CROSSGATES METHODIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER DEC/JAN Advent Adventure

Transcription

1 CROSSGATES METHODIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER DEC/JAN 2019 Minister: Reverend Helen White Advent Adventure I wonder what December means to you? In the church, December and Advent go pretty much together. Now there s a strange word. Advent coming or arrival. We look to the arrival of God amongst us in Jesus. We take time to prepare for the birth of Jesus. Opening doors on and Advent calendar, or lighting candles is not just to count down towards the big day, or remind ourselves how long we have left before Christmas Day. It offers an opportunity to look back as well as forward to think about all that God did in preparation for that first Christmas Day. It also gives us time to prepare our own hearts and minds a pause in the month each day or each week, to remember what it s all about and to live in the present. As well as it s meaning Advent is the beginning of the word adventure. Is Advent an adventure? Or a rush, or just something to be got through? For Mary and Joseph to arrive at Bethlehem was an adventure perhaps more of an adventure than they would have liked. For the wise men to arrive to see Jesus was an adventure many weeks of travelling. Some of us may find ourselves travelling this month though hopefully not by donkey or camel. Others of us will stay put. So what kind of Advent adventure can we have here (or wherever else you re going)? An adventure with God maybe. God comes to us in Jesus it is this we are preparing to celebrate. As you make all the practical preparations for Christmas, is there room for God? Be warned if you say yes to God, you may be in for a real adventure look what happened to Mary! Faithful God, help us be ready for the adventures ahead, to meet you in the manger cradled baby, and journey with you to Christmas and beyond. Helen

2 Services at Cross Gates in December and January at 10.30am 2nd Mr Grenville Jensen 9th Rev Helen White 16th Mrs Susan Howdle 23rd Mr Michael Prince 4pm Rev Helen White Carol Service 24th Rev Helen White 11-30pm Holy Communion 25th 11am Rev Helen White Christmas Day 30th Mr Edward Britton January 6th Rev Helen White Covenant Service 13th Dr Stanley Pearson 20th Rev Dr Madeleine Andrews 27th Rev Helen White Parade Service Communion Services in December and January Tue 4th 11am Tranquility Court All welcome Sun 9th 10.30am Church Coffee Mornings in December Sat 1st Table Top Sale and Christmas Fair. Coffee in room behind Church Hall Fri 7th Tranquility Court - Coffee and Christmas Fair The Hub Cancer Support Group Our Christmas Party will be held on Monday 3rd December at 11am 1.00pm Church Flowers We are very grateful to all the people who have donated money for flowers during November and to Judith and Geogina for their beautiful arrangements. We also give thanks to those who distribute the flowers to people in need. 4th 11th 18th 25th Joan and Trevor Chorley in memory of parents Keith Tingle in memory of Jean Tom Morrison in memory of Joyce John Blyth in memory of Jenny

3 Art Display On Monday 3rd December between 10 and am an Art Display will be held in the Coffee Morning held in the Church Hall. All Welcome Some paintings for sale. Sylvia Wright

4 The Christmas Fair will not include a Toy Sale this year. Christmas Fair 1st December 9:30am to 12noon Christmas Goods Cakes - Tombola - Flowers Coffee - breakfast baps - toast Proceeds to: Leeds District Children's Holidays Church Funds The Christmas Fair will not include a Toy Sale this year. We shall be grateful for donations for the Tombola or items to sell. There will be a box in the Galilee during November for donations LEEDS NORTH EAST METHODIST WEBSITE Pictures of some of the recent harvest window displays are available to view on line. At leedsnandemethodist.org.uk On the home page click on churches Drop down arrow to the Crossgates page Click to Open the Oct 18 newsletter to view the pictures.

5 LEED SOUTH & EAST FOOD BANK - (Trussell Trust) Many thanks to the people donating food and toiletries to the Leeds South and East Food Bank Distribution Centre. Our Church s contribution in November was 64.5Kg A few details from the Food Bank November Newsletter;- Between 1 st and 31 st October 2018, Leeds South & East Food Banks fed a total of 1137 people, 654 adults and 483 children. Various reasons caused these folk to need help from the Food Bank benefit delays and changes accounted for 582, debt and low income 377, sickness 26, homelessness 23 and other reasons including no recourse to public funds 129. The Food Bank needs especially this month tinned fish, Custard (tinned or packet), tinned Fruit, Rice Pudding, tinned Tomatoes, tinned or packet Potatoes, Coffee, Juice to dilute, Long Life Milk, biscuits, pasta/cooking sauces and Christmas items. Thank you for your continued support. One Christmas eve, Pete and Jane were driving their Russian friend Rudolph back to his house. The weather outside was frightful. Jane asked Pete, Do you think that s sleet or rain out there? It s rain, Jane said Pete. I think it s sleet, Pete, said Jane. Rudolph chimed in, It s definitely rain, Jane. No, I really think it s sleet, Rudolph said Jane. Don t argue with the expert, Jane, said Pete. What do you mean, Pete? asked Jane. Pete replied, Rudolph the Red knows rain, Dear. WYDAN Night Shelter 29th October to 5th November 2018 For the first time a Catholic parish has been host to the WYDAN Night Shelter - the parish of Blessed John Henry Newman in Crossgates Leeds. WYDAN is a new charity, which is now in its fourth year. Basically it provides beds for up to 10 guests, failed destitute asylum seekers who are referred by either the British Red Cross or PAFRAS. (Positive Action For Refugees and Asylum Seekers) The host community provided a shelter for a week or more. The shelter has been held in Churches of many denominations; Temples, Mosques, Synagogues, Quaker meeting houses and local Community centres. Having helped in January at Crossgates Methodist, a number of the group from the Parish of Blessed John Henry Newman, stayed together and it was suggested to our Parish priest and the Parish Pastoral Council that we should offer our facilities, this was agreed, but only if we worked Ecumenically. After many months of preparation, conversations, meetings, s, phone calls and negotiations, most of our neighbouring Churches had signed up to help. We have had help from members of the surrounding churches and further afield, we have had sisters from 4 different religious orders, 2 vicars together with representatives of neighbourhood groups and a member of staff from a local funeral director. Some members of the Thursday afternoon Conversation club; in Mill Hill Chapel, City Square also came and helped. So on Monday 29th October the Conference Room of the Newman Centre was transformed into a comfortable home for

6 our guests. Some said they felt safe, secure and warm and were able to sleep soundly in the knowledge that they were among friends, being cared for. What did the volunteers do? They prepared and served an evening meal and ate with our guests. A different menu on each evening, the food produced was to a very high standard. Afterwards they relaxed and enjoyed playing board games and having FUN! You should have heard the laughter; it could be heard above the noise of fireworks going off all around us. One evening we played table tennis in the hall and we give grateful thanks to our Youth group who allowed us to use their table. On Sunday afternoon we went across the park to Christ Church Manston who allowed us to enjoy their games facilities in their Church hall. Some helpers stayed overnight with our guests, three in all; two of them were sleeping but one stayed awake with the Night Shelter phone, in the event of an emergency. A wholesome breakfast was prepared by another band of helpers and if required a packed lunch was offered. We provided a weekly bus pass for our guests, as they were out of the centre from approx 8.30 am until they returned in the evening around 5 pm. Some volunteers kept the areas clean and tidy, others washed the clothes of our guests and another offered a hairdressing service. Why are the Asylum Seekers here? All of our guests are all actively pursuing their claim for Asylum in our country: they have fled situations we can barely imagine, and some have travelled the length of Europe. Many have been here for more than 10 years, they are NOT entitled to claim Benefits, NO housing is provided for them, they are NOT ALLOWED to work; many are highly skilled and have been professionals in their own country, possessing skills which could easily be put to use for the benefit of our communities. Some of our guests, sadly, were in the same position when we met them in January. Remember, we are just scratching the surface in the help we offer, there are many, many more in the same predicament. People have been extremely generous, in donating toiletries, towels, toilet rolls; cartons of juice and breakfast cereals, the things we often just take for granted. Those items that were not used on our week have been given to the charity to go on and be used where other communities do not have the resources to provide for the guests. Donations of money have amounted to an amazing 1354 after all expenses have been met, this, has truly has been a powerful Christian witness in our area. Another way, which I consider is a way of evangelising, is by raising awareness. To that end we approached a couple of local supermarkets, Tesco at Seacroft and Whitkirk Co-op who kindly donated breakfast cereals and non-perishable foods. Our local Wilkinson s store provided 10 hot water bottles when we had a cold snap. Dodgson s provided tea, coffee, sugar, biscuits and bottled water. Warburton s bakery, donated 300+ freshly baked bread rolls that lasted all week. John Smeaton Sports Centre allowed our guests to use their shower facilities, as church halls tend to lack these amenities! Nawaz, a local Indian restaurant, provided freshly cooked Indian snacks as we said goodbye to our guests on the last evening, before we took them on to the next shelter, for a week in Garforth. So what can I do to continue to helping? The hope is that WYDAN can establish the Night Shelter NOT just for the winter months but throughout the year. This needs more

7 host communities and more volunteers could you help? Would you be willing to help at another venue where they don t have as many helpers as we had? Money is important for its survival to cover costs but perhaps giving of your time is the best we can ask. Consider the words below, I wish they were mine! All Christians are called to be hospitable. But it is more than serving a meal, or filling a bed, opening our door - it is to open ourselves, our hearts, to the needs of others. Hospitality is not just shelter but the quality of welcome behind it". Dorothy Day Tony Pickles Co-ordinator for the Night The Newman Centre Letter received from Katrina of WYDAN To Each and Every Volunteer at Crossgates! I would just like to personally and from the steering group thank you for providing such a wonderful week of hosting at Crossgates. Our guests have told us how much they appreciated and enjoyed their time at the shelter. They particularly mentioned the warm welcome they received every day and the lovely food they ate, enjoying playing games and the general atmosphere of the shelter including all the wonderful volunteers. It really does make a huge difference to their lives and you can see that the longer they are at the shelter the more settled they become. Thank you to absolutely everyone involved whether you volunteered at the shelter, provided food, donated money or toiletries etc. Please do continue to provide any feed back or suggestions to Tony Pickles or to myself at wydan. Ketrina Project Manager Casen: What do you call a shark that delivers toys at Christmas? Austin: I m stumped. Casen: Santa Jaws! Moe: What are you going to give you little brother for Christmas this year? Joe: I haven t decided yet. Moe: What did you give him last year? Joe: The measles.

8 CHURCH CHRISTMAS PARTY On Sat urday 15t h Decem ber pm w it h a m eal An evening of fun, games, quizzes and Dancing Come along and join in the fun Please bring a donation towards the Cost of food. If you wish to come to the above party please fill in the slip in this Newsletter and give it to Christine Holdstock to say how many will be coming. This will help with the catering and should something arise that you cannot attend please let Christine or Richard know (Tel: ) One Christmas, Joe and Peter built a skating rink in the middle of a field. A shepherd leading his flock decided to take a shortcut across the rink. The sheep, however, were afraid of the ice and wouldn't cross it. Desperate, the shepherd began tugging them to the other side. 'Look at that, 'remarked Peter to Joe, 'That guy is trying to pull the wool over our ice!' A man went to his psychiatrist and said,"what's wrong with me? I'm afraid of Santa." The psychiatrist said, "You must be Claustrofobic Cynthia and Trevor wish the Church Family a Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year Message from Senior Steward 'If you have mistakenly taken home a Singing the Faith hymn book, please will you return it as we are getting very short of them.' thank you Barbara Car Parking Will all users of the car park when lowering the metal barriers please ensure that the padlock is returned to the barrier when upright. Also please take extra care when the

9 padlock is removed as we have had times when the padlock has been damaged. The padlocks are expensive to replace as there needs to be lots of keys. Thank you. CIRCUIT FORUMS EVENING. The annual Circuit Forums Evening will be held at Lidgett Park Methodist Church on Tuesday 4 th December. Tea and Coffee from 7.15pm. All are invited. This year the conversations will focus on The priority of the Circuit for the immediate future is to explore the Ministry of the whole people of God in the context of reduced ordained ministerial resources. Feedback from these conversations will help to develop a realistic strategy as to where to focus limited future ordained resources and where to develop emerging patterns of lay leadership, in whatever form they may take. CHURCH COUNCIL. Would members of the Council please note that the date of the next meeting has been revised to Thursday 14 th March pm in the Wesley Room. Christmas Greetings Once again there will be a large Christmas Card for people to sign and add their Christmas Greetings to friends at Church. This will be in the Galilee from Sunday 2nd December along with a box for your donations to Action for Children A Big Thank You To Christine Holdstock and Helen Chorley for researching the young men of our Church who died in the War. It is hoped to have a book with all the information on the plaque. Please let Christine know if you can add any information about these men Carol Singing on the Church Steps Saturday 22nd December 11-am to 12 Noon

10 Table Top Sales 1st December 3rd February Refreshments also available Tea, coffee, breakfast baps, toast For information please see Lynda in the Wesley Hall on a Sunday morning or Phone: Please note there will not be a sale or coffee morning in January Prayers Please don t forget to remember in your thoughts and prayers all those people in our prayer book and those we know are unwell, in hospital, going for tests at hospital, recently bereaved and who find this time of year particularly difficult

11 MUSIC and LUNCH 2018 / ND TUESDAY IN THE MONTH 12:15 13:15 Tickets 6 Including lunch which must be booked in advance Ticket for Concert Only 3 11th December - Together in Harmony 8th January The Two Rivers Wind Quartet 12th February David Wilks & Friends 12th March The Dale Hurst Trio Order Tickets by Phone FromKath Harwood Thank you for your support. Proceeds in aid of music charities & Church Austhorpe Road, CrossGat esleedsls15 8QR