From the Manse

Dear friends,I have now been three months with you. I have completed a full round of Church Councils and meetings. In the smaller chapels I have enjoyed holding these meetings in someone’s front room. A real taste of how Methodism first began, before chapels came into being. When you are sitting warm and cosy in front of a blazing log fire it doesn’t feel like a business meeting at all. Much more like the warm fellowship that is the heart of our life together.

December brings us to the season of Advent. This is the four week period leading up to Christmas. Advent is about looking forward. Looking forward with anticipation, with eager longing, with expectant hope. Looking forward to what God will do, the fulfilment of his promises. Looking forward to seeing his Kingdom established on earth. That time when all will acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord. Looking forward to God coming on earth.

Advent is about preparing for that coming. Two weeks ago I had visitors coming to stay, my brother Anthony and his wife Barbara, their eldest daughter Kath and husband John, and their three children. Knowing they were coming I scrubbed and cleaned bits of the house that don’t often get cleaned. That’s Advent. Expecting someone to come. Preparing for them to come by scrubbing the place clean. John the Baptist said scrub your hearts clean. Get ready for the Messiah to come into your life.

For us today, Advent means getting ready for Christmas. We rush around in a whirl of activity, buying gifts, sending cards, putting up decorations, preparing special food. Preparing to welcome the Christ child. Preparing to celebrate his birth day.

And when that day comes, the busyness is over. The traffic
on the road is silent. Peace descends. Christmas day. A day
to let the Prince of Peace be born in our hearts anew. I find this is especially true in the Christmas Eve midnight communion service. When all the world is still and we light the candle to symbolise the birth of Jesus. God’s peace enters the world and enters our hearts.

So in your preparations for Christmas, as you rush through Advent, do it so that you are ready to welcome the Christ child in your hearts and in your homes.

Saturday 7^th December is the launch of Saturday Night Live! that will be modern worship specifically geared for young people. If you’re young or young at heart, come along and bring a friend and have a great night out.

Pass the message around and lets fill the Lower Hall.

Venue: the Lower Hall

Time : 8pm

Worship time: Approx 45mins

Opening times: 7.45 – 10pm with refreshments available until 10pm for those who want to stay and chill out more.

Contact Roger Mallard for more details 01335 346107.

A picture postcard has been received, dated 7^th November. from Valldemossa, Majorca which reads as follows :-

Having a wonderful holiday in Majorca thanks to the generosity of our friends in the Ashbourne Circuit, who we miss very much. The weather is super, our hotel excellent and we are having a much needed relaxing time.

Love to all, Harry and Lyn.

Did you know that -

Did you know that -

Shouldn't we, as Christians, be trying to do something about this?

Elizabeth Hurfurt

I would like to thank the Women's Network for the money they have raised at their recent workshop towards Saltmine's misson work in Bulgaria. I leave for Ecuador and the challenge of climbing Cotopaxi on 29th November with summit day being 8th December, weather permitting. We would appreciate your prayers on that day, we will be starting out at midnight to take advantage of the frozen snow to gain height before the sun rises. I anticipate we will be on the summit by midday before descending to the mountain hut to recuperate and celebrate. For some of the team it will be their first visit to a mountain environment, everyone has their own personal challenges both physical and spiritual. For me it has been the experience of raising money to improve the lives of individuals suffering from terminal illnesses, who currently have no extended care facilities in their home town of Sliven. I would like to express my thanks to all individuals who have donated money to this project.

Sara Olof

On Monday 9^th December, Parwich Youth Club is putting on a Christmas Service at the Methodist Chapel in Parwich. You are very welcome to come along and share in this service. It starts at 7.20pm and should finish at around 7.50pm followed by refreshments at the Village hall (where the youth club normally meet) for further fellowship together.

Contact Roger Mallard for more details.( (01335) 346107

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – 18^th - 25^th January 2003

There will be an evening Service on Tuesday at 7.30 p.m. in St. John's Church arranged by the United Reformed Congregation.

Midday prayers - from 12.00 - 12.30

Monday The Methodist Church

Wednesday Elim Pentecostal Church

Thursday St. Oswald's Church

Friday All Saints' Church

We are praying together so that we may be able to work and witness together for Christ in our town. Please join us when you can.

Partnership with Patna

A date for your diary - Friday 7^th February 2003.

A Barn Dance in The Millennium Hall, Hulland Ward - To raise money for the roof of St. Luke's Hospital Hiranpur. We want to make sure that the new roof is completed in 2003.

Elizabeth Hurfurt

To Ashbourne Methodist.

Thank you so much for all you have done for us and given us this week. The holiday has been a real turning point for most, if not all the young people. We at Swan Bank Youth/Lighthouse are so grateful for all you have done for us - the blessings of this time will remain with me always.

God Bless You,
Much Love
Amy and the crew

We have been very pleased at the results of our recent fundraising. Our Coffee Morning at Hurtswood on 2^nd November realised the magnificent profit of £528. This was as always a very happy and sociable event made possible by our hosts Betty and Mike Hadley and the generosity of daughter Sue and husband Gary in letting us use the Conference facilities. We had been given two lovely’ cuddly bears, the naming of which greatly boosted our total. They were correctly named Jemima and Lionel by Dorothy Ballard from Queen’s Hall in Derby and Anne Parkinson. We also made a good profit on the well-stocked Christmas goods’ stall.

On 14^th and 15^th November we collected £547 at Sainsbury’s. We would like to thank everyone who helped at both these events.

Having recently handed in an overflowing sweet jar full of foreign and old British coins, we were thrilled to learn that it was worth £361 for our NCH funds! We have now started a new jar so please if you have any spare coins or old foreign notes lying around at home pass them over to any member of the NCH Support Group. (See below)

We will not be organising a visit to the NCH Christmas Concert in Nottingham this December but here are details of this and a Seasonal Evening at Boylestone Methodist Church. This latter event is on Monday 2^nd December from 7-30 till 9-15pm and promises an evening of singing and entertainment.

Finally, a thank you to all those who have been badgered to help in a variety of ways throughout this past year. If anyone would like to join our support group or find out more about our work please contact any one listed below.

Betty and Mike Hadley, Doris Harrison, Val Howse, Sandra and Cliff Lewer, Marianne and Eric Matthews, Judith Starkie and Margaret Todd.

Have you got your Methodist Homes quiz sheet yet? Tom Parkinson still has a number left. The quiz is called "Quiz of the century 1901-2000". Sheets cost £1 with all money going to Methodist Homes. If you would like one to test the brain box, please contact Tom.

You may remember the storms that took place recently leaving many homes without electricity. Well, I had a phone call on the Monday afternoon from a parent from Parwich to say the electricity was off and thought I had better know because it was the night of Parwich Youth Club. At that point I made a decision to run the club and that we’d do it by candlelight. Consequently I rang everyone to say youth club was on, much to the relief of youth club members and parents alike.

I had a few candles and planned to go out and buy some more. However, earlier on in the day I had rang Liz Mawdsley about another issue and she wasn’t in forcing me to ring again much later on, after the decision and phone calls were made about Parwich Youth Club. I eventually got through to Liz and casually mentioned about the electricity being off at Parwich and instantly she volunteered some candles because she had a few too many. Meanwhile, on my way to pick up the youth club leaders, I called at several shops only to find that everyone had been buying candles and that there were none left leaving me to think that it would be a rather dim night. I called at Liz’s to collect the candles only to find that there were around 70 candles or tealights with glass holders to go with them. What an answer to prayer!

Without exaggeration, the young people and youth club leaders had a great night and they were all appreciative of the fact we had run the club and the parents were pleased too. The electricity finally came on in the village two minutes before we were due to finish and so we kept the lights off until the young people had gone so as not to upset the ambience created that night.

Roger Mallard

The many friends of Mrs W Broughton will be sorry to learn that she is in the DRI. This is the result of a fall at home and the subsequent injury to a hip. Winnie is very cheerful but I am not sure how comfortable she is at the moment.

The fellowship meets each fortnight, we have been blessed by the use of the "The Fruit of the Spirit" - one of the "Growing in Christian Character" series.

During the winter, we are looking forward to holding rather more services in the home of Mrs Rayworth. We are sorry that Mrs Rayworth is still limited in what she is able to do and thankful for her wonderful family, who care for her with such loving concern.

Sister Merle

The Methodist Conference 2002 accepted the following notice: Conscious that the global HIV/AIDS pandemic is destroying the life of nations, causing millions of deaths and untold suffering,

(a) Conference urges all congregations to pray constantly:

• for a cure

• for the infected

• for all those affected.

(b) Conference calls on all members to consider making a special contribution towards the eradication of HIV/AIDS and ministering to those affected.

(c) Conference furthermore resolves to be an advocate, calling on pharmaceutical companies to make affordable drugs available, particularly for disadvantaged nations, and urging Government to make available substantially more funding for AIDS research.

Some time ago the World Church Office recognised the seriousness of the worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic and, through the Fund for World Mission, has been supporting a number of hospices etc. overseas.

At the end of 2002 the World Health Organisation estimated that 40 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS. This figure is growing rapidly. Sub-Saharan Africa is the worst affected region with prevalence rates up to 30-40% in some areas. Prevalence rates are also increasing in parts of Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. Britain and other Western nations are also affected. No area of the world has room to be complacent about the HI-Virus.

HIV/AIDS is not just a medical issue. People have to deal with the difficulties of securing income for themselves and any dependents. Many children have been orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has had its largest impact on the 15-49 age group – the most fertile and economically active sector of society.

Churches are well positioned to reach people with information and support but we need to encourage a change in attitudes towards HIV/AIDS both here and abroad, within and beyond our fellowships.

This is a box of medical supplies for the treatment of opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS. You are invited to participate in this ministry of healing along with Methodists in S. Africa by making a gift of £20 which will purchase one Love Box. Cheques should be made payable to the Methodist Church Fund for World Mission and sent to S.Atkinson, marked "MethCare Love Box" at Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Rd. London NW1 5JR.

Welcome and thank you to the 11 new JMA members we have at Ashbourne. As Peter Byass told us at the World Mission Service recently, MA is helping a lot of children and families who are living with AIDS. Methodist friends in Southern Africa urge us to pray for three specific things:

• Pray that people will learn about HIV/AIDS so that it stops it spreading.

• Pray for a cure and that governments will put money into finding one.

• Pray that the pharmaceutical companies will make drugs for AIDS available at an affordable cost.

You may well be familiar with the type of bamboo pipes that are played by blowing across the open end of a hollow pipe. They have reached us mainly from Latin America. In the Solomon Islands enormous bamboo pipes are played by banging a fibre pad (or rubber sandal!) onto the opening. The modern version is a "PVC band" where plastic drainpipes are used.

A prayer for peace and justice throughout the world. From "No Easy Peace".

The marriage of Christine Bailey and Tim Wheeldon took place on 14^th September at Ashbourne Town Hall. Christine is the daughter of Mrs Jean Bailey, Tissington Chapel member. A large gathering of family and friends came to the reception and evening celebration at the Bluebell Tissington. It was a beautiful day all round and we wish Chris and Tim well.

Tissington Chapel held its Harvest festival on 13^th October at which the preacher was Mr D Mason. The chapel was filled with flowers and fruit, and we sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to one of the ladies present. A good attendance on a wet day and we enjoyed tea and refreshments afterwards. Thanks to all those who helped out.

It was nice to meet our new minister at the Remembrance Day service on 10^th November. Although small in numbers and without an organist we managed very well with him leading us. A mention must be made of our youngest member of the congregation, Dolly, who not only managed to stay quiet for 2 minutes silence, but throughout the service. No mean feat for a 3 year old!

We look forward to our next meeting which will be our carol service on 8^th December with Rev Chris Eddy.

Sandra Alcock

The chapel is used by a number of groups involved in the life of the village, and we are grateful to each one for the contribution they make to our life in the community. And ‘Thank You’ to Mr E Heathcote and Kevin (husband and son) of the late Mrs H Heathcote. Their generous donation was gratefully received and we plan to use a part of the donation on a vase as a reminder of the family’s long association with the chapel.

At this time we remember the Whitticker family in the sad loss of another member of their family.

Sister Merle

Remember the Hibberdene Quilt, on page 7 of your Rainbow magazine, made by many people in memory of their friends who died of AIDS.

At the autumn Methodist synod the following motion was agreed:

This motion was discussed at the last circuit meeting and approved.

The major company involved with drugs for HIV/AIDS in this country is GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) who are based in Brentford Middlesex. Although our nearest pharmaceutical company is Boots they do not make anti HIV/AIDS drugs so please do not write to them.

GSK have in place a Positive Action Programme and details of this can be found in on separate sheets available along with this magazine. In terms of writing to GSK, we should write to them congratulating them on their efforts through the Positive Action programme but at the same time encourage them to do even more. It should be noted that they are likely to announce profits of around £6 billion and a sizeable portion of these profits will go to share holders. On the other hand, we must also consider that profits are needed to fund further research. In addition, major share holders are financial institutions (including pension fund investors) and any reduction in dividends will result in lower returns. This would require those who have a private pension to pay more in to ensure they get the pension that they want at retirement.

As you read the article you will be able to ascertain how much GSK are doing for a number of countries worldwide. If you would like to write and thank them for what they are doing and offer encouragement for them to do more, please write to: Scott Purdon, The Positive Action Manager, Global Community Partnerships, GlaxoSmithKline, 980 Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9GS.

You may recollect that we have previously reported that we were asked to submit an item, in a specified format for a District Prayer Diary. This new publication can now be ordered through either of us. So that you can see the format of the Diary, on the following page is the entry which we sent on behalf of our circuit

Ann and Eric, Circuit stewards.

A total of 58 children registered for the Ashbourne holiday club and enjoyed one or more days at the holiday club that ran during half term. You will have seen a few of the paintings that the children did hanging on walls and doors over the last few weeks. The children enjoyed a variety of activities including, games, painting, colouring, puzzles, word searches, music and videos and listening to stories. On each day we looked at a different Old Testament story and importantly the children learned that God could be relied upon and that God does not judge by appearance but by what is in the heart.

One of the games did turn a few stomachs. The children were playing a water game that they liked. To make it more difficult, we poured a tin of baked beans in each Wellington boot - the children had to run with baked beans squelching around their feet. The leaders found it difficult after a while helping the children in and out of the boots with the resultant mess that followed and it made a few feel queasy.

The holiday club was also run at Brailsford with a total of 14 children registering. The children really did enjoy themselves and followed the same material as Ashbourne minus the beans – Brailsford, watch out next time! We know that we will also have many more children and may prove a catalyst for further children’s work on a regular basis.

It’s fair to say that everyone enjoyed the holiday club and those who helped deserve a big thank you for making it happen.

Roger Mallard

Many of you have asked about the precise details of where our Harvest gifts were sent. We are pleased that a representative of ConVoy of Hope will be coming to give a talk on their work on Tuesday 28^th January, at 7.30pm in the Century Hall, Ashbourne. All are welcome to come and hear about the communities in Belarus who received our gifts.

Our regular meetings continue each fortnight on Tuesdays at 2.15pm in Cornerstone. Our special Christmas meeting will be:

Please be assured of a very warm welcome – if you’d like more information, please contact me.

Barbara Blenkinsop

During the last few weeks, at least one of us has been present at each of the annual Church Council Meetings that have been held. We have reviewed the past year to 31^st August and planned for the future. It is good to share with Church Councils their concerns and also their hopes. We are also having regular meetings with Chris to review the work of the Circuit and any other pertinent matters.

A number of events are being planned in the Circuit to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birth of John Wesley. When confirmation is received that they are going ahead full details will be published and we hope for your support.

The village congregations appreciate the encouragement and support from Ashbourne members and we would hope that this might increase in the future. Likewise, when there is no service planned at a village chapel we know that members will find a warm welcome at Ashbourne or elsewhere in the Circuit and we commend this to you.

You will be pleased to hear that John Turner is making steady progress following his two operations and we hope that it will not be too long before John is able to resume his preaching.

We acknowledge the welcome that has been accorded to Chris. since his arrival and also to Roger as he has commenced his work in the Circuit. We pray that God will bless their work and also that of Sister Merle, Trevor and John and our local preachers including those ‘on note’.

Ann and Eric.

The season of Autumn makes the journey from Ashbourne to Parwich
one of immense beauty as the trees change their colours from green to gold. I never tire of travelling those 7 miles along the B5056 before turning off and heading into the village. I did however miss a service in October as I was marooned in Gloucestershire and those who managed to get there had a somewhat eventful journey trying to avoid floods and fallen trees. When they got there, there was no power – so no organ and no light but I gather Chris did a sterling job leading the unaccompanied singing. We welcome into the family of the Church Adam Joseph Bostock whose baptism was on that day.

We have also celebrated our harvest festival and again the generosity of the congregation was amazing as we joined with other Churches and organisations to support the ConVoy of hope to Belarus.

We are greatly looking forward to our first truly joint service with St Peter’s Church which will be our carol service on December 15th. We hope this will be the first of many, and plans are being made for a special service on Mothering Sunday at St Peter’s.

Jan Smith

We continue to ask for you to especially remember the following
things in your prayers this month:

Sat 7^th 8pm Saturday Night Live! Lower Hall

Sun 8^th 2.30pm Tissington Carol Service Tissington

Weds 11^th 2pm Christmas Service for Toddlers Ashbourne

Fri 13^th 6.30pm Late Night Shopping & Fair Ashbourne

Sun 15^th 2.30pm Parwich Carol service Parwich

Sun 15^th 6.30pm Kirk Ireton Carol service Kirk Ireton

Sun 22^nd 2.30pm Carol Services: Hulland, Stanton

Sun 22^nd 6.30pm Carol Services: Ashbourne, Brailsford, Kniveton

Tues 24^th 4pm Christmas at Milldale Milldale

Tues 24^th 11.15pm Christmas Eve Communion Ashbourne

Weds 25^th 10am Circuit Christmas Service Ashbourne

Sun 29^th 3pm Circuit Service Ashbourne

Tues 31^st 11.15pm Circuit Watchnight Service Ashbourne

18-25^th Week of prayer for Christian Unity

Tues 28^th 7.30pm ConVoy of Hope talk Ashbourne

6.30pm

Hulland 2.30pm

Stanton 2.30pm

7.30pm Housegroup: fortnightly

Leader - Stuart Mustow (( 343924)