CHEAM METHODIST CHURCH Cnr Church Hill Road and Chatswor Road, Cheam, Sutton SM3 8LJ NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2016 Minister: Rev Nik Wooller 01372 743182 revnik@live.co.uk Hall Bookings: Audrey Saunderson 020 8644 6911 www.cheammeodistchurch.org.uk Church Charity Number: SI 2655/2007 SERVICES AT CHEAM METHODIST CHURCH Date Time Preacher Service 4 Sept Rev Nik Wooller Holy Communion 23 Ordinary 11 Sept Rev Mark Wakelin 24 Ordinary 18 Sept Rev Nik Wooller 25 Ordinary 25 Sept Mrs Judi Wakelin 26 Ordinary 2 Oct Rev Nik Wooller 27 Ordinary
FOR YOUR DIARY SEPTEMBER Thurs 1st 7.30pm Circuit Welcome Service for Rev Ung Soon Nguang and Rev Barnabus Alexandra Wallington MC Tues 6 10-11.30am Cheam Tots Parent/Carer and Toddler Group Tues 6 2.30pm Wed 7 8pm Women s Friendly Hour Rev Nik Wooller House Group Meeting at Audrey Saunderson s home, 105 Abbotts Road, Cheam Thurs 8 7.30 for 8.00pm Circuit Meeting Epsom MC Mon 12 7.30pm Pastoral Meeting Cheam Tues 13 10-11.30am Cheam Tots Parent/Carer and Toddler Group Tues 13 2.30pm Women s Friendly Hour Members Afternoon, AGM Wed 14 8.00pm Sun 18 9.45am Local Preachers Meeting Banstead MC Prayer Meeting Cheam Tots Parent/Carer and Toddler Group Tues 20 2.30pm Women s Friendly Hour - TBC Tues 27 10-11.30am Cheam Tots Parent/Carer and Toddler Group Tues 27 2.30pm Women s Friendly Hour Arur and Marion Strange, Slides of Nor Yorkshire in e Fall Fri 30 8.00pm House Group Meeting at Mary Freeman s home, 14 Priory Avenue, Cheam Tues 20 10-11.30am OCTOBER Sat 1st Decorate Church for Harvest Festival Sun 2nd 12.30pm Harvest Festival Fai Lunch Wed 19 8pm Church Council meeting All events are at Cheam Meodist Church unless shown oerwise. Deadline for October Newsletter, Friday 16 August wi contributions to Tony Brett Young on abrettyoung@hotmail.com (please note at is is e very latest at copy can be accepted because of holiday commitments).
A MESSAGE FROM REV NIK WOOLLER As you know, after many years, David has stepped down from e role of Senior Steward and so each of us will have to work a little harder and pull togeer a little more to stop his departure from leaving too big a hole in e workload here at CMC. When each of us does a little more, it saves any one of us having to do a whole lot more. Many of us are skillful at e art of making excuses, aren't we? "I don't know how", "I didn't understand", "I couldn't find e right tools", "I have a doctor's appointment", "There's been a dea in e family", "I have a relative coming from abroad and I need to pick em up at e airport." And, my all time favourite, heard from a member of staff when I managed e pub: "When I got up is morning I accidentally took two sleeping tablets instead of pain killers and I can t get out of bed." In e Christian world, we can find all sorts of excuses not to obey God's voice: "It's e minister s job", "It's not my gift", "I've already served, let someone else do it", and "I'm too busy or too tired or too old or too young". If you read Jeremiah you will note he had every excuse ready when God called him to be a prophet. His excuses are often our excuses for not heeding God's voice when he calls. Countering each excuse was a promise from God. I. The excuse: The task is demanding The promise God may assign you a demanding task, but his call keeps us going when we don't want to go and are ready to quit. We have e promise of God's purpose. "I chose you before I formed you in e womb; I set you apart before you were born'" (Jer 1:5). The verb 'know' has much more meaning an simply being aware of. It carries e idea of recognition of e wor and purpose of him who is known. God knew Jeremiah, chose Jeremiah, and appointed Jeremiah. He was known by name, hand-picked by God, and commissioned to serve. Those acts give one a great sense of purpose. The promise of God's purpose allows us to let go of our own plans and to receive God's plan wiout fear. Like Jeremiah and Jesus, we need to accept at our future is not our own. We are God's. He has a distinct plan and purpose for our lives. II. The excuse: My talent is inadequate The promise Our talent may appear inadequate, but God always equips ose he calls. We have e promise of God's provision. "Then e LORD reached out His hand, touched my mou, and told me: I have now filled your mou wi My words" (Jer 1:9). The touch was not so much to purify as it was to inspire and empower. It was symbolic of e gift of prophecy bestowed on Jeremiah. God blesses not e silver-tongued orator, but e one whose tongue has been touched wi coals from e altar. God uses not e most gifted and talented person, but e one touched by e hand of God. God uses e most unlikely persons to shake a church or a community or a nation. Never underestimate e power of e touch; especially when God does e touching. III. The excuse: The time is not right The promise God's call may come at an inopportune time, but he never sends for his servant alone. We have e promise of God's presence. "Then e LORD said to me: Do not say, I am only a you,' for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be wi you to deliver you. This is e LORD's declaration" (Jer 1:7-8). Please note e condition to is promise. Before Jeremiah could experience God's
presence, he had to go where God sent him, speak what God told him, and reject fear. Someone once said at when God calls us to a task, he does not give us a road map to follow and en leave us to our resources. God walks wi us, and ere is no doubt at His presence gives us e streng to stand in e face of every assault. What a difference it makes knowing at when we are being sent, someone is going wi us. We know we do not have to walk e lonesome road alone, at we have a travelling companion. Has God called you to do a little more at Cheam? Then speak to me or one of e leadership team and we will help find a suitable job for your talents. As you serve, God will fulfill his purpose in you, he will equip you, he will enable you and will accompany you in all you do. God bless, FROM THE SENIOR STEWARD September is upon us and e year has flown. As we start a new Meodist year we also start several changes, not only for e coming year, but also ose which follow. Alough our minister, Nik, has anoer year wi us, e Leadership Team and I have had to put togeer a profile of what we're looking for in our new minister. I have had several meetings wi e Circuit Invitations Committee and as we will again be sharing our new minister wi Epsom, wi eir Senior Steward. The profile which has been finalised is going to e Circuit Meeting for acceptance, and en to e District. All being well, we should know by late November who is interested in meeting e Leadership Teams at CMC and Epsom. Obviously we will keep you informed of progress. You will know at I stepped down as Senior Steward at e end of August, and at our recent Leadership Team meeting it was agreed at e jobs I have been doing would be shared among e team. So, from September, e Leadership Steward on duty each Sunday will be responsible for contacting e minister, arranging readers and producing e service sheet. Therefore if you have any notices for e coming week, please contact e appropriate steward. A rota will be on e notice board at e back of e church to tell you who at is. I hope by now all of you will have seen e new windows roughout e building. The purchase and installation have been made possible anks to a very generous donation from our friends at Epsom Meodist Church, and e installation was completed over e summer holidays.
Picture: Margaret Kingswood Jane Wasbrough has been campaigning for doors to provide access to e area outside e hall, and happily is was part of e work covered by Epsom's gift. And at's not all: following discussions wi Superintendent Dave Dickinson and some circuit stewards, we have been asked to prepare a wish list of jobs and/or items we would like e circuit to finance. There are a few essentials at need to be done which were picked up on e quinquennial inspection, but oer suggestions from e Leadership Team are for tarmac at e side of e hall so at it can be used for seating, extension to fairs, etc; to replace e grassed area at e front of e church wi tarmac to save time on maintenance (but to leave e trees); and internal decoration of e hall and church. If you have any oughts on what could be done, please speak to one of e team. A few early dates for your diaries: Sunday 2nd October: Harvest Festival followed by a fai lunch; Wednesday 19 October: Church Council; Saturday; 26 November, 11am-2pm: Christian Aid/ Autumn Fair; Sunday 4 December: Gift Service; Sunday 4 December, 3pm: Messy Church; Sunday
18 December: Carol Service followed by Christmas lunch; Sunday 11 and Monday 19 December: Street carol singing. Finally, I would like to ank e Leadership Team and all of you for your support over e years. As ever FAMILY CIRCLE Firstly, I hope at all our friends have been enjoying e lovely weaer and when able to take a holiday are returning renewed and refreshed. Congratulations to Sue Burton and Jeanette Wallace who completed e 5km walk, Race for Life for Cancer Research UK, on Epsom Downs recently. Well done and God bless you bo for your efforts. After a spell in hospital for scans and tests, Margaret Kingswood is now waiting for a date for her operation. We ank God at Margaret is feeling better, but hope at her appointment will be soon. We pray for a full recovery for her and ank her for all at she does for our church, at worship, in providing e lovely flowers for e tables, in regularly serving excellent coffee and tea to refresh us all, and for all e photographs she takes of our activities. We ank God for healing for Christine Rippon after her operation for a detached retina, and her subsequent nasty fall on e way to church. We are relieved at she is healing well, and we offer our prayers for continued improvement. We ank Christine for all her work wi e Women's Friendly Hour group. Please also pray for continued healing for Pam Ward, a very supportive WFH member, who had a major operation in July and happily is making a good recovery. We ask your furer prayers for Joyce Cleator, who was hoping for a hip replacement operation, but unfortunately is had to be cancelled for e time being, Joyce did have a spell in hospital to sort out her medication and ankfully she's not in too much pain at present, and will be able to return to WFH meeting in e Autumn. Please pray for Joyce and Bert Mealing, Alan and Mary Bugden, Irene Smi, Lea Bradshaw and all ose wi heal problems or who are housebound. It is good at Grace Hine is able to come to church and to WFH, wi e support of her family and carers. Please pray for all friends and family who support oers and erefore enrich eir lives. We especially pray for our Minister Nik, all Circuit ministers and lay preachers, ose who will be looking for new circuits and for Cheam as we look for a new minister to start in September 2017. Pray for e Leadership Team, for David as he earns a well deserved break from all his responsibilities as Senior Steward. As David has mentioned in his message, e Leadership Team will be sharing all e duties, and we pray for eir endeavours.
Finally, ank you for all your prayers for Helen who had a week of radioerapy during August, followed up wi continuous treatment every ree weeks to control e cancer. She is 'well' and was due to have a holiday wi e children at e end of August. Sally Brett Young is still recovering from her series of operations, and recently spent a week in Greece to assist her recuperation. On her return her surgeon told her he was rilled wi her progress. The new windows recently put in have made a tremendous difference to our church buildings and we hope to improve outside of e hall in due course. Please let me have your news for our October Newsletter. Mary Freeman CHURCH NEWS AND NOTICES Messy Church Once again we had a lovely time at our Messy Church event in July. As e world was building up to e Olympics in Brazil, our eme was Ready for Rio and as well as a number of craft activities ere was also a range of challenges wi bronze, silver and gold medals for e victors. Nik s address to e families in e worship time focussed on e 'taking part' element, not just of sport but in our lives as well and what we can achieve. Several of our regular Messy Members were on holiday but we were very pleased at a number of new families came, mostly from Tots. A big ank you to all e volunteers who helped make it such an enjoyable afternoon and of course, ere was cake! Jane Wasbrough News from WFH At e end of June, 15 friends from e Women's Friendly Hour group enjoyed an outing to Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking for a cream tea and visit to e shop. We had a scenic tour on e way back and some of us enjoyed ice creams on Epsom Downs, watching e pouring rain. Our driver was very entertaining and e weaer at e end of e trip did not spoil our outing. The weaer was better for our last meeting, a cream tea afternoon in our garden at 14 Priory Avenue. We had very hot weaer, good fellowship and delicious strawberries and ice cream to cool us down to finish a lovely afternoon. We had an invitation from e Moers' Union to eir Garden Party on 1 August and ree of us were able to go and chat wi eir members. Mary Freeman News from SeeAbility It was good to have a group from SeeAbility to visit us on Monday 18 July for coffee and cakes., The refreshments were followed by e usual sing-song and anks to Jane who accompanied us on e piano. Everyone was in good voice and we all enjoyed a solo of Edelweiss sung by Anne Docwra, one of e members of e group. We were given a card expressing everyone's anks, now displayed on e church notice board, togeer wi
some photos taken by Margaret. Many anks to ose who provided and served refreshments and made our visitors so welcome. Thanks also to ose from CMC who supported eier production of The Mayflower by e Wild Cats, SeeAbility's drama group, in July. The story of The Mayflower's voyage to e east coast of America, was very well portrayed. The props, very good costumes (made by Jane), back drop and sound effects brought e story to life and e audience were treated to an excellent performance. To find out more about SeeAbility, please speak to Jane or myself - or see eir website www.seeability.org Jenny Delafond Safeguarding If you fill a role at requires you to have safeguarding clearance, a DBS (formerly CRB) check, you also need to attend periodic training courses to bring you up to date wi all e issues and actions you need to know about. All but two people at CMC (Mary and me) are now due for e latest training session and we have been reminded by e Circuit of our responsibilities to ensure at all required training is up to date. The next session planned is on Saturday 17 September at St John's Church in Belmont from 10am to 12.30. Please let me know wheer or not you will be attending so I can inform e Circuit. If you can't attend we will need to book you in for a later session. Nik and I are currently planning to update DBS checks for ose in positions where ey are required (generally is is e case for anyone who holds a position of responsibility, such as a worship leader, in e church not just for people who come into contact wi children or vulnerable older people). Don't hesitate to speak to me if you have any queries about wheer you need to have a DBS check for e Meodist Church. If you have had one in e past for e church, but your personal details, such as address or passport number, have changed in recent years please also let me know. Tony Brett Young The Doroy Collection Thank you to all who have purchased greetings cards from our display. The collection was named in memory of our dear friend, Doroy Gredley who left a number of floral photographs she had taken over e years. Togeer wi oer pictures donated by members I have made more generally generic greetings cards which are mostly blank inside for you to write your own greetings. I am pleased to report at 100 from e money raised was donated to Action For Children. Also you may have noticed a number of folded books displayed on e organ. These are also for purchase and make a really novel gift. They are for sale for 10 each. (Please put money in e jar on e card carousel.) Jane Wasbrough
WHO'S WHO IN THE CHURCH Minister Rev Nik Wooller. Telephone: 01372 743182; Email: revnik@live.co.uk Nik is available by appointment to anyone who would like to speak to her about pastoral or oer matters, including baptisms, weddings and funerals. Church Leadership Team The church leadership team has been elected by church members to be responsible for e day-to-day running of e church and helping to develop policy. The full team is: Rev Nik Wooller, David Worington (8644 5160), Mary Freeman (8644 3999), Brian Kingswood (8641 0016), Jane Wasbrough (8641 4304), Audrey Saunderson (8644 6911), Charles Ponnuurai (020 8644 3367) and Tony Brett Young (8652 7622). The Newsletter Editorial Team The content in e Newsletter is e responsibility of e Church Leadership Team. Articles, news, ideas and comments can be emailed to Tony Brett Young or you can ring him on 020 8652 7622. Deadline for October Newsletter, Friday 16 September wi contributions to Tony Brett Young on abrettyoung@hotmail.com