1. Art and Diseño

CONTACT
FEBRUARY 2015
‘Let us spur one another on to love and good works.’
(Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24)
Chester Road Baptist Church
Minister’s letter
Dear Friends
Draw near to God
The bustle and busyness of Christmas and New Year are now behind us. While we hope the
days will soon be getting warmer and longer when we can be more active and thinking
about holidays, we are still in a relatively subdued and quiet time of year. Lent in particular
gives us the chance to reflect.
Further on in this edition of Contact, you will find details of our Lent groups, an opportunity
to get back to the foundation of our faith. Between them, the four Gospels clearly stress the
importance of Christ’s death – as much as a third of the entire gospel narrative is taken up
with just the last week of Jesus’ earthly life – but in order to grasp how the Gospel writers
understand the meaning and implications of the crucifixion we have to slow down, read
between the lines a little and spot the connections that the authors are making. Our Lent
groups will give us the chance to do this.
Our verse for the year is from Hebrews 10:24: ‘Let us spur one another on to love and good
works.’ This text underlines the importance of and need for adding depth to our fellowship.
But it also makes clear that fellowship is for a purpose. As well as being part of a loving and
supportive community, it is about encouraging each other to grow in the practical
outworking of our faith, to turn what we believe into positive, concrete action, to turn love
and compassion into words.
As well as providing an opportunity for learning more about our common faith, sharing in
the Lent groups gives the chance to meet new faces and to get to know old faces that bit
better. In addition, we begin February with a fellowship day when members of the church
will be giving and receiving hospitality. And please don’t forget to put Saturday May 23rd in
your diary, a day for the whole church to gather, to spend time together, to be inspired and
to develop our understanding of church life and the vision we have to be a healthy church in
a sometimes needy and unhealthy world.
Looking up, looking out
We look up to God in order to look out to the world. In a healthy church, worship and
fellowship lead to mission and service. Further on in Contact, there is information about
how we can get behind one of our younger members David Ridal who, later this year, will
start as an Associate at Christchurch, a lively student-orientated Anglican church which has
become his spiritual home while reading geography in Durham.
Please also remember Eric and Sarah Bafende-Smith and their two boys Gabriel and Joachim
who, as you read this, should be settling into their new home in Guinea. Further north than
Macenta, while their new base is thankfully outside the Ebola contamination zone, it is a
more strongly Muslim area, presenting a tougher challenge for the Gospel message. And as
team leaders, they will have additional administrative and leadership responsibilities.
Finally, can I commend our student minister Mark and his wife Donna to your prayers. For
some time, Mark has been sensing a call to church planting work on Castle Vale, an area of
high need, largely hidden to most us of behind Sainsburys and the retail park adjacent to
Chester Road. So far, all the doors have been opening and the lights turning green. In
February, an application for Home Mission will go before the grants committee of the Heart
of England Baptist Association. Mark is also preparing for a mission trip with other college
students to Zimbabwe from later March to early April.
Yours in Christ’s service, David
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BMS Birthday Scheme
The following friends will be celebrating their birthdays in February:
1st – Jenni Beesley
13th – Ann Bramall
15th – Lionel (Steve) Stevenson
Coffee Morning
The next coffee morning is to be advised.
Church Walk
Please note that there are no walks planned for January or February 2015. Any
queries please call Edna Jones.
Deacons’ Meeting
The next meeting will take place on Thursday 5th February at 7.30pm in the
lounge.
New Disciples’ Meeting
The New Disciples Group will meet on Monday 9th February at the Manse at
7.45pm and thereafter joining the Wednesday Lent group. Please see David or
Sarah if you are interested.
Housegroups
• Monday and Tuesday housegroups are not taking place during Lent and will
be replaced with ‘Lent Groups’, (please see article below for more details).
• Young Person’s housegroup will meet monthly at the Ridals on Sunday 8th
February from 7.30 - 9pm.
Lent Groups
Monday Lent group will be on 23rd Feb at 10am in the lounge.
Tuesday Lent group will be on 10th and 24th Feb at 1.45pm in the lounge.
Wednesday Lent group will be on 25th Feb at 7.45pm in the Primary.
Singing Group
The singing group will meet on Monday 9th and 23rd February 2015 at 6.45pm.
Any queries please contact Judith Miller.
Grandparents Group
The next meeting will be on Thursday 12th February at 10am in the lounge.
Thank You
Mark would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support during his recent
illness.
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Breakaway
At our January meeting we were wonderfully entertained by Mark Hope-Irwin who
told us about the British Ornithology Trust.
Our next meeting will on February 12th 2015 at 7.45pm when Rachel Gibbon
will hold a practical session making greetings cards. This was an enjoyable
session when Rachel visited us last year.
If you have any queries please contact Ann Hawkings. All ladies are welcome to join us at
this friendly and supportive group.
Please note that the August meeting has been cancelled.
Flowers
The rota for 2015 is available and we would be grateful if volunteers
could enter their names. Costs can be refunded if you wish.
Please speak to Barbara if you are able to help in any way or need further
information. Thank you.
Erdington Food Bank
Collections for the Erdington Food Bank will continue to take place on the first
Sunday of each month. Thanks for your support. Erdington Foodbank has run
out of the following items: tinned meat, tinned fish, tinned veg, coffee, fruit juice
and toiletries. Can you help provide? Thank you!
Easter baptisms
We anticipate there being a Baptist service on Easter Sunday, probably at the
evening service. If there are others who would like to consider this
expression of faith as a public declaration of their commitment to serving
and following the Lord Jesus Christ, please see David as soon as possible.
Women's World Day of
Prayer 2015
This event will be held on Friday
6th March at 2.30pm at Emmanuel
Church, Birmingham Road, Sutton
(parking in the shop car park).
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Stamps
Please remember that we are still able to recycle used postage stamps to raise
funds for BMS. You can either pass your stamps to Cis Taylor or place them in the
“stamp box” in Church. Please ensure that you leave a good margin of blank
paper around the stamp when you cut it from the envelope, at least half an inch or
1cm. Thank you for your continued support.
The Knitting Circle – supporting Medical Missionary News (MMN)
A BIG thank you for continuing to knit! You can give your packages to either
Norma Scott or Edna Jones to store. We still need help knitting squares;
there is plenty of wool in the cupboard and if you need any further help
please contact Norma Scott or Edna Jones.
Greetings from Down Under
Greetings have been received from Gill and Steve
Gateley in New Zealand. They write
"It is hard to believe that we have now been living
in New Zealand for 5 years and feel very much at
home here. In fact it no longer seems strange to
look forward to Christmas in the warm sunshine
with the prospect of a BBQ instead of the
traditional roast dinner on Christmas Day"
There is family news of Lisa and Warwick and the girls, Ella and Sophie and also of Liz
and Matt and their family, Josh, Sam and Millie. They finish by saying "Thought we
would send you an update of our goings on 'Down Under'. Please give our best wishes
to all at Chester Road who may remember us. Do tell them there is always room at the
'Inn' for any travellers coming this way!!"
A full copy of their email with news of all their family is available from Ann and Graham
Bramall if you would like to see it.
Hello
Wendy and Sam Simpson wish to be remembered to old friends.
Ladies Group 2014
Details will follow of next year’s meetings and events. For further information
please see Sarah Dewey or Judith Miller.
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th
Friday 13 February
Pancakes served from
7pm
Last orders 8pm
All invited
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Lent groups 2015
Over the period of Lent (mid-February to the start of April), we will be setting aside our
usual Monday and Tuesday housegroups and the New Disciples Group, in order to focus on
our Lord and Saviour Jesus and what he accomplished through his death on the Cross.
This is in response to recent Church Meetings which have expressed a desire for some timelimited short courses to help deepen our faith. Not everyone can or wants to sign up to an
open-ended commitment such as required by our housegroups: instead our Lent groups will
last for just five weeks, and even then if you can only make some of them that’s fine.
There will be three groups: Monday mornings, Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday
evenings.
Monday mornings, beginning February 23rd (five sessions). This is for ladies
only, and is aimed especially at those with young children. A crèche will be
provided. The material (using recorded comments from well-known church
leaders) will be suitable for all with or without prior Bible knowledge.
Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. A leisurely look at the last
three days of Jesus’ earthly life as recorded in Mark chapters 14-15. We will
see how Mark tells the story in a particular way to bring out the full
significance of Jesus’ death on the Cross. Again, suitable for all, however
little or well you know your Bible. The format will incorporate core
teaching, group work and some simple worship.
Mondays (10 am – 12)
Tuesdays (1.45 pm)
Wednesdays (7.45pm)
February 23
February 10
February 25
March 2
February 24
March 4
March 9
March 10
March 11
March 16
March 24
March 25
March 23
March 31
April 1
(No meeting March 18)
Other midweek, pre-Easter events
Deacons’ Meetings
Breakaway
Church Members’ Meeting
Thursdays February 5th, March 5th, April 2nd
Thursdays February 12th, March 12th
Thursday, March 19th
Good Friday (April 3), 12 noon
Holy Communion
Good Friday (April 3), 7.00 pm
All-age service for the whole church with Brigades
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David Ridal: giving time to God
In last month’s Contact, David Ridal, a member of this church and a final
year geography student, shared his plans to serve for either one or two
years as an Associate at Christchurch, Durham.
I won’t repeat all that David wrote (the article can still be found on our church website), but
as he explained, this Associateship gives him a wonderful opportunity to develop his gifts, to
grow in his Bible knowledge and understanding of the faith, and to test out a sense of call to
full-time Christian ministry at some point in the future.
As a church, we have good reason to feel very ‘proud’ of David (if that is the right word); to
see his faith develop in the way it has is a great encouragement. David provides a role
model that other young Christians can look up to and learn from.
At January’s Church Meeting a proposal was put forward that Chester Road bear some of
the financial support that David will need during his time as an Associate, beginning in
September. He needs £600 per month to cover his accommodation, food and modest living
expenses. As a church, we will be giving David £1000 for his first year and, if he stays for a
second, a further £1000.
On learning of this, David was eager to reply: “I really am so very grateful for this generous
support from Chester Road and I cannot express how much I appreciate this large sum of
financial backing. I am not just thankful for the financial gift but, even more so, I appreciate
the interest that those at Chester Road have shown in finding out about what I have decided
to do next year. It means so much to have that support.”
In his original article, David asks for our prayers, and I’m sure we
will want to support him in this way. Around Easter we’ll be
asking ask David to share more detail of his placement with us so
that we can pray in an informed and meaningful way. But love
and prayer can and should go alongside practical support. As the
apostle John says (1 John 3:18), “Let us not love in word or talk
but in deed and in truth.”
So, may I lovingly appeal to any in the church who might feel able to help David further
towards his target of £600 per month? A one-off gift is perfectly acceptable, but the ideal
would be a commitment to a regular monthly amount of whatever size. And, if you are a
tax-payer, every £1 can be turned into £1.25 by Gift Aiding it. If you feel led to help David in
this way, a letter from Christchurch, Durham is available with all the necessary information.
Please contact myself, David’s parents Martin and Sue, or David himself via his e-mail which
is [email protected].
Thank you, David Dewey
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Messy Church – January 2015
January “Messy Church” was based on Luke 2:41-52 when Jesus went with
his parents to Jerusalem and on their return home they realised he was
not with them and they went back to Jerusalem and found him in the
Temple. The aim of the session was to show that Jesus grew up to have a faith of his own.
Our activities were to remind us of how we all grow by measuring some of those who were
there against a growth chart and a mural was made of arms, feet and hands to show the
differences in the size of the children, and adults. We also made small scrolls and talked
about how the books that Jesus read in the temple were scrolls. Making treasure chests
enabled us to think about what Jesus said “Your heart will always be where your treasure is”
(Matt 6:21) and ask 'What do you treasure?'
Activity time is followed by a short time of worship which is led by one of our ministers. The
results of the activities are brought into the church sanctuary and often form part of the
service. The children enjoy going to the front and sing songs which are relevant to the
theme.
Messy Church is an all age event. Can we encourage you to come to the next Messy Church
and if you have children or grandchildren please bring them along too. It’s a good
opportunity to do something together as a family. The next Messy Church will be on
Saturday 14th February - our theme for that day will be Lent.
Hazel Wilson/Mike Miller
The next Messy Church will take place on 14th February from 4-6pm. If you are able to give
some assistance we welcome all support, do speak to Mark or David for more information.
Please contact Mark
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TWAM
A big thank-you to individuals who contributed to the scholar pack scheme and also to
Breakaway as a club. 57 packs were collected plus £114 cheque.
Val & Ron Doolan
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Bibles for Bethlehem at Christmas
A report from Gaza
Gaza lies in ruins. People are suffering and hatred grips the Holy Land. Getting into Gaza is
desperately hard but the Bible Society team are local people with local connections and they
have gained access to Gaza with the opportunity to share the Bible with the children of Gaza
at Christmas. They offered the Bible Society nativity play, children’s Bibles, Scripture
material, and aid.
4,500 children in the West Bank were invited to the nativity plays including those in Gaza.
One of our colleagues, Nashat, said, “Children have fear in their eyes, or the glazed look of
the traumatised. It’s chilling to see.”
“Thanks to the support of our Christian brothers and sisters 4,500 children will hear the
Christmas story. We believe that sharing the true message of Jesus sows seeds of truth in
young children’s hearts that will reap an eternal harvest. This ministry has brought joy and
hope, during the toughest times to the children of Bethlehem. Thank you so much.”
Thank you to everyone who has supported this programme both by giving and praying.
Please continue your support in 2015.
Open the Book
The Bible is full of inspirational, gruesome, funny, sad, real and relevant stories. Open the
Book is here to share them with Primary school children throughout the UK. Since it began
in 1999, Open the Book has developed 10,000 dedicated storytellers.
The teams of volunteer storytellers use drama, mime, props, costume and audience
participation to present Bible stories in ways that are lively, interactive, engaging and fun!
At no cost to schools, this programme is OFSTED and SIAS approved and is a fantastic way to
share the Bible. So far, Open the Book has reached 1,500 primary schools in the UK but the
vision is for every child to hear the story of the Bible at school in their primary years. This
would mean reaching 4.5 million pupils in 18,280 schools across the UK. So there is still
more work to do…
Please support the work of Bible Society
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Banners Gate, Boldmere & Wylde Green Churches Together
Outing to
BETH SHALOM – HOLOCAUST CENTRE, LAXTON,
Nr NEWARK, NOTTS, NG22 0PA.
SATURDAY 25 APRIL 2015
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
9 am Leave URC Britwell Road
10.30 (approx) Arrive at Beth Shalom
Talk by Holocaust Survivor (Time tbc)
Visiting museums and Memorial Gardens
3.45 pm Leave Beth Shalom
4.30 – 5 pm Return to URC
Members of all churches are invited to participate in this trip, including children over the
age of 13. Cost £20 pp to include coach fare and admission to Beth Shalom.
Light refreshments are available at the Coffee Shop but as Beth Shalom is not usually open
on Saturdays, lunch is not provided: we are asked to bring own packed lunch.
Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Wheelchair accessible and Assistance dogs welcome
____________________________________________________________________
Name……………………………………………………………………………………
Address………………………………………………………………………………….
Church.…………………………………………………………………………………
E-mail………………………………………. Phone ……………………………
Cash/Cheques payable to:
Teresa Monteiro 173 Green Lanes, Wylde Green,
Sutton Coldfield B73 5LX Tel: 354 9811 Email: [email protected]
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Help to restore dignity and freedom to women trapped in prostitution
In the red light district of Bangkok, Paul and Sarah Brown, BMS World
Mission workers serving with BMS partner NightLight, are making a
difference. They are bringing real laughter, healthy community and the
light of Christ into the lives of women trapped in the sex trade. We hope
you will support a particularly exciting project that will provide alternative
employment opportunities to women freed from a life of degrading
exploitation. A project we’re calling the Freedom Bakery. NightLight will be training women
who they have helped out of Thailand’s sex industry in the art of professional baking. This is
a project being led by BMS worker and expert baker Sarah. The skills the women learn will
enable them to help run a bakery that will sell cakes and confectionary, and will contribute
to a life of dignity and hope for women who for far too long have been robbed of both.
Alongside the baking training, the women will be given the opportunity for counselling,
introduced to faith in Jesus Christ, and taught various life skills which will help them to reach
a level of healing from the past and be equipped for the future.
You or your church could make a huge difference to the Freedom Bakery by supporting it
financially, providing startup capital to launch a business with a focus not on exploitation
but transformation. Your gifts will help to provide an industrial oven, heavy-duty food mixer,
baking tins and sugarcraft cake decoration tools, cake ingredients and a salary for the
women in training for the initial start-up year.
£18 - The ingredients for 12 large cupcakes, to be sold at a profit.
£31 - A set of cake tins and sugarcraft tools.
£59 - A week’s salary for a woman being trained in professional baking.
Whatever you can do, please consider a gift for the Freedom Bakery and support us in the
fight against the sexual exploitation of women and girls. Thank you.
Easter Cake Challenge
Do you have Bake-Off fans in your church? Or just members who have a great
recipe, passed down from their granny for the best Easter cake ever? What
about enthusiastic newcomers to the baking game, willing to try their hands?
Then the BMS Easter Cake Challenge could be for you and your church! Hold an Easter cake
baking competition, with judges, as a church event. Make the entrance fee the cost of the
cake’s ingredients and sell the entered cakes after the judging. The money you raise can be
sent to BMS to support our Freedom Bakery and help women out of the sex trade.
The Thailand Freedom Bakery appeal is part of our Dignity initiative, taking a stand against
gender based violence. For more information and to take a stand, visit the BMS Dignity
webpage. If the funds received exceed the amount required for the bakery project, any
additional funds will be used to support other justice ministries among Asian women.
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and Rotas : February 2015
Date
1st
8th
15th
22nd
Morning
Service
10.30 am
Parade Service
Our Ministers
Communion
Mark FrancisGreen
Our Ministers
Communion
Ken Hawkings
Evening
Service
6.30 pm
Communion
Clifford Fryer
Our Ministers
Our Ministers
Paul Wilson
Duty Deacon
Roger Allen
Hazel Wilson
Darren Atkin
Laurel Trench
Communion
Preparation
Laurel Trench
----------
Joy & Norman
Hough
Donna Green &
Venicia Foullah
Deacons
Serving
Roger & Hazel
Mike, Laurel,
Darren & Edwin
----------
Peter, Martin,
Roger & Hazel
Morning
Reader
Brigades
Carole Turner &
Carl Ford
Val & Ron
Doolan
Christ East &
Mike Bizley
Evening
Reader
Sue Ridal
Alice Green
Edwin
Boddington
Cath Jolly
Welcome am
Ann & Graham
Bramall
Alison & David
Sheward
Hazel & Irene
Wilson
Norma Scott
Welcome pm
Madeleine
Moxon
Edna Jones
Mark Pugh
Pat Thompson
Stewards am
Val & Ron
Doolan
Sis & George
Taylor
Paul Farmery
Isobel & Mike
Bizley
Steward pm
Vera & Edwin
Boddington
Joyce Norbury
George Lowther
Edna Jones
Offertory am
Brigades
Deacons
Atkin Family
Deacons
Tea/Coffee
Chris & Roger
Allen
Laurel Trench
Vera & Edwin
Boddington
Laurel Trench
Flowers
Edna Jones *
Venicia Foullah
Hazel Wilson
Volunteer req’d
* Flowers provided by Chris Farmery in memory of Millie Farmery.
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FEBRUARY DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Date
Event
Time
Wed 5th
Deacons’ Meeting
8pm
Sun 8th
Young Person’s Housegroup at the Ridals
7.30pm
Mon 9th
Singing group
6.45pm
Mon 9th
New Disciples Group
7.45pm
Tue 10th
Tuesday Lent Group in the lounge
1.45pm
Thu 12th
Grandparents Group
10am
Thu 12th
Breakaway
7.30pm
Sat 14th
Messy Church
4-6pm
Mon 23rd
Monday Lent Group
10am
Mon 23rd
Singing group
6.45pm
Tue 24th
Tuesday Lent Group in the lounge
1.45pm
Wed 25th
Wednesday Lent Group
7.45pm
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CHURCH WEEKLY PRAYER GUIDE
Our weekly prayer guide will each day mention a church activity, group or need.
Everything we do as a church must be born out of prayer and borne up by prayer.
MONDAY
House group at the Ridals and New Disciples Group
Pray for our finance and fabric teams
Those who are unwell or recently bereaved (latest news is in the bulletin)
TUESDAY
Luncheon Club – for the helpers and folk attending
House Group meeting in lounge
Men’s meetings
Messy Church planning meetings
Deacons and church leaders of groups
WEDNESDAY
Church walk – enjoy the countryside
The work of the Bible Society
Mark and Donna Francis-Green
Church members who are either ill or housebound
THURSDAY
Deacons and church meetings
Breakaway
BMS – Sarah and Eric now back in Guinea
Julia, Dave and Andy (Staff)
FRIDAY
One to One Lunch
Brigades
Messy Church preparations and invitations
David and Sarah Dewey
SATURDAY
Coffee morning
Messy Church – pray for building relationships with those who attend
SUNDAY
Worship – morning and evening
Junior Church and helpers
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