St Augustine's Parish Church News
Locking, December 2018
Dear Friends,
Christmas is creeping up on us good and fast.
It’s about 6 and a half weeks away – not that
I’m counting. Although I am because there is a lot to
prepare and also I am looking forward to all the family coming
home. One of the events that we are planning at the moment
is ‘Follow the Star’. We are inviting as many
people as possible to put a star in their front garden for
the weekend of 15th and 16th December. It can be a bought
one or home-made. You don’t have to have children in
the house to do this. You can then register your star and
we will produce a map for you to go on a star hunt and see
how many you can find. Hopefully many people will join in
the fun!
Unlike the wise men in the nativity account,
most people don’t follow the stars today, though all
people follow something. It might be a sport, a football team,
a hobby, a pop star or group, others follow famous people
– the stars of today. Some people follow TV programmes
– soaps or Bake –Off or Strictly. Or you may be
‘a dedicated follower of fashion.’ The thing is
that we all like to have things that we take an interest in
and which we try to find out about and even get involved with.
We are all followers of something, even if we don’t
admit it.
I
wonder what or who you are following this Christmas? Are you
following the god of greed and consumerism or are you following
the way of doing things simpler. I am going to really try
to do Christmas differently this year and buy gifts carefully,
shop locally, be greener. I don’t want it all to be
about gifts that people don’t want and feeling as stuffed
as the turkey on Christmas Day due to eating too much. Because
that’s not what Christmas is all about. Christmas is
about being with people who are precious and being generous
to those in need. Christmas first and foremost is about Christ
– it’s about rejoicing that God has sent Himself
to the world out of love for us. He knew that we needed Jesus
to sort out our mess – and at the moment the pile of
mess seems to be growing!! Christmas is about celebrating
the fact that we are loved by God and that the greatest gift
we will ever be given is the gift of new life in and through
Jesus. Ask yourself this Christmas – who or what am
I following? I pray that you will choose to follow Jesus –
He’s the real star!
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a
peaceful New Year!
See Notice Board
for What's On this week
Calendar of Events
over the next few weeks.
Church Tower and Bells
Restoration Project
Click Here for Events
this month in Locking
Messy Church
Saturday 15th Dec ~ Messy Christmas
4pm – 6pm in Hutton School hall.
Lots of crafts, songs, story, active prayer and tea.
For more details call Mary Potter on 812788
Parents and children come together for a great time.
The next Messy Church will be 26th Jan, in
Hutton School hall.
To receive email information, please give your email address
to Mary Potter.
THE ALPHA COURSE
Have you got questions about life and faith?
Do
you want a safe place to ask questions about being
a Christian? Then come and join us for a informal
time together to explore the big questions of life.
The course starts on 24th January at 10am in Locking Church
Centre.
Everyone is welcome. To book your place call 823556
LITTLE ARK TODDLER GROUP
We meet on Wednesday afternoons from 1.30 to 3.00 pm in the
Church Centre in term-time.
We have lots of toys there including some lovely new ones
we have recently purchased and activity tables
where the toddlers (and their carers!) can have fun with play
dough or other craft activities.
We like to sing as well and our vicar Anne comes to tell us
a Bible story.
We look forward to welcoming some new members so do join us
for a chat, play and cup of tea/coffee.
Any help from Mums or Carers to go on a Rota once a month
would be welcome.
This would just involve putting out the toys and doing the
drinks etc. For information contact Gail on 07818 677635.
FAIRTRADE COFFEE MORNING
The Fairtrade Coffee Morning - The Mustard Seed- is held
in Hutton Village Hall each Wednesday morning from 1000-1200.
There is a variety of Fairtrade Goods on sale as well as the
sale of Fairtrade drinks and home made cakes to eat.
It is a good time of fellowship and an opportunity to meet
people too. Members of both Hutton and Locking church attend.
BAPTISM
Baptism is a very special occasion when a
person is publicly welcomed into the
church and makes a commitment to the Christian way of life
(either by parents / sponsors on their behalf or if the
person is old enough, bythemselves), where sins are washed
away and the Holy Spirit is at work in the person’s
life
in a special and personal way. Have you had a time when God
was at work in your life in a special way? Would you like
to share your ?
Perhaps you are thinking about baptism - either
for yourself or your child.
Give Rev Anne Wilkins a ring on 01934 823556.
CHURCH CENTRE HALL BOOKINGS
Large Hall with kitchens - Small Hall - Green Room
Click Here for more information about
booking the Church Centre
Lay Pastoral Assistants [LPA’s]
St Augustines Locking has 4 Lay Pastoral Assistants.
They form a pastoral team who care for people in the parish.
Each person has been fully trained and appointed by the Bishop
to do this work. This enables us to be out in the community
making visits and showing God’s love in a practical
way. All visits are confidential and we hope that you will
pass on this information to neighbours who you feel may benefit
from a chat with one of us. Contact Rev Anne Wilkins on 01934
823556 if you would like someone to contact you.
Favourite Sayings
Remember - it takes half as many muscles in
your face to smile than it does to frown!
Thoughts
If we could Shrink the World
If we could shrink the earth to a village with
a population of precisely 100 people with all the existing
human ratios remaining the same, there would be...
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, both North and South
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's
wealth
80 would live in sub-standard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death
1 would be near birth
1 (yes only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When we consider our world from such a compressed
perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education
becomes glaringly apparent.
It you have never experienced the danger of
battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture
or the pangs of starvation - you are ahead of 500 million
people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear,
harassment, arrest, torture or death you are more blessed
than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes
on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep - you are
richer than 75% of the world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet
and spare change in a dish somewhere - you are among the top
8% of the worlds wealthy.
(Found at the Eden Project)
Humour
Give me a sense of humour, Lord, Give me the
grace to see a joke,
To get some humour out of life, And pass it on to other folk.
A little boy was attending his first wedding.
After the service, his cousin asked him, “How many women
can a man marry?” “Sixteen,” the boy responded
at once. His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly.
“Why do you say that?” “Easy,” the
little boy said. “All you have to do is add it up, like
the minister said, 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer.”
Deliver us
I had been teaching my three-year-old daughter
the Lord's Prayer. Then one evening at bedtime she attempted
it solo. I listened with pride, as she carefully annunciate
every word, right up until the end of the prayer. 'Lead us
not into temptation', she prayed, ' but deliver us some e-mail.
Amen'.
One liners
Give God what's right - not what's left.
Man's way leads to a hopeless end - God's way
leads to an endless hope.
A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
To be almost saved is to be totally lost.
When praying, don't give God instructions -just
report for duty.
Bibles that are falling apart are usually owned
by people who aren't.
Know your Ten Commandments
Henry, who was very elderly, was unhappy because
he had lost his favourite hat. Instead of buying a new one,
he decided he would go to church and steal one out of the
entrance porch when the worshippers were busy praying.
When Henry arrived at the church an usher intercepted
him at the door and took him to a pew where he had to sit
and listen to the entire sermon on 'The Ten Commandments.'
After the service, Henry met the vicar in the
vestibule doorway, shook his hand vigorously, and told him,'I
want to thank you Father for saving my soul today. I came
to church to steal a hat and after hearing your sermon on
the 10 Commandments I decided against it'.
The vicar answered, 'You mean the commandment
'Thou shalt not steal' changed your mind?' 'No; retorted Henry,
'the one about adultery did. As soon as you said that, I remembered
where I had left my old hat.
Extracts from church notices and newsletters
(not Crosslinks!)
This afternoon there will be a meeting in the
south and north ends of the church. Children will be baptised
at both ends.
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have
a nursery downstairs.
Weight watchers will meet at 7.30pm at the church. Please
use the large double door at the side entrance.
Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition
of several new members and the deterioration of some of the
older ones.
Don't let worry kill you. Let the church help.
This evening at 7pm there will be a hymnsing
in the park across from the church. Bring a blanket and come
prepared to sin.
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What
is Hell?".
Come early and listen to the choir practice.
The Minister unveiled the church's new donations campaign
last Sunday:
"I upped my Pledge - Up Yours".
Thursday night - Potluck Supper. Prayer and medication to
follow.
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and
community.
Tuesday at 4PM there will be an ice cream social. All ladies
giving milk will please come early.
Wednesday, the Ladies Liturgy Society will meet. Mrs. Jones
will sing "Put Me In My Little Bed" accompanied by the organist.
Thursday at 5PM there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers
Club. All wishing to become Little Mothers, please see the
minister in his private study.
This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward
and lay an egg on the altar.
The service will close with "Little Drops of Water". One of
the ladies will start (quietly) and the rest of the congregation
will join in.
Next Sunday, a special collection will be taken to defray
the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something
on the new carpet will come forward and get a piece of paper.
The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind
and they may be seen in the church hall Friday.
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church
hall. Music will follow.
The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth
of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev and Mrs. Julius Belzer.
The 1991 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11.
The Vicar is on vacation. Massages can be given to church
secretary.
Mrs. Johnson will be entering the hospital this week for testes.
The Senior Choir invites any member of the congregation who
enjoys sinning to join the choir.
The minister would appreciate it if the ladies
of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles
for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
Hyms for all People
The Dentist's Hymn: .............................Crown
Him with Many Crowns
The Weatherman's Hymn: ....................There Shall Be
Showers of Blessings
The Contractor's Hymn: ........................The Church's
One Foundation
The Tailor's Hymn: ........................... ...Holy, Holy,
Holy
The Golfer's Hymn: .......................... ...There's a
Green Hill Far Away
The Politician's Hymn: .........................Standing on
the Promises
The Optician's Hymn: ..........................Open My Eyes
That I Might See
The Gossip's Hymn: ....................... ....Pass It On
The Electrician's Hymn: .......................Send The Light
The Shopper's Hymn: ........................ .Sweet By and
By
The Estate Agent's Hymn: ....................I've Got a Mansion,
Just Over the Hilltop
The Massage Therapists Hymn: ...........He Touched Me
The Doctor's Hymn: ............................The Great Physician
AND for those who speed on the highway -- a
few hymns:
45mph.............................God Will Take
Care of You
55mph.............................Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
65mph.............................Nearer My God To Thee
75mph.............................Nearer Still Nearer
85mph.............................This World Is Not My Home
95mph.............................Lord, I'm Coming Home
Over 100mph....................Precious Memories
