Parish Newsletter September 2015
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Great Gaddesden Parish Newsletter Supported by Voluntary Contributions Number 235 September 2015 Oil & Gas Boiler Annual Service, Breakdown Repair & Commission x Fully Qualified x Large range of spares in stock x Literally thousands of happy customers x Many years experience x Friendly, reliable service you can trust from a local business x Competitive rates x £5 million public liability insurance Dunstable 01582 660597 Mobile 07786 936134 www.griffin-heating.co.uk ********** PUPPY CLASSES & IMPROVERS ********* BERKHAMSTED, GADEBRIDGE & GREAT GADDESDEN TEACHING YOU TO HAVE FUN TRAINING YOUR PUPPY. GOOD MANNERS, SIT FOR GREETING, WALKING ON A LOOSE LEAD, RECALL, STAYING PUT, LEAVING ITEMS ALONE, CALM HANDLING. Other courses include: PUPPY IMPROVERS - RALLY OBEDIENCE – CONFIDENCE WALKS SNIFFER DOG COURSE - TEACH YOUR DOG TRICKS Karen Tonge Assoc. of Pet Dog Trainers & The Pet Professional Guild 2 From the Vicar was no written order of service for when ‘the Dear Friends whole church comes together ’ in Corinth (1 omeone asked me the other day about my Corinthians 14:23), no set sequence and no Sfaith; bearing in mind that I often spend knowing in advance what would happen. time with people going through the deepest Moreover, there doesn’t appear to have been a and most life changing traumas of their lives. ‘leader ’ of any sort either; Paul addresses I can honestly say I don’t feel my faith is test - everyone as having a shared responsibility to ed so much, as trusting God that he will bring control what unfolds when they meet. So he good out of the worst of events; that is very assumes there will be surprises, but he is also hard to believe at times. clear about the need for some control to be exercised, ‘for God is a God not of disorder do believe though that the way God has but of peace ’ (v.33) . Icreated us, means that our brains are very good at filtering out and dealing with the t’s hardly rocket science to realise that star - worst of terrible situations, enabling us to Itling differences in our approach to wor - carry on living in spite of everything that ship might have something to do with our happens to us, both in personal situations as emotional make-up, personal preferences and well as world events. We never ‘get over’ embedded coping mechanisms, as well as the - events, but we learn to live in the new world ological positions and spiritual traditions. in which we find ourselves. All our worship, however, should somehow speak of God ’s peace: the divine spaciousness n my opinion, faith is one thing, religion in which we find both security and freedom, a Iquite another – I sometimes wonder place to belong and a never-ending adventure whether there is any correlation between the –that’s quite a challenge for us all! two! I find I can separate my own faith in God, from the church, (both local and nation - he summer holiday is a great time to al) – in other words, religion from faith. So I Tthink, unfortunately, by the time you believe the call to the church is have less reli - read this, much of it will be over, some peo - gion and more faith, to be more relevant and ple go away and generally, we have a little to speak to people in their daily living! more time on our hands. Of the time left, use it constructively, take stock, thinking back n more than one occasion, I have said over the past and decide where you want to Othat I see myself as a Christian, but shy be and what you want to do. Life is short and away from the term ‘religious’. However, we should not waste a second. with my religious hat on, as leader of the local church, I want to build a place that is known mongst our musings, perhaps we should as friendly, welcoming, accepting, non judge - Atake time to think about what we believe mental and open to new ideas in worship, and how our church might play a more even though the fundamental message of important part in our lives, so recognizing Christianity will never change. that is God all we need? t Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, I am yours in Christ, John. S‘God is a God not of disorder but of peace ’, John Russell but sometimes I wish chaos would break out St John’s Vicarage on some Sunday morning s - h ard though I Pipers Hill, Great Gaddesden might find that if I was leading the service! In HP1 3BY the Corinthian church, it appears that there e-mail:[email protected] tel: 01442 214898 3 BEESLighting Save £280* per year! Change 20 of your current downlights to our stunning, contemporary lights to save up to £280* in just one year. 4 Great Gaddesden Bellringers - Sue Collyer he summer seems to have flown by and I the other down the scale. It is a big step for Tcan scarcely believe that already the new ringers to progress on to rounds from evenings are drawing in and it is dark as we ringing solo as not only do they have to keep leave the tower after bell ringing practice on a the bell ringing correctly, they also have to Wednesday evening. At the end of June we match the speed and pace of all the other rang to celebrate the marriage of Sarah ringers and keep the correct distance from the Horsted and Martin Pugh and on the 8th bell in front of them. Each blow needs to be August we rang for the wedding of Jolene very accurate – generally bells swing full circle Goddard and Ian Rumph and we have rung about every 2 seconds, so with our 6 bells for all the Sunday services throughout the striking every 2 seconds, this means that there summer. will be a 1/3 second gap between the sound of successive bells. The human ear can just about e have also seen some comings and detect a 10% deviation from accurate but a Wgoings. Sadly Ginny and Daniel, who 25% deviation is very definitely noticeable and have been learning with us for 6 months have any more than 25% and you are in danger of decided that they will not be continuing – such ‘clipping’ the bell in front or of ‘crashing’ onto a shame as they were approaching the point the bell behind and making a truly awful where all their effort and time was beginning sound. Learning to ring rounds well is the to show dividends. We’ll miss them both, par - key to all good ringing. ticularly as they significantly lowered the aver - age age of the band! he aim of practice night is the improve - Tment of the standard of ringing of all n a more positive note though, Val put attenders and everyone is given the opportuni - Otogether a Lot for the Silent Auction at ty to do so. For some it will be practising the Church Fete in June for people to learn the basic technique and skills, for others it will be art of campanology: to visit the tower and see learning a new method, or calling the changes the bells, to receive bell handling tuition and to or conducting the band. For me practice ring with the local band for a Sunday Service. nights are always valuable, mostly fun, and fre - A mother and daughter bid was successful and quently quite a challenge which is one of the Sally (Mum) and Molly (daughter) have had 2 things I so enjoy about the whole ringing sessions on their own, had 2 hours on a simu - experience. I have now been learning bell- lator and have now joined our practice sessions ringing for just over 3 years and despite the on Wednesdays. There is a great tradition in fact that I am woefully slow to progress, I still the ringing world of partners and families ring - get a tremendous kick out of being able to ing together and it is lovely to see them joining contribute to the wonderful sound they make. us. I can now ring rounds and call changes, I can plain hunt and ring the bells up and down and e have enjoyed some busy practices this I can also be part of the band to support new Wsummer, frequently having 4 new learn - ringers in the way I have been encouraged and ers, all of whom need careful supervision, and supported along the way. And I have begun on two occasions being surprised and delight - the journey into simple method ringing by ed by having 17 people turn up to ring, learning to ring Plain Bob. This first, simplest although this is most unusual! of methods seems to be taking me forever to master. I know what I want to do, I know in or those of you who live near the church, principle how to do it, I’m trying really really Fyou may have been aware that we have hard, I think I’ve nearly got it, then it all goes been ringing a lot of ‘rounds’ on practice pear-shaped again. I am endlessly encouraged nights for our learners - where the aim is for and supported by other ringers, all of whom the bells to strike at equal intervals, one after re-assure me that I’ll get there in the end - I’ll let you know when I do! 5 SHENDISH INTERIORS Gaddesden Row Made to Measure Curtains & Blinds Rollers - Romans - Verticals Methodist Church Metal + Wood Venetian Pelmets and Accessories Services Services on First and Third FREE MEASURING SERVICE Sundays of each month FITTING AVAILABLE at 10.30 am We Also Offer an ALTERATION Contacts: Service You may contact Clare Blackout lining/re-line/ Rayment 01582 840021 for more Shorten/Lengthen information about our activities.