CHURCH NEWS
Weekly Prayer Roster
Each week during the year the Churches in their prayers, the residents of particular streets in the village, those
who work in the parish and village organizations. Those to be remembered this month are:
1st December
Vineyard Way, Burberry Road, Swan End, Lark End, The Library and its librarians
8th December
The churches of the village: St Hugh’s, St Mary’s, Buckden Methodist Church, also Offord and
Perry Baptist Churches, members of home groups from these and other local churches, min-
isters and all who make our churches welcoming and worshipful places
15th December
Church Street, Mill Road, The Barns, The Old Four Mills
22nd December
The Parish Council, The Village Hall and Playing Field Trust; those who help to run the Village
Hall, and the activities there
29th December
Greenway, Aragon Close, Hoo Close, Bishops Way
Buckden & District Churches Together - Study Lunch
The next Study Lunch will be on Monday 9 December from 12.30 to 2.00 pm in the Methodist
School Room, Everyone welcome, Contact: Ann Brittain on 812012
Thought for the month
One of the delights of this season is the round of School Christmas events. Inevitably they don’t always go to
plan – like the Nativity Play I heard about some time ago!
Everything had been going smoothly, right up to the appearance of the three wise men. The first was OK – he
brought his gift onto the stage, and put it in front of the child in the manger, and with a clear voice said “I bring
gold, a gift for a King.” The teacher was a bit concerned about the second wise man, who had to cope with a diffi-
cult word, but again he did well, and managed his line “I bring frankincense, a gift for God” without a moment’s
hesitation.
The third wise man hesitated – well, to be honest, he had stopped still, rooted to the spot at the side of the stage.
His only movement being in his knees and his lower lip, which were all shaking with stage fright! The teacher
whose job was to provide an occasional prompt, whispered “I bring myrrh”, but that didn’t help. Seeing that the
boy was about to burst into tears, the teacher stepped near him, and gently said “Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten
your lines, just go and put your gift down and leave it at that.” Then with a gentle push she propelled the lad for-
ward.
So he arrived at the manger scene, looked down at the baby, and then glancing up caught sight of the audience.
His mind was obviously working hard – he was thinking “I can’t remember what I was supposed to say, but I’ve
got to say something!” Then he had one of those wonderful flashes of inspiration as he remembered something
he’d often heard adults say about babies, and in a loud voice he exclaimed: “He looks just like His Dad!!”
Actually, though he got his line wrong, he was absolutely right!! Years after His coming as a baby to Bethlehem,
Jesus said to one of His disciples, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father!”
If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus – caring for the poor, healing the sick, feeding the hungry,
reaching out to embrace the unloved, pardoning sinners! Jesus is the One who shows us that God is a God who
cares for you and me! Have a very happy Christmas. God bless you all.
Paul (Minister of Perry and Offord Baptist Churches)
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