June 2016 - Solihull Methodist Church

June 2016
It was so good to see everyone leaving
the church with a great smile on the
morning of Pentecost ! So many
remarked on this. The huge choir and
band sang "Saints Alive" as the central
part of this morning service at
Pentecost. In words and music, this is
the story of the birth of the Church on
the day of Pentecost.
Before we started we received a huge
card from the local URC churches
wishing us a “Happy Birthday Church”.
Then the story unfolded and was
enough to bring strong messages that
the apostles were ordinary people like
us who had faith to take the message
to the world which we share today.
Peter Farndon worked so hard to
make this possible and we also must
have a special word for Andrew
Hawker, who stood in to play the
piano at the last minute. Ann Pardoe
narrated the whole piece and showed
just how well it can be done. What a
family triumph this was with people up
front from 8 – 80. What a lead into a
meaningful Communion.
Something to sing about!
No wonder we all had smiles!
Church Family News
Minister’s Message
New Stewards
Holy Habits
Refugee Initiative
Safari Supper
In this issue
European Referendum
Great Wave of Prayer
Green tip
Safeguarding
Christian Aid Coffee Morning
Please pray for the following young people in
the church who are taking important exams
this month.
We are sorry to announce the following deaths.
A levels
Ben Austin
Hannah Burden
Iona Cameron
Ieuan Edwards
Ben Hague
Sarah - Jayne Powell
Alex Weatherup
Betty Wain Betty had been getting increasingly frail
GCSE
Rhys Edwards
Aaliyah Morris
Lucy Powell
Matthew Shinner
Katy Shipway
Elizabeth Weatherup
Steve Edwards Steve died after a long battle with cancer.
Bertie Tuckey Bertie and Dorothy were a vital part of our
church family for many years before they moved to
Stratford. Bertie brought his considerable financial expertise
to the church, to the circuit and to the District.
Please remember their friends and families in your prayers
Margaret Graham
What a very full church at St. Alphege (with a good spread of Methodists to
get the singing going) as we gathered to remember the good times and to say
our goodbye to our friend Margaret Graham. Rev John Bradford led us through
a moving thanksgiving for such an active life that touched so many people. The
service sheet is printed over pictures of her garden which was close to her heart.
What a lovely touch as we started with all 4 grandchildren lighting candles of
emembrance and then listened as Rev Charles Radburn who is the chaplain at
the Marie Curie read from 1 Corinthians 13
Peter met Margaret when they were very young at Sunday School in the
Edgware Road in London. Margaret had been evacuated twice once to
Northampton where she and her siblings were billeted with Austrians and the
second time aged 9 to Billingham near Newcastle-upon-Tyne. When her brother
developed a serious skin complaint, Margaret took them to the station and got
on a train to Kings Cross without any money or a ticket so that he could be
treated at home. They were handed to the police who took them home!
Margaret was a keen athlete being a competitive swimmer and a runner. She
also belonged to the Girl Guides and the Church Choir having a good singing voice.
Through her life she enjoyed cookery courses, Dorridge Flower Club, tapestry classes, Ladies Circle, Tangent
and Ladies Probus, and playing badminton.
Whilst working for Midland Bank and Coca Cola she also volunteered at Middlefield Mental Hospital and was
ward clerk in the Dementia Wing at the old Solihull Hospital. So much to remember fondly and to reflect upon.
We reminded ourselves of her battle with MS. This was not diagnosed for some 20 years and her deterioration
was progressive for the last 15 years of her life.
Lawrie Rumens
The following were re-elected to the church Council at the
annual meeting
Richard Burr
Sylvia Bailey
Pam Beattie
Jackie Farmer
Ros Hopkins
Bev Horton
Philip Mackey
Marjorie Roper
2
The following new nominations
were elected to the church
Council
David Grey
Karen Handford
Chris Tucker
Laura Yarham
Revd Ken Howcroft
Happy Hours
We are in spirit time! Not the alcoholic kind that some take
purely (of course!) for medicinal purposes or as “digestivi”, but
the holy variety. In all sorts of different ways, we celebrate
that Spirit’s creating and renewing of the life of the church and
of the world.
worship will be the Revd Ian Howarth, the Chair of the
Birmingham District (of which our Birmingham Circuit is a
constituent part). Whether we can entice him to burst into
song again, as at his recent lunchtime recital in our church,
remains to be seen.
Nevertheless, experiencing that Spirit can feel a bit like being
intoxicated. When the Spirit fell on Peter and the other
disciples at the first Pentecost and they found themselves able
to reach out freely to all sorts of strangers and communicate
with them, they had to fend off the accusation that they had
been over-indulging themselves in drinking new wine [Acts
2:1-13]. That is what the effects looked like to people.
What though of the Spirit renewing the life of the world, not
least through us?
In May, we entered a season of elections. It began with local
elections and elections for Police and Crime Commissioners,
and will end with the Referendum on the European Union on
23 June.
What has the Spirit got to do with politics? Everything. Politics
is about how we organise the ways in which we live together
in community. At every level – neighbourhood, local, regional,
United Kingdom, European and world – there is a need for
peace and hope: peace because of the tensions, struggles, and
sometimes wars; and hope because of the disrespect, cynicism
and despair that seem so prevalent.
The Spirit still comes to us, just like it came to them. It enlivens
us, makes us joyful, removes our unhelpful inhibitions,
empowers us, and drives us out to engage with the people in
the world outside our church rooms.
So where do we see and celebrate the signs of the Spirit
creating and renewing the life of the church and the world? In
our church life, there is a real buzz of energy, with older
activities gaining new leases of life (with some in danger of
bursting their wineskin at the seams); and with new groups
and activities starting up all over the place. We are trying to
meet people’s needs for company, social events and activities,
and support; as well as for meaning, worship and love. We
seem to be succeeding, at least in part. Some come on a
Sunday, and then find themselves drawn into other activities
during the week. Others come to a concert or event in our
church, or an activity in the hall, and then come back on a
Sunday. They always say how surprised they feel to find
themselves genuinely welcomed without being made to
conform.
How does the Spirit create peace and hope in the world? The
answer is, through our engagement not our withdrawal. The
prophet Jeremiah tells of God saying to God’s people “Seek
the welfare of the city where I have sent you…, and pray to the
Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare”.
[Jer. 29:1ff]
Christianity has continued to have a lot to say both to and
about politics. Jesus taught about the issues and everyday
choices that face both ordinary people and those in power.
The Lord’s Prayer is about how earthly societies and
relationships can be transformed into expressions of God’s
kingdom.
There may not be single definitive answers to the questions
that face us. There should be space for everyone to explore
the issues and come to their own conclusion. As Christians we
may not, and almost certainly will not, have unified answers.
But we cannot ignore the challenges facing society today, and
we need to engage fully with democratic processes and
decision-making.
We cater for all sorts of people. One of the growth areas is the
number of young children and parents participating in our
worship. They are not just the potential church of tomorrow,
they are the church of today (when we respond to Jesus’s call
to us to let them come to him).
Then on Sunday 12 June, as well as sharing in our communion
service, we shall be celebrating the work of MHA, a charity
founded by Methodists in 1943 which now provides high
quality and ground-breaking care, accommodation and
support services for more than 16,000 older people
throughout Britain. Its mission is to improve the quality of life
of older people, inspired by Christian concern. If you have
access to a computer, you can find out more about it at
http://www.mha.org.uk/
By participating in elections, Christians can make their feelings
known, and make a positive impact on the political landscape.
Above all, we can all pursue the common good and hold onto
the vision of a society built on truth, justice, peace and wellbeing. You will find further information from the Joint Public
Issues Team about how this works out with regard to the
Referendum on another page in this Messenger.
On Sunday 19 June, we shall be celebrating Father’s Day with
the help of people from one of our newer activities, Saturday
Dads!
Think, Pray, Vote. Take the life of the Spirit from worship and
prayer into your life in the world. Bring the life of the world
into your worship and prayer.
Then on Sunday 26 June, we shall be celebrating the 79th
anniversary of our Church. The preacher and leader of our
Ken
3
Andy Hunt .
Before arriving in Birmingham to study for a Computer Science degree at
Aston University, I grew up in Middlesbrough, in the North East of England.
It was during my time at Aston that I first met Andrea, who little did I know
at the time, was later to become my wife. We decided on Solihull as an
ideal place to settle down as a couple and to bring up a family. It was our
search, back in 2004, for a Church to both worship and get married in
that brought us through the doors at Solihull Methodist Church.
We have had some of our most treasured memories in this Church, including
our Wedding day in 2006 the Baptisms of both of our children, Benjamin
and Saskia, in 2008 and 2010. We have seen many changes in the make-up
of the Church family, from the early days when we were among only a few
young families, to the recent months when we have been blessed with many
new faces arriving, many of them also looking for a friendly safe place to
worship in and bring up their children. We have the benefit of a wonderful
building that is both practical and visually inviting from outside, along with
the splendid mix of mature experience and youthful energy in our congregation. These things, combined with
the warm Solihull Methodist Church welcome (the same welcome that greeted us both twelve years
ago!), means the future of our Church is looking bright.
I was delighted to be nominated as a Church Steward, and I will work hard to further expand the place our
wonderful Church has within the lives of our local community, and ask that you all support me in this role. I thank
you all in advance, as I know for sure that you will!
Andy Hunt
Sarah Shinner
Born in the nearby village of Hampton-in-Arden to a District Midwife
and an Engineer I was the second of three daughters. As a child I attended
St Mary and St. Bartholomew Church of England as a chorister under
the watchful eye of my father, where my love of both singing and choral
music developed. I moved to Solihull in 1987 to start married life with
Mike where our three children Katie, Jonathan and Matthew were born.
Through the children’s membership of Cubs and Guides at 11th Solihull,
I took up the role of Assistant Guide Leader with Ann Garland and a few
years later Richard Bates persuaded me to ‘volunteer’ as the first aider
for one of his Cub camps. The rest as they say is history and I have served
as a Scout leader at the Church for over 15 years now.
Whilst attending Church Parades I came to appreciate the simpler less
ceremonial form of Methodist worship that was re-connecting me with
my faith. Realising that the community I missed since moving out of the
village was right here at Solihull Methodist and after attending the Alpha
Course I decided to become a Methodist and a member at Solihull.
The Church and community have been a tremendous support to me
through some challenging years and so I was very pleased to be
nominated for the role of steward and have the chance to make my own contribution to the rich life of Solihull
Methodist Church. I am looking forward to taking up my role with Andy as we discover a new opportunity to
serve.
I enjoy going for local walks with Katie and her dog, being a member of SMASH and as a keen amateur
needlewoman use my spare time to sew.
Sarah Shinner
4
EN.RG had a special party to
say good bye to Rev Andy
Clark (Circuit Youth Minister)
who is sat on the step at the
end. Andy is leaving the
circuit in the summer to go
to Chessington.
Pushchair Club
Parents and their children all
joined in a Maypole dance to
celebrate the beginning of the
month of May.
The new steward team will be taking on the following portfolios this year
Sue Balmer
•
Stewards’ meetings agendas
•
Communications C’tee
•
Ways and Means C’tee
•
Badges
Sue Bates
•
Link with Preachers
•
Messenger
Sarah Shinner
•
Creche
•
New members link
•
Pushchair club
Tim Weatherup
•
Stewards’ meetings agendas
•
Property C’Tee
•
Catering C’tee
Helen Banks
•
Unwind after work
•
Uniformed organisations
•
Finding the way forward
Andy Hunt
•
Junior church link
•
Welcome stewards
•
Green group
Church Office
0121 705 7367
Youth, Family and
Community
worker
Tina Brooker
Sian
MusgreaveSpiby
Pastoral
Coordinator
Chris Giles
Stella
Staight
5
Dear Friend,
Throughout the history of the Church, Christians have
grappled with how to live out the Good News of Jesus that
the Kingdom of God is both here and yet to come.
Paul’s response was the concept of ‘koinonia’, while John
Wesley spoke of ‘social holiness’. Both of these terms
have been domesticated over the centuries, but in fact
they offer radical theological foundations to the Holy
Habit of Service. What Paul, and Wesley after
him, wanted of the followers of Jesus was for us to
proclaim the Good News by living “on earth as if in
heaven.” In other words, every act of love, justice and
peace is a taste of how God’s world is to be.
Therefore, the ways we serve as the Birmingham
Methodist Circuit through…
• our chaplaincies in hospitals, universities and other
workplaces,
• our day centres for the elderly and our toddler groups
• our projects engaging young people, asylum seekers
and the street community
• our commitment to just causes
• our working lives and volunteering
• our giving of time and money
• and the good use of our church buildings for the sake
of the communities we are called to serve,
are all an indication of the reality of God’s Kingdom in our
Holy Habits Programme
·
Habit 6
Habit 7
Habit 8
Habit 9
Habit 10
Service
Fellowship
Biblical Teaching
Sharing Resources
Worship
midst.
The church believes that it has a message of hope and
good news to share with the whole brings to individuals
will be seen both in active membership of the Christian
church and in a life of mission and service that mirrors
Jesus’ own life. How the message of good news is shared
effectively through our words and deeds in 21st century
Britain is one of the biggest challenges for the church
today, which is why we must continue to practice the Holy
Habit of Service as we reach out to others in Jesus’ name.
Inspired by this Holy Habit, we are launching a new ‘Social
Justice Network’ in the circuit, which will be a network of
Christian activists. The group will seek to further
our partnerships with organisations which share our
values of peace and justice, including Restore, Christian
Aid, City of Sanctuary, Tax Justice, Trussell Trust, All We
Can, Citizens UK: Birmingham, Hope Projects, Methodist
Homes and Birmingham Christian Homeless Forum.
Our theology of Christian Service must be an expression of
our understanding of God’s desire for a just world and our
common calling as the people of Jesus to be agents of
that divine yearning. Furthermore, as Christian people
called Methodist we hold to a tradition that seeks holiness
wherever society is to be found.
Rev Dr Neil Johnson
May 22nd – 30th September
1st October – 31st December
1st January 2017– 28th February
1st March – 30th April
1st May – 30th June
It was my privilege to 'ask' Birmingham city leadership to open
doors wider to refugees. From the Oct 15 'ask' of 50 to a 2016 'ask'
of 500! (100 a year for 5 years). Thank goodness Birmingham
Circuit joined the non-partisan alliance of Citizens UK
Birmingham. Cross party support said yes! What a good role model
for wider Circuits and Connexion.
Earlier in the day I had been in London, with a Government
Minister and Senior Home Office staff exploring a Private
Sponsorship model on behalf of MCB. They finally, after
months, said YES to a pilot. Now we need to detail the how.
Previously I had the opportunity to speak in the House of
Lords Committee Room meeting around sponsorship some months
ago and many attending said sincere thanks for our leadership. The
Jewish community reminded us that the Methodist Church was a
prime mover in the Kinder Transport initiative many years ago and
powerfully thanked us for our help both then and now.
Best wishes, David
Rev David Butterworth is the Mission in the Economy Officer for the
Birmingham District
6
Rev David Butterworth, Birmingham City Council
Leader John Clancy (Labour) and Councillor Bobby
Alden (Conservative), photo by Eddy Aigbe from Lozells
Methodist Church.
I can’t think how many years since our last travelling supper.
How popular they were when our Bev was a youngster and
what a good way of meeting people in our Church family. How
would we fare nowadays?
Heads bowed for grace
“Very well” was the answer. We filled our expected numbers
and at the beginning of the week we prevailed on extra host
homes to accommodate more. Amazingly even up to the
Friday before we had people asking to join in and sadly we
had to say no. We did not have time to get more hosts on
board nor to rearrange where people were going to eat etc.
It was good to start with a fruit punch altogether in the Hall
(what on earth was in it?). The ambience of the Hall was
enhanced with subdued lighting and candles on all the tables
– did not look like the Hall! This was a chance to meet
everyone and to start learning the newer names. Then an
envelope each told us where to go. Five host venues for our
starter which was a rather marvellous Mackerel pate and all
the trimmings.
We settled in and conversation was rattling along when –
another envelope and we were all mixed up into different
groups at five more venues for the main course. Gosh was this
classy. A special Mary Berry recipe with superb beefsteak
from Lyons (Knowle) in a horseradish and mustard casserole.
You should see the ingredients – enough to empty
Sainsbury’s. This was the wow factor with wine brought over
from France for the occasion.
Now we were ready for the sofa and forty winks - but
onwards again back to hall where there were the best of the
UnFitter house group puddings with enough for seconds (and
thirds) and then cheese and our rather posh coffee.
Lawrie serving the
fruit punch
7
How good to be together with so many of the
church family and to have time to chat and get to
know newer faces some more.
What a superb evening for meeting people and
striking friendships. This alone is reason for the
evening. The £620 (yes £620) raised for Reynalds
Cross is icing in the cake.
Many thanks and very well done
Lawrie Rumens
Wonderful
selection of
puddings
On 23 June each of us will be asked to answer the question
"Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the
European Union or leave the European Union?"
Behind the simple challenge of the referendum question
there are many others which are not on the ballot paper.
The referendum is surrounded by controversy, and because
opinions differ, so does the interpretation of facts. The Joint
Public Issues Team of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the
Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church and United
Reformed Church with the support of the Scottish Churches
Parliamentary Office has compiled a resource to explore the
issues surrounding a range of aspects of membership of the
European Union (EU), and it offers different opinions and
perspectives. Christians may not agree on how to vote in
the referendum, but we can each reflect thoughtfully and
prayerfully on the issues involved. Here are some of the
thoughts.
nations of Europe. Our churches have well established links
with Christian communities and congregations across the
continent; these relationships extend to nations that are
currently part of the European Union and those that are
not. It is not an issue of whether we need and value these
relationships, or even whether we belong in Europe, but
whether that sense of belonging is best expressed by being
part of the European Union.
The real referendum question
The referendum question might therefore be phrased as:
“To what extent does the European Union enhance or
hinder our ability to love our neighbour and, in doing so, our
ability to love God?”
You may like to have that at the back of your mind as you
work your way through these other general questions:
•
Who, in this context, is our neighbour? Are we
talking about neighbours in our local communities, in the
UK, in Europe, or in the wider world?
•
It is an important aim to have good relations with all
countries, in Europe and elsewhere. Does our membership
of the European Union help us with this, or hinder us?
•
All political and economic structures are made by
humans and therefore flawed. The referendum offers us a
choice between political and economic structures where
the UK is part of the EU or outside the EU. Which would
best enable us to fulfil our Christian duty towards God and
our neighbour?
•
Can the EU, in its current or a reformed state, achieve
the ideals we might have for it?
Love your neighbour
As Christians we are called to work, live and pray for a
better society. This includes participating in the political
processes that shape the lives of our communities, our
country and our world. It is our identity as followers of Jesus
that will both engage us in the referendum and shape our
response. How, then, do we allow our faith to inform our
answer to one of the biggest political decisions facing the
United Kingdom?
The gospel accounts remind us that Jesus said the greatest
commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind”, while
the second is to “love your neighbour as yourself.”
(Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus reinforces the established Old
Testament principle that our relationship with God affects
the way we relate to and live with one another. These
human relationships are an expression of our relationship
with God; the two are intertwined.
Prayer
Loving God,
In the referendum that lies before us,
in the challenge of seeking an answer,
in our differences of opinion,
in our need to understand,
may you guide us in our decisions,
make us gracious in our disagreement,
and may we join you to work for the
building of your kingdom
rather than our own.
Amen
But what does this have to do with the European Union, the
Schengen Agreement and the single market? The answer is
that each of these refers to and directly impacts upon how
we relate to each other as individuals, as members of
organisations and communities, and as countries. Whether
it concerns questions of sovereignty, the free movement of
people, or where laws are made and enforced, these are
issues that influence and affect our relationships, and as
such, our faith has much to share.
The UK has a longstanding relationship with the other
www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/eu-referendum
8
memorised by small children and yet profound enough to
sustain a whole lifetime of prayer. When we pray it with
sincerity and with joy, there is no imagining the new
ways in which God can use us to his glory.”
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York invited churches
to pray for the evangelisation of the nation during the
week before Pentecost Sunday.
The Archbishops wrote to every serving parish priest in the
Church of England expressing their longing “to see a great
wave of prayer across our land, throughout the Church of
England and many other Churches” from 8th-15th May.
The Archbishops suggested various ways churches could
engage with the week of prayer. These included holding a
day or week of continuous ‘24/7’ prayer as parishes, teams
or deaneries; saying special prayers in Sunday worship;
prayer walking; or handing out a novena prayer card to
every congregation member.
Archbishop Justin Welby sent a message via live video link
to other Beacon Events taking place at the same time as
the Canterbury event.
The week of prayer culminated in ‘Beacon Events’ around
the country over Pentecost weekend, where people
prayed for the renewal of the Holy Spirit and the
confidence to share their faith.
In their letter the Archbishops said:
“At the heart of our prayers will be words that Jesus
himself taught us – ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.’
It is impossible to overstate the life-transforming power
of the Lord’s Prayer. It is a prayer that is reassuring
enough to be on the lips of the dying and yet dangerous
enough to be banned in cinemas. It is famous enough to
be spoken each day by billions in hundreds of languages
and yet intimate enough to draw us ever closer into
friendship with Jesus Christ. It is simple enough to be
Partners in the week of prayer initiative included 24-7
Prayer, HOPE, the World Prayer Centre, the
Neighbourhood Prayer, Network, and the National Day of
Prayer and Worship.
Safeguarding at
Solihull Methodist Church
Results of the Past Cases Review by the Methodist
.
Church in 2015 reminded us of the importance of regular
reviews, awareness and good practice within our church
to keep it a safe place for all who enter our doors, and
especially young people and vulnerable adults.
We have recently updated our Safeguarding policy and a
copy will be sent shortly to all who are actively involved
in relevant roles within the church. This will be
accompanied by a card with important contact details
and a copy of the log sheet used for reporting concerns.
These will also be displayed on the notice board. A copy
is also sent to outside users of our premises.
Because this is quite a large and active church we have a
small Safeguarding team to manage these issues. This
comprises Rev. Ken Howcroft, our Minister, Judy Lingard
and myself. Chris Giles was part of the group but has
recently handed over to Jackie Farmer who has particular
responsibility for Vulnerable Adults. We thank Chris for
her valuable help over the past few years.
A big thank you goes too to all who have recently
undertaken the Foundation Module, Creating Safer
Space. This training session is mandatory for many roles
within the church, but we are nearly all volunteers so it is
heartening that so many of you cheerfully attend and
understand the importance of keeping our awareness up
to date.
Jenni Kitson
Safeguarding Officer
9
LED market expands
For most of my lifetime the majority of household
light bulbs came in standard bulb shape; differed only
by the amount of light emitted; and, literally,
generated much more heat
than light. Halogen lights came
along which were about a third
more efficient, but it was
compact fluorescents (CFLs)
which brought a step change in
efficiency. They used the same
technology as the long
fluorescent tubes which brought
a baleful light in church halls and
offices.
Unhappily CFLs were often
bigger and longer than the old
bulbs and wouldn’t fit in the
same lampshades. Often they
also took minutes to warm up.
Initially LEDs lacked the necessary power of other
bulbs and offered only a small range of fittings but this
is changing fast. LEDs now come in the traditional
bulb shape and all the halogen lights
that I know of. The remaining
problem now is to work out what size
LED you need to give the same light as
one of the old bulbs. Light is
measured in ‘lumens’. It may be
helpful to know that an old 100 Watt
bulb gave about 1100 lumens and a 60
Watt bulb about half that.
These new LEDs are widely available
at stores like B+Q and online at LED
Hut and elsewhere.
Richard Balmer
The Messenger Team
Sue Balmer, Bryan Fitter, Jeff Horton,
Revd Ken Howcroft,
Bill Penny and Lawrie Rumens.
Material for publication to
messenger@solihull-methodist.org.uk
We reserve the right to edit articles if necessary.
Please send photographs separately as jpeg files.
NB. Last date for July/ August Messenger items is
12th June
Solihull Methodist Church Brownie Group need two
new volunteer leaders to help from September. One
of the leaders should be willing to work towards an
on the job training for a Brownie qualification to lead
the group.
If you are interested please phone the church office
on 0121-705-7367
Summer Outings
Wed 15th June Coach trip to
Winterbourne
House and Gardens
Wed 13th July Coach trip to Wightwick
Manor
Wed 10th August Coach trip to Calke
Abbey
Contact Bryan Fitter to book
10
June Diary
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Monday
5
6
9.00 Holy
10.15 Jelly
Communion Revd Babies
Ken Howcroft
1.15 Jelly Tots
10.30 Morning
7.30 Scouts
Service Revd
Ken Howcroft
10.30 Holy
communion Revd
Nigel Collinson
19
9.30 Holy
Communion
Thursday
1
2
10.00 Morning
prayers
1.00 Organ Recital
Friday
3
4
2.00 Friends r Us
10 – 12 DropWednesday
in
7.30 Alpha course
Tuesday
Thursday
coffee
Saturday
Friday
8.15 Badminton
8
10.00 Morning
prayers
10.30 Men’s
Coffee morning 10 – 12 Drop in
coffee
1.30 Keep Fit
9
2.00 Friends r Us
6.30 Cubs
10
7.00 EN.R.G
Youth Club
7.30 Alpha course
8.15 Badminton
13
14
10.15 Jelly
Babies
1.15
Jelly Tots
7.30
Scouts
20
10.15 Jelly
Babies
10.30 Morning
service Revd Ken
Howcroft and Revd 1.15
Tom Stuckey
7.30
Jelly Tots
Scouts
9.30 Holy
Communion
15
10.00 Morning
prayers
16
2.00 Friends r Us
6.30 Cubs
10.15 Contact
10 – 12 Drop in
7.30 Alpha course
Choir
coffee
10.30 Men’s
8.15 Badminton
Coffee morning 1.00 Soupa Talks
1.30 Keep Fit
trip to
Winterbourne
5.50 Brownies
House and Gardens
6.00 Rainbows
21
22
9.30 Holy
10.00 Morning
Communion
prayers
10.15 Contact
10 – 12 Drop in
Choir
coffee
10.30 Men’s
Coffee morning
23
2.00 Friends r Us
6.30 Cubs
11
9.00 Saturday Dads
9.30 Church
Working party
12 – 4.30 Youth
stand at the Solihull
Carnival
5.50 Brownies
6.00 Rainbows
6.30 Quiet space
12
7
Wednesday
17
2.30 Guild Garden
party at 25 Mirfield
Road
18
7.00 EN.R.G
Youth Club
24
7.00 EN.R.G
Youth Club
25
7.30 Alpha course
8.15 Badminton
1.30 Keep Fit
5.50 Brownies
6.00 Rainbows
26
27
10.30 Morning
Service Revd Ian
Howarth
1.15
Jelly Tots
7.30
Scouts
6.30 Communion
and Healing Revd
David Butterworth
10.15 Jelly
Babies
28
29
10.00 Morning
9.30 Holy
prayers
Communion
10
–
12
Drop in
10.15 Contact
coffee
Choir
10.30 Men’s
Coffee morning
30
2.00 Friends r Us
6.30 Cubs
7.30 Alpha course
8.15 Badminton
1.30 Keep Fit
5.50 Brownies
6.00 Rainbows
11
Printed by Additional Curates Society
Coffee Morning
Wow was that the biggest Christian Aid
morning yet? When I turned up for the family
limo to have its annual wash there was already
quite a queue.
St Alphege School Choir
But I was instinctively drawn to the hub of the
event. There in the crèche were Shirley, Alison,
Sandra and Christine beavering away to
produce so many lunches with superb apple
pies for afters.
There was another focal point that was new to
us with the St Alphege School Choir who were
seriously good and who thoughtfully brought
lots of mums, dads and families with them who
browsed the stalls and bought lots – especially
from the cake stall.
There was so much going on that I have not
the space to do justice to everyone helping. I
will just mention Groovy Little Movers who
from the sound of it were having a fab time
upstairs.
Car Wash Team
What a great social event and what a bonus
that already we have more than £2000 for the
worthy cause.
Lawrie Rumens
Superb cake
stall
Plant stall helpers
www.solihull-methodist.org.uk
Blossomfield Road
Solihull
0121 705 7367