After darkness, light; After winter, spring; After dying, LIFE: Alleluia! Alleluia!€¦ · · 2017-04-05After darkness, light; After winter, spring; After dying, LIFE: Alleluia!

APRIL 2017

After darkness, light;

After winter, spring;

After dying, LIFE:

Alleluia! Alleluia! (Fred Pratt Green)

www.southdownchurch.org.uk

Southdown Methodist Church April 2017

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Harpenden Ministry Team Weekday Activities

The Rev Gill Hulme

33 Thornbury,

Harpenden AL5 5SN

T: 01582 768347

E: [email protected]

The Rev Rachael Hawkins

32 Finch Road, Berkhamsted HP4 3LQ

T: 01442 866324

[email protected]

Outreach Lay Worker (P/T)

Mrs Jenny Cope

Alzey Gardens

Harpenden AL5 5SY

T: 01582 768087


Church Office

T: 01582 769871


Open Wednesdays 10am –4pm

Newsletter

Please provide copy by

E-mail by 10th of previous month

Editor: Vivienne Kendall Your intercessions are asked

114 Lower Luton Road this month for our friends

Wheathampstead AL4 8HH on p.7 of the church directory

T: 01582 629930


Mission Statement The aim of Southdown Newsletter is to help develop the Christian

faith through reporting about worship, people and activities of

Southdown Methodist Church.

Pre-school - Julia Prince 07908121891

Weekdays (except

Wednesday)

9.10am – 12.10pm in halls

Study Group Rev Gill Hulme 768347 Alternate Wednesdays

lounge 8pm

Brownies and Guides

Tuesday

17th Rainbows

14th Brownies

5pm

6.15pm

Wednesday

9th Brownies

3rd Guides

6.15pm

7.30pm

Thursday

17th Brownies

17th Guides

6.15pm

7.30pm

Hall Bookings

01582 769871

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


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ear friends,

I’ve been struck recently by a video produced by

Action for Children which asks a group of

children – Do you know what Lent is? The

children shake their heads, until at last a small girl

says yes – it is when you give something up and

get it back at Easter!

And it set me wondering, is this how the world

sees Christians, insisting that people to give up

what they enjoy?

However, another video on Lent tells a completely different story, but

again starts by asking what you think about when you hear the word Lent,

and goes onto say that it is all about Baptism. (Yes, Baptism - not about

‘giving something up’!)

You see, Christians believe that God radically changed the universe by the

passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which Lent reminds us of.

Indeed in the Early Church Lent was the 40 day retreat that prepared

Christians for their baptism, and the readings during Lent all link into this

theme. So we are encouraged to think about discipleship; and the living

water that Christ can bring; about illumination in dark times, and above all

about the New Life in the resurrection of Christ himself.

My favourite part of the baptism service in the Methodist tradition is

where the candidate for baptism (or the baby held in the minister’s arms)

is told the following: ‘For you Jesus Christ came into the world

For you he lived and showed God’s love

For you he suffered death on the cross

For you he triumphed over death,

Rising to newness of life

For you he prays at God’s right hand

- all this for you,

Before you could know anything of it,

In your baptism the word of Scripture is fulfilled;

We love, because God first loved us.’

D


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This is at the heart of the Easter message, whether you can remember your

baptism or not, because for all of us Christ came into the world to show

the depth of God’s love, and to bring us from darkness into the Light.

My prayer is that we can all know in our hearts this love that has

surrounded us, before we are able to respond to it, and that we can open

our hearts and minds to this amazing love.

Indeed as we shout for joy this Easter, may we spread that light and love

to our friends, neighbours, colleagues and community. Even if in our

secular society people aren’t sure about what Lent is, hopefully by our

faith in action, we can show them what Easter life, love and resurrection is

all about.

Every Blessing Gill

(If you have access to the internet you can see videos by clicking on the

links on the Southdown Methodist Facebook page.)

African Appeal t the end of March it was decided to support the famine appeal for

East Africa, and so we made ‘Cakes for Africa’ instead of our

sponsored child, Fatima. Thanks for your generous support.

The proceeds from Gill & Graham’s Lent Lunches will also be sent to the

appeal. We’ll let you know how much was raised figures next month.

Services at Southdown during April lease make sure you read the plan and take notice of the following

information re times!

2 April – Brunch Service at 10am in the halls. This service, which

usually happens on the 5th Sunday, has moved to the FIRST Sunday this

month, due to Gill’s other service commitments

On 9 and 23 April we welcome two preachers who are currently ‘on

trial’. Malcolm Lindo is a worship leader at All Saints, Berkhamsted and

will be with us on 9 April, and on 23 April we have another visit from

Helen Smith, from High Street.

A

P


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Many thanks to those who have

sponsored me or who are

supporting my ‘Purple for Lent’

appeal for Methodist Homes for

the Aged. I have raised over

£100 already and only two

weeks into Lent! Lots of people are supporting me by wearing purple and

by lending me purple things to wear.

Betty Martin’s thanksgiving service was both beautiful and poignant

and, as well as thanking Gill for a very moving service, I would also like

to thank Mary Hoare who arranged and distributed the daffodils to

everyone and to Adrian Harper and Lynda Woods for stewarding at the

service. As well as arranging church flowers Mary also buys and arranges

the flowers for funerals in keeping with the family’s wishes. Funerals are

always upsetting occasions for the families and to have the church

beautifully decorated helps to uplift them and us all on these occasions.

At present there are no flowers in the church as it is Lent but look out for a

sudden burst on Easter Sunday.

Gill Pruden has spent some time in hospital but is now back at Willow

Court. We hope that she will be feeling better soon and able to enjoy her

new surroundings and the company she may find there. Her son, Rev Ian

Pruden, was married to Lis in March but sadly Gill was unable to attend

the wedding.

Elsie Cooksley is now also living at Willow Court and settling in there at

the moment. If anyone can visit these two members of our church I am

sure they would appreciate seeing you. Both are feeling unsettled and

neither have families who are near enough to visit frequently.

Meanwhile we send our love to others who are unwell at this time.

Jenny Cope


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Easter at Southdown Wednesday 12th April

Taize Service United at St John’s at 8pm Maundy Thursday – April 13th

Tennebrae Service of darkness & light with Holy Communion at Southdown at 8pm

Good Friday – April 14th 9am – Service in church at Southdown – Rev Gill Hulme

10 am - Witness on Southdown Green with St John’s 10.30am - Walk of Witness (from Park Hall)

Walking the walk The following words are from testimonials of those who take part in the Walk of Witness each year with their local communities.

*The unity of God’s people is

close to the heart of God. Many

churches unite on Good Friday to

commemorate Christ’s sacrificial

love for us. Co-operation between

the churches in a town is essential,

to show the life of Christ to people.

*To walk behind a cross along the main street of a town is a simple, yet

powerful declaration of faith. It is also a visible reminder to all who watch

that there is hope to be found in the death and resurrection of Christ.

We have a hope of forgiveness, of new beginnings and a purpose to live

for.

*This year it rained and the wind blew, it was cold and wet - but

miserable? Oh no! The walk went ahead with more people and even

greater enthusiasm. Banners proclaimed who we were and what Jesus had

done for us. The day was wet but wonderful.


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In Gethsemane - the test of Faith

ne night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee

flames by jumping to the ground from the roof. His father stood on

the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll

catch you." But the boy was afraid - he couldn't see his father - all he

could see was flame, smoke, and blackness. He was afraid. Still, his father

kept yelling: "Jump son! I will catch you!" But the boy refused, crying,

"Daddy, I can't see you!" His father replied, "It's OK son - I can see you -

and that's all that matters!"

That’s what faith is. It’s putting your belief and trust in something or

somebody outside of yourself, and then acting on that belief.

The Garden of Gethsemane, on the side of the Mount of Olives in

Jerusalem, is where Jesus went to pray before his ordeal on the Cross.

He was troubled and overwhelmed with sorrow, to the point of sweating

drops of blood. Three times he prayed that if it were possible the cup of

suffering would be taken from him, but that the will of the Father would

nevertheless be done.

Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus “endured the cross, scorning its shame” and

that he did this “for the joy set before him”. Although he was under

immense pressure, and in torment at the suffering he was undergoing, he

pressed on, firstly, because it was the will of the Father and, secondly,

because, by faith, he knew that he would have great joy on the other side

of the suffering.

Gethsemane is a corruption into English

of two Hebrew words GAT and

SHMANIM – literally “a winepress of

oils”.

At the press, olives were gathered into

sacks and stacked one on top of another.

A beam was lowered onto the stack and

increasing weight was added to the end

of the beam to press oil from the olives.

O


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Olive oil, in the symbolism of the Bible, is a picture of the presence of the

Spirit of God (Gen 28: 16 – 18). Oil was used for anointing priests (Ex

29:7), and kings (1 Sam 10:1 and 2 Sam 2:4). It was also used to bring

light in the Temple and the home.

Adding the imagery of a winepress brings an extra dimension to the

picture, for the Bible says that wine “gladdens the heart”. Wine is not to

be taken ‘unto drunkenness’, but it is a gift from God. There are several

pictures in the Bible of wine and oil symbolising the favour of God

(Psalms 104:14 – 15, Hosea 2:8, Joel 2:24).

The suffering and sacrifice of Jesus allowed the Holy Spirit to be poured

out on those who believe in Him. There is joy in our salvation, and joy in

the promise of what is to come in eternity.

Trials and tribulations, pressure and suffering, are part of the human

condition. Christians do not escape. However, Christians have the joy of

knowing that God is with us through times of pressure and suffering, and

that he allows it because the final outcome will be good. The arms of the

Father and his Son are there for us when we jump.

The Wonder of the Cross

s Easter approaches we look forward to singing those ‘old’ familiar

hymns – and, yet, there are many new hymns and songs (which

David North has pointed out in the past) in Singing the Faith, that we have

not included in our services. A search through the relevant Easter sections

of StF will reveal new material, the words of which can speak anew to us.

One such hymn, StF 279, written by Vicky Beeching, made me stop and

think about the familiarity with which we sing words without truly taking

them in (Well, I’m speaking for myself here! Ed). The refrain especially

gave me pause for thought.

May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the cross.

May I see it like the first time, standing as a sinner lost.

Undone by mercy and left speechless watching wide-eyed at the cost.

May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the cross.

A


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Vicky is a regular commentator on BBC1, Sky

News, Channel 4, Radio 2, Radio 4 and a

frequent contributor to national newspapers.

The Guardian called her “arguably the most

influential Christian of her generation” for her

progressive impact on the Church, and the

Telegraph placed her in their “Top 100

Britons”.

She is one of the most well-known Equality

Campaigners in the UK for religious LGBT

inclusion and has been recognised with various

awards and nominations for this work.

She has degrees in Theology from Oxford, and current doctoral research

at Durham University, and has studied Christianity in great depth – both

its ancient past and its current ethical dilemmas. One of her major interests

is the intersection of Christianity and LGBT identity. This includes

questions around how the Church of England responds to calls for gay

marriage within its walls; how LGBT people of faith can feel fully equal

and welcome in faith communities; how we understand what the Bible

says about relationships; whether the current tensions will eventually split

the Church.

She is frequently on TV and radio discussing the latest advances in this

area, as well as broader stories about religion and the church. From time to

time, she exchanges her ‘TV commentator’ hat for ‘TV presenter’- guest-

presenting religiously-themed shows like BBC1’s Songs of Praise and

BBC1’s Sunday Morning Live and you can often catch her delivering the

spiritually-themed segment ‘Thought For The Day’ on Radio 4’s Today

Programme.

Of course, many hymnists have felt the wonder of the Cross. Isaac Watts’

great hymn will still be many preacher’s choice his Easter.

When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory died,

my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.


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Shining like Stars Easter Offering

(Methodist Women in Britain)

t takes a lot of faith and dedication to shine like a star is some areas of

our troubled world. The three examples below highlight the work of

nationals in Mission Appointments (NMAs).

Rev Maria do Carmo works with young people held at three young

offenders’ institutes in Rio de Janeiro and its neighbourhood. In a country

where the age of criminal responsibility for some crimes was lowered

from 18 to 16 in 2015, the work Maria does with these young people is

essential for showing them the love and hope of Jesus Christ.

The environment within these institutes often does not foster rehabilitation

and restoration. Violent and often fatal gang warfare that takes place

outside of young offenders’ institutes frequently continues inside when

rival gangs are forced to live together. “A major challenge is to develop

pastoral work with different gangs at the same institution,” says Maria.

Hope for Teens started in 2012 in Accra, Ghana, to help girls who had

dropped out of school due to lack of funds or teenage pregnancy. Joanna

Akyeampong is the Programme Coordinator with a passion to help these

vulnerable girls. This vocational training and support from their peers

offer hope, new skills and knowledge to improve their standard of living

and their life expectations. In March 2016 there were 18 female students

in catering, sewing, bead/hat making and hairdressing classes under the

National Vocational Training Institute Certificate courses.

Jennifer Jag Jivan shines like a star in what sometimes feels like a dark

place. She is passionate about dialogue and through her work at the

Christian Study Centre in Rawalpindi. She helps Muslims and Christians

to understand each other a little better and find ways of enjoying each

other’s presence in Pakistan, rather than resenting it. Every single small

encounter in this work can change many lives.

I


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Dignity I - Anatomy of a rescue Our quiz evening in March raised £320 for MSF. Thanks to all who

supported this event and, hopefully, enjoyed fish & chips for supper.

Below is an account from Courtney Bercan, a nurse aboard

one of MSF’s rescue vessels patrolling the Mediterranean.

t’s still pitch black out when I wake up to a siren-like alarm. It’s 4:34 am

and I remember that I am aboard Médecins Sans Frontières’ rescue

vessel, Dignity I.

The alarm means that we have received a distress call from one or more

boats that left in the night to attempt to cross the Mediterranean from

Libya to Italy. This is my first rescue ever and I am so nervous thinking

about everything that could go wrong that I think I may vomit. I receive a

reassuring smile from the logistician who grins and says: “This is it. This

is why we are here”. And I know he is right. We are well stocked,

organised, and prepared for a safe rescue.

The flimsy white boat I can barely make out in the distance has more

than 100 people in it, and that there are several more boats in the vicinity.

I feel unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotion when I see the refugees

perched, without life jackets, on the sides of the dinghy. It is so dark; all it

would take is one stray wave and the entire boatload of people would be

swept into the sea, the only proof that they were ever there, being some

white plastic and floating water bottles. It’s truly a terrifying thought and I

feel much more at ease when I see our sailors distributing life jackets to

everyone and bringing the first group on board.

The sun is coming up by the

time they are all aboard. During

a lull I strike up a conversation

with one of our new

passengers. When we first saw

their boat, it appeared to be

heading away from us. I

ask him if they were trying to

avoid our boat.

I


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“Some of us, we were so scared," he says. "We thought you were going to

shoot us. We didn’t know what to do. We were so scared."

Hearing this, it becomes very clear to me why people collapse upon

boarding our boat - they have just gone from abject terror to relief and that

is a lot for a malnourished, dehydrated, sea sick, heat exhausted person to

process.

The man goes on to tell me that he had left his country a year ago to

escape a difficult life there. When he arrived in the new country he had his

papers confiscated and was put to work in slave-like conditions. He shows

me the scars he has from abuse at his previous 'job'. Is it still considered a

job, I ask myself, when you are being kept against your will and only paid

sporadically? His fear that we would shoot them makes a lot of sense to

me now.

We arrive at another boat with 100-plus passengers, including more than

20 women and children. I try to smile and make eye contact with each

woman and child as I register them. I can see that many are still scared or

unsure and I want them to know they don’t have to be.

Early the next morning we

arrive at the port in Sicily. The

Red Cross tents are waiting for

us, along with other non-

governmental organisations’,

Italian government officials

and a medical team. The

disembarkation of our

passengers takes several hours

and the atmosphere is a little

impatient, a little nervous, but

joyous. Finally our last passenger disembarks and we set to the task of

cleaning the ship. We are tired, but happy. Every one of our 466

passengers has made it to shore alive.

(MSF publication ‘Dispatches’ Spring 2017)


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Easter Trivia Quiz

1. In the UK it’s Good Friday and in Russia, Passion Friday. How is it

translated in Scandinavian languages?

Great Friday Holy Friday Long Friday

2. Which is an 8-pointed cross, having 4 V-shaped arms?

Celtic Cross Maltese Cross Cross of Tau

3. Edward I had crosses erected in memory of his wife, Eleanor, marking

each of the places her body rested on its way to London. Which mainline

station was built nearest to her last resting place?

Charing Cross King’s Cross St Pancras

4. Easter Island, discovered on Easter Sunday 1722 is now a territory of

which country? The Netherlands The UK Chile

5. As well as painting eggs and going cross-country skiing, which

country’s inhabitants like to spend Easter week solving murder mysteries?

Norway Sweden Austria

6. Several English monarchs attempted to ban hot cross ban as ‘a

dangerous symbol of Catholicism’. But who passed a law permitting them

to be sold only at Easter and Christmas?

Mary I Elizabeth I Henry VII

7. Archaeologists excavating this ancient city, buried under volcanic ash

since AD 79, found two buns marked with a cross. Which city?

Pompeii Messina Herculaneum

8. We all like a chocolate egg! In which year was the word chocolate first

recorded in English?

1558 1604 1666

9. What percentage of annual chocolate sales in the UK do Easter eggs

account for? Four Six Eight

10. Which is the only Shakespeare play that mentions Easter?

Romeo and Juliet All's Well That Ends Well

The Merry Wives of Windsor


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The Welcome Signs of Spring?

ow that the clocks have gone forward it is ‘officially’ Summer time,

and definitely there is ‘spring in the air’. That being so we can expect

to hear and smell some of the signs of spring in the next few weeks.

During the drier periods listen out for the lawnmower bird,

with its whirring tones – sometimes a monotonous droning in

the distance. This birdsong is easily distinguished

from the call of the strimmerbird, which has a

higher pitch and intermittent call. The answering calls of both

birds can readily be heard from most surrounding gardens.

Two other birds which, however, are not so easily distinguished

from each other are the Mr Whippy bird and the Tonibel bird.

They are both neighbourhood birds and can be heard as they

travel along local streets, often together. Their

calls are musical, some may say melodic, although it this is

a matter for debate among musicians and scholars of

birdsong. Attractively coloured, they are especially loved

by children who will clamour to see them.

On particularly hot summer afternoons and evenings you cannot miss the

scents arising from the bonfire bush and the BBQ bush. The bonfire bush

is native to the UK, probably the oldest living plant these islands have

ever known. It has an evocative perfume, conjuring up memories of idyllic

days of yore.

The BBQ bush is an imported plant from Australia, arriving here only in

the last 60 years or so. Its scent is much stronger and contains a certain

chemical undertone overlaid with a pungent, eye-watering element.

Nevertheless, many owners open their gardens in the

summer and invite family and friends to join them around

the bush. This is a traditional custom from Australia,

where the BBQ bush is affectionately known as a

‘Barbie’. So loved is this bush that most Australians’

Christmas celebrations centre around the bush, rather than

pine or fir trees.

N


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Dates for your diary

Tuesday 4 July - Boat trip from

Windsor to Bray

Saturday 22 July 7pm

Celebration of Gill’s Ministry

and concert with Luton Male

Voice Choir. Tickets for both these will be

available very soon.

Sunday 23 July 6pm

Gill’s Farewell Service

at North Watford

Sunday 4 September - 6.30pm Welcome Service for Mmasape

and Ruth at High Street

If you go down to the

woods today…

The young lad went on

a woodland walk with

his grandpa. Grandpa

pointed out the violets

in the hedgerow and the

wood anemones.

On arrival back

home the lad told

Answers: Easter Trivia mother,

1. Long Friday 6. Elizabeth ‘I’ve seen violence in the

2. Maltese cross 7. Herculaneum hedgerow and wooden enemies.

3. Charing Cross 8. 1604

4. Chile 9. 8%

5. Norway 10. Romeo & Juliet

April

2 Breakfast Service

Rev Gill Hulme

10.00am

9 Malcolm Lindo 10.30am

16 Easter Worship

Rev Gill Hulme

11.00am

23 Helen Smith 10.30am

30 Baptism Service

Rev Gill Hulme

10.30am

Messy Church Jenny Cope 01582 768087

May

Friday 5th in Halls

3.30pm – 5.30pm

Tuesday at Three Jenny Cope

Meeting in the church 3 – 4pm

Diary for April

4 Easter tea

11 & 18 No meeting

25 tba

Lent study - Gill Hulme

Apr 5 The Crucified Jew Discussion Group resumes 26 April

Alternate Wednesdays 8pm - lounge

Documents

After darkness, light; After winter, spring; After dying, LIFE: Alleluia! Alleluia!€¦ · · 2017-04-05After darkness, light; After winter, spring; After dying, LIFE: Alleluia!