The 2018 Carol service was as well attended as ever. This time, we were fortunate to have a Drinkstone family who had a very new baby (albeit female) to be our holy family. Thank you Ben and Georgina! The theme was ‘Follow the Star’, with an imagining that animals could see the star, while adults could not. So the donkey saw it and followed it to Bethlehem, other animals came, too. The shepherds and angels then arrived. We didn’t have a child who wanted to be a donkey (total free choice!) but wonderful Stuart stepped into the breach. The now traditionaL carol singers were joined by more new voices, plus a wonderful oboe playing the descant melodies. See the photos
2018 Christingle comes to MYB2
Me, You and Breakfast 2 falls on the first Sunday; the first Sunday in December is traditionally a Christingle service. So, we did a mash-up of both to quote modern music parlance! We sat in pews, like a service, but there was lots of movement around church. Ruth talked us through the meaning of the Christingle, then we all moved to the craft tables to make our own. We came back to sing the Christingle song with a veritable orchestra of percussion instruments. Back to the tables to write prayers on Christingle shapes, thinking about on who or where we would like Jesus’ light to shine. Then we carefully lit our Christingles and had another jolly good sing! Refreshments went down well with doughnuts (round like the Christingle, with red (jam) in the middle like the blood shed by Jesus), choc chip brioche and Christmas cup cakes. See how it went! Photos
2018 All Saints Christmas Coffee Morning
The 2018 Coffee morning took place on a Saturday for the first time in years. It was also at the Old Rectory, a truly beautiful and historic house, remembered by many of the villagers as a great place where children were welcome to many an afternoon of fun in the garden, quite a long time ago. It was simply the best attended Coffee Morning ever! Was it because it was a Saturday (and children were welcome!), or because of all the fond memories, or was it simply the warmth of the welcome that Nick and Jane Hill have given to everyone since they moved in less than a year ago? We don’t know – but it was a wonderful morning. A huge success financially, but warm and sociable too. Our Treasurer had to count the money more than once because he couldn’t believe the figure – £1,418 on the day with after sales and quiz results to come. Take a look at the photos here.
2018 Centenary of the end of WW1
Drinkstone Poppy display on the Centenary of end of WW1
Brenda Elphick found inspiration in the 2017 Walsham le Willows Remembrance display; she thought Drinkstone should do something similar for the Centenary. She started with the Tuesday Club drop-in; by late spring, she had around 50 people knitting poppies. She would call in wherever or whenever there was a meeting to find more knitters and sell them wool and a pattern, so much so that people started to avoid her! But word spread and soon people from outside the village were knitting too – and quite a number wanted to crochet.
But what to do with all the poppies? That is when Sue Medcalf came in with the vision of a waterfall of poppies from the church tower balcony, flowing down from a wreath of remembrance to the Cross which promises new life for those who have died.
November 7th was set for the sewing on of 5,000 poppies. Would it get done in a day? An impossible task, some thought. On that day, many were stitching poppies onto the waterfall netting, jostling to find space to sew; others were on their knees outside, stapling poppies into the ground to make a runway up to the church, fed by a team in the porch cutting up wires to use as staples. Christine Lambert was quietly creating beautiful displays elsewhere in the church; other members of the All Saints Flower team were filling windowsills. Not just ladies, gentlemen were involved too.
The waterfall was hoisted into place to gasps of amazement. Finishing off the fine details overran into Thursday, but all the efforts produced an amazing display. And there were enough poppies left to make panels for outside the Village Hall.
All the hard work was gratifying rewarded by a single remark. One viewer was so taken aback (and emotional!) that he remarked, “How did this little village produce this?” We know though – it was the community spirit that brought the village together in an amazing way.
Brenda and Sue pass on their grateful thanks to everyone who contributed poppies, whether by knitting or crocheting; to Christine Lambert and All Saints flower team, the 20+ people who helped put it all together in just over one day, those who hoisted the finished creation up to the balcony, and very importantly, made the coffee!
A member of Duncan Vere Webb’s family also asked for grateful thanks to be passed on the whole team. (Duncan died just a short while before this war ended.) This was truly a wonderful way of remembering the fallen, who sacrificed their lives that we might be free.
In case you were not aware, the scattering of purple poppies is to mark the many, many animals who have also died in service to man in war.
Selection of photos
2018 Harvest Supper and decorations in church
On Friday September 28th 2018, we once more continued with the tradition of a Harvest Supper with long tables and buffet food consisting of cold meats, salmon, quiches and salads. The routine had been going for goodness knows how many years under Cora Munford’s wing while she was alive, and never failed to bring people in. ‘If it aint broke, don’t fix it’!
Three years ago we supplied for pudding mostly fruit crumbles with one caramelised meringue dessert. Two years ago, we reduced the crumbles and made two meringues. The meringues still disappeared in a flash. This year we had four and hopefully everyone who wanted some, did get some!
Revd Ruth was away in Australia and all round star Liz Schmitt was in Germany so we were nervous about the serving and clearing up. But there was lots of amazing help on the night, and also earlier with the setting up. Needless to say 12 amazing people were involved in the cooking. It was very gratifying to be asked ‘who were the caterers?’ Thanks to them all, and those who supplied the wonderful raffle prizes, too. And thank you to every paying customer. Without you we would not have raised over £63o for the work of the church.
The Supper on the Friday was followed by a joint Sunday service with Woolpit, taking place in a beautifully decorated church, thanks to the very talented flower team. The special speaker was from MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) who fly small planes to the most remote parts of the world, carrying people, medicines and food supplies. The Harvest collection went to the work of MAF, a very worthy recipient of the £372 that was given.
2018 MYB2
DecemberMe, You and Breakfast 2 falls on the first Sunday; the first Sunday in December is traditionally a Christingle service. So, we did a mash-up of both to quote modern music parlance! We sat in pews, like a service, but there was lots of movement around church. Ruth talked us through the meaning of the Christingle, then we all moved to the craft tables to make our own. We came back to sing the Christingle song with a veritable orchestra of percussion instruments. Back to the tables to write prayers on Christingle shapes, thinking about on who or where we would like Jesus’ light to shine. Then we carefully lit our Christingles and had another jolly good sing! Refreshments went down well with doughnuts (round like the Christingle, with red (jam) in the middle like the blood shed by Jesus), choc chip brioche and Christmas cup cakes. See how it went! Photos
September
After the long hot summer, it was back to business inside All Saints church for the September Me, You and Breakfast 2. Last bit of fun before back to school.
We were thinking about the Good Samaritan. A traveller was on a journey with his donkey when he was set upon by thieves, who stole everything he had, beat him up and left him for dead. A very noisy story with cries of Help me, help me! and donkey noises galore made for fun until new member, baby Eddie started to cry very time there was a donkey noise. Of course, the traveller was rescued by the Good Samaritan after two supposedly upstanding members of the community had walked on by and left him. Followed by making donkey biscuits and a clothes peg donkey. Perhaps the activity the children enjoyed the most was wrapping each other in bandages, like the Good Samaritan did to the wounded traveller! All good practical stuff to remind us all that we should treat everyone exactly the same, just as God does with us. A selection of photos can be found here.
2018 All Saints on refreshments at a local NGS opening
Bank Holiday May 28th was really, really hot with beautiful sunny weather. A combination of circumstances that saw over 200 visitrs to the lovely gardens of Holm House in our village. Hectic but we got through it though it took three shifts of helpers. And we learned a lot for August!
A few photos here.
2018 Murder Mystery
Saturday 2nd June saw the third part of the WWII trilogy of Murder Mysteries written by our very talented Rector, Ruth Farrell. Drinkstone Village Hall was a a sell out! Only marred by the sudden illlness of a member of the cast who ended up in hospital instead of on the stage. Nothing for it but for Ruth to take to the stage as Major Smyth. And an amazing job she did. The fantastic sum of £616 was raised for All Saints Church. Take a look at the photos here
2018 Easter Sunday service
Easter Sunday 2018 – He is risen! Hallelujah!
One of the congregation said “Lovely service, full church, lots of children, great music. Very uplifting.”
And indeed it was, coupled with a show of Easter Hats (with some very innovative hats!), lots of cake and choccie eggs afterwards, and an indoor Easter egg hunt (churchyard was cold and wet!), it all made a for a wonderful Easter morning. Every hat has something on it that was a symbol of new life (chicks, eggs, bunnies, flowers), which brought us round to the new life that Jesus’ death brought for everyone who wants to have it. And we found out why the wearing of Easter bonnets started, too!
And we haven’t mentioned the wonderful displays of flowers found on every windowsill and every nook and cranny. Amazing stuff from the talented Flower team. Well, just look at these photos!
2018 April 1st Easter Sunday Celebration
Easter Sunday at All Saints Church at 9.30am on 1st April – a wonderful celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Everyone welcome! If you can, do bring an Easter hat to show – decorated to celebrate Easter. If there are no hats, Revd Ruth will have nothing to talk about!
We will have Easter appropriate refreshments and there will be, weather permitting, an Easter egg hunt in the churchyard afterwards.