st helier methodist centre Issue No. 192 october 2012

minister Rev Liz Hunter

tel 739906 lay pastoral worker

Mrs Pat Tourtel tel 747353

family worker Mrs Sally Vasselin

administrator Mrs Pauline O’Prey

caretaker Mrs Teresa Medeiros

tel 877517

features

minister’s letter family news

obituary a small moment

paradise community cafe kid’s church

dear friends This prayer for autumn was written by Mary Hanrahan.  Lord of the seasons, there is a time for dying and a time for new birth; a time to speak and a time to keep quiet. Help us discern your will for us now. Lord of autumn leaves and warm berries, help us to let go gracefully and to rejoice in the colour and fruitfulness of this moment. Wrap us in the shawl of eternity and teach us to await with wonder the new shoots of your love. In a time of change, not just in the seasons but in the life of the church here at SHMC and across the Jersey Methodist Circuit, this prayer is very appropriate. To ask God to help us ‘to let go gracefully and to rejoice in the colour and fruitfulness of this mo-ment’ may not be an easy thing to do when we are being asked to let go of are things with which we are familiar, things that bring us comfort and a sense of security. However, if we also pray ‘Help us discern your will for us now’ we have to be ready to work through that discernment and often it is only through changing our routines and patterns of doing things that we are able to test what is of God and what is of us. One of the greatest gifts of grace and of integrity is the ability to ‘wait with wonder the new shoots of [God’s] love’ and to celebrate his blessings. Or when, through testing and discerning, it be-comes apparent that we obviously haven’t quite been in tune with what God is saying, to hold our hands up and say ‘we got it wrong....this wasn’t what God was asking’. Much better, and indeed more faithful of his disciples, to take the opportunities God gives us through Christ and trust him to use our efforts than to do nothing, to remain as we always have been and so miss the amazing gift of a new season, re-growth and new shoots.

In His love Liz

st helier methodist centre Christians together in Jersey mutual intercessions October—those in the construction industry 7 United Reformed Church Church Elders 14 Catholic Community of Immaculate Conception 21 St Luke’s Anglican Church Rev David Jones 28 St John’s Anglican Church Rev Andy Thewlis Lord God, we thank you for calling us into the company of those who trust in Christ and seek to obey His will. May your Spirit guide us and strengthen us in mission and service to your world; for we are strangers no longer but pilgrims together on the way to your Kingdom. Amen

thank you  Thank you for the still, quiet woods of autumn, carpets of shed acorns crunching underfoot, mushrooms newly grown since yesterday squatting among the gently shifting mosaic of fallen leaves.  For brown fields turned golden by the setting sun, the cautious stare and stamping hooves of wary sheep, the dapper magpie’s raucous, laughing cry.  For hedgerows decorated purple, crimson, pink by berries of bramble, bryony and spindle, clusters of fluffy seeds released by willow herbs.  For all that has been grown, created and achieved this year, as life settles to see out the winter’s cold and storms and waits to break out in new glories next year.  Brian Ford

family news and prayer concerns We remember in our prayers VIRGINIA TOUDIC, who is now recovering well at home. She has been able to get out for short pe-riods of time but is promising to listen to advice from the profes-sionals as to when and if she can return to her normal lifestyle. She may have to take life easier for a while. ANN & DAVID PAUL, who are now both back home. Ann enjoyed her few days in France and is grateful for the help of the nurses who come to assist her in her caring for David, who is able to get up for a short time each day, but gets tired very quickly. They are both very appreciative of our prayers. PAM BEAGIE’S daughter-in-law who is unwell and unable to drive. Pam is once more helping the family by transporting her grandchildren to school. EUNICE LE BRETON has had some bad days recently. She is grateful for the help of her sister Nora, who spends the weekend with her and her sister Muriel, who lives nearby. Her son, Bob, is continuing his chemotherapy and is still able to visit Eunice on good days. GORDON BULLOCK is improving slowly but is still unable to drive due to problems with his eyes. He and Hilary have travelled over to England to take their grand-son, Alex, to university in Chich-ester.

We remember all our house-bound, elderly or frail members and friends in our prayers - they are part of the rich tapestry of our church family. BIRTHDAYS in September EMMA HUNTER; EMILY HUBERT; BEN SHAW; BARBARA CARTER; KEN KING; ETHELWYN LE GROS. May they be surrounded by God’s love as they journey into another year.

from Enid My sincere thanks to all my friends and members and Nurs-ery staff at St Helier Methodist Centre for their prayers and good wishes during my recent illness. They were much appreciated. I am recovering well and hope to be back with you all during the next month.

God bless you all.

st helier methodist centre

SIMON YOUNG is now a month into his training for the Methodist ministry. He and Wendy, Daniel and Becca (Becca & Daniel are both in secondary school now!)send their love to their friends at SHMC and say that they think of you all often. We remember them in our prayers as they face the new challenges that Simon’s call to serve God in this way will bring.

how time flies…..! We were delighted to welcome the Manotick Brass Ensemble to our worship on Sunday 23 Sep-tember. Its contribution greatly enhanced our worship, accompanying the hymns, and playing before the service, during the Offering and again after the Blessing. We also heard from two of the members, their experiences of travelling with the band to Cuba. There were many members who remembered Martin Luce, (Peter’s brother) and were pleased to meet him and his wife Hazel again. We were surprised to hear that they had been living in Canada for 46 years.

CALLING ALL

KNITTERS

meditation on an autumn leaf I love you, child. I love you with a love beyond imagining. I hold you in the palm of my hand, caress you with the tender strength of he who made you. I look upon you with the deepest love as I watch you closely through the turning seasons of your life, lead you through the changing colours of your feelings. For you are beautiful and I love you, every part of you, even the hidden underside.

An obituary printed in the London Times….. 7 February 2012 Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as hav-ing cultivated such valuable les-sons as: • knowing when to come out

of the rain; • Why the early bird catches

the worm; • Life isn’t always fair; • And maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harass-ment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for repri-manding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they them-selves had failed to do in disci-plining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get pa-rental consent to administer sun lotion or aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as churches became busi-nesses; and criminals received better treatment than their vic-tims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend your-self from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, launched a lawsuit and was promptly awarded a huge settle-ment. Common Sense was preceded in death by; • his parents, Truth and

Trust; • His wife, Discretion; • His daughter, Responsibil-

ity; • His son, Reason. He is survived by his five step-brothers; • I Know My Rights; • I Want It Now; • Someone Else Is To

Blame; • I’m a Victim; • Pay Me for Doing Nothing. Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing!

st helier methodist centre

CHRISTMAS IS

COMING FLOCK

TO THE CAFÉ

FOR CRAFTY CREATIVITY

a small moment? A story related by a New York taxi driver. I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few moments I honked again. Since this was going to be the last ride of my shift, I thought about just driving away, but in-stead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked… ’Just a minute,’ answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear some-thing being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90’s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pill-box hat with a veil pinned on it, like someone out of a 1940’s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with glassware and photos. ‘Would you carry my bag out to the car?’ she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. ‘It’s nothing,’ I told her. ‘I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.’ ‘Oh, you’re such a good boy,’ she said. When we got to the cab she gave me an address and then asked me if I could drive through down-town. ‘It’s not the shortest way,’ I an-swered quickly. ‘Oh, I don’t mind,’ she said. ‘I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.’

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. ‘I don’t have any family left,’ she continued in a small voice. The doctor says I don’t have very long.’ I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. ‘What route would you like me to take?’ I asked. For the next two hours we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighbour-hood where she and her husband had lived when they were newly-weds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of the sun was creasing the horizon, she sud-denly said, ‘I’m tired. Let’s go now.’ We drove in silence to the ad-dress she had given me. It was a low building, like a small conva-lescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. ‘How much do I owe you?’ she asked, reaching into her purse. ‘Nothing,’ I said. ‘You have to make a living,’ she answered. ‘There are other passengers,’ I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held me tightly.

‘You gave an old woman a small moment of joy,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’ I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. I didn’t pick up any more passen-gers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of the day I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had re-fused to take the run or had honked once and then driven away? On reflection, I don’t think that I have done anything more impor-tant in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unawares, beauti-fully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

st helier methodist centre

There is no situation so chaotic that God cannot, from that situation, create something that is surpassingly good. He did it at the Creation. He did it at the Cross. He is doing it today”

Handley C G Moule

SPEAK TO

SALLY

st helier methodist centre

The Paradise Community Café has been operating now for nearly two months. Lou and Natasha have developed a cheerful, friendly environment in the foyer at SHMC where every-one can feel welcome to enjoy a coffee or tea, a tasty sandwich or toasty or just a home-made cake. Children can have a lunch box made up to their individual taste (with parental guidance!) and there is some space for tiny tots to play, colour, get creative with salt dough or sit and read. All this at a reasonable cost. The café is open currently on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 2pm. The management & finance committee have considered the business plans of the café and will bring forward a recommendation to the next Church Council at the end of October for the hours of the café to be increased to include Wednesdays and the hours extended to 10am to 3pm. If Council agrees, the new, extended times will commence after the half-term break on Tuesday 6 November. This is an outreach opportunity for church members to meet with their friends as well as with people of all ages who live in and around St Helier. It is not expected to make a profit for church funds but to cover the costs of the café by sensible donations for the food consumed. Please support this venture and be a part of the welcome and Christian friendship that we offer in the centre of town.

God loves you so much that He’ll accept you

just the way you are - but He loves you too

much to leave you that way.

On 9th September when there was no Sunday service in the Church at SHMC, downstairs in the Hall things were buzzing. Children and parents came to take part in our newest venture “Kids’ Church” which ran from 10am- 12pm. Twenty one children of varying ages, some with parents, and all the helpers enjoyed, activities, playing games, listening to stories, singing ac-tion songs, watching puppets, and say-ing prayers.

st helier methodist centre

And most of them didn’t realize that breakfast was provided as well, so some had two breakfasts that day!

We had the harvest theme, but then went on to think about the Feeding of the 5000, and how God likes us to

share what we have with peo-ple who need our help.

The children seemed to be very happy, and the adults were able to chat, help, join in, drink cof-fee or just chill. We will be hold-ing “Kids’ Church”, every 2nd Sunday of the month and all parents and children are welcome. The next “Kids’ Church”, is on October 14th.

worship october 7th 10.30am Morning worship Mrs Glenys Best 6.30pm Circuit service at Georgetown Speaker: Jill Baker 14th 10am –12noon Kid’s Church at SHMC and 10.30am Morning worship Rev Liz Hunter 6.30pm Circuit service at Georgetown 18th 3.30pm Messy Church 21st 10.30am Holy Communion Rev Liz Hunter 28th 10.30am Family worship Rev Liz Hunter November 4th 10.30am Local arrangement

News and views welcomed -

advertise your planned events - report on events you have shared

The next magazine is due out on

Sunday 28 october 2012 articles for this edition should reach

the editor by Monday 22 october 2012 at the

latest

editor Mrs Di Toole

2 Clos de la Gallierie Rue de Belin St Martin

JE3 6BH Tel. 485190

e-mail: di@toole.safeserve.com

centre website address www.shmc.btck.co.uk

Next cake sale for Esperado af-ter worship on 28th October

don’t forget.............. Coffee bar 10am-12noon Mondays & Wednesdays Paradise Café 10am - 2pm Tuesdays & Thursdays Monday Baby Rascals group 2-3.30pm Tuesday Little Rascals Parent/toddler group 10am-12 Wednesday Prayer time 12noon-12.30pm Communion service 12.30pm –1pm Lunchtime Rascals 12.30pm-3pm N.B. Rascals groups are ‘term time’ only. Friday Lunch and ‘stay-a-while’ 12.30pm - 2pm House groups: Tuesdays (tel:730109) 8pm Discovery House Group Tuesdays (tel: 767459) 7.30pm Fridays 2pm FAB at SHMC Check your pigeon holes in the hall foyer for messages. Read the church notice boards regularly - you might miss something really interesting!

st helier methodist centre

A racehorse is an animal that can take several thousand people for a ride at the same time.