Page 2 A May Letter from Canon Michael May is possibly my favourite month of the year. Spring has definitely arrived and there is a suggestion of summer on the horizon. I always feel that my garden looks its best in May when the early blossom has given way to the blossom on the fruit trees with their sugges- tion of the fruit that will come later in the year; that sense of anticipation in the air. This year May is a very significant month for our family as our daughter’s wedding takes place at the end of the month. The sense of anticipation has certainly been mounting although thankfully, with just a year between engagement and wedding day, our lives haven’t been too dominated by ‘wedding talk’! Our daughter is getting married in York, where she and her fiancé met, and in the church that they belong to. We worked out that under the Qualifying Connection rules of the Church of England she actually had the choice of more than a dozen possible churches where the wedding could have taken place. These rules have made it much easier for couples to find a church to be married in and it is good to see that church weddings are still a popular choice. This year, between the three churches of St Giles Uley, Holy Cross Owlpen and St Bart- holomew’s Nympsfield, we have 11 weddings booked. The regular members of our churches enjoy seeing the wedding couples in church and getting to know them a little. As a priest it is a real privilege to share something of a couples journey to marriage and, of course, to conduct the service on ‘the big day’. I always remind couples that they are the ones who actually ‘do the marrying’, by giving their consent to be married, by exchanging solemn vows or promises with each other and by giving and receiving a ring. My role is to make sure they do all that in the correct order and using the right words and to make sure that it is all legal. The most significant thing that I do is to speak the words of God’s blessing on the couple as they begin their married life together. This is what is uniquely different about a church wedding; we believe that the marriage is celebrated in the presence of God and that God, who is love, pours out that love on those who are beginning a new journey together. Whatever age couples are and however long they have been together, the wedding day is a new point in a relationship and a new beginning. A celebration of the love that has brought them to this particular moment in their lives and an anticipation of all that is to come; all that they will share together. We pray for all those who will be married this year, with special prayers for those who will be married in one of our churches. If you are thinking about getting married or know someone who is, the Church of England has an excellent website with lots of really useful information; www.yourchurchwedding. org. Whether or not you will be involved in a wedding this year, enjoy the month of May with all its sense of anticipation! With my prayers and best wishes, Canon Michael Cozens Parish of Uley with Owlpen and Nympsfield Churches of St Giles, Holy Cross and St Bartholomew The Revd Canon Michael Cozens Assistant Church Wardens 01453 546459 Mrs P Jones 860696 Mrs A Hardy 860876 Parish day off - Fri Mr J Wood 860236 Messages listened to daily All bookings for the Church Churchwardens and St Giles Room to Mrs J Rymer 860265 Marion Kee 860364 or Mr D Valentin 860245 email:[email protected] Normal church opening times are 10:00am - 6:00pm or dusk whichever is earlier www.stgilesuley.org.uk Page 3 Page 4 ULEY PARISH COUNCIL CLERK – ASHY MCKAY TEL. 01453 861260 E-MAIL: [email protected] PARISH COUNCILLORS JONATHAN DEMBREY CHAIRMAN 07801217230 JANET WOOD VICE-CHAIRMAN 01453 860236 BELINDA HOLLEY 01453 860604 MELANIE PARASKEVA 07929360221 MIKE GRIFFITHS 01453 860463 JULIET BROWNE 01453 860710 TIM MARTIN 07772268473 DISTRICT COUNCILLOR JIM DEWEY [email protected] 01453 860795 COUNTY COUNCILLOR STEVE LYDON [email protected] 07748328061 VILLAGE AGENT PENNY FRENCH [email protected] 07776245726 Other Information The Parish Council meets in the Village Hall on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm. You are very welcome to attend. Details of the meetings can be found on the notice boards at either end of the village or on the Uley village website at: www.uleyparishcouncil.gov.uk The May edition of the Messenger is now available to download from: http://www.gloucester.anglican.org/parish-resources/communications Page 5 Village Agent News for May 2017 I have just been reading an information leaflet from Age UK which is about the connec- tion between social contact and brain function. The article points out the importance of keeping up our ties to friends and family and taking part in social activities in later life. According to the Global Council on Brain Health it may help us stay sharp as we age. It is not unusual for social networks to shrink as we age, but there are things we can do to improve the quality of relationships. We can join a club, class or social group to meet new people or focus on relationships or activities that we enjoy. Computer based com- munication can be useful and can help to expand our social world, as well as to maintain existing contacts. People vary in the degree to which they seek out the company of other people but we share the fundamental need to interact with others. A wealth of evidence shows that positive relationships and shared activities contribute to our wellbeing. Often we can find that there are plenty of activities in our local communities that can offer us what we need in this respect however it can be more difficult for some people for a variety of reasons. For those with their own transport or with access to public transport there are plenty of opportunities to join groups and clubs (I hold details of some of them). It is more difficult for those who live in isolated areas or who have mobility problems. I will list a few possibilities below: • There are a few lunch clubs where transport is available from some areas. • In some rural areas small groups of people have got together at each other’s homes to hold informal groups, for example, a book club or a knitting group, the possibilities for this are endless. • There is a free Befriending Service that can offer a visit to a person on a regular basis for a chat and a cup of tea. The service is for people who are 70+ and live alone. Also volunteer befrienders are always wanted, and this is a great way to meet others in the community. Tel: 07810 630 167. • Or maybe try the free telephone friendship service, “A Call in Time” from Age UK. Tel: 0844 225 0320. For people who are 60+ and live alone. • Sometimes a good old chat can help if we are feeling a bit fed up. There is Sil- verline, Tel: 08004 70 80 90, which is a helpline for older people, open every day and night of the year. They have no strict age limit. If you would like any further information from me please contact me on the number below and I will do what I can to help. Penny French Tel: 07776 245 726. Email: [email protected] Thank you and Happy Retirement wishes to Walter (the "eggman") and Peggy Philpott, from all his customers around the Uley 100 Club Winners village over many years. First Mark Bailey £15 The week just won't be the same! Second Tom Potts £10 Page 6 ULEY COMMUNITY STORES and POST OFFICE DIARY (Eileen ,Ailsa , Carolyn, Amanda) April & May 2017 Another Easter has been and gone, the super WI knitted ducks with eggs did waddle off the counter. The Easter Hamper was drawn Good Friday. I will announce the winner in next month’s issue. The spring sunshine has been playing a part showing off the lovely flowers and plants that have been filling up our shiny new trolley, lots more to come. Inside check out Jacqui Sarsby’s newly designed card, ”The Melancholy Gardener’s Alphabet”. In the shop window we are very proud to show a picture of the Uley Primary School Football Team in the new football kit we have sponsored. They will be playing in the UK National Championship Final in Stoke at the Britannia Stadium Saturday May 20th. Go Uley! If you have any suggestions for any new items you’d liked stocked please let us know. Change of Shop Hours for the May Bank Holidays Monday 1st May : 8am - 12pm but no Post Office Monday 29th May : 8am - 12pm but no Post Office www.uleycommunitystores.co.uk RUN BY VOLUNTEERS Tel Shop 861592, PO 860203 FROM THE PARISH REGISTER Congratulations to our wedding couples: Adam Haines and Sophie Jones married in St Bartholomew’s Church and Felix Appelbe and Lisa Bulgar Smith married in Holy Cross Church during April. We remember those who have died and their families… Michael Stennett. And those whose year’s mind falls at this time: Derek Heaney, Tessa Watts, Alan Derek Bartlett, Mervyn Tilling, May Charlotte Neville, Diane Rule, Eric James Lockier, Gerald Thomas, Nancy May Shipton, Rosemary Stokes, Margaret Robins, Graeme Bone, Effie Duffett, Enid Sylvia Holloway, Olive Lillian Sharland, Audrey Booth, Wenda Elliott, Alfred Rymer, Bettina Mack… Da Capo A big thank you to the St Giles Room for coming to our rescue when our April meeting found the Pavilion double booked.