MARCH 2016

Delivered by ………….……………………………………………………..

your pastoral visitor, who can be contacted on……………………..

The Methodist Church in Poynton

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MUMBLINGS FROM THE MANSE March 2016

Chances are that by the time you read this we, at Poynton

Methodist Church, will be almost at the end of our Giving Up

Church For Lent adventure. Or perhaps that should read ‘Giving up

Church (as we normally do it) for Lent. But I wonder did we give up

Church for Lent or did we give up Christians for Lent? Give up our

fellow brothers and sisters in faith without a raised voice or protest

when trouble came knocking? Gave them up in order to save our

own skins?

I am of course referring to the first week of GUCFL when we

attempted to stand in the shoes of the persecuted church for an

hour by imagining that our church had been closed and religion

banned, thus forcing us underground, or at least next door into the

preschool building, where we met in secret to worship in relative

silence. When members of the state police arrived and identified

two of the assembled throng as Christians, due to the presence of a

cross and bible within their belongings, not one of the remaining 50

plus people made any attempt to prevent them being led away to

an uncertain, but one assumes hostile future. No one moved! Not

one single voice was raised either in protest or in a declaration that

they too were followers of Jesus.

At the end of the film Spartacus, having been heavily defeated by

the forces of the Imperial army led by Crassus, the remaining

members of the former slave and now rebel army are rounded up

and attempts made by the Roman authorities to locale the rebel

leader for special punishment. Determined to protect him to the

very end, even if such a defence will cost their own lives, one by

one every surviving man stands up to declare in one of cinema’s

greatest scenes "I am Spartacus!" As a result, Crassus has them all

sentenced to death by crucifixion along the Via Appia. Rather than

Our Church Family encourages everyone…

To come to worship God who loves us

To follow Jesus Christ our Saviour

To grow in fellowship, joy and love, and

To go out, share the Good News and serve in the world.

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let Spartacus be identified, captured and killed (although he

ultimately was) his friends and followers were prepared to lay down

their own lives in order to try and save his. And correct me if I’m

wrong, but didn’t Jesus say something along the lines that there is

no greater love than that which is prepared to lay down its life for

another?

Some of you may have heard of Martin Niemöller (1892-1948) a

prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public

foe of Adolf Hitler and as a result spent the last seven years of Nazi

rule in concentration camps. Niemöller is perhaps best remembered

for the following quotation which speaks of how easy is it to simply

do nothing if it is not you in personal danger:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—

and there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemöller’s point was that Germans, and he believed in

particular the leaders of the Protestant churches, had been

complicit through their silence in the Nazi imprisonment,

persecution, and murder of millions of people.

70 years later in a very different context, when push came to shove,

when the crunch came, when it was time to stand up and speak

out as one of our own was being taken away, ‘we’ too, remained

silent.

In the words of the Irish philosopher, politician and statesman,

Edmund Burke, (1729-1779), “the only thing necessary for evil to

flourish is for good men (and women) to do nothing.” The question

we might all be asking ourselves today in the light of our little ‘role

play’ activity on 14th February is what sort of ‘evil’ flourishes in this

world because people refuse to speak out? Even if the issues affect

one of their own.

Love and light, Reverend John

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SUNDAY SERVICES AT POYNTON

IN MARCH 2016

SUNDAY SERVICES AT GREEN CLOSE

IN MARCH 2016

HC Holy Communion

GUCFL Giving up Church for Lent

Lawrence House 10.30am. 13th

March David Allaby

Stepping Hill 10.00am. No Service

Woodlands 11.00am. 13th

March Alan Rashleigh

Date 10.30am UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

6th

March Mothering Sunday Rev John Wiseman GUFCL

13th

Passion Sunday Church Anniversary: Rev John Wiseman HC

20th

Palm Sunday

10.30am Richard Baker

6.00pm Circuit Service at PMC

27th

Easter Day

9.00am Rev John Wiseman HC

10.30am Rev John Wiseman

3rd

April Martyn Bennett

Date 2.30 pm

6th

March Mothering Sunday: Rev John Wiseman

13th

Passion Sunday: Adrian Law

20th

Palm Sunday: Mandy Hawkyard

27th

Easter Day: Rev John Wiseman HC

3rd

April Rev John Wiseman

Our Church Family encourages everyone to Come to worship God who loves us…

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PRAYER

There are many opportunities for prayer in our church and

you will be very welcome to join any of the following

groups: -

Daytime Group: - We meet in the church prayer corner

every Tuesday at 9.45am.

Midday prayers are said every weekday in the church prayer

corner at 12.00 noon. There is a prayer list on the cupboard door

near the front entrance. Jean Drinkwater would be happy to add

your name to our rota.

WEEKDAY WORSHIP

The first Tuesday in March is 1st March. There will be a service at

noon on that day followed by a simple lunch. All are very welcome

to this 30min service that caters for shoppers, passers-by and

everyone who is available and wishes to take this extra opportunity

to worship.

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN POYNTON invites you to

St Paul’s Church on

Friday March 4th

at 2.00pm

to pray with and for the people of

Cuba

Every year on the first Friday in March there

is an ecumenical, international day of

prayer prepared by a different country. It is estimated that 3 million

people in 170 countries will participate using material prepared this

year by the Christian women of Cuba.

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Entitled Women’s World Day of Prayer this is not just for women –

everyone is welcome to attend. Come and learn and pray for

Cuba and be challenged by their message.

PRAYER GROUP

The prayer group will meet on the first

Sunday in each month at 9.00am for a

time of silent meditation. After 30

minutes of reflection, we share our

thoughts if we feel able. We invite you

to come along to a different

experience of God’s presence. All are

welcome, next time on 6th March.

PRAYER AND PRAISE

These services take place on the second

Thursday of the month, but there will be

no service in March. We meet again after

Easter on Thursday 14th April at 7.30pm.

THURSDAY COMMUNION

This is always on the third Thursday of the month at midday so this

time it takes us to 17th March. It is followed by a light lunch. Why not

come a little early and join Friends Together for Coffee around

11.15am? They would enjoy your company.

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‘At the End of the Day’ – Enjoying life in the departure lounge by

David Winter. Published by the Bible Reading Fellowship at £6.99.

David Winter is supposed to have retired, according to comments in

his book “The Highway Code for Retirement” reviewed in this

feature in September 2012. However he is still working for New

Daylight, writing books and broadcasting from time to time.

Until fairly recent times old age was regarded as a rich privilege and

old people were treated with respect and something approaching

awe. In contrast today in the western world, old people seem to be

regarded as a problem and the media constantly seem to ask how

we are going to cope with growing numbers of them. The purpose

of this book is to show how, if you are old, you can make the best of

life. It is inevitable that David states almost at the start of the book

that faith may help in this. Life is after all a gift from God.

The book starts with stories of old people that we find in both Old

and New Testaments. In scripture, old people were not regarded as

‘problems’ but as signs of blessing.

In one section of the book David covers modern ways of

communication such as texts, e-mails, Skype etc. and explains that

many of these can make the elderly feel like aliens in a strange

land. It is not a rant and rave but just an attempt to explain how

overwhelming they can appear to the older person.

At the end of the book David mentions the dreaded ‘d’ word –

‘death’ and what the Bible has to say about it.

Our Church Family encourages everyone to Follow Jesus Christ Our Saviour…

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HYMNOLOGY ON A MONDAY MORNING - 9

‘Come Down O Love Divine’. (Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958).

Ralph Vaughan Williams was born in the village of Down Ampney

on the edge of the Cotswolds, near the source of the River Thames.

His great uncle was Charles Darwin, and so he had a rather

unorthodox religious upbringing.

His involvement with church music began when he served briefly as

an organist in Lambeth. He gave up because he did not feel that

the music of the Church of England at the time was worthy of faith

or did anything for music. It was surprising that a young composer

who described himself as a 'cheerful agnostic' was appointed as

the musical editor of the English Hymnal. Up to this time the church

used ‘Hymns Ancient and Modern’.

First published in 1906 the English Hymnal was revolutionary in

church music. It used music handed down through church families,

folk songs which were still heard and those Williams collected in the

countryside

In the late 1960s he met a woman in Monks Gate in Sussex who

sang him a song called 'Our Captain Calls.' In the New English

Hymnal this tune was used for 'He who would valiant be'.

But the new Hymnal did not have a very good start. The then

Archbishop of Canterbury, Randall Davidson said he hoped his

clergy would not use it and the Bishop of Bristol banned it because

he said that for some of the 'Saints Day Hymns' it was contrary to the

teachings of the Church of England. ‘Down Ampney’ is named

after Williams' birthplace.

References: Romans 5.5; John 14.16; Psalm 104.4; Malachi 3.2;

Colossians3.14; Ephesians4.2; Psalm 119.174

Theo Eaves

This article contains extracts from ‘The Nation’s Favourite Hymns’ 2004 by

Andrew Barr published by Lion Publishing. Used with permission of Lion

Hudson plc.

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Editor’s note:

The same composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams, made a special

arrangement of the hymn “All people that on earth do dwell” for

the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. The hymn, according to a book by

Dr Ian Bradley, is thought to be the earliest hymn in the English

language still in general use today. It is based on Psalm 100 and the

tune (the Old Hundredth), dates back to the 16th century.

A FILM ON TUESDAY

On Tuesday 22nd March at 7.30pm, as part of our

journey through Holy Week, we shall be showing “Of

Gods and Men”, a beautiful and brutal tale based on

the true story of French Trappist monks in a remote

Algerian mountain village.

The remnants of French colonial occupation, the monks have

become a deep-rooted part of village life, dispensing essential

medical aid, taking part in Islamic rites and advising on everything

from village policy to love and marriage. But when civil war erupts

between a corrupt Algerian government and Muslim militants, the

political realities of Algerian history catch up with this

uncontaminated world. Quietly and forcefully, the monks stand up

to local militia, even refusing protection from the local Police.

Eventually the escalating violence forces them to make a decision.

Should they leave or should they stay and face

the consequences of living out their faith in the

face of hostility? The film is a meditation on what

it really means to put your life on the line for what

you truly believe in.

Rev John

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GIVING UP CHURCH FOR LENT – WEEK ONE

There is an old saying: “You can’t really understand another

person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” What

would it be like to be part of the persecuted church? What if we

lived in a country where worship was strictly forbidden, Christians

threatened, and ownership of a Bible illegal? The idea for our first

Sunday in Lent was to be part of a secret Church and worship

behind closed doors, keeping very quiet. How would we do it?

What difference would it make to our understanding of worship?

So when the congregation arrived on the first Sunday in Lent they

found the front doors of the Church sealed with police tape and a

notice to the effect that the government, having declared Christian

worship illegal, had closed this building. Anyone discovered

worshipping or even carrying a Bible would be arrested and subject

to hard labour.

Worship then took place in the preschool building next door, sitting

in groups around tables. We were there to celebrate a Ruby

Wedding – that was our excuse if the police arrived! So that we

were not discovered there was no singing of hymns – we whispered,

“Be still, for the presence of the Lord…”, there was no sermon, and

we all meditated on a Bible passage – Isaiah 43.1-4 and 18-19. Our

prayers were largely silent but communal – e.g. for thanksgiving we

all took a sweet from a packet whispering what we were thankful

for. When everyone had one, we slowly ate them praying for what

had been said. In the same way we all lit a small candle naming a

specific concern and as the candles burned, prayed in silence.

As we neared the end of our Service there was a loud hammering

on the fire door. Many jumped a mile but as half expected it was

the police who had received a tip-off that worship was talking

place. After questioning us two arrests were made – one for the

possession of a Bible and another for the possession of a small hand

held cross. In absolute stunned silence these people were led away.

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We then prayed for the persecuted Church after listening to the

reality of the Church in North Korea. “In North Korea it’s an

unforgivable crime to be a Christian. Hye’s mother and father

would open their house to friends and read from the Bible and sing

songs silently. One day the security forces raided the house - Hye’s

father was arrested and was never seen again. Two weeks later her

grandmother passed away – before she died she told her family to

burn her Bible so they wouldn’t be caught. “Stick to your faith she

told them” with tears pouring down her face. Hye’s family was

deported to a remote mountainous area where they had a hand to

mouth existence. Eventually Hye fled to China.”

For more information go to Opendoors.uk.org. They will offer you a

free book – God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew. This is an amazing

story of faith and trust in God. Please read it.

Mandy Hawkyard

Here are some of the comments after the Service:

It was good to experience how persecuted Christians have to live and share their

Christian beliefs and to realise how much they need our prayers and support.

The Service made me count my blessings.

A revelation of the horror of worshipping under such terrible conditions and the

courage it takes. I pray I would have the faith and strength.

Made me very anxious – not able to settle for the Service.

Prolonged period of silence allowed us to concentrate on the reading and prayers

and discard the “daily baggage” (for a while). Silence was intense.

How hard it has proved to maintain continuity of thought when praying silently.

Not easy for me to worship in silence.

We would like more silent prayer in our normal services. Quite often the silences

last just under 30 sec. Just not long enough!

Good to pray in silence but collectively.

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Felt nearer to God. Concentrated more on prayers. Was more focused on what

really matters.

I felt a strong sense of community with Christian friends this morning. Made me

so thankful.

Today’s service provided much food for thought / it made me question my own

faith and strength.

Very though provoking/ illuminating – it made me think outside the box!

It made us feel humble, scared, intimidated by the police, asking, “Who do we

trust?” Really made me think about what lack of freedom would be like, and ask

how do we communicate our faith with other people.

I was ashamed that we didn’t stand up for our fellow Christians when they were

arrested and taken away. Why didn’t we shout out – fear?

Missed the music and singing.

Although I enjoy singing hymns it was good just to read them. It made me think

about the words.

The Bible passage came alive very powerfully. The reading was very pertinent

challenging us to “look for the new things God is doing” in Poynton rather than

looking to the past. Living Water was available in Old Testament times too!

Can we consider shared services with other religions/faiths/beliefs?

Enjoyed talking and praying round a table instead of looking at the back of

people’s heads!

Great to talk together and share our thoughts after the Service in our group

Whilst this was going on, thanks to Zoë for leading a children’s

group, to Arnold (who really entered into the occasion by arriving in

disguise so that no-one would recognise him in case we were being

watched) for showing Judith how to programme the church

computer and to Hilary who led a group writing an Easter hymn to a

familiar tune.

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Hilary writes:

“We thank Margaret and Ken Wilson, John Turner, Will Garrett and Marie

(?) for their contributions. We have tried to tell the story of the events in

the week leading up to Jesus’ death and from the viewpoints of the

Pharisees and Jesus. We have split the singing between men, women and

all to help tell the story. We have chosen to sing it to the tune of ‘Now the

green blade rises.’ ”

Verse 1 Men: Humbled on a donkey, he approached the town.

Women: Many came to greet him, others turned him down.

Chorus (all): Christ comes to all, to set his people free.

God has sent his son; his gift to you and me.

Verse 2 Men: Who gives you the right to teach and preach this way?

Women: The people wouldn't listen and came back each day.

Chorus

Verse 3

Men: Satan entered Judas to betray the Christ.

Women: 30 coins of silver was the bargained price.

Chorus

Verse 4 Men: In the upper room, our Lord met with his friends.

Women: Sharing bread and wine, he told them of his end.

Chorus

Verse 5 Men: Darkness filled the earth, he took his final breath.

Women: God’s plan was completed by our Saviour’s death.

Chorus

Verse 6 Men: Rising on the third day, conquering the grave.

Women: Overcoming sin, our lives he came to save.

Chorus

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Hilary adds: “Here is an additional one that Mum (Margaret Wilson) has

written to the tune of ‘There is a green hill far away.' ”

1. What joys the jostling crowds express,

With songs they praise their King;

Not knowing what foreboding signs

The coming days would bring.

2. And Christ with heavy heart laid bare,

Sought full obedience still;

With tears and sweat beyond compare

He chose to do God’s will.

3. With crown of thorns and riven side,

Of friends bereft he seemed;

Our Saviour died on Calvary

That we might be redeemed.

4. As cold within the tomb He lay,

His friends distraught and lost;

Could find no answer for His death

- Why did He pay such cost?

5. But joy returned on Easter morn,

Behold! The empty tomb.

For Christ had risen, conquered death;

And heaven became our home.

6. So let us share our Easter joy

With lives where Christ can shine;

So all we meet along life’s path

May meet with Christ divine.

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THANK YOU LETTERS

Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers

brought by Helen, who helps such a lot. I

appreciated it so much at this time.

Muriel Clark

I would like to thank everyone at Poynton Methodist Church for their very

warm welcome since I joined you on the 20th December 2015. It has helped me

greatly in settling in to this beautiful village. Thank you also for the flowers.

You are all very kind. God bless.

Marie Moncaster

"Caring and sharing" from you all in so many ways, was such a support last month, and I send my grateful thanks to everyone. Gill Oldham

As you may be aware I have not been very well recently. It was a nice surprise to receive some bright and cheerful daffodils last Sunday from Brenda and Anne. Thank you all, and for the kind enquiries church members have made recently. Nadia Garner

Our Church Family encourages everyone to Grow in Fellowship, joy and love…

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CHURCH FAMILY NEWS

Happy Birthday to Harry Wilbourne who will be 7 on 30th March.

We regret having to convey to our readers sad news about three of

our church family in this edition:

We send our sincere condolences to Dulcie Linnell, whose husband

Leslie died in Woodlands Care Home during the night of Saturday

6th February.

In addition, we send our sincere condolences to Muriel Clark and

her family whose husband Bill passed away peacefully in the early

hours of Monday morning 15th February.

We also regret to record the death of Ken Manuel who died

peacefully early on Wednesday morning 17th February and send our

sincere condolences to Elaine, Kenny and their families.

Further afield, we hear of the death due to a car accident on

Tuesday morning 16th February of Rev Michael Etheridge with whom

Rev John did his ministerial training at Wesley House. We pray for his

wife Helen and their four young children in Gloucester and indeed

for Rev John for whom this news was a terrible shock.

We hold all of these grieving families high in our thoughts and

prayers at this difficult time and pray also for all others who are

feeling the loss of loved ones.

***

TWITTER

Did you know that we have a Twitter account?

Search for: @PoyntonMC

Zoë Dawson

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LADIES’ FELLOWSHIP

On 4th February we had a joyful evening listening to Sally Jolly and

her choir. We even joined in with one or two songs, although some

of us couldn't sing (so we said)!!

18th February found us listening to a talk on "The Macclesfield Canal

- Then & Now", given by Mr. Tony Benson.

We are having an Open Evening on 3rd March when Jean

Westbrook will be giving us a "Dementia Awareness" talk. Please

come along and support her; this will interest lots of people. Julie

Hallworth will be leading this meeting, which will begin as usual at

7.45pm.

Our usual lunch out will be at The Ciao

at 12.45pm for a 1.00pm start on 17th

March. If any lady would like to join us,

please see Barbara Dixon who will give

you a menu to choose from.

7th April is when Mrs Fraser will be giving us a talk on "The Jewish Way

of Life”. Mrs Fraser was booked to come to us last year in January,

but due to bad weather she couldn't come, so we will be happy to

welcome her belatedly.

Date for your diary. We will be having

our usual Charity Coffee Morning, on

16th April.

This year it is in aid of Woodlands Care

Centre, Poynton. Details will be given

in the next Herald.

Sandra Townsend

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THE CHURCH IS NOT THE BUILDING BUT...

Over the past couple of months there have been some notable

changes made to the interior of our church building. Prior to her

departure ‘down south’ Carol Cotton was successful in obtaining a

grant from Cheshire East to cover part of the cost of renovating

Rooms 1& 2. As a result of a great deal of hard work we now have a

much brighter, tidier and easier to maintain facility for the church

and the many other users who make this their meeting place each

week.

The initial preparation work started in October 2015, when we took

down the old sliding room divider and with more help were able to

remove it for re-cycling. It continued with the filling, sanding and

painting of the areas where the divider had been. Around this time

the block work walls were painted in Magnolia. The toddler’s

storage cupboard and radiators were all painted in Wedgewood

by the church men’s group.

Early November saw the supply and fitting of the window blinds. Old

curtains and rails had previously been removed by the men’s

group. An old sink was removed and the wall surfaces made good.

During the Christmas holiday period the flooring contractor was in,

initially to fit underlay and carpet at the top end of the room and

later, the further ⅔ of the floor was boarded and covered with

Luvanto vinyl plank type flooring in an oak finish. This surface is

hardwearing and easy to keep clean and should not need re-

finishing, unlike our old flooring. The risk of splinters and improved

hygiene are further bonuses from this system.

The carpeted area is particularly popular with mums who can allow

their babies to crawl safely around and for Brownies and Guides

who already seem to respect the carpet removing their shoes

before using it – thanks!

Several notice boards were cleaned and all staples removed

before repainting in warm yellow with Wedgwood borders to co-

ordinate with the radiators and cupboard finish.

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Finally, new lightweight folding tables

have been purchased to replace the

old stacking ones. This helps with lifting

risks and also reduces the damage

caused by dragging stacks of tables

around the floor. A significant time

was spent replacing the feet on all

chairs used in the room, again to

prevent further floor damage.

There have also been changes made to the front of the church in

our coffee area. We have had a new skylight installed to make the

area much brighter especially on

dark winter days. We have also (or

are in the process of) moving various

offices around. Open Hands will

move into Rev John’s office, he in

turn will move into the old church

office and this will transfer into where

Open Hands used to operate. This will

mean that anyone coming into

church will be able to access information about the church from its

notice boards and also via contact with Betty (and others) via the

reception window linking the coffee area with the new office.

An awful lot of this work has been carried out by church volunteers,

which has enabled us to reduce the cost of the work considerably

and also to do a more thorough job.

The groups who benefit from this project are:-

Church members

Who Let the Dads out (dads and toddlers group)

Evolve (youth group)

Crèche

Kids Zone (before and after school club)

Brownies

2 groups of Guides

Rangers

Mums and Toddlers

Occasional bookings for various meetings.

Rev John

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AN EGGSTRAORDINARY EVENT

Getting egg-cited about Easter?

Come and celebrate Christ's resurrection with your

church family. Following the 9.00am communion

service on Easter Day, we will be sharing a

breakfast of boiled eggs and toast (demilitarised

soldiers, if you prefer) in Rooms 1 & 2. Alternatively,

arrive (more than three minutes) early for the

10.30am family service… crack a shell together

and enjoy the fun and yolks.

It promises to be an egg-cellent time. (Fabulous, not Fabergé!)

Sign-up sheets will be available nearer the time on which to lay your

pen so we can have an eggs-act idea of the dozens arriving, but all

are welcome.

Catharine Hughes

***

Easter Cards will be on sale from the end of February all priced at £1.00

Thank you for your support

ArtRelax

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PASTORAL COMMITTEE

There will a meeting of the full Pastoral Committee on Monday 29th

February at 7.30pm in PMC Room 3.

John Turner

PROPERTY UPDATE

Church and hall heating boilers serviced by outside contractors.

Repair to a water leak inside PMC kitchen LINCAT water heater.

Cobwebs removed from high elevations inside church worship

area.

Blind repaired in ‘old office’.

Safety restraining hook and chain provided at rear of door in

Room 2.

New lamp fitted in kitchen light unit.

The Open Hands and PMC telephone lines have been switched

into their new office locations.

The computer data cables and printer have been re-routed to

the new office.

The new office KEY will remain the same. The door locks have

been switched to eliminate the need for a large number of keys

to be cut.

A VELUX skylight has been fitted to the lobby/foyer area to

improve lighting. Factor 30 is recommended for the summer.

The small corridor adjacent to Rooms 1 and 2 has been

repainted.

ROOM CHANGES

1. As you will have noticed, the ‘old’ Room 4 is now the church

office. A reception window to the lobby area has been provided to

provide communication with any visitors to the church.

2. We are in the process of moving the Minister to the ‘old’ church

office. It (the room) will be repainted before the final changeover.

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3. OPEN HANDS are now lodged in their new room. The final process

of locating furniture/equipment is to be completed for all affected

rooms. (See also pages 18/19)

SECURITY

On at least two occasions recently doors have been found to be

insecure, probably after evening use. Will all members/users be

vigilant to security at all times please?

Additionally, we had a meeting this week on an allied matter with

the local PCSO, Lisa Firmanek. She drew attention to a website,

‘CHESHIRE ALERT’. This is part of the community link from Cheshire

Police. If you register at the site you can receive a monthly E mail

which you may find useful, advising you of incidents/crime in your

relevant area,

WATER BOILER (HALL)

We are aware that the wall-mounted water heater in the hall has

developed a leak. This heater provides hot water to all the taps in

the hall. A new one will be ordered soon.

PROPERTY (General)

The next meeting of the Property Committee is on Thursday 18th

February 2016 at the church. If you have any items, contact David

Dippie, the Secretary. If you become aware of any defects in the

church/hall, please enter them in the Property Book in the church

foyer area. Sometimes we are aware of issues which may be in

hand, sometimes not.

MINISTER

Rumours of the Minister having been seen with a paint brush in hand

are speculative at this time. If anyone can confirm this, he may be

due for a ‘decoration’.

PMC Property Committee

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COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS – CHRISTIAN AID

After praying with the Persecuted Church on the first Sunday in Lent

you were given Christian

Aid’s leaflet asking us to

count our blessings. If, as a

result, you have collected

money, please put it in the

Church collection on Easter

Sunday or the Sunday after,

clearly labelled it so that one

collective cheque can be

sent. Thank you.

Mandy Hawkyard

OUR NEXT COLLECTION of CLOTHES and BRIC-A-BRAC for the CHARITY MIND will be on Saturday 14th May 2016

As usual the charity does not want any books

FURTHER DETAILS in next month’s Herald Collection bags will be available in April

FAMILY COMMITTEE

Why are zero scores in tennis called ‘love’?

Because in France, where tennis became popular, the round zero

on the scoreboard looked like (the) egg, the French word for which

is l’oeuf. When tennis was introduced into the US, it was

mispronounced ‘love’.

Our Church Family encourages everyone To go out, share the Good News and serve in the world.

24

THE REFUGEES’ STORY – A REFLECTION Posted on 22 December 2015 by Joint Public Issues

For two days now we had hardly slept or eaten. We just kept on

walking, following the refugee trail, seeking to put as much distance

as we could between ourselves and those who wished us certain

harm. Even now I fear every noise and every stranger; the images of

heartless slaughter still etched into my mind. The screams of mothers

clinging to their lifeless children haunted me, along with the sound

of the brutal mocking blows that bore down on those men who

desperately tried to stand between the soldiers and their loved

ones.

Our new life, our new child – we just had to run to preserve what we

had. People said that I was lucky to have the good sense to get out

before the death squads got around to our house. For some reason

they seemed to have targeted the richer neighbourhoods first. For

once I was glad that we’d been reduced to living in borrowed

rooms and makeshift shelters. But sitting here now, a lost stranger in

someone else’s land, I wondered if our lot was any better than that

of those we had left behind.

Just a few months earlier, our whole future had seemed so happy

and secure. We had plans and dreams of settling down, taking on

my father’s business and giving him and my mother grandchildren

to be proud of. But look at us now: another helpless refugee family

running to stay ahead of the latest tide of hate and bloodshed.

We needed to rest. The border was now just a few miles away, with

a whole new round of dangers and threats. I’d heard stories about

some of the army patrols and the demands they made of refugee

women if they wanted safe passage. Even if we did get through,

what would be waiting for us on the other side? What kind of life

could I provide for my wife and our infant child in a place I had

never even been before? I had skills; I was a trained craftsman. But

I’d heard that migrant workers were not welcome in some parts; we

seemed to be seen as more of a threat than useful citizens.

25

But there was no time for such thoughts.

Right now we just needed rest, so we

wandered over to where another group of

migrant refugees had made camp. I still had

some money left that my brother had given

me before he smuggled us out of the city;

perhaps it could buy us some food. I noticed

a few women with young children of their

own; maybe they would find my wife some

shelter and safe space where she could feed our restless child.

“Come on,” I said, pointing across to the makeshift camp. “Let’s see

if we can spend the night with them.” But though I tried to hide it,

she could sense the uncertainty and fear that I was harbouring.

“Joseph,” she whispered, “it will be all right. Remember what the

angels told us: this is God’s child. He will be with us.”

What is the Joint Public Issues Team?

Since 2007, the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) has combined the

expertise of the Baptist Union, the Methodist Church and the United

Reformed Church in the area of public issues. In March 2015, the

Church of Scotland joined JPIT for a one year pilot partnership.

The Team aims to enable our four Churches to work together in

living out the gospel of Christ in the Church and in wider society. We

aim to promote equality and justice by influencing those in power

and by energising and supporting local congregations.

http://www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/

26

The Manchester and Stockport

District of the Methodist Church

The Manchester and Stockport District covers a significant part of

Greater Manchester and extends into Cheshire and Derbyshire.

Although relatively geographically compact, it covers inner city,

industrial, post-industrial, suburban and rural areas. Within the

apparently more prosperous circuits, areas of poverty and need are

to be found. Just as no two towns are the same, the issues and

challenges we face in rural Derbyshire are different from those in

rural Cheshire.

All are welcome ...

The District embraces a rich breadth and variety of theological

perspectives and worship styles. A range of fresh expressions of

Church (messy church, cafe Church, arts based projects etc.) are

nurtured without neglecting the other, more traditional, expressions.

… and supported

There are 145 churches across 19 circuits, and a total membership

of 8,400. The District seeks to support each circuit and church to

meet the needs of their members and the communities in which

they serve, offering opportunities to worship, work and learn

together.

We hope that our web site, http://www.mandsmethodists.org.uk/

gives you a feel for who we are, what we believe and what we do,

and encourages you to share with us in the journey of faith in Christ

Jesus.

If you need to contact us, click on a photograph on our contact

web page http://www.mandsmethodists.org.uk/contact-us.html

27

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism:

To steal from many is research.

I didn’t say it was your fault; I said I was blaming you.

THE APRIL HERALD Closing date for submissions will be 16th March (or earlier if possible).

Please place articles in the Herald pigeonhole or preferably send

them by e-mail to: herald@poyntonmethodist.org

TO ALL HERALD DISTRIBUTORS

The April Herald will be available for you to pick up from 25th March.

There are sometimes events taking place in the first week of each

new magazine and we hope that as many as possible receive the

details in time.

To all those who are listed as contacts on our back page. Please tell us via a note in the Herald pigeonhole whenever there

are changes to times or contacts. We only know when we are told.

Copyright

Many thanks once again to all our contributors. We have no

problem with those that are the work of the sender, but sometimes

we receive pieces for inclusion that have appeared elsewhere.

These too are welcome. If you wish to contribute in this way, please

obtain permission and let us know the source so that due

acknowledgement can be made.

The back page contains a list of useful contacts. You will find others in the

Church Contact List, the Circuit Plan and the Circuit Directory. Our website

is: http://www.poyntonmethodist.org or find us on Twitter: search for

@PoyntonMC.

The connexional website: http://www.methodist.org.uk contains a wealth

of useful and interesting information including President and Vice-President

blogs about the visits they are making.

To donate furniture or arrange a house clearance and help Romania and

other countries, contact Jeff Stoker, LIM Distribution Manager on 0796

7751494.

28

Our Minister, Rev John Wiseman, is available in the church office (871592) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The light by the door shows red when he is engaged. You can leave messages for him in the Minister’s pigeonhole, or please call him or leave a message at home on 261769 or via his email jwiserev@hotmail.co.uk If there is no reply and there is an immediate emergency, phone Rev John Payne 0161 483 4952. The church office is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.00am until 1.00pm. For Church Notices and office queries please contact: office@poyntonmethodist.org

EVERY WEEKDAY

9.00am-3.00pm Preschool. Single sessions available. (Sarah Parker 871115)

#Kids Zone – (Pam Dowd 07717 003 322)

7.30am and 3.00pm - Before & after school club

7.30am to 6.00pm - Holiday care

10.00am to 12.30pm #Open Hands Room 4 (878589) Coffee in the Lounge

MONDAY

10-11.00am Discussion Group/Bible Study (Theo Eaves 875162)

TUESDAY

9.45am-10.45am Meeting for Prayer (Mandy Hawkyard 875032)

7.30-9.00pm 3rd Poynton Guides and Rangers (Lyndsay Lamb 07950 187 480)

WEDNESDAY

5-6.00pm #2nd Poynton Rainbows (Sue Dyson 07515 883 585)

6.00-7.30pm #2nd Poynton Brownies (Catherine Potts 07979 955 804)

7.00-9.00pm Art Relax (Linda Grant 879663/Hilary King 877051)

7.30-9.00pm #4th Poynton Guides (Alison Southern 07905 133 073)

THURSDAY

9.30-11.30am Parents and Toddlers (Mandy Hawkyard 875032)

11.00am *Friends Together (Mandy Hawkyard 875032)

12.00 noon followed by Communion Service and Lunch

7.30-9.00pm #1st Poynton Guides (Georgia Eyre 07989 360 850)

7.30-9.30pm *Ladies’ Fellowship (Sandra Townsend 878563)

7.30pm *Prayer and Praise Monthly 2nd Thursday (Mandy Hawkyard 875032)

SUNDAY

10.30am Crèche – 0-3 years (Denise Reid 871961)

10.30am Young Church – 3-11 years (Rachel/Ian Hall 872062)

10.30am +Evolve – 11-18 years (Sally Holmes 260451/Jane Robson 879998)

6.00pm *+FoB School Years 6-13 (Judy Gibbons 878016/Christine Ding 859438)

All the activities listed here take place weekly on Church premises except for:

*fortnightly or monthly +not on Church premises #not PMC organised

(Please see the weekly notices or the notice board in the corridor for details).

ROOM BOOKING APPLICATIONS – Helen Ives (872465) 14 days notice requested if possible.