Village News and Views

From the Methodist Church

Spring 2010

Welcomes all

Makes Jesus known

And seeks to serve the community

Wheatley Lane Methodist Church,

Wheatley Lane Road, Fence. BB12 9ED

Cover photograph: Roy Thornborrow

Some articles in this publication are the work of individuals and may not reflect the views of the Church as a whole

The sun is shining, and today the frogs have returned to the garden pond, a sure sign that spring is on its way at last. How welcome it is too, after the seemingly never ending cold of winter.

At the end of January, as you may know, five people from our local Christian community left behind our wintry conditions and flew out to the Philippines. to spend two weeks living and working with ‘Kanlungan, the charity which helps some of the most deprived children in Manila. Back home in Wheatley Lane anyone with a computer could follow their activities through Gareth’s daily diary. This soon became compulsive viewing and deeply moving, as we experienced second hand a whole gamut of emotions. All the travellers have been profoundly affected by what they found, and they are all very keen to pass on their experiences. They have already given a presentation at Wheatley Lane Church, which some of you may have seen. If you missed it you will all have another chance to see it in the village at the Inghamite Church on Thursday May 20th. The group is very willing to give a presentation about the trip to any interested group, anywhere, so please pass the word around.

Following the popularity of our Art Exhibition last year, we are again hosting another exhibition of original art work during the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. Refreshments and light meals will be available and commission from sales of art work will once again go to help Kanlungan.

Spring is a time for new beginnings. As the sun begins to shine on our gardens, to our dismay it highlights much dead wood and decaying vegetation; we seize the opportunity to cut it out, to give the new shoots space to flourish. The curtains and cushions that seemed fine whilst we used them to keep warm and cosy in winter, now seem so drab; we refresh them with a spring clean, or maybe replace them. It used to be customary to get a new spring outfit to wear on Easter Sunday.

In our Church too, sometimes it’s appropriate to clear out a bit of the dead wood and let a few new shoots flourish. Perhaps we could cut out some of the meetings and paperwork, or dispense with some of layers of bureaucracy, and still be efficient in what we do – we’re looking at fresh ideas.

This year we’ve decided to have a change from our usual formal AGM. too. We’re planning an ‘Away Day’, on Saturday April 17th, from 10-00a.m. to 4-00pm. It is for anyone with an interest in Wheatley Lane Church. Please come and spend time with us as a Church family, at a beautiful location, just a few miles away. We intend to review our current plans, relax and share lunch together, and then consider future plans. An ‘Away Day’ is just that – a day to leave behind other cares and distractions, and relax and come together in fellowship. We hope it will be rewarding and inspirational, and produce fresh ideas and a new way forward for 2010 / 11.

We are now in the season of Lent leading up to the great Christian festival of Easter; through his death and resurrection, Jesus offers us a new life, a fresh start. Each of the village churches has special events and services arranged to celebrate Holy Week. Come and celebrate with us. You can be sure of a warm welcome at any of our churches.

On Good Friday morning the three churches are coming together for a united walk of witness and worship through the village, beginning at the Inghamite Church at 10 - 00am., stopping at the Methodist Church and finishing at St Anne’s Church. You are invited to join them for any part of the walk, or to gather for worship at any of the churches.

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Wheatley Lane Church Family

‘AWAY DAY’ on Saturday APRIL 17th, 10am – 4pm

Come and join us at Shekina,

a beautiful and inspirational location, almost on our doorstep

Transport no problem – Stewards are coordinating arrangements

For more details please ring Gareth or any of our Stewards

(They look forward to hearing from you)

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Rev. Gareth Higgs Tel: (01282) 694439

Dear Friends,

As you may well be aware, I’ve recently returned to the UK from a trip to the Philippines. As a church, we are committed to supporting a charity in Manila working with disadvantaged and displaced children and families, many of whom live in extreme poverty. Five of us from the village visited the project to see where the money we send has been spent, to meet the staff and the children they work with and to experience some of the context within which the charity works.

The charity, Kanlungan sa-Erma is doing an incredible job and of the many emotions I’m left with, it is a feeling of inspiration that still lingers with me some 6 weeks or so on from my trip.

Its easy to say we’re inspired by ‘x’ or ‘y’; I use the word fairly glibly myself. A cutting pass through the defence, a good idea or thought, a nice piece of art find me labelling it inspirational or inspired, but for me, the experiences of the Philippines were so inspiring because of the context that Kanlungan was working in. Here were families with 10-12 children under 16 living in shacks made of cardboard, leaves, rubbish and bits of corrugated iron. Here were children living with no running water, no sanitation, no access to education because they can’t afford the uniform, and often on top of all these physical concerns suffering the horror of physical or sexual abuse. Yet the children of Kanlungan are filled with an incredible joy and excitement for life. Yes the problems and pains of their experiences are clearly not far from their mind as any look into their sometimes distant eyes confirms, but the sense of joy and thanksgiving they express, not to mention their faith is incredible, moving and yes inspiring.

So perhaps during a Lenten and approaching Easter season, there is a message for us to reflect on also. Out of the horror and pain of Good Friday, a message of hope and inspiration comes. Out of the tragedy of death there is the emergence of new life. And so perhaps this story gives us the hope that

inspires us. Could it be that as we face our own inevitable Good Fridays – the worry of waiting for test results, the family that seems to be disintegrating all around us, the haunting loneliness, we can take some comfort from the fact that the Christian faith boldly proclaims that out of hardship and pain, out of even death comes the remarkable occurrence of new life. We see this in creation each year. Out of the death and decay of autumn and winter, comes the renewing presence of spring, it’s an inspirational story! that surely strikes us, and gives us cause for reflection. And so, could it be that the very real pains of our ‘Good Friday’s’ can provide the very backdrop for our own hope, our own joy and our own inspiration? Could it be that our own story of God’s rescue in our lives could also be an inspirational one, if we allow Him to work out His purpose in and around us?

Gareth

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CHURCH CALENDAR - SUNDAY SERVICES

APRIL

4th EASTER SUNDAY

8.00am Rev G Higgs Communion, followed by breakfast

9.30am Ian Wheeler All age worship

11th 9.30am Rev G Higgs

6.00pm Rev G Higgs

18th 9.30am Christine Barnes

25th 9.30am Rev Geof Nadin

MAY

2nd 9.30am Rev G Higgs

9th 9.30am Rev Terry Young Communion

6.00pm Rev G Higgs

16th 6.00pm Rev G Higgs Mission Service

23rd 9.30am Karen Hoyle

The United

Village Good Friday

Churches’ Walk of Witness

On Good Friday – there will be a united walk through the village,

starting at 10.00am at the Inghamite Church with a short act of worship.

Walk to the Methodist Church where there will be worship at approx 10:45 (people should arrive for 10:30-10:45

if they are just coming for the worship)

Finally, walk on to St Anne’s for a brief time of reflection.

Coffee will be served afterwards in the school room

You are warmly invited to join us at any stage, for any part of the walk, or come and share in our worship

Holy Week

March

28th Palm Sunday 9.30am - Ray Jackson

Mon, Tues, & Weds, 29th - 31st March: Prayers for Holy Week Church is open 12 -1pm, & 7– 8pm on each day. It is hoped that the set aside quiet areas, with sensory objects, and spiritual music verses & reading will promote and enrich private prayer.

April

1st Maundy Thursday 7-30pm Communion in Church

2nd Good Friday Village Churches’ Walk of Witness (see above)

4th EASTER SUNDAY

8.00am Rev G Higgs Communion, followed by breakfast

9.30am Ian Wheeler

Kanlungan

News

Visit to Kanlungan

Jan/Feb 2010

I don't know why I went on the journey to the Philippines but I remember feeling that I had to go from the time I heard Esther speak about the work of Kanlungan in church last year. When I got there I can honestly say there were occasions when the thought "What am I doing here?" was still a pertinent question. I think I'm going to be working it out for a long time yet!

You think you're prepared for what you're going to see - the scale of homelessness and the associated horrors of deprivation, hopelessness and abuse - but you are not. I was deeply shocked and moved to see both the plight of street families and their resilience in the face of such problems.

When I was struggling to cope with the quite natural feelings of pity for the people and revulsion for the conditions of their everyday life, it was inspirational to be with the Kanlungan workers who dealt with the problems and offered support in practical, unflinching ways that accepted and valued the street children and their families for the special people they are.

Kanlungan looks at the whole child. In every one of the charity's projects workers contribute their skills to address the effects of living rough, to provide alternatives to the street culture and drug abuse, to provide counselling to help children overcome problems resulting from sexual abuse, to help them back into education and training, and to inspire them spiritually. It's a big job.

I know the challenge of the experience for me can be summed up in a new question: "What I do with what I learned?" I hope I've started to address that by passing these small observations on to you.

Stella Brassington

“Thank you” ……… from Kanlungan

Sol and her team at Kanlungan would like to thank you for your wonderful gifts. As always the money we gave was needed to fund their continuing work with the street children and their families. Everyone loved the pictures of the local community especially the ones of the snow scenes, and the staff loved their gifts & cards too.

The mural which was designed by the children at Wheatley Lane School has brightened up the top floor in Benitez House, as has too the banner which was started in church and finished during our recent visit. The children loved the banner made by our Junior Church which was so colourful, and they were intrigued by the scrapbook that the Rainbows had made about themselves.

All your gifts were delivered by hand and gratefully received by Kanlungan. Kath, Sandra, Stella, Tony and Gareth

A section of the mural at Benitez House

Following the recent visit by five Christians from the local community to Kanlungan, a further visit will be organised (on a self funding basis) for January 2012. Anyone who is interested in this opportunity please contact Gareth or Kath for further details.

To help us to achieve our commitment, we shall be running various events throughout the year. Thank you so much for the support you have already given to this project. We hope you will continue to help us to help Kanlungan.

* Coming in November - ESTHER’S 2nd Recipe Book *

NB. Only a few copies left of Esther’s 1st Recipe / Address Book

Ring Kath 01282 699895

Would your group like a Kanlungan presentation? Ring Kath 699895

I am writing this article in the middle of Fairtrade Fortnight. Whilst we have always discussed Fair Trade issues with the children at this time of year we decided to make Fairtrade very high profile this year. The children have had a Fair Trade Tuck Shop every morning and have been encouraged to buy fairly traded products when out shopping with their parents. Also on Wednesday 24th February we had a guest speaker in from Traidcraft and a day of activities to help develop the children’s understanding of why it is important to trade fairly. Hopefully they will spread this message to their families and friends. I would like to thank all of the people from the church who visited us during the afternoon. I would also like to thank the ladies who gave up their time to help with refreshment etc as well.