Wolds Witness - January/February

Get this edition on-line at www.walesbygroup.org.uk or e-mai stmaaa@yahoo.co.uk

Items for the Wolds Witness 10 days before the last Sunday of the month to the Parish office Kent Road, Brookenby, Binbrook, Market Rasen LN86EW 01472 398545 or email stmaaa@yahoo.co.uk
THE RECTOR OF THE WALESBY GROUP OF PARISHES,
(Brookenby, Claxby, Kirmond le Mire, Normanby le Wold,
North Willingham, Stainton le Vale, Tealby, and Walesby)
THE REVEREND JOHN CARR, THE RECTORY, OTBY LANE, WALESBY, MARKET RASEN, LINCOLN LN8 3UT
01673 838513 or Carr.ide@tiscali.co.uk

Your Ministry Team

Rector, Reverend John Carr; Assistant Curate, Reverend Elaine Turner

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Bell Ringing Update

Since the last issue of Wolds Witness several of you who came along to try out the Bell Simulator in Tealby in October have been learning to handle a “proper” bell. We have run ringing schools on two Saturdays in November and December and our new recruits are all making superb progress. Several others expressed an interest but were unfortunately unable to attend on the dates concerned, don’t worry if that was you, we will be in touch again soon!

We have also had several people interested in learning hand bell ringing and those of you who attended the joint Claxby and Normanby carol service just before Christmas will have witnessed just how good they are becoming too.

As President of the Northern Branch of Bell Ringers I am personally grateful to everyone within the Branch who has come along to help support the events we have hosted and we have been so fortunate to have also had Sue Faull, the Ringing Master of the Lincoln Diocesan Guild guiding us too. She has also supported us many times in 2008 at ringing events at Walesby Old Church, including the recent Candlelight Carol service.

All our bell ringers provide a vital but often unseen (although not unheard!) service to our churches and add tremendously to our worship; thank you all for giving your time and energies in keeping the bells ringing within the Walesby Group. 

Revd Elaine Turner

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Walesby Group Lent Course

Our Lent course this year will be on the theme of the Psalms. We will be looking at the background to several of the psalms, considering alternative translations (including a Lincolnshire version) and ending the course with viewing a DVD made by a local film company of the Lutteral Psalter. We are also hopeful that the film makers will be able to join us and bring along the costumes and tools they used in making this unique insight into medieval life in Lincolnshire.

The Lent course is open to all and will be held on Fridays at 7.00pm  in Brookenby Church each week during Lent starting on 27th February.
If you have any questions about this please speak to either Revd John Carr or Revd Elaine Turner

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Deanery Confirmations 2009

This year the West Wold Deanery Confirmations will be held at Tealby Church on Sunday May10th at 6.00pm. Anyone wishing to consider confirmation, whether for themselves or for another family member, is invited to talk in the first instance to either Revd John Carr or Revd Elaine Turner. We are hoping to hold preparation classes for confirmation candidates in the spring and the Lent course on the psalms will also form part of this time of preparation.  

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Diary Note

The next Walesby Group meeting (for secretaries, treasurers, church wardens) will be held on Wednesday 14th January 2009 at 7.30pm at North Willingham church hall.

At the end of another year its fun to reflect on those things that we have shared as a Group of Parishes and on the huge variety of events and worship that have taken place. What follows is by no means exhaustive but are highlights that I have noted in my diary over the last 12months.

January 2008:  Everyone is still recovering from Christmas and it’s quite quiet but in some parishes we are meeting to plan our Funding campaigns. The Bishops Course students start a new term.

February 2008:  Things are waking up again. John and I attend Evensong at Lincoln Cathedral on the day the Walesby Group are included in the Diocesan intercessions ….as we leave the vestry for the start of the service we are both handed readings to do in the service!! (Gulp)
The Methodists hold their annual covenant service at Brookenby and many of us join with them in a celebration of renewal and commitment.
Ash Wednesday is celebrated at Walesby ….one of the last occasions we use the church before the earthquake.
The fund raising events are in full swing. Claxby and Normanby hold a joint event and invite the Bishop of Grimsby as their speaker.

March 2008: Holy Week is celebrated by holding morning and evening services each day in churches in our Group. On Easter Sunday we awake to deep snow causing the Stainton le Vale service to be cancelled. Luckily it thaws sufficiently for a service of HC and Baptism to be held at Tealby in the morning and another baptism and communion at Normanby in the afternoon.

April 2008: Tealby church hosted a wonderful patchwork exhibition and it was marvelous to see the creativity and talent displayed by many of the members of our congregation.
Rogation Sunday was celebrated in several of our churches including a Rogation Eucharist at Walesby Old Church now being used each month following earthquake damage at the “new” Church.

May 2008: Open churches weekend saw many visitors yet again coming to see and admire our wonderful buildings and to find spaces of peace. The Trinity Sunday service at The Old Church at Walesby was well attended and bell ringers came from many parts of the Diocese to ring for us.

June 2008: Claxby hosted their first Open Air service on a hillside above the village where a small wood has been planted in memory of loved ones from the village. The rain held off and about 100 people gathered to worship and to remember.

Unfortunately the rain didn’t hold off for Kirmond’s strawberry tea but despite the unseasonal weather we had a good time.

July 2008: A very successful Hog Roast was held at Stainton le Vale to raise money for the renovation of their church roof.
Church wardens from many of the Parishes met over cheese and wine to discuss plans for harvest festivals.

August 2008: Holiday time for many of us and service patterns were reduced. On 31st August Claxby and Normanby held a joint Teddy Bears picnic the highlight of which was to parachute teddy bears off the top of Claxby tower. A small protest camp was set up at the foot of the tower by one particular bear belonging to my husband!

Sept 2008:  John and I spend a wonderful 5 days on retreat at the Franciscan Friary at Alnmouth…A silent retreat! (Well…..most of the time!)
The Bishops Course students spent a day together in Lincoln and received their well earned certificates from Bishop John.
Harvest festival season began and some fantastic celebrations were held over the next few weeks in our churches, not to mention the fabulous harvest suppers afterwards. Diets started!

Oct 2008: Bishop John celebrated harvest communion at Croxby and everyone really enjoyed the occasion. Another evensong at the Cathedral…..managed to get hold of the readings in advance this time!
The six bell simulator was erected in Tealby church and over a 2 week period several schools visited and many people became interested in taking up the hobby.

Nov 2008: November commenced with a very moving service of light for those who have been bereaved and the sight of Tealby church filled with candles was magnificent.
Claxby church played host to the Group service of Remembrance and war memories from those in the congregation were shared.
At the end of the month, Grimsby Baptist Church brought Puppet Power to Brookenby and gave us a fabulous show, much appreciated.

December 2008: Advent was well celebrated in all our churches this year. North Willingham hosted a reflective Advent service based on the O Antiphons which led us to a place of quiet amongst all the hustle and bustle of Christmas.
And that’s where I’ll leave you…with candlelit carol services ongoing and the Christmas Eucharists to look forward to.
I hope that this has brought back happy memories for you ….and a Very Happy New Year to you all.

Revd Elaine Turner

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Thank you from Keith Miller

Keith Miller has telephoned to thank the Walesby Group for the card and cheque that we sent him to mark his retirement as a Reader in our Group of parishes. He has recently moved away to live nearer his son on the outskirts of Sheffield but hopes to be able to visit us sometime in the spring or summer when the weather gets better for travelling.

He and Pamela have unfortunately both been unwell in recent weeks so he has not yet been able to go out to purchase something with the money but he sends his thanks and will advise us when they have decided what to do with it.

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Good news from Walesby

Work starts on St Mary’s Church Walesby on 05th January 2009 and will take approx 3 weeks to complete.

Does anyone know of a local Company that spring cleans Churches?  St Mary’s has been a haven for spiders and mice while we haven’t been able to use the Church.

However we will continue with our alternative plans until further notice.

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Special bulletin from the Diocese of Lincoln

It is with great sadness that I am writing to tell you that Keith Nelmes died on Saturday night, after being diagnosed with cancer just a week previously.  

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Jane and their family at this terribly sad time for them, and for all those very many people who will miss Keith more than words can say.
 
An opportunity will be given in the New Year for the Diocese to come together to pay tribute to Keith and to give thanks for all he has done for us and with us over many years. Suffice it to say that he was not only a gifted and highly experienced Diocesan Surveyor, but he was above all a lovely Christian gentleman who treated everyone with kindly respect, and thereby earned the affection and appreciation of all who engaged with him as colleague, contractor or Clergy family. 

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
 
+ John
Bishop of Lincoln

Keith Nelmes
28 July 1948 - 20 December 2008


A son of Nottinghamshire, Keith went to boarding school, and later worked in the insurance industry. He then joined the staff of Newark and Sherwood District Council before becoming Diocesan Surveyor in 1990.

A man of many passions, he listed rugby (a keen player in his younger days), golf, holidays in Norfolk, and mixing in his wide social circle chief among them.

Keith was a stalwart of many local organisations, including being the Treasurer of St Michael and All Angels Church in Averham - his village church near Newark.

He leaves his wife, Jane, and two sons.


Details of a memorial service for Keith will be circulated in the New Year.

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Readings for the principal Service of the day, Year B

The readings printed in bold are the Old Testament and New Testament
Readings for Morning and Evening Prayer and are introduced as such

The first two readings are the Old Testament and Epistle
At Holy Communion
The third reading is introduced
“Hear the Gospel…” at Holy Communion

4th Jan 2009 Epiphany (White or Gold
Isaiah 60 v1-6; Ephesians 3 v1-12; Matthew 2 v1 -12

11th Jan 2009 Baptism of Christ – Year B (White or Gold)
Genesis 1 v1-5; Acts 19 v1-7; Mark 1 v4-11

18th Jan 2009 Second Sunday of Epiphany – Year B (White)
1 Samuel 3 v1-10 (11-20); Revelation 5 v1-10; John 1 v43-51

25th Jan 2009 Conversion of Paul (White)
Acts 9 v1-22; Galatians 1 v11-16; Matthew 19 v27-30

01st Feb 2009 Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas) White or Gold)
Malachi 3 v1-5; Hebrews 2 v14-18; Luke 2 v22-40

08th Feb 2009 Third Sunday before Lent – Year B (Green)
Isaiah 40 v21-31; 1 Corinthians 9 v16-23; Mark 1 v29-39

15th Feb 2009 Second Sunday before Lent – Year B (Green)
Proverbs 8 v1, 22-31; Colossians 1 v15-20; John 1 v1-14

22nd Feb 2009 Sunday next before Lent – Year B (Green)
2 Kings 2 v1-12; 2 Corinthians 4 v3-6; Mark 9 v2-9

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Marriages
Tim Bradshaw and Lesley Covell 19th December at Tealby

Deaths
Mary Watkinson of Tealby
Norman (Wag) Clark formerly of Tealby

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Bunny’s Burrow - Happy New Year

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