St Peter's Church
News from the St.Peter's church at the heart of the village.
ST PETER'S CHURCH
We were pleased to welcome our new vicar to Berrynarbor for church services following his installation in June this year and he is settling in very well indeed. Mark also attended our PCC meeting in July with many new ideas for our Church and School.
As mentioned in the August Newsletter, Mark suggested changing the timings for our Church services and following consultation with our parishioners, it was agreed that all services will now start at 9.30 a.m. Whilst the new timing may present some difficulty for some older churchgoers, we must try and make this work - bearing in mind that Mark has to fit his busy schedule in with both Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's Churches together with us here in Berrynarbor. The new timings will, of course, give more free time to parishioners in Berrynarbor following church services on a Sunday. Rev. Mark's contact details are now available on the notice board adjacent to the Lych Gate.
James Electrics have now completed the work on our faulty internal spotlights, now replaced with new efficient LED lighting units. We are in the process of applying Smart Water anti-theft chemical to many parts of the church [exterior and interior] as requested by our Church Insurance Company. Our Gardener, Simon, continues to maintain the two churchyards to a very high standard, and during the recent heat wave it is so relaxing to sit on the bench near the Church porch donated by Jill McCrae in memory of her husband Iain and admire the beautiful view over the village.
We have enjoyed having church weddings in June and July and look forward to another happy couple to 'tie the knot' in September.
Harvest time will soon be upon us and we look forward to having our Harvest Festival Service on October 2nd followed by our Harvest Supper on October 5th, held in the Manor Hall. As usual, there will be a superb Buffet on offer together with wine, beer, cider, soft drinks, tea and coffee. The popular team quiz will once again provide lots of laughter. Tickets for this popular event are available, if any are left, from the Village Shop and PCC committee members.
Rev Mark is determined to regenerate the Christmas season involving Berrynarbor School by introducing a special Carol Service in our beautiful church prior to Christmas.
We shall be changing the time of the Christmas Eve Service to work alongside the Village Carols in the Square.
We pray for all those who are sick in our village - and especially at this time for all the refugees fleeing the war zone throughout the Ukraine and the people of Pakistan who are enduring dreadful flooding following exceptional monsoon rain. An inspiring footnote to this is that we recently welcomed a young Ukrainian lady by the name of Lillia to our Church Village Service. Lillia had expressed a wish to visit Berrynarbor Church with her Carer at this difficult time for all Ukrainian people.
Finally, on behalf of St. Peter's, I should like to thank Judie for printing our church notices in the wonderful newsletter - it will be sadly missed. Enjoy your retirement, Judie!
Sue Neale
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
We were pleased to attend Rev. Mark's Installation at a special service on 13th June at Pip & Jim's Church. The Bishop of Exeter hosted the Service together with clergy from the surrounding area. Following the Service, ministers and the congregation gathered in the Church Hall to enjoy an excellent buffet which was contributed by the ladies from Berrynarbor, Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's churches.
We hope to see Rev. Mark take services in St. Peter's, Berrynarbor, very soon and that all services will be able to return to a normal and regular pattern. Mark has suggested that the commencement of church services should change to 9.30 a.m. Sundays, easing his timing schedule when taking services at St. Peter's, Combe Martin. We realise that this earlier time may be inconvenient for some people, but it will make travelling a lot easier for Mark and will also give additional time for parishioners to spend at home or elsewhere for the remainder of the day.
Our Gift Day was a huge success once again and the sunny weather was a real bonus. A huge range of teddy bears and other cuddly toys were abseiled from the Church Tower and all the children from Berrynarbor School and Pre-School were awarded certificates on the day. A huge big thank you to Kevin Brooks, Richard Barrett, Gareth Cornell, Beverley Grant, Tom Oliver and other volunteers for their efforts at the top and by the church tower in keeping the fun going for the children all morning. We raised the sum of £300.50 for this special day!
Church weddings have featured recently and we send our sincere good wishes to all the married couples for a happy time together in the years ahead!
On a sad note, we send our deepest sympathy to Kevin and family upon the passing of Betty Brooks, our long serving Church caretaker, who died peacefully in North Devon Hospital recently. Betty was a real character and will be sadly missed by the church community, residents in Berrynarbor and beyond. A special memorial service for Betty will be held in Berrynarbor church in the near future.
Finally, we pray for all those who are sick in our village, and especially at this time for all the refugees fleeing the war zone throughout the Ukraine and hope that families that have been separated from loved ones are reunited once again.
Note - Please be aware that we have had to move the black and green wheelie bins to the right of the top gate to ease the collection in Barton Lane by N.D. Council and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Sue Neale
Lost Property
Some three weeks ago a very large light brown tarpaulin/gazebo cover was left in the church porch, which is now kept safely in our vestry.
We have no idea who this belongs to, but perhaps it was left over from the Queen's Jubilee celebrations or even a wedding party? Please contact Sue Neale on 01271-883893 if you are the owner or perhaps know to whom it might belong. Thank you.
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
We look forward to the installation of our new vicar Rev. Mark Ruoff on Monday 13th June, to be held at Pip & Jim's Church, Ilfracombe. This special service will commence at 7.00pm.
Following his settling in, we in Berrynarbor look forward to welcoming Mark and his wife Tandy and family at St. Peter's during June and hope that Church Services will return to a more regular basis in the months and years ahead. Mark will of course be responsible for both Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's churches as well - and we all hope that a long period of stability will come to fruition.
Rev. Mark is keen to involve himself with Berrynarbor School and to build on the important relationship with the Church and new activities.
To that end, our Treasurer, Tom Oliver has organised a Vegetables to Grow for Harvest Festival event which involves all the children in growing onions, runner beans and marrows during the year in their gardens at home and also at school. Both Tom and his partner Ebe, together with myself, visited the School when they returned from their Easter break to explain the event; and using Tom's expertise as Manager of St. John's Garden Centre on how to go about growing the vegetables, the seeds of which were kindly donated by St. John's and presented to all the children in special small nets. Also included in each pack was a pot and small bag of compost.
A question-and-answer session was held and the children were encouraged to take photographs of their plants in progress and bring them to our special Church Gift Day on Friday the 17th June commencing at 9.30 a.m.
This special day will include the popular Zip Wiring of Teddy Bears from the top of the Church tower - an event which was held a few years ago on one of the hottest days of the year! The children have been asked to bring their teddy bears, monkeys, lions, tigers and other cuddly toys to have a real fun day for all!! The Pre-School will also be invited to bring their favourite toys to join in all the fun, and where possible mums, dads and all others will be most welcome to attend and make this day really special for all!
Our Easter Service was very well attended - 32 adults and 2 children. Donations from the congregation amounted to £345 which will be sent to the Ukrainian Appeal Fund.
We all hope and pray that this dreadful conflict will come to an end soon and that the brave people of Ukraine will finally be at peace once and for all! The Ukrainian flag is currently flying from the Church Tower in support of all Ukrainians.
We pray for all those in Berrynarbor who are unwell at this time whether they are in hospital or at home recuperating.
We have just received news that Margaret Sowerby has sadly died. Margaret who had been a member of Berrynarbor Choir for many years and Treasurer of our PCC will be greatly missed by all those who knew her. We send our deepest sympathy to her husband Roger and family at this difficult time.
We urge residents to read the Church notice board by the lych gate and Village Shop for information about forthcoming services. It is regretted that sometimes there will be some Sundays when a service is just not possible - but on a positive note, we look forward to the arrival of our new Vicar when the service structure will become more settled.
Last but not least, we thank all the Bellringers for their valuable contribution on Sunday mornings and also for several weddings which they will be ringing for throughout the year.
Sue Neale
7
ST PETER'S CHURCH
We were pleased to meet our new Vicar, the Revd. Mark Ruoff, at a special service held at Pip & Jim's Church on Sunday 20th February, and also delighted to meet his wife Tandy and two of the children who had all driven down from Hammersmith to spend the weekend in North Devon. As mentioned in the last newsletter, we look forward to Revd. Mark's Installation at a special Service on June 13th at Pip & Jim's Church.
We enjoyed a joint communion service at Berrynarbor on Sunday, 30th January when over 50 worshipped together, led by Rev. George Billington. The music group played and sang during the service and Stuart played the final hymn. Refreshments were shared afterwards.
A reminder for all about church services [which we reflected on previously] may be temporarily reduced to three per month whilst we await Revd. Mark's arrival here in Berrynarbor. Please read the notice boards by the lych gate and porch - as well as in the Community Shop and Post Office.
Our AGM will be held on the 21st March 2022 at 4.00 p.m. in the Vestry and look forward to seeing parishioners at this important meeting. We are particularly in need of a PCC Secretary to take the load off of my shoulders, so please come forward if you can! Please ring me on 883893 at any time.
We have some exiting new events coming up this year - one of which will involve Berrynarbor School in an ongoing project. Tom Oliver, our Treasurer, will be organising this very soon. We are also hoping to have a repeat event involving all the children from both School and Pre-School with a special Teddy Bear, and other cuddly animals, abseiling from the church tower! Remember the last time on one of the hottest days of the year! Let's hope that we have fine weather for this super fun day on June 17th, and to incorporate our Annual Gift Day which we have been unable to hold due to the Pandemic.
We are pleased that our 5 new gas fired heaters are up and running, ensuring a warm church for services on those occasional cold days.
On a sad note, we send our deepest sympathy to the relatives of Bill Huxtable who died after a short illness. Bill was a regular Bellringer here in Berrynarbor for many years and it was fitting that our regular team of Bellringers rang at his funeral on Friday 25th February.
On a happier note, we hosted a Christening Service on Sunday 6th March for baby Reuban, with Martyn Tyrell, Curate at Shirwell Church, taking the service.
We particularly look forward to several couples getting married this year - especially since some have previously had to cancel their special day due to the covid pandemic.
We pray for all those who are sick in the village - and especially at this time for all the refugees fleeing the war zone throughout the Ukraine, and hope that families that have been separated from loved ones are reunited once again.
Sue Neale
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
We are pleased announce that Rev. Mark Ruoff has been appointed as the new Rector for our three parishes.
Mark, his wife Tayla, and their family will be moving from his current parish in Hammersmith to take up his post in June. We were hoping he might commence his duties at Easter, but his daughter is taking her GCSE's and therefore they didn't wish to disrupt her education at such a critical time.
Mark will be travelling down to North Devon for half term [14th to 20th February] and will be taking a Joint Service at Pip & Jim's at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday 20th February, when he would like to meet as many parishioners as possible.
32 adults and two children enjoyed our annual Carol Service, held for the first time at the Morning Service. Tea and coffee, mince pies, stollen and festive biscuits were served afterwards, which enabled everyone to enjoy some social time together.
During these difficult times, we were fortunate in having Rev. Clive Thomas from Ilfracombe to take this service and our sincere thanks to him for helping us out on this occasion.
Once again, the annual Midnight Mass Service at 9.30 p.m. was very poorly attended with only 13 stalwarts. Unfortunately, there is a conflict of interest - Singing Carols in the Square, which is a wonderful event for many people. This was always traditionally held on a different evening until a few years ago. Please may I respectfully ask the organisers to consider changing the night to the weekend before Christmas, so that all can enjoy both events at this special time of year?
A big thank you to Pip and Tony for their help in decorating the Church for Christmas; to Elaine Filer for keeping the cobbles weeded; to the team of cleaners who keep the church tidy, plus Carol Hood for doing sterling work cleaning the brass and silver.
Running Berrynarbor Church during the pandemic from the early part of 2020 has been a huge challenge for us all. For the best part of a year there were no services held and our income was virtually zero! We are grateful for those in our parish who have donated money to the church throughout these difficult times but our main financial reserves have been severely depleted with an expenditure outlay of £76,000 for repairs to the exterior of the building and a further £10,000 to replace five internal gas heaters
which were deemed unsafe, not to mention Ecclesiastical Insurance outlay of £3,780 per year for this Grade 2 Listed Building. The responsibility for maintaining the building lies with the elected members of our PCC.
Berrynarbor Church is an essential part of this village. Hosting Church Services, Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms, Bellringers and the maintenance of the two churchyards for the benefit of many residents' loved ones, being just a small fragment of what your church is about! Church Services are advertised on our notice boards and in the village shop.
We continue to pray for all who are sick in the village and hope that 2022 will be a healthier year for us all.
Sue Neale
7
ST PETER'S CHURCH
As mentioned in the last edition of the Newsletter, we have prepared our Parish Profile alongside the Parish Profiles of Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's churches, and have already submitted our advertising campaign to attract candidates for interview. The good news is such that the short listing for a new Rector took place on 16th November, with an interview date set for 1st December. It is hoped that the appointment of the successful candidate will take up his/her position in the Benefice around Eastertime.
A joint service was enjoyed by all 3 churches at St. Peter's ad Vincula, Combe Martin, on Sunday 31st October. The Combined Music Group led the singing with the accompaniment of guitars, piano and clarinet, and Stuart opened and closed the service with hymns played on the pipe organ.
Berrynarbor Church Services are advertised on the notice boards by the Lych Gate and also in the Church Porch and top churchyard gate. Whilst we strive to have 4 services each month, it is occasionally proving difficult to have a Vicar or Lay Readers to take all services. So it is important to read these notices in advance to avoid unnecessary journeys to our beautiful church - when only 3 services are held in the month.
At this moment we are not sure which clergy will take our Christmas Services, but a new Carols for Christmas will take place on Sunday 19th December at 11.00 a.m. in place of our usual Christmas Carol Service. We look forward to a really good attendance to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Our Harvest Festival Service on Sunday 10th October was held with thanks to our ladies for providing excellent refreshments following the service. Our Annual Harvest Supper Evening in the Manor Hall was cancelled this year in view of the difficulties presented by the current Covid situation.
We must, however, convey our sincere thanks to all those who contributed tins and packets of food to our collection point adjacent to the Church Font, and also to the Village Community Shop where their Food Basket was filled to capacity with produce for the Ilfracombe Food Bank. Many thanks again to those good people who contributed so generously to help those who are in need.
We still need someone to volunteer for the position of PCC Secretary so please contact us on 883893 if you are able to offer your services. Please remember that we meet only 6 times in a year - so it's not a difficult task!
We continue to pray at this time for all those who are sick, awaiting operations or awaiting hospital treatment.
We send our best wishes to everyone in Berrynarbor for a Happy Christmas and hope that the New Year will bring back a healthier life for all.
Sue Neale
4
ST
PETER'S CHURCH
Stuart and I have been on a much-needed
break in North Yorkshire and Scotland, and so this contribution will be a
little shorter than usual.
One piece of good news is that the congregation is now
allowed to sing during the service. We
still have to wear face masks, but singing makes the service so much more
enjoyable.
Church services are advertised on the notice boards by the lych
gate, as well as in the church porch and top churchyard gate. Whilst we strive to have 4 services each
month, occasionally this is reduced to 3 when we are regretfully without a
Minister or Lay Reader to conduct the service. We do, however, convey our sincere thanks to
Rev John Roles and Rural Dean Rev Rosie Austin who are covering for wedding and
funeral services in Berrynarbor during this period of Interregnum.
On a positive note, following a meeting
of all three churches within our group [Combe Martin, Berrynarbor and Pip &
Jim's] we have prepared our individual Parish Profiles in preparation for interviews
with new candidates for the post of Priest in Charge. We are hoping to commence these interviews in
November/December.
You may recall Stuart's plea for people to serve on our PCC
otherwise Berrynarbor Church will be in serious danger of closing. It is
gratifying, therefore, to have had two volunteers to come forward and join us -
but we still desperately need a PCC Secretary to help bolster our ranks as soon
as possible. Please contact me on
883893 if you are willing to help us! Remember,
there are only 6 meetings in the year - which is not a big ask!
Repairs to the church are now completed and our sincere
thanks to Kevin Brooks and his team for their hard work over the last year. Also, we now have 5 brand new gas heaters
installed by Martin Pollard of Hydronics Plumbing & Heating Ltd., and the
condemned heaters have now been removed.
We must also pay great tribute to our Gardener, Simon
Partridge, who keeps both churchyards in the most beautiful condition. So many visitors and local residents have
passed comment on his efforts throughout this year!
We continue to pray at this time for all
those who are sick, awaiting operations or hospital treatment. Our sincere condolences to Lorna Bowden's
family, her funeral was held whilst we were away. Also, the Gibbs family at The Lodge, on the
loss of Yvonne.
Finally, isn't it great to hear the Church bells ringing once again especially with another Wedding later on this year. Let's hope the weather stays fine for the couple!
Sue Neale
2
ST
PETER'S CHURCH, BERRYNARBOR
By the
time you read this, we all hope that the Government's decision [to be announced
on Monday 19th July] will be to relax the current restrictions enabling
churches throughout the land to reopen and allow congregations to sing once
more! We hope that many businesses will
begin to prosper once again and that everyone will be vaccinated against this
dreadful Virus. We also pray that the
current Delta virus is brought under control and that our NHS will be able to
redirect their efforts to the huge number of people awaiting appointments for
specialist treatment.
The
sad news, however, that Rev. Peter Churcher has resigned from his position, has
resulted in the three churches under his mantle are once again without a Priest
in Charge. We wish Peter, his wife
Josie and family happiness in their new venture. We shall, of course. notify everyone when we
have news of a replacement.
Despite
this absence, Church Services will be held on Sundays commencing at 11.00 a.m.
and we shall ensure that more detail regarding the type of service will be
advertised throughout the village and our Village Shop in August and beyond. We are very fortunate in having George
Billington, who has kindly offered to take two services each month, which will
help us enormously through this difficult period.
Repairs
to the Church are nearing completion, and the fitting of new cast iron
guttering and downpipes at the rear of the church will shortly be completed. The scaffolding will soon be removed - and the
church will once again ensure a beautiful backdrop for the weddings taking
place in July and September this year.
We
continue to pray at this time for Margaret Sowerby who is undergoing
chemotherapy and following a difficult time in hospital is now back at home
with her husband Roger. We all hope
that in the months ahead Margaret responds well to specialist treatment and
returns to her bright and happy nature that we all know and love!
We
have just heard that one of our Berrynarbor Choir members Lesley Symes has
sadly passed away following a long illness.
We send our deepest sympathy to Lesley's husband Dave at this very sad
time.
Finally,
we all look forward to hearing the Church bells ringing again, and hope that
this will be possible in the very near future.
Stuart
Neale
7
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
Whilst we are able to hold Church Services
on Sundays, the church still remains closed during the week. However, we patiently await the UK
Government's announcement on Monday 17th May [followed by recommendations from
the Diocese of Exeter], which hopefully will enable us to fully re-open our
church in Berrynarbor to welcome villagers, parishioners and visitors alike.
Our AGM will have taken place on the
same day and we all hope that the elected PCC members will now look forward to
a more positive year ahead with hopefully the Covid situation, which has
affected the whole nation, will diminish from these shores!
We'll continue to ensure that
parishioners and visitors to the church sensibly adhere to on-going Government
safety guidelines for the remainder of this year, but we must not let our guard
down and ruin all the good work carried out by the NHS, care staff and many
more in this country over the last 18 months.
Repairs to the church are progressing
very well, and renovation to the cast iron guttering and downpipes will shortly
be completed, plus repairs to the end gable adjacent to the front porch. Stained
glass windows, where loose sections have been identified, have now been
repaired and cleaned. The Vestry
windows have also been carefully cleaned, and the huge stained-glass window in
the bell ringing chamber, which has become very dirty, will soon receive its
first professional clean in 20 years! NB:
The height of this window is such that special scaffolding/ladders will be
needed to enable safe access!
We hope that in the near future, Rev.
Peter Churcher, bearing in mind improvements to his wife's health and special
family commitments, will be able to return to full duties to the three churches
to which he is dedicated.
It is very heartening that we have
taken three wedding bookings for this year and four for next year - so we look
forward, as I'm sure the couples involved will, to such an important event in
their lives together.
We pray at this time for Margaret
Sowerby who is undergoing chemotherapy and following a difficult time in hospital
is now back at home with her husband Roger.
We all hope that in the months ahead she responds well to specialist
treatment and returns to her bright and happy nature that we all know and love!
Church services will be held on Sundays
commencing at 11.00 a.m. and we shall ensure that more detail regarding the
type of service and timings will be advertised throughout the village and in
the Community Shop and Post Office in June and beyond.
Finally, we all look forward to hearing
the church bells ringing again, and hope that this will be possible in
July/August.
Stuart Neale
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
As mentioned in the previous edition of the Newsletter, a new lockdown was introduced following the Prime Minister's broadcast on the 4th January.
It therefore comes as no surprise that Berrynarbor, Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's churches remain closed until further notice.
However, following the UK vaccination programme, which as you all know by now has been an unqualified success, coupled with the restrictions placed upon us all at this difficult time, has happily shown a substantial reduction in hospital cases, and has, for the moment at least, given us all hope for the future. It is therefore hoped that our church and others in neighbouring communities will be opened in the coming months.
Repairs to the church are progressing very well, and renovation to the cast iron guttering and downpipes is now underway. As I'm sure you all know, the rain, cold temperatures and strong winds have severely hampered our intrepid building workers and we all hope that better weather arrives soon.
Our Vicar, Rev. Peter Churcher, has recently had to reduce his pastoral care and activities due to his wife's illness and this has meant that he has to devote more of his time to his four children with regard to their schooling and general welfare. This has meant that attending to three churches has meant that Pip & Jim's, Ilfracombe, will become self-supporting for the next month or so. Rev. Peter will, however, be able to give some time to both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin Church communities - which is most welcome. We pray that Peter's wife, Josie, improves and send her our best wishes for a speedy recovery.
A few weeks ago, we learnt of the death of Sylvia Berry aged 94 - a regular churchgoer for many years. Sylvia had lived in Barton Lane for a long time but due to health reasons decided to live with her son Richard at Honeywell Farm near Mullacott. Sylvia was a lovely lady and is now at rest with her husband in Berrynarbor churchyard. We send our condolences to Richard and his family at this sad time.
We have just learnt that Chris Pocock from Berrynarbor Park has died following a short illness and we send our deepest sympathy to Phil and family at this sad time. Chris was an early member of Berrynarbor Church Choir, she will be missed by us all.
We shall keep everyone informed when the Church is to be opened again - which we hope will be very soon.
Once again, keep safe and well!
Stuart Neale
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
During
these difficult times, it is heartening that we had two services led by Rev. Peter
leading up to Christmas. However, our
Christmas Eve Service was poorly attended, in some part due to the very cold
evening and the ongoing situation with regard to the Covid pandemic. At least the Christmas lighting in the
churchyard and around the Church wall was a very welcome sight for all to
enjoy!
We are
pleased to confirm that repairs to the church roof valley have been completed
and other areas requiring attention will shortly be underway. Our builders have been working under great
difficulty with rain interruptions being all to frequent!
We have
one piece of good news with our quest to find a new Treasurer. Tom Oliver has very kindly offered to take
on this important role and this will be a great deal of comfort to our outgoing
Treasurer, Margaret Sowerby, who has been aided by her husband Roger. We are also delighted to welcome Kate
Sargent to the fold and look forward to her contribution at the next PCC
meeting in 2021.
However,
our first meeting scheduled for 11th January, had to be cancelled following the
Prime Minister's nationwide broadcast on the 4th January advising that a new
lockdown would be introduced immediately in an effort to contain the new strain
of the virus which is spreading rapidly through the country. Following discussions with Rev. Peter, our
PCC and some regular churchgoers, it has been decided to close the Church for
church services. Weddings and funerals
are exempt from this ruling. We all
hope that things will return to a safe level in the weeks ahead and with the
vaccination programme currently underway it is hoped this this awful virus will
eventually be defeated!
This
must be the shortest contribution I have ever had to write, but clearly things
have been extremely difficult for everyone in this village and elsewhere
throughout the United Kingdom. However,
it is important to recognise that our PCC members have all worked hard within
the village to offer help and assistance to those who are infirm or alone. We recognise that many others within the
village have also played their part in looking after friends and neighbours
during these difficult times. We thank
you all, and remember - keep safe and well!
Stuart Neale
In view of the PCC's
desire to keep costs down covering water, electricity, gas, tower clock and
organ servicing, building insurance [plus maintenance of internal and
external parts of the Church, the Churchyard grass, Boundary trees and
bushes], we have decided to go out to
tender for all this necessary work to be carried out.
As a first step [but by no
means the last] we shall be going
out to tender for the
Churchyard
Grass Cutting
Please contact our
Secretary Alison Sharples
[01271-882782] for a
Tender Application Form.
The closing date for this
work is 1st March 2021
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
At the time of writing it will come as no
surprise to everyone that from Thursday 5th November [Bonfire Night!] this
country will be under new lockdown restrictions. These restrictions will have a knock-on
effect with regard to Church services. St.
Peter's will be open on Sundays for Private prayer only, from 11.00 a.m.to 4.00
p.m.
NB: Please look out for posters detailing
forthcoming services.
Our
AGM was cancelled yet again, but to the relief of all our PCC members, this
important meeting [limited to 6 people] was held in church and the following
resignations were recorded. Doreen Prater, who has served on the PCC for over
20 years; Margaret Sowerby, our Treasurer, will remain in office to the end of
this year; and myself, who as PCC Chairman, Churchwarden and Organist, has
served here since the year 2000.
The
situation which now presents itself is extremely worrying, for we desperately
need a new Treasurer to take over from Margaret who has, with much help from
her husband, served brilliantly over the last few years. Both Margaret and myself are willing to help
any newcomers - come the new year - to guide them into their new roles. We meet 6/7 times during the year, so it's
not a big ask for anyone who wishes to keep this church going in the years
ahead, so important for this village with Services, Weddings, Baptisms,
Funerals, Churchyard Burials and Internments, plus the holding of special
events, some of which involve Berrynarbor School. Whatever your beliefs, religious or otherwise.
it is vital that Berrynarbor Church remains at the centre of this beautiful
village for the foreseeable future!
We are
extremely grateful to Karen Loftus and all those working in the Village Post
Office and Community shop for assisting in the collection of food items for the
Ilfracombe Food Bank, and of course our thanks to all those who have
contributed to this worthy cause.
One
very sad note must be the passing of June Marangone, who, as a volunteer, served
in the shop and was a regular churchgoer. She will be remembered for her smile and
welcoming manner. June, who had been ill for many months, died
peacefully at home in late October. We shall all pray for her devoted husband
Gerry and family during this very sad time. We continue to pray for our magnificent NHS,
Ambulance Service and Police Force, and all those in our community who are
unwell.
It was
with some relief that our Service for Loved Ones was able to take place on
Sunday 1st November. This short service
is always extremely poignant in that parishioners have the opportunity to
remember their loved ones in a special candlelit service which was presided
over by our Priest in Charge, Rev. Peter Churcher. Maintaining all the safety restrictions
imposed by the UK Government, this service, the first since March, was warmly
welcomed by the local congregation.
Our
Remembrance Service, like most of the services in North Devon and elsewhere,
was cancelled following the new lockdown measures. However, it was decided that poppy wreaths
should be laid on the War Memorial and so a modified service was held. Adam Stanbury laid a wreath on behalf of the
Parish Council; his daughter Emily laid one on behalf of Berrynarbor School and
Sue Neale laid one on behalf of our PCC.
I read a short service and the two-minute silence was observed. We were joined by a very small number of
villagers who arrived in time to pay their respects.
Finally,
as retiring Chairman, I wish to express my deep appreciation to all PCC Members
who have served and supported Berrynarbor Church over many years. Special thanks to all those Choir members
from Berrynarbor, Combe Martin and Parracombe who have given so much pleasure
to everyone in this village. I shall never forget all those wonderful
musical moments, including us singing on two occasions with the Chivenor
Military Wives Choir at special concerts held here in Berrynarbor!
Stuart
Neale
4
ST PETER'S CHURCH
Following the Government announcement that church buildings will be able to reopen for public worship from 4th July, it is hoped that services will commence in some form come September or October.
As mentioned in the August Newsletter, notices will be placed on the church gates and entrance porch to advise parishioners attending church, as well as visitors, to maintain social distancing and the sanitising of hands on entry and exit.
At the time of writing, the singing of hymns will not be permitted, and we can only hope that this will change in the near future.
There are no weddings planned for this year but funeral services are permitted with the limitation of 30 persons in church, but again, regretfully, no singing will be allowed until we receive the go ahead from the Diocese.
To just reflect on wedding services, we must sympathise greatly with couples who have had to re-arrange or delay what must be one of the most important days in their lives, not to mention the financial cost to them in having to cancel their wedding reception and honeymoon plans. Two such couples have had to cancel their wedding day service in Berrynarbor, which should have taken place earlier this year. How sad.
Our AGM, which was to have taken place at the end of March and was then re-scheduled to take place on the 21st September, has again, due to Government regulations, been postponed. Once we are able to hold this meeting, we'll keep you informed.
Following approval from the Archdeacon of Barnstaple for our Faculty application to carry out all the repair work on the church building, and at this time, we await scaffolding to be erected so that repairs to the roof, guttering and masonry can proceed. Western Steeplejacks have completed their work on the tower, and an upgraded heavy-duty earth wire has been connected to the tower's lightning conductor by James Electrics.
Please note, there will be special notices in place adjacent to the main cobbled path, and special cordoned security tape alongside to advise members of the public to keep well clear of any building/repair work in progress.
Our special prayers go to Margaret and Peter John Hiscox on the recent death of their husband and father, whose burial service was held in Berrynarbor churchyard on Wednesday 29th August. We continue to pray for our magnificent NHS, Ambulance Service and our Police Force, and all those in our community especially Carol Lucas and June Marangone who are unwell at this time.
Finally, we convey our thanks to Simon for keeping our churchyard, both old and new, in such pristine condition. We also thank Chris and his colleagues for the removal of a diseased holly tree, some branches of which were overhanging the roadway in Barton Lane. Chris had to obtain permission from the District Planning Office prior to the tree's removal, since trees in our churchyard are under a protection order.
Stuart Neale
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Following the Government announcement that church buildings will be able to reopen for public worship from 4th July, it is hoped that in the weeks ahead we shall have more detailed information from the Diocese of Exeter as to how the shape of services will evolve for St. Peter's Berrynarbor, St Peter's Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's, Ilfracombe.
Obviously, there will be a continuation of social distancing and the sanitising of hands on entry and exit. and these arrangements will be made clear prior to entering the church for Sunday services. Notices will also be placed on the church gates and entrance porch for visitors wishing to enter the church building to ensure that social distancing and the sanitising of hands are maintained.
Weddings and funeral services will be able to proceed but with a limitation of 30 persons attending, but, as it stands at the moment, no singing of hymns will be permitted or the ringing of bells!
It is worth reflecting that the last three months have been an extraordinary time - the first period without public worship and sacraments in England for more than 800 years! There will be real joy as we come together again, even if at a physical distance.
We have now had approval from the Archdeacon of Barnstaple for our Faculty application to carry out all the repair work on the church building.
We continue to pray for our magnificent NHS, Ambulance Service and our Police Force. Our special prayers go to all those in our community who are unwell and recovering from treatment following their time in hospital, and those who are lonely and finding things difficult to manage, especially during this awful pandemic.
We also pray for the family of Mary Tucker BEM who sadly died following a short illness at her home in Lancashire. Mary was a wonderful lady who served our church and community with so much care and compassion during her time here in Berrynarbor.
Finally, a word of sympathy for our intrepid bellringers who are still unable to practice on Thursdays, and ringing for church services on Sundays. Due to the close proximity of ringers within the bell tower, they must be totally frustrated, and we can only hope that soon. all will be back to normal!
Stuart Neale
3
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
With Berrynarbor Church closed until further notice, there is not very
much to say for this issue of the Newsletter! Not even our intrepid Bellringers are
allowed to practice on Thursdays or ring on Sunday mornings!
We were hoping to receive the go ahead from the Diocese of Exeter for
the necessary repair work to be carried out on the roof, masonry and cast-iron
guttering, but as yet have not received the 'green' light. However, with builders' merchants closed and
other suppliers in lockdown, we have to patiently wait for things to return to
normal.
Apart from the few good people who
donate using the gift aid scheme, we - like other churches throughout the land -
do not receive any collection money and other donations due to the absence of
church services during the lockdown period. However, there are many charities nationwide
whose very existence rely on public donations year after year, not to mention
vital support of businesses and their workers throughout the land who, at the
end of the day, provide the life blood of this country's economy and
existence!
We pray for our wonderful NHS and the
huge difficulties that nursing staff face every day, and despite the tragic
loss of some colleagues due to this awful virus, hope that they remain safe and
well in the coming months ahead.
Our special prayers go to those in our
community who are unwell and recovering from treatment following their time in
hospital and those who are lonely and finding the lockdown difficult to manage,
and hope that things return to normal and that everyone maintains all the
social distancing and other measures recommended by the Government.
Our vicar, Rev. Peter Churcher, has
arranged Service Videos on Sunday mornings which can be viewed on the following
website: www.combetocombechurches.co.uk
They start at 10.30 a.m. with a chat
box for you to engage with!
Keep safe and well, God bless you all.
Stuart Neale
2
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
With Berrynarbor Church closed until further notice, there is not very
much to say for this issue of the Newsletter! Not even our intrepid Bellringers are
allowed to practice on Thursdays or ring on Sunday mornings!
We were hoping to receive the go ahead from the Diocese of Exeter for
the necessary repair work to be carried out on the roof, masonry and cast-iron
guttering, but as yet have not received the 'green' light. However, with builders' merchants closed and
other suppliers in lockdown, we have to patiently wait for things to return to
normal.
Apart from the few good people who
donate using the gift aid scheme, we - like other churches throughout the land -
do not receive any collection money and other donations due to the absence of
church services during the lockdown period. However, there are many charities nationwide
whose very existence rely on public donations year after year, not to mention
vital support of businesses and their workers throughout the land who, at the
end of the day, provide the life blood of this country's economy and
existence!
We pray for our wonderful NHS and the
huge difficulties that nursing staff face every day, and despite the tragic
loss of some colleagues due to this awful virus, hope that they remain safe and
well in the coming months ahead.
Our special prayers go to those in our
community who are unwell and recovering from treatment following their time in
hospital and those who are lonely and finding the lockdown difficult to manage,
and hope that things return to normal and that everyone maintains all the
social distancing and other measures recommended by the Government.
Our vicar, Rev. Peter Churcher, has
arranged Service Videos on Sunday mornings which can be viewed on the following
website: www.combetocombechurches.co.uk
They start at 10.30 a.m. with a chat
box for you to engage with!
Keep safe and well, God bless you all.
Stuart Neale
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Unfortunately,
my contribution for this issue will have be somewhat shortened. There has been a bereavement in Sue's family
and in consequence this has meant that we have to travel up to Oxfordshire once or twice a week, a return journey of some
300 miles.
To
return to Church matters, we are still awaiting approval from the Diocese to
commence the major repair work to the church and hopefully this will, with a
respite in the dreadful weather, commence in early spring.
There
will, of course, have to be areas of scaffolding erected, but this will not
impede access to the church or churchyard in any way whatsoever. Signs
will, of course, be positioned near pathways for safety considerations.
Our
AGM will be held in the Church vestry on Monday, 30th March commencing with the
election of officers. Whilst readers of this Newsletter will not
have been aware of this meeting, it is hoped that our AGM will have been well
attended. It is of great importance that we welcome new
blood onto our PCC since many of our existing members have served for 10 years
or more and are not getting any younger!
There
are 5 or 6 PCC meetings in a year - so it's not a great ask for new people to
join and to share among our 8 members the task of running the Church and
Churchyard for the benefit of the village.
As
mentioned many times, we urgently need a new Treasurer
to take over from Margaret Sowerby - who will be happy to spend time explaining
this important role. Please contact our PCC Secretary, Alison
Sharples, on 01271-882782.
We
continue to pray for those who are unwell in this Parish and our special
thoughts are with Viv Fryer and her family. her husband, Brian, having died
recently following a lengthy illness. We
also hope that both Pip Summers and Jill Jones continue to recover from recent hospital
surgery.
Our services for April and Easter are:
- Sunday, 5th April: Palm Sunday Service, 11.00 a.m.
- Friday, 10th April: Good Friday Hour of Devotion, 2.00 p.m.
- Sunday, 12th April: Easter Sunday Service, Holy Communion at 11.00 a.m.
Sunday, 19th April and Sunday, 26th April, follow the normal Church Services which are:
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Stuart Neale
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
We wish all in Berrynarbor a Happy and Healthy
New Year!
As mentioned in the last newsletter, Rev.
Bill Cole has now left the parish and we wish both Bill, and his wife Jenny, a
very happy retirement in their native Cumbria.
The Remembrance Sunday Service was led
by Rev. George Billington and was well attended. The Choir sang a beautiful rendition of
Fields of Poppies, set to the music entitled Fields of Gold and composed by
Sting. Congratulations to Karen Loftus
who sang the fourth verse beautifully! We must not forget to express our sincere
thanks to Ivan Clarke who played the Last Post and Reveille before and after
the two-minute silence. Wreaths were laid by Adam Stanbury on behalf of
Berrynarbor Parish Council, Sue Neale on behalf of St Peter's PCC and Fenella
Boxall on behalf of Berrynarbor Primary School.
Our Christmas Carol Service was well
attended and this year we welcomed Parracombe Choir to join forces with our
Choir to sing traditional carols and three special solo carols, during the
service which was led by Rev. Peter Churcher. There has always been a strong link with
Parracombe going back to 2009 when, following a recruitment drive here in
Berrynarbor, many Parracombe singers came over to sing with us at our Monday
night practices. For many years now, our Choir travels over to
Christ Church, Parracombe, to sing at their Christmas Carol Service in
December. Following both services, mulled
wine and mince pies were served for the congregations and choirs!
Christmas Eve Midnight Mass - actually
commencing at 9.30pm - was led by Rev. Peter and complemented by the singing of
seasonal carols, and on Christmas Day a short Family Service was held, again by
Rev. Peter, but the attendance was very
small, partly due to the fact that many villagers were visiting their
respective families over the Christmas period.
A special thank you from me to
Graham Lucas for deputising on Christmas Day!
A specialist builder has been chosen
for the repairs to the church roof and other areas, and the quotation has been
sent to the Diocese of Exeter [Church Buildings/Architects Dept] for their
approval. It is hoped that work can commence in the early
spring.
As mentioned previously, we are in
urgent need of a new Treasurer to take over from Margaret Sowerby, who will be
stepping down from this role.
If you would be willing to take on
this post, please contact our PCC Secretary, Alison Sharples, on [01271] 882782.
Our next PCC meeting will be held in late
January when a range of forthcoming events will be discussed in detail. Our
AGM will be held in late March - the date of which will be agreed at the PCC
meeting.
Please
note: there will be a Joint Service on
Sunday, 29th March, which will be held at St. Peter's, Combe Martin. This service commences at 9.30 a.m.
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Stuart
Neale
4
As stated in the October edition of the Newsletter, our House for Duty Priest, Rev. Bill Cole, will be retiring in early December. The Diocese will not be replacing Rev. Bill's position, which is much regretted, and as a consequence our new Priest in Charge, Rev. Peter Churcher, has set out a revised service schedule for all three Churches - Berrynarbor, Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's - which will take effect following Rev Bill's departure.
Whilst we shall still have the valued support of Rev. George Billington and some Lay Readers from Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's, it means that we shall probably have Rev. Peter just once a month. Quite clearly this is regrettable for all three churches - but Rev. Peter cannot possibly be at all three churches at any one time! Perhaps the Diocese will re-appraise the situation we are all facing and a House for Duty Priest will be reinstated!
Our Harvest Supper was a great success and although the numbers were marginally down on last year, everyone had an enjoyable evening. As always, a great many thanks and appreciation must go to the ladies for supplying and arranging the excellent buffet for the evening, rounded off with an excellent quiz which was won by the Bellringers Table! A total of £150 was raised on this successful evening, and a cheque for this amount was sent to the Calvert Trust at Kentisbury, who cater for those with disabilities.
We must also convey our thanks to all those parishioners who gave generously to our Food Bank collection - which was taken, with Berrynarbor School's contribution, to the Salvation Army's Food Bank in Ilfracombe.
With regard to the repairs to the Church Roof and other areas, we shall be selecting a builder in the near future which will then be passed to the Diocese of Exeter, Church Buildings/Architects Dept., for ratification, and hope that the necessary work can get under way as quickly as possible.
As mentioned before in the Newsletter, we urgently need a new Treasurer to take over from Margaret Sowerby, who will be stepping down from this role. For anyone who would be willing to take on this position please contact our PCC Secretary, Alison Sharples, on 01271-882782.
Berrynarbor Choir continues under the direction of Graham Lucas, and Choir practice is held on Monday evenings commencing at 7.30pm. The Choir were invited to perform at Woolhanger Manor in their splendid octagonal Music Room where we supported North Devon Hospice on Sunday 3rd November. There is a superb pipe organ and grand piano in the music room and the I had the pleasure of playing both instruments during the concert. There were craft stalls and refreshments in the music room and adjoining room and we understand that much money was raised for such a worthy cause.
Our annual Service for Loved Ones with the lighting of candles in the church was also held on Sunday 3rd November led by Rev. Peter. We were grateful to organist Ian Lovegrove for deputising for me on this occasion.
The Choir has been asked to perform once again at a special afternoon Tea on Saturday 7th December in support of Berry in Bloom.
We look forward to our Annual Carol Service in December which attracts a congregation in excess of 100, including regular parishioners, parents and visitors from afar. The service will be on Thursday, 12th December commencing at 6.30 p.m. Mulled wine and mince pies and soft drinks and sweets for the children, will be served following the service.
In addition to the above, our Christmas Eve Service will be Holy Communion with Carols, commencing at 9.30 p.m., and our Christmas Day Service - a short Family service - will commence at 11.00 a.m. We look forward to welcoming parishioners from Combe Martin and visitors for both services at this special time.
We continue to pray for those who are unwell in this Parish, especially Viv and Brian Fryer and Carol Lucas
Our service pattern for November and December is as follows:
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
There will be a Joint Service on Sunday 29th December, 10.30 a.m. at Pip & Jim's, Ilfracombe.
Stuart Neale
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Our new Priest in Charge, .Rev. Peter Churcher,
is settling in nicely here in Berrynarbor and of course at St. Peter's, Combe Martin and Pip &
Jim's in Ilfracombe. It's such a relief
that we have someone who is extremely approachable and 'at the helm' at last!
We must not forget, however, the wonderful support we have had over
several years from Rev. George Billington and Rev. Bill Cole. The only sad news is that Bill will be
retiring in December to be near his family, having served his 3-year contract
as House for Duty Priest. We wish him
and his wife Jenny a most happy retirement together.
The
PCC have received a very comprehensive quotation from a specialist
building/conservation company with regard to repairs
to our church and we have now received a second quotation from a specialist
company, a requirement stipulated by the Diocese of Exeter. We shall be studying all the details relating
to costings/time frame etc., at a special meeting of our PCC.
As
some of you may have noticed, we experienced a major structural problem with
three large commemorative headstones adjacent to the cobble path leading to the
Church Porch. These headstones, for
several decades, were completely covered with thick ivy and nobody actually
realised what was behind until the ivy died, revealing huge headstones dating
back to the early 1800's! Anyway,
something had to be done to save the headstones from imminent collapse and so
we instructed Kevin Brooks to literally rebuild the brick supports and install
special clamp brackets to permanently secure the headstones, one of which had a
hairline fracture from top to bottom! Kevin has done a really
superb job and we are all very grateful to him.
As
mentioned in the last edition of the Newsletter, we urgently need a new
Treasurer to take over from Margaret Sowerby, who will be stepping down from
this role. For anyone who would be
willing to take on this responsible position, please contact our PCC Secretary,
Alison Sharples on 01271-882782.
Berrynarbor
Choir continues under the direction of Graham Lucas, and Choir practice is held
on Monday evenings commencing at 7.30 p.m.
The Choir were invited to sing at a fund-raising event for Berry in
Bloom
in August, to be held at the Old
Rectory, but due to the weather we had to adjourn to the Manor Hall and perform
a selection of songs, with audience participation in the famous Hippopotamus
Song! So successful was the event that
we are delighted to have been invited back to sing Christmas songs at a special
afternoon tea event to be held in the Manor Hall on Saturday 7th December.
Our
Remembrance Service will be held on Sunday 10th November commencing at 10.45am
in Church, followed by the Roll Call of Servicemen who gave their lives, and
the traditional Silence at 11 o'clock by the War Memorial. We
always look forward to a large attendance for this special annual service. We also look forward to Berrynarbor School's
input with commemorative drawings, pictures and special poems from the
schoolchildren.
We
continue to pray for those who are unwell in this Parish, especially Viv and Brian
Fryer and Carol Lucas.
Come October, we shall be reverting back to our service pattern as follows:
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Stuart
Neale
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Following
his Installation and a special Joint Service on the 19th May, attended by all
three churches, our new Priest in Charge, Rev. Peter Churcher, is
settling in nicely and on Sunday 26th May he visited St. Peter's for his first service here in Berrynarbor. We especially welcomed his wife Josie and
their children Sophie, Faith, Izzi and Xander - and not forgetting Harvey the
dog!
Our Annual Gift Day was held on
Wednesday 19th June at the Church Lych Gate, and £662.97 was raised. We are extremely grateful to all those
villagers and visitors for their most generous donations and they can rest
assured that the money received will be wisely spent on the maintenance of the
Church. One kind lady, who lives in
Hampshire, has been coming on holiday to Berrynarbor with her husband for the
last 50 years made a very generous donation, and it was interesting to learn
that the same annual tradition of Gift Day was held in their village on behalf
of their Church.
The
PCC have now received a very comprehensive quotation from a specialist
building/conservation company with regard to repairs to St. Peter's, but we are
still waiting for a second quotation from another specialist company - a
requirement stipulated by the Diocese of Exeter. It would seem that scaffolding will be in
abundance - particularly over the roof where the lead gullies and their
adjacent roof tiles will have to be removed. Protection from a special roof canopy will be
erected to prevent rain, birds and bats from entering the building!
As
mentioned in the last edition of the Newsletter, we urgently need a new
Treasurer to take over from Margaret Sowerby, who will be stepping down from
this role. If anyone would be willing
to take on this responsible position, please contact our PCC Secretary, Alison
Sharples, on [01271] 882782.
Simon, our new gardener, is doing a grand job keeping
the churchyard and associated areas in excellent condition and we are also
grateful to tree specialist Chris Townsend and his team for attending to the
trees that form the perimeter, together with other trees and bushes within the churchyard.
Berrynarbor
Choir continues under the direction of Graham Lucas, and Choir practice is on
Monday evenings commencing at 7.30 p.m.
The Choir have been invited to sing at a special event in August held at
the Old Rectory in Berrynarbor, the date and time of which will be advertised
locally in the village and at the shop and post office.
Our
Bellringers rang in a recent competition at Morchard Bishop, Down St. Mary and
Bow churches, one after the other! The bells
were all different weights to test their skills as ringers, and in all of them
they rang 'raised' 'rang' and 'lowered', which some of them had never
experienced before. A great learning
curve for all our team who will work to improve for next year's competition!
Our
dedicated flower ladies welcome Joan Lupton to their arranging team, and if
anyone else would be interested in helping please contact Sue Neale on 883893.
We
continue to pray for all those who are unwell in this Parish, especially Carol,
Viv and Brian, and Jill.
PLEASE NOTE: there will be a slight change to the Service pattern
for the next couple of months, which will be as follows;
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m.
- 1st Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Village Service
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
There
will be a Joint Service held on Sunday 29th September at Berrynarbor, commencing
at 11.00 a.m.
Stuart Neale
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A
large congregation from the churches of Berrynarbor, Pip & Jim's and Combe
Martin, together with civic leaders, gathered in Pip & Jim's Church on
Monday 13th May for the Installation of Rev Peter Churcher, who will be our new
Priest in Charge. The joyful service
was led by the Bishop of Exeter, The Right Reverend Robert Atwell, together
with Archdeacon Rev. Dr. Mark Butchers and many local clergy.
At long last, following another
extended interregnum, we can look forward to welcoming Rev. Peter to our church
in the very near future.
Following this wonderful service, a
superb buffet was ready to welcome the whole congregation in the Church Hall. A
sincere thank you to the ladies from all three churches for preparing the
refreshments.
A special Joint Service to welcome and
meet Reverend Peter and his family was also held at Pip & Jim's on Sunday
19th May. The service was followed by a
bring-and-share lunch which, again in the church hall opposite.
Our well-attended Easter Sunday Service
was led by Rev. George Billington. Berrynarbor Choir sang the beautiful negro
spiritual Steal Away, and the joyful service concluded with Rev. George handing
out chocolate crème eggs to all the congregation! Yum, Yum!
Our Annual Gift Day will be held on
Wednesday, 19th June at the church lych gate, and it is hoped that once again
Berrynarbor School will be involved during the day. We are
not quite sure what fun activity will be arranged since our new Vicar, Peter
Churcher, may wish to be involved with the School in some way and we shall keep
everyone informed nearer the time.
The PCC have started the ball rolling
with regard to repairs to the church by obtaining quotations from specialist
building/conservation companies, with the necessary approval of the Diocese of
Exeter's Building and Architectural Department, and will keep everyone posted
as to the outcome. In the fullness of time there will be the
necessary erection of scaffolding around the perimeter of the church with
safety for building workers and the public very much in mind.
At our recent AGM, our PCC Treasurer
Margaret Sowerby stood down, and so we urgently need a replacement to join us as
soon as possible. Margaret will be happy to spend time necessary
to explain the workings of the Treasurer's role. Margaret, together with valued help from her
husband Roger, has modernised much of the recording and filing of data, which
will be invaluable to the new applicant. The PCC wish to thank
Margaret and Roger for their hard work and commitment over the last few years.
We continue to pray for those who are
unwell in this Parish. especially Carol Lucas, Viv and Brian Fryer and Jill
Massey.
It is with much regret that the
Friendship Lunch, held at The Globe on the last Wednesday of the month, is to
come to an end. For some time now the
numbers attending this lunch have fallen to such a low level that it is no
longer sustainable. We wish to thank Jill McCrae for helping to
organise this happy get-together over so many years.
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Stuart Neale
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Following his interview on Thursday 3rd
January, we are delighted to announce that Rev. Peter Churcher has been
appointed as Priest in Charge to serve St. Peter's Berrynarbor, St. Peter's
Combe Martin together with Pip & Jim's, Ilfracombe. Rev. Peter comes from a church in West
Wickham, Kent, and will be arriving in North Devon with his wife and family
this coming April.
His formal Installation will take place
on Monday, 13th May at a special service held at Pip & Jim's Church,
Ilfracombe. commencing at 7.00 p.m. All
are welcome to attend this service headed by The Right Reverend Robert Atwell,
Bishop of Exeter. Refreshments will be
served following the Service in the Church Hall opposite.
Following
Rev. Peter's Installation, there will be a special Joint Service, also held at
Pip & Jim's, on Sunday, 19th May, commencing at 10.30 a.m., so that Rev.
Peter will have a better chance to meet all of us personally. The service will be followed by a
bring-and-share lunch which will be served in their Church Hall.
Of
course, we all look forward to his first service here in Berrynarbor - possibly
in late May or early June.
Berrynarbor
Choir is practising hard under the direction of Graham Lucas, and it is hoped
that they'll give a music concert, combined with our excellent School Choir, in
the very near future. Choir practice is
on Monday evenings commencing at 7.30 p.m. and we have attracted some new
members who enjoy a good singalong!
Having
retired as Organist, I shall, however, be playing for the Easter Services, but
we still look forward to welcoming someone who can permanently take over this
role. As mentioned before, please
contact me, Stuart Neale, on [01271] 883893 if you wish to take on this role or
if you know of someone who may wish to come forward to help.
The
Joint Service scheduled to be at Pip and Jim's on the 31st March has been
cancelled and Mothering Sunday, on that day, will be celebrated here at St.
Peter's.
Easter
follows with:
- Sunday, 14th April: Palm Sunday Service, 11.00 a.m. with the
handing out of Palm Crosses.
- Friday, 19th April: Good Friday, Hour of Devotion Service,
2.00 p.m.
- Sunday, 21st April: Easter Service, 11.00 a.m.
We
hope to welcome as many people as possible to all these services, especially
the children with their mothers and fathers.
We
continue to pray for those who are unwell in this Parish, especially Carol
Lucas and Viv and Brian Fryer.
Last, but not least - The
Friendship Lunch will be held on the last Wednesday of the month in the Globe
Pub at 12.30pm.
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Stuart
Neale
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The post for a Priest in Charge
has been re-advertised and a new candidate was interviewed on Thursday 3rd of January for the position to serve St. Peter's
Berrynarbor, St. Peter's Combe Martin together with Pip & Jim's, Ilfracombe. We
are currently waiting to hear if the candidate was successful and will notify
everyone in the April edition of the Newsletter as to the outcome.
Our Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday
19th December was, as usual, very well attended, and how well the young children sang at
the earlier Service and also at the later Service commencing at 6.30 p.m. Both School and Berrynarbor Choirs sang
special songs and carols, and mulled wine and mince pies, plus other
refreshments for the children, rounded off the evening in fine style! We
thank Rev. Bill Cole for taking this special service.
Our Christmas Eve Service at 9.30 p.m. welcomed
many parishioners from both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin, together with
visitors - some of whom had travelled long journeys to attend this special
service which was conducted by Rev. George Billington. There was also a good attendance for the
short Family Service on Christmas Day, and many thanks to Graham Lucas who deputised for me on this occasion.
How nice it was to see so many attend from Pip and Jim's Ilfracombe, and St. Peter's Combe
Martin at our Joint Service held here in Berrynarbor at the end of December,
with Revs. Bill and George taking the service.
Once again, we are still hoping that
someone will come forward to fill the post of Organist at St. Peter's - if only
on a temporary basis. Music is an essential part of the Church
Service and if you know of someone who could help us out then we would be most
grateful. Please contact me, Stuart on 883893
for details.
Still on the subject of music, for
those who are interested in joining our Choir please contact Graham Lucas on
01271-883847 - or just come along to our Monday evening Choir practice in the
church at 7.30 p.m. and enjoy a sing-along!
Church
Services for February are as follows:
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
N.B. There will be a Joint Service on Sunday, 31st
March at Pip and Jim's, Ilfracombe, commencing at 10.30 a.m.
In view of the PCC's desire to keep costs down covering water, electricity, gas, tower clock and organ servicing, building insurance [plus maintenance of internal and external parts of the Church, the Churchyard grass, Boundary trees and bushes], we have decided to go out to tender for all this necessary work to be carried out.
As a first step [but by no means the last] we will be going out to tender for the Churchyard Grass Cutting
Please contact our Secretary Alison Sharples [01271-882782] for a Tender Application Form.
The closing date for this work is 1st March 2019
Our AGM will be held on Tuesday 26th
March in the Church Vestry at 1.45 p.m. We
welcome all parishioners to attend this important meeting.
As many of you will know, Judie Weedon
became unwell in early January, and we send our prayers and good wishes for a
speedy recovery following her stay in hospital. We also pray for those who are unwell in
this Parish - especially Carol Lucas, Viv and Brian Fryer and also Pip Summers
who is recovering from a knee replacement.
Last,
but not least - The
Friendship Lunch will be held on the last Wednesday of the month in The Globe
Pub at 12.30
p.m.
Stuart
Neale
Thank you, Stuart for your good wishes, and my thanks to you all for your many cards, flowers and best wishes. I plan to be fighting fit again very soon!
Judie
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Things
have moved on a pace from the October edition of the Berrynarbor Newsletter and
we have received applications from two candidates for the position of Priest in
Charge to serve St. Peter's Berrynarbor, St. Peter's Combe Martin, together
with Pip & Jim's, Ilfracombe.
Following
their planned visit to all parishes on the 18th October, formal interviews were
held on the following day at a neutral venue.
Two representatives from each
church were allowed to ask questions to the two candidates, along with
contributions from the Bishop of Crediton, the Archdeacon of Barnstaple and the
Rev John Fisher. Unfortunately, neither
of the two candidates was chosen and the post will be re-advertised.
Our
Harvest Festival Service was well supported, as was the Harvest Supper. Our grateful thanks must go to our ladies
who provided an excellent buffet, the evening rounding off with a fun quiz. The amount raised from the Harvest Service
collection and ticket sales from the Supper - after deducting expenses - was
£157.00. Following PCC agreement, this
was rounded up to £200 which was donated to the Indonesian Disaster Fund.
At
this point we must convey our grateful thanks to all who contributed food, in
the form of tins, cereals, pasta, biscuits, etc., for the needy, and with a superb
effort from Berrynarbor Schoolchildren and parents. All this food was taken to the Ilfracombe
Food Bank which is administered by the Salvation Army from their Hall in
Ilfracombe. Photographs were taken to record the event and it is hoped that the
North Devon Journal will feature this in a future edition. Well done to everyone!
The
Remembrance Sunday Service was very well attended and it was particularly
poignant that Armistice Day fell on the 11th of the 11th. Rev. George Billington led the service and
at the War Memorial for the two minute silence. Ivan Clarke played the Last Post and
Reveille on his bugle. How well he
played on this tranquil, sunlit, morning, and there was a touching moment when
his son, Ben - a pilot in the RAF - stepped forward to place a poppy wreath on
behalf of his Squadron. Clare White,
representing the Parish Council, read the Lesson and the Choir sang You Raise
me Up - the words conveying both hope and calm. The collection of £200 will be donated to
The Royal British Legion.
Christmas
is just around the corner and once again we look forward to a full church on
Wednesday, 19th December, for our annual Carol Service. The little ones will
once again be performing their Nativity Play with songs and carols from 5.45
p.m., the main service commencing promptly at 6.30 p.m.
We
look forward to additional contributions from the older children, under the
direction of Christina Barrow, plus the Berrynarbor Choir under the direction
of Graham Lucas.
We
have not received any formal request to take on the position of Organist, and
can only hope that someone comes forward to take on this important role. Once again, please contact me, Stuart Neale, on 01271-883893
if you, or you know of someone who is willing to help us out, even on a part
time basis!
For
those interested in joining our Choir, please contact Graham Lucas on 01271-883847, or just come
along to our Monday evening Choir practice in the church at 7.30 p.m. and enjoy
a sing-along!
Following our search for the position of
PCC Secretary, temporarily undertaken by Sue Neale, we are very pleased to
announce that Alison
Sharples will take on this important role come the New Year.
As
we approach Christmas, we think and pray for those who are unwell in our
parish.
December Church Services will be as follows:
- Sundays at 11.00 a.m.
- 2nd December: Village Service
- 9th December: Holy Communion
- 16th December: Songs of Praise
- Wednesday 19th December Carol Service 5.45 p.m. Toddlers Main Service 6.30 p.m.
- Sunday at 11.00 a.m. 23rd December: Holy Communion
- Monday at 9.30 p.m. 24th December: Christmas Eve, Holy Communion
- Tuesday at 11.00 a.m. 25th December: Christmas Day, short Family Service
- Sunday at 11.00 a.m. 30th December: Joint Service at Berrynarbor
Please
Note: There will be no Friendship Lunch in December
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Friendship Lunch will be held on the
last Wednesday of the month at The Globe at 12.30 p.m.
Finally,
from everyone at St. Peter's Church, we send our very best wishes to you all
for a very Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year.
Stuart
Neale
3
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
Following
on from the August edition of the Berrynarbor Newsletter, the Parish Profile
has now been approved by the Archdeacon and advertising will have commenced in
September. So, we now have to wait for candidates to come
forward and hope that this will be sooner rather than later. Meanwhile we are very grateful to our two
faithful, Rev. Bill Cole and George Billington with occasional assistance from
Pip & Jim's retired clergy and their lay readers for conducting services
here in Berrynarbor.
As
you know, I retired from playing the organ for church services at the end of
July, but with help from a selection of pre-recorded hymns on six CD's, services
can at least be conducted to the sound of a church organ. The CD's were originally used at St. Peters
Church in Combe Martin, but following an update of their sound equipment, their
PCC very kindly passed these CD's over to us here in Berrynarbor. We are,
of course, extremely grateful for this gesture;
nevertheless, we in Berrynarbor continue to hope that the position of
Organist will be filled as soon as possible.
Whilst
on the subject of recruitment, we should welcome anyone who would be prepared
to take on the position of PCC Secretary, currently undertaken by Sue Neale. This is purely a temporary position for Sue,
since she is also heavily involved with Ilfracombe Flower Club and is currently
Chairman, Secretary and goodness knows what else, and so we cannot emphasise
enough our need for the secretarial post to be filled. There must be someone
out there who can come to our rescue with only 6 meetings a year to attend! Please
help!!
We
welcome everyone to our Harvest Service on Sunday, 7th October and of course our
Harvest Supper on Wednesday 10th October, 6.30 for 7.00 p.m. in the Manor
Hall. Ticket price remains unchanged at £6.00 for a
really super buffet meal and a complimentary glass of wine/beer/cider. Please remember to bring your own knife, fork
and spoon on the evening.
On
the same subject of Harvest, we should invite all villagers to think about those
folk not so well off at this time and to contribute either
tins/packets/pasta/rice/cereals or whatever for our annual gift to the
Ilfracombe Food Bank, organised/hosted by the Salvation Army in Ilfracombe. There will be a large container placed next
to the font at the rear of the Church from 1st October for people wishing to
donate to this worthy cause!
Remembrance
Sunday will be held on Sunday 11th November commencing at 10.45 a.m., followed
by the short act of Remembrance at 11.00 a.m. alongside the village War
Memorial in the churchyard. We
encourage all villagers to attend this important annual service of remembrance.
Berrynarbor School will once again be
paying their respects by exhibiting wonderful poems and special commemorative
pictures for all to read and view at the end of the service.
We
are especially grateful to Graham Lucas for taking on the running of the
Berrynarbor Choir, and hope to see any newcomers who may wish to join our
fabulous Choir. As usual, choir
practice is on Monday evenings commencing at 7.30pm.
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
The
Friendship Lunch will be held on the last Wednesday of the month in The Globe
Pub at 12.30 p.m.
A Personal Message
I wish to thank all those who
contributed gifts and the wonderful signed card following my last Church
Service on Sunday 29th July. I was
extremely moved and will always cherish the services for which I have played
covering so many years. Thank you to
everyone for your kind words and appreciation.
As
if that were not enough, I was completely hoodwinked into a surprise party at
John and Fenella's as a thank you for running the Berrynarbor Choir since 2000.
Almost the whole Choir were there and certainly
a few tears were shed from yours truly.
Thank you, John and Fenella, for hosting this wonderful evening which I
shall never forget.
Stuart Neale
3
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
Now that we are in a period of
interregnum, we have submitted our Parish Profile, together with the three churches' [ourselves, Combe Martin and Pip & Jim's]
personal profile requirements to the Archdeacon of Barnstaple for perusal. These will be passed to the Diocese of
Exeter for final approval so that advertising for a
new Vicar can commence. As mentioned in
the June edition, we are fortunate to have the full support of Reverends Bill
Cole and George Billington during this period.
Without going into minute detail, our PCC have to continue to manage the
books, so to speak, and much credit goes to our Treasurer, Margaret Sowerby,
with considerable support from husband Roger, for keeping our heads above
water. Our monthly expenses - which
include a considerable sum to the Diocese of Exeter - are in the region of
£1,000, which is a huge amount of money set against a relatively small amount
of incoming revenue! So, we are indeed
very grateful to the people of Berrynarbor who supported our annual Gift Day,
held on the 27th June, which raised £620.
To make this day even more important, Sue Neale organised a super
Treasure Hunt inside the Church and in the surrounding Churchyard for the
pupils of Berrynarbor School to enjoy!
The day was very hot but a great time was had by all, with prizes for
all who took part. A special thank you
to the teachers on duty who kept the children on track throughout the morning.
One of the questions set for inside the
church was, 'How much does the Marriage Service Fee cost?' The Fee is of course £441.00. However, when asked, one of the children came
up with the answer in a very loud voice, "£441,000". Hilarious!
Still, we can all make mistakes and putting the decimal in the wrong
place didn't really matter one jot in this instance! Well done to all the youngsters.
The Original Chivenor Military Wives
Choir gave a concert in our Church on Friday 6th July and what a wonderful
event this was! They were supported by
Berrynarbor and School Choirs during the programme, and a finale performed by
all three Choirs brought a standing ovation from the 200 audience. The Military Wives were simply wonderful and
there were six ladies and husbands who came all the way from Oxford to enjoy
the concert - how about that!
It was sad to learn of the death of
Rosemary Gaydon who lived in Barton Lane with her late husband Bernard for many
years, before moving to Combe Martin several years ago. Rosemary was a really lovely lady, and those
who knew her will be saddened by her passing.
Both Rosemary and Bernard were members of the Russian Orthodox faith
and, following permission from the Bishop of Exeter, a Russian Orthodox service
was held for the very first time in Berrynarbor Church followed by her burial
in the grave of her late husband.
We are still hoping for a replacement
Organist to come forward as well as someone to take on the role of Secretary following
Jean Pell's departure from the village.
Please come forward to at least enquire about this position for it is
not a huge amount of work for someone who is organised.
Just a reminder about the Friendship
Lunch which is held on the last Wednesday of the month in The Globe commencing
at 12.30pm.
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
ORGANIST
REQUIRED
As readers and members of the church are aware, I shall have
retired as Organist by the time you read this newsletter and I sincerely hope
that someone has or will have, responded to the plea for someone to come
forward to take over this position and that of Choirmaster for St.
Peter's.
The post obviously entails playing the
organ as well as organising the music and, of course, running the Choir on a
weekly basis.
I studied piano at College, many years
ago, before taking on the organ.
Although a church organ is obviously different to a piano, converting to
the organ need not be a huge challenge, so it does not matter if you are a
pianist and might like to come forward.
I should be more than happy to help
familiarise anyone who wishes to take over this role and to help and advise on
the structure of some of the church services.
If
you think you might be interested in taking on this role, I should be very
happy to discuss the position with you, so please contact me on 01271-883893.
Stuart Neale
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
At the end of May we shall be saying our
goodbyes to Canon Michael Rogers who is retiring after many years in the
Ministry of the Church. As Priest in
Charge for Pip and Jim's Ilfracombe, Combe Martin and Berrynarbor Churches, we
send our best wishes to him and his wife, Alison, for a happy retirement in
their home near North Molton.
In June, the PCC's from Pip & Jim's, Combe Martin and
Berrynarbor Churches will prepare a new Parish Profile Document so that
advertising for Michael's replacement can be speedily set in motion. We shall, of course, continue to work
closely with our House for Duty priest, Rev. Bill Cole, during the interim, and
look forward to his visits to Berrynarbor to take some of our church services,
with, no doubt, strong support from Rev. George Billington who lives here in
the village.
Our Annual Gift Day will be held on Wednesday 27th June at
the Church Lych Gate, and this year we'll be inviting Berrynarbor School into
the churchyard for a special treasure hunt!
If the weather is unfavourable we'll hold this event inside the church.
As many of you will know, we shall be welcoming the Original
Chivenor Military Wives Choir for a super Concert in Berrynarbor Church on
Friday 6th July at 7.30pm. Many of you
will remember their fabulous Concert in 2016, and once again Berrynarbor and
School Choirs will be featuring in both halves of the Concert. Tickets are available from Berrynarbor Shop
and Post Office priced at £15 to include refreshments. Don't miss this very
special evening!
As mentioned in the April edition of the Berrynarbor
Newsletter, I shall be retiring from playing the organ for church services at
the end of July. As yet, no requests
to take on this role have been received, so please feel free to contact me on
01271 883893 if you are interested. It
does not matter if you have not played an organ before but perhaps can play the
piano, and I should be more than happy to help and advise on 'converting' to
the church organ and the service structure.
Berrynarbor PCC are currently looking for a Secretary
following the departure of Jean Pell.
This is an important but not demanding role which needs to be filled as
soon as possible. Please contact Sue or
myself on 01271 883893 for details.
Going
back to the special concert given by the Exmoor Carolers in December, we forgot
to mention that £482 was raised from this event, the full amount being donated
to the Shelter Box Charity.
Whilst on the subject of donations, we were pleased to
donate £125 to the Devon Air Ambulance, raised from our joint service held here
with Combe Martin and Ilfracombe churches on Sunday 29th April. These helicopters and expert
crews have to date flown 25,627 missions, which is absolutely wonderful!
Ron Toms' ashes were interred in the new churchyard at the
end of April. The short service,
attended by Ron's daughter Sheila and her husband Tony, together with villagers
in support, was conducted by Rev'd. Michael Rogers on
what was fittingly a bright, sunny day!
All Church Services commence at
11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Stuart Neale
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Well the New Year is under way and one of the immediate challenges facing the PCC is the need to obtain grants for the church roof and associated masonry repair work to be carried out. This has been a very long process from the preparation of Grant Requests which have to be presented in the most detailed format complete with a Parish Profile, project costings, building quotes and goodness knows what else - all to focus on not only Church Charities but many other major business organisations throughout the land. The response from most of these charities has been painfully slow - with some organisations unable to respond with a decision. in some cases, between 6 and 9 months. However, having had to prepare all of the above, I shall continue to persevere - with hopefully some light at the end of the tunnel.
The PCC will continue its fund-raising efforts into 2018 and these will be announced as the year progresses.
During the recent gales in this region, we have had a couple of large branches break off from trees, one of which fell into the road just short of the church steps. Thank goodness nobody was hurt and there was no damage to vehicles passing or parked! It took four people to lift this particular branch, which has now been cut up. Quite clearly, we cannot, nor anyone else, predict when a branch might shear off any tree, but we have taken immediate steps to have the trees immediately behind the churchyard wall and railings thoroughly inspected, and then trimmed accordingly to make things as safe as possible. Our Insurance Company has been advised as to the event described above, and they are happy for us to take these precautionary steps.
At our PCC meeting in January, I announced that I shall be retiring from playing the organ for Church Services at the end of July this year. Having played nearly 1,400 services since 1998, including many services at St. Peter's at Combe Martin, the time has come to retire! So, we shall need an organist to take over from August onwards. Please contact me on 01271-883893 if you are interested.
A special 3-tier candle stand for anyone who wishes to light a candle to remember a relative or someone who is perhaps ill at home or in hospital, has kindly been provided by Sue Neale. It stands adjacent to the font at the rear of the Church. There have been many requests from parishioners and visitors to have such a stand and it is hoped that this will be well received by everyone.
We should like to thank our Secretary, Jean Pell, for her hard work over the last few years and wish Jean and her husband Peter a happy move to be near their family in Westbury. We shall, therefore, be needing a new Secretary at the earliest opportunity. If you would like to take on this position, please speak to anyone on the PCC or telephone Sue or me on 883893.
Easter is upon us and Good Friday, 30th March, will be remembered with an Hour of Devotion Service commencing at 2.00 p.m. Easter Sunday will be celebrated on the 1st April with the Service commencing at 11.00 a.m. when we hope that Berrynarbor School may be involved and we look forward to seeing you all on this special day.
We remember the sad passing of Hedy Belka in February and send our sincere condolences to her family. Hedy, who was so kind and helpful and came from Austria many years ago with her husband Josef, was one of our congregation for many years before entering a care home in Barnstaple. Hedy, or Hedwig which was her Austrian name, will be remembered with great fondness and her ashes will be laid alongside her husband Josef and their son in Berrynarbor Churchyard.
All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Please note that there will be a Joint Service at Berrynarbor on Sunday, 29th April. at 11.00 a.m.
Stuart Neale
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Following the announcement of Michael
Bowden's death, his funeral in St. Peter's Church on Friday 3rd November was
attended by no less than 270 people. The
service was led by Rev. George Billington which, despite the sadness, was most
uplifting and a real tribute to Micky, as he was widely known!Unfortunately,
Lorna was not well enough to attend but she must feel proud that so many people
from far and wide came to remember him. The
congregation was very generous in supporting the Devon Air Ambulance and St.
Peter's Church, two organisations which were very special to Michael's heart.
A special joint service was held at St.
Peter's Church, Combe Martin, on Sunday 26th November led by Rev. John
Roles.This service was especially
important in that we welcomed congregations from Ilfracombe Parish Church,
Bittadon, Woolacombe, Mortehoe and Lee, which was followed by refreshments served
in Combe Martin Church Hall.
It is, however, with great sadness that
Rev. Michael Rogers who came to Combe Martin and Berrynarbor churches 18 months
ago, has recently announced his retirement from May 2018. This now means that we, on Berrynarbor PCC,
and including Pip and Jim's and Combe Martin, will be facing a second
interregnum period come May of this year. We sincerely hope that the powers that be
will find a welcome replacement with the utmost speed and not the excessive
delay that was experienced during the last interregnum!We
are, of course, extremely fortunate and grateful to have Reverends Bill Cole and
George Billington to help us with church services when they can, but both are
retired and they need to have spare time like everyone else.
A special thank you to Graham Lucas for
leading the Monday morning School Assembly.
His Bible stories are always interesting and easy to understand and enthusiastically
re-enacted by the children!
The Christmas lights [by courtesy of the
Parish Council] were already in place for a superb Concert given by the exmoor
Carolers, who entertained an audience of over 80 in our church on Sunday, 10th December, and a lively
rendition of special Christmas carols, including hand bells, and with vocal
support from all, made for a fantastic evening's entertainment!Mulled
wine, mince pies and other nibbles were served during the interval and many
thanks to the ladies who organised this part of the evening.
Berrynarbor Primary School had their
special Village Walkabout on Wednesday,13th December, to sing Christmas carols
to residents within the village, ending up at Lee Lodge to give the residents
there some special Christmas cheer!
Whilst on the subject of Berrynarbor
School, those parishioners who attended the Senior Dudes' Christmas Dinner in
the Manor Hall give a wholehearted thank you for the superb evening's meal and
entertainment.Well done to all the
children and to their supporting staff!
Our Christmas Carol Service, including
the very young ones on early at 5.45pm, was a great success with a church
filled with people, and it was uplifting to hear both Berrynarbor and School
Choirs in full voice during this joyful service.Many
thanks to Sue Neale and her willing team in serving mulled wine and mince pies,
as well as drinks and sweets for the youngsters following the service.
Our Christmas eve [Midnight Mass]
service was very well attended and how nice to welcome visitors from far and
wide to our beautiful church and village!
Our Christmas Day Family Service
was led by Celia Withers from Combe Martin,
and a big thank you to Graham Lucas who deputised on the organ for me on this
occasion.
A joint service for the Coast and Combe
team was held on 31st December at Pip and Jim's,
Ilfracombe, with no service at Berrynarbor or Combe Martin on New Year's
eve.
Church services for the New Year will
follow the same pattern as for 2017.
- 1st Sunday: Village Service, 11.00 a.m.
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion, 11.00 a.m.
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise., 11.00 a.m.
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion, 11.00 a.m.
Finally, a very special thank you to our
Bellringers for ringing superbly for all services throughout 2017, and to Church
Caretakers, Betty and Kevin Brooks for tending the church on a regular
basis.
A Happy and peaceful New Year to you!
Stuart Neale
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A special joint service with Combe
Martin was held at St. Peter's on 5th November and for a pleasant change, Maureen
Richards on clarinet, Jenny Cole playing guitar and yours truly on keyboard,
presented the hymns in a pleasant new light!
Rev. Bill Cole took the service
which was attended by a good-sized congregation.
Our Antiques Fair regretfully had to be cancelled
with only a few tickets being sold.Our Guest Valuer, who was coming up from Exeter, has kindly offered his services in
2018 when we hope to hold this event in the summer.
Our Harvest Supper was attended by over
40 people and everyone enjoyed themselves with a superb buffet provided by the
ladies, who are to be congratulated once again.
The evening was rounded off with a music and general knowledge quiz,
enjoyed by all! After expenses we made
a profit of £92 - which will be sent to the Shelter Box charity.A generous collection of tinned food, fruit
and vegetables was donated and this will be given to the Food Bank in
Ilfracombe to help those in need.
We mourn the passing of Michael Bowden
who had been poorly for some considerable time and we send our sincere
condolences to his wife Lorna and all the family. Michael was Captain of the Bellringers at St. Peter's for many years and
not only was he a great character, but an inspiration to the whole team!He
will be greatly missed by all the Bellringers and Parishioners here in
Berrynarbor.
Remembrance Sunday will have passed by
the time this article is read and we are hoping that once again a good-sized congregation
will attend this very important service.
The Choir will have sung the
beautiful song Bring Him Home from Les Miserables, the words of which are so
appropriate for remembering not just those who did not return from these two
major conflicts, but to those who were badly injured surviving to be reunited
with their families.
There will have been a special Holy
Communion service held at St. Peter's Church, Combe Martin,
on Sunday 26th November when we shall have welcomed parishioners from the whole
'Mission Community' covering Combe Martin, Berrynarbor, Ilfracombe, Woolacombe,
Mortehoe and many others in the surrounding area.
Christmas is only just around the
corner and. as highlighted in the October issue, our first event in December
will be a special Concert given by the Exmoor Carolers in our Church on Sunday
10th, commencing at 4.00 p.m. The Exmoor
Carolers have a very high reputation for presenting Carols in an entertaining
way, and the evening will close with mulled wine and mince pies.Tickets are available from the village Shop
priced at £7.50.As previously
mentioned, do not miss this special event!
A reminder to all that, for the very
first time, pupils from our Primary School will be walking around the village
singing Carols and songs to the community on the evening of Wednesday, 13th
December, starting from the Shop car park at 6.00 p.m.We
welcome parents and friends to what should be a really fun evening!
Our Christmas Carol Service will be held
this year on Monday,
18th starting at 5.45pm for the
really young ones, followed at 6.30pm by the main Carol Service.Do come and support this wonderful evening
which usually attracts over 100 people. As always, mulled wine and mince pies will be
served after the service with soft drinks and chocolates for all the children!
Since Christmas Eve is on a Sunday there
will be no morning service because our traditional Christmas Eve Service, which
although entitled Midnight Mass, starts, as always, at 9.30 p.m.We welcome everyone from Berrynarbor as well
as visitors from other parts of the country and also dear friends from overseas
to this annual celebration.
Our Christmas Day Service will be a
short Family one, commencing at the usual time of 11.00 a.m.Mums, dads and children are most
welcome.
Since there are five Sundays in December,
we are not quite sure [at going to press] whether there will be a service on the
31st, which is, of course, New Year's Eve, but we'll inform everyone nearer the
time.
Berrynarbor PCC wish to thank Karen and
her team for providing the Friendship Lunches throughout the year - but since
Christmas is a very busy time at The Globe, there will be no Lunch in December.
We wish all Berrynarbor residents a very
Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
Stuart Neale.
12
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
As
mentioned in the August edition of the Newsletter, we have been welcoming
visitors to our church services from this country and
overseas. We are not only delighted that this has continued, but from our
Church Visitors Book it is clear to see other visitors' comments relating to
the beauty of St. Peter's, many of whom have travelled from Canada, America, Australia,
New Zealand and other European countries.
On a more pressing note, we are
currently in contact with many charitable organisations in an effort to obtain
grants for the repair of the church roof, reinstatement of associated masonry
and some areas of cast iron guttering which urgently need attention. This has been a long process and we hope that
we shall be successful in the not too distant future, and that work can finally
begin in earnest!
Michael Rogers, Bill Cole and George
Billington continue to take our services with weddings, funerals and baptisms
predominant over the last couple of months.
We offer our thanks to them all
and to the flower
team and church cleaning ladies who make the church look so beautiful.
Some great news from our
Bellringers! At the Combe Martin Carnivalwith ten bell-ringers and helpers,
their float [which depicted our church complete with weather vane and fox]
achieved 1st place in the Out of Town category!
The bells were in 'mini-ring'
mode, all complete with a sign directing everyone to The Globe pub!
As if that were not enough, at the
Ilfracombe Carnival on the Sunday of the August Bank Holiday week-end, they did
it all over again! This time they won
Best Carnival Float and Out of Town Cups with huge support from a combined
total of 14 bell-ringers, helpers and children!
So!
Huge congratulations to them all
especially to all those who helped build the float and not least to Richard
Gingell who drove the towing tractor at both events.
It was with much sadness that we learnt
of the passing of Joan Berry, one of our regular churchgoers over many years, who
spent her remaining days in failing health at Lee Lodge. It is yet another sad blow for Simon who
lost his dear Sue only a short while ago and we send our thoughts and prayers
to him and the wider family at this time.
Our
Harvest Service will be held on Sunday 1st October at 11.00 a.m. and our
Harvest Supper on Wednesday 4th October 6.30 for 7.00 p.m. There will be a
special combined Music and Quiz competition following the supper, which should
be a great deal of fun! Tickets, priced £6.00 to include the super
buffet and first drink, will be available from the Shop and Post Office and members
of the PCC Committee.
Remembrance Sunday is on the 11th of
November with the service commencing promptly at 10.45 a.m. in church, followed
by the two-minute Silence by the War Memorial at 11.00 a.m.
And now, leading up to Christmas, which
may seem early, but put the dates in your diaries and on your calendars! This year we have pleasure in inviting the
Exmoor Carolers to Berrynarbor Church for their jolly renditions of Traditional
and Folk Carols on Sunday 10th December commencing at 4.00 p.m. If you haven't seen and heard these Carolers
before, do not miss this event! Tickets are £7.50 and will include mulled
wine and mince pies following the performance.
A first for Berrynarbor School will be
an evening walk around the village with candles and carol singing on Wednesday,
13th December, when they will visit as many residents as possible.
Our Christmas Carol Service, as usual
with Berrynarbor School, will be held on Monday, 18th December, commencing at
5.45 p.m. for the younger ones with their carols and songs celebrating the Nativity,followed at 6.30
p.m. by the main Carol Service. This
service is usually held on the last Wednesday before Christmas, however, with
the School breaking up earlier it was decided to bring the service forward.
More details about all the above
celebrations will be included in the December Newsletter.
Our services for October and November
will follow the normal pattern commencing at 11.00 a.m.
- 1st
Sunday - Village Service
- 2nd
Sunday - Holy Communion
- 3rd
Sunday - Songs of Praise
- 4th
Sunday - Holy Communion
Please note that on the 5th Sunday in
October there will be a Joint Service held at St. Peter's Church, Combe Martin,
commencing at 9.30 a.m.
Friendship Lunches will be held on the
last Wednesday of the month in October and November, but due to the many other
Christmas events, there will not be a Lunch in December.
Illustration by: Paul Swailes
Stuart
Neale
3
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
With the holiday season in full swing,
we have been welcoming visitors to our church services - from this country and
from Holland, Germany, Canada and New Zealand. One gentleman from Holland had cycled from
that country and then cycled all the way from Dover in Kent, calling in to
Berrynarbor on his final leg to Land's End!
One very amusing incident was his request to charge up his mobile 'phone
in church, for which we were happy to oblige, so that he could call his mother
back in Holland to tell her that he had arrived safely here in
Berrynarbor! Without exception, all visitors say to us - coupled
with messages in our visitors' book - what a beautiful church this is in such a
beautiful village, and how everyone is so welcoming and friendly. We,
serving on the PCC, make every effort to welcome everyone to St. Peter's and
long may that continue. Canon Michael
Rogers, Bill Cole and George Billington are conducting services on a regular
basis and visits to the School and wider community are welcomed by all.
On a very sad note, which we were unable
to record in the June issue, the sudden
and unexpected death of Sue Kemp was a terrible blow to us all. Sue was a member of our church community and
a regular sidesman for all services as well as helping to keep the church clean
and spotless - nothing was too much
trouble for Sue - and we miss her dearly! Our
thoughts and prayers go out to her husband, Simon, Joan and to Ian and Kate
Kemp.
Berrynarbor Choir sadly lost Linda Lunn
in June following a long illness, and our choir sang a special tribute to her and
her family at the funeral service held in Ilfracombe Parish Church.
Our Annual Gift Day was held on
Wednesday 21st June, and we are extremely grateful for all the kind donations
received from villagers and visitors alike. This year the day was combined with a very
special Teddy Bear Abseiling event for pupils from both Berrynarbor Pre-School and
Primary School. The teddy bears were
abseiled from the top of the church tower, some 30 metres high, with much
excitement from the children. All
received a special certificate to commemorate the event!
In
all, 91 teddy bears successfully abseiled down, although, to be truthful some actually
turned up in the shape of a tiger, a monkey, a polar bear, a wolf, a jellyfish
and even a 6-foot wiggly snake! Ah well!
Everyone had a great time on probably the hottest day of the year, and
we must really thank all those bellringers and helpers who stayed all day on
top of the tower to make things happen. Well done to you all!
Illustrated by: Debbie
Rigler-Cook
We are planning an Antique Fayre fund
raising event, for both the Church and Macmillan Cancer Support, with Cheese and
Wine refreshments on Friday, 22nd September to be held in the Manor Hall. We
are currently waiting to hear from the antique specialists as to the time they
can arrive on the day, and their visiting fee. We shall, therefore, be advertising this
event in late August with all details, so look out for posters. Meanwhile, make
a note of the date and please search your homes/lofts etc., for any artifacts
you may possess in readiness for what should be a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
In conclusion, we must not forget to
offer our thoughts and prayers for all those who are ill at this time, and for
those who are waiting to have treatment in hospital.
Our services for August and September, commencing at 11.00 a.m. are:
- Village Service,
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion
Our Sunday morning Harvest Service will
be on the 1st October at 11.00 a.m. Our
Harvest Supper will be held on Wednesday 4th October at 6.30 for 7.00 p.m. Tickets will be available from the PCC
Committee members and the Community Shop - £6 to include free first drink.
Friendship Lunches will be held on the last Wednesday of the month at The Globe, meeting at 12.00 for 12.30 p.m.
Stuart Neale
5
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
Our AGM, which took
place on the 28th March in the Vestry, was chaired by Canon Michael Rogers with
Rev. Bill Cole, our new House for Duty Priest, in attendance. The 2016 Annual Report was read by Stuart
Neale and approved. The Audited
accounts for 2016 were formally approved.
The position of Churchwarden was not filled and it was
agreed that all PCC members would share various small duties to cover this very
important role.All PCC members
serving during 2016 agreed to be re-elected
for 2017.We were very pleased to
welcome Pip Summers to our PCC team for this year.
Pip, who is a member of our church flower arranging team,
will make an important contribution to our committee. So that villagers and others in the
community know who we are and may feel the need to contact us on any matter
relating to St. Peter's, we list below the names of our committee members:
- Stuart Neale - Deputy PCC Chairman & Organist
- Jean Pell - Secretary
- Margaret Sowerby - Treasurer and Flower Team
- Jill McCrae - PCC Member
- Yvonne Davey - Joint Deanery Synod Representative
- Pip Summers - Flower Team
- Doreen Prater - Joint Deanery Synod Representative
- Sue Neale - Verger and Flower Team
A vote of thanks was made to all those who help clean the
church on a regular basis and to our wonderful team of bell-ringers who not
only ring for Sunday services but also for weddings and, when requested, for
village funerals.Special thanks go to
Bet Brooks who opens and closes the Church and regularly cleans brass plaques
and other items within, and Matthew Walls and family for cutting the churchyard
grass and other specialised gardening maintenance within both churchyards.
Graham Lucas continues to lead the Monday morning
schoolchildren's assembly which generates much enthusiasm all round, and his
dedication is much appreciated. Our
thoughts and prayers go out to all who are ill at this time.
Our
Gift Day will be on Wednesday 21st June, and we hope that, as in previous
years, villagers will be generous in their support.This year we are combining this important day
by holding, weather permitting, a Teddy Bear Abseiling event from the top of
the church tower for all the schoolchildren, when they can see their own teddy
bears abseiling down special ropes from the church tower to receive a special
Teddy Bear
Certificate commemorating
their own bear's abseiling feat! We
shall keep the time involved to a minimum so as not to impede upon the
children's education.This should be
lots of fun, and all parents that are able to attend are most welcome to come
and support their children.
Finally, and after much frustration, both black and green
wheelie bins will be sited together, where the green bin currently stands next
to the water tap and tank.We
sincerely hope that this move will finally put an end to the inconsiderate
person, or persons, placing plastic items and plastic film incorrectly into the
green bin.Watch this space folks!
Church Services for June and July
commencing at 11.00 a.m. are:
- 1st Sunday. . .
Village Service
- 2nd
Sunday . . .Holy Communion
- 3rd
Sunday. . .Songs of Praise
- 4th
Sunday. . .Holy Communion.
NB: for the 5th Sunday, that is 30th July, there
will be Joint Service at Jim's', Ilfracombe at 10.30 a.m.
Friendship Lunches will be held on the last
Wednesday of the month at The Globe, meeting at 12.00 for 12.30 p.m.
Stuart Neale
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
We are very pleased that our new Priest in charge, Canon Michael Rogers and Rev Bill Cole, as House for Duty Priest, are settling in to their new roles here in Berrynarbor and Combe Martin. Their presence will be much appreciated by all in the village, our school and congregation, as well as our PCC who as many of you will know have worked very hard over the last two years during the interregnum period.
We continue to have the welcome support of our retired Rector George Billington, and we shall soon be able to welcome back Celia Withers who is presently away on a Lay Readers course.
By the time you read this article our AGM will have taken place, but we are continuing to seek additional committee members to join our PCC, and should like to welcome anyone who can spare just a few hours per month to help spread the load and make things easier for us all.
As mentioned on several occasions, Margaret Sowerby and her husband Roger have taken on the important role of PCC Treasurer and together they have done a terrific job. The important thing to emphasise is that when occasional difficulties arise, we on the committee are all here to help each other by resolving matters quickly and efficiently.
As many in the village will know, the Church [and the Manor Hall] are experiencing problems with roofing, and the main central gutter which sits between the two church roofs and its supporting masonry, needs urgent repair. The PCC are currently approaching various organisations to obtain grants for the repairs in question, which will involve very high costs to the church. Therefore, we are taking immediate steps to effect a temporary repair to the central guttering, which is badly cracked, to prevent water from entering the interior roof and damaging the main roof beams. We hope to commence this work shortly, preferably when it's not raining, and will keep everyone up to date with our progress!
One of our oldest parishioners, Sylvia Berry, who is not in the best of health, is currently staying with her son Richard and his wife Vanessa at their farm just outside the parish. We hope that Sylvia is more comfortable being with her immediate family.
Church services for May, commencing at 11.00 a.m. will be as follows:
- 1st Sunday - Village Service
- 2nd Sunday - Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday - Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday - Holy Communion
Friendship Lunches will be held on the last Wednesday of the month at The Globe, meeting at 12.00 for 12.30 p.m.
Stuart Neale
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Following the installation of our new Vicar, Canon Michael Rogers, a service for the Licencing and Installation of Rev Bill Cole - supported by Michael Rogers - took place on Monday 5th December at St. Peter's Church, Combe Martin. This enjoyable service was led jointly by the Lord Bishop of Exeter, the Right Revd. Robert Atwell, and the Archdeacon of Barnstaple. the Ven. Dr. Mark Butchers.
A special thank you to all the ladies who provided a superb buffet in the Church Hall following the service.
We wish Bob Cole and his wife Jenny a happy stay at the Combe Martin Rectory and look forward to his involvement here in Berrynarbor and Combe Martin in supporting Michael Rogers. Bob has already taken services here in Berrynarbor over the Christmas period but his initiation, accompanied by his wife Jenny, was attending the Senior Dudes Christmas Meal in the Manor Hall, brilliantly hosted by the older school children with support from the teaching staff. How smart they all looked as they served all the food, teas and coffees, causing much merriment and laughter all round. They all deserve a huge thank you!
Remembrance Sunday was well attended in a moving service led by Rev. George Billington, and wreaths were laid by members representing Berrynarbor Parish Council, Berrynarbor PCC and Berrynarbor School.
Our Christmas Carol Service was a huge success, and both Berrynarbor and the School Choirs sang Carols and other Christmas music for the congregation to enjoy. The First Lesson was read for the very first time by four school children cleverly reading one paragraph at a time, the effect was stunning! The service concluded with the singing of O Come all ye Faithful, followed by the serving of mulled wine and mince pies! Special thanks must go to our intrepid Bellringers - who as usual were fully engaged not just over the Christmas period, but throughout the past year.
Christmas services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were both well attended.
A very special vote of thanks must go to Graham Lucas whose Monday morning school assembly stories from the Bible were cleverly told and then re-enacted by the enthusiastic pupils.
Graham's time is very precious in caring for his wife Carol, and our thoughts and good wishes from all their friends in Berrynarbor go out to both of them throughout 2017.
Church services for the moment will follow the normal pattern as follows:-
- 1st Sunday in the month: Village Service
- 2nd Sunday in the month: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday in the month: Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday in the month: Holy Communion
All Berrynarbor services commence at 11.00 a.m. However, when a 5th Sunday occurs, there will be Joint Service with Combe Martin and 'Pip and Jim's' at one of the churches within the Coast & Combe Team. Posters at the Lych Gate and within the village will inform Parishioners as to these service venues and timings.
Don't forget the Mothering Sunday Service which will be on Sunday, 26th March.
The date of our Annual General Meeting - usually towards the end of March - has not yet been finalised, but will be advertised in the village nearer the time.
The Friendship Lunches will be held on the last Wednesday of the month in the Globe Pub to meet at 12.00 for 12.30pm, 22nd February and 29th March.
Stuart Neale
7
After what seems such a long time, and at a special joint service, we, in
both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin, had the greatest pleasure in attending the Installation of our new Vicar, the Rev.
Michael Rogers, in St. Peter's Church on Sunday 23rd October. The service was led by our Archdeacon, Rev.
Mark Butchers. The event was very well attended by
parishioners from both communities. Whilst
this service was predominantly for Berrynarbor and Combe Martin, we must not
forget that St. Phillip and St James, Ilfracombe [perhaps better known as Pip
and Jim's!] will be welcomed and linked to both our parishes. Rev. Michael will now be responsible for all
three churches in the years ahead. Suitable refreshments were served following
this important service.
We now look forward to the Licencing and
Installation of Rev. Bill Cole, supported by Michael Rogers in St Peter's
Church Combe Martin on Monday 5th December at 7.30 p.m. Bill will take on the role of House for Duty
Priest in support of Michael Rogers to cover both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin
parishes. This important service will be
led by the Lord Bishop of Exeter.
Following the success of the Flower Festival
entitled Anniversaries 2016, a fabulous Concert featuring the Chivenor Military
Wives, together with the Berrynarbor and School Choirs, was held on 4th
November. The church was packed to capacity, just over 200, and an evening of
superb singing was enjoyed by all. There
were 28 Chivenor ladies, 18 Berrynarbor Choir members and 13 wonderful
Berrynarbor School children who sang their hearts out. The finale, at the Chivenor Military Wives'
request, featured all three choirs singing my arrangement of Joshua fit the
battle of Jericho, with rapturous applause from the audience.
It must be recorded that Judith Adam was
responsible for organising the evening
with support from her husband Geoff, and much credit must go to them for
staging this wonderful Concert.
Bouquets were presented to Judith and
conductor Rachel Smith by Sue Neale, and to pianist Sue Trick by Berrynarbor
School conductor Christina Barrow. Special
commemorative medals were presented to all 13 schoolchildren by members of the
Chivenor Military Wives Choir and all featured in a photoshoot at the end of
the Concert.
From a personal point of view, it was
such a pleasure to work with Rachel in rehearsing together the finale with the
Military Wives at their base in Chivenor, and likewise with both Berrynarbor
Choirs who have worked so hard over the last few months. A
final thanks to Dot Stairmand who expertly conducted three of our choir pieces
at very short notice due to our regular conductor and alto vocalist, Bish Muir
being regretfully unable to attend. Also,
a personal thank you to Christina Barrow who conducted the Children's Choir.
A special thank you to the bell ringers
who not only rang for us, but also helped to transport chairs from the Manor
Hall to and from the church before and after the concert. Superb refreshments were organised in the
Manor Hall following the Concert by Wendy Applegate and her team.
What a wonderful evening to remember and
a huge thankyou to all who attended the concert, which will raise much needed
funds for the repair of the Manor Hall and Church roofs. I'm sure I've forgotten to mention many other
people who also helped on the night - but many thanks anyway!
Remembrance
Sunday will have passed by the time this edition of the Newsletter goes to
print, and we hope that many in the village will have supported this important
service in remembrance of all servicemen and women who died during two World
Wars.
There may be some minor changes to
church services over the Christmas season, so please do check the posters at the
lych gate and village shop for up to date information.
The annual Christmas Carol Service,
followed by mulled wine and mince pies, will take place on Wednesday, 21st
December, at 6.30 p.m.
There
will be the usual Christmas Eve Holy Communion Service on Saturday, 24th
December, commencing at 9.30 p.m. A short Family Service will be held on
Christmas Day at 11.00 a.m.
There will be no Friendship Lunch in
December but there will be a Friendship Lunch on the last Wednesday in January
2017.
Stuart
Neale
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
At last some good news! Our new Vicar, Rev. Michael Rogers, will be
installed in St. Peter's Church on Sunday, 23rd October at 11.00 a.m. The service, which will be a combined
service with Combe Martin, St. Philip and St. James and Berrynarbor, will be
led by our new Archdeacon Rev. Mark Butchers, and all are invited to this
special day. More good news follows
with the appointment of Bob Coles who will take on the role of House for Duty
Priest in support of Michael Rogers.
Bob will assist both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin parishes and his
special Licencing Service, supported by Michael Rogers, will be held at St.
Peter's Combe Martin on Monday, 5th December.
[NB An evening time has yet to
be finalised and we shall inform everyone as soon as possible.]
The Flower Festival entitled
Anniversaries 2016 was an outstanding success, with wonderful displays
commemorating The Royal Mail, William Shakespeare, Sir Isaac Newton, the first
commercial flight of Concorde and the first flight of the famous Spitfire. The artist L.S. Lowry was celebrated as was
England's famous 1966 World Cup victory, Roald Dahl and Beatrix Potter, and
Capability Brown. It was, of course,
the Queen's 90th Birthday, the 100th anniversary of the formation of Cubs and
Scouts, the 300th anniversary of the Great Fire of London and not forgetting
the 50th anniversary of the Ilfracombe Flower Club.
A big thank you to everyone involved in
the floral displays and to those who helped with the refreshments over the four
days of the Festival, and, of course, to all those who supported this
event. It is a pleasure to announce
that £464 was raised which will be apportioned to the Church and Ilfracombe
Floral Art Club, whose members' support was much appreciated.
We were hoping to hold a small fund
raising event in September, but this has been put on hold for the time
being. However, we are all preparing -
especially the Berrynarbor and School Choirs - for the forthcoming concert by
the Military Wives Choir on Friday, 4th November. There is much to do organisation-wise and we
hope to raise much needed funds for both the Manor Hall and the repair of the
church roof.
Sadly, two of our Choir members - Linda
Lunn and Elain Filer - are going through difficult times with Linda losing her
husband recently and Elaine's brother very poorly in a hospice. Our thoughts and prayers are with them both
and their respective families.
Please note that the Sunday Services
for October will be slightly different and are as follows:
- Sunday, 16th October Songs of Praise, 11.00 a.m.
- Sunday, 23rd October Installation of Michael Rogers, 11.00 a.m.
- Sunday, 30th October Joint Service with Combe Martin, 11.00 a.m. [a non-Communion service]
- Sunday, 13th November Remembrance Sunday, 10.30 for a 10.45 a.m. start
Friendship Lunches will be held in The
Globe as usual, 12.00 noon for 12.30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month -
26th October and 30th November.
Stuart Neale
This picture of St. Peter's was taken
some 50 years ago and shows elm trees on the left hand side of the lychgate. Sadly, they died. One fell down the other was cut down by Ivan
Huxtable, Bill's twin brother. He was
the only person with a chain saw!
Lorna Bowden
Was this a case of Dutch Elm Disease? Dutch elm disease is caused by a member of the sac fungi and is spread by the elm bark beetle. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it devastated native populations of elms that did not have resistance to the disease. About 1967, a new, far more virulent strain arrived in Britain on a shipment of rock elm logs from North America, and this strain proved both highly contagious and lethal to European elms; more than 25 million trees died in the UK alone. By 1990 very few mature elms were left in Britain or much of continental Europe.
One of the most distinctive English countryside trees, the English elm is particularly susceptible. Thirty years after the outbreak of the epidemic, nearly all these trees, which often grew to more than 45m high, were gone. The species still survives in hedgerows, as the roots are not killed and send up root sprouts or suckers. These suckers rarely reach more than 5m tall before succumbing to a new attack of the fungus. However, established hedges kept low by clipping have remained.
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
We still await the formal arrival of
our new Vicar, Michael Rogers, but the good news, at the time of writing, is
that we have received replies from two candidates for the House for Duty Priest
to support Michael. Interviews are to
be held on the 14th July, when it is hoped there will be a successful outcome
and that we shall be able to announce some really positive news in the very
near future.
Our new Treasurer Margaret Sowerby, and
her husband Roger, have been working very hard to get to grips with this
important role and have completely modernised the system to make life easier
all round. We are delighted, with the
full support of the PCC, that they have become part of the team.
Our annual Gift Day raised £817 and we
are extremely grateful to all those who gave donations. With major expenditure needed on the fabric
of the church on our list of priorities, these donations will be very helpful
indeed.
A big thank you for all those who
supported the Flower Demonstration and Afternoon Tea - we managed to raise £180
towards the flowers for the Anniversaries 2016 Flower Festival, which by the
time you read this will have taken place and we hope it will have given much
pleasure to everyone who has supported this colourful event between the 22nd
and 25th July.
For a whole raft of reasons, mainly
logistical, we shall not be holding our Church Fayre this year. However, we shall be holding an alternative
event, hopefully in September, which we feel will be attractive to residents
and visitors alike. We shall be
advertising this event and its timing towards the end of August.
The Berrynarbor Choir, who meet on
Monday evenings from 7.30
p.m., are currently practising hard for Harvest Festival, Remembrance Sunday
and, of course, the premier event of the year, the Concert by the Military Wives'
Choir. This will be held in the church
on Friday, 4th November, when our Choir will be singing during the concert as
well as Berrynarbor School Choir. The
evening should be a wonderful one of musical entertainment. Judith Adam who has spent many months of
negotiation to book the Military Wives Choir will be advertising the Concert
during the autumn.
Church
Services continue to follow the same format:
- 1st Sunday - Village Service
- 2nd Sunday - Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday - Songs of Praise
- 4th Sunday - Holy Communion
All
Services commence at 11.00 a.m.
Harvest Festival Service will be on
Sunday, 2nd October, and the Harvest Festival Supper on Wednesday, 5th October,
6.30 for 7.00 p.m.
Friendship Lunches will be held in The
Globe, 12.00 for 12.30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month.
Stuart Neale
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Unfortunately, there is no
further news about the installation of our new Vicar, Michael Rogers, as we are
still awaiting replies to our advertisement for a House for Duty Priest to
support Michael, and sincerely hope that we have some more positive news to
announce in the very near future. On
the positive side, Michael is already taking services here and in Combe Martin,
which certainly eases the strain on our PCC.
Our AGM was held on the 29th
March and Jean Pell, Sue Neale, Jill
McCrae, Yvonne Davey and Doreen Prater were all re-elected with yours truly
acting as PCC Chairman for 2016.
As mentioned in the April issue,
we were very sad to hear of Pat and Malcolm Sayer's departure from the village
and a gift box of wine was presented to them both shortly before they went on their
way. We wish them both a happy time in
their new home, nearer to their immediate family in the Cheltenham area.
We have been trying to recruit a
new Treasurer for the PCC for several months now and we are very happy to
welcome Margaret Sowerby and her husband Roger, who have very kindly offered to
take on this position. It is always
daunting when a new treasurer takes on this responsibility, but we on the PCC
will offer Margaret and Roger all possible help and support in the months
ahead.
We are all looking forward to
our special Flower Festival on Friday 22nd July through to Monday, 25th
inclusive. In this year of so many
anniversaries to celebrate, it will be called - surprise, surprise -
Anniversaries 2016.
Berrynarbor PCC and so many
members of our congregation were sad to hear the passing of Ethel Tidbury, who
many of you in the parish will know was the oldest resident in
Berrynarbor. She had reached 102 years
of age and had a wonderful life together with her family and we send our condolences
to Linda and her family for their sad loss at this time.
We are delighted, especially our
Choir members, to see Elaine
Filer back on her feet again following her untimely fall fracturing her hip.
This year's Gift Day will be on
Wednesday, 22nd June, when members of the church will be at the Lych Gate to
receive your envelopes. We hope, in
this difficult financial year for us with urgent major repairs needed on the
church roof, that, as always, the people of Berrynarbor will be generous in
their support.
Church Services follow the same
format:
- 1st
Sunday - Village Service;2nd Sunday -
Holy Communion.
- 3rd
Sunday - Songs of Praise;4th Sunday -
Holy Communion. All Services commence
at 11.00 a.m.
There will, however, be a Joint
Service at St. Peter's on Sunday, 31st July, at 11.00 a.m.
Finally, all our welcome to the
Friendship Lunches held in The Globe, 12.00 for 12.30 p.m., on the last
Wednesday of the month.
Stuart
Neale
As you will see from the above, we are planning to serve tea, coffee and cakes daily in the Church during the Flower Festival, and are looking for volunteers to help us please. We are hoping for donations of cakes, scones, etc., and also help with serving for one or two hours. If you can help in any way, please contact Jean Pell on [01271] 883187. Thank you
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
As mentioned in the February
Newsletter, we are looking forward to welcoming our new Vicar Michael
Rogers to serve both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin parishes - hopefully by April
this year. Rev. Michael has already
taken services at both churches and has made great efforts to get to meet
parishioners - and will no doubt be able to make himself known in our village
and Primary School in the fullness of time.
Advertising is already under way for the House for Duty Priest, a position
that will support Michael in the wider community once he has officially taken
up the reins here in Berrynarbor.
Our AGM will have taken place by the
time this edition of the Newsletter is circulated and we sincerely hope that we
are able to attract a new Treasurer to join us on our PCC. It is very important that we attract a new
Treasurer to our fold because Malcolm Sayer - our current Treasurer - and his
wife Pat will sadly be moving away from Berrynarbor at the end of March to be
nearer their family. Malcolm's
departure will be a great loss to us all for he has been an absolute rock and
helped steer us financially during these difficult times. We wish him and Pat the very best in their
new home. NB - If there is anyone in Berrynarbor or nearby who would like to
take on the post of Treasurer we should be very pleased to hear from you. It is not a requirement that an applicant
attend church services in deciding to take up this post. Please contact me on [01271] 883893 if you
would be willing to help.
A Quinquennial Inspection - 5-year
inspection by the Diocese of Exeter's architect - was carried out in September
last year and we have now received the full report. The Architect acknowledged that the church
has been well maintained but there is a serious issue with regard to the lead
guttering and associated flashings that needs immediate attention to prevent
water from entering the ceiling and adjacent roof beams inside the church. Although there are many grants that are
available to us from various sources, the PCC has to contribute £6,000 from our
funds to get things underway. This will
make a sizeable dent in our funds, but we have to move forward in a positive
way to avoid serious damage to the fabric of the church.
On a more uplifting subject, we shall
be holding a special Flower Festival entitled 'Anniversaries 2016' commencing
on Friday 22nd July to the
25th inclusive. There will be no
entrance fee for this event but any donation towards the cost of flowers before
the event would be very welcome. There
will be a Planning Meeting on Friday, 6th May at 11;00
a.m. in the church and we should welcome all those interested in taking part or
offers of help.
For anyone who is interested in joining
Berrynarbor Choir to sing a wide range of music, please contact me on [01271]
883893 at any time. We meet on Monday
evenings from 7.30 - 8.30 p.m. If there
are tenors out there - and there must be - Britain, no Berrynarbor Needs You!
We wish our retired Rector, George
Billington, the best of health following his recent illness and Elaine Filer
who unfortunately fractured her hip recently and is now convalescing. Her friends from Berrynarbor Choir and the bell
ringers wish her a speedy recovery;
Church Services will follow the same format
as before and are:
- 1st
Sunday Village Service
- 2nd
Sunday Holy Communion
- 3rd
Sunday Family Service
- 4th
Sunday Holy Communion
All services commence at 11.00 a.m.
Please note there will be a Joint
Service with Combe Martin held at St. Peter's Church, Combe Martin on Sunday,
29th May commencing at
9.30 a.m.
The next Friendship Lunches will be held
in The Globe from 12.00 noon on Wednesdays 27th April and 25th May.
Stuart
Neale
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
First and foremost we hope that everyone had an
enjoyable Christmas spent with your
families. In this new
year we are now looking forward to welcoming our new Vicar, Michael
Rogers, to serve both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin Parishes - hopefully by
April at the latest. His presence will
bring much needed support to our community as a whole, and welcome news for
Berrynarbor School with whom Michael will be working in the years ahead. Apart from Berrynarbor PCC, Michael will
have the support of a 'House for Duty Priest' who will be offering help and
assistance to both our communities on a part time basis. This important position is currently being
advertised and we shall in due course inform everyone who the successful
candidate is.
The Christmas Carol Service was a great
success, and how nice to welcome so many parents and relatives to the first
part of the Service which focused on the very young ones from Berrynarbor
School. Their singing of songs and
carols was a delight and it is a marvel that they all managed to remember all
the words! Well done indeed!
The main Carol Service commenced at 6.30
p.m. and a special mention to the School Choir who sang the carol Infant Holy,
Infant Lowly in both Polish and English to perfection. The Berrynarbor Choir sang The Angel Gabriel,
unaccompanied with difficult harmonies to contend with, creating a really
beautiful performance.
The very special version of In the Bleak Mid-Winter
by Harold Darke was also beautifully sung with special praise to our two tenors
- Graham Lucas and Bobby Bowden - for their superb duet in the third verse.
The
Congregation had their chance to sing popular carols, finishing with the usual
O Come All Ye Faithful at the end of the service. Many thanks to our retired Rector George
Billington, who conducted proceedings, and to all the ladies who helped prepare
and serve mulled wine and mince pies after the service. A truly wonderful evening enjoyed by
all!
The Christmas Eve - Midnight Mass -
Service, again conducted by George Billington,
was well attended considering that many parishioners were away for the
Christmas break to visit family and other relations and the Christmas Day
Service, too, was very well attended
with many visitors present to enjoy a short Family Carol service. Grateful thanks to Celia Withers for Officiating
and to Graham Lucas who kindly deputised for me on the Organ.
Church Services will follow the same
format as in 2015, and are as follows:
- 1st Sunday: Village
Service at 11.00 a.m.
- 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion at 11.00 a.m.
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise at 11.00 a.m.
- 4th Sunday: Holy Communion at 11.00 a.m.
NB:
There will be a Joint Service with Combe Martin [Holy Communion] on Sunday 31st
January at 11.00 a.m. to be held in Berrynarbor Church.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will
continue to be held on the last Wednesday in each month, from 12.00 noon
onwards. Everyone welcome.
With regard to Easter Services - my
goodness we're nearly there again! - these will be as
follows:-
-
25th March - Good Friday: Hour of
Devotion, 2.00 p.m.
-
27th March - Easter Sunday: Holy Communion at 11.00 a.m.
Berrynarbor PCC Annual General Meeting
will be held on Tuesday 29th March at 2.00 p.m.
In conclusion I offer my sincere thanks
to all those dedicated members on our PCC who have worked tirelessly over this
extended period of Interregnum. I, for
one, will await the arrival of Michael Rogers with a great deal of pleasure -
coupled with a great sigh of relief!
A
Happy New Year to you all!
Stuart Neale
Acting Chairman Berrynarbor PCC
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Understandably, I keep getting asked when our new Vicar is going to arrive. The straight answer to this is I just don't know! However, what I can tell you is that our new Archdeacon Mark Butchers is going as fast as he can to accelerate matters, not just for Berrynarbor but for Combe Martin as well!
Following the break-away from the North Devon Coast Team by Parracombe, Trentishoe, Martinhoe, Lynton, Lynmouth and Brendon nearly a year ago, leaving Berrynarbor and Combe Martin thoroughly isolated, both our PCC's have had to consider many options to ensure the continuation of Church, Wedding, Funeral, Baptism and other Services within our two Churches throughout this year!
Illustration by: Paul Swailes
What is likely is that Berrynarbor and Combe Martin will link up with one of the Churches in Ilfracombe in the very near future, and so it now looks, assuming everything goes to plan, as if we shall be able to welcome the Rev. Michael Rogers as the new Vicar in the early part of 2016.
Our Harvest Festival Service was well attended with lots of jolly singing from Berrynarbor School as well as a beautiful Anthem sung by Berrynarbor Choir. We were very grateful to Rev. Clive Thomas from Ilfracombe, who although retired, was absolutely wonderful with the youngsters from the School handing out lots of special sweets to them, who in turn ensured that the congregation didn't go without!
Our Harvest Supper was very successful with everyone enjoying a superb buffet together with wine and cider! A big thank you as always goes to the ladies who supplied the wonderful food and to Malcolm and Stuart for providing a really excellent quiz and 'sing song'.
The Service for Loved Ones is always a lovely service which was sympathetically led by our retired Rector George Billington, culminating in the placing of special candles on the altar from the congregation.
Berrynarbor's Remembrance Sunday Service on the 8th November was led by George Billington and Berrynarbor School had produced some wonderful artistic tributes and poems to those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars and several other conflicts to those more recently in Afghanistan. The service is very poignant and this year was made even more so by the beautiful unaccompanied singing of Elgar's We Will Remember Them by the Berrynarbor Choir. On behalf of all those who attended this year's service our sincere gratitude to Ivan Clarke who played the The Last Post so beautifully on his bugle.
The Christmas Carol Service is not far off and we look forward to welcoming everyone to this fabulous service on Wednesday 16th December at 6.00 p.m. for Berrynarbor School young ones and 6.30 p.m. for the main Carol Service with older children from the School. Remember, there will be mulled wine and mince pies following this service. Our traditional Christmas Eve Service will start at 9.30 p.m. led by George Billington and there will be a short Family Service on Christmas Day commencing at 11.00 a.m.
Berrynarbor PCC has taken the decision not to hold a service on Sunday 27th December as it feels that following the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Services on Thursday and Friday, followed by Boxing Day on Saturday, many people will either be visiting or hosting relatives on that day.
A reminder that the next Friendship Lunch held in the Globe will be on Wednesday 27th January from 12.00 noon. Everyone welcome.
Along with Berrynarbor School we should like to extend our grateful thanks to Graham Lucas for conducting all the Monday Morning Assemblies in Church. Graham, who communicates with the children in language they can really understand, involves them in acting out the Bible scenes in a meaningful way which they obviously enjoy!
Finally, Berrynarbor PCC and our parishioners send our grateful thanks to George Billington,
Celia Withers, Chris James, Michael Rogers, John Roles, Keith Wyer and Clive Thomas for officiating at Church Services over the last year. We wish them all a very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Stuart Neale
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Following
my comments in the August edition of the Newsletter, we have moved on to the
stage where a meeting was held in Berrynarbor Church on 7th September with a
prospective candidate for the position of a Vicar for both Berrynarbor and
Combe Martin.
The
meeting was extremely encouraging, and there will be two or three follow up
meetings with other organisations in the very near future - with the outcome
put forward to the Diocese and our new Archdeacon before any formal
announcement will be made. Berrynarbor
PCC looks forward to really positive news for the next edition of the
Berrynarbor Newsletter.
Our
annual Church Fayre was held on the 18th August in beautiful weather with the
hope of attracting as many visitors to the event as possible. However, we believe that the weather slightly
backfired on us and many visitors remained on the beaches! As a result numbers were well down on last
year but nevertheless we enjoyed a good evening and were very grateful for the
support we received. We managed to make
a profit [albeit slightly down on last year] of a very creditable £807. These
events cannot be run without all the support of so many volunteers - to the
erection of marquees in the morning and to all those who helped on the evening!
Once again, a very special thank you to
Richard Gingell for transporting the skittle alley, barbeque and other items,
and to John and Fenella Boxall for the loan of their barbeque.
We shall
be holding our Service for Loved Ones with lighting of candles on Sunday, 1st
November, at 3.00 p.m. This is a
beautiful service which we hope many parishioners and others will support. Refreshments will be served following the
service. Please note: there will be no Sunday morning service on
this day.
We shall
be holding our Remembrance Service on Sunday, 8th November starting promptly at
10.45 a.m. in the church with the laying of wreaths at the War Memorial at 11.00
a.m. With the anniversaries of the ending of the Second
World War in both Europe and Japan, it is especially important that we in
Berrynarbor pay our tribute to all those gallant men and women from Great
Britain, the Commonwealth and other European countries, who gave their lives so
that we may be free today!
The
Christmas Carol Service in the Church will be held on Wednesday,16th December starting at 6.00 p.m. for the really young
ones with the main service commencing at 6.30 p.m. From experience we have found that this format
works very well indeed, giving the young ones the opportunity to sing all their
Christmas songs and to participate in a Nativity scene without getting soaking
wet in the village square - thanks to the British weather!
The
Berrynarbor and School Choirs will be singing a selection of Carols and the
evening will end, in the usual tradition, with the serving of mulled wine and
mince pies! This service is always full to capacity, so
please come early to find a seat!
Finally,
the monthly Friendship Lunch from12.00 noon in The Globe will be held on the
last Wednesdays in October, 28th, and November,
25th. The next one will then be on the
27th January 2016! Please come along and
support this very enjoyable event.
Stuart
Neale - Acting Chairman, Berrynarbor PCC
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A
recent meeting with the new Archdeacon Rev. Mark Butchers was attended by PCC
members from both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin churches with the view of
exploring various ways of moving forward during this difficult time without a
Rector for our two parishes.
The
meeting was extremely encouraging and it was made clear by Rev. Mark that he
desired a speedy solution to our present situation and has set up a platform
for positive meetings with clergy from other parishes to explore ways of
resolving our immediate problems.
Clearly
Rev. Mark is a man of action, and further meetings have been held which we hope
will bring a positive outcome for us all.
As Acting Chairman of our PCC, I hope I shall be in the position to
announce encouraging news by the time the next issue of the Newsletter is
published.
We
are extremely grateful for the great support from George Billington and also
visiting clergy over the last couple of months, and are hopeful that this will
continue in the months ahead.
It
was hoped that our Primary School, following positive discussions with
Headteacher Sue Carey, would be involved in a special School Church Service
before the children break up for the summer holidays, but due to various
commitments and the school syllabus, this will have to be delayed until the
autumn.
Gift
Day was very successful and £707 was donated to the church thanks to the
generosity of you all and rest assured, the money raised will be directed
towards the running of our beautiful church, especially in mind that every five
years we have to engage [under Diocesan rules] a Church Architect to inspect
the whole fabric of the building, including electrical items, heating, lighting
and fire inspections. This costs a lot
of money in addition to other outgoings related to regular payments for the
church's annual energy consumption. The
inspection is due this coming September!
We
have now provided two new wheelie bins [one black and one green]located near
the lych gate and water tank/tap respectfully.
There are notices on both bins to advise residents and visitors what
items should be placed in them and as most people should be aware, the black
bin is for general household rubbish and the green one for decayed flowers and
foliage only. It seems, however, that
some people do not read notices, or dare I say it, don't mind where they place
their rubbish. A reminder that the
plastic or wrappers surrounding flowers should be placed in the black bin, not
the green one! PLEASE do try to help us
look after the churchyard by doing the right thing, as you would at home.
The
Church Fayre is not far away and we look forward to a successful evening on
TUESDAY, 18TH AUGUST, commencing at 5.30 p.m.
As usual there will be many sideshows and stalls for residents and
visitors to enjoy and our jolly George B.
and his team of helpers will again be running the super BBQ!
Please
save any books, CD's, DVD's, games, bric-a-brac, etc., and contact me [883893]
or any member of the PCC if you would like items collected.
On
a sad note, we have to report an attempted break-in to the church vestry. Thankfully, the culprit[s] didn't manage to
get in and apart from minor damage to the vestry doors, they left empty
handed. The incident was reported to the
Police but it is unlikely that they will be able to trace the offender[s]. So, we
just request that we all be vigilant and report anything suspicious in the
future.
Again
we must thank Matthew and his team for keeping the churchyard in good order,
our intrepid bell ringers who turn out virtually every Sunday - and at other
times as well, for weddings and funerals - our flower ladies and everyone on
the cleaning rota who help to keep St. Peter's such a beautiful church. We are proud of you all!
Forthcoming Events:
- Church
Fayre - Tuesday,
18th August, 5.30-9.00 p.m.
- Harvest
Sunday Service - Sunday, 4th October,
11.00 a.m.
- Harvest
Supper - Wednesday,
7th October, Manor Hall, 6,30 for 7.00 p.m.
- Friendship
Lunches - Wednesdays 26th August and 30th
September, 12.00 noon at The Globe
Tickets
for the Harvest Supper will be available from the Church and the Village
Shop. Everyone is welcome at the
Friendship Lunches - please bring a friend with you!
Stuart Neale
5
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
The Annual General meeting was held in
St. Peter's Church on the 31st March, following the election of officers to
stand on the PCC for 2015.
Unfortunately, there were no
applications to take on the responsibility of Churchwarden following my
resignation and it was agreed that the whole committee would share the load for
this year. If there is anyone in the
village who would be willing to take on the role of Churchwarden, then we
should welcome you with open arms!
As mentioned in the Easter and April
edition of the Newsletter, we are still without a resident Rector to serve the
parishes of Berrynarbor and Combe Martin.
Maureen Richards [who is acting PCC Chairman and Churchwarden for Combe
Martin] and myself [acting PCC Chairman during the interregnum] are continuing
to work very hard with their respective teams to lobby the powers that be in
redressing the current situation that exists in both our communities. We shall endeavour to keep everyone informed
as to any meaningful progress that arises in the months ahead.
Church services at Berrynarbor are
continuing every Sunday and we are indeed extremely grateful to Berrynarbor's
George Billington, Celia Withers from Combe Martin, together with John Roles
and Michael Rogers - both from
Ilfracombe - for their valuable input and considerable time in conducting a
wide range of services for the community.
John Roles organised a special Joint
Palm Sunday Service for Berrynarbor and Combe Martin involving the congregation
in a re-enactment of the events leading up to the Crucifixion. Keith Wyer, who many of you will remember as
our Rector and Rector for the North Devon Coast Team is, with John Roles,
taking many of the weddings to be held here and in Combe Martin, and will also
be available to conduct baptisms and funeral services throughout this year.
Berrynarbor Primary School continues to
hold its Monday Morning Assembly in the Church and a great deal of thanks must
go to Graham Lucas who has rejuvenated the proceedings with really interesting
stories and involving the children to re-enact the events with much vigour and,
above all, a great deal of fun! Well
done Graham!
I have been in contact with Headteacher
Sue Carey to consider ways of involving the School in a special Church Service
sometime in the next couple of months and before the children break up for the
summer holidays. The details have yet to be finalised, but we are very keen to
encourage all parents to support this event, and it would be wonderful if
villagers in turn could come along and ensure a packed to capacity church on
the Sunday that we decide upon! The
Service will involve many things, but more importantly, it will be a truly
joyous event!
Finally, we really must convey, on
behalf of everyone in Berrynarbor, a special thank you to Matthew Walls and his
team for cutting and strimming the Churchyard grass on a regular basis. This hard work is very much appreciated by
villagers and visitors alike in keeping the churchyard in superb
condition. Well done Matthew!
To help keep our churchyard tidy, it
would be appreciated if those tending graves and other visitors would kindly
take their waste - dead flowers, plants, plastic pots, etc. - home for disposal
or if not, place them in the rubbish bin provided and located by the lych gate.
Forthcoming
events:
- Gift
Day will be on Wednesday, 24th June -
when members of the PCC will be at the lych gate from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00
p.m. Envelopes will be delivered around
the village the week before and it is hoped everyone will take the opportunity
to make a donation towards the upkeep of the church.
- Special
School Service - Date
and details to be arranged.
- The
Church Fayre - will this year be held on Tuesday, 18th August
from 5.30 to 9.00 p.m. at the Manor Hall.
If you're having a clear out at home, please save any bric-a-brac for
our stall.
- Friendship Lunches - in
the Globe will, as usual be on the last Wednesdays in the month, 27th May and
24th June, from 12noon. Everyone
welcome!
Stuart Neale.
- Good Friday 3rd April: Hour of Devotion, 2.00-3.00 p.m.
- Easter Sunday 5th April 11.00 a.m.
- 1st Sunday: Village Service 2nd Sunday:
Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise 4th Sunday: Holy
Communion
- 15th March, 11.00 a.m. Mothering Sunday
- 29th March, 11.00 a.m. Palm Sunday
- 3td April, 2.00 - 3.00 p.m. Good Friday, Hour of Devotion
- 5th April, 11.00 a.m. Easter Day
- Wednesday, 24th December Christmas Eve Service, 9.30 p.m.
- Thursday,
25th December Christmas
Day Service, 11.00 a.m..
- When? Thursday
5th June and Thursday 3rd July
- Where? Berrynarbor
School
- What time? 3.15 to 5.00
p.m.
- When? Thursday
5th June and Thursday 3rd July
- Where? Berrynarbor
School
- What time? 3.15 to 5.00
p.m.
- Sunday, 13th April Palm
Sunday
- 11.00 a.m. Holy Communion with distribution of Palm Crosses
- 6.30
p.m. Christians Together Service
in Combe Martin Baptist Church
with choir
- 18th April, Good Friday - 2.00
p.m. Quiet Hour with hymns and prayers
- 20th April, Easter Day - Family Communion, 11.00 a.m.
- Sunday, 13th April Palm
Sunday
- 11.00 a.m. Holy Communion with distribution of Palm Crosses
- 6.30
p.m. Christians Together Service
in Combe Martin Baptist Church
with choir
- 18th April, Good Friday - 2.00
p.m. Quiet Hour with hymns and prayers
- 20th April, Easter Day - Family Communion, 11.00 a.m.
- Wednesday, 18th December 6.30 p.m. - Carol Service with choir and the school. Mulled wine to follow.
- Christmas Eve, 9.30 p.m. - Blessing of the crib and first Communion of Christmas
- Christmas Day, 11.00 a.m. -Family Service with Carols.
- Sunday, 29th December, 11.00 a.m. - Joined by members of Combe Martin church for Family Praise with Carols.
- Sunday, 27th October - Bible Sunday with Holy Communion as usual at 11.00 a.m.
- Sunday, 3rd November - All Saints Day. There will be a service in the afternoon when we light candles in memory of loved ones. Tea and biscuits will follow and a chance to talk.
- Sunday, 10th November - Remembrance Sunday. We shall meet in church at the earlier time of 0.45 a.m. ready to proceed to the War Memorial for 11.00 a.m. Wreaths will be laid on behalf of the Parish Council and St. Peter's.
- Sunday, 1st December - Advent Sunday. A village service as usual at 11.00 a.m. and the first candle will be lit on the Advent Wreath.
- 1st Sunday in the Month: Village Service following a simplified
version of Morning Prayer without Communion, so a good chance to make a start
if you are not used to coming up to the altar.
- 2nd and 4th Sundays: Holy Communion
- 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise - again a simplified service
of worship with plenty of hymn singing.
- 13th February marks Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent
- 10th March is Mothering Sunday when we shall be joined by children from the Schoolu
- 24th March is Palm Sunday followed by
- 29th March Good Friday and
- 31st March Easter Day
- Wednesday, 19th December, 6.30 p.m. Carol Service when we hope to be joined by the choir and school;
- Christmas Eve, 9.30 p.m. Blessing of the Crib and first Communion of Christmas;
- Christmas Day, 11.00 a.m. Family Communion;
- Sunday, 30th December, 11.00 a.m. Family Communion with carols.
SPECIAL
NOTICE
|
Any
enquiries for Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms and other Church matters - please
contact Mr. Stuart Neale on 01271-883893
or by email: stuartneale@btinternet.com This
request is purely temporary whilst we await the arrival and installation of a
new Rector for the Parish of Berrynarbor. |
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Firstly, Berrynarbor PCC warmly welcomes three new members with Jean Pell taking on the important role of Secretary, plus two committee members, Jill McCrae and Yvonne Davey.
As mentioned in the February edition, we on the PCC are continuing to work very hard indeed to maintain regular Church and other related services throughout the interregnum - which could last up to nine months!
The North Devon Coast Team comprises of nine parishes of which Berrynarbor is one, and we - Berrynarbor and Combe Martin - have been advised that the 7 remaining parishes, which include Lynton & Lynmouth, are breaking away to form their own team! This action will have serious consequences for Berrynarbor and Combe Martin with respect to obtaining full time clergy. It is very likely, despite much lobbying from both PCC's, that we shall have an allocation of what is known in church parlance as a .5 vicar, which putting it bluntly means a part-time one!
Both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin PCC's have been working very hard to rectify this situation and Joint Parish Profiles, together with lobbying letters have been sent to the acting Archdeacon of Barnstaple and we are currently awaiting his reply.
Because of the current situation, but still maintaining our individual identities, it is looking very likely that both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin will be linking with one or other of the churches in Ilfracombe in the hope that we may achieve a full time Rector or Vicar.
Things have not been on our side in many ways and were not helped recently by the fact that the Church Insurance Premium has been increased from £2,300 in 2014 to a whopping £3,487 for the current year!
However, we assure the residents of Berrynarbor that we shall do everything in our power to maintain the role of the Church in this beautiful village.
At this point, we must convey our sincere thanks to 'Our George' Billington - a retired Rector - and to Celia Withers from Combe Martin for taking two services each per month. Furthermore, sincere thanks to John Roles of Ilfracombe and Giles King Smith of Woolacombe for offers of help in taking some services this year.
Keith Wyer, who very many of you will recall was our Rector here and at Combe Martin, has offered to take several weddings this year at both churches and we are extremely grateful for his dedication and commitment. It was especially poignant that he officiated at the recent funeral of Vic Cornish with so many attending. Our sincere thoughts, of course, must go to Anita and her family at this sad time.
Berrynarbor PCC is urgently seeking a new Churchwarden to take my place as I am retiring after 10 years in the post. Volunteers please step forward!
The Berrynarbor Choir will be having a somewhat forced rest following orders from my Doctors to ease up over the next six weeks as a result of my continued illness since Christmas.
Easter Services:
On the 31st May there will be a Joint Service with Holy Communion, 9.30 a.m. at St. Peter's Ad Vincula, Combe Martin. Friendship Lunches in The Globe will be on Wednesdays 29th April and 27th May, from 12.00 noon. Everyone welcome.
Stuart Neale
|
SPECIAL NOTICE Any
enquiries for Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms and other Church matters - please
contact Mr. Stuart Neale on |
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Church was full to capacity for our
annual Carol Service held on 17th December! The evening commenced with some joyful songs
and carols by the younger children from Berrynarbor School - all dressed up in
their wonderful costumes of birds, shepherds and angels to set the Nativity
scene.
At 6.30 p.m. the main service commenced
with the solo voices of Melanie and Poppy from Berrynarbor School singing,
unaccompanied, the first verse of Once in Royal David's City. The School Choir later sang in German Silent
Night, Holy Night from the earliest German score dated 1818 with lyrics written
in 1787. How wonderful they all sounded!
The Berrynarbor Choir sang my
arrangement of O Holy Night and a special thanks to all the soloists,
especially soprano Elaine Fanner who had to hit some very high notes.
The service ended with a rousing O come
all ye Faithful and all were invited for mulled wine and mince pies to round
off a wonderful evening. A special thank
you to all parents, villagers and visitors for supporting this special event.
Sunday 21st December was chosen to say
farewell to our Rector Chris Steed at a special buffet lunch held in the Manor
Hall with a presentation of a gift towards his new computer. The event was organised by Berrynarbor and Combe
Martin PCC's and a special thank you to all the ladies who supplied the
refreshments. We wish Chris well in his
new parish of Totton, near Southampton.
The Christmas Eve service was taken by
George Billington and it was pleasing to
see so many visitors attending this lovely service.
Christmas Day Service was a
short family based service and thanks to Graham Lucas for playing the organ in my
absence.
With the departure of Rector Chris
Steed, we, Berrynarbor PCC, will have to work very hard indeed to organise
visiting clergy during the Interregnum period - which could last between six
and nine months!
The church service
structure will remain unchanged as follows:
There will be the occasional group
service, where there is a 5th Sunday, and these [advised in advance] will be
held in either Berrynarbor or Combe Martin.
Our thanks to Graham Lucas who has very
kindly offered to assist with School Assemblies on Monday mornings.
We have a small dedicated team of
flower arrangers to decorate the Church throughout the year. Sue Neale would welcome anyone who would like
to join this team -you don't have to be a Churchgoer- so please feel free to contact Sue on 883893.
There will be a Friendship Lunch at The
Globe on Wednesday, 25th February from 12.00 noon
onwards.
Easter is early April this
year and Special Service will be as follows:
The church will be decorated for Easter
following the service on Good Friday and Sue Neale will welcome gifts of
flowers or donations towards the cost [Tel:
883893].
Finally, a very special thank you to all
our wonderful Bellringers who ring for Church Services throughout the year, as
well as for Weddings, Funerals and other special events! They have two new ladies in their team - Debbie
Thomas and Pat Weston - who are showing the guys that they too can pull the
bell ropes! We wish them well.
Stuart Neale
SPECIAL
NOTICE
|
The following very
important notice is now displayed on the |
2
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
On Saturday, 27th September, Berrynarbor
Choir gave a Concert in the Church. They were joined
by our illustrious Bell Ringers, resplendent in white shirts and red bow ties,
who performed brilliantly!
The Choir were in good voice and sang a
wide range of songs to suit all tastes.
However, the audience of around 85 in number didn't escape for they were
invited to join in with a potted selection of WWI songs to close the
evening. Cheese and wine refreshments
rounded off a very successful concert enjoyed by all.
Thanks to all who attended and bought
raffle tickets which allowed us to donate £150 to the Motor Neurone
Organisation and £100 to the Devon Freewheelers, a voluntary organisation of
specially trained motor cyclists who deliver vital body organs to hospitals for
patients requiring transplants. We
retained a sum of £45 to cover the heating and lighting costs of the church.
The Harvest Service and Supper were
again well attended and the lovely spread in the Manor Hall and the sing-a-long
of WW1 songs which rounded off the evening were enjoyed by all. Special thanks to everyone involved in
making the Supper such a happy event.
A special Service for Loved Ones was
held in the afternoon of Sunday, 2nd November when beautiful candles were lit
by parishioners in remembrance of their loved ones.
Our annual Remembrance Service was held on
Sunday, 9th November when wreaths were laid by the War Memorial followed by the
traditional two minute silence, broken only by the sound of thunder. It was especially poignant this year being
the centenary of the start of World War I.
The Choir sang a special tribute during the service, and Berrynarbor
School had prepared some beautiful letters for all to read.
We look forward to another joyful
Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday, 17th December at 6.30 p.m. Because of the vagaries of weather, the
really young children from Berrynarbor School will have their special service
commencing 40 minutes earlier at 5.50 p.m.in the Church, so we look forward to welcoming
all parents at this special event and hope that many parents and their children
will stay for the later service when the older school children's choir will
again be singing with the Berrynarbor Choir. This wonderful service will be followed by mince
pies and mulled wine [for the adults!] and everyone is welcome - so please come
early!
No Friendship Lunch in December and look
out for details of the January Lunch.
We
wish you all a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year!
Stuart Neale
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH.
Our thanks to everyone who helped at the Church Fayre on Tuesday August 19th at the Manor Hall.
Despite a torrential downpour spot on 5.30 p.m., villagers and visitors alike arrived in good number and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. A very special thanks to our Barbeque Team [who got absolutely soaked during the downpour] for providing excellent burgers and hot dogs for all! After expenses, we managed to raise the sum of £995 - well done all!
The Harvest Service will be held on Sunday 5th October at 11 a.m. which will include music and readings from Berrynarbor School. We all look forward to a joyful service!
The Harvest Supper will be held in the Manor Hall, 6.30 for 7.00 p.m. on Wednesday 8th October. Following last year's successful evening, there will be a sing-song, led by Stuart and a quiz organised by Malcolm Sayer. Tickets at £5 each are available from the Shop as well as in Church. NB: Please remember to bring your own cutlery!
A Candlelit Service for Loved Ones will be held on Sunday, 2nd November at 3.00 p.m. There will be no morning service that day, so we hope that this special afternoon service will be enjoyed by all.
The annual Remembrance Service will take place on Sunday, 9th November at 10.45 a.m. We look forward to having a large congregation this year - especially mindful of the Centenary of WW1.
Our PCC, who look after and administer all Church matters, are looking to someone in the village who might be willing to take on the post of Secretary. Whilst this is a most important position which needs filling as soon as possible, the PCC meetings are only held at six weekly intervals.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 29th October and 26th November, from 12.00 noon onwards and as always, everyone is welcome.
Finally, we are all sad to learn of Mary Tucker's imminent departure from the village. Mary Tucker BEM [to give her the correct title] has not only been a pillar of strength within the Church community over many years, but also to the whole village! She has given much of her time to the residents of Berrynarbor, whether visiting the frail, sick or others over so many years - an amazing example to us all!
We wish her many happy years with her family in the North of England, where I'm sure she will continue to be a most valuable member of the community. God Bless you Mary from everyone in Berrynarbor!
Stuart Neale
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Our thanks to everyone who helped on Gift Day and for your generous donations. At the time of writing, the total received stands at £783 with envelopes still coming in. If you have not returned yours yet, it is not too late, please hand it in to church or the village shop. The weather held for the day which was especially busy in the morning with Bishop Robert Atwell's visit and the children out and about enjoying their community week.
Our next major fund-raising event will be our Church Fayre, to be held on Tuesday,19th August, at the Manor Hall, commencing at 6.30 p.m. There will be sideshows, skittle alley, barbeque, bric-a-brac, raffle and refreshments will be served all evening. Offers of help and, as always, gifts of cakes, bottles [full!], books, good bric-a-brac, china and glass, raffle prizes, etc., will be very welcome. Please contact Sue and Stuart Neale [883893] with your offers.
BUT, most importantly, please come along on the day, support us and join in the fun!The Christians Together Service held on 22nd June in the evening was enjoyed by all who came. Linda Pearce, the Methodist Minister, and Avril Harrild from the Baptist Church, gave a lively 'interview' about their five days living on the line, each spending only £1 a day on food, all for Christian Aid. There may be another Christians Together Service in Berrynarbor on the evening of Sunday, 31st August.
The Berrynarbor Choir will be giving a Concert in St. Peter's on Saturday, 27th September, starting at 7.30 p.m. Tickets, which will include a Cheese and Wine Supper [to follow the concert] will cost £5.00 and will be available from the Village Shop in early September.
Services will continue as usual throughout August and September, with Holy Communion on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month.
Harvest will be celebrated on Sunday, 5th October, with a Family Service at 11.00 a.m. and the Supper on Wednesday, 8th October - more details in the next Newsletter but also look out for posters.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 27th August and 24th September, 12.00 noon onwards and everyone welcome as always.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Annual Meeting took place at the end of March. As all the reports were read out we realised
how much had been done over the past year.
Again it was encouraging to note that church attendance has been
maintained and we are still able to have a service every Sunday. Apart from all the help from members of the
PCC, thanks are due to those who clean our church every week, to caretakers
Bett and Kevin Brooks and to the Walls family who maintain the churchyard
making sure the grass is cut regularly over the growing season. And we all appreciate the bell ringers who
come in every Sunday. Special thanks
were expressed to Marion Carter who was PCC Secretary for many years and who
has now left the village. No one has
yet come forward to take her place.
Stuart Neale has returned as churchwarden but we still need
a second one and we are actively seeking two people to come forward to fill
these posts. Malcolm Sayer has taken
over as PCC Treasurer.
This year the very moving Quiet Hour on Good Friday was led
by Rector Chris with more people attending - an opportunity to take a break,
away from the hustle and bustle and busyness prior to Easter.
And what a joyous occasion on Easter Day! The service was led by Rev. George, who gave
an excellent sermon, and a full choir [thank you Stuart] led the singing with a
soaring descant in the last hymn and a beautiful rendering of the Sanctus from
Faure's Requiem. As always the church
was beautifully decorated by Sue Neale and her team.
Looking forward to June, Pentecost will be celebrated on the
8th with a Family Communion at 11.00 a.m.
Then on the 23rd there will be an additional evening service at 6.30
p.m. with Christians Together and envelopes will be handed in for Christian
Aid. St, Peter's Day falls on Sunday,
29th.
Gift Day will be on Wednesday, 28th June
and the Rector and PCC will be at the lych gate all day. Letters and envelopes will be delivered
around the village the week before and it is hoped everyone will take the opportunity
to make a
donation towards the upkeep of the church.
By comparison, July looks quieter at the
moment. There will be a wedding on the 5th,
the fourth this year, and three more still to come.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 25th
June and 23rd July.Our main
fundraising event, the Summer Fayre, will take place on Tuesday, 19th August,
and will again be organised by Stuart and Sue Neale with help from us all.
Mary Tucker
MESSY CHURCH
We have now had two very successful Messy
Church sessions at Berrynarbor School.
One on 1st April and the second on the 1st May. We do various craft activities with a
Christian theme which are for the whole family - Parents, Grandparents and
Carers all attend with the children, it is open to all.
Refreshments are provided and the
craft sessions end with a story and songs based on that day's theme. We have two more planned, come and join us!
NB - children must be accompanied
by a parent/carer We could also do with some extra
pairs of hands to help with the craft tables. If interested, please contact Teresa
Crockett 01271 32889 or e-mail at
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Annual Meeting took place at the end of March. As all the reports were read out we realised
how much had been done over the past year.
Again it was encouraging to note that church attendance has been
maintained and we are still able to have a service every Sunday. Apart from all the help from members of the
PCC, thanks are due to those who clean our church every week, to caretakers
Bett and Kevin Brooks and to the Walls family who maintain the churchyard
making sure the grass is cut regularly over the growing season. And we all appreciate the bell ringers who
come in every Sunday. Special thanks
were expressed to Marion Carter who was PCC Secretary for many years and who
has now left the village. No one has
yet come forward to take her place.
Stuart Neale has returned as churchwarden but we still need
a second one and we are actively seeking two people to come forward to fill
these posts. Malcolm Sayer has taken
over as PCC Treasurer.
This year the very moving Quiet Hour on Good Friday was led
by Rector Chris with more people attending - an opportunity to take a break,
away from the hustle and bustle and busyness prior to Easter.
And what a joyous occasion on Easter Day! The service was led by Rev. George, who gave
an excellent sermon, and a full choir [thank you Stuart] led the singing with a
soaring descant in the last hymn and a beautiful rendering of the Sanctus from
Faure's Requiem. As always the church
was beautifully decorated by Sue Neale and her team.
Looking forward to June, Pentecost will be celebrated on the
8th with a Family Communion at 11.00 a.m.
Then on the 23rd there will be an additional evening service at 6.30
p.m. with Christians Together and envelopes will be handed in for Christian
Aid. St, Peter's Day falls on Sunday,
29th.
Gift Day will be on Wednesday, 28th June
and the Rector and PCC will be at the lych gate all day. Letters and envelopes will be delivered
around the village the week before and it is hoped everyone will take the opportunity
to make a
donation towards the upkeep of the church.
By comparison, July looks quieter at the
moment. There will be a wedding on the 5th,
the fourth this year, and three more still to come.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 25th
June and 23rd July.Our main
fundraising event, the Summer Fayre, will take place on Tuesday, 19th August,
and will again be organised by Stuart and Sue Neale with help from us all.
Mary Tucker
MESSY CHURCH
We have now had two very successful Messy
Church sessions at Berrynarbor School.
One on 1st April and the second on the 1st May. We do various craft activities with a
Christian theme which are for the whole family - Parents, Grandparents and
Carers all attend with the children, it is open to all.
Refreshments are provided and the
craft sessions end with a story and songs based on that day's theme. We have two more planned, come and join us!
NB - children must be accompanied
by a parent/carer We could also do with some extra
pairs of hands to help with the craft tables. If interested, please contact Teresa
Crockett 01271 32889 or e-mail at
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
At last Easter is just around
the corner! Special Services will be as follows:
We look forward to seeing a full church
for these important dates in the church calendar.
The church will be decorated after the service on Good
Friday and Sue Neale will welcome gifts of flowers or donations towards the
cost [Tel: 883893]. As Easter is late this year, Pentecost,
Whit Sunday, will not be until the 8th June.
St. Peter's Annual Meeting will have
taken place on 25th March. Since my
last article circumstances have changed in that Teresa Crockett will no longer
be able to carry on as Churchwarden.
Stuart Neale has offered to return to the post after a break, but we
still need a second one and hopefully new people will come forward prepared to
serve on the PCC. A full report will
appear after the meeting.
Subject to confirmation, Friendship Lunches will be held at
The Globe on Wednesdays 30th April and 28th May.
Mary Tucker
Berrynarbor War Memorial
The War Memorial, just inside the lych gate, is shortly to undergo repairs. The base and edge surround have deteriorated over the years, caused in part by ground settlement and other factors such as the British weather, Following discussions with Berrynarbor Parish Council, the necessary funds to give the go ahead for the repairs have been obtained.
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
At last Easter is just around
the corner! Special Services will be as follows:
We look forward to seeing a full church
for these important dates in the church calendar.
The church will be decorated after the service on Good
Friday and Sue Neale will welcome gifts of flowers or donations towards the
cost [Tel: 883893]. As Easter is late this year, Pentecost,
Whit Sunday, will not be until the 8th June.
St. Peter's Annual Meeting will have
taken place on 25th March. Since my
last article circumstances have changed in that Teresa Crockett will no longer
be able to carry on as Churchwarden.
Stuart Neale has offered to return to the post after a break, but we
still need a second one and hopefully new people will come forward prepared to
serve on the PCC. A full report will
appear after the meeting.
Subject to confirmation, Friendship Lunches will be held at
The Globe on Wednesdays 30th April and 28th May.
Mary Tucker
Berrynarbor War Memorial
The War Memorial, just inside the lych gate, is shortly to undergo repairs. The base and edge surround have deteriorated over the years, caused in part by ground settlement and other factors such as the British weather, Following discussions with Berrynarbor Parish Council, the necessary funds to give the go ahead for the repairs have been obtained.
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A wonderful Christmas was spent
at St. Peter's. The church was
beautifully decorated, again thanks to Sue and her team, with the tree and the
added touch of candles on the window sills.
In spite of the weather, the church was packed for the Carol Service and
the Christmas Eve service was well-attended with more people taking communion
this year. A Family Service was held
on Christmas morning with Rev. Chris bringing along a family of sheep to
delight the children. The Epiphany
[arrival of the three wise men] was celebrated on 5th January with Celia
Withers coming over to lead the service.
It is now time to put away the crib and carol sheets for another year!
January and February will give us time to recharge our
batteries although the PCC will be holding their annual meetings to look back
over 2013 and make plans for the year ahead.
A second churchwarden is needed by March to join Teresa Crockett and
lighten her load.
Easter is not until the third week-end in April and Lent
will begin with Ash Wednesday on the 5th March. Mothering Sunday falls on 30th March which
will also mark the beginning of British Summer Time.
As we look forward to spring, we wish everyone every
blessing for 2014 and our thoughts and prayers are with those of us who are
contending with ill-health.
Friendship lunches will continue at The Globe and will be on Wednesdays 26th February and 26th March. Our thanks to Karen and staff for their constant hospitality - we are about to embark on our fifteenth year!
Mary Tucker
Due to the atrocious weather on the evening of the Carol
Service, the toddlers from the School performed their carols in the church to a
large gathering of parents. Their costumes
and singing were a delight and how they managed to remember all the music is a
tribute to the dedication, time and effort of the teaching staff at our school.
The Carol Service got underway with soloists Louis and Holly
singing, unaccompanied, the first verse of Once in Royal David's City, and the
first lesson read beautifully from the pulpit by Poppy and Melanie.
The service continued with the
singing of popular carols.
The school choir performed a beautiful carol sung in both
French and English, the first time the choir has sung in a foreign language and
they received well deserved applause from the congregation. Our choir then sang two
carols, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem and a joyful rendering of Malcolm Archer's
A Child is Born in Bethlehem.
Then it was the turn of the school choir who sang two
Christmas songs, the last, Bells Ring Out, was superbly sung with ability and
fun which brought rapturous applause from everyone in the church.
How hard the school choir has
worked to sing with such quality and style and again many congratulations and
thanks to all those teachers who have put in so much time behind the scenes.
The final carol, O Come All Ye Faithful, was a rousing
finale and the evening ended with mulled wine and mince pies!
Thanks to the Rector for leading the Service and to all
those helpers who contributed to a memorable evening.
Stuart
. . . and many thanks to
Stuart for all his effort and dedication to the great music enjoyed in our
church.
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A wonderful Christmas was spent
at St. Peter's. The church was
beautifully decorated, again thanks to Sue and her team, with the tree and the
added touch of candles on the window sills.
In spite of the weather, the church was packed for the Carol Service and
the Christmas Eve service was well-attended with more people taking communion
this year. A Family Service was held
on Christmas morning with Rev. Chris bringing along a family of sheep to
delight the children. The Epiphany
[arrival of the three wise men] was celebrated on 5th January with Celia
Withers coming over to lead the service.
It is now time to put away the crib and carol sheets for another year!
January and February will give us time to recharge our
batteries although the PCC will be holding their annual meetings to look back
over 2013 and make plans for the year ahead.
A second churchwarden is needed by March to join Teresa Crockett and
lighten her load.
Easter is not until the third week-end in April and Lent
will begin with Ash Wednesday on the 5th March. Mothering Sunday falls on 30th March which
will also mark the beginning of British Summer Time.
As we look forward to spring, we wish everyone every
blessing for 2014 and our thoughts and prayers are with those of us who are
contending with ill-health.
Friendship lunches will continue at The Globe and will be on Wednesdays 26th February and 26th March. Our thanks to Karen and staff for their constant hospitality - we are about to embark on our fifteenth year!
Mary Tucker
Due to the atrocious weather on the evening of the Carol
Service, the toddlers from the School performed their carols in the church to a
large gathering of parents. Their costumes
and singing were a delight and how they managed to remember all the music is a
tribute to the dedication, time and effort of the teaching staff at our school.
The Carol Service got underway with soloists Louis and Holly
singing, unaccompanied, the first verse of Once in Royal David's City, and the
first lesson read beautifully from the pulpit by Poppy and Melanie.
The service continued with the
singing of popular carols.
The school choir performed a beautiful carol sung in both
French and English, the first time the choir has sung in a foreign language and
they received well deserved applause from the congregation. Our choir then sang two
carols, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem and a joyful rendering of Malcolm Archer's
A Child is Born in Bethlehem.
Then it was the turn of the school choir who sang two
Christmas songs, the last, Bells Ring Out, was superbly sung with ability and
fun which brought rapturous applause from everyone in the church.
How hard the school choir has
worked to sing with such quality and style and again many congratulations and
thanks to all those teachers who have put in so much time behind the scenes.
The final carol, O Come All Ye Faithful, was a rousing
finale and the evening ended with mulled wine and mince pies!
Thanks to the Rector for leading the Service and to all
those helpers who contributed to a memorable evening.
Stuart
. . . and many thanks to
Stuart for all his effort and dedication to the great music enjoyed in our
church.
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Memorable Harvest celebrations were held at the beginning of October.The Sunday service was attended by 80 of us, including families with children. Well known harvest hymns were sung and a full choir joined by children from the school sang John Rutter's 'Look at the World', earning spontaneous applause at the end. Much rehearsal had gone into this and our thanks go to Stuart Neale for his time and inspiration. The church was beautifully decorated again thanks to Sue Neale and her team. Boxes were provided in the Shop, Church and Manor Hall for contributions to the Food Bank and we were able to take 3 full boxes to the Freedom Centre in Barnstaple. A proposal has been put forward to collect food on a regular basis and your opinions on this would be appreciated.
It was a pleasure to welcome so many to the Harvest Supper
on the Wednesday - twice as many as last year, we shall be better prepared next
time [and perhaps people will buy their tickets a bit earlier] but as always
there was a lovely spread and plenty for all.
Special thanks to everyone who provided the mouth-watering desserts and
to Doreen Prater and Sue Neale who took overall charge. The evening was rounded off with a
sing-a-long led by Stuart and a quiz compiled by Malcolm Sayer. The Bell-ringers were the worthy
winners. Finally our thanks to Rev.
George for conducting the auction of produce, raising over £30. Thanks to everyone's generosity, in
addition, the PCC were able to send a cheque for £160 to the Freedom Centre.
Rev. Chris conducted a sensitive service on 3rd
November. All members of the
congregation went up to the altar to light a candle in memory of loved ones and
there was time for a cup of tea and conversation afterwards.
The Remembrance Sunday Service on 10th November was heralded
in by the muffle peal of bells. The sun
was streaming in through the church windows and along the altar rails were
poems written by the school children.
This year they had addressed their poems to names taken from the War
Memorial, making them more personal and poignant. The service was led by Rev. George and the
wreaths laid by the Parish Council and the Church. Ivan Clark sounded the Last Post and the
Reveille. The service continued in
church with the lesson read by Adam Stanbury, Chairman of the
Parish Council. The song from 'Band of
Brothers' was sung by a full choir. A
collection of £193 was taken up for the Royal British Legion.
Christmas Services will be as follows:
Cards will be distributed round the village inviting everyone to come to services as often as they can.
During January our services will continue in their normal
pattern beginning at 11.00 a.m. and the Epiphany will be celebrated on the
5th. We are looking forward to the
initiative and activities planned for the New Year as we seek to draw more
people into church.
There will be no Friendship Lunch at The Globe in December
and the January date will be made known later.
Mary
Tucker
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Summer Fayre on 20th August went with a swing. Our sincere thanks to everyone who gave items for the various stalls, etc., helped with the preparations and again on the night. We did not seem to have so many visitors this year but £975 was raised during the evening - there will, of course, be some expenses to pay. Our special thanks to Stuart and Sue Neale who again organised everything.
The final total for Gift Day reached £815. Thank you again for all your support.
The Harvest will be celebrated on Sunday, 6th October, with a Family Service at 11.00 a.m. and the church will be decorated on the Friday and Saturday before. Please let Sue Neale [883893] know if you can bring any flowers or produce or would like to make a donation towards the cost. This year again we are going to collect tins of food for the Food Bank, so please bring a gift along to the Sunday service or to the Supper. The Supper will be on Wednesday, 9th October at 7.00 p.m. in the Manor Hall. A buffet will be organised followed by a sing-a-long and there will not be a service in church. Any produce will be sold off during the evening. Everyone is invited to come along and join us - please look out for posters.
The following special dates are rapidly approaching:
We'll meet for Friendship Lunches at The Globe on Wednesdays 23rd October and 27th November, 2.00 noon onwards. As always, everyone is welcome.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Once again the weather was kind to us on Gift Day and our time at the lych-gate flew by with a steady stream of people coming by to hand in their envelopes and have a chat. To date, £770 has been raised and late gifts are still arriving - thank you to everyone for your continued generosity and support.
Our next event will be the Summer Fayre on Tuesday, 20th August, 6.00 p.m. onwards at the Manor Hall. There will be a barbecue and all the usual side-shows and stalls. Please get in touch with Stuart and
Sue Neale [883893] with offers of help and as always, gifts of cakes, bottles [full!], books, good bric-a-brac, china and glass, raffle prizes, etc., will be most welcome. Most importantly, do come along and support us on the day and join in the fun.
'Playing the Field' with Beaford Arts was a big success and our thanks go to Sue Neale and her team for the much admired floral arrangements in the church, and to Stuart and the village choir for the concert in church - all too short for the appreciative audience. June 29th was also St. Peter's Day and the new flag flew proudly. The PCC were able to purchase a new flag of St. George and a Union flag with a donation from Karen at The Globe from money raised at their quiz evenings.
While we are still enjoying the summer, we are also looking ahead to the autumn and Harvest which will be celebrated on Sunday, 6th October in church with the Supper on Wednesday, 9th October - more details next time.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will continue through the summer and will be on Wednesdays 28th August and 25th September, 12.00 noon onwards.
Mary Tucker
In support of the Beaford Arts 'Playing the Field', it was wonderful to welcome so many people to St. Peter's - beautifully decorated with flowers - to listen to a short concert given by Berrynarbor Choir. The Choir, which was reformed in 2008, comprises of singers from Berrynarbor, Parracombe, Combe Martin, Arlington Beccott and Ilfracombe, under my direction as Organist and Choirmaster.
We were delighted to include one of the Choir's particular favourites, a special arrangement of Scarborough Fair by one of our singers, Uda Goode from Parracombe.
On behalf of the Choir I should like to thank the audience for attending and, of course, the Choir themselves for all their hard work during rehearsals and on the day!
The Flower Festival on the theme of 'Sound' was much appreciated and Sue Neale would like to express her thanks to all her helpers, several from nearby villages who gave up their time and effort to provide such beautiful and imaginative floral displays.
In conclusion thanks must also be given to those who donated so generously to both events especially Berrynarbor Parish Council and Berrynarbor in Bloom.
Stuart Neale
P.S. The Choir meet in the church every Monday evening, 7.30 to 8.30 p.m. and would love to welcome anyone who enjoys singing! We should especially like to have more tenors and if you happen to be a bass, don't leave the village - we need you!!
Thanks to Stuart Neale and the Choir for the wonderful concert at St. Peter's on the 29th June. It was an inspired programme: the choice and variety of music demonstrating the Choir's range.
The first item was a real treat 'Stranger in Paradise'. A good tune. Well it would be as it was written originally by the Russian composer Borodin. It took me back to early childhood when the song was a popular hit and my father got me an extended play record of the original instrumental version from 'Prince Igor'.
Next came Mozart's 'Ave Verum Corpus'; ethereal music which is up there with the Bach St. Matthew Passion for elevating the listener to a higher plane. Beautiful and restrained.
This was followed by a sweet rendition of one of the loveliest folk songs - 'Scarborough Fair'.
Stuart gave a touching tribute to the composer John Rutter; a modest and talented man who has produced a large body of contemporary yet accessible music performed widely by amateur choirs. As Stuart remarked, "Why hasn't this man been knighted?"
After the Rutter came that famous song from 'Les Miserables'. I must say it sounded much better with Berrynarbor Choir singing it than the usual versions!
Finally the Choir gave a spirited and theatrical treatment to the 'Ascot Gavotte' from Lerner and Lowe's 'My Fair Lady'.
May we have more concerts like this please? Encore! Encore!
S.H.
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Easter Service led by George Billington came well up to
expectations. A good number of families
with children attended and the choir was well up to strength singing Rutter's
'A Clare Benediction' beautifully. Our
thanks to Stuart Neale for his dedication.
At the end, there were only just enough mini-eggs to go round!
Services will begin as usual at 11.00 a.m. during June and
July and will follow the usual pattern:
I have just heard on the radio that nationally numbers
attending church are down again.
However, our core congregation has increased over the past two
years. For various reasons not everyone
is able to attend every Sunday and we have been fewer of late but hopefully
shall revert to normal soon, and we are already being joined by visitors to the
village.
There will be a special occasion at 6.30 p.m. on Sunday,
23rd June when the Christians Together Service will be held in
Berrynarbor. The collection will be for
Christian Aid and donations from all the churches will be handed in. Do come along, this is always a lively
service and there will be refreshments afterwards.
Gift Day this year will take place on Wednesday, 26th June, [St. Peter's Day is on the
29th]. Letters and envelopes will be
delivered around the village the week before and the Rector and members of the
PCC will be at the lych-gate all day.
Our main fund raising event, the Summer Fayre, will be on
Tuesday, 20th August. Please get in
touch with Stuart and Sue Neale [883893] if you can help on the day and please
look out items and prizes for the various stalls and side-shows.
Friendship Lunches will be on Wednesdays 26th June and 24th
July. Again you will be very welcome to
come and join us.
Mary
Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
At the end of January Karen treated
everyone who comes to the Friendship Lunches at The Globe to a beautiful meal. Our thanks go to her and her staff who
welcome us every moth. We have been
joined recently by more people and
numbers are increasing again. Please
ask if you would like to come along - it is very informal and we order whatever
we should like from the menu and pay as we go.
The next lunches will be on Wednesdays 24th April and 22nd May, 12.00
noon onwards. Contact me on [01271]
883881.
Berrynarbor was well represented at the Women's World Day of
Prayer Service held in Combe Martin Parish Church this year. The service had been written by Christian
women in France and the theme was based on welcoming strangers into our
churches and communities.
As we celebrate this occasion
we are aware that this same service is being re-enacted not only across this
country but all around the world, drawing Christians of all denominations
together.
It has been lovely over the last few weeks to see so many
families and children in church. There
were baptisms on Sundays 24th February and 3rd March and of course 10th March
was Mothering Sunday when we were joined by children from the School with their
parents. The children read out tributes
to their mothers and Rev. Chris and Teresa Crockett enacted a modern version of
the story of the Prodigal Son. During
the last hymn, the children took round posies of spring flowers, first to their
mothers and then to the other ladies present.
Special thanks to Sue Neale for making up the posies and to everyone who
put so much time and effort into preparing the service. Needless to say, our congregation has
trebled over these weeks and the average age fell somewhat - would it could be
the same during April and May.
Having said that, there will be another village baptism on
Sunday, 7th April. Another special
service - Whitsunday [Pentecost] is early this year and falls on the 19th
May. There will be a Family Service at
11.00 a.m. when we hope to be joined by the school children once again.
The annual Meeting of the PCC was held on Tuesday, 12th
March. All members of the PCC were
present but disappointingly no other members of the congregation were able to
attend. The meeting began with the
election of churchwardens. Stuart Neale
has decided to stand down after ten years of service but has agreed to remain
as Deputy. Teresa Crockett was elected
as churchwarden and we wish her well as she takes up her duties in May. Ideally we should have two churchwardens and
once again this matter needs to be addressed.
The PCC then looked back on all that had been achieved over the year and
the Rector reported on the progress being made in the North Devon Coast
Team. Growing links with the school
were particularly well received. The
PCC were re-elected and are: Marion
Carter - Secretary, Mary Tucker - Treasurer, Sue Neale and Doreen Prater with
the Rector in the Chair. David Steed
has decided to stand down from the Council but will remain an active member of
the congregation. Our thanks to David
and Stuart for all their service over the past few years.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Our church, beautifully decorated with Christmas flowers, was filled to capacity for the annual Carol Service. We were delighted to have the children from our School who started the proceedings. Actually, not in church but in the bus shelter decorated in the form of a manger with the children singing jolly carols. They had also decorated the porch with lighted candles and in spite of the rainy weather, this created a lovely welcoming scene.
Chris Steed welcomed everyone and the school choir and the Berrynarbor choir processed to the opening carol, Once in Royal David's City. Following this, and based on the service of 9 lessons and carols, the first lesson was beautifully read by Jak Daglish.
The school sang Go Tell it on the Mountain accompanied by Graham Lucas - one of our tenors - on the accordion. Berrynarbor Choir, which includes excellent singers from Parracombe, sang Harold Darke's delightful arrangement of In the Bleak Midwinter incorporating a solo verse beautifully sung by our longest serving tenor Bobby Bowden.
Our choir also sang a charming carol in both German and English and Uda Goode who was born and lived with her family in Germany, sang a solo verse in immaculate German. The congregation joined in singing many popular carols and the school performed their Calypso Carol with much enthusiasm. The choir sang Rejoice and Be Merry and the service came to a joyful close with the singing of O Come All Ye Faithful.
Mulled wine and mince pies were then served to the enjoyment of all!
Thanks to both choirs and school children for their beautiful singing, and to Sue Carey, Carol Lucas and fellow teachers for their encouragement and enthusiasm.
Stuart
I was away for the service this year but from all I have heard it was a joyous occasion and on everyone's behalf a special thank you to our resident organist, Stuart, for playing not only for the service but for us throughout the year, and a huge thank you to the congregation of parents, residents and visitors who supported this wonderful evening.
Christmas services continued to be well attended and on the 30th December we were pleased to welcome members of Combe Martin church and several visitors. Collections for the Children's Hospice amounted to £290 - up on last year - thank you all for your generosity.
Also thank you to all those who went round the village delivering the church Christmas card. This year we chose photos taken by Marion Carter when she visited the Holy Land in November - a little different and we hope you liked it.
Now a list of dates for 2013:
Please look out for posters nearer the time but all Sunday services will begin at 11.00 a.m. On 'normal' Sundays there will be Holy Communion on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month and a more informal service on the 1st and 3rd Sundays.
Another special date, which many look forward to: the Women's World Day of Prayer Service will be on Friday, 1st March at St. Peter's Parish Church in Combe Martin, 10.00 for 10.30 a.m.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 27th February and 27th March, noon onwards. Once again our thanks to Karen and staff for their welcome and hospitality.
Mary Tucker
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
'Come,
you thankful people come,
Raise
the song of harvest home!'
We were all [nearly 100 of us] gathered once again on the
first Sunday of October to celebrate the Harvest Festival. The church was beautifully decorated with
autumn flowers, the loaf and grapes on the altar. Celia Withers led the service, involving the children
in her address. The choir sang John
Rutter's arrangement of 'For the Beauty of the Earth' and the school children
sang and said prayers whilst laying gifts on the altar.
The church bells summoned us back to church on the Wednesday
for a short evening service followed by the buffet supper. A lovely spread welcomed us to the Manor
Hall with mouth-watering desserts to follow.
There were fewer of us this year and we did not have so much produce to
auction but we shall still be able to send £100 to WaterAid, the charity
helping to get clean water to deprived people in poorer countries.
Two special services in November. On the 1st Sunday the annual Candle Service
was held in the afternoon, led by Rev. Chris.
At the end the choir sang softly as we all went up to light a candle to
be placed on the altar. There was a
chance to talk afterwards and enjoy a cup of tea.
A muffled peal of bells called us to
another well-attended service the following week for Remembrance Sunday. Again the service was led by Rev. Chris and we were joined
by members of the Parish Council. The
two minutes' silence was observed at the War Memorial, the Last Post and
Reveille were sounded by bugler Ivan Clarke and wreaths were laid by Theresa
Crockett on behalf of St. Peter's and Adam Stanbury for the Parish
Council. On returning to church, Adam
read the lesson and the choir sang unaccompanied 'God shall wipe away all
tears' by Karl Jenkins. Before leaving
we were able to read poems written by the school children and arranged on the
Lady Chapel altar rail. Our thanks go
to the bell ringers who turn up without fail and to Sue Neale for the lovely
flower arrangements.
Advent Sunday falls on 2nd December and the first candle
will be lit on the Advent Wreath. Looking
forward to Christmas, services are planned as follows.
During January Services will continue every Sunday beginning
at 11.00 a.m. It is essential that we
keep attendance up, to average over 20, so if you have been thinking about
returning to church or come for the first time, don't hesitate, you will be
very welcome.
There will be no Friendship Lunch at the end of December and
we shall resume in January on Wednesday, 23rd, from noon onwards.
Mary Tucker
2
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
Our congratulations to Stuart and Sue Neale for
master-minding another successful Summer Fayre. In spite of challenging weather and fewer
visitors, £932.50 was raised and once expenses have been deducted we shall have
cleared just under £800.
A big thank you to the team who came to get everything ready
and to everyone who put in so much time and effort to run the stalls and
side-shows - again a wonderful atmosphere.
The Harvest Festival will be held on Sunday 7th October
beginning as usual at 11.00 a.m. and we shall be joined by the Choir and
children from the School. The church
will be decorated at the end of the week before and gifts of flowers, fruit and
vegetables will be most welcome.
Evensong on Wednesday, 10th October will begin at 6.30 p.m. in church
and will be followed by a Buffet Supper in the Manor Hall. Tickets will cost £5.00 for adults, £2.00
for children and will be available at Sunday services and from the Community
Shop. Proceeds from the auction of
produce will go to the charity WaterAid.
Looking
forward to November, the Candle Service in Memory of Loved Ones will be held on
Sunday, 4th November from 3.00 p.m.
This is a simple service of hymns, readings and prayers, open to
all. At the end everyone is invited to
go up to the altar to light a candle.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided afterwards.
Remembrance Sunday actually falls on the 11th
November this year and we shall gather in church at the earlier time of 10.45 a.m. ready to
assemble at the War Memorial at 11.00 a.m.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will
be on Wednesdays 24th October and 28th November, from 12.00 noon onwards.
Mary Tucker
Illustration by: Paul Swailes
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
What a wonderful celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee! The whole village came together for a truly memorable once-in-a-lifetime event. The church had been asked to arrange a Flower Festival and Sue Neale and her team produced vivid displays with a national and royal theme, giving pleasure to everyone.
On Sunday 3rd June, the Manor Hall was being prepared for the Big Lunch and the church bells rang out to summon us to the Thanksgiving Service when our regular congregation was joined by many families from the parish. A great deal of preparation had gone into this service and our thanks go to Celia Withers who led the worship and to our organist
Stuart Neale. The village choir led the singing and delighted us all with a medley of songs from the four parts of the United Kingdom. Michael Bowden and his team rang out the bells again on the Sunday afternoon and on the Tuesday morning, joining others all around the country.
£102.50 was collected around the village for Christian Aid - thank you to everyone who returned an envelope and also to those who came to the Christians Together service on the 24th June. We were pleased to welcome friends from Combe Martin, altogether an enjoyable evening.
The weather was kind to us on Gift Day and for those of us at the lych-gate the time went quickly as people came up to talk to us. So far £874 has been donated and if you still have an envelope, it is not too late to hand it in. Once again, thank you all for your generosity.
By the time you read this, the Summer Fayre will be over as St. Peter's chose the earlier date of 31st July and the film 'Chariots of Fire' will have been shown in the Manor Hall. Please look out for other events planned for the autumn.
The Harvest Festival will be on Sunday, 7th October with the buffet supper on Wednesday, 10th. More details next time.
Friendship Lunches will continue at The Globe and will be on Wednesdays 29th August and 26th September. Do come along and join us - you will enjoy a meal and good company.
Mary Tucker
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter began early with Class 3 from the School coming into
church on 29th March to give their presentation of 'Good News'. A lot of work and rehearsal had gone into
their enthusiastic performance which covered the Easter story as though it were
happening and being reported on the TV News, interspersed with lively songs.
The well-attended Palm Sunday Service was led by Celia
Withers who had us take a fresh look at the old familiar story and, on Good
Friday George Billington presided over the quiet hour of music and reflection
before the cross. Twice as many people
as usual came to this service and the trend was repeated on Easter Day with a
large congregation joining in the happy celebration with the Rector. The singing was led by a full choir who also
sang the 'Agnus Dei' by Karl Jenkins most beautifully.
Once again Sue Neale and her
team must be thanked for the lovely flower arrangements and thank you, too, to
those who made donations towards the cost.
We are looking forward to the celebration of the Queen's
Diamond Jubilee and the Flower Festival in the church. The Thanksgiving Service will be at 11.00
a.m. on Sunday, 3rd June. On Sunday,
24th June, Christians Together will be holding their Evening Service at 6.30
p.m. in Berrynarbor. This is always a
well-attended, joyous occasion so do come and join us. A collection will be taken up for Christian
Aid.
St. Peter's Day falls on the 29th June and Gift Day will be
held on Wednesday, 27th. Once again
letters and envelopes will be delivered around the village and the Rector and
PCC members will be at the lych gate to receive donations, meet everyone and
have a chat.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe, from 12.00 noon, will be on
Wednesdays, 27th June and 25th July.
July is set to be the Wedding Season with three weddings
booked in over the month. Sunday
services will follow their normal pattern.
St. Peter's Annual PCC Meeting was held at the end of March
preceded by the Vestry Meeting for election of Churchwardens.
Stuart Neale agreed to stand
as Churchwarden for another year but there is still a vacancy for the second
post. It is important that this is
filled and efforts will continue over the coming year to find someone able to
take on the role.
The meeting continued with a review of the past year. The appointments and licensing of Rev. Chris
as Team Rector and Rev. Yvonne as Team Vicar were
the outstanding events of 2011 and an encouraging start has been made on
building up the North Devon Coast Team Ministry and getting the parishes
working together - not an easy task when there is such a wide
area to cover and so much travelling is involved. Growing links with the School are
particularly encouraging.
Thanks were extended to all those who give so generously of
their time to maintain all aspects of church life. Especially thanked was
Sylvia Berry who has retired
from the PCC after 18 years' service.
We were pleased to welcome Teresa Crockett back on the Church Council after
a few years' break.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETERS CHURCH
A reminder that Sung Eucharist is now on the 2nd and 4th Sundays in the month, with a Village Service on the 1st and Songs of Praise on the 3rd, all starting at 11.00 a.m. When there is a 5th Sunday in the month, a joint service will be held in one of the churches in the North Devon Coast Team.
On the 29th January a Team Service took place here in Berrynarbor.It was a very uplifting service with over 60 present and was led by Rector Chris with Vicar Yvonne, Revd. George and Reader Chris James all taking part.Afterwards a bring-and-share lunch was enjoyed in the Manor Hall and farewells said to Chris James and his wife June.The next Team Service will be on the 29th April in Lynmouth.
April will start with a special service on Sunday 1st.It will be Palm Sunday and will be celebrated with rousing hymns and the distribution of palm crosses.In the afternoon at 4.00 p.m. there will be a Confirmation Service in Combe Martin church to which everyone is invited to come along and support the candidates from all over the Shirwell Deanery.
Easter Services will be as follows:
- Good Friday, 6th April - 2.00-3.00 p.m. A quiet hour of hymns and meditation
- Easter Day, 8th April - 11.00 a.m. Family Communion during which the Easter Candle will be lit.
The church will be decorated for Easter from late Friday and donations towards the cost of flowers will be most welcome.Please give to Sue Neale [Tel: 883893].
During Lent, tins of food are being collected to be given to the Freedom Centre in Barnstaple. Please hand in by Easter there will be a box at the back of the church on Sundays.Continuing with charity giving, Christian Aid week begins on 13th May and envelopes will be delivered round the village. If you are out at the time, please return your envelope to the Community Shop.Eastertide will end with Ascension Day on Thursday, 17th May and Pentecost [Whit Sunday] will be celebrated with Holy Communion on Sunday, 27th May at 11.00 a.m.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 25th April and 23rd May, 12.00 noon onwards.
Do come and join us.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Christmas
Carol Service
A lovely Carol Service was held at St. Peter's on the
Wednesday before Christmas, the church having been beautifully decorated with
flowers and candles by all the flower ladies.
The choir from our Primary School holding candles led the procession
with Berrynarbor Choir all singing 'Once in Royal David's City'. The lit candles were then placed in prepared
trays and displayed in front of the altar.
Reverend Chris led the service based on the Nine Lessons and
Carols sung in many cathedrals and churches throughout the land.
Led by Headteacher Sue Carey, the School sang a beautiful
piece of Christmas music entitled 'Follow that Star'. The large congregation then sang 'On
Christmas Night all Christians Sing', followed by a lively performance of John
Rutter's 'Shepherds' Pipe Carol' by our Choir.
Berrynarbor Choir is made up of singers from Berrynarbor and
Parracombe and we must convey our hearty thanks to the ladies and gentlemen of
Parracombe for their dedication - they have been attending our choir practice
on Monday evenings for well over a year!
As is tradition, the School sang 'Away in a Manger' with the
congregation joining in with the last verse.
'O Come all Ye Faithful' brought the service to a close with
mulled wine and mince pies served to complete a wonderful and joyous evening.
A very big thank you to all who attended and to all the
helpers who contributed to make the evening a success!
Stuart Neale - Organist and Choirmaster
More than fifty worshippers attended the Christmas Eve Holy
Communion at 9.30 p.m. Officiated by
Reverend George Billington, the service commenced with the blessing and placing
of Baby Jesus in the crib. The
collection was donated to the Children's Hospice South West.
It is always a pleasure to welcome so many visitors and
parishioners to the church and thankfully the weather was much milder than last
year.
The Christmas Day Communion Service at 11.00 a.m. was also
well attended and was taken by Rector Chris.
We are grateful to Phil Bridle for playing the organ in Stuart's absence
as he was playing at Combe Martin church.
Doreen
Prater
Special dates during February
and March:
- 22nd February - Ash Wednesday
- 26th February - First Sunday in Lent
- 18th March - Mothering Sunday, when we shall look forward to a Family Service with children from the School.
All services will begin at 11.00 a.m. and it is hoped that a
regular pattern will be established soon.
In the meantime, 'variety is the spice of life!'
Looking ahead, Easter Day will be on 8th April with Palm
Sunday the week before, on the 1st. We shall continue to meet at The Globe once a month for the
Friendship Lunch - the dates are Wednesdays 29th February and 28th March. Our thanks to Karen and the staff for their
hospitality and kind welcome.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
It was a joy to welcome so many people into church for the
Harvest Festival. The service was led by Rev. Yvonne with
65 adults and 25 children present, including children from the Primary School and
their parents. The choir sang John
Rutter's arrangement of 'All Things Bright and
Beautiful' and the school entertained us with a harvest calypso. The church was beautifully decorated and our
thanks go to the arrangers and those who brought in produce and delicious jam.
After Evensong on the Wednesday, over 30 of us went over to
the Manor Hall to find a tempting buffet waiting. Thank you once again to Doreen Prater who
co-ordinated everything and to the many good cooks and helpers.
The School had held their Harvest Service in the afternoon
and their gifts were brought over ready for the auction. The fresh produce was soon sold by the
ringers and £72 was raised very quickly.
In total, £120 has been sent to WaterAid. A thank you letter has been received saying
our donation will be sent to Ethiopia to help provide safe water to communities
there. It was decided to donate the
large quantity of canned goods to the Freedom Centre in Barnstaple. This haven provides hot meals for the
homeless and needy.
Two further special services have taken place. Firstly the Candle Service on Sunday
afternoon 30th October to remember loved ones.
This moving service was led by Rev. Chris Steed and everyone present
went up to light a candle which was placed on the altar. Then Remembrance
Sunday was commemorated on
the 13th November, the bell ringers ringing a muffled peal. This well-attended service was led by the
Rev. George Billington and we were joined by members of the Parish Council. Wreaths were laid at the War Memorial by the
Chairman and Marion Carter on behalf of St. Peter's. The names of the Fallen were read out and
the Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Ivan Clarke. Afterwards we returned to our pews for the
church service during which the village choir sang the emotive 'Bring Him
Home', The lesson was read by
Councillor Lorna Bowden. The collection
of £177 will go to the Royal British Legion.
A special mention, on
the Friday before the school held their own service in church, placing poems
they had written by the main altar.
These were read by many members of the congregation on the Sunday.
Christmas Services will be:
- Wednesday, 21st December 6.30 p.m. Carol Service with Choir and School
- Christmas Eve 9.30 p.m. First Communion of Christmas
- Christmas Day 11.00 a.m. Family Communion
Collections from the Carol Service and on Christmas Eve will
be donated to the Children's Hospice South West. The church will be decorated in time for the
carol service and any donations towards the cost of flowers should be given to
Sue Neale [Tel: 883893].
In the new year the time of services will remain at 11.00
a.m. but the pattern may be changed with Communion on the 2nd and 4th Sundays
in the month, a Family Service on the 1st Sunday and a Village Service or Songs
of Praise on the 3rd Sunday. On Sunday
29th January, the Group Service for North Devon Coast Team will be held in
Berrynarbor. Do come along and fill the
church!
There will be no Friendship Lunch at The Globe in December
and the date for January has yet to be decided.
Mary Tucker
Confirmation
Pastoral Care Team
Chris Steed [883203]
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Fund-raising over the summer has gone well. The final total for Gift Day came to £1,032
and the Summer Fayre made a profit of £1,142 with all expenses paid. Our thanks go to all those who helped in so
many different ways to make the evening such a success. A special thank you is due to those who so
willingly turn up every year offering to do whatever is necessary, plus the
clearing up was done in record time. As
always there was a wonderful atmosphere which is particularly appreciated by
visitors and holiday-makers.
Congratulations to Stuart and Sue Neale for the superb
Concert and Flower Festival staged over the August Bank Holiday week-end. One comment made: "It is so nice to see the church full and being
used in this way." A full report by
Stuart and Sue follows.
A reminder that the Harvest Festival will be celebrated on
Sunday, 2nd October with a Family Service at 11.00 a.m. The church will be decorated on the Friday
and Saturday before and gifts of fruit, vegetables and flowers would be
appreciated. The Harvest Buffet Supper
will be in the Manor Hall on Wednesday, 5th October at 7.15 p.m. and will be
preceded by Evensong in the church at 6.30 p.m. Tickets at £5 will be on sale the week
before, available from the Community Shop or in church on Sundays. The auction of produce will follow the
Supper with proceeds to WaterAid.
Back to Church Sunday will have taken place on 25th
September. We hope that some of you
were encouraged to come along and will come again. Following the Harvest, there will be
Communion Services on Sundays 9th and 16th October and a Songs of Praise on the
23rd. On Sunday 30th October there will
be a Team Service in Parracombe Church at 10.00 a.m. with no morning service at
Berrynarbor but at 3.00 p.m. in the afternoon there will be a Candle Service
when we are all invited to come along to remember loved ones. The service is quite short, with hymns,
prayers and a reading and at the end everyone is invited to the altar to light
a candle. Tea, coffee and biscuits will
be served afterwards.
Remembrance Sunday falls on the 13th November this year and
we shall gather in church at the earlier time of 10.45 a.m. ready to lay the
wreaths at the War Memorial at 11.00 a.m.
On the 27th November Advent begins and we shall start
looking forward to Christmas by lighting the first candle on the Advent Wreath.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will continue on Wednesdays
26th October and 23rd November, 12.00 noon onwards - everyone is welcome.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Our sincere thanks to everyone who handed in Gift Day
envelopes, whether at the lych gate or later on in church or to the Community
Shop. To date a generous £902 has been
raised for church funds. We enjoyed a
sunny day and it was good to have the chance to meet and talk to everyone.
On Sunday 26th June we shared an evening service with our
friends from Combe Martin. Methodist
lay reader, Martin Reardon, led the service and members of the Roman Catholic
and Baptist churches read from the Bible and led the prayers. Collections for Christian Aid were handed in
- the total has yet to be announced but the envelope collection in Berrynarbor
raised £69 plus £29.50 at the service.
By the time you read this, Christians Together will have met
here on Sunday, 31st July for a Songs of Praise evening.
Arrangements for the Summer Fayre on Tuesday 16th August at
6.30 p.m. in the Manor Hall are now in hand.
Items for the various stalls - cakes, books, toys, plants, good
bric-a-brac, china and glass - will be most welcome and again there will be a
gift stall for jewellery, cosmetics, etc.
There is a special request from Tony Summers for items for the bottle
stall, and prizes are of course needed for the raffle. Please give me a ring on [01271] 883881 if
you would like to help on the night or if anything is to be collected.
We are all looking forward to the Concert and Flower
Festival to be held in church on Saturday, 27th August - please see Stuart's
separate article.
Looking ahead, the Harvest Festival will be celebrated on
Sunday, 2nd October at 11.00 a.m. with the Evensong and Supper on Wednesday,
5th October. More information next
time.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 31st
August and 28th September from 12.00 noon onwards. All welcome!
Mary Tucker
3
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
The church filled up rapidly with
parents and children for the service on Mothering Sunday. The hour flew by with the children reading
the lessons and prayers and singing a lively 'Count your Blessings'. Rev. Chris invited everyone up to the altar
for communion or a blessing. Thanks to
Sue Neale for the lovely bunches of flowers taken round at the end.
The Thursday before the school holiday
began, Class 3 were back in church to perform The Sonflower [not a misspelling]
for their parents, an allegory about the life and resurrection of Jesus. It was hard to tell who enjoyed the
afternoon most - the children or the audience!
A wonderful service was held on Easter
Day led by the Rev. George Billington.
The flowers and lit candles made the church so welcoming and the singing
was led by the choir who also sang the anthem 'Come Ye Faithful'. A truly joyous occasion.
Special dates in June will be Ascension
Day on Thursday 2nd followed by Pentecost [Whit Sunday] on the 12th. St. Peter's Day is on the 29th
June and we shall be at the lych-gate from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. for Gift
Day. Letters and envelopes will be
delivered round the village the week before and we hope you will come along for
a chat and an opportunity to meet the Rector if you have not already done so.
On Sunday 26th June there
will be an Evening Service in Berrynarbor Church at 6.30 p.m. with Christians
Together and we shall be joined by members of all the churches from Combe
Martin. This is always a happy
occasion. The collection will be for
Christian Aid and all the money collected during Christian Aid Week will be
presented. If you still have your
envelope and would like to make a donation, please hand it in at church or in
the village shop.
St. Peter's Summer Fayre will be on Tuesday,
16th August this year.
Please let us know if you would like to help in any way and items for
the various stalls and for prizes will be most welcome as always.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be
on Wednesdays 29th June and 27th July. Do come and join us, you will be very
welcome.
Licensing of Rev. Yvonne Yates
It has been a long time since a
licensing/induction has taken place in Berrynarbor - the last would have been
the induction of Rev. Lewis in 1970. I
wonder how many people remember it. After a great deal of preparation, the
licensing of Rev. Yvonne Yates went off well, with the church almost full and
so many dignitaries and clergy present as the rituals unfolded, including the
ringing of the bells.
The Bishop of Exeter led the service
and gave the address. Once again the
joint choir excelled and sang 'The Lord is My Shepherd' to the tune of the
'Vicar of Dibley'.
After the service we all went over to
the Manor Hall to enjoy a delicious buffet provided by the ladies of the North
Devon Team [10 churches between Countisbury and Berrynarbor]. Our sincere thanks to everyone.
Rev. Yvonne will be living in Lynton
and working across the team, supporting Rev. Chris in his ministry. We wish her well as we look forward to the
future.
Mary
Tucker
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The
service for the Women's World Day of Prayer held in Berrynarbor on Friday, 4th
March, went smoothly and according to plan thanks to the Leader, Doreen Prater,
and all those who took part from the various churches, not forgetting our
Organist, Stuart Neale. There were 36
of us gathered together and our speaker was well received. The collection for WWDP charities amounted
to £111.
Mothering
Sunday is on the 3rd April at
Palm
Sunday will be celebrated on the 17th April, again at
- Good
Friday,
- Easter
Day,
Please look out for posters nearer the
time. The church will be decorated on
the Friday evening, 22nd April, and on Saturday. Gifts of flowers [which should be white] and
donations towards the cost of lilies may be given to Sue Neale, telephone
883893.
As
we go to press, we have heard that the Licensing of the new vicar, Yvonne
Yates, who has been appointed to live in Lynton and to be part of the North
Devon Coast Team, will take place in
Christian
Aid Week begins on the 15th May this year and there will be an envelope
collection around the village.
There
will be a Friendship Lunch at The Globe on Wednesday, 25th May; the date for April has yet to be discussed -
it should be the 27th but this would be immediately before the Royal Wedding
and may not suit everyone.
The
Annual Meeting of the Church was held on the 14th March. Attendance was low, with only 9 people
present, most of whom were
The
- Stuart Neale -
Churchwarden
- Sylvia Berry and
David Steed - Deputy Wardens
- Marion Carter -
- Mary Tucker -
- Sue Neale and Doreen Prater
We
are all available when needed - please do not hesitate to get in touch. Our new Rector can be contacted on the old
number - 883203
Mary Tucker
LICENSING SERVICE FOR CHRIS STEED
This
was a special day in this year's calendar, to celebrate the licensing of our
new Rector Chris Steed, held at
About
300 people attended the evening service presided over by Bishop Michael of
It
was very pleasing to see several school children from the parishes, and we were
delighted that
The
service and music were largely the choosing of our new Rector and as
Choirmaster it was a privilege to lead singers from Berrynarbor, Combe Martin
and Parracombe, together with other friends throughout the service. The Choir, some 22 members strong, led the
service and as a special request from Chris, performed Elgar's beautiful anthem
'Ave Verum Corpus'. A special thank you
must go to Pat Taylor who played the organ for the rehearsal and the licensing
service.
Chris
Steed showed all his warmth and jovial personality throughout the proceedings,
and the hour long service was followed by a wonderful buffet - and grateful
thanks must go to the ladies of all parishes for providing sandwiches, cakes
and other refreshments.
We,
the parishioners of Berrynarbor, welcomed Christ Steed to his first service at
St. Peter's Church on Sunday, 20th February, and together with
Stuart Neale
Churchwarden, Organist and Choirmaster
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Christmas
celebrations began with the Carol Service on 23rd December. The church had already been decorated and
was bright and welcoming with the tree and crib lit up and festive flower
arrangements on every shelf and sill.
The pews were full and as well as the well-loved carols and readings,
the service included the school choir singing 'I Saw Three Ships' and the
village choir singing 'The Angel Gabriel' and a Christmas lullaby.
Services
on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were as well attended as usual, in spite of
the icy weather, and Readers and Clergy must be thanked for making difficult
journeys to reach us and also the bell-ringers who missed no services,
including the one held on Boxing Day.
This dedication was all made worthwhile by the numbers present in
church. Collections taken up for the
Children's Hospice came to £250.
The
new Rector, the Revd. Christopher Steed, will be moving into Combe Martin
Rectory soon and as he will be Rector of the whole North Devon Coast Team, the
licensing is due to take place in
Easter
is not until the end of April this year and Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 9th
March. Mothering Sunday will be on 3rd
April when there will be a Family Service - more details next time.
'How
many Loaves have you?' This year the
service for the Women's World Day of Prayer will be held here at St. Peter's on
Friday, 4th March, the time to be confirmed but it is usually early
afternoon. We shall be joined by
members of all the churches in Combe Martin making up Christians Together.
The
service this year has been written by the women of
Stretching
from
violence in
Although
organised and led by women, this is essentially a day of prayer for everybody
as solidarity with those in other countries is demonstrated, and all are welcome
to attend.
Our
thanks to Karen and the staff at The Globe for continuing to host the
Friendship Lunch once a month. Numbers
have dwindled over the past year, so do come and join us for a meal and
company. We usually meet on the last
Wednesday of the month - turn up for 12.00-12.15 and order whatever we want
from the menu, everyone paying for themselves.
It is all quite informal. The
next lunches will be on Wednesdays, 23rd February and 30th March. Please ring me [883881] if you would like to
come so we can give The Globe a rough idea of numbers.
Mary Tucker
2
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Many thanks to everyone who helped to make the Harvest Thanksgiving so successful. The Family Service on 3rd October was well attended and was conducted by Reader David Rushworth, who gave a talk on fruit and seeds. Members of the Choir led the singing and children from the School sang a Harvest Calypso. The Lesson was beautifully read by Kate Crockett. The church was further brought alive by the flower arrangements in vibrant, autumn colours - a warm welcome to everyone and a credit to all.
The Supper on the Wednesday was enjoyed by everyone. Thanks to Doreen Prater and all who helped prepare the food and get the hall ready - what a tempting spread. Once again we are indebted to Michael Bowden and his team. It is lovely to hear the bells ringing out over the village and as always the produce was expertly auctioned off making £53.50. A total of £105 was raised over the evening for WaterAid . On this occasion Reader Chris James was with us and we are most grateful for all he is doing to keep things afloat during the interregnum.
The special Candle Service held on 31st October and led by Rev. Chris Tull was a dignified occasion bringing comfort to many. During the service, candles were lit in memory of loved ones and it was fitting that we were joined by family and friends of Win Collins, whose ashes were interred in the churchyard afterwards.
The service on Remembrance Sunday conducted by Reader Chris James was very well-attended, with over 70 present. Everyone gathered at the War Memorial for 11 o'clock and wreaths were laid on behalf of the Church and the Parish Council. The Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Ivan Clarke. We then returned to the church for the rest of the service. The Lesson was read by Lorna Bowden and the Choir sang the theme tune from 'Band of Brothers'. The collection, taken up for the Royal British Legion, amounted to £130.
Christmas Services will be as follows, but please look out for posters in case there are any changes nearer the time:
- Wednesday, 22nd December, 6.30 p.m. Carol Service with the Choir and School children
- Christmas Eve, 9.30 p.m. Blessing of the Crib and First Communion of Christmas
- Christmas Day & Sunday, 26th December [St. Stephen's Day], 11.00 a.m. Family Communion Services with Carols
We look forward to welcoming everyone over the Christmas Season and wish you peace and joy and every blessing for the New Year.
Apart from those of us suffering seasonal colds and minor ailments, there are those in the village with more serious health problems. Please know that you are continuously in our thoughts and prayers and we are here to help when needed.
There will be no Friendship Lunch at The Globe in December, and the date for January has yet to be verified.
Mary Tucker
Are there any flower arrangers in the village? We are in need of some help on the Church Flower Rota. Several of our regular helpers have moved away and some are physically unable to manage! If anyone is interested in helping out 3 or 4 times a year [or even less] in making the Church look beautiful for festivals - Christmas, Easter, Harvest, etc., then please give me a call. Your help would be very much appreciated.
Sue Neale [883893]
P.S. Stuart says are there any more singers who would be interested in joining the Berrynarbor Choir? The more the merrier!
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Church services from July have gone well. All the stops were pulled out for the
Archdeacon's visit on the 18th. The
choir came in to lead the singing and the good congregation was further
augmented by family and friends of Betty Dudley-Ward, whose ashes were interred
in the churchyard after the service.
Since the beginning of August we have been very fortunate in
having the 'retired' Revd. Chris Tull coming over from Challacombe to celebrate
the Eucharist and other services have been led by our Readers and Churchwarden,
Doreen Prater, all well supported by our regular congregation.
At the end of August we received the devastating news that
Mike Taylor had died suddenly in Combe Martin.
As Reader, he had been working very hard holding the fort and will be
greatly missed. Our thoughts and
prayers are with his wife Janet and family.
To fill the gap David Rushworth, a Reader from Pilton, is
coming over to help as are Celia Withers from the
The Harvest Festival will be celebrated on Sunday, 3rd
October, with a Family Service at
Looking forward to other special services: All Saints Day will be commemorated at the
Sunday
Fund Raising: The
final total for Gift Day came to £650.
Thank you to everyone. The
Summer Fayre on the 3rd August was a great success thanks to all the help
received in preparation and setting up on the day. The way everyone rallies round is much
appreciated and our sincere thanks go to all those who regularly give raffle
prizes and items for the various stalls, not forgetting those unable to attend
on the day who make donations to the church.
Special thanks are due to Ivan, June and family who having organised the
barbecue without any charge for many years, are finding pressures at work which
means they cannot commit themselves to continue in the future. With expenses paid, a splendid £1,165 has
been raised for church funds.
Again thank you to everyone who gave towards the village
collection for the Shelterbox Flood Appeal for
Friendship Lunches will take place at The Globe on
Wednesdays, 27th October and 24th November.
Everyone is welcome to come and join us, please ring Mary Tucker on
883881 in the first instance.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The month of June ended on a sad note as we said farewell to
Rector Keith expressing our appreciation of his 18 years' ministry with
us at the presentation party in the Manor Hall and his last service in Combe
Martin, when the church was full. We
wish Keith and Christine every happiness in their retirement.
The churchwardens and
Over the past few months there have been many charity and
fund raising events in the village and as always, people have given very
generously. The Christian Aid
collection in Berrynarbor raised £93, with an additional £45 from the
collection at the Christians Together service on 27th June. In the event, this well-attended service was
led by Reader Mike Taylor and the preacher was Philip Young from the Baptist
church. The total collection for Combe
Martin and Berrynarbor came to £519.45.
Members of the
And don't forget to come along to the Summer Fayre on
Tuesday, 3rd August,
Looking ahead we anticipate celebrating the Harvest Festival
on Sunday, 3rd October, with the Supper on Wednesday, 6th October. Friendship Lunches at The Globe will continue during the
summer and will be held on Wednesdays 25th August and 22nd September.
Happy 21st Birthday to the Newsletter - see you on the 7th
August.
Mary Tucker
Keith's Farewell
Combe Martin and Berrynarbor came together at the Manor Hall
on Saturday, 19th June, to say farewell to our Rector Keith, and wish him well
for his retirement.
The Hall was full and the tables literally 'groaned' under
the weight of the delicious food, kindly provided by the ladies of both
parishes. After enjoying the savouries
and sweets, Stuart Neale spoke on behalf of everyone, thanking Keith for
everything he had done for us all over the past eighteen years and
wishing him and his wife, Christine, health and happiness in their new life
ahead.
Stuart unveiled Keith's present - a beautiful engraved silver
chalice and communion plate and a cheque for £1,725, and flowers were given to
Christine thanking her for her support. Keith responded in his own humorous inimitable way, bringing,
as always, a smile to faces - he will be sadly missed.
Keith's last service at St.
Peter's - at least for twelve months - was taken on the following day, Fathers'
Day.
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Following the superb service on Mothering Sunday, the church
was full again on Palm Sunday when the service was led by Rector Keith and the
school choir came in to join the village choir. Everyone was invited to join the procession
around the church after paper palm leaves had been scattered along the aisles
by the children and the palm crosses had been handed round. The popular Palm Sunday hymns were sung and
also a lively rendition of 'Jubilate'.
Special thanks to Mrs. Newell and school staff for their work with the
children.
Easter Day was celebrated by about 60 adults and children, the
sun streaming through the windows at last, and the church once again bright
with flowers, thanks to Sue and her helpers, as everyone rejoiced in the
glorious Easter message.
There will be some changes to services at the end of June as
we say our farewells to Rector Keith on his retirement. He will celebrate his last Eucharist in
Berrynarbor at the
That evening, Christians Together will be holding their
Over the summer, services will continue as usual beginning at
St. Peter's continues to need funds and the
The observant will have noticed a cross
that has been erected in the churchyard by the tower. This cross has been given in memory of the
late Daisy Carter by her family and may be used by anyone in the parish. There are many living in the village who
have come from away and are not always able to visit family graves; others have interred or scattered ashes
elsewhere. A wish has been expressed
for a focal point where flowers could be laid on anniversaries and festivals. There is now a special spot thanks to Marion
and her family.
Christian Aid envelopes have been delivered around the
village. If you still have one which you
would like to return, please hand it in to the Community Shop or at
church. Donations from all the churches
will be presented at the Christians Together service on the 27th June. Friendship Lunches will be held at The Globe
on Wednesdays 23rd June and 28th July. All welcome.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A wonderful service on Mothering Sunday which did the School
proud. About thirty children filed into
church in an orderly fashion and settled down quickly. Parents and brothers and sisters were
already in the pews along with the church choir and our regular congregation.
The Lesson from St. Luke was read very clearly by Oliver
Ivan, the school sang a Mother's Day song unaccompanied and one child from each
year group read a poem, producing spontaneous applause - and some tears. Each child had a personally made card for
their mother and bouquets with cards were distributed around the whole
congregation on behalf of St. Peter's.
The service ended with Macy Ivan singing 'Somewhere over the Rainbow',
accompanied on the guitar.
Special thanks to Mike Taylor who led the service, Mrs.
Newell and School Staff for their work with the children and Sue Wright who
made up some 50 bunches of flowers for us all.
Easter Services will be as follows:
- Good Friday, 2nd April, 2.00 to 3.00 p.m. A quiet Hour of Devotion. There will be hymns, readings and prayers and moments of silence - a time to take a break and reflect on the true meaning of Easter.
- Easter Sunday, 4th April, 11.00 a.m. A Family Communion Service with the Choir - always a joyful occasion.
The church will be decorated from late afternoon on Friday. Please let Sue Wright know if you would like to make a contribution towards the cost of Easter lilies.
April 23rd is
There will be two special dates in May. Ascension Day is on the 13th and Pentecost
[Whitsunday] will be celebrated on the 23rd with Holy Communion. This is the week-end before the Bank
Holiday.
Friendship Lunches will be on Wednesdays 28th April and 26th
May,
A receipt has arrived from Shelterbox thanking us for the
£400 sent in response to the
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Looking out today on a darkening, snowy, late afternoon, how
bright and colourful the church was in comparison over Christmas. The lit crib, the Christmas tree and the red
and gold of the flower arrangements could not have been more welcoming. The church was full for the Carol Service
[see Stuart's article] and it was all over too soon - we would have been happy
to sit listening to the choirs all evening.
The services over Christmas itself were well attended and as always we
were joined by visitors to the village.
Collections this year were taken up for the Children's Hospice South
West.
Not so long ago, Candlemas Day [February 2nd] was an
important church festival. It
commemorated the Purification of the Virgin Mary and people gathered for the
blessing of the candles and tapers to be used during the year. Lit candles were then taken in procession
around the church to ward off evil spirits.
With the days lengthening, Candlemas was regarded as the turning point
of winter and there was a saying:
If Candlemas Day be fair and
bright,
Winter will have another
flight;
But if Candlemas Day be clouds
and rain,
Winter is gone and will not
come again.
Lent will begin with Ash Wednesday on the 17th February and
Mothering Sunday will be on the 14th March and Palm Sunday will be celebrated
on the 28th March. On both these
occasions we look forward to being joined by the children and the children from
the Primary School, who will be taking part in the services. Easter falls over the first week-end in
April.
All Services begin at
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be held on Wednesdays 24th February and 24th
March, from
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The bright reds, oranges and yellows of the flowers brought
the church alive for the celebration of Harvest Festival on Sunday, 4th
October. Thank you once again to our
talented team of arrangers. The porch
looked particularly welcoming
and pumpkins were brought in from the
Tongues of Fire event. The Sunday
service was a truly family occasion with children from the School singing and
also the village choir. Harvest
Evensong and Supper were not so well attended this year - about 30 in all
coming so soon after the Saturday event.
But those of us who were there enjoyed a delicious meal, once again
prepared by the ladies of the church.
The food looked most inviting and by the end very little was left! Michael Bowden and Bill Huxtable made short
work of the auction of produce raising just over £50, and together with the
church collection and donations, we'll again be able to send £100 to Water Aid.
Candles were lit and placed on the altar on Sunday afternoon,
25th October, for All Saints Day - a moving service for those who came to
remember family and friends. There was
time afterwards to talk and share tea and biscuits.
The Remembrance Service on the 8th November was very well
attended. Wreaths were laid by the
Parish Council and the Church and the Last Post and Reveille were sounded by
Ivan Clarke. Our thanks also to Chris
James who officiated and to the choir who sang 'From a Distance' by Julie Gold
- beautiful!
During December the pattern of services will be altered slightly due to availability of clergy. We shall have Eucharist on the first Sunday, 6th December, and Songs of Praise on Sunday, 13th December.
Christmas Services will, this year, be concentrated:
- Wednesday, 23rd December, 6.30 p.m. Carol Service
- Christmas Eve, 9.30 p.m. Blessing of the Crib and first Communion for Christmas
- Christmas Day, 11.00 a.m. Family Communion with Carols
- Sunday, 27th December, 11.00 a.m. Family Service with Carols
The church will be decorated in time for the Carol Service and as always, donations towards the cost of flowers will be most welcome. Collections at the Carol Service and on Christmas Eve will be taken up for the Children's Hospice.
A Coffee Morning was held on Saturday, 24th October, arranged
after the magazines had gone to press.
Nevertheless, £134.30 was raised for church funds thanks to all who
contributed and supported us on the day.
The
There will not be a Friendship Lunch in December and details
of the January one will be announced later.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Everything
went well for the Summer Fayre which took place on 18th August and turned out
to be the most successful for some time, if not ever. The day was fine and we were able to make
full use of the Manor Hall Car Park. As
always, there was a lovely, friendly atmosphere and our thanks go to everyone
who took part, gave so generously and helped in so many different ways. With all expenses paid, a total of £1,186
was raised. Remaining items from the
bric-a-brac stall were given to the Hospice Shop and books were delivered to
the
HARVEST
THANKSGIVING will take place the first week-end in October, with a service in
church at
Looking
forward to November, All Saints falls on Sunday, 1st November. There will be a service as usual at
REMEMBRANCE
SUNDAY is on the 8th November, and this year the service will probably start
earlier at
Finally,
Advent Sunday will be on 29th November when the first candle will be lit on the
Advent Ring and we shall start to think of Christmas! Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on
Wednesdays 28th October and
25th November. Anyone is welcome
to come and join us - please contact me on 883881 if you would like to give it
a try.
Illustration by:Paul Swailes
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The
rain cleared for the Pig Roast held on Saturday, 27th June, at South Lee Farm -
a great village evening thanks to the
generosity of the Gubb and Clarke families, and so many others, not forgetting Gary and his fellow musicians. Once again the response was over-whelming
and over £800 has been added to the Bell Fund.
Friday,
3rd July, saw us back in church for the Concert given by Ilfracombe Male Voice
Choir. Their varied programme was most
entertaining and the choir's own enthusiasm added to the atmosphere. Donations at the end amounted to £111.
Before
these last events, a special Thanksgiving Service was held on Sunday, 21st
June, for the restoration of the Tenor Bell.
Drinks and nibbles followed kindly provided by Jean Ede - thank you
Jean.
Over
the past two months, other charities have not been forgotten. Collections for Christian Aid made through
the churches in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor amounted to £811 this year - quite
an increase on 2008 - and £41 has been forwarded to the African Mercy Ships
from donations at the Pentecost Songs of Praise.
St.
Peter's Summer Fayre will be held in the Manor Hall on Tuesday, 18th August,
starting at
Friendship
Lunches will continue through the summer and we shall meet at The Globe on
Wednesdays 26th August and 23rd September from mid-day. Everyone welcome.
Looking
forward, the Harvest Festival will be celebrated the first week-end in
October. More details next time.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A big
thank you to Sue Wright for making up the colourful posies which were presented
by the Rector to all the ladies on Mothering Sunday, ably assisted by Katie
Crockett. Although we had a good
congregation, there were very few families with children on this
occasion. However, the church was full
on Easter Day and it was a joy to welcome children from the school who came
along and sang 'I'd Like to Teach the World to
Sing'. The choir led the hymn singing
and also sang the anthem 'Come, ye Faithful' - a very beautiful and moving
arrangement. Once again, the church was
beautifully decorated thanks to Sue and her helpers, and Rector Keith had more
than enough Easter eggs for all!
Christian
Aid envelopes were delivered round the village in mid-May. If you still have an envelope which has not
been collected, please hand it in at the Community Shop or at church on any
Sunday before the end of June. The
final collection is usually made at the Christians Together service which will
again take place in Berrynarbor on the last Sunday in June: 28th June at
Everyone
was enthralled by David Chaffe and his barn own
Phantom, who entertained us on the evening of 8th May. Has the Manor Hall ever been so silent? Our thanks to Malcolm and
Pat Sayer for arranging this evening and the ringers
and helpers who provided the refreshments and raffle prizes.
The date
has been fixed for the visit to St. Peter's of the Ilfracombe Male Voice Choir
- it will be on Friday, 3rd July at
Friendship
Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 24th June and 29th July. We meet between 12.00 and
Advance
Notice: St. Peter's Summer Fayre will
be on Tuesday,
18th August this year. As
always, gifts for the various stalls will be very welcome, as will anyone who
would like to give a hand.
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Special
Services during April and May will be as follows:
- 5th
April Palm Sunday,
- 10th April
Good Friday,
- 12th April
Easter Day,
The
church will be decorated late Friday afternoon and on Saturday. Please let Sue know
if you would like to give flowers or make a donation towards the cost. Her 'phone number is 883893.
Thursday,
21st May is Ascension Day followed by Whitsunday [or Pentecost] on 31st May,
which is the Sunday after the May Bank Holiday week-end. The service will be at
Christian
Aid Week will be 10th to 16th May, and once again envelopes will be distributed
and collected around the main village.
Friendship
Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 29th April and 27th May. On behalf of everyone, I should like to take
this opportunity to thank the staff at The Globe for the delicious Christmas
Lunch prepared for us - we finally managed to arrange it at the end of
February!
Restoration
of the Tenor
The
tenor bell was reinstalled on Monday, 9th March and the other bells were
checked at the same time. Those
venturing outside on the evening of Thursday, 12th, were overjoyed to hear a
practice peal ringing out over the village.
There was quite a gathering in church that night with our own ringers
joined by others from Combe Martin and a photographer from the Journal.
The
response to the appeal for the restoration of the bell has been
overwhelming. Thanks to all your very
generous donations and support of the special events held, there will be enough
money in the bank to cover the invoice when it arrives. The Curry and Quiz Night was a runaway
success and we cannot thank Jean and Peter enough for their magnificent
effort. The Folk Evenings arranged by
Tony Summers were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and together raised £656. Our thanks to Tony and Pip
and everyone who gave so freely of their time and talents. Over the past few weeks there has been a
prize hamper in the Community Shop provided by Bill Huxtable. The draw, which took place on Saturday, 14th
March, was won by Gilly Loosemore
and raised a further £122 . The total sum raised was increased by an
incredible amount following the Coffee Morning on the 21st March,
organised by Elaine Filer. And there
are still a few more planned events in the pipeline, dates yet to be confirmed.
All
the money raised has been placed in a Bell Fund and any sum remaining will be
kept there for future maintenance of the bells. Since leaflets 'Help Us to Save Our Bell' were distributed all round the village, there will be no
Gift Day in June this year.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Once
again the church was transformed for the Christmas services by the flower
arrangers, with every windowsill and shelf decorated and stands by the altars
and pulpit. Thank you all. The crib took its place at the font and the
tree, decorated and lit up, looked lovely.
The Carol Service on 17th December, fulfilled
its promise. The church was almost
full, the choir excelled itself and the added presence
of the school children gave much pleasure.
The choir sang John Rutter's 'Nativity Choir'
with its truly beautiful lilting melody and then, with the school, a special
arrangement of 'Away in a Manger'. There
were a few empty seats on Christmas Eve when the '
Lent
will begin with Ash Wednesday on 25th February and special courses will be
taking place in Combe Martin.
Mothering
Sunday falls on 22nd March this year and the Family Service will begin at
Friendship
Lunches will continue at The Globe, the next two being on Wednesdays 25th February
and 25th March. This will be our tenth
year! We do appreciate all that the
Ozelton family does for us - we are always assured of a warm welcome.
Mary T.
It
is sad to report the current demise of the largest bell in the
Investigation
has revealed that a considerable sum of money, between £3,000 and £4,000 is
required to repair it. Unfortunately, the tower fund doesn't
have sufficient monies to pay for it and events are being held to raise funds.
Peter
and Jean and the PCC are holding an event on Friday, 6th February, and Tony
Summers is organising an event at The Globe on Saturday, 7th March. It is hoped that as many people as possible
will support these events and enjoy great nights out.
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
There
were over 60 of us in church to celebrate the Harvest Festival on Sunday, 5th
October. We were especially pleased to
welcome children from the school with their families and the singing of 'Look
at the World' by them and the church choir was enjoyed by all. Once again the church was beautifully
decorated thanks to the efforts of the flower arrangers, but not a lot of
produce was given this year although more was brought in ready for the
Wednesday evening auction. There was a
happy atmosphere at the Evensong and we all walked over to the Hall afterwards
to the sound of the bells ringing out over the village. The appetising supper prepared by Doreen
Prater and helpers was much appreciated by us all. The auction, conducted by the bell-ringers
raised £51.40 and, when added to the collection taken in church, the PCC will
again be able to send £100 to Water Aid.
The
moving Candle Service held on Sunday, 2nd November, was well attended and once
again the altar was aglow with all the candles lit in memory of loved ones. The choir led the singing of hymns chosen by
members of the congregation and they also sang 'Lead Me Lord'.
Members
of the Parish Council joined us for the Remembrance Service on Sunday, 9th
November. The congregation numbered
almost 70 and it was good to see families with children present. In spite of the heavy rain and wind, Rector
Keith led us to the War Memorial to observe the two minutes' silence at
Christmas Services will be as follows:
- Wednesday, 17th December 6.30 p.m. Carol Service
- Christmas Eve - 9.30 p.m. Blessing of the Crib and 'Midnight' Service
- Christmas Day - 11.00 a.m.
Family Communion with Carols As always, a warm welcome is extended to everyone to come and join in the celebrations. The church will be decorated just before the Christmas Eve service and donations towards the cost of flowers will be gratefully received.
There
will be no Friendship Lunch in December but we shall all be meeting again at
The Globe in the New Year on Wednesday 28thJanuary.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
So, once
again we had the rain to contend with at our Summer Fayre held on the 5th
August. Everyone opted to bring their
staff inside, apart from Ivan, who with his family and friends nevertheless had
a successful evening running the barbecue. We did miss the skittles, but it was just not
practical to bring the board down in the wet.
The hall was very busy thanks to everyone who braved the weather to come
out and support us. So many also gave
prizes and goods for the various stalls, not to mention their time. Including several generous donations and
with all expenses paid, £760 has been raised for much needed church funds.
The
Harvest Thanksgiving Service will be on Sunday, 5th October at
November
will see a number of special services and times will vary from the normal, so
please check.
- Sunday,
2nd November, is All Souls Day and the Candle Service will be held at
- Sunday,
9th November, will be Remembrance Sunday.
The service will begin in church at the earlier time of
- Sunday,
30th November, is St. Andrew's Day and also the first Sunday in Advent when the
first candle will be lit on the Advent Wreath.
The service will begin at the normal time of
- Friendship
Lunches will continue at The Globe and will be on Wednesdays 22nd October and
26th November.
Mary Tucker
Two Choirs
Some
months ago I approached the Primary School Headteacher, Sue Carey, to see if some of her talented children
could get together with St. Peter's Church Choir to sing something special for
our Harvest Festival Service this year.
It was quite clear to me that Sue was extremely enthusiastic about the project and so it was agreed
that those children who enjoy singing should start practising as soon as
possible!
Under the
expert eye of Mary-Jane Newell, rehearsals have got underway and as such will
be 'recreating' an event that took place many years ago when the School and
Choir performed John Rutter's 'Look at the World' anthem at Harvest Festival
time. Rehearsals are going well and
'joint' rehearsals commenced in early September. Come October, we hope that the Church will
be filled to capacity to hear this beautiful piece of music performed once
again - the words and music being so appropriate for the celebration of
Harvest.
My earlier
plea for new people to join our Church Choir has not met with much success, but
one new lady, from Ilfracombe, has joined us.
We are very pleased to welcome Anne Baldwin to our fold and can only
hope that more people will come forward to enjoy singing together in the very
near future.
Stuart Neale - Organist and Choirmaster
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Christians
Together in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor held their United Service at St.
Peter's on Sunday, 29th June. We had a
good congregation and the service was led by Rector Keith with the Baptist
Minister, Philip Young, giving the address.
Christian Aid collections, made during May, were offered up from both
villages at the end of the service, resulting in a final total of £664.98.
Church
members were out again at the end of June delivering Gift Day envelopes around
the village. It is surprising how
quickly the time goes at the lych gate on a fine day! To date donations for the upkeep and running
of the church have reached a generous £840.
Thank you all once again for your continuing,
unstinting support.
DON'T
FORGET the Summer Fayre to be held
in the Manor Hall on Tuesday, 5th August,
- Harvest celebrations will be on Sunday, 5th October with the Supper and Auction of produce on Wednesday, 8th October. Full details will appear in the next Newsletter.
- Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 27th August and 24th September.
Mary Tucker
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter
Services were well attended. The Good
Friday 'Quiet Hour' was thoughtfully led by Reader Mike Taylor, a solemn time
for reflection before the joyous celebration of Easter Day. Once again the flower arrangers did us proud
- the church looked really beautiful. [Thanks again to all those who make regular donations towards the
cost.] It was good to see the
choir back with us singing Mozart's 'Ave Verum', and the hymn 'All for Jesus'. After Stuart's appeal, new members will
hopefully have been inspired to come along and swell the ranks.
With
summer approaching and a number of new people in the village, this seems a good
time to recap on our regular Sunday services.
Firstly, all services begin at
The
third Sunday in the month is the Village Service - a simplified form of Morning
Prayer. The choir is present but when
numbers are too few they join with the congregation giving a welcome boost to
our singing!
During
June there will be a special Evening Service on the 29th at 6.30
p.m. [St. Peter's Day] when Christians Together will be
coming to Berrynarbor for a United Service.
Do come along if you can.
Refreshments will be served afterwards.
St.
Peter's Gift Day will be on Wednesday, 25th June this year, when the Rector and
PCC members will be at the lychgate all day, from 9.00
a.m. to 4.00 p.m., to receive your envelopes and exchange
news. Letters and envelopes will be
delivered round the village the week before.
Looking further ahead, the church Summer Fayre will be on Tuesday, 5th August, with all the usual
stalls, etc. So please look out any
books, bric-a-brac, etc., that you no longer need.
Friendship
Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 25th June and 23rd July. For anyone who would like to join us, my
telephone number is 883881.
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The
repainting of the inside walls of the church is finished at last and everyone
agrees how much better it looks - fresher and cleaner with a happy choice of
colour. It was no easy task for the
contractors, especially as everything had to be tidied away for Sunday services
and special events. It was also
interesting to see how many people visited the church during the week, in spite
of notices on the gate advising that work was in progress. It is encouraging that the church is so well
used and a focus for the school, parishioners and visitors alike. Plans are now in hand to repaint the vestry
with the left over paint.
A
strange service for Berrynarbor on Mothering Sunday! No families with young children appeared,
although the adults [numbering the same as last year] enjoyed singing the hymns
and taking part in Rector Keith's address, all going home with bunches of
daffodils. Church festivals are coming
round early this year and some of us are perhaps being taken unawares, but you
were missed!
With
Easter Day on 23rd March, Pentecost [Whit Sunday] will be celebrated with a
Family Communion on Sunday, 11th May at
The
PCC held their Annual Meeting on Monday 10th March, looking back on 2007 and
forward to 2008. Rector Keith thanked
the Churchwardens and the PCC for all their work in maintaining the life and
witness of the church. Doreen Prater and
Stuart Neale continue as Churchwardens and all members of the PCC pronounced
themselves willing to continue to serve:
Sylvia Berry, Marion Carter [Secretary], Jean Ede,
Janet Gibbins, David Steed, Mary Tucker [Treasurer] and Sue Wright.
Friendship
Lunches will be held at The Globe on Wednesdays 23rd April and 28th May, the
Globe 12.00
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Still in the midst of redecoration, the church was dusted and tidied ready for Christmas. The crib, tree and the flowers appeared and suddenly everything was bright and cheerful. All the windows were decorated again and Sue and her team must be congratulated for their skill and imaginative arrangements. Thank you once again to all those who made very generous donations, making it all possible.
All the services were well attended. The Choir sang 'Ding-Dong-Ding' and 'In the Bleak Midwinter' at the Carol Service - we could have listened to them all night. On Christmas Eve, the service began with the age-old tradition of Blessing of the Crib and the singing of 'Once in Royal David's City' - Christmas had really begun! Visitors augmented the congregation on Christmas morning, in spite of the earlier start at 10.00 a.m. Then it was back to 'family' on Epiphany Sunday, 6th January, the last day of Christmas when the candles on the Advent wreath were extinguished. Finally, a big thank you to our bell-ringers who turned up for all the services and also rang in the New Year.
Lent begins early this year with Ash Wednesday on 6th February. Mothering Sunday will be celebrated on 2nd March, when we shall look forward to families in church and spring posies all round.
Palm Sunday will be on the 16th March, followed by Good Friday on the 21st and Easter Day on Sunday, 23rd March. A reminder that all Sunday services start at 11.00 a.m. and please look out for posters nearer the time giving more details.
Friendship Lunches will continue at The Globe the last Wednesday in the month - 27th February and 26th March. Please ring me on 883881 if you would like to join in. Everyone is welcome. We arrive any time after 12.00, order for ourselves from the menu and pay as we go.
Mary Tucker
4
ST.
PETER'S CHURCH
Harvest Festival time came round again
and was celebrated on Sunday, 30th September.
As we are still in the midst of redecoration [to be finished by
Christmas], not so many flowers were in church this year but the entrance was
welcoming with fruit and vegetables along the back shelves and a huge basket of
flowers placed for Mrs. Dummett in memory of her
husband. Sunflowers and marigolds
brightened up the pulpit and reading desk and, as always, there was a beautiful
arrangement at the altar.
The Evensong and Supper on the following
Wednesday were enjoyed by everyone and the buffet meal was a great success
thanks to Doreen Prater and
helpers. A lively auction of produce
rounded off the evening and once again we shall be able to send £100 to Water
Aid.
Two moving services were held at the
beginning of November. The Candle
Service on the first Sunday was very well attended. Our own choir was joined by choir members from
Combe Martin to sing 'There's a Place
for Us' and 'Ave Verum'. The congregation were all invited by Rector
Keith to go up to the altar to
light a candle in memory of loved ones.
The following Sunday, 11th November, saw well over 70 of us
gathered in church for the Remembrance Service, conducted by Rev'd. Steve Painting.
On this occasion we were joined by the Parish Council and Ann Hinchliffe
read the lesson on their behalf.
After the first
hymn, everyone gathered at the War Memorial for the two minutes' silence and
laying of wreaths. The collection of
£165 has been sent to the Royal British Legion.
On Advent Sunday, 2nd December, the
first candle will be lit on the Advent Wreath as we begin to anticipate
Christmas. This year the services will
be as follows:
-
Wednesday, 19th
December,
-
Sunday, 23rd
December,
-
Christmas Eve,
-
Christmas Day,
- Sunday, 30th December - Communion Service with Carols
- Sunday, 6th January - Epiphany [last day of Christmas] Songs of Praise with Carols
Cards will once again be distributed
around the village and a sincere welcome is extended to everyone to come and
join in the celebrations.
Donations towards the cost of flowers in
church for Christmas will be gratefully received. We are sorry to report that Linda Brown has
now left the village and will no longer be in charge of the flower arranging
team. Thank you, Linda, for all your
hard work and patient help - we are going to miss you. Sue Wright has agreed to take Linda's place
and all queries should be addressed to her, telephone 883893.
There will be no Friendship Lunch in
December and the date for January will be announced later.
Mary
Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Everyone
rallied round to make the best of the inclement evening for the Summer Fayre on
14th August. Stall holders and those
running the various attractions were kept busy, as were those providing hot
drinks, and a special mention for Ivan and family who as always braved the
elements to do a brilliant job on the barbecue. Our thanks go to everyone who supported us
in so many different ways. Gifts poured
in and the china/bric-a-brac stall did particularly well with 'new' stock for
sale. By the time all expenses had been
paid, £836 was raised towards church funds.
Congratulations
and praise all round were the order of the Bank Holiday week-end when the
Flower Festival was held in the church.
The theme was 'Creation' and included not only set pieces based on
verses from Genesis, but also displays featuring the creative arts. Visitors were most impressed commenting on
the imagination and professionalism displayed and also saying how refreshingly
unique it was against the backdrop of a small village church. Our thanks to Sue Wright and the St. Peter's
team of flower arrangers and also to Ilfracombe Floral Art Club - we could not
have staged the event without them.
Once again Judie kindly produced the informative leaflets and others
gave up time to steward the church.
Donations over the week-end, including proceeds from the wine and cheese
evening, came to £408.50. Expenses were
met from the generosity of the Ilfracombe Club, individual donations and St. Peter's Flower Fund.
The
task of redecoration of the interior walls of the church has begun. There will be upheaval and some
inconvenience over the next few weeks and the church will not always be open
for safety reasons, but services will continue as normal.
The
special Candle Service for remembering loved ones, family and friends, at All
Saints will be held on Sunday, 4th November at
We
have been thinking of the Ozelton family as they deal with the aftermath of the
fire at The Globe. In spite of
everything, they gave thought to the Friendship Lunches and in August we all
went to the Sawmill Inn where we were well looked after and served lovely
meals, which everyone enjoyed. We shall
be there again in September but hope to return to The Globe later in the
year. Our last two lunches for 2007
will be held on Wednesdays 31st October and 28th November.
The
PCC has just received a cheque for £130 from Lee Lodge, part of Fremington
Homes. Staff and residents held an Open
Day and Cream Tea on 29th August in support of the church and attracted a lot
of visitors who were very impressed. We
should like to thank everyone involved and
wish Lee Lodge every success in their new venture.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Just over £200 was collected for Christian Aid from the house-to-house
collection in Berrynarbor. Once again,
thank you all for your generosity and to those who gave their time delivering
and collecting envelopes. Christians
Together in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor gave a commendable total of £796.
Gift Day: a rewarding day was
spent at the lychgate on Wednesday, 27th June.
A steady flow of people came along to make their gift and have a
chat. To date £1,283 has been raised
for the Building Fund and our grateful thanks go to everyone for their
continued support. If you were away and
missed us on the day, it is still not too late to hand your envelope to the
Rector or any member of the PCC.
Preparations
for the church Summer Fayre on the 14th August are now in hand. If you would like to help or have a new idea
for a side-show or stall, we should be glad to hear from you. Our stock of bric-a-brac is low at the
moment, so good saleable items would be very welcome, also books, cakes, plants
and prizes for the raffle, tombola, etc.
Please get in touch with any member of the PCC or ring Mary Tucker
[883881] for collection.
Services
will follow their normal pattern through the summer but there will be a special
Family Songs of Praise at
Friendship
Lunches will continue at The Globe and will be on Wednesdays 29th August and 26th
September, 12.00
Mary Tucker
5
ST PETER'S CHURCH
A
happy service was enjoyed on Mothering Sunday although there were a few spaces
in the pews. By the end of the
service, all the posies had disappeared and our thanks to the ladies who spent
time on the Saturday making up the
bunches. It was lovely to see the
children's faces as they went round the congregation making sure no-one had been
forgotten.
What
glorious weather for the Easter week-end!
We had a good congregation for the Sunday service with families and
visitors coming along to take part.
Luckily Rector Keith had enough Easter eggs to go round! The choir sang "All in the April
Evening" most beautifully and once again the flower arrangers had done us
proud and our thanks go to those who gave so generously - we were able to
decorate the south windows again this year.
The
Coffee Morning held on Election Day was quieter than usual and we did miss the
social side. However, proceeds came to
£120 - well up to average - the cake and plant stalls doing particularly
well. In addition, over £30 was raised
on the Fairtrade stall. Thanks to the
efforts of Janet Gibbins, a book of Gospel Readings for the Rector to use on
Sundays and a table for the church have been purchased with the profits from
the Fairtrade Stall to date.
GIFT DAY will be on Wednesday, 27th
June. Rector Keith and members of
the PCC will again be at the lichgate all day to receive your donations and
have a chat. Look out for letters
through your box!
Friendship
Lunches at The Globe continue through the summer with the next on Wednesdays
27th June and 25th July. If you would
like to join us, we meet from
ADVANCE
NOTICE: The Church Summer Fayre with
all the usual stalls and attractions will be on Tuesday, 14th August.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The
songs of Praise at the beginning of March was very well attended and already
hymns have been chosen for the next one on 1st April, Palm Sunday. There will be a notepad at the back of the
church to give everyone the opportunity of choosing a favourite hymn and
hopefully coming along to help sing it!
Sunday, 6th May will be the next date.
It
would be lovely to see the church as full at Easter as it was at
Christmas. There will be a Quiet Hour
led by Rector Keith on Good Friday,
Special
Services during May? Sunday 27th will
be Whitsun, which actually coincides with the Bank Holiday this year! So hopefully lots of visitors to join in our
Family Communion Service. There
was a lovely atmosphere at the Pancake Day Coffee Morning and Knit-In. The pancakes were delicious and at the end a
donation of £65 was made to church funds.
Our thanks to the organisers and the valiant team in the kitchen.
The
next Coffee Morning held by the PCC will be on Election Day, Thursday, 3rd May,
in the Manor Hall, from
We
are all looking forward to the Friendship Lunches at The Globe on Wednesdays
25th April and 23rd May. It was lovely
to see all the familiar faces again in February and two friends were
celebrating birthdays. This
year Christian Aid Week is from 13th to 19th May. After the successful house-to-house
collection last year, envelopes will be delivered and collected once again for
those who wish to make a donation. Look
out for the posters!
Mary Tucker
The
Annual Meeting of the PCC was held in the vestry on the evening of Thursday,
15th March. Listening to the various
reports, it was astonishing how much had been achieved over the year and how
much time members of the Council had spent on the work of the church. This meeting is open to all whose names are
on the Electoral Roll: perhaps more will
manage to come next year. The Rector
expressed his thanks to all the Officers of the PCC and to the ladies who now
clean the church on a rota basis, not forgetting Bet Brooks who continues to
polish the brassware. Once again there
is a strong team of bell ringers and Michael Bowden was able to report that all
is in good order. The churchyard is
being well maintained by Tom Tucker and Matthew Walls.
PCC Officers continue as before:
| Churchwardens: | Doreen Prater and Stuart Neale |
|---|---|
| Secretary: | Marion Carter |
| Treasurer: | Mary Tucker |
| Additional Members: | Sylvia Berry, Janet Gibbins, Jean Ede & David Steed |
| Deputy Wardens: | Sylvia Berry, Janet Gibbins, David Steed |
We
are sorry to lose Margaret Walls from the PCC after more than five years'
service, three spent as Treasurer.
Margaret will continue as Magazine Distributor and is still a Sidesman. No doubt
we shall also see her behind the plant stall at various events!
Margaret
Andrews has not been with us for some months now due to ill-health but
continues to do what she can from home and is with us in spirit. She has recently taken on the Chairmanship
of Christians Together in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor and we wish her
well. Margaret says thank you for all
the support and prayers she has received during her incapacity.
We
are already a quarter of the way through 2007 and with your support we look
forward to another year of fellowship and growth.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The
church was packed and all the stops were pulled out for the Service of Carols
and
Then
it was time to pack away the crib and the tree for another year. Our thanks to everyone who helped with the
decorating - the flowers, as always, were lovely, in no small part due to the
generosity of those who regularly make donations - you know who you are.
The
season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on the 21st February. There will be Lent boxes at the back of the
church for the Bible Society to be returned at Easter. Mothering
Sunday will brighten the atmosphere on 18th March, when we shall be joined by
the children who will help in handing bunches of flowers around the
congregation. Easter
is quite early this year with Easter Day on 8th April, preceded by Palm Sunday
on the 1st. More details next time.
Friendship
Lunches at The Globe will be held on Wednesdays 28th February and 28th March and new
members are always welcome. Please
telephone me [883881] in the first instance.
Mary Tucker
| 1st Sunday | 11.00 a.m. | Songs of Praise* |
| 2nd Sunday | 11.00 a.m. | Sung Eucharist & Holy Communion |
| 3rd Sunday | 11.00 a.m. | Village Service |
| 4th Sunday | 11.00 a.m. | Sung Eucharist & Holy Communion by Extension |
| 5th Sunday | 11.00 a.m. | Please see the Notice Board |
* Songs of Praise: Your favourite hymns by request. Please let Stuart know your choice in advance - Tel: 882447.
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Harvest Service was celebrated on Sunday, 1st October, for which the church was beautifully decorated. The Evensong was held on Wednesday, 4th October when the bells rang and the service was well attended. Our thanks to Mary Tucker and all her helpers for the supper which was very much enjoyed, and to the Rector for doing such sterling work auctioning all the produce. With the money raised through the auction and the collection, the amount of £100 will now be sent to WaterAid, the charity helping communities to establish their own safe water supply in under-developed countries.
Marion
Carter
A
successful Autumn Bazaar was held on
Saturday, 4th November when £144 was raised for church funds. Our thanks to everyone who came along to
give support and especially to those who gave to the various stalls. There were lots of bargains to be had and
some of us now have space in our wardrobes!
Everything left over has been given to the Hospice shops. The Fairtrade and
Hospice stalls also had a very profitable afternoon.
Congregations
during the latter part of October were somewhat depleted with people ill or
looking after others, as well as taking a break before the winter. Nevertheless, services continued with their
usual vigour and the enthusiastic input of those present made up for the lack
of numbers. Our thanks, especially to
Keith and Stuart, for arranging the Candle
Service on 29th October - a quiet time to remember loved ones and of
comfort to us all.
The
church filled up rapidly for the Service
of Remembrance on 12th November when we were joined by members of the
Parish Council. This year the service
was led by Reader Mike Taylor and in his talk the question was asked once
again: what lessons have been
learnt? The lesson was read by Sue
Sussex and the choir sang 'Bring Him Home' from the show 'Les Miserables'. Before
the service, the two minutes' silence was observed at the War Memorial and
wreaths were laid on behalf of the Parish Council, the Church and the Women's
Institute. The Last Post and Reveille
were sounded by trumpeter Neil Hamilton.
The collection of £113.50 will be sent to the Royal British Legion.
Advent Sunday falls on 3rd
December. The first candle will be lit
on the Advent Wreath and the service will take the form of a 'Songs of Praise'.
There will be no Friendship Lunch in December and we shall meet again in the New
Year on Wednesday, 24th January, 12.00 noon onwards.
Mary
Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The
Summer Fayre was a great success with £1,024.75 being raised in a short
space of time. Our thanks to everyone
who helped in any way and to those who gave donations, being unable to attend
on the day. The performances by Puppet
Power and the Hand-bell Ringers were much appreciated and added to the
enjoyment of the evening. Items not
sold on the china and bric-a-brac stalls have been passed on to the North Devon
Hospice shops. Thank you to the stall-holders who packed
everything away so tidily at the end.
One plea: Please do not give
electrical goods in future - we are not allowed to sell them second-hand.
The final total for Gift Day came
to £1,090 and all the money will go to the upkeep and running of the church.
A
steady flow of visitors made their way up to the church for the Holiday
Festival on Bank Holiday Monday.
There was something for everyone to enjoy and the atmosphere was so
relaxed and friendly. The Village Shop
was well represented with local and specialist foods to sample and the
wine-tasting was very popular. Doreen
and Janet kept us supplied with refreshments - the home-made cakes were delicious! Then there was the music, the spinning and
flower arranging; the Newsletter
display, the model railway and the stalls.
There was even a team of visiting bell-ringers. Altogether a good team effort, co-ordinated
by Stuart, which made some £320 for the church.
The
Manor Hall has been booked for an Autumn Bazaar on the afternoon of
Saturday, 4th November, from 2.00 p.m.
There will be racks of nearly-new clothes plus the usual stalls and a
raffle. Items for the various stalls
will be most welcome. Please contact
Mary Tucker [883881] if you have gifts to be collected. It is also hoped to have a stall selling
Christmas items and there will, of course, be refreshments.
Following
the Harvest, our next special service will be on Sunday, 29th October, at
3.00 p.m. when candles will be lit and placed on the altar in memory of
loved ones. This simple service of
hymns and prayers is open to everyone and affords an opportunity for quiet
remembrance at All Souls tide. The
afternoon ends with tea and biscuits.
Remembrance
Sunday falls on 12th November this year, and together with the Parish
Council we shall gather in church at 10.45 a.m. ready for the laying of wreaths
followed by the special service.
Friendship
Lunches continue at The Globe and will be on Wednesdays 25th October and
22nd November, from 12.00 noon onwards.
Mary
Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The
collection around the village for Christian Aid enabled St. Peter's to
contribute £288 to the total of £840 raised by Christians Together in Combe
Martin and Berrynarbor - a huge increase on last year. Thank you all for your willing
support. With so many demands being
made on our purses, we all know it is just not possible to give to everything.
Beautiful
weather for Gift Day this year and a day once again which was well worthwhile,
with so many coming along to hand in an envelope and have a chat with the
Rector. With donations still arriving,
over £1,000 has been raised - a welcome boost to church funds. We shall know the final amount by the time
the next Newsletter goes to press.
Special Services:
On Sunday 6th August, there will be a Songs
of Praise in place of the Family Service.
Do come along to enjoy some favourite hymns and a cup of coffee or tea
afterwards. Then on the first Sunday
in September, 3rd, there will be an Animal Service. Looking forward to October, the Harvest Festival will be
celebrated on Sunday, 1st October, with the Evensong and Supper on the
following Wednesday, the 4th.
All
Sunday morning services begin at 11.00 a.m.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will
be on Wednesdays 23rd August and 27th September, 12.00 noon onwards. Everyone welcome!
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter Services
A quiet time on Good Friday afternoon when
a group of us spent an hour in prayer and contemplation interspersed with hymns
and readings. Our
thanks to Margaret Andrews for leading us at this service.
Easter
Day at last and the joyous celebration of the Resurrection. The Choir sang an unaccompanied anthem and
again it was lovely to see so many families in church with the children all
coming up to the altar for a blessing.
The newly lit Easter Candle and the flowers brought the church alive and
our grateful thanks go once again to the arrangers and to all those who made
such generous donations.
Two
special services will be held in June - Sunday, 4th June is Whitsunday
[Pentecost] when there will be a Family Communion at
The
Sunday School children will be in church on 2nd July -
their last Sunday before the summer holidays - and members of the PCC are
planning a Family Service with a difference, come and see! In
spite of disappointing attendance at the Coffee Morning held on 4th May,
£115.45 was raised for church funds.
Thank you once again to everyone who gave support in any way.
Gift
Day will be on Wednesday, 28th June. Envelopes
and a letter from the Rector will be distributed round the village the week
before and members of the PCC will join Keith at the lych-gate on the day, from 9.00
a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Do
come along for a chat but if you can't make it please hand your envelope to any
member of the PCC or bring it along to church.
Tuesday,
1st August, is the date of the Summer Fayre.
As always offers of help will be appreciated as will any new ideas and
gifts for the various stalls. Friendship
Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 28th June and 26th July. Newcomers are most welcome to come and join
us - any time after
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Church Annual Meeting was held in the vestry on Thursday evening, 2nd March, with the Rector in the Chair. We are pleased that Doreen Prater is able to continue as Church Warden and she has been joined by Stuart Neale. We are represented at the Deanery Synod by Margaret Andrews and Doreen Prater. Margaret is to be re-licensed as Reader and we hope she will feel ready to take an active part in services again soon.
Two new members have joined the PCC and we now number eight: Sylvia Berry, Marion Carter [Secretary], Jean Ede, Janet Gibbins, David Steed, Mary Tucker [Treasurer], Margaret Walls and Susan Wright. Reports on all the work done during 2005 were read and it is always interesting to look back on how much has been achieved and how many people have contributed to church life in so many different ways. A copy of the Annual Report has been fixed to the church notice board. We look forward to the challenges of 2006, not least meeting financial commitments. The amount to be paid to the Diocese this year stands at £13,155. Planned giving and collections at services increased last year and members of the congregation are to be thanked for their dedicated support.
EASTER is late this year, falling in the middle of April. Palm Sunday is on the 9th April and the Sung Eucharist will be celebrated at 11.00 a.m. There will be a Quiet Hour in the church on Good Friday afternoon [14th April] from 3.00 to 4.00 p.m. Later on the church will be decorated ready for Easter Day when the Family Communion Service will begin at 11.00 a.m. and we shall be joined by the Choir and Sunday School.
Lent boxes for the Bible Society should be returned at Easter and there are envelopes still at the back of the church if you would like to make a donation. Also, if you would like to contribute towards the Easter flowers, please contact Linda Brown [882600].
The PCC will be holding a Coffee Morning at the Manor Hall on Thursday, 4th May, 10.30 a.m. onwards.
There will be stalls for cakes, bric-a-brac and plants and a raffle - gifts always welcome! There will also be a Fairtrade stall and a stall selling goods for the North Devon Hospice. Do come and support us on the day.
Christians Together in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor will be 'Beating the Bounds' on Sunday evening, 21st May. This year the group will meet in Combe Martin Church car park and end in Berrynarbor where tea/ coffee and biscuits will be waiting in the church. Please look out for posters giving details nearer the time.
The week before, 14th - 20th May, is Christian Aid Week. This year it is hoped to make a house-to-house collection around the village - again more details nearer the time.
Friendship Lunches will be held at The Globe on Wednesdays 26th April and 24th May.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A very welcome donation of £103 has been received as a result of the Autumn Bazaar organised by Doreen Prater for the Church and the North Devon Hospice. Our thanks to Doreen and her helpers for all their efforts in making this such a successful and enjoyable afternoon. All items not sold were collected for sale in the Hospice shops.
How wonderful it was to see so many coming into church to take part in the services over Christmas! A lot of preparation and rehearsing had gone on in the weeks before the Carol Service and everyone enjoyed the Choir items [which included a carol sung in Polish] and the children's presentation of 'Christmas 1905'. The crib was blessed at the service on Christmas Eve and the Family Communion on Christmas Day and New Year's Day were particularly well attended.
Once again a big thank you to the Davis family for decorating the tree in time for the School Christmas Service, to all the flower arrangers and to those who made such generous donations towards the cost of the flowers. Collections and donations over Christmas for the Children's Society amounted to a record £322.70.
A reminder at the beginning of the year of the monthly pattern of services on Sundays which all begin at 11.00 a.m.
- 1st Sunday - Family Service with the Sunday School
- 2nd Sunday - Sung Eucharist
- 3rd Sunday - Village Service with the Choir
- 4th Sunday - Sung Eucharist
- 5th Sunday - Usually a Communion Service but see notice board for changes.
A warm welcome is extended to everyone and coffee or tea and biscuits are served afterwards. We are all looking forward to the pancakes on Shrove Tuesday in the Manor Hall, and Lent begins the next day with Ash Wednesday on 1st March. One special service in March - Mothering Sunday on the 26th.
The Friendship Lunches will continue to be held in The Globe on the last Wednesday of the month - future dates 22nd February and 29th March. The lunches are quite informal with people arriving from 12.00/12.30, ordering what they want at the bar and paying individually. Anyone is most welcome to come and join us. It is helpful to give your name to Mary Tucker [883881] so that The Globe has a good idea of the number expected.
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The HARVEST FESTIVAL was celebrated on the first Sunday in October. The church was beautifully decorated and we were joined by the Sunday School. The children sang a song about a scarecrow and Keifer read a Harvest Prayer. The bells rang out again for Evensong on the Wednesday. The Supper was enjoyed by everyone - numbers were up on last year - and all the produce was soon sold in the auction that followed. Thanks again to Michael and his helpers. We shall now be able to send £120 to WaterAid, the charity helping communities establish their own safe water supply in under-developed countries.
The CANDLE SERVICE to remember loved ones was held on Sunday, 30th October, beginning with the hymn 'Lord of all hopefulness' and ending with members of the congregation going up to light a candle from the Easter Candle and handing it to the Rector to place on the altar. During the service the Choir sang 'There's a place for us' from West Side Story and Doreen Prater read some verses from Isaiah. Our thanks to Rector Keith for a sensitive service and to Stuart for the music.
Music of a different kind was heard when the BARNSTAPLE CONCERT BAND visited the church on Friday evening, 4th November. The Band performed a varied programme appreciated by all and it was good to see young people taking part. The retiring collection of £145 was divided between the church and the Band, which is a registered charity, sponsoring young musicians in their studies.
The bell-ringers rang a muffled peal for REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY on 13th November. Members of the Parish Council joined us for the special service and the lesson was read by the Chairman, Sue Sussex. Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Church, the Parish Council and the Women's Institute, and the Sunday School children stepped forward to place their poppies in a basket.
Preparations for CHRISTMAS are already underway and on Sunday, 27th November the first candle will be lit for Advent. The Carol Service with Choir and Sunday School will be on Wednesday, 21st December at 6.30 p.m. and the Communion Service on Christmas Eve will take place at 9.30 p.m. There will be a Family Communion on Christmas Day at 11 a.m. and Carols will again be sung on Sunday, New Year's Day, when there will be another Family Service at 11 a.m. as usual. Collections at the Carol Service and on Christmas Eve will be taken up for the Church of England Children's Society. The church will be decorated on Friday and Saturday, 23rd and 24th December, and will come alive with the Christmas tree and flower arrangements. Please let Linda Brown [882600] or Mary Tucker [883881] know if you would like to contribute towards the cost.
There will be no Friendship Lunch in December and the date for January is still to be decided. We shall all look forward to meeting up again in the New Year.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
All the time and effort put into the Summer Fayre made for a successful evening. With all expenses paid, £1,140 has been added to church funds. The weather was kind and many visitors came to join in the fun. Our thanks to all those who gave so very generously - too many to name but you know who you are.
"ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!" One of the many compliments paid to the Concert held on 22nd August, all making full use of superlatives. We were promised variety and were in no way disappointed, from the church choir singing The Benedictus to 'Fall or Fly' from the Atee Ates ['88's]. Thank you, Stuart, for a wonderful evening which we hope will be repeated before another ten years have gone by! Proceeds from donations and sale of programmes amounted to £340, again a welcome addition to church funds.
From October, Sunday Services will return to the time of 11.00 a.m. The Rector will again be able to take services in both Combe Martin and Berrynarbor when the need arises. Our thoughts and prayers are with our Readers, Chris James who is facing a long haul back to good health, and most especially with Margaret as she mourns the loss of Graham.
A reminder of the monthly pattern of services:
- 1st Sunday: Family Service with the Sunday School
- 2nd Sunday: Sung Eucharist
- 3rd Sunday: Village Service with the Choir
- 4th Sunday: Sung Eucharist or Holy Communion by Extension
- 5th Sunday: See Notice Board
On Sunday, 30th October, there will be a Village Service at 11.00 a.m. and then in the afternoon at 3.00 p.m. there will be, as last year, a special Candle Service to commemorate All Saints/All Souls. There will be hymns and prayers and the Rector will invite members of the congregation to step up to the altar and light a candle in memory of loved ones. Afterwards, tea and biscuits will be served. This service is for everyone, so please do come and join us.
Remembrance Sunday falls on 13th November this year and the special service with laying of wreaths at the War Memorial will begin in church at 10.45 a.m.
Friendship Lunches will continue at The Globe, Wednesdays 26th October and 30th November, 12.30 p.m. onwards. Give me a ring [883881] if you would like to join us.
Mary T.
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The two special services at the beginning of July were enjoyed by all who came. The Family Service on 3rd July was well-attended and the children and their bears made short work of the biscuits and drinks after massive concentration during the Rector's game of 'Simon Says' . . . he managed to catch everyone out!
Five very well behaved dogs assembled in the church porch for the Pets' Service on 10th July, to listen to the hymns and prayers and story about a donkey. Our thanks to Keith and Stuart who organised the music.
A very successful GIFT DAY was held on 29th June, St. Peter's Day, and to date £1,021 has been added to church funds. Thank you to all those who returned their envelopes and gave so generously. It is still not too late if you missed us on the day. Routine expenses for the upkeep of the church and churchyard continue to increase faster than giving. Many people expressed concerns when the churchyard missed a cut in April. This is now in hand, everything is tidy again and the grass will be cut once a month. You can also help by respecting the churchyard, not dropping litter and taking any rubbish home. The tubs and hanging baskets provided and tended by Berry in Bloom are much appreciated.
Our next event will be the Summer Fayre on TUESDAY, 16TH AUGUST to be held at the Manor Hall from 6.30 p.m. There will be all the usual stalls and side-shows plus refreshments, and the PCC will be glad of any gifts and offers of help as always. And please come and support us on the night!
Not to be missed will be the concert in Church on the evening of Monday, 22nd August.
We are looking forward to welcoming congregation and visitors to our services during August and September. The Harvest Service this year will be celebrated on Sunday, 2nd October, and the Harvest Supper will take place on Wednesday, 5th October. Please make a note of the dates in your diary and look out for posters giving more details.
The team for Ringing on Sunday mornings has sadly been depleted. Two ringers have left and they need to be replaced. Please get in touch with Michael Bowden if you can help.
Wednesdays 24th August and 28th September are the dates for the next Friendship Lunches at the Globe, 12.30 p.m. onwards.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Special Services:
On PALM SUNDAY, the beautiful anticipatory service was ably led by Reader Margaret Andrews. The Palm crosses were distributed and members of the congregation walked around the church during the first hymn. At the end of the service, the Sunday School children came in to collect their crosses.
The EASTER flowers were outstanding this year, a wedding having been celebrated on the Saturday. The outer porch was lined with pots of daffodils and inside the white lilies were glorious. It was a pleasure to welcome so many families on Easter Day. The Rector had to go and find more eggs in the vestry for all the children present!
The church was not full on WHITSUNDAY but we had a good congregation nevertheless, with the singing being led by the Choir. A shortened Holy Communion was celebrated after the Village Service. The flower arrangements in red and white depicted fire and wind - thanks again to Linda and her team.
The Christians Together Service held annually in Berrynarbor will be on Sunday, 19th June, starting at 6.30 p.m. This is always an enjoyable occasion when we are joined by members of all the Combe Martin churches - not to be missed! Tea and biscuits are served afterwards.
Looking forward to July: on the 3rd a picnic is being planned with the Sunday School after the Family Service, and on 10th July, a Pets' Service will be held at 3.00 p.m. Look out for details nearer the time.
Election Day seemed unusually quiet, at least in the morning, but £107 was raised for church funds at the Coffee Morning held in the Manor Hall. Our thanks to everyone who helped in any way - we had some lovely raffle prizes.
GIFT DAY on Wednesday, 29th June - St. Peter's Day - will be our next fundraising event. Once again letters and envelopes for donations will be distributed around the village, and the Rector and members of the PCC will be at the lych-gate from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.
Regrettably, Brian Holden has had to give up tending the churchyard, a post he has held for the past nine years, latterly travelling over from Stoke Rivers. It is difficult to please everyone but he has managed to strike a balance between the 'natural' look and over-tidiness, and his work has been commended by the judge for Britain in Bloom. He will be greatly missed and the PCC now have the task of finding others to keep both churchyards in good order. This should be sorted out early in June.
ADVANCE NOTICE: The Summer Fayre will be held on Tuesday, 16th August this year.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 29th June and 27th July, 12.30 p.m. onwards.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Around forty of us from Combe Martin and Berrynarbor gathered for the Women's World Day of Prayer service on Friday afternoon, 4th March. The order of service was prepared by Christian Women from Poland and a gong was sounded to mark the beginning. Bread and salt were offered to all present and towards the end individual candles were lit from the Easter candle, symbolising the theme 'Let our Light Shine'. Doreen Prater led the service and the speaker was Margaret Andrews. Members from all the churches took part, reading the lessons, etc., and our special thanks go to Heather Jones who played the organ and inspired us when we rehearsed the hymns at earlier meetings.
A lively crowd gathered in church for Mothering Sunday and we were pleased to welcome so many parents and children. The play by the Sunday School was appreciated by everyone, as were the cards and flowers given out around the congregation.
The PCC will be holding a COFFEE MORNING in the Manor Hall on THURSDAY, 5th MAY, 10.00 a.m. onwards. There will be all the usual stalls and offers of help and gifts for the raffle, etc., will be most welcome.
PENTECOST falls on Sunday, 15th May this year and the special service will be at the usual time of 10.00 a.m. 15th May also marks the beginning of Christian Aid Week and envelopes for donations will be available at the back of the church.
Friendship Lunches will be held at The Globe on Wednesdays, 27th April and 25th May, 12.30 p.m. onwards.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
We were pleased to welcome the Archdeacon to Berrynarbor for our Sunday service on 5th December. He had come specially to bless and dedicate the new electrical work in the church and LIGHT was the theme of the day. Verses from the Bible were beautifully read by Ella and Anna and the Sunday School held candles and sang 'Let your Little Light Shine'. More surprises were in store when the Archdeacon produced sparklers for all the children. A day to remember!
The new lighting came into its own at the evening services over Christmas, when the full effect was best appreciated. Once again the church was beautifully decorated - so many berries on the holly this winter. Thank you to all the arrangers and to those who gave flowers and made donations. Attendance at services varied greatly. The church was full for the Carol Service on 22nd December - a truly magical occasion when we were joined by the Choir and the Sunday School children. We were not so many as usual for the Christmas Eve service but then there was a good turnout on Christmas Day itself, when several visitors came along. £185 has been sent to the Children's Society from collections.
During 2005 services will continue to begin at 10.00 a.m. with the welcome news that the children will be with us again on the first Sunday of each month. On 6th February, we shall be celebrating Candlemas.
Easter is early this year and Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent, falls on 9th February.
Special services in March will be:
- Friday, 4th March 3.00 p.m. The Christians Together service for the Women's World Day of Prayer will be hosted by St. Peter's this year. The service has been devised by the Christian Women of Poland the theme is 'Let our Light Shine'. Everyone is welcome at this event [men can come too!] and it is always interesting and 'a little bit different'.
- Sunday, 6th March 10.00 a.m. Mothering Sunday when posies will be given out by the Sunday School.
- Sunday, 20th March 10.00 a.m. Palm Sunday with the distribution of Palm Crosses.
- Friday, 25th March 2.00-3.00 p.m. Quiet hour of devotion on Good Friday.
- Sunday, 27th March 10.00 a.m. Easter Day Family Communion.
Friendship Lunches will continue at The Globe on Wednesdays 23rd February and 23rd March, 12.30 p.m. onwards.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
In spite of the work going on with the re-wiring of the church, a lively and enjoyable Harvest Festival service was held on Sunday, 26th September. Rector Keith gave a talk involving the children and there was chocolate for everyone! The Choir led the singing and the children had made a collage for us all to see. We were not able to decorate the church as we would normally have done, but the outer porch looked very festive thanks to Anne Gosling and Sylvia Berry. There was a good display of produce in the Manor Hall for the auction after the Supper and this year the bell-ringers raised £75.50 for Water Aid. The Supper was beautifully prepared and laid out and enjoyed by over fifty of us. A reminder that the supper itself is a thanksgiving, not a fund raiser, which is why the cost is still only £3 but we continue to break even. Special thanks to Karl and the staff at The Globe for preparing the potatoes for us.
A creditable £190 was raised at the Autumn Bazaar on Saturday, the 23rd October. The weather couldn't have been worse - it poured all day - so thank you to everyone who braved the storm and came along nevertheless! We had a good number of helpers and a lot of effort had gone into the presentation of freshly laundered and ironed clothes. Everything that was left at the end was collected for distribution amongst the charity shops - our thanks to Ann Hinchliffe for making the arrangements and ensuring the Hall was cleared promptly. £100 has been added to Sunday School funds and the rest has gone towards routine church expenses.
About 40 of us gathered in church on Sunday afternoon, 31st October for the special service to celebrate All Saints Tide. Three well-known hymns were sung, the Rector gave a brief address and the Choir sang the Benedictus and the Nunc Dimittis, which was very beautiful and moving. During the service, everyone was invited to go up to the altar and light a candle from the Easter Candle in memory of loved ones. The candles were then handed to the Rector and placed all along the front of the altar. The afternoon was rounded off with tea and biscuits. It is hoped to hold this service annually, and perhaps more people will feel able to attend another time.
Remembrance Day was commemorated on Sunday, 14th November. Wreaths were laid at the War Memorial on behalf of the Parish Council, St. Peter's Church and, for the first time, the Women's Institute. We were joined outside by the Sunday School who placed a basket of poppies in front of the cross. The Service was taken by Mike Taylor and the Lesson read by Richard Gingell. A collection of £77 was taken up for the Earl Haig Fund.
The replacement electric wiring and new halide lights have now been installed and the Archdeacon of Barnstaple, The Venerable David Gunn-Johnson, will be attending the morning service on Sunday, 5th December. The Service will be a Family Eucharist during which the Archdeacon will bless the new lighting. Rector Keith and the PCC would be pleased to welcome you to this Special Service.
Christmas will soon be upon us and details of the services at St. Peter's follow. Do come and join us as often as you can. The church will be decorated over Thursday and Friday, 23rd and 24th December. Please let Linda Brown [Tel: 882600] know if you can give flowers or would like to make a donation towards the cost.
|
St. Peter's Church Christmas Services Wednesday, 22nd December Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
Sunday, 26th December
A warm welcome to everyone |
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
St. Peter's has had a successful summer's fund-raising, thanks to the enthusiasm, efforts and generosity of its many supporters. The Summer Fayre raised £988 on the night, and this was quickly made up to £1,000 by a kind donation. The barbecue was particularly busy and altogether everyone enjoyed a lively evening with a lovely atmosphere.Then it was the turn of the flower arrangers to organise the displays for the Flower Festival, 'Our Village', which was held over the second week-end in August. Visitors were most impressed by the professionalism shown, the use of colour and the imaginative interpretation of the various themes. With all the expenses paid, and thanks to so many who gave so freely [you know who you are], £440 has been added to the church funds. Our special thanks to Linda Brown who master-minded it all and coped with all the last minute crises admirably, and to Judie Weedon who, once again, produced the leaflet guiding visitors around the church.
The church was completely full for the Civic Service on Sunday, 12th September, when we were pleased to welcome the North Devon District Council Chairman, Councillor Mrs. Yvette Gubb, and her guests from all over Devon. The lessons were read by Councillors M. Prowse and R. Cann and as the Chairman's Chaplain, the Rev. Keith Wyer gave the address. A special collection was taken up for the North Devon Hospice and for the local Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Seen on a church notice board:
Carpenter of Nazareth
Joiners Wanted!
How true! At a time when the Diocese is planning cut-backs in clergy numbers [and the number of churches?], we need to keep our congregation alive and increasing. On a normal Sunday, services will continue through the autumn at 10.00 a.m., following the usual pattern. Please come when you can.
There will be an extra service at All Saints [see the article by Stuart Neale] and on Remembrance Day, Sunday 14th November, the special service will begin at 10.45 a.m. in the church.
Friendship Lunches will be held at The Globe on Wednesdays 27th October and 24th November, 12.30 p.m. onwards. Everyone welcome. There will be no meeting in December but we shall look forward to seeing everyone again in January.
Advance Notice: The PCC will be holding an Autumn Bazaar at the Manor Hall on Saturday, 23rd October, at 2.00 p.m. There will be a 'nearly new' stall, so this will be a chance to look out any impulse buys which have barely been worn or used!
Mary Tucker
A SPECIAL SERVICE FOR LOVED ONES
There will be 'A Special Service for Loved Ones' at St. Peter's Church on Sunday, 31st October, at 3.00 p.m.
This service, which will be the first of its kind to be held in this part of North Devon, will be an uplifting occasion, complemented by wonderful music from modern and traditional composers and performed by our Berrynarbor Church Choir.
An invitation is extended to all parishioners who wish to remember a 'loved one' or 'friend'. A candlelit ceremony will be the highlight of the service which will be conducted by our Rector, Keith Wyer.
Refreshments will be provided at the end of the service.
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
TWO SPECIAL SERVICES were held in June.
On the 20th, Christians Together met in Berrynarbor for their evening service. The village choir led the singing and the preacher was Father Terry, who gave a forceful, yet humorous talk on "The Way Jesus Loves". The fellowship continued afterwards over tea and biscuits in the Manor Hall.
The following Sunday, the nearest to St. Peter's Day, we were joined by the Sunday School who were all 'disciples' for the day. They had brought their fishing boat into church and, after introducing themselves, performed a playlet and sang. Thank you to Sally and her helpers and we wish them all a happy summer holiday.
GIFT DAY dawned rather grey and drizzly, but the weather improved by mid-morning and many of us took the chance to have a chat with the Rector. Not quite so many envelopes were returned this year, but those who gave, gave generously and so far £816 has been raised. It is still not too late to return your envelope if it has been overlooked. Thank you once again to everyone who helps to support both the life of the church and the building itself.
No sooner will the Summer Fayre on 27th July be over than preparations for the Flower Festival, 'Our Village', to be held from 6th to 9th August, will be coming to fruition. The church will be open each day from 9.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Special events will be:
- Thursday, 5th August - Preview with wine and cheese, 7.30 p.m. onwards. Tickets £2.50 will be on sale at the door or in church the Sunday before.
- Friday. 6th August - Songs of Praise, 6.30 p.m.
On the subject of flowers, a reminder that Mrs. Linda Brown of Devon Cottage, Hagginton Hill [Tel: 882600], is in charge of church flowers and should be contacted in good time by anyone wishing to put flowers in the church for weddings, etc., whether she is being asked to do the arrangements or not. Her name is to be added to the list of officers, etc., inside the back cover of the Church Magazine, and on display in the church porch in the glass-fronted notice board. Another reminder, there is one shelf at the back of the church by the font for anyone to use at any time to place flowers in memory of a loved one.
HARVEST FESTIVAL this year will be on the last Sunday in September, the 26th, and the Evensong and Supper will be on Wednesday, 29th September. Please watch out for more details nearer the time. As always, gifts of produce and flowers will be much appreciated.
Mary Tucker
On 12th September, the North Devon District Council Civic Service will be held at St. Peter's at 11.00 a.m. This will be attended by Cllr. Yvette Gubb, Chairman, some 30 civic representatives from all over Devon who receive invitations, including all the North Devon District Councillors and their partners. Other guests process according to protocol and include past North Devon District Chairmen, North Devon County Councillors, Police, Chivenor Commanding Officer and M.P., with partners, as well as the Lord Mayor of Plymouth and the Chairmen of the eight other District Councils.
In some parts of the County, certain churches and their clergy are permanently designated as the Civic Church and Chaplain. The tradition in North Devon is for the Chaplain and Church to be selected from the ward of the Chairman, thus providing an honour for more parishes and a variety of venues. In recent years, St. Peter Ad Vincula [Combe Martin], Holy Trinity, St. Philip and St. James, Brookdale [all in llfracombe], Christ Church and St. Brannock [both in Braunton], All Saints [North Molton] have been honoured in this manner.
The Service was last held in Berrynarbor in 1985 during Cllr. Graham Andrews' second year of office.
Especial parking arrangements will be made for the morning. This service will replace the normal Sunday worship.
Margaret Andrews
Friendship lunches will be held at The Globe on Wednesdays 25th August and 22nd September, 12.30 p.m. onwards. Anyone new to the village will be very welcome to come and join us. Please give Mary Tucker a ring [883881] so that we have fairly accurate numbers to help the catering.
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The service on Mothering Sunday, attended by some 40 adults and over 20 children, was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who came. Sunday School members gave bunches of flowers to their mothers and then distributed the remainder around the rest of the congregation. Their lively song, 'Every day with Jesus', put a smile on everyone's face.
So many things happening at the Family Service on Easter Day! The Choir sang, the children sang and said prayers they had composed themselves, Easter eggs were given out and flowers were placed around the Easter garden. The old, familiar, joyous hymns were sung and, on a more serious note, we all went up to the altar for communion or a blessing.
Our special thanks to all the ladies who helped to decorate the church so beautifully and to those who made such generous donations: the lilies were truly splendid.
One special service coming up: 29th June is St. Peter's Day and our celebration will take place on Sunday, 27th June, 10.00 a.m. as usual.
As always, the Coffee Morning held on 6th May proved to be a happy social event. Altogether £106 was raised to go towards the cost of the Flower Festival to be held the first week-end in August. Our thanks to everyone who gave a hand.
The next fund-raising event will be Gift Day to be held on Wednesday, 30th June. A letter from the Rector and an envelope will be delivered round the parish and we shall be at the lychgate all day, from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. to receive your gifts. Plans for the rewiring of the church and enhancement of the lighting are making good progress. At present we are waiting for a Faculty to be granted and the work should be carried out in early autumn.
A provisional date of 14th July has been set for a Safari Supper and the annual Summer Fayre will take place on Tuesday, 27th July. Gifts for the various stalls will be most welcome. Please let Mary Tucker know [Ter. 883881] if you have anything to be collected.
The next Friendship Lunch will be at The Globe on Wednesday, 30th June, 12.30 p.m. onwards.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Services are every Sunday at 10.00 a.m. The month's pattern is as follows:
- 1st Sunday - Village/Family Service
- 2nd Sunday - Sung Eucharist
- 3rd Sunday - Village Service with Choir
- 4th Sunday - Sung Eucharist
- 5th Sunday - [where there is one] Please see notice board.
There is no Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. Coffee and biscuits are served after the services.
We are getting used to the earlier time of 10.00 a.m. and, as with everything, some prefer it whilst others find it difficult. It must be said that over the past few weeks [and I am writing mid-March], numbers have been down with some taking an early holiday, others not well, etc. Perhaps things will pick up once spring is really with us - after all, there are over fifty of us on the Church Electoral Roll.
A special mention for the bell-ringers who continue to do us proud.
Special Services during April and May:
- 4th April - Palm Sunday, 10.00 a.m. Distribution of Palm Crosses
- 9th April - Good Friday 2.00-3.00 p.m. Quiet Hour of Devotion The Church will be decorated for Easter from late Friday afternoon. Gifts of flowers, which should be mainly white with some yellow, or donations towards the cost, will be most welcome. Please speak to Linda Brown [882600]
- 11th April - Easter Day 11.00 a.m. Family Eucharist. Please note later time
- 20th May - [Thursday] Ascension Day - Please see notice board details of services.
- 30th May - Whit Sunday [Pentecost] - Please see notice board details of services.
The PCC will be holding a Coffee Morning on Thursday, 6th May, from 10.30 a.m. onwards. Do come along and support us: there will be a raffle, cakes and bric-a-brac stall, also plants for the garden. Proceeds will go towards church funds and to help towards the costs of the Flower Festival to be held in August.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 28th April and 26th May - time: 12.30 p.m., but this is flexible.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
How wonderful to see so many people in church over Christmas! At the Carol Service, the choir sang 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' and 'Ding, Dong, Ding', so beautifully. The Sunday School children were all dressed up for their presentation of Christmas in Other Lands, and were thrilled to receive their presents. So much time, care and thought is put in by Sally and her helpers.
On Christmas Eve, the crib was blessed and the magical service was enjoyed by al!, and visitors swelled the congregation on Christmas Day. Our thanks to everyone who helped to decorate the church with the tree and flowers and made such generous donations towards the cost.
Our services now begin at 10.00 a.m. The first and third Sundays in the month take the form of a village/family service and the second and fourth Sundays are Sung Eucharist [Communion] as before. Please see the notice board at the lychgate for details: a set pattern of services should soon be established.
Special Dates:
- 25th February, Ash Wednesday - 2004 sees the 200th anniversary of the Foundation of the Bible Society and, as the Bible Society is our charity for Lent, there will be displays about their work in church and a special service one Sunday to be announced.
- 21st March, Mothering Sunday - a special service with the Sunday School. Our Friendship Lunches at The Globe will continue on Wednesdays 25th February and 31st March.
Mary Tucker
5
ST PETER'S CHURCH
The Harvest Festival celebrations went with a swing. The Sunday Service and the Wednesday Evensong were joyful and truly uplifting. On both occasions the Church Choir was joined by children from the School to sing an anthem - wonderful!
The supper was well-attended: the ladies prepared 76 dinners in all, including 12 children and there were compliments all round. Michael Bowden and John Fanner again kindly conducted the auction and soon had the table cleared of produce! Altogether, £160 was raised [between the church collection and the auction] to be shared between Water Aid and Bibles for the School.
Thank you to so many people for making the celebrations such a success - from those who helped to decorate the church to those who cleared the hall at the end.
Remembrance Day was marked by the laying of the wreaths and silence at the War Memorial. This simple ceremony was followed by the service in church, when the lesson was read by Graham Andrews and the Choir, with soloists, very movingly sang 'Pie Jesu'.
Good food, good wine, good music and good company were all enjoyed by those who came to the Bring and Share Supper on the 12th November. There was plenty of room for more people and we shall try to give more notice another time.
Time to think of Christmas Celebrations once again! The Carol Service will be on Wednesday, 17th December at 6.30 p.m. and we shall be looking forward to the singing from the Choir and the Sunday School Nativity Play. The Christmas Eve Communion Service will begin at 9.30 p.m. [not too late for the older children], and on Christmas morning there will be a Family Communion with carols at 11.00 a.m.
The church will be decorated in time for the 24th. Please let Linda Brown [882600] know if you have any holly, etc., or if you would like to make a donation towards the cost of the flowers.
Linda has been in overall charge of the church flowers for the past year and with the other flower arrangers and the PCC, is planning a Flower Festival to take place in 2004, from the 6th to 9th August. A preliminary meeting was held in November and another will be arranged early in the New Year for anyone interested in helping to attend.
There will be NO Friendship Lunch at The Globe in December, but we shall recommence in January: the fourth Wednesday, which will be the 28th. In the meantime, we all wish each other a Happy Christmas with good health and among friends and family.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETERS CHURCH
Thank you to everyone who helped at the Summer Fayre: those who gave, helped in any way or came along to support us on the night. It was a lovely evening and we raised £876 [just under £800 once all expenses have been deducted] - slightly less than last year, but a brilliant effort nevertheless.
FRIENDSHIP LUNCHES - at The Globe will continue during the autumn and will be on Wednesdays 22nd October and 26th November. The lunch in August had to be cancelled due to Edith's sudden illness. Edith has been very kind to us accommodating our fads and looking to our needs. We wish her well and look forward to having her back with us again.
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY - falls on the 9th November. We shall gather in church at 10.45 a.m. ready to proceed down to the War Memorial for the laying of wreaths and 'Silence' at 11.00 a.m. Then we shall return to the church for the special Service.
The date of Wednesday, 12th November has been booked provisionally fora BRING & SHARE SUPPER in the Manor Hall. Please look out for posters and more details nearer the time.
As we go into autumn, a reminder that all our Sunday Services begin at 11.00 a.m. and will continue to follow the established monthly pattern:
- 1st Sunday Family Service with a short Communion to follow
- 3rd Sunday Village Service with no Communion
- 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays Sung Eucharist
Our services are open to everyone and a warm welcome is assured.
And there is coffee or tea and biscuits afterwards!
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETERS CHURCH
The bells rang out in welcome and the church was almost full for the Christians Together Service on the evening of 22nd June. After an hour of hymn singing, interspersed by accounts of the various stages in John Wesley's life, everyone was glad of a cup of tea in the Manor Hall. Our thanks go to the ladies who baked cakes for this special occasion.
Gift Day yielded £843 this year [over £100 more than last year]. Thank you all for your generous gifts and for coming along on the day - the Rector and members of the PCC were, as always, glad of your company.
We are looking forward to the Summer Fayre on Tuesday, 12th August, 6.30 p.m. onwards at the Manor Hall. Items for prizes and the various stalls will be most welcome - please ring Mary Tucker [883881] if you would like anything collected and please don't forget to come along and support us on the day!
To turn to September ... the Harvest Festival will be held on Sunday, 28th September and gifts of flowers, fruit and vegetables for decorating the church will be very welcome. The Supper will be held in the Manor Hall on Wednesday, 1st October. Please look out for posters giving details nearer the time.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will continue through the summer and the next two will be on Wednesdays 27th August and 24th September. If you are new to the village and would like to join us, please give Mary Tucker a ring [883881] in the first instance.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
"He is not here, He is risen". Over 100 of us, adults and children, gathered in church to hear the glad Easter message and we were pleased to welcome so many visitors. An Easter Garden had been lovingly constructed by Sally and the Sunday School, who also performed a short play. Beautiful flower displays brightened the church. Our thanks to everyone who gave so generously: flowers, money, time and talent.
The Coffee Morning held on Election Day was a great success and raised £117 towards much-needed church funds.
Whitsunday falls on 8th June this year and will be celebrated with Sung Eucharist at 11.00 a.m. as usual. Another special occasion takes place in June. On the 22nd at 6.30 p.m., Christians Together will be holding an evening service in Berrynarbor to celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of John Wesley. Do come and join us and there will be refreshments afterwards in the Manor Hall.
On Wednesday, 25th June, the Rector and members of the PCC will be at the lych gate for the Annual Gift Day. Letters and envelopes for donations will be distributed round the village the week before. A mammoth effort is needed this year as ever-increasing demands are made on our pockets to maintain the ministry.
St. Peter's Summer Fayre will be held on Tuesday, 12th August. Items will be most welcome for the various stalls and prizes.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 25th June and 23rd July.
Mary Tucker
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Eastertide - Special services during April.
We are looking forward to Easter which is very late this year. Palm Sunday falls on April 13th and we shall celebrate with the distribution of Palm Crosses and a Family Eucharist. On Good Friday, 18th April, there will be a 'Quiet Hour' from 2.00 to 3.00 p.m. and later on the church will be decorated for Easter Sunday, when a Family Communion will be held at 11.00 a.m. and the Easter Candle will be lit.
Flowers for Easter should be white and yellow and donations towards the cost of Easter lilies would be much appreciated. Linda Brown [882600] has kindly taken over responsibility for the church flowers and she is the person to contact now. There is still room on the rota for any would-be arrangers, so please contact Linda if you are interested.
Church Magazine - after many years of service, Anita Cornish will be retiring from her post as Magazine Distributor at the end of March. She has done the job quietly and very efficiently and on occasions with great patience! Thank you, Anita, and family. Margaret Walls has agreed to take Anita's place and we wish her well. Contributions to the magazine are very welcome and should be handed to the Rector or Mary Tucker by the middle of the month, or there is a box at the back of the church.
The PCC are holding a Coffee Morning to boost church funds in the Manor Hall on Thursday, 1st May [Election Day], 10.00 onwards. There will be a raffle and the usual stalls. Gifts of cakes, plants, books and good 'white elephant' items will be most welcome. And please come along on the day!
Friendship Lunches at The Globe are still very popular and anyone new to the village is very welcome to come and join us. Please contact Mary Tucker [883881] in the first instance. The next ones will be on Wednesdays 23rd April and 28th May, 12.30 p.m. onwards.
An enthusiastic group met in the vestry for the Annual Meeting of the PCC on 6th March, and reports were given of all the various activities which took place in 2002.
- Retiring Officers were - Mary Tucker - Churchwarden, Margaret Walls - Treasurer and Eileen Nottage - Deanery Synod Representative.
- New Officers are - Shane Roach - Churchwarden, Mary Tucker - Treasurer, Doreen Prater - Deanery Synod Representative.
- Remaining in post are - Doreen Prater - Churchwarden, Sylvia Berry - Deputy Churchwarden, Marion Carter - Secretary and Margaret Andrews - Deanery Synod Representative.
Stuart Neale was welcomed on to the PCC and the Rector thanked everyone for all their efforts on behalf of St. Peters. A complete list of Officers and Members of the PCC is to be found on the noticeboard in the church porch.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A beautiful Christmas was celebrated in Berrynarbor. Best attendance [well over 100] was for the Carol Service, closely followed by the evening service on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, several visitors came to swell the congregation on Christmas morning! It was interesting to note that about a third of those who came to join us did not take Communion, which seems to indicate that, although not regular church-goers, there are quite a few who do not place all the emphasis on presents and food, but still seek out the true meaning of Christmas.
Our thanks to everyone who took part in any way. The Choir's rendition of 'Silent Night', partly in German, and the Sunday School play with an anxious Baboushka searching for the Christ Child will long be remembered. As will the shepherd who fell asleep just before his acting debut, snored gently through the performance and woke up when it was all over!
Collections for The Children's Society amounted to £280.
Services will follow the usual pattern through February and March. Special dates:
- 5th March - Ash Wednesday
- 9th March - First Sunday in Lent
- 29th March - Mothering Sunday - special Family Service with the Sunday School
Our next Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays, 26th February and 26th March. Anyone is welcome to come and join us. Please ring me first [883881] to add your name to the list.
Mary Tucker
8
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Once again everyone came forward to lend a hand and make our HARVEST CELEBRATIONS a great success. The church was beautifully decorated, the bells rang out, both Services were well attended and the Supper was enjoyed by all - a lovely atmosphere throughout. Thanks to Michael Bowden and John Fanner, the auction was conducted brilliantly and with good humour, raising an astonishing £88.40. Altogether we have been able to send a cheque for £240 to Water Aid [Water for Life]. Many of us brought tins of food to the Sunday Service for the Rector's store. There was a good variety to help those in need through the winter. Thank you to all who gave, helped or just came along to join us.
On Sunday, 10th November, the Act of Remembrance took place at the War Memorial before the moving service in church. Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Parish Council and St. Peter's. A muffled peal was rung and Ivan Clarke sounded the Last Post and Reveille. Reader Chris James led the service and the collection of just over £100 has been sent to the Earl Haig Fund.
- Wednesday, 18th - Carol Service, 6.30 p.m.
- Christmas Eve - First Communion of Christmas, 9.30 p.m.
- Christmas Day - Family Communion with Carols, 11.00 a.m.
- Sunday, 29th - Sung Eucharist with Carols, 11.00 a.m.
We welcome you all to come along and join in our celebrations. We shall again be supporting the Children's Society as our Christmas Charity and collections from the Carol Service and the Service on Christmas Eve will go to them.
The church will be decorated on Monday/Tuesday, 23rd/ 24th December and donations towards the cost of flowers will be most welcome.
Christmas Services
There will be no Friendship Lunch at The Globe during December, but we shall resume in January - earlier on the 8th and look forward to seeing everyone then.
St. Peter's Church
Charlotte Cornish [Aged 6]
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A good time was had by all at the Summer Fayre. As always, there was an atmosphere of friendliness and goodwill and even the vagaries of the skittle board were greeted with good humour! Our sincere thanks to all who made a special effort and to everyone who helped in any way to make the evening such a success. £911 was raised on the night towards church funds, which at present are going towards essential electrical work.
Following the Harvest Celebrations, services will resume their normal pattern during October, with the Sunday School joining us on the first Sunday of each month, and the Choir on the third. We look forward to seeing everyone after the summer break.
Remembrance Day falls on Sunday, 10th November, this year and we shall be holding a special service, meeting in the Church at 10.45 a.m. and proceeding to the War Memorial for 11.00 a.m.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will take place on Wednesdays 30th October and 27th November, 12.30 p.m. onwards. Anyone is welcome to come and join us and thank you to Edith and all the staff for everything they do on our behalf.
Mary Tucker
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Gift Day dawned bright and the sun stayed out! The day passed quickly - so many people coming up for a friendly chat and exchange of views. To date, £728 has been given and if you still have your envelope, it is not too late! Thank you once again for your generosity and continued support.
On the same day, the monthly Friendship Lunch was held at the Globe. By popular demand the lunches will continue during the summer and the next two will be on Wednesdays 21st August and 25th September.
The singing didn't quite raise the roof at the Christians Together Songs of Praise at the end of June, but we had a good try! We were pleased to welcome so many friends from Combe Martin. Thank you once again to the Rector for arranging the service and introducing the hymns; to Heather Jones for playing the organ [Stuart was on holiday] and last but not least, to the ringers who rang us in and out.
Church services will follow their usual pattern throughout August and September. Our next 'special' will not be until the very end of September, Sunday 29th, when we shall be celebrating the Harvest with a Family Service at 11.00 a.m. The Church will be decorated on Friday, 27th September and gifts of flowers and produce will be most welcome. To make a change this year, the congregation will be invited to bring something along to the Sunday service. A store of canned goods/preserves is kept by the Rector for anyone in need and we thought it would be a good idea to augment his stock. Please bring along anything suitable which will keep [so well in date please].
The Harvest Supper will take place on Wednesday evening, 2nd October and tickets will be on sale at the Post Office. Please watch out for posters nearer the time.
Mary T.
9
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Two well-attended services were held at the end of March. On Palm Sunday we were joined by the Choir who sang 'The Lord's My Shepherd' to the 'Vicar of Dibley' tune. The Palm Crosses were distributed to the congregation and in the final hymn, the Sunday School joined us and processed around the church with their crosses.
Celebrations on Easter Day were somewhat subdued as the news of the Queen Mother's death had just been announced. Nevertheless, we continued with our planned Family Service, all going up to the altar together at the end. The children's contribution was much appreciated, as always. Once again Sally and her helpers had composed a lovely Easter Garden and had arranged a new display in the Children's Corner, which is much visited and admired and gives pause for thought. Thank you once again to all those who gave donations and flowers in memory - the lilies were exceptionally beautiful this year - and not least to the arrangers who deserve special mention.
At the Village Service on 9th April, a muffled peal was rung and prayers said for the Queen Mother and the Royal Family.
The Coffee Morning held on 2nd May raised £95. Thank you to all helpers and everyone who supported us, and to those who, being unable to come on the day, gave generous donations. The PCC have decided to use the money to decorate the Church for the Golden Jubilee when there will be a Family Service of Celebration on 2nd June at 11.00 a.m.
June promises to be a busy month and special dates are:
Sunday, 16th June Father's Day - We are planning a special Village Service with the Sunday School at 11.00 a.m. and all families are invited to come along.
Wednesday, 19th June - Gift Day. A bit earlier this year. As usual, letters and envelopes will be delivered around the village and the Rector and members of the PCC will be at the lychgate all day to receive donations and have a chat.
Sunday, 23rd June - Songs of Praise, Christians Together. This will take place at 6.30 p.m. and we shall be joined by all the Combe Martin churches and there will be tea, coffee and biscuits in the Manor Hall afterwards.
A reminder of the monthly pattern of Sunday Services:
- 1st - Family Service with the Sunday School followed by a short Holy Communion
- 2nd, 4th [& 5th] - Sung Eucharist
- 3rd - Village Service with the Choir [no Holy Communion]
All Services being at 11.00 a.m. and coffee and biscuits are served afterwards. A warm welcome is extended to everyone.
Looking forward to July ... The Rector is hoping to hold another Pets' Service on Sunday, 7th July. Please look out for posters giving time and details.
The St. Peter's Summer Fayre will be held on Tuesday, 30th July. As always, we shall be most grateful for help, contributions, etc., and hope for a bumper evening.
Mary Tucker
Friendship Lunches
The June Friendship Lunch has been booked provisionally for Wednesday, 19th. Once a decision has been made about whether to meet through the summer, in July and August, 'Lunchers' will be notified.
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
At least 70 attended a superb service on 10th March, Mothering Sunday, with the Sunday School at full strength and the Choir leading the singing of the hymns. The children sang 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing' and also distributed bunches of daffodils to their mothers and all the other ladies in the congregation. The Rector gave out a special Mother's Day card. We were pleased to see Sally back in church after her accident and our thanks to Anne, Doreen, Sylvia and Mary for making up the bunches of flowers, not forgetting Paul and Theresa who once more provided so many of them.
Easter Services will be: Good Friday, 2.00 p.m. a quiet hour of devotion. Easter Day, Family Communion. Our services will be following the regular pattern during April and May. There is one special Sunday 19th May, Whitsunday or Pentecost.
The PCC will be holding a Coffee Morning on Thursday, 2nd May, in the Manor Hall, from 10.30 a.m. onwards. There will be the usual stalls and a raffle and, as always, we shall be very glad of any gifts. But most important, please do come along on the day.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER's CHURCH
Christmas again worked its magic and our services were enjoyed by all, thanks to the efforts and hard work of so many. The church was beautifully decorated, a lot of the flowers being donated in memory. The Family Services with the Sunday School and Choir were particularly well attended: the children singing 'Away in a Manger' and the Choir's unaccompanied rendition of 'The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy', were not to be missed.
Collections for the Children's Society amounted to £232. At the moment, one of the Society's main concerns is the number of child runaways, some of whom are only 8 or 9 years old, and setting up a pattern of leaving home and being returned, which continues through their young life.
Ash Wednesday falls on the 13th February this year, and there will be Holy Communion in church at 10.00 a.m. Lent Boxes for the Bible Society will be available at the back of the church, to be returned at Easter.
Special services during March:
- 10th March - Mothering Sunday Family Service
- 24th March - Palm Sunday, Sung Eucharist
- 29th March - Good Friday, a quiet hour of devotion will begin at 2.00 p.m.
- 31st March - Easter Day, Family Communion
Please look out for posters for details and times of services.
The Friendship Lunches will continue at The Globe and we shall endeavour to keep to the last Wednesday in the month: 27th February [March to be announced later].
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Come, you thankful people, come
Raise the song of harvest home!
Outstanding celebrations were held at St. Peter's over the season of Harvest. First the church was decorated beautifully, with many comings and goings, from the dedicated flower arrangers to the Sunday School, to those who came in quietly to leave a gift. The Sunday Service was very well attended, with all the children and the choir. Everyone was eager to play a part and somehow everything was fitted in.
The Evensong on 3rd October was enjoyed by us all. The new simpler service was used for the first time and it seems to be more relevant to the 21st Century. The Supper was particularly excellent this year and the Hall always looks so inviting as we all arrive. A lively auction of produce followed and altogether £150 was added to the Tower Fund.
Remembrance Sunday, St. Peter's Church, Berrynarbor
On Sunday 11th November, the Parish Councillors and many villagers gathered around the War Memorial to pay their respects to the men and women who fought for our freedom. Mr. Joe Ivan sounded the Last Post on his bugle and after observing the two-minute Silence, Keith led the congregation back into church to continue the service.
Paul Crockett, a Parish Councillor, read the Lesson from St. John, which tells us of God's Love for us. Keith reminded us, during his sermon, that not only were we remembering those who had died in past wars, but also all those innocent civilians who were killed in the 11th September atrocities. He also reminded us that nowadays, as during World War it is we, the civilians, who are targeted rather than just the armed forces and that we should all give one another our love and support.
The Service finished with prayers while the choir sang 'God be in my head'. The Collection taken amounted to £130, which will be given to the Earl Haig Fund.
Margaret Kerr
Thank you to the Management Committee of the Manor Hall for arranging the Village Evening on 14th November. Many of us took the opportunity to study the drawings and photos of the tower, provided by Mr. Nellist, the church architect. We now have some idea of all the work that has been going on behind the netting! Everything should be back to normal by December and we are looking forward to the celebration of Christmas. Do try to come and join us as often as you can.
Mary Tucker
Christmas Services
- Wednesday, 19th December - Carol Service, 6.30 p.m.
- Sunday, 23rd December - Last Sunday in Advent, Sung Eucharist 11.00 a.m.
- Christmas Eve Blessing of the Crib and first Communion of Christmas 9.30 p.m.
- Christmas Day Family Communion, 11.00 a.m.
- Sunday, 30th December - Family Communion with Carols, 11.00 a.m.
We warmly welcome you all to come and join in the joys of Christmas
Please Note: There will be no Friendship Lunch in December. January date to be confirmed.
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The morning of 14th August dawned bright and sunny and we had a perfect day for our Summer Fayre. As always, we had many willing helpers throughout the day and a lovely atmosphere in the evening. £1,020 was raised towards the Tower Fund on the night and, once expenses have been paid, we should show a profit in excess of £900. Thank you once again to all those who supported us with help and gifts and by coming along on the night.
Mary and Brian Malin kindly ran a Duck Race over the August Bank Holiday and a further £257 was raised for the Tower Fund. Our Rector, Keith, won the fastest duck and the first prize of £50, [was it divine assistance?]. Keith kindly donated his prize to the fund, thus swelling it to £307.
Harvest Festival at St. Peter's will be celebrated with a Family Communion on Sunday, 30th September at 11.00 a.m. Evensong, followed by the Harvest Supper in the Manor Hall, will be at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 3rd October.
At the invitation of Christians Together, the London Emmanuel Choir will be visiting Combe Martin again on the week-end of 13th and 14th October. There will be a concert in Combe Martin Parish Church on the Saturday evening, beginning at 7.30 p.m. Tickets are priced at £5.00 and it would be advisable to book your seat as soon as possible as space is limited. Please contact Mary Tucker [883881]. The Choir will also sing at a joint service in Combe Martin on the Sunday morning and there will be no service in Berrynarbor.
Remembrance Sunday actually falls on the 11th November this year and the special service will be held in the church. We shall gather at 10.45 a.m. ready to walk in procession to the War Memorial.
Otherwise, our services during October and November will follow their regular pattern. We are very much looking forward to seeing and hearing the newly formed choir on the third Sunday of each month. Our Friendship Lunches have begun again at The Globe. The next two will be on Wednesdays, 24th October and 28th November.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A very successful GIFT DAY was held on Wednesday, 27th June. Thank you to all who helped by distributing letters and envelopes round the village. A total of £1,170 has been handed in to date, with many giving a bit extra this year to boost the Tower Fund. Thank you all for your continued support and generosity.
As I write, the scaffolding is at last going up and repairs will start in the next few days. While work is in progress, the path round the west end of the church will be closed, for safety reasons, but there is still access, of course, to the churchyard and the church will be open during the day as usual. However, the bells cannot be rung and the spotlight has been switched off. Work will last for a minimum of 12 weeks.
We are looking at a cost of £50,000 plus VAT. [The Chancellor in his March budget promised a grant that would reduce VAT on repairs to listed churches from 17.5% to 5% for work started after 1st April 2001, but details have yet to be finalised.] This sum will include refurbishing the clock faces and up-dating the lightning conductors.
At present the Tower Fund stands at £24,150. We still have some way to go but generous donations are still coming in and we are looking forward to our next fund-raising event.
The St. Peter's SUMMER FAYRE will be held on TUESDAY, 14th AUGUST, 6.30 p.m. onwards at the Manor Hall. We shall be grateful for gifts for the various stalls: cakes, books, toys, good bric-a-brac, china and glass, plants and produce and also for prizes for the raffle, tombola and hoop-la. Please give me a ring [883881] if you have anything to be collected and helpers on the day are always welcome.
A VOTE OF THANKS on behalf of us all to the team of FLOWER ARRANGERS responsible for the displays in church throughout the year. A big thank you, as well, to all those who regularly give flowers or make a donation towards the cost. They are very much appreciated. Betty Davis has just put up the rota of helpers to the end of the year on the board in the church porch, and there are three or four gaps! Is there anyone who would like to fill in a space? It would involve arranging the flowers just once - to last a fortnight - and going in now and then to water them. Please give Betty a ring [883541] if you can help.
Special Services during August and September:
- Sunday, 5th August: 11.00 a.m. Family Service. There will be a Teddy Bear's Picnic in church, so don't forget to come along and bring your teddy!
- Sunday, 30th September: 11.00 a.m. Harvest Thanksgiving Family Communion.
The Harvest Supper and Auction will be on Wednesday, 3rd October, beginning with Evensong at 6.30 p.m.
After a break for August, the next Friendship Lunch will be at the Globe on Wednesday, 5th September, 12.30 p.m. onwards.
Mary Tucker
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Family Services at the main Church Festivals have proved very successful, and Easter was no exception. After the quiet and solemnity of Good Friday, the church came alive again and was filled with glorious flowers ready for Easter Day. Our usual congregation was joined by the Sunday School and many visitors. When the Rector gathered the children around the Easter Garden, no fewer than 30 came forward, eager to answer questions and hear his explanations. For the final part of the service, everyone was invited to the altar for communion or a blessing: a truly uplifting occasion.
Re-ordering of Services
At the beginning of May, the order of our services was switched around. The form of worship is the same, but the monthly pattern is as follows:
- 1st Sunday - Family Service with the Sunday School followed by a short Holy Communion
- 2nd Sunday - Sung Eucharist
- 3rd Sunday - Village Service [no Holy Communion]
- 4th Sunday - Sung Eucharist
- 5th Sunday - Sung Eucharist
In this way, the communion and non-communion services will alternate. All services will begin at 11.00 a.m. as usual.
Special Dates during June
- Sunday, 3rd June Celebration of Pentecost This will now be a Family Service
- Sunday, 24th June 6.30 p.m. There will be a Songs of Praise in Berrynarbor with Christians Together. We shall be welcoming not only all the churches from Combe Martin, but also a visiting group of Handbell Ringers from America. Everyone is cordially invited to come and join us - a date not to be missed, and there will be tea and coffee and biscuits in the Manor Hall afterwards.
- Wednesday, 27th June will be GIFT DAY. Letters and envelopes will be delivered around the village the week before and the Rector and members of the PCC will be at the lich gate all day to receive your gifts for the Tower Appeal. On the same day, the Friendship Lunch will be held at The Globe.
July Services will follow the new pattern and the Lunch will be on the 25th.
Resignations and Appointments
At the Annual Meeting at the end of March, it was with reluctance that the Rector and PCC accepted the resignation of Betty Davis as Churchwarden. Betty has held this office for ten years, since 1991. In recognition of her many years of service to Berrynarbor Church, Betty has been awarded the honorary title of Churchwarden Emeritus: only the second person to receive this honour in Berrynarbor. Betty will not be retiring completely, but will continue to take as active a part in church life as her health will allow.
Doreen Prater has been elected to fill the vacancy and we all wish her well and assure her of our support.
Details of all Church Officers are to be found on the noticeboard in the church porch but we should also like to extend a special welcome to Marion Carter, who has taken on the task of PCC Secretary.
Thank you all for your support at our Coffee Morning held on 3rd May. After expenses, £100 has been added to the Tower Fund, which now stands at just under £22,500. We are still waiting for all permissions to be granted before work can commence. Our Summer Faye will be held on Tuesday, 14th August - more of that next time.
Mary Tucker
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Congratulations to Sally Barten on the Children's Corner in the Church. There is so much to look at and to do it's already proving very popular with the children. Thank you, also, to everyone who gave cushions, etc. We had everything we needed in no time at all!
Special Services During April
- 8th April - Palm Sunday, Sung Eucharist with distribution of Palm Crosses.
- 13th April - Good Friday, Quiet Hour of Hymns, Readings and Prayers, 2.00 to 3.00 p.m.
- 15th April - Easter Day, Family Communion with the Sunday School.
All Sunday Services begin at 11.00 a.m. and everyone who comes is assured of a warm welcome.
Whitsuntide is late this year and will be celebrated with Sung Eucharist on Sunday, 3rd June.
The PCC will be holding a Coffee Morning in aid of the Tower Fund in the Manor Hall on Thursday, 3rd May, 10.30 a.m. There will be a raffle and all the usual stalls, and as always, contributions will be most appreciated.
Mary Tucker
The April Friendship Lunch will be held at "The Globe" on Wednesday, 25th April, and details of the May Lunch will be available later.
10
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Christmas Services
We enjoyed some wonderful services over Christmas! The church was full for the Carol Service and late services on Christmas Eve were very well attended. The Sunday School excelled in their performances of "A Fox's Tale" and the highlight for many of us was surely the Crib Service when we had a real baby in the crib and a tiny "angel" bringing up the rear of the procession around the aisles! It's not often we have a fox prowling about the church, so imagine my surprise to be met by a real one coming out of the porch at 8.30 p.m. on Christmas Eve! Sally and the Sunday School seem to attract wild life [remember the carrots?]!
The collections for the Children's Society have amounted to just over £250.
Future Dates
- Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent, falls on 28th February this year. There will be a Communion Service in St. Peter's: please look out for posters giving the time.
- Mothering Sunday is on 25th March - the day summer time
begins! Our special service will begin at 11.00 a.m.
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Our vegetable gardens and orchards may not have been so productive this year but the church was still beautifully decorated for the HARVEST FESTIVAL. The flowers were particularly lovely as a wedding had taken place on the Saturday! Thank you to everyone who brought or sent in gifts and especially to Betty and her team of flower arrangers who give so much pleasure to us all and to our visitors.
The Sunday Family Communion was well attended and it was a joy to see Sally and the Sunday School helpers with so many children. The bells rang out once again for Evensong on the Wednesday, when we were pleased to welcome Heather and the Combe Martin Church Choir. Their presence was much appreciated as they led us in the singing. Again we had a good congregation and the Supper afterwards was enjoyed by everyone. Our thanks to Bernard who took charge of the auction, raising some £80. In all, over £150 was Collected during the evening towards the Tower Fund.
The REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Service on 12th November was led by our Reader, Clive Nottage, and attended by over 60 of us. Wreaths were laid at the War Memorial by the Church and the Parish Council and, after the two minutes' silence, we all returned to the church for the special service. The collection taken up for the Earl Haig Fund amounted to £90.
From the beginning of December, a NEW FORM OF SERVICE will be used for the Eucharist on the first and second Sundays of the month. It is written in modern language and should be more 'user friendly'! Sunday, 3rd December, also marks the beginning of Advent and the first candle will be lit on the Advent Wreath.
CHRISTMAS SERVICES will be as follows:
- Wednesday, 20th December - Carol Service, 6.30 p.m.
- Sunday, 24th December - [Christmas Eve] Crib Service with the Sunday School, 11.00 a.m.
First Communion of Christmas, 9.30 p.m. - Christmas Day - Family Communion, 11.00 a.m.
- Sunday, 31st December - Family Communion, with carols, 11.00 a.m.
Please note that the service on Christmas Eve will be earlier this year at 9:30 p.m. This is so that our Rector, Keith, will be able to conduct services both in Berrynarbor and Combe Martin.
Christmas cards with service times will again be distributed all round the village. Do come and join us if you can.
A successful COFFEE MORNING was held at the beginning of November. £113 was raised including several generous donations, and this amount will be shared between the Kidney Dialysis Unit at South Molton and the Church Tower Fund. A big thank you to you all.
Illustrations by: Stephanie Breary - Class 2
Berrynarbor Primary SchoolMary Tucker
25
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Summer Fayre
8.00 a.m. on a beautiful summer's morning saw us once again up on the main road putting out signs and banners for the Church Summer Fayre in the evening. By 6.30 p.m., after many comings and goings throughout the day to the Manor Hall, all was in place and early arrivals were already beginning to try their luck on the skittles, tombola, etc., and to make their purchases. After a very busy and enjoyable evening, the PCC were able to declare a profit of £1,000. Our grateful thanks to all those who supported us, contributing in so many different ways and giving us so much time and effort. Without you there would have been no Fayre!
To date, a total of £1921 has been raised during the year, including Gift Day and a Coffee Morning held in May. To finish up the year, the PCC will be holding another Coffee Morning on Thursday, 2nd November, in the Manor Hall, beginning at 10.30 a.m. Please come along and join us: there will be the usual stalls - cakes, bric-a-brac and raffle, and any gifts will be received gladly.
The Harvest Festival will take place at the very beginning of October and then our services will follow the normal pattern. We are, however, looking forward to a number of weddings and christenings!
Remembrance Sunday will fall on 12th November this year - please see the posters for the time of Service.
Harvest Festival 2000
Sunday, 1st OctoberFamily Communion, 11.00 a.m.
Wednesday, 4th October
Evensong, 6.30 p.m., followed by Supper in the Manor HallSupper Tickets on sale at the Post Office
8
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Gift Day We spent a glorious sunny day sitting on the church steps, talking to parishioners and visitors, exchanging news and views. To date, with still a few late envelopes being returned, £830 has been donated towards the Tower Fund. Thank you all once again for your constant generosity. The Fund now stands at £21,000, but still no news of a grant from English Heritage.
Our services during August and September will follow their usual pattern. The Family Service on the third Sunday of the month is proving particularly popular. We all look forward to seeing the Sunday School and enjoy the items they have prepared: songs, readings and prayers. A display of their work can be seen at the back of the church and it is well worth looking at. Their new term will start on 10th September in the Manor Hall at 11.00 a.m. and for any children interested in joining, the person to contact is Sally Barten on 882746.
Looking Forward . . . The Harvest Thanksgiving will be upon us before the next Newsletter appears! Harvest Sunday will be on 1st October, and the Evensong and Supper will take place on the following Wednesday, 4th October. Please look out for posters nearer the time.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter Services
Our Easter Services were very well attended with over 80 of us in church on Easter Day, including lots of visitors. It was lovely to see so many children [luckily there were enough Easter eggs to go round!] and the Sunday School are to be congratulated on the beautiful garden they assembled at the entrance to the church. Thank you again to all our talented flower arrangers and especially Ann Gosling, who held the fort during Betty's absence. We all wish Betty a speedy return to better health.
Special Services during June:
- Thursday, 1st June - Ascension Day Holy Communion at 10.00 a.m. [which lasts about half an hour]. The Easter Candle will be extinguished during the service.
- Sunday, 11th June - Whitsunday [Pentecost] 11.00 a.m. Sung Eucharist.
- Sunday, 25th June - The Christians Together Evensong will be held at Berrynarbor at 6.30 p.m. There will be tea/coffee and biscuits afterwards in the Manor Hall.
Fund Raising
The Coffee Morning held on 4th May raised £91.00 towards Church Funds once all expenses were paid. Thank you to everyone who helped and came along to support us - there was a lovely friendly atmosphere, as always. Gift Day will be on the last Wednesday in June this year - the 28th [St. Peter's Day falls on the 29th]. Our appeal this year is once more for the tower. The Rector, Churchwardens and members of the PCC will be at the lychgate all day, from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. to receive your gifts and have a chat. A letter from the Rector and envelopes will be delivered around the village the week before.
Advance Notice
The Church Summer Fayre will be held in the Manor Hall on Tuesday, 1st August. If you would like to help in any way, please get in touch with Mary Tucker [883881] and as this is before the next newsletter, please make a notc in your diary!
Mary Tucker
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Services during April
2nd April: Mothering Sunday - our special Family Service with the Sunday School and this year we shall also be dedicating the Village Millennium Plates. All families are invited to come and join us. There will be a shortened Communion Service afterwards for those who wish to stay.
9th April: Sung Eucharist as usual.
16th April: Palm Sunday - Family Service with distribution of Palm Crosses and again a shortened Communion Service afterwards.
21st April: Good Friday - a quiet hour of Devotion with hymns, readings and prayers, 2.00 to 3.00 p.m.
23rd April: EASTER DAY - A Communion Service for all the village when, as always, everyone is welcome to come and join us. We shall have our usual fourth Sunday Village Service followed by Holy Communion.
30th April: Sung Eucharist as usual.
All Sunday Services begin at 11.00 a.m.
The church will be decorated for Easter on Good Friday after 4.00 p.m. Anyone who is able to provide flowers [white or yellow] or who would like to make a donation, please contact Betty Davis on 883541.
Looking forward to May: the PCC will be holding a Coffee Morning on Thursday, 4th May, in the Manor Hall from 10.30 a.m. onwards. There will be a raffle, cake stall and bring and buy stall. Offers of help will be most welcome and also gifts for the various stalls.
Tower Fund - At the end of 1999, the Tower Fund stood at almost £20,000 [£19,774 to be exact!] a magnificent effort. Our application for funding from English Heritage is still under consideration, and one of their architects is due to make an inspection.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe - These lunches are proving very popular and the latest will have been held on Wednesday, 29th March. We are not planning one in April and the date for the May lunch has yet to be fixed. However, plenty of notice will be given. Anyone from the village is welcome to come and we choose our own meal from the menu and pay as we go.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Warm, Welcoming and Well-attended Christmas Eve: late afternoon I arrived on the village square about to go up to the church to prepare the altar for the Midnight Service. It was already quite dark and the scene was devastating - sandbags, lorries, flashing lights, workmen rushing about still pumping away flood water. With some misgiving, I pushed open the door of the Church, but everything was well: peace and calm, the bright lights of the tree, the lights over the crib and over the new Millennium plates, cheerful flowers in every corner and on every window sill. Soon everything was ready for the congregation to arrive and for the magical, timeless service to begin.
A great number of visitors came and joined us in church over the holiday period and here are some of their comments:
- 'A lovely experience.'
- 'Lovely church, beautiful flowers.'
- 'Wonderful service' [2nd January] 'Great bell-ringing'.
So who is saying that all our churches are neglected and empty?
A Few Changes Have Taken Place . . . Reg Gosling has retired after many years as Church Organist and a presentation was made to him at the Carol Service. Stuart Neale kindly agreed to take over and he will be joined by others from the village to play on a rota basis.
Bell-Ringing Thanks to the Millennium celebrations, more volunteers have come forward to join in the bell-ringing and it is hoped that a regular practice night will be re-established. We could have a village team once again and bells before the service every Sunday.
We are settling in to our new pattern of Services which is as follows:
- 1st and 2nd Sundays in the month - Sung Eucharist [Communion Service]
- 3rd Sunday - Family Service followed by a short Holy Communion
- 4th Sunday - Village Service [no Holy Communion]
- 5th Sunday - Sung Eucharist
Illustration by: Steven Angold [Aged 10]
There is time for coffee and a chat afterwards every week. Everyone should feel free to come and join us and take part in any of the services. We always begin at 11.00 a.m.
Looking Forward: Ash Wednesday is not until 8th March this year and Easter is very late [Good Friday is 21st April]. Mothering Sunday will be on 2nd April - so more of that next time and please look out for posters.
Mary Tucker
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Harvest Festival - Festival Flowers filled the church once again for the Thanksgiving service at the beginning of October and there was a good display of fruit and vegetables, together with a sheaf of corn provided by the Bowden family. Thank you all for your gifts.
We were pleased to welcome Heather and members of the choir from Combe Martin [plus our own Pat] at the Evensong on the Wednesday. The singing helped to make it a really joyous occasion. Then over to the Hall for a truly splendid supper and auction of produce and over the evening a total of £134 was raised towards the Tower Fund.
Remembrance Sunday - We could hear the organ beginning to play as we prepared to leave the War Memorial to process back up to the Church on Remembrance Sunday. This year the order had been changed and we laid the wreathes first and observed the two minutes silence at 11.00 a.m. The Last Post and Reveille were sounded before we returned to the church to continue with the special service. The dignified service was conducted by our Reader, Clive Nottage, and was very well attended, with many people from the village and members of the Parish Council joining our regular congregation. The collection has been donated to the Earl Haig Fund.
Christmas 1999 - will be very special - the last of the 20th Century, the last of the Second Millennium. We hope that many of you will have joined us for the Advent Services and that you will be with us as often as possible over the Festival. Planned services are as follows:
- Wednesday, 22nd December: Carol Service, 6.30 p.m.
- Christmas Eve: Midnight Mass, 11.30 p.m.
- Christmas Day: Family Communion with Carols, 11.00 a.m.
- Sunday, 26th December: St. Stephen's Day - Village Service with carols, 10.30 a.m.
Please get in touch with the Rector or one of the Churchwardens if you cannot get to church and would like Communion brought to you at home.
The Church will be decorated on Christmas Eve - please get in touch with Betty Davis [883541] if you can help in any way.
And so on to the NEW START of the Third Millennium. The Church will be open on New Year's Eve prior to the bells at midnight and the bells will ring out again at noon on New Year's Day. There will be a Family Service with Communion on Sunday, 2nd January, at 11.00 a.m.
Along with our Christmas Card, a Millennium Candle will be delivered to each home this year. This candle, purchased by the PCC, is a gift from all the Christian Churches to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ and is to be lit on Millennium Eve.
Mary Tucker
23
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Summer Events - a kaleidoscope of colour transformed the Church for the Flower Festival over the last week-end in July. 'Events of the 20th Century ' took us back over the last 100 years, starting in the porch with Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit on one side and the Teddy Bears' Picnic on the other, and finishing at the bottom of the south aisle in the present day, with the World Wide Web. In between were many other contrasts from the two World Wars to the Coronation of our Queen, exploration, art, music - all depending on the imagination of the arrangers - and looking up to the east end, the beautiful backdrop of the altars with flowers in the windows reaching up towards the roof. There was a steady flow of visitors over the four days and the Preview Evening and Sunday 'Songs of Praise' were enjoyed by everyone who came. [Did you hear the tale of the missing carrots? Friday morning and on opening the porch gate, Peter's carrots had disappeared! The tops were later found by the west door and the carrots - well nibbled -further up the path. Squirrel Nutkin at work again!]
The 17th August saw us all back up at the Manor Hall once again, setting up stalls, side-shows and barbecue, ready for our Summer Fayre in the evening. It is amazing how quickly the hall fills up and with such variety. Thank you to everyone for their hard work it is wonderful to see people coming in with enthusiasm, year after year, to do their bit and to give their support. A special thank you to John Hood and the Management Committee for having everything ready and at our disposal. Proceeds from both these events will go to the Tower Fund - the Flower Festival raised £672; the final figure for the Fayre is not yet to hand but £927 was taken on the night.
By now most people will have realised the time of the Sunday Service has changed to 11.00 a.m. to enable the Rector to officiate in both Combe Martin and here. The pattern of services remains the same for the time being.
The Harvest Festival will be celebrated the first week-end in October.
- Sunday, 3rd October: Family Communion, 11.00 a.m.
- Wednesday, 6th October: Evensong, 6.30 p.m. followed by the Supper in the Manor Hall and Auction of Produce.
Tickets on sale at the Post Office, Adults - £3.00, Children - £1.00
Everyone will be made most welcome.
Remembrance Sunday falls on the 14th November this year. The service will begin at 11.00 a.m. Please see posters for details nearer the time.
Illustration by: Michael McCormick [Age 10]
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
What a magnificent response to our Gift Day Appeal for the Tower Fund. The total sum received to date stands at £1,396 - well over twice as much as last year. Thank you all for your generosity. Although the large sum we need for repairs to the tower seems daunting, the fund already stands at nearly £12,000, thanks to the money set aside by the PCC over the past year and to further donations apart from those received on Gift Day.
We are at present in the final stages of preparation for the Flower Festival and this will be reported on next month. At the same time, plans are underway for the Summer Fayre to be held on Tuesday, 17th August. Gifts for the various stalls will be most welcome - notably cakes, books, toys, plants and produce, china and glass, good bric-a-brac - and also prizes for the raffle, tombola and hoop-la. Please let Betty Davis [883541] or me [883881] know if you would like to help on the day.
Advance Notice: the Harvest Festival will be on Sunday, 3rd October and Evensong and Harvest Supper, with Auction of Produce, will be the following Wednesday, 6th October. The church will be decorated on the Friday, 1st October. Gifts of fruit, vegetables and flowers should be brought to the church on the Thursday or Friday morning, and they will be most gratefully received.
Mary T.
15
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Once again we had a very good congregation for the service on Easter Day and the church was beautifully decorated. Thank you to everyone who helped and to those who contributed towards the lilies. The Sunday School made up an Easter garden and at the end of the service all the children present received Easter eggs.
A successful Coffee Morning was held on Thursday, 6th May. Thank you all for your support. It was the first get-together we have had for a while and as usual there was such a friendly atmosphere. £146 was raised and this will go to help fund the Flower Festival to be held in the church from 23rd to 26th July. The title will be 'Events of the 20th Century' and there will be a display for each decade of the past 100 years. A Preview, with Cheese and Wine, will be held on Thursday, 22nd July, and a Songs of Praise with Christians Together on Sunday, 25th [late in the evening]. Please let Betty Davis know as soon as possible if you would like to assist in any way [Tel: 883541]. We shall be holding another Coffee Morning - to help pay for the flowers - in the Manor Hall on Thursday, 10th June.
Our other main fund-raising events this summer will be Gift Day on Wednesday, 30th June, when we shall be at the lychgate all day, and our Summer Fayre on Tuesday, 17th August. All our efforts this year will be for the Tower Appeal.
At long last a new altar frontal and matching falls to the lectern and pulpit have been bought for the church. After long deliberation, the PCC chose a rich material with all the liturgical colours woven into the cloth. This means the frontal will stay on the altar throughout the year [in the past we had four sets] and, apart from saving on cost and labour, we shall no longer have the problems of storage.
The total cost was around £1,500 and this was met from donations. The altar frontal itself has been given in memory of Mrs. Win White, with a legacy she left to the church and a generous donation from her daughter, Betty Davis. The new frontal and falls were dedicated by the Rector at the Family Service on the 18th April. They make a fine addition to the church and will be greatly treasured.
Mary Tucker
10
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
A warm welcome is extended to everyone to come and join us for our Easter Services: Good Friday [2nd April] - Quiet Hour, 2.00 - 3.00 p.m. Easter Sunday [4th April] - Sung Eucharist, 10.30 a.m. A reminder that the church will be decorated late on Friday.
Looking forward to May: The PCC will be holding a Coffee Morning on Thursday, 6th May, in the Manor Hall, 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon. We shall be glad of gifts for the various stalls: cakes, raffle prizes, books, good 'white elephant' items. Proceeds will go to church funds - all our efforts this year will be for essential repairs to the tower. A very special occasion on Ascension Day, Thursday, 13th May, when the Bishop of Crediton will be coming to Berrynarbor to hold a Confirmation Service beginning at 7.30 p.m. Both adults and children will be being Confirmed and it is still not too late to get in touch with the Rector. Please come and give your support to the candidates and we shall be having a buffet supper in the Manor Hall afterwards.
Christian Aid Week is from 9th to 15th May this year and there will be envelopes for donations at the back of the church as usual. Christians Together will join in fund raising events for this appeal and there will be a United Service in Berrynarbor on Sunday, 30th May at 6.30 p.m. when the collection will go to Christian Aid. Again this will be followed by coffee, tea, etc., in the Manor Hall.
A lovely service took place on Mothering Sunday. Our thanks to Betty and Anne for preparing the bunches of flowers and to Paul and Teresa who helped to provide the daffodils. Our thanks, too, to Marion who has kept the Sunday School going and active over the past few months. Have you had time to see the display boards at the back of the church?
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Christmas Time: The Church was beautifully decorated once again ready for Christmas. The wonderful flower arrangements were much admired and proved a perfect setting for the lights of Christmas: the Advent candles, the tree and the crib. A sincere thank you to all those who gave their time and skills and to those who have kept everything looking fresh over the past few weeks. It is now the middle of January and the church is still a delight to visit.
Christmas services were well attended and it was lovely to welcome the Sunday School and so many young families to the Carol Service. Then there was the magic of the Midnight Mass and the joy of Christmas morning.
A total of £240 has been sent to the Children's Society - more than twice as much as last year. Thank you for your generosity.
Sunday School: The Sunday School is continuing to meet while Sally is 'out of action'. We all wish her a speedy recovery and hope she will be back with us before too long. Another teacher would be a great help, so please let me know if you would like to assist on a regular basis.
- Don't Forget: The Concert on 6th February at 7.00 p.m. Details above. Tickets are on sale in the Post Office or from Margaret Andrews [883385] or myself [883881].
- Lent: Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on 17th February. Mothering Sunday is on 14th March and we shall hold our special family service with the Sunday School. Please watch out for posters for Palm Sunday, 28th March, Good Friday, 2nd April, and Easter Day, 4th April.
The church will be decorated for Easter late Friday afternoon and Saturday. If you would like to contribute towards the cost of Easter lilies, please let Betty Davis know [883541].
Mary Tucker
13
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Harvest Festival
We had a wonderful Harvest Thanksgiving Evensong and Supper this year - many said the best ever. We were pleased to welcome the choir from Combe Martin and thank everyone who joined in to make the evening such a success again - a real team effort. Although we did not appear to have so much produce in church, the auction was lively and raised almost £100. A total of £260 has been sent off to the Flood Appeal for Bangladesh. Our thanks again to everyone who helped to decorate the church and who gave so generously.
Remembrance Sunday
Our regular congregation, members of the Parish Council and others from the village gathered once again to remember the fallen of both World Wars. The service was sensitively led by the Reverend Andrew Jones and his thought provoking words were appreciated by us all. Wreaths on behalf of the village were laid at the War Memorial by the PCC and the Parish Council. The collection of £65 will be sent to the Earl Haig Fund.
Advent
There will be no flowers in church during Advent, but the Advent wreath and Candles will again stand at the top of the altar steps. A new candle will be lit each Sunday beginning on 29th November. The church will be decorated for Christmas on Tuesday, 22nd December and anyone wishing to contribute towards the flowers, please get in touch with Betty Davis [883541]. We shall look forward to seeing you all over Christmas - the Services will be as follows:
- Wednesday, 23rd December - Carol Service, with Sunday School, 6.30 p.m.
- Thursday, 24th December - Holy Communion, 10.00 a.m. Midnight Mass, 11.30 p.m.
- Christmas Day - Family Communion with Carols, 10.30 a.m.
- Sunday, 27th December - Matins with Carols, 10.30 a.m. [no Holy Communion]
Collections from the Carol Service and Midnight Mass will be donated to the Church of England Children's Society.
For the time being, Matins will be observed on the fourth Sunday of each month, instead of Sung Eucharist. We shall continue to have a Family Service followed by a short Holy Communion, on the third Sunday: 20th December and 17th January.
Mary Tucker
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Our Summer Fayre held on 4th of August went with a swing. The Manor Hall was a-buzz and, as always, there was such a friendly, happy atmosphere.
And for once we were all able to enjoy the outside activities and the barbecue in sunshine! Our thanks again to everyone who helped or contributed in any way and to the many who made donations. With all expenses paid, £1,036 was raised towards churchyard funds - a magnificent effort.
Harvest Festival
Sunday 4th October Family Communion 10.30 a.m.
Wednesday, 7th OctoberEvensong in Church, 6.30 p.m. Supper in the Manor Hall, 7.45 p.m.
Followed by Sale of Produce
Tickets: Adults £3.00 Under 15's £1.00
Proceeds to Christian Aid [Bangladesh]
The Church will be decorated on Friday, 2nd October and gifts of flowers, fruit and vegetables will be very welcome. [Produce may be brought in up to the evening of the Supper]. Tickets for the Supper will be on sale in church or from the Post Office the week before. Everyone is welcome to come and join us.
Do come and take part in the Family Services on 18th October and 15th November at 10.30 a.m. The service lasts about half an hour and is followed by coffee and biscuits.
Remembrance Sunday falls on 8th November this year and the special service with laying of wreaths at the War Memorial will begin in Church at 10.30 a.m. The collection will be sent to the Earl Haig Fund.
Mary T.
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Almost 100 of us gathered for the joint Evensong held in St. Peter's on the last Sunday in June, when we were pleased to welcome members from all the churches in Combe Martin. The service was led by our Rector, Keith, the preacher was Alan Edwards of the Baptist church and the village choir was joined by the choir from St. Peter Ad Vincula. Special flowers were arranged by Anne, Betty and Sylvia. Afterwards, in the Manor Hall, a cake was shared - provided by Christine to celebrate Keith's 25 years in the Ministry. Our thanks to everyone who helped to make this such an enjoyable occasion.
The following Monday, Gift Day, was again a good day and the cheerful stream of parishioners more than made up for the dull weather. So far £570 has been raised towards the maintenance of the churchyard and we are looking forward to the Summer Fayre on Tuesday, 4th August. Once again, the PCC will be most grateful for gifts to give as prizes and for contributions to the various stalls. Please contact Betty Davis [883541] or Mary Tucker [883881] if you would like anything collected.
The next Family Services will be on Sundays 16th August and 20th September at 10.30 a.m. Looking ahead: the Harvest Festival will be on Sunday, 4th October, with Evensong and Supper the following Wednesday, 7th October.
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Eastertide
Easter services were very well attended this year. A group of us gathered on Good Friday afternoon for a quiet hour of hymns, readings and prayers. There was a Christening on Easter Saturday and in the evening the new Easter Candle was brought back to the Church after the service of Easter Light in Combe Martin. This candle will be lit during services until the Ascension and then it will be used at Christenings throughout the year. On Easter Day our regular congregation was joined by many visitors and the Church was very nearly full.
Our thanks to the Sunday School for the Easter Garden so lovingly prepared and to all the ladies who did the flower arrangements - they were greatly admired and appreciated.
A successful Coffee Morning was held on 14th May, and £114 was raised for the Church. Our thanks to everyone who contributed in any way - we were pleased to see so many familiar faces and to welcome several visitors.
The Christians Together Evening Service on 28th June will be held in Berrynarbor at 6.30 p.m. I am sure you will remember the Songs of Praise which took place during the Flower Festival last year. This will be another chance for us all to join together in worship and it will also mark St. Peter's Day which falls on the 29th. Afterwards tea, coffee and biscuits will be served in the Manor Hall.
Monday, 29th June, will be GIFT DAY and as usual the Rector and members of the PCC will be at the lych-gate all day to receive your envelopes. A letter from the Rector will be delivered to every house in the village a week before.
The Gift Day Appeal and other fund-raising efforts this year will be for the upkeep of the churchyard. Last year £1,140 was spent by the PCC on routine maintenance and this year we shall need between £1,500 and £2,000. Does that sound a lot? In the old days, the grass was cut twice a year with a scythe, but now expectations have changed and the grass in both the old and new churchyards is being cut at least once a month from April to November. In addition, there are always 'one off' repairs, which crop up all the time.
Responsibility for the graves themselves rests with the families of the deceased, but now, in many cases, especially in the old churchyard, there is no-one left to care. It is the duty of the PCC to make sure that tomb-stones are maintained in a safe condition and that individual graves do not become an eye-sore. You can help by tidying your own family's grave if possible and by giving a donation towards the upkeep of the churchyard through your Gift Day envelope. And please support the Summer Fayre to be held in the Manor Hall on Tuesday, 4th August - our main event this year.
Mary Tucker
14
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
An enjoyable Cheese and Wine Evening was held in the Manor Hall on 27th February. Almost all the village organisations put out table displays, which were interesting and imaginative, as well as providing us all with a great deal of information. A sincere thank you to all who took part. Once expenses had been deducted, £90.00 remained to be shared between Church and Manor Hall funds.
Eastertide Services
- Good Friday, 10th April, 2.00 to 3.00 p.m. Devotional Hour led by Preb. Andrew Jones.
- Easter Day, 12th April, 10.30 a.m. Sung Eucharist, when all who are confirmed should join us in Holy Communion.
The Church will be decorated on Friday evening after 4.00 p.m. and on Saturday morning. Flowers should be white or yellow and Betty Davis would welcome any gifts, as sadly it looks as if the daffodils will be over.
The Annual Meeting will be held in the Church Vestry on Friday, 3rd April, at 2.15 p.m. with the election of Churchwardens.
Looking forward to May: the P.C.C. will be holding a Coffee Morning on Thursday, 14th May, in the Manor Hall. All the usual stalls will be present and offers of help or gifts will be gratefully accepted.
Whitsunday falls on 31st May this year, the week-end after the Spring Bank Holiday, so please don 't forget this important date in the Church Calendar.
Visit of the London Emmanual Choir to Combe Martin - a Concert will be given by the Choir in the Parish Church, Combe Martin, on Saturday, 9th May, at 7.30 p.m. Admission will be by ticket only as the number of seats is limited. price £5.00 [concessions £4.00] are on sale now from Mary Tucker [883881]. Don't leave it too late!
The Choir will also take part in the Service on Sunday, 10th May, at 10.30 a.m. To enable people to attend this service, our own in Berrynarbor will be held earlier than usual at 9.00 a.m. Please see posters for details nearer the time.
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
CHRISTMAS SERVICES - were well attended and enjoyed by all who came, in spite of the inclement weather. We had snow on the morning of the day of the Carol Service and rain and high winds on Christmas Eve! The Sunday School put on two performances of their play, which was much appreciated by the congregation and finished each time with a very lively calypso carol. As always, the flower arrangers did us proud - thank you once again A cheque for £113 has been sent to the Children's Society, our Christmas charity.
A shadow was cast over our celebrations by the sudden death of Reg Davis. Reg did so many tasks around the church and churchyard and he will be greatly missed. One of the last things he did, with the help of his son, was to erect and decorate the Christmas tree, which was truly splendid this year.
During 1997 we also lost our server, Alan Prater, and Preb. Eppingstone. Nevertheless, church life has continued smoothly with others coming in to take on their duties, although we are still awaiting the promised replacement for Preb. at Parson's Pightle.
St. Peter's suffered a further blow on Sunday, 4th January, when the whole ridge of the roof to the South aisle blew off in the gale. The damage would have been much worse had the roof not been felted and kept in good repair. Work for re-instatement of the ridge is already in hand and the cost will be met by the insurance.
LENT - begins with Ash Wednesday on 25th February. There will be Holy Communion at 10.00 a.m. that day and again at 10.00 a.m. on Thursday, 26th. Don't forget Sally's Pancake and Coffee Morning on Shrove Tuesday in aid of the Sunday School!
The Rector has arranged House Discussion Groups to take place on Monday aftemoons during Lent. The first will be at Tree Tops, Old Coast Road, the home of Margaret Andrews, on Monday, 2nd March, at 2.30 p.m. The course will run for five or six weeks and the theme will be 'Discipleship and Mission'. Everyone is cordially invited to join in. Please get in touch with me if you would like to come but need a lift. The venue will vary from week to week.
FAMILY SERVICES - will be on Sundays 15th of February and March, 10:30 a.m., followed as usual by a short Holy Communion Service.
MOTHERING SUNDAY - falls on Sunday, 22nd March, and there will be a special service at 10.30 a.m. with the Sunday School. Please watch out for posters nearer the time.
The P.C.C. invite you all to a CHEESE AND WINE EVENING [fruit juice, tea and coffee will also be served] to be held in the Manor Hall on Friday, 27th February, at 7.30 p.m. Tickets £2.00, will be on sale the week before at the Post Office or at the door and there will be a special welcome for those who have recently moved to the village. Various village groups will be invited to publicise their activities and we look forward to a lively evening. Any profits will be divided between the Church and the Manor Hall.
Advance Notice: The Annual Meeting of the P.C.C. will take place in the vestry on Friday, 3rd April, at 2.15 p.m.
Mary Tucker
13
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Harvest Festival - thank you to everyone who brought gifts of flowers and produce to the Church for Harvest Festival. The Church was beautifully decorated and came alive with the colourful displays. We enjoyed a well-attended service on the Sunday and, although there were not quite so many of us as usual for the Supper on the Wednesday, the atmosphere was so friendly and relaxed. Thank you once again to all who helped in anyway - a real team effort. The evening raised £120 for the Children's Hospice, about half of this coming from the auction of produce.
Remembrance Day Service - A muffled peal of bells summoned us to the Church on Sunday, 9th November, for a dignified Remembrance Service which was sensitively led by the Rev. Andrew Jones. The lesson was read by Dennis Collins and the Last Post and Reveille sounded by Bugler, Ivan Clarke. Wreaths were laid at the War Memorial on behalf of the Parish Council and St. Peter's Church. The collection for the Earl Haig Fund amounted to £83.00.
Heating - the new heaters have been installed in the Church and are working well. Some £2,000 towards the cost was raised from events held during the year and the remainder, just under £5,000, came from PCC savings.
Christmas Services - A warm welcome is extended to all members of the village to join us for our services over the Christmas season and we look forward to seeing you all.
- Wednesday, 17th December, 6.30 p.m. - Carol Service
- Sunday, 21st December, 10.30 a.m. - Family Service
- Christmas Eve, 11.30 p.m. - Midnight Mass
- Christmas Day, 10.30 a.m. - Family Service
- Sunday, 28th December, 10.30 a.m. - Sung Eucharist
We are all invited to the Christingle Service to be held in Combe Martin on Sunday, 14th December at 3.00 p.m.
The Church will be decorated on Christmas Eve. Please get in touch with Betty Davis if you would like to make a gift or donation. Collections from the Carol Service and the Midnight Service will go to the Church of England Children's Society.
Mary Tucker
22
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Flower Festival, 25th to 28th July
Flower Festival, with its theme of "Wedding Anniversaries" was a complete delight. Stepping in to the porch, we were met with bold arrangements, a riot of colour. Then into the church, where a wonderful variety of scents assailed our nostrils. The lovely white flowers, provided for the wedding on the Saturday, set off the brilliant colours of the other displays. Not only were the main anniversaries represented, but many of the lesser ones, all demonstrating a wealth of imagination and attention to detail. And so much work went into it all to make the weekend such a success.
Thank you to all the arrangers and helpers, especially Betty Davis who co-ordinated the event, and also to Judie Weedon for her leaflet which guided visitors around the church and provided lots of interesting snippets of information.
The preview evening with cheese and wine proved a great success and the Songs of Praise on the Sunday evening was particularly enjoyable.
Altogether, the Festival raised £536 which will go towards heating repairs.
Summer Fayre
Our Summer Fayre went with a swing thanks to the enthusiastic support we received once again. Contributions poured in in plenty and with everyone taking responsibility for their own 'corner', the evening ran smoothly and enjoyably for us all. The lamb roast proved very popular and a special thank you is due to those who helped with the barbecue. £987 was raised on the night and once expenses have been deducted, we shall show a profit of about £800. Thank you once again to everyone who helped in any way.
Harvest Festival
The Harvest Festival will begin on Sunday, 5th October, with Sung Eucharist at 10.30 a.m. Evensong at 6.30 p m. followed by the Harvest Supper in the Manor Hall will be on Wednesday, 8th October, and the produce will be auctioned at the end. Tickets for the Supper will be on sale in the Post Office the week before and also in church on the Sunday, price £3.00 for adults and £1.00 for children under 15. All proceeds will go to the Children's Hospice. The church will be decorated on Friday, 3rd October: please bring gifts of flowers and produce to the church that morning or the day before, Thursday.
Other Special Services
Family Services with the Sunday School will be on 17th October and 15th November.
Remembrance Day is on Sunday, 9th November. The special service will be held in church at 10.30 a.m. followed by the laying of the wreaths and prayers at the War Memorial.
Mary Tucker
Illustration by: Debbie Cook
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Gift Day stayed fine for us and the Rector and members of the P.C.C. spent a fruitful day at the lych-gate meeting and exchanging news with everyone who came along. £562 has been donated so far [slightly more than last year] and it is still not too late to return your envelope if you were unable to bring it along on the day.
The Coffee Morning held on 3rd July to raise money to help pay for the costs of the Flower Festival made a profit of £163. Thank you to everyone who helped and came along to support us to achieve this excellent result.
The Summer Fayre will be held on Tuesday, 19th August, in the Manor Hall, starting at 6.30 p.m. We are appealing once again for gifts and prizes for all the stalls and side-shows. And we hope you will all come and join us for an enjoyable evening.
A couple of Reminders: There is a Prayer Folder at the back of the Church for the use of everyone. Please write a message in there if you would like prayers said for yourself, a member of your family, a friend or anything that concerns you specially. Also, please remember the shelf which has been provided in the comer by the font. Anyone may place flowers there and perhaps a card in memory of a loved one.
Our Services will continue as usual during the coming months, except the 8.00 a.m. service on the second Sunday of the month has had to be cancelled. Please come and join us whenever you can on Thursdays at 10.00 a.m. and Sundays at 10.30 a.m. Our next Family Service will be on Sunday, 17th August, and again on Sunday, 21st September.
Looking forward to October - the Harvest Festival will be held on Sunday, 5th October with Evensong followed by the Harvest Supper on Wednesday, 8th October. The Church will be decorated on Friday, 3rd October and gifts of flowers and produce should be brought to the Church that morning or the day before - Thursday.
Mary Tucker
20
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter Day - we were pleased to welcome a large congregation into church on Easter Sunday. The church was beautifully decorated and the Sunday School had made a lovely Easter garden. Thank you everyone for all your efforts.
A special thank you to all those who rallied round and helped to keep our services going so successfully during the absence of Preb. Eppingstone and our organist, Reg Gosling. We are glad to have them both back with us enjoying better health.
Family Services with the Sunday School will be on 15th June and 20th July, at 10.30 a.m. Please come along and join us for a lively service if you can.
The 8.00 a.m. Holy Communion Service will recommence during the summer. It will be held on the second Sunday of the month during June, July and August. We need a congregation if this service is to continue.
Fund Raising - the magnificent sum of £125.82 was raised at the Coffee Morning held on 1st May. Thank you once again to all those people who contributed to it in any way.
Gift Day this year will be held on Wednesday, 25th June [Sunday, 29th June, will be St. Peter's Day]. Letters and envelopes will be distributed round the 'village the week before and the Rector, Preb. and members of the P.C.C. will be at the lych gate all day from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. to receive your gifts. We are making a special appeal this year for the church heaters which are in need of replacement before next winter.
Flower Festival - plans are well underway for the Flower Festival to be held at the end of July. The theme will be 'Wedding Anniversaries' and the arrangers will be hard at work on Wednesday and Thursday, 23rd and 24th July. The Festival will last from Friday, 25th July through Monday, 28th July, and the church will be open all day, every day, although obviously normal services will continue. On the Thursday evening there will be a special Preview with wine and cheese and tickets will be on sale price £2.00. On Sunday, Sung Eucharist will be celebrated as usual at 10.30 a.m. and in the evening there will be Songs of Praise at 6.30 p.m. with Christians Together.
Another date for your diary: Tuesday, 19th August, St. Peter's Summer Fayre.
Our grateful thanks for the welcome additions which have been made to the church over the past few months. The priest's desk in front of the pulpit has been refurbished. A short box pew, kindly donated to us by the Church of St. Philip and St. James, Ilfracombe, has replaced a spare chair. Tapestry pew runners and a kneeler have been worked by members of the church and Mr. Bulled has made a new flower stand for us. All this has been donated in memory of Sally Johnson. Sally particularly enjoyed her garden and flower arranging and we shall think of her when we look at the pulpit flowers.
Also, we now have a loop system for the benefit of those with hearing aids. Once we are used to it, it should prove a great asset. How frustrating it must be not to hear the whole of the service and to have to ask afterwards about what has been said! Again, a large part of the cost has been met by a generous gift from Leslie Prater, Alan's brother.
8
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Mothering Sunday, 9th March
We enjoyed a lovely service with the Sunday School on Mothering Sunday. The children read special prayers and poems and eagerly carried bunches of daffodils round the congregation. They had coloured cards for their mothers, and the Rector also distributed cards to all the ladies, who went home with their hands full!
Our next Family Service will be back to the third Sunday of the month, 20th April and 18th May, at 10.30 a.m.
Details for Easter were given in the last Newsletter, but to recap:
- Good Friday, 2.00 to 3.00 p.m. Hour of quiet prayer, readings and hymns.
- Easter Day, 10.30 a.m. Sung Eucharist
- Friday and Saturday, 28th and 29th March - decoration of the Church for Easter.
DON'T FORGET - British Summer Time begins at 3.00 a.m. on Easter Sunday when the clocks go forward an hour.
The P.C.C. will be holding a Coffee Morning in aid of Church Funds on Thursday, 1st May, in the Manor Hall. There will be a raffle, cake stall and bring-and-buy stall. Any gifts will be gratefully received and please come along and support us on the day.
Christian Aid Week is from 11th to 17th May this year. Again there will be no house-to-house collection around the village, but envelopes will be available at the back of the church. There will be another Coffee Morning in the Manor Hall on Saturday, 17th May, and Christians Together will be holding various events in Combe Martin throughout the week.
Flower Festival - arrangements for a Flower Festival to be held in the church during the last week-end in July are now well in hand. The theme will be Wedding Anniversaries and Betty Davis will be holding a meeting for those taking part in the church on Friday, 6th June, at 2.30 p.m. Please contact her as soon as possible if you would like to help and have not volunteered already.
Mary Tucker
11
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Christmas, as always, proved to be lively, warm and welcoming at St. Peter's. Once again our thanks to all those who made the church look so lovely and helped make the services run smoothly. We were particularly glad to see so many families in church, firstly for the School's Christmas Play and then for the traditional Carol Service. The cards delivered all round the village were designed by the Sunday School and were much appreciated. Collections over Christmas for the Children's Society amounted to £159.43.
Over the next few weeks we shall be without Prebendary Eppingstone in church. Our thoughts and prayers will be with him and Peggy and we trust he will be back with us soon. The Rector has made arrangements to keep our services going as normal. He will take the service himself on three Sundays during February and on two Sundays in March. Miss Daphne Goodwin, the Reader from Combe Martin, will be with us on the remaining Sundays and we hope Preb. will be back on Easter Day, 30th March. The Thursday mid-week service will be as usual with the Rector officiating.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on 12th February. [Don't forget Sally's Pancake Day Coffee Morning on Shrove Tuesday.] Please look out for notices giving details of special services. The Family Service will be on the first Sunday in Lent, 16th February at 10.30 a.m.
The Christians Together Evening Service will again be held in Berrynarbor on Sunday, 23rd February, at 6.30 p.m. Do come and join us: you will find a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, good singing and fellowship and there will be coffee and biscuits afterwards. Everyone can feel comfortable with the service, which takes the form of a simple Evensong, with lay people from all the different churches taking part. Looking forward to March, there will be something special on almost every Sunday:
- 9th March - Mothering Sunday with the distribution of posies and the Sunday School taking part
- 16th March - Family Service, 10.30 a.m.
- 23rd March - Palm Sunday with the distribution and blessing of Palm crosses
- 30th March - Easter Day when all who are confirmed should come to join us at the altar
In addition, we shall meet in church on Good Friday in the afternoon for an hour of quiet prayer with readings and hymns.
The church will be decorated for Easter late on Friday afternoon and Saturday, 28th and 29th March. Flowers may be left at the church from 4.00 p.m. on Friday, or please contact Betty Davis [883541]. Colours will be predominantly white and yellow.
Mary Tucker
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Harvest Thanksgiving
Thank you to everyone who came along and made Harvest Thanksgiving such a success. The services were, perhaps, not quite so well attended this year but numbers at the Supper were up to normal and we all enjoyed an excellent meal prepared by the ladies of the Church. We were pleased to see the Sunday School taking an active part in all our celebrations and especially glad to welcome Bishop Richard to Evensong and Supper.
The church was beautifully decorated and did credit to all the flower arrangers - a bale of hay, corn and mini-sheaves of wheat, barley and oats in the windows and a net and lobster pots helped to create the atmosphere. On their table the children had a seed tray already sown for the spring - the sowing and nurturing of seed was the theme of the Sunday service.
The auction after the supper raised £65 and altogether the PCC were able to send off a cheque for £200 to Children in Distress.
Thank you once more to everyone who helped in any way and our special thanks to Anne Gosling for all her efforts and Lynn and Phil at the Globe, our potato cookers once again!
Family Services
On Sunday, 20th October, we were pleased to welcome the family of Ron and Gladys Dyer. Ron and Gladys [who is the daughter of Vi Goodman] were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. On her wedding day Gladys planned to walk the few yards to the church, but although the day dawned fine, the Gas Board decided to dig up the village street!
The marriage of Ron Dyer and Gladys Toms, St. Peters Church, Berrynarbor - 20th October 1956
- Gladys Toms (Bride)
- Ronald Dyer (Groom)
- Valerie Williams (Bridemaid)
- Nellie Seward
- Sonia Stoddart
- Bert Seward
- Wilfred Toms
- Colin Dyer
- Desmond Lee (Best man)
- Doris Dyer
- Gilbert Dyer
- Violet Goodman
- David Goodman
- Ruby Draper
- Daniel Toms
- Elizabeth Toms
- Terry Goodman
- Raymond Toms
- Sheila Toms
Our next Family Service, followed by coffee and then a short Communion, will be on 15th December at 10.30 a.m. and there will be another on the 19th January.
Christians Together
Christians Together in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor held their Evensong at St. Peter's on 27th October, There was a good congregation, the Anthem was sung by the Choir from Combe Martin and Gerry Marangone sang a solo. Afterwards everyone went over to the Manor Hall for coffee and biscuits.
Remembrance Sunday
The special Remembrance Service was well attended this year and a small group gathered again at the War Memorial on Monday, 11th November, to observe the two minutes' silence. The collection on the Sunday, which amounted to £65, has been sent to the Earl Haig Fund
Fund Raising
The Coffee Morning held on 9th November raised over £100 - a magnificent effort. Thank you to everyone who helped or contributed in any way and, of course, to all of you who came on the day. £35 has been passed to the Manor Hall Committee to help pay for the banners and the remainder has been paid into the Flower Fund. [There are whispers of a Flower Festival early next summer!]
Christmas at St. Peter's
We are looking forward to seeing you all at our Christmas Services:
- Wednesday, 18th December, 6.30 p.m. Carol Service
- Christmas Eve, 11.30 p.m. Midnight Mass
- Christmas Day, 10.30 a.m. Family Communion with Carols
After no flowers during Advent, the church will be decorated on Tuesday, 24th December. The flowers will be mainly white with some yellow.
Please let Betty Davis know if you would like to give any.
Mary Tucker
13
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Harvest Thanksgiving
The Church will be decorated for the Harvest Festival on Friday and Saturday, 4th and 5th October. Please bring gifts of flowers and produce to the church on Friday morning if possible, or let the churchwardens or any member of the PCC know if you would like anything collected. Gifts of produce will be particularly appreciated.
On Sunday, 6th October, there will be Holy Communion at 8.00 a.m. and a Family Communion at 10.30 a.m., when we shall be joined by the children from the Sunday School. This is always a happy occasion, please come if you can. Everyone is most welcome.
Harvest Evensong and Supper will take place on Wednesday, 9th October. The service will be at 6.30 p.m. followed by supper at 7.45 p.m. Tickets will be on sale at the Post Office or in church from Sunday, 22nd September, price £3.00 for adults and £1.00 for children. Please try to buy your ticket in good time this year! After supper, the produce will be auctioned and proceeds will go to Children in Distress. There will be a display giving information about this charity at the back of the church.
Some of our regular helpers will be away over Harvest this year, so if there is anyone who would like to lend a hand with decorating the church or helping at the supper, please let us know.
Family Service
There will be another Family Service on Sunday, 20th October, and everyone is most welcome to come and join us. Over 50 of us enjoyed a lively service on 15th September, and there was a short communion service afterwards for those who wished to stay.
Remembrance Sunday falls on 10th November this year. There will be Holy Communion at 8.00 a.m. and the special Remembrance Service will be at 10.30 a.m. followed by prayers at the War Memorial.
Rectors' Board
St. Peter's has received a most generous gift. The board recording the names of the Rectors of the Parish has been refurbished with the dates and lettering being beautifully repainted in gold by Gerry Marangone. I am told there were over 800 numbers and letters - so this was quite a task! The board has been much enhanced and the names are now clearly legible. Has anyone any information about the rectors who have served Berrynarbor down the centuries? There are 42 names in all, starting with Nicholas de Plymptone in 1261. At a well-attended service on 1st September, the board was re-dedicated by Prebendary Eppingstone, and at the same time four new kneelers were blessed and placed in the choir stalls.
Coffee Morning
A coffee morning will be held in the Manor Hall on Saturday, 9th November, starting at 10.30 a.m. There will be a raffle and various stalls - cakes, bring and buy, etc. We are raising money to pay St. Peter's share of the cost of new banners to advertise the summer fetes in the village, and also to boost the Flower Fund in good time for Christmas.
Mary Tucker
Illustration by: Paul Swailes
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Gift Day - "You should do this more often!" was one remark made to us at the Lych Gate on Gift Day, when so many people came up to have a chat, exchange news and pop their envelopes in the box. £518 towards church funds has been generously donated so far - a profitable day in more ways than one.
Summer Fayre - don't forget our Summer Fayre on 6th August, 6.30 p.m. As always, gifts for the various stalls and side-shows will be much appreciated and please come and join in the fun on the day!
Services - what will you be doing on the morning of Sunday, 15th September? Why not join us for the Family Service in church starting at 10.30 a.m. More details will be given later and we are hoping to make this a regular service on the third Sunday of each month. And more dates for your diary - Harvest Thanksgiving will be on Sunday, 6th October, with the church being decorated on the Friday and Saturday before. Harvest Evensong and Supper will take place on the following Wednesday, 9th October. Again more details nearer the time.
9
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Thank you to all those who helped to make the morning of Sunday, 28th April, go so smoothly. A magnificent effort all round made for a successful visit by the Bishop of Exeter and the special occasion was enjoyed by everyone.
The 8.00 a.m. Holy Communion Service on the second Sunday in the month will recommence for the summer in June.
The P.C.C. are to discuss the pattern of services at their next meeting in July. Ideas are being considered for the introduction of a regular Family Communion Service, maybe once a month, and for the re-introduction of Matins.
The Church will continue to be floodlit during the spring and summer in the evening. Donations towards the cost will be welcome and your special dates will be recorded in the Church porch.
The P.C.C. are pleased to note that the shelf in the comer by the font is being used by those wishing to place flowers in the Church in memory of loved ones. Preb. Eppingstone has kindly fixed a brass plaque to the shelf simply inscribed 'In Loving Memory'.
The Sunday School have adopted the corner just inside the main door and will be putting out regular displays of their work and activities. Do stop for a moment on your way in or out and take a look!
£89.51 was raised at the Coffee Morning on 2nd May, and a subsequent kind donation has brought the total up to £94.51. This sum will go towards the expenses of the Summer Fayre, which will be held on Tuesday, 6th August. There will be a meeting for all those interested in helping in any way on Monday, 3rd June, at 2.30 p.m. in the Church. Please come if you can - new ideas are always welcome.
Our Gift Day will be on Wednesday, 26th June, this year and letters and envelopes will be distributed round the village the week before. Why do we need this extra financial help? At the moment repairs are being carried out to the churchyard wall at the front, and the P.C.C. is planning to continue with the programme of repointing the exterior of the Church. Some of the altar frontals and falls to the pulpit and lectern have become very worn and new ones must be purchased.
Both churchyards are to be cut regularly this year. Mr. Reg Davies will continue to look after the new churchyard and Mr. Brian Holden has been appointed to take care of the old churchyard.
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter Services begin on Good Friday, 5th April, with the special service in the afternoon, 2.30 p.m. We shall be joined by members of the U.R.C. on that day, and the preacher will be their Minister, Rev. Frank Jones. Everyone is most welcome to attend and to spend a quiet hour with us.
Do come and join in our celebrations on Easter Sunday. There will be Holy Communion at 8.00 a.m. and then at 10.30 a.m. a Family Communion Service: always a happy occasion and the Sunday School will be taking part.
The church will be decorated late Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning [5th & 6th April]. Flowers should be white or yellow only. Please get in touch with Betty Davis [Tel. 883541] if you have any to give or would like to make a donation towards the cost.
Sunday, 28th April, promises to be a very special day. Ten years ago, Preb. and Peggy Eppingstone arrived in Berrynarbor and to mark the anniversary, the Bishop of Exeter is coming to celebrate and preach at the 10.30 a.m. Sung Eucharist, which will include a Confirmation Service for some of the young people from the Sunday School. Please come along and support them. After the service we shall all go over to the Manor Hall for coffee and biscuits and the Bishop hopes to meet and talk to as many people as possible.
May will be another busy month. On Thursday, 2nd, we shall be holding a Coffee Morning in the Manor Hall, 10.30 a.m. to 12.00 noon, and proceeds will go towards funding the Summer Fayre. There will be a raffle, cake stall and bring-and-buy. Any gifts will be gratefully received and please come on the day!
Whitsunday is on 26th May - another most important date in the Church Calendar. This year it coincides with the Spring Bank Holiday, so it shouldn't be forgotten!
Mary Tucker
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Our Christmas services were well-attended and enjoyed by all who came. We were not quite so many as last year: a number of our regular congregation were away visiting relatives and friends and others were suffering from colds and 'flu'!
However, it was good to see so many children at the Carol Service and we all enjoyed the Sunday School's presentation of "The Christmas Angels". Their singing of 'Away in a Manger' at the Sunday morning service on Christmas Eve was an added bonus. Once again, after no flowers during Advent, the Church came alive with the beautiful decorations. Betty Davis would like to thank everyone for the numerous donations she received and, of course, thank you to all those who helped with the arranging. A cheque for £122 has been sent to the Children's Society.
Many people have expressed their appreciation of the Christmas Card which was delivered round the Village. The front was designed by Win Collins and David Beagley did the printing for us. He also supplied the illustration on the back: it came from an old American woodcut dated prior to 1860.
Lent Services - there will be a Communion Service on Ash Wednesday, 21st February, in St. Peter's at 10.00 a.m. when we hope to be joined by members of the Chapel. Then beginning on Wednesday afternoon, 28th February, at 2.30 p.m., our services will be as last year, alternating between the Chapel and the Church. Please see posters for further details. Come and join us whenever you can - there will be a cup of tea afterwards.
Mothering Sunday falls on 17th March this year. There will be Holy Communion at 8.00 a.m. and a special Family Service at 10.30 a.m. with the Sunday School and distribution of posies and cards.
A Cheese and Wine social evening is to be held in the Manor Hall on Friday, 23rd February, 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. We are hoping this will be a grand village get-together and a special welcome is extended to people who have moved into Berrynarbor recently. Clubs, societies, etc., which meet regularly in the village are being invited to arrange table displays. Tickets, at £2.00 each will be on sale the week before in the Post Office, from Margaret Andrews and Mary Tucker, or at the door. There will also be a raffle. Any profits from the evening will be shared between St. Peter's Church and the Exmoor Search and Rescue Team.
Mary Tucker
6
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Harvest Festival was a most happy occasion. The Church was beautifully decorated with an abundance of fruit and vegetables: thank you to you all for your generous response to our appeal for produce. And thank you to everyone who helped with the decorating, especially Anne Gosling, who took on the overall responsibility.
We had a lovely service and the Sunday School excelled! We all enjoyed their songs and the Village Prayer from Katie Gubb. At the offertory, the children took their gifts to the altar rail. Thank you Sally, Joy and Pat. We are most fortunate in Berrynarbor in our Sunday School teachers and their helpers.
The following Wednesday proved most successful - Evensong was a joyful occasion and then it was over to the Manor Hall for the Supper. The congregation had been asked to take produce with them ready for the auction and within ten minutes the Church was cleared. There was nothing left for the bell-ringers who had agreed to pick up anything remaining!
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
Over 80 sat down to an excellent meal, all planned and prepared by church members. Afterwards, the Sunday School sang for us and then the auction began. In no time at all, Dennis Collins had the tables cleared and eighty pounds had been raised for charity. Tried out as an experiment, we feel we can claim an initial success for the auction of produce - something we can build on and make even better next year.
The evening was rounded off with much-appreciated entertainment from Phil and Gary. The P.C.C. would like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone who helped to make the evening run so smoothly, a fine example of team-work in all respects. A total of one hundred and thirty two pounds has been sent to the Church Army.
Some sixty of us gathered for the special Remembrance Day Service on the 12th November, and fifty-six pounds has been sent to the Earl Haig Appeal.
The Church will be decorated ready for Christmas on Saturday, 23rd December. Betty Davis will welcome donations towards the cost of flowers and gifts of white or yellow flowers. They should be brought to the Church on Friday, 22nd December, if possible. Thank you.
Christmas Services:
- Wednesday, 20th December - 6.30 p.m. Carol Service with Sunday School
- Sunday, 24th December - 10.30 a.m. Sung Eucharist, 11.30 p.m. Midnight Mass
- Christmas Day - 10.30 a.m. Family Communion with Carols
Everyone welcome! Please come and join us as often as you can. Collections from the Carol Service and Midnight Mass will go to the Children's Society.
After some twenty years of tending the churchyard of St. Peter's, with only a short break in the late 1980's, Reg Davis has decided the time has come to take a well-earned rest. The Rector and P.C.C. would like to thank him wholeheartedly on behalf of the Parish for all his hard work and dedication.
Flowers in Memory - a shelf has been placed in the church on the wall in the comer by the font. This is for the use of anyone who would like to place a few flowers and maybe a card in memory of a loved one.
Church Floodlights - the church tower was lit all through last winter and during the summer evenings thanks to generous donations. As winter approaches we are looking for new sponsors. The floodlighting is appreciated by everyone, so if you would like to help, please get in touch with Betty Davis [883541] or Mary Tucker [883881].
Mary Tucker
9
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The sun shone on us for our Summer Fayre this year and we had a super evening all round, raising the magnificent sum of just over £1000. This is the first time we have made a four figure profit. Thank you to all our helpers and to everyone who made gifts and supported us on the night - we couldn't manage without you. A special thank you to Thumbelina, for the use of their Bouncy Castle and to Richard Haines for sending along the Watermouth organ for the evening.
We spent a lovely evening being entertained in the Church for the Musical Evening on 22nd August. The Concert was well attended - although we could have fitted in a few more - and £112 was raised towards Church Funds.
The varied programme ran along smoothly thanks to all the preparation and practising put in by our organist, Reg Gosling, together with the participants and the imaginative presentation of Gerry Marangone. Thank you once again to all who took part - too many to mention all by name - and we did enjoy the children's contributions.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist. 10.30 a.m.Evensong, Combe Martin. 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong)
Holy Communion
Thursday. 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month. 8.00 a.m.The Rector. the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone 1882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages. Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study. Combe Martin, every Thursday 7.30 p.m.
Harvest will be celebrated on Sunday, 8th October, with Evensong and Supper on the following Wednesday, 11th October. The Church will be decorated on Friday, 6th, and gifts of fruit and flowers will be most welcome. Please bring them along as early as possible. The school will not be bringing produce into church this year and our own gifts have been rather sparse of late, so let's make a special effort to have the church over-flowing on the Sunday. Please note, the produce will be sold in the Manor Hall after the Supper.
Services: There will be an 8 o'clock Holy Communion on Sunday, 8th October followed by a Family Service at 10.30 a.m. On the Wednesday, Evensong will be at 6.30 p.m. followed by the Harvest Supper in the Manor Hall at 7.45 p.m. Tickets will be on sale in the Post Office from Monday, 25th September, or in the Church on Sundays, price £3 for adults and £1 for children. Do come and join us. There will be entertainment after the meal and don't forget the sale of produce!
Looking forward to November, Remembrance Sunday will be on the 12th with Holy Communion at 8.00 a.m. and the Special Service at 10.30 a.m. followed by prayers at the War Memorial.
Mary Tucker
Illustrated by: Paul Swailes 7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Gift Day raised £425.44 towards Church Funds. Although this was less than last year, the Rector, Preb. and P.C.C. found the day well worthwhile, not least for all the personal contact made.
Fund raising will continue during August starting with the Summer Fayre on the 8th. Please come and enjoy yourselves. Any gifts for the various stalls and prizes for the raffle and tombola will be most welcome. Reg Gosling is arranging another Musical Evening to be held in the Church on Friday, 25th August, at 7.30 p.m. This is always a popular event - so much talent to be found in a small village.
V.J. DAY - Sunday, 20th August The Rector will be conducting a special Thanksgiving Service in the church at 10.30 a.m. Everyone welcome. This service will take the place of the Eucharist and Holy Communion, which will be celebrated at 8.00 a.m. If you can't make the Thanksgiving Service there will be one at Combe Martin at 3.00 p.m. and if you can't make that, there will be an outdoor service at Preacher's Rock, Ilfracombe, about 7.30 p.m.
Harvest will be celebrated a week later than usual this year - on Sunday, 8th October, with Evensong and Supper on the following Wednesday: final details in the next Newsletter. We hope to welcome soon the Rev. Philip Slater at Lynton and Mr. Peter Ellis as Pastor in the Methodist Church in Combe Martin.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
As I write, we are looking forward to the festivals of Ascension and Pentecost, or Whitsuntide.Ascension Day will be on Thursday, 25th May, and Whit Sunday falls on 4th June. Although Whitsun is one of the major dates in the church calendar, it is often forgotten these days as it no longer necessarily coincides with the Spring Bank Holiday. In fact, some people turn up for church on the last Sunday in May and are quite surprised and disappointed to find it is not Pentecost.So, don 't forget it is 4th June this year!The East window at St. Peter's depicts the Ascension of Christ, which makes this time extra special for us.
Bell-ropes - the new ones were delivered in February and have been in use for three months. The cost has been met - a collection taken in memory of Mrs. Barcus cleared the balance. Our thanks to everyone who made donations and helped raise money, and our especial thanks to the Prater family.
Michael Bowden is prepared to recommence ringing practice and to train more ringers. If you are interested and willing to make a serious commitment, please let him have your name.
Gift Day will be on Wednesday, 28th June. Letters and envelopes will be delivered all round the village and we shall be at the lych gate all day to receive donations and have a chat!
St. Peter's Summer Fayre will be on Tuesday, 8th August. New ideas would be welcome and a meeting will be held in the church at 2.30 p.m., Friday, 30th June - please come!The Coffee Morning on Election Day raised £116 to go towards costs. A big 'thank you ' to all those who helped and supported us.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
Mary Tucker
5
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter Services
The service on Good Friday will be held in the Church at 2.00 p.m. and we shall be joined by members of the U.R.C. On Easter Day, there will be Holy Communion at 8.00 a.m. and the 10.30 a.m. service will take the form of a Family Eucharist. The Sunday School will be joining us and other children and parents are invited to come too. This promises to be a happy, lively service and we hope you will all come and join in our celebrations and fill the Church.
Decorating the Church will begin late Friday afternoon, finishing on Saturday morning. White and yellow flowers are used and if you would like to give flowers, please let Betty Davis know [883541] or bring them to the Church on Friday.
The P.C.C. will be holding a Coffee Morning on Thursday, 4th May [Election Day], 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon in the Manor Hall. Proceeds will go towards covering expenses for thig year's Summer Fayre. Any gifts will be much appreciated - raffle prizes, cakes, 'white elephant' items, etc.
V.E. Day Celebrations: A Thanksgiving service is planned on Monday, 8th May. Details to be announced later.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
Mary Tucker
7
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter Services
If you are housebound, either permanently or temporarily, and would like to take Holy Communion at home, please contact Preb. Eppingstone .
It was lovely to see so many people in church over Christmas. We hope you all enjoyed the services. At the Carol Service on the 21st December, the Sunday School performed their Nativity Play, "The Very special Visitors" and gave a lively rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas", with help from members of the congregation and the Rector and Preb. Prizes were awarded for the Best Attendance at Sunday School, and First Prize went to Katie Gubb who did not miss one meeting throughout the year. From the collections, we shall be able to send £165 to the Children's Society. P.S. Two coats, plus accessories, were left in the church over the Christmas period. If they belong to YOU, or you know to whom they belong, please claim them from one of the Churchwardens.
Our next special service will be a Christians Together Evensong on the last Sunday in February - the 26th - at 6.30 p.m. We shall be joined by the congregations of all the churches in Combe Martin. There will be a choir, and refreshments will be served afterwards.
Ash Wednesday is on 1st March this year and Holy communion will be at 10.00 a.m. We shall join the Chapel for Lent Services, beginning on the following Wednesday, 8th March, at 2.30 p.m. These services will alternate between the Chapel and the Church [please see posters later] After each service there are refreshments and a time to talk to one another.
Mothering Sunday is on 26th March and we shall have a special Family Service at 10.30 a.m., with the Sunday School taking part. Please come and join us.
The bell rope fund now stands at £442 with donations still coming in, but we have a little way to go yet to reach the £668 needed. The floodlight to the tower will continue to be on through the winter from 6.00 to 11.00 p.m. We have been given a generous donation to help with the cost, but if you would like to sponsor the light in future, please contact Betty Davies.
Mary Tucker - Churchwarden
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
10
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
We are still A-PEALING!
Berrynarbor Church has a peal of six bells cast in 1722 by Evan Evans of Chepstow. No. 3 bell was re-cast by J. Taylor in 1893. The bells were re-hung from wooden to steel frames in 1928 by Harry Stokes of Woodbury. They were completely overhauled and refurbished in 1989-90 by Robert Parker of Taunton. Almost two years ago, a fund was started to buy new bell ropes. The fund now stands at £323.
Because the old ropes are in such a desperate state and delivery time of new ones is 12 weeks, the PCC have agreed to put in an order now. To buy ropes which will last, we need £668, so we are still £345 short! Money keeps coming in slowly and a Coffee Morning will be held in the New Year [date to be announced] . There are envelopes in the back of the church for donations, please take one and let's keep the bells ringing!
CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Wednesday, 21st December, 6.30 p.m.
Carol Service with Sunday SchoolChristmas Eve
Midnight Mass, 11.30 p.m.Christmas Day
Eucharist with Carols, 10.30 a.m.
A warm welcome is extended to you all. Please come and join us. Collections at the Carol Service and Midnight Mass will go to the Children's Society.
Epiphany was the great feast of the Church before Christmas took its place, it is the 6th January, and this is the night to take down decorations.
Illustration by: Kevin McLintock 19
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Illustration by: Paul Swailes
Summer Events
Our grateful thanks to all those who have helped us during the summer with our fund-raising events and to all those who have supported us and given so generously. Gift Day donations totalled £536.74 and the Summer Fayre raised a further £776.71, in spite of the rain. Profits from the Flower Festival and Concerts came to £459.40 [well up on two years ago], and a donation is being made to the Fortescue Ward at the North Devon District Hospital.
Harvest Festival
Harvest Services will begin on Sunday, 2nd October. There will be Holy Communion at 8.00 a.m. and a Family Service at 10.30 a.m. Everyone is cordially invited to this service: there will be Harvest hymns and prayers and a short address, and the Sunday School will take an active part.
Hopefully you will all have bought your tickets by now for the Harvest Supper and Barn Dance, to be held in the Manor Hall on Wednesday evening, 5th October! The supper will be preceded by Evensong at 6.30 p.m. There will be a sale of produce in the Church on Thursday, 6th October, at 10.45 a.m., after the mid-week service. Profits from the sale will go to the Primary School charity - the R.S.P.C.A.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
"This Blessed Isle" is the theme for this year's Flower Festival to be held on Friday to Monday, 12th to 15th August, with arrangers preparing the Church on Thursday, 11th. To finish the Festival, Reg Gosling is kindly arranging a Musical Evening, with local performers, at 7.30 p.m. on the Monday (15th) . Come along and enjoy this very special event. Proceeds from the Festival will be shared between Church Funds and the Friends of Fortescue Ward, N.D.D.H.
A week later, on Monday, 22nd August, the Ilfracombe Male Voice Choir will give their annual Concert, 7.30 p.m. The Harvest Service, followed by the Supper and Barn Dance, will take place on 2nd October, 6.30 p.m. Tickets will be on sale at the Post Office from mid-September.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.00 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong.]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
11
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
There will be a Coffee Morning on Thursday, 9th June 10.00 to 12.00 noon. Cake Stall * Bric-a-Brac * Raffle * Proceeds for the expenses of the Flower Festival.
Wednesday, 29th June Our Patronal Festival - a Gift Day will be held [all day] and the Rector, supported by the Churchwardens and Parochial Church Councillors, will be at the Lychgate waiting for your generous gifts.
SUMMER FAIR on Tuesday, 26th July Every stall you can think of! All the fun of the fair! Lots of competitions and draws and brilliant refreshments!
BELL ROPES SPECIAL FUND our ringers deserve only the very best and the present ropes need to be replaced at a cost of approximately £500 - depending on the length of time it will take us to raise the money in various ways. At the back of the Church you will find envelopes to make us a present, or donations may be given to Church Councillors and the Wardens.
My thanks to the Parochial Church Council for their generous gift to the Newsletter, which was very much appreciated; and also to the Parish Council for their encouragement and continued financial support.
Ed.
10
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Floodlighting St. Peter's Church
Something special to celebrate or commemorate? The Church Tower could be floodlit just for you for the evening [or week] in return for a small donation. Please contact Mrs. Betty Davis [883541] and book the date.
18-30 Club
The joint churches in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor are considering starting a Club for young people. The idea is to organise social events on a purely secular [non-religious] basis. If there is anyone in this age group in Berrynarbor who would be interested in going on the Committee, please contact Mrs. Mary Tucker [883881].
Hunger Lunch
St. Peter's Church P.C.C. are hoping to hold a Hunger Lunch on Saturday, 30th April, in the Manor Hall, proceeds to go to Christian Aid. Look out for further details later in the month.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
14
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
Fr. Jack Pack, the Roman Catholic Priest of Combe Martin, will be inducted at Lynton at 7.15 p.m. On the following Wednesday, 9th February, there will be a "Nostalgic" Film Evening at Combe Martin Church Hall. The Rector and Curate are available for the Sacrament of Penance on Shrove Tuesday, 15th February.
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Sunday Services
- The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m.
- Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.00 p.m. (Once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong.)
Holy Communion
- Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyre [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802] will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
The Rev. Keith Wyer and Preb. Eppingstone ask that wherever possible they are told when anybody falls sick, especially anyone who has to go to hospital [we should rather have this information over and over than not at all!] and always welcome invitations to make pastoral calls. They take this opportunity to wish you all a Blessed and a Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Blessed New Year.
Two special dates, on Thursday, 16th December, there will be a Provincial Carol Service of the R.A.O.B. at St. Peter's Church at 7.30 p.m. to raise funds for the Children's Ward at the North Devon District Hospital. You are all most warmly invited.
The Carol Service You have always come in large numbers to the Carol Service, but as Christmas Day is on a Saturday this year, we have chosen to hold the Carol Service on Wednesday, 22nd December, at 6.30 p.m. and hope this will suit you and you will be able to come along.
R.O.H.E.
Floodlighting of St. Peter' s Church
Early in the evening on Thursday, 11th November, some twenty of us gathered to watch a demonstration of the floodlighting of the Church tower. It really was most impressive and the mellow glow brought out the beauty of the old stonework. The project was agreed on the spot and the light should be installed by December, well in time for Christmas. The cost will be met from individual fund-raising and donations, and possibly a grant from the Council.
A promise has already been given to pay for the illumination of the tower throughout this winter. It is hoped that in future, people will sponsor the lighting, perhaps to mark a special occasion. If you have any queries, please ring Mary on 883881.
Betty Davis & Mary Tucker - Churchwardens
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
If you are reading the Newsletter on 1st October, DON'T FORGET this is the day for decorating the Church for Harvest Thanksgiving. Donations of fruit, vegetables, flowers and all the time you can give will be very welcome. The Harvest Supper will follow Evensong on Wednesday, 6th October. Tickets: £2.00 adults and £1.00 children are kindly available from the Post Office.
It is hoped to welcome the newly appointed Roman Catholic Priest, Fr. Jack Pack, at the Christians Together Service on the 31st October. Fr. Pack celebrates Mass for the first time in Combe Martin on the 17th October.
Please remember to give names of the Faithful Departed to add to last year's list for calling at the Annual Requiem to be celebrated on the 4th November at 10.00 a.m.
A big thank you to everyone who helped and supported us with our fundraising efforts during August. Our Summer Fayre was the best ever - the final total coming to £940. Collections at the Musical Evenings raised another £220. Our special thanks go to all those who helped to make the Concert on 18th August such a success and to the Ilfracombe Male Voice Choir.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.00* p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong]
*6.30 p.m. until 24.10.93Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
3RD AUGUST - CHURCH FETE
We should be most grateful for contributions for our stalls, e.g. cakes, tombola, produce and flowers, bric-a-brac, etc. Please give anything that we can sell - hand to any members of the PCC, the Churchwardens or Preb. and please support this event.
OUR BRILLIANT RINGERS have done it again! They won the Leonard Pedrick Memorial Trophy on Friday, 9th July, for the second time - we had to agree that the next competition will be held in Ilfracombe!
ARE THERE ANY MEN OR WOMEN, BOYS OR GIRLS, out there who would like to give an evening a week to learn ringing, and will ring on Sundays at 10.30 a.m.? Speaking as a ringer, it is a lovely art to learn - it gives glory to God; I think it is a very necessary part of Church Life and brings many souls to love God.
R.O.H. Eppingstone
The Rector and Churchwardens would like to thank everyone who generously supported the Gift Day, donating some £722 towards the up-keep of our beautiful church.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.00 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong.]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Note from Preb. Eppinqstone
Four churches in Combe Martin and the two in Berrynarbor are working together more and more closely. The Christian love between the Clergy and Laity is very great: the Diocese is taking notice of what God is doing for us. I beg [beg!] all Christians in the Parish to come to the Christians Together Evensong at St. Peter's on Sunday, 27th June, at 6.30 p.m.
Thursday, 15th July, is St. Swithun' Day and ...
St. Swithun's Day, if thou dost rain,
For forty days it will remain;
St. Swithun's Day, if thou be fair,
For forty days 'twill rain na mair.
The Rectory, Combe Martin
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.00 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong.]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
Dear Friends,
The Churchwardens and P.C. C. have asked me to write to you with news of two forthcoming events [plus several musical events in August, details later) which will affect the whole village. As you know, we take our responsibility for maintaining our wonderful Church very seriously [ see list of work carried out]. We are proud of St. Peter's and consider it the focal point of the village. We are also concerned with the people of the village, and their safety, which is why it cost the P.C.C. £10,000 to make the wall safe by the children's playground. The money for this work was taken out of bequests made to St. Peter's Church and we need your support to carry on with the Christian witness in this beautiful village. Please come and support the following events:
14th July Gift Day in the Church 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. 3rd August Summer Fayre, 6.00 p.m.
I should like to take this opportunity to thank so many of you for coming to the Mothering Sunday and Easter Day Eucharist. I enjoyed meeting you and the fun we had with the children on both occasions. I look forward to having more 'Family Services'.
With all good wishes, your Friend and Rector
Keith Wyer
Some £40,000 to £50,000 has been spent recently on improvements and maintenance of the Church and the events mentioned above are to raise money to further the good work, as was the Coffee Morning on Election Day which raised the fine sum of £176.00. Work carried out over the past year has included:
Repair of beam supporting clock platform Remedial work to the lightning conductor
Repointing of middle two bays of the South wall and cleaning and repointing of stonework around the windows
Repair of churchyard walls and lychgate cobblestone steps Many of the furnishings have been cleaned, waxed and polished, including the altar and vestry tables & pulpit
A statue of the Virgin Mary has been erected at the entrance to the Lady Chapel. It was given in memory of Bunny and Ernie Moore by their family - a gift much appreciated by the P.C.C.
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The first meeting of a Housegroup based on St. Peter's will be held at the home of Win and Dennis Collins, Red Tiles, Barton Lane, on Monday, 10th May, 2.30 p.m. You are invited to give your name to the Lay Chairman or the Churchwardens.
St. Peter's Summer Fayre A meeting will be held in the Vestry on 14th April, 2.30 p.m. to discuss the Summer Fayre. Anyone willing to help, please come along with your ideas, especially for new stalls. Money raised at the Fayre will go towards church repairs.
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.00 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong.]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
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ST PETER'S CHURCH
We should like to restore Evensong at Berrynarbor. Please tell the Churchwardens if you would be able to come to Evensong here, and as soon as we know numbers, we shall make a start. Our congregations don't get much chance to talk to each other, and so for a few Sundays tea or coffee will be served after The Eucharist.
Last issue I asked you to come to the Ruby Anniversary of my Priesting. This you did! I spell it out - 170 of you. Thank you. The Bishop of the Diocese sent a personal letter and two of my Priest friends offered Holy Communion with myself as the Special Intention. We had lots of wonderful presents, not least a marvellous, inscribed cake, a huge collection divided by St. Peter's and my order of the R.A.O.B., and cards and letters galore from those who were unable to come. If this is what you think of me, then let me add something - you have a Church rich in beauty and as faithful a congregation as one could ask for, a Parochial Church Council working their fingers to the bone for you and what we should like more than anything is to pray with you on Sundays.
On Friday, 19th March, the Electoral Roll of St. Peter's is being revised and all those on the Roll are invited to take part in the discussion of the progress of the Church in the year to come. The Councillors have done a hard year's work and are entitled to have their reports scrutinised by the entire membership. We shall meet in the Vestry at 2.30 p.m. but will gladly move into the Church if the Vestry OVERFLOWS - AS IT SHOULD.
Mothering Sunday is on 21st March. There will be Holy Cormunion at 8.00 a.m. and a Family Service at 10.30 a.m. [no Eucharist], with the children from the School and from Sunday School, and presentation of Mothering Sunday cards and gifts of flowers to all the ladies in the congregation.
We thank the Editor of the Newsletter for allowing us space for these announcements, as not everybody takes the Church Chronicle.
Preb. Eppingstone
SUNDAY SERVICES
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m
Evensong, Combe Martin, 6.00 p.m. [once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church, and there is no Evensong.]
Holy Communion
Thursdays, 10.00 a.m.
2nd Sunday each month, 8.00 a.m.The Rector, the Rev. Keith Wyer [883203] and Prebendary Eppingstone [882802) will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
Prayer and Bible Study, Combe Martin, every Thursday, 7.30 p.m.
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ST. PETER'S CRURCH
Sunday Services
The Eucharist, 10.30 a.m. Evensong, Combe Martin, 6 p.m.
Once a month the Christians Together go from Church to Church and there is no Evensong.
Thursdays
Holy Communion, 10.00 a.m.
Prebendary Eppingstone will discuss Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Bereavements and SHOULD be invited to come and pray with the sick.
It was sad saying ' farewell' to John Williams and the possibility of a long inter-regnum before we have a new Rector a depressing prospect.
The selection procedure can be long. The Bishop of Exeter is the patron and supported by the Bishop of Crediton and the Archdeacon of Barnstaple, they look through a list of candidates who want to come to Devon and those due for a change within the Diocese. One by one they are given the opportunity to consider, in our case, the two parishes. If they wish to be invited, they are introduced to two representatives of each Parish, who then advise the Bishop[s] whether they will support the nomination. If the candidate, Bishop or representatives say 'no' , the next priest is approached.
So, it can be a long process!
But it will not be so for us for we have been extremely fortunate in 'finding' the Revd. Keith Wyer. The Revd. Keith Wyer is joining us from his last position as Chaplain at Kelly College, Tavistock. He is a B. Divinity, London University, having trained at Kings College, London. We extend a VERY WARM WECLOME to him, his wife Sheila, their daughter, Rachel, and sons Andrew and Michael.
The Induction Service for Father Wyer will be held at St. Peter Ad Vincula, Combe Martin, on Saturday, 19th December, at 4.00 p.m. - all members of the Church and friends are invited. Keith will be taking our Sunday Service, at 10.30 a.m., the following day.
On a PERSONAL NOTE, on Monday, 21st December, at the Service at 7.00 p.m., I shall thank God this day for forty years of Priesthood. Please pray for me. If I have served you in any way, please come to this service and to the Manor Hall for refreshments afterwards. This will also be another opportunity for parishioners and friends of the Church to be introduced to our new Rector and his family. To cater for the right number, RSVP to the Churchwardens, C/o Mrs. Betty Davis, Chatsworth, Barton Lane [883541] . This is an occasion for Christians Together.
Sincerely,
R.O.H. Eppingstone.
AND NOW FOR CHRISTMAS - God Bless You and Yours at Christmas Time. May it be a time of joy, family love, and merriment: A Happy New Year to you all.
Rudolph and Peggy Eppingstone
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Communion at Home
Prebendary Eppingstone offers Communion at home for the elderly or house-bound [for health reasons]. But if he isn't told, he doesn't know!
Harvest Thanksgiving
The Harvest Thanksgiving Service is at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday, 4th October, and Harvest Evensong at 6.30 p.m. at Combe Martin. Harvest Evensong at St. Peter's is on Wednesday, 7th October, at 7.00 p.m., followed by the Harvest Supper in the Manor Hall at approximately 8.00 p.m. The presentation of the Best Kept Village Award will be made during the evening. Tickets, £2.00 and Children £1.00 are on sale from the Post Office until Tuesday, 6th. [Please bring your own cutlery.] On the Thursday there will be a sale of the produce for the starving people of Somalia after Holy Communion.
Sunday, 1st November, All Saints Day, and Monday, 2nd November All Souls Day: We shall remember all our Faithful Departed at the Eucharist, 10.30 a.m. and again on Thursday, 5th. Please add the names of your families to the list in the Church.
- The Eucharist every Sunday 10.30 a.m.
- Sunday School every Sunday [term time] 10.30 a.m. Parish Hall
- Evensong, Combe Martin Parish Church,6.30 p.m.
- 2nd Sunday only, Holy Communion 8.00 a.m.
- Every Thursday: Holy communion 10.00 a.m.
- The Eucharist 10.30 a.m.
- Evensong [St. Peter Ad Vincula] 6.30 pm
- Holy communion from the Prayerbook, 8.00 a.m.
- Holy Communion, 10.00 a.m.
8th December is Bible Sunday. This day we thank God for revealing himself to us. There is nothing man-made in our faith: the Bible is God's very word, and God and the Holy Spirit have taught and led us into all truth in the tradition of the church. May all Christians of the Parish worship together on this day to bear witness.
15th December [Advent 3] - The Christingle Service takes place at 3.00 p.m. in our other church, St. Peter ad Vincula in Combe Martin and supports the Children's Society. This has become a very popular occasion, and the ladies prepare a very large number of decorated oranges for the children - the decoration symbolising love, faith and unity. All children and parents are invited - it would help me to hear who is coming to make sure of enough oranges.
18th December - The Primary School Carol Service this morning.
22nd December [Advent 4] - For some time now the four churches of Combe Martin and the two churches of Berrynarbor have used the new title "Christians Together" in lieu of "United Churches" . This is now a nationwide custom and Christians Together have their Carol Service in Combe Martin at 6.00 p.m. in the Parish Church.
CHRISTMAS EVE - Midnight Mass, 11.30 p.m.
CHRISTMAS DAY - The Eucharist 10.30 a.m. [we have a 9.00 a.m. Holy Communion in Combe Martin]
BOXING DAY - St. Stephen's Day No Holy Communion
29th December - [Sunday after Christmas] The Eucharist at 10.30 a.m. and the Carol Service at 6.00 p.m.
- Friday, 14th October The Church will be decorated in the morning. Please being your gifts of flowers, fruit and vegetables so that the Church will look its best on the Sunday.
- Sunday, 6th October 10.30 a.m. Harvest Thanksgiving Service and Eucharist.
- Wednesday, 9th October 7.00 p.m. Harvest Evensong followed by Supper at 8.00 p.m. in the Manor Hall. During Evensong, the new tapestry kneelers will be blessed.
- Sideshows - Stalls - Barbeque - Ancient Stocks - Tombola
- 7.15 p.m. Muddiford & Milltown Morris Men
- On TUESDAY, 7TH MAY, Christians Together of Six Churches will visit and bless various parts of the two parishes by car. Offers and requests for seats in cars to Churchwardens and Clergy please.
- On SUNDAY, 2ND JUNE, the entire Deanery will go to Exeter Cathedral Evensong at 5.30 p.m. The time of the coach leaving Berrynarbor will be published later. Please give your names to the Churchwardens and Clergy NOW - last chance Sunday after Ascension, 12th May.
- CHURCHWARDENS Betty Davis [Chatsworth, Barton Lane] and Mary Tucker [Seacliffe, Newberry Road] were unanimously, and with acclamation, elected Churchwardens. Leonard Bowden was elected Churchwarden Emeritus and thanked for over forty years on the Parochial Church Council and for his services as Churchwarden and Treasurer.
- 2nd Advent Sunday
- 9th Bible Sunday - Bible Reading Plans available: Envelope Collection for the Bible Society
- 16th 3.00 p.m. - The Children's Society CHRISTINGLE FAMILY SERVICE, Combe Martin [a lovely service]
- 20th 9.30 a.m. - School Carol Service followed by Holy Communion
- 23rd 6.00 p.m. - Combined Churches Carol Service, Combe Martin
- 24th CHRISTMAS EVE - the Church will be decorated 11.30p.m. The Midnight. Mass
- 25th CHRISTRMAS DAY 10.30 a.m. - The Eucharist of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
- 22nd 7.15 p.m. Exeter Cathedral, "Christians Together In Devon" Inauguration Service
- 5th August - Prayers for the Queen Mother at the Eucharist
- 7th August - CHURCH FAYRE for local charities, 6.00 p.m. Manor Hall. Too many stalls, entertainments & competitions to list, but Dear Churchpeople, your contributions of goods and prizes to P.C.C. soonest, please.
- 11th-12th August - Preb. Eppingstone will say prayers at the Tattoo in Ilfracombe & hopes you'll be there.
- 14th Sept - Preb. and Mrs. Eppingstone on holiday for two weeks. The Rev. and Mrs. Dean-Hall in residence and taking services.
- 30th Sept - The Harvest Thanksgiving. ROHE hopes you will leave lots and lots of vegetables and fruit for him to arrange when he gets home on the Friday.
- 3rd Oct - Harvest Evensong and Supper
- Holy Communion on the 3rd Sunday of the month, 8.00 a.m.
- The Eucharist every Sunday, 10.30 a.m.
- Sunday School every Sunday, 10.30 a.m.
- Interdenominational Evensong at St. Peter's Ad Vincula, Combe Martin, 6.30 p.m.
- Holy Communion, every Thursday, 10.00 a.m.
- 7th May - Church open for visiting ringers from 14.00 p.m.
- 10th May - Archdeacon's Visitation: receiving Churchwarden's and Sidesmen's Promises at Combe Martin, 7.30 p.m.
- Preb. and Peggy Eppingstone on holiday until 26.5.90.
- 14th May - Deanery Clergy Chapter Meeting, Shirwell at 12.00 noon.
- 17th May - Preb. Eppingstone's Annual Sermon in Exeter Cathedral, 11.15 a.m.
- Sunday, 17th December: Christingle Service, 3.00 p.m.Combe Martin.
- Monday, 18th December: Primary School Carol Service, 9.30 a.m.
- Christmas Eve: Midnight Mass, 11.30 p.m.
- Christmas Day: Sung Eucharist, 10.30 a.m.
- Sunday, 31st December: Carol Service, 6.00 p.m.
Remembrance Sunday, 8th November: Holy Communion at 8.00 a.m. The British Legion Service at 10.30 a.m. There will be a full Parade Service in Combe Martin at 2.30 p.m. Poppies will be available from the Church and Post Office.
If any member of The Royal British Legion would be willing to support the Poppy Day Appeal, please make yourselves known to Preb. Eppingstone.
* Eucharist every Sunday 10.30 a.m. Sunday School every Sunday in term time. Holy Communion every Thursday, 10.00 a.m. 2nd Sunday only, Holy Communion 8.00 a.m. Evensong, Combe Martin Parish Church, 6.30 p.m. *
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Sunday Services:
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
EVERY SUNDAY:
SECOND SUNDAY IN MONTH:
EVERY THURSDAY:
We are planning a Musical Evening ag part of the Flower Festival, on the Monday, 3rd August. May we please have offers of flowers and donations for the Festival - promises to the Churchwardens, Betty Davis in particular, or myself.
Preb. Eppingstone
The stonemasons have just finished repointing the outside of the south wall of the church and the PCC are ready to make a concerted effort to clean and polish the woodwork inside - doors, pulpit, pews, etc. Work should already be underway as you read this, but, if anyone has time to spare and has not yet volunteered to help, more hands will be most welcome. Please contact one of the churchwardens or any member of the PCC.
On Thursday, 18th June, a coffee morning will be held at Chatsworth, Barton Lane. Proceeds to help meet expenses for the Flower Festival. We shall be glad of gifts for the draw and cakes for the cake stall and there will also be a plant stall. Start at 10.30 and finish about 12 noon.
Our last coffee morning, held on Election Day, raised a profit of £93 towards church funds. Our grateful thanks to everyone who contributed.
Betty Davis & Mary Tucker
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Christians Together
| Wed 1st April | 7.20 p.m. | Baptist Church, Combe Martin |
| Fri 3rd April | 3.00 p.m. | Parish Church |
| Wed 8th April | 7.00 p.m. | Parish Church, Combe Martin |
| Fri 10th April | 3.00 p.m. | United Reformed Church |
| Wed 15th April | 7.00 p.m. | Methodist Church, Combe Martin |
| Good Friday | 10.a.m. | Stations of the Cross in the Roman Catholic Church, Combe Martin, & Procession down to Seaside. |
| Sun 26th April | 6.30 p.m. | Roman Catholic Church, Combe Martin |
Tuesday, 24th May
Rogation Blessing of the Countryside by car: leaving from Berrynarbor and stopping here and there for devotions.
Please ring Wardens for further information and transport.
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Mrs. M Tucker [Churchwarden] , Mrs. B. Davis [Churchwarden and Treasurer), Mrs. M. E. Andrews [Parochial Church Council Secretary] and Mr. C.D. Collins [Vice-ChairmanJ, together with the other Officers and Official, were warmly thanked for a year's hard and successful work, and, together with the Parochial Church Councillors, agreed to serve for another year.
The fabric report gave details of the work recently carried out on the Church and it's grounds including:
the re-roofing and re-leading of the tower and the painting of the flagpole; reconditioning of the stonework, leading and glass of windows; fitting of automatic winder and overhauling the clock; Rentokil treatment of many of the timbers; the refurbishment of chairs and footstools, hassocks and kneelers and other furniture in the Sanctuary, Vestry and Ladychapel. A memorial plaque to Mrs. Snell has been placed on the north wall of the Chancel and work has also been carried out on the lychgate, adjoining walls and the path, and a handrail fitted next to the south porch.
There are still some outstanding repairs and the Rector, Churchwardens and Councillors hope that residents take note of the hard work that hasd been done on their behalf and that they will contribute willingly to the maintenance of the fabric of St. Peter's, and to the spiritual work and witness centred on the Church.
Preb. Eppingstone
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Eucharist is celebrated every Sunday at 10.30 a.m. Evensong is sung for Berrynarbor and Combe Martin in Combe Martin every Sunday, 6.00 p.m. Holy Communion is celebrated every Thursday morning at 10.00 a.m. Prebendary Eppingstone welcomes invitations to give Holy Communion at home to those who cannot come to Church or to pray with the sick.
On 4th March, we are planning a Joint Service with the Methodists in St. Peter ad Vincula in the evening, to include the Imposition of Ashes.
On Mothering Sunday, the Family Service will be at 10.30 a.m. and will include Mrs. Cruse and children from the Primary School, and Sally Barten and children from the Sunday School, the whole congregation and a Baptism. All parents, grandparents, friends and children are specially and particularly invited.
[Don't forget, British Summer Time begins and clocks go forward one hour, so don't be late!]
Other calendar dates are given in the At-A-Glance Diary.
R. O. H. Eppingstone
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
On behalf of the Rector and the Congregation, I thank everyone concerned with the Harvest Thanksgiving - the gifts and arrangements of flowers and the generous harvest produce [sold for charity], the decoration of the church, the preparation and serving of the Harvest Supper [while the rest of us sat and enjoyed the food!], and the children's entertainment.
SUNDAYS: The Eucharist is always celebrated at 10.30 a.m.
My wife and I take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
R.O.H. Eppingstone
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Summer Fete
Again a big thank you to everyone who helped to make the evening such a success. The final total was just over £900 - a record.
Harvest Thanksgiving Services and Supper
Tickets for the Supper - £2.00 for adults and £1.00 for children - will be on sale at the Post Office and after Sunday Services in church.
Collections and proceeds from the Supper will go this year to the Tear Fund [Africa] Appeal: Roots of Hunger. Presentation of the Best Kept Village Awards will also be made at the Supper.
Church Clock
Everyone is pleased to see the Church Clock working again. We had not anticipated that it would be out of commission for so long, but now it has been cleaned and the automatic winder fitted. We should like to this opportunity to thank all the people who have climbed the tower steps and ladders to wind the clock in the past, latterly Reg Gosling and in particular Reg Davis will continue to look after the clock and ensure that it keeps good time!
Mary Tucker
We are sad to report the deaths of two previous residents of Berrynarbor. Firstly, Mrs. Alice Huxtable, wife of the late Joseph Bowden Huxtable. For many years Alice and Joseph lived in the cottages at the bottom of Pitt Hill and Joseph worked at Ruggaton. The couple moved to Ilfracombe, where they remained for the rest of their lives.
Secondly, Ephraim Street who was born and brought up in Berrynarbor and went to the school here. For a time, he and his wife, Millie, lived at Rose Cottage, again at the bottom of Pitt Hill, before moving to Ilfracombe. Many local residents and those from Ilfracombe and farther afield, will remember Ephraim with warmth and affection as for 40 years he was the green-keeper at Ilfracombe Golf Club. We extend to his widow, Millie, and his family our sympathy in their sad loss.
Illustration by: Helen Armstead
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH SUMMER FETE
The Manor Hall
TUESDAY, 6TH AUGUST at 6.30 p.m.
Proceeds to be split between the Devon Children's Hospice and funds towards the repair of the Cobbled Steps at the Church Lychgate.
Plenty of support and help needed, especially from our young village families. Come and join in and make this our BEST EVER effort.
Gifts of tombola prizes, cakes, plants, fruit and vegetables' etc., needed for the stalls.
Contributions: please either contact Mary Tucker [883273] or leave at the Berrynarbor Post Office
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The village of Berrynarbor is so fortunate in having such a beautiful church at its focal point. It is, therefore, an ideal location for everyone in the vicinity to use as a meeting place, not only for prayer and thanksgivings but also as a centre for all to meet and share caring friendship with others.
During this decade of Evangelism, it behoves us all to try and understand the needs of others. How can this world expect to be at peace and how can we live in harmony unless in our own small way we come together as a Family Community.
The opportunity to introduce more social and leisure gatherings amongst ourselves could easily be arranged, were we all to meet regularly.
All are welcome - to any service - and we hope soon to enjoy coffee after the Sunday Service in order that we may have time to chat to each other and make welcome our visitors.
I know that the Rector and Preb. Eppingstone would be overjoyed to have your company.
A member of the Parish Church Council
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NEWS FROM ST. PETER'S CHURCH
It is hoped to hold a Flower Festival in our beautiful church - an opportunity to serve ourselves and the visitors in many ways - and the first meeting will be held in the Vestry at 2.30 p.m. on THURSDAY, 4TH APRIL. We welcome anybody willing to lend a hand, whether of the congregation or not: male and female made he them!!
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Sundays: 10.30 a.m. The Eucharist and Sunday School
Thursdays: 10.00 a.m. Holy Communion
December
January
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH BERRYNARBOR
Eucharist, 10.30 a.m. Holy Communion [2nd Sunday only], 8.00 a.m, Thursday, 10.00 a.m. [Communion at home by request to Preb. R. Eppingstone]. Evensong, St. Peter Ad Vincula, Combe Martin 6.30 p.m.
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH, BERRYNARBOR
The Regular Services:
Maundy Thursday The Holy Oils will be blessed by the Diocesan Bishop in Exeter Cathedral, 11:00 a.m. Holy Communion, 7.00 p.m.
Good Friday Procession of Witness for all the churches of Combe Martin and Berrynarbor begins at 10.30 a.m. at the Roman Catholic Church, stops at 3 other churches and ends at the beach. Transport back again will be available for the elderly. Devotional Service, 2.00, to 3.00 p.m. The ladies will be decorating the Church for Easter from 4.00pm on Good Friday and on Holy Saturday. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US GIFTS OF FLOWERS FOR THESE DECORATIONS.
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Church Electoral Roll has to be re-written. If you wish your name to be included, please contact the Churchwarden, Mr. Leonard Bowden, Ruggaton Farm [882456] .
CHRISTMAS SERVICES
The Rector, The Rev. John Williams, Preb. R. Eppingstone and members of the Parochial Church Council wish all parishioners
A MERRY BLESSED CHRISTMAS
And
HAPPY NEW YEAR
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ST. PETER'S CHURCH
The Harvest Service will be held on Wednesday, 11th October, at 7.00 p.m. This will be followed by the Harvest Supper, at approximately 8.00 p.m., when the Best Kept Village awards will be presented. Tickets for the Supper will be available from both the Manor Stores and the Post Office.
On Sunday, 12th November, the Annual Remembrance Day Service will commence at 10.30 a.m. followed by the laying of wreaths at the War Memorial.
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