Hello Everyone Last Sunday we celebrated Candlemas remembering Mary and Joseph presenting Jesus in the temple, and the joy of his discovery by Simeon and Anna who had been waiting so many years for the coming of the Lord. We also considered the Candlemas Bells (Snow drops) which appear so faithfully, popping up through the frosty ground each year marking the occasion. Their pure white and beauty also remind us of Mary's purification and admittance into the temple following the birth of Jesus. This week has had many special moments.. mainly through meeting people and having a chat. How important conversation is! This Sunday, as our congregations continue to grow and settle post lockdown, we are looking forward to introducing the first of our 'Healing' services. Special services like this were laid down during Covid lockdown when we had to keep apart and masked, but how good it is now to be able to gather to pray together and to pray for each other. Tomorrow at 9.30 am the service at Chalgrave will allow time to pray special prayers for the sick and to offer anointing with oil as we ask God to heal in body, mind and spirit. There will be a similar service next Sunday (12th February) at 11.00 am at Toddington Church. The services will be gentle and non-threatening and will aim to offer peace and blessing. Do please join us to either pray for yourselves or for someone else who is on your heart. You will be most welcome. This Sunday's Services 9.30 am A service with prayer for Healing and Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church - Linda & Nigel 11.00 am Holy Communion Service, Toddington, Malcolm and Linda Services and Events from Monday 6th February Monday 6th February 9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church 2.00 pm An Introductory course about Prayer Ministry, The Rectory - information from Linda Tuesday 7th February 9.30 pm Prayer Group 10.30 am Knitting Group - Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Wednesday 8th February 10.30 am - 2.30 pm Wednesday Winter Warmer, with soup and baked potato lunches, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Thursday 9th February 2.00 pm Afternoon with friends - refreshments, games, conversation and a warm welcome, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Friday 10th February Painting for Pleasure group, 10.30 am, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Saturday 11th February 10.00 am - 12.00 noon Coffee Morning, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Sunday 12th February 9.30 am Morning Service, Chalgrave 11.00 am Healing Service, Toddington NB: Seated Pilates will now take place twice a month, on 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month, 2.00 pm, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Ploughmans lunches will start in March and will be on the first Thurs of each month. Looking ahead: There will be a weekly Lent course for Toddington Church from w/c 27 February (day tbc). and a weekly Wednesday evening Lent Bible Study course for Chalgrave Church, during March. More information to follow. We are looking to reintroduce Open the Book visits to the Lower School for collective worship on a few Thursdays each month (about 10.00 am) If you would be interested to be part of a team going into school to 'act' out some of the Bible Stories with us at Collective Worship time, please do let me know. The lower school are seeking helpers to listen to children read. If you have time to offer, please let me know. It would be lovely for some of our church members to be able to offer support. The lower school is also seeking a new Foundation Governor.. someone who has Christian faith, who would be willing to offer to support the school. Please let me know if you may be able to help. Thank you all so much for your support in so many different ways. It truly is the body of Christ coming together, using your time, gifts and talents. Thank you.. your help is so appreciated. Wishing you all a very blessed week. Linda Rector Toddington and Chalgrave
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
