Jane is enrolled as a Companion of the Society of St Francis by Brother Damian.1

The Sodbury Vale BeneficeChipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Horton & Little Sodbury

May 2013

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ContactsRectorThe Revd. Canon Jane Kenchington,01454 313159 [Day off Friday]email jane@kenchington.plus.com

Associate PriestThe Revd. Yvonne Brae,79 Westerleigh Road, Yate, BS37 4BN,01454 850682, Mob. 07908 513098 [DayOff Monday]email jmyr@blueyonder.co.uk

Curate on PlacementRevd. Elizabeth Sidwell will be joiningus for a month’s placement around 20th

May (See the article in March Outlook tolearn more about her)

Director of Music -Nick Sherwood,78 Firgrove Crescent, Yate, BS37 7AG01454 319539 Mob. 07802 427135

Church OfficeOpen during term time

Monday, Tuesday & Thursday mornings9.00 - 12.00

Administrator - Michelle Jenkins01454 325160Emailsodburyvalebenefice@gmail.comWeb Sitewww.sodburyvalechurches.wordpress.com

Advertising - Sylvia FranklinSt. John’s Church Centre07788 111 726

ChurchwardensChipping SodburyPaul Jones-Williams1 Meadow Mead, Yate, BS37 7UT01454 324970Anne Mudge22 Gorlands Road, Chipping SodburyBS37 6LA, 01454 880613

Old SodburyVal Walker16A Melrose Avenue, Yate, BS37 7AL01454 318286Tony Dixon16 Chatterton Road, Yate, BS37 4BJ01454 321528

Little SodburyBrenda CordyBenswell Cottage,Little Sodbury EndBS37 6QF, 01454 31447

HortonTina Hildick-SmithKirrin House, King Lane, HortonBS37 6PD, 01454 320380Richards NeedsAshdown House, Horton Hill, Horton,BS37 6QN 01454 329890

June DeadlineCan you have all editorial toMichelle in the Church Office

by May 12th at the latest please.

If you would like to know more aboutthe Christian faith or are thinking

about baptism or confirmation pleasespeak to Jane or Yvonne

Annual subscription to Outlook (10 issues) £5

3

Dear Friends,During this period after Easter, the Sunday readings trace the story of what happenedto Jesus’ disciples after Jesus’ resurrection. At first, we find them bewildered: Jesusappears here, then disappears there, a sighting then, but a vanishing now; one minuteyou can touch Jesus; the next, he seems like an apparition. They don’t know what todo now. They try to return to their fishing jobs and fail. After that particular episode,we find the last words that Jesus says to Peter in St John’s Gospel is, “Follow me!”“Follow me!” That’s the gospel command in two words. Those two words lead to newlife in Jesus. The disciples seek to do this, they receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecostand really are empowered to follow Jesus and invite thousands of people to followJesus and become Jesus’ disciples – and the early church came into being.With an Institutional Church as we have, it’s very easy for us to lose the fundamentalsof what the Gospel (The Good News of God) is all about. We can think that church isrepresented by this model:Church = Building + Priest + Sunday ServicesIf we think about fund-raising, it’s often all about keeping this model alive and we canvery easily become curators of a historic building and not much else.If this model was offered to those early disciples, they would have been exceedinglypuzzled. They saw the church as meaning this:Church = community + faith + actionThe church is essentially a community of people drawn together by faith in andencounter with Jesus Christ as Lord, which leads them into action in the whole of life,living a different set of values from what would otherwise be the case. This “living” willinvolve a wide range of “actions” including both attitudes (such as listening orgenerosity) and actions (service, confrontation or care). Sometimes the most importantchange a church can embrace is a change of attitude rather than any organisationalchange.As we approach the feast of Pentecost this month, which the Church often calls thebirthday of the church, I invite you to think about what changes might be needed inyour own church community to make the church more like the early church’s model.It is this model that will lead to more people being drawn into discipleship – to followingJesus. And it is the Holy Spirit, that God offers us, that will empower us to make thechanges God desires. “Come, Holy Spirit, empower us and give us a right judgementin all things.”With my love and prayers,

Rev. Canon Jane Kenchington, 01454 313159, email:jane@kenchington.plus.com

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Marriages: We send our congratulations to:Chantelle Clark & Ashley Matthews on16 March at St John’s, Old SodburyKelly Hemmings & Luke Maby on 22March at St John’s, Old Sodbury

Funerals:We extend our sympathy to the familiesand friends of:Thomas Wigmore on 22 March at StJohn’s, Old SodburyMaurice Holder on 28 March atWesterleigh Crematorium(Lois) Sheila Lewis on 28 March at StJohn’s, Chipping Sodbury

Mothers’ UnionOn Monday 8th April DavidHardwick gave us a veryinteresting and informativelook into Local Mining. It is amazing tosee how this was so influential aroundhere, and many signs are still aroundtoday, such as old buildings and moundsof dust left after the coal had beenremoved.There are still lovely walks and cyclepaths where tracks for trains, whichcarried coal that came out and wood forpit-props that went in, used to be. Howtimes have changed: children do notwork from such a very young age downthe mine and can go to school withoutfinancial ruin to their families.The Mothers’ Union Overseas supporttheir communities by helping families tobe more self reliant through farmingprojects that mean produce can be soldto bring in more supplies, and by helpingto dig wells so that everyone benefitsfrom clean water, meaning they don’thave to use water that comes from highlypolluted rivers.The next meeting of the Mothers’ Unionhere is on Monday 13th May at 7:45pmin the Church Centre. It is about the workof the local Magistrates’ Court. We allsee more cases referred to Yate on thetelevision, but what happens after that?On Saturday 25th May we are havingour Annual Coffee morning. Plants,cakes, books, tea and coffee will beserved in the Church from 10am soplease come and support the work of theMothers’ Union here in the Sodbury ValeBenefice.God Bless and thank you .Jenny

IS THERE ANY CHANCE YOU COULD TURNJUST A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WINE BACK TOWATER?

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5

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6

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Yate Choral SocietySpring Concert

A Celebration of the 60thAnniversary of the Queen’s

CoronationSaturday 25th May at 7:30pm

St John’s Church, Chipping SodburyZadok the Priest, other coronation anthems

& St Cecilia’s Mass by GounodConductor Geoff Wickham, Accompanist Hazel Wickham

Tickets £8.50 (accompanied children £3)Available from 01454 324839 or 01454 314779

or choir members

Cathedral chimes soundagainThe chimes of Gloucester Cathedral havestarted ringing again… after a gap of overtwenty years. Money came flooding infrom across the Diocese, after CanonJonathan MacKechnie-Jarvis requesteddonations towards their restoration in lieuof a leaving present.Jonathan said: “I really wanted to hearthose chimes again, so this is my leavingpresent to the Cathedral. I am so gratefulto my colleagues and to my many friendsin the parishes for their generosity”.He continued: “This is an amazing pieceof our heritage. Two of the bells date fromabout 1400. The hour bell weighs threetons - the only medieval bell of that size tosurvive. And two of the chime tunes areancient Plainsong melodies, more than athousand years old. Put that together withsolid-state circuitry and surely this issomething unique.”There is a different tune each day of theweek. The chimes will ring at 8am, 1pmand 5pm (4pm on Saturdays andSundays) and are heard about a minuteafter the hour bell.

7

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8

Glenfall House to close

It is with much regret that the trustees ofGlenfall House have taken the difficultdecision to close Glenfall House. It hasbeen the retreat centre in the Diocese ofGloucester since 1992 and is muchloved by many people in the diocese andbeyond, making the decision to closeGlenfall all the more difficult.The reason for closure is financial.Glenfall Trust cannot afford to tradesolvently until the end of the year. Due tomajor works required on the House andto protect the interests of staff and usersof the house, they have agreed to closethe House on 31 July.Glenfall House will honour all bookingsmade until 31 July and any futurebookings already made after this datewill be refunded in full. The future ofGlenfall is yet to be decided, but itsownership will revert back to theDiocesan Board of Finance (DBF).

PCC Meetings for 2013-2014Chipping Sodbury

All meetings start at 7:30pm and are inthe Church centre except for Thurs. 16May when the meeting will be precededby a Eucharist in the Lady Chapel at7.00pmThurs 16 May; Thurs 11 July; Thurs.12 September; Thurs. 14 NovemberThurs. 16 January; Thurs. 6 MarchAPCM Thurs. 3 April 2014 ChurchCentre 7:00pm

Old SodburyAll meetings start at 7:30pm and are inthe Village HallThurs. 23 May; Thurs. 18 July; Thurs.19 September; Thurs. 21 November;Thurs. 23 January; Thurs. 13 MarchAPCM Thurs. 27 March 2014 in theVillage Hall at 7:00pm.

Little SodburyAll meetings start at 7:00pmWed. 3 July at Janet’s; Wed. 9 Octoberat Jan’s; Thurs. 9 January at Brenda’s;Tues. 4 March at Terry’sAPCM Sun. 6 April 2014 at 7:00pm inthe church.

HortonAll meetings start at 7:00pm in KirrinHouse, HortonWed. 5 June; Tues. 10 September;Tues. 12 November; Tues. 14 January;Tues. 11 MarchAPCM Tues. 1 April 2014 at KirrinHouse at 7:00pm

Annual Visitation ServiceThe Archdeacon’s annual service to

induct church wardens and PCCmembers will be at

St John’s, Chipping Sodbury on22 May at 7:30pm

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Great buildings, great newsIn recent days, in the course of my duties,I have had the privilege of visitingWestminster Abbey (for a conference),Westminster Cathedral (for Vespers withArchbishop Vincent) and CanterburyCathedral (for the enthronement of theArchbishop of Canterbury) and of courseour own Gloucester Cathedral (foreverything). I can assure you, only one isa regular haunt! One cannot fail to beamazed by these great buildings and thefaith that sustains them.

Travelling home to the diocese each time,there is an increasing sense of value andfaithfulness represented in our greatbuildings, at Fairford, Tewkesbury,Cirencester, Cheltenham Minster, in thelovely churches of the North Cotswoldsand many, many more.

Greatness is best measured in the faithfulwitness down the ages by real people inreal places. It is measured in peoplesaying their prayers, serving thecommunities in which we are set andproclaiming the Easter great news afresh.The faithful witness of the churchwardenopening their church day by day or thepriest saying morning prayer alone for thepeople in their care is beyond value. Greatplaces are built upon the foundations of agreat faith proclaimed by great people.

When the Easter faith is proclaimed by theEaster people every place is a cathedralof the soul and is a part of the great news(it's better news than 'good') that Jesus isrisen and Alleluia is our song.

The Dean of Gloucester,The Very Revd Stephen Lake

Harp ConcertRobin will be presenting a programme thatis an exploration of music, played on hisown handcrafted triple harp.Audiences thoroughly enjoy the wideselection of Robin's programmes, as wellas his performance style, that brings eachpiece to life. The programme includesmusic from Folk Traditions, the Baroque,Classical, and Romantic periods, with acombination of his own transcriptions andmusic originally written for the instrument.Originally from New Zealand, over hisperforming career Robin has played withvarious orchestras and ensembles, and isnow establishing himself as a solo artist.In February 2009 Robin independentlyreleased his first solo CD, No PedalsAttached, and he is working on hissecond. If you wish to learn more aboutRobin please visitwww.robin-ward.com.

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Mrs. E.J. GauntlettM.Ch.S.

HPC REGISTEREDCHIROPODIST / PODIATRIST

6 Beaufort Mews7 Horse Street

Chipping SodburySouth Glos.BS37 6DA

Telephone: (01454) 319083

Tuesday, Wednesday,& Saturday Mornings

Thank you message fromBishop John

Bishop John said: “Rosemary and I wereoverwhelmed with so many coming tojoin us in the Cathedral for our finalservice; it was such a privilege to sharewith you all in a final act of worshipinvolving different individuals and groupsof people and a variety of worship.Thank you too for a very generousfarewell gift for which we are extremelygrateful. We will use some of yourgenerous gift to purchase a piano whichwill remind us every time we or othersplay it of 17 very wonderful years inGloucester Diocese. It has been anenormous privilege to serve in thisdiocese and to share in worship,fellowship, ministry and mission with somany of you. We take away with usmany precious memories and willcontinue to hold you in our prayers andwe hope you will continue to hold us inyour prayers.”

Christian Aid Week 12 - 18May

C h r i s t i a nAid's visionis to bring anend top o v e r t yaround the

world, by tackling its root causes as wellas its effects.Today one in eight people are desperatefor food. Between us we could feed themall.Last year Christian Aid Week raised 12 .5million pounds. Three quarters of themoney raised came from  house to housecollections.If you could help collect in your area,please contact Rosemary Thomas on01454 314286

Pope Francis: Act, Thinkand Love like ChristIn St Peter's Square on Wednesday,Pope Francis told the 30,000 strongaudience, 'A Christian isn’t a person whosimply follows some commandments, butis a person who tries to act, think andlove like Christ.'

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Digital Service

To the uninitiated, it looks as though theparishioners of St John’s Church,Mickleover, Derbyshire, are being ratherrude. But their tablet computers aren’tfor sneakily checking their emails.Instead, they’re a very modern way forthem to read hymns and prayers.The idea came about after someparishioners said they were strugglingto follow the tiny print in the church’spocket-sized hymn books because oftheir deteriorating eyesight.The tablets, with their bright displays andability to enlarge the text, make it mucheasier to follow the service.They access the hymns and prayersthrough a wi-fi network installed in thechurch cafe next door.It felt like you were holding a hymn bookor prayer book, but you didn’t have torummage around to find the right page.‘It created a really nice atmosphere forthe whole service and was really goodfun.’ Parishioners said they weredelighted with the mini computers. ‘Weare pleased with the progress so far andlook forward to see how we can developthings further.’The church is working with networkingcompany The Cloud, which agreed todonate the tablets to members of thecommunity.

Chipping Sodbury Festival7th to the 16th of June.

Tickets are now on sale for this year’sFestival

The programme is, once again, veryvaried, and there are a number of eventsin the Church.

The Festival Service at 9.30 on Sunday9th June is followed by a reception withrefreshments, in the Town Hall, and thenthere is a concert that evening, back in theChurch, of mixed light music, also withrefreshments.

During the week there are two furtherconcerts in the Church, Chipping SodburySchool on Tuesday and a Harp Recital onthe Friday, organised by the Church.Tickets for the former are distributed bythe School, and forthe latter by theChurch.The CombinedSchools’ ArtExhibition ismounted in theChurch throughoutthe week and wewill welcome allthe help thatparishioners cangive to steward theChurch throughthe days to welcome visitors. There is,as usual a rota in the church for volunteersto choose their sessions.Many other interesting and enjoyableevents are arranged during the week andfull details are available onwww.chippingsodburyfestival.co.ukand in programmes and postersdistributed through the Town. Tickets areavailable from Farrago and Out of the Blue.

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Benefice Retreat 2013

A retreat for members of all churches ofthe Sodbury Vale Benefice.

Friday 5th - Sunday 7th July 2013Llangasty Retreat House in the Brecon

Beacons -Stunning location!£130 per person

See www.llangasty.com for more infor-mation.

There are still two twin roomsavailable for this retreat.

If you are interested in going, do contactIan Yemm on 01454 318608

Sat and Sun June 22nd & 23rd atNutridge, Ram Hill, Coalpit Heath, BS36 2UF

2.00pm - 5.00pmAdmission £3.00 Children under 16 free

Musicians will perform in the

Garden during the afternoon

Proceeds in aid of Genieri, theAfrican village linked with Yate

www.yategenierilink.org.uk

Garden Open Days (see above)Graham and Margaret Newman areopening their garden in aid of the Yate-Genieri Link again this year and arehoping for good weather and largenumbers as this is the Link's mainannual fund-raiser. Last year over£1,000 was achieved.Musicians will sing and play during thetwo afternoons. Among the performerswill be the combined Community choirsof Yate and Sodbury and, if last year'sturnout is anything to go by, about 50singers will come.This year there will be additional off-road parking at Henfield Village Hall.The charity has set up projects such asa Day Care Centre for younger childrento begin their education early and toenable their mothers to help cultivatecrops. More recently it has started a

micro-loan scheme whereby prospectivebusiness women are loaned small lumpsums to help them realise their dreams.So, among twelve chosen enterprises,one will be bulk buying cooking oil forresale, another opening a small café atthe village's market stall and one makingand selling bed sheets.

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Benefice Walk:Sunday 19 May

Do book this in your diary! Hopefully, theweather will be dry and we’ll do our walk.Sunday services will happen as usualand the route of the walk will take thatinto account, hoping to gather people onthe way. Details of the route will bepublished nearer the time. Everyone iswelcome (and that means adults,children and dogs!)

Deanery Vocations Day“Walking with Moses – Our

Journey with God.”An opportunity for us to explore our

Christian journey, our gifts and God’scall to us in its widest sense

To be held at St John the BaptistChurch and Church Centre,

Chipping SodburyOn Saturday 1st June

From 10am-4pm

Fit me in somewhere in this giantjigsaw, God, somewhere in this workof art you’re working, select a space

my shape can fill.**Gerard Kelly, “Spoken Worship”, Zondervan, 2007Tea, coffee, biscuits and all coursematerials will be provided. Please bring apacked lunch. Donations towards the costof the day will be gratefully received.If you are interested in this, pick up theleaflet at the back of your church and/orspeak to Jane or Yvonne about it.

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Monday 8.45am Morning Prayer St John’s, Chipping Sodbury

7.30pm Bell Ringer’s Practice Church Tower, Chipping Sodbury

Tuesday 8.45am Morning Prayer St John’s, Chipping Sodbury

Wednesday 8.30am Morning Prayer St John’s, Chipping Sodbury

Thursday 8.45am Morning Prayer St John’s, Chipping Sodbury

10.00am Holy Communion St John’s, Chipping Sodbury

7.00pm Choir Practice St John’s, Chipping Sodbury

Friday 10.00am Tubbie Tots Church Centre, Chipping Sodbury

7.00pm Youth Club (age 11-18) Baptist Church Centre

Saturday 9.00am Benefice Prayers Church Centre, Chipping Sodbury

Sodbury Vale Benefice Regular Weekly Events

Sat 1st June 10am Deanery Vocations Day Church Centre

Fri 14th June 7.30pm Harp Concert(as part of Chipping SodburyFestival Week)

St John’s, C/S

Fri 5th July Benefice Retreat Weekend Away

If you don’t see your event in the list above please let me know, once itis on this calendar other people can put it on theirs!

All times are subject to change -look out for further details closer to the date.

Michelle 01454 325160 sodburyvalebenefice@gmail.com

Sodbury Vale Benefice Forthcoming Events

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Wed 1st 8.00pm Mission Prayer Group Church Centre C/S

Sun 5thSixth Sunday of

Easter

8.00am Holy Communion St John’s C/S9.30am St John’s Praise St John’s, C/S11.15am Mattins {BCP} St James’, Horton11.15am Family Communion St John’s O/S6.00pm Evensong (BCP) St Adeline’s L/S

Tue 7th 3.00pm Meditation Meeting Ring 314409 for venue

Wed 8th 1.20pm Women’s Fellowship Church Centre C/S

Thurs 9th 10.00am Holy Communion for Ascension Day St John’s C/S10.45am Coffee Shop Church Centre C/S

7.30pm Holy Communion for Ascension Day St John’s O/S

Sun 12thSunday After

Ascension

9.30am Parish Communion St John’s C/S11.15am Holy Communion {BCP} St James’ Horton11.15am Family Service St John’s O/S6.00pm Evensong {BCP} St Adeline’s L/S

Mon 13th 7.45pm Mothers’ Union, Church Centre C/S

Thurs 16th 10.00am Holy Communion St John’s C/S10.45am Coffee Shop Church Centre C/S

7.30pm CS PCC (Starts with Communion at 7.00pm) St John’s CS

Sun 19thPentecost

9.30am Family Communion St John’s C/S

11.00am Benefice Walk -(Details to Follow)

11.15am Morning Prayer {CW} St James’ Horton11.15am Holy Communion {BCP} St John’s O/S6.00pm Evensong {BCP} St Adeline’s L/S

Tue 21st 3.00pm Meditation Meeting Ring 314409 for venue

Wed 22nd 1.20pm Women’s Fellowship Church Centre C/S

7.30pm Wotton Deanery Archdeacon’s Visitation St John’s C/S

Thur 23rd 10.00am Holy Communion St John’s C/S10.45am Coffee Shop Church Centre C/S

7.30pm OS PCC Village Hall O/S

Sat 25th 10am MU Coffee Morning and Plant Sale St John’s C/S

10am Vintage Craft flea market Church Centre, C/S

7.30pm Yate Choral Society Concert -60th Anniversary of the Coronation

St John’s CS

Sun 26thTrinity Sunday

9.30am Parish Communion St John’s C/S11.15am Family Communion (CW) St James’ Horton11.15am Morning Praise St John’s O/S6.00pm Holy Communion {BCP} St Adeline’s L/S

Sodbury Vale Benefice Calendar May 2013

16

FApril Fool’s Day inGloucester Cathedral

An Easter Monday Pilgrimage toGloucester Cathedral, the first ever(well, in our time!) and hopefully won’tbe the last. During the afternoon peopleand dogs gathered in the nave to find nochairs and a number of blankets strewnover the floor. A figure appeared whowould meander around, interacting withCathedral staff, and the children as theyarrived. It was Roly Bain the Reverend

Clown. It waswonderful towatch himgently playjokes, hedusted withhis featherduster, sliddown the railof the pulpitand followedthe vergerabout hisduties, only toblow thecandles out

after they were lit.Then came the start of the serviceproper, Bishop Michael and the Dean of

the Cathedralprocessing in,escorted by Rolyand his featherduster.After a number ofjoyful songs ofpraise andworship, Rolyembarked on theassembly of theslack rope,and whilst‘fooling’ around encouraged us all tokeep our eyes focused on the cross ifwe want to reach our destination. Faith

is risky and wemust learn totrust in God, thecross is there forus to cling towhen times arehard. Roly leftus with thisthought “Thefoolishness ofGod is wiserthan humanwisdom”

Gathering around the nave altar forCommunion brought a closeness toJesus and what He had done for us 3days ago.We all left with a sense of purpose andfelt it was avery specialevent thatrounded offHoly Week;returning towork on theT u e s d a ywasn’t aspainful asusual.