GRATWICH NEWSLETTER
September 2021
For further information about anything in the newsletter, please contact:
Rev. Charles Dale 01889 500428: email: [email protected]
Jenny Talbot: 01889 50241 email: [email protected]
Facebook: St. Mary’s Church Gratwich
GRATWICH SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER
SUNDAY 12th 11.15am Holy Communion IN CHURCH
SUNDAY 26th 7.00pm Evening Prayer IN CHURCH
No need to book a seat now
We are still keeping social distancing and hand sanitising
September already, schools back and looking more like autumn now. <span style="font-size: 1rem;">Lots to look forward to in the next few months (not even going to mention Christmas!). </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Harvest Festivals galore – unfortunately most of them seem to be on the same day but I think you could get to at least two of them on the 26th – and the fashion show in Bramshall is always a good evening for a bargain.</span>
Condolences
We send our love and prayers to the family of David Bebbington
David and his parents lived in Gratwich for many years and his father was also churchwarden at St. Mary’s Church – there is a plaque in his memory in the church.
100 CLUB – August – drawn at the Evening Service on 22nd August
1st Alfie Cotton 2nd Sophia Capewell 3rd Ian Cotton
The next draw will be at the evening service on 26th September in church .
GRATWICH HARVEST FESTIVAL SERVICE AND LUNCH
Sunday 10th October
Service 12.00noon followed by lunch in Church
Lunch tickets: Adults £6
Children (Under 13 years) £4
Contact Jenny for tickets (01889 502471)
Lunch spaces limited to 36 so book early
EVENTS IN OTHER PARISHES
10th September 7.00pm FASHION SHOW Bramshall Parish Hall – chance to buy high street fashion items as a good price. (Contact SallyAnne for more details 01889 565228)
17th September 10.00am -12 MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING in St. Mary’s Uttoxeter
26th September 12.30pm HARVEST LUNCH - St. Peter’s Marchington
(lunch tickets from: Mrs Halcrow 01283 820346)
26th 11.00am HARVEST FESTIVAL & LUNCH St. Lawrence’s Bramshall
(lunch tickets: SallyAnne 01889 565228)
26th September 3.00pm HARVEST FESTIVAL SERVICE St. John’s Marchington Woodlands
2nd October 10.00am – 12 AUTUMN FAIR in St. Mary’s, Uttoxeter
2nd October 7.00pm St. John’s Marchington Woodlands HARVEST SUPPER
(supper tickets from: G Salt 01283 821587)
3rd October 12.30pm onwards HARVEST FESTIVAL & LUNCH in St. Mary’s Uttoxeter
(contact: Dianne [email protected] for more details & lunch tickets)
Bible Bookclub – Thursday 30th September, 7.30pm
The next meeting of the Zoom Bible Bookclub will be discussing 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.
If you would like to join please contact Lesley at the Area Office either by phone – 01889 562915 or email – [email protected]
Area Letter from one of our Area Staff Team - September 2021
Dear friends,
I write this letter after returning from a lovely day spent with my daughter and granddaughters, both of whom are flourishing at school and delighting in all that life offers them. As I looked at the fourteen-year-old, my mind cast me back to the images witnessed this week on our television screens of those trying to flee Afghanistan and the horror stories emerging of actions waged against some of those who have been enjoying roles which women never had until fairly recently. Fifteen-year-olds are now being forced into marriage by Taliban fighters whom they have never known.
The Taliban vowed in a press conference yesterday to forgive those who fought them and to respect women’s rights within Islamic law. Yet a group of female special- forces soldiers trained by the British said that they had been forced into hiding and stopped from getting to a visa- processing centre. Only time will tell how things progress.
Yet in every horror story there are rays of hope as military flights escort as many as possible to safety. An American plane intended to hold one hundred and thirty four soldiers sitting on either side of the plane, took off with six hundred and forty men, women and children crammed onto the floor of the plane and it landed safely in Qatar. The pilot decided not to remove any of the passengers and took off when air traffic control gave the green light.
Christians both inside and outside the United States disagree on what the US government and military should have done. But they are trying to apply their faith to help them understand how to best advocate for justice in the aftermath.
Mark Tooley, the editor of Providence: Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy and the president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy says. “This war like all wars reflects human depravity. It’s inevitable and inescapable. And yet we can admire the sacrifice and courage of all—American, Afghan, and various NATO personnel, who laboured and sacrificed that Afghanistan might escape the ravages of the past. There have been many successes: longer lives, greater health, more education, more freedoms—across 20 years. These victories will not be entirely smothered by the Taliban. And we can assume that the church in Afghanistan, however small, has planted seeds whose fruit will be harvested across future generations in ways we cannot imagine.”
We pray that Afghanistan will rise up like a phoenix from the ashes, this time stronger and wiser. May the Holy Spirit touch the Taliban so that they remain soft-hearted and recognize the human rights of all the people. The global body of Christ needs to express Christian love and compassion to the Taliban and share the blessing and joy that God has given us.
We pray for Afghanistan - that the Taliban stick to their promises of a freer society with women participating in all aspects of life and girls/women in school and that followers of Jesus in that country will grow in number and maturity and bless it with transforming deeds and words for we are called to build God’s kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.”
Yours in Christ
Irene
The Rev’d Irene Smith, OLM at Checkley.