Church News and Views for the Parishes of Badingham Bruisyard Cransford Dennington Rendham & Sweffling Services for April 2018 Easter Day April 1st None See Services Below Cransford 9.30am Holy Communion x Ext Bruisyard RW 9.30am Festival Holy Communion Sweffling MP 10.00am CW Holy Communion x Ext Badingham CBS 11.00am BCP Holy Communion Dennington MP 11.00am Holy Communion x Ext Rendham JT Sunday 8th 9.30am CW Trad. Communion Cransford MP Easter 1 9.30am Matins Rendham Eld 10.00am BCP Holy Communion Badingham PI 11.00am Family Service /Morning Dennington Eld Prayer Sunday 15th None See services below Dennington Easter 2 9.30am Holy Communion Sweffling JT 9.30am BCP Holy Communion Bruisyard MP 10.00am Gather Together Badingham Eld Sunday 22nd None See services below Badingham Easter 3 9.30am BCP Morning Prayer Cransford 9.30am BCP Holy Communion Rendham MP 11.00am Holy Communion Dennington Sunday 29th 10.00am Holy Communion Bruisyard MP Easter 4 Benefice Service 3 Cransford News In the last issue I said I thought 2018 would be an interesting year. Since then we have had a major gale with trees down over the road, and then a week of heavy snow and drifting not seen for a decade. However, life goes on and spring is round the corner. If that loveliest of trees, the cherry, is wearing white for Eastertide, let us hope it is not snow. A sadness for us all was the loss of Brenda Roberts, whose funeral took place on 16th February. Brenda was 82, and much loved by all who knew her. A pillar of the Chapel and a wonderful mother and grandmother, her house was always full of callers, cats and children. As a stalwart rider for the Historic Churches Trust Bike Ride, she raised hundreds of pounds every year, often visiting up to 40 churches, even in her eightieth year. Our thoughts are with her family. This Easter we celebrate Holy Week with the Good Friday Procession of Witness. We meet at the Christian Fellowship church and walk behind the Cross to St Peter's at 10.00am. It is a solemn and uplifting occasion when our churches unite in worship at Eastertide. Finally, please note in your diaries the talk by Matthew Tanton Brown in aid or our church " Foliage for the flower garden. " It takes place on 16th May at 7 pm in the Bruisyard Village Hall. Tickets are £ 10 to include wine and canapes, and are available form Caroline 01728 663510 or Glenda 01728 663732. Patrick Grieve 4 Badingham Back by request, we are holding a A Beetle Drive Friday 20th April Badingham Village Hall 7pm - 9pm Tickets: £7.50 adults No charge for children under 16 years From Ann - 638288; Tanya - 638894 A light buffet supper will be served at half time with a glass of wine or juice Proceeds for Badingham Church of which 10% will be donated to Cancer Research An evening of fun for everyone - do join us if you can Gather Together A service for everyone from nought to a zillion in Badingham Church at 10am lasting approximately 30 mins. followed by coffee / juice and biscuits Sunday April 15th - Topic 'Animals' Sunday May 20th - Topic 'Temptations in the Wilderness' Why not join us at 9.30 am for a light breakfast (no charge) Everyone is welcome to both. St Michael’s Church, Rendham Visitors to our churchyard will notice that the untidy heaps of grass cuttings have been moved to a new location where they will be out of sight. We will also be clearing the dead branches etc, when the weather improves. This year we will again be using the Community Payback teams for the grass cutting and we are very grateful for their efforts. Our Service of Holy Communion (by extension) on Easter Day 1 April will be at 11.00 am and will be conducted by Prof John Tesh. Three weddings have been booked to take place in the Church this year. The AGM of our PCC will be at 6.00 pm on Wednesday 11th April in the Church. All are welcome to attend. 5 Charles and Frances Dennington Plant Sale Saturday 28th April 2018 – 9.30 am -2.30 pm The Plant Sale will be on Saturday 28th April and as ever there will be an amazing collection of plants for sale. There will also be refreshments with delicious cakes and goodies and, weather permitting, there will be trips to the top of the tower. This is always a good village get-together so do come along if you can. If you have any plants or cakes that you can donate they would be very much appreciated – please contact Celia Reeve on 01728 638391 or bring them on the morning. Our Easter Day Service on 1st April will be BCP Holy Communion at 11.00 am Philip de Whalley. 1923- 2017 Philip was born in Croydon in 1923 as a twin to Graham and after wartime service in the Royal Navy in Destroyers and then MTBs, he trained as a science teacher arriving at Framlingham College in 1956. He became Housemaster of Garrett and Head of Science. In 1969 he married June. Theirs has been an inspirational marriage and while this piece is about Philip, June and he worked closely together on the many tasks that they shared. A real team. They moved to Bell House in Owls Green, Dennington in 1977 with a 7 year old Simon. Worshipping at Dennington Church, Philip and June were delighted to be involved in village life. Both joined the PCC with Philip becoming Treasurer and, on Maurice Steward's sudden death in 1979, he 6 was elected Churchwarden. This was the commencement of 22 years of commitment until passing the baton on to Lisbeth Jensen in 2001. During these years, Philip worked with 5 Priests and kept things going in 3 inter- regnums with the creation of a new benefice under Andrew Turner and some major Church repairs in 1982, along with the every day work as Churchwarden. The green bicycle would be seen pedalling in from Owls Green to put up the flag (85 tower steps) for Saints’ days, and while initially helped by Hubert Taylor as verger, after his death Philip, often helped by June, would prepare the Church for services. His handyman skills were put to constant use: repairing the hanging Pyx, making a wooden altar cross, reading lectern, sand table repairs and many other small but important touches. Philip lived a truly Christian life - by example - in his kindness, thoughtfulness for others, patience and support. So many people have benefited from knowing him. He helped the youth club and from David Kittermaster's retirement in 1980 until Bill Blakely took over in 1998 he was clerk to the Dennington charity, becoming Trustee as well until 2008. Under his guidance and with his attention to detail, the charity sold the old village hall land, reinvesting in the new hall, he persuaded the charity commission to continue to allow the practice of Christmas grants which he helped to arrange and with Jill Heffer made sure that those in need in the village were cared for. After moving to Framlingham, Philip and June continued to worship at Dennington and it was lovely to have them with Simon and Christina and the grandchildren at Church. We have been privileged to have had such a special person in our village and this was acknowledged by the wonderful attendance at his funeral, where by his special request, the old village bier was brought out of retirement to bear his coffin. It is so typical of Philip to have wanted this - a touch of humour but also fondness for tradition and for the treasures that he had cared for. There is so much that I have not mentioned but we will all have our special memories of Philip to treasure. 7 Bruisyard It is with great sadness we report that Reg Murray died earlier this month . Reg and Pam were great supporters of St Peters and a few years ago Reg was our treasurer .The funeral is on Monday 19th March at 12 noon at St. Peter's Bruisyard . Our thoughts and prayers go to Pam and family. Our AGM will be held on Monday 9th April at 6pm in the church . All those in Bruisyard are welcome . Spring has nearly sprung after such a long winter . Happy Easter to everyone in the Benefice . Rupert and Sally Sweffling Brief Reports Following the Pancakes and Coffee morning on February 17th, we were able to add £305 to Jonathan Tesh’s Virgin money giving sponsorship page in aid of the British Heart Foundation. Jonathan successfully completed the London Big Half Marathon on March 4th and, in total, raised over £1000 for his chosen charity. The Lent Soup Lunch on March 17th was well supported, despite the snow and freezing wind. There was a wide choice of delicious homemade soups, plenty to suit everyone’s palate and the lunch raised £277 for the hospital we support in The Gambia. This will be added to the £286 raised from the “First Thursday” suppers at Sweffling White Horse and the money will be sent directly to the doctor in charge of the hospital to be used to buy mosquito nets and anti-malarial drugs. Future events Easter Weekend, Memorial Lily Festival. Come to Sweffling and enjoy the beauty and the scent of the lilies, given in memory of loved ones. Read the illuminated memorial scroll. Festival Holy Communion service on Easter Sunday 9.30 a.m.