Dear Friends,Puzzled by Halloween? Why not make contact with the day that started it all-All Saints’Day, 1st November? All Saints’ , often called All Hallows in days gone by, is the origin ofHalloween as the Eve of All Hallows. There will be a Eucharist in Church on Wednesday1st November at the usual time of 10.30am to observe a major day in the ChristianCalendar. It’s a feast of not of darkness and fear, but a day to celebrate all the good peoplewho have lived who have been burning and shining lights reflecting the light of the RisenChrist in their lives. Why not bring a pumpkin with a cross cut into it, or a smiling, kindlyface, to witness to the real meaning of this time?Most of us are simply saints in the making. There’s a long way to go before we get there.That’s why the following day is so comforting-All Souls’. That day we pray, knowing thatour journey and the journey taken by those we have loved and lost, continues beyond thislife, as Christ’s power to save is not thwarted by death, his own human death, or ours. Hisnew life of Easter can bring us all to the mansions of the Father’s House. Eucharist onThursday 2nd November at 10.30am.Remembrance Sunday is 12th. November. This annual event is well attended and includesa two- minutes silence and a special anthem by the choir. We welcome the First ShipleyScout Group each year as they observe one of their biggest events in the year, and we arevery pleased to have the youngsters, their leaders and parents with us. It remainsimportant to acknowledge the contribution of those who fought and died in two WorldWars, and in wars since then, and to acknowledge the ongoing grief of so many who overthe years continue to feel the loss of someone close. As the names are read out, weremember the losses sustained by so many local families, and also pray for peace, whichseems as elusive as ever.The following Sunday, 19th November, is a Family Service Sunday. The Family Servicewas revived after Covid in January. One of the aims is that it is a service to which familiescan be invited, and in particular, families with no existing Church connection can beinvited, as a way of beginning to grow the Church. So have a think about which familiesyou could invite to come on 19th November, usual time, 10am. Later that day, at 6pm, wewill have Sung Evensong to round off the day of worship, and indeed to round off thewhole series of Ordinary Sundays, before Christ the King on Sunday 26th November,followed by Advent which begins a new Church Year.Your friend and parish priestChris