The Sodbury Vale Benefice Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Horton & Little Sodbury
O U T LO O K
magazine
www.svbcofe.org.uk
November 2016
1 Jane is enrolled as a Companion of the Society of St Francis by Brother Damian. See 1
Churchwardens
Contacts Rector
Chipping Sodbury
The Revd. Canon David Bowers 01454 313159, [Day off Monday] email rector@svbcofe.org.uk
Joy Gibson 01454 319288 Jane Jones-Williams 01454 324970
Associate Priest The Revd. Yvonne Brae 01454 325160, [Day off Monday] email yvonne@svbcofe.org.uk
Old Sodbury
Karen Hunter If you would like to know more about the 01454 319903 Christian faith or are thinking about baptism or confirmation please speak with one of the the ministerial team
Little Sodbury Brenda Cordy 01454 316447
Church Office
Open during school term time Mon - Tue - Thu mornings 9.00 - 12.00 Horton Tina Hildick-Smith Administrators: 01454 325160 01454 320380 Michelle Jenkins, Trish Gailey Richard Needs email: office@svbcofe.org.uk 01454 329890 Web Site: www.svbcofe.org.uk
Advertising: Volunteer required
This magazine is brought to you Free by the four churches of the Sodbury Vale Benefice. If you would like to make a small donation towards production costs (about 70p per magazine) that would be most welcome. Thank you.
Editor: Michael Stephenson 01454 314094 email outlook@svbcofe.org.uk
Nominated Person: Mrs Hilary Holder 01454 327118 This is the person to contact if you wish to express concern about suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult
Dec - Jan Deadline Can you have all copy to Michelle in the Church Office by Nov.15th at the latest please.
Front Cover- Winter Trees By Michael Stephenson
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FROM THE RECTOR Dear friends, It’s a scary thought that by the time you read this letter there will be less than two months of shopping before Christmas! I want to give you notice of something even beyond Christmas and New Year however, and to let you know that we shall be having a Day of Prayer in each of the churches of the Benefice on Saturday, January 7th the day after the Feast of the Epiphany. What will happen? We hope to have a number of prayer stations and other resources in each church and to encourage as many people as possible to come along and spend some time in prayer. It will be very informal and you can come for as long (or short) a time as you are able. Why are we having this? You will hopefully be aware that our Diocese of Gloucester has been looking to a vision and strategy for the future in each parish and community for the next five years. As we have also entered a new phase in the journey of our Benefice it will be good to spend some concentrated time in prayer as we look to the next stage of our life together: our outreach, our pastoral work, our work with children and young people, our church schools - and so much more. Having a special time of prayer will also remind us of our dependence on God’s guidance and power as we look to move forward in our ministry and mission. How can I find out more? In early December there will be leaflets available in each church explaining times and particular themes for our prayers. In the meantime please make a note of the date. On a different subject, Judith and I are looking forward to our first Crib Festival with you and we hope to meet many of you there as we celebrate the theme of “While shepherds watched”. David Bowers
Prayer for the Month November is a month of remembering those who have died, especially at All Souls Day (Nov 2nd) and on Remembrance Sunday (this year on Nov 13th). This month’s prayer is adapted from words of the priest and poet John Donne (1573-1631) by Eric Milner-White (1884-1963), himself a Church of England priest and poet. This prayer points us to the eternal life we shall share in God’s presence.
Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwell in that house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling but one equal light, no noise or silence but one equal music, no fears nor hopes but one equal possession, no ends nor beginnings but one equal eternity, in the habitations of thy majesty and thy glory, world without end. Amen. 3
colours and the raw-earth smells of my childhood? Every kind of fruit and vegetable is available year-round in our supermarkets. As a result, it becomes all too easy to lose the rhythm of seedtime and harvest, of plenty and scarcity, which characterised life for generations before us and remains elemental to life in many less developed parts of the world today.
Baptisms: We welcomed into the Church: Ruby Grace Wells at St John’s, Chipping Sodbury on 18th September 2016 Katie Mae Isaac at St James’, Horton on 25th September 2016 Rupert James Ashley-Smith at St John’s, Chipping Sodbury on 2nd October 2016
Despite this, the signs of harvest are around us, if we look hard enough. This year I saw bright combine harvester headlights in wheat fields, out working long after dark while the weather stayed dry These reminders of our dependence on our Creator God make me pause, and give me reason to celebrate the abundance of his creation.
Marriages: We send our congratulations to: Lee Hobbs and Beth Miller at St John’s Old Sodbury on the 2nd October 2016
Funerals:We extend our sympathy to the families and friends of:
Beatrice Annear at South Bristol Crematorium on 22nd August 2016 Kathleen ‘Kate’ Ludlow at St John’s, Old Sodbury on 14th October 2016
But harvest isn’t only about the farmers, fishermen and green-fingered. All of us are co-creators with God. This is worked out in how each of us goes about our everyday work, as well as in our community-building, art-making, gospelwitnessing, child-raising, peace-making, justice-bringing… Green fingered or not, we are all sowers and reapers right where we are, confident that ‘he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food … will enlarge the harvest of [our] righteousness’ (2 Corinthians 9:10).
Harvest The harvest festivals of my childhood saw the altar of our small village church laden with sheaves of corn, mounds of green beans, ripe-red tomatoes, carrots, apples, pears (was everyone an Alan Titchmarsh-grade gardener back then?). These days our church altar is more likely to be laden with tins of soup, beans or other ‘nonperishables’ that we pass on to our St Adeline’s altar with real local food bank. vegetables All very worthy, but where are the vibrant hotchpotch of
So let’s give thanks for the harvest. Let’s do all we can to ensure everyone shares in this abundance. And let us sow and reap, generously and wisely, in everything we do. Nick Tatchell (Nick is a Canadian HR consultant.) Source - London Institute for Contemporary Christianity www.licc.org.uk.
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What has Pokemon Go to do with us?
it ‘the biggest evangelism opportunity of the millennium’. Pokémon Go is also being praised for getting gamers outside again, for encouraging people to talk to each other, and even for changing the lives of autistic players. It’s a tech development that’s getting people off the couch, encouraging them to get moving, and prompting them to make new friends. It’s completely inverting many of the stereotypes people hold about computer games and modern mobile technology. And it’s even brought some people back to church again. So if computer games are your thing, if you miss the nineties, or you just want to see what all the fuss is about, why not explore Pokémon Go as a way to step outside your comfort zone? Go outside. Get some exercise. Stay safe. Interact. Talk to strangers. Make connections. Catch some monsters. And maybe even share the gospel while you’re at it. Rachel Helen Smith Rachel is Digital Marketing and Social Media Manager for Newcastle University, and attends King’s Church Durham
All Saints have reformed, crop tops are back in fashion, and everyone’s talking about the latest Harry Potter book: the nineties are making a comeback. Perhaps the most talked about element of this nineties revival is the return of Pikachu and his friends. Thanks to the launch of Pokémon Go, an augmented reality game for smart phones, children – and adults – across the globe are once again obsessed with trying to ‘catch ’em all’. Pokémon Go encourages users to ‘travel between the real world and the virtual world of Pokémon’. It’s a geocaching app, a Fitbit, a local tour guide and computer game rolled into one. Players look at the world around them through their mobile phone screen in order to locate and catch Pokémon by capturing them within PokéBalls. Many churches have been designated within the game as PokéStops, places for players to collect PokéBalls, or gyms, where players can train and test their best Pokémon. This means that one unexpected outcome of the new game is groups of young people gathering around church buildings. Some congregations have been quick to embrace this serendipitous turn of events as a way of reaching out. Local churches have hosted Pokémon parties where gamers have turned to Christ, and others are developing Pokémon-related resources: ‘Hello, Pokémon trainers! You think hunting for Pokémon is exciting? What if you were to find out that you may have just stumbled upon the greatest treasure ever known?’ Some Christian leaders have even gone as far as to call
From “The Messenger” www.gloucester.anglican.org
Supporting church building in Tanzania £30k donated in the 2015 Episcopal Collections (at the Bishop’s services) has been used to complete 33 new churches in our partner Diocese of Western Tanganyika and more are still being built. The church in this area of Tanzania is growing fast. Villages that had small church buildings need to replace them with larger buildings to accommodate the growing congregations, and the gospel is still being spread to other areas where churches are being built for the first time. 6
From “The Messenger” www.gloucester.anglican.org
Cookery Book supports Horton church funds When I was told that I was having major foot surgery, and was going to be bed /housebound for at least two months, I couldn't imagine how I was going to keep myself sane or occupied for what seemed like a lifetime. B e i n g placed in the deep freeze, and thawing out after the time had passed, seemed a b e t t e r option! But in the past, when I was cooking and catering semi-professionally, people often asked for the recipes for certain dishes, and wondered why I didn't put them into a book. Well, now I had found the time, and this is the result. Quite a few of the recipes have funny stories behind them, too. I have to confess that measuring ingredients is not my strong point. I tend to favour handfuls, and my timing is even worse. When my daughters ask me: "Mum, how long did that take to cook?" my reply would usually be "Well, I put it in the oven, then I mowed all the lawns, gave it a quick stir, and then took the dogs out!". So I do hope that the timings and the oven temperatures work for you. Several things may look time-consuming, but that will mean you'll be able to put them together the day before and then follow the instructions to either cook or reheat. This very often improves the flavour, particularly 7
with the curried dishes, and the less you have to do on the actual day of entertaining, the better. The whole process has rekindled my love of cooking, so should you wish to have guests and don't have the time to cook, I would happily prepare something for you to order and collect, given a week's notice; then you can just follow the instructions or put it in the freezer for another day. This is particularly useful if you have weekend guests, when tray bakes, casseroles, puddings etc. are very useful to have tucked away. I must say thank you to all of my Chipping Sodbury suppliers, who have generously supported me. To the wonderful friends in the village who had to do the ingredients shopping when I couldn't drive, and to the advertisers whose donations have helped me with the publishing costs. Also to everyone who HAD to taste all of the things I had cooked and photographed! Finally, a massive thank you to Rosie, Frankie and Georgina for their help putting this together and to Emma and Ben at Sprint Print. All of the proceeds will go to St James the Elder Church, Horton, from where I have included a few favourite pictures. Tina Hildick-Smith The book is selling very well and has already gone into its first reprint. At the bargain price of ÂŁ10, contact Tina quickly (her phone number is in the front of this magazine) and get your order in before it goes out of print again.
Good news for dieters You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television
your next cuppa. And who needs to improvise or think creatively if it’s all available at the click of a button? If we never have to wait for goods and services, how will that affect our ability to sit and listen to each other, to work through difficult relationships, to listen to our own thoughts, and especially to hear God? For those of us who have children, how will they learn these essential life skills? The implications are profound. As Christians, this is a particularly pertinent challenge as there is no doubting the value God places on patience and waiting. The Bible is brimming with stories of people who had to wait for God to move – think of Abraham, Moses, or Anna. Patience and its close cousin self-control are two fruits of the Spirit. Countering this ‘culture of now’ requires self-awareness, self-discipline and healthy boundaries. If we can pursue these, tough though it may be, they will not only keep us healthy, but might also serve as a witness to others that God’s ways are indeed good – even if not always as fast as we would like! Siobhan O’Reilly Calthrop Siobhan is a freelance writer, author and blogger, with a background in international development, who now writes about parenting, faith and mid-life issues. Her personal blog is www.everyoneelseisnormal.com.
Resisting the Culture of NOW! Earlier this month, the giant online retailer Amazon launched its latest innovation in ‘smart shopping’ – Amazon Dash. With just the push of a button, you or I can order any one of 40 basic household items and have it on our doorstep 24 hours later.
Dash is just the latest in an increasing number of products and services offered by retailers to satiate our every need, whim or desire in eye-wateringly fast times. At the click of our online fingers, we can have our favourite restaurant meal on our table within 30 minutes, or that iPad that little Jonny wants by bedtime. Yes, really. So how do we respond to this reality of shopping becoming an on-demand, instant gratification experience? As with all new technologies, the benefits are undoubted – imagine the joy of never running out of loo roll! But below the surface are potentially negative impacts that are deeply challenging to the fabric of society, which go beyond the obvious costs to the environment and smaller retailers. Are we becoming a society that is losing the ability to wait, rely on our neighbours, or simply to ‘do without’? Run out of gourmet coffee? No need to go next door, just click here and you can have it before
Source - London Institute for Contemporary Christianity www.licc.org.uk.
Does your church deserve a medal? A new scheme called “Eco Church” is offering an easy step-by-step approach to care for God’s creation. Through a simple online system, EcoChurch guides churches through their relationship with 8
wider creation, under the headings of Worship and Teaching; Buildings; Land; Community and Global; and Lifestyle. The church can celebrate areas where there is already progress being made, and identify key areas for additional attention. Churches can earn bronze, silver and gold awards, making this accessible to all churches, whether you are just beginning to explore these issues or have an established environmental commitment.
You will soon be able to share best practices with other local churches via the GCEJN’s website www.greengloucestershire.org.uk/resour ces as well as our Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/1512478582 66198 More details at: http://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk Arthur Champion, Environment Officer From “The Messenger” www.gloucester.anglican.org
Cameo Orchestra Concert Featuring Robin Pillinger, Student Organist in local Parishes
Saturday 12 November 7:30pm St Nicholas Church, Yate A mixture of film and light classical music Refreshments and raffle in interval
Free entry Donations towards Robin’s World Challenge in South Eastern Africa [I will be assisting in building a classroom for a rural community and helping a marine conservation trust study whale sharks.]
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Principal Service readings November
FRIENDS OF OLD SODBURY CHURCH Invite you to
Dine with Fine Wines
November 6th(Third Sunday before Advent) Job 19: 23 - 27a 2 Thessalonians 2: 1 - 5, 13 - end Luke 20 : 27 - 38 Psalm 17: 1 - 9
Canapés plus a Four Course Meal and a Wine with each course! Chosen by: Graeme Ewins
November 13th (Remembrance Sunday, Second before Advent) Malachi 4: 1 - 2a 2 Thessalonians 3: 6 - 13 Luke 21: 5 - 19 Psalm 98
Fine Wine Expert, Great Western Wine, Bath Graeme will talk about the wines and their regions. Discounted wine sales available for the season
Old Sodbury Village Hall Saturday 12 November 2016 at 7:00pm
November 20th (Christ the KIng) Jeremiah 23: 1 - 6 Colossians 1: 11 - 20 Luke 23: 33 - 43 Psalm 46
Tickets £22.50 per person Telephone: 312223 or 324344
FRIENDS OF OLD SODBURY CHURCH Invite you to
Stir-up Sunday ! November 27th (First Sunday of Advent) Isaiah 2: 1 - 5 Romans 13: 11 - end Matthew 24: 36 - 44 Psalm 122 Make your own Christmas Pudding at St John the Baptist Church, Old Sodbury Sunday 20 November Book your stir! At 2:00 or 3:00pm Tickets £7.00 for a Family Stir
Benefice Holy Communion Thursday Mornings 10:00 am St John’s, Chipping Sodbury Join us for an hour each Thursday morning for a friendly service, for the whole benefice, followed by tea/coffee, biscuits and a chat in the Church Centre.
All ingredients, bowls and instructions provided by our resident Chef!
Telephone 312223 or 324673 Refreshments and Seasonal bites available
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30th November. Andrew was the first of the Apostles, so his feast is taken to be Andrew was a Galilean fisherman before the beginning of the Church Year, Advent, he and his brother Simon Peter became which begins on the first Sunday after disciples of Jesus Christ. on the banks of November 26. the Jordan, He was the first disciple and the first apostle. It was he who brought the Trust the Creator boy with the loaves and fishes to Jesus ‘I…made the earth and created mankind before the feeding of the five thousand. St on it.’ Isaiah 45:12 NIV Andrew travelled to Asia Minor (part of Greece) and preached along the coast of G o d the Black sea. He was sentenced to death designed by crucifixion by the Romans in Greece, the earth for his preaching and performing miracles. perfectly, to keep It is believed he asked to be crucified on us alive a diagonal cross as he felt he wasn't by providing for us and meeting our basic worthy to die on the same shape everyday needs. He knew exactly what of cross as Jesus. This diagonal cross is we required. He worked it all out so now used on the flawlessly that if there was even a small Scottish flag in the variation, we couldn't survive. If the earth form of a white X was 10 percent larger or smaller, life as on a blue we know it wouldn't be possible. If we background and is were any nearer to the sun, or further commonly known away from it, we couldn't cope with the as The Saltire. St temperature. Ours is the only planet in the Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, as solar system that’s tilted at an angle that well as several other countries including lets the sun touch all parts of it over a year, Greece, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. which stops it getting too hot or cold. Just Legend has it that a Greek monk known like an excited parent designing a room as St Rule or St Regulus was ordered in for the arrival of their newborn baby, God a vision to take a few relics of Andrew to made this earth especially for us. ‘For this the ‘ends of the earth’ for safe keeping. is what the LORD says - he who created He set off on a sea journey to eventually the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned come ashore on the coast of Fife at a and made the earth, he founded it; he did settlement which grew into the town of St not create it to be empty, but formed it to Andrew's, where the cathedral became a be inhabited’ (v. 18 NIV). That’s how much place of religious pilgrimage and the God cares for us. He built our incredible university, the oldest in Scotland, was earth from nothing, using His infinite founded in 1413. It is Scotland's national power, to provide for us. And He’s still day and is a day to celebrate Scottish doing that today - every time we bring our culture, food and dance. It is a bank prayers, our joys and our fears to God, we holiday in Scotland but entitlement to can trust that He’ll provide whatever we leave depends on the employer. St. need. He knows exactly what’s best for us Andrew's societies all around the world now, just as He did when He created the celebrate Scottish culture on this day. St earth for us. Taken from UCB 'Word for Today' Andrew's Day is celebrated each year on
Facts about St Andrew
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Letter from a visitor to St John’s Chipping Sodbury
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Sodbury Vale Benefice Regular Weekly Events Monday
7.30pm
Bell Ringers’ Practice CS
Church Tower, Chipping Sodbury
Tuesday
8.30am
Morning Prayer
Church Centre, Upper Room,Chipping Sodbury
9.15pm
Stor'k'ies
St John's Church, Chipping Sodbury
8.30am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
730pm
Bell Ringer’s Practice Horton
St James’, Horton
8.30am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
7.00pm
Benefice Choir Practice
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
8.30am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
7.00pm
Youth Club (age 11-18)
Baptist Church Centre
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Note: No Morning Prayers on Bank Holidays
Sodbury Vale Benefice Forthcoming Events Sunday afternoons 2.30 through the summer 4.30 1st Sunday of Every 8:00am Month
Teas at Old Sodbury Church
St John’s Old Sodbury
Holy Communion at St John’s Chipping Sodbury
If you don’t see your event in the list above please let me know, once it is on this calendar other people can put it on theirs! All times are subject to change look out for further details closer to the date. Michelle 01454 325160 office@svbcofe.org.uk
Magazine Advertising Organiser Wanted Sylvia Franklin is standing down from the role and we thank her for the great work she has done over the years. As a result the editorial team needs a volunteer who will look after the advertising for the Outlook magazine. The job entails keeping in contact with the advertisers, persuading them to renew their adverts when the time comes and looking for new advertisers in the local community. If you are able to help please initially contact Michelle in the Church Office 01454 325160 or by email at office@svbcofe.org.uk
Sodbury Vale Benefice Calendar November 2016 Sun 6th Third Sunday before Advent
Tue
Thurs
8th
10th
Sun 13th Remembrance Sunday Second Sunday before Advent
8.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s, C/S
9.30am
St John’s Praise
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Mattins (BCP)
St James’, Horton
11.15am
Family Communion
St John’s, O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s, L/S
9.15am
Storkies
St John’s, C/S
3.00pm
Meditation Meeting
Ring 312228 for venue
7.30pm
OS PCC
Village Hall
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s, C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre, C/S
9.30am
Parish Communion
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Holy Communion (BCP)
St James’, Horton
11.00am
Remembrance Day Service
St John’s, O/S
3.00pm
Civic Remembrance Service
War Memorial, C/S
6.00pm
Evensong {BCP}
St Adeline’s, L/S
Mon
14th
2.00pm
Mothers’ Union
Church Centre, CS
Tue
15th
9.15am
Storkies
St John’s, CS
Thurs
17th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Family Communion
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Morning Prayer (CW)
St James’, Horton
11.15am
Holy Communion (BCP)
St John’s, O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s, L/S
9.15am
Storkies
St John’s, CS
3.00pm
Meditation Meeting
Ring 312228 for venue
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s, C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre, C/S
7.30pm
CS PCC
Church Centre, CS
11.15am
Holy Communion {CW}
St James’ Horton
11.15am
Family Service
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Holy Communion {BCP}
St Adeline’s L/S
6.00pm
Crib Festival Opening Evening
St John’s, CS
Sun 20th Christ the King
Tue
Thur
22nd
24th
Sun 27th First Sunday of Advent Tue
29th
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National Inter Faith Week
St Andrew's Day Quiz Fill in the gaps using the words in the box below. Who was St Andrew? Andrew was one of Christ’s Apostles. The _______ tells us he came from the city of Bethsaida. Both Andrew and his brother _______ were__________, but they gave up their jobs so they could follow Jesus. Why is he remembered? Like the other___________, Andrew lived and worked with___________. Once Jesus was crucified, the disciples became preachers and they spent the rest of their lives working for Christianity. These were dangerous times for Christians, and Andrew also was _________. Some old stories say that he was ________ to a cross shaped like an X. It’s probably not true, but that may be why Saint Andrew (as he became) was given a _______ with an X – shaped cross on it. When the Scots chose him as _______ saint of Scotland, it became their flag. Andrew is also the patron saint of ________, of Cyprus and of fisherman Bible patron disciples
flag Jesus nailed
fishermen crucified Russia
I’M RUNNING A CHRISTIAN SYSTEM CALLED “STAINED GLASS WINDOWS 10”. WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE THE COMPUTER MESSAGE IS “FORGIVE THEM FATHER FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO”
This aims to p r o m o t e understanding between people of religious and nonreligious beliefs, and to increase awareness of the faith communities within the UK and their contribution to local neighbourhoods and wider society. I am Jo Parkin, one of the chaplains at the University of Gloucestershire, and for the last five years have had the pleasure of planning and hosting an annual inter faith event in partnership with Cheltenham Borough Council and Cheltenham Inter Faith Group. Each year, we take a new theme and explore it through the prism of our different faith and belief systems, always sharing food together as a means of oiling the works! This year, our title is ‘People of Sanctuary? - an exploration of faith and the migrant crisis’. We’ll hear short presentations from friends at GARAS and Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees who will discuss local responses, and there will be input from the university STAR group (Student Action for Refugees). There’ll also be the opportunity to participate in scriptural reasoning as we consider a variety of religious texts on the subjects of neighbour and stranger, displacement and sanctuary. Most importantly the evening will give us an opportunity to meet with others of different faiths as we together express our concerns and our prayers for those in desperate need. You are warmly invited to join us. The event takes place on Thursday November 17 at 7pm at Park Campus, University of Gloucestershire. For more information, please contact me at jparkin@glos.ac.uk
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From “The Messenger” www.gloucester.anglican.org