Hello Everyone The sky is blue, the sun has been beating down and Summer is in full swing. The fields are being harvested and fruit is ripening on the trees. It is a lovely time of year, but also a strange time of year.. village life calms and people head away on holiday as the routine and momentum changes. It is important to rest and we hope that you all will find time to have rest and fulfilment. It was a joy to host Messy Church families at Toddington this Friday. We had no idea if anyone would come.. and suddenly children appeared along the path, with their parents, and we enjoyed a lovely time together with 24 children making crafts about Zacchaeus and munching home-made pizzas for tea. Ploughman's lunches were also a special time with Wilkinson Hall abuzz with happy chatter. Within the seasons of life's changes, Nigel is now in his final month before his retirement as Vicar of the Benefice of Westoning, Tingrith and Harlington churches - which is a poignant stage, with the last one of everything approaching (including for Nigel a last special wedding at Harlington). This all adds to it being a 'strange time of year'. This week's services and events from Sunday 7th August 8.00 am Harlington, BCP Holy Communion - Nigel 9.30 am Chalgrave Church, Holy Communion - Linda 9.30 am Harlington Church, Holy Communion - Nigel 9.30 am Tingrith Church, Morning Prayer - Steve 11.00 am Toddington Church, Holy Communion, with baptisms during the service - Linda 11.00 am Westoning Church, Holy Communion, Nigel 12.00 noon – 2.00 pm Tingrith Church, Cheese and Wine Lunch, Tickets £5 Monday 8th August Morning Prayer Toddington Church 9.30 am Seated Pilates 2.00 pm Tuesday 9th August Westcaf 10.00 am – 12.00 noon, and Sewing Bee 1.00 – 3.00 pm Westoning Village Hall Knitting Group 10.30 am Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Wednesday 10th August Holy Communion Service, Harlington Church 10.00 am Thursday 11th August 2.00 – 4.00 pm Afternoon with friends, Wilkinson Hall Friday 12th August Painting For Pleasure group, 10.30 am Wilkinson Hall Wedding rehearsal Toddington Church 1.30 pm Saturday 13th August 9.30 am Stall on the Green (cakes, jams etc), Toddington 11.00 am Westoning Church, baby thanksgiving service Sunday 14th Services 9.30 am Holy Communion - Chalgrave 9.30 am Holy Communion Harlington 11.00 am Holy Communion, Toddington 11.00 am Holy Communion, Westoning 2.00 pm Wedding - Toddington Church We send our love and prayers to you all. God bless Linda and Nigel
Hello Everyone We hope you are all well and able to enjoy some Summer downtime and holiday rest. The weather is kind at the moment and people seem glad to have a change of scene and routine with time to be with family and friends. We hope you too can enjoy a less frantic few weeks and get some sunshine and rest. This week's services Chalgrave 9.30 am Holy Communion Service - Linda and Malcolm Harlington 9.30 am Holy Communion Service - Nigel and Robert Toddington 11.00 am Holy Communion Service - Linda and Malcolm Westoning 11.00 am Holy Communion Service Nigel and Jon Toddington 12.45 pm Baptism service - Linda Westoning 3.30 pm Big Baptism Blessing with refreshments - Nigel and Rebecca This week's services and events: Monday 1st August 9.30 am Morning Prayer Toddington Tuesday 2nd August 10.30 am Knitting group, Wilkinson Hall Wednesday 3rd August 10.00 am Morning Service, Harlington church Thursday 4th August Ploughman's lunch, 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall Friday 5th August 10.30 am Painting for Pleasure group, Wilkinson Hall Messy Church 3.30 pm, Wilkinson Hall No Westcaf, Sewing Bee or Friday Fellowship this week at Westoning due to the Village Hall closure. The groups return next week. No Little Stars until September Have a good week Linda and Nigel
Dear All This week has been a wonderful week, but a poignant week, with year 4 leaving concerts/services at Westoning and Toddington lower schools, an entertaining 'Evening with the Vicar' at Harlington, and a special wedding at Toddington this weekend, which was all the more special because it was finally able to take place with family and friends, after having been postponed several times over the past 2 years due to Covid restrictions. As we enter the school Summer holiday period, a new exciting season of life begins for many people. Mariia and Izabella send a big thank you to everyone who supported their Ukrainian Charity Concert last week at Toddington Church, and for the toy donations which were collected from Toddington church on Thursday and which are now on their way to Ukraine. Mariia and Izabella have asked me to pass on their thanks to you for your generosity and care. They are very grateful. I will forward on to you other information in due course. This Sunday's Services 9.15 am Messy Church Family Breakfast, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington - Rebecca 9.30 am Holy Communion Service, Harlington - led by Nigel and Robert. 9.30 am Holy Communion Service, Chalgrave - Linda 11.00 am Holy Communion Service, Toddington - Linda (and Malcolm?) - No baptism this week 11.00 am All Age service, with Family Communion, Westoning - Nigel This month's online Upper Room Service at 6.00 pm Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89552865802?pwd=SFV6VHNXVmg1VERGWnljVCtoZzJHUT09 For details of how to join please contact Revd Linda Other events and services this week: Monday 25th July Morning Prayer at Toddington Church, 9.30 am Tuesday 26th July Westcaf at Westoning at 10am and Sewing Bee at 1.00 pm Knitting group, 10.30 am Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Wednesday 27th July Morning Service at Harlington at 11.00 am Pop Up Tea Room, Chalgrave Memorial Hall, 11.00 - 1.00 pm TWIG Beach Party at 3.30 pm at Westoning Church Friday 29th July Painting for Pleasure Group 10.30 am Wilkinson Hall 11.00 am Funeral at Tingrith Church Friday Fellowship, Westoning, outing to Elstow Sunday 31st July Usual morning services Baptism at Toddington church 12.45 pm Baptism bonanza service at Westoning Church 2.30 pm We hope you have an enjoyable, restful week, and enjoy the warm sunshine. We send special thoughts and care to those who are unwell and pray that you make a speedy recovery. We also hold in our hearts and in our prayers those who grieve the loss of a loved one. with love and prayers to you all Linda and Nigel
Hello EveryoneWhat glorious weather we have had this week (if you like it hot!), but next week promises to be even hotter - 😓. Do please take care of yourselves. With a red alert weather warning on the horizon for Monday and Tuesday, and now possibly extending into Wednesday, it's not a week to be running marathons! The Toddington schools, and Toddington Childcare, have issued letters to parents offering to release students at 1pm on the red alert days, if parents wish to take them home before the heat peaks. There is also advice to open the windows of your home in the early hours of the morning to let cool air in but then close windows and curtains later before the heat really starts, to keep your homes as cool as possible. Please look after yourselves and keep safe.This Sunday we are excited to be hosting a charity concert for Ukraine at St George's Church, Toddington at 7pm with the very talented Mariia and Izabella entertaining us with live music and songs.. some of which they have composed. They will also be sharing about their beautiful country and the problems which they, and many others are now facing. Please do come and support them. There is no charge for entry but donations will be invited to raise funds for Ukraine.This Sunday's services:9.30am Chalgrave Church, Holy Communion - Rev Roger Wood9.30am Harlington Church, All age worship, with Communion - Nigel and Linda9.30am Tingrith Church, Morning Prayer - Jon11am Toddington Church, Holy Communion - Rev Roger Wood11am Westoning Church, Holy Communion - Nigel and Linda7pm Ukraine Charity Concert, St George of England Church, Toddington (see attached poster and information below)This is a special concert by Ukrainian Mariia and Izabella, two highly talented young ladies who will be sharing their own stories from Ukraine and also a larger picture about the historical background, set alongside quality songs and music.A Message from Mariia & Izabella:I want to thank you for all your help and support! It is very much appreciated! I am very happy to meet such wonderful people in a new country! Thank you very much! Here is a little more information about our next event. Now, so many people can not only point out where our country is on the map, but also list all the districts of Kiev. They talk about Ukraine everywhere. But what is Ukraine?The Ukrainian language is considered one of the best sounding in the world, but how does our music sound? We sing both in joy and in sorrow. So which songs were key for us during different historical events? What kind of places did we see from the window when we rushed to work or our first date? If someone asked us to describe our region in a few words, what would we say? Or what kind of music would we create, trying to describe Ukraine with melodies and sounds?Mariia Yaremak (composer, singer) and Izabella Ivashchenko (vocalist), have prepared a special concert-performance about Ukraine, where we would like to share with the world the soulfulness of our people, show the infinite beauty of our lands, as well as to attract the attention of people from other countries to the current events. For this we have combined live performance, video and the stories of eyewitnesses into a single production to immerse people into an atmosphere of art and emotions - those languages that we can understand without words. The performance will be in English, but the songs will be performed in Ukrainian. So if you are someone who would like to know a little more about Ukraine, or if you would like to hear more Ukrainian music in the author's interpretation - we will be very happy to see you! Our event can tell the British more about what people in Ukraine are going through now, understand their feelings and way of life. And for Ukrainians it will be an opportunity to meet and get acquainted with their citizens and also to feel the atmosphere of something close here, in the new country.Other Events and services this week:Usual weekly events plus these new notices:Youth Group Toddington, on Tuesday at 5.45pm will be postponed to a later, cooler date! We will keep the families informed of any new date.Wednesday 10am Westoning School Assembly in church5pm Westoning PCC 7pm Petal and Purl Meeting, Toddington7.30pm Harlington PCCFridayAn Evening with the Vicar Harlington Village Hall 7.30pmWedding rehearsal Toddington 5pmSchools close for the Summer holiday. Saturday12 noon Wedding at Toddington Church12.15pm Baptism at Westoning ChurchSunday 24th July11am Toddington Church - Holy Communion Service with baptismCovidCovid cases are rising. Apparently, 1 in 18 people nationally may now be infected so you may wish to consider taking precautions to protect yourselves in an enclosed public area.We send you our love and prayersLinda and Nigel
