March Parish News


ST ANDREWS CHURCH

Services & events for March 

Sun 2 10.00am

Family Service

 

  11-00am

Informal Communion

     6.15pm

3-16 meet in Family Room

Tues 4    8.00pm

Mothers Union Pancake party

Wed 5    8.00pm

Ash Wednesday

Informal Communion in Church

Sun 9 10.30am

Morning Praise

Wed 12 10.30am

Pram Service

Family Room

Thur 13    8.00pm

Footsteps – meet in Family Room

Sun 16 10.30am     

Holy Communion

    6.15pm

3-16 meet in Family Room

Sat 22   8.00am

Transforming Luton

Sun 23   9.15am

Holy Communion at East Hyde

  10.30am

Morning Praise

Wed 26 10.30am

Pram Service

Family Room

       2.30pm

Woodside Home

Sun 30  10.30am

Mothering Sunday Service – for all.

Mothers will receive a small gift.

 Wed 5 - Transforming Luton are running 24 hours of prayer at St Matthews Church, High Town from 9.00am - All welcome.
Sat 22 - Transforming Luton have a Prayer Breakfast at Luton Christian fellowship starting at 8.00am - All welcome.
Ash Wednesday 5th March - marks the start of Lent. There will be a short informal service of Holy Communion at 8.00pm in Church which will include an extended time of prayer for St Andrews and personal needs.

Services on the 1st Sunday in the Month:-
The P.C.C. have decided that it would be a good thing to bring the two services usually held on the first Sunday in the month together as one - starting at 10.30am and finishing with coffee and to call it 'Family Communion'. It will start after Easter and children will be most welcome and have an opportunity to go to ZJB and return for communion.


Bring and Share Lunch
On Sunday 23rd March there will be a 'bring and share lunch' followed by a time of praying together for the needs of St Andrews and individual needs.


MOTHERS UNION - PROGRAMME
The February meeting will be on 4th March at 8.00pm at Sue Taylerson's house. The theme will be 'Pancakes and Comedy'.
On March 26th we will be meeting the Diocesan President in the Family Room at St Andrew's at 8.00pm
April is yet to be announced but on May 10th we will be having a visit to London (more details nearer the time)
The committee organising the St Andrew's branch meets monthly to decide the activities. If you have a special request or idea please speak to any of the committee.


ALEY GREEN CHURCH
In March our Lent meeting began. The study this year is "New World, Old Faith".
Aley Green Flower Festival -


Poets and poetry.
If you would like to do an arrangement or pay for one to be done, please ring Barbara Tel: 737647.
The Church will be open as follows:-
Friday 28th March from 6 - 9p.m.
Saturday 29th March from 10.30 to 4.30p.m.
Sunday 30th March from 2 - 5p.m.

As this is Mothering Sunday, why not bring your mum and the rest of the family, to look at the flowers and treat yourself to afternoon tea and cakes served in the schoolroom. Home made cakes, preserves and second hand books for sale. We hope you will come along, and you will be given a warm welcome.
From all at Aley Green Methodist Church

O King of stars
Whether my house be dark or bright
Never shall it be closed to any one
Lest Christ close his house against me
(Ancient Irish Poetry)


NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE
February 4th
The Church of England has warmly welcomed the Governments tabled amendment to the Licensing Bill which ensures that places of worship will be exempt from the requirements for public entertainment licensing. At the same time the Government proposes to exempt Church and Village Halls from a need to pay licensing fees. More information from the website - www.stalbans.anglican,org
The new Bishop, the Rt Revd Richard Inwood, and his wife, Liz will be welcomed at a special service at St Paul's Church, Bedford on Saturda march 8th at 5pm. The service which is opened to everyone follows his Consecration at Southwark Cathedral the previous day by the new archbishop of Canterbury.
Easter Monday Pilgrimage - An extended exchange of the sign of Christ's peace - probably the biggest in the country that day will form a central part of the Easter Monday pilgrimage at St Albans Abbey on Monday April 21st. This years theme if "My peace I give to you". Once tat the Abbey the day will consist of fun activities from 1.30pm on tha Abbey Orchard. Pilgrims are asked to bring their lunch. Processions into the Abbey will begin at 2.30pm
On your Bike - The Beds and Herts Historic Churches trust have announced plans for this years sponsored bike ride on Saturday September 13th. Last years event raised more than £80,00 a record for the event.
Education website. The diocese's Education team have relaunched their website. The site contains information about the Schools Department and Resource Centres, resources for teachers and links to appropriate websites. It also has information on courses and conferences run by the Schools Department, a list of the church schools in the diocese with links to many of their websites, information for governors and topical tips. The site can be accessed direct at www.stalbanseducation.org.uk or via the diocesan website www.stalbans.anglican.org
Issued by:
Peter Crumpler
Communications Officer
Diocese of St. Albans,
Tel: 01727 869506; Fax 01727 844469
www.stalbans.anglican.org


SLIP END LOWER SCHOOL
Two poems have been on display in the school entrance as part of a 'Winter' display. The poems were written by Year 4 children.

The Snow in Winter
(by Luke Kenny)

Snow falls feathery and glistens
Through the thin ice-cold air.
The snow lays like a blanket on the grass
The snow sparkles as a star.
A snowman stands on the ground
Icicles hanging like fingers from the rooftops


Snow
(by Hannah Marsh & Emily Keens)

Sparkling snow shines in the sun
But be careful
Do not run
Cold and frosty icicles drop from bushes

Lightly falling on the ground
Are snowflakes ever found?
Straight and lush, green and brown
Grass sticks up high
But under the snow something is to be found!…..
SPRING!


oooooooOOOooooooo


The Slip End Lower School PTA has now been renamed as 'Friends of Slip End Lower School'
(FOSELS). They are planning to hold a Quiz Night on Thursday 15th May at 'The Plough' with a Fish & Chip supper and the 2003 Summer Fair will be on Saturday 5th July. There will be more details nearer the date.
Paddy Higgens


SLIP END PARISH COUNCIL
Another year has slipped past all too soon and here we are again in March. I trust that by the time you read this article that Spring has finally started to 'spring'. We can but hope.
CRIME FIGURES FOR JANUARY 2003.
2 Thefts from a Motor Vehicle. 1 Theft of a Motor Vehicle. 2 Burglaries (non dwelling house) 1 Assault occ. actual bodily harm.
Please report all crimes, no matter how trivial. It makes a difference to our crime figures.
LEGAL ACTION AGAINST
BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL.
Most of you will have seen the article about the above which appeared in the Dunstable on Sunday. It was (for once) factual and quite well reported. The preliminaries for the legal action are going ahead and at this point in time statements are being taken. We shall shortly be having a meeting with a Solicitor who has experience in these matters so that Councillors will get an idea of what will be expected of us. We have set aside £20,000. from our Reserves and provision has also been made to pay for a local election/referendum to establish whether the residents of the village would be prepared to make a one-off payment in support of such an action. We will instruct the Returning Officer of S Beds Dist. Council to conduct such a poll. We are also hopeful of support from other local interested parties.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE ELDERLY.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people for their donations to this very worthy cause. We did not have as many donations this year and I shall be writing personally to all those who did donate, but feel that I should make it known publicly:-
Our thanks this year go to:- Messrs. M & R Chalkley. The Frog and Rhubarb Public House. Bensons Auto Supplies LLP, Cllr. Richard Stay and Cllr. Philip Penman.
Earlier last month we also finally decided on the future criteria for our Christmas Gift List.
1. All residents on the current list (December 2002) will be considered as fulfilling the criteria.
2. Residents over the age of 65 years, having lived in the Parish for at least 3 years.
3. Housebound residents of any age, living on their own.
4. Any person nominated by a councillor and agreed by the Council.

Subject to the following:-
a) One gift per household.
b) New entrants to the list having been nominated by a Parishioner or a local recognised body.
(For applications under 2 or 3, or both above.)
c) By personal application to the Council to be included on the list.
(For applications under 2 or 3, or both above.)
d) Applications are received by 30 October for inclusion in the current year list.
So, that was quite simple wasn't it? Nothing much changed just a simplification of the previous mish-mash of guidelines that we inherited from the previous Parish Council. Let's see what D.O.S. make of that!
That just about wraps it up for another month, take care of yourselves.
Christine Benson.
Slip End Parish Council.


ALLOTMENTS & GARDEN ASSOCIATION

Vegetable Garden
Plant out onion setts, keep an eye on young peas, protect with light twigs to scare the birds. Get in early potatoes, sow leeks. If you were not able to sow cauliflowers in the greenhouse, you should now sow seeds in a frame.

Flower Garden
Plant rose trees, make sure ground is firm around them, trim up herbaceous border, pinching out weak new growth from perennials. Bed out wallflowers, Canterbury bells, polyanthuses and double daisies and also sweet peas grown from seeds. Also plant out gladioli.


Shrubs & trees
Roses should now be pruned if weather is not too bleak, cut back shoots of buddleia davidii, winter jasmine and summer flowering spireas. If apple blossom weevil has been troublesome, spray with DDT insecticide. Apple and pear stocks that are well established and also old trees that were cut back for reworking, may now be grafted.
Strawberry runners should be laid for sprouting ends to root, cut off runners that show no new leaf. Raspberries that fruit in late summer should now be cut down to 6" leaving a couple of buds, fresh shoots will grow in good time, canes planted in autumn will not fruit till following year.


SLIP END & DISTRICT ASSOCIATION
Plans are going ahead for the Senior Citizens Outing, which will take place this year on Saturday June 7th. Until we get sorted out with somewhere to eat, we will not know where we are going, hopefully we will be able to tell you at the Car Boot Sale on Easter Monday.


CAR BOOT SALE
SLIP END VILLAGE HALL
EASTER MONDAY
10AM - 2PM
for a stall ring 414796 or 723109
- in aid of the Senior Citizens Outing.


1ST AND 2ND WOODSIDE BROWNIES

We still have a few spaces, so if you are 6 and a half and would like to join us, we meet on a Wednesday evening from 6 - 7.30pm at the Village Hall.
We do all kinds of things and even have trips out. If you are interested, call Gillian (Brown Owl) on 723109.


Dates for your diary:-

Wednesday April 9th, Coffee morning, Village Hall for the Pasque Hospice. Organised by Gillian and Shirley - please give your support.

Craft Fayre's -
Saturday April 12th Village Hall 10 - 2pm
Saturday June 21st " " " "
Saturday September 13th " " "
Saturday November 8th - Brownies table Top Sale

Sunday November 30th Craft Fayre Village Hall 10am - 2pm

Gillian Plummer, Brown Owl


VILLAGE HALL DANCES

Saturday March 1st
Saturday March 29th
Saturday April 26th
All to be held at the Village Hall - Dances are to live music. For tickets contact Shirley on 01582 412506


WOMENS INSTITUTE

Report from January meeting:-
Here we go again - another brand New Year. I wish everyone a Healthy and Happy 2003. You know the old saying, Keep taking the tablets!
Our first meeting this year we read through our W.Eye (a monthly newssheet) and made note of various meetings which caught our eye.
In April Thursday 3rd International Eve. - Egypt at the Flitwick Village Hall and Monday 24th at the Methodist Church, The Square, Dunstable is the Spring Fed. Meeting with speaker Miss Muriel Allen. the first woman prison governor. So you see it isn't just a monthly meeting at local W.I.'s it's a case of HOLD US BACK.
The speaker for our meeting Mrs Eileen Parker took us on a trip to Tasmania via Australia. The slides were lovely and made us feel we were there. After refreshments the social time was Anagrams, naming places from the talk compiled by Mrs K McIlroy. I find them so easy when I've got the answer!
It was a disappointing turn-out for our first attempt at a soup lunch. The cake stall had cakes for 'afters' or cake to take away. A big thank you for support to those that did come, you all said you enjoyed yourselves.
Look out for the report on our 'Mock Auction' in February.

We meet at the Baptist Church Hall 3rd Tuesday in the month 7.30 - 10pm

Members 70p Non-members £1.20

February meeting
The business part of the meeting behind dealt with we got down to the serious stuff, namely the evenings MOCK AUCTION. Madame President, Mrs Lorna Kalisz has been hiding her talent. All I can say is, look out Sotherby's! It made a very enjoyable evening with lots of laughs.
The March evening is Members Night when the committee take a back seat and members take over. Everyone is welcome, do come and swell the numbers it should be a lovely evening.
Dates:
April 15th - Offley Place
May 2nd Annual Meeting MK Theatre
June 17th - Pressed flowers
See you there Patricia Crick


What appears to be true!
Computer terminology translated:
State of the art - any computer you can't afford
Obsolete - any computer you own.
Microsecond - the amount of time it takes for your computer to become obsolete!


LAUGHTER
In dire need of a beauty "make-over", a woman of mature years went to her hair salon with a fashion magazine photo of a gorgeous, young lustrous-haired model. She showed the stylist the trendy new cut she wanted, and settle into the chair as he began humming a catchy tune and got to work on her graying hair. Suddenly, the woman shot up in the chair and spluttered: "I don't mind you singing while you work. In fact, it can be very pleasant. But why do you have to sing the theme from Mission Impossible?"

Little Joe said to his father: "Dad, you know you said you would give me £10 if I passed my maths test." "Yes," replied his father. "Why?" "Well" replied Joe. "I've just saved you some money…."

A small boy was lost, so he went up to a policeman and said, "I've lost my dad!" The policeman said, "What's he like?" The little boy replied, Beer and women!".


SNOWDROP TRAIL
On Friday 14th February a group of 9 people set out from the village to visit "Benington Lordship" to view the wonderful displays of snowdrops. Benington Lordship is a privately owned house and garden in the village of Benington, about 2 miles east of Stevenage. (Few of us knew of the garden, despite it being not far from Slip End) It is a Georgian house with an Edwardian add-on, a mock Norman gateway and the ruins of a real Norman castle in the grounds. The extensive gardens have been revived and replanted in recent years without destroying the older features: a Pulhamite folly, an Edwardian rock garden and a sense of spacious parkland.
On arrival in the village at midday, lunch was enjoyed in the Bell Public House. It was very busy due to the popularity of the nearby Benington Lordship garden. Refreshed after lunch, we proceeded to the garden and paid our £3 entrance, (RHS Members free). Snowdrops and hellebores were on sale for anyone wishing to buy. We spent a very pleasant couple of hours wandering round the gardens, admiring the various swathes of snowdrops and numerous other plants/trees and items of interest. It was a beautiful sunny day but very cold and we were all glad of the opportunity to buy tea and biscuits mid way round the gardens.

Anybody with access to the web can view gardens at the following site.
www.beningtonlordship.co.uk

It is intended to arrange future trips to various gardens from time to time.
Anybody wishing to come along, please contact Valerie Church (458443)
(Don't the snowdrops look lovely on the front cover? Pity it's not in colour)


 

Slip End Toddler Group

Birth – Pre School

Meet at Slip End Village Hall

1.30 – 3.00pm

Term Time

Great fun for your children

FIRST WEEK FREE –

COME AND TRY IT

 

Ring  01582 650552 for

further details


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