VILLAGE VOICE FEBRUARY 2026
Is spring here or about to burst upon us? Because copy for the Village Voice is required by the 14th of the previous month we are writing in the gloom of mid-January. Nevertheless, snow drops are starting to show, and their emergence always lifts the spirits particularly if there is some winter sunshine to highlight the slender white flowers.
Before we move on, we need to report that we had a marvellous turn out at the Light of the World service on Christmas Eve with 159 adults and 60 children filling the church , preparing for Christmas and bringing presents both in kind and monetary for Home-Start Essex . The charity, which does so much for families struggling with young children, was delighted with the response so a huge thank you to all.
The other post-Christmas report is about the Epiphany bonfire and sparkler party we had in the Vicarage garden on the first Saturday in January , after our first Coffee Morning of the year. It was a cold but clear evening with a most splendid moon hanging in the air. Charles led a short celebration of the arrival of the wise men as we sang carols round the bonfire and much enjoyment was had by all adults and children boosted by mulled wine, hotdogs and mince pies.
We look forward now to Lent which starts so early this year on Ash Wednesday 18th February ,when we shall have a special Ash Wednesday service at 7.30pm at St Andrews. We hope to see contingents from the churches in the Witham and Villages team, and we would also be delighted to welcome all villagers to experience the imposition of ashes traditional to that service.
As our own precursor to Lent we will be showing the film of Les Miserables in the church hall at 6.30pm on Friday the 13th February . It is an amazingly good film and the reason for choosing it is that it will form the basis of our Lent discussion groups (using the format last year when we chose the film Chocolat). So do come along for what should be a most enjoyable evening . It is free !
The Lent groups themselves will start at 7.30pm on Monday 23rd February and will continue at the same time on succeeding Mondays, initially at least, at Crouchmans.
Our January Soup and Roll hosted 36 guests and raised £222 for CHESS which does such good work supporting homeless people in Chelmsford . Following the theme of supporting the homeless, but even more locally, our February event on Tuesday 10th February 12.30 am-200pm will be supporting Witham’s House of Grace.
You will find attached details of our services, to which you are all most welcome,
Contact details for the Parish Team : Rev Howard Schnaar 07761234165, Rev Derek Clark 07860380627, Charles Cope 01245 382134, John Tomlins 07712699722, Mark Keenan 07791141974