Irby Methodist Church
Irby Methodist Church
A Member of the Wirral Methodist Circuit www.irbymethodist.org Ministers:
Rev. Kim Goh
tel: 0151 739 8525
Day off: Monday (please honour) email: kimgoh2603@gmail.com Rev. Vivienne Gasteen - Pastoral care 0151 648 2637
email: revviv1948@btinternet.com
Day off: Friday (please honour)
Superintendent Minister:
Rev. Ann Rigby-Jones
tel: 0151 342 6324 Day off: Fridays (please honour) Church Leadership Team Church Family & Community:
July/August Summer Edition
Worship:
Mission & Outreach:
Resources:
Jean Brookes
648 1130
Lynne Cowell
648 4447
Calvin Wood
648 4466
Angela James
648 2900
Barbara Wood
648 4466
Liz Newton
648 6641
Graham Griffiths
648 2233
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Irby Methodist Church
Irby Methodist Church
Other Roles Church Worship Leaders:
Church Admin Contact:
Angela James
648 2900
Sylvia Gaskell
648 7905
Graham Griffiths
648 2233
email:
gnmg1971@gmail.com
Church Treasurer
Ian Hall
648 3344
Pastoral Visitor Co-ordinators
Ruth Brabin
648 1069
Alison Fisher
648 7671
Booking Secretary
Graham Griffiths
648 2233
Hymnal Plus
Angela James
648 2900
Funday Sunday Leader:
Linda Renmans
648 7652
Newsletter Editor
Roy Fisher
648 7671
& Church website:
email:
Representatives to Circuit Meeting
Liz Newton
648 6641
Angela James
648 2900
roy@royfisher.co.uk
Flower Festival : Wonderful!!! On behalf of Sylvia, my aunt Olwen and myself, I am writing to say how much we enjoyed coming to see the magnificent displays, savour the great food and share in the warm fellowship on Friday 7th June and to say a sincere “Thank you” to all concerned. Sylvia and I were away next day visiting family in Scotland for a fortnight so were grateful that the Flower Festival was available over three days and not just the weekend!
Dear Friends, After all the recent somewhat wet weather summer seems to have arrived! Perhaps some of you will have already taken a break away from your usual routine, perhaps to visit family or friends while others have still to plan or take a holiday away at home or abroad. However, there are those among us for whom a holiday is but a distant memory, perhaps one to be shared with family, friends, pastoral visitors. Soon school will be out for around six weeks and the noise and laughter of children will ring out from gardens, parks and local beaches. The groups in our local churches will take a break from regular meetings our worship will, however, continue. Jesus often took a break, to get away from the crowds, to be with His Father on a quiet hillside or a lonely beach, to pray, to reflect on His ministry and to prepare for what lay ahead. Let us, in this quieter time of summer spend some of our time with our Father God, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. May we give thanks, reflect on who we are and seek guidance for what lies ahead. We shall be saying farewell as a church and circuit to Kim & Mary Goh, to Ann Rigby-Jones & Paul and to Nicola Langton-Miller as we do so let us give thanks to God for their ministry among us and pray for Heather Cooper and Yangsun Yi as they prepare to join us in worship and service. Enjoy summer-time, come back “renewed in body, mind and soul” and filled with the Spirit to live and work to God’s praise and glory. God bless you all Rev. Viv
Thanks to the many, many folk who made it all possible - truly a labour of love. Yours gratefully - Les Hampson
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Irby Methodist Church
As I sit down to start to write this letter I am watching a fourth consecutive day of pretty much incessant rain. Thankfully we have been spared the really torrential stuff that other parts of the country have experienced and after a dry spring so far I suppose the farmers and gardeners welcomed some rain, just perhaps not quite so much in one go! Still, we must be thankful for our varied climate which makes the flowers and fruits grow though mindful of the changes that seem to be happening year on year. Which of course brings me to our recent Flower Festival I must say a huge “Thank You” to Rev Margaret Fletcher and all the ladies of the Wirral Flower Club who, conscious of this year being the 150th Anniversary of the start of a Methodist ministry in Irby, offered a Flower Festival as part of our Celebration of that Anniversary. We had a magnificent weekend of 7th-9th June with floral arrangements designed around the theme of “Lord for the Years” with selected lines from verses of this well known and most appropriate hymn. The Flower Club is indeed blessed to have so much talent and “world class” designers and much hard work was undertaken alongside members of the church in the detailed design planning and assembly of each of the floral arrangements, design and printing of programmes and arranging publicity through local radio, print and social media in the days and weeks leading up to the Festival Weekend. Thank you to Margaret, to Ann Williams , Barbara Penketh and all the members of the Wirral Flower Club and to all the members and friends of Irby Methodist Church who worked alongside the Flower Club to put such a magnificent event together, not just in the floral displays themselves but also the exhibition of archival material showing the development of the church over the 150 years since that first meeting in the kitchen of Irby Hill Farm, and to those providing immense amounts of tea, coffee, biscuits, cake, and light lunch baps to keep everyone sustained. There was a real sense of friendship and fellowship within the church. It would be unfair of me to single out individuals, everybody played their part in ensuring a great weekend.
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Irby Methodist Church We were indeed fortunate as on the Friday and Saturday the weather was truly appalling with heavy, sometimes torrential rain and a strong cold wind. As the Festival was a mostly indoor event however, we had a constant stream of visitors on all three days and I heard many wonderful comments as to the magnificence of the displays, the comfortable and airy worship space and the warm and welcoming church we had. - Long may that continue! As Acting Festival Treasurer I had an extremely busy three days being present for almost all of each day of the Festival and I am very pleased to report that at the time of writing this letter, the net proceeds from the Flower Festival amount to just over £3000 which will be used as agreed by Church Council to further the work and Service of this Church to the people of Irby. A summary table of the financial result, subject to audit, is given elsewhere in this Newsletter. This is also the time of year in the Methodist Church coming into the summer months of July and August when the stationing process for Ministers and Deacons really comes to a conclusion for this year. We say farewell and God’s Blessings to some of those serving in the circuit and “Welcome!” to those arriving to a new station. In our case we bid farewell to Kim and Mary and we pray that they will feel settled in their new home in Chesterfield, close to Cliffe College where they first met. It is a really beautiful area in which to live, Margaret and I know it very well of course, on the edge of the Peak National Park and on the doorstep of the Chatsworth estate. We do wish them very blessing particularly as the last few months have been difficult for them. In turn we will welcome Rev Yangsun Yi who comes to us from her probationary appointment in the Exeter circuit. Yangsun will have responsibilities in Irby, West Kirby and Greasby as did Kim and she will be supported of course by other Circuit staff as well as all the congregations of the three churches. We look forward to getting to know each other and, as a Leadership Team, working alongside each other to continue the work of our Church in Irby As a church we have further discussed and deliberated on the question of adding a projection facility to our worship. The general view seems to be that this would enhance the variety of our worship and enable us to explore things that we are not currently able to do. Pictures and images used sensitively can send or reinforce a message in quite powerful ways. This emphatically does not mean doing away with hymn books, if all we do is use it to project words of hymns then we would be
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Irby Methodist Church seriously wasting our resources. Understandably there are of course opposite views in church, not everyone is happy with some aspects of the proposal as it stands at present. Will we be any less of a church if we decide to direct our resource in other ways?
Irby Methodist Church
SUMMARY INCOME/EXPENDITURE REPORT INCOME
EXPENDITURE
As a Leadership Team we must listen to all views respectfully, considerately and prayerfully in trying to discern God’s will.
Sale of Programmes inc donations on entry
In all these things the key question “Is this right for us, this church, or are there other, better, ways in which we could direct or resources to further the work and mission of our church in Irby?
Advance Sales of Programmes
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Sincerely yours Graham
Wives Sales Table
371.18
The Circuit Thanksgiving and Farewell Service on Saturday July 20th (celebrating the ministries of those who are leaving the circuit or leaving office in the circuit) will be followed by a faith tea. To hopefully ensure some balance in the fare on offer (strawberries and cream are delicious and always welcome, but if everyone brings them.....) it would be appreciated if each church could ask those attending and bringing food for sharing to bring either 'sweet' or 'savoury' food as allocated in the attached list. (Irby contribution is SWEET) Of course all items brought will be welcome and no doubt eagerly devoured!"
Raffle organised by Flower Club
1253.26
536
Food Sales
595.28
Donations & Sponsorship previously recorded
1413.3
Beryl & George Goodall thank everyone for their cards, prayers and flowers following Beryl’s accident. They have been much appreciated. Although not entirely pain-free, the healing process continues, and it is good to be back in worship with you again.
TOTALS
4415.72
Many thanks,
NET PROCEEDS
2979.86
We look forward to a great celebration of thanksgiving and fellowship.
FLOWER FESTIVAL
Flowers purchased by Church Member
(34.62)
Printing Costs
(190.00)
Flowers purchased by Wirral Flower Club
(960.21)
Food and associated sundries
(142.07)
Advertising
(108.96)
Steve Cooper - Circuit Manager (1435.86)
Beryl
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Irby Methodist Church
Wives & Friends Society On the 17th June Wives and Friends held their AGM with a buffet lunch to follow. 32 members joined us and the afternoon commenced with the business meeting. Ruth highlighted the previous year’s programme which was varied and entertaining. We commenced in September with a talk on Victorian poisonings and finished in May with a talk on Ferry Families. Ferry Families was our charity of the year. Following the business meeting we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch prepared by the Committee. We followed this by an entertaining game which challenged us to price everyday items such as dishcloths and teabags.
Surprising how many of us over-estimated the correct prices. Lucky guesses resulted in winning the items. After a short quiz the raffle was drawn then members had the opportunity to catch up on each other’s news. Ruth reminded everyone that the Fish & Chip Walk takes place on July 11th meeting outside the church at 6.30 pm. Those attending supper only to arrive at 7.30 pm.
Irby Methodist Church
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES Sunday:
Morning Worship
10.30 - 11.30
Monday:
Funday Sunday Rainbows
10.30 - 11.30 18.00 - 19.00
Guides
19.00 - 20.30
Toddlers (School term time)
09.30 - 12.00
Women’s Fellowship (alternate weeks)
14.00 - 16.00
Badminton
20.00 - 22.00
Toddlers (School term time)
09.30 - 12.00
Brownies
18.00 - 19.30
Thursday:
Pilates not a church run class, it is an external hirer. Wives & Friends (Monthly - 2nd Thursday)
10.00 - 11.00 20.00 - 22.00
Friday:
Lunch Club (Joyce Edgar 648-3431)
11.00 - 15.00
Country Dancing (alt weeks Sept - May)
20.00 - 22.00
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Saturday:
-
Our 2019/20 season commences on September 12th with a talk on Riding for the Disabled.
We look forward to a varied and enjoyable programme of events in the coming year. New members are always welcome and we meet in the Church Hall each second Thursday at 8.0 pm.
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Angela
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Irby Methodist Church
Irby Methodist Church
WIRRAL METHODIST CIRCUIT FAMILY – Praying together for Kingdom Growth – PRAYER DIARY July 2019 We honour the faithfulness Worship: Pray that we will let the Holy Spirit take control of our worship Prayer focus
Service: Pray for our churches’ involvement in community activities.
Learning, Caring and Discipleship: Let daily Bible reading and prayer give light for our paths each day.
Evangelism: We pray for a new sense of urgency about inviting people to meet Jesus.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Conference Sunday worship is led by our new President - Rev Dr Barbara Glasson, and Vice-President Prof Clive Marsh.
1st Pray for all who are at the Methodist Conference and also continuing patience in our wait for news of a new Prime Minister.
2nd Thank God for all the Wirral FUSS & FUPS volunteers gearing up for another very busy summer period.
3rd On the feast of St Thomas allow God to use His ways to answer doubts and fears.
4th Pray for all who work with children and all involved with the after-school Lego Church at Little Neston today.
5th Ask God to bless St Luke’s Kidz Klub and the Sunday evening Youth Café for secondary school age children.
6th Ask God to bless Neston Village Fair Prayer Tent and “Open the Book” from 1 p.m. and 13/7 Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast.
7th Ask God to bless Hope Farm New Song Café (7 p.m.) that draws so many to worshipping together.
8th Pray for all Christians who are involved in varied forms of chaplaincy work.
9th Give God thanks for the high regard in which the people of Woodchurch estate hold Woodchurch Methodist Church.
10th Give thanks for the acts of mid-week worship each Wednesday at 1pm this month at our Circuit Centre.
11th Pray that our Biblereading habits will lead us down paths of peace and awareness of the needs of others in our world.
12th Give thanks for the efforts of everyone who works to promote peace, including Corrymeela Community in Northern Ireland.
13th Ask God to bless the hospitality at St Luke’s for all the “Liverpool Nightrider” participants through the night.
Seeking to ensure that our faith is translated into action
14th Give thanks for Action for Children Sunday, Sea Sunday & Claremount Messy Church (4 p.m.)
15th Pray for all who work in the overstretched emergency services and their families.
16th Thank God for the Christian witness of Trinity Ellesmere Port serving a needy community.
17th Pray for muchneeded rest and recreation for our very busy lay and ordained Circuit staff
18th Ask God to bless all who are involved with after-school Lego Church at Neston M.C. today.
19th School summer holidays: pray for the children, their families and their teachers and support workers.
20th Thanksgiving Service at Moreton MC (6 p.m.) for Rev Ann, Rev Kim, Nic LangtonMiller and Rev Ruth.
Counting the blessings individuals bring to others
21st Pray for all who are leading worship, providing music, preaching and acting as welcoming stewards today.
22nd We pray for our divided country, as we acknowledge the shame of widespread inequality and injustice.
23rd Pray for all parents struggling to feed their children in school holidays, and unable to buy clothes for them..
24h Claremount 1-3 p.m. “Open Doors” letter-writing support for Christians facing persecution needs our prayers.
25th Pray for Rev Ann Rigby-Jones and her husband Paul as they uproot from Heswall and face new challenges after their witness here.
26th Give thanks for the Neston Shoppers’ Service and for Food and Friends and also What's the point? at St Luke’s Hoylake.
27th Pray for all families going on holiday to experience safe journeys and to find rest and enjoyable recreation.
Making a difference through serving others
28th Ask God to bless Group 5 Holy Communion and Faith Lunch with Rev Ann Rigby-Jones at Neston M.C.
29th Pray for the St Luke’s church holiday starting today at “Thornleigh” and all who provide Christian holidays.
30th Ask God to bless all the volunteers preparing for Christian holiday clubs in our circuit and elsewhere.
31st Pray for Rev Kim Goh and his wife Mary settling into life in Chesterfield and for all others at this stage in their lives.
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” 2 Corinthians 5:`7-21
Seeking to be Spirit-filled followers of Jesus
Willingness to recognise the need to deepen our faith
The challenge to us is not only to be prepared to speak to others about what our faith in Jesus means to us but to live distinctively so that our life styles and actions show our commitment to care for others, to care for the environment and to work for real justice and peace.
Please note the closing date for sending prayer requests for the August Prayer Diary to daveandave@talktalk.net is Monday, 22nd July.
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Irby Methodist Church
Irby Methodist Church
Proposed Projection System - A view from a Church Member Dear Friends, I have thought and prayed about this for for many weeks before our Church Meeting on June 16th. Unfortunately ( or perhaps fortunately!!) both Graham and I will be away on holiday when the next church Council Meeting is held on July 9th so I thought I would like to share some of my thinking. Whilst I can see many positive reasons for going forward with the plane to install a system to enable us to project images, video clips etc as a worship tool I am struggling to understand why we need it, by which I think I mean whether it is right for our church, whether we are going to be able to make full or adequate use of it and who is going to be committed to operate it. As I understand it the commitment will be 2-3 hours of ones time to communicate with the preacher or worship leader regarding what images, video clips etc they may wish to use, to programme the laptop with the full order of service and to run through it to check all is in the right order, and be available on the Sunday morning to switch on before the service and run it. This level of commitment is needed on a regular basis and must therefore require a rota of competent reliable people. As we appear to have some difficulty in filling a rota to make and serve tea and coffee after worship the confidence in there being a rota of people to operate a projection system is not very high Just because every other church has this equipment, which I would dispute, does not mean that it is what Irby Methodist Church needs. Our membership is ageing and few enough of us have the required technical skills. if we are going to continue our presence in Irby in service and witness in the community we need to consider how many of us, my own family included, will be around to worship in this church in 10, 20 years time. Will any tech system by itself ensure a continuity of people able and willing to carry the church forward into the next decades? I think maybe we should concentrate on what we are as a church, on what are our strengths whilst recognising our weaknesses and make the best of what we can do without placing extra burdens of responsibility on an ageing, if also enthusiastic and caring membership. I fully appreciate that my comments will not be in line with the views of many church members but after prayerful consideration I do feel it is necessary that all views should be expressed, heard and debated so that together we can ensure our resources are fully committed in whatever ways we can best continue to be a Methodist presence in the community which is Irby Yours prayerfully
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Margaret Griffiths
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Irby Methodist Church
Irby Methodist Church
Monthly Charity Appeal £18.30 was raised in June for Women’s Fellowship have one more meeting on Tuesday July 16th with a Garden Party at the home of Barbara and Calvin Wood, 8 Roslin Rd, Irby at 2.0 pm.
Methodist Homes for the Aged
July/August Charities of the Month There will be no meeting in August, so if you are away on holiday or resting at home do have a wonderful time. We start our new programme on Tuesday 17th September at 2.0 pm. As soon as our programme is put together we will let our members have their copy. A very warm welcome awaits you. God Bless. Jean Brookes (President)
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Irby Methodist Church
Irby Methodist Church
Funday Sunday
Summer Word Scramble
Dates for 2019 January - 6th, 20th February - 3rd, 17th March 10th, 24th
BECHA
April 21st, 28th
MANIRLBG
May 12th, 19th
CIEECRAM
June 9th, 23rd
NMGISMIW
July 7th, 21st
CPIICN
August
NVCTIOAA
September 8th, 29th
SWURENOLF
October 13th, 20th
ROMEWATENL
November 10th, 24th
SCESNTDAAL
December 1st, 15th, 22nd
HTAE
We plan to meet on these dates. Some may change due to unforeseen circumstances. Pet Service is May 12th. Toy Service is December 1st. Harvest date will be added later.
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BOIGATN POLO
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Irby Methodist Church
Irby Methodist Church
Toddlers AGM will be held on Wednesday July 10th in the Church Hall at 10.0 am. Please helpers come if you can as this is an important meeting. Toddlers re-open their doors on Tuesday 3rd September and Wednesday 4th September. Auntie Jean looks forward to seeing new and familiar faces after a wonderful summer break. Thank you Jean Brookes (Leader) ARMENIAN NUTMEG SLICE Margaret Higginson made this for the Flower Festival and was asked many times for the recipe. Here it is. 2 cups (8 oz) brown sugar 2 cups (8 oz) SR flour 4 oz butter 3/4 cup (6 fl oz) milk 5 ml spoon (1 teaspoon) bi carb 1 medium egg 5 ml (1 teaspoon) nutmeg pre heat oven to 375C line (9 x 13 in) tin (optional) Combine sugar, flour, butter. Press half mixture into a tin ( 9 in x 13 in) Dissolve soda in milk, add egg and nutmeg and mix with remaining mixture Mix well then pour over mixture in tin Bake in moderate oven for 1 hour
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Irby Methodist Church
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Irby Methodist Church
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Irby Methodist Church
Irby Methodist Church
Forthcoming Preachers Intercessional Prayers July 7th
Rev Kim Goh
July 14th
Mr Calvin Wood – Infant Dedication of Myles
July 21st
Rev Margaret Fletcher
July 28th
Rev Vivienne Gasteen - Communion
Aug 4th
Mrs Judith Stelfox
Aug 11th
Mr Colin Brown
Aug 18th
Mr John Crowther
Aug 25th
Rev Margaret Fletcher (Communion)
Let us give thanks for:
Daphne Fraser-Bell
Astrid Brookes
- recent visitors
Safe arrival of great-grandson for Jean on her birthday.
Jean who is making good progress.
Remembering those who are ill, anxious or bereaved:
Joan Short who is seriously ill and remember her husband John (see Wendy)
United Evening Services Please pray for:
July 7th
West Kirby Methodist - Final service for Rev Kim Goh led by Rev George Palmer
Aug 4th
Irby Methodist - led by Calvin Wood
Heavenly Father, when we’re tempted to feel despondent, when our lives seem dreary or dull, and the world around us looks fragile and forlorn, surprise us with your Spirit. Challenge us to stop, listen and look again: to see a world transformed by your love, a people bearing your divine image, and a new day, open to all the rich possibilities of your infinite, amazing grace. Amen.
AND ALL OTHERS KNOWN TO US WHO NEED OUR PRAYERS AT THIS TIME
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From the Editor: If you would like to have an item included in our Newsletter it must get to me just after the service on the last Sunday of the month. Contact me by phone or email ( 0151-648-7671 roy@royfisher.co.uk ) Roy
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