Men of Savernake

On Saturday 20th Feb, another of the Men's Breakfasts was held in Burbage Church Hall - this time with Peter Noble speaking to us about Mercy Ships.

In 1978, a team led by Don and Deyon Stephens began the process of finding a suitable vessel to fulfil their dream of a hospital ship that would reach out to the world's poorest people. On July 7th 1978, this dream became a reality. The first Mercy Ship, a retired ocean liner called Victoria, was purchased for £600,000. Ongoing efforts over four years resulted in the transformation of the passenger vessel into a hospital ship. Since then, various ships in the Mercy Ships fleet have served in more than 150 ports in developing nations around the world, bringing lasting change to hundred of thousands of lives.

Each ship is staffed entirely by volunteers, whether they are surgeons, carpenters, nurses, teachers, dentists, plumbers or electricians. In fact, every volunteer pays to be on the ship. The only person paid on the ship is the captain, who must be paid by law. He draws the princely salary of 50 pence a year!

In a lot of cases, medical conditions which would be treated as routine straightforward procedures in the UK, can mean a lifetime of misery to someone with the same condition in some of the world's poorest areas. Cataracts, cleft palates, minor issues following childbirth, the list is long. In a lot of cases, the medical condition is considered a curse and can lead to the individual being cast out of their village, or an afflicted child to be considered possessed by demons.

Mercy Ships is one of the best kept charity secrets, yet it costs many millions to acquire a secondhand ship and fit it out to be a floating hospital, with operating theatres, surgeries, recovery wards and scanning equipment. If you would like to read more about what they do, please have a look at their website: http://www.mercyships.org.uk/

*****

Events coming up

Sunday 2nd May 2010 - Sudan Celebration - All Saint's Church, Burbage at 11am.

Saturday 8th May 2010 - Renewal Day - Church Hall, Burbage, 10am to 4pm with David and Mary Pytches - cost is £5 and you'll need a packed lunch - forms available at the back of the church, or get in touch with Janet, or myself via the link at the top of this page.

Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd May 2010 - Men's weekend away. Venue has been chosen - Dorset/Devon borders. More info coming very soon.

Saturday 19th June 2010 - Men's breakfast outside on the hill! Somewhere around Pewsey, possibly Giant's Graveyard again. Speaker tbc.

Sunday 11th July 2010 - Men's BBQ for the church families - after the 11am service at the Shellswell's house.

Saturday 11th - Sunday 12th September 2010 - Dads' and kids' campout at Tidcombe - a great weekend of camping, barbecueing and children's games.

Friday 1st - Sunday 3rd October 2010 - Parish away weekend, Ammerdown - more details at the back of All Saint's church, Burbage.

If anyone needs directions to any of these events, please get in touch with me and I will send them to you.

If you have something which needs to be put here, please forward it to me.


	Latest News & Diary of events	A guide to read the Bible in one year	Some snaps	Prayer Requests


	We are a group of men from all walks of life who share a love for God and believe he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to pay for our sins. We all live within the parishes of the Savernake Team in northeast Wiltshire, primarily around Burbage, Great Bedwyn, Pewsey, Shalbourne and other villages. There is a link to the website for the Savernake team on the "Useful Links" page. The purpose of this webpage is to keep us in touch, keep us informed of various events and prayer requests, and to welcome any other men from within the parishes of the Savernake Team. If you would like to get in touch and find out more, we would love to hear from you. Please send an email to myself (Philip) as website editor from the link in the top left margin of this webpage and I will put someone in touch with you, or contact you directly. Prayer meetings back on - Wednesday mornings at Burbage Church Hall - arrive 6.45am to start 7am, ending 7.30am

	Latest News & Diary of Events
	On Saturday 20th Feb, another of the Men's Breakfasts was held in Burbage Church Hall - this time with Peter Noble speaking to us about Mercy Ships. In 1978, a team led by Don and Deyon Stephens began the process of finding a suitable vessel to fulfil their dream of a hospital ship that would reach out to the world's poorest people. On July 7th 1978, this dream became a reality. The first Mercy Ship, a retired ocean liner called Victoria, was purchased for £600,000. Ongoing efforts over four years resulted in the transformation of the passenger vessel into a hospital ship. Since then, various ships in the Mercy Ships fleet have served in more than 150 ports in developing nations around the world, bringing lasting change to hundred of thousands of lives. Each ship is staffed entirely by volunteers, whether they are surgeons, carpenters, nurses, teachers, dentists, plumbers or electricians. In fact, every volunteer pays to be on the ship. The only person paid on the ship is the captain, who must be paid by law. He draws the princely salary of 50 pence a year! In a lot of cases, medical conditions which would be treated as routine straightforward procedures in the UK, can mean a lifetime of misery to someone with the same condition in some of the world's poorest areas. Cataracts, cleft palates, minor issues following childbirth, the list is long. In a lot of cases, the medical condition is considered a curse and can lead to the individual being cast out of their village, or an afflicted child to be considered possessed by demons. Mercy Ships is one of the best kept charity secrets, yet it costs many millions to acquire a secondhand ship and fit it out to be a floating hospital, with operating theatres, surgeries, recovery wards and scanning equipment. If you would like to read more about what they do, please have a look at their website: http://www.mercyships.org.uk/ ***** Events coming up Sunday 2nd May 2010 - Sudan Celebration - All Saint's Church, Burbage at 11am. Saturday 8th May 2010 - Renewal Day - Church Hall, Burbage, 10am to 4pm with David and Mary Pytches - cost is £5 and you'll need a packed lunch - forms available at the back of the church, or get in touch with Janet, or myself via the link at the top of this page. Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd May 2010 - Men's weekend away. Venue has been chosen - Dorset/Devon borders. More info coming very soon. Saturday 19th June 2010 - Men's breakfast outside on the hill! Somewhere around Pewsey, possibly Giant's Graveyard again. Speaker tbc. Sunday 11th July 2010 - Men's BBQ for the church families - after the 11am service at the Shellswell's house. Saturday 11th - Sunday 12th September 2010 - Dads' and kids' campout at Tidcombe - a great weekend of camping, barbecueing and children's games. Friday 1st - Sunday 3rd October 2010 - Parish away weekend, Ammerdown - more details at the back of All Saint's church, Burbage. If anyone needs directions to any of these events, please get in touch with me and I will send them to you. If you have something which needs to be put here, please forward it to me.
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	Some snaps
	A beautiful crisp morning - Men's breakfast - November '09 Pete's talk - Men's breakfast - November '09 Bemused onlookers - Men's breakfast - November '09 Enjoying Pete's talk - Men's breakfast - November '09 Saturday afternoon - The tents going up - Tidcombe - September '09 Saturday afternoon - Our galley, very tidy - Tidcombe - September '09 Saturday afternoon - Polly seeing if any food was left by the tents - Sept '09 Saturday evening - hungry tummies being fed - September '09 Saturday evening - Say "cheese" - September '09 Sunday morning - a bit misty - Bacon rolls going down well - September '09 Brave souls ably led up a welsh mountain by Dickie! Brecon, May 2009 Rogues' gallery from Men's weekend in Brecon, May 2009 If you have any photos you would like added here, please forward them to me.
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	Prayer Requests
	2010/ongoing - To bring peace to all men currently experiencing uncertainty and turmoil in their work - for stability and certainty over the future, and for peace in their domestic lives - let them switch off from work and enjoy their families February 2010 - To take good care of our brother, Dickie, as he spends time overseas on a military posting in a troubled area February 2010 - To bring healing and a full recovery to Julian following his back surgery If you have a prayer request you would like posted here, whether it's for you or someone else, please forward the details to me.
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	Men of Savernake
	As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)