A letter from our Minister

Dear Friends,

I hope you all had a peaceful Christmas and will have a very good New Year. As we begin a new year you will notice lots of adverts for weight loss programmes and fitness regimes and some of us may begin one of these courses.  Many of us will look back over the last year and perhaps think about what we might change in 2012.  Some of us will make New Year’s resolutions and others will be simply glad 2011 is over, hoping that 2012 is a big improvement.  But whatever our situation, a new year means a time of new beginnings and new starts.

 It seems to me that the New Year is rather like a new morning.  Up until the winter solstice the days have been getting shorter and darker as the Northern Hemisphere turns further and further away from the sun.  In the arctic of course, it is dark for 24 hours a day (yes, I have been enjoying watching Frozen Planet on TV).  But once we begin the New Year the days start to get longer and we begin the journey towards Spring. The New Year brings with it hope, life and light, just as a new day does.

There is a lovely song which speaks about the love of God being new every morning, a reminder that whatever has gone before can be forgotten in the new day.   It is so easy to focus on the failures of the past and feel guilty about them. Letting go of them and knowing that God forgives and loves afresh each day is a lot harder. And yet the grace and love of God is in itself remarkably simple.  I remember hearing a story from a colleague of mine when I was training for ministry.  He had been counselling a man who was full of regret and remorse for something he had done some years before.  All the people he had hurt had forgiven him and the only person who had not forgiven himself was himself. In the end the frustrated minister shouted, ‘God forgives you!’ and finally the message went home.  He knew he was forgiven and that he could let go of his guilt and move on.

As well as letting go of guilt and taking up the idea that we are forgiven, we can also let go of old activities and take up new ones.  We might be planning various activities in the New Year that we would like to start but for which there will only be time if we give up something else.  But giving up things, whether it is guilty feelings, dutiful acts or even resented requirements can also be very difficult. We often feel obliged by so many outside forces, such as people we believe depend upon us, the question of who will do it if I don’t and the question of whether we are just being selfish.  I often think guilt is carried around by people because they feel obliged to do so along with a long list of duties and obligations.  However, all of this forgets that we are called to be free to serve God, rather than obliged to serve God.

And so as we begin a new year, the true question for 2012 is, what is God inviting us to be and to do in freely offered service to him?

God bless,  

 Jonathan

Action for Children.

Thank you all Home Collecting Box holders.  We have sent £707.87 to Action for Children.   We received a letter of thanks.

On Monday 19th December at 5.30pm ten members of Winchester Road arrived at Highams Park Station. Janice tuned up her clarinet and we started singing Carols to the passengers alighting and the ones waiting to get on the trains for the next hour.  Proceeds amounted at the end of the session to £87.56.

On behalf of Action for Children, Thank You All.

Mary Burgoine.

SHOEBOXES  -  (Samaritans Purse)
  
 Again many thanks for all the items and completed boxes and money that came in this year for the shoebox appeal.  All the ones from the church and uniformed organisations went to Kyrgyzstan which is in central Asia.  It is mountainous and has R. The people living there are Turks, Russians and Uzbeks.  I spoke to someone I know who comes from the bordering country (which I did think was the same name) and she told me its a very poor country and cold!  So you can imagine now I hope more clearly what the child opening your box will be like. 

 Just one thing I would mention to the congregation who very kindly put items all the year round into the big tub at the back of the church.  Could you think shoebox earlier as I start packing them during the first week in October and as not a lot had come in during the year and I had to spend quite a lot of money which had been given to me on basics rather then specials - then in the last week or two loads of things came in which were really lovely and also useful so we were opening some boxes and adding to their contents.   Everything  was used and we had taken what we had over for fillers to the depot to add to the boxes there, so your particular gift might have gone to Romania or Belarus.  Altogether we sent 136 from the congregation and 132 from the organisations.
                                                               
 Sylvia Dixon

The Way I see it: RING OUT THE OLD, RING IN THE NEW

It’s probably because I’m a Grumpy Old Man, but I do find it hard to see the point of ‘celebrating’ New Year.  For me, the event has all the stupendous excitement of the milometer in the car clicking over from 39,000 to 40,000.  It isn’t the solstice or equinox.  Nothing actually happens.  It doesn’t commemorate anything, except that we’re all that much older, that much nearer to a pension or the great retirement home in the sky.

Nevertheless, whatever the weather, New Year always sees vast crowds on the streets of our great cities, cheering, getting drunk and dancing in the fountains of Trafalgar Square.  Dark men for some obscure reason carry bits of coal into neighbours’ houses. and people who have no idea what the words mean, sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’.  So what is it that they are celebrating?

Surely not 2011 and its miserable economic news, recession and unemployment?  Surely not, either, the remorseless tread of time.  I suspect in fact most of them have simply turned up for the party, or perhaps it’s not 2011 at all that they have in mind, but the New Year 2012—hope triumphing over experience.

Of course, the gloom of 2011 was lightened by personal highs, the birth of a child or grandchild, perhaps a marriage, a new friend.  But reason (and in my long experience) tells me that 2012 will be very much like 2011, but, hey, hope springs eternal.

So is it stupid, or pointless, or even wrong to celebrate the New Year?  No, of course not.  Time is too serious, too important for us to take it lightly.  The Old Preacher in the Bible assures us that ‘for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven’.   He sees the passing of time as part of the way Creation works—’God has made everything suitable for its time’.  Moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into our minds’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  Humans, in other words, have an understanding of  past, present and future: we live in a world  with tenses.  And he has done this  ‘so we should stand in awe before him’.  Time, a gift from God, is awesome, and its passage deeply significant.

No reason then to mark the passing of the old year  and the birth of the new one  but every reason to recognise that we too are  art of the process, carried along by time’s tide but not helpless to make choices.  Some of those choices may change us, or our families, or our neighbours during the coming year.  Some may eventually change the world.

In God’s purpose, there is no reason at all why 2012 has to be like 2011.  Let the old year go, with all its memories, joys and hurts.  And turn to the new one with faith and prayer and—yes—hope.  For myself, definitely no freezing fountains, excess alcohol or lumps of coal.  Bu even this Grumpy Old Man will raise a glass, say a prayer, and watch the clock tick past midnight into a brave new year.

6th January — EPHIPHANY

On the 6th of January we celebrate Epiphany, the visit of three Wise Men to the baby Jesus. 

But who were these wise men?  No one knows for sure.  Matthew calls them ‘Magi’, and that was the name of an ancient castle of a priestly kind from Persia.  It wasn’t until the third century that they were called kings, by a Church Father called Tertullian.  Another Church Father, Origin, assumed there were three, to correspond with the gift given.  Later Christian interpretation came to understand gold as a symbol of wisdom and wealth, incenses as a symbol of worship and sacrifice, and myrrh as a symbol of healing, even embalming.  Certainly Jesus challenged and set aright the way in which the world handled all three of these things.  Since the eigth century the Magi have had the names, Balthasar, Caspar and Melchior.

PARKING

We have been asked by a neighbour of the Church to respect their disabled parking space and not to use it even though you have a blue badge.  Thus space is for the use of the person living at that house.  We know that parking is extremely difficult near the Church but the resident was put to considerable pain and inconvenience on return from a visit to hospital.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Bazaar 2011

Once again we had an excellent result for the bazaar. Below are the 
individual amounts raised by the stalls

Admissions                                                       172.59
Books                                                                701.26
Bric a Brac                                                        301.90 
Cation ( stocking fillers )                                 55.95
Donations                                                         217.68
Dorothy ( cards )                                             393.00
E Bay – virtual stall                                          36.75
Guild ( Nearly New ) – including candles       626.27
Jams and Pickles                                             918.06
Keep fit                                                               95.06
Plants                                                               90.65
Raffle                                                                  273.65
Refreshments                                                  1101.28
Scout and Guide Group
      Father Christmas               157.20
      Games rooms                  48.60
     Craft Room                        40.50
     Cakes, Tombola etc       1010.99             1257.29

Sharon ( embroidery )                                         83.56
Stationery                                                            160.41
Soft toys                                                               1064.71
Sweets                                                                   307.83
New Toys                                                              153.64
DVD’s                                                                    66.25
William ( 2nd Hand Toys )                                 328.74

                                                                        TOTAL    8406.85  

Finances  … Collections for November is as follows:
                                               
                                                            £2,975.76
                                   
The Christmas morning collection raised £348.35 which will be split between MHA, Haven House & Crest.

Donations in Lieu of postage for Christmas cards stands at £158.  If you still wish to make a donation can you please hand it in by 15th January.

Janice

Singing the Faith

            It has been said that we sing our theology, so the publication of a new Hymnbook is an important event. The first Hymnbook for the ‘People called Methodists’ was published by the Wesleys in 1779 but for most of us there have three books during our lifetime, The Methodist Hymnbook of 1933, Hymns and Psalms from1983 and now ’Singing the Faith which was published last Autumn and launched at a service held at Wesley’s Chapel last October.  The introduction to STF says ‘Singing hymns in worship  assists us in meeting with the living God and helps us to grow in faith, discipleship and fellowship’. 

We will be bringing this new book into use shortly with words displayed on the screen and  using copies of the book given in memory of Cyril Fitzpatrick. Hopefully this will see an end to having to juggle several different books and printed pages of words.

              The hymns/songs were collected by members of a Music Resources Group set up by Conference who began work in 2004 to produce what was called a baseline of music for worship. Then in 2009 Conference agreed to produce a ’new authorised collection’ which aimed to retain the best of the traditional hymns and to include modern hymns which had been written after 1983. They were asked to look at the range of worship songs which are in circulation. Also the compilers were asked to have regard for gender, the use of contemporary and appropriate language and metaphor and to make ’changes’ where necessary. So in some hymns ’thee’ and ’thou’ have been replaced, these changes of wording will only come to light when some of us sing the old words out of habit.

            Writing in the Methodist Recorder Neil Dixon  reports that the number of Hymns by Charles Wesley has reduced from 156 to 76
and contributions by the great names of hymnody Isaac Watts (author of When I survey the wondrous cross  287) and James Montgomery (Angels from the realms of Glory 190) have also been reduced. Four new entries’ which will be widely welcomed are;

                        O Lord my God (How great thou art) (82)
                        Christ triumphant ever reigning (319)
                        Lord for the years (470)
                        Here is bread here is wine (586)

             As we use the book we will discover surprising omissions  and  some of us will wonder why some hymns have been included, thumbing through the Christmas selection I came across 220 three of whose verses begin

                        When a young married couple
                        tried to find a place to stay

                        Labour pains forced urgent action
                        any shelter now till dawn

                        Songs that paint a cosy Christmas
                        miss the truth of God above.

            We three kings of orient are, is a very well known carol which was omitted from Hymns & Psalms and  is still out in the cold  and It passeth knowledge that dear  love of thine (sung at our wedding) has gone.  As  a non musician I cannot comment on any changes in the tunes set for the hymns or the tunes for the new hymns. If you have any observations on the book that you would like to share please let me know.

Allen Steel

A great big hairy thank you to everyone who sponsored my mo-ustache.

I raised £710 which will go to funding research into prostate cancer and also to pay for great new services to support men and their partners
affected by the disease. 

Thank you so much.

Graham Duncan

WINTER TRAVEL

A Government warning said that anyone travelling in icy
conditions should take
          a shovel, blankets, sleeping bag, scarf, hat and gloves
          24 hours supply of food and drink
de-icer, rock salt, torch and spare batteries
road flares, reflective triangles, tow rope, a five gallon petrol can
irst aid kit and jump leads.

So...I looked a complete idiot on the bus this morning!

FINANCIAL SITUATION

The Budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the Assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.

                                                                                    Cicero—in 55BC !!!

Bazaar—Thanks 2011

I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to you all for the enormous effort that went into the 2011 Bazaar and for raising a staggering £8406.85.  Thank you too to our extended church family, including the Uniformed Organisations – it would not be possible without you.

I also want to say thank you to the team of elves that helped to make the new roof-tops frieze this year – it took many hours to plan and make, and it looked fabulous

Thank you once again to everyone who supported our bazaar in whatever capacity they were able – any support is very much appreciated.  As with last year we will have our bazaar meeting for 2012 in September.  Don’t forget to put the date for next year in your diaries already - it is Saturday 24th November.

Sarah Hayward

HOW MANY HATS HAVE YOU HAD?

As a child:  1. Baby,  2. Centre of attention, 3. Son or daughter, possibly 4. Brother or sister, 5. Niece or nephew, 6. Grandson or granddaughter, cousin .
That is 6 on Day 1.

Jump on a few years: 1. Starting school, 2. New child, 3. Being someone's friend, 4. Attend to teacher’s instruction, 4.Top of class,  or 5. bottom, 6.One for trying hard, 7. Spelling, 8. Maths, 9. Reading,  10. Writing stories.

That is 10 more.

Sports: 1. Team member, 2. Player, 3. Vice Captain, 4. Captain, 5. Encourager.

This makes 15

Other hats: 1. Good companion, 2. Ready to offer help, 3. Encourager, 4. Be ready to listen, 5. Choir member, 6. Class rep to school forum, 7. Speak up for others, 8.  Prefect, 9. Head girl.

That is another 9.

Out of school: 1. Paper boy, 2. Member of Youth Club, 3. Visit a friend who is not well under your Friendship Hat.

I’m sure you can think of many more. 
This only covers about the first fifteen years.

What set me on this theme, is my most recent HAT I have acquired!  I was invited to take on the role as President of “The Methodist Women’s Luncheon Club”.  We meet on the second Friday of the month between October and May at Lancaster Hall Hotel for a time of fellowship and friendship.  We have a three course meal.  This is followed by a talk.  These these cover a variety of topics during the session.   I can give you more information.

If there are any gentlemen who feel they would like something of this nature there is a Men's Luncheon Club.  This meets at the same venue on the third Friday of the month.

Mary Burgoine.
 

This is a photo of me with my chain of office, with our speaker,
 John Singleton from the Methodist Recorder at the Christmas lunch
in December.

 The irrepressible poet Nigel Beeton, remembering the last two Januaries, was inspired to write the following...

                                                See amid the winter’s snow
                                                Lots of cars that just won’t go;
                                                It is not the driver’s fault -
                                                Councils have run out of salt!
                                                Here we sit the whole night long!
                                                Where have all the snowploughs gone?
                                                If we’d known we’d be delayed
                                                We’d perhaps have brought a spade!

                                                Say, ye cheerful children, say
                                                Why aren’t you in school today>
                                                ‘We are skating round and round
                                                Cos the heating's broken down!
                                                Yes, the heating’s gone berserk!
                                                Mum has missed a day at work!
                                                Though she’s cross and seems on edge,
                                                We can ride upon our sledge!’

                                                Sages on the weather show
                                                Said the sun would surely glow,
                                                And, they said, we may be sure
                                                Of a glorious day in store!
                                                But they missed a detail, small
                                                And the snow did thickly fall!
                                                But the met-men feel no shame -
                                                Their computer takes the blame!

Barbara and Peter Chapman are delighted to announce the safe arrival of a beautiful grand daughter.  Bethany Jane was born to Lisa and Christian on Saturday 29th October 2011 weighing in at 6lb 15.5ozs., a little sister for Ben.

May God bless you all.

Getting the Methodist BUZZ

The BUZZ has recently celebrated its 100th ‘Birthday’ or issue.  For more than eight years, this cheerful monthly emailed newsletter has been keeping Methodists in the national ‘loop’ with news from churches across the Connexion.  Its small circulation has grown into a list of thousands of people who sign up to receive the email.

The BUZZ allows Methodists across the country to share what is happening in their district, circuits, churches and church groups.  The editor Karen Burke says “We appreciate every story that we receive.  Write to me at burkek@methodistchurch.org.uk”.

SMILE LINES — Angels—what children have to say

It’s not easy to become an angel!  First you die.  Then you go to heaven, and then there’s the flight training to go through. And then you have to agree to wear angel clothes.

                                                                             Matthew, age 9

NATIVITY PLAY
‘ANGELS FROM THE REALMS OF GLORY’

On Sunday 18th December the Sunday School once again treated us to the Nativity with a twist.  This year the story was told from the point of view of the angels.

Archangel Gabriel and Archangel Michael, in charge of the induction of two new angel recruits, explained the angels’ part in the birth of Jesus.  No fewer than thirteen angels were included in the production, which also featured the singing and musical talents of the youngest cast members.

Thanks go to Meg McSweeney for her original script, Lindy Richardson for the costumes and to all the Sunday School teachers who helped the children to practice and prepare, Meg, Lindy, Laura and Jenny.  Special thanks also go to Alice Evans, who as well as being a shepherd, took on the part of Casper, with ten minutes notice in place of her sister Millie who was ill.

Lynda Bygraves

A SURFEIT OF ANGELS

It was wonderful that so many ‘angels’ visited Winchester on the 18th December.  There were thirteen in the Nativity Play in the morning and in the evening at the Carol Service there were at least eighteen plus the other dancers from the Highams School of Dancing.  It was heart warming to see so many young people in Church all playing their part. and enjoying themselves so much.    We are very fortunate to have them amongst us.