About Broughton & Croxton December 2015 to February 2016 The Parish Magazine of Broughton and Croxton 1 The Parish Magazine of Broughton and Croxton Editor: Sara Humphries, 12 Martin Dale, Loggerheads, TF9 4DH Tel: 01630 673740 [email protected] Rector: Rev Jonathan Eades, 'The Rectory', Ashley, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 4LQ. Tel: 01630 672210, [email protected] Curate: Rev Doug Heming, Tel: 01630 672430 [email protected] Methodist Minister: Rev John Day, The Old Police House, Croxton Tel: 01630 620671 [email protected] Patrons of the Benefice: The Bishop of Lichfield The Vicar of Eccleshall Mr T. A. J. Hall Parish Links for Contributions: Croxton Church – Mrs Beryl Roe (01630 620248) Broughton Church – Mrs Jean Beasley (01785 850306) Croxton Chapel – Mrs Kath Bridgwood (01630 620601) Your Magazine – Your Community A colour issue of the magazine is now available on the Broughton Church website at www.broughtonchurch.com. Dear Readers I hope you will enjoy this latest edition of ABC and a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to it, from letter and article writers, to advertisers and the people who print it and those who distribute it. This season of peace and goodwill is tinged with sadness because of the ongoing refugee crisis; perhaps you could spare a moment in your busy schedules to spare a thought for those less fortunate and for the plight of so many ordinary and innocent people who have been displaced from their homes and lives. On behalf of the ABC Committee we wish you all a very Happy Christmas and hope that the New Year brings everything you could wish for. Sara Humphries [Editor] The deadline for the next issue of ABC is 6th February 2016 (Please continue to support this Magazine by giving your DONATIONS to any committee member – names and telephone numbers above or to the person who delivers your copy. Disclaimer: The publishers of this magazine, accept no responsibility for the quality of the service provided by the advertisers and nor for the opinions expressed by contributors. Payments for Advertisements: Please make Cheques payable to ‘ABC Magazine’ 2 Doug Hemming December 2015 I was asked to write a few words in this Magazine as I am due to leave the parishes here in early 2016 after having worked here since June 2012 as Curate in the Benefice of churches. So I have had a think about my time here and ministry amongst this community. I have concluded that ‘time’ is of course a mysterious movement flowing only one way. As far as we know, everything that has a beginning has an end. But we know even though the past shapes the present, we cannot return to it. Memories whether faint or bright preserve a reflection of what has been but that is all. This could cause me to become quite sad about the prospect of moving on so I wondered how my Christian faith will help me if at all. I concluded that the Christian faith calls us to understand ‘time’ in a fuller sense. Jesus in His instruction to remember Him in the breaking of bread revealed something different about how we should see ‘Time’. In that last supper between Jesus and His friends He called us to ‘remember’ Him, not in a two-dimensional tableaux such as we see in Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings but in a multi-dimensional expression of a real communion that can be shared across time and space. Imagine Jesus’ words in the context of a world that has depth as well as length and breadth. For is this not really how the world is? Whilst the world seems still beneath our feet it is revolving and turning around the sun which is also moving as our galaxy rotates. So although we cannot see it, there is an amazing spiralling pattern in space- time. Perhaps Jesus saw something of what our astrophysicists are only seeing now through their telescopes when He introduced a communion through bread and wine for all believers throughout history. I am moving on from the parishes here but I wonder whether the time I have spent with you will actually always be just around the corner of this spiral of time and space. Tucked out of sight from us but every bit as real in ‘the future’ as it is ‘now’. Nothing really lost or faded as it is in our memories, but rather all of time held in completeness by God as you or I might cup a rose in our hands. The writer of the book of Hebrews in the Bible tells us that Jesus is the same ‘yesterday, today and forever’ (Hebrews 13v8) and is not limited by dimensions as we are. One writ- er puts it ‘Jesus as the Word of God was forming trees long before He was making tables as a carpenter in Nazareth.’ This is the essence of what we mean when we say Jesus is the Son of God. A human for whom life extends before and after His own humanity. For us this can offer peace about the past if we believe God to show His love in this way. The Gospel writer Luke tells us ‘.. He is God not of the dead but of the living: for to Him all are alive’ (Luke 20v38). Jesus’ message then transcends our understanding of ‘time’ and fills all of history in an amazing way. For Him the past, even those whom we love but see no longer, are living and in relationship with Him. Cont’d overleaf 3 In a sense then my time here is indeed coming to an end. But I believe that nothing of it will ever be lost because in Jesus Christ the community and communion I have enjoyed remains forever. That should perhaps make us realise what a precious gift ‘time’ is both now and in a sense eternally. I wonder what we will do with the ‘time’ still gifted to us on this earth. My prayer for this community is summed up in a pray- er that we often use at funeral services: ‘Give us the wisdom and grace to use aright the time that is left to us here on earth, to turn to Christ and follow in his steps in the way that leads to everlasting life’. Amen Revd Doug Hemming VILLAGE NEWS STAFFORDSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST— SPONSORED RIDE, STRIDE AND DRIVE Thanks are due to Jesse Thompstone for cycling on 12th September and especially to his sponsors, resulting in £150 being raised for St Peter’s Broughton and a similar sum for the SHCT. PLOUGHMAN’S LUNCH James and Louise Butter very kindly hosted a ploughman’s lunch on behalf of St Peter’s Broughton on 13 September. The weather was perfect and we managed to raise £1250 for the church. Special thanks to all who helped make this a such a memorable occasion, especially all who helped with the catering and a special mention to Jane Archer for her superb Coronation Chicken! Jane you’ve got a job for life with that recipe. HARVEST SUPPER The Harvest Supper held in Broughton Parish Room on 3rd October was again very well supported. All enjoyed a delicious pork meal, cooked by Sylvia Holland, and a variety of home made fruit pies. The entertainment this year was a selection of items performed by members of the Community Choir under the leadership of Martin Jones, ably assisted by Richard Hillman, and members of the WI. A very enjoyable evening was had by all. LIVE & LOCAL We were treated to an extremely entertaining concert on 23 October in aid of Broughton Tennis Club by a group called Graffiti Classics, who certainly lived up to their advertising blurb as ‘a comedy cabaret string quartet playing exquisitely good music which doesn’t take itself at all seriously. They were wickedly funny and exhilarating with their all-singing, all-dancing comedy cabaret show. It was a classical concert, a gypsy-folk romp, an opera, stand-up comedy set and a brilliant dance show all rolled into one. Many thanks to Judy Thompstone and James and Louise Butter for organising this event. £370 was raised, which will be used to part- fund a much needed renovation of the two grass courts at Wetwood. 4 CHRISTMAS SERVICES IN THE ABC CHURCHES Christmas is the most wonderful time of year, when families, friends and communities come together to share gifts or drinks or meals or just plain old goodwill. Sometimes the true message of Christmas can be lost in all the busyness and festivities; that Jesus, the light of the world, was born! Perhaps this year you could spare an hour to be reminded of what Christmas is really about and join us at one of our special Christmas services, we would be so pleased to see you. If transport is a problem, please contact one of the church wardens or the Chapel Secretary to try and arrange a lift. 11 am Sunday 6th December—St Peter’s Broughton, Christingle. This is a popular family service for children, who are presented with a Christingle orange and learn about the meaning of giving and sharing. 11 am Sunday 20th December—St Peter’s Broughton, Candlelit Carol Service—a service of carols and readings. 2.30 pm Sunday 20th December—St Paul’s Croxton, joint Carol Service with Croxton Independent Methodist Chapel—a service of carols and readings, at St Paul’s.. 11.30 pm Thursday 24th December—St Peter’s Broughton, Midnight Mass 10 am Friday 25th December—St Paul’s Croxton, a joint Christmas Day Eucharist with Croxton Independent Methodist Chapel at St Paul’s.