a wonderful weekend together, culminating in our HarvestCelebration on Back to Church Sunday.

Maintenance DaySaturday 15th Septemberfrom 8.30am till 3.30pm

All you need is a bit of strength and a lot of willingness to join the team andhelp keep the church looking good.It will be a mix of inside and outside jobs (if it’s not raining) from cleaningto painting, fitting our new Audio Visual equipment etc etc.Lunch will be provided for those who want it.Come along for an hour or two and have a laugh at Richard trying to paint!

Ladies and gentlemen all welcome!

For more information please see

John Pickles, Peter Harrison or Darryl Mills


Moffat has been very ill. He wrote to us on 9th July and said he had been in theclinic, and in his own words, 'I thought all is lost and that this time I would notrecover.' He has improved now and is back in prison. He hasn't said what waswrong, whether it was something to do with his enlarged heart or not. I knowthat before his diagnosis he had very painful legs for quite some time. Sincebeing diagnosed, though, the medication had been really helping him. Pleasepray for a great improvement in his health and relief from pain. While he wasso ill he made us a wonderful gift. It's a portrait of an eagle against a paintedsky. The eagle itself is made of many, many tiny beads that are used aspackaging in the bottles of his ARVS drugs. The eagle is perched on the Bibleref Isaiah 61:1-2. I hope to take a photograph of this and put a copy on thenoticeboard, as I should love you all to see it.Moffat is very appreciative of any help, and says of us 'You people have leftfootsteps which will never be erased by anyone. You have built a sense ofbelonging in my life and given me hope to live on.' We have sent Moffat somemoney so he can buy fruit and vegetables, stamps and toiletries. We sent itvia Pastor Mvula, based in Lusaka, who regularly visits the prisoners in Kabwe.Pastor Mvula then emailed us a note of thanks from Moffat. Please thank Godfor Pastor Mvula's ministry with prisoners.Also, thank God for Penwork Ministries and their support for Moffat andCecilia. Cecilia's school fees have now been paid up to 2013 which will be herlast year at Junior School. There is a shortfall of money at the moment - pleasepray that a way will be found to ease this. Also, funding her Secondary Schooleducation in the future will be a challenge - please pray for God's continuingprovision and guidance. Thank you to all those who help Moffat and Cecilia inprayer and financially - it is all very much appreciated.

Judi Marsh

Volunteer Drivers Required!St Mark’s Lunch Club on Brooklyn Road in Cheltenham are a lively and activeLunch Club. They are looking for volunteers to join them as drivers to helpcollect and drop off the people attending their Club on Tuesdays andThursdays. The Club prevents its members from feeling isolated and alone.They have lots of speakers and activities during their meetings and ahome-cooked lunch, for which you would be welcome to join them. If theClub is not able to replace its retiring drivers they will have to close. If youmight be interested in helping out on a weekly, two-weekly or monthlybasis, please contact me for more information.

Jo Brown - Volunteering Gloucestershire - 01242 257727

Update on Moffat (on Death Row in Zambia)


Vision 21We are a Gloucestershire based climate change charity

and within Cheltenham we run a number of local projectsor environmental initiatives, including:

Reclaim is our furniture re-use showroom open to the public that offersplacements for vulnerable adults and the long term unemployed. We are alwayskeen for people to donate to, or buy household goods from, Reclaim. (See below.)Get Up and Grow More! is a Big Lottery Local Food Grant Funded Project inwhich we train local communities to plant and grow their own fruit andvegetables. Everyone is welcome to join our free workshops and practicalsessions.Cheltenham Climate Change Champions: We give talks and displays to letpeople know how they can reduce their waste and increase recycling. We arealways on the look-out for new groups to talk to and more opportunities toengage people.Free Energy Conservation Advice: We offer free energy advice toCheltenham based community groups and small businesses. Let us know if youwould like to use this service.Please contact us for more information, or to find out how you can be involvedin any of the above.

Claire - www.vision21.org.uk - 01242 224321 - @vision21glos

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Members of Highbury Mothers’ Circlebegan to complain about the extrainches they were putting on roundtheir waists. Mrs Ruby Cole decided todo something about it, and organisedthe members into a keep-fit class!Then it wasn’t long before theirchildren wanted something to do.In 1952 the Mothers’ Circle presentedthe first High-Jinks Concert in aid ofthe Church Roof Repair Fund.The Church Hall was packed on theFriday evening and Saturdayafternoon, when eighteen ‘undereights’ (all children of the HighburyMothers’ Circle members) presentedtheir Revue.It was designed and produced by MrsRuby Cole, and varied from modernaction songs in character scenes,including moths, kittens, sailors,huntsmen and hounds; childrenplaying ball, a mechanical doll,moonlight fairies, and other Dutch andEnglish characters. It had a veryeffective climax of “The Elizabethians”– Queen Elizabeth 1 (aged 7, completein majestic crown, auburn wig, hoops,panniers and jewels) and her courtiers,all paying homage to Queen Elizabeth11 shown in a large photograph loanedby Cavendish House Ltd.The frocks and costumes were allhome produced. The musicalaccompaniment was by Mrs O.H.Smith, and the compères wereMargaret Pote and Patricia Elliott. Thestage manager was Mrs BettyMatheson, assisted by a committee of

Mrs Edna Allen, Mrs G M Venn, Mrs JBrown and Miss B Halford.£25 was raised for the Church RoofRepair Fund.High-Jinks then entertained theHighbury Happy Fellowship withdancing displays, on a number ofoccasions.Mrs Cole wrote a pantomime, designedmost of the costumes, and producedthe show. She was very proud of thegroup and found some of them hadremarkable talent.In addition to Mrs O H Smith, whoalways accompanied the children intheir ‘big events’, Mrs Edna Allenplayed the piano at the children’srehearsals and at the mothers’ keep-fitclasses.Having organised the mothers andchildren Mrs Cole next turned to thefathers! Unknown to their wives andchildren, five of the fathers practiseddance routine steps, in imitation oftheir children, and performed them ata party. It was rather funny – theycould only rehearse a few timesbecause they were not allowed to telltheir wives, and had to come out ‘onthe quiet’.The mothers progressed to tapdancing, but Mrs Cole always preferredto teach the children who did as theywere told, and didn’t gossip.The third High-Jinks presentation wasa Revue. Great credit went to theproducer, and her helpers, in trainingthe small children who presented two

From the ArchivesHigh-Jinks ... and more


numbers, ‘The Cobbler’s Shop’ and ‘Offto Bed’. Two of the older children sangduets, ‘The Whistling Kettle’ and ‘TheDancing Cat’.The second half of the Revue took theform of a peep into other lands, andthroughout the audience was charmedat the beautiful effects produced bythe small children. Their hearts werecaptured by two items, ‘The HawaiianDance’ and an interpretation of a slavegirl in a Persian market. The grandfinale was a Russian ballet in which allthe children took part. The proceedswent to the Highbury Church HallRenovation Fund.The children also performed at theWithington Village Fête in 1959.The ladies were eventually persuadedto perform! Members of the YoungWives’ Circle entertained a large,appreciative audience in the ChurchHall. The programme, directed by MrsRuby Cole, assisted by Mrs BettyMatheson, comprised an openingchorus, a sketch ‘Businesslike’ by JohnKnowles, with Mrs H E B Hillary, Mrs MGreenhalf and Mrs Dora Thorogood;followed by an impression of a SocialEvening of the Young Wives’ Circle inVictorian times, the high spot of whichwas a mimed violin solo by Mrs NellieDavis. Also included in the programmewas a spirited dance routine of theearly 1920s.The final scene was a representation ofthe leisure hours of the cottonplantation workers, singing well knownplantation songs, the audience joiningin the choruses with gusto. Thecompere was Mrs Helen McIndoe, andrefreshments were served by the non-

acting members of the Circle, attired invarious national costumes.Mrs Cole is fondly remembered by aformer church member who recalls hertelling him to “Call me Ruby” sincewhich time he has always referred toher as “Call me Ruby” – so we will!Ruby took groups of young dancers toentertain at various local events,including the Toc-H Summer Fair in thegrounds of St Anne’s Diocesan Homein Pittville Circus Road; St Peter’sChurch, Winchcombe, Summer Feteheld in the abbey grounds; BethesdaMethodist Church Guild evening in aidof the National Children’s Home. Shealso produced a ‘Snow Ballet’ with thechildren in 1954; and a ‘This is yourlife’ for a Deacon, Mr Oscar Woodward,with members of the Young WivesCircle in 1960.Perhaps the most popular and well-remembered production by Ruby wasthe pantomime ‘Snow White and theSeven Dwarfs’. The demand for ticketswas so great that the show had to beextended for an extra performance.Written by Ruby, she also trained allthe children who appeared in thepantomime, and was responsible forthe choreography. Mr George McIndoewas the co-producer, and the cast of30 included Susan Lawrence as acharming Snow White, Ruth Norton asthe handsome Prince Valentine ofTillyland, and Margaret Thompson asthe Wicked Queen. Little Josie Parsonssang and danced beautifully in the partof Puck.Talvan Rees kept the audience amusedin his antics as Dame Muggins, and hisencounters with David Job, playing the


part of Squire Longface, were muchenjoyed.The Seven Dwarfs, who also doubledthe parts of the little fairies, stole theshow! Their natural approach to theirparts enchanted the audience at allthree performances. The dwarfs were:Celia Job (Sneezey), Pauline Crooks(Happy), Margaret Cole (Grumpy),Wendy Homer (Doc), Susan Fletcher(Sleepy), Pauline Knight (Bashful) andHeather Squires (Dopey).The comedy numbers with six ‘grownup’ fairies of ample proportions was agreat success. These ‘fairies’ otherwiseknown as the ‘Highbury Corps deBallet’ were played by Ann Harris,Doris Blunden, Elvie Rees, DorisHooper, Roberta Spink and HelenMcIndoe. These ladies also doubled asthe chorus of villagers.The scenes were opened in livelyfashion by a smartly-dressed, well-trained chorus consisting of SusanCole, Diana Rees, Diane Nichols, SoniaHooper, Christine Crooks and JeanMattheson.Others taking part were: Billy Muggins(John Copeland), Police ConstablePussyfoot (Oscar Woodward), theGenie of the Mirror (John Rees), FairyMoonbeam (Mary McIndoe) and Carlthe Hunter (Douglas Knight).The settings and lighting were underthe care of stage manager KeithOakey, with stage staff Don Cooke andFrank Guppy; while the music wasprovided by Nancy Sales and Rena Job.House manager was Walter Weaver;and stewards Andrew Harding, RobertHarding, Malcolm Clark and CharlesBurroughs. Programme sellers were

Moya Job, Mary Harding, JamesCopeland and Stephen Cole; and therefreshments were in the capablehands of Dorothy Curtis and IdaBrown. Ruth Norton was the wardrobemistress, able assisted by costumemakers Mrs Homer, Mrs Olive Nicholsand Mr C Todd.The pantomime was performed onthree nights at Highbury, in aid of theWorld Refugee Year Fund; and afurther performance given in aid of theCongregational Home Churches Fundat Rodborough Tabernacle, in January1960.On another occasion a happy eveningwas spent when the children ofHighbury Junior Choir and theChildren’s Church presented themusical play ‘The Pied Piper ofHamelin’. Richard Adams was anattractive Pied Piper and Susan Coleand excellent King Rat. The childrensang and dance delightfully, Ruby Colehaving trained them in her usualthorough style. The Mayor andCouncillors (Talvan Rees, WilliamCrooks and Oscar Woodward) playedtheir parts with gusto; and the smallcrippled boy, left behind when all thechildren had been enticed away, wasplayed in an appealing manner by JohnBloodworth. The Church Choir, trainedby Nancy Sales (who was jointproducer with Ruby Cole) provided thebackground music, and Nancyaccompanied the whole play on thepiano. Diana Rees played the flute -while the Pied Piper pretended to playhis musical pipe! Mrs Caton was anefficient wardrobe mistress; and MrCaton and Mr Keith Oakey were stagehands.


Have the last three pages, takenfrom the Church Archives,reminded you of anything that hashappened in Highbury over theyears since you first came to theChurch?Have they jogged your memory,and helped you recall any pastevents?Maybe some of the names werefamiliar to you?

We would like to know moreabout Highbury activities in yearsgone by, about the membership,and the people who gave so muchto help make Highbury what it istoday.Can you tell us some of yourmemories, please?Dick and Diana Adams or JuneTremlett are waiting to hear them!

No, it's not a misprint! David, my mum and I did have a few days at BrunelManor this June. My mum was very keen to have a holiday by the sea and asBrunel is certainly that, as well as being near my father's family, not to mentionmy pen-friend, it seemed a good idea to see if Brunel had any vacancies. Theydid - during Dance Week - which, to me, was amazing news.We booked in half-board for 3 nights and had the usual gorgeous food, lovelysurroundings and good company. A number of guests didn't dance but oftencame on dance week because they liked to watch the workshops and theconcert, as well as enjoying the fellowship.The course 'Worship Through Dance' was led by Marie Bensley, and there werea number of dance workshops - of which I went to one. In this, nine of us weretaught a dance to 'Glory in the Land' by Jarrod Cooper. This is a very thought-provoking song about people not being ready when Jesus returns. Like most ofthe dances this one also involved using flags. I took part in this dance at theconcert and it was quite an experience.It was also very moving and inspiring to watch the other dances. Most were tosongs/music, but one or two were to Bible readings - Isaiah 55 and Revelation21 for example. It was very good to see dance being used in this way - I keepsaying ‘dance’, but a lot of the time it was more movement, gentle movement.There is something about seeing swirling flags in a variety of colours that reallyevokes a sense of contemplation and worship. And it is about worship, notperformance, for although two people there had been professionally trained,they were in the minority.I heard about one couple who came on dance week a few years ago and, intheir seventies, danced for the first time. They now have a 'worship in dance'ministry at their local church. For details of breaks at Brunel Manor please seewww.brunelmanor.com and for information about dance in worship go towww.kingdomdance.co.uk

Judi Marsh

Brunel 2012


When you opened your copy of theOlympic Radio times were you, likemany non-sporting people, horrified tosee that there was nothing but theOlympics on BBC1 for over a fortnight?But did you then find yourself watchingit for a while, and again the next day,until you were very soon hooked andwatched more and more each day?Was a sense of loyalty, or did you findyourself interested in the stories whichunfolded? The ‘coming together’ of somany countries, the friendships forged,the care shown by the competitors foreach other, the bravery anddedication, the cheers and tears of joy... and tears of disappointments too.But there is more to come, as theParalymic Games now follow, withtelevision coverage on Channel 4.The forerunner of the modernParalympic Games was a sportscompetition for British World War llveterans with spinal injuries, whichtook place at Stoke Mandeville nearAylesbury in Buckinghamshire in 1948,the last time the Olympic Games wereheld in London.

So the mascot for the2012 Paralympics iscalled ‘Mandeville’!

The first official Summer ParalympicGames were held in Rome in 1960.They were no longer restricted to warveterans, although athletes had to bewheelchair-users.

The Games were opened to athleteswith other disabilities in 1976 whenthey were held in Toronto, Canada.There are now 10 eligible ‘primaryimpairment’ categories recognised bythe International ParalympicCommittee. In addition each sportgrades competitors according to theseverity of their impairment.The Winter Paralympics wereinaugurated in 1976. The 2012 LondonGames are the 14th SummerParalympic Games.There will be more stories, in the daysahead, of courage in adversity,dedication to sport, and caring sharingpeople, and no doubt more tears of joyand disappointment.

Multi-Faith Chaplaincy

During the London 2012 Games theMulti Faith Chaplaincy Service hasinvolved 193 chaplains recruited fromthe faith communities in the UK.All the nine world faiths - Christian,Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Bahia's,Jain, Buddhist and Zoroastrian - arerepresented in the Multi-Faith Centre,situated in the Olympic Village duringthe Olympic Games, and remainingthere for the Paralympic Games too.The chaplaincy service assists around17,000 athletes and officials, up to200,000 staff and volunteers and20,000 members of the press.Rev Duncan Green, head of the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Services, said that:

London 2012 Olympicand

Paralympic Games


"Given the diversity of London and therest of the UK, it is important for us toensure that the Olympic andParalympic Games are inclusive andinvolve all communities. Everyone,whatever their religion or ethnicbackground, should feel they can playa part in the world's greatest sportingevents. We have a unique opportunitywith the Olympic and ParalympicGames in London 2012 to break downethnic, cultural, religious, political andeconomic barriers through sport andprovide a wide range of long lastingbenefits to strengthen the UK'scommunities. The Multi-Faith Centreon the Olympic Park has rooms for the

five main faiths, and chaplains fromthose different faiths are present. Atother venues and the Olympic Villagesoutside the Olympic Park (inWeymouth and Royal Holloway),chaplains remain on call."The Faith leaders and representativeslaunched the Faith pin badge, the fifthbadge created to celebrate London2012's six strands of diversity andengage all communities in support ofLondon 2012.Paul Deighton, LOCOG's ChiefExecutive, said: "The diversity ofLondon and the rest of the UK was oneof the reasons why London was chosento host the Games."

Entry into Christian Ministry - part 3A Backward Cow!

Using Methodist terminology, being ‘on note’, ‘on trial’, this included preparationfor the Local Preacher’s course and examination. This led to visits to chapels inthe then Cottenham Circuit, which included Histon where I was received intochurch membership and was leader of the Junior Guild – a group of youngteenagers. Also Long Stanton, Willingham, Waterbeach and Swaffham Fen.Ah, yes, Swaffham Fen! Those young people, Bill Easy, Lilian and ChristineFoster, the two Margarets Wickfield and Wolfe, Joan Love and Joy Unwin metwith us on summer Sunday evenings at Histon. We rode to the river in the Fensand there we would all alight with our cycles on an old ferry to cross to the otherside, pulling on a rope attached to the opposite bank. Then amidst muchlaughter we would continue along the river bank to the very isolated littlechapel. I can only remember seeing just one other house anywhere near.We had previously arranged who would read the Bible lessons and play theharmonium for the hymns we had chosen. The congregation came in and outthroughout the service comprised of chickens! During the sermon a cow madeher way down the narrow aisle towards the pulpit. How do you get a cow to exitbackwards along a narrow aisle to the church door?The last time I returned to Histon Methodist Chapel I was welcomed by thosesame people, Bill Easy at the church door and Joy Unwin played the organ forthe hymns at evening worship. (to be continued . . . . .)

Eric Burton


Holiday Club Café Morning with Hy-SpeedOn Saturday 1st September the Holiday Club will open its doors to everyone!The Café will be serving ‘real’ coffee. There will be fun activities to enjoy.There may even be the 2012 Paralympic Games on the big screen ... andHy-Speed will be set up in the Hall.If you didn’t come to our café events around Christmas and Easter thencome along and enjoy a lovely morning with something for everyone.


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Evening ServiceReaders’ Rota

The readers in August will be: 2nd September James Martin 9th September Rachel Jacques16th September Stan Jones23rd September Felicity Cleaves30th September Diana Adams

I am using the names I alreadyhave, but if there are otherswho would like to be includedon this rota please let me know.

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Toddler Group / Transformers for school years 3-6 / Hy-tec for 11s & overChoir/ Music, House and Prayer Groups / Alpha: exploring faith / Hy-Way /

Friendship Group / Scouting / Guiding / etc.For a chat, or to find out more, ring Richard Cleaves on 01242 522050

Sundays at 10.30amA time for all the Church family

to share in worship -groups for children and young people

A place to share Christian friendship,explore Christian faith andenter into Christian mission

Sundays at 6.30pmquiet, reflective evening prayers

with a focus onBiblical teaching

Highbury Congregational Church

And now for the Paralympics in Prayer“The Olympic movement has taken the issues of disability to its heart – asdemonstrated by the equal status of the Paralympic Games. The time hascome for churches to do the same.” With our commitment to making ourchurch ‘a church where everyone is welcome’ that is something we havetaken very much to heart at Highbury.Gracious God, Creator of all, we pray for a world that recognises that allpeople are created in your image. That all have immeasurable worth, andwarrant dignity and respect.Creator of all, hear our prayerWe pray for a world where inequalities are levelled so that children withdisabilities will not die in infancy or be left uncared for and unloved.Creator of all, hear our prayerWe ask that fear and failure to understand will not govern actions, and thatfeelings of shame and blame will be transformed to promote opportunitiesand hope.Creator of all, hear our prayerGracious God may we know how much richer our lives will be when werecognise you in one another. May our comfort and confusion not preventus from being inspired to work toward the change we know is possible.In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord - Amen.

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