“Living for Christ at the heart of the community"

Kenyan Orphans

Spurgeon’s Charity recently sent me an update on Kibera School which is near to Nairobi. The children are well looked after and learn in classes of 40. The classroom language is English and the children work towards key subjects of English, Maths, Kiswahili, Science and Social Studies. From our church we send £50 per month. This is made up of individual donations ranging from £1 to £15 per month. Since we started a number have people have died or left the church and others are feeling the pressure of recession. This is making it more difficult to be as supportive of this project as we once were so is there anyone else who would be willing to contribute regularly? If so please have a word with me. — Megan Crew

By The Editor, ago

The June Ramble – Downham and Sawley Abbey

The pretty village of Downham, famous as a location for film and TV and a little gem on the Lancashire landscape, was the starting point for our walk in the Ribble valley. Starting from the car park, with its unique gent’s toilets (a converted pig sty), we started walking up the steep hill towards the Assheton Arms in glorious sunshine, passing behind the pub and climbing up a hill to the highest point of the walk. Here, the views were stunning in all directions. Now it was steadily downhill, along fields, farm tracks and passing under a railway bridge and arriving at a barn. This barn will be met again on the return leg. Now it was following a lovely hawthorn and hazel hedge towards a pack horse bridge, part of the Roman road and featured in the TV series, Read more

By The Editor, ago

Musings From The Manse: Summer 2010

Dear Friends, It’s been an interesting few weeks! As you read this I will just have had two weeks of holiday interspersed with a Minister’s Retreat on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne – and as I reflect on my experiences, I realise how fortunate I have been in coming into contact with some of Earth’s ‘Thin Places’. ‘What is a thin place?’ you may ask! In the Celtic tradition it is place that gives us an opening into the magnificence and wonder of God – and there is a Celtic saying that heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in the thin places that distance is even smaller. A thin place, then, is where the veil that separates heaven and earth is lifted and one is able to receive a glimpse of the glory of God. Contemporary poet Read more

By The Editor, ago

The April Ramble – Lupton Circular

After a number of local walks, we decided, this month, to spread our wings somewhat and explore a little of the splendid countryside on the Lancashire / Cumbria border. Our meeting point was where the A65 crosses the Lancaster canal. The turnout was a splendid dozen plus two dogs and from here we headed south, enjoying the warm spring sunshine and clear skies, along quiet lanes and field paths towards Aikbank, where we picked up a little stream and followed it to where it joined the pretty Lupton Beck. Here, we stopped for photos and to allow the dogs to have a play in the water and then it was onwards towards higher ground and past the square turreted Lupton Tower. At this point, the anti-walker farmer had taken every inch of a large field and put the narrow path Read more

By The Editor, ago

The March Ramble – Around Longridge

The March walk was a circum-navigation of Longridge, using one of the excellent guides’ published by the council, but with some modifications. Instead of starting and finishing in the town centre, we kept entirely on the “Loop”. Starting from Grange Towers, at the bottom of Hacking Drive, with the coach house used as a changing room, we proceeded to cross the Mardale Road recreation ground, with its five football pitches, over the footbridge and through fields to Daniel’s farm and Preston Road. Crossing the road and resisting a visit to Franco’s, we entered the pleasantly quiet Pinfold Lane and headed to the Alston reservoirs. The heavy rain that arrived during the morning had now become light drizzle and remained so for the remainder of the walk. From here, we headed eastwards through Alston Grange Farm and onwards across a beautiful Read more

By The Editor, ago

How do I respond to the Earthquake in HAITI?

It’s hard to know what to do when we hear of disasters like the earthquake in HAITI. But one thing is certain – we can’t do nothing! Of the thirteen charities that make up the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee), World Vision, a Christian charity, has said ‘one thing we can all do is pray, pray, pray…’ World Vision has been instrumental in setting up a daily prayer focus and for those of you who have access to the internet you can get an up to date report by clicking here or here. They are asking people to commit themselves to 40 days of prayer starting today. Please consider making this commitment. Many members have been asking what can we do in more practical ways? This will be discussed at the Church Council meeting on Sunday 31st January. It may be Read more

By The Editor, ago

Advent and Christmas Services

This year Advent begins on the 29th of November. The evening service on December 6th will be led by Apples of Gold. The Park House service at 6.30pm on December 13th will be a Carol Service (All welcome). Following the pattern of recent years, the Church Carol Service will be on SATURDAY December 19th at 6.30pm. On the following morning (Sunday December 20th) we will have our Family Nativity Service but there will not be an evening service on that day. Fulwood Methodist Church will be holding a midnight Communion on Christmas Eve at Fulwood URC beginning at 11.00pm. The Christmas Morning Service will be at 11.00am at Christ Church. Please note that the CTL Epiphany Carol Service will be held on Sunday January 10th at 6.30pm at St. Lawrence’s Church. As this is the second Sunday of the month, Read more

By The Editor, ago

Christmas Arrangements

This year the Theme for the Christmas Decorations is Circles. Church Organisations and others are already busy decorating Hoola Hoops to hang around the walls and windows but if you are part of an organisation which would like to contribute, please see Jane Turner or John Spencer as soon as possible. The church will be open on Dec. 18th, 19th and 20th for viewing. Full details of times etc. will be in the weekly notices and a rota for volunteers will be in the foyer. A large Christmas Card will be available in the foyer to send greetings to other members of the church in return for a donation. The card will be available from December 13th. Any donations and special Christmas Offerings will go to support Helen’s work with Operation Christmas Child.

By The Editor, ago

New Year’s Eve Social and Watchnight Service

Date: 31st December Time: 8.00pm – till late! Venue: Christ Church, Longridge Come and enjoy an evening of fellowship, entertainment, and games, with a ‘bring ‘n’ share’ supper. The evening will conclude with our Watchnight Communion Service. Bring your family and friends. All are welcome. A list is in the foyer for donations to the ‘Bring and Share’ Supper, plus donations for prizes for the evening’s entertainment

By The Editor, ago

How Things Change But Stay The Same

After trying to explain to a member of Junior Church why we say ‘dialling a number’ when we actually press buttons to use a telephone these days, reminded me of something I read recently. We Were Brung Up Proper! First we were born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos.  They took asprin, ate cheese that had seen better days, ate raw egg products, loads of bacon and processed meat (probably containing sawdust and other unmentionables) and nothing had a ‘best by’ date. Once we were born our cots were covered with brightly coloured lead-based paint.  We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets. We drank water from the stream not from a bottle; we shared one soft drink from the same bottle with four friends.  We Read more

By The Editor, ago