Reports for December

On Sunday, 29 December, the focus of our Circuit Prayers was on Princes Risborough

Dear All

As we approach Christmas, that wonderful time of the year when we look forward to the birth of the Messiah, we pray for a peaceful time of love and harmony for all. We pray that this is a time of blessing for you all!

Maureen shares her story with us. As we look back at our lives it can be fascinating to discover the connections and people that have influenced us along the way, often in seemingly casual ways that did not make much of an impression at the time, but which did in fact guide our paths significantly. This Sunday remember in your prayers the lovely folk at Princes Risborough and all those who have had an influence on the directions that our lives have taken as we learn of and enjoy the love of our Lord Jesus.

Pete

Maureen writes:

My Journey

My parents were married at Kempston East Methodist Church in 1939 and started married life in Princes Risborough at a General Store in Wycombe Road which is where I was born. My mother was a housewife but did help out in the shop when necessary. My father was a full time shop keeper six and a half days a week and local preacher on Sundays.

The only Sunday service at the PR Methodist Church was at 6.00 pm and there was no Sunday School so when I was old enough I went to the Baptist Sunday School.

My mother and Rev Roland started a Sunday School in about 1946/47 with twin boys but other children, and myself, soon joined.

The Sunday School flourished when elderly Mrs Beecroft who lived in Monks Risborough started bringing children along with her, particularly the Carter family whose children numbered 7 in total. (Jamie Carter, well known in Risborough for his quizzes, is a grandchild.)

I remember my time at Sunday School with great fondness and there always seemed to be something going on. Early in the year were the Scripture exams, an Eisteddfod at Aylesbury Methodist Church, followed by the Anniversary, Circuit sports day, and soon after the summer holidays was Harvest and then Christmas and of course participation in the Nativity.

One of our members started a Wesley Guild and this allowed us to stay in touch with the church in our teens and it was through the Guild that I met my husband who, with some of his friends, could hear us having a good time and came to see what it was all about.

It was about this time that Billy Graham was making a name for himself and a coach party was arranged to go to Wembley to hear him. I think, because of my lifelong association with the church, I considered myself a Christian but as two of my friends went forward at Billy Graham's request I knew it was expected of me to do likewise. My husband continued to come to Guild and was accepted into the church just before we were married and eventually was very helpful on the maintenance of the property. Our children all attended Sunday School but it was not the same as in my day.

I have held several positions within the church but I am feeling that now is the time to take a 'back seat' although I can do the weekly notices at home which keeps me in touch with all that is going on.

Maureen

On Sunday 22nd December the Church at North Marston was the focus of our Circuit Prayers

Dear All

This Sunday we join Geoff as he shares his story of how the Lord has helped him through difficult times. May Geoff's story help us all to rediscover the joy and assurance that prayer has to offer. Please pray for Geoff and all those we know who are recovering from serious illness, that they may know the comforting presence of Jesus in their lives. Also pray for our friends at North Marston this Sunday that they may experience the blessings of our prayers and support.

Pete

Geoff writes:

For those who don't know me, I have been a Worship Leader at Buckingham Street for a number of years. Before that I had been a Steward, a Reader and a Treasurer. Full life in the Church you might say, for thirty plus years. Well, all that came to a halt on December 20th 2023 – that day I suffered a stroke. In a moment my life changed: I was rushed to Wycombe Hospital and spent 7 1/2 months there and at Amersham Hospital. Not, you may say, much in the way of good news. I missed Christmas and New Year, finally coming to on January 2nd.

Now, one of the things that happen with a busy Church life, is that you are often so busy, especially on Sundays, that it is easy to lose sight of God. As I lay in my bed in Wycombe however, I started to pray. I'm not an easy prayer sayer, as I've often said before so this was a new step for me. I can't say that I got an immediate response but having some difficulty with speech, and finding it difficult to engage with people face to face at that time, prayer suddenly seemed a way forward.

After some weeks in the ward, I got an upgrade to a bed with a window! The first day, the sun shone directly through my window and bathed me in warmth and light. I suddenly felt supported. Nurse opened the window slightly, and as I lay there I thought someone spoke to me and said "I'm here..." Tears came to me but I felt comforted. Over the next 3 months I spoke to the Lord as I lay there and received...what? It's difficult to express in words the relief and comfort I had. Family, friends and nursing staff all contributed to the empathy and support I was getting, but I had something else as well.

Eventually I was moved to Amersham Hospital for rehab and then, on August 1st, I arrived home at last. I'm now wheelchair bound; my left side is "frozen". I rely on carers and my dear wife for daily needs, but I haven't forgotten those early days and I still manage daily prayers of a kind: more of a news report on how I'm doing at physio etc. Do I ask for anything (such as please make me better)? No. I know to let things take their own course. Do I feel occasionally depressed, down, at odds with the world? Yes, of course I do. But now I know He is with me – always.

Geoff

On Sunday, 15 December, the focus of our Circuit Prayers was on Haddenham

Dear All,

Heather shares her story with us. Music is a wonderful gift and we are blessed by those who provide the music for our worship every week. So this week in your prayers, please say thank you for all those who, like Heather, enrich and bless our worship with their gifts.

Pete

Heather writes:

I grew up in a small Bedfordshire village, where my Dad was Organist and Sunday School Superintendent at the Methodist Chapel.

I started learning the piano when I was about 7 years old and later, when I became more proficient, I played for the children's songs at Sunday School

Anniversaries. Eventually, in my teens, Dad thought I should play the organ at some services. He also encouraged me to go with him to Ampthill

Choral Society, which I enjoyed, and I also sang in the choir at Bedford High School.

Michael and I met when we were both training in the Pathology Lab. at Bedford Hospital and we married in 1963 when he started working at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. I got a job in the new Biochemistry Research Lab. at St. John's Hospital at Stone. I joined Aylesbury Choral Society of course !

I joined Stoke Mandeville Methodist Church and played the organ there until 1967 when we moved to Haddenham, where I was asked to play the Harmonium at the Methodist Church – good exercise for the legs !

We did eventually acquire a new organ and piano and I've been playing there ever since.

When I was 40 I decided to continue my piano studies and I gained my Diploma. My musical career has been varied – teaching piano and 'directing' choirs, playing for weddings and various services, playing for dancing classes and accompanying choirs and soloists. I've loved it all . I'm always looking for new music to use in services, my latest discovery being – gospel and jazz versions of hymns for piano, which I can use before and after services ! I think the congregation

likes them !

I do feel that I was given the gift of music, encouraged by my parents, and have tried to use it to the best of my ability in the service of God and the community, and it has been a great comfort to me in difficult times

Heather

On Sunday, 1 December, the focus of our Circuit Prayers was on Cuddington.

Dear All

We hear Shanti's story of how God has equipped and used her over many years. Shanti shows us that whatever our doubts and fears, we can trust in God for He will not fail us. Please pray this week for those who find it difficult to trust God when all seems so final, and human means have become exhausted.

Pete

Shanti writes:

My testimony written in the book Giant Awakes.

Author of Giant Awakes book is Rev Jim Graham. Pastor of Goldhill Baptist Church Chalfont St Giles , Bucks. UK

I was a member of this church from 1977 to 1982.

This church was one the 3 lively charismatic churches in the UK at that time! Late Rev Jim Graham was well known in UK and overseas and this was the first book he wrote. He was the one who prophesied my coming out of ENT work in hospital and going into community as a paediatrician which was fulfilled in April 1982. I am still living in Aylesbury, the place where I was a community paediatrician!

Chapter 10 in Giant Awakes on divine healing he is writing my testimony......

The other three channels by which God wants to minister his healing life are through spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:9); by the laying on of hands (Mark 16:18); and through biblical fellowship (Matthew 18:19,20). With regard to the first of these we have a doctor within our Fellowship who has a quite remarkable testimony to the reality of spiritual gifts being used in healing. Dr Edwards was born in Sri Lanka and lived in the capital city of Colombo. She is the eldest of a closely-knit family of five children, and was raised in a climate of nominal Christianity. She read Medicine in Colombo from 1961-1967 and then proceeded to do her pre-registration year before qualifying in 1969. During this time she says 'my understanding of Christianity was to do good works, but I did not believe much in prayer or regular church attendance.'

She was transferred to a hospital 120 miles away from the family home, and it was there in February of the following year she heard of the illness of her twenty-three-year-old second sister, Carmini. Carmini had been reading Accountancy in Colombo when she suddenly became ill with what seemed to be 'flu'. However, her condition deteriorated and typhoid, TB., malaria, and rheumatic fever were all regarded and explored as possible sources of her illness. She was hospitalised and tests for all of these were carried out – but all were negative. Two months passed and her symptoms gave reason for real concern. Her temperature rose considerably and severe pain and swelling had now come to her joints. Fresh symptoms had begun to appear – bleeding from the gums and skin, and blood and proteins in the urine. She rapidly became anaemic and very weak, and blood transfusions gave only a short temporary improvement. Dr Edwards confesses that this was a very difficult time for her – she was 250 miles away from her sister and communication was difficult. Carmini was referred to a number of specialists and intense investigations continued. Blood tests, liver biopsy, and bone marrow biopsy eventually divulged the true nature of her condition. Dr Edwards was called into the physician's office in early July 1970, and was told that her sister was suffering from systemic lupus Erithematosis which is one of the collagen diseases. Her reaction was one of shock and panic, since she had seen a doctor suffer and die from this condition during her undergraduate days – it is a crippling, incapacitating disease which creeps progressively towards death. As a doctor she knew, too, of no medical treatment which could cure it, and apart from steroids little medication could helpfully be administered.

She went to her church and asked for help, but returned angry and disillusioned when she was told that miracles happened 2,000 years ago, but not today. Her anger was directed towards God since she felt that the Bible had given her false hopes. In this frame of mind she and her family turned to occult and other practices – but her sister's condition continued to deteriorate. Carmini was transferred to Colombo and arrived there on the 7 August, 1970. Her body had become distended as a result of steroid therapy, and her joints continued to be swollen and very painful; her gums continued to bleed; her hair had begun to fall out; and her temperature was around 106°F on average. She begged to be allowed home to die, and at the end of August she lost consciousness. The physician who cared for her gave her twenty-four hours to live, since there was no way of giving her drugs or intravenous therapy.

So decisive was the situation that friends and relatives had begun to arrive from different parts of the country for the funeral. That evening, however, another pastor called at their home at the request of one of Carmini's other sisters. He shared with the family what the Bible had to say about healing and asked them to believe with him for a miracle. He went to Carmini's bedside and prayed for her. Dr Edwards shares her reaction to this: 'I stood there inwardly mocking all that he shared with us.' The pastor asked the family to continue with the medical treatment that was being given until the doctors on their own told Carmini that she was well.

Dr Edwards takes up the story again: 'Next morning to my amazement I found my sister conscious. Her temperature had come down and she looked cheerful and well. However, my medical knowledge gave a good explanation of that too – it was obviously an unusual remission. Gradually, however, she started recovering and towards the end of the year she was perfectly normal – although still on a small dose of steroid.' She tells of beginning to attend the church where the pastor who had ministered to Carmini was in leadership. She was intrigued to see the gifts of the Holy Spirit operating in a New Testament pattern. She tells of the continuing struggle, within her own spirit: 'It was in December,' she says 'that my sister went forward to an altar call. Through a word of knowledge she was told that she was healed. I could not believe that and insisted that my sister continue her steroid treatment.'

It was not until 1972, however, that Dr Edwards was really convinced that healing had actually and unmistakeably occurred and this led her into a living relationship with Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour.

Shanti