Church News

Melbourn United Reformed Church

November and December were busy months as usual at the church.

‘Shoebox Sunday’ saw the wonderful total of 147 shoeboxes, filled with goodies and a lots of caring thoughts, sent off to children in the Ukraine through the Samaritans Purse ‘Operation Christmas Child’. Thanks to all those in Melbourn who prepared a shoebox and also to the many individuals and groups in the surrounding villages who continue to support this charity year after year. In addition to bringing joy to those who receive the boxes, it is a fun way to start off your Christmas present giving. So do please consider joining us in our shoebox preparation later in the year.

The ‘Big Christmas Card’ raised a total of £95 this year. It was a good way to send greetings to friends locally, with the proceeds being sent to the Philippines Disaster Appeal. Our new venture of ‘Tastes of Christmas’ in early December saw our hall filled with lots of happy people enjoying the tastes (and smells) of mulled wine, waffles, all manner of seasonal baked goods, Christmas curries and bratwurst. To name just some of the goodies on offer! We had apple and apple juice tasting and Christmas greenery and wooden decorations on sale. This new format will be repeated in 2014, so mark your diaries early for the first Saturday in December for ‘Tastes of Christmas 2’!

As part of our ‘Homelessness Sunday’ service on 26th of January, items collected for Jimmy’s Night Shelter were blessed before being taken along to the shelter in Cambridge. These included clothing and dried goods and a number of handmade hats and blankets. Those who joined us at the Village Fete last year to knit squares should know that their handiwork is now part of one of the blankets at Jimmy’s.

Don’t forget that there are ongoing projects and a warm welcome for new people and ideas at our Craft and Chat afternoons. These are on Thursday afternoons, 2-4 pm in our hall. Contact Anne Field 01763 220869 for more information.

Looking forward

We will be holding our usual Good Friday Service followed by hot cross buns and coffee in the hall. Our Easter Sunday Service will be a communion service at 11 am and a warm welcome is extended to all. To check for additional details of Lent and Easter activities and services please see our Church noticeboard and notices in the church hall.

Last year we instigated the making and decorating of an Easter tree where people were invited to decorate eggs with suitable prayers or artwork. This will be made again this Easter. If you would like to decorate an egg or add a prayer, drop into the Craft afternoons in the 2 weeks before Easter or contact Eirwen on 01763 262346. Friday Morning Coffee, every week, in the Church Hall from 10.30am.

Why not a fixed date for Easter?

Every year about January or February when snow or ice plays havoc with the football season the old cry goes up, “Why not a winter break for footballers?” Almost every year it’s the same and yet no action is ever taken.

The same can be said of the Easter holiday. It’s either too soon and the bad

weather is still with us, or too late and too near the May Bank holidays. The question is asked every year, “why not a fixed date?”

The answer is not so simple.

The events of the first Easter are inextricably entwined in the Jewish Feast of the Passover. The New Testament of the Bible is quite clear on the subject and the Passover has for centuries been governed by sonar and lunar cycles and that means the dates are movable and the dates shift from year to year.

It’s all rather difficult and the arguments for a fixed date go on. But ask yourself if a date was fixed would it suit everyone? There would be many saying “too soon” and others “too late”.

Perhaps it’s better to leave it alone and when the snow falls on Easter Sunday think to yourself “it might just snow if we moved the date to a later date”.

And another point. Many people, including the BBC, who should know better, refer to the Saturday before Easter Sunday as Easter Saturday. In fact it’s Easter Even or Holy Saturday. You can’t have Easter Saturday until you’ve had Easter itself.

So what ever date Easter falls on “have a Happy Easter” Colin Limming

What have I to be thankful for?

All through the Bible we hear of people giving thanks to God and in the New Testament we are repeatedly told to be thankful. Why? Why is it so important? Without gratitude we can so easily take everything and everybody for granted. It is so easy to become blind to all the blessings we receive day by day, even though we see people in other parts of the world lacking even clean water to drink. Selfishness and greed can ruin life, as the young man in the parable of the prodigal son discovered to his cost. Instead of finding happiness, it took suffering to make him come to his senses and realise that he had lost everything that he had taken for granted. If we could make gratitude a part of each day, what a difference it would make to our view of life and our relationships with others.

Some might say ‘that’s all very well, but try dealing with my problems – what have I to be thankful for?” Yet, strangely enough, it is often those experiencing the greatest difficulties who seem to be most aware of their blessings. The wife of England cricketer and one time Bishop of Liverpool, David Sheppard, was diagnosed for the third time with cancer. In an interview she described how she coped with the fear of terminal illness. She said “There is a huge power in gratitude – once we start to itemise what we are being given, then it becomes a habit to say and to be thankful. I don’t have to look miles away to see things that I am thankful for. I see photos of my grandsons and my daughter; flowers that someone has brought me; a drink that will quench my thirst – all these little things and they mount up and you think aren’t I blessed and to me these are all gifts from God and it does help the suffering, helps you do the hard bits”.

In James 1 v. 17, we read “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father”.

Instead of seeing good things being given to us by God, we so often pass them off as a strange coincidence, a stroke of genius, a lucky chance – prayers answered, problems solved, anxieties lifted. What a difference it would make to our outlook on life if instead we saw them as gifts from God. Andrew O’Brien, All Saints’ Church

Supporters of All Saints (SOAS)

The Orlando Singers, under the capable direction of our Parish Clerk Peter Horley, performed an admirable programme of Christmas music to an appreciative audience in All Saints Church in December. Compared with the previous year our numbers were down but we were competing against the final of “Strictly” and those who did come along were possibly seeking sanctuary! Despite a smaller audience we were able to add about £400 to our bank balance and out of that total to donate £100 to the Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme.

Our membership is composed not only of members of the congregation but also residents who are not always regular worshippers but are concerned about the maintenance of the church. With this in mind we are planning an afternoon of guided tours of the church on Sunday 22nd June, not only for SOAS members, but for anyone who would like to know more about the church. Tours will be followed by cream teas in All Saints’ Community Hall. Booking will be necessary in view of possible numbers involved. Details will follow.

A modest outlay will enable you to join in our activities by becoming a member and membership forms are always in church or can be obtained from myself. Colin Limming, Membership Secretary. 01763 260072 colin.limming@ btinternet.com

SOAS 100 Club

The November draw was made by Rev Andrew O’Brien on 9th December. There were 71 members. The first prize of £23.66 goes to Mavis Howard (10) at 23 Station Road and the second to Doreen Haddrell (4) at 11 Dickersons.

The December draw was made by Chris van Vliet (SOAS committee member) on 7th January. There were 71 members. The first prize of £23.66 goes to Hilary Docwra (65) at 3 Cross Lane and the second to Hilary Warboys (79) at 4 Beeton Close.

The January draw was made by Mr Mike Rawlings on 1st Feb at Coffee Stop. There were 76 members. The first prize of £25.40 goes to Pat & Edlef Oppen at 1 Chapmans Close and the second of £12.70 goes to APC Dekkers at 110 High Street.

The Word of God - from David Burbridge Christ appeared in the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. As it is appointed unto men to die, but after that, the judgement, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto those who look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9. 26-28.