1. Art and Diseño

Dear Friends,
The long dark days of January are passed and by the beginning of
February we are starting to see longer days, the light grows stronger
and the darkness begins to lessen.
It seems fitting that the Feast of Candlemas is at the start of the month
- 2nd February. The day is also known as the ‘Presentation of Christ in
the Temple’; the ‘Purification of the Virgin Mary’ and, in the Eastern
Church, the ‘Meeting of Christ with Simeon’.
Such a variety of names is testimony to the wealth of meaning that
generations of Christians have discovered in this small but significant
incident in the early life of Christ.
‘Candlemas’; the title reminds us of the custom of lighting candles and
carrying them in procession as a symbol of Christ; the Light of the
World.
During Christmas we celebrated by lighting candles and decorating
both our homes and Church with brightly lit Christmas trees in
recognition of Christ's Light coming into the world; the light to
enlighten all people.
But let us not forget that we are the ones who carry the light of Christ
and spread the Good News to others.
Quite often it is the practical things that we do that reflect that we are
Christians, coming alongside those in need, being a listening non,judgmental friend, treating people with respect and dignity no matter
who they are and finding ways to bless others.
Blessing not only with gifts but also with words of encouragement;
words that lift individuals up and help them in their journey as they
seek to follow Christ.
Looking back at the Christmas Tree Festival, I was struck by the
enthusiasm and commitment, not just to the festival but also to one
another. Great blessings were to be found in the way that folk came
alongside of each other, not solely from within the Boston Spa
Methodist community but also between the wider church and village
communities; working together to achieve the same goal.
This was a perfect example of what Peter the Apostle was urging in
his First Letter when he wrote: ‘Most of all, love each other steadily
and unselfishly... Show hospitality to each other without complaint’ (1
Peter: 8-9).
1 (go to page 2)
1
CLIFFORD METHODIST CHURCH
Minister – Revd. Steve. Jakeman
SUNDAY WORSHIP AT 10.30 A.M
FEBRUARY 2015.
SUNDAY 1st Revd. Steve Jakeman HOLY COMMUNION
SUNDAY 8th Revd. Don Tuttell
SUNDAY 15th Mr. Edward Blakey
SUNDAY 22nd Revd. Steve Jakeman LENT 1
The church is a bit tucked away at the end of Nursery Way, or you can
get to it from the High Street where a blue notice-board points the way.
Further details of all our activities on our website: www.cliffordmc.org.uk.
Clifford Coffee Morning
Pop along at 10 o’ clock on any Tuesday morning and expect a warm
welcome, in the schoolroom next to the Methodist Church.
Door Stewards
1st
C. Catton
8th
C. & K Smith
15th M. & R. Rodgers
22nd M. Suggate
March
1st
Ros
ROTAS
Flowers
B. Shaw
J. Forth
C. Smith
M. Suggate
Vestry
Carol Smith
Michael Whaley
David Mountain
Jason Turner
Barbara Shaw
ALL ARTICLES TO KATHRYN BY THE 10TH FEBRUARY PLEASE
14
B4G Update
We have now been informed that Leeds Planners have recommended
approval of our redevelopment schemes – both the Church and the
adjacent land. The application will now go to 2 elected Officers for final
consent. We hope to have word sometime in February. It may be that
by the time you read this update, approval has been granted! At that
stage we can start to work out more accurate timescales for the
redevelopment. The Grants team is poised and ready to start applying
to various Grant providers.
Further meetings of the Reference Group have been scheduled to take
place on Saturday 14 February, Saturday 28 March and Saturday 9
May - all commencing at 9:30am in the Wesley Rooms. Come along
and find out how the redevelopment plans are progressing.
As I write this update we are preparing for the first community event of
2015 - the Burns Supper at Clifford Village Hall. Let’s hope that it will
be another success in engaging the community as we let them know
we are here in their midst.
Dates for your Diary
March – Film Night (tbc)
Saturday 11 July 2015 – BBQ – Clifford Village Hall –(provisional
date)
Minister’s Letter from page 1
Therefore let us, as the days draw out, find even more ways to draw
out our own light and, in doing so, reflect Christ's Light in the
community in which we live.
Every blessing
Rev Steve.
‘What’s different about Christians?’
Epistle to Diognetus (end of 1st century A.D.
Christians are distinguished from others neither by country nor
language. Living in such places as the lot of each has determined and
following the customs of the natives in respect of clothing, food and the
rest of their ordinary conduct, they display their wonderfully and
confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own country
simply as sojourners. As citizens they share in all things with others
and yet endure all things as foreigners. Every foreign land is to them
as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of
strangers. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of
heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time, surpass
the laws by their lives. They are reviled and they bless..
We hope you will be able to come and support some of these events
and bring your friends along as well. Help us to share our vision for
Boston Spa – bringing Church and community together.
Lunchtime Concert
This month’s Lunchtime Concert will take place on Friday, February
13th at 1pm. Light Lunches will be served from noon. Concert
admission is £5.
We are delighted to have Emma James, a very popular, professional
entertainer to perform for us. This concert will be just the thing to blow
away the winter blues !!
13
ACTS CHAPTER 2, VERSES 43 – 47
“Everyone around was in awe – all those wonders and signs done
through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful
harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they
owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.
They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by
meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they
praised God. People in general liked what they saw. ..”
The Message
2
Boston Spa February Rotas
BOSTON SPA METHODIST CHURCH WEEKLY PROGRAMME
SUNDAY 10.30am
Morning Worship
Junior Church, Crèche
Holy Communion Please check Church Notices/Website for times*
6.00pm Evening Worship 1st Sunday
3rd Sunday – Reflections.
Monday Evening
Senior Table Tennis
Tuesday 10.30am Evergreens’ Luncheon Club – 3rd of month
2.00pm Women’s Friendship Group – 2nd & 4th
Tuesdays September to May
Evening Brownies
Wednesday 9.30 – 11am “Busy Bees” – Mothers and Toddlers
11.15am Prayer Group in the Vestry.
Afternoon Upholstery Class
3.30pm – 5.30pmpm Messy Church – last Wednesday of month.
7.30pm Men’s Group – 2nd Wednesday Oct to
June.
Thursday
Evening
Afternoon Upholstery
Slimming World.
Saturday 10 – noon Coffee in the Wesley Room.
*Current month’s Services and events are on page 12. Other
information on notice boards, in Sunday Notices and on the
website – www.bostonspamethodistchurch.org.uk
Church Rooms may be booked for private functions. Contact –
Anne Hovell on 01937 843 445.
3
Door Stewards
Flowers
st
1
Bob & Wendy Wade
Frank Holliday
8th Mary I & Kath M.
Frank Peake
th
15 David & Anne Hovell
Kath Mountain
22nd Peter & Margaret Smith Anne Hovell
Sunday Coffee
Saturday Coffee
st
1 Ursula Turner & Eva Mills Jan 31 Angela & Barbara
8th W.F.G.
Feb 7 Heather
th
15 Mr & Mrs David Parrot
Feb 14 Brian & Jackie
22nd Mr & Mrs Roger Tunnicliffe Feb 21 Mike & Jean
Feb 28 Mavis & Kath
Chapel Cleaning
February 2 & 16
Heather Grant & Barbara H.
March 2 & 16
Judith & Ken Grimditch.
Brass Cleaning
February 10th
Audrey & Dennis
February 24th
Sheila & Bob
Church Stewards
Our Advertisers – Please support them whenever you can
and tell them where you found their advert.
Back Cover – Spa Travel. A – Peter Norman – Plumbing & Heating.
B – Sandersons – Removals, Kate Mell – flowers.
C – Skelf Frames, Central Garage.
D – Amanda Buch – Physiotherapy, Lisa - Gym Academy, Douglas
Yeadon, Hardware.
E – Gifted – Gifts for al l occasions, Gents Hair,
Franks & Son – Plumbing & Heating, Andrew Morgan – Optician.
F Queripel & Kettlewell – Chartered Accountants, Vanesssa Jude –
Super Shop, Bobbins Alteration Service.
G – A.C.Plant – Building & Construction. H – Kirby Builders
Merchants
12
Boston Spa Church Family –February 2015
Birthday congratulations to:
W.F.G. 19th Mavis Rodgers, 27th Audrey Tylee
GIVE THANKS FOR:
 All joyful celebrations.
 All our members and friends.
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
 Those who are lonely, sad or unwell at home or in hospital.
 All who suffer through conflict or natural disaster.
 Those who risk their lives to help others.
 The faithfulness and mission of the church.
 All people of faith, especially our Christian friends and
neighbours.
The Real Jesus
“Will the real Jesus please stand up?” That was the rather
controversial title of an article which was questioning some
of the ideas and opinions held by some Christians. It
reminded me of a Bible Study I read called “Meeting Jesus”.
The introduction had the sentence – “After you have met
Jesus you are never the same again. The booklet was the
result of a talk given to a group of young adults who were
also given a questionnaire which included the statement:
“When I think of Christianity I think of ….” One respondent
said that he thought of the inquisition, the Crusades, the
Thirty Years War; almost everything bad that had happened
in history.
11
Birds of the Bible
Psalm 102:6 The Pelican - a prayer
from the heart
I resemble a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an
owl of the waste places.
Reading this, I am inevitably reminded of that rhyme from
childhood - ‘a very strange bird is the Pelican; its beak holds
more than its belly can!’
With its large bill and throat pouch, the pelican is ideally
suited to catching prey and straining off the water before
swallowing its meal. It can even use it for catching rainwater.
Although so large, the bird is relatively light and holds air in
pockets beneath the skin thereby enabling it to float higher in
water.
Pelicans are found in the Mediterranean regions as well as in
many other temperate and tropical regions where water is
plentiful; so it would have been familiar to writers of the
scriptures but not, under any circumstances, could this fish
eating water fowl be seen as inhabiting the wilderness.
It seems that David, in writing this psalm, looked for a
metaphor which would vividly express his feelings of solitude
and melancholy by which to illustrate his own sad feelings of
depression, as he looks at the state of his nation and of
himself. Certainly, he speaks from experience for
sleeplessness, imagination and tears are all mentioned in his
prayerful song as he tells the Lord of all that is worrying him.
Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry for help reach you;
Do not hide your face from me when I am in trouble;
Bend down and listen to me,
When I call, be quick to answer me.
Arthur
4
WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2015.
FRIDAY MARCH 6TH AT 2PM
ST. EDWARD’S R. C. CHURCH, CLIFFORD.
This is an international, interchurch, organisation which
enables us to hear the voices of women, from a different part
of the world each year, expressing their hopes and concerns
and bringing them before the rest of the world in prayer. This
year the service has been written by Christian women from
The Bahamas and translated into over 1000 different
languages and dialects. In the British Isles alone over 5,000
services will be held.
The theme of the service is taken from St. John’s Gospel,
chapter 13 verses 1-17 Jesus said to them: “Do you know
what I have done to you?” and it challenges us to
demonstrate the same radical, unconditional love for others
that Jesus showed when he washed the feet of his disciples.
The Bahamas consists of over 700 islands, scattered over
100,000 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean, only a small
proportion of which are inhabited. It refers to itself as ”a
family of islands” and in the service the needs of the smallest
islands are given as much prominence as those of the larger
ones.
Everyone is welcome to attend the service, men and women people of all ages. Refreshments will be served at the close of
the service. Please come and join us.
Joan Dyer area co-ordinator - 01937 843533.
Will the real Jesus from page 11
I hope I’ve never had such an extreme view, but I know that I
need to frequently “refresh” my understanding of the Gospel
delivered by Jesus, to understand the man and his message
through reading the Bible and through sound commentary on
it. Of course our Sunday worship is our major means of
helping us to avoid false/misleading views.
BOSTON SPA METHODIST CHURCH – FEBRUARY 2015
ALL WELCOME TO JOIN US AT OUR SERVICES AND EVENTS
SUNDAY 1st 10.30am Mr. Joseph Kwallah EDUCATION (Transport
req.)
6.00pm Revd. Steve Jakeman HOLY COMMUNION.
SUNDAY 8th 10.30am Revd. Steve Jakeman HOLY COMMUNION.
Monday 9th 7.30pm C.T. Committee at St. Mary’s
Tuesday 10th 2.00pm W.F.G – Mrs Barbara Shaw.
Wednesday 11th 7.30pm Men’s Group – David Bull Mountains, Lakes &
Fjords
Friday 13th
1.00pm Lunchtime Concert with Emma James. Light
lunch from
noon.
SUNDAY 15th 10.30am Dr. Alan Bell with Jean Walne.
6.00pm Revd. Steve Jakeman REFLECTIONS.
SUNDAY 22nd 10.30am Revd. Ken Marshall LENT 1.
Tuesday 24th 2.00pm W.F.G. – Card Making with Mrs Pauline
O’Melia.
7.30pm St. Mary’s - Lent Lecture 1 Self Enquiry with
Martin Nathaneal. See page 8
Friday 17th to Sunday March 1st MWiB District Conference,
Scarborough.
March
Monday 2nd 7.30pm at Boston Spa – Annual Team Quiz – Entries to
Gordon (845290) by 20th February: cost £5 includes refreshments.
Friday 6th
2.00pm at St. Edward’s, Clifford. Women’s World Day of
Prayer at St. Edward’s, Clifford. ALL are invited, see page 4.
ST.CRUX DAY
THIS YEAR - 27th MAY 2015
Next month – “The Surprising Jesus”
5
10
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL
‘WOW’
It was magical coming into Church during the Christmas Tree Festival
to see the beauty of the decorated trees. The transformation of the
Sanctuary of the Church was amazing.
Each tree was decorated to a chosen theme by its Sponsor. Many
trees were amusing, some thought provoking and others made you
stop and gaze. For some it was a truly spiritual experience.
The Festival was a great success. Many people came to see the trees
and those that had never been aware of Boston Spa Methodist Church
before realised that it is here in their midst.
An army of volunteers from the Church and Community came together
and worked very hard in many different ways to make the Community
Christmas Tree Festival such a huge success.
A big thank you to all the Sponsors, those that provided the wonderful
musical entertainment, the talented Flower Arrangers and all the
Teams of Workers (putting up and taking down the trees, stewarding in
the Church, making and serving refreshments and many other tasks.)
We could not have done without any one of you.
I must also thank Taylor Wimpey, Morrison’s, Kirby’s and Stockeld Park
for their generous support.
Looking forward to December 2015!
Sheila Humphreys
Fear or focus?
I don’t know about you, but this past
month there seem to have been so
many stories of tragedy and fatality.
The Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris;
the Lindt cafe hostages in Sydney;
the Peshawar school children
devastated by the Taliban; the
refuse bin lorry in Glasgow losing
control, and the Air Asia flight that
plummeted into the ocean.
It's not the most comfortable subject – death – and you might be thinking, how
does this inspire me for a new year?
Good question
I live just north of London, but I am originally from Glasgow. This Christmas I was
back home and had the chance to visit the floral memorial to those who lost their
lives to that shockingly random event where a bin lorry killed six people, three
from the same family. The tributes were heartfelt and warm.
But only half a mile away are more flowers tied to a roadside barrier. It marks
another, less publicised traffic accident where a driver had a similar fit and killed
two girls.
These events are tragic. They are saddening. And they highlight the fragility of
life. The awareness of death can cause two responses: fear or focus.
As the threat of terrorism grows, as epidemics like Ebola dominate the headlines,
and as we hear of those random accidents where anyone at the wrong place and
the wrong time could have been impacted, we could grow in fear.
Our life could end at any minute. We are not in control. We do not know what is
around the corner. That could induce fear. But I think there is a second response,
and that is focus.
You see, we were never in control. No matter how much you think you might be the one guiding
and protecting your life, you are not. We are simply given a finite amount of time on this planet
to love others and to love God. To impact this world through love. To serve willingly, to give
extravagantly, to love completely. The fragility of life should give us a pinpoint, laser-focus on
doing what is important, rather than what is superfluous.
The Bible talks about us not knowing when Jesus may come back, but to always be prepared.
It also talks about not worrying. But it didn't say: Try not to worry, or only worry in certain
circumstances. It says: "Do not worry". In Joshua 1, God tells him three times to "be strong and
courageous".
Do not fear. Do not fear. Do not fear. In 2 Timothy, Paul writes that God does not give us a
spirit of fear, but a spirit of power; a spirit of courage;a spirit free from worry.
What might that spirit, attitude, and courage do to change how you approach 2015? How might
you focus your thoughts, your actions, and your dreams, knowing that you have nothing
to fear, not even death?
Gareth Russell is director of Jersey Road limited, a PR and media company
working with Christian agencies to tell their story better
9
6
7
“Follow me” …….”Yes, Lord, but how and where?”
Christmas has been and gone, as has Epiphany – the time we think of the
Magi and their gifts, and the escape into Egypt as refugees of Joseph, Mary
and the infant Jesus. (There has been a modern-day slaughter of innocents
in France.) In the space of just two or three weeks the church calendar
and lectionary have accelerated through 30 years of the life of Jesus,
virtually the whole of his childhood, the whole of his adolescence and the
early years of his adult life. Before we know where we are, we arrive at his
baptism by John and the start of his ministry.
We’re now in the 33 Sundays of what the church calendar and the
lectionary call “Ordinary Time” – can any time spent with God be
“ordinary”? – broken only by the Sundays of Lent, Easter and Whitsuntide,
and leading up to Advent Sunday again. This period of “Ordinary Time”
focuses on the 3 years of Jesus’ public ministry, on what he said and did.
There are several key themes that stand out right through this ministry in
what Jesus said and did, both in public in the open air and the synagogues,
and in private with his disciples.
Jesus invited and called all who would to share in his ministry by
recognising and showing in daily living that God loves everyone, that God
can forgive anyone, and that we are all equally loved and wanted in his
Kingdom. We are called in return to love God with all our being and to love
everyone as we love ourselves. Of course he meets us in church and we
shall always need to meet in fellowship to join together in worship, in the
sacraments, in learning more about God, and in being challenged to live
out what we believe.
But the real call to share in Jesus’ ministry is out in the world of daily life
as well as in the fellowship of the church. It’s not just ministers and
preachers who are called. Each one of us is called to be and to do for Jesus
something that only we can be and do in the circumstances of our own life.
Jesus was unimpressed by the outward show of religion by the Scribes and
the
Pharisees. He had some hard things to say to them and about them. He
saw through the outward show of respectability to the inner person. He
still does.
Dennis
8