Holiday

I may not be able to blog for a few days because I'm just waiting for my son to collect me and take me to his home in Derbyshire where aalmost all the family are gathered for our summer break together - all, that is, except for Emily who went back to London uesterday and perhaps David who had to go into hospital there this morning. We are hoping that he may not have to stay in, but there is always a big question mark with David's health.

I am looking forward to seein (and playing with) my great-grandchild, Louisa, who will have changed quite a bit since I last saw her in Kent on her first birthday.I will also enjoy watching the Olympics on their bid screen - and I won't be feeling guilty that I ought to be doing something, so it should be a good holiday for me.Lorna will appreciate it when I say that I've been working hard before going away to get some piles of papers sorted out and to catch up on any housework that has been crying out to be done ltely, so it will be good to come back to a much more tidy house.

Timing is Everything - Especially God’s !

An email this week brought exciting news from friends of mine who are working as Bible Translators for Wycliffe Bible Translators USA -

"In answer to your prayers, and ours, I want to share the following report
from Dick Mueller for your encouragement. Four years ago God did not let
this happen; however in His timing ...

“March 4th the first Volume of six Hutterisch Bible stories arrived in Linda
Maendel's house. Linda is my Hutterite coworker in Elm River colony in
Manitoba. We opened the box and each grabbed a book and started looking
at it. We gave Linda's 70 year old Mother a copy. She had read little, if any
Hutterisch previously. We asked her to read the book aloud. She began
reading aloud, and continued to read until she had finished the 180 page
book, about 10 or 15 minutes later.

The next morning we went to the school, and gave the books to three 6th
to 8th graders. They immediately each began reading, seemingly not even
taking any time to look at the beautiful color pictures on each page. At
about a third of the way through the book Damion said, "I want one!," and
kept reading till each of them finished the book. After they finished, we
asked them which language they could read and understand better? Damion
answered, "Hutterisch, because that is my language."

One mother of a 3 year old says she has already read the book over 100
times. Another says her preschool son calls it “My Bible.” PRAISE GOD!"

For Enquiries and Donations:-

Wycliffe Bible Translators
PO Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862-8200
(407) 852-3600
www.wycliffe.org


Wycliffe Bible Translators
4316 – 10St. NE
Calgary, AB T2E 6K3
(403) 250-5411
www.wycliffe.ca

Abseiling, quad-biking, dragonboat racing

The new Vice=President of the Methodist Conference, David Walton, has written about his time spent with the Association of Black Methodist Youth Clubs in Dorset. He writes,
"Abseiling, quad-biking, dragonboat racing - these were just some of the activies available at the PGL camp in Weymouth which was the setting for this year's ABMY Conference. The Association of Black Methodist Youth Clubs is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year."

Visit the President and Vice-President's blog to see the photos and read more about this exciting occasion.

METHODISTS CONSIDER HANDOVER OF ‘BEST KEPT SECRET’

BRITISH Methodism’s last re­maining higher education institute, Southlands College, is in talks to hand over responsibility for management of the college to its parent body, Roehampton University.

Southlands is one of four constituent colleges of Roehampton University, along with Digby Stuart (Roman Catholic), Whitelands (Anglican) and the Froebel Institute (Humanist). They amalgamated in 1975 to form the Roehampton Institute, which gained university status in 2004, now based in south-west London.

In a bid to centralise its services, the university has asked Southlands, Whitelands and Digby Stuart colleges for a long-term lease of their properties. The university already holds a 999-year lease on Froebel College, while Digby Stuart was due to enter into a formal 125-year lease this week.

If agreed, the university would take full responsibility for ongoing “maintenance and development” of Southlands, paying staff costs and managing areas such as accommodation, catering and conferences. Some of Southlands’ services are already being subcontracted to a centralised university authority from this summer.

The proposals have been in the pipeline for some time. However, the Methodist Council and the Conference are required to give approval to any changes agreed.

Senior Methodist leader Revd Lord Griffiths has requested prayer over discussions to hand over the denomination’s sole remaining higher education college. Southlands College is described by Lord Griffiths as one of Methodism’s ‘best-kept secrets’. The college has 1,500 students, houses a Methodist research centre and most of its governors are currently appointed by the Methodist Council. The chair of governors, Revd John Pritchard, told the Methodist Recorder, they are consulting with ‘eminent Methodists’ over handing management of the college to the university. This would centralise services and reduce costs in the face of rising financial demands. Consultations are said to have produced a ‘mixed’ response. Lord Griffiths, a former chair of governors, said they need God’s help in knowing ‘How do we keep the Methodist interest alive?’

Source: Methodist Recorder (31/7)
http://www.methodistrecorder.co.uk/mrhlines.htm

BISHOPS CONSIDER REFORMS TO MAINTAIN ANGLICAN UNITY

Anglican bishops will today consider a covenant setting out core doctrine which all of the denomination’s 38 provinces will be expected to abide by. This is one of several important changes the Archbishop of Canterbury is proposing to secure future unity. Another suggestion that has emerged during this week’s talks has been to stage a ‘mini-Lambeth’ every three years to give bishops more frequent contact and opportunities to resolve disputes. The leadership of the Communion is also challenged today by one of those leading the boycott of Lambeth by conservatives. Archbishop Henry Orombi of Uganda criticises Dr Rowan Williams in The Times and says the spiritual leadership of the Anglican Communion should not be entrusted to someone appointed by the British government. He described this ‘as a remnant of British colonialism’ that ‘is not serving us well’.

Sources: The Times (1/8); The Guardian (1/8)

Parakeets attack church spire

Hundreds of exotic birds have pecked their way through the spire of a south London church,causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.So these suburban arakeet 'pests' face drastic cull. The rose-ringed parakeets were initially welcomed by parishioners of St John's in Croydon - until they decided to hack away at the soft wood shingles, creating gaping holes. Now the church, built in 1836, faces a £5,000 repair bill.

Parish secretary Bernard Day said: "The birds turned up a couple of years ago. We have tall cypress trees and they seem to find them particularly alluring. "There were just a few to start with, but numbers grew rapidly and before we knew it there were at least 250. At first they were a joy to watch, they really brightened up the place. But a few months ago they started pecking at the spire. They love the shingles and have pulled out at least 100 of them. Maybe they're looking for insects. Who knows? Now we're at a complete loss. We're concerned they're going to start nesting."

The church is already under financial pressure after thieves removed £3,000 worth of lead from the chapel roof and adjoining parish room earlier this year. Mr Day, 95, said: "First the lead, now the birds. We're not really sure how to get rid of them.
Parishioners suggested a hawk to scare them off, but I don't think that's very practical. The structure of the spire doesn't allow for tiles to replace the shingles. In my opinion, the only solution would be to shoot the birds. Unfortunately, we're not allowed to."

John Tayleur, of the British Trust for Ornithologists, suggested using noise and a bird of prey to scare the parakeets. He said he was surprised they were chewing shingles but they often ate mortar for the minerals it contains and because the grit helps them digest food. Parakeets settled in Britain from India in the 1960's, but numbers have boomed in the last 20 years. There are now about 30,000 in Britain, mainly in London.

Source: Daily Telegraph (28/7)

Tonga crowns king in lavish rite

George Tupou V has been crowned king of Tonga in the capital Nuku'alofa, marking the South Pacific state's first coronation in more than 40 years. He was anointed with oil and had a gold crown placed on his head in the Christian ceremony, performed in a church before 1,000 guests. The new monarch was called upon to rule "wisely, justly and truly".

Thousands of people had lined the route to the church and cheered when the new monarch emerged. Earlier, Prime Minister Fred Sevele defended the lavish festivities marking the coronation saying that "the great majority of Tongans" would make no apologies for them Officials say some 5.7m Tongan dollars (US$2.5m) have been spent on the event in a country where poverty is widespread.

The new king's father, the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, ascended to the throne in 1967 and died in 2006. The king talked to the BBC before his coronation.

Sitting on a golden throne on Friday in the capital's Centenary Free Wesleyan Church, George Tupou V was "anointed, blessed and consecrated" by the Archbishop of Polynesia, Jabez Bryce. The king wore silk knee breeches, a medal-decked jacket and a maroon-coloured cape trimmed with white ermine fur. His three-metre-long train was carried by child pages.

A 21-cannon salute and the tolling of church bells marked the coronation. Royal guests included Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito, Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and the UK's Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The new king will rule over a semi-feudal political system where he and nobles decide the make-up of the cabinet and parliament. But he has said he supports reforms, scheduled for 2010, in which most seats in the country's parliament will become popularly elected. The promised reforms follow destructive riots in Nuku'alofa in 2006.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7536474.stm

Published: 2008/08/01 00:34:16 GMT