Groby

United Reformed Church

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength

Isaiah 40: 31

June 2013

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Mum & Dad, Helen

and Leroy Scrimshire with Baby Joel. Just 7

weeks old and obviously blown away

by the Sunday sermon!

Golden Oldies Pentecost Art Attack

Five managed to escape the photographer!

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Hopefully, most of us really enjoy coming to church most of the time on a Sunday morning. I wonder why? Meeting friends after the service, hearing the word preached perhaps, singing, or to meet with God. As we meet together, we are ‘Church’; some would call it ‘gathered Church’ – as we are gathered together. But what are we on Monday morning? We are still Church, but some would call it ‘scattered Church’. I was pleased to be able to accompany Rev. Sue to a Church workshop recently, run by the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity. One of the messages I heard from the day was that we need to make more focus of our Monday to Saturday life. Our gathered church life on Sunday or in mid week meetings is, of course, essential, but not the end in itself. It should be seen as giving opportunity to equip us as God’s disciples Monday to Saturday. What point in the week are we walking closer to God, doing His will, and being Christ’s disciples? In church, within the building – or out of the building –at work, school, looking after the children, or cleaning the house? Christ’s great commission is to go into the world to make disciples (Matthew 28:19 - 20) Where are we likely to be more fruitful – on a Sunday morning when we’re together, or when we’re rubbing shoulders with people who don’t yet know the Lord? Next time you’re in church, ask someone sitting next to you, or sharing an after service coffee with – what will you be doing this time tomorrow? How can that person be helped by you to walk more closely with God in their Monday to Saturday life? How can we support and equip people to help them fulfil Christ’s great commission? Our Church’s greatest resource is not the media desk, the possibility of new chairs or carpet, not even a new paint job – it’s us!!! Kathy duBoulay

The title reflects

the romance of the

Royal Weddings

and sets the scene

for some exciting

new activities, but

retains many of our

old favourites.

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From your Church Family

Arlo Platts 4 on June 2nd

Sam Lomas 13 on June 10th

The deadline for the July/August edition is Sunday 23rd June

Please email (preferred) or hand your items to: Joy Russell: joyrussell@ntlworld.com

or Mary Stait: mpstait@hotmail.com

This is a double issue and all information Will need to be in as early as possible, please

Dear all, We would like to take this opportunity to thank the CTG family for your support during our time in Groby and invite you to our wedding on:

Thursday 18th July 2013 at 1.00pm, St Philip & St James Church, RATBY.

We hope to see you there! Megan Bowen & James Scott

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An opportunity to spend time together talking to

God about our Church on a Tuesday evening

ONCE A MONTH at 7.30pm 18th June

One hour of prayer led by Elders

Everyone welcome and everyone important

JOB WELL DONE, GUYS!

Chris, Sarah and Tim decorating the entrance lobby

during Bank Holiday Monday Working Weekend.

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TALKING BIBLE Sue and I have recently acquired a complete Audio Bible (NIV), comprising 66 individual CDs.

We are very aware that this resource may be of benefit to others in our fellowship and invite you to borrow any of the CDs for your own use at any time. Please talk to Sue or myself if you feel that you may be interested.

David Brooks

STUDENT HELP AND SUPPORT At the last church meeting we agreed as a church to put ourselves forward as an alternative for Christian students coming into Leicester to study. There may be students from similar locations/churches to

Groby who would be more comfortable to come to us rather than one of the big city churches – maybe even someone who belongs to a United Reformed Church elsewhere. We would give these students individual support and help, both practical and spiritually, at a challenging time for them. We could offer to host up to four students – with someone picking them up from their university campus to bring to the service, someone giving them Sunday lunch and then someone returning them to their campus in the afternoon. This could be done on a rota system with different people each week during the term times (31 weeks in the year). To join the rota for either transport/food or both please see the sign-up sheet on the notice board or see David Harrup.

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JUNE TEACHING & WORSHIP PROGRAMME

2nd 10.00am

David Harrup 1 Corinthians Ch 7 ‘Sex, marriage, singleness’

♫ Sue Media: Alan Bloor

9th 10.00am

Rev Sue 1 Corinthians Ch 8 & 9 ‘Rights and Freedoms’ All Age Communion

♫ Worship Group Media: Dave Smith

16th

10.00am

Fathers

Day…

6.30pm

Angela Almond 1 Corinthians Ch 10, 11:1 ‘For the Glory of God’ BBQ Following service at Maplewell – see page 19 for details 3SE t.b.a.

♫ Worship Group + Keyboardist Media: Mark Hiscocks

23rd 9.00am 10.00am

Treasure Hunt *

All Age Café Church with Revd Sue

♫Debbie Media Phil Holmes

30th 10.00am

Barry Cooke 1 Corinthians Ch 11 ‘Worship’

♫ Trevor + Lewis Media: Chris Down

'ALL AGE' CAFE CHURCH on Sunday 23rd June will be a bit special! At 9.00am there will be a Treasure Hunt around the village which sets the scene for worship at 10.00am, when we will explore what it means for each one of us to be God's treasure, valued and loved, each with a special place in the church and with a part to play. So, if you want to take part in the Treasure Hunt come to Church for 9.00am and for everyone else, turn up as usual at 10.00am.

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VESTRY HOLY COMMUNION

CRECHE

2nd Kevan Rachel & Linda

9th David Tim Hilary & Pat C

16th Kathy Ann T & Barbs

23rd Mary Linda & Susie

30th Mark Stacey & Linda

COFFEE FLOWER ROTA

2nd Jan & Kathy dB Mary & Trevor Pringle

9th Ann T & Barbara C Pat Judd

16th Dave & Hilary Owen Hedges

23rd Kay B & friend Helen & Ricardo Fracchia

30th Pat C & Mary P Norma & Terry Whittaker

CTG FAIR CUPPA WELCOME

6th Violet & Alan 2nd Anne B & Barbs

13th Muriel & June 9th Joy & Peter

20th Ellen & Linda 16th John & Elaine

27th Margaret & Romaine 23rd Trevor & Mary

July 4th Connie & Beryl 30th Kay B & Hily

CLEANING DETAIL

31st/1st Ruth, Sue, Ana, Judith – help wanted

7/8th Pat C, Kay B, Joy & Peter

14/15th Linda & Tim, Kay P – help wanted

21/22nd Jeanette & Barrie, Anne B, Hilary S

28/29th Kathy dB, Lynda H, Sue & Lewis

DON’T FORGET to check the flower rota to see when you

are down to supply flowers for the church

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY FOR JUNE 2012

Tuesday 11th Elders Meeting

Tuesday 18th Talking to God – see page 5 Thursday 27th CTG Forum Sunday 23

rd Deadline for the double issue July/Aug Contact

Saturday 29th 8.00-9.am Prayer Breakfast (URC to lead P&J to feed)

Brief Summary of Points covered at May Elders Meeting Elders met on Tuesday 14th to discuss a busy agenda which included the following:

The practicalities of upcoming Elder’s elections. Plans for the big Church conversation that was

highlighted at the last church meeting Recognising our God-given gifts Points to be covered at the next Church meeting AGM Pastoral concerns, CTG and Extend Consideration of a request to use the church building for

a fund raising event Dates for Church social events throughout the summer. Christian Aid collection.

~~~~~

Please don’t park on or across the public right of way

which crosses our car park, you could get your car scratched by a wheelbarrow!

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THE BIG EVENT is coming!

Get this date in your diary NOW!

SUNDAY 1st SEPTEMBER

at Groby Community College

A fun afternoon event for the

whole village with outdoor

worship to follow, (a bit like the

Fun Day in May last year).

Please pray for the small group

planning the event and watch for details of

how you can be involved in this exciting

afternoon of mission and service for God.

Many helping hands will be needed!

A Tough Climb on a Tandem Jack and Jill have just climbed a steep hill in Derbyshire on their tandem."Phew, that was a tough climb" said Jill, leaning over, breathing hard. "That climb was so hard, and we were going so

slowly, I thought we were never going to make it."

"Yeah, good thing I kept the brakes on," said Jack, "or we'd have slid all the way back down to Carsington Water!

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CONGRATULATIONS RUTH AND BEN!

On Saturday 4th May several of us from Groby were glad to join Ruth and Ben to celebrate their wedding day. A great service in the beautiful Parish Church in the village of Wolston near Coventry was followed by refreshments for everyone. But no ordinary refreshments - fabulous (messy!) and very yummy chocolate fountains.

Ruth and Ben had the widest smiles all day, and some of us were then invited to share in an afternoon tea reception and/or the evening celebrations with a band to dance to and a hog roast. We offer Mr & Mrs Cross our congratulations and prayers as they begin married life and settle into their home in Ratby Road, Groby

And thanks for the cracking team of decorators from both Groby churches!

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THINKING ABOUT CHURCH MEMBERSHIP?

Becoming a member of the church is an important step, and one in which individual faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord is celebrated along with commitment to the local congregation. If you have been wondering whether God might be calling you to take this next step, then you are warmly invited to the first of perhaps 3 or 4 meetings to explore what it means.

SATURDAY 8th JUNE 3.30pm at the home of Paul and Marie Kirby. All are welcome – and its fine if you need to bring the

children along too! It would be good to have some idea of numbers, so please get in touch with Rev Sue if you are thinking about coming along. (Tel: 232 1733 E-mail: suemcken@gmail.com)

The Fun Day for the village was held in May, on one of the few really hot days of 2012. The vision for this event was realised by a small and active group who put in an enormous amount of work, involving also many from both churches, resulting in an event that touched the lives of possibly 800-1,500? From the village who came along. 200 people were present at the evening worship. The More than Gold events were rounded off in June, with a Sports Quiz suitable for all. Groby Street Fair on 8th September saw CTG with stalls offering face painting, children’s crafts and games and packs of information about the churches which were given away up and down the main area. The Launde Abbey weekend, led by Ven David and Rev Helen Newman was much appreciated by the 17 attendees. Urban Saints camp feedback services – spree fed to a morning service, and Bonsall to a 3SE evening service.

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The Alpha Course was run over 10 weeks in the autumn and was held at the Stamford Arms. Friendships were made and faith deepened. ‘Film and Food for Fellas’ began in the autumn, which provided an opportunity for ‘fellas’ to invite a friend without church connections to a relaxed evening at the church. Numbers grew as word spread. Fair Cuppa volunteers were invited to a get together to say thank you to all volunteers was held in February.

Shared services have continued: Christian Aid Week, Remembrance, Carols round the Tree, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Women’s World Day of Prayer. The Lent weekly meetings: ‘Expressions of Faith’, introduced participants to a range of different Christian spiritualities, and Holy Week focussed on the way the different Gospels tell the story of Jesus’ journey with a specific focus towards a CTG event, and sometimes wider. Holiday @ Home is ‘taking a holiday’ at present.

As I reflect on the number and range of different events, I am struck by just how many there are – and not all of them are listed in this report. The meeting agendas are full, and driven by those events that are very immediate. I would like to feel that we have space in our meetings occasionally to ‘take stock’ and reflect more on where we feel God is leading us in the future as CTG. We must guard against ‘busyness’ and ensure that we are listening to God and the community in Groby, alert to where the Holy Spirit is already at work and where we can best serve the Lord and witness to his love and grace.

Sue McKenzie 7th April 2013

Caroline and Alan Bloor joyfully wish to inform the congregation their daughter Rachel is to marry Mike

Webborn on June 29th in Bicester,

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Deb’s Tanzania Blog

JAMBO!!! Zanzibar was AMAZING. It was really good to have some time out - weather was ridiculously hot! I am now back in Musoma, the new team (see photo below) have arrived and they are great!!! Really friendly and a great laugh too. I do miss the other guys though!! The new team’s ‘Blog’ address is http://www.getjealous.com/april2013 Projects so far... we have started Agnus' water tank. We’re building a toilet for a family with HIV and we have already begun our health runs again! It was so good getting back out in the villages to see people! I have really missed them! And they were so welcoming when I got back!

We are also hoping to do 3 more water tanks in our time, finally complete the first stage of the chicken process, buy 3 more goats, continue with the market garden (big prayers needed as the last crop failed horrendously due to water pump problems, so they really need this next batch to be successful!), and renovate some homes and toilets of people who are on an HIV programme. Also, if we feel after more conversations and prayer that it is God’s leading, we shall start the foundation of a health centre in Kamujorjye. So it's all pretty exciting stuff!

Please pray the ‘Red Rocket’ will keep chugging along, as it broke down on the way home from the Serengeti and it had to be towed to a safe place where we could to stay overnight. Thankfully God answered our prayers and the guys managed to start it in the morning! CRAZY TIMES Also, I really want there to be lots of opportunities to get to know the villagers more so please pray for that too. Mungu Akubariki (God Bless)

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Carsington Water Striders and Riders

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OUR NEW CHURCH WEBSITE HAS GONE ‘LIVE’

Check it out at: grobyurc.com and give us your feedback on the ‘Contact

Us’ page (select Recipient ‘Minister’) – we would love to hear from you. If you’d like to be part of the group responsible for keeping the website updated, please speak to Revd. Sue

McKenzie, Mark Hiscocks or Mary Stait–young(er) person especially welcome

A BIG THANK YOU to all involved in the maintenance and cleaning weekend over the May bank holiday. Also for the many people who work week after week to keep our church building and grounds clean and well looked

after. We are blessed with so many people who are able and willing to give of their time. The Elders

Knit For Charity

At the United Reformed Church 2.00-400pm, June 7th & June 21st

We are a group of approximately 12 people who regularly come together to

knit, chat and enjoy a cuppa Please speak to Joan Camp for details

Tel: 2312239 or joan.camp@btinternet.com

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Love One

Another Is a course for anyone who is interested in how, as a church we show God's love through our care for others. Over 6 evenings Canon Brian Davis (Diocesan Advisor for Wholeness and Healing) will explore how this ministry can be developed as we learn how to pray, love and care for one another. The six week course will cover such subjects as: • What is the church? What is it for? What is its mission? • What does it mean for a church to be a loving, caring community? • What do we learn from the healing miracles of Jesus? • How do we follow the example of Jesus today and be a channel of his healing love? • What is health? How can we help people to find healing of mind, body and spirit? Why wholeness and healing? • Learning to listen – fundamental to all pastoral ministry, and so fundamental to helping people to find Wholeness & Healing. • Visiting the sick, the frail elderly, the housebound, and those in hospital (we hope to have a hospital chaplain with us one evening) and praying with them. • Visiting and comforting the bereaved and the Christian hope. • New life through the Spirit. • Developing a healthy life style. How can we help people to stay healthy – in mind, body and spirit? What part does our faith play in this?

If you think you may be interested. keep the dates free:

Tuesday evenings: 10th, 17th, 24th September 1st, 8th, 15th October

All at Groby United Reformed Church at 7.30pm

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This month we continue to learn more about the Peruvian community in and around Cajamarca. In the village of El Tambo, Warmis runs a weekly children’s club and women's empowerment programme. This is now a place where women learn new skills so they can sell crafts at market and the children receive extra school tuition. Despite many people here living in poverty, the place maintains a sense of dignity, love and hope for the future. But this wasn’t always the case. A few years ago, El Tambo was full of people who fought and gossiped and many families struggled to survive. El Tambo had a bad reputation. Teachers refused to go there. The local mayor and authorities tried everything they could to improve the situation, but eventually gave up. When Warmis approached the local authorities for permission to work there, he told them not to waste their time. But believing that God could transform lives, Warmis went in unperturbed. Their love and dedication was like Jesus, who also chose to associate himself with places and people others wouldn't. Today, families are farming more effectively, they have business skills, and most importantly they have experienced the love of God in action. Despite a widely held belief that no good could come from El Tambo, the power of God at work through Warmis has shown that there can be lasting, radical change. Please continue to pray for this community in Peru

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Maplewell Hall School,

Maplewell Road, Woodhouse Eaves, LE12 8QY

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Please sign list in the foyer and tick what

you will bring to share.

Remember to bring you own chairs, plates,

cutlery, glasses, drinks (& Dads!)

(BBQ’s & bread rolls provided)

Please contact the Hiscocks’ family for any more info 2876419

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Groby United Reformed Church

Chapel Hill, Groby, Leics. LE6 OFE

Minister: Revd Sue McKenzie Tel: 0116 232 1733 E-mail suemcken@gmail.com

Secretarial Team: Youth Worker: Mrs. Norma Whittaker Ruth O’Connell Tel: 0116 287 6606 Tel: 07759 087804 Email;normawhit4@virgin media.com Email: r.oconnell@mail.com

Mr. Peter Russell Hall Lettings: Tel: 0116 299 6164 Mrs K Peel Tel: 2250045

Groby URC is a member of the Evangelical Alliance UK. Groby URC website: www.grobyurc.com

Sunday Worship

10am: Morning Worship: All Age with ychurch (children’s session) Holy Communion as announced. Babies and toddlers can be cared for on Sunday mornings.

The church building has a loop hearing system, wheelchair access, disabled toilet and nappy-changing facilities for babies.

Home Groups: Wed & Thurs evenings – see an elder for details

Weekday Activities: Monday: 9.30-11.30am Noah’s Ark Club for toddlers and families. Monday: 2.00-4.00pm Painting class for handicapped people. Monday: Urban Saints*: After school to 4.45pm Quest (boys and girls in reception and years 1, 2 and 3)

6.30-7.30pm Genesis (boys and girls in years 4, 5 and 6) 7.45-9.00pm Rock Solid (young people in years 7, 8 and 9)

Wednesday: 7.30-9.00pm Revelation (young people in years 10, 11, 12 and 13) Thursday : 10.30-12.00 Noon Fair Cuppa* at Groby Village Hall. Friday 9.30-11.30am CATCH* Coffee and chat (in term-time) Friday: 7.30-9.30pm Gap* (young people in years 10. 11. 12 & 13) Saturday: 8.00-9.00am Prayers in the church hall for everyone

*These events come under the umbrella of Churches Together in Groby