Autumn is well and truly with us and this was very plain to see in the flower displays decorating the church for Harvest Festival earlier in the month. It really was a glorious sight to see the red and gold leaves and berries from the hedgerows and even some flowers from the garden making the church a very special place to be. Thank you to all who gave food items for the service – there is a big demand on the food banks at the moment and we were pleased to pass all our donations to Besom which operates from Carterton and so helps our local community. And well done Bill Taylor for loading it all into his wheelbarrow and trundling it across to Jane and Hazel in Church Cottage.
The week after Harvest Festival saw the arrival of the electricians who are installing our new heating system and within a few days they had placed all the heaters under the pews and radiators on the walls ready to be connected to the power supply. We now await the electricity provider to bring new cabling from the grid into the church vestry so that the everything can be wired up and we can be warm in church again. Hopefully this will all happen well before Christmas.
Since restarting bible study again on Wednesdays, we have been fortunate to have the company of our curate Revd Katie at these sessions. Her knowledge and enthusiasm for the discussions we have make it a very thoughtful and interesting 45 minutes. It is a very friendly, informal gathering with a chance to question and talk about our gospel reading for the week. If you haven’t tried it yet, why not come along and give it a go – 5 p.m. every Wednesday in the church.
Our next service will be Remembrance Sunday at 11 a.m. starting at the War Memorial where wreaths are laid and then proceeding into church afterwards. Holy Communion will not take place on this occasion due to the format of the service, which by popular demand will be led by Jeremy Lane with David playing the organ.
Lastly, a reminder about our Christmas Bazaar on 19th November from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m in the church. Come along and buy some Christmas gifts and have a cup of tea and a chat with friends and neighbours. If you have any items to donate or can spare a homemade cake we will be very grateful. Contact either Eileen, Wendy or any of the PCC members for further information. As a footnote, we can only take CASH at this event – we have tried a card reader but haven’t been able to get a strong enough signal to make a transaction so we are still a bit behind the times!
The festive season is almost upon us and once more we are requesting donations towards the cost of the Christmas Trees along the path, with their welcoming lights, and the indoor tree, always so beautifully decorated by Jeanette Lanham and family. If you wish to contribute, please contact Doreen Hart on 844124.
Finally, the process of us joining the Benefice of Brize Norton and Carterton is nearly complete. The final step is approval from the church commissioners that will follow after the Black Bourton Draft Pastoral Scheme has been passed. Do send a message of your support for the scheme to the Pastoral Care Officer Katie Lowe at katie.lowe@churchofengland.org.