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GGRROOVVEE VVIINNEE The Magazine of

Grove Methodist Church

Horsforth, Leeds

December 2013 / January 2014

The Grove Methodist Church is called to respond to the Gospel of love in Jesus Christ and to live out its discipleship in

worship, service and mission

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Minister – Rev Alistair Jones

Phone: 0113 258 2678 or email: alistairjones@live.co.uk

Regular events

Sunday

10.20 Creche (0-3yrs) 258 3509

10.20 J Team (tots to 12s) 258 8803

10.30 Worship

6.00 Worship (alternate Sundays at Central Methodist Church)

7.30 Studio Dance SNYG 258 9093

Monday

9 -12.00 Pre-school (2-under 5s) (Funding 3-4yrs) 239 0335

12.15 Luncheon Club 258 3807

1.30 Network Women’s Fellowship 258 9448

6.15 Beavers 216 9006

6.15 Cubs 216 9006

7.45 Scouts 216 9006

7.45 Flower Guild (3rd

Monday in the month) 258 4520

Tuesday

9.00-9.30 Prayer Group 258 8803

9 -12.00 Pre-school (2-under 5s) (Funding 3-4yrs) 239 0335

and 12.00 – 3.00 Pre-school as above.

10-11.30 Coffee in the Centre Small Hall 258 3568; quiet room available

for prayer. Jean Kemp’s hand-made cards are available.

6.00 Rainbows (5th

Horsforth) 259 0555

6.15 Brownies (5th

Horsforth) 258 3670

7.45 Guides (5th

Horsforth) 202 9010

Wednesday

9 -12.00 Pre-school (2-under 5s) (Funding 3-4yrs) 239 0335

and 12.00 – 3.00 Pre-school as above.

2.00 Line Dancing 258 7444

6.00 Rainbows (14th

) 239 0335

6.15 Brownies (14th

) 250 4907

7.30 Wednesday Break (fortnightly) 225 2734

8.00 Explorer Scouts 258 0882 (continued on inside back cover)

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Act of God….. ………….a term which brings a chill to the heart.

We think of the horror that has hit the Philippines and watch as the death

toll mounts.

Why do we want to blame God for that?

The negative is far more dearly focused on than the positive, and God is an

easy target, not one who tends to answer back. What of the Act of God

which brings a child into the world? The Act of God which brings the

harvest to fruition each year?

What of the most amazing Act of God?

Jesus, a child who came into the world. Jesus, who raises a harvest of

fruitful lives. What of Him?

I have no idea what the future may hold. Between now and Christmas

there may be a thousand tragedies, a thousand blessings. I do know that

something that happened in the past can have an enormous impact on the

present, and that if we focus on the positive rather than the negative we

can find a better way forward in life.

God sent Jesus so that we could have life, a life not limited by tragedy and

chaos, an existence not restricted by time and death. Ready yourself to be

part of a true Act of God.

Merry Christmas, with every blessing.

Ali (Rev Alistair Jones)

From the Editorial Group We thank everyone who has contributed to Grove Vine in the past year and

would like to encourage any other readers to submit articles for inclusion

in the coming year. Without those articles, there will be no Magazine!

We wish all our readers a happy and blessed Christmas and a

peaceful and fulfilling New Year.

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Church Family News

Please remember in your prayers: Kay Bassett, Tony Emmott, Mary

Hart, Nancy Mathers, Gladys Pagden, Stan Ramsden, Margaret Reasbeck,

Ros Revell, Chris Shagouri, Margaret Simmons, Kathleen Taylor and

Christine Wilson.

From the Church Registers

Funeral: Frank O’Hara November 3rd

Sunday Services in December

1st 9.00 Rev. Alistair Jones – Holy Communion

10.30 Timothy Pearson – Toy Service – and Family & Parade

6.00 Horsforth Churches together at St Margaret’s

8th

10.30 Rev. Alistair Jones

6.00 Circuit Service

15th

10.30 Nativity Service

6.00 Rev. Godfrey Nicholson

22nd

10.30 Mrs Judi Swales

6.00 Rev. Alistair Jones – Candlelit Carol Service

24th

6.00 Christingle Service

25th

10.30 Christmas Day Service

29th

10.30 Rev. Alistair Jones

n.b. No Evening Service

Sunday Services in January

5th

9.00 Rev. Alistair Jones – Holy Communion

10.30 Philip Maud

6.00 United Service at Central

12th

10.30 Rev. Alistair Jones – Church Anniversary

6.00 Rev. Alistair Jones – Holy Communion

19th

10.30 Rev. Richard Dimery

6.00 United Service at Central

26th

10.30 Deacon Jenny Jones

6.00 Rev. Alistair Jones – Taize Service

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Stewards on Duty in December

1st Kath Ashby and Margaret Shingler

8th

David Buckley and John Bussey

15th

Carole Abel and Kath Ashby

22nd

Cynthia Hatton and John Bussey

29th

Betty West and Cynthia Hatton

Stewards on Duty in January

5th

David Buckley and Margaret Shingler

12th

Margaret Shingler and John Bussey

19th

John Bussey and Betty West

26th

Kath Ashby and David Buckley

Grove J Team (for children aged 4 – 12)

We meet each Sunday morning, spending twenty minutes in Church,

followed by a Bible Story, activities and refreshments in the Small Hall.

There is a loyal band of leaders and helpers who organise the sessions

on a rota basis. The rota is arranged four monthly, with people free to

choose their preferred dates.

We are particularly looking for more people – to lead and others to help

our sessions and we ask that you prayerfully think about offering to serve

the Church in this way.

If you can help in any way, please speak to Kathryn Bussey (258 8803).

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The Church Windows

4. The Christmas Window (Fourth right as you enter the Church from the Narthex)

This window shows three scenes from

the birth of Jesus. Starting at the

bottom left we see a rather truncated

Heavenly Choir singing to the

Shepherds in the field on Christmas

Eve. We can also see Bethlehem in the

starlight, and the sheep having been

woken up by the noise.

Then, in the large picture, we see what

happened when baby Jesus was taken

to the Temple when he was eight days

old (Luke 2 vv 21-38). The baby is in

the arms of Simeon, a holy man who

had been promised that he would not

die until he had seen ‘The Lord’s

Christ’. Recognising the baby Jesus,

he spoke the wonderful poem used

ever since and known as the Nunc

Dimittis, a quote of which is in the top

light: “Lord, now lettest thou thy

servant depart in peace”.

Notice the Menorah, the seven branched candlestick used in Jewish

worship, and very rarely depicted in Christian stained glass. Joseph is

holding the ‘offering of the poor’, two pigeons. According to Jewish law

the first born of anything belonged to God and had to be ‘bought back’.

The normal offering for a first born son was a lamb, which was very

expensive, but the law allowed the lesser charge for poor people of two

pigeons, and that is what Joseph carries.

Just when all this was happening, an 84 year old holy lady named Anna

arrived, and also commended the child.

Looking at the bottom right of the window, we see what is known as The

Flight into Egypt. The suspicious and paranoid King Herod was

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determined not to allow any claimant to his throne, political or spiritual, to

survive. So Matthew tells us that the Holy Family fled to Egypt (Matthew

2 vv 13-19), until the death of Herod which occurred soon after in BC4.

So there is our second donkey!

The window’s dedication reads: “To the Glory of God and in

affectionate remembrance of William Braithwaite born March 24

1857, died Dec. 11 1915, a devoted son and brother”.

The sill of the window is used as a place for Youth Club memorials.

Our thanks to Gladys Pagden again for allowing us to use this text from

Frank Pagden’s booklet.

________________

Christmas Puddings - on sale now.....

To support the Scouts and Explorers from our group going to

Kandersteg International Scout Camp in Switzerland in

Summer 2014 we are selling the award winning Christmas

Puddings from the Ultimate Plum Pudding Company.

They will be on sale after Church Parade in December.

Order forms are available in the narthex - please return to Eric Douglass.

1 portion (120g/4.2oz) pudding. £2 each

4 portion (454g/1lb) pudding £5 each

9th Airedale Cloth bags also available £2

*****Special offer - buy 2 large puddings to get a free cloth bag*****

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Just Flowers This poem has been provided by Margaret Wilks. It was written by her cousin,

Reverend Sam Doubtfire.

They are just flowers

Carefully arranged around the Church.

That’s maybe what you think in passing by.

But in the quiet stillness, as you pause and take your fill

Of all the holiness displayed in friendly people,

Discreet music, polished pews

And cherished ornaments,

Perchance you’ll look again. This time perhaps

You’ll find in flowers arranged around the Church

The loving handiwork of those who use their gifts

In a prayerful worship

Wherein each stem, each flower, each leaf

Takes on the form it has been given by its Creator.

Are not their unique features magnified and given

More significance when finding place within the whole?

Now let the flower arrangements speak again.

Let each and every part proclaim the wonder

And the majesty of God, who, in the mystery of life,

Gave form to all of human kind

With each a flower, a stem,

A leaf; a unique entity, ordained to find its meaning

And its purpose,

And identity

In the wholeness of creation

Bound together in eternal love.

So please –

Just let the flowers you see speak of our God:

Of His great love for all He made –

And of His will – that everything He made

Shall be made whole

As all together find true life in Him.

Then, as you go on your way,

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Maybe you will find lodged

Within your memory

A lingering thought of

Flowers arranged as a form of prayer

Through which true God came close

And spoke His word of peace,

That you might go out to His world

And offer through your gift of prayer,

Christ-care for others in their need.

Parceval Hall – Again

The July Issue of Grove Vine carried a feature about the glory of the

Garden at Parceval Hall. I have visited the house nearly every year since

the 1980s. I had seen an advert in the Dalesman for a Winter Walking

Weekend. I went on my own by public transport and shanks pony.

Eventually I became a Friend and I now go to the two day AGM each year.

Sir William Milner had bought this 17th

Century farmhouse in 1927. He

was the 8th

Baronet of Nun Appleton, a godson of Queen Mary and a

Director of Harlow Carr, working with Geoff Smith. He was a patron of

Walsingham and Bradford Diocese now runs it at a peppercorn rent.

Upstairs there is bedroom accommodation. Downstairs is a conference

room, dining room and Sir William’s room (with large fittings, as he was a

very tall man). On my first visit, it was blankets. Now it is duvets.

The gardens were quite neglected to begin with and one lady spent 8 years

revitalising them. The gardens are open to the public and I urge you to

visit and do go up to the Trollers Ghyll view, calling in at the little chapel

on the way and the Stations of the Cross. This year has been a special year

as the Golden Anniversary of it becoming a Retreat House. We had a

special day with a cake in the form of the Hall and a toast with punch.

Oh, I once spent a week as a housekeeper and got one day off! I love

going there – it gives me contentment and is very special to me.

Barbara Carter

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Carols in the Park Saturday 14

th December (4.00–4.30pm) Hall Park, Horsforth

“What a wonderful way to start Christmas,” one lady said. She had just

handed back her carol sheet after spending thirty minutes by the fairy-

light-covered Hall Park bandstand, huddled together with friends singing

carols, eating free mince pies and enjoying a much-needed warm cuppa.

Carols in the Park aims to be a Christmas celebration that is accessible to

the whole community and which is family-friendly. It is organised by

Horsforth Churches Together, hoping to help the whole community to

celebrate the story of ‘Christ with us’.

Horsforth Leeds City Brass Band plays the music, and a few singers

using microphones help us keep in tune and in time. Children are

encouraged to come dressed up (ideally over normal clothes as it can be

cold) as angels, shepherds, kings, Mary or Joseph, and have photographs

taken by their parents beside the crib.

The event starts at dusk so people arrive in the light and leave in darkness,

except for the fairy lights of the bandstand, which creates a lovely

atmosphere. All children are given a glow stick to help them read the carol

sheets or to just wave around in the darkness. The last two years have

been well attended with crowds of four hundred people. We hope you will

come. Why not invite someone else? Let’s help Horsforth celebrate

Christ this Christmas! Duncan Stow

_____________

Carboy Charity Appeals December: PhysioNet

This charity was featured in November’s Grove Vine. It

provides paediatric physiotherapy equipment,

wheelchairs* and mobility items to the disabled in Eastern

and Central Europe and developing countries around the

world. Redundant and surplus equipment is collected,

shipped and distributed (damaged equipment having been repaired at HM

Prisons). PhysioNet would be pleased to receive donations of equipment

from anyone in the area. The Chairman and Founder, Peter Thompson,

gave a moving DVD presentation to Wednesday Break in November.

*Over 3,000 wheelchairs despatched. Dorina Overson

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January: MPS

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS). As the paediatrician

wrote the word down on his paper, our world changed

forever.

You will have probably never heard of it. Neither had we.

Sam was born in 2007. He was diagnosed 2008 with

Morquio Syndrome, one of a number of types of MPS.

MPS diseases are life limiting and incurable genetically inherited diseases.

They cause progressive physical and often mental disability, and in their

most severe forms lead to death in childhood.

For Sam, Morquio disease just affects him physically. He is unlikely to

grow taller than 4ft and, whilst active, struggles already with some

physical tasks and is often unable to keep up with his friends in the

playground. As he gets older this will worsen. We try not to spend too

much time thinking about that. Sam has been fortunate enough to take part

in a clinical trial of treatment at Manchester Children’s Hospital since the

age of three. The aim of the trial is to delay or even to stop the progression

of the disease. Results to date have been positive. This gives us hope that

the Morquio story might one day have a different ending – even for Sam.

The MPS Society is the only UK charity supporting individuals and

families affected by MPS and related diseases. They provide vital funds

for research into the treatment of these devastating and incurable diseases,

advocacy support to families affected and continually strive to raise

awareness. They have an immeasurable impact on our lives!

Katy and Simon Brown (Sam’s Mum and Dad)

See also: www.mpssociety.co.uk. Katy and Simon live in Otley. Sam’s Grandma lives in Cookridge and comes to the Forum and Line Dancing at the

Grove and is a very good friend of Mary and Gordon Mellor

___________

Concert at Grove Church Saturday 7

th December at 7.30pm

The Wesley Singers A Christmas Celebration in Words and Music

Tickets £5 ( £7 at the door) from Carole Abel, Liz Kenwood and Chris Seller

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News from the Longbottoms

Jenny and Graham had a very busy summer. In July

Jenny had a successful visit in Chiseul at Taro and

Sasamunga before returning to Munda by a difficult

five hour canoe trip in the open sea. Graham

accompanied a child with two broken arms and two

crew members from a Vietnamese fishing vessel to

Honiara where they spent time recovering. He stayed on to renew work

and residency permits and attend a postponed 2 day meeting at the

Ministry of Health. As Doctors Dina and Zotei had gone to Fiji for a

mission partner conference Jenny was left in sole charge at Helena Goldie

Hospital. Fortunately there had been no major emergencies and she was

able to enjoy doing some of the paediatric and maternity work.

In mid August all were back at HGH to welcome the Pacific Force (a

US, Australia and New Zealand armed forces partnership) to work with the

staff on infrastructure for ten days, providing more water tanks where they

can harvest and store rain water. Also there at the same time were some

British students and a group of Rotarians who found plenty of tasks to do,

inspiring local people to join in painting the maternity ward.

In mid August there was the official handover of a newly upgraded air

strip. Unfortunately there was a lot of drunken behaviour which meant a

lot of work stitching people who had been injured in the fights that

followed. Graham was asked to join a meeting held by senior police from

Gizo to look into the trouble which was blamed on poor policing.

Strong winds and heavy rain filled the water tanks to overflowing at the

end of August and the temperature dropped considerably – even Graham

put on an extra long-sleeved jumper!

A doctor from the London Hospital of Tropical Medicine and an

Australian eye surgeon visited to hold a Trachoma workshop (which is a

major cause of blindness and can be easily avoided).

Jenny returned to Choiseul by the 9-seater Island Hopper for three

weeks as they had requested a further visit from her in September to tour

the north east side of the island in the absence of a permanent doctor. She

spent two days in Taro before setting out for the ‘ultra remote’ north coast

of the island. Two patients had orthopaedic problems which were

discussed on the mobile phone before being sent to Honiara. After that she

was out of contact for several days.

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Meanwhile Graham invigilated a maths exam for ten HGH nurse aides,

and next day attended a farewell feast for a group of nurses from Brisbane

who had been working in the college this time. They had brought

equipment, batteries, pens and many other useful things with them and will

return in April for the graduation of the current third year students.

When Jenny got back to Taro she reported that she had seen about 240

patients; they had not had the opportunity to see a doctor for over a year.

Jenny did some emergency work on a child with a severe eye injury before

sending him back to Honiara. Another two women patients were also

transferred, one 23 weeks pregnant who had appendicitis and another with

abdominal pains who needed surgery.

A college in Queensland who had sent students to HGH previously on

several occasions sent another group to dismantle an existing kitchen used

by patients and visitors, and to build a new one by the beach.

In her third week on Choiseul Jenny toured the remote south eastern

part of the island. She carried out a D&C for a woman who had an

incomplete miscarriage in a remote clinic with no equipment for giving

intravenous fluid. However the woman made a good recovery. After a

grand farewell feast at Sasamunga Hospital, Jenny returned to Taro for the

flights back to Munda, having visited every clinic on the island

accompanied by two staff from the hospital in Taro.

Jenny and Graham were planning for a visit back to UK in October and

after several crises which interrupted their preparations and while still

carrying out their other duties, they managed to leave the house clean and

tidy (meaning the washing of walls, floors, ceilings and windows spraying

with a deterrent against ants, cockroaches and rats). On October 17th

they

departed, excited to spend two days in Beijing to see Peter before flying on

to Manchester. This was to be a family time rather than racing round to

catch up with friends, although they want all at home to know how much

they value their continued friendship and support.

(Compiled from Jenny and Graham’s internet blogs)

“Measure your wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you

have for which you would not take a payment.”

“Being a Christian is more than just a conversion – it is a daily process

whereby you grow more and more like Christ” Billy Graham

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Christmas Presents from North America

Some of our Christmas carols and hymns have come to us from across

the Atlantic. High on our list of favourites must surely be Away in a

manger (H&P 94). This poem first appeared in Philadelphia in 1885, from

within the Evangelical Lutheran Church community. No-one knows who

wrote it, and it is believed that it was originally intended for children to

recite. However, it wasn’t long before it was being set to music. The

melody we love to use today was composed in 1895 by William J.

Kirkpatrick, a prolific American composer of hymn tunes. Strangely, this

tune has not generally been used for the carol in America. Down the years,

many other tunes have been used around the world, but it seems unlikely

that any will ever oust Kirkpatrick’s simple gem as Britain’s first choice.

Another favourite from America is O little town of Bethlehem (H&P

113), written for children by the Rev. Phillips Brooks, of Holy Trinity

Church, Philadelphia. It first appeared around 1868, and subsequently

arrived in Britain in the 1890s. It immediately found a place in both The

Methodist Hymn Book (1904) and The English Hymnal (1906). Quite a

mixed bag of tunes have been used down the years, but the most frequently

sung tune in Britain nowadays is called FOREST GREEN. This is an

arrangement by Ralph Vaughan Williams of an old English folk-song, ‘The

Ploughboy’s Dream’, which he heard being sung in 1903 at Forest Green

in Surrey. In the USA, however, the original tune composed by the

organist at Holy Trinity is often still used. A more recent and appealing

tune by Henry Walford Davies is sometimes sung in Britain, but usually

only by choirs.

It came upon the midnight clear (H&P 108) was written in 1849 by

Edmund H. Sears, pastor at the Wayland Unitarian Church, Massachusetts.

It is believed that it was not intended simply as a Christmas hymn, but is as

much a meditation on world peace, and our wilful deafness to the message

of the angels. Our tune is again English, being an arrangement by Sir

Arthur Sullivan of an old Herefordshire folk-tune, which Sullivan named

NOEL. If you know another tune for this hymn it is likely to come from

America, probably that arranged by Uzziah C. Burnap, and based on an

1850 organ study by Richard S. Willis, an American musician friend of

Felix Mendelssohn.

From the source often referred to as ‘Traditional’, or ‘Spiritual’, is Go,

tell it on the mountain (H&P 135). There are many versions of words for

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this; Hymns and Psalms uses those by Geoffrey Marshall-Taylor, editor of

the BBC children’s hymn book Come and Praise. In this carol it is the

music which is American, and again there are many variants in the melody

line. From the point of view of a church music leader this is a double

nuisance – you never know what mixture of words and music will be there

when opening an unfamiliar carol book. Other Christmas ‘spirituals’ have

originated not in America but in the West Indies.

Both the words and music of the popular and lively Epiphany carol We

three kings of Orient are (not in H&P) were written in 1865 by the Rev.

John Henry Hopkins, of Christ’s Church, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It

was published in Britain six years later in a book of carols edited by Rev.

Henry R. Bramley (born in Addingham) and Sir John Stainer. This carol is

often sung dramatically, and Hopkins himself left explicit instructions as to

how the carol’s performance, with solo parts for each of the three kings. It

is strange that a carol which has always been so popular in Nativity plays

is generally not found in British congregational hymn books.

Other carols have originated in North America – for example the

Huron Carol (from Canada), and I wonder as I wander (the Appalachian

Carol), but the five described above are the ones we are most likely to

sing. Tony Orton

________

Carole Abel has provided some new words to O Little Town of Bethlehem

O sad and troubled Bethlehem While morning stars and evening stars

We hear your longing cry Shine out in your dark sky

For peace and justice to be born Despair now stalks your troubled streets

And cruel oppression die Where innocents still die

How deep your need for that great gift And Jesus child of Mary

Of love in human form Whose love will never cease

Let Christ be seen in you again Feels even now your pain and fear

And hearts by hope made warm Longs with you for your peace

Amazingly and lovingly

Jesus the child has come

And brought to birth through human pain

Makes broken hearts his home

He comes to comfort all who weep

To challenge every wrong

And living with the weak and poor

Becomes their hope, their song

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Carols in Pubs – Wednesday 11th

December A ‘pub carol crawl’ is being organised starting at 7.00 pm at the Sandbar

and ending with mince pies at the Brownlee Arms between 9 and 9.30.

Singers and musicians will be especially welcome. (As well as singing,

invitations will be given out about the Carols in the Park event on 14th

.) If

you hope to come, please contact Jean Orton, 2589093.

Also more information from Matt on Matt@lhbc.org.uk

Mince pies

If you are able to donate some shop mince pies for the Carols in the Park

event on 14th

Dec (4.00 – 4.30 pm) please contact Jean Orton, 2589093.

A CHRISTMAS PATHFINDER PUZZLE Can you find the first line of each of ten Christmas carols and hymns

which are hidden within the grid? Starting from the bold central letter (A),

you can follow a path through the grid. You must move by adjacent

squares up and down or right and left, but not diagonally, and every square

should be used only once. The answers will be in the next Grove Vine.

H E E A K M W I S I N T N

T B L A W I D N R L E G I

N I E K A S N T E I E H T

N I G H H R A O R N C N O

E N R T C I I Y D A D S C

H I O N I S T A L V I T I

T N B G S S A Y I T S Y T

E H E G E L W A N N R I H

H T R N A E G M A O W F E

R K A L D R N A A W E W H

A H A F E O C C T S L L I

U L I L Y M O H R D E H L

F H T L A E D E E H P S E

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Famous Congregationalist Rev. T Arthur Leonard 1864-1948

In our series on Famous Methodists, we came across this man who will be

familiar to some of you as the founder of The Holiday Fellowship (now

known as HF Holidays). He is considered by many to be the father of the

outdoor movement and HF was formed exactly 100

years ago in 1913.

Rev. Thomas Arthur Leonard was Minister of Colne

Congregational Church, some 120 years ago. He

lived on Keighley Road with his wife, Mary, and

children Arthur and Jessie.

In June 1891, when the mills had closed for annual

maintenance (Wakes Week), he led a four night

summer holiday to Ambleside, taking 30 people

from his newly formed rambling club. This proved

to be so successful and beneficial that he repeated the holiday, taking a

group to Keswick in 1893. In the next few years groups stayed in a

number of different houses in the Lake District or the Dales.

All this was provided for the cost of the average weekly wage and the

holiday cost 30 shillings plus 12 shillings for the train fare. By 1896, an

outdoor centre had been opened at Portinscale (Keswick), followed by one

in Keld (Swaledale). Accommodation was basic at Keld and the water

came from the village spring. There was no electricity but then did they

have it at home? Whatever, it cost only 18 shillings a week to stay at Keld.

To reach the centre required walking from Hawes Railway Station, some 8

miles over Buttertubs Pass with luggage on a handcart.

The Rev. Leonard felt that workers would benefit from fresh air, exercise

and companionship that a walking holiday could offer and which would

provide a stimulating alternative to the usual Blackpool and Morecambe.

By 1930, HF had 23 houses and 30,000 guests per annum. The Rev.

Leonard reflected that in the early days people were content with primitive

arrangements so long as they had the joy and freedom of the open fells.

Little could he imagine the huge numbers that would pursue enjoyment on

the open fells 100 years later! Gordon Mellor

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The Scout Executive

The Group Executive Committee exists to support the Group Scout Leader

and is responsible for:

Maintaining the Group’s property and equipment

Raising funds and the administration of the Group’s finances

Assisting with the recruitment of Leaders and other adult support

Assisting with Group Events

The Scout Executive consists of people who are members because of their

position:

Group Scout Leader

Group Chairperson

Group Treasurer

Group Secretary

Assistant Group Scout Leader

all Section Leaders

Explorer Scout Leader and

the Sponsoring Authority, in our case the Grove Church Council.

We also have other members of the Executive who are elected by the

Group Executive at the Annual General Meeting. In addition, we have a

number of co-opted members on the Scout Executive. Co-opted members

are often used to bring particular expertise to help with a special project.

One of our regular topics of discussion at our meetings is coming up with

new ideas to raise much needed funds. We are always looking for

additional support and we are also open to new ideas in this respect. If any

of you have a member of the family already involved in the Scouting

movement or you feel you would like to become part of the Executive then

we would really like to hear from you. If you would like further

information about the role of the Executive and ways in which you could

help, please have a word with Graham Hoyle the Group Scout Leader,

Keith Whitham the Assistant Group Scout Leader or Eric Douglass the

Chair of the Executive. Eric Douglass

More wonderful than me going to the moon for my country was God’s

Son coming to the world for me (Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut)

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Horsforth Churches Together – Foodbank

Reverend Richard Dimery, Chairman of the Foodbank Steering Group says

“We clearly cannot meet everyone’s need for food, but across Leeds and

even in Horsforth there are people having to choose between heating, rent

or food, as well as parents to go hungry themselves to feed their children.

So we are meeting this need with food parcels for people in crisis, while

signposting them on to further help. Vouchers which can be redeemed at

the Foodbank will be issued by statutory bodies including children’s

centres, GPs, Health Visitors and Social Workers”.

This is a challenge to all the Churches in Horsforth. Woodside Methodist

Church will be the distribution centre for the food parcels. Here at the

Grove we have had permission from Morrison’s Manager to borrow one of

their trolleys. This will be placed in the porch for worshippers to give food

which will then be taken to Woodside on a weekly basis. A vast amount of

food is required – enough to give to all who come to collect. With the co-

operation of Alan Firth the Trolley will then be taken into the Centre to ask

the various groups if they would like to contribute to the collection.

This is a major task sponsored by HCT and I am sure the Grove will do its

best in supporting this initiative. Jack Myers

________

Community Fund Raiser

Now is an ideal time to join the Grove CFR. All the utility companies are

increasing their gas and electric prices. But Utility Warehouse are

increasing theirs by 6% - easily the lowest (e.g. nPower at 10.4%)

Utility Warehouse won the award as the best provider for telephone and

broadband services in the October 2013 edition of Which? Magazine. I

have their phone, broadband, gas and electricity services and believe me,

the rates are very competitive. I will gladly talk through the values and the

savings to be made. Please also remember that Grove Church receives up

to 5% from your bill. Also the Church in Rodley is joining our CFR which

will add to Grove Church Funds. Ricky Hearn (281 8176)

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Famous Methodists Richard Oastler 1789 – 1861

Richard Oastler was born in Leeds on 20th

December

1789, the son of a clothing merchant. He attended the

Moravian boarding school at Fulneck, leaving in 1810

to become a commission agent. He left in 1820 to

become steward for Thomas Thornhill, the absentee

landlord of a large estate near Huddersfield.

In 1830, he met John Wood, a worsted manufacturer

from Bradford. Wood agonised over the continuing

requirement of employing children in his mill.

Oastler was already an abolitionist, opposed to slavery and decided to join

Wood in the struggle for factory legislation.

Unlike most people in the factory reform movement, Oastler supported the

Tory Party. He strongly opposed universal suffrage and believed it was the

responsibility of the class structure’s ruling class to protect the weak and

vulnerable. For example, Oastler thought that the Poor Law of 1834 was

too harsh and campaigned for it to be reformed.

He thought that the best way to protect children was to obtain a maximum

10 hour day. He is on record as arguing: “Very often children are

awakened by their parents at four in the morning and pulled out of bed

when almost asleep. The younger children are carried on the backs of the

older children to the mill, and they see no more of their parents till they get

home at night and are sent to bed”. He wrote a letter to the Leeds Mercury

attacking this employment of children.

A period of action on the part of Oastler and others followed until, in 1836,

Oastler began advocating workers to use strikes and sabotage in their

campaign for factory legislation and changes in the Poor Law. When

Thomas Thornhill heard about this he sacked Oastler and pursued him for

unpaid debts. Unable to pay, Oastler was jailed in 1840. His friends

began raising money for his release but it was not until 1844 that the debt

was paid and he was able to return to his campaign for a 10 hour day.

In 1847, Parliament passed an act that stated that children between the

ages of 13 and 18 and women were not to work more than 10 hours a day

and no more than 58 hours a week. However this act only applied to part

21

of the textile industry and it was not until 1867 – 6 years after he died –

that the Factory Act applied to all places of manufacturing.

Oastler was active in the Methodist Church and he married Mary Tatham

of Nottingham in 1793 who was also strong in her religious beliefs. They

had two children, both of whom died in infancy. Interestingly Oastler’s

work cut across the interests of the supporters of the Anglican Church of

that time. He was a constant contributor to newspapers and periodicals

and an active and outspoken speaker at meetings.

There is a statue to Richard Oastler in Northgate, Bradford. It shows him

with 2 small children and was commissioned as a result of a national

subscription. The statue was unveiled by the Earl of Shaftesbury – one of

the great reformers for better conditions for children. Gordon Mellor

_________

The Kid and the Piano

A mother, wishing to encourage her son’s progress at the piano, bought

tickets to a performance by the great Polish pianist Paderewski. Their

seats were near the front of the concert hall and they were able to see the

majestic Steinway on the stage. Soon, the mother found a friend to talk to

and the boy slipped away.

At 8pm, the lights dimmed and only then, under the spotlight, did they

notice the boy – up on the piano bench, innocently playing “Twinkle,

Twinkle Little Star”. His mother gasped in shock but, before she could

retrieve her son, Paderewski appeared on stage at the keyboard.

He whispered gently to the boy “don’t quit – keep playing”. Leaning over,

he reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part. Then

his right arm reached round the other side and improvised an obligato.

Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerized.

In all our lives, we receive helping hands. Some we notice, some we don’t.

Equally we have opportunities to provide helping hands. Sometimes we

would like our assistance to be noticed, sometimes we don’t. Little of

what we achieve is without learning and support from others and what we

receive we should hand out.

Reproduced with thanks to Northowram Methodist Church

22

Amnesty International UK Write for Rights

This is a Greeting Card and Letter Writing Campaign which runs to 31st

December. Carole Abel has names and addresses and postage rates –

contact her on 258 7744 or :

Individuals at Risk Programme, Amnesty International UK,

17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA – email: sct@amnesty.org.uk.

“No-one is born hating another person because of the colour of his

skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate,

and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love

comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

Nelson Mandela

Thank You……. To Jean Kemp, for all her work in organising another very successful, fun

and fellowship Bazaar.

To all those who helped on the stalls and in the kitchen.

To all those who supported it on the day.

……. A magnificent sum of £2,259.17 was raised for the Church.

What’s on?

Wed Dec 4th

Coffee and Carols at St Mark’s 6.30 to 8.30pm

Sat Dec 7th

Christmas Fayre at Rodley from 2pm

Sat Dec 7th

Concert at the Grove 7.30pm – The Wesley Singers

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Regular events (contd)

Thursday

9.30 – 11.30 Tots & Tykes (0-4yrs) 293 8458

11.00 Bible Fellowship 258 3239

6.00 Cubs 216 9006

6.15 Beavers 216 9006

7.45 Scouts 216 9006

7.45 Grove Ladies Group (1st and 3

rd Thursdays) 258 2097

Friday

7.45 Choir Rehearsal 258 9093

Walking Groups: Thursday 258 6579 Saturday 258 4520

From the Editorial Group Note that the Editorial Teams alternate……the February Issue will be

prepared by Gill and Philip and you should send items to them no later

than Wednesday 22nd

January 2014.

Philip Abel pcabel@talktalk.net 258 7744

Margaret Bosomworth margaret.bosomworth@ntlworld.com 228 4777

Gill Jewell gilljewell@aol.com 278 9438

Gordon & Mary Mellor jgkm64@gmail.com 258 6199

Please include dates up to Sunday 2nd

March 2014.

Email would be appreciated!

24

http://www.grovemethodist.org.uk/

Registered Charity No. 1129305

Premises Manager: Alan Firth

43 New Street, Horsforth, Tel: 258 2742 or 07985745525

grovebookings@gmail.com

Off duty from Saturday noon and all day Sunday