Fulwell Methodist Church

NEWSLETTER

Rev. Gareth Phillips

4 Macmerry Close

Sunderland

SR5 3DY

garethphillips3@gmail.com

0191 548 1688

Dovedale Road

Seaburn Dene

Sunderland

SR6 8LN

Sunday Service Times

10.30

Morning Service & Sunday Club

18:00

Evening Worship

Please note that Evening worship

will be held at Fulwell on the 2nd

and 4th Sunday of each month

and at East Boldon on the 1st and

3rd Sundays of each month.

Special Sunday Services

Holy Communion

See the Preaching Plan inside for

dates of Holy Communions

All Age Worship

Taking place on the morning of

the 3rd Sunday of each month

Welcome to our

Sunday Services

Our church is fitted

with a loop system

Hearing aid users

should switch to

setting „T‟

Information

All Baptisms and Weddings can be arranged

with the Minister

For all other bookings please contact Mr.

Colin Short on 5487824

Embracing our Community

Embracing our Families

Embracing our Lord

March 2012

Morning Service at 10:30 Evening Service at 18:00

Sunday 4th March Rev Gareth Phillips

Sacrament

Rev Andrew Palmer

(at East Boldon)

Sunday 11th March Mr James Kirkland LA

Sunday 18th March Rev Kathryn Stephens

All Age Worship

Mr Alan Stirling

(at East Boldon)

Sunday 25th March Mr Chris Stephens Mrs Susan Wake

As I write this introduction I am aware that we are approaching the period of Lent,

indeed by the time you read this we will be into the season, making our journey with

Christ to the cross. I wonder whether you have decided to give anything up or whether

you are taking something new on at this time of year. Personally I have decided to

take on a more serious training regime for my triathlon, (unfortunately my idea to give

up church services for lent was knocked back by the leadership team).

In all seriousness though this time of year gives us an opportunity to focus on the

journey that Jesus took and also to look at where Jesus is leading us, as individuals, as a

church and as a circuit at this time. You will by now probably be aware that from

September I will be taking pastoral charge of another two churches and this provides

us at Fulwell with an opportunity to examine our relationship with those churches

around us. It is my hope that we can work together in some form of federation with the

other two churches, closer co-operation leading to a greater understanding of how

we can serve the communities which we belong to.

I hope that we can see this as an exciting time, opening ourselves up to God‟s calling

on each of our lives and eagerly joining in with the mission that God has already

started within our cluster of churches and indeed the whole of Sunderland.

God Bless,

Gareth

Services & Preachers

Our Sunday Services this month will be led by the following preachers:-

Foreword

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

11:00

Baby Sensory

Heidi, 07939269122

9:30

Scallywags

Rosalind, 5484057

10:00 (fortnightly)

Prayer Meeting

Olive, 5490409

10:15

Zumba Gold

14:00

Sisterhood

Doris, 5489625

10:00 (2nd in month)

Communion

Alison, 5484238

13:30 (3rd in month)

U3A

Linda, 5495693

11:00 (2nd in month)

U3A History Group

Linda, 5495693

18:30

Karate

14:00

Tai Chi

Linda, 5495693

14:00 (monthly)

Blood Donors

13:30

Afternoon Club

Eunice, 5168417

19:30

Alpha Group

Diane, 5362248

17:00

Drama Activate

Junior

18:15

Blastoff Bootcamp

Nathan, 07929125952

18:30 (term time)

Boys’ Brigade

Nigel, 5295433

18:00

Drama Activate

Senior

17:00

Slimming World

20:00 (monthly)

Communion

Ruth, 5483715

19:30 (fortnightly)

Women’s Fellowship

Val, 5160540

19:00

Slimming World

Friday Saturday Sunday Additional Activities

11:15

Keep Mobile

Barbara, 4176779

10:00 (monthly)

Coffee Morning

10:30

Sunday Club

Dorothy, 5226294

18:30 (term time)

Girls’ Brigade

Liz, 5484317

19:30

Sunday Night Extra

Gareth, 5481688

Our Regular Activities

For further information on any of our activities, please use the contact details below:-

The Women’s Fellowship will meet as usual, fortnightly on Tuesdays in March

Notice Board

Girls’ Brigade is 50..

Special Features

The last few years have been busy in the Girls‟ Brigade and we have seen a lot of

change; new uniforms, new programme material, new ideas and new challenges. But

the essence of the Girls‟ Brigade has remained strong over the 50 years we have

worked and continue to work at Fulwell Methodist Church. We are still today a

uniformed organisation that is working with girls and young woman to provide a fun &

inspiring group where they can find a sense of belonging, achievement and discover

more about themselves and Jesus whilst engaging in a variety of activities.

In our fiftieth year Girls‟ Brigade has had many achievement; we continue to be strong

with over 40 girls and young women each week enjoying our activities. Highlights during

the year have included an activity weekend away, Bronze & Silver Duke of Edinburgh,

young leader training for 5 young woman and 3 new officers being commissioner,

parties, and new materials for company nights.

1st Sunderland GB started its life 50 years ago as a Girls‟ Guildry Company; it was

founded by Mrs Joyce Welsh & Mrs Hilda Robson. Quickly establishing itself within church

life the numbers grow exponentially with numbers each week in the nineties. Three years

later the Girls‟ Guildry joined with the Girls‟ Life Brigade and Girls‟ Brigade of Ireland, our

programmes changed to suit the new organisation. It was still popular with girls in the

area and numbers continued to grow. In 1968 Mrs M MacIver took over, our work with

the Church and with our Girls‟ Brigade companies in the area strengthened.

1982 saw a new captain, Mrs Dorothy Hitcham, along with many opportunities for

weekends away to Royal Albert Hall, District Camps, an exchange trip to Denmark &

the programme of activities each week developed strongly. The company continued to

grow and Mrs Karen Brewis took over in 1993 and although we saw a drop in numbers,

we were still very active getting involved activity weekends away, along with duke of

Edinburgh and trips to firm foundations. Our recent history (over the last ten years) has

seen Liz Russell leading the Girls‟ Brigade, numbers have fluctuated and we have seen a

great deal of change. There have been changes in uniform and new programme

material. 3 years ago a number of young woman and leaders were heavily involved in

a trip to Zambia; building a school in the Northern Province.

We welcome all girls and young woman from the age of 5, to come along each Friday

from 6:30pm and we are always grateful for new helpers. Call Liz Russell if you are

interested in joining on (0191) 5484317.

We will celebrate 50 years of Girls‟ Brigade on Friday 16th March from 7pm with our

annual awards evening including a display of photographs from the last 50 years and

also looking forward with our Enrolment Service on Sunday 18th March with Rev Kathryn

Stephens. Please join us to celebrate.

If you have any photographs or memorabilia you would like to share with us over our

Anniversary weekend please speak to one of the leaders

Showtime Five-0

Special Features

At 2:30pm on the 7th January 2012 the long awaited Drama Event took place. This was

originally scheduled for 29th October 2010 but had to be postponed. The demand for

tickets was above expectations and we almost ran out of linkable chairs

This year we included a very short extract from the play A Man Dies - an interpretation,

in modern dress and dialogue, of the life of Jesus. We were pleased that two of the four

soloists from our original full length 1967 production - Linda Craig and Marjorie

Donnegan - were able to take solo parts.

The closure of the Dramatic Society in 1999, and the subsequent disposal of an

extensive range of costumes, props and scenery, did cause concern to many of the

devotees both off and on stage. To produce the lavish scenery, costumes and effects

was clearly out of the question and any settings had to be very basic using what little

was left of the stage facilities.

The 7th January 2012‟s production therefore took to the stage with very little scenery,

and only half of the stage, but fortunately this was compensated to a large degree with

enhanced lighting provided by Dave and Andrew Russell. The enthusiasm of the

choreographer - Helen Wilson, and the many players and helpers, made light (no pun

intended) of the enormous amount of work required getting the show on the road. A

special accolade must be given to Enid Jones who took over the production spot from

me (due to circumstances outside of my control), with less than three weeks to go.

A booklet relating to the Society “Forty Years on the Boards” published in 2005, (see also

www.dramabook.co.uk) has a very pertinent comment in it by our Alan Robson:

“Looking to the future it would be very sad indeed if the stage facilities at our Church

was to continue to stand idle. I am not suggesting any attempt to resurrect a sort of

carbon- copy of the Society as it was. We must accept that time has moved on, but we

should welcome any move, from whatever direction, to restart drama in some form”

The past is frozen in time. The future is more flexible. May we be able to look back in a

few years time and note that Drama was reintroduced on a structured basis in the

Church‟s 51st year?

Where do we go from here? Any volunteers?

Ron Middleton

Thanks...

Sunday Night Extra

Lord, our light in darkness, our hope in despair,

our peace in struggle, our joy in sorrow, our way when we are lost,

May your light shine in the very darkest places,

of our hearts and of the world.

May your hope touch the hearts of those in despair,

May your peace reach individuals

and countries torn by war,

May your joy be known to those who mourn,

May those who are lost know your the Way,

And may we be channels of your light,

your hope, your peace, your joy,

And lead others in the Way of your Love.

Amen

Prayer

Special Features

Marjorie, Christine, William and families would like to thank you for your

wonderful support following the loss of our treasured mam Olive.

The many cards, visits, flowers, phone calls and donations to the church have

helped us all at this sad time.

God Bless

Sunday Night Extra is a modern Church Service in the chat show style with

interviews and discussions and debates.

There is no set pattern to these services, some weeks may see us looking at

video documentaries with a Christian theme. Other months may see us

discussing current affairs with a direct effect on the life of the church.

Worship is carried out on big screen allow small groups to experience the

emotion and feel of big venue worship.

Why not join us to see a new style of worship?

Sunday Night extra will be the 11th March 2012.

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