JUNE 2019

Ministerial Musings

A Drop of Patience
With summer slowly and majestically coming back into our life, with
exam periods nearing to their end and holidays looming large on the
horizon, our patience is wearing thin. It is as if everything around us
conspires to heighten our impatience for these last days, weeks until
the full holiday period sets in. The shops focus primarily on holidays,
with beachwear and mountaineering paraphernalia, with suitcases on
display at every corner; the travel agencies are sending colourful
leaflets or facebook messages about all kinds of trips all over the world;
the topic of conversation wears toward past experiences, current
opportunities and future dreams of getting away, of stepping out of
the habitual, of new discoveries, of enjoying life at its fullest. Even
those, who do not plan any trips are looking forward to a little bit of
quiet, of slowing down with raised hopes of a major part of the
neighborhood going away gallivanting. But, until this longed for “oasis”
arrives, we still have to go on doing our duties, assume our
responsibilities and count the days until our release. But in the
meantime we feel more and more tired, more irritable, our nerves are
frayed and impatience is building up.

We are impatient with the weather, which promises a beautiful day in

the morning and lets us down with wind and rain by the afternoon.

We are impatient with nature – why aren`t the seeds we planted

coming on, the flowers blossoming when we wish it, the garden
blooming as we imagined it, to the envy and marvel of our neighbours?

We are impatient with our politicians, representatives, political parties,

always promising, never delivering, or doing it in a way which just adds
insult to the injury.

1
We are impatient with our fellow workers, with their perplexing good
humour, when we are downcast, or their gloom, when we try hard to
be cheerful. We are impatient with our surroundings, so well known, so
habitual, down to the cracks in the ceiling; to the jokes heard over and
over again, or the mannerism of colleagues which have long ceased to
be endearing

We are impatient with our family, with their demands and problems,
which all need our attention, our energy, our love and compassion
regardless of our own struggles.

We are impatient with each other, for perceived or imagined slights,

conflicts, differences: for being solicitous when there is no need and
being conspicuously absent when presence would be welcomed, for
not giving enough support or for taking too much control, and so on
and so forth.

We are impatient with ourselves – with our illnesses and frailties, with
our physical limitations, with the widening gap between our
expectations of what we would like to do, to achieve and what
circumstances and our body allows us to do.

So what can we do with all this impatience building up in us and

around us?

We need - as Shakespeare wrote – to find in some part of our soul a

drop of patience.

This is not too much to ask: just a drop of patience toward ourselves,
our loved ones, our community, the world around us. The pressure of
workload, of commitments weighs heavily on our shoulder but we see
the end of the tunnel. Like a spring released, we are preparing
ourselves for those moments, days when we could fulfill our dreams,
cherish our loved ones, give space to our hobbies and refresh our soul
and body for what lies ahead.
2
A drop of patience will carry us on for these last miles of our journey, if
we can just find it in our soul and use it wisely.

Do you remember Ambrose Bierce`s definition from the Devil`s

Dictionary: “Patience, noun - a minor form of despair, disguised as a
virtue”?

Perhaps this is the root of our problems: we think about patience in a

passive term, something which has to be endured, as Bierce puts it, a
minor disaster parading as virtue, but it does not have to be so.
Patience can be proactive and that is what we need right now. Active
patience means not just enduring something over which we have no
control, but it is a creative effort of understanding and acceptance,
expressed in calm, tolerance, empathy toward all, ourselves included.
So let us look into our soul for that little drop of patience, giving life
once again to the well-known British slogan: Keep calm and carry on!

P.S. It won`t be for long. The holiday is just around the corner!

Until then, see you at the OMH.

Mária

SUNDAY SERVICES FLOWERS

June 2nd 6-30 pm Rev Mária Pap Mrs C Wycherely

June 9th 6-00 pm Rev Mária Pap In Memoriam
Mrs G Booth
June 16th 10- 45 am Rev Mária Pap Miss C Wright
June 23rd 10-45 am Congregational Service Mrs B Northing
Mrs P Smith
June 30th 10-45 am Rev Mária Pap Mrs P Smith
3
STEWARDS

June 2nd 6-30 pm Mr R Wain

June 9th 6-00 pm Mrs J Tedds
June 16th 10-45 am Mr N Fisher
June 23rd 10-45 am Mr P Frost
June 30th 10-45 am Mr R Wain

SATURDAY COFFEE MORNING ROTA CHAPEL OPENING ROTA

June 1st Ms A Perry Rev M Pap Mrs L Walton

June 8th Mrs A Binch Mrs J Tedds Mr N Fisher
June 15th Miss C Wright Mrs C Wycherley Mr T Williams
June 22nd Ms A Perry Rev M Pap Mr N Fisher
June 29th Mrs A Binch Mrs J Tedds Mrs L Walton
-
PASTORAL NEWS

David Burton’s mother, Sheila, passed away on May 13th, aged 85. We
hold the family in our thoughts and prayers.

DIARY DATES FOR JUNE

Tue June 4th Derek Taylor Yoga Group 6-30 pm

Wed June 5th Women’s League 2-30 pm
Fri June 7th Words, Music, Silence 11-45 am
Mansfield Clean-up Day 10-00 ‘til 11-45 am
Sat June 8th Heritage W/e Planning 11-15 am
Games Night 6-00 pm
Sun June 9th Fellowship Sunday 6-00pm
Mon June 10th Arts and Crafts 7-00 pm
Tue June 11th Derek Taylor Yoga Group 6-30 pm
Wed June 12th Meditation 7-15 pm
4
 Sat June 15th Music at OMH 12-15 pm
Tue June 18th Derek Taylor Yoga Group 6-30 pm
Sat June 22nd Chapel Picnic From 2-00pm
Fri June 24th Arts and Crafts 7-00 pm
Tue June 25th Derek Taylor Yoga Group 6-30 pm
Wed June 26th Poetry Group 7-15 pm
[More information on items in bold will be found below!]

MANSFIELD CLEAN-UP DAY

The OMH will take part in the Mansfield Clean-Up Day activities on
Friday, June 7, between 10-11-45 am. We will clean the grounds and
the streets around our chapel. Litter pickers, bags will be provided by
the Council.

GAMES NIGHT

We will have a Games Night on Saturday, June 8 at 6:00 pm, followed

by Pooled Tea. Raffle prizes would be greatly appreciated. Join us for a
fun time and test your abilities and luck!

FELLOWSHIP SUNDAY
On June 9th we will host members of the Belper congregation for our
Fellowship Sunday Service. There will be tea from 4:30 pm and a little
chapel history for our guests, followed by the service at 6:00 pm.

MUSIC AT OMH

On Saturday, June 15th at 12:15 pm, we will have the last event in our
series “Music at the OMH” with British and US 60`s Pop Music
performed by “Liquid Lunch”. Free entry, donations welcome. Fancy a
“liquid lunch”?

5
CHAPEL PICNIC

The Chapel picnic will be held on Saturday, June 22nd from 2:00 pm in
the grounds of Newstead Abbey.

CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES

This month’s Congregational Service will be at 10.45 a.m. on Sunday,

23rd June and will be led by Pauline Smith on the theme of “Trees”.
You are invited to offer songs, poems, readings. stories, information,
riddles about trees or woods, by Sunday 16th June please.

Paul Frost will lead the July Congregational Service at 10.45 a.m. on
Sunday 28th July. The theme will be “Beliefs” and offers of accounts,
songs, poems, views. or personal beliefs, will be welcome by the
previous Sunday, 21st July.

POETRY GROUP MEETING

There will be a Meeting of our Poetry Group. starting at 7.15 p.m. on

Wednesday, 26th June. You are invited to bring with you, to share, a
poem written by some modern poet in the last fifty years. Everyone
welcome - with or without a poem.

EMU FAMILY DAY

“Didn’t we have a lovely day, the day we went to” Boston?

Thank you to Christine and Mária for organizing the trip to the EMU
Family Day on Saturday, 11th May. Thanks, too, to our hosts.
YES WE DID!
[With apologies to “Fiddler’s Dram”]

JUST A MINUTE Supplied by Mal Tedds

The Duke of Wellington, asked by a Vicar if there was anything he
wished his sermon to be about, replied: “Yes, about ten minutes”.

6
NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEKEND – SEPTEMBER 13-15TH

The Chapel Committee has asked me to take the lead in organising how
we, at the Old Meeting House mark this year’s National Heritage
Weekend (Friday 13th to Sunday 15th September). My earliest
thoughts are that we should put on an Exhibition in the chapel
featuring the varied ways in which people at the Meeting House have
contributed to the wider life of the town of Mansfield. This would
include Harrop and Agnes White, the Hollins family, Mary Mallatratt,
Harold Royce, Samuel Brunts, Alice Olga Vaughan, and others. To do
this we would need help in providing us with photographs, reports,
personal recollections, material (like Viyella) , novels by Ottwell Binns,
etc. etc. Please give some thought as to what you may be able to offer.
Also, we need a short, pithy title for such an exhibition – any
suggestions? We shall have our first brief Planning Meeting in the
Large Schoolroom at 11-15 a.m. on Saturday, 8th June. You will be
most welcome..

Derek Smith
.
FOOD BANK
Thanks to everyone who gives, from the Organisers. It is a difficult
time with the introduction of Universal Credit, leaving claimants
without anything until their claim comes through, in which time they
will need to pay bills and pay rent. All donations welcome. Thank you.
Annie.

GARDEN WORKING PARTY

On a Friday evening in May seven people joined Malcolm Brown, who

gives much of his time keeping the garden nearest the Chapel in
pristine condition, to help tidy around the grounds. These gardeners,
young and young-at-heart spent a pleasant and productive hour or so
weeding and sprucing around the planted areas. The team were

7
pleased with their efforts but realized that there are still many weeds
for another session. Watch this space!

Requiem for a Mosque

Just a prayer at twilight

When the Sun sinks low
Will add to your sorrow
And let the tears flow
The stars will twinkle down
In the evening sky
The events of day
Will make us pray
As the clouds drift by
In the evening stillness
Let spirit draw near
To bring calm and comfort
And dry away a tear
For you are one with eternity
Within the silent hour
When just a prayer at twilight
Brings its own spiritual power.

Alistair Hamilton 2019

JUST ANOTHER MINUTE

From a church bulletin:

Burial charges are to go up at the cemetery. Increased cost of living is to

blame!

DEADLINE for July edition is Sunday, 23rd June 2019.