Minister s Letter Dear Friends, The King and I has been brought back to the stage in London over the summer. Who can forget Yul Brynner and those big dresses not that that Yul Brynner wore them of course, although I do remember a scene with a corset! One of the songs from the show is Getting to know you getting to know all about you, getting to like you and getting to hope you like me. I thought I would share just a few biographical details with you as I look forward to getting to know you all a little better. The Boy s Brigade and Girls Association have asked me some questions so my answers are in bold! I was born in Swindon and have two older brothers. I played a lot of ping pong at the church youth club, but was never very good. I went to Bristol University to study Psychology and more importantly become a Boys Brigade Officer. Leaving University I spent one day in a mince pie packing factory and decided that I would do a years voluntary work instead. I went to work at what was Bristol Methodist Central Hall, establishing a shop front ministry in the inner city. It would be called a Fresh Expression now a shop downstairs and prayer space upstairs. From there I went to work as a Lay Worker in Pinner, Harrow you couldn t imagine anything more different, but people are people and have their problems even if they hide them behind lace curtains. Then I went down to the south coast to Bexhill on Sea and I candidated from there for the Methodist Ministry. So it was back to Bristol to train for three years, completing my MA in Pastoral Theology. David and I were married just before I was stationed to Maidstone. He thinks he can trick me by buying cheap baked beans but I know if they are Heinz or not! I had pastoral charge of 4 churches including a LEP so a very steep learning curve! I arrived at my next appointment on maternity leave as Josh had arrived. This was Crowborugh United Church (Methodist and URC), near 100 acre wood where Winnie the Pooh lives. Next stop was Tonbridge no not Tunbridge Wells which is a completely different place- and by this time Samuel had arrived. So I have two boys (12 and 16) and they try to get me to dab when I lead services but I can t floss. We like camping, cooking on a camp fire and walking. Unfortunately I can t tap dance or play the drums, in fact I am not very musical. I also quite like Cadburys Dairy Milk. I don t have any pets, tidying up after three boys is enough! The King and I is all about breaking down cultural barriers and building understanding. I hope we as church do the same building community where everyone can experience something of the love of God whatever their background. So looking forward to getting to know all bout you and working with you. Marie-Anne
Harvest Festival 7th October Winne the Pooh famously likes honey and comes up with amazing schemes to get it. Of course we don t just need bees for honey, they pollinate so many of the things we like to eat. So this year at Harvest we will thanking God for all his gifts to us but especially for bees. We are also supporting an amazing scheme through All We Can (Methodist Relief and Development Fund) to help families in Ethiopia keep bees, collect honey, make money and so support their families. There will be envelopes in the pews and children have taken a honey pot home to collect money. Your gifts of tinned food are also welcome for the work of the Food Bank. Church Family Christmas Card I know it is too early to mention the C word, but this year we are suggesting that we have one big Christmas Card for everyone to sign. So rather than sending lots of individual cards you are invited to sign the big card with your greetings to the church family and make a donation for the cards you would have bought to support Homeless Charities around Southport. Remembrance Sunday 11th November The last soldiers went over the top at 4.20 am on 11th November 1918. The armistice was signed at 5 am. Then at the eleventh hour of the eleventh month the guns of Europe fell silent. This year we mark the centenary of the end of World War 1. On Remembrance Sunday, people around the Commonwealth will be reflecting on the lives that were changed irrevocably, and those that were lost. Some 65 million men were mobilised across Europe during World War 1. Nearly a third of them some 21 million were wounded. Another 8.5 million were killed and some 7.7 million were taken prisoners of war. All of them had family and friends whose lives were changed forever by the events of 1914-1918. This year gives us the chance to remember, but also to pray and work for peace, looking forward with hope. You are invited to join us on 11th November to stand with millions across the country in two minutes silence. There will be opportunity for you to write a name of a loved one who served their country on a poppy and add to those whose names recorded on the war memorials in church in a display in church. Please invite your friends and neighbours as we come together to remember.
3GENERATE LETTERS 3Generate is the children s and youth weekend of the Methodist Church which is meeting at Pontins, Southport on 23-25 November. We are being invited to write a letter to help children and young people feel connected to, and part of, the wider body of the Church; to feel part of the big Methodist family! Can you write a letter to those attending 3Generate? A letter to help them be courageous in their faith by sharing something of your own faith story. Could you share something about your experiences of being part of a church community. Maybe you remember special people or moments from growing up in a church - could you share some of that story? A handwritten letter is more personal, so if it is possible for you, please do write by hand, but if you need to type it that s fine too! Please don t put your address, or any personal contact details, on the letter. Please don t put your surname on the letter; simply sign it with your first name. Ideally your letter should be one side of A4. Return to the Church Stewards by 28th October so we can send them to London. Passing on the good news of Jesus Christ The Bible tells us that we should always be prepared to share our faith in Jesus with others. That does not mean we should all be local preachers or worship leaders, but it does mean we should not miss any opportunity to tell others about our faith and trust in Jesus. Many people in the everyday walks of life need a word of comfort, advice or reassurance. The person sitting next to us on the bus, or standing next to us in the supermarket queue, may appreciate a friendly word or two. They may live alone and may not have spoken to anyone else that day. If we feel a bit shy or nervous about speaking, we should remember that Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, has promised to give us the words to say, and will even prompt us to speak, too.
Rev. Steven Wild, one of our ex-presidents of Conference, has given us this as an example: In the kitchen of one of our chapels last week, when I called in, the Weightwatchers were meeting in the hall. A lady in the kitchen had her mouth full and was chewing! I tease her by saying Ha! Ha! I have caught you eating a Mars Bar! She waved a banana at me! The conversation developed and she confessed to having felt a hypocrite when she had prayed earlier in the week. We talked more and in the end I led her to Christ in the kitchen and she accepted the little wooden cross, Hallelujah! So, pluck up courage and use the next opportunity that arises to tell a stranger, or a friend, about your faith, your church, your Lord! You could start by inviting them to Thought for The Day on Thursday mornings, or Monday Evening fellowship, or Bible Study, now they have recommenced after the summer break. Hallelujah! George Phillips Chernobyl Children s Lifeline (CCLL) Plea for Host Families June 2019 It is now over 30 years since the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, but its effects are still being felt even now, and especially by the children of Belarus. That is why every year the local branch of CCLL (known as Sefton Link) bring a party of children from Belarus to the Southport area for a HEALTH HOLIDAY. It is estimated that a month in the UK breathing fresh air and eating uncontaminated food will put 6 months on a child s life expectancy. The children are aged between 10 and 11 years old and are accompanied by an interpreter. For the last few years the children and the interpreter have all come from the same school While the children are here they spend the month with a host family who provide accommodation and meals. Occasionally, in the past, some families have hosted for two weeks and then the children have moved to another family for the last two weeks. During the week, Monday to Friday, the children take part in activities organised by the group, but the host families are expected to entertain the children during the weekends. Ideally, host families should be able to accommodate 2 children but if that is not possible accommodating one child would be appreciated. Families who have hosted in the past have reported how much their own children have enjoyed interacting with their guests.
CCLL has to deal with the Belarussian government and accept their conditions and rules so a host family MUST include one adult male and one adult female. It is not essential that the host families have children of their own. If you would be interested in learning more, or if you know of anyone who might be interested, please get in touch with Chris or Margaret Mowatt on 01704220441 Chris and Margaret Mowatt