June 2016 - Solihull Methodist Church
Transcription
June 2016 - Solihull Methodist Church
June 2016 It was so good to see everyone leaving the church with a great smile on the morning of Pentecost ! So many remarked on this. The huge choir and band sang "Saints Alive" as the central part of this morning service at Pentecost. In words and music, this is the story of the birth of the Church on the day of Pentecost. Before we started we received a huge card from the local URC churches wishing us a “Happy Birthday Church”. Then the story unfolded and was enough to bring strong messages that the apostles were ordinary people like us who had faith to take the message to the world which we share today. Peter Farndon worked so hard to make this possible and we also must have a special word for Andrew Hawker, who stood in to play the piano at the last minute. Ann Pardoe narrated the whole piece and showed just how well it can be done. What a family triumph this was with people up front from 8 – 80. What a lead into a meaningful Communion. Something to sing about! No wonder we all had smiles! Church Family News Minister’s Message New Stewards Holy Habits Refugee Initiative Safari Supper In this issue European Referendum Great Wave of Prayer Green tip Safeguarding Christian Aid Coffee Morning Please pray for the following young people in the church who are taking important exams this month. We are sorry to announce the following deaths. A levels Ben Austin Hannah Burden Iona Cameron Ieuan Edwards Ben Hague Sarah - Jayne Powell Alex Weatherup Betty Wain Betty had been getting increasingly frail GCSE Rhys Edwards Aaliyah Morris Lucy Powell Matthew Shinner Katy Shipway Elizabeth Weatherup Steve Edwards Steve died after a long battle with cancer. Bertie Tuckey Bertie and Dorothy were a vital part of our church family for many years before they moved to Stratford. Bertie brought his considerable financial expertise to the church, to the circuit and to the District. Please remember their friends and families in your prayers Margaret Graham What a very full church at St. Alphege (with a good spread of Methodists to get the singing going) as we gathered to remember the good times and to say our goodbye to our friend Margaret Graham. Rev John Bradford led us through a moving thanksgiving for such an active life that touched so many people. The service sheet is printed over pictures of her garden which was close to her heart. What a lovely touch as we started with all 4 grandchildren lighting candles of emembrance and then listened as Rev Charles Radburn who is the chaplain at the Marie Curie read from 1 Corinthians 13 Peter met Margaret when they were very young at Sunday School in the Edgware Road in London. Margaret had been evacuated twice once to Northampton where she and her siblings were billeted with Austrians and the second time aged 9 to Billingham near Newcastle-upon-Tyne. When her brother developed a serious skin complaint, Margaret took them to the station and got on a train to Kings Cross without any money or a ticket so that he could be treated at home. They were handed to the police who took them home! Margaret was a keen athlete being a competitive swimmer and a runner. She also belonged to the Girl Guides and the Church Choir having a good singing voice. Through her life she enjoyed cookery courses, Dorridge Flower Club, tapestry classes, Ladies Circle, Tangent and Ladies Probus, and playing badminton. Whilst working for Midland Bank and Coca Cola she also volunteered at Middlefield Mental Hospital and was ward clerk in the Dementia Wing at the old Solihull Hospital. So much to remember fondly and to reflect upon. We reminded ourselves of her battle with MS. This was not diagnosed for some 20 years and her deterioration was progressive for the last 15 years of her life. Lawrie Rumens The following were re-elected to the church Council at the annual meeting Richard Burr Sylvia Bailey Pam Beattie Jackie Farmer Ros Hopkins Bev Horton Philip Mackey Marjorie Roper 2 The following new nominations were elected to the church Council David Grey Karen Handford Chris Tucker Laura Yarham Revd Ken Howcroft Happy Hours We are in spirit time! Not the alcoholic kind that some take purely (of course!) for medicinal purposes or as “digestivi”, but the holy variety. In all sorts of different ways, we celebrate that Spirit’s creating and renewing of the life of the church and of the world. worship will be the Revd Ian Howarth, the Chair of the Birmingham District (of which our Birmingham Circuit is a constituent part). Whether we can entice him to burst into song again, as at his recent lunchtime recital in our church, remains to be seen. Nevertheless, experiencing that Spirit can feel a bit like being intoxicated. When the Spirit fell on Peter and the other disciples at the first Pentecost and they found themselves able to reach out freely to all sorts of strangers and communicate with them, they had to fend off the accusation that they had been over-indulging themselves in drinking new wine [Acts 2:1-13]. That is what the effects looked like to people. What though of the Spirit renewing the life of the world, not least through us? In May, we entered a season of elections. It began with local elections and elections for Police and Crime Commissioners, and will end with the Referendum on the European Union on 23 June. What has the Spirit got to do with politics? Everything. Politics is about how we organise the ways in which we live together in community. At every level – neighbourhood, local, regional, United Kingdom, European and world – there is a need for peace and hope: peace because of the tensions, struggles, and sometimes wars; and hope because of the disrespect, cynicism and despair that seem so prevalent. The Spirit still comes to us, just like it came to them. It enlivens us, makes us joyful, removes our unhelpful inhibitions, empowers us, and drives us out to engage with the people in the world outside our church rooms. So where do we see and celebrate the signs of the Spirit creating and renewing the life of the church and the world? In our church life, there is a real buzz of energy, with older activities gaining new leases of life (with some in danger of bursting their wineskin at the seams); and with new groups and activities starting up all over the place. We are trying to meet people’s needs for company, social events and activities, and support; as well as for meaning, worship and love. We seem to be succeeding, at least in part. Some come on a Sunday, and then find themselves drawn into other activities during the week. Others come to a concert or event in our church, or an activity in the hall, and then come back on a Sunday. They always say how surprised they feel to find themselves genuinely welcomed without being made to conform. How does the Spirit create peace and hope in the world? The answer is, through our engagement not our withdrawal. The prophet Jeremiah tells of God saying to God’s people “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you…, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare”. [Jer. 29:1ff] Christianity has continued to have a lot to say both to and about politics. Jesus taught about the issues and everyday choices that face both ordinary people and those in power. The Lord’s Prayer is about how earthly societies and relationships can be transformed into expressions of God’s kingdom. There may not be single definitive answers to the questions that face us. There should be space for everyone to explore the issues and come to their own conclusion. As Christians we may not, and almost certainly will not, have unified answers. But we cannot ignore the challenges facing society today, and we need to engage fully with democratic processes and decision-making. We cater for all sorts of people. One of the growth areas is the number of young children and parents participating in our worship. They are not just the potential church of tomorrow, they are the church of today (when we respond to Jesus’s call to us to let them come to him). Then on Sunday 12 June, as well as sharing in our communion service, we shall be celebrating the work of MHA, a charity founded by Methodists in 1943 which now provides high quality and ground-breaking care, accommodation and support services for more than 16,000 older people throughout Britain. Its mission is to improve the quality of life of older people, inspired by Christian concern. If you have access to a computer, you can find out more about it at http://www.mha.org.uk/ By participating in elections, Christians can make their feelings known, and make a positive impact on the political landscape. Above all, we can all pursue the common good and hold onto the vision of a society built on truth, justice, peace and wellbeing. You will find further information from the Joint Public Issues Team about how this works out with regard to the Referendum on another page in this Messenger. On Sunday 19 June, we shall be celebrating Father’s Day with the help of people from one of our newer activities, Saturday Dads! Think, Pray, Vote. Take the life of the Spirit from worship and prayer into your life in the world. Bring the life of the world into your worship and prayer. Then on Sunday 26 June, we shall be celebrating the 79th anniversary of our Church. The preacher and leader of our Ken 3 Andy Hunt . Before arriving in Birmingham to study for a Computer Science degree at Aston University, I grew up in Middlesbrough, in the North East of England. It was during my time at Aston that I first met Andrea, who little did I know at the time, was later to become my wife. We decided on Solihull as an ideal place to settle down as a couple and to bring up a family. It was our search, back in 2004, for a Church to both worship and get married in that brought us through the doors at Solihull Methodist Church. We have had some of our most treasured memories in this Church, including our Wedding day in 2006 the Baptisms of both of our children, Benjamin and Saskia, in 2008 and 2010. We have seen many changes in the make-up of the Church family, from the early days when we were among only a few young families, to the recent months when we have been blessed with many new faces arriving, many of them also looking for a friendly safe place to worship in and bring up their children. We have the benefit of a wonderful building that is both practical and visually inviting from outside, along with the splendid mix of mature experience and youthful energy in our congregation. These things, combined with the warm Solihull Methodist Church welcome (the same welcome that greeted us both twelve years ago!), means the future of our Church is looking bright. I was delighted to be nominated as a Church Steward, and I will work hard to further expand the place our wonderful Church has within the lives of our local community, and ask that you all support me in this role. I thank you all in advance, as I know for sure that you will! Andy Hunt Sarah Shinner Born in the nearby village of Hampton-in-Arden to a District Midwife and an Engineer I was the second of three daughters. As a child I attended St Mary and St. Bartholomew Church of England as a chorister under the watchful eye of my father, where my love of both singing and choral music developed. I moved to Solihull in 1987 to start married life with Mike where our three children Katie, Jonathan and Matthew were born. Through the children’s membership of Cubs and Guides at 11th Solihull, I took up the role of Assistant Guide Leader with Ann Garland and a few years later Richard Bates persuaded me to ‘volunteer’ as the first aider for one of his Cub camps. The rest as they say is history and I have served as a Scout leader at the Church for over 15 years now. Whilst attending Church Parades I came to appreciate the simpler less ceremonial form of Methodist worship that was re-connecting me with my faith. Realising that the community I missed since moving out of the village was right here at Solihull Methodist and after attending the Alpha Course I decided to become a Methodist and a member at Solihull. The Church and community have been a tremendous support to me through some challenging years and so I was very pleased to be nominated for the role of steward and have the chance to make my own contribution to the rich life of Solihull Methodist Church. I am looking forward to taking up my role with Andy as we discover a new opportunity to serve. I enjoy going for local walks with Katie and her dog, being a member of SMASH and as a keen amateur needlewoman use my spare time to sew. Sarah Shinner 4 EN.RG had a special party to say good bye to Rev Andy Clark (Circuit Youth Minister) who is sat on the step at the end. Andy is leaving the circuit in the summer to go to Chessington. Pushchair Club Parents and their children all joined in a Maypole dance to celebrate the beginning of the month of May. The new steward team will be taking on the following portfolios this year Sue Balmer • Stewards’ meetings agendas • Communications C’tee • Ways and Means C’tee • Badges Sue Bates • Link with Preachers • Messenger Sarah Shinner • Creche • New members link • Pushchair club Tim Weatherup • Stewards’ meetings agendas • Property C’Tee • Catering C’tee Helen Banks • Unwind after work • Uniformed organisations • Finding the way forward Andy Hunt • Junior church link • Welcome stewards • Green group Church Office 0121 705 7367 Youth, Family and Community worker Tina Brooker Sian MusgreaveSpiby Pastoral Coordinator Chris Giles Stella Staight 5 Dear Friend, Throughout the history of the Church, Christians have grappled with how to live out the Good News of Jesus that the Kingdom of God is both here and yet to come. Paul’s response was the concept of ‘koinonia’, while John Wesley spoke of ‘social holiness’. Both of these terms have been domesticated over the centuries, but in fact they offer radical theological foundations to the Holy Habit of Service. What Paul, and Wesley after him, wanted of the followers of Jesus was for us to proclaim the Good News by living “on earth as if in heaven.” In other words, every act of love, justice and peace is a taste of how God’s world is to be. Therefore, the ways we serve as the Birmingham Methodist Circuit through… • our chaplaincies in hospitals, universities and other workplaces, • our day centres for the elderly and our toddler groups • our projects engaging young people, asylum seekers and the street community • our commitment to just causes • our working lives and volunteering • our giving of time and money • and the good use of our church buildings for the sake of the communities we are called to serve, are all an indication of the reality of God’s Kingdom in our Holy Habits Programme · Habit 6 Habit 7 Habit 8 Habit 9 Habit 10 Service Fellowship Biblical Teaching Sharing Resources Worship midst. The church believes that it has a message of hope and good news to share with the whole brings to individuals will be seen both in active membership of the Christian church and in a life of mission and service that mirrors Jesus’ own life. How the message of good news is shared effectively through our words and deeds in 21st century Britain is one of the biggest challenges for the church today, which is why we must continue to practice the Holy Habit of Service as we reach out to others in Jesus’ name. Inspired by this Holy Habit, we are launching a new ‘Social Justice Network’ in the circuit, which will be a network of Christian activists. The group will seek to further our partnerships with organisations which share our values of peace and justice, including Restore, Christian Aid, City of Sanctuary, Tax Justice, Trussell Trust, All We Can, Citizens UK: Birmingham, Hope Projects, Methodist Homes and Birmingham Christian Homeless Forum. Our theology of Christian Service must be an expression of our understanding of God’s desire for a just world and our common calling as the people of Jesus to be agents of that divine yearning. Furthermore, as Christian people called Methodist we hold to a tradition that seeks holiness wherever society is to be found. Rev Dr Neil Johnson May 22nd – 30th September 1st October – 31st December 1st January 2017– 28th February 1st March – 30th April 1st May – 30th June It was my privilege to 'ask' Birmingham city leadership to open doors wider to refugees. From the Oct 15 'ask' of 50 to a 2016 'ask' of 500! (100 a year for 5 years). Thank goodness Birmingham Circuit joined the non-partisan alliance of Citizens UK Birmingham. Cross party support said yes! What a good role model for wider Circuits and Connexion. Earlier in the day I had been in London, with a Government Minister and Senior Home Office staff exploring a Private Sponsorship model on behalf of MCB. They finally, after months, said YES to a pilot. Now we need to detail the how. Previously I had the opportunity to speak in the House of Lords Committee Room meeting around sponsorship some months ago and many attending said sincere thanks for our leadership. The Jewish community reminded us that the Methodist Church was a prime mover in the Kinder Transport initiative many years ago and powerfully thanked us for our help both then and now. Best wishes, David Rev David Butterworth is the Mission in the Economy Officer for the Birmingham District 6 Rev David Butterworth, Birmingham City Council Leader John Clancy (Labour) and Councillor Bobby Alden (Conservative), photo by Eddy Aigbe from Lozells Methodist Church. I can’t think how many years since our last travelling supper. How popular they were when our Bev was a youngster and what a good way of meeting people in our Church family. How would we fare nowadays? Heads bowed for grace “Very well” was the answer. We filled our expected numbers and at the beginning of the week we prevailed on extra host homes to accommodate more. Amazingly even up to the Friday before we had people asking to join in and sadly we had to say no. We did not have time to get more hosts on board nor to rearrange where people were going to eat etc. It was good to start with a fruit punch altogether in the Hall (what on earth was in it?). The ambience of the Hall was enhanced with subdued lighting and candles on all the tables – did not look like the Hall! This was a chance to meet everyone and to start learning the newer names. Then an envelope each told us where to go. Five host venues for our starter which was a rather marvellous Mackerel pate and all the trimmings. We settled in and conversation was rattling along when – another envelope and we were all mixed up into different groups at five more venues for the main course. Gosh was this classy. A special Mary Berry recipe with superb beefsteak from Lyons (Knowle) in a horseradish and mustard casserole. You should see the ingredients – enough to empty Sainsbury’s. This was the wow factor with wine brought over from France for the occasion. Now we were ready for the sofa and forty winks - but onwards again back to hall where there were the best of the UnFitter house group puddings with enough for seconds (and thirds) and then cheese and our rather posh coffee. Lawrie serving the fruit punch 7 How good to be together with so many of the church family and to have time to chat and get to know newer faces some more. What a superb evening for meeting people and striking friendships. This alone is reason for the evening. The £620 (yes £620) raised for Reynalds Cross is icing in the cake. Many thanks and very well done Lawrie Rumens Wonderful selection of puddings On 23 June each of us will be asked to answer the question "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" Behind the simple challenge of the referendum question there are many others which are not on the ballot paper. The referendum is surrounded by controversy, and because opinions differ, so does the interpretation of facts. The Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church and United Reformed Church with the support of the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office has compiled a resource to explore the issues surrounding a range of aspects of membership of the European Union (EU), and it offers different opinions and perspectives. Christians may not agree on how to vote in the referendum, but we can each reflect thoughtfully and prayerfully on the issues involved. Here are some of the thoughts. nations of Europe. Our churches have well established links with Christian communities and congregations across the continent; these relationships extend to nations that are currently part of the European Union and those that are not. It is not an issue of whether we need and value these relationships, or even whether we belong in Europe, but whether that sense of belonging is best expressed by being part of the European Union. The real referendum question The referendum question might therefore be phrased as: “To what extent does the European Union enhance or hinder our ability to love our neighbour and, in doing so, our ability to love God?” You may like to have that at the back of your mind as you work your way through these other general questions: • Who, in this context, is our neighbour? Are we talking about neighbours in our local communities, in the UK, in Europe, or in the wider world? • It is an important aim to have good relations with all countries, in Europe and elsewhere. Does our membership of the European Union help us with this, or hinder us? • All political and economic structures are made by humans and therefore flawed. The referendum offers us a choice between political and economic structures where the UK is part of the EU or outside the EU. Which would best enable us to fulfil our Christian duty towards God and our neighbour? • Can the EU, in its current or a reformed state, achieve the ideals we might have for it? Love your neighbour As Christians we are called to work, live and pray for a better society. This includes participating in the political processes that shape the lives of our communities, our country and our world. It is our identity as followers of Jesus that will both engage us in the referendum and shape our response. How, then, do we allow our faith to inform our answer to one of the biggest political decisions facing the United Kingdom? The gospel accounts remind us that Jesus said the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind”, while the second is to “love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus reinforces the established Old Testament principle that our relationship with God affects the way we relate to and live with one another. These human relationships are an expression of our relationship with God; the two are intertwined. Prayer Loving God, In the referendum that lies before us, in the challenge of seeking an answer, in our differences of opinion, in our need to understand, may you guide us in our decisions, make us gracious in our disagreement, and may we join you to work for the building of your kingdom rather than our own. Amen But what does this have to do with the European Union, the Schengen Agreement and the single market? The answer is that each of these refers to and directly impacts upon how we relate to each other as individuals, as members of organisations and communities, and as countries. Whether it concerns questions of sovereignty, the free movement of people, or where laws are made and enforced, these are issues that influence and affect our relationships, and as such, our faith has much to share. The UK has a longstanding relationship with the other www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/eu-referendum 8 memorised by small children and yet profound enough to sustain a whole lifetime of prayer. When we pray it with sincerity and with joy, there is no imagining the new ways in which God can use us to his glory.” The Archbishops of Canterbury and York invited churches to pray for the evangelisation of the nation during the week before Pentecost Sunday. The Archbishops wrote to every serving parish priest in the Church of England expressing their longing “to see a great wave of prayer across our land, throughout the Church of England and many other Churches” from 8th-15th May. The Archbishops suggested various ways churches could engage with the week of prayer. These included holding a day or week of continuous ‘24/7’ prayer as parishes, teams or deaneries; saying special prayers in Sunday worship; prayer walking; or handing out a novena prayer card to every congregation member. Archbishop Justin Welby sent a message via live video link to other Beacon Events taking place at the same time as the Canterbury event. The week of prayer culminated in ‘Beacon Events’ around the country over Pentecost weekend, where people prayed for the renewal of the Holy Spirit and the confidence to share their faith. In their letter the Archbishops said: “At the heart of our prayers will be words that Jesus himself taught us – ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.’ It is impossible to overstate the life-transforming power of the Lord’s Prayer. It is a prayer that is reassuring enough to be on the lips of the dying and yet dangerous enough to be banned in cinemas. It is famous enough to be spoken each day by billions in hundreds of languages and yet intimate enough to draw us ever closer into friendship with Jesus Christ. It is simple enough to be Partners in the week of prayer initiative included 24-7 Prayer, HOPE, the World Prayer Centre, the Neighbourhood Prayer, Network, and the National Day of Prayer and Worship. Safeguarding at Solihull Methodist Church Results of the Past Cases Review by the Methodist . Church in 2015 reminded us of the importance of regular reviews, awareness and good practice within our church to keep it a safe place for all who enter our doors, and especially young people and vulnerable adults. We have recently updated our Safeguarding policy and a copy will be sent shortly to all who are actively involved in relevant roles within the church. This will be accompanied by a card with important contact details and a copy of the log sheet used for reporting concerns. These will also be displayed on the notice board. A copy is also sent to outside users of our premises. Because this is quite a large and active church we have a small Safeguarding team to manage these issues. This comprises Rev. Ken Howcroft, our Minister, Judy Lingard and myself. Chris Giles was part of the group but has recently handed over to Jackie Farmer who has particular responsibility for Vulnerable Adults. We thank Chris for her valuable help over the past few years. A big thank you goes too to all who have recently undertaken the Foundation Module, Creating Safer Space. This training session is mandatory for many roles within the church, but we are nearly all volunteers so it is heartening that so many of you cheerfully attend and understand the importance of keeping our awareness up to date. Jenni Kitson Safeguarding Officer 9 LED market expands For most of my lifetime the majority of household light bulbs came in standard bulb shape; differed only by the amount of light emitted; and, literally, generated much more heat than light. Halogen lights came along which were about a third more efficient, but it was compact fluorescents (CFLs) which brought a step change in efficiency. They used the same technology as the long fluorescent tubes which brought a baleful light in church halls and offices. Unhappily CFLs were often bigger and longer than the old bulbs and wouldn’t fit in the same lampshades. Often they also took minutes to warm up. Initially LEDs lacked the necessary power of other bulbs and offered only a small range of fittings but this is changing fast. LEDs now come in the traditional bulb shape and all the halogen lights that I know of. The remaining problem now is to work out what size LED you need to give the same light as one of the old bulbs. Light is measured in ‘lumens’. It may be helpful to know that an old 100 Watt bulb gave about 1100 lumens and a 60 Watt bulb about half that. These new LEDs are widely available at stores like B+Q and online at LED Hut and elsewhere. Richard Balmer The Messenger Team Sue Balmer, Bryan Fitter, Jeff Horton, Revd Ken Howcroft, Bill Penny and Lawrie Rumens. Material for publication to [email protected] We reserve the right to edit articles if necessary. Please send photographs separately as jpeg files. NB. Last date for July/ August Messenger items is 12th June Solihull Methodist Church Brownie Group need two new volunteer leaders to help from September. One of the leaders should be willing to work towards an on the job training for a Brownie qualification to lead the group. If you are interested please phone the church office on 0121-705-7367 Summer Outings Wed 15th June Coach trip to Winterbourne House and Gardens Wed 13th July Coach trip to Wightwick Manor Wed 10th August Coach trip to Calke Abbey Contact Bryan Fitter to book 10 June Diary Sunday Monday Tuesday Monday 5 6 9.00 Holy 10.15 Jelly Communion Revd Babies Ken Howcroft 1.15 Jelly Tots 10.30 Morning 7.30 Scouts Service Revd Ken Howcroft 10.30 Holy communion Revd Nigel Collinson 19 9.30 Holy Communion Thursday 1 2 10.00 Morning prayers 1.00 Organ Recital Friday 3 4 2.00 Friends r Us 10 – 12 DropWednesday in 7.30 Alpha course Tuesday Thursday coffee Saturday Friday 8.15 Badminton 8 10.00 Morning prayers 10.30 Men’s Coffee morning 10 – 12 Drop in coffee 1.30 Keep Fit 9 2.00 Friends r Us 6.30 Cubs 10 7.00 EN.R.G Youth Club 7.30 Alpha course 8.15 Badminton 13 14 10.15 Jelly Babies 1.15 Jelly Tots 7.30 Scouts 20 10.15 Jelly Babies 10.30 Morning service Revd Ken Howcroft and Revd 1.15 Tom Stuckey 7.30 Jelly Tots Scouts 9.30 Holy Communion 15 10.00 Morning prayers 16 2.00 Friends r Us 6.30 Cubs 10.15 Contact 10 – 12 Drop in 7.30 Alpha course Choir coffee 10.30 Men’s 8.15 Badminton Coffee morning 1.00 Soupa Talks 1.30 Keep Fit trip to Winterbourne 5.50 Brownies House and Gardens 6.00 Rainbows 21 22 9.30 Holy 10.00 Morning Communion prayers 10.15 Contact 10 – 12 Drop in Choir coffee 10.30 Men’s Coffee morning 23 2.00 Friends r Us 6.30 Cubs 11 9.00 Saturday Dads 9.30 Church Working party 12 – 4.30 Youth stand at the Solihull Carnival 5.50 Brownies 6.00 Rainbows 6.30 Quiet space 12 7 Wednesday 17 2.30 Guild Garden party at 25 Mirfield Road 18 7.00 EN.R.G Youth Club 24 7.00 EN.R.G Youth Club 25 7.30 Alpha course 8.15 Badminton 1.30 Keep Fit 5.50 Brownies 6.00 Rainbows 26 27 10.30 Morning Service Revd Ian Howarth 1.15 Jelly Tots 7.30 Scouts 6.30 Communion and Healing Revd David Butterworth 10.15 Jelly Babies 28 29 10.00 Morning 9.30 Holy prayers Communion 10 – 12 Drop in 10.15 Contact coffee Choir 10.30 Men’s Coffee morning 30 2.00 Friends r Us 6.30 Cubs 7.30 Alpha course 8.15 Badminton 1.30 Keep Fit 5.50 Brownies 6.00 Rainbows 11 Printed by Additional Curates Society Coffee Morning Wow was that the biggest Christian Aid morning yet? When I turned up for the family limo to have its annual wash there was already quite a queue. St Alphege School Choir But I was instinctively drawn to the hub of the event. There in the crèche were Shirley, Alison, Sandra and Christine beavering away to produce so many lunches with superb apple pies for afters. There was another focal point that was new to us with the St Alphege School Choir who were seriously good and who thoughtfully brought lots of mums, dads and families with them who browsed the stalls and bought lots – especially from the cake stall. There was so much going on that I have not the space to do justice to everyone helping. I will just mention Groovy Little Movers who from the sound of it were having a fab time upstairs. Car Wash Team What a great social event and what a bonus that already we have more than £2000 for the worthy cause. Lawrie Rumens Superb cake stall Plant stall helpers www.solihull-methodist.org.uk Blossomfield Road Solihull 0121 705 7367