CHURCH NEWS

United Reformed Church, Kingston upon Thames

www.kingstonurc.org
FEBRUARY 2009
___________________________________________________________

In this issue:
Church Diary 2
Lesley’s Letter & other matters 3&4
Derek’s Comment 5
Christmas is Over 6
Pastoral News 7
Daniel & Su Prins 8
Thank You – David Richards 8
IBRA Readings 8
English Idioms 9
Churches for Spiritual Renewal 10
Flowers for February 10
Chaplain Honoured 11
Vacancies for ACT Review Team11
Church Handbook 12
St Raphael’s Sr. Citizen’s Party 12
ACT Area Gathering 13
Ministerial Deployment Consultn.13
Activity Days - 2009 14

Box Hill, Surrey

Edited by Jean Thompson

 Church News – February 2009

CHURCH DIARY – 25 January/22 February

(for regular activities see inside back cover)
Sun. 25 Jan. Homelessness Sunday
10.00 Traditional Worship
11.30 Interactive Worship with Communion
14.30 Holocaust Memorial Event in Memorial
Gardens/Guildhall
18.30 Reflective Worship
Mon. 26 Jan. 19.30 Christianity Explored Course
Tue. 27 Jan. A Walk around Rotherhithe
19.30 URC’s Ministerial Deployment Consultation
(see pg.13)
Thu. 29 Jan. 19.30 Discipleship Course

Sun. 1 Feb. 10.00 Traditional Worship with Communion

11.30 Interactive Worship
15.00 St Raphael’s Annual Sr. Citizen’s Party
(see pg.12)
18.30 Reflective Worship
Mon. 2 Feb. 19.30 Christianity Explored Course
Wed. 4 Feb. 20.00 Elders’ Meeting
Thu. 5 Feb. 19.30 Discipleship Course
Sat. 7 Feb. 19.00 Burns’ Supper

Sun. 8 Feb. 10.00 Coffee available

11.00 11 o’clock Service for all Worshippers
Church News – copy to Vaughan James by 12.00
18.30 Reflective Worship
Mon. 9 Feb. 19.30 Christianity Explored Course
Thu. 12 Feb. 19.30 Discipleship Course

Sun. 15 Feb. 10.00 Traditional Worship

11.30 Interactive Worship
18.30 Reflective Worship with Communion
Mon. 16 Feb. Activity Day
19.30 Christianity Explored Course
Tue. 17 Feb. Activity Day
Thu. 19 Feb. 19.30 Discipleship Course
Sat. 21 Feb. 12.00 ACT – Area Gathering (see pg.13)

Sun. 22 Feb. 10.00 Traditional Worship – Rev. Roberta Rominger

11.30 Interactive Worship with Communion
18.30 Reflective Worship
20.00 Holy Space

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 Church News – February 2009

LESLEY’S LETTER
Dear All

H
elping - how do you feel about it? ‘Glad to’, ‘if I can I will’.

What about being helped? There are many people who are
terrible about receiving the help of others. You could argue that even
their faith is based not on their reality of Jesus dying on the cross, but on
the good works which they have done to earn their salvation. ‘What
does life mean if I cannot do anything for anyone?’ is a question which
people do ask.

What about the problem that if I am going to help, then I need people
who will let me help them? We have the picture of Jesus letting people
help him, whether it was cooking for him or washing his feet. That does
not mean he was not prepared to wash the feet of others; we know he
did that too. However, there were times when he let people help him.

Can you do that?

More. What about us as a church? There was a time when the church
thought of itself as a group of people who did things for people. We
have all the answers, we have the strength and we will help you - weak
person. You may be weak because you are young or old or disabled or
a new parent or poor, but we will help you as we can. What about
allowing people to help us? What about allowing people the place and
joy of working with us on problems and issues? There are things which
many people of good will, regardless of their faith, feel the same about.
They want to help. There are times when, as an organisation, we can
work with other organisations and do a better job. Also there are times
when we can let individuals work with us on our projects. It is good
news for them and us. It also helps those we serve, as we improve our
service.

Best wishes, Lesley

NOTICE The Burns’ Supper will be on Saturday, 7 February, from

7 – 10 pm. Cost £8 and £3.

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 Church News – February 2009

MORE FROM LESLEY:

Church Weekend
Teaching, play, space, structure, bible study, games, communion, drink,
people, single rooms, noise, beautiful surroundings, walks, time,
stimulation, rest, activity, together, apart, voluntary, conversation,
fellowship, prayer, food, lovely accommodation. Sign up today.

New Ministry
There is a danger that we separate our church life into two parts which
never touch each other. That we have a building which many people
only come to on a Sunday, and for the rest of the week a few of us do
some things but, basically, the building is run as any other commercial
organisation and let out to anyone who has the money and the need.

Be clear we do need the money. We also want to use well this resource
which God has given us. However, we need to make sure we do it in a
way that matches with who we are and the unique things that we have to
offer through our faith. That is why we serve coffee and why we have
people ready to talk. We also have a place to allow people to write their
prayer requests. Now we have a new phase of our ministry.

David and Peggy Tang are going to be regularly in the building praying.
They will pray for whatever they feel called to pray about, of course, but
their purpose in being there is to be a bridge between the users in the
building and our living faith. If you have any aspect of the church’s life
that you think needs particular prayer, please speak to them.

Gentle reader who are you?

I am curious to know the reader who is furthest away from our church
and gets Church News. That might be in terms of geography, but it also
might be in terms of distant from the fellowship of Kingston URC. How
many people have passed on a magazine to someone else for you to
receive yours? Lesley

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 Church News – February 2009

DEREK’S COMMENT
There has been a recurring theme of jigsaw puzzles for me this
Christmas. It began by my wife ordering by internet a 400 piece
Ordinance Survey overview of Kingston – with our postcode in the
middle. While she gave our correct postcode – as the package was
safely delivered – the map was for KY1 and not KT1, which is Kirkcaldy.
It was, therefore, quite beyond me, but in telling this story at a Christmas
party, one guest quickly said he had a great friend living there who
would be delighted to receive it. I am now waiting for the correct puzzle
to arrive.
Just over one week later I attended a URC Ministerial Deployment
seminar for the Southern Synod. This seemed like a giant jigsaw
puzzle, when they explained the options open to the URC in the future.
For instance, we were reminded about some basic numbers with
projections allowing for the retirement of Ministers.

URC Members Ministers

1972 192,000 1,092
2005 82,000 665
2010 ? 523
2017 ? 412

We were told that there has been a “significant” increase in numbers of

individuals experiencing a call to become non-stipendiary ministers. This
reflects God’s call to us to respond to the changing situation – but there
is also the question of sufficient members and money. Martyn Verge
gave an excellent presentation on this whole subject at the November
Church meeting and you will recall there was a full report in the
December edition of Church News. This is a very important subject for
us as a Church and we need to follow progress. We can’t escape this
one and find a new home for the problem elsewhere – like Kirkcaldy!

Two weeks after Christmas the Elders (including the new and recently
retired ones) will be having their annual Away Day. This year we shall
be spending the morning considering where we are now – as a Church –
and where we believe God is calling us to go. In the afternoon we’ll be
extending our considerations to what to do next. Hopefully, we shall start
to come up with proposals to be considered later by the serving Elders
and then shared or agreed at subsequent Church meetings. It would be
simple if we could identify the needs in Kingston from my 400 pieces of

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 Church News – February 2009

jigsaw. There’s a limit to what we can do – but we must be able to do it

well. I would like to share the following with you which came from the
Deployment seminar:

Strong lay leadership is fundamental to the viability and effectiveness of

a local church; without it there can be no functioning congregation. This
has always been the strength of the URC and its forebears; there are
countless people without whose devoted service we simply could not be
the church and we honour them. It is, therefore, of the greatest
importance to signal clearly to local churches that responsibility for
leadership falls, in the first instance, to the local church and in particular
to its elders working collegially alongside its minister and not to its
minister alone. Moreover, discernment of a local church’s leadership
needs (including how much stipendiary ministry) is a key role for the
local church, in consultation with neighbouring congregations,
both URC and ecumenical partners, and the Synod.
Derek Winsor

 Oh dear, Christmas is over! 

I always feel sad when the decorations come down and homes (and
churches) look bare and dull. The saddest part to me is cutting up the
Christmas tree and bundling it into black sacks. This year it was
particularly depressing to have to dispose of the beautiful tree in the
church, provided, as ever, by the Cochrane family. Its lovely bushy
shape was a delight to decorate and it made a most attractive focal
point.

Thank you yet again, Phyllis and John, for organising the delivery of our
tree. As ever, we are extremely grateful for your generosity and I would
like to say a big ‘thank-you’ on behalf of everyone who came to our
Christmas services.
Steve Wenman

(Of course, there is some consolation if the tree is re-cycled: an example

of death and resurrection perhaps?)


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 Church News – February 2009

PASTORAL NEWS – at 11. 1.09.

Natasha Reid had an operation just before Christmas and is recovering
well.

Peter Green is at present in Kingston Hospital.

Ray Erskine had a fall recently and sprained her ankle but is also
recovering well.

Philip Sawney has commenced his 5th year on the waiting list for a
heart transplant.

Tom Fisken continues his treatment but has not been so well recently.

David Richards continues with his chemotherapy, having some good

weeks and some not so good weeks.

Lorna Tarbutt has also been unwell recently.

Jo McGee has given birth to a baby boy – Benjamin William – a brother

for Joshua.

We pray for Lesley in her continuous support to our congregation.

Our thoughts and prayers are with these people and with those on our
regular prayer list:
Margaret Fisken, Ann Mackay, Ken Trigg, Alan Clegg, Joan and Munro
Mackay, Colin Veale, Olive and Jim Webb, Muriel Adam, Hilda Tunley,
Patty Davies, Mimi Williams and Helen Simpson.

We also think and pray for those who are caring for someone at home:
Virginia Trigg, Olwen Sawney, Nigel Tunley, Lilian Veale and Maggie &
John Arnold.

Maggie Arnold


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 Church News – February 2009

DANIEL & SU PRINS

Daniel & Su Prins have recently become members, and the editor asked them
to tell us a little bit about themselves. Daniel writes:

“We are both South Africans from Cape Town and have been married
for 37 years. We have two grown-up children. Our married daughter
lives in Scotland and our son is a post-graduate student in South Africa.
We have lived in the UK during the 90's when I was working here.
Upon my retirement at the end of 2007 we decided to return to the UK
and now live in Teddington.
We have been members of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa
for a long time. In our new home we have decided to join Kingston
URC. We have been welcomed by all at Kingston URC and are very
happy to be part of our new Church.”

THANK YOU
I would like to thank all those people, both in our church and beyond,
who are supporting me during the chemotherapy I am having for
prostate cancer. I much appreciate the prayers and messages of
encouragement I have received and feel humbled that prayers have
been said for me and for the doctors, nurses and others involved in the
treatment. Prayers have happened in churches locally and abroad
where friends have heard of the illness. They do make a difference!
I would also like to thank you if you took part in the Kingston Cancer
Appeal which has resulted in the William Rous Centre where Royal
Marsden have linked with Kingston Hospital to provide treatment locally.
This is a splendid facility for which all those involved should be very
proud.
David Richards



IBRA Bible Readings for the week of Monday, 2 February:

Widows, Orphans & Aliens. Text for the week: Luke 2: 38
Mon. 2 Feb. Luke 2: 22-38 Thurs. 5 Feb. Numbers 27: 1-11
Tues. 3 Feb. 1 Kings 17 Fri. 6 Feb. 2 Kings 11: 1-12
Wed. 4 Feb. Luke 18: 1-8 Sat. 7 Feb. Esther 2: 5-18
Other weeks can be found on the IBRA website – just Google ‘IBRA’

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 Church News – February 2009

ENGLISH IDIOMS
As a Korean I am often confronted with difficulties when people say
things like “She is the Queen Bee” or “He is the King Pin.” What do
these strange sayings mean? I thought a Queen Bee lived in a hive and
was important to reproduce new bees. How can a person do that?
When I read a newspaper or magazine or watch the television or hear
the radio, I find it quite difficult to understand what these cultural
references mean. I have not had experience of English history so, of
course, I often hear references to past historical figures and cannot
understand why they are being mentioned in a modern context. Another
thing I find difficult is when someone says a serious point, but really
means the opposite of what they say.
When a friend was telling me how mean a man is, he said, “he has a
short sleeve and long pocket”. What does that mean? “I wouldn’t touch
him with a barge pole” means steer clear of this dishonest person.
Why? “She looks as if she has had the cream”. This refers to a cat who
is purring because she has had the best bit of the milk. How can a
person be a cat? I have heard my daughter refer to a friend as a cat.
Again, why?
In English I have discovered there are many words that look the same,
but mean something different. For instance, ‘refuse’ can mean I will not
do it, or rubbish thrown out, depending on the pronunciation and context.
Again, there are words that sound the same but look different, for
example, there, their and they’re. It’s all very confusing for a poor
Korean!
In Korean we say, “we have mended the barn door after the cow has
gone”. I think that has a similar meaning as “close the stable door after
the horse has bolted”. If something is very difficult, we say, “we have
taken the star from the sky”. A lazy and foolish person is called a cow in
Korea, but we think of a pig as cute.
Jesus used idioms all the time. Think of the camel pushing its way
through the needle’s eye or the sheep and the goats. What about the
story of the man who invited friends to his feast? The excuses they
offered were frankly ridiculous. Who checks on his cows at night or
measures his field at night? So you can see that to make one’s meaning
clear it is useful to use idioms and metaphors, but they can be confusing
if your knowledge of a language is restricted.
Rev. Suk In Lee

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 Church News – February 2009

News from the National URC:

Churches join up for Spiritual Renewal
Almost one third of all United People are eager to engage with
Reformed churches have joined the Bible and discover something
a three-year programme to more of what God wants to do in
encourage people to re-engage their lives”.
with the Bible, prayer and
evangelism. The Vision4Life By December, 500 of the URC’s
initiative is proving to be one of 1600 congregations had signed
the most popular national up to Vision4Life. A first phase
projects ever undertaken by the began in Advent with a year of
United Reformed Church – and material focusing on the Bible; in
numbers are still growing. Advent 2009 a year based on
prayer begins, with a third year
The Rev Roberta Rominger, focused on evangelism
General Secretary, said, “I am beginning in 2010. A menu of
excited, not only by the number, materials has been sent to every
but also by the enthusiasm and congregation; fuller versions will
creativity that local churches are be available in print and on the
bringing to their involvement. Vision4Life website as the year
Clearly, Vision4Life is addressing progresses.
the hunger for spiritual renewal.

FLOWERS FOR FEBRUARY

1 Feb. Brenda Parkins

8 Feb. Jean Thompson
15 Feb. Hilda & Nigel Tunley
22 Feb. Margaret Randall

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 Church News – February 2009

From the United Reformed Church’s Website:

Chaplain honoured for Work with War Casualties

Steven Whiting, a United Reformed Church minister and senior army

chaplain has been accorded a rare distinction for his work with
casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been awarded an MBE in
the New Year Honours list.

The award is for Steven’s work with returning casualties at the Royal
Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham. He is
now senior chaplain at the headquarters of the Royal School of Military
Engineering at Chatham. He has previously served in Germany,
Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Kosovo.

Steven said “This is a tremendous honour, not just for me personally, but
for all British Army chaplains who are with their people in often
dangerous and difficult situations, loving, caring and praying with and for
them. To be a military chaplain is to be alongside mostly young and
often unchurched people who, in the stresses and strains of military life,
look frequently to the chaplain for support and guidance in trying to
make sense of death, tragedy, loneliness and separation”.

Southern Synod
Wimbledon Area Co-ordination Team (ACT)
Vacancies exist for members of the Review Team
to carry out Church Life Reviews
to enable periodic visits to each church to be made
to listen, exchange views and help where necessary
Hopefully only once a year
Duties are interesting and stimulating

To know more, please speak to Lesley

or John Henderson – 01372 378795

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 Church News – February 2009

CHURCH HANDBOOK 2009

With their Church News for February, members will
hopefully receive their copy of the Church Handbook for
2009. It has been compiled from information available in the 2008
Handbook, with the addition of new details and corrections made
throughout the year, provided to the Handbook’s editor by several
people, but principally and frequently by Jean Thompson, she of the
eagle eye who can spot a misplaced comma at 1,000 paces, to whom
enormous thanks are due. Thanks are also due to Gill Carstens for the
delightful cover illustration.
The 2009 Handbook may not be perfect in every detail, but we have
done our best. If you spot an error – a wrong phone number, postcode,
even (heaven forbid) a wrongly spelt name, please let me know in
writing, preferably by e-mail (tony.wenman@btinternet.com), and I will
see that a correction appears in Church News. Also let me know if you
acquire or change an e-mail address so that it can be included. Work
has already begun on the 2010 Handbook. It will be as accurate as you,
the members, make it.
Please do not tell me about Handbook changes as I am going into
church to play for a service, or even over a cup of coffee afterwards. My
ability to forget things is getting stronger as the rest of my faculties
decline! I react almost immediately to e-mailed information, and I lose
bits of paper! Please e-mail or write me a letter.
Tony Wenman
Our thanks to you, Tony, for hours of work behind the scenes. Ed.

St Raphael’s Annual Senior Citizen’s Party

Sunday, 1 February, from 3 – 5.30 pm
at St Joseph’s School
Open to any senior citizen in the Borough
Admission is free, but by ticket only
Please contact Michael in the Parish Office on (020) 8541 4999

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 Church News – February 2009

United Reformed Church, Southern Synod

Wimbledon Area Co-ordination Team

There is an AREA GATHERING

on Saturday, 21 February 2009
12 – 4 pm
at Trinity URC, Mansel Road, Wimbledon

SUBJECT: BIG ISSUES – YOU can make a DIFFERENCE

Speakers: Alwyn Knight - Christian Peacemakers Team,

who regularly visits Palestine
Sonia Christie – Eco Mum who writes in Reform
Paul Jacobs – Co-ordinator of Kingston Street
Pastors

It is hoped that young people will also find the day

interesting
Lunch will be provided followed by a short Act of Worship
Please let Derek Winsor know by the end of January if you can attend

URC’s Ministerial Deployment Consultation

Please note an important meeting on this subject will be held on
Tuesday, 27 January, at 7.30 pm, in Room 3. Martyn Verge explained
the options at the November Church Meeting (see also article in
December Church News). This meeting will be the last chance to
express views before the Southern Synod’s questionnaire has to be
returned by 15 February.
PLEASE COME IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
Derek Winsor

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 Church News – February 2009

ACTIVITY DAYS - 2009

A few years ago we decided that a week-long holiday club might not be
the best way to make contact with children and their families. We
decided to try a different approach - activities in most school holidays so
that we see the children regularly through the year and, therefore, make
stronger links with them.

In 2008 we held a small but successful Activity Day in the Christmas

holidays themed around the Wise Men. We smelt frankincense and
myrrh, told the story between us, and listened to the story of Babushka.
We made crowns and hamma bead stars, as well as playing with the
parachute, trikes and toys, painting and play dough. We had considered
a Christmas Activity Session after an e-mail from a deputy head the
previous year asking if we were doing anything, as there wasn’t much for
children in this particular holiday.

In 2009 our intention is to host activities on the following days:

Monday and Tuesday, 16th & 17th February

Friday, 10th April, Good Friday, from 12 to 2 pm
Friday, 17th April
Friday, 29th May
Plus a day trip for anyone who wants to go, some time May - July
Monday and Tuesday, 27th & 28th July
Monday and Tuesday, 24th & 25th August
Monday and Tuesday, 26th & 27th October
Wednesday, 30th December

We are going to try changing the age-ranges for the morning and
afternoon groups this year so that the younger group is 3-9 year olds or
up to school year 4, and the afternoon session is 9-13 year olds or
school years 5-9. We will be flexible with the older group, however, so if
an older sibling would prefer to stay in the morning group that will be
possible.

If you would like to be involved in the planning or leading of these

activities, then please speak to Emily Young or Steve Wenman.

Emily Young

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 Church News – February 2009

Regular Weekly Activities

Monday:
10.00 Parents & Toddlers (during school terms)

Tuesday:
10.00 Parents & Toddlers (during school terms)

Wednesday:
10.00 Parents & Toddlers (during school terms)
10.45 The Wednesday Forum (first Wednesday monthly except August)
13.10 Lunchtime Service
14.15 Women’s Fellowship (weekly except August)
19.30 Prayer Meeting

Thursday:
19.00 International Discussion Group

Friday:
From 17.30 Girls’ Brigade (during school terms)
From 17.30 Boys’ Brigade (during school terms)
22.00 All night prayers and Street Pastors (until 04.00)

Saturday:
22.00 Street Pastors (until 04.00)
___________________________________________________________________

How to contribute to Church News:

Contributions on matters of reflection and opinion as well as reports of activities are welcome.
Copy for Church News must reach the editor no later than midday on the second
Sunday of the month. Electronic copy is preferred, by e-mail or on diskette. Typed
or hand-written copy should be left in the editor’s pigeon-hole opposite Room 6.
The next copy deadline is 12 noon on Sunday, 8 February 2009
Editor: Vaughan James

Thank you to Mail Boxes Etc.

22 Eden Street, Kingston, KT1 1DN, tel: 020 8547 1547
e-mail: info@mbekingston.co.uk
for printing Church News

www.kingstonurc.org

You can also keep in touch with worship and activities at our church
through our website. Log on and subscribe to regular e-updates

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 Church News – February 2009

Kingston United Reformed Church - Information

A warm invitation is given to all who read this magazine to come and
share in our services and activities
Our Sunday Services: Minister: Rev Lesley M Charlton
Tel: 020 8399 4423
10.00 – Traditional Worship E-mail: minister@kingstonurc.org
(with communion first Sunday monthly)

11.30 – Interactive Worship Associate Minister: Rev Suk In Lee

(with communion on the last Sunday Tel: 020 8949 2070
monthly) E-mail: leesukin@hotmail.com

18.30 – Reflective Worship Church Secretary: Derek Winsor

(with communion on the third Sunday Tel: 020 8549 9967
monthly)

20.00 – Contemporary Worship Church Treasurer: Robin Hoar

(on occasion on first Sunday) Tel: 020 8977 1524

On the second Sunday of each month Church Organist: Tony Wenman

a combined service at 11.00 replaces Tel: 01372 464709
the 10.00 and 11.30 services

Tea and coffee are served between Premises Manager: Michael Brennan
the 10.00 and 11.30 services, before Tel: 020 8549 1888
the 11.00 service on the second E-mail: premises@urckingston.org.uk
Sunday and after the 18.30 service Premises are open from 09.00-17.00

During the 10.00 service there are Private Prayer: The Sanctuary is open
group activities for children of all daily from 11.30 to 13.30
ages. Children go to their group at the .
end of the second hymn. Visiting Coffee and Tea: Our foyer is normally
children are welcome to join them open every weekday and Saturday
from 11.00 until 14.00 for coffee and
tea.

Kingston United Reformed Church A Listening Ear: If you would like to

is a member of the Local talk with someone about a matter of
Ecumenical Project in Kingston concern, you should find someone
Town Centre with its partners, All wearing a badge in the foyer between
Saints Parish Church in the Market 11.00 and 14.00 on every weekday
Place and Kingston Baptist Church and Saturday who will be pleased to
in Union Street help.

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