November 2024 Newsletter
Our new newsletter has launched. if you want to receive this via email please click on the link below to subscribe. If you would like to read this months newsletter then click below to see a copy of the email that was sent including a link to the newsletter and rotas.
Halifax Concert Band - Christmas Concert
Luncheon ClubFifty diners and ten helpers enjoyed the latest three-course lunch, raising £630 for Church funds thanks to generous food donations. We were also pleased to welcome Anais Pedron, the Methodist Church Media Officer, who joined us for lunch and was impressed with the Church Development Project during her stop between engagements in Leeds and Glasgow.
Our next luncheon is on Friday, 6th December. Book your spot with Linda, Jacky, or Caroline! |
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October 2024 Newsletter
Our new newsletter has launched. if you want to receive this via email please click on the link below to subscribe. If you would like to read this months newsletter then click below to see a copy of the email that was sent including a link to the newsletter and rotas.
Sunday School Scarecrows at the Norland Scarecrow Festival
Over the summer holidays, our Sunday School children and volunteers got creative and made fantastic scarecrows for the Norland Scarecrow Festival. This year's theme was Books, and we chose The Bible as our inspiration. The children picked their favourite Bible stories and brought them to life as impressive scarecrows.
Check out the photos below to see these amazing scarecrows in the field at Norland and some behind-the-scenes shots of their creation. Can you spot which Bible stories they represent?
Check out the photos below to see these amazing scarecrows in the field at Norland and some behind-the-scenes shots of their creation. Can you spot which Bible stories they represent?
September 2024 Newsletter
Our new newsletter has launched. if you want to receive this via email please click on the link below to subscribe. If you would like to read this months newsletter then click below to see a copy of the email that was sent including a link to the newsletter and rotas.
Prayer Group
As Christians we believe that prayer is important. Individual as well as group. At Stones it is obvious there is a lot of prayer. The church would not have lasted so long and the current project would not have got so far without it. There is always room for more prayer, which is why a small group of us felt a monthly prayer meeting would be a good idea.
We generally meet on the last Friday of each month from 10.00-11.00am. We usually start by talking about things to pray for. We have no rigid structure and finish when we feel it is right, we don’t feel we have to carry on for the full hour. During our prayer time God sometimes gives us a bible verse or passage, a song, a picture or an idea (not as dramatic as it sounds). Sometimes people come with things that God has given them since the last meeting. These all feed into our prayers.
It may not feel right for everyone but if you are interested you can get more details from myself or Craig Brown.
Jackie Cockcroft
We generally meet on the last Friday of each month from 10.00-11.00am. We usually start by talking about things to pray for. We have no rigid structure and finish when we feel it is right, we don’t feel we have to carry on for the full hour. During our prayer time God sometimes gives us a bible verse or passage, a song, a picture or an idea (not as dramatic as it sounds). Sometimes people come with things that God has given them since the last meeting. These all feed into our prayers.
It may not feel right for everyone but if you are interested you can get more details from myself or Craig Brown.
Jackie Cockcroft
Being a Methodist is Fun!
I was reading a book the other day and came across a story about the late Queen. She was telling someone that the next preacher at Crathie Kirk in Balmoral was going to be a Methodist. She is reported to have added “so that should be fun.” After I’d laughed and read it aloud to Val (not something she particularly appreciates), I started to think about that response. Was it meant ironically? After all, Methodists are often painted as killjoys or party-poopers because of our historic attitude to alcohol and therefore, in the public mind at least, to fun of any kind. However, I don’t think that was the intention as Her late Majesty was reputed to have a very good sense of humour, as some of the stories that circulated immediately after her death showed. Although, she took Christian worship seriously and was very interested in what was preached and reflected on it deeply, she also enjoyed hearing from a variety of preachers from different traditions. So, I would like to think that she spoke those words with a sense of anticipation rather than dread that the next week’s sermon wasn’t going to be the same as usual. Perhaps she’d heard Methodists preach before and knew it would be full of passion and good Biblical study. We’ll never know.
But it did set me thinking in a different direction, would we call being a Methodist “fun”? Certainly, there are times when it feels like being a Methodist means nothing more than attending endless business meetings, planning what we’re going to be planning, discussing what will be discussed next time we meet, or what was discussed last time we met and with which we still can’t bring ourselves to agree, but there are other times when being a Methodist is fun! And what makes it fun is also what makes Methodism distinctive, and that is our covenant approach, we work together, we worship together, we are responsible to and for each other, caring for one another in God’s name. This means that Methodism’s greatest strength is the constant reminder that we are not alone, that there are others who are working with us, there are others who value what we do and share our faith. It is fun to work together, to share ideals and objectives, it gives greater depth and meaning to life. Although, it can also create difference of opinion and disappointment, it is through these that we learn more of each other and more of God’s purpose for us and our lives. It is fun to work together to share the Good News of the Kingdom, by dressing up and doing an Open the Book Primary School assembly or to get involved in conversations at Open Gardens or community coffee mornings or Friday Get Togethers. You might not think that Bible Study is fun, but it is, as we discover interesting corners of the Bible and reflect on why these stories or letters have been included in scripture. Coming together in worship, being able to raise our voices in harmony as we sing is uplifting, we cannot make such a joyful noise on our own.
Being a Methodist IS fun because we behave as the Body of Christ, united in purpose, and ready to face whatever comes our way, knowing that we never face it on our own.
May God bless us all, wherever we are, and whatever we are doing,
But it did set me thinking in a different direction, would we call being a Methodist “fun”? Certainly, there are times when it feels like being a Methodist means nothing more than attending endless business meetings, planning what we’re going to be planning, discussing what will be discussed next time we meet, or what was discussed last time we met and with which we still can’t bring ourselves to agree, but there are other times when being a Methodist is fun! And what makes it fun is also what makes Methodism distinctive, and that is our covenant approach, we work together, we worship together, we are responsible to and for each other, caring for one another in God’s name. This means that Methodism’s greatest strength is the constant reminder that we are not alone, that there are others who are working with us, there are others who value what we do and share our faith. It is fun to work together, to share ideals and objectives, it gives greater depth and meaning to life. Although, it can also create difference of opinion and disappointment, it is through these that we learn more of each other and more of God’s purpose for us and our lives. It is fun to work together to share the Good News of the Kingdom, by dressing up and doing an Open the Book Primary School assembly or to get involved in conversations at Open Gardens or community coffee mornings or Friday Get Togethers. You might not think that Bible Study is fun, but it is, as we discover interesting corners of the Bible and reflect on why these stories or letters have been included in scripture. Coming together in worship, being able to raise our voices in harmony as we sing is uplifting, we cannot make such a joyful noise on our own.
Being a Methodist IS fun because we behave as the Body of Christ, united in purpose, and ready to face whatever comes our way, knowing that we never face it on our own.
May God bless us all, wherever we are, and whatever we are doing,
Keep fit - one year on
We celebrated the first year of the Monday Keep Fit session at the beginning of May. A group of 20 ladies from both the Monday and Friday classes went to The Beehive for a lovely evening. Many of us walked up the hill so deserved our supper.
There was much chatter - never a quiet moment - and many laughs. We got to know each other a little bit better and agreed, as we had done at our Christmas night out, that we smarten up nicely, leaving the lycra for Mondays and Fridays.
Everyone is welcome to join us on Mondays at 7.30 and Fridays at 2.00.
Sue and Katharine
There was much chatter - never a quiet moment - and many laughs. We got to know each other a little bit better and agreed, as we had done at our Christmas night out, that we smarten up nicely, leaving the lycra for Mondays and Fridays.
Everyone is welcome to join us on Mondays at 7.30 and Fridays at 2.00.
Sue and Katharine
Please see the link below about one of our new projects from Active Calderdale and Staying Well which is now live.
https://active.calderdale.gov.uk/blog/stepping-stones-fitness
https://active.calderdale.gov.uk/blog/stepping-stones-fitness
Welcome to our NEWS
General Data Protection Regulation 2018
GDPR covers the use and storage of personal data to ensure its security and correct use. We are required to undertake an audit each year of the data we hold, how it is stored and how it is used. The audit was presented to Church Council in March and an assurance document was completed and submitted to the Yorkshire West District GDPR team.
In line with the Regulation, please confirm your consent to us holding your contact details for church matters, events and meetings, newsletters etc in line with your current involvement and roles at Stones and your current wishes. Click a quick email back to [email protected] to say Consent given and your name. You can opt out of receiving all information or certain aspects and ask for your contact details to be deleted - an email to the same email address is all that is required.
Sue Rosborough, Stones GDPR Champion 2024
In line with the Regulation, please confirm your consent to us holding your contact details for church matters, events and meetings, newsletters etc in line with your current involvement and roles at Stones and your current wishes. Click a quick email back to [email protected] to say Consent given and your name. You can opt out of receiving all information or certain aspects and ask for your contact details to be deleted - an email to the same email address is all that is required.
Sue Rosborough, Stones GDPR Champion 2024
Exciting news from the development team
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The contract for the Stones building project was signed by Andrew and David on 10th April. So, it’s all systems go and we look forward to working with the team from Lloyd and Smith, our contractors, and Richard Storah, our architect, to achieve a warm, welcoming, dry and flexible space which is fit for the next century of the Church's life.
The Stewards are liaising with preachers for forthcoming services. The Coffee Morning will run on Saturday 4th May and then we may pause Coffee Mornings until completion of the building works, which are scheduled to complete in mid November. Our other activities will run as at present – using the downstairs rooms. Guitar Club will run a little later than at present. The team has spent time with the Hopscotch at Hilltops team, Miss Abbi and the Toddler group leaders to ensure that they are aware of the scope of the works and the timescale and to offer our support for any disruption during the works. Entrances to the building will be maintained at all times but the building will have a quite different appearance enclosed in scaffolding. We are anxious to not create an impression that the building has closed and are planning a suitable outside banner to spread the word that God's work is continuing and we are very much open for business as normal. The team has been working hard to secure the final funds needed to complete the project. Applications have been submitted to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Foyle Foundation, with decisions awaited. A loan has been secured from Methodist Chapel Aid, approved by Church Council, which will only be drawn down if needed. At present we have had to exclude Secondary Glazing and Solar Panels from the scheme, but hope to be able to add them back in if funds permit. Lloyd and Smith are happy for us to do this. The Project team is looking towards Mission in 2025 – we can’t do much more in a building site! The focus will be on young families and children and we hope to secure funds to be able to recruit a Lay Worker to lead this work. This is an exciting time for Stones. However, it is also a period of major change so we will need to pull together as a Stones family, look out for each other and take care of everyone at Stones over the next 6 months. Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support and prayers. Message from Tom FergusonI AM the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Any branch of mine that is barren he cuts away; and any fruiting branch he prunes clean, to make it more fruitful still.’ John 15:1-2 (Revised English Bible)
As I look out into the garden at the rose bushes, I can see the rapid growth of new foliage. We have certainly had plenty of rain! We have also seen at least some sunshine to aid the new growth. An important task to encourage the growth was the pruning that took place a few months ago. The removal of the dead wood will mean the very best blooms in the summer – hopefully! Although, I am no Percy Thrower or Alan Titchmarsh! At Stones, we are about to enter a time of pruning; some aspects of the building are to be removed and reshaped in order to promote new growth. The first shoots have been seen in the mission initiatives introduced over recent years and months. The capacity for further development will only be realised when the work is completed. This will provide the flexible and comfortable space to facilitate new mission activities and allow new growth on the fruiting branch that is Stones Methodist Church. We now live in the house where my grandparents lived when I was growing up, and I remember my grandma carefully planning her new rose bed. There were diagrams drawn on graph paper and the rose plants were carefully chosen for colour and fragrance. She died in 2015 but would now be approaching her 101st birthday. Although she no longer sees the roses pruned and the resulting new growth, her investment and careful planning ensure that the roses continue to flourish season after season. The incredibly hard work of the development team and the wonderful generosity of donors is now going to become a reality as the builders move in. The careful preparation will provide premises in which mission can be cultivated. Of course, we want to see some of this mission lead to spiritual and numerical growth at Stones quite quickly, but we also hope that this will continue long after we have gone. As we abide in Christ, we are part of a vine has been around for thousands of years and cared for by the most skilled of gardeners, God the Father. Even this fruiting branch at Stones has been here for many years. The work taking place here will not only prepare Stones to be a fruitful branch in the short-term but, hopefully, a place of spiritual growth in Christ for generations to come. I pray for the continuing, fruitful growth of Stones Methodist Church now and in the future. In the name of Christ, the true vine. Tom Easter 2024We had a busy Holy Week at Stones.
Palm Sunday a walk of witness to St Bartholomew's, a United service at St Paul's Methodist Church in Sowerby Bridge, a meditative service on Mark Chapter 15 on Good Friday, a Son Rise service at 6am culminating in a joyful service on Easter morning.
Christmas 2023We were proud to welcome so many people to our services over the Christmas period. There was such a lovely, warm atmosphere with the children and the build up to Christmas. It was wonderful to celebrate together on Christmas Day with a cuppa and a mince pie. Along with carols there was the Glow Service, A Quiet Space for Christmas and Christmas Day.
Message from the MinisterNobody seems to like February. It is a month when the weather always seems to be damp and depressing, and it never really gets light. Christmas and New Year celebrations are over and done with, summer is both a distant memory and a faint promise, and Lent usually starts in February, so when we are feeling particularly grumpy, we cannot turn to the comfort foods that usually cheer us up. It is a month when everyone seems to suffer from the same disease. You will all be familiar with it. The symptoms are general bad temper and snappiness and a tendency to disagree with everyone and everything, and our Christian calling to love our neighbours is tested to the limit. Everyone suffers from it, except of course ourselves. It’s called February-itis. It gets blown away in the winds of March, thank goodness!
But I find that the real problem at this time of year is not the general dreariness and atmosphere of self-denial, nor the concentration on the negatives of human and Christian life such as betrayal and temptation and conflict, they simply serve to heighten our appreciation of Easter. No, the problem is that we know that it is going to end. We know that the time of self-denial will finish on Easter Sunday, that the negative will be swept away in a glorious resurrection and we will celebrate the very positive love of God. Even the Gospel writers are guilty of colouring everything with a resurrection light and interpreting Jesus’ life through his death and resurrection. It is easier to give something up, to tolerate the difficult times if we know that they will come to an end. The disciples on that first Easter had no idea how it would end. You see, they had not heard the story so many times before, they did not know the ending. I would not normally complain that the problem is too much good news, after all, that is why we are here - to tell the good news of God’s love to a world in desperate need of hearing it. But to really fully understand the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice for us, the totality of his love for us, we need to go down into the depths of that first Easter and stand where his disciples stood. You see, they had not heard the story so many times before that they could be complacent. They did not know the ending. It is too easy to go from Palm Sunday where cries of “Hosanna” ring in our ears, to Easter Day where we shout “He is risen!” without stopping and considering the events in between. We need to know about Judas’ bitterness and anguish at the betrayal, we need to stand with the crowds who shouted to Pilate and realise how often we shout “Crucify!” to fully know the love and forgiveness of God. If we walk through Lent and Holy Week in their shoes, yes we will find ourselves in difficult places, but we will also find, as they did, that God is there too. Travelling through Lent with the disciples helps us on our journey towards Good Friday. Then the Easter message will strike home with more force and our worship and wonder will be deeper. Our eyes will be opened to the fact that the resurrection still happens and still has the power to turn lives around. That is why Lent should not be dreary or depressing, because it is not about proving our holiness in denial, but about preparing for the amazing, generous grace of God that is revealed in the resurrection, and spills over into our lives everyday. Digging deep in Lent to find God in the difficult places creates a more meaningful Easter. May God be with you in this time of preparation, Kathie Heathcoat Mission and Development projects updateFUNDRAISING
The following events have raised a further £547 in December - Keep Fit £66. Sale of Honey (last 2 Jars) - £10. Saturday Coffee Morning with Santa - £128. Ripponden Christmas Fair Stall - £93. Donation of £250 from New Providence United Reformed Church in Ovenden, Halifax from their Bequest Charity Fund. Interest - £278 Total Funding Raised from All Sources - £490,721 Raise The Roof Appeal - Total Donated so far is £270 (inc Gift Aid ). Please help with this appeal - our target is £5000 by the end of March. The next fundraising event, apart from the regular weekly Keep Fit & monthly Saturday Coffee Mornings, is the Pie & Peas Criss-Cross Quiz Night on Wednesday 6th March 7.30pm at Stones. Tickets priced at £6.50. General Church FundsHALIFAX CONCERT BAND - CHRISTMAS CONCERT
A bumper audience of 84 were wonderfully entertained by the performances of the above band with Christmas themed items, Carols to singalong to, along with variety of other pieces. This event raised £528 for Church Funds. CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT EVENING SERVICE A choir of 25 and over 150 people were in attendance at the above very popular Christmas Service covering traditional carols, bible readings, poems and a variety of items by the Choir, soloists and a terrific dance performance from Eve with her mum Lauren singing. Thanks to Lauren Rosborough for conducting the choir and Graham Cockcroft as the organist, all creating a very special Christmas service experience. The collection at this service was split 50/50 between the Church and Shelter and raised £572 in total so each received £286. CHRISTMAS EVE & CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES The benevolent collection at the Christmas Eve Communion service and 50% of the Christmas Eve Glow Service & Christmas Day Family Service collections were raising funds for All We Can Extraordinary Gifts Programme. The collections were as follows: Benevolent Collection - (100%) - £134 Glow Service (50%) - £91 Christmas Day Service - (50%) - £102 TOTAL RAISED £327 This enabled us to buy the following Extraordinary Gifts for the Methodist Relief Development : All We Can List of Projects 15 Busy Bees @£9 each to help 15 families in Malawi set up their own honey business AND 12 Super Spuds @£16 each to provide 12 families in Ethiopia with potato seeds to ensure a healthy harvest of good quality potatoes. Keep Fit Sessions |
The signing of the contract.
David Normanton Richard Storah Andrew Smith 11th April 2024. We are keeping a pictorial record of the works and will keep you updated. |
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