Page 12 - link magazine

12 LOCAL LIVES
Holy Week and Easter Ann Hall from Toothill attended many of the services held at the
different churches which make up the Ecumenical project in the area
in West Swindon and describes how they celebrated Easter
I like Easter week more than Christ- gether). We also work closely with ion from a very deep silver chalice dles were lit until the whole church
mas! At Easter we celebrate the the Roman Catholics at St. Peter's. made in thel7th Century. was ablaze with light. This sym-
victory of our LordJesus Christover Maunday Thursday Evening The Anglican team rector Rev. bolised the resurrection of Jesus and
sin and death and his rising from the The first service I went to was on John Flory preached on three themes, the people dedicated themselves to
dead. It is a time of joy and singing Maunday Thursday evening at St. service to our neighbours (we re- the serviceof Christ for another year.
and sunshine (if we are lucky) and Mary's, Lydiard Tregoze. At it we membered Jesus washing his disci- Easter Sunday.
spring flowers. remembered the institution of the ple's feet), being fed by God with Family Communion
There were services everyevening service of Holy Communion by Je- bread and wine (the body and blood Each congregation had its own
during Holy Week (the week before sus the night before he died. of Jesus), and Passion - being done Communion service and I attended
Easter) at the various churches in It was lovely to meet in the old to (Jesus allowed men to do cruel Toothill, my home church. Itlooked
the parish. As you probably know, church, built mainly in the 15th cen- and painful things to him in order to lovely with flower arrangements
WestSwindon is an ecumenical par- tury, with its interesting wall fulfil his Father's will and accom- and lots of daffodils.
ish (Anglican, Baptists, Methodists paintings, fine monuments and Vic- plish our salvation). The Rev Ian Handscomb asked
and United Reformed working to- torian box pews. We took commun-
The Sunday School children at Toothill Church
with the triptych depicting the Easter story
5.D. 'UpfwLctenj

Quality New & Restored Furniture, Antiques
Restorations & Recovering Undertaken
Showrooms- Gilberts
Newport Street, Swindon
Telephone 539913

I 19
now 10 LJLW 0
MOBILE VEHICLE SERVICING
REPAIRS & TUNING
By qualified engineers from fully equipped
10
Mobile Workshops at your home or place of work
Phone Dave Powell MOBILE 0860 453329 • Swindon 612930
SET PRICE INCLUDES PARTS, LABOUR & VAT Good Friday morning the children to look for a hidden
The Sunday School children at Easter egg. The little girl who dis-
Toothill School had made a colour- covered it was disappointed to find
The Complete Kitchen ful triptych below the alter depict- the box empty. Ian described how
ing Jesus carrying the cross, Jesus the disciples felt disappointed when
& Bedroom Centre hanging on the cross and the Resur- they found Jesus' tomb empty. But
their sorrow turned to joy when they
rection.
The Baptist Minister Rev. Ian found he had risen from the dead
* Kitchens by Symphony,
Limited Edition & Ashley Handscomb led the service and and appeared to several of them.
spoke of 'People at the Cross.' There The children received little easter
* Appliances by Neff and were lots of children, some of whom eggs and we sang joyful praises to
other leading makers did the readings and prayers, and the risen Jesus and God the Father
many people from other churches. and the Holy Spirit.
* Bedrooms by 'Now' Good Friday afternoon Afterwards we had a short, but
'Misty' & Ashley
We attended a service of medita- effective play performed by the
* Replacement doors tion at AllSaint's, Lydiard Millicent. Sunday School girls on the conflict
to any size in Solid It's a lovely old church but, unlike of going to church or going skating
Timber or Laminate St. Mary's, very simple and plain. It at the Link Centre.
looked especially stark as the alter Sunday Evening Praise
* Flat pack or ready frontal had been removed to sym- The service was held at Holy
assembled ranges bolise the stripping naked of Jesus; a Trinity Church, Shaw, the newest
* Help & Advice to assist big wooden cross stood in the chan- and largest of the church buildings
your DIY installation cel. in the parish. Rev Keith Boxall and
John Flory led a service of Bible LTRC Minister Rev Helen Drumm-
* Our own Professional readings, hymns, prayers, music and ond led us in traditional hymns and
Fitting Service Available periods of silence. People com- modern songs and choruses. We
* Free Delivery mented on the peace of Lydiard sang and sang praising the Risen
Millicent and we went home con- Lord, and Helen preached a helpful
* For Free Advice, tent to leave Jesus resting in the sermon.
Design & Quotation grave, his suffering over. So we came to the end of very
Easter Sunday. The Dawn Service happy day and a helpful Holy Week.
Call in and see us now • Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm A gathering of people at 630am We had been with Jesus in his suf-
as dawn was coming and mist lay fering and death, and in his resur-
over the countryside. Rev Keith rection and victory. We felt con-
Boxall and Rev Anne Thomas led tented, joyful; moreable to cope with
the congregation into the darkened whatever life might hold for us.
85 Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill, Swindon church with a big decorated candle Join us. You will be made very
used at Easter time followed by the welcome at any of our services. The
Tel: (0793) 511842
congregation. One by one theircan- Church office number is 874221.