1. Art and Diseño

ELM
RIDGE
METHODIST CHURCH
WHO’S WHO?
A series introducing members of our congregation, and their stories
of life and faith.
Julie Watson: Church Steward
Hello, my name is Julie Watson and I have been part of the Elm Ridge
family for over twenty years now. I am married to Robert and we
have two grown up sons, Matthew, the eldest, graduated from Sheffield
University last year and is currently enjoying an adventurous gap year.
Andrew, our younger son, is in his first year at Durham University.
Robert and I enjoy holidays in our caravan, riding our tandem around the local countryside
and tending our allotmet. I also enjoy knitting but am very slow so it takes me a long time
to complete anything. I trained as a teacher at New College, Durham and before having
children worked in two Church of England schools in Shildon and Darlington. I currently
work part time at George Dent Nursery School where I particularly enjoy involving children
in music making and growing their own fruit and vegetables in the nursery garden.
I was brought up in a Christian home and as a child attended St. John’s Church and Sunday
School here in Darlington. Attracted by a vibrant youth club, I began to attend Bondgate
Methodist Church in my teens and also became involved in their Youth Fellowship group.
I began to attend Elm Ridge after Matthew was born and over the years have made many
friends who have encouraged me on my Christian journey. Over the past few years I have
had the pleasure of being Church representative for ‘Send a cow’, a Christian development
charity that works with poor African farmers to promote self sufficiency through the
developmet of small sustainable businesses based on growing and selling. If you would like
to know more, please stop me for a chat!
After resisting for a number of years, I recently felt called by God to ‘give something back’ and
so agreed to beome part of the newly created leadership team as a vestry steward. Although
I am still learning the ropes and need to refer to my check list before each service, I am
enjoying the role and have been encouraged by many kind words of support.
Thank you,
Julie
CHURCH INFORMATION
Address
Elm Ridge Methodist Church
Carmel Road South
Darlington. DL3 8DJ
Church Administrator
Lindy Lowis (Tel: 282491)
Core office hours
Mon-Thurs 9:30-12:30pm
Ministers
Rev. Helena Harbottle (Tel: 462317)
Rev. Andrew Stobart (Tel: 722961)
Registered Charity Number: 1126826
CCL: 32479
E-mail
[email protected]
Website
www.elmridgemethodist.co.uk
Sunday 1st February 2015
I have recently been watching (along with 4 million others!) the BBC adaptation of
Hilary Mantel’s Booker winning novels about Tudor intrigue ‘Wolf Hall’ and ‘Bring up
the Bodies’. As I was watching the first two episodes which turn on the fall from grace
of Cardinal Wolsey I was struck by the importance of faith in these stories. I do not
just mean the Christian faith (although whether or not you had read William Tyndale’s
subversive English New Testament was definitely an indication of your orthodoxy in
Tudor England!). No, I mean the faith of the king; it was vital for the Cardinal to retain
his monarch’s faith by clearing the way for the change in his domestic circumstances
which would secure a male heir and thus the continuation of the Tudor line. When
Henry lost faith in Wolsey it was the beginning of his political decline and eventual
physical deterioration- even though the Cardinal loved the king this loss of faith was
catastrophic.
Faith is a strange thing; we can turn to the many quotations about it in Christian
thought and practice, we can even turn to those familiar verses at the beginning of
Hebrews chapter 11 which are famous for their opacity. We can do all these things
but yet be no wiser. We can also hear with some sense of guilt that we are supposed
to walk by faith and not by sight and our confusion is compounded! Yet faith remains
important; it is that essential trust in divine purpose without which everything we do
is mere window dressing. Faith has to be practiced, taken out of its church ‘box’ and
given full reign in our everyday lives. If St. Augustine is right in his reading of Hebrews
and ‘Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe’,
then the exercise of this virtue remains vital if we are to understand what we are to do
in these challenging times. Some say the church is in terminal decline, exhausted and
lacking direction, perhaps our problem is not that
we lack faith, but that we have forgotten how to
exercise it.
In Hilary Mantel’s version of Tudor England,
keeping faith was the only way to operate with
influence. Where will the exercise of our faith
take us?
Revd. J. Daley
CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING
CHURCH NOTICES
A warm welcome to worship at Elm Ridge Methodist Church.
The services today are led by:
9:00am - Rev. Helena Harbottle
10:45am - Steve Sutcliffe
The Church Council meets on Monday 2nd February at 7.30pm in the Library.
Calling papers have been issued to Council members. Other Church members are
welcome to attend, but there may be times when the Council will meet in closed
session, as the trustees for the Church.
A prayer:
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
1:30pm
5:30pm
7:30pm
10:00am
6:30pm
7:30pm
2:00pm
5:45pm
6:30pm
7:15pm
6:30pm
7:30pm
4:00pm
5:30pm
6:45pm
7:00pm
8:15pm
MONDAY
Tiddlywinks
Beavers
Church Council Meeting
TUESDAY
Prayer Meeting
Brownies
1st Story Group meeting
- to be held in the Church
WEDNESDAY
Women’s Fellowship
- details overleaf
Brownies
Worship Group
Guides
THURSDAY
Brownies
Men’s Fellowship Meeting
- details overleaf
FRIDAY
Rainbows
Rainbows
Cubs
Table Tennis
Scouts
NEXT SUNDAY - 8th February
10:30am
6:00pm
Together@Bondgate
Rev. Ruth Gee
- Holy Communion Service
Prayer Line:
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Please give thanks for the launch
of our new venture ‘The Story’
Please pray for those facing
difficulties arising from old age
Please pray for the Church Council
meeting on Monday and for God’s
wisdom in all decision making
Pray for those suffering due to
extreme weather conditions
Please remember little Tommy
McCormick who was baptised
here last Sunday along with his
parents, Andy and Pam.
Remember
those
whose
memories were aroused in the
commemorations of the holocaust
Anyone with emergency concerns
should contact Rev. Andrew Stobart
(722961) or Rev. Helena Harbottle
(462317) otherwise contact Angela
Gibson (469994) or Andrea Robson
(487467) in Sue’s absence, the church
office or the stewards.
Elm Ridge Pre-School meets in the Hall every morning during term time from 9:15am
Most holy God,
the earth is filled with your glory,
and before you the angels and saints stand in awe.
Enlarge our vision to see your power at work in the world,
and by your grace make us heralds of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.
Men’s Fellowship: This week’s meeting is
titled ‘150 years: Darlington Market’ and will
be led by Chris Lloyd.
Women’s Fellowship: This week’s meeting is
titled ‘Faith based’ and will be led by Mrs Betty
Dobson.
House Group: Ian and Ruth Souter are
hosting a House Group meeting today at 6pm
to discuss ‘The Story’. All welcome, please
contact Ian for further details.
#LovePrayer: Friday 20th-Sunday 22nd
February will be an opportunity for the circuit
to come together in prayer; for the town,
for the Kingdom, for each other. We hope
every church will be able to participate and
get involved in this continuous connection
with God over the weekend. We will start at
6pm on Friday evening and we will finish on
Sunday morning after Together@Bondgate.
If your housegroup, prayer group, men/
womens group etc., would like to come to
Bondgate and take part for a short time we
would appreciate it, but you are welcome to
sign up individually as well. If you are able to
take part please let Morvyn know by emailing;
[email protected] or calling
the circuit office to let us know when you can
come. Thank you in advance for praying with
us! Morvyn Sanderson
Please read the 2nd chapter of ‘The Story’ in preparation for
next Sunday - ‘God builds a Nation’.
For those of you who haven’t yet received your copy, please get
yours from the table in the church foyer to collect it. Although the
books are free, if you wish to make a donation for your book(s),
please place it in an envelope and hand to a Steward or to the
Church Office - Thank you. (cheques can be made payable to
Darlington Methodist Circuit.)
Thank you to Joyce Williams for the donation of Church flowers today