Sunday 13th December Holy Communion 10.30am
The Revd Dick Whittington will take the service. Please let Pat Cook (Churchwarden) know if you plan to attend either by email – [email protected] or phone 241632 so that we can plan for social distancing. Please remember to bring a mask. Sanitising gel and wipes are available inside the church. We hope to see you there.
Thursday 24th December - Christmas Eve 6.00 pm
As there will be no service in the Great Barn on Christmas Eve this year, we have decided to replace Midnight Mass with a Holy Communion service at 6 o’clock. The Revd Dick Whittington will again take the services.
If you see people about the church on Saturday morning next it is because the Area Dean is coming to ‘swear in’ the churchwardens of our benefice at our church at 11.30 in a short service. This is normally a very important Deanery wide service which like so many other things has had to be postponed from last May. We have still been doing the job though so it is really just a formality this year!
Church Flowers
Would you like to help with Flowers in Church?
When we are able to get back to having more regular services (and hopefully St Giles being open for the steady trickle of visitors we have usually had throughout the year), it is really nice to see some fresh flowers and foliage displayed. We have a very small regular rota of helpers for this but we would love to welcome some new members to the group. We usually work in pairs (you and a friend?) and everyone combines effort for Easter, Christmas and Harvest. In normal circumstances you are only called upon about once every three months, so it is not too arduous. Is this something you might be able to help with? If you would like to know more before you volunteer, please do contact [email protected] (tel 241179).
Batemans Trust Charity
As many of you know, we usually send half of the collection from the Barn service on Christmas Eve to the Batemans Trust, a tradition which was started many years ago by Geoff Lee. I would like to be able to send them something this year. If you would like to make a donation please let me have it in an envelope marked ‘Donation to the Bateman’s Trust’ and I will send the total off to them towards the end of the year. I have put their latest newsletter up in the church porch. If you are not familiar with their work in India this will give you a good idea. They also have a number of ‘gifts’ that you can purchase to help their pupils , ranging from 2 footballs £15, mattress, bedsheet and pillow £30, art and craft materials for one term £35 to college fees for one term £120, tables and chairs for a classroom £100 and a solar panel, £150. I have further details if you are interested.
Stay safe and keep well. Hopefully a better year is in sight for us next year.
Pat Cook, Churchwarden