Church News
Beryl Bryer, Brenda Dodsworth, Colleen Scruton and Norma Trotter have been feeling too well of late.
Winnie Outhwaite has had a short stay in hospital.
We hope you will all be well soon.
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Thanks
Thanks to all for thinking of me and sending such lovely Christmas and birthday cards.
Bless you,
Winnie Outhwaite
More Thanks
Winnie, Eileen and I would like to thank all the people who came to sing carols for us.
It was very much appreciated, as we had not been able to be at the Carol Service and Christingle at Church.
Margaret Senior
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Congratulations
Congratulations to Jenny and David Hardcastle on the arrival of another granddaughter, Evie!
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Sympathy
We were sad to learn of the death of Alix Jakeman on Sunday January 24th. Alix, at 86, was just two weeks short of her 87th birthday.
Along with her late husband Geoff, she was a member of our church for a number of years; their late daughter Jennifer, who died much too early (as the result of an accident), was involved in junior church (or Sunday school, as it was then known). Alix and Geoff presented a lectern in her memory, which now stands on the communion table.
She was unable to get to church for some time for after the death of her husband, Alix had to leave the family home at Wainfleet Road and become a resident in Waldernheath on Cornwall Road.
Alix used to work at the National Children’s Home and also at Richard Taylor School. She was very fond of the children.
She used to look forward to the mini bus trips organised by Bob Heathcote. They called themselves the ‘Happy Wanderers’ and, I am told, Alix would be the one to buy sweets, or the ice-creams when they called at Ripley, on the way home.
We send our deepest sympathy to Alix’s sister Edith (Tigs) who will miss her very much.
Alix will be remembered with affection as a quiet lady and she will be missed.
Brenda Parker
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Ladies Fellowship
On Monday 8th February we have a morning of reflexology with Jo, who is one of our own members and she is going to explain all about it. So, if you would like to learn more, just come along and join us at 10:30 am.
For Monday 22nd we are asked to bring along a photograph of ourselves when we were a child and we will have a game of ‘Guess Who’. Also that same morning we are to have a quick visit from Deborah Thornton, who will tell us how we can get library books, audio-books and tapes delivered to our homes – very useful for the housebound.
Brenda Parker
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Bilton Grange United Reformed Church
Annual Beetle Drive
Our annual Beetle Drive this year will be on February 20th; later than usual due to other commitments, but this won’t make any difference to a good fun night!
Hope to see you there!
That is: Saturday February 20th at 7:00pm. Tickets £2 and £1 for children, including refreshments. These will be available shortly.
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Race Night – With A Difference!
Saturday 20th March 2010.
Bilton Grange United Reformed Church Hall
6pm Start
Tickets are:
£3.00 for adults
£2.00 for children
Including a ‘Spud and Pud’ supper
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Women’s World Day Of Prayer
Friday 5th March 2010
‘Let everything that has breath praise God’.
A service prepared by women of Cameroon.
All welcome – Men, women and young people
Speaker: Rev. Sue Pearce
2:00pm – Bilton Grange URC
Speaker: Rev. Jan Cheeseman
7:30pm – St. John’s Church
Collective Terms
Unfortunately, I only received one response to the ‘Collective Terms’ challenge I set last month.
In the same way we get a flock of birds, or a shoal of fish, I asked what we might call a group of Christians…
June Blackband responded with a number of suggestions: a Flock, Exaltation, Servanthood, Communion, Salvation, Following, Pilgrimage, Covenant or Community of Christians.
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Lent Series 2010 Advance Request
At the Bilton Churches Together meeting last week it was proposed that we use the York Course for 2010 ‘When I Survey ….’. This material which comes with an audio tape and group discussion material works well in small home groups. We would like to make this an ecumenical five week course by arranging mixed groups of people from all of our church backgrounds. To make this work we will need volunteer hosts/venues from each of our churches for the five sessions through Lent. We will also need volunteer group leaders. We would hope to run maybe 4 house groups/different venue groups at different times through Lent. Please consider whether you could offer your home – at a time to suit yourself over the five weeks of Lent (last week of Feb through to end of March). And please also consider whether you could lead a group. No one is expected to host and lead. Any offers to be passed please to Roberta, Shaun or Rosemary before January 18th. We plan to have a joint meeting for everyone interested in joining a group on 8th February 2010 at a joint meeting at Bilton Area Methodist at 7.30pm to share prayer/worship and introduce hosts/venues/groups (and practice eating pancakes in preparation for Shrove Tuesday!)
Do you have any old or broken necklaces? Are there unwanted beads, pearls, or other similar trinkets taking up space in your house? We can help! The children will be making new bracelets and such-like from them for inclusion in the ‘Operation Christmas Child’ shoeboxes. If you have any unwanted beads, please bring them in.
Brenda P.
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REQUEST
If on your travels you come across catchy slogans or sayings that would be suitable for our outside notice boards, why not make a note of them and pass them on to David Hardcastle. They could be outside another Church or wherever. - Thanks
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COVENANTING
Do you know that if you put money in the church plate and you are a tax payer, we can claim 28p in the pound back? It doesn't have to be a specific or regular amount. If you are willing to give us your permission to do this - at no extra cost to you - please have a word with Norma.
All contributions are confidential.
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SINGING GROUP
The singing group meet on a Thursday evening at 7.15pm and new members (singers or instrumentalists) would be welcome - no auditions required just enthusiasm.
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APPEAL
Every year Harrogate Hospital and Community Friends get requests from both hospital wards and community health teams for assistance in buying equipment that will benefit patients both in hospital and at home. Recent purchases have varied widely from small pieces of equipment such as easy access examination couches, wheelchairs etc., to much larger and more technical equipment.
Recently only about one quarter of requests have been able to be funded. With the amalgamation of the Primary Care trusts in this area, Harrogate district has incurred a huge debt through no fault of its own and is subject to funding constraints.
Because of this the Friends have decided to step up the fundraising efforts and under this initiative several local auction houses have offered help and will auction donated items on the Friends' behalf for no fees or greatly reduced fees.
Committee member, Brenda Dixon, hopes to hear on 01423 863378 from people with suitable items for auction: e.g. clocks, pictures, mirrors, jewellery, small items of furniture or even larger items if they meet current safety requirements.
Please, when you are spring-cleaning this year, look in your cupboards and see if you have anything to donate. If you do, please contact Brenda Dixon to arrange collection.
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YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU
Have you any skills/talents that we can use? Musical/admin/social/teaching/miscellaneous? Can you do any of the following: -
greet people at the door/ make the tea/ provide and or arrange the
church flowers/ sing or play a musical instrument/ help in Junior
church or the creche/ read a passage from the Bible?
Would you like to join any of our mid-week groups? We'd love to have you. Ladies Fellowship - Mondays / Home Group - Tuesdays/ Prayer group - Wednesdays.
What about getting involved in the following?
Social and Publicity/ Mission/ Fabric & Finance of the Church.
If you have an interest/ experience of any of the above please 'don’t hide your light under a bushel', get involved. Just because things look like they are happening doesn't mean that new input isn't needed. You could be just the person to make that difference!
Interested? Speak to Norma or Colleen.
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Notice
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