NEWSLETTER

September 2002 From the Revd. Nansi Davies, Curate. Dear Friends, The summer holidays are drawing to a close and children will soon be returning to school but some of our young people will be celebrating their GCSE results (or otherwise) and now will be deciding what to study for the next level of examinations. Other of our young people will have had their A level results and will be leaving us soon to go to college and university. Congratulations to all those who have succeeded in gaining the results needed for the next part of their preparation for the world of work. Our thoughts and our prayers will be with you as you leave us and we hope that you will return when you can and share with us your further achievements. In our close knit communities we tend to think that the troubles of the world are far away, but sadly during the last few months and weeks we have been reminded that tragedy can strike here in our country and in our own communities. The appalling events in the community of Soham have raised questions - difficult and searching questions which have no easy or satisfactory answers. Traditional Christian words like wickedness and evil seem, for the moment, the only explanation that we can muster. So many people have been lost for words but our Christian faith need not leave us completely speechless. As we utter our prayers for the families of Holly and Jessica, and as we pray for ourselves and our need to understand how such a terrible event can happen, we know that through all the vicissitudes of life, God, through His Son Jesus Christ, enters our suffering and darkness and nothing can separate us from His eternal love. So we will continue to pray for those two families and the family of Milly who disappeared in Surrey, and for families and children everywhere who daily suffer in so many horrific ways. We also give thanks to God for the gift of children remembering that they are at all times in our care either at home, at school, at the youth club or in our Sunday school Their trust and love must never be betrayed. As the summer draws to an end we begin to think of autumn and all the different events we can enjoy together not least will be the services of Thanksgiving for the harvest followed by sharing a meal together. Do join in all the events as they occur the details will appear in this and future publications. With love and prayers for you all, Nansi Davies Curate.