MinisterRev. Kevin JonesTel: 0121 706 6298

Rest Day: Friday

SecretaryMrs. Jenny Scott, Elder 200251 Hanbury Rd.,Dorridge, Solihull. B93 8DWTel: 01564 770730

TreasurerMike Robertson Elder 2006132 Lodge Rd.,Knowle B93 0HFTel: 01564 773940

Hall SecretaryMrs. Edna Grimmett,Tel: 01564 772552

Property SecretaryMr Ron Squire

Magazine EditorMary Kirwan Elder 200199 Newton Rd.,Knowle, Solihull. B93 8HNTel: 01564 776050

TypesetterDr. Graham Tall, Elder 2007Church NoticesMike Robertson Elder 2006Tel: 01564 773940

Serving Elders in addition:Sue Bateman 2007Isobel Robertson 2000Clive Griffiths 2002

Jenny Scott 2002Stephenie Tall 2005Kath Vale 2006

Non-serving Elders:Margaret AllenKenneth Always JonesEdna GrimmettJohn HeatleyGlenys Lamb

Alan LangLucilla LangPat McKeeIan MillerEileen PitkeathlyJudy Preece

Jan RichardsonBrian RichardsonMauvine SquireRon SquireDavid Stewart

Note: This magazine is free to all members and friends of Knowle URC.We rely on donations to help cover the costs.

Did you know?! We have tea-towels for sale at £2.50 each, notelets £1, URCCar sticker 50p, key rings 50p and pens (now ½ price) 25p each.

Please contact Mary for purchases.

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Minister’s Letter

In June I went, along with other ministers from the United Reformed Church,to Corrymeela to the Community which works for peace and reconciliation inNorthern Ireland. One of the members of the Corrymeela Community,Gordon Gray, led worship for us on the Wednesday evening. An interestingthought he shared with us was connected to the story of Jonah. Jonah wasamazed and upset when God decided to forgive the people of Nineveh fortheir sins (Jonah chapter 4). Despite their wicked behaviour the people ofNineveh listened to the message Jonah brought to them from God and theyrepented. In a similar way Gordon Gray expressed his anger that those whohad begun the work to bring peace in Northern Ireland were being ignored,while those who had incited violence were getting credit for the peaceprocess. Gordon had been one of the founding members of the CorrymeelaCommunity before the troubles began in 1969 as they tried to bring theCatholic and Protestant communities together. Now it is the political leaderslike Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness who contributed to the divisions in thepast who are getting praise because like the people of Nineveh they havechanged their ways. Those who have been working for peace over manyyears feel that their efforts haven’t been recognised.

Does this ever happen to us? We can be involved in church life for a longtime trying to keep something going and it can seem that others get the creditwhen we don’t always have our efforts recognised. It is as very human andnatural response. Yet God sees our efforts and knows what we do. And evenif we would like to be thanked, perhaps the result of our efforts is their ownreward, because like the peace process in Northern Ireland the outcome ismuch more important than the egos of those who have made it possible.

Mind you, a few more ‘thank you’s to those who give their time to keep ourgroups and activities functioning would be good too!

Kevin

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Bible Society Sponsored Walk ThanksIan Rogerson recently raised £182 which was matched on a pound for poundbasis by Barclays Bank, and wishes to thank every one in church very muchfor sponsoring him. He has now collected all the monies raised by theSolihull Churches and the grand total is £1111, which will buy a lot of bibles!Well done Ian

M & M TubesAll the money collected in the tubes, and the GA tax collected is used for ourlocal charity donations.

Please remember to return your M&M tubes at the Harvest Festival Serviceon Sun Sept. 28th. Hopefully they will be full of coins (notes accepted) and ifthere are some of you didn’t obtain a tube, please feel free to add donations,in lieu, by putting your donation in an envelope (with your Gift Aid Number).

ShoeboxesIt is time to give thought about donating to the Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxappeal! Please forward your name to me as soon as possible along with£7.50p of which £2.50p is for transport, processing and distribution costs,sorry about the extra 50p, but I have received the leaflets and noticed theincrease! I will organise collecting the shoebox’s from the shops, cover them,fill them with suitable items, provide the elastic bands, etc on your behalf,then all the boxes will be dedicated at a Service in November (to beannounced) after which they will be sent on their way! Please give seriousthought to this appeal which means so much to a child who will receivenothing else for Christmas. I hope I am inundated with requests!

Mary KPSWhen you are eating your sweets/chocolate there is a certain amount of foilwrapping around them, foil can also be found around cakes, biscuits, pies etc.please save it for me, also used stamps, and old Specs and I will recycle them.We recycle as much as we can from church also, Milk cartons, cardboard, oldnotices etc. Did you know that there is a Bra recycling bank in the car park bythe school? Mary K

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Sue Bateman’s HolidayWith a special Birthday on the horizon (a few days before Christmas) Idecided to have a family celebration a few months early! Now that my sonJames is living in Cornwall it seemed to be the obvious place for a summerget together. I rented a superb apartment which sleeps ten people for a weekand had a party on the Saturday night-(if I’d known three church memberswere close by they could have joined us). The party went well, 14 of us andthe evening passed very quickly but I was given a wonderful surprise present,a day’s cookery course at “Rick Stein’s” on the following Monday, mydaughter Melanie came too, my Brother Richard offered to drive us toPadstow but we said the ferry at nearby Rock would be fine, as soon as he haddropped us off we realised the tide was out! We phoned the ferryman (youcan either phone or wave a white flag!) We had to run down the beach to apoint where he could pick us up and then had a run in Padstow as well, wearrived just after 9am. There were 16 of us on the course and the day startedwith wonderful coffee, real freshly squeezed orange juice and a very warmwelcome. The course was run by two young men who certainly had a vastknowledge of fish cookery and much more besides. They demonstrated, wecooked, and we ate! Four different dishes and delicious white wine wasserved to us, the fourth and final dish we all ate together and drank somemore superb wine. One more dish was demonstrated, then we left completewith cookery folders and certificate, a superb day. I also visited Lauhydreck,a National Trust property where I bought a copy of an ancient prayer (whichwill be in the magazine next month, Mary).

In September & October I shall be in Scotland where son Andrew runs amountaineering business, Rebecca has a baby due, and then I shall be cookingfor a small group, somewhere north of Ullapool!! As Rebecca will beotherwise occupied.

Susan Bateman

Every child is a gift to us from God. A child is a gift so valuable that weshould cherish each and every one and help them develop, so that they cangrow into active, well-adjusted and happy adults.

Nelson Mandela

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Prayer Fellowship Sunday July 13th 08Present were Chris S, Mary K, and Mary and Kath Vale, Apologies fromEdna. We remembered Clare, Isobelle, Alexander, Kenneth, Chris & HughHarding, Richie, David & Sally, Marjorie Deakin, Julie, David Kellond,Wayde, Gill, Keith, Tony Parrot and Family, Ann, Sylvia-cancer, John ofLeeds, Pam Lowrie, Jenny & Family, Joanne and Joanna in Yorkshire, MaryK, May’s 85 yr old auntie, Friends known to us, Irene Ramsey, a DownsSyndrome baby girl, Rosemary’s brother Michael, Sue & Peter Marshallwhose Grand-daughter is getting better, Duncan, Rachael and Madeline Hill-Brown, Peggy Morgan, Callum, and all those on holiday, awaiting examresults, and the homeless. Next PF meeting is on Sunday Sept.14th.Kath

A Wonderful Sunday school, Part oneAbout 1905, a Methodist tin chapel was built in Addison Road, Kings Heath,Birmingham, and opened. After a few weeks Mr Albert Gascoigne, the chapelsteward and local preacher decided that he would start a Sunday school. Anotice to that effect was put up on the notice board outside and on the firstSunday afternoon Albert sat there from 2.30 till 4.30 but no one turned up, heprayed for his Sunday School, no one turned up on the second, third, fourth,or fifth Sunday either, and Albert continued to pray. On the sixth Sunday aboy and girl walked in and that was the start of Sunday school, on thefollowing weeks more and more children joined.

In 1934, at the age of ten I joined that Sunday school together with my threecousins and by that time there were ninety members, the original boy and girlwere still there, by now they were Mr & Mrs Ray Shepherd, he was theSunday school Superintendent and Choir Master, and his wife was a teacherand contralto in the choir.

We all enjoyed our Sunday School days with learning, parties, outings, andespecially the Sunday School anniversaries together with the annual prizegiving. I still have the Bible given to me seventy four years ago. For theanniversary services we all stood on a five tier wooden platform erectedspecially for that purpose and we enjoyed singing our hearts out, in the Gloryof God. To be continued

Les Bridgewater St Andrews Church Chelmsley Wood

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Our Donation last year to the Church at DurgapurBelow are two photos of the keyboard that was purchased with moneydonated by our church to the Church of North India to be used in a newchurch in their Durgapur Diocese. Prosenjit Chowdhury who visited uslast year brought these photos with him when he visited in July as partof the Synod Youth Exchange and wanted to thank the church very much fortheir generous donation. Kevin

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A Journey through the Bible with Tiglath. 9. Genesis 48 to the end.In Chapter 48 a very interesting case of family precedence arises. Joseph hearsthat his father Jacob is ill so he goes to see him, together with his two sonsEphraim and Manasseh. Jacob informs Joseph that he will consider Ephraim andManasseh to be his own sons; they were born in Egypt before Jacob arrived there.Any children born to Joseph after that were to be considered as Joseph's own.Joseph brings his two sons to Jacob and they were placed on his knees for himto see them. Then Joseph took the two boys and placed Ephraim on Jacob'sleft side and Manasseh on his grandfather's right. Then Jacob did a strangething. He stretched out his right hand andplaced it on Ephraim's head, although hewas the younger of the boys. He thencrossed his hands and laid his left hand onthe head of Manasseh. This made Josephangry and he remonstrated with his fatherasking him to lay his right hand on theelder son. Jacob refused, telling Joseph

Jacob blesses Ephraimand Manasseh

that although Manasseh would become a people, and great, his brother wouldbecome greater and found a nation.In Chapter 49 Jacob summons his sons and tells them what is going to happento them in the future. Reuben will lose his birthright because of somethingthat happened in Chapter 35. Simeon's and Levi's tribes will be dispersed. It isfrom the tribe of Judah that the Messiah will come in the distant future. ThusJacob goes down the list - a most fascinating read. And so, in verse 33, Jacobbreathes his last and Joseph is given permission by Pharaoh to return to Canaanand bury his father in his native land. It is interesting to note how many Egyptiansaccompanied Joseph to his homeland.After Jacob had died his sons became very uneasy and in Chapter 50, verses 15to 21, we see they half-expect Joseph to exact vengeance on them because theyhad sold him into slavery. Joseph, however, reassures them, telling them that,although they intended to harm him, God brought good out of it. Joseph toldthem that he would provide for their future in Egypt.And so our long journey through the book of Genesis ends in Chapter 50 withthe death of Joseph whose body was embalmed and laid in a coffin in Egypt. Weshall hear of this coffin later in our journey through Exodus (the going out) andfollow the progress of the Israelites as they change from slaves to a peoplecapable of founding a nation. In the next issue, we begin

8 our journey

Olympics!On Friday 8th August Chris and I watched part of the opening ceremony andnoticed that over 10,000 athletes walked on a canvas creating FOOTPRINTSwhich was a spectacular sight, but did you know that Pat McKee started that“trend” at the Knowle Festival in the Park a few years ago, the evidenceactually hangs in our church at the moment of this years footprints, so wewere way ahead with the idea! Mary K

Sorry for the lack of colour – mostly red and blue footprints.(printed in B&W)

URC Pocket Diary for 2009 (description on the notice board) isavailable and orders should be given to Jenny ASAP.

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Graham and Stephenie’s Ruby Wedding AniversaryStephenie was amazedand delighted at the giftof flowers and cake atthe Church on the daybefore our RubyWedding Anniversary –Monday, August 11th.I had secretly told Isobel,because I thought a cardwould be nice, but in herusual quiet way, Isobelgot to work behind thescenes.Of course Isobel was notalone and I’m sure Idon’t know the wholestory, but the cake wasmade by Sue Batemanand, iced by Fiona. Buton fetching the cakethe icing was damaged – not that we realised because re-icing was donebefore the service! Thank you everyone. Graham & Stephenie

Abigail Isobel Lambarrived 29th July

8lb 9oz.

Glenys and David Lamb’snewest grandchild is held byher brother George on theleft. Abigail is the Daughterof Jonathan and Mhairi.

George was Christened atKnowle on the 20th August2005.

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Knowle URC’s Ground Force Team

Mike & Isobel Robertson, with Kevin between Stephenie & Graham Tall

A busy afternoon’s work, - our squad was much quicker than AlanTitchmarsh’s original Ground Force Team - but then we had no water featuresto create, no gazebo to build or decking to lay and no pretty plants to plant –mind you, unlike the huge skip they hire and pay to have taken away,, we hadto dump two trailer loads of soil and other rubbish AND go and buy extrabags of bark because the amount required had been grossly under-estimated.

The team’s one slight mistake was, in their keenness to remove all the weeds,they also ‘weeded’ up three small hawthorne seedlings (our potential hedgeextension – any replacements????).

The photograph was taken by Helen Jones, Kevin’s chauffeur! When shearrived to collect him, saw the dirt on the ‘team’ and, of course, the fantasticwork that had been done, she felt that a photo was in order – we hope youagree. Graham 11

A Roller Coaster Ride The Revd Elizabeth WelchReflections on twelve years as West Midlands Moderator

During my twelve years as West Midlands Moderator, one of the words that hascome up at regular intervals in my daily spiritual journal is ‘roller-coaster’.Journeying through the rich kaleidoscope of events and people and churches, indifferent places and situations, has felt like a roller-coaster ride. There is no time topause; some events are exhilarating; others are challenging. One of my ecumenicalcolleagues described his role as being like a butterfly - fluttering about from oneplace to the next, but not stopping very long at any one point. There has been asense of constant momentum - a momentum that is matched by the frenzied world inwhich we live and could be a reflection of a church anxiously trying to discern theway forward in changing times.

It has been a fruitful, enriching and privileged twelve years. Although I haven't felta strong sense of belonging in one local community, I have felt the blessing of awelcome and a belonging in all the churches across the Synod. Whether I ambooked to lead worship or Peter and I just turn up unannounced, we have alwaysreceived a warm welcome.

I have written a longer reflection on my time as moderator (available from theSynod Office). What follows is the concluding section, where I've sought to discernthe presence of God on the roller coaster ride.

Where is God on the roller coaster?I want to finish by offering twelve affirmations and challenges:

1. God is in the relationships. The church is called to reflect the life of the HolyTrinity, a community of three-in-one bound together in love, love that iscontinually offered for the healing of the world. The primary role of themoderator is to develop relationships that reflect Trinitarian love. These meansboth developing relationships rooted in love between the moderator andministers, Elders, churches, Synod staff and Synod committees, and seeing thatsuch relationships grow and flourish within and between churches and amongstministers and Synod staff. Such relationships grow and develop not just throughmeetings, but in prayer, personal encounter and shared work. The challenge fora conciliar church is to balance the meetings with other ways of growing inrelationship.

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2. God is in the mutual belonging. The body of Christ is discovered in thesharing together across diverse boundaries of geography, race and theologicaldifference. Synod and Areas and Ecumenical groupings help us to enlarge ourhorizons and hold each other to account in the Body of Christ. The challenge isto sustain mutual belonging, within the United Reformed Church in ways thatare fruitful and energising rather than weighed down with procedures andmeetings.

3. God is present in each place and at every time. The church in each placewitnesses to the presence of God. The primary role for the church in thesechanging times is to continue to be a faithful witness to God in the greatdiversity of human life. This means connecting with different spiritualities,growing in the life of prayer and wrestling with intellectual questions aboutfaith. The challenge is to still see God, even in the dispiriting and despairingplaces.

4. God offers life in all its fullness. How does the church mirror this in the midstof the busy round of meetings? A dilemma of being an activist church isfeeling that we're struggling against all the odds. The challenge is to focus onthe life that is energising rather than draining, even when it means leaving somethings undone.

5. God is in the life of the congregation, where the word is preached, bread andwine are shared, prayer is offered, service is given, people are cared for, justiceis served and peace prevails. The challenge is to renew congregational life,struggling with the dilemmas of individualising faith, the issues of power andpower straggles, people being burdened with too much to do, and the buildingof unwitting barriers of exclusion.

6. God is in the desire for unity. Ecumenism has made great strides, in thedevelopment of LEP's, Churches Together Groups, County Ecumenical bodies,the hidden ecumenism found in the workplace and shared social action. Thechallenge is to grow in the spirituality that discovers the heart of God in eachplace and in each person. Then people are brought together from very differentbackgrounds to share gifts and insights for the transformation of the world.

7. The Holy Spirit continues to reveal God, bringing hope to a despairing worldand making new things possible. The challenge is discovering the balancebetween maintaining what's happening and moving forward in new directions.Openness to discerning the work of the Holy Spirit is a major calling to thechurch in a time of change.

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8. Inspired and committed leadership helps to make God visible. The work ofministers, elders, secretaries, treasurers, Synod officers and countless numbersof people with a leadership role play a critical part in bringing people closer toGod. The challenge is to keep caring for, developing and supporting people inleadership roles.

9. God is in the fruitfulness of growth. The dilemma for a church in decline isthat the agenda for managing decline takes priority. Issues about deploymentbecome critical and time consuming. Ageing congregations, churches sharingministers, lack of children and young people lead eyes that see no further thanthe problems. A big feature of decline is that it breeds negativity. Thechallenge is to have eyes open for where God is present in the fruitfulness ofgrowth, even in the smallest ways.

10. God is a faithful God. The numbers of people who continue to worshipSunday by Sunday; the amount of faithful living that goes on week by week inthe community and the workplace and the hidden places of people's livestestifies to this. The challenge is for Christian people not to lose their nerve, butto continue to grow in trust.

11. Worship is the primary moment of encounter with God. Worship has aparticular focus on the believing community gathering together, within thewider sense of the whole of life being an offering to God. Worship immersesthe believer in Christ's story and nurtures each person for the living out of theChristian life. The challenge is to move away from a ‘one hour a week deliversall’ culture, to the sense of the wholeness of God’s purpose for all of life.

12. God is a creative God, whose creativity is seen in nature and in the new ideasthat fill the human mind. The challenge for the church is to engage in pursuingthat creativity through research and development, in an age in which thepressure is on to cut back on the wider budget and to focus on the nitty grittyrealities of decline.

ConclusionThe roller coaster ride of the West Midlands has taken me to exciting places, meetingcommitted people, seeing fascinating work in our churches, sharing fruitfully withecumenical colleagues. There have been times of despair and disappointment, butthese have been greatly outweighed by the sense of privilege at being called to serveas moderator, hi all things, God has been my helper and the Holy Spirit has given mestrength. I give thanks to God for these past twelve years.

Elizabeth Welsh July 200814

Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind‘I am really not a hymn writer’, said the American poet who wrote theseverses. And few who started to read The Brewing of Soma by JohnGreenleaf Whittier would guess what was coming. It is a long poem,describing at first how ‘soma’, an intoxicating drink, was made to prepareIndian worshippers for their frenzied Vedic rites. By way of contrast, at theend of the poem, Whittier turns to the God and Father of our Lord JesusChrist.

Within twelve years of the poem’s publication, these verses were beingused separately as a Christian hymn, and few now remember their origin.Whittier belonged to the Society of Friends, or Quakers, who, more thanmost Christian groups, have discovered the value of meditative silence intheir worship of God.

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,Forgive our foolish ways;Reclothe us in our rightful mind,In purer lives thy service find,In deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,Beside the Syrian sea,The gracious calling of the Lord,Let us, like them, without a word,Rise up and follow Thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee,O calm of hills above,Where Jesus knelt to share with TheeThe silence of eternity,Interpreted by love!

With that deep hush subduing allOur words and works that drownThe tender whisper of Thy call,As noiseless let Thy blessing fallAs fell Thy manna down.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,Till all our strivings cease;Take from our souls the strain and stress,And let our ordered lives confessThe beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desireThy coolness and Thy balm;Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;Speak through the earthquake, wind, andfire,O still, small voice of calm.

This hymn is as relevant to-day as when it was written. In a moderncontext, it speaks to the drug culture, and those looking for an “experience”to prove the reality of God. The hymn was sung in the film Atonement,which won an Academy Award for best score.

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Church FamilyCongratulations to Glenys & David Lamb on the safe arrival of theirGranddaughter Abigail Isobel on July 29th, 8lb 9oz (see centre pages).Congratulations also to Margaret & Ian Miller. They are very pleased toreport the safe arrival of their first great-grandchild-Oliver- on 3rd August inEdinburgh. Kirsty –mother and Baby are very well and back home inCockermouth. A big welcome to Abigail & Oliver from Knowle URC.

On reading the Parish magazine it was wonderful to read about Ellie Clackand Rachel Rosborough (both née Jerwood) being ordained into ministry, DadHenry tells how two of his daughters became the first sisters in Britain to beordained at the same time, some of us knew Ellie & Rachel when theyattended our church in their early years and Maggie, their mother Maggie wasSecretary of this church for some time.

We remember in prayer Keith Baines who is recovering in the QE Hospfollowing spine surgery and hope his days of pain are now over. BarbaraO’Neill (our visitor from Wigan) who had a fall and broke her left shoulder,Kenneth & Liz, Rosemary & Family as her brother Michael faces surgery,Eileen recovering from a bad fall, Christine Kane & Family, and give thanksfor all that has been granted through results of tests, ops. etc. I wish to thankeveryone for cards, flowers, good wishes received after my successfulcataract op. recently.

Happy Birthday’s to Marjorie Deakin, Sheila Clarke, Helen Jones, Alan Lang,Kenneth Alway-Jones, Jan Richardson, Pauline Wilks, Mike Robertson, andKeith Baines. Sorry if we have missed anyone! Septembers Birthstone isSapphire, usually blue. The most sought after colour is pure cornflower blue.The name comes from a Greek word “Sappheiros” probably meaning the bluestone. Lapis Lazuli the largest cut sapphire in the world is the Star of India.Belated Congratulations to Graham & Stephenie Tall on their 40th WeddingAnniversary recently.

Our Heartfelt sympathy goes to Peggy Morgan on the sad loss of herGrandson recently who was only 22 yrs old, we remember the Family inprayer.

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Holiday Happening 2008This years Holiday Happening took place at Bentley Heath School, the weekcommenced on Sunday July 27th with a service at St James Church at 5.00pm. At least 100 helpers were there. The theme, ‘Champions Challenge’ toldthe story of Jesus and Luke, held over four days, each day the 200 enrolledstudents plus the helpers, children heard and seen the story unfold in song,dance, acting and in class activities.The event finished on Thursday with a Gala evening. Many people areinvolved with security, catering, the work with different groups, the road. RevDavid Hulme christened us “Double Trouble”. All co-ordinated together inPrayer and Thanksgiving, a good week of sheer hard work on everyone’s part.Kath & Mary

Cluster Events.Kevin will lead a study on Pastoral Care on Sat Nov 1st 2008 at Christ Church(venue to be confirmed) from 10.00 am till 12.00 pm. This is open toeveryone whether an elder or not and there will be a sharing of ideas fromacross the churches.

Hobs Moat are planning to put on another series of Friday evening talks inthe Autumn, more details later.

Bloomsbury Mission Project & Nechells URCOrdination and Induction of Peter Little

Saturday 13th September, South Aston URCPeter accepted the call to South Aston URC and Nechells URC/ BloomsburyProject earlier this year. If you would like to attend this special service please letKevin know.

Food & Worship, Wednesday 24th September, 4pmLed by Kevin and an opportunity to welcome Peter to his new pastorates, if youwould like to attend please speak to Kevin.

West Midlands Synod have vacancies for various roles - the details are all on thenotice board.

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Christian Meeting at NEC

“The Stand” is happening at the NEC on November 8th 2008. An eventto provoke the church to STAND UP against the injustice of humantrafficking and slavery. There will be bands including YFRIDAY, (a BritishChristian rock and worship band from Newcastle upon Tyne ) Tim Hughes,Four Kornerz and speakers Andy Hawthorne, Steve Chalke, Baroness Cox,Ben Cooley. Endorsed by “stop the traffic”, “Tearfund”, “Care for theFamily” and others.

Web address www.hopeforjustice.org.uk/thestand

I feel we should support this. Tickets are on sale at £20.00. Please contactme if you want any posters and flyers. I am on the Churches TogetherCommittee as a representative for St James’ Bentley Heath.

Denise Salmons

Digbeth-in-the-Field United Reformed ChurchMoat Lane, Yardley, B26 1TW

Open Weekend

Saturday September 20th11am - 4pm

(refreshments/light lunches available from 12 noon)

Sunday September 21st12 noon - 4pm

(Services will also be held at 10.45am and 6.00pm)

The weekend is to celebrate and promote community groups and communityorganisations that meet during the week at Digbeth-in-the-Field URC, therewill be static displays and demonstrations as well as refreshments to enjoy.

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Rotas

Vestry and Communion EldersSept 7th Graham TallSept 14th Sue BatemanSept 21st Clive GriffithsSept 28th Graham Tall & Isobel RobertsonOct 5th Jenny Scott

Junior Church CrecheSept 7, 14, 21, and 28 (Harvest) Jenny Scott Isobel/Fiona

Door StewardsSept 7th Mary Kirwan & Chris SmithSept 14th Brian & Jan RichardsonSept 21st Judy Preece & Jenny ScottSept 28th Margaret Allan & Sue BatemanOct 5th Clive & Avril Griffith

Flower RotaSept 7th Edna GrimmettSept 14th Sheila ClarkeSept 21st Bruce & Pam Howells (Don)Sept 28th Harvest..Clive & Avril, Moira, Isobel (Don)

Lectionary ReadingsSept 7th Fiona Kellond Psalm 149 Matt 18; 15-20Sept 14th Jan Richardson Psalm 114 Matt 18; 21-35Sept 21st Peggy Morgan Psalm 145; 1-8 Matt 20; 1-16Sept 28th Pat McKee Psalm 25; 1-9 Matt21; 23-32Oct 5th Greta Stewart Psalm 19 Matt 21; 33-46

Magazine Donations:Donations received to date add up to £240. The estimated annual cost is £550and that is for 12 page magazines with black and white photos. Magazines ofthis size (20 pages) and particularly those with colour photos inevitably costmore. If you want the magazine to make an impact, write us some articles/supply photos and, if you haven’t done so consider giving a donation to helpus make the magazine as good as possible.Graham and Mary

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Church Diary

Mon Sept 1st Junior Church meeting at 210 Longdon RdTues Sept 2nd 7.30pm Worship Meeting at Eileen’sSat Sept 6th 6.30pm BBQ and Games EveningSun Sept 7th 9.30 am Mr Peter TonksSun Sept 7th Dorridge DayWed Sept 10th 11.00am Midweek Service

7.30 pm Church MeetingSun Sep 14th 9.30 am Mr Geoffrey Drake Racial Justice Sunday

11.00am Prayer FellowshipSun Sep 21st 9.30am Burnell Burroughs

International Day of Prayer for PeaceWed Sep 24th 11am Midweek ServiceSun Sep 28th 9.30 am Revd Kevin Jones Harvest CommunionSun Oct 5th 9.30am Mr Joe Blackburn Disability Sunday

Reminder! The Ecumenical Prayer Group meet on the 1st ,2nd and 4th

Tuesdays at 98 Slater Road, Dorridge. Time 2pm. Please check withGladys first on 777649

Dates To RememberSat Sept 6th & 7th. Hollymount URC Open Days of the

Bible Garden Project, The Jesse Tree, alldetails on our notice board

Sat Sept 20th & Sun 21st Open Weekend at Digbeth in the FieldURC. See details elsewhere in mag.

Tue Sept 23rd 7.30pm Cluster Meeting at Hobs Moat URCSat Sept 27th 2.00pm Welcome Service for Revd. Roy Lowes

who becomes our new Moderator fromSept 1st. His Induction Service is atGracechurch URC Sutton Coldfield.Details and map are on our notice board.

Articles for the October magazine to be with Mary by Sept 14th please

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