Dear All,
So, having given that some thought, not just because we need food in the physical sense. We also want or need it for our core, I would say that each service is a shared meal what ever the time of day. We join together, in singing, praying, loving and fellowship. This I’m sure it’s also what holds us together in strength and unity, as a faith community.
It’s of great satisfaction to me knowing that we all do this, we are of course not just a church because we all meet in one place on a Sunday, we are a Church of people, because we I’m sure by just that small thing we do, not necessarily everyday but when we do it makes a difference and just maybe we are living our faith in action. We of course don’t just look after what is ours, we look after what is God’s. And that is Stewardship.
A Prayer.
Where there may be darkness – bring light.
Where there may be discourse – bring hope.
Where there may be fear - bring safety.
Where there may be war – bring peace. Amen (based on St Francis of
With best wishes to all for the year as it unfolds in front of us. All we do matters.
Yours in kindness.
Karl Stewart, Chair – UMB.
From the Minister
Looking Forward...
Dear Friends,
I wonder sometimes if we see our lives like that. Moving from moments of wonder and joy to periods of anxiety and concern about ourselves and our loved ones and feeling a bit useless and helpless.
At our last Bright Lights meeting we focussed on the importance of GRATITUDE and shared many of the things we were most grateful for. Thanks were given for special gifts received at Christmas and for times of sharing with family and friends. But we also acknowledged the times when we had serious challenges and disappointments in our lives and that we had reason to be grateful for those too. If life was always a bunch of roses [or daffodils!], what would we learn about our own nature? How would we be able to be compassionate to and understanding of others without any experience of pain, fear and even anger?
So this is one of my New Year resolves. To be grateful for everything that each day brings, the sweetness and the struggles.
I pray that none of us have too many struggles and those we do have will be sweetened with the knowledge that we belong to a community who loves and cares for us all.
Enjoy your daffodils................. Lindy
Bright Lights sees in the New Year
We started off in a “grateful” mood at January Bright Lights making baskets to put messages of gratitude in. As usual there was plenty of yummy food and time to catch up and chat with friends when we weren’t rushing about playing balloon hockey. [Olympics 2012 watch out!]
February Bright Lights [26th at
REMEMBER..... Bright Lights is for anyone and everyone who would like an afternoon of companionship, sharing and gentle activity, fun and games, not to mention the fabulous feasting. We look forward to meeting you.
Looking ahead...... in MARCH, [25th] the Rev John Harley, national Youth Leader will be leading our Bright Lights programme.
Lindy
IMPORTANT NOTICE..CHANGE OF E MAIL ADDRESS:
Lindy will be away from Feb 13th - 25th
Windows at Frenchay
Local people have shown interest and offered suggestions for ways to raise the very much needed cash to help pay for the replacement and repair of the Frenchay Chapel windows.
BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN WE NEED YOUR HELP.
Are you interested in joining a working party which has to be set up to organise and co-ordinate future fundraising events?
OR are you interested in being a volunteer to help in any way you can at planned occasions?
WE NEED YOUR TIME AND ENTHUSIASM!
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE NEED YOU!!
Please come to the meeting which has been arranged for
at FRENCHAY CHAPEL
at
It would help if you would let Lindy know if you are able to attend.
Email: lindy@belindalatham.co.uk
FRENCHAY WINDOWS - WHAT A PANE!Anniversary Service
Thirty people, or more, gathered at Unitarian Meeting for the Anniversary Service on Sunday 15th January. It was conducted jointly by Rev. Lindy Latham and Rev Dr Ann Peart, National President of the Unitarian movement who gave the address. Bob Cook played the organ. The service was attended by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Geoff Gollop and the Lady Mayoress. Karl Stewart thanked everyone for attending. A bouquet was presented to the Lady Mayoress and a small gift to Rev. Dr Ann Peart. A sumptuous tea followed the service. All contributed to Lindy's summary of the activities of the congregation in the past year. Over the 20 years that have passed since the opening of UMB on
SUSAN WILDMAN
Women's League
Women's League members and friends thoroughly enjoyed the production of Cinderella at the Tobacco Factory on 12th January. We were sorry that Grace Cooper and Anna Webster could not join us due to poor health and we hope that they will soon be better.
Our next meeting will be the AGM which will be held at the home of Sylvia Bartlett on Thursday 23rd February, at
We hope to send £150 to the National Women's League Project for 2011/2012 - 'Combat Stress'. Thank you to all who have helped raise this money.
SUSAN WILDMAN
There will be meeting of UMB Trustees at UMB on Thursday 15th March at
SUSAN WILDMAN - Chair UMB Trustees
3rd Monday in the month; Monday Feb 20th for Open Circles Spiritual Enquiry Group; body , mind, spirit.
5th The Minister
12th Frank Butler B.Sc
19th Karl Stewart.
25th Rev.Dr. Peter Godfrey
(On Charles Dickens. Concise Dicken's readings requested.
March 4th The Minister
5th The Minister (Arthur Brown teas and flowers IM)
19th Karl Stewart (Paul Wheeler teas and flowers IM)
25th Bright Lights
March 4th The Minister (June Whittaker teas and flowers
Frenchay Committee Meeting 19th January:
1. The urgent need to raise money to fund the long awaited replacement and or repair of the windows dominated the meeting. Please consider volunteering to be part of the "Building Fund Raising Sub-committee." . Please come along to the Chapel at
be known in early February.
2. Ongoing expenses and income:
2a. A first call on Chapel income is meeting the stipend and expenses of our Minister.
2b. Secondly, our payments to support our denomination headquarters staff. A central function is the recruitment and training of future Ministers and of course the support of those in post or retired.
Literature is published including the "new" purple hymnbooks.
2c. A third call is to support our District Association, in our case The Western Union of Unitarian and
2d The combined membership levy for 2b and 2c amounts to NEARLY £40 PER MEMBER.
MEMBERSHIP: It follows that members need to contribute a minimum of £1 per week out of which the Chapel would only gain £12 per year. Much more is needed to pay for Ministry, lighting and heating and building maintenance.
Gift Aid.
If you pay income tax this can be reclaimed by the Treasurer, Marie Eastman, who will be very pleased to talk with you.
So, please reconsider what you give at present and increase it to seek to ensure a more stable future.
Bernard Omar
Chairperson
UMB
It was a great pleasure to welcome our national president of the GA Anne Peart with our Minister Lindy latham, in leading our service and Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, to join in our celebration anniversary service. And to see it attended by members of both chapels really made a difference, always a welcome sight. Thank you to Bob Cook for playing we all very much appreciate your doing so. Thank you to those of you who helped on the day in all capacities, and thank you also for what you do for our movement in
Karl Stewart – Chair.
At Frenchay Chapel
Frenchay Chapel held a coffee morning on the first Saturday of December. Business was initially slow and soon helpers were buying cakes and coffee and hoping for better things. However, just as we began packing up around
Another big thank you must also go to Liz for making a beautifully decorated chocolate cake on the occasion of Rev. Dr. Anne Peart’s visit to Frenchay.
The cake was flavoured with Cherry Jam which made it made it very morish! The top of the iced cake displayed the Chalice as well as the words Rev. Dr. Anne Peart.
Thanks once again, Liz.
Marie Eastman.
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| | UMB will be alive with the Sound of Music on Friday 24th February At 7 for For our group social event A Sound of Music-Singalong! When we will watch the famous film, projected on a big screen, and the words to the songs come up so you can sing along! Come dressed as your favourite character from The Sound of Music! |
Free entry with retiring collection for Chapel Funds.
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| Friday 30th March 7 for UMB 1st half: come along and perform the Madonna song(s) of your choice – accompany yourself, or contact Mark about backing-tracks: markgartside@hotmail.co.uk / 0117 2398464. 2nd half: An all Madonna disco!!! Dance the remainder of the evening away to Madonna’s greatest hits. Feel free to dress to the occasion. £2 entry towards chapel funds. | |
