Hello Everyone Can we really be heading to the end of January already? I must admit that I feel a certain joy to see the lengthening days with the extra daylight and the chance to be outside a little longer each day. The days have been particularly pretty with frost and blue skies recently, although Wednesday's pavements and roads were treacherous with the freezing fog. There have been special moments to celebrate this week with Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Room being well attended with a wealth of cakes and provisions and smiles; Messy Church at Toddington on Friday was a time of creativity focused on the Epiphany story of the three kings and their camels; the lower school assembly on Thursday was joyful with children high fiving Nigel as they left after he 'acted' enthusiastically the part of Peter, the fisherman, hauling in a large catch of fish! Toddington church folk welcomed visitors to Wednesday Winter Warmer with hot soup and fellowship and again this morning with cakes and conversation to the Friends' coffee morning. On Wednesday evening Bishop Richard joined us at Chalgrave PCC meeting and shared a Biblical reflection which inspired lots of conversation. It is good being together.. and thank you to everyone for providing such wonderful opportunities to gather. Spring is in the air! This week I have been encouraged to see buds appearing on the hydrangea and on other trees and shrubs; early bunches of daffodils and hyacinths are appearing in the shops and just in time for Candlemas this Sunday, the snowdrops are starting to push through the frozen soil. Snowdrops have a certain traditional symbolic link to Candlemas: 'Snowdrops have, in Britain, been closely associated with Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ into the Temple (February 2nd). This is the day when Simeon took the child in his arms and proclaimed him a light to the world, and Anna proclaimed his glory'. This Sunday's Services: 9.30 am Holy Communion Service at Chalgrave Church 11.00 am Holy Communion Service at Toddington Church Other Services and Events this week Monday 30th January 9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church Tuesday 31st January 10.30 am Knitting Group 5.45 pm Youth Group, Wilkinson Hall Wednesday 1st February 10.30 am - 2.30 pm Wednesday Winter Warmer gathering (soup and baked potatoes) Wilkinson Hall Thursday 2nd February NO Ploughman's lunch this month Quintet Choir rehearsal Harlington Church (7.30 pm?) - more information from Nicholas Hopton Friday 3rd February 10.30am Painting for Pleasure, Wilkinson Hall Saturday 4th February Trefoil Guild coffee morning at Methodist Church Sunday 5th February 9.30 am Healing Service with Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church - Linda and Nigel 11.00 am Holy Communion Service - Malcolm and Linda Sunday 12th February 9.30 am Morning Service at Chalgrave Church. 11.00 am Healing Service with Holy Communion, Toddington Church- Linda and Nigel As we move forward there will be more information about Lent courses but for now, I wish you a wonderful week. God bless Linda
Hello Everyone Looking ahead to tomorrow's services we have the usual 9.30 am Holy Communion Service at Chalgrave and 11.00 am Holy Communion Service at Toddington to which you are all warmly invited. After the 11.00 am service I lead baby Archie's baptism in a separate service at 1.00 pm. Malcolm and I told the story of Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan at the Lower School Collective Worship last Thursday.... but we won't be fully immersing Archie in the font tomorrow! We have had some wonderfully cold and frosty days this week with beautiful sunshine and blue skies and the weather is forecast to continue cold well into next week so please don't forget to pop along on Wednesday to Tebworth Memorial Hall for the Pop Up Tea room with a wonderful selection of cakes and savouries, and soup, from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm or to Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Wednesday Winter Warmer gathering which is from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm, with soup and baked potatoes for lunch. Each gathering will offer you good company and a warm welcome. Other events this week are: Morning Prayer on Monday at Toddington Church at 9.30 am, Tuesday Knitting Group at Wilkinson Hall at 10.30 am Wednesday Pop Up Tea Room, Tebworth Wednesday, Winter Warmer, Wilkinson Hall (See poster) Wednesday eve Chalgrave PCC look forward to Bishop Richard's visit Friday Painting for Pleasure group 10.30 am Wilkinson Hall Friday Messy Church, Wilkinson Hall, 3.30 pm (See poster) and every 4th Friday of the month. Saturday, Friends January Sale 9.30 am – 12.00 noon with refreshments, Wilkinson Hall Have a good week Best wishes Linda
Hello Everyone It is good to be back. We have had a lovely family holiday in the Alps. When we left France the snow had arrived and the mountains were shining white but when we arrived just a week before it was like Spring with green valleys. So many changes of weather in a week, and so much seems to have happened already this year... good things, special family times for us with happy memories to tide us through the year. I hope the New Year will be especially good for you too. As I began to write, the sun was shining through the window in a beautiful interlude from the wind and the rain but by the time I finished it is pouring again! It is encouraging to see the days begin to lengthen and to know that Spring is just around the corner. Plans for the year ahead are beginning and Chalgrave Church have already mapped out some great fundraising/social events and I have no doubt Toddington will also have a busy social fundraising diary ahead. It is good to have things to look forward to. This Thursday morning it was lovely to be back in school to tell the children about Epiphany and the arrival of the Kings to see Jesus. Wedding and baptism meetings have begun as people look forward to special events in the year. I wonder what your Epiphany, special moment will be this year. I pray you will be blessed. This Sunday's Services: 9.30 am Chalgrave Church, Holy Communion 11.00 am Toddington Church, Holy Communion. Services and dates for your diaries from 15 January Monday 16th 9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church Tuesday 17th 10.30 am- 12.30 pm Knitting group, Wilkinson Hall (weekly each Tuesday morning) 2.00 pm PCC safeguarding training course at Helen's 7.30 pm Chalgrave Parish Council Meeting.- Tebworth Memorial Hall Wednesday 18th 10.30 am - 2.30 pm Wednesday Winter Warmer, Wilkinson Hall (weekly on Wednesday) Thursday 19th 2.00 pm St George's Fellowship time, Wilkinson Hall (monthly) Friday 20th 10.30 am - 12.30 pm Painting for Pleasure Group (weekly each Friday morning) 2.00 pm Toddington PCC Sunday Services 22nd January: 9.30 am Holy Communion, Service Chalgrave 11.00 am Holy Communion Service, Toddington 1.00 pm Baptism service, Toddington Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Rooms will be held at Tebworth Memorial Hall, on 4th Wednesday of the month between 11-2pm. Dates for your diaries: 25 January, 22 February, 22 March, 26 April, 24 May, 28 June, 26 July. Wednesday 25th 7.00 pm Chalgrave PCC meeting with Bishop Richard.Friday 27th 3.30 pm Messy Church in the Wilkinson Hall Saturday 28th 9.30 am to 12.00 noon £1 sale, Wilkinson Hall - run by the Friends of St George's Church. Have a good week everyone. I look forward to seeing you soon. God bless Linda
Hello Everyone What a wonderfully snowy white and frosty week this has been.. with the odd smattering of freezing fog to add to the wintery atmosphere! The pavements have been treacherously slippery so I hope you are all in one piece, without bruises. The scenery has been so pretty with trees heavily laden in white sparkling droplets, frozen cobwebs twinkling under the lights, and an expanse of white fields and hedgerow before our eyes. It is a long time since I remember a winter as deeply cold as this. It has been a busy and special week; with St George of England Lower School and Parkfield's School Christmas services either in church or in school, Christmas Messy Church, Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Room, Toddington Wednesday Winter Warmer, and of course, last weekend's Carols by Candlelight service at Chalgrave and the Christmas Tree Festival at Toddington. I have also enjoyed time with my son David, when I can, while he is home from Australia - and it has been special choosing a Christmas tree together as a family and enjoying time around a log fire and simple things like having a chat. It has also been great to have his help carrying heavy shopping for our school family Christmas hampers - (see photo of Helen arriving with 9 home-made fruit cakes). It was a delight to welcome the Parkfields students to church for their first service in church for a few years with the new choir leading the singing with Mr Winn leading. Sadly, the lower school weren't able to make it to church (and I sadly missed the early year's Christmas songs at school) due to the weather but it was a delight to go into school instead to watch the nativity play and to share worship and the final Christmas service. Then the week culminated with a lovely Christmas Messy church with fun activities, crafts, singing and tea. This weekend the Christmas concerts continue with Toddington Band concert this evening (17th December) at 6.00 pm and the Nine Lessons and Carols Service with the Quintet Choir, at 6.30 pm on Sunday 18th December, both at Toddington Church. This Sunday's services: 9.30 am Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church - Nigel 11.00 am Holy Communion, Toddington Church - Nigel - (covering for me so I can take the services at Harlington and Westoning Churches) 2.00 pm Tingrith Nativity service (with a difference) - Linda lead 6.30 pm Toddington 9 Lessons and Carols Service - Linda This Christmas week and the following New Year events and services: Monday 19th December 9.30 am Morning Prayer 12.00 noon Toddington PCC lunch Tuesday 20th December 12.30 pm Funeral of Ronald Smith, Toddington Church Westoning Church, Carol service, with Quintet Choir 7.30 pm Wednesday 21st December Wednesday Winter Warmer, Wilkinson Hall, 10.30 am – 3.00 pm, with soup and baked potatoes 6.30 pm Chalgrave PCC dinner Thursday 22nd December ? Friday 23rd December Harlington Christmas Carol Service with Quintet Choir 8.00 pm Saturday 24th December - Christmas Eve 3.00 pm Crib Service, Chalgrave Church 4.30 pm Crib Service, Toddington Church 10.00 pm Midnight Mass, Toddington Church 11.15 pm Midnight Mass, Chalgrave Church Sunday 25th December - Christmas Day 10.00 am Benefice Holy Communion Service - Toddington Church Sunday 1st January - New Year's Day 11.00 am Benefice Morning Worship Service - Toddington Church (No Communion) - Malcolm Sunday 8th January 9.30 am Morning Worship service, Chalgrave Church - Malcolm Curtis 11.00 am Holy Communion Service, Toddington Church - Rev Jane Fox Other regular events of knitting group, painting group etc will finish and restart at different times.. but please link with the groups for information. This will be my last email for a few weeks as I will take time off after Christmas to rest and share family time before David returns to Australia. Nigel and I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and look forward to meeting with you either before Christmas at one of the Christmas services, or in the New Year. Have a wonderful Christmas and let us not forget that Jesus is the reason for the season. Happy Christ Mass (it is the season to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ) with love and Christmas blessings Linda and Nigel
