St Augustine's Parish Church News
Locking February 2012
Dear Friends
As I write this article, the news is full of
the story of the cruise liner Costa Concordia which hit a
rock – although initially it was reported as a sandbar
– off the coast of Italy and capsized. So far, the reports
are that only [!] five people have died in this accident.
The thing which seems to puzzle most people
is ‘how on earth could something like this happen to
a well-founded ship in this day and age...?’ Some say
it was human error, some say that the computer equivalent
of sat-nav that ships use was to blame. The Captain himself
asserts that there should have been deep water under the ship
where it was at the time it hit bottom. And all the while,
we are hearing comparisons with the Titanic .... ‘how
could this happen...?’ Already the ‘black box’
that most large people-carrying vehicles are now issued with,
has been recovered to assess what went wrong.
Sometimes things go wrong in our lives because
we live in a fallen world. ‘Stuff happens....’
even to the best of us. But sometimes also, things go wrong
because we have not prepared things right or have deliberately
or carelessly allowed them to happen to us. The car with bad
tires, the quick dash across the road without looking, the
habit which eventually endangers our health. All these things
can, though not always will, cause things to go wrong.
We cannot always protect against the random
events of the world we live in. [Japan had protection in place
for the earthquake and the Tsunami, but not for the scale
that eventually hit], but we can choose certain things that
will affect our lives. I would like you to consider going
to a Lent group this Lent. Though Lent groups may not make
you physically fit or avoid the way you learn how to cross
the road, they provide an opportunity to give yourself, or
rather allow God to give you a spiritual [and maybe mental]
M.O.T. Perhaps it is time that you address certain issues
which you know you don’t want to live with. Perhaps
it is time to slow down and let God speak to you a bit more.
Perhaps it is time to hear what God wants to say to you about
how much he loves you. And also, there is the lovely opportunity
to meet and mingle with other people who are in equal need
and have equally as much to offer as you do.
I invite you this Lent to steer your ship into
waters that are safely charted and invite Jesus to pilot you
on a journey with him where you can explore some wonderful
new places in your life.
In his love
See Notice Board
for What's On this week
Calendar of Events over the next few
weeks.
Click Here for Events
this month in Locking Village
CHRISTIANITY EXPLORED
A lot of people in Locking have been blessed
by the ‘Christianity Explored’ course which we
have run on a number of occasions.
We are pleased to announce a new course which will run on
Wednesday evenings.
First evening will be on Wednesday 22nd February 2012 7.30pm
in the Green Lounge.
The course is normally six weeks long, but if people are enjoying
it, we can add more sessions about living the Christian life.
‘Christianity Explored’ is really good for those:-
• Who want to explore what it means to be a Christian,
but go no further.
• Those who want to deepen their faith
• Adults who are considering Confirmation
• People who are hungry to know more about Jesus.
• Who want a picture of Jesus through the eyes on one
storyteller [the apostle St Mark].
SOAKING PRAYER
Heather and Colin Locke from St Paul’s will be returning
to us on Sat 25th February 7pm to bring us a second helping
of Soaking Prayer. Those of us who were at the first session
can all testify to an amazing time with God. If you would
like to come, please bring a cushion or pillow and something
to lie on. Sign-up list is in church.
LENT LUNCHES
There will be two Lent Lunches in March, the first on Monday
5th and the second on Monday 19th. They will both be at 12
noon in the Church Centre and all the proceeds will go to
the Tiyeni Project. Do come along and enjoy a light lunch
and support this important project. There will be a sign up
list in church for these lunches.
FAMILIES WEEKEND
Bring a Game Breakfast.
On Saturday 3rd March from 8.30 to 10.30 am we invite you
to bring a game to a breakfast we will host in the Church
Centre. Board Games, wii games, card games, activity games.
Come with a game or rules how to play a game. We will provide
food and drink.
Let us know if you can come so we can provide the right amount
of food!
Messy Church
We would like to invite you to ‘St Augustine’s
Messy Church’ on Sunday 4th March.
• The format will be ‘Morning Prayer’ in
Church – Everyone will start the service in church,
and all families and any other adults who wish to go, will
go to the centre after a prayer and a song.
• There will be craft, which adults and children do
together, possibly with a brief break between different activities.
• There is a short act of worship at the end, bringing
together all the activities
• Everyone from church joins for refreshments in the
centre.
Come along and enjoy the fun!
Y2 - YOUTH GROUP
Teenagers - Come and Join us
We meet on Sunday Evenings at 6.15 pm during
term time in the
Green Lounge, St Augustine's Church Centre, for
FUN, GAMES, EVENTS & BIBLE STUDY
29th January - Games / Biscuit making
5th February - Bowling at Cribbs
ELECTORAL ROLL
In Preparation for the next Annual Parochial Church Meeting,
the Electoral Roll will be updated. The period the roll will
be open will be from Sunday 26th February. If you are not
already on the Electoral Roll, please speak to Bill Dredge
and he will give you a form to fill out.
ANNUAL CHRUCH MEETING
In advance of next month’s Crosslinks, please note
in your diaries that the Annual Meeting will be on St George’s
Day [23rd April] at 7.30pm in the Church Centre. Come to hear
what we have been doing last year and the plans for the coming
year.
KEITH POWELL – ‘PRAYER WARFARE’
We look forward to welcoming Keith – the Diocesan Adviser
for Renewal who will be coming to us on Saturday 21st April.
9.30am-12.30pm. Following on from our sermon series on Prayer,
he will be talking about Prayer warfare with useful advice
and hands-on practical tips as to how too great and we will
move into a bigger space.
GENTLE EXERCISE CLASSES
FOR ALL AGES
Tuesday Mornings from 10-11am in the Church Centre
Refreshments will be served afterwards
Contact Margaret Cooper 822408 or Amanda Ball 07814392217
to book your place
CAMPING OR CARAVANNING WEEK-END AWAY
On the weekend of June 16th-18th we are planning to go to
Northam Farm in Brean for a week end of fun, socializing,
praise and worship. The idea is to arrive on the Friday evening
and finish after a service on Sunday. The weekend will have
some organised fun family activities and anyone can opt in
or out as they wish.
If you are interested the costs obviously depend on the
tent or caravan and how many people in your group or family.
The Saturday evening would be a bring and share BBQ, the rest
of the time you cater for yourselves. The only additional
cost is a contribution towards a central marquee. You could
also just come and visit for the day. Interested? Contact
Helen on 824353
THE CHURCH’S SUPPORT TO THE TIYENI FUND, MALAWI
Malawi is one of the poorest, but friendliest
countries of the word. The continuing degradation of the countryside
in general and of the soil in particular constitutes a serious
national crisis for Malawi.
John and Elizabeth Crossley who have been life-long
residents of Malawi visited St Augustine’s in May to
tell us about a project they helped to set up for rural communities
and students.
Tiyeni means ‘Let’s go’! And
the ultimate aim is to replace the need for food handouts
and fertilizer in rural districts by fostering communities
and enabling them to support themselves.
The projects works in three areas:
Demonstrating good farming practices
Supporting students at schools and colleges and training nursery
teachers.
Assisting local villagers to look after their orphans by delivering
food and clothes and equipment for nursery schools.
Church members have decided to raise £500
to support the construction of a new nursery school in the
village of Honga by providing funds to purchase materials
for the roof. The villagers have made bricks for the walls
from local materials and are soon in the position to purchase
corrugated iron roofing sheets.
Bible study groups and church individuals have
agreed to support three students at secondary school and college
for the coming year to see them through their present education.
We look forward in due course to hearing they have graduated
and are in a good position to obtain a well paid job through
their education. David Jackson
New Group to explore the Christian basics
We would like to start a new group which explores issues
relating to what we believe and how we live in this fast-paced
world.
The Christianity Explored course is a good introduction, but
we can use other material.
DO let us know when a good time to meet would be for you.
Lay Pastoral Assistants [LPA’s]
In May, 14 people will be commencing a Diocesan
Course to train them as Lay Pastoral Assistants.
This will enable them us to form a pastoral team who can care
for people in both parishes.
Lay Pastoral Assistants have the authority of the Diocese.
There will be a special service at which they will be commended
later this year
Favourite Sayings
Remember - it takes half as many muscles in
your face to smile than it does to frown!
Thoughts
If we could Shrink the World
If we could shrink the earth to a village with
a population of precisely 100 people with all the existing
human ratios remaining the same, there would be...
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, both North and South
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's
wealth
80 would live in sub-standard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death
1 would be near birth
1 (yes only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When we consider our world from such a compressed
perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education
becomes glaringly apparent.
It you have never experienced the danger of
battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture
or the pangs of starvation - you are ahead of 500 million
people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear,
harassment, arrest, torture or death you are more blessed
than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes
on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep - you are
richer than 75% of the world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet
and spare change in a dish somewhere - you are among the top
8% of the worlds wealthy.
(Found at the Eden Project)
Humour
Give me a sense of humor, Lord, Give me the
grace to see a joke,
To get some humour out of life, And pass it on to other folk.
A little boy was attending his first wedding.
After the service, his cousin asked him, “How many women
can a man marry?” “Sixteen,” the boy responded
at once. His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly.
“Why do you say that?” “Easy,” the
little boy said. “All you have to do is add it up, like
the minister said, 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer.”
Deliver us
I had been teaching my three-year-old daughter
the Lord's Prayer. Then one evening at bedtime she attempted
it solo. I listened with pride, as she carefully annunciate
every word, right up until the end of the prayer. 'Lead us
not into temptation', she prayed, ' but deliver us some e-mail.
Amen'.
One liners
Give God what's right - not what's left.
Man's way leads to a hopeless end - God's way
leads to an endless hope.
A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
To be almost saved is to be totally lost.
When praying, don't give God instructions -just
report for duty.
Bibles that are falling apart are usually owned
by people who aren't.
Know your Ten Commandments
Henry, who was very elderly, was unhappy because
he had lost his favourite hat. Instead of buying a new one,
he decided he would go to church and steal one out of the
entrance porch when the worshippers were busy praying.
When Henry arrived at the church an usher intercepted
him at the door and took him to a pew where he had to sit
and listen to the entire sermon on 'The Ten Commandments.'
After the service, Henry met the vicar in the
vestibule doorway, shook his hand vigorously, and told him,'I
want to thank you Father for saving my soul today. I came
to church to steal a hat and after hearing your sermon on
the 10 Commandments I decided against it'.
The vicar answered, 'You mean the commandment
'Thou shalt not steal' changed your mind?' 'No; retorted Henry,
'the one about adultery did. As soon as you said that, I remembered
where I had left my old hat.
Extracts from church notices and newsletters
(not Crosslinks!)
This afternoon there will be a meeting in the
south and north ends of the church. Children will be baptised
at both ends.
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have
a nursery downstairs.
Weight watchers will meet at 7.30pm at the church. Please
use the large double door at the side entrance.
Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition
of several new members and the deterioration of some of the
older ones.
Don't let worry kill you. Let the church help.
This evening at 7pm there will be a hymnsing
in the park across from the church. Bring a blanket and come
prepared to sin.
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What
is Hell?".
Come early and listen to the choir practice.
The Minister unveiled the church's new donations campaign
last Sunday:
"I upped my Pledge - Up Yours".
Thursday night - Potluck Supper. Prayer and medication to
follow.
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and
community.
Tuesday at 4PM there will be an ice cream social. All ladies
giving milk will please come early.
Wednesday, the Ladies Liturgy Society will meet. Mrs. Jones
will sing "Put Me In My Little Bed" accompanied by the organist.
Thursday at 5PM there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers
Club. All wishing to become Little Mothers, please see the
minister in his private study.
This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward
and lay an egg on the altar.
The service will close with "Little Drops of Water". One of
the ladies will start (quietly) and the rest of the congregation
will join in.
Next Sunday, a special collection will be taken to defray
the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something
on the new carpet will come forward and get a piece of paper.
The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind
and they may be seen in the church hall Friday.
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church
hall. Music will follow.
The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth
of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev and Mrs. Julius Belzer.
The 1991 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11.
The Vicar is on vacation. Massages can be given to church
secretary.
Mrs. Johnson will be entering the hospital this week for testes.
The Senior Choir invites any member of the congregation who
enjoys sinning to join the choir.
The minister would appreciate it if the ladies
of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles
for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
Hyms for all People
The Dentist's Hymn: .............................Crown
Him with Many Crowns
The Weatherman's Hymn: ....................There Shall Be
Showers of Blessings
The Contractor's Hymn: ........................The Church's
One Foundation
The Tailor's Hymn: ........................... ...Holy, Holy,
Holy
The Golfer's Hymn: .......................... ...There's a
Green Hill Far Away
The Politician's Hymn: .........................Standing on
the Promises
The Optician's Hymn: ..........................Open My Eyes
That I Might See
The Gossip's Hymn: ....................... ....Pass It On
The Electrician's Hymn: .......................Send The Light
The Shopper's Hymn: ........................ .Sweet By and
By
The Estate Agent's Hymn: ....................I've Got a Mansion,
Just Over the Hilltop
The Massage Therapists Hymn: ...........He Touched Me
The Doctor's Hymn: ............................The Great Physician
AND for those who speed on the highway -- a
few hymns:
45mph.............................God Will Take
Care of You
55mph.............................Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
65mph.............................Nearer My God To Thee
75mph.............................Nearer Still Nearer
85mph.............................This World Is Not My Home
95mph.............................Lord, I'm Coming Home
Over 100mph....................Precious Memories
