The Uplands Group of Parishes consists of Guilsborough, Hollowell, Thornby, Cold Ashby, Ravensthorpe, Cottesbrooke, Creaton and Spratton                       

Message from Reverend Caroline Burnett, the Uplands Group of Churches

Uplands Group of Parishes Office (Answerphone): 01604 743444                                

one that’s rarely sung these days.  It’s to the wonderfully named tune ‘Golden Sheaves’ and its first verse has the words:

Bright robes of gold the fields adorn,

the hills with joy are ringing,

the valleys stand so thick with corn

that even they are singing.

Driving around the Northamptonshire countryside back in August these words often came to my mind.

As we move towards the end of October and early November we go from the season of harvest to a season of remembering.  We have our service of Remembrance and Hope at 5pm on Sunday 27th October at Ravensthorpe Church where we to come and remember loved ones departed; this service is open to all.  And we have All Saints and All Souls days and we have Remembrance Sunday, all at the beginning of November.

Can we bring our approach of gratitude to this season as well?

The American playwright and writer Thornton Wilder said, ‘The highest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude’.   In the throes of grief this might be a difficult thought, but perhaps it is something to work towards as we make the journey through loss.  To be grateful for and to those from whom we’re parted by death might make a lot of sense and help us to take some tentative steps forward on that journey.

Pollyanna knew a thing or two about life: gratitude is good for us and it strengthens our relationship with God if we remind ourselves always of the blessings that God pours out for us.

Email: uplandsgroup@btinternet.com

I don’t know how old one has to be to remember the character from a 1913 children’s story book, Pollyanna, the little girl who went through life playing what she called ‘The Glad Game’, always finding something to be grateful for in every situation.  She came in for a bit of stick in latter years; over-analysed perhaps, and accused of being in denial.  But really, her philosophy of gratitude is pretty trendy these days, with well-being coaches and therapists urging us to be grateful.  There are any number of gratitude quotes on the internet, all helping us to see ways to be thankful for what we have in our lives.  Travelling through life with an attitude of gratitude (or gladness!) really does seem to make a positive difference to our mental health in the face of all that disturbs us about the world.

This feels to me like the secular world taking a healthy dip into the Christian world, where we’ve always been encouraged to be thankful in our prayers and praise, before we begin to hold up to God those things that we trust will change for the better somehow, through God’s power and grace.

The season of Harvest Festivals, or Harvest Thanksgivings, is upon us.  Although the grain harvest was brought in back in August and September there are still fruits and vegetables to be gathered and stored for the winter.  In our churches we sing songs and use words that express our thankfulness to God for the abundant gifts that creation gives us, as well as our gratitude to those who work the land and seas and bring food to our tables in so many ways.

The joy of the harvest season is summed up in one of my favourite harvest hymns is

CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX APPEAL

Last year we sent 153 shoeboxes full of practical Christmas gifts, and 37 blankets, to families in Ukraine as part of the Blythwood Project.

Most needed are: toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, sponges, flannels, notepads, pens, pencils, crayons, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, socks, underwear, hats, scarves, gloves & small toys.

Please get your boxes and donations to Janet Minney by end October!

If you have blankets or knitted squares for blankets - please contact Janet so we can collect and start putting the squares together as soon as possible. There will be boxes for donations at the Monday Morning Meet (Guilsborough Village Hall 9-11am most Mondays), Guilsborough Church and at Janet’s. Donations towards transport costs are also needed.

Thank you, in anticipation.

Contact Janet Minney 01604 740640

FANTASTIC BEASTS—SUMMER FUN!

The Summer picnics were well attended and some wonderful creativity emerged! Creaton’s theme was four legged beasts of the Bible and there was quite a focus on lions, with painting, biscuits and crafts on the lion theme including Daniel in the lion's den.The children did paper folding, badge making and clay modelling as well, with some very imaginative animals made out of clay and twigs.modelling was very popular too, with Jonah's whale being quite a highlight.