Welcome to CROCKHAM HILL EVENTS
	Newsletter

www.crockhamhillevents.co.uk

WE’RE GOING TO FRESHEN-UP…!

• We are going on a course to think about the way we are the church in a changing world.
• We will be thinking and exploring the need for fresh expressions of the church to be community-focused.
• SO WHAT’S A ‘FRESH EXPRESSION’?

A fresh expression is a form of church for our changing culture established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church.  It’s about calling people back to where they were and where we are, it’s about finding the courage to go with people to a place where neither we nor they have ever been before.

• So it’s not about fiddling with things we already do and are beautiful for us, but about finding fresh and re-imagined ways of being God’s church in our community, not in someone else’s!
• WHO’S GOING?  Well, members of the PCC and other interested people are going to St Philip’s, Tonbridge, on five Monday evenings in September and October to learn about new possibilities from a diocesan and nationally based team.
• The ‘Fresh Expressions’ movement has the full backing in the Archbishop of Canterbury, and most of the other mainstream denominations in this country.
• Ultra-conservative traditionalists need not be fearful.
• Those who search for ways to God in the present will be excited, for the best has yet to come in finding pathways.
• Remember, God is about the here and now, not just the hereafter!

Watch for developments!

Your friend and priest
Fr Bob

CHURCH SERVICES FOR JUNE 2010

FLOWER ROTA
JUNE 6/13          Mrs Addiscott & Mrs May                              JUNE 20/27        Mrs Campbell & Mrs Bishop
JULY 4/11           Mrs Prime & Mrs Paterson                             JULY 18/25         Mrs Proctor & Mrs Court

CLEANING ROTA
JUNE  5                 Mrs Hodges & Mr Woodward                      JUNE 12               Mr & Mrs Whitlock
JUNE 19               Mrs Reynolds & Miss Dilley                          JUNE 26               Mr Stafford & Mrs Blatherwick
JULY  3                 Mrs Court & Mrs Ellis                                      JULY 10                                Mr Reynolds

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
When we respect the natural cycles of life, we find that each of life’s stages has a spiritual dimension.
Jack Kornfield
FIRST TUESDAY GROUP
Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 1st at Anne-Marie’s house, 2 Deanery Cottages, Main Road (tel: 864555).  So please do come along, grab a cup of coffee and meet other parents from Crockham Hill.  We start at 9.30am and usually finish around 11 o’clock.  It goes without saying, but children of all ages are most welcome.  For July there will be a change of venue and time, so look out for details in the next issue of the Newsletter.  Finally, rather than take a break over August, I suggest a picnic on the playing fields – again, details to follow nearer the time.                               Jane Bradley-Smith 864750

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE
At the May meeting, Freda McBride was congratulated and presented with a rose, ‘Golden Memories’ on 50 years membership of the WI.  The resolution, The mandatory clear labelling of food with the true country of origin, was debated and passed unanimously.  Susan Cash will vote accordingly on our behalf when she attends the National AGM in Cardiff in June.  The Annual Meeting then followed.  The committee was re-elected en bloc, with Linda Brown subsequently being elected President.  Susan Cash and Gill Lambert will be Treasurer and Secretary respectively.  Later in May a group of members visited Leonardslee Gardens before the closure at the end of June.
    Our next meeting, at 2.30pm on Wednesday 2nd, has Julia Hunt speaking on the topic Modelling Feet First.  We welcome guests, so do come along if you are interested in an afternoon of laughter and entertainment.                                                                                                                             Linda Brown

LEWINS GARDEN OPEN
The lovely garden at Lewins will be open twice this summer on behalf of the Hospice in the Weald; the first is on Sunday 6th and the second on Sunday 13th – both openings from 2-6pm.  Entrance fee £5 which will include refreshments.                                                                      Derek & Valerie Roberts

WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Our first meeting in June is at 10.30am on Wednesday 9th when Trish Proctor will be leading a discussion on Anger: justified or just rage?  Caroline Shaw at Guildables Oast will be our hostess.  On 23rd Mandy Maple invites us to her home, 41 Highfields Road, Marlpit Hill, to hear about life with her Muslim family in Alexandria.  If you are interested in either of these subjects, do please come and join us for the morning.  If you need a lift or more information, please call Susan Cash on 866218.  

OXTED & LIMPSFIELD FLOWER SOCIETY
At this month’s meeting, to be held in St Peter’s Church Hall, Limpsfield at 2pm on Wednesday 9th, Stephen McDonnell will be the guest demonstrator, with his theme being Just for fun.  The Society is also having a Plant Sale that day.  Prospective new members are invited to contact the Society’s Secretary, Veronica Beckitt on 01883 625468.  Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month.

THE VILLAGE MARKET
The next Market is on Saturday 12th from 10.00am in the Village Hall.  As well as the usual crafts, cakes and collectables, there will be other local produce on sale – apple juice, eggs and sausages.  So meet your friends for a cup of coffee and support our local producers and the Village Hall.  To book your own space, ring 01732 866319 – plants and garden produce would be especially welcome.
Freda McBride
QUOTE, UNQUOTE
You can’t put off being young until you retire.                                                                    Philip Larkin

EDEN VALLEY MUSEUM – FREE GUIDED WALKS
To learn more about Edenbridge and its history, why not join one of the guided walks organised by the Eden Valley Museum?  Walk along the Roman Road (the High Street) and under the Old Crown Inn signboard which spans the road and is the only one of its kind in Kent.  Learn about the buildings, industry and lives of locals in days gone by.  Led by Museum guides, walks start at the Museum and last about one hour.  To take part meet at 2pm on Saturdays: June 12th, July 10th, September 11th.

OXTED & LIMPSFIELD CHORAL SOCIETY
After their sell-out Easter Concert, the Oxted & Limpsfield Choral Society will be performing Songs of the Sea and Homeland, Music for a Summer’s Evening.  This concert will take place on Saturday 12th at 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church in Bluehouse Lane, Oxted.  Tickets are £10 to include a glass of wine and nibbles, and will be available from 01959 563996, or any choir member, or on the door. 
Mandy Maple

CHIDDINGSTONE GARDEN TOUR
The 26th annual Chiddingstone Garden Tour takes place this month, from 2-6pm on Sunday 13th when nine country gardens will be open.  Homemade cream teas will be available.  Tickets £6 (children free) and maps are available from Chiddingstone Village and Causeway Stores.  All proceeds go to the two Chiddingstone churches: St Mary’s and St Luke’s.  Come and enjoy a great afternoon out!                                                                                                                                     Chris Bell

THE PRAYER GROUP  will meet at Guildables at 2pm on Tuesday 22nd.  If you would like to come and need transport, please let me know.  We are a small group who would be delighted to welcome more people to join us in a short time of prayer, for the needs of our world and our local community.  If you can spare 30-40 minutes of your time, why not come and join us?       Trish 866219

CHURCH FETE – JULY 10th
Please make a note in your diary that this year’s Church Fete will be on Saturday July 10th with a Caribbean theme – so come ready to limbo!  Music will be provided by a live steel drum band: the much-praised Croydon Steel Orchestra (www.croydonsteelorchestra.co.uk) who will play throughout the afternoon.  Please let me know if you have any books, bric-a-brac, toys, crockery (for smashing), CDs or DVDs that you would like to donate. We hope to have evening entertainment (BBQ/Disco) after the fete for those who would like to stay on later in the evening.  If you can spare some time on the day to help, even if just clearing away afterwards, please let me know.  Face-painters would be very welcome!                                                                                Neil Marshall  866660

CROCKHAM HILL ON THE WEB
If you have any news, events, sports results or comments for the Crockham Hill website (www.crockhamhillevents.co.uk), please contact Mark Hancox at info@crockhamhillevents.co.uk  

C.R.A.S.H.  UPDATE
Since the PACT meeting held in the Village Hall in November, the CRASH committee has been communicating with Kent Highways and Westerham Parish Council in an effort to push for further traffic calming improvements in the village.  We recently met Mr Appleby (who attended the PACT meeting), and walked him through the key concerns we have as residents of Crockham Hill.  The main discussion points were:

• Re-assessment of works carried out, to see what impact the monies spent have had in the village, for indications are that there has been very little (if any) improvement. We also discussed whether there was a ‘contingency pot’ to help where measures have not worked; and what can be done to further reduce traffic speed.
• The school sign needs to be on an automated system, to work when the school opens and closes – this would have an immediate impact on cars travelling through the village.
• Continue to investigate the ‘Traffic Light’ system seen on the continent.  This was highly supported by local residents, and further action on this would be much appreciated.
• Follow up KCC funding for a Speed Indicator Device (SID).
• Zebra Crossing discussed in length – this is something we definately need, to improve the ‘suggested’ crossing on the Main Road.
• Exit from Main Road into Spout Lane (opposite The Royal Oak) with the possibility of using white lines to build out the kerb to disguise road contours to drivers.  This would potentially reduce the speed of cars turning left as they travel down the hill.

As you can appreciate, Kent Highways were unable to offer any promises at the meeting.  However, we left Mr Appleby with a list of points to report back on.  It was made very clear to CRASH that funding was a key issue for Kent, and very little – if any – monies are available to help villages like ours.  We are pursuing other avenues in an effort to raise money to make our village ‘safe’.   However, any ideas would be very welcome!  As an indication, a flashing speed sign (SID) costs as much as £15,000.  If we can raise half the money it was indicated that we may have a much stronger chance than other villages in similar positions.
    CRASH is also planning a Speed Awareness Week in June.  We will post visual banners and posters around the village to indicate to drivers the speed limit, and hopefully to prompt them to slow down.  The local press will also be involved.  Unfortunately, the Police Speed Check signs that were placed in the village have been stolen!  We have asked for replacements, but P.C. Ingram does not have any more at present.                                                                       Sara Seale (C.R.A.S.H.)

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
There was once a very rich and greedy man who loved and hoarded jewels.  One day a visitor asked to see them; so the jewels were brought out amid much expensive security.  The two men gazed at the wonderful stones, and as the visitor was leaving, he said: “Thank you for sharing your jewels with me.”  “I didn’t give them to you,” exclaimed the rich man.  “They belong to me.”  “Yes of course,” replied the visitor. “And while we enjoyed the jewels just the same, the real difference between us is your trouble and expense of buying and protecting them.”
(With thanks to Vic Roberts for providing this parable for our time.)
THE JOYS OF BEING ‘OUT THERE’
The other guest having breakfast at the b&b north of Maidstone looked surprised when she heard I would spend the day walking.  “Walking!” she exclaimed, “Where would you go walking round here?  It’s all motorways!”
    Of course, that’s the perception of those who make their journeys only by car.  Major roads, motorways, the demands of speed.  But leave the roads behind and another world (the real world) is waiting to be explored. 
    I tried to explain that the previous day I had walked for eight hours on footpaths and farm tracks and loved every step; had been seduced by a trail that led through the most glorious beechwood carpeted with bluebells, been serenaded by birdsong, watched a great spotted woodpecker drilling a dead branch, disturbed a herd of deer, and lazed on a meadow with a view that stretched for twenty miles or more with not a motorway in sight.
    Would she understand that seated in a car she would be divorced from reality?  Unable to catch the fragrance of dew-damp nettles, the earthy smell of sun-warmed timber; ignorant of the sounds of insects seething in the woods, of the taste of a breeze coming from the north?  Seated in her car chasing traffic, she would be unaware of the downland slope not a mile away from our breakfast table, where ten thousand cowslips nodded their multi-flowered heads in unison, nor of the spinney where, later that afternoon, I would be gifted with the eye-watering melodies of a nightingale singing just for me.
    Would she even care?  Perhaps not.
    Two days before that conversation with the lady at the b&b, twentyfive villagers took part in our annual Rogation Ramble.  Never more than three miles from the heart of Crockham Hill, we experienced the bounty of God’s gifts in all their vibrant richness – the fertile land on which life depends, voluminous clouds that carried rain and made landscapes in the sky.  We wandered over meadows specked with flowers, and among trees whose leaves unfurled virtually before our eyes.  Birds sang, rabbits and squirrels scampered for cover.  A chill wind bullied our picnic site, but laughter, goodwill and the company of friends and neighbours matched the pleasures of each mile walked, and as the afternoon faded, we all crowded into Alan and Chitra’s kitchen to celebrate with well-earned tea and cakes: the countryside and a caring community – both worth celebrating.
    Now isn’t that a better way to spend a day than sitting in a car counting motorways?                        KR

I’M SORRY, I’LL READ THAT AGAIN … (More Notes from Parish Magazines)
1:  The sermon this morning: ‘Jesus Walks on the Water’.  The sermon tonight: ‘Searching for Jesus.’
2:  Alan Jennings and Clara Mason were married in church on 24 October.  So ends a friendship that began in their schooldays.
3:  Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir.  They need all the help they can get.
4:  Place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want to be remembered.
5:  The Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet on Thursday at 7pm.  Please use the back door.