Community, Parish Council & Village
Following the success of their Spring Pantomime, “They came from Mars and landed outside the Farndale Avenue Church Hall in time for the Townswomen’s Guild’s Coffee Morning” is an unabashed comedy.
Directed by Michael Poole, this hilarious comedy written by David McGillivray and Walter Zetlin Jr. will, according to one reviewer “laughing until you cry”.
Continue reading “They Came From Mars – An Orpen Players Comedy”
As the nation gets back to normal routines, it’s time to catch up on some local news. Click the links to the updates that interest you:
The next Local History Group meeting will learn about Essex Lights of which there are many. From Harwich, down the coast and into the Thames Estuary. Peter Jones will be presenting the history of these Lighthouses in the Orpen Hall on Wednesday 14th September at 7:30 pm.
Members cost is £2 and non-members £4 which includes refreshments.
Other talks coming up inlcude:
The Group’s last meeting in Orpen Hall on April 13th, was to hear about the history of the Minories in Colchester. This Grade II listed building is believed to have been built in the Tudor period but with subsequent modifications, in mid-18th century, turning it into the elegant Georgian building you see today.
Continue reading “Essex Lights – A History Club Talk”
From today, we ask all in the community to take a moment to pay our individual respects during this time of national mourning.
The flag outside the Orpen Memorial Hall will be at half-mast until 8 am the day after the State Funeral and there is an area at the base of the flagpole where residents may lay their floral tributes, if they wish.
The official West Bergholt Book of Condolence will be available for residents to sign at St Mary’s Church. There are also candles for those who might like to light one whilst they sit and reflect. The church will be open each day between 9 am and 7 pm.
The timetable of events during this period of mourning is as follows with an educated guess based on recent announcements for the lying in state & Civic Services:
| 8th September | Date of Death |
| 10th September | Proclamation Day in London when the new Sovereign is proclaimed |
| 11th September | Proclamation Day: |
| @ 12 noon in Belfast, Cardiff & Edinburgh | |
| @ 2 pm High Sheriff’s read County Proclamation | |
| @ 4 pm or after Civic Leaders read local proclamation | |
| 11th September? | Middle Sunday – Civic Services |
| 14th – 17th September | Lying In State in London |
| 19th September | Date of Funeral (which will be a Public Holiday) |
Once official dates are announced this page will be updated.
This edition of St Mary’s News starts with a Revd Heather’s Message looking at Goldilocks, and continues with other news including:
Many of you, I am sure, will be familiar with the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. There is something in this fairy-tale which speaks into our very human nature.
Continue reading “St Mary’s News – Goldilocks Edition”Essex Libraries have three updates for Summer 2022 covering:
This edition of St Mary’s News starts with a report from a pilgrimage, and continues with other news on Licensing of Liz Dixon, Afternoon Tea, Summer Holiday activities and the usual listings of services and contacts.
I have just walked the 74-mile Pilgrimage from St Martin-in-the-Fields in London to Canterbury Cathedral, with about 100 other pilgrims, sleeping on the floors of churches and halls. This took four full days and was a great experience, walking with some of the homeless people, as well as helpers and supporters of this homeless charity.
Continue reading “St Mary’s Pilgrimage for the Homeless Edition”
This edition of St Mary’s News starts with A Year of Jubilee, and continues with other Jubilee events, Licensing of a lay Minister, Prayer Spaces and the usual listings of services and contacts.
This month we celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with an extra long bank holiday weekend and in villages, towns and cities up and down the land, there will be special events to mark this special occasion.
Over the Queen’s remarkable reign, we can all probably remember several big Jubilee celebrations.
I was five when the Queen marked her Silver Jubilee, I still remember the fancy dress parade where I was dressed up as a 50 pence piece and being given a special commemorative coin from school, which I still keep in a special place.
For the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, I was on a planning committee, arranging a large community event, and, much like the recent error you may have heard about with 10,800 teacups, mugs and plates commemorating the ‘Platinum Jubbly’ … we managed to order hundreds of posters, which to our horror said ‘Diamond Jubliee’ by mistake
But then jubilee is not really a word we come across in everyday language very often, so no wonder it leaves itself open to the occasional spelling mistake.
Yet it is a word that we come across a fair bit in the bible. Biblically it is a year of emancipation and restoration. In the book of Leviticus, the Lord declares that a year of Jubilee be held every 50th year and that it be a special year of pardoning sins. Slaves were to be freed, debts forgiven and land returned to its original owner. So rather radical!
Jubilee, teaches us a lot about the character of God, His mercy, generosity and love of justice. We are reminded that God is our provider. In the same way Jubilee gives an opportunity for all people to display love and grace in a remarkable way and above all it sets people free.
Jubilee then is a fitting time for celebration and rejoicing.
So as we celebrate and rejoice in the Queen’s 70 year reign, we do so giving thanks for her strong Christian faith and witness. For the mercy, generosity and justice she has shown in her reign, and we rejoice and are glad in all that God has given us.
May God Bless you abundantly
Reverend Heather
On Saturday 4th June, we will have two stalls at the Jubilee Festival on the Lorkin Daniell Field. One stall will have Jubilee themed crafts for all ages to try out; the other will be a books, games and toys stall run by our 5T’s Group (a group that meets each Thursday afternoon to share a cup of tea and a chat – all are welcome). Do come and visit us!
On Sunday 5 June we look forward to welcoming you to a special Jubilee Songs of Praise Service at the Old Church, either walking from St Mary’s at 5.30pm or joining us at the Old Church at 6.00pm.
A huge thank you to everyone who has knitted leaves for the special Jubilee Canopy which is being put together on 31th May. The canopy reflects the theme of planting trees for the Jubilee, and the knitted leaves represent every resident of West Bergholt. The leaves will be sewn into netting which will be suspended from the ceiling. Do come in and see it, it will be in place for the next few weeks.
Licensing of a Lay Minister
All are invited to attend a special service on Sun 26 June @ 3pm at St Mary’s Church to mark Liz’s licensing as a Lay Minister. Liz has recently completed three years of part-time training and is looking forward to serving in the parish of West Bergholt.
The role of a Licensed Lay Minister (LLM) is varied and can include leading non-communion services, preaching, teaching, supervision and mentoring of other lay ministries, and taking funerals.
The service will be followed by afternoon tea in the Rectory Garden. All welcome!
Come and visit the prayer spaces in church from now until 5th June. They are part of the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ global prayer initiative focusing on the Lord’s Prayer. They also link to prayer spaces in Revd Heather’s other parishes of Great and Little Horkesley, Boxted and Langham, Wormingford and Mount Bures so that you can visit all the churches in a sort of mini pilgrimage!
| 4th June | Attending Jubilee Festival | |
| 5th June | 9:30 am | Pentecost – Holy Communion (also on Zoom) |
| 6:00 pm | Jubilee Songs of Praise at the Old Church | |
| 12th June | 9:30 pm | Messy Church—outdoor service incorporating the ‘Caring for God’s Acre’ Churchyard Wildlife Count. Everyone welcome to join in! |
| 19th June | 9:30 am | Holy Communion (also on Zoom) |
| 26th June | 9:30 am | Café Church |
| 3:00 pm | Special service to mark the licensing of Liz Dixon as a Licensed Lay Minister |
Arrangements for the 2022 Village Open Gardens Event have now been finalised. There will be 10 varied, interesting gardens and the Allotments open to view this year. The gardens will be open between 11 am & 5:30 pm on 12th June.
Entry to the gardens will be by Programme (£5 per adult/children free). Until 11th June they will be on sale at:
Continue reading “Open Gardens 2022”
The Food Museum, formerly the Museum of East Anglian Life, is going on the road! They are touring their exhibition ‘Food Stories’ to communities across East Anglia arriving in the Orpen Hall on 19th June from 10 am until 4 pm. You can also get involved in the event yourself.
‘Food Stories’ celebrates East Anglian recipes, cooking, farming techniques and dialect words that have been passed down through generations. The centrepiece of the exhibition will be a farm kitchen table featuring:
Visitors will be able to sit at, and engage with, the displays; you can also contribute your own recipes and memories to the exhibition. You will hear historic sound recordings from the region of people talking about their food and farming memories. Visitors can also participate in the University of Leeds’ cutting-edge dialect research by contributing their own dialect words.