A Christmas celebration, complete with carols and mince pies, has taken place in the middle of the summer for people who missed out on traditional services in December.It was organised by the Reverend Rachel Phillips (see photo) at the Priory Church of St Peter in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.The Church of England rector maintains that "Christmas is not just for Christmas"."We celebrated as Dunstable has never done before," she said.The outdoor event included traditional carols, a small nativity play and a visit from Father Christmas."He's not that busy at this time of year," Ms Phillips said.The event was not just to make up for the church not being able to hold its usual carol service in December because of coronavirus regulations."Last December we weren't able to celebrate as we normally would, so we're doing it now," Ms Phillips said."But there is a serious point here, which is, that what Christians celebrate at Christmas is not just for Christmas - it's not just for one day."About 100 people turned up wearing their Christmas jumpers and sporting Santa hats. Children dressed as their favourite "nativity character" and picnics were eaten - complete with turkey sandwiches and mince pies."The weather was a lot more Christmas jumper friendly than the hot temperatures we had last week," Ms Phillips said."The children were so excited, seeing their faces when Father Christmas appeared was just lovely. It made their Christmas."
Book the date. It will be great fun when Messy Church is staged at Hascombe Village Hall on Wednesday, August 25 from 3pm to 5pm.
SOME people may panic when their library book is few days overdue, but a volume recently returned to Sheffield Cathedral is more than two centuries past its return date.“I did joke with the owner that we wouldn’t be demanding any charges,” the Vice-Dean, Canon Keith Farrow (see photo), told the Church Times, “but then someone said we could have got a new roof.”The cathedral library closed about 200 years ago; so Canon Farrow was surprised to receive an email from the goddaughter of a recently deceased woman in south Wales who had left instructions in her will for the book to be returned.The book, The Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man, a treatise for the laity, was first published in 1688. The Sheffield copy is a seventh edition dating from 1704. Inside is the handwritten inscription: This Book belongs to ye Lending Library in Sheffield Church 1709.”“In our archives, there is talk of a very renowned lending library which we think was dispersed in the late Georgian period during a reordering,” Canon Farrow said. “Where in the building it was, we’re not sure. We still have a few books from that period in our archives.“Back in those days, it was probably quite a pioneering thing to have a lending library in church. This building wasn’t made a cathedral until 1914; so it would have been the parish church, with just the vicar and a couple of curates. It would have been for the public generally rather than just the clergy. Some cathedrals have chained libraries, but this was one where people could take them out.”The book, which, Canon Farrow believes, has little financial value, will go on display in the cathedral. “It gives a sense of past times when Sheffield was a village emerging into the industrial revolution,” he said. “The person who borrowed this book would simply not recognise Sheffield, even 100 years later. I felt as if I was holding something that had a story to tell. It’s a sort of ready reckoner to maintain you on the straight and narrow.”The volume contains sermons by leading churchmen of the time, and essays on correct behaviour. One quote intrigued Canon Farrow: “It can never be improper or unreasonable for the most private man to give an account of himself and his beliefs and practices, especially at a time when religion is so much contraverted.”“Nothing changes,” Canon Farrow said. “The Church had its back against the wall, as it does today.”
This Sunday's service is a joint parish Holy Communion at St Mary and All Saints Church, Dunsfold at 10 am. Our celebrant is Reverend Rutton Viccajee.We're delighted to have a Zoom link back in operation so if you wish to join us from home, or further afield, please click on the link below.It should just be one click to log in but if required you'll find the other details below.https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83570438688?pwd=cFFDbkxpS2kwUW9YUkRtRTM0dGlMZz09Meeting ID: 835 7043 8688 Passcode: 123456Our churchwardens, Sheila Jones and Jan Richardson, met with our PCC on Thursday night to review the measures we will be taking regarding health and safety in our church. In view of the current rapid spread of Covid infections it was felt too early to change our present practices.We will continue to register names and telephone numbers of all worshippers on entering church and strongly recommend the wearing of face masks and the use of hand sanitiser.Social distancing will not be enforced, but mindful that some people may feel uncomfortable at having others around them we will be setting aside an area towards the back of church for people who prefer to maintain a distance.The current methods of receiving communion and sharing the peace will continue. Congregational singing will not be resumed at the moment but the choir will sing a Communion hymn. The choir will not process at the beginning or end of the service. The offertory plate and card reader will be placed at the back of church for people to give their donations as they enter or leave.If you have any concerns outside these guidelines please speak to Sheila on 200204 or Jan on 200519.Thank you.
