St Laud's Church - Archive

• Services at St Laud's are normally held as follows:

• The 'Connections' service on the first Sunday in the month replaces the 9.30 Parish Praise service which attracted small numbers. Worship should connect the worshipper with God in some way, hence the name 'Connections'. It will be flexible in content, with more modern songs and piano and instrumental accompaniment. There will be a deliberate attempt to engage in worship with more than just the mind and words. Each service will be themed. Tea/coffee/squash available from 4.40pm with Worship from 5pm-5.45pm
• Children are welcome at the 9.30am Communion services. A creche is provided.

• 1 Nov - 6pm - SCAN Service of Light
• 8 Nov - 9.30am - Service of Rememberance with Holy Communion
• 15 Nov - 9.30am - Holy Communion
• 6 Dec - 4pm - Christingle Service
• 13 Dec - 9.30am - Holy Communion
• 20 Dec - 9.30am - Holy Communion
• Christmas Day - 25 Dec - 9.30am - SCAN Family Service
• 3 Jan - 6pm - Evening Service
   
  
• Note: there are also services at the other SCAN churches.
   
  
• Thursday 12 Nov - 7.30pm for 8pm - Dedication of the new facilities by the Archdeacon of Buckingham, the Venerable Karen Gorham. Drinks and a buffet will be provided.
   
  
• Saturday 12 December - 2pm - Advent Workshop - 'Come and Join the Celebration' - for children aged 4 to 10. Offers of help to Andrew Marriott (Tel: 610521)
  

• 2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the death of George Frederick Handel on 14th April 1759 and to bring to the year to a close; the SCAN Choir will be joined by friends and soloists for a performance of parts of Messiah on Friday 11th December in St Laud's Church Sherington starting at 7.30pm. The singers have been busy rehearsing the work since July!
• The soloists for the evening are Susan Dixon, Soprano; Cath Bromley, Contralto; Graham Breeze, Tenor and Gordon Oliver, Bass. Organ accompaniment will be by James Wharton and Ed Tomlinson.
• Christmas is the traditional time of year for the performance of Messiah and everyone is welcome.
• Tickets are £5 each and include refreshments which will be available during the interval. Money raised by the performance will go towards the purchase of a new piano for St Laud's church to replace the one which had to be destroyed because of infestation by live woodworm.
• Tickets will be available from The Rectory, Rob Lawrence the Organist at St Lauds, members of the SCAN Choir or on the door on the night.
• We hope to see as many of you as possible on 11th December for what will be a good start to the celebrations of Christmas.

• Contact Ella Field (4 Park Road, Tel: 610560) if you would like to sponsor the floodlighting of St Lauds over Christmas and the New Year. Costs are estimated at about £3 per day. A list of sponsors will be displayed in church.

• The Flower Festival was held on 12th and 13th July 2008. Photos courtesy of Kay Turrell.

  New Churchwarden

• Bob White has taken over from Mark Vale.

  Organ

• There is a meeting with the Diocesan Organ Advisor on 5 July at 10.30am to discuss the future of the organ. All who are interested are welcome.

  July/August Services

• 6pm on 6 July - Evening Service.
• 9.30am on 13 July - Holy Communion.
• 6pm on 13 July - Songs of Praise.
• 9.30am on 20 July - Holy Communion.
• 6pm on 3 August - Evening Service.
• 9.30am on 17 August - Morning Prayer.
• 11am on 31 August - SCAN Villages Together Service (not Holy Communion), followed by Teddy Bear Jump.

  Easter at St Laud's

• 18 March, Tuesday of Holy Week, 8pm - Stations of the Cross, Part One
• 19 March, Wednesday of Holy Week, 8pm - Stations of the Cross, Part Two
• 21 March, Good Friday, 7.30pm - Stainer's Crucifixion
• 23 March, Easter Day, 9.30am - Holy Communion

• Note: there are also services at the other SCAN churches

  Good Friday, 7.30pm - The Crucifixion by John Stainer

• SCAN Choir and Friends
• Soloists - Graham Breeze
• Accompanist - James Wharton
• Conducted by Rob Lawrence
• Retiring collection

  Easter Lilies:

• If you would like a Lily placed in Church in memory of a loved one, please contact Ella Field (tel: 610560) or Jill Burgess (Tel: 611163) by 9 March at the latest. Cost £3 per name.

  We need your help!

Dear Friends,

St Laud's is in financial trouble. Beautiful but ancient, the church has stood on its hill for over eight hundred years and it costs a fortune to maintain, to heat and to insure, let alone to staff and to provide regular and occasional services.

We anticipate a shortfall in our budget of approx £6,000 in the next financial year. We receive no help from government and have to find over £15,000 per annum towards ministry costs, nearly £3,000 to insure the church building and of course other costs so as to keep things in order.

This is a huge sum of money for the regular congregation to find, and so we are looking for your help in raising extra funds. We know that many people, church-goers or not, value the church for many reasons. For some it represents the history of the village, for others it has great historic, architectural or spiritual significance. The church is there for us all, both the building and the ministry offered, but it all costs money.

We have reorganised the finances where we can and have various fundraising events in place already. Other activities have been suggested but we need volunteers to organise or help organise these events to raise funds. And this is where you come in!! We know there are lots of gifted and talented people in Sherington and we are looking for you to help us.

In addition to the usual events throughout the year, we are wondering if there is anyone out there who would like to organise any of the following: a Bridge Party, a Safari Supper, a summer concert, a Barn Dance and/or a Barbeque or any other event which you might care to suggest. These events can be such fun and bring people together.

Please contact Mandy or Ella, or the Church wardens or any of our church family in Sherington with your ideas and offers of help.

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

  PANCAKE PARTY

• Sunday 3rd February saw a new departure for St. Laud's. Instead of the usual Connections service in church, a pancake party was held in the village school. It was good to see so many parents with their children, and everyone enjoyed the pancakes and drinks. These were followed by jolly hymns and an amusing sketch. Mandy gave a short talk on the meaning of Lent, and why we practice self�denial. One small boy was heard to say that he would give up school!
• Mandy thanked those who had provided the refreshments, and also Mrs. Bourne for the use of the school. On Sunday March 2nd we revert to our normal Connections service. Children of all ages are welcome, with their parents. Come along at 4.45 p.m. for refreshments and a chance to chat to your friends - and make some new ones. This is followed by a short child-friendly service.

• The church register dates from 1698.

• After over 14 years in the village as Rector, Rev Maurice Stanton-Saringer, left Sherington (and the SCAN Parish) in January 2006 to take up a new position as Team Rector of Loddon Reach. This is a newly created grouping of villages (including Shinfield, Spencer's Wood and Swallowfield) just south of Reading.
• There was a Farewell Party on 6 January in the North Crawley Institute. Farewell gifts included a Luytens garden seat, theatre vouchers, a case of wine, a picture painted by Caroline Leslie (from the Choir), flowers and a pair of ball-clipped standard hollies and an orchid (from Sherington School).

• There is currently a vacancy for the position of Church Secretary. Enquiries should be made to the Churchwardens or Rector.

• The church authorities require that an architectural survey be carried out every 5 years. Unfortunately, the latest survey on St Laud's has revealed that much of the exterior stonemaonary has deteriorated quite badly. Quotations have been sought from three different skilled craftsmen and the remedial work has been estimated at between £48,500 and £83,200. The DCC is in the process of requesting a scedule of what is considered urgent and what can be deferred. If you are able to assist in any way in sustaining this Grade 1 listed building, please contact the DCC.

• Partly in response to comments and suggestions made in the questionnaire completed at the Harvest Supper, a 'Quiet Place' has been set up in the church. It can be used by anyone who comes to the church to spend a few quiet minutes in the presence of God. There are suggestions for prayer and meditation and a 'Prayer Tree' - an opportunity to write down any particular prayer you would like to be offered on your behalf. These prayers will not be read out.

• It may not be universally known that everyone has the legal right to be married or to have a funeral in their Parish Church, whether or not they are a regular churchgoer. Since Sherington has an open churchyard, any resident of the village can be buried there. Similarly, Baptism may be requested by any parishioner for themselves or their children.

• Due to popular demand the 4-8 year old group is now meeting on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month during term time. Older children continue to meet every Thursday evening from 7 to 8.30pm. Both clubs meet in the church.

• The profits from the Lent Lunch will be given to charities at the discretion of the organisers. In the past, these have often been overseas aid or children's charities. The charge is usually between £3 and £4.50. Soup, bread and cheese, tea and coffee are served and sometimes a cake, so that they are not that much of a 'lenten fast'.

• Lent Course 'A Life Worth Living' - a series of video talks discussing St Paul's letter to the Philippians. Tuesdays at 7.45pm at 4 Griggs Orchard, Pam and John Fielding's house (Tel: 616763 for details)

• Thank you to everyone who participated in this. We had a fantastic response-241 returned forms which equates to just over 30% of the village (a 2% return rate is considered good in marketing circles). Overall, the responses were extremely positive.
• Below is a summary of the initial analysis:
• The majority of respondents are in favour of improving the facilities to include toilets, meeting room and kitchen
• The acoustics are a cause of concern
• The general state of untidiness was commented upon by many people
• The sharing of The Peace at Holy Communion was a cause for concern with some
• The choice of music needs to be considered more carefully
• A more complete summary, plus the numerical analysis, will be available in church to include action points.
• However, we would like to advise that as a result of the survey, we have appointed a new architect to produce plans for re-ordering and he will be having his first briefing meeting with the DCC on 12 May 2005.
• We have also had a serious attempt at tidying up the back of the church.
• If anyone has any queries regarding the results, please contact the secretary, Jackie Inskipp (Tel: 216214).

• Mark Vale and Emlyn Williams, the St Laud's Churchwardens, have circulated a letter around the village giving details of the status of the church refurbishment plans relating to the organ and proposed extension.
          Click here to read the letter
• All Sherington residents, whether they go to church or not, will be consulted to determine their views, via a questionnaire to be delivered to all homes, before a new architect is appointed. Queries regarding the questionnaire may be addressed to the Churchwardens Mark Vale (Tel: 216543) and Emlyn Williams (Tel: 01234 712343) or the secretary Jackie Inskipp (Tel: 216214).

• The SCAN parish includes the following four main churches, plus Hardmead:
• St Laud's, Sherington
• St Peter, Astwood
• St Lawrence, Chicheley
• St Firmin, North Crawley
• Church details can be found on the Church of England website: www.achurchnearyou.com.
• The SCAN Parish Vision Statement: Knowing God through Jesus Christ. Living and sharing the Christian Faith