Ashby and Coalville Methodist Circuit

Hall Lane Newsletter Autumn 2005
Issue 8

From the Minister September 2005

Recently I came across this interesting piano for auction on Ebay

Beautiful old piano - no hammers!

Seller’s Description:
This lovely old Piano has been gracing my home for many years - The woodwork is really lovely (the varnish is slightly rough and could do with a rub over.) It has all the wires but someone has removed the hammer assembly. This means it adds a timbre to a room and kids can get it to make a noise but its basically silent! Whether to be used as a decorative item in a room or to make use of the marquetry this is an unusual bargain!

A piano without any hammers! As the seller delicately put it, “Kids can get it to make a noise, but it’s basically silent.”

It’s like advertising a car without an engine and saying, “Kids can get it to steer, but basically it won’t go.”

Thinking about this piano, I realised that as Christians, we resemble that piano without hammers for we all have our deficiencies. However, the wonder is that, whereas such a piano is fit only to be scrapped, God loves us and cherishes us, however flawed we are.

This is why Jesus called those first disciples to follow him; calling them to be the instruments of God’s love. May we too be instruments of God’s grace. May there be no discord, but perfect harmony in Christ. May the joy of Christ be with us always.

Drummond Gillespie

Money, Money, Money ...

The new programme of events for the Ladies Fellowship has been published and the first meeting of the season took place on Wednesday 7th September.

The group meets every other week at church on a Wednesday evening and has a varied programme including demonstrations, slide shows and afternoon outings.

If you are interested in joining the group just pick up a programme and see when the next meeting is.

See inside for more details about which charity has been chosen for the next year and about how you can help.

Thankyou!

A huge ‘thank you’ was given by Marianne Martin, who came to receive a cheque on behalf of ‘Miracles to Believe In’. The cheque was presented at the Ladies Fellowship AGM in June. A massive £1,350 was raised for the charity which was brought to our attention by Nicholas Martin who makes an annual visit to Hall Lane to perform an organ concert for us. Both of his children have been diagnosed with autism and the Miracles to Believe In charity provides help for a special unit that they attend at a primary in Newbold Verdon.

Thank you to everyone who made a contribution to the fund raising events through the year.

Outing to Sheringham

During the days immediately prior to our trip to Sheringham on July 9th, the weather showed great promise, in fact it almost reached heatwave proportions.

However, no one had bothered to tell the North Norfolk Council and we were considerably let down by them. It was cold and dull and there was no encouragement to go for a paddle!

It was so different once we got into the church! The Flower Festival at St Andrew’s is rightly famous and the flower arrangements were truly amazing.

The theme was ‘Times and Seasons’ and every possible time and season seemed to be represented. There were over thirty displays, each one quite remarkable in its own way. Perhaps these photographs will give some idea of the versatility of the members of this very welcoming church.

It was good to see Ann Bremridge again and to find her in such good spirits despite knee and cataract oeperations in recent years. We enjoyed a delightful lunch with her and everyone was well pleased with the day and disregarded the weather completely.

County Air Ambulance

The County Air Ambulance is now established as a familiar site over a large area of the country, readily recognised for the life saving skills brought to many patients. The service commenced in May 1991 with a single helicopter and has developed across the country with the support of charitable giving by the public.

It is recognised that the first hour after a serious accident is a critical hour and that if a patient can get to a trauma hospital within that hour then their chances of recovery are greatly improved. Leicestershire is serviced by an Air Ambulance station at Nottingham East Midlands Airport and the nearest trauma hospital is the Queens Medical Centre at Nottingham.

The County Air Ambulance has been chosen by the Ladies Fellowship for their charity to support this year. So far, a quiz has been organised, a charity stall on Coalville Market will take place later in the month and the proceeds from Alan and Margaret’s Open Day have also been put towards the charity.

It costs £16 for every minute that the helicopter is in the air! Please support the charity by taking part in fund raising activities taking place over the next year!

Barge Trip in Derbyshire

A trip on the waterways of Derbyshire was organised in June by Marlborough Square’s Bright Hour. A number of people went along from Hall Lane as can be seen by these photographs.

Everyone met at the Stenton Bubble and boarded a barge and travelled to Swarkestone on the three hour trip.

As with all Methodist outings, food was part of the trip and afternoon tea with sandwiches and scones with jam and cream was served along the way.

A Festival of Flowers

Marlborough Square’s sixth bi-annual flower festival took place during the weekend of 16th-18th September. ‘Special Days’ throughout the year were depicted in this year’s arrangements including Trinity Sunday, Mothering Sunday, Epiphany, Easter, Christmas and many more.

The event was opened with an amusing speech by Gordon Kaye of Allo Allo fame who is a cousin of one of the flower arrangers at Marlborough Square.

Joan Fennell took part in the festival with an arrangement for Remembrance Sunday using rosemary, roses and, of course, poppies.

The weekend was packed full of events and activities including special Sunday services, lunches and coffee mornings.
Well done Marlborough Square for putting on yet another wonderful event. How about doing one for ourselves Hall Lane?!!

Open Day

We had no time to make cakes this year so decided to just call it an Open Day and to devote the profits to the County Air Ambulance. This time the weather did not let us down and the whole event was very successful.

£307 was raised and to this will be added the efforts of the Ladies Fellowship during the year and we are sure this will produce just as impressive a total as that made for other charities in recent years.

Thanks to all who helped and came, bringing their wallets with them!

Margaret and Alan