THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD (PSALM 23) This was recently sent to me as a joke for use as compere of the Moira Male Voice Choir.: “A Sunday school teacher wants the class to learn a Psalm, so they can recite to the congregation in 4 weeks’ time. So she chooses Psalm 23. The children take the words home with all good intention of learning them. Little Johnny can’t get beyond the first line. So cometh the day, cometh little Johnny. He stands up and says the following “The Lord is my Shepherd, and that is all I know” It’s not a funny story, but it is true. He is our Shepherd, walking alongside of us and preparing the way. If we put our trust in him He will provide for us throughout life’s journey. The important issue for me is that we have to recognise him, in all we see and do. There is so much out there to remind us of His presence. But equally we need to let him know how we are feeling in body, mind and spirit. A great way to do that is in prayer, which sometimes we find difficult. I enjoy going to Measham for morning pray at 9.00 am, it’s short but very meaningful and I would recommend it to anyone. It sets you up for the day. Talking about being set up, later this month we will all have the opportunity to learn how to engage a little more in prayer. How you might ask?? Through our TEAM WEEKEND - “PRAYER & PARTY”. I think it is a cracking title, to think we can pray and party together. Archdeacon David Newman is coming to join us to lead us, using the Lord’s Prayer, as a theme. Vivien will take us on a prayer walk, because as we circumnavigate the countryside we can even offer up our prayers of thanksgiving. There will be social times together, including Bacon Butties, and a BBQ. So you see it will be fun and a time for us to get together and learn a little more about prayer. David’s theme of the Lord’s Prayer excites me, in as much, little Johnny didn’t know Psalm 23, but put his slant on it. Yet we know the Lord’s Prayer, almost parrot fashion and probably need to put our slant on it by understanding it a little more. So, as they say “Don’t be square, be there”. Come and join in the fun, fellowship and learn together. Remember Jesus 2012, the subsequent Team Weekend, they all seemed onerous!!! Yet we enjoyed them and looked back and found we got a great deal out of it. So allow the Shepherd to guide you in this adventure, knowing He will provide something for you. Alleluia He is Risen indeed!! Barry EVENTS AT ST JOHNS AND ACROSS THE TEAM THIS MONTH AND BEYOND ST JOHN’S CHURCH - ANNUAL MEETING. It’s the time of year for our church annual meeting. It would be wonderful to see you at the meeting – it’s a chance to hear what we’ve been up to in the last year, to encourage each other as well as do the business of accounts and elections. The meeting will be on Tuesday 19th April at 7.30pm in St John’s church. There will be nibbles and drinks beforehand to help the meeting go with a swing. OAKTHORPE CHARITY The Oakthorpe Charity meets on Tuesday 19th April to look at applications. The trustees administer this fund which was established to promote the education and training of children and young people up to 25 years of age. Applicants must live in Oakthorpe, Donisthorpe, Stretton-en-le-Field and be in financial need. The trust has helped with school uniform, books for college students, school trips and more. Contact the Trust’s secretary, Mrs. Linda Townsend, on 01530 274932, if you wish to apply for a grant. Why not visit our website on http://www.stjohnschurchdonisthorpe.org.uk WOODFIELD TEAM PRAYER AND PARTY WEEKEND: FRIDAY 29th APRIL – SUNDAY 1st MAY A church that knows how to pray and party together is a church that grows in all sorts of ways so that’s the basis of the Team weekend. Previous Team weekends have been so successful – don’t miss this one. You can dip into parts of the weekend or be bold and come to the whole lot! 1. Ven. David Newman (Archdeacon of Loughborough) will lead us and the input on prayer will revolve around The Lord’s Prayer. From 8th-15th May, the Archbishops have called the whole church to a week of prayer so this will lead us into that week of prayer. 2. And there are times for us to socialize as well – getting to know each other better and enjoying each other’s company. Friday (in Measham church) Saturday (Measham and Appleby) Sunday (at Measham Church) 7 p.m. Welcome and opening prayer 9.30 am Gentle workout (in Measham Church Hall) 7.10 pm Introduction to weekend 10am coffee time and bacon 10. am – Eucharist. A service for the 7.20 p.m. David Newman: ‘Our Father butties whole team with David Newman as who art in heaven’ ‘what is the image our preacher of God we carry in our heads and hearts?’ 8.25 pm Night prayer 10.20am David Newman: ‘Thy will be 12.pm Bring and share lunch. done, thy kingdom come’ Coffee/drinks bar How comfortable are with ‘asking’ and praying within God’s will? 8.30pm Drinks and nibbles – social 11.15am Turn round time time together 11.30 am David Newman: ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’ How prayer changes us: forgiveness and reconciliation 12.30 pm Bring a packed lunch Coffee and tea and squash will be provided 1.30pm Workshop options: o VE lead prayer + walk o Creating prayer stations in our churches to reflect the Lord’s Prayer At Appleby Rectory 3.30pm Give us this day our daily bread. Bread making for Sunday Eucharist ( good activity time for children as well as adults) + praying for children and by children Appleby Rectory. 5.30 pm BBQ : It’s Party Time CHURCH AT 4 P.M. This month’s Church at 4 pm. will be on April 10th and will still have an Easter focus on the Resurrection story. This is a relaxed time together. It lasts just under the hour and we have a little singing, tell a story and have a craft activity and round all that off with tea. Easter eggs may feature? ASCENSION DAY Ascension Day is on Thursday May 5th this year and there will be a service of Holy Communion to celebrate at St John’s at 7.30pm ENTHRONEMENT OF NEW BISHOP OF LEICESTER: MAY 14TH Bishop Martyn Snow will be ‘launched’ into his new role as Bishop of Leicester at a service in Leicester Cathedral on May 14th. No details yet of how many people will be able to attend but do be in prayer for Bishop Martyn as he takes on this new ministry. COMMUNITY FESTIVAL: MAY 28th- 30th AT ST. JOHN’S, DONISTHORPE A chance to showcase some of the many good things about living our parish! We’d love you to join in this wonderful opportunity to be part of an event to promote Donisthorpe, Moira, Oakthorpe, Acresford and Stretton as a parish and as a good place to live, to promote your organisation, and to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. The festival will run over the May Bank Holiday weekend and we hope that as many village organisations as possible will have a display, to advertise themselves. If you’d like to take part, contact Mrs Joan Smith on [email protected] We will have refreshments and are pondering holding some Ascot races (more details of that in the future). Keep the date free. MEASHAM & DISTRICT COMMUNITY LIBRARY A lot of hard work has been going on in the background and we are pleased to announce that we are still on schedule for taking over the running of the library from Leicestershire County Council. The handover is scheduled for June this year. We have a great new logo, designed by 10 year old Alice Hine from Appleby Magna and lots of ideas to make the Library the heart of the community, including serving hot beverages and extended opening hours. We really need to start to get together a list of volunteers, so we can start to organise rotas and training, therefore we are arranging some drop in sessions at the library. If you would like to volunteer in any capacity or just want to find out more, please call in to the library on either of the following dates for an informal chat: Tuesday 12th April between 3 - 5pm or Friday 15th April between 10am - 12 Everyone is welcome whether you can commit 1 session a week or 1 session a month. Keep in touch! Our email address is " [email protected]" and our fantastic new website is now up and running at " www.meashamlibrary.org" and we are also on Facebook & Twitter - search "Measham Library" MOIRA & ALBERT VILLAGE’S BIG TIDY UP The days are lengthening and the buds are beginning to burst so spring is on the way. A good time to think about spring-cleaning: not just around the house and garden but giving the village a spring clean too. As last year another ‘BIG TIDY UP’ is being planned for the Ashby Woulds area.