Here are the lucky numbers:1st = 91 - Janet Kenny - £35.002nd = 39 - Diana Marsh - £ 17.503rd = 33 - Susan Russell - £ 17.50A huge Congratulations to all the Winners your prize money is on the way to you, and thank you for your continued support, it’s very much appreciated.We still have numbers available if anyone would like to join and support St Mary’s for details about how to join the 100 Club see "Billingsley 100 Club" page.
Here are the lucky numbers:1st = 62 - Donna Adams - £33.002nd = 95 - David Poyner- £ 16.503rd = 12 - Richard Thomas - £ 16.50A huge Congratulations to all the Winners your prize money is on the way to you, and thank you for your continued support, it’s very much appreciated.We still have numbers available if anyone would like to join and support St Mary’s for details about how to join the 100 Club see "Billingsley 100 Club" page.
Yesterday (Thursday 20th) I marked the second day of Lent by having a cooked breakfast at Ditton Priors, lunch at the Pheasant at Neenton then tea and biscuits with friends. Tomorrow I will have a (large) cooked breakfast at the Down. Some people give up chocolate or alcohol for Lent; I am giving up dieting. Fasting has always been considered to be a useful spiritual discipline, albeit one I have never attempted. My excuse is that we all have different spiritualities; we can chose practices that work best for us. The big idea behind Lent for people of faith is that it is a period when we reflect on our core values; what we believe and what that should mean for us. In some form or other, that involves stripping away the undergrowth of our lives to see more clearly what is beneath. Even if people have no conventual religious faith, self-examination is still important. All can learn from Lent and what fasting or other forms of discipline are meant to encourage.
It must have seemed such a good idea. One of the winners at the recent BAFTA ceremonies was a film about a Tourette's sufferer, John Davidson. Tourette's Syndrome takes different forms, but in some cases in can cause sufferers to shout out obscenities and profanities. Unfortunately, a microphone was put in front of Mr Davidson and, when two black actors appeared on stage, the Tourette's struck and he shouted out a racial insult. The actors, whilst clearly surprised, responded with professionalism and carried on. The situation was exacerbated by the BBC not editing out the offensive word, either at the time or for some hours after the programme was made available on their website. For the most part, the criticism has been at the BBC, who have apologised. However, some of have suggested that Mr Davidson should not have been invited, as the slur could damage the well-being of those who heard it. It is of course easy for myself to comment, as someone not directly involved. However, Jesus had much to say about the primacy of love and on the price of being one of his followers. I am not always easy to love; I am grateful for those who have the grace to put up with my foibles and who forgive my misdeeds. It cannot always be easy, but the is the way of the cross is the risky path of perseverance.