Anstey Methodist Church

Pentecost

Sat, 10 May 2008 14:05:10 GMT

A sermon for Pentecost Sunday based on Acts chapter 2.

Loving God, quicken our hearts that we may receive your word afresh. Send the refreshing wind of your Spirit upon us Lord, so that your voice may be heard, and your loving presence seen in all that we say and do. In the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

Everyone loves a gift. I remember that when I was a youngster my father used to be just s little bit envious when Mothers Day came around. All well and good to remember mothers, but what about fathers? After all, fathers are just as important as mothers. When Fathers day was instigated he was tickled pick - but I'm afraid he soon got rather fed up with receiving socks and handkerchiefs every year - still - it was the thought that counted and I am sure that really he was cheered up to think that his children specially remembered him each year.

Death of Eddy Hughes

Sat, 10 May 2008 12:55:30 GMT

It is with deep regret that we record the death of our dear friend Eddy Hughes in hospital on Friday 9th July 2008.

Let not your heart be troubled

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:22:48 GMT

Eric Clapton, arguably the greatest living rock guitarist, wrote a heart wrenching song about the death of his four year old son. He fell from a 53rd-story window. Clapton took nine months off and when he returned his music had changed. The hardship had made his music softer, more powerful, and more reflective. You have perhaps heard the song he wrote about his son's death. It is a song of hope, and it contains these words:

Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart, have you begging, please.
Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure,
And I know there'll be no more tears in heaven.

The raising of Lazarus

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:47:23 GMT

John chapter 11

The raising of Lazarus which is contained in John chapter 11 is very much part of the recurring theme of life, or eternal life, in the Gospel of John.

The miracle story of the raising of Lazarus, as with other materials in John, is not arbitrarily placed in the Gospel. John clearly says in his statement of purpose in that he carefully and intentionally decided what miracle stories to include in the Gospel. The selection is not arbitrary but fits perfectly his stated purpose, "so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and through believing you may have life in his name."

Jesus wept

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:46:42 GMT

John chapter 11

The other day I was reading some interesting facts about the bible, including that it contains over 3/4 of a million words in its 66 books. That certainly gives preachers a lot of scope for choosing a text. I also read that the longest verse in the bible is contained in Esther c 3 v 12 which contains no less than 66 words, yes 66 words.

However, today I want to go to the other extreme and choose the shortest verse in the bible as my text. And that verse contains just 2 words. John c 11 v 35 reads “Jesus wept”.

The Woman of Samaria

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:34:19 GMT

There she goes ... the Woman of Samaria. Visualize her in your mind's eye. She is wearing a loose dress, somewhat like a long potato sack. It reaches down to a few inches above her sandaled feet. She is wearing a headpiece. It falls in folds halfway down her back. On her right shoulder she is balancing a water jug, rather large. Surely it will be heavy when it's full.There she goes ...

Obituary - by Mel Cartwright

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:42:32 GMT

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who was with us for many years. No one knows for sure quite how old he was, since all records were lost long ago in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, that life is not always fair and .....

The wilderness experience

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:27:58 GMT

Text. "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil".

Address. What can we make of this? We, who pray each day as Jesus taught us “Lead us not into temptation”. We are so used to soft language about the Holy Spirit – so used to speaking about how we have felt when “led by the Spirit”.

So, what are we to make of the fact that the Spirit “drove” Jesus into the wilderness? That the Spirit compelled Jesus to go – alone – to where wild beast prowled and howled, where the forces of evil tested his every resolve and purpose?

Lent

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:03:15 GMT

Lent is the period of fasting leading up to the feast of Easter, recalling Christ’s 40 day fast in the wilderness. In the Western church Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the morning of Holy Thursday. In 2008, Lent begins on February 6 in the Western Church.

For many Christians Lent can be a mystery. For some Lent is a period of going on a diet; for others Lent is a time when their Catholic friends wear ashes on their foreheads and eat fish on Fridays. Whatever your theological or denominational affiliation we highly recommend exploring the season known as Lent.

Death of Ivy Allen

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:10:32 GMT

We were very sad to learn of the death of Ivy Alan during December 2007.

Ivy, together with her late husband Ernie, was a member of our church for very many years, and they were both very much involved in youth work, Ernie also doing stirling work in many other areas of church life.

We send our sympathy to all the family.

Repent and prepare

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 11:00:46 GMT

Can you imagine complete silence? It’s hard to in our culture today in which televisions, radios, etc. are constantly blaring. But in this morning’s text a silence of 400 years is broken. Don’t misunderstand me, not everyone was silent during this period. Men and women were talking. Boys and girls were talking. But there was no prophet speaking the Word of the LORD. No one was truthfully saying, "Thus says the LORD…"

Be prepared

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:27:31 GMT

A full Methodist service based on the 4 lectionary themes for Advent, with hymns, prayers and an address in 2 parts.

All hymns are from the Methodist Hymn Book, Hymns & Psalms.

19 With gladness we worship

Opening prayer

Loving God, in many and various ways you have visited and redeemed your people, finally sending your Son, Jesus.

Because

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:25:58 GMT

God's answers are the right ones ...

Because He is all-wise and all-knowing ...

Because He is all-powerful ...

Because He is truth ...

Because He is love ...

Because He is eternal ...

The hands of the master

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:08:44 GMT

Rev, John Lampard tells the story of a visit to some friends during which time he went to a concert given by the local choir which was celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The packed hall buzzed with excitement as the choir filed onto the stage, immaculately dressed in their white shirts and black trousers. They stood in three curved and serried ranks before the conductor's podium. Unusually for a male voice choir their recently appointed conductor was a young, vivacious woman, most attractively dressed in a long ball gown. She conducted the choir with verve and confidence ...

Email security

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:58:15 GMT

Our web site enables you to email us by using a form accessible from the menu item "Contact us".

This has been available for several years, but in recent weeks spam bots have discovered the page, and regularly flood our email account with spurious emails.

In an endeavour to stop this spam email ....

Humour

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:30:31 GMT

A light hearted look at how the spoken or written word can be interpreted in ways that were not really meant, culled from various sources.

Visiting preacher to the duty steward - "I was a bit disappointed at the attendance today. Did you tell them I was coming ?" Steward - "No sir, but you know how things get around".

Church magazine

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:36:55 GMT

Our WebMaster, Gordon Tatler, has recently taken over editorship of our church magazine, The Messenger, from Eddy Hughes. As from the November 2007 issue, these will be available online in PDF format. To read these magazines you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, which most computers already have installed. If you ...

Web site design 2007

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:36:18 GMT

Yes folks, yet another fresh design of our web site, and we hope you like the nice clean, uncluttered display. This latest design for 2007, available on site from 16th November, is based on an open source template by well known web designer Andreas Viklund. It is worth noting that the basic template does not use any images, ....

Elsie Caborn

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:35:26 GMT

We are sorry to report during October 2007 the death of one of our older members in the demise of Elsie Caborn. When Mimi and I came to Anstey more than forty years’ ago, Elsie was already in the church, at that time a middle-aged lady living at Cropston with her husband, Harry, one of our very valued local preachers. From that time Elsie was always here, a stalwart of ...

The missing will

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:53:05 GMT

The house, which had been sombre and silent for months, was filled with a murmuring throng; yet the air of tragedy remained. The auctioneer's voice rose and fell, and the bargain hunters hurried from room to room. The ancestors on the walls seemed pensive and sad, for their happy descendants had been ruthlessly overwhelmed by a series of disastrous catastrophes: the family was now extinct.

Lectionary readings

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 14:17:05 GMT

As a service to our visitors, we are pleased to display the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) readings for the current week. The Lectionary is organized into a three-year cycle of readings. The reading cycle is denoted by letter as A, B, or C and changes each Advent 1. The gospel used in each year also changes. Year A. Most Gospel readings from Matthew. Year B. Most Gospel readings from the Mark. Year C. Most Gospel readings from the Luke. The Gospel of John is always read at Easter, and is used for some other liturgical seasons including Advent, Christmas and Lent where appropriate.

I am with you always

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:56:17 GMT

"I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world".

In the 28th chapter of the gospel according to St Matthew we read of Jesus bidding a final farewell to his followers. However, he did say that he would not leave them alone, and in one of the greatest promises contained in the bible he said "Lo, I am with you always". And that is the text around which I want to base our thoughts for the next few minutes.

"I am with you always".

Knowledge or wisdom

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:24:35 GMT

In this study I want to think about a text contained in Proverbs chapter 29 verse 18.

WHERE THERE IS IGNORANCE OF GOD, CRIME WILL RUN WILD, BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL THING IT IS FOR A NATION TO KNOW AND KEEP HIS COMMANDS.

We live in an age where communications have reached such an advanced stage that we see on our television screens events ...

Death of Hilda Aiers

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:31:12 GMT

We regret to learn of the death of Hilda Aiers on Sunday 22nd July 2007.

Hilda and husband Oliver were members of our church for many years, and were deeply involved in the Leprocy Mission, raising many tens of thousands of pounds over the years.

After Oliver died Hilda moved to Nottinghamshire to be near to one of her daughters, but still retained her friendship with many members of our church.

Although not a current member of our church Hilda will be sadly missed and we hold the family in our prayers.

Death of Basil Andrews

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 20:43:01 GMT

We regret to learn of the death of Basil Andrews on Tuesday 19th June 2007.

We send our love and sympathy to Carol and family, and uphold them in our prayers, asking God to enfold them in the warm embrace of his everlasting love.

An appreciation of Basil's life will be posted here in the near future.

Emergenct telephone numbers

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 09:00:15 GMT

Have you ever needed to call the emergency services ? Maybe your water pipes are leaking, your electricity has failed ? And have you ever been at a loss to find the correct emergency telephone number ? Christians also sometime need emergency telephone numbers. The Bible is so large that it may seem impossible to find a text to suit the emergency.Fear not.

The love chapter

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 08:04:38 GMT

1 Corinthians chapter 13. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (King James Version)

Listen - I want you to put your name into this Corinthians where love is described. I want you to think about yourself - and see just how much your life agrees with it - and just how much more travelling along the road of spiritual growth and understanding you need to do.

Listen - this is about you – read this paraphrase of St. Paul’s message to the Corinthians, and ask yourself if it is true in your own lives.

I am patient. I am kind.
I am not envious or boastful, arrogant or rude.
I do not insist on my own way.
I am not irritable or resentful.
I do not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoice in the truth.
I bear all things
I believe all things.
I hope all things.
I endure all things.

It’s quite something isn't it? And I have to admit that very often I fail the test. Do you?

Death of Phyllis Leech

Tue, 29 May 2007 11:46:41 GMT

We regret to learn of the death of Phyllis on Sunday 27th May 2007 in Loros.

We send our sympathy and love to Gordon and the wider family, and uphold them in our prayers.

Lord, we thank you for Phyllis' life.
As in sadness we mourn our loss,
Help us with joy to remember her life.
As in grief we recall our parting,
Help us with faith to look to our reuniting,
Trusting in the gift of eternal life
Through Jesus Christ. Amen.

About our new RSS feed

Thu, 10 May 2007 13:37:29 GMT

Our web site now has an RSS feed. To gain access to this feed and be advised of all new pages added to our web copy the link attached to the graphic at the top of our pages and paste it into your news reader. Not sure about RSS ? Read on. What is RSS?RSS (Rich Site Summary) is a format for delivering regularly changing web content.