St. Mark's, Flecknoe

Harvest Festival Supper 2007

2007-11-07T11:31:00.001Z

The harvest supper on 7th October 2007 was a sell-out with over 60 attendees. These photographs show many of those who supported the event and enjoyed an excellent home cooked meal.

Following the meal the produce which decorated the church for our harvest service was auctioned, raising the very creditable sum of £245.37 which has been donated to the ARC Addington Fund, based locally at Stoneleigh Park. This fund has been set up to provide help for farmers in distress, a particular problem this year with first the floods, then foot and mouth and now blue tongue disease. An appropriate charity with the close links between harvest and farming.

Once again, many thanks to all those who supported this event, and to those who gave up their time to prepare and serve such a delicious supper.

Holiday Club at Flecknoe, August 2007

2007-11-05T23:26:00.000Z

The holiday club, held from 29th to 31st August 2007, was a great success with 12 children attending, up from 7 last year.

The theme this year was ‘Journeys’ and included the stories of Jonah, The Good Samaritan and Jesus' visit to the temple as a child.

The children produced wonderful collages of Jonah and the Whale.

We went on our own journey following maps to a local pond where we had a picnic. This was followed by pond dipping with the children investigating the creatures living in the pond, as well as the plants growing nearby. The children also played outdoor games.

Not quite Jonah in this bucket but still fascinating for the children!

The holiday club finished with the children acting the story of the Good Samaritan and singing songs they had learnt to their parents.

So another successful Holiday Club this year, and many thanks to all who helped and participated.

The 'Clay' Prayer: a prayer for discipleship and Christian vocation

2007-04-10T19:30:00.000+01:00

Now that Easter has come and gone, this is an ideal time for us to recommit ourselves to Christ. Our next Holy Communion Service at St. Mark's, Flecknoe, is this coming Sunday, 15th April, at 9.00am. The next Family Service will be held on Sunday May 6th at the later time of 4.00pm.

The short prayer below is on the subject of discipleship and vocation, and would be useful for those searching for their true path as Christians.

For as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O House of Israel.
Jeremiah 18: 6

CLAY PRAYER

Lord God, who creates all things for a reason,
shape us like clay to your purpose,
tell us our true names.
Fire us with the Holy Spirit, in darkness
and in light.
Guide us to the people and places
that can work your will in us.
For we are ready, Lord,
to be made your servants and your disciples
in Christ's name.
Amen.

Prayer by Jane Holland, Warwickshire.

Flecknoe's Great Gingerbread Bake

2007-04-05T01:03:00.000+01:00

To visit another local blog and see what some Flecknoe villagers and other local people got up to for Mother's Day with our Ginger Bread Bake, organised here in Flecknoe by Reverend Jane Close, please click on theoreillyfamily.blogspot.com

Easter Weekend Workshop & Special Saturday Vigil

2007-03-28T18:23:00.000+01:00

This year Easter falls on the second Sunday of the month, April 8th, so we will be changing our normal service pattern to fit in both with this and the services in the other churches within the benefice. Please note, this means we will not hold a family service on Sunday 1st April, as there is a special Palm Sunday service at Leamington Hastings at 6.30pm.

Instead we will have an Easter workshop on Saturday 7th April from 11 to 12.30am. We anticipate that workshop activities will include egg painting, an Easter egg hunt, making Easter cards and decorating Easter biscuits (if there is time). All children are very welcome!

On the evening of Saturday April 7th, we will be holding an Easter Vigil in St. Mark's, Flecknoe, at 7.30pm, as there will be no service in our church on Easter Sunday.

Special Lent Lunches & Services in the Leam Valley Benefice: February, March and on Palm Sunday.

2007-02-11T12:07:00.000Z

Lent 2007 will start with a celebration of the Eucharist at 7.30pm in All Saints Church, Leamington Hastings on 21st February. This will be followed by a series of Ecumenical Services on Thursday evenings in different churches which will look at different aspects of the story of the ‘Prodigal Son’.

On March 1st this will be at St Nicholas’ Church, Willoughby, at 7.30pm and on March 8th, at the same time at Broadwell Methodist chapel.

On 15th March the service will be held at 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church, Grandborough, and here at St Mark’s, Flecknoe, on 22nd March also at 7.30pm.

The final service will be held at Grandborough Methodist chapel on March 29th.

During lent simple lunches will be held in each Parish on Wednesdays in the same week as the lent service. Our lunch in Flecknoe will be held on 21st March and will be hosted by Ann Absalom at Elizabeth House. A collection will be made at these lunches for Sebokeng, a Parish just outside Johannesburg in South Africa, which has been supported by Leamington Hastings Church since 1996.

It is hoped that at the end of Lent a Sebokeng choir will join us for a very special service of celebration at Leamington Hastings church at 6.30pm on Palm Sunday, April 1st.

Coffee Morning: Friday 23rd February

2007-02-09T18:50:00.000Z

Meet Jane Close, our new Vicar!

There will be a Coffee Morning on Friday 23rd February from 10am to 12 noon, very kindly hosted by PCC member Sara Jolley at Underwood Cottage, Flecknoe.

This Flecknoe coffee morning will be a good ice-breaking opportunity for recent arrivals to the village to meet other residents, and also a chance for any villagers who have not yet met her to be introduced to Jane Close, our new Leam Valley Vicar.

Hopefully, recent snow problems will have melted away in time for our ice-breaker!

Coffee Morning
10am - 12pm
Friday 23rd February
Underwood Cottage, Flecknoe

Bishop Colin Announces His Retirement!

2007-01-28T17:38:00.000Z

On January 24th, the Bishop of Coventry, the Right Reverend Colin Bennetts, announced his retirement with effect from December 1st 2007. He will be 67 years old.

"I would like to see a confident, growing church, inspired by the Gospel ... "

According to the Coventry Diocese website, since moving to Coventry with their four grown-up children, two sons and two daughters, Bishop Colin and his wife Veronica are now busy grandparents with six grandsons and one honorary granddaughter.

Speaking of his hopes for the future, Bishop Colin says:

"I would like to see a confident, growing church, inspired by the Gospel, serving the community and not taking itself too seriously. However I would like to stress that I am here for the rest of the year and not hanging my mitre up just yet!”

*

You can read more about Bishop Colin's career and his retirement plans at either BBC Coventry & Warwickshire or on the Church of England's Coventry Diocese home page.

*

Bethlehem School Collection: £99.65

2007-01-28T16:32:00.000Z

Thanks to all who gave so generously at our annual Carol Singing collection in December. The charity being supported for 2007 was the Syrian Orthodox Christian St. Aphrem School at Beit Jallah in Bethlehem. Flecknoe carol singers raised £99.65 for the school - an excellent amount from such a small village!

Many thanks again to those who donated money, and also to the carol singers themselves for their marvellous singing.

COMING SOON: Fishy Fun at Flecknoe's Family Service

2007-01-28T16:27:00.001Z

NEXT FAMILY SERVICE: Sunday 4th February.
Apparently, the theme for our family service on Sunday 4th February at 4pm involves a fishy tale! All are very welcome at this children-oriented service which is now becoming established on our church calendar for the first Sunday in every month. In our service on March 4th, we will look into Lent and learn the significance of this period of the church year.

All very welcome!

Christingles Workshop & Service, 16th & 17th December

2006-12-30T17:35:00.000Z

Children and adults making the Christingles on Saturday 16th December 2006 in St. Mark's Church at our workshop.

Receiving and enjoying the Christingles at the Carol Service on Sunday 17th December 2006.

FROM ALL AT ST. MARK'S, A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Gifts for Christmas with Christian Aid

2006-11-16T21:08:00.000Z

Roughly this time last year we posted up a link to the Christian Aid gift catalogue, prompting people to buy presents and help improve lives at the same time.

This year we are continuing with that idea, so here is our second link to the online Christian Aid Christmas Selection 2006 - the first was posted up back in August! - and here's hoping you are all able to choose some gift from their catalogue, however small, knowing that each sale will help the charity.

The sort of gifts you can expect to find in their selection this year are varied, including wines from around the world, giftwrap, Christian-themed cards and calendars, foodstuffs, Traidcraft coffee and biscuits, and some charming ornaments, many of them handcrafted, such as a tiny Copper Church from Peru and a Balinese Batik container in split bamboo.

Please watch this space for details of the forthcoming Carol Service at St. Mark's.

Merry Christmas!

Harvest Festival 2006

2006-10-14T01:23:00.000+01:00

Members of the PCC serving multiple Shepherds Pies, followed by puddings made with local produce such as damsons & apples

St Mark's Church Harvest Festival 2006

Our annual Harvest Festival was held on Sunday 24th September 2006, with that date marking a return to fortnightly services at St. Mark's.

As always the Harvest Festival was a splendid village event and much enjoyed by all who participated, both at the service and the traditional harvest supper.

The service in St Mark's Church at 6pm was the first opportunity for us to welcome our new vicar, Jane Close, pictured here at the supper afterwards; she preached to us very appropriately about new beginnings.

The harvest supper itself followed at 7pm. Our village hall was filled to capacity and all who came enjoyed an excellent meal of shepherds pie followed by a variety of puddings made by villagers using local produce, damsons and apples.

David Thomas added humour to the evening as he sold off the donated harvest produce.

Each year the money raised by our auction of produce goes to a good cause, sometimes overseas, sometimes closer to home. This year, £177.50 was raised for local charity, Rugby Myton Hospice.

Many thanks to everyone who took part with such generosity and we hope to see you all again soon!

Harvest Festival Supper

2006-09-17T11:30:00.000+01:00

Sunday 24th September at 6pm: Come and celebrate the Harvest Festival at St. Mark's Church

St. Mark's Harvest Festival Supper, 2005

All are Welcome!
Our Harvest Festival service and supper will take place on Sunday 24th September. The church service begins at 6pm and all are very welcome to come and take part in this special annual celebration of the Lord's bounty. The meal follows shortly afterwards in the Village Hall, provided by members of the PCC and other volunteers, and there will be the usual auction of fresh produce after the meal which raises money for charity.

Tickets for the Harvest Festival supper are available from Jane at Bramble Cottage (next door to the church) or Clare at Hillcrest House.

Detail from a stained glass window in St. Mark's, Flecknoe

Reading the Bible Every Day

2006-09-08T08:16:00.000+01:00

365 Ways to Make a Difference: Daily Bible Readings

A new book available from Christian Aid draws on the true stories of people working with and touched by Christian Aid's partner organistions. It challenges readers to connect their personal faith to what is happening around the world today. This specially commissioned book offers a Bible reading for every day of the year, with reflection, a prayer and even a suggestion for practical action.

Priced at £14.99, this fascinating book is available from the Christian Aid catalogue and website. Visit www.traidcraftshop.co.uk for details of how to buy this and other Christian products. Christian Aid says all profits go back into funding development projects around the world.

Reading the Bible daily has long been part of Christian discipline and faith. This can be done without any need for 'explanatory notes' or other accompanying material, but some people do find it helpful to have their reading structured.

Christian Aid Christmas Catalogue

2006-08-30T01:14:00.000+01:00

I know, it's a little early to be thinking about Christmas - still trying to be summer in some parts of our rainy island - but the new Christian Aid Christmas catalogue is now available and always a good first choice when browsing for gifts in advance.

Aside from the usual beautifully designed cards and gift wrap, there are new and unusual gifts to be purchased this year. Most of the gifts in the catalogue are made by workers in the developing world, under fair-trade agreements, and profits are ploughed back into funding development projects around the world.

To entice you further, the sort of gifts you can buy through Christian Aid this year include a handcrafted miniature copper church from Peru, silken Christmas baubles from India, a Balinese Batik holder made of split bamboo, a Festive Chest of Chocolate Coins from the Philippines, and wonderfully aromatic Arabica coffee beans in a calico drawstring bag, packaged in Bangladesh.

To receive a free copy of the Christian Aid Christmas Selection in good time for seasonal gift-buying ahead of the rush, you can telephone 020 7523 2229 or visit www.christianaid.org.uk/christmas.

United Service of Holy Communion: to be held this Sunday 27th August

2006-08-22T00:56:00.000+01:00

Joint Service at St. Marks

The school holidays are sadly drawing to a close, the weather has taken on a distinctly chilly turn, and many of us in this rural benefice will be geared up for harvest time already after such a hot summer. To mark the end of our summer break, and in the knowledge that our own Harvest Festival celebration is fast approaching, we will be hosting a United Service of Holy Communion this weekend in St. Mark's, Flecknoe.

The Service of Holy Communion will take place at 10.30am this Sunday 27th August. As always, everyone is extremely welcome to join us in worship this weekend, both from the village of Flecknoe itself and from all the other parishes in our benefice.

Annual Spring Teas in June

2006-07-13T09:40:00.000+01:00

Sunday June 11th 2006 at St Mark's Church, Flecknoe

Our annual Spring Teas event in June went very well this year, providing another chance to raise money for the church and bring our small village community together.

It was a warm and sunny afternoon, right in the middle of this very unBritish heatwave we've been enjoying for some weeks now, and the delicious refreshments provided by members of our PCC (below) were much appreciated.

Once again the PCC would like to thank everyone who attended this successful afternoon at St. Mark's - the popularity of the event is not reflected by these photos, as our photographer forgot to take more once the event got into full swing! - and, of course, those who provided the excellent cream teas that you can see above.

New Vicar Appointed

2006-06-25T17:22:00.000+01:00

The Good News!

We are delighted to announce that Jane Close has been appointed to become our new non-stipendiary Parish Priest. She will be responsible for the four Parishes of Leamington Hastings, Grandborough, Willoughby and Flecknoe.

Jane will be licensed by Bishop John on 21st September and will live in Willoughby Vicarage. She comes to us from Fillongly and Corley Parish in Coventry where she is Assistant Curate and is 57 years old. She is married to Brian who is a deputy headmaster and they have three sons, Simon (32), Nicholas (30) and Alexander (25).

She was ordained Priest in Coventry in 2004. Before this she worked for six years in a Residential Drug Rehabilitation Home becoming acting deputy manager and was engaged with prison interviewing, drug counselling and providing volunteers with support and training.

Summer Holiday Club in August

2006-06-24T00:27:00.000+01:00

The Leam Valley Holiday Club will be taking place in Flecknoe again this summer. It is for children aged 5 to 11 and will run over three days from 7th to 9th August and is open for children from all the Leam Valley parishes. Let us know if you would like your children to take part and/or if you are able to help. Contact Clare Grant on 01788 891076.

Here are the children and volunteer helpers on last year's Holiday Club day trip to Coventry Cathedral.

The Survival of the Church: an interview with Linda Woodhead

2006-06-24T00:16:00.000+01:00

From the Coventry Diocese monthly digest of interesting Church-related reports, this fascinating article seems to fit our recent discussions on why so many people are choosing not to go to church these days.

Holistic spirit: The Tablet Interview, with Linda Woodhead

One of Britain’s leading sociologists of religion, Linda Woodhead, tells Theo Hobson of the vital choices the Church must make to survive:

“I’d say: whose common good is it that you’re talking about, and why do people leaving the Churches, and perhaps getting involved in the holistic milieu, not feel that it’s their common good? Perhaps your common good is actually quite a narrow common good; and there’s a big group of people, mostly women, for whom it hasn’t been very good, and you have to understand why they are going elsewhere for the spiritual, which they’re still deeply engaged with. There’s a big gender element: I think the Church needs to be much more aware about the message it has given women about being selfless, and think hard about why many women feel that’s an unfair burden that’s been placed on them.”

Linda Woodhead in the Tablet (10/06/2006) discussing the emphasis currently placed by Christians on the 'common good'.

Why has church attendance slumped over the last 20 years? Your chance to address the issues ...

2006-06-22T11:03:00.000+01:00

Church Attendance Discussion

On Monday 10th July at 7.30pm at Hillcrest House, we will be holding our third meeting to discuss the church report on why attendance at church services for most denominations has declined over the last 20 years.

It has been most interesting to get an insight into the problems faced by the church as it tries to make itself relevant in a secular world. Please join us at this final meeting. This meeting will take the place of our regular church services in July.

For more information contact Andrew Grant on 01788 891076.

Andrew Grant asks searching questions about the moral issue of global warming

2006-06-22T10:59:00.000+01:00

'Global challenge' - a newsletter article by Andrew Grant (Churchwarden, Flecknoe)

"On a visit to the United States in May, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, used the opportunity to raise the moral issue of global warming. Much effort is spent by the church and Christian charities such as Christian Aid and Tear Fund to try and improve the lot of the millions round the World who lack the basic necessities of life that we take for granted. We dip into our pockets whenever we hear of humanitarian disasters and satisfy ourselves that we are doing our bit to help those less fortunate than ourselves. But is there a greater moral issue that we are not facing up to?

The evidence is now clear that our consumption of the Word’s resources and in particular of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas has taken the level of carbon dioxide in the air to the point where a significant rise in global temperatures is inevitable. What will be the consequences of this? There has been much publicity surrounding the increased hurricane activity in the Caribbean and destruction of New Orleans, but what of the impact on the poor of the World? Many tens of millions already live in marginal areas where rains frequently fail. For them life will become unsustainable. We, the more prosperous nations, are already saying we can not take in more immigrants and are devising ways to make our borders more secure. What is to happen to those who must move to survive? It is probable that this will number more than a billion people within 50 years, given current trends.

What is our Christian responsibility? We can not let them starve, but neither can our damaged planet enable them to live. Is this not the greatest moral dilemma facing our World today? We in the developed world must make sacrifices to our standard of living now to allow the less fortunate a life. Is it surprising that our Archbishop chose to raise this issue in the land that symbolises consumerisation?"

Andrew Grant.

Cream Teas: Sunday 11th June, 3 - 5pm

2006-06-04T19:31:00.000+01:00

Please do visit St Mark's Church on Sunday 11th June for our annual Spring Teas event, though in June it should really be Summer Teas!

Tea, squash, cream scones and other refreshments will be available. There will also be a raffle in aid of church funds. Everybody very welcome, especially families with children!

Sunday 11th June
3 - 5pm

Come & Discuss the Church Report: Monday 12th June

2006-06-04T19:27:00.000+01:00

St Mark's will be holding a second meeting in June to discuss the church report on why attendances at church services for most denominations has declined over the past 20 years. This will take place on Monday 12th June at 7.30pm at Hillcrest House, Flecknoe. All are welcome. This discussion meeting takes the place of regular church services during the month of June.

A third meeting will be held on Monday 10th July. For more information please contact Andrew Grant, Churchwarden, on 01788 891076.

Clay Prayer: Being a Disciple

2006-05-26T16:54:00.000+01:00

For as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O House of Israel
Jeremiah 18: 6

CLAY PRAYER
Lord God, who creates all things for a reason,
shape us like clay to your purpose, tell us
our true names.
Fire us with the Holy Spirit, in darkness
and in light.
Guide us to the people and places
that can work your will in us.
For we are ready, Lord,
to be made your servants and your disciples
in Christ's name.

Amen

Prayer from Jane Holland, Warwickshire

Don't forget, the weekly meetings at Elizabeth House, Flecknoe, are continuing at 7.30pm on Thursday evenings, where you can follow a US-devised course entitled 'Being a Disciple: Counting the Real Cost.' These weekly meetings are being led by one of our new church members, Ann Absolom, who first suggested the idea and is now organising the course.

Christian Aid Week - please do give GENEROUSLY!

2006-05-18T12:38:00.000+01:00

It's that time of the year again when you get the little red and white envelopes through your letter box and later someone should come round to collect them from you, hopefully filled with cash etc. But although it's only one week out of the year when Christian Aid is visible on your doorstep, the work of Christian Aid goes on 365 days of the year, year in, year out.

Christian Aid helps the world's poorest communities grow their own way out of poverty. Their motto for this Christian Aid Week: You add. We multiply. And you can see for yourself, with their 'multiplier machine' how Christian Aid uses your donations to invest in things that grow to help communities for years to come.

Visit Christian Aid online to see how your money is helping people in need around the world, by clicking Christian Aid.

Your donations can go a long way:

£7 / €10
pays the monthly salary of a teacher in Bangladesh

£19 / €28
can buy a sheep in Bolivia

£57 / €82
can buy a hive and train a beekeeper in the DR Congo

And, of course, much much more! So please do give generously this Christian Aid week ... or all year round, if you like, by visiting their site (link above) and seeing how your continuing donations can help.

Join us for monthly Monday meetings, starting 8th May.

2006-05-04T13:39:00.000+01:00

Although there will be no services at St. Mark's for a few months, the Flecknoe PCC have arranged for monthly meetings of one hour approximately, to take place over the summer to ensure we don't lose touch with each other. The meetings will start on Monday 8th May. Subsequent meetings will be June 12th and 10th July. There will be no meeting in August.

The first meeting will be at 7.30pm at Hillcrest House, Flecknoe, Monday 8th May. We will be discussing why church attendance across all denominations is continuing to diminish, with reference to a recent ecumenical survey looking at statistics and possible reasons for this decline. Discussion will be informal and anyone is welcome to come along.

For more information, please contact our churchwarden, Andrew Grant, on 01788 891076.

'Being a Disciple': a six week course

2006-05-02T09:56:00.000+01:00

You are invited to a six week Bible study course from the U.S. entitled 'Being a Disciple: Counting the Real Cost'.

The first meeting is on Thursday 4th May at 7.30pm and is being held at Elizabeth House, Flecknoe, by one of our new church members, Ann Absolom, who suggested and is organising the course herself.

Download a Sermon

2006-04-26T10:00:00.000+01:00

There are to be no church services at St. Mark's from now until August 27th, but there's no need to go without spiritual guidance. All the new web-based technology (such as media players and mp3s) has led to a number of churches putting their sermons on the internet. The best examples are given below (including some sermons by John Ortberg).

Please note, all the church sites listed below are based in the US.

'MPPC Family' Sermons
'Peach Trees' Sermons
'South East Christian' Sermons

Encounters on the Edge - the rural church today

2006-04-22T00:23:00.000+01:00

For those interested in the problems of contemporary rural mission, the Church Army recently produced a very helpful edition of 'Encounters on the Edge' that includes a summary of the situation facing the rural church (by George Lings). Issue number 27 (click here for further details) includes some very helpful reflections on patterns of services in rural multi-parish benefices.

He refers to the lessons we can learn from the Methodist Church who reduced the number of services offered in their smaller rural chapels in the hope that people would travel to a nearby chapel where regular worship was considered sustainable. He notes: "The policy became to close small local chapels and ask people to come together to form critical mass or joinable churches. Conversations I had with Methodist leaders tell me one third of the people simply stopped going anywhere, one third stayed local but transferred (usually to the Anglicans) and only one third complied."

Turning to the practice in the Church of England, he writes: "Many services became no longer weekly but monthly, creating a context which demanded esoteric knowledge to find them, discouraged that favoured Anglican bird of passage, the casual attender, and created patterns of irregular attendance as an unwelcome norm in spirituality."

He also adds that "it is better to provide simple but sustainable weekly lay-led services of the word, with Eucharist less frequently, than to operate with the priest as a whirling dervish Eucharistic machine, flying around the benefice, parachuting in for the magic words, splitting the integrity of word and sacrament and unable to build pastoral contacts."

Some thought-provoking remarks there and something, perhaps, for browsers from other rural parishes to pursue further. The suggestion of 'lay-led services' is particularly fascinating and apposite in these days of priest shortages.

Here at the small church of St Mark's in Flecknoe, faced with just such a shortage, we have already taken the difficult decision to 'close' in terms of regular services and only offer the four major services of Easter Sunday, Harvest Festival, the annual Carol Service and, of course, Christmas Day itself. It does mean that the 'casual attender' referred to above is going to be discouraged. But in a tiny rural community like ours, even the casual attender is practically extinct. And in the age of the car, worshippers are not worried by the idea of travelling a few extra miles to larger and more lively churches. It is our hope, naturally, that they will continue to worship in the absence of regular services here at St Mark's and not leave the Church altogether ...

Easter Lilies

2006-04-05T10:42:00.000+01:00

Easter is almost upon us but there's still time if you would like to make a donation towards our Easter lilies in memory of a loved one. Donations for flowers to Sarah Jolley at Underwood Cottage, Flecknoe by Wednesday 12th April, please.

Prayer requests can be left in the secure postbox in the church porch.

And don't forget, our Easter Day service is a service of Holy Communion at 10.30pm Sunday 16th April. Everyone especially welcome for this, our last official service until the Harvest Festival in September, although a United Service for all churches in the benefice is to be held at St. Mark's on August 27th, 10.30am.

New Christian Aid logo and catalogue!

2006-03-29T20:16:00.000+01:00

Christian Aid has just redesigned their logo and are launching various new fund-raising ventures in light of that change, including a catalogue packed full of handy everyday goods such as T-shirts, mugs, worship materials and a selection of books.

If you'd like to raise money for Christian Aid and own some of those goods yourself, click here to be redirected to the exact Christian Aid website page where you can download the new catalogue or order it to arrive through the post. You can also go on to explore their fascinating website with many useful resources for Christians and more ideas on charitable fund-raising ...

A Prayer for Mothering Sunday

2006-03-20T13:30:00.000Z

Following on from the last post here, there is actually another Holy Communion service before Christmas ... on Easter Sunday, in fact, when you're all very welcome to join us at St. Mark's for our last service of the present schedule, at 10.30am. After that, the church will not be holding another Sunday service until the Harvest Festival celebration in September.

But before Easter Day, we have Mothering Sunday fast approaching! Which means breakfast in bed for mothers and carers everywhere, and a chance to show them how much you appreciate their untiring work.

Here is a longer version of a short prayer from the Mother's Union, specially adapted to be used on Mothering Sunday:

Dear God

We thank you for mothers.

We thank you for all those who care for us
in quiet, often unrecognised ways;
we thank you for all those who care for others
in patience and love.

We are sorry for those times when we have failed
to care for others
and pray that you will teach us
to care as you do

and that you will hold all mothers
and carers
in the light of your presence
and guide them to you.

Amen.

This prayer was produced by the Mother's Union. Used with kind permission.

Holy Communion 9am Sunday 19th March

2006-03-16T09:58:00.000Z

St. Timothy, celebrated here in one of the beautiful stained glass windows at St. Mark's Church, Flecknoe

As many of you in the Leam Valley benefice will know, our little church in Flecknoe has decided to drop to four services a year, since the diocese will only fund a part-time priest for our benefice - two days a week to cover five parishes - and the small but loyal congregation here at St. Mark's, Flecknoe, cannot continue to pay a full Parish Share under those conditions.

So the time is now fast approaching when our usual schedule of services will stop, which is the Easter Day service. After Easter - apart from weddings, funerals and baptisms as required - there will not be another service at St. Mark's until the Harvest Festival. That will be followed by a Family Carol Service in December and a Christmas Day Holy Communion Service, with nothing after that until Easter 2007.

In light of that, we are extending a particularly warm welcome to all those in the surrounding area to join us for our last few services.

This Sunday, March 19th, will be a 9am Service of Holy Communion and you are all very welcome to join us.

Christian Aid's East Africa emergency appeal

2006-03-08T11:59:00.000Z

The UN estimate that 11 million people across eastern Africa are in desperate need of food and water. There are reports of people dying of thirst. Christian Aid - amongst other charities - is responding but need your help to avert a region-wide catastrophe.

Christian Aid is working with partners in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Tanzania but more help is urgently needed. If you are in a position to make a donation, please do give generously.

Christian Aid estimates that:

• £20 / €30 will provide water for a family for two months
• £50 / €75 will help provide food for families as well as fodder for their livestock
• £100 / €150 will pay for a tanker to deliver 10,000 litres of water

You can find Christian Aid online - and hopefully make a donation - by clicking here.

Soup Kitchen for the Homeless in Rugby

2006-02-26T11:58:00.000Z

We've just heard about the Hope4 Homeless Project, an excellent new venture being undertaken by Rugby Churches Together, providing food and support for the homeless in our local area.

As part of this project, the ecumenical group opened a 'soup kitchen' in the foyer of St Andrews Church on the 20th February. The kitchen will now be open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening from 6 – 8.30pm, when they will serve hot food and drink to the homeless people of Rugby.

We found this interesting information on the brand-new website for Rugby Quakers, one of our local church groups which is involved in the homeless project. You can find out more about the project by going to this webpage which is part of the Rugby Churches website.

Bishops Colin and John come to Rugby

2006-02-13T23:47:00.000Z

Bishops' 'Vision and Values' Evening

Please note, for anyone hoping to attend the Bishops' 'Vision and Values' evening in Rugby Deanery on Sunday 19 March, the event is not to be held at St Mark's Church, Bilton, as previously advertised, but at St George's (just off the Hillmorton Road in Rugby).

The Bishops' visit to Rugby Deanery is open to all members of the church who might wish to listen to Colin and John, the Bishops respectively of Coventry and Warwick, as they focus 'on the nature of the God revealed in Jesus Christ and the kind of church that we are called to be', inviting the whole Coventry diocese to 'rediscover the priority of prayer and worship'.

If you do wish to attend, the evening will run from 6.00 to 9.00 pm. The Bishops' visit would be of particular interest to anyone in Rugby Deanery who is closely involved with the church, such as Readers and members of local PCCs or other church groups, as well as churchwardens and clergy.

Church Post Box for St. Mark's

2006-02-13T23:39:00.000Z

Our Church Post Box Has Arrived!

This is our new secure post box, located for maximum accessibility in the church porch at St. Mark’s. The box is for posting prayer requests, comments and any other business you might like to bring to the attention of the PCC.

This is an idea many other churches have used successfully in a similar way, and one the PCC has been wanting to implement for some time, so it’s a pleasure to finally see our new post box in situ at St. Mark’s Church. We hope everyone will feel free to use it and let us have their prayer requests and suggestions.

Family Service tomorrow at 10.30am

2006-02-04T12:32:00.000Z

Don't forget, there's a Family Service at St. Mark's, Flecknoe, tomorrow - Sunday 5th February - at 10.30am. Everyone is very welcome to attend, especially families. There is a games table for younger children at the rear of the church, with puzzles, games and colouring provided by the church.

It was good to see so many people at our United Benefice Service at St. Mark's last Sunday morning - hopefully we will see more new faces tomorrow!

More new churches than Starbucks stores!

2006-01-24T19:13:00.000Z

We heard recently that new research - due to be released at the upcoming Mission 21 conference on church planting - will reveal that more new churches are opening in the UK than the popular Starbucks coffee stores. These new research figures clearly undermine the often-cited view that the church is a dying institution with no relevance to modern society.

While 481 UK Starbucks branches have opened since 1998, more than 500 churches started up during the same period. This figure is based on only 18 of the more than 400 denominations in the UK, so many more churches may actually have opened.

"This is exciting news for the UK church!" the new Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, has said, commenting on the implications of this research. "It seems that everywhere I look today there is a new Starbucks full of people. It is great to think that the same thing is happening with churches. Jesus has so much more to offer to people's lives than just a caffeine buzz!"

Dates for your Diary Spring 2006

2006-01-17T12:30:00.000Z

There was a meeting of the Parochial Church Council in Flecknoe last night and it was decided that services at St. Mark’s should remain as they are for the moment - Family Service on the 1st Sunday and Holy Communion on the 3rd Sunday of every month. There will be further discussion on the future of the benefice at a meeting next month organised by the Archdeacon.

Other matters under discussion included our annual Spring Teas event - to be held this year on Sunday June 11th between 3 and 5pm - and a weekday Bring & Buy Coffee Morning in late March, details to be confirmed soon.

Andrew Grant would also like to remind people across the benefice that the ecumenical Lent group meetings will be starting again in late February, discussing various topics inspired by the current series of short programmes on Radio 4 entitled Who Killed Christianity?’ Meetings are likely to start at 7.30pm, with dates for your diary as follows:

28th February: The Almshouses, Leamington Hastings
7th March: Methodist Chapel, Broadwell
13th March: Methodist Chapel, Grandborough
21st March: Hillcrest House, Flecknoe
27th March: Willoughby Vicarage

Finally, just a reminder that our next service at St. Mark’s Flecknoe will be held on Sunday February 5th at 10.30am. That will a Family Service and everyone is most welcome to join us.

If you do come along to see us, or drop in to visit the church over the next few weeks, you’ll find a new Church of England publication on display at St. Mark’s, the Fresh Expressions newsletter, which is all about new contemporary ways of ‘being church’ and worshipping in the modern world.

Well worth reading, the Fresh Expressions newsletter contains lively articles on ‘cell churches’ (the growing trend for home prayer and worship groups), ‘skateboarding and spirituality’ (Legacy XS is a new purpose-built indoor skate park at a Christian youth centre) and ‘i-church’ (an Anglican Internet Community based on Benedictine principles).

To find out more about these fresh new ways of ‘being church’, you can visit the Fresh Expressions website by clicking here.

Holy Communion 9am this Sunday

2006-01-11T21:55:00.000Z

Our first Holy Communion of the New Year will be held this Sunday 15th January at St. Mark's Church, Flecknoe, at the usual time of 9am. We would be delighted to see you there.

2006 could be an exciting year for St. Mark's, with the possibility of far-reaching changes in the traditional structure of our benefice and some new faces presiding over our Sunday services. We should hear soon from the Rev'd Elizabeth Dyke at Dunchurch who has agreed to enter into discussion with Flecknoe PCC about the future of St. Mark's now that we are to lose Rev'd Bill Griffiths as well as our retired vicar Rev'd Beth Smith.

We hope you will join with us in praying for guidance at this time of inevitable change, for both congregation and clergy, and also for renewed patience and spiritual confidence as we come to terms with these changes and fit them into our everyday lives as Christians.

'Good News' at Christmas!

2005-12-20T18:44:00.000Z

The following is part of a longer article posted on the Church of England website this week:

‘'More than four out of ten adults will attend church this Christmas – up by a third in the past four years.

Christmas worshippers are on the increase with more than 43 per cent of Britain’s adult population expected to attend church over the festival, according to a survey by opinion pollster ORB. The figure has been steadily rising since the turn of the millennium from the 33 per cent found by ORB in 2001, to 39 per cent in 2003 and now 43 per cent in 2005.

ORB surveyed 1019 adults aged 18 and over by a random telephone poll between November 4 and 6, 2005.’'

St. Mark's, Flecknoe: Holy Communion on Christmas Day, 10.30am.

Carol Service 2005 photographs

2005-12-19T19:18:00.000Z

Once again, our lively annual Carol Service at St. Mark's Church, Flecknoe, proved to be a successful and enjoyable event for everyone. In excess of fifty people made the trip out to St. Mark's, in spite of chilly weather, with many families bringing small children to join in the singing and take home a specially prepared 'Christingle' - a tastily decorated orange, with a central candle representing Jesus as the light of the world. Our grateful thanks, as usual, to those tireless workers who gave up their time to prepare the church so beautifully and to make Christingles for the children.

For those who particularly enjoy singing, don't forget there will be Carol Singing round the village on Tuesday 20th. We will be meeting at Hillcrest House at 6pm. Wrap up warmly!

The children were in fine voice this year for their traditional solo ... after a slightly bumpy start!

'Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down his sweet head'

'Jesus Christ - The Light of the World'

The PCC would like to thank everybody who came to St. Mark's Carol Service; we hope to see you again soon! Just as a final reminder, there will be a Holy Communion service on Christmas Day at 10.30 in the morning. Do please join us for that as well, you are all very welcome. In the New Year, services will start again on Sunday 15th January with Holy Communion at 9am.

Carol Service with Christingles: Tonight at 6pm

2005-12-18T10:41:00.000Z

Please do join us for carols and mince pies at tonight's Carol Service, 6pm, St Mark's Church, Flecknoe. We look forward to seeing as many villagers there as possible!

Also, don't forget, our special Christmas Day Holy Communion Service is at 10.30am next Sunday.

Merry Christmas!

"Merry Christmas" from St. Mark's PCC

2005-12-08T22:38:00.000Z

The PCC of St. Mark's Church, Flecknoe, would like to wish everyone a merry, peaceful Christmas, and a very Happy New Year!

Following Rev'd Beth Smith's retirement as vicar last Christmas, 2005 has been a year of change for our little church, and indeed for the whole Leam Valley Benefice. Now Rev'd Bill Griffiths has announced that he too will be leaving the benefice within the next six months, and difficult circumstances mean that we have not yet been able to enter into proper discussions about re-drawing the benefice boundaries and joining with Dunchurch.

In spite of all this, services will be continuing as normal at St. Mark's for the foreseeable future, with a Family Service on the first Sunday of the month and Holy Communion on the third Sunday. However, those of you planning to celebrate New Year in the traditional manner will be relieved to know there will be no service on Sunday 1st January!

Following our Christmas Day service at 10.30am, services will begin again on Sunday January 15th with Holy Communion at St. Marks -- everyone welcome, as always!

The beautiful organ at St. Mark's Church, Flecknoe

Dates for your Diary

2005-12-01T10:24:00.000Z

Family Service
Our monthly Family Service will be held this Sunday, December 4th, at St. Mark’s. The service begins at 10.30am with Reverend Bill Griffiths. Everyone is welcome to join us, families in particular! There is a play table at the rear of the church for smaller children, with games and colouring provided.

Bible Study
Bible Study continues on Tuesday December 6th at Willoughby Vicarage (off a lane near the village pond). The meeting starts at 7.30pm and finishes at 9pm. We are reading from the Book of Genesis; newcomers to the group are always welcome! If you would like further information, you can contact our curate Bill Griffiths on 01788 890309.

Coventry LGCM Carol Service
Also, beyond our local benefice, the annual round of carol services begins this weekend with Coventry LGCM holding their Carol Service on Sunday 4th December at 8pm at Earlsdon Methodist Church. New members and supporters welcome.

Coventry Doom Painting and the coming of Advent
In the heart of Coventry itself, the Festival of Doom and Light has just come to a spectacular end at Holy Trinity Church where - in a series of seminars, choral events and candlelit services - they have been celebrating their medieval Doom Painting along with the coming of Advent.

But there’s no need to worry if you missed the Doom Painting events. Situated right in the city centre, near the Cathedral, Holy Trinity Church is open every day for shoppers to drop in for a few moments of quiet prayer and reflection, view the beautifully restored Doom Painting and perhaps visit the gift shop!

Christmas in the parish

2005-11-30T22:37:00.000Z

The season of advent has arrived, the run-up to Christmas, and our minds are beginning to turn towards the traditional giving and receiving of gifts. For the next few weeks, people will be shopping for presents, writing Christmas cards, and sending out invitations to friends and relatives to celebrate Christmas with them. It's a busy time, a commercial time, and it can be hard for us, caught up in the bustle and fun of Christmas preparations, to remember exactly what we are celebrating and why. But for Christians, this is also a time when our thoughts turn to the birth of our Saviour and what his coming has meant for us all. Here's a short prayer, an 'arrow' prayer, for those moments when the stress of preparing for Christmas makes us temporarily lose sight of its true significance:

Lord, when our lives seem so hectic that we have barely a moment to ourselves, grant us the peace of your presence and the knowledge that you are among us now, here in the world, a living God. In the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

And here's a lovely shot of the village pond in Willoughby, one of our neighbouring parishes here in Warwickshire, taken a few days ago during the spell of icy weather. Perhaps it will be a white Christmas this year! Don't forget, our Carol Service in Flecknoe takes place on Sunday 18th December at 6pm in St. Mark's Church, with Carol Singing on Tuesday 20th December, meeting at Hillcrest House at 6pm.

longing for summer days?

2005-11-20T16:23:00.000Z

With the recent cold snap, it seems an awfully long time since the warm days of summer. So to cheer us all up, here are a couple of photographs from August 2005, looking back at our Summer School.

Every year the parishes of Flecknoe and Birdingbury get together to organise a Summer School for local children, held over three days in Flecknoe Village Hall, with fun and educational activities for a wide range of age groups. These include drawing, painting, playing, cooking, singing, a special presentation for parents and a day trip out of the parish. The Summer School's theme this year was Joseph and the Technicoloured Dream Coat. The children learnt songs, baked and decorated technicoloured cookies, painted backdrops and made special 'spoon' puppets for the show. On the last day, parents came to see a puppet show of the well-known bible story, performed by the children themselves.

Following the theme of forgiveness and reconciliation conveyed by Joseph's story, our day trip this year was to Coventry Cathedral. The weather was sunny, as these photographs show, and both helpers and children had a wonderful day out. Here they are together, posing on the steps of Coventry Cathedral, next to Sir Jacob Epstein's magnificent wall-mounted figures - just out of sight here - of St Michael defeating the Devil.

Here's another shot of the children near the altar cross in the ruins of the old Cathedral; behind it, you can just see the words Father Forgive.

Thanks to everyone who helped out at the Summer School this year, and to all the kids who joined us for those three busy days. We hope to see you all again next summer!

Carol Service with Christingles - advance notice

2005-11-18T18:39:00.000Z

For those living in Flecknoe and the surrounding parishes, here’s an advance memo for your Christmas diaries: our annual Carol Service will be held on Sunday December 18th at 6pm, in St. Mark’s Church, Flecknoe. All are welcome to attend this lively and traditional Christingles service; local children will be reading the lessons and there’ll be seasonal refreshments afterwards. Which I suspect translates as mince pies and wine! Another notice will go out in December as a quick reminder, but do remember to check back on this site regularly.

We look forward to seeing you all at that special Carol Service on the 18th December. Meanwhile, do please feel free to join us for Holy Communion this Sunday morning at 9am.

Remembrance Sunday 2005

2005-11-13T15:33:00.000Z

Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint

Isaiah 40.31

St. Mark's Churchyard, Flecknoe, Warwickshire

Two PRAYERS follow here on the occasion of Remembrance Sunday; these and further resources can be found at this prayers website.

A Prayer for the Forces of the Crown
From the Book of Common Order of the Church of Scotland
Almighty God, in you alone we find safety and peace. We commend to your gracious keeping all the men and women who serve in the Navy, the Army, or the Air Force, who face danger and put their lives at risk so that others might live in safety. Defend them day by day by your heavenly power; and help them to know that they can never pass beyond the reach of your care. Keep alive in them and in us your vision of that peace which alone we must seek and serve; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for the Victims of War
From a prayer of St Anselm (1033-1109)
God of love, whose compassion never fails; we bring before you the griefs and perils of peoples and nations; the necessities of the homeless; the helplessness of the aged and weak; the sighings of prisoners; the pains of the sick and injured; the sorrow of the bereaved. Comfort and relieve them, O merciful Father, according to their needs; for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Flecknoe: family research request

2005-11-11T19:24:00.000Z

We recently received the following request for family history information connected to the parishes of Flecknoe and Wolfhampcote. Anyone who would like to help Cyril with his request can leave a comment below this post by clicking Comment or email the Parish Information Officer (see Links column) for further information.

My grandfather William Esme Wright was born in Flecknoe in 1872, so I assume the family lived in the village at this time. His family was listed in 1881 as living in Puddle House, Wolfhampcote. I believe the family were in service with the Thornton family of Brockhall. I’m interested in this period. Perhaps you can help with a name or other information?

Thanks and regards

Cyril Cooper

Poetry Group

2005-11-03T11:13:00.000Z

There will be a meeting this month for anyone interested in forming a group to look at a particular poet’s work each month and maybe stimulate some personal writing. The first meeting will focus on the work of R.S. Thomas, a priest and world-renowned Welsh poet who only died a few years ago and whose work deals with spiritual, scientific and social themes in a highly individual and powerful manner.

The meeting is to be held at 7.30pm on Tuesday 29th November at Offa House, which is the Coventry Diocesan Retreat House and Conference Centre, based at Offchurch, near Leamington Spa.

For further details and to book a place, email offahouse@btconnect.com or phone 01926 433309.

The cost will be £4.

For more information on the work of R.S. Thomas, click here for a selection of poems or here for a short but comprehensive overview of his life and achievements.

Fancy sending some unusual gifts this Christmas?

2005-10-25T18:32:00.000+01:00

Ever thought of giving your boss a can of worms for Christmas? A herd of goats for your mother-in-law? Or perhaps a couple of sheep instead?

Christian Aid has a catalogue full of these amazing and unique gifts, priced from only £7. There's a twist though - the gifts go to the people who need them, rather than to your friends and relatives, who will receive a Christian Aid gift card instead, with a picture to show exactly what has been bought on their behalf and how it will benefit some of the poorest people in the world.

For £30, you can buy a can of worms for Bolivian farmers to improve the soil! For only £24, a community tapstand of clean fresh water can be installed to help prevent disease. For those on a budget, £7 buys a vital stethoscope for Cambodian health workers and £11 provides a mosquito net for children at risk from malaria.

More expensive gift ideas include: £55 for a latrine; a herd of goats to be 'revolved' from family to family for only £60; £150 to train a midwife; £370 to provide a Peruvian community with a rural library of 1000 books; £1,200 for earthquake-proof housing, providing much-needed shelter for those left homeless.

This is a fantastic idea and we hope everyone gives it a go this year! You can get hold of a Present Aid catalogue by calling 0845 3300 500 during office hours. Alternatively, you can visit the Present Aid website by clicking here and downloading a catalogue online. It doesn't have to be for Christmas either; you can buy these gifts all year round. Even if you feel it's not for you, why not mention Present Aid to a friend, relative or colleague? You could save countless lives just by passing the information on.

For other information on charitable gifts and what happens to your money, the Christian Aid website itself can be reached here.

do you know who made this banner?

2005-10-16T14:35:00.000+01:00

In St. Mark’s Church, this beautiful Mothers' Union banner, embroidered in gold and blue with a lily design, stands on display near the altar. Sadly, no Mothers' Union activities have taken place in the parish for some time. So it has been suggested to us that this banner, which may be several decades old, could be donated instead to one of the many Mothers' Union groups in linked dioceses in Africa or another part of the expanding Anglican Church abroad.

If anyone knows who embroidered this particular MU banner for St. Mark’s Church, or who objects to it being donated abroad, could they please contact us with the details by clicking EMAIL: Parish Information Officer in the right-hand column opposite under Links, or leave a note on this site by clicking Comments below this entry.

Asia Earthquake: do you want to help?

2005-10-13T10:03:00.000+01:00

More than 24,000 people are now estimated to have died in the recent devastating earthquake in South Asia, and that number is likely to rise. The plight of the survivors is pitiable, with no shelter or access to medical help in many areas. As you will have seen on the news, Pakistan has suffered the most in this natural disaster, with many villages completely destroyed, but some regions of India and Afghanistan have also sustained serious damage.

In the face of human tragedy on such an unimaginable scale, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and unable to help. But there are a few simple ways in which we can all make a difference.

One way we can help is to make a donation, large or small. You can do this in High Street Banks or at the Post Office. To make an instant donation, ring the Disasters Emergency Committee 24-hour automated line on 0870 60 60 900, with a credit/debit card to hand, or visit their website here.

Another way we can all help is to pray.

Lord, we lift to you the devastated peoples of South Asia in the wake of the recent earthquake there. Comfort them in their distress and grief, lighten their pain and suffering, fill them with the spirit of hope. We pray also for the charity workers and medical teams in the region, for those who work daily to restore electricity supplies and provide food and shelter for the many thousands left homeless. Be with them, Lord, guide and sustain them in their labours. In the knowledge of your mercy and in the name of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lastly, we can encourage others to make donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal.

To download this eye-catching official poster, click here and scroll down the page to find Download South Asia Quake poster. Download, print it out and place it prominently at your place of work.

Flashback to Spring Teas 2005

2005-10-10T18:59:00.000+01:00

As this Flecknoe Parish website was only launched last month, we have missed out on several opportunities to publish photographs taken at church events over the past year ... and even before.

So, to rectify the situation, here are some shots of our excellent Spring Teas, held at St. Mark's earlier this year.

The Punch and Judy event proved just as popular with the kids as last year

which gave the adults a chance to catch up on village news!

We were blessed with excellent weather for an outdoor event

and the home-made cream teas were mouth-watering as always! Many thanks to everyone who helped.

It's always a pleasure for St Mark's Church to host special events like this, especially when it brings so many members of our village community together.

Thank you for joining us for our Spring Teas event this year. We hope to see you all again soon at St. Mark's!

why bother with church?

2005-10-07T07:50:00.000+01:00

Have you stopped going to church in the past few years? Have you thought about going to church but felt it was not right for you? Do you often wonder why people bother going to church at all?

If you are interested in the results of a new nationwide survey examining the causes of declining church attendance, you can visit the Church Survey site and download it for free.

Based on a non-denominational questionnaire, the survey was conducted last year via national newspapers and magazines, parish magazines and Christian organisations. Described as 'a forum for all people to air their views', the results make interesting and provocative reading.

You can also purchase a copy of the survey in booklet form by sending a cheque for £3.50 - payable to the 'Ecumenical Research Committee' - to the following address:

The Ecumenical Research Committee
19 Glenfield Road
Betchworth
Surrey
RH3 7HR

Prayer for the International Centre, Coventry Cathedral

2005-09-30T23:46:00.000+01:00

Lord, we pray for the International Centre at Coventry Cathedral which does such wonderful work towards reconciliation in some of the most troubled areas in the world. We pray for a solution to the funding crisis and for all the staff who have received redundancy notices.

Amen.

prayer for the hurricane victims

2005-09-28T21:41:00.000+01:00

Lord, we pray for those caught up in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and ask that the light of your presence may sustain them through the difficult days and weeks ahead as families return home and begin rebuilding their lives.

We pray also for those helping in the stricken areas, for relief workers and their families, that you may be with them in their struggle to reestablish order from chaos and to bring comfort to those in need. We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Get Well Soon, Beth!

2005-09-27T08:44:00.000+01:00

We have all been delighted to learn that Revd Beth Smith is recovering well from her recent hip operation.

Friends visiting Beth at St. Cross Hospital on the day after her operation found her sitting up in bed with her usual vigour and determination!

Please do join with us in praying for her speedy recovery.

Here's Beth in full flow at last year's Harvest Festival ...

Parish Blog Watch.

2005-09-26T10:49:00.000+01:00

If you have a few spare moments, do check out another local parish blog by clicking here. This one is attached to the Rugby Team Ministry and written by the Revd Mark Beach, Team Rector for Rugby.

Harvest Festival Supper and Charity Auction

2005-09-24T16:05:00.000+01:00

Our Harvest Service of Thanksgiving, followed by a hot supper and Charity Auction, went extremely well last Sunday and a good evening was had by all!

About 50 people came to the Harvest Festival service itself, always one of the best attended of the year, with about 60 coming to the Flecknoe village hall afterwards for supper.

The food was home-produced and excellent as always!

We raised £227.55 from an auction of fresh local produce, which will be donated to Rugby Myton Hospice.

Our heartfelt thanks, as always, to the hardworking team who decorated the church, set up the village hall, prepared and served 60 main courses and desserts ... and even washed up afterwards!

Our thanks also to David Thomas, our talented auctioneer, and to everyone who attended the evening and gave so generously in their auction bids.

We look forward to another successful Harvest Festival at St. Mark's in 2006!

Thanksgiving Service

2005-09-16T21:51:00.000+01:00

'The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.'
Luke 10. 2

As this photograph of the beautiful window decorations at St. Mark's shows, taken only this afternoon, autumn is here again. Which means it's time for our annual Harvest Supper and auction of fresh - mostly home-grown! - produce. Here in Warwickshire, the blackberries are ripe, the apples are crying out to be made into pies and crumbles, and if you don't pick the last of the runner beans soon, you could be in trouble!

Our harvest celebrations begin on Sunday 18th September with a 6pm Service of Thanksgiving at St. Mark's, after which we will cross to the Flecknoe Village Hall for supper. Photographs from the Harvest Supper will be posted up on this site as soon as they are available.

Bible Study: The Book of Genesis

2005-09-16T15:35:00.000+01:00

A gravestone in St. Mark's Churchyard.

‘Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.’

Genesis 3, 23-24

Having covered Luke and Acts in the New Testament, we started again after the summer break at the very beginning: the Book of Genesis.

By the end of the meeting, we had covered the Creation of the Universe and reached the part where Adam and Eve disobey God by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and are cast out of Eden forever. There was a lively group discussion about which of them was to blame for the fall, and on the differences between men and women in general!

The next Bible Study evening will be held on October 4th at Willoughby Vicarage (7.30pm - 9pm) when we will continue reading from Genesis 4. Newcomers and regulars always welcome. Contact Reverend Bill Griffiths on 01788 890309.

Welcome to St Mark's, Flecknoe!

2005-09-15T12:59:00.000+01:00

This weblog has been created for the church of St Mark's, Flecknoe, a parish in the English county of Warwickshire, part of the Leam Valley Benefice and within the Coventry Diocese.

Links to the Diocese, to Coventry Cathedral and to the Church of England can be found to the right.

A detail from one of the beautiful stained glass windows in St. Mark's Church

'Just as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me' Matthew 25 v. 40

The PCC will be posting pictures of past and future events here, and letting people know about forthcoming projects at St Mark's. Please feel free to leave a comment!