COTHA AGM St Michael s Lady Chapel Wednesday July pm (coffee available from 7.30 pm)

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1 COTHA AGM St Michael s Lady Chapel Wednesday July pm (coffee available from 7.30 pm) Speaker: the Revd Debbie Hodge Chief Officer for the Network for Pastoral, Spiritual and Religious Care in Health This year it has been the turn of St Michael s to lead COTHA, under the leadership of Alan Jarvis and Rev. Debbie. Do try to come to the AGM and support them and the rest of the team. The Revd Debbie Hodge was appointed Free Church Secretary for Health Care Chaplaincy in February Ordained in the United Reformed Church in 2000, Mrs Hodge has served at Leaside Methodist/United Reformed Church in Ware. During that time she served as University Chaplain and then as Free Church Chaplain at North and Worship Sundays 8 am Said Eucharist 10 am Sung Eucharist (Coffee afterwards) 2gether 2 nd Sunday. Tuesdays am Said Eucharist Mondays - Saturdays 9 am Morning Prayer The Church is usually open each morning from 9 am for anyone who wishes to meditate or spend time in quiet. 3 rd Saturdays am 1 pm Messy Church East Herts NHS Trust. On taking up the post at the Free Churches Group she continued her chaplaincy at The Royal Marsden Hospital, Fulham Road, London. Debbie has a background in the National Health Service. She trained at St Bartholomew s Hospital, London and has worked as nurse, nursing tutor and Principal Lecturer in Nursing at the University of Hertfordshire, in critical care with specific interest in Day Surgery. She maintains her nursing links as a member of the National Steering Group for Parish Nursing. Her commitment to working across denominational and faith boundaries has been highlighted in her work for the British Medical Association in the move to a more inclusive opening to their annual conference following the events of 7/7, and through her work with Rotary International where she will assume the Presidency in 2018.

2 St Michael and All Angels Sycamore Road Amersham HP6 5DR Church Office: (Monday Friday 9.30 am pm) Clergy Vicar The Revd Debbie Oades Churchwardens Alan Jarvis Associate Priests The Revd Sharon Roberts (Temporarily Seconded to Beaconsfield Ministry Team) Roland Gillott. The Revd Peter Binns Safeguarding Officer Ann Beattie Church Administrator Hazel Miller Newsletter Editor Kenneth Prideaux-Brune Website The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Vicar or the PCC or the official policy of St Michael s Church. 2

3 COMMENT To take the opportunity of a lifetime, we must act within the lifetime of the opportunity This quote from the Chancellor of Southampton University on the day of our niece s graduation rather over-dramatises my up-coming six month attachment to the Beaconsfield Ministry Team but nonetheless carries within it an essential truth. Opportunities big and small often come out of the blue and generally do not hang around for ever. Yes, we can (and should) pray about them, carefully consider them, but often something inside us tells us whether it is right for us or not. It s often a strange mixture of excitement and feeling unsettled; life bobbing along quite happily brought up short by that potential change of direction, or, in this case, a bend in the road. Pattern interrupt, of course, is what God is all about, and keeping up with what He is doing in the world is one of our greatest challenges, as the poet R.S. Thomas says in his poem Pilgrimages: He is such a fast God, always before us and leaving as we arrive. In other words, not a God we can ever completely grasp but are challenged to keep on seeking in new ways and new places on that journey of faith, questions and, yes, doubts. I shall miss being part of St Michael s life from the middle of July until the end of this year, after which Beaconsfield s staffing situation should ease. I shall miss those key events in the St Michael s calendar and, above all, I shall miss the people (although I shall no doubt bump into many of you out and about in Amersham). But my absence will open up new opportunities, for you and for me, and I can look forward to returning in the New Year with the gifts which the attachment has brought and with a renewed heart for ministry alongside you. God Bless, Sharon Roberts St Michael s Vision Statement As a Christian community, we seek to engage with the world around us and to be a place of welcome and acceptance for all on a journey to God believers, doubters and those who are seeking. 3

4 COTHA S 5 th Election Hustings Jo Harrington reports on the successful meeting sponsored by COTHA prior to the General Election. Corbin or May or, after long birth pangs, a Ministry of All The Talents? We will know the answer by the time you are reading this. All was to play for when Churches on the Hill, Amersham arranged a General Election hustings for June 1. Alan Jarvis assembled an impressive team of helpers for the numerous practicalities involved. This was the fifth election for which COTHA has offered a chance for the general public to meet and debate with the candidates. All five of them were fairly well known to us through their involvement in local politics. As it happened, this occasion was especially poignant because hustings planned for an earlier date by groups in Chesham and Chalfont St Peter had to be cancelled for security reasons after the events in Manchester. The Drake Hall was full, with a wide age range, including a group of first time voters who were particularly vocal. After initial statements by each candidate, Terry Stone, chairing the evening, steered us fairly amicably through questions from the floor about housing, complaints about cuts in budgets for local schools and opportunities for young people. The most heated words involved concern about HS2 and the disruption it would cause. There was general agreement that we had little option but to accept our diplomatic obligations to host President Trump, when required. Terry also led us to some discussion about Brexit and its importance as an election issue. So, as July develops, we shall see how prescient, or not, our discussions were. As COTHA, we were grateful that we could serve the Chesham and Amersham community in this way. COTHA Joint Service St Michael s, St John s and the Free Church will be worshiping together on: Sunday July 23. Free Church am Be Safe from Scams Thames Valley Police have produced their own version of the Little Book of Cyber Scams, to give information and advice to you and local businesses. The 40-page booklet covers a wide range of cyber and cyber-enabled threats, including malware and ransomware, social engineering attacks where cyber crime is made possible by someone gathering data deceitfully in person, by phone or denial of service attacks and data leakage. It follows the successful Little Book of Big Scams, now in its third edition, and can be viewed and downloaded via the Thames Valley police website. Mission Action Day A number of members of St Michael s have been invited to a meeting early in July to discuss a Mission Action Plan and discern where God may be trying to lead us in service to God and the community in new ways in the years to come. We hope to report on the meeting in the September newsletter. 4

5 A Follow-Up To Rio Rolande Melisse-Merrifield was a volunteer at the Rio Olympics last year. This year she travelled to New Zealand for another unforgettable experience. What an amazing and unforgettable journey at the World Masters Games 2017! World Masters Games is the largest multi-sport event in the world and the largest event New Zealand will have hosted for at least the next decade. Approximately 25,000 people from 100 countries, taking part in 28 sports (45 disciplines) across 48 venues from April I was volunteering as Pit Crew Athletics (Track and Field). Based at the Trust Arena Henderson in Auckland, the Pit Crew is the team that provides the much needed support to athletes, so they can perform at their best, and keeps the operation working. I truly enjoyed working with athletes and meeting new people as well as meeting other volunteers from all over the world. Absolutely amazing! An experience I will never forget! 5

6 Thank You From Christian Aid The money you have raised will change the lives of people needing a safe place to call home - refugees, people displaced from their communities and those struggling with poverty. Following last year s Christian Aid Week, our partner, GUK, moved Morsheda s home to higher ground so she is no longer vulnerable to regular flooding. Christian Aid partner GUK is creating sustainable change in the lives and livelihoods of people living in extreme poverty on the chars (mud islands) in Northern Bangladesh. GUK have constructed new homes which are raised above the last major flood level. One of our colleagues, Tegan, was fortunate enough to visit some of these homes and hear first-hand how the villagers feel now they are safe from the floods that have threatened their lives and livelihoods for years on end. As we neared the village, the corrugated iron roofs on some of the new homes reflected the hot sun like beacons of hope. We were greeted with smiling faces and there was a sense of pride as we were welcomed into homes. As well as raising the village to higher ground, GUK has equipped the village with latrines and tube wells, as well as solar panels so that the homes have access to electricity. Like after every flood, the community has begun again. They have few possessions, but this time they are hopeful and can make plans for the future. They are living in a safe place, and not only their homes, but their livestock and gardens are safe from the impending flood. Before leaving the village, I sat with the community and asked them if there was a message they would like me to take back to our supporters in the UK. They responded, Now we don t have to worry, we feel safe now. We are so grateful,, and having seen the hope they now have in their eyes, I am grateful to you too - thank you. We are so grateful to all our Christian Aid supporters who have helped transform lives in Bangladesh and around the world. Other Activities in August Tuesday Aug 1 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm Sunday Aug 6 Feast of the Transfiguration. Warden: Claire Sinclair ( ) Tuesday Aug 8 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm Sunday Aug 13 9 th Sunday after Trinity. Warden: Alan Jarvis ( ) Tuesday Aug 15 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm Sunday Aug th Sunday after Trinity. Warden: Refer to Roland Gillott ( Tuesday Aug 22 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm Friday Aug 25 Pop in and Paint am am Sunday Aug th Sunday after Trinity. Warden: Roland Gillott ( Tuesday Aug 29 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm 6

7 St Michael and All Angels Amersham-on-the-Hill DIARY July/August 2017 Regular Weekly Activities Sundays 8 am Said Eucharist 10 am Sung Eucharist Mondays 9 am Morning Prayer. Lady Chapel. Tuesdays 9 am Morning Prayer. Lady Chapel. 10 am 12 noon. Wheeler Coffee Pot. Wheeler Room am Said Eucharist. Lady Chapel Wednesdays 9 am Morning Prayer. Lady Chapel pm Choir Practice Thursdays 9 am Morning Prayer. Lady Chapel. Fridays 9 am Morning Prayer. Lady Chapel Saturdays 9 am Morning Prayer. Lady Chapel. The Church is usually open each morning from 9 am for anyone who wishes to meditate or spend time in quiet. Other Activities in July Saturday July 1 PCC Mission Action Plan Discussion Day. Lady Chapel. 10 am 2 pm Sunday July 2 3 rd Sunday after Trinity. Warden: Claire Sinclair ( ) Tuesday July 4 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm Tuesday Club Tea Party at the Haddocks for 3 pm Wednesday July 5 Healing and Wholeness. Lady Chapel. 3, 3.30 and 4.15 pm Sunday July 9 4 th Sunday after Trinity. 2gether. Warden: Alan Jarvis ( ) Tuesday July 11 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm Friday July 14 (Tuesday Club holiday in - Wednesday July 19 (Halifax Saturday July 15 MESSY CHURCH am 1 pm Sunday July 16 5 th Sunday after Trinity. Warden: Sue Eames (725792) Tuesday July 18 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm Sunday July 23 6 th Sunday after Trinity. COTHA Joint Service. Free Church am. Warden: Roland Gillott (722674) Tuesday July 25 LUNCH BREAK. Free Church pm Friday July 28 Pop in and Paint am am Sunday July 30 7 th Sunday after Trinity. Warden: Roland Gillott (722674) For August activities please see the previous page The Newsletter is published monthly (except January and August). The next issue will appear on Sunday September 3. Material for inclusion should please be ed to the Editor on pbrune@olcs.net by August 22 7

8 Children & Families Page Our next Messy Church is in the Church on Saturday July at am-1 pm. Come and join in the fun! Families are welcome at ALL services! We have a family 2gether service on the second Sunday of the month (excluding August). The next 2gether is on Sunday 9 th July 2017 at 10.00am. Looking forward to seeing you! 8