Keith McLeod Newsletter

A parent's thopught for the summer

The Parishes of St. Andrew, Northwold; All Saints, Wretton with Stoke Ferry;

and Christ Church, Whittington.

For more details contact me, Keith MacLeod at West Barn, Whindrove Farm, West Dereham (07766 766 137) (email: keith.macleod@virgin.net)

Diary for July 2003

Sunday 20th July (5th after Trinity)

8.00am Holy Communion at St Andrew's

9.30am Communion by Extension at Christ Church

Sunday 27th July (6th after Trinity)

9.30am Benefice Holy Communion at St Andrew's

Sunday 3rd August (7th after Trinity)

9.30am Service of the Word at All Saints'

11.00am Holy Communion at St Andrew's

Sunday 10th August (8th after Trinity)

9.30am Service of the Word at Christ Church

11.00am Matins at St Andrews

Sunday 17th August (10th after Trinity)

8.00am Holy Communion at St Andrews

9.30am Communion by Extension at All Saints

Sunday 24th August (11th after Trinity)

9.30am Benefice Holy Communion at St Andrews

Sunday 31st August (11th Sunday after Trinity)

11.00am All Age Worship at Christ Church

Sunday School - All Welcome

There is a Sunday School during the main Sunday services at St. Andrew's Church, Northwold (except for Sunday's with All Age Worship). This is open to any school age child living in the villages of Northwold, Wretton, Stoke Ferry, Whittington and Brookville. If you are not able to stay with your child please drop them off by 10.50 and collect them by 12.15.

Rotas for Church cleaning and flowers

August Christ Church: Mrs Clark and Mrs G Duncan All Saints': Mrs E Russell and Mrs P Willis

September Christ Church: Mrs Achurch and Mrs Allen All Saints': Mrs E Russell and Mrs P Willis

A Parent's Thought for the Summer

The schools are breaking up and the children of the world are set free to make whatever mayhem they can. Was it really always thus?

There is a view that it all started in verse 27 of Chapter of the Book of Genesis. In fact, we all need to take comfort from the fact that after creating Heaven and Earth God created Adam & Eve and then uttered his first word to mankind- "Don't!"

"Don't what?" replied Adam.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit," God said.

"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey, Eve . . we have forbidden fruit!!!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Do NOT eat the fruit!" said God

"Why?"

"Because I am your Father and I said so," God replied, wondering why he had not stopped the Creation thing after making the elephants. A few minutes later, God saw his children having an apple break and he was .. ticked!"

"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit?" God asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you?" asked the Father.

"I don't know," said Eve.

"She started it!" said Adam.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"DID NOT!"

Having had it with the both of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. And thus the pattern was set, which still obtains in Norfolk in summer 2003.

But you can gain some comfort from the story

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give your children wisdom and they haven't taken it on board, don't be too hard on yourself. If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it should be a piece of cake for you?

Things to Think About!

1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen years telling them to sit down and shut up.

2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.

3. Mothers of teenagers now know why some children eat their own young.

4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word everything you should not have said.

5. The main purpose of children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children far worse than yours.

6. We child proofed our homes, but they are still getting in.

Final Words of Advice

Be nice to your children. They get to choose your nursing home.

If you suffer from tension, do what it says on the Aspirin bottle:

Take two Aspirin and Keep away from Children

On the other hand, you may care to follow the advice in Proverbs 22.6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

And remember some of the things Jesus had to say about children.

"Suffer the little children to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of God."

"Truly I say unto you, unless you become like this little one, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven."

"See that you do not despise one of these little one; for I tell you that in Heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in Heaven"

Keith MacLeod

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