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At a time when the Church is asking itself how it can be relevant today, it is easy to look to others to make things work. Here is a light-hearted look at a familiar rhyme which should remind us all that we are Church, and the Church’s success or failure rests with each one of us. Don’t be tempted to find your brothers and sisters in the lines: a look at Luke 6:37-42 reminds us that God is concerned with getting us to be responsible for ourselves, and to love others, so that His Church here on earth and into eternity can thrive!

Ten little Christians standing in a line,

One disliked the preacher, then there were nine.

Nine little Christians stayed up very late,

One overslept on Sunday and then there were eight.

Eight little Christians on their way to heaven,

One took the low road and then there were seven.

Seven little Christians chirping like chicks,

One disliked the music, then there were six.

Six little Christians very much alive,

But one lost interest and then there were five.

Five little Christians pulling for heaven’s shore,

But one stopped to take a rest, and then there were four.

Four little Christians each busy as a bee,

One got their feelings hurt, and then there were three.

Three little Christians knew not what to do,

One joined the sports club, and then there were two.

Two little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done,

Differed with each other, then there was none!

CIRCUIT MEETING

At the Circuit Meeting convened in December 2003, it was announced that there are now two Powerpoint projectors available for Circuit use in worship and meetings, one held at Walton, and the other held at Trinity, Woking.

     A paper regarding proposed changes to the District is to be circulated at the end of February, and will be discussed at the March Circuit meeting.

     The decline of fundraising for Overseas Missions is a matter of concern, and it was agreed that Church Treasurers and Circuit staff will look at projects and recommendations to be brought to the March meeting to reverse this trend.

      The Circuit Advance Fund has received £279,580 from the Ripley Church sale, and agreement was given for money to be made available for work to the Woking and Walton manses, as well as for necessary work to the Walton church building, and for the provision of a prefabricated building at Trinity, Woking, to facilitate youth work over the coming two years.

     Up to 50% of the interest on the Circuit Advance Fund can be used, with Circuit authorisation, for member church projects.

FAMILY NEWS

Birthday wishes for the month to …Reg Guy, Charlotte Guy and

Graham Smith.

Remembered in our prayers are ...all those whose health is not what they would choose, as well as those going through difficult times.  

     Of special note are Derek Mayland,  Velda Nylander, John Owen, Linda Weedon,   Brenda Smith,  Barbara and John Goodman,  Wilfrid Nodder and Claire Smith.

We continue to offer prayers for Ian Widdup who remains in the Royal Surrey Hospital, and for his wife Angela, his parents Sue and Mike, and his brother John.

We thank God for his continued healing in the lives of Ray Jones, and Margaret and Alan Callow, as Margaret continues to respond to her treatment.

THE FUTURE

Where are we heading, where are we going?

      Perhaps children can give us some pointers.

      Children, from their earliest years, show a great capacity for awe and wonder. They know how to worship. Why is it then, that so often they find the worship we offer boring and irrelevant? Why do many adults have similar feelings but are too polite to say so?

      Children are very aware of the nature of the world in which we live. They know that many people throughout the world are homeless and starving. They learn in school that Jesus spent His life and ministry caring for the poor and the hungry. They look at the Church and ask deeply disturbing questions. Too often, they see an inward-looking, self-centred community, concerned with its own salvation, rather than a community which acts out daily the example set by Jesus.

      Children are conscious, more than any who have come before them, of the presence in our society of people from other faiths. In many parts of Britain they meet them every day. It is vital that they see the worshipping community not as a bigoted unthinking group of people, out of touch with the society in which we live, but as a caring, loving community, eager to understand the viewpoints of others and to work with them, not against them.

      Children are critical thinkers. Studies have shown that children are innately spiritual, but they can see that many people live apparently happy and fulfilled lives without any evident belief in God. Why, then, should they bother? It has become clear that, though Christian nurture is important, it must be matched by a strong emphasis on helping children to think critically about their faith.

      They need to do this to cope with the pressures of everyday life and the scepticism they encounter. This poses a particular problem for the Church. Where are the adults who have thought critically about their faith and who are willing to help our children? Too often, they themselves have left a church which has proved unable to meet the challenge of their probing questions.

      We have much to learn from our children. They learn much from us. The ball is in our court. Until we learn to be a selfless, thinking, God-centred community to which people of all ages want to belong there will continue to be questions over the future for our children—and for ourselves.

Submitted by Rev Julie Underwood, extracted from an article prepared for the Methodist Recorder on the challenges facing the church.

Why, and how, we should tell others

WHAT:  the good news of the gospel (John 3:16)

WHY:     We have a command from above (Mark 16: 15)

                There is a cry from below (Luke 16:27,28)

                There is a need all around us (Matthew 9:36 and Acts 16:9)

                In salvation, there is a compulsion from within (1 Corinthians 9:16)

HOW:     Urgently—compare a main in a burning house

                Compassionately—they are precious people

                Naturally—be yourself

                Faithfully—be consistent

                Sincerely—live what you preach

                Patiently—remember how a plant grows

                Prayerfully—it is God’s work.       Picked up on a leaflet circulated in churches

Facing the

challenges and

finding our faith

In the absence of Ecumenical Lent studies this year, our Monday night bible study group will follow the Churches Together in Britain and Northern Ireland prepared study Face to Face through March, starting on the 1st. During the five weeks of Lent we will meet each Monday in the vestry at 8 pm, reflecting on God’s image and the way we reflect this in our world. We will invite others from Weybridge churches to join us for these five weeks.

After Easter, we will resume our fortnightly meetings as we begin a nine-session study entitled the life we share: prepared by the Methodist Church “for all Christians who want to understand people of other faiths and reflect on their own faith”. This material includes topics such as Beginnings, Suffering, Community, Hospitality and Why are we here?, addressed from the perspective of Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists and then explores in depth biblical passages relevant to the topic to encourage Christian growth.

PULPIT SWAP

The churches in Weybridge are participating in a pulpit swap on Sunday 22nd in the morning.  Father Tom

Treherne from Christ the Prince of Peace will preach in our church in a service of worship led by Dave

Ingoldby, and our minister - Rev Julie Underwood - will be preaching at St Mary’s, Oatlands. Please pray

for this day of worship and the congregations in the town’s churches as we share the teaching of ministers, priests and leaders of the other denominations.