U OCTOBER 2014
Transcription
U OCTOBER 2014
OCTOBER 2014 VALE BAPTIST CHURCH Minister: Rev. Kath Lawson 23 Broadstone St Todmorden OL14 8AL ' 01706 815517 Email: [email protected] www.valebc.org.uk U ROOMFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor: Mr.John Lockhart 11 Rock Terrace Todmorden OL14 6PU ' 01706 814195 Email: [email protected] www.roomfieldchurch.org Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. Rev 14:15 Vale Pulpit Supply 5th Oct 10.30 am Rev. Kath Lawson - Communion 12th Oct 10.30 am Rev. Jo Kershaw - Ladies’ Sunday 19th Oct 10.45 am Harvest - Joining with Roomfield at Roomfield 26th Oct 10.30 am Andy Newing If ever you are tempted to say, “I wish someone were to die and leave me something in his will,” allow me to tell you, “Someone has !” David Shepherd Roomfield Pulpit Supply 5th Oct 10.45 am John Lockhart 12th Oct 10.45 am Doreen Landriau 19th Oct 10.45 am Harvest - Joining with Vale at Roomfield - Rev. Kath Lawson 26th Oct 10.45 am John Lockhart I am always content with what happens, for I know that what God chooses is better than what I choose. Epictetus The Tortoise Usually Wins Although The Tortoise Usually Wins sounds as if it should be the title of a sequel to Aesop’s fable The Hare and the Tortoise, it is actually the title of a book about leadership, which I recently reviewed for the Baptist Ministers’ Journal. It is aimed particularly, but not exclusively, at those people who find themselves in positions of leadership which they did not seek and for which they doubt their ability to fulfil. Baptist churches have traditionally taken the view that all Christians are called to play their part within a local congregation. As the numbers of small churches without full time ministry increase, the role of leadership is likely to fall more and more on church members. We are often told that being a Christian is a marathon not a sprint; we are in it for the long haul. Results are unlikely to be immediate and we need to appreciate this. This is where the analogy of the Hare and the Tortoise comes in. The Hare was a somewhat flamboyant, charismatic character, well aware of his speed but lacking the necessary focus. He was distracted by all kinds of diversions during the race. Meanwhile Tortoise plodded on doggedly and patiently, eventually winning the race. The book makes the point that those leaders with a full-on leadership style may well run out of steam well before their aims are achieved. They are far more likely to be “one-man bands” and often fail to recognise the gifts of others who could help. Reluctant leaders, on the other hand, are more likely to demonstrate the leadership model of Jesus showing humility and appreciation of the efforts of others. The Tortoise won because s/he refused to be intimidated by his/her limitations compared with the Hare. Instead s/he did what s/he did best - putting one foot in front of the other with patience and endurance. We are called to be the best we can be at being ourselves, not comparing ourselves with others who appear to have greater abilities. The principles high-lighted in the book are applicable to anyone in leadership whatever the context. I was “just a housewife” when I felt called to the ministry, and was convinced God could not be serious! As a quiet leader myself I found this book both enlightening and encouraging. Kath Lawson Vale News Family News Margaret Crowther is having a sponsored silence on October 7th in aid of Christian Aid. (Sponsorship form in church). Please support this worthy cause (it will help Christian Aid too!!) ooooooo Thanks to everyone for cards and best wishes on my birthday. I got a lovely surprise seeing friends from Vale at the tribute to the Everley Brothers. It was a really good night. Thank you for the cake at Elevenses. I had a lovely birthday, thanks to everyone. Rene The Ladies’ Guild Ladies Sunday is on the 12th October and Rev Jo Kershaw from St Mary’s will be with us. There will be refreshments after the service provided by the Ladies’ Guild. Everyone is welcome. For our meeting on Tuesday 28th October there will be a Leprosy Mission video entitled ‘Meeting on a Plate’. Unfortunately Nick Calland isn’t able to come this time but he is sending a catalogue and any items we order will be free of postage and packing. We hope that St Michael’s ladies will join us. ooooooo Flowers for the end of August were provided by Pam & Jim Anderson in memory of Barbara and Tommy Threlfall. Flowers for the beginning of September were provided by Mrs Christine Clark, Mrs Shirley Fielden and Mrs Florence Walsh. Thank you to everyone for your donations. oooooooo We usually give our donations to the Gideons around this time of the year. If you would like to make a contribution towards their work, please see Diane. Thank you for your support which is very much appreciated. The little box on the side table in October is for donations to C.I.C.S. If you would like to fill a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child, we have boxes available in church. They would need to be filled by October 19th for delivery. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Shattered dreams Is this the pot at the end of the rainbow? Roomfield News Saturday 11 October 8:30 am Prayer Meeting Thursday 16 October 7:30 pm Quo Vadis – Discussion Group Friday 24 October 7:30 pm Film Night Sunday 26 October 6:30 pm FaithLive The following regular meetings take place at Roomfield: MONDAY Inspire – Bible Study 10:30 am (check for dates) Woven Voices Choir Rehearsal 7:30 pm TUESDAY Pilates Class Contact Kerensa McKie (01706 818007) WEDNESDAY Stitching & Knitting Craft Group Contact Lena Smith: 01706 817260 7:00 – 8:00 pm 11:30 am – 3:00 pm (most weeks) Rainbows, Brownies and Guides 5:00 – 9:00 pm For Rainbows, 5.00 – 6.00pm, (term time) contact Katie (01706 839646) and Brownies, 6.10 – 7.25 pm contact Lucy Reynolds (07718942980). For Guides, 7.30 – 9.00 pm, contact Theresa Scholfield (01706 839959). THURSDAY Pilates Classes Contact Kerensa McKie (01706 818007) 9:30 – 10:30 am and 10:30 – 11:30 am Clothes for Ukraine Anya Glew has been collecting warm winter clothing for people in Ukraine who have been forced to leave their homes. For many the upheaval has been very sudden – they were not expecting their area to be overrun by the 'rebels'. This means that they have often left without adequate clothing for the winter months. Anya's efforts were more successful than she anticipated, with people from various churches and elsewhere making contributions of clothing. Thank you to all who stepped in to help. Bible Study Our long trawl through Luke and Acts has now ended and we will be covering Hebrews next. Not everyone can make it to the daytime sessions so we intend to add an evening session soon. Harvest Our harvest service will be on 19 October, and we will be joined by our friends from Vale Baptist Church. Rev Kath Lawson will also be preaching. Quo Vadis If anyone would like to lead one of our Quo Vadis discussion sessions, or otherwise has a burning topic they wish to have discussed, please let John know. Pray, Think, Act Sometimes it is useful to remember that prayer does not happen in isolation. We are urged to "pray, think, act" - in other words, to use prayer as an opening to thinking about what is happening around us and being challenged to engage with issues in whatever way we can. Indeed, prayer should never be used as a substitute for thinking and acting but as something that complements them. At the present time we have tremendously difficult issues being faced internationally with the Russian military intervention in Ukraine (under the cover of "pro-Russian rebels"), the ongoing slaughter in Syria, the terror campaign of ISIS (which now styles itself as the "Islamic State") in Iraq and the conflict between Israel and Gaza, to name only the the most prominent of the present conflicts. While prayer must be encouraged, we also have a responsibility to think about these issues, learn what we can, and to act, whether through our individual efforts (donations, campaigning) or collectively as a society through the actions of our government. So when we pray "about" something, as we are asked to do with these difficult international crises, remember that we are also being challenged to think and act. We may not always understand the deep-rooted issues, and we will certainly not always all agree on the answers, but we should at least be prepared to be challenged. John Lockhart The Harvest Harvest hymns are happy hymns, with grateful hearts, we say Our special thanks for harvest time, and all it means today. The hard work and the waiting time, the sowing of the seed. And now the golden reaping time that God has blessed indeed! It shows if we have faith and trust, and wait with patience, too, We’ll find our lives – like harvest time, will be enriched anew! Elizabeth Gozney Hymns for Christians over 65 years old · · · · · · · · · Give Me the Old Timers Religion Precious Lord, Take My Hand, And Help Me Up Just a Slower Walk with Thee Go Tell It on the Mountain, But Speak Up Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seeing Guide Me, O Thou, Great Lord God, I’ve Forgotten Where I’ve Parked The Car Count Your Many Birthdays, Count Them One By One Blessed Insurance It Is Well With My Soul, But My Knees Hurt One ship drives east and another drives west with the self-same winds that blow; ‘tis the set of the sails and not the gales which tell us the way to go. Like the winds of the seas are the ways of fate, as we voyage along through life, ‘tis the set of a soul that decides its goal and not the calm of the strife. Ella Wheeler Wilcox Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the cliff. Standing on a ledge, taking a breather during her first rock climb, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. 'Great', she thought. 'Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top, and now my sight is blurry.' She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there. Feeling panic rising in her, she began praying. She prayed for calm, and that she might find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse 'The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.' She thought, 'Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.' Later, back at the bottom, they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, 'Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?' Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it! The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father, a cartoonist, on hearing the story drew this cartoon : I think it would do us all good to say, 'God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will.' God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him...I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13) A teenager was always asking his father if he could borrow the family car. Pushed to the limit, the father asked his son why he thought that God had given him two feet. Without hesitation the son replied, “That’s easy; one for the clutch and one for the accelerator”. VALE DIARY DATES Sat 4th Oct 11am to 3pm Macmillan Coffee Morning Sun 5th Oct Harvest gifts for Drop-in, and flowers for distribution will be received in church today Tues 7th Oct Day of fasting and prayer for YBA, BU & BMS (donations to Christian Aid) Sun 12th Oct Herald notes for NOVEMBER Herald due today Sun 19th Oct Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes needed by today Mon 20th Oct 7.30 pm Churches Together meeting at St Mary’s Tue 28th Oct 2pm Ladies Guild - Leprosy Mission - DVD and opportunity to buy from their catalogue. Wed 29th Oct 6.30 pm Beetle drive in aid of Home Mission Refreshments will be available The following regular meetings take place at Vale , All are welcome. MONDAY Elevenses, come and have a cuppa and chat in a relaxed atmosphere at Vale 10.30 am -12 noon TUESDAY Prayer Meeting in Church 10.00 am Prayer / Bible Study meeting at Vale (Parsonage or Church) 8.00 pm - 9.00 pm Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. Henry Ward Beecher News or contributions to [email protected] Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can. John Wesley