Free Church & Woodhall Lane

United Reformed Churches

May 2009

Page 2

MONDAYS

Hatfield Tai Chi Chuan Club Tel Pat 01707 331526

6:30 to 10:00 pm Not in August

Chinese Health Exercise Classes

Puppy Training Classes Tel Gill Tel 07967 226 796

7:00 to 9:00 pm

TUESDAYS

* Dinky Dancers Tel Lorry 01438 831281

10:00 to 11:00 am Activity classes for children under 4

years.

Mind Drop In Coffee Morning Tel Rhoda 01707 654633

10:00 to 12 noon Drop in coffee morning for those with

mental health issues, but open to all.

*Pat Reid School of Scottish Dancing

Tel Pat 01707 338478

5:15 to 8:30 pm Scottish Dance classes ages 3½ & above.

WEDNESDAYS

NCT Bumps and Bundles Tel 01707 320422

2:00 to 4:00 pm Drop in sessions for pregnant mums and

babes in arms.

* Girls and Boys Brigade Tel Glenys 01707 336433

6:15 to 8:00 pm For children aged 4+

* Denotes term time only.

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THURSDAYS

*Chatter N Tots Tel Ann 01707 327277. 9:45 to 11:15 am Parent/ Carer and child group.

Play, arts and crafts, music and refreshments.

New Thursday Club Tel Rosemary 01707 330660

2:30 to 4:00 pm Alternate Thursdays but not in August.

Activities, Trips etc for the over 50’s.

The Cellar

4:15 to 6:30 pm Drop in centre for vulnerable people.

Providing snacks, tea and social contact.

English Country Dancers Tel Terry 01707 320299

8:00 to 10:00 pm Not in August Folk Dancing.

Trefoil Guild

8:00 to 10:00 pm 2nd Thursday in the month.

Not in August.

FRIDAYS

Welwyn Archaeological Society

Tel Daphne 01707 335729

7:00 to 10:00 pm Sept. to April. 2nd & 4th Friday in the

month. Talks, slide shows etc.

WGC Art Club Tel Bryan 01438 714528

8:00 to 10:00 pm September to May 3rd Friday in the

month

Meetings, Talks etc

* Denotes term time only.

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MINISTER

Rev Jane Weedon

01707 375133

Freechurch Woodhall Lane

CHURCH SECRETARY CHURCH SECRETARY

Mr John McKenzie TBA

01707 375024

email :- secretary@freechurchwgc.org.uk

HON. TREASURER

John Meers 12 Brockswood Lane

Welwyn Garden City

AL8 7BG

Tel 01707 327277

e mail :- treasurer@freechurchwgc.org.uk

CONFIDENTIAL REGISTRAR

Mr Alan Tyler

23 Harmer Green Lane

Digswell

AL6 0AS

Youth Worker

Sara Taylor

102 Wellcroft Road

Office 01707 321270

Mobile 07903236458

email :-youthworker@freechurchwgc.org.uk

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Letter from the Manse

We were walking Brad in Sherrards Wood last week. It was a

lovely evening, the bluebells were a picture and the birdsong was

lovely to hear. We were so busy looking around and peering into

the trees for the woodpecker we could hear nearby it wasn’t long

before we were not entirely sure which path we were on. There

had been a lot of trees felled where we were and it all looked

different. It took a few minutes of looking for a landmark and

eventually a signpost to confirm where we were and get us back

on the path we wanted to be on.

That walk seemed rather like life in church. We can be going along

nicely, enjoying the view or looking back where we had been

when we look up and find we are not exactly where we thought we

were. We need to take some time to look at the new landscape to

find some landmarks or a signpost to get us on to the path we

need.

Being a member of a church, being a Christian, is all about

journeying – pilgrimage we have called it this year. For us as

individuals and as a whole body we need to be on the move from

where we are, to be more like Jesus.

William Temple reminds us that ‘The church is the only

organisation that exists for those who are not members.’ We are to

continue the ministry of Jesus, reaching out to ‘the least of

these’ (Matthew 25:40)

We need to take the time to take stock and encourage each other

on the way. We need to look again at the purpose of the church –

to be the ‘leaven in the lump’, the ‘salt and light’ in our

community to bring the whole world into the kingdom – albeit one

person at a time.

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Scripture tells us that the Spirit blows where

it will, so as Pentecost approaches, when

you are looking

around for signs of

spring – or illusive

woodpeckers, look

too for signs of the

kingdom. They will probably be

springing up in unexpected places and

may well be the signpost we are looking

for, leading us to the path we need to be

on.

Every blessing

Jane

YMCA request

We at the YMCA are in the process of setting up a family room

as a step towards creating better facilities for parents to have

access to their children. We would love some donations of

children’s toys, DVD’s preferably educational ones. If you are

able to help could you please bring them to the Hostel on

Peartree Lane, WGC or if you would like more information

please contact Patrick on tel 01707 351400.

NOTICE TO ALL CAR PARK USERS PLEASE remember

to push down the button to lock the bollard after raising it every

time you leave the Car Park.

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Christian Aid Week Collection: 10-19 May

Christian Aid week is the week when 22,000 churches join

together in their wish to change life for the poorest people in the

world. 300,000 Christians go out into the roads of their local

community led by the Spirit to offer residents an opportunity to

bring hope to the most deprived adults and children on earth.

We have 30 roads to cover and so we need as many collectors as

possible to make this year as successful as last. Please sign up on

the notice board in the vestibule.

Any queries to Robert on 01707.322339

===============================

Remembrance Service : 24 May at 3.00 pm

You are warmly invited to our eighth annual Remembrance

Service in memory of those who have died. This is always a

wonderful and moving service.

It will take place on Sunday 24 May at 3.00 pm at the Free Church

and will be followed by tea and cake in the small hall.

Our annual service of remembrance is an opportunity to share in a

time of prayer and worship together as we remember loved ones

who are no longer with us. It is an opportunity to acknowledge our

loss and to feel again the hope which we find in the love of God

for each one of us. It is for those connected to the Free Church

and anyone else we would like to invite.

Do come and join us.

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Pilgrimage from a Biblical perspective! The very first person to go on ‘pilgrimage’ at Gods request was Abraham

and we can read his story beginning at Genesis 12. It was a journey with a

promise of blessing but the destination was unknown. ‘Leave your country

and your relatives and your fathers family and go to the land I will show

you.’

His family may well have thought him barking mad setting out to goodness

knows where, on the say-so of goodness knows who - at his age! Abraham

trusted in God’s promise and set out for an unknown destination to become

the father of a nation.

The story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt is equally well

known. They were being held in slavery that was so harsh Moses himself

has fled Egypt after killing a soldier for his bad treatment of a slave.

Pharaoh took some persuading but in the end they were allowed to go and

God parted the Sea of Reeds to let them safely pass. It wasn’t long though

before they began to complain and reminisce romantically about Egypt!

(Exodus 16 following). Their destination was also unknown – just like

Abraham it was a ‘Promised’ land.

It is really tough to set off without a destination but this is not an unusual

request when we read scripture. God wants people to let go of the things

they rely on, wealth, possessions, family, and homes to put our trust in him

for all we need and for our safety. Stories like the rich young ruler who

Jesus asked to give away all he had and follow him and how difficult it is

for one who is ‘rich’ to get into the kingdom. The point is not that we give

away all we have only what God asks of us because it is getting in the way

of our relationship with him.

So what does that mean for us as we go on ‘Pilgrimage’ together?

It means that our final destination is not completely clear. Gods promise is

always that it will be a place of Gods choosing, it will mean leaving behind

some of the things we are familiar with, some things that may hinder our

relationship with God to put our trust in him and step out in faith.

Jane

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Prayer for Pilgrims by John Johansen - Berg

Holy God,

You call people of every generation

to put their trust in you

and to venture forward in spiritual discovery.

We give you thanks

that you send us out as followers of Jesus Christ

to serve those in need and to proclaim the good news.

Give us your grace in our discipleship

and may we find peace in your service.

From Prayers for Pilgrims 1993 Darton Longman and Todd

==================================

Notice of an Additional Church Meeting

At the Church Meeting last Sunday we found ourselves with a

number of things to be discussed at least one of which needs

urgent attention once we have more details to inform our decision.

We decided to hold a special Church Meeting on Thursday May

28th at 7.30pm with the main item on the agenda being how we

fulfil our financial obligation to contribute half of the expenses

relating to our Youth Worker.

As we said last Sunday Sara and I had been talking with Simon

about her dedicating some hours to the Free Church alone to build

on the good work that has been done already within our church.

Please put the date in your diary and make every effort to attend.

This is an important decision in the life of our church.

Page 10

Free Church Secretary’s Notes

At the time of writing this article the AGM has not taken place, but

the reports for the past year have been printed and made available.

Copies will still be available at the back of the church for anyone

who did not attend the AGM or see the reports.

In 2008 it seems that we took time to reflect on who and where we

are, before we started to look forward. The production of a new

revision of the Church Directory was an opportunity for many

former members to finally break ties with the Free Church. Long

needed work on the windows was completed. Long talked about

problems concerning the car park were addressed by the

installation of the key operated barrier, albeit there are small issues

still being resolved. The various teams with their diminishing

number of helpers managed to perform the many tasks associated

with keeping the church operating. We used Faithworks material in

services to try to understand what we are called to do and what the

possibilities are. And as a result of this and discussion at the retreat

we are moving forward with the “Pilgrimage Year” for 2009. That

is not to say that nothing happened in 2008. One only has to look

at the success of the young people’s visit to Costa Rica and the

effort and support that went into that venture. Also the

establishment by the Inter Faith Group of the SPACE drop in

centre in the town centre which is supported by many from the

Free Church.

So in 2009 we are planning to step out in pilgrimage with all that

the word conjures up; seeking, discovering, sharing, supporting,

and many more. There will be events planned, including some

small pilgrimage journeys, as part of this theme. We need

everyone to think how they can be involved and how the Church

through them can move forward and make a difference for us and

for our community.

John McKenzie - Tel: 01707 375024

e-mail: secretary@freechurchwgc.org.uk

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Observations of a Youth Worker…

Time continues to fly by at the speed of light, as we find May

approaching and the Easter holidays are just a distant memory of egg

hunts, visiting relatives that we only ever see once a year and small

chocolate handprints all over magnolia walls.

It amazes me how I spend most of my days, throughout the year,

desperately wishing that I could have more time at home with my

family. Then by day three of the holidays I am tearing my hair out,

wishing that the school would reopen and a Liverpool match will take

Wayne off to the pub so I can have an hour to myself!

This Easter was no different. The holidays began immediately on

Friday, as we collected Cameron from Coventry, ready for Spring

Harvest on Saturday. The worst place to be on a Friday night is the M1/

M6, especially when you have to make the journey twice in one

evening. It didn’t matter though, as we were going to Spring Harvest

the next day – as a family – for the first time! How fantastic!

Saturday we spent the morning on the A1, sorted out caravan

“confusions” for nearly 4 hours and then ended in Morrison’s buying

our shopping until 8.30 when the shop was actually closed and the staff

were giving us disapproving looks about keeping them behind. It didn’t

matter though because we were a family. How fantastic!!

On Sunday, we enjoyed the joys of Spring Harvest, with the big top,

swimming and the fair. I managed to spend time with my teenagers,

whilst also doing all my motherly duties and having time to have coffee

with my husband. Early starts, late nights, 4 muddy changes of clothes,

wet towels, teenage hormones, tears and tantrums, and cabin fever. It

didn’t matter though because I was with family!

Monday I started wonder if only children could get emancipated from

their families.

Joking aside, Spring Harvest was a really good experience. It was a

great time to mix work and family life. It brought fresh challenges but

opened new doors. It was exciting to observe Cameron in this Christian

environment full-time, and glorious to have Wayne away from the

pressures of the London commute.

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Page 13

The teenagers were fantastic. They looked after themselves so well. We

had four youth caravans this year, three of which were totally youth

dependant. There were several other young people present who were

staying with their own family members, and I think the overall total

number of people in our group was 92. Everywhere you went, you would

see someone from Church. It was a lot of fun and a great time of

fellowship.

There are however, the spiritual challenges that Spring Harvest always

brings. We must remember how it is an artificial environment, set up to

offer three faith-based teaching sessions everyday. A fantastic display of

worship music, huge bands and flashing lights. Everyone caught up in the

passion, hungry to absorb everything they can. Then it ends, and we return

home to normality.

It is easy to think you must maintain this amount of daily reading, worship

and praise. This is probably the biggest challenge I have faced with the

young people each time we have been to Spring Harvest. The

disappointment they face when they get home and realise that they cannot

keep it up. I thank God that he does not call us to meet these demands

though! It is important to remind the young people (and probably some of

the adults) that God calls us to walk with him in all aspects of our life. It is

a great thing that God is omnipresent, and therefore we can take him with

us wherever we go – just like those polly pocket dolls J We need to carry

on living, working, going to school, and we should endeavour to take God

with us in our daily lives rather than stop doing everything to put ourselves

back into this artificial environment. That is how we get the privilege of

bringing Jesus to the people who do not yet know the great depths of His

love.

I hope you all had a great Easter.

Sara

Page 14

April Money

Free

Church Woodhall

Income £7,896 £1,340

Expense £4,857 £1,160

A legacy helped FC this month,

but still a vary good set of figures for both churches.

Late for Bible Class

A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she

could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran she prayed,

"Dear Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please don't let me

be late!"

While she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell,

getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed

herself off, and started running again. As she ran she once again began

to pray, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late...But please don't shove

me either!"

Visit us on the web at:

www.freechurchwgc.org.uk

For updated and exciting content and the latest

information about the Free Church

Page 15

Mark McCahon-Gardener

All aspects of garden

maintenance and

planting design undertaken.

RHS and City and

Guilds

qualified.

Contact:

117 Upperfield Road

Welwyn Garden City

Herts

AL7 3LR

Mob: 07984659816

E-mail: markmccahon@

yahoo.co.uk

PC HOME HELPER

Computer health check

Full data backup service

Emergency call out

Home tutorials

New Computers

Old computer recycling

Broadband installation

Wireless networks

Internet security check

Your local friendly computer home help service!

01707 690468 / 07768 055906

Page 16

THE THURSDAY CLUB

We look forward to a good summer with better weather and an improvement in health for us all. This month we are having an outing on 14 May to Vanstone Park where we have been several times and have always had an enjoyable afternoon although the weather has been variable!

On 11 June we have a Garden party at 22 Elm Gardens, Welwyn Garden City. We have however agreed with Ann Meers to omit the party which she has so kindly hosted for us on several occasions as she and John are opening their garden to the church on the afternoon of Sunday 28 June and I am sure that you will all want to attend that one - it is bound to be a delightful event.

Rosemary Craig (330660)

========================

A date for your diaries

Everyone is invited to my garden At 12 Brockswood Lane On SUNDAY 28TH JUNE from 3 pm – 5 pm For a Church Garden Party with refreshments

Hope to see you then

Please pray for a fine day!!

Ann Meers

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THE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU AT SPACE

The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) should have set up in the SPACE premises by the time you read this. It is going to be open on Wednesday mornings and will be staffed by 2 very experienced advisers. You are probably familiar with the work this charity does but here is an outline of the sort of help they can give the public and an idea of the wealth of expertise and knowledge to which they have access. 1 Benefits Not all of these are means tested and cover areas such as illness, disability, redundancy, unemployment, child benefit, pensions and others. The CAB can run a check for you and tell you if you are entitled to any benefits or if you are entitled to more than you are already getting. 2 Housing The CAB has a lot of information in this area. 3 Employment and Redundancy Appeals and redundancy problems , many other questions on employment law. 4 Debt and Money advice. 5 Marital and Divorce However these are by no means the only issues on which they advise. If you have any problems of any kind I would urge you to call in to SPACE and see if the CAB can help you - they will certainly give you a welcome and they never turn anyone away! Rosemary Craig

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Here is an excerpt from the annual Mustard Seed Charity’s

newsletter, which describes the work of the volunteers at the

warehouse in Hastings as all our “Love in a Box” shoeboxes

start to arrive. I have put the whole newsletter up on the

noticeboard for anyone who would like to see the rest of the

report.

I hope you will feel that this is an appeal worth supporting again

later on in the Autumn. Ann Meers

‘ONCE AGAIN, AFTER MONTHS OF PLANNING, we start the

‘Love in a Box’ campaign at the end of October. The anticipation of

the boxes arriving is electric. The volunteers are as eager as ever to

spring into action. Over the next four weeks there are over 450

collections which have been meticulously arranged by Mike in the

office to be picked up from our fantastic supporters, schools, churches

and other organisations.

Over the first week the steady stream of incoming boxes turns from a

trickle to a torrent and once again we are wondering if we will have

enough room to stack the boxes for checking. Our great team of loyal

volunteers can sort, check and pack around 1000 boxes per day but

the vans were bringing in an average of two thousand per day so it did

not take long for the warehouse to become pretty full. The sight of the

boxes piling from floor to ceiling caused quite a stir this year. Meridian

News came to see the box mountain and did a great piece on our

charity which was shown on the news in December. Also BBC

Southern Counties radio wanted to come and see the spectacle and

report on this great sight.

Our band of volunteers ploughed on and before long the lorries were

ready to go and off the boxes went to either Moldova, Romania or the

Ukraine.

Towards the end of November the collections had finished and the wall

of boxes start to decline. By now all the volunteers, still all smiles,

sense the end of the road of this year’s campaign. At last, in mid-

December the last of the boxes are packed and the last lorry goes off to

the children of the Ukraine.

Wow .- it’s over — we can now all sleep with the knowledge we have

all helped towards creating 42.000 smiles and it feels great!!!!!

Page 19

FREE CHURCH May 2009

Dear Friends

On Sunday evening 10th May, 6.30 pm at Christchurch, 110 Parkway we are having

an evening celebration, with Rev David Coffey. Rev David Coffey, President of the

Baptist World Alliance is a well known speaker and preacher. Please let your church

know this date. We would love you to join us. There will be refreshments after the

service, providing an opportunity to have a coffee and catch up too.

We look forward to seeing you then.

God bless Fi Hibberts

Leadership Team

Christchurch Baptist Church

10:30 am Communion Sun 3rd May

10:30 am Morning worship led by Mr Sun 10th May

Thursday Club outing to Vanstone Park Thu 14 th May

10:30 am Morning worship - Sun 17th May

10:30 am All Age service led by Jane Sun 24th May

3pm Joint memorial service & tea, led by Sun 24th May

7:30pm Elders meeting Tue 26th May

10:30 am Joint service at the Free Church Sun 31st May

4pm Afternoon Communion led by Robert

Harvey

Sun 31st May

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Woodhall Lane Corner

WALK OF WITNESS

This was held on Good Friday in the Woodhall

area and it was good to see it was very well

supported this year.

Starting at the Methodist Church with prayer,

reading and a hymn and repeating this at The

Salvation Army, Our Lady's, Woodhall URC and

finally at St Mary's, Hollybush Lane who

supplied us all with Hot Cross buns and drinks

after the service.

Visit us on the web at

www.woodhalllaneurc.org.uk

For updated content and information about Woodhall Lane

If you have a problem or need to discuss something that

requires pastoral attention please contact one of the Elders

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Woodhall Lane May 2009

. PREACHERS

3 May Rev Brian Shenk (Communion)

10 May Fred Tucker

17 May Robert Harvey

24 May Les Simmons

31 May Joint service at the Freechurch

DOOR STEWARDS VESTRY

3 May Joyce/Grace Linda

10 May Joan Barbara

17 May Joyce/Grace Margaret

24 May Joan Linda

31 May Joint service at the Freechurch

FLOWER ROTA

3 May Margaret

10 May Barbara

17 May Carole

24 May Margaret

31 May Joint service at the Freechurch

BIBLE STUDY

Friday mornings 10 am at 114 Parkway

FELLOWSHIP CLUB - Alternate Thursdays 2 - 3.30 pm

14 May Dominoes/Bring and Buy

28 May Music

MINI MAY MARKET - Sat 9 May at 10 am - 12 am.

Plants, Books, White Elephant, Etc. Please come along

and support us. Event being organised by Joe Palacio.

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Inter Faith and Child Protection Matters

The open session on Easter and the Passover was judged

successful; it attracted new faces – some young Muslims who

belong to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK and who want

to remain involved with the IFG. We may organise some future

events on the festivals celebrated by other faiths. Preparations for

the next four events (see last magazine) continue. Further ahead,

we shall probably organise something for the first national Inter

Faith Week (15-21 November). The following week is Islam

Awareness Week.

Several members attended the East of England Faiths Council

meeting on 2 April. The main item discussed was the economic

situation, with questions being raised about ‘the god of growth’

and ‘structures of greed’ – similar to those in the Archbishop of

Canterbury’s Easter message. ‘Wealth’ means more than financial

wealth and it is spiritual wealth that is the true foundation of

happiness. So we should use the crisis to reflect deeply on what

changes are required in our society to generate real wealth – a call

for us all to think and pray about. People of faith, working

together, can help generate a climate of public of opinion that

obliges governments to do more to promote well-being and not

just prosperity. We are fortunate to live in a region that so far has

been relatively less affected by the crisis, according to ‘insighteast’

– www.insighteast.org.uk – whose Director gave a presentation.

Another EEFC presentation, by the Anglican Revd Graham

Hedger, was about the implications of the new safeguarding

legislation for faith groups. His advice, based on that put out by

the House of Bishops of the Established Church, contrasted in

some significant respects with advice that we have received from

the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service, to which the Free

Church and Woodhall Lane URC are subscribers.

Page 24

We have been following CCPAS advice as we review and revise

our policy and procedures. I am confident that we, as a non-

conformist church, are right to do so, and that it is in the interests

of both children, young people and vulnerable adults as well as the

wider membership. The group set up by the Elders to review and

revise our existing procedures, which go back to 2001 (with a few

subsequent amendments) in the light of the new legislation has all

but completed its work and the new policy and procedures are

expected to be in place very shortly. A copy will be placed at the

back of the church. The effects of the new legislation are not all

benign: one publication, Licensed to Hug, is about how child

protection policies are poisoning the relationship between the

generations and damaging the voluntary sector. We have to try to

mitigate these untoward effects, whilst always remaining within

the law. This is quite a challenge!

Bertie Everard

Page 25

Free Church Rotas for May 2009

Coffee

3rd May Mrs A & Miss K Onasile

10th May Mr & Mrs A Tyler

17th May Mrs S Chamberlin & Mrs K Muir

24th May Mrs M Sartin & Mrs L Perry

31st May Mrs J Marshall & Mrs J Spalding

Flowers

3rd May TBA

10th May Mrs Mary Dickenson

17th May TBA

24th May Janice and Melva Spalding

30th May TBA

Creche

It’s great if all the family can come to church

together. If your child is too young to attend

Junior Church, we have a warm, safe and

comfy room where parents can take their

babies and toddlers. Hey and there are loads

of toys!

Page 26

SPRING

Nothing is so beautiful as spring- When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;

Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring

The ear, it strikes like lightning's to hear him sing; The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush

The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?

A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning In Eden garden.-Have, get, before it cloy,

Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning, Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,

Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worthy the winning.

Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844 - 1889)

Page 27

Deadline for May Magazine

Articles requiring typing Sunday 17th May

Articles sent via email Thursday 21st May

e-mail documents to magazine@freechurchwgc.org.k , hand your

articles to Chris Ewer the Magazine Secretary or leave them in the

magazine pigeon hole at the back of the church for the Freechurch or

hand to TBA for Woodhall Lane, and if they can be with us before or as

near to the deadline date as possible that will be much appreciated.

Please note that it is essential that these dates are

respected if the magazine is be printed on time.

Magazine will be printed for Sunday 31st May

Church MiceChurch MiceChurch MiceChurch Mice

Copyright 2003 Karl A. Zorowski. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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