Hello! Welcome to the Anniversary edition celebrating 175 years of St James’ Church. This month is jam packed full of memories, photos and tributes to St James’ Church, including letters from past vicars. If you’re not familiar with the Church then have a look and take trip through time.
However, it is not just about the anniversary there is an update from the Foodbank and don’t miss out on what’s been happening at St Mary’s. Learn about the Virtual Crisis coffee morning Meltham Shoebox Appeal!
The #Meltham shoe box warehouse at St James’ Church Meltham Mills is now open to receive your gift filled shoe boxes!
This season please consider giving a few practical gifts, all wrapped up in hope, that will bring a little bit of Christmas sparkle and joy into a child’s life.
Every year the charity Teams4U sends Christmas shoeboxes, packed full of love and hope, to children in deprived communities overseas. Since their first appeal in 2013, T4U have given over 221,000 shoeboxes, spreading a bit of the magic and joy of the Christmas season.
“Every shoebox contains a memory, one that over the years they will remember and treasure. Each box tells the child ‘someone, somewhere, cares for you, has thought of you.”
In these challenging times, whilst the world is reeling from the effects of the pandemic, children everywhere are struggling without school, without friends, and some, even, without toys or something to do. For these children, in orphanages or living in the most marginalised communities, this pandemic has made the world an ever bleaker and desperate place.
“Christmas is coming, whether we’re there for these children or not. But, I think, right now we need to be more present for them. Now is the biggest need.”
How can you help? Teams4U say each gift is like a Christmas stocking in a shoebox – an assortment of essential items such as stationery for school, toiletries, winter woollies, hair accessories etc. plus a few small toys and sweets. You can drop these off at the following drop-off points: Crossroads Shop. Meltham. St. James’ Church Meltham Mills.
The charity requests a small monetary donation of £2.50 in addition to each shoebox to help support the costs of transportation.
For more information on the Shoebox Appeal and to find your nearest drop-off point please call T4U’s regional coordinator for West Yorkshire. Meltham Shoe box 07954784317
Unable to make a box yourself: This year, in addition to accepting donated shoeboxes, T4U have a Sponsor-a-Box scheme and for £15 will make up a gift on your behalf. Visit their website www.teams4u.com or ring their office to learn more: 01978 310110.
Thursday the 15 October, was the feast day of St Teresa of Avila.
“Pray as you Go” a short daily offering of worship can be followed online and it offers an introduction, Bible reading, Thought for the Day followed by a conclusion and prayer.
So, on the 15th Christine and I heard the Community of Taizé singing in Spanish, ‘Nada te Turbe’. The words are taken from one of St Teresa of Avila’s most famous sayings: “Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience wins all things. They lack nothing who possess God. God alone is enough.”
This saying of St Teresa is worth keeping in mind as we pray today. It is worthy of holding before us as we go about our daily lives.
A reading from the Letter to the Ephesians. Ephesians 1:3-10
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
This is beautiful prose and an astounding message. We know God loves every person and even ‘all things.”
God loves everything in the Universe. God loves every star, every planet, every rock, every tree, every animal, every person. God loves you. You are utterly loved by God. You are so loved that God wants to spend eternity with you . . .
This can seem too good to be true and therefore difficult to take in.
Let this God look at you now with love
Consider how God loves all of Creation and wants to “gather up all things in Christ” …
Note how in the Letter to the Ephesians, Paul speaks of God’s Plan for those He loves, and wants to share Eternity with.
REFLECTION
In the quiet read through the sheet again and try to appreciate what is being claimed here.
What do you want to say to this God who loves all things and who loves you?
Let the Holy Spirit lead you into your conversation with God the Father.
Give thanks for all His Love and all His Spiritual Blessings that He pours out on us.
“Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience wins all things. They lack nothing who possess God. God alone is enough.”
A PRAYER PLEADING FOR HELP AS THE COVID VIRUS AFFECTS MORE AND MORE LIVES AS WE TRY TO GAIN CONTROL
Show us that you are here Lord, that you have not abandoned us to our fate.
Show us you are not blind to our needs or deaf to our entreaties.
Show us that, though everything seems to suggest otherwise, you are with us in this crisis we are facing- that we are not alone.
Show us, above all, that we matter to you; that you care about what so many are going through; that you are hurting with us, weeping with us and reaching out to us, seeking to help, to hold and to heal. Amen
Let us Pray for our community and all the good will in supporting one another.
Also let us Pray for those involved with the Food Bank, and pray for those known to us who need our prayers.
Read all about it! Read all about it! Find out all that happened in 2019 across the Parish of Meltham, Christ the King. Please read the report which covers all our 4 churches before the APCM on Wednesday. There’s a lot goes on!
Please pray for the Vicar and all those who have worked hard keeping things going in our churches and that others will also come forward and offer to service in the various offices – remember, YOUR church needs YOU!
The service tomorrow will be in church or on zoom. The zoom
link is below.
NOTE after the service we will be having a short meeting
regarding the church heating and decorating. You are all invited to stay on for
the meeting but it’s also fine to leave us after the service/chat time.
As you will have guessed, we are unable to hold the ‘Crisis’ coffee morning in St. James’ Church this year. However, we know that some people have been preparing for it from January. So, at the Crossroads pop up shop on November 7th we will be selling handmade crafts and Mandy’s gift baskets and sweets.
Additionally, we have set up a ‘Just Giving’ page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-whiteley4. You could have coffee and a slice of cake on November 28th (you may even be able to meet up with a friend) and have a virtual coffee morning and donate or you can, of course, donate at any time.
Jean Burhouse has kindly made the following offer to raise money for ‘Crisis’:
Box containing a rich fruit Christmas loaf and a dozen mince pies for £15. Happy to take up to 10 or 12 orders.
Also 3 tray bakes (each of 12 pieces) to be delivered at intervals of choice for £20 happy to take up to 5 orders.
Mandy Taylor has kindly made the following offers to raise funds for ‘Crisis’.
TayTrans Ltd will donate 12 Bottles (5 Orders)
3 Bottles of Red, 3 Bottle of White, 3 Bottles of Rose, 3 Bottles of Prosecco
All good quality wines = £60.00 per 12 bottles (5 orders)
TayTrans will donate 6 Cases (5 Orders)
3 Cases of Lagers, 3 Cases of Beers
All good quality = £30.00 per 6 Cases (5 orders)
If you would like to order some baking or alcohol, please email me at alisonwhiteley@ntlworld.com
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) will take place on Wednesday 28th October at 7pm in St Bartholomew’s Church, #Meltham (subject to social distancing etc.) This meeting would usually take place by the end of April but has been delayed due to the Covid pandemic. Due to this there has been a special measure granted by Bishop Nick to additionally allow people to attend the meeting online via Zoom. There is also an option to participate via telephone using these details below: Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7595196115?pwd=d3NhNFVOaWR4RVk2QWswd1QvZ2xNdz09
NOTES ON THIS YEARS APCM Due to our new constitution we will be holding our elections differently this year than we have in the past.
All Church Wardens must be Elected (2 for each Parish Church serving a 1-year term of office) at the Annual Meeting of Parishioners which will be a short meeting held before the APCM. This is only for the purpose of electing Church Wardens and so it will start at 7:00pm with the main meeting/APCM beginning immediately afterwards.
12 people
will be elected to the Parochial Church Council (PCC). This will mean 3 members per Church. We would normally
elect a third of the membership each year. Therefore, one third of those
elected will serve one year (until the end of the next APCM), one third will
serve 2 years, and one third will serve 3 years. In this case the length of
office for each member elected will be decided by the drawing of lots.
4
representatives of the parish will be elected for the Deanery Synod, this will mean 1 representative per
Church. As this is the year in which we would normally be electing Deanery
representatives they will serve for a full 3-year term.
6 people will be elected from each Church to be representatives on their own Parish Church Steering group. These steering groups will assist the PCC and Vicar in furthering the mission of the Church. There would normally be 2 new representatives elected each year. Therefore, one third of those elected will serve one year (until the end of the next APCM), one third will serve 2 years, and one third will serve 3 years. In this case the length of office for each member elected will be decided by the drawing of lots.
If you wish to stand for election to any of these offices, please fill out a nomination form in advance of the meetings.
21 “Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.22 Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?23 “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll,24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on] lead, or engraved in rock forever 25 I know that my redeemer] lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth]26 And after my skin has beendestroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Job is the richest of all the peoples around, with family, herds of animals, servants. He was fair and just in all his dealings, and righteous in the sight of God. In the story the accuser Satan has patrolled the earth watching all that is going on. The Lord asks Satan “have you noticed my servant Job he is the finest in all the world. He is blameless – a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. Wiley Satan gains access from God to remove His protection and allow Satan to test Job in a whole series of calamities.
Job loses everything but remains Righteous. At the loss of his family Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worshipand said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
Job is suffering, even though he knows he has done nothing wrong. Yet he doesn’t lose his trust in God’s loving care.
REFLECTION
Does what we have read about Job recall any testing times that we might have experienced in our own life?
The name that Job gives to God, “my Redeemer” literally means – something like the one who releases hostages or lets those in prison go free.
Where might you, or those close to you, need a Redeemer like this?
Job speaks of a God who is on His side in his discussion with those who sought to help him. Do you know that feeling at all; the feeling of having God on your side? What’s that like?
Think also about the Testing Time the world is experiencing at present remembering all the disruption and loss through the Coronavirus. Add to your thoughts the fact that there will possibly be no Trade agreement with Europe in the New Year.
A Prayer by Thomas Merton – Sent in by Daphne Green.
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will, does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the Shadow of death: I will not fear, , for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”
A word from the book of Job
“ I know that my Redeemer lives”
Job 19.23
Let us continue to pray for the work of the Crossroads Shop, Crossroads Centre and Meltham Food Bank.
Let us also continue to pray for the work of Teams4U and Meltham Shoebox volunteers as they prepare to send Shoeboxes to children in Eastern Europe.
And let us remember the work of CRISIS – the national organization for the homeless. As mentioned previously we cannot this year hold our CRISIS coffee morning due to Covid but gifts will be on sale in the Church Hall at the Crossroads Pop Up Shop on 7th November. If you would like to donate to the work of CRISIS there has also been set up a giving page where you can give your donation https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-whiteley4
The Live stream was not possible today as the mobile phone network in #Meltham was down. Here is an updated link for the service now it has been uploaded afterwards: https://youtu.be/ZRIbDJh3Alo
