December 14th 2003

WESLEY HALL METHODIST CHURCH
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Our Sunday Services are: 10.30am Morning Worship 6.00pm Evening Worship

Saturday Services are:6.00am Early Morning Prayer

Tea and coffee are served after the service. We hope you find a warm welcome particularly if you are visiting us for the first time. If you would like more information or would like to borrow a recording of any of our Sunday services, please click here.

Sunday 14th December 2003

Today’s services: 10.30am Preacher Mr Neil Craig and Mr David Poole

Worship leader Steve Sowerby

6.00pm Preacher Rev. Robert Lewis

The Steward on duty today: Brian Morris

A Big Thank You: The flower team would like to thank all those who have provided the church flowers in 2003. The new list is now on the notice board at the back of the church for you to choose your dates to celebrate anniversaries and special occasions. Thank you once again, and we wish you all a Happy Christmas and a blessed and peaceful 2004.

Springs Dance Company - Journey of the Magi: This company are Europe’s top contemporary Christian Dance company. They only doing one performance outside of London and this is on the 19th December at 7.30 pm at the Philadelphia Campus of St Thomas Church. The performance is suitable for both adults and children .For further information please contact Nick Duggan 2301424.

Communion Training: Robert will be leading a training session on January 4th for anyone interested in taking Holy Communion to our housebound members. Attending the training doesn't commit you to anything afterwards, so even if you would just like to know what happens, do come along.

The Samaritan Christmas Lunch: Saturday 20^th December in the Coffee Shop area. Full Christmas 3 course lunch at 12:30pm prompt. Tickets on sale now (from Irene, Mary or Jean) for anyone who would like to come along to this. Admission by ticket only. No morning coffee on that day.

Big Carol Sing & Church Council: After the big Carol Sing this Tuesday (16^th December) Church Council members are requested to try to attend a meeting to discuss the redevelopment of the back of Wesley Hall building. Apologies to the Secretary or leave a note in the minister’s pigeon hole.

Could anyone who is not on church council help with serving refreshments after this event? Please see Andrea if you are able.

Children's Christmas Party: Invitations have gone out to all children’s groups connected to Wesley Hall, can those involved in these groups ask the children who want to come to return completed reply slips so that we know how many will be coming. Please invite other children that may wish to come along also who are not involved in children’s groups - spare invitations should be in church otherwise see Andrea

Christmas Services at Wesley Hall:

Big Carol Sing Tuesday 16th December 6:30 - 7:30pm

Carol Service Sunday 21st December 6:00 - 7:00pm

(As usual these services will be followed by coffee & mince pies

- donations of mince pies would be gratefully received)

Christmas Day Service 9:30 - 10:30 am

Wesley Hall Methodist Church Toddler Group Present - Light in the Dark: An interactive nativity celebration designed for very young children of all ages on Wednesday 17th December from 10.30am to 11.15am. This nativity celebration is being held in place of the usual toddler group. We will be telling the Christmas story and enjoying ourselves making angels, playing a game and singing Christmas songs. Refreshments will be served at the end. Come and join the celebration!

Last Minute Christmas Presents: The few crafts I have left in stock are in the cabinet in the foyer. Tribe seniors are making up hampers / gift packs of fairly traded goods. Please see Rachel McCallam, Eleanor Ingamells, Rosie Brown or myself if you would like to order one. There are some suggestions of contents at the back of church or on the foyer table, or make up your own! Audrey.

Wesley Hall Christmas Cards: We have another 800 Christmas cards waiting to be delivered to our
neighbours. They contain a Christmas message and details of our Christmas services. Please collect a packet from Gareth Hardy to deliver on your street. Thanks for your help.

Men’s Games Evening: The menfolk at Walkley Ebenezer are proposing a games evening to take place on a Monday evening during the winter months. It has been suggested that cribbage, whist, bridge, dominoes and other pursuits of a similar nature be introduced. We would meet once a week at Walkley Ebenezer starting around 7pm and finishing about 10pm. Walkley need to have an idea of numbers interested to know whether it is worth going ahead – please see Andrea if you are interested.

Unclaimed Benefits – could this be you? The Samaritans of Wesley Hall often find themselves involved in introducing people over 65 years of age, to the staff at the Citizens Advice Centre, just below us on Crookes Road. The staff often visit people in their own homes if they are unable to get to this office and give a wonderful service by helping those needing extra income. This is called a minimum income guarantee and supplements their basic pension. They can also help those needing attendance allowances to help them pay for help in the home. According to a recent newspaper article, many older people fail to claim such benefits simply because:

a) they do not know they are available

b) they don’t think they might be eligible (claims do not take your bank balance into account)

c) because they are too proud to rely on the State, and millions of pounds go unclaimed each year.

If anyone in our congregation feels they may need some help in this way, or would like to know more about it, please fell free to speak to either Jean or Stephen Biggin. All enquires would be absolutely confidential.

If you would like more information on any of the items in this newsletter, or have something you would like considered for inclusion in a future one, then please click here.