netmums.com

Very good website I have just found - great for Food Ideas for the busy amongst us - spread the word!!!

Journeys

If you are looking to find out more about our faith, these evening give real life stories and discussions with coffee and cake - you would be given a warm welcome.

22nd January
Is there a spiritual side to life?

29th January
If God and heaven exist what are they like?

5th February
Does this faith thing work in real life?

12th February
Does God have real power to changes things?

19th February
Crossing the line - what's it like?

The evening start at 7:45pm and are on the 1st floor, Cable House (next door to the Church) Hall Street, Chelmsford, CM2 0HG

Book your place on: 01245 358855

Feedback

If you have any feedback on anything conncerned with Oaks and Acorns, please see any of our staff - they should all be in burgundy polo shirts with their names on if you are unfamiliar with them - they will be pleased to help out wherever possible.

Dates for your Diary

As we only run during Term Time, please note there will be NO Oaks and Acorns on the following mornings:

Monday 12th February
Monday 2nd April, 9th April and 16th April

Please note we can only accomadate children of 5 years and under, if you have older children who are off school on an Oaks morning they cannot attend.

Adults Meal Out

This was mentioned last term but we have revised the date to Monday 29th January.

Time: 8:00pm
Venue: The Garden Chienese Restaurant, Baddow Road
Menu - Buffet - Hopefully

This evening is open to all staff and Mums, Carers, Grandparents - basically adults who attend Oaks and Acorns. We opted for such a meal so that we can have some fun and hopefully finish some sentences. We also opt for just after Christmas as December is so busy and it is a good reason for a cheer up in January. Please let us know as soon as possibkle if you can come so we can book a table.

Photos

We do take photos of the children at events such as the Assault Course or Christmas Party. Thses are for use purley within the Church and the Group and will not be posted on the Blog.

If you have any problems with photos being taken of your children, please let any of the staff know so that we can take appropraite action.

If you would like any copies of the photis, please let us know and we will happilly arrange this for you.

Our beliefs

We are run with a Christian ethos and beliefs. We are supported by the Church and it’s leadership. One of our aims is to show you the love of God in a practical way each week. We also pray generally for the group and it’s attendees on a regular basis, if there is something particular you would like us to remember in prayer, please see either Elsie or Joyce or fill in one of our prayer request forms. We would love to share our faith with you or answer any questions you may have.

You are also all warmly invited to any of the services here at the Elim Christian Centre – our Sunday Services are as follows:
First Morning Service 09:15 am - 10:30 am
Discoverers (Ages 0 - 11): 09:15 am - 10:30 am
Coffee 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Second Morning Service 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
Discoverers (Ages 0 - 11): 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
Deep Impact Youth Church (Ages 11 - 18) : 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
Evening Service : 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

For more info see http://www.elim.org/

Assault Course - 19th February

We will be holding an Assault Course for the little ones on February 19th (first mrning back after Half Term). This will be to raise money for our supported Charities and is generally great fun. The kids will each receive a certificate and a reward for their efforts - whilst we encourage them to do as much as possible, the joining in is the most important thing.

We attach a sponsorship for for this event and would ask you to start asking Grannies, Uncles, Neighbours etc to help us support others through this event.

If you get to the morning any haven't managed to get any sposnors, don't worry, your children can still join in but we would ask you to make a donation of your choice to the charity jar we will have available - obviously cheques are accepted from the millionaires amongst you :)

Fund Raising & Recipes

We will br raising funds this term for the two Charities we are supporting this year. This will be firstly The Smiles Foundation - a charity which supports many projects which we have been involved with, particularly in Romania. The second charity will be The Js Foundation - a local based charity trying to raise funds for a specific young people based Hospice facility. If you would like to discuss either of these Charities, Jenny is our expert on The Smiles Foundation whilst Diana is our expert on The Js Foundation.

We will be collecting small change again, please bring this along with you - remeber your small change can make a big difference.

We also tried to do a recipe book last year but as yet there were nott too many Delia Smith's out there - please can you let us have your favourite recipes and we will try to pull all these together.

Children Learn what they Live

"Children Learn What They Live"
by Dorothy Law Nolte

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.

If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.

If children live with fairness, they learn justice.

If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Note from Rhianne

Just to update you all on my current situation. The Company I was working for closed and I therefore lost that job mid November. Since then I have been working at Asda but on on a temporary basis - it was fun to see some of you in there - trust you were all jealous of my lovely lime green uniform :)
Anyway, will be starting a new job with effect from the 15th January but this will be full time so I will not be able to be with you for a while. I am hoping to back sometime after Easter this year but I will know more later in the year.
In the meantime, Joyce will be taking over as acting leader for the time being. I will still assist with monthly notes and some of the background work such as waiting lists, etc. If you have any queries, please see Joyce firstly and I am confident she will be able to help you. The team will be a little stretched during this team so please help us to help you, take cups back to the serving hatch when dealt with, pick up biscuits or playdough dropped on the floor and this will really make life a little easier.
I wish you all well - keep smiling and enjoy your morrnings with us.
Rhianne

Date we are back

We are back as normal (or as normal as we ever are!) on Monday 15th January. We look forward to seeing you back.

Sept Notes

Hello and Welcome Back to Oaks and Acorns for the Autumn Term.

If you have been with us for a while, most things will be familiar, if not please feel free to ask any of the staff – normally in burgundy polo shirts and we will gladly help wherever we can. We are all a friendly bunch and a cup of tea or coffee – and a chat with staff or other Mums, Dads or Carers who are going through similar situations can be an enormous help. As a group, we would welcome any feedback you have – whether good or bad – we constantly look for ways to improve. Please speak directly to Rhianne or Pat if there is anything you would like to raise.

We are run with a Christian ethos and beliefs. We are supported by the Church and it’s leadership. One of our aims is to show you the love of God in a practical way each week. We also pray generally for the group and it’s attendees on a regular basis, if there is something particular you would like us to remember in prayer, please see either Elsie or Joyce or fill in one of our prayer request forms. We would love to share our faith with you or answer any questions you may have.

You are also all warmly invited to any of the services here at the Elim Christian Centre – our Sunday Services are as follows:

First Morning Service 09:15 am - 10:30 am
Discoverers (Ages 0 - 11): 09:15 am - 10:30 am
Coffee 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Second Morning Service 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
Discoverers (Ages 0 - 11): 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
Deep Impact Youth Church (Ages 11 - 18) : 11:15 am - 12:30 pm
Evening Service : 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

For more info see http://www.elim.org/

We hope you enjoy the changes to the environment that have happened over the summer. Our rooms have been decorated, we have new tables and sofas. The old snooker table has been removed so we have more room to play.

Teddy Bear’s Picnic – last 22nd July
This was a great success, thoroughly enjoyed by all. Special Thanks to Val and her Lifegroup who organised a lovely afternoon for us all. Hopefully, we will have some pictures up on display for you in September, if anybody would like copies, please see Rhianne.

Birthdays
We try to celebrate these on the first session of each month. If your child has a birthday this month, please let us know as you register in so we can be all prepared at Music Time - Thanks





New babies
Welcome to the world to little Erin Bayley and any others that have joined us over the summer months. We pray for you and your families to be blessed with health, wisdom and quiet nights!

Sept 2006 - How the morning runs . . .

How the morning runs . . .
Just in case you are not sure or need reminding

10:00am – Doors open – Oaks and Acorns ready to go
We would recommend you arrive as early as possible – we have a maximum number of 55 adults and children at which point we have to close the doors.
Please collapse your buggies and store in the main church.
Please register in at the desk in Oaks and Acorns main room as you come in and pay your subs(correct change if possible)

10:00am to 11:00am
Free play – enjoy the playdough, craft, books, dressing up, big toys, baby corner (12 months and under only please), trains, cars and anything else we have out. Have a drink and a biscuit (cakes if we have a special week!). Please keep hot drinks in the lounge where the sofas are. If biscuits get dropped on floor please try to clear up – dustpan & brush are kept behind the counter in the kitchen –or alert a member of staff. It can be a lot harder to clear up once 55 people have trodden it in!!

11:00am to 11:05am
Last orders for drinks or finish up any craft you are working on.

11:05 to 11:30
Music Time – this happens in the lounge and everyone joins in! We know you may feel a little silly singing ‘Dingle dangle Scarecrow’ and doing the actions but
1) your kids will love it even more if you do it
2) it is a great stress reliever – honest! (though we don’t recommend doing it whilst driving – okay maybe singing but not with actions!!!
We use Music Time to give you any notices and let you know of anything coming up. We also celebrate birthdays during this time – usually with a card and a treat. Please make sure you let us know if you have a birthday in the current month as and when you register in so we don’t miss anyone out.

11:30am – GoodbyeThat’s All Folks – Unless any of you have a burning desire to stay and clear up!

Sept 2006 - Library Books and First Timers

Library books
We have a fresh supply of Library books this term. Pat takes extra care to ensure these are appropriate for the children as well as being fun and educational as well. These have a ‘P’ sticker on them – we hope you enjoy introducing your children to the joy of reading. We will also try to incorporate a ‘story time’ into Music Time – please feel free to bring along any favourites for us to share at this time.

First Timers

We are re-starting our waiting list with immediate effect. This is to keep numbers at a workable level – our maximum in any one session is 55 adults and children (not including staff). People often ask how long they will be on the waiting list – unfortunately this a little like asking “How long is a piece of string?”. Initially, we ask you to come for a first visit and to put your name on the list, you will then need to wait for us to allocate you a regular space. We allocate such spaces in chronological order (longest waiting first) once our numbers are under 50 for two consecutive weeks. I believe the shortest wait on record was three weeks and the longest was three months. If you had your name down in last term, you should now be aware that you have a regular space. If you have any queries please see Rhianne or email Rhianne@leecm2.fsnet.co.uk .

Sept 2006 - Pause for Thought . . .

Beauty Tips
written by Sam Levenson

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years -only grows!

Subs
Remains at £1.00 for up to 3 people in a family additional 50p per person thereafter.

Heath and Safety notes
We have attached a copy of the Health and Safety Rules of Oaks and Acorns. Most of these are common sense but please take time, either this morning or at a later point to ensure you are familiar with these.

Sept 2006 - Shoebox Collections

We will be collecting again this year for Operation Christmas Child – shoebox appeal. Please start bringing in empty shoeboxes as soon as possible – we will also need any leftover Christmas Wrapping Paper you may have under the bed from last year.

Each week from 18th on we will be collecting small change which will go towards the postage costs and then we will have a specific item to bring along each week. We will remind you of this but it should be as follows:


Do Not Include:Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans

For full information on this Project please see
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

Sept 2006 Notes - Misc

Sponsored Trundle
Please note we will be doing this in the Spring Term.

Dates for your Diary

23rd October – No Oaks and Acorns – Half Term
6th November - Photo Morning
11th December (yes we have to think that far!!) Christmas Party

Harvest for the Hungry
The Church is supporting this project – full details at http://www.harvestforthehungry.co.uk/
If you would like to donate, please bring in any of the following sugar, plain flour rice or pasta.

September 2006 - Just for Fun

Just for Fun

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy.

Thank you for being with us.
Rhianne (Leader)
Joyce, Pat, Elsie, Jenny, Diana, Val Weeks, Val Harding,
Jean and Heidi.

June / July Notes

Oaks & Acorns
Elim Christian Centre, Hall Street, Chelmsford
Tel: 01245 358855 http://www.elim.org/
www.oaksandacorns.blogspot.com


Hello and Welcome to June/July Oaks & Acorns notes.

We hope you will find time to sit with a cuppa and read on.

Romania Update
Darren (Rhianne’s Husband), Jenny and the team are now back from their Mission Trip to Romania. They saw many sad things but also many things where The Smiles Foundation has really been able to help. . . .

They met a little girl from the Gipsy Village – the camp where she lives suffers from flooding, manure and raw sewage run through the streets because of lack of basic sanitation. She walks barefoot because her family cannot afford shoes...

They met a little girl in the state run Hospital. Facilities are extremely poor and the Hospital would be condemned if it were in the UK. Children’s heads are shaved regardless of whether they are boys or girls to avoid lice. It is difficult to tell whether a child is a boy or a girl.
The children in this ward are abandoned children with nobody to care for them – Darren and the team spend the afternoon playing with them and giving hugs. ..

They meta 78 year old woman. She stands in front of her ‘house’ – most of us have better sheds! There is no state provision for people over 60 so she scrapes by. Smiles provide a monthly food parcel and regular visits. These help but she has no hope and says she is
‘waiting to die’. ..

Shoeboxes are still a much treasured possession among very meagre belongings.


One of the families sponsored through Smiles Foundation – their home has been renovated by Smiles, the two older children are now studying well at School and have been given food and a hope by the Smiles Foundation.

They visited The Children’s Centre built and run by Smiles. Abandoned Children are looked after here from the age of 0-6. By law at 6 years old they have to be placed back in an orphanage – a need Smiles are trying to work on. The playhouse in the picture was bought by Oaks and Acorns here in Chelmsford.

Thank you all for your support to our fund raising efforts – as you know half the proceeds go to The Little Havens Children’s Hospice here in Essex whilst the other half goes to The Smiles Foundation over in Romania.

The need is still great, please help us to support these Charities as much as you can through collecting 2ps, buying cards or just plain giving.

I know this sounds like we keep asking but I urge you to look into these people’s faces and reflect on how much we have.


The following poem was written by an American Pastor’s wife – they have moved out to Romania with their five children to run the Children’s Centre.

Tiny Fingers

Tiny fingers, tiny face –how did you ever end up in such a place?
Beautiful eyes, deep and dark – on what kind of future will you embark?
Who could leave this beautiful one – so tiny, so helpless – who’s life has just began
Did it break your mother’s heart to leave you alone,
Did she think you would be raised in a better home?
You are so small, so frail and so weak you just lie in your bed your days seem so bleak
Does anyone rock you and sing you to sleep?
Does anyone tell you you’re special or kiss your cheek?
Does anyone tell you, you were fearfully and wonderfully made?
And all your days were ordained when earth’s foundation was laid?
You are a creation of the master’s hand – little one, I know your life has a plan
You are so precious in His sight – So sweet little baby, just hold on tight
May the angels surround you and guard you dear one
And I pray someday you’ll know Jesus, God’s only Son
May someone come in and give you a home – so sweet little baby, you won’t be alone

2 Squared
Only 2 weeks to go!!
3rd July- we will be making a giant square on the floor in the main sanctuary and trying to fill it with 2ps. Everything we raise will be split between Little Haven’s Hospice and The Smiles Foundation.


Birthdays
The following little ones celebrate their birthdays
Alex Turhan – 7th July
Jake Adams – 15th July
William Bradshaw – 21st August
Jessica Dearing-Pegg –
27th August

We will try to do Birthdays and Bears on the first Monday of each month – please remind us when you book in if it is your little one’s birthday to ensure they don’t miss out.

Recipes
We are still hoping to produce an Oaks & Acorns Recipe Book but unfortunately have not had much response yet. Please would you let us have your recipes as soon as possible and we will re-visit this project in the Autumn term.

Dates for your Diary
Last Oaks & Acorns this term – Monday 17th July

First Oaks & Acorns back in new Term – Monday 11th September

Goodbyes
Some of our little ones are getting bigger and will be starting School soon – please let us know if your little one will be moving up as we would like to do a proper ‘Goodbye’ before they go – we are planning to do these al together on 17th June so please let us know if you cannot be with us on that morning.

Please remember our summer event . . .

Summer Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Saturday 22nd July
12 noon to 3pm
At
3 All Saints Close,
Springfield, CM1 7HT

This will be a no cost, fun afternoon for you and your family. Tents will be there so even if it is wet we can all meet up and have some fun !!!
The event is open to you and your partner, as well as older siblings and, of course, the guests of honour, our little acorns.

Refreshments and activities will be provided. Please let us know as soon as possible if you can/cannot make it so catering can be arranged accordingly.

This event is kindly being run for us by Val Week’s Lifegroup to positively encourage you all as families and carers and to thank Oaks and Acorns for the work we do in our Community. Should you want any further information on Lifegroups or Church Life, please see any of our staff.

Race for Life Update

Rhianne, Joyce and Pat are pleased to say that we completed the Race for Life at Hylands Park on Sunday 25th June.

We raised over £530 between us and we had a fun but tiring day. Well Done to any of you who joined – we trust you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Many thanks to those who have sponsored us – your generosity is most appreciated.

Photos
We may be taking photos of Oaks and Acorns over the next few months. If you have specific reasons why you do not want you or your children included in these, please let us know.

Maximum Numbers
Please note that we do have a maximum of 55 attendees at Oaks and Acorns – once we are at this level we declare ourselves officially ‘full’ and can allow no more through the doors.
We hate having to turn any away but the safety of the children is our prime concern. We recommend you arrive as early as possible to ensure you can get in – our doors open at 10:00am.

Contacts
Our Church receptionists – can always pass messages on to Rhianne should the need arise:
Elim Christian Centre
01245 358855

Should you need to contact Rhianne or Joyce direct
01245 255761 (Home)

Or Rhianne@leecm2.fsnet.co.uk

Prayers
We regularly pray for the group and it’s attendees – please let us know should you have a specific need you would like us to remember.

Cards
Please check out the Greetings cards – handmade by Pat – they are really lovely and a bargain at just £1.50. Remember – half the proceeds go to our supported Charities.


Thank you for being with us.
Rhianne (Leader)
Elsie, Joyce, Pat, Jenny, Diana, Val Weeks, Val Harding,
Jean and Heidi.

March 2006 Notes

MONTHLY NOTES MARCH & APRIL 2006

Dates for your Diary
Whilst we are here for all of March, please note we will be closed for the Easter break in April
No Oaks & Acorns on;-
3rd April
10th April
17th April
Back 24th April
No Oaks & Acorns on
1st May

Birthdays
The following little ones celebrate their birthdays in March & April.
Lena Leinemann – 14th March
Thomas (Johnson) – 23rd March
Isobel Jeffrey – 25th March
Zachery Marsh – 5th April
James Bishop – 12th April
Naimah Ahmed – 14th April
Happy Birthday from all at Oaks and Acorns.

We will try to do Birthdays and Bears on the first Monday of each month – please remind us when you book in if it is your little one’s birthday to ensure they don’t miss out.

Easter Egg Hunt
We will be running our own Easter Egg Hunt on Monday 27th March.
Entry will be £1.00 – the children will need to find as many Egg pictures as they can in our Nursery playground (weather permitting) – once they have collected them they will win a chocolate egg. All proceeds raised from the morning will go to this year’s supported charities.



Unattended Children
We would respectfully remind you that you should always be in the same room at Oaks and Acorns as your child/children. Whilst staff can watch particular children if you need the loo or there is an emergency, we cannot do this as a matter of course – thank you for your co-operation.

Subs
We are changing the structure for Subs with effect from April.
The cost of £1.00 per session will cover a Family/Group of 1 adult and up to 2 children, an additional 50p will then be charged for each additional child or adult.
For Example, Mum & 2 Children = £1.00 per session
Or
Dad & 2 Children & Grandma = £1.50
Or
Carer & 4 Children =
£2.00

The subs are used to help towards our costs.
The use of the Church facilities are all provided free by Elim Christian Centre. We also use part of our subs to support our Charities. We hope this will be a fairer system for all going forward, if you have any queries, please see Rhianne.

Fun 4 All
The Church is running a Fun, Family Games night on
Saturday March 18th from 6:00pm to 8:15pm.
Cost will be £10.00 for a Family ticket of up to 6 people – this will include a Fish & Chip supper.
Tickets are going quickly and places are limited, so please see Rhianne soon if you would like to book..

Maximum Numbers
Please note that we do have a Maximum of 55 attendees at Oaks and Acorns – once we are at this level we declare ourselves officially ‘full’ and can allow no more through the doors.
We hate having to turn any away but the safety of the children is our prime concern. We recommend you arrive as early as possible to ensure you can get in – our doors open at 10:00am.

Mother’s Day
Don’t forget those special women in your life. We have a selection of Mother’s Day cards available, as well as others for many occasions – all are on top of the table in Oasis Lounge for just £1.50 each
(half of proceeds go to our supported Charities)

Mugs & Cups
Would you all please help us out by taking any dirty mugs or cups back to the hatch once finished with– it really makes the sessions run a little smoother.

Easter Services
Details of our Easter Services here at Elim will be available late March.
Details are regularly on the Church website http://www.elim.org/ and we would love to see any of you at any of the Services.

Library Books
Pat has obtained a selection of books from the Library for us – these are all in the Book corner and have a "P"sticker on them. We will change these every few months. We hope you find them a valuable tool in teaching your children to love reading.

Please could you also encourage your children, should they feel hungry to chew on a biscuit from the serving hatch rather than one of the books!!

Penny Pots
Thank you and Well Done to all those who have already bought in their Small Change. Please keep collecting as this really will make a Big Difference to many people. Please let us know if you need any more pots

Prayer
We regularly Pray for the group and all those who attend or work with us, if you have something specific you would like us to remember, please either speak to any of the staff or fill in one of our Prayer Request slips on the main table.

Happy Birthday Joyce
Joyce will be 70 years young on 2nd April – I am sure you, along with us, wish her well.
Now, rather than doing a re-enactment of Towering Inferno with a cake and Candles – Joyce has decided to celebrate by doing two things;-
1 – A mini Cruise with her two favourite daughters followed by
2 – Entrance to this year’s
Race for Life at Hylands Park on 25th June
http://www.raceforlife.org/
What a way to go!
Myself (Rhianne) and Pat will also be doing the Race for Life with her – we feel it is such a brilliant event and raises money so well for Cancer Research – a cause which I am sure touches many of your lives. We do not wish to distract from our supported Charities this year but we will have our sponsorship forms with us on a regular basis – if you feel inclined to sponsor us and this worthy Charity – please let us know.

Health & Safety reminders
Please ensure Big Push along toys are kept in the Main room and Hot Drinks are kept in the Oasis Lounge wherever possible. Adults – we need your help with this to avoid accidents wherever possible.

Waiting List
Our Waiting List is on average 3 months at the moment – If you have friends who would like to join, please get them to come along for their first taster session as soon as possible.

Accidents
If anyone does have an accident of a serious nature, please see Rhianne or Pat as we need to log this in an accident book. Please note that Rhianne, Pat, Joyce and Jenny are all trained First Aiders should the need arise.

Feedback
Well – I think you deserve a Gold Medal if you have got this far in the notes – they were certainly long this month so Thanks for reading and Well Done!!
As ever if you have any Feedback on the Group or you can see how something could be improved please let us know.


Thank you for being with us.

Rhianne (Leader)
Elsie, Joyce, Pat, Jenny, Diana, Val Weeks, Val Harding,
Jean and Heidi.
A final thought . . .


WITH TOWEL AND BASIN
by Max Lucado

It has been a long day. Jerusalem is packed with Passover guests.

The disciples enter, one by one, and take their places around the table. On the wall hangs a towel, and on the floor sits a pitcher and a basin. Any one of the disciples could volunteer for the job, but not one does.

After a few moments, Jesus stands and removes his outer garment. He wraps a servant's girdle around his waist, takes up the basin, and
kneels before one of the disciples. He unlaces a sandal and gently
lifts the foot and places it in the basin, covers it with water, and
begins to bathe it. One by one, one grimy foot after another, Jesus works his way down the row.

I looked for a Bible translation that reads, "Jesus washed all the
disciples' feet except the feet of Judas," but I couldn't find one.
What a passionate moment when Jesus silently lifts the feet of his
betrayer and washes them in the basin! Within hours the feet of Judas, cleansed by the kindness of the one he will betray, will stand in
Caiaphas's court.

Behold the gift Jesus gives his followers! By morning they will bury their heads in shame and look down at their feet in disgust. And when they do, he wants them to remember how his knees knelt before them and he washed their feet. He wants them to realize those feet are still clean. "You don't understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later" (John13:7).

Remarkable. He forgave their sin before they even committed it. He
offered mercy before they even sought it.
______________________________
From "Just like Jesus"
Copyright 1998, Max Lucado


Oaks & Acorns
Elim Christian Centre, Hall Street, Chelmsford
Tel: 01245 358855 www.elim.org
www.oaksandacorns.blogspot.com

No Oaks 23rd January

We will not be running Oaks and Acorns nnext Moday 23rd January as we have a funeral at Church. Sadly, one of our Church Members, Neil Cooper passed to be with the Lord last Saturday. Our prayers and support will be with the Family on Monday.
Back as normal on Monday 30th January.
Meal is still on 6:00pm at The Plough on Monday23rd. If you have not yet booked, please contact the Church on 01245 358855.

Notes - January 2006

Hello and Welcome to the New Year at Oaks and Acorns. Please take some time to read the notes, this is where we can communicate with you without too much interruption from the kids and you can re-read if they do interrupt!!! Please remember, we are all a part of Oaks and Acorns so if there is anything you would like us to do differently, if you have any ideas or suggestions, please let any of our staff know. Welcome . . . to Heidi Miller. Heidi will now be helping out as staff as Bethany and Jessica are growing up and moving into new sessions in playgroup in readiness for school. Heidi – welcome to the team – it is great to have you. Birthdays If your little one will be celebrating a birthday in January, please remind us when you sign in soon so we do not miss anyone out. Adults Meal Out Monday 23rd January 6:00pm After the business of Christmas, we thought it would be a good time to give ourselves a night off and go out for a meal. We will do this on Monday 23rd January, 6:00pm at The Plough (Harvester) in Springfield Road. Eating at this time means we can get the ’early bird’ discount – a wide choice of menu but very good value. We would warmly invite you all – if you would like to come, please let Rhianne know as soon as possible, we will pay on the night but we do need to try to reserve seating. Oaks and Acorns – New Years Resolutions. . . Keep hot drinks in the lounge area wherever possible to avoid accidents Keep big push along toys in the main room Speak to someone you haven’t spoken to before Smile Get sticky on the craft table but still let your children’s artistic flair shine through Collect pennies for those far less fortunate than ourselves – we will continue to support Little Havens and The Smiles Foundation through our Small Change, Big Difference collection. Or buy a card for just £1.50 to remind someone you care. Never leave your child/children unattended Collapse buggies wherever possible Think of something positive we can do at Oaks and Acorns and pass it on!!! Thank you for being with us. Rhianne (Leader) Elsie, Joyce, Pat, Jenny, Diana, Val Weeks, Val Harding, Jean and Heidi. Thought of the month . . . from The Goodness of Life by Ralph Marston Though there is much to be concerned about, there is far, far more for which to be thankful. Though life's goodness can at times be overshadowed, it is never outweighed. For every single act that is senselessly destructive, there are thousands more small, quiet acts of love, kindness and compassion. For every person who seeks to hurt, there are many, many more who devote their lives to helping and to healing. Even when the cold winds blowand the world seems to be covered in foggy shadows,the goodness of life lives on. Open your eyes, open your heart,and you will see that goodness everywhere. Time and time again when you feared it was gone forever, you found that the goodness of life was really only a moment away.

Oaks & Acorns
Elim Christian Centre, Hall Street, Chelmsford
Tel: 01245 358855 www.elim.org www.oaksandacorns.blogspot.com