Weekend at Lindors

On the weekend of 7^th-9^th December 2007, 39 people from Hall Lane travelled down the M5 to Ross on Wye for a family weekend away together at Lindors, a Christian Guild Hotel.

At times, the sight of everyone sitting in a wooden-panelled room around a log fire, may have seemed like a scene out of a sleepy book with people either chatting or reading a book or just soaking in the peace and tranquillity of the moment.  But quietly stirring inside those that had put their names down for the table tennis tournament was the competitiveness that, for some, hadn’t  been seen for many years.  Once the games had begun, the skills gained many years before, were quickly polished up and matches were played throughout the weekend.  Deacons, local preachers, ex-ministers and ordinary folk all played nicely together until the quarter finals when the winning a bar of chocolate became a possibility.  Danger money was paid to spectators as they braved watching each game as balls started to fly about at high speed.  The final was eventually played between Lesley and Allison with Allison just coming through as winner in a close match watched by most of those that had taken part.  I think the table tennis table at church may be dusted down very soon! 

Alan, Margaret, Robert and Natalie won the Friday night quiz with their specialist subject of musicals winning them vital points. Other rounds included general knowledge, Christmas music, famous faces, anagrams of names of Hall Lane people and the Bible.   

Prayers throughout the weekend were led by Derek, John and Natalie as we prayed for those that were unable to be us on our family weekend. 

Jack won the duck race on Saturday morning as we all stood around in the rain waiting for our bright yellow ducks to come racing down the stream.  Some people braved the rain and went for a walk afterwards around the beautiful grounds of Lindors.  Others decided that morning coffee was a better idea. 

After lunch we travelled a short distance to Dean Valley preserved railway for a Santa Special.  Kim, Abigail and Jack all received a gift from Santa and the rest of us received mince pies and a drink from Santa’s little elves! 

Good old fashioned Methodist entertainment took place Saturday evening with Malcolm keeping us entertained with silly games and we also watched a sketch written by Mark starring Bill and Ben and Weed giving everyone a good laugh.  The finale was watching Eddie and Malcolm dressed up as old ladies moaning about the ‘price of peas’ which was very brave (or silly) as we’re not going to let them forget about it in a hurry – especially with photographic evidence!

Sunday morning arrived very quickly and we all drove to nearby Bream to a Methodist Church for morning worship.  We all made our own Christingle and enjoyed a lovely service led by Rev Bull. 

The weekend was punctuated with food, food and yet more food.  No more than a couple of hours passed before we sat down for yet another meal.  We all moved around at each mealtime so that we shared time with different people throughout the weekend. 

Fun and fellowship was enjoyed by all and left us all feeling refreshed and ready for Christmas!
 

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Alternative Gift Market

The Ashby and Coalville Methodist Circuit’s first Alternative Market took place at Hall Lane Methodist Church on Saturday 10^th November 2007.  

Over one hundred people came to buy gifts for needy people around the world, making a difference to hundreds of families.   Instead of struggling to buy a gift for a friend or loved one at Christmas – or instead of giving chocolates or socks - gifts will now be sent to people who need basic items that we often take for granted.  Medicines, cooking pots and baby blankets, amongst other items, will now be sent to those in need in the name of friends and family. 

The biggest selling gifts were crayons that will now be distributed by NCH, hotly followed by fruit trees and chickens to be distributed by MRDF and Leprosy Mission respectively.  These agencies will ensure that the gifts will be received by those in greatest need to make the biggest difference.    

Over £4,000 was taken on the day of the market and it is hoped that almost £1,000 will be claimed back through the gift aid system to make a final total of over £5,000.   

In addition, ‘bricks’ were sold to buy a low cost home for a family susceptible to diseases like leprosy. A safe, dry house can mean the difference between life and death and raises the status of people stigmatised by leprosy.

Profits from the refreshments served throughout the day and also the proceeds from a Wesley Evening, that took place the same evening as the market, will go towards the low cost home. 

Thank you to everyone who came along and bought gifts from the market and to everyone who helped organize the event. 

If you didn’t have time to come along to the event but would still like to purchase gifts, give Sister Barbara Crockett a call for a copy of the catalogue – Coalville 832411.  Our deadline is 15^th November. 

The Belvoirdale Community Primary School in Coalville will be buying goats on a special day at school on 29th November to add to the final total.  The school has been taking an active interest in the project over the past few weeks and will be learning more about people around the world who have few possessions.

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Hall Lane Methodist Church 40th Chapel Anniversary

The ruby anniversary of Hall Lane was celebrated during the weekend of 20^th / 21^st October 2007.  A concert and buffet took place on the Saturday evening when all our past ministers and their families were invited along to join with us in our celebrations. 

The entertainment was ‘home made’ and included sketches, monologues and singing.  In the music charts in 1967, the year the church was built, a song called Lily the Pink was number one, so a ‘choir’ was formed for the evening to perform the said song.  There was more laughing than singing – and that was by the audience – but the Hall Lane rendition was appreciated by all who attended the concert. 

A buffet completed the evening together with lots of reminiscing and chatting.   

Books produced specially for the weekend were sold with proceeds being donated to charity.  The books contained prayers, readings and memories of the past 40 years, contributed by friends and members of Hall Lane.  If you didn’t get your copy at the weekend, copies can still be purchased from Mark Bennett at £3.50. 

The following day, Rev Wesley Blakey Chairman of the Nottingham and Derby Methodist District, led our morning worship which included holy communion.  Local dignitories, David Taylor MP for North West Leicesteshire and also Councillor Ted Purver, Chairman of North West Leicestershire District Council and his wife attended the occasion to help celebrate our weekend. 

Our evening service was led by our worship leaders and included pieces from the commemorative book read by their authors.   

The weekend was a wonderful event looking at our past, our present and looking forward to our future together in the work of our Lord. 

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Harvest Festival
 
 

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Coffee Morning

The proceeds from a coffee morning held at Hall Lane on Saturday 29^th September of £201 will be donated to the charity Leukaemia Research.  A Fair Trade stall, bring and buy and, of course, coffee and home baked cakes were very popular with all those that attended the event.  Thanks to everyone who came along. 

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Special Service at Hall Lane


 

To start the celebrations for Hall Lane’s 40^th Anniversary we held a special service on Sunday 5^th August where people who have been involved with the church over the years were asked to share their memories.

Dorothy Wintrip started off the reminisces with a history of how a group of people were gathered together in the 1960s at St Davids and planned to start a new church.  This was followed by Joan and Maurice Fennell speaking about joining Hall Lane in the 70s and how they got involved with the Youth Fellowship, amongst other activities.  Eddie Henderson talked about how their family originally didn’t intend to move to either Thringstone or Hall Lane but due to many changes in their plans ended up here in our fellowship.  This was followed by a group of ex Youth Fellowship members talking about activities that they’d got involved with including the Sunday School, MAYC Weekend and various other weekends away around the country.  

The service included more new songs which had been practiced previously, new musical instruments and a puppet show with ‘Rachel’ and ‘Josh’ singing to S Club 7’s Reach Up to God.  It was an enjoyable service with many different elements – something for everyone to enjoy. 

The service was followed by a barbeque held outside the Richardson Room in the beautiful sunshine. 

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Fundraising for Kitchen Fund


 

Summer arrived just in time for a barbeque at Val and Mel Hutchinson’s house in August.  We were all able to spend the evening sitting out on the patio while Mel cooked us a feast of different meats to go with salad and rice.

Sweets of gooseberry fool and trifle were served for afters which left everyone well fed.  Together with a raffle, £180 was raised towards the costs of the new kitchen.  

Thanks to everyone who came along. 

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SUMMER FAIR 2007


 

We may have had a rainy day but our spirits weren’t dampened by the weather on Saturday 30^th June.  We’d had lots of rain the previous few days so by the time Saturday came we had all realised that we were going to have a wet day.   But we didn’t let it spoil our fun!  

Charnwood Concert Band played in one of the marquees which gave the event some atmosphere and we put some stalls and the barbeque in two others.  Everything else went inside the church to keep dry.   

We sold plants, hats, glassware and crockery, crafts, Fairtrade products and home baked bread and cakes.  Children had games to play and activities to take part in and take home.  We had burgers and hot dogs, strawberries and cream and lots of other goodies to eat. 

Unfortunately the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service weren’t able to attend due to having to attend to a local flood. 

We raised £875 for church funds so thanks to everyone who helped with the event and to everyone who came along to take part.  

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Day Trip to Lichfield

On a grey morning in June a group from Hall Lane Methodist Church set out in a minibus and car for a trip to Lichfield.  The weather had been grim the week before so we were grateful that, as we set out, the rain was holding off.  Malcolm Godfrey drove the minibus and decided to take us a scenic way to Lichfield through several pretty villages.  As we got nearer to Lichfield we noticed that some of the fields had water lying in them and occasionally we went through a large puddle in the road.  However, just after travelling over a hump back bridge we came to a halt when someone ahead of us waved us down to tell us that the road ahead was flooded.  He informed Malcolm that the minibus, as it was quite high off the ground, would probably get through, but Malcolm informed him that the car following was in the same party so we wouldn’t risk it.  The man took a look at everyone in the minibus and then at the car and asked, “Are you going to the hospice?”  We’re not sure to this day, what he saw in either of the vehicles that made him ask!!

Anyway we turned round and eventually got to Lichfield.  Our minibus was parked at the home of a friend of a friend and as we turned onto their driveway we were met with a homemade parking meter.  The prices were: zimmerframes 50p, scout minibuses £10 5s 2d!! At least visitors to the local hospice were free!! 

Our trip was organised to coincide with the Lichfield Folk Festival so, as we wandered around the quaint streets of the town, we kept bumping into different dancers and musicians carrying out their displays.  The weather stayed mostly dry all day, and if it looked as if it was going to rain, we used it as another good reason to pop into another teashop for another cup of tea and a cake!  It was a very pleasant day, the cathedral was a lovely backdrop to a lot of the dances and there were lots of shops to keep everyone occupied.  Evelyn found a good few bargains to buy (ask her about them!!), Derek found yet another book to buy in the cathedral bookshop and Marcus travelled all the way to Lichfield to buy 4 broom handles. 

On the way back we thought the floods would have subsided but we were forced to turn back once again due to more floods and come back using main roads.  It was a very pleasant trip and was enjoyed by all. 

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COFFEE MORNING

 A coffee morning took place at Hall Lane Methodist Church on Saturday 9^th June 2007 in aid of the Fair Trade Development Organisation.  Along with cups of tea and coffee and delicious cakes, a stall selling Fair Trade produce was selling goods including breakfast bars, sweets, soft drinks, tea, coffee and sugar.  A total of £90 was raised for charity.
 

CHARLES WESLEY

 A play by Tony Jasper, called Charles Wesley 1707, took place at Hall Lane Methodist Church on Friday 8^th June.   The Jasperian Theatre Company told the story of Charles Wesley and his relationship with his brother John.  Just fifty people turned out from the circuit to see this contemporary play.  Everyone who attended enjoyed the evening but it was a pity more weren’t there to experience it. 

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Launch of Lunch Club

 A new lunch club was launched at Hall Lane Methodist Church on Thursday 7^th June.  Twenty two people come to taste what was on the menu.  For this first week it was a choice of home made soup, salads and jacket potatoes with sweets to follow – all for £3.50.  The choices will change each week. 

The club is open to all, either pop in one week or make it a regular date.  Every Thursday 12.30pm – 2.30pm.
 

New Member at Hall Lane


 

Following the recent membership classes led by Deacon Barbara Crockett, Marcus Garratt decided to become a member at Hall Lane Methodist Church.  The occasion was marked during a service led by Barbara on Sunday 4^th March.  Marcus was presented with a bible and was officially welcomed into the church. 

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