Messy Church in Tansley
Today saw our first ever Messy Church. What FUN!
Not sure what, or who, to expect for our first ever Messy Church, we were absolutely delighted to welcome 24 children and their parents and carers this afternoon.
With a focus on Harvest and Creation, we were making miniature gardens, vegetable animals and people, vegetable and fruit prints, noise and outdoor art.
After an hour – which flew by in what seemed like ten minutes – the children went into church for a short (bible) story and some singing…. while the helpers did a quick room makeover and created a harvest laden dining room ready for our meal. Tonight we had wraps with all kinds of delicious fillings, followed by fresh fruit and yoghurts.
I could tell you loads more about what we did and the fun we had…. but they say a picture speaks a thousand words…. so here they are. The photos
A massive thank you to all of the children, their parents and carers for making Messy Church such a great success.
An equally massive thank you to all the organisers and helpers, for the same reason.
Finally a reminder that we are so looking forward to doing it all again with you on Wednesday 4th December, when the theme will be nativity based.
God Bless!
Tansley Raises Money for Toilet Twinning
Harvest Festival 2013 Raises Money for Toilet Twinning
2.5 billion people – that's 40% of the world's population – don’t have somewhere safe, clean and hygienic to go to the loo. The human impact of this scandalous stat is enormous: nearly one in five child deaths each year is due to diarrhea. The good news is you can help change this by twinning your toilet!
For people in poor communities, a hole in the ground is quite literally a life saver – protecting women from the risk of attack as they find somewhere private to squat, and shielding children from preventable diarrhoeal diseases. By twinning a toilet you'll be helping those who most need it access safe sanitation, clean water and hygiene education.
Thank you to Sylvia Norman for the toilet, flowers and church decoration. Superb as ever!
Harvest Festival in Tansley
This year we are celebrating Harvest during our two Sunday services
AT 10.30am and 6pm…. and with the launch of our first ever Messy Church
Harvest is a time to celebrate God's goodness… and to remember that not everyone has the same reasons to be grateful as us. Our charity this year is Toilet Twinning. Run by Tearfund and CORD Toilet Twinning aim to provide safe and hygenic toilet facilities to communities at risk of disease through lack of sanitation. A serious problem for about 2.5 billion people (around 40% of the world's population). Just £60 will help a village or community!
We are also looking forward to enjoying a joined-up Harvest Supper with our good friends and fellow Methodists at Matlook Moor. Pea and Pie Supper will be 6.30 for 7pm, Saturday 5th October. Booking is essential via Eileen Tutssel before 27 September. Please email us or comment on this article if you need Eileen's contact details.
A Bit of Background into Harvest Festival
The modern British tradition of celebrating Harvest Festival in churches began in 1843, when the Reverend Robert Hawker invited parishioners to a special thanksgiving service at his church at Morwenstow in Cornwall. Victorian hymns such as "We plough the fields and scatter", "Come ye thankful people, come" and "All things bright and beautiful" but also Dutch and German harvest hymns in translation helped popularise his idea of harvest festival and spread the annual custom of decorating churches with home-grown produce for the Harvest Festival service.
(source Wikipedia)
Let us take this time to remember we are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of God. He Reigns!
A Moments Silence
Lest We Forget
This year Remembrance Day fell on a Sunday. Churches all over the country will have taken time to pray for peace and remember those who lost their lives in war, as we did.
Disturbingly, there have been 150 major conflicts in the World since the 2nd World War ended in 1945. It was equally upsetting to hear that the World has only actually been at peace for 26 days during that entire time.
I am reminded of the words of Mahatma Gandhi – Be the change you want to see in the World
Harvest is Here, Thank You God
This weekend will see us celebrate the harvest with a supper on Saturday night, followed by two worship services and our circuit lunch on Sunday. But why do we celebrate the harvest?
Coast to Coast Walk, In Pictures
Walking across Britain, East to West
This past week Julie, Denise and Kath have been walking Coast to Coast.
Behind the scenes they have been supported by Julie's husband Steve. Cook, bottle washer, bag carrier and get away driver.
Their emotional journey started last spring. Whilst watching Comic Relief they were moved to act. Called to help the Kenyan people living in the Kibera slum… they wondered 'how'?
This walk is just part of the amazing money generating mission they've undertaken.
We are so proud of them.
Day 1 – They're off. Left to right – Julie, Denise and Kath
Day 2 – Still full of smiles. Left to right – Julie, Denise and Kath
Day 2 – Heaven field. Left to right – Julie and Denise
Day 3 – A few aches and pains. Left to right – Julie, Kath and Denise
Day 4 – Further along the trail than they thought they would be. Left to right – Denise, Julie and Kath
Day 5 – About to start another day. Rain, blisters and progress. Left to right – Denise, Julie and Kath
Day 5 – By the end of the day they are in Carlisle. Left to right – Denise, Julie and Kath
Day 6 – They've done it! Cheers! Left to right – Julie, Kath and Denise
Day 6 – The Finish Line. Julie's husband, Steve. The behind the scenes support to make it happen
All money raised is going to Kibera In Need to help alleviate poverty in the Kibera slum, Nairobi, Kenya. Approximately 800,000 people live within 2.5 kilometres and endure inadequate shelter and poor sanitation.
Houses are sheds with corrugated iron roofs, roads are tracks strewn with litter, sanitation is non existent and raw sewage spills over the pathways. The stench is overpowering and disease is rife.
Some 20% of children die before their fifth birthday and close to 60% of people living in the Kibera have HIV/AIDS.
Few have jobs.
Lives are short and high in misery, yet many people retain a sense of dignity and a desire to make something of their lives.
Please donate now if you're able. Julie is collecting money via her page on JustGiving.
God Bless!
Love Your Neighbour
Scripture says: ‘We are to love our neighbour as we love our self.’ But what happens when you don’t like yourself? Can you really love your neighbour when you dislike the person in the mirror? Or does self loathing explain the problems in the world today? Because we send our self-hatred ‘out there’.