August-September 2019

Walesby Churches St Thomas the Apostle, www.walesbychurches.org Rector’s letter August 2019

Dear Friends, baptism, marriage and funeral services This issue of the Wolds Witness will and bring it back in use for the 21st within the church building. We may start a series focussing on one of our century. A shining beacon of hope in the Do you ever wonder how visible we are no longer live in a predominantly churches in particular. This time we will world and the heart of its community. to the communities we serve? Do you ‘theologically’ Christian country, but look at St Thomas the Apostle in North Let the warmth of our welcome, reflect ever consider how we can make our we most definitely live in a ‘culturally’ Willingham. Many of you will know the the magnificence of our churches and presence felt more in the places that we Christian country. difficult issues with St Thomas’ at the the Glory of God. live? Do you ever feel like we are side- present time. Because of structural lined and from the perspective of the It is our church buildings towering over Yours in Christ issues we have had to lock the building general populous, that we are no longer most of our towns and villages that are and not use it for services. Yet we needed? the physical outworking of this cultural believe St Thomas’ has a bright future, Christianity. Buildings built to enable If so you are probably in good company, and as we meet as a church in homes prayer and worship, but also for those with all those people who were faithful across the parish, we are determined to passages of life as we move from cradle and trusting in our Lord down from the restore the building to its former glory to grave. birth of Christianity. Our job has always been a difficult one, an uphill struggle. We often complain about our buildings as being the financial ball and chain Yet, there aren’t many organised groups around our legs. Yet I would like to of people who can say they have a suggest it is our magnificent churches willing and active presence in every (as buildings) built to the Glory of God, community in this country. So surely that keep the undercurrent of Cultural we have a good start to do our work. Christian connectivity alive and kicking. We don’t even have to advertise our They are without doubt the best presence, people know we are there! marketing tool we have. And for the many who do not come to church, there is still some comfort in Nearly every town and village has a knowing that we are there ... how do I Christian symbol standing proud at its know that, well – just try and close your heart in their church. A beacon of light, church building and see the uproar it love and hope in the midst of a difficult creates! world. Within the Walesby Group we have some magnificent church It strikes me that while it is the church buildings, with prayer soaked walls as ‘the body of Christ’ that is often from centuries past, creating places of invisible, often not effective, often seen sanctuary. They are amazing and we as out of touch, it is the church as a should be proud of them, as they stand ‘building’ that is powerfully symbolic the buffeting of weather and time and of our Christian heritage, morals and do not buckle or shy from their duty as ethics; symbolic of each generation’s sentinels to Christ. Are we able to say connection with the one before. A the same? connection of place, made through page 2 page 3 Visit Westminster Abbey As we move towards SeptemberHarvest and our Harvest Festivals this year will take I have acquired a number of free entry For your information: October our harvest celebrations take on a general theme of ‘Creationtide’. passes to visit Westminster Abbey. Current entry charges are Adult £21, centre stage. This is a time when we as Christians are If any Church member or their family Concession £18 and Child £9 (if called upon to pay special attention to are going to and would like to Harvest Festivals are a traditional purchased on Line). our responsibility for the earth and for all use the pass, then please contact me. part of our village life, reflecting the that lives upon it. Each service will offer Each pass admits up to 4 visitors free of Sundays are free to enter, as worship bounty God has bestowed upon us. its own perspective on this. I do hope charge to the Abbey. The only condition takes precedence and there is no Yet we need to balance that with the you enjoy the season, the services and is that the passes are returned to me as sightseeing. responsibility of good stewardship He maybe a supper or two! they can be used up to six times in the also bestowed upon us. To that end, Fr Chris twelve months from the date of first use, Sunday 15th Sept (6pm) Village Harvest Festival before they expire. Sunday 22nd Sept (6pm) Harvest Festival & Buffet Supper Sunday 29th Sept (3pm) Claxby Harvest Festival Friday 4th Oct (6.30pm) Walesby Harvest Festival & Buffet Supper Saturday 5th Oct (5.00pm) Harvest Festival & Hot Supper Wednesday 9th Oct (6.15pm) Croxby Harvest Festival Wednesday 16th Oct (6.30pm) Thoresway Harvest Festival & Hot Supper Friday 18th Oct (6pm) North Willingham Harvest Festival & Buffet Supper Friday 18th Oct (TBA) Claxby Harvest Supper Sunday 20th Oct (4pm) Harvest Festival Friday 25th Oct (6.30pm) Harvest Festival & Hot Supper

page 4 page 5 Wolds Witness A Consultation St Thomas Recently a number of discussions have opinions on the Wilds Witness as we been held regarding the usefulness, currently provide it. It takes much cost effectiveness and purpose of the ministry time to produce from both the Apostle Wolds Witness. To help this discussion me, Elaine and Mike English … are we we would be interested to know your spending our time wisely? North Willingham Some simple questions may be helpful to reflect upon. There must have been a church on the History & site around the time of the Domesday 1. Is it useful? book, as records exist of 2. Why do you say that? Background priory appointing vicars throughout 3. Do you read it? The first thing that stands out when the middle ages. The first known vicar 4. What do you use it for? taking a look at the exterior of the being Andrew of Normanby in about 5. How would you feel about it being totally on-line? church of St Thomas the Apostle is 1220. Sixhills priory was founded about 6. Currently it is issued every two months: Should it be monthly? Should it be its physical difference to all the other 1150, belonging to the Gilbertine order, quarterly? parish churches that make up the established by priest Gilbert 7. Currently it only goes to church members, do you think in a modified format it Walesby group. It is built of softer green of Semperingham. The Gilbertine order should be a publication that goes to every household in our villages? sandstone rather than the orange- was the only medieval ‘solely English’ 8. Do you ever access the same information on the website? If not why not? brown ironstone generally used, and order of religious life. it is largely a Classical Georgian style, The church records pre-date the current I really look forward to your opinions on this. Please reply either by email, phone or whereas the others are either medieval church and go back in some form to drop me a note. or Victorian Gothic revival. The village 1658. The records are today stored itself of North Willingham is also different Please be assured that we are just asking the question, with no view to do anything for safe keeping in the Lincolnshire in that it lies at the foot of the Wolds, at this time. Fr Chris Archives. There is a substantially rather than in them and its name complete set of ‘Parish Officer’records is Anglo-Saxon rather than having commencing 1795 which throw much Scandinavian origins. June-July 2019 April ~ May 2019 light on the nature of life in Georgian The current church was built in 1777 Willingham. Officials then elected by by Ayscough Boucherett, in what was ‘the Vestry’ had to cope with law and June - July 2018 then the fashionable Georgian Classical order, local government and church style. The Boucherett family had upkeep. Nothing much has changed dominated the surrounding area since through time and it seemed, as is the late 17th century. The village and also often the case today, one or two Church surrounding lands being first acquired hard-working villagers held all the Growth by Matthew Boucherett, a French offices of the church: churchwarden, Hugenot (protestant) refugee, who first surveyor of highways, overseer of the became a London apothecary and poor and parish constable. Also, the of the Lord Walesby Churches Walesby Churches www.walesbychurches.org www.walesbychurches.org merchant, before setting himself up as a churchwardens responsibilities included Lincolnshire country gentleman. surplice washing twice a year! page 6 page 7 In 1790 the Boucherett family built the The Georgian style is simple and great, but now demolished mansion of plain. No images of Saints adorn Willingham House to the West of the the windows, this would have been village. It remained an important focus considered too idolatrous for the puritan even after the Boucherett family had sentiments of 1777. The West Gallery of died out in 1905. Willingham was an the church, in the years before organs estate village until the final break-up of and formal church music, would have the estate in 1942. It must have been probably housed the choir or ‘church a successful and important place with band’ a rather haphazard assembly of a population of 234 in 1851. Around strings and woodwind instruments that the same time Archdeacon Bonney on would have accompanied psalms and in inspecting the church reported it as hymns. being in good order, in 1895 however Originally the Nave would have the tower had to be extensively contained box pews, similar to the few repaired. remaining pews that can be seen in the North Aisle of Walesby ‘Old Church’. The Church These were removed and what is presently in place are typically Victorian. St Thomas’ stands adjacent to the to Louth road. With the increase in traffic over the recent The Church years parking has become difficult. The Today church is often bypassed by visitors as the easier option. It is undoubtedly Until recently St Thomas’ has been in Georgian in style with its West Gallery regular use with monthly services of still intact, yet untypical in other ways Holy Communion and well attended having no aisle, a narrow nave and a Harvest and Christmas celebrations. very distinct chancel. This all suggests It also used to operate as the Polling the footprint of the current church is Station and as the only community very similar to that of the medieval building in North Willingham also a church it replaced. Indeed the lower public meeting space. It is well loved by tiers of stone suggest they are from an the village, which makes it even more earlier era. The tower is medieval and difficult to contemplate it in its current is considered to date from the 13th state of repair. I refer, of course, to the century, heightened by contrasting difficult decision taken to temporarily ironstone in the 14th century. In close the church for worship and other 1895 architect CJ Fowler repaired uses, as it is considered potentially and modified the top of the tower unsafe. introducing battlements and pinnacles. As a church which has no heating system and also suffers from perennial page 8 page 9 moisture ingress from various sources, that, this is exactly what they want and there has been a substantial amount must do. of decay to the fabric and structure Architects have assessed the building of the building, most of it hidden from and an indicative quote of £320,000 view. Recently in the interior large areas has been offered as the suggested cost of plaster have started to sag and fall of the works. At first sight a tall order from the Chancel ceiling, and a large as most of that must be raised from section of cornice and ceiling, in the grant funding, something that is not as Nave, have fallen into the West Gallery. easy as it used to be. Churches today Demonstrating the failure of some parts get no special privileges, indeed to ask of the fabric at high level. Externally to repair a building solely for worship, quoin stones have started to move will not get you through the initial listing outwards at the south east corner of process and nowhere near the short list. the Nave, suggesting some structural difficulties in this area. To be successful in major grant applications places of worship need to For public safety, in consultation with the be open day to day, to show community archdeacon, the decision to temporarily involvement and a need for the building close the church was taken. Access in addition to its use for worship. for the general public is prohibited until Additionally, a demonstration of its architectural and structural assessments importance from a heritage perspective have been completed and it is is needed. declared ‘fit for use’. In the meantime the body of Christ, in the form of the Worship, being open day to day and in congregation of North Willingham, are use by the community are fairly easy to still worshipping as they did before but demonstrate in the case of St Thomas’. now in the houses of parishioners. This What about its heritage though? has proven to be a very sustainable and successful option as we try to get the It is a building different in style to most church building back into use. in the local area, it does have many of its original features intact, and that The Future can be argued as physical heritage, but the most important aspect to its To take a church in this modern world claim to heritage is its undoubted and want to not just make it safe, connection to the Boucherett family, and but bring it back into use and take its their importance locally and nationally, place centre stage in the heart of a especially in the person of Jesse village community is not something Boucherett. to be considered by the faint of heart. However the congregation and PCC of St Thomas’ have taken the decision page 10 page 11 such an extent that many were reduced Jesse Boucherett to seek the support of the workhouse. 1825 -1905 Jessie Boucherett realized that unless girls had better schooling, they would Jesse Boucherett was born at not benefit from wider opportunities for Willingham house in 1825, into the employment. She set up a school to landed family of Ayscough Boucherett remedy this, concentrating mainly on who built St Thomas’ in 1777. A very arithmetic. This enabled them to obtain wealthy woman, who spent long periods employment in occupations such as of the year in London, becoming ‘clerks, cashiers and ticket sellers at socially and politically aware of the plight railway stations’. of working women in the mid-Victorian era. As public awareness of the society grew, more important names joined the After reading the journalist and writer committee - the Earl of Shaftesbury as Harriet Martineau’s article ‘Female President, the Bishops of London and Industry’ in the Edinburgh Review in Oxford, and William Gladstone MP. 1859, she was moved to found the Society for Promoting the Employment In 1865, a permanent salaried Secretary of Women (SPEW). This changed her was appointed - Gertrude King - her life, but more importantly the lives of salary of £100 being met by Jessie. She many thousands, if not millions, of held the post for the next 50 years! women since. Jesse’s work and commitment to the The committee of the new Society Society also paved the way for many met for the first time on July 7 1859. It girls to be apprenticed in a wide variety comprised 12 women and 4 men and of occupations which had previously established an office in Great Castle been open only to men, such as: Street, London. Later it moved to china-painting; gilding; hairdressing; Langham Place and became known as photography; telegraphy and watch- the Langham Place Group. making. It also enabled other important ‘firsts’, such as helping the first two The aims of the Society were clearly women to be accepted for training laid out - to open more occupations as hospital dispensers, as well as to women. Around two million women spearheading women’s admittance to needed to work for a living and the Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered ‘great want of employment’ for them led Accountants. to distress and suffering. The traditional occupations of teaching, domestic Jessie Boucherett was a dominating service and needlework, now so presence in the Society for the first overcrowded, that employers were able 50 years of its existence. Using her to force down wages and conditions to own money, which by now had been page 12 page 13 Now, Jesse Boucherett is a much talked Readings for the Principal Services of the day, Year C of woman and substantial research is The First three Readings are used at services of Holy Communion, only the two taking place into her life and the impact shown in bold are used at other services. (The Psalm may be used at any service at she had on the world of women’s rights. the discretion of the minister leading the service.) As part the development and restoration 4th August, Trinity 7 - Green of St Thomas’ church the PCC would , Colossians 3: 1-11, , (Ps 49: 1-9). like to ensure that more information on Ecclesiastes 1: 2,12-14; 2:18-23 Luke 12: 13-21 Jesse is available to the general public. 11th August, Trinity 8 - Green They hope to incorporate her life, works Genesis 15: 1-6, Hebrews 11: 1-3, 8-16, Luke 12: 32-40, (Psalm 33: 12-21). and achievements into a permanent exhibition at St Thomas’. 18th August, Trinity 9 - Green Jeremiah 23: 23-29, Hebrews 11: 29 – 12: 2, Luke 12: 49-56, (Psalm 82). Where next ... 25th August, Trinity 10 - Green The PCC working alongside Fran Bell Isaiah 58: 9b-14, Hebrews 12: 18-29, Luke 13: 10-17, (Psalm 103: 1-8). and Matthew Godfrey, the Community 1st September, Trinity 11 - Green and Heritage Buildings Officers of the Proverbs 25: 6-7, Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16, Luke 14: 1,7-14, (Psalm 112). , are preparing to advertise for tenders for a development 8th September, Trinity 12 - Green phase of the project that it is able to Deuteronomy 30: 15-20, Philemon vv 1-21, Luke 14: 25-33, (Psalm 1). considerably enhanced by a further fund itself. Owing to the prospective 15th September, Trinity 13 - Green inheritance of £16,000 (around cost of the development phase, £1,100,000 today) from her mother and anticipated at around £25,000, we Exodus 32: 7-14, 1Timothy 1: 12-17, Luke 15: 1-10, (Psalm 51: 1-11). an income of £1,000 a year, from 1877, are obliged to ask for three tenders 22nd September, Trinity 14 - Green after her last brother died. Then she from supervising architects because Amos 8: 4-7, 1Timothy 2: 1-7, Luke 16: 1-13, (Psalm 113). inherited the entire estate after her sister when the final implementation phase is died in 1895. undertaken we will be over the required 29th September, St Michael & All Angels – White The second great enthusiasm of her life tender threshold. Genesis 28:10-17, Revelation 12: 7-12, John 1: 47-end, (Psalm 103: 19-end) was the women’s suffrage campaign, We are determined to reopen St 6th October, Dedication Festival – Gold/White which began in the offices of the society Thomas’ in due course and return to, 1 Chronicles 29: 6-19, Ephesians 2: 19-22, John 2: 13-22, (Psalm 122). and which she financed with its first £25 the village and to generations to come, (around £2000 today). a living sentinel to our Christian faith. 13th October, Trinity 17 - Green 2 Kings 5: 1-3, 7-15, 2 Timothy 2: 8-15, Luke 17: 11-19, (Psalm 111). Jesse died in 1905, the last of the If you would like to know more about Boucherett line. Her body was interred Jesse Boucherett, please go to the link 20th October, Trinity 18 - Green in St Thomas’ churchyard, where on the North Willingham page of our Genesis 32: 22-31, 2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:5, Luke 18: 1-8, (Psalm 121). she rests today. A daughter of North website. www.walesbychurches.org Willingham who made a real difference 27th October, Bible Sunday - Green to the lives and conditions of millions of Isaiah 45: 22-25, Romans 15: 1-6, Luke 4: 16-24, (Psalm 119: 129-136). women then and now. page 14 page 15 Group Services for August Group Services for August (cont.) Sunday 4th Trinity 7 Monday 26th August August Walesby (Old 4pm Summer Songs of Revd CH North 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Church) Praise Willingham Brookenby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Walesby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Bishop Nigel Peyton Group Services for September Tealby 10.45am Morning Praise CW Clarissa Turner Normanby 6pm Evening Prayer BCP Revd CH Sunday 1st September Trinity 11 Sunday 11th Trinity 8 North 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH August Willingham Claxby 9am Holy Communion Revd CH Brookenby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd ET Stainton 9am Morning Prayer BCP Roy Sutton Walesby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Thoresway 9am Holy Communion CW Revd Keith Tomlin Tealby 10.45am Morning Praise CW Leslie Giller Brookenby 10.45am Methodist Service Methodist Led Normanby 6pm Evening Prayer BCP Revd CH Walesby 10.45am NO SERVICE Wednesday 4th September Tealby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Tealby 10am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Kirmond 6pm Evening Prayer BCP Revd CH Thursday 5th September Sunday 18th Trinity 9 Brookenby 10am Holy Communion CW Revd CH August Sunday 8th September Trinity 12 Normanby 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH/LG Claxby 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd ET Brookenby 10.45am Morning Praise Janine Shackleton Stainton 9am Morning Prayer BCP Roy Sutton Walesby 10.45am Morning Praise CW Lay Led Thoresway 9am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Tealby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH/LG Brookenby 10.45am Methodist Service Methodist Led Croxby 6pm Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Walesby 10.45am Family Worship Merilyn Combes Sunday 25th Trinity 10 Tealby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH August Kirmond 6pm Evening Prayer BCP Revd CH Stainton 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Tuesday 10th September Walesby 10.45am NO SERVICE Walesby 6.15pm Prayer and Revd ET Tealby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Communion Brookenby 10.45am Methodist Service Methodist Led Wednesday 11th September Walesby (Old 3pm Songs of Praise Revd CH Tealby 10am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Church) Thursday 12th September Claxby 6pm Evening Prayer BCP CT (Lead) / Revd CH (Preach) Brookenby 10am Morning Praise (Not CW Janine HC) Shackleton

page 16 page 17 Group Services for SEPTEMBER (cont.) Group Services for October Sunday 15th September Trinity 13 Wednesday 2nd October Normanby 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Tealby 10am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Brookenby 10.45am Family Worship Janine Shackleton Thursday 3rd October Walesby 10.45am Morning Praise CW Lay Led Brookenby 10am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Tealby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Friday 4th October Tealby 6pm Harvest Songs of Praise Revd CH Walesby 6.30pm Harvest Festival & Revd CH Supper Stainton 6pm Holy Communion BCP Revd Mary Dawson Saturday 5th October Wednesday 18th September Brookenby 5pm Harvest Festival Revd CH Tealby 10am Holy Communion BCP Revd ET Sunday 6th October Dedication Festival Thursday 19th September North 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Willingham Brookenby 10am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Brookenby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd ET Sunday 22nd September Trinity 14 Walesby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Croxby 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Tealby 10.45am Morning Praise CW Clarissa Turner Walesby 10.45am Family Communion CW Revd CH/ Martin & Normanby 6pm Evening Prayer BCP Revd CH Kathy Jago Tuesday 8th October Tealby 10.45am Holy Communion Revd ET Walesby 6.15pn Prayer & Communion Revd ET Brookenby 10.45am Methodist Service Methodist Led Wednesday 9th October Normanby 6pm Harvest Festival Revd ET Tealby 10am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Claxby 6pm Evening Prayer BCP Revd CH Croxby 6.15pm Harvest Festival Revd CH Tuesday 24th September Thursday 10th October Claxby 6.15pm Taizé with Communion Revd CH Brookenby 10am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Wednesday 25th September Sunday 13th October Trinity 17 Tealby 10am Holy Communion BCP Revd CH Claxby 9am Holy Communion Revd CH Thursday 26th September Stainton 9am Morning Prayer BCP Roy Sutton Brookenby 10am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Thoresway 9am Holy Communion CW Revd ET Sunday 29th September St Michael & All Angels Brookenby 10.45am Methodist Service Methodist Led Claxby 9am Holy Communion BCP Revd ET Walesby 10.45am Family Worship Merilyn Combes Walesby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd ET Tealby 10.45am Holy Communion CW Revd CH Tealby 10.45am Morning Praise CW Leslie Giller Kirmond 6pm Evening Prayer BCP Revd ET Brookenby 10.45am Family Communion Revd CH / Janine Shackleton Claxby 3pm Harvest Festival Revd ET Kirmond 6pm Evening Prayer BCP Revd CH page 18 page 19 Baptisms, Marriages & Funerals weddings Michael van der Lubbe & Emily Archer Tealby Church 29th June 2019 Alistair Hopkins & Jayne Simmons Tealby Church 20th July 2019 Geoff Parker & Philippa Hallam Tealby Church 3rd August 2019 BAPTISM Hunter Samuel Teal Tealby Church 28th July 2019 Funerals Joyce Ellen Roach Tealby Church Burial 12th June 2019 Sheila Jacklin Thoresway Church Burial 17th July 2019 Florence Maisie Sleight Walesby Church Cremation & Thanksgiving 5th August 2019 the Ministry Team Revd Chris Hewitt Rector. The Rectory, Otby Lane, Walesby, LN8 3UT [email protected] The Rector’s day-off is Saturday Revd Elaine Turner Associate Priest [email protected] Revd Leslie Giller Retired URC Priest & Lay Minister Clarissa Turner Lay Reader Janine Shackleton Lay Minister Merilyn Combes Family Worship Leader Your ministry team is always pleased to receive information concerning those who wish to be visited because of illness or other need and are also happy to take Holy Communion to anyone unable to attend church for any reason. For an electronic copy of this magazine please email: [email protected] Or for more information and what’s on in the Walesby Group please visit our website http:/www.walesbychurches.org THE BENEFICE OF THE WALESBY GROUP Brookenby, Claxby, Croxby, Kirmond le Mire, Normanby le Wold, North Willingham Stainton le Vale, Tealby, Thoresway and Walesby

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