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FROM THE URC ELDERS

In this Festival Year we once again have the chance to come together as a community.  Sharing together a wide variety of interests, activities and passions helps to build the strong sense of community which many of us find in Ickenham.  We hope you will take the opportunity to engage with some of the many activities offered during Festival week, be it a lively activity or something more contemplative.

The Churches offer worship at the start and finish of the week for you to join in, as well as hosting other events during the week.  On Gala Day we will have a combined Church presence with prayer space and café tent offering fairly traded tea and coffee plus a selection of goods to buy from the Traidcraft stall.  The sale of these goods helps to support projects in struggling communities across the world.  The Rukiga tent will be close by with information on the projects in Uganda supported by the Churches, Schools and other members of Ickenham.  Many other charities are supported throughout the week and on Gala Day by the various individuals and organisations involved, thereby assisting lots of other communities.

In Leviticus 19:18 we are told “love your neighbour as yourself” so when, in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is asked by an expert in the law “who is my neighbour?” we learn through the parable of the Good Samaritan that everyone is our neighbour, no matter the circumstances or distance separating us.  Last month, in Christian Aid Week, we worked together locally to support our national and international neighbours through our monetary gifts.  During Festival week we will be given the opportunity to connect with our neighbours locally, hopefully taking the opportunity to get to know each other better. 

In the time following both Christian Aid Week and Festival, with God’s help, we hope there will be a lasting effect of the positive actions we have made, be that something as brief as putting some money in an envelope or charity box, or time taken getting to know someone better or being a listening ear over a cup of tea.

Mavis Boyes

NOT SO NAUGHTY NINETIES

The Ickenham Women’s Institute recently celebrated its ninetieth birthday by inviting the Mayor and Mayoress plus selected guests to a party in the Village Hall. 

In her welcome speech, President Barbara Wilkinson said, “Ickenham and the WI are inseparable.  Ickenham is a wonderful place to live in, although parking is horrendous!  The WI has put several things in the village, including a bench, a rose bed by the Pump which we look after, and a painting in the Village Hall.  And you can’t have an Ickenham Festival without the WI.  We originally started with 23 members and now we have 24 although it was above 100 for a while.  Tonight though is about us being ninety.”

High-class entertainment was provided by the immaculately-dressed Harrow Apollo Men’s Choir.  Their leader joked he had been waiting 90 years to be invited to play at the WI before introducing a wide variety of popular songs, including ‘You are so Beautiful’ which he dedicated to the ladies.  Accompanying pianist, Philomena McCree, enthralled us all with her concert standard solo rendering of ‘The Rustle of Spring’.

The Mayor said that during his year of office he’d visited many places but none nicer than Ickenham.  The raffle he opened revealed a glorious collection of flower arrangements created for the occasion. 

Barbara told us that the WI birthday was shared with their longest-serving member – Maisie Paul, aged 89.  She told us that her favourite thing about Ickenham was the spring blossom and nobody would argue with that.  Many happy returns Maisie and also to the wonderful Ickenham Women’s Institute!
AFN

FROM ST GILES’ – REASONS TO BE JOYFUL

We need to continue to confront the suffering, poverty, inequality and injustice in the world.  However, we have so many reasons to be joyful as a community in Ickenham.  We are still celebrating Easter, a time full of hope, so let us think about some.

There are many people in Ickenham involved in countless community-based activities.  In addition to numerous Church activities, our Churches also play an integral part in the community and are involved in many community activities.  The Church Hall provides a super venue; the Churchyard is a haven of tranquillity; and the ICN is invaluable in spreading the Churches’ news and community stories to every address in Ickenham.  St Giles’ is open most mornings and on Saturday morning people are available to listen to and pray with anyone who wants.  Easter is the most important time for the Church.  We commemorate the entry into Jerusalem, The Last Supper, trial and Crucifixion, culminating in the celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.  Our Church and the Hall were almost full to bursting for these joyous services. 

Pending the arrival of Felicity Davies our new Rector on 3rd September, we continue to focus on our three objectives.  Our Lay Ministers continue to arrange, lead and preach at inspiring services.  We are grateful to them and to all the visiting guest priests for guiding us in “Following Jesus”.  Many in our Church are taking on additional roles as we all experience a period of “Growing Together”.  Our work with children and young people is expanding, and we are “Reaching Out” with a wide range of activities in support of those in need. 

St Paul tells us that we should “Carry each others’ burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ” and “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.”  Ickenham is a caring community, we are a nation of generous people, and the Church is very actively involved.  A recent report “Beyond Sundays: How the Church of England is helping communities in London” identified over 1,000 wide-ranging projects providing assistance and support for over 200,000 beneficiaries, involving more than 10,000 volunteers and the raising of £17 million for these purposes. 
I hope during the Easter period we have all found time to reflect on things to be joyful about and wish you love, peace and joy.
Keith Arnold