T H E W I N D R U S H B E N E F I C E

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1 T H E W I N D R U S H B E N E F I C E EMBRACING THE PARISHES OF ALDSWORTH * GREAT BARRINGTON * LITTLE BARRINGTON * SHERBORNE * WINDRUSH website: windrushbenefice.weebly.com Rector: Nick Fisher Providence House, High Street, Northleach, Gloucestershire GL54 3EU telephone: nick@5fishers.co.uk Administrator: Margaret Shaw, 39 Sherborne, Cheltenham GL54 3DH telephone: w.benefice@gmail.com (the Rector is always pleased to learn of anyone who might be helped by a visit at home or in hospital, or who would like to receive holy communion at home) NEWSLETTER for MAY 2018 It seems much longer than a month ago that we were celebrating Easter and listening this year to St. Mark s account of the Resurrection of Jesus. Some of the most ancient authorities have his gospel ending with the description of Mary Magdalene and two other women on that first Easter morning arriving at the tomb with spices to anoint Our Lord s body, and to their considerable alarm finding the stone rolled back and a young man dressed in white sitting inside. This presumed angel tells the women to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus has risen from the dead and has gone ahead of them to Galilee, where they will see him. Some scholars suggest that this somewhat abrupt ending is not how St. Mark either intended his gospel to finish or how it originally closed. They suggest that he would have wanted to tie up the loose ends neatly by describing his final interactions with, and instructions for, his disciples when they met him in Galilee. Others suggest that St. Mark left the story unfinished because it was still incomplete throughout his gospel, he, more consistently than the other three evangelists, causes his readers to reflect on what they (or us) would have done in the

circumstances described how, for example, would we in Jesus s position after being baptised by John, have responded to the devil s promises and temptations? Would we, like St.

2 circumstances described how, for example, would we in Jesus s position after being baptised by John, have responded to the devil s promises and temptations? Would we, like St. Peter, have three times denied being a follower of Jesus after his arrest after the Last Supper? Would we have been as afraid as the three women were at the tomb, or would the Resurrection have suddenly made sense to us? St. Mark, some suggest, left the story in the way he did in order to emphasise that Jesus s story is incomplete until we respond to it. The simple fact before our eyes, though, is the compelling evidence for the Resurrection, not just in Mark s account, but in the persuasive witness provided in the other gospels through the disciples encounters with the risen Christ. It is because, during the forty days between Easter and Our Lord s ascent to heaven, the disciples were so completely convinced of the reality of the Resurrection, that the Jesus movement spread like wildfire. Without the Resurrection, Christian belief and worship has no substance. For in the cross and the Resurrection, and in Jesus s treatment of Peter, God shows us the depth of his goodness, his forgiveness and his care for his creation. By these means he provides us with the assurance that whatever predicament we find ourselves in, God is with us and ultimately all will turn out well. With every blessing for a continuing joyful Eastertide, Nick. Rated good by Ofsted Small classes, exceptional staff, a unique rural environment increasingly recognised as giving any child the perfect start Headteacher, John Moore For availability of places, please contact him on

BENEFICE JOTTINGS Ray Butt, a well-known figure around Little Barrington, has sadly died at the age of 75, and his funeral will take place in Little Barrington Church on Tuesday, 8 May at 12 noon, to

Annual Parochial Church Meetings Windrush was the first parish to hold its meeting, and it marked the end of the tenure of Penny Pocknell as one of the two churchwardens and Andrew Page as P.C.C. secretary.

3 BENEFICE JOTTINGS Ray Butt, a well-known figure around Little Barrington, has sadly died at the age of 75, and his funeral will take place in Little Barrington Church on Tuesday, 8 May at 12 noon, to which all are invited. A fuller notice will appear in next month s Newsletter, but meanwhile our thoughts are with Enid and Ruth. May he rest in peace. Annual Parochial Church Meetings Windrush was the first parish to hold its meeting, and it marked the end of the tenure of Penny Pocknell as one of the two churchwardens and Andrew Page as P.C.C. secretary. Our thanks to both of them for their efficient and very generous service to the parish. They will be much missed. Pam Wicker has kindly agreed to take on the role of secretary, for which we are very grateful. Charlie Neil continues as churchwarden, but there is an opportunity for a member of the church community to step forward to assist him! Sherborne School There has been an unprecedented demand for places next year at our local primary school. Many congratulations to John Moore and his excellent staff on this achievement the School plays a large part in providing the village with its heart (as do the Village Shop and the Social Club) and Sherborne would be the poorer without them all.

4 Celebrating the completion of the repairs to the floor of Windrush Church, Plans are being drawn up to mark the end of nine months work in the church by a number of events there during June and July centring on the Festival of St. Peter that falls this year on Friday, 29 June. This occasion will be marked by the ringing of the church bells before a concert at 7.30pm called Friday night is music night, which Mike Wicker is organising and will feature various local talents. Fuller details will be publicised next month. TIME OUT AT THE WARWICK HALL, BURFORD This new weekly service for people over the age of 60 has started well. We are now getting into the swing of things and the number of members attending is increasing. TIME OUT takes place each Monday from 10.30am to 3.00pm at the Warwick Hall, Burford. There will be a varied programme of activities each week plus visiting speakers, films and music on a regular basis. We plan to have something of interest for everyone. The day is offered at 7 per person to cover coffee on arrival, lunch and tea before leaving and includes the above mentioned activities. We do hope you will come along to have a relaxing TIME OUT, chat to friends, join in the activities if you wish or just enjoy the company of others in a happy environment. We are always looking for willing volunteers to assist in helping through the day or bringing people in to the Warwick Hall. We plan a rota of help as it is unrealistic to expect volunteers in every week. Any help that can be given, whatever the frequency, will be enormously appreciated. If you are interested in joining us, either as a member or a volunteer to help, please contact John Harrington ( , jh@rrington.net) or Sue Sheppard ( , smsheppard1@cloud.com) Gardening tips for May by Alan Abraham Sow runner and French beans, courgettes, sweet corn, beetroot and wallflowers. Earth up potatoes. Plant out bedding plants and leeks, and watch out for greenfly. Thin out gooseberries and stake tall perennials. Summer prune grape vines, and feed tomatoes, removing side-shoots. Paint shading on glasshouses, and above all, enjoy yourself!

5 One of the Spring visitors to Sherborne Brook Photo: Mike Boyes

Gotcha! Photo: Richard Tyler Much excitement was caused in Sherborne last month by the presence of a pair of ospreys who stayed for a few days during their migration to Scotland.

6 Gotcha! Photo: Richard Tyler Much excitement was caused in Sherborne last month by the presence of a pair of ospreys who stayed for a few days during their migration to Scotland. This magnificent screenshot shows some of the hospitality they experienced while they were in our part of the Cotswolds and perhaps will encourage them to return next year. Data Protection New legislation coming into effect this month mean that we now need your consent for us to include you on our database. The database is maintained solely to enable us to inform you of news, events, activities and church services in the Windrush Benefice. Your details will not be shared with a third party. Your name will be removed from the database unless you specifically grant consent (by means of the accompanying form, which will be held by the Administrator) for us to communicate with you in the future, unless you contact us seeking a response to a particular query or needing assistance of some kind.

7 CHURCH SERVICES Sunday 6 May (Easter 6) 555, 497, 175, am May Merrie Sherborne 11.15am Eucharist Aldsworth Ascension Day, Thursday 10 May 171, 165 (om. 2,3,4), 379, pm Benefice Eucharist Great Barrington Sunday 13 May (Easter 7) 586 (1,2,10 only), 283 (om. 2,4), 278, am Morning Praise Windrush (om. 2,3) 10.45am Holy Communion (1662) Little Barrington Sunday 20 May (Pentecost) 175, 183, 383, am Holy Communion Sherborne 11.15am Morning worship Aldsworth Sunday 27 May (Trinity Sunday) 202, 200, 206, am Eucharist Windrush 10.45am Holy Communion (1662) Little Barrington Sunday 3 June (Trinity 1) 546 (om. 3,4), 286, 375 (om. 6), 430 (om. 3,5) 9.45am Matins Sherborne am Eucharist Aldsworth Sunday 10 June (Trinity 2) 377 (om. 2,3), 401 (om. 4), 516, am Eucharist Windrush 10.45am Holy Communion (1662) Little Barrington Sunday 17 June (Trinity 3) 9.45am Holy Communion Sherborne 11.15am Morning Praise Aldsworth 474, 338, 398 (om. 4), 286 (om. 5) 6pm Songs of Praise Great Barrington 609, 112 (om. 4,5,6), 470, 455 Sunday 24 June (Birth of John the Baptist) 368 (om. 2,4), 372 (om. 2,4) 562 (om. 3,5) am Morning Praise Windrush 10.45am Holy Communion (1662) Little Barrington Sunday 1 July (Trinity 5) 9.45am Matins Sherborne 11.15am Eucharist Aldsworth

8 EVENTS IN MAY The Benefice s website is windrushbenefice.weebly.com and is now being maintained by Steven White. We are most grateful to him for taking on this responsibility. His contact is: drsteven.white@gmail.com. Tuesday, 1 May, 9.30am (and every Tuesday) Pilates at Windrush Village Hall. Info from Lucy, Wednesday, 2 May, 7.30pm We built this town talk by John Putley about how masons and builders in the Middle Ages constructed house, churches and manors. Northleach Historical Society, Westwoods Centre, Northleach. Members free, visitors 3. Sunday, 6 May, 3pm Bank Holiday BBQ and Aunt Sally Knockout, Sherborne Social Club. Club will be open from 12 midday as usual if anyone wishes to organise individual stall. Friday, 18 May, 7.30pm Rissington Local History Society, Annual General Meeting followed by talk by David Brown RAF Little Rissington from construction in 1938 to the present day. Upper Rissington Village Hall. Saturday, 19 May, 6pm Royal Wedding BBQ at Sherborne Social Club Sunday, 20 May, 9am 12.30pm Farmers Market, Countrywide Stores, Bourton-on-the-Water. Saturday, 26 May, 3pm Mid-summer Fete at Sherborne Social Club, with Dog Show, cake stall, tombola, cream teas, Pimms and raffle. FUTURE EVENTS 7.30pm Windrush Film Night Murder on the Orient Express With Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Daisy Ridley, Michele Pfeiffer. Film starts in Village Hall at 7.30pm, tickets 3.50 on door. Wednesday, 20 June, 7.30pm The First Lord Sherborne by Diane Lovell, Sherborne Club. Saturday, 7 July Presentation, Pigroast & Fete, Windrush Camp Saturday, 21 July Windrush Valley Flower Show and Fête, Great Barrington. Please send to Margaret Shaw by the fifteenth of the current month any items or photographs for inclusion in next month s issue.

T H E W I N D R U S H B E N E F I C E

win T H E W I N D R U S H B E N E F I C E EMBRACING THE PARISHES OF ALDSWORTH * GREAT BARRINGTON * LITTLE BARRINGTON * SHERBORNE * WINDRUSH website: windrushbenefice.weebly.com Rector: Nick Fisher Providence