St Andrew's Church, Girton
Rector: In Vacancy
Reader:
Mrs C Deacon, Mr D Wilson
Churchwardens:
Mrs A Few, Mr A Lorimer
Service times
Notices
Message from the Parish Priest
Please come and go, and stay as long as you like.
Sunday Services: September
5th 10:00 am Holy Communion
6:00 pm Evensong
8:00 pm Taize
12th 8:00 am Holy Communion
10:00 am Family Service
6:00 pm Evensong
19th 8:00 am Holy Communion
10:00 am Holy Communion
6:00 pm Evensong
26th BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY
8:00 am Holy Communion
10:00 am Holy Communion
6:00 pm Evensong
Services at 8 am, 6 pm and on Wednesdays follow the Book of Common Prayer
Services at 10 am follow Common Worship.
Wednesdays at 10.00 am: Holy Communion in the North Room
Girton Churches' Summer Club
Girton Churches' Summer Club - for children aged 5 - 11 takes place this year from Monday 26th to Thursday 29th July, from 10 am to 12 pm at the Cotton Hall. This year's Club is entitled 'Rocky's Plaice' - so start thinking about fish and chip jokes now. Look out for a booking form in Girton Parish News. Forms will also be distributed at Girton Glebe School.
Friends of St Andrews
The Friends of St Andrew's programme of events for this year is:
26th June, 7.30 p.m., concert arranged by Katherine Hambridge;
17th July, 10.30 a.m., coffee morning at 3 Bandon Road;
18th September, 7 p.m., concert by Cambridge City Brass Band;
18th December, 7 p.m., our traditional Christmas party.
St Andrew's Church Sunday Club
Sunday Club is for children aged 3 - 11. We meet in school term time during the 10 am Sunday service, starting off in Church and going either to the North Room or the Cotton Hall.
Coffee Stop
Coffee Stop is a chance to come together to meet old friends and new for a cup of coffee and a chat. It takes place in the North Room at St Andrew's Church between 10.30 am and 12.00 pm each Tuesday. There is always a warm welcome, and no charge. Do feel free to drop in any Tuesday. There is flat access to the North Room - follow the path around the church tower.
Girton Church House Group
The House Group is a mid-week discussion group, meeting fortnightly for Bible study, discussion and fellowship. The group meets on a Wednesday, starting on 9 February. For more details please contact Christina Deacon on 525337.
Searchlights
Activity for children aged 3-11 during the main Sunday Service.
NEW BEGINNINGS
I remember vividly the first time I plucked up the courage to go to church here in Girton. It was twelve years ago, and we had just moved in to our new home, having moved here from Brighton. I was used to going to church; I had been an active member of churches not only in England, but in Scotland, and in California. But it doesn't matter how familiar a situation in general might be, going somewhere new for the first time, whether it's to a new job, school, university, party, or even a pub, always demands a certain amount of courage.
On this particular occasion, having checked the times of church services the previous day, I approached the church doors, pressed the latch, and pushed. Nothing happened. I tried a bit harder. They were stuck. Oh help! Was I late? Had I mistaken the time of the service entirely? My first instinct was to turn round and go home. Mercifully, one of the members of the congregation had arrived straight after me, and having parked her bike said, "It's alright. Those doors always stick when the weather's damp. Let me have a go." Given that she was more used to the vagaries of the doors, she gave them a good hard thump, and they opened. Once inside, I was greeted warmly, given the books I needed, and the adventure began as I became part of a new community, eventually being elected churchwarden, and then being ordained. But those first few moments of wondering what lies behind those doors, and what sort of a fool you're going to make of yourself, can feel like an eternity, and can discourage even the bravest of us from going onwards.
Thank goodness, those rather ugly obstinate doors have now been replaced with glass doors you can see through. Instead of approaching the church with a certain degree of trepidation, wondering what lies behind them, you can now see what and who is inside. But it does still take courage to go to church for the first time. Recognizing that, churches all over the country will be marking September 26th as "Back To Church Sunday," when we encourage people to come and see what the church is like, and the services contain explanations of what we are doing, and why.
The problem with having a particular Sunday set aside for doing this, is that it suggests that every other Sunday of the year we couldn't care less whether people feel welcomed and comfortable in church! We would hope that it would be fairly obvious that this is not the case, but it does mean that, for people contemplating trying out their local church, this gives them a specific day to choose as THE day to do it, rather than leaving it as a rather vague aspiration that, "One day I must go and see what it is like."
The theme for the day is, "Come As You Are", to emphasize the fact that we don't have to wait until we feel "good" enough, brave enough or knowledgeable enough to come to church. In our own church that day, we will have the form of service which we regularly use, but with explanations of why we do certain things, and our understanding of what is happening. This is a useful revision course even for those who have been coming to church for years ; even if you have never been to a church before, you will not be the only one learning about what is happening, but will be joining in something which hopefully will be of value for everyone.
The month of September is a time of new beginnings for all ages, whether it is moving into new classes at school, going on to university, or starting in a new church, and that holds true even for the very youngest ones, because a new session of Blessed Bees will start on Wednesday September 15th at 3:30 in the North Room at the back of the church. This is a short session of activity and songs for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, followed by a social time enjoyed by parents, carers and children alike. Again, this may be rather daunting for the adults among us to come to for the first time, but do come and discover another source of support and enjoyment during the early years of your children's lives.
Meanwhile, Will Adam will be beginning his new ministry at St Paul's Church, Winchmore Hill, being inducted and instituted to the parish at a special service on September 6th. He too will be feeling nervous as he begins a new stage in his life; please remember him in your prayers, also not forgetting all others who will be contemplating decisions and actions of many varieties which will take courage this month.
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