highbury news january 2013

New

sFebru

ary 20

09

Highbury Congregational Church

Oxford Street. Cheltenham. GL52 6DUwww.highburychurch.co.uk

New

sJan

uary 2

01

3

Highbury News - 2 - January 2013

Deadline for February Highbury News: 13th January

... to join us at our Church Meeting onThursday 3rd January at 7-30 when theDeacons will present the plans they areputting forward for the shape ourchurch should take, so that we canfulfil our calling to be the body of Christhere at Highbury. It was this time lastyear that we set in motion a processseeking to re-shape the life of ourchurch and re-focus what we do. InSeptember we identified three thingsto focus on - Renewal and Gifts,Mission and Outreach and PersonalFaith and Prayer. The Deacons havecome up with a new structure for thelife of the church: come along to thefirst Church Meeting of the year so thattogether we can reflect on those

proposals, and set in place a plan forthe remainder of the year.At the end of the month, on Tuesday29th January we are going to convenea special Church Meeting when we willbe joined by our MP, Martin Horwood.There’s more information about thismeeting in my notes on page 5.And one more invitation too! Now’s thetime to register for our weekend awayin Brunel Manor: from Friday 14th toSunday 16th June. It promises to be agreat time together. We will be joinedby Jonathan Rowe who will be helpingus think about the way Mission andOutreach can be at the very heart of allwe do as a church. (See page 19.)

You are invited ...

Highbury Congregational Church belongs tothe Congregational Federation and is in partnership with

the Council for World Mission and Churches Together

01242 522050

[email protected]


A New StartThere’s something new in the air at theturn of the year.Highbury News comes out on the lastSunday of the year. And we will besharing in a very special service thatcelebrates new beginnings and thewonder of God’s grace in our lives. Wewill be sharing in a celebration ofBaptism, as Justine and Chris Hale,together with Evan, bring little Williamto be baptised.What a wonderful thing to do as oneyear prepares to make way for the next.And then we are going to be sharing insomething very special on the firstSunday of the New Year.When she died four years ago, FloDobson was the oldest of our churchmembers. Over the last four years wehave got to know her grandson, SteveBenbow, as our Police and CommunitySupport Officer. He has popped intoour Thursday morning café, and at theend of last year joined Transformersone Tuesday and Cubs the next night.That day we will once again join as achurch family in sharing in thesacrament of Baptism as Steve andCarrie bring their son, Oliver, to bebaptised.Sometimes people imagine thatBaptism is a family thing, or even thatthe focus of Baptism is on the onebeing baptised. We celebrate Baptismas one of the two sacraments that thewhole church shares.All of us have something to think aboutas we share in a Baptism service.

At the heart of Baptism is a celebrationof the initiative God takes in reachingout to each of us individually in grace.What a wonderful thought for each ofus to share - just as God takes theinitiative in reaching out to this littleone, so God is there first in our lives.Even now, at the beginning of thisyear, it is God who takes the initiativeto reach out to each of us with his freegift of love. That really is something tocelebrate!In Baptism we recognise that the giftof God’s love doesn’t really begin tomake a difference in our lives unlesswe make it our own. And so our prayerin a Baptism service is that as this littleone grows up, at each stage of theirdevelopment they will be able to makethat love their own.As children grow up in our churchfamily we can see the simplicity of theirfaith, and we can see that it’s real.Our prayer is that as they becomeadult they will come to that point atwhich they can make their ownstatement of faith, “I believe in Godand in Jesus Christ as my Lord and mySaviour.”If that’s the prayer we have for thislittle one, that begs a question for eachone of us to ask of ourselves.Have we made the grace of God ourown and taken that step of faith andsaid, “I believe in God and in JesusChrist as my Lord and my Saviour”?To have a Baptism service as one yearends and another as the next yearbegins is something very special.

Minister’s Memo


It gives each of us an opportunity askthat question of ourselves.It may be that as you read this youhaven’t made that step of faith but feelthis is something for you to do.You may feel it’s something you wouldlike to talk about or pray about with meor with someone else from the churchfamily.It may be that this is a statement offaith you made long ago. Now is anopportunity to renew that confessionof faith.The excitement at the heart of aBaptism service is that the grace ofGod really does make a difference inour lives, in our homes, in our families,in our community in our world.It can only make that difference aseach of us makes that grace our ownby taking that step of faith. In takingthat step of faith we are then puttingourselves into God’s hands so that hecan shape the whole of our lives.Inside this sacrament it is ourconviction that something is actuallyhappening.Just as the water is real and is reallypoured over the little one, so too thelove of God is real in God’s grace. Andthat love is poured over us.And it really is being poured over us.We cannot see it. But it is real.It is made real deep within us by theworking of the unseen yet very realpower of God that is the Holy Spirit.

As we share in that moment of baptismit is our conviction that God really ispresent with us through his Spiritmaking a difference in our lives.So what difference should that make?What should shape the lives we thenlead as we receive God’s love by gracethrough faith?There are nine things that go togetherto shape that life we celebrate inBaptism, that life we celebrate at thestart of a new year:

LoveJoy

PeacePatienceKindness

GenerosityFaithfulnessGentlenessSelf-control

Have a Happy New Year!

Make a New Start.

Rejoice in the Grace of our Lord JesusChrist, the Love of God and theFellowship of the Holy Spirit anddiscover the difference it makes for therest of the year!

With every blessing,Richard

Please send your Annual Reports of all 2012 activitiesto the Editor no later than Thursday 31st January 2013


A Special Church Meetingto meet Cheltenham’s MP, Martin Horwood

Tuesday 29th January 7-30When Karen Wilkes’ work as a Health Visitor took her from Tewkesbury toCheltenham she was shocked at the scale of absolute food poverty she wasencountering. She felt as a church we should be doing something about it.Our Church Meeting decided that there were two things we should do.First, we should re-kindle our support for County Community ProjectsScheme. To keep the stocks they now need replenished, we need to re-doubleour efforts to bring packaged food each Sunday. We felt it would be a good ideato give people the opportunity to give a smaller flower arrangement on aSunday and then pass on the money saved to CCP Foodshare. [See below formore information about CCP , and the ideas we have for flowers ona Sunday on page 6.]But we felt at the Church Meeting it was not enough simply to respond to theemergency appeal. We wanted to challenge those who are making decisionsabout meeting the needs of those facing the greatest poverty at the moment.We felt we should invite Martin Horwood to a church meeting.Before doing that, however, we felt it right to inform ourselves about the levelof need at the moment. So it was that Karen and Joanne from CCP spoke atour November church meeting. We identified a number of questions we feltshould be put to our MP.We then invited him to join us.Do join us for a special church meeting on Tuesday 29th January at 7-30when we will have the opportunity to put those questions to Martin Horwood.

CCPCCP is an emergency food distribution service for people andfamilies in times of crisis. It provides food parcels to cover an immediate crisis,or to give support in the intervening period before statutory agencies can beginongoing longer term financial assistance.There is an urgent need for all non-perishable food, in particular meat basedproducts such as tinned curry, minced beef, tinned stew, Fray Bentos pies,corned beef, tinned ham etc.. Donations of staple foods such as rice, pasta andmash, packet and other tinned foods are also needed.

Please remember gifts for the CCP box, located at the back of the church,

are needed every Sunday. Lorraine Gasside


Flowers in the Church and CCPFor many years members of the congregation have given money, currently inthe region of £17, towards flowers in memory of loved ones, or in thanksgivingor celebration of a special occasion. These are then arranged beautifully by theflower arranging team, and after the service shared with people who are notwell or unable to be at church.Recently, to highlight the need of food for certain sections of the community,our flower arrangers did an arrangement for the Sunday services usingpackaged food. This had been provided as part of our on going giving to CCP

. Following this, a suggestion has been made that, for those whowish, some of the money given for flowers could be put as a contributiontowards CCP .

The proposal is that we would continue to contribute toCCP as we have in the past, and also to continue with theflower arrangements in the Church each Sunday. But ifanyone feels that they would like the majority of theirmoney to go towards food for CCP and a smaller amountfor the flowers, there is an opportunity to do so. Theamount spent on flowers would then be reduced for thatweek and the arrangers would provide a smallerarrangement. If you are interested in contributing in thisway please have a word with me.

If you haven’t before, but would in the future like to contribute towards theflowers in this way, or in our traditional way for a special occasion or in memoryof someone, please see me.Thank you

Jenny Horsfield

Highbury LunchThis month the lunch will be held on

Wednesday 9th January at 12.30pm.All are welcome to come along,

bring your friends and neighbours -but just let the Cooking Team know you are coming, please!

Women’s World Day of PrayerWe are looking forward to Friday 1st Marchand a service from France under the theme“I was a stranger and you welcomed me”


Happy New Year. Here we go againwith new calendar, new diary, newplans and new hopes for the future.Tuesday 1st January is the occasion ofthe annual bring-and-share lunch atthe Gregory’s home after the NewYear’s Day walk. This has never yetbeen beaten by foul weather, as far asI know, and the plan is to sally forth towalk off the excesses of the previousweek. The Ramble of the Rabble it maybe, but not too testing. Thanks are dueto the Gregorys for their invitation.January is also time for Deacons’nominations. Richard’s letteraccompanying this magazine mayoutline thoughts on possible changesfor church structure, but no Diaconateelection procedure changes are yet tobe made. Please do give prayerfulthought to proposals for the nexttwelve months. Your nominationpapers should be placed in the box atthe church by Sunday 27th January.The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,from Friday 18th to Friday 25th January,is an opportunity to once again join theworshippers at St Luke’s Church on

Sunday 20th January for their morningworship. Do not forget that theirmorning service starts at 10am.And we welcome them to share inEvening Prayers in Highbury at 6.30pm.In my first paragraph, I listed HOPESfor the future. We do encounter newhope initiatives at this time. The HOPEfor Cecilia anthology came tocompletion in December and, by theday after the launch, had dipped intothe second print run! It is a charmingpublication penned and prepared withlove, calling up pictures in words orartwork. Congratulations to all whocontributed and may Cecilia benefit foryears to come.The Highbury HOPE Group attempts toreassemble. It may have had a fewfalse starts but on Thursday 24th

January in Room 1, we hope theattempt will be successful.Now, I HOPE that you will all enjoy aHappy New Year with the HOPE that2013 will be a year of peace, love andtolerance among mankind.HOPE with PRAYER can work miracles!

Sue’s News

Make sure the date is in your new 2013 diary!

Venue: The River Centre. Medway Wharf Road. Tonbridge. Kent. TN9 1RE

Fringe event: the night before at the Mercure Tunbridge Wells Hotel

Don’t miss: a wonderful opportunity to meet with Congregational friends

CF Annual May Assembly‘For Such a Time as This 2013 -2017’

will be hosted by the South East Area Association and held in Tonbridge Kent on Saturday 11th May


Chosen Charity for January:Gloucestershire & Worcestershire 4x4 ResponseGloucestershire & Worcestershire 4×4Response began life in 2006 by a smallgroup of members of a responsible 4wheel drive association. Theyrecognised the need for a local team,able to respond to incidents in ourlocality using specialised vehicles withtrained drivers.The first major incident was theflooding of 2007. Gloucestershire 4×4Response (as it was then) worked withthe British Red Cross and other 4×4response teams delivering bottledwater, hygiene packs and food to CareHomes across the county.Teams responded to freak weatherconditions on Crickley Hill thefollowing winter, making checks ondrivers and passengers of carsstranded in the traffic and snow.In 2009 they were involved with GreatWestern Ambulance Service (GWAS)and Gloucestershire Primary CareTrust when wintery weather spreadthrough the county. They had teamsout for almost a week and coveredseveral hundred miles collectingmedical personnel, and transferringthem from home to work and viceversa allowing wards and home visitsto continue as well as the conditionswould allow. During the warmermonths of 2009 they became involvedin the Worcestershire area and began

recruiting members to strengthen theservice they could provide. They wereelected onto the Worcestershire CVEC(Community Volunteer EmergencyCommittee) and attended meetingsand presentations about how thedeployment of voluntary services canbe effectively managed. With thisinvolvement came the decision to re-brand the team and they becameknown as “Gloucestershire &Worcestershire 4×4 Response” orGW4x4R.Gloucestershire & Worcestershire 4×4Response (GW4x4R) provide 24 hour4-wheel drive support to theEmergency Services, Civil Authoritiesand selected volunteer and utilityorganisations in Gloucestershire &Worcestershire. GW4x4R is a non-profit making voluntary organisationwhose members use their own 4×4vehicles, at their own expense, toprovide this service to the emergencyand other services.If you are ever frustrated by trying topark at Highbury on the third Tuesdayevening of the month (which is whenthey meet) please use it as a reminderto thank God for this service and toask his blessing and protection on itsmembers.

Mary Michael

Faithful God, may we REJOICE in the knowledge of you; and be AWAKENED to the promise of each day. Give us the grace to walk together in HOPE. God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.


Open the BookJesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever

Thursday 10th January 2013Some bits of the Bible are tough-going but worth grappling with! They areoften the bits that have most to say!We are going to explore three themes from Hebrews that at first sight seemfar removed from the realities of today. Dig a little deeper, however, and itsoon becomes clear that they address some of the really big questionspeople ask of us as Christians today.We start with one of the biggest questions of all about suffering. How do youcope in the face of suffering? What Hebrews has to say about Jesus whoshares our every weakness, and so opens up for us a God who helps us inour every need.The next of the questions we shall address asks where God is in a troubledworld. We will see where Hebrews locates God and the difference thatmakes to the living of our lives in such a troubled world.And we’ll finish by asking how it is possible to have faith and believe in theface of all that happens around us. We’ll discover just how much of adifference such faith can have in the living of our lives. Thursday 10th January How do you cope in a suffering world? Hebrews 4-8 Thursday 21st February Where is God in a troubled world? Hebrews 9-10 Date to be confirmed How can I believe? Hebrews 11-12

Highbury Community CaféOpen on Thursdays from 10.00am until 11.30am

Coffee, Tea, and Homemade CakeBring your friends and neighbours!

Hope GroupThe first meeting of Hope Group in 2013 will be on Thursday 24th January, inRoom 1, at 7-30pm, when Philip Arnold will tell us about ‘Open the Book’ inschools. Please feel welcome to join us.Future dates for your diaries are 28th February, 28th March, and 23rd May.

David Butcher


CONGRATULATIONS to- Alice Brown, celebrating her 100th birthday on Saturday 19th JanuaryBEST WISHES to- Oliver Benbow on the occasion of his Baptism on Sunday 7th January, and alsoto his parents Carrie and SteveOUR SYMPATHY to- Dilys Heath’s daughter, Sophie, and other members of her family, followingthe sudden death of Dilys on Wednesday 5th December: Dilys worshipped withus on Sunday mornings, and also enjoyed Wednesday lunches and the ThursdayCommunity Café- John and Pauline, Peter and Zoe, David and Rebecca Lee, and all in theirfamilies, following the death of Joan Lee on Friday 7th December: as a churchwe recognise the faithful work which Joan shared with Olga Slack co-ordinatingthe Pastoral Care Scheme for many years, and more recently the FriendshipGroup, in addition to serving on the Diaconate, and participating in otheractivities, not least as a member of the Church Choir- Clare Clucas, her daughter Wendy and all in the family, following the death ofWendy’s husband, Richard, on Sunday 9th December, after several months ofchemotherapy treatment for leukaemia- Vicki Paterson and Phil Davies, Jamie, Matthew and Ben following the deathof a close friend Nick at a young age, remembering Karen and all his family tooPLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS: all those mentioned above, and- Elaine Smith, in Bosnia with the Christian charity ‘Prime’, providing medicalhelp and education- Sue Cole, as she returns to India to further the work of the CHIKS charity- Suzi Ganniclift, and her daughters Beatrix and Charlotte, as Suzi’s motherMolly recovers from a slight stroke- Neil and Lorraine Gasside - Shirley Fiddimore’s sister, Gloria- Margaret and Ray Morgan - Maureen Williams - Peter Petrie- Maurice Wilce, due to return to hospital - Lilian Watkins- Roger Gregory’s mother, in hospital in Exmouth - Ruth Adams- others with continuing health issues, or troubles of one sort or another, andin need of care and support, and our regular prayersAPPRECIATIONSincere thanks to Highbury Choir for producing andleading an inspirational Advent Service in December, witha challenging message for us all - and lovely singing too.

News of the Church Family


Who is responsible for Pastoral Care? We are all responsible!Pastoral Care relates to ‘Welcoming’ people to the church by those on porchduty, and every member of the congregation talking to each other, especiallyover coffee after the morning service.Meeting in each other’s homes for house groups or prayers groups, meetingfor coffee in town, anywhere where two or three or more Highbury folk aretogether we should be showing a ‘Pastoral Care’ for each other, an ‘interest’ ineach other.It relates to ‘Praying’ for each other, caring about each other’s generalwelfare, family problems and all manner of prayer concerns which we eachhave from time to time.It relates to ‘Disability Issues’ understanding the problems people face, andlearning how to best help them and understand some of their individualeveryday problems. This is why, seven or eight years ago, we started a seriesof ‘disability trainings’ for the congregation, and now still have these sessions(usually twice a year) for Church Visitors and Deacons.It relates to the ‘Children’s Work’, showing an interest in the children,showing you ‘care’, keeping them ‘Safe from Harm’, welcoming Baptismalfamilies.You could say it also relates to ‘House Management’ and catering on churchpremises, and in our homes ‘caring’ that those with nut allergies are not fedinappropriate food, serving Wednesday lunches, Community Café – all timesfor fellowship, and caring and sharing!Or you could say that it also relates to ‘Maintenance’ of the church premises,‘caring’ that the toilet facilities are suitable, and that hand rails are in the rightplaces, ‘caring’ to ensure the safety of everyone who comes to Highbury, thatthe sound system is working for the hard of hearing, in fact ‘caring’ thateverything is working as it should be!And of course there is our Pastoral Care Team of Church Visitors andDeacons, people who visit individuals and families in their homes, and deliverHighbury News to them month by month.The Deacons are part of the ‘support network’ ready to stand in for theVisitors if they are away on holiday, or unwell themselves.Many Visitors visit in the District in which they live, so they are their ownChurch Visitor, and the District Deacon needs to be aware of this, and offerPastoral Care and support to those Visitors, as and when needed.It is not the main purpose of the Pastoral Care Team [Church Visitors andDeacons] to deliver Highbury News, that is merely a ‘tool’, a means ofintroduction. Do invite your Visitor in so that he or she can carry out the main

What is Pastoral Care?


purpose of the visit – listening, be-friending, ‘caring’ and, if and when needed,offering some form of ‘help’.Pastoral Care, caring for the Church Family, is the responsibility ofeach one of us.There were two examples of lovely ‘pastoral care’ in Highbury one Sundayevening recently. Firstly, when a Church Visitor noticed one of the people shevisits in her District who was there alone, and went to sit with her for companyand to show she ‘cared’.The second example was a young lady, visiting for the first time, who went tosit in the back row. Two members of the congregation invited her to moveforward and sit between them, showing their friendship and their ‘care’ for anew-comer in our congregation.‘Pastoral Care’ is also ‘included’ in the Church Mission Statement –

Sharing Christian Friendship – in ways already mentionedExploring Christian Faith – in Word Café , House Groups, Prayer Groups– times of fellowship and caringEngaging in Christian Mission – chatting at the Community Café, visitingnew folk in their homes, inviting friends on ‘Back to Church’ Sunday

The Pastoral Care Committee, in its present form, was introduced toHighbury by Rev Eric Burton in 1967 –

1. To assist the pastoral ministry of the ChurchBy regular visiting and befriending of members, adherents andnew contacts in a DistrictBy distributing church literatureBy noting and having a concern for, those in a given District,absent from worship and Church MeetingBy informing the Secretary for Pastoral Care, and/or theMinister, of problems, illness, bereavement and the desire toknow more about Church Membership, for the Sacraments ofBaptism and (among shut-ins) Communion in the homeBy meeting with Church Visitors from other Districts, theSecretary for Pastoral Care, the Church Secretary and theMinister, about twice a year, to share in a review anddiscussion for the improvement of this work

2. To consist of a Convenor, the Secretary for Pastoral Care, and theChurch Visitors in each District, to be appointed annually.

In those days with a Church Membership in excess of 200 people, with 12Districts and about two Church Visitors to each District, there was a lot ofvisiting to be done; but the system worked and has continued for nearly 45years.


CHURCH FAMILY NEWS, AND VISITING REQUESTS please contact:

Joyce and Philip Arnold ( 01242 285705

David and Betty Butcher ( 01242 300581

PRAYER CHAIN REQUESTS please contact:

Lorraine Gasside ( 01242 239838 [email protected]

In a way, it became a victim of its own success in the first few years, andChurch Membership rose to about 300.Visitors have always come in all shapes and sizes, all ages, young marriedcouples with children, older people, and many grandparents – and the lattermake excellent visitors to young families who maybe don’t have their owngrandparents living near!And at the other end of the scale, parents with young children make excellentvisitors to older people, who love to see the children visiting them in their ownhomes (or they used to, when we took our two young children with us to callon people, many years ago!)Today with a membership of around 145 and other friends to visit too, we stillhave 12 Districts, most of which are sub-divided into two or three - and 24visitors – with vacancies for more!Have you ever considered becoming a Church Visitor?Or do you think you might be expected to visit more people than you cancomfortably cope with?That is not the case – nobody needs to do more than they want to!Just visiting, listening to and ‘caring for’ one or two people would help theVisiting Scheme.There is nothing wrong in handing a person their copy of Highbury News inchurch on a Sunday, with a quick ‘how are you?’ for those who are fit and welland regularly in church – although care needs to be taken to ensure theirpersonal news or problems are heard, if necessary.This then gives the Visitors more time to spend on visiting the elderly andvulnerable people in their District.Would you like to learn more about Pastoral Care at Highbury?Would you be interested in visiting a group of people?Would you be happier specialising in visiting young families, or older people, ornewcomers, or the recently bereaved, etc... or ‘a variety’?Please speak to one of the Pastoral Committee:

Diana Adams Joyce and Philip Arnold Kate David andBetty Butcher


Day Meeting Contact Tel. Number

Sunday 10-30am Morning Service Richard Cleaves

Sunday 6-30pm Evening Service Richard Cleaves

Sunday 7-15pm Hy-Tec Adrian Blazey

Monday 6-45pm Scouts Andy Sargent

Tuesday 9-45am Toddlers Felicity Cleaves

Tuesday 5-45pm Transformers Carolyn Tennant

Wednesday 9-30 am Prayer Group Katherine Stanley

Wednesday 2-00pm Hy-Way Jenny Bartlett

Wednesday 6-15pm Cubs Felicity Cleaves

Wednesday 6-00pm Brownies Christine Lodge

3rd Wednesday 8pm House Group Sharon Wallington

Thursday 10 - 11.30 Community Café Felicity Cleaves

Thursday 7-30pm Church Meeting

Deacons’ Meeting

Open the Book

Hope Group

Sue Cole

Richard Cleaves

David Butcher

Friday 7-00pm Guides Tania Ashdown

Friday 7-30pm Choir Mary Clifford

Saturday 10-00am Beavers Amanda Sargeant

1st Saturday 2-30pm Friendship Group Olga Slack

2nd Saturday 6.30pm Hy-Speed Peter Tennant

Sunday 9-30 am Hy-Spirit Mary Buchanan

Hy-WayWe meet on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays in the Morton Brown Room

from 2.00pm to 3.45pm and all are welcome to join us!Help is needed in a variety of ways. It’s a great group and fun to be with.

Please contact me to find out more.Jenny Bartlett( 01242 231644 - [email protected]


Calendar for January 2013

Tuesday 1st 11.00am New Year’s Day Walk followed by 1.00pm Bring and Share Lunch – see page 20Thursday 3rd 7.30pm Church Meeting – all welcomeSaturday 5th 2.30pm Friendship Group for those who live alone

SUNDAY 13th 9.00am Sunday Special 10.30am Morning Worship led by Rev Nick Gleich 6.30pm Evening Prayers led by John LawrenceFridays 18th to 25th WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

Saturday 19th 10.00am First Aid Training

SUNDAY 20th 10.00am Morning Worship with Holy Communionat St Luke’s Church

6.30pm We welcome St Luke’s to Evening PrayersWednesday 23rd Finance Group MeetingThursday 24th 7.30pm Hope Group Meeting – see page 9

SUNDAY 6th 10.30am Morning Worship 6.30pm Evening Prayers with Holy CommunionWednesday 9th 12.30pm Highbury Lunch 8.00pm Planning Meeting for Church Weekend Away at Brunel Manor – see page 19Thursday 10th 7.30pm Open the Book – see page 9Saturday 12th 6.30pm Hy-Speed for younger member 8.30pm Hy-Speed for older members

SUNDAY 27th 10.30am Morning Worship with Parade of the Uniformed Organisations 6.30pm Evening PrayersTuesday 29th 7.30pm Special Church Meeting with Martin Horwood MP – see page 5Thursday 31st January Deadline for 2012 Church Annual Reports


Prayer Rota for Sundays in JanuaryMorning

Sunday 6th January Karen Haden 576882 Sunday 13th January Iain Macleod 575949 Sunday 20th January St Luke’s am Sunday 27th January Mary Michael 677897 (Parade)

EveningSunday 20th January Mary Buchanan 583135

S.W. Midlands Area of the Congregational Federationinvites us to pray for …

Sunday 6th January Stapleton Road, Bristol Sunday 13th January The witness of denominations working together Sunday 20th January Sherston Sunday 27th January Longney

Prayer Focus - District 1Charlotte Armstrong, Will and Grace

Jocelyn BellSteve and Janet BrownGrace Chihata and Sam

Richard and Felicity CleavesNeil and Lorraine Gasside

Wayne HarvellEdwin and Rose HaywardTed and Jenny Horsfield

Jim RobertsRoger Sharland

Martin and Elaine Schönbeck, Adam and PhilSelim Smith & Co. Ltd. (advertiser)

Margaret WrightDeacon: Peter Harrison

Visitors: Edwin and Rose Hayward, and Angela Pickles


Update on Moffatt on Death Row in ZambiaMoffat's health is still giving cause for concern. In his most recent letter,written mid-November, he told us that he is frequently being sick, and as itoccurs round about the time he takes his HIV medication he is very worried.Until now he has been doing well with the ARVs and it is good that these arefree in Zambia. However because of other health issues, such as his enlargedheart, he does have medical bills to pay, but no money to pay them. He alsoneeds money to pay for a chest scan which he should have had done a whileback. He has asked us if we could pay his medical bills. At the moment we arewaiting to receive the paperwork from his doctor. Please pray for Moffat - thathe may be healed, that his appeal will succeed, and that he will be releasedfrom prison and be able to look after his daughter Cecilia.As regards Cecilia, she has recovered from a bout of malaria and returned toschool. The anthology of poems and prayers 'HOPE, was launchedat the Christmas café and sales are encouraging. Shirley and I would like tothank everyone at Highbury who has supported the idea of, or contributed to,this anthology. If you missed getting a copy, or would like some more pleasespeak to either Shirley or me. (See page 28 for further details.)

Judi Marsh

Judi Marsh, Ros Stanley and Shirley Fiddimoreat the launch of the anthology ‘HOPE, for Cecilia’


An Evening of Magic and MirthSaturday 23rd February at 7-00pm

Supper and EntertainmentTickets £10-00

I have put together a team of friends from the Cotswold Magical Society whowill join us for an evening of magic and mirth. Over supper they will circulateround the tables to demonstrate mind-boggling feats of prestidigitation.Once supper is over, be prepared for some entertaining cabaret magic too!If the last occasion is anything to go by, it should be a great evening!The proceeds of the evening will be shared between the church and theCotswold Magical Society.

Richard Cleaves

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop ofCanterbury, is to become chairman of theboard of trustees of Christian Aid, theinternational development agency, in May.

The Director of Christian Aid, Ms Loretta Minghella, said: ‘Archbishop Rowanbrings a passionate interest in tackling the symptoms and causes of poverty, aprofound theological understanding, and deep experience of addressing issuesof environmental, economic and social justice with church and political leadersacross the world.’Dr. Williams steps down as Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of Decemberand in the New Year takes up a new role as Master of Magdalene College,Cambridge. At Christian Aid he succeeds Dame Anne Owers who completed herterm of office as chair of Christian Aid in November. Kumar Jacob, acting chair,said: ‘Archbishop Rowan’s leadership on issues of international developmentand the role of churches in the fight against poverty across the world has beenexceptional. I believe we have found the perfect Chair, and a great custodianfor the British and Irish churches’ continuing work in tackling the scandal ofpoverty through their support for Christian Aid.’Dr. Williams said: 'I am very honoured indeed to be invited to chair the Boardof Christian Aid. I had hoped very much to be able to continue some regularinvolvement in support and advocacy in the area of international justice anddevelopment, and this will allow such an involvement to flourish. Many years ofco-operation with and support for Christian Aid have made me familiar with theexcellent quality of all that they do, and I am personally very happy indeed tobe working with them in this new role at a time when international developmentissues will need the most dedicated and sustained attention.'


Church Weekend Away 2013We are going to Brunel Manor, near Torquay, Devon,

from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th June.For those who have not been before, we would love you to join us. Theweekend starts with dinner on Friday evening and finishes with a Sundaycarvery lunch, all meals are included.

Prices remain the same at £129 for Adults, £65 for age 13-18,£32 for age 6-12, free for under 5’s.

Please ask for a booking form to complete,and a deposit of £40 per adult will secure your booking.BOOKING DEADLINE IS SUNDAY 24TH FEBRUARY

Any queries please contact me:Lorraine Gasside – 01242 239838 - [email protected]

Brunel 2013 Planning MeetingThis is an Open Meeting on Wednesday 9th January at 8.00pmat Highbury, for anyone interested in helping to plan the weekend.

You and all your ideas will be most welcome!So, put the date in your new diary now, and come along!

The theme for Brunel 2013 - Mission & OutreachThe church weekend away is a great time to get to know each other muchbetter and to enjoy fun and friendship in the church family. It’s a very relaxedweekend and you can join in as much or as little as you want to.This year we have invited Jonathan Rowe to join us. It’s many years sinceJonathan and Hilary gave up management jobs in the NHS to go to the AllNations Missionary College, after which they and Elizabeth and Benjamin movedto Madrid with SEUT, Spain’s main protestant theological seminary. In their lastyears there Jonathan became Principal. In 2011 they returned to Cornwallwhere Jonathan now heads up an Anglican and Ecumenical course for thosegoing into different kinds of ministry. Jonathan has a heart for mission and willhelp us think about what it takes to have mission at the very centre of ourchurch’s life.The weekend gives us an opportunity not only to worship and pray together butalso do some good thinking together around one of the key focus points thatwe have identified for Highbury in 2013. Do register as soon as possible!

Richard Cleaves


Chosen CharitiesCommunion offerings and money donated at coffeetime after morning worship this month, will go toour chosen charity for January which isGloucestershire & Worcestershire 4x4Response - see page 8.The total raised by our communion offerings and bythose who stayed for coffee after morning servicesin November for The Langley House Trustamounted to £187.29

Welcoming Team for JanuarySunday MORNING Sunday EVENINGIain MacLeod June TremlettJoan Wakeman Rose HaywardRon Wakeman Edwin Hayward

Vestry DutySunday MORNING Sunday EVENINGDarryl Mills Mary Buchanan

An invitation to you allTuesday 1st January 2013

Please join us for a walk, then a bring and share lunch,and a lazy afternoon!

Meet at our house, 10 Albert Road,at 11.00am. The walk will not betoo strenuous, but stout shoes orboots, and warm / waterproofclothes are essential! Lunch will beat 1.00pm, non-walkers are verywelcome! For more informationplease ’phone us –

Jean and Roger Gregory 01242 526002


The text is taken from Micah 6.6-8.The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity2013 comes from an ecumenical groupin South India. They have reflectedupon their own context and offer us atheme that calls us to respond to theobligations to act justly in the world.In 1989 when the Churches committedthemselves afresh to the ecumenicalvision of full visible unity, they statedclearly that they were to be “no longerstrangers but pilgrims together”. Theimage of ‘pilgrimage’, which recursthroughout Christian theology andspirituality, is a powerful andimportant one for the ecumenicalmovement. Pilgrimage implieswalking, and for this year’s Week ofPrayer for Christian Unity we are askedto reflect upon our ecumenicalpilgrimage: how we walk together andwalk humbly with God.This year, we are inviting you to reflectupon this journey and, perhaps moreimportantly, that as we make thisjourney with God, the walking isalways to be accompanied by actingjustly, being loving in all things, andbeing humble.We are helped in our reflections by theexperiences and insights of Christiansin India as they pray and work for theKingdom of God.Throughout 2012 and into 2013,Churches Together in Britain andIreland has been undertaking researchinto how local churches are living outthis call, under the title of ‘GoodSociety’.

We are asking churches in verydifferent settings around the UK whatit means to be a ‘good society’. Whatwe have found is a remarkablefaithfulness to the call to act justly, tobe loving, and to walk humbly withGod.So what about you, your church andyour community? What does it meanfor you to act justly and to walkhumbly with God? Let us know! Icommend to you these thoughts forthe Week of Prayer for Christian Unity2013 and hope that they may help youponder these things.12

Introduction to the themeThe British and Irish resources for theWeek of Prayer for Christian Unity2013 are based on the internationalmaterial compiled this year by theStudent Christian Movement of India(SCMI), along with the All IndiaCatholic University Federation and theNational Council of Churches in India.In reflecting on the significance of theWeek of Prayer for Christian Unity theydecided that in a context of greatinjustice to Dalits in India and in theChurch, the search for visible unitycannot be disassociated from thedismantling of casteism and thecontribution to unity by the poorest ofthe poor. Casteism results in the Dalitsbeing socially marginalized, politicallyunder-represented, economicallyexploited and culturally subjugated.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - 18th to 25th JanuaryWhat does God require of us?


Almost 80% of Indian Christians havea Dalit background.During the Week of Prayer, Christiansall over the world will explore inecumenical fellowship what it meansto do justice, to love kindness and towalk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).This theme is developed over the eightdays by the metaphor of walking. ForDalit communities, the walk towardsliberation is inseparable from the walktowards unity. So our walk with Dalitsthis week, and with all who yearn forjustice, is an integral part of the prayerfor Christian unity.Christians in India should reject castedivisions, just as Christians worldwideshould not accept the divisions amongthem: “Is Christ divided?” (1Corinthians 1:13).As we gather to pray for the unitywhich Christ wills for his Church, weare called to break down such walls ofdivisions among and between us.

The 8 daysThe path of Christian discipleshipinvolves walking the path of justice,mercy and humility. The metaphor ofwalking was chosen to link togetherthe 8 days of prayer because itcommunicates the dynamism whichcharacterises Christian discipleship.The eight subthemes enable us tofocus on various dimensions of anauthentic Christian discipleship whichwalks the path of righteousness thatleads to life (Proverbs 12:28a).

Day 1 - Walking in conversationWe reflect on the importance ofdialogue and conversation as a means

of overcoming barriers, both inecumenism and in the struggles forliberation of people across the globeand, in doing so, seeing Christ moreclearly.

Day 2 - Walking with brokennessRecognising the solidarity betweenChrist crucified and the ‘brokenpeoples’ of the world, such as theDalits, we seek as Christians togetherto learn to be more deeply a part ofthis solidarity ourselves.

Day 3 - Walking towards freedomAs Christians committed to greaterunity, we learn that the removal of allthat separates people from oneanother is an essential part of fullnessof life, freedom in the Spirit.


Day 4 -Walking as children of the earthWe focus on our place in God’screation and on our interdependenceupon one another and the earth.Contemplation of the urgent calls toenvironmental care and proper sharingand justice calls us into lives of activewitness.

Day 5 -Walking as the friends of JesusWe reflect on Biblical images of‘human friendship and love’ as modelsfor God’s love for every human being.Within the Church, all barriers ofexclusion are inconsistent for a

community in which all are equally thebeloved friends of Jesus.

Day 6 - Walking beyond barriersWalking with God means walkingbeyond barriers that divide anddamage the children of God. We lookat ways in which human barriers areovercome, leading towards allbecoming one in Christ.

Day 7 - Walking in solidarityTo walk humbly with God meanswalking in solidarity with all whostruggle for peace and justice. Sharingthe suffering of all by advocacy and bycare of the poor, needy andmarginalised, is implicit in our prayerfor Christian unity this week.


Day 8 - Walking in celebrationBible texts, such as the Song of Mary,speak of celebration in the sense of asign of hope in God and God’s justice.Celebration of the Week of Prayer forChristian Unity is our sign of hope thatour unity will be achieved according toGod’s time and God’s means.

[based on Galatians 3: 28]

Through our livesand by our prayers,your kingdom come.

ReflectionFaith with a forlorn face persuades noone. Trust through gritted teeth seemsgrudging.Hope with hearts weighed heavy withweariness is hardly uplifting. “Rejoicein the Lord always,” remains thechallenge. And when that rejoicingcomes from the midst of pain, loss,

fear and despair, then how much moreauthentic it is; how much moreinspiring it becomes.The determination to see the glasshalf-full when that might seemoptimistic at best, is the glorious follyof faith. It is easy, outside of any “timeof trial”, to smile. The real test comeswhen circumstance takes off its glovesand lands a sucker punch or two.To learn to laugh into troubled times isto allow an echo of heaven’sassurance to sound on earth.“Him serve with ‘mirth’ ”, the psalmistmay have written. It seems, somehow,right.

Let us Go and Do ...Change happens when people talk ....and listen.• Listen to voices on the news or readthe local, national and internationalstories in the newspaper. Considerwhat your contribution is or could beto this conversation.• Organise a discussion on an issue ofinterest or concern; maybe use a filmclip or newspaper article to start adiscussion; or invite your local politicalleader along to enter into theconversation of how we can all use ourinfluence to address issues of injusticeand concern.See page 5 and come to the specialChurch Meeting with Martin HorwoodMP on Tuesday 29th January at 7.30pm

Resources for this Week of Prayerfor Christian Unity are based onmaterial compiled by the StudentChristian Movement of India.


Thank you ...to those of you who recycleyour ink cartridges in theScouts’ box under the shelfin the cross corridor.If you are putting in Kodakcartridges, you may like toknow that Staples will give£1 off your next purchaseof each - but our schemecannot recycle them.

Felicity Cleaves

Prayer Handbook 2013 - ‘Ordinary Time’ - £6 This Prayer Handbook prepares us for the ‘Journey of Life’

throughout the coming year.Being ‘faithful to God’ means learning how to Love, Live and Serve God

in all the ‘ordinary moments’ of life.If you would like a copy, please contact: Elsie Williams


W.S. TrenhaileFuneral Directors

Private Chapels

of ReposeApostle House

175 London Road

Charlton Kings

GL53 6HN

Tel: 01242 224897

Mason & StokesFuneral Directors

David MasonRichard Mason

Joy MasonA Family BusinessProviding a Caring

Day and Night Service

Tudor Lodge54 Hewlett Road

CheltenhamGL52 6AH

Tel: 01242 224877

Help and Advice onPre-Arranged Funeral Plans

DJLMAINTENANCE

Danny James-Locke

All aspects of propertymaintenance

Telephone 01242 233921

Mobile 07901 852536

Evening ServiceReaders’ Rota

The readers in January will be:

6th January Felicity Cleaves13th January Marion Taylor20th January John Lewis27th January Mary MichaelI am using the names I alreadyhave, but if there are others whowould like to be included on thisrota please let me know.

Jonquil Harrison01242 520522

Please support our advertisersand tell them you saw it here

Everyone is invited to the Congregational Federation South West Midlands Area Assembly at the Graham Adams Centre, Southam, Warwickshire, on Saturday 16th March


A Sympathetic andUnderstanding ServiceWe’ll take care of all the arrangements

with care and sensitivityCall us 24 hours a day

Selim Smith & CoFuneral Directors

01242 52538374 Prestbury RoadCheltenham. GL52 2DJ

‘Helping Hands Catering’for all your catering needsSpecialists in funeral catering

Buffet tailored to suit all occasions

and dietary requirements

o Christenings o Wedding Anniversaries

o Birthday Parties o Celebrations

We can provide a full waitress service for your event,

including hire of crockery, cutlery, table linen

and flowers for tables,

either at your own home or chosen location.

Delivery only also available.

Contact: Julie Miller 01242 701127

mobile: 07909 917805

[email protected]

or Julia Howse 01242 861301

mobile: 07971 246431


Toddler Group / Transformers for school years 3-6 / Hy-Tec for 11s & overChoir/ Music, House & Prayer Groups / Christ in All Things - exploring faith

Hy-Way / Friendship Group / Scouting / Guiding / etc.For a chat, or to find out more, ring Richard Cleaves on 01242 522050

Sundays at 10.30amA time for all the Church family

to share in worship -groups for children and young people

HOPEan anthology of poems and prayers

Judi Marsh and Shirley Fiddimore have brought together a collection ofpoems and prayers written by folk from Highbury and other friends too.It is available for £3-50 and proceeds will go towards Cecilia’s schoolfees in Zambia where her father is a prisoner on death row.

From Time to Time Memories travel down the years

unbeckoned by maps, but pulled by musings, yearnings maybe.

New thoughts make strange signposts. Old roads taken, untaken, meander like dry river beds in imagination’s drought.

Think of a place, stop at a year. Yes, I remember - yet I am a stranger here.

Judi Marsh

Sundays at 6.30pmquiet, reflective evening prayers

with a focus onBiblical teaching

Highbury Congregational Church

A place to share Christian friendship,explore Christian faith andenter into Christian mission

highbury news january 2013

Documents