Colesbourne, Cowley, Elkstone, North Cerney, Rendcomb and Stratton
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Parish Link The Parish Magazine for the Benefice of Bagendon, Baunton, Coberley, Colesbourne, Cowley, Elkstone, North Cerney, Rendcomb and Stratton Keep yourselves in the love of God Jude 1: 21 February 2018 70p Please let our advertisers know that you found them in the Parish Link. Thank you! DO YOU HAVE A MOLE PROBLEM? HUGO WHITE F E N C I N G C O N T R A C T S With over 30 years’ experience in traditional mole control I can effectively, discreetly and humanely remove the culprit(s)! STOCK FENCING No gas, chemicals or poisons used and completely safe to children and pets. POST & RAIL NO MOLE – NO FEE ESTATE FENCING Fully insured and references available Telephone GARDEN PANELS / CLOSE 07766 132934 (Days) BOARD 01285 770968 (Evenings) GATE BUILDING / Member of the INSTALLATION British Traditional Molecatchers Register JUMP BUILDING Member of the Guild of British Molecatchers ESTATE MAINTENANCE BPCA/RSPH level 2 certificate in pest REPAIRS control Call now for a free, no obligation site MOBILE: 07790 054147 survey and quote www.gbestateservices.com EMAIL: [email protected] Parish Link February 2018….2 Index The Pastoral Letter - Revd Arthur Champion .......................................... 4 Benefice news.......................................................................................... 5 Bishop Rachel to visit Elkstone ............................................................ 5 How your PCC can care for God’s creation ......................................... 5 For all the saints: the first in a new series of articles ............................... 8 Reviews and Thanks ............................................................................... 9 Bagendon’s best ever Raffle! ............................................................... 9 Generosity at Bagendon’s Candlelit Carol Service ............................ 10 Epiphany Sunday Service, Tewkesbury Abbey ................................. 10 Rendcomb Patients' Support Group Coffee morning ......................... 10 Elkstone Nativity 2017 - A Poem by Pauline Farman ........................ 11 Forthcoming events ............................................................................... 11 Lent at St Peter’s, Stratton ................................................................. 11 Lent course in the Northern parishes ................................................. 12 News from around the Parishes ............................................................ 12 Baunton: Wall painting restoration ..................................................... 12 Coberley update ................................................................................. 12 Colesbourne: the snowdrops are coming! .......................................... 13 Elkstone: challenges and plans for 2018 ........................................... 13 Stratton: helping St Peter’s through online shopping ......................... 14 Schools’ News ....................................................................................... 15 Coberley C of E Primary School ......................................................... 15 North Cerney C of E Primary Academy ............................................. 18 Stratton C of E Primary School .......................................................... 18 Scrubditch Care Farm ............................................................................ 19 Community news and events ................................................................ 21 Stratton Educational Foundation ........................................................ 21 Stratton Tuesday Group ..................................................................... 21 Calling for Knitters of hearts ............................................................... 22 Gloucestershire Constabulary Neighbourhood Watch ....................... 22 News from our NHS Trust .................................................................. 23 From the Benefice Registers ................................................................. 24 Recipe .................................................................................................... 25 Crossword .............................................................................................. 27 Services February 2018 ......................................................................... 28 Directory ................................................................................................. 32 Parish Link February 2018….3 The Pastoral Letter - Revd Arthur Champion Dear friends and neighbours, I trust the New Year is starting well for you… Life in this world inevitably brings some ups and downs, which is why these words from the Bible are such a great encouragement: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Jesus was telling his disciples to take courage. Soon he would be suffering on The Cross and then rising again to new life. He was going to be leaving the world and they would suffer persecution, but they wouldn’t be alone. The Holy Spirit was coming and soon their grief would turn to joy. The Acts of the Apostles gives an accurate historical record of the early church spreading all around the Mediterranean. Sure enough the Holy Spirit empowered the first Christians to overcome trouble from the Jewish religious people and later from the occupying Roman forces. Even today, some 2,000 years later, those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ are still receiving his gift of peace amidst all the troubles of this world: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give it as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:37) The Holy Spirit gives peace that is deep and long lasting. It’s a peace that goes beyond the mere absence of conflict. It’s having a quiet confidence that Jesus is with us through the present troubles and will bring us into happier times ahead. Trouble in this world comes to us in many forms; for example, back in the 1950s my mother was going through a divorce causing anxiety, shame and depression. Soon she would be left alone in a foreign country with two small boys to bring up but without any visible means of support. The neighbours encouraged her to see a doctor in the expectation of receiving a prescription for some medication. Instead, to her surprise, the GP told her to go home and sit quietly then slowly read these words: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.” (Philippians 4: 8). My mother took the doctor’s advice (which was quite controversial by today’s ethical standards) and from that time onwards she chose to adopt an attitude of thankfulness in all Parish Link February 2018….4 circumstances. Even in the darkest days my mother would appreciate a glimmer of light. In the same way we too can be thankful for the influx of villagers to the Christmas services and at other festivals during the year. Our neighbours are still bringing their babies for baptism, couples are coming to us for weddings and the deceased for Christian funeral services. We continue to hope that our neighbours will discover a personal relationship with Jesus Christ who wants so much to become their Saviour, their Lord and their friend. The same Holy Spirit who spread the Gospel around the Roman Empire is still active today in these Cotswold Hills and we can take comfort from these words of Jesus, who must have anticipated our situation: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20) May each of us know God’s presence through all the joys and sorrows of the year ahead. Benefice news Bishop Rachel to visit Elkstone On Sunday 18th February at 6pm the Bishop of Gloucester, Rachel Treweek, will be leading a session of Lent Teaching and Prayer, entitled “Meeting the Cross,” in Elkstone parish church. The session will involve an extended sermon from Bishop Rachel, followed by some discussion and then a time of prayer. It should last for no more than an hour. Refreshments will be provided afterwards. All are most welcome! How your PCC can care for God’s creation Aerial Photography Building/roof inspections First, we have some good news... for the past year Elkstone parish church Events has been working quietly away on Property various environmental projects, which Mapping have resulted in it being presented with Cost effective the Bronze EcoChurch Award by “A CAA Licenced and insured. Rocha”, the Christian environmental charity. Congratulations to the PCC, [email protected] especially Chloe Darling who has Special rates for readers of Parish Link spearheaded a lot of the activity! Parish Link February 2018….5 It is important for the church to “put its own house in order” if we are to have any credibility when shaping policy on external issues such as fly- tipping; incineration versus recycling; fracking; and the disposal of nuclear waste. “A Rocha” (meaning “The Rock” in Portuguese) has devised a straightforward process involving an on-line questionnaire. Their survey covers the five aspects illustrated below: 1. Worship and teaching Ten questions. For example: Special Sundays relating to caring for God’s Earth are celebrated in our church. (Answer) “at least annually” / “less often” / “never” / “need to find out”. Background information: