Diary Jan - Feb 2016
Sat 2 Jan
Sun 3 Jan
9 am
10.30 am
Weds 6 Jan
Sat 9 Jan
8 pm
9 am
3.30 pm
10.30 am
Sun 10 Jan
Sat 16 Jan
Sun 17 Jan
18-25 Jan
2 pm
10.30 am
Tues 29 Jan
Sat 23 Jan
Sun 24 Jan
7.30 pm
7 pm
10.30 am
6.45 pm
Sun 31 Jan
10.30 am
Weds 3 Feb
Sat 6 Feb
Sun 7 Feb
8 pm
9 am
10.30 am
Tues 9 Feb
11.30 am
– 2 pm
9 am
3.30 pm
10.30 am
11.30 am
10.30 am
10.30 am
Sat 13 Feb
Prayer Breakfast
Family Worship with Holy Communion.
The Revd Stephen Thornton
Elders Meeting
CTM Prayer Meeting at Christ Church
CTM Messy Church at Christ Church
Family Worship. Mr Paul Murphy (with River
Church). Followed by lunch with River Ch
Church family outing to Lane End panto
Family Worship. Mr Bob Robertson
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (see page
4 for details)
CTM Unity Supper at St Peter’s School
Burns Supper at Maidenhead URC
Family Worship. Ms Linda Jackson
CTM United Service at Newfield Community
Church (Foxes Piece School)
Family Worship AT MAIDENHEAD URC –
no service at Christ Church Marlow
Elders Meeting
Prayer Breakfast
Family Worship with Holy Communion.
Revd Dr Margaret Yee
Pancake Day at Marlow Methodist Church
CTM Prayer Meeting at Christ Church
CTM Messy Church at Christ Church
Sun 14 Feb
Family Worship. The Elders
Tues 17 Feb
CTM Pancake Day at Marlow Methodist
Sun 21 Feb
Family Worship. Mr Mike Truman
Sun 28 Feb
Family Worship. Revd Barrie Cheetham
Fri 4 Mar
Women’s World Day of Prayer – details tba
Sat 5 Mar
9 am
Prayer Breakfast
Sun 6 Mar
10.30 am Family Worship with Holy Communion.
Revd Derek Lindfield
Church AGM will be on Sunday 10 April (Interim Moderator to chair)
New Forum copy deadlines for 2016
21 Feb, 24 Apr, 19 Jun, 21 Aug, 23 Oct, 18 Dec
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December 2015
Dear friends,
The season of Christmas is just past and we must now look ahead to the New Year.
Christmas however does give us time to pause, to reflect on the good times we have
known in the year drawing to its close, and to thank God for them. Some of us may
have also had challenging experiences and difficulties to face such as the loss of
family loved ones, or serious illness. In difficult times such as these it is a great
comfort for us to be able to take these trials and tribulations to God in prayer. We
could not live in the world today without the skills and abilities of the medical
profession. We thank God also that this is so. But the medical profession on its own
cannot give us the inner strength we need to find when times are tough. This inner
strength comes to us from God. That’s why we do need to focus on prayer. With the
help that we can receive, we can find not only that we are in a much better frame of
mind to deal with immediate challenges but also that we have enough strength to be
able to extend God’s love to others. This Christmas for the first time in over thirty
years I’m spending Christmas in Scotland with my sister whose husband died in
May. I shall be attending services in her local Church of Scotland church, and the
thoughts I have set out above will be very much the guidelines for my own prayers.
As we look ahead to the New Year, as a congregation we must continue to ask God
to lead a new minister to the Marlow and Maidenhead United Reformed churches.
We have coped over the past year without a Minister. We thank God for all the
many people in the congregation who have helped us to do so, ordinary members,
visiting lay preachers and elders. We may now be a small congregation in number,
but we are most fortunate in having among us individuals of deep faith, conviction
and understanding. So, let us also not forget to thank God for all these servants of
his, and for what they have done to sustain us.
These are difficult times in which we live. The refugee problem is very much with
us these days. It is hard to understand the enormous difficulties with which we are
faced, and for which peaceful solutions need to be found. Individually there is
probably not much that we can do about it, or so we think. I was reading recently an
account of the events which led up to the fall of the iron curtain. There were a series
of events in what was then East Germany. Ordinary people lighting candles in
churches, and in effect praying for peace and reconciliation. This movement by
ordinary citizens, just like you and me, simply going into churches lighting candles
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and holding services led to the capitulation of the East German communist regime
and shortly thereafter the fall of the iron curtain across Europe. For decades prior to
these events I had firmly believed that Germany would never be reunited, at least
not in my lifetime. These events were nothing short of a miracle.
So, as we take time to celebrate the birth of the Christ child, and the hope and joy he
brought to the world two centuries ago, may I suggest that the least we can do is to
pray fervently for another such peaceful revolution in the Middle East.
In conclusion I wish everyone reading this “A GUID NEW YEAR”.
Yours in Faith,
George Flett
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2016
The theme for the Week of Prayer has been chosen by the churches of Latvia. The
title Salt of the Earth is taken from the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:13-14, where
we are called to be both salt of the earth and light to the world. The material for
use at prayer meetings and in the main service will help us to reflect on our
Christian vocation, to be one in Christ, and to work together in service to our local
community and the world.
The Unity Supper will be held at St Peter’s School on Tuesday 19 January at 7.30
pm, when the speaker will be Gina Sharpe. Gina will come as a representative of
Open Doors, and speak about our Christian brothers and sisters who remain in
Syria. During the week, prayer meetings will be held at 12.30 at Marlow Methodist
(Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) and there will be a united service on
Sunday 24 January at Newfield Community Church (formerly Marlow Christian
Fellowship) at Foxes Piece School.
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Enough: a prayer
Loving God, you have provided enough
Yet so often in our quest for more
Others are left with less.
You have provided enough
Yet we are reluctant to share
Lest others take our generosity for granted.
You have provided enough
Yet in believing that we have deserved it
We place our own interests before those of others.
You have provided enough
Yet others doubt your goodness
Because we have forgotten how to share.
You have provided enough
Yet we are afraid to be generous
Lest some receive what we do not consider them to deserve.
You have provided enough
But in failing to trust you for tomorrow
We accumulate what we can from today
While others still face the debts of yesterday.
You have provided enough
Yet your likeness is obscured
As we refashion your world according to our own values.
You have provided enough
To forgive us when we forget the ways of your kingdom
To challenge us when we forget your justice
To inspire us to strive for a world that is different
So help us by your grace
So to live and act and speak
That every human being
Might discover your “enough”.
Amen
Written by the Revd Phil Jump www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/enough
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Churches Together in Marlow
Pancake Day: Come and celebrate Pancake Day at Marlow Methodist Church on
Tuesday 9 February from 11.30 am – 2.00 pm. Proceeds to Marlow Lighthouse.
Lent Study Groups: The York Course for Lent is The Psalms – prayers for today’s
church. The booklet written by Bishop Stephen Cottrell is complemented by a CD
containing five 14-minute radio-style starters for group discussion. Canon Simon
Bell puts questions to Revd John Bell (Iona Community), Revd Preb Rose HudsonWilkin (Chaplain House of Commons) and Fr Timothy Radcliffe Dominican Friar).
Each session closes with a reflection by Revd Dr Jane Leach (Principal Wesley
House). Reflections on the psalms in general (and five psalms in particular) help us
to address many of the problems we still face: violence, injustice, anger – and
bewilderment. Why do the wicked prosper? Where is God when we suffer?
Details and registration forms to join a Lent Study Group will be available at the
Unity Supper and in churches. There will be five sessions, starting in the week
beginning 15 February and ending before Holy Week.
Shoeboxes: Liz Ferris says a huge thank-you to everyone who helped with the Link
to Hope Shoebox Appeal. A total of 165 boxes left Marlow on 8 November at the
start of their long journey to Eastern Europe.
Evening with Henry Olonga 26 November:
This was a successful evening held at Sir
William Borlase’s School Hall. Henry (who
opened our Zimbabwe sculpture exhibition
in 2010) spoke to an audience of 60
including members of Marlow Sports Club.
There were cricket memories, song and
much food for thought. The evening closed
with rapturous applause. Henry has written
about his experiences in Blood, Sweat and
Treason – My Story. Hardback copies of his
book may be obtained through Paddy
Gallaugher (paddygallaugher@gmail.com)
and costs £15. It is an exciting story and
would make a great gift.
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HARVEST SUPPER 30 October 2015
This year the supper was held at All Saints’ Marlow Church Hall, when over 80
people gathered to enjoy good food together. The church hall was garlanded
with bunting and decorated with harvest produce. Competitions were held,
songs were sung and much talk ensued. Allocation of the net proceeds of £355
will be going to Love Marlow. Next year’s supper is already booked for 14
October at St Peter’s Pugin Hall.
CELEBRATION AND AGM 10 November 2015
Immediately before the Celebration at All Saints’ Church Marlow, the CTM
committee met to elect officers for the coming year: namely Peter Hopkinson
(River Church, Chairman), Tom Craig (Christ Church, Treasurer) and Tony
Threlfall (All Saints’ Church Marlow, Secretary). The Celebration, attended by
45 people, was conducted by Revd Sarah Fitzgerald, with sung worship led by
Stewart Grenyer, and prayer by Sue Harley, Paddy Gallaugher and Liz Payne.
Reports were given by Peter Hopkinson and Dave Jones.
Peter spoke of his desire to see Christians working together as a group of
churches and his passion to engage with the wider community so that everyone
should hear of Jesus. During the year we had said a fond farewell to Revd David
Miller, who had tirelessly promoted and supported CTM during his time in
Marlow. Tributes were also made to two members of Marlow Bottom
Methodist Church, who have retired after many years of service. Mike Gilbert
was on the committee for nearly 40 years, including two 4-year periods as
chairman. He was also instrumental in setting up the now well-established
meetings of church leaders for fellowship, prayer and joint action. Dawn
Walker was instrumental in setting up the Prayer Links Group after the Mission
to Marlow in 1995, and has arranged the monthly lay prayer meetings that
have continued for the last 20 years.
Dave spoke of his calling to be a servant of the church and the town, and the
thinking behind Love Marlow. He referred to the community needs assessment
conducted under the direction of Peter Hopkinson that had highlighted the
need to combat loneliness, signpost sources of help, and build relationships
within the community. Next year’s Love Marlow festival will be extended to
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include two weekends, beginning with a social action/volunteering/community
building element and ending at the weekend of the town regatta. An Acts of
Kindness campaign along the lines of the 40 Acts of Kindness for Lent is being
considered.
During the Celebration, the church leaders standing together at the front recited a
commitment first made two years ago in which they promised to love and support
one another, to meet together regularly to eat and pray, and to work in partnership
to see God’s kingdom grow and the gospel advance in Marlow. Members of the
congregation then gathered round the church leaders to pray for them, their
families and their ministry. Earlier, the chairman had said that in addition to the
regular programme of events, prayer meetings, study groups, community care and
charity support, he hoped to see further development of the Marlow Healing
Rooms and Street Associations.
CTM Prayer Group
There is a regular CTM group meeting for prayers in Christ Church at 9 am on
the second Saturday of each month. All are very welcome.
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Christ Church Chat
River Church lunch – Sunday 10 January
As you should already have heard, after a couple of years using Christ Church our
friends from River Church are moving on to a school in Marlow. The main reason is
that they really want to be able to worship on Sunday mornings, and we can’t
accommodate both of us at the same time! It’s an amicable parting: we hope they
will continue to use our building for some of their prayer days and other events, and
of course the CTM Messy Church to which they make a big contribution will
continue to use our premises.
To mark the occasion, and so that we can say farewell to each other, River will be
worshipping with us on the morning of Sunday 10 January (the service will be led
by Paul Murphy, one of our regular URC lay preacher visitors) then cooking us
lunch to which everyone is most warmly invited. Do stay and enjoy lunch all
together that day!
Burns Supper – Saturday 23 January, 7 pm
Our annual Burns Supper will be on Saturday 23 January at Maidenhead URC.
Tickets (which must be bought in advance) will be available shortly from George
Flett. The supper will be followed by traditional speeches and entertainment,
including full audience participation in the dancing. We look forward to sharing the
entertainment this year with our friends at Maidenhead URC.
Spring Church Walk
As in previous years we invite you to join us on a daffodil walk. You won’t have
failed to notice that since it has been so mild recently the daffodils are already out!
So our walk will be sooner rather than later. Listen for announcements please and
we hope you will be able to join us!
New Forum Cover
Howard Thurman (1899-1981) was an influential American author, philosopher,
theologian, educator and civil rights leader. He was Dean of Chapel at Howard
University and Boston University for more than two decades, wrote 21 books, and in
1944 helped found a multicultural church. He was a mentor of Martin Luther King.
The quotation is from The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations by Howard
Thurman © 1985 by Friends United Press.
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Treasurer’s Report
Weekly Offerings 2015 to 6th Dec
Envelopes/Bank:
Loose cash:
Total:
2014 for comparison:
£11,980
£1,313
£13,293
£12,270
Up £1,022 (8.3%) year on year
Thank you very much for the donations you make to support the work of the church.
If you do not already use the envelope scheme, and would like to, please speak to
me as this helps us to reclaim tax under Gift Aid rules.
Results from Concerts
Did you know that Jean and I ran no fewer than 11 musical events in Christ Church
this year? (That’s not counting a couple of others, part of the inaugural Marlow
Festival of Wind and Brass Music, that we ran at other venues in the town). If
somehow you managed not to come to any of them, perhaps it could be your new
year’s resolution to try harder in 2016! Meanwhile, our thanks to those who came
more or less regularly – your support really is invaluable to us.
We stepped up the concert programme in 2013 to raise money for the purchase of
the grand piano. Once that was achieved, Church Meeting agreed that we should
continue to raise money for the Music Fund. At the same time, we also designate
certain concerts for other causes. Concerts in 2015 raised:
For Christ Church Music Fund:
For Christian Aid:
For Chiltern Music Academy:
£1684.56
£238.75
£275.00
With the inclusion also of a few other donations, the balance on the Music Fund at
year end is expected to be £3,880 which is available to use for anything that will
support music in the church – which might include better lighting, for example. And
look out for the posters and flyers promoting our next season!
Hall Lettings
Hall lettings are jointly managed by Martin Beck and myself. We have many
“anchor” hirers, some of whom have used our building for many years, such as the
Playgroup, Pilates, Weightwatchers, Yoga, the Marlow Society and the Friday
French club, as well as the annual Cards for Good Causes. Others have been added
in recent years, now including three separate U3A groups, a meditation group, the
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Marlow Music Makers and the Marlow Orchestra. Not forgetting George’s Scottish
Dancing! And then there are a whole number of occasionals and one-offs, some of
whom we hope will become regulars, such as recent bookings for First Aid courses
and from NCT. We have also had significant income from River Church bookings
over the past two years but that will be much reduced in 2016.
And the moral of the story is…? Well, firstly: the church is heavily used at certain
times of the week so if you want to put on an event or make some use of the
building do make sure you get in early with a booking request to one of the Martins.
And, secondly, despite the good usage there is still plenty of spare capacity at certain
times, particularly on weekday afternoons, on Friday evenings and on many
weekends, and for the smaller rooms such as the Tower Room. So, if you are a
member of a club that meets elsewhere and you think it might be interested in using
Christ Church, let us know and we can explore the options for them.
Martin Ashford
Celebrate the second half of your life, say Churches
Nowadays, growing older is often seen as a reason for sadness or regret. But the
Church of England and the Methodist Church have published a new resource which
urges Christians to celebrate and affirm the ‘second half of life’. Seasons of My Soul
offers people a chance to share their lives and experiences. It ranges from our
identity, memories, transition times, wisdom, roles and relationships, to the need for
forgiveness and reconciliation, death and dying, and the celebration of life.
“As I approach retirement, I become ever more conscious of the importance of
Christians having constructive conversations about this potentially creative stage of
life,” says the Rt Revd John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford. “This invaluable resource
could help turn the tide in enabling creative discussion about the second half of life
– or, in my case, even the last third!” More info at:
www.methodistpublishing.org.uk/books/9781858523989/seasons-of-my-soul
Smile!
At the pearly gates, St Peter greeted a minister and a member of
parliament and gave them their room keys. ‘Vicar, here are the keys to
one of our nicest single rooms. And for you, Mr MP, the keys to our
finest penthouse suite.’ The vicar began to protest that this was
unfair. ‘Listen,’ St Peter said, ‘Ministers are ten a penny up here, but
this is the first MP we’ve ever seen.
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Cowper and Newton Museum, Olney, Bucks
In the depths of winter it’s nice to remember the warmer days so I am going to
recall a day out we had in August last year. I had wanted to visit the Cowper and
Newton Museum for some time but after we saw the Saltmine Trust’s production
of Amazing Grace, arranged last year by CTM at Court Garden Marlow, it was a
must. The production at Court Garden was brilliantly acted and truly remarkable.
It told the story of John Newton’s conversion, his ministry in Olney and St Mary
Woolnoth, London, his involvement in the abolitionist movement that led
eventually to the abolition of the slave trade, and his friendship with the poet
William Cowper.
Olney is a pretty market town just north of Milton Keynes, surrounded by meadows
and pleasant walks. The museum is right in the centre of the town, housed in an
imposing Georgian building made up of the two cottages once lived in by Cowper,
his servants and his unconventional family including Mary Unwin and her daughter.
There is a lovely garden and at the end of the path you discover the little summer
house where Cowper wrote and where he often met and discoursed with Newton.
Their collaboration resulted in the Olney Hymns. While Newton is remembered as
the author of ‘Amazing Grace’, Cowper’s ‘God Moves in a Mysterious Way’ and ‘O
for a Closer Walk with God’ have also survived the test of time.
The house itself is a treasure trove of delights … portraits, writing desk, furniture,
costumes, lacemaking, newspaper cuttings and nick nacks of all descriptions.
Cowper kept hares, dogs and goldfinches. You find snippets of his verse in every
nook and cranny, including ‘Epitaph on a Hare’ and ‘On a Spaniel called Beau’. His
poetry is cheerful and takes pleasure in nature, country life and friendship. There is
also a particularly touching poem written at the age of 59 on his receipt of a
portrait of his mother who had died when he was six. Cowper lived in Olney from
1768 to 1786, he subsequently moved down the road to Weston Underwood and
then to Norfolk. He was plagued with depression but writing poetry helped him
cling to sanity, and his many friends and admirers took care of him.
We also visited St Peter & St Paul in Olney where John Newton had been the vicar.
Newton was reinterred in the graveyard there in the nineteenth century when the
crypt at St Mary Woolnoth was affected by works on the London Underground. We
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picked blackberries in the meadows and dropped in on the National Trust property
Ascott to stroll in its beautiful gardens just south of Milton Keynes on the way
home. A lovely day.
Do any of you have a happy memory of a day trip or a holiday to share through
New Forum? I am always more than happy to receive contributions!
Jean Ashford
From the recent Wessex Synod newsletter …
THINGS THAT WORK
Recently, thanks to the Synod Moderators, a group of people got together to tell
their stories from around the country. They were about churches ‘serious about
mission’ who had stepped out in faith and made a difference in their community.
These stories are now on the internet to inspire and encourage. They are not
models or templates but ideas that others ‘can do too, wherever [they] are’.
The ‘blurb’ says no ‘specialist expertise, knowledge, equipment, personnel or
money’ is required. Please take a look and . . . pass it on!
http://thingsthatwork.urc.org.uk/mission-projects/
JESUS (by Sam Doubtfire)
If I could package faith into one parcel
And collect all hope into a single can –
If I could roll all love into one heart-ball
And commoditise it in a living man
I’d already have a fully detailed label
Prepared before the world itself began –
And it would have one name –
And that name – JESUS –
At the centre of God’s universal plan
To take the world along the course
God’s surge of love provoked
Till wholeness flows through everything
With God’s Spirit of life unyoked.
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Simple Arithmetic?
Ten little churchgoers said “We’re doing fine!”
Till a golf club claimed one, then there were nine.
Nine little churchgoers, not all considerate,
Caused one to feel unwelcome, then there were eight.
Eight little churchgoers aspiring towards Heaven
But one became an atheist, reducing them to seven.
Six little churchgoers striving still to thrive
One lay longer in his bed – and then there were five.
Five little churchgoers found praying such a chore –
One gave up completely – then there were four.
Four little churchgoers sang choruses with glee
But one of them was out of tune with the other three.
Three little churchgoers all caught a dose of flu
No-one called on one of them – then there were two.
Two little churchgoers unsure what could be done
Had a difference of opinion – leaving only one.
One little Christian, knowing what to do
By praying, praising, witnessing soon became two.
Two little Christians, as a faithful core
Converted soon another two, adding up to four.
Four little Christians, their faith did demonstrate
By doubling their number – resulting now in eight.
Eight little Christians witnessed more and more
Until their church was full of – Christians galore!
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Duty Rota
Jan - Feb 2016
Date
3 Jan
10 Jan
17 Jan
24 Jan
31 Jan
7 Feb
14 Feb
21 Feb
28 Feb
6 Mar
Elder
Mrs Smith
Mr Ashford
Mrs Bailey
Mr Beck
At Maidenhead
Mrs Brownridge
Mrs Blair
Mrs Connolly
Mr Flett
Mrs Hunt
Steward
Mrs Willshire
Mrs Wyllie
Mrs Read
Mr Hof
Steward
Mr Wendes
Mrs Inman
Dr Johnson
Mrs Jones
Mrs Wright
Mrs Milne
Mrs Beck
Mrs Read
Mrs Waters
Mrs Bluett
Miss Milne
Mrs Willshire
Mrs Wyllie
Mr Wendes
Communion duties:
Table preparation
3 Jan
Mr Ashford
7 Feb
Mrs Blair
6 Mar
Mr Beck
Serving
Mrs Smith
Mrs Bailey
Mrs Brownridge
Flowers
Please sign up on the notice board to celebrate your birthdays etc. If you would
like flowers arranged for a special occasion, please arrange this with Janet Milne,
Judith Inman, Alison Jones or Nicki Connolly.
3 Jan
Flower Fund
10 Jan
Vic Sharp
17 Jan
24 Jan
31 Jan
At Maidenhead URC
7 Feb
Janet Milne
14 Feb
21 Feb
28 Feb
Vic Sharp
6 Mar
The Wright family
New Forum
Please send copy for the March-April issue to the editor
by Sunday 21 Feb – hand to me at church
or email jeanashford@yahoo.com
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Christ Church United Reformed Church
Oxford Road, Marlow, Bucks SL7 2NL
Sundays 10.30 am
Morning Worship - Family Service and Junior Church
Holy Communion every first Sunday in the month
Minister – to be appointed
Interim Moderator – Mr Sydney Shore
Contact via Church Secretary
Hon Secretary
Martin Beck
11 Clarefield Drive
Maidenhead
SL6 5DW
01628 620066
Hon Treasurer
Martin Ashford
24 Squirrel Rise
Marlow Bottom
Bucks SL7 3PN
Tel: 01628 486227
Hall bookings
Email: bookings@christchurch-marlow.org.uk
Check your bookings via our website:
www.christchurch-marlow.org.uk
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