| Editor: Sonia Marshall | Layout: Dave Merchant | Web version: Mark Warrick |
Photographs of some parish events are available in our Photograph Album elsewhere on the site
To:
Scripture readings for Sunday
| Information Centre | Trades & Services | Notices | Diary |
| Groups & Societies | For Sale | Deeping Chat | Webmail |
There is a "new term" feel to church this month. The choir is back from it's summer holiday, the children's work recommences and all the usual services are being held again as normal. Some effort has been made following the chaos of the dry-rot eradication works to get everything neat and straight for this recommencement after the summer break, and you may notice that the carpets are now in place both in the children's corner and at the front of the nave, which completes (at last) the reordering schemes.
There are some minor changes to our worship. The eight o'clock service will now use the same pattern of readings as the ten o'clock, as mentioned last month. Comments received so far indicate that these will probably be read in the modern language version so that they may be followed in the notice sheet, but a decision has not been made and I'd be glad to hear from anyone who would like to make a comment and has yet to do so. The ten o'clock service on second Sundays will no longer be billed as a "family" service and will be more like our usual 10am Eucharist but with Baptism. We hope that eventually the children's groups may be able to contribute to our worship, but that this will happen on a different Sunday of the month. Related to this is some change to the way the children's groups work, and a separate article this month outlines the new arrangements. Many new children have been invited to join, and new brochures have been printed.
Perhaps the most exciting development is the commencement of our new over-14 youth group, "CrossFire", organised jointly with the Open Door Baptist Church and meeting at the Open Door Centre on Sunday nights at 7.30pm from 15th September.
We now look forward eagerly to the long-awaited repair and improvement work to our organ. Clearly this is going to involve some disruption while it is in progress, but to have this magnificent instrument working properly to the glory of God will be well worth the cost and the disruption. Meanwhile, the organ fund is still some way short of the total needed to pay for the work, so if anyone knows of a source of funding, or would like to organise a fund-raising event, please let us know!
We welcome back this month our children's Sunday morning groups. Their first Sunday will be 8th September, when they start in church at 10am for the dedication of their adult leaders and helpers at the start of the Sung Eucharist. They will then go to their activities in the Church Hall beforereturning as usual for the end of the service.
The groups now meet every Sunday instead of attending a "Family Eucharist" on second Sundays. Each month the children, in their different age groups, will work on a project in some depth and from time to time displays of their work will appear on the boards in the children's corner in church. Noah and Jonah with be among their first topics, so there is a fairly watery theme to the first term's work! We look forward to seeing what they do, and I look forward especially to having children's work to show to those who attend our second Sunday baptism services.
The children now all meet in the Church Hall rather than the younger groups meeting at the Vicarage. They will worship together and will normally do learning activities according to their age groups, but with the option of working together when appropriate.
I'd like to thank Richard, Petra and Alison and the teams for all the work they do, not only in term time but in the planning and preparation that has taken place during the summer, too. The contribution our children's leaders and helpers make to the life and outreach of this church is immeasurable.
On the church website there is the beginning of an album of photographs of parish events and activities, which I shall develop as I get the time. If anyone has any pictures they think might be suitable and would like them added to the site, please let me have a look and we can see whether they can be fitted in. It is a good way of sharing memories of good things we have done together, and it tells the community of the sorts of things we do. If we do publish a picture, remember that anyone in the world can download and print it, so you would effectively lose control of it if that matters to you.
Silence does not only signify the ordinary silence or refraining from speaking, but also in the style of the Hebrews it is taken to be quiet or remain immovable.
In Psalm 46:10 it refers to "Be still and acknowledge that I am God, supreme over nations, supreme over the world". Lamentations 3:28 refers to "Let him sit alone in silence". Ecclesiastes 3:7 refers to "There is a time to be silent and a time to speak," and Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians 4:11 reminds them to study to be quiet.
In the times we are living in it is more difficult perhaps to find time and a place where it is suitable to remain silent.
Our Common Worship mentions points in the Eucharist at which silence is particularly appropriate including a moment after the Eucharistic Prayer and surely the moment for the greatest silence is after Christ's own words.
If you were to ask Christians if they were helped in their faith by periods of silence in services a large majority would, I'm certain, agree.
So let us take time to find our Lord in times of silence and quiet wherever we are, especially during a Eucharist or other service and come ever closer to experiencing that peace that can often occur through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Bernard Babb
There are two noteable events occuring on Thursday 12th September.
at 10.00 am the Church Coffee Group will be holding one of their excellent Coffee Mornings with a Bring and Buy Stall, Raffle and other attractions. Admissision £1.00.
Also on the 12th at 7.30 pm in another chance to see and hear more details about the upcoming ALPHA COURSE at the Alpha Supper.
An evening of music to suit most tastes is to be held on Saturday 19th October in the Vicarage from 8 pm.
Tickets £2.50 (or a donation) are available from Bernard Babb.
All proceeds will be donated to the Organ Fund.
Creating God, you have given us a vision of a new heaven and a new earth... resources conserved earth tended atmosphere cleansed trees planted injustice ended oceans teeming nations at peace Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer alert natlons, enthuse churches receive our commitment and so entwine our lives with Your purpose earth and heaven will then sing your glory. Amen
As you read this issue of the Priory News, World Leaders and representatives of organisations and business worldwide are gathering in South Africa for the UN Conference on Environment and Development - the World Summit on Sustainable Development It is ten years since the Rio Earth Summit - the previous UNED, that helped to focus world attention on the environmental problems facing us - and offered solutions both local and global. In the Bulletins between January and June there were pieces on aspects of the challenges, and the Diocesan Education Centre has prepared a pack called Reflections for schools and communities to explore the issues with activities especially suitable for young people. This is being used widely and is still available. The Churches have actively engaged in the Johannesburg process and there is an Anglican World Congress on the Stewardship of Creation in Johannesburg from 18th to 25th August preceding the World Summit. Terry Miller, the Rural Officer and Environment Officer is attending the Congress and will be a delegate from the Congress at the World Summit Global Forum of the Non-Governmental Organisations. Please pray for his work at this crucial event. People from all over the world will wrestle with the issues from the competing demands of development and environmental well-being upon which the health of human communities depend. The challenge is how to turn our wishes into action.
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland have created a website and produced material for churches over this time with prayers and discussion. Visit it at www.cburchesearthsummit.org.uk or www.ctbi.uk/earthsummit (a hard copy can be obtained from the Forum office 01522 528886). More information about the WSSD is available from www.johannesburgsummit.org and during the earth summit from www.virtualexhibition.org. A new free A5 leaflet is available entitled 'What can we do?' looking at Christians and the environment. Please contact the Forum Office for copies. Two fact sheets are also available - converting your car to LPG (liquid petroleum gas) and on Coppice Willow for heating and power. The Reflections pack is available from Sally Doughty at DEC, 01522 569600 - £7.00 for hard copy, £2.50 for a CD version
It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them.
George Eliot
Up at the head table in the cafeteria, one of the nuns had placed a big bowl of bright red, fresh, juicy apples. Beside the bowl, she placed a note which read, 'Take only one. Remember, God is watching.' At the other end of the table was a bowl full of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, still warm from the oven. Beside the bowl, a little note scrawled in a child's handwriting which read, 'Take all you want. God's watching the apples.'
Ringing practice continued throughout the month of August on Friday nights and several weddings were celebrated with the bells.
On August 4th a visiting band of ringers from the Peterborough Guild rang a quarter peal in memory of the Queen Mother on the anniversary of her birthday.
The new ringers are still making very good progress and are learning various methods.
Would like to ring church bells and are over the age of 11 years?
Want to help preserve an ancient English tradition? Can already ring would
like to join up again. Expert tuition and assistance available.
Then why not join our lively team of ringers on Friday evenings between 7.30
and 9.00pm
We will be holding an Open Evening on 4 October from 7.30 to 9.00pm. All are
welcome.
Further information - contact Richard on 01778-343498
This sounds tasty!
Set oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas mark 4. Cook apples, lemon rind, water and caster sugar and make into a puree.
Pour into a 2 pint pie dish or china flan dish.
Mix other ingredients together, spread over puree and level out. Bake for 30 minutes until top is pale brown.
Serve hot or cold with cream.
This is only an extract from some of our magazine. Residents of Deeping St James can subscribe to the printed version.
Copyright © 2002 Deeping St James PCC