Its been a long time

It's been a long time since I last did a blog - Christmas and illnesses and the snow all contributed to too much time passing. Here are some pics from before and after Christmas at church.

Here are the Autumn leaves in the churchyard,
the Christmas tree in the church and the choir at the Carol Service

Youyou blowing out her birthday candles

My student Youyou is from Beijing in China and often comes to church functions. She says she has learned a lot of English from speaking to people in our church.
Here she is celebrating her birthday at home.

Missie the cat in thoughtful mood

Candles to lighten our days

There's something about candles that brings a feeling of warmth and serenity. In our busy and sometime frightening world, here is a picture of some candles in the church to lighten our lives and bring peace to our frenetic days.

Autumn in the Churchyard

Little Bunnies Playgroup

The Little Bunnies Playgroup meets on Mondays and Wednesdays each week in the Church Centre from 9.30-11.30a.m. It is an active group that provides interesting play for children and much needed contact for parents. Come along to the group on the above days and find out about it.

FRIENDS OF ST ANDREW'S CHURCH CHERRY HINTON

The newly formed 'Friends of St Andrew's Church Cherry Hinton' is looking to involve people in the Group which aims to raise funds to maintain the Church and Centre. They particularly want people in the community interested in this medieval church building. (You do not have to be a regular church member) If you live in Cherry Hinton or near area and want to offer your help or your talents in any way please contact the Organiser - Louise Dobson on louisemac@ntlworld.com - she will give you all necessary information.

Is this the last rose of Summer in the churchyard?

It has hardly been Summer this year, but the last roses are still in the churchyard. The volunteer gardeners tell me that the leaves are starting to fall already and this year has been a busy one with grass cutting because of the excessive rainfall.

If there is anyone out there who would like to do some voluntary work, helping keep the churchyard tidy, then their help would be greatly appreciated. The Autumn clear-up is imminent and help is always needed.

If you would like to help, please contact the Vicar (see website details)

WALES IN THE RAIN

Here are some pics of the sea in my original home in the Gower, near Swansea S Wales. Recently I went to see my family for a long weekend break. Even with the rain it was GREAT.

Flowers in the church

Recently there have been some lovely flower arrangements in the church.
Here are some photographs.

IN MEMORY OF CLAUDE

Claude had a difficult life as a stray for 8 years in the district around our house.
Two years ago he used to sit on the table in the garden in the sun and my other cats used to accept him. He was too wild to pick up but gradually we enticed him nearer and nearer the house with food. One day he appeared in the doorway, obviously unwell, and I put him in the cat basket and took him to the vets. He was there for 10 days with a bad infection due to a cat bite. The vets cured the infection, stitched up his wounds (he was always in a fight) , castrated him and took some bad teeth out. We then took him on as our cat. He turned out to be a gentle, loving cat who enjoyed his home comforts. A few weeks ago he wasn't well, so I took him to the vets again - they thought it was an infection that could be cured by antibiotics. He didn't improve so I took him back to the vets again this week. The vet said he was badly dehydrated and took him in to put him on a drip and check his blood. The vet rang me later that day to say that Claude had a serious infection that was untreatable. She recommended that he be put to sleep. So I said yes as I didn't want him to suffer another day. I brought him home and we buried him in the garden that he loved. We sang 'All things bright and beautiful' and did a little prayer hoping that he was playing in cat's heaven. The other cats in the house have been quiet since he has gone. Bless you Claude for the joy and love you gave us while you were here.

N E W............'FRIENDS' of St Andrews's Church Cherry Hinton

To help maintain the Church building and Centre, and to fund repairs, the FRIENDS of St Andrew's has recently been formed.

St Andrew's is the oldest building in Cherry Hinton and the maintenance and repair of the building is becoming an enormous burden on the congregation. This group is appealing to the wider community to become involved in any way, however small, to help raise funds for this purpose.

The FRIENDS, headed by Louise Dobson, is hoping that people will contact her to offer their services involving fundraising or to give their talents in some way to help with events. So if you are interested in any way, or feel you can be called upon at some time to use your talents .......CONTACT LOUISE email: louisemac@ntlworld.com

The FRIENDS (and Louise) will be on a ST ANDREWS stall at the Cherry Hinton Festival on 6 September 2008 on Cherry Hinton Recreation Ground. COME AND SEE HER THERE

OUR CHURCHWARDENS

Roger and Gerald are our Churchwardens. Their role can be traced back to the l4th Century and is defined as 'elected to assist the incumbent in the discharge of his administrative duties, to manage such various parochial offices as by custom or legislation devolve upon him, and generally to act as the lay representative of the parish in matters of church organisation'. The role is very extensive, but here is a summary:


To inspect the fabric of the Church and produce an annual report
To keep proper records of lands and articles belonging to the Church
To keep the Bishop advised any matters they feel need to be brought to his attention
Responsibility for sidespersons
To maintain order and decency in the Church
Responsibility for cleanliness and overall appearance of the Church
To care for the safety, warmth and well-being of the congregation
To have a duty of care towards the incumbent

Nowadays this would include checking the electrical systems, lightning conductor and fire extinguishers. Keeping an eye on the churchyard and church finances, Health and Safety issues.
All as a volunteer!!!!!!

Roger is on the right and Gerald on the left.

Trees

There are some wonderful trees in the churchyard. This photograph does not do justice to this beautiful tree which I think is a horse chestnut?! I can understand why the poem Trees was written.

Pam and Gill and their work for the church

Pam is one of stalwart ladies of the church who works hard to keep the Centre kitchen and hall
in good order. She is involved in any functions where catering is required. Gill organises the flowers for the church and is involved in many fundraising functions. Where would the church be without people like these who give their time readily and voluntarily to keep the Church and Centre going? Many people help to 'keep things going' - in the church, the Centre, the graveyard, etc.etc. plus all those people who help with administration. St Andrew's is blessed with those generous people who 'do their bit'. Pam is the lady on the right (in a coral cardigan) and Janet(who is always helping) is on the left. Gill is on the right of the lst picture in a dark jacket (and Janet is on the left again). Here is a (silent) round of applause to everyone. (clap, clap, clap, clap)

Alex and Tom's leaving day

Our theological students from Westcott House have been wonderful during the time they have been with us. We miss them. Here is a photo of them through the carved screen on their last day with Zoe our lay reader.

YET MORE ROSES!!!

I can't believe the roses that are in the churchyard.

I keep coming across different ones!!

Ladies who make coffee

More ladies who make the coffee after church on Sunday - they are always hardworking. And the coffee is good!!!

The Vicar on holiday with his family

Here is our Vicar - Barry Linney having a well-earned holiday with his children in Devon.

ST. ANDREW'S SOCIAL ACTION AND PRAYER GROUP

This blog is written by Alison. All the people named are part of St Andrew's Church congregation but the Social Action and Prayer Group is open to anyone who is concerned about social issues.

Zoe had the idea of starting this group for people who are concerned about justice and peace issues. We do not have grand ideas for solving the world's problems but we feel that each little thing we CAN do we WILL do and together we can encourage and support ideas.
We meet in Ayleen's house on a Monday evening - usually the second Monday of the month but this does vary.
We focus on a particular subject each time. At Christmas we had an information pack from Amnesty International about prisoners of conscience and we wrote to some of them following the excellent instructions given.
In May we went out helping deliver Christian Aid envelopes.
Recently we showed a film 'The Lord of War' starring Nicolas Cage about the Arms Trade. B.Ae has been in the news and I have heard reports about it, but still the film shocked me. The sheer callousness and inhumanity was horrific. Having seen the film Beryl was thinking about ways of 'doing something'. She was in Cambridge in the Oxfam shop and saw their display of (very attractive) cards - and decided to buy all birthday/occasion cards from them in future.
We end with a time of prayer together for the situations we have discussed.
We would welcome your input - ideas, suggestions or perhaps some sort of link up !
Please do get in touch. Alison tel. 248 541.