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Snippets from our Newsletter
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February 2010
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From the Minister’s Study:
Dear Friends
As I sit down to write this letter I'm devoid of inspiration. Nothing seems to be coming to mind. We've done Christmas. We've had the New Year. February seems to be really boring in comparison. I can't seem to find any theme that will connect with this time of year.
I wonder if you have the same feelings sometimes when it comes to prayer. We know that we should be praying but when we get round to it we find that there's no inspiration. Sometimes we can't find the right words to say to God.
I hope our series on the Lord's Prayer has been helpful. This prayer was given by Jesus to teach us what the content of our prayers should be. I've been really struck by how it's a prayer that shows complete dependence on God. The first half of the prayer is asking God to make his name great, establish his Kingdom and ensure that his will is done on Earth. Only after we've prayed these lines to we get to pray for ourselves and our needs.
So if you struggle to pray and have no inspiration take Jesus' model as a guide:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive the sins of others. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory.
Amen.
May February be a month where you come into a deeper relationship with God through this prayer.
God bless
Phil
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“Who do people say that Jesus is?”
“Who do people say that you are
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From the Church Secretary
We heard some great news in January. It was about the birth of Abigail Rebecca in December. This makes Winifred Hepworth a Great Grandma.
At our Church Meeting in January, I presented a report of what the Church has been doing during 2009. It made interesting reading but it is rather too long to print in the newsletter. If you would like to read it then I will put in onto our website for you to find. Our website address is www.urcyorkshire.org.uk/ko and you should find a link to the report on the first page.
I have a copy of a calendar for Lent which has been published by Christian Aid. It’s called ‘Count Your Blessings 2010’ and for each day from February 17th to April 4th, it guides us to think about those who are less fortunate than ourselves and gives us the opportunity to do something about it. For example on February 17th it says, ‘833 million people worldwide often don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Give 5p for each hour between one meal and the next.’ If you would like a copy of the calendar, please collect one from the rear of church or ask any of the Elders.
I was horrified to see on the television a week or so since an advertisement for a company who will lend you money (-just like that!) for a short time. In small print on the screen, it announced an interest rate of over 2000% which means that if you borrowed £10 and didn’t pay it back for a year, you would then owe them £20,000 (twenty thousand pounds!).
There has got to be a better way and I am pleased that at our Children’s Centre we have a branch of a Credit Union which is designed to help people save and borrow much more cheaply. Please spread the news.
We were sorry to hear of the death of Phil’s grandfather, Ernest, as we were ‘going to press’. Please pray for all the family at this time. Thank you.
Roderick
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Keep Fit
We are back in the groove again after an extended Christmas break. One week missed because of the snow but now we are working hard.
We sold as many tickets for the hampers as we could and raised £75.50; so thank you to all ‘my girls’ for contributing the food. The first hamper went to Barbara Unsworth, the second to Ann (friend of Joan Pratt) and the third to Janet Gold. We will be having a break on February 15th for half-term.
Advance Notice - our postponed Christmas Party will be on March 29th.
Jackie
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One for St Valentine’s Day
After she woke up, a wife told her husband, “I just dreamed that you gave me a pearl necklace for Valentine’s Day. What do you think it means?”
“You’ll know tonight,” he said
That evening, the husband came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. She was delighted, opened it eagerly and found a small book entitled ‘The Meaning of Dreams’.
Thanks to J.John & M.Stibbe
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Commitment for Life
Although we have chosen Zimbabwe as our Commitment for Life country I thought you would like to read some good news from another of the commitment for life partners, Jamaica.
Being 19 years old, pregnant, single and living in a small rural community may not be the ideal situation for any young woman. But Gabrielle Walker of Mount Vernon, St Thomas, is plucking for herself a brighter future through chicken rearing.
Gabrielle is one of more than 100 women who have been benefiting from the Creating Sustainable Livelihoods EU/Christian Aid project being implemented by the Women's Resource and Outreach Centre in five St Thomas communities.
As part of the project, Gabrielle received 100 chickens in May 2009 and effectively charted a new path. "I sell (chickens) to people in Morant Bay. I sell to restaurants and household," said Gabrielle, who is assisted by her family. "The biggest money I made when I sold chickens one time is $15,000," she shared shyly.
In fact, the young farmer intends to use her profit to fund her tuition for nursing school after the baby is born.
The Creating Sustainable Livelihoods project was initiated following the decline of the local banana industry, from which many women earned their living. In December 2008, the livelihoods project first engaged community members in committees to identify areas of concern and then later provided tangible benefits such as providing cash crops, chickens and other livestock. In a bid to produce and market chickens on a collective basis, Gabrielle and the other 27 beneficiaries in Mount Vernon will soon benefit from the construction of a slaughterhouse. The abattoir will be completed in a few weeks.
It is good to know that there are such positive outcomes from our donations. Judith
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Christmas Coffee Afternoon
Thank you to everyone who supported this new venture because it went very well. Especially thanks you Elizabeth for baking all the Christmas cakes and puddings and to all who made mince pies.
There was a lovely atmosphere with everyone chatting and exchanging opinions about the flower arrangements. It was nice to see some new faces as well as the familiar ones of people who have supported me over the years when I have held a flower party at my home.
We raised £240 for church funds from the event. Thank you again
Janet & Elizabeth
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Time for Prayer
Our regular Tuesday Prayer time, when we meet
as a group, continues to pray for anyone we know
who needs God’s love and help and to say our
‘thank-you’s’ for the many prayers answered
You are welcome to come and join us or to send us a request for prayer.
Write a few details on a prayer slip and place it in the box in The Sanctuary Room.
Send a few details to our special email address intakeurc@yahoo.com before midnight on Monday.
Tell someone you know who attends the group.
Roderick
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It’s the way you tell ‘em
A bicycle can’t stand alone; it is two tyred.
A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.
Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
With her marriage she got a new name and a dress.
A lot of money is tainted: ‘taint yours and ‘taint mine.
When she saw her first grey hairs, she thought she’d dye.
When you’ve seen one shopping centre, you’ve seen a mall.
A short fortune-teller who escaped from prison: a small medium at large
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3 Y’s
Why do we leave cars worth thousands of pounds on the drive or in the road and put our useless stuff in the garage?
Why don’t sheep shrink when it rains?
Why isn’t there mouse-flavoured cat food?
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January 2010
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From the Minister’s Study:
Hello Everyone
Have you ever made a new year's resolution? Have you ever kept it?
In 2009 I made the resolution to not buy chocolate. I was a desperate chocoholic. If I needed change for the bus, I'd buy a chocolate bar to get it. If I was hungry in the mid-afternoon I'd buy a chocolate bar. If I wanted an evening snack I'd buy a chocolate bar.
The resolution to not buy chocolate had a handy way of weaning me off chocolate slowly. I'd received plenty of chocolate as gifts at Christmas and so I made them stretch into the new year. Rather than Easter eggs I ate my chocolate Santa when Easter came around. Lately, I've taken to eating a particular brand of chocolate-coated caramel wafer. I justify this by saying it's a biscuit, not a chocolate bar. So by the rules, I've done it. I didn't buy any chocolate in 2009.
But what's that got me apart from a new appreciation for cereal bars and toasted teacakes? Not a lot. I don't think I'm a better person because of it. Perhaps it's made me a bit more prideful because I've managed to keep a resolution. Aren't I great?
2010 is the Vision4Life Prayer Year and with that in mind I think I've made my resolution for this year. It's to spend time in prayer every day - no excuses. And unlike not eating chocolate, this one will have a notable benefit - a greater relationship with God.
However, it may be easy to make prayer a rule to follow but there's the danger I could lose all sense of joy and delight in coming to my heavenly Father. Prayer is a response to all that God has done for us and he's done so much. Why wouldn't I want to pray?
And why wouldn't you?
God bless
Phil
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From the Church Secretary
Another new beginning! When I typed 2010 in earnest for the first time, I must admit to feeling a lot older. I remember when I was nobbut a lad that 2010 was very far into the future. It was a time when everyone would be living in harmony - the world would have seen sense and all wars and conflicts between nations would have ceased. In fact, we would probably no longer have ‘nations’ but would all be citizens of the world! I wonder what happened?
We can only hope and pray that the year that is coming will be a year when nations do really begin to talk peace and cooperation with each other, so that the dream I read about when I was young can begin to be achieved.
Certainly there are many things you can do to help. Prayer is a very good beginning and this year we will be having a series of meetings to talk about prayer - how to do it and finding out how important it is. You can also help in the work and the worship of the Church so that the message, the good news, about the coming of God’s kingdom will reach more and more people. The more that come ‘on-side’, the more that make what they do match with what they believe, then the more peace and goodwill can rule in our world.
Make sure that you look at all that’s happening in January and come along and join in.
Roderick
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Just before we leave Christmas
Santa comes but once a year… JESUS is an ever-present help.
Santa comes down the chimney uninvited …. JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.
You have to wait in line to see Santa … JESUS is as close as the mention of his name.
Santa fills your stocking …. JESUS supplies all your needs
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Over 60’s lunch
About 15 months ago I asked Church meeting if I could organise a lunch for the over 60’s. The response was yes and how many did I think would come? I thought between 12 and 15. How wrong I was; we regularly serve monthly lunches to over thirty people who come and enjoy a hot meal provided by Paul and Carol in the café; and a choice of puddings supplied by some very good friends. It is a good time to meet old friends and make new ones and have a jolly good chat.
Last month a Christmas meal was served to over 50 people and a good time was had by all.
I want to say a big thank you to all those who help. To Paul and Carol, to the team of helpers who come and serve, to the centre reception staff who sell tickets, to those who provide a wonderful assortment of desserts and to Phil for his constant support.
Judith Garthwaite
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Happy New Year
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.
If you have money in the bank, in your purse and spare change in a dish somewhere, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you can attend a church without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
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Prayer is the place where burdens change shoulders.
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