1. Art and Diseño

2015
Circuit Ministers
Rev. Roger Hides (Superintendent)
Email: [email protected]
(01970 617296)
Rev. A. James Patron Bell (01570 423662)
www.ceredigionmethodists.org.uk
Blywddyn Newydd Dda!
A bit late I know but as you didn’t hear from me in January ... what can I say?
It has been a bit of a task this month to get Roundabout formatted and printed.
We’ve ‘upgraded’ (I say this tongue in cheek) to Windows 8 since I produced the
December/January issue and on the subject of ‘issues’ I have quite a few with this
program/system call it what you computer geeks will. I know nothing about the
workings of the computer, I learn as I go along teaching myself all I need to know
by trial and error and over the years of doing this sort of thing consider myself to
have reached a reasonable state of expertise at putting together a publication.
However ... that is without reckoning with the ‘improvements’ made by those
said top geeks who will insist on changing things.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Anyway the result of all this is that it has taken me somewhat longer to do
everything and I may have missed an important article someone has sent in
because I am struggling to discover the whereabouts of all my documents,
especially as Michael set it all up and everything is under his ownership. Time has
been wasted while I have attempted to sort things out instead of simply laying out
the magazine.
I have nevertheless had lots of ‘stuff’ sent in this month so thank you all. If I
have omitted your piece please let me know and I shall ensure it appears in the
next issue. Phil Colbourn gives us more book reviews; Helen Wilson, an article on
the subject of ‘Toilet Twinning’; Roger and James write about their choice of
dress as Methodist Ministers; Jennifer Smith tells us about the ‘Knit a Square’
Charity; Diana Williams write on her voluntary work and Elliot Crippen brings us up
to date with the doings at Meth Soc. These along with the usual jokes, cartoon,
thought provoking quotes, prayers and poems, musings of an old copper, news from
Kinango, something for the children and a few useful dates make up your magazine
this month.
Ed.
It is dangerously possible for activity to be no more than a dizzy whirl around a central emptiness.
Anon
Contact Details for Roundabout
Editor: Hilary Davies (01545 590187)
e-mail: [email protected]
Deadline for submissions:
th
15 of preceding month
2
Dear Friend,
Happy New Year! With the coming of the New Year, those of you
who are my age and older have probably reflected on the way the
years pass so quickly. Younger people probably think “rubbish!” But
maybe for all of us, looking back at the events that we can now
identify as being last year, makes us wonder what 2015 will hold.
Already this year the evil face of terrorism has reared its head, in the
Paris shootings. The result, for many, after condemning the action
of a very small minority of Islamist militants, is to express their
support of free speech. It is hailed as the mark of a free and civilised
society. I also would want to condemn the shootings as having no
place in the teachings of any religion (though our own history as
Christians is not good in this respect). And the idea of free speech is
something I feel we must question, rather than simply championing.
Yes, the anti-free speech of Gestapo-controlled Nazi Germany, or of
George Orwell’s 1984, are terrible scenarios to contemplate. But if,
by freedom of speech, we mean the freedom to abuse or offend or
attack someone else, or to perpetrate religious or racial intolerance
or hatred, then I want no part of it. Some would say that I want to
have my cake and eat it. To have the freedom to express my beliefs
and views as a Christian whilst, at the same time, exercising
restraint about expressing personal opinions when this would offend
someone else. But surely this is the Christ-like way. Jesus Himself
was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He exercised His right to
defend Himself by remaining silent at His trial. And He prayed
forgiveness on those that put Him on the cross. For some things, we
wish time would pass quicker. For others, we want time to slow
down. But God is in control - we can put our trust in Him. May we,
during 2015, continue to reflect on these and many other items we
see in the News, as we ask ourselves “what would Jesus do?”
Yours in Christ,
"
"
3
Roundabout magazine Book Reviews
Part three: Phil Colbourn gives an insight into a selection of books .
Barbara Brown Taylor. When God is silent. Canterbury. (1998) 2013.
Barbara Brown Taylor. An Altar in the World. Canterbury. 2009.
These are two of the several titles from Barbara Brown Taylor. We heard her
speak at Greenbelt last year and the burden of those talks can be found in her
most recent book Learning to Walk in the Dark published in the UK this year
(2014). Barbara Brown Taylor teaches religion at a college in northeast
Georgia in the USA. She is an ordained priest in the Episcopal church and
served in parish ministry in urban Atlanta and rural Georgia. She is a great
speaker and a great writer. These and the other titles come highly
recommended. The books are life changing. When you read them, you are
never the same again. It is not just the stories, not just the way she tells them,
not simply the words she uses, although it is all these. Above all, it is the
integrity in the telling. She invites us to join her on her journey and to share
our lives as she so generously shares hers. There is nothing extraordinary
here, nothing you could not have thought of yourself, except that you didn’t, or
at least, you didn’t say it. She puts your intuitions into words and makes you
stop and wonder. Is a great gift and by it we rediscover the wonder of God and
his world and our part in it.
In When God is Silent Barbara Brown Taylor engages a problem. How do we
speak about God and for God if God is not speaking to us? What do we say?
What language do we use? What, she wonders, if the silence is deliberate.
This a is a small book, 122 pages, but it punches above its weight. Three
sections, Famine, Silence and Restraint, bring us face to face with our
dilemma and suggest a response. The preacher’s job, she says, is not to
satisfy but to send people away hungry.
In An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor addresses the longing many
people feel for meaning and purpose and belonging, which many name as
spirituality. People, she says, are prepared to go to great lengths, travel the
world, to find this treasure. In the Preface, she writes:
No one longs for what he or she already has, and yet the
accumulated insight of those wise about the spiritual life
suggests that the reason so many of us cannot see the
red X that marks the spot is because we are standing on it.
These books are transformative. Buy one or, better, read them all.
All these books are (or maybe) available on the Circuit Library in the foyer at St Paul
Methodist Centre in Aberystwyth. Next time you are there, why not look for one of
them. You may find something even better.
That faith which is never assaulted with doubting is but a fancy.
Assuredly that assurance which is ever secure is but a dream.
Robert Bolton
4
TOILET TWINNING: MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
It is a sobering thought that 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have
somewhere safe to go to the toilet (WHO/UNICEF) and that bad sanitation is one of the world's biggest killers. It has also been estimated
that for every £1 spent on a water/sanitation programme, £8 is returned through saved time, increased productivity and reduced health
costs. (UNDP). To make a difference Tearfund, in partnership with
Cord, have developed a scheme called Toilet Twinning which aims to raise
funds to enable poor communities to have clean water, a decent toilet and to
learn about good hygiene. The scheme covers communities in Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Burundi, Cambodia, The Democratic Republic of Congo, India,
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia.
At St Paul's Methodist Centre we have twinned all five of our toilets as part of
this scheme. Over the last two years we have held four retiring collections
which have enabled us to send the required donations of £60 per toilet. In receipt of each donation a framed certificate (which includes a photograph of the
type of toilet, its location and its GPS co-ordinates) is sent to put in the twinned
toilet.
You can twin toilets in your own home, office, school, Church, in fact anywhere.
If you would like more information this is available at
toilettwinning.org or from Helen and John Wilson
METHODIST MODERN ART COLLECTION REACHES WREXHAM
Yes it is a little far from Ceredigion, but with many folks
travelling to different places it might be worth stopping off
from the Methodist Modern
Art Collection, © TMCP, used to see one of the largest collections of religious art; or if
you can't make it the collection can be seen online at
with permission.
http://www.methodist.org.uk/static/artcollection/index.htm
You can catch up with 40 works from the Methodist Modern Art Collection in
Wrexham from 19 January to 26 March 2105.
You can see them at Wrexham Methodist Church and Glyndwr University’s
Oriel Sycharth Gallery.
Both venues will be open 9:30am-4:00pm Monday to Saturday. A full programme
of concerts, seminars, conversations and workshops will accompany the
exhibition.
Entry to the exhibition and to all events on the programme is free.
For more details, go to the websites of the church:
(http://www.wrexhammethodist.org.uk/pdfdocs/Heaven%20and%20Earth%20%20Final%20Programme.pdf)
or the gallery:
(http://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/OrielSycharthGallery/)
5
WHY I WEAR WHAT I WEAR! By Roger Hides
A recent report from the Methodist Church says that “there is no official
ar...
dress code for presbyters”.
To we
.
.. I am occasionally asked why I wear what I wear. In choosing not to wear clerical dress
very often, I am not trying to be an undercover minister, like a plain-clothes policeman! When
I was training at Wesley House, Cambridge, back in the mid-‘80’s, my colleagues and I
couldn’t wait to order our first clerical shirts with collars, and wear them when we went
preaching. My favourite was a royal blue one, that I wore until it wore out!
During my first appointment in north Manchester, I continued to wear clerical shirts with a
suit for preaching and for weddings and funerals, and often for visiting. I have never felt led
to wear more than this, such as a preaching gown, or a cassock, or Geneva bands attached to
the collar. I guess it is a reflection of my relatively low-Church and evangelical outlook. I feel
I follow more in the line of the so-called Primitive Methodists, rather than the more highChurch Wesleyan variety of minister. (Prims and Wesleyans united together in 1932 – a fact
that seems to have passed Welsh culture by, as we are often still referred to as Wesleyans!)
Moving to the Mid Glamorgan Mission in 1992, and becoming Superintendent a year later, I
observed two extremes. I had one senior colleague who I hardly ever saw wearing a clerical
shirt and collar, and another who I never saw without them! (Sara and I used to joke that
this particular colleague used to have a slot in his pyjamas for a clerical collar!)
My first sabbatical, in 1995, involved an exchange with a Canadian minister. I took a clerical
shirt with me, and wore it once or twice, but I got some comments from people, saying that it
made me seem like an Anglican or Catholic – that United Church of Canada ministers didn’t
wear clerical shirts and collars. Some of them did, however, wear a cassock, though I never
felt I wanted to.
Returning to Mid Glamorgan, I wore a clerical shirt less and less, and felt comfortable doing
so. The day we flew out to Canada to live (for the next 7 years) was the last time I wore a
clerical shirt and collar for many years.
Anyone who has studied theology knows the importance of reflecting theologically on all
sorts of things, so I reflected on what was going on in my choice of dress. And the Scripture
reading I was drawn to was 2 Samuel 17:38-40, when Saul dressed David in his armour to go
out and face Goliath, but it felt uncomfortable to David, so he took it off again, and went out
to meet Goliath in just his shepherd’s clothing.
Returning to the U.K. in 2004, I served in a Methodist/U.R.C. joint Church. Many (maybe
most) U.R.C. ministers do not wear clerical dress, and the question why I didn’t was rarely
asked.
When Sara trained for ordained ministry, and then served for 5 years in West Bromwich,
she was given a clerical shirt, which she occasionally started wearing. When we were planning
to move to Ceredigion, and there was the possibility that Sara may be offered the post of
6
chaplain at Hafan-y-Waun, we discussed the matter of what we would wear. She felt that, in
a chaplaincy situation, it would be helpful to wear a clerical shirt and collar, so that residents
with dementia, and also relatives, would immediately recognise her as the Chaplain. I thought
it might be a bit incongruous and confusing if I, as the incoming Superintendent, didn’t
wear clerical dress, while Sara, without a formal role in the Circuit, did. So I bought
some clerical shirts and started wearing them occasionally before we moved,
and have worn them sometimes ever since.
Or not to
wear ...
That is a question I get asked every so often, mainly when I'm either wearing a clerical
shirt and collar or in vestments. So I thought I'd put together some answers. Firstly I'll say
that whilst there is no required dress code for Methodist Presbyters - Deacons, being part of a religious
order, do have a uniform and you should ask the next Deacon you see about it. However there is the question
of what to wear when “working”.
I tend to wear
beacause part of the minister’s role is to be a public representative;
this often means being the public face on behalf of a local congregation or the wider church, and even today
most people seem to recognise a clerical shirt and collar. So at the Student Soup, or the Coffee Morning in
Lampeter I'll wear it so folks can pick me out with ease. This also comes in useful when I'm around
different parts of the circuit; people see the collar and
a minister, which can be the start of
conversations; a chance to reach out. So the shirt and collar is, to me a uniform, something that signals to
people what I am, and at times enables them to see the role rather than the person - much as you can spot
shop staff in uniform; a policeman or a doctor in a white coat.
I often wear
so when leading services I can sometimes be seen wearing a black cassock, with
white preaching bands, and a stole.
Firstly ,: this was originally an overcoat, worn to cover up the every day clothes, and was, until
not that long ago, standard outdoor wear for some clergy. I wear a cassock to remind me that when leading
worship I'm doing something out of the ordinary ... and also to cover up the clothes I'm wearing (be they
smart or otherwise). Also this presents a plain black image, so as not to distract listeners by what I'm
wearing. As one person put it,
and for me it is! It is something I put on to
remind me of what I'm doing.
Secondly : (the two strips of white cloth that hang down from my neck) are an
extension of the clerical collar, and in part related to the neck tie. I wear this as one would wear a tie, to
finish the outfit off. Also it is part of the traditional dress of Wesleyan Methodist Ministers, and acts as an
expression of me placing my self within this tradition.
Finally the scarf-like item is one of the traditional symbols of ordination, and something shared
with the wider church. This is to be why I mainly wear it when leading sacramental services (Baptism and
the Lord's Supper) or other special services (high days, weddings, funerals and so forth). Also the colour
relates to the season of the year; White for celebration, Christmas and Easter; Purple for penitence, Advent
and Lent ; Red for the Holy Spirit, Pentecost and times of renewal and Green for the rest of the time.
So part of why I dress as I do is to express a link with the wider church and with the church tradition of
which I'm a part. However there are also those practical considerations of not distracting and appearing in a
respectable manner. There is no right or wrong way for a Methodist minister to dress, and the verity of
clothing worn by them is as varied as the ministers themselves.
7
Jennifer Smith says:
KNIT-A-SQUARE
Crocheting and knitting for charity, especially for children in need, can be
called a meditative act of love. It is such a small thing; a knitted square 8” x
8”, but it can make a huge difference. Together with 35 others it can be
made into a blanket to keep a child warm in the cold winter nights in South Africa (it
can get to below freezing!) Mary Hopton-Pugh (St Paul’s) has to-date knitted a thousand, and is working towards the next thousand. Well done and congratulations!
Many of these children are AIDS orphans or have been abandoned. Many live in great
poverty in informal settlements. Many lack the very basics we take for granted; love,
shelter, food, education and warmth. Some head up families of their siblings together
with other children. Some live alone, without shelter, in hills and dumps around the
cities. In southern Africa, they refer to these children as OVC's (orphaned or vulnerable children). While other children's charities work hard to provide food and shelter
for them, there is one which aims to provide warmth and comfort.
The charity Knit-a-Square supports the hard working children's charities, who strive
to provide for their basic human needs. Our crocheting and knitting for charity can
provide an extra dimension, warmth.
A contribution of squares to this crochet and knitting project adds to the many thousands of 8"x 8" (20cm) squares from around the world, which are joined into blankets
and distributed to these children.
This is a small charity started by a woman (much like us), in Johannesburg, who saw
a need - children in the middle of winter (which can be cold particularly up in the high
veldt) running around in thin little T-shirts. She started buying cheap blankets but the
need was so great, she could not keep pace. Whilst visiting family in Australia she
talked about her concern for these children and the family came up with an idea. Also
that part of the family had skills in web design and they put together a web page inviting people to knit squares and send them to an address in S. Africa. She went back
and organised volunteers to make up the blankets, and so the charity was born.
It is run in South Africa by volunteers; there are 2 paid volunteers who link in with
other groups, and blankets are distributed through day care centres. These may be
organised by other charities or may be run by concerned women who look after 60 or
70 children in a small tin hut, giving them a place of safety and shelter. When the
blankets etc are distributed each child is told that they are loved they are special and
they matter to the future of S. Africa.
The knit-a-square project started as a family affair but is now world-wide with an estimated 12,000 people in 54 countries round the world taking part.
If you would like to know more and/or want to take part go to www.knit-asquare.com there is a lot of information and there are lots of photos. If you don’t
want to knit squares, they also want beanies sweaters socks and gloves.
They also need donations, if you are unable to knit.
Thank you Jennifer. This is exactly what my grandchildren are doing at their school after I
taught them to knit in October.
8
The Connexion
The Connexion is a new print magazine for the Methodist people.
The first issue brings you news of people and projects in these islands as well as
North Korea and Sri Lanka, showing how vibrant Methodism can be. It has a primary
theme of evangelism (the 'e-word') and ways that Methodists can refocus on an area
that many find problematic.
A range of Methodist office holders will soon be receiving three copies in the post
with a request to pass two of these on. If you don’t get a copy, look out for someone
who did!
The magazine has been produced in response to calls from many Methodists for
improved communications and more news about what is happening across the
Connexion.
Two more issues will be published in 2015 – issue two in April and issue three in
September.
You can download a pdf of the magazine at
http://www.methodist.org.uk/media/1429317/the-connexion-magazine-issue-1090115.pdf s
TIME FOR CLOSER ANGLICAN-METHODIST UNITY
The C of E is being encouraged to “face head on” the task of closer
Anglican/Methodist unity as Synod recently endorsed
recommendations made in a report on the covenant between the two
Churches.
The report, presented to November’s group of General Synod sessions
jointly by the Bishop of Coventry, Christopher Cocksworth and Peter
Howdle, Methodist Co-Chair of the Joint Implementation Commission,
made specific recommendations supporting the ongoing work between
the two Churches. The Archbishop of York welcomed the call to unity
for mission in the subsequent debate, saying: “We need to be more
committed to joyous evangelism where the gospel is being preached …
Could we resolve it (unity between the Churches) so we can get on with
the most important job: the re-evangelisation of England?”
Synod voted overwhelmingly to support the motion and the
recommendations of the report.
No man ever said, at the end of his days, ‘I have read my Bible too
much, I have thought of God too much, I have prayed too much, I
have been too careful with my soul.’
J C Ryle
9
‘Who can fail to love Psalm 150? It is one of the most vibrant
pieces of literature ever written illustrating the true joy of the relationship of the created with their Creator. If you have
breath - then what are you waiting for? Praise the
Lord! Sing to him, bang something, twang something,
blow something, whatever, just make a joyful noise!
NB
O Come All You that Love the Lord
O come, all you that love the Lord
And praise Him to the height
O praise Him for His powerful word
O praise His acts of might!
A guilty conscience is a
hell on earth, and
points to one beyond.
Anon
Christianity is the
total commitment of
all I know of me to
all I know of Jesus
Christ.
William Temple
With trumpet sound, with harp
and string
With tambourine and song,
With flutes and cymbals as we sing
We’ll praise Him all day long!
If you have breath within your chest
If you have life, then sing!
O praise Him for he gives the best
Clutter
Joshua prayed as entrenched in battle,
He called on his God to come to his aid
For the sun to stand still and the moon to rest,
And as God responded the sun was stayed.
The battle was waged and the enemy routed,
The night held back making victory theirs,
For God had extended his mighty arm
As the day was lengthened in answer to prayer.
Another battle had yet to be fought,
No sun just darkness covered the land,
A cross was erected, a Man nailed upon it,
Jesus our Saviour dying for man.
He came as the Light stepping into our darkness,
Spreading hope where once there was none
Forgiveness, salvation is ours, will we take it?
This wonderful gift bestowed by God’s Son.
My room is full of clutter
And so much like my life
As they’re both packed full of memories
Made special with my wife.
They fill the shelves and cupboards And make it hard to dust –
And if one gets moved just
Half-an-inch, the mark that’s left is
Just like a friend
Who’s there – then gone To remind us of life’s race
Which always is best run
With the help of God’s own grace
Now seen in the Man in everyone
Who carries us along
That we might cross the finishing line
To hear God say, ‘Well done!’
Sam Doubtfire
10
Have you done something which haunts you? Which makes you feel restless and defensive, every
time you think of it? Why not deal with it this month, and put it behind you? Whatever your mistake
has been, consider what the Bible has to say to you:
‘I have not come to call the virtuous but sinners to repentance’ said Jesus.
‘Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the
Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
‘Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with
mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious
and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.’
God is inviting you to come to him this Ash Wednesday. What a wonderful offer! Make the most of
it, and remember how the prodigal son was welcomed back by his compassionate father.
The Collect for Ash Wednesday
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in
us new and contrite hearts that we, worthily lamenting our sins and
acknowledging our wretchedness, may receive from you, the God of all
mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ your
Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Dear Lord,
February can seem such a bleak, mid-winter
month, often flavoured with ‘flu and bad
weather. But actually, the days are lengthening.
There are snowdrops and other signs of new life,
if we look expectantly. Spring is beckoning. Open
our eyes, Lord, to see the wonders of your
creation, even in February. May we appreciate
the rhythms of the seasons you designed for us,
and rejoice in the hope you have given us in Jesus,
who came to wonderfully re-create, to make all
things new, by his death and resurrection. Thank
you Father for life - signs in February, and
thank you especially for the new
life-sign of Jesus.
Amen
Daphne Kitching
11
Diana Williams writes about her role in the supporrt of people with macular degeneration:
I’ll just have another 5 minutes in this lovely cosy bed, I thought. I didn’t feel like facing today at all,
in fact I was a bit nervous, no … I was very nervous at what I had to do. I’d recently attended a
volunteer’s training course on how to give help and training to people with Macular Degeneration. I’ve
had MD for many years and decided to try and help others.
Mrs R. was going to be my first victim, sorry, I mean client. I’d been told she was a retired doctor and
didn’t know whether this would help or hinder. Would I be trying to teach granny to suck eggs? I’d
just have to wait and see. I’d half hoped the phone might ring and it would be her to cancel, but no.
I’d previously phoned her for her address and was surprised to find that she lived in a newly built
property in the grounds of an old children’s home. I knew it well; many years ago I’d been the Deputy
Matron there. ‘Well, fancy that!’ I thought. So I double checked my bags and set off for the house.
Walking up to the door brought many happy memories flooding back. I was interested (no, just plain
nosey) to look around for any signs of the old garden, but there were none. I knocked on the door
and waited nervously. It was opened by such a lovely, elderly lady, she had a warm, friendly manner
which put me at my ease as she led me into her lounge; a beautiful light room with a hint of fresh
flowers.
We began to chat and I told her about the children’s home, she was fascinated and asked me more
about it. The conversation then turned to other houses and places as she told me she had once lived
in Cardiff. “Cardiff is where I’m originally from,” I told her. She named the area, road and more and I
asked if she knew the Clark family from that road. “Yes, yes,” she said, “they were my next door
neighbours. What a lovely family!” I told her both Mr and Mrs Clark had worked for our family business
for many years and also both families had been involved in the local sports club; the men with admin.
and the ladies with catering: we children had always sold ice-creams during tournament week.
What came next was even stranger: she explained that the house wasn’t really big enough for all her
family so they moved to one in a different part of Cardiff … Cyncoed. “Oh, that’s where I used to live
when I was young!” I said eagerly. “What was the road called? ... What number?” You could have
knocked me down with a feather when she answered. “That was my old house, I lived there till 1967!.”
“We bought that house from a friend of the Clarks, a man called Vernon James,” she said. “Vernon
James was my father, you bought our house from us. I would have been about 12 and not really
interested. Naturally I was thinking about the new house and school.”
We laughed and chatted for ages then her daughter came in with tea and photos of the old house.
There was more laughter and funny stories, I just couldn’t get my head round all this. What were the
chances of all these coincidences? We talked so long we had both forgotten the reason for my being
there; but eventually we left the past and I began to explain how I might be able to help her with her
vision. We did some tests; Mrs R. was easily able to pick up some new ways and ideas.
She was a sweetie, very patient and understanding which had made it much easier for me. I left the
house a few hours later grinning from ear to ear. What an unusual day and what a success, full of
happy memories for us both.
After this visit I discovered she had joined the local group for people with sight loss giving her a new
social life, attending meetings, coffee mornings, meals out, even an organised holiday! All due to that
special day. Me? Well I went to bed that night still amazed and still grinning: I knew I was meant to
have visited her and lots more people in the future I hope. God works in funny ways!
I am so busy at this present time I cannot do with less than four hours each day in the presence of God.
12
NEWS
FROM
ABER METHSOC
It’s been a busy past few months in the life of
MethSoc, not only with events leading up to Christmas, the
end of term and end of 2014, but also with loads to plan as we return in
January with a new committee at the helm.
Let’s start by introducing our new MethSoc Committee for 2015 and a
brief description of what each position is responsible for:
President: Elliot Crippen – responsible for general running of the society
Vice-President: Luke Mellor – assists president, organises Sunday coffee
rota, Feed a Student, MethSoc steward and society clothing
Secretary: Emma Guy – sends out notices and takes minuets at meetings
Bible Sec: Rachael Worrall and Daniel Long – organise our weekly P+P
meeting and Bible study
Music Sec: Jina Sung and Emily Churchill – organise OpenSpace band and
band practice
Prayer Sec: Oliver Moore and Freya Blyth – send out our weekly prayer
requests, organises prayer activities and encourages prayer
Social Sec: Luke Mellor and Emma Guy – organise socials including
Christmas and Summer meals
With everyone trying to settle into their new roles, get through
exams/assignments and the planning of our annual retreat weekend to
Tresaith to think about (we were unable to go in November due to
circumstances beyond our control) January’s been very busy. Tresaith will
be a welcome break before term starts again and I’m sure it will be as fun,
rewarding and meaningful as ever. I’d like to take this opportunity to
thank all those who help with transport to and from Tresaith – we really
couldn’t do it without you!
Looking to the future we have lots of upcoming events to be excited
about. There’s re-fresher’s fair (4th Feb), the Aber-Bangor Meet up
weekend (21st/22nd Feb, this year in Aberystwyth) and a couple of
speakers for P+P’s already planned to look forward to.
Elliot Crippen
It costs to follow Jesus Christ, but it costs more not to.
Anon
13
ST THOMAS'
KINANGO
Prayer Request
Please remember our friends in Kinango in your prayers. The Rev Dr
Lawrence Chidongo reports another cleric was shot dead on 10th January.
Report
Lawrence and Joyce Chidongo (Tsawe and Kabibi) have e mailed a booklet covering
the period 2004 - 2014 of The Kinango Project. A copy has been sent to every church.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this project. The achievements are
amazing!
Friends of KInango
Lavina Porter was welcomed as a member of Friends of Kinango. The group
now numbers eleven and anyone who is interested in this outreach work is
very welcome to join. The next meeting is on 15th September.
In January £5,204 was sent for students’ fees.
2015 fund raising events. Book these dates in your diary now!
6th June - Coffee Morning and Plant Sale at the home of Lavina Porter
3rd October - Coffee Morning and Sale at chapel
27th November - Quiz Night with supper
Donations
Over the Christmas period various donations were received for the work in Kenya.
The Rhoda Chidongo Scholarship - £770
Friends of Kinango - £125
Moringa trees - £100
Thank you to everyone for their generosity. Words cannot adequately express
the gratitude from the KInango people for all the help they have been given.
Rhoda Chidongo
£1,146 was sent in January from The Rhoda Chidongo Scholarship Fund.
Rhoda sends New Year greetings to everyone at St Thomas’ Church. She was
successful in both her first term examinations in Anatomy and Human
Communication Skills.
“I am truly grateful to St Thomas Church and for assistance with my fee payments.
I went back on 7th January and we are already commencing with studies. This
semester we will be handling 6 Units. I am focused and working hard for even better
results this semester.
May God shower you with His blessings and may He guide you in all your ways.
Receive greetings from my family and The Kinango Methodist Church members. ”
Yours Rhoda Mwenda Chidongo
14
Happy new year to you all! I am glad and very happy to inform you that I have
received Kshs. 48,000 from Dr. Tsawe Munga Chidongo for my school fees today.
I wish to express my sincere gratitude for the school fees. I am really grateful and I
pray that the Almighty God continue to bless you abundantly for all that you are doing
for me.
I pray that the Lord will shower you with His love, good health and blessings in Jesus
name. I want to promise you that I will continue to work very hard in the best of my
capabilities.
God bless you so much.
Regards,
Christine Jaji
KINANGO METHODIST HISTORY
(based on work by Rev Lawrence Chidongo.
Towards the end of the fifteenth century Europeans arrived on the coast of what
is now Kenya, an area already established as a Muslim trading region which
had become the major centre of trade out of east Africa. The first Europeans
were the Portuguese in 1498.
They remained in Kenya for two hundred years trading for gold from the interior
and taking part in an already established slave trade.
In the mid-nineteenth century the European community acquired an interest in
abolishing the slave trade. Slavery had long been a problem in Africa, beginning
with Arab raiding parties and eventually with Europeans joining in. The years
1840 - 1880 were a period of exploration of the continental interior with well
known people such as Dr. David Livingstone, Stanley and Burton catching the
attention of people back in Europe.
The Protestant Christian revival was also on and church missionary
organizations started sending their missionaries to Africa to introduce
Christianity and education. The Church Missionary Society sent Dr. Johann
Ludwig Kraft in 1844. He decided to have the centre at Rabai Mpya, about ten
miles from Mombassa which is at a height of 1000 ft. Other missionaries who
followed were Thomas Wakefield and Charles New who came under the auspices of the United Methodist Free Church in 1862 and camped at Ribe.
They also had to work on the social gospel; one of the areas of concern was
tropical diseases which killed many people, especially young children. The missionaries had to start programmes setting up health centres and major hospitals
STOP
S
PRES
LOCAL PREACHER
Congratulations to Sue Yardy who will be accredited as a Local
Preacher on 8th February in High Bentham, North Yorkshire.
15
This incedent was related to me after the bad winter of 1962/3.
Our communications with vehicles was by VHF radio which needed relay masts on the
South Downs. Each mast had a transmitterpowered by electricity and a back up
generator which ran on diesel. When the power failed and the genny
(
) cut in a signal was heard at HQ and the time was noted.if the
failure was longlasting a supply of oil had to be tken up by Landrover to top
up the engine, One such power failure occured when there was snow on the ground
and it was impossible to get to the transmitter by any vehicle available to us.
At that time at RAF Thorney Island, on the Sussex/Hants border, was B flight 22 Squadron RAF who
had Whirlwind helicopters for search and rescue. They duly obliged, collected the workshop Sgt. and
several cans of fuel from HQ at Chichester and flew up to Burton Down. But the snow field was
smooth and gave no indication of how deep the drifts were so they hovered low and Sgt Kennet
jumped out only to almost disappear from view in a very deep drift. They winched him back in and
eventually managed to find a place where it was not so deep but it must have been a real struggle to
complete the task!
Marriage
is like tw
irling a
baton, tur
ning hand
s
p
r
ings, or
eating wit
h chopsti
cks; it
looks so e
asy till yo
u try it.
Helen
Rowland
From the Horse's mouth
Listen- truthfully I say
That I am not complaining - neigh!
The landlord clearly didn't mind
Helping people in a bind.
(Though they could have avoided it
If they'd forward planned a bit!)
n’t
t if it was
solace, bu eed any
’s
n
a
m
a
n
is
’t
ly wouldn
A woman
e probab
.
e
for her, h
c
sola
And for the men
He had no choice and he did right,
It truly was an awful night,
And that young lass, well, it was clear
Her baby's birth was very near.
For all his faults I've always thought
That landlord is a decent sort.
But all the same, the ground's still hard
When you're sleeping on the yard,
Turfed out. And I have to say,
How come the ox and ass could stay?
Whilst the stable where I board
Became an ante-natal ward!
Deborah Mercer
16
“Next Sun
day I thin
k I’ll do a
take on th
new
e parable
of the virg
ins
and the oi
l.”
ST THOMAS'
St David’s Day celebration
Friday 6th March
If you would like to "do an item" please see Zia
Offers of homemade Bara Brith and Welsh cakes are also needed
Oh, if it be to choose and call thee mine, Love, thou art
every day my Valentine!
Thomas Hood
Life has taught us that love does not consist
in gazing at each other but in looking
outward together in the same direction.
Antoine De Saint-Exupery
17
18
smile lines for February
A young woman woke up one morning and 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 replied with a smile. Sure enough, that evening the man
came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it,
only to find a book entitled ‘The Meaning of Dreams’.
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons Kevin, five, and Ryan, three. When the boys began to argue over
who would get the first pancake, she decided to give them a moral lesson. ‘If Jesus was sitting here, He would
say: ‘Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.’ There was a brief pause of astonishment and then
Kevin rallied. Turning on his younger brother he said: “Ryan, you be Jesus!”
One cold winter night, during a violent storm, a mother was tucking her small
frightened boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he said with a
tremor in his voice: “Mummy, will you stay with me tonight?” Mummy smiled and
gave him a reassuring hug. “I can’t, dear,” she said, “I have to sleep with Daddy.”
A long silence – and then came his shaky reply: “The big coward!”
Not always just a word; sometimes it is a sentence.
A very good way to promote civilisation – according to Socrates, if you get a good partner you
will be happy, if you get a bad one you will become a philosopher.
The only permanent cure for love.
£s
Love is grand. Divorce is a hundred grand.
£s
A group of 4 to 8 year-olds asked: what love means gave some surprising answers:
“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's
love.” Rebecca, 8
“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your
name is safe in their mouth.” Billy. 4
“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and
smell each other.” Karl. 5
“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your chips, without making them
give you any of theirs.” Chrissy. 6
“Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.” Terri. 4
“Love is when mum makes coffee for my dad and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to
make sure the taste is OK.” Danny. 7
“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be
together and you talk more. My Mum and Dad are like that. They look gross when they kiss.”
Emily. 8
“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” Nikka. 6
(We need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
19
ST THOMAS'S
FEBRUARY
Wed 11th Church Steward's Meeting
Fri
13th Pancake Evening (See p.17)
Sun 15th Church Council Reports deadline to Janet Davies
Wed 18th Ash Wednesday Service led by Rev Roger Hides
Sun 22nd Ecumenical Service at Llanina Church led by the Rev Matthew
Baynham and the Rev Roger Hides
Mon 23rd Music Group practice (See p.17)
Wed 25th
Church Council. Items for the agenda to Janet Davies ASAP
MARCH
Mon 2nd
Music Group Practice
Fri
6th
Women's World Day of Prayer Service @ St Thomas'
Fri
6th
St David's Day Celebration (See p.17)
14.30
14.00
19.00
ST PAUL'S
MARCH
Mon 9th
19.30
Circuit Meeting, Bont village hall
19.30
19.00
19.00
14.30
14.30
No other dates have been received this month. Please refer to individual
church notice boards
REGULAR EVENTS
St Thomas’
Tue
wkly
Thu
wkly in term
Fri
alt wks
9.30 - 12.00
12.30 - 14.00
11.00 - 12.30
Coffee Morning
Student Soup Lunch
Bible Study, @ Cotgrove’s
St Paul’s
Mon
Tue
Tue
Wed
Thu
Thu
wkly
alt wks
wkly in term
wkly
wkly in term
3rd in mnth
13.00
14.30
19.45
19.30
19.30
19.30 - 20.30
Fri
wkly
19.30
Twins Group
Friendship Group
Methsoc@Aberystwyth Manse
Indeed ( Young Adults Group)
Music Group
Taizé prayer, in the Octagon:
Followed by light refreshment
The Singers
Two House Groups meet around Aberystwyth on alternate Thursdays and Fridays.
Details from Jenny & Arnold (01970 611769) or Phil & Carole (01970 820557)
See circuit website or locally for details of services.
20