Community Magazine Fleet, Gedney, Holbeach St. Marks & Holbeach Hurn 2020 1 No. 434 MARCH 2020 Parish Contacts The Rural Dean Revd. Rosamund Seal 01406 424989 [email protected] Authorised Lay Ministers Mr. David Smith 01406 363388 Deanery administrator – Caz Dennis – 01406 423460 [email protected] (Office hours Monday– Thursday 9.00-1.00) For all enquiries about Baptisms, Weddings and funerals Churchwardens: Fleet Peter Graper 01406 423803 [email protected] Geoff De Roux 07826 843611 [email protected] Holbeach Hurn Mr. David Baker 01406 362420 Mrs. Kay Jenkinson 01406 424428 Gedney Mr. William Webb 01406 363673 Mrs. Jill Duffey 01406 365586 Holbeach St. Marks Doris Johnson 01406 701250 Nick Worth 01406 701459 2 Useful Community Contacts The Pilgrim Hospital ………………………….. 01205 364 801 Queen Elizabeth Hospital …………………… 01553 613 613 Holbeach Hospital ……………………………… 01406 422 283 Johnson Community Hospital Spalding.. 01775 652 000 Peterborough City Hospital…………………. 01733 678000 Long Sutton Medical Centre ………………..01406 362 081 Boots Chemist Long Sutton ………………… 01406 362 331 Samaritans ………………………………………… 08457 90 90 90 National Rail Enquiries ………………………. 0845 748 495 Registrar Long Sutton ………………………… 01522 782 244 M. P. John Hayes ………………………………… 01775 711 534 NHS Direct …………………………………………..0845 46 47 Cllr Nick Worth …………………………………….07866 415688 South Holland Parish Volunteer Car Service (Mon - Fri 09:00 - 12:00 / 13:00 - 16:30) Call Sharon: 01406 366820 or 07834 634336 3 MAGAZINE EDITOR: MARK ELSOM [email protected] Copy for the magazine should be with Mark by 18th of the previous month, marked Mid Elloe Magazine. ADVERTISING EDITOR: GILL GRAPER [email protected] 01406 423803 SEE US ON THE WEB The Magazine and details of services will be put on the new church website every month so please do check there for details of what is going on in your Parish and in the Benefice. Fleet: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/14562/ Gedney: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/14564/ Holbeach Hurn: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/14569/ Holbeach St Marks: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/14564/ For all enquiries about Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals please con- tact the Deanery Administrator, Caz Dennis, on 01406 423460 (office hours Mon- Thurs 9.00-1.00) For urgent pastoral issues please contact the Rural Dean – Rosamund Seal – 01406 424989 For all other enquiries please contact the churchwardens - details are in the Mid Elloe Community magazine. 4 Mid-Elloe Worship Rota March 2020 HOLBEACH HOLBEACH MARCH FLEET GEDNEY HURN ST MARKS 9.00 a.m. 11.00 a.m. Sunday 1st Sung Eu- Morning Prayer charist 9.00 a.m. 11.00 a.m. 11.00 a.m. Sunday 8th Sung Eu- Communion Morning Prayer charist 9.00 a.m. 11.00 a.m. Sunday 11.00 a.m. Choral Morning Pray- 15th Communion Matins er 11.00 a.m. 9.00 a.m. Com- Sunday 22nd Communion munion Sunday 11.00 a.m. 29th March BENEFICE SERVICE PASSION SUNDAY Communion Sunday th 9.00 a.m. 5 APRIL 11.00 a.m. Sung Eu- PALM SUN- Morning Prayer charist DAY 5 Your Mobile Library carries a selection of adult and junior fiction and Non-fiction books, large print and talking books, local history, books on Prescription and much more. Wheelchair access. MOBILE LIBRARY STOPS TIME DAY This Month Holbeach St Marks -St Mark's Road 10.30-11.30 Thursday 12th South Gedney - Church End 14.45-15.15 Thursday 12th Gedney Dyke - Roman Way 12.15-12.45 Wednesday 11th Fleet Hargate—Hargate Close 12.00 - 13.00 Thursday 12th LONG SUTTON LIBRARY Address: Trafalgar Square, Long Sutton, Spalding Lincolnshire PE12 9HB Tel: Customer Service Centre (Libraries) 01522 782010 Opening hours: Monday – 2pm – 6pm Tuesday – 10am – 5pm Wednesday – CLOSED Thursday – 2pm – 6pm Friday – 10am – 5pm Saturday – 10am -1pm We offer: IT facilities, printing/scanning/photocopying, Local History books and information, Children’s Library, Teenage Library, DVDs, Talking Books, Large Print Books, Self Service, Library Shop and a Family History Buddy. 6 Belfry News An afternoon at St Lawrence Surfleet Saturday afternoon, February 1st and we were at Surfleet for the Annual Meeting of the Elloe District, Lincolnshire Diocesan Guild of Ringers. A most enjoyable afternoon in a well kept and interesting church. However what we see today is mainly due to the efforts of Reverend Henry Law-James, vicar from 1898 to 1932. This is the story. Gosberton church is very high Surfleet church is all awry Pinchbeck church is in a hole And Spalding church is big with foal. North prints this local doggerel in his 1882 book and, in describing the situation at Surfleet goes on to say, " all and belfry in very dirty state and seldom used" adding that "No 3 bell cracked". Well, if one looks at the spire, some six feet out of the vertical at it's highest point, "awry" is a perfect description. Like Pisa, Surfleet has it's own leaning tower. In 1897 the Bishop of Lincoln was looking for a successor to Rev. Hubert Parry who had been vicar for 50 years. The post was offered to Rev. H Law-James who, on seeing the state of the church initially refused but was later persuaded to accept at a stipend of £120 per annum-no vicarage provided and the church in a terrible mess. The rest is history for in the following 34 years the building was transformed with new seating, choir stalls, a rood screen and in 1907 a new or- gan being a few of his achievements. The bells were not forgotten, indeed not at all as Law-James was a first class bell ringer with a mathematical brain,and a very clever man. The original five bells were increased to six, eight and by 1913 to ten, the 1913 work being paid for by Law-James himself. On his death in 1932 the bells were augmented to twelve by the addition of two smaller trebles, added as a commemoration of his life's work and all remain in use today. Unusually one descends rather than ascends to the ground floor ringing room some four feet below the floor of the nave. This was to allow use of the west door, presumably partially buried because of the leaning tower. An artistic design of four wide circular steps the general impression is of the entrance to a miniature Roman Arena. Law-James died in February 1932 at the early age of 63 years and is buried close to the chancel, his headstone inscription hidden by growths of lichen but his life's work lives on for all to see and appreciate. Long may that continue. John Bennett 7 FLEET CHURCH Many thanks to everyone who has signed up for this year. To date 137 numbers are in the pot! Fleet Church 50/50 Club February Winners 1. Bert Howell No. 61 £25 2. Sam Wray No. 79 £15 3. Kate Green No. 44 £5 Thank you to all the people who support this method of raising funds for the church UPDATE NEWS ON LEAD THEFT People will no doubt have been shocked and saddened by the news of the theft of lead from Fleet Church on a Friday night in February. We are very grateful to those who came on the Saturday afternoon to move items away from the area that would suffer as heavy rainfall was forecast. Also the or- gan has had to be covered with plastic sheeting to ensure that it is not dam- aged by water. We are particularly grateful to Dean and Mark Stevens who came on the Sunday to cover the unprotected roof area with tarpaulin and to make the church as weather proof as possible. They donated their services which has saved the church a lot of money. Many people and organisations have to be contacted about the theft: police, the Diocese, SHDC, the architect, insurers, loss assessor, Historic England and bat protection group, to name a few. We are extremely fortunate that Peter Bush (PCC Treasurer) and Peter Graper (Churchwarden) have been prepared and able to spend many hours in recent weeks to ensure that the work needed to be done for replacing the roof is well underway. The Lych Gate or Kissing Gate will also be replaced, following a visit from an architect and the necessary faculty from the Diocese being completed. It has been an upsetting and difficult few months for the PCC. A decision has been taken that it would be better to hold our annual Flower Festival later in the year, by which time hopefully all the necessary work will be completed. Please put the dates in your diary: Friday 25th, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th SEPTEMBER. 8 RECYCLING and SALE OF CARDS Unfortunately Peter Graper is no longer able to recycle cards for sale at Fleet Church. Very many thanks to all of you who have, in the past, given cards for recycling. It has been very much appreciated and has, over the years, raised a sizeable amount for the church. There is still a good selection of cards for sale in the church, which is nearly always open in daylight hours. Donations are requested if you wish to purchase cards. FLEET WOOD LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL If you go to Tesco in Holbeach you may have noticed that Fleet Primary School is one of the designated organisations that is collecting blue tokens. With the funding they will hope to “bring the classroom outside, encourag- ing enrichment, enquiry and fun, whilst learning by creating an area where children can explore outside in a safe environment.” Please do consider supporting this project by placing your tokens in their box at Tesco.