Newsletter 1 of St. George’s
URC Hartlepool
April-May 2015
Dear Friends
“He is risen! Hallelujah.”
Here we are in the most significant season of the Church’s year.
Some may say that that is Christmas, and there is certainly a good case to be made for
marking the incarnation God with us. The secular world seems to have adopted Christmas,
which is celebrated around the world and in so many cultures, although the Christian element
of many of the festivities is often fairly minimal.
Marking Holy Week and Good Friday, is generally something only Christians do, while for
many Easter has become a festival of chocolate and bunnies, and perhaps a celebration of
springtime. Yet what we mark over these few days is the very heart of what our faith is
about. We reflect on how far God in Christ has gone to reconcile us to himself. We reflect on
His victory over all that is life-denying; on the confrontation of Christ’s teaching with power
and vested interests; on what it means to live for others. And of course it opens for us the
promise of new and eternal life.
Into what the writer of Ecclesiastes talks of as an endless and meaningless cycle of life and
death, this event comes and breaks the pattern. It offers us an entirely new future with God.
What could be more significant, more important for us and for all humankind? Easter brings
with it the most wonderful of promises, and gives us greatest reason to praise God. So we
wish one another a happy & blessed celebration of all that Easter means for us. And when we
do that, the hot-cross buns, and the eggs and bunnies and all the rest take their proper place
in our lives, as joyful reminders of all that the season means for us.
And of course this year the season of new beginnings has particular resonance for me as
retirement approaches. It has been a privilege to share a little of the life of St George’s over
the past year, as you too look forward in faith to the next stage in your life together. Let us
hold each other in prayer as we look to the God of new beginnings trusting that the one who
has done so much for us in love, will continue to use and bless us, whatever the future holds.
May the shalom of God, his deep peace and blessing be with us and with all, and bring you
joy this Easter. Your friend,
Colin
Dates for your Diaries
2
April
Sat 11th 2pm Organ Concert with Nicholas Martin
Sun 26th Family Meal after Service Gift Day
Mon 27th 10am
Elders’ Meeting
May
Sat 9th 6pm
Leaving Party for Rev Colin and Mrs Pattie Offor.- More details
soon.
Sun 10th 3pm Colin Offor’s Final Service followed by Tea. We are all invited.
Sat 16th
Pilots trip to West Midlands Safari Park Sat
th
30
Spring Fayre 9am – 12noon
June
Sat 13th 2.30pm Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and Quiz. More details later
CHURCHES TOGETHER
8am Prayer Meetings
8 April
College of Further Education
22 April 55 Hutton Avenue
13 May
College of Further Education
27 May
St George’s
Coffee Rota
APRIL
-
5th
12th
19th
26th
-
Wyn Parkinson, Janet White
Service at Grange Road
Enid and Alistair Bushnell, Dick Fletcher
Chris and Cathie Eddowes, Brian Carter
MAY
-
3rd
10th
17th
24th
31st
-
Aileen and Frank Whittaker, Val Rigg
Paul, Gillian and Emily Rodgers
Robert and Sheila Harrison, Sandra Hindmarch
Enid and Alistair Bushnell, Margaret Welford
Sheila Deacon, Valerie Waite, Rose Hastings
JUNE
-
7th 14th 21st 28th -
Will and Kaye Barlow, Moyra Mudd
Service at Grange Road
Andrew and Margaret Fraser, Brian Carter
Gail, Tarryn and Ashley Hoad
Please make sure you are in Church early enough to set out the tea and coffee things and get
everything ready before service starts. Please use Fair Trade goods. Tea, Coffee and Sugar are
provided. Bring milk (2 litres) and biscuits.
If you cannot do your turn please swap with someone else on the list. There is no need to leave your
seat before the end of the service to make tea and coffee. There is plenty of time for everyone to get to
the hall area and the boiler is ready to use.
3
PROJECT AFRICA
Thank you
The total for our ‘Send a Cow’ appeal stands at £4172p. Thank you to everyone who is supporting our
appeal.
Please, Please, keep saving your coppers etc.
Wishing you all a Happy Easter
Wyn Parkinson
I would like to thank you for your thoughts
and prayers and also for the cards and
flowers given to me at the time of my sister’s
death. Your compassion was a great source
of comfort and warmth during a difficult
time.
You are a blessing
Rose
Clifford Rodgers would like to thank
everyone for their sympathy and cards on the
death of his wife, Audrey, and also thank you
to those who attended the funeral at Redcar.
Gift Day
Our Gift Day this year is on
April 26th. Those of you who
receive hard copies of the
newsletter will find an envelope
enclosed for your use.
Those who receive the newsletter via email,
there are envelopes on the table at the church.
Please do pick one up and use it for your gift.
If you pay income tax, please do pick up a Gift Aid
form with your envelope and return that with your
gift.
Also on that day we are having lunch after
the service. Tickets will be available soon.
THANK YOU
I would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank
you” for the donations I have received towards the
production of the Newsletter. The donations are
very much appreciated and as
the saying goes, “every little helps.”
Thank You
Janet
Joyce Brodie would like to express her
heartfelt thanks for the cards, gifts and
flowers she received when she celebrated
her 90th birthday recently. Thank you very
much.
Organ Concert
By popular demand Nicholas Martin
is returning at 2pm on April 11th to perform
another concert.
On his last visit people
thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, and there
were a number of requests for a return visit.
Nicholas is an excellent organist he brings his
own organ, and has a screen up so that those
who are interested in what his hands and
feet are doing can watch. He also played our
organ, and he will probably the last outside
organist to do so before the restoration
begins in May.
There will be a raffle – drawn during the
interval. Any donations for this should be
given to Sandra Twist. Any offers of help
with the refreshments on the day would be
gratefully received.
The Cornerstone is open 6 days a week for your refreshment and for Traidcraft
supplies, cards, books etc.
4
Call in for a real homemade welcome
PLANTS FOR SALE
The summer fayre is being held on the 30th May and I hope to have various plants for sale.
the weather continues to be good and you would like plants earlier please let me know.
I hope to have a few trays of the following plants for sale:
Blue lobelia / white lobelia / trailing lobelia / tagetes / cosmos / nemesia / french marigold /
bedding geraniums / trailing geraniums / fibrous rooted begonias / statice / ( 6
plants in a tray for £1.00 ) Pots of garden sweet pea plants
Tomato plants:
Money maker (medium sized fruit) / Sweet Aperitif (sweet cherry fruits grown
indoor or outdoor) / Shirley F1 (medium sized ) San Marzana (plum ) / Sungold (large
trusses with small yellow to orange tomatoes ) red tumbling tom (basket tomato) If
you would like the tumbling toms I can pot up your basket now and keep it in our
greenhouse until the weather improves or you can make up your own if you have a
greenhouse.
I hope to have a few exhibition sweet pea plants left over. I
already have two orders for these.
Small hanging baskets £5.00
ALL PROCEEDS ARE FOR CHURCH FUNDS.
My e-mail address is sandra.twist@tesco.net or see list on the table
Don’t forget the Spring Fayre on Saturday 30th May
Donations needed for many stalls
Customers needed on the day
If
5
Bring your friends
The United Reformed Church Northern Synod Prayer Diary 2015
April
5
Easter – Synod trip to Mozambique this month; Elsdon Avenue LEP, Seaton Delaval;
Blyth; Revd Greg Thompson
12 St Mark’s, Amble; Revd Alison Mills
19 Interviews for shared Mission Enabler and Learning & Development Officer this week –
St George’s, High Heaton; St Cuthbert’s LEP, Heaton; Revd Dr Grant Wilson
26 PCM: Ministers in training at Ricatla Ecumenical Seminary and the work of the Seminary; Vasco
Sitoi as he continues his theological studies in Brazil; Bishop of Hexham & Newcastle Rt Revd Seamus
Cunningham
May
3
General Election this week – All who play a part in leading worship; Lay Preaching
Commissioner Mrs Barbara Allen
10 Ascension this week – Christian Aid Week – Christian Aid North East; Synod visit to Iona this week
17 Grindon; Roker; St Bede; Stockton Road, Sunderland; Boldon; Revd Dr David Whiting,
Church-Related Community Work Minister Mrs Helen Stephenson
24 Pentecost – Vocations – Those exploring vocations, student ministers, Training for
Learning & Serving students; Synod TLS Coordinator Mrs Chris Eddowes
31 Trinity – Trinity LEP, Gosforth; Ministry Team: Mr Andrew Clark; Revd John Paul; Revd Eden
Fletcher; Pastoral & Community Worker Ms Mary Bellshaw; PCM: The churches of the Limpopo
presbyteries in and around Gaza Province – together with Maputo the heartland of the Church
Church Register
Baptisms
15th February
Ashton Lee Wood
6
22nd February Kacie May Walker and Ashton Kai Walker- Littlewood
15th March
Miley Catherine Wager
th
29 March
Freddie Carter Porritt and Lillie Rose Porritt
Election Hustings
The Hartlepool Global Peace and Justice Group are holding a hustings with our parliamentary
candidates on Tuesday 28th April at 7pm in our church. It is always important that we should all
vote and this election could be very interesting in its result. Your vote will make a difference. Come
Our giving figures vary widely for CforL. The highest was in 2010 with £712.
Last year’s was £435.35. The following report doesn’t sound dramatic but
shows a real improvement in people’s lives.
along and hear what all the candidates have to say about their
policies. We shall be asking for questions from the audience.
Please put the date in your diary.
ZIMBABWE
Increased access to high value and viable markets for small groups through Dabane Trust
Follow- up mentorship visits to the micro-entrepreneurship workshop held for 51 (19 men, 32
women) revealed that daily operations have improved. Sales have increased to $420 in November
from an average of $250 in September and October. The increase was attributed to improved
marketing strategies that involve distributing products to group members for sale on a monthly basis
and participation in market fairs. The marketing officer plans to engage retailers and supermarkets in
Bulawayo for products such as sorghum meal which is in demand as evidenced by sales at market
fairs held in there. Despite the improved sales, the average income is still low, due to low productivity
levels.
Strengthening Producer Organization
As a result of a series of business management and leadership training and coaching sessions, the
smallholder producers have significantly improved their record keeping and accounting books to
enable them to monitor their income and expenditure and ensure profitability of their enterprises.
For example, income and expenditure records, costing, pricing, cash flow budgets and income statements
have significantly improved in presentation and content. Committee management meetings are being
held more regularly on a monthly basis and the marketing officer gives a detailed report on the
operations and finances. The group continues to diversify their products to include climate smart
products such as indigenous fruits and Mopane worms.
This is a large caterpillar which is an important source of protein for Southern Africans. Recipes
available.)
HUMANITARIAN ACTION• In the last decade, the number of people who need humanitarian aid and
the cost of helping them has significantly increased. Funding requirements have more than doubled,
to over $10bn per year. For 2015, the UN has appealed for more than $16bn
•
7
In the last decade, international funding has consistently failed to meet one third of the
humanitarian need outlined in UN appeals. At $4.7bn, 2013 saw the largest shortfall since 2000
between the amount requested and the amount given
•
• Hardly any crisis gets the funds to fully meet its needs, but the amount given is extraordinarily
unequal. For every $1 spent on a person affected by Haiti’s earthquake in 2010, 13 cents was
spent on a person in need in South Sudan in 2013, 9 cents in Sudan and 4 cents in the Central
African Republic. • The world spends nearly three times as much on ice cream as it does on
humanitarian aid: $59bn on ice cream against, in 2013, $22bn on humanitarian aid.
•
• In 2012, OECD countries spent just 6 percent ($630m) of their humanitarian assistance to fund
Disaster Risk Reduction. Since 1991 the international community has spent $69.9bn in response
to disasters, and only $13.5bn on risk reduction.
•
Yet prevention is value for money: every $1 spent on disaster resilience in Kenya has saved $2.90
in reduced humanitarian spend, reduced losses and development gains.
8
Loko walks alone for eight hours a day, in shoes so thin that thorns repeatedly pierce through to her feet, to gather and sell firewood so she can feed
her children.
Loko is frightened of being attacked by hyenas with no one to hear her screams. So
she prays as she walks. Her faith pushes her on.
It’s a job she dreads, but she has no choice; she must continue, week after week. If
she doesn’t, her children will starve. As it is, Loko can only afford to give them one
small meal a day.
th
Christian Aid Week is May 10 –
th
May 16 .
If you are able to distribute and collect
in your street or workplace etc, will you
please advise Paul H so that he can order
sufficient envelopes and Collector’s Packs.
Thank you.
• ‘I pray to God as I walk, asking him to change my life and lead us out of
this.’
Loko refuses to give up hope. She dreams of owning a cow one day; its milk would
help her children to grow strong, and she could also sell some so she could save
enough money to set up a small business buying and selling tea and coffee.
Give Loko hope
With your help, we can provide cows to vulnerable women in Ethiopia - just £150 is
enough to buy a female cow and a promising future for someone like Loko.
.
Christian Aid Week 2015 will focus on our transformative work in Ethiopia
9
Mad Hatter’s Tea
Party
Sat 13th April
2.30pm
Quiz, tea and hat competition
Easter Blessings to all our readers from the production team
9
News of People
A number of our church family are unwell or recovering from illness and Remembering Minnie
10
operations at this time. As I prepare this Newsletter, we are mourning the death of Minnie Callender.
Mourning somehow
seems the wrong word to use for a person like her; she was so full of life and fun that perhaps Amongst
them are Stan Foster, Irene Walton, Leon Hoad, Alan Woodhall, Harry Goulding, Ann Lewis ,George and
Wyn Parkinson, and Lewis Mul-“celebrating” is the real word to use.
down. We think of them often and hold them in our prayers, particularly Kathy When I was Minni’s
elder, I used to visit her on my way home from school and there was Thompson who is not allowed
visitors at present. always a hug, a kiss and a cup of tea with a Rington’s biscuit, followed by a
wonderful chat that certainly always did meMargaret Welford and Alan and May Ord have welcomed
additions to good. I felt it almost a selfish pleasure to visit her. There were her stories: their families
recently – a grandson for Margaret and a granddaughter for Alan of the Bombardment, the eclipse,
the goat, the parrot, the wheelbarrow and the police raid, and May. amongst others—all told with
great fun and enjoyment. One day she told me about a dream she’d had—about her funeral! It was a
burial, and, after everyone had left, she crept out from where Will Barlow's 50th birthday is on the 3rd
June. Happy Birthday you young ‘un. she’d been hiding behind the tombstone to look at the cards on
the flowers to see who had sent them. In reality, she left instructions for donations to the Hospice
from me, Minnie, with love and thanks for knowing such a wonderful
person.
Flower Donors
April 5 Chris
April 12
Mrs C Eddowes
April 19
Mrs E Welsh
April 26
Miss M Rodgers
May 3
Mr and Mrs W White
May 10
morning. May 24
just offer.
The Flower Ladies are arranging May 17
deliveries on each Sunday
If you would like to help on any parMay 31 Mrs S Twist ticular day–
instead of flowers—but these are
MINNIE CALLENDER (nee: Kirkpatrick)
11
The corrugated iron building preceded the Belle Vue Congregational Church, which was built in
Stewards’ Rota
-
Ashgrove Avenue in the 1920s. Minnie worshipped in the old chapel as a youngster and, apart
from her years away from the town, was always associated with Belle Vue Congs. She had a short
April 19
Mrs. G. Hoad
spell away in the late 40s and early 50s because the minister of
the time would not accept her bMiss A. Hoad
e
Mr. R. Fletcher
cause of her marriage to Herbert, who was a divorcee. This did
not deter Minnie since she was not Mr. W. White
* Mr. G. Parkinson * April 26
Mr. K. Hoad
one to hold grudges and she returned once the minister
concerned had moved on. She wouldn`t be Mrs. M. Hoad
Mr. A. Fraser
parted
from her church and from corporate worship for long. Mr. P. Humberston * Mr. F. Whittaker *
May 3
Mr. A. Bushnell
Minnie`s work in the church was often in the background,
bustling about in the kitchen or at Mrs. E. Bushnell
Miss E. Rodgers bazaars or
jumble sales, but eventually she did become an elder and always went about her work Mr. G.Parkinson
* Mr. A. Fraser *
May 10
Mrs. G. Hoad
quietly and willingly. Perhaps, though, `quietly` is the wrong
word for wherever she was and no Miss A. Hoad
Mr. R. Fletcher
matter what
she was doing she would be talking, giggling or singing!! Singing was one of her Mr. F. Whittaker
* Mr. W. White * May 17
Mr. A. Fraser
great loves and, in her younger days, she would
sing solos with great gusto at the Sisterhood RaMr. G. Parkinson l
Miss E. Rodgers lies, and she was a member of the choir in the days when Belle
Vue still had one. Her repertoire, Mr. K. Hoad
* Mr. P. Humberston
May 24
Mr. A. Bushnell over the years, would include hymns from `Moody and Sankey`,
often used by the Belle Vue SiMrs. E. Bushnell
s
Mr. W. White
terhood, as well as many of the more classical anthems that the
choir sang. So `unassumingly` Mr. R. Fletcher
* Mr. F. Whittaker *
May 31
Mr. K. Hoad
rather than `quietly` is perhaps a better way of describing her
work as a church member and elder!! Mrs. M. Hoad
Mr. A. Fraser
Being an only one and having no children of her own she has been
extremely glad of her Mr. P. Humberston * Mr. G. Parkinson *
June 7
Mr. A. Bushnell church family in recent years. When Belle Vue U.R.C. closed she
made the transition to St. Mrs. E. Bushnell
Miss E. Rodgers George`s with grace
and dignity and was happy to adapt to her new surroundings and to her new Mr. F. Whittaker
* Mr. A. Fraser * friends and `family`. She seemed to have the gift of looking forwards, even
when the future en
Stewards marked *
* will be responsible for locking andunlocking fire exit
tailed challenge and change, rather than looking back to try to retain the past. It is people like
doors and main entrance doors. All stewards please help with collecting and putting hymn books
Minnie who state by their witness and actions that churches never close for she showed that after
the service. If unable to be present please arrange own substitute. `church` is wherever God`s
people worship nd serve. And she knew that she was blessed by
God`s love and care through her `family` at St. George`s.
A Fraser Margaret Robb
12
A Moment with Minnie
Minnie`s passing is truly the end of an era for she is, I think, the last of the generation who actually
remembers the `Old Tin Chapel` down in the area of town that is still called Belle Vue. 10
Worship in St George’s
April
5th 10.30am Mrs C Eddowes and Mr A Woodhall (Communion)
12th 10.30am
Service at Grange Road
th
19 10.30am
Mrs C Eddowes
th
26 10.30am
Our Scout Group May
rd
3
10.30am Mrs C Eddowes and Mrs. Janet White ((Communion)
th
10 10.30am
Mrs Jan Harper – Grange Road Folk with us
th
17 10.30am
Rev Norma Johnson
th
24 10.30am
Mrs Ann Ibbotson
The Worship Team
31st 10.30am
June
7th 10.30am Rev Ruth Crofton (Communion)
From the editor
Copy for the next issue to be with me by
lunchtime Sun May 31st please ( or earlier)
Reach me by e-mail on:
Church Officers
MINISTER– vacancy
CHURCH SECRETARY
Mrs M Humberston 25 Belmont Gdns
TS26 9LS tel 425847
13
chris.richard.eddowes @ntlworld.com
CHURCH TREASURER
Mrs Sandra Twist, 17, Granville Ave tel
273447
FREEWILL OFFERING TREASURER
Creche Rota
Communion Rota
Elders in bold please set up the Communion Table.
Other elders please help to clear at the end
May Moyra Mudd
Betty Woodhall
Valerie Waite
Chris Eddowes
Jun Brian Carter
Bill White
Sandra Twist
Janet White
April 5
Welsh
Welsh
Mrs T Kirkpatrick
12 Mrs G Cartman
19 Mrs S Harrison
Mrs E S
Mrs E S
Mrs E S
Welsh
26
Mrs M Ord
Mrs T Kirkpatrick
May 3
Mrs S Harrison
Mrs E S Welsh
10
Mrs G Cartman
Mrs E S Welsh
17
Mrs T Kirkpatrick
Mrs E S Welsh
24
Mrs G Cartman
Mrs E S Welsh
31
Mrs S Harrison
Mrs M Ord
June 7
Mrs T Kirkpatrick
Mrs E S
Welsh
14 Mrs S Harrison
Mrs E S
Welsh
Please arrange own substitute if unable to attend.