FROM THE URC MINISTER
The welcoming has started of new residents in Ickenham Park. We hope newcomers are easily able to get to know people and discover the wide range of activities in Ickenham. The churches as well as other organisations are eager for you to share in developing our life together. Adrian and others have prepared a leaflet which will be delivered on behalf of both churches. Then, month by month, Ickenham Church News will help you find out more about what is happening and join in the fun.
Welcoming new friends was a feature of the first of a new series of Sundays at Ickenham URC on 13th February. The day before Valentine’s Day prompted us to think about Jesus’ love and friendship. Jesus gathered friends from their fishing boats, from an office, and meditating in the shade of a tree, and they were drawn in turn into passing on his love and friendship to others.
One of our young musicians led a musical offering. Then we each thought further about the gift of Jesus’ love. Some expressed it by making a “Jesus loves you” card to give to someone on their mind. Some faced the question of actually how to love one another in their business or office, or in whatever is their lifestyle equivalent of ‘sitting under a tree’ - how to bear fruit in sharing Jesus’ love. Some shared their thoughts in conversation. Some preferred thinking on their own. Some turned to the Bible to look more closely at the story. And some took pleasure in appreciating the busy creativity of people around them.
This was the first Service45: a 45-minute all age service, with an informal style especially suitable for young families, and with opportunities for people of any age or stage of life to sense what God is doing and share in it. There is a Planning Meeting on Tuesday 1st March, at 8pm in the church, for anyone who would like to talk over ideas for Service45 in the future. The next Service45 will be on Mothering Sunday (3rd April), then on 22nd May and every couple of months thereafter.
On other Sundays we have traditional and occasionally other styles of worship, all at 11am unless otherwise announced. Junior Church meets in the same hour, after we all start together. A colourful leaflet designed by Junior Church member Isobel is available (partly shown here), giving Junior Church themes and special events for the next few months.
Whatever part of Ickenham or surrounding areas you live in, newcomer, long-standing resident or visitor, you will be very welcome at the URC services, as I am sure you are at those of St. Giles’. The next joint service we have planned will be on Sunday 10th April at the URC, for the annual celebration of our partnership in the work of Christ in our community.
We hope you experience the friendship and love of Jesus.
Bernie
FROM THE CHURCHES’ REGISTERS
Baptism at St Giles’
Jan 23rd Annabelle Rose Elizabeth Robins
Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium
Jan 20th Joan Mosley, aged 89
Jan 21st Marjory Gardiner, aged 88
Jan 24th Terence Groves, aged 69
Feb 2nd Joy Motum, aged 81
Feb 9th Freda Todd, aged 90
Feb 15th Donna Worsfold, aged 47
ST GILES’ CHURCH 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 March we will pray for the following roads:
Mar 6th The Mead
Mar 13th The Paddock
Mar 20th The Woods
Mar 27th Thornhill Road
If you live in one of these roads why not join us at our 8am or 9.45am services? You will be most welcome.
WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
The Women’s World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement of Christian women of many traditions, who come together to observe a common day of prayer on the first Friday of March. Each year, the programme is prepared by a different group of women. This year, the women of Chile have prepared a service entitled “How Many Loaves Have You?” to be celebrated in 170 countries.
The service for Ickenham and Ruislip will be held at 1.30pm on Friday 4th March in St Giles'. Although the service has been initiated by women, the invitation to attend is warmly extended to all – men and women, young and old. The service will last about an hour, but please stay on afterwards if you can, when delicious refreshments will be served in the church hall.
If you have any questions, please contact Juliette Guthrie on 01895 622970.
FELLOWSHIP BOOK RESTORATION
Our thanks go to those of you who have already contributed towards the repair / restoration of the St Giles’ Book of Remembrance (see last month’s edition of ICN.) If anyone else would like to make a donation, please send a cheque, made payable to Ickenham PCC, to The Churchwardens, St Giles’ Church Office, Swakeleys Road, Ickenham UB10 8BG, marking on the reverse of the cheque ‘For Fellowship Book’. This appeal closes at the end of March. Thank you.
Caroline Hill / Naomi Webb (Churchwardens)
