St Andrew's Newsletter

The month ahead for St Andrews. Coming to terms with the departure of the Reverend John Isaacs

ST ANDREW'S CHURCH. WEST DEREHAM

Vicar: INTERREGNUM

(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 OCTOBER 2003

Friday 12th:October: HARVEST SUPPER, COMMUNITY CENTRE 7.30pm (postponed from September 12th)

Sunday 5th October:

Family Service 11am

Also Evensong at St Mary the Virgin, Bexwell, 6.30pm

Sunday 12th October:

Holy Communion,9.30am

Wednesday 15th October: Healing Service with Holy Communion, 7.30pm

(led by the Rev. John Freston)

Sunday 19th October: Family Service, 9.30am

Compline at St Mary's, Bexwell, 8pm

Sunday 26th October: Holy Communion 9.30am

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

It is disappointing to be unable to report further progress on the heating installation at the time of writing in to The Pump: We await certain detailed amendments and permissions, necessary for work on a Grade One listed building.

LIGHTING

Messrs Thomas B. Bonnett have produced a splendid prototype to our design: A 4" circular band of metal, about 30"in diameter deeply intersected by four inset smaller circles producing a shape similar to a Maltese cross: Four vertical translucent poly-carbonate light tubes will be fixed in the four smaller circles lit by long-life light fixtures.

HARVEST SUPPER

As you will see in the list above, we are holding our annual Harvest Supper at the Community Centre on Friday 3RD OCTOBER. 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.

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.

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

1OTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

DOWNHAM MARKET CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

Ten years have elapsed since Alan and Beverley Molineaux brought their four small daughters to Downham Market, believing God was leading them to start a church there.

Early meetings were held in the coffee bar of a Downham hostelry: Then a small shop (Now used by "Junk And Disorderly") was used until it became too small for the numbers attending.

Then the Fellowship moved to its present building( the former Woolworths and later Eastern Counties Farmers) through the outstandingly-generous mortgage arrangements by A.T. Johnson brothers Alan and Brian. using the ground floor for meetings and the upper floor for classrooms and some temporary accommodation. Although much has been done to these premises, and it has been a strong witness of Christian activity to those going up and down the High Street, it is now much too small for the numbers attending which include many children from the smallest babies through a good group of teenagers and family groups of all ages right up to elderly members.

So the premises are to be let to FADS the decorating shop who are moving from their market-side shop to make way for a cafe. DMCF are hoping to move to premises with a potential floor space ten times larger, with rooms for youth and nursery activities on several floor. Together with a main meeting-room and balcony seating up to six-hundred, there will be offices, smaller meeting rooms and classrooms, a library and study centre. The intended site is the Reeds storage facility, on the appropriately named Sovereign Way: The new church, which will probably be called the "Sovereign Centre" is on 1 1/2 acres of land and has parking for a large number of cars.

During the interim of major construction work inside the new building, from the end of September, Sunday services will be held in Downham Town Hall, for October, then probably in the High School Ryston Hall (Watch this space)

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DENVER VILLAGE TRUST

Two items of interest for October:

26th, from 2-4pm, the Fordham Pumping engine will be running, with refreshments served to visitors.

30th, at Denver Village Hall: "The Story of the Scammell" - a must for anyone interested in the impressive history of these mighty road tractors and transporters from the days of steam to present day use.

Chris Young