• Christmas Day Worship (Thursday December 25th)
  11.00am: Led by Rev Helen Higgin-Botham at Fulwood URC. If you would like a lift, please sign your name on the list.
• Family Social (Wednesday December 31st)
  8.00pm: Family Social and Supper followed by Watchnight Service with Communion at 11.30pm.
• Carol Service (Sunday January 4th)
  6.30pm: CTL Carol Service at Alston Lane.
• Christ Church Council Meeting (Tuesday January 13th)
  7.30pm: Please note change of date.
• Joint Fellowship Meal (Friday January 30th)
  Meal at the Derby Arms. Please sign your name on the list if you wish to go.
• Thank you to all who supported our Open House at the manse – in all £86 was raised for the ‘Samaritan’s Purse’ appeal - Helen & Colin.

• Christ Church Directory Our directory is to be revised. If you wish your contact details to be included in this new edition – please take a form and return it as soon as possible. Thank you - Carol.
• Christmas Festival of Banners (Friday December 19th – Sunday 21st)
  Please sign the list if you are able to help on the rota during the Church Opening times.
• Christ Church Carol Service (Saturday December 20th)
  6.30pm:
• Christmas Day Worship (Thursday December 25th)
  11.00am: Led by Rev Helen Higgin-Botham at Garstang Road URC. If you would like a lift, please sign your name on the list.
• Family Social (Wednesday December 31st)
  8.00pm: Family Social and Supper followed by Watchnight Service with Communion at 11.30pm.
• Carol Service (Sunday January 4th)
  6.30pm: CTL Carol Service at Alston Lane.
• Joint Fellowship Meal (Friday January 30th)
  Meal at the Derby Arms. Please sign your name on the list if you wish to go.
• Christ Church Christmas Card Once again we shall be able to sign greetings to each other and donate to charity. (There will not be a card delivery service) Please consider supporting this opportunity of sending greetings to Church friends this year.

• Christ Church Directory Our directory is to be revised. If you wish your contact details to be included in this new edition – please take a form and return it as soon as possible. Thank you - Carol.
• ‘Buddy Box’ Thank you to all who have given items for the troops in Afghanistan. As well as ‘goodies’ we are invited to send greetings for the Christmas post.
• Christmas Festival (Friday December 19th – Sunday 21st)
  Please sign the list if you are able to help on the rota during the Church Opening times.
• Christ Church Carol Service (Saturday December 20th)
  6.30pm:
• Christmas Day Worship (Thursday December 25th)
  11.00am: Led by Rev Helen Higgin-Botham at Garstang Road URC.
• Family Social (Wednesday December 31st)
  8.00pm: Family Social and Supper followed by Watchnight Service with Communion at 11.30pm.
• Carol Service (Sunday January 4th)
  6.30pm: CTL Carol Service at Alston Lane.
• Joint Fellowship Meal (Friday January 30th)
  Meal at the Derby Arms. Please sign your name on the list if you wish to go.
• Christ Church Christmas Card Once again we shall be able to sign greetings to each other and donate to charity. (There will not be a card delivery service) Please consider supporting this opportunity of sending greetings to Church friends this year.

• Open House at the manse (Saturday December 6th)
  10am–4pm: Helen and Colin invite everyone to join in fellowship and refreshments at 9, Hurstway Close, Fulwood.
• Christmas Festival (Friday December 19th – Sunday 21st)
  Please sign the list if you are able to help on the rota during the Church Opening times.
• Thank you to all who have given items for the ‘Buddy Box’ sent out to troops in Afghanistan. As well as ‘goodies’ we are invited to greetings for the Christmas post.
• Steward Rota The new rota will be prepared this week. Anyone interested in being involved in welcoming or with refreshments, please see Henry. Thank you.
• Flower Rota Please sign the list if you wish to place flowers in Church during 2009. Thank you - Pam.
• Rotary Club Calendar Frank Warren has copies of the 2009 edition featuring views of the Ribble Valley. (£5).
• Greetings to all from Ranjan – who tells us he is enjoying wall to wall sunshine!!!

Escaping from the horses over a foot bridge, the walkers passed a quail farm and then on into the village of Knott End and back to the sea wall and promenade and the car park.

A pleasant walk of six miles in perfect walking weather.

Jim & Janet Sommerville

Along this track a barn, at least 5 miles from the nearest road - Brookilber barn was being converted into a large luxury house, making it one of the most remote houses in Yorkshire. At Great Houber on Hellifield Moor, the group took a footpath in a south-westerly direction to Haw Lane and then on to Little Newton, and New House Lane and returning back to Long Preston.

A good ramble of five and a half miles in bleak conditions.

Jim & Janet Sommerville

From the front door of church, cross the road to Victoria’s India. Walk down Berry Lane to Irwell Street and turn right as far as the Scout and Guide huts and pause for prayer (1).
Return to Berry Lane and continue down to the Millennium Cross and pause for prayer (2). Continue to the bottom of Berry Lane pausing near Booth’s (3) then turn right and continue as far as the travel agents and pause again (4).
Cross over Inglewhite Road and walk towards Barnacre Road as far as George Street. Turn left into George Street and left again into Mary Street West and proceed as far as St. Mary’s Close and pause for prayer (5).
Retrace steps along Mary Street West and George Street to Inglewhite Road. Turn left and proceed as far as Barnacre Road and turn left then go left again into Hesketh Road. Walk up the left side and return down the other side and turn left back into Barnacre Road and continue to the far end past the end of Nateby Close and pause for prayer (6).
Return to the end of Barnacre Road and cross over to Ireland’s Garage. Walk back along Inglewhite Road past Somerfields, Isabella Street and Davis Street to Crumpax Avenue. Turn left and proceed past Crumpax Croft and into Crumpax Meadows and pause for prayer (7).
Take footpath to Thornfield Avenue; cross over and take footpath to Willows Park Road. Turn right and return along Calder Avenue to Berry Lane and back to church.

Topics for Prayer at each pause

• 1. Pray for the staff and customers and the future of Victoria’s India; the staff and customers of Linnet’s, Advance Consulting, Edward Jones Investments, Debts4us, Bond Partners LLB and Threshers. Pray about the problems of debt in our society. Thank God and pray for the members and leaders of the Scouts, Cub Scouts and Beavers; Guides, Brownies and Rainbows.
• 2. Pray for the staff and customers of Bourne Fashions, the Post Office, Furness Building Society, Naphthen Solicitors, Longridge Electrical, Halifax Building Society and Cliffs, Lloyd’s Pharmacy, HSBC and Michael Rayners Architects.
  Pray for the staff and customers of the Vine House shop and for the work of Vine House. Pray for all the residents of today’s section of Berry Lane, Irwell Street, Mersey Street and Humber Street.
• 3. Pray for the staff and customers of Reads Rains, Submission, the Dry Cleaners, Dewhurst Estate Agents, Bradford and Bingley Building Society, Vincents Solicitors, Goldsmith’s Jewellers, Entwistle Green Estate Agents, Longridge Tandoori, Ducci, Holden’s Accountants, Emmett’s Solicitor, the Beauticians, Quench, Spar, Booths and Booths Garage.
• 4. Pray for the staff and customers of Poppy’s, Happy Valley Chinese (and all the Chinese inhabitants of Longridge at this time of the Chinese New Year), Harlequin Fashions, Event Cards, the Pound Shop, A Touch of Class Hairdressers, the Longridge Gallery, the Pet Shop, the Sewing Shop, the Bay Tree, World Choice Travel Agents, Overload Cleaners, THG Motor Bodies, Kim Yin and Carefoots butchers etc.
• 5. Pray for the staff and customers of the Forest Arms, Thyme, Flourish Recruitment and Forests. Pray for the residents of George Street, Mary Street West and St. Mary’s Close and this side of Inglewhite Road.
• 6. Pray for the residents of Barnacre Road, Hesketh Road and Nateby Close. Pray for the staff, children and parents of the Limes preschool and Barnacre Road Primary School. Pray for the housing development and also for children in care.
• 7. Pray for the staff and customers of Ireland’s Garage, Somerfield’s, and NSJ Hairdressing. Pray for the residents of this side of Inglewhite Road, Isabella Street, Davis Street, Crumpax Avenue, Crumpax Croft and Crumpax Meadows.

Walking downhill to the King’s Arms Hotel (where Charles Dickens once slept and it is hoped that he was more comfortable than this writer was when he slept there), turning right to look at the Penny Hospital, built 1720 by Guilermo Penny as alms houses.

Swinging left, the route led past the imposing Town Hall to the Lancaster Canal and onto the towpath. Following the canal south past new developments of apartments, then out into open country until Aldcliffe. Here the ramblers left the canal to walk up a road which had led to Aldcliffe Hall, unfortunately no longer extant, then on into the village.

A footpath on the left was taken, leading down thru’ a muddy lane to the Glasson Lancaster walkway where lunch was taken overlooking the Lune Estuary at high tide. Here hundreds of geese could be seen flying around. The walkers then took the walkway back to Lancaster, but on a whim decided to cross the Lune by the railway bridge ( a surprise climb towards the end of the ramble) and re-crossed the river by the Millennium bridge and returned to the car park.

A pleasant walk of 6.5 miles.

Jim & Janet Sommerville