ST ANDREW’SMETHODIST CHURCH

Dear Friends,

For the next few months we are going to enjoy lighter and warmer weather, Summer time!It is always an enjoyable time. We take a break from our routine, and engage in holidayingand other hobbies we enjoy. So here is a true story from the 18th century. Let this storyinspire us to plant a seed in someone’s heart.

John Warr, an 18th century apprentice shoemaker, was determined to be a faithful witnessfor Christ. Another apprentice by the name of William was hired, and John repeatedlytalked to him about spiritual things, but the new worker didn't want to be bothered. Thenone day he was caught exchanging a counterfeit shilling for a good one. Feeling guilty andhumiliated, he asked John for help and prayer. Through the faithful witness of John Warr,William put his faith in Christ and became a committed disciple.

The young apprentice was William Carey, who later became the well known missionary toIndia. Carey's life and ministry had a tremendous influence on the spreading of the gospelin the 19th century.

Jesus said in John 15:8, "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit." Thiscould be discouraging. Maybe if you feel that you can't preach, sing, teach, or go offer toserve with one of our partner Churches in another part of the world, you might seeanother way in which you can serve Christ in the local community.

If so, then take courage from the example of John Warr. His impact on a co-workerbrought glory to God and untold blessing to multitudes of people around the world.

Do what you are good at, and see how God can use you in the future. Step out and see theblessings that you hold for others.

Let us work together and support one another in building God’s kingdom.

Rev Sam~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rev Thurai Samuel, M.Th. (Oxon),12. Harefield, Harlow, CM20 3EF

Mobile: 07956 290011email: revsam@btinternet.comSkype: revsam29 - f - revdsam

Rev John Buxton, M. A. (Cantab)15 The Drive, Harlow, CM20 3QD

email: minister2@standrewsharlow.org.uk

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Please let Hazel Taylor have contributions for the AUGUST/SEPT. MAGAZINEas early as possible but it must be before THURSDAY 16th JULY either TYPED,

WRITTEN or by EMAIL: magazine@standrewsharlow.org.uk

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With politicians in mind -

If you want to find out what’s wrong with a man or woman, elect them to public office.

There are two sides to every question, and if you want to be popular, you take both.

The fact that Parliament is no better and no worse than the county as a whole is something to worryabout.

Political campaign: The war in which everybody shoots straight from the lip. – R Morley~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies.Yet distance makes no difference, and He IS praying for me. - R M McCheyne

If you accept suffering for your faith as a privilege, it becomes your friend, and brings you closer toGod. - Chinese Christian, after spending many years in prison.

Evangelism is not selling Jesus, but showing Jesus. - Lee Camp

Plenty of people wish to become devout, but no one wishes to be humble.

If you want the rainbow, you’ve got to put up with the rain.

Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.

HAEBEA CHOIRVery soon after we returned to Harlow in 2003, I was approached by Derek Ashpole asking if I

would form a choir. Being newly retired, I did not agree immediately but he persisted and I am sopleased that he did. The result was the Area Choir. People from a number of the Area churches mettogether on a Friday evening in St Andrew’s to rehearse. At our debut, we performed a selection ofindividual items.

After that we concentrated on presenting a cantata/musical on the Sunday nearest to Epiphany andthe first Sunday after Easter, with a break in the summer. We have sung ten of the cantatas of John W.Peterson, an American composer, whose work was just right for us. Twice we had pieces written forus by Bill Ralph of St Mary’s. Patrick Appleford’s Messiah Comes to Town was enjoyable althoughdifficult to read, and then we started on the prolific Roger Jones’ musicals. These usually had a dramayou could opt to do instead of a narration between songs. In this we were ably supported by a dramagroup from Epping URC, except for the last time, when Efua Sey’s group provided a well-actedaccompanying drama.

The choir enjoyed performing all of these pieces, but for me, the highlight was the choir singingStainer’s Crucifixion in Epping Methodist with organ accompaniment but especially when the choirsang without scores, the beautiful God So Loved The World.

For the first three years we performed only in St Andrew’s but after that we performed in eightdifferent Area Churches. Not all churches in the area could accommodate us.

The total number of people who have sung with the choir is nearly fifty, coming from eightdifferent Area Churches. We have also had quite a few members who attend no church, as we havebeen an outreach group as well. We have very much enjoyed singing together but in addition, thechoir has been a very positive support group for each other through difficult times. We also had atime during the rehearsal when we named people known to us who were in need of prayer support.

It was with great regret that I realised that the time had come to cease to meet. Our numbers haddecreased, with no new members joining, and the health of many of the members has alsodeteriorated.

Thank you to those who loyally supported us.Maureen Buxton

Dear Lord,We thank you for your love for each one of us. We give thanks for all the goodthings in our lives.

We pray for our church, for our new Stewards and officers, for our mission towards those living around our church. We also pray for the young people of our church.May your gift of faith, hope and love be our driving force.

In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

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OUR CHURCHWEBSITE

www.standrewsharlow.org.ukYou can check for any changes to meetings in

the regularly updated DIARY,and our Annual Report, May 2015 is on it

along with much more.

HAEBEAWEBSITE

www.haebea.org

FAREWELL TO MARIE AND BOB

On May 29th Rob and Marie Loomes will be leaving Harlow to move to Braintree to livenearer their daughter Wendy. We shall miss them very much as they have both played avery active part in the life of St.Andrew's for many years.

Marie and Bob moved to Harlow with their children Wendy and David in June 1963. Bobhad served as a steward and worshipped at Central Hall Westminster whilst Marie had kepther membership at Willoughby Road Methodist Church in Hornsey near to where they lived.On coming to Harlow they joined the community at St.Andrew's and Bob was soonappointed Steward, a role which he held for 40 years. After that he became Gift Aidsecretary, a job he has done until the move from Harlow. He also edited our churchmagazine for many years. Bob was always the person who knew what was going on. He wasa great help to many people and joined in with all sorts of activities in the Church from beingthe Synod representative to going on the JMA Annual Mission walks.

Marie was the Sunday School Superintendant for 15 years, Leader of the 3rd Harlow Guidesfor 8 years as well as being a Pastoral Visitor for 30 years. She also organised the Saturdayand Sunday morning Coffee rotas until her health began to suffer. At the same time shemanaged to train as a Primary School teacher and taught at St. Luke's Primary School forsome time. Also she helped at the Hospital Tea Bar run by the WRVS for some years.

Bob and Marie were always a great support to many people in many ways. We shall missthem not just for what they did but for who they are. They hope to keep in touch by comingto occasional services and receiving the Church Magazine. They will always be rememberedby those of us who know them. We hope they will settle quickly into their new home and bevery happy there. May God bless them.

Margaret Torkildsen

Rev Sam’s email: revsam@btinternet.com

Do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lordone day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but ispatient towards you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be theglory, both now and to the day of eternity.

2 Peter 3: 8,9,18. NASB

There was a fire at the main Inland Revenue office in London, but it was put outbefore any serious good was done.

When the late Dean of York was asked why he called his stumpy-tailed fox terrier ‘Mark’, heexplained: “The New Testament contains the life-stories of our Lord by Matthew, Mark,Luke and John. Mark’s is the shortest tale!”

Two students from a theological training college decided to spend part of their holiday in thecountryside doing outreach. They stopped at an old house, and proceeded up the paththrough a gauntlet of screaming children and a washing line heavy with wet clothes. Whenthey got near the door, the woman of the house stopped scrubbing the steps, brushed herhair and perspiration from her brow, and asked them what they wanted. “We’d like to tellyou how you can live forever,” they answered.The exhausted woman hesitated for a moment, and then replied, “Thank you, but I don’tthink I could stand it!”

How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark, to become a teenagerwho wants to stay out all night?

A nervous Head boy was reading the New Testament Lesson in School Assembly forPentecost: “Here beginneth the first Actor of Chaps.”

A pastor, known for his lengthy sermons, noticed a man get up and leave during the middleof his message. The man returned just before the conclusion of the service. Afterwards thepastor asked the man where he had gone. "I went to get a haircut," was the reply."But," said the pastor, "why didn't you do that before the service?""Because," the gentleman said, "I didn't need one then."

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ACTION FOR CHILDRENJohn Hutchings has asked for the collection boxes to be

given to him for opening, before the end of June.

EDITOR’S HOLIDAY BLOG I read from the Psalms on holiday so have included a snippet each day

Thursday 30th AprilWe’re in Northumberland, near Hexham, on our way to Scotland.

Chickens strut outside the window as I eat their gorgeous eggs,scrambled, along with black pudding and all the usual B & B cookedbreakfast goodies.

Psalm 119: 108-109a. Accept my prayer of thanks, O Lord, and teach me your commands. I amalways ready to risk my life.

Thanks, that’s easy - holiday, God’s love, warmth, family. But I don’t always want to learn God’swill. And as to risk, mortal risk, that’s a concept I’d usually skate past without engaging brain. Butthere are Christians today risking all for the sake of their faith.

The temperature is a cool 4° as we leave and the rain starts in earnest. And suddenly, ahead of us,a very flat land rainbow. It has turned the hill and fields into a multi-coloured surprise. I grab thecamera but we’ve moved on and it’s gone. But we both had that wonderful moment of magic, ofseeing something we thought was impossible.

At Newtongrange we tour the Scottish National Mining Museum. Our guide is a retired minerand knows everything about the place, firsthand. The biggest improvement for him was whenshowers were installed at the pit-head in 1952.

We’re still well south of Edinburgh when we see our first snow-covered mountain in the distance.Friday

We check that the Braemar Road is open again, as it’s been closed by a blizzard this week. I spot asmall black deer in the forest as we head towards Crathie Church. We stop and walk up the windingpath edged with daffodils, and inside I chat to the flower-arranger as she brings the vases out for theSunday services. As the road climbs higher, there is snow each side, then as we head for Inverness,the temperature drops below zero and we are hit with a snow and hail storm. Thankfully, the sunsoon returns.

V.117a Hold me and I shall be safe.Saturday

8am walk. Thick frost on the fields and silence, except for the birds. With blue sky and sunshineand a huge breakfast awaiting us - what more could we want!

The sun shines most of the day as we travel on the long, passing-places road from Lairg to Tongueon the north coast. I read on motorways, but not on the winding roads of Scotland, and definitely noton these car-width roads with bog or stream on either side. Amazingly, I doze part of the way,waking every time we pull up sharply to let one of the twenty cars coming in the opposite directiongo past. I always count! The least was five, but that was on the more northern and quieter route, twoyears ago.

V.135 Bless me with your presence and teach me your laws.Commandments, laws, precepts, statutes. Everything is tied to them in this Psalm. But after

Christ died and rose again, although obedience is important, it’s not the driving force any more. Loveis - God’s love for us.

I climb down to a stony beach, past sheep and a stream. There’s a five foot bank of stone and earthwhere the beach meets the land and I start looking for fossils. Almost at once I pull out a fragment ofpainted pottery. How did it get in there, half-way up and tightly embedded in the cliff? It doesn’tlook particularly old - but who knows?

That evening, we sit in the B & B lounge with a roaring pine-wood and coal fire, watchingseagulls follow a shoal on Loch Eriboll below us. Ben Hope looms snow-clad across the water. Theroom smells like a warm pine forest.

(Continued over)

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The Highlands

SundayDull, cold and windy, with a cloud capping Ben Hope.V.142 - Your righteousness will last for ever, and your law is always true.Black or white - no grey with King David!At Sangobeg the tide is well in, filling the bay with foaming rollers. Sadly,

it’s too windy to climb down to the beach. Through the low cloud and rain,rivulets of snow cascade down the crevices of Ben Spionnaidh. We look forNessie as we speed along by his huge Loch.Monday

V. 162 - How happy I am because of your promises.As happy as someone who finds rich treasure.Yes! Happiness - a gift from God.Sun and primroses speckle the steep hillside as we continue beside Loch Ness towards Fort

William. It’s too early for bluebells up here, but tiny fronds of bracken unfurl their pale green shoots.Fort William is quiet, with lots of boarded-up shops. It’s a Bank-holiday Monday lunch-time andshould be bustling with people. It’s warmer today, with the temperature rising to double figures. Wefind the tiny restored stone Cille Chiorelle Church at Achluachrach. Up a steep track this dark, one-room building stands within a sloping church yard. The river snakes below and the hills and forestsstretch in every direction. A nun is commemorated for keeping the Catholic faith alive in the area inthe 18 century. Down in the gorge we walk to Monessie Falls. The rocks are grey-white as the watertumbles around them then thunders over the lip, with a huge drop into the dark crevice below. Wecross on the high, fragile, wood and wire bridge. It has a gate each side and states in words andpictures that only two people must step on the bridge at the same time. As we walk across, it movesin a most disconcerting way.TuesdayLight sparkles on Loch Linnhe as I read my Psalm before breakfast. I’ve chosen scrambled eggs andsmoked salmon today.

Psalm 121: 1 - 2. I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? My help will come fromthe Lord, who made heaven and earth.

What a setting to read this verse. With high hills across the loch and Ben Nevis behind, this is theperfect place to really connect with the writer of this Psalm, and his conviction.Wednesday

A wet start but we are cosy in our warm room with a view of horses and hills.Psalm 122: 2 - 3. And now we are here, standing inside the gates of Jerusalem! Jerusalem is a city

restored in beautiful order and harmony.Where, oh where is the harmony now?We leave Scotland today. The forecast is gale-force gusts. We’ll have to watch for side-wind on

the M6. It rains heavily all the way to Tideswell, in the Peak District. Six hours of spray from lorries!I’m glad I’m not driving. Bob doesn’t mind, whatever the weather.Thursday 7th

Psalm 124: 8. Our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.Our all-encompassing God made all the immensity of our universe and every other universe. And

also everything we have seen during our trip. He gives us breath and life.We're on the last leg home. Down the busy M1 and along the M25, as a section of the A14 is closed

due to an accident. The trees are much more leafy down here and it’s actually warm! And it’sGeneral Election Day! We’ve done 1636 miles, seen millions of SNP posters and I’ve read two books.It’s nice to have a break from ordinary life - but it’s good to be home.

Monessie Falls

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SATURDAY COFFEE

JUNE

6th Margaret T. & Gisela H.

13th Margaret T & Pam B. & May Q.

20th Gay B. & Bob E.

27th Susan M. & Gill C.

JULY

4th Margaret T. & Gisela H.

11th Margaret T. & Pam B. & May Q.

18th Gay B. & Bob E.

25th Gill C. & Susan M.

SUNDAY COFFEE

JUNE

7th Sylvia & Matt Franklin

14th Andrew P. & Nesta H.

21st Gay B. & Hazel T. & Andrew P.

28th Alison Brand & Joyce Fisher

JULY

5th Sylvia & Matt Franklin

12th Nesta H. & Andrew P.

19th Gay B. & Hazel T. & Andrew P.

26th Alison Brand & Joyce Fisher

COFFEE MORNING - EACH SATURDAY - 10 UNTIL 12

5th Can you help by providing flowers12th Isabella Castle19th Mary Guy26th Zachary Castle

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Wednesday 3rd 7.30pm Area Meeting at Epping URC

Saturday 6th 12.15pm Spud and Pud

SUNDAY 7th 10.30am Morning worship and Holy Communion - Rev John Buxton

Monday 8th 2.00pm House Fellowship at Beth and John’s home in Mark Hall Moors

Thursday 11th 12.30pm Midweek Service - Rev Sam

SUNDAY 14th 10.30am Morning Worship - Brian Herring

Thursday 18th 12.30pm Friendship Group at Margaret T’s home in East Park

Saturday 20th 11.00am Pop-in Prayers

SUNDAY 21st 10.30am Family Service - Rev Ann Kosla

SUNDAY 28th 10.30am Morning Worship - David Swindale

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BIBLE STUDYIn our weekly Bible Study, we have been studying Esther. It’s amazing how God

looked after his children, the Israelites. With prayer, fasting and trust,and just-in-time interventions, the Jewish people were saved.

On 2nd June we begin studying the Letter of Paul to the Romans.You don’t have to know anything before you join us. We all learn and share together.If you just want to listen - that’s OK. From June, Susan Swindale will be organising

our group. See Hazel or Bob Taylor or Susan or David Swindale to find out more.Everyone welcome - we meet in the Chapel, at 7.30pm each Tuesday,

using the car park entrance.

Thursday 2nd 12.30pm Friendship Group at the home of Nesta in Gibb Croft

Saturday 4th Church Outing

SUNDAY 5th 10.30am Morning Worship & Holy Communion - Rev Sam

Thursday 9th 12.30pm Midweek Service

SUNDAY 12th 10.30am Morning Worship on Action for Children Sunday, including Infant Baptism - Rev John Buxton

Monday 13th 2.00pm House Fellowship at Georgina Jeewan’s home in FeryngsSaturday 18th 11.00am Pop-in Prayers

12.15pm Spud and Pud

SUNDAY 19th 10.30am Family Worship - Rev Sam

SUNDAY 26th 10.30am Morning Worship - David Swindale

Harvest Festival - Sunday 20th SeptemberChristmas Bazaar - Saturday 21st November

Please pray for our new venture -a weekday

coffee-in-the-foyerA link with, and service for our local area.

See Rev Sam if you can help.

AUGUST SATURDAY COFFEEWe have 15th, 22nd and 29th available for youto run to raise money for your chosen charity.

If you have connections with our church,contact Margaret for more information.

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St Andrews MethodistChurch Sunday Club

At S t An d r e w s M e th o d is t C h u r c h S u n d a y

C lu b , th e c h ild r e n fo llo w a s e r ie s o f

le s s o n s fr o m b o o k le ts c a lle d “ Lig h t” fr o m

S c r ip tu r e U n io n .

W h a t is “ L ig h t” ?

L ig h t is Scripture Union's range of resourcesto help us run fu n , fle x ib le and e x c itin gBible-based sessions for children and youngpeople. The youngest group (5 – 7 year olds)use “Bubbles”; the middle group (8 -11 yearolds) use “X-stream” and the older children(12 years and above) use “The Grid.”

T O P T IP S FO R C HILD R EN

� Read your Bible

� Pray every day

� Respect your parents

� Love the Lord your God

Q U IZ

1. How many books are in the Bible? (OldTestament?) (New Testament?)

2. What was the name of the shepherd boy whobecame the second king in Israel?

3. How many brothers did Joseph have?