February 2018
Saint Wilfrid’s News
There was a distinctively green and sprout feel to the Church in December. SWISHERS and the Church both adopted the Christian Aid Christmas campaign with gusto. The SWISHERS Nativity celebration looked at the story from the perspective of the story of the ‘Stinky Sprouts’. The acting and storytelling – despite many bugs and illness – was enthusiastic and helped us to understand the importance of looking beneath the surface and recognising the love and life we share underneath which is the message of the Word made Flesh. Sprouts sprouted up everywhere and decorated the building and the nativity scene under the Altar. Thanks to all who worked so hard to provide the decorations – in all, Saint Wilfrid’s raised £150 for the Christian Aid appeal (£300 with the Government’s matched funds)
The Christingle service on Christmas Eve was well supported and it was good to see so many of the local community gathering to enjoy this celebration of the birth of Jesus. This and the sprout appeal are another good reminder to us of the importance of the relationships we build with SWISHERS and our local schools and how we are able to share the space we have with them. Thank you to all who support us in this work and ministry.
Thank you also to those who work throughout the year to support the Thursday Soup Lunches – these are another way of us building relationships with those in the local area (and beyond) and providing space for conversation and company – as well as a good lunch and a chance to win a raffle! In addition to this, the lunches also raise funds for the Church and other charities – in the last year this was just under £1000. Thank you on behalf of all the charities that are supported.
Unfortunately through illness and lack of organists the last few weeks have often seen us without a ‘live’ musician. We have progressed from unaccompanied to various ways of providing accompaniment and it feels as if we are beginning to arrive at a workable system. Thank you to the congregation for your patience and your singing …and thank you to Claire who continues to try to resource us with musicians, and Father Darcy and others who have been developing an alternative solution. When the DCC meets in February we will be considering the best solution and hopefully will end up with a ‘balance’ of organists (when available) and a system which will provide music in their absence. If you have any thoughts, then please let Father Bob or one of the Wardens know.
We noted at Christmas that Andrew Bellenger has resigned as Deputy Warden – thank you to him for all he contributed in that role over the years – and we are grateful to Robert Rymill for responding to the invitation to take on the role until the Annual Meeting.
Lastly, we look forward to becoming the heart of Parish Life on February 17th when we host the Panto Players …hope to see you there enjoying our conversion in ‘Pantoland’.