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See us on the net @ www.i-way.co.uk/-swindonlink                      The Link Magazine • January 1998    41
                    New vicar for oldest church                                       Freshbrook

   On 21 Janua ry, the congregation of St Ma ry's Church in Lydiard Park welcomes a new team vicar.  Evangelical
   So what will she be like? Here are a few answers from the vicar herself.           Church                 `
   Name: Ann MacKenzie (pictured)                         ting to know people and places  Worsley Road
   Age: 43 years                                          'further west'. There must be some-
   Status: Happily single                                 thing that attracts me to New  Will give YOU a warm
                                                          Towns.                      welcome
   Birth place: Sturry, a village on the
   outskirts of Canterbury, Kent                           • Rev. Ann MacKenzie will be in-  Sunday loam Family Praise
                                                          ducted as team vicar on Wednes-  with children's Covenanter
   Before becoming a clergy person, I                     day 21 January, 7.30pm at St Mary's  Movement & creche
   was a teacher at a school in
    Winscombe, Somerset. Besides                                                      6.30pm Evening Worship and
    teaching science subjects, I was a                       Send a cow               Communion
   residenthousemistress. When God                                                    For details of mid-week
   called me to train to be a vicar, I                     from Swindon               meetings, house groups and
   chose a college in Bristol and spent                                               other activities, telephone the
    two years studying.          It was a great way to learn the  The Church of Christ the Se rvant
     In 1985 I went as a curate to my  ropes of being a vicar.  in Abbey Meads receives a visit
   first church in Normanton, West  In 1990, I moved to Bletchley,  by Theo Tesfye from Ethiopia to
    Yorkshire. I arrived there just at  near Milton Keynes. Lots more talk about project development
    the end of the miner's strike which  people were coming into the and the spread of Christianity on
   had hit the townsfolk very hard in  church, and so I was responsible  Tuesday 6 January.
   all sorts of ways, not least finan-  for starting a new one in a school.  Deaconess Maureen Spinks said
   cially. What was such a thrill was  Suffering and illness are always a  the illustrated talk will be part of  "Thy heart is My home;
    to see how as a church we could  concern to people, and one of my  the 'Send a Cow' project.  sanctify it for
   reach out to the community and  particular jobs has been helping to  "There has been a lot of church  My descent"
    try to help them get through this  develop the healing prayer group.  growth in Ethiopia since the war a  The Baha'i faith is the
    tough time. It was amazing to see  I am sorry to be leaving church  few years ago and the ministry has  ,cond most widespread religio
   just how God wanted to show his  friends there, but very pleased that  difficulty keeping up with the  in the world and is working
    love and care to so many people  God has called me to move to West need," said Maureen. "The church  towards universal peace
    during this time.          Swindon and look forward to get-  in Abbey Meads is also growing,  and harmony
                                                          but the experience is very differ-
                                                          ent. There are new reports from  For more information,
                                                          Ethiopia of more conflict and  contact the Swindon Baha'is
           Muslim's mark miracle                          Christians again being persecuted.  Community on 01793 421615
                                                          The evening should be very inter-  or 01793 872853
   Swindon's Jamia Mohammadia held the annual celebration of Mehraj
   Un Nabi (SAW) at Greendown School's community suite on 13  esting to find out how people are
    December.                                             rebuilding lives after troubled
                                                          times, and also to find out how   SWINDON
     Secretary of the Jamia Mohamm-  remember the time when the  they are rebuilding their faith."
   adia Mohammad, Salis Khan said  Prophet Mohammed, peace be  Send A Cow director Peter Reed  FAMILY CHURCH
   the occasion marked the ascension  upon him, went to heaven to see  will also talk about efforts by Brit-
   to heaven by the Prophet    God's good works and to meet  ish farmers to improve cattle stock  Live with integrity
   Mohammad. "TheMehraj UnNabi God. It is one the highest miracles."  in Ethiopia. "We now send money  Love wholeheartedly
   is one of the most important events  Islamic scholars spoke about  to buy stock to help improve milk  Trust God in all things
   in our faith," said Mr Khan. "We  this important occasion in Arabic,  and meat production," said Peter.
                               Urdu and English and young mem-  "Theo has an extraordinary story.  SUNDAYS AT THE
                               bers of the Jamia Mohamm-  He was imprisoned by the Com-     LINK CENTRE
                               adia read from the holy scriptures  munists when he was 15 because  (Community Suite)
                               and sang religious songs.  of his Christian beliefs and de-     10.30am
                               Left: Mohammad Salis Khan with  scribes some incredible situations.
                               young members of Jamia Mohamm-  He is now a leader in his church."  All ages of children & teens cared for
                               adia, centre Ali Khan, from left, Addul  The Send a Cow meeting takes  Information: Call Brian
                               Ghaffar, Atiff Ghafar, Haroon Khan  place in Abbey Meads community  at the Church Office: 849731
                                                          centre on Elstree Way at 8pm     in association with
                               Arabic classes: Mr Khan runs  where a collection will be taken.  NEW FRONTIERS INTERNATIONAL
                               Arabic classes for young people
                               aged 4 to 18 years at Greendown
                               School on Tuesday and Wednes-
                               day from 6.15pm to 7.30pm.
                                 For details, call 881262.             t     LOCAL CHURCHES'

                                                             All Saints' Lydiard Millicent - 10:30am Revd Peter Knight
     F F        +                         l   M                772417 (for the Village and Roughmoor)
       L r^l r Cl A11 rI JI I 3r^t                           Holy Trinity Shaw-10:30am RevdAndrew Hetherington 770568  a o
                         Established 1982                      (the Church is at Shaw Village Centre)  z ^°
                                                                                                       h_iu
       From a small fuse to a complete house rewire          St Ma ry's Lydiard Tregoze - 9:00am, 10:30am  J
                                                               Until Ann McKenzie arrives, please contact Andrew Hethrington  a
     From a dripping tap to full bathroom installation
                                                             Toothill Church - 10:45am Revd Jan Pa rtridge 534992
    ® Fully insured • Institute of Plumbing registered • J.I.B. Electrical  (also Free Church minister for the parish)  ^ o
                                                                                                         ° -
                                                                                                       W
              SHOWER SPECIALISTS                       ,     Westlea Church -10:00am Revd Peter Walker 872932
                                                  ^^.7fJ       (this Church meets in Westlea School Hall, Langstone Way)
                                                     •,
                 •
                                                             The Parish of West Swindon and the Lydiards
    Tel: Swindon 874240 • 24 hour answering                   Baptist • Church of England • Methodist • United Reformed Church
                   11 Chevalier Close, Middleleaze, Swindon
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