CHURCH NEWS - October 2008
October 2008
Dear Friends,
As I sit at my desk writing this letter, it’s a gloomy September afternoon – raining again! Behind the Rectory the field of corn that should have been harvested weeks ago is looking darker by the day, though thankfully it is at least still standing. With over 40% of the nation’s corn yet to be harvested, some of it affected by floods and no let up from the damp dismal weather, I wonder whether by the time this issue of the magazine reaches you, we will be able to sing “All is safely gathered in, ‘ere the winter storms begin”. Our thoughts and prayers are with our farmers, as they try to manage this dire situation.
Hundreds of miles away, in north west Africa, the country of Mali is suffering drought. In the past, the country has been self sufficient in food thanks to the fertile Niger river basin in the south and east, but water levels in the Niger have fallen, and so has the number of fish. In response to the changes in their climate, fishermen turned to farming, but water shortages and their lack of farming skills led to crop failure. Now a local Malian organisation called GRAT is teaching these people how best to grow crops and set up irrigation systems. This organisation provides equipment and builds warehouses to store crops, they build wells for clean drinking water and help communities make the best use of the precious water resources they have.
The 2008 Bishop’s Harvest Appeal is to support the work of GRAT (a Christian Aid partner). So we are inviting donations to the appeal at the Harvest Supper and Barn Dance, and our Harvest Festival service (27th and 28th September), but if you missed both of those, it’s not too late to add your contribution to the appeal. You can bring it to the Rectory, or phone me on 7620234 and I will be pleased to collect it.
For thousands of years, Harvest has always been a time of celebration, a time to give thanks to God for all the good gifts of his creation and for the abundance of the many different foods we enjoy. It is also traditionally a time when we remember those less well off than ourselves. Compared with many others, we will still have much to give thanks for, even if not all the corn is successfully harvested.
May I encourage you to give generously again this year, so the fishermen-turned-farmers in Mali can also look forward to giving thanks for their harvest in the coming years, confident that they have the means to support their families.
With love and prayers, Christine.
Would you enjoy a walk in the country followed by a pub-lunch? We’d be glad for you to join us on Saturday 18th October for our next walk. Meet outside The Bell at 9.45am – transport provided to start of walk if needed. Everyone welcome, including children and dogs on leads!
Fete 2008 Profit
We are now able to publish the final figure of the profit from our Village Fete this year. We are pleased to say that a sum of £2955.07 was made – many thanks to everyone who helped us to reach this very pleasing amount.
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 will you 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 I let you know if I would like you to pray for me? 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.
Pilgrims
Are you someone who -
enjoys a good discussion with others?
has questions about faith you’ve always wanted to ask?
would welcome the opportunity to do so outside of a church setting
Pilgrims is an informal, relaxed group that meets every two or three weeks to explore issues of faith together
More details from Christine on 720234
Delicious drinks and eats,
plus wide selection of Fairtrade
Christmas goodies and gifts for sale
Brenda & Lionel Mayoh will be bringing their usual amazing collection of goods from around the world, many of them hand-made.
Stock up from Teresa’s food stall. Shop ethical!
On a light note…
“One night during a great thunderstorm Jack was in bed. His mother was awakened by the storm and thought that she should go and see if Jack was alright, in case he was frightened.
When she opened the door, he was standing at the bedroom window - when a great flash of lightning happened. He turned around and said to his mother:
“Guess what! God has just taken my picture!” Sarah Bennett
Meeting Point
Wed 8th 10.30am at Eileen’s, 24 Church Hall Road, Rushden.
Wed 22nd 10.30am, venue to be arranged.
Our Giving in October is to The Church Missionary Society
Working Out What’s Already Within
Recently my husband had a knee revision , which has been very successful and for which we are both very thankful.
Previously he had an operation on the same knee which was not very satisfactory. We are most grateful for the prayers given for the success of the surgeon’s skilled hands and for the final good result.
“Prayer is the oxygen of power”. We rely on the functions of our body, functions which are formed whilst we are still in the womb. Most times these are perfect, but sometimes they are not – how often, on television and through the media, we see and hear about the infirmities of children and babies which must be a great trial for their parents.
At conception we are given the necessary genes, chromosomes and traits for our lives; so too when we love Jesus we are blest with every gift that comes with that love: faith, grace, gentleness and power to overcome evil. The rewards which come with activating these are immeasurable.
An analogy can be drawn with the nurturing of a baby: when a baby is born it begins to suckle milk and grows day by day, a growth which continues until it is an adult, but it is also imperative that the baby eats, runs and plays in order to grow into a healthy adult. So too when we love Jesus we should nourish our gifts with care in order to grow into a fully fledged child of God. With the necessary milk of the Spirit we should exercise to activate our faith and the grace, love and other gifts with which we have been adorned so that we may shine for the only One who truly loves us, in the home and in the workplace - that way we can use what is already placed within us.
Sarah Bennett
Birthdays
We would like to wish Lottie Robinson a very happy birthday on 18th October
...and we send best wishes to everyone with a birthday in October.
5th All help to clear from Harvest Festival
12th Doreen Wheeler
19th Rachel Halton
26th Kathy Dunn
Trees
Can you really believe that each tree that enhances
Our world with its beauty and bountiful branches
Is merely good fortune from earth’s changing state
With the size of its girth and its height gauged by fate?
What about things like acorns with horny outsides?
And sycamore keys? Many others besides.
How on earth can the secrets of life be installed
With no case of mistake inside any seed walled?
Why does a tree grow always true to its kind
Yet always so different, the same you’ll not find?
Though an oak may grow ever so different by chance
You can tell its an oak straight away at a glance
Whether stunted or giant or twisted or bent
Is directly connected with environment
But what is the great over-riding control
That prevents great distortion in each silent bole?
How is it we have many wondrous selections
Of trees with their timbers of separate perfections?
Why is there a timber for each human need?
Do you still mean to tell me they chanced from a weed?
Can you really believe such in spite of our wood
When its long standing evidence really should
Leave you marvelling in awe of an Almighty Hand
In whose mind such a thing as a tree has been planned
Roger Jackson
October
1st 7.30pm Wode Hill One Steppers at The Bell.
8th 10.30am Meeting Point at Eileen’s, 24 Church Hall Road, Rushden.
8th 12.30 Senior Citizens’ Autumn Lunch, Village Hall.
14th 7.30pm W.I. Odell Village Hall.
18th 9.45am All Saints’ Amblers meet at The Bell.
19th 11.00am National Apple Day, Bromham Mill.
22nd 10.30am Meeting Point, venue to be arranged.
25th 7.30pm Quiz, Odell Village Hall.
27th 10.00am HOCP Conservation Tasks Day.
31st 4.00pm Children’s Halloween Party, HOCP.
November
1st 10.00am Fairtrade Café, Village Hall.
22nd 7.30pm Dance Night, Village Hall.
Magazine Deadline
Please send all entries for the November 2008 magazine to Tricia Hudson (mag1 at odellbeds.net) or Catherine Corkery by October 12th 2008 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.