Bill’s Letter for October 2015

This is the time of year when we think about harvest; the good gifts that come from the earth and our gratitude to God and those who work the land to provide for us.

Honouring God’s creation means honouring those who look after it. It’s very easy to go to the shops and buy what we want, as cheaply as possible, without any real thought about where our food is coming from. The principles of Fairtrade are important: to help each person in the supply chain get a just reward. Our choices of where we shop and what we buy can make a difference.

As usual we are encouraging people at Harvest to bring gifts to symbolise our gratitude for what we have. St Peter’s school is joining us in this too. This means that the younger children will bring gifts of food. Some of this will be used by the church to provide a harvest lunch for people in the community (on Tuesday 13th October, 12pm). The rest will support the local food bank so they have enough to give to families that need support. Older children will bring gifts of money. This will go to our Water for Life Project which is helping people in Tanzania.

We have a special link with a village called Sakawa, where we have sponsored a water tank to collect rain water. I was fortunate to be able to visit the village in May and see the tank complete (see my June letter). So we know the money has gone to the right place. The village would like another tank so we are continuing to raise funds for that.

Harvest is when we are encouraged to stop and think but also   celebrate and enjoy the good things that we have and this is much more than the food we can eat. We would like to invite you to join in these celebrations. On Saturday 10th October we are holding an Arts & Crafts Day with various local skills and talents being displayed and demonstrated. If you have a skill to share please come and join in. If not, come along anyway to see the exhibitions. There will be a Ceilidh with a live band in the evening at St Peter’s School (please call the office for tickets). On Sunday 11th October after the morning Harvest Festival service there will be a soup and roll lunch. Please join us.

Rev Bill Henderson

Film Club – September 2015

Friday evening, 11th September 7:30pm

‘Hope Springs’ (2013)   12 Rating

Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) are a devoted couple, but decades of marriage have left Kay wanting to reconnect with her husband. When she hears of a renowned couple’s specialist (Steve Carell) in the small town of Great Hope Springs, she attempts to persuade her sceptical husband, a steadfast man of routine, to get on a plane for a week of marriage therapy. Just convincing the stubborn Arnold to go on the retreat is hard enough; but the real challenge comes as they try to re-ignite the spark that caused them to fall for each other in the first place. With a highly intelligent script, and excellent  performances by Streep and Jones, this is a surprising, understated and touching film.

Doors open 7pm, film start 7.30pm.

Free admission, tea & coffee, but bring your own popcorn!

Bill’s Letter for September 2015

For many people September is a time of change and new beginnings. It certainly is for families with children; each one starting a new class, school or college. It can be difficult for our children who leave a familiar environment and move into the unknown. What will the new teacher be like? Will I make any friends? As parents we   accept and welcome these changes as being helpful and beneficial. As adults we often resist change but part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to stir in us a holy discontent. Not one that will lead to grumbling, but to growth.

In the Bible there are many   stories of people whose lives are changed by an encounter with God. Zacchaeus was a tax collector who took more than he should to make himself rich. He ended up with plenty of money but no friends. Jesus spotted him hiding in a tree and invited himself to tea. This meeting with Jesus changed Zacchaeus’s life. He gave back to people all that he had swindled four times over. He had changed from being selfish to being selfless. It must have made quite an impact on the community and made Jesus even more of a hero.

We may not be able to sit down with Jesus over a cup of tea, but an important part of prayer and reading the Bible is asking God to speak to us. It is nice to receive assurances of God’s love and comfort. It can be a more life changing to be challenged about how we are in way that leads to change and ultimately a richer and fuller life. How selfish are we in our attitude to money, to the poor, to our neighbour, to those who hurt us?

Migrants are a big part of the news at the moment. It is hard to imagine what horrors drive people to risk death and exploitation. It is a difficult problem that needs a global response. We must remember that these are human beings like us, only born in a different place. Our   response must be to care for those seeking escape as well as seeking to deal with the causes that drive people to such extremes.

Rev Bill Henderson

Film Club – August 2015

Friday evening, 14th August 7:30pm

‘Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)   12A Rating

Jack the Giant Slayer” tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack (Nicholas Hoult) into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend-and gets the chance to become a legend himself.

Doors open 7pm, film start 7.30pm.

Free admission, tea & coffee, but bring your own popcorn!

Bill’s Letter for Summer 2015

Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make our Summer Gala such a success, and thank you to all who came to support us. It was great to have such good weather.

People have been asking me about what is happening on the old church site. We have been waiting for the ground to settle and to try and find funds to do the work. This month should see the final gravestones put back in position after having been moved to safety during the site work.

This is the time we really need your support. The stone plaques from the War Memorial are being cleaned up and the lettering recording the names of those who gave their lives re-gilded. This is to prepare the plaques for placing in their new position on the site. This work on the plaques is going to cost £2,420 and will produce something that will show our respect for the fallen.

The stone mason who has had the stones in safe keeping is going to retire soon, so we need to get the work done as soon as possible. Please prayerfully consider if you would be willing to contribute to this cause. If you are able to give, then please contact Eleanor Plant in the church office. If you are a tax payer, and you gift aid your gift, then we can claim the tax back from the Inland Revenue. The contact details for the church office are on the back of the magazine.

The War Memorial helps us remember soldiers who lost their lives in war. It is shocking today, to be remembering the lives of innocent holiday makers, gunned down on a beach in Tunisia, as well as other atrocities: Christians being beheaded and Mosques blown up. It is important for us to be praying for peace and an end to extremist violence. We can set an example of disagreeing well. That is not to pretend that we agree about every thing, but be passionate about what we believe and still listen to and stay in relationship with those with whom we disagree.

Rev Bill Henderson

Film Club – July 2015

Friday evening, 10th July 7:30pm

‘Death of a Salesman’ (1985)   PG Rating

This is Volker Schlondorff’s adaptation of Arthur Miller’s modern classic. Travelling salesman Willy Loman (Dustin Hoffman) has struggled his whole life to win success for his family. Yet in reality, despite Willy’s illusions, the Loman clan are falling apart at the seams, with eldest son Biff (John Malkovich) having grown distant from his father due to an incident in the past, and younger son Happy (Stephen Lang) becoming increasingly careless and cynical. When he is fired from his job and forced to live on handouts from a friend, Willy considers the failure of his professional and personal life, and begins to think of a way out. Schlöndorff’s remarkable cast explores Miller’s rich subtext to great effect, and the production is atmospheric and strong.

Doors open 7pm, film start 7.30pm.

Free admission, tea & coffee, but bring your own popcorn!