Current 2007 Parish News

Parish News February 2008

The Rector’s Letter

Pause for Though from Parish Priest: Canon Margaret Venables
The Rectory, Barnack, Stamford, Lincolnshire. PE9 3ET

It seems this year that we have hardly put away the Christmas decorations before Lent is upon us – beginning on Ash Wednesday, which is February 6th this year – and I am aware that many people , apart from regular churchgoers, feel they should ‘give up something for Lent’. By I wonder just how many of us know why we are doing that? Lent is not just about what we choose to give up – it is much more profound. Lent is a time for prayer, penance, fast and alms giving and as such is deeply unpopular. I suspect that it is even more unpopular at this time with news of higher costs in petrol, oil, electricity and falling house prices. Yet it may be that the Lent experience can help to allay our fears.

Lent is actually the beginning of Easter, traditionally the time in the Church when new converts made their preparations for baptism on Holy Saturday. It was also a time when those who had denied their faith in time of persecution were able to be reconciled to the Church. Soon it spread to the idea that all are sinners and need to repent. And very soon after this, the model of the mystery of |Christ spending forty days and forty nights in the desert tempted by the devil became central to the meditations of this period. So Lent became a time for fasting and meeting the demons, a time for spiritual battle.

In early centuries the Lenten fast was very severe, allowing only one meal a day with no meat or dairy products – not so very different from the experience of many millions in the world today who have no choice about it! Of course fasting may be undertaken for a variety of reasons – just for slimming for example , without any spiritual motivation. Fasting during Lent should, however, be a means to an end, not an end in itself or a boost to the ego. Like prayer alone, fasting alone will bring us nearer to God. It is the prophet Isaiah who makes the point: “Fasting like yours today will never make your voice heard on high… Is not this the sort of fast that [pleases me – it is the Lord who speaks – to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man you see naked and not turn from your own kin.”

Fasting from wrongdoing is more important than fasting from food, but fasting from food can help us to fast from wrongdoing, from squabbling and quarrelling. It can also help us to the inner fasting of the mind: fasting from walking along the dark paths of self-pity, of blaming others, of nursing grievances. It can also lead us more positively to the other traditional Lenten practice of giving freely to charity as we reflect on the deep needs of those who have so little in our world today.
So, whatever you do for Lent, and each person must come to his or her own conclusion, the world can only become a better, safer and more peaceful place where there are those committed to prayer, fasting, repentance and giving.

Margaret

A Prayer for our Community and for us all
Most merciful God, grant we pray Thee that we may never forget that as followers of Christ we are observed by all men and that our failures may cause others to stumble, that in a measure God places his honour in our hands. Help us to be true and loyal to the best and highest that we know, that we may show that truth and loyalty in every aspect of our common life. Grant to us the royal gift of courage that we may do each disagreeable duty at once. Give to us a keen sense of honour that we may give others the benefit of the doubt and be especially just to those we find it hard to like. And finally we pray thee for a true sense of humour, may its kindly light and healing power release life’s tension. All this we ask, O God in the name of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen

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PARISH CHURCHES - WEEKLY SET SERVICES & EVENTS:
All are welcome at any of our Services.

Morning Prayer will be said at 8.30 am at St John’s Barnack on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and on Thursday at 7.00am.

A Service of Prayer for Peace and Justice will be said in St Mary’s Bainton at 9.00am on Tuesdays, followed by coffee.

Prayer Group: Mondays 6-6.00pm Ufford Church

Children’s Church: Children’s Church meets on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month, during the service. Children of all ages are most welcome.

Family Services: A Family Service is held in St John’s Barnack on every 3rd Sunday. This service is specially for families and their children and is not a communion service.

Church Mice: Time for small children to meet with their parents / carers in St John’s Church on Mondays during term time 2.00pm – 3.00pm

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
WINTER LECTURE
Monday 18th February
“Military Intelligence in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
An illustrated presentation on unmanned predator spy planes
by Major Guy Porter of the Intelligence Corps.
Barnack Village Hall 7.30PM
Tickets - £4 -available from
the secretary 740865, Charles Clark 740441, Patrick Knights 740774
and Barnack Post Office.

Winter Lunch
Tuesday 5th February Winter Lunch Bainton Reading room 12 for 12.30.

Friends of Barnack Church 200 Club
The winners of the December/Christmas Draw
No 128 Mrs I Ratcliffe £100
No 63 Mrs V Kettleborough £50
No 79 Mr B Davies £50
No 169 Mrs J Graham £50
No 197 Mr T Elwood £20
No 98 Mr P Sindall £10
No 134 Mr B Whitmond £5
Thanks to everyone who supported the 200 Club in 2007. The total prize money for the year was £670

Invite For New Members
The Friends Of Barnack Church 200 Club have been helping to conserve the fabric of our church for a great many years now. So, why not consider joining? The 200-club subscription is only £15 per year with great cash prize draws every month. To join this wonderful cause and become a Friend of Barnack Church contact John Ward Tel: 01780 740016.

Barnack Metodist Social Afternoon
On 14 February, we are starting a monthly afternoon meeting when there will be the opportunity to do crafts, play board-games, hear the occasional speaker, or just have a cup of tea and a chat. The times are: 2.15pm to 3.30pm. Come and join us.

Yoga for the Over 60s
Spaces are still available in the Yoga for the over 60’s class held Thursdays 2-3.30pm at Ufford Village Hall.
This class is suitable for all abilities. Phone Ann: 01780 749018 for details.

Barnack Methodist Chapel
A Happy New Year to everyone. We look forward to seeing you for our first Coffee Morning and Cake Stall of 2008 on Saturday, 2 February at the usual time of 10 am to 11 am.

Barnack Parish Church Annual Supper
A date for the diary, April 19th
Barnack Parish Church Annual Supper in Barnack Village Hall.

Barnack Primary School Ofsted
I would like to offer my thanks to you all for supporting the school through this very busy week. At the end of last term the school received a phone call informing us of that we were going to be inspected. Considering how busy the last week of term was, our OfSTED inspection experience has demonstrated how strong our team is. I have been amazed at how well the children responded to the last minute change to their rehearsal schedules and how all the staff adapted their planned activities to cope with the workload that an inspection brings.
Mrs Blakelock (OfSTED Inspector) commented on how welcome she was made to feel and how this really helped her with the inspection process. The inspection framework now concentrates on how effective a school is at evaluating its’ own strengths and areas of development, the leadership of the school and the measures the school has taken to further improvements.
I am extremely delighted with how the inspection went and I look forward to sharing the findings of the report with you when it is finally published. The report will tell us whether our children achieve as much as they can and how well they are looked after and cared for. It will also make judgements on the quality of teaching and learning and how well the school is led and managed. Once again-thank you for your continued support! Mr Krzanicki

Barnack WI December 07 meeting
On Tuesday 11 December 25 ladies put on their best frocks and attended the Barnack Women’s Institute Christmas meal and AGM. Whilst members sipped mulled wine, Sheila Berrill presided over her final meeting as President and graciously thanked the committee for all their hard work over the past two years. Sheila also praised all the WI members for their support. Jill Miller thanked Sheila for being such a superb President, and also thanked the members of the committee for their commitment throughout what has been a very successful year. As well as their monthly meetings the WI ladies have enjoyed a wide variety of outings, a monthly luncheon club and have also very profitably provided refreshments at a number of village events. June Graham has kindly agreed to take over the role of WI President for 2008.
The AGM was followed by a splendid spread put on by members of the committee and helpers. Everyone tucked in to baked potatoes with delicious fillings followed by a wonderful array of puddings. The meal was followed by coffee and delicate cranberry and brandy petit fours expertly made by Sandra Jones.
Peggy Sindall brought along her collection of WI scrap books, dating back to 1978 and everyone enjoyed browsing through the books and reminiscing about all the happy times enjoyed by WI members. Barnack WI looks forward to an interesting and varied 2008 with eager anticipation.

WI January 08 Meeting
June Graham, the new President of Barnack WI, welcomed a large number of members and guests who had turned out on a wet and windy evening to hear the first speaker of the year, Dr Keith Duff, who spoke informatively and passionately about climate change. Keith explained clearly the scientific reasoning behind the belief that our climate is undergoing a period of accelerating change. If Barnack WI members are now to be seen wearing an extra jumper it is because they took note of one of Keith’s ideas of how we can, as individuals, play our part in reducing greenhouse gases by lowering our central heating thermostat by one degree!
The next meeting is to be held on Tuesday 12 February when Mr Ian Jones will give a talk entitled “I didn’t like History”.
If you would like to join Barnack WI, please feel free to come along to any meeting. You will be offered a very warm welcome.

Barnack WI Programme for 2008
Feb 12th Mr Ian Jones “I didn’t like History” |Mar 11th Group Captain Atherton “Mutual Community Support”
April 8th Mr David Baxter “Stamford Hospital”| May 13th Resolutions evening
June 10th Mrs Tessa Jackson “Hair, Beauty, Reflexology” | July 8th Mr Charles Pickering “The Royal Yacht Britannia”
Sept 9th S O Permarker “Peterborough Prison” | Oct 14th Mr & Mrs R Hughes
“Anna’s Hope” | November 11th Mrs Sheila Bratley “A Christmas Table Centre”
Dec 9th Christmas Social Evening & AGM

Barnack Bowls Club
The winners of the December draw were:
No 63 Maggie Hayter £50
No 93 Reg Thompson £30
No 63 Marie Harris £20
No 88 Doreen James £10

Thanks from Mary Perkins
A big thank you to everyone who has sent me letters, cards, flowers etc during my recent illness. I intend to be out and about again when my treatment finishes. Mary
Marmalade- Home made, coarse cut, Seville orange marmalade
I am making and selling marmalade to raise money for a British Schools Exploring Society expedition to Svalbard, that I am taking part in, in July 2008.
Svalbard is a group of islands inside the Arctic Circle, only 600 miles from the North Pole. The expedition will be collecting climate change data for the Royal Geographical Society. I will be camping for 1 month in temperatures of -5 to +5oC!
Jars of marmalade will cost £1.50 each or 6 jars for £8. Please ring the Wright family to order, 740929, as soon as possible as the oranges are available now.
I will also be holding a COFFEE MORNING on Wednesday 26th March, 10-12 at Skipport, Main Street, Barnack (beside the church). £2 for coffee/tea/juice and cake. Cakes and marmalade will also be on sale. Please come along. If anyone has any spare 1lb jars with lids we would be grateful for them. Hannah Wright.

The Buttercross Club
Another year has arrived and you’ll be delighted to know that we have an interesting and diverse programme already arranged for our members and friends right the way through to the end of the year !
It seems like a long time since our last ‘do’ early in December, which incidentally was a lively evening with a spectacular buffet and top-quality M&S mulled wine. The Gilbert & Sullivan Concert Group entertained us with an eclectic programme of songs and certainly gave more volume to our carols !
Our AGM is taking place on Wednesday 6th February at 7.45pm so do come along for a get-together and find out what we’ve got planned for you in the coming months. After the AGM, Dame Mary Tanner has kindly agreed to talk to us about her work as Vice-President of the World Council of Churches. JJ

Old Gold!
If you have any items of old jewellery, watches, rings, bracelets, etc that you would be willing to donate to local charities, please pick up a donation envelope from Stamford Arts Centre, The Mercury Office or The Stamford Library.
Donations should then be handed in to Gaynors, Jewellers, Stamford Walk.
You can call Mike Baumber on (01780) 740289 for an envelope and/or to have your donation collected.
‘Old Gold’ is being run by The Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley and one of the charities to benefit this year will be The Evergreen Care Trust - our local charity committed to independent living for the elderly. Please have a root in drawers and cupboards, to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Many thanks M Baumber.

Village Ladies Group
Tuesday the 22nd of January will be our Scottish evening at 7-45pm at Ufford village hall. Tuesday the 26th of February is our annual meal out, this year it will be at the Bluebell Helpston, at 7pm for 7-30pm, the price will be £10-95 for a two course meal
Starters-Prawn Cocktail/ Soup of the day
Pate’ and toast. Main Course-Whole- tail Scampi / Steak and Ale Pie / Lasagne / Stilton and Vegetable Crumble / All served with vegetables and a choice of potatoes. Deserts- from the trolley
Please contact 01780 740844 or 740343 to book your meal or contact Frieda Gosling or Ruth Hackett as we need to have some idea of numbers, thank you. Tuesday the 25th of March is our A. G .M and Carol Hughes will come and speak about her personal charity “Anna’s Hope”.
The A.G.M will be after Carol has spoken. Please come and join us as Anna’s Hope has been our charity this year. We meet at Ufford village hall at our usual time of 7-45pm.

Cracking Christmas Lunch
Barnack village hall was filled with the buzz of lively conversation as diners enjoyed the light lunches before browsing the Christmas Stall to purchase those last minute seasonal presents.
Thank you to everyone who worked hard to make this event such a success and to those who supported us. Many thanks to Father Christmas who interrupted his busy schedule to attend the lunch so that little ones to could tell him their wishes.
£355 was raised for Parish Church funds.

Women Connect February 21st
All welcome

The Good News Library
The Good News Library van will be visiting Barnack in February. It contains a large selection of books together with videos and DVD’s. If you are interested, come along to Margaret Durdey’s home, 12 Canon Drive, Barnack, any time between 10.30am and 12 noon on Tuesday, February 12. You can always sample the coffee and biscuits if you’re not interested in the books!!

A Really Big Thank You!
We placed an insert in the parish news back in September last year ‘We’re Looking for a Property to Rent Can You Help?’ and just wanted to say how much we appreciated the response we received. As a direct result of this we are really pleased to have found somewhere to live in the local villages.Jonathan and Kerrie

Barnack Baptist Church
A very big thank you to all those who came along and supported the church’s annual charity Christmas concert, undoubtedly one of the best yet! The concert alone raised nearly £200 for Operation Agri and will go to a project we are supporting in Trapiá, Brazil. Thank you. If you didn’t make it this time, don’t worry, there’s always this Christmas! I look forward to seeing you at what will (I’m sure) be an even better concert.

WI trip
Barnack WI are running a coach trip to Harewood House, leaving Barnack at 8.30am on Tue 20th May. The House has Robert Adam interiors, an outstanding Art collections and Himalayan gardens with waterfalls & a Bhutanese Stupa, a lakeside bird garden & the Parterre Terrace etc. If you would like to join us please contact S Jarman 01780 740104

PARISH COUNCIL REPORTS

Southorpe Parish Council
A meeting of Southorpe Parish Council was held on 10 December. PCC was seeking Parish Councils’ views on the identification of potential sites for housing, employment and gypsy development. No further development sites were identified in the village, although redundant agricultural buildings may offer some potential in the future.
The Principal Democratic Services Officer had confirmed that, in accordance with the Parish Council’s preference, he was advising PCC that the Polling District and Polling station for Southorpe should remain unchanged at the next review.
No objections were raised to the following planning applications: Southorpe Quarry - aftercare scheme. Gazeley Lodge - conversion of barn to form dwelling and garage. The Old Dairy Barn - construction of oak-framed garage and conversion of existing garage to living accommodation. Abbotts Barn – tree removal. Middle Farm–change of use for agricultural store. Permission had been granted with conditions for Stud Farm–conversion of agricultural buildings to two dwellings.
The finance report was presented as at 10 December 2007 and the budget for 2007/8 was discussed, it was agreed that no increase be made in the precept.
Concern was expressed about the damage caused by farm machinery to a stone wall in the village; it was thought that an audit of the state of all listed boundary walls should be undertaken.
An invitation had been received to meet with councillors from the adjoining villages at Bainton Reading Room on Thursday 17 January. The next Parish Council meeting will be held at 7.30pm on 10 March at Grange Farm Cottage.

Ufford Parish Council Meetings
December 12th 2007 and January 9th 2008. Your councillors are:
Clerk to the Council: Patricia Stuart-Mogg 01780 783678
Chairman: Ian Glew 07881 788741
Graham Bowes 01780 740578
Marian Browne 01780 740062
Frieda Gosling 01780 740343
1 The parish council has agreed that the parish precept should remain unchanged for 2008-9.
2 The Village Resource Guide has now been distributed to newcomers in the village. Please let one of the councillors know if anyone else would like a copy.
3 The re-surfacing of Newport Way is now complete. PCC has been advised of the need for some repairs to the footpath on Walcot Road.
4 It is expected that the bat boxes in Southey Woods will be installed by the end of January.
5 It is hoped that 20 trees will be planted in gaps in the hedgerows around the field north of Lambpits Spinney, also by the end of January.
6 Strictly speaking, the drift between Marholm Road and Southey Woods is still not officially a right of way, but the number of pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders already using it provide evidence of its vital role in the networks.
Keep checking the UPC website for updates and please make sure that you have taken part in the local recreation survey which may be found on our website. www.uffordparishcouncil.org.uk
The results of this survey will be used by many organisations to hopefully enhance our recreational facilities for the benefit of both residents and visitors.
The next parish council meeting will be on Wednesday, February 13th. All residents are welcome to attend.

What does it mean to “release ministry”? If we are honest many of us will think about the need for more clergy, or Readers, pastoral assistants and parish evangelists - people whom the Church asks to carry a particular responsibility. That answer is too small.

It is too small because it leaves most of us out of account. In fact all of us should be asking the question: “how can I use my God-given gifts to be the best surgeon, teacher, cleaner, musician, farmer, home-builder, engineer etc.” Comparatively few of us are called to be clergy; all of us are called to do our work for God and the community as well as to fulfil our gifts. In that sense we all have a “vocation”, a work to do for God.

Both society and the church depend on each of us fulfilling our vocation, working in partnership with each other so the life of the community is built up and strengthened. Just like our bodies, each part has a particular function to fulfil and we don’t improve the body by trying to make every part the same! If you like, we release ministry - which simply means “service for others” - by being our part of the body working in harmony with others.

In both society and church, some are asked by the community to represent them in special ways, for example as elected Councillors or MPs, members of the armed forces, or in the church, clergy and lay ministers. But they are not the body - just a part of it. The rest of us also have our part to play.

In our Lent meetings (yes, Lent really does start this month!) we shall be exploring these ideas as we look at the next pillar of our diocesan strategy. We are a diocese inspired by God’s passion for the world, building communities that are worshipped centred, mission shaped, releasing ministry, transforming the world.

So come and join us (details are elsewhere in this magazine) and discover more of what it means to see our lives as a “vocation”, to work in partnership and to release ministry in ourselves and in others.

Bishops’ Lent meeting dates
All at 2.45 for 3pm, until 5pm. With children’s activities for ages 5-12.

Racing ahead with releasing ministry theme
Silverstone motor racing circuit is the backdrop to a DVD that will arrive in parishes this month to illustrate our theme for 2008, releasing ministry. The 15-20 minute DVD features Bishop Frank talking with people from our congregations whose calling has led them to follow a particular path.
Among those speaking are Fiona Banham (in the pit lane) a musician who is helping to develop an “electric church” service at Syresham; Sarah Brown (on a hairpin bend) from the Farm Crisis Network; and Becks Niemiec (in race control) who is training for youth work at St John’s College, Nottingham.
The aim of the DVD, as well as the Lent meetings to be held this month, is to help churches to encourage one another to use and celebrate the gifts God has given to one of us. Rather than just thinking of church ministry in the traditional sense, part of the emphasis is on helping us to be God’s people in our homes, workplaces and local communities, in word and deed.
The releasing ministry theme was launched in churches on Sunday 27 January with an audio message from Bishop Ian.

Hope launched in Peterborough and Northampton
Around 900 people of various denominations attended a New Year’s Eve service at Peterborough Cathedral to launch the ecumenical “Hope” initiative. They pledged to work together to make a difference to people around them and in their neighbourhoods. A prayer walk in Northampton on 5 January provided a similarly encouraging start to Hope 08. For more details see www.hopenorthamptonshire.org.uk
www.hopepeterborough.org.uk

Bungoman links remain strong in current crisis
Following reports of violence and unrest in Kenya after the disputed election in January, churches in our diocese have sought news from their contacts in our link Diocese of Bungoma. Bungoma is in western Kenya, close to the border with Uganda.
The news, usually by mobile phone, varies from extremely tense urban situations to untroubled rural locations. Bishop Eliud has particularly asked for our prayers for his role as chair of the National Council of Churches of Kenya. He says, “people are saying that only the churches of Kenya can broker peace.”
One rural parish that has remained calm is Masuno, which is linked with St Mary’s, Grendon. A small group from St Mary’s visited Musano in November during the run up to the election. Isabel Gillett, churchwarden at Grendon, remembers seeing posters proclaiming “vote for your country, not your tribe”, but also saw people queuing up to receive payment in exchange for their vote.
“It upsets me to see people in such difficulties in the news reports because what struck me when we were there was how joyful they were. Everywhere the welcome was tremendous - full of joy and praise. Everyone wanted to share the food they had and we had to eat about five or six times a day!
“Masuno has five churches. At Grendon we have been fundraising for the main church building and it was good to see it nearing completion. Two of the other churches are places of worship under trees and two are mud buildings.
“Sunday worship lasted four to five hours but it went so quickly! There were six baptisms, a wedding, a sermon and the Eucharist. Each of the baptised children was given one of our names, so there is now an Isabella in Masuno.
“At the end of the service we were given gifts - pieces of cloth, a bag of sugar (the main crop) and, much to my astonishment, an envelope containing 100 Kenyan shilling note. I was so overwhelmed, I cried. This is worth about 80p but how much more to these people. I had it framed as a constant reminder of their sharing.
“When we left three of the evangelists from Masuno cycled 2½ hours each way to come and say goodbye. I was amazed by that. Equally, I think they were amazed that, aged 66, I had flown out to visit them.
“I will never forget the people we met and I hope to keep in touch with them. I came back uplifted, humbled and exhilarated and I certainly hope to return to Bungoma.”

A new face to welcome you at Bouverie Court
Paul Downing (right) arrived in December as the new Centre Manager at Bouverie Court, the diocesan resource centre in Northampton. He will be the first port of call for the many people who use the meeting rooms, conference space and offices there and will help to ensure that the facilities are running smoothly.
“I think the Centre is a fantastic location as a place for Christian ministry,” says Paul. “It is easily accessible from the road network yet has wonderful, calming views over the lakes. My aim is to ensure that those who use the centre enjoy the experience and sense the presence of God here.”
Paul and his family worship at Christ the King in Kettering and for many years he and his wife, Linda, helped with the organisation of the Sunday school there. Taking up the post with the diocese has been quite a change for him but one that he is looking forward to.
“My previous working life has been spent either with East Midlands Electricity or RS Components (suppliers of hi-tech spare parts), mostly in customer service roles. Before I applied for this job I had been praying about how my passion for God and my work skills might be used for God’s purpose, then someone sent me a copy of the advert!”
Bouverie Court is primarily a resource for the diocese but can also be booked by external organisations for meetings for up to 50 people. For details call Paul on 01604 887000.

Sat 2, Antique and collectables fair
10am - 4pm at Abington Church Rooms, Park Avenue North, Northampton.

Sat 2, Small is Beautiful, a Music in Worship Foundation day led by Andrew Maries. Musicians, singers and anyone using music in worship with small congregations is welcome. 10am -3.30pm at St Mary’s Church, Far Cotton, N’pton. £10 per person. £20 per group. Tel: 01604 887047.

Sat 2, Eucharist for Candlemas
7.30pm at St James’ Northampton. Diocesan Affirming Catholicism group.

Sat 9, Northants Youth Jazz Bands
7.30pm at St Mary’s Rushden. Tickets: £7 on door or call 07760 111825. A Friends of St Mary’s Rushden event.

Sun 10, Critical Mass on the theme of Temptation. Eucharist for young people with live music, drama, pizza and more. 7pm-9pm at St Michael’s Kettering. Tel: 01604 887044.

Tues 12, Prayer and Young People
A training session for youth leaders. 7.30pm St Lawrence Junior School, Towcester. Tel: 01604 887044.