October 2020

Lisa Overton, FOSM Secretary, provides this monthly round-up of news.

It is very cheering to be able to attend services in our lovely church again, and we send sincerest thanks to Vicar Richard, Organist Ben and our Churchwardens for keeping our services going so well. We hope that before too long we may be able to sing once more. Sometimes we may have groaned at trying to heat, clean and maintain our very large parish church, but just as the moment it means that social distancing is no problem.

Tower Restoration Under Way

Many of you will now have seen the “wrapped” tower, visible for miles, which provides essential protection for the stonemasons who will be working their way down the tower walls in the coming weeks. Carrek, our conservation builders, are being tremendously helpful in letting us continue with worship and access to the churchyard and cemetery and we send them many thanks.

(Debbie Young chose the wrapped tower as the theme for her column in this month’s Parish News, which you can read online via her blog here.)

News of the Yews

The churchyard yews have been trimmed and look really magnificent. Many visitors to the valley and the church comment on the size and character of our yews and we should be justly proud of them, even if we don’t have quite as many as Painswick. 

There are many old country tales about yew and its uses, as well as its dangers. Old Jim Harford once told me that rubbing down a horse’s coat with fresh yew just before an agricultural show produced a gleaming coat. Do you have other folklore and tales about yew?

Can You Help?

We need to clear and clean the church gullies in the coming weeks. If anyone has some spare time to help with this on a fine day, it would be a great help. Please contact me if you can offer a hand.

Diary Date: Parochial Church Meeting

The APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting) will take place on Sunday 25th October following the service of Evensong. As the clocks go back that day, the service will start at 5pm with the meeting at 5.30pm. 

This Month’s Services

4th October – 9.30am – Holy Communion
7th October – 9.30am – Morning Prayer
11th October – 6pm – Evensong
14th October – 9.30am – Evening Prayer
18th October – 9.30am – Morning Praise
21st October – 9.30am – Morning Prayer
25th October – 5pm – Evensong
28th October – 9.30am – Morning Prayer
2nd November – 6pm – Remembering Our Loved Ones
4th November – 9.30am – Morning Prayer