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LETTER FROM ST GILES’
 Dear Friends,
Tony and I have been made so welcome in Ickenham that I’ve been pondering the whole concept of ‘welcome’.
Some years ago, we were challenged by a preacher to name our neighbours. Not just those living to our right and left, but the three houses opposite ours and the three whose gardens backed onto ours. There were a lot of strained faces in the room as people tried (and often failed) to recall the names of those who lived nearby. I bet you’ve just tried the exercise; and I wonder how far you got?
Jesus was always ready to welcome people into His group, making room for the newcomer. Not just a ready smile and moving on to the next, but ready to share His life - His time, His wisdom, His encouragement and His love. With Him, welcome was the start of a relationship. I wonder how it is with us? Are we willing to welcome others into our friendship groups? Or are we so comfortable with life that we fear to open ourselves up to new relationships?
I was reading the story of the woman at the well this week, and marvelling at the way Jesus put Himself out for one person very unlike Himself, but ended up having most of her village engaged with the gospel message. If we are willing to put ourselves out and build relationships one at a time, just as Jesus did with that woman at the well, God will use us to build his church here, in Ickenham.
With love, - Felicity |
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD SHOEBOX APPEAL
 Ickenham’s churches are again supporting Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal this year. If you would like to make up a Christmas gift box for a child in need, leaflets are now available from the URC and St Giles’. These boxes really do make a big difference and the children who receive them are chosen solely on need, regardless of background or religious beliefs.
 You don’t have to make up a whole shoebox yourself to contribute though. Please feel free to give just a few items into the donation box in the porch of St Giles’ Church, or you can contribute towards the cost of distributing the boxes by putting any cash donations into an envelope marked “Operation Christmas Child” and posting it into the hard wooden contact slips box in the porch of St Giles’ or handing it directly to Stephanie White in St Giles’ church office.
And if you can, why not knit an item for inclusion in a shoebox? Although stuffed hand-knitted toys are not permitted in shoeboxes, any non-stuffed knitted items can be sent. And Operation Christmas Child has produced some knitting patterns for suitable (non-stuffed) puppet toys. These are available from the centre of St Giles’ or from the ICN website at:
www.ickenhamchurchnews.co.uk/downloads/Doll_Puppet.pdf
www.ickenhamchurchnews.co.uk/downloads/Teddy_Bear.pdf
All shoeboxes need to be taken to either the URC or St Giles’ church halls by Sunday 26th October please.
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