We will be making a decision next week about whether we will be continuing services at St John's. If we do all our current precautions will continue - there will be no congregational singing, everyone will be distanced inside the church, and facemasks will be worn. Everyone will be reminded about hand sanitising, with spare masks and disposable gloves in the porch. Offerings will be put on a plate at the door. As an added precaution, there will not be communion, but instead services of Morning Prayer. Churchwardens will continue to clean before and after services and will also greet people outside the church to remind them of the guidelines including arrangements for track and trace. We continue to monitor the situation carefully and hard decisions mat still have to be taken. Please note - there will be no services in January 2021. Visit this site at the end of the month for news about February.
There was a small gathering at Waberthwaite War Memorial on this Remembrance Sunday to remember men from Waberthwaite and Corney parishes. The names engraved on the memorial were read out, and this year, for the first time, we included those who lost their lives, but whose names are not recorded there. We now know the moving stories of these 15 men.1914-1918George AshburnerJohn Barwise OsbornWilliam Benn BraithwaiteJoseph Peel PenningtonJohn Borrowdale BriggsJoseph William PrittJohn Spencer ClarkJames Henry SavilleRobert ConchieJoseph SteeleJohn McGuffog (alias William John Johnstone)George Downing Walker1939-1945William Richard CanhamDonald Percy Vincent GibbWilliam Robson RatchfordThanks to Alan Clegg for his research. The stories of these men are available in a published booklet.
Our usual Crib Service on Christmas Eve won't be possible this year.Instead we plan to reach out to the families in our parish by sending them a star, signifying hope and sent with love. To do this we need stars! They can be knitted, crocheted, sewn, baked or made from twigs, pipe cleaners, cardboard, or whatever fantastic ideas you have. They should be made so they can hang up as a decoration at Christmas. Do help us if you can by letting Catherine or Karin have your creative output before December 4th.
Waberthwaite Local History Group recently got grant funding for a tree-ring analysis of the roof timbers of St John's. This is done by cross matching the growth rings of samples from the roof beams with other locally grown timber. The width of each ring is pretty much determined by the weather conditions of each year. These investigations don't always produce results as it depends on whether the timbers are suitable for analysis, but we've been lucky. The conclusion is that the roof timbers have two different felling dates with those at the west end felled in 1537. The two trusses at the east end date to 1675-1700, suggesting it was a later extension. Thank you to all those involved, including Cumberland and Westmorland Archaeological and Antiquarian Society and the Nottingham Tree Ring-dating Laboratory. It all adds to our understanding of this building.
