Dear AllThank you to all those who joined me in praying for peace in the church at our regular prayer meeting on Tuesday morning at 9.30 am. Next week will resume to being online.I hope you have been able to experience these prayer stations and that they have been helpful for you.It has been a difficult week for the Church of England that may ricochet among your friends and family for a few weeks.You may want to get up to speed with the findings of the Makin report so that you can talk with some knowledge if anyone asks you questions.Makin Report: Key findings and conclusions | Evangelicals NowIt is with sadness that I read this review and its findings and this is another instance that shows why we need our safeguarding practices to be strong and healthy.This weekend is Safeguarding Sunday, our services will change slightly and will create the opportunity to meet with Cath Sharples our Safeguarding Officer and myself and ask any questions that you are unclear about.We have 2 services this Sunday:-9.30 am communion at St James11.15 am St Mary’s, GilstonOnto Parish NewsA reminder that it is Lois Smith’s funeral at Parndon Wood Crematorium on Monday 18th November at 2.00 pm. All welcome to join the family.Also, we have now finalised the arrangements for the funeral and burial of Rita Bird. The funeral will take place on Wednesday 27th November at 11.30 am at St James Church followed by burial in the churchyard with her husband. All welcome to join the family.We have the opportunity to meet on Saturday morning for coffee and cake and learn how to ‘Light up High Wych’ with a demonstration of how to decorate your cone. As I understand it Cones can be collected or they will be dropped off for people.I trust your week is going well and I look forward to seeing you soon.Every blessingAlison
Outside St James are white ribbons that you can tie onto the railings as you say a prayer for peace.Inside the church there are some prayer stations with prayers you can say for the conflicts we are currently aware of. We also remember those who have died over the years in war.You can also write a prayer to hang on our prayer tree.Please pause for a moment if you can.
Dear AllI did promise you I would let you know the arrangements for Lois Smith’s funeral when I knew them.The date and venue and time has been agreed and will be as follows:-Monday 18th November at Parndon Wood Crematorium at 2.00 pm. Please remember Barry and his family at this difficult time.This has been the first week back at school after half term, Jimmy’s has been in full swing and full, Jim’s café was very well attended and so was this month’s Wednesday Welcome. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the many teams who come together with great willingness to make all these activities and sessions run so smoothly. Thank you so much, we couldn’t do any of this without your help.As you know this weekend we are calling to mind and commemorating Remembrance Day. There are a variety of opportunities to remember those who have died for their country over the years.9.30 am Holy Communion, Remembrance Day service, St James, High Wych10.45 am Act of Remembrance at St James War Memorial10.45am Act of Remembrance, Eastwick War Memorial, Eastwick3.00 pm Remembrance Day Service at St Mary’s, Sawbridgeworth (taken by Rev Alison Jackson).I hope to see you all soon at one of our activities or one of our services.Every blessingAlison
Dear friendsIt is with sadness that I am writing to inform you that Lois Smith, died this week from a short illness. Lois was a faithful worshipper at St Botolph’s, Eastwick for many years and her quiet and sweet presence will be missed by all who know her. I will keep you all informed of the arrangements for her funeral when they have been finalised.As you know I have been off Monday through to Friday this week, so please bear with me as I catch up with the mass of e-mails I have returned to, etc.This week our services are as follows:-8.00 am BCP Communion service at St James, High Wych9.30 am Family Service starting with breakfast at St James, High Wych4.00 pm All souls service at St James, High Wych.I trust that this e-mail finds you well and I hope that we can see each other soon.Every blessingAlison
Dear AllHope your week is working well for you.I’ve attached a flyer for the Quiz Night on 30th November. After the very popular Quiz Night at the weekend at High Wych, I can see that we have some real quizzers in our community. I hope you will be able to come and bring a team of people with you, so we can have some fun together. You will notice from this flyer that your first drink will be provided and there will be nibbles on the table, and you may like to bring your own supper. I do urge you to book early with Christine or Rosemary to avoid disappointment as the tables do get booked up quickly.As half term approaches – Jimmy’s Baby and Toddler group and Jim’s café will not be meeting next week, and so I wish all the teams a fun and restful week and want to take this opportunity to thank them for all the hard work they put in, you are all amazing, thank you. This means I will be taking the Monday 28th October to Saturday 2nd November away from my office, laptop, phone etc. Also please note that my landline phone is still not working although I have been promised by BT that they will be working again by the end of this week. I cannot currently pick up any messages that are left, so please leave messages on my mobile 0783 366 7707, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.This weekend our services are:-9.30 am Communion service at St James, High Wych11.15 am Family service at St Botolph’s, EastwickI look forward to seeing you at one of these services.Every blessingAlison
Dear AllAs I write this in my boots, jumper and woolly socks, with the heating on – I am so hot!!! It turns out that it is 21.5 degrees outside.Our weather is really weird at the moment.I wonder how your week is going? I must admit there have been a few irritating things happening like phones not working, computer doing strange things and my tyre springing a leak on my car – please do not currently leave me a message on my home phone as I cannot pick messages up and I am waiting for BT to fix the problem.Apart from that…..I have been busy in the school so far this week, with Year 1 coming into the church on Monday, Collective worship in the school on Tuesday, and a SIAMS meeting today as governors. If you would like to be more involved with the school and can envision yourself on the governing board as a Foundation Governor, please do have a word with me. We are currently looking to fill this position from the Church if possible.Please read the attached Welcome sheet as it is full of information you will want to know as we head through October and into November. The new Link magazine will be available over the next week and then it is onto all the Christmas services and activities……. How quickly we seem to have moved from summer into the Christmas season!! Just a reminder that we have our churchyard tidy up session at St Botolph’s church on Saturday 19th October 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm, if you are able to make it – hopefully the weather will be like today!This Sunday we are able to meet at 9.30 am at St James, High Wych, and we also have a baptism at St James, High Wych in the afternoon at 3.00 pm.Please pray for Isabel and her family as they bring her to be baptised. Her brother comes to our Jim’s café for Year 7’s and it has been a pleasure to get to know the family over this year.Looking forward to meeting with you again soon.Every blessingAlison