The Diocese of Oxford Reporter: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Number 16 October 1990
To the world with Love Christians on the march
How they took the Good News from Bicester to Romania IT'S a daunting 2,000-mile drive from Bicester to Bacau, in Romania, but that is where a convoy of two lorries, a minibus and a van were heading on September 15. With them went not only 30 tons of clothes and other goods collected by local churches, two vicars and a party of local Christians, but also 30 boxes of Bibles. The idea of offering relief to Romania came from Mrs Pat Chapple of Islip, who accompanied the convoy. It was taken up by a group of churches in the Bicester and Islip Deanery, and a project committee was formed. It included Major Richard Wilkins from the Army's Royal Corps of Transport at Bicester. four of whose men volunteered to give up two weeks of their holiday to act as drivers. In ten weeks, a mountain of clothing and other goods had been collected, but at a briefing session almost on the eve of departure the Army reported some space on one of the lorries. Knowing that Bibles are in such short supply in Romania, and that there i$ a thriving black
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market, they wondered if this was agood opportunity to deliver some personally. It looked like the perfect opportunity, but it also looked like mission impossible. After all, where do you get a thousand Bibles translated into Romanian and enough money to pay for them within 24 hours. However, not only hearts and doors put purses opened, too. The Bible Society at Swindon agreed to supply 30 cases of Romanian Bibles at a considerably reduced price of ÂŁ3,800 provided they were paid for within two hours and collected immediately. In less than two hours, Richard Thomas, the Diocesan Communications Officer, had found eight churches whose incumbents had pledged the money needed, and the same afternoon the Army had collected the Bibles and delivered them to the Bicester depot. "This represents a major act of mission and love from churches in this Diocese to the Churches in Romania," Richard Thomas said. (See picture, page 3).
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At "e ViIkryou can find ikat bedcovers from Andhra Pradesh, batik quilt covers from Madras, bedside rugs from the Himalayas. Come and see what else you can find. WITH clouds of balloons, singing and sunshine, this year's March of 'Jesus in Aylesbury had a carnival atmosphere when hundreds of men, women and children took to the streets on September 15 alongside 200,000 Christians in cities and towns all over the country. Their aim was to pray, to publicly proclaim their allegiance to Jesus Christ, and to take His love into
the world. (Picture by Frank Blackwell). This year's One World Week also asks Christians to 'speak up' for God's world. On page 7 is a list of events for the week which Helen Stanton says invites us "to join in the tradition of the prophets, and of Jesus encouraging all that helps forward the kingdom, and condemning all that works against it." At St Luke's tide we also remember
the Church's ministry of healing, and its message of wholeness of body, mind and spirit (page 6 and 8). Jeanne Lindley shares her thoughts on growing old gracefully (page 18) and there are fourteen new deacons to read about and celebrate (page 5). All this and a supplement to help you make up your mind about women priests - inside The DOOR.
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