Hello Everyone I hope you are well and have had a good week? It has been a generally good week for me, but not an out and about week.. a week tied to the computer filling in the annual church statistical returns, attending the odd zoom training course, plus fending off another cold bug - ugh! But it is good to look forward and to appreciate that Spring is on its way with bulbs peeping ever higher and daffodils about to shoot into bloom, snow drops appearing in clusters, and aconites looking resplendent in their yellow bloom. Daylight now lingers until 5.30pm and afternoons are stretching forth. The long dark days are drifting past and the light and sunlight are shining with vitamin D to boost our energy levels. This Sunday we depart from Epiphany season and begin the Sundays before Lent. We will meet in the Chancel at Chalgrave again this week for the 9.30am Holy Communion service. Despite the scaffolding in the Nave last week, the service was rather special and I am looking forward to gathering there again this week - under the warmth and comforting glow of the wall heaters. We are also hoping that Cliff can find his way under the plastic sheeting to be able to play the organ this week. It looks a bit of a challenge but he is optimistic! This week's services and events Sunday 4th February 9.30am Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church 11am Holy Communion Service Toddington Church Monday 5th 9.30am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church Tuesday 6th 10.30am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall 5.45pm Youth Group, Wilkinson Hall Wednesday 7th 11am-2.30pm Wednesday Winter Warmer lunch and fellowship, Wilkinson Hall Thursday 8th 2pm Afternoon with Friends, Wilkinson Hall Friday 9th 10.30-12.30pm Painting for Pleasure, Wilkinson Hall Saturday 10th 10am Coffee Morning, Wilkinson Hall I am looking to offer an Alpha course starting later this month and Thursday evenings seem to be a popular time, so, if you would be interested to come on this informal and welcoming course to learn more about Jesus and the Christian Faith, please put these provisional dates in your diaries: Thursday 29th February (or possibly Wednesday 28th February) Thursdays 7, 14, 21 March, Wednesday 27 March. We will then have a half -way break over the Easter period and continue on Thursdays 18 and 25 April and 2, 9, 16 May. It is a special course and you will be most welcome. Please let me know if you are interested, and have a word with me if you would like to know more. Have a good week, and please look after yourselves. God bless Linda Rector Toddington and Chalgrave
Hello Everyone Tomorrow we will celebrate the Presentation of Christ in the Temple in our morning Holy Communion services and reflect on the faith of Simeon and Anna and the obedience of Mary and Joseph in bringing their son, baby Jesus, before God in thanksgiving. I shared the story this week in Collective Worship at the Lower school and we also mentioned it at Messy Church, which was such a lovely gathering with 20 children with their parents and carers. Thank you to Bridget, Helen, Rachel, Dee and Malcolm - the team, who prepared crafts and enjoyed time with the children. (see photos). Thank you also to Rebecca, Bridget and Doug for leading Youth Group this Tuesday. This morning the bargain sale run by the Friends of St George's raised an amazing £166 and provided another opportunity for cake over a cuppa with a chat. It has been a busy week for the church teams this week with Pop Up Tea Room on Wednesday at Chalgrave and Winter Warmer Wednesday at Wilkinson Hall, to mention just a couple of church led hospitality events with folks working so hard baking and providing. Thank you all so much! These occasions are truly valued by all who come. This week, Chalgrave church Nave interior has been transformed into what seems more like a building site with scaffolding poles and platforms in place in preparation for the investigations to the roof beams to assess if there is any decay. We would appreciate your prayers please for a reassuring outcome. This stage of the work, which includes work in the Chancel roof, and investigation to two particular beams in the Nave, has already been costed at £27k and that is mainly to pay for the scaffolding! Any further discoveries will cost more. We are praying that no major issues will be discovered. The church is so beautiful and we are so fortunate to be able to worship there in the peaceful surroundings and are keen to preserve the church for future generations to come. We welcome your prayers.. and also any thoughts on how to raise funds to cover the work. (I have attached some pictures). Tomorrow we will gather in the Chancel for our service which will be wonderfully special and in the attached photo, above the standard, you can see the repair which was has already completed to the original decayed beam. Services for Sunday 28th January 9.30 am Holy Communion Service, Chalgrave Church 11.00 am Holy Communion Service, Toddington Church Events this week: Monday 29th January 9.30 am Morning Prayer Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Tuesday 30th January 10.30 am Knitting Group Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Wednesday 31st January 11.00 am Wednesday Winter Warmer gathering, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Friday 2nd February 10.30 am Painting For Pleasure Group, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington I am wondering who might be interested in attending an Alpha course to explore more about Jesus and the Christian faith. This could be a daytime course or an evening course so please do have a word with me, or send me an email, if you would be interested to come along. I know that one or two people are keen to be confirmed, and the first few sessions of Alpha would be helpful preparation for confirmation. And, as we approach Lent.. you may also be interested in a Lent course. Again, please have a word with me, if this is of interest to you. Have a good week everyone. God bless Linda
Hello everyone I hope you have all had a good week. It's certainly been a cold one but tomorrow promises to be warmer. Just sending a quick email this week to wish you well and to let you know about this week's services and events: Sunday 21st January 9.30 am Holy Communion Service, Chalgrave Church 11.00 m Holy Communion Service, Toddington Church 6.00 pm Evensong, Toddington Church Monday 22nd January 9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church Tuesday 23rd January 10.30 am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall 5.45 pm Youth Group, Wilkinson Hall Wednesday 24th January 11.00 am Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Room, Tebworth Memorial Hall 11.00 am Wednesday Winter Warmer Fellowship with lunch, Wilkinson Hall. Don't stay at home in the cold.. come into the warm and share time together over lunch. Thursday 25th January A quiet day Friday 26th January 10.30 am Painting for Pleasure group, Wilkinson Hall 3.30 pm Messy Church, Wilkinson Hall, (See attached poster). This month's theme is Epiphany and we plan to serve a hot meal for the children's tea. Saturday 27th January 9.30 am Friends of St George's Church Bargain sale, Wilkinson Hall. (See attached poster) Sunday 28th January 9.30 am Holy Communion Service, Chalgrave 11.00 am Holy Communion Service, Toddington Do please link if you need support, a chat or a prayer. I know times are not easy for some folk at the moment, so please don't struggle on in silence if you need help. With love and prayers Linda Rector Toddington and Chalgrave
Hello Everyone The winds have been chilly this week and snow is on the horizon for some parts of the country next week... but isn't it good to see the bulbs starting to push through the soil, the days begin to lengthen, to feel some warm sunshine and to hear occasional bird song on the airwaves. As we emerge into January - the Epiphany season, we think of new beginnings, new hope, and new experiences. The news has been pretty bleak this week with the revelations about the Post Office. What a stirring to action has come from such a powerful drama telling the story of the sub-post masters who have been encouraged and led by Mr Bates, determined to fight for justice. It has been good to meet up this week with Youth Group on Tuesday, Coffee Morning today, and I also attended a Christian Breakfast at Frosts this morning and heard an inspirational speaker who used to work with the Counter Terrorism police. What a story she had to share. How we can inspire and encourage each other! It was good to stand in unity this week with folks across the country led by United Christian Broadcasters and Premier Radio to pray the Lord's Prayer at 12 noon on 12th January. May the Lord guide us forward this year to journey effectively, to help others, to be Christ's eyes, ears, mouth, hands and heart, to be compassionate and caring and to do our part to help and to reach out to others, building new bridges, working towards a world of peace, generosity and love. Thank you to everyone who contributed towards the Christmas Hampers for school families who were in need of some support, last December. People were very generous and the recipients were very grateful. We prepared eleven family Christmas food deliveries to school linked families and also helped another couple of folks who were very grateful. The Church continues to support Food bank with Dee and Malcolm delivering crates of food to foodbank each week. Donations can be left in the Food bank box at 22 Leighton Road or at Toddington Church. Thank you so much for your support. Chalgrave Church, had a visit from the Architect and builder this week to discuss the upcoming investigative work on a beam in the Nave which is currently propped up by scaffolding. The cause of the damage needs to be identified and then repaired. One Chancel beam, which was suffering from rot, has already been repaired at a cost £10,000, and we have a projected bill for £27,000 for the next stage of investigative work which will involve scaffolding being erected in the body of the church. Then, depending on what is discovered, we face further costs to repair any damage discovered. Please hold the church in your prayers that we can continue to meet for services there when this work gets underway and also for favourable responses to grant applications for funds to help to cover the enormous costs. This week's services and upcoming events: Sunday 14th January 9.30 am Chalgrave Church, Holy Communion 11.00 am Toddington Church, Holy Communion Monday 15th January 9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church 10.30 am Toddington PCC, Wilkinson Hall Tuesday 16th January 10.30 am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall Wednesday 17th January 11.00 am to 2.30 pm Winter Warm Lunch and Fellowship gathering at Wilkinson Hall Thursday 18th January 2.00 pm St George's Fellowship, Wilkinson Hall Friday 19th January 10.30 am Painting for Pleasure Group, Wilkinson Hall Saturday 20th January 9.30 am Funeral of Dr Anne Philip, Westoning Church Sunday 21st January 9.30 am Holy Communion, Chalgrave Church 11.00 am Holy Communion, Toddington Church 6.00 pm Evensong, Toddington Church In addition to the usual weekly events: Tuesday 23rd January Youth Group, Wilkinson Hall, 5.45 pm Wednesday 24th January 11.00 am Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Room, Tebworth Memorial Hall 11.00 am Winter Warmer lunch and Fellowship, Wilkinson Hall, Friday 26th January 3.30 pm Messy Church, Wilkinson Hall Have a good week,and stay warm! God bless Linda Rector Toddington and Chalgrave
