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Swindon Old Town Partnership of Churches Anglican - United Reformed - Methodist Est. 1969 PARTNERSHIP MAGAZINE <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">FEBRUARY 2017 </li><li style="flex:1">60 PENCE </li></ul>Our project for 2017: The Foyer Our aim: to raise £6000 our project logo One in Christ - Together in Mission Sunbeams Toddlers’ Christmas Party at Bath Road Church ..... and Father Christmas came too. The toddlers, together with parents and carers, enjoyed their last meeting before Christmas decorating special Christmas biscuits with shiny coloured icing and making a star decoration to take home to hang up. This took place before we all went up into church to hear the Christmas story, building up the nativity scene as the story unfolded. Just as we had finished singing a few Christmas songs and playing our instruments, Father Christmas arrived. He led everybody back downstairs to enjoy a special Christmas snack before he found a present in his sack for everyone, to the delight of all the young people. Your Contacts BATH ROAD METHODIST CHURCH <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Minister: </li><li style="flex:1">The Revd. Mark Barrett, 147 Drove Road, SN1 3AQ </li></ul>Tel: 529263 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: <a href="/goto?url=http://www.bathroadmethodistchurch.org.uk" target="_blank">www.bathroadmethodistchurch.org.uk </a>Weekly news items: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank">[email protected] </a>CHRIST CHURCH with ST. MARY’S, Cricklade Street St. Mary’s, Commonweal Road (off The Mall) <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Vicar: </li><li style="flex:1">The Revd. Canon Simon Stevenette, The Vicarage, </li></ul>26 Cricklade Street, SN1 3HG. Tel. 529166 e-mail: [email protected] Associate Ministers:: Revd. Canon Judy Ashby, T.978528; [email protected] Revd. Daphne Hardwick. T. 693721; [email protected] Revd. Norma McKemey. T. 845917; <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank">[email protected] </a>Web site: <a href="/goto?url=http://www.christchurchswindon.co.uk" target="_blank">www.christchurchswindon.co.uk </a> Weekly news items: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank">[email protected] </a>Friends of Christ Church: c/o The Parish Office PARISH OFFICE: at the Community Centre, SN1 3HB. Tel. 522832 e-mail: [email protected] Usually the Parish Office is open Monday-Friday, 9.00am to 1.00pm, Thursday evening 5.30pm-7.30pm, Sat 10am-12 noon. COMMUNITY CENTRE: Manager Chris Smith, T.617237 or 07582 305760 email: [email protected] IMMANUEL UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, Upham Road <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Minister: </li><li style="flex:1">The Revd. Robert Jordan, 152 Drove Road, SN1 3AG </li></ul>Tel. 513039. email: [email protected] Church Secretary: Liz Gleed, Tel. 721364. email: [email protected] Web site: <a href="/goto?url=http://www.immanuelurc.org" target="_blank">www.immanuelurc.org </a>Weekly news items: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank">[email protected] </a>WORKING IN FELLOWSHIP WITH Lawn Community Church, Guildford Avenue and the Salvation Army, The Citadel, Devizes Road. MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTOR: Mr. Eric Sparkes, Tel. 530997. email: [email protected] MAGAZINE EDITORS: Mrs. Diana Swann, 58 Sandown Avenue, SN3 1QQ. Tel. 529897 e-mail: [email protected] Mrs. Margaret Williams MBE, 39 Sandown Avenue, SN3 1QQ. Tel. 421102 e-mail: [email protected] PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL: Secretary: Barbara Aftelak, Tel. 536815; email: [email protected] Chairman: Godfrey Room, Tel. 610010; email: [email protected] Treasurer: David Bevan, Tel. 336667: email: [email protected] Partnership Letter 152 Drove Road, Swindon Peace to you! "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1;5) Since the Christmas season this verse from the Gospel of John has somewhat "persecuted" me, and I want to share that sense of persecution. If anything, I think it is a great passage by which to be persecuted. I can't accept that this is "only" for Christmas season reading. I want it to continue beyond this, I personally need this to be continued in time, and I believe we need it to be true in the world in which we are living. There are so many forms of darkness around - darkness in the life of people we love or in our own personal situation. Some feel darkness affects the churches and, by extension, the Partnership of Churches. There are situations of darkness in our country and in the world. I'm sure it would not take you too long to make up a list, and I could guess it is part of the conversations you have with people you know, and with people you don't, standing in a queue in any place, anywhere. And do you know what? A talk about darkness is true, is real. But is it the only truth, or is there something more to it? I am sure there is something more... There is light, because without light we would never see darkness. Darkness is there, but it's not the only thing that is there - there is also light, and in faith we affirm that darkness will not overcome light. So as we are still at the beginning of 2017, wherever the darkness is, and there may be plenty of it, there is also light. Please allow me to challenge you that wherever you are you also speak about that light which darkness cannot overcome. I have promised myself that I want to make this my calling for this year, and I want to share it with you. As we share light, we will realise it touches our lives and the lives of our loved ones; it will touch the church (and even the Partnership! ☺) and will touch our nation and the world because we are part of each of these, and so we do have to let the light through, and even the cracks in our life will be forms of letting the light shine. So please, don't give up! 2FAMILY EVENTS BAPTISMS We welcome into the family of the Church CHRIST CHURCH <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Nov </li><li style="flex:1">27 </li><li style="flex:1">Hayden Boyce </li></ul>Caitlin Harper Close Nicholas James Weston Theodore William Gatherum Amelia Andréa Salter <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Dec </li><li style="flex:1">4</li></ul>11 DEATHS We extend our sympathy to the loved ones of BATH ROAD <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Nov 28 </li><li style="flex:1">John Haydon Porter, 88 years </li></ul>CHRIST CHURCH Nov Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec 2017 Jan Jan Jan Jan 28 2 19 19 25 28 Edna Jeanne Linley, 87 years Margaret Ockwell, 90 years Ada Thirza Werrell, 103 years Joan James, 88 years Ronald William Herbert Wiltshire, 90 years Maureen Durbridge, 84 years 2777 Aila English, 98 years Yuet Sim Chang, 76 years Hubert Gordon Lewington, 83 years Doris Hanks, 94 years IMMANUEL <ul style="display: flex;"><li style="flex:1">Jan </li><li style="flex:1">6</li><li style="flex:1">Madge Millman, aged 100. Madge would have celebrated her </li></ul>101st birthday on January 18th. Cover photo: Our thanks to Janet French for providing the photo of The Foyer. 3Partnership Project for 2017 On January 22nd at our United Service in the week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we launched our project for this year. It is to be a home based project this time and we couldn’t have found anything nearer to home than the project chosen which is The Foyer! This is situated right on our doorstep in Bath Road, opposite the Museum, and is a place where young people can find a home after having been in care for much of their lives. The building does not look very big from the outside but when I visited there it was a bit like a tardis in that what I saw behind the facade amazed me! Michelle Mueller, who is the manager, told us at the launch service about the residents and their needs and how they intend to use the money we raise, and part of this they wish to use to employ some craftsmen/women to teach the residents useful DIY skills - hence the logo for the project, designed by Noel Hunt, is a paint brush! I know that some of you have been thinking of innovative ways to raise some money and the project group has arranged some partnership events. The first of these is to be a “Songs of Praise “ afternoon when we will gather in Christ Church Community Centre and sing some of our favourite hymns and then enjoy a cup of tea and cake. This is to take place on Saturday 11th February at 2.30pm. Do come along and enjoy a good sing with Geoff and Tim; there are no tickets for this event but there will be a plate for donations; we promise that you will be able to get home in the light and the centre will be warm and welcoming. Margaret Williams ‘SONGS OF PRAISE’ afternoon Saturday 11th February, 2.30pm in Christ Church Community Centre ‘Enjoy a good sing with ‘G’ and ‘T’ (not Gin and Tonic but Geoff and Tim!) Tea and cake will be served. Donations for the Partnership Project 4Bath Road Bath Road Property Fundraising A big Thank You must go to all those of you who responded so enthusiastically to our call for some fundraising for the building and property projects in 2016. The Okus House Group held a very successful Pop-Up French Restaurant, and contributed £700 to Church funds. A ‘Chamber’ Concert raised £415 for the ‘loo’ fund and the Christmas Film Night raised £113.85. We received donations from the Cubs and Junior Church, proceeds from the sale of cards and several personal donations. The Christmas Fayre raised nearly £1000. Well done all of you - if I have missed out your effort, please accept my apologies! However, we still have a long way to go, so we can’t rest on our laurels just yet – if anyone still has any energy left in 2017, new ideas and events will be more than welcome. Dorothy Kennedy on behalf of the Property and Finance Committee Nativity and Toy Service on 11th December The gifts of toys brought to this service were much appreciated by Swindon Women’s Aid. Fellowship Lunch Following the morning service on Sunday 4th December, 72 people sat down to a lunch of Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, all cooked by church volunteers. A big thank you to them all, and the great thing is that their hard work was rewarded by the sum of £335.80 being sent to Christmas Care. Action for Children The Carol singing at the Co-op raised £124,60 and the Giant Christmas Card and the church post box £128,55 for this charity. Partnership Foyer Project 2017 Bath Road got off to a good start, raising £500.60 from their collections on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. BEST BIRTHDAY WISHES go to Clara Gladman, 16 on 21st February Ofense Tserema, 15 on 22nd February Zoe Mansfield, 17 on 29th February 50pen House Christmas party It was good that so many people could join us for our last meeting of the year which as usual was our Christmas Party complete with crackers to pull, a tempting variety of ‘party food’ and coffee or tea. We enjoyed the traditional game of ‘Pass the Parcel’ and Musical Chairs before all too soon it was time to go, but not before everyone had a Christmas card and present to take with them. Except a Bank Holiday, come and join us on any Monday morning between 10.30 and midday in Bath Road Church Hall to enjoy coffee/tea, cake and a chat, with the option of playing dominoes, hoopla or other family games should you wish. You would be certain of a very warm welcome. ‘GEMS’ An acronym of Ecumenical Music and Social Group. We meet on the last Monday in the month at Bath Road Methodist Church Hall from 2pm – 4pm, and enjoy singing together from song sheets. Some members like to sing a solo or tell an anecdote on the monthly theme. We ask for a small donation per meeting towards the cost of the hall, sheets of song words cost 20 pence each and we also ask for 50 pence towards tea/coffee/cake. We are always happy to greet new members. For further details please contact Ann Collins on 813518 63Generate brings Methodist young people together The 3Generate event for young Methodists took place over the weekend of the 25 and 27 November, with more young people than ever before taking part. The event has more than doubled in size over the last two years with close to 700 young Methodists and youth leaders gathered for fellowship and fun at the PGL Adventure Centre in Swindon. Young people from 8 to 23 came from across the UK to mix worship and activities with discussion and debate. Presentations and talks on topics for older groups included well-being and social justice while younger groups considered what church could look like if they were in charge. Penny Fuller, Methodist Church and Community Development Co-ordinator with responsibility for the event explained: ‘The growth is so exciting, we were fully booked in some age groups. We will need to look at how we go forward to accommodate the growth.’ This year particular attention was paid to ensuring the event was as accessible as possible. Specialist volunteers provided additional support to those with learning difficulties, physical limitations or in need of additional emotional help. While there was a lot of fun, faith and fellowship with adventurous outdoor activities and silent discos, there was also an emphasis placed on worship and debate. A range of opportunities was also available for young people to choose how they wished to worship, from art through to late night communion. Discussions were held in all age groups to ensure that children were heard. The current Youth President Tim Annan, who was elected at last year's 3Generate, said, ‘We come together to worship God and discuss the issues important to us as young Christians - Refugees, prayer, relationships are just some of the topics we tackled.’ n 7Immanuel Donations to Christmas Care, the Harbour Project and Oxfam’s Yemen Appeal: Immanuel donated £100 to Christmas Care, the Swindon based organisation that provides shelter for the homeless over the Christmas holiday period, and £100 to the Harbour Project which provides help, friendship and services for asylum seekers and refugees in Swindon. The dreadful situation in Yemen was highlighted in the news at the end of last year and Immanuel sent a donation of £800 to Oxfam's Yemen Appeal to help their work in relieving the famine. SILENCE ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ Psalm 46 When we can possibly be quiet after the hectic and sometimes feverish activity of Christmas and getting ready for this, that and the other in the New Year, the soul is at last stilled so that it can concentrate on God. There is no doubt that through this concentration on Him the spiritual life is deepened. But is it possible and do we actually want it?! The French Christian, Blais Pascal once said that nearly all the ills of life spring from this simple source, that we are unable to sit still for long in a quiet room; we must have a radio blaring or something else to drown the silence, or we feel we must have our hands occupied. Sitting still can be therapeutic anyway. But in the stillness we can set ourselves to meet with God, and that becomes spiritual therapy. God waits and wants to offer us infinite resources, for the asking and for the taking. It is where the soul becomes receptive, where prayer becomes just as the organ of spiritual touch. Now it becomes as healing as the touch of the woman on the hem of His garment, where peace flows into our turbulence, where love absorbs our resentments, and where joy heals our griefs. This quiet time shuts us in with God, the door closes and His infinite resources can flood into our souls. ‰ 8We can then accept again the sure knowledge that ‘they that wait upon God will renew their strength.’ And we can face again a world that knows little about Him. Excerpt from United Christian Broadcasters. Barbara Furguson, Immanuel ‘The Gate of the Year’ And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.” This poem by Minnie Louise Haskins (1875-1957) was sent to us by a member of Immanuel Church Wednesday 15th - Saturday 18th February, 7.30 pm at the Arts Centre, Devizes Road Settle into an evening of pure bliss with the classic sound of Ten in a Bar harmonies. You will be sure of a night of pure enjoyment with a huge variety of different types of music. Tickets £13.00* To book: Wyvern Theatre 524481 * Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fee. Fee-free booking for Wyvern Friends; Groups of 8+ please call 01793 524481 to buy fee-free. Tickets are also available from the company, contact Jane on 01793 881798 9Seven Sundays is not enough ........................................................... ‘It’s the church’s perpetual purpose’ ........................................................................ The Revd Nigel Uden, Moderator-Elect of the General Assembly, reflects on how we would need an eternity to do the Epiphany justice. Epiphany lasts so much longer than Christmas. In the Church’s year that began on Advent Sunday 2016. There is only one ‘Sunday after Christmas’, followed early in 2017 by seven ‘Sundays after Epiphany’. And maybe even seven is not enough. Once upon a time, Canterbury Cathedral – mother church of the Anglican communion and seat of its Primate – used to have a deceptively simple strap line: ‘To show people Jesus.’ If we understand the Epiphany as being about that sort of ‘manifestation’, or ‘showing forth’ of Christ, the truth is that to do it we need an eternity. It’s not a one-off we can fit into a few house groups each December, nor are we going to sort it in those seven winter weeks after we recall the visitors from the east. Epiphany is the church’s perpetual purpose. As we chart the future life and work of the United Reformed Church, this ‘showing people Jesus’ should be central to our vocation. It’s surely not an optional extra. Isn’t it what we are baptised into? We most authentically do this living the life of Jesus today as we heed his teaching and follow his example. I recently learned of a city centre congregation that allowed its premises to be used every Saturday by a Street Pastors’ drop-in, providing safety and solace for those seeking refuge from the nighttime economy. As two clubbers were shown to the lavatory (almost all the public toilets in that city are closed at night), one was heard to say to the other: ‘Can you believe a church being open like this? It must be what Jesus would do.’ Epiphany. When I was involved in a church plant some years ago, we named the new fellowship after the suburb in which it was set. The next time I am part of such a naming I shall lobby hard for Epiphany Church. I’d like to think it could be a word that epitomises the United Reformed Church too – the ‘tin’ labelled with exactly what should be in it. n 10 Christ Church with St. Mary’s Arrangements for worship at Christ Church during February, March and April. Work on the interior of Christ Church will begin on Monday 6th February. For the duration of this work, all our Sunday worship will take place in the Community Centre. We are very much looking forward to getting the work done on producing a level floor, creating more flexible space, installing a new heating system and installing a new lighting system. This will involve the church being closed for a planned eight week period. As Vicar and Church Wardens we are asking you to pray that we will make the most of this window of opportunity and will grow as a congregation as we work together seeking God's guidance and presence each step of the way. We are enormously grateful to our PCC Buildings Committee for their professionalism, wisdom and commitment in getting us to this point. Sunday 8.00 am Holy Communion in the Large Meeting Room 10.00 am All Age and Holy Communion Services in the Main Hall and Garden Room, with the choir being unrobed. Sunday Club will either be with the main worship or in Chris’s office or the Vicarage - to be confirmed. 4.00 pm Sunday @4 in the Main Hall and Garden Room, as normal. 6.30 pm Evening Worship in the Main Hall and Garden Room Midweek 9.00 am Morning Prayer in the Large Meeting Room, and on some days when this is not available, this will be in the Vicarage. These locations will be confirmed. 10.30 am The Wednesday service will be in the Large Meeting Room or at St. Mary’s. These locations will be confirmed. In one important sense, it will be business as usual, but in another sense there will be some differences with the change of ambiance - and we will be warmer!! We trust that you will do all you can to encourage one another and lend a hand practically where you are able. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at any time. n

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