Julaug12-GW.Pdf

1 FROM THE EDITOR You wouldn’t imagine that this squidgy little creature with barely visible teeth, could turn me into a ground pounding, dressing-gown-clad, shrieking, stomping fiend, would you? OK, so I’m exaggerating a bit. But if you should ever be driving past my house at 6am in the morning, be warned! In my attempt to save the song thrushes VICAR: The Rev Stephen Bowen from a cruel death, our vegetable patch is (on sick leave) looking rather barren. All the beans, courgettes and broccoli seedlings, which ASSOCIATE MINISTER: I carefully nurtured on the kitchen Michael Peach windowsill have been devoured by a 5 Burns Way, East Grinstead, monstrous army of slugs. Having been West Sussex RH19 1SA acclimatised to outdoor conditions, the Tel: 01342 312406 little seedlings were lovingly planted out [email protected] in the prepared bed, which had been Michael’s day off: Friday painstakingly weeded. Each night I went out to collect the slugs, arming myself with thick gardening gloves to protect against slime. Get that stuff on your hands and it doesn’t come off! I stoically Cover photo: removed 40 slugs from the surrounding A happy French sunflower by area, put slug salad out in pots to attract the greedy creatures away from my Malcolm Francis beloved seedlings. I got up early each morning at 6am in my pink dressing gown and red crocs to embark on slug : Articles for this extraction. Except for once, when I SEPTEMBER didn’t. I forgot. Or perhaps I just didn’t Issue to be handed in by care enough about those little seedlings SUNDAY18th August to get out of bed one morning. I Publication: 1st September abandoned them. Jesus isn’t like that: he Please e-mail your articles to doesn’t abandon us. [email protected], put In your unfailing love you will lead the them in the editor’s pigeon hole in people you have redeemed. In your strength the south porch, or post them to Mr you will guide them to your holy dwelling. & Mrs Wilkinson, Rivendell, The Exodus 15:13 Limes, Felbridge. Lindsey 1 STEPHEN WRITES……. DEAR FRIENDS, a prolonged period of uncertainty about the way things will go at St On Father’s Day (17th June) I was John's. able to get back to church for the first time since Mothering Sunday – It is of the highest importance that three months previously! all members of St John's stick together and support one another, It has been a long absence, and I and carry on reaching out to others have missed all of you very much. I as you have been doing. A change am extremely grateful to all those of vicar ( especially after a long who have borne the brunt of time!) is bound to bring changes, leading the church over that time, but it would be very sad if the especially Michael, Anne, Andy and church lost momentum because of Phil (last year's and this year's it. wardens) and Don (our Reader). I will do my best to keep everyone It has been wonderful to know that informed of developments. things were in such good hands. Although I have made good progress, there is still a long way to go in terms of getting my strength back and getting my brain working Keep on praying and trusting in again, and I am not going to be God's good purposes. able to take up ministry for some considerable time. In fact, it is looking increasingly likely that the P.S. A brief explanation of what period of sick leave is going to run has been wrong with me was into the time I was intending to distributed on June 10th and there retire (mid-September). are still some copies available in There is a further complication in church, and there is also a link to it that when a vicar retires he loses from the main church website his home, and therefore I cannot page. take that step until we have found somewhere to live – which depends on being fit enough to get to work on the task of looking for somewhere. The Bishop has very kindly said that there is no pressure on me to move quickly, but I think it does mean that there is likely to be 2 THROUGH THE WEEK Mondays Connections on 2nd July trip to Eastbourne Tuesdays WI on 3rd July at 1.30pm in the village Hall Wednesdays Watercolour on Wednesdays in the Church Hall at 2pm 1st Felbridge ( St John’s) Brownies Monthly Prayer on Wednesday on 18th July & 15th August at 8pm Monthly Afternoon Prayer meeting on at the home of Di Giles Thursdays WIGS at the Old Pheasantry, Woodcock Hill at 10.30am (home of June Clark) Girls Bible Study in the Church Hall at 4pm Fridays 1st Felbridge (St John’s) Rainbows 1st Felbridge (St John’s) Guides Saturdays Prayer breakfast on 7th July at 8am—9am in the church hall Felbridge and District Horticultural Society Coach trip to Wisley on the 6th July, leaving the Village Hall at 10am. Contact Sylvia Huggett on 01342 326617. £10 for coach and entrance. 3 WHAT’S HAPPENING Sunday Services through the Summer 1st July 10am Family Service 6pm Holy Communion 8th July 8am Holy Communion with Alan Mathers 10am Mission Gift Sunday with the Asikus 6pm Mission gift Sunday with Andy & Joan Brown 15th July 10am Holy Communion with James Clarke 6pm Raise the Roof 22nd July 8am Service with Jack Baker 10am Morning Prayer with Andy Brown 6pm Evening Prayer with Frank Gough 29th July 10am with Don Ely 6pm with Jack Baker 5th August 10am Family Service with Michael Peach 6pm Holy Communion with Alan Mathers 12th August 8am Holy Communion 10am Morning Prayer with Don Ely 6pm Evening Prayer with Andy Brown 19th August 10am Holy Communion with Michael Peach 6pm Evening Prayer with Neil Milmine 26th August 8am Morning Prayer with Jack Baker 10am Morning Prayer with Michael Peach 6pm Evening Prayer with Frank Gough 4 Summer Sundays @ 10am: How then should we live? In our 10am morning services over July and August we’ll be looking at some of the foundations of what it means to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. Each week we’ll focus on just one or two Bible verses so we can understand them really well, and think carefully about what they will mean in practice for our lives. We’ll cover how we are saved, what faith is all about, how we should live as God’s people, the Bible, prayer and much more. Whether you are just curious about the Christian faith, or have been part of St John’s for years, this will be an important, interesting and practical series of talks so please do come and join us! Summer Sundays @ 6pm: Signs of the Kingdom In our 6pm evening services over the summer months we are focusing on a section of one of the accounts of Jesus’ life. Each week we’ll look at a pas- sage from chapters 8 and 9 of Matthew’s Gospel, consider what it means, and how we should live in the light of it. We’ll see Jesus do many amazing things in these chapters. As we think about them we will see that they reveal both who he is and also show us what sort of Kingdom Jesus is bringing in. THE WORSHIP SERVICE Raise the Roof is a fun, action-packed service, presenting Jesus’ message through music, dance and drama. The next service is on: Sunday 15th July Rehearsal 4.15pm Scrummy tea 5.30pm Service 6-6.40pm If you’d like to join in playing an instrument, acting, dancing or singing - young or old, beginner or pro - contact Michael Peach for further info. 5 VILLAGE ISSUES Felbridge W.I. IN SPITE of the very inclement weather we had a very good turnout of members to hear Mr. Bellingham talk about the charity - A Cow for Africa. In the 1980’s when we had a butter mountain, a farmer was approached by an Ugandan who suggested that as we had more cows than we needed, some could be sent to Uganda. This, in fact, was done. The farmer found 32 cows which were in calf and they were flown to Uganda. Each cow was distributed to a needy area and all produced calves. The surplus milk was sold, the manure was used for farming and the additional crops were sold. Once this was established the next calf the cow produced was then passed on to another group. Today, not only cows but sheep, goats and bees have been introduced to various areas. £10 per month would help to continue this project. For more information – contact Daphne on 322 302. Unfortunately, our planned canal trip from Godalming was cancelled due to the height of the river but hopefully this will be rescheduled later in the summer. A representative (Mrs. Angela Cole) went to the Annual Meeting at the Albert Hall and a Motion for Parliament to provide more midwives was passed. The W.I. campaigns do bear fruit and many of our Motions have been put into practice. Our next meeting on the 3rd July will be a visual visit to Scotland. We meet at 1.30pm in the Village Hall. Daphne Ayerst Felbridge Village Lunch Club for the retired Store new opening The Lunch Club meets on times: the 3rd Thursday of every month in the village hall Mondays-Saturdays between 12-1.30pm.The 2 8am to 7:30pm course meal costs £3.00 and Sundays changes every month.

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