September 2023

8 Buckden Roundabout September 2023 Church News Weekly Prayer Roster Each week during the year the Churches, in their prayers, remember the residents of particular streets in the village, those who work in the parish and village organisations. Those to be remembered this month are: 3rd September Park Road, Falcon Way, The Marinas, and those who live and work there 10th September Field Close, Lincoln Close, Silver Street, Beaufort Drive, St Hugh ’ s Road 17th September School Lane, Buckden Primary School (pupils, teachers and teaching assistants, governors, vol- unteers, midday supervisors, all support staff) 24th September Scouts, Cubs and Beavers, Guides, Brownies and Rainbows, Playgroup and Day Nursery, Buck- den out of Schools Scheme, Buckden Towers Youth Retreat Centre Thought for the Month I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me. - Matthew 25:40 More than a year ago, new people appeared in our community – Ukrainian refugees fleeing from war in their country. And a group of people of good will showed them a helping hand, organising their meetings in Buckden Towers. Today I would like to share with you a testimony of a Ukrainian family. Tanya and Sergey visited me in August 2022. They accepted my invita- tion offering them some school clothes donated by a Parishioner. We had a nice conversation. They and their two children Timofey and Yulia, are Ukrainian refugees in the UK and lived in St Ives at that time. Timofey, a seven year old boy, is going to join the British school sys- tem. Yulia, who has problems with mobility, started her studies in Ukraine and would like to continue her studies in Britain. They had lived a normal life in the surroundings of Kiev and dreamt to fulfil their happiness in their homeland. They never expected and couldn ’ t imag- ine that their country and home would be attacked by Russia. Life changed on the 24 th February 2022. Unfortunately, danger ap- proached their lives so they decided to escape using their car. They told me: “ Before leaving the city, we lived for three weeks under occupation without food supplies in the city. All roads were blocked. People in the city were in constant fear, due to rocket attacks and air raids of the occupying forces in Chernigov, Goncharovsk – cities lying near us and artillery shelling in our city during the entry of the Russian Federation troops into the place where we lived. In such a situation, we tried to survive and save our children ’ s lives. But we searched for any opportunity to leave the city and when it appeared, we, as a part of a convoy of 27 cars of other families, with visible white ribbons and inscriptions: CHILDREN on the windows, we left the city on the 28 th March 2022. We were lucky that on this day the occupying troops decided to disengage. Next day there were tragic stories about cars being shot ”. God's Providence cared for them. Facing many uncertainties, they reached the Polish border which they crossed. They were relieved but how to manage life in such a strange situation? They tried to live in the environs of Warsaw. They even started work but it was only tem- porary. With the help of a doctor who treated their daughter, they found a sponsor family and on the 19th July 2022, they came to Brit- ain. They travelled with some other members of the wider family in the company of their pets which, like the family, searched for a safe place on this planet. The White Cliffs of Dover welcomed them. Then they came to our district and they started to organise their life again. They miss their country a lot but the war continues. Fortunate- ly, they met a helping hand amongst our wider community and people who showed them human solidarity. They are one among the millions of families (very often incomplete) from Ukraine who wish to discover that our world created by God is a proper place for them with goodness, truth and beauty. Please, pray for them and for peace in Ukraine. Fr Krzysztof Stawicki St Hugh ’ s Catholic church Methodist Church fundraising It ’ s 254 years since John Wesley, the accidental founder of Method- ism Church, preached in Buckden. Travelling up and down the coun- try by horse he ignited a widespread revival of the Christian faith, which eventually led to the establishment of the Methodist church. There has been a local Methodist presence in Buckden since the late 18th century. Today, with our Anglican and Catholic friends in Buck- den, we provide a rich diversity of Christian expression and work to- gether to share our faith in Christ through a variety of community and faith events throughout the year. Although the historic Buckden Tow- ers, alongside the beautiful church of St Mary ’ s are the most promi- nent places of faith in the village, our Methodist chapel retains an important place in the centre of the village and in the hearts of local residents. But, and it ’ s a big but, the last improvements to the build- ing took place between 1988 and 1992 and today the building does not reflect the welcome those who do use the church are so appreciative of. We want to ensure our doors remain open and the building is fit for future generations. As well as contacting Trusts, a local fundraising appeal will launch in September with a concert by the much - loved Aragon Singers on 23rd September at 7.30pm - see the advert in this edition for more de- tails. Quiz evenings, fashions shows and other events will follow, so do watch this space! If you would like to be involved, contribute in anyway or help with any of the events, do let Revd. Sue know on sue.bakermaher@methodist.org.uk