A Thought from the Vicarage
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August 2000 THE PARISHES of BERE REGIS The Venerable Graham Roblin OBE and AFFPUDDLE with The Vicarage, Bere Regis, TURNERSPUDDLE BH20 7HQ Tel: (01929) 471262 August 2000 A THOUGHT FROM THE VICARAGE BARBECUED FOR JESUS Rather selfishly I thank God for perverse things. I thank God for rain on days that I am expected to be in the garden. I thank God for cold threatening evenings in August when otherwise I would be expected to barbecue. My list of perverse hopes is quite extensive, but I keep it close to my heart. To barbecue is American. To barbecue is masculine. (Men do it.) It has even been shortened in conversation to "barbee". It does remarkably little for me, but you would never know this by looking at my face as I tip the charcoal into the rusted receptacle and leap away from the cloud of dust. The granite smile on my face remains constant through the whole excruciating performance. So it was with a slight wryness that I discovered that the patron saint of Affpuddle was barbecued. This indicated that barbecuing was not always "a good thing". I only mention this because this month, on the 10th, we remember this gruesome event. St Laurence was barbecued on 10th August AD 258. Not being influenced by America, they didn't use the word "barbee", but used the expression "roasted on a grid iron". But worse is to come. It was written down that in the middle of his torment, he addressed his torturer, "I am roasted enough on this side, turn me around and eat". We get this from the writings of St Ambrose. You can see why I have a slight aversion to barbecues, and why the annual Bere Regis Scouts' fundraising event, "Cub Roast", creates a problem. The death of Laurence had, not surprisingly, a profound influence on the tiny Christian church in Rome at that time. Almost immediately, a church was built on the site. It is still there. Its name is St Laurence without the Walls. Although there were many such gruesome killings of Christians, this one stood out, and, for many centuries, Laurence was regarded as the saint close to Christ who made it his business to pray for those of us here in earth. A portion of his charred bone was sent to King Oswy of Northumbria in 680 AD and 228 churches in England alone are called by his name. If you are a stargazer, you will see meteorites in the night sky around 10th August. They are known as the "tears of St Laurence". And if you travel to the continent "San Lorenzo" features prominently. 1 August 2000 If you were living in Affpuddle or Bere Regis 500 years ago, you might have prayed to God "through St Laurence". This stopped at the Reformation, and all our prayers are now directed "through Jesus Christ our Lord". But St Laurence, like St George, still stirs the imagination of those who understand martyrdom in the spirituality of the church. I wouldn't say that Laurence had ruined barbecues for me; that was never a problem. But I have always marvelled at the heroism of those Christians down the ages who have been prepared to die for the faith. There are people at this very moment in Muslim countries who are doing just this. It makes my own faith and commitment look very weak. We have it so easy. I sometimes wonder if I would be prepared to die for the faith. Perhaps I would. But I'm not sure I would be able to say, "I am roasted enough on this side, turn me around". ADVERTISING RATES (Cheques to be made payable to Bere Regis PCC) Full page, full year £100 Full page, one month £10 Half page, full year £50 Half page, one month £5 Third page, full year £40 Third page, one month £4 Small-ads, full year £15 Small-ads, one month £2 Rates for charitable, community or non-profit organisations are charged at 50% of above. Art-work for advertisements can be created, free of charge for simple text, £5 - £10 for complex text and graphics 2 August 2000 THE PARISHES OF BERE REGIS AND AFFPUDDLE WITH TURNERSPUDDLE The Vicar The Venerable Graham Roblin OBE The Vicarage, Bere Regis, BH20 7HQ Church Officials --- Bere Regis Lay Reader Mrs B Pitfield - 471391 Church Wardens Mr J House, Lower Stockley Farm - 471255/551266 Mr J England, 10 Southmead - 471469 Deputy Warden Mr R Comben, Beechmast, Whatcombe Lane, Winterborne Whitchurch - 01258 881143 Secretary of PCC Cdr C Maunder, 15 North Street - 471342 Treasurer of PCC Mr G Phillips, 102 North Street - 471525 Organist Mr T Colquhoun, Heatherdown, Brock Hill - 471360 PCC Members Geoffrey Booth, Molly Carlyle, Ian Ventham, Susan Hazlerigg, David Gibbs, Eileen Jutting, Fred Pitfield, Kay March, Sybil Frampton, Robert Croom, Jane Woodward, Nigel Woodward, Hazel Green, Richard Smith. Church Officials --- Affpuddle Lay Reader Mr J Haigh - 471768 Church Wardens Captain P Badcock, Cruck Cottage, Briantspuddle - 471297 Mr J Solly, Symmonds Barn, Affpuddle - 472400 Secretary of PCC Mr S Sanderson, River Cottage, Affpuddle - 01305 848812 Treasurer of PCC Mr R Elkerton , Greatfield House Affpuddle - 01305 848331 Organist Mr I Mullins, Grasmere, 12 Parmiter Road, Colehill, Wimborne. Tel: 01202 889227 PCC Members Bill Thorniley, Mike Menzies, Steve Sanderson, David Payne, John Royal, Allan Smith, Jenny Silavs, Erica Moriarty, Dorothy Reed, Audrey Grindrod. 3 August 2000 BERE REGIS CHURCH ROTAS Bere Regis Sidesmen Sunday 6th August 9.30 a.m. Mr House / Mr Bates 6.00 p.m. Miss Frampton Sunday 13th August 11.00 a.m. Mrs March / Mrs England 6.00 p.m. Mr Ventham Sunday 20th August 9.30 a.m. Mrs Hazlerigg / Mr Smith 6.00 p.m. Mrs Green Sunday 27th August 11.00 a.m. Miss Chesney / Miss Miller 6.00 p.m. A member of the bellringers Sanctuary Flower Guild 6th August Wedding 13th August Mrs J Harley Mrs G Whittle 20th August Mrs J Gibbs Mrs C Burden 27th August Mrs E Bangay Mrs N Scott Readers 6th August Miss Frampton 13th August Mr Ventham 20th August Mrs Lewis 27th August A Bellringer 4 August 2000 CHURCH SERVICES in AUGUST Sunday 6th August (Feast of the Transfiguration) 8.00 a.m. Holy Communion (Affpuddle) 9.30 a.m. Parish Communion (Bere Regis) 11.00 a.m. Mattins and Communion (Affpuddle) 6.00 p.m. Evensong (Bere Regis) Sunday 13th August (8th Sunday after Trinity) 8.00 a.m. Holy Communion (Bere Regis) 9.30 a.m. Parish Communion (Affpuddle) 11.00 a.m. Family Service (Bere Regis) 6.00 p.m. Evensong and sermon (Bere Regis) Sunday 20th August (9th Sunday after Trinity) 8.00 a.m. Holy Communion (Affpuddle) 9.30 a.m. Parish Communion (Bere Regis) 11.00 a.m. Affpraise (Affpuddle) 6.00 p.m. Evensong and sermon (Bere Regis) Sunday 27th August (10th Sunday after Trinity) 8.00 a.m. Holy Communion (Bere Regis) 9.30 a.m. Parish Communion (Affpuddle) 11.00 a.m. Mattins, Baptism and Communion (Bere Regis) 6.00 p.m. A ’Ringers’ evensong (Bere Regis) 5 August 2000 BERE REGIS CHURCH NEWS BERE REGIS BELLRINGERS Ringing practices have stopped for the summer holiday months. They will start again in September. Thank you to all those who have helped with instruction and joined in ringing rounds and changes with our new ringers so regularly. There will be ringing for Weddings on Saturdays 5th and 12th August. THANK YOU Thank you to everyone for flowers, cards and prayers during my operation and convalescence. Eileen Bangay 6 August 2000 TOWER OPEN WEEKEND You have read about it – now come and see it!! The tower will be open to visitors with guided tours by the local ringing band on: Saturday 26th August from 11.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. Sunday 27th August from 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. followed by a ringers Evensong at 6.00 p.m. The Church will have special flowers and light refreshments will be available on both days. MOTHERS’ UNION Our July meeting took the form of a social evening at Shirley’s home. Members enjoyed games, quizzes, refreshments and each others’ company. Eileen gave an account of the diocesan MU trip to Harrogate. Members received overwhelming hospitality from MU members in that area and they were able to attend a family day at Harrogate show ground, organised by the MU, when between eight and ten thousand people were present. We will not be meeting in August, but some members have offered to help with the children’s morning to be held at church on Wednesday 23rd August. Full details can be found elsewhere in the magazine. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 6th September at 7.30 p.m. at Turberville Court, when our speaker will be Mr Edred Bowman, updating us on the charity ‘Send a Cow’. Brenda Pitfield – 471391 7 August 2000 CHILDREN’S MORNING Andy Saunders from Bournemouth will be leading this event on Wednesday 23rd August. Andy is a Children’s evangelist and he works for Scripture Union. Children aged between 4 1/2 and 12 are welcome to attend. The programme will include games, crafts, bible teaching, quizzes and refreshments. Pleas arrive at 9.45 a.m. for registration. This event is sponsored by the Mothers’ Union and the Parish Church Brenda Pitfield – 471391 EXHIBITION at Dorset County Museum, High West Street, Dorchester (next door to the National Trust Shop) Billed as “A major touring exhibition for the Millennium”, this is an event not to be missed.