At the heart of community including the preaching plan June 2018 Ipswich Round is the quarterly newsletter & preaching plan of the Ipswich Circuit of Methodist churches
Working together as Church at Heart of Community Dear Friends, Robert F Kennedy is attributed with the saying If not us, who? If not now when?. Although as with a lot of popular sayings he was merely quoting a saying originated elsewhere; after research, the saying was attributed to Rabbi Hillel, a first century Jewish leader. It doesn t matter who coined the phrase, what matters is what it says to us today. I am writing this letter in the aftermath of the Syrian air strikes, just a fortnight after Easter and in the light of the issues in the world and the resurrection story we might ask ourselves the question anew If not us, who? If not now, when?. After two years of turmoil and reactionary ministry in the Circuit, I believe that we are at a point where we are ready to move off to effective, proactive ministry. Derek
IT S GOOD TO TALK when we make the effort! Well look who it is at last you may say! Yes first time in 6 years as a Lay Employee, I set foot into the ROUND! Here I am to introduce myself a little and inform you of what I am doing in the Circuit. FAMILY My life began in Paignton, S. Devon, brought up by a Christian family - crab business and clotted cream! I have 4 siblings, 10 nephews & nieces (2 great ones!), married to Ian France (formerly of CYM Ipswich Christian Youth Ministries), 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren! JOBS I moved to Ipswich in 1992 to work at CYM, with previous employment as a Nanny/Nursery nurse in private homes, schools and church work. In 1984 I was called to study for 3 years at Moorlands, Bible College in Dorset around the time Billy Graham came for Mission England. Traveling up to help at Portman Road with admin, counselling and hoovering the stage gave me my first taste of Ipswich! For 2½ years I joined an itinerant ministry with the Dudley based Saltmine Trust s Children's Team, (some may remember Saltmine Holidays at Southwold, St Felix School) after which I headed for Ipswich. Ten years with CYM, then ten years in Primary School teaching, training on the job and qualifying in 2005. In November 2012 I joined the IRMA - Ipswich Rural Ministry Area, 5 year project working with Capel and Chelmondiston Churches & Communities. HERE AND NOW I continue to be a part-time Lay Employee with the Circuit, remaining with Capel my local church, but transferring my commitment from Chelmondiston, where Rachael Wainwright is now their LE; to being a Circuit Mission Enabler. The 5 year project allowed me to put into practice my gifts and experience many new things for effective Mission. I felt God-inspired to offer a wider support and encouragement to our Circuit. The aim is to connect with our churches in the Circuit and TALK together, about various ways to improve, manage and move forward in GOD s MISSION. SO if you want to talk please call! Thanks for listening! Sue France
Thoughts from the front row It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of dear Sally Laws, Local Preacher, who had regularly contributed to Ipswich Round once preaching became difficult. Her first article appeared December 2012 which began with :- My view of the congregation from the pulpit (or thereabouts) always drew my attention to those sitting in the back row. My perception of them was that they wanted to be hidden from what was going on. But the preacher sees every member of his or her congregation (even if she is sitting in a wheelchair). Ipswich Round will greatly miss Sally s contributions and we send love and support to Gerald and family in their loss of an inspirational lady. A tribute to Sally Laws I have just read through Sally s last contribution to the Ipswich Round for the December issue and she reminded us of the words of Timothy Dudley-Smith in his hymn of Christian commitment: past put behind us, for the future take us, Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone. Over the 20 or so years that Sally lived with MS, she never talked of any regret in her life, of never looking back. Perhaps she might have thought of a different life away from the shackles that MS brought her, times that might have been filled with her one passion in life to spread God s love to all. But to her last days on Kirton Ward at Ipswich Hospital, Sally would smile her doubts away and want another day to pass with the hope of coming home to be with her family. After 5 weeks in hospital, Sally s body had become so weakened by MS and suspected lung cancer, her breathing was causing grave concern. She choked on her breakfast on a Sunday morning, became asphyxiated and never recovered from that episode. As Jonathan and I watched her life ebb away through the rest of that day, we both knew we were letting go of her spirit as it moved away from the torment of her failing body. At 2 am the following morning, Sally died and we were assured that she was with her Lord, in perfect peace and free from suffering. What a joy it is to know that assurance is given to all of us.
As we rebuild our lives we put our past behind us. We let God plan our futures and we live for Christ alone. On the last page of Sally s funeral order of service, Jonathan posted these words the day after his Mother died. Words from deep down in his soul. My heart is broken. In the early hours of Monday morning my dear Mum passed away. 21 years ago the diagnosis of MS changed all of our lives. She faced the challenge of living with and battling against this horrible condition with dignity and grace. Never complaining, never giving in. Determined to live her life and love her family unconditionally until the end. The example has been set for us all to follow. I may never get over this. But the outpouring of love and support we have received as a family will certainly help ease the pain. Thank you. Bye Mum x I love you. Sally was so happy to be given the privilege of continuing to preach the good news through her page in the Ipswich Round. Gerald Laws
The Work of Dawn Bone, Lay Worker in the Felixstowe Mission Area There are some exciting things happening in Felixstowe at the moment that I m involved in. In November I approached a Care Home in Felixstowe called Cotman House and asked about starting a baby group in there and they were very excited at the idea. Since December we have met every Thursday morning, including the holidays to help keep continuity, from 10.30 till 11.30am but we started making this longer starting 10.15 till 12.30 some days as the residents, parents and children are not in a rush to leave! (If it wasn t for lunch I think we would still be there mid-afternoon.) We meet up in the activity lounge or the café adjacent to the garden and play card games, sing songs, nursery rhymes and just chat. The group is about 6 or 7 parents each week with 9 children ranging from 6 months to 3 years, and in the holidays we have 4 and 5 and 6 year olds which is great as residents have pictures drawn for them and play dough cakes (Which the children are quick to tell them are not real!). We do have residents families joining us sometimes as they said it makes it easier when other children are there helping their own children not to be so scared and worried about the environment. We have 4 very regular residents who try not to miss it as they say it s the highlight of the week. There are about 8-10 residents each week and they love their weekly cuddles. They also will happily feed them a bottle while we are packing up at the end of the session. The staff take photos which hopefully we will have copies of soon. This is an amazing piece of outreach but we still can t come up with a name. Any ideas gratefully received!! I am also involved in the Faith and Fun Tent that is being held at Felixstowe Carnival this year. We are doing four bible stories in the style of Open The Book whilst doing a Messy Church style craft to accompany them. We are hoping this will be popular and a great witness to many children and adults in the town. If you fancy getting involved or joining us feel free to ring me or email me. Dawn Done 01394 286057 dawnbaxter3@yahoo.co.uk
Health and Spirituality The latest Connexion magazine of the Methodist Church has an article on Community Healthcare Chaplaincy. According to researchers, having a spiritual or religious life can have the following impacts: Higher levels of social support and greater marital stability. Lower incidence of drug use, alcohol abuse and smoking. Less anxiety and depression and lower suicide rates. Higher uptake of regular exercise and fewer sleep problems. Lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Increased immunity to infections and lower death rates from cancer. The Royal College of GPs states that they should adopt the ability to understand and respect the values, culture, family structure and beliefs of your patients. Yet GPs are confronted by quandaries such as: 1. A teenage Roman Catholic girl with an unplanned pregnancy. 2. A Muslim girl presenting with anxiety and depression because she has a white, Anglo-Saxon boyfriend. 3. A member of an evangelical church, who is suicidal because of financial mistakes that mean he will go to hell because the Bible says so. 4. The widowed church-attending lady who is fearful that her late husband is still present at night and wishes to move on with her life. Hospitals and hospices have had chaplaincy services since the start of the NHS in 1946. There is now a need for chaplains in GP surgeries. The Lincolnshire Chaplaincy Services (see the Connexion magazine) has been involved in a pilot scheme of training chaplaincy volunteers to work in GP Practices which have been valued by patients and staff.
NHS England has come on board with a view to taking this to a national level. This could become a transformative change in the history of the NHS. The Parish Nursing scheme is another initiative that, working through churches, provides a Parish Nurse to serve in the community giving holistic healthcare, working alongside the NHS. (The Ipswich Circuit has two such schemes at Walton, Felixstowe and Capel. ) Nationwide there are 100+ schemes, with many more interested churches hoping to come on board and the vision of 220 schemes by the year 2020. This all supports evidence of the positive impact of religious practice on TOWN PASTORS HAVE THEIR USES! On one occasion Felixstowe Town Pastors were walking down the street at 1:20 in the morning when a gentleman wound down his window. "Do you know anywhere that I could get a birthday card for my wife, I have forgotten her birthday which is tomorrow?" After thinking about it she went into Trinity Methodist Church (used as a prayer base, so it was open), picked up two cards from the selection of cards on the stand and took them out to the man. He chose a handcrafted one made by Anna and donated extra money to the bookstall. He said that she would be thrilled with the card, especially as it was handmade. This proves that:- Town Pastors respond to all kinds of need when on duty. Husbands still can t remember to buy cards in advance for their wives!
"The Committee" by Leslie Lipson Oh give me your pity! I'm on a committee, Which means that from morning to night, We attend and amend, and contend and defend, Without a conclusion in sight. We confer and concur, we defer and demur, And reiterate all of our thoughts. We revise the agenda with frequent addenda And consider a load of reports. We compose and propose, we suppose and oppose, And the points of procedure are fun! But though various notions are brought up as motions, There's terribly little gets done! We resolve and absolve but we never dissolve, Since it's out of the question for us! What a shattering pity to end our committee. Where else could we make such a fuss?