St. Margaret’s Church News Christmas 2016

Ifield Street, Crawley, RH11 0NN

Simon says… As Christmas approaches and the strain of getting ready begins to take hold, my ‘thought for

the month’ comes in the form of a poem based on that wonderful passage on love from 1

Corinthians so often used at weddings:-

If I decorate my house perfectly with red and green bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do

not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a

beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, care in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show

love, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and

sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though hurried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Computer games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will

endure forever.

Or in the words of the carol by Christina Rossetti:-

Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, love divine;

Love was born at Christmas, star and angels gave the sign.

Let’s remember to keep this love alive in our hearts and minds this Christmas as we celebrate Jesus’ birth – it’s what

it’s all about! Happy Christmas everyone!

Simon Newham, Rector

Christmas at St. Margaret’s December 18th: 6.00 pm Carol Service

21st: 7.00 pm Carols in The Plough pub

24th: 4.00 pm Crib Service

24th: 11.15 pm Midnight Mass

25th: 10.00 am Family Communion

office@ifieldparish.org 01293 537578 www.stmargaretschurchifield.org

Christians Against Poverty - Rob Pudney I knew that I had to get involved with CAP (Christians Against Poverty) when David

Dickson came to talk to our church before the Crawley Debt Centre was launched. CAP

doesn’t choose who it helps and doesn’t judge, but helps those who reach out and want to

get their lives back on track, usually after the loss of a job or personal injury. God calls each

one of us to serve people in our communities and this is just one way I can help, and whilst

it’s not always easy, I believe God truly blesses this important work and outreach.

The Crawley Debt Centre will celebrate two years in March 2017. Recently, I have become

the ‘Community Links Co-Ordinator’. I also visit families as a ‘Befriender’, providing

support as they look to become debt free. I am pleased to say three families have already.

‘Bringing good news, hope and freedom to those in debt. Serving the community in the Crawley are’

If you would like to receive the monthly Crawley CAP Debt Centre

newsletter (by email), find out more about how you can get involved, or

give financially, please contact me: yendup550@gmail.com

David Dickson (Crawley Debt Centre Manager) will be talking at the 11am church service on 5th Feb.

From the Editor…

Someday we will look back at 2016 and shake our heads amazed. What odds might we have

got back in January on Leicester winning the Premiership, Bowie dying, Cameron resigning,

and Trump ascending? One of the defining years of the 21st century? It probably will be.

2016 has felt seismic: maddening, saddening, fascinating, confusing. It feels like a weird sort

of privilege to be alive just now, witnessing all the craziness. Who knows what will happen?

The tectonic plates are still shifting. The world feels like it could be getting ready for a big

punch-up. So let’s hope and pray that 2017 is a year when love breaks through and wins. Ian Edgson

Our ‘Through the Keyhole’ walkers set off on Remembrance Day

The Archbishop

Says…

“Have a

Westminster Abbey

Christmas!”

A ‘moving’ Christmas message from Jo and Trevor Strutt

All of us at Bridgeham Clinic, Rectory Farmhouse would like to say thanks for being great neighbours. Jo, Trev and

the kids will still be neighbours of course, but Bridgeham Clinic at the end of the lane now ends…yet Bridgeham

has a new beginning!

We very much look forward to welcoming you all to our new premises on County Oak. A brand spanking new Garuda

and Pilates Machine studio, daily movement classes, treatments rooms and a friendly atmosphere await. We would

love to show you around and hear what you think of our new venue offering everyone a chance to experience

osteopathy, Pilates, Garuda and Wellbeing… We will be trading from January 5th 2017.

Bridgeham Clinic Ltd: 01293 542245 info@bridgehamclinic.com www.bridgehamclinic.com

Curate’s Column: I Can’t Wait!

I wonder when Christmas begins for you? More and more, the beginning of the Christmas

season is signalled when the new advert for John Lewis, Coca Cola or Sainsbury’s is shown.

From cute dogs to lonely men on the moon, our imaginations are swept away and we can

become gripped with the stories that tug at our heart strings. For others, of course, the start

of Christmas will be marked when lights are switched on, or when the decorations go up.

One of my favourite things is transforming our home from a collection of Ikea furniture into

a winter wonderland, and remembering the memories attached to each decoration as we find

the perfect place for it to hang upon the tree.

I start to feel Christmassy when I hear the first notes of 'Once In Royal David’s City’ ring

out in the chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, as the service of lessons and carols, lit by candle light, is broadcast

around the world. Whatever it is that gets you in the festive mood, I think that for all of us, there is something which

triggers those warm and wintry feelings. But as much as Tesco may want us to say “bring it on” and start tucking

into mince pies in early November, we must remember that the true celebration waits until Christmas Day itself,

which is the true start of Christmas. Even the four weeks before Christmas, when we attend carols services and look

forward to the joy of Christmas, are part of the season of Advent, one of the great times of waiting in the church year.

Advent is a time of preparing, of getting decorations up, of planning and preparing food, of praying. It’s a time when

we try and get our heads around what we will be celebrating; that God came down amongst the messiness of our

lives, born as a weak and helpless baby, because of his great love for us. So this December, may I urge you to hang

on and wait, take some time in the run up to Christmas Day, to reflect on what it means to you. May I also encourage

you to join us in church for one or all of our services, you’d be most welcome! And however you spend Christmas

this year, may you know God’s love and blessings. Merry Christmas! Jamie Gater

Martin Stone’s Topsy Turvy Tales

One day a beautiful girl walked in to the salon. I asked Lorna, our top stylist, to

try and find out everything she could. The girl chatted away happily to Lorna,

who learned that her name was Linda, she was Scottish, worked for British

Airways, lived in Gossops Green and, most importantly, was single.

When Lorna had finished Linda’s hair, she gave me all this information. I then

went over to Linda, asked if she was happy with her hair, and then asked if she

would like to come out to dinner with me. She said “No thank you”.

I asked “Why not?” “I don’t know you”, she replied. “You will by the end of the

date”, I told her, but the answer was still no.

Linda came back six weeks later though for another haircut. Not being put off the

first, I time asked her out again and this time she said “YES”.

Eleven months later, Lorna was doing Linda’s hair on our wedding day, and that

was 26 years ago

Cut & Style £10.00

Blow Dry/ Set £5.00

Tint £20.00

Perms £20.00

Full Head Highlights £35.00

Half Head Highlights £25.00

Gents Cuts £5.00

Models Required For Training School

(Monday & Tuesday only)

Call Topsy Turvy: (01293) 525500

Who goes to a church like this? Chris Bell…

How long have you been at St. Margaret’s? Over 30 years

What word would your friends use to describe you? Dependable

When and where were you the happiest? On our boat when we lived in Holland

What is your greatest fear? Being asked to do a bungee jump

Which talent do you most wish you had? To play the piano really well

What do you most value in your friends? Companionship

What is your guilty pleasure? Food and wine

Who is your favourite fictional hero? Hornblower

What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue? Patience!

On what occasions do you lie? NEVER… but I might be lying now!

What is your motto? “No regrets”

What is your favourite food? Where do I start?

Who are your real life heroes? Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Albert Schweitzer.

What’s your favourite song? Nat King Cole’s “The Very Thought of You” – I’m a romantic at heart.

What is your favourite indoor/outdoor activity? I’m not answering the first!… but outdoors I love boating.

If you knew the world was ending in 2016, what would you do differently? Nothing… just enjoy what is left of it

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Play the piano – I tried as a boy and did not progress. However

what I did learn proved valuable as a boy chorister.

If you were immortal for a day, what would you do? Explore the deepest parts of the ocean floor as we know so little

about the deeps.

If you could have one superpower, which would you choose? Mindreading, then I would not get into trouble with

my wife so often!

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? Picking myself up after rejection

What did you do growing up that got you into trouble? Playing in the many bomb sites around our home in Victoria.

What is something you learned recently? That you are never too old to learn and that it is possible to lose weight.

How would you like to spend eternity? Getting to understand what made so many people the way they were – both

the good and bad

.

www.stmargaretschurchifield.org

Logan Carr attended our Christianity

Explored course and was baptized

recently. He told the Bishop: “My wife

and I started going to church for our

daughter's christening. I found myself

wanting to know more, so I started to

attend church. It’s a bond I feel I can

share with my daughter to bring us closer.