Rector's Page/News

I wonder how many of you have a Godparent, or perhaps you are a Godparent yourself. Godparents are really special people. They make serious promises at the christening of a child and many are part of a family for years. It’s such an important relationship that the Church of England sets aside a whole day to celebrate. This year, it will be on May 6^th and if you are a Godparent you will be prayed for on that day. This is a good day to let your Godparents or Godchildren know how much they mean to your family.

Throughout the summer there will be a number of Christenings in our local churches. Parents want the very best for their children. They want them to make right choices in life, for themselves and for others.  Parents want the very best for them, and so does God. Godparents are among the most important people at a christening, who make big promises to encourage their godchild to grow in faith and commit to helping them understand how to live their life in a Christian way.

A christening is just the start of a journey with God and over the years to come parents and Godparents share this journey by:

• Being there for the child to talk to about the bigger questions of life – questions about hope, faith and love.
• Praying for the child through the ups and downs of their faith journey.
• Showing them practically how to make those good choices in life.
• Helping them to learn more about their Christian faith, through their church and in other ways.

Choosing the right people as godparents is a big decision for parents.   Godparents will be people who’ll be in touch with your family for many years to come. They may be relatives or friends of the family.   They’ll be people who you know you can trust and who’ll be there for your child to talk about the bigger questions in life; questions about faith, hope and love.

Because of the very special role they have in supporting a child’s faith journey, godparents must be baptized themselves and they should pray for their godchild through the ups and downs of their life and their faith journey.

It’s a demanding role, but help is always at hand, through your church, and of course from God, who will bless all you do to help your godchild.

So, on May 6^th take a moment to thank God for your Godparent.

Rev Sarah

Very soon a collector will call, or an envelope will appear on your doormat, asking for a donation to Christian Aid.  Over the last 10 years £17,618.46 (net of Gift Aid) has been very generously given from Milborne Port, Milborne Wick and Goathill, which has supported the work of this organisation in the poorest countries and in disaster areas throughout the world.  This year the focus is on reducing the dangers of childbirth.  Did you know that Sierra Leone is the world’s most dangerous place to give birth?  Your donation could help to build a health clinic in places such as this.

As usual our local printer, Remous, is generously providing the slips which will be left if no-one is returning to collect your gift, and Wayne the Butcher, The Milborne Port Pharmacy and the Co-op have once again very kindly agreed to host our collecting boxes.  We would like to raise more than last year (£1,102.03) but to do this we need your help.  Not only do we ask you to support this cause, but we also need more volunteers to deliver envelopes and slips.  If you are willing to give Christian Aid an hour of your time, please telephone me (01935 812209) or Anne Salkeld (01963 250529).  Thank you for reading this.   

David Johnson (Milborne Port Christian Aid Treasurer)

I have the privilege each week of leading collective worship (assembly) in our two primary schools. This term we have been thinking about the Christian value of forgiveness and have been listening to stories from the Bible that speak of people who have been forgiven. Most of us know that we should forgive those who hurt us, but when we are hurt most of us are tempted either to be a passive doormat or to strike back and escalate the cycle of violence.  We have been helping the children with more creative responses.

On Shrove Tuesday at Charlton Horethorne School we devoted the whole day to the theme. I always love reflection days in school as we are able to work with the children in mixed age groups and do some creative work with them. The day began early with a pancake breakfast cooked by parents. I think over two hundred pancakes were consumed! We talked about the beginning of Lent and what it means to say sorry. We then had great fun out on the playground burning Palm crosses to make ash for the Ash Wednesday services across the benefice.

I am always humbled by the depth of thinking on these days.  The children came up with some profound ideas about what forgiveness might mean. One child said they thought ‘forgiveness was a hug’, another said that Jesus ‘arms on the cross’ looked like they were opening to give us a hug. Spot on I would say! On Good Friday we remember that God loved us so much that he opened wide his arms of love to die on the cross and embrace us with forgiveness and love.

Do look out for the times of our Holy Week and Easter Services across the Benefice.

Rev Sarah

In October St John’s will be holding a Pumpkin Festival. Now is the time to start sowing seeds.  We would like to grow lots of pumpkins, especially for the children to carve.  Can you help us? If you have no space, I can let you have a bit of space at the bottom of the vicarage garden. There will be competitions for the largest pumpkin, best pumpkin pie and carving.

Rev Sarah

Many thanks to all who came to support the Marmalade Festival & breakfast held at Blackberry Cottage on 23 February. We are delighted to report that a total of £319.60 was raised at the event for Church funds. Thank you all for your generosity and we look forward to hosting a similar event next year ... so keep saving youir jars!

Maureen & Frank Wright

Every 6 years a completely new electoral roll has to be prepared. All persons who wish to have their names entered on the new roll, whether their names are on the present roll or not, are requested to apply for enrolment not later than 1st March.  The new roll will come into operation on the 17th March.

Having your name on the roll gives you the right to vote at our AGM and to be elected to our PCC. You can apply if you are baptised and aged 16 or over and you are a member of the Church of England or any Church which is in communion with it. You must live in the parish or have attended worship in the last 6 months before applying.

The Church House Committee would like to thank everyone who participated in the Safari Supper held on 14th April. The sum of £588 was raised for Church House to help fund the floor refurbishment which had been completed the Thursday before the event.

Many thanks to all who came and contributed a total of £463.19 for Christian Aid. This is an excellent result even though the third lunch fell victim to the recent snow. Special thanks too to the cooks for all the delicious soups we enjoyed with our bread and cheese and to the helpers who served us so efficiently.

David Johnson

Have you noticed the work being done on the churchyard border leading to the Ball Court? We are establishing a Memorial Border for the Interment of Ashes. This will be a beautiful area to visit and remember loved ones, whose names will be inscribed in a Book of Remembrance on display in the church. The border has already been cleared and a marker stone installed. The planting has been professionally designed to give colour and shape throughout the year, and will be carried out shortly. Offers to sponsor a plant will be gratefully received!

For November 2017 we shall be supporting sightSavers. Formerly called the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind, they are an international charity that works with partners in developing countries to treat and prevent all forms of avoidable blindness.

There are seven numbers available in the 100 Club. This is a monthly darw with three prizes - £30, £20 and £10. The annual subscription is £15 per number. This club helps to pay for the running costs of Church House. If you are inhterested in joining or you are an existing member who would like an additional number, please see Ben Grundy (telephone 01963 250363).

Some more photos, taken by Sarah, have been added to the Church Fete slideshow.  Please see slideshows.

A few photos of the Farm Service on 31 July are now available as a slideshow.  See Farm Service.

Photos of the Church Fete on 16 July can be see.  Please see Slideshows.

Over 20 of us popped into church on Monday evening to pray. Some stayed for 30 minutes others stayed for the full 2 hours. There were a number of prayer stations to visit on the theme of the Lord's Prayer. Thank you to those who came. There was a lovely prayerful atmosphere in church.

We have had some very stormy weather in the period between Christmas and New Year. Much of the country has been flooded. This is a rainbow that appeared briefly on New Years Day over Milborne Port Church

Lovely carol service made all the more atmospheric with the pew lanterns made by Robert. Also thank you to Pat who organised the service and for all those who made mince pies and served mulled wine. The choir sang 4 anthems including one sung in Norwegian and Reidun wore her national dress. This was the 4th carol service in the Benefice