Your Parish Magazine Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, the Parish Magazine for the Presteigne Group of Parishes has continued to appear – either online or in print. The parish magazine Deadline dates for Copy and Artwork For as at 28th April 2021 Presteigne With th Wednesday 19 May June issue Discoed, Kinsham, Lingen and Knill rd Wednesday 23 June July/August issue Wednesday 18th August September issue Here Is your socially-distanced but Colourful We are particularly grateful to the Town Council, our friends in Lingen, our gardener, our new weather reporter and our occasional nature-noter. We include requests for support from community groups and charities. We hope to inform and Online MERRY MONTH OF may 2021 Issue, Fa La perhaps entertain you. The Editor welcomes announcements (remember them?) and appreciates contributions from anyone and everyone from our churches and parishes, groups, schools etc. Artwork (logos, etc) should be not too complicated (one day we will be printing again in black only on a photocopier so please keep designs simple). Articles as well as artwork must be set to fit an A5 page with narrow margins. The editor reserves the right to select and edit down items for which there is insufficient space. While you may be reading this issue on screen, you can print the whole issue, or selected pages, on A4 paper in landscape to both sides (Duplex). We suggest you select ‘short-side stapling’. Note: The ‘inside’ pages have been consecutively numbered on each sheet - unlike the pages which normally make up a magazine. You are encouraged to forward this magazine to others by email or as hard copy, as above – on condition that it is neither added to, nor the text altered, in any way. Posed by dancers for this jolly illustration several centuries prior to covid-19 restrictions. To be added to our emailing list contact [email protected] As covid regulations are gradually eased in Wales and England we again reach out to everyone in, or connected with, our parishes. We have all shared the past, difficult months and we look forward together to a safer, happier future. “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” Keep safe, keep well and keep smiling through. Roger W G Curtis From Revelations by Julian of Norwich, 14th century anchorite, T op of page: The Mayflower , Editor which crossed the Atlantic in 1620 [email protected] The Presteigne Group of Parishes The Rector Writes… RECTOR It’s a joy at this time of year to see the young lambs appearing in the fields. It lifts the spirits after a long, cold winter – or a grey miserable one – to see these The Revd Preb Stephen Hollinghurst, Rectory, St David’s St, Presteigne LD8 2BP fluffy, cute little creatures running around the fields or basking in the Spring Rest day Tuesday 01544 267777 email [email protected] sunshine. A lovely, picturesque, romantic image. CURATE The Reverend Debbie Venables 01544 267663 email [email protected] Many years ago, at the start of my first stint in rural ministry, I met a young couple to arrange their wedding. When we were filling in the inevitable paperwork, the PARISH OFFICERS bride gave her occupation as “Shepherdess”. “Wow that’s lovely!” I said. To which ST ANDREW’S PRESTEIGNE with ST MICHAEL’S DISCOED she responded, “I’m not Little Bo Peep you know!” Churchwardens Mr Keith Hatfield The Old Laundry, Broad St, Presteigne LD8 2AG 260566 An early and timely pointer that rearing and tending sheep is far from easy. Mr Andy Hammersley 4 Chapel Terrace, Pound Lane, Presteigne 267857 Mr Dilwyn Price Lugg View, Discoed 01547 560234 A couple of weeks ago I read a fascinating article in The Guardian about the work Mrs Lizzie Smallpage 37 Hereford St, Presteigne 260190 of “the knackerman” – the guy who picks up and disposes of dead farm animals. Hon Secretary Mrs Hilary Marchant Fold Granary, Broad Street, Presteigne LD8 2AG 260363 There are apparently 15 million sheep spread around the British countryside, but email: [email protected] how that vast number is maintained is anyone’s guess, as sheep seem to have Hon Treasurer Mrs Judi Charlton 9 Clatterbrune, Presteigne LD8 2LB 267420 something of a death wish from the moment they’re born – many lambs take one ALL SAINTS KINSHAM look at the outside world and decide not to bother. Churchwarden Mrs Myra Chilman The Cottage, Kinsham. LD8 2HN 267701 The view of the knackerman in the article was that sheep keel over if you so much Mrs Lynne Deakins Kinsham Farm. SY7 OEA 267798 as look at them the wrong way. And most shepherds suspect that a sheep’s main aim once in the world is to get out of it as fast as possible. Hon Secretary Mrs Sarah Chilman Westfield, Kinsham LD8 2HN 267261 They fight or they get scab or bluetongue or rinderpest or they overheat or they eat Act Treasurer Mr Anthony Adlard Old Priory, Titley HR5 3RR 231627 the wrong grass or they find the one rusty nail in a clean field or they get stressed by horses or dogs or a change in the weather, or they eat yew or they get infected ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS KNILL cuts after shearing or they abort their own lambs or they’ve got too much of one Churchwardens Mr William R Davies Knill Farm, Presteigne LD8 2PR 267348 mineral but not enough of another… Sir Tom Knill BT 1 Glen Arrow Cottages, Pembridge HR6 9EX Tel: 388160 As one farmer succinctly put it; “If a sheep could die twice, it would.” Hon Secretary Mrs Pat Thornton 13 Silia Meadow, Presteigne 260717 Hon Treasurer Mrs Noorissa Davies Knill Farm, Presteigne LD8 2PR 267348 All this popped into my mind when I was thinking about the set Bible Reading for this Sunday’s services in which Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd.” ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS LINGEN It’s a lovely, picturesque, romantic image, but, as with our thoughts about Spring Churchwarden Mr Robert Nisbet Court House Farm, Lingen SY7 0DY 267452 lambs and Little Bo Peep, there are harsh realities behind it that we can’t ignore. Hon Secretary Mrs Trish Nisbet Court House Farm, Lingen SY7 0DY 267452 Yes, Jesus wants to be for his followers everything that a good shepherd would be Hon Treasurer Mr Tim Whittome Camp Hill Cottage, Lower Lye HR6 9TA 07885 520536 for his sheep – our provider, our protector, our carer, YOUR PARISH MAGAZINE TEAM our companion, our guide, our friend – but we don’t make it easy for him! We wander off. We go astray. We look elsewhere for sustenance. We don’t listen Editor Mr Roger Curtis Ashley Cottage, Roddhurst, Presteigne LD8 2LH 262846 email: [email protected] to his voice. We don’t respond to his friendship. We don’t let him care for us, protect us, heal us. It’s almost as if we share our woolly friends’ death wish…like Trade Adverts Mrs Di Hammersley email [email protected] 267857 we prefer putting ourselves in difficult and dangerous situations. Collation and Distribution Yet, like the very best of shepherds, Jesus is always there for us, sticking with us Mrs Marion Rowlatt 260466 Team Support Mrs Clare Stevens (Social Media, Publicity), Mr Chris Rowlatt (Printing) through thick and thin, caring for us regardless of what scrapes we get ourselves into and, when we wander, welcoming us back into the fold. ll telephone area codes are 01544 unless shown otherwise Why? Because he loves us. Unconditionally. Constantly. Totally. Stephen 1 Services in the Presteigne Group of Parishes LINGEN’S WAR MEMORIAL CLOCK May 2021 nd May 2 9.30 Holy Communion (CW) Lingen For the last year it may have seemed as though time has stood still. This Easter 5 11.00 Holy Communion (BCP) Presteigne feeling will have been exacerbated by looking at the clock on our village May 9th 9.15 Holy Communion (CW) Knill church. Last year it started to run erratically and, despite the attentions Easter 6 11.00 Holy Communion (CW) Presteigne of several local experts, eventually came to a standstill in the summer. The clock was manufactured in Derby in 1920 and was installed as the May 16th 9.30 Morning Service (BCP) Lingen village's memorial to those of the Parish of Lingen who gave their lives Easter 7 11.00 Morning Service (BCP) Presteigne in the Great War. It is therefore an important part of village life and its 6.30 Holy Communion (CW) Discoed history. May 23rd 9.30 Holy Communion (CW) Kinsham With members of the local community, we felt that the village might Pentecost 11.00 Holy Communion (CW) Presteigne like to contribute to preserving this memorial. We mounted a joint May 30th 11.00 Morning Service (CW) Presteigne village/church appeal to help meet the cost of a full overhaul by one of Trinity the few church clock specialists in the country. We were all delighted with the speedy and generous response, from long-standing residents th June 6 9.30 Holy Communion (BCP) Lingen and recent arrivals, from non-churchgoers as well as congregation, Trinity 1 11.00 Holy Communion (BCP) Presteigne from Willey, Birtley and Deerfold alongside Lingen. There were important donations from village organisations. We now have enough CW = Common Worship (modern language) BCP = Book of Common Prayer (traditional language) to meet the quoted cost, as well as a margin for regular future servicing. Ascension Day Very many thanks to everyone involved.