17th november 2019 · specialises in glassblowing will have a collection of her work on display in...
TRANSCRIPT
17th November 2019
First time? Welcome! Make yourself at home.
Need anything? Ask one of our
welcome team who’d love to help.
Stay for a chat! There are
refreshments after the main services,
served at the back
Toilets? Can be found on the right at
the back of church
Giving? There’s no collection during
services. Please place any gifts in the box near the main door. Standing order
and gift-aid forms are available.
Young children? Use our sound-
proofed Tower Room if they get
restless, or join in 9.30 Sunday clubs at Upper Room
Deaf? An induction loop is available.
Mobiles? Turn OFF, unless on call
Prayer? There is prayer support after
9.30 & 6.30 services, and during communion, at the front of the church
2nd Sunday before Advent
Jam & Chutney for the
Market There are still some jars for the
jams and chutneys for the Victorian
Market available in the Upper
Room. Please contact Jon Drayton
for collection or to arrange
delivery—0161 428 8050 or pop into
the office. Thank you
True Freedom Trust @ St Cuthbert’s and St
Mary’s
Sunday 17th November Rob Wood from TFT will be visiting us and preaching at services this
Sunday.
He will be ‘Open 2 Question’ at St Cuthbert’s on Sunday at 9.45am
and then at St Mary’s during the 6.30pm service. Please come along
with your questions—and a pen would be handy!
Rob heads up TFT’s speaking ministry. He regulary speaks at
churches, conferences, student events & Bible colleges throughout
the UK. He co-authoured Satifsfaction Guaranteed.
Telling the Better Story These sessions will explore gender and relationships
with bible teaching from Professor Glyn Harrison.
There are already a number of people going to the
evening session.
Festival Choir rehearsals The rehearsals for the 2 Carols By
Candlelight services—6pm & 8pm
on 22nd December, will take place
as on 2nd, 9th & 15th December.
All will take place in St Mary’s
Church.
Monday 2nd December—Youth choir meet at 7pm*
Main choir meet at 7.30pm– 9pm
Monday 9th December—Youth choir meet at 7pm*
Main choir meet at 7.30pm—9pm
Sunday 15th December—Everybody meets at 2.30pm—4pm
*If the youth could stay as long as possible on the Monday
evening that would be really beneficial.
Please arrive promptly to ensure we get the most out of the
sessions.
All Festival choir welcome, please bring new members—no
audition required!
If you can’t make them all please just come to as many as you
can—University Students, please come and join in when you can!
If you have a white Carol book please bring it with you.
If you have any queries please either speak to Vera or contact
the office 0161 428 8050.
Page 2
Announcements and Church News NEXT WEEK & BEYOND …!
Special meetings or events which don’t happen
on a weekly basis are listed below:
Sunday 17th December 10.30am —
Refreshments in the Café
Wednesday 20th November—Telling the Better
Story, St John’s, Hartford
Tuesday 26th November—Victorian Market
Planning meeting
‘Tis the Season
Thursday 12th December
Please keep the date free,
come along and enjoy an
evening to relax, take a
breath and share in fel-
lowship with friends from
church. There will be
mulled wine/fruit punch
and festive nibbles to enjoy. Ellen will be
giving us a tutorial on ‘Festive Cupcake’
decorating and everybody can practice
and take their cakes home. The event is
open to Year 9 and above. The cost is just
£5.00 per person. Please book via the
website—www.cheadle.org.uk/events or
call the office, or speak to Trish Wells or
Sarah Holmes. Thank you
Tuesday @ 2 Moseley Hall, Upper Room
19th November
Mel and Vera Macleod will be with us once again with hymns and their stories. Do come along and bring a friend.
Restored Lives Starting Thursday 9th
January 2020 in the
Upper Rom Café. There
will be a course of 6
sessions followed by a ‘Party’ on
Thursday 20th February 2020. Sessions
will begin at 7pm with a light meal and
end at 9.30pm each week.
For more information go to
www.cheadle.org.uk/events or speak to
Mark & Helen Tomlinson.
Can you help? If anybody has any unwanted /
unused Christmas decorations
please leave them either in
church—on the vergers pew or bring them
into the office in the Upper Room, or ring
the office (0161 428 8050) to arrange
collection.
Also, that if any one was having a pre Christmas clear out and wanted to pass on any of the following to a good home we would love to have them at Starters and Followers:
baby dolls and clothes for them
toy kitchen equipment
Duplo
Again, please either leave in church or in the café, or contact the office.
Many thanks
Jess Davids—Glass Artist
Exhibition
‘Fearfully and wonderfully made’ Psalm
139:14
19th November—21st December
Local designer/maker Jess Davids who
specialises in glassblowing will have a
collection of her work on display in the
Upper Room Café,. This is the first
exhibition of the Cheadle Parish Arts
Ministry programme, where we are inviting
local artists and community groups to
showcase their work.
For more information please go to page 5
of this noticesheet or contact the office.
Victorian Market Volunteering
Please contact the office, either by email -
[email protected] or by calling on
0161 428 8050 if you are able to volunteer for
the market this year.
We need as many people as possible, an hour
makes a huge difference. The roles required
were listed last week but if you are unsure or
don’t mind what you do please let us know and
we can allocate you a role. It really is great fun
to all work together, it’s a great opportunity to
show the community what church is all about
and often getting to know people within the
church family better.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you
2019 Election Hustings
5th December We will once again be hosting the Election
Hustings in St Mary’s Church for the local
candidates in the 12th December election.
The candidates are finalised this week,
everybody is welcome to come along.
7.00-9.00pm in St Mary’s
Church
GFA World Christmas Catalogue The GFA World Catalogue is now available. Do consider this special way of giving gifts to loved ones and supporting your brothers and sisters in Asia, at the same time.
Please see Ellen Batten in church or email her at [email protected] if you would like a copy or go to their website—
https://www.gfauk.org/gift/all/
Thank you.
On Elsewhere?
Page 3
GET IT IN THE DIARY … !
2nd Sunday before Advent Heavenly
Father, whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life: grant that we, having this hope, may purify ourselves even as he is pure; that when he shall appear in power and great glory we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
PRAYER
Thursday 9th January 2020—
Restored Lives starts
Saturday 4th April 2020—A
Passion for Cheadle
Community passion play event—
put the date in your diary!
December 2019 Monday 2nd December 7/7.30pm—
Festival Choir Rehearsal in St Mary’s
Thursday 5th December 7pm - General
Election Hustings in Church
Saturday 7th December—Victorian
Market
Monday 9th December 7/7.30pm—
Festival Choir rehearsal in St Mary’s
Thursday 12th December—’Tis The
Season in Upper Room
Sunday 15th December 2.30pm—
Festival Choir rehearsal in St Mary’s
The dates for the Christmas Services
will be available soon!
Prayer Chain: Send requests to [email protected] or
ring the Church Office on 428 8050.
Please Pray for … Hajnalka Zambo will shortly be starting a newly developed course in Bereavement Care in Budapest – Give thanks for those who have already expressed an interest in this which will mean that improved pastoral care will be available within the congregation and the wider community.
Luke and Bekah along with Jen from Christians in Schools Trust will be taking assemblies in The Kingsway School this week – Pray that all who hear the talks will be inspired to reflect more on the content.
Alex Lucas our UCCF partner is half way through the term – give thanks that many have joined in the CU’s already during this time and as Christmas approaches more people might be approached to attend Carol Services and other events.
For The Bereaved Please pray for all the recently bereaved and those coming to terms with loss of a loved one.
FURTHER AHEAD
For your prayers ...
Rose Betts
Nick Drayton
Peter Fraser – ongoing treatment
Tom Harper
Norman Jones
Aileen & Tom Latham - ongoing health issues
Sean McCausland - ongoing care
Barbara Marsden
Alma Mealand—ongoing care
Peggy Mountford - ongoing care
Mary Robertson
Andrew Smith - ongoing care
Sylvia Tomlinson—ongoing health issues
PERSECUTED CHURCH — Mexico 125.3 million Christians live in Mexico. They make up over 95 per cent out of the total population of 130.8 million. There are high levels of organised crime and corruption in Mexico. Christians who stand against this, particularly by taking part in rehabilitation programmes or refusing to engage in illegal activities, are seen as a threat by criminal gangs.Around 21 % of Mexico’s population is made up of indigenous groups, and these groups have a certain amount of autonomy. Some of these groups follow a form of Christianity mixed with traditional customs. If a member of the group decides to follow another form of Christianity and no longer wishes to take part in traditional customs, this is seen as a huge betrayal. Christians, their leaders and their church buildings have become targets for attacks, threats, extortion, and even killings. This is happening with increasing frequency all over the country and not just in those states known to be the most violent. This is something that the family of Pastor Eduardo ‘Lalo’ Garcia know more about than most. Pastor Eduardo's son, Abraham, was killed in 2009, and his daughter, Grisel-da, was kidnapped for ransom 18 months later. Finally, in 2018, Pastor Eduardo was shot by assailants believed to be members of the drugs trade.
The Big Quiz Night for Tearfund
Saturday 16th November
@ St Chad’s, Handforth
Doors open at 7.15pm, quiz starts at
7.45pm, tickets £5 and bring your own
nibbles and drinks.
Parking at the Upper Room
If you are parking at the Upper Room
please remember you need a permit to
avoid a parking ticket. Also please make
sure that you use all the spaces and not
block empty spaces. If you don’t want to
be blocked in please use the main car
park. Some days are very busy and we
need to make sure that we maximise the
space we have.
Many thanks
Association of Christian Counsellors
Saturday 30th November 2019 9am—
5pm
Bridge Community Church, Leeds
Tackling the Crisis in Mental Health for
Children and Young people. This course
is aimed at people working with young
people.
The Conferences have a varied
programme of keynote speakers and
workshop leaders and very reasonably
priced.
For more information and to book please
go to https://www.acc-uk.org/
professional-development/children-
and-young-peoples-
In Touch Extra Page 4
This is the start of ‘Even More In Touch’ Where articles and information we couldn’t fit on the basic printed sheet will be available
It is a wonderful thing to join together in a creed that has been said in almost every different language through almost two millennia. To join together with Christians long departed and to think that Christians yet to come will also say these words. Of the three creeds, the Athanasian Creed is likely to cause the most controversy with its anathemas and bookends which make clear that if one does not hold to the catholic (universal) faith, one will perish! However, we should not apologise for what is undoubtedly true – rather the truth should spur us on in prayer and evangelism to a lost world, and in robust, faithful discipleship of one another.
Prayer Thank God that he has given the church ways to
memorise and rehearse together what it is we believe and have believed through the ages.
Thank God that in his mercy he has given us church councils who have drafted these creeds which keep us from repeating age-old heresies!
Pray that our creeds will continue to be widely used and accepted, and will serve as anchors when some would seek to introduce new things into Scripture, or remove truths from it.
Further reading CS Blog: http://churchsociety.org/blog/entry/40_days_in_the_39_articles The Apostles’ Creed, The Nicene Creed, The Athanasian Creed.—go to -http://archive.churchsociety.org/crossway/documents/Cway_093_CreedsHistory.pdf
Ian Chidlow, Curate, gives his thoughts on the 39 Articles:
Article VIII: Of the Three Creeds
Original Wording The Three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanasius’ Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles’ Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture.
Contemporary Version The Nicene Creed, The Athanasian Creed and the Apostles’ Creed should be wholeheartedly accepted and believed because their contents can be proved by Holy Scripture.
Bible Verse 1 Tim. 6:12-16, 2 Tim. 1:6-14, Jude 1-7.
Devotion It’s not uncommon to hear believers claiming to have ‘no creed but the Bible’ .Of course this misses the point of a creed – which is not to replace or supplement Biblical teaching but to formalise it, to protect it and lay it out in a simple, clear form. The Nicene, Athanasian and Apostles Creeds are expressions of timeless truths found in Scripture, often drafted in response to ancient heresy so that the church of its day knew exactly what the Biblical witness was and what was to be believed. The creeds keep us from repeating those heresies.
Press Red Conference 2019—Turn off the Silence On the 8th and 9th November Press Red held their third annual conference in Manchester. With a theme of ‘Turn the Tide’ this event looked at the ways in which we can stand up to the injustice and harm faced by so many women across the world.
Speakers and organisations included International Justice Mission, Andrew Caplen (former President of the Law Society), and Lucy Peppiatt (Principal of Westminster Theological College), and the seminars and talks covered topics as diverse as ethical fashion, healthy male/female relationships, ‘honour’ violence and educating men in Africa. Panel discussions were a particular highlight, giving that audience the chance to directly quiz the experts.
Press Red also provided an overview of all its achievements during the last year, which included leading sessions at the Home Office and both Bishopthorpe and Lambeth Palaces, taking on five extra staff members, and launching its most ambitious target yet: an online directory of resources and links covering all types of abuse.
The weekend was a wonderful time of sharing knowledge and experiences as Press Red looks forward with excitement to 2020!
In Touch Extra Page 5
Remembrance Parade—10th November 2019 There was another great turnout this year for the parade.
Cheadle Parish Arts Ministry Imagine if the local church became the place in culture to experience beauty, imagination and creativity.
The arts are intertwined with our culture. The average person encounters performance, music, design, image and the
media arts every day and we want use the arts in order to glorify God. God IS beauty and creativity and whether that is
expressed in nature or through the arts, we can embrace that and enjoy His presence.
For many people, a message only comes alive when it is embodied in a physical form. Words sometimes pass right over our head, while
images can be ingrained in our minds and hearts. The art we make can be a way of loving both ourselves and others. Sometimes art can
build a bridge and create opportunities to impact lives in deeply intimate ways
The aim of the Arts Ministry is
To create an avenue where persons who are gifted in the areas of the arts can use these gifts to glorify God.
To Promote entrepreneurship among Christian artist, musicians, singers, and dancers.
To create activities that young people can participate in.
To use the arts as an evangelistic tool to work in and with the local community
The first initiative in this ministry is a programme of hosting regular visual arts exhibitions.
This initiative is being curated by Jess Davids, a member of St Cuthbert’s and glass artist.
Jess is currently sourcing exhibitors so if you are interested in this opportunity or know
someone who might be please contact Jess or the office. As our first exhibition Jess will be
displaying some of her work in the Upper Room Café from 19th November.
Our own Rev Mike
Newman hitching a ride
with the Royal British
Legion Riders.
The wonderful pipe band
leading the way and
from the cenotaph on
the Green, such a
beautiful and iconic
sound, thank you!
Thank you to all the people involved in the parade,
the veterans, the GirlGuilding, Scouts, Cheadle
Primary & The Kingsway School, ATC Cadets and
everyone else who came and laid wreaths. It is a
wonderful witness to the community that the church
leads the service at the Cenotaph. Thank you.
Page 6
Eco Church
19 NOVEMBER IS WORLD TOILET DAY This month we are looking at how we are caring for God’s earth by kicking up a stink about toilets.
Did you know that 1 in 3 people on the planet are STILL without a safe, clean loo? 2.3 billion people don’t have somewhere safe and hygienic to go to the toilet. (WHO/Unicef)
Without proper toilets and clean water, people are trapped in a vicious cycle:
They’re likely to become sick through sanitation-related diseases. Almost 1,000 children
die every day from preventable diseases linked to dirty water and unsafe toilets. (UN)
Illness means they cannot work or farm their land, so they earn less or grow less food
Children often miss school, because they are sick or because they’re busy collecting wa-
ter. Children worldwide miss 443 million school days each year because of dirty water and poor sanitation. (UN)
Girls often drop out of school altogether when they start their periods if there are no toilets or changing rooms. Every year, women and girls spend 97 billion hours finding a place to go. (World Bank)
Parents have to pay for medicines or food, so they may fall into debt
Women and girls risk being attacked or bitten by snakes as they go to the toilet in the open, especially if the culture dictates that they have to go out at night Dignity is restored when the whole family can use a private, hygienic toilet at their home and no longer have to squat in the bush.
What are we doing?
St Mary’s are blessed with a total of 10 toilets across the church and the Upper Room that are checked and cleaned daily. These toilets are fitted with water-saving flush devices and we use toilet paper made from recycled paper to lessen our impact on the environment.
‘And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all
times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work’ 2 Corinthians 9:8 What does it mean to be blessed—and to be a blessing? We have perhaps become over-familiar with the phrase ‘God bless’. We say we’re ‘blessed’ to have good neighbours, a new car, a nice house. The #blessed tag on social media has been linked to ‘humble bragging’! But how often do we count more basic blessings like having a toilet and clean water on tap—everyday essentials that millions of people still don’t have? God showers blessings on us, not so that we will hoard and guard them for ourselves—but rather to bless others and point them to Christ. Extract from Church Talk—www.toilettwinning.org
‘Even More In Touch’ Contd…. Page 7
Toilet Twinning Through Toilet Twinning, St Mary’s and our members can be a blessing to communities overseas. Let us show that we care. Water and sanitation projects enable families to build a toilet, have access to clean water, and to learn about handwashing and other hygiene principles. We want to fund the equivalent of three blocks of toilets and throughout November we will be collecting donations in church and the upper room and via ChurchSuite. The money raised will be used to twin our toilets through Tearfund and enable hygiene education leading to sustainable improved sanitation in any of Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi. Myanmar, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda or Zambia.
Rector: Rob Munro 428 3440 [email protected]
Associate Minister Stan Tomalin 491 6939 [email protected]
Associate (St.Cuths) Mike Newman 428 5212 [email protected] Curate Ian Chidlow 428 8050 [email protected]
Curate Peter Dooley 428 8050 [email protected] Youth Pastor Luke Blakeley [email protected]
C.O.W Mark Tomlinson 428 8050 [email protected]
Operations Jon Drayton 428 8050 [email protected] Finance Jo Davids 428 8050 [email protected]
PA/Administrator Liz Woods 428 8050 [email protected]
Dates for Next Week
Church Office, The Upper Room,
11 Wilmslow Road, Cheadle, SK8 1DW
www.cheadle.org.uk
Sunday
17th November
2nd Sunday
before Advent
8.00am
9.30am
10.30am
11.15am
5.00pm
6.30pm
8.00pm
No Communion Service til 24th Nov
Morning Worship (Rob Munro)
Thanksgiving in the Service
Refreshments in the UR Cafe
Holy Communion (Rob Munro)
Rooted in UR
Evening Worship—Guest preacher from
True Freedom Trust
Focus in UR
Monday
18th November
12noon
7.00pm
Open Church
HONOR meeting in Moseley Hall
Tuesday
19th November
9.30am
10.00am
2.00pm
3.45pm
6.00pm
7.30pm
7.30pm
TESOL lesson in UR, 2nd Floor
Daytime Homegroup in UR
Tuesday @ 2 in the Moseley Hall
Dynamos—KS1
Juice Puppets
Bell ringing practice in Church
Christianity Explored in UR Cafe
Wednesday
20th November
10.00am
12noon
Mustard Seed in Moseley Hall
Parish Communion at St Cuthbert’s
Thursday
21st November
9.30am
9.45am
10.00am
6.30pm
Bright Start
Ladies Bible Study
Tesol Conversation in UR
BLAZE—youth group at St Cuthbert’s
Friday
22nd November
10.30am
12noon
1.00pm
7.30pm
Keep Fit Keep Young in Sports Hall, UR
Open Church
No Limits Friendship Group
The Forge
Saturday
23rd November
9.00am
Church Prayer Meeting
Sunday
24th November
Sunday
Before Advent
8.00am
9.30am
11.15am
5.00pm
6.30pm
8.00pm
Holy Communion (Stan Tomalin)
Morning Worship (Guest - Suffering
Church)
Morning Prayer (Guest - Suffering
Church)
Rooted Weekend Away
Evening Worship (Guest—Suffering
Church)
Focus in UR
Bible Readings: 17th November
9.30 & 11.15am
Daniel 9:1-19 (p 894)
& at 11.15—Matthew 6:5-15
6.30pm
Genesis 2:15-25
Romans 1:18-32
CLERGY
CHURCH OFFICE
CHILDREN &
YOUTH
24th November
9.30 & 11.15 am
Jonah 3:1-4
Luke 19:1-12
6.30pm
TBC
What is Done in Secret
Practicing righteousness is, for me, often so much easier in public than in private. When I know people are watching, I have a multitude of reasons to behave myself and do good. They’re not all bad reasons - I want to be a good ambassador for Jesus and his church, for example.
But there is a danger here. We’ve all felt that spark of pride when we’ve done something good in view of others and they’ve praised us for it. That spark can so easily turn into a flame, into an attitude that says “aren’t I great!” if we’re not careful. Jesus knows this. In his ser-mon on the mount, he warns his hearers about this kind of “look at me” attitude in the areas of giving to the poor, prayer and fasting. (Matt 6:1-18)
We might also add the area of what we post on social media, and our ministry at church (everything from serving teas and coffees to flower arranging to the av desk to preaching). Human beings are highly skilled at turning good things into an opportunity for self-adoration. But according to Jesus, if we do righteous things in front of others just to make ourselves look good, “you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”
God will not honour behaviour that only seeks glory for ourselves. We may get praise from other men and women, but we’ll get no reward from the One who’s opinion of us really matters.
So how do we guard our hearts from this type of pride?
“When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.” “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” “When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father.”
And the result?
“Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” In other words, do good things because they are good things to do and because you want to please your Father, not because you want praise from other people. Do good things even when no one is looking (because God is).
To be clear, Jesus is NOT saying that we should never be righteous in public! Remember in the previous chapter, Matthew 5, disciples are urged to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
So it seems that our motivation is key: the goal should always be God’s glory, not ours.
One key way of figuring out who’s glory we’re working for is to ask ourselves “Do I do the same things in private as in public?” Are you righteous in public and functionally atheist in private? That’s a prob-lem. You might be seeking your own glory, not God’s.
If that’s the case, if we find ourselves doing things in public for our own glory, it’s time to step back and repent. It’s time to consider what we want - the praise of men, or the reward of our Father in heaven? I’m going to spend this week asking God to show me where I’m after my own glory, so that I can ask him for help to change. Why not do
the same? Ian Chidlow, Curate