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@ Cherry Hinton Road@ Cherry Hinton Road@ Cherry Hinton Road@ Cherry Hinton Road

November 2013 No: 53November 2013 No: 53November 2013 No: 53November 2013 No: 53

EMMANUELEMMANUELEMMANUELEMMANUEL UNITED REFORMED CHURCHUNITED REFORMED CHURCHUNITED REFORMED CHURCHUNITED REFORMED CHURCH

CambridgeCambridgeCambridgeCambridge

@ Trumpington @ Trumpington @ Trumpington @ Trumpington StreetStreetStreetStreet

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Dear Friends,

Each year Emmanuel URC takes a theme for our life and mission, some focus that can provide inspiration and reflection for our life as a church. Our Ministry and Mission Planning Group, which considers such matters, has decided that our theme for 2014 would be ‘shalom’. This is a wonderfully rich Hebrew word that runs through the Scriptures, that is

central to God’s purpose for us for the world , which has many rich and resonant connotations and which is usually translated as ‘peace’. The idea of choosing ‘shalom’ arose partly because in 2014 our nation will be commemorating the centenary of the start of the First World War, supposedly ‘the war to end all wars’ but of course nothing of the kind, as the history of the 20th century demonstrates all too clearly. Peace as the absence of war is still a yearning and an aspiration for our world, but an increasingly elusive and unrealistic one. ‘Shalom’ however, as is often noted, means much more than an absence of war. This is not the place for an in-depth study of the word, but three points might be made about it. Firstly, shalom has a sense of well-being and fulfilment and not just an absence of conflict. To be at peace is to be all that we have been created to be, with every potential open to realisation, and that means that the hungry, the poor, the homeless, the crushed and the deprived cannot be in a state of shalom and nor can the world to which they belong. That sense of the word locates it at the very centre of the church’s mission which is to bring to fruition and fulfilment God’s plan for all creation and for every God-imaged human being.

Secondly, ‘shalom’ is a relational – it has to do with right relationships. As human beings we have been created to be in relationship with God, with one another, with the natural world of which we are a part, and with ourselves. Shalom therefore has theological (God), social (one another), ecological (natural world) and psychological (ourselves) dimensions.

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contents minister’s letter 2-3 emmanuel forum 3 calendar 4-5 elders elections 2014 5 music in emmanuel 5 special cause 6 CHR tuesday fellowship 7 regular events 8-9 is our food in safe hands? 9 pastoral news 10 ‘endings’ 10 newcomers’ evening 11 road peace service 11 peace walk 12 ‘preparation day’ 12 favourite hymns 12 christian response to islam 13 advent house groups 14 advent lunchtimes 14 castle end mission 15 cambridge churches homeless project 15 personnel 16 text for the year 16

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This means that our gospel of shalom is holistic, embracing every dimension of life. Thirdly, shalom involves reconciliation and the embracing of differences. Shalom brings together God and humanity. It brings together people who are different from one another as well as people who are at enmity with one another. It embraces all living creatures in all their bewildering diversity and where differences are affirmed and reconciliation is enacted shalom is found. Shalom has a rainbow quality about it and a monochrome world where differences are suppressed is not in a state of shalom, and nor is one where conflicts simmer beneath the surface, breeding suspicion and resentment – even if these are not expressed openly in conflict. In short, this single word ‘shalom’ sums up beautifully the Gospel with which we are entrusted and which we seek to live out as a church. The above brief and inadequate dip into the meaning of shalom indicates that we have an interesting year ahead of us as we explore this word. To close with two familiar verses, one from the Old Testament and one from the New: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you shalom’; ‘Shalom I give to you, my own shalom that the world cannot give.’ Best wishes – and shalom! Lance

EMMANUEL FORUM Tuesday November 19th at 8.00pm Tea and coffee served from 7.30pm.

A Good Death

Revd Dr Michael Banner, Dean of Chapel, Trinity College, Cambridge

Michael Banner has written widely on Christian ethics, and is a member of the Human Tissue Authority. He is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Thought for the Day’. His reflections on this topic will be helpful and instructive.

STOP PRESS …. Revd Neil Thorogood is to take up the role of principal of

Westminster College in January 2014. Revd John Proctor is currently acting principal

and will continue to serve as vice principal. We wish them both wisdom, energy and

God’s blessing.

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Sunday Morning Worship at Trumpington Street (TS) at 10.45am. And at Cherry Hinton Road (CHR) at 10.30am.

Nursery (TS) from 10.30am. Choir practice (TS) Sundays at 9.30am

Sunday 3rd TS Morning Worship with Communion. Revd Dr Lance Stone. CHR Cristina Cipriani Wednesday 6th 1.00 Lunchtime Concert. See p. 5 7.30 ‘Is Our Food in Safe Hands?’ See p.9 Friday 8th 10-3 ‘Preparation day’ for the Women’s World Day of Prayer Service in March. See p. 12 Sunday 10th Remembrance Sunday. TS Morning Worship. Revd Dr Lance Stone. CHR Revd Pat Heap Bring a picnic lunch and then join a Peace Walk round Cambridge with Penny Flynn. See p. 12 Wednesday 13th 10.30 Ferried Friends. See p.8 7.30 Elders meeting. Thursday 14th 1.00 Lunchtime Concert. See p. 5 Sunday 17th TS Morning Worship. Revd Dr Ian Randall. CHR Revd Dr Lance Stone. 3.30 Road Peace Service at St Luke’s. See p.11

Tuesday 19th 8.00 Emmanuel Forum. Revd Michael Banner. Coffee and tea served from 7.30. See p. 3 Wednesday 20th 1.00 Lunchtime Concert. See p.5 Sunday 24th TS and CHR Morning Worship at TS, Revd Dr Lance Stone. 12.00 This service will be followed by a Church Meeting. 7.00 Taize Service at TS.

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Monday 25th 2.30 New After Eights. See p. 9 Wednesday 27th 1.00 Lunchtime Concert. See p. 5 Friday 29th 7.00 Newcomers’ Evening. See p. 11 Saturday 30th 10.00–1.00 A Christian Response to Islam. See p.13

Sunday 1st December TS Morning Worship with Communion. Revd Dr Lance Stone CHR Revd Chris Baker.

Wednesday 6 November Luke Berryman piano

Thursday 14 November

Mifune Tsuji violin Yukie Smith piano

Wednesday 20 November Gwen Owen Richer violin

Jon Fistein cello Graeme Mitchison piano

Wednesday 27 November Margaret Dziekonski violin

An-Ting Chang piano

The next issue of the Emmanuel Newsletter will cover the two months of December 2013 and January 2014. Please make sure that all news of events and activities in January 2014 are submitted by 24th November.

Maureen Kendall

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Members are invited to make nominations to the eldership by 1 December 2013. The nomination forms will be distributed by the current elders within each pastoral group, and these provide full details about the procedure to be followed. Margaret Thompson

Please

note

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Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF)

GONE – all that they used to depend on - but they are not forgotten . . .

In May 2009 Alla, a severe cyclonic storm, hit the south-western coastal region of Bangladesh. Storm surge washed away houses, crops and livestock. Agricultural land was ruined by saltwater. Over two million people were affected by the cyclone. The soil on which they depended for food could take 20-30 years to recover. MAF operates the only amphibious aircraft in Bangladesh. It turns the main[y thousands of miles of waterways into effective landing strips. Being able to land and take off from water enables MAF to fly not only relief and development workers, but also provide lifesaving emergency medical flights and support mobile clinics and floating hospitals. So MAF is working to support relief and development partners from around the world, and demonstrating God’s love by enabling self-sustaining livelihoods, agriculture and education to be established. Without MAF to help, projects like this would not happen. MAF is presently working in some of the most inhospitable arrears of the world, where journeys by land to isolated communities in the

jungles and mountains of Papua New Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Africa and Southern Sudan, can take days, whereas the air journey only takes an hour or two. Please read the literature on the Vestibule notice-boards and/or visit www.maf-uk.org

Ted Dennison

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November 5th Alan Maskell (re-arranged date) Charity – Blue Cross Cats’ re-homing Centre 12th To be arranged 19th Nigel Uden 26th Michael Beckett December 3rd Rosemary Johnson ‘Christmas Around the World’

* * * In our session called ‘Children of the Bible’ we followed the stories of Moses (The Baby in a Basket); Samuel (Hannah’s Baby); ‘Jesus in the Temple’ – when his parents were hunting for him; and ‘A Marvellous Picnic’ – remembering the boy who offered his five loaves and two fishes to feed the crowd of five thousand. All the stories were read by members from a variety of children’s library books – bringing a fresh ‘slant’ to the language of the stories. On 1st October we held our AGM. In her report Barbara reminded us of some of our activities over the past year – ‘special events’ such as a cream tea at Scotsdale’s; Christmas lunch at the Rock; Spring posy-making and two tea parties to name a few. Our speakers are always very much valued – without them we should not exist! The charities to whom we have sent donations this year have been Jimmy’s Nightshelter, SOS Children’s Villages, Magpas, Emmaus, EACH, Bible Society and Action for Children and we have enjoyed listening to the representatives of these charities speaking about their work.. We are not sure what the future holds for our Fellowship as we await news of the sale of the URC at Cherry Hinton Road but in the meanwhile we hope to play our part in the life of the Church here.

Julia Stone

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Church Prayers

Every weekday morning

10.15am in church

Requests for the

Prayer Circle

contact: Mary � 501355

Emmanuel’s Choir

meets on Sunday mornings

at 9.30am in the church,

new singers always welcome

contact: Mark Dawes,

organist �01954 212514

Young Adults’ Group

meets on Monday evenings

7.30pm

at the church

for a varied programme of

activities.

contact: Emmanuel Office

�351174

Worship Planning Group

All are welcome to meet

at 7.30pm

on Tuesday, 12th November

in Olive Darke’s home,

Mackery End, Gazeley Lane

to contribute to the planning

of Emmanuel’s worship.

contact: Liz Barrow �369212

Cherry Hinton Road

Tuesday Fellowship

meets in the Hall at CHR

every Tuesday

From 2.30 to 3.30

See page 7.

Men and women welcome.

Contact Revd Julia Stone 01954 781297

Ferried Friends

meet at 10.30

Wednesday, 13th November

At the Blackburns’

12 St Peter’s Road, Coton.

For coffee and conversation.

contacts: Liz Barrow �369212; Penny Flynn �515815

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Knit Café

Knit Café meets weekly in the

Café on Thursdays

from 2-4pm

contact: Christine Sansom Via the church office

�351174

Emmanuel Band and

Singing House Group

meets on

Thursdays

14th and 28th November

for

praise and fellowship

at 1, Topcliffe Way

contact: David or Penny Flynn

�515815

New ‘After Eights’

meets at 2.30pm on Monday 25th November

At 1.Topcliffe Way CB1 8SJ

‘Stock up on Cards’

with Louise Shane from Phoenix Cards.

contacts: Liz Barrow �369212; Ruth Blackman �248344

Valerie Cooper �276857

KNT ONE, GIVE ONE! - a knitting café

IS OUR FOOD IN SAFE HANDS?

Wednesday 6 November at 7.30pm

Sustainable food production & marketing - the challenge of social and environmental responsibility to satisfy food security –

where are we heading?

A Question Time event with leading experts from plant sciences, agriculture, ethics, food processing and marketing. Panel to include:

Dan Crossley – Director, Food Ethics Council Paul Mayfield - Food Marketing Specialist, Scottish Agricult. Colleges John Giles - Divisional Director, Promar International & Genus plc

Nigel Jenney – Chief Executive, Fresh Produce Consortium Chaired by Professor Sir Brian Heap.

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Firstly some good news – we are delighted to announce that Richard Bowman and Kerrie Ford got engaged over the Summer. Many congratulations! And now for other concerns… Christine Sansom is now in Fulbourn Hospital and is progressing well. She has been much moved by the number of visitors who have come to see her and we pray for her and for Roger as he fends for himself at home. Elisabeth Hewett sends thanks for all the kind messages received following her recent fall. She is suffering a severely crushed right wrist, femur fracture and extensive bruising. She has had her plaster removed, but the arm continues to be very painful. However, the epidemic of people falling over and injuring themselves continues, as Pat Saxton had a nasty fall while visiting her daughter. Thankfully she is now on the mend though, as are Sheila Ostler and Sally Williams. Also good news for Sylvia Fox, who also had a fall, she is now home again after a couple of weeks in Cottenham Court. We continue to pray for Krisztina Hegyi and her family in Hungary. Krisztina greatly appreciates the notes and messages she receives from Emmanuel friends, and she knows she has not been forgotten.

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Grateful thanks to all those who have provided us with reflections and prayers on ‘endings’. The display has already been much appreciated by visitors to the church. Jan Nicholls

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Friday 29th November at 7.00pm. Emmanuel TS

It has been very heartening over recent months to welcome some newcomers to Emmanuel. As is our practice from time to time, we are hosting a Newcomers’ Evening on November 29th when I hope that new faces at Emmanuel will sit down with some not-so-new faces, enjoy a meal and hear a bit more about our church. If you have recently begun attending Emmanuel please make sure that you are invited – we don’t want to miss anyone out! Meanwhile, as always, let’s make sure that any visitors and new attenders at Emmanuel are given a very warm welcome indeed.

Lance

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As we have done for the past 15 years or so, we will be holding a Road Peace a service for those killed on the roads on Sunday November 17th at 3.30 pm. It will be held at St Luke’s Church, Victoria Road, with whom we share this service. If you know someone who has lost a loved one through a road accident please invite them, or if you would like to come along and to be on hand after the service when people stay to talk over refreshments then please do come along.

Lance

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Sunday 10 November after worship.

Bring a picnic lunch, then join with others on a walk around selected parts of the Cambridge Peace Trail. This is a special event for Remembrance Sunday, and it will be led by Penny Flynn.

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Every year on the first Friday in March there is a Women’s World Day of Prayer. The material each year is prepared by the women from a different country—but all are welcome to share in the Day of Prayer. This event will prepare us for the WWDP in March 2014, and is to be held at Wesley Methodist Church from 10.00 to 3.00 on Friday, 9th November. Please tell me if you are hoping to attend.

CONGRATULATIONS to Tabea and Emanuel Busch who are expecting a baby next April.

THE WORLD CHURCH THE WORLD CHURCH THE WORLD CHURCH THE WORLD CHURCH

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16 November at 7pm at St Columba’s URC The co-existence of Christianity alongside other faiths is a commonplace in our world, and in our country. It is helpful, therefore, that we develop and nourish a well informed understanding of how best we relate to people who share our passion for religion, but may have a perspective upon it that contrasts with our own. The Revd Dr John Parry, Minister and lately a Tutor at the URC Ministerial Training College has a special knowledge and experience of Sikhism, and of several other world religions will speak; he is an engaging and arresting speaker.

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DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE HYMN?

Early next year before our 2014 theme of ‘Shalom - wellbeing’ challenges us, we will be running a display on favourite hymns and their stories. Suggestions of hymns can be given to me or listed on the notice board in the Garden Room. Jan Nicholls

A Christian Response to Islam with Colin Chapman

Theology For All Event

Saturday 30 November 2013, 10 am. to 1 pm.

Tyndale House, Cambridge

Hardly a day passes without some item in the national or international news about Muslims and Islam. Christians are bound to feel challenged - if not threatened - by the many issues that are

raised: - cultural, social, political and theological. How can Christians work through these complex questions and

develop genuinely Christian attitudes to Muslims and Islam? Colin Chapman was teaching Islamic Studies at the Near East

School of Theology in Beirut, Lebanon, until retirement began in 2004. Before that he was Principal of Crowther Hall, the Church Mission Society Training College in Selly Oak, Birmingham, and

taught at Trinity College, Bristol, after having worked with his family in Egypt and Lebanon as a mission partner with the CMS.

His books include ‘Cross and Crescent’: ‘Responding to the Challenges of Islam’ (IVP),

‘Whose Promised Land? and Whose Holy City? Jerusalem and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ (Lion).

Full information and booking:- http://bit.ly/1bOBFlr

STOP PRESS.....HUMAN TRAFFICKING.....FILM AT EMMANUEL Friday 22nd November

Emmanuel is screening the documentary Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. Produced as part of the Exodus Cry prayer movement to end slavery, it is extremely powerful and at times distressing, but features many moving testimonies of broken people (both trafficked and traffickers) finding healing and hope. More details available soon. The documentary trailer can be watched at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-VC8AUE3Bc

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House-groups will be held during Advent as usual. This year we are going to be looking at the Advent Scripture passages that our Sunday services will be based upon from the book of the prophet Isaiah. There will be two evening house-groups and one afternoon one each week and because of the timing of Christmas these will run over just three weeks, as follows:

Monday afternoons, Dec 2nd , 9th, 16th: Liz & John Barrow’s, 47 Gough Way. 369212 Monday evenings, Dec 2nd , 9th , 16th, Maureen & John Kendall’s, 17 Fulbrooke Road. 500593 Thursday evenings, Dec 5th , 12th , 19th , Rosemary Johnston’s. 9 The Crescent, Impington. 235090

Week 1: Isaiah 2. 1-5 ‘Walk in the Light.’ Week 2: Isaiah 11. 1-10. ‘A child shall lead them’. Week 3: Isaiah 35. 1-10. ‘Streams in the desert’ If possible, tell the hosts if you hope to come or if you need help with transport.

This year, instead of Advent lunchtime services on Thursdays, we are doing something slightly different. On 5th, 12th and 19th December, instead of a service, we will set up a table in the church at which people will be invited to come and share a free bowl of soup, an Advent reading, a short discussion, finishing with the singing of a carol. All are welcome from the church and we hope that others will come too, perhaps including the homeless. Short, informal, free – come along!

Lance

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Contacts: John and Maureen Kendall Tel: 500593

Westminster College Rep: Henriette Wentink

Evening Worship at 6.30pm

shared with Castle Street Methodists.

November 3rd Revd Dr Lance Stone. 10th At Castle Street Methodist. 17th Dr Janet Bottoms. 24th At Castle Street Methodist. December 1st Henriette Wentink.

Notices for each Sunday’s sheet should reach the church office by 9.00am on the previous Wednesday [by paper, ‘phone, or email]. Contributions for the next issue - December/January 2014 - of the Newsletter (named or initialled) should be with the editor (in the Newsletter pigeon hole in the Garden Room or emailed to mauken17@gmail.com by Sunday November 24th

Thank you.

The organisers of the Cambridge Churches Homeless Project (previously known as Nighthaven) have been having difficulty in getting the support necessary from the Council and other agencies who support the Homeless. As a result, the project will not be starting before Christmas but will hopefully be running in January and February. The recruitment and training event has therefore been postponed until Monday 2nd December.

Jan Nicholls

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Minister: Revd Dr Lance Stone 529713 (or office 308988) Organist Emmanuel TS Mark Dawes 01954212514 Community Development Director:Jan Nicholls 351174 Time for God Worker: Johann Friedrich Röpke 351174 Office Assistant: Anne Field 351174 Secretaries: Church Secretary: Margaret Thompson 362500 Elders Secretary: Liz Barrow 369212 Finance: Chair of Committee: Mark Reader 351174 Receiving: Church Office 351174 Disbursing: Church Office 351174 Envelopes: Church Office 351174 Gift Aid: Elaine Proctor 741092 Junior Church & Young People: Philippa Jones 425655 Library: Diane Saxon 527890 Newsletter Editor: Maureen Kendall 500593 REFORM distributor: Andy McKenzie 213527 Chief Steward: Ruth Blackman 248344

Church office: 01223 351174 Church email address: emmanuelurc@btinternet.com Church website: http://www.emmanuel-urc.org.uk Church address: Trumpington Street, Cambridge. CB2 1RR Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge. CB1 7AJ

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Text for the Year ‘By faith he became a traveller

in the land of promise’ Hebrews 11.9

EMMANUEL NOTICE : OFFICE SPACE TO LET Further information from emmanuelurc@btinternet.com or C 351174