World Development Newsletter - May 2012

From: Sue Young, World Development Adviser, Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich

GLOBAL WATER CHALLENGES
Have you noticed our special focus on water issues?  This is a growing global issue – more floods and droughts affecting the most vulnerable people – 731 million without a safe water supply - 2.8 billion without basic sanitation – conflicts over scarce resources. We have highlighted it in the East Anglican, in the Enews and on the web site. Please  do visit the page on the web site
www.stedmundsbury.anglican.org/index.cfm?page=social.content&cmid=558
which highlights some of the action being taken locally and how you can join in.  There is also a new leaflet in the World Mission Group series which can be downloaded from the web site or is available from me on request. This gives more ideas on action. Finally, there will be an exhibition at the cathedral from 25 June until 20 July. Many people will be in the cathedral for the ordination week-end, so do ask them to allow a few minutes to look at the exhibition. Paul Daley the Local Water Aid speaker is keen to come and speak to churches. Contact him on pauldaley@virginmedia.com 

RWANDAN OLYMPIC TEAM AND VISIT OF THE BISHOP OF KIGALI
Bishop Louis of Kigali will be in Suffolk next month for the arrival of the Rwandan Olympic Team in Bury St Edmunds where it is training. He has been invited by Rwanda Direct, a small charity based in Ipswich. He will preach at the cathedral at 10am on Sunday 8 July. If you would like to meet Bishop Louis or invite him to speak at your church, contact the Revd Paul Daltry, Chair of Rwanda Direct & Commissary for Bishop Louis at paul@daltry.co.uk  Visit www.sportforrwanda.org.uk for information about Bury St Edmund’s project to enable hundreds of Rwandan children to take part in sport.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Our focus on water has highlighted how drought and floods impact on the most vulnerable. But this is only one effect of climate change. The poor are  also ill equipped to cope with temperature changes, sea level rise, storms, etc.  There are a number of occasions coming up for prayer and worship around the topic of the environment and climate change. June 5 is World Environment Day. www.unep.org/wed/  From 20 to 22 June the UN conference on sustainable development RIO +20 takes place. 20 years on from the groundbreaking Rio Earth Summit, leaders from around the world will meet again in Rio de Janeiro. Let us pray for real progress in plans for a sustainable and safer future for our planet. Keep in touch through your aid agency or www.rioconnection.org  This page will tell you where to look for worship materials on the environment.
www.ccow.org.uk/worship/ccow-prayer-resources/praying-and-preaching-about-the-environment  Looking further ahead Churches Together Creation Time will run from 1 September to 4 October. The theme this year is Sustainable Energy in Creation – Time for prayer and action. Resources will be available on the Churches Together web site (www.ctbi.org.uk) by the end of June.

ECUMENICAL WORLD DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
“Food Matters” is the theme of this year’s Ecumenical World Development Conference. From the 1– 3 October at the Hayes Conference Centre Swanwick, there will be a great opportunity to explore with others interested in development issues why in a world of plenty so many go hungry.  Go to www.ewdc.info to see the impressive range of speakers and for booking details.  

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT AND THE BIG BREW
Thank you to those of you who sent me details and pictures of your Big Brew event. It seems you were very busy with coffee mornings, tea parties & fairtrade stalls – with the odd breakfast, quiz, children’s activities and concert thrown in. Well done!

Wickhambrook History Weekend - "Wickhambrook discovers its past" 15th - 17th June

In association with the Wickhambrook History Society the PCC of Wickhambrook is proud to announce the Wickhambrook History Weekend to be hosted at All Saints' church Wickhambrook.

A Village history, viewed through Film, Artefacts, Maps, Famous names, Agriculture, Monuments and Buildings and much more.

   Friday 15th Jun 7 - 9 pm Cheese & Wine preview Evening
   Saturday 16th Jun 10 - 5 pm
   Sunday 17th Jun 10 - 4 pm followed by Songs of Praise at 5 pm

Cheese & Wine preview evening £10.00 per person (includes weekend pass).

Tickets per day (Not Friday) Adult £2.50 Accompanied Children Free. Unaccompanied £1.00.

Further details.  http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/events/#wickhambrook

Christian Aid Week - Money Raised

We are pleased to announce that Churches together - Wickhambrook Methodist and URC, Kirtling RC and the churches of the Bansfield Benefice raised a total of £404 for Christian Aid Week.  The Bansfield Benefice contributed £70.50 of that total.

Thanks you to all who organised and contributed to this charity.

Christian Aid Week 13-19th May

Christian Aid is one of the charities we at the Bansfield Benefice support. Christian Aid Week is always in May each year and starts on the second Sunday of May.  Please help us support Christian Aid Week.

A tea for East African refugees

Raising money for CARE International who are paying for donkey carts to carry food rations for starving refugees from distribution points to their tents. Many are unsupported mothers and children.

Raffle, Games, Activities and Bring and Buy.

At the Wickhambrook  W.I. Hall on the 28th April between 3 and 5 pm.

Palm Sunday and Easter Day Services

We are joined by Archdeacon David Jenkins who will officiate at both Palm Sunday and Easter Day services.  Please do join us if you can.

• Palm Sunday: Wickhambrook church at 10am - Archdeacon David
• There are no Holy week services in the Bansfield benefice except for Good Friday Walk of Witness: URC, Meeting Green, Wickhambrook at 10am
• Easter Day: Stansfield church at 10am - Archdeacon David

Elizabeth Hollingsworth Retires As Organist

A lovely morning for a Benefice service at Stradishall and also a very special occasion. The occasion being the retirement of Elizabeth Hollingsworth as organist in the Bansfield Benefice. Elizabeth, who turns 90 later this year has decided to retire after 20 years of devoted service to the benefice. Elizabeth's main churches were All Saints' Wickhambrook and St Margaret's Stradishall. In a short address at the end of the service the Benefice's Lay Reader, Dr Philip Draycott, spoke about Elizabeth's contribution to the Benefice over the years and thanked her for all her hard work and devoted service. Following the address Elizabeth was presented with a gift, a card and a bouquet of flowers which she clearly was delighted by. She thanked the congregation and concluded the address with a few reminiscences about amusing things she had seen over the years as an organist.

After the service people chatted with Elizabeth over refreshments at the back of church which gave people the chance to thank Elizabeth for all her work as an organist over the years.

Thank you Elizabeth!

http://www.bansfieldbenefice.org.uk/press/hollingsworth.html