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FROM THE EDITOR

It was fun hearing the loud rustle as I kicked up piles of dead leaves walking along the footpath to Weirwood Reservoir. Unfortunately I didnt see any of the Long-toed Stint Peter mentions in Felbridge Wildlife this month. But then, I wasnt looking for them! Its not that my eyes werent open, though some say I do walk around with my eyes closed! I was simply looking at different things - funny how something can be there but we dont see it unless we are looking in the right place at the right time. Babies believe that if they cant see something it is not there, but as we grow up we know that just because we cant see it, does not mean that it isnt there. Surely then, as people who have all moved through this developmental stage it should be easy for us to believe in a Jesus who lives in us? Yet lots of people still want to see concrete proof. What better proof than to see the effect of Jesus in peoples lives just as we see the leaves blown off the trees by the wind. Are we living lives that reflect Jesus? Thats quite a responsibility, isnt it? Yet, we need not worry for God said, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. James Isaacs shares with us the effect of Jesus in his life on page 19. Lindsey Saunders

VICAR: The Rev Stephen Bowen The Vicarage, Felbridge, West Sussex RH19 2QT Tel: 01342 321524 Fax: 0870 9156268 stjohnschurchoffice@gmail.com Vicars day off: Thursday ASSOCIATE MINISTER: Michael Peach 5 Burns Way, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1SA Tel: 01342 312406 michaelstevenpeach@gmail.com Michaels day off: Friday

Cover photo:
Amanita muscaria, or fly agaric, at Wakehurst Place Taken by Brenda Wilkinson

DECEMBER/JANUARY: Articles for this Issue to be handed in by SUNDAY 13TH November

Please e-mail your articles to parishmagstjohns@gmail.com, put them in the editors pigeon hole in the church entrance, or post them to Lindsey Saunders at The Bungalow, Saint Hill Farm, Saint Hill Green, East Grinstead, RH19 4NG.

STEPHEN WRITES
Use it or lose it
DEAR FRIENDS, There were once several village shops in Felbridge, including a post office. We are very fortunate to have one that is still open - and of course the number of post offices has been drastically reduced everywhere. When the news comes up that some local resource is going to be closed, people are appalled. They have a strong emotional attachment to the local facility, whatever it happens to be. But it is hard sometimes to get people to see that the very reason it is closing is that their emotional attachment never showed itself in practical support - or hardly ever. They never actually made use of it! They wanted it to be there - in case one day they had a particular reason for going there. But in practice, years passed without their ever darkening its doors. And those who were trying to keep the facility going struggled more and more and eventually found that there was no alternative but to close. It happens with shops, post offices, libraries And it can happen with churches. Our village shop is not under threat. At the moment. Nor is St Johns. 2 But the old saying does apply: Use it or lose it. On a world scale, the church of Jesus Christ is not under threat of extinction, it is growing phenomenally. But in the UK, things are more patchy. Churches suffer from the pace of life and the pressure people are under. Sundays are not a protected day any more. If people want to come they have to make a real counter-cultural effort. They have to make specific decisions that their friends, neighbours and family members are not making. In some cases of course, people do not come because they do not believe. But many others would call themselves Christians, and just assume that their local church will always be there, waiting for the odd occasion when they want to visit. But unless people get stuck in and participate, it may not always be the case that their village church will be there, functioning and ready to welcome them.

REGULAR EVENTS
Through the week at St. Johns
Sundays
8am 10am 6pm Holy Communion on 13th & 27th November Morning Service Evening Service

Tuesdays
1.30pm WI first Tuesday of the month in the Village Hall

Wednesdays
2pm Watercolour on Wednesdays in the Church Hall 1st Felbridge ( St Johns) Brownies

Thursdays
10.30am 4-5pm 7pm - 8.30pm WIGS at the Old Pheasantry, Woodcock Hill (home of June Clark) Girls Bible Study in the Church Hall JAFFA Plus in the Church hall on 3rd November 1st Felbridge ( St Johns) Rainbows 1st Felbridge ( St Johns) Guides

Fridays

Saturdays
8am9am Prayer breakfast on 5th November 8.3010am Mens breakfast on `19th November at 5 Burns Way

Love in a box
Shoe boxes need to be completed for the November Family Service. Information on the contents needed for the Shoe boxes is available. Pick up a leaflet at the back of Church.

WHATS HAPPENING
Sunday Services
6th November 10am FAMILY SERVICE with Michael Peach - Dont
forget your love-in-a-box shoe boxes! 6pm HOLY COMMUNION with Stephen Bowen

13th November 8am HOLY COMMUNION with Stephen Bowen

10:50am Remembrance Service with Stephen Bowen. Please note the new time for the above service. 6pm Evening Service with Michael Peach

20th November 10am HOLY COMMUNION Service with Peter Davies

6pm RAISE THE ROOF with Cross Purpose

27th November 8am HOLY COMMUNION with Jack Baker

10am Morning Service with Stephen Bowen 6pm Evening Service with Stephen Bowen

Carols at The Wiremill Singers Wanted

St Johns has been asked by The Wiremill to provide a choir for their Carol Singing evening. They have arranged this for Sunday evening, 11th December at 8 pm and they have several bookings for it already. We have the Tree of Light Service that evening at 6.00 pm, but it will be possible to do both events. The Wiremill will be providing us with mulled wine/hot chocolate and mince pies and a collection will be made for church funds. The plan is that we sing well known carols for up to an hour with a break in the middle. Celia Esau will be accompanying us on the keyboard. Please give your name to Gill Matson (313351 or gillamatson@aol.com ) or to Sheila Drury (323865 or sheila.drury1@hotmail.co.uk ) if you would like to take part as a singer.

St Johns Church Christmas Fair

Saturday 26th November

11am to 3pm
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5TH TREE OF LIGHT SERVICE 11TH DECEMBER AT 6PM

THIS has become an important preparation for Christmas for many people who are bereaved or separated from loved ones for other reasons. It is most encouraging to hear that there are many churches in the area that are also holding services this year. The main service at K2 will be on 4th December as will services at other churches in the area. Sadly there are no other services to be held locally. For this reason it was decided it would be a good idea to have our service on an alternative date. Our service last year was most successful and I hope very helpful to the many people that came. I was so grateful for all the offers of help I received last year and the hard work and generosity shown by the Mission Team and friends at St Johns. Once again I would be so grateful to hear from anyone who would like to assist in the organisation or take part in the service. We will need people to help set things up in the church before the Service, Readers for the lessons, Sidesmen, and four prayer readers as well as lots of things Im sure I havent remembered! It would be good to involve anyone who has any connection with St. Catherines and who would like to play a part. Please contact me at jenny.young45@btinternet.com or phone 01342 324849. I am hoping that Lyn Skinner and helpers from the St. Catherines supporters group will be able to prepare and serve teas and coffees for us after the service as they have in previous years. Anne Morley and Joy provided us with a beautiful Christmas tree last year which was becoming rather large for their garden. It looked very pretty outside the church all over the Christmas period. If anyone has a similar tree that we could use please let me know. Rona is going to ask the Fire Service if they could come and put the lights up for us as they have in previous years. We are very grateful for their help and support. Jenny Young

THE WORSHIP SERVICE featuring CROSS PURPOSE

- a Christian band based at Burstow Parish Church. We are looking forward to welcoming them back again.

Sunday 20th November Scrummy tea 5.30pm Service 6-6.40pm

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VILLAGE ISSUES
Felbridge and District Horticultural Society
FDHS having secured a grant for the purpose, society members, local councillors and willing volunteers have been planting another mass of spring bulbs to brighten up public areas of the village. We look forward to an even better display next year. 2011 is our Diamond Jubilee Year and we will be celebrating at the AGM on 17th November with a dinner for all our members. If you are a member and do not yet have your ticket, it will cost you 5 a bargain. Contact details below. Having secured a site we are progressing with the provision of Felbridge Garden Plots. Priority for a plot will go to Felbridge residents, so this could be the opportunity you are looking for to join the Grow Your Own movement! Please contact Rosie Archer on 311184 for further information. meeting will be at 1.30pm on the 8th November at the Felbridge Village Hall on the first Tuesday in the month (except for this November).
Daphne Ayerst

Communication hubs
The ability to communicate with people living in the village as quickly as possible is very important. Take the incident which occurred at Hobbs Industrial Estate. Had the wind been blowing in the opposite direction we would have been enveloped in the smoke etc. coming from the fire. The ability to alert people immediately as to what to do would have been imperative. For some time now I have been developing communication hubs around the village. It involves one resident volunteering in an area to gather up email addresses for people living in their locality. When I have some information which needs to be passed out to the village, all I have to do is pass it to the dedicated hub person who then at the click of a mouse pushes it out to their list of email addresses. This comes into its own when there are changes to refuse collections, police alerts etc. I am looking for volunteers in Warren Close, McIver Close and Wheelers Way. Anyone interested in becoming involved can contact me via my email (kenneth.harwood@virgin.net).
Kenneth Harwood

Felbridge W.I.
We celebrate the birthday of Felbridge W.I. in November so we held our Annual meeting one month earlier in October. Three members retired from our Committee and have been replaced so we are up to our full complement once more. Daphne Ayerst was elected President for a further year. Our members were entertained by an old style Music Hall and joined in the singing. We look forward to a very varied and enjoyable year for everyone. Our next 6

BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION

Nailing your colours to the mast
The battle of Camperdown was fought on 11th October 1797 between a Royal Navy fleet under Admiral Duncan and a Dutch navy fleet under Vice-Admiral Jan de Winter. At the height of the battle the colours of HMS Venerable were brought down by cannon fire. To avoid giving the appearance that they had surrendered, a sailor named Jack Crawford scrambled to the top of the mainmast and nailed up the colours. Once that had been done there was no question of surrender! Being baptized is like nailing your colours to the mast as a Christian. It is something Jesus told his followers to do, and it is a way in which he assures us of his acceptance of us, and particularly his promise to wash away all our sin. Because it has been the custom to baptize the children of Christian parents, many people associate baptism with babies, but it is emphatically not a baby thing. Its meaning can only be understood by thinking of the first followers of Jesus who were baptized when they heard the good news to show that they wanted to sign up as his disciples and receive the forgiveness he offered. So it is right and proper that adults who come to believe in Christ should be baptized. But what about those who were baptized as babies? Although the Bible does not specify a ceremony to be used in this way, confirmation is a very appropriate way in which those who were baptized as babies can nail their colours to the mast, and say, Yes, now I believe that for myself. It is also customarily seen as the gateway to receiving Holy Communion. The practice is that it is administered by a bishop, and we have a service of Baptism and Confirmation booked for the 20th May 2012. We hope the new Bishop of Croydon (who has not yet been appointed) will come to take this service. If you are interested in the possibility of being baptized or confirmed, please let me know as soon as possible. You can do so without any obligation. There will be preparation groups, appropriate to the needs of those who are taking part. As far as young people are concerned, the youngest possible age would be Year 8.

FELBRIDGE WILDLIFE
Autumn Tints and a Vagrant Stint
THE Autumn migration brought to East Grinstead a bird so unexpected that its appearance at Weir Wood reservoir is only the third record for the UK. The fact that the Long-toed Stint is only the size of a sparrow, resembles three other species of wader and feeds at the extreme range of most telescopes, might account for it being overlooked. However, this refugee from the Siberian tundra was confirmed by the county's big man in small waders and captured on video. I was privileged to be shown it by a man with the powerful optics necessary for seeing a bird with the scientific name of Calidris subminuta and you don't get smaller than that. It seemed to be in the company of fifteen dunlins and a dozen ringed plover and was passed over by a hunting peregrine falcon, which might have been prepared to take a stint. A flock of over ninety twitchers soon dispersed in despair. Closer to home, our local sparrow hawk had the audacity to perch on the roof of our bird table and stare into the kitchen window. 8 As forecast, it is a great season for fungi, including a crop of shaggy inkcaps on the vicarage lawn and the spongey satan's boletus on the roadside verge. The brush of a passing fox brushed a dew-free path across the front lawn and underfoot we crush more acorns, beechmast, conkers and chestnuts than for many years - a feast for jays, squirrels and mice of all denominations. Remarkably, some flowering shrubs including camellias and rhododendrons are flowering for a second time this year, a consequence of our exceptional weather, not a reliable forecast of a White Christmas. We shall see. The giant sunflower seed heads we left on (similar to the one on the August front cover) now attract feeding parties of greenfinches, chaffinches, coal, great and blue tits, with the occasional sparrow and nuthatch. Time to disinfect and fill the bird feeders again. Spare a thought for the Long-toed Stint, blown off course. Too long stuck in the mud is not good for churches or churchgoers who lose their way either.
Peter Bateman

CURRENT ISSUES: SPEED LIMITS

Should the motorway speed limit be increased to 80mph?
FLASH! I was sure that the speed limit at Winterbourne Zelston in Dorset was 40mph, so 37mph should have been OK but not when the limit turned out to be 30mph. Rather than have three points on my licence and a higher insurance premium for the next few years, I opted for a driver awareness course in Bournemouth. The point of these courses is to reduce road casualties, increase driver awareness and responsibility, encourage safe and efficient driving, and challenge attitudes and beliefs. It worked for me and I learnt a lot. Our course instructors said that 98% of accidents are due to human error. Exceeding the speed limit and travelling too fast for the conditions accounted for 24% of all fatalities in 2010. So why should we increase the speed limit to 80mph in 2013? Some people argue that the increase seems overdue, given improvements in vehicle design since the 70mph limit was introduced in 1965. The increase, would generate economic benefits of hundreds of millions of pounds through shorter journey times according to Transport Secretary Philip Hammond. In any event, the government says that 49% of drivers break todays top speed limit and despite this, there has been a fall of 75% in the numbers of people killed every year on British roads since 1965. Indeed, Britain now has one of 9 the safest road systems in the world, coming narrowly behind Sweden in the international ranking of road deaths per million of population. Of all accidents, only 4% occur on motorways, as against 22% on country roads (where you are more likely to die in a collision) and 74% in towns (where road users such as pedestrians and cyclists are more vulnerable). These arguments seem persuasive, but according to Department of Transport statistics, in 2010, there were still 208,648 casualties in road accidents reported to the police. There were 1,850 people killed and 22,660 were seriously injured. The economic welfare cost of reported road accidents was 15 billion - rather more than the hundreds of millions of pounds of benefit that Mr Hammond predicts. Environmentalists point out that cars are less fuel efficient at higher speeds, oil is getting more expensive and the proposed increase is at odds with the policy of reducing carbon emissions. At 70mph your typical stopping distance is 96 metres (315 feet) or 24 car lengths. Increase that to 80mph and the figure is 122 metres (400 feet) more than 30 car lengths. Few of us leave enough distance in front when we are driving would we leave more at 80mph or above? I dont think so.
Gordon Wilkinson

GOING GREEN
How Good is insulating your loft
If youve ever measured your carbon footprint you will know that keeping your home warm in winter makes up a large chunk of it. So pretty much anything you do to cut down on heating fuel will make a big difference to your contribution to climate change. Here are the numbers: 350 kg CO2e outlay for a threebedroom house Minus 35 tonnes CO2e over 40 years The energy used to produce the insulation material will be paid back by the energy you save in less than 6 months saving a whopping 35 tonnes over the life of the insulation. Money-wise, even if there were no grants to help pay for you to insulate, it would still be well worth doing financially, with a 500 investment paid back in 4 years. However, grants are available, through your energyprovider (just phone them up and ask them what they pay for). These make it also worthwhile financially to top-up insulation to the maximum recommended (270mm) and put in cavity wall insulation. Insulation is a no-brainer. If you do one green thing this year, this is the one to do. And as well as insulating your house, why not insulate yourself and your family so you cant help but turn down that thermostat a degree or two? Thermal vests make great Christmas presents!
Ruth Jarman

What is CO2e?
It is short for carbon dioxide equivalent which is the overall contribution to global warming of carbon dioxide plus all the other global warming gases emitted such as nitrous oxide and methane. For comparison:a) A banana is 80g CO2e and a return flight to Hong Kong is 3.4 tonnes CO2e. b) The average footprint of a person in the UK is 10 to 15 tons of CO2e, and it is necessary we reduce this to 2 tons CO2e. Half of the 10 tons is "private" i.e. 5 tons -- that we can control ourselves - petrol, heating, food etc, and half is "public" e.g. shops, schools, road building, and needs laws to help reduce these.
Data and inspiration from How Bad are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee

If we just come to Church to be seen by our friends and dont put our hearts into in the prayers and Amens If we belt out the hymns, just to hear ourselves sing, were worshipping Church instead of the King! 10

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FELBRIDGE HOTEL & SPA EVENTS

Dancing through the Decades on Friday 2nd December & Saturday 3rd December
Dig out those groovy flares and puffed shoulder pads and dance the night away to the sounds of the 60's, 70's and 80's right through until today! We have the superb band LA TOUR who will be performing all the hits as well as our DJ who will be playing popular party music until the early hours. Enjoy a sumptuous 3 course Christmas Dinner including 1/2 a bottle of wine per person, festive novelties, live band and disco. Enjoy a glass of Champagne on arrival, 3 course meal, live entertainment and a disco playing popular party music. 59 per person (including 1/2 bottle of wine per person). From 96.50 to include overnight accommodation and full use of the Chakra Spa facilities (based on 2 people sharing). Dress to impress. Fancy dress optional. For bookings and more information please call 01342 337700 or email us. events@felbridgehotel.co.uk

BELLS AND BELFRY

THOSE of you who have driven along the A22 recently may have noticed 'men at work' on the church scaffolding at long last, and heaved a sigh of relief! In fact, work has been going on behind the scenes to reconstruct the timber and metal framework which supports the bell, which all needed specialist carpentry and metalwork skills. (It was this that had cracked and corroded in the first place, which necessitated the re-hanging of the bell.) That has now been completed and is ready to be fitted into place on two new stone 'corbels' which also had to be quarried and cut to size; BUT..... when the stonemason began to fit them, he discovered that the supporting stonework began to crack and crumble. So now we face a further delay while decisions are made as to whether we use matching local sandstone as at present or order a harder type which might prove more durable. Meanwhile, work will progress on re-pointing the stonework on the bell tower, which is in a sad state of disrepair as identified by the architect at the last Quinquennial inspection, and would have required the scaffolding anyway. We had hoped that all the work would have been completed by the end of October, before the forecast wintry weather arrives! However, with the latest setbacks, that seems unlikely...... but we pray on, that the problems will be overcome satisfactorily and the work will be completed, to the glory of God and the restoration of our church building minus the scaffolding! Be patient and hopeful!! 15 Anne Butler

IN THE GARDEN
time to plants hyacinths outside for flowering in the spring and also to take hardwood cuttings of shrubs such as dogwood, mock orange, ribes, buddleia, viburnum and weigelia. NOVEMBER is the month when gardeners have the leisure to look back over the past year and reflect on the highs and lows - a horticultural end of term report in which they aim to do better next year. Every year we aim to plant up fewer pots and hanging baskets but it never seems to happen. We have many plants that readily seed themselves so why do we compulsively collect lots of seeds, put them in envelopes and then come spring feel compelled to plant them? I make copious notes e.g. buy more plant supports and stake plants earlier; grow some flowers in just one colour, for example, cosmos all in pink or white but not mixed, but then I forget all my good intentions. Our fruit trees were laden this year particularly the apples. It always makes me think of the huge variety of apples that people used to grow in their gardens in the past. When I was a child we had a marvellous Laxton Superb and a James Grieve - both so full of flavour. You can still plant bare rooted trees between now and the end of February or container grown ones at any time. There is still
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Some weeks ago we vigorously scarified the lawns and raked up so much moss I felt as if I was haymaking! Unfortunately, this exposed several bare patches where we then had to sow more grass seed. This autumn we have again filled the hanging baskets with winter flowering pansies because last year, in spite of the severe weather, they thrived. This year we had three wasp nests. I think that most gardeners are nature lovers but I do draw the line at wasps. But one very welcome recent visitor was a beautiful Hummingbird Hawkmoth which dined on the nectar from the petunias and verbenas outside the kitchen window. We also had a very strange event a real conundrum. When we were emptying pots of spent lilies in order to revitalise the soil and re-pot them we found in the pile of soil a large chicken egg! Where did it come from? We cracked it open and it appeared quite fresh. I would love to know your theories of how it got there - no matter how bizarre.
Maureen Reynolds

TELL ME WHY?
Arent all religions basically the same?
THERE are lots of different religions throughout the world and indeed within this country. Lots of people follow different religions and seem very devout and pious. So many people ask, Arent all religions basically the same? Isnt one religion as good (or bad!) as the next? However, there is a major problem with this approach: the Bible makes a unique claim. The Bible writers claim that knowing Jesus Christ is crucial to knowing God and being accepted by him. Both the Old and New Testaments in the Bible are written in the context of lots of different religions around them, yet throughout there is a consistent call to worship the God of the Bible alone. This includes a call to avoid the worship of man-made idols, but also goes much further. When the apostle Peter is asked how he has healed a man, he says he has done it in the name and power of Jesus Christ, and then he adds: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12, NIV) Peter is not addressing these words to a group of people who worship 17 stone idols; he is addressing them to a group of Jewish leaders. These Jewish leaders would certainly have said that they worshipped the God of the Old Testament, but Peter challenges them. He says that the only way to be right with God is through Jesus Christ, and if you reject Jesus, you reject God. It is not surprising that Peter says this, for Jesus himself had the same message: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6, NIV) Jesus says the only way to know God truly is through him, and that no-one can come to God the Father in any other way. There are many religions in the world, but the Bible makes a massive claim. It claims that the only way to truly know God and be in a right relationship with him is through Jesus Christ. The Bible says all religions are not the same, for Jesus alone is the way to God. This provokes a question back to us: How have I responded to Jesus Christ?
Michael Peach

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Solar Photovoltaic Panels (Solar PV)
AS explained in the October edition of Parish News the PCC is exploring the possibility of installing Solar PV panels on the church roof. Progress so far is as follows: A feasibility report was submitted to the PCC in July - approval in principle was given. Five quotes were obtained and a report with a recommendation submitted to the Standing Committee in August - the recommended installer was accepted. An application was submitted to the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) in August based on an array of 40 solar PV panels on the nave roof. A DAC architectural adviser and the Diocesan sustainability adviser looked at the proposal and raised a number of points. A response was submitted in September, which included rearranging the 40 panels in three smaller arrays (two on the nave and one on the chancel). At the DAC meeting in September the revised layout was considered an improvement but an additional number of points were raised. A structural engineers report on the roof and further information were sent to the DAC in October for consideration at the next meeting in November. An application to Tandridge District Council has commenced. The preparation of a St Johns energy audit has commenced based on the eco-congregation environmental toolkit Module 1 (a project of A Rocha UK). There is still a long way to go and it is by no means certain that we will receive approval from the DAC and Tandridge. However, if we do (and the PCC still wish to proceed) then we could have the panels installed and registered by the end of March 2012 in order to obtain the current feed-intariff before it is due to be lower from 1st April next year. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. (email john@malcolmgee.plus.com) J Grainger

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WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW?

Have you ever wondered what happened to any of the children who passed through our Sunday school and moved away. James Isaacs, a former St Johns child, shares his story with us.
It was the Easter Holidays of 2004 when I returned home from my second term at university to find Andrew Sach, a student from Oak Hill Theological College sat in my parents living room. Hes staying for the week as part of the St Johns Mission, Mum cried out from the kitchen. My face lit up as, having become a Christian just the previous term, I realised this was a chance to fire off and get answers to all the difficult questions Id been pondering. My parents Robin and Valerie, moved to East Grinstead in 1990 when I was 6, and for the next 12 years I attended St Johns Church, Felbridge. After moving up through the various youth groups, I left to go travelling and eventually to university, during which time Mum and Dad moved away. Despite the privilege of growing up at St Johns, it was during university that developments in my faith really began to take place, as I really began to understand what Jesus had done for me as he bore my sin on the cross. I made the decision to start going along to church for myself, and fell in love with hearing God speak as the Bible was taught and explained. Having completed my degree, I spent a year working as an apprentice at St Johns Church, Tunbridge Wells, before moving to the West End of London to work as a Sports Agent. A dream job managing a number of my boyhood heroes, it was here that I started attending the lunch time services offered for workers by All Souls Church, Langham Place. I soon made All Souls my spiritual home, and served on the student team alongside my job, leading a small student group at the weekly student bible study. After a couple of years, I decided to give more time to the student ministry at the church, and left my job to begin studying on the Cornhill Training Course, a course that looks to prepare people for ministry to teach the Bible both faithfully and skilfully. Having recently finished this in June, I am now working for the Rev Rico Tice, who wrote the Christianity Explored Course. Together were thinking through how we can best engage with people in todays culture, in order to share the gospel of Jesus, as well as training the church family for the front line mission field they face every day in their workplaces, with their friends, their families and neighbours. Please do pray for wisdom for us as we seek to do this.
James Isaacs

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MISSION MATTERS
A huge great big THANK YOU to everyone for the donations of food for Welcare when they completely ran out. Plus the generous Harvest Gifts, I filled twelve Waitrose bags for life and a box with provisions. I would like to thank Mr. Starr who helped deliver the gifts, giving up his time and petrol, and a special THANK YOU to WAITROSE who very kindly donated the bags once again, making my job a lot easier. I would like to take this moment to tell you that the Family Service on December 4th will be the TOY service when we ask you to give a toy to a lest fortunate child. Welcare ask for toys for children up to eight years, and for teenagers. No guns, swords, etc, Soft Toys should be new and still in their original wrapping, all other toys should be unwrapped as this makes choosing a present for a particular child easier, games, educational toys, and all other toys, plus vouchers, are always welcome. You the Church Family never fail to surprise me with your generosity, this year has flown by for me, so may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas.
Rona Bingham

Tearfunds Created gifts

One degree of separation
Sociological studies suggest there are typically just six degrees of separation between any two randomly selected people. In other words through a chain of friends and acquaintances and their friends and acquaintances just six steps separate a city trader in Londons Canary Wharf and a nomad in the plains of Mongolia. Tearfunds Created range of fairly-traded craft goods reduce those six degrees to one. Times may be difficult financially, but by buying your Christmas gifts from Created you will be investing in communities that really need our help. 20 In Peru, for example, a member of the Taype Textiles Cooperative said, Its exciting to know that the work of our hands is being enjoyed by people far away from here. The money makes such a difference and we want to be able to sell even more. Supported by Created partner Manos Amigas, five men and 80 women work in the cooperative. Using a blend of alpaca and sheep wool, the women knit hats, scarves and gloves items that have quickly attained best-seller status. The women live within an hours walk of the cooperative centre, but they knit at home so they can take care of their households and livestock. They only speak the indigenous Quechua

language, and their work is inspired by their pre-Inca culture. They have a few modern tools to help them, but the techniques they use have been passed down for generations. Manos Amigas is just one of eighteen partners that Created works with in eleven different countries. Last year, more than 1 million worth of handcrafted goods were sold: creating safe and dignified employment for hundreds of craftspeople, as well as improving life for their families and communities. You can see artisans at work by visiting www.youtube.com/ createdgifts, or you can view the catalogue at www.createdgifts.org.

In 2004, Gordon and I visited craft workers in Thailand and it was good to see for ourselves the difference that the income makes to their lives. In January, 2012 we are going to visit groups of workers in Sri Lanka and southern India near Chennai, so we look forward to telling you about it. Please take a catalogue from the back of church, place an order and make that link with someone across the world. Your Christmas gift could bring much more than happiness to the person who receives the gift - it could help a family to send their children to school or a village to install an electricity supply or a source of clean water.
Brenda Wilkinson

Created Sale and Coffee Morning

Friday 4th November and Saturday 5th November 10.00am to 12 noon Rivendell, The Limes, Felbridge.

You are warmly invited to the home of Brenda and Gordon Wilkinson for an opportunity to buy Created fairly-traded craft goods and Tearfund Christmas Cards, a bring-and-buy stall and refreshments.
If you are able to help on the day, please call Brenda or Gordon on 01342 311516.

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE on 13th NOVEMBER at 10.50am

Please note there will be NO Service at 9.30 this month. 21

CHURCH FAMILY NEWS

News and Thanks
Very warm welcome to Jacob Andrew Callaway born 6th October to Dan and Suzy. Thank you to those who contributed to and took part in the craft morning. It was lovely to have Doreen Broom's hand made cards on sale. If you would like to buy any more or get her to make you a specific one for a special occasion just ring her. Thank you to Anne Butler and Harold Thomas for rescuing the china and reinforcing the shelf in the kitchen which collapsed. No plates were harmed in this process!! This has brought to light some more china that is not needed. So if you can make use of it help yourself from the corner of the kitchen. If you want to give a donation please feel free, anything not taken will be given away. Thank you to Peter Burton and all who helped with the churchyard clearance. The dry and tinned Harvest goods were taken to Welcare, who we support regularly at St John's, the fresh goods to Open House in Crawley and the flowers and other gifts to those at home who can't join us so regularly now but who aren't forgotten. Thank you to everyone who donated so generously, those who made the church look so beautiful and those who delivered the goods to the various recipients. It was lovely to have a surprise visits from two former members of St John's last month. Erika (Natasha Kasprowiz's sister) who grew up here and now lives in America with her husband and five children who came with her for a trip down memory lane and to see where they were married! They hadn't been here for about 14 years. Also Judy nee Hughesdon who visited the following week with her daughter Livvy. Judy now lives in Sydney , Australia with Ken and their three children (including Sam who we've prayed for as he struggles with leukaemia). More trips down memory Lane as Ken and Judy were also married here and hadn't visited for about 10 years. It's good to catch up with people who used to be here and to hear what God is doing for them and with them as members of His family in other parts of the world. So always look out for new faces and welcome them as you never know who might be in church! Iris and Alex Combleys new address is available from the church office. Telephone 01342 321524 or email: stjohnschurchoffice@gmail.com.

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PEST CONTROL SERVICES

Wasps, flies, fleas. All types of rodents and vermin 01342 321373

BUTCHER
ARTHUR FRY, Lingfield Road, East Grinstead 01342 323225

CHIMNEY SWEEP
MILBORROW CHIMNEY SWEEPS, The Flueologists All Flues and Appliances Swept and Serviced. Pots, Cowls, Caps, Birdguards, Fireplace Repairs, Stacks Repointed 01342 717900

FUNERAL DIRECTORS
R MEDHURST, Vine House, Hartfield Caring family firm; home visits; 24 hour service. Memorials arranged: Golden Charter pre-paid Funeral Plans 01892 770253 01342 315880

GARAGE & CAR REPAIRS, MOTs & COACHES

Woodcock Hill Service Station, London Road, Felbridge 01342 325544 01342 326213

KOINONIA COUNSELLING
Marriage problems, bereavement, depression, eating disorders etc Jackie Lake 01342 718948

TV SALES, SERVICE & INSTALLATIONS

Panasonic Specialists. Plasma, LCD, Multiroom Systems, Aerial & Satellite. Scott Brothers, 178 London Road, East Grinstead. 01342 321117

CLARINET LESSONS
Classical or Jazz, for pleasure or exam preparation Elaine Short CT ABRSM 01342 327563

GARDEN SERVICES
Ron West 01342 712586

USEFUL CONTACTS
Churchwardens: Anne Butler 01342 313640 e-mail: butleranne09@gmail.com Andy Brown 01342 314267 e-mail: brownemail@aol.com Treasurer: PCC Secretary: Magazine Editor: Cleaning Rota: Ministry of Flowers: Church Hall Bookings: Chris Saunders 01342 325662 e-mail: treasurerstjohns@gmail.com Sheila Drury 01342 323865 e-mail: sheila.drury1@hotmail.co.uk Lindsey Saunders 01342 325662 e-mail: parishmagstjohns@gmail.com Carole Grainger 01342 325482

Ann Morley 01342 714645 e-mail: annmorley@aol.com Sally Hobbs 01342 410929 e-mail: hobbsfamilysja@gmail.com 01342 321524 01342 322205

Church Office (closed on Thursdays) Village Hall Bookings: Lynda Railton

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE ACTIVITIES

Stars (3-6 yrs): Comets (Year 2-4): Meteors (Year 5-6): The Rock (Year 7-9): Parish Safeguarding Officer Sally Hobbs 01342 410929 e-mail: hobbsfamilysja@gmail.com Diane Francis 01342 714575 e-mail: diane_francis@tiscali.co.uk Gaby e-mail: gabriella.cicala@gmail.com Michael Peach 01342 312406 e-mail: michaelstevenpeach@gmail.com Chris Ely 01342 311614 e-mail: christineely2@msn.com

Rainbows, Brownies & Guides Ann Tucker 01342 317283 e-mail: ann_tucker@btinternet.com

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