St Martin's Magazine St Martin's Church Hale
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November 2005 50p St Martin's Magazine But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. Micah Chapter 4 verse 1 St Martin’s Church Hale Gardens, Acton St Martin’s Church, Hale Gardens, Acton, W3 9SQ http://www.stmartinswestacton.org email: [email protected] Vicar The Revd Nicholas Henderson 25 Birch Grove, London W3 9SP. Tel: 020-8992-2333. Associate Vicar The Revd David Brammer, All Saints Vicarage, Elm Grove Road, Ealing, London W5 3JH. Tel: 020-8567-8166. Non-stipendary priest Alec Griffiths St Martin’s Cottage Hale Gardens, LondonW3 9SQ. Tel: 020-8896-9009. Parishes Secretary (9am - 2pm Monday - Friday) Parishes Office, 25 Birch Grove, W3 9SP. Tel: 020 8992 2333 Fax: 020-8932-1951 Readers Dr Margaret Jones. Tel: 020-8997-1418 Lynne Armstrong. Tel: 020-8992-8341 Churchwardens Clive Davies 1 Park Way, Ruislip Manor, Middx HA4 8PJ. Tel: 01895 -635698 John Trussler 19 Gunnersbury Crescent, Acton W3. Tel: 020-8992-4549 Treasurer - please write c/o Parishes Secretary. Director of Music – Kennerth Bartram Tel: 020-8723-1441 Sunday School – Melanie Heap Tel: 020-8993-3864 Youth Group – Michael Robinson Tel: 020-8992-7666 Womens Group - Doreen Macrae Tel: 020-8992-3907 Magazine Editor – Duncan Wigney Tel: 020-8993-3751 e-mail: [email protected] SUNDAY SERVICES 8.00 am Holy Communion 10.00 am Parish Communion& (Sunday School 6.30 pm Evensong 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sundays Taize Evening Service 4th Sunday I was blind but now I see So this old Chinese neighbour comes up to me And says Is this your car, As I got into my battered up Japanese Honda? Thinking he was about to criticise the mechanical workings Of my old jalopy I asked, why? I never touch them, he says After what they did in the war. Killed pregnant mothers Stabbed them with their bayonets Pointing to his stomach. I apologised for the sadness this must have caused And as we bid farewell, I asked What car do you drive? A Volkswagen or BMW! was his reply. Its like the blind leading the blind. Jesus said Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons and daughters of God. This month we remember the lives of those who died through war and in particular the two World Wars. I wonder how much longer we shall continue our ceremonies to remember the dead? Only a handful of people are alive to tell the tale of the First World War, and the second world war for many is now just a history lesson. So why persist? We forget such events in history at our peril, for history will come back to haunt us. But how we chose to remember is the key. The tragedy is that those who fought in the world wars believed that their struggle and sacrifice would bring lasting peace. The reality is that since the Second World War the days of peace can be numbered on one hand. 1 The Prophet Micah had a dream of peace and this is a vision of hope for our world seemingly at angst with itself. God shall judge between many peoples, they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Like my Chinese neighbour there comes a time when we have to recognise that the sins of the Fathers should not necessarily be visited upon the sons, as Jesus said, Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Our pilgrimage involves the prayer Lord forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others their trespasses against us. So let us think of the places of conflict in our world, in our communities, and even in our homes, and pray this prayer. A Prayer for peace. Show us good Lord The peace we should seek, The peace we must give The peace we can keep, The peace we must forgo, and the peace you have given through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen David Brammer 2 CONFIRMATION 2006 The confirmation course for young people will begin on 22 November. Candidates should be in at least Year 6. The Confirmation will be on Sunday 5 March in St Martin s Church. Anyone interested should speak to either Mike Robinson or David Brammer. Double Centenary As one Centenary Year draws to a close so another one starts. Tuesday 1st November All Saints Day - was the exact centenary of All Saints consecration. On Sunday 6th the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, will be with us for a joint centenary service at All Saints . This year the Annual Gift Day coincides with the launch of the Centenary Appeal. Nick Henderson will be in St. Martin s on Saturday 19th November to receive gifts. We aim to raise £25,000.01 over the course of the year. On Sunday 20th November, Grace England who is being baptised - will present a ceremonial penny to launch the appeal. The penny will be attached to aluminised balloons which will be released in the Church. There will be a competition to guess when the balloons will come back to earth. Nick has offered to produce his air rifle if needed. 3 A New Song Before God A new hymn from John Goulding entitled A New Song Before God which Ken Bartram willing we will be using on occasion at worship. The tune is that we normally use for There is a green hill far away We know that souls can be sufficed By songs of every kind And for our king Lord Jesus Christ A perfect song we find. We fear that we may one day roam The streets of empty space But Jesus Kingdom shall be home To every tongue and race. Now Jesus Kingdom shall abound In treasure every sort And for the seeker shall be found Enrapturing resort. The many more who strive and try Prepare for life beyond Where holy angels breathe and sigh And love is ever fond We know that life cannot be priced If we to sin are bound But through the cross of Jesus Christ Eternal life is found. © J K Goulding (2005) 4 Coffee Rota Just so you don t forget . Nov 06 Hutton Clottey & John Holt Nov 13 Jan and Alan Pearson Nov 20 Deborah Poole and Jane Misra Nov 27 Paul Townsend & Ruth Young Dec 04 Sonbol Perfitt & Janet Buffong Dec 11 Denise Taylor & John Clark Dec 18 Paul & Faith Debois Dec 25 Barry & Marie Etherington Jan 01 Louella Faria-Jones & Ros Brown Jan 08 Wai Ling & Nile Sutherland Jan 15 Jeremy & Susie Thorpe-Woods Jan 22 Bob & Camilla Reid or at least you have no excuse. 5 Christingle Time Once again we are supporting the Children s Society with a collection of loose change and a Christingle Service. The Children's Society holds its special Christingle appeal each year to raise vital funds for the children facing life's harshest challenges. Children who, this winter, find themselves sleeping rough in parks, bus shelters and shop doorways. The funds raised from Christingle help to shine light into the darkness of their lives. Camilla Reid has already started distributing collection candles for all your small coins so get down the back of the sofa, have a rummage in your pockets, it s amazing where you can find it and how quickly it adds up. The Christingle itself is made up of a lighted candle (symbolising Jesus, the Light of the World), mounted on an orange (representing the world), and a red ribbon or tape around the orange (indicating the blood of Christ). Four cocktail sticks bearing dried fruit or sweets are also stuck into the orange to signify the four seasons and the fruits of the earth. The history of Christingle began with the Moravian Church in 1747 as a symbol of Christ's light and love. The Christingle Service will be on Sunday 27th November at 10am. The now traditional Christingle Assembly Line will be set up in Camilla s kitchen on Saturday 26th at 10 am. The address is 6 38 Twyford Avenue. Please come along and help the more the merrier. 7 ST MARTI N S CHRISTMAS BAZAAR SATURDAY 3rd DECEMBER 12- 3PM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED PLEASE! sign up in Church or call Sally on 8 0208 993 3751 2020 Vision Between 1948 and 2004, audited figured, Gideon s International distributed 27,959,784 New Testaments to Year 7 secondary school pupils in the UK. Here is an example of one of the thousands of letters received over the years from one of the pupils who receive them. From RAE, London, SW I am trying to become a Christian, and my Christian friend recently gave me a copy of Bible Helps, published by Gideon s International. I found it extremely helpful, and it saved me ploughing through each chapter of the Bible in consecutive order! The booklet reminded me of the Gideon Testament I was given when I was 11. At the time I changed from a religious C of E school to a very secular school, leaving me very confused. Unfortunately, somehow I forgot about God someway along the line and I never realised that could be the reason why my life was on a gradual decline. But still, my friends and I often turned to the Word of God, the Gideon Bible, when feeling lonely, depressed, guilty or some other emotion which most adolescents go through.