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Our Lady Of Pity, <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
I have recently returned from my fourth trip to<br />
Japan, a country I had fallen in love with long before I<br />
actually visited. It has held a fascination for me since<br />
my late teens and early twenties. My one regret is<br />
that I never learned to speak Japanese. I think it is the<br />
Japanese love of nature that is so alluring. The love<br />
of nature the Japanese people originally had was no<br />
doubt their innate sense for things beautiful. One<br />
cannot think of Japan without thinking of Mt Fuji’s<br />
cone that rises to the clouds with its snow capped<br />
peak. One of the early poets of Japan, Yamamoto<br />
Akahito wrote of Mt Fuji:<br />
To the beach of Tago<br />
I come, and behold,<br />
In pure whiteness enveloped<br />
There it rises Mount Fuji –<br />
Snowing it seems above us!<br />
Fuji is now so identified with Japan. Whenever Japan<br />
is talked about or written about, Fuji is inevitably<br />
mentioned. Justifiably so, because even the Land of<br />
the Rising Sun would lose much of its mystery and<br />
beauty if the sacred Fuji were erased! Mt Fuji needs<br />
to be seen to be appreciated, though it is known<br />
as the ‘shy mountain’ often hiding behind mist and<br />
clouds. The spectacular sight of Fuji in its majesty<br />
can be a rare thing! Another poet wrote:<br />
In fair weather,<br />
In cloudy weather,<br />
Beautiful indeed<br />
And never changing-<br />
This peak of Fuji!<br />
There is an ancient saying: Which is the highest<br />
mountain in the world?<br />
But only a fool would answer Mt Everest!<br />
Fr Gordon Williams<br />
St Mary’s, Houghton on the Hill<br />
“This tiny ancient church in the middle of nowhere<br />
with some of the oldest and most remarkable<br />
wallpaintings in the country”.<br />
Many thanks to all who visited our Open<br />
Weekend “Recalling Houghton”. It was a very<br />
enjoyable event and we learnt a lot about life<br />
in the little village before it was abandoned in<br />
the 1940s.<br />
Winter opening hours:<br />
From Monday 30 October to 23 March 2018 the<br />
church will be open only on Saturdays and Sundays<br />
between 2 and 4pm. If you wish to visit outside these<br />
hours we are happy to accommodate you.<br />
Please email houghtonstmary@gmail.com or phone<br />
01760 720 070.<br />
8<br />
St Peter & St Paul’s <strong>Swaffham</strong><br />
November Services<br />
Wednesday 1st All Saints Day<br />
10.00am Holy Communion<br />
Sunday 5th 8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
3.30pm All Souls service<br />
Wednesday 8th 10.00am Holy Communion<br />
Thursday 9th 7.30pm Royal British Legion<br />
Festival of Remembrance<br />
Saturday 11th 10.55am Armistice Day<br />
The Two Minutes Silence at the town War Memorial<br />
Sunday 12th Remembrance Sunday<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
10.45am Act of Remembrance<br />
Beginning at the town War Memorial then church<br />
Wednesday 15th<br />
Sunday 19th<br />
Wednesday 22nd<br />
Sunday 26th<br />
Wednesday 29th<br />
December Services<br />
Sunday 3rd<br />
10.00am Holy Communion<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
11.15am Family Service<br />
10.00am Holy Communion<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
6.00pm Lions International<br />
Centenary Celebration Service<br />
10.00am Holy Communion<br />
Advent Sunday<br />
8.00am Holy Communion<br />
9.30am Sung Eucharist<br />
6.00pm Advent Carol Service<br />
<strong>Swaffham</strong> Methodist Church<br />
Friday 3rd November 9.30-10am Power of Prayer<br />
Saturday 4th November<br />
9.30-noon Coffee Morning. All welcome<br />
Sunday 5th November<br />
10.45am-11.45am Morning Worship followed by<br />
refreshments. All welcome<br />
Thursday 9th November<br />
2.30pm-4pm Thursday Group. Remembrance Poetry<br />
Afternoon. All welcome.<br />
Friday 10th November<br />
Power of Prayer 9.30-10am<br />
Saturday 11th November<br />
9.30-12noon Coffee Morning. All welcome<br />
Sunday 12th November<br />
Service starts at 11.15am to allow for attendance at<br />
the War Memorial.<br />
Friday 17th November<br />
9.30-10am Power of Prayer. All welcome<br />
Saturday 18th November<br />
9.30-noon Coffee Morning and Christmas Fayre.<br />
Stuck for a present? Perhaps we have what you want!<br />
Sunday 19th November<br />
10.45-11.45am Morning Worship followed by<br />
refreshments. All welcome<br />
Thursday 23rd November<br />
2.30-4pm Thursday Group. Renee Vincett recites monologues<br />
Friday 24th Novembe<br />
9.30-10am Power of Prayer. All welcome<br />
Saturday 25th November 9.30-noon Coffee Morning
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