Stainbeck Church - Leeds

(United Reformed)

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MAGAZINE

DECEMBER 2009/

JANUARY 2010

Please worship with us:

Sunday Morning at 10.45am

Thursday Evening at 7.30pm

 www.stainbeckchurch.org.uk

hughesa@ntlworld.com                                                                                                                                          

0113 225 3766

Dear Friends,

We are doing ‘Christmas Journeys!’ I was told when Mill Field Primary asked to visit the church this month – and of course we are fond of ‘journeys’ in the church.  Our journey of faith.  The journey from Advent to Epiphany and so on.  Nevertheless journeys are prominent in our Christmas stories and as we focus on the Gospel of Luke this year I want to highlight the two which Luke has running alongside one another.

First we have that of Mary and Joseph.  It is easy to empathise with them.  Ordinary folk, much like us, caught up in the everyday demands of bureaucracy at an inconvenient time.  We feel for them.  Travelling is never easy.  Think of traffic tailbacks, breakdowns, flooding, fog, customs and security checks, delayed or cancelled flights and so on.  These are things we all know about and have experienced for ourselves.

In parallel with Mary and Joseph’s travel saga, Luke tells the story of the shepherds.  Here we have people who are in a different category.  Perhaps like migrant workers or a newly homeless family they move from place to place largely unnoticed by government officials.  They were ‘shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night’.  They are, it seems, unencumbered and not considered worth counting.  And yet .....

On hearing the angels’ amazing message they go down into Bethlehem;  they find the baby and his family and they return glorifying God and telling everyone.  Witnesses par excellence!

Luke shows Jesus born to us and for us, into the realm of ‘everyday Joes and everyday Marys’ who are trying to understand ordinary lives in the light of the extraordinary news of the Gospel.  Weary, like Mary and Joseph, we too are seeking to discover just what this means as we juggle life’s many demands.  Can we learn from the shepherds – free to glorify and praise God and unable to stop sharing the wonder of what they have seen?

This Christmas may the joy we know in Christ be too good to keep to ourselves!                   Angela

FAMILY AND FRIENDS  

At this time of year we hold in love and prayers all those family and friends who, for many different reasons, may find the fun and excitement of Christmas difficult.  We pray that the true meaning of Jesus’ birth may bring them peace and that they may know His light in their hearts.

We continue to remember those friends who are or have been unwell over these winter months and those who care for them – Bob and Jackie Watt, Mike Roberts and Helen Inglis, Susan Horsey, Janet Faye, Marjorie Puplett, Joyce Bond, Connie Oldroyd, Carol O’Neile, Dorothy Jackson, Angela and the many Lunch Club members and others who have had heavy colds and nasty viruses. We assure them all of our love.

HERE AND THERE

Looking back…………….

MENA (Meanwood Elderly Neighbourhood Action) is now working under the umbrella of the WRVS (Women’s Royal Voluntary Service) as are the similar schemes in Chapel Allerton and Roundhay.  And there are other changes.  Roy Able (Project Manager) has just been joined by Joan Okuto (part-time Community Development Worker), and Doreen Elliff and Brian Bellwood have joined a new Management Committee.

These changes mark a new chapter in the life of MENA and we look forward to working with both Roy and Joan - in particular to run the MENA Sunday Lunches.  Volunteers will now be working as ‘WRVS volunteers’, which means that the WRVS has overall responsibility for the Sunday Lunches ie insurance, compliance with legal requirements (CRB checks, health and safety etc ).  Although this means a few changes for our volunteers, it also makes our life easier – especially as the church which hosts the lunches.

We are hoping to attract some new volunteers and also identify others who may enjoy this monthly opportunity.  If you are interested please talk to Doreen, Brian or Angela about requirements for volunteers.  Why not visit one Sunday and see for yourself?  Christmas Lunch is on December 13^th but normally lunches are served on the third Sunday of the month.  Watch out for the MENA Christmas Newsletter with all updates.

Thirty of us gathered to share in the Big Read                        of Mark’s gospel held on a wintry November evening with the wind raging around the roof.  Some of us had been looking forward to this event since our participation in the Synod-wide read of the Bible. We were not disappointed. There was something quite unique about hearing the whole book at one sitting.  Some chose to follow the text, others, like me, just listened as the story unfolded in different voices.  We heard familiar stories, we heard passages that we felt were completely new, words spoke to us in a different way.

For me it was a busy roller coaster of a story.  I saw Jesus’ action-packed short ministry zig-zagging from village to city, crowded amongst people who made so many demands and all the time he gave and all the time he asked “What do you want of me?” “Who do you say I am?”

A thought provoking evening.                                                                                  Ann Coates

Stainbeck Players ‘Evening of Comedy’ – thanks are due to Dorothy Jackson, our prompter, also thank you to Joan Dalrymple, Joan Craske and everyone who helped set up the hall and cleared away.  The two evenings were very successful with good responsive audiences.  This style of evening is proving very popular with our supporters and the players as well.  From the feed-back received the plays were very funny and all the casts did very well.   We now look forward to the pantomime.                  Sandra Smith

[Interested in becoming involved in the Pantomime this year?  Talk to Peter (268 9068) Eds]

Last month we noted that the grounds had been cleared and cleaned by the Community Payback Team.  The team has now also planted the daffodil and crocus bulbs (donated by Groundworks) and, as a bonus, have even returned to clear the paths again.  Our grateful thanks.

Stainbeck hosted the fourth evening of Taizé Prayers together with friends and musicians from St Matthew’s, Chapel Allerton Methodist Church and other local churches.

Revd Tom Lusty, chaplain at Wheatfields and part of our planning group wrote to Angela afterwards. What follows is part of his email which I think says it all.       ‘I thought the Taizé service was wonderful – particularly the fact that it was so dark,  a great foretaste of Advent. The singing worked well. The format of an instrumental solo, once through with the melody line then the increasingly strong singing of melody line until people have learnt it and then breaking into harmony on the third or fourth time through is a winner and something that has evolved naturally within the group to be this group’s own style of doing Taizé.  I loved the way that different instrumentalists took turns to lead us into the singing of the chants’.

Tom is right and the more we pray in this way, the more familiar with the words and music we become, the deeper and easier will be our prayers.  Truly, I have never heard music like this in worship at Stainbeck before, for me a great experience.                                                                                     Ann Coates

Looking forward………..                                                   

We begin with ADVENT.     

Advent Sunday marks the beginning of the Christian liturgical year and of four weeks of preparation for the coming of Christ.  The word Advent literally means ‘coming’.  It is the time in the church year when we look forward to celebrating the first coming of Jesus as a baby and prepare for the second coming of Christ some time in the future.  It is a time to think about our relationship with God, with others and with the world.  It is the time to ask the question, ‘How can I prepare for the coming of Christ again into my heart and life?  Am I ready?’  It is a time of ‘now’ and ‘not yet’.  We sing the expectant songs of Advent.  We remember God’s promises and anticipate the light of God growing among us.

Have you picked up your copy of International Advent Reflections? A reflection for each day throughout the Advent Season telling how Christmas is celebrated in twenty-five different countries and written by people from those countries who are living in Leeds today. It shows the rich diversity of church practice in our city.

Have you looked on the Advent Book Shelves?  Have a browse.  Why not take a book home to read this year?

Or why not explore www.ctbi.org.uk.  Look at the Resources Section and then Advent: A World in Waiting.

And so to Christmas.  Although for us our celebrations start before this the Christmas Season starts properly on Christmas Day and lasts for twelve days.  It ends on 6^th January with Epiphany.

Epiphany is a Greek word meaning ‘to reveal’ or ‘to make known’.  On this day (6^th January) we remember the day when Jesus was revealed as the King of the world by the wise men’s visit to the Christ child.  As the season progresses, further signs of the identity of Jesus are made known – through his baptism, through miracles, through the calling of the disciples and through the transfiguration.  Look out for the stories as we move through January. 

Meanwhile we pick up the opportunities to celebrate the season.

                              Remember, remember the 5^th of December -

                                            Santa’s Coffee morning –

                                                   Ho, Ho, Ho!

Last year we practised our Carol Singing in preparation for Carols by Candlelight and it was agreed that it really was time well spent so - everyone is welcome to join us at 8.00 pm on Thursday 10th for a Carol Practice.  It will not go on too long but it will help us to get our voices in tune – ready to celebrate Christmas joyfully together.

The Annual Toy and Gift Service – will be on Sunday 13^th December when we ask you to bring your gifts of toys for Mencap and gifts suitable for our adult friends (male and female) at the Rookery who usually come to join us for our Nativity Service.   

                                                  

Once again our Sunday Club have been invited to participate in the Nativity and Carol Service held at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm.  The singing will be led by the band of the Salvation Army and the service will be held out of doors in the barn with real donkeys in attendance. It will be cold so do wrap up warmly and if you want a seat you are advised to come early!

Please make a note of this date Tuesday 15^th December at 7.30 pm

Please hold St Andrew’s, Roundhay, in your prayers this month and  also the Mission and Care Meeting to be held in January at Cottingley. Please also pray for that small church and their new Minister.  In our Community we remember the Youth Service and all those who work in partnership with them – including Vanessa (Three Churches Project) and Carr Manor High School. 

Following the success of last year’s event, there will be a Family Christingle      on Monday evening, 21st December at 6.30 pm in the church.  Come along and make your own Christingle.  Hear the story.  Sing the carols.  All around tables as we share mince pies, other Christmas goodies and even have the chance to chat.  Come along yourself.  Bring your family, invite a friend.

The annual Churches Together Service to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be held at St Matthew’s. The speaker is David Arscott, Community Mission Advisor with Livability (formerly the Shaftesbury Society).  You may recall I wrote about David’s visit to the Yorkshire Synod in last month’s Outlook.  He is well worth coming to hear.  Also it will be good to share in worship with our friends from other local churches. We trust that Stainbeck will be well represented in the congregation on this occasion. Do note the service 4.00 pm on Sunday 24^th January 2010.

Three Churches Project - exciting developments.....       

We recently started a Latin and Ballroom club for children (age 10+). Our local Schools Sports Partnership has paid for me to be trained to teach jive, quickstep, waltz and cha cha cha (in this sort of setting - don't think I'd quite make professional standards!).   I'm looking for adults who might want to join in with this, which does of course mean you also get to learn the steps; there's even another place on the training for anyone who might be interested. Supporting the club should be fun, easy and only needs an hour's commitment per week until July, term-time only, 4-5 pm on Tuesdays.  And please do pass on to any young people who might want to learn.   Last night I watched Antonio Banderas convert a bunch of hard core New York kids to ballroom dancing.  I might not be as good looking but if Antonio can do it....

Craft Club.  We have some enthusiastic interest from mums with young children wanting to join Craft Club but we have been unable to accommodate them because we're not able to accommodate the children.   Having looked into this, we're hoping to "buy in" a crèche, which would cost us significantly less money if someone would volunteer to work with them (hence we pay for one worker rather than two).  Any interest?  And a driver to pick the worker up would save us about £20 a week (though we would pay the driver's expenses).  Again, any volunteers?  Anyway, it's good news to have the interest, which has been consistent for several months, so let's pray it works out. 

A young music teacher who lives and works locally, and is well-known by local children, is coming to run some singing workshops in ReFresh, with the hope of putting something on for Christmas.   The first session went really well and it's great to see enthusiastic singing from boys and girls alike.  Singing together is such a good thing; let's hope it catches on.

ReFresh has seen two new young volunteers join us, one of whom is Laura Brown, who has been a massive blessing to the club since she joined.   Unfortunately, we have also lost several workers, so if you feel you can help out with this club on a rota basis (min. commitment one week in three, Mondays in term time, 6-8.15), please let me know.   THANK YOU..                                                               Vanessa                                                                                                                       

And my contact details:  Three Churches Project – Tel: 0113 3930600;
Office: Stainbeck Church, Stainbeck Lane, LS7 2PP
Email: vanessa@threechurches.org.uk - www.threechurches.org.uk

Opportunities here of all kinds … learn to dance … play with children  ...drive …… Irresistible! Please publicise.  Eds

            FAIR TRADE – FAIR TRADE – FAIR TRADE –FAIR TRADE -

A nice cup of tea

If you would like to make your favourite tea FAIRTRADE TEA you can simply fill in a card to Twinings, PG Tips or Typhoo.  Seal it up, and send it Freepost to Traidcraft, or give it to Christine Robson.

The cards will be sent to each of the companies.  If they go fair trade, it will help improve many people’s lives – and  we will enjoy exactly the cup of tea we prefer.  (At the moment only 10 per cent of tea sold is fairly traded)  The cards are to be found in the Upper Room.

Also in the Upper Room in December:

·       A board on which we can place a card for all friends in the Church Family, while making a donation to Christian Aid.  ☺☺☺

·       Present Aid booklets.  A way to gift money to OXFAM in lieu of a gift to a friend.  ☺☺☺

All worthwhile opportunities..

This year’s Church Christmas Cards have been designed by pupils from Mill Field Primary.  We hope that as many folk as possible will take some to distribute to their own neighbours and local friends.  Also that there will be volunteers to help deliver them in local streets.  If you can help in this way please let Angela know.

Here are some more Advent Adventures for those who have internet access (or come and try them out at the café on Thursdays).

·       Ponder the planet with the Church of England’s 2009 Advent campaign. The online Advent calendar www.whywearewaiting.com has daily videos, podcasts, thoughts and challenges on environmental issues.

·       Online for Advent: Mary and Joseph – the Road Movie. Give yourself a treat and visit www.paperlesschristmas.org.uk.  The road movie gives the Christmas story a fresh and original makeover.  Spread the poignancy of the story in a fun and thoughtful way.

Source: parishpump.co.uk (& St Matthew’s)

            Elder for December John Mawson

                      DIARY FOR DECEMBER

Transport: if you require any transport to church or for any other event, please contact John Mawson (2938941).  Alternatively, contact your elder or Angela or, on a Sunday morning, telephone the church (2370251) and leave a message.

REFLECTIONS

23^rd October 9pm Tobias found the passage in the Bible which proved that people used to live a lot longer (Genesis 5). ‘There, you see, he died at the age of 895’. Meanwhile, Keziah found a picture of ‘when God sent down plagues’. Tobias’s certainty about the literal truth of the Bible sent me off to look the passage up in a commentary. Apparently at the time Genesis was written and re-written people believed that in ancient times the world was populated by giants, who lived to a really ripe old age. But they made too much noise, so there was a great flood after which God cut them down to size, as it were. It reminded me of the fact that the Bible was written by people just like ourselves, trying to answer the fundamental questions in human life. Why do we have to suffer? Why do we have to die?

8^th November 12.35am On our afternoon in Otley, Robert Way emphasised the responsibility which falls on the Elders to care for and to consider primarily the Church at Stainbeck. Speaking for myself, since becoming Treasurer, etc., I seem to have been primarily concerned with the building, so it was good to be reminded of this prime duty. I was working until 1.15pm then had a call from members of the African Church (they had some rent for me to collect!), so I arrived late. Discussion groups had been looking at, among other things, ‘inward emigration’, which I later gathered was to do with turning inwards as a community of faith.

Now, I remember a programme by David Attenborough about the sardine run up the coast of South Africa. Millions of sardines swim in vast shoals up the coast most years, providing a feast for sharks, fish, and birds. Up to 18,000 Dolphins chase the shoals, separating off sardines which ‘inwardly emigrate’ into ‘bait balls’ to be easily eaten by the predators. The shoals which survive are those which constantly, and sometimes bewilderingly, change shape.

10^th November 9.40pm In amongst accounts of horror in the Congo, corruption in Chechnya, and the disasters of the Free Market, and the Iraq War, I found this in the London Review of Books: Policy Guide for Writers (1930). ‘Programmes must at all costs be kept free of crudities…..There is an absolute ban on the following: jokes about lavatories, effeminacy in men, immorality of any kind, suggestive references to honeymooning couples, chambermaids, fig leaves, ladies underwear (e.g. winter drawers on), animal habits (e.g. rabbits), lodgers, commercial travellers. When in doubt – cut it out.’ Jenny Diski points out that this roughly describes the ‘ideal’ content of the popular family newspaper from 1918 to the present day. You may detect something of that content in the Evening of Comedy (and the Pantomime!). I’ve been trying to think of an overall theme for the Evening. Taking a hint from Ayckbourne perhaps it’s the confusing nature of life and how, through the confusion we occasionally come across a moment of redeeming laughter.

15th November 3.39pm The bench. My place of prayer. Golden sun shines through a bank of cloud on the horizon. It’s cold but not too cold. Opposite are horses, sheep, and noisy cows in the distance. A tractor. A flock of small birds head for the reservoir. A plane comes in silently to land. It’s extraordinarily peaceful. I recall Malcolm Hanson’s words of wisdom on prayer today. God doesn’t answer need, but answers desperation. What do you say to God? Mother Teresa answers ‘I listen’. And what does God say? He listens. Prayer is about the relationship.

                                11.48pm ‘I leaned on you today, You patched me up and sent me on my way’                      from a song by Elbow.

18^th November 10.15pm After the exhilarating reading of Mark’s Gospel, a darkening story. A headline comes to mind. ‘Downfall of a Celebrity’. The Gospel is an all action account of Jesus’ ministry of healing and teaching. And wherever he goes ever growing crowds follow. His fame spreads, culminating in the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. But then the questions intensify, and the plotting of his downfall begins in earnest. Chapter 13 I heard as if for the first time. Did it imply that Jesus himself thought that the Kingdom was imminent, or was this Mark speaking to his own community? The story of the Passion then takes up the next two chapters. And finally we have the short Chapter 16 in which the Resurrection is implied, and suddenly the Gospel ends.

He knew, and revealed, God within. I’ve never felt so certain of my faith as when we then sang ‘But this I know…’, an inspired choice for a hymn to close the evening.

29^th November 10.30pm Today I found myself reading the Lucan version of Mark’s chapter 13. The end of the world is nigh. Or is it? The overall message of patient endurance in the face of suffering and death comes with an enduring confidence that our hope for the future, despite the terrible things which go on in the world, is not misplaced.

And how our hopes for the future are boosted by the voices of children! Get ready!     The way of God is here!!                                                                                                                                               PLC

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Views expressed by individuals are personal and are not necessarily those of  Stainbeck Church

Revd Angela Hughes, Minister: 0113 2253766

Avril and Brian Bellwood, Church Secretaries: 0113 293 5847

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