Rajni & Tricia Kaneria (2005 December)   

            Brian & Viv Robertson (2005 December)  

                                                                                                                             St Faith's Vicarage 
from Ian & Barbara Crofts                                                       Maidstone ME14 2PY 
 ian.crofts@gmail.com 

Christmas 2005

Dear Friends,

The most memorable part of 2005 was a trip to South Africa so that Barbara could join in the reunion at her school which was celebrating its hundredth anniversary and it was the 30th anniversary of her leaving the school. We spent the week before the anniversary in the Amphitheatre part of the Drakensberg. We went on a number of long walks and off-road cycling as well. It was our aim to make it to the top of the Amphitheatre. David gave us some training on a climbing wall that they use at Teesside University. We knew it would be a significant challenge as it included going up chain ladders, the height of a seven storey building. We made it to the top with the help of our guide Elijah.

Barbara enjoyed her reunion and we spent the rest of the weekend with her family and then we went on to Cathedral Peak. Going up the Amphitheatre was listed as severe, Cathedral Peak is listed as extreme. We went up with a guide and a group of about nine people. I found it relatively easy going until we had to go up a vertical rock face, just clinging on to tiny hand holds. Without the practice that David gave us and the encouragement of the other members of the group I would never have made it. When we eventually made it to the top I had lost my appetite for food. The views and the sense of achievement were wonderful. It took us all 11 1/2 hours with only a 15 minute stop at the top. It was dark by the time that we got back.

Barbara has continued to work at the Wisdom Hospice and enjoys the opportunity to give more time to patients and relatives. Church life at St Faith's has been encouraging especially with the return of the Hart family from Ecuador (they went out from St faith's five years ago). We have seen a number of new people join in the church and significant growth in our work with young people. Another high point in the year was the Maidstone Bible convention which I chair and we had Lord and Lady Carey as our guests. The attendance was the best ever and the teaching that was given was very well received. We have also had a good year at Churches Together.

David is in his final year at the University of Teesside and enjoying working on his big project of a program to help dyslexics learn physics. He continues to be a part of the CU, St Aidan's Church and he is Treasurer of the climbing club. He feels very at home in Middlesborough. Ruth is really enjoying her life at the University of Surrey studying paediatric nursing and is thriving in her role of vice president of the CU. She has changed church this year from St Saviour's to Eternity Church which is linked to Hillsong. She is looking forward to a placement in her third year and wondering whether to go abroad to a Third World country.

We trust that this Christmas time you will be conscious of our Lord's peace and presence with you.

With our love

Ian and Barbara

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KANERIA FAMILY NEWS 2005
                                         32 Rendell Road, Belgrave, Leicester LE4 6LE 

GENERAL

2005 has been fairly uneventful for us in Leicester. Tricia's calendar has been dominated by the boys' orthodontic appointments and Simon's tennis. Rajni is still working as a locum pharmacist and Tricia as a programmer. Sadly, our dog Sam had to be put down in February as he was suffering badly with arthritis of the spine. Rajni and Simon continue to be Leicester City season ticket holders but It has been a frustrating season thus far. Tricia passed her Grade 1 piano exam with merit in November and has weekly Gujarati lesson at home which she enjoys. Rajni's mum and sister Anita have both stayed with us this year with Anita now living in Leicester. Our niece Alpa is still in Birmingham although we continue to see her fairly often. She is looking forward to a change of job in the new year. 

The Leicester Vineyard Church has recently started meeting In the local neighbourhood center although it is still too early to say if this will continue. Our usual Christmas Eve party has been replaced by a visit from a team from the South Birmingham Vineyard a week before Christmas. This is their third visit this year and much appreciated by us. There will be no need for Simon and Tricia to practice their carol duets on the piano this year!

HOLIDAYS

In February we spent a week in the Lake District, being joined by Alpa and a friend of ours. The weather was good for the time of year and we enjoyed a number of walks. At the end of May we went to Tunbridge Wells to see Tricia's sister Gill and husband Dave and their first child. We are told Abigail is now crawling and look forward to seeing her after Christmas when we visit again. In the summer we spent a week near Lichfield and enjoyed swimming and playing tennis every day. Rajni and the boys also enjoyed horse riding. The October half term was spent at home for a change.

CHILDREN

Simon (16) passed all his GCSEs this year with good grades and is now studying 'A' level maths, biology, chemistry and physics at school. He continues to play piano and tennis (currently ranked 9th in the county for his age). The time spent outside playing football has been curtailed due to his studies. He now wears a brace following the removal of four adult teeth!

David (13) seems to be doing well at school. He is one year into three years of orthodontic treatment and has been through a variety of appliances already. His favourite activities are still watching television and playing computer games (usually at the same time). He is currently cooking at school but won't eat anything he brings home!

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

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from Brian & Viv Robertson

Christmas 2005

Greetings from Ashby de la Zouch!

The postal service will have to be at its very best if it is to make up for my lateness and get this to you in time for Christmas! So, just in case this turns out to be your first greetings of the New Year rather than the last greetings before Christmas, may we wish you a peace filled New Year as well as, retrospectively, a joyous Christmas!

It's hard, at times, to believe that we have been in our present house for two years - and in our present ministry for three and a half years. That is, until we start to compile the list of all that has happened in those years. We started life as two parishes. Then we were five. And now we are six. Our team is now complete (at least, I hope so! Six parishes are plenty enough!) The task now is to forge ourselves into an effective mission partnership. We've got a good starting point - a team of leaders who are committed to one another and who are growing in friendship, faith and in skills.

Some news on the four of us - starting with the youngest!

David is now 25 years old. He is enjoying his work in community policing and knows his "beat" well. Earlier this year he was drafted, along with hundreds of others, to help police the Gleneagles summit. He ended up working within the inner cordon - right in the grounds of the Gleneagles estate - seeing the great ones, at close quarters, come and go.

He recently spent a month in India - the land of his birth. Half the time in Goa (where we
visited on two occasions when he was a toddler) and half the time in Mysore where he grew up. He went back to his old school, visited our old home, met up with our landlord's family, spent hours roaming around the sites and streets that he had all but forgotten. It was lovely to be able to keep up with his travels by email and telephone (when we were in India we had access to neither!). And it was thrilling to see his photos and hear his tales on his return. Rachel wants us to make a family visit to India in 2007. That would be so special.

Rachel has travelled less... and more this year. She has changed jobs and so saves herself the daily commute to Sheffield - using instead the bus or train for the short journey into central Leeds. She is now working in the HR department of a large law firm - and really enjoys it. Shorter journey to work -but whizzing all over the place when not at work! Apart from some fun holidays abroad and plenty of visits home and to friends all over the country, much of this year seems to have been taken up with being chief bridesmaid to her best buddie Rachael (nee) Smith. The two Rach(a)els have been friends since they were 10 - and the wedding was an opportunity for many of their other friends to meet up again. When, we wonder, will it be our Rachel walking down the aisle?

Viv has also changed jobs. This month she starts work in a hospital in Loughborough - though she has yet to discover which department she will be in! The round trip of Ashby - work - mum - Ashby is shorter in both time and miles, and the slightly later start in the morning is most welcome!

Viv and Rachel had a mother and daughter holiday this year - something I hope becomes as regular a fixture as the times that Viv has had with her mum and sisters over the past few years. Rachel organised it all - and they had a great time in Spain. Compensation, in part, for the holiday that didn't quite go as planned earlier in the year.

That was in February. The place - the Lake District. The weather - snow and ice covered fells. The timing - the first full day of our few days away together. The unplanned disaster - me, falling and breaking my ankle a full 3 hours hobble cum hop from the nearest point of civilisation (using Viv as a crutch). I spent the rest of the time in Carlisle Infirmary - with Viv shuttling between there and Keswick (where Bracken kept house!) The April week we had planned in Prague (and walking in the Czech countryside) had to be cancelled because I was still on crutches - but we had a great summer break at our favourite spot in Wales -just outside St David's. We spent it walking - as we do most holidays. This time the only trip was the journey!

Ankles apart, it's been a busy, fruitful and sometimes tough year. I am as tired as I've been in a long time - and not getting any younger I'm not bouncing back as easily as I used to. I've got to take stock and make some changes to the way I operate - and I'd value your prayers as I do so.
We're making the prayer on the cover of this letter a prayer for ourselves this Christmas. And we are praying if for you too.

May you know the babe of Bethlehem, the Lord of all, coming close to you this Christmas.

Brian and Viv