Author: Jo Claridge

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

‘I BEG YOU, BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE’

You are invited to join us.

at All Saints Church, Sandford

Friday 1^st March at 10.30 am.

This year’s World Day of Prayer Service has been prepared by the women of Palestine and is being hosted by All Saints Church, Sandford.

World Day of Prayer is an international, inter-church organisation which enables us to hear the thoughts of women from all parts of the world: their hopes, concerns and prayers. 

Taiwan is an island rich in natural resources and culturally diverse. During the service the women of Taiwan will share the issues they face geographically, politically and socially and also their hopes for the future. 

This painting ‘Praying Palestinian Women’ created by artist, Halima Aziz, shows three women partying together in a peaceful, outdoor space.

Halima has used motifs and symbols which indicate the origin and cohesiveness of these women.

Olive trees are a sign of everlasting and abundant life because they can live for thousands of years. The Palestinian people are deeply rooted in their country, and this is underlined by the golden roots of the tree. Poppy flowers are abundant and meaningful as they are a reminder of loved ones who have given their lives for their country. Traditional Palestinian dress such as the tatreez (embroidery), thobe (dress) or the white scarf symbolise the people’s creativity and their country’s rich heritage. 

Let us join with the women of Palestine as they reflect on continuing challenging times, encouraging them to keep searching for a deeper understanding among all people who share the land, trusting and hoping in the humanity of one another.

The Day of Prayer is celebrated in over 120 countries. It begins in Samoa and prayer in native languages travels throughout the world before finishing in American Samoa some 38 hours later.

https://www.wwdp.org.uk

Leap Into 2024 Quiz 

The themes for rounds included: Leap Day Events, Leap Day Top Of the Pops (music round), Its Not Easy Being Green (frogs and toads), Valentines Day word and food rounds, and a What’s the Connection? round on the theme of Chinese New Year.

All the questions were illustrated and projected onto the big screen and each round had a starter question based on a sound clip on the same theme as the round. 

Teams were encouraged to swap papers after each round by the time the ‘Countdown’ style timer had finished!

Nine teams completed hotly for the victor’s crown which was eventually won by the ‘Wandering Minstrels’ from Winscombe Community Singers. They were awarded some suitably themed goodies including a chocolate ‘Freddy’ bar and ‘Love Hearts’ which had featured in the quiz.

The table top picture quiz challenged teams to match the TV couples who were ‘romantically, not so romantically or not even at all romantically linked’! The winners of this were the ‘Holstein Hustlers’, one of four teams from the Woodborough Grange development.

Everyone seemed to agree that the quiz was good fun with a mix of easier and slightly more challenging questions and enjoyed the different format used.

As well as being a most enjoyable evening the Events team raised about £400 for Church Funds.

On Sunday 17th December a traditional service of carols and readings was held at St James’s. The church had been beautifully decorated with candles and displays of seasonal foliage from the churchyard and parishoners’ gardens.

Members of the local community read the lessons, the scouts performed a special rendition of ‘We Three Kings’ and Wells Cathedral School’s Cole performed a beautiful solo on his trumpet at the beginning of Silent Night.

The wonderful Weston Brass Band played, and the crowds sung their hearts out at Carols By Lantern Light on Saturday 16^th December at the Church Centre. This was the 2^nd Annual community carol event and this year we were blessed once again with dry weather.

Santa, in typically jolly mood, arrived in a white sports car as the reindeer were resting in preparation for Christmas Eve. There was already quite a queue for Santa’s Grotto where each child explained their Christmas wishes and received a small gift from Santa and his elves.

The musical programme included traditional carols and a selection of other Christmas music. Little Donkey was accompanied by a splendid band of children providing the clip clopping using coconut shells, and we created a twinkly night sky with torches to provide the atmosphere for the younger children to sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

Mulled wine, hot chocolate and hot dogs helped to keep everyone warm during the event.

This year there were also a number of stalls aimed at the younger ones, but equally enjoyed by older members of the 300 or so strong crowd. These included ‘Santa’s Fun Machine and ‘Everyone a Winner’ which sold out very quickly.

Reverend Andrew delivered a short Christmas message before we finished by singing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ to each other.

The bucket collection raised just over £250 to be shared between St James’s Church and the Foodbank at the For All Healthy Living Centre in Weston.

Once again everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, so if you were there spread the word. If you weren’t you missed a great time so, look out for the date of next year’s event!

Carol singing took place outside the Premier Stores in Sandford on Thursday 14th December. There was lots of singing and handbell ringing accompanied by seasonal refreshements.

On 9^th December, Badgerset returned to Winscombe for their annual Folk at Christmas concert.  

A sell-out crowd at the Church Centre were treated to an evening of music, comedy and dance.  As usual, there were plenty of opportunities for the audience to join in the singing of some familiar carols.  

Badgerset also treated us to songs and tunes drawn from the folk music and Morris tradition including regional carols from Taunton, Bishop Sutton, Oxford, Kent, and Sheffield, some dating back to the 14^th century.  One song was sung in Latin, and another, Nadal da Luintra, in Galician!  Fortunately there were no Galican speakers in the audience to detect any errors in pronunciation!

This was Badgerset’s 10th anniversary concert in Winscombe having played here every Christmas since 2013 except for 2020.  

The concert raised over £1300 which will be shared between St James’s and All Saints churches.

Here’s hoping Badgerset will be back for 2024!

The Sustainable Christmas Wreath Making Workshop

A very big thank you to all who came to the Christmas wreath making workshop on Wednesday December 13^th and created such a variety of beautiful wreaths with so much enthusiasm and talent!  

The diversity of the greenery, the fragrance and the abundance of red berries this year was glorious. As well as greenery there was a selection of beautiful accessories and refreshments of mulled wine, ginger cake, shortbread and mince pies.

The assemblies team performed a special puppet nativity play to a re written version of a Take That classic.

You can watch it here!

Our Family Holy Communion service on 19^th November marked ‘Safeguarding Sunday’. This is a time when churches think about how they are supporting those who have been hurt or harmed and highlight and celebrate all the good work that is being done behind the scenes to protect vulnerable people and create safer cultures and communities for all both now and in the future. Reverend Jacqui, who is a Safeguarding Trainer for the Diocese, provided the reflection which included a Q&A session with one of our Parish Safeguarding Officers about the role.

Jackie also read this poem:

May this place be one of nurture. Where we all may come to know. How your endless love sustains us, As we love and move and grow. May we work to build your kingdom, Full of truth and light and grace, Living life in all its fullness. Held in one divine embrace.

For our negligence and failures. You have called us to repent. Drawing energy for action. From the voices of lament. As the secret hurts long hidden. May at last be brought to light, May the truth unlock the freedom. That is every person’s right.

When the smallest child is valued. And the strong empower the weak, And each human life is hallowed. And the unheard voices speak,  Then your justice stands like mountains. And your mercy falls like rain, And you hold the broken-hearted. Til they learn to live again.

So in gratitude we praise you, And we lift to you in prayer. All the people you are calling. To this ministry of care. Give us wisdom, grace and courage, Holding fast to all that’s good, Seeing Christ in one another. We will love and serve our Lord.

Services were held at each of our churches as our villages paid their respects to the fallen with the two-minute silence being kept at 11.00 am.

In Sandford people assembled at the memorial to lay wreaths and listen to the names of those who died. There were poignant displays of poppies and artefacts in the church as a reminder of those who served in conflicts past and present.

St James’s was decorated with knotted poppies and filled to capacity for the service including over 40 young people representing Girl Guiding and Scouting in Winscombe. Scouts and guides also read the names of the fallen. Wreaths were laid on the altar before being placed on the churchyard War Memorial at the end of the service.

At St John’s the service was led by Rev Warren Williams took at which a poppy wreath was placed on the two war memorial tablets in church and the two boys who lost their lives on Dolberrow Warren were remembered.