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April 2021 April 2021
BRIANTSPUDDLE AND AFFPUDDLE disciples, Judas was waiting for them, ready to betray Jesus with a kiss. When
Simon Peter saw the soldiers he took his sword and attacked the person nearest to
NEWS him – Malchus – cutting off his right ear. Jesus saw what had happened and told
Peter to put his sword down, then he healed Malchus.

It is good to imagine what it must have been like for Malchus. He probably didn’t
VILLAGE HALL NEWS want to be with the soldiers, but he had to obey orders, then even before Jesus
was arrested, he was attacked! Imagine the searing pain as his ear was
Spring is starting to show its irrepressible head as amputated, and probably his face slashed as well, the blood flowing down onto
winter gives way and snowdrops and daffodils his clothes, the awful realisation that his ear was missing. In the darkness maybe
flower and blossom starts to appear on our trees the other soldiers didn’t even know what had happened and ignored his cries.
and so hopefully in the words of Boris we are well But Jesus knew. Malchus felt the soothing warmth of a hand covering his blood
on our way down the one way route out of stained face and head. The pain ceased, and when Malchus put his hand up to
lockdown. feel the gap where his ear had been, there was no gap, he had a new ear !
How like Jesus, who at the point of His own deepest need, was still concerned for
We at the village hall are preparing things so that life can start again as soon as others.
possible. We have the odd glimmer that we will be welcoming people back to
use the hall again as the year progresses and the first of those is that if everything As Jesus was marched to the High Priest’s house, Malchus was bewildered,
carries on the way it is going at the moment the café will be allowed to re open wondering if he had really been wounded and then healed. When the soldiers
by the middle of April, albeit weather dependant as we will only be allowed to started to beat Jesus, Malchus kept away from what was going on. How could
seat people outside, but by then we will be able to meet people from other he attack the man who had just healed him. That incident changed Malchus’
households and with certain procedures in place like table service and not life. He later saw how Jesus was nailed to the cross, the agony that He endured,
moving from table to table, abiding by hands face and space guidelines. That is and how Jesus forgave His enemies for what they had done to Him. How glad he
using sanitiser, wearing masks was when he heard that three days later Jesus had risen from the dead. I’m sure
when moving around and that Malchus would have become a follower of Jesus for the rest of his life.
maintaining social distancing As we come to this Easter time, let’s remember it’s true meaning, may we see
we will actually be able to afresh what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross and then rose from the
spend time with our friends dead. Remember too that Jesus knows all about you, and your situation. He waits
and neighbours again and we to hear our prayers, and will help us, comfort and encourage us.
look forward to being able to
do that over a cup of coffee, We wish you a very God blessed Easter. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the
a bacon roll and or a slice of Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His
cake. Simple pleasures that face toward you and give you peace.”
mean so much to all of us.
Hopefully it won’t be long after
that that we will see small Just a Smile
groups of people enjoying other activities at the hall.
From a host of true gems quoted from claim forms submitted to the ‘Sun Alliance’
We now have our new dishwasher installed, thank you to the Jenny’s and their
jam selling which raised £500 towards the cost and to the parish council who by To avoid a collision I ran into a car ......
various means including the grant scheme contributed a further £500 meaning I knocked over a man but he admitted it was his fault as he had been knocked
we could afford to replace the old dishwasher when it finally gave out, and so the over before ......
kitchen will be able to be fully operational for hiring and as you’ll remember in
earlier lockdowns the hall has been completely redecorated inside and so Coming home I drove into the wrong house colliding with a tree I haven’t got ......
The pedestrian had no idea which direction to run, so I ran over him ....
Affpuddle and Turnerspuddle website: www.briantspuddle.info Joyce Healey

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