July 2003
Littleborough Methodist Circuit “The Lit-borough” Come and grow with us	From the Minister’s Study The Legacy of Love “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” Jn13:35 A legend is told about the Apostle John (possibly the youngest of Jesus' disciples, described as “the disciple whom Jesus loved Jn 13:23”. As he lay in his deathbed as an old man in prison in the Island of Patmos around AD 100, people went to him constantly to enquire his reminiscences of what Jesus said. In his fainting voice, John is said to have repeatedly replied love one another … Love one another … ! A lot of us me included go through life frittering with the moral and spiritual equivalent of trivia, in search of something that we can be remembered for. Success, money and fame dominate the lists of what people perceive as most important pursuits in life. The real stuff of living, however, is people and learning to love them. Most of the people who left lasting legacies in our world were people who simply loved people and people’s welfare. In his farewell discourse John chapters 13–17, Jesus repeated Himself several times with these words “A new commandment I give you: Love one another” 13:34; … my command is this: love each other as I have loved you 15:12 …This is my commandment: love each other 15:17. In his old age, John writing in his epistles repeats the same message: “This is the message you heard from the beginning: we should love one another” 1John 3:11… “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God”…1Jn 4:7… “God is love whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him.” 1 Jn 4: 16 …”Whoever loves God must also love his brother” 1Jn 4:21. Apostle Paul, seems to contrast, the legacy of love with other laudable things we could do in search of a lasting legacy in these words “ if I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophesy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever. (1 Corinthians 13:1–4). Paul then gives us the ultimate definition of love. “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance … I Corinthian 13:5–7. Paul uses this principle in addressing the church in Philippi, where there were some members in disagreement: “Don’t be selfish; DO NOT LIVE TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON OTHERS. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don’t think only about your own interests, but be interested in others, too and what they are doing” Philippians 2:3–4. Friends, as a group of churches with different interests and ambitions, let us pursue, our motto of dreaming our dreams and seeking to achieve them together and allow the legacy of love to tone our pursuits. Let us seek to grow by seeking to be nicknamed by the community around as, “People who love one another”. For our love for one another will prove to the community around us that we are Jesus’ followers. What a legacy it would be if people could say about you and me when searching for a fitting epitaph to inscribe on our gravestone: “He or she loved other people”! Daniel Dave Bilbrough in Concert @ Dearnley Methodist Church, 7:30 pm on Thursday 10 July 2003 About Dave Bilbrough Dave Bilbrough’s “Abba Father”( first song in Songs of Fellowship) Launched his international ministry. Two decades later he is recognized as one of Britain’s foremost worship leaders and songwriters, with over 50 songs in Songs of Fellowship Vol.1–3. His songs like, ‘All hail the lamb’ and ‘I am a new creation.’ are sung in thousands of churches. Dave is in great demand as worship leader, having ministered throughout the world and making appearances on national TV and radio. His ministry brings emphasis on the grace and faithfulness of God, praise and reconciliation. Having become a Christian in 1971, Dave began singing and writing songs of worship in a contemporary style. The leadership in his church encouraged and developed Dave in his calling, and for over 20 years, he has travelled and toured in diverse cultures and denominations, recorded 16 albums and does 150+ concerts most years, bringing experience, innovation and the prophetic into the worship arena. Dave sees his role in ministry, as ‘someone who is a worshipper but uses his skills and gifts to encourage others into worship.’ The importance being ‘to be sensitive and open to God’s voice’ and ‘to hear what God is saying in my constant desire and longing.’ DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR HIM. Sunday 13 July is NCH Sunday Just a quick reminder of the History of NCH as we pray and continue to support the work of NCH. As a young Methodist minister, Thomas Stephenson, arrived in London, in 1869 to take up his new post at the Chapel in Lambeth. He was moved by the plight of children living on the streets, he conceived the idea of a home for young boys, where they would be safe from poverty and crime. Together with two Methodist friends, Alfred Mager and Frances Horner, he renovated a disused stable in Church Street, and the first two boys – Fred and George – were admitted on 9 July 1869. The name chosen – The Children’s Home – reflected Stephenson’s farsighted commitment to a family system of childcare, which would be disciplined but loving. At a time when most children who could not stay with their families lived in big institutions, like the humiliating workhouses, Stephenson’s establishment of small group homes supported by private donation was pioneering. In a period of three years, girls were being admitted, the enterprise had moved to larger premises near Stephenson’s new ministry in Bethnal Green, and a second home had been established at Edgworth Farm on the Lancashire Moors. In 1875 a school for young offenders opened at Gravesend, Kent, and by 1908 the organisation had grown into The National Children’s Home. The Revd Dr Stephenson’s original mission embodies the characteristics that still animate NCH today. His positive outlook, his development of effective responses to local needs, his innovation and his thorough professionalism all inform our important work more than 130 years later. The problems of child poverty and social exclusion have persisted from the Victorian era, so NCH continues to seek effective, tailored solutions and to campaign for changes that will give children and young people the support and opportunities they need to reach their full potential. Please consider making whatever contribution you can to this ongoing cause. Today, NCH is one of the Uk’s leading Children’s charities. Through more than 500 projects we work with over 100,000 vulnerable children, young people and their families to ensure they reach full potential. For further details, see http://www.nchafc.org.uk/information Our Circuit Representative, Hazel Harrison, (Tel: 374284) would give details on how you can help NCH From Salvation army to Methodism I was born in Sutton in Surrey to Salvation Army Parents. I spent the whole of my childhood attending the Salvation Army Meetings and Sunday School. When I was about eight years old, I gave my life to Jesus. At that time it was a very child like faith. As I have matured so has my faith grown. It has not been always easy and there have been many times that I have faltered, but Jesus has always been with me to guide me back. The worst time was when I was out in Canada for six weeks staying with my maternal uncle and family. We were away from my uncle’s house for a fortnight travelling around the United States. On our return the police were waiting for us with the news that my Mum had died unexpectedly. I flew home for her funeral. I coped for a while as I had my Dad and sister to care for, but I found myself going to the Army less and less. I sunk into depression cause by grief. Jesus had not left me though and he brought me back to him a very real way. One Sunday evening I was standing by an open window in our lounge when I heard the Salvation Army band playing in a neighbouring street. It was like somebody had turned a light on for me. It is hard to describe but everything looked brighter, cleaner, fresher. The misery I was in lifted and I knew where I belonged. The next Sunday found me back in my uniform serving Jesus once more. I thank God that he has given me many blessings through my life. I have three beautiful children who have given me so much joy. Although, I have been through some awful and very sad times, I have always been given strength to get through them, and God has always provided friends to help me along. Sometimes, I have felt very alone but I know that whenever I have asked God for help, He has always been there, even though I have not always realised it at the time. Once, when I was younger, I was standing in my Salvation Army uniform in an open air service when a lady came up and kicked me on my leg. I turned, and smiled to her and said, “God Bless you”. Now, as I am older, I hope I find it easier to say God bless you without being kicked first. So, I say to all my church family, “God Bless You All” Heather Pautard PS: we would like to hear your testimony, please share with us 12 promises for the Christian “A promise from God is a statement we can depend on with absolute confidence.” God’s presence¾’I will never leave thee’ (Heb. 13:5) God’s protection¾’I am thy shield’ (Gen. 15:1) God’s power¾’I will strengthen thee’ (Isa. 41:10) God’s provision¾’I will help thee’ (Isa. 41:10) God’s leading¾’And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them’ (John 10:4) God’s purposes¾‘I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil’ (Jer. 20:11) God’s rest¾‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matt. 11:28) God’s cleansing¾‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9) God’s goodness¾’No good thing will He withhold from them that work uprightly’ (Psalm 84:11) God’s faithfulness¾’The Lord will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake’ (1 Sam. 12:22) God’s guidance¾’The meek will He guide’ (Psalm 25:9) God’s wise plan¾ "All things work together for good to them that love God’ (Rom. 8:28) From “Our Daily Bread”, January 1, 1985. The Letters of Halcyon Continued … After re-reading C.S Lewis’s book, The Screwtape Letters, I thought it was time the good angels had a turn. I offer you the notes of senior angel as he corresponds with a junior angel. Second letter We still need to help Humans further over Creation. They do not read the small print. They ask: “If God made the World, why is it in such a mess?” The Great Creator DID make the universe perfect—even ourselves, the angels. But this did not last. First we had the Terrible Rebellion, led by the Serpent-like Grasper. When he arrived at his exile on Earth, he corrupted the first two Humans. This inevitably led to his further demotion, and to what Human thinkers call the Curse or the Fall: a Punishment which had its effect on the whole of Creation. Some of their thinkers explain it this way: A mother takes her child’s spelling game and writes a sentence with the cards across the carpet. This remains in tack for several hours, but eventually the dog and the cats, especially the dog, traverse the room and dislodge some of the cards. The sentence is now imperfect, but still read, and the original meaning can still be discerned. This is like the state of Creation, today. The wonders of the Universe show the glory of our Great Majesty: the horrors show the evil o the Great Deceiver. Kindest regards Halcyon. (Final letter next month, look out for it.) Contributed by DBW Passing the buck When we have an important job to do, Everybody is sure Somebody will do it. Anybody could do it but Nobody does. Somebody gets angry about that because it is Everybody’s job. Everybody thinks Anybody could do it, but Nobody realises that Everybody won’t do it, so Everybody blames Somebody when Nobody does what Anybody could have done. To the Editors We are most grateful for the definitive history of the Smithy Bridge Methodist Church buildings, written by Peter Jackson. Two of the foundation stones of the ‘New Church’ are preserved at the entrance of 2 Milbury Drive, Off Lake Bank and the top of Smithy Bridge Road. The date recorded on the stones is 21t April 1888. The names of George Howarth of Hollingworth Lake, and James of Little Clegg grace the inscriptions Smithy Bridge Chapel The Brick A young and successful executive was travelling down a neighbourhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?" The young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive," Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. “Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shocked up for words, the man watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the pavement toward their home It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message "Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!" Author unknown Food for thought: What are our youth saying to us when they use graffiti and acts of vandalism? “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” A group of us had been preaching in the city centre, on a dark wintry day. I was left alone, to be confronted by a man in his fifties or sixties. When I opened a conversation, he was quick to end it by saying that he had just finished a long spell in prison for murder! I replied: “I have committed worse sins than murder!” He was curious to know what could be worse than murder. I explained that murder is sixth of the Ten Commandments. I had never been able to put God totally first, I had worshipped other interests such as sport and ambition, and used His name carelessly. And then there was the keeping of a day for worship; and honouring parents– with respect, care and support. The commandments: including the Ten, and the many finer points in addition, find all of us, well and truly guilt. “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God,” says the Bible. Our only hope is the salvation which Jesus the Saviour offers: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved … those who call on the name on the Name of the Lord will be saved”. Why not try it now. D B Wilkinson You can learn something from Noah’s Ark One: Don’t miss the boat Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat. Three: Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark Four Stay fit. When you are 600 years old somebody may ask you to do something really big Five: Don’t listen to critics, just get on with the job that needs to be done. Six: Build your future on high ground Seven: For safety’s sake, travel in pairs Eight: Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. Nine: When you’re stressed, float a while. Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting. Now, wasn’t that nice? Pass and make someone else smile, too. Author unknown “Get apart or you will fall apart” Jesus and his disciples often slipped away for some quiet. With the pressures of the crowd, the pressures of everyday living, they needed rest. So does everyone! Jesus underscores the importance of rest in order to keep up energy levels and enthusiasm if we are to deliver useful service. That quiet moment in front of seaside, gaze at beautiful mountain, is the battery that recharges our enthusiasm. Wishing everybody peaceful moments as you get away from the pressures of daily activities It’s good to get away From Noise From chaos and Din To seek in solitude and peace The Beauty that’s within To go into the wood And breathe its loveliness To contemplate in silence Those things which Calm and Bless Kathleen Gillum Folk News In sympathy Our thoughts and prayers are with Kathleen, Edith and Edward Rigg for the sad loss of Wilfred Marlow from Greenhill. Born on 9 May 1912 at Deanhead, Summit. Where he lived all his life, a true Lancashire lad, born and bread. He attended Stansfield Hall School and then Summit Boys School, leaving school at 14 as was the tradition. In his teen age, he met Kathleen at Todmorden where she worked. They married at Summit Chapel on 13 July 1940 and made their first marriage home at 66 Summit, before moving to 4 Oak Terrace, where they have lived for 50 years since 1953 Wilfred kept good health until 2001 when he started being poorly. He hardly visited the doctors. He had a mild stroke and suddenly developed pneumonia. He died peacefully with his wife on his hospital bedside and Church Pastoral visitor Sylvia Wild, at Rochdale Infirmary on 1 June, 2003, after 63 years of happy marriage to Kathleen, who cannot remember times in which they fell out. His famous phrase was “whatever you want dear so long as it suits you” To Mrs Hilda Allison Dearnley’s oldest church member on her 98th birthday on 18 July who enjoyed the baptism of her great grand daughter, Chantal Rose at Dearnley Chapel on 29 June. To Pam and Ian Brazendale who celebrated their Ruby Wedding anniversary on 1st June, with a special rededication and thanksgiving. The congregation joined them afterwards in a faith lunch. The Trial service of Margaret Mwailu at Dearnley Chapel on 15 May. The theme of the service was, “An unchanging God in an ever-changing world”. It was good to see that every church in the Circuit was represented in the congregation. Margaret set the theme right from the start of the service and the theme was threaded through all the elements of the service¾the hymns, prayers, readings, and sermon. She used humour effectively in such a way that it did not detract from the seriousness of the occasion, but rather it enhanced it and established a good rapport with the congregation. The service was well received by all present, everyone was full of praise for the message she had given, and ready to encourage her working towards becoming a fully accredited local preacher. She has a God-given talent and will be an asset as a local preacher. Carole Forsyth The Pentecost Walk of Witness march started as planned although interrupted by the usual Lancashire showers, some great people braved through and marched with the brass band to Holy Trinity where Jack Leach led the service while Kevin Dunn gave an inspiring message on confidence. Thanks to Mark Cryer and Michael Priestley who set up the PA at the Town Square only to dismantle it unused. A big thank you to Gill Berry for her ministry in the Circuit .We all wish you God’s blessings as you take another leap of faith and move on to the Prison Ministry full time from 1 July. Thanks for your contribution in the Circuit, especially in Smithy Bridge. On 25 June, St Anne’s Singers came to Dearnley Chapel. Thanks to Geoff Proffitt for organising such a wonderful evening. The wedding of Shingai Maguwudze (of Zimbabwe) and Iain Brazendale Jr occurs at Smith Bridge Chapel on 26 July. Please pray for them and especially for relatives travelling out of Zimbabwe What’s on 11 July An evening with Steve Chalke, ‘I believe’ and worship led by Forgiven. Featuring Crimson scarlet, Gracie Fields, Rochdale. Please purchase your tickets, postal application (no door sales) to Forgiven and include 50p to cover p&p. Write to Forgiven, The Lodge, 1 The Green, Rochdale, tel. 01706 638744. There will be an offering taken for the work of Faithworks. Come and hear Steve Chalke, a renowned speaker. Circuit Events this month 3 July Circuit Bible Study, at Dearnley Chapel, beginning 8:00 pm. 6July, the first Lake Bank Service this summer, starting at 6:15 pm, if it is raining to meet at Smithy Bridge Chapel. 7 July Local Preachers’ Meeting at the Manse beginning at 7:30 pm. 10 July, Dave Bilborough in Concert at Dearnley at 7:30 pm, sponsored by United Christian Broadcast. Come and here one of Britain’s foremost worship leaders and songwriters. Advance Notices The Lake Bank services: 6 July till 31 August starting at 6:15 pm. If it is raining, the services will be held at Smithy Bridge Chapel. Please come and fellowship with those at the Lake Bank evening. Each Sunday will be lead by a different Church.
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