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CONTACT

Magazine of Erdington Methodist ChurchStation Road - December 2009 / January 2010

ContentsMinister’s Letter 3Tuesday Club Meetings 4In CONTACT this month 5Family news 6Can you help? 8Visit to Uganda 9Christmas in September!? 11Network New Year Lunch 12A Profile of . . . Enid Denton - Part 2 13How much do you know about Christmas?  15Today, 11, 14, 15, 21, 2000 16Captain Noah & his floating zoo 17Midland Hospitals’ Choir Christmas Celebration 18Christmas & New Year Activities 18Children’s Pages 20Oi luv Christmas 22You will always be lucky . . . friends with strange cats ~ Proverb 24Nativity Play 26A Christmas Carol written by Charles Dickens 27Hanukkah 28Our Christmas Charities 30Robert Burns 1759 – 1796 35November Wordsearch Solution 37Answers to ‘How much do you know about Christmas?’ 38Answers to ‘The Angel’s Announcement’ 38December 2009 & January 2010 Regular Meetings 39Weekly Church Activities 40

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Minister’s LetterDear Friends

For hundreds of years, the Methodist Church has been sending missionaries abroad (and the recent decades have seen us receive Mission Partners from the world church into the UK coming to share their vibrant and distinctly optimistic faith with their Mother church – British Methodism). It is an exciting time to be alive and hear accounts of churches abroad which are growing apace, despite persecution or poverty, churches who face all kinds of dangers and risks, for whom the cost of discipleship is very high and yet, in some marvellous and mysterious way, churches who are devoutly committed to Christ and able to serve their communities whilst taking a prophetic stand with unjust governments and regimes. We have much to learn from our mission partners.

A mission partner, speaking after working in Africa for 22 years, noticed a huge change in life here in the UK. The whole society was much better off; the TV culture dominated everything; standards of behaviour and courtesy were much more casual and so on. But what really shocked him, more than anything else, was the general lack of hope amongst everyone. Among African people who lived on a quarter of our income, there was more than four times as much hope and thereby happiness (Don’t ask how this was measurable but apparently it was palpable and measurable! But the gist remains). Commenting on everyday life, human expectations, the desires and hopes expressed, this experienced missionary said that he still found the British hopelessness and lack of joy both very puzzling and rather sad.

This is the season for all Christians to revel in the hope that Christ brings and which is at the heart of our faith. This advent season is all about God’s promises and his people’s hope. There is nothing naive about it. We do not hope for the whole world to become Christians next year, nor for there to be an end to all diseases tomorrow, nor even that people will never be sad again – that would be “pie in the sky” indeed. But we do hope that the kingdom of God will keep steadily working away in every nook and cranny of the whole world amongst all peoples everywhere. And we know that one day, in

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God’s good time, the final glory will be realised and the whole world transformed for good.

Until such a time dawns, every effort anyone makes to bring justice and truth, grace and joy into life, is deeply worthwhile. Life is good. Deep down we know this and know that Christ constantly bids us to be positive about life and discover the joyous hope which is at the heart of all life.

Interestingly, Christ never promises that all our problems will be solved magically and disappear. Rather, he promises us that the more we get into the way of peace-making, love-bearing, and justice-bringing, the more we get into the way of his everlasting kingdom. We can savour the Kingdom, feel it, taste it almost, as we share the mighty work of upholding love, justice and peace. And Paul comments that by sharing the Kingdom’s work, we can know that “our labour is not in vain.”

Indeed not! For the promised Christ comes, nestled in a most unlikely stable (or maybe a cave) in Bethlehem. He comes for good. The world is actually different now: it has a permanent hope built into everything. Thank God!!

May Hope and Joy be yours this Christmas and into God’s great new year,

with love and prayers

Nichola

Tuesday Club MeetingsThe Tuesday Club invites you to join them for a Christmas Afternoon on December 15th at 2.00 pm (afternoon includes mince pies!)

In January they are having a Fish & Chip meal on January 26th at 2.00 pm followed by a ‘Bank Worker’s tales’ delivered by Maurice Sansome their guest speaker.

A warm welcome to everyone.

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In CONTACT this month . . .

Nichola tells us how we can learn a lot about ‘hope’ from our brothers and sisters in other countries . . .

One of our church family wins an award . . .

We learn about a visit to Uganda by a previous member of our church . . .

Ann tells us about celebrating Christmas in September . . .

We learn even more about the amazing life of Enid Denton . . .

We test your knowledge of Christmas . . .

The children get some colouring to do and learn about the Angel’s announcement . . .

We find out why Oi Luv Christmas . . .

Lesley tells us about her cat, Sooty . . .

We learn about the Jewish celebration of Hannukah . . .

We find out more about our Christmas charities . . .

If you don’t know much about Robert Burns . . . you will after Ann’s article

And lots more . . .

Our next magazine will be available in early February so the editorial team hopes you have a happy and peaceful Christmas.

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Family News

Congratulations MargaretOne of our members, Margaret Harries has been awarded the Care Quality Award in the Best in Care Awards 2009 at University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust on November 11th.

The criteria for the award is described as follows:

‘An award for an individual or team where exceptional patient care has been demonstrated, ensuring essential aspects of treatment are right every day for every patient.’

We are delighted that she has had recognition for all the hard work & service to the elderly that she has done & continues to do.

Well done Margaret!

New House GroupsWe hope that the new house groups will start after the new year. We have some names of those interested in belonging to a group, but we know that there are others who wish to be part of a house group as well. Anyone else, whether you indicated or not, will be welcome and please give your names to Marion Griffin, Moya Farley or Hilary Price, if you have not already signed the list. House group lists with times of the first meetings will be put on the notice board in the foyer and announcements will be in the notices after Christmas.

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Thank YouSue and I would very much like to express our grateful thanks to the church community at Erdington Methodist for their help, support and prayers while we struggled to cope with the advancing infirmity of my Mum.  Since she has lived with us for the last 30 years, the recent crisis of her health and deteriorating mental state affected us most acutely and the kind gestures of support as well the very practical advice and help that we received from members of the church was wondrous.  Mum is now settled in a Nursing home and is having her needs catered for by kindly carers who are much more skilled than we are to meet her needs.    Thank you all for your help  Michael Turner   

Help Us!The choir will be taking part in our worship on Sunday 19th December and will be singing three special pieces. Our rehearsals will be on Wednesday 2nd December, Friday 11th December and Friday 18th December (we have already had two during November). We meet in church at 8.00 pm each evening. If you think that you would like to sing with us then have a word with Nick the organist.

Birmingham City MissionBy the time that you read this we will have organised two trips to City Mission to take supplies for their Basics Bank.

Thank you for your support. The office will be writing in due course to thank us for our ongoing support.

Please keep your contributions coming in over the Christmas period.

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Can You Help?You may not be aware but the Church is open every Saturday morning between 10am - Noon (well, sometimes it's 12.30pm before everyone goes!)  The reason?  For food, fellowship and prayer.  Sometimes we have the mega sales day like Nichola's Christmas Fayre; other times it is on the same lines but not quite so lavish when a church group or outside organisation has a fund raising event.  More recently however, we just simply  open to provide a service for the regular customers who pop in for a hot drink, breakfast and a chat.  Any funds raised on these occasions go towards Church funds.

A huge thank you must go to Elizabeth Livingstone who, with Brenda Street's help, have kept this event going week in and week out.  It will not be possible for Elizabeth to continue to do this for a while so I am appealing to any of you, all of you, or even YOU to volunteer to run your own event.  It could be a mini-mega type sale  complete with stalls and bacon butties or just open the doors and provide teas, coffee and toast.  If you choose to do this for church funds you use the tea, coffee, sugar from the church cupboard and all you need to do is bring milk, bread, butter and marmalade.

We endeavour to open every Saturday but without Elizabeth and Brenda's input this duty is going to fall on me to organise and I really would like some help.  It is not too difficult - no awkward customers (unless Anthony Griffin comes in!) and it does give the church a warm cohesive feel.

There is a list on the noticeboard by the kitchen hatch so just fill in your name on the date you would like to do this.  I would be happy to tell you more about it - just ask, and I am always here on Saturday morning if you should need some help. 

Thank you  

Lesley Morgan Caretaker and Coffee morning list organiser

NB. there will not be a coffee morning on Boxing Day.

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Visit to UgandaIn July I was hugely privileged to be part of a team of twelve from Berkeley Street Methodist Church in St Neots, Cambridgeshire going to Kaberamaido in Uganda to support the building of a dormitory for St Thomas’s Secondary Girls’ School. The church decided, in a response to discussions in our Lent Groups, that it would like to reach out to the wider world. Our minister Chris Giles (originally from Wolverhampton) had been to Tesso, one of the poorest regions of Uganda, and had contacts there. We were told that the girls’ school in Kaberamaido was urgently in need of a dormitory. Many of the girls faced a two hour walk to and from school or slept two to a single mattress in extremely cramped conditions. The project pulled the church together and inspired us, and those who were kind enough to sponsor us, to raise £30,000 in a period of about six months. We were a mixed bunch. I attained the status of qualifying for my bus pass on the Monday before we set off on the following Saturday, but I was not alone. In all six of us, including Chris and her husband Derek were in the same age group. We were privileged to have a young dentist, a South African lady, among us and the youngest member had just turned eighteen.

We all had trepidations about how we would cope with the journey and living in very basic conditions. Washing in a bowl of cold water and using long drop toilets were something we had to get used to at times, but the people were so grateful that we had come all the way to an area of Uganda that seemed to have been forgotten. It was like going back in time at least 100 years, with murram (mud roads) and goats, chickens and cattle wandering the streets. We sat through hours of speeches from various committee members, who all deeply desired relief from poverty and a better life for their people and their country. Aids was rife, an average sized family had 8 and sometimes as many as 16 children, but the average life expectancy of an adult was 43. I have never seen so many children in my life and we were the centre of attention everywhere we went. Our dentist set up in the local medical centre. Two very cramped rooms had to be cleared and word soon spread that she was there. In 9 working days she extracted 576 teeth! At times it was overwhelming, and at the end people had to be turned away, but many were helped and I witnessed the last file of local anaesthetic used to help as many as she could.

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I work as a receptionist at a doctors’ Practice, who were also wonderful in supporting us and I was able to take over two cases full of medication including 13,000 Paracetamol. The medical centre was barely equipped with no stethoscope, no thermometer and a blood pressure machine that didn’t work. People turned up and waited for a doctor to arrive but there seemed to be little or no medication and only the means of treating malaria or typhoid with injections. Chickens wandered in and out and the nurse breastfed her little boy at will.

We were allowed 46kg of luggage allowance each as a charity. In addition to the heavy dentistry equipment and the two cases of medication we took as many gifts as we could pack in. The first weekend we split into 4 teams of three to travel to some of the remoter villages where we stayed in the local homes, including mud huts, and we shared in their worship. In Kagaa, the village I went to, a soccer match was put on for us, but had to be abandoned after half an hour as the ball was no longer usable. We were told that in that village the people were on one meal a day. 400 people must have turned up to see us, some of them having walked 12km. It was a very humbling experience and the gifts we distributed were inadequate among so many. However, before we left we were able to buy a good football for them and two sewing machines in response to a request from the Mothers’ Union. A new school and a motorbike for the minister were a little beyond our means on that occasion!

The girls and staff at the school became our friends. We interacted and played games with them at the end of their school day. We worshipped with them, sharing our songs and their songs and dancing. Worship back at St Neots seemed very tame in comparison when we got back. We marvelled at their devotion, considering the harsh reality of their lives. Many had lost parents and family members and food supply was a continual concern. The faith of the whole community was an inspiration to us. Our lives and theirs have been touched by our joint experience. We hope that the link between us will be maintained. Meanwhile the dormitory progressed and at the end of our stay the roof was on and the girls marched, singing as they did so, to escort us back to the school for the opening ceremony. The Ugandan and

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British flags were raised and it was very hard to leave these warm, stoic and generous people.

Jane Parker (Member of Erdington Methodist Church 1991 to 1997). My husband David Parker was unable to come with me, but along with other members of my family and many friends, was hugely supportive.

Christmas – in September!?It was a glorious, mellow, autumnal Sunday in mid-September that I sat on a rather stuffy coach bound for London. It had been a month prior to this that I received a phone call inviting me to join a group of friends, ex-Bodymoor Heath Methodist Church members (the Bodymoor Heathens) and friends from Hopwas, and Four Oaks Methodist Churches, plus various friends from other denominations. We were going to the Royal Albert Hall to share in the recording of the BBC ‘Big Sing’ including the Christmas Carol Concert plus two other ‘Big Sing’ Songs of Praise.

Arriving well in time, we found our seats, which were on the back row unfortunately, and were able to take in the magnificence and grandeur of the building, as for many it was their first visit. It was good to watch the place fill up and sense the excitement mounting as the BBC stage staff busied themselves in preparation.

The setting was for Christmas with sparkling silver Christmas trees standing around and lots of silver garlands draped across the back of the platform, picking up the various colours of the lighting as the show proceeded.Presented by Aled Jones with guests Bryn Terfel (my heart-throb, only don’t tell anyone because I’m much too old!) gospel singer Ruby Turner, Jodie Prenger, Amy Nuttall and The Soldiers, the Soldiers being a trio of men who had served in the Iraq fighting and who had discovered their voices blended together. They received a standing ovation after their rendering of ‘I’ll Walk with God’ and sang an encore for us. The Adventist Vocal Ensemble, the Brighton Festival Choir, the Exmoor Singers of London and Saint Michael’s Singers formed the choir, sometimes singing as a choir, at others accompanying the artists. Organist Daniel Moult really made the organ ring and it was a stupendous sound.

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Fortunately we only had to repeat one of the carols – the cameraman filming the orchestra became entangled in the percussion instruments! All the staff were in black as were the cameras, which slid on tracks along the floor in front of the platform or were fixed in various positions around the RAH. They reminded me of pre-historic scorpions, the lens being at the end of their extending robotic arms. There was one above us which kept silently sending out a black arm and turning its camera round on the audience. It was a little startling to find, while singing, a camera arm suddenly appear from nowhere above your head. Paul Leddington Wright was a marvellous and humorous conductor, explaining all that would happen and giving instructions when needed.

There were short breaks after each hymn so that the director in the portable studio outside could assess the ‘take’, and Aled pranced about in front of the camera listening and following the instructions in his earpiece, sometimes adding some of the amusing bits for our benefit.

Then the stage was cleared of Christmas paraphernalia at the interval and the platform made ready for the ‘normal’ Big Sing Concerts.

I was very tired and weary the following day, arriving home at 1.30am, but it was a wonderful occasion, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

A memory worth treasuring.

Ann Tomes

Network New Year LunchThe Sutton Park Circuit invites you to a ‘New Year Lunch’ to be held on Monday 11th January 2010 at 12.00 noon. This year it will be at our South Parade Church. The speaker is Rev Shirlyn Toppin. Places are limited so if you require a ticket then contact Gill Buck (Stockland Green)

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A Profile of . . . Enid Denton - Part 2After considerable soul searching, Enid and Barrie gave up their jobs in order to work for Ockenden in resettling Vietnamese refugees. They decided to sell their house in Handsworth Wood and they bought a shop in Shirley which was managed by their son Paul. As Ockenden could only afford to pay Enid and Barrie half of their previous earnings, the shop gave them some much needed extra income. Unfortunately, however, it turned out to be a financial disaster and they had to give up the business. This left them virtually homeless so in 1980 they moved to their flat in Erdington. Barrie’s responsibility was to open Reception Centres for the refugees as they arrived in the country. In these centres they were assessed, given an induction into the British way of life and given language lessons. Some of the children were taught in local schools near the Reception Centres while others were taught by teachers who were employed to work in the centres. This was a massive undertaking and Reception Centres were situated all over the country. Three organisations were involved – The Refugee Council, Save the Children and the Ockenden Venture. When housing became available in various parts of the country, the refugees were assisted in resettlement. Enid opened a Reception Centre in Wolverhampton called Oxley House which had been obtained with the help of the Crypt Association which, in its turn, was part of Darlington Methodist Church. There were forty people made up of eight families. After six months of working in Oxley House, Enid started assisting with the resettlement of the families in various parts of the country.

It was during 1981 that Enid realised she and Barrie needed to earn money so she applied for three jobs. Her applications bore fruit and she became Head of Department of the Settlement Section of the British Refugee Council in London. Here Enid worked with asylum seekers. This position meant that she had to find a bedsit in London while Barrie continued his work here in Birmingham. The work at the Refugee Council entailed taking on responsibility for a team of case workers helping the asylum seekers prepare their applications for Refugee Status. Her work included finding accommodation, referring them for English language classes and a general concern for their overall welfare. At weekends Enid returned home to catch up with family life and household chores. This arrangement eventually

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proved to be unsatisfactory so after eight months Enid returned to Birmingham where she rejoined her family.

Soon after settling back in Birmingham, Enid went to work at The Crypt in Wolverhampton where she took on the position of Community Development Manager. She worked there until 1990 when she returned to the Probation Service, working yet again in Winson Green Prison. This was where she received the Butler Trust Award from Princess Anne as mentioned in part 1.

Finally, Enid and Barrie took early retirement in 1994 and they emigrated to Florida. While this proved to be an interesting experience, Enid freely admits that the American way of life did not really suit her. Fortunately, it wasn’t too long before her connections with the Methodist Church opened a new door for her in the form of the Family Renew Community, an organisation which provided sheltered accommodation for homeless families. This position helped Enid considerably as it gave her a much needed focus. She took on the responsibility of Care Manager/Team Leader and her duties involved assessing displaced families and supervising them throughout their stay.

Having lived in Florida for five years, Enid and Barrie returned to the UK to live in their flat in Erdington. Barrie became a Peripatetic Probation Officer and Enid helped out at the local probation office for a limited period of time.

Enid would tell you that one of the outstanding moments of her life was when Barrie was awarded the OBE in the 1989 New Year’s Honours List. This recognition of a lifetime’s selfless devotion to helping others resulted in a visit on Valentine’s Day to Buckingham Palace where the Queen presented the award to Barrie – a truly memorable moment which Enid cherishes.

Barrie died on the 8th June 2005. B M Rawson

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How much do you know about Christmas?  Here are 10 questions about the festive period - see how well you score then try them out on your family and friends! 1  The Three Wise Men presented baby Jesus with gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.  What did the three gifts symbolise? 2  Why is Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean so named? 3  The song White Christmas is an all-time best -seller.  Who wrote it and who has recorded the most successful individual version? 4  In what century were Christmas cards introduced:  18th century, the 19th century or the 20th century? 5  How many white Christmases have there been in London since the start of the 20th century? 6  Which of the four Gospels tells how God appeared in a dream of Joseph's to explain about Mary's conception? 7  What country every year gives a Christmas tree to stand in London's Trafalgar Square? 8  December 26th is known as Boxing Day in the United Kingdom.  By what name is it known in the Republic of Ireland? 9  Christmas is a time for fun and games.  What was the best selling board game of Christmas 1985? 10  The Wham single 'Last Christmas' sold more than a million copies in 1984 yet failed to get to number one in the charts.  What was the record that kept it out of the number one spot?

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Today, 11, 14, 15, 21, 2000The start of the trial of Radovan Karadzic, former president of Serbia, at the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague on two counts of genocide and nine of war crimes and other crimes against humanity, gave me an opportunity to stop and think about humanity’s unique ability to wreak death and destruction on itself. This trait in human nature appears to have been with us since the beginning of recorded history and shows no sign of fading away.

On 10th April 1998 an event took place, which had defeated many politicians both in the UK and Ireland, the Good Friday Agreement was signed. After much wrangling this Agreement entered into law in December 1999 and signaled the beginning of the end of a struggle that had gone on for almost 30 years and which claimed about 3,500 lives from both sides of the religious divide. As an aside, who will forget the television pictures of Fr Aiden Troy walking a group of little girls to school through the protestant Glenbryn estate at the beginning of their school year in 2001?

In April 1993 the United Nations Security Council declared Srebrenica and its surrounding area to be a safe haven and deployed a military force to protect those living there. Unfortunately the soldiers were insufficient in number and equipment and in July 1995 at least 8,000 thousand Bosnian men and boys were marched away and never seen again.

Rwanda is a country divided between Hutus and Tutsis with, in total, a population of about 10 million people. The vast majority are subsistence farmers of whom 75% live below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day even though the land is verdant and fertile. After independence the country was ruled by Hutus but internecine warfare was commonplace with the support of factions in neighbouring Burundi and Uganda. On the 6th of April 1994 the airplane carrying the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi was shot down and both men died. The reasons and the blame are disputed but a result between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people were killed over the next 100 days, whilst the world stood by and watched.

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The storming of the Golden Temple in June 1984 to capture a man who was resisting arrest resulted directly in over 500 deaths and the subsequent assassination of the Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi.

The message from these and many other events is that such things will happen again and again until we are prepared to stand up, uncompromisingly, for those that we sometimes see as different. As we move towards Christmas let us remember who we are here to serve, the man who said we should ‘forgive our neighbour seventy times seven’, ‘I bring you good news, your sins are forgiven’, and that ‘I have come so that you may have life and have it to the full’. Now there has to be a new year’s resolution there.

Peter Farley

With thanks to Indarjit Singh whose ‘Thought for the day’ gave me the idea for this piece.

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!CAPTAIN NOAH AND HIS FLOATING ZOO

Rehearsal Dates Evening rehearsals 7.30 to 8.30pm unless otherwise stated

Sunday afternoon rehearsals 3.00 to 4.00pm.Final Sunday afternoon rehearsal 3.30 to 4.30pm.

January: Wed 13th start time 7.15pm ~ Wed 20th ~ Wed 27th

February: Wed 3rd ~ Wed 10th ~ Wed 17th ~ Sun 28th

March: Sun 7th ~ Sun 14th ~ Sun 21st

Refreshments will be available after the final rehearsal for all who wish to remain in church until the evening service begins.

Midland Hospitals’ Choir Christmas Celebrationin aid of CLIC Sargent

Town Hall, Birmingham3.00 pm and 7.15 pmFriday 4th December 2009

Conductor: David LawrenceOrganist: Julian WilkinsGuest Artists: Tenors Un LimitedEnsemble: Gemini Brass

Tickets £10 - £22 (concessions available)Box Office: 0121 780 3333 or www.thsh.co.uk

Every day 10 families are told their child has cancer.CLIC Sargent is the only charity that offers them all round care and support

www.clicsargent.org.uk

Christmas & New Year ActivitiesI thought it worthwhile re-iterating this information with some amendments to make things clearer - so please read carefully - ed

We hope we will be carol singing in Tesco, New Oscott, once again this year. The date is Tuesday 22nd December beginning at 7.00 pm. Please can some of you make an effort to be there 7.00 pm on the dot - in previous years I’ve been standing around on my own like a lemon - ed. We are fund raising for ‘Help for Heroes.’

After our successful efforts last year singing in Erdington Co-op, we will be doing the same on Saturday 19th December beginning at 10.00 am (see my noted above - ed). Fund raising has traditionally been for the Methodist Relief

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and Development Fund and this year should be no different. We will meet back at church afterwards for hot soup.

Our ‘Carols by Candlelight’ service will be on Sunday 20th December at 6.00 pm. Worship is led by David Hewitt and the collection will be for Medecins Sans Frontières

There will be a Christmas Eve afternoon service principally for children at 5.00 pm. All families are invited to come along and have fun dressing up and re-enacting the Christmas story.

As is customary we end Christmas Eve and begin Christmas Day with our Christmas Eve Communion Service beginning at 11.30 pm. Our collection will be for the L’Arche community whose motto is ‘Together for Life’

Our Christmas Day Service will be at 10.00 am and will include a collection for Action for Children.

Following our Christmas Morning Worship why not stay for our Christmas Day Lunch at 12.30 pm. All are welcome and tickets will be available shortly - costing £6.95 for a 5 course meal. Absolutely everyone is welcome.

Worship on Sunday 27th December will be at our church here at Station Road at 10.30 am as usual and will be followed by a Bring & Share lunch. Please bring enough food for yourself and for others to share too.

Our annual Covenant Service is on 3rd January 2010 at Stockland Green Church and this will be followed by a hot meal. Details to follow.

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Children’s pagesThe Angel's Announcement

Just over 2000 years ago a very special baby was born in the town of Bethlehem. This baby had been promised by the Angel

Gabriel to a woman named Mary. On the same night that he was born, an angel appeared to shepherds who were watching their flocks in the field. Use the code below and fill in the spaces to

see what the angel's message was.

Answers on page 38

Now look in your Bible and read Luke Chapter 2.

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Colour the stained glass window

2010 New Year’s Resolution A New Year’s Resolution is a goal that you set yourself to try harder at something. What are your New Year’s Resolutions? List them in the spaces below.

1. ______________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________

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Oi luv ChristmasAnn Tomes sent me this - she said that she didn’t know whether it was appropriate for the magazine but after giggling at it a lot I thought it worth sharing with the rest of you - so - to a brummie Christmas -ed

Oi luv Christmas. Innit grite when yow gerrome from werk on a snowy Christmas Eve and the garding’s all a-covered in woit’ and ower kid’s ‘aving a turn ‘cos ‘e int gorra pressie for ower Mom yet. Praps it’s a lung way from Brummagem to Bethlehem, but on this speshul noit, when you’m surrounded by pressies yow cor open ‘til the next day. Oi luv to think about worappened all them years ago.

‘Ow it all started was when this Roman emperor sent out a kinda sustificate, saying that everyone ‘ad to pay taxes in their own city, loik wot we do in Brum, only they din’t ‘ave no noin percent interest in them days. Anyhow, Joseph, who come from Bethlehem, ‘ad to goo there from Galilee with ‘is woif, Mary, who was expecting a babby.

Well, they gets there and foinds there int no room at the inn, wot was loik an ‘otel in the town, but the landlord says it’s all roit for them to ‘ave the stable, so that’s where Mary ‘as ‘er babby, a son, and ‘er wrapped ‘im up all cosy loik and laid ‘im in the manger.

Anyroad up, nearboi there was these shepherds in the field amoinding their sheep. This one noit, a nangil comes down from the skoi in a broit loit.

‘Evening eech,’ says the angil. Don’t be froitened. Oi intarf got summat grite to tell yow’.

‘Wassup?’ says one of the shepherds, still terrifoid.

‘Ababby’s bin born tonoit,’ says the angil. ‘A Saviour, and lissen woil Oi lern you summat: ‘Es in a manger in Bethlehem. Incha gonna goo and see?’

Then about foive ‘undred angils come down from the skoi and they’m all a-singing.

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Well, when the angils was gone, the shepherds says to eech other, ‘Let’s goo up to Bethlehem and see wot’s bin ‘appening. Worrall we teck ‘im though? We int got no money, being pooer, loik.’

So they ‘as a think and comes up with a bostin’ idea – they decoides to teck ‘im a lamb from their flock.

They sin Mary and Joseph, and the babby in the manger, and then they wen’ out and told the ‘ole world worrad ‘appened.

Anywaysup, on this same noit, these thee wois men come to Jerusalem, a-roiding on their camels, asking where could they foind the Saviour, as they’d sin ‘is star in the skoi.

King ‘Erod was a bad un and when ‘e ‘ears this, ‘e sends for the wois men and asks them about this star. Then ‘e sends them to Bethlehem and says, ‘Goo and foind the babby and lerrus know when you ‘ave, so tharoi can come and see ‘im.

The wois men was on their way when this star come up again from the East and led them to the stable and the babby, just loik one of them miricles. When they seen Mary with the babby, they’m roit chuffed and give ‘im gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

But gerrin back to the story, it come to the wois men in a dream loik that ‘Erod ‘ad tricked them, so they wen’ ‘ome without teckin’ ‘im the required information, and the ‘ole world rejoiced in the coming of the Saviour.

So that’s worroi think of each Christmas Eve – init stringe that such a story can survoive through ‘undreds of loiftoims, when Oi cor remember the joke ower kid told me last wick?

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You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with strange cats.  ~ ProverbThis story is about our first cat, Sooty, a stray that I found many years ago. She didn't have a loving family to care for her.  She spent all day and night walking around the streets looking for food and water.  It didn't matter whether it rained or snowed, Sooty was left outside to fend for herself.When I first saw her I was working in Wolverhampton.  Sooty was living underneath a car near to where we lived.  One of the children in the street was looking after her by giving her tins of meat and water.  No-one knew where she came from and no-one had put pictures up of a missing cat.  Nowadays cats and dogs can have a small computer chip inserted in their neck so that they can be brought home to their owners, but this was a long time ago and Sooty wasn't 'chipped'.

We had not planned to have a cat, but after two weeks it was decided that I could take Sooty home permanently, despite the fact that we already owned a dog!  She was very timid at first.  Can you imagine just how strange she must have felt to be in a house with people she didn’t know? AND a dog!  A large, fluffy cross collie called Pal - who didn't like cats!  Oh dear! Then, the strangest thing happened.  Sooty decided the dog, also a stray at one time, was really rather nice. Gradually, they became best friends and often cuddled up together in front of the fire.

Sooty was a beautiful black and white cat.  She was very faithful to our family and seemed to know what time we would be home from school or work because she was always waiting outside in the garden to welcome us.  We quickly grew to love her.

One day she surprised us by giving birth to four kittens.  We didn't know she was pregnant!  It was an amazing time.  She was only young but she became an excellent mother keeping the kittens clean, well fed and out of trouble. Sadly, however, all of the kittens were very sickly.  Perhaps it was because Sooty was too young or because she had had such a poor diet; we don't know.  There followed several weeks of visits to the vet for special medicine which we had to squirt into their mouths from a small dropper.  If you have had kittens at your house you will know how difficult that can be.  In spite of

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our best efforts, two tiny black kittens were too weak and they died.  One of the survivors was completely grey and fluffy.  We called him Smokey.  The other one, Dixie, was black and white.  Smokey and Dixie also became part of our family.

It is a big responsibility to keep pets.  You have to know how to care for your animals, how to feed them properly and what to do if they are sick.  It can take up a lot of time and money to do it properly.  Sometimes parents refuse to let their children have pets for that reason.  We didn't know anything about cats and it came as a surprise to find that Sooty was having more kittens.  This time she was healthy and strong so the kittens were healthy and strong. It was exciting to see four kittens being born in a spacious, comfortable cardboard box behind the television set - two tabbies; one tortoiseshell and white and one black.

Our cat family was growing too quickly so we had to do something about it.  Sooty was taken to the vet and spayed so she wouldn't have any more kittens.  We kept Cleo, the tortoiseshell and white cat and found homes for the other three.  In the space of under a year we had four cats and we loved it.  

Sometimes though, life can be happy and sad at the same time.  Perhaps you have had times like that.  It was happy inasmuch as the two tabbies were given back to us because the family that had adopted them had changed their minds about keeping them.  The dreadfully sad part, however, was when Sooty was killed one night by a car. We think she was waiting for one of us near the kerb on our street and, as she was black, she wasn't seen by a car driver. We will never know, but we will never forget her and we are very pleased we gave her a good home. Please remember – a pet is for life, not just for Christmas.

Lesley Morgan

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Nativity PlayBy Clare Bevan

Here is an inn with a stable,Equipped with some straw and a chair:Here is an angel in bed-sheets,With tinsel to tie back her hair.

Here is a servant in bath towels,Who sweeps round the stage with a broom:Here is a chorus of facesAll eager to cry out “No room!”

Here is “Away in a manger,”A tune most recorders can play:Here is the moment of wonderAs Jesus appears in the hay.

Here is a Mary with freckles,Whose baby is plastic and hard;Here is a donkey in trousers,With ears made from pieces of card.

Here is a king bearing bath salts,Who points at a star hung on string’Here is a dove who has stage fright,And quivers her crepe paper wings.

Here is a camel who fidgets,With plasters stuck over his knee;Here are some sheep who just giggle,And think no one out there can see.

Here is a Herod in glasses,Who whispers, so nobody hears;Here is a Mom with a hankieTo cover her pride and her tears.

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Here is our final production;And though it’s still held up with pins,The parents will love every minute –For this is where Christmas begins.

A Christmas Carol written by Charles DickensDickens wrote this story in 1843 to highlight the plight of the poor and appeal for charity from the well-to-do. His own childhood had given him first hand experience of poverty and this prompted him to write‘A Christmas Carol’. Three spirits - Christmas Past, Christmas Present, Christmas Yet to Come - appeared to Ebenezer Scrooge; all three had a mission – to offer Scrooge an opportunity to change his miserly, solitary life to one of generosity and a love of humanity. Although this story was written more than 160 years ago, its message continues to be as relevant today as it was then.

Here are a few quotes:

• "A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!" cried a cheerful voice. "Bah!" said Scrooge. "Humbug!"

• "At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge," said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. ... We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices."

• "Somehow he [Tim] gets thoughtful sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant for them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see."

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• "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach."

• ‘and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed that knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!’ And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!

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Barbara Rawson (with thanks to Google for the quotes)

HanukkahIt is difficult to produce the December January edition of Contact without mentioning Christmas, but how to find something that we have not included before. The end of any year is a time for many celebrations both sacred and secular. Christmas we know about. Many will also know of St Nicholas of Myra a Greek Saint who was reputed to leave coins in people’s shoes and is remembered on the 6th of December. Then there is the winter solstice, known in some places as Yule, which occurs over the night 21st-22nd December, when people celebrated the beginning of the New Year. Many, however, will not know of the festival of Hanukkah, which starts at sunset on 11th December and runs until 19th December.

The underlying causes of this celebration are somewhat obscure but it began in 165 BCE when a revolt against the Seleucid king of Syria succeeded, Jerusalem was liberated and the temple was cleansed and rededicated. After this the temple lamp would have been rekindled but such was the effects of the war that only one day’s Olive oil could be found for the flame. Miraculously, it is recorded; the light burned for eight days, hence the celebration of Hanukkah last for eight days.

The primary ritual, according to Jewish tradition, is to light a candle for each of eight days, not to light the house but to remind those outside or passing

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by of the original eight day miracle. On each successive day an additional candle is lit on a nine-branch candlestick. The ninth candle is used each day to light those candles counting the days.

There are additions to the daily prayer and the thanksgiving after the meal but no Sabbath obligation to refrain from work. The only suggestion about food for any celebration is that it should be fried in Olive Oil, again as a reminder of the miracle.

Scholarship appears to be divided on the cause. Traditionally the view was held that the Jews were objecting to the imposition of new practices in the temple by the king. A more modern interpretation of the facts suggests that the king, of an adjacent kingdom, was intervening in a civil war between traditional and modernising Jews, which sounds vaguely familiar. This intervention, whatever its causes, aided the revolt led by the Maccabees and the Jews obtaining a measure of autonomy for almost 100 years. This peace lasted until Pompey conquered Jerusalem in 63BCE.

As we approach Christmas, the story of the miraculous oil and the Hanukkah lights should remind us that Advent and the Nativity are stories for those outside and passing by. We need to share with them the wonder of the birth of Jesus all those years ago. Peter Farley

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Our Christmas Charities

Help for Heroes"What is H4H all about? It’s about the blokes, our men and women. It’s about Derri, a rugby player who has lost both his legs, it’s about Carl whose jaw is wired up so he has been drinking through a straw. It’s about Richard who was handed a mobile phone as he lay on the stretcher so he could say goodbye to his wife. It’s about Ben, it’s about Steven and Andy and Mark. It’s about them all. They are just blokes but they are our blokes; they are our heroes. We want to help our heroes."

The charity Help for Heroes was launched in October 2007 in response to the desire of ordinary people to do something practical to help our wounded servicemen and women. As individuals we are powerless to prevent war and we feel helpless that we are unable to stop our men and women from being killed and wounded. By joining together as Help for Heroes, we are doing something practical to help; we are doing our bit.

Help for Heroes is very simple; we are strictly non political, we recognize that wars happen under any government, and we are non critical, preferring to get on with the job rather than talking about rights and wrongs.

Our first task, given to us by General Sir Richard Dannatt, the Head of the Army, was to raise £6 million to help provide a swimming pool and gym complex at the tri service rehabilitation centre at Headley Court. With the support of Royalty, The Armed Forces, Celebrities, the Press and thousands of ordinary, decent people, we achieved that target in our first eight months.

Our first task may be complete, but our job is not and, while our young men and women continue to be wounded, we intend to be there to help. We are pushing on with even more determination, buoyed by the extraordinary support of the public in our first few months, to ensure that the wounded get the best help, support and futures that they deserve.

Our Servicemen and women give more, risk more and sacrifice more, so we believe that they should be given more; we believe they deserve the very best.

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They say they are not Heroes, that they are just blokes doing their job; we say that anyone who volunteers to join the Armed Forces and serve in time of war is a hero and we want to help our heroes.

Help for Heroes needs to raise a great deal of money and as that money comes in we will spend it on improving facilities like the pool complex or the relatives’ house at Selly Oak, and by giving grants to the right organisations to ensure that our wounded get the very best.

This is needed, it is urgent and it is making a very real difference to our Armed Forces. Thank you for your support; we need your help and we need it now.

Written by Bryn Parry - Appeal Chairman from the ‘Help for Heroes’ website

MRDFThe Methodist Relief and Development Fund makes small miracles possible in some of the world's poorest communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America through sustainable development, emergency relief, development education and campaigning. Sustainable developmentMRDF is currently providing financial and organisational support to more than 40 community-based organisations in over 20 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Faced with overwhelming need in so many areas of the world, MRDF focuses on a small number of the world's poorest nations, countries such as Mozambique.

Within these countries, MRDF seeks to support those who are ‘doubly disadvantaged' and therefore find it especially hard to escape poverty – people marginalised because of gender, age, disability, social position or location. For example, MRDF partners work with the elderly in Cameroon, Dalit communities in India and street children in Bangladesh.

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To address need in the most effective way, MRDF works with local organisations that understand the issues facing their communities and are best placed to find and implement solutions. For example, MRDF's local partner in El Salvador has introduced permaculture projects to communities facing the consequences of deforestation. And in Cambodia, MRDF works with an organisation promoting sustainable agriculture and education in communities recovering from the effects of the Khmer Rouge regime.These fledgling organisations are often unable to access funding from larger donors, so MRDF helps build their capacity so that they can flourish and become self-sufficient. The benefit of this work was seen when MRDF's partner in Ethiopia was able to respond quickly to the food crisis in 2008. Emergency reliefIn addition to long-term development work, MRDF responds to emergencies through its own partners if possible, Methodist Church links or Action by Churches Together (ACT) International. We focus particularly on forgotten emergencies – those situations that receive little media coverage or places that are no longer in the public eye despite ongoing difficulties. MRDF has recently provided emergency funding for Haiti, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Development education and campaigningMRDF also tackles the root causes of poverty, such as climate change, unfair debt and trade, by raising awareness and campaigning in the UK. MRDF works in partnership with UK campaigning organisations, such as Stop Climate Chaos and the Jubilee Debt Campaign.

Medecins Sans FrontièresMSF’s core work is providing medical aid in crisis situations - armed conflicts, epidemics, famines and natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. All these situations call for a rapid response with specialised medical and logistical help. 

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Projects in more than 60 countriesEvery year MSF sends out around 3000 doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, administrators and other professionals to work alongside approximately 25 000 locally hired staff. Together they run medical projects in more than 60 countries around the world. MSF opens and closes a number of individual projects each year, responding to acute crises,  monitoring situations as they develop and remaining flexible to the changing needs of patients. A number of projects may be running simultaneously in a single country as needed.

Beyond the urgency of acute crises, MSF teams also work in situations where the health care system is simply inadequate. MSF provides basic health care and disease prevention in refugee situations, areas of persistent instability or places that are so remote that health care is virtually unheard of. We've pioneered HIV/AIDS treatment in the world's poorest regions and we campaign for fairer access to medicines for the world’s poorest people. Medical and material aidOur teams deliver both medical aid (including consultations with a doctor, hospital care, nutritional care, vaccinations, surgery, obstetrics and psychological care) and material aid (food, shelter, blankets etc). When necessary, our teams also repair or construct medical and  sanitation facilities.

L’ArcheL'Arche is a family of 130 Communities in 30 countries all round the world. In L’Arche Communities people with learning disabilities and their Assistants live and work together.

L’Arche means ‘The Ark’ in French. L'Arche has nine Communities in the UK. Another 2 are being planned. They are all ordinary houses and real homes. More than 100 people with learning disabilities live there. Another 100 Assistants live with them.

L'Arche is based on Christian principles, welcoming people of all faiths and none. Men and women with learning disabilities aged 18 and over are at our

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heart. They are people with a wide range of disabilities, independence and needs, from varied backgrounds and of different ages.

Action for ChildrenAction for Children is committed to helping the most vulnerable children and young people in the UK break through injustice, deprivation and inequality, so they can achieve their full potential.

A proud heritageWe have been working with the UK’s most vulnerable children since 1869.

We were originally called the National Children’s Home, or NCH, until September 2008 when we changed our name to one that better describes what we do and what we value – Action for Children.

Passionate about potentialWe believe all children and young people have unique potential and that they should have the support and opportunities they need to reach it.

Action for Children helps nearly 156,000 children, young people and their families through nearly 420 projects across the UK. We also promote social justice by lobbying and campaigning for change.

Changing livesToday, Action for Children is the leading UK provider of family and community centres, children's services in rural areas, services for disabled children and their families, and services for young people leaving care.

We provide services in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and we also support work in Southern Africa, the Caribbean and Central America.

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Robert Burns 1759 – 179625th January 2009 saw the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns providing the inspiration behind a year-long celebration of Scotland’s contributions to the world.

Robert “Rabbie” Burns is the best loved Scottish poet, admired not only for his verse and great love songs, but also for his character and high spirits. He came to fame as a poet when he was 27 years old, and his lifestyle of wine, women and song made him famous all over Scotland.

He was the son of a farmer, born in a cottage built by his father, in Alloway, Ayrshire, now a museum dedicated to Burns

As a boy he loved the supernatural stories told to him by a woman working for his father, and upon reaching adulthood, he wove these stories into his poems.

After the death of his father in 1784, Burns inherited the farm but within a few years was in terrible financial difficulties; the farm was not successful. It was at this point that Burns decided to emigrate to Jamaica, so to raise the money for such a journey, he published his ‘Poems in the Scottish Dialect’ in 1786, which was an immediate success. He was persuaded not to leave Scotland by Dr Thomas Blacklock and in 1787 an Edinburgh edition of the poems was published.

He married Jean Armour in 1788 (she had been one of the many women during his early life). A very forgiving wife, she accepted and took responsibility for all Burns’ children, legitimate and illegitimate alike. The poem ‘Welcome to a Bastard Ween’ was written for Elizabeth, the eldest of his three illegimate daughters.

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It was when a farm he bought on the banks of the River Nith near Dumfries also failed that he ceased farming and became a full-time exciseman thus earning him more cash.

One of the most important literary tasks he began (a labour of love as he received no payment for this work) was his songs for the Scots Musical Museum. Burns contributed over 300 songs, many of his own composition, and others based on older verses.

At this time he wrote, in just one day, his most famous long poem, “Tam O’Shanter”. The story of a man who disturbs a coven of witches in the kirk(church) at Alloway and has to flee for his life on Meg, his old grey mare. He is saved only by the fact that Cutty Sark, the fastest witch, nearly catches him by the River Doon, but the running water makes her powerless and Tam makes his escape across the bridge.

Burns died aged 37 of rheumatic fever which he contracted after falling asleep at the roadside (after a particularly heavy drinking session) in pouring rain. The last of his children was actually born during his funeral service.

On a visit to Burns’ birthplace some years ago, I was able to read many of his poems, love songs and letters, some of which were very poignant, and I had a glimpse into the real man. I could not help but think back to that time when he was young. How could young women resist such a good looking man with a flow of language which could charm the birds from the trees. I visualised a man of very tender heart as shown in his poem “Bonny Wee Thing” composed whilst nursing his sick child in his arms. His tenderness towards the little terrified mouse whose nest he had unearthed whilst ploughing is again obvious in his poem "To a Mouse." I came away feeling quite saddened at how hard life had been for him; at the lifestyle he had created for himself, thus digging himself, and, to some extent his family, into a hole it was difficult to climb out of. Burns will never be forgotten as his poems and songs are still as popular in Scotland as they were when they were first written.

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So on 25th January each year, many Burns Suppers are held in his memory all over the world. The ritual of the piping in the haggis along with the reciting of the poem “To A Haggis” is then toasted with a glass of whisky. The evening ends with the rousing rendition of “Auld Lang Syne”.

A truly remarkable man who has left a legacy for the whole world to enjoy.

Ann Tomes

November WordSearch Solution

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Answers to ‘How much do you know about Christmas?’

1  The Gold symbolises a gift that would be presented to a king, Frankincense was a priestly offering and Myrrh was a symbol of suffering. 2  It is named Christmas Island because it was first sighted on December 25th 1615, by the crew of the ship, the Thomas. 3  White Christmas was written by Irving Berlin.  The most successful individual recording is the 1942 Bing Crosby version, which has sold around 30 million copies. 4  Christmas cards were introduced in the 19th century - sometime in the 1840s. 5  There were seven. 6  Joseph's dream appears only in Matthew.  The others make no mention of it. 7  Norway. 8  St Stephen's Day. 9  Trivial Pursuit. 10  Do they know it's Christmas? by Band Aid.

Answers to ‘The Angel’s Announcement’ I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

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December 2009 & January 2010 Regular Meetings

Sunday Worship All worship starts at 10.30 am unless stated otherwise below

December6th HOLY COMMUNION - Rev Nichola Jones

13th Mrs K Jones

20th ALL AGE WORSHIP - Rev Nichola Jones

Candlelight Carol Service - 6.00 pm 27th UNITED SERVICE at Erdington - Rev Nichola Jones

January 20103rd COVENANT SUNDAY - UNITED SERVICE at Stockland Green - Rev Nichola Jones

10th Mr D Hewitt

17th Rev Nichola Jones

UNITED SERVICE - Churches together in Erdington Holly Lane URC - 3.00 pm

24th Mr J Rutherford

31st WORSHIP GROUP - Mr D Hewitt

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Weekly Church ActivitiesSunday 10.30 am MORNING WORSHIP and

Young Church (with crèche : Ruth Carlon)

7.30 pm House Group : Hilary Price - (3rd Sunday)

Tuesday 9.30 - 11.30 am9.30 - 12.00 noon2.30 pm

Stay and PlayPre-School : Karen HomerTuesday Afternoon Meeting : Valerie Long (4th)

Wednesday 9.30 - 11.30 am9.30 - 12.00 noon12.30 pm

Stay and PlayPre-School : Karen HomerLuncheon Club - (1st and 3rd)

Thursday 9.30 - 12.00 noon Pre-School : Karen Homer

Friday 5.00 - 6.15 pm6.15 - 7.45 pm7.45 - 9.15 pm7.45 - 9.15 pm5.30 - 6.30 pm5.00 - 6.30 pm7.30 - 9.00 pm

Beavers : Lynn TurnerCubs : Elizabeth BaizonScouts : Lisa PorterExplorers : Caroline JoyceRainbows : Louise RawsonBrownies : Lesley CarterGuides : Helen Rainsford

Saturday 10.00 - 12.00 noon10.30 - 11.30 am

Coffee Morning : Lesley MorganChurch open for prayer : Margaret Curzon

Please hand any items for the February CONTACT to any of the Editorial Team (Elizabeth Baizon, Peter Farley, Nichola Jones, Christine Rankin, Ann Tomes & Nick Riley) by 15th January 2010 at the latest please or alternatively email me - nickriley@blueyonder.co.uk

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