Focal Point, January 2015 ROY PREDDY FUNERAL DIRECTORS 2 Cossham Street, Mangotsfield BS16 9EN (0117) 9562834 We are at your service 24 hours a day We will help and guide you every step of the way We will guide you through our choice of funeral plans We can help and advise you choose a memorial We are members of the National Association of Funeral Directors Our other Bristol businesses can similarly help you - Roy Preddy - Kingswood (0117) 9446051 TB & H Pendock - Hambrook (0117) 9566774 Stenner & Hill - Shirehampton (0117) 9823188 R. Davies & Son - Westbury-on-Trym (0117) 9628954 R. Davies & Son - Horfield (0117) 9424039 R. Davies & Son - Bishopsworth (0117) 9641133 Whitchurch FS - Whitchurch (01275) 833441 Part of Dignity Ltd, a British Company 1 Focal Point, November 2017 2 Focal Point, November 2017 We can offer various sizes of adverts in Focal Point to suit your needs. Contact the editor on 932 5037 or email [email protected] 3 Focal Point, November 2017 4 Focal Point, November 2017 5 Focal Point, November 2017 6 6 FocalS M Point, Wilkins November Electrical 2017 Services FREE QUOTES COMPETITIVE RATES FULLY INSURED SIX-YEAR WARRANTY OVER 20 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE • Testing & inspection • Extra sockets/lights • Landlord certs (EICR) • Cooker/shower installation • Fault finding/repairs • Smoke alarms Mobile: 0771 218 9118 Email: [email protected] 7 Focal Point, November 2017 8 Focal Point, November 2017 USEFUL CONTACTS Bitton AFC Bitton Gardening Club (Western League Premier Division) St Mary’s Church Hall, 3rd Monday www.pitchero.com/clubs/bittonafc in the month (plus garden visits) Email: [email protected] Bitton AFC Juniors Contact: Dave Fletcher Bitton Ladies Football Club Tel: 0117 932 2521 Bitton Recreation Ground Email: bittonlfc.weebly.com/ [email protected] Bitton Lunch Club Bitton Archers Last Thursday of each month Shoot at Bitton AFC Contact: Jill Gibson www.bittonarchers.com Tel: 0117 932 2122 Bitton Bellringers Bitton Parish Council Practice night Mondays www.bittonparishcouncil.co.uk Tower captain: Sue Jay Clerk: Sharon Robbins Tel: 0117 932 2424 Tel: 01454 868 102 Email: [email protected] Bitton Combined Charities Contact: Ken Gibson Bitton Parish History Group Tel: 0117 932 2122 www.bittonhistory.org.uk Secretary: Mike Gates Bitton Community Choir Tel: 0117 932 8777 Contact: Nicola Bennetts Email: [email protected] Tel: 0117 932 4696 Bitton Pre-School Bitton Cricket Club www.bittonpreschool.com/ Bitton Recreation Ground Tel: 0117 932 6042 3 Saturday senior teams, 1 Sunday Email: senior team and 5 youth teams [email protected] bitton.play-cricket.com Chairman: Tim Dyer Bitton Road Runners Tel: 0117 985 9139 Every Tuesday & Thursday - everyone welcome! Bitton Flower Arranging Club www.bittonroadrunners.co,uk 2nd Tuesday afternoon of the month at St Mary’s Church Hall Bitton Sports & Social Club Contact: Janet Ballinger Tel: 0117 932 3222 Tel: 0117 932 4728 (More overleaf) 9 Focal Point, November 2017 USEFUL CONTACTS Bitton Village Residents’ Tel: 0117 932 7755 Association Email: [email protected] www.bvra.uk Contact: Andrew Ward South Gloucestershire councillor Email: [email protected] for Bitton: Erica Williams Tel: 0786 018 1215 Bitton WI Email: Second Monday of the month at [email protected] 7.45pm at St Mary’s Church Hall Tel: 0117 932 2059 St Mary’s Baby & Toddler Group (Wednesday mornings at St Mary’s Flicks in the Sticks Church Hall) Free film nights in St Mary’s Church Contact: Ali Smith Hall on the 3rd Friday of the month, Email: [email protected] September to April (not December) Email: [email protected] St Mary’s Church www.stmarysbitton.org.uk/ Girl Guide HQ, Cherry Gardens Vicar: Rev Jeremy Andrew Guides, Brownies & Rainbows Tel: 0117 967 2724 Contact: Gill Boyes Curate: Rev Anika Gardiner Tel: 0117 970 8056 Tel: 0117 932 5305 Email: [email protected] Churchwardens: Kingswood MP: Chris Skidmore Barbara Merritt www.chrisskidmore.com Tel: 0117 932 3926 Tel: 0117 908 1524 (Constituency) Jacqui Harris Tel: 0207 219 7094 (Westminster) Tel: 0117 937 4706 Email: [email protected] St Mary’s Church Hall Royal British Legion Bookings secretary: Jill Gibson (Bitton & Oldland branch) Tel: 0117 932 2122 Contact: Jeff Dando Email: Tel: 0117 932 2608 [email protected] Email: [email protected] The Meadows Primary School Scouts: 34th Kingswood/1st St Mary’s Tel: 0117 932 2203 Beavers meet Monday evenings at St Mary’s Church Hall. Cubs & Upton Cheyney URC Scouts Thursday evenings at Minister: Rev Meryl White The Meadows Primary School Tel: 0775 914 6645 Contact: David Harris Email: [email protected] 10 Focal Point, November 2017 Churches & services UPTON CHEYNEY URC Elder: Muriel Williams Minister: Meryl White 0117 961 6843 0775 914 6645 Sunday services are at 3pm November 5 Bible Study led by Meryl White November 12 Remembrance Service led by Meryl White November 19 Service led by Neville Lintern November 29 Service led by Jill Hireson In addition there is a coffee afternoon at 2pm on Tuesday 28th ST MARY’S CHURCH Vicar: Rev Jeremy Andrew The Vicarage, Warmley 0117 967 2724 Ordained minister: Rev Richard Humphrey Splinters Kenilworth Drive Willsbridge 0117 949 0502 Continued overleaf 11 Focal Point, November 2017 Lay ministers: Churchwardens: Ken Gibson, 8 Church Road, Barbara Merritt, Bitton 32 Bath Road, Bitton 0117 932 2122 0117 932 3926 David Bailey, Westover, Jacqui Harris, Bath Road, Bitton 29 St Anne's Drive, Wick 0117 932 8949 0117 937 4706 Message from the minister hen you want to remember something, what do you do? Tie a knot in our hankie, repeat it often or make a diary note on our phone calendar. W Sometimes music, or a picture or an object can remind us of something or someone. We use reminders all the time. A very obvious reminder in November is a poppy, for remembering soldiers, sailors and aircrew who have died in two world wars and other smaller conflicts, although no less distressing, for example the Falklands War, two Gulf wars, N. Ireland, peacekeeping duties for the UN, Afghanistan and Iraq. Being at war is horrible. It is degrading for all sides. It encourages hatred. It is wasteful of human life. It destroys in days and weeks what has taken years, decades or centuries to build. Not only is property destroyed, so are civilisations. Nobody is saying that war is right. Some would go so far as to say war is always wrong. Wars are begun for a variety of reasons and not always from the best or most noble of motives. If nations go to war, it is usually less because they feel it is right, more that it is less wrong than the alternatives. Sometimes the decision to stop the war or withdraw from the conflict is determined by the number of lives lost, or public opinion, rather than because of objectives achieved. 12 Focal Point, November 2017 No side ever has all the right. In war, all sides are responsible in one degree or another for crimes against humanity. War is like that. It is degrading and demeaning. And when the fighting stops and the peace begins, the problems to be over- come - although different - are just as great, if not greater than before. And forgiveness is required. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus didn’t say, ‘Blessed are the war mongers for they shall conquer the earth’. He said, ‘Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth, and blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God.’ Jesus brought a message from God of peace and reconciliation between God and humanity. The intention is that the human race should extend that peace and reconciliation to each other. We are called to love God and one another. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray ‘forgive us, as we forgive others’. God’s kingdom is without conflict, it is not his intention that we should have wars. Sadly we do. As Christians, we have not yet reached that state of perfection that we are sinless, even though we claim God rules in our lives. That is why we have to ask each other and God for forgiveness. We wear poppies and have a Remembrance Service each year as we remember those who have died for the freedom of others. We also remember that we need God’s forgiveness and strength to make good our imperfections and enable us to be His disciples and live in peace with each other individually, locally, nationally and internationally. Leslie Willcox From the Parish Register 1st October HOLY BAPTISM Hazel Lucy Chitson 13 Focal Point, November 2017 Services at St Mary’s in November Sunday, November 5 10.30: Parish Communion Sunday, November 12 8am: Holy Communion REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 10.30am: Family Parade Service for Remembrance Sunday followed by lunch at Avon Valley Railway Sunday, November 19 10.30am: Morning Worship Friday, November 24 9.30am: Celtic Holy Communion followed by coffee and cakes Sunday, November 26 8am: Holy Communion 9.30am: Family Café Church Family Café Church Sunday 26 November at 9.30am A relaxed and informal service on each fourth Sunday. It is aimed at families with primary school and pre-school children although everyone is very welcome. There is a café feel with refreshments available throughout Our November Bible story is ‘Jesus is coming - looking forward to Christmas!!’ 14 Focal Point, November 2017 Remembrance Sunday At the 10.30am service on 12 November, St Mary’s will welcome the Bitton & Oldland Branch of the Royal British Legion, the Chairman of Bitton Parish Council Erica Williams, Cadets from the Army Cadet Force and members of our Scout Group.