The ARCH Messenger

To show our love for God and You May 2021

Abbots Morton, Rous Lench, Church Lench & Harvington www.archbenefice.org.uk ARCH Benefice: parishes of Abbots Morton, Rous Lench, Church Lench and Harvington

Rector: The Reverend Canon Richard Thorniley 01386 870527 [email protected]

Curate: The Reverend Chris Sheehan 07977 072105 [email protected]

Office hours: 9.30am to 9.30pm Monday-Thursday, Saturday; day off: Friday; Sunday afternoons: quiet space Urgent pastoral matters – any time

Readings

2nd May Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 22:25-31; 1 John 4:7-21; John 15:1-8

9th May Acts 10:44-48; Psalm 98; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15:9-17

16th May Acts 1:15-17, 21-26; Psalm 1; 1 John 5:9-13; John 17:6-19

23rd May Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:26-37; Romans 8:22-27; Pentecost Sunday John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15

30th May Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17; John 3:1-17 Trinity Sunday

6th June Genesis 3:18-15; Psalm 130; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-3

13th June Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:6-17; Mark 4:26-34

20th June Job 38:1-11; Psalm 107:23-32; 2 Corinthians 6:1-13; Mark 4:35-41

27th June Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 125; 1 Peter 2:19-25; Matthew 16:13-19 Peter the Apostle

Please use the ‘Contact Us’ page on our website www.archbenefice.org.uk to submit editorial or enquire about advertising.

Thought for the month

Thank you

This year, our communication with family and friends has been different. We’ve not been able to meet in person so we Zoom and WhatsApp instead. This week in one group of my WhatsApp friends, three have been hit by the death or severe illness of family members and friends. It all happened within a couple of days, and has left the rest of us struggling to offer comfort and support. Yesterday, as I was thinking about writing this, the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was announced. The talk on television and radio, in print and online media has centred on his life, but also on how his funeral will be held at this time of Covid restrictions; and how the Royal Family will be able to offer comfort and support to the Queen and each other. On my WhatsApp group, one of my friends, responding to the tragedy of others said, after expressing her sympathy and compassion, that if there has been a positive over the last difficult year, it has been the rediscovery of community, with people helping one another through tears and laughter. It’s certainly true of our local community, where many people have been quietly helping their neighbours, and in the way so many people have volunteered, especially in delivering food and with the vaccine roll-out. In all the testimonies to the life of Prince Philip, two words have been repeated over and over, passion and service. His service to the Queen, our country and the wider world, through his work in securing playing fields for children, launching the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, championing environmental causes before it became popular, and of course his own military service in World War II. Jesus said that whatever we do for one another, it is as though we do it for him (Matthew 25:40). To all those who have helped others this year, and to the memory of Prince Philip – thank you. Gill Thorniley

Stop date for next issue: Monday 10th May

Rector’s Corner

Midweek Holy Replaced by recorded midweek reflection Communion (BCP): Tuesday prayers: Benefice prayers: Suspended until further notice Home Communion: Daily prayers: via Zoom – contact me for details 8.30am and 6pm (e-mail [email protected])

Due to Covid restrictions, Men’s Nights are not starting Men’s Night properly until June at the earliest

From the Registers

Church Lench 1st April Funeral Geoffrey Dainty Harvington 24th March Burial Audrey Burslem 16th April Funeral Roger Small

Pastoral Calls and Contacts During the pandemic, I have made phone calls to people who I thought needed a call and to those who were brought to my notice. If you know of anyone who could do with a call or help for any reason, please let me know. I am NEVER so busy that I cannot fit in a call to someone who needs it. If you want to get in touch, please do – it’s good to hear from you and I love a chat! Richard Thorniley

Churches are open for services

The Benefice churches are open on Wednesdays and Sundays for private prayer, and are open again for services. Current Covid restrictions remain in place AND we will keep this decision under constant review. We may need to change this decision at short notice. We have hand sanitiser available and must ask you to wear a mask when visiting. Further instructions and floor markings are in the churches to enable us all to remain safe. Churches are available for:

Weddings with a limit of 15 in the congregation Funerals with up to 30 in the congregation if church capacity permits Baptisms with numbers subject to the church’s capacity Please check the Government and Church of England websites for current regulations which are regularly updated. Numbers in our churches are currently limited to:

Abbots Morton: 20 Rous Lench: 20 (we hope to re-open the church in mid-May) Church Lench: 30 Harvington: 30 If you would like further information please get in contact with me, Richard Thorniley, on 01386 870527 or [email protected] or check the website www.archbenefice.org.

Collections – please keep helping local needs

PLEASE REMEMBER OUR NEIGHBOURS IN NEED

We are continuing to look for cleaning items, toiletries and similar, rather than food, as this is what our local food bank has requested. If you can, please drop your items into church on a Sunday or Wednesday and they will be delivered to Caring Hands in Evesham.

Notices

th th th Heating oil delivery dates for Thursdays: 13 May, 10 June, 8 July, th th th the ARCH buying group 12 August, 9 September, 8 October Phone your order to Evesons by 5pm on the Evesons Fuels: 01905 775920 preceding Monday

Great Big Art Exhibition is still open ... and WELL DONE

Get creative... The response to Sir Anthony Gormley’s A Great Big Art Exhibition has been superb. Thank you to everyone who has taken part – and let’s keep it going. Your local church is inviting you to put up a temporary art installation, (subject to editing or moving if required) in the churchyard. The installation will remain in place until the end of May or possibly later – this is under review because of the quality of the work and the success of the project. Offer hope... In addition, write your hope(s) for 2021 on a card and use your local churchyard to hang them up. Cards will need to be weather-proofed if they are to be up for any length of time. They can be signed or anonymous. Our local churchyards are a community space which we can all use. This parish priest and your local church councillors are happy for you to use the churchyard to display your art creations and hopes for 2021. So do join in! Richard Thorniley

Notices

FLOWER FESTIVAL WALK STEP INTO A NEW ‘NORMAL’

On Saturday 26th June starting at 10am from St James’, Harvington, join a walk round our churches to celebrate a step into the new ‘normal’.

The churches of All Saints’, Church Lench, St Peter’s, Rous Lench, and St Peter’s, Abbots Morton, will be decorated with flowers for the festival and will be visited during the walk. The final destination will be Abbots Morton where we can enjoy a picnic in the church or churchyard.

There will be stops along the way.

Most of the walk will be on local paths with minimal use of roads, so appropriate footwear is required... and dress for whatever the weather may offer us on the day (suntan lotion essential!)

Please bring your own refreshments and arrange transport (if required) back home from Abbots Morton – or enjoy a lovely return walk.

Signing of registers at weddings – not required

New wedding regulations are starting at the beginning of May whereby couples no longer sign the wedding registers during the service. Marriage certificates will be sent to the couple’s home a few days after the wedding. The calling of banns in church is still required – this is the question that is put to the community, asking if anyone knows if there is any reason in law why the couple should not get married. If you would like further information, just ask! Richard Thorniley

How long, O Lord?

How long until life gets really back to normal, and the pandemic is brought under control? If you feel like asking God that, you’re in good company. This past year has taken its toll on our relationships, our economy and on our collective mental health. ‘How long, O Lord?’ is a question that has been commonly asked by the Bible’s poets, as well as many saints down the centuries. Mother Julian of Norwich, whose feast day we remember this month, asked the question back in the 14th century. She was no stranger to pandemics herself, having suffered from the plague in 1372. After much prayer and meditation, she was given an answer that has echoed down the centuries. In her Revelations of Divine Love she wrote that God had revealed to her that: ‘All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well... He said not “Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be dis-eased” but He said, “Thou shalt not be overcome.”’ That is a promise that we can hang on to: all shall be well in the end. But it is also necessary to add: if it is not well with you today, then it is not yet the end. This is a perspective on life that is full of faith, full of hope, and full of trust in the goodness and victory of God. The psalms are brimming with it, and always trust in God for the final outcome. We too can have this perspective, and perhaps share it with our neighbours.

Anaesthetic? As the manager of our hospital's cricket team, I was responsible for sorting out the equipment for the games. One day, as I walked through the surgery department carrying a bat that belonged to one of the surgeons, I passed several patients and their families in a waiting area and heard one man say to his wife, ‘Look, darling, here comes your anaesthetist.’

Pentecost

The celebration of Pentecost this month could be described as a birthday party for the Church, as we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit to the first disciples (Acts 2:1-13). What are we celebrating? God’s promise: The disciples obeyed Jesus’ instructions as they gathered in the upper room, ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised’ (Acts 1:4). They met expectantly in prayer for God’s promised gift. Just as we look forward to birthday presents, how eager are we to receive more of the Spirit in our lives? God’s power: ‘All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 2:4). The disciples needed the power of the Spirit to be different: not fearfully gathered behind locked doors, but energised to make Christ known. The Spirit can transform our lives into the likeness of Jesus and give gifts to equip our witness. Although the disciples’ experience of this power was overwhelming, it was essentially an encounter with God’s love. For us, this can be equally emotional or quiet, but all are included, and nobody is excluded from this experience. God’s purpose: The disciples ‘began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them’ (Acts 2:4). The Spirit empowered their witness, so that everyone heard them speaking in their own ‘native language’. We all have a story to tell of God’s activity in our lives and it’s the Spirit who translates our words and actions into a language that those around can understand! At Pentecost, 3,000 people were added to the church in one day! What do we expect of the Spirit in our day? ‘Let the Church return to Pentecost, and Pentecost will return to her. The Spirit of God cannot take possession of believers beyond their capacity of receiving Him’ (Andrew Murray). Revd Canon Paul Hardingham

A life without fellowship?

‘For many of us, life without God has turned out to be life without fellowship and shared meaning – and in the midst of the most disorientating, debilitating crisis most of us have ever known, that social tragedy now cries out for action.’ These striking words come at the end of a column in The Guardian by journalist John Harris, triggered by ticking the ‘no religion’ box as he completed his census form. Reflecting on the ravages of the pandemic and lockdown, he observed that in our individualistic, secular society most people lack ‘even the flimsiest of narratives to project on to what has happened, or any real vocabulary with which to talk about the profundities of life and death’. He comments on the visible comeback of symbols and rituals of religion as churches have been at the heart of community Covid experiences, including increases in searches for prayer and millions tuning in to online worship. He quotes research showing that church groups offer ‘solace and peace and relaxation and friendship, helping us in our spiritual quest for meaning and wellbeing.’ As Kingdom People, we are called to share hope and play a part in transforming our communities. So how are we to respond to this social tragedy? As we limp out of lockdown and dare to look forward, we can make space to regroup, to reflect, to process and to mourn. And we can invite our communities into safe spaces to do this alongside us as people of faith. So many new links have been forged as neighbourliness has grown with church members finding ways to bless and serve those around them who have been isolated and cut off from families and far-away friends. Many church members find it easier to serve practically than to broach the topic of someone’s spiritual needs, but we have the language and the wider narrative in which to frame and make some degree of sense of what has happened. We have tasted eternity. We know God’s peace which passes understanding, and we have a relationship with a God who heals and provides, who comforts and gives renewed purpose and hope. Gently offering the opportunity to a neighbour to discover this peace, healing and hope is something all of us can dare to do, even if we are shy to talk about our faith. There is a spiritual longing in a lonely and confused generation that has experienced a year like no other. We have a part to play in reaching out to those who yearn for something more, drawing alongside in the gentle sharing of our continued 10

Being brave?

Some time ago I was helping my grandson George into his car seat in the back of my car, when I accidentally banged his head. He started to cry. ‘Come on, George, be brave,’ I said. ‘But I don’t want to be brave,’ he objected. We all know that feeling. Sometimes life is hard and we know we have a need for courage, but somehow we just don’t want to be brave. We would rather give in, surrender to the difficulties and wallow in self-pity. The Bible seems to constantly exhort us to be brave, to be strong, to take heart, to be courageous. And life during a pandemic certainly calls for us to make a courageous response. But occasionally we may feel overwhelmed and ready to give in or give up. Perhaps you are reading this at just such a moment. Maybe this comes as a message to you from God so that you do not lose heart. He knows you and He sees your situation. And He speaks to encourage you, as He did to the church at Philadelphia, ‘I know that you have little strength’ (Revelation 3:8). He is the compassionate and understanding God who draws alongside us to give strength to the weary and power to the weak (Isaiah 40:29). You don’t have to do anything, simply turn to Him in your need and ask for help. You will discover, as the apostle Paul did, that when you are weak, then you are strong. His power will be demonstrated through your weakness. You can do whatever is required of you because He will give you strength. Tony Horsfall

A life without fellowship? (continued) own experience of the God who loves indiscriminately. Let’s ensure that as we give thanks for the chance to gather in worship with our church family once again and as we lament loss with those who understand, that we invite and include those who long for a way to make sense of it all, but who have only just begun to glimpse that church might be the place to find what they seek. Nikki Groarke, Archdeacon of Dudley

We chose to go to the moon

On 25th May 1961, President John F Kennedy announced to Congress that the United States ‘should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.’ This reflected the desire to catch up with the Soviet Union in the space race. Although an extremely challenging goal, it was finally achieved on 20th July 1969, when Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong stepped on to the Moon’s surface. Such a challenging mission required commitment and sacrifice from many people. What is our mandate, as people of God in today’s world? What challenge has been entrusted to us by God that requires our absolute commitment and sacrifice in these difficult days? When Jesus ascended into heaven, His last words to His disciples were significant, ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8). Our mission is to be witnesses for Jesus, making Him known in our workplaces, to our families and friends, as well as the wider community. A credible witness speaks of what they know personally. What is my story of how Jesus has changed my life? However, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower our witness, ‘you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you’ (Acts 1:8). The Spirit enables us to display the fruit of Jesus’ character and gifts us to be effective witnesses. ‘We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard’ (JFK, September, 1962 at Rice University). Revd Canon Paul Hardingham

Musings... The Moving Finger writes, and, having writ, moves on. And so, I stare and wonder – where does the ink come from?! The shin bone is a device for finding furniture in the dark. You do not need a parachute to skydive – you need a parachute to skydive twice.

On service sheets...

Happily, the Church of England still retains some singular parish clergy. Take the parish of St James-the-Least, whose elderly Anglo-Catholic vicar, Eustace, continues his correspondence to his nephew Darren, a recently-ordained low-church curate...

My dear Nephew Darren, When producing material for your magazine or church services, beware the computer spell-checker. We once let our own system check a Christmas carol sheet and, on the night, found ourselves obliged to sing ‘away in a manager’, mangers apparently being unknown to our machine. If you use special sheets regularly, it seems a law of nature – as with metal coat hangers – that they all intermingle while no one is watching. Thus, on Easter Day, half the congregation will have been issued with sheets for Harvest, which will only become obvious once the service begins. The first hymn will be entirely lost while sidesmen scuttle about looking for replacements, only to find that there won’t be enough of them anyway, and then the second hymn will be lost while others helpfully wander about church donating their sheets to those looking helpless and then trying to find someone to share with. Never, ever, print on them ‘Do not take home’ as this will only ensure everyone does so. I have sometimes wondered if the instruction ‘Take this sheet home for reference’ would ensure that they stayed neatly arranged in the pews after the service. And if it is a service where babies are likely to be present, be assured that many of the copies will be returned half chewed and coated with bits of whatever the infant had for breakfast. There must be a market for paper treated with a child-repellent flavour for such occasions. Anyone who thinks we are an unimaginative nation should visit a church after a special service to see how many places members of congregations can invent to hide the booklets: under kneelers, folded inside hymn books, among flower arrangements and behind heating pipes where no one can quite reach them. There they lurk reproachfully for the next ten years until mice solve the problem. No, stick to large, hard bound books. They are resistant to teeth and are too substantial to be hidden in pockets. Their only drawback is that they tend to fall victim to the pull of gravity at the quietest moments. Your loving uncle, Eustace 13

On why pews are better than chairs...

A double-bill of Uncle Eustace’s letters...

My dear Nephew Darren, While it was good to see you when you visited us last Sunday, your suggestion to our churchwardens that chairs would be far more comfortable than our pews was not well received. You must remember that significant numbers in any congregation firmly believe that the more uncomfortable they are, the holier they must be. Pews, generally designed several centuries ago when legs were shorter and bottoms smaller, are conducive neither to comfort nor sleep – although Colonel Marchington achieves the latter unerringly every Sunday within minutes of arrival. At least with pews, parishioners can make some pretence at kneeling, adopting that peculiar crouch only ever seen in church life. Attempt that with chairs and you are assured of sending the one in front sliding across the floor with a shriek. Chairs may be all very well in your own church, so you can create space for the delights of liturgical dance and baby clinics, but we prefer something more immovable. Little Miss Thripp has, over the years, created something of a nest where she sits, quietly bringing in cushions, travelling rugs and her own supply of books and peppermints. As for Major Hoare, I suspect he is installing a drinks cabinet in his pew. Pews, unlike rows of chairs, also create territorial behaviour. If a visitor should sit in a pew where regulars have sat for the last 50 years, it is regarded as if it were the invasion of Poland. One innocent family once chose the pew where generations of the Psmith family have sat since dinosaurs roamed the land. The Psmiths had no intention of ceding territory peacefully and so for the whole of Mattins, one pew which should have held 6 people sat 9. When they stood to sing, the line exploded into the aisles on both sides, returning to their compressed state, necessitating staggered shallow breathing, when re-seated. I will concede, however, that we made one mistake some years ago when the pews were re-varnished without having been fully cleaned first. The result is that every time the congregation stands, the organ is drowned out by the sound of tearing, as coats and jackets reluctantly part company with wood. Your loving uncle, Eustace 14

Rous Lench St Peter’s Church

CHURCH REPAIR UPDATE

As you may be aware the church has been closed for the past four months whilst it undergoes much-needed repairs to the roof. The contractors have been doing an excellent job and the work is carried out to a high standard. The vestry areas, which historically have been affected by water ingress and damp, are already beginning to dry out.

Cold weather and Covid have created delays and the works are now due to be completed by the end of April, a little later than planned. After a big clean and dust, it is hoped the church will be open by the middle of May.

ANYONE FOR TEA?

On Sunday 27th June (Covid restrictions permitting) between 3-5pm, we will be serving a delicious afternoon tea on the green. Please join us for a chat over a cuppa, scones and an enormous slice of cake – what could be better!

Following last year’s success, we will also be offering a delivery service for those who are unable to make it to the green. That way you can still join in and enjoy tea with friends and family in the comfort of your own home/garden. This will be delivered to your door between 2-3pm on the day. There will be a sweet and savoury option.

The cost will be £7.50 per tea and all proceeds will go towards St Peter’s Church Preservation Fund. There will also be a raffle, with some fantastic prizes. Please see enclosed flyer for further details. We hope to see you on the 27th!

Re-opening St Peter’s...

We hope to be able to re-open the church in mid-May Richard Thorniley

Rous Lench

CHURCHYARD MEMORIAL ROSES

Would you like to plant a rose in memory of a departed loved one? If so, there is space for a few more roses in the newly-created memorial rose bed. Adjacent to the rose bed is attractive bench seating providing the opportunity for a few moments of quiet reflection. If you are interested, please contact Lloyd Wing on ****** or ******@******.

COVID-19 FINANCIAL APPEAL – WAYS TO DONATE

Thank you for continuing to support us – your generosity is greatly appreciated. If you would like to donate to the appeal, please contact our Treasurer Lloyd Wing on ****** or e-mail [email protected].

One-off donations: if you would like to donate by bank transfer, our account details are name: PCC Rous Lench, number: ******, sort code: **-**-**.

Parish Giving scheme: to donate through the Parish Giving scheme, please call 0333 002 1271 or visit www.parishgiving.org.uk/home.

If you are a UK taxpayer, please consider Gift Aid – it makes a huge difference!

PRETTY POSIES

Some local mums were the lucky recipients of a hand-tied posy of colourful spring flowers on Mother’s Day. As the usual tradition of handing these out after the church service was not possible this year, the posies were left outside St Peter’s Church for people to collect and present to their mums.

A huge ’thank you’ to Martin Grinnell Funeral Services for sponsoring the flowers. We hope everyone who received a bunch enjoyed their lovely gift on this special day.

Rous Lench

HELP WITH CHURCHYARD MAINTENANCE

Thanks to the help of village volunteers, the churchyard is looking ready for the arrival of warmer weather, but we are planning to improve its appearance even further. If you have a spare hour or two each month and are up for some fresh air and exercise in a lovely setting, it would be great to hear from you. Please contact Lloyd Wing on ****** or ******@******. Thank you!

RAISE MONEY WHILE YOU SHOP

Did you know that it is incredibly easy (and free!) to raise money for St Peter’s Church whilst you shop online? With no extra effort or cost on your part, you can boost our fundraising and help us reach our target of £7,500 this year. There are thousands of retailers in the Easyfundraising scheme, including most of the large supermarkets and department stores, who give a small donation to St Peter’s every time you shop with them.

So whether you are doing your weekly shop or making a large purchase such as a washing machine, please do it through Easyfundraising. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3...

1. Register on the Easyfundraising website and name St Peter’s Rous Lench as your nominated charity. You can sign up at: www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/churchofstpeterrouslench. Click on ‘support this cause’ to join. 2. Every time you shop online, go into the Easyfundraising site first and select the shop you want to use. You will then be directed to their website and can shop as usual. 3. You can opt to donate automatically by registering for the donation reminder which is handy and means that all your purchases are captured automatically. You will be given regular updates on how much you have raised individually and how much has been donated to the charity as a whole. It’s amazing how quickly it mounts up and every little helps. So please take a few minutes to register with Easyfundraising and help your church every time you shop. So far, £65.38 has been raised by 11 supporters, and with your help we can raise a lot more. Thank you for your continued support.

Rous Lench

CARING HANDS

Do not forget that you can continue to leave your donations of canned and dried goods as well as cleaning materials and toiletries when you go out for your permitted daily exercise. There is a yellow box behind the buttress on the left-hand side of St. Peter’s that is checked regularly, and all items are taken to Caring Hands in the Vale for distribution to those in need. Please ensure you follow government guidelines and wash/sanitise your hands when you get home after leaving items. Thank you.

ROUS LENCH VILLAGE HALL (www.rouslench.com)

Tuesday 11th May, 7pm: AGM To be held via Zoom. The link will be available on the Lenches calendar.

Wanted: new secretary The Village Hall is in need of a new secretary! Anyone who would be willing to volunteer for this role, please contact the committee at [email protected].

Defibrillator The new defibrillator, financed by Wychavon District Council and supported by the Parish Council, is due to be placed on Rous Lench Village Hall. More updates to follow. We thank all those who made this happen.

Hall hire for private events Rous Lench Village Hall is available for hire for private events such as parties, anniversaries, receptions etc. For conditions and prices, please look on our website under the hall hire section, call ****** or e-mail [email protected].

More musings I asked my mother if I was a gifted child. She said I must be, because they certainly wouldn't have paid for me. I dream of a better tomorrow where chickens can cross the road and not have their motives questioned.

Church Lench All Saints’ Church

THANK YOU

To all the ARCH Benefice, Jenny Dainty would like to thank everyone for all their kindness, care and love that she has received, on the sad death of Geoff, her husband.

VILLAGE HALL

From 17th May, we will be able to welcome hall bookings. We have updated the details for hiring the hall on the Lenches website www.thelenches.org.uk. However, if you want to make a tentative enquiry now, please contact Lisa Seabourne at [email protected].

The results of the March draw for our 100 Club were as follows: 1st Prize (£25) Nikki Gossage 2nd Prize (£15) Ken Jones 3rd Prize (£10) Jack Harrison

If you didn’t get the chance to buy one of our Lenches mugs or a pack of our note cards at the end of last year, we still have stock left. Please contact one of the village hall committee members to make your purchase.

THE LENCHES CLUB

Please note the AGM date has been deferred until we can all get together. Please refer to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/lenchesclub for a new date when we know it is safe for us to meet.

Memberships are now due

For new members, membership forms will be emailed to you if you message the Facebook page or ask for one from the bar staff when the club is open.

For new and existing members, BACS payments should be made to: The Lenches Club, 30-93-11, 00221400 using your surname as the reference.

We look forward to seeing you all.

Church Lench First School News

Our community As the children and staff remain in bubbles it has been difficult to communicate with each other. During the last two weeks each class has sent messages, stories or gifts to the other classes to maintain our strong Christian community. Class 1 children planted sunflower seeds for every child and sent a video message explaining who they are and what they like. Class 2 pupils have taken it in turns to read a story called Super Worm by J Donaldson and sent this as a video to all the classes. Class 3 made Easter baskets for all the children and recorded video messages. The children have loved hearing and receiving things from their peers and show such care, love and compassion towards others. Easter We held individual class assemblies this week to reflect upon the meaning of Easter and the importance of this Christian festival. Children also carried out class activities linked to the Easter story and how this important festival focuses on faith, love and hope. New outdoor gym equipment We have some amazing new sports equipment! Using our PE grant, we have had five pieces of outdoor gymnastic equipment installed on the field. The children absolutely love using them and it’s a great way to keep fit and active at break and lunchtimes! Le Jog (Lands End to John O’Groats) It is so important for our positive mental health and wellbeing to stay fit and active. With the help of one of our governors, we have set a school challenge to cover the distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats! We have set up a mission for all pupils and staff to walk, run, swim, row the 852 miles between John O’Groats and Land’s End from Friday 2nd April onwards. It’s a long way!! We are all going to work hard as a team to achieve our school goal by the end of the summer term. We will keep the community updated with our mission! Mrs S Price, Headteacher

Church Lench

LENCHES WI ([email protected], www.facebook.com/thelencheswi)

Although we are starting to come out of lockdown, we will continue to hold our meetings via Zoom. Our next meeting will be Monday 17th May at 11am. New members would be most welcome and also past WI members.

SOUTH LENCHES PARISH COUNCIL (www.southlenchesparishcouncil.org)

Tuesday 4th May, 7pm: Annual Parish Meeting The Annual Parish Meeting, a meeting for all parishioners in the South Lenches area, will be held virtually, starting with a presentation on the progress of the Amphitheatre Legacy Project. All parishioners are welcome to attend. The Annual Parish Meeting of the Council will follow. Any parishioners wishing to join the meetings please contact the Clerk for details.

Government Regulations at present allow for virtual meetings until 7th May, with meetings following that date to be held in person. Please look at the Parish Council website for further information.

THE LENCHES TENNIS CLUB

Get fit and have fun after lockdown Enjoy the resurfaced courts and wonderful view of the Malvern Hills

Come and join us as a member or for coaching New members will be made most welcome No membership fee for adult or junior players who attend our courses

Adult and Children’s Courses Now available for all abilities during the day and in the evenings For more details on tennis coaching courses and membership please contact ******@******

Church Lench

OPEN AIR THEATRE IN THE LENCHES

It’s been a long time in the gestation, but construction work will be starting in June on our very own open air theatre. And you can be part of this dramatic addition to our local facilities.

The South Lenches Parish Council and the Lenches Sports Club have worked together to make the theatre a reality. The £95K grant from Wychavon set the project on its way, and the support from national and local businesses has been amazing: Jewson have supplied the bricks and the tiles for the roof. Millboard are providing the decking for the wrap-around balcony and Karndean, together with The Flooring Studio, are providing the flooring. All these materials are being donated free of charge.

These generous donations will allow us to create a truly iconic facility. We need a little help to supply the finishing touches. So we are looking to readers of the ARCH Messenger to sponsor a brick in the new building. Your name will be engraved on a brick which will face onto the theatre. If you would like to help provide this community facility, please contact [email protected] for details.

The church roof was a matter of urgent concern

Harvington St James’ Church

PASTORAL SUPPORT NETWORK

Well it’s been a tedious time, but it seems that the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer. Most of us are able to get out and about a little bit more, and the sight of the spring blossom and colourful gardens is making things feel more optimistic.

So, as always, the Pastoral Support team are ready to help where they can. Like everyone else, we are still mindful of the need to take care and follow the government guidelines, but we are able to manage safely so if you need shopping, help to get to an appointment, small jobs around the home or simply a friendly chat, do feel free to get in touch with us on ******.

We generally suggest a contribution of 45p per mile towards our volunteers’ petrol and running costs. However, we appreciate that for some this may be a stretch, especially in the present circumstances. Thanks to some very generous donations from some villagers, we have been able to build up a small hardship fund, which we will happily use so that no-one need feel deterred from asking for help. Stay safe and smiling if you can. Wendy and Konrad Monks (Coordinators)

GARDENING TEAM

Thank you for your outstanding support at our first meeting of the season. I hope you enjoyed yourselves and that you will continue to give your help throughout the season.

Our next meeting is on Saturday 15th May when the team will be working from 9.30am to 12noon, with a coffee break around 11 am, conforming to all Government rules that apply at that time. An extra pair of hands are welcomed by the team for any period during the morning.

If you have any questions, please ring Joy or Julian on ******. Clive Allen

Harvington First School News

Life in school We hope you all enjoyed the Easter break. Although life continues to be quite different in school, we are still finding ways to follow our usual calendar. The children could not gather together for our Easter service but we collected a contribution from each class and combined them in a video. Revd Richard also shared his reflections about the Easter story and what it means to Christians throughout the world. The children designed and made Easter cards and also some Easter gardens, filling them with crosses, eggs, flowers and signs of new life. The Early Years classes held a traditional Easter bonnet parade and then every class enjoyed an Easter egg hunt in our lovely grounds. Christian value This term our Christian value focus is ‘Respect’. In the Bible Jesus treated every person equally, regardless of status, gender or wealth. There are many accounts of Jesus helping those who have been forgotten, ignored or deemed unworthy. In school we follow this, teaching that every child and adult is uniquely precious and worthy of respect and kindness. Our school values everyone equally and is proactive in ensuring that no individual is disadvantaged or treated differently. As a Church of England school we strive to create a culture that is characterised by openness, empathy and respect. The children show respect throughout their day by addressing others using their names, by saying ‘good morning’ and by looking after our school. We are focusing on these questions: How do we show respect at home and at school? How can you show respect for someone with whom you disagree? How do we show respect in our day to day lives? How does our vision of ‘Together we love, learn and grow’ teach us about respect? How can we help children develop empathy towards others? Helen Fishbourne, Headteacher

Harvington

HARVINGTON EMERGENCY FUND

DON’T FORGET: if you are in need, or know of someone in need

St James’ Church is managing an emergency fund on behalf of the community to support people who are in need. If you know of someone, a person or family, who is in need or if you are that person or family and need an emergency helping hand, please get in touch.

Contact ****** and we will offer what support we can.

Richard Thorniley

‘After a year of working from home, Anthony will seize any opportunity to put on a suit’

There didn’t seem to be anyone in

Abbots Morton St Peter’s Church

IN MEMORY OF HRH PRINCE PHILIP

In line with other churches in the ARCH Benefice, St Peter's opened its doors each day for the first time in many months to enable private prayer following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh on 9th April.

Covid rules still apply but the church is well equipped with sanitising gel, sheets of A4 paper for people to take and place on their seat and dispose of afterwards, and a QR code on the door for people to register with Test, Trace and Isolate.

SERVICES EVERY SUNDAY

Services began again on 4th April with a service of Holy Communion on Easter Sunday. The usual pattern of 11am Morning Services on the 1st and 3rd Sundays and 8.30am Holy Communion services on the 2nd and 4th Sunday has resumed. Please don't enter the church if you have symptoms of Covid-19 or have tested positive for the virus. Once inside, you must wear a face mask and observe the rules of social distancing and hand sanitising. A QR code is pinned on the door to enable mobile phone users to register with the Government's Test and Trace system, and there will be someone in the church at the start of each service taking names and contact details for the purpose of Test, Trace and Isolate.

As Covid restrictions change we will post information on the St Peter's page on the Parish Council's website: www.abbotsmorton.info/st-peters-church

FLOWER ROTA

Flowers are now being placed in the church again. Those on the flower rota, please keep in touch with Gill Barker on ******.

VESTRY REPAIRS

The five-yearly inspection of the structure of the church (the quinquennial) will take place later this month. The PCC is waiting to hear how much repairs are likely to cost after cracks were found in walls of the church vestry.

Abbots Morton

FLOWER FESTIVAL

Saturday/Sunday 26th/27th June The Flower Festival will take place again this summer! It will be organised with due regard to any Coronavirus rules which may or may not be in force at the time. More details in the June issue of the ARCH Messenger.

FLOWER FESTIVAL ‘INDOOR PICNIC’

Sunday 27th June, 12noon for 12.30pm Instead of the traditional Flower Festival Lunch, this year it is planned to stage a Covid-safe Indoor Picnic in the village hall whereby people will bring their own food and drink. It will be an opportunity for people in the community, whether Christian churchgoers or not, to come together in a Covid–secure way following months of lockdowns and socialising restrictions.

It will not be a fundraising event for the church and there will be no raffle or entry fee. To maintain social distancing, it is inevitable that numbers will be somewhat restricted, so you are asked to reserve your seats as soon as possible. Lynne Pemberton is co-ordinating bookings so please contact her on ****** or ******@******.

VILLAGE HALL (www.abbotsmorton.info/abbots-morton-village-hall)

New chair of the Village Hall committee Lynne Pemberton has taken over as Chair of the committee following Melanie Clarke's decision to step down after seven years at the helm. Mel has decided to leave the committee completely because of other calls on her time.

Lynne paid tribute to Mel's sterling work, taking over at a difficult time for the hall and seeing it develop into a vibrant, financially-secure community building.

Sunday 27th June: Indoor Picnic The village hall will be the venue for the Indoor Picnic get-together organised by St Peter's church. There will be good ventilation... and by then the weather should be good.

Abbots Morton

VILLAGE HALL (CONTINUED)

Election on 6th May The village hall will become a Covid-secure polling station on 6th May for the election of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and a County Councillor. Covid-mitigation measures will be in force at the hall and Wychavon District Council are employing extra staff to ensure that correct social distancing is followed. Voters are asked to bring their own pencils or pens but a poll clerk will be available to sterilise any pencils provided by the council. The Electoral Service Manager at Wychavon has said she is reassured by how comprehensive our Covid mitigation measures are.

Voters will find a sanitising gel dispenser on the wall at the front entrance and there is a one-way system in operation, exiting through the fire doors onto the patio. For full details of our Covid measures, see www.abbotsmorton.info/wp- content/uploads/2020/08/Village-Hall-summer-Newsletter-2020.pdf.

Bookings Sadly, the JUMP ballet classes on Wednesday afternoons and evenings will not be resuming after the Covid lockdown. Many thanks to Helena Mitchell who has been with us for many years but her circumstances have now changed. Yoga classes cannot resume until at least 17th May.

We are, however, proving popular as a wedding reception and birthday party venue. Fortunately the Government has provided Covid recovery grants giving us a cushion against lost revenue for the next few years.

EasyFundraising and Amazon Smile Our 23 EasyFundraisers have now raised £753.34 for the village hall. Thank you so much to them... and if you want to become our 24th EasyFundraiser simply search for EasyFundraising in your web browser and follow the prompts. Please put Abbots Morton Village Hall as your good cause.

Amazon Smile customers have also raised £30.86 for our funds. You too can support the hall by visiting the webpage smile.amazon.co.uk and following the prompts. Thank you.

Abbots Morton

VILLAGE HALL (CONTINUED)

The trustees The current Management Committee of the village hall now comprises:

Lynne Pemberton (Chair and PCC representative) Pat Willingale (Secretary) Sarah Dykes (Treasurer) Colin Pemberton (Bookings Officer and PRO Martin Willingale (Parish Council representative)

Services

Home & Garden

Leisure/Home & Garden

Leisure/Dining

Key to Church Services

BCP Book of Common Prayer Service (all other communion services use the Common Worship liturgy) CH Caring Hands collection 34

Harvington 9.30am 9.30am Service Morning 9.30am Communion Holy 9.30am Communion Holy 9.30am Communion Holy

Church Lench Church 11am 11am Communion Holy 11am Service Morning Holy 8.30am (BCP) Communion 11am Festival Flower Communion Holy

Rous Lench Rous 8.30am Holy Holy 8.30am (BCP) Communion 10.30am Service Morning 10.30am Service Family 6.30pm of Festival Flower Praise

ARCH Benefice 2021 Benefice June ARCH

Everyone (of any age) will be made very welcome at all our services allour at welcome very made be will age) any (of Everyone

Abbots Morton Abbots 11am 11am Service Morning Holy 8.30am (BCP) Communion 11am Service Morning 11am Festival Flower Service Morning

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June June June

June

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6 13 20 27 Apostle the Peter key on p34 on key (

35 ARCH Benefice May 2021

(key on p34) Abbots Morton Rous Lench Church Lench Harvington

nd 2 May 11am 11am 9.30am Morning Service Holy Communion Morning Service

th 9 May 8.30am Holy 11am Morning 9.30am Communion (BCP) Service & APCM Holy Communion

th 16 May 11am 10.30am 8.30am Holy 9.30am Morning Service Morning Service Communion (BCP) Holy Communion

23rd May 8.30am Holy 11am 9.30am Pentecost Sunday Communion (BCP) Holy Communion Holy Communion

30th May 10am Trinity Sunday Benefice Communion

Everyone (of any age) will be made very welcome at all our services