Anniversary

Saturday (9th October)

After a Church Family lunch the Revd David Gamble (pictured on the right) took as his title for the celebratory open meeting The Long Haul. He spoke about his experiences as a minister and in particular his year (2009-10) as President of the Methodist Conference.

He then focused on a number of challenging themes:

• Inclusion and Diversity – age,race and poverty
• Faith and the Real World – links between the church and the wider society
• Other faiths – interfaith projects
• Ecumenism – patchy but still important
• In for the long haul – our commitment must be long-term

His talk was full of illuminating and humorous anecdotes, and illustrated with photographs from all over the world.

Sunday (10th October)

Our Anniversary Service was held at 3.00pm and as the time approached it was clear that we would have to put out extra chairs in the foyer.

Our service began with a welcome from the Revd Adrian Burdon, followed by greetings from the Lord Mayor of Leeds on behalf of Leeds City Council.

Adrian read a letter of greeting from the Methodist Church in Brno in the Czech Republic. A short video was projected on to the wall at the front of the sanctuary that linked together photographs (going back more than one hundred years) of buildings and people involved in the work and worship of Oxford Place. (Watch the video on YouTube!)

We listened to two readings from the Bible. The first from the Acts of the Apostles was read by Marjorie Cossey. Marjorie is a Circuit Steward and has been Convenor of the Anniversary Committee responsible for organising the weekend and all the events leading up to the celebration of our 175th Anniversary this weekend. The reading (Acts 11:1-18). This is where in response to a challenge that he mixes with gentiles, Peter tells the story of his vision of a sheet lowered from heaven full of things to eat. When Peter is uncertain as to whether he should eat he is reassured by God. The dream is followed by a visit from three men. Peter goes with them and after arriving in Caeserea as he speaks with them Peter becomes aware that they are receiving the Holy Spirit. As a result of these happenings Peter is convinced that he should take the Gospel to all people.

The second reading was from the Revelation to St John and was read by Paul Berry, a Church Steward. This reading (Revelation: 21:1-6) records St John's vision of a new heaven and a new earth.

The Revd Caroline Ryder, Methodist Chaplain to the universities in Leeds, illustrated the first part of the reading from Acts with the help of our children, held a sheet expecting a shower of chocolates, but catching only circles of paper. Caroline told the children that story tells us that God loves all people, and then she asked the children to take chocolates to all the congregation as a symbol of God's love for each one of us.

The Revd David Gamble preached a sermon on a verse from our second reading: And the one who sat on the throne said: I am making all things new. He began by recounting the many changes that had taken place in his lifetime, how we sometimes hold on to tradition and are reluctant to accept change, and are threatened by the changes that are taking place around us. Jesus challenged the people of his time by mixing with people who were deemed undesirable, or foreign, who told stories about such people in which they were given positive roles. Jesus went beyond what was consider acceptable. He challenged people to see the world differently and change the way they behaved. The challenge to a church like Oxford Place in the centre of a city is to be alongside those who others consider to be 'outside'. He told a story about an unnamed Anglican church ...

At the begining of Evensong while the choir assembled to quiet organ music he heard a voice in the distance call 'Douse the bells'. At the end of the service he asked what about this and was told that there was a old clock that chimed on the quarter hour and so that it would not intrude upon Evensong its bells were turned off – doused. He asked if he could see this clock and was told that it had been moved elswhere in 1894.

When we bring new people the the church our traditions can be difficult for them to understand. Rather than being imprisoned by tradition God leads into the future challenging us to go where others daren't, to people who are outside, renewing the world, renewing the church and renewing us.

After an anthem for reflection: Locus Iste (Anton Bruckner) our prayers of thanksgiving and intercession were offered by the Revd David Weeks and the Revd Neil Dixon, both past superintendent ministers at Oxford Place. During the last part of the service the children buried a time capsule under the floor of the sanctuary with photographs and written memories. Before the blessing David Gamble cut our Anniversary cake.

After the service we spread out through our other rooms for refreshments and conversation with friends old and new.