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We provide a focus for liberal religious worship and reflection and a centre of fellowship for people of religious sentiment.

NEWS
 
CHURCH CALENDAR FOR MARCH 2010

WORSHIP SERVICES

7   March         11.15am          Third Sunday in Lent “Judas – Cheating Heart?”
14 March         11.15am           Mothering Sunday “Mary – Grieving Mother”
21 March         11.15am          Fifth Sunday in Lent “Peter – Weakest Link?”
28 March         11.15am          Palm Sunday“Barrabas – Daylight Robber”  

CHURCH STEWARDS

7   March         Margaret & John Fitzpatrick
14 March         Jean Jackson & Beryl Bowden
21 March         Marc & Philip Peters
28 March         Alfred Howson & Jonathan Reeves

If you are unable to fulfil your duties on the date given, please inform Harry so that stand-in steward(s) can be allocated to that date. Thank you.

 CHURCH FLOWERS

7   March                     Mr & Mrs D Worthington
14 March                     In memory of Gwen Lancashire
21 March                     Church Flowers
28 March                     In memory of Mr & Mrs H Sharples ( USA )     

Distributors: Edna Wilkinson and Margaret Pollard

 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the 41st Annual General Meeting of the Congregation will be held in the church lounge on Monday, 22nd March, 2010 , commencing at 7.30pm  

Nomination forms for the election of officers and Council members will be posted on the church notice board.

 Any items for the agenda relevant to an AGM should be notified to the Church Secretary in writing no later than Sunday, 14th March.  

 CHURCH OFFICERS

  Chair of Trustees                  Susan Holt            078767 16563
  Chair of Congregation           Neville Kenyon        0120488 7222
  Church Secretary                 Marian Price           01706 211981
  Church Treasurer                 John Fitzpatrick       0161 764 6374  

 CHURCH INFORMATION

  Church address                    1 Bank Street , Bury BL9 0DN
  Church telephone                  0161 761 3785
  Charity reg.no.                      1078570
  Church website                     http//www.bury-unitarian-church.org.uk
  Minister’s mobile no:             07989 858963
  Minister’s e-mail:                   jeffreylanegould@btinternet.com
  Minister’s postal code           BL8 1NU
  Editor’s e-mail:                      pam_gilbert66@btinternet.com
  Editor’s telephone                01706 822651             

 COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN MARCH

Wednesday, 10 March at 7.30pm       EFFORTS
Monday, 15 March at 7.00pm              COMMUNICATIONS AND WORSHIP /YOUNG PEOPLE
Wednesday, 24 March at 7.30pm       FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES  

SATURDAY MORNING COFFEE ROTA

6   March                     Jean Maden & Margaret Pollard
13 March                     Margaret Fitzpatrick & Jean Jackson
20 March                     Pat Haworth & Jean Taylor
27 March                     Barbara Ashworth & Vera Stephenson

Due to health problems a rota member is retiring and a replacement is needed to commence in June on a once-every-eight-week-cycle.  A volunteer would be greatly appreciated.  Please contact Jean Taylor.

LUNCH CIRCLE

The Lunch Circle meets on Tuesday, 16^th March at 12.30pm .  The organisers are Harry, June, Marc and Michael.  Please let Harry know if you are unable to attend.

 WOMEN’S LEAGUE

Thursday, 4 march at 7.30        Mrs June Clarke will speak on the subject or CARD-MAKING

 WOMEN’S LEAGUE

On Saturday, 6 February 2010 at the annual General Meeting of the Manchester and District Unitarian Women’s League, it was with pleasure that several members of our Bury Branch witnessed the installation of one of our members, Mrs. Susan Holt as president of the district for the next two years.  This is an honour not only for Susan but for our Bury Branch.  She follows two previous presidents chosen from Bury; Mrs. Rowena Entwistle and Mrs. Barbara Ashworth.  She will, we feel, be a worthy successor.  It is our sincere pleasure to offer her our support and we feel you will all join us in our good wishes and congratulations.

 MEN’S FELLOWSHIP

There will be NO meeting in March.  Our next meeting will be in April.

 CALENDAR DEADLINE

NEXT COPY DEADLINE will be Sunday, 21^st March.  

POINTS OF INTEREST FOLLOWING THE COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 8 FEBRUARY, 2010

• It has been agreed to purchase a second microphone to be fitted on to the lectern in a similar way to that on the pulpit.   This will allow a more flexible use of the microphone system as a whole.  It is acknowledged  that we still have, as yet unidentified, random faults on the lapel microphone used by the Minister.
  

• Attempts are being made to alter the heating system so that certain areas can be zoned off when not in use, in the hope that we can reduce our annual gas consumption.  At present if the heating is required to be on in one area then we have no choice but to heat up the entire premises.
  

• A budget has been approved to refurbish the primary room and also to create a children’s area at the rear of the church.   It is considered important to provide the small number of children we do have with a pleasant environment and also equally important to provide an area in the church where children and their parents will feel welcome.

• Anne and Roger Mills have been chosen as our representatives at the GA Annual Meetings to be held in Nottingham from 8^th to 11^th April.

NOTES FROM COMMUNICATION AND WORSHIP AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE MEETING 26/01/2010

• A return visit to Kendal was suggested on a Wednesday in July or August. Council’s views were sought on this. Council suggested we go during July or August but join them for their Sunday morning service.

• A visit to the MANJUSHRI KADAMPA BUDDHIST CENTRE at Ulverston was suggested.  A short visit would be arranged to see if it would be suitable for a retreat there in 2011.

SPEAKING OF . . .

Gill Pearl , Chief Executive of the local charity, “Speakeasy,” spoke to the congregation in the course of the Sunday morning service on 7 February.  She explained how a person’s speech could be affected by the onset of a stroke, or a similar brain injury, and outlined the ways in which professional and voluntary assistance is given to members of the community by this particular charity in order to cope with the realities of living with brain aphasia.  

It has become a tradition in recent years to “kick off” the year’s fundraising efforts on behalf of local charities with a special service, in which the congregation is able to learn about the work of a charitable organisation, and also meet both representatives and service users of the designated body.  Gill spoke informatively and sensitively, and was happy to chat over coffee with members of the congregation.  The worship was a good start to the Charity Sub-committee’s year of fundraising, and thanks go to everyone who contributed so generously to the retiring collection.  Let’s hope that we manage to raise a significant amount of money for this worthy charity, and enjoy the events that are planned for the remainder of the year.

 JEFF

 MEDITATION GROUP

The Meditation Group will meet on Thursday, 25 March, from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. , in the church’s coffee lounge.  There is no charge for participating and light refreshments are served at the end.

  BOOK CLUB

The Book Club will meet twice in the month of March.  The first gathering will take place on Monday, 1 March, from 7.30 to 9 p.m. in the church’s coffee lounge.  The book to be discussed is Sepulchre, by Kate Mosse.  On Monday, 29 March, the group will also meet from 7.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. , in the church’s coffee lounge.  The book to be discussed is The House at Riverton, by Kate Moreton.  Copies of both books are available from the bookcase in the coffee lounge.  Please sign your name on the check-out sheet.  Light refreshments are offered on a bring-and-share basis throughout the meetings.

IN MEMORIAM

The life of Dorothy Whitworth Hayward was celebrated at a service held at the Overdale Crematorium in Bolton on Monday, 8 February.  The minister officiated.  Dorothy had been a member of the old Bank Street Chapel congregation, and had also been associated with the Ainsworth Presbyterian (Unitarian) Chapel.  The service was attended by many friends and members of her extended family, who acknowledged her plain speaking and quiet generosity.  She died after a long period of hospitalisation at Fairfield Hospital in Bury, at the age of 90.

 The funeral service for the late Bertha Shipley Schofield took place at the Rochdale Crematorium on 15 February.  The minister officiated.  Bertha had been a member of the congregation of the Unitarian Chapel at Britain Hill in Heywood, and had marked important occasions in her family’s life at the old Bank Street Chapel and at the current Bury Unitarian Church .  The service brought together her extended family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and members of the wider community, who honoured her life’s role as a homemaker, carer and peacemaker.  She was 98 years-old at her death.

 CHURCHES TOGETHER IN BURY

The first Churches Together meeting of 2010 was held in February at Bury Unitarian Church; 9 people attended, thus representing 6 of the 8 participating churches of Bury town centre.  The Reverend Ruth Woolaston, of Bury United Reformed Church, chaired the meeting.

The main topic of the meeting concerned the Good Friday Walk of Witness which will take place, this year, on April 2^nd.  The route will be the same as last year’s, beginning at St. Marie’s and ending at the United Reformed Church.  Various practical matters relating to publicity, orders of service, banners and crosses, stewarding were discussed and decisions made.  Those who participated last year, found the Walk of Witness to be a convivial and thought-provoking event, and Churches Together hopes for an even better attendance again, this year.

Since Bury Unitarian Church is now a full member of Churches Together, we are entitled to send two representatives to the meetings; if anyone else is interested in attending, please speak to Jeff.  I found my first meeting interesting and look forward to finding out more about other churches and congregations in the central Bury area.

Anne Mills

 BURY’S BIG BREW

Tickets are still on sale for our Fair Trade Fortnight event---our Coffee Morning, on Wednesday, March 3^rd, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon . During the morning, the Traidcraft stall will be open, and a raffle will also be held. Tickets cost £2.50 and include all refreshments; buy them from the Traidcraft stall, or from Anne or Roger Mills, or pay on the door.

Last November, Jeff preached a sermon about Delicious Peace coffee; this coffee is the result of a co-operative venture, in Uganda, between Jews, Christians and Muslims; the co-operative’s aim, since it was started, in 2003, by J.J. Keki, a Ugandan coffee-farmer, is to encourage prosperity in the area where Delicious Peace coffee is produced and to spread the message of peace throughout the world; its story is one of financial and spiritual success, and quite inspirational! (Further details can be found by logging on to the following website: www.mirembekawomera.com ---the name means “delicious peace” in the Lugandan language.)

Many people expressed an interest in sampling Delicious Peace coffee, but Jeff and I discovered that it wasn’t available in this country. Not wishing to disappoint, we carried out some research and found The Thanksgiving Coffee Company, in North California , which was prepared to sell us a small quantity. It is---hopefully---winging its way to us as I write and will be served at our Coffee Morning. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to try a most unusual coffee.

Don’t forget The Big Swap initiative during Fair Trade Fortnight (February 22^nd to March 7^th)! One more item to consider, if you are “swapping”, is the melon; news is just in that the first fairly-traded melons are now available from Asda and Morrison Stores. 

Anne

 LADIES’ SOCIAL GROUP

Mrs Mary Wightman has written to express her thanks and gratitude for a donation towards the Women’s League National Project of Meningitis, and to say how much she and Bob enjoyed their visit to Ainsworth and Bury last year.

To members and friends of The Chapel

who were housebound or ill during the recent severe snow and ice,

we send our best wishes.

INTRODUCTORY BOOKLET:

A FAITH WORTH THINKING ABOUT

click here for a free download

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