Good News Reports

GOOD NEWS REPORTS

Richard's Message:

As I potter around the Circuit it would be so easy to be weighed down by talk of numbers, level of assessment, lack of people to hold certain roles and I know these concerns are real.
Instead, I would much prefer that these weekly offerings allow us to focus on the positives and build our awareness of where our God is at work. We all need to hear of where the new have arrived and helped transform, where faith has been deepened, where music has touched, where the Gospel is being lived out or a reminder of where God has touched in the past which then informs our present.
What stories can our people share?
It would be great if Pete Honeyball, who collates these weekly offerings, was inundated with suggestions of who to ask or even better with a piece of proper good news.
There is so much good news happening in our church which too often we do not share.
So, a few signs of good news in our midst:

• An ecumenical Christianity Explored course.
• New people arriving and staying in some of our churches.
• Times when the church acts through lunches, coffee mornings and such, and brings love and hope into lives.
• Where the church speaks for justice.
• Rooms full of excitement at Messy Church or toddler group.
• Any time faith is discussed.
• Where worship touches, where words inspire, where prayer is shared, where meaning is discerned, where tears or laughter are shared.
• Where we know Christ in our midst.

What good news is there that it would do your family in the Circuit good to hear?
Could you pen a few words to share with others?
Blessings
Richard


Previous 'Good News' reports are now archived and will be kept for 12 months.
see January February March April May June
July August September October November December

This Sunday, 28 July, the focus of our Circuit Prayers is on North Marston

Dear All
David shares some thoughts on faith with us. Our faith is a very personal thing, so hard to define, yet the foundation to our understanding of God and the role he has given to each of us. At times even the most solid faith may waiver, and during those difficult times the important point to take away is not the fact that our faith has waivered, but what our response is to it. As David shows us there are many places we can find inspiration and affirmation. Please pray for all those who are going through a hard time, those whose faith is being tested, and those of no faith at all, that they may find comfort in our example.
Pete




David writes:

Tricky one, this. In this torn and weary world I find people struggling with their faith.

We need inspiration. None better I suppose than those who in this day and age against all odds wield the sword of the gospel in word and particularly DEED.
I look around and gain such inspiration from my fellow workers in the faith.
I turn more often than not to the words of those hymn writers who really knew what they were talking about.

 

My Father, a long standing local preacher, loved a hymn that is not often sung these days 

 "I know that my Redeemer lives
 What joy the blest assurance gives
 He lives, He lives who once was dead
 He lives my everlasting head."

These words and the words of so many of our hymns come from the very depths of experience
and they lift me out of many a trough.
Excuse these ramblings.

Best wishes 


David Heffer

I would like to mention our Team Rector, David Meakin at Whitchurch who has been
diagnosed with terminal cancer and despite his shortened days bravely endeavours
to take services. Please pray for Heidi and David.

#Sunday, 21 July, the focus of our Circuit Prayers was on Haddenham

Dear All

We join Keith as he shares his journey with us. I always imagined that a Solicitor's life would be quite sheltered and quiet (boring!), but Keith seems to have got around and enjoyed life to the full. We are grateful to Keith for the gifts that he brings to share with us and we thank him for a life of devoted service to enabling the Church facilities and structures to be fit for purpose and a good launching point for mission to those who need it. Please pray this week for all who bring their talents into our midst and share them to meet the needs of the church in this day and age.
Pete

Keith writes:

I was brought up in a Christian home in the north east of England. My father, a Scot, was a Presbyterian and my mother, a farmer's daughter from North Yorkshire, a Methodist. I was baptised in a Scots Presbyterian church and attended Sunday school in a Methodist chapel in Darlington, County Durham. After grammar school in Stockton on Tees I read law at Leeds University.
I then gravitated south to London where I was articled to a partner in a commercial property firm and after several years as an employed lawyer working in the solicitor's office of British Railways Board, I joined a Westminster law firm, taking my railway property portfolio and where I became a partner in 1998. By this time I had become involved in the firm's ecclesiastical practice, advising clients from various Church denominations on property and education matters. As well as various Anglican dioceses, I acted for the Methodist Church, West London Mission at Hinde Street (from where Donald Soper carried out his ministry) as well as the King's Cross Methodist Church, which had a thriving Chinese congregation. I advised both Churches on property and employment matters and I still recall the sweet sound of Wesleyan hymns sung in mandarin Chinese during a client meeting at the King's Cross church.
While working in London I met Ann, who was teaching in the east end and we married and bought our first house in Walthamstow (before it became gentrified!). Our first child was born at Whipp's Cross hospital. We went on to have four children and have since been blessed with four grandchildren, two in Austria and two in Buckinghamshire.
My spiritual journey, from early schooldays through university and the law, has been gradual and constant. There has been no Damascine conversion moment for me but, rather, a certain faith, often strewn with obstacles and doubts along the way. One source of confirmation of my belief has been my experience of what I feel to be God's grace visiting me during times of doubt and anxiety. Sometimes these experiences appear during the early waking hours, sometimes randomly and inexplicably.
When I am with people, perhaps in a meeting or socialising, sometimes when I am quiet on my own, sometimes when I am annoyed or angry with the way a discussion or debate is going.
I believe in the still, small voice inside me. Psalm 23.2 resonates for me; "He leads me beside quiet waters".
I also believe in the power to be found in silent prayer and in that part of Psalm 46 " Be still and know that I am God ..".
My office in Westminster was in the Sanctuary, immediately adjacent to the west door of the Abbey and from my front balcony I witnessed many state occasions, such as the wedding in 2011 of the present Prince of Wales to Catherine Middleton and the funerals of Princess Diana in 1997 and the Queen Mother in 2002, as well as the comings and goings of the royal family and politicians to services at the Abbey. It is piquant to consider that the same area immediately at the west door of the Abbey where I worked was the drying area for the monks' dirty washing.
How ironic that the future occupants of the area should be lawyers!

There have been some interesting events and characters associated with the office.
Early in the Second World War the Crown Jewels of Abyssinia were stored for safekeeping in the vaults of the office after being brought to Britain by Emperor Haile Selassie to his friend the Archbishop of Canterbury when he was expelled by the Italians in the 1930's.
Also in the 1930's a famous member of the office staff was the former captain of the England cricket team Douglas Jardine, famous or infamous for his policy of bodyline bowling which caused ill feeling between England and Australia during the ashes series at that time.
I was encouraged by David Jenkins, the then superintendent minister, to become a Circuit Steward in 2013. I have relished the challenge of encouraging others to serve since then, whilst enjoying the fellowship and friendship of church and Circuit stewards throughout the Circuit. I regard putting my legal experience to the use of the Circuit as part of my seeking to serve others in my community and beyond and as a way of supporting the Circuit churches.
I recall, when I qualified as a solicitor, receiving a note from the senior partner of the firm which read; "Congratulations. Welcome to the ranks of the ungodly!" I am doing my best to confound him.

Keith.

Sunday 14th July

Dear All

We have recently focused on what mission and outreach might look like in the world outside the doors of our churches, and I think many of us have been more than a little frightened by the prospect. One area that has never cropped up in my thoughts is that of Chaplaincy, because I think the role of a Chaplain calls for a very special person with the ability to cope with all sorts of different situations, both happy and also desperately sad, from one extreme of human emotion to the other. We will meet one such person below in the form of Marilyn. Marilyn has in my eyes, an amazing gift for getting alongside people, sharing in their joys and sorrows, and bringing vital comfort and solace in times of grief. Do share in Marilyn's story below, and if it inspires you to get involved please talk to Stefan. You can ring him – Stefan Tiran on 07557 633289. If you want to ask Marilyn for more details she is on 01296 622656. The Chaplains would really like more Methodists to get involved!

Pete

Marilyn writes:

The name Chaplain is thought to derive from the actions of a Roman soldier in 4th Century. He shared his cape (cappella) with a beggar who was cold. To me that gives an idea of what we volunteer Chaplaincy Visitors do.We are there to try to understand the needs of patients and staff and offer help where we can. This may be tangible help like getting an additional blanket or, most often, listening.
We have a very diverse team of people from various religions and Humanists too. We are there for people of all religions and none. The latter makes up the majority of people we encounter but even though they may not have religious needs they can still have spiritual ones. We work in most areas of the hospital and you can recognise us by our turquoise polo shirts.
My day is usually spent half in the Emergency Department (ED) and half in Spinal Unit wards. Typically I start by signing in at the Chaplaincy Office and getting a briefing about any patients that we may be supporting. In the ED I report to the Nurse in Charge who may point me in the direction of someone that they have identified as needing support. I well remember my very first patient. She was a young lass who was worried about her pregnancy. She had phoned her partner but they could not get to the hospital in time for the scan. So I stayed with her for the scan (happily OK) and until her partner arrived.More often than not, though, I will be directed to someone who is, for some reason, agitated or confused, and who just needs someone to chat with them and ensure that they either do not wander off, or perhaps do not interrupt staff dealing with other patients. Often a family member is on the way to the hospital and I am able to relinquish my task once they arrive. On one memorable occasion though I spent a couple of hours having the same 5 minute conversation repeated over and over. During the time I was there a doctor came up to me and remarked that he didn't think I knew how useful I was being. It really endorsed what I was doing. On other occasions the need might cover End of Life and here the need may be religious and I may have to go back to the office to obtain the relevant service or prayer books or to arrange for a representative of a specific religion to attend.
If there is no identified need I move around the ED looking to see if there is anyone who I feel may value my presence. I look at body language and facial expressions. I always start by introducing myself and, depending on the reaction, I take it from there. The conversation may be with the patient or the person with them, or both and, obviously, depends on the circumstances.There are occasions where I glean information that they have not advised the staff and I then try to ensure that they do. More mundane messages such as the need for a bedpan may also need passing on.
After lunch I go to any or all of the Spinal Unit wards. I am usually going to see people I know and may have known for several months or, in some cases, years. This is what makes the Spinal Unit different from general wards. I usually know their story and the ups and downs of their stay in hospital. Very often the concerns and information I am told are areas that the particular patient would not discuss with the friends or relatives. It can get very personal and cover intimate elements of the impact of a spinal injury. I have no medical qualification and cannot, obviously, have any medical input but I can help them raise concerns with the medical staff if appropriate.
In both the ED and the Spinal wards my contact may be solely with a concerned relative or close friend and I may never actually chat to the patient themselves. One recent such encounter resulted in the relative squeezing my hand and saying that they were thankful that I really did understand. It is these moments that validate my role and make my job so rewarding.
Marilyn

On Sunday, 7 July, the focus of our Circuit Prayers is on Cuddington

Dear All
We join Margaret as she shares her story with us. Words of hymns can have quite an impact on us and Margaret tells how one in particular stirred memories for her. Please pray this week for those who are still searching and enquiring, that the Lord may speak to them, bringing the gospel alive and an understanding of His love for us all.
Pete


Margaret writes:

At our service last Sunday the opening hymn was 'Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine'. The Lord reminded me of a book I was given as a prize for the Northampton Area for the Scripture Exam entitled, 'This is my story'. This is part of the hymn and so I took it off my bookshelf – pages showing the yellowing of age but with hard covers at a price of 6 shillings!! (that would be 30p in today's money)!! It was written in 1959 and told the stories of sixteen 20th Century Evangelists.
The book had a DEDICATION: to – BILLY GRAHAM and his team.
Everyone reading this will have their own personal opinions about Mass Evangelism but the Greater London Crusade of the Spring 1954 caused the Gospel to be the topic of Conversation on the bus, train, home, work and the daily Newspapers.
I lived in Olney, Bucks and the Congregational Church that I attended ran a bus to Haringey. I was 12 years old at the time. Dr Billy Graham, supported by 1000 Clergy, ministers and Evangelists put 2 words into circulation – BIBLE and TESTIMONY. The singing of the Choir which frequently reached 1500 and the 'theme song ' was Blessed Assurance.

I thought that I was a Christian but Billy Graham kept saying that we are all sinners. I was sat high up in Haringey and watched all these 'sinners' going to the front to give their lives to Jesus.
After all, I was all right as I was a faithful attender at the Chapel.
When I got home God spoke to me and in my bedroom I gave my life fully to Jesus. Did I feel different? No, not at that moment – as I had just begun my walk with my Lord and Saviour and had a lot to learn and experience.
Our Minister held Bible Classes and gave us a deeper knowledge of the Bible and how to wait on God in prayer. I am so grateful for his support. That was a momentous time in my spiritual life.

I am praying as God seems to be moving in the lives of the young people of our nation. I would love to see a move of the Spirit in these days as as I am sure that would be our heart's desire.
I can truly say ' Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine and this is my story and my song'.
I have proved that God is so faithful. Colin and I celebrate our Diamond Wedding this year and we have been so blessed through our marriage and family and friends .

I recommend my Saviour to you.

In His service.

Margaret Watts