Perennial Request For Perennials

As Mrs Berington has kindly agreed to an Open Day next May Day, my thoughts turn to plants for the plant stall.  As usual I am hoping for donations of plants to make the stall as successful as it was last time.  I would be very grateful for any plants that might be surplus to your requirements.   When tidying up the flowers borders and dividing plants for tahe autumn, please bear in mind the plant stall.  If you have a favourite plant or shrub that flowers in early May, perhaps you could propagate one or two extras for the stall.

I have lots of small flowerpot, which are available for use.  Unfortunately I do not have many large flowerpots.  Please ring me on 01684 569003 and ask for the number and sizes you need.  If you are restricted by space, I am able to store some plants over the winter, if needed.

Tricia Steel

   HARVEST LUNCH

It seems a long time ago now, especially everyone is thinking about Christmas, but I would like to thank everyone who helped ,in any way, with our Harvest Lunch. Once again it was well attended and everyone enjoyed themselves. I look forward to seeing you all again at next year’s Harvest Lunch. With all good wishes and thanks

Pam

CHURCHES  TOGETHER  IN  MALVERN

  WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

 18^th – 25^th January 2012

   Events in Malvern to which all are invited

   Theme- ‘We will all be changed’

 Lyttelton Well Prayer Room

 Lunchtime  Led Prayer Meetings 12noon – 1.00pm

Wednesday18^th, Thursday 19^th, Friday 20^th

Monday 23^rd, Tuesday 24^th, Wednesday 25^th

     Wednesday 18^th   7.15pm   Somers Park Methodist Church Unity Games Evening

     Friday 20^th    10.30am    United Reformed Church Malvern Link

                                   Shoppers’ Service followed by Prayer Vigil

 Sunday 22^nd am    Link and Central Groups Morning Service – Exchange of Pulpits

                                    4.00pm    Christ Church, Avenue Road – Unity Service with Unity Choir

                                                    Speaker – Canon Dr Ann Holt O.B.E Director of Programme – Bible Society

     Tuesday 24^th   7.30-8.30am   ‘Prayer on the Hills’ meet Beacon Car Park

                                   7.45pm    Somers Park Methodist Church

                                                    Open invitation to Ladies Club – Speaker Rev Eric Knowles

     Wednesday 25^th    7.45pm   St James West Malvern Prayer and Praise Evening for all

We hope once again to have a Unity Choir to take part in the Unity Service on Sunday 22^nd  

 January. This year it will be under the leadership of Barbara Brickwell as Penny Vere will be away. The choir is open to all who enjoy singing and there will be two rehearsals  at 7.30pm on Thursday 12^th January and Wednesday 18^th January in Christ Church.

 If you wish for further details please contact Barbara Brickwell on 01684 568655

or email bbrickwell@uwclub.net

BISHOP’S CERTIFICATE COURSE 2011-12

This is to let you know that Canon John Barr is thinking of running a Bishop’s Certificate course either later this year or early next year at Malvern Priory.

If you want more information on what the Course offers, go to this link on the diocesan website http://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/FGA/44 

You can also contact John himself by email on vicarage@greatmalvernpriory.org.uk;  

It is a good way to develop your knowledge of the Bible and how faith relates to life. For some of you it may be the first exploratory step towards a particular vocation and calling.

Pastoral Care

One of the requests from the Review of November 2010 was for a Pastoral Care Group.  We now have one.  It comprises Di Dawes, Pru Edwards, Jacqui Anstiss and Margaret Bryer.

These people have very kindly offered to help in this way. We are meeting together quite regularly to review what is happening and to keep each other informed.

What they will do:

Keep a watching brief on some of our more vulnerable members to notice if they are missing for any length of time;

Make contact with people on behalf of the church to check on their situation;

Act as a focal point for support if it is required;

Notify me if they see a problem.

What they will NOT do:

Replace any existing support;

Provide all the support themselves;

Do this instead of anyone else (including me) doing anything.

What you need to do

If you have a concern about someone, (perhaps you have noticed them being absent from church for an unusually long time) please contact any one of these people or myself.

Remember them in your private devotions.

What I hope will happen is that if you are contacted by one of these people you will understand that this is the church’s way of expressing our care for you.

We have only just started this system so please understand that as we progress we are learning about what works and what does not work.

Eric

FARM CRISIS NETWORK

Farming itself is not in crisis, but many people in the farming community are experiencing serious problems related to their business or their personal lives. These problems include animal diseases, such as Bovine TB, veterinary regulations and agricultural bureaucracy, the effects of the weather, rising costs and debt, isolation and loneliness. Some are having to face up to making radical changes to their businesses or even leaving agriculture altogether. In many cases not only is a job at stake, but also a home, a way of life and a family tradition. There can be intense feelings of bewilderment, anger, frustration and despair, and often overwhelming fatigue.

 Farm Crisis Network (FCN) is a UK network of volunteer groups drawn from the farming community and rural churches, ready to ‘walk with’ farming people and their families as they strive to resolve such problems. For some all that is needed is an opportunity to talk with somebody sympathetic and not directly involved. Others may need someone to support them for many weeks or months. FCN volunteers are prepared to relate to all aspects of the situation and have links with sources of professional help where needed. FCN has its own Business Support Group and it works closely with the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, the Arthur Rank Centre Addington Fund and where necessary with the Samaritans.

FCN provides a national Helpline which is manned from 7am to 11pm every day of the year, with an answerphone between these hours. It has over 300 active volunteers spread across England and Wales in County based Groups, which provide a visiting service to deliver practical and pastoral support to farming people and families. Following the production of a report 2 years ago into the human costs of the impact of Bovine TB, FCN has been contracted by DEFRA to provide a sympathetic interface between farmers suffering from the effects of Bovine TB and the perceived bureaucracy of Animal Health officials. Whilst DEFRA now provides some funding to cover the additional work involved, FCN still relies primarily on donations from churches and members of the public to fund the work of its volunteers and limited administrative overheads. In these difficult economic times, it is struggling to raise sufficient funds and County Groups are now having to address the challenge of raising funds, as well as carrying out their primary support role.

 Alistair and Wendy Booth are both volunteers with the local Worcestershire FCN Group, which is closely associated with the Worcestershire Chaplaincy of Agricultural and Rural Life (CARL), with which Eric is involved too. Alistair carried out the interviews with 20 Worcestershire farmers for the FCN Bovine TB Study and has been trained as the Worcestershire Group’s Bovine TB support specialist; he also mans the national Helpline for 4 hours every week. If you are interested in becoming an FCN volunteer, which could be focused on fundraising or administrative activities if you feel you lack the agricultural background to provide direct pastoral support, or you wish to make a donation to FCN, or you just have a query about FCN’s work, please do not hesitate to contact Alistair.  

Churchyard Chatter

October/ November 2011

1. Heart of England in Bloom

2. “It’s Your Neighbourhood”

We were again judged “Outstanding" In the 2011 event.

The judge visited Little Malvern Priory on the morning of July 20th.

They were again very impressed with our efforts. You can read their comments on page 16 of the 2011 brochure, which is available in the porch.

2. RHS  “Britain in Bloom”

 UK Finalists Awards Ceremony  25th September 2011 St. Andrews Scotland.

As a result of our success in the 2010 “It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme and our continuing participation  in the scheme Little Malvern Priory has been nominated for the “It’s Your Neighbourhood ‘National Certificate of Distinction’”

This auspicious  award will be presented at the Fairmont  St. Andrews Hotel in the presence  of the Provost of Fife and the President of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society. Sue and I will be present, proudly representing Little Malvern Priory. We will report fully on this occasion when we return. It is all very exciting. Let’s hope that we are successful. You have worked hard and deserve it.

3.Yew Tree Update

Who or what saw fit to give the female yew tree a winter prune has done

Little Malvern Priory a favour.

Have you noticed how few berries have been produced this year? This means that the usual sticky mess which the berries cause  on the path each year are this year almost non-existent.

We can now say a very sincere “thank you very much” to our mystery pruner!

Church Flowers

Flowers are a gift to the glory of God and whilst they are not necessary in a church they do remind us of God’s creation. The purpose of flowers in church is to add beauty. They are not there to dominate or distract from the purpose of worship. It is for this reason that normally there is only one arrangement placed by the side of the altar. During festivals such as Christmas and Easter we are more abundant with our displays in the main body of the church.

I am sure that the beautiful flower arrangements which enhance Little Malvern Priory are much appreciated by us all and we are constantly grateful to our talented flower arrangers. However, for the coming year a few of the team of arrangers are having to relinquish or reduce their commitment for various reasons and we should be very grateful if there are any members of the congregation who would like to come along and join the team.

We are always grateful for the generous donations made by the congregation for festivals. For the majority of the year however, the flowers and greenery are provided by the flower arrangers themselves. This generosity as well as their time and effort is truly appreciated.

 Should you wish to join ‘the team’ please let me know, in person, by phone – 01684575753, or email: beesteele@btinternet.com 

Barbara Steele

The Friends of Little Malvern Priory

The Society of Friends of Little Malvern Priory, founded in 1954, plays a key role in the financial support of the church and its worship. Over more than 50 years the Friends have contributed well over £250,000 to church funds, largely on the maintenance of the church fabric: in particular, they donated £118,000 toward the restoration of the church roof in 2002/3. The Friends also make a regular contribution to the church running costs. So there are continuing calls on the Friends’ funds. 

The Friends currently number 115. Most live locally, and many are members of the existing congregation. A number of Friends live further afield, as far away as Scotland and Northern Ireland. All are individuals who love Little Malvern Priory and wish it to continue to thrive as a living church. Their generosity is invaluable.

Members meet from time to time for social occasions.

If you are not already one of the Friends, do consider joining. The minimum annual subscription is only £5, though many Friends give much more. Application Forms can be found on the table by the church door; they include a bankers order form and a Gift Aid Declaration to enable the charity to reclaim income tax on subscriptions.

If you would like any further information, please contact

 Nigel Nicholls (tel: 01684 562077).

Photographs

Hope Carrier's Trust

Where there’s a will………

…………….there's a way

Floodlighting

We will be floodlighting the church for an hour or two every Sunday evening during the winter months.  If you have a special occasion that you think would be suitably commemorated by floodlighting the church at any time, please ask one of the churchwardens.  There is no set fee for this but something to cover the cost of the electricity would be welcome.