lottery boost for the community hall in its - Charmouth

St. Andrew’s Parish Church
St. Andrew’s Congregation has enjoyed a busy
summer, like most of us in the village, with the big
influx of holidaymakers. We have held a number of
special Services with our visitors: Twins being baptised in a
special Family Service, two Services with brass bands, a
series of six Songs of Praise in a tent at Manor Farm (with
our URC friends). We also have held various fund raising
events: cake and produce stalls and involvement in the
Charmouth Village Fayre with a game called Stairway to
Heaven! Our one disappointment is that our Beachfront
Songs of Praise had to be relocated into St. Andrew’s
because of a rare event – a wet afternoon! But we shall try
again next year.
So, we now look towards the autumn. The big event in
Church life at this season of the year is our Harvest
Festival. This takes place on Sunday 10th October at our
usual Service time of 9.30am. Gifts of harvest produce will
be most welcome – either brought beforehand or even
better, brought up in the Service itself. We will include a
special feature which I’m calling: Multiply your Talents!
Afterwards we will hold our Harvest Lunch with Catherston
Leweston Church at 12.30pm for 1pm in the Village Hall,
Wesley Close. Please obtain tickets in advance from Pauline
Maralyn Hinxman, Felicity Horton, Julie Renfrew and Liz
Scott
Ingredients - a good idea, a great team of helpers
and lots of supporters willing to donate sums of
money, but above all a passion for the cause.
On a Friday in early July a group of friends planned an
amazing event - starting off with coffee and cakes - all
donated - in a lovely garden, followed by a two-course
lunch with wine (chicken gazpacho or salmon and fabulous
sweets), all of which were donated, finishing with Pimms
and canapes and a grand raffle draw in the evening. We
supported BLESMA (the British Limbless Ex-Service Men's
Association) because it has been actively involved in the
support of injured and disabled ex-servicemen for 60
years, but is less well known than the Royal British Legion
or Help for Heroes.
Maralyn Hinxman
Photos from the BLESMA event may be viewed/purchased
at www.photoboxgallery.com/neilbigwood All profits
from sales go to BLESMA.
Please check out www.blesma.org for information
on BLESMA's two homes for ex-service amputees, its new
respite and rehabilitation facilities and its unique welfare
visiting service.
Page 16
How To Make £3,000!
Berridge or Mary Macnair;
everyone will be most
welcome for a lovely
lunch!
Beyond Harvest we look
towards Remembrance
Sunday on 14th
November as our next
big Service. We begin with
the traditional procession
from the War Memorial
where wreaths are placed
at 10.45am. We then
march down to St.
Andrew’s for a special
Service, with the Royal
British Legion, youth
uniformed groups, parish
councillors and others. Do join us for this remembrance of
all our military who have fought for ours and other’s
freedoms.
I can update you on our building project. We are
undertaking the first phase of this as soon as possible, in
case our VAT exemption ends in March 2011. The work
sounds very unglamorous, but is very important – repairs
to the stonework and mortar on the tower and nave of the
building, to make it safe and watertight. Our Architect says
that this will take about 3 months, and necessitate
scaffolding on the outside of the church throughout this
period. At the same time we will repaint the clock. The cost
will be around £58,000 (excluding VAT). We have obtained
some Grants to help with this work, for example from the
Dorset Historic Churches Trust. But we will need to raise a
lot of money from our church members and local people. To
this objective we are looking to hold a special Gift Day at
the end of November, to coincide with St. Andrew’s Day.
More details later, but contributions in the meantime would
be most appreciated!
Finally, we say ‘Good Bye’ to our long serving Organist
Heather Fairhead, at the beginning of September. She and
Russell are moving to Basingstoke. We thank them hugely
for their kind and godly involvement in our Church, and
pray God’s blessing upon their move. Heather’s place on the
organ seat will be taken by Kim Redford, a young and
hugely gifted lady, who also lives in our village. We look
forward to the dynamic sounds she will produce from our
organ!
My wife, Revd Jane Skinner (now Team Vicar with special
responsibility for Lyme Regis), and myself are still
scheduled to move to Lyme Regis, by the decision of the
Diocese (who purchase clergy houses). But we are now
highly unlikely to move there until 2011. We’ll keep you
posted!
Revd Stephen Skinner, Team Rector.
Births
Mark and Vicki Whatmore became proud parents to Archie
John on Friday July 30th. Grandparents Ted and Pat
Whatmore and Steve and Maggie Pratt are absolutely
thrilled with their new grandson and we wish all the family
our warmest congratulations for the joy Archie will bring to
their lives.
Pauline Berridge