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July 2010
ESSEX AIR AMBULANCE DAY

The double fund-raising event, a Coffee Morning and Afternoon Tea, held last month in the Parish Church, raised just over £470 to help to keep the county's helicopter flying. Thank you to all the helpers and supporters for this success and to the Vicar and Churchwardens for allowing the use of the church.

July 2010
SINGING WORKSHOP

More than sixty people 'marched along with the saints', and 'sailed with Rod Stewart' and 'heard the nightingale sing in Berkeley Square'. A most successful workshop, full of fun, laughter (and quite a lot of heavy breathing) as well as singing, which was recently given by Antony Watson in the Assembly Rooms.

Many thanks to everyone who attended and all who helped to make it such an enjoyable day, with of course particular thanks to Antony, our very talented choirmaster. We hope to do further workshops in the future, so ‘watch this space’

May 2010
CHANCEL PROGRESS

On Palm Sunday, just in time for Holy Week and Easter, builders finished all the painting, restoration of the choir stalls and (thanks to two generous gifts), the cleaning of the stone reredos, i.e. the screen behind the communion table. Temporary lighting was installed, pending delivery of new high-level and window lighting, which should be in place soon. Thank you to all who cleaned and prepared the chancel and who, together with the superb work by the flower arrangers, thereby made it a festival to remember.

To mark the completion of the chancel project there will be a special Service of Thanksgiving on Sunday 20 June.

April 2010
DEDHAM-KENYA LINK

Heather Tetchner and Antony Watson returned safely from their African adventure, with their bags lighter (having taken so many gifts for the schoolchildren) and their memories heavy with the joy, generosity and Christian fellowship they had received.

Heather showed some of her photographs to children and staff of Dedham Primary School, where she is Headteacher, and has spoken of the great value which Africans place upon education. At a Family Service in church Antony presented a few of the photographs he had taken and spoke movingly of the difference that relatively small gifts (from our point of view) can make to the school in Embu. At the end of the service two people were moved to offer to fund the cost of electricity being brought to the school, and for some school uniforms so that children from very poorest families might attend.

Next year we hope to be able to host a visit from the Headteacher of the school in Embu, and perhaps another member of his staff. We are proud to have been invited to share in this diocesan initiative.

April 2010
TEXTILE EXHIBITION

Sue March, Beth Taylor and Margarita Moate had never worked together on an exhibition of their textile art before. It was Margarita's idea that, for the weekend including Mothering Sunday, an exhibition would cheer up the parish church. And so it most certainly did! What with all the building works to the chancel, the theft of lead, and the failure of the heating on Sunday, the building was looking and feeling far from its best, but the 'Textiles for Refreshment' exhibition lived up to its title.

Nearly forty pieces, representing hundreds of hours of patience, and a variety of skills and artistry, were well displayed. Those who purchased one of these pieces can be pleased to own a unique hand-crafted work of art, and also that a proportion of the sale price will have gone to support the parish church's chosen missions, in Colchester and in Uganda.

There were also stalls for Beacon House, Colchester, and Traidcraft and the volunteers who looked after them were pleased with the good attendance at the exhibition. Our thanks go to Sue, Beth and Margarita for their superb initiative and great industry, and to their respective husbands for their support.

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