Walton Ave
South Harrow
MIDDX
HA2 8QU
News
Love and greetings!
I give thanks and praise to God for you; trusting in God’s goodness, mercy and love. May we grow in faith and abound in love for God our father and mother is Love. Love is the essence of believers in Jesus the Christ; love is the bond that unites God’s people across the world; love is the hand that extends beyond the family of God.
Love is at the heart of the Christian message. The apostle John writes, ‘For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16). Jesus is God’s love personified; the testimony of God’s love for us.
Jesus loves and welcomes all who come to him and never turns anyone away. He reaches out to those who need him and commands us to love as he loves us. Jesus loves us to the point that he willingly gave his life for us. He did not resist arrest but expressed his love for his enemies by healing one of his captors who lost an ear when Peter tried to protect him. He did not defend himself at his trial but allowed himself to be flogged, led out in shame and crucified. ‘There is no greater love’, he said, ‘than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’ (John 15:13). In love he laid down his life and in love he took it up again that we might live - his death and resurrection brought us life.
We may never be required to literally lay down our lives for our friends but genuine love should motivate our actions. Our love for God and for each other would be tried and tested and the depth determined by our actions. Our ‘I love you; I care about you’ should be genuine and consistent with our actions. Our place of worship should be a place where all are made welcome and able to sense not only God’s love but our love for each other; a place where sacrifices are made for the benefit of others that they too may experience God’s mercy and love, and grow in faith. A place where we come together as a people that have received God’s mercy, forgiveness, love and new life in Jesus Christ to celebrate the fact that Jesus our saviour lives and reigns forever.
We will be running a couple of training days to help us think of how best we can welcome and care for each other in love. They are open to all interested but are especially for Stewards and Welcomers, Pastoral Visitors and House Group leaders/ representatives. If you desire to see the church become more welcoming in words and action; if you would love to make New Comers feel at home among us and perhaps those that might have been attending for sometime regardless of background or ability; if you are interested in caring and supporting others then you are most welcome to attend. Look out for the information in the newssheet and come along to the one that best suits you or to all and let’s share experience and learn together.
Bearing in mind that we love because God first loved us, let’s reach out in love to others. As we have received freely, let us give freely and generously.
Peace and Love
Rev Rita King
Supplement to ‘In Touch’
Are you part of a House Group? If not, why not make that a commitment this year and be part of group where you learn, support and care for each other. We are disciples on a journey and it is better to travel together. “Two are better than one”, says the teacher, ‘because they have good return for their labour: If they fall down, they can help each other up” (Eccl.4:9-10).
I am looking at starting a joint study group at the manse at 8.00 pm on alternate Thursday nights. All interested are invited to an initial meeting on the 16th of February. If you cannot make it, you are most welcome on 19th April when it starts or at any subsequent meeting.
Also the season of Lent is fast approaching. The baby born at Christmas, now a man, prepares to serve the human race he came to rescue and ultimately die for. It is always a blessing to journey with our Lord and Saviour Jesus during this remarkable season on the Christian calendar. We start the season with a service of Holy Communion at 8.00 pm on Ash Wednesday, 22nd February at South Harrow Methodist church. During the Lenten Season there will be a joint weekly Lenten study in the coffee lounge for five weeks, starting at 8.00 pm on Thursday 1st March. We will be using this year’s York Course entitled ‘Handing on the Torch’. The booklet cost £3.75 per copy. Please let Coral or Hilary know whether you would like a copy by mid February so that we can get them on time. I would like as many of us as possible to share the time exploring God’s word and building each other up. When we journey with Jesus during Lent, Easter can bring a new perspective and be more meaningful.
If you can attend but do not think you want or can buy the booklet, please do not let that put you off. Come and let’s learn and grow together. Jesus promised that whenever we come together in his name he will be there. We can be certain that his intention is to bless us. Come and be blessed and be a blessing.
Peace and Love
Rev Rita
THE LORD’S PRAYER
You cannot say the Lord’s Prayer and even once
say “I”,
You cannot say the Lord’s Prayer and even once
say “my”,
Nor can you say the Lord’s Prayer and not pray
for another,
For when you ask for daily bread you must
include your brother,
For others are included in each and every plea,
From beginning to end of it, it does not once
say “me”
Anon
POEM FOR LIFE
Money will buy –
A bed, but not sleep,
Books, but not brains,
Food, but not appetite,
Finery, but not beauty,
A house, but not a home,
Medicine, but not health,
Luxuries, but not culture,
Amusement, but not happiness,
A church, but not heaven.
Found in a church magazine in Yorkshire, author unknown
AND SO IT CAME TO PASS
Recently I was helped to compile a family history tree and in doing so, became very aware of names and occupations. My own father was one of 10 children all of whom survived into adulthood – quite a remarkable thing in those days of the late 1800’s – and Daisy (my wife) is the 7th child of a 7th child. Folklore has it that such a child can expect to be lucky – she was, she got me.
Amongst the factual importance of the historical information and detail of both families, there emerged quite an odd coincidental feature, relating to names and occupations. Our combined families could have provided the cast for any ‘Nativity Play’ one cared to have put on.
My ‘paternal’ Grandfather was called ‘Jos’ (Joseph)’ – he was a Joiner (Carpenter) by trade. (I have on the landing at home a beautiful Grandfather Clock which he made) and his wife was called ‘Mary Ellen’.
My maternal Grandfather was an Innkeeper (Golden Lion Inn, Stokesley) and to this day one can see the sign written over the Arch leading to the rear of the premises which reads “Stables Round the Back”. My Grandmother – the Innkeeper’s Wife - was a lovely warm hearted soul who, as in the real Christmas Story, would never turn anyone away without offering some sort of accommodation.
Daisy is the daughter of a farmer whose first name was David, so she, in essence came from the “House of David”. Her brother and brother-in-law were both Shepherds who, often in the severe winters, spent nights tending their sheep in the fields.
My cousin Doris married and became Mrs Wise. She had four sons oft referred to as “The Three Wise Men - with One to Spare” And last, but not least, my youngest grandson is called ‘GABRIEL’ – an Angel of sorts...
There you have it my friends, a cast worthy of any Nativity Play. Oh, I forgot to mention…. I have a dear friend called NOEL… I’ve never had a friend called Noel before, so he’s my... “First Noel”
Happy Christmas to you all
Mervyn
The most memorable Bible verse I ever heard shared before starting a mission was the miracle of Jesus’ feeding of five thousand people. If you focus, not on the people but on the boy, you have a person who looks at an impossible situation and says, ‘here’s what I can offer – take it and use it’ – and Jesus does, taking what he brings and transforming it to provide for the enormous, hungry crowd.
Going on a mission journey to
The garden and the street outside
I was part of a team of 12, all from different church backgrounds – Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, organised by members of 
together, working and praying to achieve something for God’s Kingdom. We were adding toilets and showers to a house which was sheltering about a dozen children including some AIDs orphans, making the lighting and electrics safe, fixing the leaking roof and erecting a fence and gates for added security.
Bit by bit, it came together. First the foundations for the new toilet block, dug deep,
then the roof – fiddly, hot and difficult. Then the clearing of the existing fence. I don’t think I have ever seen so much accumulated rubbish and overgrown plants – from tyres to barbed wire, 
bits of cars to glass, a guava tree to foot high grass, we cleared it away. Meanwhile, the electricians were working tirelessly inside, day after day, making the lights and sockets safe.
It was long and hard, frustrating at times, but it 
came together. One of the biggest joys was when the children came home from school each day. They were so bubbly and full of joy, despite their mended school uniforms and mismatched and worn clothes. To play together, to look after each other and to mess around with adults, singing, trying on sunglasses and taking pictures was a source of great excitement for them. 
Toilet block underway
Clearing the way for the fence
They lived in a house, sharing rooms and beds, with few places to store clothes or school equipment, some of them were ill with HIV themselves and the employment prospects were bleak for the future, yet they were full of life and joy. The whole house felt like a place of joy, where heaven touched earth.
Three moments stand out in my mind. The first was hearing that Thuli, the lady who ran the house and looked after the children, danced around the house with joy when she realised her roof no longer leaked in the rain. The second was when another lady asked me if I would leave any clothes I didn’t want with them at the end of the trip, bringing home to me just how poor they were and how the tiniest things helped. The third was praying with a little boy, whose joints were swollen with fluid and feeling a helplessness I have never before experienced, where the only thing that I could do in my ignorance and inadequacy was to throw myself on God’s mercy on behalf of this poor child and trust in His absolute power and desire to heal.
The fence went up, the toilets and showers 
were installed in a new block on the side of the house, the roof was repaired and the electrics made safe. In addition, we managed to clear and tidy the site, repair the kitchen table and purchase a new washing machine and cooker – God provides so much more when we offer what we have. I learnt to mix concrete, to put up a metal fence and saw elephants closer than anyone ever should, as well as 
having the privilege of getting to know some wonderful people from
My deepest thanks to my friends and family and to the church, all of 
whom supported me in this experience, through prayer and through donating money. It couldn’t have happened without you and it was a privilege to take part in this special trip. We really did make a difference, so thank you.
Catherine Wells
