Sunday 4 January 2009

Welcome to St. George’s, particularly if you are visiting today. If you are here for the 10.15am service stay for coffee in the church hall if you can.

If you require information about St. George’s ask me or a churchwarden in the first instance. Most who attend are listed on the electoral roll. If you are not included on that but would like to be, have a word with me. It is a useful contact list and inclusion enables you to vote at the AGM.

Readings at 10.15am service: pages 22 and 24 of the pews lectionaries.

In addition to Sunday morning services St. George’s has a weekly service of Holy Communion at 10am on Thursdays, and Evensong at 6.30pm on the 2nd and 4th Sundays in the month. Morning prayer is at 8.30am Wednesdays and 8.15am Thursdays. But note that in December, January and February, the Sunday evening service is at 4.30pm and not 6.30.

Numbers attending our Christmas services were encouraging. The total (Christingle, Sunday School nativity, carol service, crib, midnight communion and the two services on Christmas Day) was the highest since at least 1990. Midnight communion and the services on the 25^th were a bit down on average but the Christingle, crib and carol service numbers were very high. We had to get extra seats out at the crib service and some sat in the choir pews too. Others just toddled around and did whatever took their fancy at the time.

On Sunday 11 January the mid morning service will be at St. Mary’s at 10.30am. The celebrant will be the Bishop of Salisbury and he will give first communion to those confirmed the day before at the cathedral. Sunday School will meet here as normal.

The next Fordington Goldmine Dinner is on Thursday 22 January 7.30pm at Walnut Grove Restaurant. All welcome. At our last meeting we raised £102 for the parish “drop-in centre”! in the hall of St. Peter's Church.

Theology Group next meeting 7.30pm Thursday 12 February St. George’s church hall. The team rector Harold Stephens on: The end of the world or what? Trying to tame the Book of Revelation. Well worth coming to if a) you’ve never read Revelation; b) you have but don’t understand it; c) you have and you think you understand it. Put it in your diary now.

Harold Stephens and I plan to run a group for those who want to find out more about the Christian faith. Though intended in part as follow up for those who will be confirmed next weekend, it will be open to anyone from our five churches. Please ask me if you would like details.

The envelope scheme boxes for next year are now ready for collection at the back of the church. If you would like to join the scheme and receive envelopes please contact Richard Ellerby (257979) or a churchwarden. Thank you to everyone who has contributed financially this year, by whatever method.

St. George’s has various methods for making regular financial contributions. In the current economic climate we are particularly dependent on people’s generosity. If you would like further information please ask me or our treasurer, David Lang. Thank you everyone for your kind support this past year.

Margaret Morrissey will edit St. George’s section in the parish magazine from the first edition in 2009. Our thanks to Margaret and of course to Anne Jonathan who has done that job so well for us.

Meriel Dunham is now our hall manager. If you wish to book the hall or have any queries about it please contact Meriel on Dorchester 268551.

Joanna Lacy Smith will be based at St. Peter’s in January and February as she gains wider experience within the benefice prior to her ordination as priest.

Anyone interested in: helping serve coffee on Sunday mornings, being a sidesperson, reading the lessons at the 10.15 service, helping with church flowers, or with church cleaning, distributing our church newsletter, joining the events or the finance committees; or anything else!? For further details please ask me, Tim Bullick or Margaret Morrissey. As always, we need more volunteers, please.

By way of an occasional item – Bellringers: what do they do? Well yes, they ring the bells. But this is not as easy as you may think nor does it “just happen”. Bellringing is a complex art which takes much commitment to perfect. But anyone can be a beginner. If you would like to have a try ask me and I will point you in the right direction (which is up about 60 steps). St. George's bellringers wish you a good new year and will be pleased to introduce you to the art of ringing at any of their Tuesday 7pm practices.

Now that Christmas is over we’ve lost several items from this news sheet. So please send me any new items you would like included.

Revd Richard Betts