• The Front Page
• Message from St Andrew's
• Message from the Baptist Church
• Message from Girton Glebe School

The Front Page.

The record of matters discussed and decisions taken is often of no special interest but sometimes there are glimpses of village events and affairs that provide a social history of the time.

For instance, the minutes record that on 26th January 1896 a letter was read from a Miss Haskell (presumably a Girton resident) "offering the Village Band Instruments and cash-in-hand to the Parish Council".  It appears that the Council had no idea what to do with them and must have contacted the Rector for his help.

Subsequently, the minutes of 24th April 1896 record: "in answer to a letter received from the Rector, the Rev. Dr. Lawrence proposed that the Band Instruments be accepted on condition that the Parish Council reserves the power at any time to dispose of the instruments for the benefit of the parish, the Rector's kind offer to undertake the guardianship of the instruments be accepted."

There is no further reference in later minutes to the instruments.  Whether they were disposed of or remain hidden away in a dark corner (of the Rectory?) we can only wonder.

It is fascinating to think that Girton, then with a population of only 480 (according to the 1891 Census), had apparently maintained a Village Band.
 

Message from St Andrew's

This year our Lent groups are linked to a broader theme in this Millennium year, as we take time to do some stock-taking on where we've been, where we are now, and where we want to go in the future.

In recent months the parish church has embarked on a process of reflection to clarify the various forms of the church's ministry.  Three themes have emerged for continuing reflection: What kind of God? What kind of Church? What kind of mission? How should we go about thinking, meditating and praying about  these things, especially in the context of our own spiritual needs and growth in our understanding of God? 

There will be three Lent groups meeting to consider these, two in the evening and one in the afternoon.
 

The meetings will run for five weeks from the week beginning March 13th

Please try and come - everyone is very welcome. You may never have been to a Lent group before, but whether you have or not, if you would like some more information please ring one of the above number, or Alison (575215) or Janice (277576)

The book we will be using is Finding God in the Fast Lane   by Joyce Huggett (£5.99)

Rob Mackintosh.

Message from the Baptist Church

One of the constraints with writing a piece for the Girton Parish News is that the deadline for articles is about half a month before the publication date.  I appreciate that by the time you read this it will be March, but I am writing mid-February on a very special day in the calendar.  It isn't my birthday, although there is a card on the mantelpiece, nor is it the time of a family anniversary, although my wife and I  went out for lunch to celebrate.  In fact today isn't an event  that is just unique to our household, but a day that has been celebrated by lots of people all over the world, including, according to the newspaper "'Erbie", "Passionflower" and "Boo-boo".  For today, if you haven't already guessed, is Monday 14th February, Valentines Day, a day to celebrate love.

As a Christian I thank God that love is his invention.  For we are created with a capacity, indeed a need, to love others and we respond to the love that others have for us.  It is little wonder that we have the expression "Love makes the world go round", for love touches all of us, whether it is the love of parents, children, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, fiancees, friends, cat, dog, pet, ... the list is endless.  The word "love" however is one of the most over worked words in the English language.  For we use it in lots of different ways with various shades of feeling.  We use it to describe a like, saying "I love chocolate", or "I love football" or "I love the weekend" and we use the same word to describe the deepest feelings of human emotion such as when two people say to each other "I love you" or when husband and wife promise to love and cherish one another.

The problem with the reliance on just one word for different types of love, does not occur in all languages and certainly isn't a problem in Greek, the original language of the New Testament, where several words can be used for love.  The highest form of love in Greek is given the name agapé and is reserved to describe God's love.  For God's love isn't just "a like", or a passing fancy, but a serious lasting commitment.  Unlike our love that is so often dependant on a response, God's love reaches out to us even when we are a long way off.  It is a generous, honest love with no thought of return, pure and always wanting the best in others. 

Love, like all emotions, is difficult to measure and certainly God's love is impossible to quantify for it knows no bounds.  It isn't limited to one particular group or section of society, for as the Bible says, "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life".   When we consider Jesus we see God's agapé love in action, for his ministry was the practical outworking of that love; healing the sick, feeding the hungry, touching the blind, bringing joy and light into the dark world.  How much does God love us?  Jesus showed the full extent of Gods love on that first Easter by holding his arms wide, and then men took him, nailed him to a cross and crucified him.  Jesus died that we might be forgiven, that we, whether we are "'Erbie", "Passionflower", "Boo-boo" or whoever, might come to know God and realise the enormity of his agapé love, a love that isn't limited to one day and even though you are reading this in March, you are still God's valentine today!

Phillip Staves
 

Message from the Girton Glebe School

This week the pupils have been visiting a mobile classroom on site as part of a Life Education Project, it is sponsored by the Round Table and other charities, and helps children to learn about a healthy lifestyle and to make informed choices.  The project supports the work we already do in school on health and drugs education.  Parents and members of the local community came to an evening on Drugs Education on 15th February.  The work will continue in school over the next year when we hope, dependent on funding, the mobile classroom will visit us again.

Susan Baker - Headteacher