Ladies have been busily knitting gloves, scarves, hats and socks to give as Christmas presents to the homeless and vulnerable people who use the Night Shelter on our premises each Sunday and Wednesday nights. The gifts were dedicated at a service on November 6th and are to be wrapped in Christmas gift paper ready for distribution at Christmas to the clients who use the Night Shelter.

We have made 16 scarves, 27 hats, 34 pairs of gloves, 3 sets of scarves and gloves, 2 sets of scarves, hats and gloves, 4 pairs of socks and a pullover.

A group of ladies met together to wrap all the knitted gifts to give to the Night Shelter clients at a forthcoming Carol Service.

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CRAFT FAIR

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Our annual Craft Fair was held on Saturday September 8th at 11.00am. There was a variety of stalls including knitted goods, hand-crafted cards, wood turned goods, bird tables, cakes, bowls of hyacinth bulbs, garden produce and many other items which will make ideal gifts.

Delicious bacon baps, home-made soup and cream teas were available during the day.

There was a raffle and a tombola stall.

The Craft Fair raised the magnificent total of £1184.25

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HARVEST WEEKEND

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The Church was beautifully decorated for Harvest on Friday September 23^rd.

On Sunday September 25^th we  celebrated Harvest with a special service at 10.30am led by the Revd. Andy Laird, our Methodist Minister. The congregation brought gifts of tins and packets which was donated to Leamington Christian Mission. The loose cash in the collecting plates was for Christian Aid.

Members of the Uniformed Organisations took part in the lively service which focussed on using our gifts and talents for the benefit of others.

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On Saturday September 24^th at 7.30 we held a Skittles Evening with a Fish and Chip supper at Lillington Bowling Club in Lime Avenue, Lillington. This was a fun evening to raise money for our new Mission Project “Building Bridges in Bosnia”. During the next 12 months we plan to raise £1,000 towards the cost of running Peace Workshops in Bosnia. This new project is an initiative spear-headed by one of our former Methodist Ministers, the Revd. Clive Fowle, and is an extension of his work in Croatia.

Fifty one people attended the evening. Groups from Dale Street Methodist Church and from Lillington Free Church were also invited.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the fun of the evening as we played “Killer Bowling” and people had three attempts at knocking down the diminishing number of pins before being “killed off” and eliminated from the game.

The fish and chips were superb and were served with side dishes of curry, mushy peas and tartare sauce.

The Revd. Clive Fowle, a past Minister of Radford Road Church, spoke of his work of reconciliation in Croatia and how he intends to extend the work into Bosnia.

The money raised at the Skittles Evening is for Radford Road Church’s Mission Project which, this year, aims to raise £1,000 for Clive’s new work in Bosnia. £168.00 was raised by this event.

Organ Recital

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On September 10th Chris Price gave an Organ Recital in the Church. Chris is an accomplished organist from Oldham in Lancashire.  Proceeds from the evening’s recital went to the Organ Fund.

Chris also played the organ for the Sunday morning service of worship the following day.

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PROGRAMME FOR ORGAN RECITAL:

Praeludium in C – Johann Christoph Kellner

Arioso – Johann Sebastian Bach

Trumpet Tune – John Stanley

Grand Choeur Dialogue – Eugène Gigout

Andantino – César Franck

Cantilene – Josef Rheinberger

Adagio from Symphony 3 – Louis Vierne

Melody – Col. Charles Dawes

Andantino in D♭ – Edwin H. Lemare

Tuba Tune – C.S. Lang

Pacques Fleuries (Palm Sunday) – Alphonse Mailly

Bendiction Nuptiale – Camille Saint-Saëns

Toccata – C.M. Widor

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On Sunday September 4th, Revd. Andy Laird, who is  Minister at Dale Street Methodist Church, became the Methodist Minister at Radford Road Church. A warm welcome was extended to Andy and everyone is looking forward to his Ministry. He now works in partnership with the newly appointed URC Minister at Radford Road, Revd. James Church.

Greetings and good wishes were extended to Andy when he conducted his first service at Radford Road Church. After the service a celebration cake was enjoyed by the whole congregation.

A small Bible on the cake contained the following prayer:

In July the Guides invited a local artist to help them to design and paint a mural depicting guiding activities. The finished picture is now displayed on the Guide notice board in the Church Hall.
It is a lively, colourful and vibrant picture and the Guides are to be congratulated on this work of art.
If you haven’t yet seen it, do go and have a look.

The Service of Ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament of James Edward Church,M.A., M. Phil. and his Induction to the Joint Pastorate of Lillington Free Church and Radford Road Methodist/ United Reformed Church took place at 2.30pm on July 30th 2011.

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The special service was held at Radford Road Church and every one of the 200 seats was occupied with an overflow congregation sitting in the Church vestibule.

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James has recently completed his theological training at Westminster College in Cambridge. Many of his friends from college and from previous churches in which he has been involved, came to the service.

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Those taking part, from left to right in the picture, are Revd. Elizabeth Caswell, Interim Moderator and Area Minister for Coventry & Warwickshire;  Revd. Derick Chambers, Superintendent of the Mid-Warwickshire Methodist Circuit; Mr Bill Robson, Synod Clerk of the West Midlands Synod of the United Reformed Church, Revd. Roy Lowes, Moderator of the West Midlands Synod of the United Reformed Church; James Church and Revd. Richard Church, James’ father and Moderator of the North Western Synod of the United Reformed Church.

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A Music Group from Linton Free Church in Cambridge, where James worshipped during his student days, played guitars and wind instruments before the service started.

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Revd. Roy Lowes presided at the service and James’ father, Revd. Richard Church, delivered the sermon. A combined choir from the two churches, led by Revd. JohnHarris, sang an Introit and an Anthem.

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Greetings were brought to James from the Deputy Town Mayor (representing Royal Leamington Spa, Lillington Free Church, Radford Road Church, the Methodist Circuit and the District Ecumenical Officer (on behalf of local churches), and gifts of a portable communion set (from Radford Road Church) and a pen and pencil set (from Lillington Free Church) were presented.

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Refreshments were served at the close of the service.

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This was an inspiring and uplifting service for everyone.

On Monday July 25th the Serenity Female Voice Choir made a return visit to Radford Road Church.  The Cardiff-based choir are renowned for their performing of  jazz, gospel, pop, Disney and show tunes. The 30-strong choir is of a very high standard and is known for beautiful harmonies, energetic dance moves and bubbly personalities.
The performers entertained the audience with fine singing, excellent soloists and extremely talented instrumentalists.

Patrick Steed                             Emma Height                     Chris Andrews

Under the musical directorship of Patrick Steed and the co-director, Emma Height, the choir achieved an incredibly high standard.   Chris Andrews accompanied the choir on the piano and enthralled the audience with a piano solo.
£535 was raised for Radford Road Organ Fund.

On July 17th the congregation said farewell to Iain and Susan Rennie.  Iain has been our part-time Methodist Minister for five years.  Iain will now retire and he and Susan will make their home in Bretford near Rugby. We wish them every happiness in their new home.

During the morning service on July 17th Iain and Susan were presented with a gift and a card signed by the congregation. A “Bring and Share” lunch followed the Morning Service when everyone had the opportunity to say their farewells to Iain and Susan.

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