Hampton Park United Reformed Church
Hampton Dene Road, Tupsley, Hereford. HR1 1UJ
(One of the 'United Reformed Church in Herefordshire' Group of Churches)
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Worship for the comings weeks will be as follows -
Sunday 18th July - Martyn Davies
Sunday 25th July - Rev. Andrew Mann-Ray
(the service will be followed by the Church AGM)
Sunday 1st August - Rev. Norman Whitaker
Sunday 8th August - Rev. Roger Woodall
(Including Holy Communion)
Sunday 15th August - John Thompson
Services will be at the usual time of 10:30
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We are resuming the safe sale of Green Sacks on the 10th of March.
We have been informed by Hereford Council that the price of their approved Green Garden Sacks has increased substantially with immediate effect. Regrettably, we shall have to pass onto you the increased cost of any new stock.
We shall continue to charge £4.50 per bundle of five until we have sold our current stock.
The Church will be open between 10:00 and 11:00 each Wednesday.
Please bring the correct amount as we cannot give change.
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Please refer to the "Sunday and Seasonal Services" side panel menu for this week's online service. Also take a look at the "Prayer Focus" page.
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The Revd. Martin Hardy retired at the end of March 2021
For many years our bookshelves harboured a soft back children’s story entitled, ‘Peace at Last’, by Jill Murphy. The story simply followed father bear as he tried to find some peace and quite amidst the turmoil of the night-time family home. Sanctuary, at last, was found in the very early hours of the morning: but only briefly!
Retirement promised, at first, peace at last from the day to day duties of ministry: but only briefly! Janet and I are in the throws of planning our move to a new home. The lifting of some of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions has brought a flurry of invitations for ‘afternoon tea’ in the garden. Travel out of the area has encouraged the planning of those much delayed visits to elderly relatives. As to the long delayed holiday abroad, we shall have to await further developments.
Oddly, retirement by itself doesn’t actually feature in the Bible. Neither my well worn and trusty ‘Thompson’s Topical Bible’, nor ‘Peake’s Commentary’ make any specific note about retirement. Maybe in biblical years, both Old and New retirement wasn’t an option. In the book of Numbers however, chapter 8, from verse 5 ‘the Lord’ passes onto Moses clear instructions as to the age of service of the Levites as a priestly tribe. One can infer from verses 23-26 that the words of the Lord were a guide as to retirement age and procedure. When one considers the average age of those listed in the book of Genesis is 912 years, retirement for the Levites held a truly amazing future.
In the meantime, back in reality, Janet and I would like to thank so many for their cards, phone calls and best wishes for our future. ‘Peace at last’ might take a while to settle upon our household. To close may I quote from both the prophet Jeremiah 29.11 and Paul’s letter to the Philippians:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29.11)
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1. 3-6)
Yours in Christ,
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