The Rector's Notepad September 2010
Back in May, the Desford Churches Together held a street collection for Christian-Aid.
The final result was 1,640.00. This figure does not include gift-aid.
Thank-you to the Revd. and Mrs. Peter Folks, who held a series of tea parties at their home during mid-August, raising around 300.00 for the church’s Access for All-Phase 2 project. This is intended to put a kitchen and two toilets (one disabled) on to the south porch of the church. You may see a plan of the proposals in the church or on the main notice board in Main Street.
Thank-you to Neil Manning, the current owner of The Chimes by the Desford churchyard gate, who has allowed sewer access through the churchyard wall, with this future project in mind.
3.48pm. on Friday August 20th, 2010 marked the exact start of the Battle of Britain in 1940.
A report of the visit by Desford church members to Momentum was given at the morning service on Sunday August 29th, 2010. This was a gathering of Christian young people at the show ground at Shepton Mallet.
The Desford Church Fun Raising Committee will meet on Monday September 6th, 2010 from 7.30pm. at 19, Cambridge Drive.
Saturday September 11th, 2010 will be the twenty ninth annual Ride and Stride fundraising event for local churches across the U.K. Last year it raised 1.5 million pounds. Participants nationally included a lady aged 101. The website is www.rideandstrideuk.org Both our churches should be open to receive visitors from 10am. to 6pm. Once again Mrs. Joan Mosk will be riding for Peckleton and invites sponsorship. Please contact her via the Rectory and I will pass on the message. I did not know the identity of the riders for Desford when this copy was typed.
Peckleton P.C.C. will meet on Monday September 13th, 2010 from 8pm. At 51, Main Street and Desford P.C.C. will meet on Wednesday September 15th, 2010 from 8pm. at the Rectory.
This year’s Benefice Service will be on Sunday September 19th, 2010 from 10.30am. in Peckleton Church. We will welcome Bishop Christopher Boyle, who is the assistant Bishop of the Leicester Diocese. There will be no services at Desford that day. Before coming back to work in the U.K., Bishop Christopher served in Malawi in Africa. The intriguing question is how the church there can flourish when there is so much poverty. I hope he will explain.
Desford Church will hold a Harvest Supper on Saturday September 25th, 2010 from 6.30pm. for a 7pm. start in the CHURCH CENTRE. Tickets cost 7.00 or 4.00 for those under 14 years. They may be bought in church or ordered from info@stmartinsdesford.org.uk
A retiring collection in Desford Church raised 265.00 for the Pakistan Flood Appeal.
A Bible Study will begin on Monday September 6th, 2010 from 7pm. at 29, Kirkby Road, by kind invitation of Ewan and Liz. Lindsay. We will be looking at St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. All are welcome.
Since writing my earlier notepad, David Williams has kindly offered to co-ordinate cyclists, who wish to take part in the Ride & Stride on Saturday September 11th, 2010., to raise funds for Desford Church. You will need a ‘bike. and be willing to find some sponsors from friends, family and work colleagues.
Please contact him on 823396 in the evening for further details.
Thank-you also to church members, who have signed up to welcome visitors and cyclists throughout the day.
Visitors to Liverpool, Bristol or many stately homes may care to remember that the wealth of these places was often derived from the slave trade. Within my lifetime, people in the United States or in South Africa (to name only two) have regarded others as different or inferior and organized their politics and economic life accordingly. The question Christians have to face is whether we can think this way and be true to the Christian Gospel. The question is made harder by the fact that, in the past, many Christians accepted the slave trade and opposed those who tried to stop it.
On Sunday September 12th, 2010 there will be a service in Leicester Cathedral from 4pm., at which the speaker will be the Venerable Danny Kajumba, Archdeacon of Reigate and Chairman of the national committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns.