Lavant Churches Notices
OUR CHURCH CHOIR
This note is written at the end of July
in order that parishioners can read it just
before choir practice starts on Thursday 6th September
after the summer break.
At the beginning of the autumn session we always welcome new choir members into both the senior and junior choirs.
The demands are not onerous, with a short practice on
Thursdays at St Nicholas for the junior choir from
6- 15 pm 6-45 pm
and at St Mary's for the senior choir
7.15pm 8.15pm.
The junior choir sings at St Nicholas for the Let's Celebrate service at
10.00am on the first Sunday in the month
and the senior choir sings at the other services in both churches
For the youngsters there is an understanding
between both the youth group and the choir
and I hope that this co-operation will continue into the autumn.
A year ago we welcomed four junior choir members into the senior choir and again I hope that some of the older junior choristers will take the step into the senior choir. I can talk this through with parents and singers when we first meet on the 6th September at either church.
We would also greatly welcome a few tenors and basses into the choir stalls.
Regular visitors to our Web Pages will have seen the article on Evensong.
I concur with all that has been written
and agree it is one of the loveliest services of our time.
Sadly now, due to lack of support
(and Lavant is no exception,)
this service is only sung once a month.
It is of course still beautifully sung daily
in Chichester
and many other Cathedrals.
Interestingly the Book of Common Prayer Evensong has stood the test of time.
When the Alternative Services Book was introduced
the evening service never established
and many churches, after giving it a try,
soon reverted to the BCP service.
At Lavant we sadly only sing Evensong
on the third Sunday in the month
and as the autumn starts
may I dare suggest that perhaps a few more
from choir, congregation and even the youth group
might consider making an effort
to come to this service at 6.00pm once a month.
I will watch with interest !.
For any further details regarding choir
matters do please contact me in church
or Tel: 01243 528836.
Clive Stroud
Organist & Choirmaster.
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Bible Study Groups
For the autum we are setting up four Bible Study Groups,
The study will all be based on the Book of James
using a video and notes prepared by David
they will be held different venues,
2 evening ,1 morning and 1 during an afternoon.
Each Group will be lead by a different lay leader.
| Tuesdays at 2.30 pm. |
From September 18th. |
| Venue. |
West Ashing. (Phone 574551) |
| Leader. |
Elizabeth Woodford.(Phone 527489) |
| |
|
| Wednesdays at 7.30 pm. |
From September 19th. |
| Venue. |
Greenfields, West Lavant. (Phone 577217) |
| Leader. |
Pearl Mitchell. (Phone 527644) |
| |
|
| Thursdays at 7.30 pm |
From September 20th. |
| Venue |
Hunters Way. (Phone 527007) |
| Leader. |
Ellizabeth Henderson. (Phone 527577) |
| |
|
| Fridays at 10.30 am. |
From September 21st. |
| Venue. |
Singleton. (Phone 811640) |
| Leader. |
Eric George. (Phone 811640) |
If you are in a position to join one of the Groups,
and would like to do so,
Please Telephone one of the numbers above,
or E-mail us with you details.
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ATTENTION ALL YOUNG PEOPLE
CHURCH YOUTH GROUP For 11Years +
We have a Young Peoples Group
Join us a New Experience.
FUN
GAMES
OUTINGS
FRIENDSHIP
BE PART OF IT !!!
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JUNIOR CHURCH
On September 9th.
Junior Church will start again after the summer break.
Young folk [3 - 10 years] are very welcome.
For those parents not familiar with the set up
we meet in the choir vestry at St Mary's church
on the 2nd, 4th & 5th Sundays in the month,
and at Lavant Primary School on the
3rd Sunday.
When at St Mary's, children go to the vestry
after the Rector has read the Collect
before the New & Old Testament readings.
Leaders and children come back into church
to join members of the congregation at the Communion rail
where they receive a blessing. On the 3rd Sunday,
when the congregation met at St Nicholas
children are dropped off at the school
and return to the church after the service.
We need more adults
to share in the leadership of Junior Church.
Please speak to Carol Hollands or Elizabeth Woodford
if you think that you could help.
Carol & Elizabeth
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PRAYER FOR THE MONTH
Ever-listening God
give me faith to trust in you,
the patience to listen to you
and not tell you what I think you should do.
Help me to pray the words.
our will be done on earth as it is in heaven':
and having prayed this way,
may I accept your will
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St. WILFRID HOSPICE LAVANT VALLEY SUPPORT GROUP AGM
The A-G-M. will be held in St- Nicholas Church on Thursday 25th October at 7.00pm. for 7 30pm. If you are local, come along for coffee and meet other local Hospice supporters.
Lavant's fundraising has again been exceptional this year and so the treasurer's report is awaited with anticipation.
The guest speaker for the evening will be Dr. David Lacey from the Hospice who will discuss the emotive topic of Palliative Care versus Euthanasia. This promises to be an informative gathering.
A Hospice goods stall will be in situ with a fresh range of Christmas cards and diaries.
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Gravestones in St Mary’s Churchyard
The Churchwardens carried out their annual inspection of the graveyards during August 2001.
Unfortunately, we found a number that were very unstable and in the interests of safety we have had to lay these stones flat on the ground. There have been instances in other churchyards where children have been killed or seriously injured by unstable gravestones falling on them and we do not want that to happen in our churchyard. We also did not wish to risk gravestones and memorials being broken or damaged if they heeled over.
We have found it difficult to trace some families and owners and regret any distress caused to those whose loved ones are involved. The following graves are affected:-
We ask that families arrange with stonemasons for their relative's gravestone to be securely relocated.
Please do NOT return your relative's gravestone to an upright position until it can be securely and firmly set in the ground.
If you have any problems please contact .
Churchwardens
Brian Coles [01243-574551]
or
Richard Ryder [01243-527696]
September 2001
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ARCHITECTURAL , BUILDING & SPIRTUAL PROPOSALS AT ST MARY'S
In March under the title " Christ is the sure Foundation",
I explained the spiritual and teaching programme we hoped to embark upon this year
I also explained in outline some proposals for alterations to St Mary's church.
I promised to report regularly on progress.
Spiritual Proposal
The P.C.C have met to explore the plans for the Spiritual and teaching programmes
but there is much more work required. Progress will be reported,
but see above for Bible Study proposals.
So far as the architectural and building proposals are concerned :-
South Porch.
The Chichester Area Development Control Committee (South)
at a meeting on 18th. June 2001
Referred the Church’s planing application (Lv/01/00542/FUL) to a site meeting.
Following the site meeting and then discussion in committee
the Chichester District Council Development Control Committee
decided not to approve plans for the south porch.
In view of the fact that DAC and English Heritage
had given support to the project,
the Church architect suggested that there would be a good chance of success
with an appeal against this decision.
Despite this the Rector recommended that no appeal be made
and that the project be discontinued.
He reflected that continuance would cause further division in the parish.
The PCC then approved unanimously the motion.
''We accept the Rector's recommendation that we do not go forward to appeal
the Planning Committee's decision to turn down our application
for the new south porch in the interests of church and community unity".
The Rector will send letters to all who wrote him
about the proposals, advising them of the decision.
Vestry Extension.
Plans for the vestry extension are continuing
and although there will be no need for an autumn meeting about the South porch,
a meeting will be called at an early stage
to inform, advise, and request views of parishioners about these developments.
Church Maintenance Works.
The PCC discussed some outstanding items and agreed
“That any building works related to the upkeep of the Churches
should take priority over new projects;
this is already evident in the work ( under way )
to cure the damp problem in the Rector’s vestry”.
