St Andrews Newsletter

Church Notices from St Andrews

ST ANDREW'S CHURCH. WEST DEREHAM

Vicar: The Rev'd John Isaacs, Tel: 01366 - 387727

(after 7th September, see Churchwardens' Phone Numbers, below)

(also St. Mary's, Denver; St. Mary the Virgin, Bexwell and St Michael's Ryston)

SERVICES AND EVENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2003

Friday 5th September: PCC meeting, 7.30pm

Sunday 7th September: LAST SUNDAY WITH REV JOHN ISAACS

11am Family Service

3pm FAREWELL GATHERING at DENVER VILLAGE HALL

6.30pm Evensong at St Mary the Virgin, Bexwell,

Friday 12th September: HARVEST SUPPER, COMMUNITY CENTRE

Sunday14th September:

6.30pm HARVEST FESTIVAL,

followed by refreshments and sale of produce

Wednesday 17th September:

7.30pm Healing Service with Holy Communion,

(led by the Rev. John Freston)

Sunday 21st September:

9.30am Family Service

8pm Compline at St Mary's, Bexwell,

Sunday 28th September:

9.30am Holy Communion

CHURCHWARDENS FOR ST ANDREW'S WEST DEREHAM

Mr Graeme Pressley, "The Plot", Church Road, West Dereham

( 01366 - 501179

Mrs Christine Vincent, "Aspen", Ryston Road, West Dereham

( 01366 - 500283

INTERCESSIONS: Please let one of our churchwardens know )see tel. nos. above) if you, or anyone you know, needs prayer. For sickness, or any other personal or family problem (in absolute confidence): No details are needed or made public unless you wish it) No details are made public unless you wish it) We will gladly add any names to our weekly intercession list.

We believe that Our Loving Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers according to His plan and purpose for each of our lives.

HEATING NEWS

With finance at hand and the plans passed by the Diocesan Advisory Committee, we are well on the way to giving the go-ahead to our local heating contractor to begin installing the heating. The first step is to get water laid on to the church, and this should soon be under way. One boiler, in the NE. vestry will heat the chancel area, via a large fan-radiator: The other boiler, outside the blocked North door, will heat the rear of the church, via a similar fan-radiator.

LIGHTING

Designs are in hand, but needing approval, for replacement lighting in the Nave and over the font

ALPHA NEWS: For news of the next series of Autumn Alpha Suppers contact the Rev'd Alan Molineaux: 01366 - 386265

INTERREGNUM

By the time you read this, the four parishes here (Denver, Bexwell, Ryston and West Dereham) will be almost on the point of saying farewells to John Isaacs our Vicar and friend of the last nine years, and his lovely wife, Philli-Jane.

We hope that many of you will join in one of the final services at one of the above churches: It is expected that Denver village hall will certainly be packed on the afternoon of the 7th for the Farewell Party.

But in spite of our sadness mixed with genuine thanks to God for all that John has brought to these parishes through his ministry, the Christian life and ministry of our parishes must and will go on, and indeed, John has been at pains to prepare the way so that our period of interregnum should be a time of opportunity, particularly for lay folk, to share and develop their talents in the worship setting.

At St Andrew's, West Dereham, we will continue to welcome all who come along to share our services, which will continue in the same pattern as now, thanks to help from retired, supernumerary ministers and our lay-readers, until a successor to John Isaacs is appointed.

So come along and join us: 11am on the first Sunday of the month, otherwise, 9.30am.

HARVEST SUPPER

As you will see in the list above, we are holding our annual Harvest Supper at the Community Centre on Friday 12th September. We shall be inviting guests from the village to join us at this "sit-down" do so that we know numbers, but if you would particularly like to come along, please let one of our church wardens know early in September.

In addition, if you would like to form part of the 'tween courses entertainment - can sing a song, play an instrument, read a poem or funny story, do a trick - then please let me know (Chris Young, 01366 - 500470): We'd love to share your gifts.