Latest News

First steps to Fairtrade Cambourne?

8 May 2012 

Guest speaker David Potter encourages 'Love Justice' on their Fairtrade mission.

Cambourne's 'Love Justice' group may only have been meeting since December 2011, but are already seeking to make their mark as they try to “think globally, act locally”. Local residents and Christians from Cambourne Church, the Roman Catholic community and Cambridge Quakers, meet together to learn, listen and discuss issues of social injustice.

This month, they were joined by the newly appointed Bishop's Advisor on Fairtrade Matters. David Potter is keen to meet others concerned about ethical trading, and came to Cambourne to keep 'Love Justice' updated and to help them make plans for the future. He highlighted some of the work the Fairtrade foundation are doing, and how we can all get involved. There is no reason why Cambourne cannot join Cambridge, St. Neots and Huntingdon as Fairtrade Towns: is this one area 'Love Justice' could take the lead?

Read more about these issues, and a more detailed report of the evening, here.

Tenebrae Service - 5 April 2012

The Epiphany House Group held a Tenebrae  Service on Maundy Thursday.   As people entered the Church foyer, they could have their feet or hands washed if they wanted.   There also was wine, juice, fruit and a plethora of bread to symbolise communion.  For those of you who have never attended a Tenebrae Service, it is a reflective service where participates listen to gospel readings and contemplate Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.   Perhaps the most striking and poignant is the ending where everyone leaves the Church in silence.  The message being that this is not the finale.  Come back for Easter Service to celebrate Jesus’ triumph.

Recent Reviews

Film

Spirited Away (2001) & Nausicaa: the valley of the wind (1984)

The Japanese Director Hayao Miyazaki makes mysterious and wonderful animation films in which children play a key role and are more in touch with the spirit of the times than the adults around them.

Spirited Away starts with Chihiro a ten year old girl and her family on their way to a new home when they take a short cut. This leads them into a fantastic adventure. The scene where Chihiro’s parents turn into pigs is unforgettable! What a picture of presumptuousness and greed! 

Produced in 1984 Nausicaa contains a prophetic message that speaks still today about working with the environment and not against it. 

As well as being great stories both these films have a strong spiritual dimension to them. This makes them inviting, fascinating to watch and good to discuss afterwards with children and adults.

Peter Wood 

Book

Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus

By Kyle Idleman

“Are you a follower of Jesus Christ?” Kyle Idleman asks. And it's not a rhetorical question. One of the challenges he sees contemporary American Christian culture facing... is the culture itself. Where  knowing a lot about Jesus is the 'done thing'. Where Church can seem more like a fan-convention rather than a place where followers grow.

In seeking to re-dress the balance, he contrasts the 'late-night info-mercial' evangelistic efforts of some with the true teaching of Jesus. How He called His disciples to take up their cross and follow, and calls us in the same way. This is challenging stuff, and something we need to be honest about when telling people about Jesus. Yet Kyle's style is easy-to-read: he lightens what could well be a heavy book with humour and real-life stories of people who want to stand up and say “I'm not a fan”, but a follower. 

I sometimes feared this emphasis could push readers into 'trying to act like followers' by spending too much time 'in church' instead being salt and light in the world. But the central message is spot on: following Jesus is the best thing we can do, and something that will totally change our lives.

I started in two minds about this book. I'd met people who'd read it, loved it, and were buying copies to share with their friends. Yet it came from a megachurch in the States, it seemed to have a glossy publicity machine behind it (www.notafan.com), and I wasn't sure how much it would speak to where we are in Cambourne. Maybe that's because I like to hope our community is already one where we know that we are loved and saved by God, take risks to follow Christ, welcome seekers, and develop into followers and not 'just fans'.  I'm still not sure if the book isn't too one-sided, but I agree that when we completely commit ourselves to God, He will use us in ways we could never have imagined. So I want to say “I'm not a fan” either!

Beth Cope