The Easter Candle in St Andrew’s, Swavesey Children’s Society Representatives to visit St Andrew’s, Swavesey Jo Batchelor, the Community Fund Raiser for the Children’s Society in the Diocese of Ely, will be visiting St Andrew’s, Swavesey, at the 11.00am Parish Communion service on Sunday 18th October.  She will be accompanied by Andy Pearson who will give a talk on the work of the Society.      Do come along and find out more about the work the Church is doing in the vital area of caring for disadvantaged children.                Dorothy Gilbert St Andrew’s Choir The singers of St Andrew’s Choir warmly invite you to join with them at the Harvest Festival Services at 11.00am and 6.30pm on Sunday 4th October. We shall sing an anthem by John Rutter in the morning and then, at Festival Evensong, the impressive chorus ‘The Heavens are Telling’ from ‘The Creation’ by Josef Haydn, together with settings of Magnificat and Nunc dimittis by Charles Stanford. At the end of September we said farewell to Colin and Liz Kennedy, who are moving to the Orkney Islands, and we wish them well in this move to the Far North of the British Isles. Keith Lofts Samaritan’s Purse Once again this year, the churches will be taking part in Operation Christmas Child, an initiative of Samaritan’s Purse which is a Christian relief and development charity working in Africa, eastern Europe and central Asia. Operation Christmas Child involves filling a shoebox with new gifts for a child and bringing it to church by Sunday 15th November.  Last year 1.2 million shoeboxes were collected and distributed by Samaritan’s Purse. Full details and a list of suitable gifts can be found on a leaflet available from Roger and Jill Holland (01954 230077) or at St Andrew’s, Swavesey. The Children’s Society The final total of monies sent to the Children’s Society for the year ending April 2009 is £690.99.   I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this amount which shows a 11% increase over last year. Charles Nall, Director of Corporate Services at the Society, who works (alongside his day job) to ensure that the Society provides the best possible support for fundraising and frontline work with children writes, “In 2004 the groundbreaking decision was taken to form Charityshare, an IT consortium with the NSPCC (joined by the Alzheimers’ Society in 2007).  This jointly owned IT company services all three charities, saving the three about £1.5 million each year.  On average, 70 to 75% of the Society’s income comes from our fundraising activities.. This money is important because it comes without caveats or hidden agendas. This means greater independence to choose where, how and with whom we work. The project  ‘A Good Childhood’ has given us a much richer understanding of our priorities. “At least half our supporter base can be directly linked to parish and church communities.  The Children’s Society will almost certainly see an increase in the number of children who need us.  I believe that the dedication of our supporters and volunteers will be instrumental in ensuring that we can continue to reach all children who need us.” From these words we can see our money raising is of great importance to the Society.  Again, many, many thanks to everyone. Dorothy Gilbert Farewell to Liz and Colin Towards the end of September the folks of Swavesey said a fond farewell to Liz and Colin Kennedy who have made such a major contribution to the local community and been good friends to many in the area over the past ten years or so.  They have truly made their mark in St Andrew’s Church Choir and Church Council, in the Royal British Legion, in the Swavesey Library and in the Memorial Hall Management Committee as in many other areas of community life. Liz and Colin are moving to Orkney to live near their daughter and her family.  We wish them every happiness in their new life on the island. H1N1 Flu Precautions Many parishioners will be aware that on the emphatic advice of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishop of Ely, the use of a common cup at Holy Communion has been suspended for the time being.  So that communicants may continue to receive the sacrament in both kinds, the President intincts each wafer with wine before distribution (as is customary with sacrament reserved for the extended communion of the sick). The clergy have also been advised that in the present circumstances they should refrain from making physical contact at The Peace or shaking hands with parishioners at the church door.  We trust that parishioners will understand that in the present circumstances it is felt that we must comply with the Archbishops’ and Bishop’s recommendations but look forward to resuming the customary practice at the earliest opportunity.  The latest information (September 2009) is that the Archbishops are planning to review their advice in the light of circumstances as they stand towards the end of October. Harvest Gifts and Produce Our Harvest Gifts and Produce will go again this year to Cambridge Foodbank. This charity was set up in 2001 by Cambridge Emmaus and Jimmy’s Night Shelter to distribute gifts of food and surplus food to charities and care organisations in the Cambridge area. Communion at Home  The Vicar is always happy to offer Holy Communion at home to parishioners who are unable to come to church on account of infirmity. Home Communion is offered on an occasional or a regular basis.  Please ring The Vicarage on 01954 231903 to make an appointment.