A group of us met on Friday 7th October to plan this year's Christmas Fund Raiser on Saturday 3rd December. We decided, following the feed back from the past two years, to continue with the same sort of event as we have held at the Church over the past two years. ie hold it in the Church and Church Hall from 10am to 4pm with raffle, stalls, refreshments etc. We will again be taking bookings to see Father Christmas' in advance so that the children and parents can enjoy a quality visit and the children can receive a small gift appropriate to their age and gender.The major change this year, however, is the cause for which we will be raising the funds. Thanks to a generous donation last week, we have now at last finished paying for the work on the bells which was completed during the pandemic. We are therefore proposing that the proceeds from this year's event should be equally spread between the local foodbanks, which are struggling to support those locally in growing financial difficulty, and the Disasters Emergency Committee, which is striving to help the millions of people suffering from the effects of climate change and war in many countries abroad. We hope you will agree that this the right Christian decision in these challenging times and that you will give this event your full support.Please put this date firmly in your diary and start to think what you can do to help make it a great success so that we can have a fun day and really have an impact in helping others much less fortunate than ourselves. At this stage we would love to hear from people willing to help on the day and would appreciate anyone making pickles or jams ready for sale and seeking out or making quality Christmas related items for the proposed Christmas Stall. For more information or offers to help please contact Roger on 01473 831079
SERVICES OF HOLY COMMUNION DURING THE PERIOD OF MOURNING SUNDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2022 As this nation travels through what will become the pages of history, all three churches in Claydon Benefice will be holding a 'Service of Holy Communion during the period of mourning'. We will all be using service liturgy just received from the Church of England, again marking this extraordinary time in our nation's life. The times of the services will be the same as they are on each ordinary Sunday morning. (Henley 09.30am; Barham 10.00am; Great Blakenham 11.00am)A Book of Condolences has been placed in Church for all Parishioners and Visitors to sign if they wish. During the Period of Mourning our Church will be open longer from 8am to 8pm to allow for private prayer and reflection.
Rev'd Mark has issued the following message to the whole community"It was the spring of last year, after 12 months without a ‘vicar’…albeit a rector in this case…. (and notwithstanding the very good offices of other local clergy and ministers) that +Martin, our Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, and the three parochial church councils of the Claydon Benefice, agreed that after a period of reflection they would welcome an interim priest-in-charge for a period of up to two years. That person has been me, and I was zoom-licensed in May 2021! Nearly 18 months from the start of those discussions, the time has come for me to now stand back, as the process of a permanent appointment of a rector for the benefice is well-underway, and it has been decided that applications (both from Suffolk and nationally) will seek candidates who, in addition to leading the three benefice parishes of Claydon & Barham, Great Blakenham, and Henley, will also be the next Rural Dean of Gipping Valley and its other nine benefices; a first-among-equals. My very last Sunday is August 7th, and after a very warm and heartening farewell benefice service last Sunday, I now wish to express here to the wider village communities my thanks for the welcome, friendship and hard work in church, school and wider parish/community over my time with you, which has included coming out of the pandemic restrictions on our normal patterns and style of worship, our pastoral ministry, and our outreach. My prayers are for each and everyone, in and beyond our church congregations, wishing God’s blessing on you all, and of course whoever is called to continue and consolidate the ministry amongst you. ‘The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it’ (1 Thessalonians 5:24) Mark Revd Canon Mark Haworth"For his final Sunday on 7th August Rev'd Mark wrote"Dear Friends, EUCHARIST I want to thank you all for last Sunday’s 10am benefice service at Barham; I was very touched by the many expressions of thanks and goodwill, card(s) and tokens. “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving” and so our focus was rightly on the sacrament and Christ’s presence in the sacred elements, but also in each other. I am looking forward to celebrating for the last time this Sunday at the 8am and 9.30am services, then calling in to see you over coffee after the 10am and 11am. I also want to say thank you in making the Wednesday 10am Eucharist at Barham a helpful time of communion, coffee and conversation; we have grown in number and allegiance, a genuinely benefice gathering; amongst many aspects it has been a highlight… do go along if you can to what is never more than a 35-minute said service. Please remember for good all that we have learnt together, and now it is time to say good bye, and God-bless; please pray for me and the road-ahead, as I surely will for you all. Yours in Christ, Mark"
