August/September 2017 by a Delicious Ploughman’S Lunch on the 30 of August
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Published jointly by St Thomas à Becket Church and Framfield Parish Council F r a m f i e l d, B l a c k b o y s and P a l e h o u s e C o m m o n - 32 - A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7 FREE SMOKE ALARMS HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR LOCAL CHURCH Your local Fire Service personnel are happy to make an appointment to visit your home and discuss fire safety issues that Vicar : Revd Chris Lawrence are specific to you. They will also ensure that you have working 01825 891090 smoke alarm(s) within your home and where you do not, they will (after hours 01825 890365) supply and fit 10 year smoke alarms. Churchwardens : None at present To request a FREE visit call 0800 1777 069 (call is free). Secretary to PCC : Mr Peter Tomsett Treasurer : Mr Norman Jones USEFUL WEALDEN TELEPHONE NOs. All communications for church matters should be directed to Our contact centres (ESCC) the Church Office – 10.30 am – 5.00 pm (closed Wednesday) Call our contact centres during normal working hours 8.30am-5pm (4.30pm on Fridays). Email - [email protected] Adult social care – 0345 6080191 Post - Vicarage Barn, Brookhouse Lane, Framfield TN22 5NH Buses – 0345 6080194 Telephone/ leave a message - 01825 891090 Children and families – 0345 6080192 (see latest news above) Library renewals – 0345 6080195 Library enquiries – 0345 6080196 From the Registers : Roads and paths – 0345 6080193 Trading Standards – 0345 6080197 Waste – 0345 6080194 Switchboard – 0345 6080190 From overseas – +441273 336000 Marriages: Street Lighting: 01825 890182 27th May: Rachel Rosie West and Daniel Matthews Crimestoppers, report crime anonymously 0800 555 111 3rd June: Michelle Payne and Peter Hulse Police, non-emergency: 101 East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service: 0303 999 1000 Home Safety Visit Helpline: 0800 177 7069 At rest: THE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE PUBLISHED IN GOOD FAITH. THE PUBLISHERS DO NOT, HOWEVER, ENDORSE ANY PRODUCTS OR SERVICES - 2 - - 31 - SPECIFIED Who has believed our message? How are you bearing up under the heat of the last few weeks? I can't speak for you but when it's really hot I tend to move a little more slowly! Despite the hot weather everything in the countryside appears to be on rapid grow. I'm convinced that you can actually see weeds growing before your eyes. The positive side is that crops will be in abundance and winter feed for cattle more than plentiful. We shall have much to be thankful for at harvest time. WHO'S WHO AT THE Personally, I really enjoy the long days and being able to sit outside at 10pm with St THOMAS À BECKET NEWSLETTER still a reasonable about of light is a joy. At the moment we seem to have been adopted by a Blackbird who sits on the chimney top serenading us with a considerable repertoire of songs most evenings. When it eventually gets dark the stars are magnificent; as scripture says :- Joint Chair - The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his For the Church: Rev. Chris Lawrence hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. For the Council: Mr. Rob Newton 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19) Scripture is often a mixture of fact and poetry, but who could deny the work of the Co-ordinator and Advertising: Ann Newton Creator God when looking up into the sky or seeing the wonder of nature before one's very eyes? Well quite a large number it appears! Technical Editor: Barry Richardson I love the wording of verse 2 'Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge'. God's creation is silent yet it shouts at everyone worldwide every time a person looks at it. The billions and billions of stars Treasurer: Jan Riddle display the glory of God yet their creation is mentioned in a single line of scripture. After creating the sun and the moon to govern the day and the night it says 'He also made the stars' (Genesis 1:16). It's almost a throwaway line or a by-the-way statement. Distribution: Barbara Trickey, Delia Gillies, Part of living is to take time to stop and stare, ask questions and meditate on the and their teams of volunteers things around us. We are connected to the world around us and whether we acknowledge it or not we are all made in the image of God. The point is can you see it? When you look in the mirror what do you see or better still, who do you see? Printers: "Print Matters" When Christ walked the earth He was an enigma, even members of his own family had trouble accepting that he was God's son. In all of the Bible there is no description of Jesus. All the drawings and paintings of him are mere guesswork. A bi-monthly Newsletter distributed free to all The old adage of 'actions speak louder than words' came in to play. Even his fiercest opponents and critics never denied that he could perform miracles they just couldn't homes within the Parish. get their head past his physical appearance. The only reference to Jesus' appearance and his mission was prophesied by Isaiah where he writes:- - 30 - - 3 - Who has believed our message Onwards and Upwards! and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. Jonquil King 3 He was despised and rejected by men, (Executive Headteacher: St Thomas a Becket Church of England a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Federation) Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; This is basically the problem we have today when it comes to Christ and His church. When we fail to see past the ordinary or fail to see the Creator in the creation and we become blind. As Isaiah says in verse 6 'We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way'. Have you noticed in life that the more God is squeezed out the worse we have become as individuals and as a society? Where have the moral absolutes gone? We should be absolutely shocked at some of the things that go on today but little by little we are sliding further into the moral gutter and who seems to care? One day we will all have to give an account of our lives but I wonder how many will be able to look God squarely in the eye? Despite what we may think of ourselves or how far we may have strayed, God is always on the lookout for those who wish to return to Him, those who wish to be part of His eternal family. When the prodigal son returned home after his season of wild living his father wasn't interested in his excuses or his prepared speech he was just so glad to have him back. This really is the message of personal grace that Christ extends to us; He accepts us as we are. If you have been away from Christ and His church for whatever reason do consider joining us for 'Back to Church Sunday' 10am -24th September - you will be most welcome. I'll close with the encouraging words from Jude. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy- to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. May God's blessing be on everyone in the parish - Revd Chris Lawrence - 4 - - 29 - met regularly over the year to assess and evaluate the impact and success of our Federation and of course to support both schools to develop in so Diary of Church Services many ways. We say a sad farewell to Mrs Alison Sparks who has been a governor with us for many years and was part of the group who led the AUGUST 2017 transition to a Federation. 06 Eighth Sunday after Trinity 8.00 am Holy Communion (BCP) Both of our schools are also losing valuable members of the teaching staff: 10.00 am Parish Holy Communion (CW) at Framfield we say a fond farewell to Miss Lauren Maidman who is moving (with prayer for healing) on to other challenges in her life, while at Blackboys we wish Miss Jessica 13 Ninth Sunday after Trinity Stevens all the very best as she moves on in her career to take up a post 10.00 am Family Service in Eastbourne.