The Parish News Vol 32 Dec 2014

The Parish VOL.32

News

DEC 2014

Magazine

FROM THE EDITOR Season’s Greetings, W ell it’s that time of the year again, Chestnuts roasting on an open Fire, Jack Frost nipping at your toes.

W elcome to the December 2014 & January 2015 Parish News.

It’s been a v ery long & busy year so much has happened good & bad for all.

This edition will bring a collection of items for bot h December & January and hopefully will take you through the festiv e season In today's world we are inundated with images of Christmas from the media. W e are told that it is all about buying expensiv e gifts for each other.

In today's challenging economic times it is a tragedy that parents spend way more than they can afford to try to please their children. The sad truth is that, "money can't buy you lov e".

A holiday is about the time spent together with lov ed ones. It is about gifts that come from the heart, and it is the about the thousands of years of tradition that mark the holiday season.

I would like to express a hearty and warm Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you all.

Be merry & keep well. See you in February for the next Issue of the Parish News Please send all items to me at: peterdownton@btconnect.com or to my home address shown on back of magazine.

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Dates For Your Diary Countess Gytha Primary School Diary Dates…..

Monday 1st December - Bikeabillity (Year 6’s) Wednesday 3rd December - Bikeabillity (Year 6’s) Thursday 11th December - Nativity in the Church Thursday 11th December - Christmas Fair 3pm Monday 15th December - Wren Christmas Party Tuesday 16th December - Nightingale & Robin Christmas Party Wednesday 17th December - Woodpecker, Kingfisher, & Falcon Christmas Party Thursday 18th December - Christmas Performance “When Christmas comes to town” (Times to be confirmed)

Sparkford Neighbourhood Watch Mince Pies & Wine Evening Come to our “Get Together” on Friday 5th December 7:30 pm In the Sparkford Village Hall.

Mince pies & wine for all See You There.

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Sparkford Playing Fields Associat ion are holding a Meet Santa at Sparkford Village Hall on Saturday 13 th December 3.00pm – 6.00pm.

Entry will be free for all children wanting to v isit Father Christmas.

There will be lots of festive fun for all the family during the afternoon so please come along with or without children. For more information please contact Lisa on 01963 440068 or d.k.da vi s @bti nternet.com

CaféXtra The next CaféXtra Village Breakfast Gathering W ill take place on Sunday 14th December.

Breakfast serv ed 9.30am – 11.00am Sparkford Church welcomes ev eryone for good coffee, Toast, Croissant, milkshake bar & A round of bacon rolls.

This v enture aims to provide a monthly meeting point for our v illage, with the option too to pray and hear a Bible story at one point in the morning. No charge for breakfast but contributions welcome

GALHAMPTON PLAYGROUP On Friday 7 t h Nov ember we had our Autumn Fair to raise funds for the playgroup.

W e would like to thank local businesses & hall committee members for their support.

Our thoughts will soon be turning to our Nativity to be held on Friday 19 t h December Nativ ity & our Christmas Party please check the board outside the hall for more details.

The playgroup would like to wish ev erybody a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year

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Come and play a night of Cash Bingo at Sparkford Village Hall On Friday 19th December In Aid Of Cary Comedians Carniv al Club Doors open 6.45pm. Eyes down 7.30pm. Under 16’s to be accompanied by an adult.

Contact Donna Osmond on 01963 440477.

Camelot Music Night Davis Hall, West Camel Wednesday 28th January 8pm – 11:00pm - £4 Doors open 7.30pm Enjoy an ev ening of music ranging from classical, traditional, blues, country, folk, boogie, jazz and more. Each month anything from 8 - 12 different extremely talented performers entertain on a v ariety of instruments, from guitar, fiddle, mandolin, bazooki, flute and keyboards etc.

The artists range from local young groups or soloists, to established groups v isiting from all ov er the South W est. Raffle & bar. Find Camelot Music Night on Facebook or contact Martine/Iain on 01935 851556 or ma rti ne.ha rdy@l i ve.co.uk if you would like to play and for more details

SPARKFORD ART GROUP Sparkford has a friendly Art Group who meet on W ednesday afternoons from 2:00pm – 4:00pm In the Sparkford Village hall.

W e work in v arious media and hav e occasional workshops and v isiting artists. W e are always pleased to welcome new members of all abilities.

If you would like to join us and hav e a go, please call George Lawson on 01963 440551.

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What’s On at Sparkford Village Hall…?

Galhampton Preschool (term time) Monday 9:00am – 3:30pm Wednesday 9:00am – 1:00pm Thursday 9:00am – 3:30pm Friday 9:00am – 3:30pm Contact Fiona Hooper Tel: 01963 440626 Monday & Tuesday Evenings (Term Time) Scouts Cubs & Beavers Tuesday Yoga 10:00am – 12:00pm Contact Marjorie Rourke Tel: 01963 350452 Sparkford Art Group Wednesday 2:00pm – 4:00pm Contact George Lawson 01963 440551 Wednesday & Thursday 6:00pm – 8:00pm Dog Training Classes Contact Lucy Roberts 07817 487901 Friday Men’s Barber in Committee Room 12:00pm – 6:00pm 8

THANK YOU Thank you to everyone who supported the Craft Fayre in Queen Camel and helping us to raise £784 for the Dorset & Somerset Air ambulance.

Special Thanks to those who generously donated raffle prizes.

Many thanks Rachael Trott + Shirley Rogers May I express my v ery sincere Thanks for the many cards, kind w ords, and lov ing help I have received from you all, since the v ery sad passing of my daughter Gill.

Thank You All So Very Much.

Rene Carpenter.

3rd Sparkford Scout Group

Latest from 3rd Sparkford Beavers, Cubs and Scouts

Beavers, Cubs and Scouts Remember Your local beavers, cubs and scouts from the 3rd Sparkford Group were proud to take part in the Remembrance Day Parade and Service held at Queen Camel Church. The event meant a great deal too all our young people, especially in this centenary year, as we all remembered those lost in the 1st World War and in all conflict.

All our groups have a lot planned in the run up to Christmas, learning about Scouting around the world and international charities to earn global badges, and looking at recycling also. Our Scouts took part in the County Scout Challe nge, and we are now planning Christmas events including our carol service – details coming soon.

If you would like to get involved or contribute we would love to hear from you – we are now working to raise funds for outdoor cooking equipment If you would like to get involved or contribute we would love to hear from you – please contact Helen Wooldridge 01963 440801 or helen@cuddledry.com 9

Your Contacts held a meeting on 12 th Nov ember and finalized details for the Christmas Party. This is on 5th December at 7:30 in the Village Hall Please come.

We hav e a Bank balance of £566.01. We decided to keep £100.00 for possible defibrillator spares and hav e decided to giv e £100 to the Village Hall and £100 to the Air Ambulance and reserv e £100 for the Parish War Memorial, when the plans are finalized. This will leave a balance of £266.01 After ten years as your Co-ordinator I have decided to step down but there are to date NO volunteers for a replacement. We therefore have decided to remain as contact to provide some backup for the v illage.

Thelma now cov ers such a v ast area, that we are advised to ring 101 rather than her number and if a crime is about to take place or s happening ring 999.

Recent campers and people sleeping in their car in Sparkford Copse were reported to the police who in turn checked tem out and asked them to tidy up when thy left, which they did after several days.

Christmas seems to be with us earlier and earlier and many of us will be buying presents but whatever happens do not leave them on v iew in your car or through your windows for obvious reasons, and when we go out after dark leav e a light or two on along with the radio. Look back at your home and see if it looks occupied or not. May we all have a crime free & Happy New Year.

Bill Westcott

Sutton Montis 100+ Club Winners March April May June July August September October November

No. 20 No. 81 No. 12 No. 59 No. 49 No. 124 No. 131 No. 12 No. 51

£10.00 £10.00 £10.00 £50.00 £10.00 £10.00 £10.00 £10.00 £10.00 10

Caroline Allen Innis Allen Michaela Bucks Jane Stebbings Robert Little Helen Soper Sharon Scarlett Ron Cornish Ann Puddy

SPARKFORD PARISH COUNCIL REPORT The last Parish Council meeting was held on Monday 3rd November 2014.

One planning decision had been received: 14/03789/FUL – Animal shelter and feed store, Church Road. Approved.

One planning application had been received: 14/04902/COU – Change of use of Sparkford Hall from a C3 dwelling to a mixed use of C3 dwelling and a variety of functions and commercial uses.

It is with great regret that I have to announce the departure of our Parish Clerk, Karen Bourke, due to ill health. On behalf of councilors and the whole parish, I would like to thank her for her huge contribution to the Parish Council over so many years and for her hard work and persistence when dealing with parish business.

We now have a vacancy for a Parish Clerk and would welcome applications for the position from anyone, particularly within the parish. The job requires an average of 20 hours per month, paid according to experience and length of service on National Association of Local Council pay scales.

The role has four main areas: organizing the monthly Parish Council meeting and producing the agenda and minutes; being a point of contact for parishioners seeking advice or reporting problems; dealing with correspondence; contacting District and County Councils or other agencies, regional and national , to have work done within the parish. The latter increasingly requires a Clerk to be persistent and demanding enough not to take No for an answer! For those without previous experience, the Somerset Association of Local Councils runs training courses for parish clerks. A full job description is available from me at the e-mail address below.

The date of the next Parish Council meeting will be Monday 1st December 2014.

Justin Crawford Chairman, Sparkford Parish Council justincrawford@waitrose.com

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2014 Breakfast Post Mortem!!

The Village Hall Breakfast Committee called an informal meeting on October 23rd, asking all August helpers to attend to discuss this year's disappointing profits and to make plans for next year.

There was a very positive response from the majority attending.

Among several suggestions it was decided that we should explore the possibility of providing food for Friday travellers, perhaps lunch and tea. This is what we are at present investigating.

The Breakfast Committee

Queen Camel Tuesday Group November 2014 Meeting This month it was our AGM and there is no speaker, probably, just as well after the problems that we had at the October meeting.

Presumably, because we have all done such a great job, the same team have been voted on again for another year. Let us hope that next year's programme is as successful as this one has been. After the AGM, one of our committee devised a devious quiz to test our skills, fun, challenging and just what was needed after the dry business of voting. Next month we have our Christmas lunch at Sherborne Golf Club.

Looking into the New Year, we start with a talk from Sue King, of Age Concern U.K. on January 6th, which should prove interesting.

The Tuesday Group meets in the Queen Camel Memorial Hall on the first Tuesday of each month, at 10.00am. If you want any more information about our activities, Pat Champion on 01963 32264 or Marion Chapman on 01963 220741.

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VI LLAGE AGENT Pension Scams Recent Government legislation allows people to cash in their pensions. Sadly the result has been a number of scams which can defraud the Pension Holder. Individuals could be targeted in a number of different ways including:  Websites, mass texting, telephone calls or cold calls  Scammers may suggest that the Government has asked them to make contact  The Scammers will appear to be very plausible Scammers may offer a number of services such as:  ‘One-off investment opportunities’, ‘free pension review’,’ cash bonus’, ‘government endorsement,’ ‘legal loopholes’  Transfer of your money overseas  Access to pension before aged 55  Encouragement to speed up transfer of money to a new scheme If you are interested to cash in your pension you should:  Consult your Bank Manager, Solicitor, Accountant or responsible person such as a member of their family before doing anything  Insist in having everything in writing  Not give details of your pension scheme or Bank Account to anyone other than a responsible person  Remember if it appears to be too good to be true it probably is not true.

Message in a Bottle Many of you who live alone have been provided with a Message in a Bottle container which holds a form which you can fill in with information which would be helpful to health professionals if you were to be found unwell or unconscious. These have been produced by the Lions and I have a supply. When I give them to people me always say that the emergency services know about the scheme and will look for the bottle if they see the sticker which tells them it is there. I am very pleased to report that in a recent incident when a lady in Sparkford fell the emergency services did indeed go to her fridge and found her information which they said was very helpful. They told her that often they find the bottle but the form inside has not been completed which does not help.

So if you have a Message in a Bottle please fill in the form. If you need help let me know and I will come along and help you fill it in. If you feel a bottle would be useful to you or a relative who lives alone please contact me and I can give you one.

May I take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year and to say how much I enjoy working with you. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you feel I may be able to help in any way. The service is free and confidential.

Andrea de Berker adeberkerva@somersetrcc.org.uk 07852 961839

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Hello all I have just returned from my rest days, I have had several complaints from various members of the Public in regards to the speeding traffic in The Avenue Sparkford.

As a matter of cause I have been in contact with the Speed Enforcement Motorcycle Team, Who have confirmed that there isn’t a safe place for them to carry out checks in The Avenue.

They however have found a safe place in the High Street, and will endeavor to attend Sparkford at least once a month. As part of my ongoing work I have been tasked to find another Community Speed Watch Co-ordinator for Sparkford and to get the CSW up and running again.

If anyone in Sparkford or the local area is willing to give up some of their time each month to be part of this please contact me at Voice Mail: 07825756278 email: Thelma.Mead@avonandsomerset.police.uk or call 101 (ask for Wincanton Police Station) I am also looking for someone to take over the job as Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator. As Bill is stepping down at Christmas. This is sad news indeed and he will be dearly missed.

I would like to express a Big Thank You from Avon and Somerset Constabulary for all your diligent work as NHW co-ordinator over the years and to wish you well in the future Regards Thelma Mead

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Church Service Calendar Wednesday 3 rd December 2014 10.30 am Cleaveside Community Service at the Community Hall 7.00 pm

Sacred Space at Sutton Montis

Sunday, 7 th December 2014 – 2 nd Sunday of Advent (Purple) Readings: Isaiah 40.1-11, 2 Peter 3.8-15a Mark 1.1-8, Psalm 85.1-2, 8-end (or 85.8-end) 9.30 am BCP Holy Communion at Sparkford 9.30 am BCP Holy Communion (said) at Sutton Montis 9.30 am Village Service at Corton Denham 10.30 pm Family Service at Queen Camel 4.30 pm Tea time at West Camel (Davis Hall) 6.30 pm CW Evening Prayer at Weston Bampfylde Sunday, 14 th December 2014 – 3 rd Sunday of Advent (Purple) Readings: Isiah 61.1-4, 8-end, 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24, John 1.6-8, 19-28, Psalm 126 9.30 – 11.00 am CaféXtra at Sparkford Village Hall 10.00 am

Holy Communion at Queen Camel

11.00 am

BCP Holy Communion at West Camel

11.55 am

Informal Morning worship at Sutton Montis

4:30 pm

BCP Evening Prayer at Corton Denham

6.30 pm

BCP Evening Prayer at Weston Bampfylde

Tuesday 16 th December 2014 6:30 pm Carol Service at Sparkford Thursday 18 th December 2014 7:00 pm Carol Service at Weston Bampfylde Sunday, 21 st December 2014 – 4 th Sunday of Advent (Purple) Readings: 2 Samuel 7.1-11,16 Romans 16.25-end, Luke 1-26-38, Magnificat 9.30 am BCP Matins at Sparkford 3.30 pm

Carol Service at West Camel

4.30 pm

Carol Service at Corton Denham

6.30 pm

Carol Service at Sutton Montis

6.30 pm

Carol Service at Queen Camel

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Wednesday, 24 th December 2014 – Christmas Eve (White or Gold) Readings: Isaiah 62.6-end, Titus 3.4-7, Luke 2.(1-7)8-20, Psalm 97 6.00 pm Nativity Service at Queen Camel 11.30 pm

Midnight Communion Service at Sparkford

11.30 pm

Midnight Communion Service at West Camel

11.30 pm

Midnight Communion at Sutton Montis

Thursday, 25 th December 2014 – Christmas Day (White or Gold) Readings: Isaiah 52.7-10, Hebrews 1.1-4(5-12), Psalm 98 10:00 am Family Communion Service at Queen Camel 10.00 am

Holy Communion at Weston Bampfylde

10.00 am

Holy Communion at Corton Denham

Sunday, 28 th December 2014 – 1 st Sunday of Christmas (White) Readings: Isaiah 61.10-62.3, Galatians 4.4-7, Luke 2.15-21,Psalm 124 10:00 am Together @ 10 10.00 am

The Cam Vale Benefice Holly Communion at Queen Camel

Sunday, 4 th January 2015 – Epiphany Sunday (White) Readings: Isiah 60.1-6, Ephesians .1-2, Matthew 2.1-12, Psalm 72.(1-9) 10-15 9.30 am BCP Holy Communion at Sparkford 9.30 am

BCP Holy Communion (Sung) at Sutton Montis

9:30 am

Village Service at Corton Denham

10.00 am

Holy Communion Service by Extension at Queen Camel

11:00 am

Christingle Service at Weston Bampfylde

4.30 pm

Tea Time at West Camel (Davis Hall)

Sunday, 14 th December 2014 – 3 rd Sunday of Advent (Purple) 10.30 am Cleaveside Community Service at the Community Hall 10.00 am

Sacred Space at Sparkford

Sunday, 11 th January 2015 – Baptism of Christ (White or Gold) Readings: Genesis 1.1-5, Acts 19.1-7, Mark 1.4-11, Psalm 29 9.30 – 11.00 am CaféXtra at Sparkford Village Hall 11.00 am

Three Kings All Age Service at West Camel with Queen Camel

11.15 am

Informal Morning worship at Sutton Montis

4.30 pm

BCP Evening Prayer at Corton Denham

6:30 pm

BCP Evening Prayer at Weston Bampfylde

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Sunday, 18 th January 2015 – 2 nd Sunday of Epiphany Week of Prayer Christian Unity (White) Readings: 1 Samuel 3.1-10(1120), Revelation 5.1-10 John 1.43-end, Psalm 139.1-5, 1218(or 139.1-9) 8.00 am BCP Holy Communion at Queen Camel 9.30 am

BCP Holy Communion at Corton Denham

9:30 am

BCP Matins at Sparkford

11.00 am

BCP Holy Communion at West Camel

6:30 pm

BCP Holy Communion at Weston Bampfylde

6.30 pm

Evening Service at Sutton Montis

Sunday, 25 th January 2015 – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (White) Readings: Genesis 14.17-20, Revelation 19.6-1, John 2.1-11, Psalm 128 10.00 am Together @ 10 9.30 am

The Cam Vale Benefice Service with the Methodist Church at the Davis Hall West Camel

The preacher will be Nick Lankin, the Methodist Superintendent Minister

Sparkford Church Rota’s Flowers December 8

Keyholders

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December th

13 – 28

M rs A Tuck

December 7

Flower Guild

December 14th

Andy Voysey

December 21st

Rene Carpenter

December 28th

Ellen M arsh

January 4th

David Ham

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Cleaners December 6

th

December 13th December 20

th

December 27th January 3

rd

th

M rs Rankin & M rs Sanders M rs Voysey & M rs Braithwaite

Bill Tallon

Sidespersons December 7

M rs Rogers & M rs Skinner M rs Carpenter & M rs Yeates M rs Pay& M rs Osmond

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Ellen M arsh

December 14th

Café Xtra

December 21st

Norman Yeates

December 28th

Together @ Ten.

January 4th

David Ham

From the Registers Baptism: November 2nd November 16th Funerals: November 5th November 9th

We welcome them into God’s family Alex Webb at Queen Camel Ella Case at West Camel Behold, I stand at the door and knock

Bill Whetstone at Yeovil Crematorium Jeremy Wright at Queen Camel (Thanksgiving Service)

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Bishop’s Message – December 2014

The adventure of Christmas I passed a shop this summer which had Christmas goods and Christmas cards on offer and it was still only August! Every year shops seem to start their Christmas displays a week earlier. But in the annual rush to Christmas (which we all have a sinking fe eling about) we risk losing a great deal. In particular we lose the distinctive emphases of Advent which is a season of preparation and expectation.

In Advent we are invited to be still, to be watchful and to be prayerful and to prepare ourselves to celebrate once again the birth of Christ. The word Advent suggests both ‘Event’ and ‘Adventure’ and Christmas is both of those things. Christmas is when we remember the birth of a baby in a stable in Bethlehem: a baby who was God himself.

This was God taking our nature upon himself and putting into effect his great plan of love, whereby we might be reunited with our Creator. That stable in Bethlehem may seem a long way away from us, but God’s love is the same. This is an event for us and our families today - an event to be celebrated.

But Christmas is also an adventure. It was an adventure for the shepherds who ‘returned glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen’ (Luke 2:20). It is an adventure for us as we open our lives and our homes to God. It is an adventure as we look forward to 2015 and all that that may mean for us. It is an adventure as we trust ourselves and those we love to Christ as Savior and Lord.

So let me challenge you to take time this Advent to make a space in the rush to pause, to be still, to reflect and to prepare for the wonder and joy that is Christmas. Let us pray that all our church services and activities will help us draw nearer to God and help us to concentrate on the great ‘event’ and great ‘adventure’ which is at the heart of all we are celebrating. Furthermore, let us ensure that this Christmas is centered more on the coming of Christ and the needs of others, and less around ourselves.

May God grant you a peace - filled Advent and a joy-filled Christmas. +Peter Bath and Wells

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RECTOR’S LETTER DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 Christmas is simple. A child is born: so we celebrate.

I admit I secretly enjoy sitting with my wife to watch one of ‘her’ programs, ‘One Born Every Minute’. A flyon-the-wall documentary set in the maternity ward of a large city hospital, it follows mothers through the time of admission through to the time of the birth of their child, interspersed with interviews recorded in the weeks beforehand, and afterwards, in which she and her partner reflect on the whole experience of childbirth and parenthood.

While the mother’s struggles through childbirth are of course, gripping TV, and the work of the midwives is admirable and interesting, I’m always particularly fascinated by the journey which the fathers make through this process, which so often deeply transforms them.

This is especially true of the first-time fathers, the teenage fathers, and the fathers who’ve been, by their own admission, ‘jack-the-lads’ beforehand but for whom this life event has provided a focus challenging them to change their ways and embrace the responsibility of parenthood. You can see it in their tearful eyes at the moment they first take the new-born into their arms, just how genuinely they mean this, just how deeply they care to make a new start for the child’s sake.

So the TV show illustrates a great truth, that when a baby is born, not only does life begin for that child, but life begins again for the parents, whose roles in life alter forever. Parenthood demands maturity and often requires a change of heart to give space for maturity to grow.

So here’s a statement for you to chew over (along with the turkey sandwiches) this Christmas: the birth of the Christ child brought a challenge to humankind - to begin again and embrace maturity. Every newborn baby immediately makes demands on its parents and family - and so with the child Jesus and the human family.

A child heralded by the angels as being the one who would bring ‘peace on earth’ looks to us to learn to be peaceable people, putting aside our conflicts and finding ways to live together with people not like us; a child who they sang about as the harbinger of ‘goodwill to all’ demanding that we show the way to be benevolent, generous world citizens.

There is always the tendency for ‘Christian’ behavior in our society to decline into what looks like immature, self-centered posturing. Taking on board the demands of the Christ child requires us to embrace the adult Jesus’ teachings and example.

Love your neighbor as yourself; love your enemies; pray for those who persecute you - they’re not easy things to do. But they are the Christian way. They require our willingness to change our ways and embrace the responsibility of mature Christian living. And if we do embrace this, then the joy and the fulfilment we find in so doing, is immeasurable.

Christmas is challenging. A child is born: our world changes forever.

The blessings of the season to everyone in the parish. John Davies

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Copy deadline for inclusion by noon on 15th of each month Typeset Š Mr Peter Downton, DCS Computers Ltd, W ychwood, Church Road, Sparkford, BA22 7JN Tel: 01963 441423 Email: peterdownton@btconnect.com Printed by Gillingham Press Company Ltd, South Street, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4AP

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