Fakenham Parish Church: Community Blog

It struck me the other day when receiving a letter, an important letter, that the writer had begun to write in quite large lettering, when signing off the letter. It seems to me that people who feel themselves important tend to do this and it is rather sad. On this Maundy Thursday, and reading the story of the washing of the Disciples feet by Jesus, I am struck that he wasn’t pushy or over self important, but actually a very simple person who saw himself as a servant.

Todays Church seems to be successful when members, and particularly learders, show this attitude of being a servant. There are some many examples that one can think of and the one that comes to mind first is Brother Roger of the Taize Community, who was sadly assassinated but spent his whole life serving other people. There appears to be some people within the Church today who are too self-important and are not really giving a good example at times to the Church community.

So, come on people! What do you think? I want to hear your thoughts on this.

Adrian Bell

Welcome to the new Fakenham Parish Church Community Blog

This facility is just one of the new features that we have developed on our church website to help engage more with the community, both here in Fakenham and throughout the world. Please use this blog to engage in discussion and share your thoughts with us. Why not leave a comment on this message and tell us what you think of the new church website?

The new Fakenham Parish Website includes a number of exciting features, including:

• Audio Podcasts: Sermons & Thought for the Week

• Virtual Tour

• Articles & so much more…

The new website is the world’s window into life here at Fakenham Parish Church and we welcome people from all of the world on a regular basis who visit the region in Norfolk. Now, with our new website, we can welcome more people into what is a thriving community at the heart of a historic market town.

If you have entered this blog via a search engine, why not visit our main homepage: www.fakenhamparishchurch.org.uk

Cuts in funding to Creative Arts East and Eastern Angles Theatre company by the Arts Council will have a significant impact on live performances around here. For years now we have been able to enjoy top-class artists appearing in local village halls. Our family has grown up with the repertoire provided by Eastern Angles whose outstanding plays always have an emphasis on the landscape, literature or history of this region. Formerly the group was a regular visitor to our community centre but that link has currently lapsed. Now we catch them in Hindolveston or Blakeney or Holt but with a proposed halving of their grant it’s unlikely their outreach programme will be able to continue.

The same applies to Creative Arts East. With its support, villages like Kettlestone, Whissonsett and Wood Norton have been able to host quality musicians and theatre groups at very reasonable rates. The many we have attended have been packed out, the most recent being for a memorable rendition of Under Milk Wood at Whissonsett. All this will probably have to go if the Arts Council sticks to its guns. Whisper has it that the money saved will be diverted towards the 2012 Olympics. Regardless, this should not be allowed to happen. Encouragingly, a strong protest movement is already well under way and includes some very powerful names.Let’s hope they manage to make the authorities see sense.

Wayfarer

By John Stapleford, a member of the Fakenham Baptist Church community.

‘Out of the mouths of babes and infants……’ Psalm 8. verse 2.

Recently, I visited my daughter, Lorna in Leighton Buzzard and was assigned the task of escorting the children to school. As I was walking behind the two infants with the 3 year old Catherine in the pushchair I had the privilege of hearing this remarkable conversation

Grandson Ross (age 6): “Are you a Christian Sophie?”
Friend Sophie (aged 5) “What a Christian?”
Ross, after a pause, “Well, it’s someone who believes in Jesus.”
Sophie, also after a pause. “Yes I believe in Jesus. Well, he gives us the water of life, doesn’t he?”

Sophie’s comment is all the more remarkable because is from a non church going family.

John 14 verse 13.”Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, will never thirst”

As you recover from the various surfeits of the Christmas period, spare a thought for those who may be less fortunate. Marching into 2008 I am reminded that many local residents struggle to make ends meet. On my meals on wheels round, a number of the elderly recipients of a main course and pudding provided by the cooks of Cranmer House at £3 a time rarely leave their own homes. I try to spend a little time with each of them, knowing I may be the only visitor for some while, but obviously there’s a schedule to meet. Maybe more of us could resolve to slow down a bit this year, spread a little more of ourselves with those who would appreciate some company and try not to dash around as if our every move was that important. In short, make 2008 a bit more of a magnanimous year

Back in May the builders moved in to start work on the new children’s centre at Fakenham Infant and Nursery school. You may recall it was the start of one of the wettest summers on record but despite the quagmire underfoot they somehow managed to stay on schedule. This important facility is now complete and in the coming weeks will begin providing a whole range of services for parents and their tiny tots. To distinguish it from other providers already established in the area, the name for the new project will be Fakenham Gateway Children’s Centre. Good luck to all those involved

Overheard at the Christmas Tree Festival from a teacher reprimanding a youngster for tampering with a tree: “Jamie, which part of the word no don’t you understand?”

 Wayfarer