From the Vicarage,

A few days ago I read an article in the magazine ‘Christianity’ called ‘Love Thy Neighbour.’ Surprisingly, the article was literally just that, namely about loving those who live in close proximity to us. I can remember as a child knowing the name of every family that lived in the same street that I did. There were twenty houses in the street. Nowadays, research tells us that 83% of people resident in the UK would not be able to recognise all their immediate neighbours in a police line-up. In London 10% of residents cannot even identify a single one of their neighbours. Only 12% of people feel strongly connected to their community, yet 69% crave a sense of community. These are eye opening statistics!

The loneliness epidemic, understood to be affecting 9 million people across all age groups, resulted in the government appointing a Minister for Loneliness earlier this year. As Christians, is there more we can do to take the initiative and address the situation? Meetings such as CAMEO are excellent, but I am referring to the response of individuals to their own particular neighbours. I suggest the following:

Welcome new neighbours by knocking on their door and introducing yourself,

Stay alert and look for opportunities to help, especially the vulnerable,

Surprise neighbours with random acts of kindness,

Be hospitable and making your home available to others,

Invite neighbours to church services and other events,

Pray for your neighbours,

Offer your time and gifts (gardening, DIY etc.)

Let’s see where being a good neighbour will take us!

God bless,     Tim and Norma

Extracts From The

Parish Magazine

Lesson Readers

If you are unavailable on your allocated date, please arrange to change with someone else.

Sidesmen Rota

From the Registers

Baptism

Darcy May Hillyer – 15th. July

Wedding

Stephen Curr and Lauren Antrobus – 21st. July

Funerals

Noel Street - 4th. July

Florence Hyslop – 6th.July

Items for inclusion in the next month’s magazine should be

sent to Judith Dewdney by the 20th July.

30 Henbury Rise Henbury

Tel:-  01625 439753 email:- judith.torview@gmail.com

Pastoral Care

If you know of anyone who you think would benefit from a visit by one of our Pastoral Care Team, please contact Tim or Norma (425510), Carole (611477), Christine (511784) or Linda (424505).

MOTHERS’ UNION

Well we have been having some beautiful weather and we managed to take it to Wales with us on our July outing to Erddig, a National Trust Property near Wrexham.  It had given showers and thunderstorms as the weather forecast and when we first arrived we saw something on the road we had not seen for ages, puddles!  As the day progressed it became warmer and warmer and most of the 27 attending ended the day with ice creams.  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves in the lovely gardens and the house was very interesting with video facilities for those who found the stairs a little too much, so nobody missed out on looking around all the rooms.  A few photographs have been sent for the Church website so if you are interested please take the time to have a look at them, as long as David has managed to download them.

Lynne Hibbert and I attended a Deanery meeting in July when our Diocesan President Viv Ley came along and we did a presentation on MULOA.  This means “Mothers’ Union Listens, Observes and Acts”.  It is now hoped that the Branch Leaders in the Deanery will take this presentation away with them to their own branches and members.  We hope to bring it to Henbury early next year, perhaps in February following the AGM, but in the meantime perhaps you could think of ways in which we as a branch follow this edict or could in the future.

Accommodation is still required for the visit of MU members from Melanesia.  Gawsworth hope to host the majority but with Henbury being close we are asked for any members who have a spare room with twin beds or a couple of spare rooms, to offer accommodation for 4 nights 29th August to 1st September and 2 nights 3rd to 5th October when they will all be delivered to the Vicarage in Gawsworth to spend the night in preparation for a very early start home on the 6th.  Unfortunately they will not be around for the Deanery Festival or Quiet Evening.  If you are able to help out on any of these dates please contact Lynne or Di and we will pass your details on.

Recent MU social events, apart from the outing, have not received much support from members.  It would be good to see as many as possible of you attending the Deanery Festival at Gawsworth.  The funds raised from this service will be sent to the Literacy Fund.

DIARY DATES

Thurs. 9th August – Mary Sumner Day

Thurs. 9th Aug. – Meal – The Bull’s Head, Mottram St. Andrew

Mon 20th Aug. Deanery Festival -  St. James’s, Gawsworth at 7.30 p.m.

Thurs 6th Sept. – Deanery Quiet Evening -  St. Thomas’s, Henbury at 7.30  a.m.

Some photos from the recent trip to Erddig

A Thank you  

The P.C.C. and the congregation wish to thank the Entertainments Committee for providing the funds to cover the costs of installing the new water heater and wall lights in the Hall.  Their efforts are much appreciated.

CHRISTIAN AID FUND RAISING

BARBECUE 

    
Sunday 12th August 5:00 pm

at the home of John and Leo Alcock, 
Eversley, Gawsworth Road, Macclesfield SK11 8UG
Tickets £8:00 are available from Carole Curzon 611477 or

Linda Craig 424505