Hello from Prime Time! 20 November 2020

Dear Prime Time member,

Dear me, what dreary weather we’re having today! It’s the kind of day that when you look out of the window it just makes you want to curl up on the sofa snuggled in a blanket and watch something light and fluffy on the TV!         I hope we don’t get too many days like today as it’s very hard to motivate yourself to get out and about for some exercise when the weather is like this isn’t it?  And let’s face it, going out for a walk is pretty much the only option available to us at the moment.  So if we’re not even doing that, we’re all going to develop cabin fever pretty quickly…  So grab your coat, hunt out your boots and dig deep, make yourself go outside for a walk.  I know it takes a lot of will power and that the easy option is just to stay indoors; I’m someone myself who likes their creature comforts and hate to be cold, so I know the internal struggles of knowing it will do me good to get out but at the same time wanting to stay warm and dry.  I’m confident though that Prime Timers have more self-discipline than I do!

But if the weather turns particularly bad or the ‘easy option’ wins out one day, luckily your Prime Time Team have planned some activities to help get you through to Christmas.  We realise that the run up to Christmas can be a particularly tricky time for some people and this year Christmas could be even more difficult because of the times we’re living through.  With this in mind, we decided to try and run an activity each week for the 3 weeks running up to Christmas – hopefully there will be something for everybody in what we’ve been able to offer.  The fourth week in December is Christmas week, and there will be a lot of services available on our You Tube channel for you to dip into and celebrate the season.  I’ll send you further details of these nearer the time.


I’ll send further details and joining instructions on the Friday before each event.  So next Friday look out for more details about the Christmas quiz.  I also hope to send you details of a self-guided ‘Advent Calendar Walk’ happening around Busbridge in December.  Intrigued?  Make sure you check your email next week to find out more…!

Today’s email is perhaps a little deviation from what you’ve come to expect.  It’s shorter for a start and more ‘newsy’.  That’s firstly because I didn’t want to detract from the ‘What’s On’ information and secondly because I was away from my desk for a couple of hours today attending the funeral of Prime Time member, Betty Towner.  Betty was a long standing member of Busbridge Church and was part of Prime Time long before my arrival on the scene!  Betty had many friends from within the church and also Prime Time and Wednesday Fellowship, and I know you will be saddened to learn of her passing.  But Betty had lived a long and very fulfilling life and she would not wish us to be sad.  Please be comforted by your happy memories of time spent in Betty’s company and of the fun moments and giggles you shared. As the poem read at today’s funeral said, “ …I have only slipped into the next room… I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.  All is well.”

Betty had a quiet yet strong personal faith.  She was caring, kind and generous of spirit and she had the wisdom that 93 years of life accumulates. Members of Prime Time of longer-standing may remember the Christmas video we made back in 2014, in which Betty became the unexpected star with her reflection on the meaning of Christmas.    So today’s ‘Thought For The Day’ comes courtesy of Betty…  “Even if you can give a little back, somewhere along the line, that person’s going to remember and that’s what Christmas means to me”.

So as we approach the season of Advent maybe we can keep the spirit of Betty within us, by each considering what it looks like for them to ‘give a little back…’

Until next week - with every blessing,

Penny x