E-ROUND NEWS
October 15th 2002
CALL FOR LINGUISTS.
People who can speak one or more European foreign
languages are being sought by the Diocesan Europe Group. It
is setting up a
database of men and women willing to help interpret at
meetings. Clergy and
lay people regularly visit the diocese and parishes from a
variety of
European countries, so people who could offer their language
skills once or
twice a year are in demand. For more information, contact
Helen Hutchison on
01727-869645
WORLD AIDS DAY.
This year's Cathedral evensong for World Aids Day is
being
held at St Albans Abbey on Sunday November 24th at 6.30 pm.
WELLSPRINGS.
Courses being held at 'Wellsprings,' Hockliffe, near
Leighton
Buzzard, Beds this term include Stained Glass, on November
23rd, run by Anna
Conti, an experienced stained glass artist, and a Quiet Day
for Advent, on
December 7th, led by Angela Walker, who has several years'
experience in
advanced clinical aromatherapy, and Sister Johanna, a prison
chaplain who is
trained in spiritual direction. More information from Ann
Bowes on 01525 210711 or hockliffe@aol.com
COMMON WORSHIP.
A training day, organised jointly by the diocese's
Liturgical Committee and the Royal Society of Church
Musicians on 'Music for
Common Worship' is being held at St Andrew's, Bedford, on
Saturday November
16th from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. The day is aimed at clergy,
organists, choirs
and those involved in leading music. More information from
Jenni Blaxland on
01727 854532 or jblaxland@stalbans.anglican.org
OFFICE VACANCIES.
Diocesan Youth Officer Dave Green is seeking a
full-time
secretary/PA at Welwyn Garden City - "someone with a
heart for young people
and the admin skills to make the things we do, work"
Details from Dave Green
on 01707 386016 or email: dave.green@voicemail.org.uk
Nigel Guard,
Stewardship Officer at Holywell Lodge, St Albans, is looking
for a part-time
secretary on 17+ hours a week. Details from Nigel Guard on
01727 854532 or
nguard@stalbans.anglican.org
WEBSITES.
Congratulations to the churches in Welwyn ( www.welwyn.org.uk ) and
St Michael's, Bishop's Stortford, ( www.saintmichaelweb.com
) who finished
runners-up out of 600 entries in Ecclesiastical Insurance's
competition to
find the best parish website. Full details via the diocesan
website.
(I still think Slip End.'s should have won! - Ed)
Peter Crumpler , Communications Officer
41 Holywell Hill, St. Albans, Herts, AL1 5HETel: 01727
869506; Fax 01727 844469
http://www.stalbans.anglican.org
pcrumpler@stalbans.anglican.org
STATEMENT FROM CRISTINE
BENSON
TRUTH WILL PREVAIL.
By now most of you will have read the article that
appeared in the Dunstable on Sunday on the 13 October 2002
about Christmas gifts for the elderly. Let me say hear and
now how untrue and unfair this article was. As usual the
editorial staff at the DOS have managed to put their own spin
and distortion on an otherwise honest piece of writing,
agreed to by the Parish Council, not by me alone.
In the past when Christmas gifts for the elderly were first
given out, I discovered that the only recipients were people
living in the Parish known to vote a certain way. With the
advent of the PC being controlled by Independents we felt
that the criteria should be widened to include all of those
residents over retirement age, the housebound, the needy and
the recently bereaved. I was given this brief by the late
Cllr. Eric Snoxell of Caddington ( as we were at the time a
joint Parish). I then went ahead and included in the list for
Slip End all who qualified. Unbeknown to me, the actual age
limit - as set down by the joint Parishes, was 70 and above,
and not retirement age of 60 for women and 65 for men. This
got me in deep trouble because the Caddington list was much
shorter than the Slip End list. We managed to maintain our
list even though it did not make us very popular with
Caddington Parish Councillors at the time. Over the years
more and more senior citizens who live in our Parish have
told us that they really don't need this gift as they are not
financially needy. For example, its embarrassing to be
calling on a senior citizen who lives in a large detached
property with two new cars parked on the drive to offer them
either a box of biscuits or a bottle of British sherry and
maybe if monies are available, a Terrys Chocolate Orange
also.
Every year we have been updating by adding to the list. We
can't keep updating this list with the same criteria. To that
end the PC decided to look at changing it. We asked you the
Parishioners through Novembers Parish News and the Slip End
Website how you felt and to assist us with any input. What
the PC is trying to do is: remove from the list - hopefully
voluntarily - any senior citizen who feels they do not need
this gift. This will enable us to spend the monies that we
have on possibly a better gift for the parishioners who
really do need it. The list this year is exactly the same as
last years list. The only omissions will be those who have
moved, died, or gone into Care. The DOS did not mention in
their article that we will still be giving out gifts this
year. All we have done for this year is not to add any new
people.
DOS, having read my article on behalf of the PC, have not
seen fit to print some of the other items. For instance, the
fact that we are going to distribute Golden Jubilee Coins to
the children of the Parish. Or that we are spending a lot of
money on re-furbishing the Crawley playground. They only seem
to pick up on anything that can be distorted to show the PC
negatively.
They always manage to mention me by name, but they do not
ever mention the name of anybody they have contacted for a
quote. If the 'pensioner' quoted is reading this article
please contact me and we will check as to whether you are on
our list. If you had a gift last year you will get one this
year. I put a bet that DOS when they read this (which they
will). will not see fit to print any of it.
On a personal note, I really don't know what I have done to
upset the people at DOS. In the past year they have said that
my son and daughter in law were unemployed and were fighting
with the DHSS for money which was untrue. Both of them have
worked since they returned to the UK. They (DOS), also said
that I call people in Luton 'riff-raff' which I didn't. Then
having come round to my home to ask how I felt about this
article they were told politely to 'foxtrot oscar' by my
husband. This obviously offended their delicate sensibilities
because they took a hissy fit, left with their handbags and
proceeded to print more fibs! Now they saying the PC are
scrooges (another lie) and if they are so concerned about our
senior citizens I look forward to receiving an annual
donation from the DOS for about five hundred pounds to put
towards their Christmas gifts. I won't be holding my breath.
I have the courage of my convictions and always write as
either Christine Benson, Chairman Slip End Parish Council
with agreement from my fellow Councillors, or as a private
citizen. I am not hiding behind an editorial or a pseudonym
or a column header. You know who I am you know where to
contact me; I do not have the luxury of anonymity.
Christine Benson.
LAUGHTER
The young mother had been teaching her three year old
daughter the Lord's Prayer. For several evenings at bedtime,
she would repeat the lines for her to follow. Finally she
thought her daughter should go solo and listened with pride
as the little girl carefully enunciated each word, right up
to the end of the prayer. "Lead us not into
temptation,"
she prayed, "but deliver us some e-mail. Amen."
A man goes into a bar, orders 12 whiskies, lines them up on
the counter, and starts drinking them as quickly as possible.
The barman asks him: "Why are you drinking those
whiskies so quickly?" The man replies: "You'd be
drinking them as quickly as that if you had got what I have
got." Slightly alarmed, the barman asked him: "Why,
what's that?" "About 50p." said the man.
A man gets shipwrecked. When he wakes up, he's on a beach.
The sand is dark red. He can't believe it. The sky is dark
red. He walks around a bit and sees that there is dark red
grass, dark red birds, and dark red fruit on the dark red
trees. He's shocked when he finds that his skin is starting
to turn dark red too. "Oh no!" he says, "I
think I've been marooned."
CHRISTMAS IS COMING
ITEMS FOR CHRISTMAS NOW ON SALE - CRAFT ITEMS
INCLUDING FABRIC, CHRISTMAS CAROL BOOKS, FABRIC PLACEMATS,
CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS, ORDERS FOR CHRISTMAS CAKES AND PUDDINGS,
ORDERS FOR CANDLE AND FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
CHRISTMAS TABLE.
HARPENDEN W.I. MARKET
NEXT TO WH SMITHS-
HIGH STREET, HARPENDEN
EVERY FRIDAY 9.00 AM - 11.30 AM
CHRISTMASTIME
What does Christmas mean to us,
Does it mean a lot of fuss?
Gifts to buy and cards to write,
A Christmas tree with candles bright.
A turkey plump, mince pies to bake;
With outward signs we all partake.
We rush around, no time to pray,
"Oh that can wait another day."
But stop awhile, just think it out
What Christmas Day is all about,
The day a tiny child was born,
In stable bare, and so forlorn,
The King of Kings who reigns above
Came down to bless us with his love.
Have you heard the little story of the lady who wished to
join a certain church but was worried about some new ideas
they had introduced into the service.
"Is it true," she said to the vicar, "that the
Ten Commandments are repeated during the service?"
"Oh," the vicar replied "we have introduced a
greater innovation than that."
"What is that?" she asked
"We are trying to keep them."
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
We
have been busy promoting the shoe-box appeal during October
and I hope you have been able to spend a little time making
up your own shoe-box. Every single one is needed so don't
think yours will not matter or you haven't got the time.
Think of the child receiving it and the happiness it will
bring.
The children from ZJB at St Andrew's learned about the Good
Samaritan at Church and then helped to cover some shoe-boxes
and to make some cards to go
in the boxes. Don't forget to try and get your boxes in by
the middle of November at the latest. (either the Church or
to me)
Thank you to all of you who have already sent in your boxes.
Sue Cowell, Editor
EDITORS CHOICE
The beds are made, the kitchen gleams,
The hall is shiny bright;
The windows sparkle as they should
To let in all the light.
There's not a single magazine
Left lying anywhere,
No sewing basket on the floor,
No knitting on the chair.
I wish my friends would visit me,
They would me most impressed
And say that as a housewife
I'm a cut above the rest.
But when the place is in a mess
And nothing's straight at all,
Then that's the day my friends will choose
To pay a social call!
Village
Diary
Click
There!!
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