Our Vision

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

 The Newsletter of the Bolsover and Staveley Circuit

May 2005                                  No 46

A Christian Brother
I’ve just heard that a Christian brother has died
And tears have been shed as many have wept and cried,
At the passing away of Bill Coupe our dear friend
He was, when I saw him last, cheerful until the end.

Bill was always there if anyone was in need or trouble
And if was at all possible, he could be there at the double,
Bill has had an interesting and varied busy life
Helped and aided by his family and his loving wife.

Nothing was too much trouble and he’d help anyone if he could
But if Bill couldn’t help, he always knew someone who would,
I’m going to miss Bill’s cheerful Christian nature and welcoming smile
And he’ll also be missed by friends who’ve known him for a while

So farewell Bill, a friend who it was my pleasure to know
For he has in my Christian life at our church, helped me to grow,
I’ll always remember the friendly and the happy smiling face
For our Heavenly Father has made sure no one can take your place.

© 9/4/2005  George Reed

EASTER BLESSINGs at staveley
easter seems to have had a special meaning to some of this year.  We started with our usual Maundy Thursday communion service with bible readings – led by Rev Mark Coles.  Good Friday morning service was led by Gwen Cushing who took a bible reading, where we were all a part of that reading.  This was very special to us.  We than gathered in the Market Place round the cross when Rev Mark Coles and Salvation Army Captain Pam Ripper conducted a short service of hymns and bible readings – some of the market traders joined in with the hymns.  On Friday evening we joined in the circuit service at Duckmanton of darkness and light  - an unusual and very moving service led by Rev Gillian Robertson.  A wonderful ending to a sad but glorious day.
On Easter Sunday we did not have a minister appointed to lead our service so we didn’t expect to receive communion, but Barbara Cutts was our preacher and we were pleased that she was able to administer sacrament to us.  She did this reverently and with great loveto us, as indeed she did with the whole of the service.  We feel that this should be noted, as wequickly grumble if things are not exactly right!
Our time together over this period was indeed a great blessing to us all.

Mabel Carrington & Sybil Norton

Creating a just community
Was the title given to this year’s Easter Offering dedication service held last week at Barrow Hill.  When I entered the church and took my place I wondered why a bottle of Radox was in view – but all became clear as the service proceded.  The ladies of our circuit were well represented (along with quite a few of the gentlemen!) and led a thought provoking time of worship.  Readers from the different churches led us in an opening prayer of thanksgiving when we were all asked to think of a time… Props of geraniums, the Radox, a bible, praying hands and a cross were taken forward to help focus our thoughts during the prayer.  Later, the ladies read a number of stories from around the world of people who make a difference in their own locality in sharing facilities and time with the less fortunate.  The address was from much nearer home when we heard about the efforts in Chesterfield to help the homeless with soup kitchens and drop in centres run by the churches in the town.  Finally, the Easter Offering gifts were received and dedicated to use by Network, before we left to go back to our own churches thinking how they can help the communities in Bolsover and Staveley circuit.

NCH – CIRCUIT support group
The financial statement for the year’s work in the circuit is as follows:

the members of the Support Group would like to thank everyone within the circuit who have helped in any way to raise the amount shown in the above account.

UPDATE ON THOSE EASTER BUNNIES
You remember those little bunnies in the last newsletter?  Well, they have multiplied – like rabbits are wont to do.  They are well travelled too – one is known to have emigrated from Bolsover to Japan would you believe?  They have raised £296 for Network Funds.  Muriel Maughan the Network treasurer sends her thanks to everyone who has one of these pets….

Bedding Plants for Sale

Phacelia Tropical Surf and Lavender Lass mixed @ 80p for 6
(12" high with masses of blue or mauve blooms with white centres)
Godetia Summer Paradise and Amethyst Glow mixed @ 80p for 6
(12" high with fluted, chalice shaped flowers in shades of pink and mauve)
Free delivery within the circuit in late May
All proceeds to Brimington Methodist Church
Phone orders to Pat Laming on 01246 271608

Happy Birthday to ….  inkersall
An advance notice to say that Inkersall Methodist Church will be 50 this year.  There will be a celebration weekend held on 17-18 September.  On 17 September there will be a concert by John Barker – the well known instrumentalist, and tickets will be available from church stewards at £2.50 each.  On the Sunday, there will be thanksgiving services led by Revd Mark Coles at 10.30 am and by Revd Alan Morton at 6.00 pm.

CIRCUIT MEETING
We are required to give advance notice of circuit meetings. 
There are things happening in respect of circuit staffing when Mark leaves us next year which may require a meeting to be called at short notice.  Would you please make a note in your diaries that if this turns out to be necessary we have provisionally set this meeting on 22 June at Brimington Common – final notification will be given as soon as possible.

Concert – notified by e-mail…
I hope you will not think I am taking liberties with your newsletter pages, but I would appreciate it if you could include the following information which may be of interest to some of your readers..
Before I give the information, I would like to say that members of my family lived at Bolsover  some many years ago  being Pit Deputies at Bolsover Colliery and at Clipstone  namely George Reddish miner George Bentley miner George Else miner(Hunlocke Pit Cottages) Arthur Botham Sherwood Road Clipstone and Windmill Lane Bolsover  Pit Deputy..  Uncle Sydney Flint  Mining Engineer Bolsover Colliery (later Chief Engineering Manager  John Smedley Lea Mills) Do these names ring any bells?
Now to business

GRAND CHARITY BRASS & VOICES CONCERT in aid of
LEUAKEMIA RESEARCH FUND U.K. and  WIRKSWORTH CARE
CENTRE PROJECT..

Venue  HIGHFIELDS UPPER SCHOOL MAIN HALL CHESTERFIELD ROAD  MATLOCK

Date   SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17TH 2005  7.15 p.m.

Taking centre stage are
THE COLNE VALLEY MALE VOICE CHOIR from HUDDERSFIELD
THE THORESBY COLLIERY BRASS BAND from EDWINSTOWE NOTTS

Tickets are available from April 25th and many have been booked already.  The Hall has a seating capacity of 900 people plus 150 performers   The choir is 80 Voices strong  the band 30+
Tickets are obtainable from the main organisers - Flints of Wirksworth  tele. 01629 826339 

Organisors are  Veronika and Joanne Flint mother & daughter who both work at Willersley Castle  Methodist Guild Holiday and Conference Centre  Joanne a Receptionist  Veronika a General Assistant..Harry S Flint  Veronika's son  Groundsman/Gardener  Willersley Castle Estate  ( my family have a connection with Willersley in that my 5xGrandfather Peter Simpson was Great Uncle of Mary Simpson who married Richard Arkwright 2nd (son of Sir Richard Arkwright) the first Arkwright to reside at Willersley My Uncle Austin Price a Welsh Methodist Minister for a time lived at Willersley in the 1930s  and my brother in law Rev Arthur Macgregor - Brown Methodist Minister and Prison Chaplin  Wakefield  lived with the Denton family  caretakers at Willersley in the 1950s when he was a probationer minister in Wirksworth Methodist Circuit where he met my sister who was a nurse and organist at Middleton Mount Zion Methodist Church built by our Grandparents family of Joseph Walker & Sons who were all Trustees and local preachers in the Circuit..

Regards  Stuart G Flint

 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)

May 2005

    6    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm               Duckmanton
  21    Men’s Fellowship Breakfast           8.30 am                     Staveley
  23      Deadline for material to be included in next newsletter
  27    “44” and Ascent                     from 6.00 pm                  Brimington

June 2005

    3    Circuit Prayer Meeting                   7.30 pm   Brimington Common
  18    Men’s Fellowship Breakfast           8.30 am                     Staveley
  20      Deadline for material to be included in next newsletter
( 22    Provisional Circuit Meeting            7.30 pm  Brimington Common)
  24    “44” and Ascent                     from 6.00 pm                  Brimington