St Andrew's West Dereham

Your monthly update from St Andrews

THE RYSDENDERBEX CHORALE

This is the ad-hoc choir which meets on the preceding Fridays to each fifth Sunday month of the year, to practice the chosen hymns, laced with special descants, or other variations, perhaps an anthem, and the other musical elements of the service. We are always looking to welcome new singers: Even if you are not a regular at one of the four churches in the group, please come along if you enjoy singing.

November 30th at St Andrew's West Dereham is your next chance to sing at a service.

If you are interested in joining the chorale, even for just one try, contact me (Chris Young) on 500470 for details: We need more singers and young voices are particularly welcome. Men, too - if you have a deep bass voice, or a lighter tenor come along and have a go. We don't make it formal - just fun!

HARVEST WEEKEND MUSICAL MISCELLANY, 12th September A big thanks to all those who came along to sing, play, read poems or in any other way entertain us. We enjoyed over two hours of delights, encouraging each other, and concluded the evening with lovely and welcome refreshments.

ARTISTES TAKING PART:

Bronwen Brewer, keyboard; Georgia Britton, Vocal

Ray Garrett, songs with guitar; Eileen Hall, reading

Cathy Hurrell, vocal solos; Mary Hurst , poems

George Huss, violin; Jane Luckman, Poetry reading

Lesley Pearce, poems; Frazer Reich: Guitar

Galen Reich: Viola; Franz Reinbold, Poem

Tilly Reinbold, vocal solo; Sean Ward, vocal with guitar

The Breckland Handbell Ringers

Robyn Walkey, keyboard; Tricia Young, reading

Chris Young, keyboard, organ, reading

The Miscellany raised over £100 towards the new organ (See below)

HARVEST SALE for Third World

The sale of harvest produce raised over £100 to help families in poorer countries become more self-sufficient, by having live-stock of their own

PROJECTS at ST ANDREW'S

The PCC (Parochial Church Council) at St Andrew's is making progress with several projects.

1. Replacing the stone-work of the North windows

2. Providing a toilet

3. Completing the re-wiring of the whole church

4. Relighting the Chancel

5. Installing a larger pipe-organ: This has been dismantled and transported from Warminster, thanks to generous finance from the West Dereham Millenium Trust, and is now in secure storage, awaiting permission and funds to build a platform over the South-West porch, electrify the action and find a console for the keyboards in the choir.

ALPHA COURSE: MEAL - VIDEO - DISCUSSION

Though it will already have had one session by the time you read this, please note that you will be very welcome to join an Alpha Course, to explore the Christian faith, which is being held at Wimbotsham Vifiage Hall this term each Thursday evening starting at about 7pm. There will be a meal, followed by a video and each evening there will be discussions, around the workbook topic for the session.

The course is free to all:

You may, if you wish, make a donation towards the cost of the meal and drinks

Sadness for Pressley family:

Whilst Graeme was out on the Churches Cycle Ride, on the 13th September, news came through that Joyce's father, Reginald Woodcock (85) had died suddenly from a heart attack, while out shopping in Yarmouth with his son Kenneth.

Though he had been diagnosed with bowel-cancer, Reg was determined to keep fairly active, so his death came as a quite a shock to Ken, and to Joyce's family, who had postponed a visit to Yarmouth until next weekend, because of the harvest festivities.

Graeme and Joyce's elder daughter, Tracey, who recently graduated from Sheffield University, was particularly close to her granddad.

We send them all our love and prayers at this sad time.

Date for November Diary

PATRONAL FESTiVAL on ADVENT SUNDAY (30th)

10.30 am: a joint benefice service of Holy Communion.

ADVENT hYMNS and special singing led by the RYSDENDERBEX

CHORALE

Chris Young