BAPTIST CHURCH
2008 is now a few weeks old and many people will be making plans for holidays and other events to take place later in the year. As the year began, what were your hopes for 2008? Health? Wealth? Happiness? Peace? These are the things that most of us hope for, and the Chinese, as they celebrate their Now Year on February 7th will be wishing each other Happiness, Prosperity and Long Life. It's what we all want. But we know that health and wealth don't always result in happiness, and happiness is not necessarily dependent on the other two. So, is it right to pursue these things, and are they the most important? We have souls as well as bodies, and these need to be nurtured too. The Bible records a letter written by the Apostle John to his friend, Gaius. He said, "I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." John had no doubt about the health of his friend's soul, he just hoped that his physical health might match up to it! Body, mind and spirit are all inter-related, and the health of one can be affected by the others. We need a balanced lifestyle. Some people are so concerned about the body that they neglect to care for the soul. Others, perhaps, are so busy pursuing the prosperity bit that they neglect the soul and the body. And we all know what can happen to all three when the pursuit of happiness is taken to extremes! Let's take a health check this new year and see if any adjustments need to be made. I'll let Jesus have the last word with a quote from Matthew 6 verses 31 & 32. "Do not worry, saying,' What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear' Your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you as well."
CHURCH CALENDAR
Lent Meetings begin on Feb. 13th, and on two subsequent Wednesdays, at 7,45pm at the school. The theme will be "The Way, the Truth, the Life." and will, as usual, be shared with our St. Peter's friends.
Palm Sunday, March 16th, will also be a "JAM" (children's) service at 10.30am. Good Friday, March 21st. Short Service at 10am, followed by coffee and hot cross buns. Easter Sunday, March 23rd. Communion 8 am, Breakfast 9 am, Family Service 10.30am. Cornerstone Covenant service, Chipping Campden, 6.30pm. United Service, Holy Trinity Church, Chipping Norton,Sunday Feb.24th, 6.30pm
OTHER EVENTS
We have two "Just Desserts" evenings arranged for February and March.
On Saturday, February 9th there will be "fantasticfree entertainment” starting at 7pm. Helen Rogers, Hilary Wiseman, Jonathan Rowe and Paul Acreman will perform with other local talent for your enjoyment. Experience the bells, smells and sights as Martin Quartermain takes us on a journey through old steam train era, Hook Norton. Collect free tickets from Post Office and Village Shop to avoid missing those delicious deserts!" There will also be an opportunity of supporting one of our local postmen who is planning to climb Kilimanjaro in aid of Cystic Fibrosis.
On Saturday March 29th, at 7pm, there will be another "Desert island Discs" evening, when some more village personalities (including Hooky's very own Ian Kaye from the village shop!) will be interviewed and share their chosen music with us. Once again there will be a wide variety of desserts to sample after the show.
Hall Bookings. Please note that Ken Conrad is no longer dealing with these. Bookings can be made via the church office until further notice.
Dorothy Smith. John Taylor (church office) 737315
ST PETER'S CHURCH
Well, it may be pretty obvious by the time this newsletter is published, but just before Christmas St. Peter's was finally given the Chancellor's go-ahead to have all the old pews removed and replaced with new, comfy upholstered chairs. The work, which started on January 21st, does unfortunately mean the building will be closed for a few weeks, but the doors will re-open on February 10th with a special 10 a.m. service of dedication. The work will take three weeks, because once the pews have been removed, the existing granwood floors are all being renovated and resealed, and just before the new chairs are delivered the whole church will also be professionally cleaned, from top to bottom. What a wonderful start to the New Year.
Changing over to an all-chair church means St. Peter's will not only be far more comfortable for everyone sitting in it, but will allow the space to be used far more flexibly for services and the many events, from concerts to craft-fairs, that St. Peter's hosts. In total, 108 wooden-framed upholstered chairs and 248 metal-framed upholstered chairs have been purchased, and we do thank everyone who has made even the smallest donation to help cover the cost. It's an expensive exercise, but one that we know will be worth every penny. The breakdown is as follows: Cost ofChairs £15,690.35. Floor renovation £4,106.63. Church clean £4,447.38. This gives a total cost of £24,244.36, towards which we have received gift-aided contributions amounting to £3,355, with a further £750 pledged. Sale of the pews will also bring in another £3,000. It's not too late to make a donation of any amount towards the chairs. A number of people have kindly donated the price of a 'whole' chair, at £75 each. This also allows the purchase of a small brass plaque for the back of a chair, which can be engraved, perhaps in commemoration or as a memorial to family and/or friends. Please speak to either Keith Fowler or myself, if you would like to make any form of donation. Tax payers can also fill in a short gift-aid form, which also allows us to recoup money from the taxman!
I chose my words carefully when stating that the work in St. Peter's means 'the building' will be closed for three weeks. Closure of the church is perhaps a good time to take stock of how we worship/pray, and when. As I'm sure I've mentioned before (and I make no apologies for doing so!), our relationship with Jesus and our commitment to God should not be confined to, or indeed dependent on, the presence of a church building. God is with us 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, wherever we are, whatever we do, and whether we have an open church or not.
This being said, our regular worship is continuing during the period of church closure – we are just meeting in different venues. Most of the timetabled services until February 10th are being held at Hook Norton Primary School. Exceptions include the 8 a.m. BCP service of Holy Communion on 3rd February, which will be at St.Mary's, Swerford, and the service for the imposition of ashes on 6th February, (Ash Wednesday), which will be at St. Andrew's Church, Great Rollright, at 8 p.m. Other dates will be printed in the weekly pewslip.
The work will also be finished before Easter, which falls early this year, on March 23rd. Details of Easter services are below. This year's Lent Course, themed 'The Way, The Truth and the Life', will be held on three Wednesday evenings; 13th and 27th February and 12th March, at Hook Norton Primary School Hall, 7.45 p.m. All welcome! Regular Diary Dates:
and Me (JAM) club:
Hook Norton Primary School study centre, every Wednesday, 3.15-4.15 p.m. during term time, for keystage 1 and keystage 2 children (not nursery).
Wheelers and Squealers
: Our regular get-togethers for the village tots, tinies and their parents/carers. 11.00 am at St. Peter's, every second Thursday of the month (see posters for confirmation). Next meeting, Thursday 14th February.
Groups
: The two Youth Groups each meet once a month. The next meeting for 'Energise', the group for all secondary school-aged children, is on 15th February 7.30 to 9 p.m., at St. Peter's Hall. 'Outlook', which is for teenagers in school year 10 and above, will meet on 29th February, at 8 p.m., at the home of Chris and Laura Cooke. Contact Chris and Laura for more details, or see the website (www.stpeters-hooknorton.org.uk).
Benefice Prayer meetings
: Every third Wednesday of the month. Please see noticeboard in church porch or the website for dates and venues. (Please note that while the church is closed, notices will also be posted on the St. Peter's Church board, just inside the reception area in Hook Norton Primary School).
Café:
10.00 a.m. 'til 12.00 noon, every Tuesday and Saturday morning at St. Peter's. Fresh coffee, tea and biscuits, served free of charge. It's an opportunity to meet with friends, relax and enjoy a chat. Children and well-behaved dogs welcome! If anyone would like to help out as a Font Café volunteer, even on an occasional basis, please speak to Jan Hughes for more information, or pop along during opening times and speak to any of the helpers on that day! (Please note that during the period of church closure, Font Cafe will be relocating its kettles and crockery to St. Peter's Hall, next to the library, and will be open as usual!)
Fairtrade stalls:
Volunteers from St. Peter's continue run a Fairtrade stall at the monthly markets in Hook Norton and Swerford. The stalls sell all manner of Fairtrade foods and beverages, along with gifts and household items. Other items, including Fairtrade wine, are available to order through the catalogue. Please drop by and support us! And don't forget, there is a Fairtrade stall in church after the 10 a.m. service every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. Special Services, and Easter at St. Peter's:
Prayers for Healing
of body, mind and spirit: 'Are any among you sick ....?' (James 5 v 14). Then why not come to St Peter's Church, Hook Norton on Thursday 28th February 2008 at 7.30pm.
Mothering Sunday
: March 2nd, 10 a.m. A Mothering Sunday all-age service.
Sunday
: March 16th, 10 a.m. Morning Worship.
Passover Supper
: Thursday March 20th 7.30 p.m.
Friday
: March 21st, 2-3 p.m. An hour at the Cross.
Easter Day
: March 23rd. 8 a.m. Holy Communion, and 10 a.m. Morning Worship.
Easter Day.
March 23rd. 5.45 a.m. Dawn Holy Communion at St. Andrew's church, Great Rollright.
And finally, a group of 40 people, including the young and not-so-young, will be joining the thousands of others congregating at Butlins in Minehead for one of this year's three Spring Harvest weeks in April. If anyone is interested in going to Spring Harvest in the future, even if just for a day or two, please do ask around and speak to those who have attended in previous years, or speak to Jan Hughes or Sheila Acreman for more information.
HOOK NORTON'S ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
– 12TH FEBRUARY
It was great to have so many positive thoughts on the article on Carbon Footprints in the December issue. Thank you to all those who responded.
Given people are so keen to take some action here in Hook Norton we will hold a meeting from 8-9pm on Tuesday 12th February at Hook Norton Primary School. What better venue given the fantastic news that Hook Norton is now a Green Flag School – see the article later in the Newsletter.
From what people have said to date the things you would like to cover at the meeting are:
A chance for people to come and calculate their own personal carbon footprints.
To use this information to get some hints and tips about what actions will save them money and also what actions will do most to reduce their carbon emissions. We are fortunate that the school has made their computing suite available and so we can do this on-line there and then.
To discuss the options for making biodiesel from waste oil available to the Hook Norton community for those driving diesel cars.
Information on good local suppliers of solar panels for heating hot water and information on prices and the savings that can be made.
I was also over in Charlbury last night at the first meeting of their Carbon Reduction Action Group. This seems to me to be a really good action-based group based on individuals taking action to reduce their energy use and then using the savings to fund community projects to make carbon savings across the whole community. I have put my name forward to participate in this. I will give a brief outline of this on the 12th February and it may be that the group is interested in either joining the Charlbury group or starting a similar group in Hook Norton. So if you would like to come for an hour on the 12th February to take some practical steps on climate change, then do give me a ring or drop me an e.mail just so we have an idea of numbers.
I was also over in Charlbury last night at the first meeting of their Carbon Reduction Action Group. This seems to me to be a really good action-based group based on individuals taking action to reduce their energy use and then using the savings to fund community projects to make carbon savings across the whole community. I have put my name forward to participate in this. I will give a brief outline of this on the 12th February and it may be that the group is interested in either joining the Charlbury group or starting a similar group in Hook Norton.