Peace and Prayer In our Lent course on prayer, we spent some time exploring what prayer looks like and in particular looking at Jesus pattern of prayer as a model for our own. One of the things that struck the group was just how often Jesus went off on his own to pray, and how very often this was out into the natural world, up a mountain, in a place of peace and solitude. I think in this regard, Jesus was very like many of the rest of us. Many of us have the experience of glimpsing God in the beauty of nature: up a mountain, by the sea or in the middle of a bluebell wood. There is something about wild places that helps us to clear our minds and let God in. That, at the most basic of levels, it what prayer is about; letting God in, allowing ourselves to be with God, slowing down to see where God is already present in the world and in our lives. We are all caught up in the busyness of 21st Century life. However hard we try, it is very hard to get away from the frenetic pace of life, the 24 hour culture of the information age, the expectations of availability and communication. Back in 1911, W H Davies wrote: What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. In the last 100 years, the time we have to stand and stare seems to have dwindled ever smaller until it is almost negligible. Yet this time to stand and stare, or indeed sit and stare, is invaluable. We all need time and space. To work through those things which are worrying us. To reflect on and process those things that life throws at us. To just be. Combined with the need for time is the need for space. Green space nationally and locally is under threat as building continues apace, building much needed housing in Flitwick for example. The loss of green space makes precious the wild places that remain. Our Churchyard has for many years been managed for wildlife under the Living Churchyard scheme. It is a haven of peace and life. I am lucky enough to walk through the Churchyard every morning at about 8:20 and so very often I am surprised at the animals who disappear into the cover as I pass; deer, rabbits, hedgehogs. For those who look closely there are even shyer creatures such as slow worms living in the secret places. For those who are quiet there is always bird song to hear. And week by week, there are subtle changes as the plants take their turn in having the starring role according to the seasons. Inspired by a recent visit to another garden, John Russell our Churchyard Coordinator was moved to see our Church grounds in a new way. Why not make a space for contemplation and prayer in this unique place? It is a very simple but Flitwick Parish Magazine Page 3
powerful idea. To provide a bench for anyone passing to visit. A bench overlooking the beauty of this space. To provide some materials to help; some prayer cards for people to use who come to seek peace or solace or God. So our Contemplation Bench was born. As you come into the Churchyard, it overlooks the meadow facing you. Next to the bench you will find a black box, containing prayer cards you might find helpful. When you next need time and space to stop and stare, do come and use our Contemplation Bench. You might just find God waiting for you there. Lucy Page 4 Ian Smith s Ordination Ian Smith, who has been training with us for a year, will be ordained Deacon at 11:15am on Sunday 2 nd July in St Albans Abbey. Ordinations are wonderful occasions, and we hope many from Flitwick will be able to join Ian and his family on this very special day. Please sign the list at the back of Church or e-mail admin@flitwickchurch.org if you are planning to attend and we will organise lift shares or a coach to St Albans. This year s carnival is on Saturday 10 th June and has a Musicals theme. Our stall will be based around Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat (of course!) We have a huge Wheel of Fortune and multi-coloured balloons to give away, plus leaflets about the life of the Church. Do come and find us, or, even better, come and help us for an hour or so on the day! Let Stephanie Diver know if you can help or e-mail admin@flitwickchurch.org. Confirmation Service On Wednesday 7th June at 7:30pm Richard, Bishop of Bedford, will be confirming candidates from across the Diocese in a service at St Peter and St Paul s. We are delighted to have seven candidates from our Church family being confirmed that evening. Please do join us for this very special service as we mark a significant moment in the faith journeys of those involved. Pray for those being confirmed from this Parish: Libby Davis, Matthew Rabjohn, Amy Rabjohn, Rebecca Edmunds, Sue James, Susan Wight and Joy Thompson. Service of Healing Please join us on Sunday June 11th at 6:30pm at St Peter & St Paul, for a service of prayer for Healing with the opportunity for anointing with oil, led by Rachel Thompson LLW. Flitwick Parish Magazine
Patronal Festival We celebrate St Peter and St Paul s Day in style on Sunday 25th June. Our celebrations start with a special Eucharist at 10:30 am at the Parish Church, where our preacher will be Rev Canon Richard Capper, previously Canon Pastoral at Norwich Cathedral. At 3pm you are invited to join us on the lawns at Church where we will be treated to an open air concert by the Toddington Town Band entry is free! Please bring a garden chair or a rug to sit on. 25th June also marks Ian Smith, our ordinand s, last day with us before he is ordained Deacon at St Albans Abbey. Ian and his family are kindly providing a cream tea as their farewell to the Flitwick Church Family. Do come and join us for this lovely afternoon as we enjoy time together as a Church Family and say our goodbyes to Ian. Our day will finish with a service of Evensong at 5 pm where we will worship in Cranmer s beautiful language, led by the choir. Ian Smith will preach. Lay Leaders of Worship On May 14 th, both Sophie Tucker and I were commissioned as Lay Leaders of Worship (LLW), and I would like to thank Rev Lucy Davis for her continued support and encouragement. Becoming a Lay Leader of Worship is very special to me; I have for many years felt God s calling to some form of vocation within His Church. As a LLW I am able to lead Worship up to the point of 'The Peace'. I am, however, unable to give absolution or a blessing. I can lead Morning and Evening Worship, however I cannot lead a Eucharistic Service but I can and will continue to take Holy Communion to the sick and housebound, including visiting Ferndale and the Ampthill Social Centre. During my time in training and as part of it, I led two Healing services. I will continue to do this as it is something very special to me. The next service of Healing will be on June 11th at 6:30pm; this will include the opportunity to receive individual prayer for healing and the chance of anointing with the Oil of Infirmate. In September I will be leading a service of Taize, more details of this to follow but please do join us on June 11th. Rachel Thompson Flitwick Parish Magazine Page 5
Eating in the UK in the Fifties Pasta had not been invented. Curry was a surname. A takeaway was a mathematical problem. A pizza was something to do with a leaning tower. Bananas and oranges only appeared at Christmas time. All crisps were plain; the only choice we had was whether to put the salt on or not. A Chinese chippy was a foreign carpenter. Rice was a milk pudding, and never, ever part of our dinner. A Big Mac was what we wore when it was raining. Brown bread was something only poor people ate. Oil was for lubricating, fat was for cooking Tea was made in a teapot using tea leaves and never green. Coffee was Camp, and came in a bottle. Cubed sugar was regarded as posh. Only Heinz made beans. Fish didn t have fingers in those days. Eating raw fish was called poverty, not sushi. None of us had ever heard of yoghurt. Healthy food consisted of anything edible. People who didn t peel potatoes were regarded as lazy. Indian restaurants were only found in India. Cooking outside was called camping. Seaweed was not a recognised food. Kebab was not even a word never mind a food. Sugar enjoyed a good press in those days, and was regarded as being white gold. Prunes were medicinal. Surprisingly muesli was readily available, it was called cattle feed. Pineapples came in chunks in a tin; we had only ever seen a picture of a real one. Water came out of the tap, if someone had suggested bottling it and charging more than petrol for it they would have become a laughing stock. The one thing that we never ever had on our table in the fifties was elbows! Yvonne Rossiter Page 12 Flitwick Parish Magazine
Sunday Celebration A YEAR OF LEARNING In Review - 7th May - John 10:1-10/Acts 1:42-47 - Communion As we entered church for this month s Sunday Celebration, we noticed that the front pews had been removed and a table with just a simple white tablecloth had been set up in their place. Rev Lucy Davis explained that this humble, plain table was what would have been used when Jesus and his disciples ate the Last Supper, which is what we celebrate each week when we take Communion. Lucy explained however, that she doesn t see herself as being like Jesus when she blesses the bread and wine but that she sees herself as Mum at the Sunday table, taking care of her family. During the prayers the children were asked to find items around the church, as they did that we would think and pray about how these items affect us and others such as candles bringing light into darkness, bread feeding the hungry, napkins wiping away the mess of life. Instead of a sermon in the usual sermon slot Lucy walked us through the Eucharistic Prayer that we read each Sunday during Communion. She started with a question: What does Eucharist mean? Well, it means Thanksgiving. The whole Eucharistic Prayer is us thanking God the Father and God the Son for what they did for us on the cross. After Lucy had blessed the bread, the wine and the children, we administered Communion to each other, passing along the plates of bread and single serving cups of wine. What a wonderful way to share Communion as God s Growing Family! Sophie Tucker (Sophie is a Lay Leader of Worship and is part of the Sunday Celebration planning group) Quote for the Month Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow. Benjamin Franklin Flitwick Parish Magazine Page 17
From the Past Extract from the Parish Magazine ~ June 1962 Page 14 Flitwick Parish Magazine
Please note that the extracts from old magazines are scanned images, and because of the age and state of the original, may appear discoloured or faded. We hope that this does not spoil your enjoyment. Flitwick Parish Magazine Page 15