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church : revd jo's letter : september 2008 added 13/08/08 Pride goes before a fall as we all know. Last month I wrote about my success in vegetable and fruit growing, but I have now been cut down to size by the Little Bytham Flower and Produce show, when I was hard put to it to find anything worth entering. The raspberries had finished, the courgettes were on a go-slow, my pumpkins weren’t ripe, the broad beans had black-fly and the runner beans were still tiny. I managed to find some carrots and a specimen rose, and that was about all. And when I saw the competition in both classes, I nearly took them home again. The standard this year was very high, and the hall was packed with competitors and non-competitors alike – a lovely, traditional afternoon’s entertainment, which simply gets better and better each year. Thank you, Ken, Lin and your committee for all your hard work, and thank you to all who took part . (And I’m pleased to say that, to my amazement, my carrots and my rose both achieved certificates.) Back in June I spent a very pleasant Sunday afternoon viewing the Open Gardens of Lyddington. Other people’s gardens are always fascinating, irrespective of their standard, and it’s a great opportunity to buy plants in aid of a good cause (on this occasion, Lyddington church.) The gardens ranged from an immaculate two-acre organic one to … well, let’s just say a smaller and distinctly less immaculate one, with everything in-between. But the owners were all prepared to let the public see them in aid of the church. I’m delighted that Belinda Hunter has offered to organise a similar event in Castle Bytham next year. The gardens really don’t have to be huge and manicured – we just need a variety, and every single one will have its own interesting features. So please do think about opening yours. A feature of Belinda’s garden is her son James’ chickens, which are laying prodigiously, and the sale of their eggs is swelling our church funds. Thank you very much, Belinda and family for your generosity. At the end of July we bade farewell to two redoubtable old ladies. Mollie Clapton, who for many years ran the Post Office in Little Bytham, was cremated in Cannock, where she lived near her daughter Hilary, and her ashes were interred in the family grave at Little Bytham on July 19th. On the following Wednesday, the funeral service for Dolly Sharpe was held at Castle Bytham. Dolly was landlady of the Fox and Hounds for 32 years, and like so many ladies of tiny stature, could be a formidable figure when the customers stepped out of line. She died aged 101, and our sympathies go to both families. September brings the feast of St. Michael and All Angels, and Harvest Festival. This year the service will be in Careby church on Friday September 26th at 7.00, followed by the traditional Harvest Supper in Little Bytham Village Hall. John Turner has kindly agreed to speak at the service, for which I am very grateful. Careby’s spectacular catering is worthy of Michelin stars, so don’t miss the supper. (Or the service, for that matter.) A reminder, too, of our Pet Blessing at Little Bytham on Sunday September 21st, at 10.30, about which I wrote last month. All creatures great and small are welcome, as long as they will not be upset by the occasion. Photos or just names can be brought if the pet can’t. Even teddies can be blessed. Our new service, Worship Together, on the fourth Sunday of the month at Castle Bytham seems to be popular. We ask someone to choose a hymn each month, and to tell us why they have chosen it. In July, Derek Cox chose All glory, laud and honour, because, as a boy, he earned pocket money by pumping the organ in his village church, which had no electricity, and he well remembers the effort required for that hymn, which has so many verses and a chorus. The organist, of course, was completely at Derek’s mercy – if he failed to pump hard enough, the organ ran out of wind! That’s real power. If any of you have a particular favourite, do let us know, so that we can include it in the next month’s service. He who sings, prays twice, said St. Augustine. You will know how important I feel it to be that our churches should be left unlocked during the day. I was delighted when I was given a copy of the Mail on Sunday for August 10th., which contained an article about Little Bytham and its Mallard connection. The writer says The church is well worth looking at and … like several others in the area … it is unlocked so you can go in and breathe in the history and feel the morning’s psalms still hanging in the air. My point exactly! It’s easy to write about all the good and happy things that go to make up church life in these villages, but we are well aware that for other Christian communities, life is far from easy. The 4 churches support an orphanage in Zimbabwe, run by the Revd. Lesley Marshall, and her newsletters tell us very graphically how very difficult life in Zimbabwe is. In her latest letter she writes: A mob of youth militia arrived at our gate, aggressively demanding access to the children and staff. However, the Lord gave us the wisdom and courage to deal with it, and as we stood our ground, refusing them entry, but giving them water to drink instead, they backed down, and as they left their previously verbally abusive spokesman called out ‘God bless you, madam.’ Lesley’s orphanage is never short of children. She writes: Three little girls have joined our baby unit since I last wrote. Beyonce, aged 3, but more the size of an 18 month old, arrived first. She had been abandoned by her mother, and her little face bore testimony to her heartache…. she is gradually learning to trust and smile again. Sarudzai, 4 months, very tiny for her age, came next. Her father attends our church and had lost his wife some weeks before. He tried to care for his daughter, but was not coping, and so approached us. Finally Makomborera joined us. She is 2 years old but weighed only 7kg on arrival. She, too, has a caring daddy, but he is unwell himself, and unable to care for her. Lesley has many heart-breaking stories like this, and she has asked us for practical help. To ensure that the children receive Christmas presents, she is asking us to send shoeboxes with small gifts for the children. Details are as follows: Christmas Boxes for Zimbabwe Please put together a shoe box or similar, filled with small gifts for children, such as card games, toy cars, toiletries, socks, dolls, soft toys, face flannels, ties, scarves, watches, toothbrushes, sweets, sports water bottles, belts, balls etc. Don’t gift wrap it, as the items will be sorted out to suit individual children. Send your box to Montgomery Heights Christian Care Centre PO Box 75 Concession Zimbabwe Mark the package Free Gift for Orphan Children. Not for resale. Place a very low value (max. £2.50) on the customs slip. If any of you could find it in your hearts to join us in helping these little ones in this way, we should be so grateful. With every good wish Jo |
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