abbotsford.org.uk

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Just a wee message to say congratulations to the Edwards Family on the birth of Finlay Craig Edwards who weighed in at 8lbs 6oz* on Monday 24th October 2011 at approx 10:45pm. All well!

*nice to see babies still use auld measure!

 

Congratulations

 

Rudeness...

What is it about some people that makes them think that they are the only ones who can do things correctly?

They criticise people (volunteers of all ages in this particular case!) who are simply doing their best.

Most "nice" people would simply be quiet and move on.

Real 'supporters' would speak to the person afterwards with a bit of encouragement and perhaps offer some advice for future involvement / development.  

To make matters worse, in this particular case, not only did the rude person speak to a third party (me) to "sort it out" for them, but they did so in such a rude way that I am surprised that I kept my cool so well. However, it prayed on my mind so much that I actually Googled "How to deal with rude people".

One gave the advice...

"Final thought: When you are not velcro, nothing sticks to you. And your ability to be composed is teaching everyone around you how to be."

Another went on to say...

"His/her rude behaviour is really more about his/her story and his/her personal issues than it is about you.

So don’t self-depreciate. There’s nothing the matter with you."

This made me feel good!

So next time someone with something to say in the wrong way verbally  "attacks" me, don't be surprised if you see me simply turning and walking away with a smile on my face.

Thanks for listening!

Deuteronomy 34:1-12 

Moses is allowed to see the promised land which he has led his people to and... he dies!

He can look out over the land, but not actually get to drink of its milk and honey.

Why!

Surely not because of something that he had done to anger God. 

The God that I believe in is not a vindictive God. He is a forgiving God.

My belief is that God let Moses die a happy man. Moses had led his people through many hardships, bickering and backstabbing but, at the end of it, aged 120, Moses had done what they all said was impossible. 

At 120 and with all your faculties intact, wouldn't you like to die with that achievement...

and perhaps God didn't want Moses to see what came after. 

What do you think?

PS - You can double click on the pic for a better view!

"Your Gonna Like Us" - Not a lot!

How would you like to spend eight hours on an aircraft?

Not flying off to some far flung corner of the planet. That would be nice if you like spending that amount of time on an aircraft.

No!

How would you like to spend eight hours on an aircraft at one airport because the airport that you were meant to land at was fog bound? Some may still say that they would rather do that than risk landing at the fog bound airport.

However, in this case the airports were Gatwick & Heathrow - only 45.6 miles (about 50 mins) apart!

I can't help but think that, if this had been a flight other than Air India, things would have been so much different. 

Aye! The nights are fair drawin' in!

Ourworship group met last evening and over tea and biscuits (what else???) almost 20 members of the congregation, together with our locum, shaped Christmas at Abbotsford.

Being Abbotsford we want to be part of worship and not leave it all to the Locum, although he has volunteered his services to do the more "formal" bits and this has been gratefully accepted.

All we need to do now is make sure one enthusiastic participant doesn't bring the roof down. 
(    You know who you are and it is great to have your enthusiasm. :)    )

Look out for more info as the nights get longer!

THINK DIFFERENT!

Remembering one who did (and the good humoured banter between the 'enlightened ones' and the 'dark side' on this blog).

 

What's on at Abbostord

A wee note of what is on at Abbotsford over the winter has been added in the middle column below...

Quasicrystals

Calling 'Craft Daft' - That Quasicrystal structure would look good as a banner for Christmas!

 

For our Harvest Sunday

A bush with branches covered in ‘fruit’ (wool!) of different colours.
Four people come forward in turn, take a piece of the appropriate colour and read…

 

GOLD are the cornfields, ready for harvest.

For bread that feeds us, we praise you God.

(In) Orchards and vineyards, fruit ripe for picking.

For wine that cheers us, we thank you God.

 

For the BLUE oceans, wild and white-crested,

shaping our shorelines, we praise you God.

Fish for our tables from the deep waters.

For the seas’ plenty, we thank you God.

 

GREEN stands for people, endlessly toiling

to feed the nations. We praise you God.

Farmers and fishers, bringing their harvest.

For these who serve us, we thank you God.

 

WHITE dove descending, spreading her soft wings

over creation. We praise you God.

For nature’s beauty and nature’s bounty,

gifts of the Spirit, we thank you God.

 

The four ‘fruits’ are twined together…

Colours entwined, restoring the balance.

Mankind and nature, living as one.

Care for our planet, share with each other.

Poverty ended, futures begun.

 

Everyone is invited to come forward during the next hymn** and take away a ‘fruit’ of whichever colour they chose, to focus their thoughts during the week on the land, the sea, mankind, or the Spirit of Creation.

 

**The hymn is the words of the reading, sung to the tune Bunessan (aka ‘Morning has Broken’).

 

                                                                        Abbotsford Green Team, October 2011

 

Alternative Harvest!

A lot has been happening in Abbotsford over the last week or so (nothing really different there then) but unfortunately the blog has been getting a bit neglected, apart from the pics that have been added to the Harvest Photo Album (many thanks for contributions). Although our Harvest Service is not until this coming Sunday, I am pleased to say that we had a Harvest of a different kind last Sunday.

We had called for a meeting to collect names of people who were willing to do something, as part of our Sunday worship, now that we are in a vacancy situation. This would help in keeping people involved and also help relieve the burden on our Locum, even although he is already proving to be a very willing contributer to the life of Abbotsford.

To now have a list of approx 30 people from the congregation is nothing short of a miracle and says a lot for the people who are Abbotsford. A true harvest of people with one accord.

I mentioned our Locum above. I think that we were all a bit nervous on our first day yesterday and a couple of "mistakes" were made - I will hold my hand up to one! However, overall it seemed to go well and I am sure that we will all go forward from here in positive mood and share our learning in the weeks ahead. It was nice to see Sandy receive a hearty "thank you" from people after the service.

WELL DONE ONE AND ALL!

PS - More pics added to Harvest Photo Album -  Thanks to Sandra & Lilian for contributions.