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Se en Churches Magazine January 2015
Priest-in-Charge Rev. Marion Harrison, Itteringham Rectory, The Street, Itteringham NR11 7AX. Tel: 01263 587977 Email: marion681@btinternet.com Reader: Gill Peat Tel: 01263 734226
Hi everyone, and welcome to 2015. I hope the Christmas and New Year festivities were all you expected and have left you looking forward to a brighter year to come. I wonder what 2015 will bring us? Will our hopes and plans unfold in unexpected ways, or will there be disappointments to overcome. What changes does life have in store for you? This is the time to ponder all these things and to look forwards. In the Church there is change which for some of us will be difficult. This month we say goodbye to St. Andrews, Blickling which will become a sister church to Aylsham. And also to St. Peter and St. Paul, Oulton which rejoins Cawston and Haydon. The remaining five churches will be joining with the five churches of the Barningham Winter Group to begin the process of forming a new ten church benefice of which I will be licensed as Priest in Charge. Brian Faulkner will also be joining the ministry team and licensed to the ten churches as Honorary Assistant Curate working Sundays and two days in the week. I would like to thank the churchwardens and congregations of Blickling and Oulton for their support during the three years they have been in my care. I have come to cherish you all and will miss you greatly. I wish you well and, with God’s grace, a bright future. To the parishes that stay in my care I say God is constant and always doing a new thing. We will perceive this new thing together and move forward together and look for our bright future. And for the year to come a Celtic Blessing: May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into your doors. Rev. Marion Harrison Amen. 1
Corpusty Stores & Post Office Everything you need, every time you need it.
Store open 8am-8pm Mon-Sat, 8am-6pm Sun. Post Office open 9am-12pm Mon-Sat
01263 587202
Norwich Road, Corpusty
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BLICKLING Outside the church: repair work is underway on the south elevation of the chancel roof of Blickling Church, and presented here are David Lemon, (Church Surveyor), David Preston (of Pikestaff, based in Sporle), Richard Joplin and Robert Powley on 4th Dec, inspecting the principal rafters during this breezy task. The inspection and repair team at work on the windy chancel roof The rafters are all made of oak, and were all found to be in good condition bar one, which is being expertly repaired. The next stage will include planing the oak boards and then replacing the lead (which will be re-cast from the old sheeting, with a small percentage of new lead added). Some skilled stonemasonry and flint-work detail is likely to occur next: hopefully we will have some photos of these features in the next issue. Inside the church: the Carol Service was held on 21st December, 2014 and Jonathan Hirst kindly sends in this report: A respectable congregation assembled in Blickling Church at 11.00 a.m. on 21 December for Holy Communion with carols. We filled the chancel and almost had to share hymn books. We were kept warm by the restored electric heating, but the plastic covering the roof flapped occasionally in the wind. All did not go entirely to plan! Marion’s CD player failed so we had to sing unaccompanied. As a whole we all thought we did rather well – only one false start when half way through the first verse, Once in Royal David’s City morphed into Hark the Herald Angels Sing. A restart was called and, at the second attempt, we stuck to the right tune. Towards the end of the service, Marion read out Bishop Jonathan’s message to the Seven Churches Benefice. Blickling is to join Aylsham in the New Year. So as it has turned out, this was the last service that Marion took as priest in charge of Blickling Church. We thank her for everything she has done for us. The parish of Blickling opens a new chapter. We will miss all of you remaining in the Benefice, and wish you God’s blessing for the future. All contributions are very welcome and are encouraged from every one of all ages within Blickling Parish. If you have Jessica Perry: 01263 735013 any news, dates, thoughts and ideas, please contact me. jessica531@btinternet.com 3
ITTERINGHAM VILLAGE SHOP Established 1637 General Store, Post Office, CafĂŠ and Off Licence Run by the Itteringham Community Association Groceries, Deli Counter, Whole Foods, Wines, Beers, Delicious Cakes, Hand Made Pies, Pet Foods, Local Produce, Ices, Sweets, Books, Maps, Plants
Shop open 9.00-5.00 every day except Sunday 9.00-12.00. Post Office open Monday & Thursday am Home Deliveries Telephone 01263 587325
Mannington Themed Sundays: WALKS OPEN DAILY Wolterton Hall open by appointment admin@walpoleestate.co.uk www.manningtongardens.co.uk 01263 584176
R D Goodge General building Flint work Roofing
Tel: 01263 734014 Mob: 0779 515 8447
www.rdgoodgebuilder.co.uk.
Andrew Dixon
PAINTER & DECORATOR Interior and Exterior Low Cost , High Standard Call Andrew 01263 860204 07770 447714
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EDGEFIELD Church News from Angela Turner It was good to see so many people at the Carol Service and we are very grateful to those who kindly helped to decorate the church and provide excellent mince pies afterwards. The Christmas Eve service was also well attended. Our thanks also go to Marion, our Priest-in-Charge, who, along with the rest of the Benefice Ministry Team, has worked extremely hard during Advent and the Christmas season. Village Hall News from Jim Frost The year is drawing to a close and we have now held our last event of 2014. The annual festive evening, was, as usual a friendly, happy evening, with laughter, singing and games aplenty, not to mention some hearty grub! On 18th December we held our last coffee morning this year and in company with the Edgefield Ladies Group we presented a cheque for over £1,000 to the East Anglia Children’s Hospice at Quidenham. The Ladies Group has spent the entire year raising money for this very worthy cause and are to be congratulated on an amazing effort. Finally, a prosperous New Year to everyone. Date for your diary: Richard Peaver: 01263 587486, Fri 20 March, Quiz Night,Village Hall, 7.00 p.m. rhpeaver@btinternet.com
Christmas brings the Benefice together
Pictured at left are Catherine and William Longe from Edgefield who made an intrepid journey across to St Andrew’s, Wickmere for the service on Christmas Day and met Georgia Withers (pictured right) together with her children Laurie and Tessa. Everybody enjoyed the service very much indeed, in fact nearly as much as opening their Christmas presents! 5
ITTERINGHAM They are leaving, not exactly on a jet plane because the destination is no further than Aylsham but nevertheless Nigel Slater and Melanie Leach will no longer be a presence in the village.We have enjoyed their brief time with us and expect that they will make a ‘good home’ at their freshly restored domestic in The Aylsham-bound Nigel Slater and... Town Lane.A very well attended leaving party at The Manor, to which they were surely born, gave them a spirited and convivial send-off It had been this writers’ intention to include here a photo of Sheila Mitchell who has also left us after decades but at the arranged time your writer was stricken with a bronchial ... his co-pilot Melanie Leach aberration preventing almost all activity.Your nineteen years on The Street, mostly in company with your dear husband have been a pleasure to us Sheila and we wish you a happy time in Norwich. We hope to often see you in the village again. Julie, Sam and Sue were this years’ prize winners in the Christmas draw. Maggie Vaughan-Lewis has completed her history of St.Marys’ Church together with a booklet outlining the career and involvement of Reverend Robert Walpole in the village. He was Rector here for forty-seven years and the recently restored window was dedicated to him. Copies of these two histories are available in the church at very modest cost. Maggie has donated the books to the Church.An announcement regarding a dedication/blessing of the window will shortly be made Because our Church Warden, Ray Covell, on whom this correspondent relies exclusively for dates and timings of Church events and services has now recovered from a pre-Christmas sickness we can sigh with relief. His information is published without question.An important source indeed! Showers of ice descended from high above though weather conditions were excellent.The peak was in sight but could not be summited because of the massive nuggets flying through the air.The stunning beauty of the mountainscape was though the stuff of fantasy and wonder. Serge Busby and party instead scaled Imjetse at 6300 metres. He has returned still complete with all of his fingers and toes and will be confronting The Matterhorn in the Eric Goodman 587278 summer.What dedication!
Itteringham Parish Council Itteringham Parish Council’s next meeting will be on March 9th 2015 at 7.30 pm. 6
LITTLE BARNINGHAM Editor’s note: Because of time pressure exerted by selling her house and making ready for a move, Little Barningham’s Fiona French felt she should stop as the local correspondent for the Seven Churches Benefice magazine. She leaves with our thanks for the creative, dedicated and always very lively way she contributed. We now welcome Derek Wintle, aided and abetted by Michael Gandy, as your new correspondents and welcome them to these pages. This is their first report. It’s here it’s started, it’s official it’s WINTER, a time to draw the curtains, settle by the fire, read a book, watch TV and relax.A time to invite friends for a meal, enjoy a hobby. Although we may moan about the cold, wet, or snow, without it we couldn’t look forward to SPRING. Another event we are looking forward to is the joining together with the Matlaske group of Churches starting in January. This gives us the opportunity of meeting more people in community together. A time to go to other churches and join in fellowship and worship. Joining together may bring challenges but also the excitement of finding different ways to meet these challenges. After writing about challenges I am very aware of the responsibility of trying to write a news letter month by month and will need your help. I realise it will be a difficult task after Fiona’s efforts If you could please make me aware of what is happening in and around the village e.g. Special events, things that other people may enjoy reading about,e.g. Mary having a baby boy, no Little Barningham’s Community Sunday on December 14th not that Mary, but Mary Watson’s baby boy. Congratulations! was very popular and well-attended. Community Sunday as always was a very enjoyable event and so friendly as you can see from the photograph.Thanks to all involved who brought the goodies. Michael Gandy will be starting another collection of clothes, toys,toiletries etc for the on going tragedy in Syria, and as such would be grateful if after Christmas you feel able to contribute any unwanted items he would be very grateful (01263 570097). Toad patrol News Green Lane, Little Barningham was registered as an official Toad Crossing, and next year the patrol will take place again. Look out for Fiona’s expertly crafted temporary road sign alerting drivers to toads on the road. If you can give a few hours to help please contact Eleanor Burton on 01263 577720 e-mail eleanorburton@totalise. co. uk By the time you read this the festivities will be about over, but let us not lose the Joy and Happiness of Christmas, may it be carried Derek Wintle: 01263 570097 on throughout the NewYear.All good wishes for 2015. 7
Seven Churches Magazine
Deadline for next issue of the Newsletter: Friday January 23rd Editor: Richard Lynam Tel: 07831 639196 or Email: richardlynam@btinternet.com To advertise in the Seven Churches Magazine please contact Marian Williams on 01263 732728 or Email: oultonlodge@dialstart.net The Seven Churches Benefice includes: St Andrew, Blickling; SS Peter & Paul, Edgefield; St Mary, Itteringham; St Andrew, Little Barningham; SS Peter & Paul, Oulton and Irmingland; St Andrew, Saxthorpe with Corpusty; St Andrew,Wickmere. www.sevenchurches.org.uk
M. A. SULLIVAN FENCING SERVICES Free Quotations
01263 585016 or 07972 707053 Breke House, 3 Norwich Road, Corpusty
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Benefice Services Rota: January 2015
January Midweek Holy Communion: 9.00am on Wednesdays at Little Barningham Advent Readings with mulled wine and nibbles at the Rectory: Thursdays December 11th and 18th, starting at 7.30pm. CW = Common Worship, BCP = Book of Common Prayer
11 Jan.
18th Jan.
25th Jan.
1st Feb.
Baptism of Christ
Epiphany 2
Epiphany 3
Presentation of Christ
Blickling
No services due No services due No services due No services due to repairs to repairs to repairs to repairs
Edgefield
9.30 11.00 MP Holy Communion BCP RL
9.00 Family Service
9.00
11.00 MP GP
Itteringham HC
BCP
Little Community Barningham Weekend
Community Weekend
11.00 MP CW GP
8.00 HC BCP
9.00 HC
Oulton
9.00 MP SJ
9.00 HC
Community Weekend
Saxthorpe
11.00 Family Service
Community Weekend
8.00 11.00 HC Covenant Service BCP
Wickmere
8.00 Holy Communion BCP 9
11.00 Family Service
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OULTON Happy new year! New resolutions made and new challenges lie ahead. The main challenge which faces members of the congregation and the PCC is the change to Benefice boundaries, in order to provide a fairer distribution of Priests, Lay Ministers and Authorised Worship Assistants. Under the umbrella of The Aylsham Ministry Team, we are, from 1st January 2015, no longer a part of the Seven Churches Benefice and will instead be linked to Heydon, Cawston and Haveringland parishes. Historically there has been many changes to Benefice boundaries and many interregnums, which the parish has always coped with and it is therefore hoped that this change will be no bigger a challenge. There will be a trial period of one year and the process of legalising the changes is a lengthy one so the changes may not be noticeable to many of you. For those who attend church services and activities it is hoped that we will continue with weekly services and a community event on the 4th Sunday/ weekend of each month. Our Christmas services were again well attended. Thank you to Rev. Michael Banks for an excellent crib service which followed an hour of fun with families helping to decorate the church so beautifully. Rev. Marion Harrison preached her last service for us on Christmas Day and we are very grateful to her for all the hard work she has done on our behalf. We wish her well in her new benefice which will include The Barningham Winter Group. Carol singing in the village raised a magnificent £163 18p for The St Martins Housing Trust. A letter of thanks from them will be, as usual, on the notice board Many thanks to all who sang and /or donated and especially to Marion Williams for once more so generously reviving us at our journey’s end.. Susan Mather’s delightful Christmas coffee morning and craft stall at Pasture Cottage, raised a total of £308 to be divided equally between the Box Day and ChurchTower Funds. A huge thank you to her and the helpers for this excellent sum. Events like this are always welcomed by the PCC as despite the very generous grant from The Heritage Lottery, we still need in excess of £40,000 extra funding, if we are to achieve the restoration programme for our lovely medieval church and so the fund raising continues throughout 2015. Organisation of our second Oulton Open Gardens is underway with date TBC so if you’ve eaten too much Christmas Pud your garden can provide the exercise regime you are looking for. If you wish to open your garden this year, please contact me as below and start lifting those weeds now. Sue Hall: 01263 734245 Wishing you all a Happy, peaceful and healthy New Year. 11
Nature Notes With tinsel packed away and the last turkey sandwich eaten, nothing helps blow the cobwebs and the excesses of the season away like a bracing winter’s walk. Whilst days are short, a combination of low sunshine, long shadows and sharp frosts give the Norfolk landscape a magical quality - spider’s webs iced with frost, last year’s Milk Parsley bejewelled with early morning dew and leafless trees standing tall, boldly defying the harsh temperatures. Stripped back to their bare bones and silhouetted against a backdrop of multicoloured skies, deciduous trees now take on a wholly different semblance from at other times of year. The downward hanging branches of Beech tree by Sue Appleby a Birch ooze melancholy, the uniform regularity of a distant Beech resembles a giant thumbprint, whilst a maze of twisted branches, stuttering and unsure of which direction to turn, give the normally self assured Oak an air of indecisiveness. Whilst, at first glance, grey appears to be the dominant hue of a British winter, closer inspection reveals an artist’s palette of colour within the tree barks - the Pewter of the Rowan; the Sepia of the Elder; young Cherries - a rich Magenta; Dogwoods - striking Crimson, and, of course, the stunning Chinese White of the Silver Birch, contrasting with the Charcoal Grey fissures in their trunks. Through centuries deciduous trees have symbolised renewal, rebirth and immortality, their annual cycle giving hope that life would return after the winter’s sleep. But why become dormant in winter at all? A Cherokee fable tells of a time when God commanded all plants to stay awake for seven days and nights. Those that failed were forever condemned to lose their leaves in winter. The more scientific explanation is twofold. Firstly, deciduous trees lose vast amounts of water via their leaves - fine if water levels can be replenished, but frozen ground effectively causes drought conditions, so dehydration would set in. Secondly, trees with broad leaves are quite delicate, easily damaged and made vulnerable to disease by extreme cold, which would cause any moisture within them to freeze and expand. Indeed skiers in alpine regions have often reported hearing loud bangs, as within the trees around them the sap does just this in the subzero temperatures. Now whilst midwinter Norfolk may not hold the excitement of exploding trees, nevertheless its serene beauty stirs up enough fire within to beat away any January blues. 12
SAXTHORPE WITH CORPUSTY Trusting you have enjoyed a Happy Christmas with family and friends, here’s wishing you all a peaceful and healthy New Year. The Christmas Fair at the village hall on 29th November raised £300.00. Thanks are given to all who gave of their time, talents and gifts. Families Together’s Christmas party was enjoyed by some 40 children and adults.The photo shows their craft activity of making masks which were worn for the games, dancing and party food. Molly Jarvis writes: “Recently I was in a nativity at St Andrew’s Church where Corpusty Primary School performed a Christmas play, The Little Fir Tree. It was standing room only in the church! Key Stage The Families Together activity of mask-making makes almost 1 did some brilliant acting and Key impossible to identify who’s who in this picture. Who can you spot? Stage 2 some fabulous singing.The performance was fantastic and the costumes dazzled. For some children it was a scary experience performing in front of such a lot of people, I can say, I was lucky to be part of it!” The bellringers of St Andrew’s are planning to commemorate the centenary of each of the deaths of the fallen of Corpusty and Saxthorpe during the First World War by striking the tenor bell one hundred times.They will begin on 5th May 2015 for the loss of William Robert Hipperson through to 24th September, 2018 for the loss of William Robert Hollox. Saxthorpe and Corpusty Village Hall Committee announce: there is a vacant allotment on the village hall site, available for rent at £15.00 per annum. If you are interested in renting this plot please ring Trish Porthouse on 587667. The Toys and Tins service was a very thoughtful time with Gill Peat combining Bible readings and seasonal poems.The gifts were laid around the Christmas tree and afterwards taken to The Salvation Army in Holt.With all the excitement of Christmas Eve, the Service of Light was its usual joyous occasion; young eyes wide open, with mothers and fathers hoping they were ready for Christmas Day.The Christmas Day service celebrated the solemnity of the Holy birth afresh. LinC’s January meeting welcomes Mr G.Worton, whose talk ‘The Green Man’ will begin at 2.00pm on 21st. Library Van 8th January, times in Village Shop. Judith Banks: 01263 587319 13
North Norfolk Night Sky NASA’s New Horizons probe is about to wake up from a long slumber and get ready for its highly anticipated Pluto flyby next summer. The probe is scheduled to emerge from a 99-day hibernation on Dec. 6, then gear up for a six-month Pluto encounter that peaks with the first-ever close flyby of the mysterious dwarf planet on July 14, 2015. Analysis of data from Philae on comet 67P shows that it’s water is different to that on Earth.The question of where our oceans came from still remains largely unanswered. Jupiter is a fine sight in the eastern sky in the constellation Gemini around 9 pm. A good pair of binoculars should enable you to see two or three of the brightest satellites.A small telescope will show four or more, depending on their position around Jupiter.The main satellites to look out for are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. To the right of Jupiter Orion the Hunter is rising in the south eastern sky. If you have a telescope or binoculars, you can see the Orion nebula just below the sword of Orion. The Rosette nebula – NGC 2237 - to the left of Orion’s belt is a fine subject for astrophotography, but not when the moon is bright! To see it visually you will need a dark sky and a telescope equipped with a low power eyepiece. It appears about the same diameter as the full moon.The Rosette is a gigantic cloud of hot gas from which stars are forming. Recently the Hershel Space Observatory has observed a stellar nursery of young stars there.The hole in the middle was caused by intense The Rosette Nebula radiation from the central stars.The nebula is 4700 light years from Earth.A light year is the distance light travels in one year at a speed of 186,000 miles a second! Many deep sky objects have NGC numbers. NGC stands for ‘New General Catalogue’.This catalogue was compiled by Dreyer in 1888, and has over 5000 objects! Do take time to observe the moon with binoculars or a telescope. It is the most spectacular object in the night sky! Even with binoculars you will see craters, but don’t expect to see any spacecraft on the surface, they would be much too small to be seen from Earth. You do not need a telescope to enjoy the beauty of the night sky. Wrap up with some warm clothes and just enjoy the sight of the David Jackson Milky Way on a clear frosty night, and ponder what it all means! 14
WICKMERE WITH WOLTERTON Happy New Year to you all. I would like to make an apology to Master Nathan White. It seems I added an extra year onto the poor little chap, he was 2 not 3, I’ll try to get it right this year. It has been a busy time in the village over the festive season with the village hall coming into its own. It seems now the bottle banks have been removed, we are the proud owners of 2 grit bins, these appeared shortly before the end of the year. Now all we need is some SNOW (please!!) for them to prove their need. George Madeley has asked me to pass on her grateful thanks to everyone who called in on her Xmas Fayre on November 29th. It was a great success, and all those with stalls have asked for it to be repeated again this year. The chocolate tombola raised £50 for village hall funds. A breezy but crisp evening on December 7th was the setting for Wickmere’s Service of Light. It was enjoyed by over 50 people. Many thanks to Marion for her narration and guidance. A very big thank you to our talented Wickmere Band, Ellie Bray and Emma Riches on flutes,Victoria Goulty violin, Robert Riches cello and Charlie Goulty clarinet. Thanks also go to our 2 Little Drummer Boys, Luke & Nathan White. The service ended with mulled wine and nibbles supplied by Philida & Tony Hurn. December 12th saw the annual Xmas Tree Lights switch on, followed by carols, mulled wine and mince pies at the village hall. Thank you to Richard Hembling for supplying the new lights on the tree. 13th was Bingo evening.Thank you to Terry, Barbara and family for their organising. It is reported that £95 was made for village hall funds. 19th December - Yippee, last day of school. There was a party in the village hall for the youngsters of the village. 13 young Wickmerians enjoyed games, music and jelly and ice cream. Many thanks as always, to Lesley for her organising and to George Goulty for the music, A great start to the Christmas hols. A slight change in date, 22nd December saw the first film afternoon for the youth of the village. A choice of films had been given, with Nativity being chosen. 15 youngsters turned up and enjoyed the film, with popcorn, juice and nibbles. Well done to Chelsie and George Goulty for their idea and organisation. A big thank you to John Hardy for his technical help. This may well be repeated again. On Christmas Day the morning service saw over 50 people attend the church. Many thanks to Marion for a lovely service. On Sunday 28th December, those of you with eagle eyes, or ears would have known that Radio Norfolk’s Treasure Quest revisited our village. Well done to Helen MacKenzie for her contribution. December 28th saw the village hall used yet again this month, this time hosting another Double Dragon event. Many happy revellers enjoyed the evening, and some sore heads the next morning.... Wickmere birthdays - Jack White will be 1 this month, and Charlie Helen Goulty 01263 570043 Goulty 15 on 29th. 15
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