CHURCH NEWS - March 2010
*** Fusion ***
offering you & your children time & space to come together, make things together, eat together & celebrate God together
4th Monday of the month at Harrold URC, High St. Harrold
Children need to be accompanied by an adult
(doors open & snacks available from 3.30pm for early birds)
Fusion activities are free - but a donation to cover food costs would be appreciated
To register please email John at
john@sundrlnd.freeserve.co.uk or ring 720184 or 720234
by the Thursday before.
March 2010
Dear Friends,
I sometimes listen to the Today programme while I’m doing the ironing or driving, and recently heard this definition of ‘news’ - news is something that someone doesn’t want published. Admittedly, this rather cynical view cropped up in the context of a discussion about celebrities and other well known people trying to take out injunctions to prevent newspapers from publishing unflattering stories about them. But it reflects a popularly held notion that the media is largely interested in stories that shock rather than ‘good news’ stories. If we’re honest, sensational stories sell well, and good news stories can sometimes appear rather boring by comparison.
Last month I mentioned Bishop Alan’s challenge to look at some of the words of Jesus and to read, learn, pray and do them each day during Lent. I was interested to see that the very first ‘word’ in the series is about good news: Jesus said, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor’ (Luke 4:18)
Certainly many of the things Jesus said and did during his lifetime were good news, and sensational as well! Had printing been invented at the time, the local rag would have made a pretty penny or two in publishing stories about his lively encounters with those in authority and his controversial teaching, to say nothing of those amazing miracles of feeding multitudes, healing the sick and calming storms at sea for the humble fishermen he chose to help him in his mission.
The Bishop asks us to think about what it meant for Jesus to bring good news to the poor – and what it might mean for us to do the same? Then he challenges us to do something today to bring good news to someone else, and to thank God for the good news in our own lives.
Jesus came to redeem us, and to redeem creation – in other words, to heal broken people and to set this broken world to rights – and that is very good news indeed. It is an momentous task, and it’s by no means finished – but it has started and God’s plan is to one day bring it to completion. The offer that he holds out to us is to be part of his great plan – to be different and to make a difference by embracing and living out the good news of Jesus.
If you would like to try out the Bishop’s Lent challenge for yourself, go to www.challenge 2010.org or contact me for a copy of the daily verses from Luke’s Gospel.
Christine.
The Prayer Group
What is the Prayer Group? It is made up of members of All Saints’ Church who undertake to pray regularly, on an individual basis, for people who ask us for prayer support.
Who do we pray for? Anyone whom we are asked to remember; these might be people from our church, from our local community or others known to us.
What do we pray about? Anything which you would like brought before God; maybe anxiety due to illness, stress or loneliness. You can also tell us of a special day you wish to be remembered – perhaps for an interview or an exam. Any information will be treated in strictest confidence.
How can you let us know if you would like us to pray for you? You can either telephone Christine (720234), or drop a note through the Rectory door, or complete a card (anonymously if you wish) and place it in a box kept near the church door. Prayer requests will be collected from the box each Sunday morning after the 10.00am service. Christine
All Saints’ Amblers
If you would enjoy a walk in the country followed by a pub lunch, do join us on our next walk on Saturday 20th March – meet at 9.45am outside The Bell.
Dogs on leads welcome. Transport available if required.
Sponsored Supper - Food with Friends - Nosh for Dosh!
Don’t mind what you call it …. but the idea is to invite a few friends to a meal, be it a full-on dinner party, a simple supper or lunch, afternoon tea or a coffee morning, and in return, ask them to make a donation to the All Saints’ Tea-Point and Toilet fund. Many thanks to Roma for starting this off last month with a Soup and Pud lunch which raised £210! – also for her help with Pancakes and Coffee at The Rectory which raised a further £225. Any more ideas out there?
All Saints’ Tea-point and Toilet Project
The builders have done an excellent job despite the difficult weather conditions throughout January and February – do we have the stickiest mud in Bedfordshire? Inside, the new facilities look very smart and we hope the work will be finished by the time you receive this issue of the magazine, though it may be a little longer before Anglian Water make the final connection to enable us to turn the water on!.
We need to continue fund-raising throughout the year, and have invited the Bishop of Bedford to lead us in a special service of Thanksgiving and Celebration on Sunday morning May 16th (more details to follow) but please put the date in your diary and join us if you can.
Christine Clark
Antique oak for sale – Some of the oak partitioning around the former ‘kitchen’ area in church is antique, hand-crafted oak. If anyone is interested in buying a section, please contact Martin Eshelby on 01933 410959.
Churchyard Tidy
There will be a major churchyard tidy-up on. Saturday 13th March when hopefully much of the outside disruption from the building work will have been cleared away.
If you can spare some time to help on what we hope will be a lovely spring morning please come along from 10.00am onwards.
World Day of Prayer
(Interdenominational)
Friday, 5th March, 11.00am, All Saints’ Church, Milton Ernest
This service has been prepared by the Christian Women of Cameroon
Speaker – Revd Jane Bass
Over 3 million men, women and young people worldwide will be praying and worshipping together on Friday, March 5th. They will be using an order of service prepared by Christian women from Cameroon.
The Republic of Cameroon, established in 1972 after the reunification of British Southern Cameroon and French Cameroon, is situated on the Gulf of Guinea and bordered by Nigeria, Chad, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and is twice the size of UK. Official languages are French and English. 60% of the population is Christian and 20% Muslim. Cameroonian women struggle for peace and justice. Gender inequality is a great concern for them. However, women have made great strides in tackling disease, poverty, malnutrition, delivering education and child trafficking.
The Women’s World Day of Prayer meetings contribute to strengthening the dignity of women.
We look forward to seeing you at the church at Milton Ernest to help us join in this worldwide day of prayer.
Meeting Point
March
10th 10.30am at Christine’s, The Rectory, Odell.
24th 10.30am at Sarah’s, 9 Horsefair lane, Odell.
April
14th 10.30am at Doris’s, Goodly Heritage, The Bury, Pavenham.
28th 10.30am at Eileen’s, 24 Church Hall Road, Rushden.
The Journey of life
Over the passing of time we sometimes reflect on the effect of life’s journey. During that journey in time people have touched and influenced us from helpless babies to adulthood, lovingly moulding our attitudes and expectations. However, for some, life’s journey has been tinged with fear, trauma or tragedy. For them, the one certainty of life is change; the word ‘journey’ means movement from one place or experience to another and sometimes confidence is tested in the face of the unknown. Psalm 139 is very appropriate and worth a read:
“..if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
Wherever we are, we are always in the same place, in God’s hands.
The Psalmists were people with the same raw emotions as us, railing at the unfairness of the world and desperate for God’s presence and purpose. Such comfort can be found in the Songs of Life, and this psalm reminds us we are never alone on our journey – today or any other day. In mystery and miracle God is with us. His almighty creating power of love and life knows and understands, accepts and forgives and is our ever-present guide.
On the next journey, whether it be to work, school, shops, office or hospital, out in the countryside or just to the post box ,God is with us, walking with us, talking to us and sharing our deepest thoughts. This fact should inspire us with the WOW factor.
Sarah Bennett
Senior Citizens’ Fish and Chip Lunch
The annual Senior Citizens’ Fish and Chip lunch will take place on:
Wednesday 3rd March
at 12.30 for 1.00pm
in the Village Hall.
Thank you! To Roma, for raising £225 for the Tea Point and Toilet Block fund by cooking pancakes at The Rectory on Saturday 13th February. About 40 lunches were served. Thank you, too, to Christine and David for hosting the event.
Fusion
Fusion - Monday afternoons
"On the fourth Monday of January, children and their parents from Harrold, Carlton and Odell gathered together for the first session of FUSION - fun and crafts, prayers, worship and a hot meal. It was fantastic fun and a great time for families to spend quality time together, and to think about what God does for us. There was a great team of helpers to ensure that everything ran smoothly and safely."
Elizabeth Hulatt-Richardson
Birthdays
We would like to wish Walt Nottage a very Happy 90th Birthday on the 10th March! We hope you have a wonderful time on this very special day, Walt. Best wishes from all of us!
And...Happy Birthday to Liane Fulford on the 4th March!
Lent Groups 2010
Places and Times:
Monday evening, 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th March
3 Copperbeeches, Emmaus Village, 7.30 - 9.00pm. Leader: Garry Allan.
Tuesday evening, 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th March
46 Harewelle Way, Harrold, 8.00 - 9.45pm. Leader: Ruth Templeman.
Wednesday afternoon, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st March
32 Rectory Close, Carlton, 1.30 - 3.00pm. Leader: John Sunderland.
Wednesday evening, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st March
30 Orchard Lane, Harrold, 7.30 - 9.00pm. Leader: John Tusting.
Thursday morning, 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th March, 1st April
40 High St, Harrold, 10.30 - 12.00noon. Leaders: Marjory Coleman/Les Wilsher.
Tea Point and Toilet Block Fund Raising.
Suttons Seeds Catalogues are now available from Jill Cheadle, tel. 01234 720261.
A percentage of the sales profit will be given to the Tea Point and Toilet Block Fund.
Our Giving in March is to ‘Mission to Seafarers’.
All Saints’ Flower Rota
March
7th Jane Eshelby
14th MOTHERING SUNDAY
21st Doreen Wheeler
28th Eileen Shakespeare
Diary
March
1st 7.30pm Lent Group, 3 Copperbeeches, Emmaus Village.
2nd 8.00pm Lent Group, 46 Harewelle Way, Harrold.
3rd 12.30pm Senior Citizens’ Fish and Chip Lunch, Village Hall.
3rd 1.30pm Lent Group, 32 Rectory Close, Carlton.
3rd 7.30pm Wodehill Jazz Band at The Bell.
3rd 7.30pm Lent Group, 30 Orchard Lane, Harrold.
4th 10.30am Lent Group, 40 High St, Harrold.
4th 10.30am Health Walk HOCP.
5th 11.00am Women’s World Day of Prayer, All Saints’ Church, Milton Ernest.
8th 7.30pm Lent Group, 3 Copperbeeches, Emmaus Village.
9th 7.30pm W.I. Odell Village Hall.
9th 8.00pm Lent Group, 46 Harewelle Way, Harrold.
10th 10.30am Meeting Point at The Rectory.
10th 1.30pm Lent Group, 32 Rectory Close, Carlton.
10th 7.30pm Lent Group, 30 Orchard Lane, Harrold.
11th 10.30am Lent Group, 40 High St, Harrold.
13th 10.00am Churchyard Tidy.
15th 7.30pm Lent Group, 3 Copperbeeches, Emmaus Village.
16th 8.00pm Lent Group, 46 Harewelle Way, Harrold.
17th 1.30pm Lent Group, 32 Rectory Close, Carlton.
17th 7.30pm Lent Group, 30 Orchard Lane, Harrold.
18th 10.30am Lent Group, 40 High St, Harrold.
18th 10.30am Health Walk HOCP.
20th 9.45am All Saints’ Amblers meet at The Bell.
22nd 10.00am HOCP Conservation Tasks day.
22nd 7.30pm Lent Group, 3 Copperbeeches, Emmaus Village.
23rd 8.00pm Lent Group, 46 Harewelle Way, Harrold.
24th 10.30am Meeting Point at Sarah’s, 9 Horsefair Lane.
24th 1.30pm Lent Group, 32 Rectory Close, Carlton.
24th 7.30pm Lent Group, 30 Orchard Lane, Harrold.
25th 10.30am Lent Group, 40 High St, Harrold.
29th 7.30pm Lent Group, 3 Copperbeeches, Emmaus Village.
30th 8.00pm Lent Group, 46 Harewelle Way, Harrold.
31st 1.30pm Lent Group, 32 Rectory Close, Carlton.
31st 7.30pm Lent Group, 30 Orchard Lane, Harrold.
April
1st 10.30am Lent Group, 40 High St, Harrold.
Magazine Deadline
Please send all entries for the April 2010 magazine to Tricia Hudson (mag1@odellbeds.net) or Catherine Corkery by March 12th at the latest. May we remind you that the editorial team exercises the right to edit, shorten or alter any items that are submitted. Also, the opinions expressed in the articles are those of the contributors and are not the responsibility of the editorial team.