FEBRUARY and MARCH SERVICE ROTA

2nd February 9th February 16th February 23rd February 1st March QUINTET NEWS Presentation of (NG away) 1st Sunday of Christ Lent , , , with Easton, 9.30am: Holy 9.30am: Holy 9.30am: Holy 11am: Group 9.30am: Holy with Woodnook, and Gunby Communion, Communion, Communion, Holy Communion, FEBRUARY and MARCH 2020 Stoke Rochford Great Ponton Skillington Communion, Stoke Rochford 11am: Holy 11am: Holy 11am: Holy Little Ponton 11am: Holy Dear friends Communion, Communion, Communion, Communion, Colsterworth Colsterworth Colsterworth Colsterworth By the time that you are reading this, hopefully changes in the time of the sunrise 6pm: Evensong, Colsterworth (about 7.30am at the beginning of February) will have become noticeable. For many 8th March 15th March 22nd March 29th March 5th 5th April people, the winter season with its lack of daylight and sunshine can seem unending. 2nd Sunday of 3rd Sunday of Mothering Sunday of Lent Palm Sunday Winter celebrations, particular midwinter and solstice ones, might well have originally Lent Lent Sunday been a way of mitigating against these feelings. 9.30am: Holy 9.30am: Holy 9.30am: Holy 11am: Group 9.30am: Holy Communion, Communion, Communion, joint service Communion, The coming of spring can sometimes seem a long way off and even in this most Great Ponton Little Ponton Skillington with Stoke Rochford scientific of ages it can seem like it might never arrive. So, for countless previous 11am: Holy 11am: Holy 11am: All Age Colsterworth 11am: Holy generations the arrival of spring might well have seemed like a miracle, an answer to Communion, Communion, Morning Prayer Methodist Communion, prayers spoken at Midwinter. Colsterworth Colsterworth for Mothering Church, at Colsterworth 6pm: Deanery 6pm: Songs of Sunday Colsterworth I’d guess that most of us don’t pray for the coming of spring anymore, but what I Evensong for Praise, Stoke Methodist wonder do we pray for? I suspect that many of you do as I have seen the growing Lent, Rochford Church number of prayer ribbons on the railings outside the churches, in both Colsterworth Colsterworth and Great Ponton. Seasonal Services 26th February 9th April 10th April 12th April Ash Wednesday Maundy Thursday Good Friday Easter Sunday It wouldn’t surprise me if many of you pray; for your children, for your families, for 6pm: Holy 6pm: Holy Good Friday 6.10am: Dawn your friends and for your neighbours. Maybe you pray for your community or your Communion and Communion, meditations Service of Light, country, maybe you pray for the world and places in need. Whatever it is, I am sure Ashing, Colsterworth Colsterworth, with 2pm: Little Ponton Colsterworth, that God hears you! foot washing 3.30pm: Stoke followed by breakfast Rochford 11am: Easter Day I hope that collectively we might express our prayers together, and so this spring I will 5pm: Colsterworth Holy Communion be establishing a Prayer Wall in church. It will be a large board hanging in Colsterworth Holy Week Compline Church, on which anyone can write or draw their prayer. Whatever you want God to 6th April 6pm 7th April 6pm 8th April 6pm know can be committed to prayer. There is nothing you can pray that God hasn’t hear Great Ponton Skillington Colsterworth before, nothing God doesn’t know already. If you feel happy tell God, if you feel sad Messy Church – 3.30pm, Colsterworth Methodist Church tell God, if you feel angry tell God, if you feel alone tell God. Above all else share with th th 12 February 11 March God, and I pray you feel comfort as a result. If stepping into church feels like “a step Useful Contact Information: too far” the ribbons will remain and please feel free to continue using them. Rev. Neil Griffths - 01476 860630 email: [email protected] Jo Castro (Group Administrator) – 01476 530839 email: [email protected] The Churchwardens: Colsterworth Simon Jowitt 07903 390151 Peter Smith 01476 860218 I very much look forward to seeing your prayers. Stoke Rochford Neil McCorquodale 07836 707600 Jo Burroughs 01476 530359 Great Ponton Bryan Bargh 01476 530273 Skillington Graham Page 01476 330281 Little Ponton George McCorquodale 07876 653704, with love and prayers, Revd. Neil Gunby Irene Wearing 01476 861061 Stainby Dr. Fiona Beddoes Jones 07950 337099, How to keep up to date with events and services: https://www.facebook.com/ColsterworthGroupofChurches , www.colsterworth5.org.uk

STOKE ROCHFORD AND EASTON The Future COLSTERWORTH NEWS community, including the influence of our most notable parishioner, Sir . Christmas Services As we move into a new decade we are hoping As we enter the new decade, we should not just We were delighted to welcome so many people that more people will come to our Church. It is pause and take stock of recent events, but also Finally, thank you to all you otherwise unsung to our Christingle Service on 15th December and there for everyone of all ages to use and feel reflect with optimism on the advances we are heroes who have helped in various ways to keep also to our Christmas Eve Carol Service. part of. making into the third millennium. St John the Baptist church open and up and running. Donors, flower arrangers, cleaners, The Christingle Service was put together by Julia We have a very committed PCC who work so Firstly, the season of Advent. The Christmas gardeners, bell ringers, organists, fete Kerby and featured many talented children who hard to maintain the fabric of your church and Bazaar in church. The Christmas tree festival, organisers, poppy knitters to name but a few. entertained us with music, song and dancing. ensure it is accessible to everyone. with over twenty trees supplied by local organisations and businesses and opened with a Thank you all. Our thanks go to Julia for all her hard work again During his first year in office Rev Neil Griffiths cheese and wine party. Special thanks to Chris this year. has breathed new life into the Group and we GREAT PONTON NEWS Baldock and her assistants for the catering, and th We were very pleased to have the award fully support what he is doing to encourage and Our Carol Service held on 20 December 2019 of course to all the stall holders who contributed was well supported and enjoyed and a special winning Colsterworth School Choir singing this support our Group. to the success of the Bazaar. These were great thank you to those who undertook readings; year and they performed a fitting finale to the So we look forward to welcoming you to Stoke community events. The well attended Christmas they did this very well and were very clear – evening. Rochford any time you wish. services also benefitted greatly with the thank you. backdrop of the trees and the new initiative of a We estimate the attendance was around 170 SKILLINGTON NEWS Our thanks go to those who support our church ‘reverse’ Advent calendar raised a substantial people many of whom stayed for refreshments The Christmas Fayre on 7th December was a and we wish you all a very happy 2020. quantity of Christmas fare that was donated to after the service. great success, raising over £700. Very many LITTLE PONTON NEWS the local food bank. The trees also provided thanks to everyone who helped, made cakes or The Carols by Candlelight service was also well great seasonal decoration for our first wedding A huge thank you to everyone involved in the wreaths, or who donated products for hampers, attended by people from all in the of 2020 with Stephen and Denice taking their Christmas Tree service. We were delighted with books, raffle prizes and much else. The Group and beyond and we estimate around 140 vows on the 3rd January. We wish them well for the turn out and hope you all enjoyed occasion also saw the first ever 100 Club Draw. came to that service. a long and happy marriage. yourselves. Thank you to the members of the The number of members had passed fifty which PCC who provided refreshments. The star The Church Roof meant that the first prize was £250 and that Back to the future and the 21st century; The attraction was undoubtedly the homemade The main part of the roof works have now been there were five prizes in all. Everybody cheered Newton Project continues to develop. It is being sausage roll. If you missed out on this feast, you completed, and the North and South aisle roofs when Maurice and Joan Vinter won the first designed to bring 21st century facilities to our had better come to our next function, you will are now weatherproof. There only remain the prize. 1000 year old church building whilst respecting not be disappointed! ridge tiles to fix on the roofs over the chancel. the unique reflection of the history of our There will be two further 100 Club draws in this Little Ponton PCC would like to wish everyone a We have received some grant aid from first year and more members are welcome. BOOK CLUB very Happy New Year and we hope to see you at Old Churches, Marshalls Charity, Please contact Graham Page for details. Meets on the third Monday of every month at 8pm some point this year. The All Churches Charity and The Herbert in the White Lion. Contact Anne Prothero 01476 Turnor Charitable Trust. This has gone some The church was nicely decorated for the 860952 Date for your diary: Christmas services. Thanks to way towards covering the cost and we are Snowdrop Opening - Saturday 15th and Sunday grateful to those charities for their support in Estate for their regular gift of a Christmas tree, Colsterworth Methodist Church st rd 16th February at Little Ponton Hall. 11am to and to those who erected it and put up the CRAFT & CHAT - 1 & 3 Wednesdays of the month our time of need. at 3.30pm. Everyone welcome. 4pm. All visitors welcome. All money made from decorations - and took them down afterwards! nd th However we have had to draw £6,000 from our OPEN DOOR LUNCH - 11am — 1pm on 2 & 4 refreshments will go to the church. We hope to Volunteers are still needed for a flower rota and Wednesdays. Call in for coffee, light lunch and reserves to pay the bills and that has left us in a friendship. Everyone welcome. see you there. difficult situation where we have very little church cleaning, as well as for fund raising and practical help. Please contact Graham Page if money left in the account. BROWNIES - Monday (Term-time), Colsterworth GREAT PONTON’S ACTIVITIES: you are interested or can help. Village Hall. 5.30 - 7.00pm NEW AGE KURLING - Friday 10.00am – 12.00 noon Many people have been very generous already but if you are able to help further it would be Dates for the diary: BEAVERS - Thursday (Term-time) Colsterworth in Great Ponton Village Centre £1.50 includes raffle th Contact Harry Watson on 530528 greatly appreciated. Church Open Day: Saturday 25 July 2020. Village Hall 5.30 - 6.30pm for girls and boys aged Harvest Service and Supper: Sunday 11th 6-8. Please contact Dawn Prentice 01476 860208 GREAT PONTON QUIZ NIGHT the last Friday of the At least we now have a Church that is dry and October 2020. CUBS - Thursday (Term-time) Colsterworth Village month in Great Ponton Village Centre. has a new roof. Hall 6.30 - 8.00pm for girls and boys aged 8-10. Please contact Dawn Prentice 860208