The United Benefice of Fen Drayton with Conington and Lolworth and Swavesey
The Fisherman - The Benefice Magazine
Issue 15.4 - Christmas 2009
Hope at Christmas
A few weeks ago, a meeting of the
parish churches in the area (the
North Stowe Deanery Synod) heard
a briefing from a priest who works
in the Prison Service.
It would be easy for him to have a
very jaundiced view of humanity but
what came over to me from his talk
was the amazing sense of hope in
which he was able to carry out his
work. And that sense of hope came, of
course, from his faith.
It is very easy to be cynical about
the state of the world in the present day. Just look at the wrangling over
climate change where everyone knows that the future is dangerous for all
of us but no one is willing to take that sacrificial first step which will lead
to a solution. Or look at public life where presentation seems to be more
important than truth - and power (gaining it or keeping it) is more greatly
valued than good government.
People ask, where is God in all of this? Does God not know? Does
God not care that we humans have made such a mess of the wonderful
world which he has entrusted into our care?
God’s answer to these questions comes at Christmas - not in the partying
and the shopping and the awful busyness with which this season is
surrounded - but in the fact behind the fuss, behind the images of
reindeer and Santas, behind even the stories of angels and shepherds
and wise men and all the rest. The essential fact of Christmas is that
God comes to live among us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the
Christchild, the Hope and Saviour of the World. It is all summed up for
me in that name we give him at this season: Emmanuel: ‘God is with us’.
This is the child who brings hope. He proclaims the rule of God in
the world: God’s demands for justice and fairness in our dealings with
one another. He brings the prospect - the promise - of peace.
Peace be with you all this Christmastide.
The Vicar
St Andrew’s Futures Survey
We all hate filling in surveys. (Well, most of us do.) But surveys can be
very useful for finding out what people think and canvassing a wide
field of views. The Parochial Church Council of St Andrew’s, Swavesey,
is considering how Swavesey Parish Church and its fellowship should
develop over the next few years and would value your input into its
discussions.
To this end, a short on-line survey has been set up which readers
are invited to access and complete. To take part in the survey, please
point your browser at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X2YBJCW and
take it from there. A clickable link can be found to this address in the
on-line version of The Fisherman at www.honeyhill.org. Alternatively, if
you do not have on-line access or would like to submit more than one
response from a given computer/family, please collect a paper copy of
the questionnaire from church. (The survey will only permit one
response per computer.) Thank you in anticipation for your
contributions to determining the future for your parish church.
Carol Singing in Fen Drayton
This year’s Carol Singing around Fen Drayton Village will take on a
new form. Rather than go simply from house to house along a few
streets, we hope to get around much more of the village by singing
outside particular homes by invitation.
The Fen Drayton Village Carol Singing this year is on Tuesday
22nd December, starting from outside the Three Tuns at 7.00pm. If
you would like the singers to sing outside your home that evening,
please contact the Vicar on 01954 231903 or by email to
vicar@honeyhill.org. A collection made will be in aid of The
Children’s Society and St Mary’s Church.
Carol Singing in Lolworth
This year sees a change to the pattern of Carol Singing in Lolworth
Village also. The event is to be moved indoors to the Robinson Hall
and will take place on the evening of Friday 18th December
beginning at 6.30pm. It is hoped that this new venue and time will
make it easier for children and young people to join in.
Carols in Conington and Swavesey
The pattern of outdoor carol singing in Conington and Swavesey
remains unchanged this year. In Conington the evening is Friday
18th December, starting from St Mary’s Church at 7.00pm. In
Swavesey, carols will be sung in Market Street from 7.00pm to
8.00pm on Saturday 19th December.
The Children’s Society
The visit to St Andrew’s, Swavesey, by Jo Batchelor, the
Community Fund Raiser for the Children’s Society in the Diocese
of Ely, together with Andy Pearson on Sunday 18th October was
a great success.
Andy gave a very interesting talk about how the Society rescues
children who are homeless and living on the street. Afterwards
seven collection boxes were taken by members of the congregation
bringing the total of boxes in the community to thirty- nine.
Then on Sunday 6th December the Advent Christingle Service
took place. This was extremely well attended, so much so that there
was a shortage of service sheets - apologies for this. Oranges were in
short supply too although 87 were distributed. The great thing was
though, that so many attended this year, including the Swavesey
Brownies for the first time. Contributions reached £291.90 - nearly
twice as much as last year which is a truly heart-warming result and
for which I thank you all most sincerely.
I must thank Jackie Few, Vanessa Hart, Anne and John Jarzabek,
Carrie and Justin Looper, Caroline, Daniel and Matthew Stevens and
Freda Wake for their help in assembling the Christngles. Also to the
bellringers who rang after the service, to the music group who add
so much to our enjoyment and to Helen and Colin Pheysey
(Swavesey Newsagents) for donating all the oranges.
It is very satisfying to think that we join in with 6,000 churches
and groups and more than 500,000 children to celebrate Christingle
in an effort to make a better life for disadvantaged children.
May you enjoy a happy and holy Christmas. .
Dorothy Gilbert
St Andrew’s Choir
The Choir contributed a short item at the conclusion of the
morning service on Remembrance Sunday.
We are now busy with preparations for Christmas. Do come
along and join us for the Nine Lessons and Carols Service at
6.30pm on Sunday 27th December.
The Choir will also attend at Conington on 20th December
for the Carol Service at St Mary’s at 6.30pm.
Keith Lofts
Ecumenical Kirchentag in Munich
The Second Ecumenical Kirchentag (involving both Protestant
and Roman Catholic Christians) will take place in Munich from
12th-16th May 2010.
Kirchentag is an exciting international festival of faith which
every two years takes over a German city for five days - see the
article in the Summer 2009 edition of The Fisherman.
Participation in Kirchentag is open to all.
Further information about the Munich Kirchentag is available
from the Vicar or at www.kirchentag.org.uk.
