​Dates for the autumn

Whilst it feels early to be thinking about December, it will soon be here! Here are some dates for some of the things happening between now and Christmas: put them in your diaries and come and join us. More details will follow over the coming months.

October 6th Harvest Festival Service & Lunch

• October 13th Muddy Church at 3.00pm
  
• October 19th Churchyard clearing morning
  
• October 30th Coffee & Chat
  
• November 3rd All Souls Service
  
• November 10th Remembrance Sunday Service (10.45 start)
  
• December 1st Hamper Raffle for African Vision Malawi
  
• December 14th Churchyard clearing morning
  
• December 15th 4.00pm Carols in the Churchyard
  
• December 17th 7.00pm Carol Service
  
• December 22nd Light a Candle Evening
  
• Christmas Eve 10.30am Nativity Service
  
  • 11.00pm Holy Communion for Christmas Night
    
• Christmas Day 10.30 Holy Communion for all the family
  

Harvest Festival

Our Harvest Festival Service this year will be on Sunday 6 th October and we are delighted that Bishop Ruth will be joining us, so do come along and make her welcome to St James. As in recent years, we will be taking your food offerings to Lillington Food Bank so, whilst fresh foods are welcome, please consider bringing non-perishable foods.

Our Harvest Lunch will follow the Harvest Festival Service on 6 th October, in the Parish Room. Tickets will go on sale in church from the middle of September and there will be sign-up sheet at the back of church.

Our next Muddy Church afternoon will be on Sunday October 13th at

3.00pm. These are great fun for all the family. Do think about joining us and

please tell anyone else you know who might enjoy a practical afternoon out

in the churchyard.

Prayer Matters

Might you consider joining our team of intercessors, who help to lead the prayers each Sunday? Sue will be holding a Workshop evening in church later in the autumn (date to be confirmed) as a refresher for those of you who already do this and as an opportunity for others to come along and see what’s involved, without committing to joining the team. We would really like to add a few more folk to the list, so please speak to Sue if you would like to know more or come along to the workshop and find out what’s involved.

We also have an email Prayer Team: this is a group of church members to whom Sue sends an email most months with any prayer requests that we have received. Each person then includes those requests in their own prayers. If you would like to join in with this very important part of our church life, speak to Sue. Or, if you have someone you would like us to pray for, let Sue know​

Thought for the month: Setting a steady pace for each day

It is preferable to have just a little, and peace of mind than to be constantly busy, hands always at work, attempting to catch the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:6

Dear Friends

If you’ve read this far through the Update, you will have seen the list of dates for your diaries as we pick up the threads after the slightly gentler summer months and head into the busyness of the autumn.

I am very aware that as we move into September, I am inclined to think of all the things that need to be done between now and Christmas and try to get them all organised straight away (for example, if you’re in our Carol Service Choir you’re about to get an email from me with dates for rehearsals!) with the inevitable result that this can feel an overwhelming time of year as the list of jobs grows and the days rapidly fill up.

This year I am going to try to be a little more relaxed about everything. I am not

by nature a ‘leave it till tomorrow’ person but I am determined that I will hang on

to the spaces in each day where I find time to just stop and be with God.

That might mean getting away from my desk and going for a walk to enjoy God’s

beautiful world; it might be as simple as stopping with a cup of tea and some

lovely music on the radio for 15 minutes.

Life is always going to be busy, there’s no way to change that fact, but our souls and spiritual well-being need just as much attention as our diaries. I try to remember that Jesus always took time out on his own, away from the demands of the people around him, to pray and be with his Heavenly Father: we need to do the same.

My Psalm 23 offering this month is a translation of a Japanese version of the psalm and reminds us that to maintain a balance in life, we need to walk in time with God.

The Lord is my Pace-setter, I shall not rush;

               He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals.

               He provides me with images of stillness, which restore my serenity;

               He leads me in ways of efficiency through calmness of mind,

               And his guidance is peace.

               Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day,

               I will not fret, for His presence is here.

               His timelessness, His all importance, will keep me in balance.

               He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity

               By anointing my mind with His oils of tranquillity.

               My cup of joyous energy overflows.

               Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hours,

               For I shall walk in the pace of my Lord, and dwell in His house for ever.

As the days get busier, may you ‘walk in the pace of the Lord’ and know his presence with you each day.

With love,

Sue

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Clergy

Revd. William Smith      316475      wms.smith@btinternet.com

Revd. Sue Fairhurst      735254       sue@fairhursts.me.uk

Churchwardens

Michael Rayner       831522

Jane Marshall         831680

Website & email

www.stjamesoldmilverton.co.uk       churchwardenstjames@outlook.co

​​​Parish News​

St James The Great

​Old Milverton, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire