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.co.uk
31st May 2020
Today is Pentecost, when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit in a special way. We pray that even in isolation as we read or listen to Phil’s reflection, or join the different services/programmes on the TV, – starting at 10am with A Celebration for Pentecost, – we shall all experience something of the enthusiasm and power that the Holy Spirit gives.
Questionnaire
Attached with the sermon and news sheet for this week is a questionnaire which all members and attendees of Castle Square URC and St. David’s Uniting Church are strongly encouraged to fill out. Those with internet facilities are encouraged to fill out the online version at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOkKyigMzJyQZTOVuR2dg7E6w1PkaQISCPA4rX8J3hXH7TiA/viewform?usp=sf_link. Those who get their papers delivered are invited to hand the completed form back to their courier next week, leave them in Phil’s bench or can post them directly to Marcia. Many thanks for your participation in this – it will be of great help regarding the decisions we will need to make in the weeks and months ahead.
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Church Family and Pastoral News
We include this in the news sheet to inform our prayers.
- Jayne Bright, who has Covid 19 is feeling a lot better but is still not fit enough for work as working in a Care Home requires plenty of stamina which she is seriously lacking at the moment.
- Colleen is at last starting to feel better and hopes to be back to normal (whatever that is!) soon.
- Chris Fennell has reported that her physio is going well, she walked, what was for her a marathon, from her bed across the ward and back – she was exhausted – Well done Chris!
- We give thanks for Phil as he looks towards the future, with our help through the questionnaire, when we can once again worship together.
- We think of all who are involved in preparing and arranging funerals when there are so many restrictions.
Thanks from…..
A BIG thank you for the phone calls and messages I have received, they were greatly appreciated in my dark time. Jayne x Jayne Bright
Birthdays this week!
Deborah Jones is celebrating the big 50 TODAY! Other birthdays this week are John Davies and Marilyn Young on Monday 1st and Liz Henson and Vaughan Rees on Tuesday. We hope you are all able to celebrate in some way or other
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Pentecost and Refugee Week Celebrations
Sue has created a flock of birds outside Church House and Castle Square! – as a sign that our churches are still alive and that the Spirit is still moving. Once these displays have been up for a time, the birds will be taken down and delivered, along with an explanatory card and gift, to the families who attend English classes at St. David’s Uniting Church, during Refugee Week – as a reminder that, though we can’t meet with them, they are still in our prayers and very much part of the church family. Thankyou to all who responded to this challenge!
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Midweek Reflection Challenge
This week, Phil spoke about the Japanese poetry form of haiku. Haikus are composed of three lines comprising 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second and 5 in the last. They can be a good way to try to communicate much through very little. Phil gave the following examples of Bible stories told through the haiku form and has challenged us to come up with some more.
Boy and girl have lunch.
‘Share some of mine’, says kind snake.
Picnic ends badly.
“Help the enemy?
I’d rather be swallowed whole.”
‘Okay’, God replies.
Nice lad hits the gym.
Fights lion; dates hairdresser…
Worst haircut ever!
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You have to laugh!
Two ladies who have been friends for a very long time now speak daily on Facetime – they talk of many things among, them as many of you will appreciate, their hair! The comment was made ’I’ve got so much lacquer on my hair if I bumped into anyone, I’d knock them out or if I fell down, I wouldn’t hurt my head as it’s almost like having a crash helmet on!
Answers to the word search
Here are the eight numbers spelled out as words. There are actually nine numbers as seven appears twice!
Where has the fat worm gone? He was wriggling away from my reel even before I had the hook on it! If I’ve lost him, I’ll be sorry. This evening I came prepared with reel, line and bait hoping to catch plenty of fish. It’s not often that a worm of ours gets away! With reel bait in hand, I know I can catch
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Safeguarding Training
Saturday 3rd October 2020 St David’s Uniting Church, Gelliwastad Rd, Pontypridd CF37 2BW 10am – 3pm (arrivals and registration from 9:30am)
Refreshments are provided for coffee and tea breaks. Please bring a packed lunch with you for the lunchtime break.
A full day’s training for all individuals working with children, young people and adults at risk. Also important for Ministers and Elders of the Church.
For more information and to book your place please contact: safeguarding.urcwales@urc.org.uk
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Our Christian Aid Covid CopingCook Book
The donations are still coming in – the latest figure is £1762.00 + Gift Aid of £ 221.50.
We have received the following comments:
From George in Cayman Islands. While self-isolating to give Linda a break I gave her our new recipe book and asked her to pick out three for me to try, the ingredients arrived from the store – I cooked ‘Robert’s Sausage Stew, which was a great success. Linda gave it 5/5, and has shared the recipe with her lifelong friend in Georgia.
From Brian’s Cousin in Ontario. I love that there is such a cross section of dishes and will gladly try them. I enjoy the comments put in and also information. I was not aware of the practices of the Muslim community and now will be able to share that info. I also will be able to fast and donate the value of what I would have eaten to a local charity. It is so lovely that your Church Family have put this together – it is also done in such a welcoming manner and is inspirational.
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A Thought for the Week as the Lockdown eases..
“We each have a different story, If you need to stay home, stay home…But Be Kind. If you need to go out, just respect others when in public and Be Kind!
Don’t judge fellow humans because you’re not in their story. We all are in different mental states than we were months ago. So remember, BE KIND”
Taken from a Facebook post