The Sunday after Easter Page 3CHRISTIAN AID WEEK Page 4News of the Church Family Page 5Letters and emails Page 7From the Church Secretary Page 12Do you remember the pews? Page 14Korea – Notes from the front Page 16Classic Cinema for March - Kids Page 18Collection Point Page 20Rotas Page 24

W5 5QT

MMaayy 22001155

2

EALING GREEN CHURCH

(Methodist and United Reformed)

Ealing, London W5 5QT

Telephone (020) 8810 0136

Web site http://www.ealinggreenchurch.org.uk/

Email egcadministrator@btconnect.comegcsecretary@btconnect.com

Contributions to Unity unitymagazine@hotmail.com

Minister Deacon Richard Goldstraw (020) 3718 9577

Church Administrator Ms. Rebecca Catford (020) 8810 0136Church Secretary Dr. Anita Oji 07435 081342

Church SecretariatPhilip Burnham-Richards, Hector Chidiya, Fleur Hatherall

Choir Leader Mrs. Fleur Hatherall (020) 8248 6774Organist Mrs. Fleur Hatherall (020) 8248 6774Communion Steward Mrs. Hema Souri-Parsons (020) 8840 4200Unity Magazine Mr. Lee Horwich (020) 8567 2851Unity Distributor Mr. Peter Chadburn (020) 8537 1966Ecumenical Officer Mr. David Groves (020) 8933 8315Bible Reading Rota Church Administrator (020) 8810 0136

The Church Office is staffed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week between 9.30am and 12.30pm, with the exception of public and other occasional holidays.

UNITYcontributions:

All contributions gratefully received. Please email them to: unitymagazine@hotmail.com

Last date for contributions to the June issue Sunday 17th May

If you are new to the church, the following groups meet on a regular basis, either weekly or monthly:

Afternoon Bible Study Thursday (monthly) 1.30 pmMonday Fellowship (fortnightly)

Monday 2:00 pm

Choir Practice Friday 7:00 pmLuncheon Club Thursday 12:00 am-1:15 pm

Full details can be found in the weekly notice sheetYou are welcome to come to any meeting.

3

The Sunday after Easter From Richard

Dear Friends

The Sunday after Easter, is always marked as Local Preachers Sunday in our churches. Local Preachers taking worship on that day are encouraged to ask if anyone in the congregations is feeling a call to be a Local Preacher or a Worship Leader. I was at a meeting in Methodist Church House in Marylebone Road this week and was immediately struck by the attractive literature that I share with you today. I was prayerfully pondering what to write for this letter and this confirmed it for me.

This year in May it marks 30 years since my accreditation as a Local Preacher. I remember my first sermon, which I have kept, from the book of The Revelation to John and the text was, “Hallelujah, for the Lord the Almighty Reigns” Revelation 19:6b. I remember and give thanks for my mentor Harry whose sermons were never without Wesley’s glorious words “Our God contracted to a span incomprehensibly made man”. I remember two of the hymns at the Accreditation service, Praise to the Holiest with Elgar’s wonderful tune – Gerontius and Master Speak Thy Servant Heareth STF 666. Master Speak is based on the wonderful Bible story of the boy Samuel and the elderly priest Eli. It’s about the aged listening to the young and the young listening to the aged for the voice of God. My faith journey certainly involved, involves, this two way listening. We must listen to one another in our churches for what the voice of God, through His Spirit, is saying to us. Maybe he is calling us to be a Worship Leader or a Local Preacher. He may be calling us to do other wonderful things in the church and in the world. Read John Bell’s wonderful hymn Will you come and follow me? STF 673

God called me to serve Him in an ordained capacity as a Deacon. I am a preaching Deacon and Lemia is a Deacon who has trained to be a Worship Leader.

Many a preacher will wonder if the congregations are listening to them. As I travel on public transport I often wonder what people are listening to who have their headphones attached to their iphones. They may wonder what I am listening to too!

Way back in 1740 John Wesley was preaching up and down the country and there was great revival in the country. John Wesley encouraged those who attended his revivalist meetings to attend their parish churches to avoid a schism with the Church of England. One such meeting place where Wesley preached and used as his HQ was the Foundery which still exists today at Wesley Chapel City Rd London. Away on business Wesley had left a young man called Thomas Maxfield in charge of the Foundery. Since there were no Clergymen available Maxfield took it upon himself to preach to the congregation – a case of is there a clergyman in the house! Word got back to Wesley and he returned in great haste to confront Maxfield. Susanna, Wesley’s mother, a formidable and wise woman, encouraged Wesley to hear Maxfield. Wesley was impressed and like Susanna saw a call on

4

the life of Maxfield. From this occasion of the young listening to the aged, Wesley appointed Local Preachers who were not ordained to minister the sacraments, they remained in the area they lived and worked, but whom he examined and trusted to lead worship and preach.

It’s a real privilege to serve as a Local Preacher. Those God calls He equips and through highs and lows, through fruitful and wilderness times, His love never lets us go.

I love the poetry of hymns and the hymn Lord, speak to me, that I may speak in living echoes of thy tone has these words in its last verse:

O use me, Lord, use even me,

Just as thou wilt, and when, and where,

Until thy blessed face I see,

Thy rest, thy joy, thy glory share

For Worship Leaders and Local Preachers in our Circuit we give thanks to God!

Is God calling you?

Kind thoughts and prayers

Deacon Richard

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2015: 10th -16th May

Jesus challenges us to love our neighbour. Christian Aid believes he meant our Global neighbour too

Please can YOU help with the annual Christian Aid House to House Collection?

Ealing Green Church needs 20 Volunteers to deliver and then collect envelopes from the roads near our church.

The collecting can be a challenge and requires a bit of your time but it is worthwhile.

Some people prefer to collect in two’s, so you make like to do this?

If you can help or want to know more about it first, please speak to Deb Lovell

Tel. Mobile 07733 060517 or email deb.lovell@btinternet.com

Christian Aid week is the single biggest act of Christian witness in Britain and Ireland. For thousands of churches, it’s a way of getting out into the

local community, and answering Jesus’ call to help people in need.

Deb

5

News of the Church Family

Helen Harper is doing well following her knee surgery and is now ‘back at work’ with the Lunch Club re-opening, but please continue to pray for her.

By the time this issue of Unity is printed, Deacon Richard will have been to hospital for extraction of a wisdom tooth. We pray for healing for him.

It has been good to see Dorothy Ravillious back in church. Please continue to pray that her usual strength and energy will soon return.

Jen’s Dad, Don Smith, had unexpected surgery in USA on Good Friday. Please pray for healing for him. We are thankful that Jen was nearby at the time and so able to support her parents. Please continue to pray for Jen on her Sabbatical.

On 5th May, Robina Thexton is going into a Residential Care Home in Kew, near her son, for a trial period. We pray that she will settle happily and enjoy the company.

Caroline & Aki Cummings Palmer and Valerie & Dele Jokosenumi have now moved to different homes in Hanwell. We pray that you will all settle in well and happily.

We remember in our prayers and send our love and sympathy to Hema Souri Parsons and Larry on the death of Hema’s mother, Beulah, on Good Friday, aged 104! Many of us remember Beaulah with affection, when she worshipped with us at Ealing Green for many years.

Thank you for your prayers and messages of support following my eye surgery. I assure you, that is the cause of my black eye!

We welcome Liz Clarke back after a year working and then travelling in Ecuador and Peru. We look forward to hearing more about your travels Liz and pray that it will not be too difficult to settle into your ‘old routine’.

We were pleased to see Jane & Lee Horwich and Lee’s Mum in church recently. Jane & Lee were just back in UK for a week over Easter but gave us a chance for a quick chat. We continue to support them in our prayers.

Colin & Merle Paige have arrived back in the UK and it was wonderful to welcome them to our service on 19th April. They are already on the coffee Rota during their stay!

Stacey Ali rang me from Trinidad recently! She is well and planning to have a change of direction in her working life, moving away from HR. She is likely to be in the UK at the end of the year or early 2016, to attend some courses. She has

6

asked that we pray for her new venture – a delivery service for healthy gourmet food.

We pray particularly for those mentioned above and for all who carry the burden of illness and for their families and friends.

10th May is the beginning of Christian Aid Week and we welcome as our speaker at this service, Chris Wickenden who is the organist at Haven Green Baptist Church. He is also well known to us as a Funeral Director! Chris has spent a year working in Bangladesh, among Leprosy affected people. We look forward to hearing about the work of the Leprosy Mission.

On Sunday 17th May, during morning worship, Richard will be baptising Helen & Adam Brown’s baby girl, Isabella Beatrice. We look forward to welcoming the family & friends on this happy occasion.

............................................

Our latest Potluck Lunch – the first one without a kitchen - went well, thanks to many willing helpers. There was a good atmosphere and a great array of varied food.

Gill Hatherall

I intend, before the endgame looms, to die sitting in a chair in my own garden with a glass of brandy in my hand and Thomas Tallis on the iPod.

Oh, and since this is England, I had better add, 'If wet, in the library.' Who could say that this is bad?

Terry Pratchett

Laptop Appeal – sort of

Jane Horwich is looking for an old laptop, or two, for some of the students in the school she is working in in Sri Lanka.

If you have an old laptop (it has to be a laptop to get it in her suitcase), that has now been superseded by something more whizzy or replaced by a tablet, and are willing to donate it, or accept a small donation in return for it, could you please let me know. I/we are back in the UK for a short time at the end of May and would like to get one, or two, clean them up and take them back to people who could make much use of them, but who are not going to be able to get one otherwise. Please contact me on:unitymagazine@hotmail.com Thanks, Jane and Lee

7

Letters and emails

From Patsy Robinson:

Ealing Green supports an orphanage in Western Kenya, which is run by atruly Christian man, Roy Samo. I received the following email from him recently.

Kind regards,Patsy

From: Roy SamoSent: 15 April 2015 16:12Subject: Re: PrayersGreetings my dear friends. I want to believe you are all doing well.

On wed 25th last month nearly 3 weeks ago, I was carjacked and was robbed of all my valuables including my laptop, phones, money, several files and books and electronics. All these were not as bad as the thorough beatings on me. It was a group of 7 armed robbers with 3 guns, machetes and knives. Nothing as terrifying as this has ever happened to me in my life. To make it sad, I'm never a late night person and the latest I do get back to the house unless involved in a serious late night meetings or church functions is always 7pm. I'm now recovering well and have been to the hospital. The wounds and cuts I had on my left jaw are healing though I still can't chew hard food using my right jaw. My right ear has been bleeding a lot even after medication and severe pain are there every night. But I want to thank God very much coz I'm alive. A number of people have lost their lives in Kisumu due to ever increasing insecurity in the city. It becomes worse during rainy seasons like this since they use the rains at night to robbers people and even kill them. Hardly a week before that, I did loose a friend called Mr David were who was killed by armed robbers at his gate as he waited for his watchman to open the gate. Lately, robberies, carjackings, assaults on roads and many more have been common. But we are disturbed that the police are doing little and they seems to be overwhelmed. Whenever you report, you find out that hundreds are also reporting daily and nothing seems to be happening in terms of response or a plan by the police to effectively deal with this.

Barely a week ago, terrorists attacked a university in the north of Kenya and more than 148students were massacred. Couple with recent attacks on shopping malls like the Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi that claimed about 67lives and several daily killings, many people now believe that the Kenyan government are unable to provide security to her citizens. The government has lost touch with the reality and her ability to dismiss intelligence reports from friendly nations like Uk, America and others has made them look awkward. A day before the university massacre, the Kenyan president was on news dismissing terror reports and an impending attacks on some universities in Kenya. The British government went further to warn that the terrorists were targeting Christians and that is what happened the following day when Christians were singled out and Muslims spared in the killings.

8

Another sad story has been of my father Ambros who has been hospitalised for 1 and a half weeks. He left hospital last week and he's recovering well. Before this, he had been very sick to the point he could not talk, walk or even move and we honestly believed he would not be OK. We have been having intense prayers since we believe we have been under attack by the devil as a family.

May the good Lord continue blessing and protecting you.Every blessingRoyGod loves you[June’s Communion Collection is for the Rehema Project, which is run by Roy. Ed.]

From Helen Harper

The Knee

I would like to thank the Church family for their prayers and kind thoughts during

and after my knee operation. I am recovering very well and walking fairly normally.

During my post-op appointment last week the Consultant said "I suppose you want

the other knee done now!" I'm thinking about it .....................

Helen Harper

From Stanley MudzingwaThanks and an update:

The cholera problem seems under control right now and we are prayingthat it goes away totally! We are thankful to God that it has not spiralled out of control.

How are you? I pray you were able to rest and commemorate Easter ! We had a four day conference at church. Congregants from Kadoma, Mhangura, Shackleton, Norton and Chinhoyi met at our church for the whole easter weekend starting Thursday. We were able to share our joys and sorrows, but I must confess there was a period during the conference when we forgot about the ills and turbulances of our country! We all so excited about the privilege we have that we can worship our Lord with little or no harassment at all!

We had such a wonderful time! I hope you also had a wonderful Easter! Now its back to reality. There is work to be done. People to be treated. Medicines to be bought. Utility bills to be paid! The clinic opened during the holiday and with hundreds of people camped at the church, we were stretched a bit. We had a tummy bug here, a headache, flu, hypertension, this and that complaint. But we managed well. I pray for your health and wellbeing. God bless you

Date: 23/03/2015 13:07Subject: Re: A little something for the weekendHello. Here is hoping you doing great! Just to let you know the parcel [Ealing

9

Green’s $1000 contribution to the running of the Chinhoyi Clinic) has been picked up without any problems. We are forever indebted to your kindness and benevolence. God bless so much!Stanley

From Jane and Lee Horwich

Thank you

Were we bowled over by the reception we received when we turned up for the

service on the 12th of April. Did we enjoy coming back, even if it was only for a

flying visit? As a friend of mine used to say if presented with a straightforward

question for which there was only one obvious answer – Is the Pope a Catholic?

It was a great pleasure to see you all and the warmth of your welcome was something to look forward to when our respective overseas jaunts are over. We will be back at the end of May for Alessia’s wedding, and may make another brief appearance then, but that may be it for this year. Ealing Green, and the warmth of the church family, will remain close to our hearts in the intervening period.

Thanks again.

Jane and Lee Horwich

United Reformed Church - News from the Thames North Synod

Most of the news items and training programmes are available on the notice board in the passage but here are two invitations for you to book:

Saturday 10th July at Lumen URC, 88 Tavistock Place, WC1H 9RS

A day for church and society.

Do you have concern about, compassion for, experience of or expertise in poverty, refugees justice, discrimination, health, abuse, homelessness, disability etc? More details and bookings on 020 7799 500 or email the North Tames Synod Office on bookings@urcthamesnorth.org.uk

Saturday 12th September at St Andrew's, Mount Park Road, Ealing W5 2RP 10am to 4pm - Workshops on hospitality, inter-cultural worship, church, on-line, all-age worship and more.

Book your place (refreshments provided - bring a packed lunch) on 020 7799 500 or email the North Tames Synod Office on bookings@urcthamesnorth.org.uk

The URC Yearbook 2015 - 16 is in the office for reference.

Have you read the URC magazine 'Reform'? There are copies for you to browse in the church. The website is http://www.urcthamesnorth.org.uk'

Anita Oji

10

It was lovely to come back, albeit so very briefly, a couple of weeks ago. The welcome was truly heartwarming and I look forward to seeing you all again in the near future.

In the meantime I am back here on the other side of the world. I have looked and the only landfall I can see where I would be further away from London is Fiji. Despite the fact that it is a beautiful holiday destination I believe it is run by a military dictator. There is also no significant industry there that would make it a suitable place for me to work, so this is probably as far as I can go and still be paid for my labour. It seemed so quick getting back here comparatively, and made me think about how small this world has become. I got on a plane at 1300 one day and dozed, watched four movies, ate a couple of quite forgettable airline meals (one not so unforgettable, but I have little idea what it actually consisted of –rice and scrambled egg with bits of some kind of seafood mixed in) and then I was there, or rather, here. It was one day and a couple of hours later, but in my somewhat spaced out mind it was just another day, however hazy. I was walking along a street that was familiar to me, although it wasn’t any of the ones I had spent the last week walking along and I marvelled at the forces that had picked me up and plonked me down here so far from home, yet, at the same time, at home.

I have had a couple of days to re-orientate myself and am getting back into the groove – work was the shock of Monday morning – out here. Coming home, for however brief a time, gave me the opportunity to look and compare things from more than one angle. Churchill said that travel (as opposed to package holidays –he didn’t add that bit) broadens the mind. I would like to think that it helps to give the lucky traveller a bit of perspective that they didn’t have previously – ask Liz Clarke if her time in Ecuador has helped her develop a different perspective.

As part of my ‘getting back to normal’ I spent Saturday over on the other side of Geoje Island and visited a national monument, which is part of a Prisoner of War camp from the Korean War which ran from June 6th 1950 for two or three years, depending on which historical view you take. The camp held up to 170,000 prisoners and was the scene of much inter-faction fighting, which lead to 2,000 deaths in the camp. Like much of South Korea’s history over the last couple of hundred years it is unbelievably bloody and horrific. We had our share of war, and any share of war is too much, but the people of this part of the world had it in spades. We have had peace since 1945. They have had much in the intervening years, including another war and all sorts of political upheaval. Their last presidential assassination was only in 1979 and was followed by the inevitable strikes, repression etc. For all our problems, we have much to be thankful for.

Remember the Confucian curse – ‘May you live in interesting times’.

God bless you.

11

12

From the Church SecretaryThere are two prophets in the Old Testament that speak God’s word about re-building (refurbishment is another name). They are not often read in churches and are so close to the New Testament that they get overlooked. I am referring to Haggai and Zechariah – can you find them in your Bibles? Only Malachi separates them from Matthew. Haggai is two chapters long so do peep in.

First, people’s priorities were questioned. They had built expensive homes yet God’s Kingdom was in ruins. They had not prioritised God in their lives or worship. Their money was not providing food and clothing for all and their work was fruitless. Our study leader, Stephen Gaukroger, likened this to today where we are defined by what we own and spend, and where materialism has a strong grip. He reminded us that we are being lied to all the time about what matters in life – if this is not clear then consider the content of advertisements, political rhetoric and time and money spent on personal beauty. In essence, Haggai records that the lack of resolve to rebuild the place where God was worshipped had become a lack of respect for God himself and this had to be put right. Before the end of Haggai’s first chapter, the response to God’s message from the people’s leaders was positive and they took steps to show respect for God’s Kingdom. The precision in this book is interesting. It took 23 days (3 weeks) for Haggai’s first prophecy to have any effect. Did they have to wait for a church council decision? No! It was probably that the harvest had to be gathered in before any other work could begin.

Haggai’s approach to find a solution was directly to the governor (King Darius of Persia made Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel the governor – and he was of the family of David from whom came Jesus [Matthew chapter 1]) and chief priest (Joshua, son of Jehozadak) – that is, he went straight to the top. He asked them about the past and if anyone remembered the glory of Solomon who had built the temple. If anyone was over 70years this would have been relevant to them, but only for nostalgia because God was creating something new. In the second chapter we have a hint at the coming of Jesus (‘I am here with you’). Here we had Stephen’s take on this – that Christians are on Christ’s welcome committee for His second coming, not His planning committee! So how do we fit into this process? There had been 20 years of dragging feet and now in four months things were set right through involved leadership and teamwork. It seems faster than we are progressing, but they did not have asbestos to contend with – they just had to hike large trees many miles.

I had not read Haggai before this study. It emphasises for me how as individuals and as a community our relationship to God can be strengthened while we work for the benefit of all our community. Plus there is the underlying eagerness and energy that is maintained through the rebuilding. I pray this is infectious*!

* Re infection – the Jews followed rituals of cleanliness purportedly to prevent sin but often to prevent infections – see riddles about these in Chapter 2, verses 12 and 13.

Anita Oji

13

Do you remember the pews?

This is what happened:

To: Anita Oji

Subject: Church Pews

Hi Anita hope you are well and the works at the church not to stressful and progressing. I thought you may like to know that the timber from the pews has not gone to waste and what has not been used is safely stored ready for use at a later date. Some of the timber was quite difficult to work with but not impossible as there were an awful lot of nails embedded in some of the timber and had been snapped off and could only have happened when the pews were reworked at some point, perhaps when the oak pews were donated? But I guess we will never know.I have written about how I have used some of the timber in my blog and thought you may find it of interest.Wishing you all the very best and perhaps meet up with you at the bees one day soon.Thomas Bickerdike

[I have included part of Thomas’s blog below. If you are interested you can read the whole thing on:

http://beekeepingafloat.com/2015/03/27/how-i-make-my-foundationless-frames/ ]

How I make my foundationless frames

Thomas Bickerdike

[This is what happened to our church pews.

Thomas has been helping to look after our bees in Walpole Park - as Friends of the Park keep bees there in the old rose garden. Thomas built the observation hive there - I have edited Thomas’s blog – Ed.]

This is how I make my foundationless frames. This process is easy for me as a joiner and woodworker for over 35 years, plus I have a few machines to play with but no reason why the frames could not be made with smaller power tools so very possible for the diy minded. Also I have continued with my philosophy at making my beekeeping as self sufficient as possible so have made the frames from salvaged timber but must warn you some of the following photos may be distressing to a few people :)

You cannot make anything without first having a cutting list and my frames could not be simpler and as I have British National hives and run them with standard brood boxes each frame requires-

1 x top bar – 432 mm long x 22 mm wide x 10 mm thick

14

2 x side bars – 215 mm for brood and 140 mm long for super x 22 mm wide x 10 mm thick

1 x bottom bar – 358 mm long x 14 mm wide x 7 mm thick

So the first process is having sourced your salvaged timber and it’s never the right size so you first you need to reduce it into manageable lengths of multiples of the lengths you ultimately require plus a few inches for trimming.

This is the distressing bit. The timber is probably way too good to use on frames - it’s the seats from church pews and from the same batch of timber all the hives and hive parts were machined although they were machined from the framing and knee rests etc.

I have to say the pews were not dismantled easily without a great deal of effort on behalf of the church to find new homes for the pews. They were very long approx sixteen feet in length and had been altered at least once in their life, also they were not the greatest example available with the timber in the seats the best part. The church wanted the pews removed so they could use the hall as a homeless shelter and other community events and have stacking chairs for the services.

My initial job was to release the pews from the floor and alter any that people wanted. There were a number of oak pews that rightly were snapped up and a few altered. I also altered four of the pine pews but the remaining 10 no one wanted, the church tried architectural salvage, reclamation yards and even other churches but no one was interested as they were simply too big. In the end the church decided to put them on freecycle as the builders were moving in very soon and it was at this time I said I could salvage them and make use of the timber. I struck a deal with the church and reduced my bill as a gesture for the timber and then dismantled the pews. I have saved the pew ends and sections of the backs and intend reassembling approx six or seven four feet long

15

pews and may go back to the church to see if they are interested in them. So with the timber already used and destined to be used I reckon I have reused approx 70% and I think that’s pretty good. As for the 30% - that went towards keeping me warm during the winter.

So with that confession over, the next process after cutting to workable lengths is to check for visible nails and remove them. Unfortunately the down side with working with reclaimed timber especially old Victorian timber is cut nails that have a habit of snapping below the surface and during the machining processes you find them.

If you find them on the circular saw then that’s fine as I have old saws for this job, but to find this out on the planing machine - then the air would turn blue.

Thomas Bickerdike

Ealing Green Church - Refurbishment Summary to April 2015

In order to settle the asbestos problem, we agreed that an Asbestos Consultant should visit the site and advise us and the contractors on the best way of treating the floor void, to remove or seal any trace of asbestos remaining.

A licensed Asbestos Removal company will be responsible for removing any debris and sealing the surface of the floor void before filling the area with concrete.

The Consultant and the chosen Asbestos Removal contractor have visited the site but, at the time of writing, the final Report and Quotation for the work are still awaited. We hope to have the figures and recommendation ready for the Special Church Meeting called for 3rd May.

Little progress can be made until Westco are able to work safely in the worship area. However, they have tried to keep working wherever possible and the new extension is up to roof level. It seems likely that the delay will now cause the project to be extended by several weeks.

We are very grateful to those who set up the Hall ready for worship each Sunday and to those who help with the clearance afterwards.

We pray that the next report will be of great progress and of more encouraging news for us all.

C. HatherallSteering Group

16

Korea – Notes from the front

Following my note last month about souvenirs from the UK, I took back some formy Korean teacher (Min Ji) including Jo Malone perfume and a candle. I also returned with the requested back snow globe featuring some of London’s attractions, Big Ben, St. Pauls. The London Eye (why is it called that?) etc.

I also got a Harrods shopping bag ( a proper one, not just the plastic one that it came in – a shopping bag for a shopping bag, how does it end?). I also got a couple of tea towels for her, which I wasn’t sure was the right message. To my surprise I got a text from her thanking me - especially for the Harrods tea towel!

Just before I came away, I had failed to shake off a chest infection I had been carrying for some weeks. I had originally had a cold, which went to my chest. Iwent to the shipyard doctor. He briefly listened to my lungs with his stethoscope –through three layers of clothing. I was about to take off my jacket and shirt and vest when he forestalled me by placing his instrument on my shirt, moving it rapidly down to near my waist, across to my left side and then up to my shirt pocket. Here he grunted – probably because of the pens and pieces of paper in my shirt pocket giving him even less of a sound to diagnose –and then carried on.

At the end of this less-than-exhaustive (yes, that’s all he did) examination, he typed something into his computer and said a few words to me, ‘dilate’ being the only one I think I understood. I was then dismissed, and in truth there wasn’t a lot more to discuss as neither of us could make themselves understood to the other. After sitting back in the main waiting/holding area I was summonsed by a nurse who had found a pack with English writing on it. It said simply ‘one to be taken three times a day after meals’. Inside were a number of pouches each containing pills (see photo). I have no idea what they were, but guess that one was an antibiotic. This was five day’s worth, but whatever it was the bug was able to hold out for longer and my lungs remained waterlogged, or at least that’s what it felt like. I decided to leave it until I got home and made an appointment for the morning after my arrival. The UK doctor gave me some pills that looked suitable for a small horse and a friend remarked, having looked at the contents – does anyone else out there really read all the small print? – that he had given me a substantial dose. Whatever it was it seems to have done the trick and I am now breathing directly, rather than, as it seemed before, through a hookah, or bubble pipe, somewhere in my lungs.

On my return to Korea (south) I have been to the gym and managed to get through two, admittedly light, sessions without major problems, so – so far so good. Now I am lined up for some serious surgery on my jaw. Unless there are enough contributions to fill the newsletter you will get more on this next month. You have been warned. Lee

17

Quakers write open letter to David Cameron of Plight of migrantsBy agency reporter

Quakers in Britain have written an Open Letter to the Prime Minister, expressing their deepest concern for the plight of migrants desperately trying to cross the Mediterranean.

The full text of the letter to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, is as follows:

Quakers in Britain have been shocked and angered by the needless deaths of thousands of desperate people in the Mediterranean in recent months. Every human life is a precious gift to be treasured – each person a child of God – and the loss of just one diminishes all of us. It is immoral to use the threat of loss of life as a deterrent to migration.

We urge you as our Prime Minister, in your work with other European leaders, to ensure that Britain, one of the richest countries in the world, plays its part in preventing these unnecessary drownings and addressing the economic inequality and violence which leads to these desperate attempts to reach a new home.

The letter is signed by Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain.

Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network (QARN) and Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) have previously called for safe paths to legal protection and protested against the cessation of funding for the Search and Rescue Operation in the Mediterranean.

Quakers in Britain say this tragic loss of life will be very much on the hearts and minds of Quakers as they meet for Yearly Meeting at Friends House in London next week (1st to 4th May).

* Quakers are known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Around 23,000 people attend 478 Quaker meetings in Britain. Their commitment to equality, justice, peace, simplicity and truth challenges them to seek positive social and legislative change.

Reprinted from Ekklesia

I read the 'Old Testament' all the way through when I was about 13 and was horrified. A few months afterwards I read 'The Origin Of Species', hallucinating very mildly because I was in bed with flu at the time. Despite that, or because of that, it all made perfect sense.

Terry Pratchett

The 'New Testament', now, I quite liked. Jesus had a lot of good things to say, and as for his father, he must have been highly thought of by the community to work with wood - a material that couldn't have been widely available in Palestine.

Terry Pratchett

18

Classic Cinema Club Ealing May 2015The theme of this month’s programme is - Kids . .

Childhood has furnished filmmakers with countless coming of age stories, and a child’s eye view of the world can be filtered through naïve innocence and wonder, and develop into mature understanding. These movies are keen and sensitive representations of growing up, relations with parents and strangers, and changes across generations.

Friday 1st May Manon des Sources 1986 113 min directed by Claude BerriStarring Emmanuelle Béart, Yves Montand,

Daniel Auteuil, Hippolyte GirardotIn the conclusion to ‘Jean de Florette’, his daughter becomes an avenging angel against the greed of the village that wronged her father. Based on works by Marcel Pagnol, this was a box office smash hit and adored by audiences.

Friday 8th May Spirit of the Beehive 1973 97 min directed by Víctor EriceStarring Ana Torrent

Soon after the Spanish Civil War, a viewing of the film ‘Frankenstein’ fuels the fears and fantasy of an imaginative young girl. Featuring a startling performance from its child star, who went on to act in ‘Cría Cuervos’, this allegory was hugely important for art-film productions in Spain.

Friday 15th May The Innocents 1961 100 min directed by Jack Claytonstarring Deborah Kerr, Pamela Franklin, Martin Stephens, Michael Redgrave

A governess to two children is terror-stricken by her conviction that their manor is haunted and her two charges possessed. Truman Capote contributed to this adaptation of Henry James’s ‘The Turn of the Screw’, and this gothic ghost story is enriched with atmosphere, psychological horror and the daring bravura in Kerr’s depiction.

19

Friday 22nd May Bicycle Thieves 1948 93 min directed by Vittorio De Sica

In post-war Italy, a man takes his son on a desperate search for the bike he needs to keep his job. This neorealist work is one of the milestones of filmmaking and motion picture history.

Winner of an Honorary Academy Award, BAFTA for Best Film, and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film.

Friday 29th May Shane 1953 118 min directed by George Stevensstarring Alan Ladd, Brandon De Wilde, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Jack Palance

A gunfighter fits right into place within a family on a frontier farm, becoming an idol to their young son, but the peace is threatened by aggressive cattle ranchers. The most successful Western of the 1950s.

It was nominated for 6 Academy Awards, and won for Best Cinematography.

I would imagine that most of you reading this would have already see Shane and can agree that it is the definitive story of its type, although I was told that in certain scenes they had to stand Alan Ladd on a box to give him the height he lacked when facing up to the baddie!

Eight years involved with the nuclear industry have taught me that, when nothing can possibly go wrong and every avenue has been covered, then is the time to buy a house on the next continent.

Terry Pratchett

I believe everyone should have a good death. You know, with your grandchildren around you, a bit of sobbing. Because after all, tears are appropriate on a death bed. And you say goodbye to your loved ones, making certain that one of them has been left behind to look after the shop.

Terry Pratchett

20

This month’s Communion Collection is for

Christian Aid and the Nigerian Health Care Project:

Christian Aid

Christian Aid is a Christian organisation that insists the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.

We work globally for profound change that eradicates the causes of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality. We are part of a wider movement for social justice.

We provide urgent, practical and effective assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root causes.

Our vision

Poverty is an outrage against humanity. It robs people of dignity, freedom and hope, of power over their own lives. Christian Aid has a vision - an end to poverty - and we believe that vision can become a reality.

From April 2012, Christian aid's work will be focused around the goals and objectives identified in our corporate strategy,

'Partnership for change – the power to end poverty' .

Our essential purpose

• to expose the scandal of poverty

• to help in practical ways to root it out from the world

• to challenge and change structures and systems that favour the rich and powerful over the poor and marginalised.

Our mandate

We are an agency of our churches in Britain and Ireland and are mandated to work on relief, development and advocacy for poverty eradication. Christian Aid’s work is founded on Christian faith, inspired by hope and acts to change an unjust world through charity – a practical love and care for our neighbours.

21

Afraid, alone, in pain

Be the answer to Loko’s prayer this Christian Aid Week.

Loko’s choice in life is simple:

‘If I can’t collect firewood, my children will die.’

Four times a week, in a remote cornerof Ethiopia, Loko makes a back-breaking eight-hour trip to gather wood. It’s a task she dreads, but she steels herself to do it because if she doesn’t her children will starve.

She prays to God as she walks. ‘I ask him to change my life and lead us out of this,’ she says.

Just £5 could give Loko a loan to start her own business buying and selling tea and coffee, freeing her from herdesperate task and allowing her to spend more time caring for her family.

This Christian Aid Week, you can help transform the lives of women like Loko.

From 10th-16th May, churches the length and breadth of Britain and Ireland will come together to pray, campaign and raise money to improve the lives of people like Loko.

Every year, 100,000 volunteers demonstrate God’s love for the poor by taking part in house-to-house collections for Christian Aid. This fantastic witnessis a chance to take the mission of the church into your community.

Accountability and stewardship

We are accountable for how we use the resources entrusted to us, ensuring that our decision-making is open and transparent. We measure our impact and are always striving to improve our performance.

We are committed to being effective stewards of the planet's scarce resources and caring for the earth for the sake of future generations.

Please give generously

22

Nigerian Health Care Project

The project was launched in April 1992 in order to revive the work of the Wesley Guild in medical mission, which began at Ilesha Hospital in 1912. From just two (centres) projects in 1992, we are currently involved in funding 16 projects.

Aims:

• To work with the local Methodist Church Nigeria leadership in providing health care facilities and trained personnel in areas of Nigeria which have poor or non-existent services as an expression of our common Christian love and discipleship

• To work with the Nigerian diaspora to raise awareness and funds for the above cause.

• To work with the World Church Relationships Team of the Methodist Church in Britain to continue a creative partnership with Methodist Church Nigeria,

• To raise funds and be good stewards of our financial resources.

The Leprosy Centre at Uzakoli

Okeafor has spent much of his life at the Leprosy Centre. He is now cured of leprosy, although he has been left with some deformities. For the past 20 years he has been rearing pigs for food. The pig unit was set up to provide a

good source of protein for the leprosy patients, particularly the children. In earlier days there were more than 200 patients using the hospital and Okeafor was soon rearing as many as 30 animals. He is head of the unit but today has just 8 pigs because there are only 18 people remaining at the Leprosy Centre. Most of them expect to return home to their families through a rehabilitation programme. The Leprosy Centre is considering its way forward for the future in such a changed situation and no doubt life will change also for Okeafor. Let us uphold them in prayer at this important time in their development

23

Methodist Hospital Ogoli Ugboju, Apa Diocese, Benue StateThis was originally opened as a clinic in the 1970’s when Grace Mortimer worked there as a midwife. It was drawn to our attention in the year 2000, in a very sad state of repair, without any trained medical staff, either nurses or doctor.

We were asked to provide funds to repair the premises, provide equipment, drugs etc. to allow them to appoint trained medical staff.

It was almost three years before we were able to make any financial contribution, but the trust they had in us to support them gave hope, encouraged the people to make repairs to the premises and look at ways they could improve the situation themselves.

Damishi Health Centre, Kaduna Diocese, Kaduna StateDue to the insecurity in the North of Nigeria, we have been unable to visit Damishi and Galadima Health Centres since 2010. However, visiting trustees were able to meet with the new Archbishop of Kaduna, Sunday Idoko, and his predecessor, Archbishop Job, in Abuja.

Damishi is struggling to maintain its service and witness to the local community. The two staff, Jessica Andrew and Lami Audu cannot live on site as there are no suitable staff quarters. Although the villagers are keen to retain the health centre, there is a private clinic locally that has more facilities to offer. The priority at Damishi is to build some staff quarters and expand the range of services offered.

Training in Newborn Resuscitation at Bethesda Hospital

http://www.nhcp.org.uk/Visit 2012/website update 17.3.12/SP training.jpg700 babies die in the first four weeks of life in Nigeria every day. Some of these die because birth attendants do not know how to resuscitate babies. Dr Syam Pramod and Dr David Cundall visited Bethesda Hospital for a week and were able to train 45 people about how to resuscitate babies safely.

They also gave resuscitation manikins to the College of Health Technology and the hospital so that more training can continue.

Please give generously to our two appeals.Thank you

24

May Rotas Please see the rotas due from the circuit

April Preacher Reader PrayersCommunion

Stewards

3rd 11.00 am Fleur Hatherall

10th 11.00 am Elspeth Singleton

17th 11.00 am Helen Harper

24th 11.00 am Hazel Humphries

31st 11.00 am Yvonne Moyo

Note: Could we have some volunteers for the Coffee Rota. All help is welcome - and it would be nice to see other faces behind the counter (no offence to those who already volunteer).

June Readers3rd

10th

17th

24th

31st

I mean, I wouldn't pay more than a couple of quid to see me, and I'm me.Terry Pratchett