Dear FriendsTHE FESTIVE FRITH FLYER… Christmas 2009
Dear Friends
Christmas Greetings from the Friths
Hope
‘If you had to sum up the Christian message in one word, what would it be?’
That was one of the questions asked of each of our vicar candidates this week. The best answer, which resonated with my heart, was from the candidate who got the job … ‘Hope’.
Having had someone close to us in our church die suddenly this year, we were reminded again of our physical mortality and what life really consists of if it purely begins and ends with the physical. Most people want to live forever and strive to do that by both extending their life expenctancy and by trying to leave some sort of legacy that will still be there when they’re physically gone.
The Christmas story is a story of God building a bridge between the mortal and the eternal, so that we might have hope that is everlasting; a hope which can weather anything that we go through in this life and that we can enjoy forever. What a Christmas present!
OSCAR
It’s been a good year for OSCAR, especially if we consider the financial climate we’re in at the moment. The introduction of our new content management system back at the beginning of the year has made a big difference. It has freed up some of my time and it has enabled OSCAR to advertise over twice as many mission opportunities as the previous year.
In March we launched a new mission-focused online community called ‘OSCARactive’. Nearly 200 people have joined it so far.
In October, we took on a part-time web developer, Ceri … which means that there are three of us now! It’s good to have some colleagues and fellow advocates, as well as the help this provides with the ever increasing workload. A large part of Ceri’s work is helping me develop OSCAR’s online community ‘OSCARactive’. The potential is amazing, it’s just turning it into ‘kinetic’ that’s the tough bit.
On 1st March 2010 we will be celebrating OSCAR’s 10th birthday online. Make sure you log on to the internet and join us as some point during that day, we have a few interesting things in the pipeline.
We give thanks for all that has been achieved through OSCAR over 10 years and the many people who have been helped by its services.
Redcliffe
The big news hot off the press is that Redcliffe is going to be merging with All Nations college. All Nations is based in Hertfordshire and for the academic year 2010/11 the merged college will exist on the two sites. The plan is to look for a new site for the merged college from Sept 2011.
This has implications for both OSCAR and for Cheryl’s work, of course. We’ll be thinking this through as details unfold. It’s possible that it may mean another move for us, but that’s complicated as Joanna will be in the middle of her GCSE coursework.
Kids Korner
Joanna has had another year thriving at school. We’re so grateful for the opportunity she has had to go to a school which does such a good job at bringing out her potential.
She eagerly couldn’t quite spot herself in the new Harry Potter film when we went to see it in the cinema, though she did spot quite a few of her friends. We’re going to have to get the DVD and work through it frame by frame!
William is in year 5 now, so just one more year of primary school after this one. That means that we’ll be going through the process of choosing a secondary school for him next year.
Piano lessons are coming on for both of them. We’ve had a couple of services at church where I’ve got the young people involved in the music group. Joanna has sung and received lots of compliments from church members about her singing voice. Watch out X Factor!
Church
Due to a coughing fit at the church AGM, I’m now on the church council! I’m still involved in running Family Church, leading worship and preaching occasionally. Sadly, one of our other worship leaders was killed in a car accident a few weeks ago … so the church has been coping with his loss, both mentally and practically.
The big news about church is that we’ve been selecting a new vicar. Our previous vicar left in April and we’ve had a long ‘vacancy’ working out where we’re heading and what we want in a new church leader. I’ve been one of the three church council members involved in the interviews just this week (along with Gloucester’s Archdeacon and the Bishop of Tewkesbury). We have appointed someone and they will probably start with us around Easter time.
Personally Speaking
My parents have made a good recovery from their health issues in 2008 … pretty much back to their old (or I should say ‘former’) selves again, which is great to see.
This last year has been a better year for us, and Cheryl has re-found her feet again after a tough 2008. She’s thinking about doing some further study in the New Year to develop her personnel gifts … one area that she’s quite keen to get into in the future. As you have read, there are some significant challenges and decisions for us up ahead and we, as always, would really appreciate your prayers and support.
We had a week at New Wine, as usual, and a week’s holiday in the caravan near Tenby in the summer. We also had a few days break earlier in the year near Dorchester and a two night break during the autumn half-term at that well known seaside resort and holiday destination … Swindon! (It’s now twinned with Disney World, don’t you know?)
We’ll be spending Christmas in Gloucester (with all the Friths descending on us for Boxing Day!) and New Year in Abingdon with Cheryl’s sister’s family and Cheryl’s mum.
A Merry Christmas
and
A Happy New Year
from
Mike, Cheryl,
Joanna and William Frith
Forthcoming events include:
Jan 10th Family Church at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Jan 17th Leading worship at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Jan 24th Preaching at Dagnall Methodist Church, Chiltern Downs Circuit.
Jan 31st Leading worship at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Feb 14th Family Church at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Feb 21st Leading worship at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Mar 1st OSCAR’s 10th Birthday
Mar 7th Preaching at Northgate Methodist Church, Warwick.
Mar 11th Global Connections Council meeting.
Mar 14th Family Church at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Mar 21st Leading worship at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Mar 27th Leading Youth Ministry workshop at Redcliffe College.
Mar 28th Leading ‘S Club’ junior church at The Methodist Church, The Square, Dunstable.
Apr 4th Leading worship at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Apr 11th Family Church at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Apr 25th Leading worship at St. Philip & St. James, Hucclecote.
Apr 26th OSCAR Trustees Meeting, Hinckley.We would appreciate your prayers for all that we do. Thanks.
We’ve had a few problems with the bigfoot email addresses so please use mike@frithflyer.org.uk or cheryl@frithflyer.org.uk from now on.