BRID HE G T E The Parish Magazine for Droxford, Exton, Meonstoke & Corhampton The Bridge ~ October and November 2016 The Magazine for the Meon Bridge Benefice of Droxford, Exton, Meonstoke & Corhampton (& Preshaw) THE BRIDGE CHURCHES WEBSITE is at: www.bridgechurches.org.uk RECTOR Reverend Tony Forrest E-mail: [email protected] The Rectory, Rectory Lane Tel: 877422 Meonstoke, SO32 3NF For information about baptisms & Note: The Rector’s day off is usually Monday funerals, please contact the rector LICENSED LAY MINISTERS For information about weddings, Reader emeritus Pauline Quarendon 877392 please contact the weddings Reader Cathy Mathews 877804 administrator: Sue Wells: Tel. 01329 834130 CHURCH SUPPLIES Anne Wilkinson 877488 DROXFORD MEONSTOKE WITH CORHAMPTON Churchwardens: Ann Symes 877643 Churchwarden Za Rowe 877732 Sheila Matthissen 877867 Secretary: Sarah Page 02392 257723 Secretary: – Treasurer Elizabeth Ridge 899102 Treasurer & Gift Gift Aid secretary Iain Gammell 878162 Aid secretary: Christine Rogers – Organists: Organist: John Martin 877385 (Meonstoke) Dr Alan Hibbert OBE 878564 Sacristan: Laura Jerosch 01329 231956 (Corhampton) John Martin (am) 877385 Verger: Norman Bell 877230 Sacristan & 3rd Sunday Services: Ros Collins 877782 Verger Joanna Buchanan 877737 EXTON Churchwardens: Hugh Parry 878860 Richard Pepys 878035 PRESHAW Secretary – – Coordinator Position vacant – Treasurer & Gift Aid secretary: David Frere-Cook 877838 THE BRIDGE MAGAZINE Organists: Editor: Norman Bell, Briar Cottage, (Morning) Sarah Page 02392 257723 South Hill, Droxford, SO32 3PB (Evening) Dr Alan Hibbert OBE 878564 Tel: 877230 Sacristan: Jill Cassels 877469 Verger: Bob Miles – E-mail: [email protected] Advertising manager: David Neale Tel: 878541 E-mail: [email protected] OTHER DENOMINATIONS Roman Catholic Church (Bishop’s Waltham) Treasurer: Alison Stott Tel: 877293 Canon Alan Griffiths 07760 220346 METHODIST & UNITED FREE CHURCH Printed by: DEK Graphics & Print Ltd, (Bishop’s Waltham) Ketts House, Chandler’s Ford, The Reverend David Moss MA 01329 833518 Hants., SO53 2FZ Cover picture THE BRIDGE is delivered at the start of the months of Prebends Bridge in Durham February, April, June, August, October, and December. by Michael Collins Ideally, copy should be sent by e-mail to The Bridge editor at the address shown above, preferably attached The Prebends Bridge crosses the River Wear close as an MS Word document. The page set-up (with 10 to Durham Cathedral. It was built between 1772 and 1778, and is Grade 1 listed. This is probably or 10.5 pt font size) should be defined as an A4 page – Durham's most visited bridge, thanks to the views it with 1.5 cm left and right margins. Typed or offers of the cathedral and wooded riverbanks. It is handwritten hardcopy is also acceptable. If you are just one of the historic bridges in Durham, a World responsible for village activities, diaries, and Heritage Site schedules, please note that material received late (after the copy date – see page 4) may not be included. 1 The Bridge ~ October and November 2016 HRISTMAS ORKSHOP MEON VOICES CHOIR C W Our new session begins on 12th September when we MAKE YOUR OWN FESTIVE WREATH will know the music we will be singing at our Christmas Friday, 9th December concerts in December. We will be working under the 9.30 am to 12.30 pm direction of our new choir master, Solveig Harris with Joe Hallam accompanying us on the piano. Practice Droxford Village Hall night is Monday evening 7.30-9.30 at the United Free £20 Church in Basingwell Street, Bishop’s Waltham. (Includes all basic materials & refreshments) We usually sing in 4-part harmony (SATB) and we have In aid of St Mary’s & All Saints Church vacancies in all voices, so we are inviting anyone who Droxford likes to sing to come along and join us. There is no To reserve your place contact audition and you do not need to be able to read music. [email protected] or Each part is learnt at practice nights, supplemented with the use of CD’s and an online player, which we can use [email protected] to practice at home. We are a friendly, social fun-loving telephone number 01489 877001 or 877708 group of singers, but we do take our singing seriously and aim for a good level of presentation at the concerts DROXFORD DROP-IN If you are interested in joining us or would like any more information, please contact Phil Coundley on 01489 Everyone is welcome at the 579078, email at [email protected] or Maureen Village Hall ‘Drop In’, Buckland at [email protected] or on 01489 890335; or simply come on any Monday evening at 7.30 Every Tuesday morning Meon Voices is included in the British Choirs at www.choirs.org.uk and at www.bigbigsing.org, the Big between 10.30 am and noon Big Sing Web site and we hope to have our own Web Come for a hot drink and biscuits and a chat. site before the end of this year. We look forward to seeing you and welcoming you to Come for a few minutes or the whole time. join us. A particular welcome is extended to the Maureen Buckland hearing-impaired. It is appreciated that Look-in! acoustics in the Hall make hearing difficult, but we keep background noise to a minimum — Look-in for a chat and refreshment in the spacious area in Meonstoke Church. You are and we have a silent kettle! very welcome on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month between 10.00 am and midday. Meonstoke Toddler Group All are welcome – the more the merrier! We would like to welcome you to this community-run October: 5th & 19th stay-and-play group for babies, toddlers and pre- schoolers with their parents, grandparents or carers. November: 2nd & 16th We have a range of indoor and outdoor toys, craft activities, musical instruments and more as well as drinks/snacks for both adults and children! Book-out ! If you’re new to the area, or not been before, then why not give it a try? And if you've been a few times, Please feel free to borrow books (fiction and non- why not join our rota of volunteers to help out on a fiction, thrillers and all other genres), jigsaws and Thursday? Even if you don't have pre-school age CDs and return them when you have finished with children, but some free time, we would be really them. There is no charge. The library in pleased to welcome you onto our rota! Meonstoke church is available to everyone Please contact Nicky Clark at whenever the church is open, which is from early [email protected] with any questions. morning until early evening. Do come and have a Held at The Meon Hall, Pound Lane, Meonstoke browse in the peaceful surroundings. every other Thursday during term time from 9.30 to 11.30 am Lorna Allured, 01489 877718 October 6th & 20th November 3rd & 17th Latest copy date for the December 1st & 15th December - January 2017 Bridge is £2 per family, including refreshments for all. Monday, 14th November 2 The Bridge ~ October and November 2016 There’s more to autumn than From the Rector Trick or Treat! eaving the still warm sunny days and dewy to the Meon Valley; Elizabeth Fry, another reformer; mornings of September behind, we enter into Edith Cavell, nurse, shot in the First World war, the October when day-light hours are reducing and Centenary of which we are remembering now; St Luke Lstunning changes in nature are evident. It is our the Evangelist and patron of doctors; Alfred the Great, time of Harvest Thanksgiving and then much more. As King of the West Saxons and scholar, whose capital I have written before, the Church’s year enriches us was in Winchester; Simon and Jude, apostles; Martin with the rhythm of its own seasons, punctuated by Luther, reformer; and, Meonstoke Church’s Patron, St special days on which we celebrate or reflect. It Andrew. reminds us of a biblical understanding of season and November is a time of bringing to mind those who have place, complemented by our scientific understanding of gone before us, with All Saints' Day, the Commemoration time and space. of the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day) and of course The Church says farewell to September with the Remembrance Sunday; it is also a time of reflection celebration of the Feast of St Michael and All Angels and anticipation as we enter the season of Advent on (Michaelmas). Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel are 27th November. the four named biblical angels, depicted as the beloved The Church has recognised from its earliest days the messengers of God – indeed the -el at the end of their ordinary people who have done extraordinary things names relates to God in Hebrew; for example, the empowered by their faith. These people have excited name Gabriel means the strength of God. and influenced us; each is an example to us, October opens with three commemorations all on 1st sometimes even after many centuries. In theological October (Gregory – Apostle of Armenia; Remigius – terms, the saints remind us that there is a communion Apostle to the Franks; and Anthony Ashley Cooper); between the Church on earth and the Church in then the commemoration of George Bell (born on heaven, and so we celebrate All Saints’ Day on 1st Hayling island), the wartime Bishop of Chichester, November or on the nearest Sunday. ecumenist and peacemaker on 3rd October; followed by All Souls, complements All Saints; where All Saints is a feast day of the much loved St Francis on 4th October. triumphant and joyful celebration of the communion of Anthony Ashley Cooper, better known as the Earl of all the saints, All Souls is more reflective and a Shaftesbury, was the great 19th century social reformer, personal remembering of those whom we love but see who developed a deep sympathy with the suffering of no longer.