TRINITY NOTICES 17 November 2019 CHURCH NEWS Reminder: Please stay after the Service for the Trinity AGM Papers and copies of the Church Report for 2018-19 are available in the Welcome Area. Conduit Centre Refurbishment: If you take a look at the thermometer you’ll see that funds raised have gone from £84,000 to £91,000. This is good news and very encouraging. Please keep up your efforts, individually and together, and help us keep the mercury rising. Trustees Christmas Cards: there will be a good selection of Traidcraft cards on the Bookstall from November 17th onwards, so please take a look and find some to suit your taste. Christine Hutchinson

Monday 18 November Evergreen Club meets in the Conduit Centre, 2:00pm. Topic: Services provided by Age UK Warm up on Sunday 12th January with hot lunch in the Conduit Centre. Join in fun and fellowship and contribute to funds for the building work in the reception area. Sign up sheets later. The Caterers

The Trinity Christmas Fair will be Next Week Saturday 23 November. Offers of help - with catering, set up, manning stalls or providing items to sell – all gratefully received. Joanne Graham ZIMBABWE UPDATE The latest news from our Commitment for Life partners in Zimbabwe is on the notice board on the South side of the church. Please have a look. 1 COMMUNITY NEWS The Oxford Community Soup Kitchen is one of this month’s Charities at Waitrose Abingdon. Election hustings, Organised by Church in Abingdon/Abingdon Chamber of Commerce. Monday 2 December, 7 - 9 pm, Amey Theatre, Abingdon School. Chair: Chris Bryan. People are invited to submit questions for the candidates to the CiA Administrator at [email protected] by Friday 29 November. Questions will then be selected to cover as many topics as possible. Thursday 21 November, Trinity Conduit Centre: New development with GP practices: Primary Care Networks. We are lucky in the Abingdon area that we have excellent services from our GPs. The range and type of these services is now improving further with the introduction of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) which involves GP practices working closer together and engaging more actively with the community to keep people well in additional to having a wider range of ways to help people recover faster from, or cope better with, any illnesses or injury. In the first instance this will involve social prescribing. Healthy Abingdon is holding this meeting so that The Abingdon and District PCN (one of the two PCNs in Abingdon) can tell us what new resources they will have available and discuss with the public and community groups how they might best use them. Everyone welcome and pre-registration not essential. However, it will help us to know the numbers and peoples interests. So if you are coming. please email Dave Butterworth at [email protected]. Please let us know if you are coming as a member of the public or representing some group of organisation. Also, let us know if you wish to discuss a particular matter such as elderly care, helping recovery, exercise, nutrition, mental health, loneliness, etc.

CIRCUIT / SYNOD NEWS Advent Devotional 2019: The Circuit has produced a booklet of readings, reflections and prayers for the Advent Season, with contributions from Local Preachers. This can be read at / downloaded from the Circuit website - https://www.wantab.org.uk/doc/D425188.pdf If you would like a hard copy please speak to Douglas or Malcolm today, after this ask at the Church Office. 2 Saturday 8 February, URC Mental Health First Aid Awareness Course, Basingstoke. Arrivals from 10am for 10.30am start. Finish at 3.30pm. Please bring your own lunch This awareness course is designed to provide; • An understanding of what mental health is and how to challenge stigma • A basic knowledge of some common mental health issues • An introduction to looking after your own mental health and maintaining wellbeing • Confidence to support someone in distress or who may be experiencing a mental health issue Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment - [email protected] or 023 8067 4513 CAN YOU HELP? The Abingdon Bridge – volunteers needed. The Abingdon Bridge is a local charity supporting 13-25-year-olds in challenging circumstances. They are seeking a number of volunteers to help out in the afternoons Monday – Thursday between 2pm and 6.15pm at The Charter, Bath Street as receptionist/administrator – buzzing clients in and showing them to the waiting room, taking phone calls/messages etc. One session a month would be fine, but more would be brilliant. Split shifts also available if there are sufficient volunteers. Training will be given. For further information, contact Laurie King [email protected] Adventure Plus at Windmill Farm Conference Centre, Clanfield OX18 2SN need help with flower beds and gardens. Are you a keen gardener with some time to give or do you know someone who does? We'd love you to come for a visit and join our friendly team for coffee and cake at 11:00. Please contact Beth at [email protected] or call 01367 810258. We look forward to hearing from you! DATES FOR THE DIARY Thursday 21 November, Trinity Conduit Centre: New development with GP practices: Primary Care Networks. Registration from 5:45pm, meeting 6-8pm. See http://www.healthyabingdon.org.uk/event-nov-2019.htm Thursday 21 November, Childrey Conversations: Engaging with contemporary issues. Arranged by Childrey Methodist Church & St Mary’s, Childrey. ‘Mindfulness and spirituality – for all faiths and none’ Tim Stead; 7:30 refreshments, 7:45 Speaker, 8:25 Q&A, finish by 9pm.

3 Friday, 22 November Fourth Friday community supper and talk, Cumnor URC, Leys Road, Cumnor OX2 9QF. Supper is at 7.15 pm and the talk at approx. 8.00 pm. Speaker Robert Higgs: talking about “Tales & Adventures with a Travelling Sales Representative” with a sub-heading “But is what you hear true? You decide”. No charge but donations appreciated. Saturday 23 November St Helen’s Church Christmas Market: 10.00 am to12.30 pm. Stalls, raffle and homemade refreshments Tuesday 26 November, Silent Reflections at St Michael’s, 7.30 - 9.00 pm. Material on the theme will be available to support your prayer in the quiet of the sanctuary. All welcome. For more information, contact Sue Sheppy at [email protected]. Saturday 30 November – Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza – stalls, lights, entertainment. Including: Oxfam @ St Ethelwold’s 10am-4pm, live music, open fire, stalls; Abingdon Baptist Church Christmas Fayre 10 am to 2 pm, stalls, a free drink for everyone, and bacon butties, soup and roll for sale in 35 Ock Street; St Nicolas Christmas Market, mini concerts, and film/popcorn around 4 pm to entertain children and families before the fireworks. Saturday 30 November 10am - 4pm Quiet Garden Day at Aston Tirrold Centre for Reflection. Leaders: Josie Midwinter and Keith Green. Title: O come, O Come Emmanuel. Lunch and refreshments are provided. A donation of £15 would be welcome. Let Keith Green know if you want to attend ([email protected]). Copies of the November URC Sharing the Vision are available in the Welcome Area

Useful Contacts: Church Secretary: Cynthia Bartlett Senior Steward: Douglas Pryde Treasurer: Tom Kyffin Verger: Tom Jarratt For pastoral assistance please speak to one of the Pastoral Elders – names are displayed in the Welcome Area Office: 01235 520282 [email protected] Please send notices to [email protected]

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