In recent years we have donated our Harvest gifts in the form of goods desperately needed by children‘s homes and hospices in Romania and Albania run by the charity Children in Distress.
This year, Children in Distress has decided that it would be unwise to collect items as usual from churches across the country because their depot at Thirsk is at the centre of one of the remaining hot-spots of foot-and-mouth disease.
The goods, of course, are still really needed in the homes and hospices run by the charity and so it is suggested that this year, we should offer our gifts in the form of money that can be used to buy the materials that are needed. Special envelopes will be available in church for your donations.
It is hoped that by the time this edition of The Fisherman appears, the Sunday School at St Andrew‘s, Swavesey, will have a new home, in the form of a temporary building sited by the north door of the church. Great thanks are due to all who have worked very hard to make this possible, and also to the Newsum family of Priory House, who have opened their home to the Sunday School for a number years past. St Andrew‘s Sunday School meets each Sunday during term time simultaneously with 10.45am Parish Communion Service. All are welcome.
St Andrew‘s Choir has experienced a very busy summer, attending no fewer than six weddings and one thanksgiving for marriage service. Preparations for the Harvest Festival services are now almost complete, with anthems planned for 10.45am and 6.30pm at St Andrew‘s on 7th October. We also plan to sing a challenging setting of the Magnižcat and Nunc dimmittis at the 6.30pm service, originally written for Salisbury Cathedral Choir and we hope many will come and join in our worship, particularly at this service.
We shall also be singing at Harvest Festival at St Mary‘s, Conington, at 6.30pm on Sunday 14th October.
Keith Lofts
In spite of the beginning of the green box recycling scheme in our villages, the Recycling Centre in the car park at St Andrew‘s, Swavesey, is still very much in business - see the advertisement below. There is still an alternative to remembering which day the green boxes are going to be collected!
The Summer Fête, revived after a year‘s absence on 14th July and blessed with žne weather literally at the last minute, raised £1,130. Thank you to all the helpers and to all who attended this event.
A Progressive Supper was held later than usual this year on 8th September. This was much enjoyed by those taking part and our thanks go to the four hosts/hostesses involved for a very enjoyable evening.
Keith Lofts
This year‘s Fen Drayton Festival, whjch included a Flower Festival, Concert and Songs of Praise in St Mary‘s Church, was an excellent event. Great thanks are due to the members of the Friendship Club for arranging the Ÿowers and to the singers and musicians of Swavesey Village College, the Hemingford Ladies‘ Choir and the Benežce Musicians for taking part in the concert.
The proceeds of this year‘s festival are going to support St Mary‘s Repair and Restoration Fund for which the Parochial Church Council is very grateful.
A confirmation service, conducted by the Bishop of Huntingdon is planned for St Andrew‘s, Swavesey, on Thursday 22nd November 2001. Those considering the possibility of being confirmed should have a word with the Vicar as soon as possible so that a course of preparation can begin.
This year‘s Christingle Service will take place on Advent Sunday, 2nd December, at 3.30pm in St Andrew‘s, Swavesey. This service, at which a collection is made for the work of the Children‘s Society, is always one of the highlights of the year at St Andrew‘s. In previous years, this service has included a collection of Christmas gifts for the children‘s wards at Addenbrookes‘ Hospital, but changing patterns of hospital care suggest that this is no longer necessary and we will make no such collection this year. Voluntary Services at the hospital wish to thank all who have contributed in this way in past years.
It is our custom to commemorate the faithful departed on the Sunday nearest to the Feast of All Souls (2nd November). The names of all whose funerals have taken place in the benefice since last year will auto-matically be included, but other names for remembrance may be given to the Vicar.
Relatives and friends of the recently departed are warmly invited to join in the commemoration, which will take place this year during Evensong on Sunday 4th November in St Andrew‘s, Swavesey, at 6.30pm.
A prayer group meets informally at 24 Oaktree Road at 7.30pm on the second Friday of each month to offer to God in prayer issues in the life of Fen Drayton. All are most welcome to participate.
The Vicar is always happy to offer the sacrament of holy communion to the housebound at home, particularly at Easter and Christmastime. Please ring him 01954 231903 to arrange dates and times. A regular monthly or bimonthly pattern of visits can also be established.
A major redecoration and cleaning of St Andrew‘s, Swavesey, was completed in time for most of this year‘s season of weddings. The building looks much lighter as a result. This work was last carried out 21 years ago.
Keith Lofts
One Sunday afternoon in June, the Bishop of Ely opened the first church-sponsored Woodland Burial site in the country in a field between Barton and Comberton. The Arbory Trust will eventually plant some 26,000 trees on the site which is now open to receive burials.
Woodland burials have been developed particularly with parishes in mind which no longer have an open churchyard. The concept comprises burial in a woodland setting without any individual memorial marker. A record is simply kept in a book of remembrance. There need not be a religious service associated with the burial, although this will be usual given the church sponsorship of the Arbory Trust.
The Vicar can provide further information for anyone wishing to consider woodland burial.