Upton St Leonards Church News

April 2007

April  Diary

1. SUN.    PALM SUNDAY.

Holy Communion 8.00a.m.

Procession from St. Mary de Lode to Cathedral. 10.15a.m.

Evening Service 6.00p.m.

2. MON.    Upton W.I.  Village Hall.  7.30p.m,

3. TUES.   Chipmunks Nursery Easter Service 2.00p.m.

5. THURS.  MAUNDY THURSDAY.

Service at The Cathedral 7.30p.m.

6. FRI.    GOOD FRIDAY.

Building of Easter Garden 10.00a.m.

Three Hours at the Cross, 12-3pm at The Cathedral.

Way of the Cross Leaves Kings Sauare to the Cathedral.  4.15p.m.

7. SAT.    Easter Vigil. The Cathedral 8.30pm.

8. SUN.    EASTER DAY.

Holy Communion 8.00a.m.

Easter Parish Communion 10.00a.m.

No Evening Service.

13. FRI.    Twyver W.I. meet Village Hall 7.30p.m.

15. SUN.    EASTER  2.

Holy Communion 8.00a.m.

United Service at St Lawrence, Barnwood, 9.45a.m..

Evening Service 6.00p.m.

19. THURS.  M.U. Holy Communion 2.00p.m.

22. SUN.    EASTER 3.

Holy Communion 8.00a.m.

All Age Communion 10.00a.m.

Evening Service 6.00p.m.

23. MON.    ST. GEORGE.

Ladies Group meet Church Room 7.45pm.

24. TUES.   Coffee Morning. 10.30a.m.

16, Perry Orchard.

25. WED.    ST. MARK.

26. THURS   Get-together Club meet Village Hall. 2.30pm

29  SUN.    EASTER 4.

ONE SERVICE ONLY.

Holy Communion 10.00a.m.

Annual Meeting 11.00a.m.

 

 

April

 

Easter is the greatest celebration of the Christian year and this year the Diocese is marking it with a series of events under the banner of 'Experience Easter' It has been Bishop Michael's practice since his enthronement as our Bishop to spend Lent, Holy Week and Easter in a particular Deanery and this year it has been Gloucester City Deanery's privilege to have benefited from a programme of events led by our

Bishop. This, of course culminates in Holy Week ~ the week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday and means that our normal observance of this important time is enhanced by the Deanery wide programme. This means for this year there will be some changes to our normal Holy Week/Easter routine, as follows:

Sunday April 1st 10:15 am Special Palm Sunday Procession from St Mary de Lode to the Cathedral followed by

Palm Sunday Eucharist at the Cathedral. Please bring a small green branch to carry in the procession

 

Monday April 2nd 7:30 pm Devotional Address and Compline at Holy Trinity Longlevens

 

Tuesday April 3rd 7:30 pm Calvary a dramatic performance of the Passion by the Riding Lights Theatre Company at Bishop's College (formerly Oxtails Community School) - Still some tickets available!

 

Wednesday April 4th Address by Bishop Michael at St Aldates Church

 

Maundy Thursday April 5th 7:30 pm Eucharist of the Last Supper, Foot washing. Stripping of the Altars, Vigil until Midnight at the Cathedral

 

Good Friday April 6th 10 am Building of the Easter Garden in St Leonards ~ Children especially welcome to help out!

Three Hours at the Cross 12-3pm at the Cathedral

 

Good Friday    4:15 pm "Way of the Cross" Begins in King's Square and moves via the Cross and Shire Hall Steps to the Cathedral

 

Easter Eve 7th April 8:30 pm Experience EasterEaster Vigil and Eucharist at the Cathedral

 

Easter Sunday 8th April 8 am Order 1 Communion in St Leonards

10 am Easter Parish Communion in St Leonards

 

These events have been carefully planned to take you through on a Journey from the triumph of Palm Sunday to the developing tragedy of Good Friday and on into the ultimate victory of Easter Sunday.

You can come to just a few of the events to really Experience Easter the more you take part the more you will get from the experience so please, if you can come along to the whole experience.

 

Transport can be provided to any or all the events and if you are travelling by car ~ think of the environment and offer a lift to others!

 

Paul

If you would appreciate a visit from the Parish Priest or someone from the Church please let us know, either in person at one of the Services, in writing to The Rectory, 12 Bondend Road, Upton St Leonards, GL4 8AG or by phone (01452 627828) or e-mail: rev_leckey@blueyonder.co.uk

 

 

Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2007

These meetings will take place on Sunday April 29th commencing at 11.30am.

There will be just one service on this day, starting at 10.00am.

Further details will appear in the April issue of Church News.

The meetings consist of:

The Annual Meeting of Parishioners. At this meeting, the election of two Churchwardens will take place. Candidates for election as churchwardens must be aged 21 or over, communicant members of the C. of E., on the electoral roll of the church, or resident within the parish and on the electoral register of the parish for local government elections.

This meeting is open to all parishioners of Upton St. Leonards.

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting. At this meeting financial reports, reports on the fabric, goods, ornaments and property of the church, the electoral roll, and reports from church organizations are received, and elections of sidesmen and members of the P.C.C take place. Candidates for election to the P.C.C. must be 16 or over, on the electoral roll, and have taken communion in the C. of E. at least three times in the past year.

Attendance at this meeting is restricted to those on the Electoral Roll of Upton St. Leonards Parish Church.

Nomination forms for the post of churchwarden, and membership of the P.C.C. will be available in church during March, or from the Secretary.

 

Ken Herbert (P.C.C. Secretary)

 

Contributions for the May edition of Church News should reach Mrs. Rumsey, 16 Perry Orchard by 10th April  please.

 

From the Churchwardens:

 

This month is a very important one in the year of the Church.

 

First we have the Easter Celebrations, made all the more special by the unique first ever Experience Easter which has hopefully helped to broadcast to wider community about the importance of this time of year to Christians. It has involved many Churches and we have all been encouraged to join with them throughout Lent, Holy Week and Easter.

 

Secondly, we have the Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting being held on Sunday 29th April. This involves many individuals coming together to help the Church at Upton continue and grow for future generations. Not many of us are probably aware or even realise how much hard work and dedication it takes for the many volunteers of the Church to continue working in the background to enable the Church to function. One person does require a huge big thank you for all his hard work and dedication. He has performed a particularly challenging and time consuming role for several years now which involves huge amounts of paper work and chasing individuals for reports and other necessary items. He has to coordinate meetings for a team of almost 20 individuals which is no mean feat in itself, sending out letters, arranging agendas, taking minutes and producing them. He receives and deals with a lot of correspondence from many organisations who communicate to the church. Most of all he has to learn and know large amounts of procedural information involving the Church. Ladies and Gentlemen, may we thank Ken Herbert, the PCC Secretary, for all his hard work and dedication to the Church at Upton St Leonards for the past several years. I know by now he will be very embarrassed by this public acknowledgement and praise of just some of the work he does for Upton Church and we hope that he is not too annoyed with us. His hard work and dedication in keeping us, the unorganised, in check and in some semblance of order is very much appreciated. Thank you Ken.

 

This leads me on to another large thank you that needs to be mentioned. April sees the last month of Jenny Davies term of office as Churchwarden. She has worked exceedingly hard and vigorously in her role as Churchwarden and kept things at Upton in order for the past 3 years. On a personal level she has proven to be a wonderful mentor and colleague to myself, guiding me and helping me in a rather challenging role. Without her I would have been lost and overwhelmed. May I thank her personally, and on all of your behalves, for her hard work and dedication to Upton Church over the past 3 years. I am sure that you will join with me in wishing her and Pete a very wonderful wedding in August and a long and happy life together. We all look forward to sharing it with them as she continues to offer support and assistance to Upton Church as a deputy-Churchwarden.

 

Also big thanks goes to the group of people who spent a long time cleaning and tidying the Church the other Monday in  preparation for  Spring and the visit by Bishop Michael on Wednesday 7th March. Your hard work is appreciated.

More thanks goes to Trevor and his merry band of paper luggers who will have spent a long morning at Portway Farm on Thursday 8th March transferring all the collected papers into the recycling companies skip. I hope their arms have recovered as I believe the recent paper collection rivalled the last load one of 7.16 tonnes in August.

 

Some of you may remember that in February’s Churchwarden article you were asked to consider supporting the Church by offering your time or even a skill to us. Basically the Church Quinquennial Report has points that need to be actioned. What we are hoping to do is set up a working group who will meet and oversee this. It is not an arduous task but it can be made easier with a group of individuals who can come together and tackle it with a combined effort. If you are interested in helping out with this then please contact the Churchwardens as soon as possible.

In the meantime, take care, keep well and healthy and see you all soon

 

Matthew Gibbs and Jenny Davies – Churchwardens.

 

 

The Church of England today

The Church of England plays a vital role in the life of the nation, proclaiming the Christian gospel in words and actions and providing services of Christian worship and praise.

Its network of parishes cover the country, bringing a vital Christian dimension to the nation as well as strengthening community life in numerous urban, suburban and rural settings. Its cathedrals are centres of spirituality and service, and its network of chaplaincies across continental Europe meet important local needs.

The Church of England plays an active role in national life with its members involved in a wide range of public bodies. Twenty-six bishops are members of the House of Lords and are engaged in debates about legislation and national and international affairs.

The Church of England is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

 

Key facts about the Church of England:

Church attendance and visits

  • 1.7 million people take part in a Church of England service each month, a level that has been maintained since the turn of the millennium. Around one million participate each Sunday.
  • More than 2.8 million participate in a Church of England service on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve. Forty three per cent of the population attend church at Christmas, rising to 48 per cent in London and, nationally, 22 per cent among those of non-Christian faiths.
  • In 2005 forty seven per cent of adults attended a church or place of worship for a memorial service for someone who has died and twenty one per cent were seeking a quiet space.  Both these proportions are increases on thirty seven per cent and nineteen per cent respectively in 2003 and twenty nine per cent and twelve per cent respectively in 2001.
  • 86 per cent of the population visit  a church  or place of worship in the course of a year , for reasons ranging from participating in worship to attending social events  or simply wanting a quiet space.
  • Every year, around 12.5 million people visit Church of England cathedrals, including 300,000 pupils on school visits. Three of England's top five historic 'visitor attractions' are York Minster, Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

Education

  • Seven in ten (70%) of the population agree that Church of England schools have a positive role in educating the nation’s children.
  • One in four primary schools and one in 16 secondary schools in England are Church of England schools. Approaching one million pupils are educated in more than 4,700 Church of England schools.

Ministers

  • The Church of England has more than 27,000 licensed ministers - including more than 9,000 paid clergy; more than 3,000 non-stipendiary ministers; more than 10,000 Readers; around 5,000 active retired clergy; and more than 1,100 chaplains in colleges, universities, hospitals, schools, prisons and the armed forces.

Community involvement

  • More people do unpaid work for church organisations than any other organisation.  Eight per cent of adults undertake voluntary work for church organisations while sixteen per cent belong to religious or church organisations.  
  •  A quarter of regular churchgoers (among both Anglicans and other Christians separately) are involved in voluntary community service outside the church. Churchgoers overall contribute 23.2 million hours voluntary service each month in their local communities outside the church.
  • The Church of England provides activities outside church worship in the local community for over half a million (515,000) children and young people (aged under 16 years) and 38,000 young people (aged 16 to 25 years). More than 136,000 volunteers run children / young people activity groups sponsored by the Church of England outside church worship.

Church buildings

  • Nearly half the population (46%) think that central taxation, local taxation, the National Lottery or English Heritage should be ‘primarily’ responsible for providing money to maintain churches and chapels. These churches and cathedrals are largely supported by the efforts and financial support of local communities. Often, they are the focus of community life and service.
  • Forty-five per cent of the country's Grade I listed buildings are parish churches maintained by the Church of England. There are at least £378 million of major church repairs outstanding, 87% for listed churches.

Sources:        Church Statistics 2003/4 and 2004/5

Opinion Research Business national polls 2005/ 2003/ 2001/ 2000.

 

Article reproduced from the Church of England Website at

www.cofe.anglican.org/about/thechurchofenglandtoday/

 

Upton St Leonards Parish Church Lending Book Service.

The Church Lending Book Service is still running and a new set of boxes have been placed at the back of the south aisle. Please take the time to have a look and borrow or buy a book to enjoy.

Any donations that are left go to Church funds and are very much appreciated.

 

Upton St Leonards Mothers Union

Dates for April

 

Thursday 19th  – 2.00pm

Holy Communion.

Please note only one meeting this month.

 

Monday 23rd – 7.45 pm

Ladies Group meet in the Church Room.

Speaker: Marion Beagley.

Subject: The Village Shop.

 

Contact:

Afternoon Group –

Rachel Hall – 01452 610521

Ladies Group –

Olga Tucker – 01452 618649

 

The Easter Service for members of the Chipmunk Nursery will be held in Church on Tuesday 3rd April 2007 at 2.00p.m.

Everyone very welcome.

For enquiries ring Rachel Hall. Tel. No. 610521

 

WASTE PAPER

Approximately 6 ton was loaded onto the Skip by 6 people - hard work - made bearable by the challenge and the comfort of coffee and

cake.

The team would appreciate it if the newspapers could be:

1. Securely tied (string is available)

2. The bundles are not too large

Thank you for your co-operation and to the team MANY THANKS.

TREVOR HALL.

 

Christian Aid Week

Once again we need volunteers for the door-to-door collection in the village. Can you help?

Please contact Andy Russell. 610002

Christian Aid Week 13 - 19 May 07

 

To help boost the funds of this very worth-while cause there will be a

COFFEE MORNING

in the CHURCH ROOM on WEDNESDAY 16th MAY

FROM 10.30a.m. - 12 noon

Bring & Buy.   Raffle. Admission 50p

Please do come along and support us.

Organised by The Stitchers.

 

Electoral Roll 2007

The Archbishops’ Council has decided to call for the preparation of the new Electoral Roll in 2007.

This means all existing names will be removed from the current Roll.

Will those who wish to be entered on the new Roll please apply for enrolment using the forms at the back of the Church.

Applications are to be returned to the Electoral Roll Officer (Matthew Gibbs) by 13th April 2007 for inclusion in the new Roll.

Matthew Gibbs

54 Baptist Close, Abbeymead, Gloucester, GL4 5GD

( 01452 618127

: Matthewgibbs@uptonstleonardschurch.co.uk

 

 

Book Sale   

A big thank you to all those people that kindly contacted me and donated their books to the Book Sale held on Saturday 17th March in aid of Church funds. It was very much appreciated.

 

A big thank you to all those of you that were able to attend and support the event on the day. An update of the monies raised will be published in the May edition of Church News.

 

Any books that were not sold on the day will now form part of the Church Lending Book Service that is based in the Church. People make use of these books and leave a donation to aid the Church further.

 

Thanks also go the ladies who organised the day – Tracey and Zoe.

 

Meet a Vicar?!

Every Friday evening between 7pm and 7.30pm the Church is open and attended so that people may come along and enquire about such things as baptisms or weddings or indeed anything else.

It also gives people a chance to see the inside of the Church and spend quiet time if they so wish, or have a friendly chat.

 

Upton St Leonards Parish Church Tower Flood Lighting

Tower Sponsorship Details

April

During the month of April the lights are sponsored as follows:

During 21st and 22nd April the lights are kindly sponsored by Ellie-May Wilkinson’s family in celebration of her baptism on Sunday 22nd at Upton Church.

 

A very big thankyou goes to Mr. and Mrs. Shotbolt who have very kindly made a donation to the running costs of the Church Tower Floodlighting.

 

 

If you or your family wish to have the lights sponsored in celebration of a birthday or anniversary or for a loved ones life then please contact Matthew.

 

There is no set amount for this, just what you would like to gift to the Church in order to help cover running costs. If you are in position to be able to gift aid any donation you make then this will help us too.

 

If you would like to sponsor the Church Tower Flood Lights then please contact Matthew Gibbs on 01452 618127 or email matthewgibbs@uptonstleonardschurch.co.uk for more details.

 

GET-TOGETHER CLUB.

"Plants and Gardens":  has Spring arrived at last? 

Our Speaker in April is an old friend of the Get Together Club - Mr. Hickman from

Quedgeley who is coming to advise us on plants to enhance our gardens.  Mr. Hickman

Specializes on fuschias.  Do join us on Thursday 26th April at 2.30p.m. in the Village Hall.

Two dates for your diary:  Mrs. Rumsey is hosting a Coffee Morning on April 24th at

her home 16, Perry Orchard from 10.30am to 12 noon.  Please support this event if you

are able.

Our meeting on 24th May is a half day outing to the Dean Heritage Museum.  Details of

times etc. will be given in next month's Church News.

 

MEG JAMES

 

Abbeydale Senior Citizen Club will welcome new members - both male or female to their club at Abbeydale Community Centre on

alternate Tuesday afternoons from 2.0p.m. - 4.0p.m.  Contact Brian Willis., 423367.

 

 

The Mobile Library will be in Upton St. Leonards only once in April and that is on 23rd April at the Village Hall between 1.40p.m. – 2.10p.m.

 

 

 

Christian Aid

Have you switched to green energy yet? We have the perfect incentive. If you buy your electricity from Ecotricity it will cost no more than your current supplier, you'll have a clear conscience and Christian Aid will receive £15 for every household that signs up, more for businesses. So, do we have a deal?

Ok, for those of you who like to read the small print, do the sums and phone a friend, here's a bit of background info on what you're signing up for.

The sell

Ecotricity are dedicated to changing the way electricity is made. They take the money customers spend on electricity and invest it in clean forms of power like wind energy.

What's more, they're the only green electricity company actually building these new renewable energy sources. This year alone they're investing £7 million in wind energy.

Building wind turbines and selling electricity across the country since 1996,  starting in Stroud, they supply people like the Body Shop, Co-operative Bank, Ben and Jerrys, the Guardian and recent converts Christian Aid's London office (of course we practice what we preach).

Isn't wind power costly?

The manufacture of wind turbines is becoming cheaper and more efficient with the improved productivity of newer designs. This means that more electricity can be produced from more cost-effective turbines.

As a result, the cost of electricity from wind is now on a level with conventional electricity costs. Since 1992, unit prices of electricity from wind power have come down from 11p to around 2p - a significant drop, making it the cheapest form of renewable energy.

And for those of you who think wind turbines are noisy, inefficieant bird killers there's a handy myth buster on the Ecotricity website.

Sold?

Switching is easy and, at home or work it's the biggest single step you can take to help fight climate change and protect the environment.

To switch at home, apply online at:

www.ecotricity.co.uk/landing/?partner=CA3


or call 0800 0326 100 and quote 'Christian Aid'

For businesses, schools and churches wanting to apply, call 0800 0326 100 and quote 'Christian Aid'.

Unfortunately Ecotricity is currently only available in mainland UK.

Want to know more

See for yourself on the Ecotricity's website at www.ecotricity.co.uk

 

Upton St Leonards Flower Show Committee

A note for your diary

The next flower show is to be held on Saturday:-

 8th September 2007 at the Village Hall

SECTION "A" - VEGETABLES AND FRUIT - OPEN

Classes

Potatoes, 6 tubers, white

Potatoes. 6 tubers, coloured (varieties with white skins and pink eyes accepted in this class)

Potato, one for weight

Sweetcom, dish of 3 cobs

Carrots, long, 3 roots (min. length 300mm. not more than 3" tops)

Carrots, other than long, 3 roots (not more than 3" tops)

Beets, round, 3 roots (not more than 3" tops)

Leeks, 3

Onions, 6 bulbs

Onion, one for weight

Shallots, 6 bulbs

Runner Beans, 6 pods

Runner Beans, one for length.

Any other type of bean, 6 pods

Cabbage, 2 heads

Tomatoes, greenhouse, 6 fruits

Tomatoes, outdoor, 6 fruits

Tomatoes, cherry, 6 fruits

Cucumbers, ridge, 2

Cucumbers, greenhouse, 2

Courgettes, 2

Vegetable marrows, 2 for table use. max 300mm length

Vegetable marrow, one for weight.

Pumpkin, one for circumference.

Lettuce, cabbage, 2 with roots

Lettuce, cos, 2 with roots

Any other vegetable in reasonable quantity

A bunch of mixed culinary herbs

Dessert Apples, 3 fruits

Culinary Apples, 3 fruits

Pears, 3 fruits

Phums, 6 fruits

Rhubarb. 4 sticks

Blackberries, 12 fruits

Culinary apple, one for weight.

Autumn Raspberries. 12 fruits

Any other fruit in reasonable quantity.

Novice Classes - vegetables (a novice has never won 1st prize for vegetables in any Show)

Runner Beans, 6 pods

Onions, dish of four, 1 variety

Potatoes, dish of four, one variety

Tomatoes, dish of four, one variety

Any other vegetable in reasonable quantity

 

Please support the Annual Flower Show