14 Tarporley Road, Tarvin, CH3 8ER Tel:

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1 Rev d Sue Levitt Dear Friends, 14 Tarporley Road, Tarvin, CH3 8ER Tel: eail: revsuelevwork@gail.co Deceber, 2013 Many people accuse the Church of pedalling yths at Christas tie. In y view the real festive fantasy has to be the one we see on relentless television adverts, presenting a rosy picture of doting parents and satisfied children enjoying a stressfree celebration. The truth is that for far too any people Christas isn't a happy tie at all. It can be lonely, stressful, fraught, exhausting or unaffordable. The reality at the heart of the Christas story and season is uch ore credible than any would have us believe. A teenage girl becoes pregnant and sees set to be a single, unarried other. She is alost abandoned and then her husband-to-be has a change of heart and chooses to honour his coitent to care for her. Together they ake a difficult journey in order to be registered for tax purposes by a foreign occupying power. They have nowhere to stay, until a pub landlord lets the use his cowshed. There Mary gives birth to a baby and there isn't a idwife, an epidural or clean sheets in sight. The Christas story is uch closer to real life than those glossy coercials. It's about real people struggling with what life brings, and supporting one another through ties of great challenge and hardship. And it's about the God who chooses to be with us in all our ups and downs, highs and lows, through Jesus, Ianuel, eaning 'God with us.' May we celebrate Jesus this Christas, who is with us always, and ay we share hi with others through our love and support. Wishing you Peace, Joy and Love this Christas Season, Every Blessing,

2 Pastoral Piece Autun is well and truly here. Dark nights, wind and rain. Overall I suppose we had a good suer weather wise. Now it s tie to start preparing for the celebrations of Christas Our tea continues silently and with dedication doing Pastoral duties. Our essage to you all is 'have a healthy and safe winter'. We are at hand should you need us. It's a busy tie for everyone, preparing for Christas We all hope you and yours have a lovely tie in whatever you do. Do try to spend soe tie reebering what Christas is really all about, and also to think of anyone who is lonely. I leave you with these words. The real things haven't changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful, to ake the ost of what we have; to be happy with siple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong. Laura Ingalls Wilder ( ) May God Bless you and yours, and watch over you all. Love Margaret Hogan Craft Club Wow Wow Everyone s fingers and brains have been working non- stop, preparing for our Charity Craft fair in Noveber (in aid of Petty Pool Trust, a very worthy cause). By the tie this edition reaches you, we will probably have had our fund orning and hopefully done well Good news - we welcoe two new ebers to craft club. Barbara Craven and Bee (Brenda) Bouchard. They each bring new talents with the. They have already coitted theselves into our charity fair with great flair. We look forward to the New Year and sharing soe ore. Sad News: We sadly lost our dear brave friend and colleague Pat (Reed). R.I.P. We know she will be looking down on us.as she contributed things she ade before her sad death for the Petty Pool Charity. A special table will be set up for her goods.at the charity fair. Knowing Pat she will say Didn t we do well girls Keep up the good work. We know that all our Crafts were ade By Hand With Love. 2

3 Church Faily Worker in Norley. We have been busy this ter in school, learning new songs, looking at thees about how our actions and words affect others, and, in the run up to Christas, soe of the parables of Jesus. Lunch ties have been busy too, with children of different ages attending. Below is a saple of what we have been doing:- Making a lighthouse fro food and talking about being the light of the world. Making trees and discussing the story of Zacchaeus and how we can get to know Jesus. Making finger puzzles, and writing kind words to find on the after discussing good and bad words and how they ake you feel. I have been involved in setting up a prayer station at school and I a working with Joe, the youth worker fro the Church of England, to run a prayer station day in February next year for the children fro school and people fro the village to coe to. This will be at the Methodist Church in February. On the 20 th DECEMBER there is a CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY CLUB fro 10a-3p for Priary age children. You can contact Andrea on for ore details. With Christas approaching I started to look up inforation about Angels and below are soe of the findings:- 41 percent of woen in a Daily Mail online survey 2012 believe in guardian Angels Do you believe in Angels? The word "angelos" in Greek eans essenger. Angels are purely spiritual beings that do God's will. The Bible refers to angels 273 ties. Only two angels in the Bible have naes - Michael and Gabriel Angels appeared to the shepherds (Luke 2:14), inister to Christ after his teptation in the desert (Matthew 4:11), cofort Jesus in his agony in the garden (Luke 22:43), and proclai his resurrection fro the dead (John 20:12).Angels will coe with Christ on the Day of Judgeent (Matthew 24:31). May you all have a peaceful Christas and god s blessing for 2014 Andrea Ellas 3

4 First Wednesday Walks On Septeber 4 th after eeting at Norley Methodist church at 9.45, the 11 of us drove to Shepherds Houses on Manley Road for our 5 ile circular walk with no stiles led by Bruce & Ruth Lane. It turned out to be a brilliantly war and sunny day. The Snidley Moor Wood path soon brought us to the hill fort of Woodhouses where we explored the extensive and now cleared rapart (as shown in the picture). This occupation site originated in the late bronze age. Fro here we descended the sandstone escarpent down past Foxhill retreat centre and up pleasant paths through the luxuriant countryside onto the top of Helsby Hill. A picnic lunch was enjoyed here with agnificent panoraic views in the sunshine. We set off again past the raparts here, which are even older, past the sandstone quarries and the eco house and down to Teuthill house (fro the Old English teutian eaning a lookout place ) and on into Snidley Moor Wood again to coplete our circuit. A very pleasant walk on a sunny day was enjoyed by all. Bruce Lane For the October walk, a select band of walkers started fro the car park at the Trevor Basin on the Llangollen canal. We were joined on the walk by Audrey Hilditch fro Shepherds Cottages who had seen us on our Septeber walk and decided to join us this onth. We had an initial deviation to inspect the agnificent Pont Cysyllte Aqueduct, but no-one appeared interested in an extension to the walk by crossing the viaduct, so we proceeded across fields and over the A539 to join a short section of Offa s Dyke Path through Trevor Hall Wood. We then descended to the Sun Trevor Inn for a good lunch. After lunch we followed the Llangollen canal back to Trevor Basin. In spite of threats, the weather held for us, the rain only beginning as we got back to the car park. Peter Hills Disregarding the warnings of heavy rain, eight appropriately dressed participants started the Noveber Wednesday walk fro Wepre Park, Connah's Quay. Taking the paths through Killings Wood we eventually eerged onto fields overlooking Deeside and the Wirral beyond. The industrial area once occupied by the sprawling John Suers Steelworks is now a uch tidier site, the location for British Paper Mills and Corus Steel. In contrast to this new industrial skyline we paused for coffee in the ruins of the 13th Century Welsh Ewloe Castle. The walk finished with a gentle stroll through Wepre woods a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest'. An excellent eal followed at the Boot Inn at Northop. 4

5 ...and the rain?... it cae later on the way hoe so feeble excuses such as we can't coe because 'we are in the Galapagos Islands' or 'we are organising a conference for 250 people' fall into the sae category as 'the dog ate y hoework' and should not be used a second tie please Garry Wynne Why not join us on our future walks which are on Wednesday Deceber 4 th Wednesday January 8 th (not Jan 1) Wednesday February 5 th Meet at Norley Methodist Church at 9.45 for a 10.00a departure. Church Faily Weekend Willersley Castle 11th - 13th October 2013 We all arrived safely on Friday evening in tie for dinner, including Sue and Peter (which was lovely for the and for us). We had the usual entertainent afterwards, what a laugh, evening devotions led by Ken, and then to bed. Saturday was wet, but it didn't stop any plans, so after breakfast, we had prayers led by Alison, and then soe went swiing, soe went shopping, soe went walking. In the afternoon, Richard led a walk around Carsington Water, but unfortunately, there was water fro above as well. However, I believe there was lots of laughter The evening took the for of fun and gaes, including a quiz 'Guess the baby's nae', followed by evening prayers led by Philip, and then to bed, but we did finish the Jigsaws After breakfast on Sunday, we had a service led by Ruth, and took Counion with Sue and Peter. It was a very good tie together, lots of fun and laughter, and we all want to say 'Thank you' to Bruce, Ruth, Ken, Philip, Alison, Di, Richard and, of course, Sue and Peter. Jean Dunning 5

6 Harvest Festival Philip Gough, Michael s nephew, led an excellent orning service to celebrate the Harvest, delivering a powerful essage, inventing a TV gae of identifying fruit and vegetables by feel as well as teaching us the Fruits of the Spirit in sign language. The Band of Hope and Joy perfored a piece during the service. Our own inister Sue led the well attended evening Harvest service, which included a perforance fro the Harony Choir, and this was followed by a ost enjoyable Harvest Supper. The church had been beautifully decorated any thanks to all the helpers who had created the fantastic display. The great bountiful feast of harvest gifts were donated to the Young People s Support Foundation, YPSF, as has been our practice for the last few years.. The gifts were even ore welcoe this year as a lot of the past financial support for YPSF has been reduced or ceased, at a tie where the need is greater than ever. Ruth Lane The Church Council The October 8 th Church Council was ably chaired by the Circuit Superintendent, Neil Stacey, who stepped in at the last inute as Sue was nursing her other. It dealt with the 2 ajor ites - firstly approving the annual audited accounts and the returns to the District, noting the superb efforts in the last year to restore our balances following the ajor expenditures. The position was sufficiently iproved that John expected to be able to repay the 2,500 loan fro a church eber for the solar panels. Secondly the Church Return (forerly Schedule A) was received and approved, noting the satisfactory quinquennial inspection carried out last onth with only 2 inor issues requiring attention, and accepting the property report. The pastoral coittee reported on its activities, and the rededication of the pastoral visitors. The Church ebership is currently 48, with Lewis and Matthew exploring if they wish to becoe ebers. The safeguarding policy was re-approved. Andrea presented an upbeat report on the youth work in Norley Priary School, and the future plans for a prayer day and onthly after school club in our Church. These were enthusiastically supported with coitent to eet any costs if extra hours were involved the Super stating that Circuit support could well be available. The eeting discussed and unexpectedly launched a project under any other business to address the exterior approach to the church, which is described in Property Matters later in this issue. Bruce Lane 6

7 The Choirs at Norley Church "When your heart is full of Christ, you want to sing". The above quotation fro Charles Spurgen cae to ind when I heard both choirs sing at the Harvest services on the 22 nd of Septeber. Harony choir The harony choir sang the anthe entitled "Jubilate" with such feeling. The words of Psal 100 was set to usic by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort. Thanks to John for introducing it. Several people entioned that they were not aware of Prince Albert's usical capabilities. The arrangeent really suited the choir. Thanks to John for the excellent booing baritone voice with Jean's gentle voice by contrast in her solo parts. Band of Hope and Joy The Band of Hope and Joy sang beautifully with confidence. Thanks to Margaret for introducing the ite. It was clear that they believed in the words they were singing in the anthe "Look at the world" by John Rutter. Both choirs are preparing for the carol service on the 22 nd of Deceber. Saro Jesudason. Your shoe box will bring joy to a child in Belarus Our shoe boxes were very enthusiastically received at the warehouse in Wrexha and will soon be on the way to Belarus. The next page has stories of what happened to two boxes which went to Belarus last year and you ll realise how uch they are appreciated. Whilst I was at the warehouse I heard that Saaritan s Purse, which is the parent charity of Operation Christas Child, had iediately sent a tea out to the Philippines once the hurricane had passed, taking tents, faily packs and water to help those who had lost their hoes. When I asked whether any shoe boxes were going to the refugee caps all around the borders of Syria, I was told that they were not sure, but that a lot of personnel and aid was being sent into the refugee caps by Saaritan s Purse. Thank you again for your generosity it is uch appreciated. Ruth Lane 7

8 Diary Unless otherwise stated in the notices the following group eets weekly at Norley Craft Club Deceber 2013 Advent Sunday 1 st 10.45a Tuesdays 10.00a noon in the Norley Open Door Roo Ian Johnson of Kelsall 4.00p Circuit Advent Service at Hailton Street 6.30p Mike Ridley of Bunbury Monday 2 nd 4.00p Kelsall Messy Church Wednesday 4 th 9.45a First Wednesday Walk 7.30p Café Church led by Liz Holes Thursday 5 th 4.30p The Hurst Messy Church Saturday 7 th 10.00a Sunday (Advent 2) 8 th 10.45a Monday Decorate the Church for Christas Rev d Sue Levitt - Sacraent 6.30p No Service 9 th 12 noon The Hurst Soup Lunch Wednesday 11 th 7.30p Kelsall Taize Worship Thursday 12 th 12 noon Open Door Roo Christas Lunch Friday 13 th 5.15p Frodsha Messy Church Sunday (Advent 3) 15 th 9.00a Norley@ a Mr Philip Garner of Norley 6.30p Rev d Sue Levitt Alternative Sacraent Monday 16 th 6.30p First Night Carol Singing Tuesday 17 th 6.30p Second Night Carol Singing Wednesday 18 th 5.00p Tarvin Messy Church Thursday 19 th 6.30p Third Night Carol Singing Friday 20 th 10.00a Holiday Club (until 3.00p) 8

9 Saturday 21 st 10.00a Sunday (Advent 4) The Hurst Too Busy to Stop Day until 6.00p 6.30p Fourth Night Carol Singing 22 nd 10.45a 4.00p 6.30p Prof David Clough of Wesley Candlelit Carol Service Spiritual Coittee The Hurst Carols by Candlelight Monday 23 rd 6.30p Reserve Carol Singing Night if rained off earlier Christas Eve 24 th 4.00p Helsby - Christingle 6.00p Last Night Carol Singing 11.15p Frodsha Holy Counion Rev d Denise Harding 11.15p The Hurst Holy Counion Rev d Steve Santry Christas Day 25 th 9.30a Rev d Sue Levitt - All Age Worship Sunday 29 th 10.45a January 2014 Sunday (Epiphany) Mrs Flora Nell Duke of Helsby 6.30p No service 5 th 10.45a Mike Halliday 6.30p Mark Syth of Saltney Wednesday 8 th 9.45a First Wednesday Walk 12 noon Open Door Lunch 7.30p Kelsall Taize Worship Thursday 9 th 4.30p The Hurst Messy Church January 2014 (continued) Sunday 12 th 10.45a Monday 7.30p Local Preachers eeting at Tarvin Rev d Sue Levitt Covenant Service 4.00p Circuit Project Launch Service at Helsby followed by tea 6.30p Plough Service at St John s Norley 13 th 12 noon The Hurst Soup Lunch 4.00p Kelsall Messy Church Tuesday 14 th 7.45p The Hurst Guild. The work of Crewe YMCA - Richard Holes Wednesday 15 th 5.00p Tarvin Messy Church 9

10 Friday 17 th 5.15p Frodsha Messy Church Sunday 19 th 9.00a Thursday 10.45a Sunday 26 th 10.45a February Sunday 2 nd 10.45a Janet Batey of The Hurst 6.30p Rev d Sue Levitt - Alternative Worship 23 rd 12 noon Open Door Lunch 1.15p Thursday Club John Bell of Cuddington All Age Worship 6.30p Rev d Sue Levitt - Sacraent Ken Jackson of Caldy Valley 6.30p Prof Neville Ford of the Hurst Monday 3 rd 4.00p Kelsall Messy Church 7.30p Church Council Wednesday 5 th 9.45a First Wednesday Walk Sunday 9 th 10.45a 7.30p Café Church led by Ruth Lane Rev d Rev Sue Levitt - Sacraent 6.30p No service Wednesday 12 th 12 noon Open Door Lunch 7.30p Kelsall Taize Worship Sunday 16 th 9.00a Norley@ a Matthew Barnard of Frodsha 6.30p Rev d Sue Levitt Alternative Worship Wednesday 19 th 5.00p Tarvin Messy Church Sunday 23 rd 10.45a Rev d Sue Levitt All Age Worship 6.30p Rev d Sue Levitt - Sacraent Wednesday 26 th 7.30p Circuit Meeting at Christleton Thursday 27 th 12 noon Open Door Lunch 1.15p Thursday Club Friday 28 th 5.15p Frodsha Messy Church 10

11 March Wednesday 5 th 9.45a 1 st Wednesday Walk Wednesday 12 th 12 noon Open Door Lunch Friday 14 th 7.30p Condate Singers Concert Sunday 16 th 9.00a Norley@9 Thursday 27 th 12 noon Open Door Lunch 11

12 DECORATING THE CHURCH FOR CHRISTMAS Do join us to decorate the church for Christas on Tuesday 7 th Deceber at 10a. The church will then be beautiful for the OPEN DOOR CHRISTMAS LUNCH on Thursday 12 th Deceber at noon Please contact Ruth on if you want to attend THE CANDLELIT CAROL SERVICE on Sunday 22 nd Deceber at 4p Everyone Welcoe CHRISTMAS MORNING FAMILY WORSHIP at 9.30a Coe and Celebrate with us 12

13 OPEN DOOR LUNCHES I do hope you are all looking forward to the Christas Open Door Lunch which, this year, will be on Thursday Deceber 12th. Preparations are well under way, so please give your nae, as early as possible, to either Ruth or yself. We have had such a good year with excellent attendances each tie and know this will be another enjoyable occasion for all. After the festive season lunches will resue and our dates are: Wednesday January 8th Thursday January 23rd Wednesday February 12th Thursday February 27th So reeber - only one lunch in Deceber, It's the big one and hope to see you there A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE Joan Bell An invitation to you to coe to the THURSDAY CLUB January 23rd February 27th March 27th 1.15p p in the Open Door Roo, Norley Methodist Church 13

14 Join us at Norley Methodist Church at 9a for an early, inforal tie of worship and praise on Deceber 15th January 19th February 16th A tie of praise lasting about 45 inutes, followed by refreshents January 12th 10:45a Covenant Service at Norley Methodist Church led by the Revd Sue Levitt 6:30p Plough Sunday Service at St John s Norley See you there 14

15 Norley Methodist Church Cafe Church Coe and enjoy fellowship, worship and refreshents in a cafe atosphere in the church at 7:30p on the following Wednesdays: 4th Deceber led by Liz Holes 5th February led by Ruth Lane 5th March led by Sue Levitt Candate Singers present and Evening of Song followed by Supper at Norley Methodist Church 7:30p on Friday 14th March donation requested 15

16 Chester & Ellesere Port Food Bank Since setting up a collection point for the Chester and Ellesere Port Foodbank, I have ade a couple of journeys across to the warehouse in Ellesere Port with boxes full of donated goods. The warehouse is staffed by volunteers who sort the donated ites into type and by use by date. The depot then sends out supplies to the four distribution points around Chester and Ellesere Port where individuals and failies who are in crisis can redee a voucher (issued by their doctor, social worker or health visitor) in exchange for three days supply of food. It is a sobering thought that the nubers being helped by the Foodbank has increased draatically since it was established in Noveber 2012 the Chester and Ellesere Port Foodbank currently helps over 400 people per onth and the nubers continue to increase steadily. The volunteers were telling e that redundancy, cost of living rises and sudden unexpected changes to benefits all ean that ore and ore people are living on a financial knife edge. The support we give to our local Foodbanks is greatly appreciated the volunteers were keen to show e how the sorting and distribution syste works. This is a no frills operation the warehouse where food is sorted and stored is freezing cold with inial shelving and ost of the goods stored in stacked boxes and, not surprisingly, there is no coputerised stock control There is a pasta ountain and a breakfast cereal ountain along one side of the warehouse whereas other goods are in short supply. I will include a note in the weekly notices when I a infored of any ites which are particularly needed. The people using the Foodbanks ay have liited access to cooking facilities so foods which can be easily heated with inial equipent are very welcoe. They also need supplies of basic toiletries. Please try and continue to help by donating ites as and when you can thank you Lesley Gough The Methodist Book Centre The Methodist Book Centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, has been trading for nearly 70 years and is now the only large Methodist Bookshop in the Connexion. The Centre, which is part of the Chester and Stoke District, has recently been presented with the Large Christian Retailer of the Year 2013 award. It has just set up an online trading facility especially to help those people who live too far away to visit the shop (which has been described as an oasis in the centre of a busy shopping and coercial environent). The nae of the site is Christian Resources for Life to ephasise the ecuenical nature of its products and that it supplies not just books but a wide range of resources books, study aterials, usic, DVDs, gifts, cards etc. The website is and you are invited to register with the site to receive occasional special offers and newsletters. You are also ost welcoe to call Julie Ann Ellis (the Centre Manager) on if you need help in choosing the right resources for you. 16

17 Property Matters The quinquennial inspection was carried out in Septeber and the report has been received and is on circulation around the Business and Manageent Coittee. The report is full of praise for the Church and what we have done over the last 5 years. The inspector found no work that needed to be done urgently and only 2 ites needing attention within the next year clearing the vegetation down the High Street side of the Church (which has already been done), and replacing one rotten windowsill in the Open Door Roo (quotations are being sought). There were a nuber of suggestions for the longer ter. Overall this is excellent news. The property report to the Church Council in October reported on the aintenance ites (the replaceent of the kitchen fan, the repointing and waterproofing of the buttress near the organ, the repair to the drainage on the flat roof over the Sunday School roo) and the iinent replaceent of the leaking radiator valves in the Sunday School roo (now copleted). In addition a draatic reduction in our insurance preiu was reported as a result of reducing the insurance cover on the organ to the cost of replacing it with a high quality electronic organ should it fail, and by taking a 500 voluntary excess on the policy, as agreed at the previous Church Council. The solar panels continue to perfor well, and in 18 onths of operation have generated 6,274Kwh and returned 2,925 to the Church. In addition our electricity consuption has dropped by about 20%, saving about a further 150 on our bill. The Church Council had on its agenda by request fro Ken and Jean an ite to discuss replacing the front doors of the church with glass doors to ake the church ore welcoing and show the interior to the village. The Council were enthusiastic about this, though the property steward had reservations about heat loss, and the Council resolved that the Business and Manageent coittee should develop and cost a schee for consideration at the next Church Council. Not content with this, under any other business the Council decided that a schee should be developed for the front gardens of the Church to ake the Church ore visible and provide an attractive environent where people could sit and editate. The property stewards were asked to produce plans. A delay tie switch was requested for the light at the back door that could be operated when leaving the church (now installed) and the defective floodlight at the frot is to be replaced. So instead of a tie to rest and relax because all the work is done, it looks as if there are to be further projects to tackle over the next couple of years Bruce Lane 17

18 Carol Singing Dates and Routes 2013 Please ake note of the dates and coe and help us take the Christas essage to the village Date Monday 16 th Dec Route Fingerpost Lane, Cow Lane Meeting Place and Tie 6.30p at the Church Tuesday 17 th Dec Any houses left on Cow Lane Moss Lane The Paddocks, Forresters Close, School Bank, Westview Road 6.30p at the Church Thursday 19 th Dec Maddock's Hill Hough Lane Gadbank High Street Breech Moss 6.30p at the Church Saturday 21 st Dec Post Office Lane, The Spinney, Crabill Lane School Lane 6.30p at the Church Monday 23 rd Dec Spare night if rained off earlier 6.30p at the Church Tuesday 24 th Dec Christas Eve Gallowsclough (Jaes') Harthill Far Then noral route fro Hatchere Caravan Park p at Gallowsclough