Hello Everyone
The sun has been shining and we are promised a warm weekend. How the brighter warm weather lifts the spirits and helps ward off those long dark days ahead. I hope you have had a good week.
We grabbed a few days in Norfolk this week and visited Sandringham Estate for the first time, enjoying a walk around the house and grounds and the church. The guides were so engaging and keen to interact. It was all very welcoming. King Charles' watercolour paintings were on display in the ballroom and I was impressed by his talent. We loved wandering freely around the gardens and sitting peacefully beside the lake absorbing the ambiance of the beautiful scenery with the background flowers setting the scene. It was a lovely relaxing day... made all the better by the restaurant's beautiful food and impressive crockery with the very generous cups for tea. (The cups and saucers sell for £50 in the gift shop so I'm glad I didn't drop one!) This week has been a time of walks beside the sea, bird watching at Blakeney and a trip to the Norfolk Broads.. a beautiful time of relaxing in nature.
One week ago we were giving glory to God in both churches for the bringing in of the harvest. How beautiful the churches looked. Thank you so much for your generosity in giving and in decorating the church and thank you to all who took part in the services... especially our actors! It was a busy time of preparation as teams came together at each church to decorate lovingly, with the Messy Church team making scarecrows, and the harvest loaf and decorating the wonderful welcome scarecrow outside church. It will have been a busy follow on week too in the sorting of the harvest gifts for distribution to foodbanks and families. Thank you so much for your generosity. It will make such a difference to so many and thank you to those who have helped organise and share in distributing.. with a special thanks to Dee and Malcolm who will have been so busy this week ferrying donations. Thank you also to all who helped at and attended Ploughman's lunch this week.
I've included some pictures of the amazing harvest produce and displays
Looking forward to future events: Chalgrave Church are hosting a Christmas Craft Fayre at Tebworth Memorial Hall on November 4th (see attached poster) and their next Pop Up Tea Rooms (see attached poster) and at Toddington the usual weekly events will take place, plus plans are underway for the Christmas Tree Festival weekend on 8-10 of December and various other events, will be notified in due course.
On Sunday 5th November we will hold 'In Loving Memory' services at Chalgrave Church at 9.30 am and at Toddington in the afternoon, so please do let me know the names of any loved ones you would like to remember in the service.
Sunday's Services for 8 October 2023
9.30 am Chalgrave Church, Holy Communion service
11.00 am Toddington Church, Holy Communion service
Monday 9th October
Morning Prayer 9.30 am, Toddington Church
Seated Pilates 2.00 pm, Wilkinson Hall
Tuesday 10th October
10.30 am Knitting Group, Wilkinson Hall
5.45 pm Youth Group, Wilkinson Hall (and 17th and 31st October)
Wednesday 11th October
10.00 am Church Grounds Working Gardening Party tbc with Dee
Thursday 12th October
2.00 pm Afternoon with Friends, Wilkinson Hall, Toddington
Friday 13h October
10.30 am Painting for Pleasure group, Wilkinson Hall
Saturday 14th October
10.00 am Coffee Morning, Wilkinson Hall
Saturday 21st October
10.00 am Table-top Sale, Wilkinson Hall - (to book a table please ring Dee 872649)
Wishing you every blessing
Linda
Rector
Toddington and Chalgrave
07715 603557