March 2015 - chinnor.org.uk

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Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.
Proverbs 4:23 (The Message)
The United Kingdom is a funny place! Four countries with distinct
history, culture and traditions bolted together into a single nation.
There is simply no-where else in the world like it. We are unique!
Recently I was “home again” in Scotland and I always get a thrill upon
driving over the border and passing the ‘Welcome to Scotland’ sign. It
holds a deeply satisfying experience each time I do it.
In my years of serving Jesus, I have passed in and out of many
countries and that repeated experience gives this simple verse
practical clarity for me.
Upon landing at the airport, I follow the signs to PASSPORT
CONTROL and wait in the queue until a Border Control Officer
checks my passport. They are looking to see if I have the proper visa
and/or if I have visited questionable countries. As they inspect my
documents, they also look for suspicious behaviour. Their job is an
important one; once they stamp a passport and allow someone to walk
into the baggage area, that person is in-country.
They can refuse entry. If they don't stamp the passport, the person
doesn't get in!
You and I are the Passport Control duty-officers for our hearts and
minds, and each day we face a line of would-be visitors who want into
our heart and thinking. Probably, most of the visiting thoughts,
sights, feelings and sounds are mere tourists - harmless and
forgettable. But in that queue for entry are also attitudes (i.e.,
resentment, bitterness, envy, self-importance) that are looking for
permission to enter. They will do mischief if you let them in…
So take the Bibles advice and ‘Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
that’s where life starts’.
Kenn
CCC Services -March 2015
Theme for the month ‘Revisiting the 10 Commandments in a modern context’
Sunday 1st March
Morning Service 10:45am Guest Speaker - Clifford Hill
(Issachar Ministries)
Evening
6:00pm CELEBRATE (Praise & Prayer)
Sunday 8th March
Morning Service 10:45am Guest Speaker - Steve Mullins
(Dry Bones Trust)
Evening
6:00pm Amazing Grace Study Course.
Sunday 15th March
Morning Service 10:45am Mothering Sunday - Tabby Crawforth
Evening
6:00pm RELAX - Re-Thinking Church (Pastor Kenn)
Sunday 22nd March
Morning Service 10:45am Words Can Wound or Heal - (Pastor Kenn)
Evening
6:00pm Getting Your Feet Wet Study Course
Sunday 29th March
Morning Service 10:45am Palm Sunday Service - (Bruce Crawforth)
Evening
6:00pm No Evening Service
Imagine for a moment that that someone you’ve never met paints a
large letter on your door. It’s the letter “N” and it stands for
“Nazarene.” It means you must give-up your faith, your family’s faith,
and convert to another religion. And, even if you do, you may still lose
everything, including your life. You have hours to decide. What would
you do? Honestly.
For over 300,000 Iraqi Christians, this is their reality. Thousands
have already died horrible, brutal deaths – children and youth are not
exempt.
Persecution of Christians has been occurring for years, all around the
world. But, the recent events in Iraq have brought it to the forefront of
all of our minds. This is no longer a back-page story. It confronts us all
we can’t look away from the brutal images and act as if evil doesn’t
exist. We must not hide behind our nation’s freedom and blessing, or
ignore the cries and screams while sitting comfortably in our places of
worship.
We must not forget the persecuted – all around the world – especially
when the news fades and the outrage dims. We must become informed
and pray for them, and give generously to legitimate organisations
that can be trusted to help them. We may even be called to go and
serve. What we all must do, every one of us, is to commit ourselves to
the first Nazarene, Jesus of Nazareth.
Ask yourself if you would follow Jesus to the cross, even a literal cross
like the believers in Iraq are being executed upon. Jesus said, “If
anyone would come after Me, let [them]... take up [their] cross and
follow Me.” Matthew 16:24.
Now, ask Jesus to give you the strength to be a real follower of His.
Allow His Holy Spirit to show you where you must change and how to
pick up your cross daily.
Jesus understands pain, rejection, persecution, and even brutal death.
But love, His love, conquered it all.
Christians are never called to hate those who persecute us, even ISIS
terrorists!
The bottom line is simply this; we are called to love because He, Jesus,
first loved us.
Kenn
The Easter services at CCC are;
29th March - Palm Sunday
10.45am – Service (youth activities are scheduled to take place)
6.00pm – No Service
3rd April - Good Friday
9.00am - Village Cross Walk
(all invited and meeting at St Andrew’s Church, Lych Gate)
10.30am - Chinnor Hill Service.
(Followed by Hot Cross Buns & Refreshments at CCC)
11.30am - Meditative Service at CCC.
5th April - Easter Sunday
7.00am - Sunrise Service on Chinnor Hill.
10.45am - Family Service.
6.00pm - CELEBRATE (Praise & Prayer)
This month’s guide to encourage our partnership in prayer
Through March …
On a SUNDAY pray for:
 Those preaching, The Worship Group
 The Sunday Youth Groups: Pebbles, The Rock, Rock Solid, Illuminate
On a MONDAY pray for:
 Kenn and Kath, Bruce and Gisela
 The Leadership Team, The Trustees
 Our Fellowship, The Other churches in Chinnor
On a TUESDAY pray for:
 Those who work in mission
 Rainbow Tots, Ladies Nights, Craft Nights and Menzone Teams
 The Chinnor Schools, The Doctors Surgeries
On a WEDNESDAY pray for:
 Our small-groups, and their leaders
 Those living away from home
On a THURSDAY pray for:
 The older members of the fellowship
 Coffee Pot, Meadowcroft, Hempton Field
On a FRIDAY pray for:
 The children of the fellowship
 Acorn, FridayNight@7 and their leaders
On a SATURDAY pray for:
 Chinnor
 Your neighbours
 Your friends, family
Who moved the Cheese – Part 7
Haw looked forward to finding New Cheese. His old thinking had been
clouded by fears. He had thought more about what could go wrong
than what could go right. He used to believe that Cheese should never
be moved and change wasn’t right. Now he realised it was natural,
whether you expected it or not.
He paused to write on the wall:
“Old Beliefs Do Not Lead You To New Cheese.”
Haw realised as he ran that when you change what you believe, you
change what you do. You can believe that a change will harm you and
resist it. Or you can believe that finding New Cheese will help you and
embrace the change. It depends on what you choose to believe.
He regretted not moving sooner to deal with change in Cheese Station
C. He had wasted precious Cheese-finding time. As Haw progressed
into the Maze, he found pieces of Cheese here and there. Encouraged,
he hoped that the things he had written on the wall would help Hem
and lead him towards New Cheese, if he ever left Cheeseless Station
C. He wrote again:
“Noticing Small Changes Early Helps You To Adapt To The Bigger
Changes That Are To Come.”
Haw had let go of the past and was adapting to the present. He
dashed through the Maze with greater strength and speed. and then it
happened! Rounding a corner, he found New Cheese at Cheese Station
N!
New Cheese of every variety were piled high. Was it his imagination?
Then he saw Sniff and Scurry. They nodded and waved their paws.
Haw tied his shoes and hung them around his neck in case he needed
them again, and sat down to enjoy the spoils.
Reflecting on a full stomach, Haw realised that the biggest inhibitor to
change that he faced was within himself, and that nothing gets better
until you change. Most importantly, he realised that there is always
New Cheese out there, and you are rewarded with it when you leave
your fears and enjoy the adventure.
Tearfund News
Lent reflection 1: having a little but giving a lot
The first of our weekly Lent reflections comes from Lucy Pieterse from
Tearfund’s Global Volunteering Team
Last Sunday evening I was sitting in church when the leader asked,
‘What’s the most heroic thing you’ve seen someone do?’ I was pretty
flummoxed by the question and my mind went blank. I was trying to
conjure up memories of individuals being pulled from burning houses,
rescued from treacherous waters or saved from windswept
mountaintops. But as I’ve pondered the question this week, asking the
Lord to bring a memory to mind, I’ve been taken back to my time in
Liberia, West Africa.
Liberia borders the Ivory Coast, where civil war in recent years has
forced many people to leave their homes, give up everything they
know and flee across the border into Liberia. But what amazed me
was the response of the Liberian people. They have very little, life is
really hard, hunger is a reality and yet they opened their homes to
their Ivorian neighbours. They shared what little they had despite
often not knowing where the next meal would come from.
So, what’s the most heroic thing I’ve seen someone do? Just that.
People who seemed to have nothing; sharing their precious little and
opening their homes to strangers who had lost everything.
Please join me in prayer…
Father God, thank you for the incredibly brave people around the
world who often go unnoticed, performing heroic acts that few people
will ever know about. Thank you for their unfailing trust in you. Lord,
I ask in my own life that you will show me ways to reach out and help
people, to go above and beyond, and be willing to give out of my need
and not out of my plenty. May I be willing to listen to your voice and
follow your lead as you show me ways that I can be your hands on
earth. In your precious name, Amen
Signs of peace in South Sudan
An agreement has been signed between the President and the rebel
commander, in which warring parties agree to cement a peace
agreement by 5 March. The hope is that this will bring 15 months of
conflict to an end.
According to current plans, the President will remain in post and a
Vice President will be elected from the rebel side. Let’s pray together
at this crucial time.
 Several previous peace deals and ceasefires in South Sudan have
been broken. Cry out to God in prayer that this deal will hold,
and that the people of South Sudan will very soon be able to live
in peace and safety.
 Pray for conflicting parties, diplomats and peacemakers as they
work towards a power-sharing agreement. Pray for openness,
commitment and cooperation.
 Pray for the people of South Sudan suffering as a result of
conflict. A massive 1.5 million people have been displaced and 11
million people are struggling for enough food.
 Pray for our teams as they continue to reach out to those most in
need with life-saving food, water and livelihood support. Our
work is benefiting more than 64,000 people so far.
Springs of life in drought-stricken Colombia
Last August, we asked you to pray for the indigenous Wayuu people of
La Guajira, northern Colombia, as they struggled to survive a
devastating drought. Thanks to your prayers and the quick response
of Tearfund’s partner Red Viva, they’ve been given a new lease of life.
When the drought destroyed their crops, the remote Wayuu
communities despaired of receiving any help. Levels of malnutrition
were so serious that 15 indigenous children were reported dead.
Since then, there has still not been enough rain for crops to flourish in
La Guajira. But a number of other things have changed…
‘What has changed dramatically is the smile on the faces of the
children,’ explains Country Representative Rosa Camargo de Bravo.
This is because; working through two local churches, Red Viva has
been providing Wayuu families with medical care as well as vital food
packages, including fortified snacks and milky drinks for the children.
At the start of the project, the children were listless and sad. But now
they have the energy to attend school again and even to play football –
a favourite sport in Colombia.
This timely help made the Wayuu people curious to hear more about
God’s love. At Christmas last year, the community leader asked Red
Viva to present the story of Jesus to them.
More than 700 people attended the lively Christmas celebrations.
‘Some of them were hearing about the love of God for the first time,
and they were in tears,’ says Rosa. ‘For the Wayuus, it was like water
for a thirsty soul.’
 Praise God for the restored health and hope of the Wayuu people,
and pray for the rains they desperately need to come this year.
 Red Viva is helping the Wayuu community to advocate to the
authorities for longer-term solutions to the lack of water, such as
wells and water cleansing systems. Please pray that they will be
successful in finding a way forward.
 Give thanks for the Wayuu people’s joy at hearing the wonderful
message of God’s love.
The doughnut is mightier than the yoke (of slavery)
A simple recipe is the latest weapon in the fight against human
trafficking. As Homer Simpson would say: ‘Doughnuts, is there
anything they can't do?’
You might remember that last year we took Channel 4 celebrity baker
Tom Herbert (of The Fabulous Baker Brothers) to Laos in South-East
Asia. He came to see some of the work our partners are doing to fight
child trafficking. But he also came with a recipe and it has proved
invaluable. Tom brought with him a recipe for Sticky Sticks, a kind of
long thin doughnut. They are made from little more than flour and
sugar. But Tom thought the recipe could work as a form of income
generation for some of the girls.
It turns out that Tom’s hunch was correct; 17-year-old Ler has started
making and selling sticky sticks. Ler is one of eight children; her
father has died and her mother is disabled. She is desperate to
support her family. In short she is exactly the sort of girl traffickers
prey upon.
She gathered together a few pounds to start the business and set to
work with four of her friends. The first batch was sold in the local
school and sold out in a morning, doubling her capital. The girls make
the sticks together each morning and sell them around the village.
Locals have developed a fondness for the sweet treats and business is
brisk.
Ler tells our partners that she is no longer tempted to travel to
Thailand. She can now provide for her mother and family in her home
village and feels much safer there. Sometimes the biggest problems
can have the simplest solutions, as simple as flour and sugar...
 Praise God for this encouraging news from Laos! Pray that other
young people locally will be inspired by her determination and
success.
 Pray for the work of Tearfund’s local partner as staff train more
girls like Ler to learn skills with which to make a safe living.
 Please continue to pray for our No Child Taken campaign
through which we’re mobilising people to take a stand against
trafficking, disease and disaster – some of the biggest threats to
children worldwide.
John Gravett
Tearfund Representative
Notes from the talk for Bruce’s Installation as Elder, 24 January 2015
The notes below are mainly for a ‘talk’ so may seem stilted in writing.
I’m thankful for insight from my father who has been an elder/church
leader for more than 50 years. Trust these notes would be helpful.
Bruce has also encouraged me to put this on Connect.
LM
The Elder’s Character, Competence, Community (and Crown)
I.
The Elder’s Character:
Based on (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5, Acts 20)
The Elder MUST BE:
•
Above Reproach
•
Temperate
•
Self-controlled
•
Respectable
•
Hospitable
•
Devoted husband
•
Gentle
•
Manage family well
(obey, respect, believe)
•
Able to teach
(sound doctrine/refute)
•
Blameless
•
Loves what is good
•
Upright
•
Holy
•
Disciplined
•
Eager to serve
•
Example
The Elder MUST NOT BE:
•
Recent believer
•
Given to drunkenness
•
Violent
•
Quarrelsome
•
Lover of money
•
Greedy for money
•
•
•
•
Overbearing
Quick-tempered
Pursuing dishonest
gain
Lording it over others
What is the standard then for an elder? Will a person ever by 100%
holy, disciplined, upright? The standard is a person with an exemplary
Christ-like character consistently expressed in His walk with God, in
the home, in the church community and outside the church.
Two key implications:
a) If the elder is setting an example, all of us should follow this
example. The list of ‘elder traits’ is one list in the Bible that
informs what a ‘mature’ believer looks like.
The Bible gives us several different yardsticks to measure Christian
maturity (Christlikeness):
1) The Gifts of the Spirit (Galatians 5)
2) The Beatitudes (Matthew 5)
3) The List of Love (1 Corinthians 13)
4) The List for Wisdom (James 3)
5) The Qualifications for Elders and Deacons
(1 Tim 3 and 5, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5, Acts 20)
We can then intentionally work on developing in these various
areas/characteristics.
b) Are we developing ‘elder material’ in this church?
Though not everyone are elders, the characteristics are really for
everyone - as we are all growing in Christlikeness and following the
example of elders (who follow Jesus). Developing more ‘elders’ or
‘people who are elder material’ is a sign of a church’s maturity.
II. The Elder’s Competency
The Elder’s competency: 5 words that begin with the 5 letters that
spell ‘elder’.
Ensures
Acts: 20: 28: Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the
Holy Spirit has made you overseers.
• It is the Holy Spirit who makes ‘elders’
• The Elder should first ‘watch himself’
- My mother would ask my father (elder/pastor) frequently about
his personal intimacy with God.
• Elder is to watch over the flock…and the relationships flock has
with one another
• - Working through relational problems among brothers and
sisters/ and most commonly issues between husbands with wives.
Launches
1 Timothy 5:14: Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through
a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
• With laying on of hands, there is also a ‘back story’:
- The elder doesn’t just ‘lay hands’ but usually before the
‘ceremony’, there has been significant mentoring, prayer,
identifying gifting, training, and development; and subsequent
tracking, encouraging & prayer.
- To Bruce: As you have hands laid on you today, you will laid
hands to launch many others.
Directs
1 Timothy 5:17: The elders who direct the affairs of the church well
are worthy of double honour…
• What does the elder ‘direct’? What are the ‘affairs of the church?:
- My father often said ‘quality’ and ‘quantity’.
(Quality = of lives of people (Christlikeness and maturity)
(Quantity= numeric growth of the church)
- Both are important for the elder to push forward
- Often quantity requires risk, faith and change.
• B and Q stands for ‘Bruce and Quality/ Quantity’ or ‘Be people of
quality & quantity’.
Equips
Titus 1:9: He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has
been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and
refute those who oppose it.
• Equipping and encouraging people in sound doctrine and
rebuking false teaching involves both:
-OFFENCE / Pro-active – to teach people &
-DEFENCE/ Re-active – to help people defend against false
teaching
• Other ‘e-words’ also: expound, explain…
Restores
James 5:14: Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the
church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the
Lord.
• With praying for healing, there is a ‘back story’:
-The elder is likely to have:
a) Made himself available
b) Built trust and relationship with person/family
c) Committed to helping people in pain/hurt
• Most important thing to this is TIMING/sacrifice
-People need prayer at their time of need – not when it’s convenient
for the elder…
III. The Elder’s Community:
4 words that being with 4 letters which spell ‘hope’.
Honour
1 Timothy 5:17: The elders who direct the affairs of the church well
are worthy of double honour…
• How do we honour Bruce? (Honour can often be different for
different people and cultures so I asked Gisela how we can
honour Bruce…)
1) Words of appreciation/affirmation (though Bruce isn’t looking for
it and doesn’t like attention)
2) Bruce’s love language is acts of service. So we can love and
honour him by serving more. This raises the bar in our church
life.
Obey and imitate
Hebrews 13:17, 7 & 1 Peter 5: 3:
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch
over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their
work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to
you.
(Elders are…not lording it over those entrusted to them, but being
examples to the flock).
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider
the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
 We are called to obey and submit to our leaders/elders. This
can be daunting, especially if we disagree with the elder…
 But the elder has our best interest at heart and this should
help us to submit.
Pay and pray
1 Timothy 5:18, Hebrews 13:18: For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an
ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his
wages.”
Pray for us.
 For full-time elders, the church should ‘pay’ them.
 Let’s commit to praying regularly for Bruce. Who is committed
to this?
Exhort
1 Timothy 5:19: Do not entertain an accusation against an elder
unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be
rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.
• The qualifications that allow us to appoint an elder are the same
qualifications that allow us to keep the elder. These character
expectations are ongoing in his role.
• If the expectations aren’t met, there are grounds to rebuke,
confront and remove the elder if he does not respond or repent.
• Two or three witnesses are important so the accusation is not
based on one person’s opinion or a personal vendetta or
disagreement. We are NOT to even entertain these sorts of
accusations.
• The public rebuke of elders is a warning to everyone that
standards for leadership in God’s church is to be taken seriously.
III. The Elder’s Crown
1 Peter 5:4: And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive
the crown of glory that will never fade away
• The crown of glory is a reward given to only elders.
• The Bible indicates that elders are then to give the crowns back
to Jesus – laying them down to worship Him.
Summary:
The Elder’s Character, Competence, Community and Crown
1) Character: Are we following the elder’s example and developing
more elders?
2) Competence: ELDER
Ensures, Launches, Directs, Equips, Restores
3) Community: HOPE
Honour, Obey and imitate, Pay and pray, Exhort
4) Crown
NO Greater Love
So how was Valentine's Day for you? Were you woken up for a
delicious breakfast in bed, presented with some beautiful red roses or
taken to some posh restaurant for a scrumptious meal? No me
neither!!!!! I didn't feel unloved though, because every day of the year not just on
February 14th - I only have to think of all the blessings bestowed on
me by my heavenly Father to feel deeply loved. Every time I look at
the cross I am reminded how much He was prepared to suffer there
for me because He loved me, with a love that far surpasses that of any
human.
Many in the world have still not heard about the love of God though,
or if they've heard can't or don't believe it. It must be so hard for
people living with no clean water, no food, no nice warm home, in a
country ravaged by disease or sickness or torn apart by war to believe
that anyone even cares- let alone loves them. That's why Samaritan's
Purse and other Christian organisations do all they can for these
people, in all sorts of practical ways, to help them where they need
help most and then tell them of the love of God.
In countries of great need there are millions of innocent children
suffering, many need to learn how to laugh or just have fun and
Operation Christmas Child is doing some wonderful work in those
circumstances. I would love to have been in Serbia and seen the faces
of the 133 children who received a shoebox from CCC. I hope and pray
that it gave them joy and a feeling of being loved - I'm sure it did, and
more than that I pray that many of them have now learned that they
are special to Jesus too.
It's another new month and March sees us collecting hair combs and
brushes, hair slides or other hair decorations and little items of
jewellery for the girls, and for the boys, besides the combs, perhaps
some little puzzles, a wind up torch or little kit of some sort. Thank
you for loving and caring.
God Bless
Pam Dunn
Commit to get fit
Anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown
except by competing according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5
Do you jog to work? Bench-press in front of your computer screen? Lift
weights at the coffee machine? Even do sit ups in meetings? Perhaps
not. But what would it mean to see our workplaces as a spiritual gym?
Paul uses the example of an athlete when encouraging Timothy to ‘be
strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus’ (2 Timothy 2:1). In any
physical training programme, fitness doesn’t happen by accident. It
requires the ongoing commitment to change unhelpful patterns and
replace them with health-inducing habits. The work of change
requires effort and a sustainable fitness programme. With spiritual
‘fitness’ these same elements are important, especially if we desire to
be fruitful on our frontlines.
It takes effort. The letters of both Paul and Peter contain many
exhortations to become spiritually mature, with God’s help, through
disciplined effort. See, for example, 2 Peter 1:5-9: ‘For this very
reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to
goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to selfcontrol, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to
godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you
possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from
being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Effort goes hand in hand with a sustainable programme. Inwardly
(our personalities and preferences) and outwardly (our commitments
and responsibilities) we are all different. Any fitness programme we
commit to needs to reflect this, as one size does not fit all. Yet without
reorganising our lives at some level we are unlikely to create healthy
lifelong spiritual habits to sustain us. Athletes do not get fit by
accident, but by design.
Bev Shepherd
LICC St Peter's, Vere Street London, W1G 0DQ
Dates for your Diary
Sunday Services
10.45am to 12.15pm and from 6pm
Chinnor Community Church
High Street, Chinnor,
Oxon, OX39 4DH
Rainbow Tots
March 3rd - March 10th
March 17th - March 24th
Reopens 7th April
9.45am at CCC
Coffee Pot
March 12th and 26th
At the Village Centre from
10.30am
If you have any
articles for the next
Connect they need to
be in by
22 March
Mar 02 Leadership Business Meeting
Mar 03 The Bridge 7.30pm
Mar 04 Girls Group 4.30pm
Ladies Night 7.30pm
Mar 06 Mums Prayer 10-11.45am
WWDP 10.30am & 7.30pm
FN@7
Mar 08 Meadowcroft
Mar 09 Tiny Tim
Mar 10 The Journey 11am
First Steps 7.30pm
Mar 11 Girls Group 4.30pm
Small Groups
Mar 12 Coffee Pot
Mar 13 Acorn
Mar 15 Mother’s Day - All Age
Service
Mar 16 Leadership Team Prayer
Mar 17 The Bridge 7.30pm
Mar 18 Girls Group 4.30pm
School of Ministry 7.45pm
Mar 19 Social Art Group 7pm
New Songs Workshop 8pm
Mar 20 Mums Prayer 10-11.45am
FN@7
Mar 23 Tiny Tim 7.30pm
Mar 24 The Journey 11am
First Steps 7.30pm
Mar 25 Girls Group 4.30pm
Small Groups
Mar 26 Coffee Pot
Mar 27 Acorn
WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
Friday 6th March 2015
This year the service has been prepared by Christian women from The
Bahamas. The theme is taken from St John’s Gospel 13:1-17 ‘Jesus
said to them: “do you know what I have done to you?”’ and it
challenges us to demonstrate the same radical, unconditional love for
others that Jesus showed when he washed the feet of his disciples.
The Bahamas consists of over 700 islands, scattered over 100,000
square miles in the Atlantic Ocean, only a small proportion of which
are inhabited. It refers to itself as a ‘family of islands’ and in the
service the needs of the smallest islands are given as much
prominence as those of the larger ones. Please join us for one or both
of the services this year at:
Chinnor Methodist Church 10.30am and 7.30pm
Members of St Andrew’s Church, Chinnor Community Church and
Chinnor Methodist Church will be leading and taking part throughout
each service.
A crèche will be available at the morning service and refreshments
will be served after each service.
An estimated 3 million people, in over 170 countries, will gather to
celebrate the day of prayer, using the service which has been
translated into over 1000 different languages and dialects. In the
British Isles alone over 5,000 services will be held. The day begins
when the sun rises over the island of Samoa, and continues until it
sets off the coast of American Samoa some 35 hours later.
All are welcome
Anne Marie Lord, Monica Bartlett, Sue Marshall, Sheila Hazell
Women’s World Day of Prayer Committee, Chinnor
http://www.wwdp.org.uk/
There is never a dull moment at Coffee Pot. Winter Blues may swirl
around outside but we manage to enjoy the morning, whatever the
weather. Today was no different. After coffee and a chat, Viv achieved
to get the group buzzing with a quiz on music. Or more to the point,
the second, or fourth, lines of musical songs. With twenty people
present, all trying to sing songs that might have been correct or not, a
real cacophony filled the room. ‘Have you got any washing, mother
dear,’ started another buzz of muttering. ‘Cheerio, here we go, on our
way,’ also brought back memories to some of our more mature
members. It left us younger ones scratching our heads. With answers
like, ‘On the sunny side of the street’ and ‘What a glorious feeling I’m
happy again,’ you, the reader, should be able to understand how Viv
got everyone singing and tapping their feet, plus associated hand
movements. What with brown boots, yellow submarines and blue birds
plus a white Christmas, the noise permeated through the Village
Centre. It was not really an unpleasant combination of loud, often
jarring, sounds, but more of a happy band of pilgrims walking on
England’s mountains green.
After the epilogue and closing prayer the three whatsit sisters, namely
of Joan, Diane and Viv gave an impromptu rendering of ’Nelly, the
Elephant.’ one of the quiz answers. Everybody joined in, complete with
all the actions. Goodness only knows what the rest of the Village
Centre thought, especially as the door to our room was open!
pcb
CCC Coffee Pot
Nina has been reading her ‘Pub Quiz Book’ again. After the usual chit
chat** and a cuppa it was down to the mornings enjoyment. Just a
reminder, if you plan to take a train to Euroland, they do not leave
from Waterloo or from St. Pancreas but from St. Pancras. Nina
quizzed us on England, so that put Joyce and Jacqui at an immediate
disadvantage. In fact, it put a few more of us at a disadvantage as
well. We went from the Isle of Weight to the Fens, onward to
Chelmsford, across to Salop, back to Bexhill-on-Sea, upward to
Sellafield and to some Roman settlement named Deva. This Roman
fortress and town is now called Chester, as everyone knows.
We also visited Werks, Yuck, Havant got a clue and Glasgow.
Glasgow!!! (Glasgow in England? Don’t tell the SNP] Near the end of
Nina’s quiz we had to name the county which started with a letter
nearest to the end of the alphabet. Was it Yorkshire or
Worcestershire? Correct, it was indeed Worcestershire. This
controversy is still rumbling on. The quiz book said Worcestershire, so
that is the answer. Unfortunately for fans of the HISTORIC County of
Yorkshire, because of its size, it has been divided into smaller bits
that are more easier to administer. It is now known as North
Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and East Riding of
Yorkshire. So that is that, unless, of course, you come from Yorkshire.
So thanks for all your efforts, Nina, for a morning of fun and humour.
For more excitement CCC Coffee Pot is on Thursday 12 and 26 of
March at the Village Centre.
** Chitchats are a harmless small Malayan lizard that lives in
people’s houses, behind books, mirrors, photographs and paintings.
Occasionally they rush out from their hiding place, catch an insect or
fly and then rush back to their hiding place. It is always advisable to
check in your cup of tea before you drink it, just in case one has
dropped off of the ceiling.
Peter Brown
One day Sven & Ollie, local pastors, were seen pounding a sign into the ground,
that said: "DA END ISS NEAR! TURN YERSELF AROUND NOW BEFORE
IT'S TOO LATE".
As a car sped past them, the driver leaned out his window and yelled, "Leave
us alone, you religious nuts!"
From the curve we heard screeching tires and a big splash...
Rev. Ole turns to Pastor Sven and asks, "Do ya tink maybe da sign should yust
say 'Bridge Out'?"
Suduko
Fill in the blanks so that each row, column, and each of the nine 3x3
grids contain one instance of each of the numbers 1 to 9.
1
4
2
7
9
5
4
8
5
2
3
8
7
5
2
2
8
7
9
1
8
9
2
4
4
8
1
2
6
2
9
4
9
4
1
8
5
3
6
Last Month’s Quiz: The Answer:
Wordladder:
LOST – LIST – MIST – MINT – MINE - MILE
1
JUST AN IDEA!!!
I know that because of the rising cost of postage many people have
stopped sending Easter cards nowadays or perhaps have decided to
email friends instead. I can understand this, but if you do still want to
use "snail mail" have you noticed how every year it gets increasingly
difficult to find Easter cards containing any reference to the real
meaning of Easter? There's a wide choice of fluffy bunnies, eggs, lambs
and even some with a picture of a Church on the outside - but open it
up and rarely will it contain a Bible verse!
Why not visit the Bookstall where Easter cards with Bible texts are
actually available! Have a look at the other goodies on sale too and
why not treat yourself to a book or CD. Look forward to seeing you!!
Pam Dunn
Mini Bible
God made, Adam bit,
Noah arked, Abraham split,
Joseph ruled, Jacob fooled,
Bush talked, Moses balked,
Pharaoh plagued, people walked,
Sea divided, tablets guided, promise landed.
Saul freaked, David peeked,
Prophets warned, Jesus born,
God walked, love talked,
Anger crucified, hope died,
Love rose, Spirit flamed,
Word spread, God remained.
Thanks to Simon Warwick for this
I Love it!
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed
each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and
shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing
home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move
necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the
nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he manoeuvred his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual
description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been
hung on his window.
I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having
just been presented with a new puppy.
Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.' 'That doesn't have
anything to do with it,' he replied.
Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like
my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged. It’s
how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;
I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the
parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be
thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new
day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in
my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank
account of memories!
COULD THIS BE A MODERN DAY NOAH’S PROBLEM IF ORDERED BY
GOD TO CONSTRUCT AN ARK TO COPE WITH THE FLOODS?
Now the Lord saw the Earth was corrupt and full of violence, but Noah was a
righteous man and the Lord said to him, I have had enough; I am going to send
a flood to cover the earth and I want you to build an Ark to save all the
righteous people in which case a few cabins should suffice, and all the animals
two by two.
Eventually after some considerable time the clouds began to gather, the sky
grew dark and the wind began to blow. The Lord returned to find Noah weeping
and wailing in front of a few planks of wood.
Forgive me, Lord, said Noah, but I need much more time. Firstly I have run out
of money. The Tax Inspector has advised me, as there was a previous Ark I am
altering an existing structure and therefore must pay VAT. The employment
officials insist I must pay my sons the minimum wage with benefits and now
they are all on paternity leave.
English Heritage insists I stick to the original specification and use gopher
wood, which is pretty hard to find at the builders merchants. The Friends of the
Earth will not let me fell the gopher trees. My timber merchant is being taken to
court by Weights and Measures for supplying me in yards and feet instead of
metres. The council won’t approve my boatyard, as they are not sure if the Ark
is for industrial or recreational use. The Equal Opportunities Board is
forbidding me from discriminating between the righteous and unrighteous as it
is a multi-cultural society. Customs and Excise have noticed that the Ark was
last seen on top of a mountain in Turkey and are all over the place looking for
drugs and illegal immigrants.
The Department of the Environment have asked for an Environmental Impact
Statement and produced an injunction against the flood. I have told them that
they cannot control the Almighty, but they say that the only almighty they know
is the European Court, and anyway how many lawyers does God have on his
side? (Very few, that’s true, interjected God).
Then there are problems with the animals. The RSPCA won’t let me capture the
birds of prey. The pig pens don’t meet MAFF specifications. Every time I capture
a mink, the Animal Rights people release it. To cap it all the Archbishop’s
council has established a commission to determine what form of divine worship
we should have on board and they don’t report for three years. Then the sky
began to clear and the wind dropped.
Does this mean that you are not going to destroy the Earth Lord? Noah asked.
No said God, I don’t have to bother, your rulers are already doing that. Are we
then condemned to that dreaded place where the eternal flames flicker and
burn? asked Noah anxiously. ‘Fraid so, said God, and it’s even worse than you
think, these are not flames you see but red tape.
Who’s Who at
Ladies Nights: Kim Hopgood,
Sarah Mak, Anna Chalk
Meadowcroft Residential Home
Services: 2nd Sunday
Gail Roberts
Tear Fund Rep:
Our leadership team:
Janine Adams
Will Austin
Kenn Baird (Pastor)
Bruce Crawforth
Tabby Crawforth (Youth Leader)
Viv Haywood (Church Administrator)
Peter Hopgood
Steve Kelsey (Worship Leader)
Ann Long
Peter Merrow-Smith
John Gravett
Small Group Leaders:
Child Protection: Fiona Ludlow
Fiona Austin
Will Austin
Barbara Francis
Sheila Hazell
Ann Long
Pete Merrow-Smith
Susie Kelsey
Steve Tipping
Youth Work: Sundays:
Pebbles: Barbara Francis
The Rock: Anna Chalk
Rock Solid (Yrs 7-9): Sarah Mak
Fridays:
Acorn (6-10 yrs): Tabby Crawforth
FN@7 (Yrs 7-9): Tabby Crawforth
Men’s Own: Peter Hopgood
Coffee Pot: Peter Brown
Evangelical Alliance Rep:
Janine Adams
Christian Aid via Church Office
Samaritans Purse – Pam Dunn
Health and Safety:
Bruce Crawforth
Connect Editor: Barbara Francis
b.francis@btinternet.com
Contact Details:
Pastor: Kenn Baird
01844 352938
Church Administrator:
Viv Haywood
01844 355935
secretarychinnorcc@gmail.com
CCC Prayer Chain operates 7 days a
week from 9am – 9pm. If you have a
prayer need and want it to go onto the
chain, contact Angela Martin on
01844344945/Viv Haywood on 01844
355935 or Sheila Gravett on
01844353138.