From the Parish Registers

Wrington School Church Days

On a Tuesday and Wednesday at the end of June All Saints' again welcomed each of the classes at
Wrington School for an hour of activities. This year we launched an exciting new four-year programme.

The topics in this first year were the Bells and Bell-ringing, the Tower - its significance and role, and the importance of Holy Communion and the articles we use to celebrate it.

Our warm thanks go to all the members of All Saints' who helped to make the two days so successful.Our special thanks go to Fiona Densham for her tireless organisation and leadership, and to Philip Kinsman, who initiated the very popular Bells demonstration that included Handbell ringing, and then ran three after-school sessions which were greatly enjoyed by the children who took part.
We hope this will be the beginning of a Handbell Ringing Club and will encourage some young people to become bell ringers of our magnificent peal of ten bells. If anyone would like to know more about learning to ring the bells here, please contact Philip Kinsman on 01934-862852.

After the school "church" days we received delightful letters of thanks from the children, and I cannot resist quoting four typical examples from children in Year 3 and Year 5:

"Dear Everyone who helped us in the church on Wednesday. We learned a lot about the church, the bells and [last] supper table.We really appreciate your work and giving up your day today and yesterday. I hope you like this letter. Lots of happiness, love Marcie"

"Dear Church Helpers, Thank you for letting us look around the church, my favourite part was ringing the bells. It was really good fun and when we had to do it at different times; I really had to concentrate because it was hard. I really enjoyed it I can't wait 'till next year.From Jason"

"Dear Everyone of the Church.Thank you for our wonderful knowledgeable trip. I enjoyed it hugely. My favourite activity was all of them, but I mostly enjoyed the bell ringing because when we played out of order it was a most enchanting moment. I am looking forward to next year's tour of the church. Best wishes from Rebecca"

"Dear Everyone in the church. I went to your church day and I would like to say thank you for your hard work. I really enjoyed doing the bell ringing because I saw how big the bells are and how hard it must be to ring them. I also enjoyed doing the sketching of the tower and holding the communion things. So I liked all of it! I learnt that the big table at the back was called the altar. Thank you for all that you have done and giving up your time. Kind regards, Lucy"

The Rock Of Ages Service

Happily this year's service enjoyed dry if slightly windy weather and was attended by well in excess of 200 people. Most of these came from a 20-mile radius, but two people had travelled all the way from Maidenhead and one man, resplendent in full Cornish tartan kilt and all the extras, had travelled from St Austell thanks to his searches on the internet.

A greatly enjoyed new feature this year was the singing of the Joyful Spirit Gospel Choir who rehearse in Wrington each Thursday night under their outstanding leader, Alison Cooper. The Revd Ward Jones, Methodist District Chairman, spoke in his customary warm, direct and powerful way.

Next year's service will take place on Sunday 17 July when the speaker will be the Revd Nigel Coles, lead minister in the West of England Baptist Association, and in 2012 we shall celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the writing of Augustus Toplady's famous hymn.

Confirmation and First Communion

In July we rejoiced to see three people from the Benefice Confirmed at a wonderful service at Milton, led by the Bishop of Taunton. Two of those people, Saskia Ballard and Paul Browning, had been baptised the previous Sunday, and they were joined by Henry Worle from Butcombe.

The following Sunday Saskia and Paul were joined in their first Communion at All Saints by four young
people who were also making their first Communion - Aaron Browning (Paul's son) Martha and Esther Heggie, and Thomas Mills. They had undergone nearly two months of classes in preparation for this important step in their spiritual lives.

Below are two reflections on these occasions, first by Saskia, then by Shirley Gill, one of the First Communion preparation team

My Confirmation

"I enjoyed my Confirmation because it made me understand a bit more about God, and why I'm now taking the bread and wine every Sunday morning when I go to church. I also enjoyed my Bible class every Friday afternoon leading up to my Baptism and Confirmation. I found it very interesting and was taught a lot of information out of the Bible that I did not know before. I enjoy going to church as I really enjoy the service and the stories that they tell. And I really enjoy the family service that is held once a month.

Thank you to all the people who helped me with my Bible classes, and encouraging me through my
Confirmation and Baptism. Love from Saskia Syndica Jane Ballard."

First Communion Classes

"When I was asked to help with the pre-confirmation Communion group I was rather sceptical about the idea of such young children (minimum aged 7+ and from KS2) taking the sacrament. However after reading the book which was used to introduce the course and discussing the history of children's participation with Nicholas I was interested to see how the children would respond.

All four children were used to coming to church with their parents and already had a good basic
knowledge of the life of Jesus. They gained a picture of how the family of the Church is built up and how the different members relate to each other.

They were gradually absorbing a greater awareness of the sacrifice symbolized by communion. Emphasis was placed on developing their own membership of the church family through prayer and fellowship, and I felt this was a good step along the way to full commitment at Confirmation."

Shirley Gill

Benefice Away Weekend at Brunel Manor, 1-3 October

Speaker: Dr Alison Morgan from ReSource. It's not too late to join us. Full details of the weekend are
available in all churches: please take a copy. Copies of Alison's very highly regarded book "The Wild Gospel" are available from the Church Office.

(Financial help in full confidence is available - simply contact me).

Nicholas Maddock
Rector