The document provides information about upcoming events at Hayes Free Church in December 2013 and January 2014, including their Christmas fair, tree festival, and services. It also includes notices about church groups, visiting preachers scheduled to speak, and requests for volunteers to provide transportation to the tree festival for members of the blind community.

1. Catalyst
THE MAGAZINE OF
HAYES FREE CHURCH (U.R.C.)
Final preparations for the Christmas Fair on 9th November 2013.
December 2013
January 2014

2. HAYES FREE CHURCH
111, Pickhurst Lane, Hayes, Kent BR2 7HU
Sunday Services. 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.
We are a member of the United Reformed Church.
We believe in Justice and Peace.
Principal Contacts
Minister:
Church Secretary:
Fabric Steward
Rev. Sue Powell
Mrs Mavis Righini
Mr. Chris Wood
Tel: 020 8462 2212
Tel: 020 8462 1168
Tel: 020 8462 2444
Treasurer:
Lettings Secretary:
Mr. Simon Narracott
Mrs Undine Connolly
Tel: 020 8462 2004
Tel: 020 8776 0108
Caretaker:
Mr. Ian Jones
Tel: 020 8313 1556
Church Website
www.hayesfreechurch.com
Catalyst
Editor:
Mr Richard Brown
Contents : - Items not covered by the diary of events.
Sunday Services
2
Church Notices
3-5
Notes on visiting preachers
3
A Quote
4
How wrong you can be
6
Christmas Tree Festival
7
Christmas Fair &
Charity Card Sale 10
The Nation’s 10 best hymns
10
Season’s Greetings
11, 14
Notice Board
Three Christmas stories
Website of the month and
competition
Extra Notice Board
URC Moderator’s letter
The way things once were
Things you never hear
in Church
Church Organisations
12 - 13
15
16 - 17
18 - 19
20 - 21
21
24
IBC
This month’s website: The website of the month is the one from which material will be drawn
for "The Way Things Once Were" over the next year. This link will take
you to the home page - www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/about
Now, turn to Pages 16 & 17 for more details of the website, and of a
competition........
Ed
Copy for the February 2014 edition needs to be handed in by
Sunday, 12th January.
Please submit items in good time.
You can leave copy in the “B” Pigeon Hole for Richard Brown to collect,
or hand it directly to him on a Sunday morning.
You can also e-mail copy to richardmbrown6@gmail.com
Thank You.
Editor

3. Letter from the Minister
Dear Friends,
Christmas! Do you remember the excitement?
In those days before ‘political correctness’ came
into being… I refuse to purchase cards with the
words ‘Seasons Greetings’ or ‘Happy Holiday’. We
are celebrating Christmas –the celebration of
Christ’s birth.
So many people in our multi-cultural, multi-faith society feel the need to
protect others from ‘insult’ when our Christian country celebrates its
faith. Yet Muslims and Hindus and others are happy not only for us to
celebrate, but to join in. In her first Christmas as Conservative Party
chairman, Baroness Warsi had been upset to discover that the proposed
official chairman’s card had no mention of Christianity – so she binned it
and replaced it with a ‘proper traditional card, with Merry Christmas on it’.
She insisted that, for her, there was no contradiction between being a
devout Muslim and celebrating Christmas. Dr. Rowan Williams said: “The
weary annual attempts by right-thinking people in Britain to ban or
discourage Nativity plays or public carol-singing out of sensitivity to the
supposed tender consciences of other religions fail to notice that most
people of other religions and cultures both love the story and respect the
message.”
It’s far more likely to be people of no faith who are flying the flag for
political correctness!
We seem to spend too much of our time and energy lamenting the
“politically correct” brigade instead of focusing on our own spiritual
preparations for the season. In the words of the old song, we need to
“accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.”
Every peace-loving Christian and congregation could do with showing more
unconditional love. Instead of judging others and condemning others, we
need to get alongside others, and seek to understand them and love them.
After all, that is what our God did when he came as a vulnerable child into
our dark and sinful world, one cold winter’s night in Bethlehem. What he
did for me and for you, we need to do for others or else we lose all
credibility in the eyes of the world.
May you all enjoy a blessed Christmas.
1

4. Sunday Services
December 2013
1st
10.30 am - Morning Service - Jim Holman
6.30 pm - Evening Service - The Minister with Pickhurst Junior
School (No Holy Communion)
8th
10.30 am - Parade & Gift Service - The Minister
6.30 pm - C.T.H. with musical accompaniment by musicians
from Hayes School
15th
10.30 am - Morning Service - Margaret Smith with puppet
6.30 pm - Carols by Candlelight - The Minister
10.30 am - Nativity by the Brownies & Holy Communion The Minister
22nd
6.30 pm - Evening Service - Pastor Roy Powell
29th
10.30 am - Joint Morning Service - at Beckenham United
Reformed Church
There will be no Evening Service.
January 2014
5th
10.30 am - Morning Service - Rev Geoff Larcombe
6.30 pm - Holy Communion - The Minister
12th
10.30 am - Morning Service - The Minister
6.30 pm - Evening Service - The Minister
19th
10.30 am - Morning Service - John Cox
6.30 pm - Evening Service - The Minister
26th
10.30 am - Holy Communion - The Minister
6.30 pm - Evening Service - David and Alison Hawthorn
February 2014
2nd
Candlemas Day
10.30 am - Morning Service - Margaret Smith with puppet
6.30 pm - Holy Communion - The Minister
See the facing page for notes on the visiting preachers.
2

5. News of the Church Family
Announcements are welcome :BMD - Changes of address, etc.
Contact details
v
Helen Hebbes has moved to Glebe Court,
Glebe Way, West Wickham, BR4 ORZ
v
Jenny Carr's e-mail address is :-jennyc_carr@hotmail.com
Your prayers would be appreciated for: Marjorie Curry, Ruth Rees, and Jessie Martin.
Church Meetings
The next Elders’ meetings will be on Wednesday, 11th December 2013
at 7.30 pm, and Tuesday 7th January 2014, at 8.00 pm in the small hall.
The next Church meeting will be on Sunday 26th January at 12.00
noon after the morning service.
Women's Contact Group
The Contact Group will NOT be meeting in December. In 2014, we will
meet on 6th January at Joan Cook’s home - 12, Broadoaks Way, and
then on 3rd February at Jenny Carr’s home - 152, Langley Way.
Meetings start at 8.00 pm.
Sylvia Mack
Some notes on the visiting preachers.
v Jim Holman is a Methodist preacher. He has led services at HFC in
the past.
v Mrs. Margaret Smith is a Methodist Lay Preacher. She has led
services at HFC on a number of occasions. This time, she will be
accompanied by a puppet.
v Pastor Roy Powell is a Lay Preacher at Camberwell Green U.R.C. – as
well as being Sue’s husband!
v Revd Geoff Larcombe is a local representative from the Bible Society.
He spoke at the Bible celebration supper in the spring of 2011.
v John Cox is known to us, having conducted services at HFC in the
past.
v David and Alison Hawthorn are members of the HFC congregation.
David has contributed articles for Catalyst. They are taking the lead
in two groups at HFC.
3

6. Tuesday Prayer Meetings for December and January
Held at 10.00am at the following homes:3rd Martin Nunn’s.
10th Betty Coster’s.
17th Brenda Cordingley’s.
24th & 31st There will be no meetings.
January
7th Martin Nunn’s.
14th Betty Coster’s.
21st Brenda Cordingley’s.
28th The Church.
Then in February: 4th Martin Nunn’s.
NOTE: Double check these arrangements in the Sunday Link sheets.
Please address any queries to Martin Nunn.
Saturday Fellowship
We will NOT be meeting in December. The next meeting will be on the
4th of January, 2014 at 2.30pm at Barbara Jones’ home. Martin Nunn
will be leading a Bible Study. You are welcome to join us.
Men's Group
Our next meeting will be in the small hall on Thursday 17th January at
8.00 pm for a New Year’s Feast organised by Bill Bowman.
Ministry of Flowers
Thank you to those who will be providing flowers over the next 2
months.
December
1st - Doreen Hobbs
8th - Kay & Tony Atkinson
15th - Margaret
22nd - Janet & John Moren
i.m.o. Nell & Syd Williams
29th - Gill at Beckenham URC
5th - Gill & Chris Wood
i.m.o. Matthew
January
12th - Mr & Mrs Yonge
19th - Ruth White i.m.o. Her mother 26th - Amanda & Jason Matthews
i.m.o. Baby Sasha
A big thank you to those who kindly arrange the flowers when needed.
After the Sunday evening services, the flowers are distributed to
members and friends, bringing joy to the recipients.
Mavis Righini
Being kind is much more important than being right, for sometimes all a
person needs is not a brilliant mind that speaks, but a patient heart
that listens. Unknown
4

7. Hayes Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Club
We welcome all babies and children under school age, accompanied
by their parents, grandparents or carers, to our club on Friday
afternoons between 2 and 4pm during term time. The fee is £1 per
family – tea, squash and biscuits are provided.
This is a time when adults can meet up, while the children in their care
are busy playing with toys and activities in the company of other
children.
Our CHRISTMAS PARTY and last meeting of term is on December 6th at
2.15pm
Tickets priced at £2.50 per child must be bought in advance!
Our first meeting for 2014 is on January 10th at 2.00pm
May we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!'
We look forward to seeing you.
Judith Stoner
- Secretary.
Bible Study Group
The Bible Study group meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each
month at 2.30pm in the small hall.
Please note we will NOT be meeting on the 26th of December.
Worship Group
The Wednesday Reflections Group meets at 6.30pm on the 4th
Wednesday of each month.
Please note we will NOT be meeting in December.
Linda Michie
Notice Sheets - December, January & 1st Sunday in February
December
1st & 8th
15th & 22nd
29th
January
5th
12th & 19th
26th
February
2nd
Brenda Cordingley
Pam Collison
Joan Smith
8462 3867
8658 0748
8462 3920
Joan Smith
Daphne Cummings 8777 2487
Brenda Cordingley
Brenda Cordingley
If you require items to be included in the notice sheets, please
contact the appropriate person by the previous Tuesday.
5

8. Women's Fellowship
M
eetings are in the small hall at 2.00 p.m., unless otherwise stated,
on Tuesdays and finish about 3.30 p.m.
The December meetings will be: 3rd
Emmanuel Women’s Fellowship Tea. (Pick up from HFC)
10th
Christmas Party.
The January meetings will be: 7th
No meeting
14th
Holiday stories / Favourite Greeting cards / Reminiscences
21st
Australian Afternoon - Betty Coster
28th
Holiday Slides – Mary Moore
The first meeting in February will be
4th
Mavis and Ken Baker – a musical interlude
MINI-AMBULANCE
Members who use the mini-ambulance are asked to phone
Marion Swanborough on 8462 3981 by 9.00 am on any Tuesday when
they are unable to come to the meetings.
As always, we welcome all ladies to our meetings. Please come along for a
pleasant afternoon. We do have a very varied programme with plenty to
interest everyone.
Sue & Marion
How wrong you can be
British people overestimate the number for Muslims in the country by a
factor of five. In a survey of 1,015 adults by Ipsos Mori for King's
College, London, those who took part said, on average, that 24% of
the UK are Muslims. The actual number is 5%.
They did even worse on teenage pregnancies, estimating 15% of
teenage girls get pregnant each year, which is 25 times the correct
answer of 0.6%.
And still worse on benefit fraud: they estimated 24% of benefit money
is claimed fraudulently, when the true figure is 0.7%.
They thought that 26% of the population are immigrants, which is twice
the true figure; and that 30% are black or Asian, when the right
answer is 11%.
6

9. Women’s Contact Coffee Morning
There will not be a coffee morning in December. We will
be holding the next coffee morning in the Small Hall
from 10.00am to 12.00 on the 11th of January, 2014. In
February, the coffee morning will take place on the 8th.
We are continuing to raise monies to contribute to disaster
relief funds in different parts of the world.
We hope to see you at the Coffee Mornings, and why not bring a
friend?
Please note that the monies raised from the coffee mornings are
separate from those raised through the refreshments trolley after
Sunday morning services.
Barbara Jones
The Fairtrade Sunday Stall
We hold a fair trade stall after the morning service on the 2nd and 4th
Sunday of each month.
In December the stall will be held on the 8th and the 22nd. In January
the stall will be held on the 12th and the 26th
Please continue to support your fair trade stall. Thank you.
Richard and Barbara.
CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL 2013
Can you Help?
-------------A number of our blind friends from KAB wish to attend the concert
to be given by the Beckenham Concert Band.
Would you be prepared to give a lift to the Christmas Tree Festival
on the evening of Saturday 7th December for them: q A lady plus guide dog from Mayfield Avenue, Orpington
q A gentleman from Darwen Close, Farnborough
q Two ladies from Hawes Lane, West Wickham
q A lady from Eden Way, Eden Park.
Please contact John Moren if you can give a lift.
7

10. THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS
ARE HOLDING THEIR ANNUAL SERVICE OF
REMEMBRANCE FOR BEREAVED PARENTS
AND THEIR FAMILIES
AT
HAYES FREE CHURCH, PICKHURST LANE, HAYES
ON SATURDAY 21st DECEMBER
AT 6.00 P.M.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
GILL WOOD
ON 0208 462 2444
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED AFTERWARDS
8

11. HAYES FREE CHURCH
CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL
IN AID OF KENT ASSOCIATION
FOR THE BLIND
FROM FRIDAY 29th NOVEMBER to SUNDAY 8th DECEMBER
The Festival will be open each day from 2.00 pm from December 2 to December 7.
The Church will be open at service times each Sunday (10.30 am and 6.30 pm)
Programme of Entertainment for the Festival
November
Friday 29th
Opening Concert
7.30 pm
Saturday 30th
Film The Snowman
2.30 pm
Followed by Tea for Children
Saturday 30th
Film It’s a Wonderful Life
James Stewart and Donna Reed
7.30 pm
December
Sunday 1st
Pickhurst Junior School
6.30 pm
Monday 2nd
Bishop Justus School
7.30 pm
Tuesday 3rd
Friends of the Allegri Singers
7.30 pm
Wednesday 4th Wandle Ringers
7.30 pm
Thursday 5th
Orpington Rock Choir
7.30 pm
Friday 6th
Christmas Quiz
7.30 pm
Saturday 7th
Beckenham Concert Band
7.45 pm
Sunday 8th
Churches Together in Hayes with musical
6.30 pm
accompaniment by the musicians from
Hayes School
Admission charges: All money raised will go to
THE SNOWMAN - Children £2.00
the Kent Association for
Adults £4.00
the Blind
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE Adults £4.00
HAYES FREE CHURCH
CHRISTMAS QUIZ - £2.00 per Person
111, Pickhurst Lane
(Bring your own drinks & nibbles )
Bromley BR2 7HU
Tables of 8. Form a team or we will
www.hayesfreechurch.com
make up a team if you are on your own.
Tickets for the films and quiz from John Curry Tel: 020 8249 3663
Cheques should be made payable to: HAYES FREE CHURCH TREE APPEAL
9

12. CHRISTMAS FAIR AND CHARITY CARD SALE
Let me start on behalf of Pam, John Curry and myself by thanking
everybody involved before, on the day and those who helped clear
up afterwards.
Once again our usual hard working stall holders did the majority of the
work for which we give them great thanks, but to me the success of
our Christmas gatherings proves one thing, we as a church work well
when we pull together. It is so rewarding to see all of your smiling
faces, in both halls and with approximately 600 people coming
through the door on what was a pretty awful day (weather wise), it
kept our gallant ‘kitchen kings’ on their toes, culminating in an
amazing £2,200 being raised on the day.
It was good that ‘the charities’ had a reasonably good day, and
although charity cards are available from so many outlets these days
it is no surprise that takings were slightly down, but all the time ‘the
charities’ are keen to have stalls in our church, I feel we should
welcome them.
So thank you all again and any constructive recommendations on
how to improve next year would be gratefully received.
Chris Wood
THE NATION’S 10 BEST HYMNS
On Sunday 27 October Songs of Praise had the Big Sing from the Royal
Albert Hall when the Nation’s 10 best hymns were sung. They were:10th
9th
8th
7th
6th
5th
4th
3rd
2nd
1st
The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended
Make me a channel of your peace.
Guide me O thou great Jehovah
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide.
And can it be that I should gain
Here I am Lord
Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Be still for the presence of the Lord
In Christ alone
How great thou art
10

13. Catalyst Needs You!
This page will be kept for YOUR contributions - NOTHING ELSE will go on this page.
Hopefully, you will be inspired to share some pictures, poetry or stories.
etings
s Gre
ason'
Se
We send Christmas Greetings to everyone
in Hayes Free Church
and best wishes for a peaceful New Year.
Ann and David Watson
Christmas Greetings and
Best Wishes for the New Year
to everyone at HFC.
Our sincere thanks, too, for the warm welcome you have given us.
Kate and Philip Sheardown
To all in Hayes Free Church
Wishing you a happy and peaceful Christmas
Love from
Daphne
To all my friends in my Church family with best
wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
May we continue to reach out to each other in love
& share Peace and Tranquility of the Holy Spirit
within our Church.
X
Jean Ritchie
Continued on page 14 . . . . . .
11

14. NOTICE
HFC CHRISTMAS POST
-------------It was agreed at a Church meeting earlier this year that it
was an unnecessary expense to send cards to people
that we see every week. In these austerity days it was felt
that this was a sensible decision.
Therefore there will be NO Christmas Post this year.
However, it was agreed that we could send a card to all
our friends at the church and that the card will be
displayed at the front for all to see. It was also agreed that
we would make a contribution to a charity, as usual, in
lieu of postage. The chosen charity will be decided at the
November Church meeting.
The November Church meeting will also decide which
charity will benefit from the collection on Christmas Day.
John Curry
12

15. BOARD
Do come to
“A CHRISTMAS CRACKER”
Performance
At
Bromley Central Library
On
Thursday 19th December
12 Noon to 2.00 pm
Tickets £5 from Enquiry Desk
And with refreshments.
It is the last performance this year,
directed by Adrian Boynton, and
it’s always excellent.
Saturday 14 December 2013
Due to their previous success the
Bromley Rock Choir are returning to
Hayes Free Church, this time to raise
funds for our friends at Nash College
which relies on charity to carry out
their very worthwhile work for students
with disabilities aged between 17
and 25 years
The gig will start at 8 pm and tickets are
available from Margaret Tannock
@ £10 which will include mulled wine
and mince pies.
If you didn't come the last time let me
encourage you to support this
fund raiser.
Thanks
Margaret
13

16. tings
Gree
's
eason
S
. . . . . . Continued from page 11
Merry Christmas and Happy 2014
to all at HFC
Judith and David Stoner
Best Wishes for a
Very Happy Christmas
and New Year
To all my friends at H.F.C.
Thelma Baggs
Our best wishes to everyone at HFC
for a Merry Christmas
And a peaceful and prosperous New Year
from
Richard & Flora Brown
14

17. From the Forums
There is a family friendly forum dedicated to iPad users. The forum
covers technical and social topics. There is one discussion thread
called “Everything to do with Christmas”. These are two posts from
that thread.....
Our family has three Christmas traditions
1) We open one gift on Christmas Eve and discuss how we think that
gift will change and/or affect our daily life.
2) The eldest family member present reads "'Twas the night before
Christmas" just before bedtime.
3) Christmas dinner is not complete without some type of candy
scattered around the table - between the dishes. It's usually M&Ms
or gummy bears and serves as both afters and decoration for the
table.
I'm not sure how or when these traditions started but I remember them
since I was a kid.
The Christmas Pudding
I have just recalled the year that my mother decided to buy a
Christmas pudding in a can (tin). She had never bought one before
so had to read the heating instructions on the label which called for
heating the can in boiling water. My dad was just about to take a sip
of his scotch when there was such a BOOM that he ended up
throwing the glassful in his face. He was yelling in agony with neat
whiskey in his eyes, my mother was frozen with shock at the noise as
we kids headed off to find the source of the explosion. Well.....there
was Christmas pudding all over the kitchen walls, floor and ceiling
along with shrapnel from the can.
She had missed the instruction to pierce the can before heating!
Oops...
From the Lincolnshire Family History Society Journal Feb 2013
----------------------------------
DRAKARD'S STAMFORD NEWS
Friday 3rd January 1834
'GOSBERTON: On Christmas Day the Choir of singers connected with
the Parish Church of Gosberton were desirous of exhibiting their vocal powers by singing an anthem on the Nativity of Christ. but as permission to do so was peremptorily refused by the Clergyman, the
whole choir took up their instruments and books and left the minister
and congregation to learn the value of their services by the loss of
them!'
15

18. Website of the Month
The First World War Poetry Digital Archive
There are 2 main sections; the First World War Poetry Digital Archive,
and the Great War Archive . Both sections contain a variety of items
which relate to WW1. Two examples of memorabilia are shown here.
The following wording has been taken from the website.
The First World War Poetry Digital Archive (based at the University of
Oxford) made available to the general public a wide array of
archival resources relating to literature of the First World War. Building
on the success of Oxford's 'Wilfred Owen Multimedia Digital Archive',
and the 'Virtual Seminars for Teaching Literature' project (1996), this
multimedia digital archive contains archival resources from other
major British poets of the First World War plus images, text, audio and
video of primary contextual materials.
The archive was one of 22 projects funded by the JISC Digitisation
programme (Apr 2007 - Mar 2009) delivering high quality online
content for use by the UK further and higher education communities.
Further work was made possible through the JISC Enriching Digital
Resources Programme (Oct 2008 - Sept 2009).
There can be no doubt about
the widespread popularity of
war poetry, and First World
War poetry in particular, in
literature and history courses
across the country. It is taught
in most universities, FE
colleges and, of course, at
school level. It also continues
Item A
to attract considerable
public attention due to the cultural
importance of the period for modern
day Britain, and the way it shaped
attitudes to warfare.
The Great War Archive
A Community Collection
The development of The Great War
Archive has enabled the remote
contribution of digital objects to the
collection, thus releasing material which
Item B
Continued on Page 17 ....
16

19. .... Continued from Page 16
up to now has been stored by individuals but inaccessible to scholars.
…. Because of the chronological proximity of the First World War,
many people hold personal items to do with the war that they have
been happy to share via a straightforward licence. …. In total over
6,500 items were submitted to the archive, all of which are now freely
available online in the Great War Archive.
Fully aware of the educational significance of this archival collection,
in conjunction with teachers and lecturers the project has developed
a rich education area for both educators and learners. …. Visitors to
the archive can create their own annotated trails through the
archive for others to use …. and also map historical and archival
data using the site's interactive timelines.
Beyond the Archive
One of the things that makes this resource so rich is the community
surrounding its webpages. …. From time to time we may run
workshops for educators and other special events.
-----------------------------------Item A is from The Great War Archive, University of Oxford
(www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa); © James Mottershaw
Item B is from The Great War Archive, University of Oxford
(www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa); © Laurie Thomas
------------------------------------
The Competition
There are 2 prizes on offer.
One prize is for those who can work out what the 2 items are, but
don’t have access to the Internet. The questions are: 1)
What is Item A and whose name is associated with this item?
2)
What is Item B?
The other prize is for those who can answer the following questions by
checking through the website.
3)
How many images are associated with the first item? Item A
4)
Who contributed the image for the second item? Item B
Answers must be received by the editor in writing, or by email before
the 12th of January press date. Winners will be announced in
February’s edition of Catalyst.
Good luck.
Ed
17

20. extra NOTICE
Commitment for Life
The choice is yours
It is now that time of year when your commitment for
life envelope is attached to your copy of Catalyst.
The season of goodwill is fast approaching, and events
which have been reported during 2013 will surely test
our strengths and compassion.
FURTHER INFORMATION FROM
CHRIS WOOD ON 0208 462 2444
Heart Start
Some of you may remember the 'Staying Alive' TV advert
last year with Vinnie Jones. This formed part of a campaign
called HeartStart run jointly by the British Heart Foundation
and the various ambulance services.
The campaign aims to increase awareness of how to treat
someone who is having, or has had, a heart attack.
The training involves a single session, after which you will
receive a certificate of completion. No prior first aid
experience is required.
I will be running a number of sessions in the new year, dates
to be confirmed.
If you are interested in attending one of them, please
contact me to register your interest.
Tom Strachan
22nd Bromley Explorer Scout Leader
thomassstrachan@hotmail.com
Tel: 07745 813295
18

21. BOARD extra
Subscriptions for Catalyst
Subscriptions for 2014 are due in December. The cost is £6
if you wish to receive Catalyst via the pigeonholes at the
back of the church. Please let Judith or David Stoner have
this amount as soon as possible.
If you wish to have the magazine sent by post, the cost is £11
and you should send your subscription to:
Judith and David Stoner
113 Bourne Way
Bromley BR2 7EX
Cheques should be made payable to Hayes Free Church.
It would be helpful if subscribers who no longer wish to receive
Catalyst by post would let us know.
If you would like to receive Catalyst on-line, you will not have
to pay a subscription. Kindly email the editor if you wish to
use this service, and advise Judith & David of this.
Music to the ears
Martin’s niece, Jenny Nunn, has
produced a professional recording
of some of her most recent songs.
It is a beautifully moving
performance including keyboard,
violin, flute and clarinet.
Copies of the CD are available from
Martin Nunn at the special price of
£10 (normally £11.50).
19

22. Southern Synod
7nbsp
Synod office
East Croydon URC
Addiscombe Grove
Croydon CR0 5LP
Telephone 020 8688 3730 Fax No 020 8688 2698
Website - www.urcsouthern.org.uk
12t h November 2013
Dear Friends,
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light; those who
lived in the land of deep darkness on them light has shined. The true
light, which enlightens everyone, was
coming into the world. He came to
what was his own, and his own
people did not accept him.
But the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome .it
Last night as I was driving home from church (in mid November) I was
struck by the number of homes that had Christmas lights strung and
brilliantly lit. There were houses with Santas (more than one!) and
houses with stars and bells and reindeers and a plethora of angels, all
flashing like beacons in the darkness. It gives new meaning to the
phrase ‘your Christmases have come early this year’.
As I drove on I wondered why there are so many lights so early this
year? And what kind of people live in the houses behind those lights?
Did those lights illuminate the homes of both those who did and did
not proclaim Jesus as the Christ-child ?
I would like to believe that the lights that I saw were expressions of
defiance in the face of dark times whether it be poverty at home, or
earthquakes in China and flooding in the Philippines not to mention
war and rumours of war that still encircle our world. I would like to
believe that they are tangible statements that when all is increasingly
dark there is always hope. I would like to believe that they are an
attempt on the part of believers and non-believers alike to affirm that,
at this Christmastime, there is goodness and tidings of great joy to be
had.
Continued on the next page .......
20

23. ... Continued from the previous page
We all need to defy the darkness. We all need hope. For me, the
lights of Christmas provide this. Even as I get older the anticipation of
the birth of the Christ-child grows. I find it so exciting to prepare for
Christmas by hanging lights and decorating trees and preparing gifts for
those you love. I drive my husband mad! But I find it even more
exciting knowing that the reason for my eagerness is that a time is
coming when the whole world will have hope. It is because of the birth
of the Light of the World at the first Christmas. It is because of his
life, death and resurrection and his promise to come again. It is
because he is present in the hearts of all those who believe in him
through his Spirit that the world can have hope and change and be at
peace.
The growth of food banks in our local churches working in co-operation
with local authorities, the increasing numbers of people involved in
Street Pastors, those supporting the homeless through night shelters
are all testament to the fact that our world is hopeful. The light of the
world has truly come!
May His light shine from your homes this Christmastime and in all the
seasons of your days.
Christmas Blessings,
Synod Moderator
Synod Clerk
Synod Treasurer
The Revd Nicola Furley-Smith
The Revd Derrick Dzandu-Hedidor
Mr Ian Fleming
020 8688 3730
020 8660 3415
020 8337 8581
moderator@urcsouthern.org.uk
synodclerk@urcsouthern.org.uk
treasurer@urcsouthern.org.uk
The way things once were
This year’s theme covers sayings or poetry from the First World War
The following gratifying letter was received on December 18, 191#:The Oaks School,
Harrow on the Hill
Dear Sir,
The £7 I am sending herewith represents the proceed of a school
Christmas party given to parents and friends of the pupils here, when
we made a special appeal for the funds of your Society. The motive
for this is supplied by yourselves. I can never be grateful enough for
the help and kindness proffered to my son, a “Shipwrecked
Mariner” as a result of being torpedoed last April.
-------------------------------------
This item is from The Great War Archive, University of Oxford
(www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa); © Julia Allison
21

24. December 2013
10.30 am - Morning Service - Jim Holman
6.30 pm - Evening Service - The Minister with Pickhurst
Junior School (No Holy Communion)
Page 9
1st
Sun
2nd
Mon
7.30 pm - Bishop Justus School
Page 9
3rd
Tue
2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship
7.30 pm - Friends of the Allegri Singers
Page 6
Page 9
4th
Wed
7.30 pm - Wandle Ringers
Page 9
5th
Thu
7.30 pm - Orpington Rock Choir
Page 9
6th
Fri
2.15 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Club
7.30 pm - Christmas Quiz
Page 5
Page 9
7th
Sat
7.45 pm - Beckenham Concert Band
Page 9
8th
Sun
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
14th
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
15th
Sun
16th
Mon
17th
Tue
18th
19th
Wed
Thu
20th
Fri
21st
Sat
10.30 am - Parade & Gift Service - The Minister
Followed by Fairtrade stall
Page 7
6.30 pm - C.T.H. with musical accompaniment by
musicians from Hayes
Page 9
22nd Sun
23rd
24th
2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship
7.30 pm - Elders’ Meeting
2.30 pm - Bible Study Group
Page 6
Page 3
Page 5
7.30 pm - Bromley Rock Choir
Page 13
10.30 am - Morning Service - Margaret Smith with puppet
6.30 pm - Carols by Candlelight - The Minister
8.00 pm - Men’s Group
Page 4
6.00 pm - Compassionate Friends’ Service
Page 8
10.30 am - Nativity by the Brownies & Holy Communion The Minister
Followed by Fairtrade stall
Page 7
6.30 pm - Evening Service - Pastor Roy Powell
Mon
Tue
22

25. December 2013
25th Wed
26th
Thu
27th
Fri
28th
Christmas Day
Sat
29th
Sun
30th
10.30 am - Joint Morning Service - at Beckenham United
Reformed Church
There will be no Evening Service.
Mon
31st
Boxing Day
Tue
January 2014
1st
2nd
3rd
Wed New Year's Day
Thu
Fri
4th
Sat
2.30 pm - Saturday Fellowship
5th
Sun
10.30 am - Morning Service - Rev Geoff Larcombe
6.30 pm - Holy Communion - The Minister
6th
Mon 8.00 pm - Women’s Contact Group
7th
Tue
8th
Wed
9th
Page 4
Page 3
2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship
8.00 pm - Elders’ Meeting
Page 6
Page 3
Thu
2.30 pm - Bible Study Group
Page 5
10th
Fri
2.00 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Club
Page 5
11th
Sat
10.00 am - Women’s Contact Coffee Morning
Page 7
12th
Sun
10.30 am - Morning Service - The Minister
Followed by Fairtrade stall
6.30 pm - Evening Service - The Minister
Page 7
13th
Mon
14th
Tue
15th
Wed
16th
Thu
17th
Fri
2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship
Page 6
2.00 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Club
Page 5
23

26. January 2014
18th
Sat
19th
Sun
20th
Mon
21st
Tue
10.30 am - Morning Service - John Cox
6.30 pm - Evening Service - The Minister
2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship
Page 6
22nd Wed
23rd
Thu
2.30 pm - Bible Study Group
Page 5
24th
Fri
2.00 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Club
Page 5
25th
Sat
10.30 am - Holy Communion - The Minister
Followed by Fairtrade stall
Page 7
12.00 Noon - Church Meeting
Page 3
6.30 pm - Evening Service - David and Alison Hawthorn
26th
Sun
27th
Mon
28th
Tue
2.00 pm - Women’s Fellowship
Page 6
29th
Wed
6.30 pm - Worship Group
Page 5
30th
Thu
31st
Fri
2.00 pm - Mothers’ & Toddlers’ Club
Page 5
February 2014
1st
2nd
Sat
Sun
Candlemas Day
10.30 am - Morning Service - Margaret Smith with puppet
6.30 pm - Holy Communion - The Minister
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
There were no further dates for your diary at the time of going to press.
THINGS YOU NEVER HEAR IN CHURCH
Nothing inspires me and strengthens my commitment like
our annual stewardship campaign!.
24

27. CHURCH ORGANISATIONS
Day
Organisation
Contact
Phone
Sunday Club
Mike Duke
8462 5103
Jayne Carvell
07913 299773
Brownies
Cubs
Women's Contact
Group
Sarah Humphrey
Brenda Petts
Sylvia Mack
8249 9982
8325 3956
8462 1938
10.00am
Prayer Meeting
Martin Nunn
8462 5918
2.00pm
7.00pm
Women's Fellowship
Scouts
Sue Powell
Paul Hasling
8462 2212
3236 0083
3.30pm - 4th
Messy Church
Sue Powell
8462 2212
5.15pm
6.00pm
6.30pm - 4th
8.00pm
Rainbows
Beavers
Reflections Group
Explorers
Jenny Longman
Brenda Petts
Bill Michie
Tom Strachan
07730 574962
8325 3956
8658 4167
07745 813 295
2.30pm - 2nd, Bible Study
& 4th
5.30pm
Brownies
Sue Powell
8462 2212
Stevie Blair.
8325 3469
7.15 - 8.45pm
Senior Guides
Georgina Chappell 07983 471308
8.00pm - 3rd
Men's Group
Bruce Tannock
Sunday
10.25am
Weekdays
9.15 -12.15pm Pre School Group
12.15 -12.45pm P/School lunch club
Monday
5.45pm
6.30pm
8.00pm - 1st
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
8325 6264
Friday
9.00 - 12.00pm
2.00pm
Coffee morning during term times
Mothers & Toddlers
Judith Stoner
8462 3023
6.30pm
Guides
Teresa Cheyne
8777 6042
Saturday Fellowship
Martin Nunn
8462 5918
Saturday
2.30pm - 1st
NOTE: - Some of the organisations meet once or twice per month.
This is indicated by 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th. The numbers relate to which
week day of the month, NOT the calendar date.

28. Final Thought
Luke 2:8-20 God's love, a child on earth
Loving God.
let tonight ring with song
and shine in our hearts
with light brighter than angels,
as we greet the coming of Mary's boy.
Give us the excitement of the shepherds,
and as we come to worship the new-born Christ,
set our hearts joyfully alight.
so that our praise becomes a match
for any angel choir!
Jesus, let your nativity enchant our hearts again;
and as we ponder quietly, like Mary,
come home to us and stay.
Then send us out
into the cold night of the world,
to proclaim the wonder of your coming:
God's love,
a child on earth.
Alan Gaunt
From the U.R.C.
Prayer Handbook
2011