CIRENCESTER CYBER CAFÉ for Youth
(Supported by Churches Together in Cirencester)
The Cyber Café is now well into its third year, and is slowly getting better known in its tucked away site behind the Old Memorial Hospital. Its aim remains that of attracting 12-18’s, especially from our poorer areas, off the streets into a warm, safe and Christian environment. What is particularly interesting is that at least four of the original members are still going there.

Although the after-school openings still only attract 8-10 at a time, the actual turnover in a session is into the twenties. What has increased dramatically is the number in the Friday evening meetings, which has grown to 50-60. So much so that it had to be broken down into two sessions, with the younger ones coming for the earlier part of the evening. This has increased the pressure on the noble team of volunteer helpers, and more are needed as there is a strict rule of at least two volunteers plus a leader to be present at all times.

Two big surprises happened during the year! The first was that our Youth Leader Jenny Baines got married – to one of our volunteers, Phil. The second was that soon after this, Jenny resigned for personal reasons, and we thank her for all that she contributed in this time. We were most fortunate that two volunteers, Jacquie and Charlie have agreed to carry on running the Cyber Café until we can find a replacement Youth Leader.

Another big step forward is that Cirencester Cyber Café is now a registered Charity, which greatly strengthens our status when trying to raise funds. Some organisations will not even consider making grants to non-charities. The annual running costs are in the £16,000-£20,000 bracket and as this is the only outreach work for teens in the town that our three Anglican churches are making, we encourage you to use the tax efficient Gift Aid where possible when you are contributing.
                                                                                              
David Williams

PARISH CHURCH MIDDAY PRAYERS
I would like to thank our team of Intercessors who take part in the Daily Midday Prayers in the Parish Church. We are, I believe, providing a valuable ministry in the life of Cirencester Parish Church and it is much appreciated by many of the visitors. It is surprising how many of them express the wish to chat with the intercessor afterwards, sometimes to share personal concerns or sadness. The "listening ear" is so valuable. There will be no Midday Prayers during the refurbishment of the Parish church. This period will give the intercessors time to reflect on their specific contribution to the pastoral care of visitors and perhaps too give opportunity for the recruitment of new folk to the list!!

Thank you again to all who have so willingly been part of the Monthly Rota. I look forward to compiling new lists in the hopefully not too distant future.                                                                                           
Jim Harris.

OPEN THE BOOK – Primary School Assemblies
For any new readers, the Open the Book project takes a team of Christian people into our primary schools to present a dramatised Bible story-telling assembly every week. We are very proud that Cirencester was the first town in the Diocese to have a team in every primary school. Although we are now in the seventh year, most of the teams still have their original members, made up from all the town churches.

We were sad when Ingleside independent school closed down, but we are glad that all the members of their Open the Book team are now happily settled in other school teams.

This is an important year in the development of the project for two reasons:  it has recently become a registered charity, and even has a part time paid worker – one of the Gloucestershire founders, Jacqueline Rodwell. The second reason is that we are about to go National! The 90 Bible stories we use over a three year cycle have been honed and revised, often by feedback from Cirencester teams, and together with the introductions and prayers will soon be available in all good booksellers, as they say.

With teams in 130 Gloucestershire schools already giving an assembly to some 13,000 children every week, this is now spreading through training sessions to many other counties. Most of the members I know feel that this is the most vital outreach work they do as Christians.
                                                                                             
David Williams

THE ST. JULIAN GROUP
We have regularly held meetings at 95, Cheltenham Road usually on the last Thursday of each month at 10am. There are the times during the year when I am away and we are then grateful to Sylvia Harker and Kate Golding for holding these meetings in their homes.
During the year attendance has been between 3 and 14! We begin our meetings with a reading, followed by a prayer, leading into a period of silent contemplation, followed by a closing prayer. We then enjoy refreshments and, weather permitting, members are invited to walk in the garden.

In July we paid our annual visit to Burford Priory for our quiet day. During this time Sister Mary and, later, Father Stuart both spent some time giving us interesting spiritual and amusing talks.  We also celebrated a     Eucharist service in the chapel with them and other members of the community. Between these events we were able to use our own ‘quiet room’, library, kitchen, bookstall and lakeside garden.
After our December meeting we all enjoyed an excellent Christmas lunch.

The monthly meetings are a haven of peaceful quietness – ‘waiting on God’.                                                                                

June Prosser-Vane
                                   
KNITTING GROUP
Another  year has passed and the ladies of our knitting group has been very busy making 310 tops, 197 blankets,  449 sweaters  of  all  kinds and many more items.     We have also started shoe boxes which we can do  all year round for Feed the Children. We take them in the sacks to the pick-up point about three times a year.

We all enjoy the meetings on the second Tuesday of the month at St Peter’s Court where we have a chat and coffee and bring all the garments witch which we have made. Knitting wool is shared out between us ready for the next month’s work. If any one has any spare wool we would be pleased to receive it.
We are looking forward to next year and hoping to be even more productive. Thank you for reading this short note. God bless you all.

Gill Day and Di Adams

MOTHERS’ UNION
  The year proved to be a year of challenge – fun and encouragement. 2007 was a year of elections for the next Tuennial. Mrs Margaret Edwards was commissioned as Diocesan President in Tewkesbury Abbey on Lady Day by Bishop Michael. His sermon gave us much to meditate on and with the Abbey full of MU members, we had a wonderful sing!

During the year, eight people were enrolled as members and one of our well established members welcomed back after spending a number of years up north. Pat Harris preached at the service in Holy Trinity which coincided with a child’s baptism – how Pat used the aim of the MU, caring for the family.

The Quiet Day at Cotswold Farm led by the Rev. Audrey Martin-Doyle was a good spiritual challenge in beautiful surroundings. Mary Sumner’s Day in August saw a group of us having a guided tour of Wootton-under-Edge Church followed by a pub lunch then onto North Nibley to a lovely garden owned by a MU member followed by tea and worship.

The year ended with our welcoming back the Rev Mark Birch, who told us about his work at Helen House in Oxford.

Throughout the year coffee is served every Friday in the Town Hall. Little Angels and their parents/carers are looked after on Thursdays. The Monthly Corporate Communion is well attended on the last Wednesday of the month.
                                                                                     
Theresa Vearncombe

PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
I have just watched the channel 4 programme ‘Unreported World’ in which journalist, Evan Williams took us into the slums of Cairo, where 100,000 Christians live – they are called the Zebeline, ‘the Rubbish People’, because they sort and recycle the city’s rubbish by hand, the only way they can earn a living. They live amongst the rat-infested rubbish, and worship in an underground church.

If you saw this programme, it would have left you in no doubt that Christians in countries like Egypt urgently need our prayers and our support. At Holy Trinity we have been meeting monthly since May last year to do just that. We share news that we each bring from various sources, such as Barnabas Fund and Open Doors, and we pray. In some cases we can also write to encourage people, those in prison or the families left at home.

One Open Doors co-worker said ‘It doesn’t seem like much to pray for H….. and write words of encouragement to her and her children, but it is the least we can do. And it is the best we can do.’ I believe it is something God calls us to do because we are all part of his family. If you are able to join us to pray, no matter what church you belong to, do come along on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. in the church.

You would be very welcome                                                   

Jill Wilkinson. 

                                                                                

WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
The annual service on the first Friday in March for Cirencester was held in the Baptist Church in Coxwell Street in 2008. The service, attended by women from all the Christian churches, ran smoothly and was enjoyed by all. Mrs Sylvia Harker gave the address on the theme ‘God’s wisdom provides new understanding’. Refreshments were provided after the service and helped to encourage the fellowship of the participants.

The Baptist Women’s Fellowship hosted an afternoon in February when excellent slides and a commentary informed us about Guyana whose Christian women had compiled this year’s service.

In the previous Autumn, a conference had been held in Gloucester in preparation for the March event, during which three pastors had spoken about their experiences during their time in Guyana.

In 2009, the Women’s World Day of Prayer will have been written in Papua New Guinea and St Peter’s RC church will be the host church in Cirencester for this great world wide event on March 6th at two o’clock. Make sure you are there. The theme is ‘In Christ there are many members but only one body’.                                                                     

Eileen Yeo


CHRISTIAN AID ANNUAL REPORT
Alun Thomas and Sian Defferary have retired from running Christian Aid in Cirencester after many years of loyal service. There is now a new interdenominational working group under the aegis of “Churches Together in Cirencester”. Pippa Burgon is the co-ordinator and Jane Gracie is the assistant co-ordinator, with Katie Bannister dealing with the Finance. There are eight other members of the group from various churches around the town.  Our main aim  is to organise  Christian Aid Week in Cirencester
and the surrounding villages.                                                                                       
                                                                                                 

Pippa Burgon

CHESTERTON SENIOR CITIZENS GROUP
Chairman: Mrs J Godsall            Secretary Mr K Prior
Treasurer: Mr N Whereat
Meetings: 2nd Wednesday each month at St. Lawrence Church Centre   

During the past year the Chesterton Senior Citizen Group enjoyed a very active year. There were some very good entertaining speakers and members enjoyed three outings, when we visited the Forest of Dean and the North Cotswolds, each with a lunch laid on. The usual Christmas Shopping trip to Weston Super Mare was laid on too. In December we enjoyed a very good Christmas Lunch at the Blunsdon Hotel.

The Group  during the  year gave  £200 to  the Church  to purchase a new Altar  cloth  and  also  had  blinds fitted  in  the  main  entrance of the Hall.

We have some fifty-five members and would welcome any new ones. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month at the St Lawrence Church centre at 2.30pm.

We are members of Age Concern, where we have a representation on the committee .    
                                                                    
Norman Whereat
           

PARISH ART GROUP
We still meet every Friday at 2.15pm until approximately  4.00pm. in the Parish Centre. Although fewer in numbers such is the enthusiasm that there is no plan to discontinue.  If anyone wishes to join us please come along one afternoon and see our masterpieces in the making! Beginners most welcome.                                                                                 

Siân Defferary

HOLY TRINITY MUSIC REPORT
Although I didn't begin my appointment at Holy Trinity until February this year, I nevertheless became involved in the musical life of the church at the time that James Scott was preparing to move to Bath Abbey. We met over lunch on several occasions discussing musical matters. I was able to arrange a rota of deputies to fill the gap until I was able to start, and I was grateful to Michael Eddy, Jack Mizzi and Anthony Hammond for standing in so well.

The choir is very small at present but I hope we can recruit some new people soon. The Parish Church Choir joined forces with Holy Trinity's Choir for a Carol Service in December, and some friends augmented us on Good Friday evening to lead the singing of the RSCM's Service "The Cross of Christ" with Michael Eddy playing the organ - this was well received by the congregation.
I hope to reintroduce weekly choir practices, probably from early May and probably on Thursdays - this has yet to be decided. New members will be very welcome. They should contact me on 01451 844886 or email gw@cdlaw.co.uk or speak to me after a Sunday morning service.

I am looking forward to developing the musical life of Holy Trinity in the coming weeks and months. 

Gordon Webb