St Candida and Holy Cross, Whitchurch Canonicorum

Christmas Festival Dec 2011

2012-01-01T10:59:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of December we held a Christmas Festival in church.
this included a Victorian Market, a concert featuring St Gabriels` Strolling Players. A Victorian tea also lunches, a special evensong and another Christmas Concert by the Beaminster Gallery Quire. We were joined by some of the other churches in the Benefice and it was a lovely start to the Festive season.

The Bells are lowered

2011-10-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

The last time the bells were removed from the tower was over eighty years ago. They have been taken down and sent to the bell foundry for a major overhaul and hopefully will not need further attention for another eighty years!
The work was undertaken by Paul White and his work force and they did an excellent job, although we were all holding our breath as the first bell (the tenor and heaviest of all ) was lowered. It was a fascinating process and we are now looking forward to their return, in the new year, when once more the bells will ring out over the Vale.

The Friends of St Candida - Launch!

2011-09-11T07:10:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday 30 August, 'The Friends' was formally launched by our Patron, Lord Hall of Birkenhead (Tony Hall) with a talk on his life and work. He drew interesting parallels between his life at the BBC and at the Royal Opera House, giving the memorable example of the need for both a news correspondent in a war zone and a soloist on stage in front of several thousand people to get it right under pressure! He talked about the importance of the outreach work undertaken by Covent Garden seeking to bring opera to millions of people who would not otherwise have the experience and of his determination as Chair of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad to ensure that Britain delivered its promise to add a rich cultural dimension to the celebration of next year's Games in London. After the talk, we all adjourned for tea in the garden at Candida House. It was just about warm enough!

Over tea, Nick Mayhew Smith, author of 'Britain's Holiest Places' (in which our church is given 11 stars!) sold copies of his book and donated £10 for each one sold. It was most generous of him to come down from London to attend our inaugural event.

Many thanks to all those people who have already joined the Friends. At the time of writing we have 60 members and we hope to welcome many more. It is important to stress that the aim of the Friends is not solely to raise funds. Of course it is important that in our turn, as many generations who have lived in the village and the Marshwood Vale have done in the past, we should look after the fabric of a wonderful and iconic building. The church means so much to so many in the community, some churchgoers and many who are not. Many projects lie ahead. The

bells, much loved and rung unfailingly by our team of bell ringers, are about to be taken down and will undergo a major refurbishment, the first since 1926. The medieval 6th bell will be heard no more as it is honeycombed and is to be replaced, although it will remain here. The floor, the organ, the electrics and our antiquated and temperamental heating system all require radical attention. So we do face some substantial fundraising.

But it is equally important that the church should be a meeting place for the whole community. In addition to the weekly services, the weddings, christenings and funerals and the recently revived healing services, we want to encourage further and wider use through the Friends. Already the free exchange cafe, our excellent annual Flower Festival and the concert series are drawing more people in. The Friends plan to put on 3 or 4 interesting and attractive events, home or away, each year. On October 22nd, the Whitchurch Purcellians will welcome Friends to to join them for their Gala Concert. She'koyokh, who were such a hit when they played in the village hall some years ago, will be returning to play their Jewish-gypsy-Balkan-Turkish folk music (www.shekoyokh.co.uk). It is an occasion not to be missed. More details elsewhere in the magazine.

A final word of thanks to Tony Hall. We are grateful to him for agreeing to become our Patron, especially at such a busy time with the 2012 Olympics looming. His lively and stimulating talk has given the Friends a resounding start.

free eXchange cafe - 10 July 2011

2011-07-30T01:46:00.000-07:00

How wonderful it was to see more than 60 people comfortably talking over coffee and croissants at the free eXchange café on Sunday, 11 July. We had people from all around the Vale stopping by to join in, including two riders on horseback - Shelley and Wendy from the Three Counties Bridlepath Group. With so many ancient pilgrim routes leading to Whitchurch, the church is perfectly located to include in a ride, walk or cycle trip - particularly on a café Sunday when coffee and croissants await!

We hope YOU will join in next time. Even if you can't make it, feel free to stop by the church anytime and check out the latest postings on the eXchange board - it's filling up with goods for freecycling and skills and services ready for eXchange. Special thanks to all our café helpers: Clare and Rachel Colby, Yvonne Welch, Nick Ziebland, Briony Blair and Sam Milburn, Michael West and Jane Skinner for creating the mask-making table around the theme of 'Surprise'. Thanks also to Barry Welch for taking photos (you can see them on our website), and to Ken Tubb for making terrific signs! Special mention to Sue Herman for picking up the pastries at Felicity's Farm Shop and to Martin Legg for delivering more invitations with the newspapers. For more info please contact the café organisers: Richard Colby, Stephen Skinner, Betsy West or email fxcafe@st-candida.org

The next free eXchange cafés are scheduled for the following Sundays:
7 August
4 September
2 October
10:30am - Noon

St Candida and Holy Cross Church

Whitchurch Canonicorum

Near Bridport

Dorset

England

Flower Festival 2011

2011-07-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

This year the theme of the Flower Festival was pantomime "It`s Behind You!"
Once again Tina produced a stunning display full of original ideas.You can see from the photos how hard all the team worked to create arrangements and the amount of greenery needed. But the hard work was worth it and the whole weekend went well. We had food in the church, open gardens and stalls and finished it all with a fantastic jazz concert.

2011-06-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

This blog and photo was sent by a member of Stanton St Gabriels congregation

This is a picture of our altar at St. Gabriel's ruins for the Team Ascension Day service. It was a beautiful day and I think everyone enjoyed the service, taken by Stephen, Jane and Wyn and followed by coffee and cakes. About 20 people attended

free exchange café - come one - come all!

2011-04-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

You are invited!

@ St Candida & Holy Cross Church

Whitchurch Canonicorum

Sunday 5 June - 10 July - 7 August - 4 Sept - 2 Oct

10:30am-Noon

Drop by for as little or long as you like!

· free quality ground coffee, gourmet tea and pastries

· freecycle exchange

· free exchange of views, suggested topical theme

· quiet space around shrine for contemplation

· Sunday papers available

· children's activities

· all welcome

Come for the free coffee - stay for the free exchange!

Freecycle item ideas: books, plants, clothes, bric-a-brac, toys,

jewellery, ornaments, CD/DVDs.

For more info: fxcafe@st-candida.org

St Candida & Holy Cross Church,

Whitchurch Canonicorum

2011-03-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Fishpond Lent Lunch

Harvest 2010

2010-10-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

Our church was beautifully decorated for our Harvest service ,when we sang familiar and much loved harvest hymns. This was followed by lunch in the village hall.

Le Jazz records CD in church

2010-09-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

Le Jazz spent two days in our church recently, recording their new CD. They knew we frequently held classical music concerts and came along to listen to our accoustics and find out how much outside noise could be heard. They were impressed by all we could offer (including our new Kawai piano )and the arrangements were made for the recording sessions.
I was fortunate enough to be invited along to listen and had a very enjoyable time. I am now looking forward to hearing the finished CD.
Should there be any other musicians looking for a place in which to record please contact me.
If needed we could also put you in touch with fully equiped sound engineers.
Church Warden

Fete 2010

2010-08-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

The day was cloudy but warm, perfect fete weather! After a lot of hard work erecting tents and setting up tables we were ready! The fete was opened by the team Rector and the buying and selling commenced. Apart from the usual stalls there were steam engines to admire, ladies spinning and lacemaking and three calves, triplets, a very rare occurence,to watch. Music was being played throughout the afternoon and teas served. The tower was open and there was a display in the church about local history. All very enjoyable.

Flower Festival 2010

2010-06-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

The theme of this years Flower Festival was "Those Special Days". The idea came from a book of traditions and customs. The church looked lovely and the floral displays were much admired by all the visitors. It was a very social occasion with many people staying to chat over lunch or tea.
The weekend finished with a most enjoyable concert and refreshments on Sunday evening.

Annual Report

2010-04-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

St Candida and Holy Cross
The year began with us starting to get to know Stephen our new Team Rector and Jane his wife, who joined us in March and who have quickly settled amongst us. It has been another busy year; apart from the usual weekly services there have been four weddings, a baptism and various extra services. One of these was choral evensong led by Laudemus! whom we were delighted to welcome.
Our concert season was again very successful with excellent young musicians playing very varied programmes and making use of our new, Hazel Thurston, Kawai piano, which has a lovely sound.

`George Somers` put in an appearance for his anniversary service and we learnt a little more about his descendants, from the Bermudan town crier. There was a memorable prayer for the sacrificial pig!

The theme of the flower festival was `music` and as usual the floral displays were of a very high standard. The festival concluded with a concert put on by local musicians and was a great success.
The fete followed a few weeks later and the rain held off until the end of the afternoon, so only the helpers got wet! But the clearing up had to be left until the tents dried out. It was yet another enjoyable occasion, and one where we are fortunate to have so much support from all around the village.
The local history exhibitions held in the hall were very interesting and we helped by providing some of the display boards and by stewarding.

Our Carol service was extremely well attended and we are grateful to the members of the occasional choir who have joined us for several services this year. We were very pleased to invite the playgroup to our crib service, which was great fun, and we hope to develop this link.

Throughout the year, members of the Guild of St Candida have kept the interior of the church clean and tidy, while outside, the Living Churchyard group were `Highly Commended` for their efforts, in this years competition.
The bell ringers have rung for every service, with a full team of eight, quite an achievement and they have hosted various visiting teams. They came second in the West Dorset striking competition and are always willing to help out with various jobs around the church. The PCC (and our many visitors) are most grateful to everyone who gives of their time.

We were all very sad that John Harrisson had to retire early due to ill health, the congregation contributed to his leaving presents and some were able to attend his special leaving service and wish him and Rosie well for the future.

The PCC have discussed ways to make fuller and more diverse use of the church building and to encourage more people to attend. We look forward to restarting services for healing and further co-operation with the playgroup.

Annual report

2010-04-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

St John the Baptist
This year we have continued to have three Sunday services each month, which comprise two Holy Communions and either Matins or Evensong that we take ourselves. We have a rota of eight members of our congregation who take these services. Our Carol service on Christmas Eve continues to be our most popular service.
As well as our usual events, including the Lent Lunch, we have held three evening talks in the Church, which were followed by refreshments, and raised money for various Charities as well as the Church. These were community events that we hoped would encourage people to visit our Church. We also advised the Axminster Walkers Group with their walk around Fishpond and provided them with refreshments.

Stanton St. Gabriel
St. Gabriels` year proceeded much as usual, with two BCP Eucharist services each month, though sadly with a smaller congregation. This year Ascension day was fine and Stephen led our service at the ruins of Old St. Gabriels, we were joined by people from other parishes and all enjoyed coffee and cake afterwards. Also in May, we had a Songs of Praise and Blessing for a baby, which was well attended. In August we had another service at the ruins, jointly with the United Reform Church. Our annual Healing Service at St. Wite's Well was well attended and followed by a shared lunch at Mr. and Mrs. Bridle's home. In September we had a Produce sale, followed the next day by a Harvest Festival evensong. In October we had a Christening. The Friends of St. Gabriels continue to run two coffee mornings to raise funds and we are very glad of their support. The plans for the repair and improvement of our entrance to the churchyard are under way at last.

The Churches' Ministry of Healing

2010-01-18T04:51:00.000-08:00

by Revd Stephen Skinner, Golden Cap Team Rector

Our Team Council and Whitchurch P.C.C. have decided to introduce a monthly Healing Service starting after Easter. Before commencing this Service we feel that it would be helpful to write about this area of Christian worship and ministry. I have had involvement in prayers for healing since my days as a Curate in Chatham and found it to be a very inspirational experience – both for myself and for those for whom I have prayed. At the same time, I am well aware that it can be controversial – not least because of what I regard as some of the abuses of certain practitioners. I was Diocesan Healing Adviser for 10 years in the Carlisle Diocese, so can offer some advice arising from much experience!

The basic starting point for Christian Healing lies in the ministry of Jesus. We read in Luke Chapter 4 that “the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them”. The Gospels have many stories of Jesus healing people, from lameness, blindness, dumbness, fevers, psychological disorders and even death itself! Sometimes we are given the story in considerable depth – such as in John Chapter 9: “The Man born Blind”. In such fuller stories we often discover that Jesus not only healed people physically but also perhaps emotionally, relationally and spiritually.

This observation leads me to one of my key beliefs about Healing – that it is in the ideal of God’s purposes designed to be ‘holistic’. In other words, it is to bring about a restoration of the person to health in its fuller sense. One of the reasons that many are unhappy about healing as practised by Christian Ministers is because of sensationalist stories of someone’s physical healing, which later appears to be only temporary, under the pressure of the moment. Actually when I pray for someone at, for example, a Healing Service, I prefer to invite them to say what they want us to pray for – and stress that it could be for healing in a relationship, from a bad memory or healing forgiveness in relationship to God. This broader emphasis is much more healthy; consonant with Jesus’ practice.

Another point to make about Jesus healing style is that it was rarely sensationalist. He often prayed in a low key way, in relative privacy, in people’s homes or quiet places. Afterwards Jesus often urged them not to tell anyone else about what has happened! Clearly he didn’t encourage the crowds to adulate him as a great Faith Healer. So I conduct healing prayers in a gentle, relaxed and unpressured manner. God is the healer, not me, so the outcome of our prayers lies within His underlying purposes. The Healing Services that we will commence in April at Whitchurch will inspire a spiritual atmosphere in which God’s Spirit will be invited to operate. So if you attend it should feel peaceful; despite, we hope, a powerful sense of Christ being present with us.

Revd Sue Langdon will be conducting these Healing Services, along with Win Maynard. Sue will write further on this topic in March’s issue.

(Editor: Originally written for the February 2010 Golden Cap Team Magazine.)

Fete

2009-07-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

The day started off cloudy and grey but the rain held off. The stalls were set up and everything prepared. By 2pm the queuee had built up, then the fete was opened and the crowds surged in. There was lots to do and see and the band was playing. It was qiute cool but the rain didnt really start until about 4pm. The raffle was drawn and the crowds dispersed leaving only the helpers to clear up in the increasingly heavy rain. The tents had to stay for another day as they were far too wet to pack away but we were very lucky that the rain hadnt started a couple of hours earlier. People seemed to enjoy themselves and we hope we made a lot of money!

Flower Festival 2009

2009-07-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

The theme for this years flower festival was music. The arrangements depicted various types of music from classical to pop.The concert culminated in a concert with contributions from local musicians and a guest appearance from `Abba`!

The New Piano

2009-03-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

The piano was safely delivered to the church but that was only the first stage. It now needed to be lifted onto the platform, (so it can be moved out from the transept when there is a concert).
Who would be strong enough to lift a grand piano ?
Who do we call upon for any difficult tasks?
THE BELL RINGERS!
True to form they successfully met the challenge!

Ringing in the New Year - 2009!

2009-01-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

The Bell Ringers of Whitchurch merrily rang in the New Year from the historic church tower. Following on from a fancy dress party at the Five Bells, the festivities were well attended with a policeman, nightclub bouncer and shaggy gorilla amongst the ringers and even 'Elton John' came along to celebrate ringing out the old year and ringing in the new. Best regards to all and Happy New Year!

Thanks to Dave Green for providing the pictures and the description of the evening.

Lights on the tower

2008-12-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

Saturday afternoon saw four intrepid bell ringers climb the tower, first to the ringing chamber to assemble the new lights, then on up to the top, to hang them around the outside of the tower. No mean feat at that height. Especially with pinnacles to be negotiated but they were undaunted by the task and with imagination and skill (and perhaps a little luck)they achieved their aim.
The sun shone all afternoon and the views were fantastic.Spirits were high and there was lots of laughter. Lets hope the finished result gives as much pleasure to all who see the tower lit up at night. (this assumes the timer was set correctly - not an easy procedure due to lack of glasses and the presence of spiders!!)

Healing Service St.Wite`s Well

2008-09-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

Stanton St. Gabriels Service of Healing at St. Wite’s Well

18th September 2008-09-24

People say you don’t have to go to church to pray, this day was a case in point. Having had to cancel our healing service at St. Wite’s Well in August due to dire weather, we were blessed with a beautiful day on 18th September. About fifteen people gathered by the well, which runs out of the hill into a small pool, surrounded by flowering plants and short grass. We enjoyed singing hymns accompanied by Liz Carter on her flugelhorn, an address from Wyn Maynard and then prayed for healing of different kinds, using the water from the well.
Our thanks go to Wyn Maynard and Rev. John Harrisson for leading this special service.
Afterwards we took our picnic lunches to John and Yvonne Bridle’s garden, where they entertained us very generously.
This service is an uplifting addition to the routine of the church year.

Harvest Thanksgiving

2008-09-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

This year we celebrated our Harvest thanksgiving earlier than usual, to coincide with our Patronal Festival - Holy Cross day, (we have two Patronal festivals - the other one for St. Candida in June).
Our sevice was a mixture of hymnns and readings reflecting both celebrations.

After the service we had lunch together in the church.

Occasional Choir

2008-08-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

The occasional choir consists of friends from all around, who get together for special services.The photos show us practising for Choral Evensong at Forde Abbey on Sunday and in our own church on 31st August.Our choirmaster is very patient - as some of us need lots of practice.

Sir George Somers Service

2008-07-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

Sir George Somers who founded the colony of Bermuda lived in Whitchurch and on his death his heart was buried in Bermuda and his body buried in Whitchurch. Lyme Regis is twinned with Bermuda and every year a group visit Lyme including the Mayor and town crier.A service is held in our church to commemerate Sir George and flowers are given by the Mayors of Bermuda , Lyme and Plymouth (the port he set sail from) and Char Valley Parish Council.Afterwards everyone has tea!

2008-07-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

The Whitchurch Purcellians hold concerts throughout the summer in the church. The last one featured Kokilla and Parvil playing violin and piano
At the most recent concert Mitra Alice Tham and Simon Waterton played two Schubert duets and Mitra also played Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky, while Simon gave us Beethoven`s Sonata in D Major Op.28 (Pastoral). All very enjoyable.