September 23 Newsletter
Revd Jenny Bland
“It’s not fair!!” (insert tightly folded arms, possible stamp of the foot, potentially tears here)…sound familiar at all?
Oh dear, I have known children (and I am pretty confident I have been a teenager) at this stage of frustration and disappointment with life, where you feel overlooked, possibly jealous, fearing that you’ve missed out and that someone else has ‘got it better’. Well for those of you nodding your heads, Jesus tells a parable speaking right into a situation where this was going on. Matthew 20:1-16 is the parable (the story) of the workers in the vineyard, where a landowner pays the same wage (a denarius) to those who work for him - despite some working all day and others working just a matter of hours. When the workers come to collect their wages, as you can imagine, those who worked all day are in uproar when they see the same money be given to all - “that’s so not fair!?”, I can hear them saying.
The landowner (who images what God is like) is a bit disgruntled with them: “I’ve paid you fairly for what you said you would do for the rate of pay we agreed - why are you so bothered that I have given the same to those who came later, are you jealous because I am generous?” (this is me paraphrasing - the actual story is totally worth a read!).
That line stays with me though, “or are you jealous (or envious) because I am generous?”.
What might Jesus be telling us in this story then?
Well, the story starts by him saying that this is what the Kingdom of Heaven will be like and ends with (verse 16), ‘[s]o the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
Perhaps then the Kingdom of Heaven sometimes looks topsy turvey to us.
There is a different law there, a different governor to who we’d imagine, where generosity and compassion are the rules. It seems to be a place where fairness is exercised, even if we don’t see it perfectly at first.
As we begin September, maybe too a new school, college or uni, maybe a new job or phase of life, may we remember God is with us and God is for us. And if those times come when we fear we’re missing out, or see that someone else has the better deal, may we be reminded of all that we have been given, to not be tempted to be given over to jealousy, and to lean heavily into God’s compassion and generosity.
A prayer you might like to pray: Lord Jesus, your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Thank you that we are partakers in your work, remind us of your generosity as we begin again this September. Amen.
What’s on at All Saints Church?
Midweek Worship
Every Wednesday - 9:30am Holy Communion and 8:30pm Compline (or Night Prayer).
On the first Wednesday of the month there is a short service of Holy Communion in the Church Hall at 3pm followed by refreshments - everyone is welcome, we always have new people joining us.
Sunday Services
3rd - 9am Holy Communion, 10am All Age Service 6pm Evensong
10th - 10am Holy Communion
17th - 10am Holy Communion
24th - 10am Holy Communion
Everyone is welcome to join us for our services and we warmly encourage children. We have an area with books and toys for families or JaM (Jesus and Me) our children’s group, runs on Sundays in term-time too. Refreshments are served after every Sunday service in the Church Hall.
September Events and Seasonal Services
2nd – Charity Coffee morning at 11 Harrowick Lane 10 am to 12 noon in aid of Thomas’s fund and Emmaus – see last month’s News Sheet for details
8th - Fun, Food and Friendship Day at St Johns Ambulance building.
9th - Open Belfrey Day - 10am-12pm at All Saints Church Tower. Church open for Ride and Stride too (approx 10am-4pm).
9th & 23rd - Church Hall open displaying artwork with Open Studios artists and refreshments.
No Bring and Share Lunch this month as too much going on!
16th - Church Quiet Day @ Turvey Abbey. Email thevicar.earlsbarton@outlook.com for more information.
17th - 7-8:30pm - Youth Group for those in Earls Barton who are 10-16yr old and interested in exploring faith. Contact myself or Sarah Howes for more information: howes_africa@yahoo.com
1st October - Join us at 10am for our Harvest Festival!
Please pray for…
Richard and Olivia, Lisa and David as they marry this month. Please also pray for Logan being baptised this month.
Redecoration of the Interior of the Church
During August the planned four-week redecoration of the church was undertaken and completed. Our thanks go to Metcalf Decorators who carried out the work producing a high level of workmanship on walls that have not been painted for at least 45 years. The cost of the work including fees and organ protection totalled £18,675 and this has been met from our fabric fund along with grants from the Friends of All Saints (£6000), Historic Churches Trust (£3000 ), and, the Benefact Trust (£1750).
Soap Box Derby Sunday 17th September
Amanda Mayne is heading up a team of volunteers to serve refreshments in the hall and enable it to be open for toilets during the event, after our morning service.
If you can help either on the afternoon, or just by providing cakes (even if they are frozen ahead of the event) that would be amazing! please contact
Amanda on amandamayne21@gmail.com
Open Studios Church Hall 23rd and 24th September (10am - 4pm both days)
This is the first time we have hosted this event, so please pop down and support it!
There will be a variety of artists exhibiting their works including our very own Julie Williams, plus refreshments throughout day - so what's not to like!!
Again, we really need CAKES, and a couple more volunteers on the day would be helpful.
Please contact Helen Winrow
01604 811410 warden.earlsbarton@outlook.com
Also
Saturday 9th September 10am – 1pm Fairtrade Café & Secondhand Booksale & this month look out for our September clearance offers plus lots of tasty fairly produced groceries & beautifully ethical gifts & cards. Enjoy chatting, browsing our products, & fresh coffee & yummy homemade cakes… Everyone welcome!
Please note a date for your diaries: Fairtrade Christmas Shopping Evening on Saturday 28th October from 7.30pm
Email: nicky_smithseb@yahoo.co.uk 07812 686944
All Saints EB ‘Quiet Day at Turvey Monastery’ Saturday 16th September 9.30 – 4.00
• Explore how mindfulness practices & techniques can support our prayer life and help us make space for God.
• A chance to refresh ourselves in a peaceful place & spend time in worship & prayer together as a group
• Cost for the day is supported by All Saints: £25 which includes refreshments but please bring a packed lunch
- To book contact our administrator, allsaints.earlsbarton@outlook.com or Jenny (& please speak to Jenny or Nicola for more information).
And thinking ahead to October for your diaries...
Sunday 1st Harvest Festival
Sunday 8th Pet Blessing Service
Sunday 29th Bishop attending All Saints Church for Confirmation service and Grace Ogoe Licensing
The Tearfund Big Quiz Night is on its way… and you’re invited! So please save the date Saturday October 14th 7.15pm - your chance to gather friends & family together in teams of up to 6 people for an evening of poverty-busting, community-building fun. See you there! Martin, Sandra & Nicola
Our 'Women’s Breakfast' is back! 8.30am Saturday 21st October All Saints Church Hall with a talk by our curate Chad on 'Forest Church'
If you haven’t been before, we start with continental style breakfast, (including bacon rolls…) with plenty of time to chat followed by the talk from around 9am. We’re usually finished by around 10am. To help us with the catering arrangements (& do please let us know any dietary requirements), contact us beforehand if you’d like to attend - Nicola on 07812 686944 or Sandra on 07979 961902
The Julian Meeting:
Our Earls Barton group has been meeting for several years and we would love to be joined by some new members. Julian meetings foster the practice of contemplative prayer where we seek to be aware of the presence of God and to remain silently and attentively in that presence. We meet in one of our homes at 6.45pm on the third Thursday of every month, and after a short spiritual reading and some gentle music, we spend half an hour in silence and stillness. We end with some social time with tea and chat. It you would like to join us, or to find out more about our friendly and welcoming group, please contact Glynis Harper on 07919 952736 or Nicky Smith on 07812 686944
Belfry Open Event.
We will be holding our next Open Belfry event on Saturday 9th September from 10.00am until 12.00 noon. This is an opportunity for anyone to find out more about Bellringing here at All Saints. Perhaps you might like to have a 'go' on the end of a rope? Perhaps you would just like to find out more about what is involved in becoming a Bellringer? Perhaps you are thinking about possibly learning to ring at Earls Barton and one day becoming a member of our growing band? All and any questions you may have can be answered as most of the band will there to have a chat with over a tea or coffee. We will however be ringing the Bells at the start and the end of our event and probably during as well so if you would just like to come up and watch us as we ring then there will be opportunities to do that as well.
Andy Smith. Tower Captain 0754 131 2407 or 01604 810558
Items for news sheet
If anyone in the church family would like items included in the following month’s News Sheet, please send to jill.timms@btinternet.com by 20th of the month. I need to say, though, space may be limited and I may have to precis your item.
Tower Clear Out!
As part of the redecoration process we had to move a lot of stuff around, and decided it was a good opportunity to have a bit of a clear out.
In the tower cupboards we found choir robes that had not been worn for 50 years! The fabric is still good though, so members of our church family are re-purposing it -watch out around Christmas for lots of red gift bags/ bunting/ table runners etc to buy.
We have also been storing lots of service books which we no longer use or need.
We are VERY mindful that many of these were donated by church family members and have dedications inside. We will be making a list of all those dedications, so they are never forgotten, but would like to rehome the actual books. So if you would like any of them, or know of any organisation that could make use of them, please get in touch. If you remember a family member who actually dedicating a book we could try to find it! It would also be lovely to hear some stories about these people who supported our church so generously in the past.
We also have some surplus church kneelers (hassocks). These were handmade again, by members of the church family some 50 years ago. If you have any memories about these people, we would love to hear them, but we would also love to see the kneelers go to new homes. (I have a couple and I use them as chair “boosters” when the grandchildren come to stay!)
The important thing is that as much as possible gets passed on rather than thrown away, so all of the above are free to good homes, but if you would like to make a donation that would always be very welcome.
Finally, we found a box of first day covers dating back to 1972, when our famous church tower featured as part of a set of GPO stamps to commemorate ancient buildings.
Whilst we don’t think they are hugely valuable they are quite a nice memento of the church building, something that could possibly be sent as a gift to friends or family who have moved away. (Shame we didn’t find them last year on the 50th anniversary – but never mind). If you would like any they cost £2.50, and all monies will go into general church funds.
If you want any information about any of the above, please contact me.
Helen Winrow 01604 811410 warden.earlsbarton@outlook.com