St Augustine's Parish Church News
Locking, July 2010
Dear Friends
'Giving for Life'
There is the story of a preacher who got up one
Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good
news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to
pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still
out there in your pockets."
Everything seems to be 'money' at the moment.
We've been told that the Government will be cutting billions
from public spending for the sake of a balanced budget. Then
of course, there is the backlash with people from various bodies
telling us that spending cuts will result in massive unemployment,
serious transport issues and all kinds of other calamitous events.
Meanwhile back in our parishes, we still have to face the daily
task of continuing services, looking after our buildings and
engaging in mission and outreach to carry on the work that God
is calling us to.
Talking about money and church [or even money
in church] is often an issue which raises the hackles and gets
many hot under the collar. Yet Jesus frequently spoke about
giving and treasure 'Where your wealth lies, there shall your
heart be also...' [Matt 6:21]. There is nothing unspiritual
about money. But perhaps for some people, it's too close to
their comfort zones to talk about giving and - more specifically
- how much we should be giving.
Most of us have a love affair with money. When
we got married, Anne and I had third-hand furniture and a flagstoned
hallway with no carpet. Yet, I would argue we were as happy
- if not happier then, than we are now, in a lovely house with
more possessions than we've ever had.
As long as I am enslaved to money - I want more.
I will never be satisfied. But once I give over my desire for
more to God, he replaces it with something far more satisfying
- a fulfilment that comes from a relationship with him. Does
money have a hold on you? Is it your Master? Or do you make
it your servant, and the servant of Jesus? Love affair with
money? I would rather have a love affair with God.
Later this year we will be looking at 'Giving
for Life' which the Diocese have commended to us. I pray it
will challenge and transform our attitudes to money, what we
spend it on, and what we can make it do.
Yours in his service
Richard Lee
See Notice Board for
Whats's On this week
Calendar of Events over the next few
weeks.
Click Here for Events this
month in Locking Village
Anniversary
Our priests Rev Anne and Rev Richard Lee celebrated
their 20th Wedding Anniversay on 24th July with a service of
rededication of their marriage and renewal of their vows. The
service which was taken by Rev Matthew Thomson was well attended
by their family and friends including the congregations of St
Mary's Hutton and St Augustine's Locking. Tea and cake was served
on the Vicarge lawn after the service, followed by a barbecue
in the evening.
Dear friends,
It was so wonderful – a real foretaste of
heaven to see family and friends from the present and the past
all gathered inside St Augustine’s for our 20th anniversary
celebration. We had the most lovely day and feel truly blessed
by everyone’s generosity and love.
Can we also say a huge thank you to everyone who
helped us out for the day – from Josh Patterson who did
vast amounts of washing up; Pauline Moore for behind the scenes
catering wonders; Penny and Claire for the loans of the gazebos
and marquee. And from Anne – a special thanks to Claire
and Helen who made her look absolutely stunning:- “.....vicars
as you’ve never seen them before...” But to everyone
who just came and made our day special. We love you so much
– here’s to the next 20. What can we celebrate next.......!
Again, our love to you all.
Richard and Anne
About our new Curate.... introducing
Julie Birkett.
It was last year when we were approached by the
Diocese and asked whether we would be interested in having a
Curate working with us. Needless to say, we were very excited
about the possibility of being part of the training and building-up
of a newly ordained person. [We are not encouraged to see a
curate as ‘just another pair of hands’ – quite
rightly].
After having found out about Julie, there was
a huge amount of work to be done between herself, us and the
Diocese. We were not allowed to tell the parishes about this
until all formalities had been completed. Fortunately, these
had been done in time for the churches to be officially told
on Easter Sunday.
Julie will be working part-time in both parishes
and will also be continuing her job in Weston. Please could
you pray for her and John – in this time of continuity
and change.
Anne and Richard
Julie writes....
Well, that’s it! Final assignment completed
and just a few more weeks of smaller tasks to do, completing
initial training on June 14th before ordination on 4th July
and then joining in fellowship and ministry with you all in
the Benefice of Hutton and Locking. So a few words by way of
introduction!
“Memories are made of this” by Dean
Martin was number one when I was born in Plymouth, where I grew
up and went to a girls grammar school with a playground on the
roof which overlooked Devonport dockyard. I trained as a registered
nurse and then a midwife, working at Freedom Fields Maternity
Unit for several years, before marrying John and moving to live
in various places in the Midlands before finally settling in
Weston-super-Mare in 1989. We have three children, James who
lives and works in London, Simeon in Birmingham, and Lauren
who is just completing her nursing degree in Birmingham. Oh
yes, must not forget the other member of our family, our nine
year old golden retriever Dudley who loves to run and will find
the smallest puddle of water to lie in on a hot day.
I work part-time as a nurse at Tudor Lodge Surgery,
as I have for the past 15 years, have been a Reader at Christ
Church for ten years and been a tutor on the diocesan “Exploring
Christianity” course for three years. I greatly enjoy
live music, particularly folk rock, and enjoy working in the
church tent at the Glastonbury Festival as part of an ecumenical
team sharing God’s love with those attending the festival.
The Sanctuary Marquee is open for 24 hours a day over the festival
offering two services of worship a day and providing a place
of sanctuary for revellers who have lost their tent, their wellies,
have fallen out with their friends or just need a safe place
to sleep it off. Apart from attending live music when I can,
I enjoy the theatre, walking in the rain and curling up with
a good book and a glass of red wine by an open fire. Looking
forward very much to meeting you all very soon, with my love
and prayers,
Julie x
Confirmation
We are delighted a number of St Augustine's members
have been Confirmed at St Peter's Milton by the Bishop of Tuanton
on 1st July
Claire Patterson - Anne Shanks - Emma Cooke
Please pray for them as they conintue to grow
in the Power of the Holy Spirit
Weekend at Home
which we are calling ‘PLENTY’. Rather
than going away this year we are going to have a weekend at
home which will run from Friday evening 2nd July - Sunday
lunchtime 4th July 2010. We hope that being at home
will mean that many people from each church will be able to
attend. Martin and Francesca Cavendar from ReSource will be
leading the weekend. Please put the dates in your diaries as
it looks to be a good weekend. We are looking to put together
a group of people who will help with the planning and preparation
of the weekend - to include food & social events. If you
are interested please see Anne/Richard asap.
Social Events Coming Up
Men’s pie and pint evening.
Saturday 11th September
Locking Church centre
Guest speaker
Put the date in your diary now
Film evening.
Saturday 16th October 6.30pm
Locking Church centre
Refreshments will be available for the evening
Tools for Self Reliance - Sunday 29th
August 2010
Tools for Self-Reliance is a national charity
that seeks to help people in African countries to be self reliant.
This is carried out by working with recognised and proven agencies
to provide refurbished carpentry, engineering, building and
blacksmith tools together with suitable training. Recycled sewing
machines are also used.
The donated tools are cleaned, repaired and reconditioned
by unpaid volunteers at various centres throughout the UK. Once
the tools have been locally refurbished they are put into kits
such as, carpenters', builders', sewing etc. The kits are coordinated
at the TfSR H.Q. at Netley March and are shipped from Southampton.
The tools are distributed in Africa and full training is given
to enable artisans to set up their own businesses, earn their
own living and support their families and communities. Recent
shipments have been sent to Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
Peter Hughes will be telling us more about Tools
for Self Reliance at St. Augustine's Church Locking at the Sunday
morning service starting at 10.00 am. Please collect your old
tools (carpentry, spanners, DIY, garden or what you have), as
there will be an opportunity for people to bring them to the
service for reconditioning at the Weston-super-Mare branch of
TfSL and sending to Africa.
Lay-led home Communions
Over the last year, the number of people receiving
home communion in their own home has risen considerably. In
order to cater for this, we will be forming a Team of lay people
from both churches who will be trained to do this and who also
have the Bishop's permission to do so. If you, yourself need
to receive Communion at home, please let the clergy know and
they can make arrangements for this.
Christianity Explored
Christianity Explored Course
This has been running for several weeks with a group meeting
in the church lounge on Tuesday mornings. This is what some
of them said about the course:-
'I found the Christianity Explored course very enjoyable.
I feel that I discovered a great deal more about the life, death
and resurrection of Jesus. There were times when it was very
thought provoking, and many issues were raised and discussed.
It was such a blessing to be with a group of people wanting
to know more about Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.'
J. Hardy
'I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed
the Christianity Explored Course. I feel like a breath of fresh
air has come into my life and a lot of my questions have been
answered. Now I can't wait for the Alpha Course to begin as
I feel I'm learning every day.'
This is a very good course for anyone wanting
to explore the Christian faith. Watch out for new courses running
next 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
