Ickenham Church News - November 2006

ST GILES’ CHURCH MONTHLY STREET PRAYER LIST

Each week at St Giles’ Church we pray for all the people who live or work in a particular road in the Parish. During November we will pray for the following roads: 5^th November - St Giles Avenue. 12^th November - Stedman Close. 19^th November - Silverbirch Close. 26^th November - Shoredich Close.

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 most welcome.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WIDOWS – RUISLIP BRANCH

Established over thirty years, a national charity for widows of all ages offering comfort, friendship, and a listening ear, to widows and other women who have lost a partner through bereavement. A new branch opened on 18^th October at Manor Farm Hall, Ruislip. Its next meeting is on Wednesday 29^th November at 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. If you are interested in joining us please contact Pat Wilder on 01895 635554.

HOSPITAL COMMUNION SERVICES 2006

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

The next Sunday when volunteers are needed to collect patients from wards for Communion services in the hospital chapel is: Hillingdon Hospital on 5^th November. More dates will be published in future months. This small service is very much appreciated by patients who have no family available to help them. To continue this service we need to supplement our regular team with more volunteers to provide cover for unavoidable absences. Anyone who is prepared to spend a couple of hours on occasional Sunday mornings, please contact Alan Grove on 020 8868 9220.

HARVEST FESTIVAL

St Giles’ Church Harvest Festival Family Service on 1^st October was packed out with worshippers to praise God for His bounty to us. The floral arrangements were quite beautiful and the base of the altar was filled with copious harvest gifts to be distributed. These have been taken to the elderly and housebound of our Parish, along with the many beautiful flower arrangements.

On Monday 2^nd October the Jack and Jill Toddler Group held its own harvest service, and it was enjoyed greatly by all present.

U.R.C. CHRISTMAS FAYRE

SHOP EARLY - DON’T MISS IT!

THE U.R.C. IS HOLDING ITS CHRISTMAS FAYRE ON SATURDAY 18TH NOVEMBER

from 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. in the URC Church Hall, Swakeleys Road.

Entrance is only 50p and under 12s are FREE!

Last year saw record takings, and this year we’ll be offering even more, including an extended version of the increasingly popular “101 Surprises”, which guarantees a bargain every time. Other attractions include:

Christmas Gifts, Cards, Wrapping and Decorations, Jewellery, China and Glass, Toys, Quality Used Books, Bric-a-Brac, and CDs. A Bran Tub and Games for the Children. MONSTER Raffle (drawn at 2 p.m.) Home Made Cakes and Preserves.

Refreshments and Food (including Lunches) available throughout.

For any further information or if you have something to donate, please contact Richard Piper on 01895 634348 or richardjpiper@btopenworld.com

ADVANCE NOTICE OF ST GILES’ CHURCH CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL AND MARKET

SATURDAY 2^ND DECEMBER FROM 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

This year our usual Christmas Market is taking on a new look.

We are changing the format from that of previous years in that there will be a Christmas Tree Festival in the Church during the above times accompanied by live musical interludes throughout the day. In the Church Hall there will be stalls offering many Christmas gifts in addition to refreshments on sale for Morning Coffee and Afternoon Teas and Luncheon Snacks. Our traditional Grand Draw will be replaced by a *Silent Auction. We look forward to the support from the Ickenham Community.

The Christmas Tree Festival will consist of decorated Christmas trees, which may be live, artificial, or even DIY constructed; each presented by Church and secular community organisations, families, traders, businesses and schools. They may be in traditional form or reflecting the interests or special wishes of the presenters. Trees should be no more than 76cm (30”) high. Trees ideally should be titled to reflect the decoration and the entries will be entered in a published programme.

Examples might be:

‘Healthy Heart’ - British Heart Foundation

‘Activity Badges’ - local Cub Scout group

‘A ticket to ride’ - Model railway club

‘Angel Tree’ - Junior Church

‘Traditional tree’ - Infants school

Opportunity will be given for visitors to vote according to how they have appreciated the final offer by placing money in a pot adjacent to each tree. Prizes will be offered to the most popular tree. We hope many of you either as individuals, groups, or traders, will support us by entering this unusual event. There will be no entry charge for showing a tree. We want everyone to share in the joy of Christmas.

Further details and entry forms from David Millen (Churchwarden, St Giles’ Church) Tel 01895 637932.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL PROGRAMME WILL ALSO ACT AS ADMISSION TO THE MARKET. THOSE ATTENDING THE MARKET FIRST WILL BE GIVEN A TICKET FOR VISITING THE CHURCH.

All profits will go to various church and charity funds but the bulk will try to meet the outstanding loan on the Church Hall refurbishment.

NB *A Silent Auction is where people donate a promise or gift for which others submit a written bid. It could be time, a talent, or something that can be purchased or rented.