Gracehill Moravian

Church

Newsletter - Feb 2013 Minister: Rev Sarah Groves

Moravian Manse, 25 Church Road, Gracehill, Ballymena,

BT 42 2NL 028 256 53141, sarah.groves@moravian.org.uk

The British Province of the Unitas Fratrum (Moravian Church)

In Essentials, Unity; In Non-Essentials, Liberty; In All Things, Love.

January Wedding The winter gloom lifted on 4th January when Debbie McGuckin and Mark Doyle made their wedding vows here at Gracehill. It has been so good to get to know them better over the past year and a delight to see them back in Church following their honey-moon.

Blessed with Babies It is lovely to record the birth of two more babies in our Church family, Sienna Gor-don born on 25th September a sister to Colby and a loved daughter for Jenna and Nicky Gordon; and Lily McDonald born on 21st De-cember, a loved first child for Jill and Jonathon McDonald.

A lot of 5p’s Sr Julie Greer has placed the latest copy of the Mite News on the Church notices boards for information about the scheme. She says

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we raised £347.20 for the Mite Scheme last years – that is a lot of 5p pieces and a lot of very generous young collectors Many thanks to you all

Gracehill Bowlers! Pictured below are the Bible Class from Sunday School dur-ing their Christmas outing to the 10 pin bowling rink

Sr Margaret Connor Sr Margaret Connor, daughter of Bishop HP Connor who served in Gracehill from 1950-54 died on 22nd December in Leeds. Margaret had lived in Gracehill with her parents and worked at Gallagher’s and re-tained fond memories of her time here. Moravian ministerial families get used to living in

each other’s houses/manses and it creates a great bond of love and sympathy. Margaret loved the history of the Moravi-an Church and was archivist at Fulneck Moravian Church when I was minister there. She was also a fine poet and she will live on in our memories and in her published works. Sarah

YPMA Funds boosted Br Lawrence Greer has written to say that the collection at the Christingle Service came to a wonderful £605.39 which goes to our Young People’s Mission-ary Association. He thanks everyone in the Sunday School and all who helped out at the Christingle Service.

A Bit of Fun for a Good Cause

The Provincial Men’s Fellowship has challenged congregations to raise money for their projects for

2014. These charitable pro-jects support Moravian and general charities at home and abroad. Br Anderson Weir rose to the challenge and has pro-duced an all age fireside quiz which he is selling at £1 a sheet. Completed sheets must

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be handed back to him by 28th March and the winner gets £10 and the second prize is £5. These quiz sheets can be pur-chased from Anderson or from any Church Committee mem-ber. Anderson would love to raise £100 for the Men’s fellow-ship so he needs to sell 115 sheets!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please see him if you can sell any quiz sheets at your work or club as well as in Church.

Provincial News Dear Brothers and Sisters, We are pleased to announce that Sr Rosemary Power has

been accepted as a student in training for full time Church Service in the Moravian Church. Sr Power commences a full time, one year course, at Northern College in January 2014 and will be living at Fair-field. Sr Power will continue as Editor of the Moravian Messen-ger during her studies and con-tact details will be circulated when they are known. Br R Hopcroft On Behalf of the Provincial Board

Boiled Cake The Gracehill recipes are

back this time with a simple

boiled cake recipe from Sr

Lily Quaite

1 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp

mixed spice, 1 cup water

4 oz margarine or butter, 1 cup sultanas

Boil these ingredients together and allow to cool

Using the same cup as you used for the first ingredients

Add the following to the cooled mixture

1 cup plain flour, one cup self raising flower, 1/2 tsp baking

soda, 1 egg.

Mix well together and place into a loaf or round tin and bake

in the oven between 160 and 180 C for 1 to 1 1/4 hours

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Village Square Renovation A vote at last year’s Congregation Council Meeting to allowed GhOST to take a lease on the village square granting them ac-cess to the Village Square “for the purposes of undertaking a programme of enhancements and improvements as shall be agreed between the parties (the church and GhOST) and to facilitate village tours, visits and similar activities provided in partnership by both parties”. Through this lease GhOST has secured around £60,000 of grant aid funding for the enhance-ment of the square. We are thrilled that this work can be carried out and are delighted for this wonderful opportunity to restore the square for our generation. The picture below shows the village in 1785 and the shape of

the present day village and the pattern of the square can clearly be seen The picture, on the next page, date unknown clearly shows the pond and the wide path down to it. The gate is flanked by the two stone pillars which are topped by two round orb finials, now missing.

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This photo must date from 1909 or 1910 as it shows, if you look carefully the newly planted lime trees that are now the magnifi-cent specimens that line the square.

Contin-ued on page 7

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Services and Meetings In February

Sun 2nd 11am Family Worship with Holy Communion and Sun-day School, Preacher Rt Rev Graham Rights

Mon 3rd 6.15pm onwards Boys Brigade in Cennick Hall Tues 4th 10.30-12 noon Open House Coffee Morning in Church Hall

7.30pm Bishop Eamon Martin and Rev Dr Heather Mor-ris in Conversation in the Church – open meeting orga-nized by Ballymena Borough Church Members Forum

Wed 5th 7.30pm Legs, Bums, Tums and Line Dancing in Church Hall Thurs 6th 9.45pm Morning Prayers in Church 7.30pm Bowling Club in Church Hall Fri 7th 10.30-11.30am Gracehill Country Market in Cennick Hall

12.45 – 1.30pm Prayers of Blessing for Ballymena with Ballymena House of Prayer in Church

Sun 9th 11am Family Worship and Sunday School led by Rev Sarah Groves 7pm Youth Fellowship in Cennick Hall Mon 10th 6.15pm onwards Boys Brigade in Cennick Hall Tues 11th 6.45pm Girls Brigade in Cennick Hall Wed 12th 7.30pm Legs, Bums, Tums and Line Dancing in Church Hall 8pm Moravian Women’s Association Meeting in Bates Room Thurs 13th 9.45pm Morning Prayers in Church 7.30pm Bowling Club in Church Hall Sun 16th 11am Family Worship and Sunday School led by Rev Sarah Groves Mon 17th 6.15pm onwards Boys Brigade in Cennick Hall Tues 18th 6.45pm Girls Brigade in Cennick Hall Wed 19th 7.30pm Legs, Bums, Tums and Line Dancing in Church Hall Thurs 20th 9.45pm Morning Prayers in Church 7.30pm Bowling Club in Church Hall Fri 21st 10.30-11.30pm Gracehill Country Market in Cennick Hall Sun 23rd 11am Family Worship including the baptism of Lacie Garrett

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7pm Youth Fellowship in Church Hall Mon 24th 6.15pm onwards Boys Brigade in Cennick Hall 7.30pm District Prayer Meeting at Cliftonville Moravian Church Tues 25th 6.45pm Girls Brigade in Cennick Hall Wed 26th 7.30pm Legs, Bums, Tums and Line Dancing in Church Hall Thurs 27th 9.45pm Morning Prayers in Church 7.30pm Bowling Club in Church Hall

March Sun 2nd Unity Prayer Day

11am Family Service with Holy Communion and Sun-day School led by Rev Sarah Groves

Here the landscape architect’s plans detail the work that will be done in the square. There will be a ‘hoggin’ path that will go

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round the square, in between the hedge and the lime trees. It will come back between the new avenue of trees that was planted around 25 years ago. A new path will be laid from the gate to the pond and a path will be laid from the gates on Acad-emy Street and from the gates on Montgomery Street to meet up and circle round the pod. The scrub round the pond will be cleared to make a wetland area and this will be protected by railings. This path will enable groups of visitors to be taken around the inside of the square, see the village in safety and experience the beauty and peace of the square. The hedge, now in poor condition will be taken out and a new beech hedge will be made. Plans have been made to lift and relay as far as possible all the snowdrops round the square. The canopies of the trees can be seen on the plan including the Montgomery Oak to the west of the pond. This oak was planted in memory of John and Mary Montgomery who went from Gracehill to serve in Barbados as missionaries, sadly both died in the West Indies in 1791. There will be some remedial work on the major trees but sadly the Lime Tree outside the Breth-ren’s House will have to be felled because of fungal infection. It is hoped that some drainage can also be fitted into the scheme of works to alleviate some of the problems in the south side of the square. By the side of the path parallel to Cennick Road it is planned to place a monument to the events of June in 1798 when people on both sides of the Rebellion, supporters of the United Irish and supporters of the Crown came to Gracehill for refuge and comfort. The Memorabilia for 1798, written in his diary by the minister, Rev John Steinhauer says “When our place ap-peared to all around as the only spot of safety, many retired to it as a city of refuge and we lodged and fed them during their danger without making any distinction of their being our friend or foes. The hearts of many who had hated us, and even de-signed our destruction were turned.” Work will start in the square during half term week.