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Churches Together
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Melbourn & Meldreth Churches Together
We are a group consisting of members and friends from all the Churches in the villages. We actively support the Melbourn & Meldreth Churches and organise joint events intermittently throughout the year, to benefit our communities and national and international charities.
Most recently, in September, Melbourn URC hosted a Harvest Songs of Praise, followed by a shared tea. The funds raised went to the Kerala flood appeal. The next supported event will be the Light Party at the Baptist Church, which they host for our young people on the 31st October.
You are warmly invited to the annual week of prayer for Christian Unity Service on 20th January, 4pm at the Baptist Church.
The resource material has been produced by Churches in Indonesia this year. The service theme is truth, equality and unity. The Christians of Indonesia found that the words of Deuteronomy, ‘Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue…’ (cf. Deuteronomy 16:18-20) spoke powerfully to their situation and needs, and recognized this common need throughout the world.
The 4pm service is followed by delicious refreshments. Rosaline Van de Weyer (on behalf of MMCT) secretary.melbournurc@gmail.com
Melbourn United Reformed Church
Harvest Songs of Praise
We hosted a Melbourn and Meldreth Churches Together harvest themed Songs of Praise service on Sunday 9th September at 4pm. We were pleased to have Adrian and Naomi Brind provide the musical accompaniment to the hymns playing instruments including flute, guitar and cello. Peter Karner led the first half of the service and Bob Holcombe the second half. Peter talked of how various pests can attack the grain and drastically reduce the volume and quality. Sometimes we find we are being eaten away inside but we have Jesus Christ in our lives to see us through difficult times. We all enjoyed the singing and after the service we were ready for a drink and to enjoy the Bring and Share tea and further fellowship.
We had a collection during the service and raised £155.30 for the Christian Aid Kerala Appeal. More than a million people have been affected by unprecedented flooding in Kerala, Southern India in the worst rains in 100 years. During the monsoon more than 400 people lost their lives. Christian Aid and their local partners are on the ground responding to the urgent needs of shelter, food and clean water.
Harvest Festival
We celebrated Harvest Festival on Sunday 23rd September. We were pleased to have Maureen Kendall lead our worship. Maureen told the story of “The Sower” with projected images illustrating what happened when the seed fell on the different
Dickason Dated 1837, is the Bible I have touched upon and mentioned above.
After contacting the History Group of Melbourn I learnt that a Bible belonging to the Dickason family was in Melbourn and was seen when I visited Melbourn in 2015.The Bible highlighted and gave up a lot of interesting dates not found previously in various family history records These recordings were hand written on the inside of the first pages of the Bible. Names of some, owing to early deaths, were never recorded in the Parish registers.
The Bible at the request of the family was signed by the Baptist Minister one James Flood who was rector from 1834 –74. He signed his name in the Bible in the year 1837. Earlier this year I wanted to revisit the Bible to take better pictures for my records as the ones taken in 2015 were not very good and at that time we had limited access to view the Bible. Unfortunately, the Bible has since gone missing and has yet to be located. The History Group have tried to recover it, but to no avail.
I am hoping that any one reading this article may know of its whereabouts or persons who may have the Bible for safe keep,and that they get in touch with the magazine.
The Bible is a valuable book for future generations and is a It is possible the Dickason line remains with my family to historical document for the people of Melbourn. In terms of which we could be the last connections to what was a large value in money it may not be, but in terms of its history, it is of number of Dickason Families’ who lived in Cambridgeshire For our class timetable visit our website www.rchc.co.uk great Interest as a testimony of the particular family who once from the mid 1600’s to the early years of the 20th Century. Osteopathy | Acupuncture | Podiatry | Sports Massage | Pilates | Yoga | Reflexology I have as yet not been able to trace any Dickasons, the last lived and farmed in and around Melbourn.
Baby Massage | Hypnotherapy | Baby Yoga | Hypnobirthing | Herbalism | Reiki Nutritional Therapy | Aromatherapy | Tai Chiones I have been able to find died in 1990s and they lived in I, for one, would like to revisit and get better pictures. The Bible is large in size normally like those seen in and associated Oxfordshire. The name survives from another branch from with churches. Norfolk but are not connected to the Cambridgeshire branch,
Also, if anyone living in and around Melbourn know of that I can establish. This was also confirmed from having gone any living people with the name Dickason I would like to down the road of DNA testing. make contact, by email at martin@beaverlodge.freeuk.com. Martin Baldwin
Osteopathy | Acupuncture | Podiatry | Sports Massage | Pilates | Yoga Reflexology | Baby Massage | Hypnotherapy | Baby Yoga | Hypnobirthing Herbalism | Reiki | Nutritional Therapy | Aromatherapy | Tai Chi
types of soil. Maureen brought drawn outlines of 2 trees, a Tree of Caring and a Tree of Peace. We were invited to write our thoughts on post it stickers which were then put on the appropriate tree. The running theme on the Caring Tree was caring for the environment and each other. The Peace Tree prayed for worldwide peace. Maureen then told the story of “The Master and the Bamboo”. Basically, it was about how the bamboo had to be cut to the ground and split to be of any use for others. The example given was to use it to make a channel to carry water to the rice fields to grow rice for food. Likewise, Jesus gave his life so our sins would be forgiven and we would grow through the Father. The service opened with the well-known hymn “Come ye thankful people come” and closed with “We plough the fields and scatter”. We then had a soup lunch and the produce was sold raising £120 for Jimmy’s Night Shelter in Cambridge. Unsold items together with knitted blankets and hats made by our Craft and Chat group were also taken to Jimmy’s.
Craft and Chat Group
A box of beautifully hand knitted and crocheted baby items have been taken to the Rosie Maternity Hospital. Smaller items to be given to the neonatal unit while other items, including lovely baby blankets, jacket, booties and hat sets to be available at reception for parents or visitors to buy. The money raised is used to buy extra equipment. The group meets on Thursdays from 2pm so do come along. Any craft activity is welcomed or just pop in for a chat and a coffee/tea.
Tastes of Christmas
We are holding our “Tastes of Christmas” on Saturday 1st December from 11am to 2pm. Please do come and join us for morning coffee or lunch. Hot food will be served from 12 noon. There will be homemade Christmas crafts, Christmas baking and preserves to taste or buy, also mulled wine and much more including a raffle with food hamper prizes. All proceeds are for church funds. Christmas Services » 16th December: Family Festival Service 11am. » 24th December: Watch Night Service 11.30pm. » 25th December: Christmas Morning Service 8.30am. You are warmly invited to any of these services. Churches Together will be singing carols at the following venues. » 12th December: Black Horse Public House,
Orchard Road 8pm. » 18th December: British Queen Public House,
Meldreth 7.30pm. » 22nd December: The Cross 10.30am. You are welcome to come and join in the singing.
Melbourn Baptist Church
During the holiday season, ‘The Circus’ came to Melbourn Baptist in the form of a holiday club for pre-school children from 28 to 31 August. Up to 60 children attended each day, most from the community outside MBC. The church was transformed into a circus tent that looked stunning. Stuart Clarke, our Minister, was dressed as the Ring-Master and his wife and all the other helpers also dressed up for the circus theme. The children were offered refreshments (a drink and some fruit) during the morning. Circus skills mixed with craft, games and more led to much laughter. We are delighted that several have started coming to the Sunday School. Our next event will be the annual Churches Together Light Party on 31 October, and then a one-day Christmas holiday club on Friday 21 December.
The summer holidays also brought together some of our house groups to host well-attended evenings of ‘Eat Cake and Pray’.
Our Harvest Festival offerings were taken to the Royston Food Bank where they were gratefully received. On the same day, we also held a Harvest service for the residents of Moorlands Court.
On 29 September, we had our first Men’s Breakfast, cooked by men for men. This was followed by a social walk. A good time was had by all, and this will be a bimonthly event that is open to all men (email menstime@melbourn-baptist.org.uk for more information).
We have just started up a Christian-themed group for pre-school children and their carers, called ‘Little Lambs’. The next one is on 7 December on the theme of The Nativity Story Contact Janet on 07763 191478 for more information.
SOAS
The September draw was made by Mike Rawlings on 13th October. The first prize of £21.50 goes to Diane Blundell at 18 Greenbanks and the second of £10.75 to Sheila Cheetham at 169 High Street.
The Word of God from David Burbridge
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and that the life of Jesus be made manifest in us. From Corinthians 4 vs 6 & 10
