The Beckington Group of Parishes Beckington Berkley Lullington & Orchardleigh Rodden Network February 2020 1 CONTACT LIST Readers Dr. J. Beaven 830535 Mr. G. Bridges 01225 755784 Mr. S. McKie 830369 We are awaiting the appointment of a new Rector Readers - Mr. H. M. Daniel 461870 PTO Cdr. E. Phillimore 830677 Baptist Minister: The Revd. M. I. White 453334 Email: [email protected] 07971 438694 Church Officers Beckington Web Site: Beckington www.beckington.org.uk PCC Secretary M Rolfe 01225 763040 Beckington School Web Site: [email protected] www.beckingtonandmellsfederation.co.uk Church Wardens Judith Craig 830970 Berkley School Web Site: wardens.beckington Su Coates 831644 www.berkleyschool.co.uk @gmail.com Andy Howson 455753 Deputies [email protected] Springmead School Web Site: www.springmead.com Maria Beaven 830535 [email protected] Beckington Memorial Hall Treasurer J Johnson Gary Peters 01373 830949 [email protected] beckingtonmemorialhall.org.uk Berkley Beckington Parish Council PCC Secretary Caroline White beckingtonparishcouncil.org.uk [email protected] Clerk: Simon Pritchard 07792 478960 Church Warden Jeanette Hayward 832315 [email protected] Berkley Parish Council Church Warden Eric J Oakes 474652 Clerk: Janet Harvey 01373 832303 [email protected] Bell ringing practice Treasurer Christine Eyres [email protected] at St. George’s is every Thursday from 7.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Rodden PCC Secretary Melanie Pattinson 07803327381 Tower Captain: J Ball 830419 [email protected] Treasurer Michael Ruddick 464463 [email protected] Beckington Group Mothers’ Union Church Wardens Jim Beck 464574 Branch Leaders: Jenny Ayrton 01373 [email protected] 830208 & Jacky Lobley. Meets 1st Alan Sandall 465869 Wed in the month except August. [email protected] Deputy Jim Dowling 462515 Beckington Tower Lighting [email protected] Mary Hickling 01373 830274 Lullington with Orchardleigh Beckington Pre-School https://lullandorch.org.uk Twitter: @LullandOrch beckingtonpre-school.co.uk email addresses end with …@lullandorch.org.uk Churchwardens: wardens@... Glyn & Ruth Bridges 01225 755784 Please submit items for publication Jenny Ladd 01373 830514 in the March issue to: David King 01225 710127 [email protected] Treasurer: Jo Rathmell treasurer@… to arrive no later than 12 noon on Weddings: Jenny Ladd weddings@.. February 20th Baptisms: baptisms@… Network Advertising: Mrs. J. Evemy, Director of Music: David King music@…. 01823 322 287 [email protected] Verger: Jeanette Hayward weddverger@... 2 forgotten him and were in distress, Edmund’s Message sought his face, humbly This is the first issue of Network of acknowledged their errors and 2020 and in a new decade, so resolved to do what is right, God A happy New Year to you all! promised: “then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and A new season brings fresh hope, will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles reflecting the rhythm of day and night, 7:14); here is the sure new beginning in which a good night’s sleep restores that is still on offer. energy and enthusiasm. That rhythm was reinforced when Sunday was If we really want to see the wounds treated as a day of rest giving people and divisions healed in both nation space to catch up and regather. It and church, we need to do what God reflects the reality that God is the God calls us to do, so that he can give us of a thousand new beginnings, as that fresh start as he forgives and every day he is restoring the damage heals. That is why our church services done by evil in the lives of individuals begin with confession, reminding us and the community as well in nature that in his goodness and mercy God is itself. ever willing to give us that new beginning. That prayer of confession February will bring the challenge of begins “We have strayed…”, showing being outside the EU. Getting there that it is a corporate prayer that we has been painful and we long for our make not only for ourselves but for our hurts and divisions to be healed. But community both as a church and a how can that be done? Psalm 121 nation. If at first sight God may not begins by asking that question, “I lift seem to answer our prayers, we up my eyes to the hills. Where does should look closer and see how he is my help come from?” Poetically ‘the at work through the many people who, hills’ suggests human strength and in so many ways, are restoring the security. But the writer has a better broken and alleviating suffering. answer: “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” So, as we face the challenges of a That may seem a pious platitude, but new decade, let us do so by looking Christian annals abound with stories humbly for God’s promised help. May of people recording the many ways in you find the happiness of knowing him which God has been faithful to his as your Heavenly Father. promise. Edmund Phillimore God not only promises his protection, Reader, Beckington he also promises healing. One such promise was given in response to King Solomon’s prayer when he dedicated the temple in Jerusalem. God assured the King that he had heard his prayer. When people, who had 3 The Future of St George’s, take this opportunity to put in much Beckington needed facilities such as a toilet and a kitchenette in there or in the church ‘’For I know the plans I have for you, itself? How can we make the building declares the Lord, plans for welfare more user- friendly, more welcoming and not for evil, to give you a future and more useful to our surrounding and a hope.’’ communities without spoiling its Jeremiah 29:11 beauty? St. George’s has changed significantly over the centuries, as The New Year is a time to look anyone who has read Michael forward and to plan and at St. McGarvie’s excellent history will know. George’s, we are doing just that. We could have spent the last five years We are going to have a number of whilst without a Rector marking time challenges and will have to draw up a or even going into some sort of 2, 5 or even 10 year plan. The biggest decline. However, it’s been a period of obstacle will be the expense. A new pulling together and resilience. We are heating system will cost between trusting that someone will be £20000 and £30000. The Church of appointed in the near future but we England is funded from the bottom up, need to keep attending to the spiritual not the top down, and our weekly and physical needs of our community running costs, excluding repairs and whether we have an incumbent or not. purchases, are around £1000 per week. (That is not a misprint!) We Various ‘physical’ problems at St. shall need to fundraise, apply for George’s in 2019 have made us stop grants, get planning permissions from and take stock. Our aged boiler both Mendip and the diocese etc. We developed a terminal fault, we’ve had shall need people with energy, vision, on-going electrical problems and a time and expertise. section of the churchyard wall You may not be a regular at St. collapsed. The last two are George’s or any other church but you straightforward, though not may well still love the building and feel inexpensive, to rectify. The first, the proud that we have such a beautiful boiler, is not going to be easy to solve church in our midst. We are on a but tackling the problem can be seen mission in more ways than one so if as an opportunity to re-shape the you have time or expertise that you future of the church, materially and can offer us, do get in touch. In the spiritually. As we are going to have to meantime, we shall publish updates replace our current heating on any developments. arrangements with something modern, efficient and environmentally Su Coates sustainable, what else can we achieve Church Warden, Beckington to maximise the benefit that will eventually result from the inevitable disruption and expense? If the boiler is re-sited, what do we do with the ancient boiler house? 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