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GREETINGS Greetings

greetin

gs greetin

gs Greenacres

Congregational

Church

In this issue..... Page 5 ‘Five minutes with Judi’

Page 6/7 ‘Children's page’

Page 8/9/10 Church notices and diary

February 2013

greetings

greetings

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Church membership Church membership is a very important part of the life of

a Congregational Church. We at Greenacres value the commitment that is expressed through Church

Membership, devotion and service. If you would like more details about becoming a Church Member, we have an

information pack you may find interesting and

informative.

Please ask our Minister or one of the Deacons for a copy.

Weekly activities Sunday 10.45am Morning Service Communion follows the morning service on the first Sunday in the month

Tuesday 8.00pm Tuesday Club (Alternative weeks)

Tuesday 6.30 pm Karate classes Wednesday 6.30pm Beavers, Cubs and Scouts

Thursday 8.00pm Choir

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Greetings to each other, all our neighbours—and

everybody whose eye this leaflet meets

Dear Friends, I begin this letter by saying a big thank you for all your good

wishes over Christmas and the New Year period. Debby, Jacob and I had a very relaxing, peaceful and enjoyable Christmas. Amongst many highlights were countryside walks, good food, trips to see

family and friends, football matches and the cinema … where I highly recommend you to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

What does the year 2013 hold for you? What does the year 2013 hold for Greenacres Congregational Church? My prayer is that it is not a year where we stand still, or even go backwards. But

instead, a year when we make real progress, great strides in deepening our faith. Who knows, like The Hobbit, it might be something of an unexpected journey. Because who can fathom the

future? Perhaps our watchword this year should be TRUST. One of my favourite verses from Scripture is in Proverbs 3:5-6:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

As a fellowship we will be seeking to find the path that God is leading us down through prayer and worship – both

individually and collectively. Hopefully we can share hopes and dreams, ideas and inspiration, anticipation and encouragement. And we need to walk together, taking small steps, learning from

our mistakes, but growing in confidence and belief. We might not see the

opportunities that lie before us at the moment, but hopefully by talking and working together we will discover them.

I believe God has great things in store (for Greenacres and the whole town of Oldham) if we firmly place our trust in him. Wishing you God’s richest blessing,

Neil Chappell

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How to find Time in Your Day for Lent The fast pace of your life may seem to leave little time and energy for the traditional Lenten practices. But you can weave moments of spiritual awareness and service into even the busiest of schedules. The trick is to see Lenten practice as part of, rather than in addition to, each activity of your ordinary hectic day. The three foundation practices of Lents are prayer, fasting, and alms

giving . Here’s how to think of them in a new way: Praying daily If you make a habit of saying a little prayer whenever someone irritates you, cuts you off in traffic, or makes life difficult; when someone does you a favour, you experience great and friendly service, or when something joyful happens to you—you will soon find yourself praying your way through the day. Try this simple practice and you will be observing the Church’s call for greater praying during the Lenten season. You will also find this habit makes your life flow smoother, your self more centred, and your Spirit more aware of God’s presence. A Different type of Fasting There are many ways to fast. Why not fast from criticism, gossip, judging others, or passing on rumours? Why not abstain from unwarranted fear and anxiety? You can also tell that inner voice inside your head that criticises you to abstain from eroding your ability to be the confident, blessed person God calls you to be. Give of Yourself Daily life also offers countless opportunities to give of yourself to others (alms), and most don’t involve dipping into your wallet. Give encouragement to the doubting, give a word of praise to the insecure, show kindness to someone who could use a friend, and offer a word of thanks to those whose service often goes un appreciated . Give the gift of your attention to someone who simply wants to be noticed. Tell your children stories about people whose values you admire when you gather at mealtime. Don’t be stingy with your smiles—give them freely to everyone you meet. And most important, give your love to those close to you. Hug them, hold them, and tell them what they mean to you. In this way you open your heart to God and others So no matter how busy you are in life, with greater awareness and new perspectives you can consciously pray, fast, and give of yourself this Lent– and you will be ready to celebrate when a joyful dawn breaks upon you Easter Morning.

Re-printed from www.loyolapress.com

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5 minutes with Judi McGrath Most prized possession: I feel all material possessions can be replaced so it isn’t anything manufactured that I value most – it absolutely & unconditionally has to be my son, Adam. He is the most special person in my life & I couldn’t imagine life without him. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he entertains me & helps me see the world in a different & innocent light. Why do you come to Greenacres Church? I used to go to another church & never really felt settled. I started to come to Greenacres as Adam started Beavers here. I felt at home straight away, everyone made us feel welcome. The church is really well run & Adam loves Sunday School. I love the Minister’s sermons, in particular how he relates them to everyday life as sometimes it isn’t obvious & people don’t always make that connection. I enjoy coming here and look forward to it each week. Favourite words of inspiration: What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve. Saddest moment of your life: There have been a few sad moments in my life but one of the saddest was when I lost my Grandma who I was very close to you. I still miss her a lot even though she passed away 18 years ago. I miss our heart to hearts & I miss her sense of fun. But most of all I miss how she said exactly what she thought but articulated it with no malice whatsoever – there’s not many people who can do that! Happiest moment of your life: Of course when Adam was born! Even though he was born very prematurely (17 weeks to be exact!) & was very poorly, this makes him even more special as he is quite frankly a miracle! A figure in history who you’d like to have afternoon tea with: Joan of Arc – she was a feisty lady who stood up for what she believed in. Person in your life who has influenced you the most: This would be a tough choice between my Grandma & my dad. I always look to my dad when I want to hear the truth & I know he will always be honest with me. I do wish my Gran was still here though as I’d love to ask her advice on lots of things! Piece of wisdom you would pass on: Listen to what others say but ultimately always make up your own mind & do what you feel is right. Your philosophy in life: You are only put on this planet once so make the most of it. You never know what is round the corner so live for the moment & be mindful – don’t dwell on the past & try not to worry about the future. Which film could you watch again & again: Last of the Mohicans - 1992. This film gets my heart strings every time – for those of you that don’t know it is about three trappers who protect a British Colonel's daughters in the midst of the French and Indian War. Some of the camera shots are positively breathtaking & you can relate to just about every character in the film; it is acted with such passion & has a fantastic storyline.

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The Legend of the Lenten Pretzel A very long time ago, (in the early 600’s) there was a man who worked for God. His job was being a MONK. A MONK does everything in his life for God. He lives in a special place with other MONKS, who pray and read the Bible many times during the day. They usually live in a building or group of buildings for this purpose. It is called a monastery. MONKS usually make and/or grow their own food. This MONK had been in the kitchen where other monks were baking a special bread for LENT, and he saw some leftover pieces of dough. This monk decided to use the leftover pieces of dough for something special. The Monk formed the dough into thin strips crossed into a looped twist to be like the folded arms of children in prayer.

Look at the picture. You will now be one of the few people who know which way is really UP! That was how children held their hands to pray in those days.

This treat was given to the children as they learned their prayers. They began calling the treat "Pretiola", which means "little reward" in Latin. (a common language of the monks) Soon it was known the world over as a pretzel. The simple shape of the pretzel, arms folded in prayer, reminds us to pray every day.

Every time you see a pretzel, remember prayer! The pretzel really has its origins as an official food of Lent. Lent is a time when we could think of what we could give up in honour of God or Jesus.

Some ideas would have been chocolate, or candy or cookies or pizza!

The monk in our story lived in a time when you could not eat meat or milk or eggs during Lent! So he and his brother monks had to figure out a special bread that did not use eggs or milk. The monks were preparing a special Lenten bread of water, flour and salt – which is what pretzels are still made out of today. Pretzels then began to be enjoyed by all people. They became a symbol of good luck and long life. They were also a common food given to the poor and hungry. They were cheap and easy to make and satisfied hunger. Let’s pray with our arms folded like the pretzel: Dear God,

We thank you for your son Jesus. We thank you for caring about us and loving us. Amen.

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Hi Children. It’s me, Maximus, your Church mouse.

First of all, let me tell you how wonderful your nativity

was. I loved every minute of it and your singing was

super. My family and I can’t wait for your next play.

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A number of people from church have lost a good friend,

neighbour and family member recently. We pray that you

will take some comfort knowing that you are all in our

thoughts and prayers at this time. We think especially of Alan Howells

Stanley Whittaker

We have also lost a former minister of this Church

Rev. James E Watson

It was great sadness that we heard the news of the death of Rev

James Watson, aged 95 years,. Mr Watson was minister at Green-

acres from 1947– 1958 when he moved to Audley Grange Congre-

gational Church in Blackburn. Mr & Mrs Watson were very involved

in the Scout movement and were largely responsible for the ref-

ormation of the Uniformed Organisations in Our Church in 1948.

Mrs Watson was an active member of the dramatic society and a

cub leader.

We were always delighted to welcome him back to Greenacres to

lead worship, share fellowship and reminisce. He was never afraid

to speak his mind, yet retained his dry sense of humour. In Jul, Rev

Watson would have celebrated 70 years of ordained Ministry.

His funeral service was conducted by Rev Peter Beaman, another

former member of our Church.

We send our sincere sympathy to Vanessa and her family and give

thanks for his life and the lives of all he touched.

Margaret Fowler

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Diary February 3rd – Sunday – 10.45am – Family Worship & Communion

– led by Mrs Annette Dickinson 5th – Tuesday – 7.30pm – Deacons

9th – Saturday – 10am – Quarterly Church Meeting 10th – Sunday – 10.45am – Family Worship

12th - Tuesday - 8.00pm - Tuesday Club 17th – Sunday – 10.45am – Family Worship 19th – Tuesday – 7.30pm – Peace and Quiet Time

24th – Sunday – 10.45am – Family Worship 26th - Tuesday - 8.00pm - Tuesday Club

March 3rd – Sunday – 10.45am – Family Worship & Communion 5th – Tuesday – 7.30pm – Deacons

10th – Sunday – 10.45am – Family Worship 12th - Tuesday - 8.00pm - Tuesday Club

17th – Sunday – 10.45am – Family Worship 19th – Tuesday – 7.30pm – Peace and Quiet Time

24th – Sunday – 10.45am – Family Worship 28th – Thursday – 7.30pm – Maundy Thursday United Service (Venue to be confirmed)

29th – Friday – 11.00am – Good Friday Morning Service 31st – Sunday – 10.45am – Easter Sunday – Family Worship

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Flowers We would like express our deep thanks to all those

who donate flowers , apart from the colour and beauty they bring

into our Church, they also bring joy and delight to all those who

receive them after the service. We still have several vacancies on our

flower diary if you wish to donate, this is found in the entrance.

Church Meetings

We hope that our meetings this year will be more accessible and inviting to all connected with our Church.

At our November Quarterly Church Meeting we agreed that the four meetings this year would be held on:

Saturday 9th February at 10am.

Tuesday 21st May 7.30pm Tuesday 20th August 7.30pm

Sunday 17th November following the service

Please put these dates in your diary

Offertories December 2012

2nd December £264.16

9th December £260.20

16th December £342.26

23rd December £484.77

30th December £244.60

January 2013

6th January £236.32

13th January £303.95

20th January £182.31

27th January £372.50

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Tuesday 6.30pm Karate classes

Wednesday 6.30pm Beavers, Cubs and Scouts

Friday 7.30pm Youth Club

Hi Kid’s, Rev Neil here,

I’ve got a little problem! You see I

seem to have lost my Easter Eggs in

this magazine, if you look carefully at

all the pages you should find some

hidden Easter Eggs. Find them and

then I will ask you on Easter Sunday to

tell me how many you have found. I will

then award you with a Chocolate Easter

Egg! Start the Egg Hunt!........

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Murder Mystery Night

Saturday 9th March 2013 7.30pm

Come along and help to solve who is behind the

dastardly deeds at “Le Travatore”, a local

Italian Restaurant.

Solving the ‘Death amongst the pasta’ case needs

the help of everyone.

Supper menu– Lasagne or Pizza

(with vegetarian option)

Tickets: (including supper )

Senior detective (adults) £5.00

Constables (children) £2.00

Family squad of detectives £10.00

Tea and coffee will be provided, but should

Detectives wish to ‘augment’ the refreshments

with there favourite tipple, this would be deemed

acceptable by the Chief Constable.

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Across:

2. Mother of John the Baptist 4. Man whom Jesus raised from the dead 7. The earthly father of Jesus 10. Short tax collector 11. Tax collector who wrote became a disci-ple 12. Temple prophetess 14. He found no guilt in Jesus, yet sen-tenced him to death 17. Father of John the Baptist 19. Doctor and New Testament writer 21. The disciple who was also called Peter 22. Betrayer of Jesus (2 wds) 23. Blind beggar healed by Jesus

24. The Way, the Truth, and the Life

Down:

1. The mother of Jesus 3. Father of disciples James and John 5. Peter's brother 6. The forerunner of Jesus (3 wds) 8. The tempter 9. Man who issued decree for census (2 wds) 13. He asked, "How can a man be born again?" 14. The disciple who called Nathanael to follow Jesus 15. Writer of the second gospel 16. Mary's very busy sister 18. He had John the Baptist beheaded 20. Official whose daughter was healed by Jesus

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And finally 75 years ago......................

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Greenacres Congregational Church, contacts and Organisations.

Minister Rev. Neil Chappell BA Home 0161 624 6337

53 Redgrave St. Church office 0161 626 2018

Oldham OL4 2DY

rev_neil@hotmail.com

Secretary Mrs Joy Dean Tel no: 01274 81 4689

7 Fieldfare Drive,

Clayton Heights, Bradford BD6 3XL

jedean123@googlemail.com

Treasurers Mrs Rowena Bairstow Tel no: 01422 884559

Redacre Barn, Mytholmroyd, HX 5DG

Miss Margaret J Fowler Tel no: 0161 633 1914

238 Greenacres Rd, Oldham, OL4 3ET

Greetings Mr Steve Sinclair Tel no: 0161 627 4175

Editor 4 Cranberry St.

Oldham, OL4 1AT

cranberryhouse@sky.com

Deacons: Joy Dean Gail Waterhouse

Ian Bairstow Margaret Fowler Audrey Whiteman

Muriel Booth David Hopkins Pam Wild

Peter Butler (btlrpet@aol.com) Joyce Ogden

Organist Choirmaster Miss Margaret Fowler Mr David Hopkins

Tel:0161 633 1914 0161 626 1291

Ladies Tuesday Club Freewill envelope distributor

Gift Aid Mr Gordon Bell

Mrs Audrey Whiteman 0161 678 7114

Tel: 01706 846445

Greetings Subscriptions Postal Greetings

Mrs Muriel Booth Mrs Olive Shuttleworth

Tel: 01457 870084 0161 287 1051