Hello everyone, What a week this has been. Last week's email was difficult to write, and this week's is similar. Ukraine has been constantly in the news, and we have watched and listened with shock as events have emerged. Why is this happening! Our hearts ache for the people of Ukraine, Afghanistan and other areas of terrorism and war (on Friday a suicide bomb also exploded in a mosque in Pakistan causing death and injury to many people - described by the Archbishop of Canterbury as a godless and heinous crime). How can such atrocities happen in a modern world? Our screens are full of images which show evil at work and there is a sense of helplessness. The countless stories of families divided, needless pain and the destruction of a peaceable people takes the flavour from our living. We pray, we lament, we look to ways to reach out and give. The Upper Room online service this week will be dedicated to prayer for Ukraine and our world and we will include prayers in our morning services. People are keen to help others and aid is being shipped out to support folks, but guidance messages are appearing (on BBC news and other sites) that money donations are the most useful way to support as this can be directed more purposefully to people's needs. Should you wish to donate money to the Disaster Emergency Fund, which includes the Red Cross and other large charities, the Big Give are currently doubling donations under a match funding scheme.. We need to remember in this challenging time, that there are also things to raise our spirits, and this week it has been a joy for Nigel and I between us to host Youth Group, lead another assembly at school, mark the start of Lent with the Ash Wednesday services, take a wedding, share food and fellowship at the Ploughman's lunch and Westcaf, unite with the other local churches in the World Day of Prayer service on Friday, breathe the fresh air and admire the emerging beautiful snow drops, crocus, hyacinths, daffodils and spring flowers and even notice a hint of blossom forming on the trees too. The beauty of God's creation as it is meant to be. This week has been a week of adjustment, dealing with the shock reality on our screens of families torn apart, possessions left behind, and destruction. It leads us into a time of reflection about what really matters. Let us unite in our prayers for Ukraine, the world, and its people and pray for their protection and come together this Lent to value the special treasures that we have in family and friends, and in our relationship with Christ. Services this Sunday 6 March Harlington 8.00 am BCP Holy Communion - Linda 9.00 am Families Breakfast Club - Rebecca 9.30 am Holy Communion - Nigel 12.30 pm Baptism - Nigel Chalgrave 9.30 am Holy Communion - Linda Tingrith 9.30 am Morning Praise - Jon Toddington 11.00 am Holy Communion - Linda Westoning 11.00 am Holy Communion - Nigel The Upper Room online service at 6.00 pm. Theme: Praying for Ukraine, Afghanistan and our world zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86765254593?pwd=VmVuZDladi9BYTd3bHlWUlRtbjZKQT09 For details of how to join please contact Revd Linda Services and events this week: Monday 7th March Morning Prayer Toddington Church 9.30 am Memorial Service to Paul Scrivener at Westoning Church at 2.30 pm The Online Bible Course 7.45 pm session 6 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82179935493?pwd=bkh1WndMYnJKWGVyeldPWmdlVUw3Zz09 For details of how to join please contact Revd Linda Tuesday 8th March Westoning Westcaf 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Westoning Village Hall Sewing Bee 1.00 – 3.00 pm at Westoning Village Hall The Knitting Group 10.30 am – 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Youth Group (9-11 age) 5.30 pm – 7.00 pm, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Wednesday 9th March Morning Service at Harlington Church 10.00 amLent Lunch 12.00 noon to 1.15 pm, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Thursday 10th March Lent Course begins via zoom at 7.45pm Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88985497408?pwd=OFA5UHFYMW82Ty9vOWY4VUdRa2ExUT09 For details of how to join please contact Revd Linda Friday 11th March The Painting for Pleasure group 10.30 am – 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Little Stars 1.15 - 2.4 5pm Westoning Church Friday Fellowship 2.00 – 4.00 pm Westoning Village Hall Messy Church 3.15 - 5.30 pm Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Saturday 12th March Diocesan Synod Meeting 9.30 am - 1.30 pm We wish you a fruitful and blessed week. Do get in touch if you would like a chat, or a time of prayer. Toddington Church will be open from 9.30 am to about 3.00 pm each day this week, if you would like a quiet place to say prayers. God bless. We wish you love and peace. Linda and Nigel
Hello Everyone This week's newsletter is like no other that we have written. On the doorstep at home we step out and see the emerging beautiful Spring flowers and breathe in the fresh air and appreciate the calm after last weekend's storms, but this contrasts severely to the shock and horror of the news of war which has burst across the airwaves these past three days. Russia's invasion of Ukraine suddenly became a reality. People - who are just like you and me - disturbed, fearful, homeless, sheltering the attacks in cellars or subways, or in long traffic queues or on trains; refugees seeking escape and, in many cases, this is not for the first time. History repeating itself: families torn apart: women and children seeking shelter across the border, whilst husbands, sons, daughters, fathers and grandfathers remain to fight for their country and for Europe. How can this be happening in our modern day world which has been so proud and protective of peace. How soon the world's perspective changes in these days of modern warfare. The news pictures have seemed strangely surreal and my mind has struggled to comprehend what is happening, needing time to catch up and adjust to a new world perspective of uncertainty and threat. One moment living in peace and the next.... We have watched people bravely demonstrate, singing patriotic songs, wearing their countries flag with pride, gathering to pray. There are casualties and deaths.. such needless deaths. One struggles to understand what has brought us to this point in time, and what can we do to help.. we feel so helpless. But one important thing we can do is to pray. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and also in Russia.. for the many innocent people who will suffer from this evil act of war. Sanctions and fighting will bring distress. Each death is a mother and father's son or daughter. We need to pray and pray without ceasing. The Archbishops and the Pope are calling us to dedicate our Sunday services to a time of prayer focus for Ukraine and for peace. Peter Greig of 24/7 prayer is calling us to create prayer rooms- and these can be remote or physical, where someone covers an hour or 20 minutes to pray and then hands on to the next person, so every minute of each day is covered. We are called to solidarity to pray against evil and for the love and protection of those in need. We will send some prayers which you may wish to use. Let us unite and pray for our world to be at peace. This week begins the season of Lent, with Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of this penitential season. It is naturally a penitential season, when we take time before God to seek His guidance, and his forgiveness. For it to be a time of deeper prayer to seek His will and purpose for our lives, and for our world, is appropriate. May you be touched deeply in your relationship with God this Lent, as you walk alongside Jesus, our Lord and Saviour on his Easter journey. Sunday's services - 27th February Chalgrave 9.30 am Holy Communion Harlington 9.30 am Holy Communion Tingrith 3.00 pm Community Communion Service Toddington 11.00 am Holy Communion Westoning 11.00 am Healing Service with Holy Communion. Speaker Vicky Yorke The Upper Room, 6pm Zoom service, with a theme of A Project for Lent Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88503867001?pwd=WE8ybUc0Qm1jazFCRFRQWFNIYkoxUT09 For details of how to join please contact Revd Linda This week's services and events: Monday 28th February: Morning Prayer 9.30 am Toddington The Bible Course Session 5 - 10.45 am The Rectory The Bible Course Session 5 - 7.45 pm online by zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83757446362?pwd=SUxpOURxVUJwQUJtaUI2dUdNOEtBQT09 For details of how to join please contact Revd Linda Harlington PCC meeting 7.30 pm in church Tuesday 1stMarch (Shrove Tuesday) Knitting Group, Toddington 10.30 am – 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall Westcaf, 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Westoning Village Hall Sewing Bee 1.00 pm Westoning Village Hall Youth Group 5.30 – 7.00 pm Wilkinson Hall, Toddington (yrs 7,8 and 9) Ampthill and Shefford Deanery Synod 7.15 pm Clifton Church Wednesday 2ndMarch (Ash Wednesday) Ash Wednesday Holy Communion service 6.00 pm Toddington Ash Wednesday Holy Communion Service Westoning 7.30 pm Ash Wednesday Services, Harlington 10.00 am and 7.30 pm Thursday 3thMarch Ploughman's Lunch (with hot meal choices) 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Westoning Church - meeting with Bishop Richard and Archdeacon Dave Friday 4thMarch Painting for Pleasure group 10.30 am – 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington World day of Prayer Harlington Methodist Church 2.00 pm Friday Fellowship Westoning Village Hall 2.00 pm Little Stars 1.15 pm Westoning Church Private Prayer: St George's Church, Toddington is open each day from 9.30 am to mid afternoon for quiet prayer. Future dates: Lent Course'Unanswered Prayer' begins by zoom on Tuesday 8th March at 7.45 pm (Westoning Benefice led) Messy church at Toddington will next meet on Friday March 11th Foodbank donations are invited at: Chalgrave Church (Sunday Mornings) Harlington Church - donation box in church or contact Tricia Toddington Church - donations can be left in church or by the back door at 22 Leighton Road Westoning Church- donation box in the porch. As times become more difficult financially for many families, the foodbank welcomes regular donations, thank you. Thank you all for your contributions to the respective churches in time and effort, prayer and service and in love and care for each other. This week we give thanks for:1 The third Chalgrave Pop Up Tea Room at Tebworth Memorial Hall which was such a lovely occasion of fellowship and hospitality. Next tea room on Wednesday 23rdMarch 2 The first (post lockdown) whole school assembly at St George's lower school. It was a joy for everyone to be together again. 3 A wonderful Thinking Day afternoon at Toddington last Sunday with the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides and their leaders, which finished with a short Thinking Day service 4 A good introductory meeting between representatives of Westoning, Harlington and Tingrith to begin to consider the replacement process for when Nigel retires. 5 The different gatherings and fundraising events which reflect people's joy at being able to meet again. 6 The Quintet and Tingrith choirs which are gathering again now (or soon will be). May the Lord's Peace be with you and your families this week and in the days to come. Linda and Nigel
Dear Friends,Is your roof still on? Is the garden shed still there? We hope you are all safe and well.What a storm raged on Friday with such high winds and chilling weather - drawing so many of us across the country to batten down the hatches and hunker up in safety at home. It is the first time that London has had a Red weather warning, and this warning was one of two, reaching across from the South-West to our more easterly region. Today, there are many signs along the roadside of battered and broken trees and hedgerows, and local reports of uprooted fences, broken green houses and more.How high the waves flew on the coast too.. and sadly, some people across the country, lost their lives in the storms. Our thoughts go out the victims and to their families.In Job we read: “Out of the south comes the storm, and out of the north the cold.” (Job 37:9) and our reading from the Gospel of Luke, this Sunday, is about Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. How terrified the disciples were in the midst of that storm until Jesus came and stilled the waves. Seeing reports of the raging seas on Friday, we can empathise with them. May Jesus come to still the storm in your own lives.As I watched the trees bending and waving in the strong winds... praying that our roof would stay on the house, I found myself contemplating how one particular tree took the enormous force of the wind and in so doing, protected the trees behind; bending, buckling under the wind, but then springing back resiliently to stand tall again. It seemed a metaphor for our own lives - to be flexible, rooted, resilient and standing tall in the knowledge and faith of Jesus' love and protection.What is true physically is certainly true spiritually. Where are we safe? Our walk in faith and trust is essential to us and that entails two things, a secure foundation in God and in what we know and believe in Jesus, and a reaching out and a stepping out in love, helping and encouraging others.It is good to see people returning to worship in church and it is good to see people meeting together socially and planning events for the rest of the year. Thank you for joining in and playing your part.We are fast approaching the season of Lent which is a wonderful time to get back on track and be more disciplined in our lives. Ash Wednesday is on 2nd March and that day services will be offered in many of our churches. There will also be some Lent courses for the lentern seasonThe World Day of Prayer service this year will be held at Harlington Methodist Church on Friday 4th March at 2pm and there will also be an online zoom link.Paul Scrivener’s Memorial Service will be held at Westoning Parish Church on 7thMarch at 2.30pm.Services for Sunday 20th FebruaryChalgrave Church: 9.30 am Morning Praise service - led by SteveHarlington 9.30 am Holy Communion LindaTingrith 9.30 am Holy Communion Jon/NigelToddington 11.00 am Holy Communion Service - Linda and SteveWestoning 11.00 am Holy Communion Jon/NigelToddington Church: Thinking Day service 4.00 pm - LindaThe Upper Room online service on Sunday at 6.00 pm Theme: ‘Heaven on Earth’https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86014421776?pwd=bDVUT2pQM3B4Z2l3YXlXZGtFbVRVdz09For details of how to join please contact Revd LindaThe Church of England online Sunday service for the Second Sunday before Lent is led by:Rev Richard Allen, from The Benefice of Trelawny, Cornwall, who will be preaching about Jesus calming the storm. https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-church-online/weekly-online-services/jesus-calms-storm?j=153113&sfmc_sub=24618178&l=444_HTML&u=3885200&mid=510001965&jb=9003You can watch it live on Sunday 20 February from 9am on our website, Facebook or YouTube . It will be available for playback immediately after as well.Other services and events this week:Monday 21st February9.30 am Morning Prayer - Toddington Church10.45 am The Bible Course session 4 - the Rectory.7.45 pm The Bible Course session 4 online: Zoom link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89059785598?pwd=K3ppU2QzRlNsYjZYWmJpT0liTkNjUT09For details of how to join please contact Revd LindaTuesday 22nd February10.30 am – 12.00 noon Knitting group - Wilkinson Hall, Toddington10.00 am – 12.00 noon Westcaf at Westoning Village Hall1.00 – 3.00 pm Sewing Bee at Westoning Village HallWednesday 23rd February11.00 am – 1.00 pm Pop Up Tea Room, Tebworth Memorial HallThursday 24th FebruaryToddington PCC Meeting 7.30 pm (by Zoom - link to be issued)Friday 25th FebruaryPainting for Pleasure group 10.30 am – 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall, ToddingtonLittle Stars 1.15 pm – 2.45 pm Westoning ChurchFriday Fellowship 2.00 – 4.00 pm Westoning Village HallYouth Club 5.45 pm - 7.15 pm Westoning Village HallSaturday 26th FebruaryCoffee Morning and Book Sale 10.00 am – 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall, ToddingtonWe will send you further details about Lent courses and Lent lunches in due course.Have a good week.Linda and Nigel
Hello Everyone I hope you have had a good week, enjoying the approach of Spring. The days are lengthening, the birds are beginning to chirp in the trees, the bulbs are pushing through the soil and there are bunches of daffodils for sale in the shops. How bright and cheerful they look as they emerge. However, as the bulbs begin to emerge, so the shoots on the shrubs also bursting forth, and I have spent time, with friends, this week, cutting back overgrown shrubs at the Rectory which were in much need of attention... but it is going to seem rather bare until all burst back into new growth. How tall buddleia gets! The cutting back was fun.. but there are now large piles of foliage stacked up on the back lawn to be disposed of - so I think I will become quite a regular visitor to the tip! What has the approaching springtime inspired you to do this week? We look forward to gathering with you at the various churches and events this week. Here are the details of the week's arrangements: Sunday services for Sunday 13 February: Harlington 9.30 am Holy Communion - Nigel and Robert Chalgave 9.30 am Holy Communion - Linda Toddington 11.00 am Holy Communion - Linda Westoning Family Service 9.30 am - with a theme of 'Love' led by Rebecca. 11.00 am Holy Communion, Nigel with Robert Baptism 12.45 pm - Nigel Tingrith Church - no service this week The Upper Room online zoom service is at 6.00 pm and this week's topic is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81595530300?pwd=cUVvZjA3aFZreXV0NUVxcmt0dE8wQT09 For details of how to join please contact Revd Linda This week's services and events: Monday: 14 February (Half-term week) Morning Prayer 9.30 am, Toddington Church Seated Pilates 2.00 pm Wilkinson Hall The Bible Course: Session 3, The Rectory 4.00 pm (Change of time this week) (No Bible course evening session this week. We gather again next week for session 4). Tuesday 15 February Westcaf 10.00 am and Sewing Bee 1.30 pm at Westoning Village Hall, Knitting Group 10.30 am – 12.00 noon, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Wednesday 16 February Morning Service at Harlington 10.00 am TWIG SPECIAL at Westoning Village Hall at 9.00 am to 10.30 am for children 0-9yrs and their families. The theme is LOVE and breakfast will be served. More information from Rebecca and Nigel. Thursday 17 February Harlington Church: Funeral 10.30 am St George's Fellowship - a floral afternoon with June, 2.00 pm Wilkinson Hall, Toddington Friday 18 February 'Painting for Pleasure' group 10.30 am, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington No Little Stars group at Westoning this week. Friday Fellowship 2.00 pm The Village Hall, Westoning - topic 'Whom shall we invite for dinner?' Harlington Church Online Quiz by Zoom 7.15 pm. More information from Neil and Tricia Saturday 19 February New and Nearly New Sale, Wilkinson Hall 10.00 – 1.00 pm A guided look around St George's church 10.30 am – 12.00 noon Many of you will have known Paul Scrivener who still holds a special place in many of our hearts. There will be a memorial service to celebrate and pay tribute to Paul's life on Monday March 7th at 2.00 pm at Westoning Church. More information from Nigel. (poster attached). Sending this email to you in sunshine. I hope you have a sunny day! Wishing our schools, children and families a wonderful half term holiday. Have a good week God bless Linda and Nigel
