St Peter's Yaxley

…reaching out in love and faith

Together We Make A Family

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Home groups go by many names, house groups, cell groups, small groups. My favourite is Family Groups.

In my first few weeks in this role, I was kindly invited to attend the Wednesday lunchtime group, led by John Harper. The group has been running for the best part of 5 years, with 14 members, of which there are around 10 at each session, plus Millie the dog. John and Sandra have set up home groups in all of their previous Parishes with each one following the same format of sharing lunch, followed by teaching, then prayer. Incredibly, John and Sandra still see the members from John’s original home group from before he married Sandra!

Watching this home group interact as they arrived and prepared the meal, can only be compared to that of watching a feel-good Christmas movie. One where all the family are arriving home not having seen each other in weeks and hugging and laughing together; the group were surrounded with love. In John 17:22-23, we read “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” This group demonstrated the meaning of this Bible passage to me beautifully through their interactions with one another; it is through this unity that we can see the love of God.

The joy and laughter continued throughout the meal of homemade soup, bread, cheese and fruit. Whilst there was volume in the various conversations and laughter, there was also a calming, relaxed atmosphere. It was the perfect time for everyone to talk and catch up with one another; it felt like home. Afterwards, everyone worked together to tidy away and make tea. They worked in beautiful synchronization, once again enhancing the feeling of a family that knew each other well and had been doing this for many years. It was then time to retire to the living room to begin the study.

The group have studied a variety of subjects over the years, including Rembrandts The Prodigal Son and various DVD studies such as The Theory of Everything. At this session they were starting a new subject ‘Christ and the Chocolaterie’ based on the film, Chocolat. The study takes key events from the movie and relates them to key Bible messages. Everyone in the group was free to have their own opinion and respected those of others. There was time for people to ask questions and hear one another’s thoughts which subsequently helped my own thought processes. The talk was followed by a time of prayer and reflection, and then goodbyes.

I left the group, feeling in awe of the love and familiarity I had experienced. I was welcomed into the group with open arms and instantly made to feel part of the family. Thank you for the invitation and for the wonderful experience.

If you have been considering attending a Home Group, I cannot recommend them enough. They allow you to form good friendships, allow for a time where you can ask questions, hear the views of others, a time to open up and to pray for one another. They are how we get to know one another and build our Church family and unity. Home groups are truly special places.

John & Sandra’s group meet on alternate Wednesday lunchtimes during term time. St. Peter’s have many different groups on at different times so there should be something to suit everyone.

Please speak with Jon if you are considering joining a group.

God Bless.

Laura Ashley (PCO) 07939 449255, lauraashley@saintpeters.co.uk

 

My Splash Walk Tips

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I ventured out on my first Splash Walk at the end of May, unknowingly picking one of the longer walks to attend.

We trailed seven miles from The King’s Head in Wadenhoe to the National Trust’s Lyveden New Bield, and back again. The length of the walk allowed for plenty of conversation and adventure through muddy puddles, fields, kissing gates and long grass. Along the way, I thought of a few handy tips to share with new Splash Walkers:

1. Invest in waterproof walking boots/shoes
It’s safe to say I learnt why Splash Walks are aptly named ‘Splash’ walks. Although we had a beautiful sunny day for our walk there were areas in the woods that were still rather boggy from the previous days rain. In some areas we ventured through bushes in order to avoid muddy puddles, however not all could be avoided and resulted in two rather wet, inappropriately dressed feet. I didn’t let this dampen my spirit and it all added to the adventure bringing back happy childhood memories of rambling through woods.

2. Join the group for lunch
The prospect of a good pub lunch is more than enough to keep you going when you’re flagging three quarters of the way around! Another incentive is hearing Richard call the pub to start preparing the food, you know then that you’re on the home straight and that the Brie and Bacon sandwich is not far off! The pub also gives you time to relax together, catch up with anyone you didn’t get a chance to talk to during the walk, and rehydrate with your choice of drink!

3. Take a spare pair of shoes
Even if you don’t have wet feet or blisters, air to the feet feels a luxury after seven miles – a spare pair of flip flops or alternative are a must! Even more so if you are staying for food.

4. Take water
A combination of chatter and exercise calls for water! I enjoyed having time to get to know friends a little better and have since found out that there are many benefits from walking & talking in the countryside, such as help with depression, anxiety, grief and difficult life transitions.

5. Every once in a while, take a moment to look around
Whether it’s a brief pause from walking, or a pause in conversation, look up and take in the sights of the countryside, and all that God has created for us. The Splash Walk offered me an opportunity to explore somewhere I hadn’t been before and appreciate the beauty and stillness of the countryside.

Thank you to everyone who was on the May Splash Walk. Despite feeling a little achy and sporting flip flops for the following 24 hours, I thoroughly enjoyed the walk. The walk was definitely made easier with the flow of conversation and promise of a good meal with friends. This was my first walk in different terrains and one I found very enjoyable. It was lovely to explore new territory and discover a new village, where people swim in the river! I look forward to walking with you all again in the future!

The next Splash Walk is taking place on Saturday 30th June.

For more information on Splash Walks, please speak with Chris Grant or Richard Hilliard.

God Bless.
Laura Ashley (PCO) 07939 449255, lauraashley@saintpeters.co.uk