keighley new church · 2020-06-24 · to receive the details, contact...
TRANSCRIPT
Newsletter July 2020
See update from Manorlands Hospice (page 11)
Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.
(Maya Angelou)
KEIGHLEY NEW CHURCH Founded 1789 BRAITHWAITE VILLAGE
Dedicated to the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ
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KEIGHLEY NEW CHURCH Braithwaite village, Braithwaite Road, Keighley BD22 6PX
(Please send all correspondence to the above address)
CONTACTS
Minister: Rev. Christine Bank Tel: 07928047253
email: [email protected]
Secretary: Mrs. Kathryn Higgins Tel: 07807 842109
email: [email protected]
Treasurer: Mr. Michael Pepper Tel: 01535 604111
Newsletter: Mrs. Janet Benson Tel: 07823776217
email: [email protected]
Hall Hire: Rev. Christine Bank Tel: 07928047253
email: [email protected]
The usual preaching plan and list of events will not be included in this
newsletter. There will however continue to be a newsletter. Any
contributions are always welcome and will be included where possible.
If you have any news items linked to church life, please send it as a ‘Word’ file if possible. [email protected]
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Church Services during the Coronavirus outbreak
In line with current guidance, the Church is closed for
services until further notice.
While we may not be in this building together each Sunday we can
continue our personal worship and prayer at home.
Please see our webpage
www.keighleynewchurch.org.uk
This is part of the website of the General Conference of the New
Church. (www.generalconference.org.uk)
The resources section of the General Conference website, includes
Home Worship; a Sunday by Sunday source of material for
personal or small group use from a variety of different contributors’
month by month. This resource may be useful during the coming
weeks and months, if you are unable to attend Church. If you would
like to receive Home Worship in the future (emailed every quarter)
then sign up at the following:
www.generalconference.org.uk/hwsignup
Revd Christine Bank is available at:
Telephone 079280 47253
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Please hold in your prayers all the people who are being
affected by Coronavirus and the health and support
workers who are endeavouring to care for them.
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Minister’s letter:
These past few weeks we’ve probably all had the time to look a little more closely at the natural world around us. For some this is a new experience; rushing around and being full on busy with all kinds of pressures and demands on our time and energy may keep us on the go with our thoughts full of the next activity or task awaiting our attention. A change of pace can be very beneficial. The idea of being close to God through the natural world is something that resonates with many and restrictions have limited our options for getting out and about recently. Finding pleasure and joy in our own personal patch of land or even indoors with houseplants brightens the daily life of many. The verse below comes from a longer poem called God’s Garden and these few words which capture the idea of the spiritual connection the natural world offers.
The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God’s heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth.
(Dorothy Frances Gurney 1858 – 1932) Looking around us in this late spring period we can’t miss the sense that new life is getting a firm foothold and after a dry spell the arrival of rain is reinvigorating the growth of just about everything – especially lawns which have an incredible habit of needing cutting far more often than most gardeners really prefer!
We know very well that the sense of being blessed and appreciating
what is happening can be felt personally and it does not depend on
those around us, it is something that we recognise for ourselves.
>>>>>>>
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Minister’s letter continued:
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus speaks of the way we need to live good lives and be considerate and kind even to those people we don’t like. He points out that even ‘bad’ people are nice to their friends so we should work to be better than that and treat everyone with kindness and gentleness. To make the point He highlights that God’s blessings reach everyone
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
(Matt 5:45) In this case the sun and the rain really refer to the Divine love and truth which come into the world and do reach each person. The difficulty is that not everyone uses these gifts wisely or for the benefit of other people. Being generous and kind is a choice people make, just as much as being bossy, greedy or selfish and over time the habits and choices of a lifetime set us in our pattern of life and within the ways we feel to be most comfortable for us. As plants mature and grow they reach new stages:
By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles?
(Matt 7:16) The same sun and rain (love and truth) has been received but the plants grow into very different things. Plants of course do not have a choice; they can only grow as they are. People on the other hand can decide and the gift of life is something we can enjoy and appreciate. It is important to learn the lessons and make sure we grow in the qualities which are heavenly to the best of our ability, with the help and guidance of the Lord who offers what we need and guides us towards finding life in all its fullness for ever. Much love Christine
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Keighley New Church
There is some roofing work taking place during June and July on the Church
roof, those near church may have noticed the scaffolding. Hopefully the
weather stays fine and not too windy so our problems with water coming into
church can be resolved.
The Church was emptied in preparation for the work
Empty Church
Chairs stacked safely in the Hall.
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Our Minister’s ‘new normal’ update
This past month has again been spent on the laptop and in virtual meetings.
Planning the Sunday worship with colleagues is still a large part of the week; it is lovely to see familiar Keighley faces joining in. A recent development is that we ask people to turn off their video for the service as this really helps ease the pressure on the bandwidth so everyone can see what is presented on the screen but we don’t overload the system. It really does mean your home and your activity stays private and there isn’t a distraction or self- consciousness about being in view to other people. The sound from individual homes is also turned off so no-one else’s domestic background noise intrudes into the shared time.
To receive the details, contact [email protected] who is sending out the joining information each week. There is no obligation to come along but we are finding that over 90 devices (computers/tablets/phones) do so each week.
Also, there is a new family service running monthly, the first one went well which is nice to know
Purley Chase update
Purley Chase has to wait for the guidance to the hospitality sector to assist with planning to reopen but the summer programme has been cancelled which means the children’s camps can’t take place. The Camp for the 9-12year olds has been part of my life for years and when we come back there will be ‘old ones’ who have moved into the teenage group and the excitement of those who will be old enough to come for the first time so we hope 2021 will be back with an energetic and lively summer programme.
Keeping the churches informed is going on through the General Conference website with E News and E Read and of course we are aware of having to make careful arrangements when we are able to reopen.
The New Church conference council minutes May 2020
These are available to view @ www.generalconference.org.uk
Residential Conference 2020
Very few people have booked to go to the residential conference 2020 because of the uncertainty of the health situation. Therefore, the Council has decided with great sadness to cancel this event. The necessary legal aspects will be dealt with separately.
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Books of the Bible puzzle There are sixteen books of the Bible hidden in the paragraph below. Can you find them all? I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. A certain Luke kept people looking so hard for facts, and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books were not capitalised. But the truth finally struck home to numbers of our readers. To others it was a job. We want it to be a most fascinating little moment for you. Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require Judges to help find them. I will quickly admit it usually takes the preacher to find one of them, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. See how you will compete. Relax now, for there really are sixteen books of the Bible in this paragraph.
Submitted by Phillip Brooks courtesy of the newsletter of his
local Combined URC/Methodist church
(Answers will be in August’s newsletter)
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More Unintentionally humorous sentences (by request)
Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin. Let us pray for all sick of the Church.
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New Church Websites
If you are looking for a deeper meaning about our daily lives or more
information about spiritual development based on the Bible, you may want to
browse the internet on these websites. These sites are trying to offer help in
understanding this world and the next. You may even find something useful
for your life or relationships with others.
www.newchristianbiblestudy.org
This new site was started in 2017 under the auspices of the Pittsburgh Society
of the New Church, and now carried forward by the New Christian Bible Study
Corporation, an online clearing house for people who are interested in the
Bible, not just in its powerful literal sense, but also in its inner, spiritual sense.
The theological underpinnings of this site are based on Emanuel Swedenborg's
religious works.
www.purleychasecentre.org.uk
This is our residential centre and although closed at the moment the website
will be updated to reflect the events and activities when the situation
changes.
www.spiritualquestions.org.uk
Throwing light on human happiness and the meaning of life by exchanging
spiritual questions and comments
www.generalconference.org.uk
This is the official site of The General Conference of the New Church, here you
will find copies of E-Read and E- News.
Guidance on reopening churches for private prayer and not for public worship
was still not firmed up by the time the newsletter was published. Rev C Bank
will give more details when available.
Future dates for ‘online’ Family Worship
Saturday July 11th, Saturday August 8th, Saturday Sept 12th
(All ages welcome ❤) 3.45pm for a 4pm start.
If you haven’t already, please email ‘subscribe to family services’ to
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Keighley New Church Banner
Earlier in the year we were reorganising our Church Hall and decided it would be
good to have this banner on display as part of our history. Before the lockdown it was
our intent to renew the history area periodically.
Hopefully when we can meet again this will continue. The last display was around
some of the history of the Church at its previous location in Devonshire Street
Keighley.
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“I mused for a few moments on which was worse, to lead a life so boring
that you are easily enchanted, or a life so full of stimulus that you are easily
bored”
Bill Bryson
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Update from Manorlands Hospice from Rev C Bank
• We have advertised for and would welcome any support from volunteers with a maintenance background. This is to help support our maintenance team around the grounds and buildings with minor repairs, equipment testing and checking and external maintenance. This could be short term help, but we are looking for longer term, if you are free. Strict social distancing and safety procedures are in place.
• We've been overwhelmed by the generosity of our local community over recent weeks and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported our Emergency Appeal. It means more than ever before and enables us to continue to be there when it matters most for those in the local community.
• With the ongoing uncertainty over our fundraising activities for the foreseeable future and no clear indication of when our shops might return to normal trading once reopened, we're anticipating a funding gap of £1.5million for this financial year. We're continuing to plan ahead for the future and look at new ways to raise vital funds, so your continued support to raise awareness of our ongoing need for support is very much appreciated.
• To volunteer or speak to fundraising contact the Hospice 01535 642308.
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Wanting help?
If you wish to know more about our church, or be baptised or
married here, if you need comfort in sorrow or advice on personal
problems, or want someone to pray with you, please ask and we
will do what we can.
You will be most welcome to join in our worship or other meetings
or receive a copy of our newsletter.
CONTACT – Rev Christine Bank Telephone 07928047253
What does the New Church believe?
In one wise and loving God, who manifests as the LORD JESUS
CHRIST, who shows us the Divine the qualities of love and wisdom.
Salvation means repeatedly being made new by opening our life to
God, turning away from our selfish tendencies, and living a life
guided by His Commandments.
The Bible is a symbolic parable of our inner life. It is to be
understood spiritually rather than literally.
We are given free-will and reason so that we can choose between
good and evil, truth and falsity, and we freely enter a state of heaven
or hell as a result of these choices.
After we die, as our true character emerges, we shall be with those
we love.