FROM THE RECTORY

With a fair wind this month should see the completion of the St Giles' Church Hall extension. It's approximately three months later than originally planned due principally to the unforeseen preliminary work on foundations which had to be carried out. However, both the Church and the local community have gained vital meeting room/activity space and we look forward to its full use in the course of time. There are two additional rooms on the first floor (one capable of seating 40 people, the other 30 people), a small kitchen and toilet facilities. A further bonus is that the ground floor small hall has had the central pillar removed thus giving the feel of a larger room. We are extremely grateful in particular to the Church Hall Management Committee, especially Derek Kneale, the Chairman, for the time they have given seeing the project through. The Bishop of Willesden will be coming on Sunday 22 December to dedicate the extended facilities. We are grateful to all those who have contributed financially to our appeal; the fund remains open and we invite donations, however small.

Beyond our domestic scene, the continuing tensions involving countries in the Middle East still dominate our thinking. National Church Leaders have taken an initiative in urging Downing Street to hold back from non-diplomatic intervention. All of us probably recognise the potentially serious implications of the situation, now especially in Iraq, but would hope and

pray that every possible effort will be made to negotiate peaceful settlements.

Lots of people have new beginnings in the month of September; whether that's going to Nursery for the first time, a new school, university, employment or even retirement, may we all find fulfilment in what we do recognising and giving thanks to God for his great blessings to us. Our over-riding objective should be to work for a more equal sharing of those blessings among the people we meet, work with and indeed our neighbours throughout the world, that all may live in peace and harmony with one another.

Greetings and peace to you all.

Philip

FROM ST. GILES‰ REGISTERS

Baptisms

July 14th       Chloe Joanne Archer
       ææææææææææææææ Eleanor Louise Clavin
July 28th       Matthew Dennis John Quinn
       ææææææææææææææ Danny Joe Sherwood
Aug 11^th       Tobias Robert Gumm
       ææææææææææææææ Louisa-May Patricia Frances Moore
Weddings

July 13th       Ian Graham John Wade and Nicola Webb
ææææææ 20th       Benedict Coen and Kelly-Anne Metcalfe
ææææææ 27th       Marcus Elliot Harvey and Nicola Jane Cameron
Aug 3rdæææææææ Barnaby Adam Stent and Samantha Marie Trevallion-Perrior

Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium

June 14^thææææææ Violet Barnes, aged 82ææ

æææææææ 21^stææææææ Elsie Muriel Cheney, aged 83

æææææææ 24^thææææææ Alan William (Bill) Imber, aged 82

Julyæ 11^th      Charles Thomas, aged 87
æææææææ 16^th       Albert Roy Pike, aged 79
æææææææ 25^th       Charles Richard Gardiner, aged 83

æææææææ 31^stææææææ Ivy Mary Jane Hellard, aged 96 after a service in St Giles‰

Augæ 5^th æææææ Arthur John Benson, aged 88
æææææææ 15th Reginald Wilfred Rahley, aged 87

æææææææ 16^thææææææ Victor Curtis, aged 81

Interment at Greenford Cemetery
June 27th Florence Ada Gibson, aged 87 (after service in St Giles' Church)

FROM THE U.R.C. MINISTER

In my last letter I promised to tell you how I got on at the United Reformed Church General Assembly at St Andrews in July. Helped by excellent university accommodation, fine weather, the historic setting, (but no golf for me), and an easy journey courtesy of GNER, I enjoyed the Assembly. It's a sort of large "church meeting" (which is how we make all our decisions in the U.R.C.) and there was a good spirit as we debated the issues confronting us. But there was an underlying sense of gloom about our declining numbers of church members, ministers and young people, not least because of consequential financial worries. Those of you who are not of an actively Christian outlook may well feel confirmed in the belief that the Christian church is increasingly irrelevant. At least we're being honest about the plight we may be in.

But we realised that we have, potentially, 90,000 ministers (all our members). We simply need to encourage and enable them all to serve Christ however he enables them. Being a Christian is not a matter of a few beliefs and moral standards with optional Church worship, ministry being for the really keen: it is commitment to Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, which involves serving him in the church and in the world.

Nor are we giving up on our young people's work: a proposal to close our young people's centre at Yardley Hastings, Northants, was not accepted so that its use could be better assessed. We are certainly still keen in the Ickenham churches - 185 children attended another successful Holiday Club this year.

I believe that one of the main failures of the churches is to put across the Christian message so as clearly and relevantly to show what it says about the human predicament and God's solution. After my last letter one person objected that a reasoned presentation of the Christian message is a contradiction in terms. But Jesus, the apostle Paul and others certainly invited people to think about

what to believe and gave them reasons to do so (see the New Testament). We are not content that the Christian cause should decline and disappear!

With best wishes.

RICHARD

FROM THE U.R.C. REGISTERS

Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium

2^nd Julyææææ Hilda Turnbull, aged 92 (followed by a service at the U.R.C.)

TO ICKENHAM FESTIVAL COMMITTEE

Thank you, thank you, thank you

Dear Editor

There have been many expressions of gratitude to members of Ickenham Festival Committee exchanged between local residents when they meet in the village. However, I thought it would be a nice idea if I.C.N. would publish my sincere thanks, and congratulations, to every member of the Committee who has worked so tirelessly, and sometimes at some personal family cost, to bring us together in the bi-annual, and wonderful, community event called Ickenham Festival. Thank you and congratulations to everyone involved.

VERA LAYTON

Page 3