THE GRAPEVINE – DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025

Christmas is fast approaching and in this festive issue  we tell you all about our Christmas service plans.   Our local Mencap held their most successful ever Christmas sale at Burwood Hall in Weybridge and you can see the joy of the occasion in the happy faces of those who manned the kitchen – their selection of home-made cakes was worthy of Bake-Off!  We have tips on how to have an Eco Christmas and there is a double-page spread on our Service of Remembrance.  You can try your hand at the Christmas Quiz and read seasonal greetings from the congregation on the Christmas tree.  Our regular ArtPeace corner is rather special this month as it charts the journey of the artists to the mine to stock up on raw stone that they will magically transform into works of art.  It’s unbelievable to see how hard it is for them to make the journey – the pictures tell the story – and it makes us appreciate their work even more.   The stone verdite, green in colour and sometimes referred to as ‘African jade’,  is  particularly sought after.  In Zimbabwe, the native Shona tribes are said to interpret the spiritual meaning of verdite  as a powerful conduit for ensuring faithfulness and improving fertility.  The artists needed a boost in funds in order to be able to make the journey to the mine and this was achieved, thanks to generous support from a few kind folk.  We wish all our readers a blessed and happy Christmas and a New Year full of promise.THE GRAPEVINE December 2024:January 2025