Index of Forerunner issues / Previous month / Next month.

The Forerunner

 

The Magazine for the Parish of

Newington Bagpath with

Kingscote  

January                                                    2004

 

Calendar for January 2004

Nailsworth (C) = Service at Christ Church

Woodchester (P) = Service at the Priory

Nailsworth (F) = Service at the Friends Meeting House  

  The Mums and Toddlers group meets at Nailsworth Church at 9.30 am on Fridays  9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th January.

 The next PCC meeting will be on Monday 12 January at 8.00 pm in the Village Hall.

 The PCC thank all who contributed so generously to the candles for the annual Carol Service on 22nd December.

             Diocesan Internet News Site   www.glosdioc.org.uk

            Forerunner Internet Site   www.geocities.com/forerunneruk/

 The Vicar’s Letter

 Dear Friends,

 This letter should be read just as you are all in the middle of the Christmas activities and so I hope that you all have a very Happy Christmas and an even happier New Year !  I have now served my first full year in the benefice and this year seems to have sped by more quickly than I can ever remember - it was summer and next week it will be Christmas !!

 As I look out of my study window to a blue sky and brilliant sunshine I believe this year has been a special one, with a number of initiatives started in each of our churches, and I feel excited at the prospects for next year.

 But first we will see hundreds of people come to our services throughout this benefice - to our Carol, Christingle, Crib, Midnight and Christmas Day services.  Like the Shepherds and the Wise Men, some are looking for the promised Messiah, some will find Him, and others come to worship the one they have already found.

 The way the people sitting around us behave can have a marked effect on the way we worship.  It is so much easier to take part in real worship if those around are worshipping.  The Shepherds and the Wise Men  came to worship - and so they did.  May we each encourage newcomers and strangers to our churches by our attitude to worship, and pray that the Lord Himself may excite and inspire us in our worship.

 I will be ministering at eight of our services during the five days between Sunday and Christmas Day.  As many people then go away, it was felt that on the 28th December, the first day after Christmas (which is called ‘Low Sunday’), it would be good for everyone to come together at St George’s.  If you are about, please don’t think of the absence of a service in your church as a chance for a ‘day off’ but rather as an opportunity to be part of a larger congregation.  We can then all encourage each other  !!

 With God’s Blessings to you all, 

The Reverend Stephen Earley

 Confirmation: The next Deanery Confirmation Service will take place at Nailsworth on Saturday 19th June 2004. If you would like to be confirmed (and if appropriate baptised) please contact the vicar.  Please note that there is no upper age limit on either of these sacraments !

Flower Rota                

Jo Spash

 Sunday Club

Our next meeting will take place on 11th January in the Village Hall at 11.00 am.  Hope to see you there.

Carol singing on two crisp still evenings in Kingscote (12 singers) and Bagpath (7 singers) raised the magnificent total of £145-81 which has been sent to the Children’s Society.  Thank you to all who took part and who contributed.  

Janet, Elin and Jenny

Flower and Clean Team

Our first appointment with polish and dusters in 2004 will be on Wednesday 14th January at our usual time of 2.30 pm.

Vida Sutton

House Group

We are pleased to report that, following the discussion of the human passions of anger and lust at the last meeting, all five members of the House Group who took part remain good friends !

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 20 January, 7.45 for 8.00 pm, at the home of Sue Bradley-Jones when we will be discussing the related themes of

Faithfulness in Marriage and Speech.  The texts used are Matthew 5 v 31 to 37 and 19 v 3 to 9.  All are most welcome to join us.

The House Group

 Grumbolds Ash Group

We had an enjoyable evening together on 9th December when we met for our Christmas meal; this was despite the service being very slow causing it to be midnight before we got back home (at least they were sober - Editor).  We now look forward into the New Year on a modern note - we will be having a ‘taster computer session’ in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm on 6th January, so girls keep this date free.

Vida Sutton

Water Aid Appeal

The Prize Draw took place on 6th December and the winners of the double annual membership at Westonbirt arboretum were Brian and Bobby Pennels from Ashcroft.  The money raised to date is £195-05 which has been sent to Water Aid.  This charity works with people in Africa and Asia and won the 2003 UK Charity of the Year Award.  Many thanks to all who contributed.

Sue Bradley-Jones

2003 Charitable Giving

The PCC would like to thank all those who generously supported our special fundraising events and collections during 2003.  Because of your generosity, we were able to donate an amount equivalent to 10% of our unrestricted income to charities here and abroad, in keeping with our mission of extending help to those who are less fortunate.   The following organisations were supported during the year:

Charity	Purpose
Children’s Society	Supports the most marginalised  children in the UK
Christian Aid	Assists the poor in developing countries through support of local projects.
Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust	Funds the renovation of historic churches in Gloucestershire.
Guideposts	Provides housing  for people with learning difficulties in Gloucestershire.
Historic Churches Preservation Trust	Funds the preservation of historic churches in England and Wales.
Kingscote Youth Group	Organises activities and special excursions for Kingscote’s young people.
Royal British Legion	Supports current and former members of the Armed Forces.
St Luke’s Hospital	Provides treatment for Anglican clergy and their dependent families.
Send a Cow - Livestock for Life	Sends farm livestock to poor families in East Africa to help them have better nutrition and higher incomes.
Toy Box Charity	Supports homes and education for street children in Guatemala.
Water Aid	Provides clean safe drinking water for poor families in the developing world.

 

Brooks Childress

 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal

Thank you to all sellers and collectors for the annual Remembrance appeal.  This year we raised £691-37 which is believed to be our record.  Many thanks to all concerned.

Angela Wooldridge

Village Hall Activities

On Saturday 24th January a Burns Night celebration will take place in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm.  Come and share haggis, neeps and tatties with us, dressed in your best tartan of course !   Tickets are £5 adults, £3 children, payable on the door.  Please call Louise Marsh  (Tel. See paper version of Forerunner).  or Alice Cooper  (Tel. See paper version of Forerunner).  to reserve tickets, as we may not have spare tickets left on the night.

Alice Cooper

Mobile Police Station

The Mobile Police Station will visit Kingscote between 1.30 and 2.00 pm on Wednesday 7th and Monday 19th January.  Please give them your support.

 

Post Office

The Post Office is open on every normal working Tuesday and Thursday :

           from  9.00 am to 1.00 pm  and  from  2.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

 

Mobile Library                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The mobile library will be by The Walled Garden from 9.40 am to 9.55 am on Thursday  8th and 22nd of January.

 

Waste Recycling

The boxes will be emptied as follows:

                   Newington and Bagpath  -  Mon. 5th and 19th January.

                   Kingscote  -  Tues. 6th and 20th January.

 

Magazine

Any material which may be of interest for the next issue of the Forerunner should be sent by 20th January to H. Tubbs,  3 The Walled Garden,  Tel. 860 194, e-mail: 

 A prayer said by the congregation after communion:

 

            Father of all,

            we give you thanks and praise,

            that when we were still far off

            you met us in your Son and brought us home.

            Dying and living, he declared your love,

            gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory.

            May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life;

            we who drink his cup bring life to others;

            we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world.

            Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us,

            so we and all your children shall be free,

            and the whole earth live to praise your name;

            through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

The Forerunner is published by the P.C.C. who are usually most willing to

accept copy from village groups and individuals. However, please note that the opinions and views expressed by the contributors within the Forerunner are not necessarily those of the Church, P.C.C. or Editor.

Any material below this line is not part of the Forerunner magazine, but has been inserted by the company which distribute this magazine to your computer.