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THE INDICATOR Beckenham Methodist Church

A Christ – Centred Community Church

February & March 2020

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Rev. Alexandra Terrett

Dear Friends By the time you read this letter we will be nearly a month into the New Year. I wonder how many of your New Year’s resolutions you’ve managed to keep. Myself , I decided instead of placing the difficult task of cutting something out completely, I’d cut back in the hope that I could continue the habit per-haps after January was up & reap the longer term benefits. According to experts if we survived last Monday which the media described

as ‘Blue Monday’, the day when most divorce lawyers are instructed, then

things from now on in are looking pretty good. Over the past month we came

together for our annual Covenant Service, which as the Methodist people

gives us an opportunity to say thank you to God for all the blessings of the

past year & place the future in his hands. The service goes back to the time of

our founder John Wesley & was first introduced in 1755; the original service

included some of the marriage vows. Wesley was looking for a way to enable

people to reflect & allow God to be a more active part of their lives. The cov-

enant we make, we don’t do between us & God alone, we say the prayer as a

community, sharing & supporting each other in all our joys & concerns.

Being totally honest, there are those who avoid coming to church that Sun-

day, because they find the prayer so difficult to say, but it’s important that we

look upon it as a real gift not a demand, it’s a great opportunity to reflect

back on what we’ve done, make a fresh start & look forward to the future.

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The prayer includes all parts of our lives, in all its good & bad, it asks ques-

tions about our faith & demands we look at our relationship with God. Much

the same as our New Year resolutions, finding God is the easy bit; it’s sus-

taining that relationship that is the hard part.

Our Calling

The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of God’s

love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.

How will we at Beckenham Methodist Church move forward in worship and

mission as we make full use of our new and refurbished premises?

On Saturday 29th February, 10.30am - 2.30pm the District Development

Officer will be at Bromley Road to help us formulate some ideas and set

them in motion. We hope as many people as possible will join us with their

ideas. Drinks will be provided. Please bring your own sandwiches.

Circuit Service

at

Bromley Methodist

Church (BR1 1SD)

Wednesday 26th

February at 8pm

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WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2020 Praying with Zimbabwe

Friday 6th March 2020 at 11.00 am

At St John’s, 251 Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham

All are welcome to join with Churches Together in Beckenham for a special service prepared by Christian women of Zimbabwe on the theme ’Rise! Take your mat and walk’. If you have been in previous years, you will re-member how special these services are. If you’ve never attended, please come along to see. Men and women of all ages will be there. A light lunch follows the service.

World Day of Prayer enables us to hear the thoughts of women from all parts of the world: their hopes, concerns and prayers. The women of Zimba-bwe encourage us to reflect on the difficulties and unrest that have plagued their country over many years, and to walk with them as they continue their often turbulent journey towards full reconciliation. The Day of Prayer is celebrated in over 170 countries. It begins in Samoa and prayer in native languages travels throughout the world - through Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas - before finishing in American Samoa more than 36 hours later. Why not join us before that on Monday 24th February at Open Door (2pm in the Wesley Lounge) to hear more about Zimbabwe’s history, land and way of life? Jenny Nichols, Beckenham Methodist representative

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FUND FOR HUMAN NEED Despite the current building works, hot drinks and biscuits after Sunday Service together with an opportunity for fellowship in the Wesley Lounge are just as popular as ever and the Fund for Human Need is benefiting through your donations. As you know, the team in charge of this fund have many, many folk whom they are endeavouring to help and, as their motto states “a little means a lot” to those in need. So thank you to everyone who supports this fund so regularly.

Valerie Wilson

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH BECKENHAM CLOTHES BANK

Where do I start? Well, firstly, I want to say a huge THANK YOU to all those folk who responded to my appeal in the last Indicator by kindly and thoughtfully donating warm clothing of many different kinds as well as shoes, trainers and toiletries for me to take to the Clothes Bank. Then secondly, because of your generosity we have been able to help many of our friends which has been and is particularly meaningful at this time of year. So thank you again from me and our friends. Valerie Wilson

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NEWS OF THE CHURCH FAMILY

Thinking of others: We remember in our thoughts and prayers those of our congregation who are no longer able to join us at church—Peter and Phyllis, Frank, Lynn and David H. Joe and Vicky: We rejoice with them on the birth of their son. Kudzai and Samara: We rejoice with them on the birth of their second daughter. ——————————————————————————————- Muriel Staples: We give thanks for Muriel’s life. Her Funeral will be held on Friday 7th February at 11.00 am at Beckenham Crematorium followed by a Service of Thanksgiving at 2.00pm at Beckenham Methodist Church, Bromley Road. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

From Pat Graham: Did you make any New Year resolutions? Yes. Can you keep them? I’m afraid all mine get lost about February. Still, as I don’t smoke or drink (very, very occasionally) I don’t think giving up sweets will do. Ah, I have it. I resolve to be more accommodating (big word), kinder, more helpful - all those though can be collected into one word, more Christian.

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Please send articles for the next Indicator, covering April &May 2020 to :- Jenny Nichols: jenny.nichols1@ntlworld.com or Christine Handel: christine.handel@ntlworld.com or Colin Wilson, email: colval.wilson@gmail.com

by Sunday 15th March 2020 at the latest for distribution on 29th March 2020 Volunteers are requested for folding & stapling at 10.00am on Thursday 26th March 2020 in the Wesley Lounge

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SATURDAY FORUM

We very much enjoyed Simon Young’s expert presentation about Cross-rail on Saturday 11th January. Those few who were present realise now how complicated a project Crossrail is to plan, build and then run safely, and as we were shown some of the new subways and stations, we can see we will all be very proud of our new Elizabeth Line when the whole pro-ject is up and running. As to the next 2 months, we will continue to meet at Clock House on the second Saturday of each month i.e. 8th February and 14th March, and then lunch at The Chancery. Also, we go to the Thursday service at Bromley Methodist Church on the 4th Thursday of every month (27th February and 26th March) and then have lunch at different venues. All are welcome and lifts, if needed, will happily be provided.

David Keall

SUBMITTING ARTICLES FOR THE INDICATOR We would be delighted if some of our readers are inspired to submit book reviews, personalia items and articles to be included in the Indicator. When doing so, please would you make sure that you add your name to any item so that folk can follow up if they want to know more. For published items, please also ensure you have the permission of the author and then add their name as author of any work. We are continually looking at ways to improve the Indicator and the best way to do this is to receive your comments and suggestions. We thank those who have sent their comments this time. Please continue to send comments to the editorial team.

The Editorial Team

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PRAYER TIME

We continue to meet for prayer on Sundays at 10.00am before Morning Service in the Wesley Lounge. Come and be part of this group.

FROM THE VESTRY

The Stewards are looking forward to the time when we can take back pos-session of the premises and move forward together in worship and mission. We hope you will come forward with your ideas and support initiatives whether traditional or new. We would welcome fresh faces on the Stewards’ team and on the Church Council as representatives of the congregation at this very exciting stage in the history of Beckenham Methodist Church. These appointments are made each year at our annual meeting, open to all, known as the GCM (General Church Meeting). This year it will be held after morning service at Brom-ley Road on Palm Sunday, 5th April, as soon as people can make their way from Clock House Road. Please speak to Rev Alex or one of the Stewards if you feel able to help the Church in this way. We hope to be able to use the sanctuary (though a grand opening is some way ahead) for the Circuit Celebration of, and thanksgiving for, our lo-cal preachers on Sunday 15th March at 4pm, when we welcome our District Chair. This will be followed by a ‘Bring & Share’ tea. On Easter Sunday, 12th April, breakfast will precede morning service. Please watch out for time / venue and details in the weekly notices nearer the time. 10.30am All age worship and Holy Communion led by Rev Alex Terrett at Bromley Road for both congregations. The Easter cross will be decorated with flowers and taken outside to be seen by the community. Your Stewards’ team: Jenny (Senior), Christine, Comfort, Cynthia,, David D, Graham, Irene, Lum, Paulette, Sheila

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TCs TCs has continued operating for four days each week in the Richmond Room during the building works. Many of our customers have said how lovely it must be for us to have such a big kitchen to work in. Yes it is except that the staff now walk miles more during our shifts! So we are looking forward to having a new kitchen - bigger yes, but more stream-lined and built specifically for TCs. We can’t wait! We have been so pleased that many of our regular customers have contin-ued to come for coffee, lunches, etc but there are some who have found walking up the uneven side pathway and climbing the stairs to reach us too difficult. We hope however that once we have our new venue, on the ground floor, they will return along with many new customers who we hope will be attracted by our new look. Thanks indeed go to all our volunteers who have continued to serve us during the period of the building works. It hasn’t always been easy. For one thing the chairs and tables have had to be set out and put away again at the end of the session to enable evening activities to take place as usual. We are still looking for helpers on a regular basis. We have been pleased to have had Christine Woodrow helping Sheila on Tuesday mornings from September until Christmas and she has now been succeeded by a lovely lady called Margaret, a friend of Jan Duck’s who is now assisting June on Wednesdays. We are in need of people who can be called upon to help out on an occasional basis when a regular volunteer is away for any rea-son. We also need someone who can volunteer to assist for a few hours once per month on a Wednesday. If you could help in any of these ways, please do get in touch with me. Lastly, we have had to say goodbye to Wendy Richman who has been re-sponsible for purchasing all the fair-trade goods and greetings cards for sale in TCs for very many years. Wendy has moved, after a life time in Beckenham, to Yorkshire to be near to her family. We say thank you to Wendy for all that she did to promote the fair-trade movement in Becken-ham and give her our very best wishes for her new life in Yorkshire.

Mary Jackson

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Wesley Lounge at Beckenham Methodist Church, Bromley Road

February 3 Rev Alex Terrett 10 Members’ afternoon 17 Poetry with Christine Pope 24 Zimbabwe (World Day of Prayer) March 2 Rev Alex Terrett 9 March Traditions 16 Women of the Bible - Martha and Mary 23 Games afternoon 30 Lent Thoughts April 6th & 13th EASTER BREAK

Tea and chat

All welcome

“OPEN DOOR”

Meet in friendship on Mondays, 2.00 to 3.30pm

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Beckenham Methodist Church, Bromley Road

Redevelopment Project update

Unfortunately progress by the contractors has been slower than expected with the build currently by some twelve weeks overdue and with some distance to go before formal completion is achieved. Since the last update the large glass panels have been installed in the roof of the atrium which has allowed a clearer vision of how fabulous the space will look when it is completed. A great amount of work has been undertaken on the new entrance to the site from Bromley Road and we look forward to seeing this completed in the near future. Following completion by the contractors we will have a significant amount of preparation for our own use including the organ rebuild, audio-visual installation and fitting out of kitchen space for TC’s. New chairs for the sanctuary are being ordered as we go to print. If you would like to ‘donate’ a chair at £60 each then please speak to either Si-mon Young or David Jackson. A grand opening weekend is envisioned for sometime in early Spring of 2020.

REDEVELOPMENT FUNDRAISING - PLEDGES

We are launching a fundraising campaign for the redevelopment where people can make pledges / offers such as: teaching a skill, making cakes, repairing/altering clothes etc. The pledges will appear in the Notices and people can decide how much to donate for the pledge. We would like to start by gathering a list of pledges from people. If you would like to take part by offering a pledge, please send details either by email to Vicky Bessant at vbessant@yahoo.co.uk or via phone on 02036630526

All money raised will go to the redevelopment fund.

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Atrium looking towards old side entrance and kitchen showing new entrance to sanctuary

Sanctuary showing new decoration and lighting scheme

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New glass entrance into the atrium from

the front of the church

Doors from sanctuary to new atrium also showing decoration

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Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live,

a place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive.

Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace;

here the love of Christ shall end divisions: All are welcome, all are welcome,

all are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where prophets speak, and words are strong and true,

where all God’s children dare to seek to dream God’s reign anew.

Here the cross shall stand as witness and as symbol of God’s grace;

here as one we claim the faith of Jesus;

Chorus

Let us build a house where hands will reach beyond the wood and stone

to heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the Word they’ve known. Here the outcast and the stranger

bear the image of God’s face; let us bring an end to fear and danger:

Chorus

Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and vision heard

and loved and treasured, taught and claimed as words within the Word.

Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace,

let this house proclaim from floor to rafter: All are welcome, all are welcome,

all are welcome in this place.

Marty Haugen (b. 1950) Singing the Faith

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BECKENHAM QUILTERS

Beckenham Methodist Church Quilt

Since 1988 we have been meeting at Beckenham Methodist Church. The church community has recently undertaken a huge building project which among other things will provide a new, welcoming entrance which will lead into social space for an expanded community café. As very long-standing visitors to the building, we were asked to create a quilt to hang in the new community space. Now the building works are almost complete we have started the planning for the production of a group quilt on the theme "Tree of Life". The photos below show the design, and another showing the mock up held where the final quilt will hang.

BQ Lead for this project: Janet Crowther

Source: http://www.beckenhamquilters.co.uk/made-with-love-by-bq/beckenham-methodist-church-quilt/

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Following a very successful and well attended Celebration of Christmas in St. George’ Church in December, the South London Singers are now pre-

paring for a Spring Concert entitled “If music be the food of love….” It’s to be held on Saturday April 25th again in St. George’s Church at 7.45pm The date is close to St. George’s Day which was also Shakespeare’s birthday so the music will have a strictly English theme with some settings of Shakespeare’s songs as well. As always there will be a mix of the well-known and lesser known, a programme which is bound to entertain the audience. Composers will include S.S. Wesley (Ascribe unto the Lord), Elgar (Te Deum), Parry (I was glad, Jerusalem and England), Vaughan Williams (In Windsor Forest), Arne (Blow, blow thou winter wind), Wood (Full fathom five) and of course Purcell’s “If music be the food of love”. Tickets will be available nearer the time but do put the date in your diaries and come and hear some glorious music under the baton of the choir’s new Director, Nicholas Wibberley, accompanied on this occasion by Alasdair Friend, former organ scholar at Downing College, Cambridge who now plays regularly at St. George’s.

Looking further ahead the choir are looking forward to returning to the new-ly refurbished Bromley Road Church for their summer concert on July 11th

—————————————————————————— BECKENHAM QUILTERS’ EXHIBITION

Saturday 21st March 2020 - 10am to 4pm

Beckenham Methodist Church

Bromley Road, Beckenham, BR3 5JE

Entry: £4 including catalogue, children and students free

Refreshments and traders

www.beckenhamquilters.co.uk

Celebrating 40 years

SOUTH LONDON SINGERS

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“Let all that you do be done in love” 1 Corinthians 16:14

It’s hard to get in shape spiritually if you only work out on Sunday.

Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a

burden Corrie ten Boom

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As we prepare the Indicator it is the middle of the Week of Prayer for Chris-tian Unity - January 18 to 25th 2020. We hope you have managed to attend one or more of the services and meeting arranged and hope you have enjoyed meeting and sharing with fellow Christians in Beckenham. We took part in the pulpit swop which began the Week of Prayer and were pleased to welcome the Rev Simon Couper from St Paul’s Brackley Road to the pulpit at our Bromley Road site. Future Activities in 2020 to note in your diaries There will be no CTiB Lent course in 2020 but churches will share details of any courses that are run individually. Full details will be in the notices.

10th April 2020 the Good Friday Walk if Witness will again take place from St Edmunds to St Georges

Sunday 28th June - Fun in the Park will again be held at Croydon Road Recreation Ground. From 1pm - put in your diaries and bring your picnics along and join the other churches in the park after our individual services.

We continue to be represented at the clergy and representative meetings held by CTiB by our Minister, Alex, David Keall and myself so if you have any questions please speak to any one of us.

Thank you

Christine Handel

Churches Together in Beckenham

THE LEPROSY MISSION

Thank you for the response to my appeal for British & Foreign postage stamps. Please carry on saving them throughout the year. £64,780 was raised in this way for the financial year 2018/19.

Ena Hamblyn

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Church Flowers - Bromley Road

February 2nd Frank Thompson 9th Ena Hamblyn 16th Valerie Wilson 23rd Sheila Priestman March 1st Margaret Hazlewood 8th Gordon Hughes 15th TBA 24th Paulette Tomlinson We sometimes have some gaps as you can see. If you would like to put your name down for one of these, please let me know. You don’t have to arrange them yourself. It would mean that where we have gaps there would be no flowers to decorate the church or distribute to anyone on those Sundays. Your help is appreciated. Margaret Hazlewood

Church Flowers - Clock House Road

If you would like to provide flowers in memory of someone or offer to ar-range the church flowers sometimes, please speak to Irene.

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Scout Group News — Centenary Service

4th Beckenham South Scout Group (formerly the 26th Beckenham), based at the Methodist Church in Bromley Road, Beckenham, is ONE HUN-DRED years old! Whilst no message from the Queen has arrived to congratulate the Group, Bear Grylls (the Chief Scout) has written sending his good wishes.

The Group are continuing their year of celebra-tion with a Centenary Service on Sunday 1st March at 10.30 am at Beckenham Methodist Church, Bromley Road BR3 5JE with refresh-

ments afterwards. All former members, leaders and supporters are invited to join us for this event.

Our celebrations started last June on the week of the Anniversary of Percy Nicholson and Ernest Wiseman starting the Group in 1919. The Group had a summer party at a local campsite with activities including tile painting, sand sculptures, tower building, backwoods cooking, a barbecue and con-cluding with a campfire. In September, the Group took 35 Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to Gilwell Park, the UK Headquarters of Scouting. They enjoyed a fabulous weekend of raft building, climbing and rides on a rollercoaster swing in unseasonably hot weather.

If you have a connection to the Group or to Messrs Nicholson or Wiseman or want to join in the fun, we would love to see you at the Centenary Ser-vice on 1st March to share your memories and memorabilia.

Christine Woodrow ————————————————————————————————————-

Candle making by the Scouts as a craft activity

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Bromley Methodist Church Thursday Service: 12.15pm

All are warmly welcome at the Weekday Service at Bromley Methodist Church, College Road on Thursdays on the following dates.. We meet in the Vine Chapel on Thursdays at 12.15 pm for half an hour of worship, a lovely interlude in the middle of a busy week.

Preachers for February 6th Mike Tinson Local Preacher, Bromley Methodist Church 13th Revd Karen George Minister, Bromley Methodist Church 20th Judy Davies Lay Preacher, Bromley United Reformed Church 27th Deacon Laura MacBean West Wickham Methodist Church Preachers for March 5th To be confirmed 12th Revd Alan Keeler Vicar, St Mary’s Church, College Road 19th Revd Karen George Holy Communion for Lent 26th Revd Liz Davis St Andrew’s Church, Burnt Ash Lane

All are welcome!

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SUNDAY SERVICES

Bromley Road (10.30am) Clockhouse Road (10.30am )

2nd Febuary Revd Alex Terrett Jim Holman AAW 9th Febuary Mr Richard Baker Revd Alex Terrett AAW & Holy Communion

16th Febuary

Revd Alex Terrett Dr Clive Timehin Holy Communion 23rd Febuary Mr Jim Holman Mr Mike Tinson 1st March Revd Alex Terrett Ms Alison Driscoll AAW

8th March

Mr David Lemmon Revd Alex Terrett AAW / HC

15th March

Revd Alex Terrett Deacon Laura MacBean Holy Communion

22nd March Deacon Laura MacBean Mr Jim Holman 29th March Mr Mike Tinson Deacon Laura MacBean

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LENT & EASTER

Ash Wednesday 26th February 8pm Circuit service at Bromley Methodist Church, College Road

Please note change of venue

Mothering Sunday 22nd March

A Mother's love is something that no on can explain,

It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain, It is endless and unselfish

and enduring come what may For nothing can destroy it or take that love away . . . It is patient and forgiving

when all others are forsaking, And it never fails or falters

even though the heart is breaking . . . It believes beyond believing

when the world around condemns, And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems . . .

It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation,

And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation . . .

A many splendoured miracle man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence of God's tender guiding hand.

Helen Steiner Rice Poem contributed by Arthur Allan Palm Sunday 5th April Maundy Thursday 9th April 8pm Holy Communion at CHR Good Friday 10th April see CTiB news Easter Sunday 12th April

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USEFUL CONTACTS Beckenham Methodist Church

(Registered Charity No. 1138006)

Bromley Road Church BR3 5JE & Clockhouse Road Church BR3 4JP 0208 650 2763 0208 663 6149

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Minister in Charge: Revd Alexandra Terrett 0208 295 4869 Email: a.terrett@btinternet.com

Senior Steward: Jenny Nichols 8460 6713

Property Stewards: Colin Wilson 8464 3768 David Jackson 8656 2815 Graham McLeod 8325 5243 Room Booking Officers: BR David Jackson 8656 2815 CHR Graham McLeod 8325 5243

Brownies: Carole Dewar Guides: Karen Millican 8650 6248 Rangers: Karen Millican 8650 6248 Beavers: Mandy Sarhane Cubs: Steve Shirley 8650 0330 Scouts: Gordon Wilson 8650 1035 Web Site: http://www.beckenhammethodistchurch.co.uk

Circuit Web Site: http://www.bromleymethodistcircuit.org.uk

‘Helping one person may not change the world, but it could change the world for

one person.’