The Church’s New Year begins on the first Sunday of Advent which is always at the end of November or the beginning of December. The Last Sunday of the Church’s year is the Feast of Christ the King, which represents the present and future consummation of the whole of creation in the person of Jesus Christ, surrounded by the Communion of Saints. At the end of the liturgical year the Church reflects on the Four Last Things, Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. The celebration of All Saints on 1^st November is reminder that we are destined to join the Communion of Saints and even in our present state we have a special relationship with those who now see God face to face.

DEATH is the most profound and intolerable of human experiences, yet the grave has been made ‘holy’ by Christ’s own death and burial. God in Christ knows precisely what it means to suffer, to die and be buried. While the grave or cremated remains of a loved one is the focus of life’s short memories, it should also be a reminder of the mystery that our eternal destiny lies with God. We can never know exactly what happens to a person after death or how our personality can survive it. But Christian witness and the Communion Saints has consistently and emphatically pointed to the continuation of the whole personality or soul in the presence of God because of what happened to Jesus. We should continually pray the prayer of St. Augustine: “Lord, I do believe. Help thou my unbelief.” Never let doubt cripple, but always combine it with a simply act of faith, “Yes, Lord, I believe.”

By the kind of lives we lead now, we are passing judgement on ourselves. So heaven is not a reward to the good or hell simply a punishment for the bad. God always acts lovingly and we simply enter into that state of being for which our words and actions have fitted us.

HEAVEN is the final destiny of human existence, of persons made in the image and likeness of God. In this world we are to so develop and deepen our characters that we may be more self-aware and responsive to God’s love. Since we are people of the earth, the Christian is deeply concerned with the material circumstances as the soil out of which the human soul must grow. Heaven describes the state of eternal and full response to God’s love.

The Reformers of the 16^th century rejected any ideas of PURGATORY because there is nothing of this in the Bible. One goes to either Heaven or Hell and therefore any prayer for the dead is nonsense. But down the centuries the great weight of Christian tradition has asserted that it seems improbable that anyone’s sole chance of development lies just in this life. Yet this life is the only one we know. So Purgatory stands for the truths that on our deathbed we may not yet be ready to be fully responsive to God’s love; that self-awareness is often painful and so God continues to love us and to lead us towards himself after death. Most Christians do pray for those who have died, “to push them”, so to speak, into the nearer presence of God.

We cannot know the details of our future or final destiny. But we do know that to be closer to the Fount of all Being, the Source of all Love, the very creator of the Heavens and the Earth, must be the most sublime experience of our whole existence. As the month grows darker, remember that you are created for the greater glory of God. You are destined to live with him, the Light of Light, forever. “What no eye has seen nor ear heard has God prepared for those that love him.”

The date is October 15^th 1931. A procession is wending its way down the medieval High Street in the small Norfolk village of Little Walsingham. There are priests and a Bishop in beautiful robes, smartly dressed children and crowds of laypeople all singing God’s praises as they walk. And at the centre of the procession there is a beautiful image; Mary pointing to her Son, the Christ child. The procession arrives at its destination and the image is placed into a humble little house, a replica of Mary’s own home in Nazareth. An ancient place of pilgrimage has been restored.

75 years later, and Walsingham is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the country. People of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities come and pray in that little house. They are inspired by Mary’s example and prayers, and as always she points them to her Son, he who is the source of healing, life and salvation.

As 2006 approaches, parishes across the country will be celebrating the anniversary of The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, and there is a great deal for which to give thanks. Perhaps you’ve got your own story about how that special place has touched your own life. But an anniversary is also an opportunity to look ahead. What kind of Shrine is Walsingham going to be in the next 75 years?

There are a number of priorities. The accommodation at Walsingham is comfortable, but there needs to be more provision for families, people with disabilities and those who require en-suite or ground floor rooms. The main reception needs to be re-located to a more central site and one that complies with the disability discrimination act. And did you know that 345,000 people visit Walsingham each year, many of them just passing through? The Shrine needs a place where visitors can learn about the Shrine and be prepared for their visit to the Holy House.

To meet these needs, the Shrine has announced a big development plan which will entail the restoration of an accommodation building (Stella Maris) and its extension with the new Milner Wing. These are really exciting and imaginative plans which will provide a Visitor Centre, beautiful new accommodation with wonderful views of the garden and a new reception area. All the new rooms will be en suite and will be accessible at ground floor level or by lift. The entrances to the Shrine will be redesigned to make them safer and more attractive. With the new development complete, the Shrine really will be ready for the future.

But a building like this doesn’t come cheap! The Shrine has launched an appeal for £2 million and every pilgrimage parish is being asked to lend its support. What can you do in your parish to play a role in these exciting plans?

We look forward to seeing you all on Saturday 26th November 2.00 pm in the Village Hall. A variety of stalls, refreshments and of course Santa Claus who will be arriving just after 2.00 pm. Raffle tickets are now on sale and if you think you could sell a few books for us please get in touch with Yvonne Gibson 845084 or Jillian Lawson 844858.

The Lower Wharfe Group of Parishes are now selling a variety of goods on behalf of the Fair Trade Goods scheme, there will be a stall in Bramham Church at least once each month. Jillian Lawson is our representative; and as I am sure you will know this scheme is part of the Bob Geldof initiative to fight poverty. For more information please contact Jillian or ask to see one of the booklets, which will be at the back of church.

The second concert by the Drighlington Brass Band will be on Sunday 18th December at 7.00 pm at Bramham Park, we are extremely grateful to Nick and Rachel Lane Fox for inviting us to organise this concert again this year.

Please make a note in your diary, tickets are being printed and will be available for sale very soon. Tickets are limited please contact Peggy Kitchen or Anne Palmer as soon as possible and reserve your place.

Very many thanks to everyone who has joined the Open Door Scheme this year. The first winner is No 127 Monica King. £10 per year for your name to be entered into the draw, £100 is the prize and the draw is made 4 times each year in September, December, March and June, with an extra prize of £25 at Christmas. If you would like to join please contact Anne Palmer 842850.

If you come across any information both old and new about Bramham in Magazines or in the Press which you think will be of interest to people in the future, please send the article to Anne Palmer who is now keeping the archives.

Does anybody know where David and Pauline live now. They left Bramham in the late 1970’s. David was the choir master at Bramham Church for several years and they lived on Prospect Bank.

If you have any information please will you let Anne Palmer know. 842850.

The Churchwardens

One morning each month, the streets and lanes of Bramham are full of green bins, alongside the regular black dustbins. I’ve often wondered whether I was using mine properly, and where all that waste plastic, tins and paper ended up.

So I contacted Leeds City Council to find out, and while I was talking to them, I also learned that some of plastics that I was putting in my bin can’t be handled by the system at the moment.

But what’s the point anyway? Probably the most important reason is that recycling reduces the need for “landfill”. My black bin is now only about one third full each week, so our household has cut the volume of our waste going to the local waste site by about half. And by recycling, we’re doing our bit to tackle climate change and over-use of resources, by cutting the amount of oil, timber, metal ores and energy used in making them.

Our green bins can cope with nearly all paper and cardboard, so all your newspapers, junk mail, cereal packets, boxes, and magazines can be chucked in. Telephone directories and yellow pages are OK too, I found out.

It’s the plastics that are the problem. Your green bin can only take three types: PET, commonly used for fizzy drinks bottles and blister packs for batteries, and high and low density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE) which hold many other types of household products. Milk, fabric softener, shampoo, and ketchup are all packaged in these plastics. In fact, if it’s any sort of plastic bottle, you’re probably OK to put it in your green bin.

Yoghurt pots and ready meal packs are the big exception – they can’t be recycled.

Look for the little triangle with a number in that’s usually marked on the base of the container. If it’s type 1 (PET), 2 (HDPE) or 4 (LDPE), you’re fine to recycle it. It’s the other plastics like PVC (coded 3), polypropylene (5) and polystyrene (6) that are the problem. There’s no capacity for recycling them at the moment, and if you put a few in your bin, the whole load could be rejected in case it contaminates the other plastics. The wonderful job of sorting all this out goes on at Dewsbury, where the contents of your green bin are picked through and re-packaged to sell on to specialist recycling firms.

What’s the best thing you can recycle? Aluminium cans, because this lightweight metal uses so much energy to make, but it’s very easy to melt down and re-use. In the war, it was Spitfires, but now it’s more likely to come back as a Coke can… or one of my bicycles!

BRAMHAM RANGERS

The Rangers have now started their Winter Programme. They have had a cinema outing, helped at the Brownie and Guide Swilling Gala and have had a meeting about their forthcoming service trip to either Thailand or Africa.

They are going in 2007 for 4 weeks to work on a Service Project with International Guiding. This means they have a lor of fund raising to do and have started off with a car boot sale at St John's School in Boston Spa, raising £100.00 - a great start. However, they have a long way to go so you can expect to hear about a lot more fund raising in the future.

They are going to the bonfire at Wetherby as their next trip out and will be taking part in the Christmas Carol Service.

They are all looking forward to Robyn coming back from Canada in December to take over running the unit again.

Fiona

We came second in the Swimming Gala and say well done to all the Guides who took part.

They are very busy with their programme and are looking forward to a night hike to Spofforth in November when we will camp in Spofforth Village Hall.

The Guides are working for a Cook's Badge and are learning how to ice cakes - so hopefully we will have some nice cakes for Christmas.

Fiona

Bramham Brownies are going from strength to strength, and we now have a full Pack with a waiting list. If you would like to join us, please ring me and I will add your name to the list.

A bequest from Alan Booth has been received in the form of a jar of coins, which amounted to £50. Thank you very much to Alan's sister Sylvia for passing these on to us, which will go towards our outing to the pantomime.

Sylvia also passed on to us a collection of old post cards. We are sure that these could be Collectors items, so if anyone has details of who we could contact with a view to selling them, please let me know on 842268.

Brown Owl

at Rufforth on

to raise funds for the Junior Section of the Club

Donations of bric-a-brac, toys, books etc. would be much appreciated

Volunteers will be collecting donations

Next Walk

Woodhall & Sicklinghall

5 miles

Details have been left with John at the Post Office or you can contact

Everyone welcome to come and join us

in Bramham Village Hall

New Members Welcome

We have Volley Ball, Basket Ball, Table

Tennis, Snooker/Pool, Badminton, Football, Air Hockey, Play Stations and X Boxes.

If you are over 12 years of age

come along and join in the fun

for further information contact

Get your festive season off to a traditional start,

with a visit to our annual pantomime.

Once more we have chosen a modern script with one or two surprises!

So, why not come along and join in the fun

"Drama Group members would like to express their appreciation & thanks to Angela Ingham of Paradise Farm for her unstinting support & commitment in this, her 25th anniversary year of involvement with the group.

Thanks, Angela for all your hard work."

Protecting plants, not necessarily tender, can be quite important during the winter, especially if you are on an exposed site. Many plants thought to be too tender in this country are now growing quite happily for the sake of a layer of fleece or a packing of straw over the winter months.

Items like Cordylines, Trachycarpus fortunei (Chusan Palm), the Canary palm (Phoenix canariensis) and the old favourite the Camellia. Some of the Camellias are not all frost hardy but you can get over this by growing the ‘williamsii’ cultivars as they are quite hardy and there is a great selection of colours, single and double flowers.

My lesson on frost protection came from the home garden. A slip of Camellia japonica was nursed aboard a boat back from Australia and planted in a prominent position in the front garden which faced south on a slope. Before each winter it was staked with a round barrier of hessian which was then stuffed with straw. This was kept in place until the flowers were fully out. Even then it was kept shaded to prevent the early morning sun from striking the flowers. This was most important in frosty weather. Frozen buds and flowers will ‘burst’ as the sun’s radiant energy is absorbed by the frozen plant cells and the cell walls rupture. So the thawing process has to be gradual and natural.

If you have plants in pots it is just as important to protect the pot as the plant foliage as roots are also susceptible. So thoroughly wrap or plunge the pot into the ground or if the plant is already planted in its natural state, then increase the thickness of mulching. You are trying to create a barrier to the cold. Keep plants on the dry side and water to the minimum.

With the summer bedding out of the way and the winter bedding in, now is the time to look to those tools used for pruning. Make sure they are in good condition before you use them. There is nothing more annoying that to use a blunt or poor quality knife, loppers or saw. It just doesn’t do the same job and it just makes it harder for the operator.

Try and buy the best that you can. Most expensive is not always best. It is quite surprising how forthcoming the seller is about his products, so ask opinion when buying. My first pair of swivel handled Felco secateurs was two pounds seventeen shillings and six pence in the mid Sixty’s. You would see no change out of a fifty pound note today. If you do a lot of pruning then it might be worthwhile.

Neat pruning is important. A clean cut facilitates quick healing and helps to prevent the introduction of pest and disease. Make sure all prunings are cleared up after working to prevent the spread of disease and to stop pests from overwintering. Burn if you can or send the cuttings away in the ‘green bin’

David Mitchell