Hello Everyone

What glorious weather we have had this week (if you like it hot!), but next week promises to be even hotter - 😓. Do please take care of yourselves.

With a red alert weather warning on the horizon for Monday and Tuesday, and now possibly extending into Wednesday, it's not a week to be running marathons! The Toddington schools, and Toddington Childcare, have issued letters to parents offering to release students at 1pm on the red alert days, if parents wish to take them home before the heat peaks. There is also advice to open the windows of your home in the early hours of the morning to let cool air in but then close windows and curtains later before the heat really starts, to keep your homes as cool as possible. Please look after yourselves and keep safe.

Our photo this week comes from the wonderful nature day at Harlington Church, which had lots of fun activities for visitors.. a hedgehog house, bug searching, activity sheets and craft.. and of course drinks and cakes! Thank you to everyone involved.

This Sunday we are excited to be hosting a charity concert for Ukraine at St George's Church, Toddington at 7pm with the very talented Mariia and Izabella entertaining us with live music and songs.. some of which they have composed. They will also be sharing about their beautiful country and the problems which they, and many others are now facing. Please do come and support them. There is no charge for entry but donations will be invited to raise funds for Ukraine.

This Sunday's services:

9.30am Chalgrave Church, Holy Communion - Rev Roger Wood

9.30am Harlington Church, All age worship, with Communion - Nigel and Linda

9.30am Tingrith Church, Morning Prayer - Jon

11am Toddington Church, Holy Communion - Rev Roger Wood

11am Westoning Church, Holy Communion - Nigel and Linda

7pm Ukraine Charity Concert, St George of England Church, Toddington (see attached poster and information below)

This is a special concert by Ukrainian Mariia and Izabella, two highly talented young ladies who will be sharing their own stories from Ukraine and also a larger picture about the historical background, set alongside quality songs and music.

A Message from Mariia & Izabella:

I want to thank you for all your help and support! It is very much appreciated!

I am very happy to meet such wonderful people in a new country! Thank you very much! Here is a little more information about our next event.

Now, so many people can not only point out where our country is on the map, but also list all the districts of Kiev. They talk about Ukraine everywhere. But what is Ukraine?

The Ukrainian language is considered one of the best sounding in the world, but how does our music sound? We sing both in joy and in sorrow. So which songs were key for us during different historical events? What kind of places did we see from the window when we rushed to work or our first date? If someone asked us to describe our region in a few words, what would we say? Or what kind of music would we create, trying to describe Ukraine with melodies and sounds?

Mariia Yaremak (composer, singer) and Izabella Ivashchenko (vocalist), have prepared a special concert-performance about Ukraine, where we would like to share with the world the soulfulness of our people, show the infinite beauty of our lands, as well as to attract the attention of people from other countries to the current events. For this we have combined live performance, video and the stories of eyewitnesses into a single production to immerse people into an atmosphere of art and emotions - those languages that we can understand without words. The performance will be in English, but the songs will be performed in Ukrainian.

So if you are someone who would like to know a little more about Ukraine, or if you would like to hear more Ukrainian music in the author's interpretation - we will be very happy to see you! Our event can tell the British more about what people in Ukraine are going through now, understand their feelings and way of life. And for Ukrainians it will be an opportunity to meet and get acquainted with their citizens and also to feel the atmosphere of something close here, in the new country.

Other Events and services this week:

Usual weekly events plus these new notices:

Youth Group Toddington, on Tuesday at 5.45pm will be postponed to a later, cooler date! We will keep the families informed of any new date.

Wednesday

10am Westoning School Assembly in church

5pm Westoning PCC

7pm Petal and Purl Meeting, Toddington7.30pm

Harlington PCC

FridayAn Evening with the Vicar Harlington Village Hall 7.30pm

Wedding rehearsal Toddington 5pm

Schools close for the Summer holiday.

Saturday

12 noon Wedding at Toddington Church

12.15pm Baptism at Westoning Church

Sunday 24th July

11am Toddington Church - Holy Communion Service with baptism

Covid

Covid cases are rising. Apparently, 1 in 18 people nationally may now be infected so you may wish to consider taking precautions to protect yourselves in an enclosed public area.

We send you our love and prayers

Linda and Nigel