The Sodbury Vale Benefice
magazine
Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Horton & Little Sodbury
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Old Sodbury
Contacts
Val Walker 16A Melrose Avenue, Yate 01454 318286 Tony Dixon 16 Chatterton Road, Yate, BS37 4BJ 01454 321 528
Rector The Rev. Canon Jane Kenchington, 01454 313159 email jane@kenchington.plus.com Assistant Curate The Rev. Val Bexon, 01453 521417 email:valeriebexon@onetel.com
If you would like to know more about Little Sodbury Nigel Rawlins the Christian faith or are thinking about baptism or confirmation please Little Sodbury House, Little Sodbury, speak to Jane or Val BS37 6QA 01454 312 269 Regular Weekly Events Nancy Nagle Winchcombe Cottage,Little Sodbury End 01454 319798 Monday 8.45am Morning Prayer, St John’s Chipping Sodbury 7.30pm Bell Ringers’ practice Church Tower Chipping Sodbury Wednesday 8.30am Morning Prayer, St John’s Chipping Sodbury Thursday 8.45am Morning Prayer, 10.00am Holy Communion St John’s Chipping Sodbury 7.00pm Choir Practice, St John’s Chipping Sodbury Friday 10.00am Tubbie Tots Church Centre Chipping Sodbury 7.00pm Youth Club (age 11-18) Baptist Church Centre
Horton Tina Hildick-Smith Kirrin House, King Lane, Horton 01454 320380
Church Office Open during term time Monday, Tuesday & Thursday mornings 9.00 - 12.00 01454 325160
Email sodburyvalebenefice@gmail.com
Web Site www.sodburyvalechurches.wordpress.com
Churchwardens Chipping Sodbury
Advertising Sylvia Franklin St. John’s Church Centre 07788 111 726
Paul Jones-Williams 1 Meadow Mead, Yate 01454 324970 Keith Stanley 132 Harescombe, Yate 01454 319467
February Deadline Please can you have all editorial to Michelle by January 14th. 2
Dear Friends, When we returned the Church in Chipping Sodbury back to its usual format after the Crib Festival, I experienced similar feelings to those I get when I take the Christmas Decorations down at home. I felt sad that it was over – but also relief that I could now carry on with the other things that needed my attention. I’d dreaded the displays disappearing: they’d made the building feel so much lighter and joyful – but when the pews reappeared I once again enjoyed their sense of calm order. Similarly when I take the decorations down at home it feels so stark and bare, yet this sparseness seems to somehow symbolise the new space for opportunity and adventure that the New Year brings – space encourages us to reflect and of course this is traditionally the time we make resolutions for the coming year. As many of us lead hectic lives, allowing ourselves time to take stock and work out what is deeply important to each of us can be really beneficial. What is it we really want our life to be about? What sort of person do we really want to be and what sort of relationships do we want to build? The answers to these questions could become the compass and motivators for our entire life – not just the coming year. Most things in life that we value require hard work. If we consciously connect our efforts to our underlying values we see that what we do is worthwhile and it helps to motivate us. For instance if we value being a loving parent (or child) the time spent with our loved one in a busy day will be deemed worthwhile – however inconvenient. Many of us spend large amounts of time doing things we don’t value highly - possibly because we live in a society heavily focused on achieving goals rather than on the way we do things. Or even more destructively, we focus our efforts on avoiding discomfort – that is we live our lives trying to avoid painful thoughts and feelings and forget altogether what we really value. An example might be the person who values feeling healthy and fit - but ‘comfort eats’ to suppress their feelings of despair about being overweight. I can recommend a sobering experience that I went through recently that’s designed to challenge how closely we’re living in line with our values. Sit quietly in a chair and imagine yourself looking down on your own funeral. Imagine exactly who is present and who is absent; imagine what they would say about you. Compare this to what you would wish the people you most respect to say about you. Christians share many values. However, our personal values will be shaped by our life experiences. I’m fascinated to watch how, in Church life, God uses our individual values and passions to work together to build something we could never achieve on our own – the recent Crib Festival was a great example of this. But this picture extends beyond the walls of the church - if we are willing, God will creatively use each of us, with our own idiosyncrasies, to advance his overarching values of love, peace and justice where it matters most to you. Will you be part of His movement in 2012?
Rev. Val Bexon, email:valeriebexon@gmail.com
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ask God to do with us all what he willed to do. When I first floated the idea of having such a Festival, I identified three main aims that I hoped that we would achieve: · To find another way of proclaiming the Christmas story;
St John’s Chipping Sodbury Nativity Crib Festival By the time you read this, the Festival will seem to have happened a long time ago. Because of editorial deadlines, I’m actually writing this less than a week after it happened! The first thing that I need to say is that the Festival was an unqualified success. I worked with a small team of people over a period of 8 months; the team worked well together, each member contributing their own talents and playing to their strengths. It has shown what good team work can produce. During the actual Festival week we had many people giving a lot of time and energy to help run it – and for all these things I am truly thankful. And, the thing to remember is that this venture was undergirded by many people praying. I was further reminded of that when I was stuck at home with my ankle and leg in plaster for the week, 10 days before the Festival started. “The Control Freak can’t do anything now,” someone joked to me.
·
To work in partnership with the many different groups of people in this town;
·
To raise the profile of the church in Chipping Sodbury.
We can mark a tick against all three bullet points because those aims were met and with more besides. This venture enabled me to be a Leader in Mission in this place (which is an important aspect of my vocation). God was working powerfully in this place last week. When else have we had 3050 people coming through our church doors in the space of five days? This venture led me into forging and building all sorts of partnerships with people and groups in the local community and I look forward to us continuing to work with these people in the future. Onward and upward we go… So thank you to you all for playing your part in this venture. Jane Kenchington
But what I could do was continually place the whole venture into God’s hands and 4
their son Hayoung, we were able to get to know each other, and pledge our support to them through prayer and gifts for their time serving at St Andrew’sTheological Seminary in the Philippines.
New CMS Mission Partners
Paul came to the UK with Charitas in 1993 to pursue postgraduate studies to enable him to teach theology back in Korea. He completed his MA and doctorate at the University of Kent in Canterbury, but God led him to ordained ministry in the Church of England and as chaplain to the Korean community in London, including the University of London. Paul currently works for the Oxford Centre for Mission Study, working as Consultant for Institutional Advancement and Supervisor for research students.
We welcomed the Cho family to St. John’s Church on Sunday December 18th as our new missionary partners with the Church Mission Society. Currently preparing to serve Christ in the Philippines as a teacher of theology, Accompanied by his wife Charitas and
Charitas has always worked alongside Paul as a faithful companion. She (Over Page→)
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supported Paul while he was studying and sponsored his teaching mission to the Philippines. She has been working for CMS since 2004, initially in the Mission Personnel Team and now as the Facilities Officer. In the Philippines, Charitas will initially be looking after their son but hopes to be involved with street kids ministry and using her IT and administration skills.
Well Done
Having had the privilege of being able to visit St. John’s Church during the week of the Nativity Crib Festival, I feel compelled to write to say how much Rita and I were impressed at the wonder of it all. The number of cribs that were on display – small ones, large ones, and from many places outside the UK – we found astonishing, and a reflection of the hard work and dedication of all those who were ‘Do not neglect to do good and to share involved in what you have, for such sacrifices are bringing this pleasing to God’ Hebrews 13.1 project to fruition, and We are probably familiar with the words what we of an Offertory Prayer ‘All things come hope will from you, O Lord, and of your own do we have been a give you’. We are reminded that as financial stewards of God’s gifts we have a success. responsibility to share with those who Well done, are needy. St. John’s in Chipping all of you! Sodbury tithes offertory gifts to further Thanks must also be extended to all those Christ’s work in three mission categories: who sponsored the festival – their faith in 1) local, 2) national, and 3) international. its success must surely have been I guess I need not tell you into which rewarded. This was for us, and I am sure, category our new CMS missionaries fit! for the vast number of people who came to see the displays, a week to remember. See Steve’s article on pages 8 and 9 Again, many thanks to everyone introducing the Foodbank project as an concerned
example of local mission. Keith Stanley
Reflections on the Crib Festival Wow what a fantastic turn out for the Festival! I am delighted for you and all your helpers -it makes all your hard work and organization worthwhile. Congratulations! David and I were fascinated with the displays and I enjoyed joining in with the drumming too. It was also good to see the other activities (and the camel). Please send on our thanks and congratulations to all involved, “Kirsty and David” 6
Advent Music
F. WOODRUFF
On the eve of Advent Sunday, and as a prelude to the Nativity Crib Festival,14 singers, 1 organist and a conductor filled St John's with a euphony of Advent Music.
Local Family Cremation and Funeral Directors
The Fitzhardinge C o n s o r t , composed of members from Bristol Cathedral Choir, university singers and others, were joined by members of the 100 strong audience who were treated to a wide variety of music including plain chant, Rachmaninov, Handel and Britten.
118-120 Station Road,Yate Tel: (01454) 320005 24hr Service 192 Badminton Road. Coalpit Heath Tel: (01454) 778838 24hr Service email:info@funerals.uk.net
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A stunning evening; not one to be missed when they return next year - probably in the spring or summer.
Private Chapels of Rest at Coalpit Heath & Yate
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Market Cross
The Barber Shop
Baptisms: We welcomed into the Church: Charlie Paul Stevens-Mayhead and Emma Louise Latham on 11 December at St John’s, Old Sodbury
Roger Franklin 07855 887671
Funerals:We extend our sympathy to the family
Paul Franklin 07772 789210
83 Broad Street Chipping Sodbury Bristol BS37 6AD
and friends of:
Colin Gowen on 25 November at St John’s Church, Chipping Sodbury Joyce Knowles on 29 November at Westerleigh Crematorium Sylvia Dash on 9 December at St John’s Church, Old Sodbury
Feeding the Hungry, 2012
Opening Hours Monday-Friday: 9:30 am-5:00pm Saturday: 9:00am-3:00pm
It is the policy of the Benefice churches to support local, national and international charities. Recently, the PCC of St. John’s, Chipping Sodbury decided to support the work of a charity that is local and national: Yate and Chipping Sodbury Foodbank, which started functioning at the beginning of November. As two of the Benefice churches already support the work of the Sisters of the Church in St. Paul’s, Bristol - a local charity - I thought it might be helpful if I outline the similarities and differences between these important ministries, both concerned with feeding the hungry. The Sisters of the Church are part of a world-wide Anglican order of nuns with a house in St. Paul‘s. They started working there with children, but in 1995 people began asking for food, and it became clear that feeding the hungry would become their main work. Now they feed about 400 people a week, and rely on a force of 75 volunteers to help them. Most of those 8
they feed are very needy, including some are interested in volunteering to help with who are addicts or alcoholics. The food is either ministry, please get in touch with given with no strings attached and no one of the Benefice clergy. questions asked. As a result, some Steve Abbott excellent relationships have grown up with members of the community. Food and January Guest Preacher money is provided (as we do) by churches in the Greater Bristol area, particularly Brother Damian SSF, a Franciscan through the collections at Harvest and Friar, will be returning to St John’s, Christmas, as well as by money gifts. Chipping Sodbury, to preach at our Benefice Service (29th January 2012). By contrast, Yate and Chipping Sodbury Foodbank is part of a national movement It will be lovely to have him back with us that has been going for 12 years, currently and I hope as many of you as possible with 135 branches. It was started to bridge will be able to welcome him back to the gap that can arise when an individual Chipping Sodbury. or family suddenly can’t afford food. This will happen usually only in an emergency, e.g. when the breadwinner suddenly leaves or someone is unexpectedly made redundant. Foodbank is able to help with 3 days’ worth of food to tide over the emergency, and this may be given on 3 separate occasions. Those requesting food have to have been referred in writing by a participating agency in the locality, e.g. a Job Centre, Sure Start, school or doctor’s surgery. Donations of food and money are collected from participating churches and groups, and from the general public on special collection days outside supermarkets. The local Foodbank operates from the Candle Project at 88 Station Rd., Yate, and is staffed by volunteers, largely from local churches. In the first month it has helped 17 people. We will put a food collection box for donations, with a list of suitable foods, in the porch of St. John’s Chipping Sodbury in the New Year .
Email Outlook You can see this issue, together with past editions of Outlook in vibrant colour by going to our web site. http://www.sodburyvalechurches.wordpress.com
click on Magazines, and follow the link
I hope that you agree that both these ministries are well worth supporting. Both are involved with the essential Christian task of caring for our neighbour in need. As the present financial crisis starts to bite, the need is bound to grow. If any of you 9
Messy Church The aftermath of the Crib Festival meant that the church was still full of cribs and other exhibits on Sunday, December 4th frankly after 3,000 plus had visited it was starting to look a mess - so we held a sort of Messy Church. Over 100 people attended, very young, young and some not so young spent two hours cutting, pasting, making things, reading, meditating and singing Taize chant. It was an activity based exploration with the congregation sitting wherever they could in small groups and being church.
You've been framed Not really, but the 150 exhibits at the Crib Festival have, together with loads of 'candid-camera' shots of those who took part, visited, served the tea or helped with Messy Church. I took around 800 pictures and will soon put a collection of these onto CD (or more likely DVD) for your amusement, education or entertainment. I will probably charge ÂŁ5 for a disc with the cash going to the Crib Festival funds. If you would like a disc please contact me by email - bexon@onetel.com - or see me in church.
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Scenes from our Nativity Crib Festival More on the back page‌‌..
Photo courtesy of Rich McD
How did you do it? After 26 years of the Old Sodbury Coffee Shop, organist Graham Newman played at the last event on December 21st. But the cryptic question is how did he do it with his arm in a sling? Rumour has it that Margaret gave him a 'helping hand'
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It was quite fantastic to see such a full congregation, everyone in their “Sunday Best”; gentlemen in best suits and ties and the ladies with fabulous hats! The children were a delight to behold, the little girls in bright coloured dresses, hair braided in many plaits also with colourful ribbons; boys in bright white shirts and highly polished shoes. It was an honour to be welcomed and to share Communion. It was interesting to note that the children did not take part with the adults but went up afterwards in single file for a blessing by the Bishop and returned not only blest, but with sweets. We left feeling both honoured and humble to have had such an experience.
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How about letting us know about your most memorable service?
Telephone: 01454 324888 E-mail: richard@kenchington.plus.com
Our memorable Service A Caribbean Sunday Some years ago Janette and I, whilst enjoying a cruise in the Caribbean, were scheduled to dock on one Sunday in Antigua. We were somewhat put off by the prospect that everything in town would be closed and that as we were in port there would be no Sunday Service on board. However in order to make the best of it we ventured ashore and found ourselves outside St John’s Cathedral where a service had already started. We entered quietly and found some seats at the back of a side chapel along with a few of our fellow passengers. There were no orders of service or hymn books as everybody seemed to have their own, and as the service seemed to follow the Book of Common Prayer it was reasonably familiar, however, not to worry, copies were quickly lent to us, which made it so much easier. 13
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Drummers Wanted During the Crib Festival Steve Jarvis, from our Diocese, ran several impromptu drumming sessions and only stopped when the organist needed to start his recital!
expressed interest in doing this, so if you would like to be kept in touch with developments please contact Stuart at bexon@onetel.com or catch him in church.
Star Fundraiser During the Crib Festival this request was on display at the side of the Kibera Crib.
This was an incredibly popular event with all ages, and many asked “when are we Visitor donatdoing it again?". Well, we are looking ed their small into the viability of forming a drumming change in a group, or groups, with either borrowed variety of coldrums or ones that you can own yourself ours to help - and practice at home! create this Star and as a result over We might need to look at a children's, £170 was raised. women’s and men’s group. Many
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Sodbury Vale Benefice Calendar January 2012 Sun 1st
8.00am
2nd Sunday of 9.30am Christmas / Naming and 11.15am Circumcision of Jesus 11.15am
Holy Communion (BCP)
St John’s C/S
Parish Communion
St John’s C/S
Mattins (BCP)
St James’ Horton
Family Communion
St John’s O/S
No Service at Little Sodbury Thurs
Sat
5th
7th Sun 8th The Epiphany
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Parish Communion
St John’s C/S
11.15am
Holy Communion
St James’ Horton
11.15am
St John’s Praise
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
Mon
9th
2.30pm
Mothers’ Union
Church Centre C/S
Wed
11th
1.30pm
Women’s Fellowship
Church Centre C/S
Thurs
12th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
Sat
14th
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
Sun 15th 2nd Sunday of Epiphany
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
Wed
18th
10.00am
Coffee Shop
Village Hall O/S
Thur
19th
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
Family Communion (CW)
St James’ Horton
11.15am
Morning Praise
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
Sun 22nd 3rd Sunday of Epiphany
Wed
25th
1.30pm
Women’s Fellowship
Church Centre C/S
Thurs
26th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
10.30am
Benefice Communion
St John’s C/S
Sat
28th Sun 29th 4th Sunday of Epiphany
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More scenes from the Nativity Crib Festival and Messy Church
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