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Contents Pastoral Letter ........................................................................................ 3

Worship during September 2017 ............................................................ 4

Notices .................................................................................................... 5

The URC West Midlands Residential Synod ......................................... 13

About People ........................................................................................ 15

An Appeal for Research Assistance ...................................................... 15

Local Church Cafés .............................................................................. 18

Aston & Nechells Foodbank .................................................................. 18

Sponsored Walks .................................................................................. 19

Local Music Events ............................................................................... 20

Notes from the Organ Bench ................................................................ 20

In Every Corner Sing............................................................................. 22

Why the Fairtrade Mark is important (but isn't everything) .................... 24

Chaplaincy @ Aston University ............................................................. 27

Commitment for Life: Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory ....... 29

Question Time ...................................................................................... 34

Handsworth Park .................................................................................. 36

Solution to the Summer Quiz ................................................................ 37

Please submit any articles for the October issue of Journey to the church

office by Friday 22nd September. Email to office@carrslane.co.uk or hand in

to the reception at Carrs Lane.

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Pastoral Letter

Dear friends,

September always feels like the start of something! All back after August

when many will have gone on holiday, but even in work or staying at home,

there is a different feel to life in the UK – children are not in school, more

families are out and about, most meetings cease to meet, the roads are

quieter at usually peak-times, and there is a general feel of things being a little

more relaxed.

With September comes that ‘back to reality’ feeling! For University

students, September can mean a move back to Uni, or a move away from

home for the first time to a place which may bring with it adventure, new

things, study, new friends, new church, and for most, some trepidation.

For us all God promises to be with us always and that God’s strength will

be sufficient for us.

So whether you’re a university student and here in Birmingham to live for

the first time, a returning student, or a general ‘student of life’ (everyone!),

these promises hold true, and we hope that in this ‘new year’ as September

comes and Autumn begins, you will know God’s presence and strength, and

that we’ll all also know the company and support of this Church as we travel in

life together as God’s people.

Peace to you,

Ruth

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Worship during September 2017

Sunday 3rd September

10.30am Morning Worship, including the Lord’s Supper, led by Rev Steve

Faber (Moderator of the West Midlands Synod of the URC). Followed by First

Sunday Lunch.

Sunday 10th September

10.30am Morning Worship (including the Annual Business Meeting / Monthly

Church Meeting), led by Neil Johnson and Ruth Yorke.

Sunday 17th September

10.30am Morning Worship led by Diana Cullum-Hall

Sunday 24th September

10.30am All-age Worship led by Ruth Yorke

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Notices

Sun 10 September, 12 noon: The Church at Carrs Lane Convention. A

celebration of the life of TCaCL (to coincide with Annual Business Meeting),

with an opportunity for the various groups of the church to showcase their

activities. Followed by a bring-and-share lunch.

Sat 23 September: Commemorating the Protestant Reformation. An 18-

mile pilgrimage walk is being organised to take place on 23 September from St

Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham, to Lichfield Cathedral, to commemorate the

500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, whose official anniversary is

31 October 2017.

Pilgrims will be sent on their way at 9.00am by Dean of St Chad’s

Cathedral, Gerry Breen, and welcomed at Lichfield Cathedral around 5.00pm

by Dean of Lichfield Cathedral, Adrian Dorber. Senior church leaders from

across the West Midlands will be taking part in the pilgrimage for some if not

all of the distance), including the Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, Anglican

Bishops of Lichfield and Birmingham along with Methodist, United Reformed

and Baptist Regional leaders.

Sun 24 Sep: The Beacon Church Centre, Rubery, is delighted to welcome

the Moderator of the United Reformed Church. Friends from other churches

are welcome to join us for worship at 4pm.

Thurs 28 September-Mon 2 October: Carrs Lane / Ernstweiler Exchange:

we look forward to hosting our friends from Germany. Further details to come

– see updates on our weekly notices sheet (also on the website).

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Mon 2 October: Introduction to Voluntary Workplace Chaplaincy. A 6

week training course for voluntary chaplaincy, Mondays 5-7pm starting 2

October 2017. Led by Churches and Industry Group Birmingham & Solihull.

CIGB’s Voluntary Workplace chaplains are people who want to give

about half a day a week, to visit a local organisation or enterprise, befriend the

workers, answer questions, e.g. “What has God go to do with us?”, and help to

discover what ‘faithfulness’ means in that context.

More info: www.cigb.org.uk/home/training-courses

Fri 13 Oct, 7pm-9.30pm & Sat 14 Oct, 10am-4pm: Carrs Lane Lectures,

with Rev Gretta Vosper. ’Creating a World Beyond the Beliefs that Divide’.

Tickets via office (£15 / £20 / £30 depending on event combination). See flyer

towards end of these notices.

* * *

Faith Guiding Course – Autumn 2017 – 12 Week Evening Course: An

opportunity to get to know people of different faiths and gain an accredited

qualification as a Faith Guide.

Start date: Tue 12 September 2017

Location: Faithful Neighbourhoods Centre, 10 Court Rd, Sparkhill, B11

4LX (just of Stratford Rd)

For more information, visit: www.faithencounter.org.uk

National Youth Ministry Weekend – between 10th and 12th November

hundreds of Christian youth workers from across Britain are coming to

Birmingham for a national conference. If you would be prepared to host a

youth worker for the weekend please let Neil know (0121-616 1800 |

njohnson@birminghammethodistcircuit.org.uk ) and he will pass on your

details to the organisers.

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Constance Coltman Centenary

Celebrating 100 years of women’s ministry

Constance Coltman

Ordained in 1917

The first woman minister

In the Congregational Church

Wednesday 18th October 2017

3pm to 5pm

At Barnes Close

See the film

Enjoy Afternoon Tea

Share stories

Further information and to reserve you place:

Ian Ring, cfrenquiry@aol.com 01562 710231

Barnes Close,

Chadwich,

Bromsgrove,

B61 0RA

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The URC West Midlands Residential Synod

Fri 13-Sat 14 October 2017, at Holiday Inn, Birmingham.

Vision4Mission: ‘Missional Discipleship / People of the Way’.

Like the other residential Synods it will have inspiration and resources. It

will aim to bridge the communication gap between local church, Synod

and the whole church.

Our theme draws on the URC’s “Feast and Festivals” year of

celebration and commemoration, and looks forward to our new focus on

“Walking the Way: Living the life of Jesus today.” 2017 is a year of

several significant anniversaries, including the 500th year since Luther

started the European Reformation, and 45 years since the formation of

the United Reformed Church – both remembered particularly in

October. As we remember our roots, we will also be looking forward to

the next phase of our growth as disciples. Through “Walking the Way,”

we are seeking to re-energise the church, so that we can once again

centre on our calling to be disciples and to make disciples.

This will be a ‘24 hour’ event, from 5.30pm on Friday 13th to

5.15pm on Saturday 14th October 2017, to be held at the Holiday Inn,

Birmingham City Centre. The formal autumn meeting of Synod will run

on the Saturday, be attended by the churches’ Synod representatives,

be much abbreviated and run alongside other events for those who are

not Synod representatives.

Our plans include:

A Friday evening meal with guest speakers Richard Church and

Francis Brienen, Deputy General Secretaries.

A choice 0f options on Saturday morning and afternoon to offer

inspiration and resources

Worship threaded through the 24 hours partly led by Steve Faber.

Quiet room available to allow you space to think and reflect

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Who’s it for?

1. Those that normally come to Synod but also….

2. The planning group this time are especially keen that as many

Elders as possible attend. One of the key roles of Elders is to be a

bridge between the local church and the wider church. This is an

opportunity for Elders to increase their awareness of and

engagement with the wider church to better enable them to

represent the wider church to the local church and vice versa. It

can be seen as an informal Elders’ training event as well as a

support to the discipleship of all.

3. Any who are interested – this is an open event for anyone to come

to and gain from the resources and the friendship and

encouragement on offer.

The venue needs an early indication of numbers – so to help you in

estimating them here’s some information about finance.

1. First the bad news. The inclusive cost of bed, breakfast, dinner on

the Friday evening, lunch on the Saturday, coffee and tea breaks,

room hire etc is £150 in a single room and £212.00 for a double or

twin room.

2. The better news is that the Synod expects to pick up the cost of a

good bit of this, maybe up to half as well as paying all travel as

usual.

3. However we would be grateful (and will separately ask Church

Treasurers about this) if churches could consider paying at least

£75 towards the cost of each person attending and staying

overnight.

4. Individuals, who feel willing and able to contribute, can pay

whatever they wish towards the cost too.

5. For those coming on the Saturday only, the cost to Synod is £49

(inclusive of lunch) and we are asking for a minimum contribution

of £25 towards this.

6. But please don’t be put off by the cost – if there’s a problem, talk to

us.

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As indicated above we need your help to gauge numbers attending so

please consider this invitation and let us know the names of people from

your church including your Synod representative and Minister, who will

be coming. Please let us know by 21st July 2017 and tell us who wants

overnight accommodation and who will be a day visitor on the Saturday

only. Please fill in the enclosed form with the details.

It would also help us if payment could be sent in advance

wherever possible with a note of what and who is being paid for. Please

send payment to the Synod Office for the attention of Helen Cavaco at

Synod Office, Digbeth-in-the-Field URC, Moat Lane, Yardley,

Birmingham, B26 1TW OR speak to your Church Secretary.

We have had as many as 230 people at previous events on the

Saturday who seem to have got a great deal from the occasion.

About People

I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for the prayers and

cards I have received during my illness. Thank you very much!

Wendy Firmin

An Appeal for Research Assistance

David Hallam has written to the Church with the following request:

Dear Friends,

Your colleagues at the soon to be closed Newton URC have asked me

to help them write a history of their church. I wrote the history of the

Asbury cottage opposite which eventually led to the building of the first

nonconformist chapel in the area.

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Unfortunately this Methodist project failed and the

Congregationalists bought it in 1823 when Carr's Lane was led by John

Angel James. This cause also eventually closed and by 1908 was held

in Trust by Carr's Lane Church but had again reverted to a Methodist

Reading Room. In 1916 a group of Congregationalists returned to the

building restarted a church and then moved to a new building in the early

1930s.

I am wondering if there is anyone in your congregation who could

help me piece together what happened during the time that the building

was taken into ownership of Carrs Lane and its later use?

I attach a press cutting from 1908 which may be helpful in locating

information from your archives [see over – Ed.].

Any help or assistance you are able to provide will be

acknowledged.

David Hallam

[David can be contacted via the church office:

0121 643 6151 | office@carrslane.co.uk ]

Departing summer hath assumed

An aspect tenderly illumed,

The gentlest look of spring;

That calls from yonder leafy shade

Unfaded, yet prepared to fade,

A timely carolling.

William Wordsworth, September

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Local Church Cafés

Birmingham Wellbeing Service: Free Community Lunch every

Thursday at 12 noon at Stanhope Hall Community Centre, Ketley Croft,

Highgate, Birmingham, B12 0XG. We also provide a free lunch most

Mondays at 12.30. All welcome. For further info, call Monica Lee

(Community Development Projects and Initiatives Coordinator) on 0121

446 5389

Bethel Welsh Presbyterian Church: Sowing seeds of kindness

when life seems hard. Come and enjoy a FREE breakfast on the last

Sunday of every month, 9.30am-11.30am. 33 Windmill Street,

Birmingham, B1 1DR (next to Clydesdale Tower, near petrol station).

For further enquiries and to avoid disappointment please text or ring

Merline on 07824 694 071 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm).

Solihull Methodist Church Thursday Café. This new cafe has just

opened at Solihull Methodist Church on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of

each month. All are welcome to join them between 2pm and 4pm for

coffee, cakes, activities and games.

Aston & Nechells Foodbank

Aston and Nechells Foodbank have seen a rise in the numbers of

people bringing emergency food vouchers to our distribution centres

through the school holidays.

We are currently running short of the following items :-

Toiletries including soap, shampoos, shower gel, deodorants, feminine

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hygiene, razors and toilet rolls. We also need powdered potato, long life

milk, dried milk, jam & bottles of squash.

Cash donations that we can use to buy food lines we run short of would

also be appreciated. Cheques should be made payable to our hosting

charity. "CanDo 4:13" & posted to the St Matthews Church address.

Donations can be left at the back of church at Carrs Lane during Sunday

services, or else with reception staff during the week. For more

information contact Christine & Simon Rowntree, or visit the website:

www.astonnechells.foodbank.org.uk

We are grateful for all the donations we receive from The Church at

Carrs Lane. Thanking you in advance for your ongoing support.

Rosemary Cripps

Aston & Nechells Foodbank

Sponsored Walks

Amos Trust’s Just Walk to Jerusalem

This 3,183km walk started in London on 10 June and arrives in

Jerusalem on 2 November. Helen and Peter Woodall joined the first

week to Dover, will continue for a week in Italy in August, and partake in

the final week in Israel / Palestine, totalling around 400km. Please

consider sponsoring them, either via sponsor forms in Church, or via

their Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Peter-

WOODALL1

Find out more at www.amostrust.org/just-walk

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Local Music Events

The Church at Carrs Lane

Sun 8 October, 2pm: The National Flute Orchestra, conducted by

Tony Bridgewater. Free admission, retiring collection. Programme:

Handel Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

Tchaikovsky Little Overture

Amos Hampton Court Palace Suite

Uber Sonnets

Anderson Showtime

Sorrentino A La Maniere de Pat

Kessner Symphony in Silver

Elgar Chanson de Matin

Bizet La Garde Montante

Notes from the Organ Bench

After the traditional August break, there are a number of music events

early in the autumn term to look forward to. The Choir have been invited

to participate in the Birmingham Weekender on Sun 24th September;

we’ll be singing on stage – the ‘Culture Catwalk 2017’ – by the Bullring

Shopping Centre, at 12:45. Come and see us!

From Thursday 28th September to Monday 2nd October, we will be

hosting our friends from Ernstweiler in Germany, as part of our long-

standing exchange programme. We will be taking them to Blists Hill

Victorian Town and Ironbridge on the Saturday, having a party on the

Saturday evening – which is open to all from Carrs Lane – and they will

join us to sing a choral feast as part of our Harvest festival on the

Sunday (1st October). There are a few fundraising events taking place to

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help offset the costs of the day trip – any contributions would be very

much appreciated.

On Sunday 8th October at 2pm, we will once again host a concert

by the National Flute Orchestra in a varied programme of music. Hope

you can make it!

In August, we said

farewell to Laetitia Van

Wyk, a cellist from

South Africa who had

been studying a

postgraduate course at

Birmingham

Conservatoire. Laetitia

played during a number

of services throughout

her two years in

Birmingham, and we were moved by her incredible playing. We will miss

her, and wish her all the best for the future.

I have also contributed an abridged article, ‘In Every Corner Sing’,

by Andrew Reid, Director of the Royal School of Church Music, in which

he reminds us of the many benefits of singing. If you would like to have

a go yourself, remember that new members are always welcome to

either the Choir or the Singing Group – I’d be delighted to talk to anyone

interested.

Wishing you a very musical month!

Contributed by Tim Batty

Church Musician

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In Every Corner Sing

Adapted from an article in the June 2017 issue of Church Music

Quarterly, published by the Royal School of Church Music, Andrew Reid

(Director of the RSCM) reminds us of the many benefits of singing.

A Wonderful Health Regime

If I told you that I had come across a wonderful health regime which

could significantly improve your physical, mental and social health,

would you be interested? Imagine if it could tone particular muscles;

improve your cardiovascular health and respiratory functions; alleviate

depression, stress and loneliness; help you relax; make you confident,

calmer and more focused; develop your brain; help you connect with

your emotions; make you physically more attractive, better able to

express yourself and live longer; while being eco-friendly, sociable,

community-focused and free; might you be very interested?

These are some of the claims made on the internet about singing.

Singing apparently releases chemicals with positive outcomes such as

endorphins and oxytocin, helps lungs and circulation, opens up our

sinuses and respiratory tubes, and builds healthier breathing patterns

getting more oxygen to the brain. By reducing stress we are told it helps

relaxation and sleep. It improves our posture, and enables us to

exercise our facials muscles, allegedly improving attractiveness. It

seems it helps brain development, including linking the cerebral

hemispheres, as well as mental awareness, concentration and memory.

Socially it apparently builds confidence, creativity, community, a sense

of belonging, trust of those around you, and a feeling of safety. It unites

generations, enables self-expression and stimulates emotional learning.

Educational Outcomes

When the English government invested heavily in the ‘Sing Up’ project

from 2008 to 2011, the organizers were able to list some 40 or more

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positive educational outcomes for children from singing. It might said to

support development in different ways in maths, reading, languages,

musical education, semiology (signs / notation), the arts generally,

history, cultural heritage and expression, public speaking, performance,

leadership, team working, and in building community roots. As I write I

have just seen children singing in a school where 88% have English as

an additional language: singing certainly seems to help them feel more

confident in using it.

Singing is an activity which can join physical and mental

development, through the physiology of singing itself, the emotional

communication of music, and sometimes, through movement improving

motor skills. Developing a skill for life based on a passion a child has

found may be affirming and encouraging. Integrating age, peer and

other social groups and creating a new community of care may be by-

products of corporate singing, not least since in singing we may make

ourselves emotionally vulnerable.

A Manifesto for Singing

What I’ve outlined so far is a manifesto for getting anyone singing. For

those of us who need to convince parents to let their children sing in a

choir, or persuade adults to join, such reasons may be directly helpful.

Much of this material can be found in a simple internet search for, say,

‘reasons to sing’.

Singing in Worship

But what about the Church? Of course it is interested in the welfare of

each member, but it does not usually promote fitness, brain exercises or

other ‘healthy’ activities. Most Christian denominations involve singing

in at least some of their worship. The internet has much less material on

the Church’s defence of singing, though the thoughts of song writers

such as Keith Getty or theologians such as Vaughan Roberts are

certainly valuable. The only passage in the Gospels referring to singing

is about Jesus and his disciples singing a hymn (Matthew 26.30).

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Yet the biblical impetus for singing and music is compelling. It is a

natural means of expression for God’s pilgrim people from beginning to

end, and is mentioned many times, both literally and metaphorically.

Five main reasons to sing seem to be to: celebrate (or pre-celebrate)

victory, give thanks and praise, make lament and carry penitence, make

petition, and encourage one another.

* * *

Singing involves body, mind and spirit, infecting our whole being with

praise. It is a natural, God-given instinct developed from infanthood, a

metaphor perhaps showing that our dependency on God is like that of a

baby on its mother. Singing carries our recalling and story-telling,

helping us to memorize text and articulate belief, as Augustine, Luther

and Wesley, among others, have expressed. Poetically, it elevates

emotion and spirit, helping us to join in our Creator’s act of creation and

to rise above the mundane in our expression of wonder and praise. The

creative act and its demands on our vulnerability may help us offer a true

sacrifice of praise. It bears witness of God’s love to others and enables

us to confidently proclaim our faith.

Contributed by Tim Batty

Church Musician

Why the Fairtrade Mark is important (but isn't everything)

Campaigners, parliamentarians and journalists around the country

spontaneously leapt into action in response to Sainsbury’s recent

announcement that they were ‘piloting’ their own ‘Fairly Traded’ standard

and dropping the well-known and well-respected Fairtrade Mark from

their own-label tea.

In a matter of weeks an online change.org petition topped 90,000

signatures. Years of dedicated campaigning in communities around the

country have meant that the Fairtrade label provokes fierce loyalty.

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My Facebook page was full of requests to sign the petition from

friends I didn’t know to be interested or political in any way. And this is

the beauty, and perhaps also the Achilles heel, of the Fairtrade Mark. It

provides a straightforward route for consumers who want reassurance

that people have not been exploited for the sake of their tea or coffee. It

is so simple that my 5-year-old can spot the Fairtrade Mark on a

supermarket shelf and pester me to buy her the product (usually

chocolate!). But the understanding is often quite shallow. And

sometimes there is a defence of the label for its own sake without a real

understanding of both its value and its limitations.

Traidcraft has long been active in the wider fair trade

movement (or alternative trading movement as it used to be called). As

part of this we helped to set up the Fairtrade scheme in the UK,

including the standards, the label and the certifier (the Fairtrade

Foundation).

We did this because we knew that our own purchasing as

Traidcraft plc is clearly no more than a drop in the ocean of mainstream

trade that keeps communities in poverty around the world. Our analysis

is that injustice in trade is enabled by the huge imbalance in power that

exists between global brands and retailers and their suppliers. One

important way of tackling this (and not the only way by any means) was

to set up an independent certification scheme, developed with input from

the producers themselves, and where they had a say in the governance.

The system was deliberately designed as independent ‘go

between’ to check that both parties keep their side of the bargain – that

the farmers are democratically organised and that workers are paid

fairly, and that the buyers pay a fair price, pay on time and also pay a

social premium. The system developed an important principle of

producer ownership, so that producers have a seat at the decision-

making table - they decide what the standards are, how they are

monitored and reviewed and where the minimum price is set. They also

crucially decide how they spend the premium that they earn. These

ingredients of independence and producer governance are critical

counterweights that enable big companies, that wouldn’t ordinarily

choose to operate in this way, to cede some power and participate in

more equitable trading relationships.

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Traidcraft completely supports these principles. We don’t expect

our customers just to ‘trust us’ but instead we participate in the Fairtrade

system and also the World Fair Trade Organisation guarantee system.

We subscribe to this definition of Fair Trade agreed by the whole

movement back in 2001:

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue,

transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international

trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better

trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized

producers and workers – especially in the South. Fair Trade

Organizations, backed by consumers, are engaged actively in

supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for

changes in the rules and practice of conventional international

trade.

The real problem with what Sainsbury’s is proposing with its ‘Fairly

Traded’ tea pilot (and for that matter Mondelez’s 'Cocoa Life' scheme) is

that the standards are not independent and producers have no say in

the governance. Instead the companies themselves control and run the

schemes. They retain all the power and call the shots. And Sainsbury’s

insistence on controlling how farmers spend their premium runs directly

counter to the principle of respect, central to Fair Trade. There is nothing

to stop Sainsbury’s over time quietly changing the requirement to pay

the Fairtrade minimum price. And there would be nothing that we or the

farmers involved could do about it – not if they want to retain Sainsbury’s

business. And this potential for abuse of power is the exact opposite of

what Fair Trade is about. There may be some merits to aspects of what

Sainsbury’s are proposing, for example guaranteeing to buy a certain

volume for three years, but to call the scheme ‘Fairly Traded’ is

downright misleading.

And this is why Traidcraft will campaign to defend the Fairtrade

Mark and will support and celebrate those committed to it. We're also

delighted to see other supermarkets, including the Co-op and Waitrose,

extending their Fairtrade labelled-product range.

But we also need to remind ourselves that the Fairtrade Mark was

only ever designed as a small part of the solution. The scheme still only

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applies to a handful of products and there continue to be systematic

abuses in supply chains globally which need to be challenged in a

variety of ways. That is why Traidcraft Exchange campaigners have

called for companies to be held to account for abuses; it is why we

campaigned for a supermarkets watchdog to tackle unfair buying

practices, and why we continue to support producers and workers to

organise and strengthen their voice in supply chains around the world.

Traidcraft remains committed to putting the principles of Fair Trade

into commercial practice - you can discover our new range online. But

we'll also continue to challenge injustice in mainstream trade and

business, and to work with people who are exploited in supply chains to

help them get a better deal. Please support us.

Liz May, Policy and Advocacy Director at Traidcraft Exchange

Traidcraft Blog, 8th August 2017

Contributed by Joan Davies

Chaplaincy @ Aston University

Martin Luther King Multi-faith Centre at Aston University, known as MLK,

is the hub for a variety of activities involving both students and staff. I

am about to be involved in my 5th Freshers’ Week as one of the Free

Church Chaplains. Preparations have been underway for some months

and we look forward to welcoming new students from near and far. As

well as a high proportion of local students Aston attracts students from

about 120 different countries and all the major faiths – hence the need

for a multi-faith centre. Welcome and hospitality are at the core our work

and some of those students who come to enjoy coffee, pizza, games

and conversation in Freshers’ Week will continue to come regularly over

the next three terms. Others will come occasionally when they need to

chat to one of the Chaplains or just need to have some quiet space.

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Pat Saunders and I, together, make up the full time post of Free

Church Chaplain. We are supported by the United Reformed Church,

the Methodist Church and the Baptist Church as well as the University.

Our colleagues include an Anglican, Roman Catholic, Muslim, Hindu,

Sikh, Jewish and Pagan Chaplain, all working in different ways with the

support of their faith leaders. We come under the umbrella of Student

Services, but are managed by a committee of Free Church Leaders and

University representatives.

I am often asked - what do you do? We are a Christian presence

in a secular institution, offering support to students and staff of all faiths

and none. So on a one-to-one basis we can offer a listening ear,

sometimes signposting to counselling, academic or practical support

(offered within the University and the Students’ Union). Sometimes

students and staff wish to explore issues of faith and justice and we can

provide opportunities for that. We hold weekly times of prayer and also

mark special events such as Remembrance Day. Our Pancake Events

always attract a crowd and Carol Singing at Christmas is enjoyed by

staff and students.

There are a range of faith societies within the Students’ Union,

including a number of Christian societies and, although these are

student-led, we can offer support. Many of the students who come into

MLK do not have any faith background but come to enjoy such activities

as board games, crafts and knitting. Many interesting conversations

emerge.

MLK is also a venue for wellbeing events. We offer stress

management drop-ins, meditation, reflexology and Indian Head

massage, and will shortly be starting Mindfulness sessions. In order to

help students with placements and jobs, we have offer help with

including faith based activities in their CV’s and interviews. We believe

that practicing ones faith is very much part of you, not something that

happens outside work. Faith-based values are very often part of an

employer’s values.

We would appreciate your prayers as we embark on a new academic

year:

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For the many regular and special events that bring people into

MLK

For those who come for comfort and need support

For those working in the Students’ Union and the University to

make the student experience a good one.

For all the new students as they embark on the next stage of their

life - and their parents and families back home.

For the Chaplaincy Team

Contributed by Jan Scott

Christian Chaplain

Martin Luther King Multi-faith Centre

Aston University

Commitment for Life: Israel and the occupied Palestinian

territory

Women from Beit Furiq

The occupied West Bank is a challenging environment in which to make

a living, particularly for women. Local industry is subjected to movement

and trade restrictions, limited technical imports and natural resources,

and there is little physical space to develop. Farmers and producers

have few opportunities to access vital agricultural services and market

information to increase production.

Area C of the West Bank is under full Israeli civil administration

and security control. People there mostly rely on agriculture to make a

living, but face numerous obstacles, and Palestinians in the region are

becoming increasingly marginalised.

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Women are particularly affected. Many are prevented from working

due to social and cultural restrictions, which have also stopped them

gaining the necessary skills and support needed to enter employment or

set up their own business.

Christian Aid’s local partner the YMCA is helping transform the

lives of people, particularly women, in Area C in a number of different

ways. With the support of Commitment for Life, the YMCA’s Women’s

Training Program is giving women greater opportunities to earn a secure

living. They are also working with existing agricultural cooperatives,

training them in environmentally sustainable methods, as well as

building their skills and capacity to reach more people with their

products.

Earning a living for life

The YMCA team always starts by working with local communities to

carry out a Participatory Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (PVCA).

This helps identify the risks and barriers people have faced in the past,

and any activities that could help them overcome those barriers.

Following this assessment, 50 women in the villages of Jub-Al-

Deeb and Al-Oqban attended training on agricultural production, food

processing, animal husbandry, family health and small project

management. Seeds and seedlings were also distributed to the trainees.

These training sessions give women the confidence and skills to earn a

sustainable living, allowing them to contribute to local economic

development and increase their resilience under occupation.

In the Deir Balout village, the YMCA is working with a cooperative

to increase its income through promoting, marketing and distributing

pickled cucumbers. The cucumbers were bought from women farmers,

and 31 cooperative members, including women, were trained in pickling.

With the YMCA’s support, the cooperative has seen an increase in sales

to such a level that it has found it hard to meet demand. In addition,

women farmers received help to market 600 jars of their pickles through

the cooperative, helping them reach more customers and grow their

business.

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The YMCA is working with another cooperative in the village of

Beit Duqqu to help it produce an environmentally sustainable, quality

product, reach new customers and improve sales. Cooperative members

have been learning a new technique, developed and tested by the local

Adel Fair Trade Non Profit Corporation, which reduces the use of

chemical fertilisers, protecting the environment and producing fruits and

vegetables that are free of artificial preservatives and chemicals.

By partnering with Adel Fair Trade Non Profit Corporation, the

cooperative is not only gaining from its expertise in this field, but also its

market knowledge and access. According to Jihad Abddo, head of

marketing at Adel: ‘There is increasing interest in local products. The

demand exceeds the supply, especially for fresh fruits and vegetables.

July 2017/18 Mini magazine

From Moving Stories 206 July 2017

The World Communion of Reformed Churches has urged its more than

225 member churches worldwide to examine their mission, education

and investment relationships with Israel and Palestine in the light of the

witness of Palestinian Christians. In a resolution adopted by consensus

on 7 July, the WCRC’s General Council, meeting in Leipzig, Germany,

said member churches should respond to this examination,

“as they understand the Reformed communion’s commitments to human

rights and the protections of international law.”

The General Council, the highest decision-making body of the

WCRC, stated “that with respect to the situation of injustice and suffering

that exists in Palestine, and the cry of the Palestinian Christian

community, that the integrity of Christian faith and praxis is at stake.”

It urged the WCRC’s Executive Committee “to strengthen

initiatives for dialogue, civil peace services, mediation, conflict

prevention and transformation.”

The resolution adopted at the WCRC General Council stated that

the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 had a significant consequence

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of “the loss of homeland for the Palestinian people, and the creation of

750,000 Palestinian refugees.” It noted that it is also 50 years since the

1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

“It is time for Israelis and Palestinians to live alongside each other

in peace, security and justice,” the resolution stated. “Many of us have

seen with our eyes and heard with our ears the painful realities of life for

Palestinians.”

In its resolution, the WCRC general council stated that the

Christian faith has been used to justify the injustice against the

Palestinian people. It rejected any use of the Bible “to legitimize or

support political options and positions that are based upon injustice,

imposed by one person on another, or by one people on another.” It

encouraged delegations to visit the region “to connect with the present

day Christian community … to witness their situation and express

support for their desires for self-determination.”

The resolution instructed the WCRC Executive Committee to a call

from the National Coalition of Christian Organizations in Palestine urging

solidarity from Christian partners abroad.

During the WCRC’s Leipzig meeting, which began on 29 June, a

prominent Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem, Mitri Raheb, told

delegates of his experience of having been 5 years old when Israel

occupied Bethlehem. “This was exactly 50 years ago, I know what living

under occupation means,” Raheb said. It is important that “not only we

as Palestinians are liberated but that Israelis are also liberated as well,

because occupiers are not liberated,” Raheb stated. “Occupiers are

occupied by their own occupation.” The WCRC groups more than 225

Protestant churches with a combined membership of about 80 million

Christians in Congregational, Presbyterian, Reformed, United, Uniting

and Waldensian churches in over 100 countries. Its offices are in

Hannover, Germany.

© The World Communion of Reformed Churches. Permission given to

reproduce

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Seek Justice and Peace in the Holy Land

Half a century has passed since the six-day war when Israel occupied

East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights.

Despite stalled peace processes and the sufferings entailed by the

occupation, people still hope for a better future. In recognition of these

events, The World Council of Churches have produced a series of

stories called 12 Faces of Hope. Here is just one of them:-

Hope is an essential thing to have. If we lose hope it stops us from

doing anything. Even when things seem desperate, you still need to

have hope. My hope is that people will find holiness in life and in each

other – not sites or specific places. Only if we put people first, and then

everything else after that, we can achieve a fulfilling life together in

peace. There is a holy spark in each of us which needs to be kept alive

and nurtured. The holiness of people is the most important thing to

recognize, and from there everything else will come.

But how do we make our lives holy, and how do we work to create

holiness? The answer is that it is our primary mission to keep our lives

as holy as possible. We must overcome ethnical, religious and political

constraints. We must talk more to each other, encourage more

meetings, get to know each other, and strive to understand each other,

so that we can find reasons for hope. We must celebrate diversity and

pluralism. I believe that dialogue, courage and tolerance are critical here.

My hope is for people to be able to lead a fulfilling and complete

life which is not restricted by governments, religions, terrorism or

anything else. Human life and human dignity are the most important

things, not physical places. We should care more about how people can

find a way to pray, connect with each other and practice their religion,

rather than who is in charge or in control.

To deal with hopelessness, we must remind ourselves that we are

not alone in our struggle, and that we must work together.

The reality is complicated and it is not an easy task to make sure

that people’s lives are fulfilling and sacred. But we must continue to

convey the message of hope and holiness, and find ways to reach out to

more people. We must change the language, we must educate people

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and try to shift their focus to things that really matter. We must try to

open people’s hearts! Noa MazorRabbi

To read the other stories of hope, visit:

https://www.oikoumene.org/en/what-we-do/12 faces of hope

Contributed by Wendy Firmin

Question Time

How is it that liberal-minded people, who claim that they are open to

allowing people to believe what they want and live the way that they

want, attack people like me who stand on the Bible? How tolerant is

that?

First off, allowing people to believe what they want is

just one characteristic of “liberal-minded people.” But to

characterize liberalism as some willy-nilly-believe-what-

you-want perspective is a false claim. True, liberals are

OK with people believing what they want – but only

insofar as those beliefs respect the basic dignity of

other people and don't do others harm. That's a big

difference. I've also heard it said that liberals tolerate anything but

intolerance. I think that's about right.

And let's be clear, you're probably not being ‘attacked’ for being a

person who ‘stands on the Bible’, but for being a person whose ‘stand’

on the Bible is not in keeping with other people’s interpretation of the

Bible.

Let me remind you that people ‘stood on the Bible’ to defend

slavery; they ‘stood on the Bible’ to keep women from having the vote;

they ‘stood on the Bible’ to defend segregation. Without liberals who

opposed those racist, misogynist, and un-American practices, our world

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would be a very different place indeed (and not for the better). Many of

those liberals, by the way, were faithful Christians who appealed to the

Bible to further the causes of freedom and basic human rights. I’m going

to assume that, in these areas, you agree with them and their ‘liberal’

interpretation of the Bible.

Among today’s front line issues of defence on behalf of basic

human dignity and human rights are LGBTQ rights and reproductive

choice. Bizarre biblical attitudes toward women and sexuality

notwithstanding, neither of these (as we currently understand them) are

topics in the Bible. Similarly, although there’s no mention of cultural

practices like female genital mutilation and sex-trafficking in the Bible,

many conservatives stand with liberals in opposition to these sex-related

challenges – and do so on the grounds of that eminently liberal notion of

human rights.

Then, if you manage to filter out all the propaganda, cultural

prejudices, and superstitions from the Bible, there are plenty of

examples where scripture is clearly aligned with what you would call

today’s liberal agenda. Opposing racial injustice and the U.S.’s unjust

immigration policies are just two examples where liberals have all kinds

of biblical precedent on which to stand.

So, don't mistake the liberal tendency towards tolerance, which

allows you – in broad strokes – to believe what you want and do what

you please, to remain silent when what you believe and advocate fails to

respect the rights or freedom of others. You can claim that your stand is

the definitive interpretation of what the Bible says, but so did the slave-

owning, sexist, and racist Christians of the past – and so do the

discriminatory, misogynistic dogmatists of today.

Revd. David M. Felten

About the Author

David Felten is a full-time pastor at The Fountains, a United Methodist

Church in Fountain Hills, Arizona. David and fellow United Methodist

Pastor, Jeff Procter-Murphy, are the creators of the DVD-based

discussion series for Progressive Christians, “Living the Questions”.

Contributed by Julie Grove

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Handsworth Park

Between Grove Lane and Hamstead Road

Lies a beautiful park only closed after dark.

If you take photos put the camera in correct mode

For in the morning the wildlife is up with the lark.

Special events are sometimes on Sundays

And back to the usual routine on Mondays.

Running twice quickly around the lovely lake

Keeps you fit and healthy – make no mistake.

Others circle the lake on their mountain bikes

Or wear walking boots for their energy hikes.

After winter makes a change to warm spring

The weather so sunny and mild the flowers bring.

Tony the boatman checks out life jackets

While the geese and wild life make a racket.

Those who like to take a drink and café seat

Will helpers Amina and Andrea meet.

George Richards

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Solution to the Summer Quiz

There was an amendment to Summer Quiz in Journey (July—August

2017 edition): Have you spotted the deliberate mistake?! The final clue

is incomplete and it has TRIED both ME and US!

Magdalene

Pharisees

Spikenard

Ephesians

Boanerges

Jerusalem

Macedonia

Dayspring

Firmament

Ahasuerus

Archangel

Samaritan

Timotheus

Israelite

Sadducees

Bethlehem

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Creatures

Nicodemus

Threshing

Cornelius

Scripture

Chameleon

Elisabeth

Priscilla

Neighbour

Treasures

Demetrius

Please submit any articles for the October issue of Journey to the church

office by Friday 22nd September. Email to office@carrslane.co.uk or hand in

to the reception at Carrs Lane.

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