October Yorsay [Word Version]

Welcome to the October Edition of Yorsay.
Some of the items to note are
Page1-3 A Chair’s Challenge
Page 3 View of Synod/
Page4 Synod Newsletter ?
Page4/5 50th Anniversary
Page 6 Church Schools
Page7 Epworth Rectory/York Luncheon Club
Page8 Singing the Faith
Page 9Congratulations / MWiB
Page10 Roll on Christmas
Page 11 Beverley Appointments/Singing the Faith/Tell Show Be
Page12 Fair Trade Progress


September Synod reports and presentations are available on the District Web site http://www.yorkhullmethodist.org.uk/index.php?cid=70&pid=23




OCTOBER 2011 Mark 10 13-16
A CHAIR’S CHALLENGE – Sermon at Holy Communion John 6:1-14 I want to offer to you a challenge for 2012 – the calendar year from January to December. I have been extraordinarily restrained so far this connexional year – all nine and a bit days of it thus far. At none of the eleven Welcome Services which have already been held have I mentioned sailing – nor do I intend to do so tomorrow at the final two such occasions, although they are in Whitby and Scarborough where the temptation will be enormous. That is a wonder which is hard to comprehend, and it is somewhat mitigated by my Foreword in the District Directory. Avid bedtime readers of that worthy tome will have learnt a little of how I used part of my holiday allowance this year Sailing with young people is an intriguing experience – and actually an immense responsibility, to be honest. I spend much of my time worrying that somebody will get hit on the head (it happened this year) or someone will fall overboard or something like that. It isn’t really about teaching young people how to sail (although we hope they learn a little bit about it), but it is about learning to live together, to be disciplined; doing the cooking and the washing up, and doing the cleaning – including the toilets, going to bed when you are told to, getting up when you are told to, being cold, yes and being seasick, (and I’ve forgiven the Watch Officer who came charging through my cabin from their cabin in the aft end of the boat and was was sick as she came through my cabin, and carried up on deck to carry on with what she felt called to do); and doing all of that never more than 20 metres away from the other 22 people on board, unless you happen to be in harbour. It’s about life. And the variety of backgrounds that we have on our Sail Training Voyages are the background to my challenge. There may be someone who is from the Combined Cadet Force in their independent school and someone whose probation officer who felt they should experience something which we have to offer. Within that spectrum – which is probably present in many of us in one sense – we learn to live together; to put up with each other; to take the rough with the smooth, literally and metaphorically. One or two little stories: Amy, a wonderfully feisty young 17 year old was very tired at lunchtime one day. We had been sailing overnight and had plenty more distance to go. She was basically exhausted. She wasn’t on watch – we were running a three watch system and she was off watch. I said “Look, you’re off watch, have a nap after lunch, there’s nothing else for you to do. Finish your lunch and have a nap.” As she got into her bunk, she said “I feel just like an old age pensioner.” And then Elena, a bright young woman, 19 years old: she was filling in the ship’s log one night – it’s a legal document, of course, which has to have a record every hour, of our position, course steered, distance run, anything which has happened, barometric pressure, wind force and direction, and visibility. I looked at the log at the end of the watch – I had got up to oversee the change of watch – and I looked at the log to see in the visibility column the word: dark. The background to it was that it was meant to be good, moderate, poor or fog; but she had called up to the cockpit from the navigation area to ask “What’s the visibility?” and someone had answered “Well, it’s dark.” And then on an earlier sail training voyage there was Gareth, a young lad from South Wales. As he came on board, I thought he was handicapped in some way. He was actually terrified, but he gradually got his confidence. We anchored the first night just off the Isle of Wight, and set sail for Cherbourg the following morning – about a twelve hour trip. About half an hour into the voyage, Gareth came up to me and said “Skipper, I never knew the 1 (Mark 10:13-14) sea was so large.” He had grown up where you could see Weston-super-Mare from where he lived across the Bristol Channel. At the end of the trip, he was one of those who said “I never ever want to do this again, but thank you for the experience.” Some of you will feel like that about Synod, I am sure. This year’s trip was a voyage from Greenock on the Clyde, up through the Western Isles to Orkney and then to Shetland. There are some wonderful stories and those of you who are members of Heworth Wesley Guild, or Sinnington People’s Guild, or Derringham Bank Men’s Fellowship will hear about it. It was while we were in Shetland that we heard the news about the dreadful happenings in Oslo and on Utøya Island. I was sitting at the Captains’ Dinner with some Norwegian friends from two of the Norwegian vessels as the news broke. The news was muddled, but by the end of the race across to Stavanger, the appalling news had come out in its entirety. The Shetland people and the Norwegians have an enormous amount in common, and also the feeling within the whole fleet, including about 1500 young people of the same age as those young people camping on the island, meant that we felt it all very much. We did go ahead with the celebrations in Stavanger, but the opening ceremony was very poignant. They wanted two young people from every nationality represented by boats in the fleet to participate, and I was proud that two of my crew were invited – one to carry the Union Flag, and one to carry a rose which was placed on a floral tribute to those young people of the same age, who had suffered to terribly. My crew was all girls this year – and one of the Watch Officers happened to be our niece who has sailed with the Rona Sailing Project for some time now. The girls learnt a lot, for example how to cope with young Russian sailors who had been away at sea for quite a long time. I thought the Cold War had started again, but it was certainly hotting up at times. It was our wedding anniversary while I was away sailing – it has always bewildered why Barbara agreed to marry me on a date during the sailing season, but we have had one or two wedding anniversaries together. I had a card ready for her, to be sent from Shetland. I invited all the crew to sign it. It was the first time she had received an anniversary card signed by eighteen young girls. One of them said to me “This might be the last card you need to send to your wife.” All of us who have had contact with children or young people will have had even more amusing or moving stories – times when you have been extremely frustrated or just uncomprehending of their antics. It’s easy to forget that it wasn’t all that many years ago that we were their age. There have probably been times when we have been moved to tears, and times when we’ve even been educated by them. I suspect that during twenty years of school chaplaincy early in my ministry I learnt more than many of my pupils. Early teaching years for me were at Hitchin Boys School. “It was hard to keep the School in good order. Competition from other schools didn’t help. The School maintained strong numbers, but discipline had decayed, with many boys "discharged" for "playing truant and not attending. There was more mention of the playing of the students, of games of football and cricket in nearby Paynes Park than of work, and frequent visits by the School carpenter often came about because of the demolition of fences and windows by these games.” That was an account of events at Hitchin Boys School, or rather Hitchin Grammar School as it then was, in the year 1777; and writers from ancient Greece, complaining about the young, tell much the same story. So, let’s not ever get things out of perspective. But I am perplexed by what has happened this summer on the streets of some of our cities. It’s still too early for a final analysis of the reasons behind those disorders, but stresses in families; lack of aspiration among many young people; the job market, or lack of it; increasing inequality in our society; a get-rich-quick mentality at the expense of others, which pervades all ages it seems to me, and those who should know better; gang culture; we could go on… none of things can have helped. And people get caught up in mindless acts which they would never have done if they had been by themselves. There are some poignant stories. Such as the eleven year old boy who has been given an 18 month youth rehabilitation order for stealing a bin from a shop during the recent riots in London. He committed the offence just five days after being given a referral order for arson and criminal damage on a bus. The youngster took the waste bin, which was worth £50, from Debenhams in Romford on 8th August. Eleven years old… People were bringing little children to Jesus in order that he might touch them, but the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I want to invite as many of you who feel you can to join with me during 2012 – a few months’ time - to commit to one, I think, crucial area of Our Calling and indeed of the Priorities for the Methodist Church. “Being a good neighbour to people in need” (and even helping people to learn and grow) and “supporting community development … especially among the most deprived and poor”. The needs of God’s World are, of course, immense. Sometimes we justifiably find it difficult to know where to start – and many of you already have your own deep commitment to world issues, at home or abroad. But, in addition to whatever else you are called to do, will you join me, and others with whom I have shared this vision, in endeavouring to build up a society here in our own communities, where children and young people are encouraged, valued, loved, given good – and challenging, sometimes - things to do, educated in what is right, listened to, helped to be full and caring members of the society which they share with us and which we share with them – and even to give a glimpse to people of why we do what we do as Methodist Christians in God’s Church. 2 (John 6: 9- John Wesley’s challenge was to “go not only to those who need you but to those who need you most”. So, what can we do then? It will vary. For some of us it may be prayer and support of others who are more active or who are in a position to give of their time (to Brigades, Guides and Scouts, teachers in church settings or schools, youth clubs, after-school activities, holiday clubs, Youth Participation Strategy, Youth Assembly - need I go on?). We could make an enormous list of ways that we could try to make that difference that God calls us to make. So will you look at your church and circuit life and see where the needs are? Look at what is already being done, and build it up and support it, whether it is within our Methodist part of God’s Church or by ecumenical partners – or secular agencies. And let’s join in and help. Will you also seek to discern what is missing, and ask yourself prayerfully whether God has a part for you to play there? What are the good stories? I hope after lunch we’ll hear some of them. I saw one of them at a Welcome Service in Thirsk, and I’d like us all to hear about what’s happening there, round the back of St James Green Methodist Church in Thirsk. And what could we do better, that we already do at the moment? Action for Children have a stall here at Synod, of course, as the child care agency of the Methodist Church. What about our support of the work they undertake – it may be the most that some of us can do is to dig a little bit deeper into our pockets and help their work with some of the most troubled and deprived and challenged of God’s children I don’t want us to drop everything else – nor to be unrealistic, but together we can make a difference (sometimes a small difference, but sometimes we may be surprised). There’s a lot going on in 2012, and who knows what else God has in store for us. But let’s not think that anything is too big for us to commit too, or that our resources are too meagre. There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people? 11) But Jesus just got on with it, and used that meagre, pathetic, offering in the world’s terms, to feed a multitude. Will you join with me and others to bring what we have for God to make a difference? Amen

[Stephen has received several requests for his sermon at Synod so we print it here instead of his normal letter—an audio version is available on the Synod Pages of the District Web site.]


Synod September 2011 “So will you write your impressions of Synod now you have returned from 5 years ‘in a stranger land’ over the Pennines?” or words to that effect asked Heathers’ persuasive voice down the phone line. I must learn! Heather (synod secretary) knows how to catch a person unawares – be on your toes! So where do I start? I admit to having mixed feelings about ‘business’ meetings of the Church – as I know many people do. We are a diverse group of people weaving a tapestry of experiences and faith journeys together as we seek to learn God’s will for this time and how to live it out effectively where we are. Formal meetings, such as Synod are not always in our experience, so we lack confidence. For some representatives there is a great sense of responsibility and involvement in shaping the policies, issues and decisions of the Methodist Church so the reports from District and Conference informed and encouraged the understanding of being part of ‘something’ bigger than York and Hull. Others were challenged and inspired by the various stories of different projects, both small and large, that ‘people like us’ were engaged in their local churches and communities. Still more enjoyed the opportunities to learn something more of the activities or changes within other organisations – the renewing mission of Methodist Women in Britain; the needs of Epworth Old Rectory; the Sierra Leone Partner Tour enabled by Christian Aid; the Lifeline charity requiring pen friends and prayer for those on Death Row. There may be a ‘something for everyone’ feel about Synod but 3 things bring us together as one – the times of worship, particularly in Holy Communion; the “Invitation to Still Deeper Discipleship” that is for all (see the leaflet that should be available in your church); and the times of fellowship over coffee and lunch. It was wonderful to meet up again with so many people throughout the District who ‘welcomed’ us back to ‘God’s own County’! There were times I admit that, in part because of the warm atmosphere, in part because of my hearing impairment and the tiredness it can bring with intense sessions – my mind wandered to ‘tea is still in the freezer so it’s fish and chips for the third time this week’. And leading from that admission, there were agenda items I would have appreciated the information being given in paper form before Synod with just an opportunity for any questions arising from it …but in everything, there are always lessons to be learned within each Synod, in each District. So my impressions of York and Hull District Synod? It is still a place where, dedicated, committed Christians offer their gifts and time to further the Kingdom of God, even when it seems against their ‘natural inclinations’; where love and faith find a road to follow and a service to be offered; where people can discuss and disagree but remain united in their love and mission. Is there anything I miss about the ‘other District’ I was asked?…well, there is one thing…..Synod ended by 1 pm! Good thing? Bad thing? You decided! I am not getting into another ‘War of the Roses’! Rev Denise Free 3

Where’s the Synod Newsletter?
When I became Synod Secretary 5 years ago I continued the practice of writing an easily reproducible Newsletter containing some of the salient points of Synod business begun by my predecessor. Now, 5 years on and with many more people able to access the website and read the full minutes, I am wondering if the Newsletter is still a valuable tool for churches and circuits or if the pressure to reproduce and use it is counter-productive to our ‘Green’ objectives. Would it be more appropriate for each Church to put one copy of the minutes on its notice board? To test this out I will not be producing a Newsletter for this Synod and future producti on will be discussed by the District Communications Group but please let me know if you feel you have lost something of value. I would also appreciate any comments you have about its format if you do feel it is valuable. With best wishes Heather Shipman Synod Secretary E mail your comments to either Heather heather.shipman@lineone.net

HIH GOLDEN JUBILEE LUNCH
Hull International House celebrated its Golden Jubilee with a Lunch at Princes Avenue Methodist Church, Hull with 45 invited guests including past officers, chaplains, Friends of the House, committee and Wardens of the House. Here Chair of District Revd Stephen Burgess is enjoying lunch with former President Revd David Gamble, the preacher at the Celebration service, The superintendent of Hull West Circuit, Revd Dr David Perry and Revd Randall Barlow, current chaplain shared in the service. Submitted by Stephen Rippon, Secretary HIH. www.hullih.org.uk 4 An CUTTING THE CAKE at Hull International House Golden Jubilee Lunch on 17 September 2011 Janet Woolley (volunteer supporter) Loretta Lynch (Warden) Effie Glauch (former Warden)

5 Church schools get chance to shine in second annual national awards Awards extended to cover whole of the UK Church schools across the whole country are being invited to showcase how they help foster strong community relations with the launch of the second annual Church School Awards. Schools will be asked to describe what nurturing global citizenship and fostering community cohesion means to their school, and how these are embedded in school life. Regional prizes will be awarded at primary and secondary level, with overall national winners for both drawn from regional winners. The Awards will be presented at a special ceremony in London next March, demonstrating how Christian schools lead the way in building communities locally, nationally and internationally. Recently published research on Ofsted data showed that secondary schools with a religious foundation contribute ‘significantly and substantially’ more to the promotion of community cohesion and the provision of equality of opportunity for students than other types of school. Education Minister Lord Hill, who presented the first ever awards at the 2011 Gala, said: “Church schools make an important contribution to education in this country – not only in achieving good exam results, but also in nurturing young people to become real ambassadors for the ethos of their schools. Thanks to the Church School Awards, we are able to celebrate this and see the links they have established in volunteering in local communities, fundraising for countries hit by disaster and building relationships with pupils around the world.” Schools from all over the UK, including, for the first time, Scotland and Northern Ireland, are encouraged to apply by the deadline of 4 November 2011 for a chance to win some great prizes and to tell other schools about their experiences. More information about the 2011 winners and how to apply for the 2012 awards can be found at www.churchschoolawards.com. The Methodist Church | Unsubscribe | Forward to a friend | Change your details Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5JR 020 7486 5501 (Help Desk) www.methodist.org.uk Registered charity no. 1132208

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New Attraction At Old Rectory A new attraction has been added to the highly popular North Lincolnshire tourist attraction - the Old Rectory in Epworth. It is an authentically reproduced costume of a style that was worn by women in the early 18th century, when the Old Rectory was the home of the Wesley family. The dress is of a style likely to have been worn by their mother Susanna, who had no less than 19 children, and was hand-stitched by Cheryl Crick, who was a volunteer at the Old Rectory as well as its gardener. “I got the pattern from a book called ‘The Cut of Women’s Clothing 1600 to 1900’, explained Cheryl.”It’s mainly wool with cotton lace and it took me about a month to make,” she added. The dress itself is worn over a hooped petticoat and incorporates lace at the neck and sleeves – the neck frill being called at the time a ‘tucker’ and those at the sleeves were referred to as ‘ruffles’ or ‘engagements’. Cheryl, who used to live in Epworth’s Rookery Croft but has now moved to Beacon Park in Pickering, North Yorkshire, has her dress on display in what is called the Period Room at the Old Rectory. Guide Pam Taylor with the early 18th century costume now on display at Epworth’s Old Rectory. YORK LUNCHEON CLUB THE York and District Methodist Women's Luncheon Club are looking for former members to attend their 50th anniversary celebrations. The event will take place on Monday October 3 at the Elm Bank Hotel in York. It will include the inauguration of the new president, lunch and a talk by former President of the Conference the Rev David Gamble. Contact Mrs Judith Newstone for further details by telephone (01759 306195) or post to her at, 32 Harper Close, Broadmanor, Pockington, York Y042 2GW.
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8 Congratulations We send our best wishes and congratulations from the district to Siân Henderson our District Administration officer and David Stalker on their engagement in June. [ Sorry it is a bit late]

YORK AND HULL DISTRICT METHODIST WOMEN IN BRITAIN DISTRICT PRESIDENT’S PROJECT DAY AT DRIFFIELD METHODIST CHURCH ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18TH, 2011. Coffee from 10a.m. for 10.30a.m. start. Finish at around 3p.m.Please bring packed lunch. Come and hear about Jean’s projects for 2011/13

Toll Gavel United Church, Beverley An evening with Doug Stewart, resident gardening expert On BBC Radio Humberside's Great Outdoors Oct 27th 7.30pm at Toll Gavel Tickets £6 from Jennifer Miles 01482 868458
QUIET DAY/DAY APART AT BISHOP BURTON CHAPEL SATURDAY, 29 OCTOBER We have had two very different days recently at Bishop Burton that were appreciated by all who attended and we would like to invite you to come along to another day that is being arranged for 29 October. As we each seek to develop our own prayer life we shall spend the day exploring creative prayer in different forms. God is the 'God of Surprises', always encouraging us to know more. Come along and see what gift of surprise you may receive. Coffee/tea will be served at 9.30 am - session beginning at 10 am finishing at 3.00 pm with afternoon tea. Depart 3.30 pm. Please bring a packed lunch. Enquiries to Revd Ruth Crompton 01482 882325 ruth.crompton@methodist.org.uk
Saturday 19 November 7.30pm PAUL LIDDELL (plus support) At Toll Gavel United Church, Beverley Ticket £7.50 Further information: TollGavelChurch@gmail.com Proceeds to Beverley Community Lift & MRDF See more about Paul Liddell on www.paulliddell.com [More details next month]

9 ROLL ON CHRISTMAS! NATIVITY PLAY ON FACEBOOK SET FOR NOVEMBER RELEASE ROLL ON CHRISTMAS is the First Coming as never seen before – an online, interactive nativity play on Facebook set for release in November. The scene will be instantly familiar – a smelly stable in Roman- occupied Bethlehem. But the action will be as much Marx Brothers as Mary and Joseph, Mission Impossible as Matthew's Gospel. Devised by iconoclastic webzine Ship of Fools and Bible Society, with more than a little help from Jerusalem Productions, Roll on Christmas is a two-minute farce about the incarnation getting lost in the madness of Christmas 2011. The stars of this chaotic animation are your Facebook friends – their faces cut out and stuck on toilet rolls depicting the usual Bethlehem suspects. "Anyone on Facebook will be able to cast the play," explained Ship of Fools editor Simon Jenkins, who wrote the script with co-editor Steve Goddard. "Which pal will you choose to play your mystical Virgin Mary or shopaholic wise man? Whose lusty lungs will make up your cacophonic choir of angels? Which of your friends would best fit love-to-hate, anti-hero King “Horrid” Herod and that door-slamming innkeeper (who finally gets his comeuppance)? You decide." Aimed at anyone over 18 years of age, Roll on Christmas caricatures the way we behave over the festive period: shopping, drinking, eating, partying, celebrating to excess - for what? “Our cunning and playful plan is that Roll on Christmas will entertain Facebookers but also send them away considering an important truth beneath the laughter," said Jenkins. A recent survey confirms that using the Internet has become a traditional part of the festive period in many households. Almost nine out of 10 UK adults logged onto the internet over Christmas Day and Boxing Day in 2010 - an increase of more than 10 per cent on 2009, claim eDigital Research. For the first time ever, Facebook received more UK visits than Google UK on Christmas Day 2010, according to Hitwise. "Roll on Christmas is not a simple re-telling of the original story," said Bible Society's Rachel Rounds. "Instead, it is a fresh encounter with that amazing event 2000 years ago in a new medium and in the light of contemporary culture. By casting our friends in the play, the focus is on our response to the nativity." For those of any faith or none, Roll on Christmas will be free to pass on to Facebook friends, who can then cast their own friends in the same play. And so on. And so on. Ship of Fools and Bible Society are working with BAFTA-winning animators. Based in Bath, Complete Control have designed online, interactive children's entertainment and educational projects for a host of organisations including the BBC, The World of Beatrix Potter, CAFOD and Dr Who. "Roll on Christmas is a really exciting project," said Complete Control's Glynn Hayward. "We are relishing the chance to flex our creative muscles and create something funny enough to encourage people to share the end product, balancing this with an important mess age." Part pantomime and part parable for our times, Roll on Christmas will roll out from November until the end of December. •Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RollOnChristmas

10 METHODIST CIRCUIT WELCOMES GAP YEAR WORKERS The Beverley Methodist Circuit, with churches in Toll Gavel, Norwood, Walkington, Tickton and Bishop Burton, is pleased to be hosting two gap year workers starting in September. We are delighted to be able to welcome, Charlene, a young lady from Germany who will be supplementing our youth work team unt il the end of July 2011, working with our existing youth work activities but also looking at what else we are able to offer young pe ople in the Beverley area. We hope that Charlene will also be able to supplement the work that we are involved in, and that has shown po sitive results, at Longcroft school. This gap year placement has been organised and facilitated through ‘Time For God’. The Methodist Circuit is also pleased to be able to host a part time gap year worker as part of the Methodist Church’s ‘One Participation Programme’, a scheme set up ‘to give young people the opportunity to work for a year in their local churches and districts in creative projects that help to show Jesus to others.’ We are pleased that Ashley will be joining us to develop a programme looking at how people share their faith in the work place. He will also look at how we share this information with young people who are either already in the work place or will soon be employed, helping them to share their faith and letting them know that they are not the only Christians out there in the working world. Both workers will be based alongside our full time youth worker Peter Barley, who has recently completed his initial three year contract and has accepted a three year extension. The youth worker team is based out of our office at the Toll Gavel United Centre. For more information on our gap year workers or on our youth work, please visit http://www.bmcy.org.yk or email peter@bmcy.org.uk

It's arrived! Singing the Faith is here – and it's simply stunning! The music edition of Singing the Faith was delivered to the warehouse yesterday and the two printed words editions (standard and large print) will arrive hot on its heels next week. Hymns Ancient & Modern will be despatching orders from their warehouse in Norwich from now on. For those who haven’t already ordered copies, the pre-publication discounts remain available until 31 December 2011. And don’t forget to watch out for www.singingthefaithplus.org.uk (which launches in the first week of October) and the electronic words edition which is also on its way. Phew! Find out more here. [From a weekly update sent by the National Communications Office]

http://www.tellshowbe.com/# - The focal point of the project is the "Tell Show Be" video that at-tempts to dispel the myths about evangelism and challenge people to think about daily opportunities to share their faith. Using music, voice, words and graphics produced by Christian charity Kore UK, the two- minute video breaks down the concept of evangelism into telling peo-ple of faith, showing faith and "being" faith. The video was the brainchild of evangelism in contemporary culture officer the Rev Joanne Cox, who collaborated with the Rev Mark Sten-nett and the Rev Dr Peter Phillips to develop the idea. Ms Cox initiated "Tell Show Be" to make the message of evangelism understandable by all. Having worked in the past with children with special needs and people who were illiterate or had English as a sec-ond language, she realised the importance of making the video as ac-cessible as possible. As a result, the newly-launched video avoids Christian jargon to communicate its message. Ms Cox said: "I am really excited about the opportunities we all have, every day, to share our faith - yet so often we lose our confidence and think that we need a formula or script in order to share with peo-ple the good news of Jesus." The website has been designed for personal use and for churches and study groups of all denominations. One of the first churches to use the video will be a New Frontiers church in Loughborough where there is a large student population. Church co-ordinator at the Well church believes that "Tell Show Be" could help people to rethink their approach to evangelism and remind people that they do not need to be "special" to evangelise. The "Tell Show Be" project will be publicised through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook and will be propagated by viewers choosing to share the video with friends.


114 FT churches out of 266 Target total 133 On 16th April 2005 York and Hull District Synod made a commitment to work towards these five goals needed to become a Fairtrade District. To_support_and_promote_Fairtrade,_further_encourage_the_use_and_sale_of_Fairtrade_products_and_to_serve_ only_Fairtrade_cofee_and_tea_at_meeings_it_is_responsible_for._ Ensure that one half of the churches in your denominaional area have become a ‘Fairtrade Church’. Encourage_other_local_churches,_parishes,_circuits_etc._to_adopt_a_Fairtrade_policy. __s_far_as_possible,_ display_literature_adverising_the_fact_that_Fairtrade_products_are_used_and_served_there. _tract_media_coverage_and_coninue_raising_awareness_of_the_F_IRTR_DE_Mark. _If_possible,_make_ reference_to_denominaional_area’s_Fairtrade_status_on_the_relevant_website._ Set_up_a_Fairtrade_steering_group_to_take_responsibility_for_monitoring_that_these_goals_coninue_to_be_ met_and_developed_over_ime._ We are making slow but steady progress to achieving the 2nd goal as shown below Spring Synod 2006 September Synod 2010 85 FT churches out of 253 Target total 127 May Synod 2011 108 FT churches out of 248 Target total 124 September Synod 2011 111 FT churches out of 242 Target total 121 We need another 10 Fairtrade Churches to reach our required target but we aim for 100%. 3 circuits (all with 9 or more churches) have achieved 100% so we know it is possible. Please let me know of any churches which have recently gained a Fairtrade certificate. If your church doesn’t have one, please raise the issue of Fairtrade at your Church Councils, this remains one of the most effective ways injustice and poverty in the developing world can be challenged in our every day lives. For more information on Fairtrade and how to become a Fairtrade Church contact me or see www.fairtrade.org.uk/get_involved/campaigns/ fairtrade_places_of_worship/fairtrade_churches/ Thanks for your help with this Diane J Robinson (District Fairtrade Representative) My contact details are:- É 01723 363002 e-mail dianeil@phonecoop.coop
12 13 14 15 c/o Speaking Volumes PO Box 1020 Whittlesford 01223 832671 info@christianbookawards.org Press release New category for the Ultimate Christian Library Book Award 2012 Nominations are currently being sought for two categories in the ‘2012 Ultimate Christian Library book award’. They are Adult and Children’s. The award has been divided in order to encourage writers of Children’s books as well as adult. ‘Children’s book borrowing at public libraries has increased over the last six years and almost 80% of 5-10 year olds now use the service.* So it’s clear we should celebrate good Christian Children’s books too and encourage their writers’, remarked Paula Renouf, Director of Speaking Volumes. Winners of both categories will receive £1,000 cash prize. A shortlist of 5 books in each category will be selected by a panel of experts including librarians, booksellers and educators. Public voting will commence in January 2012 and the winners will be announced at National CRE, Sandown Racecourse on 9th May 2012. Nominations can be made during September by anyone for any book that captures the interest of the wider public and encourages them to look further onto the Christian faith. Books must be published in the UK between September 2010 and September 2011. Entry forms are available from www.christianbookawards.org. *Source:MLA (Museums, Libraries & Archives) For further details contact: Paula Renouf, Director of Speaking Volumes 01223 832671 Bearing Witness - Saturday 1st October, Manchester Join Christian Aid, CAFOD and Tearfund ahead of the Conservative party conference in Manchester to act and pray from climate justice. 12 - 7.30pm with workshops, a service and a procession and vigil outside the party conference venue. Be a climate witness and speak out for strong government action, challenging injustice and being a voice for the voiceless. For more information and to register visit: www.christianaid.org.uk/bearingwitness or contact us on 0207 523 2264 or info@christian-aid.org Alex Jones Regional Coordinator, Yorkshire Region  Christian Aid, Oxford Chambers, Oxford Place, Leeds, LS1 3AX  0113 244 4764 skype: caid-ajones 16 Methodist Heritage Coach Tours We are excited to introduce two new holidays for 2012, in conjunction with Methodist Heritage. These coach tours will explore the history of Methodism, taking in key sites along the way. Southwest England 14th - 21st July 2012. £515 per person. Based at Treloyhan Manor Hotel, this week includes two full-day and one half-day coach tours, plus a walking tour of St Ives. There will be stops at many of the towns and churches John Wesley preached in during the 1740s, as well as a visit to one of his favourite preaching places - Gwennap Pit, now part of the Cornwall and West Devon World Heritage Site. Interspersed throughout the itinerary will be plentiful opportunities to explore the beautiful area around St Ives at your own leisure. A PDF including the full itinerary for this trip can be downloaded from our website. To book on this holiday contact Derwent House on 01629 580550. Central & Northern England 2nd - 9th September 2012. £550 per person. This 2-centre tour includes 4 nights at Willersley Castle Hotel in Derbyshire, followed by 3 nights at Raven Hall Hotel in North Yorkshire. During this holiday there will be excursions to Oxford, where Methodism began; a half- day Derbyshire tour; an exploration of 19th century Christianity and the origins of Primitive Methodism; a stop at John and Charles Wesley's birthplace at Epworth; and visits to the two oldest Methodist Chapels in continuous Methodist use, dating from the 1750s. A PDF including the full itinerary for this trip can also be downloaded from our website. To book, contact Derwent House on 01629 580550. There are also a number of other Further Afield holidays planned for the coming months, including Belgium for the Floriade Festival and the Isles of Scilly. Details of all these will be available on the website at www.christianguild.co.uk as they are finalised. 17 November Friday 11th 7:30pm ADMISSION £10 inc refreshments The Return of Mart Rodger Manchester Jazz Wetherby Methodist Church Hall Proceeds for the Reaching Out Development Fund For Tickets Phone: 01937 573167 18 19 Hull Yorsay is sent on behalf of the York & Hull Methodist District by the Communications Office Bob Lawe 27 Ryde Avenue Hull Hu5 1QA yhcommunications@msn.com Please note that some of you may receive this and other mailings from a Karoo e mail address – Please do not reply or use this address as it is for mail delivery only The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the offi- cial views of the Methodist Church or of the York & Hull Methodist District and no inferred support for any of the items or organisations should be taken as granted. Yorsay Newsletter © 2011 York & Hull Methodist District – All rights reserved. Publication deadline for next month Yorsay is 20th of the Month 20