Melbourn United Reformed Church We are grateful to church members and friends in and around the village who have joined us or contributed to a number of special events over the last few months. Early in October Rosaline Van de Weyer presented an interesting and thought provoking illustrated talk on her visit to Romania as part of an ‘Aid for Romania’ medical team. Money raised on that evening was divided equally between the charity and church funds. On 21st November 2012, the tools and hymn books collected at Melbourn over our harvest weekend were delivered to the Tools With A Mission centre in Ipswich. The centre was a hive of activity with volunteers busy receiving, sorting and repairing all manner of tools. The next couple of containers of tools were going to Zambia and Uganda. Our thanks to everyone who contributed. Our ‘Shoebox Sunday’ service was led by our church member and Westminster College student, Martin Belgrove. Martin blessed the 122 shoeboxes collected for Samaritans Purse-Operation Christmas Child. These had been collected from our own congregation and friends, together with friends from Bassingbourn, Buntingford, Fowlemere and Barrington. Many thanks to everyone who supported this unique way of bringing a smile to a child. This year our ‘Big Christmas Card’ to send greetings to friends locally, was also a way of supporting Ormiston Children and Families Trust. (www.ormiston.org) a charity helping children and young people in the East of England.
Christmas Activities We enjoyed a busy and varied programme of events and services over the Christmas period. Our Christmas Bazaar was held on 1st December, where a number of traditional stalls were set out during the morning. This was followed by a scrumptious festive lunch. On 4th December we held a Christingle Service. The church was filled with candlelight from Christingles made and distributed by the Brownies. It was lovely to share this special service with family members and others who also attended. Our Women’s Meeting group joined the Mother’s Union for Carols on 11th December, and we joined with the other churches in Melbourn and Meldreth to sing carols in the Black Horse and in the centre of the village to raise funds for the Melbourn branch of Chenobyl’s Children. The latter took place on a very rainy day. Thanks to all who stopped to make a contribution and for the warm welcome at the Coffee Stop where we ended our carol singing for the morning. During December there were weekly Advent Bible Study evenings, our young people presented a Nativity with a contemporary slant and we enjoyed a Candlelit Watch-night Service and early morning service on Christmas Day.
Looking Forward Our Craft and Chat group continues to meet every Thursday between 2-4 pm. in the hall. So far we have knitted blankets and hats to be sent to Jimmy’s Nightshelter
and hats and gloves that were added to the Christmas shoeboxes. There are new projects, both group and individual in the pipeline. If you are interested in coming along either to learn a skill, to pass on expertise in a craft, or just for a cup of tea and chat you would be most welcome. For more information please contact Anne Field 01763 220869 Friday Morning Coffee, every week, in the Church Hall from 10.30am. Do drop in. As Lent and Easter approach, please check our church notice board for details of services and activities.
All Saints Parish Church The Crib Service is advertised as starting at 3.00 p.m. on Christmas Eve but from long experience the sidesmen on duty know it is wise to be ready an hour earlier and sure enough by then the first villagers are coming up the church path. Gradually the church fills up and by the starting time there is not a seat to be found and people are standing in the aisles! There is great good humour even amongst those who have to stand and the children are eagerly awaiting the first sighting of Noah our very own donkey together with ‘Joseph and Mary’. This year he didn’t leave any ‘calling cards’ that last year had to be swept up but there was some reluctance on his part to enter ‘the stable’ under the tower but with some pushing and prodding he was finally persuaded. Everybody kindly obeyed the sidesmen’s pleas and took their turn to view the ‘living crib’. Midnight Mass was well attended and the early Communion service on melbournmagazine
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