The Sodbury Vale Benefice Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Horton & Little Sodbury
“Behold, I make all things new” Revelation 21
O U T LO O K
magazine
Nov 2011
Your 1 FREE copy, 30p where sold
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
Little Sodbury Nigel Rawlins Little Sodbury House, Little Sodbury, BS37 6QA 01454 312 269 Nancy Nagle Winchcombe Cottage,Little Sodbury End 01454 319798
Regular Weekly Events Sunday 9.00am Breakfast Club Church Centre Chipping Sodbury 11.00am Brunch Bunch, Church Centre Chipping Sodbury 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, 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
December Deadline 2
Please can you have all editorial to Michelle by November 15th.
Dear Friends, Last month, we were delighted to welcome Bishop Michael to Little Sodbury as part of our own celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James' Version of the Bible. October ended with us observing Bible Sunday on 23 October. But it's all very well hearing people preach about William Tyndale or being reminded of the 400th anniversary of the KJV, but has it encouraged you to pick up the Bible and try to read it more often? It makes me very sad when I meet many people who have been regularly attending church for many years but who have never adopted a habit of regular Bible reading and reflection. It makes me wonder why and it makes me worry because how can we be salt and light in the world if we rarely ponder scripture and allow God to speak to us through its texts? Perhaps you don't know where to start or perhaps you've tried and found it too hard-going. We can invite you to join a Fellowship Group where scripture is studied with a small group of people; we can supply you with Bible Reading Notes that can guide you in reading the Bible. So do please contact the clergy if you'd like to explore this further. Sometimes people say, "Well, Christians can't agree when they read the Bible, so what's the point of trying to read it?" Or they say, "I don't agree with some of the stuff I read in the Bible." These are valid points. We see how the Anglican Communion is really struggling to come to any agreement over issues such as women in leadership and homosexuality. But the solution isn't to stick one's head in the sand and hope the problem will go away. One way that is being tried in the Anglican Communion is the setting up of small groups of Church leaders who hold different theological views and encouraging them to listen patiently to one another. Bishop Michael has pioneered this by forming the Triangular Partnership between the Dioceses of Gloucester, El Camino Real (in California) and Western Tanganyika (East Africa). Their understanding of what scripture says about women in leadership and homosexuality varies. But it will only be through relationship and courteous listening to one another that they may be able to move forward together rather than splitting off from one another. I would like to think that we can do this sort of thing in groups on the Parish or Benefice level: not by bringing our prejudices which we've held onto for as long as we can remember, but seriously studying scripture in the context in which it was written and how it might speak to us today in our contemporary context in addition to testing it against reason, experience and Church Tradition. This is the way we can grow in our faith and discipleship. Scripture is there as food for our Christian journey - not to bash one another over the head with…or to be left on the shelf getting dusty. So I hope 2012 will be a year when we feast on scripture…so much so that that feasting continues well beyond 2012! With love and prayers,
Rev. Canon Jane, Kenchington, 01454 313159, email:jane@kenchington.plus.com
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What am I bid…..? Richard Carter asks the proverbial question at a harvest supper auction and receives the usual response…….OK then I will take £1 - done, sold to the lady who happened to look my way at the wrong time! Apart from the marrow encounter Richard managed to extract 'pottingshed' loads of cash from those gathered at the Old Sodbury Harvest supper last month. Over 65 people attended at the village hall and tucked into a delicious supper prepared by the congregation of St John's - and then there was the apple crumble!!. Nigel Quarrell, West Regional Manager for Christian Aid spoke of the charity's work and of the importance of cash at this time to support the East Africa Appeal and was delighted when he received the nights proceeds - over £780. If you were unlucky (or lucky) enough to miss the marrows and wish to donate to the appeal here is where you will need to go: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergenci es/current/east-africa-food-crisis-appeal
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Maybe the most amazing miracle is that during Alex's last few weeks when he should have been racked with pain and heavily sedated, he was on no medication or pain relief whatsoever. At the end he was in his own bed with his mother by his side as he gradually faded away with a smile on his face. We don't know why Alex has been taken from us but trust that God has plans for him in heaven. If Alex had been healed in this life he would have always been hampered by the chain of cancer as he would have had to go for regular check ups and been constantly feeling for lumps and bumps. Now he is free from pain and completely restored because Jesus said 'Behold I make all things new!'. He is safe in the Lord's hands and at peace in Heaven. We believe that God knows best, He sees the bigger picture and we pray that even though Alex was with us such a short time, God's love and glory will have been reflected in him by the way he lived his life and by the wonderful person that he was.
Alex Hunter We would like to thank everyone for all their prayers and support throughout Alex's illness and for the cards and messages of sympathy we have received since his peaceful passing away on the 29th September. The last 18 months have been very difficult for all of us but our Christian faith and the prayers of so many people have supported us and helped us to bear the trauma we have been through. We have had so many answers to prayer and believe the Lord has provided for us in amazing ways, for which we give our grateful thanks.
Although we didn't get the miracle of healing that we had been so desperately praying for, our belief that God is capable of healing has given us constant hope during this time and helped us cope immeasurably. We believe God did hear our prayers and provided many miracles in other ways far too numerous to mention, including winning his last ever race in July driving his Greenpower car, only 2 days after spending nearly 2 weeks in hospital! The doctors recently confessed that they were amazed Alex still had use of his legs as they were expecting paralysis from his back tumour but he recovered completely, managing to race many times and totally mastering the art of driving the Humber with its right hand gear lever, centre throttle and need for double declutching.
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Where's Jesus gone? Ever feel the real message of Christmas is lost in a festive flurry of Santas, shopping, tinsel and mince pies? If you long to share the real story of Christmas, then use our FREE envelope stickers. Stick them on your festive post to direct friends and family to Christmas Unwrapped where the story unfolds in a short animated video Order your stickers and help bring back the real meaning of Christmas this year. You can tell your friends how to get their free Christmas stickers too, simply send them this link: christmasunwrapped.org.uk
Visiting Choir The Chepstow Male Voice choir are holding a concert in St John's Church, Chipping Sodbury on December 10th at 7.30pm. Tickets can be obtained from Nick Cragg at Country Property's office Tel 01454 321339. Children aged 14 and under are admitted for free. Tickets ÂŁ8.
And if you're looking for a special Christmas gift for a friend or relative, our online shop has a great selection of Bibles, books, DVDs and CDs. Have a look at bibleresources.org.uk Visit The Bible Society: http://biblesociety.org.uk/
Tyndall remembered William Tyndall, born 1494 in Gloucestershire (probably South Gloucestershire) was remembered by Bishop Michael at a special service at Little Sodbury to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. "If God spare my life ere many years, I will cause the boy that drives the plow to know more of the scriptures than you!" was one of his most memorable sayings. His dedication in translating the Bible from Greek to English was the basis of what for 400 years has been read and cherished from ploughboys to Prince's. 7
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Don't give up the day job There are many things a curate is asked to do while training but milking a cow is not one of them. On one of her recent placements on a Christian Community Val volunteered (what a silly thing to do) to milk Daisy a gorgeous, well mannered and very productive Jersey. Cows have an instinct for understanding who is doing the milking and as soon as Val got her hands, or rather fingers, on the 'taps' Daisy decided that she wasn't going to be taken for a ride and shut down the supply. So all Val ended up with was sufficient for a cappuccino - and a very dark one at that.!
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From the Archdeacon of Gloucester, the Venerable Geoffrey Sidaway November in particular is the month when we remember and give thanks for loved ones who have died. We also remember by name the dead and the maimed, not only in the two World Wars but also in the terrible succession of smaller wars which continue to distract our world. Countless families in our country grieve the loss of a loved one, a young life destroyed in Iraq or Afghanistan and our hearts go out to them. As if by association this is perhaps also a time when we remember our own mortality, the fact that at some unknown time in the future we too will die. One way of preparing for that is by making a will, which is part of active stewardship and allows us to demonstrate our care and generosity by our provision for our families and loved ones, as well as the causes that are important to us-our local church perhaps.
circumstances, moving house, the loss of a loved one, may cause you to want to change your will. Out-of-date wills can cause unnecessary heartache, distress and expense for surviving family and friends. We have been loaned a great deal by a lavish God. A will is about saying thank you. It's about disposing of all the stuff we've accumulated in a kind and generous way. Leaving a will and some instructions about our funeral, is closing the gate quietly when the time comes for us to leave. If you have yet to make a will and wish to seek further guidance; The Money Revolution, a booklet applying Christian principles to handling money can be ordered from Church House for ÂŁ1.50 plus postage and packaging. Contact hliley@glosdioc.org.uk or 01452 835522 to order a copy. Wotton-under-Edge The Rowe Veterinary Hospital Bradley Green Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire Tel: 01453 843295 Yate Yate Veterinary Surgery 9 Station Road Yate Bristol Tel: 01454 318016
For hundreds of years the Church has encouraged Christians to make a will. When Archbishop Cranmer wrote the first English Prayer Book he instructed clergy to remind people to keep their wills up to date while they were still in good health, for their own peace of mind as well as that of their family.
Thornbury Thornbury Veterinary Surgery 3 Pullins Green Thornbury Bristol B35 2AX Tel: 01454 425478 Bradley Stoke
Things change over the course of our lives and it's important to review and make appropriate revisions to our wills at regular intervals. The arrival of children and grandchildren, changes in family
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The Rowe Veterinary Hospital Bradley House Ferndene Bradley Stoke Bristol Tel: 01454 275000
Richard Kenchington Domestic Structural Engineer The Barber Shop Roger Franklin 07855 887671 MSc(Eng), CEng, MICE, ACILA Chartered Civil Engineer & Chartered Loss Adjuster
Paul Franklin 07772 789210
83 Broad Street Chipping Sodbury Bristol BS37 6AD
ŸSteelwork & timber design. ŸStructural surveys. ŸSubsidence specialist. ŸFoundation problems. ŸProject management. The Vicarage, Horse Shoe Lane, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol BS37 6ET
Opening Hours Monday-Friday: 9:30 am-5:00pm Saturday: 9:00am-3:00pm
Telephone: 01454 324888 E-mail: richard@kenchington.plus.com
For a lovely selection of cards for every occasion
Mrs. E.J. Gauntlett M.Ch.S. HPC REGISTERED CHIROPODIST / PODIATRIST
6 Beaufort Mews 7 Horse Street Chipping Sodbury South Glos. BS37 6DA
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Tel 01454 273999
Baptisms: we welcome into the church: 25 September 2011 at St John's, Old Sodbury: Edward Richard Thomas Garner Marriages: we send our congratulations to: 23 September 2011 at St John's. Old Sodbury: Justin Reed & Samantha Pearce
Funerals: we extend our sympathy to the family and friends of: 14 September at Westerleigh Crematorium: Jacqueline Rosemarie Callaway 16 September at St John's, Chipping Sodbury: Ronald John Buckman 22 September at St John's, Old Sodbury: Gilbert James Crump 29 September at St John's, Chipping Sodbury: Phyllis Edith Mildred Cook (known as Anne) 22 September at St James the Elder, Horton: Iris Louise Western 7 October at St John's, Old Sodbury: interment of ashes for Arthur Sumner 12 October at Westerleigh Crematorium and St John's, Old Sodbury: Alexander (Alex) Stephen Hunter
WELCOME TO THE MODA HOUSE Whether you're looking for a relaxing weekend break away, celebrating that special occasion or perhaps just visiting the area on business we can accommodate your individual requirements. Ÿ Bed and Breakfast Ÿ 11 individually styled rooms Ÿ Excellent breakfast using fresh local produce Ÿ FREE parking and FREE WiFi Ÿ Within easy reach of the M4 and M5 Ÿ Meeting room To make a reservation or for more details simply email enquiries@modahouse.co.uk or telephone 01454 312135 1 High Street, Chipping Sodbury, South 14Glos. BS37 6BA. www.modahouse.co.uk
Sodbury Vale Benefice Calendar November 2011
Advent Sunday 27th November, St John's Chipping Sodbury 9.30am, Canon Neil Heavisides, Precentor of Gloucester 15 Cathedral will be our guest preacher
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