Saint David’s Uniting Church
& Castle Square URC
Minister: Rev. Dr Phil Wall
Tel: 01443 300345 Mob: 07855090360
Website: www.stdavidsuniting.org.uk
Admin email: office1.sduc@gmail.com
28th June 2020
Last week we experienced very high temperatures which many could not cope with. However this is Wales and our weather is changeable to say the least. Just stay in the cool when it’s too hot and when you can enjoy the fresh air!
Those out and about this week might see new signs at our churches welcoming neighbours to post their prayer requests through our letterboxes. Phil will then pray for these requests weekly. Another sign of our church life at this liminal time.
In our first ‘Lockdown’ Newsletter we asked our readers to send news, uplifting stories, jokes…anything that might be useful or put a smile on peoples’ faces… This request still applies – you can either email office1.sduc@gmail.com or ring Marcia preferably by Thursday evening.
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Church Family and Pastoral News
We include this in the news sheet to inform our prayers.
- We continue to hold Claire and Rob, and those who care for him in our prayers as they cope with the challenges of
- We are pleased to hear that Simon’s sister Anne is now at home and the operation went well. We pray for her continuing recovery.
- We ask your prayers for those who live alone and have difficulty getting out and about.
- Jayne Bright is on sick leave again! She has badly sprained her ankle….take it easy Jayne and rest!
- We pray for those working in care homes, prisons, hospices and all closed communities.
- We give thanks for ALL church Ministers who continue to care for people through difficult circumstances.
Birthdays this week…..We have just three birthdays on our list for this week, there may be others! – Monday 29th Sheila Greenstock, Wednesday July 1st Claire Hughes and on Saturday 4th July Ann Jones. However you chose to celebrate, we hope you are able to share it with family and friends.
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Sharing Good News
Lockdown has not prevented the residents of part of Whiterock Avenue (it’s a pretty long street) from socialising albeit with social distancing in mind. On VE day, the inhabitants sat outside or in their gardens and partook in some singing of old WW- songs followed by a quiz which involved a quiz master running up and down the street to ensure that everyone heard the question. No it wasn’t Phil – he was sitting comfortably on a cushion on a wall. Prizes were donated by the participants and the atmosphere, under the circumstances, was quite jovial – fueled by an occasional alcoholic beverage.
Since then, a number of similar occasions have been held, ensuring that no one has been left isolated, that new residents have been welcomed and neighbourly contact has not been lost – very important in the present climate. Let’s hope that such get togethers will continue when things get back to normal.
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Something to make you Smile
Children’s Logic:
“Give me a sentence about a public servant,” said a teacher. The small boy wrote: “The fireman came down the ladder pregnant.” The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. “Don’t you know what pregnant means?” she asked. “Sure,” said the young boy confidently. ‘It means carrying a child.” Seen on Facebook
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Midweek Challenge
The midweek reflection has been posted on the website on a Wednesday morning for the last 13 weeks! We are grateful to Bethan for managing to do this whilst still coping with her school work. As the schools are now open and Bethan’s routine has changed the reflection will still be posted, but maybe not in the morning!
Last week we thought about diversity within personalities and we were encouraged to look at the Myers Briggs personality test. Phil was thrilled that so many responded and shared the results. The great thing about the personality test is it got us to reflect upon how to respond to things, how other people respond differently, not wrong, just differently, and how we can learn to be a bit more gracious to one another and to try not to judge people in their actions if they were acting in a way unlike us. SO, in a church we need different personalities just as we need different gifts, those who do all the things that keep us operating, and in St David’s and Castle Sq. we are blessed with a treasury of gifts. Sue Walkling has again come up with an incredible challenge this week.. As followers of Christ one thing essential to who we are is thanksgiving, it’s being thankful we know that all of life is a gift. Even in times of great difficulty, we can and should be thankful. We are asked to create something that shows our thanks to decorate our churches using CD’s/DVD’s. They can be decorated using pictures, permanent markers stickers or whatever you like and include a message. Contact Sue or Phil if you need any help!
Should anyone have any suggestions for future mid-week challenges Phil will be delighted to hear from you!
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Something to give encouragement
Cyril came across this poem in his reading and was encouraged by it and has asked that it be shared through the newsletter as he thought it might be an encouragement to others.
The Power of Christian Song
There’s something about a fine old hymn
That can stir the heart of a man;
That can reach to the goal of his inmost soul
Such as no mere preaching can.
It’s more than the tune of the song he sing’s
And it’s more than the poet’s rhyme-
It’s the Spirit of God working through these things
That gives them their power sublime!
So we thank thee, Lord, for the fine old hymns;
May we use them again and again
As we seek to save from a hopeless grave
The souls of our fellow men!
Author Unknown
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Our Christian Aid Week Project Final figure
The Final figure for our Christian Aid Coping with Covid Cookbook is…drum roll)… an incredibly fantastic £2617.50 Thank you to all who have given so generously.
On our Just Giving Page raised £1,752. We received £524 by cheque/cash, giving a total before gift Aid of £2276.77, Gift Aid received is £340.75 making up the GRAND TOTAL of £2617.50
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Thought for the Week.
Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle. Charles Glassman