NewSheet. Church Weekend - Time to Book! Sheet Church Weekend At Home 2017 Friday 29th September to Sunday 1st October (inc meals)

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1 Issue No. 36 September 2017 NewSheet Church Weekend - Time to Book! Sheet Church Weekend At Home 2017 Friday 29th September to Sunday 1st October (inc meals) Don t miss the chance to take part in our Church Weekend At Home at the end of September. Not everyone can go away for two nights, as we did last autumn, so we thought it was only fair to offer a local programme this year. Our main speaker will be our own popular Archdeacon, Ven Gavin Collins (left) and on Saturday we ll be using Liphook Church Centre (above) with its spacious facilities. Lifts to Liphook will be available to those unable to drive. On Friday evening and Sunday morning we ll meet in church, while on Saturday evening we will eat in various homes as people volunteer either to host or be a guest. Pick up a programme and fill in the booking form as soon as possible or contact Warden Karen Glanville or the office. Loving God, Loving People St Mary Magdalen Church, Sheet, Petersfield Registered Charity No

2 Lay Minister Linda Clist reflects on the adventures of Joseph, our Summer Sunday hero The final chapters of the Book of Genesis have all the ingredients for a fictional soap opera: family battles spilling over into violence, attempted seduction, sets as varied as prisons and palaces, long-lost family reunited - and more! No wonder the story of Joseph has fascinated people down the ages and inspired believers, artists and composers alike. In church, we usually read the Bible in very small snatches and jump from one book to another, so it s good to make time now and then to focus on one part and follow it through from beginning to end. The first and last episodes of Joseph s life present us with a chaotic blended family. Jacob was shockingly unfair to his children, blatantly spoiling the two youngest and alienating all the older ones. Even late in life, he spoke of having no children left if those favoured two were lost! As we rehearsed that scene in the drama, one of the actors exclaimed at his heartlessness: it was truly shocking. As we know, Jacob s foolishness encouraged his older sons resentment and must have contributed to their plan to harm their brother. It didn t do Joseph any good either - he really was a brat as a teenager. On the other hand, I was really struck by the positives we can draw from this family saga. First of all, Jacob s flawed parenting helps us appreciate the old truth that our Father God has no favourites. God is always loving, always even-handed. Then the story makes the point that God doesn t reject us when we re foolish or even malicious. His love stretches to embrace us whether we re making a mess of family relationships or treating other people tactlessly or even choosing to harm someone. He is always waiting for us to turn back to him and always wanting to lead us, nudge by nudge if need be, to be the person he wants us to be. I think we see this most powerfully in Judah s story. He is the brother who s most embittered by his father s lack of attention. He even suggests killing Joseph when he s at their mercy. Nevertheless, years later he s the one who sees their problems in Egypt as the consequence of their cruelty. Furthermore, he s the one who then offers himself as a slave in place of Benjamin, the youngest brother, to spare his father any more suffering. Judah has truly changed in the course of those years. God was surely at work in him, just as God yearns to continue working in each one of us. We gave the Joseph series the title God Always With Us, because those 13 chapters of Genesis that tell his story are punctuated by the words And God was with Joseph. Whatever highs and lows we experience, God is with us. Thank-you for coming with us on the Joseph journey this summer. As we say Goodbye to him and to the holidays, we remember that the word itself is a blessing: God-be-with-ye. And as we know from Joseph, he most certainly is. 2

3 Taking Part(s) After the service, Indi poses as Joseph the spoiled teenager In rehearsal, Sarah as the jailer takes the King s orders. A regal Hendrik (4) sits on the throne. Preparing for action: Mark as Judah and Hendrik as Simeon The family reunited: Ruth as Jacob, Nikolai as Joseph, Bryony as Benjamin and Angus as Reuben. Twenty members of the church family took part in the dramatised versions of Joseph s story enacted at The 10 O Clock services. They were: Ruth Firth, Indi Temple, John King, Zia Temple, Alexander Heywood, Sylvia Bovington, Lynette Spong, Hendrik Bosch, Beth Svarovska, Armin Mardi, Peter Clist, Andrew Spiers, Jack Cross, Linda Clist, Lynn Hellewell, Sarah Hunt, Bryony McAllister, Mark Fairhead, Angus McAllister and Nikolai Gibbins. There were no fewer than 4 actors playing Joseph himself: Indi, Jack, Lynn and Nikolai. Some portrayed more than one character: Sylvia, John, Sarah, Lynette, Peter, Andrew, Hendrik and notably Armin, who managed to switch roles from trader to Captain Potiphar on the same day. There was only one speedy rehearsal for each of the five dramas and yet everything went extraordinarily smoothly, so a very big thank-you to every actor. We are also grateful to Thelma Berry for her generous loan of several African costumes to supplement the inhouse wardrobe. Last but not least, the musicians and welcomers were most forbearing while we rehearsed. 3

4 Our Sheet Summer This picture of our much-loved Vera Carter was taken on her last visit to church at the end of June. She was enjoying the sunshine outside the Village Hall and chatting to guest speaker Sue Parsons, who had given an inspiring talk about the work of TEARFUND and our new link with the work of Ugandan Christians. (More on this next time.) The church was full for Vera s funeral on August 7th. Over the years, Vera had served as a welcomer, chaplaincy team member and sacristan. She continued to bless us all with her ready smiles, good humour, down-to-earth wisdom and sure Christian faith into her nineties. Another guest speaker - another sunny Sunday! (l to r) Peter Clist and Lynn & Mark Hellewell share stories with Debbie Youell in July after Debbie s moving personal story of coming to faith & being the only believer at home. SMART at CAMP In July, Youth Worker David Loveless organised the annual 24-hour camp at Cloncaird for young people. As usual, it was action-packed with games, craft, swimming, Bible teaching and discussion. As you can see from these pictures, serious concentration was required for making candle holders and scoring the candles, symbolising the marks that worries can make on us. 4

5 HAPPY CAMPERS Spot the adult helpers! Find David Loveless & Angus McAllister plus Amanda Micklethwaite, who hosts the camp Nearly 20 young people took part in this year s camp, which took the theme of anxiety and worries. Sarah Jones (14) explains: We had three sessions. The first was songs, then craft, then Bible teaching, all about our worries. I liked the craft best. It was all related to the theme. And it was nice just being around everyone while also learning and playing games. The weather wasn t so bad. It only started raining once we d put our things in the tents, so we just hid under the trees for a while! Above: SMART campers pose for a photo on their way down to join the Festival Service at Sheet rec; Right: After a game of hide-and-seek in the woods, there was hot chocolate with marshmallows toasted on an open fire. Then time to sleep! Our Youth Worker Appeal is still open. If you would like to contribute, please pick up a form from the back of church or place an offering in the bag on a Sunday, in an envelope clearly marked Youth Worker. Thank-you. 5

6 OASIS, our weekday service for older people, run by Seniors Chaplain Julie Slade, continued throughout the summer. Our own Beth Svarovska (right) came to OASIS in July to share some important skills, including how to get up safely after a fall. There were also some fun exercises (volunteers only!) including the foot massage balls (left). People were surprised by how many useful activities are possible even as we become less agile. After worship, everyone had more than earned their chance to have a breather with tea and cake. The August OASIS meetings celebrated the summer holidays with special cream teas and on the 24th, vicar Richard Saunders came along, not least to play people s favourite hymns, which was much enjoyed. All are welcome on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month pm at The Half Moon for informal worship, tea and cake SEPTEMBER DATES: 14th & 28th 6

7 St Mary Magdalen Festival 2017 July 23rd saw our annual open-air service to celebrate church life at the festival of our patron saint, Mary Magdalen. After a rather dismal Saturday, we were all relieved to have a warm, dry morning as the gazebos were erected and the barbeque fired up. Meanwhile in the scout hut, Natalie Bosch did a marvellous job organising the catering, assembling a grand array of salads and sweets with help from Olivia and other volunteers. The theme of the service was Faith & Creation, reflected in the songs and prayers and the talk from Lay Minister Bob Slade. Despite the clouds overhead, it was very warm in the open air until the food had been served, when the showers began. The children raced for cover and groups gathered under the awnings to chat and eat together. If anything, it gave a festive air of camaraderie to the proceedings! Above: Richard introduces worship as the musicians shelter and the choir sit in the open air. Below: Two large gazebos shelter the all-age congregation of almost although there was less bright sunshine this year. 7

8 After coming down to join everyone, SMART campers share some of their activities with the congregation (l to r) Jan Bosch, Mark Hellewell and Ross Jarvis are intent on the serious business of cooking for 120 New Churchwarden Phil Taylor (pictured behind the Thompsons left and at the top of page 9) is a regular at the 8 O Clock Service and this was actually his very first 10 O Clock Festival. He was impressed by the scale of it and the numbers attending. I never realised quite how much went into it, he admitted. Despite that, Phil took on responsibility for setting up and clearing, meaning an early start and a late finish. One of his helpers commented gratefully on his calm team leadership and military efficiency, while sound man Nick Law and music leader Hilmar Hauer oversaw the demanding technical preparations. >>> Eliana and Jonathan Thompson happily tuck into burgers and salads. 8

9 Churchwarden Phil Taylor (left) talks logistics with (l to r) Alynne and John Dunt and Peter Clist. Time for seconds? In the background, some of the young people take advantage of a break between the showers to play football while (l to r) Sylvia Parnell, Anne Randall, Lynn Hellewell, Angus McAllister and Steve Passingham enjoy their lunch. Time to pack it all away again. Until next year! 9

10 ****** STAR PAGE****** The monthly page fo r The Ark, SMART and Young-at-Heart. Fruit Salad September is the month for fruit in our part of the world. Apples, pears and blackberries etc are at their best. In the Holy Land, of course, which has a much warmer climate, things are rather different. The fruits below are all mentioned in the Bible. Can you name them all? Some are easy, but not all! And when you ve checked the answers below, can you find where they come in the Bible? That may be even harder! Now can you find these verses in your Bible?! 7. Figs - Jeremiah 24:2 6. Grapes - Leviticus 19:10 5. Olives - Isaiah 17:6 4. Apples - Song of Songs 2:5 1. Dates - 2 Samuel 6: Melons - Numbers 11:5 3. Pomegranates - Deuteronomy 8:

11 Saturday 9th September The annual countrywide Ride & Stride day is nearly here. You can cycle, walk, run, ride or drive to raise money to repair and restore Hampshire s historic churches of any denomination. The idea is to get sponsorship to visit as many churches on the list as you like. You plan your own route and go at your own pace. Here at Sheet we have volunteers to welcome visitors and sign to confirm their arrival - plus providing tea and coffee. Half the money you raise goes to the church of your choice. (Do please Gift Aid if you re a taxpayer.) Last year nearly 400 churches in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight opened their doors for the event. Despite the rain that day, 43,000 was raised (not counting Gift Aid). Churches recently helped by Ride & Stride include Portsmouth Cathedral, St Nicholas Chawton, St Jude s Southsea, St Cross Winchester, Silchester (which some of us visited on the Church Weekend last year) and Christchurch Portsdown, where Max is helping out at the moment. See the R & S website or our own Eric Gorvin for more. ================================================ Sheet Evenings Prayer & Healing Church family members Chris Fewings and Ruth Markby have both thanked the church for prayers for their healing over recent months. Chris writes: Thank-you for your kind prayers each Sunday. I am feeling so much better and am in remission. I thank God for our hospitals.. and shall continue to pray for them. And may our prayers also go up for those suffering from mental as well as physical illness. Ruth says, I have greatly appreciated your prayer support. Many thanks. I am very thankful that I will not need further treatment. It is always a real encouragement to continue to pray when we know how people have benefited, so thankyou Chris and Ruth for sharing this with us. ========================================= A Job for You? After a year with the newly-formed Evensong Choir, Vicar Richard Saunders has discussed the monthly Evensong with regular worshippers, PCC and the staff team. Sadly, this last musical initiative, coming after two or three other efforts, has failed to increase attendance, despite our hopes. We have therefore agreed not to resume the monthly evensong services after the August break. The annual bereavement service in the autumn and the carol service in December are both very wellattended and will continue as usual. We have also had good numbers for special Evensongs, such as the springtime visits from a capella group The Free Radicals, so we hope to continue with those. Do let Richard or any PCC or ministry team member know if you have further suggestions. Meanwhile }OPEN{ on the first Saturday and Praise & Prayer on the first Monday evening of the month will continue, as will Reveal each Wednesday evening at Winton House. 11 Sarah Reed (right) has done sterling work over the last three and a half years organising the rota of volunteers who clean the church. Sarah will step down at the end of the year but would love to hand over to a new rota person in good time. Please step forward if you could help. Sarah would love to tell you more... =============================================== Warm At last! On Monday 11th September, the promised under-pew heating will finally begin installation. This was a specific point in our Mission Action Plan and will serve both to care for the congregation and to give a warmer welcome to visitors and newcomers. The church s usual services will continue uninterrupted while the work is done and the contractors hope to finish by the end of the month. Many thanks to the Fabric Committee members who have worked so hard to get this done before the winter!

12 Services for September The Ten Commandments Sunday 3 You shall not covet Sunday 17 You shall not steal Communion Communion The 10 O Clock Service 10 O Clock Together inc activities for children and young people Sunday 10 You shall not give false testimony Sunday 24 You shall not commit adultery BCP Communion BCP Communion The 10 O Clock Service The 10 O Clock Service with Communion inc The Ark & Upper Room with Communion, inc The Ark + Upper Room *********** Church Weekend At Home (please book in advance for Friday & Saturday)*********** Fri 29th Sept 7.30pm in church; Sat 30th 9.30am at Liphook Church Centre; Sun 1st Oct 8am + 10am in church Saturday 2nd September Wednesdays 9am Short Communion 8pm Reveal at Winton House 6pm - 7pm Mondays 4th SEPTEMBER & 2nd OCTOBER 8pm - 9pm Praise and Prayer }OPEN{ informal worship open to all Services for October Sunday 1 WEEKEND Sunday 8 Sunday 15 HARVEST Sunday 22 Sunday 29 BCP BCP The 10 O Clock Service with Ven Gavin Collins, Archdeacon The 10 O Clock Service with Communion 10 O Clock Together HARVEST FESTIVAL The 10 O Clock Service with Communion The 10 O Clock Service with Communion From the Registers Funerals Vera CARTER Neville ERRINGTON Albert FAIRFAX June COUSINS Baptism Harry MURRAY (6 August) (7 August) (14 August) (17 August) (18 August) NewSheet is free, but a donation of 20p per copy would cover basic costs. (There s a slot in the wall near the church door.) To receive NewSheet in full colour (at no cost to the church) join the church list at admin@sheet.church or click on Magazine on our home page at Feedback, letters and contributions are welcome. Please deliver to newsheet@sheet.church to the pigeonhole at the back of church or to the Parish Office. Material for publication will be edited as necessary. Copy date for the OCTOBER issue is Wed 20th Sept. Editor: Linda Clist Vicar Revd Richard Saunders richard@sheet.church Curate Revd Max Cross max@sheet.church Youth Worker David Loveless david@sheet.church Churchwardens Karen Glanville & Phil Taylor churchwardens@sheet.church Parish Administrator Rebecca Whelan admin@sheet.church 12 Hon Clergy Revd Mick Micklethwaite Lay Ministers Linda Clist & Bob Slade Pre-school Families Worker Suzy Cross Seniors Chaplain / Pastoral Co-ordr Julie Slade Parish Office 2 Pulens Lane, open Wed - Fri mornings