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EDITORIAL
The Post Office wants to close 2500 post offices out of the national total of 14000. Filkins Post Office is under threat of closure, and we must prepare now for the battle to keep it open.
On 5th February The Post Office will announce their plans for this area, and which offices they propose to close. There will then follow a six week consultation period before the changes are set in stone.
The grounds upon which The Post Office will take its decisions about closure are based partly on very specific matters like ease of access to the building, customer usage, the range of services offered, and distance to alternative offices. But there is also some indication that the level of popular support and other matters may play a part.
In the case of Filkins, the post office is an integral factor in the success of the new community shop, Filkins was 2007 National Community Life Village of the Year, and Filkins Post Office is in a building owned by a village trust and supported by the Parish Council. All grist to the mill of a popular campaign against closure.
And it is a battle which should be benefice-wide, for Filkins Post Office is the only one we have: 11 parishes, 12 churches, 15 villages... One post office.
Shops of all sorts, pubs, garages as well as post offices have all disappeared from our parishes. Let’s make a stand now, and say ‘Keep Filkins Post Office.’ Ena Constable has given most of her working life to the post office in Filkins, and she is keen to remain at her post. Please help her, and help all of us.
Please visit Filkins Post Office this week, and please sign the petition you will find there. Your help may be crucial.
Richard Martin
PARISH & BENEFICE SERVICES
3rd February - Candlemas
10.30am Shilton Benefice Eucharist Service HX-1, EJ, \ UW
6.00pm Kencot Evensong EJ
6th February - Ash Wednesday
7.30pm Kencot Benefice Service HM, EJ, NUW
10th February - Lent I
9.00am Alvescot Holy Communion HM
9.00am Broadwell Holy Communion NUW
.00am Westwell/Holwell Combined Holy Communion EJ
10.30am B Poggs Parish Communion EJ
10.30am Shilton Family Communion HM
Children’s Church
11.00am L.Faringdon Matins NUW
6.00pm B Bourton Evensong HM
13th February
9.00pm Alvescot Compline HM
17th February- Lent II
9..am B Bourton/Alvescot Combined Holy Communion EJ
9.00am Holwell Holy Communion NUW
10.30am Broadwell/Kencot Combined Matins PW
10.30am Kelmscott Family Communion EJ
10.30am Langford Parish Communion NUW
6.00pm Filkins Evensong EJ
6.00pm Westwell Evensong NUW
20th February
9.00pm B Bourton Compline NUW
24th February- Lent III
9.00am Kencot/Broadwell Combined Holy Communion HM
BCP, no sermon
9.00am Shilton Holy Communion NUW
10.30am Alvescot/B Bourton Combined Parish Communion NUW
10.30am Filkins Family Communion HM
11.00am L.Faringdon Parish Communion EJ
4.00pm Langford Evensong EJ
6.00pm Holwell/Westwell Combined Evensong HM
27th February
9.00pm Shilton Compline HM
Combined services are in the first-named church
There is also a Communion Service at Black Bourton every Wednesday at 10.00am
CELEBRANTS & SERVICE LEADERS
EJ Liz Johnson HM Harry MacInnes
NUW Neville Usher-Wilson PW Paul Winchester
BENEFICE SERVICES 2008
Date Benefice service at 10.30am
16th March B.Poggs - cum- Filkins Palm Sunday
6th April B Bourton
4‘” May Broadwell Rogation Sunday
lst‘ June Kelmscott
6th July Alvescot
3rd August Holwell 7‘” September Kencot
October Harvest Festivals 2°d November Westwell 7’n December Langford
THE LECTIONARY
3rd February - Candlemas (G or W)
Malachi 3.1-5 Psalm 24 7-end
Hebrews 2.14-end Luke 2.22-40
6th February -Ash Wednesday (P)
Joel 2.1,2, 12-17 Psalm 51.1-18
2 Corinthians 5.20b-6,10 Matthew 6.1-6,16-21
10th February - Lent I (P)
Genesis 2.15-17,3.1-7 Psalm 32
Romans5. 12-19 Matthew 4.1-11
17‘n February- Lent II (P)
Genesis 12.1-4a Psalm 121
Romans4.1-5,13-17 John 3.1-17
24th February - Lent III (P)
Exodus 17.1-7 Psalm 95
Romans5.1-11 John4.5-42
CANDLEMAS
Candlemas is the last feast in the liturgical year which looks back to Christmas; henceforth everything looks forward to Easter. Many of the customs associated with Candlemas are accordingly about renewal and change. The name itself comes from an ancient Roman Catholic practice of on this day blessing all the candles which will be used on the altar throughout the coming year. The feast day has also long been associated with the presentation of Jesus in the temple at the end of his mother’s 40 days of purification according to Jewish Law, which is described by St Luke:
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord....
And, behold there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, ‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word- for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou bast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.’
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel...’
The Candlemas theme of renewal, of looking forward to Spring and the unfolding year was taken up by Robert Herrick...
CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE
Down with the rosemary and bays,
Down with the misletoe;
Instead of holly, now up-raise
The greener box, for show.
The holly hitherto did sway;
Let box now domineer,
Until the dancing Easter-day,
Or Easter’s eve appear.
Then youthful box, which now hath grace
Your houses to renew,
Grown old, surrender must his place
Unto the crisped yew.
When yew is out, then birch comes in,
And many flowers beside,
Both of a fresh and fragrant kin,
To honour Whitsuntide.
Green rushes then, and sweetest bents,
With cooler oaken boughs,
Come in for comely ornaments,
To re-adorn the house.
Thus times do shift; each thing his turn does hold;
New things succeed, as former things grow old.
Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)
THE RECTOR’S LETTER
Dear Friends
As the New Year gets under way I was pondering about a media story or theme that regularly seems to crop up, which is about how we now live in a secular country, about the ever declining numbers of people going to church and the increasing irrelevance of the Christian faith to people today. What I am struck by is how this seems to be at odds with what I experience as a country parson in this Benefice.
Following on from all the Christmas services from midnight mass to school nativities and carol services and the significant attendance for
these special events I paused at the beginning of the New Year to look at the church register in one of my parishes that went back to the 1960’s to see what the church attendance was like then. What genuinely surprised me was to find that the average Sunday attendance in this parish in the 1960’s was around four to six people, when the incumbent only had a couple of parishes to look after, whereas now in that parish it is about 15 to 20 people.
My experience as Rector in this Benefice is that the church is still called upon to be at the centre of most people lives, giving spiritual value to birth, marriage and death. But what I also find so delightful is the way that those who do come to church at other points in the year, discover how much they enjoy worship and experience a divine touch on their lives. Faith still has much to offer us in a culture which perhaps in the mainstream media has adopted the mantra of ‘if in doubt, shop.’
As Jonathan Sachs, the Chief Rabbi, succinctly put it ‘Life is too full of blessings to waste time and attention on artificial substitutes. Live, give, forgive, celebrate and praise; these are still the best ways of making a blessing out of life, thereby turning life into a blessing.’
As we move further in the new year and prepare this month for Lent, I am greatly encouraged to experience how the Christian faith still resonates with so many here in this Benefice.
Harry MacInnes
THE WAY THINGS ARE
1 There were 478 new clergy ordained in 2006, down from 505 new
ordinands in 2005, but up from 469 in 2004. For the first time more women (244) were ordained than men (234).
2 ‘I was brought up as a Catholic in a small village where the priest was the
boss. My dad remembers me going to church with my mother, praying to God to make us win games. I got the bible out when we were 1-0 down, saying “Jesus Christ, let us win this game.” I still do the same thing, but without the book now.’ Arsene Wenger (Arsenal FC head coach)
3 A survey published in The Times in December 2007 found that:
62% of Britons believe that we have souls
62% believe in fate
51% are likely to ‘touch wood’ to avoid bad luck
47% believe in life after death
41% believe in telepathy
38% believe in ghosts
31% believe in extraterrestrial beings
23% believe in horoscopes
16% believe in lucky charms
LENT COURSE
With Easter coming so early this year, Lent is upon us almost before we have put away the Christmas decorations. The Lent Course we have chosen is on the Lord’s Prayer. As I write, I have not yet received the materials, but this is the course description:
‘This course reflects on the world’s most famous prayer. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus gives us a pattern for living as his disciples. He also raises vital questions for today’s world in which ‘daily bread’ is uncertain for two billion people, and a refusal to ‘forgive those who trespass against us” escalates violence.’
Plenty of food for thought.
We shall be meeting in Filkins Vicarage every Monday evening during the five weeks of Lent, beginning on 11”’ February at 7.30 pm. We are a very informal group, and everyone is welcome. There is also a possibility of running a daytime group, if enough people are interested, so please let me know (on 01367 860846) if that would suit you better.
Liz Johnson
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
0ur January meeting had, very unfortunately, to be cancelled at the last moment due to ill health. So we shall have our ‘Members’ Meeting’ on 6th February, when we meet, as usual, at the Filkins Methodist Chapel Schoolroom at 2.45pm. We do hope that all members will be fit and wellthis time. ‘
At our following meeting on Wednesday 5th March, Diane Blackett will show slides of life in Guyana in preparation for our Women’s World Day of Prayer. [See below. Ed/ As always, everyone is warmly welcomed to attend our meetings.
Marjorie Barstow
WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
The Women’s World Day of Prayer is on Friday 7‘” March at 2.30pm in Filkins Methodist Chapel, and the service has this year been prepared by the Christian Women of Guyana. If you have never attended please do come along, everyone will be made welcome. For more information please contact either Helen Squire (01367 860337) or me (01367 860504).
Diane Blackett
SHILTON BAPTIST CHAPEL
daily newspaper printed a photo from Iraq. It showed a boy of nine scrambling across a bomb crater, the boy looked anxious and was cradling his pet rabbit. The picture moved me more than photos of burning buildings. The boy and his rabbit made it personal; it told me about the way violence disrupts the lives of innocent people and of their longing to be normal again. Boys and rabbits may not be strategically important to generals, but the picture had a powerful message. It told me that love can survive,
even through suffering, crystallised here in the love of a small boy for his pet.
It was the one living thing he could hold on to, it was precious to him.
Not long ago we celebrated Epiphany, that time of year when churches remember the Wise Men who followed the Star and found Jesus. They came from the east and probably the area around Iraq. That was a long time ago, but I hope there may still be a few wise men in Iraq who can spare a thought and some compassion for little people and their unspoken needs - like the boy and his rabbit.
Lord of compassion, give me grace to open up my life to others’ needs. Joy Ralph
Preachers for February
3rd February informal
10th February Graham Sparrowhawk followed by communion
17th February Tony Gibson
24th’ February David Earl
Although it seems a long time ago we’d like to thank everyone who supported the Coffee Morning in November in any way. We were able to give £136.34 to the charity Helping Hands to help our school El Shaddei in Uganda.