Mill End Baptist ChurchField WayRickmansworthWD3 7EL

Pastor: Todd Nightingale - tel: 01923 441115 or 775430

How to find us

Delivered by:

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FestivalHarvest / Autumn 2006

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Photographed by Peter Hawkes

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Shine on, shine on harvest moon Up in the sky, I ain't had no lovin' Since January, February, June or JulySnow time ain't no time to stay Outdoors and spoon, So shine on, shine on harvest moon, For me and my gal.

Shine on Harvest Moon by Nora Bayesand Jack Norworth 1903

So the old song goes, but what is aHarvest Moon?

Every full moon during the year has aname and the Harvest Moon is the fullmoon that occurs closest to theAutumnal Equinox (23rd September).Some people claim that the harvestmoon shines brighter and more goldenthan during normal full moons, but thisis simply an illusion due to the angle ofthe ecliptic -- the apparent path of theEarth in relation to the sun.

So why is it called the Harvest Moon?Near the time of the autumnal equinox,the angle of the moon's orbit relative tothe Earth's horizon is at its minimum,

causing the full moon to rise above thehorizon much faster than usual. Sincethe difference of the moon's rising timeon successive nights barely varies, themoon appears to rise at nearly thesame hour for several nights insuccession. Because the harvest moon,like any full moon, must rise near thehour of sunset, farmers in the NorthernHemisphere bringing in the harvest, maybe aided by bright moonlight aftersunset on several successive evenings.A similar effect is observed incorresponding southern latitudesaround March 21.

When is this year's harvest moon? Inthree out of four years the Harvestmoon will be in September. In 2006,there are full moons on 7th September(16 days before equinox) and also on6th October (13 days after equinox) andso October 7th being closest to theequinox wins this year.

When the Harvest Moon is in October,the full moon in September is called theCorn Moon. When the Harvest Moon isin September the October full moon iscalled the Hunters' Moon.

HarvestMoon

by Peter Hawkes

Sunday Worship Meetings 10.30 am & 6.00 pm During the morning meetings: Cross Talk for 11 to 14 years oldTFG for 3 to 10 years with songs, games, crafts, etcCrèche for the under-3s

Alpha/Nurture Group meets regularly on Tuesday mornings. Tiddlywinks toddlers group held in the church.

Fridays 9.30 -11.30 am.For information on the above two phone Brenda at 01923 779140

All Stars a group for teenagers meets fortnightly on Friday evenings at the church. Phone Malcolm at 01923 775592

Saturday 14 October Harvest Supper 7.00 for 7.30 pm with light-hearted entertainment afterwards (see local press for details)

Sunday 15 October Harvest Festival Thanksgiving Service. at 10.30 am

HarvestActivities

WhatGoesOn?

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All Saints Party Tuesday 31 October 5.30 to 7.00 pm Quiz Night Saturday 17 November, 7.15 pm at the church Carols by Candlelight Sunday 17 December at 5.00 pm

Everyone is welcome to come to any of the above.We welcome your views and comments

OtherEvents

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WhyHarvest?

by Peter Swaffield

Every little helps......making life tastebetter......good food costs lessat.....exclusively for everyone.....Eachsupermarket has its own slogan.

We're all so used to shopping at ourpreferred supermarket where we can,usually, buy what we want, when wewant it, day or night, all the year round.We can even shop 'on the web' andhave it delivered. The shelves in thestore are replenished in the small hoursof the morning and, to us, seem fairlyfull whenever we visit. It's all there; justfor us; whatever the weather; whateverthe season.

Maybe, in Metroland, we have to a largeextent lost an instinctive connection withthe cycle of nature which has producedour food. For us, it may be moreimportant than ever to have a specifictime to focus on 'Harvest' as anopportunity for thankfulness. It's onething to privatize the water companiesfor reasons of efficiency and profit; it'squite another thing when the supply ofthe most basic commodity on planetearth is in short supply. Our reliance onthe Creation and, Christians believe byimplication, the Creator, is thrown intostark relief.

Christians of a previous generationknew just how much they depended onthe regular seasons for rain and sun, forgrowth and harvest. So, following theexample of the people of God in thebiblical stories, it was part of theChurch's yearly pattern to set aside atime to thank the 'Lord of the Harvest'.They believed in a Creator who wasintimately involved with His Creation.'The heavens are telling the glory ofGod'. Christians believe that somethingof God's beauty and goodness can beglimpsed even in a world which isspoiled and imperfect.

It's surely good to give thanks for thefood and drink that we do have. Yes,Christians are encouraged to givethanks 'at all times and in all places'.This is not to ignore the need for actionto right wrongs, to respond to need, tocare for the environment and to seekjustice in the world.

A 'Harvest Festival' allows a specificfocus to thank God, the Creator andSustainer of the universe, for all thegood things that he has given us. 'Allgood gifts around us are sent fromheaven above; so thank the Lord, ohthank the Lord, for all His love'.'It's good to give thanks to the Lord'.

EDITORIAL

MEBC - Festival

Christmas Greetings

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Doyouknowabout...

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are fruit and members of thevine crops botanical family calledCucurbita with four main species whichincludes pumpkins, squashes andgourds. They originated in CentralAmerica and range from grapefruit sizeat less than a pound to over 1,000pounds. The largest ever grownweighed 1,140 pounds. Spalding inLincolnshire claims to be the pumpkincapital of Britain, with one growerproducing over 2 million a year.

The name pumpkin originated from theGreek word 'Pepon' for a 'large melon'.In French this became 'Pompon' whichthe English changed to 'Pumpion'.Shakespeare referred to the 'pumpion'in his play Merry Wives of Windsor. TheAmerican Colonist changed the name tothe 'Pumpkin' that we have today. Thestory of Cinderella has a pumpkin in it.

They are very nutritious and the brightorange colour is a dead giveaway that itis loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene which the body can convert

into Vitamin A. Some research indicatesthat a diet rich in beta-carotene mayreduce the risk of developing sometypes of cancer, offer protection againstheart disease and some degenerativeaspects of ageing. Although they are90% water they also have lots of fibreand contain potassium. The fruit, flowersand seeds are all edible. The seeds arerich in zinc and essential fatty acids.

Pumpkins are used to make soups,breads, and pies (sweet or savoury).The American Colonists sliced offpumpkin tops, removed the seeds, filledthe inside with milk, spices and honeyand baked it in hot ashes, so producingthe original American Pumpkin Pie. TheNative American Indians flattened strips,dried them and made mats out of themas well as using the seeds for food andmedicine. They also eat long stripsroasted on an open fire.

Research by Edythe

Information for this article taken from the following websites:www.bbc.co.uk/growing/www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/

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ToddandFamilyTodd was born and grew up in theoutskirts of Los Angeles. He has threebrothers and his parents worked longhours. Despite the long hours workedby his parents Todd has many happychildhood memories.

Whilst in the states Todd and Danelleworked for various churches in manyroles, including assistant Pastor at theDesert Vineyard Church in California. Todd has been married to Danelle for

sixteen years. They have four children of15, 13, 11 and 9.

They first moved to the UK in 2002,where they have been working at StAndrews Church Chorleywood, theyhave been involved with the children'sministry. For many years Todd andDanelle have also worked with churchesin Chorleywood to provide, a children'sholiday club -Detonate.

Both Todd and Danelle have worked inprimary schools - Todd for 18 months inthe States and Danelle at St Petersschool, Mill End. Recently Danelle hasstarted to work with Watford SchoolsTrust, which involves her takingassemblies and RE lessons in schools.

Todd, were you brought up in aChristian home?

My parents weren't Christian and theyhad no real interest in God or church, atall. I did go to church sometimes withmy mum for Christmas or Easter, but Iwasn't really sure why. Looking back,we probably all believed in God and justgot on with life as seemed best to us.There seemed no point to church orbeing Christian.

FEATURE

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So when and how did you first becomeinterested in Christianity?

Well, I didn't really get interested inreligion and I'm still not. Religion is aboutrules and rituals, and it often has verylittle life and joy in it.

Jesus was never about religion. It allstarted for me when I met some friendswho said that he was for real. Basically, Iwas out to have fun and a good timewhenever I could. These friends werepart of a club for young people - I wentalong and found out that it was reallygood fun. Each time they told us a bitabout Jesus and I became more andmore interested. The club was calledYoung Life; there are loads of them inthe States.

Now that you know more about Jesusand have been a Christian for sometime, what difference has it made?

Two things come to mind immediately,but the list of changes is massive. First,would be peace. Life was a bit tough forus when I was growing up and ourhouse seemed always full of stress andworry about this or that. Now I can relaxand enjoy life more - we often have agreat laugh at the dinner table with thekids. Life is good. There are still

challenges, but I know that they won'tbe too much to handle. Secondly, I havea sense of purpose and belonging. Lifenow has meaning and I know its goingsomewhere.

How does the UK compare to theStates?

Well, it rains more. We lived in a very dryand basically brown part of Southern California, so one of thebiggest differences is the weather. We love all the green and trees here- this isa great place to live. And, my son is learning to play soccer instead ofAmerican football, but that's cool.

What is your impression of the area?

Mill End reminds me of where I grew upnear Los Angeles. There seems to be amix of people. I don't know really; I lookforward to getting to know thecommunity.

What do you think God has in store forRickmansworth and Mill End??

Great question! I'm asking him the samething! Good things do seem to becoming - whatever they are, I'm surethat I'll enjoy them.

To find out more about Todd and his visions for the future why not come alongto the church and join us for a social event or come along one Sunday?

FEATURE

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Dan Brown's book 'The Da Vinci Code'has sold millions of copies worldwideand has recently been turned into a film.It has provoked many responses. It hasnot been welcomed by the Christianchurch, this is hardly surprising sincethe main claim of the book is thatChristianity is essentially false, as forinstance the New Testament is allegedto be a fabrication. As there are unlikelyto be any voices of support fromuniversity researchers and scholars forhis assertions, Dan Brown has woveninto his story fictional characters whopronounce as his very own experts onall kinds of topics including knowledgeof history and secret codes and cults.There are obvious major errors clear toanyone with even a basic knowledge ofthe Bible, as an example in Chapter 7 itis said that Christian philosophersframed the story of 'Genesis', doesn'the know that the first books of the Bibleare of Hebrew origin written long beforethe emergence of Christianity? Therecannot be many marks for historicalaccuracy here.

Cynicism of the modern ageIf this was simply a fun story then wewould best ignore it like a lot of otherpulp fiction. However it is interesting to

note how many people, some welleducated, are willing to accept at facevalue the thrust of the storyline. Fictionlike this tells us a lot about our ownculture. The storyline throws doubt onthe characters of anyone who may bereligious, motivation is for money andthere is a power struggle at work tosuppress the truth. A sinister andapparently twisted monk is dedicated tothe cause and is free to murder in theinterests of the church. Much of what iswritten reflects the lost values of ourown western society, we have becomecynical about religion in general and wedo not trust those who appear to goagainst the trend in saying that belief isstill possible in this modern andmaterialistic age. Cynicism is lazy; itdoes not consider evidence, but throwsout what is of value without any seriousconsideration of the facts. It is morecomfortable for someone who does notbelieve to think there is no reliableevidence to support the New Testamentaccount of the life of Jesus and thatknowledge of God is difficult or a secret.

The mission of JesusFor the cynic Jesus' claims aboutHimself make very uncomfortablereading. He says 'I am the Way, the >

FEATURE

TheDaVinciCode:

ATrueLoveStory?

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FEATURE

Truth and the Life' He also says 'Hewho has seen me has seen the Father',is it any surprise that the religiousleaders of the day wanted to kill Him?Jesus does not defer to some othermystery religion but makes it plain thatto believe in God is to believe in Him. Inthis sense Jesus is unique from anyother person or teacher; He does notgive to us a system of religion but offersinstead Himself. Throughout the NewTestament this point about Jesus isemphasised and that is why very littlebiographical information is given on thedisciples. The writers wanted theirreaders to understand who Jesus is.One day all things will be brought underChrist, this will apply to parts of theworld experiencing much conflict suchas in the Middle East and to theapparently wealthy and peaceful partssuch as own western societies. Thefuture of every one of us depends onour faith and relationship with Jesus.When that day comes the time for thecynic will have passed.

Jesus and Mary MagdaleneLike all the other disciples very littleinformation is given concerning thebackground of Mary, she was probablycalled Magdalene after the village ofMagdala in Galilee from which shecame, and to distinguish her from theother women of the same name. Lukeintroduces her as one of a group ofwomen who travelled with the twelve

disciples. She is not slandered in theBible as a prostitute which is one of theassertions of Dan Brown. Howeverbefore coming to know Jesus she musthave been in a very dysfunctionalcondition because we are told she had'seven demons come out'. What makesthe situation very unusual for the time isthat Jesus should accept femaledisciples at all since women wereconsidered of inferior importance. Jesusshowed his unconditional love for allmen and women by accepting thosewho were rejected by their society. Maryhad been demon possessed but wasaccepted by Jesus as a disciple, whowas later to be at the foot of the crosswith the other women and was the firstto meet Jesus after his resurrection. Inmany parts of the world women are stillabused and treated with contempt butthis is not the way of Jesus. God's loveis for all.

Jesus had no interest in restoring anancient religion. The worship of the'sacred feminine' must have beenknown to the Jewish people, after allthey were controlled by the Romanswho included goddess worship in theirreligion. The city of Ephesus flourishedin Asia Minor whose main source ofincome was through the worship of thefemale goddess Artemis. There is noevidence that those who were involvedin this kind of religion ever had anymore respect for their women folk. >

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RoastedSalted

PumpkinSeeds

The ResponseFor those who have read the book orseen the movie then this could be anopportunity to research into the facts ofthe New Testament. Nicky Gumbel haswritten an excellent booklet entitled 'TheDa Vinci Code a response' this can bepurchased from the Holy TrinityBrompton Bookshop tel 0845 644 7544.In this booklet Nicky pulls together theevidence supporting the authenticity ofthe New Testament and gives acomprehensive guide to otherresources.

It is also an opportunity for the church toshare the true message with ourneighbours. Have we given theimpression we are more concerned topreserve a religion rather than help thosearound us to come to know Jesus? Aknowledge of the truth of Jesus is to bethe first step into a relationship. Thepromise of God is that His Spirit will bepresent to empower and to make Himknown in our hearts.

Rather than just throwing them away let thechildren make this delicious and nutritious snack.First there is the great fun of putting all of the softmiddle in a large bowl of water and sloshing itaround to 'catch' all the seeds and save them.Throw away any cut seeds and the fibre. Then:

1. ¾ fill a large saucepan with water, add 1 to 2tablespoons of salt (depending on the size) andbring to the boil. Add the seeds and boil for 10minutes. 2. Then pour the water off, spread on kitchentowel and pat dry. 3. Place the seeds in a bowl and toss in oil ormelted unsalted butter.4. Spread the seeds evenly on a large baking trayor roasting dish.5. Place in a pre-heated oven (250F) and roast for30 to 40 minutes. Stir about every 10 minutes,until crisp and golden brown.

6. Cool the seeds, shell and eat. They can be putin air-tight containers or bags and kept in thefridge for later.

Instead of roasting them they can be made intonecklaces. Clean the seeds as above. When drytake a needle and a long piece of thread. Make aknot about an inch (3 cm) from the end and pushthe needle through the middle of the flat side ofeach seed. Keep adding seeds, pushing themagainst each other, until the string is long enoughwhen made into a loop to go over the head. Tiethe ends of the thread together and hang roundyour neck. This can also be done with marrow ormelon seeds. You could try dying the seeds beforethreading them to make different colours.

FEATURE - The Da Vinci Code: A True Love Story? (continued)

by Trevor Newson

WildlifeAreaTheMillEndCommunity

“Slavanka”, Belle Vue Road, Southbourne

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Have YOU visited the Wildlife area? Well make your way to the junction ofFotherly Road and Springwell Avenueand there you will find a small enclosureof grass, hedges, trees and wildflowers.Welcome. Walk round, sit awhile inpeace and listen to the birds, watch thebutterflies.

But it was not always the tranquil placeyou find today. In the 1990s ThreeRivers (TR) acquired the area as abuilding storage compound duringrenovation of local authority properties.The work completed, in 1996 theyproposed building five houses andeleven car parking spaces on this site -in 0.35 acres!

The news provoked an unprecedentedresponse from the residents in thesurrounding area. The site would exit onto a dangerous road junction; it wouldbe a ghetto; an ancient hedge wouldhave to be cut down. From all aroundthe area came complaints that Mill Endwas saturated with new buildings. It wasone brick too far. Besides, they said, Mr.Curtis gave this land to the people of MillEnd to be used as allotments (it is nowowned by TR) and he would never haveallowed such a thing to happen.

The Curtis Conservation Group wasformed and the next eighteen monthswere spent writing letters, making phone

calls, attending countless meetings atthe Council, checking the Land Registryand reading up on conservation law.A questionnaire sent out to over fivehundred residents asking what theywould like showed that out of a 90%response 87% favoured a wildlife area,'To keep it a bit green'. At the vitalmeeting at which the decision was to bemade the Curtis Group felt at least well-prepared, if not totally confident of theoutcome.

Over fifty residents turned up in support.A member of the Group made a speech(as allowed by the Council) on behalf ofMill End. There was a short silence,whispered consultation among theCouncillors, and then came theannouncement. The housingdevelopment would not be allowed togo ahead; the site could be turned intoa wildlife area to be managed by thelocal community.

The residents clapped and cheered. Thebattle had been won. We had inherited arubbish tip. The hard work was about tobegin.

by Yvonne Stirling