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CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE?
CHRISTMAS seems quite a long time ago but it remains strong in my memory. Why? Because we had such wonderful services in church (and elsewhere)! The Playgroup Nativity was really sweet and the School Carol Services, both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, were excellent. The traditional Nine Lessons and Carols went very well.
Another highlight was the Salvation Army Village Carol Service which was the best attended ever (and the collection of £400 to the Sally Army the highest ever). But that was not the end and the highlights continued. The Crib Service has increased in its popularity each year we have held it. We have plans that will accommodate a further increase next year - but if it gets much larger we will have to face the challenge of holding the service twice!
Midnight saw the largest congregation for over a decade and although Christmas Day numbers were slightly down this was understandable with the Sunday Service on Boxing Day as well.
May I, as Vicar, express my thanks to the many people who made the church look really wonderful, all those who helped lead the services and especially to Gillian Wildney and Ken James for their musical leadership during the time that Dudley Gray has been unable to be with us.
MF
FAIRTRADE GOODS
At the last P.C.C. meeting before Christmas it was decided that in the future the church will use only Fairtrade coffee, tea, sugar and so on. It is hoped that in time we will start to sell Fairtrade goods to promote a very worthy cause.
FRIENDS OF ST OSYTH PARISH CHURCH
FESTIVE MORNING,
Saturday 11th December
Our activities last year ended on a happy note. At the Christmas Festive Morning we were joined by our friends from the Methodist Church, and we felt that the shared event was indeed festive. What had started as stalls in the south aisle spread into both sides of the nave.
There was a large display of toys and books from the last 150 years and the highlight of the day was the puppets (Muppet style) telling the Christmas story in a novel form in the chancel. Further activities for children stretched into the north aisle, but it was noticeable that the adults enjoyed the puppets as much as the children!
Many thanks to all who helped organise and run the varied stalls, the refreshments and the children’s entertainment. We also made £500 for the ‘Friends’ with the Methodists also making funds as well as friends!
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING,
Sunday 24th April 2005, 11.30am.
Notice is given that the AGM will be held in church after the morning service at 11.30am on Sunday 24th April.
Nominations in writing are invited for the positions of Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer and members of the committee. They should be duly seconded and have the nominee’s agreement and be with the Chairman, Mark Roberts or Vice-Chairman, Yrina Morgan Kendall, by 11am, Sunday 13th March 2005. We would be delighted to have new people on the committee.
Mark Roberts, Chairman
SHROVE TUESDAY
Pancake Day - 8th February
PANCAKE Day Races will be held at School on Shrove Tuesday 8th February, starting after morning break. Thank you to Jill Bligh who has skilfully managed to get the pancakes sponsored by ‘Aunt Bessie’.
They are providing the school with enough pancakes for the races and for the children to have at lunchtime.
Please do come along and support the children and watch the races.
‘GIVE AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE'
IT is a well known fact that the more you give love away to others the more love you will receive. It also seems to be the fact that the more money a family gives to worthy causes the more God blesses it. This is true of any family, whether our own, or of a gathered community such as a church family.
While in the last couple of years we have begun at SS Peter and Paul’s to pay for our day to day running expenses out of our weekly giving this has enabled us, when we have had occasions where we could, to raise money for worthy causes beyond our own four walls. Often working in partnership with organisations such as our Primary School, the Salvation Army, the R.N.L.I, sometimes working as a church or a small group of people from within the church we have gone out to raise money for 3 different projects in Africa, for the local Hospice and work with local homeless people, the Royal British Legion and S.S.A.F.A., the new Lifeboat and the Air Ambulance.
Altogether this last year we were able to raise £3,900. May we thank everyone who sponsored people, gave money to specific collections and contributed in any way to this wonderful effort.
THE ‘WELCOME' CORNER
THIS is the Vicar’s pet name for the new display area that has been created just inside the door of the church. In time, as we build up our use of this resource, it will serve to: welcome people in to God's house; give them a feel for our community and our church life; explain various aspects of church history and our heritage; and most importantly, share our faith in God.
I understand that some people have expressed concern about the church spending a lot of money on this furniture. May I repeat what was printed on page 7 of the November magazine, that the majority of the money for this project was given in her memory by the family and friends of Muriel Hunt, and that the remainder came from the English Heritage Lottery Fund.
ASH WEDNESDAY
ASH Wednesday this year is on February 9th. We will have our special service in the Parish Church that evening at 7.45pm. This will be a communion service during which people can receive the sign of the Cross on their foreheads, made with ash from burnt Palm Crosses.
This mark not only reminds us of our baptism, and of Jesus dying on the Cross that we might be forgiven our sins, but also that at the beginning of Lent we begin a forty day period of self-examination and reflection on our faith in preparation for Easter. Do join us for this moving service.
WHO’S WHO
THE Ven. Annette Cooper, who lives at Witham, was appointed Archdeacon of Colchester last year. This gives her an entry in ‘Who’s Who’. There are 1000 new entries in the latest edition, just published. You remain in Who’s Who until you die, then you are automatically transferred to ‘Who Was Who’.
MOTHERING SUNDAY
6th March
FOR some years now Pat Minshull has made a lovely Simnel Cake to have with our coffee after the service on Mothering Sunday. So this year we thought we could extend the idea and have some fun too.
We would like several people to make a Simnel Cake, any size or recipe, and bring it along on 6th March to the morning service. We will then ask the congregation to try the cakes and vote for a winner by giving a donation, which will go to charity. If you would like to contribute a cake please can you ring me on 820458.
Brenda Lord
EASTER FLOWERS
THANK you to everyone who helped decorate the church for Christmas, it seems a long time ago now but as always the church looked lovely for the Christmas Season.
Looking ahead to Easter I am, as usual, asking for help with the flowers or perhaps a donation towards the Easter Lilies. If anyone would like to make a donation ‘in memory’ please ring me on 820458. The names can then be added to the Pew Sheet for Easter Sunday. If you would like to bring an arrangement or do one yourself in church you would be very welcome. We will be arranging the flowers on Easter Saturday, 26th March from 10am.
Brenda Lord
A DECADE ON…
HERE in St Osyth, we have for a long time, welcomed women into the priesthood. Now that it is about a decade since women were first priested in the Church of England, I thought readers might be interested in a few facts about women priests in the English Church (and the worldwide Anglican Communion of which we are part):
* nearly 25% of priests are now women
* about 50% of priests in training are women
* 81% of male priests support women priests
* There are now 2 female Deans (in charge of Cathedrals)
* There are 6 female Archdeacons (our Archdeacon, Annette Cooper, is 1 of the 6!)
Those who wish for total equality and acceptance of women into all positions in our church find the following difficult to accept:
* Only 14 of the 42 Provinces in the Anglican Church accept women Bishops
(Bangladesh, Brazil, Central America, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, North India, Phillipines, Scotland, South Africa, Sudan, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S.A.)
We, The Church of England, at this time do not.
* 810 Parishes (6.3%) at this time would not welcome a woman priest to celebrate communion in their church
* 980 Parishes (7.6%) would not welcome a woman priest as their incumbent (Priest-in-charge/Vicar/Rector).
While to many people things have happened very slowly, in real terms the Church has changed very quickly. It seems that it is only a matter of time and we shall see female Bishops here in England.
In the meantime parishes such as St James’ in Clacton, where women priests are not recognised or welcomed at their Altar, ensure that those who find the idea of women in the priesthood unacceptable still have a place to worship within the Church of England, a traditionally broad and all-encompassing Christian family.
MF
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FEBRUARY 2005