Newsletter
April 2001
Club News and Views
A big Thank You …
to all of you who took the time to include suggestions and comments on your Membership Renewal forms. At its meeting in January the Committee considered those which had been received by then. We will try to include some of the events suggested in this year’s programme, others will be considered later in the year when the 2002 programme is drafted. Suggested events included: tackling a long distance path in stages over several weekends, a musical event and a painting/sketching event.
Also, thank you to all who’ve offered to lead walks and/or events - without you the Club simply couldn’t operate. Offers to lead worship or play instruments have also been gratefully received; a list of these offers will be passed to event leaders.
I have done some analysis of the questions about age range and walk grades. About 60% of the members who have renewed for 2001 are 45 or under. About 60% of members walk at easy or moderate level only, 40% do hard walks at least some of the time. Most members ticked 2 grades, nearly 15% ticked all 3 grades. Overall the Club has slightly more women than men.Phil Nalpanis – Membership Secretary
Wedding Congratulations
To Ian Stokoe and Dawn Murphy who were married on 9 September;
To Jane Tietjen and Dave Whitehead who were married on 16 Sept;
To Miriam Bird and David Baker who were married on 17 February;
To Dave Fisher and Jenny Carver who were married on 24 February;
To Steve Pullen and Linda Sewell who were married on 10 March;
We wish each of these couples God’s bessing in their lives together.
Prayer Diary
Here are my final suggestions to help you to pray for the Club on a regular basis. Liz Nichols will be providing these topics in future issues of the Newsletter; if you have suggestions for prayer subjects, please email the CRC WebWeaverWeek 1 - For those directly affected by the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease (also see our Foot & Mouth page)
Week 2 - For the Wiltshire day walking group. Week 3 - For the aftermath of the Indian earthquake.
Week 4 - Pray for the AGM.
Week 5 - That the events in the summer will be a blessing to those who attend.
Week 6 - For our witness in Youth Hostels.
Week 7 - For those who have too little water - and those who have too much.
Week 8 - Praise God for His love and provision for us.
Week 9 - For the churches which we join in worship on events.
Week 10 - For those with young families.
Week 11 - For those who rely on CRC to provide them with Christian Fellowship.Anne Arnold
Have you thought ...?
of inviting a non-christian friend who enjoys walking to a CRC event or day-walk organised by a club member. They would be welcome and, though they would not be able to join the club, they may accompany you on any number of events (we expect Christians who can sign the declaration of faith to do so after about two events). It may help the event leader in their planning to know your friend is coming.Security at Youth Hostels
An incident at a recent event has highlighted the need for security awareness at Youth Hostels, particularly those in or near a built up area. Sadly, it is not safe to assume that all those you see in the hostel are staying there nor that other hostellers are necessarily trustworthy. Be sure to keep your valuables with you or well hidden in your room and, if you are issued with a key, make sure your room is kept locked.Walks on the Web
For many years walk leaders have had to plough through maps and books to design a suitable walk in the area required. These days it is possible to access suitable websites which contain a library of maps and plans giving details of suitable walks in a specific area. On some sites one can filter out those walks that do not fit criteria for location and length, leaving the viewer with a more limited, but suitable selection. Some sites are better than others in this regard, but with the help of the downloaded guidelines and a detailed local map much research by the walk leader can be spared. This is not an exhaustive list of sites, but as a starting point www.countrywalking.co.uk has a useful collection and a link to Sherpa vans site which operates a similar service. Other dedicated sites are www.countrywalks.com (which makes a small charge for its downloads), www.walkingworld.com and www.londonwalking.com (which has some useful links as well as walks in London). Further searches on the internet can be made by entering a request for walks on www.ask.co.ukAndy Hall
Ed: You could also have a look on our Useful Links page
Think it through!
There’s a General Election coming soon! Will you vote? Whom will you vote for? How will your faith affect your choice? For some Christian input to help you think about the issues, visit the website www.WestminsterElection.comPhil Nalpanis
CRC Tithe
The tithe of the 2000 subscriptions was split between four projects or
organisations with which club members were involved, three of these
are described below.Albanian YWAM worker
Angela McCann has been working with the Gypsy community in Albania. She asked that part of the tithe should be donated to her translator, Ervin, to assist him to lead a discipleship training school (DTS) in UK. She writes “Ervin has been a Christian for 6 years and is tireless in his work as an interpreter (fully voluntary). His family are all saved and they have known tragedy after tragedy. He and his brother, Alban, are both severe haemophiliacs and often need factor 8 (a blood product which helps the blood to clot). When they get a bruise, these turn into haemotomas which cause immense pain and bleed until they receive factor 8; which has to be donated from Germany or England. If it is not available they are sick for months. Two of their brothers and two uncles died of haemophilia in early life. As unemployment is 60% in Albania, no-one in the family works. Ervin has the opportunity to go to England to lead a YWAM DTS. He had a German couple who would sometimes donate money to help him, but the husband has recently died so they are now unable to help. He has served the church and missionaries to Pogradec tirelessly and is very motivated. I think he would be immensely blessed by a donation. He has a strong evangelistic leaning and would also be of great use in evangelising the Albanian communities in England while he is there.”Church Planting in France
Walk through the streets of Faches Thumesnil and you will probably hear Arabic being spoken and spot the Muslim women wearing their scarves and long clothes. I live here in a suburb of Lille in N. France. Faches Thumesnil has its own mosque, but no Protestant church. A team of local Christians and missionaries are working together to plant a church here. So how do you plant a church? One way is to make friends with local French people and invite them to meetings. It is encouraging to see those who wouldn't normally set foot in a church singing, reading bible passages, and asking for prayer. The team have befriended several Muslims who have also been along, but have recently drifted away. These relationships take time to build, so we continue to pray for them. I will be living in Lille for the next three years as part of my Missionary Apprenticeship Programme with WEC International. I will spend the first year or so attending a French language course at a local university. There are usually North Africans taking these courses while they look for work. I am praying that God will give me opportunities to meet them and so make friends with Muslim women and children.Catherine Habgood
Frontier Youth Trust
Making real contact with young people can be tricky. It can be harder still to get alongside 'marginalised' young people at the torn edges of society - the ones written off before they've even had a chance. The ones you won't find in church, and often not in school much either. These young people deserve to know about the God who loves them enough to give them life. Frontier Youth Trust (FYT) exists to reach these young people and to support those who work alongside them. This work is carried out in many ways including support networkers, resources, training and various projects. Last year saw the pilot of FYT Frontier Camps at Redmire (Wensleydale), where 'marginalised' young people and youth leaders spent a week together. Here are some extracts from the report of that camp: 'although the "problems" back at home were very evident during the week, the love and care shown by all was very moving too…. The simple life of eating together, having fun, chilling out, talking, learning to unicycle and juggle, walk and run, play and do nothing brought us closer to each other and to the one who calls us His children and to the Kingdom of Heaven.' Following the success of the pilot, the camps are being extended this year and the gift from CRC will contribute to the much needed resources.Joan Kinnings (Part-time FYT networker for the North West)
Special Needs Fund
This fund is primarily used to help members on low incomes to attend Club events, but the Committee would like to also see it used by those outside the Club who might not be in a position to join. Do you know a missionary on leave who would benefit from a Club event? Or is there someone in your church who cannot normally afford to go away and who enjoys walking? If you know someone who would benefit in this way, please contact Julie (our chairman) concerning what the Club can offer and then invite them to an event.The Right To Roam
Last November the Countryside & Rights of Way Act became law. For anyone who enjoys walking in England and Wales this is the most significant piece of legislation for more than 50 years (the Scottish Parliament is considering separate legislation for Scotland). The Act also covers rights of way and wildlife matters, which are beyond the scope of this article. For walkers its most important provision is ‘the right to roam’.In England and Wales walkers usually only have the right to go on private land using a public right of way (e.g. public footpath or bridleway), but this Act creates a legal ‘right to roam’ which will allow walkers to go where they wish on defined access land. (In fact, walkers already have unrestricted access to some land such as most moorland and mountain owned by the National Trust, and the Elan Reservoir catchment in Wales.)
The ‘right to roam’ is not unlimited - it does not apply to cultivated land, gardens, woodland, river banks or Ministry of Defence land. But it does apply to more than just mountains - and so it is relevant to all walkers. It applies to registered common land, moor, heath, and downland, as well as to mountains - some 4 million acres in all. On this land people will have the right "to enter and remain .... for the purposes of open air recreation" - to go where they please.
Some sensible access restrictions apply, in order to protect the environment and landowners' interests. For example, landowners can close land for up to 28 days a year (but not on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays); camping, lighting fires and leaving litter are not allowed; cycling and horse-riding are excluded. Walkers are responsible for their own safety.
Unfortunately, there will be a delay before the ‘right to roam’ comes into force; this is to allow the access land to be defined on maps by the Countryside Agency (in England) and the Countryside Council for Wales. This process may take 3-4 years. Pilot mapping projects have already started in some areas and it is possible that common land and land over 600 metres may be "fast-tracked" through this process. It has taken over a century of campaigning to gain a legal right which is taken for granted in some other European countries. Although this law is a tremendous step forward for walkers, it needs to be guarded. Some politicians and landowning interests remain very hostile to the new right. The best defence of our new right is responsible use; this will prove that it is popular, and will allay genuine fears.
Peter Arnold
Reflections of Life - Hands
Hands Reaching
Hands reaching out to help.
Hands reaching out to help us over a difficult rock.
Hands reaching to catch us as we jump across a stream.
Hands reaching to steady us down a steep slope.
Hands reaching to guide is, pointing to the right path.Psalm 113:7 He raises the poor from the dust.
He lifts the needy from their misery.Our human hands reach out in love and care, not just on our country
walks, but also in our fellowship and conversation, with a touch that
says, “I care, I am listening, I want to help”.Psalm 138:7 When I am surrounded by troubles,
You keep me safe.
You stretch out your hand against my angry enemies.How much stronger are God’s hands on us as we walk the path of life
in His company, and how painful it must be for him to watch our
awkwardness and stubbornness as we stumble and crawl along life’s
rough path instead of holding His hand which is always held out for us.Hands to urge us on or hold us back
Hands to catch us as we fall,
Hands to carry us when we are exhausted
by the stresses of the world.
Hands to hold us when we have lost the way
and are afraid.
Hands that we may clasp in love, confidence and joy.Maureen Davis
Maureen’s reflections have been published in a book titled ‘Reflections of Life’ which is obtainable from Butterfly Press, 17 Hayes Close, New Marston, Oxford OX3 0DZ price £6.65 (inc P&P)
What's Cooking?
Tuna curry Serves 1
Ingredients
1 small tin chopped tomatoes 1 small tin tuna
1 small onion - finely chopped 1 apple (eg. Granny Smith) chopped
a small handful of raisins lemon juice
curry powder (preferably Korma) 1 desert sp Branston pickle
coconut flakes (optional) cooking oil
Method
1) Sauté onions in a small amount of oil, add curry powder and tuna and mix.
2) Add tomatoes, apple, raisins, lemon juice, pickle and coconut flakes, plus a small amount of water as necessary.
3) Cook until apple is tender.
4) Serve with boiled rice.Roz Jackson
Hazel’s comment :- Tuna curry sounds nice - and it is. Pitched at the right folk - the classic CRC walker. This recipe scales new heights and sets the tone, with a score of 4/4. Note: Major or minor alterations can be made to the ingredients, try peppered mackeral, sweetcorn relish or creamed coconut (my modern version).
P.S. Must be served with popodoms! and string beans.
P.P.S. Did you know that you can tune a piano but you cannot tuna fish!If you have a recipe which could be used in a Youth Hostel, please share it with others by sending it to the CRC WebWeaver.
Scottish Christian Hillwalking Club
For information about walks north of the border contact :
Mrs Margaret Timms
127 North Deeside Road
Peterculter.
Aberdeenshire
AB14 0RR
Visit their website www.christian-hillwalking.fsnet.co.uk to see their programme.Countryside & Wildlife Notes
“Tiredness can kill, take a break” - a notice one sometimes sees while motoring. But what type of break? A rushed snack in a motorway service area (not something I would do) or a visit to a nature reserve where you can relax in a hide while watching the local wildlife armed with your flask and food. If you plan your journey, you will find wildlife sites and reserves not far from your route. Here are some examples, in most of which I have enjoyed a break while travelling.Sandbach Flashes near junction 17 of the M6 is a superb area for wildlife. Here, where brine has been pumped out for almost 100 years, the land has sunk and the resulting flashes or water bodies attract herons, grebes, kingfishers and various species of ducks and waders. Areas like this usually have areas of scrub or trees which attract other species of birds. Here at Sandbach, there are many tree sparrows which are now rare elsewhere; they are readily visible as local bird-watchers have stocked feeding stations.
Further south, near the junction of the M5 and M6 is the Sandwell Valley Country Park. This is a real oasis in a built up area and includes an RSPB nature reserve, though there is much to see elsewhere in the park. It is home to many different species of water-fowl and common tern and little ringed plover are summer visitors.
Over near junction 25 of the M1 is the Attenborough nature reserve (nothing to do with David!). Although I’ve not been there, I have heard very good reports of the water birds which it attracts.
If you feel like a break from the traffic on the northern M25, the Lee Valley is well signposted (from junction 25, I think). This is an extensive area of scrub attracting many warblers and woodland birds. In addition there are reed beds, which have already attracted bitterns, and areas of water which are frequented by water fowl.
The Cotswold Water Park, just off the A419 between Swindon and Cirencester, is another area of lakes (caused by gravel extraction). There are now nearly 200 lakes in the area; some of these are used for recreation while others are kept for wildlife. It is one of Britain’s major wildlife sites and attracts not only birds but also dragonflies, snakes and small mammals. There are good information boards as you enter the park from the A419.
Tring reservoirs, off the A1, have long been a good viewing point for many species of waterbird. Whatever the time of year, there is always something to look at.
John Ashworth
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