St Hilda's Church Warley Woods Parish News
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ST HILDA’S CHURCH WARLEY WOODS PARISH NEWS 2021 50p CONTENTS Article Page Jenni writes 1-2 Sea Sunday and Children’s Society Boxes 3 Notable Days in July 4 Young Christians march 5 Spotlight on the Environment 6-7 Bristol Cathedral 8-9 St. James, Patron Saint of Spain 10-11 Gardening Tips for July 12 TV Programmes Quiz 13 A Summer Blessings and Sanctuary Flowers Rota 14 You didn’t do the green thing 15 Moveable Feast? 16 Marking Time 17 Ramble to Seisdon 18 Ramble to Wrottesley Park 19 Bishop’s Message 20 Finally, and the Outdoor Service 21 Organisations 24 Have you the technology ? This is the QR code link to our parish website. Our Church is now open for worship on Sundays at 10.30am and for private prayer on Wednesdays 2-3pm. Dear friends, On 7th July I will be celebrating a whole year with you! Anniversaries can be such good opportunities to look back and see what God has been doing and rejoice. My first year here has been an unusual one – I came to you as restrictions were beginning to ease and we started to reopen. I still have very fond memories of the garden pilgrimage on 1st August last year where I was able to meet some of you and we had opportunities to reflectand pray. It was a joy to be able to marry a couple who’d had their wedding postponed because of lockdown later in August and then another in December. Having services on zoom was a new adventure but a really wonderful way to gather some of us to be able to worship together. Our outdoor Easter Sunday was a joyous occasion – being able to worship together physically and sing again after such a long time! Having members of the choir back to services these last few months has been awesome – what a talented group of people we have! It has been a joy to see the gifts of many people used during this past year. My biggest highlight has been meeting you – in person, on zoom, over the phone, in the park… I am looking forward to continuing to meet more of you! Of course there have been some moments of sadness too, including the many deaths this past year. I’ve been so thankful to Richard Haynes for his ministry especially in the sharing of funerals. It’s been hard to hear so little noise over the winter months from a once energetic and well used church hall. Looking ahead I am working with the PCC on what happens next and we shared a sunny afternoon facilitated by the diocese to help usstart to think through these things. We’ll be working on an action plan forthe next five years which will include setting the vision with wider parishconsolidation – watch this space and do be in touch if there are things on your mind and we look ahead. Jesus said ‘I am with you always’ (Matthew 28:20) to his disciples before he ascended. As we look back and look forward it’s a good reminder that God is with us through the highs and lows, the hopes and the uncertainties. One of my favourite poets Malcom Guite has written a beautiful poembased on this verse and I’ll leave it here with you this month; (Concluded on next page) 1 I will be with you Your final words fulfill your ancient name, A promise hidden in Emmanuel, A promise that can never fade or fail: I will be with you till the end of time; I will be with you when you scale the height And with you when you fall to earth again, With you when you flourish in the light, And with you through the shadow and the pain. Our God with us, you leave and yet remain Risen and hidden with us everywhere; Hidden and flowing in the wine we share, Broken and hidden in the growing grain. Be with us till we know we are forgiven Be with us here till we’re with you in heaven. https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/2015/03/06/i-am-with-you-always/ 2 Front Cover – Sea Sunday and the Mission to Seafarers On Sunday July 4th we will be remembering the work of the Mission to Seafarers in our Sunday morning service. Those of you who have supported this service in the past will know that the life of seafarers is not easy and during the pandemic it has been even more challenging. As lockdowns were implemented across the world many seafarers were required to work beyond the end of their contracts with many having to spend a second Christmas away from home and sometimes not even having stepped on land. Some seafarers’ centres have been closed and restrictions have made it difficult for chaplains to go on board. One of the ways the Mission to Seafarers has responded is through ‘Chat to a Chaplain’, a 24/7 digital chaplaincy for seafarers and their families across the globe. Chaplains offer one-to-one pastoral counselling, spiritual support and advice. Also, seafarer centres and minibuses have been adapted to ensure COVID-19 free and safe environments. By providing global provision of PPE for chaplains and volunteers has enabled them to continue to minister to the needs of seafarers. Closer to home I know some of you have continued to faithfully knit. I am happy to collect any knitting, if you could ring me (5504027). I plan to store what I am given and to send it to the charity when it is convenient for them to receive it. As always I am very grateful for the continued support I receive from so many in helping to keep seafarers warm. Please continue to remember the Mission to Seafarers and the people they minister to in your prayers. Judith Gibbens Will those of you who have collecting boxes, please try and bring them to church in the next few weeks. The church is open for services on Sunday mornings and on Wednesdays between 2-3pm. If you cannot get to church, please let me know. Will those who have made a donation directly to the Society also let me know. As always, on behalf of the Society, thank you for your continuing support. Dianne Eades 3 Notable Days in July As always, a quick online search is a good starting place to findout what special days are being held each month. July: Sweet Food for Thought Now is the time to dig out the picnic hampers and clean the BBQs! July is officially National Picnic Month, and on 2 July BBQ week begins – if taking a BBQ on a picnic beware, many picnic locations ban fires and BBQs for safety reasons. And while planning your picnic remember that July is also the World Plastics Free Month so avoid using plastic wrappers, utensils, etc.There are lots of ideas about how you can support this worldwide effort –including plastic free picnic ideas –on https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/ By 7 July you may fancy a sweet break because it is World Chocolate Day! It was on this day in 1550 that chocolate was first brought to Europe. The cocoa bean, from which chocolate was first made in Mexico about 4,000 years ago, was said by the Aztecs to be a gift of the god who gave them light and drink – in came in the form of chocolate! Christians will know that they were correct in chocolate being a gift from god, only they were not aware who the true God is! After spending a whole day of eating chocolate without feeling guilty, you can then take a break for three days as you prepare to enjoy National Doughnut Week from 10-18 July. By the end of doughnut week, you can take a slightly longer break to recover before celebrating Vanilla Ice Cream Day on 23 July. By coincidence, vanilla, like the cocoa bean, originally came from Mexico and it is said to be the second most expensive spice after saffron. Also, like chocolate, the best way to celebrate Vanilla Ice Cream Day, is to eat it either on its own or with one or more of your favourite foods – maybe you could even add a chocolate flake! To round off a glorious month for food lovers, 30 July is National Cheesecake Day. Cheesecake is believed to have originated in Ancient Greece, and the earliest evidence is in a book by the Greek physician Aegimus (5th Century BCE), who wrote a book on the art of making cheesecakes. By the first century BCE it was established in Rome as evidenced by the oldest known Roman cheesecake recipe credited to a politician, Marcus Cato. 4 Young Christians to march from Cornwall to Glasgow to campaign for Climate Justice. Hundreds of young Christians are to lead a pilgrimage which spans the length of the country – from the G7 to COP26. Marching from Cornwall to Glasgow, the pilgrims will call on world leaders to address the Climate Emergency. The Young Christian Climate Network has organised a relay route where young activists will each complete a stage. Instead of a physical baton, each relay group will carry the same message of crucial action needed to reverse climate change. The relay moved from Truro Cathedral, near to where the G7 met, to Glasgow where COP26 will be begin on October 31. World leaders will be meeting in both places and young Christians are hoping nations will take tangible steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.