Church Grounds Clearing

It all began with a call to arms, “the garden is taking over” Mick planned and Anita booked a Saturday morning. These professional gardeners! Who else would choose a day when it rained, and rained, and rained! Some people were there before 9.00am, probably hoping it would be postponed. Mick just allotted tasks and provided tools where necessary. There were 6 of us at 9.05am. Then our faith was rewarded and more and more people began arriving until every task was given out and that young chap David began snapping us. I have included some of the pictures, with one of Vivien trying to blow other members of the team away. Many thanks to all those who gardened on Saturday, the grounds are looking good again.
Paul

Big Church Day Out - Saturday 29 May 2010

It's billed as "an event for all ages and across all church backgrounds to gather to celebrate Jesus and the faith that is bigger than us all."

This year we're heading off to Stanford Hall, Loughborough. The day includes corporate worship hosted by Pete Greig (24-7 Prayer) and Diane Louise Jordan (Songs of Praise); the Saltmine Theatre Company; The Kids Tent for age related worship, drama and fun; exciting bands for younger people; The Tea Tent featuring music from Graham Kendrick and Stuart Pendred and most importantly cream teas and cakes! Leslie is willing to purchase tickets but needs to know numbers by next Sunday 21 March (payment by 27 March). The price of a ticket is dependent on numbers but will hopefully be approx. £18. Please contact Leslie as soon as possible if you wish to go.

More details at www.bigchurchdayout.co.uk

Grounds and gardening morning - 20 March 2010

Dave does a fabulous job in keeping things neat and tidy around the Church. Now that spring is finally approaching, we're seeing flowers appearing.

Every now and then we get a bigger team together to tackle some of the larger jobs. We've had an encouraging response but no one need feel left out as many hands really do make light work. Jennifer has kindly offered to provide bacon butties and a cup of tea to keep us going. Come along from 9.00am.

Google Street View comes to Oadby (and most other places too)

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Google's Street View now includes the whole parish of Oadby, except for a number of the smallest streets. The enormous amount of new data is likely to generate further concerns about privacy and not everyone will be keen on having their front gardens on display to the world. Google's camera car snapped someone outside the church carrying his paper but while I have a hunch who it might be, at least his face has been blurred.

What do you think? Is this a leap forward in digitizing our world for greater convenience, or a step in the wrong direction?

Mothering Sunday - 14 March 2010

Our special Mothering Sunday service is on 14 March, from 10.00 to 11.00am. It's a service for the whole family and mums will all receive a gift.

The service follows Breakfast at Barney's, where you can enjoy a full-cooked English breakfast. Breakfasts are served from 8.30 to 9.30 and you need to book a place with Anita Chettle on 0116 271 4465.

Announcement of appointment

The Bishop announces the appointment (subject to CRB clearance) of the Revd Simon Harvey, Team Vicar, St Paul’s Church, Oadby as Vicar of the benefice of St Mary, Islington in the Diocese of London. Simon’s institution will take place on Thursday 15 July at 8.00pm.

Simon writes,
I am thrilled at the prospect of serving God in a new way and in a new place. St Mary's is at the heart of a busy London district, with a strong vision for the gospel - it's an exciting move for the whole family. But it also makes us very appreciative of the people of Oadby, especially church members. We have been blessed in belonging here for seven wonderful years. We have put down roots. We have made friends. We will never forget the generosity, fun and partnership in faith of that we have found.

The coming months will give us time to express personally our thankfulness and the confidence we have for the future of St Paul's and St Peter's.

St Mary's, Islington, has a fascinating history and is very active in mission, with a large staff and an extensive ministry through its Neighbourhood Centre and Crypt. The church has been served by some well known clergy, including Charles Wesley, Daniel Wilson, Maurice Wood, David Sheppard, Donald Coggan, George Carey and Graham Kings.

Islington is a very popular place and Upper Street, with all its restaurants, bars, theatres and shops is quite different from Hamble Road! We will have to get used to all-night buses passing our door and the colour and noise of a vibrant neighbourhood. Ten thousand people live in the parish, where very wealthy people and very poor people live in close proximity. There are over two hundred and thirty on the church electoral roll and most worshippers live outside the parish. There are big challenges too. In seeking a new vicar, the church described its vision for growth, and to be “known for the love of the people among whom we live.” There are also demanding financial issues.

I will be joining a large and gifted team, which includes a curate, two Readers, three full time staff and over twenty part-time employees.

But for now, we thank God for Oadby, for what is, what has been, and what will be. To him be the glory! Amen.

Annual Parochial Church Meeting - 22 April 2010

The APCM is open to all church members and includes elections to key leadership positions within the Parish, including Churchwardens and Assistant Wardens, Deanery Synod Representatives, PCC and DCC members. It's also a moment to take stock of our churches' participation in the mission of God in Oadby. A full agenda and a set of reports will be issued in due course, but you might like to note that the date of the meeting is 22 April 2010. It will be held at St Paul's and will begin at 7.45pm.

The meeting is open to all, but to vote or to stand for one of the elected offices, your name must appear on the church electoral roll. Download a nomination form or pick one up from the foyer.

Leicester's children are "happiest in Britain"

According to an article in the Leicester Mercury, research at De Montfort University shows that Leicester's children are a relatively happy bunch.

One theory, reported in the article, is that children in our city tend to spend less time in structured activities such as clubs and groups, than children elsewhere. It's suggested that this freedom from over-organised social lives leaves more time to be with friends.

It's a good news story worth celebrating, and while the central lesson that friendship leads to happiness shouldn't surprise anyone, it helps us think about the way we work with children in the groups that we provide at church.

Simply providing structured activities isn't enough. Church is essentially relational - about the way that people relate with each other and with God. We're less interested in people "attending our activities" than in deepening friendships and growing as disciples.

Book Launch

I was very glad and grateful for a sabbatical break from ministry for three months in 2009. The adventure of my "backwards pilgrimage" has now been published and we've made plans for a small launch event on Saturday 27 February, from 3 to 5pm.

The book can be purchased from http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/walking-home/6289119 for £9.90, plus delivery. To reserve a copy for collection at the launch, please download and return the order form. The proceeds (over £3 per copy) will go to Christian Aid.

To whet your appetite, here's the blurb from the cover:

Simon Harvey, a Leicestershire vicar who describes himself as not much of a walker, sets out on a five hundred mile pilgrimage in reverse.

Perhaps a pilgrimage doesn't have to involve a package tour to a distant shrine. What happens if it is simplified and taken at walking pace, where the goal is not some unfamiliar holy site but home, the place of belonging?

This book describes an unlikely journey from the very heart of the French capital to a suburban parish on the southern edge of Leicester, in the English Midlands. Fifty-two days of solitary walking, punctuated by reunions with old friends and special places, lead Simon through an adventure in faith.

Keen observation, thoughts that are allowed to wander as far as his feet, a delight in the ordinariness of unspectacular places and a series of surprising encounters, all fill a travel story that is humorous, reflective and accessible.

Simon explores the Bible's metaphor of "walking with God" on unpromising tarmac roads and country paths. He discovers fresh insight into the possibilities of down to earth discipleship in a style that isn't preachy or too keen to persuade.

Diocese of Leicester Clergy Conference

Every two years, the clergy of our diocese are invited to join the Bishop in a three-day residential conference. Nearly two hundred of us have just returned from the Hayes Centre at Swanwick, where the theme was Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

The programme was rich and varied, with lots of stimulating input from an excellent panel of speakers. More details, including links to recordings of the sessions, are available at the conference website.

I was particularly struck by the good-natured mood of our gathering. This is a Diocese in good heart. We face growing challenges and complicated demands but I sensed among us a genuine collegiality. Among our various backgrounds and traditions we easily find issues on which we take different views, especially in a topic as potent as worship. But, as far as I could see, these differences were held within an even greater commitment to our common purpose of serving God in mission to the people of Leicestershire.

Leicester Diocese is blessed with very capable and gifted parish clergy, supported by an excellent central team and an inclusive, hard-working bishop. It's a generous place to be and I'm thankful to be part of it.