Hello everyone How wonderful for this day to be easing into evening under a clear blue sky with sunshine offering a beautiful backdrop. How different to this time yesterday when the skies opened, rain flooded down, and PCC members made a very quick dash home. Each day is so different. Thank God for the peace and beauty of our land. This morning saw a homely gathering for coffee morning at Wilkinson Hall with the usual lovely array of freshly baked cakes and raffle prizes; folks contentedly chatting together and teams busy in the kitchen washing up. How well everyone in our two special churches work together - thank you! Nigel and I have been privileged to go into both Toddington lower and middle schools this week to lead assemblies. Parkfields School invited us to their Harvest assembly and we were treated to wonderful singing by years 5 and 6. The 'harvest' gathered was blessed before heading off to the foodbank to bless those who are in need. The children and staff at both schools welcomed us so warmly. It is a joy to be able to be part of school life. Nigel and I headed off for our covid jabs this afternoon before a quick walk in the grounds of beautiful Wrest Park where we watched the ducks and swans enjoying freedom on the glistening water. The leaves on the trees are still very green and, all around, the grass is looking lush, refreshed by yesterday's rains. In a week of turmoil with daily presentations of such awful news across the world it is so hard to know what to do and how to help. My mind has struggled to make sense of the horrors before me, and increasingly I have noticed how the small things in life have become so very important, deeply appreciative of treasured moments of joy and the peace around me but my heart breaks for those who suffer. May God bring peace! Sunday's services - 15 October 9.30 am Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church 11.00 am Holy Communion and the blessing of the new British Legion Standard, Toddington Church 6.00 pm Evensong, Toddington Church Other events this week: Monday 16th October 9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church Tuesday 17th October 10.30 am Knitting Group,Wilkinson Hall No Youth Group this week (Next meet: 24th and 31st at 5.45pm) Wednesday 18th October 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Church Cleaning, Toddington Church No Pop-Up Tea Room this week (Tebworth Hall closed). 'Pop Up' delayed a week to 25th October. Thursday 19th October (By-Election day) 2.00 – 4.00 pm Fellowship Time, Wilkinson Hall 6.30 pm Chalgrave PCC Friday 20th October 10.30 am Painting for Pleasure group, Wilkinson Hall Saturday 21st October 10.00 am Table-Top Sale, Wilkinson Hall. More information from Dee (poster attached) Sunday 22nd October 9.30 am Morning Praise Service, Chalgrave Church 11.00 am Morning Praise Service, Toddington Church Upcoming events: 11.00 am Wednesday October 25th, Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Room, ( cancelled because Tebworth Memorial Hall is closed for electrical repairs) 3.30 pm Friday October 27th, Messy Church, Wilkinson Hall (Poster attached) 9.30 am Saturday 28th, Royal British Legion Coffee Morning, (Methodist Church) 3.00 pm 29 October, Sunday, Toddington Town Band Concert, Toddington Church 4th November - Chalgrave Christmas Craft Fayre - Tebworth Memorial Hall (poster attached) 5th November: In Loving Memory Services: 9.30am Chalgrave Church, 3.00 pm Toddington Church. All are welcome. Please let me know the names of any loved ones you wish to remember, or sign the list in church from Sunday 29th October. 21st November 7.00 pm, A Path of Powerful Love, concert of choral music by Nicholas Hopton, Bedford School in aid of Movember. (see attached poster) Thinking of you all Linda Rector Toddington and Chalgrave
Hello Everyone The sun has been shining and we are promised a warm weekend. How the brighter warm weather lifts the spirits and helps ward off those long dark days ahead. I hope you have had a good week. We grabbed a few days in Norfolk this week and visited Sandringham Estate for the first time, enjoying a walk around the house and grounds and the church. The guides were so engaging and keen to interact. It was all very welcoming. King Charles' watercolour paintings were on display in the ballroom and I was impressed by his talent. We loved wandering freely around the gardens and sitting peacefully beside the lake absorbing the ambiance of the beautiful scenery with the background flowers setting the scene. It was a lovely relaxing day... made all the better by the restaurant's beautiful food and impressive crockery with the very generous cups for tea. (The cups and saucers sell for £50 in the gift shop so I'm glad I didn't drop one!) This week has been a time of walks beside the sea, bird watching at Blakeney and a trip to the Norfolk Broads.. a beautiful time of relaxing in nature. One week ago we were giving glory to God in both churches for the bringing in of the harvest. How beautiful the churches looked. Thank you so much for your generosity in giving and in decorating the church and thank you to all who took part in the services... especially our actors! It was a busy time of preparation as teams came together at each church to decorate lovingly, with the Messy Church team making scarecrows, and the harvest loaf and decorating the wonderful welcome scarecrow outside church. It will have been a busy follow on week too in the sorting of the harvest gifts for distribution to foodbanks and families. Thank you so much for your generosity. It will make such a difference to so many and thank you to those who have helped organise and share in distributing.. with a special thanks to Dee and Malcolm who will have been so busy this week ferrying donations. Thank you also to all who helped at and attended Ploughman's lunch this week. I've included some pictures of the amazing harvest produce and displays Looking forward to future events: Chalgrave Church are hosting a Christmas Craft Fayre at Tebworth Memorial Hall on November 4th (see attached poster) and their next Pop Up Tea Rooms (see attached poster) and at Toddington the usual weekly events will take place, plus plans are underway for the Christmas Tree Festival weekend on 8-10 of December and various other events, will be notified in due course. On Sunday 5th November we will hold 'In Loving Memory' services at Chalgrave Church at 9.30 am and at Toddington in the afternoon, so please do let me know the names of any loved ones you would like to remember in the service. Sunday's Services for 8 October 2023 9.30 am Chalgrave Church, Holy Communion service 11.00 am Toddington Church, Holy Communion service Monday 9th October Morning Prayer 9.30 am, Toddington Church Seated Pilates 2.00 pm, Wilkinson Hall Tuesday 10th October 10.30 am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall 5.45 pm Youth Group, Wilkinson Hall (and 17th and 31st October) Wednesday 11th October 10.00 am Church Grounds Working Gardening Party tbc with Dee Thursday 12th October 2.00 pm Afternoon with Friends, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Friday 13h October 10.30 am Painting for Pleasure group, Wilkinson Hall Saturday 14th October 10.00 am Coffee Morning, Wilkinson Hall Saturday 21st October 10.00 am Table-top Sale, Wilkinson Hall - (to book a table please ring Dee 872649) Wishing you every blessing Linda Rector Toddington and Chalgrave 07715 603557 revdtoddington@gmail.com revdchalgrave@gmail.com
Hello EveryoneI hope you have had a good week?There has been a lovely build up this week to Harvest celebrations. On Wednesday the popular Pop Up Tea Room 'popped up' at Tebworth Hall with the Chalgrave Church team (and Jane), providing the most impressive array of savoury and sweet foods. There was lots of happy conversation with people glad to be together - and you need to get there early to get a parking space!On Thursday I visited the Nursery unit at St George's school and spent time with the children as they learned about fruit and vegetables, and they also learned how to cut them up safely. Then on Friday, the school celebrated Harvest in Collective Worship and we admired and gave thanks for the beautiful display of foods collected by the children, for the local Foodbank. Later in the afternoon, Messy Church met at Church for the first time since the Summer, and we enjoyed making special Harvest crafts with the children.. You may notice the welcome scarecrow outside Toddington Church, inviting you to our service in the morning, and the harvest loaf displayed inside which the children all contributed to.This morning, faithful teams of volunteers got together to decorate the churches for tomorrow's morning services and this evening the church 'family' enjoyed a very special harvest supper at Wilkinson Hall, with wonderful company and wonderful tasty food, prepared by volunteers from Chalgrave and Toddington churches. Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed in any way this week to the different activities, and to preparing the churches for Harvest. You work so hard, and give up so much time and effort! The decorations inside church are so beautiful and everything else has gone so well. Thank you!Do please come tomorrow, if you can, to share in the special Harvest services when we will give thanks to God for his creation and for His provision. We are looking forward to welcoming you.If you would like to make a harvest donation of food, that will be most welcome, but if that is not possible, we fully understand. Please come anyway and just enjoy being together. Food collected will be distributed locally to families in need of support and to the foodbank, as times are hard for many at the moment. If you are not able to come to the service, but would like to make a donation, the church is open daily during daylight hours, and food donations can be left in church. Money donations from the harvest meal will be divided between the foodbank and the Bishop's harvest appeal. Thank you so much for anything you are able to offer. Equally, if you are in need of some help, or know a family in need, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me, Linda on 07715 603557 or Dee.Sunday's Services9.30am Harvest Holy Communion Service, Chalgrave Church11am Harvest Holy Communion Service, Toddington ChurchNext Week's EventsMonday9.30am Morning Prayer, Toddington ChurchTuesday10.30am Knitting Group, Wilkinson HallNo Youth Group this week!Wednesday10.30am Church Working Party.. more information from DeeThursday12 noon Ploughman's LunchFriday10.30am Painting for Pleasure GroupEnjoy the warmer weather that is on its way in October! (Can it really be October already?!)Have a good weekBest wishesLindaRectorToddington and Chalgrave
Hello Everyone What a beautifully sunny autumnal afternoon this has been. I hope you are managing to enjoy some sunshine and have emerged from the heavy rains ok. I nearly changed my school assembly theme last Thursday to Noah's Ark as it seemed very fitting after the storms the night before!! But like Noah's Ark, the sun came out and there have also been some splendid rainbow sightings. So as our spirits rise with the warmth of the sun, so we can share God's hope and encouragement that better days are ahead. Many people will be reassured this week that the rate of inflation is down (albeit slightly) and we pray that souring costs will settle and families' and business' finances will stabilise. It is heartbreaking to hear stories about families' struggles to put food on their tables, and of the huge number of families on Universal Credit who are struggling to buy food for the month, whilst other bills are so high. Food banks are experiencing a huge uptake in demand for food, which includes families where both parents are in work. With this in mind, our harvest services next week will be collecting food for the foodbanks, and fresh fruit and vegetables for local families and for the Noah project which provides meals for the homeless. It seems sensible, going forward, for the church to become a resource hub for offerings of home grown produce - especially as many families are struggling to buy fresh fruit and veg. The church building is open each day during daylight hours and we can easily put out a table to receive people's food offerings so others can pop by to select and take food that they need. A bit like recycling to avoid waste. We will be decorating the churches for harvest next Saturday morning and are happy to receive any harvest donations that morning, or during the morning Harvest services. We hope you will be able to share one of the services with us.. and please invite a friend too! The Harvest Supper will be on Saturday 30th September at 5.00 pm. All Welcome, but please let Sandy or Dee know you are coming for catering numbers (see attached letter). Messy Church is on this Friday 29th September at 3.30 pm and will have a harvest theme for crafts. It will be wonderful to welcome our famiies back after the Summer holiday break. Youth Group met again this week and we had a happy time. Thank you to everyone who has been along to an event this week or who has helped cater, including the MacMillan afternoon tea on Thursday. We look forward to the return of the Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Room this Wednesday... always lots of wonderful cake available there too. This Sunday's Services: 9.30 am Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church 11.00 am Holy Communion, Toddington Church Events this week: Monday 25th September Morning Prayer 9.30am 2.00 pm seated Pilates, Wilkinson Hall Tuesday 26th September 10.30 am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall Wednesday 27th September 11.00 am - 1.00 pm Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Room at Tebworth Memorial Hall Working Party in the grounds, Toddington church 10.30 am Thursday 28th September A Rest day! Friday 29th September 10.30 am Painting for pleasure, Wilkinson Hall 12.00 noon Funeral - David Gadsden, Toddington Church 3.30 pm Messy Church, Wilkinson Hall Saturday 30th September During the morning - decorate the churches for harvest (please link with Dee or Sandy for more information -(see attached letter) 5pm Benefice Harvest Supper - Wilkinson Hall Sunday 1st October 9.30 am Special Harvest Community Service with Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church 11.00 am Special Harvest Community Service with Holy Communion, Toddington Church Have a good week. We look forward to seeing you soon. Best wishes Linda Rector Toddington and Chalgrave parishes
