On Saturday, 5 November we held a sale of cakes, pastries, preserves and plants. Despite the wet morning, there was a steady flow of shoppers who eagerly snapped up the homemade goodies and plants. A significant sum of money was raised to help with the refurbishment of chairs in the church building. We are very grateful to all who came and purchased items. The next sale will be on Saturday, 3 December 2022 at 10.00 am. More details coming soon.
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On Sunday 9 October, Harvest Festival took place in the church. The flower arrangers, under Carol's direction, had produced imaginative and eye-catching displays. In the morning service, a generous donation of goods for the Foodbank were presented by members of the congregation of all ages. There were significant contributions from different generations of the congregation too as we gave thanks to God for the Harvest, including some lively singing from the Sunday School and prayers led by members of our new youth programme. In her sermon, Canon Jan Payne reminded the congregation of the need to take seriously the challenges of climate change if we are to be able to sustain the environment needed here and across the world to keep ourselves fed, keep animals alive and safe and, ultimately, people too. Traditional Harvest hymns were sung alongside more contemporary worship songs. After the service, people moved into the Octagon Hall where a rich array of soups, bread and cakes were presented and much enjoyed by those who had been able to attend. Thanks are due to everyone who took part in the weekend in whatever context.
Members of St Mary & All Saints Church set up their stall and took part recently in the Willingham Feast Market. Showcasing the various activities and services available at the church proved a successful thing to do. Adults passing by stopped for a chat and children were immediately drawn to the wonderful goodie-bags that our children's leader, Mary, had put together. Brenda's wonderful homemade biscuits also attracted quite a following - these in the shape of a cross were all offered free of charge. Several new people came along to the church during the week that followed but the key thing was to outreach to the residents to see that we were busy and very active in the heart of village life.
