All Saints Church – article in February 2016 Village Views
It seems that Christmas was a long time ago but before it becomes just a distant memory I would like to take this opportunity to record the success and enjoyment of the many church activities taking place over the festive season.
There was a very good attendance at our traditional candlelit carol service on 13th December. We are grateful once again to the choir of St Michael and All Angels Church, Lambourn and their Organist and Choir Master, Stephen Holmes, for their support with the singing of the carols and for their solo items. After the service we enjoyed mulled wine and hot mince pies (thanks to Janet Butcher for heating some of the pies for us).
Mothers, fathers, grandparents and other family members and friends watched the story of the Nativity told by our young people, children and babies in the church in the afternoon of Saturday 19th December. After the service, most of the participants enjoyed a tea party in the Village Hall.
On the 21st December, a group of Carol Singers led by Stephen Holmes squeezed into the Queens Arms after the splendid display by the Garston Gallopers in the car park. Thanks to Sue and Freddie Tulloch for publicising and hosting the evening. A collection raised a little over £110.
The church was packed again for the Christmas morning communion service when we used our antique silver chalices withdrawn from the Treasury at Christ Church for this special occasion. It was so good to have our home-grown violin and cello trio of David, Hannah and Rachel Glover playing “In the bleak midwinter” and the introductory melody of “Silent Night”.
On a sad note, many villagers gathered for the funeral and burial of Jimmy Wayman on Tuesday 29th December.
Throughout December we ran a Gift Appeal in support of the ever increasing cost of sustaining the clergy, keeping the church clean, and the normal bills for electricity and insurance, maintenance costs for the organ, clock, lightning protection, fire prevention, etc. At the time of writing, once the Gift Aid has been reclaimed, the appeal together with the December and Queens Arms collections has raised almost £3000 so a very big “Thank you” to all contributed. Some of the income from the collections has been donated to Christian Aid and the Children’s Society.
Bob Briant
Churchwarden