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Churchwardens’ chat
Maureen, our Vicar, is convalescing after knee surgery so for the October magazine “Maureen’s Musings” have been replaced by “Churchwardens’ Chat”
October 2017
With Maureen away recovering from her knee surgery, we churchwardens have composed a few notes for the Parish News, starting with a quick up-date bulletin. Maureen’s rehabilitation is proceeding roughly to plan, although the re-alignment of her kneecap is proving pretty painful at times. She is experiencing good days and bad nights at present! But that will improve as she keeps doing the exercises.
Maureen hopes to be back among us soon and to begin lightish duties by the middle of the month. The plan is that she can settle back at home for a few days before the dogs rejoin her, so offers of help with dog walks will be very welcome in the early days. Thankfully they don’t require much, especially as they get older . . . 20 minutes is about their limit these days.
We pray for Maureen’s continued improvement and freedom from too much discomfort – knee ops are no fun!
Meanwhile, as we progress through Keats’ season of mellow fruitfulness . . . the shortening days remind us that time moves on swiftly. Already the Scarecrow Festival is behind us, the three routes well trodden, the masterpieces admired, the events enjoyed, all straw finally strewn.
At the harvest supper, Bob Taylor and Lol Burgess, as ever, gave us a brilliant reminder of our legacy with the captured images of Pattingham and its people. How lucky we are to have such a wonderful collection so eloquently presented. “The Elderly Brothers” led an evening of music with its splendid foundation of a hog roast. And of course, the fuel of the festival is cake!! Thank you everyone who kindly baked and provided so many delicious confections – and we did burn off all those calories going around all the scarecrows – didn’t we?
What a fantastic show by the village – thank you all and thanks to the steering committee: your immense efforts were well rewarded.
Inter-twined with the Scarecrow Festival was our Harvest Festival. We welcomed St Chad’s School to their Harvest Festival Service in church, a lively act of worship and we received their very kind gifts of produce that were donated after our Harvest Festival to the Good Shepherd. Those gifts are received with considerable gratitude and the Good Shepherd officials are profuse in their thanks for the kindness in making these gifts.
The Rev Andi Chapman, padre at RAF Cosford, led our Sunday morning Harvest Communion and our celebration concluded with a Harvest Songs of Praise in the evening. Living as we do in the midst of a farming community, this is a very special celebration and our opportunity to give thanks for all the work of that community.
As they move on to prepare the land in that ever-continuing circle of farming life, so we also as a church proceed with our own circle of parish service.
This month sees the much awaited installation of the new heating system. This will take up the whole of the month as it is a complex piece of work. Please be aware that the contractors will be busy in the building during the whole of this period. However, our services will proceed normally during this time and when it is all completed, we will have a much warmer building.
And October also has the Bells Run!! So please respond to appeals for help with looking after the runners, the marshalling, setting up the field and . . . refreshments and cakes!!
Every blessing
Iain and Gena