News items
There are a number of events in the coming months not listed on this page, so do look in the Events page (not forgetting the Services above the events) .
Report of Christmas activities
Friends of St Peter's Cretingham
Earl Soham Post Office - new opening hours
Landscape History in High Suffolk
Earl Soham Primary School – New School Hall
Earl Soham - Rota for Altar & Roll of Honour Flowers & Brasses
St Mary’s Ashfield - Flower & Cleaning Rota
See also letters from the ministry team.
Benefice Lent Course
All are welcome
Beginning Date: |
Thursday 2nd March |
Time: |
7.30 – 9.30 p.m. (max) |
Venue: |
The Malt House, Earl Soham, courtesy of Mavis and Ces Kerridge. |
Resource Booklet: |
‘Life Attitudes’, R. Warren & S. Mansfield. Published 2004 by Church House publishing, £3.99. Available for purchase at the group. |
Facilitators: |
Wendy Gourlay (685335) Neville Jephcote (685690) |
I hope many will join a five session lent group, for 2006 when we shall explore the Beatitudes – or beautiful attitudes – described by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. These eight radical sayings from Matthew’s gospel (Matt 5; 3-10) contain both values for living and promises of blessing.
To assist with organisation, e.g. having enough booklets for everyone or whether you would like a lift, it would be helpful to let facilitators know please, if you wish to attend.
Others of you might choose to reflect upon your Christian journey at home alone, perhaps with the structure and guidance of a course booklet. For personal use I could recommend:
Journeying through Lent towards Easter by Sister Joan Brown,
published 2002 Kevin Mayhew (£5.99).
This is available, on loan from Suffolk Christian Resource Library, Churchgates House 01473 298507 or, as they say, from all good booksellers!
Wendy Gourlay
Magazine Donations
A gentle reminder for those of you who have not yet returned your envelopes – please could you do so. In the case of Ashfield these should be sent to Church Farmhouse or to any member of the PCC and for Earl Soham to your magazine distributor, Church Warden or to the Post Office. All contributions are most gratefully received.
Christmas Singing and Services
Earl Soham Carol Singing
A group of 11 Connect 4 members with a few parents and John Peck to accompany us with music spent a good evening singing round the village. Our voices weren’t quite like Kings College Cambridge but we were well received and well rewarded, raising nearly £60:00 for the Children’s Society. Thank you to all those who supported us in any way and for the welcome refreshments at the end!
Christmas Eve Crib Service
On a very mild Christmas Eve many gathered to remember again the coming of the Lord Jesus through song and mime. Very many thanks go to all those who made this possible, from the placing of the trailer, the building of the stage, the sheep, ponies and of course all the children who took part. It was again a wonderful occasion and we were able to send nearly £300:00 to the Children’s Society. Thank you to everyone.
Ashfield Carol Singing
Thank you to all who took part in Carol Singing around Ashfield (on such a cold night) and an extra thank you to John & Michael Peck and Dan, whose musical talents added considerably to the performance. A total of £150 was raised for Cancer Campaign in Suffolk.
Marriage at Christmas
Congratulations to Louise Gissing and David Kindred who married at St. Mary’s Earl Soham on Wednesday 28thDecember. David is the only son of Timothy and Sarah Kindred who farm at High House Farm, Cransford and Louise is the only daughter of Neil and Jan Gissing of Ashfield. The couple have been together for eleven years, since GCSE days at Thomas Mills, not bad! Louise is a primary school teacher in Cambridge and David is an agricultural scientist at the University.
Louise was wearing a most lovely light cream dress with a full skirt and train and was accompanied by five bridesmaids dressed in burgundy: Alissa Kindred, Joanna Kindred, Emily Smith, Victoria Smith and Elinor Loxdale. Samuel Loxdale was a smart pageboy. The best man was Capt. Chris Greenwood (Royal Artillery) in dress blue uniform with sword.
The couple left the Church for a reception at Hintlesham Hall from whence they flew to New York for the honeymoon on the next day.
We send them our good wishes with our prayers that they will be very happy as they settle into married life. May God bless you.
Graham Vellacott
Friends of St Peter’s Cretingham
“Church ownership stays… uncertain” was perhaps a rather surprising headline in a recent edition of the “Church Times”.
In a report for the subsequent meeting of the General Synod last October, a working group was set up to implement proposals on clergy terms and conditions of service considered among other things the ownership of a church building. The report identifies the different rights and duties of various bodies. For example the PCC is responsible for repairs and maintenance, but “vesting the church with the churchwardens or the PCC would identify it closely with the worshiping community and not the parish as a whole”.
The working group concluded that the “ownership” of the church and churchyard is vested in the parish community as a whole. If the community as a whole owns the church then it seems reasonable and logical that the community as a whole should take responsibility for maintaining their property.
This of course is precisely why the Friends of St Peters was formed 9 years ago, so I invite you to make a belated New Year resolution and include membership of the Friends and support their activities.
Alan Lettin, Chairman
PS – The Treasurer, Mr Robert Hadley on 01728 685501 would be pleased to let you have a membership form.
Earl Soham Post Office
For information the Post Office will be open from 9:00 to 2:00 from Monday to Friday. These opening hours apply only to the Post Office; Eat Anglia will be open as usual.
Earl Soham Tennis Club AGM
This will take place on Tuesday 21st February 2006 at 7.30 p.m. in Earl Soham Village Hall.
All welcome.
A Musical with a Difference – coming soon!
Forget “Cats” or “Phantom of the Opera”! Suffolk residents who remember the war years would do well to attend a musical with a difference showing at venues around Suffolk in March this year.
Based around a central character, a World War 11 veteran, “Trickster” is an interactive musical which hopes to raise the level of awareness of the problem of doorstep crime and provide the audience with the confidence and skills to enable them to identify and reject attempts by criminals wanting to exploit their vulnerability. Following the performance, the actors will lead the audience in a sing-along of popular songs from the era.
Performed by touring theatre company, Solomon Associates (UK) Limited, “Trickster” is coming to Suffolk courtesy of the Safe and Sound Group.
The Safe and Sound Group is a multi-agency partnership with membership from Suffolk Police, Trading Standards, Age Concern Suffolk, The Pension Service and many others.
Trickster is visiting the following venues in March 2006:-
Tuesday 7th March |
HAVERHILL Arts Centre at 10 am |
|
STOWMARKET Regal Theatre at 2.30 pm |
Wednesday 8th March |
KESGRAVE Community Centre at 10 am |
|
FELIXSTOWE Leisure Centre at 2.30 pm |
Thursday 9th March |
LOWESTOFT Marina Theatre 10 am |
|
BECCLES Public Hall 2.30 pm |
Tickets to all performances are FREE and include light refreshments. Booking from groups of older people are particularly welcome but please book early.
To book your tickets please telephone 01473 265272.
Landscape History in High Suffolk:
Worlingworth, Bedfield, Tannington, Earl Soham and their Vicinity
A Talk by Edward Martin, Archaeological Officer, Suffolk County Council
On Saturday March 4th 2006 at Brandeston Village Hall at 7.30pm.
Tickets: £7.50 to include wine and finger buffet
Edward Martin has recently completed a research project for English Heritage on the origins of the fields of East Anglia, using Worlingworth as one of the study areas. In this talk he will use the insights gathered in that study to explore the landscape history of this part of the claylands of Suffolk. He will be looking at how farmland was organised in the Middle Ages, the relationship between greens and woods, the significance of moated sites and much more.
Tickets available from Iris Barrell 01728 685342 & Mary Nesling 01728 628278
Earl Soham Primary School – New School Hall
We are delighted to announce that at long last the school is getting a new Hall. It will mean that our children will now have somewhere to eat their lunch other than in the classroom and a place to have PE and games when it is wet. It also means that we will be able to have school productions on site and thus reduce the dangers inherent with crossing the A1120. Building work is due to commence at the end of January with a finish date of the end of July. This will mean some disruption that we and the contractors will endeavour to keep to a minimum but we hope that you will be understanding over the period. It will mean that the rather unsightly portacabin kitchen will disappear. The hall will include a new ‘Jamie Oliver’ compliant kitchen and a cloakroom as well as the open hall space. However the funds from the LEA will not cover much of the equipment so any help you can give – financial or practical will be of great help.
Please contact Steve Wood (Headmaster) on 685 359 or Alison Bowman (Chair of Governors) on 685 489 if you want any further information.
Iona Summer Holiday Week
The chance to spend a Holiday Week on Iona is offered to everyone in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich. Spending seven nights in the Bishop’s House on Iona, the group will have the chance to share with the Iona Community, as well as experiencing a time of learning, fellowship and exploration.
From June 30th to July 8th Revd John McManners, an immensely popular pilgrimage leader and a great source of knowledge on the Celtic Saints, will lead the group in worship, talks and retreat.
£528 includes one night B&B in Durham, seven nights Full Board on Iona, all luxury coach travel and ferry journeys.
For further information, please contact the UKLTG Brochureline on 0845 6019567
Email: mail@ukltg.com
Web: www.ukltg.com
Cretingham 100 Club
The Fifty-eighth draw took place at the Post Office on Monday 9th January.
Congratulations to:
- Mr. Alan Lettin - £25
- Dr. David Egan - £15
- Mrs. Dena Atkinson - £10
The fifty-ninth draw will be held at the Post Office on Saturday 4th February 2006.
Peter Markland (685796)
Ashfield Ladies Group
21st Feb |
Pole Lathe Turning |
Des Hart |
21st Mar |
The Other Side of the Camera |
Don Wescott |
For further information contact Susan Hansen on 01728 685738.
Earl Soham - Rota for Altar & Roll of Honour Flowers & Brasses
February |
Mrs H Hinton |
685232 |
Mrs J Rothery |
685457 |
March/April |
Mrs A Bloomfield |
685270 |
Mrs I Elmore |
685814 |
If you are unable to do your flowers, please contact Margaret Buckland on 685329.
St Mary’s Ashfield - Flower & Cleaning Rota
February |
Susan Hansen |
685738 |
March |
Margaret & John Garrard |
685038 |
If you are unable to do your month please contact another person on the list to arrange a swap.
RIP
Phyllis Burman
Phyllis was a true Cretingham girl and many will feel a deep sense of loss with her passing. You described Phyllis as – “generous-hearted, an Auntie, someone who made us laugh, a strong woman, full of character, a mainstay of village life, always willing to lend a hand.”
Born in Cretingham 87 years ago, Phyllis lived here all her life. She attended Primary School in the village and when time came to attend Senior School in Helmingham, the education authorities loaned a bicycle to ride to school and back! During her 30’s she used to cycle daily to work at the butcher’s in Brandeston. Passing the Potash, there she met a young man and their dalliance over the hedge led to romance and marriage. Being devoted to her husband George, it must have been a bitter blow to Phyllis when he predeceased her by many years but true to form she rallied round, entered whole-heartedly into all village life and her spirits never diminished even to the last. Since falling and breaking her hip in the summer of 2005 she still showed an indomitable strength to overcome and never complained of her lot.
Many, like me, knew Phyllis as ‘Mrs B’ and enjoyed her particular brand of soup and Apple Pies made for many Harvest Suppers. Willingness to participate in all village life included hosting the fete in her garden, appearing on stage, in St Peter’s Church at the 10th Music Evening 1995. Do you remember she sat on a bench looking coquettish with Revd David Boyes as they performed a sketch called ‘A Suffolk Lad? Game for anything, she was twice interviewed for radio broadcast, first with the Cooking Canon, John Ely, and later with Terry Hunt, editor of EADT, describing Cretingham life in years gone by.
Listening to ‘Songs of Praise’ on TV was a regular and important part of Phyllis’s week. When her ‘pins’ finally prevented her from going to church she welcomed the occasions when church came to her – and the Rev Clare Sanders led a monthly evening prayer in her home. She held a deep gratitude to God for blessings received, and always gave thanks in prayer for friendships.
Some who worked closely with Phyllis at the Cretingham Bell throughout the ‘reigns’ of several landlords, have other affectionate recollections.
“A serious worker, everything she did was carried out with immense vigour. When at the sink the taps were turned on so fiercely that anyone in range was sprayed; likewise when washing up there was constant heavy percussion from the crockery and cutlery (fortunately glasses were washed in the bar!) – The floor became a puddle and no one remained dry. In fact if you weren’t required in the dining-room it was advisable to wear wellies in the kitchen when Mrs B was working. Then – always amid great hilarity – she would seize the mop and go for it hammer and tongs scattering anyone in her wake.
Phyllis could always see the humorous side of things so you laughed with her, never against her. It’s difficult to imagine that she had any enemies and all of us remember Phyllis with warmth, love and affection.”
Wendy Gourlay