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Thought for the month

Time for Amendment


I know when officially the New Year happens – but perhaps because I have taken a long time to grow up, I still think of September as being the start. Something to do with new shoes and protractors and a new class teacher.

That means that time in August has a particular quality all of its own. It is a slow time, a time to ponder, a time to consider the harvest that is to come, to draw down  – and in the warmth of the sun (or of the clouds!).

Towards the end of August the leaves begin to have a quiet rustle, their drying has begun – there is a dustiness on paths and a beginnings of mist in the early morning.

There are far fewer meetings in August and many are away on holiday. It is possible that some people will be lonelier than normal. Look out for that.

I am hoping for time to reflect a little and also to re-group my energies. I would like any resolutions that I want to take effect in September to be thought out carefully. The time between Christmas and new year is not long enough for serious thinking and because of the season every new year’s
resolution is always to loose some weight – August gives us time to turn over more important things than that.

Are there things that we’ve planted that have not thrived? Do we mind? If we do, was it because they needed more attention, or space. Are there new unexpected things that have come unbidden, have we coped well with them, did we feed them well or up root them before we knew their worth.

Are there things we might still cut back a little – prune a bit so that the darker places can have some light and perhaps yield still – a flourishing.
Have we loved enough the flowers we have been given, have we noticed them and been thankful.

There is time.

Each week, after making our confession our congregations prays for time for amendment of life. August each year is a gift to ponder what that might mean for each of us. My prayer is that we will use it wisely.

PS my husband reading this over my shoulder, says obviously the new year starts in August with the new football season. Blessings on your new year!

PPS. Does everyone know what the Woodland trust is doing just close by Smalley – Very exciting!.

Rev Kate Plant

Churches Together

The first of our Churches Together services which sees the congregations of Breadsall, Morley and Smalley come together on the 5th Sunday for a joint service takes place this Sunday 30th June at 1030, for this time hosted in Breadsall. Please support this if you can.

New Rector arrives

Our new Rector, Kate Plant, has arrived and has been duly ‘installed’ by Bishop Jan at a service at Smalley Church on Thursday 9th May. She and her husband Tom and mother-in-law Jean are residing in Breadsall Rectory on Rectory Lane. Please give them a warm welcome and help them to settle in to their new life in Breadsall. As noted elsewhere, her first service will be a joint communion with our sister churches of Morley and Smalley to be held on Sunday May 12th at Morley church at 1030 am.

Her first services at Breadsall will be on Sunday 19th May at 8.00 followed by the 8.00 and 10.15 services on Sunday 26th May.

Christian Aid week

In the next weeks, we will be trialling a device that allows gifts to be made using your contactless bank card. Initially, this is to raise funds for Christian Aid. However, if this proves successful, we will consider acquiring the device for future use. Please support the Christian Aid collection as we are not aware of any door to door collections in the village this year.

Sunday 12 May

Please note that there will be NO service at 0800 or 1015 in Breadsall church on the 12 May. We are all invited to a joint service at Morley church at 1030 to celebrate Kate’s first communion with us.

Lent Groups

Lent groups will be happening from Thursday 7th March for 6 weeks.

There will be 2 groups meeting: one in Morley Hayes on Thursdays at 7.30pm: the other will meet in Breadsall Church (at least initially) on Friday evenings at 8pm. We will be using a book called Cover to Cover: Who is the Christ?, copies of which should be available this week. We are meeting jointly with Morley and Smalley churches who will be our sister parishes once Kate arrives.

Electoral Roll

The electoral roll is subject to a complete renewal in 2019. All existing persons on the roll will need to apply to join the new roll, being prepared before the Annual Meeting. The closing date for applications for the new roll will be 17th March 2019.

Forms will be available in church shortly.

Appointment

The Diocese has announced the appointment of the Rev Kate Plant as Priest-in-charge of Breadsall and Morley with Smalley. Mrs Plant will take up her post in the Spring.

Please watch for confirmation and place for her licencing, and pray for her and her husband as they prepare for the move.

Extraordinary Meeting 27 January

There will be an extraordinary meeting of the church and parish to be held at the end of the Morning Service on Sunday 27th January at around 11.30 in Church. The sole item will be to vote on a proposal to extend the maximum term for Churchwarden by 1 additional year.

Christmas Card 2018

The pupils from Breadsall School again have provided the church with a difficult choice for the cover of this year’s xmas card. We finally chose the following design by Millie – watch out for the card coming through your door in the next week or so.

To all the other entrants – thank you for your entry. We intend to have them all displayed in the church for the next few weeks.

Vacancy advertised

The position of Priest-in-charge for Breadsall, Smalley and Morley has now been advertised on the Derby Diocese website. Please pray that the right person will see and respond to this advert and that an appointment can be made in the New Year.