It was the day before my younger grandson, Thomas, was to be baptized. Everyone in the Manse was busy with preparations for the following day. I had just completed the finishing touches to the following day’s service and offered my help in the kitchen. I was immediately handed a bunch of celery and a potato peeler, told to peel it and left to my own devices. I know how to peel potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and even apples, but I had never thought of celery having peel. Yes, in the past I had pulled off the stringy fibres from the outer ridges, but how to peel celery? That was a puzzle to me. Then I had a bright idea. I remembered having shavings of celery in a salad and being quite impressed. That must be what I was supposed to do. I set to work and soon produced a satisfying collection of celery shavings. Sadly, I soon discovered that this was not the required product. Amidst a combination of irritation and amusement I was banished from the kitchen feeling confused and embarrassed. 

The lesson that I should have known already was that when in doubt ask questions and ensure a proper understanding of what is needed. If this is true of peeling celery how much more does it apply in seeking to obey God in religion, community, international, and on environmental issues. 

As we read our Bibles, and our newspapers, and watch news items and documentaries on television, we are confronted with complex and confusing issues, which require our careful consideration. We have both the opportunity and the responsibility to give these matters our full attention, to look at them from every angle, and not be satisfied until we feel reasonably certain what God is calling us to do. We need ears, hearts and minds that are attuned to God’s word of faithful love and to the suffering of the deprived and oppressed.

Is the political and ecological fabric of our world being steadily shredded into useless waste? Are human beings and civilised values being destroyed?  If this is the case, what are we doing to try and stop it happening? What can we do to help build God’s kingdom of love, justice, peace and fruitfulness? We need to keep these questions at the forefront of our minds and find answers that lead us to a better world. 

Yours in Christ.Tony

Recently the team has lost several of its valued volunteers hence more of them are needed even more urgently than usual.

Each week at St Giles’ Church we pray for all the people who live or work in a particular road in the Parish. During September we will pray for the following roads:  3rd September - Neela Close. 10th - Nettleton Road. 17th - Oak Avenue.  24th - Parkfield Road. If you live in one of these roads why not join us at our 8 a.m. or 9.45 a.m. services. You will be mostwelcome. 

Thanks to local ward Councillor John Hensley, and the London Borough of Hillingdon, villagers will have noticed the very smart refurbishment, and painting, of our historic signpost on the junction of Swakeleys Road and Long Lane. The finely painted red shields denoting Middlesex are good to see once more. The work was carried out in June just too late to be featured in the July/August edition of ICN. Hopefully local people have also seen, and are pleased with, the replacement, and more attractive, street furniture such as benches and bins. Many thanks to all involved with these improvements. Our pond has looked better this year after its clean up, but is likely to require further work soon, as will some of the railings on the refurbished pump. 

Thank you all so much.

Vanetta Daymond.