For your tomorrow, we gave our today

Transcription

1 For your tomorrow, we gave our today The Canterbury Hymnal Plum chutney cookery Reports on Worship Fest 2013 and ICS AGM Pickering church When all else fails... Stories and poetry... all inside for you! Chaplaincy of Aquitaine November 2013

2 The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine is part of the Church of England Diocese in Europe, working in partnership with The Intercontinental Church Society, in ministry to people who speak English. It covers Gironde, Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne. SUNDAY 03 NOVEMBER 10:30 Service of the Word Bertric Burée 10:30 Holy Communion Bordeaux 10:30 Prayer & Praise Limeuil Holy Communion Doudrac 11:00 Holy Communion Sainte Nathalène 16:00 Evensong Bertric Burée SUNDAY 10 NOVEMBER 10:30 Holy Communion Bertric Burée 10:30 Remembrance Service Talence Allied Forces Cemetery, Bordeaux 10:30 Holy Communion Limeuil 10:30 Remembrance Service Monteton 10:30 Holy Communion Sorges TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 11:30 Holy Communion Envals WEDNESDAY 13 NOVEMBER 11:00 Holy Communion Bertric Burée Monteton CHURCH SERVICES, NOVEMBER 2013 (see Around the Chaplaincy for location details) Limeuil SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 10:30 All Age Worship Bertric Burée 10:30 Holy Communion Bordeaux 10:30 Holy Communion Chancelade Morning Worship Limeuil 10:30 Prayer and Praise Monteton 11:00 Service of the Word Sainte Nathalène THURSDAY 17 OCTOBER Holy Communion Limeuil SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER 10:30 Holy Communion Bertric Burée 10:30 Family Communion Bordeaux 10:30 Holy Communion Monteton Holy Communion Limeuil 10:30 Holy Communion Sorges The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine... A vision of communities that grow and practise the love of Jesus..and share it generously with others. Clerical Corner Dear Friends, November is a month of remembering. As we move into winter it is good to look back at the year drawing to a close and reflect on the highs and lows and take time to thank God for the people who have helped and encouraged us along the way. In this reflective season we have All Souls Day on 2nd November when we remember our loved ones who have died and that we see no longer. For those of us from the United Kingdom, the Bonfire Night brings to mind the ditty Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot. Remember, remember... Then on the tenth of November, Remembrance Sunday, we reflect on the horror of war and give thanks for those who gave their lives for their country. (Details of British Legion and other Remembrance services can be found elsewhere in this newsletter). As we remember them let us remember too the perfect sacrifice made by Jesus by dying on the cross: an act of self-giving love so that we might be forgiven by God and brought back into relationship with him. Jesus commands us to remember that act. On the night before he died, he had supper with his disciples he broke bread and shared wine. Do this in remembrance of me, he tells us. Sharing in Holy Communion is important as we reflect and give thanks for all that God has done for us through Jesus death on the cross and through his glorious resurrection. And so in this month of November, let us be encouraged to remember. But we must also remember that there is a balance to be sought. Yes, we remember, but it is so important to reflect on those memories. What do past events and people who have been part of our lives teach us? How have their lives touched ours and what difference has it made? Looking back prayerfully helps us to move forward with God. As Jesus hung on the cross, waiting to die, one of the robbers next to him said, Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom. Jesus replied giving him the amazing assurance that today you will be with me in paradise. We can remember with confidence that God knows us by name and knows everything about us. He never forgets us as we seek to serve him in this kingdom and come to everlasting life in the next. And that is something well worth remembering! Love and blessings, Liz Morris The first hymn dictionary to be written for 100 years has been completed. It features pop hymns, slave songs and well-known classics like Jerusalem among its 4,000 entries. The book took 12 years to compile and was written by academics at Durham and Bristol universities. It will initially only be available online, to allow for regular additions, amendments and corrections. The dictionary contains more than 2m words and features over 300 contributors, from 30 countries. It does not contain lyrics but explains the history and meaning behind the hymns. It includes articles on individual hymns, authors from many countries, hymnals, organisations, and themes, as well as information on hymn tunes and their composers. The work covers a multitude of hymn traditions from all the world s continents, regions, and denominations, it is ecumenical and international. A Christian Listening Day, led by Sheila Marshall, Reader, is scheduled to take place at the Eglise Evangélique Libre, Bergerac on Thursday November 21st. The day will begin at 10:00 for 10:30-15:30. Please bring your own packed lunch, refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact Ian and Gill Strachan on: or ian.strachan24@gmail.com. Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 2 November 2013 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 3 November 2013

3 always seem to learn something I from my daughter Noelle s services, even when they involve children enacting a story from the Bible. One Sunday it was the story from 2 Kings 5 which tells how the king of Aramea had a very successful general, one Naaman, who had contracted leprosy. During a battle in Samaria Naaman happened to have abducted a girl who became servant to his wife. One day this girl said to the wife, We have a prophet in Israel who could cure your husband of his leprosy. Well to cut a colourful story short, Naaman went to Israel and was sent to see the prophet Elisha, who didn t even bother to come out of his abode but sent a servant to relay the instruction, Go and bathe in the River Jordan seven times and you will be cured! This really got up the nose of Naaman, first because the prophet seemed so discourteous to him, a great general, and second because he felt they had plenty of rivers where he came from, why faff about in the Jordan? He was about to go home in high dudgeon when a servant said to him, If Elisha had told you to do something really difficult you would have done it. Why not just give this a try? After all, it s no trouble. So Naaman did as he was told and was cured of his leprosy. As I say, it s a colourful story and worth reading in its entirety if only for the fright the whole affair gave the king of Israel, but the moral of the story is often lost. It is a very simple one and it is this. So often we tend to feel that doing the right thing, living the good life, earning a few Brownie points from our Lord somehow takes, or should take, a lot of effort on our part. Whereas the truth of the matter is that all that is required is for us simply to do what He says. Laurie John A Revival of the Christian Faith Today, I went to our village church, St. Jean de Vergt. Beginning this month we have a new Curé coming from Perigueux. I m an Anglican myself, but in the new Church I am just a man of the Faith. Like our own clergy s recent sermons at Chancelade, his was absolutely first-rate and completely related to modern life as it is lived in our Western nations today. What was totally new in the service, was that he shared the wine in the chalice with his lay helpers at the altar! After the service, at the door of the church, I thanked him for his words and said that he clearly understands the contemporary economy. In his sermon he d made central the Gospel words, serve God, not money, Mammon. The Gospel lesson had been the parable of Dives and Lazarus. As we parted, I said, There s going to be a Revival of the Church Faith. He replied, Yes, it s on the way!. R.E WORSHIP FEST 2013 On 29. May 1953 Mount Everest was finally conquered. It s the highest mountain in the world at over 29,000 feet. The elation of the climbers must have been almost overwhelming. One could say in physical terms it was the closest man had ever come to heaven. On 29. September 2013 a Worship Fest was held at a place called Berbiguières. Led by our chaplain Paul Vrolijk and with some wonderful music from the musicians, we shared a mountain top experience that would make the conquest of Everest seem like the climbing of a molehill. In the words of Paul, HEAVEN WAS VERY NEAR. Like the disciples on the Emmaus road, while the Holy Spirit guided the worship, our hearts burnt within us as we remembered the Man of Calvary, the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself a sacrifice for us. As we remembered all that Christ had done for us, our hearts were lifted to love and praise to God, our God, the one who loved us unto death, the one who lives and reigns in heaven and is coming again to take us to be with Him. HEAVEN WAS VERY CLOSE THAT DAY. Let us pray that those who seek to bring prayer and praise services to our local churches may speak with the power and authority of the Holy Spirit. May we experience with them the nearness of heaven, a mountain top experience. Oh breath of love come breathe within us Renewing thought and will and heart Come love of Christ afresh to win us Revive your church in every part. From a hymn by Bessie Head Brian Jelliman Intercontinental Church Society AGM 21st September 2013 Joy and I attended the ICS AGM held at the Coventry Transport Museum last Saturday. We arrived about and this gave us time to have a good look around the museum, which is themed to show all the transport equipment made in Coventry in the last 100+ years. This includes bicycles, motorcycles, cars, lorries and military vehicles. It was good to see an example of my first motorbike (a BSA 250cc) which I had in 1952 and a number of cars we have owned. This was a bonus and we would recommend anyone who is in the Coventry area to visit the Museum (Entry is free!) The ICS meeting started at 2pm with about 100 people present. The Chairman (Ven. Julian Henderson opened the meeting. (He is to be made Bishop of Blackburn next month) The first presentation was by Rev Chris Martin who has recently retired from The Anglican Church in Lyon, France. This is an inner city Church and he highlighted it s challenges a large change of congregation (only 20% of the original congregation still there after 10 years) and the multicultural nature of the city. He said he had enjoyed his time there but was finding the situation in the Scottish Borders where he now is - very different - nobody ever moves! The second presentation was by Rev Bob Short who has retired from the Anglican Church in Ibiza. He highlighted the work of the seasonal ministries in Ibiza who work in the tourist hotels in the main towns. They provide a help point for anyone who has problems and needs assistance either of a material of spiritual nature. This extends not just to the tourists but also to the needs of the tourist reps. He said that the island is very beautiful and that the clubbing aspect is confined to the main towns and the rest of the island is very rural and peaceful and deserving of a visit especially in spring when the wild flowers are at their best. There was then an introduction of Rev. Richard Bromley, who is the new Mission Director of the ICS. The theme of the AGM was Moving up a Gear and Richard emphasised this important message. We must all be aware that we cannot stand still and must move on if we are to continue to bring the message of Jesus Christ to Anglicans in the world. The treasurer reported that the finances were in reasonable order, ICS has suffered during the financial crisis like other charities, the income has held up this year but this was partly due to a large legacy. We still needed more donations to be able to expand the work of ICS in the future. The AGM concluded with tea & cakes. This enabled general discussion with fellow members. Joy & Graham Gare The Rose Every week I go for a singing lesson. A couple of weeks ago my teacher suggested we should start a new song, The Rose. I expect you know it. It was written for a film of the same name and was made famous by Bette Midler. As she often does when starting something new, my teacher asked me to read the words out loud as though it was a poem. This helps to know where the emphasis should be when you re actually singing the words rather than just saying them. When I d finished, my teacher said, That could be a sermon in church! It would certainly be a short one but I could see her point. (It s interesting to learn that when Amanda McBroom first submitted the song to the producers of the film, they hated it. They thought it was dull and a hymn and not rock and roll and totally wrong. Bette Midler made them change their minds.) We often sing words and don t fully take note of their meaning in the same way we would if we said them. I thought you might enjoy reading the words of The Rose too. Gill Some say love, it is a river That drowns the tender reed Some say love, it is a razor That leaves your soul to bleed Some say love, it is a hunger An endless aching need I say love, it is a flower And you, its only seed. It s the heart, afraid of breaking That never learns to dance It s the dream, afraid of waking That never takes the chance It s the one who won t be taken Who cannot seem to give And the soul, afraid of dying That never learns to live. When the night has been too lonely And the road has been too long And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong. Just remember in the winter Far beneath the bitter snow Lies the seed That with the sun s love, in the spring Becomes the rose. Lyrics and Song Music by Amanda McBroom Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 4 November 2013 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 5 November 2013

4 November Cooking with Frances Pengelly We have just returned from a visit to the Ardéche to see a herb garden designed and made by an English woman for the village of Saint Montan in the South East of the department. Geraldine Holt is a cookery writer, but for a time in her life she forgot cooking and went back to her first joy, gardening. She and her husband had spent many a long holiday in the village, and loved it. The people are very friendly, the food in this region, interesting and full of flavour and culinary contrasts. The north uses butter for cooking, the south olive oil. The climate is both Alpine and Mediterranean. Goats roam the high outcrops and in the valleys figs, almonds and chestnuts grow. The couple bought a cottage in the village and decided to move from England to live there permanently. When she heard that the Curé s land was going to be made into a picnic place for visitors she came up with the idea of a village potager which she would fill with herbs. The mayor was full of enthusiasm, and so with the help of friends and the offers of plants, she started this work. The Diary of a French Herb Garden is one of the loveliest books I have read in a while. I wanted to see if the garden still existed, and how it has grown over the years. Gardening in this part of France is very tricky, very cold nights and warm days do not make for an easy life. The garden still flourishes after eleven years. It was odd seeing it and remembering how she had toiled in all weathers to make something worth while. We felt very humble. There is something tremendously special about making a garden from nothing. Back to the kitchen we are reminded that Christmas is round the corner. November is a good month for making mincemeat and your Christmas cake. There are numerous recipes for Christmas cooking from turkey roasting to chocolate truffles and many delicacies that seem to be needed more and more each year. In the meantime it is chutney time reaping the benefits of an abundant year. Our plum tree seems to be having a bad time, yet it has yielded enough plums for a double quantity of chutney and some jam. There is something very relaxing about throwing all the ingredients into the pan and letting it get on with it. My chutney took three times as long to cook through. I did this on purpose because the end result is much richer and thicker. You will need for roughly 6 jars: 1kg plums with stones removed; 300g peeled, cored and chopped apples; 300g sliced onions (red are better because they are dryer); 2 peeled and chopped cloves of garlic; 1 good tbs grated ginger (I would add more); 1 cinnamon stick; 1tsp allspice; 8 cloves; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1tsp dried chilli; 600ml cider vinegar; 500g soft brown sugar; salt and black pepper. Bring all this to boil in a large jam pan, then simmer for about 1½ hours or until it is thick enough. When cool ladle into sterilised jars and label. I do think when making chutney we have a chance to really make use of spices. People are inclined to be a little afraid of them. Leave for a couple of months before using. If you have no plum tree you can buy imported plums most of the year. Another treat is Chilli Jam, wonderful with fish and cold meat. 8 red peppers, deseeded and chopped; l0 red chillies chopped; a length of root ginger chopped; 8 peeled garlic cloves. Put all these ingredients into a blender and whizz until finely chopped then put them in a jam pan and add 400g can of tomatoes; 750g golden caster sugar; 250ml red wine vinegar. Cook for 50 minutes, making sure it does not burn or stick. If it is thick enough, turn off heat and pour into sterilised jars when cool. You can use it as a marinade for chicken, add a little oil. Vinaigrette dressing becomes exotic and deeply exciting when you add a little chilli jam! Letter to the Editor Universal truths Oct a response to Laurie John It was interesting to read this item as I agree the church hymnaries are full of wonderful poems set to music and sadly, some are never or hardly ever (W.S. Gilbert) sung in churches today. As a Scottish presbyterian I am familiar with several beautiful hymns written by Scottish clergy, Horatius Bonar,to name but one. One of his hymns I say to myself whenever I celebrate Holy Communion. The first verse is as follows : Here, O my Lord I see thee face to face; Here would I touch and handle things unseen, Here grasp with firmer hand the eternal grace, And all my weariness upon thee lean. Also in the Scottish Hymnary there are metrical psalms many of which are poor examples of poetry but in addition there are the Scottish paraphrases. These are passages of scripture which have been changed into rhyming stanzas most of a high quality. I realise we have to move on, introduce and embrace new trends but my personal feeling is many of the more modern hymns are vastly inferior to the older ones and the music too is not as inspirational. Attached is a poem which appeared in the magazine of the church I attended in Herne Bay, Kent. However, I would like to add that I sometimes attend the local R.C. church in Chalais and have found the words and music very uplifting indeed and not in any way dismal. There is a lady who stands at the front and conducts the congregation which certainly helps the singing to move along. Liz Faulkner Lament to the Lord They have brought you up to date, Lord, at this Church of ours, The organ s used less often, they replaced it with guitars, They have done it for the young ones, It s supposed to draw them in. But I do wish they could worship without making such a din; But I must be growing deaf, Lord - when there is all that noise It gets so very hard, Lord, to hear your loving voice. They have written brand new hymns, Lord, with tunes I do not know, So I hardly ever sing now, though I did love singing so. They are very go-ahead, Lord, they are using A.S.B., But the words are not so lovely as the others used to be. They have modernised the Bible, and the Lord s Prayer and the Creed, When the old ones were so perfect that they filled my every need. I suppose I ll stick it out here, though it s not the same to me; But while others call you You, Lord, do you mind if I say Thee? NEWS FROM BIRMINGHAM: THE OPENING OF THE NEW LIBRARY September 3rd 2013 Photo by courtesy of the Guardian.com You had to be there to appreciate the level of the enthusiasm and joy of a vast crowd that stood in Centenary Square to watch the official opening of this controversial, magnificent monster of a building. During its construction, many criticised aspects of the architecture: the intertwined metal circles, like large flower petals encasing its walls did, from a distance, remind one of barbed wire fences in an alien setting. But its final unveiling was a huge success and few found fault, unless it was for the extraordinary fanfare of twenty brass instruments that resounded round the square without any apparent musical construction or meaning except cacophony. Then the big moment arrived. After the speeches of some worthy burghers, a small figure took the microphone and silence fell on the crowd. This was Malala Yousafzai, alive and looking well. (You may remember that she was shot in the head by the Taliban in her home in Pakistan in 2012, just because she was attending school). She was flown to Birmingham and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital which specialises, in caring for war - wounded people, and her life was saved. She now lives and studies in Birmingham, and has become an international figure in her campaign for womens rights for education. Her speech was riveting. The people in the hushed crowd seemed to absorb the words from this remarkable young woman, occasionally breaking into enthusiastic clapping when a particular point was made. Pens and books are the true weapons that defeat terrorism. I truly believe the only way we can create global peace is through educating not only our minds but our hearts and our souls There is no better way to explain the importance of books than to say that even God chose the medium of a book to send His message to His people. Let us not forget that even one book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world. (The quotation from part of Malala s speech is taken from the Birmingham Post, September 4th 2013, where the full speech may be found.) Jennifer Gray 2013 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 6 November 2013 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 7 November 2013

5 Virtually all churches in England in the Middle Ages and up to the early 16th century had paintings on their wall. Not all had so many figure subjects as those found in Pickering Church, Yorkshire but most had some. the Bible, about saints and general morality. Paintings such as these were referred to as the Biblia Pauperum, the Poor Man s bible and can be considered as a visual aid to help the congregation assimilate basic teachings. People in villages and small towns needed help to understand the paintings and exaggerations were used to help unravel the meanings of the paintings. For example good people have haloes; those with authority have appropriate headgear. the spread of Puritanism they were hidden from view with coats of whitewash. big thank you to the many of you who sponsored A my half marathon run early October. It was good fun and I ve raised far more than expected!! I m still in the process of collecting pledges, but it looks like I have raised 500 Euros for the Sigoules school, and 900 Euros for Jeevan Jyot, the Indian school and children s home. Below a thank you letter from the head of Jeevan Jyot (skip the 1st paragraph(!) and note that 10 rupees is roughly 12 centimes). Many thanks again! Blessings to you all, Janine A church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. They were painted to decorate plastered walls and there were two objectives in carrying out this work. The first was devotional and the second to teach. Up to the end of the 15th century there were no printed books and Nikolaus Pevsner, the renowned expert on architectural history said of the paintings that This is one of the most complete series of wall paintings... and they give one a vivid idea of what ecclesiastical In 1852 repairs and cleaning in the nave revealed the paintings and people travelled from quite long distances to view them. The vicar, the Reverend Ponsoby disliked them and had them recovered in a thick yellow wash within a fortnight of the discovery. Fortunately what had been revealed was recorded by drawings made by Mr W H Dykes, an assistant architect at Durham Cathedral. In the 1870s the church underwent extensive restoration and the restoring of the paintings was commenced. They had to be extensively repainted and the whole project was finished by read more and see more paintings at wallpaintings.html I ve gone for 30 years now, he wrote, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 Sermons. But for the life of me, I can t remember a single one of them. So, I think I m wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all. This started a real controversy in the Letters to the Editor column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: I ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today! hand written religious books that existed were rare and owned by only a few. Thus it was not possible to learn the teachings of Christ or the lives of the saints from books. In a small market town such as Pickering most inhabitants would also be illiterate and as the language of religious services would be in Latin they would not comprehend what was said at the high altar. The parish priest could use the paintings to teach his flock about interiors were really like They vary in scale and in what they depict. Some are large single figures and others tell stories. Evidence of them being painted in the 1460s lies in the costumes and armour of some of the figures depicted and there is documentary evidence that they were more extensive than those on show today. Probably at the time of the Reformation and certainly with Do you have a story to tell? Why did you move to Aquitaine? How did you become a Christian? Do you have a favourite church? Have you a famous person in your family? Are you famous? We all come from such varied backgrounds, let s share some of our experiences. Please send your stories to the Editor Have you got your copy of this month s Chaplaincy Prayer Diary? If not, don t forget you can find a copy on the Chaplaincy website Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 8 November 2013 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 9 November 2013

6 Support for English speaking dementia sufferers in the Dordogne L Association France Alzheimer Dordogne 2 rue Emille Counord Bergerac Tel: Mail: alzheimer.dordogne@orange.fr Website: Do you know who your Ancestors were? For just 50, all of which goes to Chaplaincy Funds, Gill will research your ancestors and then provide you with a report and a family tree. Or why not make it a special gift for a relative? For more information speak to Gill Sweetman on bobgills24@aol.com Around the C haplaincy Chancelade and Sorges (24) Chapelle de Saint Jean, opp. The Abbey NE of Périgueux Sorges Church CW Liz Oaten Elizabeth Brook ML Elizabeth Brook PC Lin Tarrant Sunday 10th November 10.30am Remembrance Service with Holy Communion Sorges Sunday 17th November 10.30am Holy Communion Chancelade Sunday 24th November 10.30am Holy Communion Sorges House Group each Thursday Call Elizabeth Brook or Chris Billing Various subjects for discussion, study and prayer are covered. Last month we had a good look at the statistics and effects of abortion. Such a sad reflection on our modern society. Food for thought for all. The leaves are falling, colours vibrant in the sunshine, the grass heavy with dew and desperately needing cutting before winter arrives. So much tidying up to do in the garden, will we be done before Christmas? The same in our lives, we spring clean the house, I seem to get it the other way round and do an autumn clean, but do we do the same in our lives? I know I have to clear the dusty corners of my life, bits of rubbish gather, thoughts of discontent, envy and greed and a touch of sloth on a wet cold day. How good it is that we have a guide book, I m reading Proverbs in my daily notes and what lessons there are in this book, all good for learning and correction. Time to pull up my socks perhaps and take stock! Is drinking costing more than money? Alcoholics Anonymous If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, there are now a number of Englishspeaking meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous in the South West of France. Contact Ewen or Roger WILL YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE CHAPLAINCY IN THE FUTURE? Leaving a legacy to the Chaplaincy in your Will would make a big difference to our future. There is information on the website see donations and legacies. WE ASK YOU TO CONSIDER DOING SO WANTED!! Do you have an old electronic word processor you no longer use? If you do or know someone who could help, please contact Royston Edge BP No1, Vergt Intercontinental Church Society has a stamp bureau, which collects used stamps and sells them on to dealers, for the benefit of the Society. Send them to Mrs. Sylvia Leyton, South Parsonage Barn, Hursley, Winchester, Hants,SO21 2LQ UK, sylvia@leytons.co.uk (Address always available in the ICS magazine) Advertising rates per edition Full page 60 Half page 40 Quarter page 20 7cm x 5cm 15 Long-term booking discounts available Camera-ready artwork should be sent to the Editor together with the appropriate amount made payable to The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine. We are thankful to Paul for leading us in a Lectio Divina workshop at the home of Liz Oaten. on the 10th October. He took us through the various steps in learning to pray in a more contemplative way. Thank you Paul, it was an enjoyable and thought provoking day. In Sorges and Chancelade we have had the privilage of having 3 Harvest Services on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sundays of the month. At our Sorges Harvest Service we had the joy of younger members in our congregation, John Robert and Jake drew pictures of God s creation to take home with them after showing the rest of the gathering what they had been doing. Following the service there was a bring and share lunch chez Brook, a great spread enjoyed by all. At Harvest Service at Chancelade, Sheila Marshall spoke about the need to think of those less well off in terms of harvest plenty, farmers struggling against the vagaries of the weather and abject poverty. We must never forget the poor and needy whereever they are, near or far. Our final service at Sorges is a gathering together of all our harvest gifts and where we hand them over to a member of the Secour Catholic to be distributed to those in need. As I write this I am looking forward to our Spanish Night: more on that next month, it promises to be a good evening! We do have other events for you to enjoy this next month or two. Come and join us, there is always a warm welcome. Bonfire Party Chez Brook Tuesday 5th November 6pm Come and enjoy this historical celebration of Guy Fawkes Bring your own fireworks. Hot soup etc will be served. There will be a collection for the RBL With Poppies in mind Do come to our Remembrance Service Sunday 10th November at Sorges 10.30am This will also be a communion service. Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 10 November 2013 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 11 November 2013

7 Advance Notice Advent Holy Communion at Chancelade Sunday 1st December 10.30hrs Carol Service Abbey de Chancelade followed by mince pies and wine Sunday 15th December 16.00hrs Carol Service Sorges Friday 20th 18.00hrs followed by refreshments If you read this and rarely come to church, don t be shy! We are a mixed bag and endeavour to welcome all whatever your faith or lack of it. There are times in our lives when it waxes and wanes and the friendship and support of others is so important, so come along and join us. Social events are a good place to start! Thanks for reading, and blessings to all. EB Dronne Valley Church, Bertric Burée (24): Parish Church, (D708 between Ribérac and Verteillac) CW Mike Duncan ML Keith Gunn PC Sheila Marshall Sunday 3 November 10:30 Service of the Word Janis Adams and Patrick Sturges Sunday 3 November 18:00 Evensong Sheila Marshall Sunday 10 November 10:30 Remembrance Day Holy Communion Revd John Morgan. Children s Sunday school Wed 13 November 11:00 BCP Holy Communion Revd Brian Davies Sunday 17 November 10:30 All-Age Worship Janis Adams Sunday 24 November 10:30 Holy Communion Revd Brian Davies. Children s Sunday school 10th November is Remembrance Sunday. Following the service there will be a Bring and Share lunch in the Salle des Fêtes at Bertric Burée. Please bring a plate of food to share and your own plates, cutlery and glass. Bread and wine will be provided. Please join us our lunches together are a great way to meet new people and renew old friendships Everyone is most welcome to stay for tea and coffee after our services Brian Davies writes Sheila Marshall has decided to resign as Local Warden with immediate effect. Her resignation was announced to the congregation on Sunday morning 13th October by Paul, the Chaplain, who expressed the warm thanks of everyone for her commitment over a number of years, together with an assurance of continuing prayer for the future. I would add my own appreciation for all the support which she has given to me as a Local Warden, and look forward to our continued shared ministry in the life and worship of the congregations in the North of the Chaplaincy, to which she has already contributed so much. Prayer Meetings Our church prayer meetings are 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at 5pm for just one hour in Bertric Burée church. Please join us: 6th and 20th November. Randonée Our next randonée will be on Wednesday 27th November details to be arranged This will be followed by lunch in the local restaurant. Please contact Fred Sapsford for further details Carol Service Our Christmas carol service this year will be on Friday 13th December at 6pm at Notre Dame de Paix church in the centre of Ribérac. Advent Carol Service at BB - 1st December at 6.00pm Christingle Service at BB - 15th December at 10.30am Lot et Garonne: Allez Dondas Doudrac Local Warden: Paul Mazzotti West of Villeneuve-sur-Lot. Judy & Paul Mazzotti just off the D215, north east of Agen. Sara James St Médard Envals to the north of Montflanquin. Liz Rolfe on D50 between Castillonès and Villeréal. (on D245 north-east of Agen) June Taylor & Richard Morris Alexandra Orliac & Carol Spires Sunday 3rd November Holy Communion Doudrac Revd Paul Vrolijk Followed by a lunch in the Salle des Fêtes Tuesday 12th November Holy Communion Envals Revd Paul Vrolijk Followed by lunch - please contact Liz & David Rolfe for details and to book Early December services Sunday 1st December Holy Communion Doudrac Revd Liz Morris Tuesday 3rd December Holy Communion Allez Revd Liz Morris Lunch afterwards Our Harvest Festival offerings have now all been distributed, in the main, to Restos du Coeur where the gifts were very warmly welcomed. And so our thought turn to Christmas, the Carol Services and the end of the year. This has been an important year for the Lot et Garonne sector as we have worked to establish ourselves, sorting out the challenges of working independently. Hopefully in doing this we have achieved our goals of better fellowship between the churches in the sector and creating growth within our communities. Doudrac We celebrated Harvest Festival in style at Doudrac. The church was seasonally decorated by June and Marian and others added their gifts just before the service. These gifts of storecupboard items were kindly taken to the Restos du Coeur in Marmande by Judy later in the week. We used a home-made roll as our communion bread and many people commented afterwards how much they appreciated that. Afterwards we gathered for a bring and share lunch with a wonderful variety of food; sweet and savoury. Thanks to all who helped with this and especially to June who masterminded proceedings! Our service of Holy Communion on 3rd November will be led by the Chaplain, Revd Dr Paul Vrolijk. Paul suggested that we all share lunch afterwards and so the wardens have arranged to provide a lunch of soup, bread and cheese, fruit and wine. Everything will be provided and there will be a basket for donations that will hopefully cover the costs. Thinking ahead to December, there will be an Advent communion service on the first Sunday of the month; a carol service on 10th and communion on Christmas Eve. More details in the December magazine. Liz Morris Dondas Several of our regulars were, for one reason or another, unable to join us for our service of Harvest Thanksgiving on 20 October, celebrated by Revd Gill Strachan. Those of us who were there raised the song of harvest home, ably accompanied by John Harley who, as we only discovered afterwards, was playing for us for the last time as he will shortly be returning to live in the UK. Organists are a rare breed in this neck of the woods, so we are very grateful to John for coming to Dondas on Sundays when he has not been needed at Cahors and we wish him and Sandra every happiness for the future. There were many generous gifts of non-perishable food and these will be donated to Restos du Coeur. Maggie and Angela again provided us with a welcome cup of coffee and some delicious home-made biscuits afterwards, after which some of us adjourned to Le Midi in Beauville for lunch. It was good to enjoy a time of food and fellowship together, and this is now a regular feature of services at Dondas. Our next services will be on Wednesday, 11th December at 6.30pm when Chant Allez will again lead the singing at our bi-lingual Carol Service, ending as usual with a procession from the church to the Salle des Fêtes for mulled wine and mince pies (we re hoping that this year it doesn t rain!). This will be closely followed on Sunday, 15th December by Holy Communion at am when we are looking forward to welcoming back Revd Gill Strachan. Before then, the Chaplain is coming to Dondas on Monday, 2 December to conduct a Lectio Divina workshop for some of us in the southern part of Lot-et-Garonne. Those who have already experienced one of these workshops have been most enthusiastic so we are much looking forward to learning more. Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 12 November 2013 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 13 November 2013

8 Limeuil (24) near le Bugue, Eglise de Sainte Catherine in Limeuil Haut And finally, don t forget our Facebook page! CW David Albrecht Gill Sweetman NL Barry Borsberry PC Jeff Bottger Sunday 3rd November 10.30am Prayer and Praise David Albrecht Sunday 10th November 10.30am Remembrance Day Holy Communion The Revd. Dr. Paul Vrolijk Sunday 17th November 10.30am Morning Worship Jean Dix Thursday 21st November 10.30am Holy Communion The Revd. Gill Strachan Sunday 24th November 10.30am Holy Communion The Revd. Gill Strachan Followed by our monthly Bring and Share lunch at the Salle de Mairie at La Porte de Limeuil. Our Harvest Festival service on the 6th of October saw an impressive array of goods donated to Resto de Coeur to be distributed among the needy people in the local community. This will have been greatly appreciated by those receiving help. Remember that donations to this very worthwhile charity can be made at any time simply by bringing something along to church on Sunday morning or by contacting Jean Dix on Christmas Carols. An informal Carol singing choir is being started, in order to sing carols and share the joy of the Christmas spirit with residents of various retirement homes in the area in December. The group of singers will meet for 30 min. rehearsals at Ste Catherine s on Thursday afternoons at 16:30. It is open to everyone: English, French, any nationality, adults, children, and all singing will be in unison, so it will be accessible to all. Please come along, and encourage anyone you know who you think might like to join. Ask them to contact Amy ( ) or just come along. There will be both English and French carols. We shall be singing at the following retirement homes: - Sarlat: Friday December 6th, 15:00 - Belvès: Wednesday December 11th, 15:00 - Le Bugue: Thursday December 12th, 15:00 - Castels/St Cyprien: Wednesday December 18th, 15:00 Puzzles and Pasties. Our next fund raising event will be a Puzzles and Pasties evening to be held at the Salle de Fetes at Berbiguieres on Friday the 8th of November and starting at 1900hrs. Tickets at per adult and for under 16 s are on sale either at the church or by contacting Gill or Bob Sweetman on or by at bobgills24@aol.com We also need donations of raffle prizes to add to the evenings entertainment. Fellowship Groups These are held on a regular basis where all are welcome to join in for study and prayer. For details of meetings in the Bergerac area held on alternate Friday mornings contact Roger Cheale on or cheale@ wanadoo.fr or Peter Shire on For meetings in the Limeuil area contact Gill Strachan on gillstrachan@wanadoo.fr or Charlotte Sullivan on keve2adsl@aol.com Christmas Carol Service Our Christmas Carol Service at Sainte Catherine s this year will be held on Sunday the 8th of December at 18.00hrs. There will be a supper afterwards at La Nauze, Fongauffier. Bookings for this should be made with Ian Strachan ian.strachan24@gmail.com. The price, to be confirmed, will be about 24 inclusive. Bordeaux (33) Chapelle de l Assomption, 370 bd Président Wilson, (opposite the British Consulate). Sunday Nov. 3rd Holy Communion Revd Bramwell Bearcroft Sunday Nov. 10th Remembrance Day Service Revd Bramwell Bearcroft NO SERVICE AT THE ASSOMPTION Talence Allied Forces Cemetery, rue Bahus (see below) Sunday Nov. 17th Holy Communion Revd Bramwell Bearcroft Sunday Nov. 24th Family Communion Revd Bramwell Bearcroft Sunday School and Youth Group Sunday, Nov. 3rd SS & Youth Group Sunday, Nov. 17th SS & Youth Group Sunday, Nov. 24th SS CW Pamela Prior Ian Couper Lindsay Megraud ML Lindsay Megraud PC Rhian Foreau Sunday School and Youth Group For more information, feel free to contact Rhian Foreau ( ), Anne Sharp ( ), Kit Seguin ( ) or Jennifer Bearcroft ( ). Note in your diary now! Christmas Carol Service: Sunday, December 15th at 5 p.m. Remembrance Day Service on Sunday, Nov 10th, 10 a.m. for (poppies for sale) at the Allied Forces Cemetery in Talence, rue Bahus (drive to the end of the street). There will be no service at the Assomption that day. This beautiful short service involves the Anglican Church, the Royal British Legion, the French Veterans Association, the British and American consular authorities and the Bordeaux British Club. Advent Candlelight Service on Sunday, December 1st at 5.00 p.m. There will be no Sunday morning service on the 1st, as we will be celebrating the start of the Advent Season with carols and praise at 5.00 p.m. Your favourite traditional Advent hymns will be sung in the candle-lit chapel and the choir is preparing something special. We hope to see you there! Activities & Opportunities In addition to checking out the Chaplaincy website you can chat and keep up with what s happening in our Bordeaux Church by visiting our facebook page: EnglishAnglicanChurchBordeaux facebook Wine and Words group page Wine and Words Bordeaux facebook Choir group page Save this date! The Famous Bordeaux Church Christmas Bazaar will be taking place on Saturday, December 7th from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Assomption. For those of you who are new, we are preparing NOW for our church s biggest fundraiser which will take place in a month s time. Jams & jellies, chutneys & relish, handicrafts, books & CDs in good condition and interesting white elephant items (good quality please) are all needed. Please bring your offerings to church services throughout November. And more importantly, please contact Pamela Prior if you would like to lend a hand or (wo)man a stand! Many hands will lighten the load. Make a joyful noise if you re a singer or a musician! The Bordeaux Anglican Church Choir is in full swing, especially during this busy festival time. (Read further down). Your voice (SATB all wanted), a smile, and a bit of time are all that are needed. Practices take place on Saturday afternoons from 2.30 to 4.30 p.m. in the Chapel. For regular information by , you may contact Ian Couper to be put on the Anglican Choir Information List. 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9 Wine and Words Group The next rendez-vous of the Wine and Words Group will take place on Friday, November 22nd. The topic will be Are we making the most of our freedom?. We gather for a discussion on life, faith, and the world around us after work in a bar/ cafe/pub in Bordeaux. Please sign up on the mailing list by writing to Jenny at hwrdjnny@gmail.com and she will send you more information, including the venue. Information is also available on our facebook group Wine and Words Bordeaux. Picnic Play Reading Group This dynamic group meets after certain Sunday services, to share in fellowship and in the enjoyment of the English language, in its many forms. Our next get-together will follow the service on Sunday, November 17th, beginning with a picnic. To be added to the list for information about the next play and more, please Pamela Prior at pamela.i.prior@gmail.com or speak to her after a service. Collection for the Foyer Fraternel Gouffrand, a Bordeaux Church charity outreach in Any non-perishable food items are always welcome. This month our special items concern babies! Cans of powdered milk (1er and 2e âge) and nappies are especially needed. A basket will be available every Sunday. SHOES. If you have any used shoes which are still wearable, please bring them along to church too. There is a great need for footwear of all sorts so don t hesitate to clean out your closets. For more info, please contact Jennifer Bearcroft ( ) or Freda Perris ( ). Thank you for your continued support. News from last month Have you noticed? The students, of course! Our church is blessed with many students and this rentrée is no exception. Since September almost every Sunday has brought us new faces and on October 6th there were 5 new students! We give thanks for each and every one and their eagerness to be part of our family. Tom Brockington, an ERASMUS student and an accomplished organist and singer, immediately offered to share his talent in worship services. Praise the Lord too for University teachers, and especially Stephen Razafindratsima who, with Holi and their family, were able to return to Bordeaux from Nantes. The Choir. Imagine yourself among friends, singing together under the splendid direction of Richard Hunt, former organist and choir director of St Peter s Church, Harrogate. Challenges of all sorts abound and we finish (well, most of the time) in perfect harmony! A very special fellowship which is well worth joining. The choir s addition to Sunday worship has been much appreciated and the Advent and Christmas season will be grand. All good things around us are sent from heaven above - Harvest Holy Communion Service & Baptism on October 14th A congregation of over 100 gathered for the Harvest and Baptism Service. Many thanks to the choir who sang beautifully, to the readers and to those who decorated the church. Harvest gifts were brought forward by the children and taken afterwards to the needy at the Foyer Fraternel. Baptism of Léon Oluwafemi Kuti. The son of Mobolaji and Marie-Pia Kuti was baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and has begun his journey in faith. As you can see, the Revd Bramwell Bearcroft was ably assisted in the baptism ceremony. Ceilidh fundraiser on October 5th a huge success. A fun evening was had by all and, after payment to the musicians, plus donations received from those unable to attend, total proceeds amounted to 716. This sum will be divided between Emmaüs and the Foyer Fraternel Gouffrand. Our thanks go to all those who were involved in any way and particular thanks to Pamela Prior for her organisation of a super evening. Ste. Nathalène (24) East of Sarlat, Parish Church, on D27 Sunday 3rd November 11:00 Holy Communion. Revd. Gill Strachan Sunday 15th November 11:00 Service of the Word David Albrecht Our Harvest Festival/Creation tide service was well attended. A great Worship Service led by Madeleine Holmes who challenged us all on how we care for our environment. An appropriate text for Harvest. It was a delight to see so many visitors and children. A good contribution of tinned and long term packages were donated to Resto de Coeur. Thanks to Colin & Sheila for delivering the goods. Photograph kindly taken by Victoria Jones. CW Sheila Campbell ML Alexandra Billing PC Sheila Campbell Worship Fest 29 September 2013 at Berbiguiéres. Theme: Heaven is never far away This brilliant event was the culmination of the hard work and planning of many people. All the effort you put in to get us to on the day is much appreciated and we are very grateful and indebted to you all. Robin did an excellent job upfront with the music group. There were wonderful songs, old and new, all with beautiful thought provoking words. There were contemplative songs of love and awe. Others had great gusto and we really raised the roof with praise! Prayer Ministry was available and a cross to put post it note prayers on. There was plenty of time to chat with familiar and new brothers and sisters over coffee and lunch. The spread of food was abundant as always, thanks be to our God who provides. It was hard to drag ourselves away from the mountain top but hopefully we have come away with glimpses of heaven and we go back into the world with Jesus. Our hearts are burning and infectious with the love of God for us. I leave you with this thought after Worshipfest 2 there must be a Worshipfest 3 please can we do it again?! Last month, Ian and Shirley arranged a meal at Flunch in Brive. There were 8 of us, it was a great time to meet together socially. The next one will be in November. Look out for details of date and venue in our local newsletter Ste Natters Matters. The Centre Notre Dame de Temniac Sarlat, held a Recontre interreligiouse. Toutes spiritualités invitées au dialogue on the 13th October Temniac is a centre for encouraging the world religions to meet and in a loving way to discover the differences. For us as Christians, we are the only Faith where God has come to earth. All other religions are waiting for God to come. Therefore, as Christian Brothers and Sisters we need to reach out to those who do not know Jesus Christ as the Son of God, explaining, gently, why we have this personal relationship with Our Saviour. The interfaith day was a moving and memorable experience, where about 65 people of different faiths (Tibetan & Vietnamese Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Baha ie, Catholic, Anglican & non-religious) came together and explained who they were and shared a text of their tradition. There were times of silent prayer between each leader s presentations. After a picnic lunch the afternoon resumed with sharing in small groups. The aim of these days is to talk to people of other faiths so we can demonstrate that in our world of tensions and perpetual conflicts, fraternity and communion are possible. For future events, it is hoped that information will be available before the day, to help our understanding, as it is difficult to follow it all in French. There will be two more of these Services/Meetings at Temniac in March and April Temniac and Soeur Frederique would be delighted to welcome more of us from Ste Nathalène. This is an opportunity for us as a Church Family to reach out to the French community in our area. We were delighted to meet members from ACAT - you may remember that we had a joint service in June with them. Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 16 November 2013 Chaplaincy of Aquitaine 17 November 2013