Page 24 Petersfield Area Churches Together...

Petersfield Area Churches Together (PACT)

PACT MEETING PROPOSAL - CHURCH HEALING DAY 15 November 2014

A proposal has been put forward to PACT for a CHURCH HEALING DAY. This isn’t about healing our bodies, but about healing our spiritual wounds, through forgiveness. Our churches, both nationally, and here in Petersfield, have stories of unhealed pain, past and present. We, too, as individuals, may be suffering pain, due to sins which are waiting to be forgiven. Every time as we say the Lord’s Prayer we ask God, ‘forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ Yet this is so much more difficult to achieve than those simple words sound. This is where FLAME INTERNATIONAL comes in. This organisation works both in the UK and in post conflict areas abroad, to facilitate the powerful healing which comes through forgiveness. FLAME INTERNATIONAL, working only by invitation, lead churches and individuals to come together and experience that healing power. It has been proposed, therefore, that PACT hold a CHURCH HEALING DAY on 15 November 2014. If you are interested, or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Carolyn Barton

THE PACT HOLIDAY CLUB this year will run from Monday July 28th until Friday August 3rd. To register your child/children, or to volunteer your help, or just to find out more details, please go on the PACT website or go to the Life Church office, 62 Station Road, Petersfield.

Everyone is welcome to attend all PACT events. Full details available on the PACT website or from David and Carolyn Barton who can give you information on any aspect of PACT. Please use the PACT website for more information and also if you wish to advertise an event www.pact.org.uk Competition Winner Congratulations to Sue Bone who was our winner in last month's competition. Sue managed to find an amazing 119 words from the letters in Ascension Day.

JUNE 2014 No 630

Red for Pentecost Sunday, June 8

th

Pentecost Sunday (June 8th) is a celebration of the birth of the church and the movement of the Holy Spirit as told in the book of Acts. Red is the symbolic colour of Pentecost with the flaming tongues of fire and the descent of the Holy

Spirit upon God’s people (often depicted with a dove). Traditionally, many churches encourage the wearing of red as part of the celebration of Pentecost. We invite you to wear something red this coming Pentecost Sunday as we celebrate the birth of the church.

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty

windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.

And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit Acts 2:1-4 (NLT)

THE MAGAZINE OF PETERSFIELD & ST PAUL’S LISS

UNITED REFORMED CHURCHES

http://www.pact.org.uk/

From our Minister… My Dear Friends, The May Messenger letter ‘Pecking Order’ prompted some

encouraging comments so I thought I might bring us up to date with the antics of my animal sanctuary. You will be pleased to know that my ex-battery hens are laying well. Due to the longer daylight hours my girls are laying on average over 12 eggs a day. Please ask if you would like some

freshly laid free range eggs to try. However, farming is a fickle thing and it’s not long before a drama is sure to occur. At the time of writing it is the Sheep that are a cause for concern. On arriving at the field I was given the news that Rodney was found to be on his back with his little black legs in the air. Rodney is a very laid back sheep weighed down by his heavy load of winter fleece unable to right himself. With a

helping hand from a good Shepherd and a couple of gentle shoves Rodney was soon back on his feet none the worst for his undignified demise. Apparently Rodney thought he would rather be a mountain climbing goat than a content pasture grazing sheep. So he attempted to climb a somewhat steep incline which resulted in a roly

poly tumble into trouble. Did you know that sheep can’t get up on their own? If they fall down (cast down), they must have a shepherd to lift them up or they’ll die. Interestingly 'cast down' is an old English shepherd's term for a sheep that has turned over on its back and can’t get up again by itself. Jesus often referred to people (therefore to us) as sheep. The Bible makes reference to sheep no less than 220 times. A few of the more notable passages that come immediately to mind are the 23rd Psalm, Isaiah 53:6 and John chapter 10. In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells Simon Peter to feed His sheep. In Matthew and Mark’s Gospel Jesus tells us that he had compassion on the crowds that followed him because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Sheep are not known for being particularly clever or cunning animals when it comes to safety. In fact they tend to be somewhat susceptible to wander off away from the protection of the shepherd. Therefore, when Jesus compares us to sheep, he’s not exactly giving us a compliment. You see sheep tend to be silly creatures. So Jesus uses the characteristics of sheep as a metaphor. Jesus is saying that we are sometimes restless, weak, stupid, stubborn, fearful, covered in poop and often disagreeable. We have a tendency to wander away from God and from everything that is right and holy. So for that reason we like sheep need constant supervision. A sheep without a shepherd it seems can’t take care of itself; a sheep without a shepherd will surely die.

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WESSEX SYNOD - News and items from the May edition of 'Share the Vision' - the Wessex Synod Newsletter

Burning Questions, the ON FIRE Revue, script and score by Paul Field and Stephen Deal is to be presented by the Choir and Church Members at 7.30pm Saturday 24th May 2014 at Fareham United Reformed Church, Osborn Road South Admission is free with a retiring collection in aid of the Rainbow Centre, a local charity supported by the Church. The Rainbow Centre seeks to inspire and support children with Cerebral Palsy and adults with a stroke, MS and Parkinson’s disease, adult Cerebral Palsy, and Head Injuries and their families through a system of learning called Conductive Education . A full days training for all individuals working with children and young people, and important for Ministers and Elders of the Church. Saturday 7 June 2014 at London Street United Reformed Church, Basingstoke. 10am – 4pm The course covers: The Basics of Safeguarding; Good Practice Procedures; Duty of Care and Pastoral Awareness; Reporting Structures; Exploring Case Studies; Planning The Way Forward. Certificates will be presented to those completing the course. For more information and to book a place on the course, please contact: Ruth Heine, email: [email protected] tel: 023 8067 4513 Wessex Summer Camp – RE: IGNITE, 18 – 20 July 2014, Ferny Crofts Activity Centre, The New Forest A great weekend event for all young people aged 11-25 connected to the United Reformed Church. Come, explore and be inspired by God into action. Ages 11-25. Cost: £40 per person. Further copies of the camp brochure and booking forms are available from Ruth Heine email: [email protected] tel: 023 8067 4513. Closing date for applications is 27th June. Wessex Synod Elders’ Development Days These provide training for new Elders, ongoing support for existing Elders and are suitable for anyone interested in becoming an Elder. The “Calendar of Elders & Lay Preacher Training Events 2014, revised” is available to download from the website (Lay Preaching Download section), www.urcwessex.org.uk Dates of the next Elders’ Development Days are; Prayer, Spirituality & Worship – Saturday 7th June (Southampton), Saturday 14th June (Basingstoke) and Saturday 12th July (Oxford).

http://www.rainbowcentre.org/inside-rainbow/conductive-education/

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.urcwessex.org.uk/

Hello to you all. What a busy May we had Church wise! We had 2 Elder’s meetings, the usual one and an away day at the home of Fiona and David. Both were very productive and in the words of Peter “Goodness, we have actually made some decisions!” We hope you agree with what we decided! We also had our new Pathways services in April and May. Apart from a few teething problems this was very well received and thank you to Liam and Abi for the huge amount of preparation they put into it. Here are some forthcoming dates. 3rd June Tuesday –Church meeting with Sue Brown, our second

meeting re LMMR 8th June Sunday – Pentecost 10th June Tuesday 7.30 pm– Women’s Fellowship – we are watching

the film “Saving Mr Banks”. We would love any of the ladies of the Church to come and join us for an evening of fellowship

22nd June Sunday – Pathways Service 12th July Saturday, 2.30 – 4.30pm – Afternoon tea in our beautiful

garden. Come and enjoy a strawberry tea with our Church family 6th September Saturday- the ordination and induction of Joshua Norris

to his first pastorate ( see below) There are lots of people who have expressed a desire to be present on Joshua’s very special day. Apparently the Church is big enough to accommodate us but it is quite a journey. It would seem sensible to go by coach but the cost will be considerably more than it was to Basingstoke for Kay’s ordination. I have put a list in CFC with details of cost and timings. Please sign up if you definitely want to come. Just to let you know that there will not be Pathways services during July and August. They will resume in September for 3 months which leads up to Christmas! God bless you all. With love, Carol Tubbs Revd Helen Pullin, a former minister of this church has been in touch with John Coles recently and asked to be remembered to us. It was good to see Alan and Sue Missen when they joined us in worship recently during a visit to this country from New Zealand.

Sally is a sheep and each day she watched as the shepherd arrived on his little green bicycle. Sally thought that she might borrow the shepherds bicycle to take a trip down to the local shop. After all, how hard could it be to ride a bike? Sally waited until the shepherd wasn’t looking then climbed onto the bike, with a little help from a friend she rode off at full speed down the hill. Weaving in and out of the traffic with wild abandon Sally even took her back feet off the pedals and her front hooves off the handlebars. Until she suddenly realised not only that she couldn’t ride a bike, but that she was, in fact a sheep. Then she fell off feeling bewildered and far from home.

As we continue to reflect upon these things the Easter story is still very much at the forefront of our minds. We could be forgiven for thinking that the Apostle Peter and the others had become a bit like the bicycle riding sheep. For three wonder filled years they’d walked and talked with Jesus as they accompanied Jesus in His ministry. The disciples were even sent out by Jesus to heal the sick and to share the Good News of the Kingdom without him. They experienced many glorious, miraculous moments with their Master. But Good Friday came and they watched in horror as Jesus was arrested, nailed to a cross and crucified. They were like sheep without a shepherd. Like the two companions ‘wondering’ aimlessly along the road to Emmaus. Like the ten disciples back in Jerusalem frightened, fearful and far from home. Huddled together behind locked doors feeling lost and abandoned. Then suddenly Jesus was there with them. The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ was with them and the promise that he had made to them in the Upper Room was repeated and was about to be fulfilled. “Greater things you will do because I am going to the Father,” said Jesus. “When I go to the Father I will send the Holy Spirit.” This means that as the risen Lord, who dwells in us by means of the Spirit empowers us, then greater things will our Lord do through us than He did when He was here in the days of His earthly ministry. As we invite the Spirit of God to come into our lives and dwell within us, then these things will happen to us just as the followers of Jesus experienced the power of Pentecost. These followers of Jesus were now no longer sheep without a shepherd but free-wheelers, empowered with the wind of the Spirit pushing them ever further onward to pedal the Gospel to the four corners of the earth. A Spirit filled, purpose driven people, equipped to turn the world upside down and right side up. No longer cast down but upright and true. ‘Spokes’ people for God’s word. So this month we find ourselves once more celebrating the fiery feast of Pentecost. For we are a flock of ‘Free-wheelers’ empowered by the Spirit of God .

John 10 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. I am

the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep. 1 Peter For we were like sheep going astray, but now we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls and when the Chief Shepherd appears, we will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be our shepherd; he will lead us to springs of living water and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. For the Lord is our Good Shepherd and so we shall not want. Your servant and brother in Christ. Revd Peter

Is Jesus alive? The whole of the Christian faith hangs on the assumption that Jesus Christ

came alive after his death on a Roman Cross. For 40 days we are told that he

appeared to many people, including over 500 people at one time (1 Corinthians

15 verse 6). The disciples had been fearful on seeing their leader crucified,

although they did not believe him when he told them he had to die for the sins

of the world and would rise again. When they realized that he was alive they

remembered his words, and became changed men and were prepared to die for

their Lord. Sadly there are a lot of people who still doubt the resurrection.

There were three eminent lawyers who wanted to prove that Jesus did not rise

from death, but after checking through all the evidence they discovered it must

be true. Here are some of their comments. Sir Edward Clark K.C. said “The

evidence is conclusive”. Lord Lyndhurst said “ Such evidence has never

broken down”. Frank Morison wrote a well known book entitled “Who moved

the stone” which argued the case for a risen Lord.

The Old Testament prophesied in several places that Jesus would rise from

death, and in the New Testament, Jesus himself foretold his death seven times,

but the disciples did not understand. What are the implications of the

resurrection. Two angels said to the disciples after his ascension that He was

coming again into the world in a similar way. He would judge the world of all

evil and bring about a new heaven and earth for all who have acknowledged

Jesus Christ as Lord.

Every one of the prophesies in the Bible have been fulfilled except one which

is Christ’s coming a second time. It will be an amazing day for all believers.

Robin Ive

This article appeared in the Friday Focus on 25th

April

in the Petersfield Herald

Page 21

In 1815, the Harting congregation were allowed to hold meetings

independently of Petersfield.

In 1820, Joseph Greenwood, another student of the Hackney College, was

ordained and appointed to serve the congregations of Petersfield, and Harting.

During his ministry chapels were registered for worship in Sheet and

Hawkley. He was a hard working minister and had a particular concern for

education. He ran a school to supplement his income. The Congregational

Church can claim to have started the first Sunday School in Petersfield. Some

scholars came from as far as Langrish and paid two pence for every lesson.

Night schools were held in the chapel, which also cared for the well-being of

the people in the provision of a savings bank and benevolent society.

The small burial ground attached to the chapel was closed in 1862. In 1883,

the old chapel was demolished and the present building erected. The school

was closed in 1895 and the small building it occupied became used as a rest

room for pensioners until it was demolished in 1967 to make room for a car

park.

Throughout the 19th century, the 'Free-Churches' were in a rather hostile

relationship with the 'Establishment', including the Church of England. In

1899, Revd T Clare Jones, the Congregational Minister at the time, wrote

in his booklet 'Congregationalism in Petersfield' to celebrate the centenary of

the founding of the chapel: "Against squire, priest and parson, the chapel has

maintained a war and successfully resisted the little tyrannies these like to

practise on the sly." Perhaps because of this hostility and suspicion, the

Congregationalists were a very tight knit community. To be received into

membership a person had to follow a rigid procedure, as only those of the

'right' beliefs were accepted. The minutes record several cases of people being

removed from the membership roll or of being refused a place in it in the first

instance. Deacons played a significant part in the life of the church. They

were elected by the Church members to help the minister in pastoral and

administrative duties. Their meetings dealt with economic and practical

matters rather than spiritual, as is recorded from a meeting in 1884, when the

gas meter and pew rents were two of the issues discussed, In 1872 there seems

to have been a clash between the Treasurer, Mr Fairbairn, and the deacons,

who he felt had interfered in his work as Treasurer and in the British School,

of which he was the teacher. The increasing involvement of women in the

affairs of the Congregational Church were felt in Petersfield in the 1870's

when they were permitted to take part in discussions relating to pastoral care,

to playing the organ and arranging social functions.

The above is reproduced with kind permission of Petersfield Area Historical Society from their publication 'A History of Christianity in Petersfield' - Petersfield Monograph 4. Thanks are also due to Brenda Hennah for providing this booklet and to Brian Blogg for finding the

references to Charles Cave's burial in the church archives.

The History of Petersfield URC

Last month we published the first part of a short series on the history of Petersfield URC, up to the time of the ministry of Rev Richard Densham. We

now take up the story.

Densham's ministry was cut short in 1803, at the age of 36, as he was killed

in an accident on his way to Haslemere in a gig. The minutes of a Church

Meeting held at the time record that the bells of St Peter's were rung loud

and long in an attempt to distract attention from his funeral! He is buried

beneath the organ in the present church. An adjacent plaque is dedicated to the

memory of a Mr Cave "who died 4th June 1810, aged 36 years, in

consequence of a puncture of the thumb in sewing up the body of a deceased

patient.

"

Ukraine Mission 2014 If ever there was a year when this mission was needed this is the one. We have all read about the troubles over the last few months and, although the troubles are far away from Transcarpathia, life is pretty tough for our villagers. The value of their money decreases every day and it is more difficult to get things like medicines without giving large sums of “pocket money” – those are the words of one of the translators we have worked with and I hope you understand what she means. I am delighted that our YUM group are still fully committed to this year’s mission and we are delighted that Liam has recently signed up again. The fares are all paid, thanks to your amazing support with our fundraising events. BUT….. The country needs you! to contribute articles for us to use in the school.

Felt tips, post its, playdoh, blankets, dressing up clothes, construction toys for older children (not lego) toothbrushes and toothpaste

We need these by June 29th as the lorry will be going soon after that. Of course donations of money are also useful! Thank you so much for your continued generosity. Carol (Tubbs)

JFC Christian Aid Walk 11th May 2014,. On 11th May, the J.F.C did their ‘stomp round the lake’ as our contribution towards the Christian aid fundraising. 14 of us took part in the stomp, 15 including Grace Fountain, who had kindly agreed to be our first-aider and keep a note of our laps. William Port did 7 laps, more than anyone else this year, several of them at the run, with his younger brother James valiantly trying to keep up for the first few! A lap is 0.75 miles. The rest of us were spread from 2-5 laps. Walking and talking, enjoying one another’s company and wondering whether the dramatic sky over the lake and blustery wind would bring any rain, were features of this year’s walk. A few of us braved a lakeside picnic lunch and were rewarded by the arrival of Alan and Sue Missen, who joined us for lunch having been to the church service. It was a lovely opportunity to catch up. At the time of writing, through many of you sponsoring us, the JFC have raised £375, but I think the total may rise a little next week, before I close the collection. I forgot my camera this year, so sorry no photo of the children. A big thank you to all those who took part, but to the many folk in and out of church who so kindly and generously sponsored us.

Thank you! Fiona Darling

A Message from St Paul’s Liss

Zimbabwe of God Africa (ZAOGA)

Forward in Faith Ministries International

The dynamic Pentecostal Church known Internationally as “Forward in Faith

Ministries” was formed on 12th May 1960 by Ezekiel Handinwangu Guti.

Ezekiel was born in 1923 in a village called Ngaone, Chipinge, Zimbabwe

(formerly Rhodesia). Without access to a Pastor or a Bible, he was drawn

towards God and on that memorable day in May fifty-four years ago, under a

gum tree in one of the most primitive countrysides of Zimbabwe called

Bindura, formed the Church. Today millions of people across 122 Nations and

States have given their lives to Jesus Christ in response to this man.

The fifty-fourth anniversary of this Church was celebrated in May locally at a

Community Centre in Whitehill. Unfortunately St Paul’s would have been too

small to accommodate all the expected worshippers from across the region!

The Region extends from the first Church founded in this country in Woking to

the Church currently meeting in St Cuthberts Anglican Church in Portsmouth,

the Church meeting at Ensbury Park Community Centre in Bournemouth and

the Church meeting at The Polygon in Devonshire Road Southhampton. The

jewel in the crown, however is the Church meeting at St Paul’s. This Church is

celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. It was formed in 2004 in the home of

Ishmael and Sabina Mazonde in Headley Down. When the eleven worshippers

grew to twenty alternative accommodation was sought in Haslemere

Community Hall. A God inspired encounter Peter our Minister had with

Reverend Doctor Jabulani Mdalose, a Zulu from Southern Africa, at a Synod

meeting led to the Haslemere Forward in Faith Church now using St Paul’s as

their Spiritual home. This Church, under the leadership of Pastor Enoch and

his wife Pastor Virginia (Ishmael and Sabina are Elders) have over thirty

members and is growing fast. The membership is almost entirely made up of

people working in the nursing profession or as carers in the community, and

with St Paul's placed in the middle of a number of care homes all employing

carers, often from Zimbabwe, this could not be better. I was privileged to join

some of the ladies of the Church for their prayer meeting. I have never

experienced a prayer meeting like it. Participants would stand and walk about

whilst praying. There were spontaneous bursts of beautiful unaccompanied

singing but the intensity and sincerity of their prayers was unmistakable. The

prayer meeting lasted from 8pm to 11pm!

Enoch and his team of Regional Elders met at St. Paul’s to discuss the fifty

fourth anniversary of the Forward in Faith Ministries and they kindly

consented to my taking some photographs as did the ladies at their prayer

meeting.

Love, Alan (Jones)

Page 19

At the first Pathways Service, Joy Hanna, Helen Wood and myself joined the “Create” group in the Hall. If the object of the service was engagement and congregational participation, it succeeded in spades. So challenged were we, that after the service we sought the advice of Joyce Perry on our embryo poem, and Joy and I have come up with the following on the theme of Jesus raising the widow’s son. Peter Jolly

Two Crowds They jostled round Jesus again and again On the hot dusty road leading to Nain. Everyone talked. Inside, a funeral procession etched with pain For the widow’s lost son: his life in vain Nobody talked One infectious, noisy, smiling, believing, , One silent, reflective, sorrowful, grieving Two crowds met He heard a sigh: and said: Widow, don’t cry He touched the byre – her heart was on fire He commanded the son: Arise, and live on Two crowds met Both crowds were amazed: may God’s name be praised. Two crowds met. Word spread through Judea – Our God, he is here Two crowds as one.

The Living Word meetings at Cosham Baptist Church 10th to 12th June 2014, 10,15am and 7.30pm The speaker is Rev'd Hugh Palmer Rector of All Souls Langham Place If you need transport please speak to Robin Ive

discussion based bible study. All three of these pathways take place in the

Church Family Centre. Finally, for those wanting to hear an in depth,

expositional sermon, there is the ‘Listen’ pathway in the Sanctuary.

After about 25-30 minutes, we all (children and adults) return to the church

sanctuary for prayer, and a final hymn. At the end of the service everyone is

invited to come for tea and coffee and encouraged to use this time to talk

about the pathway they visited and what God taught them through it.

By beginning the service together, and ending the service together we show

that we are ultimately one church, God’s people gathered out of the world,

called and commissioned to make his name known throughout the world.

However, by separating into different pathways we acknowledge that God has

made us all different, with different ways of relating to, and hearing from, him.

In this regard, Pathways offers us an opportunity to celebrate these differences

and explore our diversity for our benefit and encouragement.

Over to You

We will be trialling Pathways for another five months:

May, June, September, October and November. After this,

the church meeting will decide on its future. My challenge

to everyone reading this article is that, by the time that

meeting comes, we all would have tried each of the

pathways at least once. Even if you are the least creative

person on the planet, or bible studies fill you with fear, I

hope that you will take up my challenge and try something

new. Mainly, because I think you might just be pleasantly surprised, but also so

that we can make an informed decision about the future of the Pathways

service. My hope and prayer is that Pathways will allow us to explore the

worship of God in fresh ways that challenge, encourage and inspire us. That the

Holy Spirit will speak through it and encourage us in our evangelism to the

people around us. I also hope that it will allow opportunities for those who

struggle to engage with church, to come and explore church in a different way.

But I can’t do it without you! I need you to attend and experiment by trying the

different paths; to offer your feedback or help with planning, but also I need

you to take a risk, and invite a friend, a family member, a neighbour or a work

colleague. Christian discipleship is a journey; so let’s travel together.

Liam Maguire

Liam Maguire is Development Worker at Petersfield United Reformed Church.

He would love to hear you thoughts on this article or discuss any questions or

comments you may have about this piece. You can email him:

[email protected], or just collar him after church one Sunday!

Forward in Faith Ladies' Prayer Meeting

Forward in Faith Regional Elders' Meeting

A Quiet Time I was interested to read in last month's Messenger of Peter trying to find a quiet time to meditate. He apparently found it away from people and amongst the animals where he could come close to the Lord in meditation. We are all different in trying to get away from the bustle of life to be alone with the Lord. Over the years when our children were small, the only way to be alone was late in the evening when the family were in bed. It was the only time when we could be alone in meditation and prayer. This had remained with us after the children have grown up and left us. In more recent times June and I have found it very encouraging to start the day before breakfast to read from the Bible and use a thought for the day. This year I am using Billy Graham's “Unto the Hills” that I purchased in a book shop in Walvis Bay in Namibia of all places. A free copy of the UCB “Word for Today” is available in the Church lobby. When one has been around a long time there seems to be so many people to pray for. I try to use the “directory and prayer guide” to pray for all the Church Fellowship as well as the family that is scattered around the world. At the last “Prayer Time” we remembered how the Lord spent a whole night in prayer before he chose his disciples. I’m sure that it is very important before making big decisions to ask the Lord for guidance. I would be interested to hear where other folk find a suitable place to meet the Lord. Robin Ive


Each month we interview a member of Petersfield or Liss church, so that we can get to know a bit more about them. This month we would like to thank James Fells from Petersfield URC for sharing his experiences with us. Tell us about your childhood and early life Born and brought up in Bristol, I remember the blitz, evacuation to Somerset and cold baths. My father was a GP who, on return from wartime service in the army, had to rebuild his single-handed practice which, much assisted by my mother, he ran at our home. Patients coming to surgeries waited in the dining room, which we were therefore able to use for its proper purpose only at Christmas and Easter. My two sisters and I, and our friends, had to keep quiet so as not to disturb the patients, and preferably had to be unseen as well as unheard. But it was generally a happy home, and we were close to those of our relatives who lived in or near Bristol. I followed my father and four uncles in going to Bristol Grammar School, founded in 1532 by two merchant brothers. After that came national service in the Royal Artillery, and university, where I happily studied classics and philosophy. These were formative experiences in very different ways, but had in common that they had excellent facilities for me to indulge my passions of rugby football and cricket. How did you become a Christian and how has being a Christian affected your life? I suppose it was by osmosis, a gradual process. Although from Christian homes – one of my grandfathers was a Congregational Minister and Principal of a theological college, the other was a doctor who had served a dozen years with the London Missionary Society in India – my parents were not regular churchgoers. However, my sisters and I did go regularly to church, I also went for a short time – without much enthusiasm, I recall – to a Crusader group, and there was a strong Christian ethos in our home. The church we attended was Highbury Chapel, built on a site where five men had been martyred for their faith in 1555-57. I remember it as a rather gloomy building with a mainly old (as I thought) congregation; there was a “children’s church” (JFC) on Sundays, but no other activity for children. Highbury closed as a Congregational church in the 1970s. It subsequently became an Anglican church, with big improvements to its interior. I was received into membership of Highbury when I was 16. But it was at university that my commitment became strong. There was a flourishing Congregational Society, but I also for

Page 17

Pathways, which we are trialling as a replacement for our Family Service,

offers a unique opportunity for us to gather together as the church and explore

worshipping God differently. Pathways offers us the opportunity to explore

what God may be saying to us creatively through craft activities; prayerfully

though reflection and self-evaluation; through each other, by discussing a Bible

passage in a small group; and by exposition, through a sermon that mines out

the truths of God’s word and applies them to our lives. It is church alright, but

not as we know it! So let me tell you how it works.

Four Paths to the Same Destination

When it comes to corporate worship, don’t you think the journey is just as

important as the destination? Don’t you think that they way we worship is just

as important as who we are worshipping? Thinking about, if God knows what

we are going to pray before we say it, why don’t our intercessory prayers go,

‘Lord, you know our thoughts, in Jesus name, Amen’. Or why in a bible study,

the group leaders doesn’t just print off a page full bullets points and tell you to

read them when you get home? Isn’t it the process of physically expressing

our corporate prayers, that helps to galvanise us as the unified people of God?

Isn’t it the way we wrestle with a passage together to tease out what it is saying

to us that makes the process all the more rewarding? The same is true for

Pathways, which, in its most basic form, works by offering us four paths to the

same destination. The concept is pretty simple, it works like this:

First, we all begin together. As you come through the front door you’ll be

welcomed and asked to take your seat as usual. If you have children (under

fifteen) they’ll be asked to head straight out into the church family centre.

The Service then starts as normal with a call to worship, a hymn and then the

offering. Afterwards, there will be a short talk explaining the theme or

passage of the service. Whilst this is happening the children in Family

Centre will be using songs, games and other activities to think about the

same theme as those in the Sanctuary.

Next, and this is where it gets interesting, we

all stand up and break off into four groups or

‘pathways’. The first pathway is ‘Create’.

This offers a space those who want to explore

the theme creatively through art, craft,

drawing or writing. The second is the ‘Pray’

pathway. Pray is for those who would like to

quietly and prayerfully reflect on the passage.

Pray and Create by far offer the most freedom, as all the activities can be

done alone, pairs or in groups. Then there is the ‘Discuss’ pathway. As the

name suggests, Discuss allows you to gather in a small group for a

Spotlight on…

James Fells

Pathways: Let’s Travel Together

The Church Workers Worst Fear

Ask any church worker and you’ll often find that there are three simple words

that will cause them to break out in a cold sweat. Three simple words that will

make them gulp with fear, and tremble with worry. Three simple words: All.

Age. Worship. That elusive and sometimes uncatchable unicorn of Sunday

morning gatherings. It isn’t that they don’t value or appreciate all age worship,

because they do. I think it is just that they recognise that it is so very hard to

get right. Sure when you do get it right, it is a wonderful thing; children

enraptured by witty drama and clever song, adults engaged and challenged by

exploring a topic through a new mode or medium. But get it wrong and you’re

left with unengaged children and alienated adults.

Thankfully, for a very long time, Petersfield URC have had a committed,

skilled and passionate team of volunteers who looked after our all age worship.

A team that has worked really hard to make sure that our Family Service was

as good as it could possibly be and I don’t think anyone could doubt the hard

work, passion and enthusiasm that went into each and every Sunday. Sadly

though, due to one reason or another, that group has slowly been shrinking

over the last year. So when some concerns about the Family Service were

raised at a Church Meeting back in January, it seemed like a good time to

rethink the way we were using the fourth Sunday. So before I go on, I would

like to thank each and every individual who has contributed time, energy and

effort to the Family Service over the course of its life. Thank you.

Church but Not as We Know It

Did you know that the New Testament never talks about

church in relation to a building? The New Testament word

for church, (ekklesia) refers to a gathering of God’s people

(whether locally or globally), but never as a physical

building. In this sense, really, Christians don’t attend a

church or go to church, but rather gather as the church. Scattered during the

week, gathered on a Sunday to worship God together. When you think of

church this way, you find a host of people, each made in the image of God,

each with their own skills, talents, abilities and ways of observing the world

and interacting with God, meeting together to worship God. Sometimes it is

hard to cater for all of these different people. This is especially true when you

throw young children into that mix, like in all age worship services. How do

you cater for the people who learn and engage with God by listening, but also

those who learn and engage with God through a discussion? What about the

creatives or those who like to sit quietly and reflect? You can’t please everyone

right? Or can you?

the first time really engaged with people from other Christian traditions too, and this had a profound effect on me. At that time ecumenism was exciting Christians in this country. I acquired a deep sense of the history and underlying unity of Christianity and what binds Christians rather than what divides them, which has been a hallmark of my beliefs ever since. It was then too that my experience of helping to lead services occasionally in nearby village churches, with another student – we would go out two by two - eventually prompted me to take a course to become a lay preacher. How long have you been associated with Petersfield URC? What are your main ministries there? My wife Joanna and I came to Petersfield from London three years ago. My only active role here has been to lead a few Sunday services. At the churches where I was previously a member, in New Malden and Kingston, in suburban south-west London, I was successively a deacon, a teacher in JFC, and an Elder. And as a lay preacher I conducted many services in the great variety of churches in our denomination in that segment of London and in Surrey. What was your employment career? I was a bureaucrat! I had wanted to undertake some form of public service, so my working life was spent as an administrative civil servant, much of it in the Department of Transport but also in the Department of the Environment and the Civil Service Commission, which is responsible for much of the recruitment to the civil service. Mostly I was based in headquarters offices in central London. The work was enormously varied; over the years it ranged from preparing and implementing legislation to personnel management and to managing government programmes. I saw a good deal of several Ministers and of both Houses of Parliament. In my later years the European Union had become an increasingly important factor in government business, so like many civil servants I made many visits to Brussels and other European capitals to negotiate for the UK’s interests. It was not all desk-bound stuff, though; I always believed that it was important to get out of the office and see things on the ground for myself, in whatever field I was working, so visits to ships, housing projects, ports and haulage companies featured in my life, among other things. I hoped that what I did served some public good, and was governed by integrity, fairness, and decent treatment of public and work colleagues alike. Tell us about your family life and leisure interests Joanna is a Roman Catholic, so we go our separate ways to church, but we have benefitted from each other’s traditions even though we both stick with what we were brought up with. We have three children, who fortunately get on well together; a son in Surrey, a daughter and her family in Liss, and

another married son, who has often worked abroad and who is currently in South Korea. There are four grandchildren, all of school age, who help to keep us young and to manage (some) modern technology. In retirement Joanna and I have much enjoyed being able to travel more widely, and have a particular interest in church architecture. We also love opera (not as performers!), gardening, and walking; there can be few footpaths in Surrey that we don’t know, and the South Downs Way is now an enticing prospect, even though we would have to tackle it piecemeal. As for rugby and cricket, my enthusiasm has not waned, but naturally is no longer participatory! In addition we have wanted to help in the community, so we are both on the list of drivers for Petersfield’s Voluntary Care Group and are active in running the Petersfield branch of the WEA. What is your favourite Bible verse and what does it mean for you? Am I allowed one from each of the Old and the New Testaments? Verses 3 and 4 of Psalm 18 - “When I look at thy heavens...... what is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou dost care for him?” (RSV) – remind me of both the insignificance and the significance of human beings in the cosmos. Some words of Paul to the Colossians are a wonderfully pithy summary of some of the great truths of Christianity, in which I frequently find new nuances: “He (Jesus Christ) is the image of the invisible God” (1:15).

Forthcoming New Sermon series

Acts 1:8 - “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Over the next few Sundays we will be

exploring together some of the themes found in the Book of Acts. The book of Acts records some of the most powerful events in the New Testament. The birth of the church - The coming of the Holy Spirit - Dramatic missionary journeys. We will see how the Good News spread outwards from Jerusalem planting churches and transforming lives. Each Sunday as we turn the pages of the exciting book of Acts I pray it will encourage and challenge us all in our daily living. So join us each Sunday to worship the Lord, who gave everything for us! Revd Peter

Page 15

Baby George Born with a severe cleft lip and palate, Baby George finds hope and healing on board a Mercy Ship...

Just after New Year’s Day, Naomi gave birth to her first child. Unfortunately “Baby George,” named after his father, was born with a cleft lip and palate — a common but frightening birth defect. “I was scared, and I felt bad,” Naomi said. Superstitious neighbours gave her reasons why they thought George was born this way: that Naomi bathed at night, that she was a witch. But Naomi sought a better answer, and when her son was five days old, she brought him to the Mercy Ship. The doctors scheduled him for surgery and told Naomi to take her baby home and help him gain weight so he would be big enough to undergo the surgery. Months later they returned to the Mercy Ship for the operation to correct George’s cleft lip. After a four-day stay on the ship’s ward, Naomi took her baby home, planning to come back in a year when another Mercy Ship would visit Liberia and George could have his cleft palate corrected as well. “I’m very happy,” a beaming and hopeful Naomi stated as she held her sleeping son.

How can I help? Mercy Ships values support by financial giving, prayer and by volunteering to be part of their ministry. Full details are available on their website (see below). If you do not have internet access, please speak to the editors who will arrange for you to receive more information.

More information may be found on the Mercy Ships website at www.mercyships.org.uk This article contains material

copyright to Mercy Ships and reproduced with kind permission from the above website.

Is there a particular Mission that you would like to be included in 'Mission of the Month'? If so, please contact the editors.

There are many mission organisations proclaiming the Good News of the Christian Gospel and providing an

enormous amount of help and relief throughout the world. Each month we focus on the work of one particular mission organisation to raise awareness and to provide information for your prayer and practical support. This month

we are featuring Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships is an international faith-based organisation with a mission to increase access to health care throughout the world. Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to transform individuals and serve nations, one at a time. Through the deployment of the world’s largest charity hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, Mercy Ships works with host nations to help fill the gaps in health care systems, while serving the immediate needs of their population. Mercy Ships provides a variety of training opportunities for medical professionals (surgeons, nurses, administrators, and community health workers), along with curative surgical interventions. Collaborating with qualified local and international partners, Mercy Ships programmes offer holistic support to developing nations striving to make health care accessible for all. As a Christian charity, Mercy Ships freely serves the poor without regard to race, gender or religion. Since 1978 (when the first ship was acquired) … Mercy Ships has provided services in developing nations valued at more than £600 million, including the following:

Performed more than 67,000 life-changing operations such as cleft lip and palate repair, cataract removal, orthopaedic procedures, facial reconstruction and obstetric fistula repair

Treated over 572,000 patients in village clinics Treated over 119,000 dental patients with more than 305,000 dental

procedures performed Trained more than 5,800 local health-care teachers who have in turn

trained many others Trained over 32,100 local professionals in their area

of expertise (e.g. surgery, anaesthesiology, midwifery, leadership)

Taught over 164,000 local people in basic health care Completed over 1,100 community development

projects focusing on water and sanitation, education, infrastructure development and agriculture.

Petersfield Rotas June 2014

St Pauls’ Rotas June 2014

Sunday Elder Welcomer Flowers June 1 Alan Jones Tony Phillips Betty Parsons June 8 Tony Phillips Anne Glenn Margaret Chandler June 15 Anne Glenn Betty Parsons Elizabeth Phillips June 22 Val Torrance Alan Jones Ros Hamilton June 29 Elizabeth Phillips Tony Catmull Tony Phillips

June Birthday greetings are sent to:

Liam Maguire Evelyn Blackwell (June 25) Ellie Mancz Congratulations to Marie McMillan who celebrated her 90th birthday recently

Sunday June 1 June 8 June 15 June 22 June 29

Stewards Maureen Gilbert & Liam Maguire

(am) Peter Crane

(pm)

David Darling &

Janet Clemmy

Brenda Hennah & Lyn Norris

Sylvia Bressey & Gwen Peake

Gilly Mancz &

Merle Hickman

Welcomer Jean Collins June Ive Richard Marlow

Mavis Marlow

Eric Skipper

Elder Keith Evans (am)

Carol Tubbs (pm)

Gwen Peake

Jo Oru Sue Bone

Joy Hanna

Communion Servers

Carol Tubbs & Joyce Perry

Jo Oru & Wendy Cassar

Flowers Jean Collins

AV David Darling Keith Evans

Liam Maguire

Carolyn Barton

Liam Maguire

Petersfield Church Calendar – June 2014

Sunday 1 11 am The Minister

6.30 pm The Minister (Holy Communion)

Monday 2 1 pm Women's Bible Study CFC

8 pm Prayer Time CFC

Tuesday 3 9.30 am Little Fishes Toddler Group CFC

7.30 pm Church Meeting with Sue Brown (LMMR)

CFC

Thursday 5 7.30 pm Home Fellowship Group 40 Grenehurst Way

Saturday 7 8 am Menunited Men's Breakfast CFC

Pentecost Sunday

8 11 am The Minister



7.30 pm Women's' Fellowship Film Evening CFC

Wednesday 11 7.30 pm Living Word Meeting Cosham Baptist Church

Thursday 12 8 pm Home Fellowship Group 12 Geddes Way

Friday 13 3 pm Tea on the Terrace CFC

Saturday 14 10 am Dads' Club CFC

Sunday 15 11 am Alan Jones (Holy Communion)


8 pm Prayer Time CFC


2 pm Connie's Handicraft Group CFC

Thursday 19 7.30 pm Home Fellowship Group 40 Grenehurst Way

Sunday 22 11 am Pathways Service



Wednesday 25 7.45 pm Home Fellowship Group 30 Marden Way

Thursday 26 8 pm Home Fellowship Group 12 Geddes Way

Saturday 28 10 am Dads' Club CFC

Sunday 29 11 am Alan Jones


Page 13

St Paul’s Church Calendar – June 2014

Sunday 1 9.30 am Morning Worship with Holy Communion

The Minister

Monday 2 9.30 am Little Fishes Church & Church Hall

Tuesday 3 9.30 am Fiddlesticks Church Hall

Wednesday 4 10 am NCT Meeting Church Hall

Saturday 7 8 am Menunited Men's breakfast Petersfield URC

Pentecost Sunday

8 9.30 am Morning Worship The Minister



7.30 pm Elders' Meeting Church Hall


Saturday 14 8.30 am LCWT Prayer Breakfast At Justin's home

Sunday 15 9.30 am Morning Worship Tony Phillips




Thursday 19 10 am Holy Communion at Rother House (combined service with Anglicans)

Sunday 22 9.30 am Morning Worship The Minister




Sunday 29 9.30 am Morning Worship Ron Wing


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