September 22 Newsletter

4th September – Holy Communion (Revd James Pitkin)

11th September – Morning Prayer (Clare Durham)

18th September – Family Harvest Festival (Julia Noble)

25th September – Morning Prayer (Julia Noble)

Were it not for the current water shortage, I would be writing this with my

feet firmly in a cold bucket of water, trying to counteract the heat of the

sun. I hope by the time you read this the temperatures will have cooled a

bit and hopefully we will have seen some rain. The church is a lovely place

to be in summer as the thick walls give it a welcome coolness, while the

churchyard positively sings with a chorus of crickets and grasshoppers.

Following the recent laying of a path around the church there is now a long

bench at the front, which will hopefully provide a place for rest and

contemplation. We are extremely grateful for the support of Councillor Nick

Adams-King that has enabled the bench to be sited. As ever, the older

parts of the churchyard have been left unmown to encourage the wildlife so

please do feel free to visit and stop to watch the world go by.

On the last Sunday of July we were pleased to welcome our friends from

Wellow Wood Chapel for a joint morning service. Traditionally we meet

together whenever there is a fifth Sunday in the month (we hope to join

their service on 30th October), and it is always a pleasure to share our

worship.

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to our former lay reader, Colin Bell, whose

funeral was on 10th August. Colin and his wife, Monica, left the village for

North Baddesley in 2005 but came back to visit several times in the

intervening years. Those who knew him will recall his keen sense of humour

and his love of music, both of which were much missed when he moved

away. Our next coffee morning is on Saturday 3rd September in the church

from 10.30 a.m. Please do come along for coffee, cake and a chat. At that

time I will hopefully be four hours into a 26-mile trek in aid of the

Alzheimer’s Society, so please save me a cake and I’ll see you at the next

one!

Clare Durham, St Leonard’s Churchwarden

May St Leonards Diary Update

1st May 11am Holy Communion Rev. James Pitkin

8th May 11am Morning Prayer Julia Noble

14th May 10.30-12pm Coffee Morning

15th May 11am Family Service “God’s Creation” Julia Noble

22nd May 11am Morning Prayer Clare Durham

29th May 10am Joint Service at Wellow Wood Methodists

April 2022

We are firmly in Lent, so we look at a flowerless altar, the only colour is on

the altar frontal, which for Lent is purple, and ours resembles a 70’s duvet,

did we have duvets back then? The simpleness concentrates the mind as

the Easter season approaches. We have Palm Sunday on 10th April, and we

hear the importance of the donkey and significance of our palm crosses. On

Easter Sunday we are pleased that Rev Nick Grew can return to lead our

holy communion service. This Easter Sherfield English will have several

more communicants as the previous week 15 people from Sherfield and

Wellow, and Lockerley, East & West Tytherly, and East Dean (known as the

Thorngate Benefice) will be taking the decision to be confirmed into the

Church of England faith at St Leonard’s church with the service taken by

acting Bishop of Winchester, Debbie Sellin, and Rev James Pitkin, our Area

Dean. Some are teenagers and some adults, but we are delighted to been

given the opportunity to host this rite of passage, it is decades since the

last time we held such a service, we think the 70’s. Is that why we had a

new duvet, sorry altar frontal? We even get to enjoy a joint choir from the

two benefices, I am sure Bishop Debbie will be mind blown by what we can

all achieve in a small rural parish church!

There has been much discussion by the “knit and knatterers” about a

display in the church for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at the

beginning of June. Their woollen scenes are going to be complemented by

royal flower arrangements to totally bling out the church. I am not sure

how you can knit or crochet St Edward’s crown, I have no knitty or sewy

talents, but I have heard it is possible. Those involved always find

enthusiasm and joyfulness in their arty projects and sharing that with

enthralled family and friends is a delight for St Leonard’s to be part of in

this village. We will be hosting a quiz in the church on the Thursday

evening, a coffee morning on the Saturday and a special jubilee and

communion service on the Sunday with Rev James Pitkin leading us.

Hopefully you can drop in to admire the villagers’ talents at St Leonard’s as

well as celebrate at other village jubilee events.

Julia Noble, Churchwarden