STAR NEWS
|
S T A M F O R D U N I T E D R E F O R M E D C H U R C H S T A R L A N E P E 9 1 P H |
October 2025
Dear Star Lane,
The closure of Bourne U.R.C. in March 2024 left me feeling very gloomy, even though I had attended the Church Meeting which voted for closure. I had been a member of one-or-other church since 1946, and suddenly I felt very homeless (church-less?). The other churches in Bourne were even further away than had been the U.R.C., so what could I do to fill the gap ?
Our minister Clare suggested that I should transfer my defunct membership to one of the Resource Churches. Over the years I had conducted Services at all of them, so I had a fair idea of the situation in each.
Then I thought of Stamford U.R.C. I had had some vague connection since the early 1960’s, when the late Philip Leigh Brown and I both worked at the London HQ of A.E.I. Hotpoint. Philip was my boss. and over lunch in the canteen he would often speak of Stamford (i.e. Presbyterian) church life. In 1995, when my wife Nesta and I bought a house in Dickens Drive for retirement, we gravitated to Star Lane and there was Philip waiting to welcome us.
That was then, so what could membership mean for today? Virtually house-bound and no longer driving, I cannot attend Services or other church occasions, so any membership would be very “extra-mural”. What help would that be ?
To start with, my situation is by no means unusual. Most churches have would-be worshippers who for various reasons can no longer attend Church activities, so here are a few suggestions :-
(1) Many churches these days ‘live-stream’ their Services, so if you have access to a computer or such equipment, you can tune in to a Service as it takes place (or later, if you wish), and feel a real part of the action. A direct welcome is often given.
(2) There is a Prayer Meeting for Resource Church members every Thursday evening at 7 p.m., available by link on Zoom or MS Teams.
(3) Going back to New Testament times, a Communion Service could be held in your house. Clare has a portable Communion set for such purpose.
(4) Your weekly/fortnightly/monthly offering could be made by standing order on your bank or similar institution.
(5) A ‘pastoral group’ could be set up whereby members kept in touch by telephone with any church news or gossip.
(6) You could always write an article for this magazine .
I hope these ideas may be helpful and stimulating.
The Lord be with you, Rev. Reginald Rooke
October Services
|
Date |
Minister |
Organist |
Duty Elder |
|
5th October |
Rev’d. Fiona Ogg |
Ann Llowarch |
Anne |
|
12th October |
Rev’d. Ruth & Ray Hinch |
David Lovell-Brown |
Frankie |
|
19th October |
Rev’d. Fiona Ogg Communion |
Ann Llowarch |
Anne & Tony |
|
26th October |
Rowena Ward-Barrow |
John Hall |
Pam |
All services commence at 10.30am unless otherwise stated.
Notes to Services
Flower Rota
5th October Pat Morris
12th October Helen Smith
19th October Pam Wilk
26th October Anne Thompson
Church Meeting – this Sunday 5th October
Please note that there is a church meeting after the service this Sunday. An agenda, and Minutes from the previous two Church meetings, have just been sent out on the Star News e-mail distribution list. But paper copies of all three documents will be available at the meeting.
Please come along to hear some news and updates.
Elders Meeting 15th October
The next Elders Meeting is on Weds. 15th October
Resource Area News
Resource Area Prayer Meeting is changing - same time, different link:
This will continue Thursdays at 7pm while I’m on sabbatical, but moving from Zoom to Microsoft Teams. The log in details have been sent to those who are on the email list for Zoom, and it has been tested. It doesn’t need a host, so if you join and no-one is there, someone else will most likely appear by 7 o’clock.
Most people are still able to get in, and we apologise to those who can’t.
This month, please pray for our application to Synod for funding for the redevelopment of the hall, that it will be successful.
For our Resource Area churches, please pray:
~ for Spalding, for their heritage Open Day on 13th September, and for the Friendship Afternoon starting up again after the summer break
~ for St Andrew’s, for their Harvest celebrations and the Harvest Lunch, and for the Leading your Church into Growth sessions.
~ for Westgate New Church and Whittlesey as decisions are made over future ministry
Thanks, Clare
Just for Fun
Each letter stands for a word in the name of five main meals and five tasy puddings. See how many you can identify (answers…….... on the back page)
|
Meals |
|
Pudding |
|
TITH (4,2,3,4) |
1. |
JRPAC (3,4-4,3,7) |
|
SAKP (5,3,6,7) |
2. |
APAC (5,3,3,5) |
|
BSAD (4,4,3,9) |
3. |
ST (6,6) |
|
FAC (4,3,5) |
4. |
C (10) |
|
CAMP (7,3,8,3) |
5. |
RP (4,7) |
MacMillan Coffee Morning
Our Friday Coffee Morning for MacMillan last week raised a staggering £265.88 !
Thank you so much to all our customers who donated so generously to this very worthy cause, and thank you to everyone who donated cakes or biscuits. And thank you to the Friday Coffee Morning Team for a wonderful effort last week.
Harvest Festival Service Sept. 21st
Many people gave generously to show our support for Stamford Food Bank at the Harvest Festival Service last week – thank you to all.
Hall Renovation Project
The committee of Sue, Mike, Thad, Lisa and Glynn met again last week with Geoff Milnes in our effort to move the project further on. There will be an update given in this Sunday’s Church Meeting.
Provisional Date of Book Sale
At the moment, we’re thinking of doing our annual book sale on the Sunday that coincides with the Stamford Christmas Market to boost the footfall of visitors we get, so it would be on Sunday 30th November. We will confirm this over the next couple of weeks when details are finalised and we’ve confirmed a couple of volunteers to run it during the church service.
I enjoyed the following piece in Rowena Ward-Barrow’s service a couple of weeks ago, so I thought it was worth repeating:
Letter from God
When you awoke, I was there, waiting upon you, I wanted to share in your love.
At breakfast you listened to the radio and rushed your breakfast. You had no time to speak to me. I waited but you did not turn to me.
Though you travelled by rail you spent your time on your laptop and reading the news. You did not once give me a thought. And I waited to for you to turn to me.
During your work there were lots of small gaps. There was more time at lunch. But you did other things and had no time for me. Yet I waited for you to turn to me.
At the end of the day you watched the television and played a game. For a while you dozed before you had your last drink of the day. And I waited for you to turn to me.
Now, I thought, you will have time – just before you go to sleep. Instead, you read until you were tired. You worried about tomorrow and at last fell asleep.
I will surround you with my love this night. I will wait for you tomorrow and if you do not remember I will be there the day after. I will wait until you turn to me.
All my love,
God
Recipe for Coconut Tarts This recipe is provided by Sue Samuels.
150g (6oz) short crust pastry
Favourite flavoured jam (I like to use lemon curd)
35g (1oz) sugar
35g (1oz) margarine or butter
1 egg
100g desiccated coconut
Method
STEP 1 Roll out the pastry and add the jam to make the tarts.
STEP 2 Mix all the other ingredients together and spoon on to the jam tarts.
STEP 3 Bake at gas mark 5/ 180oC or 375F for 25 minutes, turning the baking try once.
STEP 4 Take out of the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
A Letter of Gratitude and Hope (from East Midlands Synod)
To: All members and adherents of United Reformed Churches and our Local Ecumenical Partnerships
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Grace and peace to you all.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the faithfulness and generosity you have shown to God's work through your local churches. Your contributions—whether through time, talents, or treasure—have been a beautiful expression of discipleship and community.
Celebrating Faithful Stewardship
In these challenging times, when many families have faced difficult decisions about household budgets, rising energy costs, and the ongoing cost of living pressures, your continued commitment to supporting God's work has been truly remarkable. We have witnessed the church at its best: caring for one another, maintaining mission and ministry, and trusting in God's provision.
Your financial contributions through the Ministry & Mission Fund have enabled us to continue our shared calling across England, Scotland, and Wales. Through this Fund, we support ministers' stipends, theological training, Assembly gatherings, and the vital central services that strengthen our witness and ministry in every community we serve.
God's Provision in Action
We rejoice that in 2024, despite significant economic challenges, your collective giving to the M&M Fund reached £16.2 million—slightly behind our budget, but late contributions in early 2025 would have taken us over the budget, had the auditors allowed us to bring them in. This achievement reflects not just financial commitment, but spiritual resilience and trust in God's faithfulness.
We are particularly grateful for the additional support from our synods, who contributed approx. £2.0 million of the amount noted above, demonstrating the interconnectedness of our church family. Total income for 2024, including investment income and grants etc. was £18.5 million.
While our expenditure of £20.0 million resulted in a deficit of £1.5 million for 2024, we remain committed to balancing our budget over the next 4-6 years through difficult, but necessary reductions in central costs and continued partnership between local churches and synods.
Looking Forward with Hope
As we move through 2025, we recognise that challenges remain. Economic pressures continue to affect both individuals and churches. Yet we face the future with confidence, knowing that God's call to faithful stewardship remains constant, and that together we can continue to serve Christ's mission in our communities.
We have a clear plan: synods have committed to maintaining their enhanced support, and we are implementing careful budget reductions of an average of 3-5% annually in our central costs. This balanced approach ensures we remain good stewards while maintaining our essential ministries.
A Call to Continued Faithfulness
In the spirit of 2 Corinthians 9:7, your giving has been a source of joy and strength to the whole church. As we move forward, we invite you to continue this journey of faithful stewardship, giving "as the Spirit directs and as our means allow."
We understand that every church's situation is unique, and we celebrate with those who have been able to meet their full commitments, while also deeply appreciating those who, facing their own challenges, have continued to prioritise the M&M Fund within their means.
Partnership in Ministry
As officers of our denomination, we treasure our roots in local URC congregations and LEPs. We understand firsthand the joys and challenges of local church life, including the financial pressures you face. This shared experience strengthens our commitment to wise stewardship of the resources you entrust to us.
Your local church treasurer has received detailed financial information and can answer specific questions about our accounts. If further assistance is needed, our finance team at Church House stands ready to help.
Our Deepest Thanks
To every member who has contributed to their local church, to every congregation that has supported the M&M Fund, and to all who have made this work a priority even in difficult times—thank you. Your faithfulness enables ministry to continue, training to be provided, and the gospel to be proclaimed across our three nations.
May God bless you abundantly as you continue to be faithful stewards of all that He has entrusted to you. Together, we participate in God's wonderful work of transformation, both in our own lives and in the world around us.
In Christ's service,
Alan Yates
Treasurer
Vaughan Griffiths
Deputy Treasurer
"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." - 2 Corinthians 9:7
Quiz Answers
Main Meals and Puddings
1 Toad in the Hole
2 Steak and Kidney Pie
3 Beef Stew and Dumplings
4 Fish and Chips
5 Chicken and Mushroom Pie
1 Jam Roly-Poly and Custard
2 Apple Pie and Cream
3 Sherry Trifle
4 Cheesecake
5 Rice Pudding
|
Quote of the month: “Sound and accurate journalism defends our democracy. It’s one of the most effective weapons we have to restrain the power-hungry. I always said that All the President’s Men was a violent movie. No shots were fired, but words were used as weapons.”
Robert Redford |
|
MINISTER |
COULD ANY ITEMS FOR THE NOVEMBER EDITION PLEASE REACH GLYNN BY OCT 27th AT: |
HALL LETTINGS |
|
REVD. CLARE DAVISON |
MRS. SUE SAMUELS |
|
|
revclare.urc2004@gmail.com |
urcstarnews@gmail.com |
sues25@outlook.com |
|
01733 260164 07476 958269 |
|
07428 820671 |
WE HOPE EVERYONE IS STAYING SAFE, WELL AND HAPPY
S T A M F O R D U N I T E D R E F O R M E D C H U R C H
S T A R L A N E P E 9 1 P H