Index of Forerunner issues / Previous month / Next month.

Calendar for July 2001

Services in Kingscote

Sunday 1st 9.30 am Parish Communion - BCP

Sunday 8th 11.00 am Family Service

Sunday 15th 9.30 am Parish Communion - CW Order 1

Sunday 22nd 11.00 am Parish Communion - CW Order 1

Sunday 29th 11.00 am Matins - BCP

Sunday 1st 11.00 am Parish Communion - CW Order 1

Sunday 8th 9.30 am Parish Communion - BCP

Sunday 15th 11.00 am Parish Communion - CW Order 1

& Sunday School

Sunday 22nd 9.30 am Parish Communion - CW Order 1

Sunday 29th 9.30 am Matins - BCP

_

The Taize Worship group meets in the Lady Chapel on Thursday 5th of July. Worship commences at 7.30 pm . All are very welcome.

A Deanery Evensong will be held on Sunday 29th July at 3.00 pm in Gloucester Cathedral. The time has changed to take advantage of a visit by the choir of Coventry Cathedral. Those already booked on the bus should confirm their attendance and obtain the new departure time from the vicar.

The Treasurer to the PCC, Jane Nichols has given notice of her wish to stand down at the next Annual Meeting in April 2002, giving plenty of time for a successor to learn the role. Familiarity with book-keeping practice and the generation of spread-sheets on a PC are the necessary requirements. The format of the accounts is specified by the Diocese and they have to be independently audited each year. It is not the responsibility of the treasurer to raise money other than as a member of the PCC, which meets generally monthly. Those interested should make contact with Jane to get a better understanding of the activities.

A collection has been launched together with Horsley in order to fund a Personal Computer as a farewell gift to the Vicar to give him a flying start in his new ministry. The C of E is unable to fund such equipment on a parish by parish basis, but it can enormously ease the administrative load and through e-mail is a valuable aid to written communication. Please give your contribution to any PCC officer or member.

The Interregnum (the period when we have no vicar) is now looming, and the PCC are considering the best way of maintaining public worship for what will almost certainly be many months. This will be discussed formally at the next PCC meeting at 8.00 pm on Monday 30th July in the Village Hall. One option is to try to ensure continuity for the congregation by sticking to the current service pattern, accepting that blanks will arise. More realistically we may just have to accept the time at which we can get a minister. Any views which members of the congregation have would be welcome. The privilege of being able to walk to church on a Sunday will be sorely missed by many of us.

For the Forerunner the editor would like to consider replacing the Vicar?s Letter by articles written by members of the PCC. This has not been discussed by the PCC yet, but any views of the readership on this proposal will be considered before proceeding.

Forerunner Internet Site www.geocities.com/forerunneruk/

Diocesan Internet News Site www.glosdioc.org.uk

The Vicar?s Letter

Dear All,

Today there seems to be a growing fascination with horoscopes. Many newspapers and magazines have astrologers writing columns. There are countless numbers who look to the stars to try and see into the future. What will the future hold ? That is a question which often captivates us all. Of course none of us knows exactly what the future holds. That means we have to live with uncertainty and few of us like uncertainty. There are those who look to the future with fear; so much so, that some are prevented from launching out into the unknown and taking up new challenges or new commitments.

Some while ago I came across an imaginary story which took place on the night before St. Peter was crucified in Rome during the persecution of the Christians. It goes like this:

St. Peter had a nightmare on the night before his crucifixion. In it he was back on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus came up to him and called him to follow him. Peter said "no", and went on with his fishing; and Jesus walked away, looking sad. In his nightmare Peter watched Jesus walking away and this was too much for him to bear. He woke up sweating and shaking, for he believed his nightmare to be true. When, a moment later, he realised that it was not true, he fell on his knees and thanked God that it was not true.

How terrible it would have been, he thought, if he had allowed Jesus to walk away from him. There flashed through his mind all the things which he would have missed. He would have missed the halcyon days of teaching and healing; he would have missed the memorable evening in the Upper Room; he would have missed the grief of denying his Lord, and then the freedom and joy of being forgiven; he would have missed the excitement of Pentecost and the fatigue of working in the early Church. Even his own crucifixion would mean a reunion with his Lord.

If he had not said "yes" to Jesus by the Sea of Galilee, he would have missed all this. He would have missed the immeasurable enrichment that had come his way. If our lives are going to be truly full, there must come a time when we say "yes" - when we commit ourselves to something or someone.

Yet the moment of commitment is so difficult; there is so much standing in the way of our "yes". Michel Quoist has captured this feeling in one of the prayers in his book ?Prayers of Life?:

I am afraid of saying "yes" Lord,

Where will you take me ?

I am afraid of drawing the longer straw,

I am afraid of signing my name to an unread agreement,

I am afraid of the "yes" that entails other "yeses".

And yet I am not at peace?..

But I am afraid to say "yes", Lord.

I am afraid of putting my hand into yours, for you hold onto it.

I am afraid of meeting your eyes, for you can win me.

I am afraid of your demands, for you are a jealous God?.

We may commit ourselves in a relationship to a partner, and this is a mutual commitment through halcyon days and through anxious days of illness or disaster.

We may commit ourselves to a cause or a political party, and we go with it through thick and thin.

We may commit ourselves to a religious faith. Without a faith to live by, we drift from idea to idea; without a faith to live by, we are rootless. We need roots badly. We need roots to see us through life, especially through the crisis points of life.

We can never be sure what we are letting ourselves in for. It is always something of a stepping into the unknown. Michel Quoist asks, "Where will you take me ?" and that is what we all ask - but we can never have this answer in advance.

There comes a time for all of us when we are asked to say "yes". Only you know when that time has come for you, and only I know when it has come for me. May we not let the moment pass, or we will miss so much.

God bless,

John Newcombe

July 1st and 8th Mrs. M. Gale

July 15th and 22nd Mrs. C. Burness

July 29th and Aug 5th Mrs. A. Wooldridge

Aug 12th and 19th Mrs. K. Candy

Jo Spash

We meet this month on the 1st July at 11.00 am in the Village Hall. Some of our time will be spent preparing for the family service the following week. There will also be crafts and games. All children are welcome.

We are busy at the moment recycling some spare velvet curtains given to the Church. These are being made into padded seats for the pews. One has been finished - two more to go. Our next meeting will be in the church at 2.30 pm on Wednesday 11th July.

Vida Sutton

Vida Sutton

On Sunday 22nd July we are hoping to repeat the success of previous years with various gardens in Kingscote open in aid of the Red Cross. We already have a nucleus of gardens on the list, but the more the merrier so all entries are welcome right up to a week before the day. Last time there were eleven gardens open, with a brilliant range of styles and sizes spread through the village, giving visitors good value for money. Contributions of plants for the plant stall would be welcome. Copies of the programme of Red Cross garden openings across Gloucestershire are available now free of charge on request.

Teas will be sold in aid of the upkeep of the church, and I should be very grateful for cakes and helpers when it comes to the time.

Sue Bradley-Jones

PC George Lager is the newly appointed rural beat officer for the South Cotswolds, and he gave a presentation at the Parish Assembly meeting on 21st May. His area of responsibility is roughly from Birdlip to Cricklade in the north, and from Didmarton to Lechlade in the south, which encompasses 55 Parishes. His job is to complement the local police officers in our area, dealing solely with rural issues. His distinctive silver police car has been seen several times in the village and he is clearly very enthusiastic about this new role.

PC Lager works from an office in Cirencester Police Station and has two contact telephone numbers: Office 01241 276 547, Mobile 0774 044 1851.

Several RURAL WATCH schemes have been set up, and he is keen to set up more, so if you live in an isolated property or on a farm please consider this. It is very simple, involving just the odd telephone call. It is an extension of NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH but costs nothing at all.

He wishes to highlight the following specific points:

1. Now is the time when 'New Age Travellers' move into the county, and it is advisable to close and lock all gates leading onto private fields and property.
2. In general, get into the habit of closing and if possible locking gates as it makes it more difficult for potential criminals.
3. Please make it easier for the police and emergency services to identify addresses from the road, as this can considerably influence their response time.

Prepared by the Editor from material supplied by PC Lager.

The mobile library will be by The Walled Garden from 9.40 am to 9.55 am on Thursdays July 12th and 26th.

Not a lot to report this month as our outing on 26th June was too late for this issue - will report next month. Our planned trip to Snowshill on 10th July has yet to be finalised.

Vida Sutton.

A reminder that gardens in the village will be open from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm on Sunday 22nd July. It is not too late to add your garden to the list: contact Sue on or before 14th July.

Plants will be for sale in aid of the Red Cross, and contributions for the plant stall would be most welcome. Teas will be sold in aid of the upkeep of the church, and offers of cakes and helpers would be much appreciated.

Sue Bradley-Jones

It has not been possible to fix all of the arrangements and commitments for the proposed Village Fete in time for the July issue of the magazine. After careful consideration the Village Hall Committee has reluctantly had to take the decision to cancel the fete, in order to avoid uncertainty and confusion so close to the date and in the peak of the holiday period.

It has been decided to update our records of the distribution of Church Keys in the Village. During the next few months Kay Brightly will be compiling a register of ?Key Custodians? and your help and cooperation is requested. Those borrowing keys for a short period need not be recorded.

The boxes will be emptied as follows:

Newington and Bagpath - Mon. 9th and 23rd July.

Kingscote - Tues. 10th and 24th July.

Contributions for the next issue please by 20th July to Harry Tubbs, 3 The Walled Garden, Tel. 860 194, E-mail

(We have some space to spare this month and the editor has taken the liberty of copying an article which was written for the school magazine in 1955. This may be of interest to young or old, and it is hoped that it will encourage other contributions).

A NIGHT WITH THE WHITBY FISHING FLEET

The swing bridge opened at half past seven and we joined the line of boats leaving the harbour. At the close of a beautiful day the town was still busy and a silent throng of holiday makers watched us slide out into the open sea. On deck the sea breeze chilled us, and we donned our warmest clothes and, sheltering behind the wheelhouse, watched Whitby disappear in the gathering gloom. This was a new and exciting experience and we were determined to make the most of it.

Our boat was one of a fleet of thirty which stretched forward to the horizon, beyond Boulby, where the sun was setting in a flood of yellow. Still we sped on, and as darkness closed in, one by one the masthead lights began to twinkle around us. The Echometer, a modern echo-sounding device which can detect a shoal of herring below the boat, was now switched on, and all eyes were on the graph which it slowly traced out. Soon a large black area was formed on the passing sheet; all hands were called, and we slid on at half speed. When we had passed over the shoal, the boat was quickly turned, and we began to retrace our path, this time streaming our net behind us. The crew worked like the machinery of a humming loom and the half mile of net with its floats and equipment disappeared into the black water with amazing rapidity. They made one slip, and in a tense moment a hawser coiled round a sea boot and one of the hands was dragged helplessly to the side. Quick manoeuvring by the skipper allowed him to free himself, and when the rest of the net had been passed over, the engine was switched off and the crew went below once more.

The boat now drifted freely in a heavy swell some six miles off Boulby cliff, and the lights of Sandsend, Runswick, Staithes and Skinningrove lay in tiny clusters in the blackness towards land. Round and beyond was a city of swaying lights, and the splashing and rushing of the water and the creaking of the rigging were the only sounds to be heard. Presently the moon climbed into a starless sky and spread a flood of cold grey light on the heaving sea behind us. In the wheelhouse the short wave radio was drawling out messages from one skipper to another, and occasionally a coaster would slide by in the gloom with saloon windows and portholes blazing light.

Some three hours later came the order to haul in the nets, and the crew once more donned their shiny oilskins. The engine was started with a wheeze of compressed air and the boat edged forward on the nets which were slowly hauled aboard. The herring entangled in them flashed like a host of silvery ornaments and were vigorously shaken onto the deck where, with the pitching and rolling, they passed down into the hold. Before this task was completed however, the main hawser which supports the nets became entangled in the propeller, and with the engine off we drifted once more as they struggled to clear it. Rather than cause trouble on the swaying deck, we went down below for half an hour?s rest and curled up in the bunks in the warmth and flickering light of the stove. The propeller was eventually cleared and when all the nets had been hauled in a new shoal was found, and the fishing commenced once more.

To the inexperienced it was a strange scene in the cabin, with the crew in their jerseys and smocks sitting round mugs of tea, the stove blazing forth heat and the neat little bunks set in the wall on either side. One looked with sleepy eyes through the clouds of steam and smoke across the table and saw the beaming weather-beaten face opposite soaring and then descending with pendulous regularity. We went on deck to see the rest of the night through and idled our time by discussing the best way of combating the wild motion of the boat. George preferred to curl up and sleep in the wheelhouse, while Bill and I tried to keep our feet, with reasonable comfort, at the stern. However we were all sick at four a.m., so what did it matter ? Daylight soon came and the nets had to be hauled in for the last time, a task which took the untiring crew some three hours, so heavy was the catch. As the light increased the sky became a perfect blue, and a tiny shred of cloud was tinged pink by the yet invisible sun. Slowly the majestic sunrise began and the full light of day shone on us once more.

There was the run back to harbour, the wait in the sun for the first bus, and then home to bed.

Index of Forerunner issues / Previous month / Next month.