All food will be purchased, prepared, cooked and served by our Amicus members and where possible ingredients will be ethically sourced and fairly traded.

The full menu and booking sheet can be downloaded here.  Copies are also available in the Amicus pigeon-hole at the Church Centre.

Please complete the booking form and return it
with your payment in full to Ricky Rew or Nick Lingard
by Sunday 18th April at the very latest.

This event is a fund-raiser for 1st Bletchley Boys’ Brigade Company.

Here are some of the funniest/most stupid, yet genuine, answers from the show:

• An item of clothing worn by the Three Musketeers – A horse
• Something people might be allergic to – Skiing
• Something red – My cardigan
• Something you beat – An apple
• A number you have to memorize – Seven
• Something a blind man might use – A sword
• A method of securing your home – Put the kettle on
• A song with ‘Moon’ in the title – “Blue Suede Moon”
• Something with a red light on it – A Dalek
• Something you open other than a door – Your bowels
• A bird with a long neck – Naomi Campbell
• [full list here]

Here’s a classic stupid answer on the original Family Fortunes:

We had a few of our own tonight too:

• ‘Name a Blue Peter dog…’ – ‘Anthea Turner?’ – Lex Bradley
• ‘Name something husbands borrow from their wives’ – ‘Underwear’ – Yolanda Potter
• ‘Name something you would dread to see from an aeroplane window’ – ‘Is this the Lesbian one?’ – David Putman
• ‘Name something you might like to have straightened’ – ‘John Barrowman’ – Lex Bradley

And another great Amicus quote:

‘Do we dong any more, or are we done donging?’ – Nick Lingard

Important Information
The Amicus programme has been updated up to the end of April. Please check the calendar and make a note of when you’re organising, assisting or leading devotions (some details have changed since Wednesday). Reminder emails will be sent 6 days before an event, and the day before an event, but you may need a little longer to prepare for your session. When you check for your name against an activity, please check the description in the calendar. If you would like to change the description, email the updated text to me and I’ll update the calendar. If you have any questions or problems, let me know. Also, when planning your evening please make sure you complete the Planning & Evaluation Sheet, and Ricky or Nick will evaluate the session at the end of the evening. You can find printed sheets in the Amicus pigeon-hole in the office at the Church, or download them from here and print them yourself (depending on how organised you are). Also coming soon: guidance notes for preparing devotions.

Don’t forget to vote and help us decide the theme for our Soapbox Derby Racers!

Next Week: It’s time to crack on with the planning and practical arrangements for this year’s fund-raising effort: Heaven’s Kitchen. Organiser: Ricky Rew, Assistant: Simon Bradley, Devotions: Yolanda Potter

See for yourself!

Don’t forget to vote and help us decide the theme for our Soapbox Derby Racers!

This week: TV Quiz Night – organised by James with devotions by Nick Bosdet.

Then we had a brainstorm cranial weather anomaly and shared ideas for possible future sessions, then explained them to the group and removed a couple and refined a few more before were happy that we have a great session coming up. The result of our cranial weather anomaly can be seen below (click to enlarge) and will be translated and uploaded into the Amicus Calendar shortly. You will receive an email notifying you of which sessions you’re leading, assisting with or leading devotions for.

In devotions we reflected on the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:13 and it’s application during our current weather challenges. We also reflected on the fact that the coldest winter for years has been no match for the warmth of human excrement – hence the images in this update – and for which I apologise.

In other news, in an attempt to keep you all better informed and engaged, there is now a 1st Bletchley Amicus page on Facebook. There is a preview below. Become a ‘fan’ of the page and keep up to date with the latest events, quotes, web updates and news. Lots of old pictures have been uploaded, feel free to add your own if you have any, and add any tags which are missing.

Next Week: Hair-dressing by Steph Dungate & Nick Bosdet, Devotions by Simon Bradley

Just wanted to confirm that we will be meeting as planned this evening.  The snow has stopped, the skies are a little lighter, the main roads are clear, the local roads are passable, and the Church Centre is warm.

Please stay safe as you travel, but if you are able to make it to Amicus tonight, please do.

I look forward to seeing you there…

Note: I’ve installed a new comment system on the website which allows you to login with your Facebook details – please help me test it by leaving a comment below – ta!

I can’t think of anything I’d rather do on a cold, dark, damp evening than go Orienteering (not!) but there’s no arguing with the Amicus Calendar, so we this week that’s exactly what we did.  We split into two teams and set off on the circular walk around Bow Brickhill – both teams leaving at the same time, with the same map, but heading in opposite directions.  The hope was that we’d meet up about half way round.  Each team had to take a bearing at a predetermined location, with points awarded to correct recordings, and the fastest team back.

We met about three quarters of the way round, so one team was feeling more smug than the other.  But as we progressed around the final quarter, we realised that we’d had it easy until then (but we still won).  There was a mild asthma attack, a few slips in the mud and Jake acting as bear bait to keep Yolanda safe from all the Bow Brickhill bears – take a look at the pictures and see for yourself:

Well done to Nick & Yolanda for an excellent evening.  We didn’t lose anyone through injury or poor map reading, which is always a bonus.

Bonfire & Firework Party

It’s not often that we meet twice in one week (unless it involves an Ikea breakfast) but this week was one of those rare occasions as we met at the Sellers’ allotment for our Bonfire & Firework party.  I’m not a massive fan of fireworks but we got a great deal from Morrisons, and still have a ton of them left.  For me the bonfire is the attraction (and the food!) – there’s something very manly and mesmerising about a bonfire – perhaps it’s a caveman thing.

It was a great team effort with Douglas & Robert acting as bonfire feeders extraordinaire, Andrew & David managing the firework display and Jane magically providing food and drinks.  We had a better turnout from Amicus than FBI or the Thursday Home Group, but it was a great night!  Huge thanks to Jane & Douglas…  If you weren’t able to make it, take a look at the photos below and see what you missed!

Congratulations to Flic who passed her driving test today!

Next Week: Quasar – details will be emailed on Monday.

A very tired James (so tired he was almost completely unable to read) led us in a Halloween reflection, and encouraged us to make it a day where the devil doesn’t get a foothold (shouldn’t that be everyday?).

We ended with a game of four-a-side footie, but this week trialled a ‘ below head height’ rule.  There was lots of dissent before the game (like any good Baptist team), but on reflection, with a few rule tweaks, we decided it wasn’t too restrictive.  It resulted in a more skilful game, but more frustrating game for all.

During the course of the evening we opened our brand new Snooker/Pool table – only to discover that it had been damaged in transit and we had to pack it away again ready (hopefully) for a return journey to the suppliers.  so no snooker or pool this week – but we look forward to a shiny new table arriving soon(-ish).

This week David the guinea pig/pioneer of the new Planning & Evaluation Sheet which has been produced to assist you when you’re leading an Amicus session, and provides an evaluation of how things went.  The aim is to ensure well-planned activities, and ensure your development as leaders through constructive feedback.  When it’s your turn to organise our activities (see the Calendar), please make sure you complete the planning sheet and bring it with you.  You can find printed sheets in the Amicus pigeon-hole in the office at the Church, or download them from here and print them yourself (depending on how organised you are). Also coming soon: guidance notes for preparing devotions.

Next Week: Orienteering

Nick J & Yolanda are organising an evening of orienteering at Stockgrove Park or Bow Brickhill woods, and have prepared the following written statement for you – please take note:

Well you have chosen to become orienteering experts and search for the treasure however for this you will need the following so that you will be prepared for a night time excursion:

1. A torch (It will be dark and you will need to see)
2. A map (This will be provided by myself on the night)
3. High visibility clothing (If you have this it will be useful to keep track)
4. A compass if you have one (Getting lost is never fun so being able to know where you might be can at least mean we can find you)
5. Some comfortable yet robust shoes or boots (The ground is not your home carpet so slippers are going to be a bad choice…like milk)
6. A team spirit (This is going to be a race between two/three teams, therefore avoiding the whole “Blair Witch Project” thing)
7. Warm clothes (As winter approaches it is going to be dark and possibly cold so these are a good idea)

As a reminder this is an outdoor event, if in the event of rain there will be a planning session of a hiking challenge, a plan for this will be drawn up just in case, consent forms will be required for the walk.

Just to reiterate that last point: if you haven’t returned a completed consent form yet (you all know who you are) and don’t bring it with you next week, then you won’t be joining us for orienteering – you’ve had your period of grace.  Meet at the Church Centre promptly at 7:30pm.

Also next week: Joint FBI/Firework Party

Please join us for our own spectacular firework display, and one of Doug Sellers’ finest bonfires, topped off with snacks & refreshments by Jane.  Meet at the Sellers’ house (68 Eaton Avenue, Bletchley) at 7:30 next Thursday (5th Nov).  Wrap up warm and bring a torch. Pictures of our last event in 2007 are available here – we had a fantastic evening.

* title of this week’s update is in honour of Yolanda Potter ;o)

[ Disclaimer: one or two clips contain swearing - but not as much as Chris' second choice clip ]

{continue reading after the clips}

If you made it this far – well done!

Thanks to Steph & Nick who made the tea and coffee, and to those individuals who brought cakes to share – mmmm. Somehow the Multimedia room felt so much more spacious this evening – probably because David has had a major haircut and now has short, manageable hair! gasp! We also viewed the inspiration for a possible future Amicus activity – some were fascinated and amused, whilst some (Nicci) were disgusted. See for yourself – what do you think? Should we do it?

Ikea Breakfast: to celebrate the half term break in our usual style, we’ll be invading the Ikea restaurant on Tuesday morning for a tasty breakfast. Meet outside the doors downstairs at 9:30 – prompt!

Next Week: Sport – all night – come dressed appropriately, and don’t forget to bring your lucozade, and be prepared to work off the Ikea breakfast!

We split into two teams and were given a budget of £5 (pizza base provided) and a time limit of 25 minutes to get to Tesco, shop and get back.  One member of each team had to remain at the Church Centre, and would be blindfolded on their team’s return.  The team had to purchase ingredients which would enable them to create a pizza which was a portrait of one of their team members.  If that wasn’t hard enough – the blindfolded member would be assembling the pizza, still blindfolded, and under directions from the team.  Let the madness commence…

We witnessed the worst spreading the world has ever seen (Nick Bosdet)! And it’s on video, so there’s no denying it.  And frankly Chris was so good it was like he does this kind of thing all the time – a regular activity in the Buttenshaw house?  Also, Yolanda revealed that she thought Matt & Graham were a couple – nice.

During the course of the evening, the following joyous quotes were uttered:

‘careful, there’s grated cheese’ – Graham Dungate

‘now move it towards my voice’ – Steph Dungate

‘squeeze it like you mean it’ – David Putman

Some of the fun of the evening was captured in the photos below, the rest is on video and I hope I’ll manage to edit it soon.

Meanwhile, here’s the video of the big reveal, as Chris and Nick peeled off their blindfolds (after an hour!) and permanently scarred their retina. Keep watching Chris’ face as he realises the genius of his creation…

Aside from the fun, this is a huge week for the Dungates:

• Graham’s first week at Amicus this session (welcome back!)
• Steph’s 18th birthday at the weekend
• Matt passed his driving test at last (congratulations!!)

One or two others not having such a good week – ask no questions, but please pray for the group as a whole.

Next week: Favourite Movie Clips – bring along your favourite movie clip (on DVD, VHS or preferably YouTube) and tell us why you’ve shared it.