October Services at Ansley Churches
| 4th October
Trinity 18 |
St John’s
|
10.45 a.m. | Holy Communion |
| 11th October
Harvest |
St Laurence | 10.30 a.m. | Morning Worship |
| 18th October
Trinity 20 |
St John’s | 10.30 a.m. | Morning Worship |
| 25th October
Bible Sunday |
St Laurence | 10.30 a.m. | Holy Communion |
Baptism
Everley Faye Sansome was baptised at St Laurence Church on Sunday 6th September, supported by family and friends. We welcome her into the family of the church with prayers for her health and happiness.
Wedding
The wedding of Charlotte Poile and Martyn Smith took place on Saturday 5th September. Family and friends joined them for this special occasion. We offer Charlotte and Martyn every good wish for the future.
Draw Nearer
| Venue | Date | Theme |
| The Barn, Old Arley | 12th October | To be confirmed |
| The Annexe, Ansley | 26th October | To be confirmed |
Arrive from 7.00p.m. Meetings start at 7.30 p.m.
Harvest Festival at St Laurence
At the time of writing it is not known how many home-grown flowers or garden produce, will be available to decorate the church for harvest thanksgiving as it has been such a difficult growing season. Flowers were in bloom weeks earlier than normal and only lasted a few days rather than weeks.
Farmers and other food producers, including gardeners, have had a very difficult growing season. A lot of fruits stayed small and fell off the trees before they were ripe because of the lack of water. The grain harvest has been smaller and lighter than would have been expected. The danger of fire has been ever present especially when machines get hot and dusty. Farmers have rushed to clear stubble near houses to ensure that if there were to be a fire homes would be less at risk. What a very challenging year for people and nature alike.
We will be very grateful for any gifts of produce, whether fresh, or in cans, packets or jars and for help on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th October with decorating the church.
As well as the displays of produce around church, it has also been a tradition to bring a basket or box to the Harvest Service filled with groceries.
These are taken to the altar during the first hymn as a sign of gratitude for the harvest. Cash donations can be made and will be sent to The Salvation Army. Food items will be given to a local food bank.
Christmas Shoe Box Appeal
The Samaritan’s Purse charity are once again asking for shoe boxes to be filled with appropriate gifts for children who would otherwise receive little or nothing at Christmas. Please make sure you have a copy of the leaflet suggesting suitable gifts for boys or girls from different age groups. You can get them from church or look for the information online. Empty shoeboxes will also be welcome as not everyone has one to use. The boxes are collected from a local pick up point in mid- November, which is why the ‘C’ word is in this October magazine!
Fifteenth Art Exhibition and Sale
Ansley Village Art Group had over 240 paintings on display at Ansley Village Church Hall on Saturday 12th September. Ten per cent of the funds raised from the sale of paintings, tea/coffee and cake and donations will be given to St Laurence Church, Ansley.
Thank you to everyone for all your help in making this a event a huge success.
Prayer Requests
If you would like someone, or a particular situation, to be remembered in prayer, please make contact by email or phone one of the contacts on the front cover.
Ansley Village Church Hall
The funds are now in place to repair sections of the floor at Ansley Village Church Hall. Hirers are being consulted to enable a week to be arranged when the hall will be closed for this work to take place.
Spurgeons Charity
The purpose of this charity is to help children and families flourish. Parents in Wiltshire reported to a Community Liaison Navigator that children were not using their local park
Working with volunteers, free football sessions were organised, families came along, children enjoyed being active outdoors and made new friends, as did their parents.
This is just one example from many initiatives that help support individuals and families. See November magazine for fund raising event for this charity’s work.
Sixtieth Anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster
This dreadful tragedy happened on 21st October 1966. Heavy rain caused a build up of water in a colliery spoil tip in South Wales, resulting in a sudden slide of slurry and debris which engulfed Pantglas Junior School and a row of houses.
Ansley children, from the C of E Primary School across the road, created a garden in part of the churchyard near the A4114 and placed a memorial plaque among the plants. The blossom tree, with the plaque, remains beside the new Memorial Garden. John Sherwood, an Ansley poet, wrote about the event at the time.
The Dead Valley of Aberfan
Composed at the time of the School Disaster 1966
We think less ill of Thee,
Lord, for all our vain stupidity
To right the wrongs of men,
To seal our future by the pen.
In Aberfan we mourn our dead,
Parents sigh and creep to bed.
You moulded each tiny heart
To withstand the will to part.
When they whimpered with fright
Was Thy presence felt in sight?
Each little lamb could fail to stray
On such a dark foreboding day.
Even with a spray of tears
Our moments darken into years.
Listen! Was that a call, Dai, a call?
No, only a ripple to drown it all.
Each frantic mother sits in wait,
Bewildered by such fate.
Small toys lie scattered on each chair.
Mother of God, are they there?
Hold each one to thy breast
O joy! O sorrow! O pain!
Will the valleys bloom again?
Silence is the enemy in the vale.
We cannot pass a chid so pale
Without compassion; wandering still,
Gazing, gazing upon the hill.
Like the Pied Piper they followed the sound,
Disappeared for ever into the ground,
Sick with death, and sick birth,
Blood of our blood lies in the earth.
John W. Sherwood
Back in Time
If Queen Victoria had attended the event at St. Laurence Churchyard on August Bank Holiday this year, I believe that she would have been hugely amused! What an amazing day! Despite the threat of rain and a slightly damp start, we estimate around 350 people attended the Victorian Themed Church Fete. There were a variety of games on offer, reflecting the period; quoits, lawn tennis, croquet as well as the old favourites; tin pan alley, coconut shy, bagatelle and more. We crowned some champions in the various challenges and marvelled at how the Victorians ever got anything clean with the Sunlight Challenge. (This was a revisited game from a Fete at the church in 1895!) Visiting children enjoyed traditional crafts, games and a dip in the bran tub.
Many of our 60 volunteers entered the spirit of the event wearing amazing Victorian Costumes and many of our visitors followed suit! Queen Victoria put in an appearance as did many bathing belles. We also enjoyed the sight of an original Penny Farthing complete with a beautifully dressed couple.
Entertainment was provided by our local singer Georgie, the In Crowd Singers and the Morris Dancers and, as ever, we were grateful for the support of our local farming community.
I think that two visitors summed up the essence of the day in the following comments:
“It was such a wholesome event – not about ripping people off with crazy prices – so happy to be part of a fabulous day for our village.”
“I came away with the exact same thoughts 💕It was a lovely day for the village, and an important reminder that away from social media and politics, there’s still an awful lot of love, unity and respect for each other out there.”
And, as we plan for next year’s event – which will be themed on all things mining – we reflect on a day blessed with sunshine, happiness and community.
The PCC would like to thank Janet and all the team involved in this event. £2,300 has been given to the church, of which £750 will be donated to Nuneaton Hospitals League of Friends and the rest has been placed in church funds.
Penny
This edition of the magazine was to have been the last that Penny was going to produce. Unfortunately, just recently, she had a leg injury and is unable to work. We have therefore had to produce this on the church’s photocopier – no colour or adverts. We wish Penny a speedy recovery and thank her for the many previous issues she had produced.