May 2024

8 Buckden Roundabout May 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: 5th May Farming communities, Taylor ’ s Lane (West), Hardwick Lane, the residents and staff of Hardwick Dene, Great North Road, Brampton Road, Perry Road, Buckden Wood 12th May High Street, Ivelbury Close, York Yard, Lion Yard, George Lane, King George Court, Taylor ’ s Lane (East), Wolsey Gardens, Charles Court 19th May Hunts End, Copes Close, Monks Cottages, Hunts End Court 26th May Manor Gardens, Manor Close, Glebe Lane, The Grove Thought for the Month I listen to a fair bit of radio – usually Radio 4. Two items caught my attention recently. The first, so poignant, I parked up and stayed in the car, trans- fixed. Simon Boaz, speaking about having only a few months to live due to cancer. He spoke of having lived his best life. He spoke of at 46, having lived longer than most people in history, as well as in many parts of the world today could ever expect. He spoke of the trillion to one chance being having life at all – think … what if your parents had never met! And whilst not being religious, he spoke of the equally unlikely notion that there cannot be some kind of design behind the creation of the universe. In view of this, he talked of hope – the possibility of something beyond. He spoke of being surrounded by love and the best we could do whilst here being to show as much love to others as we can. All this better than any sermon I could deliver and one that in- spired me to reviewing my priorities in recognition of gift of life, the limits to this gift and the fragility of our being. Quite trans- formative. The other piece was very different; on the imminent risk to our economy with China set to dominate the electric car market having, over the last 20 years, developed city sized car plants, bespoke shipping facilities and owning the rights to 80% of the world ’ s sources of Cobalt – the essential component for car batteries. Game over for our automobile industry was the inev- itable conclusion! Aside from bewailing our country ’ s inability to plan long term for anything, it was the fear such develop- ments bring about that struck me as they explained that any less than friendly country would be capable of bringing all our cities to a complete halt. So, on one hand the freedom inherent in recognising life as a real gift. On the other, fear likely to cause entrenchment and Buckden Open Gardens is on Saturday 22nd June Passport price to enter all gardens is £6 or £5 if pur- chased before 31 st May. Passports will be available from May 11 th from NISA and ANNAFIELD estate agents in BUCKDEN. They will also be available in St Mary ’ s Church. We have 13 Gardens for you to visit and enjoy. Live entertainment, Refreshments of hot and cold drinks, Cakes, Lunch Rolls, Cream Teas Crafting Corner for children, Raffle and Tombola. Charities supported by Buckden Open Gardens this year are: St Mary ’ s Church and MAGPAS Air Ambulance Buckden Open Gardens rigidity. It ’ s to this inherent human capacity to mess things up that God speaks hope. This month churches celebrate Pentecost – the outpouring of the Holy Spirit transforming the lives of thousands immediately after the death and resurrection of Christ 2000 years ago. Millions and millions have since testi- fied to something like what Simon Boaz was talking about, but more. Faith in Christ as God, God with us now through the Holy Spirit and the everlasting hope of empowering to live freely that this brings. Not something that can easily be explained but certainly something that can be experienced. Revd. Sue Baker - Maher Methodist Chapel