A Thought or two … from David

In our service that marked the height of the year we sang some of the beautiful words by Rev Sydney Knight. It was with some of those words ringing in my mind that I took a stroll around the chapel. Indeed when, “…the summer sun is shining …” the city takes on a different air and it is lovely to see people taking a rest in the area at the front of the Chapel, much admiring the statues that have now returned and sitting where the sun is, “Casting shadows of tree-branches, Living patterns on the floor.”

By the Town Hall and Peace Gardens the city takes on the feel of a carefree atmosphere especially with the young and daring running through the fountains.

Then my open heart is glowing,
Full of warmth for everyone,
And I feel an inner beauty
Which reflects the summer sun.

I turned to look at the ‘Big Wheel’, which for a year now has been turning in the city as all four seasons have turned about it. We all have seats on the biggest wheel of all. We have travelled from the grip of winter to the height and light of summer and when we sense the gathering in of crops we shall be reminded that we turn to encounter the shorter days once more. Fifty years ago Pete Seeger wrote, “To everything (turn, turn, turn) there is a season (turn, turn, turn)…”. It was made popular by the singing group The Byrds and brought into the popular world, words from the third book of Ecclesiastes. The words do indeed remind us how our lives and all around us ‘turn and turn again’. As we travel each ‘height’ in life may we gain the energy and strength that will help us to travel through its ‘depths’. As Sydney Knight wrote:

“When my heart is full of yearning,
Hopes and memories flood the whole
Of my being, reaching inwards
To the corners of my soul.”

In Friendship,
David

TABLE TOP SALE & COFFEE MORNING

A table top sale and coffee morning in aid of Chapel Funds will be held on Saturday 17 July 11am - 2pm in the Chapel forecourt.

If you have any items that can be sold please bring them in to the chapel during the preceding week.
Any enquiries please phone
Rita Fletcher 0114 2664 708
Patricia Emmingham 0114 2394 693

On Sunday 18th July after mass finishes at St. Marie’s members of the congregation will make their way to the front of Upper Chapel to have a ‘picnic’. How lovely to take this opportunity (on what is the day of ‘The Big Lunch’) to meet our neighbours.
Bring your sandwiches!

MUSIC TOGETHER

The Music Together dates for the rest of the year are as follows:
July 21st, September 8th, September 22nd, October 6th, October 20th (all Wednesdays) and November 25th (Thursday). We may be able to arrange another one in November later.
On 21st July the subject for the evening is a video about ‘Shanties and Sea Songs’.
On 8th September we are planning to choose Christmas Carols for a new carol book to be printed before Christmas. David Dickson has kindly agreed to play the organ for us so please can as many people come as possible to sing and help choose.
25th November (Thursday) has now been fixed for the party with Phil and Patrick, so please put in your diaries.
Thanks to Norman and Freda for bringing ‘The Glen Miller Story’ in June and to Steve and Rita for the loan of ‘Tim’ in April.

CHANCE TO DANCE SATURDAY 12 JUNE 2010

What a fantastic day we had
The garden full of people old and young dancing to all kinds of music.
A refreshments marquee always busy.
People sitting in the Chapel garden enjoying the sunshine.
The Chapel open and welcoming for the many visitors who came inside to look around.
Anyone who missed it would be well advised to be here next year.

The Stroller’s next planned visit is to Lathkill Dale on Saturday 3rd July.
Please meet at Upper Chapel at 10am or alternatively at the starting point at 11am at the car park close to the Lathkil Hotel in Over Haddon

The August Strollers will be to Totley Environs led by Mike Pettitt on Saturday August 7th.

IMPORTANT NOTE

After each of the two services on Sunday, 25th July there will be an opportunity to hear, share and talk about future ideas at Upper Chapel. So do plan to stay that little while longer and bring your ideas – bring a sandwich too if you wish.

AND FINALLY

Beth Norton sends best wishes to Patrick Smith and hopes his finger is now feeling better..

dangerous job cleaning the shower!!!

A Thought or two … from David

During May we had the pleasure of welcoming two visiting preachers. John Hewerdine spoke about the Unitarians in the Khasi Hills of North East India and then the following week Bob Pounder, a Ministerial Student, whose reflections centred much on a the quote, ‘It’s a poor day when you learn nowt.’

Learning, of course, need not be of the studious academic kind. It can, and often is, from the many ‘incidentals’ that occur during a life-time. This caused me to think about just how many life-changing moments come from the incidental – often unplanned and unmarked and yet so important in the moulding and the unfolding of our lives.

May we love and learn together through all that we do and especially in our worship. The services for the coming month can be seen on page 3 and include ‘Dancing Through Life’ on the day following ‘Chance to Dance’ a day of dance throughout Sheffield including Upper Chapel. Looking ahead, the First of August heralds ‘Yorkshire Day’ which falls on a Sunday this year and that will be the theme of our service. Do let me know if you have any ideas or anything you wish to contribute to these services. If you would like to have a copy of the whole or any part of a service then let me know and I will send a copy to you. To contact me for any reason my details are: at the chapel 0114 272 5338 (I can access messages remotely and will return your call as soon as I can); mobile 07581 583972

or you can email me on davidw.shaw@btinternet.com

Looking ahead to the future – do let me know if you have in mind a subject that you would like to be the theme of a service or if you would be willing to contribute to our worship in any way. There is much to do and much to learn from our ‘doings’ and if you see someone who might be gazing into the distance or nodding peacefully, then do be gentle – for there might be a lot of learning going on!

I am managing to make a good number of visits to people. Someone had to be first and someone will inevitably be last! I am aware that it will take quite a while to contact you all and so if you prefer a time to chat sooner than later – please do let me know. Finally, I do want to ‘thank you’ for making my wife, Liz, and me so welcome at Upper Chapel – we are learning a lot too!

In Friendship,
David

Dear Friends

I want to say Thank You. Many of you were at the party in Channing Hall on Friday evening 23 April, when I said some words of thanks, but I want to record my deep appreciation to many people, including those who were not able to attend.

Thanks to the congregation and the Trustees for the decision nearly twenty years ago to take the risk of inviting me to become minister.

Thanks to my family – Ann, Andrew and Elizabeth – for supporting my acceptance of that invitation.

Thanks to all the people whose work in a great variety of ways made my time at Upper Chapel so enjoyable: the Chapel Keeper and his team (and his family); the organists, musicians and singers; the Sunday School and Acorn Club Leaders; the organisations and groups such as Music Together, Strollers and Women’s League; the colleagues, visiting preachers and our own members who led or took part in worship services; those who attend regularly and faithfully; The Record team; the dish-washers and the coffee-makers and cake-makers and so and so on.

Thanks to Alan Walker and the Trustees who were responsible for organising the party on the 23 April, and for preparing the splendid buffet supper, especially Marion Baker, Jennifer Laister, Patricia Emmingham and Diane Malaure.

Thanks to Phil Croft and Patrick Smith for their music and entertainment which was quite a surprise!

Thanks to Barbara Laycock and the others who spoke.

Thanks to everyone who attended.

Thanks for the many cards and letters I have received, by hand and by post (but not email!).

Thanks for the gifts, including the generous cheque and the Sheffield steel paper knife. Some have said how sad they were that I was leaving, but for me the party was a happy occasion to celebrate the nineteen years that I had enjoyed being at Upper Chapel, and to celebrate preparing for the next phase in my life. A party isn’t a party without friends, and it was good to be there in the company of so many friends.

Thanks to everyone who attended my farewell service on the evening of Sunday 25 April, and particularly to those who took part in it in different ways. Both the party and the service were great occasions, and I feel well sent off.

I vacated the vestry on 29 April. Thanks to those who helped on the day, loading everything into the van. Since then I have spent several days in my garage at home, continuing to cull lots of papers and other stuff. One thing I shall not cull:the store of good memories- of Sheffield and of Upper Chapel and it’s people-which I will carry with me wherever I go in future.

Blessings be with you all.
With love and all good
Geoffrey R Usher

Welcome to our chapel community to Liz Shaw who became our newest member at the chapel AGM.

MUSIC TOGETHER

There is only one Music Together in June. This will be on Wednesday the 16th and will be the film, ‘THE GLEN MILLER STORY’, starring James Stewart and June Allyson.

Everyone welcome.

SPITI and INDIA FUND

Many thanks for the support that I have received with contributions to the two projects. As the year of 2009 ends I have been able to send to the G. A. India Fund a cheque for £155 and to Graham Woodhouse for Spiti a cheque for £430. A special thank you to Margaret Slater, Phil Croft & Patrick Smith who at a special Music Together evening organised for Spiti, raised £73- 65p also a big thank you to Joan Norton who prepared a feast of a super afterwards. I have placed a Christmas Greetings card & Newsletter of thanks from Spiti on the notice board in the Hollis Room. Please remember to pick up the little jars in the Hollis Room for your small change, your contribution no matter how small really do make a big difference and is much appreciated.

Patricia Emmingham
India & Spiti fund Coordinator

The Chapel AGM which took place in May was quite well attended by members and friends of the congregation and it was a good meeting. Full minutes will be available in a short time. Thanks to those who were able to be there and be a part of the decision making.

A thought or two ~ from David

It is my delight and pleasure to write this as the Minister of Upper Chapel from the 1st May.

On the first of the month my wife, Liz, and I will be hosting a Coffee Morning at the Chapel and we hope to meet as many of you who are able to come along.

I am also looking forward to conducting my first services as the Minister at Upper Chapel on Sunday 2nd May at the usual times of 11am and 6.30pm. The title of the service is, ‘Tell Me the Old, Old Story’ and will reflect on the stories that we all have not only about Upper Chapel, but also our special life stories, thoughts and opinions.

We are a richer community if we share our personal stories and I hope that you will, if not now, in time, share yours with me.

I do hope that you will share with me the traditional ways of doing things at Upper Chapel too, together with your thoughts and dreams – because if I don’t know – then I won’t know. However, thinking about listening and as a way of introducing myself - I do not hear too well on my left hand side and so if I appear to be ignoring you I apologise and just ask that you give me a gentle nudge!

On the second Sunday in May, we welcome John Hewerdine who has much experience and knowledge of the Khasi Hills in North East India where the good work of Rev Margaret Barr continues in her memory and is the cause chosen by the Women’s League to support during the coming year. John will also be talking to the Upper Chapel Women’s League on the following Monday.

On the third Sunday we shall welcome Ministry Student, Bob Pounder, who will be conducting both of the services; and the month concludes with me taking the services on the final two Sundays with the titles, ‘Getting to the Truth’ on the 23rd and on the 30th, ‘Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth’ – reflections on Exodus 21:24.

I am looking forward to being at the Chapel on Saturday 12th June to see the event known as ‘Chance to Dance’ and on Sunday the 13th the services will be on the theme of ‘Dancing Through Life’. If you have any ideas or contributions for this service then please do let me know.

In Friendship,

David

Our congratulations and good wishes go to the families of the following children:

Jack Oliver Stockton, born 15 December 2008, son of Mike and Julia Stockton, who was named and blessed by Geoff Usher during the Palm Sunday morning service on 28 March;

William Seth James Black-Rubiano, born 24 January 2009, son of Andrew Black and Elie Rubiano-Black, who was named and blessed by Geoff Usher during the Easter Sunday morning service on 4 April.

Congratulations and best wishes to Steve Bowskill and Amanda Gardner, who were married by Geoff Usher at the Doncaster Unitarian & Free Christian Church on 27 March

We offer our condolences to the families of the following people:

Audrey Robins, who died on 30 March aged 83. Geoff Usher conducted her funeral at Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium on 14 April, just five weeks after her husband Alan’s funeral.

Marjorie Haywood, who died on 18 March aged 97. Her funeral was conducted by Capt Ian Maher, Coordinating Chaplain of Sheffield Hallam University, on 19 April with a service in Upper Chapel followed by interment at Abbey Lane Cemetery.

The dates for Music Together for May are:

Wednesday, May 12th, The musical film ‘The Wizard of Oz’

Wednesday, May 26th, ‘Favourite Tracks’ (if people can bring two or three of their favourite musical tracks it should make a varied evening).

The GA meetings in Nottingham were good this year. I travelled there with John and with Mike Pettitt who went as substitute for Patricia Emmingham who found herself unable to go. The business meetings went on as usual and motions were presented and carried through or not as the case may be. The Anniversary Service was great with so many voices singing rousing hymns and the contributions by the young people were brilliant.

The opening night celebrations, led by John Harley with all the children and young adults, was something I don’t think I will forget for a long time, you just had to be there to appreciate it, I can’t begin to describe the atmosphere. We have tried to produce a DVD of some of the highlights so that you can get a feel of what happens at these gatherings

UPPER CHAPEL

Notice is given of the Annual General Meeting to be held in the Hollis Room on Tuesday 11th May at 7pm.

This is an important date in the Chapel year and you are encouraged to attend if you are able.

Please inform the Secretary if you are submitting apologies.

Joan Norton
Secretary

SHE DID IT……

On March 30 Beth Norton climbed the Lady Isabella as her Sponsored fund raiser for the Chapel and to attempt to overcome her fear of heights. So anyone who sponsored her and has not already done so it’s time to pay up please!!!

Strollers April Outing

In April the strollers had a very good walk led by Ernest Betts from High Bradfield to Low Bradfield and to the home of Geoff and Ann Usher for some welcome refreshments.

On the way we gathered interesting information about the local area and enjoyed the local scenery.

As Chairman and Secretary of Upper chapel we would like to express a very warm welcome to our new Minister David and wish both him and his wife Liz a long and happy ministry here with us.

Alan Walker
Joan Norton