December 2004 - Parish News


ST ANDREWS CHURCH

Services & Events during December

Midweek Communions take place monthly at two venues in Slip End, details from Joy.

WED 1st DEC    10-30AM    PRAM SERVICE--FAMILY ROOM
SUN 5th DEC     10-30AM    CHRISTINGLE SERVICE WITH 
                                                        INFORMAL COMMUNION
                             6-15PM     3:16 SOCIAL --FAMILY ROOM
THU 9th DEC       8-00PM     FOOTSTEPS--FAMILY ROOM
SUN 12th DEC   10-30AM     MORNING PRAISE
                              3-00PM     CAROL SERVICE FOR THE BEREAVED
WED 15th DEC   10-30AM    PRAM SERVICE
                               6-30PM    CAROL SINGING ROUND THE VILLAGE
THU 16th DEC       6-30PM    CAROL SINGING ROUND THE VILLAGE
SUN 19th DEC    10-30AM    NATIVITY SERVICE
                               3-00PM    CAROL SERVICE AT EAST HYDE
                               6-00PM    CANDLE LIT CAROL SERVICE
WED 22nd DEC     2-30PM    WOODSIDE HOME CAROL SERVICE
CHRISTMAS EVE 11-15PM   FIRST COMMUNION OF CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS DAY 9-15AM   HOLY COMMUNION AT EAST HYDE
                              10-30AM    CHRISTMAS PRAISE
SUN 26th DEC ------------ NO SERVICE
SUN 2nd JAN       10-30AM    NEW YEAR FAMILY COMMUNION 


Long time ago in Bethlehem
so the Holy Bible say,
Mary’s boy-child, Jesus Christ,
was born on Christmas Day.

Hark now, hear the angels sing 
a new King born today!
And we may live for evermore
because of Christmas Day
Little donkey, little donkey
on a dusty road,
got to keep on plodding onward
with your precious load:

Been a long time, little donkey
through the winter’s night
don’t give up now, little donkey
Bethlehem’s in sight.


OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Well we did it ! When I say “we” I mean every one who has been rooting for us to get a warehouse. We moved into the first warehouse on 29th October giving us a couple of weeks to get set up and ready for our first collection of shoeboxes on 15th November. This was not meant to be and by the 6th November we were asked to leave the building. That was the bad news but the good news was we were now being offered a newly refurbished warehouse in tiptop condition. We now had a challenge to get up and running before the 15th of November. This meant moving all our equipment from the first warehouse to the second one. Again many people rallied round and helped with the move. The good news is we are now up and running with over five thousand shoeboxes which have already been processed and ready to go to the needy children in Eastern Europe, and its still only the 22nd November 2004. So far the response has been overwhelming. Many boxes coming from local Schools, Churches, Organisations and not forgetting Caddington WI and the Ladies from the Chequers Pub who are in the photo Elaine (Landlady) along with Julie, Angie and Blanche they have produced over twenty boxes. 

As well as shoeboxes there have been many ladies in Slip End and Caddington, who have knitted all year. They have knitted woolly hats, gloves and scarves. One lady who wishes to remain anonymous knitted over 150 hats. Well done ----.
The latest news is there will be a lorry going to Croatia from the warehouse week commencing 6th December so please hurry with your shoeboxes. 
Our thanks go: South Beds County Council, Moorfield Group, Lambert, Smith & Hampton, Woodside Estate Management, Finnings, Kidd Fire Protection Service, Agfa and many more who have donated their time and services. Most of all we thank you for all your prayers, without them the task would have been impossible. May God bless you and your families at this time of the year. 
Teresa Willson, Area Co-ordinator


Some of the volunteers check the boxes


Tony Willson (trainee warehouse manager)


We had a successful morning at St Andrew’s Church when the children helped to do their shoeboxes. Not only did they all make cards to go into the boxes, we also managed to cover and fill 8 boxes. The story of the Good Samaritan was told to explain to the children who Samaritans Purse was named after. Hopefully it gave them a chance to understand the need to help your neighbour when in trouble. The photograph shows some of the children holding their boxes.
Sue Cowell, Editor


ALEY GREEN CHURCH
On November 7th we held a J.M.A. Service (Junior Mission for All). 7 of the Sunday School children collected £241 and were awarded with certificates, medals and bars. One of the children got a long service certificate for collecting over 13 years.
The October coffee evening raised £24 for Church funds and Cancer Research. The money that was raised at the November coffee evening went to Local Preachers Mutual Aid. The next coffee evening will take place on Wednesday 2nd February 2005 at 7.30pm – put the date in your diary now. Coffee and tea free, cakes 20p each or 6 for a £1. All preserves will be for sale. Soft backed books 6 for a £1 and Hard backed books 75p each. Don’t stay at home watching TV. Come to Aley Green church for a chat. 
Dates for your Diary
Sunday 12th December at 3pm. Sunday School Christmas Worship. This service will be led by the children and Sunday School teachers. 
Sunday 19th December at 11am. An All Age Service with Holy Communion led by Rev Jenny Sponge. Coffee, tea and mince pies will be served after the service.
Tuesday 21st December at 7.30pm Candlelight Carol Service in aid of NCH. Coffee, tea and mince pies after the service.
Saturday 25th December at 9.30am Christmas Day Service led by Rev Julia Dowding.
No service on Sunday 26th December or Sunday 2nd January 2005. Church and Sunday School re-opens on Sunday 9th January at 11am. The Rev Julia Dowding will be taking this ‘Covenant’ Service. If you have never been to one, please come along. 

All of us at Aley Green Methodist Church wish you peace and joy this Christmas and throughout the New Year. May we all help put ‘Christ’ back into Christmas.
Ann Meader


SLIP END AFTER-SCHOOL CLUB 
Has a vacancy for a Play leader
Slip End After School Club requires a Leader for four afternoons a week from 3.30 to 6.00 p.m. in term time only. Main duties are to organise activities and to care for the children who range from 4 to 12 years of age.
Applicants must have NVQ3 or equivalent qualification in Childcare
Salary: £15 per session
Contact Sarah Ballard, Slip End After School Club, Slip End Lower School, Rossway. Slip End, Luton, LU1 4BB. or phone Sarah on 01582 415124.


IN MEMORY OF VALERIE AVERN
16TH FEBRUARY1958 TO 31ST OCTOBER 2004

You can shed tears that she has gone 
Or you can smile because she lived.
You can close your eyes and hope that
she’ll come back.
Or you can open your eyes and see
all that she’s left
Your heart can be empty because you 
can’t see her,
Or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow 
and live yesterday,
Or you can be happy for tomorrow 
because of yesterday.
Valerie of 25 Claydown Way, Slip End was the middle child of Pearl & Walter Morris. Born in London she moved at an early age to Chinnor in Oxfordshire where she spent the rest of her childhood. From school she went to Cardiff University to study music, which was an integral part of her life, with her brother Alan and sister Yvonne. She obtained a degree and a postgraduate teaching certificate, enabling her to go on to teach music, which is what she had always wanted to do from a very early age. 
She joined Beechwood Park School in 1981 and taught there for 21 years. At University she had met Michael and they married in 1983. Children followed; Edward in 1988 and Charlotte in 1992. The family moved to Slip End from Markyate in 1991 and they have lived happily in the village ever since. 
In May 1992 Val was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour but she fought it all the way and with help from friends and family lived as normal a life as possible; working, bringing up the children and enjoying life to the full. She fought the tumour for over twelve years but eventually despite various treatments, it became more and more invasive and on 31st October Val died peacefully in her sleep. 
Nearly 250 people celebrated her life with music, tears and laughter at her funeral on the 9th November in St Andrew’s: she was buried in Aley Green Cemetery. 
Mike thanks all, from the Church, Village, and beyond who helped to make the final time of Val’s life as comfortable as possible. 
You can remember her and only 
that she’s gone,
Or you can cherish her memory and 
let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, 
be empty and turn back,
or you can do what she’d want:
Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.


A LETTER FROM DORSET
When talking to Sue Cowell recently she said it was a fairly long time since Parish News had received a ‘letter from Dorset’ – and how about it ? The occasion was the Service of celebration of the life of Val Avern so ably and aptly taken by Joy Daniel. The church was packed; well over 200 people came to pay their respects to Val and what soon became clear was what a strong link had become established between the village and Beechwood Park School. The school was where Val had applied her music teaching career so effectively and St Andrews had become her spiritual home. The link was epitomised by the presence at the service of several Beechwood Governors including the current Chairman, Douglas Pirie of Flamstead, also present and past headmasters and many of her teaching colleagues and friends (some of whom were also very satisfied parents). When Val first got her job as music teacher at Beechwood Park she brought a breath of fresh air to the rather traditional school atmosphere and particularly to the heavily-disciplined music department. When she and her husband, Mick, moved to Claydown Way they soon became part of the Slip End community and Val started regularly attending St Andrews; this was to stand her in good stead for the time when her brain tumour first began to give her real trouble. I remember David Bolster leading an evening of prayer for her recovery and although it was slow to progress, recover she did and was again able to take a full part in school activities including holiday ski trips! Val was so refreshingly open about her Christian faith and what it meant to her, and before long she brought along to church her next door neighbour Alison Wilson who with her youngsters soon became regular worshippers. Claydown Way has established good ‘ecumenical’ school links with Val such an integral part of independent school life and Jan Buttery and several others having given so much of their time and effort to the village school at Slip End. Another nice link was noticeable on 9th November in the shape of Pam and John Ward; John had worked closely with Val when he had chaired the Concert Club at Beechwood Park and Pam was the architect of the church’s family room/kitchen/toilet extension. 
What has all this got to do with Dorset? Firstly it is to show that Dorothy and I did appreciate the friendly community there is at St Andrews, Slip End for many years and we still maintain contact with many of the folk, and secondly is it not striking that when David Macpherson, the popular and successful headmaster, retired two years ago – he retired to where? Dorset of course ! With greetings to all our friends in the Slip End area.
Grenville Williams


TENNIS CLUB QUIZ
The tennis quiz proved to be an excellent evening. Pete and Margaret Smith had organized the event very well and it was a very jovial and interesting night. 
There was a good turn-out from various groups and individuals from the village and they all tackled the ten rounds of different categories ranging from ‘Celebrities and their Football Clubs’ to Shakespeare; Buildings; and Ships and the sea! 
The Marathon, which lasted the whole evening, consisted of Anagrams from Beatles Songs, Abba Songs, Queen Songs, Elvis Songs, Musicals, and Nursery Rhymes. The tables were decorated with lollies and sweets to nibble whilst concentrating on the answers and the food arrived halfway through the evening to replenish appetites.
Several teams were in line to win but the team that finally got the most points were the Haynes team, pictured below. Well done to them all, a valiant effort.
Well done also to the organisers, lets hope the next one is just as good.
Sue Cowell, Editor


Team Haynes with friends
showing off their prizes.


MURIEL
Another month has passed without hearing from me so ill do my best with a small piece for December issue to the magazine. I usually wait for any news at the Village Hall meeting to enable me to report things that the public should know about. At this time I wont bother to give praise to the youngsters who hang around the village because I do feel that anything I try to say falls on deaf ears.
At the meeting tonight it was the usual paying bills and all that sort of thing. It was also decided that the climbing points around the hall will be painted with slippery special paint that is I understand used elsewhere. to deter vandalism. I personally deplore anything like this and feel that even with warning notices put about it should never have gotten to the stage when this sort of thing needs to be done. Apparently this black slippery paint will be a deterrent to stop climbing and breaking the down pipes and brackets and my being the person I am need to write about it as I know mums do read my write ups
I do oppose it myself but cant speak for the others. Anyway do look out for the red warning notices, which will be placed inside windows for all to see. Please don’t try it out as I do not know what if anything it will do to your clothes, Its a sad sad world today that we live in but there again as I’ve said before I have seen damage by one of my sons and nothing to be proud of so hope his sons will be better behaved. There I said that I wouldn’t mention the young folks but yet again I have. Trying to be friendly as always.
Right: lets get talking about cheerful things that on can expect in the village hall.
On Saturday December the 4th we have a dance run by Shirley Knapton and one does have a lovely time at these dances. All it costs is £5 , which includes your buffet supper, but as there is no bar you can bring your own bottles along, I doubt if you will find a better local dance anywhere. We have fun and get to make new friends so do go along and get your tickets from Shirley in Markyate Rd, You should get this magazine just in time
Well folks I will sign off again as nothing more to say only its lovely to not have to bother about going to Woodside again with those silly old give way signs. What a waste of money, One can put up with the stop give way sign coming back but even that confuses me.
I reckon it should read Muriel has her moans not her say when you get to my page in the magazine. Oh one more hint and it is a hint that any time now the cameras will be fully installed so you can all see your way around and what your friends are getting up to. 
I would love the to be the one to turn the lights on the new camera as I really am a fun person and would love a good laugh. That’s all for now. I was thinking that during the new year I will write about my 45 years in the village and all that went on those many years ago (some wonderful times)
from Muriel

PS: Just because I said that I personally oppose the use of this deterrent paint does not mean that I agree with the antics that you youngsters get up to.



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