Hello Everyone
I hope you had a pleasant Christmas spending time with families and friends, and I also hope you have managed to fit in a little calm quiet time to refresh and rest too.
Christmas services at church were a joy this year and it was certainly a busy time for me, but very special to lead the different Carol Services for the Scouts, Brownies, schools, and lovely congregations. The young children’s enthusiasm to read, sing or sign, was a joy. They are so talented. Thank you so much to everyone who took part in any of the services this year. I am so grateful to you for your willingness to read, play music, sing, or contribute.
I have been glad of a calmer, more restful week this week to restore energy levels and to spend time with my family, and as an added bonus, it has been so good to see some sunshine and bright blue skies for a change, after so many grey overcast days. Now with plummeting temperatures we need to prepare for snow flurries or possibly heavy snowfall overnight tomorrow. That’s the beauty of the English weather - not one day is the same!
As we move into this New Year, I wish you all a blessed, healthy year, with many special moments to look back on with joy, as you see God at Work.
This new year will be a strange one for me, as I lay down the role of Rector at Toddington and Chalgrave. A new year always brings a time of reflection as one looks back at the year past and moves forward into a new year, not knowing what to expect, but it seems especially so for me this year as I look back to 25 July 2017 to my licensing as Priest in Charge at Toddington and Chalgrave, and then ponder on what has happened in between, fondly remembering folks I have met along the way. It has been such a privilege to minister here. My final Service(s) will be on Sunday 16th February and I already feel that date is rushing forward towards me, far too quickly! I will savour every minute in between, but it also needs to be a time of focus, of allowing God to lead and guide us forward. I pray that it will not be too long before you have a new minister in place to love and serve you.
One of the special events which we have been so pleased to enable and to host since the Summer, has been Toddington Community Fridge, on a Saturday morning. It has been such a valuable and valued service, offering food sustainability, making sure foods which would otherwise go to waste or landfill, can be utilised and provide healthy food within Toddington. I know this service has been appreciated and looked forward to by so many of you, but sadly, I learned this evening, that the Toddington Fridge will need to pause for a while and may not be able to run in the future here. Flitwick Town Council now require that we apply for Business Status with the Environmental Health Department, if we are to continue to run the Toddington Fridge. We need further discussions to see what is possible. If by chance you know of another venue in Toddington, which is already classed as a business with Environmental Health or may be willing to apply to be, and to host the Toddington Fridge, please do let me know, so I can pass on the information to Cllr Andy Snape, who has done so much to make sure this service has been provided to you. We are keen that it continue, if possible.
Sunday Services:
9.30 am Holy Communion for Epiphany, Chalgrave Church (9.30am service each Sunday)
11.00 am Holy Communion for Epiphany, Toddington Church (11am service each Sunday)
Next week’s events
Monday 6 January
9.30 am Morning Prayer, Toddington Church (weekly)
Tuesday 7 January
10.30 am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall (weekly)
2.30 pm Toddington PCC meeting, Wilkinson Hall
Wednesday 8 January
3.00 pm Funeral of Jon Denman - Reader from Westoning Church. Please link with me if you would like to attend. The funeral will take place in Warwickshire.
Thursday 9 January
Afternoon with Friends 2.00 pm, Wilkinson Hall (monthly)
Friday 10 January
10.30 am Painting for Pleasure Group, Wilkinson Hall (weekly)
Saturday 11 January
10.00 am Coffee Morning, Wilkinson Hall (monthly)
(NB no Toddington Community Fridge this week)
Sunday 12 January
9.30 am Holy Communion Service, Chalgrave Church
11.00 am Holy Communion Service, Toddington Church
Other upcoming events:
2.00 pm Mondays 13 and 27 January seated keep fit with Alison. (second and fourth Mondays)
5.45 pm Tuesdays 14 and 28 January, Youth Group, Wilkinson Hall (fortnightly)
3.30 pm Friday 24 January, Messy Church, Wilkinson Hall (monthly)
2.00 pm Thursday 16 January St George’s Fellowship, Wilkinson Hall (monthly)
6.00 pm Evensong 19 January, Toddington Church
Wednesday Winter Warmer will return soon, and we will let you know dates asap.
Do please look after yourselves. The flu and bugs are about. Stay warm, stay well.
God bless
Linda
Rector,
Toddington and Chalgrave parishes