Upload
nguyennhi
View
218
Download
3
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
St. Margaret’s Church News Christmas 2016
Ifield Street, Crawley, RH11 0NN
Simon says… As Christmas approaches and the strain of getting ready begins to take hold, my ‘thought for
the month’ comes in the form of a poem based on that wonderful passage on love from 1
Corinthians so often used at weddings:-
If I decorate my house perfectly with red and green bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do
not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a
beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, care in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show
love, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and
sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though hurried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
Computer games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will
endure forever.
Or in the words of the carol by Christina Rossetti:-
Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas, star and angels gave the sign.
Let’s remember to keep this love alive in our hearts and minds this Christmas as we celebrate Jesus’ birth – it’s what
it’s all about! Happy Christmas everyone!
Simon Newham, Rector
Christmas at St. Margaret’s December 18th: 6.00 pm Carol Service
21st: 7.00 pm Carols in The Plough pub
24th: 4.00 pm Crib Service
24th: 11.15 pm Midnight Mass
25th: 10.00 am Family Communion
[email protected] 01293 537578 www.stmargaretschurchifield.org
Christians Against Poverty - Rob Pudney I knew that I had to get involved with CAP (Christians Against Poverty) when David
Dickson came to talk to our church before the Crawley Debt Centre was launched. CAP
doesn’t choose who it helps and doesn’t judge, but helps those who reach out and want to
get their lives back on track, usually after the loss of a job or personal injury. God calls each
one of us to serve people in our communities and this is just one way I can help, and whilst
it’s not always easy, I believe God truly blesses this important work and outreach.
The Crawley Debt Centre will celebrate two years in March 2017. Recently, I have become
the ‘Community Links Co-Ordinator’. I also visit families as a ‘Befriender’, providing
support as they look to become debt free. I am pleased to say three families have already.
‘Bringing good news, hope and freedom to those in debt. Serving the community in the Crawley are’
If you would like to receive the monthly Crawley CAP Debt Centre
newsletter (by email), find out more about how you can get involved, or
give financially, please contact me: [email protected]
David Dickson (Crawley Debt Centre Manager) will be talking at the 11am church service on 5th Feb.
From the Editor…
Someday we will look back at 2016 and shake our heads amazed. What odds might we have
got back in January on Leicester winning the Premiership, Bowie dying, Cameron resigning,
and Trump ascending? One of the defining years of the 21st century? It probably will be.
2016 has felt seismic: maddening, saddening, fascinating, confusing. It feels like a weird sort
of privilege to be alive just now, witnessing all the craziness. Who knows what will happen?
The tectonic plates are still shifting. The world feels like it could be getting ready for a big
punch-up. So let’s hope and pray that 2017 is a year when love breaks through and wins. Ian Edgson
Our ‘Through the Keyhole’ walkers set off on Remembrance Day
The Archbishop
Says…
“Have a
Westminster Abbey
Christmas!”
A ‘moving’ Christmas message from Jo and Trevor Strutt
All of us at Bridgeham Clinic, Rectory Farmhouse would like to say thanks for being great neighbours. Jo, Trev and
the kids will still be neighbours of course, but Bridgeham Clinic at the end of the lane now ends…yet Bridgeham
has a new beginning!
We very much look forward to welcoming you all to our new premises on County Oak. A brand spanking new Garuda
and Pilates Machine studio, daily movement classes, treatments rooms and a friendly atmosphere await. We would
love to show you around and hear what you think of our new venue offering everyone a chance to experience
osteopathy, Pilates, Garuda and Wellbeing… We will be trading from January 5th 2017.
Bridgeham Clinic Ltd: 01293 542245 [email protected] www.bridgehamclinic.com
Curate’s Column: I Can’t Wait!
I wonder when Christmas begins for you? More and more, the beginning of the Christmas
season is signalled when the new advert for John Lewis, Coca Cola or Sainsbury’s is shown.
From cute dogs to lonely men on the moon, our imaginations are swept away and we can
become gripped with the stories that tug at our heart strings. For others, of course, the start
of Christmas will be marked when lights are switched on, or when the decorations go up.
One of my favourite things is transforming our home from a collection of Ikea furniture into
a winter wonderland, and remembering the memories attached to each decoration as we find
the perfect place for it to hang upon the tree.
I start to feel Christmassy when I hear the first notes of 'Once In Royal David’s City’ ring
out in the chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, as the service of lessons and carols, lit by candle light, is broadcast
around the world. Whatever it is that gets you in the festive mood, I think that for all of us, there is something which
triggers those warm and wintry feelings. But as much as Tesco may want us to say “bring it on” and start tucking
into mince pies in early November, we must remember that the true celebration waits until Christmas Day itself,
which is the true start of Christmas. Even the four weeks before Christmas, when we attend carols services and look
forward to the joy of Christmas, are part of the season of Advent, one of the great times of waiting in the church year.
Advent is a time of preparing, of getting decorations up, of planning and preparing food, of praying. It’s a time when
we try and get our heads around what we will be celebrating; that God came down amongst the messiness of our
lives, born as a weak and helpless baby, because of his great love for us. So this December, may I urge you to hang
on and wait, take some time in the run up to Christmas Day, to reflect on what it means to you. May I also encourage
you to join us in church for one or all of our services, you’d be most welcome! And however you spend Christmas
this year, may you know God’s love and blessings. Merry Christmas! Jamie Gater
Martin Stone’s Topsy Turvy Tales
One day a beautiful girl walked in to the salon. I asked Lorna, our top stylist, to
try and find out everything she could. The girl chatted away happily to Lorna,
who learned that her name was Linda, she was Scottish, worked for British
Airways, lived in Gossops Green and, most importantly, was single.
When Lorna had finished Linda’s hair, she gave me all this information. I then
went over to Linda, asked if she was happy with her hair, and then asked if she
would like to come out to dinner with me. She said “No thank you”.
I asked “Why not?” “I don’t know you”, she replied. “You will by the end of the
date”, I told her, but the answer was still no.
Linda came back six weeks later though for another haircut. Not being put off the
first, I time asked her out again and this time she said “YES”.
Eleven months later, Lorna was doing Linda’s hair on our wedding day, and that
was 26 years ago
Cut & Style £10.00
Blow Dry/ Set £5.00
Tint £20.00
Perms £20.00
Full Head Highlights £35.00
Half Head Highlights £25.00
Gents Cuts £5.00
Models Required For Training School
(Monday & Tuesday only)
Call Topsy Turvy: (01293) 525500
Who goes to a church like this? Chris Bell…
How long have you been at St. Margaret’s? Over 30 years
What word would your friends use to describe you? Dependable
When and where were you the happiest? On our boat when we lived in Holland
What is your greatest fear? Being asked to do a bungee jump
Which talent do you most wish you had? To play the piano really well
What do you most value in your friends? Companionship
What is your guilty pleasure? Food and wine
Who is your favourite fictional hero? Hornblower
What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue? Patience!
On what occasions do you lie? NEVER… but I might be lying now!
What is your motto? “No regrets”
What is your favourite food? Where do I start?
Who are your real life heroes? Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Albert Schweitzer.
What’s your favourite song? Nat King Cole’s “The Very Thought of You” – I’m a romantic at heart.
What is your favourite indoor/outdoor activity? I’m not answering the first!… but outdoors I love boating.
If you knew the world was ending in 2016, what would you do differently? Nothing… just enjoy what is left of it
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Play the piano – I tried as a boy and did not progress. However
what I did learn proved valuable as a boy chorister.
If you were immortal for a day, what would you do? Explore the deepest parts of the ocean floor as we know so little
about the deeps.
If you could have one superpower, which would you choose? Mindreading, then I would not get into trouble with
my wife so often!
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? Picking myself up after rejection
What did you do growing up that got you into trouble? Playing in the many bomb sites around our home in Victoria.
What is something you learned recently? That you are never too old to learn and that it is possible to lose weight.
How would you like to spend eternity? Getting to understand what made so many people the way they were – both
the good and bad
.
www.stmargaretschurchifield.org
Logan Carr attended our Christianity
Explored course and was baptized
recently. He told the Bishop: “My wife
and I started going to church for our
daughter's christening. I found myself
wanting to know more, so I started to
attend church. It’s a bond I feel I can
share with my daughter to bring us closer.