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FROM THE RECTOR
I'm enjoying the BBC2 series on the work of a seaside vicar in Cornwall. What
a brave soul to allow the all-seeing camera to follow her into every aspect
of her life and ministry, particularly when her experience of such work is somewhat
limited.
This makes good television, but it's not the whole story. Tensions between the
traditional and experimental, the sacred and the secular, are not merely to
be seen in the stories of particular individuals set one against another, but
find focus in a different drama, painfully yet creatively at work within.
Fr Brian
LENT
In this period of preparation for Holy Week and Easter when many of us try to
do something extra by way of prayer, study, worship, charitable giving, etc.,
there are some special arrangements in this benefice.
The weekday celebrations of Holy Communion at Ingworth on Wednesdays at 9.15
continue as normal; there will also be Communion every Friday at 10.00 at Aldborough
from 5th March. There will be no services in Erpingham or Calthorpe on Thursdays
in March as there will be study/discussion groups meeting in various venues
on that evening, using as a guide a booklet produced by 'Churches Together'
called 'Face to Face' (price £3), concentrating on parts of St Luke's
Gospel. If you would like to join any group or just find out more about it,
please contact the Rector on 768073.
If you have never been to a weekday service you would find it very different
from the usual Sunday mid-morning services - no hymns, no organ, no sermon,
no collection! Instead a quiet contemplative concentration on the essential
parts of the Communion Service, with Bible readings which are being used on
that day in many churches throughout the world (not just Anglican). It can feel
like a very positive haven of peace, as at an 8.00am service on a Sunday.
MOTHERING SUNDAY, 21st March
This was sometimes known as Refreshment Sunday, coming as it does in the middle
of Lent.
Family Communion at Erpingham at 9.30, Family Service at Aldborough at 11.00.
Ingworth has Matins at 11.15, and Thwaite has Evensong at 3.30.
During the service at Aldborough the long-awaited new glass outer door to the
porch will be ceremonially 'opened' and dedicated. We look forward to a warmer
church!
Advance notice of the next GROUP SERVICE
Palm Sunday 4th April, 10.00, at Erpingham
TRAILBLAZERS
Sunday 14th March at 11.00 in the Church Room on Aldborough Green
CPAK (10 - 14s Group)
April Fools' Day 1st April - Silly Games evening in Aldborough Church Room!
7.00 to 8.30
Anyone in this age group will be welcome.
Last month's Keeping in Touch competition: Rachel Mumford worked out that there
would not be another 5th Sunday in February until 2032 and won a bag of mini
Mars bars. Well done, Rachel.
ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL, KATETE, ZAMBIA -USPG MISSION
Last year Aldborough PCC asked for a special project to support during Lent
and it was quite by chance that we were offered the Hospital where Eleanor Faulkner
had worked. She has been recalling some of her experiences:-
In August 1971, I was put on a plane at Heathrow, bound for Zambia on Voluntary
Service Overseas. I was a qualified midwife by then and this was something that
I had always wanted to do. In the middle of the night we landed and disembarked
briefly at Entebbe in the heart of Uganda. It was hot and very humid - my first
experience of Africa! A short flight from Lusaka airport the next day brought
me and another VSO (a recently retired nurse/midwife called Doris) to Chipata
in the Eastern Province of Zambia. The midwife who met Doris greeted her with
the news that there had been elephants in the garden the night before! I was
very glad to be going to the bigger hospital where such close encounters with
African livestock were likely to be fewer! Life at Katete then was very much
in the old missionary style with a Sisters' Mess on one side of the grounds
and a Men's Mess on the other side. We met in our respective Messes for meals
and relaxation but I shared a small bungalow with two other volunteers for the
rest of our non-working times. The maternity ward was very simple - no glass
in windows, extra beds on the floor, a room with a tap and a concrete floor
in which the newly delivered mothers could wash, and two delivery rooms. I had
had nine months' experience as a midwife in Portsmouth before leaving England
and had prepared myself with skills I knew I would need there such as suturing,
which was then not a part of the midwife's repertoire in England. I was not
unduly surprised at the old fashioned method of steam sterilisation of equipment
but I was taken aback by the fact that after 10p.m. the generator was switched
off and everything had to be boiled for 20 minutes -not ideal if you are in
a hurry! I became quite expert at resuscitating babies and enjoyed being able
to deliver several pairs of twins, but I was horrified at first to find that
I was responsible for the care of a room full of premature babies as I had only
previously seen such babies in the high tech Special Care Baby Unit in Portsmouth.
These babies were all in little glass "fish tanks" and were tube fed
with their mothers' milk. There was always a doctor on call at St Francis Hospital
and so help was at hand for the complicated cases and forceps deliveries, and
caesarean sections could be performed if really necessary. There was a beautiful
chapel at Katete where we worshipped in Chichewa, the local language, on Sundays.
The priest at the time had walked up to Zambia from South Africa as a missionary
about 50 years earlier and had stayed there ever since! Things have moved on
greatly since the 1970s - now the priest, most of the doctors and senior staff
are Zambian. Medical students and young doctors come to St Francis Hospital
for experience. The big problems facing those who work there now are the effect
of HIV infections and subsequent AIDS deaths, and the poverty of the country
and the immense difficulty of obtaining medical supplies. The hospital meets
the very great health needs of people living in the many villages in a wide
surrounding area and it does so to a very high standard. It was and still is
a training school for both nurses and midwives, thus extending its impact much
further.
We continue to support this project and up-to-date newsletters are posted on
the board at the back of the church. Please look at them.
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Meeting in Aldborough Church Room on Tuesday 23rd March at 2.30.
We shall welcome once again Evelyn Smith of the Canaan Trust, Sheringham, to
learn about the Trust's latest developments, the expansion of the Sheringham
base and new links with Hungary. Last year she introduced us to two German families
with whom we still have contact. We extend an open invitation to anyone who
would like to know more and we invite you to a Coffee Morning in support of
the great work done by Evelyn with the Trust.
Coffee Morning in aid of the Canaan Trust
in Prince Andrew's Chapel, Aldborough, on Thursday 18 March
10.30 - 12 00 Bring & Buy Minimum donation 50p
CHURCH ANNUAL MEETINGS
These are public meetings, open to anyone to attend and to take part in, as
we question what has happened during the past year and seek to make plans for
the future.
Aldborough Church Tuesday 16th March 7.30 in the Church Room
Ingworth Church Tuesday 23rd March 7.30 in the Village Reading Room
Thwaite Church Friday 26th March 4.00 in Thwaite Church Vestry
Erpingham & Calthorpe Churches Tuesday 30th March 7.30 in Calthorpe Church
Alby Church's meeting will be in April
TAKE & READ - The Bishop of Norwich's Bible School
Advance notice of workshops and lectures in Norwich Cathedral on Saturday 3rd
April, 10.00-3.45. Details from PCC Secretaries.
WOMEN'S WORLD DAY of PRAYER
Friday 5th March
This year the service has been prepared by Christian women in Panama
on the theme
In Faith, Women shape the Future
ALDBOROUGH VILLAGE FETE & PICNIC
After the 2003 event the steering group circulated a questionnaire to assess
if there were lessons to be learned. The replies were very useful. One question
related to the preferred frequency of the fete and picnic. By a small margin
the majority of the replies were in favour of a biennial event. The steering
group therefore intend to reconvene later in 2004 to consider an event in 2005.
CHILDREN'S SOCIETY
Calling all box holders! Box opening on Wednesday 14th April, 11.00 - 1.00,
at John Brown's House on The Green, Aldborough. Please join us for a coffee
and a chat, but if this is inconvenient, please leave your box during the week.
(We look forward to seeing you all.)
FRIENDS of ALDBOROUGH SCHOOL
A very successful and enjoyable Bingo Night was held at the school in January
and raised £131.
The next event will be an Italian Theme Night on Friday 12 March 7.00 for 7.30
in the school canteen. The menu will consist of a pasta starter followed by
pizza with various toppings, garlic bread and salad, tiramasu or ice cream for
dessert and to finish, coffee and mints. The staff have agreed once again to
wait at tables and the Year 6 children will be responsible for decorating the
canteen and producing the posters. This will be our third theme night and we
hope it will prove just as successful as the last two. Tickets will be available
from school office but will be limited. See posters for more details.
The Spring/Easter Fair will be held in the school hall on Saturday 20 March,
10.00 - 12.00
There will be various competitions and games, face painting, Easter craft making
activities, a raffle, tombola, bric a brac, cake and book stall, and refreshments
will be served throughout the morning.
DANCE PARTY in Aldborough Community Centre
The next Dance Party dates are: Friday 26 March and Friday 23 April in the Community
Centre.
ALDBOROUGH GARDEN CLUB
All are welcome to the next meeting on Thursday 18th March, at 7.30 in the Church
Room
Mr C. Thacker: Life in the Garden
ALDBOROUGH & THURGARTON WOMEN'S INSTITUTE
Meeting on Wednesday 17th March at 2.30 in the Church Room.
The programme will not be as printed as the Speaker is unable to come. Instead
there will be an informal meeting, with an opportunity to plan further celebrations
for the 85th year of this W.I. An outing? A visit to a theatre? Be there to
make your suggestions.
The annual meeting of the Norfolk Federation of WIs will be in Norwich on 30th
March.
ALDBOROUGH PARISH COUNCIL
Next meeting on Monday 1st March at 7.30 in the CommunityCentre.
From the meeting in February:-
1) Representatives from the Youth Action Group - young people from local high
schools working at NNDC, and from the Active Citizenship Unit of Norfolk Youth
& Community Service gave an informative talk on the work being done for
younger people in North Norfolk. Current projects include Transport, Communications,
Alcohol, sex and drugs, and Things to do. Ideas were discussed for encouraging
local young people to become more involved in local issues. Visit their website
at www.northnorfolk.org/yag.
2) Currently about 20 people are interested in having an allotment. Officers
have been elected: - Chairman, Andy Pegg; Secretary, Sue Metcalf; Treasurer,
Sarah Geere.
For details of the next meeting and future actions, contact any committee member.
3) Since the last meeting a vacancy has arisen on the Parish Council. Anyone
interested in becoming a Councillor should submit names to the Returning Officer
at NNDC. See noticeboards for details. Nominations must be in by Thursday 4th
March.
ALDBOROUGH CHURCH ROOM
Repairs and refurbishment continue, and the bills mount. When we are all working
so hard to raise funds it's very discouraging to have to pay for a new window
following vandalism at the end of last month, and it was very disturbing for
the partying children who were there at the time. We'd be grateful if parents
would make searching enquiries if any young people came home with unexplained
scratches and cuts on Friday 30th January.
Good news is that the Cricket Club want to make a block booking to use the Church
Room as a pavilion on Saturdays and Sundays, usually from 1.00 until 8.00. This
will make a welcome contribution to funds, and will also improve safety on the
Green where carparking and playing children outside the Black Boys have caused
some heartstopping moments.
Most bookings for parties have been in the winter months and will be unaffected.
The Room will still be available for bookings in the mornings for car boots
and coffee mornings, it will still be available for Trailblazers, and for all
weekday activities, and the main hall and kitchen will be available after the
cricket teas (6.00 to 6.30) but the changing rooms and loos will be out of bounds
until after 8.00. This year will be an experimental year and we shall hope to
iron out any problems promptly if they arise.
Please continue to book with Ruth Elliott, 761468.
ALDBOROUGH BLACK BOYS
Following the success of our first quiz night it will now be a monthly event
on the third Wednesday of each month so the next one will be Wednesday 17th
March.
Some of the locals have decided to form the ABBA club (Aldborough Black Boys
Angling!) It is open to all and will cover all forms of fishing from coarse,
sea and fly. Their first meeting will be on Wednesday 10th March at 8.30pm in
the Black Boys and anyone interested will be welcome.
ERPINGHAM VILLAGE HALL
The Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 3rd March at 7.30, in
the Hall. Do come along, vote for a new committee,
hear what has and hasn't been happening over the last year
and share your ideas on the future development of the Hall.
Light refreshments will be available after the meeting.
200 CLUB - recent results
£10 £5
5-1-04 54 A.Payne 149 Mr & Mrs A. Wood
12-1-04 164 C.Brindal 111 O.Witham
19-1-04 193 L.Payne 179 Mr & Mrs M.King
26-1-04 107 P.Plumpton 29 T.Hoolhouse
TABLE TOP SALE for VILLAGE HALL FUNDS
Saturday 6 March, 9.30 - 12 00
in Erpingham Village Hall
(setting up from 9.00)
£5 a table pre-booked before 5 March £7 on the day (if available)
Free entry Cake Stall Refreshments
To book a table or for contributions to the Village Hall Stall please ring 768209
or 768655ERPINGHAM with
CALTHORPE COMMUNITY PLAY AREA.
The Play area will soon be under construction, if it has not already started,
weather permitting.
All the hard work will soon have been worth it and the village will have a fantastic
place for children, teenagers, parents and grandparents to go.
Note for your diary: The afternoon of Saturday 3rd April 2004, Opening Ceremony
and Party. The play area will be opened by Norman Lamb M.P. and we would like
to invite all the children of the villages (Mums, Dads and Grandparents too)
to come and join the party. Bouncy castle, refreshments, face painting, etc.,
etc..... come and join in the fun.
We look forward to seeing you at the party.
ERPINGHAM with CALTHORPE WOMEN'S INSTITUTE
Wednesday, 24th March, 7.30 in the Village Hall
Birthday meeting & Bring and Buy
Mr M. Hosier: Travels with a photographer. On safari: South African wildlife
and people
ERPINGHAM with CALTHORPE PARISH COUNCIL
The next meeting will be on Wednesday 10th March at 7.30 in the Village Hall.
All residents are welcome.
ERPINGHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL has won one of the Norfolk Schools Environment
Awards for the school grounds which combine sport, play, relaxation, plants
and vegetables, and are used regularly as a summer extension to the classroom,
with lessons under a shady canopy. Congratulations!
Taize Community: Meetings in Britain March 2004
Brothers of the Community will be in the UK to participate in prayers and meetings
for young people. If you need more details, try http://www.taize.fr/en/enplguk2.htm
Locally they will be in Norwich on Sunday, 14 March 2004 for Mass at 6:00 pm
at The Chaplaincy, University of East Anglia; contact Marion Houssart, 01603
592168; m.houssart@uea.ac.uk
ROWING FOR BLOOD!
Matt Boreham who is competing in the Ocean Rowing Society's Atlantic Rowing
Regatta, 2907 miles between the Canaries and Barbados, has now been at sea for
just over 3 weeks and has rowed 758 miles (at time of writing) towards the finish.
In the Regatta there are 6 solo manned boats, 6 two man boats and 1 four manned
boat. Matt is currently in 4th place in the solo race, but 9th place over all.
It has been a hard 3 weeks with storms, waves and winds going in opposite directions,
high seas and then flat calms. Matt has been thrown off balance during bad weather
twice, leading to a knee injury and then an arm injury. He feels very sore and
tired, but is in very good spirits as he is now nicely on route towards Barbados.
He has seen dolphins leaping and playing around the boat and is visited by small
black birds which fly low over the waves and swoop like bats at night. He has
also had a sand storm, sending sand and dust which have coated the boat and
solar panels. With the sand came moths, flies and even locusts. Amazing what
you see in the Atlantic!
Both Matt and I would like to say a huge thank you for all those messages of
support for both him on the boat, and for me, left at home. For those wishing
to follow his progress using the internet, please go to www.oceanregatta.com.
Matt is rowing to raise awareness for the National Blood Service/donors. He
was given blood as a child, after a road traffic accident so knows how important
it is for blood to be available. For details of local donor sessions go to www.blood.co.uk
or ring 0845 7711711. Your donation will help 3 people!
NEW ARCHIVE CLUB!
After a very successful slide show, 'Aylsham through the years', shown in the
Reading Room recently, several of us Ingworth Villagers thought it would be
nice to have an archive of Ingworth and the surrounding area. If you would be
interested in joining a group, to try to archive the history of Ingworth and
area in photos, pictures, stories, etc., or just have some information, photos,
etc. that we could document/copy there will be a meeting in the Ingworth Reading
Room on Wednesday 10th March at 7.30.
THANKS for donations recently received from readers in Alby and Aldborough.
The annual accounts for 'Keeping in touch' will soon be posted on all church
noticeboards, for perusal before AGMs.
Thanks to all the advertisers who together provide about 3/4 of production costs.
The rest comes from donations. We are fortunate in having a very generous printer
- we pay a lot more for our 730 copies when he is on holiday. Thank you, Tony!
THE NEXT ISSUE Copy please by Sunday 15th March.
Editor: Ruth Bayes, Chesterfield House, The Green, Aldborough, Norwich NR11
7AA. 01263 768063.
bayesaldborough@supanet.com