Fenny Drayton Parish News September 2014 HOUSE CALDECOTE VILLAGE HALL Small well maintained Hall for Hire with MAINTENANCE seating for up to 50 people SUITABLE FOR PARTIES, MEETINGS OR Plastering SIMILAR GATHERINGS Tiling KITCHEN/TOILETS/PARKING Plumbing Situated on Weddington Lane opposite Painting turn for Caldecote Village Decorating Contact Miss M. Hughes 024 7639 4328 P.M.R. Motor Repairs References on request Burbage Walk, Powell Way First Class Job Guaranteed Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5AE Pensioner Friendly Services Telephone 024 7632 9176 Fax 024 7632 9665 Contact Mario on: 07849 315649 Servicing and Repairs 01827 701515 to All Makes of Vehicles www.handymario.co.uk MOT Testing MKS Decor CJR Improvements Ltd Building and Maintenance All Aspects of building and property maintenance work undertaken For a Free Quotation Contact Lee Pendleton 07473 993176 2 Editor’s Notes A warm welcome again to Fenny Drayton Parish News – as I write this, the good weather of July and the first half of August have given way to an almost Autumnal feeling – let’s hope September brings a last bit of Summer even as the children return to school and village activities like Friday With Friends, The Fenns Folk and Fenn Lanes Men’s Group restart. Towards the end of this month (27 & 28th) we have the Village Flower Festival – an event not just for us in the village, so make sure you invite your friends too. As well as the flowers and other attractions (tea & cakes) there will be a Village Quiz. Last month we appealed for a new volunteer to deliver 23 magazines each month to Church Lane, Drayton Lane and Drayton Close (still needed!) – we also need a volunteer to deliver to Quaker Close and part of Old Forge Road. Can you help (perhaps a volunteer or two from one of those roads?). It’s a great way to meet your neighbours and other people in the village. Please let Pauline know if you can help out. Neil Sherry – [email protected] - 713848 To advertise and to subscribe, please contact: Pauline Walsh - [email protected] – 715466 Front Cover – St. Michael & All Angels Church, Fenny Drayton – by kind permission of the copyright holder, Colin Sabin of Leicester. For more of Colin’s pictures, please see www.flickr.com/photos/37329908@N08 Fenny Drayton School A small white bungalow on Old Forge Road has recently come onto the market – newer villagers might not know that this used to be the village school. In 1867, a school room was set up in the Rectory (now ‘the Firs’ in Church Lane). Four years later, a dedicated school building was erected. By 1912 there were ‘considerable improvements required by the board of education’. By 1923 36-40 children attended the school, as well as the building being used as a Sunday School and for other social events. 3 Fenny Drayton Church Services 7 September Holy Communion 9.00am 14 September Benefice Service, Dadlington 10.30am 21 September All Age Service 10.30am 28 September Songs of Praise 5.00pm Church Readings 7 September Ezekial 33, v7-11 Audrey Smith Romans 13, v8-14 Janet Agar 21 September Proverbs 3, v13-18 Maureen Bonner 2 Corinthians 4, v1-6 Joan Holder 28 September Ezekial 18, v1-4, 25-32 Alan Wood Philippians 2, v1-13 Gina Hawthorne Other Services in the Benefice Higham on the Hill 7 September Holy Communion 10.30am 14 September Benefice Service, Dadlington 10.30am 21 September Evening Service 6.30pm 24 September Ecumenical Service – Methodist Church 10.30am Witherley 7 September All Age Service 10.30am 14 September Benefice Service, Dadlington 10.30am 21 September Evening service 6.30pm 28 September Holy Communion 10.30am Stoke Golding 7 September All Age Service 10.30am 14 September Benefice Service, Dadlington 10.30am 21 September Holy Communion 10.30am 28 September Morning Worship 10.30am Dadlington 7 September BCP Morning Prayer 9.00am 14 September Benefice Service, Dadlington 10.30am 21 September BCP Holy Communion 9.00am 28 September Harvest Songs of Praise 6.30pm St Michael & All Angels Church Management Committee (PCC) Janet Agar 01827 716035 Gina Hawthorne 01827 716159 Alan Baxter 02476 383438 Susan Kosniowski 01827 714628 Maureen Bonner 01827 715768 Michelle Nelson 01827 722182 Julia Collis 01827 713881 Audrey Smith 01827 717034 John Frisby 01827 715826 Pamela Wills 01827 720929 4 Church Matters from the Parishes of: Fenny Drayton, Witherley, Higham-on-the-Hill, Stoke Golding & Dadlington RECTOR: Rev’d Linda Blay (01455) 213988, [email protected] I have been in post here as Rector of the Fenn Lanes Benefice for six and a half years now, and ordained for fourteen years. It is recommended that clergy take a period of three months sabbatical or study leave every so often in order to be renewed and refreshed for the demands of their role, so as part of my Ministry Development Review with the Archdeacon, I was advised to take a sabbatical in the next three months. The idea of having some time for self and being alone with God is a strong Biblical theme. Jesus knew the importance of it. He would often leave his disciples to go off by himself and pray alone. The major focus of my time away is to have some opportunity for spiritual refreshment and renewal. With this in mind, I am hoping to go on a pilgrimage, walking part of the Camino de Santiago, a recognised pilgrimage walk through the north of Spain ending at the Cathedral of St James in Santiago de Compostella. This will, no doubt, be a challenge for me physically, but also give me time to think, to pray, to reflect, and to meet other people along the way. It will be something completely different, but I feel that it’s important that I break away from the ministerial role that I love, for this period of time. There will also be some time during the three months, to spend with my family, especially my mother who is elderly and suffers from dementia. Alongside this, I am hoping to arrange some visits to parishes in similar rural situations to ours, in order to gain new insights and ideas. During the time of my absence, the Benefice will be in the capable hands of the Curate, the Readers, Retired Clergy, Church Wardens 5 and PCC members. Revd Hilary Surridge will be the first port of call for any inquiries regarding ministry, but I know that others will help to take on leadership responsibilities. I shall be away from the benefice from the second week of September, and return by the second Sunday in December (14th), in good time for Christmas, hoping to be restored, refreshed, and eager to get on with the challenges and opportunities of ministry here in the Fenn Lanes. Wishing you God’s blessings Linda Community Coffee Mornings Should you wish to join us, we meet in the kitchen area of the Church from 10:30am-12:30. ALL ARE MOST WELCOME The dates for September are: Thursdays 4th and 18th FLOWER FESTIVAL IN CHURCH 27TH and 28TH SEPTEMBER 2014 The theme will be SAINTS Help will be needed making cakes and manning the tea stall and the door. Prizes for the raffle are also needed. Anyone willing to do a flower arrangement will be welcomed with open arms. There will be a meeting on Wednesday, 3rd September 2014 at 7.30 p.m. in the church for everyone interested to finalise arrangements. Please contact Yvonne Morson on 01827 716924 or Julia Collis on 01827 713881 if you are willing to be involved in any way especially if you cannot come to the meeting. 6 The Fenns Folk Now that September is upon us, we start a new season of The Fenn’s Folk. Our first speaker, on September 25th, is a talk from Solicitor Steve Evans of Cocks Lloyd who is going to speak on the subject of ‘Witty Wills and Improbable Probates’ - telling us about some of the more interesting and unusual Wills and Probates he has dealt with over the years. So please come along if you can - we always meet on the last Thursday of the month, from 7.30pm in Church - where we enjoy a glass of wine with those famous 'themed nibbles', an interesting speaker, and a good chat. Friday With Friends We will be meeting again in September on Friday 5th. Please join us; everyone is welcome - just bring your own drink and glass. The church will be open from 7 - 10pm and you can stay as long, or as briefly, as you wish. Future dates: September 5th October 10th November 7th December 12th Please note October's is later in the month than usual because there will be another musical 'gig' in church on the 3rd which you would be most welcome to attend; December's is later because we will be setting up for the Christmas Fayre on Saturday 6th December. Household Hints DRIED OUT FELT TIP PENS: Dip tip in white vinegar for five seconds FRUIT SALAD: Improve flavour of fruit salads by adding ½ cup lemonade; this will also keep it fresh for several days. 7 Party With The Men In Black - Friday 3rd October I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the band that are playing in Fenny Drayton Church on Friday, October 3rd as a fund raiser for the church. We are called Men In Black (the original members all used to wear black), we are based and play mainly around Stoke Golding. We play quite a broad range of music, 60s & 70s pop music, some Irish songs, some rock, lots of old favourites.