1

Bamford

Chapel

2

BAMFORD CHAPEL

Mission/Vision Statement

MISSION

TO MAKE KNOWN THE GOOD NEWS OF THE LOVE OF GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

WORSHIP

We believe as a congregation that our worship should be

wholehearted and meaningful as we join together in praise and

thanksgiving to God. In response to God’s love, we wish to express our joy, to open

our hearts to God’s voice and to respond to His word.

LEARNING

Recognising our need to learn of God and from God, we seek to

provide an environment within which learning and teaching can take place. We would

want to enable each person to accept God into their life and to have the ability to

discuss and share their faith with all.

PASTORAL

We are joined together in our faith by the Holy Spirit. As a loving

fellowship we wish to deepen and extend our care for each other

encouraging everyone to use their gifts, as they are enabled by God, to show

tenderness and compassion in a spirit of humility.

MISSION/SOCIETY

We accept that we are called to make Christ known in our community at Bamford and

in all other places. We would wish to influence others by example and comment,

accepting that God will speak through us as we maintain a relationship with Him. We

recognise the need for the Church to participate in all aspects of the life of the world,

and proclaim God’s will, as it is revealed to us.

1

Sun 1st Sept 10.30am Family Worship with Holy Communion led by Margaret Ogden

6.00pm Evening Worship led by Andy Platt

Followed by extra Special Church Meeting—Buildings Work

Thurs 5th Sept 7.30pm Elders Meeting

Sat 7th Sept Meet on the Car Park at 12.45pm Coach leaves at

1pm

As we support Ruth Watson, Ian and the boys as Ruth is Ordained and Inducted to serve the Salford Pastorate. Service at 2 pm at Worsley Road U.R.C.

Sun 8th Sept 10.30am Family Worship led by Ken Greer

6.00pm Evening Worship led by our Minister Rev Richard Bradley

Sun 15th Sept 10.30am Family Worship, Parade Service, Harvest Festival and Project Launch led by Revd Richard Bradley

6.00pm Evening Worship with Holy Communion led by Revd Richard Bradley

Sun 22nd Sept 10.30am Family Worship led by Revd Richard Bradley followed by our CHURCH MEETING

6.00pm Evening Worship led by Anne Fitton

Mon 23rd Sept - Sun 29th Sept Revd Richard Bradley on a study week

Wed 25th Sept 1.30pm Midweek Communion in the lounge

Sun 29th Sept 10.30pm Family Worship led by Joanne Ackroyd

6.00pm Evening Worship led by Margaret Ogden

Further Details may be found at www.bamfordchapel.co.uk

2

Message from the Manse

I write this article the day before I am due to have two

weeks off. However by the time the magazine is ready

and printed many of us will have had a holiday whether here in the UK or further afield. What I do hope is that we

all come back refreshed for what is often seen as the start

of the Church’s year.

As we may start a new year in the Church’s calendar – we

are coming to the end of the year of “Seeking God’s Vision” for Bamford Chapel. Some may think nothing has

been going on, let me assure you they have. I have been

doing a lot of thinking and praying about what God wants

from us as His Church.

A lot of my thoughts, prayers and discerning have centred

on a book by Rick Warren, an American Pastor, called

“The Purpose Driven Church”. Some may say “What can

we learn from an American Pastor, the contexts of our two countries are so different”. However Warren bases his

model of church and growth on what he feels are New

Testament principles – these principles are not tied by

culture, geography or distance.

As part of this process we produced the questionnaires that about 50% of us completed (which for a response to

a questionnaire was very good!). Stemming from that I

setup what I have termed the “Vision Strategy

Team” (made up of Anna James, Cameron Baines, Sarah

3

Finnegan, Sarah Fitton, Ruth Bradley and me.) To reiterate

this group has been looking at the responses in the

questionnaires to see what common threads there are. Let

me assure you there are many threads and ideas in these

questionnaires.

As part of this process and my thinking and praying in-

between these meetings and Elders’ Meetings I have asked

the questions “What are we doing here as a church? What

is our God-given purpose? What are we called by God to

do?”

At the last meeting of the Vision Strategy Team meeting I invited us to look at what the current Vision/Mission of the

Church is and whether we fulfil that as a Church. We had a

great meeting (it was only our third meeting and we have

covered a lot of discussion points in those three meetings)

My hope is to re-launch a vision for the Church - something that we can all work to whether as individuals

who make up Bamford Chapel or as part of established

groups within Bamford Chapel. In Proverbs 29:18 we read

“Where there is no vision, the people cast of restraint”.

Vision and direction is so vital for any church (or any

organisation) if you look at any growing church they will know what their vision or purpose is, and all they do will

work around and towards that vision.

I believe as a church we need to know what our purpose/

vision is for the church and we can then structure what we

do around that purpose/vision in order that we can grow

spiritually (that is for our faith to be deepened) and also to grow numerically. This will require faith and unity in and

around what God says to us about what His vision/purpose

is for His church.

I believe this continues to be an exciting journey. If you

have any questions or queries about the process or have

4

any Godly suggestions (or as I once read any “God

ideas”) then please speak to me or one of the team that

has been set up to look at the questionnaires and more

recently to look at the vision. We will be updating people

further in due course. We can do this through the Church

Meeting, magazine articles, and in a themed service. Please continue to pray for this group as we explore what

YOU have written and seek and explore what God’s

vision is for His Church.

Your Servant in Christ,

Richard

Bamford Chapel held the

Annual Garden Party

on Saturday 13th July

This was truly one to remember. The sun shone, music played

and the Pimms, the

strawberries, ice cream and

other iced drinks all went

down a treat.

Thanks are due to everyone

who helped make this a very

special day, especially to Lyn Jefferies for her work over many

weeks arranging everything. All came together beautifully and

was enjoyed by all.

An added bonus came the following day when it was announced

that the day had also been a financial success.

Here’s to the next one.

5

Extract from a letter received on behalf of the

WISCONSIN LUTHERAN CHOIR

Dear Angela Smith, Auriel Atkins and Bamford Chapel

members and attendees,

On behalf of the WISCONSIN LUTHERAN CHOIR I

wish to formally express my appreciation to you for

hosting the choir in homes and in concert at Bamford

Chapel during their May concert tour of England and

Ireland.

….the students had a WONDERFUL experience during

their time in your town. Please extend our appreciation

to those individuals who helped assist you in any way

with making these arrangements, as well as the host

families who have bonded so well with the students and

made them feel at home! Please also thank those who

helped in coordinating the breakfast on the day of their

departure - so many fine touches to making their stay in

Bamford exceptional - truly their favourite on the entire

tour!

...Thank you for your dedication to these outstanding

student musicians...Your efforts are not taken lightly by

any of us. We certainly look

forward to working with you

and Bamford Chapel in the

future.

With best regards,

Naomi Zupfer

Concert and Study Tours

6

News of the family

Concerns are expressed for Win and Don Schofield,

Joyce and Derek Yates, Anne and Ian Newman and

any other people of whom you are aware and who I

have omitted to mention. We remember Ray and the

wider family following Auriel’s death last month. Many

of us will remember the uplifting service celebrating

her life which was held following her committal. Please

pray for Ray and the family in their loss.

September is upon us again and we give thanks for

holidays enjoyed and safely returned from.

Many of our young people have had results of

important exams and some are looking forward to new

adventures in different schools, colleges and

universities. We wish them all well in whatever they

undertake in the coming months.

September will be a new beginning for the Watson

family as Ruth is ordained into her new ministry on

the 7th. Pray for the whole family as they begin this

new episode in their lives, not forgetting Margaret and

David who will really miss having them so close.

Congratulations also to

Margaret and David Watson

on their Golden Wedding

Anniversary.

7

Ladies’ Fellowship

Although I did not go on the trip this year. The first one I have missed since I

started the day trip years ago, Joyce Cooper has given me all the details so

here goes.

Richard came out to see everyone off and he hoped the Sat Nav would do its

job because as you all probably know by now it got him and his passengers

very lost when the luncheon club members went to Bents last Wednesday.

It appears it did its duty and between it and the driver they arrived at the first

stop which was Wetherby. The weather was beautiful, however, the races

were not on that day.

One party went to Harewood House where the gardens were in full bloom -

dahlias in particular.

Everyone enjoyed beautiful views from the terraces although there were

numerous steps everywhere but plenty of stops to compensate. Joyce

needed help with her wheelchair, one/two pushed whilst a 3rd pulled from

behind walking backwards.

Not everyone went into Harewood House, some sat by the lake.

A trip on the lake was advertised but couldn’t be taken advantage of because

the water was too low.

Lots of dragon flies, tiny fluffy ducklings and chickens.

Sat Nav took us to a bridge on our way to the Mill Stores but it was too

narrow. Unsuitable for heavy vehicles. Some bright spark decided we should

all lose weight.

8

Arrived safely however for our meal which was delicious.

A choice of salmon, pork and steak pie. We were all well looked after by a

very pleasant staff.

Finished the day off with dancing where everyone including Joyce had a go.

The dances were nice slow old fashioned ones such as Valetta and St Bernard

Waltz.

Thanks were expressed to Angela and Anne Newman for all the arrangements

and hard work which always goes in to day like this.

A super day was enjoyed by all. I’m sorry now that I missed it.

Margaret Entwistle

Following a typo in the last edition Margaret has a little addition.

We appear to have a new member by the name of Margaret Curtis?

However, my maiden name was Tattersall and I have not changed my

name by deed poll and I most certainly have not re married.

I am still Margaret Entwistle retiring chairman of Ladies Fellowship.

Margaret Entwistle.

Apologies from the editors to Margaret.

Miscellaneous observations on life...

~ All generalisations are false.

~ All's well that ends

~ Always stay in with the outs.

~ Always try to be modest. And be VERY proud of it.

~ An atheist is a person who has no invisible means of

9

support.

~ An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys.

~ Any married man should forget his mistakes - there's no

use in two people remembering the same thing.

~ Before you criticise someone, make sure you've walked a

mile in their shoes. That way, you're a mile away AND you

have their shoes!

~ Blessed are those who can give without remembering and

take without forgetting.

~ The sole purpose of a child's middle name is so he can tell

when he's really in trouble.

~ Marriage is a very good way to promote civilisation - if you

get a good partner you will be happy, if you get a bad one you

will become a philosopher.

~ Middle age – when you begin to exchange your emotions for

symptoms.

~ The first time I sang in the church choir 200 people

changed their church!

~ Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.

10

To wish to pray is a prayer itself.

Georges Bernanos (The Diary of a Country Priest)

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without

giving.

What we see in others often reveals something about us.

After my recent unexpected operation and stay in

hospital, I would like to say a very big thank you to

all at Bamford Chapel.

The prayers cards, flowers and visits have been most

welcome and a very big help. It may be sometime

before I am back to full health; the door is always

open if you are in need of a coffee.

What a wonderful scheme the Meal Service is, we were

treated to some lovely meals, by some talented cooks

for which all three of us were most grateful.

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL.

Love

Joan, Ray and David

11

Prayer to know God’s will Loving Father, You made us in your image. Our whole life is a process of transformation to become like you. And yet it is so difficult to know, to really know what you are calling us to do; how you want us to serve you. There are so many possibilities, so many roads we could choose. Which one has your signpost? Which one has the green light for us? The disciples faced the same dilemma, “What must we do to do the works God requires,” they asked. And Jesus’ answer was quite simple, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”(Jn 6:28,29) Lord help us to believe in Jesus, with a real, active, trusting faith and then to relax, knowing that if we do believe, everything, absolutely everything we do will be your work. Washing up, working in the office, preaching a sermon or preparing school dinners, we will be doing your work. Thank you for showing us your way in your word, in the name of Jesus, Amen. By Daphne Kitching

12

Clothes Swop Party

How often have you bought a dress or top and then

wished you hadn’t? How many scarves or bags do you

have in your wardrobe which you never wear?

We are organising a Clothes Swap party to help you clear

out your wardrobes.

The idea is that we will have an evening when we can

bring along any new or like-new items which we don’t

want and swap them. Something that you bring along may

look better on someone else! You may find the perfect

accessory for an outfit!

There will be a small charge for entry, refreshments will

be available and it could be fun!

Please look out for details on the Pink Ladies notice

board.

13

The Pink Ladies

On the evening of Wednesday 31st July a walk on

Blackstone Edge was planned followed by a meal at The

White House. We were all looking forward to enjoying

the sunshine and the panoramic views over

Hollingworth Lake. Unfortunately, following weeks of

beautiful sunny weather that afternoon it decided to

rain. Undeterred we met on the car park in our wet

weather gear. By this time it was difficult to see across

the car park for the driving rain. Oh well, we made the

best of it and 9 ladies enjoyed a lovely meal snug and

warm in The White House. Many thanks to Julie for

planning the evening and to Carol for planning the

walking route. We look forward to completing the walk

on another date.

In the meantime, keep a look our for notices as we have

made provisional plans for future excursions. These

include:

Weds 4th Sept Queens Park - Meal and quiz

Norden Arms wine tasting Clothes Swap evening Bowling

Pum Thai Cooking May 11th Day trip

Keep checking on the Pink Ladies Notice Board.

14

A number of ladies (and gents) from

Bamford Chapel are taking part in the

Midnight Walk to raise much needed

funds for Springhill Hospice.

The Walk takes place on 21st September 2013 . Walkers can

choose whether to walk 6 or 13 miles. Why don’t you join us? See

Ruth Bradley for more details.

Practice walks are being held on Sunday afternoons. The first took

place on 25th August in glorious sunshine. (Ice lollies were supplied by

Margaret Ogden.)

Keep an eye on the notice sheet for details of further practice walks.

If you don’t fancy the walk please help by sponsoring

the walkers - a sponsorship form can be found on

display in the coffee area.

Thank you

Help to support the work of the hospice. The hospice is a purpose built

facility which offers specialist palliative care to patients with life

limiting illnesses. This care is offered free of charge. Only 30% of the

funding comes from the HNS, the balance has to be found. Over

£2.7million pounds needs to be raised each year.

Thank you

15

Help needed!

Nativity Costumes

Yes, we know it’s only September and the sun is

shining but we have started thinking about

Christmas.

We realised last year that our nativity costumes were

very thin on the ground and quite tatty, so we have

decided to do something about it.

Can you sew? Do you have any spare bits of

material which you don’t need?

If you answered yes to either of these questions we

would like your help. I am organising a quick meeting

on Tuesday 1 October (after choir) to see if we can

organise some sort of working party. Please come along

if you think you can help, or speak to Gillian James.

Thank you

16

Heritage Open Days:

an outreach opportunity for our church

Heritage Open Days take place nationwide in mid-September.

they are organised by English Heritage.

The aim is to celebrate England’s rich architecture, history

and culture by opening historic buildings that are usually

private to the public for free or to make entrance free for

buildings where there is usually a charge.

Increasingly, historic churches are getting involved with local

programmes, benefiting from English Heritage’s advice and

promotional opportunities and welcoming many new visitors

and telling them the story of the Church in that community.

It’s a great outreach opportunity.

Following the successful Open Days held over the last 2

years Bamford Chapel will again be open on

Saturday 14th September and Sunday

15th September from 1 pm till 4 pm.

Many thanks to all those who have helped to run this

event in previous years. If you can help this year please

speak to Louise Aspinall Many thanks

17

This Year’s Project

BANANA PLANTATION PROJECT

Project background

Banana plantation project is derived

from the need to address food

insecurity in Acholi land, following

over two decades of armed conflict

in northern Uganda. The project will

empower members to lift

themselves out of poverty and

hunger to self-reliance by providing

them with a multiplying gift of

banana plantlets and banana

suckers. The project is for 12

months (renewable).

Project details

This project aims at utilising the fertile soils in Acholi land to

grow bananas so as to prevent hunger, and to reduce poverty by

increasing household income through the sale of bananas and

products made from bananas.

The objectives of the project are:

1. To train members on the best practices for growing bananas,

and management of banana plantations.

2. To plant at least a total of 10 acres of banana crop every

year distributed amongst individual member plantations.

3. To establish a data base to record the multiplied banana

suckers given to members of the Association.

To establish a website to promote the project and the Link.

18

Project sustainability

The project will purchase 2000 tissue culture banana plantlets,

and 2000 banana suckers from approved sources. Each banana

plantlet / sucker is expected to produce 3-4 suckers at maturity.

Upon preparation of a garden, a member will receive a gift of

equivalent number of banana plantlets and/or suckers for

immediate planting in the already prepared garden. The

beneficiary member will harvest mature bananas after 12-18

months. Upon harvesting, the Association will collect the

equivalent number of banana suckers given to each beneficiary

member for onward giving to other members who have not yet

received any banana plantlet or sucker. In this way, the project

will be self-multiplying. All members are guaranteed to benefit,

and to increase the acreage of their banana plantations.

Some musings on everyday life….

I don't do drugs or alcohol, 'cause I find I get the same effect

just by standing up really fast.

The most precious thing we have is life. Yet it has absolutely no trade-in value.

I love being married. It's so great to find that one special

person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.

I married my wife for her looks... but not the ones she's been

giving me lately!

Everyday I beat my own previous record for the number of

consecutive days I've stayed alive.

The next time you feel like complaining, remember: Your

rubbish bin probably has better food in it than 30 percent of the people in this world.

When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

19

A huge thank you to all those

who volunteered to help with our

young people over the summer

holidays. Your help was greatly

appreciated by the Junior Church leaders who look after

our children throughout the rest of the year.

We hope that you enjoyed your session.

If you would like to continue to help with Junior Church,

whether or not you enjoyed a taster over the Summer,

please speak to Louise Aspinall or Gillian James.

We have 3 groups, Primary, Junior and Senior.

New leaders are always very welcome. We aim to have

enough leaders for you to only plan one session per

month.

What are you waiting for?

Thanks in advance Louise, Gillian and the existing Junior

Church Leaders

Be nice to the nerds and geeks in college - you'll be working

for them in the future.

The email of the species is more deadly than the mail.

The Lord gave us two ends: One to sit on and the other to

think with. Success depends on which one we use the most.

20

Saltaire United Reformed Church is English Heritage finalist

The restoration of Saltaire United Reformed Church in Bradford is one of 17 heritage rescues chosen to go forward to the finals of

the English Heritage Angel Awards in London on Monday 21 October, 2013. Vote for Saltaire URC.

Saltaire URC is competing for the Best Rescue or Repair of a Place of Worship. See below for the full list of finalists in this

category.

The church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire, Bradford. It has been in continual use as a church for 150 years and despite a major restoration in 1998, by 2005 it had seriously deteriorated. Water had leaked into the building, the original Venetian glass was at risk and the steps supporting the church’s massive Corinthian columns were loose and dangerous. From 2005 to 2013 a church restoration team, supported by several individuals and grant-making bodies, repaired the building

and made it watertight.

Ian Livingstone, one of the conservation team, said: “At the start of the project we were unsophisticated, inexperienced volunteers with no financial expertise and with no experience of restoring Grade I listed buildings. It’s impossible to quantify the time, energy and worry that’s gone into this project, but I’m very pleased to say that eight years and £514,000 later our church is

in rude health.

21

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the candidates shortlisted for this year's English Heritage Angel Awards who have been selected from a hugely impressive field of applicants. These Awards celebrate the time, energy and passion of volunteers across England who help to preserve our country's architectural heritage; acknowledging these unsung heroes is incredibly important and has contributed to an increase in the number of sites being taken off English

Heritage's At Risk register. "

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: “We salute all these heroic heritage rescuers who prove that people not only care about their local heritage but are prepared to take

action to save it.”

Don’t forget to vote! Voting closes at midnight on Sunday 8 September and everyone who votes will automatically be entered into a competition to win one of 50 pairs of tickets to the awards ceremony - and two lucky voters will win not just a pair of tickets to the awards ceremony but also to the post-show

reception hosted by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

How to get to Heaven

“If I sold my house and my car, had a big car boot sale and gave all

my money to the church, would I get into Heaven?" the teacher

asked her Sunday School class. "No!" the children all answered.

"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the grass, and kept

everything neat and tidy, would I get into Heaven?" Again, the

answer was "No!"

"Well”, she continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?"

A five-year-old boy shouted out, "You gotta be dead first!"

22

A journalist is on holiday in Jerusalem

when she hears about a very old

Jewish man who has been going to the

Wailing Wall to pray twice a day for

years. She decides to check it out.

She goes to the Wailing Wall and there he is, walking

slowly up to the holy site. She watches him pray and,

after about 45 minutes, when he turns to leave, she

approaches him for an interview.

‘Sir, I’m a journalist from London,’ she says. How long

have you been coming to the Wailing Wall and praying? ‘

For about 60 years,’ he says. ‘Sixty years? That’s

amazing! What do you pray for?’

I pray for peace between the Muslims and the Jews. I

pray for all our children to grow up in safety and

friendship,’ he says. And how do you feel after doing

this for 60 years?’ the journalist asks.

‘Like I’m talking to a brick wall,; the man replies.

Sent in by John C Hall

23

Addie & Barbara Redmond of

13 Linnell Drive are climbing Kilimanjaro

7 – 12 August 2013

We are raising money for Street Pastors and VSO and you

may wish to sponsor us:

VSO is the organisation through which

Addie & Barbara were teacher trainers in

Namibia for 4 years.

See our just giving site on

www.justgiving.com/addiebarbara

Street Pastors take the love of Jesus Christ onto

the streets of Bury & Rochdale.

24

25

BAMFORD CHAPEL MAGAZINE

EDITORS: Louise Aspinall 01706 719449

l.aspinall@yahoo.co.uk

Martyn James 01706 868885

martyn-james1@sky.com

SECRETARY: Joan Ashton 01706 360395

ray-joanashton@sky.com

DATES FOR THE NEXT MAGAZINE

October 2013

Articles to be handed in by: Sunday 15th September

Magazine to be completed by: Thursday 26th September

Magazine distributed: Sunday 29th September

26

BAMFORD CHAPEL

United Reformed Church Charity - Reg’d No 1128387

(FAIRTRADE CHURCH) Norden Road, ROCHDALE, Lancs. OL11 5PQ

The Manse,

Norden Road,

ROCHDALE,

Lancs

OL11 5PQ

Telephone: 01706 369622

www.bamfordchapel.co.uk

Minister : Rev Richard Bradley

Email: richardbradley@cantab.net

Church Secretary: Ian Sturrock

Telephone: 01706 653109

Email: i.sturrock@talktalk.net

Wedding Secretary: John Lapworth

Telephone: 01706 632460

Email: john@lapworth37.plus.com

Lettings Manager: Linda Kerford

Telephone: 01706 624256

Email: l.kerford@btinternet.com

Times of Services: Family Worship : 10.30 am : Holy Communion 1st Sunday in month

Evening Worship : 6.00 pm : Holy Communion 3rd Sunday in month