Village Voices February 2011 Village Voices is produced by the parish churches for the local community providing news and information for: Gorefield- Guyhirn-Harold’s Bridge Murrow-Parson Drove-Rings End-Tholomas Drove-Thorney Toll- Wisbech St Mary A warm welcome to all newcomers&visitors to our villages! Vicar’s Verbals The bird feeder outside my study has attracted an unexpected visitor. The sparrows, and the occasional long tailed tit, have deserted the feeders outside my window, preferring the more secluded ones away from the house, but when I looked up this morning I saw a little grey bottom poking out of the feeder, sporting, instead of feathers, a skinny little tail. I watched in fascination as the cheeky thief scurried up and down the branches of the bush with his swag, balancing precariously on the twigs and trying not to be swept off in the freshening breeze. My initial reaction was irritation – An undated photograph of a Women’s Institute meeting at Parson Drove. L to R: Mrs Else, Mrs after all we don’t spend our hard Mews, Mrs Powell, Mrs Vialls, Mrs Tansley, Mrs Ida Payne (WI County President), Mrs Bingham, earned cash on seeds and Mrs Grey, Mrs Mason, Mrs Redhead. peanuts to feed the local rodents. Then again, mice have to eat too, THE COMMISSIONING OF NEW BISHOP OF ELY and this little fellow is only doing THE NEW RURAL DEAN ARRIVES what comes naturally – and (thank heavens) is doing so OUTSIDE the The Reverend Matthew Bradbury takes The new Bishop of Ely, the Rt Revd walls of the vicarage. Acts of up his responsibilities as the Rural Stephen Conway, has confirmed the kindness should not be offered for Dean at a special Commissioning arrangements for his arrival in the reward or praise, but as a way of Service to be held in WSM & Guyhirn Diocese and his installation at the saying thank-you for the blessings church on Sunday January 30th at Cathedral in March. Two days before we receive ourselves; and Jesus 4.00pm, in the presence of the his installation, he will visit Buckingham told his disciples not merely to Archdeacon of Wisbech and Palace to pay homage to Her Majesty offer hospitality to friends, but also Huntingdon, The Ven. Hugh McCurdy. the Queen – the final step before he to those who might otherwise be The service, which will take the form of takes up the full responsibilities of a less welcome at their dinner table. Choral Evensong, will be attended by Diocesan Bishop. He will move from M atth ew . representatives of all the churches in Salisbury to Ely on Monday 24th Revd Matthew Bradbury, The the Wisbech Lynn Marshland Deanery January, and will begin work on the Vicarage, Church Rd, Wisbech St including, of course, the congregations following day. However, his official Mary,PE134RN. TEL 01945 410814 of our three churches. The Deanery installation will take place on Saturday covers the area from Clenchwarton to 5th March at 12 noon, after which time Thorney and from Tydd St Giles to he will be able to preside at services Upwell across the diocese. UNITED CANDLEMAS SER V ICE AT PAR SO N DR O V E Congregations and visitors from our three parish churches will meet in Emmanuel Church, Parson D rove, for a joint Candlemas Communion, on Sunday J anuary 30 th at 10.00am. Everyone, especially children, very welcome. Nurse Lisa, a much respected member of St Mary’s congregation Lisa Owen, a much respected member of the congregation at Wisbech St Mary & Guyhirn church, has died at the age of 42. She was the daughter of Councillor Kit Owen, of March, and the mother of nine-year-old Oliver. Paying tribute to his daughter Councillor Owen said the former naval nurse had touched many people’s lives during her nursing career, which also included time on cruise ships after she left the navy. “There are hundreds of messages on her Facebook account from people she had helped, including many whose lives she saved. I never realised until now just what an important role she had played in helping people,” said Councillor Owen, whose wife Beverly died two- and-a-half-years ago. Lisa became a Petty Officer with the Queen Alexandra Royal Naval Nursing Service and served in the navy for 18 years, before being medically discharged due to back problems in 2006. Lisa took her skills back to sea by joining cruise ships as a nursing officer and she regularly sailed to Alaska and the Caribbean. Lisa was described as an extremely skilled nurse and regularly ran paramedic training, first aid training, nursing training and also carried out some private nursing looking after people at home.” Lisa’s main passion in life was photography and she had built up a huge portfolio of wildlife images captured on her trips to Alaska and elsewhere. Tributes to Lisa have included one from the Rev Matthew Bradbury, vicar of Wisbech St Mary. He said: “Lisa suffered with chronic ill health because of a serious back injury sustained during her military service as a nurse in the Royal Navy. Every day she faced pain and restricted mobility with fortitude and good humour. She was a fine of the congregation at St Mary’s Church. She example to us all of courage and resilience and adversity.” was working on a calendar for Wisbech St The Rev Bradbury said Lisa was a “valued and much loved” member Mary parish church at the time of her death. The register W e w elcom e into the churchs fam ily Jake Kingerley, who was baptised in St Paul’s church, Gorefield, on Sunday January 16th. W e say farew ell to our friends and send love to the fam ilies Mary Bailey, whose funeral service was at St Paul’s church, Gorefield, on Thursday December 17th, followed by cremation at Mintlyn. Beryl Burrows, whose funeral service was at WSM & Guyhirn church on Wednesday December 22nd followed by burial in WSM cemetery. Derrick Edward Windsor, whose funeral was at Mintlyn on Thursday January 6th. Ronald Plume, whose funeral service was at St Paul’s church, Gorefield, on Tuesday January 11th, followed by cremation at Mintlyn. In m em oriam Vera Ashton, whose ashes were laid in WSM Garden of Remembrance on Sunday December 26th. + Regular Services + St Paul’s Church, Gorefield: Murrow Methodist Church th except 3rd Sunday.10.00am: Holy Communion Jan 30 : 2.30pm. United service at Tydd. th 3rd Sunday.10.00am: Morning Worship Feb 6 : 10.30. Local arrangement Feb 13th: 10.30. Holy Comm. Rev N Hannah Emmanuel Church, Parson Drove: th st Feb 20 : 10.30: Rev L Stoker. 1 Sunday in month:- 9.30am Family service. th 2nd & 3rd Sundays:- 9.30am Communion. Feb 27 : 10.30. Mr A Stapleton. th St Mark’s Methodist Church, Parson Drove 4 Sunday:-United Service at St Mark’s 10.30. th 5th Sunday:-9.30am Communion or Morning Prayer Jan 30 : 2.30pm. United service at Tydd. th Feb 6th: 10.30. Mrs J Killingback Feb 6 : Greeters:Pauline and Diane. Coffee: Sandra. th Feb 13th: Greeters: Pam. Coffee: Bridget. Feb 13 : 9.30. United service at Emmanuel. Rev M Bradbury. th Feb 20th: 10.30. Holy Comm. Rev N Hannah Feb 20 : Greeters: Sue and Jenny. Coffee: Pam. th Flowers throughout February: Mrs P Williams Feb 27 : 10.30. Mrs J Killingback Methodist Special Services Wisbech St Mary & Guyhirn Parish Church: th st Feb 16 2.30pm: Walton, H Comm. Rev D Bulloss. Every Sunday exc 1 :- 11am. sung eucharist. th 1st Sunday:- 8am Communion,11am Family Service Feb 16 6.00-7.30pm. Faith & Light. Marshland St James. rd 3 Sunday:- Evening Prayer: 6.00pm MOTHERS’ UNION Bye Buy Childhood C A R O L S IN G E R S S A Y TH A N K YO U On the Saturday and Sunday before Christmas four brave CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED stalwarts, Wendy, Janet, Jan and Jim, braved the cold and icy weather to go carol singing around the outskirts of Mothers’ Union believes children should be valued as Wisbech St Mary. The marvellous sum of £240 was children, not consumers. Yet marketers target children’s collected and was divided between The Childrens Society natural inexperience in order to reach the household and Action for Children. purse. Giving children the message that they are what The singers thank everyone for their generous donations, they own, rather than being valued for who they are, can and extend a special word of thanks for the hospitality negatively affect their wellbeing. Nearly three-fifths of received from residents. It is hoped that even more parents believe that advertising seen by children can be volunteers will be joining the carol singing this year. In the harmful to them. Using sex to sell to children is particularly meantime the carollers send their best wishes to everyone objectionable and 80% of parents are concerned about for the New Year. the impact of sexualised content in television, films, magazines and the internet on their children. £70 FO R ‘H E LP FO R H E R O E S ’ The Bye Buy Childhood campaign aims to empower Members of the Parson Drove Over 60s Friendship Club, families to challenge the commercialisation and the Luncheon Club, and the Short Mat Bowls Club sexualisation of childhood through positive action. combined at Christmas to raise funds for ‘Help for Heroes’. As a result of savings on Christmas cards The Mothers’ Union has launched this campaign in Britain between members, a donation of £70 was forwarded to and Republic of Ireland to: the ‘Help for Heroes’ fund, which will be used for the ♦ Challenge children, their parents or guardians and benefit of injured service men and women.