1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity


Wonford Methodist
Church
Contact Newsletter
February 2015
(No: 435)
Minister: Rev Bruce Sawyer (01392 256716)
Wonford is a
Fairtrade church
www.wonfordmethodistchurch.org.uk
A Message From The Minister
Dear Friends,
Earlier this week, as I was in the middle of writing up essays for my probationer
studies, I was surprised to look out the window and see snowdrops growing in
the back garden. Surprised because of how early in the year it was (only the
second week of January). Surprised because I had completely forgotten that
Caroline had planted them last year!
Having noticed them, I was then surprised that I hadn’t seen them before – they
were a good 10 cm high (3-4”), and they hadn’t grown up like this overnight!
They must have been growing away for at least a couple of weeks, completely
unnoticed by me. Even before their characteristic white bells appeared, the green
shoots, stems and leaves were adding colour and contrast to the soil and wall
around them. But I hadn’t been aware of this and was unable to appreciate their
beauty (or Caroline’s foresight and work in planting them).
As I reflected on this I was reminded of a book I read last year to help prepare for
our preaching series on gratitude; ‘One Thousand Gifts’ by Ann Voskamp. The
book arises out of her experience of taking up a dare from one of her friends to
write a list. Many of us write lists – shopping lists, Christmas or birthday lists, jobs
to be done, things we will change in the new year, goals to aim for. But this was a
dare not to write a list about things we want, or need to do. This was a dare to
write a list of 1,000 things she loved, to name 1,000 blessings or gifts.
Her list started with naming “Morning shadows across old floors” and “Jam piled
high on toast”. In the process of seeking to name 1,000 gifts, which took about a
year, Ann talks of how she learnt to notice and experience the grace of God in
the everyday, how others noticed a change in her as she learnt the discipline of
gratitude and how this enabled her to live life more fully.
We began thinking about gratitude as a church last April and this Lent (which
begins on 18th Feb) we are considering some of the spiritual disciplines. It
seems to me a good way to end our year thinking about gratitude to tie these two
things together. So this Lent I want to dare us as church, each of us individually,
to begin a list of things we see or experience as gift, that we want to thank God
for. And if 1,000 seems like a lot (which it is, but that’s part of learning the
discipline), why not start by simply naming 1 or 3 things each day in Lent?
I look forward to hearing how you find this experience – and with that, I’ll add
snowdrop to my list!
With every blessing,
Rev Bruce Sawyer
PS. Some of Ann’s ongoing thoughts can be found at her website: http://
www.aholyexperience.com
Dates For February
Flowers
1st
8th
15th
22nd
Karen
Mandy
Eileen
Holiday Club
Coffee
1st
8th
15th
22nd
Eileen & Melanie
Lilian & Paul
Lisa & Susan
Helen & Sarah
Minister's Monthly Bible Study Group This meets in the lounge at 2pm normally on the third Thursday each
month. All are welcome and if you'd like to learn more, do speak with
Bronwen or Clifford Maddicks.
12th
2.00 p.m.
Bible Study in the lounge
Spring Themed Preaching Series - Ezra and Nehemiah
We are now well into our fascinating series on Ezra and you will find details
of the remaining sessions here. When we get to Lent we are doing a series on "Spiritual Disciplines" to help
us in our devotional life during this important season of the Christian year. The different Disciplines considered are also listed here. As you will see we
have some more really good guest preachers to help us. Then after Easter
we shall continue with the Ezra - Nehemiah saga with the focus on
Nehemiah.
Lent series on Disciplines.
“Celebration of Discipline”).
(Loosely based on Richard Foster’s book
Date
Preacher
Theme
February 22nd
(Morning)
Rev Bruce Sawyer
Spiritual Discipline 1
Confession
March 8th
(Morning)
Adam Sanders
Spiritual Discipline 2
Worship
March 15th
(Morning)
Derek Burnside
Spiritual Discipline 3
Fasting
March 22nd
(Morning)
Rev Bruce Sawyer
Spiritual Discipline 4
Meditation
March 29th
(Morning)
Dr Joan Wragg
Spiritual Discipline 5
Submission
Change of Contact Details for Sylvia & Tom Crawford
Their new telephone number is 01392 969678.
Lidl’s Proposed Redevelopment
Exeter City Council have received an application from
Lidl’s for the demolition of its existing foodstore (and
CoOp Pharmacy) in Burnthouse Lane and the erection of
a new replacement foodstore and separate CoOp
Pharmacy with associated car parking and landscaping.
If you wish to make any comments about this application please
contact Paul Jeffrey at Exeter City Council Planning Services (01392
265117 or paul.jeffrey@exeter.gov.uk).
!
!
Mission Shaped Intro
Wonford Methodist Church
7.30 - 9.00pm
Feb 3rd & 24th, March 10th, 17th & April 14th
A course to rediscover mission and re-imagine church.
This course takes you on a journey looking at the ever-changing nature of
our social communities and explores why the church needs to rethink its
approach to those communities in meaningful and relevant ways. The 90
minute sessions are delivered through presentation, movie clips and stories
with active group participation.
Course Outline
The course sessions are:
• rediscovering mission and what that means for the church
• changing world, changing church
• re-imagining church: community
• re-imagining church: worship
• re-imagining church: discipleship and leadership
• where do we go from here?
Joanne Simpson, who led our church anniversary services in July and was
until recently the Methodist Evangelism in Contemporary Culture Officer,
describes the course as:
“One of the best resources available for people investigating what it might
mean to be a mission-shaped disciple, offering the space for people to
become more confident in faith, mission and discipleship. Everyone should
participate in this course and see where it leads!”
Jazz Church
Sunday 8th March 2015
6.30 p.m.
Wonford Methodist Church
With Adam Sanders and his band visiting us
from Birmingham
Come and share an evening of worship with a
difference. Drinks and nibbles
Prayer Focus for February
I will sing to the Lord all my life;
as long as I live I will sing praises to my God.
May He be pleased with my song,
for my gladness comes from Him.
Psalm 104:33,34 (Good News Bible)
Week beginning Sunday 1st
Please pray that God will bless and prosper:
(a) The Mission Shaped Intro (MSI) course continuing until Easter, led by
Joanne Simpson.
(b) The Dreamaway 'Arctic Challenge' which Pam Richardson is taking part
in this week.
(c) The call to Christians to pray and fast for Climate Justice (on the first day
of the month) until the Paris Climate summit in December.
Thank God for the many opportunities we have to sing songs of praises to
Him out of the gladness of our hearts.
Week beginning Sunday 8th
Please pray that God will be at the heart of any decisions made by our
Church Council, meeting on Tuesday evening.
Pray also that God will continue to enrich the prayer life of our church and
keep us flowing in bonds of fellowship.
Week beginning Sunday 15th
Please pray for God's continued blessing on our Holiday Club and its
leaders (Thursday 19th – Sunday 22nd). Pray also for the children who
come, that they might see and hear something of our Lord Jesus during the
week and keep Him within their hearts.
Thanks be to God for the children’s ministry within our church and for those
He has gifted to be leaders in this outreach.
Week beginning Sunday 22nd - 1st in Lent
During this period of Lent we reflect on Jesus' trials and testing by satan in
the desert
wilderness. Please pray that those going through their own
wilderness experience will find strength and comfort from the Word of God.
(The Lord says)
He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with Him in trouble.
(Psalm 91:15 NIV)
Phone Prayer Link
Should you, or those you know, wish to be supported in prayer, the first
contact is Beryl Violet (01392) 270132. Your request will be passed to the
members of the Prayer Link who will pray for your need.
After Church Prayer Support
This is available in the Quiet Room on Sunday mornings. Two members of
the Prayer Team will be available to pray with you.
The Prayer Team Methodist Churches in Our Circuit
Over the next nine newsletters there will be a page giving details of three
churches
in our circuit. Perhaps we could pray for these churches each
month.
News From The Methodist Church
Paris Terrorist Attack
The Methodist Church fully supports the
statement below, issued by the Council of
Christians and Jews concerning the Charlie
Hebdo terrorist attack on 7 January 2015.
"The Council of Christians and Jews wishes to express its horror at the
terrorist attack on the offices of the Parisian magazine Charlie Hebdo, and
joins with those organisations of all faiths which have offered deepest
sympathy to the families and friends of those murdered. In these unstable
times, we offer our prayers for all victims of terror throughout the world and
look with hope to those working for peace and justice.”
the connexion
the connexion is a new print magazine for the Methodist
people.
The first issue brings you news of people and projects in
these islands as well as North Korea and Sri Lanka,
showing how vibrant Methodism can be. It has a primary
theme of evangelism (the 'e-word') and ways that
Methodists can refocus on an area that many find
problematic.
A range of Methodist office holders will soon be receiving three copies in the
post (if they come through the letterbox already), with a request to pass two
of these on. If you don’t get a copy, look out for someone who did!
The magazine has been produced in response to calls from many
Methodists for improved communications and more news about what is
happening across the Connexion.
Two more issues will be published in 2015 - issue two in April and issue
three in September.
You can download a pdf of the magazine from The Methodist Church
website.
Dates For Your Diary
February 2015
Sun 1st
10.00 a.m.
7.00 p.m.
Tue 3rd
7.30 p.m.
Wed 4th
7.30 p.m.
Sun 8th
10.00 a.m.
Tue 10th
Thu 12th
Sun 15th
Tue 17th
Sat 21st
Sun 22nd
Tue 24th
Karenza Cordery - All Age Worship
Pray4Exeter at The Cathedral
MSI ‘Changing World, Changing Church’ **
Circuit GP/General Purposes Meeting - Littlemead
Rev Bruce Sawyer - Themed Preaching on
‘Ezra’ - 4 + sacrament **
6.30 p.m.
Caroline Colin - Prayer & Praise
7.30 p.m.
Church Council meets
2.00 p.m.
Monthly Bible Study in the lounge **
10.00 a.m.
Rev Mike Butterworth - Themed Preaching on
‘Ezra’ - 5 **
6.30 p.m.
Rev Mike Butterworth - Themed Preaching on
‘Ezra’ - 6 + sacrament **
10.00 a.m.
Roundabout Cafe (until 12pm) **
Wed 18th - Sunday 22nd. Holiday Club
8.30 a.m.
Monthly Prayer Breakfast in the lounge **
10.00 a.m.
Rev Bruce Sawyer - Themed Preaching on
‘Lent’ - 1 **
6.30 p.m.
Rev Brian Hadfield
7.30 p.m.
MSI ‘Changing World, Changing Church’ **
** Details in this newsletter or on the notice board in the hall.
Holiday Club - Space Theme
(For children at Primary School)
Wednesday 18th - Sunday 22nd February 2015
(Starts 10am to 12pm Wednesday to Friday)
Fun, games, drama, craft, songs, model making, bible stories
and lots more ... Come and be part of our space themed event.
Other activities will be put on for older children and adults - see
noticeboard for further details.
Weekly Activities
10.00 a.m.
Sunday
Morning Service and Young Church
(1st Sunday in each month is All-Age Worship)
6.30 p.m. Evening Service
(2nd Sunday in each month is Prayer & Praise)
Monday
7.30 p.m. Away Group Bible Study (33 Matford Avenue)
4 - 8 year olds - 6 to 7pm Girls’ Brigade *A*
8 - 18 year olds - 7 to 8pm Girls’ Brigade *A*
Tuesday
9.15 a.m. Weekly Prayers in the Quiet Room
10.00 a.m. Men’s Coffee and Games Morning
10.00 a.m. The Roundabout Cafe (3rd Tuesday each month)
7.30 p.m. Home Group Bible Study Meeting (fortnightly)
Thursday
2.00 p.m. Bible Study (3rd Thursday each month)
Friday
9.30 a.m. Friday Toddlers Group *A*
2.00 p.m. Friday Fellowship in the lounge
Saturday
8.30 a.m. Monthly Prayer Breakfast (3rd Saturday each month)
To be sure these take place see Dates to Note or the Notice Board
( *A* = No meeting during school holiday)
The deadline for items for the March 2015 Newsletter will be Sunday 15th
February 2015. There is no guarantee of inclusion, but they may be given
to:
Andrew Jackson - 19 Hills Orchard, Martock, Somerset. TA12 6DF.
Tel: 01935 826072 or e-mailed to andrew.m.jackson@me.com