Parish News - July 2001

EDITOR’S PAGE
With Christmas fast approaching I thought I would add some Christmas poems this month and some advice from the ‘Little Book of Calm’ to help prepare you all for this busy festive period.
Carry a piece of the quiet: Concentrate on silence. When it comes, dwell on what it sounds like. Then strive to carry that quiet with you wherever you go.
Start ten minutes early: Start every journey ten minutes early. Not only will you avoid the stress of haste, but if all goes well you’ll have ten minutes to relax before your next engagement.
Start Christmas now: It probably took a lot of trial and error over the centuries, but Christmas Carols and lullabies have a unique ability to soothe.
Think calm: Have calm thoughts, picture calm scenes, recall calm sounds.
And guess what you’ll be feeling…..

This Holy Night
God bless your house this holy night,
And all within it;
God bless the candle that you light
To midnight’s minute:
The board at which you break you bread,
The cup you drink of:
And as you raise it, the unsaid
Name that you think of:
The warming fire, the bed of rest,
The ringing laughter:
These things, and all things else be blest
From floor to rafter
This holy night, from dark to light,
Even more than other;
And, if you have no house tonight,
God bless you, brother.
Eleanor Farjeon.
Softly the Night is Sleeping
Softly the night is sleeping on Bethlehem’s peaceful hill,
Silent the shepherds watching their gentle flocks are still.
But hark the wondrous music falls from the opening sky.
Valley and cliff re-echo glory to God on high.
Glory to God it rings again,
Peace on the earth, goodwill to men.

Wave ye the wreath unfading, the fir-tree and the pine,
Green from the snows of winter to deck the holy shrine;
Bring ye the happy children for this is Christmas morn,
Jesus the sinless infant, Jesus the Lord is born.
Glory to God, to God again,
Peace on the earth, goodwill to men.
Anon

It just remains for me and the Parish news team to wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year
Sue Cowell

MOTHER’S UNION
Another picture for "What is This?" This time, what is in these water bottles?

All the ladies who attended the last M.U. meeting will know. Sue Cowell gave a very interesting account of a visit she made to the Holy Land. She certainly had a very busy time: we thought she had stayed for a few weeks when in fact they only stayed for eight days!
We all would love to make a similar pilgrimage but with the problems in that region very few organizations are currently arranging such trips. Oh for the time when there is peace in the Holy Land again!
(Sue loves giving this talk so I'm sure she would be happy to tell other groups about her travels.)
At out next M.U. evening, our very own prize winning chef, (see page 18 of the Luton news Wednesday 1st October) Lorraine, will be cooking for us and divulging some culinary secrets!
For our December meeting on Monday 22nd, we will be visiting the folks at the Woodside Nursing Home at 2.30 to share a Christmas Carol service with the staff and residents.

2004, just around the corner!
Our first meeting of the New Year, will be on Monday 16th February, when we will be celebrating “Valentines & Pancakes”! So to find out just how we do it, come along at 8pm at Sue Taylerson’s home. We are planning a “Flowers & Posies” session prior to Mother’s Day in March, then in May we will be returning to Kew Gardens for another visit: details later.
The members of St Andrew’s MU extend a warm welcome to anyone who would like to come and join our meetings. Please contact Mary Barker on 738435.
At this time, we wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas!

FRIENDSHIP CLUB
Many thanks to all those who supported the Brownies table Top Sale, our Tombola stall did very well.
Also, many thanks to all those who have given us donations throughout the year; this has been of great assistance and is much appreciated by all our members.
There will be no Club meeting on Thursday 4th December but we are looking forward to our Christmas Dinner on the 11th, then on the following Thursday, the 18th, again we will meet for an afternoon which is being organised for us by Gillian and Shirley.
Our first meeting in the New Year will be on January 8th then we will meet fortnightly on January 22nd, February 5th and 19th, then weekly from March 4th.
We wish all Parish News readers a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year!
Viv Porter

Host a Tea & help pensioners isolation
Do you have a large teapot and a few hours to spare to play host just once a year?
Contact the Elderly’s Luton group have been softening the loneliness felt by older people in Luton for nearly 30 years! They are looking for volunteer hosts willing to hold a tea party in their home just once a year.
Hosts are asked to invite the group of about ten elderly people and their drivers just once a year on a Sunday afternoon, for a simple tea. Only special requirements are easy access, a downstairs loo and that big teapot!
Eileen Norman, the Group Co-ordinator, has been involved with the group since it started in 1974, says "I think Sunday is probably the loneliest day of the week for many elderly people. Our group is happy and friendly and we really care about each other. I think the volunteers get as much out of our outings as our elderly members! I would be so grateful to hear from anyone who would like to invite us to tea.”

“We hear about people living longer and elderly people wanting to retain their independence and live in their own homes” says Jenny Gregorian, Contact the Elderly’s Development Officer. “But loneliness is the big problem because for them time stands still. Contact the Elderly teas give them the opportunity to keep friendships going and meet new people.”
For information about hosting a tea please call FREEPHONE 0800 716543 or www.contact-the-elderly.org

PASTED BY YOUR POST CODE
Are you aware of the excessive surcharge insurance companies charge on a wide variety of policies because your Post Code is included in the LU1 postal district? You are being penalised unfairly by the Royal Mail's lack of boundary definition, which not only imposes one of the highest insurance ratings on you, but also reduces the value of your property. By asking everyone in your household to sign this form, we can fight together for our own post code for Caddington, Slip End and East Hyde.
Any help or suggestions you may have will be very much appreciated. Please return this petition to Slip End Post Office
Melvyn Driver
36 Hawthorn Crescent
Caddington LU1 4EQ
Email: melvyndriver@btopenworld.com
" …………………………………………I don't want to be penalised by Insurance Companies by the unfair inclusion of Caddington, Slip End and East Hyde in the LU1 Postal Code.
Signature: …………………………………
Name: ……………………………………..
Signature: …………………………………
Name: ……………………………………..
Signature: …………………………………
Name: ……………………………………..
Signature: …………………………………
Name: ……………………………………..
Address:

WOMEN'S INSTITUTE
At the evening group meeting in October at Eaton Bray the speaker was an ex-royal butler (Editor’s note: no you’ve not picked up the Daily Mirror by mistake, this is the Parish News, although editorial beady eyes are out, wary of regal injunctional infringements). He started his working life in the Air Force and he described his eventful life leading to his appointment as butler in Princes Mariner’s household. To say we enjoyed his talk is to put it mildly and his sense of humour was a joy. (Ed: phew, I think we’ll get away with that …)
At our local monthly meeting we had another hilarious time. The title “Pottering at Sotherby’s” had us all fooled. Joyce Donald was the speaker and she had no time for antiques until a vase in the telegraph caught her mother’s eye, so she approached them. They had a similar vase which had been literally knocking around the house for years, finishing up on top of the wardrobe as only her mother liked it. Sotherby’s were duly summoned to auction the thing and her mother later visited her brother in the USA on the proceeds!
We had a lovely day in Milton Keynes for a backstage tour at the Milton Keynes Theatre. The corridors and doors in the three stories were unbelievable! The ceiling is moveable depending on the stage production and acoustics are so good that microphones are not needed. After refreshments we returned to the theatre to watch the play, “Abigail’s Party”.
November meeting
We were shown how its done by one of our own members Mrs J Lecoq and husband. We were treated to a very enjoyable quiz evening that had our knowledge and memories battling for an airing. A big thank you to you both for the experience.
Open to all is a ‘Spice’ evening January 26th next year. Tickets are on sale at Charisma’s Hairdressing Salon’ in Elm Avenue.
Future date: February 24th at the Baptist Hall: “Outfit” Fashion Show. Ladies clothes accessories. Tickets are £2 including refreshments: 7.30 for 8pm.

I wish you all a very healthy and happy Christmas from the ladies of Caddington W.I.

Patricia Crick

CHRISTMAS GOODIES
&
GIFT IDEAS

Home Made Christmas puddings, Cakes, Luxury Mince Pies, etc.

Hand-Made fabric Christmas Stockings, Advent Calendars, Gift Bags and Novelties for