Retirement

The Revd David Fudger has retired as Priest in Charge of our Parish

Pictures taken in St Peter & St Paul’s Church at the Service of Thanksgiving for Fr David’s Ministry – the photographer was Mark Ashton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ambassadors from the Diocese of Jerusalem 2017

On Sunday 8th October 2017 we were happy to welcome our visitors from the West Bank.

Below are on the left Marwan Durzi (who works as an advisor to the Palestinian Prime Minister) and on the right Dr Abeer Aranki-Nasir (a dental practitioner in a West Bank University) with Fr James at the end of our Harvest Mass. During the sermon time and afterwards in Henley Hall, Marwan and Abeer spoke and answered questions about life on the West Bank for the Christian Communities who have lived there since the time of Christ.

 

Standing up for ‘Green and Wild’

Watch this space for the result of the RHS East Midlands in Bloom presentations coming up on 1st November at Newark Town Hall.   You will remember that this year’s target has been to gain more than 90 marks for our Community Garden efforts.   Fingers crossed!

The display of pumpkins and marrows, overseen by our friendly scarecrow (Fr. James has named him or her, Mark/ Marcia, as we’re not quite sure of the sex) at the Harvest Festival last week was magnificent!   If anyone fancies making soup or pumpkin pie to share, please let Isobel or Sheila know.

There’s just under a week left for people to write to Mansfield District Council to protest against the proposed access
road off Quarry Lane to the Gregory Quarry development.   Although it’s very easy to feel we have no power to make a difference, I believe very strongly that this is something we should oppose, not only from the traffic congestion problem but far more for the future of our Nature Reserve.    The more people who bother to write, the more our voice will be heard.   An excellent letter in the Chad this week puts the argument against the new road very eloquently.

To comment/object (Ref: 2017/0575/OUT) by 18 October 2017, please email: pbc@mansfield.gov.uk

or write to Head of Planning, Mansfield District Council, Civic Centre, Mansfield NG19 7BH.

Please share this information as widely as possible.

Walking beside our River Maun, the words of Gerard Manley Hopkins ring in my ears and although I can’t articulate exactly what this poem means, I know it’s about my place in creation and my relationship with the Creator.   This green space is a special place:

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;

As tumbled over rim in roundy wells

Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s

Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;

Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:

Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;

Selves — goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,

Crying Whát I dó is me: for that I came.

I say móre: the just man justices;

Keeps grace: thát keeps all his goings graces;

Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is —

Chríst — for Christ plays in ten thousand places,

Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his

To the Father through the features of men’s faces.

                                           Gerard Manley Hopkins