CHURCH NEWS December’19-January’20

Kingston United Reformed Church www.kingstonurc.org

“And we know that in all things God works for those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Front cover art beautifully produced by Carol Clack Romans 8:28 (niv)

Registered charity no 1131880 Edited this month by Robin Pilbeam

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Letter from Lesley

Dear All,

‘Do not be afraid. I am bringing you news of great joy’. (The angels talking to the shepherds) Can I not have the news anyway? Will the news not quell my fear? Why do I have to stop being afraid? Is it that being afraid means I cannot take in the joy? We do strange things when we are frightened. We do not work out of our thinking rational brain we act using well trained reflexes. If you had a direct encounter with something beyond the normal natural world surely fear would be a natural response. Yet fear for the rest of life is very disabling. It keeps people out of relationships and locked up in their homes. It stops them dancing at parties and speaking to strangers. Fear keeps people from living the full life that Jesus came to bring. If I am living driven by fear then I try to manage all of my life and I try to keep it small. Would I travel- too many bugs? Would I love? Too much chance my heart would be broken? Would I believe? Too much chance that people will laugh at me and demand answers I do not have. Jesus was frightened in the face of torture and death. But he also faced the cross. What are we afraid of? Is that reasonable? Could we do something about it? Does our fear stop us hearing the good news? Does it stop living life in all its fullness? Yours

Lesley

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover From the Church News Editorial Team Warm Christmas Greetings from all of your Editorial team! We are now on a mini-break until Vaughan produces the February issue of your Church News. We will now pray, read, listen and start developing ideas for how we move your Church News into 2020.

Jean Robin Tony Vaughan Bron

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Robin Pilbeam

Inside ♦ Lesley ♦ Greetings from the Church News Editorial Team ♦ December Worship Diary & Church Flowers ♦ January Worship Diary & Church Flowers ♦ Moderator’s letter & poem ♦ Pastoral News & Prayer ♦ Christmas Workshop & Margaret Mills letter ♦ Christmas Gift Service ♦ Away in a Manger ♦ Music at KURC in 2019 ♦ News form Sulhee ♦ KURC New Year’s Party ♦ Sue Shaw in Antigua ♦ Archive of the Month ♦ Christmas in Bulgaria ♦ A prayer for the departed ♦ News from Ted & Jane Bellingham ♦ IBRA Readings for December & January ♦ On the Margins ♦ Regular Activities ♦ KURC info♦♦

“We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives . . . not looking for flaws, but for potential”. Ellen Goodman

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Church Worship Diary: December 2019

Sunday 1 10am Traditional Worship with Communion 11.30am All-Age Worship 3.30pm-5.30pm Messy Church does Christmas 6.30pm Reflective Worship Tuesday 3 7.45pm Elder’s Meeting Wednesday 4 10.00am Tots’ Praise 1.10pm Lunchtime Service Friday 6 1.00pm Friday Prayers Saturday 7 10.00am Christmas Flower workshop to decorate the Church Sunday 8 10.30am Pop-up Nativity & Gift Service (collection for Cystic Fibrosis) 6.30pm Gift Service (collection for Cystic Fibrosis) Wednesday 11 10.00am Tots’ Praise 1.10pm Lunchtime Service 1.30pm Staff Christmas lunch Thursday 19 7pm to 8pm Christian Aid Carols (meet at KURC @ 18.30) Before moving onto M&S, Clarence St Friday 13 1.00pm Friday Prayers Sunday 15 10am Traditional Worship 11.30am All-Age Worship 6.30pm Relaxed Carols Monday 16 10am Jolly Toddlers Christmas Party Wednesday 18 10.00am Tots’ Praise Christmas celebration 1pm Carols in the foyer Friday 20 1.00pm Friday Prayers Saturday 21 10am Stay and Play Sunday 22 10.00am Traditional Worship 11.30am Coffee and Carols 6.30pm Carols by Candlelight Tuesday 24 4.00pm Crib Service for all the family 11.30pm Christmas Eve Communion Service Wednesday 25 10am Christmas Morning Service 12 noon A pre-booked Christmas lunch (ask in the office for a booking form) Thursday 26 Boxing Day Building closed Friday 27 1.00pm Friday Prayers Sunday 29 10am Traditional Worship 11.30am All-Age Worship with Communion 6.30pm Reflective Worship Monday 30 Tuesday 31 11.30pm New Year’s Eve Watchnight service to see in the New Year at New Malden URC Church flowers for December 1st Dec Teresa & Vaughan James

8th Dec Glyn Robinson & Gift Service 15th Dec Janine Goddard 22nd Dec Liz & Ken Bartlett 29th Dec Jihae Kim & Suk Joo Kang “Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall”. Larry Wilde To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Church Worship Diary: January 2020

At the time of going to press, the Church Diary for 2020 was still under construction on the Church web page. Details below are based on information received. Please check notices and service papers for up-to- date correct information. A detailed calendar is available on the KURC website: htpp://www.kingstonurc.org/kurc_calendar.html

Wednesday 1 January A Happy New Year to all our readers! 10.00am Tots’ Praise 1.10pm Lunchtime Service Friday 3 1.00pm Friday Prayers Sunday 5 10.00am Traditional Worship with Communion 11.30am All-Age Worship 6.30pm Reflective Worship Tuesday 7 19.50pm Elder’s Meeting Wednesday 8 10.00am Tot’s Praise 1.10pm Lunchtime Service Friday 10 1.00pm Friday Prayers Sunday 12 10.30am All Age Worship followed by Church Meeting Church News contributions deadline (to Vaughan James) Wednesday 15 10.00am Tots’ Praise 1.10pm Lunchtime Service Friday 17 1.00pm Friday Prayers Saturday 18 10.00am Stay and Play Sunday 19 10.00am Traditional Worship 11.30am All-Age Worship 6.30pm Reflective Worship with Communion Wednesday 22 10.00am Tots’ Praise 1.10pm Lunchtime Service Friday 24 1.00pm Friday Prayers Sunday 26 10.00am Traditional Worship 11.30am All-Age Worship with Communion 3.30pm Messy Church 6.30pm Reflective Worship Wednesday 29 10.00am Tots’ Praise 1.10pm Lunchtime Service Friday 31 1.10pm Friday Prayers

Church Flowers for January 5th January Brenda Parkins

12th January Margaret & John Davies 19th January Catherine & Kevin Treweek 26th January The Carnegie Family

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover

Dear Friends, All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth! At the October Synod Together meeting in October we said farewell to Revd Nicola Furley-Smith after 8 ½ years as Moderator of Southern Synod. We wish her well as she takes up her new role as Secretaries to Ministries in the URC nationally. She has certainly left a gap in our lives and for now that gap is being filled by the two of us (Revd Bridget Banks and Revd George Watt) supported by Revd Paul Dean covering the Ecumenical work of the Synod. We hope that someone will be in post by the summer next year. Please pray that the right person would be found to permanently fill the gap. But there is something endearing about the smile of someone missing their two front teeth! It makes you aware of the other teeth which are every bit as important as the front ones. And we would remind you that the Synod is also made up of the Office and Field Staff, the Ministers, Local Church Leaders, Elders and all the members and adherents of our local churches – all playing our part in the mission of the Church. Let us smile broadly and celebrate each other. As Christians what we long for isn’t shiny new incisors but more of God’s kingdom. At Christmas we celebrate the coming of Christ to fill the gaps in our lives and in our world. He comes to bring light in our darkness, hope in our despair and peace in our troubled world. We are invited to come and gaze on the baby born in a humble stable. He was the one that had been longed for and wished for to rescue and to save. But it wasn’t a one-off event. Christ comes afresh to the present troubled world to bring light, hope and peace. At the time of writing this letter we are preparing for a General Election and politicians are promising how to cure the ills of the present world. Promises can sound very easy, the hard thing is making it a reality. We rejoice that God didn’t just promise us that he would love us but he showed it in a very tangible way by sending Jesus into the world. As unbelievable as it may sound this was part of God ‘s plan to change hearts, minds and the whole world. As John Bell & Graham Maule from Wild Goose put it:

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Who would think that what was needed To transform and save the earth Might not be a plan or army, Proud in purpose, proved in worth? Who would think, despite derision, That a child should lead the way? God surprises earth with heaven, Coming here on Christmas Day. This is the Good News that we will be celebrating in our churches when there is so many challenges and so much uncertainty in our world today. But we are also invited to join in with this work. We all have a part to play. At the recent LICC (London Institute of Contemporary Christianity) day we were encouraged to avoid saying ‘I am just a…’ as though we have no part in God’s work. So, we should avoid thinking that we are just a florist, bin man, accountant, grandparent. We all have a part to play in filling the gaps in our world today. We can be the answer to our own prayers ‘All I want is…’ As we rejoice in God sending his Son into the world may we discover how he sends us to continue the work that he began. We would like to wish all of you in local churches a happy and peaceful Christmas. And may you faithfully proclaim that Christ has been born amongst us bringing light in our darkness, hope where there is despair and peace where there is unrest.

God bless.

Revd Bridget Banks Revd George Watt

Fall, leaves, fall By Emily Bronte Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away; Lengthen night and shorten day; Every leaf speaks bliss to me Fluttering from the autumn tree. I shall smile when wreaths of snow Blossom where the rose should grow; I shall sing when night’s decay Ushers in a drearier day

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Pastoral News – December 2019 / January 2020

Out of care for people’s privacy, since January 2012 the list of Personal Concerns has been deleted from the web edition of Church News. Anyone wishing to receive the full edition of Church News by email should send an email to: [email protected]

A Prayer from New Malden KURC Dear Lord help us to be aware of the wants and needs of others Help us to accept those who are different Help us to love our neighbours, colleagues, & particularly all those we find difficult Help us to love the unlovable, those who we perceive to be ugly, or strange, those who are outcast because of gender, ethnicity, or the inability to express themselves those who we secretly perceive to be not as good as we are Help us to love those who are in extreme difficulty, lost, poor or ill Give us the courage to always go another step

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Countdown to Christmas….. CHRISTMAS WORKSHOP On Saturday, 7 December, we will be having our Workshop to decorate the Sanctuary, the vestibule, the foyer and the Christmas Tree for the Gift Service and the Sundays leading up to Christmas. This will be in the Mayo Hall from 10 am to 12 noon, and help from both men and women will be greatly appreciated. No experience is necessary. In addition, different types of greenery and flowers suitable for Christmas would also be greatly appreciated. Mince pies provided! Please speak to Jean Thompson or Steve Wenman if you would like to know more.

SELECTING A BIBLE TRANSLATION FOR KURC I was very interested to read about the different versions of the Bible in the November Church News and would like to say ‘thank you’ to the team who have chosen the New Revised Standard Version. I have been using this edition for many years as it was given to me on my Baptism through immersion by two Deacon friends when I attended my previous church. My apologies if this feels personal and I have never felt the urge to write to Church News before, but I wanted to say ‘thank you’ for all the work that has gone into selecting this version. I am sure the congregation will understand the wording better. Margaret Mills

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Countdown to Christmas….. Christmas is coming . . . . and so is the Gift Service!

This year, we shall be holding our GIFT SERVICE On SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER at 10.30 a.m. I have been in touch with Marjie Grant from Kingston WelCare who says that they would be very pleased to receive gifts from our gift service again this year. People sometimes ask what kind of things they should bring. Here are a few suggestions: They would like toys for children of all ages, but there is a particular need for things for the 7+ age group. As they are setting up a new project based around sensory play, they would also appreciate toys which stimulate children’s senses and encourage them to look, listen, feel and smell things. Lastly, there is always a need for toiletries and other gifts for the mothers. If you would like to know more, please give me a ring. For those of you who haven’t come across WelCare before, it is an organisation which is “a place for local families to meet and support each other.” Their website says, “We have a drop-in service for parents who need advice and support or just a place to go to connect with others. We organise events and play for families, including during the holidays. We offer Families Connect, targeted support for parents experiencing mental health issues. We offer Families Apart, targeted support for families caring for the children of prisoners.” Our gifts will provide presents for WelCare’s Christmas party – please give as generously as you can. PLEASE DO NOT WRAP YOUR GIFTS.

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Countdown to Christmas….. Away In A Manger ‘Away in a Manger’ is one of our best loved carols and an essential ingredient in any children’s nativity play. It was traditionally believed to have been written by Martin Luther, five centuries ago. However, this has now been well and truly disproved by scholars. It seems to have originated amongst German Lutherans in Pennsylvania, USA in the 1880s. The earliest known appearance is in a Lutheran song book for children dated 1885. Initially the carol comprised just two verses: ‘Away in a manger’ and ‘The cattle are lowing’. A third verse, ‘Be near me’, was added in 1892 by an American author who possibly felt the need for the two narrative verses to be supplemented by a prayer. For some reason the second verse has been omitted from our hymnbook Rejoice and Sing – possibly on theological grounds: one commentator remarks that the line ‘no crying he makes’ could imply that Jesus was ‘a super infant whose divinity overshadowed his humanity and leads us into the realm of Gnosticism’. The tune was written by William Kirkpatrick – a native of Pennsylvania and a prolific writer of gospel songs in the late 19th century who had been a fife major in the American civil war. It perfectly matches the simplicity and innocence of the words: lines 3 and 4 are identical to lines 1 and 2, apart from the last two notes and one or two small but significant harmonic changes which cleverly disguise the repetition. The curious thing is that Kirkpatrick’s tune is rarely sung in the USA! Despite its naïve content and ‘fluffy theology’ (as one writer describes it), Away in a Manger has a firm foothold in our Christmas carol repertoire and in the view of the Companion to Rejoice and Sing ‘properly complements other more profound and searching hymns of the Incarnation’ John Fisher

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Music at KURC in 2019 It has been a very active year musically at KURC. We sadly had to say goodbye to Sulhee, but have been blessed with the arrival of another brilliant organist and pianist, Han Sol, who came to us from the Presbyterian Church of Korea and plays at most of our services. It is a pity that we cannot offer Han Sol an organ that is in better shape: there are a great many things wrong with our instrument, though you would hardly know, because good organists like Han Sol can cover up the defects by avoiding the dodgy stops and keys. The Organ Options Committee is busy looking into what can be done. Our Band, which leads the 11.30 service, now has 12 members and shows a lot of creativity. They enjoy experimenting with new music. They are occasionally joined by our professional violinist Julia Yoon and cellist Haeun Kim – always an immense treat!

The K3A Orchestra's spring concert in KURC, with children from St Luke's School in the audience The Choir (which comprises up to 20 members) leads the singing once a month, now ably led by Rhiannon. In October, 11 members travelled to Guildford Cathedral to take part in the 93rd Free Church Choir Festival where they were joined by 300 singers from 50 other churches. This was a valuable and enjoyable experience. To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Our series of Thursday lunchtime instrumental recitals has now been running for five years. Seven recitals were held during 2019, with audiences numbering as many as 80. The highlight was probably the concert given by our very own So Jin (cello) and Julia (violin) together with Constance on piano, which raised a large sum of money for Water Aid. If you walk down Union Street on a Wednesday morning you will hear the strains of the Kingston Third Age Orchestra rehearsing in our building. Their annual spring concert in our church saw a full sanctuary, with a large contingent of well-behaved pupils from St Luke’s School who had come to experience a ‘real orchestra’ - in which four of our members play. Local musicians and choirs appreciate the acoustic of our building and we have hosted several evening concerts - eg Amy Gould (cello) and the Canbury Singers. So, the musical life of the Church extends well beyond Sunday worship and reaches a wide circle of people. What’s in store for 2020? We have three more lunchtime recitals lined up for the spring (watch the noticeboard and website for details) and the choir will continue to broaden its repertoire. One very special event will be an organ recital to be given by Han Sol at New Malden URC at 1.10pm on Wednesday February 12th. Do come and support her!

The Music Committee

From our Friends near and far . . . . News from Sulhee Sulhee is working in a café in Seoul. Having won several prizes for piano playing in Britain, she has now won a gold medal in a team competition for baristas (NOT barristers!) in Korea. Is there no end to her talent? She has sent us some pictures of her (very superior) coffee. Will we ever be able to face drinking Nescafe again? There are rumours that she is going to start up her own café serving home-made English cake.

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Party Time Forget for a moment those pre-festive worries: what to give Cousin Hettie for Christmas, that strange new clunking noise from the central heating boiler, whether to go vegan for this year’s Christmas dinner. Instead, unwrap your brand-new 2020 diary, turn to the afternoon of Saturday 8 February, and write in in large indelible letters:

KURC New Year’s Party. Yes, the fabled KURC New Year’s Party is back by popular request (well, to be more accurate, let’s just say it’s back). As always, all are welcome, there will be fun for both adults and children, and there is no entry charge. Previous experience tells us that, thanks to contributions from participants, we can also look forward to a sumptuous party tea and to sparkling entertainment. And yes, among the many games there will be at least one Pass the Parcel… More details in due course – please look out for posters in the Foyer and Mayo Hall after Christmas, All offers of help most welcome. If you would like get involved, either in preparing for the event or at the party itself, please have a word with Vaughan James (020 8546 8506 / [email protected]).

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover From our Friends near and far . . . News from Sue Shaw in Antigua It’s the rainy season here, with short sharp bursts or long heavy downpours. I’ve been away from Antigua five months. There is a shiny new Treasury building but the roads are still in a state of disrepair. On the radio I hear reports of ongoing government failings such as not paying salaries or pensions on time, (there is no newspaper here except for one online).There have been two big, peaceful protest marches and a demonstration outside the prison, 1735, about poor living conditions there. The Ministry of Health has condemned it. Many people are fed up with politicians making promises but not delivering – now where have I heard that before? Patrol Night We find ‘Ricky’ sleeping as usual underneath a shipping container. He is delighted to see us and crawls out to show he no longer needs a walking stick. He tells me he is now going to church! Wow! We talk to people gathered near the market place. RP is clearly intoxicated and unable to focus. He can’t stand upright and is lying across a flight of steps shoeless, with just black socks on his feet. He argues he is just fine. One middle aged woman, wearing a sparkly green baseball cap pulled low over her head, is sitting on a low wall. I recognise her and we exchange words. I remark on her shiny manicured toe nails. ‘I’ve given up the booze,’ she says proudly. I am so delighted and congratulate her. She grins broadly. Street Pastors My successor Barry has cooked a tureen of pumpkin, pasta and chicken soup which we deliver to the Soup Kitchen on Wednesday lunchtime. The container style building is on waste land in the centre of town. People come in ones and twos including a woman bent double pushing a walking frame along, as best she can, over the potholed roads and pavements. ‘Gem’ who we helped go into rehab shows up and we have a chat. He doesn’t want any food but is clearly in much better shape, no longer homeless and is managing to find small bits of gardening work.

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover I’m working most days in the Street Pastor office completing a possible book manuscript about Street Pastors in the UK which I’m writing jointly with another Street Pastor. There will be three chapters devoted to Antigua. Life On Fridays, before patrol, I go to a film night run by librarian Peetron Thomas (who also happens to have a brilliant singing voice – check him out on Facebook). We are watching a serialised film called Greenleaf about a large black American church with lots of intrigue behind the scenes. A group of us went to a gala night when we met young Antiguan film makers who showcased their work. Highly entertaining! I continue to help Pastor May on God First Radio with her Saturday morning programme ‘Kids Club’. On Sundays we go into a run-down area called Gray’s Farm and run a small Sunday type school. We now visit a Hispanic community near the port where we run a craft and talks session for children in the open air. It’s a real challenge to organise activities with very limited resources!

Archive of the Month

In March 1942, during the darkest days of World War II, our Sunday School children performed ‘Saul and David’ - a play written by the staff. Goliath didn’t make an appearance but was heard through a very large off-stage megaphone, which apparently caused ‘some consternation’ among the younger children in the audience. The girl second from left in the back row is Margaret Rowe (later Randall), and the tallest girl in the centre is Peggy Brown (later Lake).

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover From our Friends near and far . . . . . CHRISTMAS IN BULGARIA Georgi Todorov, our Premises Assistant, writes: I thought you would like to know how we celebrate Christmas in Bulgaria, where I was brought up. It’s a bit different from what happens in the UK. Christmas Eve is full of activity. According to the tradition of the Orthodox Church you should fast (or at least eat only vegetarian food) throughout the day. The most religious people will have fasted for 40 days. Christmas Eve dinner is vegetarian and simple. There should be an odd number of dishes on the table (usually 7, 9 or 11), and an odd number of people should be present. Straw is paced under the tablecloth to encourage good crops in the following year. A traditional loaf of bread called ‘pitka’ is served with a coin hidden inside. The person who finds the coin will be the richest in the coming year. Dishes include cabbage leaves and red peppers stuffed with rice; ‘turshia’ – that’s cabbage, cauliflower, carrots and parsley marinated in vinegar; ‘rakia’ (a strong spirit) and stewed fruit and sweet cakes. Afterwards, the host will not clear the leftovers away, in order to provide food for the ghosts of ancestors who may come to visit during the night. Carolers or ‘koledari’ (usually young men in traditional costume) will go from house to house and are rewarded with food. It is good luck if they visit you. On Christmas Day families get together and gifts are exchanged. Lunch is sour cabbage cooked with meat. Some people go to church but not as many as at Easter. Most people have artificial trees decorated with walnuts and other small objects wrapped in foil – a tradition from the Communist era.

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover A Yizkor Message

A special memorial prayer for the departed On Yizkor we gather to remember the ones we miss. The ones who knew our world. The one who grasped the corkscrew twists special to your own soul. What we miss, and what we crave, is the intimacy that assures you in a world that spins no matter your wishes, that drives on heedless of your hopes, you are not alone. That person – parents, spouse, sibling, friend, lover – to whom you tossed your heart the way as children we played egg toss – catch this, but move with it and do not break it. That person held your heart, cradled it in his or her hands. And is gone. You can’t erase the pain. You cannot reverse the loss. Instead you must carry them – memories – some robust and some fragile. Some that are clear and bright like summer suns. Others slight, glinting off your memory like a whispered prayer. Half a heart is hidden away, broken and concealed like an afikomen, ("that which comes after" or "dessert" is a half-piece of matzo which is broken in two during the early stages of the Passover) leaving us with the hope that one day, at the promised end, the hoped-for end, it will be reunited. When we love the people we love, whether we lose them in life or lose them to death, there is a sense of a story unfinished, a chord as yet un-played. So, we carry all those disparate legacies inside ourselves. Like stones in a shepherd’s sling, we count each and every one. Today we gather to thank them for being a part of the stories not only that we tell, but also the story that we are. For even absent voices have an echo inside of us. And even when the person is no longer here, we know that love does not die.

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover From our Friends near and far . . . Christmas greetings from Ted and Jane Bellingham KURC at Eastwick Road Church I cannot believe it is well over a year since my ordination here at Eastwick Road Church, Bookham.

One of my greatest challenges has been trying to get to know everyone one here and understanding the church’s culture and traditions. Hopefully now that all the ‘firsts’ have come and gone it will be slightly easier. Another challenge of the year has been trying to clarify God’s purpose for us as a small church in the middle of a conurbation of four villages which together have a larger population than either Dorking or Leatherhead. In amidst our musings, we have engaged in a project to provide spiritual support to the isolated elderly which is proving an exciting experience. Equally exciting has been God’s provision of a professional music teacher to lead our worship group and the financial ability to install a new sound and audio system. Our modernised building provides a community facility, including a playschool where we provide a Christian presence. Recognising that congregational resources are limited we have recently employed a church administrator and a treasurer’s assistant, soon to be joined by a community worker. In short, there is plenty of good news here at ERC.

The way ahead is becoming clearer as we journey to achieve our aim to Live and Love the Jesus Way; which includes the assertion that Sunday services are not the only way to spread the message of God’s love.

Jane and I send our love and fondest Christmas good wishes to all at Kingston URC. Ted Bellingham

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover

Readings for Dec’19/Jan’20

The list can be downloaded at from the IBRA website at: www.ibraglobal.org WARNINGS, JUDGEMENT, COMFORT: AGAINST THE GRAIN: LOOKING READINGS IN THE PROPHETS AGAIN AT FAMILIAR STORIES 1 Warnings Wednesday 1 January Luke 10:25–37 Sunday 1 December Micah 2:1–11 Thursday 2 January Psalm 23 Monday 2 December Amos 8:1–12 Friday 3 January Luke 15:11–32 Tuesday 3 December Hosea 4:1–9 Saturday 4 January Mark 4:1–20 Wednesday 4 December Joel 2:1–14 EPIPHANY: LIGHT TO THE NATIONS Thursday 5 December Isaiah 5:1–7 1 Stars and the blues Friday 6 December Isaiah 58:1–14 Sunday 5 January Micah 5:2–4 Saturday 7 December Jeremiah 18:1–11 Monday 6 January Matthew 2:1–12 2 Judgement Tuesday 7 January Isaiah 42:1–9 Sunday 8 December Hosea 6:1–11 Wednesday 8 January Isaiah 49:1–7 Monday 9 December Malachi 3:1–5 Thursday 9 January Isaiah 52:7–10 Tuesday 10 December Lamentations Friday 10 January Isaiah 60:1–9 2:1–5 Wednesday 11 December Isaiah Saturday 11 January Luke 2:25–38 59:1–8 2 The mystery revealed Thursday 12 December Isaiah 59:9–15a Sunday 12 January Matthew 3:13–17 Friday 13 December Isaiah 3:13–26 Monday 13 January Ephesians 3:7–21 Saturday 14 December Ezekiel 22:23–31 Tuesday 14 January Colossians 2:1–15 3 Comfort Wednesday 15 January John 2:1–11 Sunday 15 December Isaiah 51:1–3 Thursday 16 January Psalm 72:1–14 Monday 16 December Ezekiel 36:22–32 Friday 17 January Matthew 28:16–20 Tuesday 17 December Joel 2:21–29 Saturday 18 January Acts 10:34–48 Wednesday 18 December Zephaniah 3:14–20 Thursday 19 December THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW (1) Jeremiah 31:2–14 1 Salt of the earth Friday 20 December Ezekiel 37:1–14 Sunday 19 January Matthew 5:1–12 Saturday 21 December Isaiah 40:1–11 Monday 20 January Matthew 5:13–16 Tuesday 21 January Matthew 5:17–20 CHRISTMAS WITH THE GOSPEL OF Wednesday 22 January Matthew 5:21– MATTHEW 26 1 What a day! Thursday 23 January Matthew 5:27–30 Sunday 22 December Matthew 1:1–17 Friday 24 January Matthew 5:31–32 Monday 23 December Matthew 2:1–6 Saturday 25 January Matthew 5:33–37 Tuesday 24 December Matthew 2:7–18 2 Praying and fasting Wednesday 25 December Matthew 1:18– Sunday 26 January Matthew 5:38–42 25 Monday 27 January Matthew 5:43–48 Thursday 26 December Matthew 2:19–23 Tuesday 28 January Matthew 6:1–6 Friday 27 December Matthew 3:1–6 Wednesday 29 January Matthew 6:7–18 Saturday 28 December Matthew 3:7–12 Thursday 30 January Matthew 6:19–24 2 The beloved son Friday 31 January Matthew 6:25–34 Sunday 29 December Matthew 3:13–17 Monday 30 December Matthew 4:1–10 Tuesday 31 December Matthew 4:12–22

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover On the Margins . . . .

Rose Hudson-Wilkin becomes C of E’s first black female Bishop

Former House of Commons Chaplain will take up her post as Bishop of Dover this month. The ’s first black female Bishop has been consecrated in a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who will take up her post as Bishop of Dover at the end of this month, was consecrated on Tuesday alongside Olivia Graham, who will become .

Hudson-Wilkin, who was Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons for the past nine years, said: “Beginning this new ministry, there is a sense of awe in it all. But also, something refreshing about being open to the new things that God has in store – not just for me as a person taking on this new leadership role, but for our diocese as a whole. “I’m excited – I’ve got lots of new people to meet, to get to know, and that fills me with joy.”

The pair become the 24th and 25th women to be appointed Bishops since the C of E’s General Synod approved the move five years ago. The Archbishop of Canterbury, , said: “When in October Rose stepped down as Chaplain to the Speaker, the tributes from all sides showed her pastoral, prophetic and faith-sharing gifts. Even in times of division she was a point of unity and hope, to those of any or no faith. “Through much struggle and suffering in her life she has become one of the most exceptional of Christian leaders showing, in word and deed, confidence in Jesus Christ as life, liberty and love. We welcome her, warmly confident that God who has led her this far will walk with her and speak through her.”

When her appointment was announced in June, Welby described it as “groundbreaking and historic” and said it was one of the most exciting appointments the Church had made for a long time. Hudson-Wilkin, who was born in Jamaica, was ordained a priest in 1994, the first year the C of E allowed female clergy. Robin Pilbeam

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Regular Activities

Sunday: Messy Church (monthly, but Sundays vary) 15.30 Monday: 10.00 Jolly Toddlers (during school terms) Tuesday: 19.30 Book Club (third Tuesday monthly) Speak to Linda Austin or Katie Frost for location Wednesday: 10.00 Tots’ Praise 13.10 Lunchtime Service 14.00 & 19.30 Faith Studies – check date & frequency of courses Thursday: 19.00 International Friendship Café 19.30 Line Dancing Friday: 13.00 Friday Prayers 14.00 Quiz afternoon for Foyer guests (second Friday monthly) 14.00 Ballroom & Latin American dancing with Lyn 22.00 All night prayers and Street Pastors (until 04.00) Saturday: 10.00 Stay and Play (third Saturday monthly) 22.00 All night prayers and Street Pastors (until 04.00)

How to contribute to Church News: Contributions on matters of reflection and opinion as well as reports of activities are welcome. Copy for Church News must reach the editor, preferably by email, no later than midday on the second Sunday of the month. The next copy deadline is 12 noon on Sunday, 12 January, 2020. Editor: Vaughan James FINANCIAL DONATIONS may be made to the church in a number of ways, including via our “My Donate” page, accessible through every page of our website at www.kingstonurc.org. You can also pay directly into our bank account: sort code 20-46-76, account number 33054942. If you would like more information on giving to KURC, please ask any elder. Kingston United Reformed Church is a member of the Local Ecumenical Project in Kingston Town Centre with its partner, All Saints Parish Church in the Market Place. The town centre ministers meet regularly. We are a part of Churches Together in Kingston. Kingston URC is also affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) and the Presbyterian Church of the Republic of Korea (PROK).

Thank you to Mail Boxes Etc. 29 Castle Street, Kingston, KT1 1ST, for printing Church News. Tel: 020 8547 1547 e-mail: [email protected] You can also keep in touch with worship and activities at our church through our website: www.kingstonurc.org. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover Kingston United Reformed Church – Information

A warm invitation is given to all who read this magazine to come and share in our services and activities The Sanctuary is open for private prayer with access via the foyer. Coffee and Tea: Our foyer is normally open every weekday and Saturday from 11.00 until 14.00 for coffee and tea. Need to talk to someone about a problem or concern? There is sometimes a designated listener available in the foyer; if not, please speak to the coffee server or contact Lesley Charlton. Our Sunday Services: 10.00 – Traditional Worship (with communion on the first Sunday monthly) 11.30 – All Age Worship (with communion on the last Sunday monthly) 18.30 – Reflective Worship (with communion on the third Sunday monthly) On the second Sunday of each month a combined service at 10.30 replaces the 10.00 and 11.30 services Tea and coffee are served between the 10.00 and 11.30 services, before the 10.30 service on the second Sunday and after the 18.30 service During the 10.00, 10.30 and 11.30 services there are group activities for children of all ages. Visiting children are welcome to join them. Ministers: Rev Lesley M Charlton, tel: 020 8399 4423 e-mail: [email protected] Rev Dr Suk In Lee, tel: 020 8949 2070 e-mail: [email protected] Church Secretary: e-mail: [email protected] Treasurer: Christine Chippendale, mobile: 07738 562457 e-mail: [email protected] Youth & Families Worker: Sally Butler, mobile: 07807 348326 e-mail: [email protected] Mission Development Worker through Music: Sulhee Kim, e-mail: [email protected] Centre Manager: Catherine Treweek. Premises Assistant: Georgi Todorov Facilities Assistant: Gaffar Zarei Monday – Friday: 09.00 – 17.00 Tel: 020 8549 1888 e-mail: [email protected]

To make a financial donation to Kingston URC, please see inside back cover