Looking back, looking forward

Looking back (December - February 2024)

Community Café is doing well! We are grateful to our new members of the café team, Jill and Gay, for joining us. We are now well covered to support the fortnightly café sessions. We are pleased that we have a steady group of ‘regulars’ and also that every session brings new visitors. Thank you to everyone for your continuing support for this community activity. If you want to know more about the café, or would like to join the team, please give Liz Curtis a call on 07818 276264.

Since the refit, regular lettings and individual lets of the Community Link Room are increasing. Our thanks go to Emma Hardington for taking on the role of Bookings Manager.

On Saturday 2 December, we joined the village community Christmas Lights event. The weather was cold, but the atmosphere was warm and jolly. As well as the Café, we had a craft stall selling hand made items from the Craft Group and Christmas table arrangements from the Flower Team. A very enjoyable occasion.

The churchyard work party did a tremendous job clearing around the church and also tidying the graveyard.

Christmas Services were well attended, particularly our much loved Crib Service on Christmas Eve.

On 21 January we joined with other churches in the area and worshipped at the Methodist Chapel in Woburn Sands.

At PCC meeting in January we were pleased to hear that St Botolph’s Trust would support the cost of the church tower repairs up to 50% of the costs. This means that we can press on seeking formal approvals from the Diocese. If all goes well, we should be in a position to apply for grants this autumn. Our architect visited the church during January to draft a specification for the repairs. We hope to have his detailed report shortly after Easter.

Meanwhile, our new pattern of services – a mix of traditional worship on 1st and 3rdSundays and a more informal style of worship and music on 2nd and 4th Sundays – has become established.

The usual list for Easter Flowers is at the back of church. If you want loved ones to be remembered particularly at Easter, please do sign up. You will also find a box for donations towards Easter Flowers.

Looking forward (March – May 2024)

March heralds in the Spring (we hope). 10th March is Mothering Sunday and we will be giving out the usual posies to the congregation at the informal 10am service.

On Thursday 21st March, PCC meets at 7pm in the Link Room. We will have vacancies on the PCC at the Annual Meeting, so it has been decided to make our March meeting open to anyone on our Church Electoral Roll to attend. This provides an opportunity for those interested in the governance of the church and in particular, the management of the church and churchyard, to come along and find out what happens. If you want to attend please do let our PCC Secretary, Liz Curtis, know (07818 276264)

This year we conduct a full renewal of the church’s Electoral Roll. If you wish to remain on the Electoral Roll, or join it, you will need to complete the appropriate form, available in church. This needs to be completed before the Annual Meeting on 21stApril.

On Wednesday 27th March there will be an Easter flower workshop – ‘Pot et Fleur’ – led by Kate Jones. If you are interested, speak to Liz Armitage (07540 675034) or Liz Curtis (07818 276264)

Easter Sunday (31st March) our service will be at 9am (Please note time!) As usual we will have our Easter breakfast following this service.

We now start in earnest to raise money for the Tower repairs – our target is £50,000, but hopefully we will get some grants. On Saturday 27 April, Brenda and Val are organising a Craft Morning and on Saturday 11th May we will hold a ‘Bottomless Coffee Pot’ event starting at 10am. If you have any skills/experience in fund raising and would like to help, please speak with Rev. Carrie.