November 2020
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November 2020 £1 (£10 per year) 1 UNITED BENEFICE OF ST. MARY, GOUDHURST WITH CHRIST CHURCH, KILNDOWN Vicar: The Vicarage, Back Lane Goudhurst, Kent, TN17 1AN Tel: 01580 211739 Email: Lay Minister: Caroline Turvey Tel: 01580 211739 Email: [email protected] Benefice Administrator: Becky Addis, (Monday to Friday 9am-12 noon) Benefice Office, The Vicarage, Back Lane, Goudhurst, Kent, TN17 1AN Tel: 01580 211739 Email : [email protected] GOUDHURST Church Wardens: Ali Williams Tel: 07944 776008 Simon Taurins Tel: 07768 598239 Sunday Club: Huthrie Copplestone Tel: 01580 211902 [email protected] Church Room Bookings: Rosemary Southon Tel: 01580 211791 Ready Call: Jayne Russell (Chairman) Tel: 07766 553728 Joe Meyer (transport) Mon-Fri 9am-10am Tel: 01580 211750 Parish Hall Bookings: Nichola Osgood [email protected] KILNDOWN Church Wardens: David Denton Tel: 01892 890244 Vacancy Tel: Flower Arranging: Lynda Shepherd Tel: 01580 879549 [email protected] Village Hall Bookings: Evie Banfield Tel: 07872 348155 PARISH MAGAZINE Editor: David Denton Tel: 01892 890244 [email protected] Magazine Advertising: Ursula Ellwood [email protected] Subscriptions & Distribution: Pam Stubbs (Goudhurst) Tel: 01580 211013 Hilary Bird (Kilndown) Tel: 01892 890554 2 WHAT’S ON IN NOVEMBER 2020 At the time of writing the three-tier system has just been intro-duced but there is a lot of uncertainty about the next few weeks. We are hoping and praying that this will not impact on two important services that take place in November. All Souls service, 1 November, 4:30pm, St. Mary’s On Sunday 1 November at 4:30 in St. Mary's, we are holding our annual All Souls service. The service will be led by Rev Lesley and will provide a space for people to remember those we love but see no longer. The service will be gentle and reflective with music and prayer - everyone is welcome, whether you have suffered a bereavement recently or many years ago. Due to current restrictions around social distancing however, we are limited on the number of people able to attend the service in person so you will need to pre-book - we are also hoping to live stream the service for those who wish to remain at home. You can book your seat through the GK Church website or by contacting [email protected] (Church Office number is 01580 211739). At the service the names of loved ones who have died will be read out - if you would like a name to be read out, whether you can be at the service or not, please contact Becky. The list is a new one every year so please do contact Becky by Wednesday, 28 October so that the list can be pre-pared. Remembrance Sunday, 8 November This year our Remembrance services will take place on 8 November at 10:45 in both St. Mary's and Christ Church. The services will be different to previous years due to current restrictions but will still be an opportunity for us to honour our war heroes and express our gratitude to those who continue to serve the country in the military forces. Due to social distancing we will need to ticket the service at St. Mary's and you can book your seat through the GK Church website or by contacting becky.addis@ gkchurch.org (please note that the service at St. Mary's will also be live streamed for those unable to be in the church). Rev John Tapper will be leading the service at St. Mary's with Rev Neville Gallagher leading at Christ Church. There’s lots more going on and you can find out about it all on our website www.gkchurch.org.uk 3 INTERREGNUM MESSAGE When we’re feeling unsure of how the autumn will pan out, here are five solid reminders of the treasure we have: Hope: In these times of difficulty we are offered ‘a sure and certain hope’. Hope, in the Bible, means something we can be sure of, because it is based on God’s promises. Certainty: In the midst of uncertainty we have certainty that God loves us, that he has a plan for us, that although we are not promised an easy time he will never let us down. Love: ‘Faith, hope and love’, it says in that famous reading so often used at weddings. Love is God’s greatest gift to us. Let’s keep on loving everyone around us. Joy: This is something that God gives us even when things are tough. Somehow it is fully possible to rejoice in God - even while praying for his help. Peace: The peace of God, which ‘passes all understanding’. It is a mystery, and very often we don’t feel his peace but it is there. If we ask God’s forgiveness, his peace soon follows. None of us can work up hope, certainty, love, joy or peace by ourselves. So let’s thank God for them and keep on telling him that we humbly accept his offer. Then we’ll gradually see what happens. Some reminders: support of many kinds is available through the church family - see https://www.gkchurch.org.uk/coronakindness. And anything that anyone would like prayer for, email [email protected] or there is a box in St Mary’s and in Christ Church - just drop off a note there and the prayer team will pray in confidence. If we ask for help when we need it, give help when we can, and pray, that’s our bit basically done. Let’s do our best to trust God for the rest. Barney Mayhew 4 5 6 COVER PHOTOGRAPH This month's cover photograph is of our new Vicar (from January) Rachel Robertson. If you have not yet read the details or seen Rachel's short video clip please look on the gkchurch website. Those of us who have met Rachel are really looking forward to working with her as we have already seen what a treat we have to come. David Denton CHRIST CHURCH HARVEST FESTIVAL Thank you to all who helped decorate Christ Church for Harvest Festival on September 27. Gardens and hedgerows were raided to bedeck the church in the time-honoured way. Special thanks to Helen for providing some spectacular dahlias – if the Gardening Club Flower Show had been held, they would have won all the prizes!! Lynda Shepherd KILNDOWN GARDENING CLUB Unfortunately, the Autumn Show scheduled for September 26 was cancelled, and the events for the rest of the year likewise. Such a disappointment, this year being the 100th Anniversary of the original set up of the Society/Club. Never mind, work has been going on in the background for the Kilndown Nostalgia Day, (now to be held next year) in which KGC will be one of the star elements!! It is hoped that most of the speakers booked for this year, and which we missed, will be available next year and planning for such is in hand. As we didn’t use the 2020 schedule, which included new classes, take a look at the schedule and plan ahead for 2021. There’s still time to plant new bulbs and perennials or to buy seeds for annuals. Lynda 7 QUARRY CENTRE After many months, we have all the quotes/estimates in for the proposed decoration of the exterior and have now instructed a contractor to start work as soon as conditions allow, this will be in the Spring of 2021. We have a volunteer to refurbish the bench outside the QC, so don’t worry if you note that ‘bits’ are missing. Hopefully, the litter bin presented as a prize for winning the ‘Best Kept Village’ competition many, many years ago will soon emerge from its hiding place and can be placed next to the seat as planned a while back. The Saturday Shop continues, and we’ve been adding a few more lines to our already bulging cupboards. We do try to keep up a decent dry goods stock, however some companies have a minimum order level and sometimes it is difficult to squint into the crystal ball and get the orders right, especially as we don’t have a stock room as such – what you see is generally what we have! Maybe a mezzanine floor would help…………? As we don’t set out to replicate a supermarket or the grocers in nearby villages, just to carry a reasonable quantity of fresh fruit and vegetables, dry goods, deli stuff and a few ‘treats’, it works - most of the time! The Saturday Shop has always been a place to stop and have a chat, it still is, the only thing that’s changed is the customers or should that be ‘chatterers’ having to be socially distant and with the ‘one in one out’ policy for the shop, sometimes it is difficult to get the next customer in as they are so busy chatting outside!! Perhaps we need a loudhailer? Sharp eyed shoppers may have noted that one or two Christmas ‘things’ started to creep into the Shop during October. Come in and take a look. Christmas Day this year is on a Friday, therefore the Saturday Shop will be open on Thursday December 24. This will be mainly for the collection of orders (details nearer the time) and last-minute purchases Lynda and Richard BETTY’S TRACTOR RUN All was going well for the Tractor Run , planned for October 11, Kilndown Village Hall was (is) Covid -19 ‘friendly’, and the refreshments were in hand, however following advice from Hospice in the Weald and the Forestry Commission, the event was cancelled.