1 st January 2017 Number 898 Happy New Y ear Everyone The church has been decorated for Christmas & Epiphany by Alan Rathbone and Sue Smith along with the trees from the Christmas Tree Festival 11:00 Morning Worship Rev Neville Pugh Music provided by Neville Pugh. Norman Pybus welcomed you at the door, and the books were given out by Marian Blackman Refreshments by Norman & Elisabeth Pybus Readings by Elisabeth Pybus & Elizabeth Roberts (Isaiah 60:1 6 and Matthew 2:1 12) Today s Steward is Jeanette Robinson There will be no Praise and Worship this evening Happy Birthday to: Gareth Jones & Jack Lomax (today). Congratulation to: John & Gill for their anniversary (yesterday) Do join us for tea & coffee after the service this morning
TheComingWeeks Sunday 1 st January 2017 11:00 Morning Worship Rev Neville Pugh from 4:00 The Llangollen Refugee Support Group invite you to come and meet some Syrian Refugees at St Collen s Community Hall. There will be refreshments, entertainment and a chance to show friendship Monday 2 nd January 9:30 New Years Walk shorter than the usual walk starting from the Outhouse in the car park. The group are welcome to share lunch at the Outhouse after the walk. 3:00 NEW Sinfonia Viennese Gala Concert 2017 at St Giles Church, Wrexham. Celebrate the New Year in style with the NEW Sinfonia as they waltz (and march and polka!) you around the ballrooms of Vienna, joined by singers from the North Wales Opera Studio who will perform a selection of popular opera scenes. Conductor Robert Guy Tuesday 3 rd January 10:00 12:00 Coffee at the Memorial Hall join us for refreshments and a small bric-a-brac stall Wednesday 4 th January 10:00 12:00 Christmas trees to be removed from church. Wednesday 4 th January 10:30 Open the Book at Ysgol Bryn Collen Friday 6 th January 12:30 1:30 Souper-Friday at the Memorial Hall everyone is welcome to join us for soup and a chat. Sunday 8 th January 11:00 Covenant Service Rev Phil Poole. 1:00 Church Carvery Lunch at White Waters Country Hotel please make sure your name is on Alan s list if you will be coming Tuesday 10 th January 10:00 12:00 Coffee at the Memorial Hall join us for refreshments and a small bric-a-brac stall Wednesday 11 th January 10:00 Prayer Group meet in the vestry you are welcome to join us. Reverse Advent Please bring your collected items to church by Sunday 8 th January, we will then pass them all on to the food-bank.
The editor s jottings! Christmas Tree Festival As the trees are taken down and removed on Wednesday, and we return our church building to normal, we are thankful for each tree that helped to decorate the church over the Christmas Season. A special thanks to Alan for the Church Christmas Tree, which was spectacular as always. Thanks to Ted and Peter for the music each week, and the musicians and singers for their involvement in our worship Thanks to Sue for seeing we have flowers to decorate the church each Sunday the new calendar will soon be up and you can choose your week to provide and dedicate the flowers. Thanks to Rachel for not only sorting the coffee rota, but stepping in so often to make sure we have refreshments after the service, and those who have made the coffee each week. Thanks to Marion for finding book stewards for each week, and all who have gone on her rota. and again for standing in when people are unable to be at church. Thanks to everyone who goes on the rota to read or welcome at the door, this all helps to make our church the welcoming place it is, any new volunteers are welcome, just let me know and we can see when you can have a turn. Thanks to the prayers who meet each Wednesday, and to those who pray at home for our church and its members each week. May God bless them. A new year now is the time to book the Memorial Hall for Tuesday coffee mornings, please get in touch with me if I haven t given you a date for your organisation. I will be getting the calender in place soon. Items for Riverside Weekly if you are able to write an article or come across an item you think the readers would enjoy, let me know, with details of the articles source and copyright holder. A new year prayer May God bless all our readers throughout the coming year, and my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus Philippians 4:19 Norman Page 3
Ice Dance Photographs of ice in Wales by Rona Campbell at Wrexham Methodist Church From 6 th January till the 2 nd February Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 10:00am till 4:00pm Saturdays 9:00am till 12:00pm Opening Night with poetry and refreshments Friday 6 th January at 8:00pm. Grace Festival at Cliff College Monday 29t h May 2017 Please accept this invitation to come as part of our Circuit family to Cliff College, where we will share teaching, worship, laughter and friendship as we explore what it means to encounter our God of Grace. A programme of variety for children, young people, families and adults. If you are interested pleases sign the list on the notice board. Page 4
Creator God at the start of this New Year when thoughts turn again to beginnings, starting afresh, new leaves and turning skeletons free from cupboards be with us as we gaze into the distance of fresh mission grounds of hopes and dreams, opportunities for service challenges and uncertainties Take our fears and turn them into strengths Take our lack of faith and empower us through the Spirit who breathes life into this world whose presence is reflected in the icy chill of winter s breath as well as the comforting warmth of a summer breeze. Walk with us into this New Year of opportunity Amen John Birch, http://www.faithandworship.com The incredible gift Thank you for another day. Crisp air of a new beginning. Red sun rising. Fields of white fog. Fox cubs lolling by the railway line. All fresh and freely given. No one has seen this day before. Thank you. Amen. Fiona Marshall, writer, London Minister:- Rev Philip Poole (01978) 860877 Email:- philpoole@btinternet.com
Today s Bible Study (from the Methodist Church Website) Reading John 1:1-18 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father s only son, full of grace and truth. (v. 14) Psalm 147 Background John s Gospel appears to make little reference to Christmas. It certainly lacks the wise men and the nervous shepherds. It is, however, essentially to be understood as a Christmas story for its focus is on God s glory made real in flesh and blood. John s Christmas account may be more in tune with Charles Wesley s Let earth and heaven combine (link) than In the bleak midwinter (link) but it is still about incarnation. It is the Gospel in which God s glory is wrapped in clay, and how that glory keeps shining through! The Gospel, the letters of John and the Revelation of John are believed to have come out of the community of believers in Ephesus. This is not everyone s view, but I find it helpful and credible. This community arose early in the story of the Church. Paul visited them preaching in the synagogue, where the Christians still met, and later in the lecture rooms of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9). Some have argued that the text of John was all written down much later than the other Gospels. They argue this because it appears more consciously theological and less of an eye-witness account. However, such a view is less commonly supported now. Interestingly the earliest example of any New Testament text is from John s Gospel and is on display in John Ryland s Library in Manchester. Given the contribution of Paul with his lectures and his capacity to wrap Gospel words in the language of those with whom he speaks (Acts 17:23), it is quite reasonable to suppose these opening sentences of the Gospel are also very early in the Church s history. Alongside all the wonderful mystery of the more traditional Christmas narrative these words were also being spoken: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (v. 1). John seeks more than our intellectual understanding of God s glory hidden and revealed in Christ. He invites our wonder and our faith. Information for Riverside Weekly should be sent to the editor, Page 6 Norman Pybus (01978) 861390 Email:-editor@llangollenmethodist.org.uk
Let earth and heaven combine, angels and all agree, to praise in songs divine the incarnate Deity, our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made Man. He laid his glory by, he wrapped him in our clay; unmarked by human eye, the latent Godhead lay; infant of days he here became, and bore the mild Immanuel s name. To Ponder Where do you see the mystery of the incarnation wrapped up in modern words and ideas? In the Methodist Church today is Covenant Sunday, where we celebrate all that God has done for us, and affirm that we give our lives and choices to God. Where do you see the promise of God in the Covenant made real in the world? Bible notes author: The Revd Dr Mark Wakelin Some of the religious programmes on TV & Radio each week BBC1 13:55 Sunday 1 st January Songs of Praise Hampton Court 2017 is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, so Aled Jones goes behind the scenes at Hampton Court Palace, favourite haunt of Henry VIII and his six wives. It was at Hampton Court Palace that Henry engineered a split with the church in Rome. There is also a look back at the very best of Songs of Praise from the last 12 months. Radio Wales 7:30 & 18:30 Sundays Celebration Radio 2 6:00 Sunday Morning The Sunday Hour Radio 2 7:00 Sunday Morning Good Morning Sunday with Clare Balding Radio 4 8:10 Sundays Sunday Worship Radio 4 (LW) 9:45 Monday to Thursday Mornings Daily Worship Radio 4 (LW) 9:45 Friday Mornings Act of Worship
The New Year You have crowned the year with Your bounty, and Your paths drip with fatness. Psalm 65:11 One Bible teacher says, Like most people you ve probably made New Year s resolutions to lose weight, exercise, eat better...and improve your life. But did you know that the desire to improve your life with each New Year started in the heart of God? David said, You have crowned the year with Your bounty, and Your paths drip with fatness. In Bible times fatness was considered a sign of material success. Moses sent twelve spies in to scout out the Promised Land and report back on whether it was fat or lean. They brought back word saying that it flowed with milk and honey (see Numbers 13:26-27). The land was so fruitful that it took two men to carry one cluster of grapes! So what will it take for you to experience God s blessing this coming year? Note the words crowned, bounty, and paths. In the same way a crown encircles your head, this year you can be surrounded by God s bountiful goodness. But something is required on your part. You must walk in His Word for Today paths throughout the year, because only His paths drip with fatness. You can t expect to experience the success God offers if you re not willing to walk in close fellowship with Him every day. Ezekiel expresses a similar thought: I will make them and the places around about My hill a blessing...there shall be showers of blessing [of good insured by God s favour] (Ezekiel 34:26 AMP Classic Edition). The places around God s habitation will be showered with blessing and goodness; so endeavour to stay close to God each day of this year. Published by UCB, Stoke on Trent For free daily readings see Elisabeth or Norman