April Beacon 2018
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Contact Who’s Who St Peter & St Paul Fakenham Parish Church Christ Church, Fulmodeston Rector Marriage Preparation Croxton Road, Fulmodeston, Revd Francis Mason 01328 862268 Amanda Sands 01328 878218 or NR21 0LZ [email protected] 07789 225011 Priest in charge The Rectory Office 01328 862268 Stepping Stones Revd Francis Mason 01328 862268 Gladstone Road, Fakenham, Elaine Burbidge 01328 851848 [email protected] NR21 9BZ [email protected] Messy Church Churchwarden For parish information, baptisms and Ann Rae Sims 01328 864537 Andrew Lee 01328 878870 wedding bookings also see our website. Mothers’ Union Please feel free to contact us about Church postcode (for satnav) - Felicity Randall 01328 862443 services and events or the Rectory NR21 9BX Office where enquiries about Church Women’s Guild baptisms, weddings and funerals can The Church is open from 8.45am - Joy Gill 01328 863632 be made. 4.00pm every day Church Flowers Readers Judith Smyth 01328 864061 Elaine Burbidge 01328 851848 Amanda Sands 01328 878218 Bell Ringers Welcome to a new Kevin Allcock 01328 853928 advertiser this month: Churchwardens Support in Loss Group Roger Burbidge 01328 851848 Judith Smyth 01328 864061 p 12 Gillian Lee, piano lessons Keith Osborn 07887 877650 [email protected] Christmas Tree Festival Fabric Officer Anne Peppitt 07999 532002 Judith Inward 01328 855269 Beacon Editor and advertising Church Treasurer Linda Frost 01328 862919 Via Rectory Office 01328 862268 [email protected] Sacristan Beacon Treasurer John Dunn 01328 856644 Patrick Sheppard 01328 855013 Find us online: Child Protection Officer Beacon Distribution Paul Nielsen 07798 766357 Elaine Burbidge 01328 851848 Web [email protected] www.fakenhamparishchurch.org.uk Vulnerable Adults Officer 01328 862268 Website Administrator Fakenham Parish Church via Rectory office Keith Osborn 07887 877650 [email protected] @fakenhampchurch Organist/Choirmaster Jonathan Dodd 01328 862268 via Rectory office The copy date for the May 2018 Beacon is 5th April. Ready for deliverers on Saturday 28th April. - The BEACON - 2 - Contents Viewpoint Page 2 Contact details I first encountered this poem when leading a course. One of the participants read it as an Page 3 Viewpoint opener to the day's work. Hopefully some will find it helpful, as Page 4 Prayer Space some did, on that day. Alan Elkins Page 5 Every 100 feet, the Old Maps No Longer Work world changes I keep pulling it out - the old map of my inner path. Page 6 Town Talk I squint closely at it, trying to see some hidden road that maybe I've missed, Page 7 Bits n’ Pieces but there's nothing there now except some well-travelled paths. Page 8 Audrey Sharp meets they have seen my footsteps often, held my laughter, caught my tears. John Boucher It is time for the pilgrim in me to travel in the dark, I keep going over the old map Page 9 Big Brekkie, Church to learn to read the stars but now the roads lead nowhere, that shine in my soul. Saturday Concert, a meaningless wilderness I will walk deeper Community Archive where life is dull and futile. into the dark of my night. I will wait for the stars. "toss away the old map," she says Page 10 Out and about with trust their guidance. "you must be kidding!" I reply. Kay Hathway and let their light be enough for me. she looks at me with Sarah eyes Joyce Rupp, O.S.M. and repeats, "toss it away. Page 11 Catch up with it's of no use where you're going." Fulmodeston Fakenham Church "I have to have a map!" I cry, Services and Events "even if it takes me nowhere. I can't be without direction." "but you are without direction," Page 12 Choir News, she says, "so why not let go, be Advertising free?" Fakenham Parish Church so there I am - tossing away the old Page 13 What’s On Registers map, sadly fearfully, putting it behind me. Baptism Pages 14- 20 "whatever will I do?" wails my 18th Feb. Oliver Bingham Advertising security 25th Feb. William Andrews "trust me" says my midlife soul. no map, no specific directions, Funerals no "this way ahead" or "take a left". 6th Feb. Ann Hollands Choir Practice how will I know where to go? 23rd Feb. Lyndsay Gilchrist 5.00pm every Thursday how will I find my way? no map! 5th Mar. Michael Mawby Bell Ringing Practice but then my midlife soul whispers: 10th Mar. James Close 2ⁿd and 4th Thursday each "there was a time before maps month at 7.30pm when pilgrims travelled by the stars." - The BEACON - 3 - Prayer Space THE STATION by Robert J. Hastings Yesterday belongs to a history, tomorrow belongs to God. Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic faint sunrise. Only today is there light enough to vision in which we see ourselves on a long journey love and live. that spans an entire continent. We're travelling by So, gently close the door on yesterday and throw train and, from the windows, we drink in the the key away. It isn't the burdens of today that drive passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of men mad, but rather regret over yesterday and the children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power who would rob us of today. plants, of row upon row upon row of cotton and "Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city when coupled with Psalm 118:24, "This is the day skylines and village halls. which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be But uppermost in our conscious minds is our final glad in it." destination - for at a certain hour and on a given So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. day, our train will finally pull into the Station with Instead, swim more rivers, climb more mountains, bells ringing, flags waving, and bands playing. And kiss more babies, count more stars. Laugh more and once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams cry less. Go barefoot oftener. Eat more ice cream. will come true. So restlessly, we pace the aisles and Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, Life must be lived as we go along. The Station will waiting for the Station. come soon enough. "Yes, when we reach the Station, that will be it!" we promise ourselves. "When we're eighteen. win Whilst this is American in origin the sentiment is the that promotion. put the last kid through college. same for us. Life is a journey and we should live . buy that Mercedes-Benz. have a nest egg for every day to the full. Sometimes that can be very retirement!" hard to do but as Robert J. Hastings quoted from From that day on we will all live happily ever after. Psalm 118. "This is the day which the Lord hath Sooner or later, however, we must realise there is made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Each day is no Station in this life, no one earthly place to arrive a new day, a new opportunity for each and everyone at once and for all. The journey is the joy. The of us to do something with our lives. Don’t waste it. Station is an illusion, it constantly outdistances us. Yesterday's a memory, tomorrow's a dream. Parish Prayers for April Daily prayers are said for Fakenham, its people and organisations During the weeks in April we will be specifically praying for: 1st - 7th New beginnings. Those who live or work in Lancaster Avenue, Cranmer Court. 8th - 14th Local industries and businesses. Those who live or work in Nelson Road, Hamilton Court, Hayes Lane. 15th - 21st First Focus and CAB. Those who live or work in Alethorpe & Fulmodeston. 22ⁿd - 28th Scouts, Cubs, Beavers. Those who live or work in Eckersley Drive, Wigg Road, Arthur Road, Norman Close. 29th - 6th May Fakenham Town Council. Those who live or work in Seppings Road, Peckover Road, Toll Bar. - The BEACON - 4 - - The BEACON - 5 - TOWN TALK Town Talk Fakenham Branch of the Royal online. Prices continue to be kept low Despite recovering from a stroke, our British Legion so as many people as possible can local historian par excellence, Jim invite you to the come along and enjoy this traditional Baldwin, has recently published a little Dedication Service show. booklet about his experiences as a of It's new Standard For more information. Find us on guitarist, beginning back in the late to be held at Facebook or Twitter or online at 1950s. 'It Started As a Hobby But....My Fakenham Parish Fadlos.co.uk Years on the Local Music Scene' Church on provides an insight to being 'on the Saturday 7th April road' with various combos around the at 12 Noon. To be Fakenham Community Fridge village halls, pubs and clubs of followed by a The community fridge opened on 9th Norfolk. It began with a group calling reception and buffet November 2017, one of six across the themselves 'The Electrons' who at the Conservative county, and has had more than a played a mixture of skiffle and pop. Club at 1pm. tonne of food donated in that time. There were to be many more outfits The branch will be The fridge is a partnership between of various combinations along the pleased to Sainsbury’s Waste Less, Save More way, including The Bruntones, The welcome you to initiative and North Norfolk District Weevils, The MBJ Trio and The this special event.