Whilst we have some funds available for our refurbishment work, and we are doing all we can to raise more through grant-funding and ‘St Giles’ Entertains’ (£13,000 so far), we still need to raise a substantial sum (at least £30,000). We have launched a ‘crowdfunding page’ to help overcome the deficit. You can find this at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/st-giles-church-whittington-620044. Click the link above and type ‘St Giles Church’ in the ‘Keyword box. Only with your help can we make our beautiful and much-loved church accessible and sustainable for the 21st century. Please help us to deliver this project, and please join us on this exciting journey! Thank you very much! David Clarke – Churchwarden (daclarke55@hotmail.com and 07836 334796)
The plans to improve the facilities in St Giles’ Church are moving on, and a wonderful time was had recently sorting out the cupboards in the vestry and finding new homes for many of the unused items which were found there. Sets of anthem and hymn books have been given to two grateful local churches, and St Giles Hospice will benefit from many other books which are no longer required. Building work on the extension for the new accessible toilet will be starting on Monday 3 June, and the whole improvement (refreshment point and flexible space at the back of church) should be finished by Monday 26 August. The timetable has been carefully managed to ensure that the church will be clean and available for every Sunday, but whilst internal works are happening it will not be safe to allow visitors into the church during the week. Services such as funerals will be able to take place as necessary. Access to the churchyard will be by the gate adjacent to the church hall, due to building work on the existing vestry.
OUR NEW VICAR – THE LICENSING SERVICE We very much look forward to welcoming our new vicar – Ashley Jane Hines – to the Benefice of Whittington with Weeford, and Hints, in May. Ashley and her husband, Roger, will live at the vicarage on Bramley Way, Whittington. Ashley will be licensed by the Bishop of Lichfield at St Giles’ Church on Thursday 23 May at 6.00pm. The number of people we can cope with in church is obviously limited but, after allowing for Ashley’s family and friends, visitors from her current church in Great Yarmouth, clergy from the Diocese and Deanery, and for members of the regular congregations at the three churches, we still have some spaces and would like to invite those living in the three villages to join us. We have reserved spaces for those members of our communities who regularly come to church (‘regular’ being at least once a month) and, if you fall into that category, you are welcome to come to the service on the day without taking any further action. We hope that you will all come if you can. If you do not regularly attend one of the three churches (including spouses/partners of those who do) but would like to come to the Licensing service, please contact David Clarke, Churchwarden, St Giles’ Church, Whittington (daclarke55@hotmail.com or 07836 334796) to reserve a space. We hope that we can accommodate all those who wish to come.
New Vicar for Whittington, Weeford and Hints After a vacancy period of some three years, I am delighted to pass on the news that the Revd Ashley Hines will become the new Vicar of Whittington with Weeford and Hints. Exact timings are yet to be agreed, but Ashley should arrive during the middle of this year. Ashley is currently Team Vicar in the Great Yarmouth Team Ministry. Following her ordination in 2015, Ashley served as a hospital chaplain in Burton-on-Trent, and as a curate in Fradley before moving to Great Yarmouth, so our region is very familiar to her. We very much look forward to Ashley joining us later this year, though we also bear in mind her clergy colleagues and parishioners in Great Yarmouth who will be sad to lose her. We pray for their search for a new incumbent which will now begin. More details regarding Ashley's arrival in our parishes will be shared in due course. Simon Donnan, Lay Chair St Giles PCC
