Parish Who’s Who

The Benefice is now in vacancy. If you wish to book Weddings, Funerals or Baptisms please contact

the Rural Dean The Reverend Rosamund Seal

The Vicarage, 5 Church Street, Holbeach, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE12 7LL

01406 424989

Reader Sally Clifton, 9 Broadgate Sutton St James PE12 0EL 01945 440168

Authorised Lay Ministers Jane Spriggs 01945 700004 Jane Sivers 01406 331330

ChurchwardensSutton St Edmund

Jane Spriggs ‘The Acorns’ Broadgate 01945 700004Meg Norman 8 Cross Road 01945 700798

Sutton St JamesPauline Stebbings, Willow Farm Jarvisgate 01945 440285

Sally Clifton 9 Broadgate 01945 440168

Gedney HillRoy and Judi Houldershaw 70 North Road 01406 330981

Whaplode DroveMorris Stancer Morvista Avenue Farm, Dowsdale Crowland

01406 330544Jane Sivers 10 Chapel gate 01406 331330

Village ReportersSt Edmund - Jane Spriggs

St James - Pauline StebbingsWhaplode Drove - Jane Sivers

Gedney Hill – Janet Coles & Marilyn Collishaw

Magazine EditorSally Clifton 01945 440168

Elloe Fen Benefice MagazineServing the Parishes of St John the Baptist Whaplode Drove, Holy Trinity Gedney Hill (w) St Polycarp’s, Sutton St Edmund and Sutton St James.

August & September 2017 Developing

Discipleship DayHow about what does HE want for our churches (God’s people not the buildings) here in Elloe Fen? Or how can we further HIS Kingdom here in our benefice? Or maybe how can we worship HIM so that all HIS people can feel included and spiritually fulfilled? Or perhaps all you really want to know is when will we get a priest?To be able to find a spiritual leader we need to know who we are, who we would like to be and what we might need so that our parish profiles show a clearly defined shape that a future priest can envisage themselves filling…

So come and join in the discussionsAll God’s children of all ages, from the regular churchgoers to those who are exploring their faith or need help to recover it, you are all welcome to join us for the whole day or a part of it.

SATURDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 201710.00AM TO 2PM

Sutton St James Church Hall, Bells DroveThe sessions will be led by the Reverend John LeachDiocesan Developing Discipleship Advisor & Trainer

Sutton St Edmund Church Services and Village News

27th August 9.00am Holy Communion with The Revd Rosamund Seal

3rd September 9.15am Morning Prayer with ALM Jane Spriggs10th September NO Service at this church

17th September 9.15am Morning Prayer with ALM Jane Spriggs24th September 9.00am Holy Communion with The Revd. Kate

Plant

1st October at 9.15am

Morning Prayer with ALM Jane SpriggsCreator God, you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea and the rhythm of the seasons; as we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect this planet and its peoples, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AmenSt Edmund Village Hall Tombola St Edmund Short Mat Bowlers Wednesday 19th July Meet every Tuesday Doors open 6-45pm Eyes Down 7.30pm 7pm to 10pm Good Prizes and Refreshments in the Everyone Welcome Village Hall The snowball is up and running New members always welcome

Sally Clifton, Reader and Church warden at St James, Sutton St James, has decided that she is going to hog the page normally designated for the Bishop!!

Your Church Warden’s met with the Rural Dean Rosamund Seal on Wednesday 5 th

July. We discussed the rota and what, if any, changes needed to be made. We were all happy with the way the new rota was working and with the priests who were sharing their ministry with us for the foreseeable future.

Moving Forward - we agreed that we needed to look in detail at our parishes, the people and their needs, and we wanted to think about the mission and worship that happened in our churches and communities. We decided that we needed some sympathetic, impartial and professional help to achieve this so we agreed that Rosamund should invite the Diocesan ‘Developing Discipleship’ Advisor, the Revd. John Leach, to lead some sessions to help us develop our Benefice identity.

Until we can identify and understand who we are, who we would like to be and what we need to achieve those aims we cannot put together a profile that enables a future priest to envisage themselves working with us to further God’s Kingdom in our Benefice.

This important work cannot be left just to your churchwardens.

It is something that we want every single one of you to feel comfortable with joining in with. And it’s not just for grownups either – children have a lot of sensible and insightful things to say so come on kids, tell us what you think!

So, all you wonderful people out there in the Elloe Fen; you may well be a member of a parochial church council – good – you have a lot of insight already so come and develop this further. For those of you who want to explore your faith but feel that the ‘Church’, as it stands, doesn’t meet your needs – we need to know what you need so come and talk with us. Perhaps you feel you have lost your faith, please come and share this with us, we all feel like this sometimes. Let’s walk that road together so that we can become confident, joyful and faithful Christians, loving and supporting each other in the Elloe Fen Benefice.

The first meeting will be on Saturday 2nd September from 10.00am to 2pm in the church hall in Bells Drove, Sutton St James. Please bring a ‘bring and share’ lunch if you are staying all day. Tea, coffee and squash (and maybe cake!) will be available (without charge) all day.

Dear Friends,One of the privileges of being involved in public ministry is that I am occasionally invited to help celebrate anniversaries. These can often be of significant events, such as weddings or ordinations. I can re-member many a good party for a golden wedding anniversary or the fortieth anniversary of an ordination! If something has been good, it can be so important to celebrate the anniversary – to say ‘thank you’ to all involved and ‘thank you’ to God for having been part of the occasion itself and the years since. Just this summer, I had the joy of taking part in the twentieth an-niversary celebrations for the admission of girls and women to the choir at St Wulfram’s Church in Grantham. It was a great occasion!As 2017 turns towards 2018 I expect that there will be much thought given as to how we might remember the anniversary of the ending of the First World War. We have remembered the outbreak of war, the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Jutland, the Battle of Passchendaele. What will be foremost in our thoughts and prayers as we remember the centenary of the armistice?I mention this now, before 2018 begins, because I have been struck in recent months by the number of events that I have seen that have helpfully provoked reflection about the importance of even quite dis-tant happenings, such as the Battle of Lincoln and the Charter of the Forest, and because we still have time to prepare for November 2018.There is a difference between the kind of anniversary event that leads us into reflection, and thus towards the future, and the kind of anniversary event that, surely unwittingly, locks us in to nostalgia, and holds us in the past.The joy of the Christian, both as an individual and as part of a church community, is to shape our lives on, and with, Jesus, so that we pro-claim the kingdom that is to come. We do not look back to a past that seems somehow better than the present and the future. We look for-ward to the future that is coming to be and towards which we have so much to contribute as Christians: ‘because with God, all things are possible’ (Matthew 19.26).As autumn begins and 2017 turns to 2018, as negotiations continue about Britain’s future place in the world and in Europe, and as we prepare to remember the end of the First World War, may we look for-ward confidently, humbly, generously and with faith in God.With every blessing,

Bishop Nicholas GOI NGS ON AT GEDNEY HI LL SERVICES AT HOLY TRINITY AND ST POLYCARP’S in September Sunday 3rd & 10th No Service at either church Sunday 17th Holy Trinity Holy Communion 10.00am Sunday 24th St Polycarp’s BCP Matins 9.30am

If you have worries or concerns for a friend or family member and you would like them to be included in the parish prayers, please tell your church wardens. Janet Coles on (01406 330441) has agreed to take the names of those in especial need of our prayers in Gedney Hill & Holbeach Drove Gedney Hill W.I. met at the Village hall for their July meeting, we welcomed one of our favourite speakers, Doctor Somerville, who gave us the story of Edith Cavell.  I'm sure most people know who she is, but we had no idea how involved she was in the underground movement in Belgium.  New facts turn up all the time about this unbelievably brave and committed middle-aged woman who helped so many, not only as a trainer of nurses but a rescuer of soldiers, risking her life to get them over the border to Holland.  It's little wonder that she has me-morials all over Europe.  Read up on her life story, I'm sure you'll find it fascinating.  How many of us would have done what she did? Two new ladies arrived last night, I hope they enjoyed the even-ing and found our friendly group worth coming back to! 

The August meeting was held on the 23rd and this time it was Mr Ernie Hall, who spoke to us about King Johns Treasure, he who lost his crown jewels in the Wash and the consequent search for where it happened and the continuing search.  It was a lively discussion, we were deciding whether to go out in force with metal detectors or spades until you realise that the target area is about 6 miles by 12 miles, no wonder no treasure has ever come to light.  What a great subject this was and Mr Hall made it all very interesting.

Next month (September) is our Harvest Supper, Fish and Chips and Poetry and Prose.  

What’s happening at Whaplode Drove?

Church Services at St John the BaptistSunday 27th August – No service

3rd September 10.00am Holy Communion with The Revd Ros-amund Seal

9th September 11.00am to 1.00pmMessy Church celebrating Harvest and making windmills - to

include lunch10th September 8.00am Morning Prayer with ALM Jane Sivers17th September 10.00am Morning Prayer with ALM Jane Sivers

24th September 6.30pmHarvest Festival.

Led by The Revd David Curran & ALM Jane Sivers

25th September Harvest Supper in the Church Rooms

1st October 10.00am Holy Communion with the Revd. Michaela Dean

Whaplode Drove Church Fete was held on Sunday 30th July from 2pm in the Church Room Gardens. Everyone had a fantastic afternoon enjoying the teas, browsing the stalls and having a go on the tombola and the games. The fete raised £630 for church funds. Congratulations to everyone who

worked so hard to set up the fete and thank you to everyone who supported them.

August Messy Church Sports dayJane reports a fantastic time was had by all at the August Messy Church sports day held on the green behind the church rooms. The children competed in classic races such as the three-legged race and the egg and spoon race. Everyone enjoyed a wonderful picnic which included jelly and ice cream.

SATURDAY 9th September from 1pm – 3pmTABLE TOP SALE

In the Church Rooms Holbeach Drove Methodist Chapel Harvest Festival Sunday 10th September 2.30pm Monday 11th September Auction of Harvest Produce Everyone is WelcomeWhaplode Drove WI enjoyed their birthday party buffet and the usual madcap entertainment provided by Jane & Brenda. The September meeting on the 5th will be the harvest supper. The members will tuck into spicy meatballs and pasta and be entertained by the Crowland Re-enactment Group who, in full period costume, will bring Crowland’s past to life. Sounds like that will be a fantastic evening August has been a difficult month, some parts of the UK have suffered terrible flash flooding, but we can count ourselves lucky that our homes and our livelihoods can be restored, even if it takes time. For the people of Bangladesh, who have, over the years, become world experts on flood disaster

management, the recent monsoons have washed out areas not normally prone to flooding, leaving many people homeless and without means to support their families. Coupled with the terrible news of the landslide in Sierra Leonne, where the death toll is so great, we can only be grateful that we live in a gentle landscape. It is true that we have had our tragedies in the past, but we have become very capable of managing water levels in the fens and when the seas do threaten we have warning systems in place and the means to evacuate safely. Our farmers have managed to get the harvest in and we shall not starve in this country for want of the weather. Let us always keep in mind those who struggle with the climate and, in Sierra Leone, the results of damaging land management and extreme poverty. A prayer for those coping with floods

God of compassion,you hear the cries of all who are in trouble or distress;

accept our prayers for those whose lives are affected by storms and flooding:strengthen them in their hour of need,

grant them perseverance and courage to face the futureand be to them a firm foundation on which to build their lives;

this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amenhttps://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/topical-prayers/prayers-for-the-world.aspxA summer evening at Sempringham AbbeyMuch has been written about this "site" but perhaps this word is appropriate as apart from St Andrews Church, itself isolated in a field, nothing remains of what was once a complex of buildings some 350 feet long. Founded by Gilbert, an Englishman in 1131 the abbey originally comprised a range of buildings against the north wall of the church. Here Gilbert took "seven maidens" as pupils who vowed to live a life of chastity, obedience and humility, difficult, I imagine, even in those days. The Abbey prospered, with the original buildings becoming inadequate and being replaced by the larger complex mentioned above where there were monks and nuns living separately. All ended on September 18th, 1538,when the Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII and purchased by the Clinton family

who used the stones to build a mansion, of which all traces disappeared long ago.St Andrews tower contains a ring of six light bells, four of these cast in the 1930's by Alfred Bowell of Ipswich. He does not possess a high reputation as a bellfounder, yet here his four bells plus the much older numbers five and tenor have resulted in a delightful combination that is a pleasure to ring. Added interest are narrow spiral stairs, awkward to climb, giving access to the ringing room with its candle chandelier and bracket gas lamp on the wall (the church has no electricity). A touch of femininity in this room, thought Tony-not a bad thing at all. Our bell ringers were there on the evening of July 11th, an enjoyable occasion which culminated in "a small libation" offered at the nearby Pointon hostelry. It was there, while contemplating the events of the evening, that my thoughts strayed to Gwenillian, the last Welsh Princess, who at 17 months old was sent to Sempringham by Edward 1st remaining there under house arrest until her death in 1337 at the age of 55 years. I hope she was happy as this place has for me an aura of warmth, a sort of unexplainable magnetism as if the spirits of those long gone monks and nuns still roam the fields-or perhaps that is merely my imagination, or is it? John Bennett

Bell ringing practise happens on alternate Tuesdays at Sutton St James. If you have ever wanted to have a go, or if you used to be a ringer and want to start again give Pauline Stebbings a ring on 01945 440285Sutton St James Church Services & Church NewsSunday 27th August – No service at Sutton St JamesSunday 3rd September – 10.00am Morning Prayer with Reader Sally CliftonSunday 10th September -10.00am Holy Communion with Revd. Michaela DeanSunday 17th September & 24th September – no service at Sutton St James

Thank you to David Beeton for taking the service on 6th August. Thank you to Vanessa Price for cutting the grass in the churchyard, you did a fantastic job.

IMPORTANT CHURCH HALL FUNDRAISER TO BUY AND ERECT GATES TO STOP CHILDREN RUNNING ONTO THE ROAD FROM THE PADDOCK OR HALL, AFTERNOON TEA & CAKE WITH A GLASS OF PROSECCOSATURDAY 9th SEPTEMBER in the VILLAGE HALL at 3pm Tickets cost £10.00 each and can be purchased from the organiser Elaine Harrison (01945 440332). As catering needs to be organised please do give her a call to book your tickets for this very important event that will provide vital safety measures to keep our toddlers and our children safe. The gates will also help to prevent people walking their dogs on the paddock The paddock is church property and not to be used by dog walkers. Sadly, the youth club have found several piles of dog faeces on the grass which is a serious health hazard for them, and the dangers of toddlers or babies finding it is too appalling to contemplate.The youth club enjoyed a day out at Heckington show on the 30th July. The gloopy mud only made it more fun and actually, I still can’t work it out how, no one fell over or got covered in mud – even those with white trousers. Shoes and trainers may have been a right off though. The young people were a credit – fantastic behaviour from every one of them. I am enormously proud of every one of them. Thanks to the grown-ups who bravely agreed to assist – I think you all did a grand job and the trip couldn’t have happened without your help. Church Hall for Hire

Call Jenny Rose on 01945 440685 for details

The Good Companions held their annual coffee morning from 10am to midday on Thursday 6th July at the Village Hall. Sadly, the weather wasn’t kind but they welcomed many visitors from the Baptist chapel. The group were very sad to hear of the death of Vera Ward, a very long-standing member, who died aged 95. Her grave side funeral service will be held at midday on Monday 4th September. For details about joining this group which welcomes anyone over the age of 55, contact Jean on 01945 440535.

Baptist Chapel News

The annual flower festival held at Sutton St James Baptist church over the weekend of 7th - 9th July was a great success and this year blessed with wonderful weather!   Last year the weather was atrocious affecting not only the flower festival but also the yard sale that takes place in the village on the same day.   Pastor Ross Dean explained how last year the only meals served on the Saturday had been to those volunteering at the festival, whereas this year the church saw a steady stream of visitors, many enjoying a fine meal as well as the beautiful flowers. Over 20 displays were created by local people, one particular display was an arrangement that paid tribute to those in the forces who lost their lives during two world wars as well as remembering PC Keith Palmer who was killed in the recent terrorist attack in London. The display included a policeman's helmet lent by Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Jones who also visited the festival.The Songs of Praise service on Sunday afternoon was extremely well attended, with the new Minster at Wisbech Baptist Church Kevin Newton sharing the message.  A time of fellowship after the service with plenty of tea and cake was enjoyed by all who attended.Ross & Annette would like to thank everyone who came along to the festival or who contributed in any way to making the day

such a great success.   Next year’s dates will be 13th - 15th July 2018!

Dancing to

Big D 2nd September

Doors open 6.30pm Dancing from 7pm

Dance to the Music of the 60s, 70s & 80s

In the Village Hall Sutton St James

Bring your own drinks but nibbles provided

Tickets only £6 each

Please call Pauline on 440285 or Sally on 440168 to book your tickets which you can pay for on the door. Alternatively, if you are going in church the list will be on the font.

Thank you to everyone who attended the BBQ in July in the church hall paddock. We had another wonderful evening – the weather was warm and sunny. The food was cooked to perfection by Dennis and Bill, and the salads and sweets were all delicious. We made a fantastic amount of money for church funds.

Important NoticeOn 8th October, after 15 years faithful service leading Sutton St James Baptist Church, Ross & Annette Dean are retiring. They will be passing the leadership of the Church to Sue & Arnie Hensby who have recently moved their membership from Park Road Baptist Church in Peterborough to follow Gods call on their lives as Sue begins her formal ministerial training. Ross & Annette will continue to lead Fleet Hargate Baptist Church where they have already served for 27 years whilst also supporting Sue & Arnie as they settle in to their new role. A service to acknowledge Ross and Annette’s retirement and to commission Sue and Arnie into leadership will take place at Sutton St James at 10:45am on 8th October to which everyone is welcome.A celebration service to commemorate Ross & Annette’s time in leadership at Sutton St James will be held at 3pm on 14th October at Sutton St James Baptist Church followed by a buffet tea. Everyone is welcome but please RSVP to Sue for catering purposes.Sue & Arnie are enjoying getting to know the community of Sutton St James and of serving them through various activities such as the weekly Sunday services and coffee mornings and the monthly community lunches that people have come to know and love. We hope that during this time of change that all those involved with SSJ various activities will support Sue and Arnie in the same was as they have supported Ross & Annette.

Sue – sue @ssjbc.org.uk / 0750 112 3183Ross – rossdean@btinternet.com / 07776 207491 Special Service and Buffet Tea at

Sutton St James Baptist Church

To celebrate the ministry of Pastor Ross & Annette Dean

at Sutton St James Baptist Church

Saturday 14th October 3pm

Service to be led by Regional Minister

Rev. Ellen Price

Everyone is welcome but please RSVP to Sue: 0750

112 3183 for catering purposes.