St Botolph’s and St James the Greater Benefice of Shepshed and Oaks in Charnwood Monthly Parish News July/August 2016 The benefice bids farewell to Rev’d Canon Cynthia Hebden 1 WHO’S WHO Vicar Curate Associate Priest Vacant Rev’d Ed Bampton Rev’d John Bird (Day off Monday) 8 Buckingham Drive 12 Smithy Way Thorpe Acre Shepshed Loughborough LE12 9TQ LE11 4TE 01509 505510 01509 234962 Parish Office (Open Monday—Friday 9am—12 noon) Church Gate Telephone: 01509 502255 Shepshed E-mail: [email protected] LE12 9RJ Website: www.shepshedandoaks.co.uk St. Botolph’s Parish Church , Shepshed, Church Officers Church Wardens PCC Secretary John Dodson Tricia Breen Denyse Dawson 01509 556063 5 Pentland Avenue 2 Banbury Drive 07711 223081 Shepshed Shepshed LE12 9BH LE12 9PL 01509 508746 01509 829849 Deputy Wardens PCC Treasurer Colin Stinchcombe Sue Burt Jill Greenwood 50 Kirkhill 1 Arbury Dale 11 Ring Fence Shepshed Shepshed Shepshed LE12 9PB LE12 9JS LE12 9HX 01509 504638 01509 821869 01509 650074 St James the Greater, Oaks in Charnwood, Church Officers Church Wardens PCC Secretary Steve Upton Peter Clamp Laura Kaminski 07954 149635 01530 459451 01509 324 156 PCC Treasurer Jayne Moss Garden Cottage Charley Road Loughborough LE12 9YB 07703 203467 2 Welcome to the July/August edition of the Parish magazine. I would like to take this opportunity to thank David Whittington for his hard work putting the magazine together over the years . I hope I can live up to the high standards you have come to expect. Please do let me know if there are any issues with the information held within this magazine, I will do my best to get items correct but I am not infallible. Finally, if you have any ideas or articles you would like to see included in the magazine please let me know. I hope you enjoy this edition! Rohanne Hurst P.S. Please take note of the new suggested word limit for articles. Thank you I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone for the celebrations on my last two Sundays, for the lovely cards and messages, the gifts and all your love. The bird bath and planters are now looking very ‘at home’ in the garden. The amount collected at St Botolph’s was £560 and I will give some thought as to how to spend it but it will most certainly be something for the garden. Rev’d Canon Cynthia Hebden St Botolph’s 100 Club winners for St James’ Acorn Club Lottery Results May 2016 are: for May 2016 are: 1st June Cox 2nd Pat Harris 1st H. Walker 3rd Ann Brooks 2nd J. Quenby 3rd M. West Winners for June 2016 are: 1st May Smith 2nd Christine Berry 3rd John Bird New members are welcome to join To join please contact please contact Sue Burt on 01509 821869 Wilf on 01509 769802 or Prize money will be paid directly into Janet on 01509 506 154 your bank account. 3 MINISTERIAL MUSINGS I think I can say without fear of contradiction that we are living in a time of constant change. The seasons change, the rivers flow and the tides come and go. The scientists, whether meteorological or geological and even the politicians, are convinced that it is all down to climate change. Changes in our weather patterns, melting of ice caps, intensifying of storms leading to major flooding in towns and cities around the world. Then there is the present topic of conversation that seems to be on everyone’s lips as to whether we are Bremain or Brexit on the EU referendum and of what the changes it will bring, how and in what ways that will affect us in our lives as a country and as individuals; and no doubt as to the arguments as they swing to and fro as to whether we stay in or leave, and that we may change our minds several times before we indeed make up our minds. We are also in that yearly time when students up and down the country are taking exams and then having to wait for the results of those exams which might mean many might have to change their minds as to what and which direction they are to take in the future. But as members of the human race we are a very fickle people and are prone to change our minds in a moment’s notice and our children will no doubt verify that fact much to their chagrin. As a benefice of two churches, St. Botolph’s and St. James, like many other churches, change is an inevitable part of the life of the church. The church, that is the people and not the building, have to change if the church is to grow and to be a faithful witness to the community in which they serve. 4 For that to happen the whole demeanour and attitude of the church has to change and to be led and live according to God’s will for the life of the church, and that we must love one another as much as we love ourselves. As part of God’s church we are on the verge of a big change within the life of the church family as Canon Cynthia prepares to retire. As part of that change we wait patiently as God prepares the heart of the person who he will send to us to lead us deeper into a relationship with him and to lead us on into witnessing and mission. As we wait let us be prepared to allow God to change us body, soul and spirit and enable us to be effective Christians in the community into which we have been called to serve. May God strengthen and sustain us and draw us closer to himself in this time of waiting. May God pour his richest blessings upon you. Your servant in Christ - John the Rev. From the Registers for June Baptisms Hannah Allard-Toyer Elizabeth May Nightingale Mason Kelvin Landon Weddings Mark Lloyd & Bethany Joseph Stanley & Kathryn Storer Elias-Jones Deaths & Funerals Stuart Baker Sylvia Stormont Mary Tivey Tony Duerden Mary Brodie Richard Millar Derek Hodgkinson 5 Changes ahead…. Following the retirement of Rev’d Canon Cynthia in June, the process of selecting a new Vicar has begun. A vacancy is a time to reflect and discern God’s purpose and vision for our Benefice. During the vacancy we will be supported by the Diocese, and PCC members of both Churches have met with the Archdeacon and Area Dean to talk through what lies ahead. We are very grateful to all who gave us their thoughts about the church’s strengths, the main challenges and the key gifts needed in the next vicar. We are now drawing up a Benefice Profile, which is the basis of the recruitment process. We will do our best to keep you informed of progress. Please keep praying for guidance for us at this time. Peter, Steve, John and Tricia (Churchwardens) 6 Mega Prayer Space Friday 17th June saw a Mega Prayer Space in church. We provided 10 separate activities for 50 children at a time set up in the church. The children spent half their day with us in church and the other half in St. Botolph's school doing a creative activity looking at traditional Christian prayer. We welcomed just under 100 children from St. Botolph's Primary, Oxley, Long Whatton, Diseworth and Belton. An amazing day and a big thank you to all those who helped throughout the day. Louise 7 Foundation Stage Class at St. Botolph’s The young children of St. Botolph’s School have had a very exciting time celebrating Her Majesty the Queens 90th Birthday recently. They began their day by attending a whole school assembly where they all sang all four verses of the National Anthem. They then went to their classroom to experience lots of different activities. They were making towers made from red, white and blue cubes; making their own bunting using red, white and blue triangles; making their own union flags for their sandcastles; making Queen Elizabeth a birthday card; making their own creations using red, white and blue Lego©; designing their own bunting using colouring crayons; and much, much more! During reflection time at the end of the day the children all agreed that the highlight of their day was the ‘street party’ in the big playground! The staff had made it all look very festive with lots of red, white and blue and the tables were all set to look very inviting. The focus of the top table was a golden throne ready for Canon Cynthia Hebden to be welcomed to the celebrations with lots of cheers, claps and very loud party trumpets! Some of the very young children thought that Canon Hebden was the actual Queen until it was explained we were celebrating her retirement! Canon Hebden thought it was amusing anyway! It was a most amusing day and their lovely birthday cards have been sent to Buckingham Palace. 8 Have You Made your Will Yet? For Wills—Trusts—Estate Planning & Lasting Power of Attorney (Formerly In-Home Legal Services) JUST WILLS & LEGAL SERVICES Phone: Mrs Chris Thomas & Mrs Pam Draycott 01509 507334 (Home) - 08450 568571 (Office) 90 The Meadows, Shepshed Member of The Society Of Will Writers 9 Tanzania Trip On 4th July, Diane Melton and I will be embarking on a journey across continents. We are flying out to Tanzania to visit our link Diocese at Mount Kilimanjaro. Our visit will take us to see what is happening out in Tanzania, helping us get a feel for Christianity in a completely different context.