St Andrew's Newsletter

Our monthly update from St Andrew's West dereham

ST. ANDREWS, WEST DEREHAM

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

Vicar: The Reverend Judith Grundy

The Rectory, Ryston Road, Denver

Tel 383226

SERVICES AND EVENTS FOR APRIL 2005

SUNDAY 3rd April:

11am FAMILY SERVICE: (coffee I tea at the end of the service)

6.3Opm Evensong, St Mary the Virgin, Bexwell

SATURDAY 9th April

10 am - Noon COFFEE MORNING at Downham Market Town Hall

SUNDAY 10th April:

9.30 HOLY COMMUNION: Celebrant - The Reverend Judith Grundy

MONDAY 11th April:

7.3Opm ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

SUNDAY 17th April:

9.3Oam FAMILY SERVICE

SUNDAY 24th April:

9.3Oam HOLY COMMUNION (coffee I tea at the end of the service)

PRESENT CHURCHWARDENS for St. Andrew's West Dereham:

Mr. Graeme Pressley, The Plot, Church Road 01366 501179

Mrs. Christine Vincent, Aspen, Ryston Road, W. 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 made public unless you wish it). We will gladly add any names to our weekly intercession list.) We believe that God hears and answers prayers, according to His plan and purpose for your life.

HEATING

You will be glad to know that Clive, our heating engineer, has worked very hard, and the whole system is installed, including the oil tank. We are rather disappointed that Anglian Water, who boast a "within 10-days from order" connection, have so far taken six weeks and the church still does not have a water supply.

The electrician has also nearly finished the connection of the system, and the opportunity has been taken to install a sink, and heater for the water in the vestry, which has now become the boiler room. (Up till now every drop of water for cups of tea or washing the floor has had to be brought from home.)

The woodwork to conceal and protect the pipework is also making progress: Oak steps, oak cases for some heaters, and an oak door for the boiler-room will complete the fitting out.

LIGHTING

The prototype chandelier has now been tested for electrical safety, and following the recent PCC meeting, the details will be submitted to the Diocesan Advisory Committee for advice prior to applying for a faculty to proceed with lighting the whole church with similar units.

NEXT PROJECT?

Shona McKay, our architect, has indicated that we should really deal with the repairs to the tower roof and re-pointing of the walls, before serious damage results. As you may know, the lower "drum" of the tower is Saxon, the oldest, surviving portion of an earlier church on the site. It is built largely from rough stone lumps, and is, incidentally, the largest round tower in Norfolk. This makes it a very useful meeting room. It contains a medieval bell-frame with six bells, but both frame and bells are in such poor condition that they cannot be rung: A new, lower frame would have to be inserted, and the bells recast, to hear them again. For the moment, we can only consider how to get the tower repaired, and sources from which grants will be available.

Then there is the question of toilets for the church. Watch this space!

dmcf

(DOWNHAM MARKET CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP)

at THE SOVEREIGN CENTRE

Sovereign Way Industrial Estate: Tel: 384474

Pastor: Beverley Molineaux

Youth Pastor: Jo Sankey

Pastoral Team Co-ordinators: Bernie and Jill Reed

Elders: Nick and Beth Butt, Nam and Ruth Tong, Andrew Wille

You will be most welcome to come along to join in any of the services at the "Sovereign Centre", which is now the focus of many events each week. These will be held there until building work begins on the construction of internal floors and fittings.

Sunday morning services begin at 1O.3Oam.

For full details of services and events for April are included in the church newsletter - Phone 01366 384474 for your copy or, better still, call in for a coffee and a warm welcome at the Sovereign Centre.

WEEKLY EVENTS INCLUDE:

"Frantic" (for all Primary School children) Friday, 6.15 - 7.30 at the Sovereign Centre

Tuesday Bible Study, 7.3Opm at the Sovereign Centre

Happitots Playgroup

The Alpha Course, at 4, Paradise Road (Ongoing)

The Marriage Course (beginning again after Easter)

Youth Alpha Every Thursday 6.15 - 7.45pm at Lion House, Lynn Road D.Mkt

"Fusion" for Yrs 7, 8 & 9, 7 -8.30 pm at Lion House, Mondays

CYF for Yr 10 onwards, Sunday's 6.15 - 7.45, Lion House

Also planned for the near future,

"Preparation for Marriage" Course.

(This five-week course will be offered to couples planning to be married.)

BELIEVER'S BAPTISMS

If you are thinking about being baptised, please contact the Sovereign Centre on 384474

BUILDING WORK- MORE TOILETS!

Work on the toilet block continues. The fitting-out is almost completed, though we are waiting for Pete the plumber to spare some time from his day job to fit the rest of the toilets in. Partitions and doors will then quickly follow, with decoration completing a very necessary job.

NEXT THE KITCHEN SERVERY AREA

With a congregation of at least 150 queuing up for coffee and biscuits (or quite frequently, somebody's birthday cake, the Christian Fellowship definitely needs better facilities, in this interim stage, for dealing with the rush efficiently

Chris Young