The following are extracts from "Take Notice" the monthly magazine for the Dore & Totley United Reformed Church for July/August 2008. If you would like to have a copy of the magazine please contact one of the secretaries

MUSE

WELCOME

I cannot think of a nicer introduction to the Summer edition of our magazine than to begin by welcoming the Reverend Shirley Knibbs as our new Group Minister.

The time seems to have flown since Shirley came to visit it us Palm Sunday weekend and responded so positively to the invitation by the whole of the South Sheffield Group to become our new minister. We hope she will be very happy here in Sheffield, working with us in sharing and spreading God’s love in our daily lives.

Currently, there has been some delay in arranging the exchange of contracts on the property we are seeking to acquire and, therefore, we cannot quote any address or telephone number. Our hopes are that Shirley will quickly be able to move into her new home. At the moment, Matthew 8:20 will not be amongst her favourite readings, so we would ask you to pray that arrangements might be quickly finalised and we can all relax and celebrate with her in her new home.

Shirley plans to have two weeks holiday in August after she has had a few weeks to settle in.

Richard Moffat

Dear Friends,

THE BONDS OF LIBERTY

David Davis’ decision to resign as a Conservative MP and seek the support of the electorate upon the 42 days detention clause certainly has caused a rumpus last week! Some admire him as a man of principle, some consider him egotistic, some members of his party are angry with him, his wife isn’t the least bit surprised by his act of bravado/madness and the great Andrew Marr has confessed to being puzzled about it (but only momentarily). The PR people with whom I share an office applauded the way in which he stole the winning headlines on Friday, which Gordon Brown had worked so hard to achieve in the aftermath of the vote.

Whatever your opinion, it seems to be a very courageous step to take! Even if, as he surely will, he is returned to Parliament as an independent, his future life in politics could well be the one- year wonder enjoyed by Martin Bell.

But his protest is made all the more amazing by the coincidence of the dates – didn’t the Prime Minister see this coming, to present the motion to the House just three days before the anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta? The sheer coincidence of the dates allowed me to drive family and friends into a frenzy of boredom as I expressed the hope David Davis did not share the same fate as Simon de Montfort, that other stalwart protector of our liberty who was a little ahead of his time.

But, behind the light-hearted banter, there is another thought I would like to share. On the one hand David Davis, a Conservative, is the first Member of Parliament to resign on a principle since Lord Carrington and, on the other; do you not find it strange that a socialist government, of all governments, should be driving us slowly and inexorably down a road which takes away many of the liberties and freedoms of the individual which we so prize in our nationhood?

I am sure the government is acting with the best of intentions, as their primary duty is to protect the people of this country, but it seems that international terrorism, violence in our streets and law breaking generally is encouraging government to pass more and more laws that dilute the values which we hold so dear and risk metamorphosis from protector into oppressor. Hence the redoubtable Mr Davis’ reference to Magna Carta.

Some Conservatives, on the other hand, are fearful David Davis’ actions will label their party as being “soft on terrorists” and New Labour are enraged that he is just being opportunistic.

What do you think? How should we think?

Liberties of the nation begin with liberty within the community and the individual. At the back of my mind there is the niggling recollection of picking up a large pebble during our Gold Mine Service thinking stones have all sorts of connotations in the Bible, from burdens, to building blocks to “let him who is without sin throw the first stone.”

Jesus tells us to think of others besides ourselves, to talk and learn from each other, to understand and, through understanding, to be tolerant and even compassionate. International terrorism is not necessarily our greatest threat. The breakdown in society, through alcohol abuse and street violence, must also be a major concern to us all. In modern parlance we are talking in terms of community – and, on a recent Channel 4 News discussion programme built around knife carrying, the participants, mainly Afro Caribbean, spoke of our needing to begin building “family” anew, because families are at the heart of communities and our communities are the heart of our nation.

So there we have it!

Right on our doorstep. That’s where we continue the work we have always striven to do – reaching out to our community, looking at their changing needs and trying to match them as best we can.

Oh, sorry. I almost forgot! Being Afro Caribbean, the panellists also mentioned faith playing an important part.

Richard Moffat

FAMILY NEWS

Sadly, Irene Webber is to go into a nursing home permanently. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ron and Irene at this time.

Isobel Frew celebrates a special birthday on Tuesday 22^nd August. Congratulations.

Congratulations, too, to Shona and Ian on the birth of a grandson to Ruth and Andy.

SUMMER EVENT

The Social Club is holding a

SUMMER SOCIAL

on Thursday 14^th August at 7 for 7.30 p.m. outside,

weather permitting.

Tickets £2

may be had from Bob Willis, Tom and Eileen Boler, and Vera Edwards. All are invited. Do come – the pork sandwiches are a treat not to be missed.

Vera Edwards

Vision4Life

Transforming the Church

This programme is a URC initiative which is introduced by a series of conversations within the local church. The first conversation focuses on the Bible, but it is not a Bible Study – it is an invitation to talk about how we use the Bible in church and in our everyday lives. In the second session we talk about prayer – how well does it help to sustain our lives? In the third session, the conversation is about how we share our faith stories.

Afterwards, we will ask ourselves whether we wish to become a Vision4Life congregation. If we choose to do so, we will be taking part in a programme spread over 3 years, starting in Advent 2008. In the first year, the programme looks at the Bible, then Prayer in the second year, and Evangelism in the third year.

We have arranged the following dates for the introductory conversations, an evening and an afternoon for each of the 3 sessions:

First session:
Wednesday 10^th September at 7.30 p.m. at the home of Jane Studd (5 Devonshire Road)

Thursday 18^th September at 2.30 p.m. at the home of Elaine Ferguson (32 Rushley Drive)

Second session:

Wednesday 8^th October at 7.30 p.m.

Thursday 16^th October at 2.30 p.m.

Third session:

Thursday 13^th November at 2.30 p.m.

Wednesday 19^th November at 7.30 p.m.

The venues for the second and third sessions have yet to be decided.

There is a series of booklets about the introductory conversations. Please let me know if you would like to see these.

Anne Dale

SHEFFIELD CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COUNCIL

We have just received the latest information pack from the SCEC. It has comprehensive information about training, activities and resources (excellent library of books, videos and DVDs) at Montgomery Hall in Surrey Street. I have put the folder in the library for your perusal.

LONDON MOONWALK MAY 2008

A very big thank you to everyone who sponsored me. I completed the walk in 8¾ hours and have raised more than £300. Money is still coming in! Thank you all for your support.

Fiona Green

MAINTENANCE DAY - SATURDAY 26^th JULY

Maintenance day has come round again or, perhaps more accurately, a late Spring Clean! This year we have lots to do, including clearing out the cellar, the scout store and all those cubby holes where we hoard things that “might come in” because hopefully, in the not too distant future, we are going to need all the temporary storage space we can get. So, on Saturday 26^th July, please come in your work-clothes with a spring in your step and see if we can have a record number of people helping.

If you’ve never been before, come along for the first time and see how enjoyable and satisfying it is; we need every helping hand we can. Ron is hiring a skip and all the equipment needed will be provided – brushes, shovels, cups of tea, cups of tea, cups of tea and even the odd biscuit. Hopefully, there will be some surprises, as well!

LADIES’ GROUP

The Ladies’ Group is open to all ladies of the church and their friends. We are an informal, friendly group of women of all ages with no fixed membership. Some ladies attend all meetings, some only one or two. We hope to provide good conversation, entertainment, companionship and a little stimulation, not to mention good food!

The well-dressing trip will be on Wednesday 9^th July. We will be leaving church at 6 p.m. and going to Hathersage. There will be a meal afterwards. Please let Margaret Barron know if you are able to go and also if you are prepared to take your car. If you haven’t been before and would like to know more, ring Margaret. It’s an enjoyable evening out. Tel: 2311831

On Wednesday 17^th September, the Ladies’ Group is going to the Lyceum to see Absurd Person Singular by Alan Ayckbourn. We have booked 20 tickets at a discounted price. Please pay Jeanne Clark a deposit of £10 by 20^th July if you would like to go.

COFFEE ROTA

July 6^th Marion Spiers and Fiona Green

13^th Fiona Green

20^th Judy Glossop and Liz Keech

27^th Helen Miller and Marie Gleadhill

August 3^rd Jean Walker and Gill McAddie

10^th Margaret Warwick and Christine Smith

17^th Isobel Frew and Ella Lawrie

24^th Brenda Hague and Jeanne Clark

31^st Marion Spiers and Peggy Heathcote

SUNDAY MORNING DOOR STEWARDS

July 6^th Sheila and Peter Sherwell

13^th Margot Willis and Brenda Hague

20^th Molly Webb and Peggy Heathcote

27^th Ella and Neil Lawrie

August 3^rd Brenda and Roy Harrison

10^th Mary Moore and Jim Martin

17^th Helen Miller and Marie Gleadhill

24^th Elizabeth Walkden and Christine Carrick

31^st Marion and Derek Spiers

FLOWER ROTA

July 6^th Peggy Heathcote

            13^th Shona Picken

            20^th Kath Oliver

            27^th Elsie Dale

August 3^rd Christine and Leslie Smith

10^th Isobel Frew

17^th Anne Dale

24^th Eileen Haigh and Dorothy Teare

31^st Molly Webb

Sept 7^th Jim Martin

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