Dear Friends.
We mark two special Sundays in November.
The first, November 13th is Remembrance Sunday. We take time to remember those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. We also take time to recognise later conflicts, and those affected by war today.
To God: each and every life is sacred. In Genesis 1: 31, as God looks over all creation, following the introduction of human beings into the diversity of land, sea, light, darkness, animals and plants, God saw that “indeed, it was very good.”
However, in the rest of Genesis, we see conflicts arise between individuals, groups and nations. Conflicts over land, resources, ideologies, which continues in our world today.
And yet, as we remember war and conflict, we also recognise that Jesus taught His disciples, and thus all of us, the Way of peace and justice. So, we too, in following Jesus must pray and act where there is conflict today: whether in Ukraine and Russia, Israel/Palestine or in our homes and workplaces.
At the end of the month, November 27 is Advent Sunday. Advent is a time of expectation, a season of waiting and anticipation. A time when we are looking forward, anticipating, longing for and waiting for the birth of Emmanuel.
I wonder, where do you yearn for peace, in your own life and our world? Take a moment to articulate that to God every day this month.
And as we go through Remembrance and Advent, may we remember that God was with us yesterday, God is with us today and God will be with us tomorrow.
Nicola
| CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER | |||
| 2nd | Wednesday | Committee of Management | |
| 6th | SUNDAY | 10.45am | Morning Worship led by Rev Phil Chilvers | Traidcraft Stall during Refreshments | 8th | Tuesday | 12.30pm | Guild Lunch |
| 13th | SUNDAY | 10.45am | Remembrance Sunday. Morning Worship led by Rev Phil Chilvers |
| 20th | SUNDAY | 10.45am | Morning Worship, including the Sacrament of Holy Communion, led by Rev Dr Kevin Ward |
| 23rd | Wednesday | Elders’ Meeting | |
| 27th | SUNDAY | 10.45am | ADVENT SUNDAY and GIFT SERVICE. Morning Worship led by our Minister, Rev Nicola Robinson, followed by Advent Lunch |
| DECEMBER 2022 | |||
| 4th | SUNDAY | 10.45am | Morning Worship led by Rev Phil Chilvers |
| 3.00pm | CHILDREN’S PARTY | ||
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
Leeds and North Yorkshire Area.
A World Day of Prayer Preparation Day Conference will take place on Friday, 4th. November at St Andrew’s URC, Roundhay commencing at 10am.
Ladies from Taiwan have prepared the Service to be held on Friday, 3rd March, 2023 with the theme “I have heard about your faith”.
If you are interested in attending the Preparation Conference on the 4th November please contact Christine Tweedie by the 31st October for further details or contact Sheana Dudley (Preparation Day Co-ordinator) at St. Andrew’s. Information (including programme for the day) will be on the Notice Board from Sunday, 30th October.
LEEDS PARTNERSHIP ADVENT COURSE 2022
Travelling Light
The Bible is full of comings and goings. People travel, sometimes long distances, sometimes just locally. Some travel willingly, others reluctantly; some carry a lot of stuff, others take little or nothing. All these movements become times of learning for those involved, part of how they grow in relationships with each other and with God.
In this Advent course, we come alongside a few of those travellers. We journey with them, reflecting with them, almost getting into conversation with them about their experiences. As we walk together with them, we notice things about where we ourselves have come from and where we are heading. We hope to find inspiration, to put a spring in our step; also guidance about the route ahead; and perhaps some warnings which may prompt us to change our own direction of travel.
In all this, we move on—towards the celebration of Christmas and towards the new year that lies beyond it. As followers of Jesus Christ, we walk with him, discovering more of the light which Christ brings and finding ways to share that light with others.
This course has 4 parts:
HEADING FOR THE HILL COUNTRY
THE ROADS TO BETHLEHEM
MOVING ON – JOYFUL AND FEARFUL
GOD COMES TO US
Beginning on
OR • Tuesday 22nd November at 10am
OR • Wednesday 23rd November at 3pm
OR • Thursday 24th November at 7.30pm.
All on Zoom led by the Ministry Team – choose a time which fits for you.
We will finish in the week beginning 12th December.
Angela
GIFT SERVICE
The Gift Service will be held on 27th November. This year instead of toys we are asking for toiletries or monetary contributions. These will be distributed between the Salvation Army and the Women’s Refuge. The Women’s Refuge in particular welcomes money as teenagers tend to get left out so their idea is to give them gift cards and take them shopping so they can choose their own gifts. I know whatever is given to these charities is immensely appreciated and in these difficult times putting a smile on someone’s face is priceless.
Susan Bollon
CHILDREN’S PARTY
It has been decided to reinstate the children’s Christmas party this year and this will be held on Sunday 4th December from 3-5pm. If you are free that afternoon please come along and help. If parents stay with the children they do appreciate a friendly chat. Santa will hopefully be paying a visit and I have already started buying presents. Contributions towards the cost of the party would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks in advance.
Susan Bollon
GUILD LUNCH
As the first of the month falls on a Tuesday, our lunch seems quite early in the month – Tuesday, 8th November. We coped in October with the new appliances and by this lunch we should have a shiny new kitchen. Same old staff but how about some new faces among the diners? Friends are always welcome. We meet at 12.30pm for lunch at 1 o’clock. All welcome!
HARVEST APPEAL
It was decided by Church Meeting to support two charities in our Harvest Appeal this Autumn – the Leeds North & West Foodbank and Christians Against Poverty. The latter charity gives advice on immediate debt management and the long-term problems of coping. The total raised was £1,162 of which £520 was raised for CAP and £642 (of which £342 was Gift Aided) to the Food Bank.
More Harvest News
As most of you know I work in a nursery two days a week. Our local Vicar, Jonathan Cain, offered to do a Harvest Festival for the children. As part of their outreach a group called Open the Book visit local schools to promote the Word of God using drama. They acted out the story of the loaves and fishes passing round pieces of bread and fish (made out of material) to the children. Jonathan then said a prayer and asked the congregation to join in the ‘amen’. They were obviously listening as they all said a very loud ‘amen’ at the end. The children then brought up their harvest gifts and stood at the front of the church to sing two songs they had learnt, which was pretty chaotic, but they sang and entertained well. The harvest gifts were to be taken to St Andrew’s Church, Hawksworth Wood, where needy families can buy £15 worth of food for £3.50. Currently they have about fifty families regularly accessing this. It was a very enjoyable hour, well attended by parents and grandparents. We now start preparing for a Nativity service—Jonathan has an idea of using a real donkey—could be interesting!!
Susan Bollon
WAYSIDE PULPIT
Francis has taken over the responsibility for both the words and images on the wayside pulpit. He would like to share with you the words he has chosen for November. How good to remember the saints when we are surrounded by images of spooky Hallowe’en.
All Saints Day – St George St Andrew St David St Patrick
Remembrance Sunday – With God and not forgotten
Doreen Sowden wrote this poem following the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, 8th September. Although it became obvious that the Queen’s health was failing, many of us marvelled at her strength and composure as she greeted Liz Truss on what was to be her short tenure as Prime Minister. Who knew the time?
Farewell: maybe I’ll see you soon,
Perhaps I’ll not be waiting long,
Who knows, how turns the wheel of time,
Who pens the poem, who sings the song,
Who wrote the script, who coined the phrase,
Who said, ‘It’s time; the time to go.’?
One Being, Godly blessed and wise
Has told us all we need to know . . .
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
Perhaps you, too, have been watching the series about daily life at Westminster Abbey—where we mourn our Queens and crown our Kings. I knew the Abbey well as a girl for in 1955 my ‘Uncle Harry’—a very distant relative—became Clerk of Works. I loved visiting them at their home in Dean’s Yard where Nan made me welcome and Uncle Harry took me on his rounds—everywhere! Up on the roof, down in the Undercroft, round the Triforium (the roof space round the Abbey) and through the cloisters and gardens where schoolboys ran from lessons to Services. A magical place in the heart of London.
There were storage rooms under the Abbey, where drawers were pulled out and exquisite robes displayed (quite a shock for a non-conformist girl). In the Triforium the workings of the small cabin in which BBC commentators sat and were pushed out on a rail over the nave for a better view were demonstrated. And the huge wooden puppets strewn around at random were explained—for centuries these effigies were dressed in royal regalia and used at state funerals. The Abbey is now far more commercial; the Triforium is a splendid museum and many of the effigies are on display; you can now see so much more—although at a price.
I was studying English in the 6th Form then, struggling with Chaucer and I was amazed to learn that he, too, had been Clerk of Works, a romantic link for a schoolgirl. As part of his duties my uncle was Sexton to the Abbey, in charge of burials and he, too, is buried there along with his wife, Nan. ‘He was a Good Man’ is his inscription. He was; always finding time for an inquisitive girl who was growing to love the Abbey as he did.