What is happiness? Do we know when we are happy? We always knew when my brother was happy because he would walk about whistling, but mostly it is easier to tell by their demeanour when people are unhappy. Does one then assume that the rest of the time they are happy? Maybe I really am just grumpy, but there are few occasions when I know I am happy – and they are truly glorious! It may be watching a beautiful sunset or standing at the front of church and looking at our church family or spending time with our own family or listening to music. These are times when I feel the Holy Spirit really is at work and all is good! But I am not actively unhappy the rest of the time – mostly I am just contented to get on with being who I am and where I am – and I count myself lucky to be able to do that.

So what do we mean when we wish people a Happy New Year? Do we wish them health, usually a key ingredient to happiness? Do we wish them wealth? - Well a certain amount of cash is helpful. Do we wish them to avoid personal grief and tragedy? – absolutely certainly that. Or do we really wish them the ability and grace to cope with whatever life may bring during the following twelve months? For most of us, I guess, will be called on to face some uncomfortable times either of our own making or of a kind quite beyond our control.

In Lent this year we are invited by the Diocese to take part in an initiative called ‘Challenge’, which is spear headed by our three Bishops, Alan, Richard and Christopher. It is about changing lives – our own and those of the people around us – by really living the words of Jesus. We are asked to read just one verse of the bible each day, from the gospel of Luke, try to learn it and try to live by what it says. I believe, with the Bishops and those organising the challenge, that this is a chance to make a real difference. It is a chance – and an easy way- to centre our lives so much on the life and teaching of Christ that whatever happens we will have the ability to live with joy and hope for the future. It will mean that we ground ourselves so firmly into Jesus and his way of life that the love of God will help us to rejoice in the good times and to bear with courage and grace even the most difficult times. Then I hope we shall all enjoy a peaceful and contented New Year.

Yours in Christ

Jo

I should like to say thank you to all who sent cards and greetings to Rob and me at the Rectory. I am sorry it is not possible to return them all individually but we do appreciate them and enjoy reading them.

Thank you, too, to the churchwardens and members of our community who worked so hard to prepare the church for all the Christmas Services. There were almost 700 people in total at the three services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and they were rewarded by a church that looked absolutely beautiful – polished brass and woodwork, superb flower arrangements and candles for midnight, clean carpets at every service ( no mean feat after all those feet!) I had all the right things in the right place at the right time and the help of a great team of servers and chalice bearers, intercessors and lesson readers. The bells summoned us all to worship, even in the middle of the night, and the choir and organ playing were superb throughout – as was the children’s Nativity Play - and there was someone there at every service to greet people with a smile. Even the snow miraculously disappeared from the church path and the steps. All this represents a great deal of effort and goodwill – I think some people thought it might just be easier to sleep at church!

The result was a wonderful celebration of Christmas – thank you all.

Jo

The success of the ‘Challenge’ initiative in Lent

An end to violence and division in the world

Our village and all its organisations

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

Amen

1st Friday of every month:

January 8th, February 5th, March 12th, April 9th, May 7th, June 4th, July 2nd, August 6th, September 3rd, October 1st, November 5th, December 3rd.

Offers to help with the cooking would be appreciated please contact Marylyn Eaton if you can spare a Friday in 2010, 824846

Wishing you the blessing of peace, the beauty of hope and the spirit of love that is Christmas. I wish you health and happiness in the year to come. A lot of love from my home to yours. Cindy

There is one Christmas Carol that has always puzzled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? This week I found out.

 From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in  England  were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching,  Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness,  Faithfulness,

 Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

The first coffee morning of 2010 will be at 10:15 am on Saturday the 9th January at Grove Farm House, by kind invitation of Rod and Carol Petty. There will be a raffle and bring-and-buy stall, for which contributions (including unwanted Christmas presents!) would be very welcome. We have a number of gaps in our programme for the rest of the year. If you would like to host a coffee morning Anne Claypole White would be delighted to hear from you! 881661.

The flower rota for 2010 is now in the church porch. Please sign up as soon as you can if you would like to help—no previous experience necessary!

A big Thank You to all who helped organize, and attended the Christmas Fair, we raised the amazing sum of £2332.36 Well done!

The Challenge to the people, schools and churches across the Diocese of St Albans is : dare to make a difference in your lives, in your communities and in the world by living the words of Jesus.

READ a verse from the bible each day in Lent,

LEARN it, PRAY about it and then

DO something to make a difference.

Share what you have learned and what you have done.

You can register on the Challenge website www.challenge2010.org or through your parish; ask your parish priest, churchwarden or other leader. The verses, which are all from Luke’s Gospel and record something Jesus said, will be sent by email or by text (for a small charge) or will be available through Twitter and RSS. Alternatively the verses will be available to be downloaded from the website and you, your parish, your school or youth group can print them off.

The website will give further details and ideas about how to make the Challenge a shared exercise within your congregation, class, youth group or among your friends. In particular you will be able to write comments on the website and upload short video clips, via YouTube, so that you can share with others what the verse means to you and how you are seeking to act on it.

It’s simple, it’s risky, it’s life changing: are you up for it?

Dare to make a difference

By living the words of Jesus

If we wait for our hands to stop shaking, we will never open the door. Naomi Newman