Extracts from the July Ampfield Messenger
A Letter from Dave Foster
Dear friends,
Summer is here and by the time that you read this Peter will have returned from his study leave refreshed and no doubt full of enthusiasm. This month there will also be some significant changes in our ministry team. We welcome Claire Maxim and her family as she takes up her post as full time Assistant Curate. Julia has completed her four years of training as a Curate and will now become Assistant Priest. Vanessa is settled in to her mental health chaplaincy work at Woodhaven hospital and will continue to help out with services when she is able.
Change is something that happens regularly in our lives but one constant that is unchanging is our loving God who created our world and the many beautiful things within it and about it including the times and seasons. We are now well into our summer with the trees in full leaf and many flowers in full bloom warmed by the sun, although as I write this it is a miserable rainy day. The long cold winter has faded in our memory although at St. Mark’s church, the cold weather has left a major legacy behind. Frost damage has added to previous weathering of the coping stones and mouldings on the church roof and also attacked the mortar in the wall joints in places. This is something which needs to be remedied very quickly to avoid further deterioration to the building. Unfortunately, we do not have the money to pay for these repairs at the moment.
Contrary to popular belief, the Church of England is not wealthy, either nationally, in our Diocese or in our parish of Ampfield. Those days, if they ever existed, are long gone. Every penny to pay for the upkeep of the church, the running costs, the cost of having a parish priest and so on has to be provided by regular giving by the congregation, donations from supporters and through fund raising events. I have included in this issue of the magazine an appeal to raise funds for these urgently needed repairs. I know that these are difficult times financially for all of us but I do hope that you will be able to support the appeal. St. Mark’s Church exists to support your community through lifetime events such as weddings, baptisms and funerals as well as regular worship and in all kinds of other ways. It also has a special place in local church history having been commissioned to be built by John Keble, former Vicar of Hursley, who was a leader in the Oxford Movement and after whom Keble College, Oxford is named. Please join us in preserving such a rich heritage for our future generations.
With love
Dave
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Brass Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed (both men and women) to lovingly clean the various historic brass items in St. Mark’s. You’ll be part of a team who support our cleaning rota, which requires only 2.5 hours cleaning work on four days throughout the year.
If you’d like to join us then please contact me on 01794 368392
Thanks in anticipation
Anne Taylor
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The Church Fete
The St. Mark’s Church fete went really well this year, it was a great success particularly considering the fact that there were three other fetes in the same area on the same day!
Many thanks go to all the fete volunteers, who gave so much time and energy to make the day a success, and of course to the visitors from Ampfield and beyond who gave their generous support to the day.
The preliminary total of monies raised is £3517.43.
I will publish the final detailed breakdown in the August edition of the Ampfield Messenger.
Pam Cant—PCC Treasurer
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TalkWalk
We are a small group of women who have, or have had, breast cancer. We meet on Southampton Common for a walk, chat, fresh air and company. Evidence shows that walking is important in improving recovery and long term survival from breast cancer. We aim to make positive strides towards keeping healthy with our cheerful and friendly group.
We are now in our third season of walks. We start from the Hawthorns Common Centre at 11.30 a.m. on alternate Tuesdays. People can come along for the whole walk (approx. 45 minutes) or part of the walk, or just for a coffee and chat afterwards. During the summer months we also meet fortnightly for an evening walk from The Cowherds, at 6 p.m.
If you would like to join our informal group, just turn up, or phone/email for more information:
Chris Kerr Sheila Skinner
07837 125606
walk@talkwalk.co.uk
Next walks:
Hawthorns Centre, Southampton Common:
Tuesdays at 11.30am: 29thJune 13thJuly 27th July
The Cowherds Pub, Southampton Common:
Tuesdays at 6pm: 22nd June 6th July 20thJuly
Daytime walks will start again in September.
Chris Kerr
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The Ampfield Market
There will not be a market in July and August, as usual we are stopping for our summer break. Thank you for supporting the market this year.
We will return on September 4th and we will look forward to seeing you all again then. I hope you all have a wonderful and relaxing summer.
Julie Trotter
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OVER 60S LUNCH
Please note that we will NOT be holding an Over 60’s lunch in July. We are however planning a cream tea in August—further details in the next edition of the Messenger!
Eve Earle
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Car Boot & Table Top Sale
Our 3rd Car boot and table top Sale was held on Saturday 22nd May at Ampfield Village Hall. We woke up to a scorcher of a day and hoped the good weather would help bring the crowds out.
Sellers started arriving from 8.30 am and before long everyone was set up inside which just left the car booters time to set up before the doors opened at 10am.
With Jerry Richards organising the parking outside and Sam Newborough collecting the 20p entrance fee things got off to a good start.
We had asked parents from school to donate cakes so we could sell refreshments, which included a large selection of delicious homemade flapjacks, cakes and biscuits. A big thank you to Mandy Manning, Kevin Small and Claire Ludwell who organised this and were kept very busy.
We also had a tuck shop that Jan Richards helped the children run and ice cream and popcorn were on sale too. Thanks to Sarah Poynter who thrilled the children by doing face painting again which they all loved.
We had a very successful morning and raised £275, which meant we hit our target and will be able to contribute £1000 towards new computer software for School.
Many thanks to everyone who came along and supported us as either a buyer or a seller and to everyone who helped clear up afterwards, it was much appreciated.
Finally, Congratulations to Chris Kerr and her team who raised a massive £180.95 for the Wessex Cancer Trust by donating all the proceeds from their table that was inside and the car boot pitch outside. Well done to you all, what a fantastic result.
Pauline Richards—Friends of Ampfield School
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From the St. Mark’s Registers
Baptism
We recently welcomed into the church by Baptism:
Oliver Mason baptised at St. Mark’s on 13th June.
We send our congratulations to his family
Marriage
We send our congratulations to
Ashley Read and Elaine Parker who were married at
St. Mark’s on 26th June
We wish them a very happy married life together
Funerals
We pray for the soul of
Peter Reeve whose funeral took place at Southampton Crematorium on the 14th May
We send our sympathy to his family
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