FROM THE REGISTERS

Baptisms

At St John the Baptist, Bere Regis

On 22^nd September – Jessica Rose Murrell

Funerals

At St John the Baptist, Bere Regis

On September 27^th – Christine Robinson

On October 5^th – Jane Woodward

On October 12^th – Alan Godden

Burial of cremated remains

At St John the Baptist, Bere Regis

On 22^nd September – Barbara Griffin

Harvest Festivals

I should like to thank everyone who prepared our churches for our Harvest Festival Services. The flowers added considerably to the sense of our thankfulness. Many gifts were brought by Bere Regis School and others and the Wareham Food Bank benefitted and they as well as us would like to say a big Thank You. The people who are helped in this way, I know – some from our own parishes – also are grateful. This is one thing we can do to help throughout the year.

All Souls Service – November 2^nd   at 6pm in Bere Regis. This is the annual opportunity to come to church specifically to thank God for our own loved ones who have died, whether recently or some years ago. It is a short service but a very special one and if you have not been before do please come and share in this occasion. If you know of someone perhaps who has been recently bereaved, please tell them about this.

Remembrance Sunday

This year our observance of Remembrance Sunday will be particularly poignant as it will be the centenary of the end of the Great War, commonly also called World War One. Our observance will be much as in past years but I hope that even if you don’t usually come to the War memorial or the church that you will want to this time. 

In Affpuddle, before the 9:15 Communion we will hold an act of Remembrance at the Peace Shrine in our churchyard at 9am  and afterwards there will be the Village Act of Remembrance at 10:50 am at Bladen Valley. As I cannot be in two places at once, sadly I shall miss that but it will be led by Jonathan Haigh, our local Licensed Lay Minister.

At Bere Regis, we will gather at the War memorial in the churchyard at 10:50 for the Act of Remembrance, followed by the usually very moving service in the church. This has changed a little year by year and will do so again this year, as it is an occasion for those of all ages. 

On this unique occasion there will also be events later in the day in both parishes; see elsewhere!

Advent Carol Service

December 2^nd is Advent Sunday, when in the Church we begin a season of preparation for Christmas...even if in the secular and commercial world that preparation has been going on since August in some places!! In addition to our morning services in both churches, we have a special Advent Carol Service at 6pm. The singing will be led by an extended choir as in the past. Last year it was different because we were holding our services in the School Hall but it will be back to usual this year so please come and join us!

Bellringers AGM and Service

This was held in Bere Regis church on October 13^th. It was so good to welcome ringers form the Dorchester branch of the Salisbury Association. There must have been about 35 ringers. Apart from the ringing, we had a short service and their Annual Meeting. One the good things to hear was the number of new ringers in the Diocese, which is certainly true for our own parish ringers and I for one am delighted how we are welcomed Sunday by Sunday to our services by our ringers....thank you!

                                                                                                                                Charles

Food Bank – Update!

Usually every 6 -8 weeks we hand over at least five carrier bags full of your gifts to the Food Bank - so thank you from the people who were very grateful....and please keep your contributions coming!

There are boxes in both our churches for you to place any goods you would like to donate. This provides a simple way of helping people who have fallen on hard times.

I would ask: Please ensure that your gifts are at least 6 months in date.

You do not have to be a church member to contribute!

The boxes are emptied regularly

and the contents given to the Wareham Food Bank.

The list of what is most appropriate is:

Tinned Soup Fruit Juice(carton)    Pasta Sauces Baked Beans    Rice/Sponge Pudding (Tinned)

Tomatoes (Tinned)    Pasta/Rice (1kg)   Tinned Vegetables  Tea Bags/Coffee    Instant Mash Potato

Tinned Meat/Fish   Tinned Fruit   Sugar (500g)    Biscuits or snack bars

The FOOD BANK provides for local individuals and families in crisis -

Thank you for your support!

Harvest Festivals

As we move into the ‘seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ (Keats’ Ode to Autumn) so it is time to hold our Harvest Thanksgiving services. These will be at Bere Regis on October 7^th at 6pm followed by Supper afterwards and at Affpuddle on October 14^th at 9:15 with Harvest Lunch in the Briantspuddle Village Hall later on. Also on the 14^th, the Junior Church will have a harvest theme to the Family Service , with soup served afterwards.  Why not come along in a spirit of thankfulness to God for all our blessings in the natural order of his Creation? You would be very welcome and a chance to sing those much-loved hymns!

Remembrance Sunday

This year our observance of Remembrance Sunday will be particularly poignant as it will be the centenary of the end of the Great War, commonly also called World War One. Our observance will be much as in past years but I hope that even if you don’t usually come to the War memorial or the church that you will want to this time.  In Affpuddle, before the 9:15 Communion we will hold an act of Remembrance at the Peace Shrine and afterwards there will be the Village Act of Remembrance at 11am at Bladen Valley. As I cannot be in two places at once, sadly I shall miss that but it will be led by Jonathan Haigh, our Licensed Lay Minister. At Bere Regis, we will gather at the War memorial in the churchyard at 10:50 for the Act of Remembrance, followed by the usually very moving service in the church. This has changed a little year by year and will do so again this year, as it is an occasion for those of all ages. Please book the date and come, wherever. On this special occasion there will also be events later in the day; more details in the November magazine, if not before.

Parnham Voices on Safari

 

Parnham Voices, the Beaminster based a capella choir, visited us on 1st September as part of theer 'Safari.  They sent this letter of thanks:

Thank you so much for the warm welcome given to Parnham Voices on their 2018 Safari. Also for the contributions to Julia’s House. Unfortunately I cannot give you a final figure as the money hasn’t been counted by them yet. The majority of our members had never visited your church before and I think fell in love with it, especially when you were acting as a tour guide and explaining what they were looking at. Thank you also for all your publicity efforts.

The programme we sang for you is as follows: O Radiant Dawn by Macmillan:  If ye love me by Tallis;  Deep River arr. Chilcott:  Monteverdi’s Cantate Domine:  And What of Marriage by Matthew Coleridge (One of our West Dorset composers):  Bogoroditsye Dyevo by Rachmaninov.