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'Posada' is a Spanish word, which means 'Inn'. Now
most of us are aware that 'Inns' get busier than usual at this time of the year
as indeed they were in Bethlehem on the night when Jesus was born - so
much so that there was no room at the Inn for Mary and Joseph who had travelled
from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census which was to take place at the
time. At St. Giles' this year we are reminding ourselves of that journey
as we move through the Advent season to Christmas. About fifty
representative households from the congregation will be welcoming the small
wooden 'Posada' figures of Mary and Joseph into their homes as they move round
from place to place on a daily basis. Advent is the time in the Christian
calendar when we prepare to celebrate the first coming of Christ and when we
think also of his promised second coming some time in the future. With
all the other 'busyness' of those four weeks before Christmas, the full meaning
of the season of Advent can get squeezed out. By involving ourselves in
'Posada' we hope that Advent this year will be a time of real preparation and
thought about the significance of God becoming Incarnate in the birth of Jesus
to be the Saviour of the world and his promised second coming.
The two sets of 'Posada' figures of Mary and Joseph will be 'welcomed' into the
church on Christmas Eve at each of our Carols for the Family Services at 3 p.m.
and 4 30 p.m. The journey of the wooden figures of Mary and Joseph will
end there but our journey in life goes on. Jesus was born at Bethlehem on
that first Christmas night, not in the comfort of a well-appointed Inn, but in
a place where the cattle and other animals spent the night because there was no
room for him inside. As we prepare to celebrate Christmas this year let
us make room for Jesus in our lives and take him on our life-long journey.
May the peace and joy of Christmas be yours.
Philip
Oct. 19thووووو Camilla Bridge
ووووووو 26thووووو Lily May Bridgewater
وووووو وووووووووووووFreyja Celestine Harris Powell
Novو 9thوووووو Ethan Jacob Collings
وووووووووووو Mia Elise Grey
Nov 23rd Hannah Claire
Williams
وووووووووووو Michael James Owen Williams
Nov 22nd David Richard
Howlett and Emma Lavington
وOct. 27thوووو Carol Thomas, aged 57وو (after service in St. Giles‰ Church)
ووووووو 28thووووو Lawrence (Lawrie) Reginald George
Ambrose, aged 87
ووووووووووووووووووو Jack Cree, aged 91
ووووووو 29thووووو Mona Irwin, aged 83
Nov. 19thوووو Molly Elsie Watkins J.P., aged 83و (after service in St. Giles‰ Church)
Oct. 21stوووووو David Jonathan Gray, aged 55 (Interment
at Stanley Hill Cemetery, Amersham after
ووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووووو
وووووووووووووووووFuneral service
in St. Giles‰ Church)
Nov. 7thوووووو Eustace Harry Bates
و
MOLLY
ELSIE WATKINS J.P.
1920 ڑ 2003
The entire community of Ickenham will be
saddened to hear that Molly Watkins passed away on 8th November.
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Her husband Ron and their sons John, Roger
and Paul, and their families, appreciated greatly the cards and letters of
sympathy they received, many of which included tributes paid to the courage
that Molly exhibited during her long and debilitating illness.
Molly had served as Secretary to the SSAFA
(Soldiers, Sailors and Air force Association). She was, for some years, manager
of the Yiewsley Branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau, and served, for
twenty-one years, as a Justice of the Peace on the Uxbridge Bench. Molly was,
at one time, a member of St. Giles‰ Parochial Church Council and ran, also, the
Ickenham Young Wives Group.
On Wednesday 19th November, at
noon, St. Giles‰ Church was packed with mourners for her funeral service, and
this was followed by a private cremation at Breakspear Crematorium.
It is hoped that a longer tribute to Molly‰s
interesting life, and her witness, might be published early in the New Year.
To Ron and all his family we send our sincere
condolences.
Editor.
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When I first contributed to Ickenham Church News in December 2000 I had not expected that my final contribution would appear in December 2003. Such is the case, though, because my last service at the URC will be on 7th December, and my ministry to the people of the church will end on 31st December. After that Sarah and I hope to move to another URC pastorate, but we don't at the moment know where and when that will be - we shall remain living in Ickenham for the time being.
The circumstances that have led to our decision to leave are not what we would have wished, and Sarah and I had expected to spend a much longer period in the community and churches of Ickenham. There have been very many good things about our time here, which we shall always remember with gratitude to God. We have made many good friends at the URC, at St Giles', and in the community.
However, God's plans are often different to what we would suppose! One of my favourite hymns says:
With God things don 't just happen, everything by him is
planned.
I have sought to proclaim the Christian message as it is taught in the Bible, and it is for God to determine where and how his Word will bear fruit. I do pray for God's future blessing on the churches and community of Ickenham.
We can all commit our lives with complete confidence to God, despite all our mistakes and failures, because in his love God gave his Son Jesus to die on the Cross, so that all those who trust in him can be forgiven and receive a new life through his resurrection and by the gift of his Spirit. This is the ONLY hope for our lives and for the world, and I urge you all to accept this gift of God.
With Christian greetings to you all for Christmas and the New Year.
RICHARD
FROM THE U.R.C.
REGISTERS
Sept. 16thوو
Lucy Caitlin Day
Nov. 4thووو Elsie Hallas Kirkham, aged 81 (followed by thanksgiving service at the U.R.C.)
