St Michael the Archangel Dundry Parish Magazine May 2019 CONTACT INFORMATION Rector Revd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
St Michael The Archangel Dundry Parish Magazine May 2019 CONTACT INFORMATION Rector Revd. Charles Roberts The Rectory, Tunbridge Close, Chew Magna, BS40 8SU 01275 332199 [email protected] the rector’s day off is normally wednesday Associate Priests Revd. Sandra Lovern (Thursday-Sunday) - 01275 332657 revd. lovern is the first point of contact for matters relating to dundry Revd. Sandy Munday - 01275 331060; [email protected] Readers Mrs Margaret Marshall - 01275 835342 Dr Pamela Harman (Reader Emeritus) - 01275 332893 Parish Administrator Alison Hill (Mon, Weds and Fri mornings) - 01275 331061; [email protected] Churchwardens Jane Lyons - 0117 964 1338 Kathy Woodward - 0117 949 3628 Magazine Submissions and Advertising [email protected] WEB PAGES Lakeside Group - www.lakesidegroup.org.uk Village - www.dundry.org.uk THE SACRED HEART ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH OF THE CHEW VALLEY Priest: Father Michael Healy - 01275 792627 [email protected] Deacon: Rev. Mark Forge - 01275 472 391 [email protected] www.sacredheartchew.info SUNDAY MASS 9.00 AM Please look on notice board outside church for other times or any alterations Rector’s Letter My dear friends, After the frenetic activity of April with its celebration of Easter and our annual meetings, the month of May is a much quieter affair altogether (I hope!). That said I’ve been in this post long enough to know better than to tempt fate – as they used to say in South Africa, “Don’t go looking for the sun – it will find you!”, so too I think the same applies to the busy-ness of parish life. While much of May might be an oasis of calm, we begin and end with important moments in our church life. We start with what is called the “Archdeacon’s Visitation” on the 8th May. It sounds very formal and it is. This is the occasion when our newly elected Church Wardens are called to appear before the Archdeacon to be formally ‘sworn in’ for the new church year. He does this by Deanery and we in Chew Magna Deanery generally combine with Midsomer Norton Deanery for this event. While the legalities of being properly recognised and commissioned is important, this is also an opportunity for the parishes and Deanery to pray for these wonderful people who have offered themselves for a particular ministry in the church. Make no mistake, they carry a large amount of responsibility and need all our support if they are to maintain that function well. I have always been very grateful for the ministry of these people, and I thank them once again for continuing in this role to support the churches and allowing them to operate properly. Not all parishes are so fortunate. The month comes to a close with a celebration – unusually late because of the date of Easter this year, and that is Ascension Day on the 30th May. This is the point in our Easter story when Jesus leaves the earth where he has lived and worked for over 30 years and returns to his Father in heaven. There are various images of this moment in religious art, usually a pair of pierced feet disappearing into the clouds with the disciples looking upwards, but however it happened, the message is what is important. Here we have the notion of Jesus Christ, above all and over all, as our Lord and King. Why is this important? Because it helps us to keep our focus on this man whose story we have followed from Christmas, and who now reclaims his divinity by returning from whence he came, to heaven. The Ascension is a central pillar of how we understand who Jesus is, the Son of God, and the one to whom we look constantly for our inspiration and help. May the risen and ascended Lord watch over you and protect you today and every day, and may you know his love for you every second! Yours in Christ, Charles Roberts School Events at St Michael’s this Easter SchoolOn the Events afternoon At Dundry of Friday Church 29 ThisMarch Easter children from OnDundry the afternoon Primary of School Friday 29thwere March invited children to their church fromto make Dundry posies Primary for School the congregation were invited to theiron Mothering church to make posies for the congregation on MotheringSunday. Sunday. TheThe children children were were treated treated to juice to and juice cakes and as cakes a as a thankthank you you for for their their help help while while the parents the parents and and carers carersenjoyed enjoyed a welcome a welcome cup cup of tea!of tea! SomeSome of of the the posies posies were were taken taken home home by the by the children childrenand the and others the others were were warmly warmly received received by by everyone everyoneat the Sunday at the Sundayservice. service. The following Friday the whole school returned to church for their Easter serviceThe following lead Fridayby Angela the w holeFraser. school After returned the to service church foreveryone, their Easter once service again, lead enjoyed by Angela Fraser. After the service everyone, once again, enjoyed refreshments whilstrefreshments Friends of whilst Dundry Friends School calledof Dundry the winners School of calledtheir annual the winnersEaster of their annual draw.Easter Every draw. child Every was alsochild treated was alsoto a handtreated knitted to chicka hand containing knitted a chocolatechick containing a chocolateegg compliments egg compliments of the church socialof the group. church social group. After four four years years of closure of closure it is wonderful it is wonderful to now be to able now to rebe establish able to are close establish a close relationship between between the churchthe church and schooland school and we and look we forward look forward to the next to event.the next event. Songs of Praise Our Songs of Praise service will be on Sunday 12 May at 5.30pm. This service will focus on your favourite hymns. Come along and enjoy a good sing along! Let us know if you have a favourite and we will look to include it in the service. Contact - Jane Lyons 0117 964 1338 or Kathy Woodward 0117 949 3628 Finding the Best in the World It’s Somerset day on Saturday 11 May. It is an opportunity to profile some of the delights of our county and develop relationships across our communities. It is on this day that we remember Alfred (a failed ‘Bake Off’ contestant?) taking on the Vikings from the Somerset marshes and winning, thus spawning a ‘make Somerset great again’ moment. Now, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t about us in Somerset trying to prove we are better than anyone else. We have seen plenty in recent days which has sought to divide rather than unite us as a country. Rather, this is an opportunity to value the uniqueness of some of our wonderful people, places and possibilities here in Somerset and across the diocese. I do hope you will join in! See www.somersetday. com for more details. And surely that is what the Church should be about too. Celebrating all that is good, joyful and abundant in us. It reminds me of those words from Philippians 4:8… ‘Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.’ It is so easy to get caught up with negatives, with the glass half empty syndrome, with stuff that brings us down rather than building us up. I wonder if we might make this month one where we encourage ourselves and others to find the best in the world and people around us. Live life in all its fullness! (John 10:10) Rt Rev Ruth Worsley Bishop of Taunton Ascension Day Ascension Day is on the 30 May. There will be “Prayers Up the Tower” at 7.30am at St Andrew’s Chew Magna (come and enjoy the view!), and a service of Holy Communion at Chew Magna at 10.00am. He who sees a need and waits to be asked for help is as unkind as if he had refused it - Dante Community Cafe The Community cafe at the church is going from strength to strength. Open on the first Saturday of every month from 10.00 to 12.00 our wonderful pairs of volunteers serve hot drinks and their delicious home made cakes. Not forgetting all that washing up! Thanks to them all. The April cafe saw the largest number of customers so far and local people enjoyed meeting up with friends and family. There were also several visitors to Dundry enjoying the friendly atmosphere. The Social group also had a stall promoting the sponsoring of lilies to remember a loved one to be displayed in church at Easter. There were also hand crafted greetings cards on sale kindly donated by Ann Gleave and the regular Book Stall. Look out for more things for sale at the cafe over the coming months. If you would like to help out at the cafe in any way please contact Jane (0117 964 1338) or Kathy (0117 949 3628). Volunteer Rota 4 May - Jane Lyons and Kathy Woodward - homemade preserves on sale 1 June - Jane Pellowe and Jo Ball - craft demonstration too! 6 July - Jean Hopkins and Jean Blewit From June the cafe will open at 10.30 until 12.30. ST MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL CHURCH, DUNDRY PEW AUCTION (Sale of surplus church pews) th Saturday 18 May Dundry Village Hall Viewing from 6.30pm.