News and Upcoming Events
A LETTER FROM CHARLES AND FELICITY
6, Higher Green, South Brent, TQ10 9PL
Our dear Friends,
What a wonderful send-off you gave us on January 27th at our last services. We simply want to say a very special and big Thank You!
After the Communion service at Affpuddle in the morning, which was attended by about 60 people I believe, Stephen gave a loving speech about us and then presented us with a wonderful picture of the church specially commissioned and painted by Paul Matthews and a lovely spring planter of flowers for Felicity. It was then good to spend time, as always, talking to people and we would like to say thank you to those who prepared the refreshments.
In the evening, the service at Bere Regis was also very well attended – about 110, I think. This was of a more informal nature and was based on The Joy of the Parish Priest. Again afterwards, Sarah spoke so lovingly about our involvement in the parish and then presented us both with three gifts, a super photo of the church in winter by Tony Bates, a Bere Regis clock and a very generous cheque for £650 (this has kindly been increased to £750). Felicity was given another lovely planter....and again there was much food to enjoy – thank you again! Thank you, too, to Paul and the extended choir for the music.
The Bell-ringers then came forward and presented Felicity and myself with a great photo of the whole team including rightly Felicity but also me, who has really enjoyed listening to the bells but has never been tempted to take up a rope.
Then came another surprise a lovely gift from the WI – a beautiful picture of the church and the surrounding countryside by Jill Marsden.
Your gifts are so welcome and the planters were immediately placed in our conservatory where they are, well over two weeks later, in prime condition. The pictures will be going up soon, mainly in our upstairs sitting room.
Besides all this, others have given us personal presents and we have received so many cards – all overwhelming and very humbling and our ‘Thank you everyone’ seems very much an understatement of what we feel.
We have been settling into our new home very well. All the boxes were unpacked within the first week and we have been able to get various people in to sort out the minor problems we first encountered; for instance no internet connection for the first week! Our next big project will be the garden, when we plan to put our gift of garden tokens so generously given by the Junior Church and added to by other friends who also know of our love of gardening. We have discovered that our garden soil is ‘heavy clay’, so we are calling in the experts for some garden design help. Our neighbours and people at church have made us feel very welcome. As we think of you, we are sad that we are not seeing you all so much but I am easing my way into retirement very happily!
As we have said before, we will always be very pleased to see any of our Dorset friends, when you are in this part of the world.
With our love and all our warmest thanks for so much, Charles and Felicity
Notice...
The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Bere Regis
Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Parochial Church Meeting
The Annual Parish meeting for the election of Churchwardens will be held in the Parish Church on Wednesday 24th April 2019 at 7:00 pm.
It will be followed by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting for the election of members of the laity to the Parochial Church Council and as Deanery Synod representatives.
There will also be a financial statement for the year ending 31st December 2018 and reports on the proceedings of the PCC, the fabric of the church and other matters of general church interest.
All other matters and questions to be in raised under AOB and sent in advance, via email to the Secretary.
David Gray (Secretary to the PCC) email PCC@skippers.f9.co.uk
Funerals
At St Laurence Affpuddle
On January 22nd - Peter Taylor
At St John the Baptist, Bere Regis
On January 17th - Edna Marsh
Burial of ashes
At St John the Baptist, Bere Regis
On December 20th – Christine Townley/Robinson
On January 8th – Rene Philips
On January 12th – Colin Jutting
On January 17th – Jane and Nigel Woodward
At St Laurence Affpuddle
On January 4th – Alexander Chancellor
Finally, please do keep bringing things for the Food Bank – the need continues and may sadly increase:
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!