FROM ST GILES’ REGISTERS

Baptisms
Jun. 26th      Alysia Francesca Bennett
                    Courtney Kimberly Newman

Jul. 10th       Mia Amy Exall
                    Harry Simon Kneuss
      24th       Millie May Lynton
      31st       Jack Edward Upton

Weddings
Jul. 2nd       Simon Peter Burgess and Chantal Elizabeth Tew
      9th        Adrian James Crocetti and Sharon Louise Adams

Service of blessing after a Civil Marriage:
July 29th     Martyn and Julia Godar

Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium
Jun. 22nd     John Childs, aged 88
        27th      Mavis Knight, aged 76 (followed by a memorial service in St Giles’ Church)

Aug 8th        Les Smith, aged 88
       12th      Peter Jackson, aged 75 (following a service in St Giles’ Church)

Committal at Northwood Cemetery
July 20th      Emma Zoe Johnston, aged 5 (following service at St Giles’ Church)

Committal at Northwood Cemetery
Jun. 17th      Frank Pope, aged 87 (following service at St Giles’ Church)

I returned home recently from a short break spent with friends in Saddleworth, close to the industrial heartland of Manchester, but on the edge of the Pennines and on the borders of Lancashire and Yorkshire - an area of wild and outstanding natural beauty. Even in bad weather, the views across the hills and moors and the expanse of the sky above almost takes your breath away. I can imagine how the writer of one of my favourite Psalms in the Old Testament, Psalm 121, came to be inspired when looking at wonderful views such as those.
“I lift my eyes to the hills –
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord;
the maker of heaven and earth……”

I have also been watching the series “Coast” on BBC 2 – a journey around the coastline of Britain, showing places of geographic, historic and scientific interest, with wonderful aerial photography. I am reminded afresh of the amazing variety of scenery, which we have in Britain – it’s lovely to be able to travel to foreign places, but I personally wouldn’t want to live anywhere else than this country of my birth.

This brings me on to other thoughts of journeys. We spend a considerable part of our lives going on journeys – travelling to work, taking children to school, shopping trips, outings and holidays, visits to family and friends, moving to a new house, etc. Then there are those individual and private journeys of our own lives – the places where we have lived and the people we have shared our lives with, times of great joy and times of sadness, successes and failures, achievements and mistakes – all interwoven to build life’s rich pattern. My grandmother wrote a brief summary of her life on three sides of A5 paper – a simple yet moving account of her life experiences, and I plan to do something similar - when I finally get round to putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, as the case may be! We all have a fascinating story to tell of the way our journey through life has led us to become the people we are today.

At the end of July, the Ickenham Churches held another successful Holiday Club Week at the URC. As it happens, the theme of “All Aboard” was based around some of the many wonderful stories of journeys in the Bible. We hope that the children enjoyed listening to the stories and taking part in all the variety of activities, and that from their participation in Holiday Club they will carry away a memory of God’s love for them.
September is traditionally a time of “moving on” in the lives of young people in our community – starting school or moving to a new class; leaving school and beginning a course at college or university; starting a first job. We think of all of them at this time and also remember with gratefulness those who have the responsibility of teaching our young people, especially those just starting out in the teaching profession.
Lastly I would just like to mention another of my favourite pieces of writing -“Footprints”. I’m sure many of you will know it. It begins,
“One night I had a dream.
I dreamed I was walking along a beach with God…….”

It reminds us of God’s constant and everlasting love for us, through the good and the bad times in our lives - we, who are a part of his wonderful creation. Our lives can take on a new and richer dimension if we accept God into our lives and recognise his presence all around us, and on our footpath, if we want to find the signpost to God’s Kingdom, we need look no further than Jesus and his teachings.

So, whatever age you are, may God bless you and be with you on your journey.
Celia Miller (Elder)

Weddings
Jun. 25th      Catherine Ashton and Lee Entwistle
Jul. 16th      Anna Jane Goodbody and Craig Andrew Boxshall

The Children's Society's London Bridges walk is a great day out for all the family and it's growing in popularity year on year. So why not get your trainers on and join us on this year's NEW route? See last month’s ICN for details.
If you would like a registration form, and leaflet, or have any queries about London Bridges Walk, please call 0845 300 1128.