Blofield News
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BLOFIELD NEWS The parish magazine for St. Andrew & St. Peter, Blofield; All Saints, Hemblington and St. Andrew, North Burlingham June 2021 30p Blofield News June 2021 Page 2 WELCOME Blofield News is the monthly parish magazine for St. Andrew & St. Peter Blofield, All Saints Hemblington and St. Andrew, North Burlingham. It is sold in these churches and in local shops. If you live in one of our parishes and purchase a year’s subscription we can probably deliver it to your home free of charge, Government guidelines permitting. If you live outside the parishes you can have copies sent to your home either by post or by email. A large print version is available to anyone who is having difficulty reading our standard publication. (Copies in colour will continue to be sent electronically). For more information, please contact the editor, Gill, whose contact details are on the back page. The last date for submissions is the 15th of the previous month. MINISTRY TEAM Rector: Revd. Kevin Billson Tel: 01603 712299 Retired Priest: Revd. Canon Judith Wilson Tel: 01603 211509 Licensed Lay Minister: Sue Shillam Tel: 01603 211629 St. Andrew & St. Peter, Blofield Churchwardens: Mrs. Y. Mack Tel: 01603 715213 & Mr. S. Wales Tel: 01603 211931 Website: www.blofieldchurch.org.uk Access: Open for private prayer and stillness on Monday to Friday: 9.30am - dusk. All Saints, Hemblington Churchwardens: Mr. S. Mutten Tel: 01603 715701 & Mrs. C. Howe Tel: 01603 270360 Website: www.hemblingtonchurch.org.uk Access: Open for private prayer and stillness on Tuesdays & Thursdays: 9.30am - dusk; Sundays: 10.30am - dusk. St. Andrew & St. Peter, North Burlingham Churchwarden: Pat Ramsdale Tel: 07917766431 or 01603 712724 Website: www.northburlinghamchurch.org.uk Access: Open for private prayer and stillness - Daily: 9.30am - dusk. FROM THE REGISTER Funerals 10th May, Ted Knights aged 87 at Blofield Church. Interment of Ashes 30th April, David Webb in Blofield Churchyard. Blofield News June 2021 Page 3 LETTER FROM OUR RECTOR There is something of a beast in the Rectory Office. It is a machine that takes up a fair amount of space, and churns out near perfect copies of all sorts of documents that we use in the work of our churches, including the copy of Blofield News that you are holding in your hands right now. Each document is a very exact printed copy of the master held on someone’s computer, and each one identical to the one before it on a multiple-copy run. I am reminded how totally different this is to the way God has created us as human beings, and made us to be. Each of us is unique, from the print of our fingers to the individuality of our faces. We are different in the colour of our eyes, the tone of our skin, and the colour of our hair. There are the manifold differences in our voices, our personalities, and even our temperaments. We are all different. God has created us as individuals. Each one of us known by Him, better than each of us know ourselves. “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”, says the Psalmist. He implies, this should give us great pause for thought, and inspire a unique gratitude and sense of awe in each of us. None of us are here by accident, but each by the design and purpose of God, so that we could have a relationship with Him of love and intimacy, and so that we could each know something of His unique blessedness in our lives. He in whose image we have all been created. However, sadly, human beings have marred that image, corrupting it through our selfish and self-centred ways, and trying to live without any sense of thought for, or accountability to, the one who has made us. Isaiah says of Jesus on the cross: “His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness.” On a cross of wood, the human form and loveliness of Jesus was marred - his unique life brought to an end. His human form was defaced as he bore the ravages of our sinful, selfish ways in his own body. But that, of course, was not the end. For through the cross and resurrection and the presence of the Spirit in our lives, the unique glory of His image can be restored in us, and the unique dignity of our individual creation in the likeness of God made anew. That is why the Bible promises ‘Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation!’ REV KEVIN BILLSON Blofield News June 2021 Page 4 THE NEW BLOFIELD BENEFICE Blofield, Hemblington, North Burlingham, South Walsham, Upton and Fishley A proposal by The Rt Rev Alan Winton, Bishop of Thetford, and the Archdeacon, The Venerable Steven Betts, that the parish of South Walsham, Upton and Fishley join together with Blofield, Hemblington and North Burlingham, to form one larger benefice, came into effect on 1st March 2021, when Rev Kevin Billson was licenced by the Bishop. This has come about due to a need to reduce stipendiary clergy costs across the diocese, following the coronavirus pandemic, which is having an effect on ministry posts in rural communities. This will mean changes for all of us, but the pooling of resources will leave us ready to face the future with stability as we emerge from the pandemic. As a temporary measure, there will be an insert in the middle of Blofield News, with details of services and events from the churches joining with us to form the new benefice. THE CHURCHES OF THE BLOFIELD BENEFICE Caring for our church family Looking after our church family is very important to us, particularly during this difficult time when many of you have been shielding for many weeks and are beginning to make your way out into the world as we remember it. Our churches are open for private prayer and for services which are taking place in our churches while we’re still being mindful of Covid restrictions. If you, or someone you know needs support, would like prayers offered or has something special to celebrate please let Kevin, Sue or the church wardens know so that we can make contact. Contact details are on page 3 of this magazine. ‘BLOFIELD NEWS’ ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS During the past year Blofield News has been readily produced, printed, sorted and delivered by very willing volunteers whenever possible. Thank you to all those involved in that process as well as those who send contributions for the magazine each month. Due to the pandemic, the magazine was not hand delivered for three months but was sent via email. As soon as we were able, we continued to produce a paper copy which has been delivered to houses as well as sent online. If you receive an email copy and are happy to continue receiving it this way, and are wondering how to pay the annual £3, the details for the online banking are on page 6. Please make this online £3 payment separate from other donations, and put 'BN' in the reference field if this option is available. If you prefer to pay by cash, please deliver the £3 to The Rectory,10 Oak Wood, Blofield, NR13 4JQ,or to Jim Morley, Curbar, Doctors Road, Blofield, NR13 4LF, in an envelope clearly marked "for Blofield News subscription" with your name and address. Blofield News June 2021 Page 5 THREE CHURCHES TOGETHER BLOFIELD, HEMBLINGTON AND NORTH BURLINGHAM SERVICES FOR JUNE 2021 Our Churches are open for communal worship. Sunday services now regularly take place in the Churches of Blofield and Hemblington and we look forward to welcoming worshippers. Regular services are: Hemblington with North Burlingham is at 9.30am. Blofield is at 11.00am. Services alternate between Holy Communion and a service of Morning Worship. Benefice Morning prayer is on Tuesday at 9.00am by Zoom. Benefice Morning prayer is on Thursday at Hemblington Church at 9.00am. The Wednesday morning service at 9.30am is also currently by Zoom but on 23rd June we are hoping to recommence our benefice mid-week meeting at 9.30am in Blofield Church, followed by refreshments if the government plan to lift restrictions continues on track. If you are attending the communal services, please remember that we must continue to follow all the precautions that are current for Covid safety. This means: • You will be asked to provide contact details for the track and trace system each time you enter the building. • Hand gel should be used on entry. • An appropriate face covering should be used while in the building. • Please always maintain the appropriate social distance. • Please be patient and wait outside until there is room for you to safely enter the building. There will be wardens and other helpers at the door to help and guide you as you enter the church. Please follow their guidance. However, as the guidance changes, we hope to modify the precautions accordingly. What about collections and giving to our churches? We are grateful that many people have continued with their planned giving and regular donations, though, I’m sure you are aware that there is a considerable strain on each church’s finances at the present time. If at all possible, please consider giving by online donations, by BACS or by standing order. Bank Account Details for offerings and gifts directly to Church Accounts are as follows: ST ANDREWS CHURCH BLOFIELD PARISH ALL SAINTS CHURCH NORTH BURLINGHAM CHURCH HEMBLINGTON (North Burlingham PCC) Sort Code: 09 01 55 Sort Code: 30 96 17 Sort Code: 30 99 97 Account No.