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Annual General Meetings are not necessarily given high
priority in the diary unless there is likely to be something controversial on
the agenda or a particular group are trying to drive through some agenda of
their own. I was, therefore, pleased that the Annual Parochial Church
Meeting at St Giles' this year was well attended despite the fact that there
was nothing like the things mentioned in the previous sentence for us to
consider. One of the important items on the agenda is always to elect
Churchwardens for the coming year. The Office of Churchwarden is an
ancient one and in fact anyone in the parish who is a Registered Elector with
the Local Authority has the right to attend the meeting propose and second a
person and vote even if they are not on the Church Electoral Roll and never
attend church!
It seems bizarre in this day and age but it is still true. Normally
Churchwardens can serve for up to six years before standing down for at least
one year. One of our two Churchwardens at St Giles', Pauline Shelborn,
comes to the end of her term of office this year and therefore did not seek
re-election. I would like to pay tribute to Pauline's service in this
capacity over the past six years. This was her second term of office,
having served previously with my predecessor, The Revd. Paul Kelly.æ Pauline has brought to the work an
enthusiasm and efficiency, which has been second to none. She has kept us
all up to scratch in making sure that things are in good order and kept at a
high standard. St Giles' and the Parish is grateful to her for all that
she has done and we are pleased to know that she is not slipping away to the
'back benches' entirely but will continue with many of her non-Churchwarden
duties. Pauline, thank you.
David Millen, that well-known and respected Chairman of the Ickenham Festival
Committee, has taken on the roll vacated by Pauline. I am grateful to him
for allowing his name to go forward for election; David Thorpe continues
as his colleague Churchwarden - we will be well served by
both.
We look forward once more to celebrating our Covenant relationship with the
United Reformed Church on Sunday 4th May with a united service in
the U.R.C. at 1030 on that day. For the children there will a 'Holiday
Club' style activity led by my colleagues Mike and Ken so if your children
would like a taste of what will be on offer as usual at the end of July, bring
them along on 4th May. The following Sunday at 3 p.m. we shall
be holding our annual Memorial Service in St Giles' and invite especially all
those who have been bereaved in the past year. During the service we
remember each person who has died by name. Anyone who wishes to come to
remember a loved
one, even if they have not been specially invited, will be welcome to join
us. Light refreshments will be available in the Hall afterwards.
In this season of Easter, when we have celebrated the resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ, we continue to pray for peace and stability in the world,
especially in Iraq. Hopefully the war will have ended by the time this
edition reaches you and the rebuilding process for the people of that
land underway.
Greetings and peace to you all.
Philip
Apr. 6thææææææææ Elliot Lewis Evans and Finlay Jack Evans
æææææææ
20th James Michael Bignell
æææææææææææææ Amy Evelyn Child
Apr. 11thææææææ Michael Andrew Little and Katrina Tousova.
æææææææ 12thææææææ Paul Anthony Patrick Purcell and Jill Yvonne Sibley.
æææææææ 20th Martin Neal Gent and Deborah Jane O'Carroll
Mar. 24thæææææ Jessie Pear Hamer, aged 84ææ (after service in St. Giles‰ Church)
æææææææ 28thæææææ Ann Elgee,æ aged 84
Burial at Northwood Cemetery
Apr. 3rd Michael Thornton, aged 69
(after service in St Giles' Church)
æMEMORIAL
SERVICE FOR THE BEREAVED
There will be a special joint churches‰ service in St Giles‰ on Sunday 11th May at 3 p.m. for those who have been bereaved during the past year.æ The name of their departed loved one, whose funeral was taken between 1 March 2002 and 31 March 2003 by the U.R.C. or St Giles‰ clergy, will be read out during the service.æ The preacher will be the Revd. David Varcoe from Trinity United Reformed/Methodist Church, Harrow.æ Members of the churches‰ Pastoral Support Group will be present.
After the service, the congregation will be invited to refreshments in St Giles‰ Church Hall.
Anyone who would find this service helpful is welcome to come.
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A perennial topic of conversation at our church coffee mornings (apart from the weather!) is the state of
the roads in Ickenham. Recently Thornhill Road has been resurfaced, which is
one of my regular routes, and that is a big improvement. Will they ever do
Court Road? It's a bus route (U10), and seems to suffer from continuous
potholes and patches.
Now I'm not really wanting to use my privilege of writing for ICN to air my own pet grievances! I hope any readers with an official
interest in these matters will not be offended. Ickenham is a good place to be
for those who are concerned about the environment, roads, amenities, etc. Good
luck to the Residents' Association! But it does illustrate the tendency we all
share to wish that someone would really tackle the problems that bother us,
instead of either ignoring them or simply applying a temporary cover-up and not
a permanent solution.
Christians are
particularly concerned to find truly radical solutions to human problems,
especially since we believe that God has provided the remedy for the most basic
problem of all, that of human sinful nature. We can attempt to deal with the
symptoms and effects of human sin, but God, by sending his Son Jesus, has made
it possible for human nature itself to be renewed. You simply have to invite
him to change you and trust him to enable you to work it out in your life -
it's usually a lifelong process. Come
along to church to find out more.
æ
May all the
residents of Ickenham, Christians and all who have its good at heart, work
together to do more than fill in potholes, and to see a better quality of life
for everyone. And let us not limit ourselves to Ickenham, when there is so much
need elsewhere.
With best wishes.
RICHARD
