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CHURCH NEWS
Weekly Prayer Roster
Each week during the year the Churches, in their prayers, remember the residents of particular streets in the vil-
lage, those who work in the parish and village organizations. Those to be remembered this month are:
4th December
Mayfield, Springfield Way, The Osiers, Stirtloe
11th December
Vineyard Way, Burberry Road, Swan End, Lark End, The Library and its librarians
18th December
The churches of the village: St Hugh’s, St Mary’s, Buckden Methodist Church, also Offord and
Perry Baptist Churches, members of home groups from these and other local churches, min-
isters and all who make our churches welcoming and worshipful places
25th December
Church Street, Mill Road, The Barns, The Old Flour Mills
STUDY LUNCHES
The last lunch before Christmas is Monday December 12th
Methodist Church Hall 12.30 pm to 2.00 pm Contact:
Ann Brittain
on
812012
Thought for the month
Don’t talk to me about your “famous fares”. Wouldn’t believe who you’ve had in the back? Well, I’ll tell you, mate, I
can top ‘em all. You really wouldn’t believe who I’ve had! No, not Jamie Oliver! And not that horrible one off Big
Brother, neither. No! Stop guessing. You’ll never get it. I’ve had God. No, I swear! I have had God for a fare. If you
shut up for a minute I’ll explain all about it.
I was just chewing the cud, you know, minding my own business. I was off the meter really, but the missus had
her mother round, so I wasn’t all that anxious to get home, if you know what I mean. Well, that old nag could talk
the hind legs … I am getting on with it. Yeah, well, as I was saying, I was mooching when this lad and his girl
pops up out of nowhere. “Can you get us to Bethlehem by the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Ceasar?”
“S’tight” I says, “I’ll have to hoof it. I don’t usually go south of the Sea of Galilee after September, so it’ll cost you a
bit extra.” So she hopped on and off we went. Needless to say, I made it with a week to spare. Consummate pro-
fessional, me. And I didn’t even get a ticket. I got stopped, mind. Some eager young centurion reckoned I was
doing VIII through Jericho. I mean, VIII! I wish!
What? Yes, there is a point to all this. Yes, God does come into it. Just pin back those big ears of yours for a tick.
So, we gets to Bethlehem and she’s ready to give birth. Oh, did I not mention she was in the family way. Well, she
was. I delivered them … no, to their destination - some run-down inn. Looked full to me, but the customer is al-
ways right. Then I turned round and came home. Her indoors had something to say, I can tell you.
No, that’s not all there is to it. I haven’t told you about the camel. I met this camel, see, on the way back. He was
grumbling about “you wait all your adult life for someone to hop in and say follow that whatever and then three
come along at once. Star. Follow that star. And they called themselves wise!” That’s the trouble with camels.
They’ve always got the hump about something or other. Then there were the shepherds. And the angels and
whatnot. Quite a trip, let me tell you.
Yes, I have nearly finished! I never thought too much about it until I saw the reviews for that new book — “Luke –
the Unbridled Truth about Jesus” Then it all fell into place, didn’t it! I met God and I didn’t even know it!
Yes, I know he wasn’t even born yet. What do you mean “it doesn’t count if he’s inside someone else when you
meet him?”
********
If you see Jesus in someone else this Christmas, let it count (as the donkey says!). And I pray also, this Christ-
mas, that someone will see Jesus in you and in me.
Merry Christmas. Paul Beard, Methodist
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING?
Looking for a different Christmas present? The Writing on the Wall, by one of Buckden's own author's, Richard
Noble, is an interesting guide to the Bible and its everyday phrases.
Available on line, and from Que Sera in the High Street at £7.00. http://www.thewritingonthewall.org.uk/
Proceeds are donated to the Restoration Appeal of St Mary's, Buckden: The A1 Church.