Rector’s Letter
At this very moment the earth is springing into life and the fresh green of the new leaves on the trees once again lifts the heart. I’m told by experienced gardeners though that we aren’t out of the danger zone as far as the bad weather is concerned!! But surely the worst is over. Easter has been extremely early this year and the schools have long Summer Terms in which to fit in examinations along with some of the more pleasurable activities! Open Gardens at Staunton, Broxwood Court and Byton and a goodly number of weddings in our churches are to be looked forward. All of these are local and perhaps in a time when we are looking to cut our consumption of fuel and rethinking our budgets might be better than travelling a long way to seek the same sort of thing!
Some of you have come to me and asked about confirming your Christian faith and the Bishop is coming to this group of parishes on July 6th for any who wish to do this. I’m gathering the group together shortly and if this is something you would like please contact me. Many find this an extremely special thing to do, and is a time of sorting out thoughts, beliefs and life style, something that as the world continues to challenge us financially, morally, globally we have to do continually. When Philip questioned Jesus about God saying “show us the Father and we will be satisfied” Jesus replied “Whoever has seen me (Jesus) has seen the Father” and “I am the way, and the truth and the life”. (John 14) Mighty claims and ones that we will be discussing.
I hope that as the financial pinch continues we will invest in our local communities which are so important – spending time enquiring about your neighbour costs time but not pounds and I hope that at your local church you will always find a welcome – so if for whatever reason you have stopped coming to church (looking after relatives, avoiding the winter cold) summon up courage and come back this Summer.
Julie
May
2008
Letter from the Bishop of Ludlow
“I am who I who I am” is the usual translation of God’s name given to Moses at the burning bush. Jonathon Sacks says that the literal translation should be “I will be what I will be”.
This is significant for us because it indicates God is the God of the future as well as the present and the past. We have been remembering in recent months how God sent Moses back into Egypt to bring the Hebrew nation out of slavery. It was an enormous task but the escape from Egypt gave them an identity and a calling as God’s people.
Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we discover our identity as the Christian church and are called into the future by God to witness to his nature and loving purposes for all humankind.
At Pentecost we celebrate the outpouring of God’s holy spirit on the first disciples and remember how they went out into all the world to follow the God who will be.
This has huge significance for us as we face up to the great issues facing us in the world today – the future of the world and its environment – feeding a rapidly increasing world population – sexuality – migration - local services such as schools, post offices and hospitals. There are no easy answers to any of these questions and they will not be found in a book. The message of the Bible and the message of Pentecost is that we believe in a God who calls himself “I will be what I will be” and his spirit leads us into the future to discover and discern his purposes.
Somebody might be tempted to ask what all these huge issues which face humankind are to do with the church. The answer is that we shall want to join in solidarity with all the rest of humankind of whatever faith, political creed or difference to face up to the future because we believe in the one God who is the source of all life and has created all men and women in his own image. Therefore we must treat one another with the same respect, dignity and love with which God himself deals with us.
That is why it is exciting to be a Christian in the 21st Century.
Michael
Copy
Date
Please make sure that all copy for the July/August issue of the magazine
is with Jane E Burgoyne by 18th June at Nash’s Oak, Lyonshall or
contact her by telephone on 01544 340272 or by e-mail at jeb@nashsoak.plus.com
From the Registers
Baptism
Poppy Frances Edith Lawrence - Pembridge
We welcome her into the Lord’s family
Funerals
Reginald Charles Rouse - Lyonshall
John Maurice Roberts - Pembridge
Elena Prosser - Pembridge
Raymond Charles Thomas - Shobdon
Vera May Davies - Lyonshall
Lisa Jayne Edwards - Byton
Our thoughts and prayers are with family and friends
Marriage
Margaret and Adrian Major (Blessing) - Lyonshall
Adam Morton and Mary Griffiths - Moorcourt
Christopher Shuker and Zoe Breakwell - Staunton-on-Arrow
We wish them every happiness in the future
Sunday
Readings
Sunday 4 May – Sunday after Ascension
Acts 1 v 6 - 14, John 17 v 1 – 11, Psalm 68 v 1 - 10, 32 –
35
Sunday
11 May – Whit Sunday
Acts 2 v 1 – 21, John 20 v 19 – 23, Psalm 104 v 26 –
34, 36, 37b
Sunday
18 May – Trinity Sunday
2 Corinthians 13 v 11 – end, Matthew 28 v 16 – 20, Psalm 8
Sunday
25 May – Ist after Trinity
1 Corinthians 3 v 10 – 11, 16 – end, Matthew 5 v 38 –
end, Psalm 119 v 33 – 40
Sunday
1 June - 2nd after Trinity
Romans 1 v 16 – 17, 3 v 22b – 31, Matthew 7 v 21 – end,
Psalm 46
Sunday
8 June - 3rd after Trinity
Romans 4 v 13 – end, Matthew 9 v 9 – 13, 18 – 26, Psalm
33 v 1 – 12
Sunday
15 June - 4th after Trinity
Romans 5 v 1 – 8, Matthew 9 v 35 – 10 v 23
Sunday
22 June - 5th after Trinity
Romans 6 v 1b – 11, Matthew 10 v 24 – 39, Psalm 86 v 1 –
10, 16 – 17
Sunday
29 June – Peter and Paul
Acts 12 v 1 – 11, Matthew 16 v 13 – 19, Psalm 125
Sunday
6 July - 7th after Trinity
Romans 7 v 15 – 25a, Matthew 11 v 16 – 19, 25 – end,
Psalm 45 v 10 – 17
Midweek communion
The next midweek Group Holy Communion Services will be on Thursday 1st May (Ascension Day), Thursday 5th June, Thursday 3rd July at 10.30am in the Methodist Chapel at Shobdon. All are most welcome.
Ascension Day
This
too is early this year following the early Easter. It occurs on Thursday
1st May and will be celebrated with
1. Pembridge School Service at 9.20am in Pembridge Church (all are welcome),
2. Holy Communion at Shobdon Methodist Chapel at 10.30am.
3. Ascend Byton Hill again at 7pm to retrieve the cross placed there
on Good Friday and sing Ascension Day hymns and pray. Meet outside Byton
Church at 7pm.
Quiet Day
There
will be another quiet day on Thursday 19th June from 10 – 4pm at
Bearwood Methodist Chapel. Come and join the rector for some quiet space
to pray or read and reflect in whatever way is helpful. If you want
to draw or write please bring appropriate material. Coffee and tea will
be provided but please bring packed lunch if staying all day.
Evening Service at 8pm – Taize or similar.
Thank
you
To
Tony Norman for leading the Rogation Walk this year along the Arrow
Valley and enlightening us with history, conservation and the delights
of this special place. The afternoon was informative as we saw the Leen
Farm and its dairy all set up to provide us with organic milk. Thanks
to Jenny and her crew for providing tea for the walkers and to the Addington
Fund and the Herefordshire Stress Network who joined us this year and
the collection from the service went to them. Thank you to Nick for
giving the address and for Simon Edwards for giving a farmer’s
view.
Thank
you
To
all who made the churches clean, and beautiful for Easter. Thank you
too for donations to Easter Lilies and for the spring cleaning both
inside and out! The churches both looked and smelt beautiful!
Thank you too to all who have served as Churchwardens or PCC members
over the last year. The annual meetings have seen one or two changes
and we look forward to another good year in the life of the Arrowvale
Group of parishes. Four of the churches will be looking to do small
or major work to their buildings this year! Expensive business –
so do help the faithful worshippers to maintain these buildings which
are for the benefit of the whole community.
Pembridge News
Pembridge
with Moorcourt
We think that we have made history with the first ever wedding at Moorcourt
Church (see picture on front cover) made possible by a special licence
from the Archbishop of Canterbury!!! Thanks to Margaret Reid for looking
after Moorcourt and preparing for the services there.
We are grateful to Bob Anderson for being churchwarden for the last year and for all his hardwork officially and behind the scenes on our behalf. Mrs Jacqui Thomas has taken over from him as churchwarden for this coming year and we wish you all the best Jacqui.
Summer
Fete
Saturday 5th July Village Hall
Due to the postponement of the Flower Festival we hope that you will
note this date in your diary as it forms part of the fundraising necessary
to keep Pembridge Church on the road – so as to speak!
We would be grateful for donations for stalls – cakes, produce, plants (why not pot some up as you divide them) bottles, raffle prizes, books and small items for children’s tombola eg sweets, pop, clean toys. Items can be left at the Rectory from mid June onwards or via Jacqui Thomas or Tracey Hoskins at school or ring Jenny Johnston 340287.
Rotas
There are some gaps – if you would be prepared to join please contact
Jenny Johnston 340287
Month:
Sun: Church Cleaning Flowers Churchyard
May 1st &2nd Mrss Owens and Mrs A Thomas Mrs J Holmes & Mrs
J Price. Mr E Price
3rd & 4th Mrs D
Jenkins &Mrs M Lillyman Mrs J Thomas
Jun st & 2nd Mrs R Carruthers & Mrs B Price Mrs R Jenkins &
Mrs J Price Mr B O Hare
3rd & 4th Mrs L Lillyman
5th Mrs.S.Morgan Mrs W Walters
Jul 1st & 2nd Mrs J Locke and helpers
Dogs
and the Churchyard.
There has been some problem over the early months of this year with
dogs fowling in the churchyard. Please remember that the land is consecrated
for burial and that our ancesters lie at rest beneath the grass whether
there are headstones there or not. You are welcome to enjoy this special
place and to come and be there but please do not use it as a place to
exercise your dogs or let them.......! I’ll say no more.
Middlebrook
Farm, Pembridge
The end of April 2008 marked the end of an era for the Edwards family
of Middlebrook Farm. On 30th April, 2008, after 67 years as tenant farmers
of the 62.5 acre Herefordshire Council Smallholding of Middlebrook,
the fourth generation of the Edwards family closed the farm gates for
the last time. Due to various reasons, mostly beyond their control,
the present family sadly and regretfully said goodbye to Middlebrook…
The Edwards’ came to Middlebrook in 1941 from Mansel Lacy and ran
a dairy herd; firstly Guernseys, then Jerseys and British Friesians.
A successful and wide-reaching local milk-round ran in tandem with the
dairy herd. In 1995 the milk round ended and the dairy cattle were gradually
replaced with beef cross cattle. In March 2008, the cattle, mostly crosses
to a registered Hereford bull were sold in Ludlow Livestock Market.
On April 19th, 2008, a farm dispersal sale was held at Middlebrook.
In 1956, 1996 and 2006 the three consecutive generations of the Edwards
farming menfolk all died suddenly while at work on Middlebrook Farm.
All three farmers were buried in Pembridge churchyard.
Mrs. Anne Edwards, wife of the late Norman Edwards
Pudding
and Pimms at Broxwood Court
Sunday June 22nd 2:00 – 6:00pm
Come and enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Swim in the pool, enjoy delicious
puddings to accompany your Pimms and stroll in the beautiful grounds
of this lovely country house.
By kind permission of Mr Sneadcox and Mr and Mrs Allen
Saturday
July 5th 2:00 – 5:00pm
Traditional Village Fete in Pembridge Village Hall
Something
for everyone. Delicious refreshments. Lots of stalls, including Cakes,
Books and Produce. Plenty of fun – try your hand at Skittles, Darts
and Tombola or try your Luck on the Chinese Raffle. We always have stalls
for the very young to enjoy as well, like Splat the Rat and The Fish
Tank Game, plus a free play area with sand pit and toys.
The whole family can enjoy an afternoon out that won’t cost the
earth!
Pembridge
Coffee Mornings
The Pembridge Coffee Mornings are held on the third Thursday of the
month in the village hall between 10:30 and 12:00 noon. The next two
dates for your diary are May 15th and June 19th. Coffee is free with
any donations going to charity. All are welcome. For further details,
or if you need a lift, contact Jenny Johnston on 01544 340287. We look
forward to seeing you there.
Pembridge
WI
May 14 Resolutions meeting when A ban on bottom trawling, and the inappropriate
imprisonment of the non criminal, severely mentally ill will be discussed.
May 20 The Book Club will meet at The Granary Broxwood at 3p.m.
June 11 Garden visit , to be arranged so nearer the date contact Dianne Davis for details.
June 18 Outing to Coughton Court.
Byton News
Music
at Middlemoor Barn.
We are hoping for sunshine and blossom on the first weekend in May because
there is a wedding in Byton Church, the first one for 18 years! And
on the bank holiday monday in the marquee at the home of Steve and Liz
Weaver an evening of Bank Holiday entertainment for your delight. See
separate information.
Rotas
May Mrs C Scatcherd and Mrs S Evans
June Mrs J Jeakings and Mrs J Owens
July Mrs L Weaver and Mrs M Edwards
BY KIND PERMISSION OF MR & MRS S. WEAVER
MUSIC
AT MIDDLEMOOR
AN EVENING OF LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
FEATURING
KNIGHTON
SILVER BAND
PLUS
SUPPORTING ACTS
TICKETS
£10
TO INCLUDE SUPPER WITH CIDER
AT
MIDDLEMOOR BARN
LETCHMOOR LANE,PRESTEIGNE
MON.
MAY 5TH 6.30pm
BAR
PROCEEDS TO BYTON AND KINSHAM CHURCHES
ENQS
.PAULINE ADDERLEY 01544 260110
JUNE ADLARD 01544 267579
MARGARET EDWARDS 01544 267430
Lyonshall News
Lyonshall
Coffee Mornings
The Lyonshall coffee Mornings are held every second Friday of the month
at the Memorial Hall, between 10 a.m. and 12 noon. The next two dates
for your diary are:
Friday 9th May and Friday 13th June.
The Coffee Morning get-togethers have enjoyed strong support this year,
resulting once again in generous donations. Recent allocations have
been £60 to Sport Aid in March and £50 to Pembridge Church
East Window Appeal in April.
Come along and meet old friends and new. Enjoy local friendly company,
home baked cakes, raffle and local preserves and produce.
Everyone welcome. For further details, or to arrange transport, please
contact Kathy Thompson on 01544 340386. Hope to see you there!
Ladies
Monday 16th June from 10am onwards is the day to clean the brass and
do a yearly clean. Do come and help if you can. The men have been let
off for the time being until the path has been done and then it will
your turn outside.
Open
Garden
In Aid of Hereford Nature Trust
Sunday 27th July 12.00-5.00pm
The Wharf
An organic country garden with views over rolling country fields &
12th Century Church. Half acre garden with fruit trees, vegetable plots,
herb garden, herbaceous beds, greenhouse & trees including a 400
year old yew.
Located to the rear of the black & white timber frame cottage opposite
St Michaels Church at Lyonshall. Entry to garden through side gate in
the lane to Lynhales nursing home. (Guide dogs only).
Refreshments available.
Plant Sales.
Entrance fee £2.50. Children under 10 free.
Shobdon News
Calendar
of events
May 6 11am Prayer meeting in Methodist chapel
8Mother’s Union meets. Members are invited to select a Bible passage
and an everyday article to illustrate it
152.30 Sunshine Club meets in Village Hall for an interactive talk by
Sandra Soames
20 11am Prayer meeting in Methodist chapel
June 3 11am Prayer meeting in Methodist chapel
12Mother’s Union meets. Speaker to be arranged.
17 11am Prayer meeting in Methodist chapel
192.30 Sunshine Club meets in Village Hall
An outing of the Sunshine Club is being arranged, and details will be posted on the Village website www.shobdonvillage.co.uk.
The
Spotlight Club
The Club started its meetings again early in April, after school on
Wednesdays, led by Peter Dennis; Peter is back at full strength after
his operation at Christmas time. He is helped my John Andrews, Norah
Morgan (occasionally) and two new helpers, Sally Hiam and Sandra Bevan.
There are 15 enthusiastic members. Meetings are every Wednesday until 7 May when there is a break for half term until 21 May, the last meeting of the term. However, there is a special fun-day meeting on Saturday, 7 June at the Kingsland C of E Primary School from 10am to 2.30pm, when kids from several of the schools at which Peter works will meet together for games, competitions, etc. It was a very good day last year, but a wee bit exhausting. Lunch boxes are needed. More details via the school later, but please put it in your diary, Mums and Dads..
Prayer
Group
This informal group meets on the first and third Tuesdays of every month
in the Methodist Chapel at 11am. The prayers offered are primarily for
people in Shobdon, what they do and how they are. If there are particular
matters or people you would like prayed for, please talk to a member
of the church, or to me, John Andrews, on 708277, or Gwen Smith on 708936.
What is prayed for is entirely private and confidential.
Shobdon Church repairs. As mentioned in the last Newsletter, more repairs are to be carried out to the church roof. To find out exactly the condition of parts of the roof, it is intended to carry out an investigation of the structure. This will mean erecting a temporary scaffold over part of the church during the summer while the wall heads are uncovered, and the timbers examined.
Shobdon Festival
Organisers
have confirmed that the programme for the 2008 Shobdon Food & Garden
Festival, sponsored by Border Oak is taking shape nicely. With just
a few weeks to go until the June 28th & 29th event held in the grounds
of Shobdon church and court, the final touches are being put in place
for what it’s hoped will be another successful charity event. Along
with a fantastic mix of the regions best food and drink producers, craftspeople
and gardening exhibits, top demonstrating chefs will appear in an all
new Chefs Theatre in conjunction with Heart of England Fine Foods. A
full programme of evening concerts is also planned.
Of the many likely festival highlights, the addition of a mini beer
festival hosted by the Wye Valley Brewery as well as the return of live
Rock ‘n Roll band Roger Brown and No Agenda - back by popular demand
- are likely to be favourites. The Rock n’ Roll night takes place
on the Saturday evening and will be accompanied by an auction of prizes
and promises, hot food and licensed bar. Last year villagers danced
the night away to 50’s and 60’s classic tracks from the likes
of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran and Jerry Lee Lewis. The
evening is once again very kindly and generously sponsored by Martin
and Aileen at Shobdon Stores and Post Office. Other highlights across
the weekend include live jazz and brass bands, classic cars and tractor
displays, demonstrations of farriery, children’s entertainment
and much more. All proceeds to various local charities and good causes
including Shobdon church, primary school and the Breast Cancer Haven
Clinic, Hereford.
For more information contact Terry Teale on 01568 708 725 or visit
www.shobdonfestival.co.uk <http://www.shobdonfestival.co.uk/>.
Staunton-on-Arrow
News
Whist
Drives
Staunton-on-Arrow Whist Drives are held on the 1st Wednesday of every
month in The Village Hall. 8.00 pm start.
AGM
The time for our Annual General Meeting has come round again and the
Assessment required by the Diocese to be presented each year has shown
an encouraging increase in the congregations at St.Peter’s.
Over Easter this year John Beesley took a Solemn Service on Good Friday evening which was very well attended, and at the end of this month parishioners will again participate in the Rogation Walk which this year is based on The Leen.
On the first Saturday morning in April about forty people came to the Coffee Spot, which is even more than usual. Visitors and children are always welcome at this friendly regular event in the Village Hall, when the cakes are always particularly good!
Clive Edwards continues to run successful whist drives each month and theVillage Hall Trustees now have plans in-hand to complete the improvements to the heating of the hall which are badly needed for these and other events.
The churchwardens reported that the recent visit to the church by the Archdeacon of Hereford was very satisfactory. He had remarked on how clean and well maintained the church was. Thanks go to all those who do the cleaning, prepare the church for services and bring and arrange flowers throughout the year. It was also nice that the Archdeacon was particularly interested in the records of the church, churchyard, local history and local wildlife that are kept on display in the South Transept.
The primroses and other wild flowers in the churchyard, along the churchyard wall, in the millennium garden and on the Saxon Castle Motte are especially lovely this late spring. If anyone would like to volunteer to help with maintenance of these areas from time to time Peter Laing, (01544 388873) and Garry Garforth-Bles would be very pleased to hear from you.
FUTURE
EVENTS IN STAUNTON-ON-ARROW
The Annual Village Fete. This will be held on Saturday
July 19th. It will again be in the lovely grounds of Staunton-Park by
kind invitation of Mr.and Mrs.Fode. Details will be in the next Messenger.
***Don’t miss the Open Gardens Day on Sunday June 8th from 10am to 6pm.***
Eleven beautiful and varied gardens will be open, refreshments will be available all day. There will be a Plant Stall and a raffle. Adequate car-parking is being arranged.
Arrowvale Environment Group
The Arrowvale Environment Group held a meeting in Staunton-on-Arrow Village Hall on 19 June at which some 50 people from our area viewed the Award-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth. In this film Al Gore, the former U.S.A. Vice-President and Nobel Prize winner, presented some convincing, but disturbing scenes about Global Warming. This presentation has motivated action around the world (including China!) and is certainly a film that everyone should see for themselves. We are grateful to Roland Scott for organising the viewing and to other members of the Hall Committee for facilities there, including the excellent video projector.
If any readers do not have this video, and have missed all the public showings on this film that have taken place, we are happy to lend ours. Why not invite friends in to see it with you?. (Contact 01544 388 500.)
After the showing of the film, informal discussion revealed the many individual ways our community is responding: with loft and other house insulation, replacing inefficient freezers, more use of cycles, turning off TVs and computers rather than leaving them on standby – and news of two innovative programmes to build straw-bale houses!
We have now designed a form for self-assessment for anyone wanting to obtain a baseline of their own energy consumption. After one year this exercise can be repeated by the participant to give, hopefully, a reduction in energy used (and a reduction in bills!).
Kington Choral Society invite you to join them for an evening of beautiful music at St. Mary’s Church, Kington
Clive Jenkins The Mayflower Pilgrims
Michael Tippett Five Negro Spirituals (from A Child of our Time)
Requiem Gabriel Faure
Soloists Gemma Busfield (soprano) & Matthew Wright (baritone)
Organist Hilary Norris
Choir Kington Choral Society
Conductor Maureen Twiddy
Saturday 21st June
£7 (incl. refreshments) - performance starts at 7.30pm
Tickets available on the door or by reservation to tel. 01544 230 319