Page 64 - Phonebox Magazine January 2011

Churches Together in Newport Pagnell
Minister’s Letter
I am writing this letter in the last few days before Christmas and I am conscious that by the time it is read Christmas and the New Year may well have come and gone and perhaps some New Year resolutions will also have faded away.
New Year celebrations have always left me a little puzzled. I think it is because when I was growing up we didn’t have a big celebration on New Year’s Eve. As my dad would tell me the New Year would still be there in the morning and I find myself wondering are people celebrating the beginning of a new year or the end of the old one?
I suppose the answer to that question depends on what kind of year you have just had. Were the memorable events of the past year ones of joy – a new arrival, a wedding, a new job or promotion – or were they not so happy- did you suffer the loss of a dear one, a relationship breaking down or redundancy?
Perhaps the coming year will bring changes in your life – whether they be for better or worse, or perhaps the year will bring more of the same routine. As you look forward to the New Year perhaps you do so in hope, perhaps you look forward in fear.
As I am writing this, thinking of the different ways things may go, a song keeps coming to mind – Turn Turn by The Byrds. The song is based on a passage of scripture (Ecclesiastes 3:1-9) and the message is that there is a season for everything. To me this is a message of hope for the New Year, a message that whatever may come in the new year there is someone to whom I can turn – whatever the season.
This person and his love for each one of us has not, does not and will not change. His love for us is given freely, totally and unconditionally to us all. May that thought be with you today and every day through the coming year whatever may befall and may God bless you all.
I wish you all a blessed and a happy New Year.
Deacon Jon Walls, St Bedes
Christingle service 16th January
On Sunday 16th January there will be a Christingle service at 10.30am at the United Reformed Church. This service
raises funds for the Children's Society whilst teaching about Jesus love for us all - using an orange! Come along and join in and find out more. For more information call Rev Jenny Mills on 07703 485017.
CTNP Christmas events on 18th December
The townspeople of Newport Pagnell braved sub zero temperatures to watch Mary, Joseph and their donkey call at the ‘inns’ along the high street. There was no room at the inn at the Swan Revived, the Cannon and the Plough, before the holy family found shelter at the Dolphin where the Christmas story was retold in music and drama.
include: “Healing Dreams”,
“Healing Death’s Wounds”; “Free to Fail”, “Forgiveness is Healing”, and “The Wild Spirit”. Russ will talk about “Reconciliation and Healing”
On Saturday, 19th February, from 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm also at the URC, the speaker is Dr Gareth Tuckwell, CEO of Burrswood Christian Hospital and place of healing. He was Regional Director of Macmillan Cancer Support from 2000 to 2003. Qualifying in Medicine in 1971, he also obtained a Diploma in Palliative Medicine from the University of Wales in 1992. He was Medical Director of Burrswood 1986 to 1999 Gareth was a member of the working party that published ‘A Time to Heal’, a report for
64 Phonebox Magazine
“Mary, Joseph and donkey setting off from the Parish Church to travel along the High Street from inn to inn seeking shelter.” Photo by Douglas McCall
Understanding Healing
Do you worry about your health? Do you want to understand more about healing? Do you have questions about Christian healing? Over the first few months of 2011 the Parish of Newport Pagnell, with Churches Together in Newport Pagnell and the Anglican Deanery of Newport has invited expert speakers in different aspects of healing to speak and lead discussions to help us understand more about healing.
On Saturday 8th January, from 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm at the URC the speaker will be Rev Dr Russ Parker, Director of Acorn Christian Healing Foundation, which exists to resource and educate the church in the Christian Healing Ministry. Part of Russ’s contribution as Director has been to develop training materials. He is the author of a number of books which
The House of Bishops on Healing Ministry in 2000. Dr Gareth will talk about understanding healing within the context of “Thy kingdom come”, Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God.
There are two further events in March and April more details in future editions.
Saturday, March 19th, from 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm at the Baptist Church, Lovat Hall Prayer and Healing: praying for the sick by Lin Button
Saturday, April 9th, from 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm at the URC Healing on the Streets by Wendy Bull
CTNP Website
For more information about Churches Together in Newport Pagnell please visit our website (www.ctnp.org.uk).