NEWSLETTER

December 2017

A very Happy Christmas to all

FROM THE MINISTER’S STUDY

Dear Friends, In his autobiography, Peter Kay writes about his performance as the Inn Keeper in his school Christmas Nativity. Even as a child he brought the house down when he offered the enquiring Mary and Joseph, “an en suite with full English”.

The Biblical accounts of Christmas are permeated with rich theology. Our childhood nativity plays have always captured something of the joy and good news of “Immanuel”, God with us. But perhaps they have not always captured some of the harsh realities that also infuse the birth narratives.

The following poem comes from a Chilean Christmas Card.

Wake up little baby God thousands of children have been born just like you without a roof without bread without protection.

They obviously treat Christmas cards differently in Chile! It is a hard hitting poem, but it gives us a glimpse of the harshness of the birth accounts in Matthew and Luke. In this reminder of the continuing disarray of our broken world, we are equipped to see more clearly the circumstances within which Jesus was born, without a roof, without bread and without protection. In both Matthew and Luke’s Christmas stories, we find a world of tyranny, of empire, of persecution, of poverty, of division, of injustice and of war.

The language of the poem cries out “Wake up baby God”. This is surely a plaintive cry to God for help in our world today. And perhaps it is a reminder to the Church of this baby God of the continuing work still to be done. When I read this poem I find myself asking if it is the church that sleeps whilst thousands are born in terrible circumstances just like Jesus.

HOWEVER, and it is a big however, although the harshness and brokenness of the world permeates the Christmas stories, it important to remember that it never overpowers the hope of the Incarnation. Whether in the motifs of a light shining in the darkness or good news to all people, we can never read the Christmas stories with despair. However broken our world is, however dark the circumstances of our lives appear, there is always hope, there is always Jesus. The angel declares to the shepherds,

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“Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord”. As Christians, we live our lives in the joy, challenge and hope of that declaration.

Love, Peace and Joy.

Andrew

SUNDAY & CHRISTMAS SERVICES FOR DECEMBER Services are held each Sunday at 10.45 am and 6.00 pm. Junior (ages 7-11) and Primary (ages 3-7) Sunday School meet at 10.45am (except on Family Service Sunday). Late Risers (11+) meet at 6.00pm.

3rd

10.45am Rev. Andrew Charlesworth - Holy Communion

6.00pm All the Old Carols We Used to Sing (see below) 10

th 10.45am Mr. Don Chambers (in the hall)

6.00pm Rev. Andrew Charlesworth - Youth Service 17

th 9.00am Rev. Andrew Charlesworth - Holy Communion

10.45am Mrs. Sandra Tantum - Family Service & Nativity 6.00pm Rev. Andrew Charlesworth - Traditional

Carol Service 24

th 10.45am Mr. Derek Marshall - All-Age Worship

5.00pm Rev. Andrew Charlesworth - All Age Crib Service 11.15pm Rev. Andrew Charlesworth - Christmas Midnight

Communion 25

th 11.00am Rev. Andrew Charlesworth - Christmas Day Family

Celebration 31

st 10.45am Rev. Andrew Charlesworth - All-Age Worship

NO EVENING SERVICE

ALL THE OLD CAROLS WE USED TO SING

The evening service on December 3rd

will be an early opportunity to sing Christmas carols and particularly those that we rarely sing nowadays. Please come along for a good sing, perhaps tinged with a little nostalgia!

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NUTHALL NEWS

PRAYER STREETS

Please remember the residents of the following streets in your prayers. Our friends at St. Patrick's Church and the churches in Kimberley are joining with us in this activity. The streets in italics are in Kimberley. December 3

rd The Spinney, Croxley Gardens & Temple Drive

Cornfield Road & Park Avenue 10

th Holborn Close, Woodside Avenue & Oakley Mews

Beverley Drive & Millfield Road 17

th Meadow Rise, Rochester Court & Hillingdon Avenue

Town View & Speedwell Lane 24

th Newbury Drive, Vernon Court & Millennium Way

West Spring Close & Hayley Close

31st Forge Mews & Collindale Gardens

Gilt Hill & Stanley Mews THANK YOU

Janet Wilson and Robert Aram and their families would like to express gratitude to everyone for their prayers, love and support since Jean’s death. Grateful thanks to all those who helped to make the Thanksgiving Service such a wonderful celebration of her life, and for the generous donations in her memory. We have been very blest.

A big thank you to everyone who, together with our friends from the other local churches, have so willingly volunteered to deliver the church Christmas cards. Hopefully, with your help, we will achieve our aim of delivering a card to every home in Nuthall, Kimberley and Watnall.

ADVENT MEDITATIONS – DECEMBER 4

TH – 8

TH

At the beginning of the Advent period join us in the Coffee Lounge at 12noon for tea/coffee and mince pies. (You are also welcome to bring your own packed lunch if you so wish.) Our Advent Meditations last for half an hour from 12.30pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Tuesday the monthly communion service will still be held at 12noon followed by our Meditation. On that day tea/coffee and mince pies will be available from 11.30am. Our theme is ‘Ready and Waiting’ and our leaders Val Stone, Cathy Milne, Gail Brockway, Gordon Tantum and John Wilson look forward to sharing the theme with you.

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CHURCH CHRISTMAS CARD

For those who would like to sign just the one card and make a charitable donation, the Church Christmas card will be on display during December. We will be raising money for Crisis at Christmas again. Last year we collected enough donations to fund nine Christmas meals for those in need.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Our Family Service at 10.45am on Sunday December 17th includes the

Primary Department acting out the Nativity. Please come along and support our youngest children telling the Christmas story in their own special way. There are all-age services during the holidays so bring all the family to celebrate together. Sunday School departments start back at their usual times on January 7

th.

HUNGRY LUNCH

The Templars would like to invite everyone to the traditional Hungry Lunch after the Family Service on December 17

th. Take a break from over-

indulgence and enjoy a simple meal of bread and cheese with friends, served by the young people, while remembering those less fortunate than ourselves. This year we are raising money for Christian Aid so please make a donation on the day – no tickets needed because the more, the hungrier!!

MONTHLY MIDWEEK COMMUNION

The Communion Service on December 5th will be incorporated into the

Advent Meditation (see ‘Advent Meditations’ on page 3 for full details) Please note that the January midweek Communion Service will take place at 11.30am on Tuesday January 9

th in the new classroom. Please note the

change of date, time and venue from usual! VILLAGE CAROL SINGING

It’s back by popular demand! Please come and join us for carol singing round the village on Monday December 18

th. Meet at 112 Kimberley Road at 6.00pm, sing your heart

out, then return to 112 for homemade mince pies made by Gail under close supervision by Sandra – so no need to panic! All proceeds will be donated to the Nuthall Lights Charities. If you need any more information please ask June and David, Gail and Colin or Sandra and Barry

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ZOE’S CHRISTENING

The Christening Service for Zoe Alice Hayes, daughter of John Hayes and Hannah Langford, will be held after the morning service on Sunday December 3

rd. All are welcome to join us for this service

COVENANT SERVICE AND MEAL

The Covenant Service will be on the morning of Sunday January 7th 2018. Following the service we would like to invite everyone to join us at the Hoggs Head for a church meal. Invitations are being handed out at each service during December but if you do not receive one please speak to a Steward. Meals cost £8.75 per adult and £6.75 for children and concessions. (Dessert is extra). If you would like to join us please return the reply slip with full payment for the meal to a Steward. If you will need help with transport to and from the Hoggs Head, please inform a Steward. UNICEF - JARS OF GRACE

A heartfelt thank you to all those kind people who put aside a 1p or 2p each time they have something to eat and are thankful that they, unlike many others in this world, do have food to put on the table. Some parts of our world are ravaged by war, famine, drought and disasters which have terrible effects on the livelihood of the people, especially the children who are the most vulnerable. Wonderful, and often dangerous, work is being done by volunteers to try and relieve the suffering in these areas, but their essential work needs to be funded and UNICEF are on the front line in these emergency situations giving aid where it is most needed. Your donations soon mount up and this year alone have totalled £90.58 which is wonderful, but as situations worsen the need is ever present so please consider if you could join us in putting aside some ‘small change’ in gratitude that you have enough to eat. Your coins can be placed at anytime in the basket marked ‘Jars of Grace’ on the table in the Coffee Lounge. Many thanks. NEW CHURCH BOOKCASE

There is a new bookcase in the entrance hall for Christian books. Please bring and borrow!

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ELSIE’S NEWS

Many thanks to the members of the Boys' and Girls Brigade, who held a joint Eventathon to raise funds towards a new coach. On the night £230 had already been handed in as sponsor money, and there is more to come. A brilliant effort - and thanks to those who came and helped with the activities. Next year we are hoping to organise an Auction of Promises in the autumn, so it would be good to start thinking of any skill that you could offer to support this event.

ANSWERS TO THE COACH QUIZ

If you bought a quiz sheet at the Coach Coffee Morning on Saturday

October 14th the answers are below:

1. Away in a Manger 10. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2. O Little Town of Bethlehem 11. Winter Wonderland

3. Silent Night 12. O Come, All Ye Faithful

4. Jingle Bells 13. Hark the Herald Angels Sing

5. We Three Kings 14. Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer

6. The First Noel 15. Joy to the World

7. Frosty the Snowman 16. We Wish You a Merry Christmas

8. Here Comes Santa Claus 17. The Twelve Days of Christmas

9. O Christmas Tree

LAST CHANCE!!!!!

Elsie’s Cook Book is almost complete so if you haven’t got your recipe in yet

then you had better hurry up!!

Please place your recipe in the silver box in the Coffee Lounge or pass to

Bev Hallam, Norma Ellis, Janet Lander, Steve Beckworth or any other

member of the Coach Committee as soon as possible.

The Cook Book will be available in the New Year so watch out for its publication.

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BEAUVALE NEWS

BEAUVALE EX-MEMBERS ACTIVITIES

Our friends from Beauvale are reminded of the following events:

Sunday December 10th

at 6.00pm Greasley Group of Churches United Service will be held at Newthorpe Baptist Church.

The Beauvale Fellowship will not meet in December as the date is very close to Christmas.

Saturday December 16th

from 3.00pm to 4.00pm Carol Singing in Morrisons, Eastwood

Thursday December 21st

from 11.00am to 12noon Carol Singing in Morrisons, Eastwood

Do join us if you can. We sing inside the shop so you won’t get cold!

MINISTER Rev. Andrew Charlesworth 2 Fairburn Way, Watnall, Notts, NG16 1GH (Day off – Monday)

8757414

ach2804@yahoo.co.uk

SENIOR STEWARDS Mr. Andrew Tanser 07776 070255

Mrs. Kirstie Dane 07969 646373

SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT Mrs. Josie Wilcock

01623 798277

CHURCH / HALL BOOKING CLERK Mr. Ian Poxon

9763028

CHURCH COACH BOOKING CLERK Mrs. Norma Ellis 9278429

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

NOVEMBER

28th 10.30am Women’s Fellowship Coffee Morning at

church hosted by Mrs Betty Watson

DECEMBER

2nd

7.00pm Coach Christmas Meal

4th –

8th

12.00noon Advent Meditations (see Nuthall News)

5th 12.00noon Midweek Communion (see Nuthall News)

6th 10.30am Pause for Prayer at church

9th Coach Trip to Manchester for Christmas

Shopping 12

th 2.00pm Women’s Fellowship – Carols & Mince Pies

17th 12.00noon Hungry Lunch (see Nuthall News)

18th 6.00pm Village Carol Singing (see Nuthall News)

21st 2.00pm Take Time Together

JANUARY

7th 1.00pm Covenant Meal at Hoggs Head (see Nuthall

News) 9

th 11.30am Monthly Midweek Communion – please note

change of date and time 21

st 7.15pm Finance & Property Meeting at church

29th 7.00pm BPFA Committee Meeting at church

CHRISTMAS FUNNY

Pat went to the Post Office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards.

' What denomination?' asked the clerk.

'Oh! Good heavens! Have we come to this?' said Pat, 'Well give me 20

Methodist and 20 Church of England ones please.'

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DUTIES AND ROTAS FOR DECEMBER

CHURCH FLOWERS

December 3rd

Sandra Tantum 10th Ray & Val Stone

17th Howard & Jane Gray 24

th Advent Candle Ring

31st Vacant

TODDLERS' DRINKS ROTA

December 6th Sue & Ken Shepherd and Ann Knight

13th Christmas Party - all helpers are warmly invited

Thank you to all our helpers for their continued support during the year. We wish everyone a very Happy Christmas. Toddlers will resume again on January 3

rd 2018.

COFFEE CORNER

December 2nd

Jane & Howard 9th Val & Ray

16th Sue & friend 23

rd Blount family

30th Vacant

This section contained a poem - ‘Jesus is the Reason’ by Joanna Fuchs. Due to copyright restrictions it cannot be emailed. If you wish to read the poem please go to www.poemsource.com and search for

it under the Christmas Poems tab.

SUNDAY & CHRISTMAS SERVICE DUTIES FOR

DECEMBER

Duty

Steward Readers

Door

Stewards Pianist 3

rd 10.45 C. Lovatt K. & H.

Cameron P. & A. Knight J. Wakefield

6.00 J. Wilson G. Brockway C. Page

I. & R. Lishman

J. Wilson

10

th 10.45 B. Langford E. Horsley J. Housley &

D. Unwin A. Hindle

6.00 K. Dane J. Gray R. Harvey

P. & T. Kendall Youth Service

17th 9.00 J. Dent H. Gray

10.45 A. Tanser S. Foster K. Blount

Horsley family J. Wilson

6.00 S. Pullen R. & V. Stone

A. & J. Wilcock J. Wilson

24th 10.45 A. Tanser K. & S.

Shepherd L. Page

5.00 K. Dane R. & V. Stone J. Wilson 11.15 B. Langford L. Page 25

th 11.00 S. Moore J. Wilson

31

st 10.45 J. Dent J. & B. Hardy L. Page

Please pass all items for the January newsletter

to Cathy Milne, post in the box in the Coffee Lounge or e-mail to cathym.milne@gmail.com

by December 17th

, please. Please note this is a week earlier than usual

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REGULAR WEEKLY ACTIVITIES

Sunday 9.00am Holy Communion (3rd

Sunday of the month) 10.45am Morning Worship (crèche for ages 0 to 3) Sunday School (ages 3 to 11) Family Service (3

rd Sunday of the month)

6.00pm Evening Worship Youth Service (2

nd Sunday of the month)

‘Late Risers’ (ages 11+) 7.00pm Templars Youth Fellowship

Monday 7.00pm Ladies’ Keep Fit Tuesday 12.00noon Midweek Communion (1

st Tues. of the month)

2.00pm Women’s Fellowship (2nd

Tues. of the month) 7.45pm Badminton & Table Tennis Club

8.00pm Wives Group (1st & 3

rd Tues. of month, in homes)

Wednesday 7.00am Prayer Meeting 10.00am Nuthall Methodist Church Walking Group

(3rd

Wednesday of the month - contact M. Sendall 9279500 for meeting point details) 1.30pm Toddlers’ Group 6.00pm Girls’ Brigade (Explorers – age 5 to 8) 6.30pm Girls’ Brigade (Juniors – age 8 to 11) 6.30pm Girls’ Brigade (Seniors & Brigaders – age 11+)

Thursday 1.30pm Art Group 2.00pm Take Time Together (3

rd Thurs. of the month)

6.15pm Dance Yourself Fit (2nd

& 4th Thurs. of the month)

Friday 5.55pm Boys’ Brigade (Junior Section – age 8 to 11)

6.00pm Boys’ Brigade (Anchor Boys – age 5 to 8) 6.50pm Boys’ Brigade (Company Section – age 11+)

Saturday 10.00am Coffee Corner Come and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, homemade

cakes and scones, and of course, a chat with friends

A list of House Fellowship and Bible Study groups is available on the noticeboard in the Coffee Lounge