June 2024

8 Buckden Roundabout June 2024 Church News Weekly Prayer Roster Each week during the year the Churches, in their prayers, remember the residents of particular streets in the village, those who work in the parish and village organisations. Those to be remembered this month are: 2nd June Park Road, Falcon Way, The Marinas, and those who live and work there 9th June Field Close, Lincoln Close, Silver Street, Beaufort Drive, St Hugh ’ s Road 16th June School Lane, Buckden Primary School (pupils, teachers and teaching assistants, governors, vol- unteers, midday supervisors, all support staff) 23rd June Longhall Road, Viking Way, Mercia Close, Angles Drive 30th June Mayfield, Springfield Close, The Osiers, Stirtloe Thought for the Month For some people June is a time of stress and exam pres- sure but for Joan D. Chittister a Benedictine nun from North America, “ June is the time for being in the world in new ways, for throwing off the cold and dark spots of life. ” — if she had been English, she would have probably mentioned putting the rain behind us!!! Life with its pressures seems to be speeding past us as we look to the next thing that ’ s on the horizon, our hopes and dreams drive us forward, but the danger is that we miss the life that is around us. The level crossing at Offord might be an appropriate image for us to consid- er as we reflect on our lives. Is our life being lived like the trains speeding past or do we make space in our lives to be like the car that takes time to stop and break its jour- ney: a moment to appreciate life. This month I ’ d like to suggest a few things to do this June, to slow down and take a moment to stop and ap- preciate our world and our lives in new ways: • Try to get outside for a few minutes as often as possible, to unplug, sit, and just become one with the natural world. This is a great way to teach your mind and body that it ’ s okay to slow down and just simply exist in the moment without expectation or obligation. • Go for a walk with someone you love, take a few minutes to walk around Buckden Towers: soak up the sun (if we get any!!!), meditate on the sound of chirping swells, count the sheep and pigs!! ;let na- ture slow you down as you surround yourselves with trees ( and buildings) that have stood for hun- dreds of years. • Watch a sunrise or sunset. Watching the sun rise or set is a great way to help us become more em- bedded in the moment. Rather than just snapping a quick picture of the sunset and continuing about our day, take time to actually sit with it and watch the sun rise or go down from start to finish without any distraction. However simple, this can remind us of the natural wonder around us that we often miss by rushing through our day. • And for a really big challenge use less social me- dia!!! Whether it ’ s scrolling social channels or streaming the latest show, we are spending more and more time focused on our screens, using up our limited time. Using different forms of media, we are constantly being told what we should and should not be. And while it may not seem like a big deal while we ’ re looking at it, many of us don ’ t realize just how much this affects our mindset offline and can often leave us feeling weighed down, and inadequate without knowing why. Take some time to sit in one of our churches and tap into the spiritual energy that these buildings have soaked up as the life of those who have gone before us managed their own struggles and moments of celebration. June is a time to celebrate life so make space to make the most of yours!! Paul Smyth cmf Buckden Towers.