AUGUST VILLAGE VOICE
As we write this on 14th July, schools have still not broken up and it is HOT HOT HOT. Hopefully by the time August gets round, and you can read this ,temperatures will have dropped to ordinary levels .
The best news is that Rev Howard is now fully up on his feet after his back operation and if not fully cured (never promised nor expected) pain levels are dramatically reduced.
Events since we last went to print ,apart from our standard services each Sunday , have included a wedding at All Saints, a baptism at St Andrews with welcome balloons around the North Porch, a delightful open air all age service at St Andrews in the Vicarage garden (see photo) ,and we had a pitch at Party in the Park, which sadly clashed with the annual Bradwell Pilgrimage but the table top football proved a great draw! We had our monthly coffee morning and our July Soup and Roll which raised £150 for Brish Red Cross despite numbers being hugely reduced due to the heat . Because of the heat we served cold vichysoisse ,although there was a tomato, basil and garlic soup for those who prefer a more traditional temperature for their soup!
We had an amazing concert at All Saints by the river given by Blue Cello and the Beacon Hill singers with a splendid cream tea (see picture of that) which raised the astonishing sum of £1989.35 for Farleigh Hospice. Huge congratulations to all performers and organisers.
John Strange recently delighted members of the Blackwater U3A with his excellent and fascinating talk about the history and the building of St Andrews . John is happy to make his talk available to other groups or organisations so if anyone is interested , do give John a ring on 01245 381004.
Shortly to take place , after we have gone to print but later in July, after the schools have broken up, we will have a Messy Summer Workshop on the theme of Salt and Light. Full details will follow in the next issue.
Our August Soup and Roll will be on Tuesday 11th from 12.30-2.00pm and will be in aid of Sanctus a Chelmsford day centre supporting those suffering homelessness, loneliness, addiction and mental and physical health. Can’t promise cold vichysoisse but do come along!
In conjunction with the Methodists, we are planning Pray for our Community at 7.30pm on Thursday 10th September in St Andrews Church Hall . We invite all Christians of any denomination in and around the village to attend .Please see flyer and do make a note to come. In this day and age there are so many things wrong and broken in this world – wars, civil unrest, natural disasters, refugees fleeing conflict, and global warming. Some disasters and problems we can marginally assist by financial donations and some volunteering but one thing we can all do is to pray together and this can be extraordinarily powerful.
You will find attached details of our services in August, 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