Priory News, November 2005

From the Curate

Dear Friends

November is above all others a months for remembering, and the bunches of flowers we see even more frequently at the sides of our main highways remind us that the biggest causes of death and injury in Lincolnshire are road traffic collisions.

The gift of ingenuity has made travel easier and quicker and in turn has opened up many opportunities for human beings and come together and enrich their lives. However our human capacity for error and sinfulness which can be seen on our roads as much as any other area of activity has also led to suffering and heartache through accidents.

The second week of November has now been set aside as Road Safety Week, so I commend it especially for your prayers. Please pray for protection for all who travel on our roads for responsible use both by pedestrians and drivers for penitence and forgiveness where we have fallen short. Remember victims of accidents and their families, many of whom continue to suffer. Pray for the work of the emergency services who attend accidents, the gritting lorries and repair teams whose ongoing work makes our roads safer places.

Your prayers and actions make such a difference in helping to reduce accidents and encouraging good behaviour. In this as in all other areas of life, may God's kingdom come!

Readings for November

6th November, 3rd Sunday before Advent:

• Morning: Wisdom of Solomon 6: 12-16; 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-end; Matthew 25: 1-13

13th November, 2nd Sunday before Advent, Remembrance Sunday:

• Morning: Zephaniah 1: 7, 12-end; 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11; Matthew 25:14-30
• Afternoon: Special lections for Remembrance
• Evening: 1 Kings 1: 15-40; Luke 9: 1-6

20th November, Christ the King:

• Morning: Ezekiel 34: 11-16, 20-24; Ephesians 1: 15-end; Matthew 25: 31-end

27th November, 1st Sunday of Advent:

• Morning: Isaiah 64: 1-9; 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9; Mark 13: 24-end
• Evening: Special lections for Advent Lessons and Carols

House Groups

• Bible Study: Fridays at 10am at the Vicarage

• Priory Prayer Group: 3rd and 17th November at 19 Ascendale

• Prayer & Study Group: Every Wednesday, 7.30 pm at 45 Crowson Way, Everyone welcome

N o t i c e s

Apples

There are still plenty of apples on the Vicarage apple trees: please feel free to help yourselves, either picking them from the trees or collecting the windfalls.

AN APPEAL

"At last," I can almost hear the parish saying, "that vicar is sorting out his garden!" Well, we are trying, but there's a lot of it, and clearing the undergrowth is very satisfying but we do need something to plant in place of the nettles and ground elder. So if you've a garden with more plants than you need, rooting and shooting all over the place, please do consider us and help us to make the garden an even better setting for the Rose & Sweet Pea Show and other parish events next year. Particularly welcome would be dense ground-cover plants but also other perennials and medium shrubs, but beggars are not choosers and we'd be happy to find a home for anything which may be surplus to others' requirements.

Meanwhile, if we can interest anyone in a nettle or two .... ?

OPERATION CHURCH HALL (repeated from last month)

This Remembrance Day, 13th November, as well as remembering those who have given their lives for the freedom of the world we are celebrating sixty years since the end of World War II. As part of these celebrations there is a display of period and reproduction items of WWII vintage at the Church Hall for the afternoon. Teas are to be provided, and volunteers to dress in period costume and make and serve the tea, especially after the Remembrance Service, are invited: please contact the Vicar.

If you have anything to display which you think may be of interest, there is still time to contact Geoff Armstrong (380797) to have it included. The more we have the better. Do come dressed appropriately if you can, especially if you are going to stay with your exhibit to speak about it.

Any sandbags, please, anyone?

The Social Committee

The committee wish to thank all those that attended the Harvest lunch and those who gave produce for the auction. Following generous donations a total of £296-41 was raised for charity.

New Remembance Service

A new Order of Service for Remembrance Sunday was unveiled today, for those who gather in silence on 11 November round war memorials across the nations.

The existing Remembrance Day Order of Service has been in use a long time. Now, sixty years after the end of World War II, the Churches and The Royal British Legion have prepared a new Service for today's generation as it picks up the torch of Remembrance - and brings to it images of more recent conflicts and a greater awareness of new terrors and dangers.

The Order of Service for Remembrance Sunday is published by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and prepared with The Joint Liturgical Group of Great Britain and The Royal British Legion.

Revd Canon Lucy Winkett of St Paul's Cathedral Precentor said: 'Standing together in silence, remembering those who have died in war is an act that brings the people of this and many nations together. The silence is more important than any words. This new Service enables people of all faiths and none to stand together in profound silence and penitence and in commitment to work together for peace and justice.' As Precentor at St Paul's Cathedral she has overseen the liturgy for commemorations of the war in Iraq and the tsunami tragedy. St Paul's is currently preparing to host the memorial service for those killed in the recent bombings in London.

The two minutes silence is framed by a familiar hymn and comforting words from the Old Testament. The Kohima Epitaph is read: 'When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.' Then there is an act of commitment that does not mention God –a deliberate decision to make the Service as inclusive as possible for people of all faiths and none. Those gathered commit themselves to strive for all that makes for peace, seek to heal the wounds of war and work for a just future. Then there is a Christian blessing.

Laurence Binyon's words 'From the Fallen' are retained but in a new move it is suggested that a young person completes the phrase 'At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.' Mr Bill Clark, The Royal British Legion Director of Administration said the new Service was designed to hand the torch of Remembrance on to the next generation. 'The act of Remembrance is as significant as ever in recalling the debt owed to the war-time generation.'

Prayers refer to 'all who in bereavement, disability and pain continue to suffer the consequences of fighting and terror,' recognizing that many non-combatants die in modern warfare and conflict. There are prayers for peace-makers and peace-keepers.

News From The Tower

The bells were rung on Friday 21st October as part of a National celebration to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

The bell ringers will be carrying out their annual "Tower clean up" on November 12th. Any volunteers to assist will be made most welcome. Tea/coffee and biscuits are supplied free of charge.

Our latest recruit is performing very well so we are open to accept anyone else who would like to learn the art of "Bell Ringing".

News from Explorers, Climbers and Scramblers

Our October module, 'Jesus the Healer', involved looking at several Bible Stories about the Healing Miracles of Jesus. Explorers combined Harvest and the story of the healing of Simon Peter's mother-in-law by designing and making harvest theme get-well cards. These were then sent to one of our Assistants who is recovering from an operation. 'The Healing of the Leper' provoked much sympathy from the children, particularly when they examined some material available from The Leprosy Mission's website about children who are afflicted by this dreadful disease, and as a consequence this will be our main charity of the year. On a lighter note Explorers were able to empathise with those in the early stages of leprosy who perhaps don't have the use of their thumbs. Their challenge was to knead some dough, flour their rolling pin, roll out and then cut out biscuits - all with their two thumbs tightly bandaged to their hands! We had some very frustrated Explorers and rather lumpy biscuits as a result...

Explorers (7 - 11), Climbers (5 - 7) and Scramblers (under 5) meet every Sunday morning (except during the Summer holiday period) at 9.50am in the Church Hall. They join older worshippers in Church for their blessing, final hymn and refreshments. New members are always welcome. Please contact Andrea (Climbers and Scramblers) on 344926 or Alison (Explorers) on 345890 for more details.

COOKING WITH MARGARET

PRAWN PAN FRY

• 1 Red Pepper,
• 2 Courgettes about 1 lb,
• 2 tbsp Olive oil,
• 8 oz Peeled prawns, thawed if frozen,
• 1 Garlic clove, chopped,
• 4 oz Frozen peas,
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon,
• Small bunch of Parsley chopped.

Cut the pepper into strips. Slice the courgettes, and then cut in half again.

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the pepper and courgettes, cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until just tender. Add the prawns to the pan with the garlic and peas. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Sprinkle over the lemon zest and parsley, then stir in the lemon juice and season to taste. Serve with rice or noodles.

Takes 15 mins & serves 4. (Can be halved if required)

Registers for September 2005

HOLY BAPTISM: We welcome to the Lord's Family:

• 11th Thomas Patrick Kelly, 81 Hereward Way
• 25th Freddie Christopher Butcher 71 Swift Close

MARRIAGE: We congratulate:

• 3rd Benjamin John Temple and Sarah Jane Green
• and George William Smart and Edna Anne MacVickers
• 10th Graham John Flood and Sarah Jayne Gold

FUNERALS: We commend to God's keeping:

• 7th John Norman Sexton (90) at Peterborough Crematorium
• 13th Doreen Brenda Lowbridge (74) at Peterborough Crematorium