Hello EveryoneWith the nights drawing in and the temperatures dipping, we are quickly entering the time of year when we will look to pretty decorative lights to light our way with the excitement of the appearance of Christmas lights on Christmas trees, in shop windows and decorated houses and gardens. This evening people gathered on The Green in Toddington for the official turning on of the Christmas lights, and there were many happy conversations taking place.Schools are preparing for Christmas nativity and concerts, and we too are preparing in our churches during this season of Advent as we look ahead to the Christmas services and events: carol and crib services, the Toddington Christmas Tree festival, Christmas Messy Church, and the next Chalgrave Pop-Up Tea room at Tebworth with Christmas carols. In these cold, wet and dark days, how important it is to get together to support each other, and to also remember Jesus, the Light of the World, the reason for the season.This Sunday's services:9.30am Holy Communion Service at Chalgrave Church - Linda 11am Holy Communion Service at Toddington Church - Linda 1pm Baptism Service at Toddington Church - LindaThis week's services and events: Monday 28 November9.30am Morning Prayer, Toddington Tuesday 29 November10.30am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall5.45pm Youth group, Wilkinson HallWednesday 30 November10.30am to 3pm Wednesday Winter Warmer time together with lunch, Wilkinson Hall Dunstable Deanery Meeting, All Saints Church, Leighton Buzzard 7.30pmThursday 1st DecemberThe funeral of Rita Stares, 12.30pm Toddington Church. The service will be live-streamed and a link will be issued later this week.Friday 2nd December10.30am Painting for Pleasure Group, Wilkinson Hall7pm Scout Carol Service, Toddington ChurchSaturday 3rd December7.30pm Musical Concert by the Luton Youth Cantores Choir and Peculi8. Costs £6 (pay at the door cash only please). There will be a comfort break in the middle and seasonal refreshments will be served in the Wilkinson Hall at the end for those who would like to stay and celebrate. The concert is being run jointly by Toddington Music Society and the Church and profits will be shared. See attached posterFuture Christmas services and events for your diaries:9 December 7pm Christmas Tree Festival Preview Evening. Tickets from Fran or Dee10 and 11 December Christmas Tree festival, Toddington Church, ending on Sunday afternoon with carols. Refreshments in Wilkinson Hall11 December, 7pm Carols by Candlelight Service at Chalgrave Church (Sunday this year)13 December, 5.45pm Christmas Youth Group, Wilkinson Hall14 December 9.15am a Lower school visit to Toddington church to sing carols14 December separate morning and afternoon visits by Parkfields school to Toddington Church for their Christmas Carol Services14 December Chalgrave Christmas Pop Up Tea room, Tebworth Memorial Hall 11am15 December Lower School Christmas Service at Toddington Church16 December Christmas 'Messy Church' 3.30pm (and last day of term)17 December Toddington Band Christmas Concert, Toddington Church, 3pm18 December, Service of 9 Lessons and Carols, Toddington Church, 6.30pm24 December Crib Service 3pm Chalgrave Church,24 December Crib Service 4.30pm Toddington Church24 December 'Midnight Mass' 10pm Toddington Church24 December Midnight Mass, 11.15pm Chalgrave Church25 December Christmas Morning, Benefice service 10am Holy Communion, Toddington ChurchIt will be a busy time, but a joyful time. God blessLinda (and Nigel)
Hello EveryoneThis Sunday is Christ the King Sunday, and our usual Sunday morning services will take place:9.30am Holy Communion Service at Chalgrave - led by Rev Nigel Washington11am Holy Communion Service at Toddington - led by Rev Nigel Washingtonand there is Messy Breakfast in Wilkinson Hall at 9.15am too, which is a family time to gather for breakfast, with crafts too.Nigel is covering at Toddington and Chalgrave churches this week so I can cover services at Harlington and Westoning during their vacancy ( a certain irony there!) so I am sorry not to be with you and will miss you, but you will be in safe hands with Nigel.This week's events:NovemberMonday 21st 9.30am Morning Prayer - Toddington ChurchTuesday 22nd 10.30am Knitting Group - Wilkinson HallWednesday 23rd Winter Warmer 10.30am until 3pm with lunches served at 12 noon at Wilkinson HallWednesday 23rd Chalgrave's monthly Pop Up Tea Room 11am until 1pm Tebworth Memorial Hall (with lots of home made cakes and good company)Friday 25th Painting for Pleasure group 10.30am Wilkinson HallFriday 25th Messy Church 3.30-5.30pm Wilkinson HallSaturday 26th November 9am Christmas Bazaar at Wilkinson Hall, followed at 10.30am by Coffee MorningCouncil fun afternoon on the Green and lighting of the Christmas LightsSunday 27 November 9.30am Holy Communion, Chalgrave11am Holy Communion,Toddington1pm Baptism Service ToddingtonLooking ahead: dates for your diaries:29 November Youth group, Wilkinson Hall30 November 7.30pm Dunstable Deanery Meeting1 December 12.30am Funeral of Rita Stares2nd December 7pm Scouts' Carol Service9 December - preview evening for Christmas Tree Festival- Toddington10 and 11 December - Christmas Tree Festival - Toddington11 December - Chalgrave Carols by Candlelight 7pm (note Sunday evening this year)13 December Youth Group 5.30pm Wilkinson Hall14 December local schools' Christmas services at Church14 December Chalgrave Christmas Pop Up Tea room 11am15 December Lower School Christmas service at church16 December Christmas Messy Church17 December Toddington Band Christmas Concert in church pm18 December 9 Lessons and Carols Service, Toddington 6.30pm (unless changed to later in the week tbc)24 December Crib Services: Chalgrave Church 3pm, Toddington Church 4.30pm24 December Midnight Mass Service Toddington 10pm, Chalgrave 11.15pm25 December Benefice Christmas Morning Holy Communion Service 10am ToddingtonHow time flies by! Have a good week, and see you soon,God blessLinda (and Nigel)
Hello EveryoneThis has been a week of sensitive remembering of loved ones who have died. Last Sunday we held special 'In Loving Memory Services' at Toddington and Chalgrave churches and people took time to light candles in memory of loved ones. On Friday, I was fortunate to be invited to two special school Remembrance services: the first at St George's Lower School where each child laid a poppy petal to create a large school poppy, to remember the soldiers who had died. The year four children capably spoke out about the importance of Remembrance day and also sang a beautiful Remembrance Song. Parkfields Middle School kindly invited me to their special Remembrance Service where we all gathered outside to pay our respects, with class wreaths being laid, a two minute silence observed, poems read by students, and the Last Post played ably by a student. It was a moving service and such a privilege for me to attend both of these special services with our young people. Sadly, I was not able to attend the community service on the Village Green this year, which was at the same time, but it was rather lovely to hear the bugle sound in the distance on the Green as the school's Last Post fell silent, reminding us of being united in the act of Remembrance. This Sunday, our local village communities will gather on Toddington Green at 10.40am and at Tebworth Memorial Hall at 3pm for their respective Remembrance services with the British Legion, and wreaths of poppies will be laid in solemn tribute to local soldiers who gave their lives so selflessly in the different wars. Do please join us if you can.There will also be a short time of remembering with the laying of a wreath at Chalgrave Church memorial at 2pm All welcome. This week saw the successful launch of Wednesday Winter Warmer gathering at Wilkinson Hall from 10.30 to 3pm. This will take place on Wednesdays leading up to Christmas. All Welcome. There will be other events too. This Sunday's Services.. Remembrance Sunday9.30am Toddington and Chalgrave benefice Holy Communion Service at St George of England Church, Toddington 10.40am Remembrance Service on the Green at Toddington2pm a short time of Remembrance - Chalgrave Church3pm Tebworth, Wingfield and Chalgrave Remembrance Service, Tebworth Memorial HallThis week's services and events:Monday9.30am Morning Prayer - Toddington ChurchSeated Pilates 2pm- Wilkinson HallTuesdayKnitting Group 10.30am- Wiilkinson HallWednesdayWednesday Winter Warmer 10.30-3pm Wilkinson HallThursdayFellowship Group 2.4pm - Wilkinson HallToddington PCC Meeting 7pmFriday Painting for Pleasure 10.30am- Wilkinson HallDates for Diary: Chalgrave next Pop Up Tea Room at Tebworth Memorial Hall is on Wednesday 23 November.The Funeral for Rita Stares will be at Toddington Church, 12.30pm on Thursday 1st December. The service will also be live streamed (link to be released later)As we reflect on the week ahead, let us take time each day not only to remember and to give thanks for our lives today but to bear in mind the words of Kohima Epitaph which we will hear tomorrow: ' When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today'Let us in these challenging times, consider what we can do today to make someone's tomorrow better. God blessLinda
Dear All I'm sorry to be sending a last-minute short email this week. It hasn't turned out to be quite the week I was anticipating.. but then when does it! I spent two days preparing for and dealing with workmen cutting back the hedge, shrubs and apple tree at the rectory,..so if you would like any apples, pleeeaase do get in touch. We have so many! Following a great school governors' meeting on Wednesday eve, I returned home with thoughts buzzing through my head about the school assembly the next morning and about how much work there was to do to prepare for this Sunday's services...when, suddenly I was struck down by a grotty sickness bout - probably food poisoning. Thursday pretty much passed me by as I slept for virtually 24 hours, emerging rather gradually on Friday. Saturday has been spent glued to the computer to prepare for our four special services tomorrow and I am looking forward to being back in the swing of things tomorrow, and to meeting up with many of you again, relieved that I am married to a lovely clergy husband who will be alongside tomorrow offering support. Over the years we have tended to minister in separate places, so it will be rather special to minister together tomorrow and we look forward to seeing you. This Sunday our services are: 9.30 am Chalgrave Church, In Loving Memory Service - lead by Linda and Nigel 11.00 am Toddington Church, Holy Communion Service - lead by Linda, with Nigel presiding at Communion 1.00 pm A Baptism Service for Amelie, Toddington Church - lead by Linda 4.00 pm Toddington Church, In Loving Memory Service - lead by Linda and Malcolm, (with Nigel preaching). Other events this week are as mentioned in last week's email apart from: Tuesday 8th November 5.45 pm, Wilkinson Hall, Youth Group - 9+ years of age. Rebecca will be sending out invitations. Please get in touch if you know someone who would like to come along. Wednesday 9th November, Wednesday Winter Warming time – 10.30 am – 3.00pm with soup and baked potatoes for lunch Thursday 10th November, 2.00 pm Meet with Friends, Wilkinson Hall Friday 11th November Service of Remembrance at the War Memorial led by the British Legion 10.40 am Packing Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes, 2.00 pm Wilkinson Hall. All help will be most welcome! Saturday 12th November No activities planned! Sunday 13th November - Remembrance Sunday 9.30 am Benefice Holy Communion Service at Toddington Church 10.40 am Remembrance Service on the Green 2.00 pm A time of Remembrance at Chalgrave church by the memorial 3.00 pm Remembrance Service, Tebworth Memorial Hall Our thoughts and prayers go to all who grieve, remembering those who will be attending the In Loving Memory services tomorrow, and those who are not able to. If you would like to come to pay respects to a loved family member or friend, please do join us. You will be warmly welcomed and this type of service can offer comfort and healing. It is a service which offers time to remember, time to step aside from the busyness for a while and time to light a candle in memory of a loved one. Our particular prayers go out to Roger, Sally and Matthew as they grieve the loss of Rita who died suddenly this week. We thank God for all Rita offered to the Church of St George. She will be very sadly missed. with best wishes Linda and Nigel
