01608 676048 01608 PHONE

September 2020 50p

CHRISTMAS TREES • ROSES BICYCLES

Quality home grown Christmas Trees in December. Wreaths & Seasoned Logs. Digitally printed by Parchment (Oxford) Ltd, from copy supplied Printworks, Crescent Road, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2PB email: [email protected] www.PrintUK.com THE BLACK HORSE STA DLAKE

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We '11 let food do the talking.

81 High Street, OX29 7RH Tel; 01865300307 •O OpenTable· @@blackhorse_ stand lake [email protected] (!)@TheBelJStandlake www.theblackhorsestandlake.com THE PARISH OF BAMPTON WITH CLANFIELD St James, Aston; St Mary The Virgin, Bampton St Stephen, Clanfield; St Mary, ; Holy Trinity, Lew Vicar – Rev. Janice Collier Tel. 01993 851 222 mobile 07494 278 068 email – [email protected] Website: http://www.bamptonchurch.org.uk

Church administrator Camilla Gordon-Finlayson - [email protected] Tel 07586 939 545 Churchwardens Aston & Cote - John Ordish 01993 850 923 [email protected]; Chris Holt 07905 217 070 [email protected] Bampton – Roger Preston 01993 850 415 [email protected]; Philip Humphreys [email protected] Clanfield – Liz Stevens 01367 810 255 [email protected]; Bryn Torrington 01367 810 510 [email protected] Lew – Isobel Miller [email protected]

SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER

6th September Trinity 13 9.30am Holy Communion Aston 10.30am Zoom Service 10.45 Holy Communion Bampton

13th September Trinity 14 9.15am Holy Communion Shifford 9.30am Family Service Aston 10.30am Zoom Service 6.00pm Evensong Bampton

20th September Trinity 15 9.30am Holy Communion Aston 10.30am Zoom Service 10.45am Holy Communion Bampton

27th September Trinity 16 9.15am Holy Communion Lew 9.30am Family Service Aston 10.30am Zoom Service 5.00pm Prayer and Reflection Clanfield 6.00pm Evensong Bampton

Wednesdays 10.30am BCP Holy Communion Bampton 8 From the registers Funerals Clanfield August 3rd Pauline Murray Shifford August 6th Lilian Barker (Interment of Ashes) Marriages Aston August 8th Christopher Neal & Stephanie Neilly LOWER WINDRUSH BENEFICE St. Denys, Northmoor; St Giles, Standlake; St. Michael, ; St. Nicholas & St Swithun, Rector: Revd Jo Hurst The Rectory, Main Road, Stanton Harcourt OX29 5RP Tel: Rectory: 01865 655 692 Mobile: 07494 278 068 email – [email protected] Website: lowerwindrushbenefice.org Rest Day-usually a Saturday. Emails dealt with on Mondays and Thursdays

Churchwardens & PCC Team Contacts Standlake Sue Miles 01865 300 765 Carol Collinge 01865 300 849 Northmoor Michael Druce 01865 300 480 Henry Herford 01865 300 884 Stanton Harcourt PCC Team contact Gill Salway [email protected] Jane Watts [email protected] Yelford Philip Rogers 01865 300 674 Shirley Warren 01865 300 977

SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER

Sept 6th Trinity 13 Proper 18 Ezekiel 33:7-11; Romans 13:8-end, Matthew 18:15-20 Please join online morning worship via ‘Church at Home’, using the link on the home page of the Oxford Diocesan website oxford.anglican.org or access the online worship of St. Mary’s Church Bampton or St. Mary’s Church via the links on their websites.

Wed Sept 9th No online Compline Service

Sept 13th Trinity 14 Proper 19 Genesis 50:15-21; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35 10.00am Benefice Holy Communion Standlake 5.00 pm Harvest Festival Evensong at Yelford (we hope to have a 'bring your own and do not share' picnic after the service if the weather is fair)

Wed Sept 16th 8.30pm Online Compline Service of night prayer, via Zoom link on the Benefice website.

Sept 20th Trinity 15 Proper 20 Jonah 3:10 – end of 4; Philippians 1:21-end; Matthew 20:1-16 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) Yelford 10.00am Benefice Holy Communion Stanton Harcourt

Wed Sept 23rd 8.30pm Online Compline Service via Zoom

Sept 27th Trinity 16 Proper 21 Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-end; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32 10.00am Benefice Service of the Word (non-Communion) Northmoor

Wed Sept 30th 8.30pm Online Compline Service via Zoom

From the registers Funerals 19th August Michael Hempstead Standlake 24th August Michael Back Standlake

Every day of our lives is known to God

As I write this, there is a smell of autumn in the air. It feels crisp and fresh, and I am grateful to have a fleece to zip up. I always look forward to a change in seasons. My two favourite seasons – spring and autumn – begin with such beauty. One with soft, unassuming pastel shades and the other with a glorious riot of yellow, orange, burgundy and red. Woodsmoke unfurls gently from chimneys and there is a crunch under our feet as the leaves begin to fall. In my garden, the squirrels have eaten nearly all of the walnuts from the tree and the broken bits of branches they have scrambled around on, lie in piles that look like they are waiting for a game of ‘pick-up sticks’. In the raised bed the tomato crop is almost over. The leeks are growing well, their white middles expanding nicely (much like mine in lockdown). In our Benefice we have entered into a new season of partially reopening of churches and services on a Sunday morning, as well as Compline via Zoom on a Wednesday evening. I have (almost!) learnt the art of starting a YouTube channel so that our services can be recorded and then watched by those unable to get to church. It has been a season of much change and all of that has needed to be done thoroughly and at lightening speed so that we could throw open our church doors once again. The cobwebs (and the metaphorical cobwebs) have been blown away and the organ is singing once again, although at the moment without voices. We have also held services outside and enjoyed all the creativity and relaxed worship that that brings. We have welcomed newcomers as well as the faithful ones who have worshipped in these villages for years. The changing seasons both meteorologically and spiritually got me pondering. I have read Psalm 23 a fair bit recently – it’s popular at funerals. It speaks of seasons in life - times of resting, times of plenty, times of refreshing, times of peace and also times of difficulty, fear and being in the valleys of life. Throughout every changing season in life we are assured of Jesus, our Shepherd, being with us. A shepherd knows his sheep – he knows when they are well, and when they are not. He knows the paths they take and he walks with them. If they wander off he goes to find them. He understands that some paths we walk down are unexpected and rocky. Throughout all of that, he remains with us. He doesn’t leave our side. His goodness and mercy will follow us down every path and changing season in life. We need not fear when the path becomes rocky, steep and uphill, or if the valley we find ourselves in looms over us and feels more like a pit than a lush, green valley. Every day of our lives is known to God, and goodness and loving mercy follow us in all of them. And when the busy world is hushed and the fever of life is over, we have the assurance of dwelling in God’s house for ever. What comfort! So, whatever season in life you are going through, know that you are not alone. The Good Shepherd is with you and promises to remain. Jo Hurst

Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. At this time we pray for all those across our world who are suffering from disease, hunger or violence, and lift up all who are brought low at this anxious time; that we may all rejoice in your comfort and healing knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen Roger Humphreys ______

Editor: Janet Rouse [email protected] 01993 850 162 Your village correspondents have to send in their copy by the 18th of each month; please get your copy to them by the 16th if at all possible to give them two days to collate all the entries before sending them to the editor. Aston: Ann-Marie Pilling 01993850 930 [email protected] Bampton: Janet Rouse 01993 850 162 [email protected] Clanfield: Liz Stevens 01367 810 255 (evenings) [email protected] Lew: Don Rouse 01993 850 297 [email protected] Northmoor: Henry Herford 01865 300 884 [email protected] Standlake: Heather Hickman 01865 300 564 [email protected] Stanton Harcourt: Gill Salway 01865 881 934 [email protected] Yelford: Eva Rogers 01865 300 674 [email protected] Advertising Manager: Eva Rogers, Broadleas House, Yelford OX29 7QX 01865 300 674 [email protected] Treasurer: Nicola Saward, 01993 852 171 [email protected]

CONTACT MAGAZINE NEEDS A NEW TREASURER

I have been the Treasurer for Contact magazine for the past few years but am now standing down due to family commitments and am looking for a volunteer to replace me to start anytime between now and April 2021. The job involves recording income (subscriptions, advertising etc) and expenditure (printing etc); issuing of approximately 8 invoices on a quarterly basis; banking income cheques and preparation of cheques for signature for printing costs etc; reconciliation of bank statements; preparation of year end accounts and presentation to the AGM; and maintaining a few statistics on income, expenditure and cost per copy of the magazine. All the accounting is set up on Excel and Word. I estimate that I spend five hours per quarter on the various tasks plus an extra four hours annually on year end matters, a total of 24 hours per annum. If you are interested or would like to know more about the role please ring me of 01993 852 171 or email [email protected] ______

ANGLICAN/RC SERVICE PLAN FOR PARISH OF BAMPTON WITH CLANFIELD SEPTEMBER 2020

1st Sunday 2nd Sunday 3rd Sunday 4th Sunday Sept. 6th Sept. 13th Sept. 20th Sept. 27th 9am RC Mass Bampton RC Mass Bampton 9.15 Shifford HC Lew HC

9.30 Aston HC Aston Family Aston HC Aston Family service Service

10.30 Zoom Zoom Bampton Zoom Aston Zoom Bampton Clanfield

10.45 Bampton HC Bampton HC

5pm Clanfield Prayer and reflection

6pm Bampton Evensong Bampton Evensong

ASTON & COTE

ASTON & COTE St James Church Aston. Keeping in touch: -The Wardens are:- John Ordish 01993 850923 [email protected] Chris Holt 07905 217 070 [email protected]

The Parish Virtual On Line Services These services continue every Sunday. If you are not yet joining in and would like to do so, please contact one of the wardens or the Vicar. St James, Aston and St Mary’s, Shifford open for services The first Holy Communion service in church since lockdown took place in St James on the 2nd August. The service was led by the vicar. Risk assessments had been carried out and implemented. The service was safe, distanced, sanitised, masked, well attended and it was great to be back. The style was different. There were no hymns but there was music. Communion followed the Roman Catholic tradition of just sharing the bread. This was administered in the pews. It was a lovely service. And it was a joy to hear some of the church bells ring again. Thank you bell ringers! Thank you also to the flower arrangers. It is terrific to see floral displays back in church. Many people help quietly behind the scenes but a huge thank you must also go to the wardens John Ordish and Chris Holt for looking after the church building during lockdown and also for enabling the church to open for services again. During lockdown, the wardens at St James also managed to have a new VE and VJ Day memorial bench installed just outside the entrance and have the vestry redecorated. The bench has been donated by the Parish Council. A reminder of the service timetables at St James, Aston and St Mary’s Shifford:- St James, Aston 9.30am each Sunday St Mary’s, Shifford 9.15am each second Sunday of the month For the time being, the churches will continue to be closed and locked after each service. The St James, Aston and St Mary’s, Shifford Annual General Meeting The postponed spring AGM will now take place on Tuesday the 29th September at 7.00pm in St James church. This is open to all. It is the main annual meeting where members are elected to various posts and it is also the chance for you have your say or raise any questions. If you would like to be more involved or help with any aspect of the church activities, do come along. The St James Thursday Zoom half hour get together This continues at 7.00pm every Thursday. It has become a fixture and a good way to catch up informally with other church members. Contact one of the wardens if would like to join in. We look forward to seeing you! The St James Congregation WhatsApp group As above, certainly for the moment this will continue. This is useful for quick contact, news spreading and light chat amongst church members. If you would like to join the group please download the WhatsApp App from the App Store on to your iPhone or from the Play Store to your Android phone and then email Tom Jequier at [email protected] with your mobile phone number. You will then receive an invitation to join.

ASTON AND COTE PRIMARY SCHOOL September Re-Opening. Following on from the government announcement regarding how schools will be organised in September, we have special arrangements that will be put in place here at Aston & Cote to ensure the safety of all our pupils, staff and families. Prevention •We shall endeavour to ensure that pupils, staff and other adults do not come into the school if they have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or have tested positive in the last 7 days, and ensure that anyone developing those symptoms during the school day is sent home. If a child displays any symptoms of COVID-19 they will be isolated from their group, parents will be called and will need to collect the child immediately. • If you have any doubts at all about your child’s health, please do not send them into school; always err on the side of caution. • We shall ensure that pupils clean their hands regularly, including when they arrive at school, when they return from breaks, when they change rooms and before and after eating. This will be a mixture of using hand sanitiser and washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water. • We shall continue to promote the “catch it, bin it, kill it” approach to ensure good respiratory hygiene. • Enhanced cleaning of the school will take place throughout and at the end of every day. • We shall reduce the number of contacts between pupils and staff through the use of bubbles and/or social distancing as appropriate for the age of the pupils. It is likely that for younger children the emphasis will be on separating groups, and for older children it will be on distancing. For children old enough, they should also be supported to maintain distance and not touch staff where possible. • Staff will be provided with the appropriate PPE equipment in the event of vomiting, first aid or toilet emergencies. Children will be encouraged to deal with these themselves if appropriate although adults will assist if necessary. • If necessary, the school will engage with the NHS test and trace process – further guidance about how this will work will be made available at the beginning of term.

Arriving at school and home time In order to avoid large crowds of children and adults arriving at the same time, each class of children will be given a staggered time. Parents have been notified of these arrangements. How the children will be grouped All children will be taught in their class group or “bubble” and they will stay in this bubble all day including at playtime and lunchtime. The children will not have the opportunity to interact with children in a different bubble – we shall be staggering the timing of break and lunchtime and using different parts of the outdoor area for the different bubbles. Your school is well prepared for the changes and challenges and we all really look forward to teaching your lovely children again.

BAMPTON

ORGAN REPORT – August 19th 2020 The organ restoration project at St Mary’s is now drawing to a close and our wonderful organ is back in its previous location on the East wall of the South Transept, and we have also retained a large part of the community space there that we have enjoyed in its absence. We have managed to improve the organ’s sound performance range, without markedly increasing its size; thanks to our gaining Diocesan approval for the incorporation of a number of integral digital enhancement pedal stops. The location of the remote console in the Nave will enable our organist, David New, to see both his choir and our vicar The Rev. Janice Collier and also view the arrival of brides at the West door. The organ is now physically complete but we have a period of sound voicing culminating in a visit by an electronic digital voicer who is scheduled for Tuesday 8th September. On that day it is expected that our retained organ consultant Paul Hale, will sign completion of the restoration work and we can then get to play the organ – lockdown requirements permitting of course, I have been impressed with the skills of the restoration workers and the quality of the new internal construction elements, whilst the outer casing and the re-gilded pipes retain their period condition, enhanced by a matching hand-made front panel covering the area where the original console was located. Douglas J Clare for St Mary, Bampton

Friends it has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve and preach in our churches over the last year, from that first Evensong at Shifford, to Christmas at Bampton, and all the services at Aston and Clanfield, and I am grateful to Janice for giving me the opportunity, and all of you for welcoming me. I have some exciting news, I have been recommended for training for ordination and will begin a Masters course in Bristol in September. Sadly, this means that we shall be leaving Bampton, and we’ll miss you. However I would love to stay in touch. I will be writing a monthly (hopefully) update for friends and family on life at Theological College and if you would like to receive this, please contact me at [email protected] and I shall make sure it reaches you. Emma Endean-Mills, Ordinand

RIDE AND STRIDE I’m delighted to say that Ride and Stride will take place this year on Saturday 12th September. Quite what form of greeting we shall be able to give our visitors will have to be worked out, but it will not involve toilet or refreshment facilities. If you are willing to volunteer for an hour’s slot between 10.00am and 6.00pm, please call Andy Drake on 01993 850 218. If you would like to take part in the Riding and Striding, or would like to sponsor me, please also call on the above number. Thank you, Andy Drake

BAMPTON METHODIST CHURCH We are holding Services in our Church every Sunday (11.00am), the attendances have been limited but I think that those who do participate are finding them very fulfilling. Some of the Services have been transmitted into members’ homes with some success, courtesy of Matthew Wareham and Zoom, and we have services arranged for well into the Autumn. All the precautions are in place to keep the coronavirus at bay, and we all wear masks, as advised. The preachers were, up until the middle of August, wearing visors, but these can now be dispensed with while he or she is actually leading the Service. It is not planned to celebrate Holy Communion yet, as far as I know nobody has devised a safe way of that being conducted. Our Senior Steward, Phil Shaw, stood down from his duties at the end of August, after holding that position since the early 1990s. His efficiency in carrying out those duties, and his wise counsel given when sought will be missed. Unfortunately, Phil has been physically excommunicado since March, due to the coronavirus, so we were not able to thank him properly at his final Service in charge. However, some mention of him was made at that Service and it is hoped to properly commemorate the occasion after life returns to normal. Our Wednesday evening Zoom Meetings have continued, and these have been very helpful for many of us. We occasionally have a “visitor” from another Church, and we appreciate that. Our weekly contact with all our members, together with Rev Fred Ireland’s letter and devotional guidance, ensures that everybody knows what is going on in the Church. We feel that that is important. Robert Jones

ROMAN CATHOLIC SERVICES IN CARTERTON & BAMPTON The Reverend Andrew Foster, St Joseph’s Church, Carterton Tel: 01993 842 463. Mass is said at St Joseph’s Church in Carterton at 6 pm on Saturday and 9 am on Sunday. Mass is said in Bampton St Mary’s on the second and forth Sunday of the month at 9am.

CLANFIELD

ST. STEPHEN We are back in the building for services! After months of Zoom services at 10.30am on Sundays we had our first gathering in the church on Sunday 23rd August, and we had bells beforehand! Risk assessments had been carried out and there was plenty of sanitiser. After much measuring of the distances between the ropes in the bell tower, two members from two households rang adjacent bells and another ringer rang a bell well spaced out. It was hot wearing masks but we managed to ring five bells in celebration of the 100th birthday of Ruby Horne. The service was attended by a pleasing number of people but the church is sufficiently large to have room for socially distancing. Services will continue on Zoom each Sunday so if you wish to join, please ask Janice, our vicar, to include you in the email list. The next service in Clanfield will be on Sunday 27th September at 5pm for a short time of prayer, music and reflection. Liz Stevens, Church Warden

CLANFIELD WI On a very hot afternoon four members opened their gardens to others in Clanfield WI. A maximum number of six people at a time enjoyed the company of others in real life - no Zoom involved. Each member was also given a ‘lockdown’ present of a beautiful Echinacea metal plant stake to put in their own gardens. Members have been continuing to take part in lecturers given online and to do craft activities. Plans are being made for future meetings both online and in ‘real life’. If you are new to the area, or suddenly find you have more time, perhaps you would like to join the country’s largest women’s organisation. Details about membership from our president Heather Clark on 01367 810 655 or go to www.oxfordshirewi.co.uk. Liz Stevens

LEW

HOLY TRINITY Life begins again! Thanks to Janice, Isobel our Church Warden and our wonderful team of supporters, we were able to hold our first church service since February. A lot of thought and planning had to go into it so that it complied with all the Government Health and Safety rules. So that it could be carried out in complete safety our cleaning team had to pay a lot of attention to detail to ensure that all surfaces were cleansed and free from any bacteria. There were nine people in the Church and all expressed their enjoyment and pleasure of experiencing some form of returning to normal in these difficult times, with grateful thanks to all those who made it possible. My role was minimal! All I have to do is keep the names and addresses of those who attended for twenty eight days and if everyone is clear of Covid-19 by that time, throw the list away and prepare for the same next month! With the confidence that this has brought us, we now hope to be able to move on and organise our Annual Churchyard Clear-up as well as holding an AGM that should have been held in March. We are desperately looking for someone or indeed a couple to take on the role of Churchwarden. Just because it has been held by women for over thirty years does not mean that men cannot do it, or even a Husband & Wife team. We usually have 2 or 3 meetings a year for discussions on how the church is run, along with approximately 14 Services a year which would not be imperative for you to attend, so it is not such an onerous task. Without a Warden we would not be able to hold any services and would have to close, so I do hope that there is someone out there that can help us. Those of us on the Committee would certainly help you through it all. Having enjoyed our Service so much, we wish and pray for success to all the churches in our group that no doubt will soon be attempting to reopen. Don Rouse

LOWER WINDRUSH BENEFICE

Services In September We have been meeting as a Benefice for Services in each of our four churches during late July and August. This has gone very well and our congregations have enjoyed meeting up and worshipping together on a regular basis. The Benefice PCCs have agreed that this pattern of Services should continue during September and October, with subsequent review. Please look at the LWB Services page at the beginning of Contact magazine for the location and times of Services in our parishes in September.

Annual Parochial Church Meetings (postponed from March/April) will be taking place in our Parishes during September and early October and will be advertised in advance in each village. Revision of Church Electoral Rolls will be undertaken as necessary in advance of the meetings. These meetings are your opportunity to hear about what is happening in your village church and to think about its role in the future. We would be delighted to receive nominations for Churchwarden posts and for new PCC members. The duties for PCC members are not onerous and we have only 4 or 5 meetings per year - please talk with the current Churchwardens if you feel you could support your Church in this way.

Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust, Ride and Stride This annual event will take place on Saturday September 12th. Please contact your parish organiser for details or sponsorship forms

Lower Windrush Garden Club The Lower Windrush Garden club monthly meetings have been suspended at the moment due to the current covid-19 restrictions. However, we are still intending to go ahead and hold the Annual Produce Show on Sunday 6th September 2020. Paula and Emma are currently in discussions with the Village Hall Committee to ensure that we conform to present restrictions in order to make it as safe as possible for everyone. Unfortunately, the show will have to be made smaller and some of the cookery classes will be withdrawn due to safety restrictions. Also, we shall probably be unable to offer refreshments such as tea and cakes as in previous shows. However, please keep an eye on our garden club website where we shall keep you up to date about the show. The schedules can be downloaded from our website or contact Emma at 01865 300 204 if you require a printed copy of the schedule. Also, look out for the Annual Show posters around the village. A decision has not yet been made regarding our AGM meeting on 22nd September 2020 but we shall let you know nearer the time. Visit our garden club website for up to date details regarding any of the above. www.lowerwindrushgardenclub.weebly.com/

NORTHMOOR

ST DENYS Resumption of church services. After a long gap of 17 weeks when no services were allowed in our church, we were finally able to hold a Benefice evening service with Jo Hurst on 26th July, and since then she has taken two informal Sunday morning services outdoors in the churchyard. Fortunately the weather smiled on us on both occasions, and we have been moved by Jo’s very personal and sincere approach. Sadly, congregational singing is still banned, so the hymns have been played rather than sung; many thanks to Graham Warner for bringing his keyboard and also playing us out with some lively ragtime. Rector’s holiday - After a hectic first few months in her new job, Jo is taking her annual leave for the next two weeks. Church services will resume on Sunday 13th September with a Benefice Communion in Standlake. In the meantime we are invited to join in the Diocesan Zoom services. Annual Parochial Church Meeting - The APCM, delayed because of the lockdown, will now take place on 6th October, possibly by Zoom. This is when the year is reviewed, and all lay posts are up for re-election. All those on the Electoral Roll are invited to attend, and any suggestions on how the church is run and how it can be improved in the future are welcomed, either at the meeting or in advance via the Churchwardens. If you wish to be added to the Electoral Roll, please contact Mary Anne Florey on 01865 300 207 [email protected]. Churchyard mega-weed - Many thanks to the band of volunteers who transformed the area by the newly rebuilt south wall, where the weeds have run riot since it was cleared. It’s been a particularly good year for bindweed! Plans are being drawn up for incorporating the loose gravestones in the remaining stretch of wall and in a paved memorial area.

Harvest Sale, 19th September - In the absence of a Village Show this year, I would like to organise a Harvest Sale on 19th September to benefit the following: 1. Sobell House 2. the Church and 3. the Village Hall. Venue: outside, under the trees beside the church wall. Premise: please donate your fabulous harvest produce of any kind (veg/fruit/flowers/jam/cakes etc.) to raise funds for these local causes. Safety: current government guidelines will, of course, be followed. Please email Julie at [email protected] with offers of help or any questions. Julie Williams Harvest Festival and Picnic - Since we are unable to hold the traditional Harvest Lunch this year, we are hoping to combine our harvest festival in October with a picnic lunch. Details to follow soon.

Village Hall - We’re glad to report that the Village Hall is now once again open for hire, in accordance with current Government guidelines. Please contact [email protected] or Julie Williams on 07587 183 093.

Thursday Club - The Club has been meeting informally at Ferryman’s Farm, and from 10th September will be meeting regularly once again in the Village Hall, though there will inevitably be changes in line with the Government’s guidelines.

Computer Club This has now started up again, with the next meeting scheduled for Monday 7th September (not 31 August, which is a bank holiday), then fortnightly until further notice. Please note that masks now have to be worn for all sessions. Still only £1 for each session. New members welcomed - contact [email protected] or 07973 830 369

Other village news - We are sad to report that Mal Partridge died on 9th August after a long struggle with multiple sclerosis, in which he was devotedly cared for by his wife Lynn. The funeral took place in St Denys’s on 18th August. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Lynn and the family. A warm welcome to Nathan and Sophie Scott, who have just got married and have moved into one of the new houses on Chapel Lane. Nathan is a musician and music producer at The Oxford Union, and Sophie teaches autistic children at a school in Marston.

STANDLAKE

ST GILES Review of Services and our life within the village community - Our Rector, Jo, has had many interesting and helpful conversations with her parishioners since June and is formulating ideas about the way ahead for our worship and involvement in community life in the Benefice as a whole. These ideas are being discussed with PCC members and more information will be available soon

Services around the Benefice - Once our churches opened again for worship as the Covi-19 lockdown eased, we followed a pattern of worshipping together as a Benefice in each of our four churches on Sundays. This has been very successful and we have much enjoyed worshipping together and sharing fellowship, even in the limited way allowed at the moment by the continuing pandemic. The four PCCs have agreed to continue this pattern of worship for the next few months, with subsequent review. Please see the Services page of Contact re. locations and times of worship. These details will also be posted on our Benefice website: lowerwindrushbenefice.org and in the LWB monthly Newsletter.

Annual Parochial Church Meeting - The Annual Election of Churchwardens and the Parochial Church Meeting (postponed from April due to pandemic restrictions) will take place on Thursday September 24th at 7.30pm at St. Giles’ Church. Revision of the Electoral roll will take place Sept 6th-8th. The meeting is your opportunity to hear about what is happening in your village church and to think about its role in the future. We would be delighted to receive nominations for the two Churchwarden posts and to fill vacancies on the PCC. The duties for PCC members are not onerous and we have only 4 meetings per year. Please talk with the current Churchwardens if you feel you could support your Church in this way.

Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust, Ride and Stride This annual event will take place on Saturday September 12th. Please contact Dave Sharrocks (300 287) for details or sponsorship forms

Advance notice - Harvest Festival Service at St. Giles’, Sunday October 4th. More details to come.

STANTON HARCOURT

ST MICHAEL Church Opening - While the current Covid-19 regulations are in place the church will continue to be open regularly on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 to 6. It was lovely to be able to finally hold a service in church on August 9th when we played host to the Benefice and Jo conducted her first service in St Michael’s. Our next service here will be on September 20th at 10.00 when again we shall be hosting the Benefice Communion. The church will therefore be closed on September 19th and 22nd but open instead on 23rd.

PCC - We have also held our first PCC meeting via Zoom. Church life has been continuing despite the difficulties. With no events taking place Jane Watts and her family have done magnificently in raising funds by selling plants and delivering cream teas to order. It was also a great joy to hear the bells being rung again- more news on that below. Treasurer. Mavis Ives has been our PCC Treasurer for many years now and has indicated that she will be stepping down. We are therefore looking for someone who could help St Michael’s by undertaking this role. If you feel you could do so, please contact Jo on 01865 655 692.

APCM - This is the church’s AGM at which church officers are appointed and will be held on Tuesday September 29th at 7.30 in the church. All parishioners have the right to attend and all those on the church electoral roll can vote.

St Michael’s Bells are back! After many months of silence - since early March - we were keen to restart ringing on August 9th to welcome a Benefice Service back to Stanton Harcourt. A careful maintenance check on the state of bells and belfry made sure all was in good order. We measured distances between ropes in the ringing chamber and carried out the necessary risk assessments before getting permission to ring. We’re fortunate in having a large ringing chamber so safe distancing isn’t a huge issue. Six very excited ringers, with hand sanitiser, tissues and masks, trooped (at 2m intervals) up the tower steps again and thoroughly enjoyed the 15 minute ring. Many villagers also commented on how good it was to hear the bells once more. We rang again on the following Saturday, August 15th, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VJ Day. We’re very pleased to be back in action - though not quite in the way we remember! Ringing will feel very different for some time to come.

View From The Pew Our new Rector has been in post for a couple of months now and conducting services all round the Benefice in a variety of situations - Zooming into our living rooms, out in the open air at Northmoor and suitably socially distanced, masked or visored, in our churches. Not only have the surroundings seemed strange or unfamiliar but the services themselves have given us all something fresh to think about, whether the tweaked format of the usual Common Worship that we are all used to or the very informal “prayer safaris” round Northmoor churchyard. My (limited) feedback suggests that people are very glad to be able to get back together again and enjoying the novelty and variety, especially when so much of daily life at the moment has become circumscribed and predictable. On a personal level I have certainly found this a challenge. I’m dyed in the wool enough to naturally revert to the “old style” version of the Lord’s Prayer and still have to check the book not to get caught out in the Common Worship version of the Creed - to that extent a traditionalist and conservative. But I do recognise that many people find the language of our services off-putting, the services too long and with insufficient variety and I have really enjoyed the almost holiday atmosphere of those open-air services. I think we have come too, to appreciate the part played by music even more when, relieved of singing, we can sit and listen to the hymns and voluntaries played by our expert musicians. On the other hand I’m not a great fan of activities and discussion as part of my worship - too often I feel too constrained by the situation to say what I really think, not wanting to upset other people’s sensibilities or sour the atmosphere. Interestingly, when I was trying to explain to my non-churchgoer husband about the fire-pit and the symbolism of fire as a purifier, his reaction was that the church and purifying fire just made him think of burning heretics - just the sort of reaction that I would have had to suppress! And many of the activities seem to take a lot of time and effort to say the blindingly obvious. I’m going to have to work on this. Jo (our Rector) has said that she is looking for feedback. I hope that we shall all be honest and generous in giving it to her, telling her what works for us rather than carping behind the scenes about what we do and don’t like. And I am genuinely looking forward to the months of experimentation to come. Gill Salway

YELFORD

ST NICHOLAS & ST SWITHUN There are several people in our community who’ve had important birthdays this year and we had hoped to organise a party to celebrate. However, because of the coronavirus this did not happen. But in August we did have a special party for Shirley Warren and it was cleverly organised by Diana Cannon so that only 6 people were present at one time for a limited period so that everyone was able to attend over the evening. We were able to hold our first Evensong Service on Sunday 2nd August with social distancing, which was taken by our new rector the Rev’d Jo Hurst. We also had a Communion Service on Sunday 23rd August at 8 am. We held our first PCC meeting with the Rev’d Jo Hurst on Zoom on Wednesday 19th and all our members were able to take part. It was decided that we plan to celebrate our Harvest Festival on the 12th September but it will take place at 5 pm instead of the usual 6 pm. A party will take place after the service in the Church Garden, weather permitting. The Cycle Ride will take place on Saturday 12th September but the Church will be locked. There will be someone in the porch to welcome you. Our cyclists are looking for sponsors. Eva Rogers Gardening in September 2020

As we move into September, it is a suitable time to look at the foliage on the trees in your garden and decide which still look good after several months of changeable weather. The Weeping Willow-Leaved Pear (Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’) has an eye-catching silvery leaf which still looks as attractive in September as it did when it first broke into leaf in early April. This elegant tree is small and forms a dense mound of weeping branches, clothed with silvery grey, downy willow-like leaves. It produces white flowers in mid April and sets small top shaped fruits later in the year. It looks particularly effective if planted near a purple leaved shrub such as Berberis atropurpurea or backed by the purple leaved Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’). The Pyrus will grow in most soils and is tolerant of drought, maritime exposure and industrial pollution. It is puzzling to me why it is not planted more often. Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood) is a tree well worth cultivating for autumn colour but only if there is plenty of room in your garden. It forms a mound of wide spreading branches on a short thick piebald trunk. In autumn the deep green leaves change to a fiery scarlet and gold creating a breath-taking sight. This colour change sometimes starts in August and the leaves often hang on until early December, so it is a good value tree. It produces tiny reddish flower clusters in late winter which can create a warm haze from a distance. It belongs to the same family as the Witch Hazels, and is surprisingly lime tolerant, although it grows and colours up best in a moist but well drained soil in a sunny situation. If you have only limited space and like a shrub that produces a true-blue flower try growing Ceratostigma willmottianum. (Hardy Plumbago) This is quite a terrifying name for such a small shrub! It will reach a height of two feet and a bit more if it is not cut back by winter frosts. So it is rather like an herbaceous plant, dying down in the winter and then shooting up again in the spring. It produces plenty of bright blue phlox–like flowers from July to October. It will gradually spread over several feet of ground. It appreciates a warm sunny site in good well drained soil. Pruning of dead wood should be left until April as the dead twigs provide protection from the frost for the roots and basal buds. I have a lovely specimen growing in my garden which is planted on a raised border, as it would never survive the wet clay that I have here during the winter months. September is the best month for organising your spring bulb displays for next year. Buy them early and remember that bigger and more expensive bulbs will produce more flowers. Cheap bulbs can be a false economy. Most bulbs can be planted straight away, but it is better to leave tulips and hyacinths until October or November as they are late starters and may rot if set out too early in damp ground outside. It is important to plant bulbs deeply enough and a rough guide is to plant the bulb three times its own depth measured from top to bottom. Shallow planted bulbs are notorious for failing to bloom in succeeding years. If you are on clay soil it is well worth dropping a hand full of course gritty sand into the bottom of the hole as this improves the drainage in the crucial rooting area. If you are planning to grow hyacinths in pots to flower at Christmas you must buy ‘prepared’ bulbs which are slightly more expensive than the normal ones. Mid September is the very last date for planting in pots if you want them to be ready for the end of the year. They make most welcome Christmas presents as they flower over the shortest days and give a welcome splash of colour and wonderful scent when it is cold and dreary outside. Eva Rogers

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