November 2020 Harvest Trail
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
November 2020 Harvest Trail - photo special! New club in Menheniot! Details of Remembrance Sunday News from the Playgroup and School 1 2 The First Page Reverend Becca Bell Tel: 07899363458 email: [email protected] Churchwardens: Jim Cock (01579 208806) Nick Scantlebury (01579 348633) Hon. Churchwarden (Merrymeet): Brian Arthur (01579 342312) Verger: Dave Kemplen (01579 345740) Pastoral Care Group: Grace Cock (01579 208806) Hon. Secretary PCC: Jennie Harrison (01579 345342) Hon. Treasurer PCC: Dave Kemplen (01579 345740) Organists: Lilian Hooper Ruth Sargent (01579 343052) Tower Captain: Vacancy Secretary: Sonia Stevenson (01752 851813) Parish Magazine Editor: Alana Jeffreys (07973 401174) [email protected] SUNDAY WORSHIP for The Parish Church of St Lalluwy, Menheniot, and The Mission Church of St Mary the Virgin, Merrymeet are on the following page. Sunday and weekday services will be notified in the Church porch. All arrangements for Baptisms, Banns of Marriage and Funerals should be made initially with a Churchwarden. CLOSING DATE for the December & January issue is th Friday 20 November - or before please 3 A letter from the editor… Isn’t it wonderful to see how people pull together during tough times, not just to give support during periods of grief, which after all is what is expected of us, but to simply cheer each other up and motivate them when they are a bit down in the dumps or fed up? During this entire pandemic, there are more examples of simple human kindness than there are of tragedy. It is ever thus. The human spirit, though battered is never broken, and in our own groups, communities and societies we – much like soldiers on a forced march will, without even thinking sometimes, double back and chivvy along, sometimes even drag and pull those struggling the most so that we stay together and no-one gets left behind. Looking at our own parish, there are many shining examples of this kindness in action. People stepping up to support others or the wider community. They didn’t have to, but collective sleeves have been rolled up and everyone has done their bit, large or small to help our community get though and often even more than just get through – to bring happiness and joy. Not from any sense of duty or obligation. Just because… There have been big and bold efforts – who can forget the absolutely wonderful scarecrows in fancy dress all over the village in the summer organised by the Cherry Fair committee? The gorgeous harvest trail through the churchyard that is on display currently is another example of a huge effort from the team at the church and also from the play group who organised all their children to bring in shoes or wellies to decorate and place all over the church grounds! The next thing we have in the calendar to look forward to is the competition organised by the play group to decorate our windows at home, or our gardens for Christmas. I know this will be undertaken with zeal by many people all over the parish whether they have small children or not. After all it is fun for everyone, both to create a display and for those out walking to view them all. But lets not forget all the extra efforts people have made that are perhaps less obvious. There is Gary and Sarah in Spar and their team who have, from the beginning, been delivering food orders to anyone who needs it in the village. The Foodbank have been working harder than ever to support those in need. The village pub – The White Hart has been quietly working away, offering roast dinners to take away on a Sunday and fish and chips on Fridays. They created a lovely open space, under cover and heated too so that people could come and socialise safely during the summer. They won’t tell you this, but Johnny and Susie quietly help people with whatever they need behind the scenes too, without needing or asking for 4 attention or recognition. They even helped look after my dog and took our pet hamster whilst I visited family over the Summer asking nothing in return. Throughout this pandemic, people from all walks have been working hard behind the scenes to keep life as normal as possible. The enormous efforts from staff at our primary school to not only stay open but to adapt and keep everyone safe and comply with all the rules has been nothing short of monumental. The church too has stayed open with online services throughout and daily online evening prayers which has been a lifeline for many. Do watch on Facebook at 7pm every day or contact Becca to join in via zoom. It is a lovely way to wind down in the evening for ten minutes. But let’s not forget that each of these additional services offered have required additional work and effort to implement on top of the usual load. Church is also open for private prayers and that means a team of volunteers have organised a rota to have at least two of them on duty during the opening times to clean and assist. There is so much going on behind the scenes everywhere that we don’t see and people have gone above and beyond the call of duty not just out of sense of self preservation, or to keep their business afloat. It is community spirit, kindness and the end of the day – love. So, whether you are making an effort that is seen by all, or quietly working away behind the scenes. From organised efforts to personal ones, a massive thank you. From all of us, to all of you! We have a jam packed issue in store for you this month! There is a wonderful report showing all the hard work that has gone into inventing a whole new way to celebrating Harvest Time. Local author John Marriott has given us a vivid snapshot of his childhood recollections in WWII London. We have news from Menheniot primary school and details about Remembrance Sunday which has been altered significantly to accommodate the Covid19 restrictions. In addition to this we have news from the local runners group who have been busy raising money for charity and a new club has come to Menheniot! And don’t forget to catch up with the Lockdown Diaries! There is plenty more on top of all this to keep you entertained and informed so you know the drill – grab a cuppa, put your feet up and lose yourself for half an hour or so in the best little magazine in the West! Love Alana x 5 Comfort and Joy… The Central Church of England Christmas preparation was announced back in September time with the theme of “comfort and joy”. Initially I thought it all sounded a bit twee but then I had a Saturday in October where autumn definitely arrived. It was stormy and cold and none of us wanted to go out. I watched a film in my pj’s with the boys for a bit and did some knitting. Then I decided to make a few jars of chutney with some left over tomatoes and the tonne of apples from our tree. I made some apple sauce while I was at it. Then I knitted some more, watched a couple of films with various family members, and generally had a quiet day of comforting things (and never getting round to getting dressed!). I felt contented. It struck me that as we go into this very strange winter, where we aren’t sure if we can look forward to some of the things that we might usually look forward to, that actually we can refocus on some things that we do love, and that we perhaps feel we don’t have time for. I am sure that many people cleared cupboards and decorated rooms way back in May (I still haven’t had time for that yet!!), but I am also sure you have books you have never read and meant to, or hobbies you love to do that you haven’t touched for a while, or baking, or watching films, or writing, or painting… Once upon a time our winter activities would have looked extremely different to our summer lives. In fact, I think in Cornwall we have retained this sense of seasonal rhythm more than most parts of our country. I’ve always noticed that in winter we go out in the dark less than “up country”. Perhaps we need to embrace this more as we head into winter with times being different? 6 Over the past few days I’ve had the huge privilege of helping to get half term food hampers to families who have previously been receiving holiday food vouchers during lockdown and the summer. Their stories are heart breaking and full of determined and loving people whose circumstances are just too hard or have changed. And yet the joy they showed at being given a hamper was just lovely. It showed contentment. I want to embrace comfort and joy this winter. A sense of comfort at the good things I have, and the opportunities to enjoy things that I might usually feel too busy or too distracted for. And a sense of joy that there is so much hope. Christmas is a little way off, but we have been planning. It will be very different as we cannot gather for carols, or even sing, or get more than 30 people in the church. But we can still celebrate the most amazing hope. That God didn’t sit afar and watch us struggle and mess up… and even now God is not far off watching us wrestle with Covid and all that it brings.