Newsletter, August 2009
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There was a wonderful article in Church Times recently about learning to sing. It was written by a young ordinand who dreaded having to sing Evensong in his Theological College Chapel and so had gone on a special weekend course to make him less apprehensive.

I was particularly struck by one part of his experience; he said that everyone on the course had been told at some time or another that they couldn’t sing! A college friend of mine has a particularly beautiful tenor voice; she is also a pretty scary lady – I remember her singing the part of Katisha in a college production of The Mikado – she was brilliant, both looking and sounding completely in character! She told me that my voice sounded like coke stuck under a door – and despite the kind assurances of a number of organists and church choristers I often feel sorry for my congregation. Especially on the days when I know I have gone flat!

What makes me particularly angry, though, is that whole lives are often completely ruined because children or young adults are told about their shortcomings but never encouraged to find what they can do. A sentence in the article I was reading ran as follows

‘We were encouraged to think about our posture, to stand up to our full height, and, as we did so, to think of ourselves as growing into the people God wants us to be.’

The author himself said that may sound a bit corny – but if you look at young people who may be in trouble with the law for example, how many of them slouch along, head down, dragging their feet and unable to make eye contact or smile because they feel they are of no worth?

God loves and values every creature that he has made and I am certain He would like us to do the same. It may be getting a bit late to put things right by the time children reach adolescence but I shall not give up. Instead of a national day for St George – or something similar, I think I am going to start a campaign for a National ‘Affirm a Child Day’ - and I should like to make that every day – so that we can all grow into the people God wants us to be.

Yours in Christ

Jo

All children and young people – especially those receiving exam results this month

All singers and music makers

All our troops who are serving in Afghanistan

You may notice that our notice boards in the church porch have been refurbished and look very much better for it! When I read the church visitors book I am often struck by the number of times visitors comment on how well the church is kept. Well, these things don’t just happen! Notice boards are renovated, gutters cleared of leaves, pews polished, brasses shone and trees clipped by a number of people who work hard and quietly to keep our church looking beautiful. This is in addition to those who make sure the flowers are kept looking good each week. Our church looks and feels loved and cared for – so this is a big thank you to everyone who helps to keep it that way

THANK YOU ALL

Jo

Our Harvest Thanksgiving Services this year will be on Sunday 27th September. We shall have our Eucharist and Gift Service at 11.00am – (even though this is a fourth Sunday and our service is usually at 9.45am.) There will be Choral Evensong at 6.00pm – followed by the Harvest Supper in the Village Hall at 7.30pm.

The McMillan Coffee Morning for Cancer Charities is on Friday 25th September in the Village Hall

Celia Hanbury is organising a Michaelmas Market at Hall Farm in aid of various charities on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th October

There will be more details of these events in next month’s magazine.

You may have read in the newspapers that the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have asked that churches suspend the use of the shared chalice in order to limit the spread of swine flu. As long as the risk of infection lasts, therefore, I shall follow their advice and offer only the bread at communion. This is perfectly in order and means that we share in communion with Christ and each other in just the same way as if we take communion in both kinds.

You may also like to be reassured that, in line with recommendations both the server and I will use alcohol based hand cleanser at the offertory.

If you wish to discuss this further, please contact me.

Jo Spray.

If you become ill with flu and need some help to collect prescriptions or do shopping for basics like milk and bread, Jamie Osborne has offered to help. You will need to arrange collection of a prescription then telephone him on 881890 and let him know where to collect the prescription and what the code number is. He will collect it and leave it either through your letter box or on the doorstep and telephone to let you know it is there. If you are not able to arrange a prescription, please telephone me on 881312 and I will see if I can help.

Jo Spray

A big thank you to everyone who helped with and supported last month’s coffee morning at Homelands. Although it was disappointing, that thanks to the weather it had to take place indoors, it was still an enjoyable event and raised £237.60 towards church funds. There is no coffee morning in August. We resume our programme on 12th September, when David and Jenny Allender will be the hosts. Details next month.

Don’t just count your years, make your years count

Ernest Meyers

Win Waller’s brother in law took a DVD of the exhibits at the Midsummer Festival. He is offering to reproduce these at a cost of £10 each for anyone who would like one. I have a copy at home if you would like to see it before you decide.

Jo Spray

God’s love is like the summer rain,

For it will flood your very soul

It will cleanse you; it will heal you;

It will touch you and make you whole.

God’s love is like a fountain

From it living waters pour.

As you stand beneath its constant stream,

Your wounded heart it will restore.

God’s love is like a gentle breeze

As it blows upon your face.

It will soothe you and refresh you,

And fear and doubt it will ease.

God’s love is like a fortress,

so mighty and so strong.

Within its walls he’ll shelter you

When the nights are dark and long.

God’s love is like a harbour

A haven from the storm

And there you’ll find a refuge

for the battered and the torn.

God’s love is like a river,

For it never will run dry.

In his love you’ll find such joy and peace,

And HIS LOVE WILL NEVER DIE.

Christine Chipman

Loving God, the birth of your Son Jesus Christ brought great joy to Mary and Joseph. We give thanks to you for everyone whose birthday we celebrate this month. May they ever grow in your faith, hope and love. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

I was told a story about a lady in the hospital who was near death when an area chaplain came to visit her. This chaplain was a very young female with long blond hair. She listened to the lady who was ill and left her a small ceramic frog. The next day one of the people from the lady’s church came to visit. The lady told her friend about the beautiful young chaplain who had come to visit her. The friend was so impressed with the way the lady improved and felt the need to talk to the young chaplain. In his search to find the young girl, he was repeatedly reassured that the chaplains are never very young and that there was never a girl that fit the description given. Upon returning to the lady in the hospital, a visiting nurse entered the room and noticed the ceramic frog. The nurse said "I see you have a guardian angel with you", as she held the little frog. When asked why she made the comment we were informed that the frog stood for:

F=Fully

R=Rely

O=On

G=God

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time this person will say or do something to bring this relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realise is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually bring you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real, but only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. Thank you for being part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

The Chapman family consist of dad James (known as Jim) mum Julia and twins Eve and Charlotte. Jim was born and bought up in Launceston Cornwall, he went to the local schools until the age of eighteen. His dad was a builder with his own company and mum was both secretary and dinner lady. When Jim left school he attended Liverpool Polytechnic (now Liverpool John Mawes) to do business studies. After finishing University he went back home so that he could earn some money before going on to do graduate training for a print Company in Scarborough. He stayed in Scarborough for 3 years during which time he also worked and commuted to Leeds. When an opportunity presented itself for a job in London he upped sticks and moved. He lived and worked in Central London for five years during which time he changed jobs. It was while living in South London that he met Julia.

Julia was born and grew up in Widnes and went to the local schools before attending Cambridge University to study Social and Political Science. On leaving she joined Price Waterhouse Coopers and then did her training to become a chartered Accountant in Newcastle. She then joined Legal and General for a while before settling with her present employers Homebase. Quite a lot of Jim’s friends either worked in the print industry or in accounting and that is how he was introduced to Julia. Although Jim was brought up a Methodist the couple were married in the Church of England St. Kentigern’s, Caldbeck in the Lake District and settled down to married life in a rented house in Reigate Surrey before buying a place of their own.

Fed up with the busy life and commute Jim and Julia decided to move. Julia’s sister and her husband work for the police force and live with their children in Olney. Julia’s employers relocated to their head office in Milton Keynes and so they decided to take the opportunity to move. Another advantage was that this brought them closer to Jim’s brother who lives with his family in Milton Keynes (Jim also has a sister who lives with her husband and daughter in Exeter). She and Jim started out living in Milton Keynes and looked around for a nice place to live from which she could travel to work easily. On one trip they found the house they wanted in Turvey only to have the sale fall through because they could not sell their own house. As luck would have it, when they did sell some months later the house in Turvey had come back on the market, the first buyers having pulled out. In 2006 they bought their present house in Carlton Road and settled here.

The twins Eve and Charlotte were born here in 2008 and were baptised at All Saints. Jim and Julia take the children to family service whenever they can and say that they feel the church is an important part of community life. They want the girls to grow up with a Christian ethos. Julia took one year off to look after the twins and because she has a good secure job she and Jim decided that she should be the one to go back to work when the twins were a year old. Jim would stay at home for a few years to look after the children. They did not want the children to be looked after by strangers and both thought it important to have one parent at home, at least until the girls start school. Jim will then return to work but says he might consider a career change when the time comes.

Jim says he enjoys his role as stay at home dad but also finds it very challenging at times, I bet it can be with twins! I don’t envy you. Jim says there are benefits of village life that he likes, one being no inner city schools! There is the toddler group to which he takes the girls after which they will go to the pre school. They like the social and community side of village life and are looking forward to bringing up their family here. Luckily they share many hobbies which include gardening (they have recently joined Turvey Gardening Club) , walking and reading. They both enjoy the cinema and the odd meal out when they can get away. Jim loves Rugby and saved up to see the Lions play in South Africa earlier this year. He has also joined Bedford Rugby club, although I don’t know when he will find the time to go!