“Let’s Celebrate!” was the theme, and we did indeed. Holiday Club was a week full of celebrations for its 40th Anniversary.
The main story each day featured celebrations from the life of Jesus. On Monday, the Wise Men came to say why they had taken presents to celebrate Jesus’ birth, and then brought exciting presents to Holiday Club too. On Tuesday a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party gave a striking presentation of Jesus’ encouragement to invite the poor, the maimed, the crippled and the lame, and more from the highways and byways, to the celebration of his presence.
On Wednesday Ready Steady Cook challenged contestants to produce gourmet delights from five loaves of bread and two fish, recalling that with only those items Jesus fed over 5000. On Thursday John the Baptist helped people to shed the masks or images they present to the world and to celebrate their true identity as children of God. Then on Friday the smell and smoke of fish over a charcoal fire in the church brought to life the story of Jesus giving a beach barbecue for his disciples, to celebrate that he is alive after death.
The Friday story was told by Dick Wolff, one of the helpers at the original Holiday Club in 1968, who is now a minister in Oxford. He is one of many who celebrate the major formative influence that Ickenham Churches’ Holiday Club has had on them over the years.
Early leaders recounted their memories at the 40th Anniversary service and reunion on 12th July, and letters, news cuttings, photos and albums formed a fascinating exhibition. This archive was open again for children, relatives and friends to see at the finale of this year’s Club. Did you see yourself or people you know? What will this year’s youngsters be doing in 40 years time?
I find I am writing this article on the 40th anniversary of my own Christian commitment. On 4th August 1968 I was received into membership of the church when I declared the faith in God that I had become sure of, and which has been the foundation for my life ever since.
Let’s celebrate the life of Jesus in our community and in countless personal ways. Congratulations and thanks have been flowing back and forth between the hundreds of people involved in Holiday Club. The words of one of the favourite Holiday Club songs express for many their appreciation of ‘our great big God’, the creator of all life: “And he’s known me and he’s loved me since before the world began; how wonderful to be a part of God’s amazing plan!”
Bernie
In June, I spent two weeks at a Retreat Centre in the Brecon Beacons, just across the border in Wales. Accommodation was in a hut or hermitage overlooking the Beacons and it was simply idyllic: no television or radio, no telephone, no newspapers, no computer and hence no e-mails. It was a time to concentrate on my relationship with God.
My days followed a set pattern: after breakfast, an hour of prayer then an hour of reading – I studied the Psalms - then meditation on what I had read. For a break I took photographs around the centre. After lunch, there were long walks in the Welsh countryside before more time with the Psalms, and I ended the day in contemplative prayer.
On one walk I got lost. Instead of following the footpath signs I decided to go my own way. I walked around fields looking for a stile or a gate that would take me where I thought I should go, but I found none. After 45 minutes, I got back to the original footpath sign and followed it. It took me exactly where I wanted to be! It occurred to me that we often do the same thing in everyday life. We know we should follow the Bible’s teachings but we often try to go our own way and end up in situations that we didn’t want. Yet if we follow the Way as shown in scripture we will be on the right path.
As my meditation progressed, I realised that solitude is not about finding God (as I originally thought) but about finding “self” and then asking God to help you journey from your old “self” to the new.
I returned very much refreshed, wishing that everyone could enjoy what I had just experienced – peace, solitude, tranquillity and the absolute certainty that God was there with me, listening, loving and letting me be me.
Let your God love you so that you may know that closeness of God too. With many blessings.
Ken
BISSET BACK FOR BREAKFAST
A 50 strong crowd at the July Men’s Breakfast was treated to a talk by the highly entertaining Mike Bisset. Mike who was Curate at St Giles’ before Adrian’s arrival, is now Vicar of Penn and Tylers Green in nearby Bucks. He said, “I’m delighted to meet so many old Ickenham friends who don’t appear to have aged a bit!”
Mike’s talk was entitled “The Entire History of the Bible”. With the aid of some amusing but enlightening graphics, he got though it in an astonishing 35 minutes, including an impressive 50 word summary.
FROM THE CHURCHES’ REGISTERS
Baptisms at St Giles’
July 6th Sydney Rose Elaine Cole
July 13th Ronnie Adam Hinchliffe
Hannah Grace Ketteridge
July 20th Patrick Edward Ivor Gardiner
July 27th Charlie Collings
Katie Elizabeth Long
Joseph Michael Long
Aug 10th Georgia Anna Lamerton
Weddings at St Giles’
June 28th Steven Edgar Baker and Kristy Liane Swift
July 19th David Michael Hughes and Charlene Marie Harding
Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium
June 18th Brenda Glover, aged 86 (after service at St Giles’)
June 19th Daphne Hopkins, aged 81
June 26th Joyce Hallewell, aged 94
July 18th Albert Dyer, aged 77
July 29th Ken Cook, aged 85
ST GILES’ CHURCH MONTHLY STREET PRAYER LIST
Each Sunday at St Giles’ Church we pray for all the people who live or work in a particular road in the Parish. During September we will pray for the following roads:
Sept 7th Oak Avenue
Sept 14th Parkfield Road
Sept 21st Pepys Close
Sept 28th Pynchester Close
If you live in one of these roads why not join us at our 8am or 9.45am services? You will be most welcome.
