Our Vision

Is to Aspire … to Inspire… a Desire… in JESUS!

The Newsletter of the Bolsover and Staveley Circuit

 October 2004                                No 40

A  Time Of  Joy.

Welcome to our church and circuit Rev. Gillian Robertson
Through you God's message and word be done,
Although we are all uncertain of how things will go
We pray that your messages from God will help us grow.

Into healthier and fitter Christians through the word
So go in God's strength and power and don't be disturbed,
For we are with you and like God we're by your side
Because we're hoping and praying that you'll be our guide.

Through the Christian life we all share with each other
For in these times of doubt and fear we all need one another,
None of us are an island but part of a family on this earth
And we should help and care for each other for all we are worth.

I pray that the time we spend during your time with us here
Will be a time of Joy, fulfillment, and good cheer,
As I can't think of anything else to say
I pray our time together is one of fulfillment in every way.

                                                                George Reed.
                                                                                                ©  04/09/2004.

FROM PETER & PAULINE
It has been good to hear from old friends at Bolsover and to know that you are still thinking about us so it is not a case of out of sight out of mind. Sorry its taken me so long to reply.
We have settled quite well in Pickering. The house was in excellent order when we arrived here. It was spotlessly clean and though the kitchen was not quite finished due to B&Q not having all the bits in stock, it was finished enough for us to use it. It is now completed and rivals our kitchen at Bolsover. It seems we have a mission to go to circuits and get them to fit new kitchens to the manse.
I have hit the ground running and seem to be working at a much quicker pace than I did. We have both been absolutely bowled over by the sheer beauty of the place. I have to do some visits in the heart of the forest down single track roads with gates and cattle grids. I feel like the James Herriot of Methodism. I have been surprised at how strong a sense of community exists in the dales. Even though people live miles from their nearest neighbour they seem to know them as well as if they just lived next door.
We are in the middle of the Harvest Festival Season and I have to say that they are something very special. They have harvest suppers that are out of this world. I couldn't begin to describe them. The only problem is that everyone goes to everyone else's harvest festival so I have used up my entire stock of harvest sermons already in three weeks. I'm dreading next year.
The circuit is about 20 miles from one end to the other so my mileage is up quite a bit on Bolsover. Some of the churches are very remote and have very small memberships but they seem to get decent sized congregations nevertheless.
Thanks for all your messages of prayers and good wishes. We really do hope that you will come and look us up sometime, and maybe in time I will be able to visit back to Bolsover.
Please give our love to everyone
God Bless

Peter and Pauline

A PRAYER of St Terasa of Avila (1515-1582)
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands but yours,
No feet but yours,
Only through your hands can Christ reach out to the world,
Only on your feet can Christ walk about to do God’s good,
Only through your eyes can Christ’s compassion look out on the world,
Yours are the hands,
Yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes,
You are Christ’s body.
Christ has no body in this world but yours.

FREUNDE AUS ENGLAND GAST DER EVANGELISCHEN KIRCHENGEMEINDE

The following is a translation of a recent article (under the above headline) in the local newspaper from Pfungstadt in Germany: 

Friends from England visit Evangelical Parish

Apple wine from Pfungstadt tasted

There are many friendships between people from Pfiingstadt and Stavely and Brimington in England. They have been formed through mutual visits, organized since 1971 by the Evangelical parish in Pfungstadt and the Anglican and Methodist parishes in on the isle. Last Sunday, the Pfirngstadt parish said farewell to 13 visitors, aged between four and over sixty years, who spent more than a week in the town at the river Modau.
Since over 33 years members of both communities have been visiting each other regularly, one year in England, the next year in Germany. The Reverend Alfred Bieber established the scheme, which has been continued by his successors. This year the Reverends Gudrun Olschewski and Michael Dietrich welcomed the 13 visitors.
At the centre of the exchange are individual contacts. All visitors stayed with families. Dean Arno Allmann came to Pfungstadt for the welcoming service, and afterwards both visitors and hosts enjoyed lunch organized by the “Frauenhilfe” [a local women’s association]. The next days were spent with joint and individual activities.
During a “Spiritual Day” with the Reverend Paul-Martin Clotz in Maria Einsiedel near Gernsheim, questions of faith were discussed. It was a very interesting exchange. said the Reverend Michael Dietrich.
The young people followed their own agenda, visiting the Holiday Park in Hassloch, camping in the church garden and meeting for a play of skittles. Rolf Krechowicz, a fan of model railways invited interested guests to his home to look at his model railway. Farmer family Lang entertained guests with coffee and cake at their house “Galgenmuehle”. Visitors could also taste apple wine and juice at the “Mosterei” Herbert-Freitag where Herbert and Christian Freitag explained how fruit were made into “something high-proof’.
Other memorable activities included a visit to Eumetsat, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites in Darmstadt, and the Technical Museum in Sinsheim. Visitors were give a farewell party at the “Martin-Luther Haus”, including the promise that next year a group from Pfungstadt will travel to Bnimington and Staveley.

(Apologies for picture quality – scanning was from a newspaper cutting which is not the best copy to use.)

FUTURE EFFORTS FOR THE PFUNGSTADT GROUP
There will be a link group meeting at 7.30 pm on Monday, 11 October.  This will be held at Mrs Wedgners, 6 Cotterhill Lane.  Then, on Saturday 16 October, there will be a barn dance and pie & pea supper at 7.00 pm in Brimington Church Hall. 

      Do you..
                    E xperience each communication as if it is the first
                    X pect to enjoy and learn from the communication
                    C reate an environment which accepts and supports both parties
                    E licit the other person's perceptions, using open, exploring questions
                    L isten, really listen without putting your own perceptions on their words
                    L isten to what is not being said, and be aware of emotions
                    E xplore possible solutions, ensuring their participation
                    N ail down objectives, then plan and agree action
                    C onfirm the action, who will do what by when
                    E valuate your performance, how can you improve next time

Circuit DIARY

Meetings and Other Church Events for the forthcoming months.

To have your meeting/event included in this listing – Please leave a message at the circuit office – 01246 470859. (I would rather hear the same message many times than miss it because everyone leaves it to someone else! - David)

October

    2    Harvest Supper/ Whitwell MVC      6.00 pm                       Clowne
    4    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm                  Brimington
  11    Pfungstadt Link Meeting                7.30 pm                                 
  15    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm               Barlborough
  16    Men’s Fellowship Breakfast           8.30 am                     Staveley
  16    Barn Dance/Pie & Pea Supper      7.00 pm     Brimington PC Hall
  18      Deadline for material to be included in next newsletter
  25    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm                     Staveley

November

    5    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm                     Inkersall
  15    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm               Duckmanton
  20    Men’s Fellowship Breakfast           8.30 am                     Staveley
  22      Deadline for material to be included in next newsletter
  26    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm   Brimington Common