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CHURCH NEWS
Weekly Prayer Roster
Each week during the year the Churches, in their prayers, remember the residents of particular streets in the vil-
lage, those who work in the parish and village organizations. Those to be remembered this month are:
6th September
High Street, Ivelbury Close, York Yard, Lion Yard, George Lane, King George Court, Taylor’s
Lane (East), Wolsey Gardens, Charles Court
13th September
Hunts End, Copes Close, Monks Cottages, Hunts End Court
20th September
Manor Gardens, Manor Close, Glebe Lane, The Grove
27th September
Park Road, Falcon Way; The Marinas, and those who live and work there
STUDY LUNCH
The regular monthly study lunches recommence on Monday 14th September 2015
Methodist Church Hall 12.30 pm to 2.00 pm
Contact:
Ann Brittain
on
812012
Thought for the month
September is in some ways a curious month. On the one hand, although the weather can still be warm, it heralds
the approach of autumn - Keats season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’, as nature begins to batten down the
hatches for winter. But on the other hand it is a time of new starts; the beginning of the new academic year and
the time when many activities, sporting, social as well as in the church restart following the summer break.
For myself, as I move into the village as Priest in Charge of St Mary’s with my wife Jane and our dog Brandy it is
very much a new beginning, having previously worked in London for a major international insurer whilst serving as
a priest in the village of Ingatestone near Chelmsford.
One of our early visits to Buckden was for the village fete in July. We came incognito but a member of the church
community recognised Brandy and rumbled us! We were so impressed with the number and variety of stalls and
activities as well of course the quality of the Buckden beer. But what particularly surprised us was the sheer num-
ber of people taking part confirming our initial impression that this is an active and richly diverse community. We
are very much looking forward to getting to know you, immersing ourselves in Buckden and along with the church
community sharing something of the good news and the hope that is central to the Christian message.
A recent public event underlined for me the importance of that hope. Many of us, I am sure, were saddened at the
death of the singer and TV personality Cilla Black. She had enjoyed a hugely successful career dating back to the
1960’s and remained a popular and much loved personality by her fans and also by the public and media general-
ly. But according to the newspaper reports I read she, sadly, never really recovered from the death of her hus-
band, Bobby, in 1999 so that despite her popularity and a loving family she was at heart alone. None of us are
immune to the slings and arrows of life and they hurt. Many of us who have suffered the loss of a dearly loved
partner, relative or friend will have some idea of the ongoing pain she felt; indeed someone once described be-
reavement as like losing an arm – you never get over it you just get used to it.
But the heart of the Christian message is the hope offered by Jesus. This is not hope in the sense of speculative
possibility - that I might one day achieve a sporting pipe dream like running a sub four hour marathon, but hope as
both a present and future expectation. A hope encapsulated in the promises and claims he made to his disciples,
and which are recorded in the bible for us to claim. Promises including the assurances that he would always be
with them and that he came that they (and we) might have life in all its fullness.
We are very much looking forward to getting to know you, joining in with community life and sharing something of
that hope and that good news in the years ahead.
Rev Jes Salt Priest in Charge, St Mary’s Buckden