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From the Vicar
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These two ancient villages lie just
to the south of Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, alongside the quietly flowing River Ivel. Both parishes have a history as farming, and more recently, market gardening
communities although today they are largely commuter villages for London,
Stevenage, Bedford, etc.
The
two parishes, which are Crown appointments, were brought together by Royal Assent in 1997.
You will be
able to discover more about the individual parishes by clicking on St Mary’s
or St Andrew’s.
The
web site was launched in June 2003 and we are hoping to add many more pages
in the future. Please visit us often to see new developments.
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Can you
help us, please?
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The organ in St
Andrew’s Church plays an important part in the life of the parish and it
is in a sorry state. We have begun to collect quotes for its repair and
restoration. These are coming in at around £30,000. So we are looking
for someone who has experience of fund-raising who would help us to
raise this amount. If you would like to know more about the organ, or
make a donation, or offer assistance, then please contact me. Thank you.
Sue. |

In
your prayers this week, please pray for:
Anglican Methodist Covenant Relationships
in the Diocese.
Those to be married:
Those to be baptised:
Those suffering:
Florence Emery,
Angie Rigney, Sue Denwood, Margaret and Maurice Pickles, Jean Mattock, Ann French, Val Duffell
, Wallace & Judy Clarke and Rev Jim, Broadbridge.
Those in care homes:
Jessie Child and Pat Cook.
Those who have died:
Valerie Brown and Pamela Rowan.

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A Christmas Message |
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Christmas is a time of
giving: of giving presents to loved ones, of giving of our vocal and
dramatic gifts in concerts and performances, of giving of our best
culinary skills in the kitchen, of giving of our time and affection to
family and friends.
Christmas is all about
giving but above all else it is about God’s gift to us, his gift of his
one and only beloved Son to be born as a human baby in Bethlehem, a baby
who would grow up to be a man who could teach us about our heavenly
Father, a man who could bring peace into our lives and, what is more, a
man who loved us so much that he was willing to die for us in order to
bring us back into a loving relationship with our heavenly Father.
Christmas is also
about receiving, about receiving the gifts, love and attention of family
and friends, and especially about receiving God’s gift to us, that
priceless treasure with which no human gift can ever compare.
May you know the peace
of Christ in your hearts and homes this Christmas.
Sue Groom. |

Monthly Prayer
Diary
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Lord
of the Church, enable your people to be the Church – a redeemed
people, a holy people, a united people, a missionary people, and in
all things a people gladly submissive to the truth you have shown in
us yourself, Jesus Christ our Lord. |
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Henlow |
| 1
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Langford Road, Newtown, Harrier Mill |
| 2 |
Mill Close, Burgess Way, The Hawthorns |
| 3 |
Churchwardens & PCC members |
| 4 |
Northfield Close, Church Road, Jordan Close |
| 5 |
Raynsford & Derwent Lower Schools, Henlow Middle School |
| 6 |
Groveside & Old Vicarage Gardens |
| 7 |
Church organist, choir & bellringers |
| 8
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Park Lane, Park Lane Crescent & Sparksfield |
| 9 |
Henlow Sports & Social Club, Bowls Club |
| 10 |
High Street, Gardeners’ Lane |
| 11 |
Parish Hall Committee and all users |
| 12 |
Old Barn Close, Lime Walk & Town Farm Court |
| 13 |
Residents and staff at The Limes |
| 14 |
Chestnut Farm; Elizabeth Court |
| 15 |
The Post Office/shop and all commercial businesses |
| 16 |
Chapel Hill, Addington Close, Brook Close |
| 17 |
Proprietors and customers of all public houses |
| 18
|
Coach Road, Elm Close and Oak Drive |
| 19 |
Methodist Chapel and congregation |
| 20 |
Crossways Close & Chiltern Place |
| 21 |
The Vicar, Reader |
| 22 |
Residents and Manager of The Gardens |
| 23
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Clifton Road and John Howland Close |
| 24 |
The Parish Council and our District Councillors |
| 25
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Manor Road and Westfield Road |
| 26 |
Personnel and families at RAF Henlow |
| 27 |
The Neighbourhood Policing Team |
| 28
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Hitchin Road, Bedford Road, Astral Close & St John’s Estate |
| 29
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Arlesey Road, Park Farm Close, The Dairy |
| 30 |
Our sister parish of St Andrew, Langford |
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Langford |
| 1
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Church Street; Vicarage Close |
| 2
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Queens Way; Denny Crescent; East Road;
StAndrew's Way |
| 3
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Mill Lane; Old Mill Close; Church Crescent; Mill
Meadow |
| 4 |
Langford Lower School; All pre-school groups |
| 5 |
Church View; King George Close; Pound Close;
Crown Lane |
| 6 |
Village surgery; our doctors and other health
care workers |
| 7
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Station Road, Garfield |
| 8 |
Ivy Leaf Club & Welcome Club |
| 9
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Prospect Road; Windsor Way; The Avenue |
| 10 |
The Vicar; Angie Rigney (Reader) |
| 11 |
Manor Close; Jubilee Lane; Ashby Court |
| 12 |
High Street; West View; The Leys |
| 13 |
Victoria Close; Ivel Close; Riverside Gardens |
| 14 |
Public Houses in Langford |
| 15 |
Churchwardens & PCC |
| 16 |
All groups using the Church Hall |
| 17
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Cambridge Road |
| 18 |
Methodist Church & congregation |
| 19 |
Christian Aid Committee |
| 20
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Common Road; Lakes Close; Southlands Rise |
| 21 |
Shops & Commercial businesses |
| 22 |
All members of the Scout & Guide movements |
| 23 |
Parish of Henlow |
| 24 |
Church cleaners and gardeners |
| 25 |
Village Hall, sports clubs & other village
organisations |
| 26 |
The Neighbourhood Policing Team |
| 27 |
Cambridge Gardens; Cambridge Way; Cambridge
Close |
| 28 |
Bentley Close; Flexmore Way; Wightman Close |
| 29 |
Church organist and choir |
| 30 |
Home Groups |
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Feature
of the Month
St. Nicholas - 06 December
Nicholas was a fourth-century bishop of Myra in Asia Minor
(southern Turkey). His reputation as a worker of wonders was enhanced by a
ninth-century author of his hagiography and he is now best known through these
stories. Many of them concern his love and care for children, how he fed the
hungry, healed the sick and cared for the oppressed. He saved three girls from a
life of prostitution by providing them with dowries and so developed the
tradition of bearing gifts to children on his feast day, a practice appropriated
by the Christmas celebrations. Nicholas is also one of the patron saints of
Russia.
Collect
Prayer
Almighty Father, lover of souls, who chose
your servant Nicholas
to be a bishop in the Church, that he might give freely out of the treasures of
your grace:
make us mindful of the needs of others and, as we have received, so teach us
also to give;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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