Page 27 - link magazine

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com The Link Magazine • Ma 1999 27
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Council could Church in early at Taw Hill
cast church out The church is playing a vital role in helping to build a sense of Graham
community on the isolated Burghley Park development which falls McCalhon
The Link incorrectly reported that within the parish of St Mary's Church, located some two miles away.
the temporary community centre
on Elstree Way, Abbey Meads To ensure there is support for establish groups and provide op- PHOTOGRAPHIC
would stay open until the commu- new arrivals, Revd Phillip Ansell portunities for people to meet with STUDIO
nity facilities at the primary school has moved into a house in their neighbours."
is available in September. Waterdown Close. Being based so He is planning to set up a parent WEDDINGS
Swindon Council told us that close to the community has meant and toddlers group and to hold an PORTRAITS
they plan to close it down on 31 he has been able to help establish Alpha course, which will answer COMM ERCIA ,i
July. But this means the congrega- one to one relationships with resi- questions on Christianity and of-
tion of the Church of Christ the dents, and give people the oppor- fer more information about it. In
Servant will have nowhere to wor- tunity to find out more about their the first instance homes will be
ship, the Friday morning toddler community and place of worship. used as meeting places. 151 HIGH STREET
group would have to close and Reverend Ansell, below, said, "in Reverend Ansell said, "residents WOOTTON BASSETT
plans for a church run holiday club the long term there will be a church are beginning to come to St Mary's
would have to be abandoned. built at Taw Hill village centre. for worship and we recently held a
Users of the temporary building Our aim in the short term is to wedding service for a couple who
attended a meeting on 26 April live here."
called by the community and youth A Sunday morning family fo-
cused service is held at 10.30am.
department to hear about the clo- There is a more traditional service WILLS
sure, to meet Abbey Meads school
headteacher Mrs Brown, and to at 6.30pm. Professionally drawn by
discuss the management of the For more information about the
community elements of the school. church or the groups which will be The Andrews
Before The Link went to press, set up phone Reverend Ansell on
Dss Maureen Spinks said, "we are 701353, or call into 5 Waterdown Partnership
very unhappy thatSwindonCoun- Close, Burghley Park.
cil want to shut down a facility (01793) 642245
before the new school is available. Trip to Lourdes
It is disappointing they have not 27 August to 1 September A professionally prepared
thought through the implications Pick up in Swindon, hotel, meals will can avoid delay and
for local organisations." Price: £182.50, nsurance extra distress for your family
Child discount available
For more information call From £25.00 inc.
Millennium Thoughts Mrs Gibson on 487821 Home visit service from £35.00 inc,

Checking out time BC The person who changed AD
SWINDON History is changing
Last month Gina Dennis wondered if the Millennium has been
reduced to a convergence of zeros and ones within computers world- FAMILY CHURCH peoples lives Today
wide and the consequences of programming decisions made twenty Live with integrity o ^Evange j,.
or thirty years ago. O
Love wholeheartedly c - Worsley Road `?f^^
But messing around with time is Christ's birthday was very diffi- Trust God in all things
not a modern issue. It's been go- cult as nobody had noted the fate- I mm m ^n
ing on for well over 2,000 years. ful day in the manger, but Mat- SUNDAYS 10.30AM (s, m m
The ancient Egyptians and Greeks thew's Gospel describes King Her- AT THE LINK CENTRE building with people
had calendars based on the move- od's order that all first born chil- (Community Suite)
ment of the sun and planets, but dren should be killed because he & PINEHURST PEOPLE'S Come and join us
according to David Ewing Duncan, had heard of the birth of a new Sunday at 10am & 6.30pm
author of The Calendar: the 5000 King of the Jews. CENTRE For further information of
year struggle to align the clock and the Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus took All ages of children & teens cared for other meetings ring: 873050
heavens, and the missing ten days,' off to Egypt, but it is known that or call at the Church office
Information: Call Brian on 849731
the abbot and mathematician Herod died in 4BC, so the second in association with Jesus said: "I have come that YOU might
Dionysius Exigius, or Dennis the millennium celebration of the Beth- NEW FRONTIERS INTERNATIONAL have LIFE and have it in its fulness"
Little, is responsible for Year 2000. lehem birth should have taken place
He took up the challenge put to in 1996 or 1997 - or before.
him by Pope John I to calculate o add to the confusion, Dennis
dates for upcoming Easters, a com- started his timeline in year one, OCAL CHURCHES
plicated task as the early church not zero, for the simple reason that
had established that the resurrec- the concept of zero had not yet V'
tion of Christ fell on the first Sun- been introduced to Europe from All Saints' Lydiard Millicent - 10:30am
day after the first full moon after the more advanced civilizations in Revd Peter Knight: 772417 (for the Village & Roughmoor) , o I
the Spring Equinox. India. Hence adding 2000 years to Holy Trinity Shaw -10:30amRevdAndrewHetherington:770568
In today's terms the year was year one means we should be pre- (the Church is at Shaw Village Centre)
521, but to the Romans it was year paring for a party in eighteen St Mary's Lydiard Tregoze - 9:00am,10:30am y s'
247, based on the calender that months time. Revd Ann Mackenzie: 870244 .
started in the first year of Emperor Dennis did not spothis mistakes, Toothill Church -10:45am Revd Mark Roper: 692620 a &
Diocletian. Rather than base his nor did the vast majority of clerics
(also Free Church minister for the parish)
calculations on a notorius perse- and academics of several more cen-
Westlea Church - 10:00am Revd Peter Walker: 872932 W
cutor of Christians, Dennis estab- turies. Dennis' dating system ap-
lished the idea of Anno Domini peared in Britain in 731 and it was (this Church meets in Westlea School Hall, Langstone Way)
nostri Jesu Christi, or AD. This was only on the eve of the first millen- The Parish of West Swindon and the Lydiards
AD531, but Dennis had made two nium that the year 1000 was con- Baptist • Church of England • Methodist • United Reformed Church
critical errors. Firstly establishing sidered significant a date.