Oxenhope Outreach - Easter 2003

The Outreach magazine is written by people with associations with either the Church or the village. It is produced three times a year and is delivered free to every house in Oxenhope. The majority of Outreach published in April 2003 is replicated below;

Contents;

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THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD

"Only a fool would think he could do that job” said Rowan Williams when tipped by a newspaper as frontrunner in the Archbishop of Canterbury stakes.

There are lots of things about religion quite apart from the job of being Archbishop that many people who claim not to be religious think to be foolish – things like going to church on Sunday when you could be relaxing somewhere else, things like believing in a good God when we live in a world where there is suffering, things like believing that Jesus who was put to death on the first Good Friday could possibly rise from the dead on Easter Day.

Down the ages there have been many “fools for Christ’s sake”, people like Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer who returned to Germany in 1939 when he could have remained safely in America, and defied Hitler, eventually being put to death in 1945.

St Paul over 1900 years ago acknowledged that the doctrine of the cross is sheer folly to those who do not believe. After all, how could God allow his Son to be put to death by the people he came to save? And how could Jesus really expect people to believe in a heavenly kingdom when what they wanted was to be saved from Roman oppression?

Christians today are mostly not in the same league as Rowan Williams or Dietrich Bonhoeffer or St. Paul, but we should expect to be thought of as fools for Christ’s sake. But those who believe that Christ rose from the dead on the first Easter Day can take courage from the way in which he continues to support and strengthen us and calls us to love other people even when that love is costly.

With love,
Bruce Grainger

PRAYERS DURING THE IRAQ WAR AND ITS AFTERMATH:

Heavenly Father, in this time of war, we bring before you our sorrow on behalf of the whole of humanity that though we are made in your image, we disfigure you by war and violence.

We pray for all politicians that they may have strength to make right decisions, And for all members of the armed forces on both sides of the conflict that they may take great care to avoid civilian casualties.

We pray for ourselves that we may not be vengeful or hate our enemies,  but leave vengeance to you, for you to repay.

Raise up new leaders for Iraq who will dedicate themselves to love and serve all its peoples and inspire them to work for your glory.

Adapted from prayers by John Lovatt, managing director of Acme Projects Ltd, which seeks to help people in third world countries to produce consumer goods.

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Dear Friends,

An important part of being a Christian, is to pass the gospel message on to others. For if it is to have any meaning to those  we come into contact with, it has to be relevant to modern lifestyles, and appropriate to the world in which we live. It is a real challenge for all of us, because so many things are just not like they used to be.

Years ago in the village where I grew up, all the children went to Sunday School on Sunday afternoon. My mother was a Sunday School teacher and I remember at the start of the class, she would look round to see if anyone was missing. If there was, she would send a group of boys to run to fetch the missing child. There would never be a thought for the safety of the group she had just sent out, (no traffic, and everyone knowing everyone apparently equalled safety). There would be no consideration that the absent child may not have wanted to attend Sunday School, (children attended regularly anything they joined, unless they were ill). There was no thought either that any parents might object  to their child being given a dose of Christian teaching, it was assumed that because Britain was a Christian country even people not living a Christian life style would want their children to know about the Christian faith.

That was the context in which much children’s work thrived. The world is no longer like that.

Nowadays, ensuring the safety of children in our care has become a major concern. We can no longer assume that people are happy  for their children to learn our faith, we know only too well that because a child attends once or twice a week, there is no guarantee that they will come along regularly ever after.

Today’s children may have swimming lessons or have football coaching. They may spend  the weekend with the parent they don’t live with during the week. They may go out with their families to have “quality family time” because of lack of time mid week. They may visit grandparents who live hundreds of miles away. Very few of these things would have been on the  agenda for families just a few generations ago.

How then can we adapt our church life to suit modern life styles? Some churches, recognising the difficulties of Sundays, run mid week “Sunday” schools, or services. Fridays seem to be popular. Ministers go into schools not only to conduct assemblies, but to run after school clubs.

We also have to consider what we offer. We can’t change the gospel story, but we can be up to date with the way we present it.

Some scruffy crayons and a few fuzzy felts don’t meet the standards of today’s sophisticated youngsters. Adults too are more used to professional presentation.

We live in a constantly changing world, we must make sure our church life does not stagnate, so that the important message we proclaim is drowned by an old-fashioned and irrelevant church lifestyle.

We have a gospel to proclaim—Easter, the time of resurrection, is a good time to begin again in our thinking about mission.

Margaret.

Oxenhope Parish Council Matters

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Oxenhope Parish Council is hoping to go for Quality Parish Council status, and regular contributions such as this will help to publicize the work we undertake on behalf of the village. These regular articles, plus the ones displayed on the village website, are a necessary process for achieving this goal.

Here is an update on matters discussed and action taken, at Parish Council meetings since December Outreach.

Highways

In December our Ward Councillor presented the Parish Council with a proposal to introduce 20 mph limits for the centre of the village (including a section of Leeming Water Beck!). Funding for 20mph limits was awarded in Spring 2002, and Bradford Council asked the Parish Council in July 2002 to prioritise roads most in need of traffic calming. We suggested Denholme Road as a first priority, followed by Keighley Road from Manorlands to the mini-roundabout, and Shaw Lane. Imagine our dismay when the new proposals excluded Denholme Road along with our other suggestions. We lobbied strongly for a change of tack. This worked and Bradford Council officers are now looking at measures to make Denhome Road safer, using the funding awarded last year. The recent serious accident at Trough Lane junction has also focused attention on this problem area, and we understand this will be addressed at the same time.

Gullies

The Parish Council was concerned that following a comprehensive survey of problem areas by councillors, Bradford Council were initially programming remedial works for Spring this year after the worst of the winter weather. After considerable pressure by the Parish Council, this programme was brought forward to December 2002. Although much remedial work appears to have been done, there are still areas requiring attention, and further pressure is being applied to complete the programme.

Planning

The Parish Council regularly advises the Keighley Planning Office on planning applications. These seem to have been increasing of late, especially extensions or alterations. Where the Parish Council sometimes disagrees with decisions made by planning officers, it has the right to speak at Area Planning Panel meetings, and this right is exercised. The Parish Council is looking at the possibility of holding separate public meetings to deal with the applications within the timescale.

The Replacement Unitary Development Plan public enquiry is now taking place at the Victoria Hall in Saltaire. The Parish Council is monitoring progress on any matters that might affect the village.

Parish Transport Grant

The questionnaire in the September 2002 Outreach produced only a 6% response. The Parish Council debated the results in December and was unable to put forward any positive suggestions for taking up the grant.

As the Parish Transport grant was intended to be a joint bid with Haworth Parish Council, further talks with them will be held, once they have debated their own questionnaire.

One outcome of our questionnaire was the possibility of a commuter service using the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, but it is beyond the scope of this grant. We decided to approach Metro about this idea. The response has been encouraging, and it seems to be gathering support from several sources. The Parish Council is keen to pursue this idea.

Oxenhope Village Hall and Recreation Ground Steering Committee

The committee is looking for help to draw up plans showing how the village hall could be extended and for proposals to improve the recreation ground. When these are prepared, a public meeting will be held, prior to applying for funding.

Precepting and taking on services.

As Bradford Council will be abolishing the administrative grant for running Parish Councils, the cost of doing this will fall on community charge payers from April 2004. Bradford had intended it to start from April 2003, but under pressure from Town and Parish Councils about the unrealistic timetable, agreed to defer it. Talks are continuing, to agree the details for precepting and for taking on additional services. Meanwhile the Parish Council will hold a public meeting on 10^th April 2003 to explain and seek views from the village. Guest speaker at the meeting will be Councillor Simon Cooke of Bradford Council who has spearheaded the changes that are taking place.

Public Toilets

In their review of the future of public toilets, Bradford Council decided to close Lowertown toilets when they next need maintenance. The Parish Council suggested they could be replaced by a superloo, such as the one scheduled for closure at Esholt. However Bradford Council have already allocated it elsewhere, and is unable to fund a new one.

Wind Farm

The Parish Council learnt of proposals for a planning application in Spring 2003 to reposition and substantially increase the height of the wind turbines on Ovenden Moor. Our concerns about lack of information and possible impact on the village were passed to Calderdale Council. Bradford Council was asked to support us in this matter. The Parish Council is concerned about the lack of coordination between the District Councils.

May Elections

In May 2003 at the council elections, all Oxenhope Parish Councillors are due for election. The electors will have a chance to choose new councillors, or to re-elect those existing councillors who wish to stand again. If electors wish the Parish Council to continue to represent them please exercise your right to vote. The Parish Council would like community minded people to put their names forward as candidates at these elections. Please contact the Clerk, Mrs Elaine Pearson on 647046, or myself on 646270 for details.

The Parish Council was shocked to learn of the sudden death of Councillor Beryl Willmott. Although she had served for only a short time, she showed dedication in helping to serve the village and will be sadly missed.

Derek Allen, Chairman

The Railway came to Oxenhope

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The local railway which has served Oxenhope since 1867 is but 5 miles long and is now known mainly as a “tourist railway” using steam engines, although local residents can still use its trains for about half fair. (Enquiries at the station for details). However, it has fulfilled a vital role in the history and development of our village in years gone by.

Imagine life in the Worth Valley as it was up to the middle of the 19th Century. No motor cars, no lorries, very poor roads by our standards, no gas, no electricity. If people wanted to go even to Keighley it would be necessary to walk unless they had horse-drawn transport of some sort. The mills were reliant on the water supply in the becks for driving their machinery. Raw materials and finished goods from the mills also relied on horse-drawn transport. It is true that a canal passed through Keighley but it was of limited use as most goods went to places not served by a particular canal.

Then the railway came and changed all that. The scheme was initiated by mill owners and landowners in the valley who could see the advantages which could come to their businesses and to the value of their properties if this modern form of rapid transport could be brought here. So they raised the necessary funds, got their Act of Parliament and built their railway; a truly local endeavour.

The original idea was for the railway to continue from where it now terminates forward to a station in the vicinity of the present Post Office to serve the mills in that part of the village, but the plan was altered so that Station Road was made by the Railway Company and you will notice that the place where the road crosses the old mill dam just before the bottom of Yate Lane has a bridge built in true railway style. The act of Parliament therefore authorised a railway “to a point in or near Weasel Lane, Oxenhope.” Weasel Lane was the original name of what we now call Cross Lane.

So the mills could make good use of the Railway for a daily service of goods inwards and outwards; good quality coal could be brought in so that the erratic water power could give way to the big steam engines for driving the textile machinery; a wider variety of goods could be brought in for the shops; the local surveyor was able to get tarmac brought in by the wagon load, arranging with local farmers etc. to pick it up in their carts and take it to where the roads needed attention; people could go to the towns for shopping trips and business men could live in their country houses while going daily to their offices in Bradford or Leeds. It should be remembered in those early years, people had never been used to going far afield and so passenger traffic was relatively light while freight and goods traffic was all important. A railway station was the total of the Goods Yard and the Passenger Station, the former bringing most income, and the railway had connections to towns and villages nationwide.

The country villages would never be the same again

Ralph Povey

Oxenhope Guides

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Oxenhope Guides Anniversary

We are celebrating 40 years of Girl Guiding in Oxenhope. If you have been in Guides within the last forty years, or know someone who has, please contact Vera Redman on (01535) 642166

There will be a service on the 11th May, which will take place in St. Mary’s Church and then a party afterwards to conclude the celebrations.

Oxenhope Guides

Are you 10 or over and bored on a Monday night? Need something to do or somewhere to go? Then come and join us at Guides.

We meet on Monday nights from 7.00 p.m. until 8.30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Oxenhope. We do ’Go For Its’ which include chocolate, fitness, parties etc. We also play games.

Each year there is a holiday camp and in the past we have we have been to Ireland, Holland, France and Switzerland. They contain very exciting activities  including abseiling, ice skating, walks and day trips to various places near the camp or place you are staying, or you can go on camping weekends to Wynches in Burley Woodhead which includes practicing or learning new camping skills and playing games. Previously we have had a Halloween camp when we dressed up in Halloween clothes, made broomsticks and also had a bonfire. If you are interested please contact Vera Redman on (01535) 642166.    It’s great fun !!!!

Rachel Neal

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At the start of the year, we, as a local group of Christians, started a monthly Celebration in the village hall. Most of us are linked to a ‘house group’  that meets weekly, while others have been on an Alpha (a course which answers many questions about Christianity) at some point during the past three years. Quite a number attend  St. Mary’s church in the village, while others belong to various local churches.

We are using the village hall for our Celebration as a way of opening our doors to all. Everyone is welcome to join in with us, to see what we are up to, to learn about Christ and to see why we choose to be Christians.

We have an invited speaker once a month: we have been fortunate to have had two good speakers, one from the Apostolic Church, the other from Airedale Church, both in Keighley. We also have ‘testimonies’ where people share their experiences of becoming Christians and how this has affected their lives. A ‘Worship Leader’ graces us by playing the music and leading the praise as we sing and read from the Bible.

We have people to look after our children in part of the room during the talk. The children proudly show off their creative talents at the end.

We finish with a cup of tea, a biscuit and an opportunity to speak to and ask questions of the speaker and others; we welcome all questions (including why should I celebrate?)!

Please feel free and at ease to join us. We meet on the first Sunday of each month in Oxenhope Village Hall. We start at 4 o’clock and run no more than an hour.

Future plans include arranging talks on the Christian view to key issues. We are currently considering areas such as relationships, debt, etc. and will have a ‘suggestion box’ for any other topics that you may like to be addressed.

If you have any queries, please do call either Irene Scholes (643483) or Simon Packham (643031)

Why I Love Jesus By John Cunliffe

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I have lived in the village over 6 years many will have seen me walking my dog Max or Sheba.

I have been active in church life since I was knee high and became an accredited lay-preacher in the United Reform Church in 1984.  I have been confirmed by the Bishop of Manchester in 1987, and I had a second water baptism by total immersion in a House church.

I have done mission work for a month in Belgium with Operation Mobilization in 1983 which runs the world’s biggest floating Library and the oldest passenger ship, the mv Doulos.

I have driven a relief lorry to Romania and preached in a large Pentecostal church in Cluj-Napocia, Romania.  I have led music worship on a guitar in Tain Apostolic Pentecostal Church in the Scottish Highlands, where we lived for 3 years.

I now regularly attend St Mary the Virgin, since we moved here, and I’ve served on the PCC, and I am also presently PTA chairman of Holy Family Catholic School.

Many ask me why I am so Religious.

Others have asked me if God is good how come there is such evil in the world.

I don’t know!

All I know once I was a sinner, and now I am still a sinner but a forgiven one.

That’s why I love Jesus, who is God in human form

All Christians have 3 things in common (No matter what their background).

1. They are grateful forgiven sinners by Jesus’s Grace shown to us on the cross.
2. They want to know Jesus better by the Bible, Prayer, Fellowship and Worship.
3. They want others to know Jesus Christ, and share the wonderful love and peace he gives.

That’s probably why I am religious and want to use my gifts, talents, and abilities for His Kingdom here on earth.

If you would like to know more, attend one of our chapels or churches, there is also an excellent course called Alpha where you share a meal and discuss aspects of the Christ faith informally under no pressure. There is also a Fellowship meeting once a week usually on a Tuesday evening and a monthly morning prayer group. As well as many other meetings at other churches and chapels in the area.

Jesus said I have come so you may have life and life in all its fullness - there is only one way to find out.

And if you want to make Jesus laugh tell him your plans!

God bless,     John Cunliffe.

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Christian Aid Week 2003 is all about people – extraordinary people doing ordinary things, ordinary people doing extraordinary things, people overseas, people over here, them, us, you, me – be part of it by looking forward to making your contribution in the RED ENVELOPE! Please remember to fill in your name and address if you are a taxpayer, the extra money is so worthwhile, for the little bit of extra time it takes.

Christian Aid is about putting the kingdom of God into action. It works with and for poor communities, to express God’s care for humanity, to seek a more just world for all. It makes common cause with all who believe in a better deal for the world’s poorest people. It forges partnerships with organisations from some of the world’s poorest communities, involving local people to find appropriate solutions to the challenges they face. It insists on hoping, and persists in acting for change. It tackles both the causes and symptoms of poverty, believing that transformation is possible - and that together with partners and supporters, it can make a difference.

World poverty is such a huge problem that sometimes we’re tempted to despair and think nothing can be done. But there are things we can do, we can support Christian Aid during the special Week, and also make ourselves aware of the current campaign “Trade Justice”. Many of the decisions that affect oor communities are made by politicians and business leaders in the rich world, and we can use our influence on these people to make sure that the voices of the world’s poorest people are heard.

Our hands are not machines in factories of profit,

our bodies not just robots for production of wealth,

our lives are given dignity by God, not by possessions,

our dreams achieve their quality in freedom, not control.

 

Our job is joy, our labour creation,

our business peace, our task to be.

Be with us, Lord, in rest and work,

Our hope is to live life and to live it to the full.       

(Linda Jones/CAFOD) More information—www.christianaid.org.uk

Yorkshire Countrywomen’s Association Worth Valley Branch

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Meeting on the first Thursday in every month, the local branch of the Yorkshire Countrywomen has had a very successful and entertaining year with speakers on Dolls Houses, Climbing, Osteoporosis, Guide Dogs and demonstrations of Egyptian Dancing. There was a most delightful outing to Shibden Hall in July and a splendid walk around Ponden reservoir in June followed by a scrumptious meal at the Old Silent Inn.

At our Annual General Meeting one of our members gave a talk and demonstration of Batik work with contributions from her pupils with work they had done over the year. This was most impressive and aroused very much interest.

We are a very thriving association based on a solid commitment to Oxenhope Village and the Worth Valley generally, and also in connection with other branches in West Yorkshire and the other Ridings.

Our new year commences in April with another very exciting programme of talks, demonstrations and outings. At an annual subscription of £5 we think this is very good value indeed. New members and visitors are always welcome. Do come and join us.

Mary Turner

Oxenhope Village Fete

Credits