St. Paul's Church, Chippenham

ST PAUL’S REORDERING – with the excitement and wonderfully generous response (some £110,000 given, pledged or loaned) for the next phase of work at St Paul’s church we are looking to be able to start on this after Easter. The PCC recently gave its go-ahead and we are hoping the builders will be proceeding with the work at both the south & north entrances and the building of two vestry rooms. (The temporary curtain which went up some 18 years ago will finally be confined to history!)

ALICE HALL – I am really looking forward to joining folk in Bristol Cathedral for Alice Hall’s licensing as an LLM (Licensed Lay Minister) or Reader. She is a great asset to our ministry team and I want to wish God’s blessing on her ministry amongst us.

VERONICA KILMISTER – also, I am delighted that Veronica Kilmister was recently selected to become an LLM . She will continue her training and is expected to be licensed in February 2011.

CONFIRMATION CANDIDATES – if anyone is thinking about being Confirmed (the next service takes place on Wednesday 5 May at St Andrew’s church at 7.30pm) please could you contact me as we look towards holding some appropriate preparation for adults and/or youths.

ASH WEDNESDAY & LENT – we will be holding special services to mark the beginning of Lent at 10am on Wednesday 17 February at St Paul’s and at 10am on the 18 February at Kington St Michael. Lent is a special time – a gift to the church – a time to think and reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ passion and death – before the joyful celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Day.

WOMEN’S UNION & THAILAND – also, on Thursday 18 at 2.15pm I will be speaking to the Women’s Union in the hall about my recent trip with Ann (my wife) to Thailand. Yes, there will be some holiday snaps but I also want to reflect on the church and challenge of living as a Christian in a Bhuddist culture. I will also bring people up to date with Anjali & Neil Kanagaratnam’s life in Ban Chang.

21 FEBRUARY 10am – at this service at St Paul’s the Rev Keith Powell will come and bring the final part of our Healing & Wholeness journey. He will preach on the question Jesus asks the man at the pool ‘Do you want to get well?’ (John 5:1-15). Do come along, he is a good speak and I am looking forward to the communion and prayer ministry we can offer that day.

UGANDA REFLECTIONS – Karin Needham will be speaking on her visit to Uganda on Monday 22 February at 7.30pm at St Pauls (and showing some lovely photos too). Do come along.
ALSO, the deanery is hosting a visit from a group from Mukono in the period 19 March – 9 April and Phil Townsend & Tim Woodward will be looking for offers of accommodation and meals. Can I encourage you to volunteer – it is such a blessing to host a brother & sister in Christ from such a different context.

‘GIVING FOR LIFE’ SEMINAR – the diocese has invited John Preston (the National Stewardship & Resources Officer) to come to speak on ‘Giving for Life’ at 7.30pm on Tuesday 23 February at St Peter’s church in Frogwell. I would like to encourage anyone interested in the issue of Christian giving please to come along!

ALPHA AWAY DAY – with a very good response to the current ALPHA course we will be holding an Awayday on Saturday 6 March. Details of timing and venue can be obtained during the ALPHA evenings.

AREA DEAN ROLE – and just in case you think I don’t have enough to do… I can tell you that there are some interesting things going on in the wider deanery – with the main focus being on the so-called ‘vacancy process’ at the Corsham Benefice (where Roger the Team Rector has retired) and in the By Brook Benefice (where Val the Team Vicar has moved and Ann the Team Rector is anticipating retiring in the summer). We are hoping to make future appointments – but very much in the context of the church being both priest and people together – a joint venture, if you like, and so church is not seen as the place lay people ‘keep ticking over’ until their next priest arrives!

DIOCESAN NEWS – can now be found on the internet with interesting news from around the Diocese of Bristol on www.bristol.anglican.org/news/local

SAMUEL’S WEDDING – as you probably know, our son Samuel will be getting married on Saturday 10 April to Becky Simpson in Oswestry. Please keep them in your prayers as they start on this great adventure together. They are a lovely couple who met at university and they will be setting up home in York where Samuel is working in hospital management and Becky for the minister at St Michael-le-Belfry church.

PRAYER LABYRITH (HOLY WEEK) – having held 24 hours & 36 hours of continuous prayer at St Pauls we are looking to encourage prayer in a different format this Holy Week. Maddy Crook writes “as the prayer weekends we have provided over the last year have been such a success with really good feedback as to how people have found these times such a blessing we are taking this a step further for Easter and planning to set up a prayer labyrinth during Holy Week. We will be utilizing the south aisle now the pews have been removed we have a much larger space to enable us to be more creative. It is planned to have St Paul’s church open for a couple of hours each day during the early part of the evening, probably between 6-8 pm Mon – Sat and then during Sunday morning. The labyrinth will be a means of people journeying through the week to meditate on the journey Christ took leading up to the resurrection, I am hoping that we will also be able to offer prayer ministry for folk to pray or talk with others if they would like to.”

THEMES & READINGS – will be as follows at the morning services during January, continuing the theme (from John’s Gospel) QUESTIONS JESUS ASKS (…OF US)

• Feb 7 – Why are you trying to kill me? – Genesis 2:4-9,15-25 – John 7:14-24
• Feb 14 – Do you believe this? – Exodus 34:29-35 – John 11:17-27
• Feb 21 – Has no-one condemned you? – Psalm 51:1-12 – John 8:2-11
• Feb 28 – Do you understand? – Psalm 27:1-14 – John 13:1-15

MIDWEEK BIBLE READINGS – at our midweek services of Holy Communion (10am on Wednesdays at St Paul’s – and 10am Thursdays at Kington St Michael) we are continuing a series called on ISAIAH THE PROPHET, but also take a break for Ash Wednesday (at both churches!)

• Feb 3/4 – True fasting – Isaiah 58:1-12 – Matthew 25:34-40
• Feb 10/11 – The Lord’s glory – Isaiah 60:1-6 – Matthew 2:1-11
• Feb 17/18 – Ash Wednesday – Psalm 51:1-12 – John 8:1-11
• Feb 24/25 – The Lord’s delight – Isaiah 61:10-62:7 – Matthew 9:35-38

PRAYER FOR THE MONTH – comes from the writings of St Augustine and reminds us of our utter dependence on God.

Almighty God, you have made us for yourself,
And our hearts are restless
Till they find their rest in you.
Teach us to offer ourselves to your service,
That here we may have your peace,
And in the world to come
May see you face to face;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord
Amen

Simon Tyndall