The Bishop of Peterborough writes
November
N
ovember: all the harvest festivals are over, Halloween too, and the October half-term break; the clocks have gone back, and we are into deep autumn. Cold, windy, raining, darkness encroaching on the day from both ends. The golden browns turning into leaf mulch on the grass and the pavements.
November: a month of remembering, connecting with our past and our origins. All Saints, Armistice: martyrdom, blood, war, war, and more war. It is important to remember, and to gain encouragement from the faithful of past generations. And Advent, with its promise of new light and new life, is on the horizon for the end of the month.
But, important as these things are, we mustn't spend too much time looking back, or even looking forward. There was no golden age back then, and there will be none while this world endures. Sure, we should learn from yesterday, and do all we can to make tomorrow better than today - especially for those most in need. But we are called to live in the present, this November, today.
So, for a moment at least, forget the reminiscing, put away the dreams of what might be, and focus on now. Today. This moment. Your standing as a child of God. Your relationship with him through Christ. Your role, as an individual and as part of the Church, as a vessel for the Holy Spirit. Your relationships with family, friends, fellow Christians, those you love and those you don't.
Lord Jesus, be with me now. This moment. This day. Make me your own. Fill me with yourself. Use me this day to reach and bless others with your love.
Every blessing
+Donald
Diocese of Peterborough - Magazine Resource - November 2016
Produced by the Diocesan Office, The Palace, Peterborough PE1 1YB
01733 887000
Second ‘junk food’ café open in Northampton
S
yle.This is the second café in Northampton that seeks to tackle the huge problem of food waste. Elsie’s Café in Charles Street has been pioneering The Real Junk Food Project’s ‘pay as you feel’ policy to highlight movement toward a less wasteful lifestn money or by volunteering”.The Reverend Rachel Hetherington, vicar of St David’s and speaking on behalf of The Community Café said “This is an exciting development for the café because it will enable us to provide good quality meals from food that would have otherwise been sent to landfill. Under the agreement we cannot sell donated food so customers are encouraged to ‘pay as you feel’ donating what they think the food is worth either i‘The Real Junk Food Project’.
t David’s Community Café has become the second in Northampton to be part of The Kingsthorpe café is located in St David’s Church Hall, and has been open since June 2015 as a not for profit, voluntary run community project. They have signed an agreement with FareShare that allows it to reclaim unwanted food from Tesco. Ashley Cooper from FareShare said “As you would expect Tesco would like to sell all of their stock. However, there are lots of different reasons why there is often good quality food left over at the end of the day. We have teamed up with Tesco to link stores with charities and community groups, giving them access to this unsold food that would otherwise go to waste, for free.”Shena Cooper from Elsie’s said “It is great to have another café opening. We rescue edible food from shops, restaurants, warehouses and well known Supermarkets, Morrisons, Waitrose and Ocado. Now we can share when we collect food in bulk. One day we had 85 lettuce, another day 1200 eggs, and another 40kg Clover spread. We are only rescuing a tiny fraction of what goes to waste but as the project grows in Northampton we will start to make a real difference. We say #feedbelliesnotbins.”
The Community Café is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10am to 1.30pm and serves coffee and cakes, breakfast and lunch. It is located in St David’s Church Hall, Eastern Avenue, NN2 7QB.
Photo above: A nice beef stew by Robin DeGrassi from Denver, Colorado, USA
Welcome to our new Lay Ministers
W
e celebrated the licensing of Lay Pastoral Ministers, our Licensed Evangelist and our new Readers at Peterborough Cathedral on 24 September.
The reading was 2 Corinthians 4: 1-6, and was particularly fitting for this day.
“Since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. …For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Those admitted and licensed as Lay Pastoral Ministers are:
Ginny Fazackerley, St Peter’s Church, Weston Favell
Jennifer Fuller, Weedon Bec and Everdon with Dodford
Gillian Hewer, The Walgrave Benefice
Tracy Pegram, St Peter and Paul with St Michael and All Angels, Kettering
Susan Pinington, St Peter’s Church, Weston Favell
Diane Plant, St Mark, Peterborough
Lesley Tomalin, Guilsborough and Hollowell and Cold Ashby and Cottesbrooke with Great Creaton and Thornby and Ravensthorpe and Spratton
Admitted and licensed as Licensed Evangelist:
Harvey Brooker, Wollaston with Strixton and Bozeat and Easton Maudit
Admitted and licensed as Readers:
Ceri-Anne Ashby, Irchester with Stanton Cross
Stephen Atkins, Christ the King, Kettering
David Bell, Emmanuel, Northampton
Stephen Flynn, Broughton and Cransley with Mawsley
Valerie Kerr, Uplands Group of Churches
David Longlands, Ketton and Tinwell
Donald Merrifield, St Mary’s, Rushden with St Peter’s, Newton Bromswold
Michael Mills, Barnack with Ufford and Bainton and Wittering and Helpston
Adam Pope, St Crispin Group of Churches
Caroline Simmonds, The Rutland Water Benefice
Robert Steele, St Giles, Northampton
Mark Willis, Walgrave Benefice
Ken Woodhall, St Peter’s Rusden
ChurchLive hailed a success in bringing worship to the smartphone generation
The churches taking part have come from across England, as well as St Andrew’s, Moscow, in the Diocese in Europe. Viewers have tuned in from all over the world, including the USA, Jerusalem, India, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and Australia, as well as across the UK. bury Festival.The project has broadcast a range of church services via Twitter’s Periscope app – from traditional carols to a blessing of the surf at Hove Beach in Sussex and a service in a tent at Glaston acted more than 40,000 viewers. year-longproject allowing people to access live streamed Church of England services on mobile phones has attrAChurchLivewill make its final broadcast on Sunday at The Point Church in Sussex, one year on after the scheme was launched by the Church of England in partnership with Twitter UK. A total of 53 churches have taken part, broadcasting around 60 hours of worship. On average, each service has been viewed on around 750 screens, including mobile phones, laptops and tablets, or at least 40,000 screens over the year.
November events
Tuesday 1 November 7.30pm
Celebrating 150 years at Wellingborough, All Saints NN8 1HF
£7 wine and soft drinks will be available during the interval. More information from Sue on 01933 274856
Starting Wednesday 2 November
The Bible from the Discipleship Menu 7.30-9.30pm at Spratton.
Starting Wednesday 16 November
Jesus and the Church from the Discipleship Menu 7.30-9.30pm at Geddington. Discipleship Menu courses £10 registration fee, more information from or 01604 887060
Friday 11 November 7.30pm
Corby Male Voice Choir in concert £10 including wine and canapés. More information from Ursula Wide - 01832 272594 or the website
Saturday 19 November 10am-5pm
Icons for all presents an icon writing retreat. St Mary’s House NN4 8EZ. £95 includes all materials and light lunch. More information from Revd Ian Holdsworth 01604 761104 or
Saturday 26 November
Are you being called? 10am-4pm
All Saints School NN2 7AJ. Places need to be booked by 7 November through or 01604 887049