St Giles Church

PARISH OF CHEDDINGTON AND MENTMORE with Wing and Wingrave

Tel: 661761 Email: stgiles@cheddington.org.uk 

GODLY PLAY:
There will be no meeting in August

SEEKERS GROUP
There will be no meeting in August

THE EMMAUS GROUP
meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 8 Church Hill, Cheddington. The Group meet to share and grow in our Faith. If anyone would like to know more please come along or ring either Sue (668086) or Lin (668568) for more details. Our next dates are AUGUST 6th and
SEPTEMBER 3rd at 8.00 p.m.

A TIME OF PEACE AND QUIET:
Monday evenings between 7.00 and 8.00 p.m. at Cheddington Methodist Church, undisturbed and coming and going just as you wish.

CHURCH PRAYERS
If you or someone you know would like a visit from a member of our Pastoral Team or if you or they would like to be included in our Church prayers, please contact Kim Key on 01296 660535 but DO get permission from the person concerned first! Thank You.
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THE VIEW FROM CHEDDINGTON RECTORY
In last month's Newsletter Derek passed on some wisdom from a 10-year old friend called Tess. One of those insights I should very much like to follow:
"Be keen to be loved and to love and serve others". Some of the others, I am afraid, have had to fall by the wayside for the time being. These are:
"Only be concerned with the Now" and "It is necessary to relax between bouts of activity".
June and July have been busy months for Vicky and me. There has been a lot of work done on the Rectory and some is ongoing. The house is now feeling homely and welcoming, and the stocks of coffee, tea and biscuits have been replenished many times.
There has been little time for relaxation. We have been meeting and talking with so many people, and been given a friendly and warm welcome by those inside and outside the Church. Vicky has been making curtains at a feverish pace and we have become acquainted with species of ash that seed everywhere, brambles, convolvulus, stinging nettles and the itchy scratches that result from contact with them. All advice is welcome - we have not
owned a garden for more than twenty years now.
Whenever you start a new job it is important to listen and learn, and I have been doing a lot of that. What is evident is that very many people, both at Mentmore and Cheddington, put a great deal of time and imagination into their church, and I feel very blessed that this is the case, so that we can share in the collaborative ministry together, walk the journey of faith together and further the mission of Christ in this place together.
This means filling our churches with disciples rather than congregations. It means developing our faith through our hearts rather than solely through our intellect and understanding. It means caring for the world and its needs, whether far afield or on our own doorsteps; an engaged faith, and not one that stops at the church porch.
Does this scare you, or are you ready to be even more serious about Christian discipleship? Wherever we end up I know it will be with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and look forward very much to walking alongside you, through good times and challenging ones, in the months and years to come.
Robert
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COFFEE MORNING and BOOK BROWSE - Saturday, 13th September
This is the date for another of the ever-popular Coffee Mornings and Book Browse run by "Cherish Your Church" towards the upkeep and preservation of St. Giles'. Come along to Cheddington Methodist Hall between 10.00 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. for coffee and cakes, raffle and, of course, plenty of secondhand books. Hope to see YOU there!
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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST INVITE YOU TO JOIN IN A SPONSORED "RIDE AND STRIDE" IN AID OF HISTORIC CHURCHES AND CHAPELS ON SATURDAY, 13th SEPTEMBER BETWEEN 10.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m.
Half of the money you raise by being sponsored to cycle, horse-ride or walk between churches goes to the church of your choice and the other half to the Trust for repair of churches within Buckinghamshire.
Details and forms can be obtained from Stewart Miles, 16 Lammas Road, Cheddington or ring him on 01296 660427.

ST. GILES' HARVEST FESTIVAL - SUNDAY, 7th SEPTEMBER- 11.30 a.m.
Once again this year we are supporting the Watford New Hope Trust. We have so much for which to be thankful and it is only fitting that at Harvest time in particular we should think of others who are disadvantaged. The Trust expresses the hope that our Harvest gifts are limited to these listed items as it seeks to be good stewards of what it receives! As they have reduced storage facilities they regret that they are unable to take bulky items, e.g. boxes of cereals.

HARVEST 2008: WATFORD NEW HOPE TRUST - BASIC NEEDS LIST
Antibacterial Cleaning Spray + Handwash Bathroom Cleaner Black Pepper
Blankets and Sleeping Bags (second-hand is fine)
Washing Powder / Washing Liquid / Tablets Brown or Tomato Sauces
Coffee (instant) Compost (for the garden!) Deodorant spray, roll on,
etc. and shower gell for men Floor cleaner Freezer food bags
Heavy duty black bin liners Kitchen Roll Marmite
Organic slug pellets (e.g. "Growing Success") Packet / Jar sauces (e.g.
curry, bolognaise) Pasta A4 printer paper (Office)
Biscuits Rice (easy-Cook) Shaving foam and razors
Stock cubes, gravy mixes & seasonings Soup Sugar Teabags
Tinned Custard Tinned Tuna / Meat Tinned Vegetables / Fruit
Toilet Rolls Toilet Cleaner & Bleach
Toiletries - shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste and toothbrushes
Towels (for bath or shower) Underwear (for men) Washing Up Liquid

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HOLLAND HOUSE PARISH WEEKEND, JUNE 19th to 21st, 2009
Holland House is a delightful old house set in large grounds, with its own little chapel, in a small village near Pershore in Worcestershire, very popular with the many who have attended previous weekends run by our Parish.
The Weekend will be led by the Rev'd Siv Tunnicliffe of Wingrave with the Rev'd Robert Wright.
Although the exact cost is not yet known it will probably be in the region of £120 per head for full-board from Friday Dinner until Sunday Tea-time. A deposit of £20 is required at the time of booking.
As reported in last month's Newsletter priority booking will be given to those from Cheddington, Mentmore and Marsworth until 30th September.
Thereafter anyone also from Wing, Wingrave with Rowsham, Ivinghoe and Slapton will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. At present there are only 25 places remaining.
There will be a meeting in October (date to be arranged) to plan the Weekend - the subjects for discussion, timetable, etc. Deposits must be paid before this meeting.

"WHEN I NEEDED A NEIGHBOUR........?

A young man named Andrew set out from the West Country in his car early one Monday morning. He was a salesman for a large company producing satellite navigation systems and was on his way to an exhibition to promote and sell his company's products.
Deciding not to use the Motorway, he was driving along a quiet road when, suddenly, he was overtaken by a white van which then stopped in front of him. He had to slam on his brakes to avoid a collision and was amazed when two men jumped out of the back of the van, forced open the doors of his car and, at knifepoint, made him get out. While one man held him, the other rifled the car taking anything of value, which included Andrew's wallet and car keys. The two men then proceeded to beat him up very badly and left him slumped beside the road before driving off in their van at high speed.
Andrew, practically unconscious, had no thought of either seeing or registering the number-plate of the van - everything had happened so quickly. A short while afterwards a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce approached the spot. The driver, seeing what had happened, asked his passenger if he should stop. The passenger was a Government Minister on his way back from his weekend at his 'grace and favour' country house, Later that morning he was due to meet the Prime Minister and then give evidence to a Select Committee at the House of Commons. Not wanting to be delayed, he told the chauffeur to drive on!
Next, along the road came a red sports car, driven by a young man. He had been best man at an important society wedding on the previous Saturday. He had not only performed his duties very well, apart from some rather risque jokes, but had also had great success with at least two of the bridesmaids. He was returning to London, feeling very pleased with himself and hardly noticed the car or the man at the side of the road, giving them only a cursory glance as he sped past.
Almost immediately, a much old car came along driven by a man with a very dark skin. He was on his way to address a meeting about the plight of political refugees. He saw the car and the man and stopped straight away. Realising the situation, he dialled 999 on his mobile phone - firstly for an ambulance and then the police. The Paramedics needed to take Andrew to hospital for treatment. and, when the police arrived it was agreed that the black man, whose name was Elonis, should drive behind the ambulance to the hospital. Following x-rays which showed no broken bones Andrew was patched up and told he could go home. Unfortunately, he was some 150 miles from home, he couldn't drive his car because of his injuries and also the car keys had been stolen.
Elonis knew of a country pub not far away and took Andrew there, He told the landlord what had happened. Fortunately, there was a room spare where Andrew could rest up for a few days. Elonis had already contacted Andrew's family and employers and promised to get some more keys for his car. He gave the landlord of the pub his credit card number as a guarantee of payment. Andrew was a healthy young man and recovered quite quickly and, by the time Elonis returned two days later, he was able to recover his car from the police pound and drive home.
He discovered that Elonis was, in fact, a political refugee. Elonis' wife was from a family who opposed the Goverment of the country in which they lived and Elonis was also active in opposing the regime. His wife had encouraged him to escape to England and he had managed to fly out just in time before he was arrested. She had fled across the border into a
neighbouring country, taking their eight year old son with her. In the confusion mother and son had become separated and now, four years later, neither she nor Elonis knew where he was. Andrew is now helping Elonis sort out his status in this country and they have become firm friends.

JESUS said: we should not only love our family and friends and all those with whom we come into contact but also those who often, through no fault of their own, need our special help.

"Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison and did not help you?" and Jesus will reply: "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. (Matthew 25: 44-45)
(John Broom)

CHURCHWARDENS:-
Penny Hibbert, Woodford House, Crafton, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 OQJ (660 416)
Jean Howlett, 1 Lokes Cottages, Ledburn, Leighton Buzzard, (01525 376 552)
Lin Knappitt, 3 Blenheim Close, Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 OSE (668568)
Stewart Miles, 16 Lammas Road, Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 ORY (660427)

Articles for the September Newsletter by 20th August please to Jean Daniels 


SERVICES FOR  AUGUST 2008

Items for the U.B. Newsletter to Jean Daniels, 9 Goodwins Mead, Cheddington