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Past – Present – Future: delicious home baked bread, artwork, Zoom groups, ghost town Leeds and more MBC memories

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If you’re not a Loiner, in other words if you aren’t someone born and bred in Leeds it’s unlikely that you’ll be familiar with an old saying often used by locals to describe somewhere that’s exceptionally busy. And that is: “Good heavens, it’s just like Briggate on a Saturday afternoon.”
 
For some time now Murray McEwan and John Sherbourne, both keen photographers and both up for a challenge have been planning to take their cameras into town one Saturday afternoon and see if this age old maxim still applies. 
 
Unfortunately before they got chance to get their act together Coronavirus turned Briggate, and for that matter every other high street into something more resembling a ghost town rather than one of the UK’s main shopping zones. 
 
However, Murray’s superb picture (above) was actually taken last Saturday afternoon and perhaps more than any other image I’ve seen demonstrates just what a catastrophic effect this virus is having on the day to day business of our towns and cities. 
 
When all this is over and Briggate reawakens will someone please remind John and Murray of their project… compared to Saturday April 25th their images are bound to make interesting viewing. 
 
PS. Seemingly there’s a very similar saying in Scotland only which locals use to describe somewhere particularly quite: “Good heavens” they say “it’s just like Aberdeen on a flag day.” 
 
Say hello to a couple of our Zoom groups
This is the Allsorts house group. In our picture, from top left to right you can see Anne Kopolyo, holding up Jean Carlisle (who joins us via WhatsApp) John Gamson and Bela and Chris Singh. Then on the bottom row we have Jenny Dixon and Joe Kopolyo. Missing from this picture but very much part of our group are Rosemary Glover, Malcolm Robinson and Margaret Christie. But don’t worry we all contact each other by phone during the week.
 
In normal times we meet on Tuesday evenings, first Tuesday of each month at Jean’s, after that  we alternate between Rosemary’s and the Kopolyo’s. Generally we begin with a cup of tea or coffee and a chat, then we go on to updating a prayer diary, singing and studying before closing in prayer and reflection.
 
Like every other group we also arrange a number of social events at which food inevitably plays a big part. Right now we’ve broken away from following any rigid study programme opting instead for a pick and mix selection from the book of Psalms.
 
And that wasn’t the only time Zoom was called upon this week. On Tuesday lunchtime Jan Fennell was joined by ten friends for her **th birthday party party. 
 
The story behind the picture
About four years ago, says Cas Stoodley, Chris Duffet https://chrisduffettart.com/encouraged me to start using my art for God.  A couple of Sundays ago I was trying out some new watercolours and inks when I suddenly realised that what I was working on mirrored what Graham has been saying that very morning about apocalypse and revelation. 
 
A couple of days later I was watching a YouTube clip on a prophetic word that began with apocalypse and revelation but ended in glory giving. When I looked at this picture again, I realised that it represented all three- it just depended on your perspective. What really struck was the fact that this feels like the end of the world for many reasons but that within the space created by Covid-19 God wants to reveal himself to us and those around us.
 
It is in the revelation of Christ in our lives, that our lives become glory-giving and those around us are drawn into relationship with God himself.
 
Who could ask for anything more
 
Thanks to Rachel Hudd for sending us this picture of what to me looks like some of the best home baking on the planet.
 
Here’s what Rachel says about it. “Since lock down started I’ve been finding new places to shop, and have come across a bakery run from someone’s home so thought I’d share that little bit of news. It makes a nice change from the humdrum of the supermarkets.”

 

Another look back in time

For this weeks look back in time (see the gallery below) we’ve stayed in the black and white era. The oldest picture we’ve found is one taken at MBC’s opening ceremony in 1955 when literally hundreds of people gathered on the steps. There are a couple of Mr Bond, our first minister with his deacons, one of his successor Ralph Drake and one of Stephen Ibbotson. We’ve also found another youth pic only this one was taken in August 1979 with Ralph sitting in the middle.

Talking of youth pics, we never for one second thought that the one we published last week (that’s the one with Michael Caddick in) would stir up so much interest. So as last week’s was a bit rough round the edges i.e. it was a photograph of a photograph, we thought we would scan it properly and to help all those of you who are still trying to put names to faces show it again. 

These two pictures in particular are perfect examples of how by emailing your memories to us at mbcnewspics@gmail.com you can interact with one other through Past – Present – Future.  

Other pics range from a very iffy quality snap of our cricket team taken in the late 1960s to some of MBC’s Queen’s Scouts (including third from the left Roger Robson) receiving their awards. 

Next week we’ll be moving forward in time and digging into our colour section. So make sure you don’t miss it. 

And finally. I wonder how many of you have spotted the new strap we now have across of our website’s home page. Many thanks to John Duffy for putting this lock down themed masthead together.

The difficult things Jesus said about riches. Haddon Willmer shares a housegroup discussion

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From a very good discussion in our housegroup last night, despite awkward zooming, looking at difficult things Jesus said about riches: 

The Rich Young Man, Luke 18 v 18 – 30; the Rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16 v 19 – 31 and the one I am reporting on here the Rich fool, Luke 12 v 13 – 21. 

Question 1: Did this man come a cropper because he was rich or because he was a fool? 

The answer, I think, is because he was a fool, in the biblical sense: The fool says in his heart there is no God (Psalm 14,1;53.1), with the corollary that the fool acts in pride, assuming God does not see, so he is free to treat others without respect (Psalm 94.1-11; 10.4-11).

The man in the parable felt free to make wealth for himself, store it for himself, talk about it with himself  (it is a private money, God and others must not interfere with my right to my own).

If he ever prayed it was like the Pharisee in the Temple, who framed words that sounded like a prayer, but in reality was nothing but talking with himself, Luke 18.11.  He aimed at justifying himself, rather than letting God who knows the hearts judge and justify by forgiving the humble (Luke 15.13-15).   He behaved, in short, as though there was no God, nothing beyond himself, and his wealth and power, to be counted and treasured. 

He came to disaster because he stored up treasure for himself, and was not rich toward God.

Question 2: What is it to be rich toward God? We tend to manage this story by seizing on the bits we find easiest to identify and talk about.  We know about riches, whether we have them or lack them, and we care about them, because it is hard to live with little, too little.  And I am  naturally, inevitably centred on my-self – from my birth, my-self has been the nearest, most obvious  thing in all the world pressing on me, so I worry and I work to make what I want of myself and to look after myself as long as I can.  Denying this truth about ourselves is the first step to ending up like the pharisee at ‘prayer’. 

So we care about riches of some sort or another, for the sake of the self we are enclosed by.  We may not like it when Jesus comes along saying that this self-centredness, whether it is expressed materialistically or spiritually, will in the end leave us with nothing.  But we may get an uncomfortable sense that he is speaking truth and wisdom.  We get a little troubled, and ask, What then shall we do?  What is the alternative to this way of being which we are stuck in? 

Jesus says, Be rich towards God.  And then we are flummoxed. We cry out against the cruelty of the advice. Why is it cruel?  Because, while it is easy to know what we are talking about when wealth or self is the topic, it is very hard to say what being rich towards God is.  When we try to explain it to anyone else, do we not flounder in waffle and collapse into cliché and stumble into silence?  It is much easier to spend time and passion in a sermon exposing materialism, than to begin to communicate in a non-trivial practicable way what it is to be rich toward God.

If you don’t agree with me, on this crucial point, just try to say in your own words what it is to be rich toward God, and then look at the words and ask, Am I really on track of knowing and saying what being rich toward God is?  And go further, and try it out on an honest friend.   I don’t say you won’t succeed.  I do know that I struggle with this task, which is the key issue the parable puts to us. 

Question 3: what alternative retirement plan could you offer this rich man?  What different retirement plan do you have for yourself – it is never too early to be thinking about it, and never , while we live,  too late to be troubled by it, and so  to think of revising the plan we are living by.   

This man, it seems was lucky, so rich he could retire at 40.  And then he can show what is really in him, being free of what the necessities of earning a living impose on him.  And then he thinks all is well, but is deceived.   In truth, he needs a retirement plan that will do more than let him comfortably collapse into spiritual death.   His life (soul) will be ‘required of him’:   he cannot escape being called to account for his failure to live well. 

So what retirement plan will make him rich toward God?  No that is the wrong question?  I must ask, What retirement plan will bring me to being rich toward God? 

Andrea and Mark Hotchkin, two of MBC’s Mission Partners report from their front line in Chad on how Covid-19 is affecting their community

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This video is a timely opportunity for the Church to get to know the Hotchkins and their work in Chad.

Please take the time to watch it because whilst it is a bit longer than the usual You-tube videos we have got used to during our Church at Home services it is a startling reminder of the precarious lives of so many and the wonderful work of our mission partners.

If you missed Church at Home (3 May) you can catch up with the whole service here

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If you missed any of our Church at Home Service or you would like to watch it again just follow the links below. 

Welcome to our opening live spot:  https://www.facebook.com/MoortownBaptistChurch/videos/1329522933912953/

This is the link to all our prerecorded material: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V7hihYKPxU&list=PLZIQtirtwcWgUgPcojdiy2z7y2yHrS1aB

Back together for our second live feed:  https://www.facebook.com/MoortownBaptistChurch/videos/371089667145737/

And here is the link to Family at Moortown where you can follow Shelley’s Bubles and Pulse programme:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu1CPwAaahNoX3sjDXNdzbA?fbclid=IwAR3UQmIDAnAJI2F2OXqQ865_E-SrjJMmP12uCuVIvpkh0U_lRygvj23YP4M

And finally here are a few pictures shot during the Service. Please note, however, these are merely pictures and not links. 

New MBC banner sends love and thanks to all our key workers

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Writ-large in banner headlines Moortown Baptist Church thanks the NHS and all our key workers. 

As a sign of our grateful thanks, our deep appreciation and our love for all who are doing everything they can to either care for us or to serve us this splendid new banner, designed and donated by Susan Dabrowsky is now on display at the front of church.

Thank you Susan.

 

 

Coming soon… new YouTube channel to make Church at Home access easier

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As we speak some of MBC’s most talented techno wizards are hard at work setting up a new YouTube channel through which it is hoped that all elements of our Church at Home services will be available to view with greater ease. Watch this space for further information.

Meanwhile, however Shelley already has a channel, Family at Moortown which she will  regularly updated with items relating to her work with children and families. Here’s the link to that.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu1CPwAaahNoX3sjDXNdzbA

Past – Present – Future: Walking with Jesus, great news from a local school, some homegrown Superheros and a few more old snaps

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Before we move on the past (that doesn’t make sense but you know what I mean) let’s have a look at some of the stuff Shelley is presently doing with our children and their families. 

If you were with us for Church at Home last Sunday you will have heard mention of some special material Shelley has produced which is designed to let those who are in either Bubbles or Pulse follow the same theme as the grownups. Last week that was the account from Luke chapter 24 of Jesus’ journey along the road to Emmaus when unbeknown to them he walked, talked and even stopped to eat with two of his followers. Below there’s a video that Shelley posted on our YouTube channel on Sunday and in it she, Nathan, Daisy and Rowan bring their own interpretation to that story by drawing around their feet whilst talking about Jesus always walking with us even if we can’t see him. There are also a few more images from this brilliant exercise below the video. 

We have also had some brilliant news this week from one of our local schools. Allerton CE Primary, where several of our church family already volunteer is planning to broadcast live, online assemblies. John Sherbourne, who is a governor at ACE and who in more normal times regularly presents assembles describes this as “a really important development, as year by year bringing our Key Stage 2 children together at home but online at the same time as they would usually meet together in the hall should bring a real sense of togetherness to their lives.” John’s first assembly which will be specially for Year 6 pupils is at 2.30pm on Thursday 7th May.

Once things get back to normal you too might fancy helping out at this amazing school. Already as I say MBC has people going in to help provide maths tuition, to listen to young readers as they prepare for their SATS and of course to go on some of the incredible trips that children go on these days. If you do have a word with John and he will be delighted to pass on some contact details. 

Another thing Shelley did this week was to invite all our Oasis and Moortots families to join her online in celebrating National Superhero Day.  There are a few pictures of this in the gallery above along side the footprints pics but somehow our archivist found this wacky picture in his files. No prizes I’m afraid but let’s see how many of you can email in to mbcnewspics@gmail.com an accurate left to right.

And finally following on from last weeks church anniversary post a number of you have asked me if we have any more old pictures of Moortown Baptist Church. Well the answer is yes we have, dozens of them. 
Today’s gallery spans sixty years; from an extract from our original Church Rule book right through to the programme we produced to go alongside MBC’s 2011 What Matters community project. 

There’s a lovely picture of our very first minister, Rev F. W. Bond, and then a much less formal one of Rev Michael Caddick chatting to David and Sue Colledge. There are two pictures of our then “young people.” One taken outside Oxford Place Chapel showing a number of our Young People’s Fellowship members leaving a Sunday evening event, another features many of the same people only this time on a camping weekend at Whitby.

A third pic taken a generation later shows just how big MBC’s youth section was in the 1980’s as over seventy youngsters join Michael Caddick, Michael and June Flowers and Phil Commons for a group photograph. 

For many years MBC ran a number of uniformed organisations: scouts, cubs, brownies and guides. Here you can see just a few of these groups – particularly impressive is the picture of our brownies heading off to weekend camp in the back of a Tomlinson’s furniture removal van. 

There’s a picture of an early house group, one showing how the sanctuary looked before guitars, drums and a projection screen took centre stage and of course there just has to be one of the pipe organ (above) which arrive in a million bits from a Congregational church in Morley and which for twenty four years (1969 – 1993) dominated our platform.  

It’s been good fun gathering these pictures together, and if you study them closely enough you might just recognise some people who are still regular attenders. 

To see a larger version of any of our gallery pictures simply click and then click again on the image. 

An appeal from Phil Commons on behalf of Jhum Para, a mission project with which MBC has had links for more than 50 years

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As many of you know, and as Shona reminded us during last Sunday’s Church at Home Service Phil Commons has strong connections with the village of Jhum Para.

Historically Jhum Para was established as a village in the 1970’s by former MBC stalwart Michael Flowers. Michael was a doctor and for many years he, his wife June and their family lived and worked in Bangladesh. There’s a link here to a story which was published on our website back in 2010 which tells you a lot more about how and why the Jhum Para Project started  https://www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk/mission/the-bangladesh-fund/jhum-para-project

But basically, at the time the Flowers family were living with them people with leprosy were regarded as outcasts. To counter this the idea came about that by housing them all in one village everyone became equal. Over time the villagers were encouraged and helped towards gaining access to clean water, to growing and eating the right food, to educating their children and even through doing menial jobs to generating a small income.

Despite these interventions the people of Jhum Para remain extremely poor. However, right now with the added strain of the Covid-19 lockdown many are completely destitute.

In total there are fifty-three families living in Jhum Para, and as we say many are currently living hand to mouth. If you can help just £20-25 will feed a family for a week, providing them with rice, potatoes etc.

Fortunately Phil has had a long term friendship with Anup, a Christian nurse who works in the area and has been heroic in linking with the village, bulk buying food and transport etc. And again we are blessed in that any donations we receive and subsequently pass on to Anup are sent through Western Union who unlike many organised charities who can use up to 30% of a gift for admin, fund raising etc. guarantee that 100% of any gift we send to Jhum Para goes straight there.

Currently Phil is staying in Lancashire but if you can help she would love to hear from you. Her contact numbers are either 0744 36 123 82 (mobile) or 01282 694 068. Another option is to ring Rod Russell on 0113 2692590. Rod has all the necessary information you will need regarding donating and/or transferring money.

Thank you.   

If you missed Church at Home on April 26th, or you would like to watch it again here it is

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Hi everyone, this morning we broadcast our sixth Church at Home Service which you can see again here. Each week new elements are added and hopefully those that have been there from the start become more familiar to you thus easier to use. However, to make everyone’s life even easier can we ask you to do one more thing. Currently we link all our prerecorded items in a certain way, but we have discovered that if we create our own YouTube channel getting access to this material becomes a whole lot easier. To set up this channel we need a minimum of 100 Subscribers (the last time we looked – a few minutes ago we had 58) and all you need to do is google YouTube, then enter the words Moortown Baptist Church and when it comes up hit the Subscribe tab. One word of caution though… on Youtube there already appears to be a number of items that bear the name Moortown Baptist Church, please make sure the one you subscribe to is the one which already has the most subscribers. Many thanks. 

Link to the opening of our Service

Link to all our pre-recorded content

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZIQtirtwcWg8Dd7Y5Y-8uKU9i9nNa_mR

Link to our second live session

 

Below are a selection of still images taken during our Service, but please note these are not links to items which appeared in it.

 

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