St. Giles Church tower – Summer Open Evening

On Monday 14 July from 6.30 to 9pm the bell-ringers of St. Giles held Open House for villagers to come to see for themselves and learn more about the bells and the church clock. Around one hundred people came. They were given a conducted tour of the ringing chamber ( ground level), the bell chamber (with historical notes about the age and size of each bell – the earliest being from the reign of King Henry VII), and a glance from the upper chamber of the bell-hanging and the striking hammers for the clock. Then there was a chance to climb down through a trap door to see the clock, and to learn how it is being restored and put into full working order once more. Already the main clock is working, and a self winding electrically driven mechanism has been fitted to save the legs of the clock winder who has had to climb up some thirty steps every week, and three times a week if the chimes and strike are in operation. What remains to be done is to restore the working action of the hour strike and the quarter hour chimes. When all is finally in working order there will be the option to choose when the strike and chimes should function – and when not. Finally, the louvres of the upper windows of the tower are being serviced so as to be openable when the peal of bells is required to be heard with maximum effect over the village; or to close it, when it is preferable to muffle the sound, as during practices. In addition visitors were able to see the newly hung memorial brass plaque to commemorate the late Joe Reader who was a bell-ringer of this tower for so many years. This evening would not have happened except for the enthusiasm and hard work of the bell-ringing team. St. Giles and the village as a whole owe a particular debt of thanks to Colin Bryan and Godfrey Allison along with Mike Lowe for the work of restoring and re-building the clock, including making parts for the winding mechanism. This goes equally for maintaining the bells in good working order. Our thanks to all concerned for a very instructive and enjoyable evening.

Andrew Wigram

P.S. St. Giles Church tower continued
A fascinating post script has arisen as a result of the publicity surrounding the open evening. Original documents for the rehanging of the bells have turned up, including the estimate & specification of this very clock, together with the carefully kept balance sheet detailing how the parishioners of 1904 managed to gather together the £295 required for the total job, completed in 1907. And here we are refurbishing again nearly 100 years later!

Nottinghamshire Historic Churches Trust Sponsored Ride [cycle, horse or car] and Walk 2003

This year the Ride and Walk is on Saturday 13 September from 10am to6pm.

There are around 250 churches and chapels taking part; and the Trust welcomes new participants.
As in previous years, all riders and walkers are welcome. Materials to help plan your itinerary to take in as many participating churches as you wish are available from your local church or chapel.
Last year £20,000 was raised for churches and chapels in the county, and 2003 should be equally successful, given strong support. There will be two competitions again this year including the ever-popular Mountain Bike Competition; also, back by demand the NHCT Story Competition.

All details can be obtained from your local organizer:-
Cropwell Bishop Mona Clarke [0115 989 4140]or Godfrey Allison [0115 989 9275]
Colston Bassett Graham Freegard [01949 81745]
Cropwell Butler & Tythby Vera Wragsdale [0115 933 4539]
Langar & Barnstone Carol & Alex Cessford [01949 860738]
Granby & Sutton Brenda Preece [01949 850331]
Elton Mary Browne [01949 850419]
Nottinghamshire Organizer: 07890 159302

Christian Aid Week 2003

Sam Hunter, organizer for the Wiverton Group door-to-door collection, announces that a total of £2,361.74 was collected this May during Christian Aid Week.. This exceeds last year’s (record) total by £134.A big thank you to all who donated, and a special thanks should go to all collectors. Finally, without the dedicated and painstaking attention of Sam Hunter assisted by Gerald Hardy this could not have come about. A very big thank you goes to them.
Andrew Wigram [Rector]

Bingham & District Choral Society

If you enjoy singing then come and join us for the start of our next season:
Tuesday 2 September 7.15pm at Toot Hill Secondary School.
Rehearsals are on Tuesdays from 7.15 - 9.30pm from Sept to late May.
New members will be most welcome!
There are no auditions, and while previous singing experience is useful it is certainly not essential.

Concerts this season are:
Sat 22 November 2003: Honegger’s King David
Sat 13 December 2003: Christmas Concert
Sat 22 May 2004: Haydn’s Harmoniemesse.

For more information contact: Fiona Reed [01949 876909]

St. John’s Colston Bassett – memorial tree

The Parish Church Council of Colston Bassett after consultation with the Colston Bassett Parish Council wishes to announce that a memorial tree in memory of the late Barbara Mee will be planted in the churchyard this autumn.

Adult confirmation preparation

We are considering running a confirmation preparation course for anyone over 15 or 16 yrs this autumn. If you would like to enrol please be in touch with one of the clergy before the end of September

August & September Diary

Sat 2 1.30pm Wedding of Jason Ward & Selina Noble - Langar
3.00pm Wedding of Frank Chamberlain & Jo Lilly - Colston Bassett

Sun 3 11.00am Baptism of Samuel Murray - St. Giles Cropwell Bishop

Sat 9 2.30pm Wedding of John Dickerson & Tina Barlow - Crop Bishop

Mon 11 3.00pm MU Summer Tea Party at Betty’s - The White House, Radcliffe Road, Cropwell Butler

Sat 16 2.00pm Wedding of Stewart Banks & Emily Goddard - Colston B

Sun 17 8 - 9am MU Wave of Prayer for Wiverton Group:
8.30am Prayer Service in St. Andrew’s Langar

Sat 23 2.00pm Wedding of Steven Denty & Louise Thornhill- Cropwell B

Fri 29 2.00pm Wedding of David Mills & Jane Wheeler - Colston Bassett

Sun 31 11.00am Baptism of Freya Rose Barker - Holy Trinity Tythby

SEPTEMBER

Mon 1 7.30pm Grantham & Vale of Belvoir Methodist Circuits Inaugural Service – Grantham

Wed 10 7.30pm Cropwell Bishop Heritage Group cmtte - Memorial Hall

Sat 13 Notts Historic Churches Cycle Ride [See announcement]

Mon 15 7.30pm Wiverton Group Council meeting - St. Andrew’s Langar

Sat/Sun 20/21 Wiverton Group Parish Weekend [revised dates] -St. Andrew’s Langar

Sun 28 11am Cropwell Butler Chapel Harvest Thanksgiving
11am Langar & Barnstone Harvest Thanksgiving followed by Harvest Lunch – St. Andrew’s Church

Mon 29 7.30pm Granby & Sutton P.C.C. - All Saints’ (or 4 Granby Hill)

Tue 30 8pm Colston Bassett P.C.C. - St. John’s Memorial Chapel

PERSONAL

Terzza - Barry Raymond
Died 11 September 1993, aged 20 years. A much loved son, brother and grandson.

Your ever-loving Mum, Dad, sister Karen, and Nan Baxter

From the Registers

BAPTISMS

March 30 Oliver Petchell St. Andrew’s Langar
April 6 Harry Thomas Britton Holy Trinity Tythby
June 2 Verity Nicole Haig St. Michael’s Elton
8 Samuel Christopher Roberts St. Giles Cropwell Bishop
8 Kelsey Lia Rose Coulson St. Giles Cropwell Bishop
29 Jake Aaron Kirkby St. Andrew’s Langar
July 13 Madeline Rose Oakes St. Michael’s Elton

WEDDINGS

May 17 Benjamin Tobias Lacy & Ema Smalley Cropwell Bishop
June 1 Euan Haig & Lynne Wardle [Blessing of Marriage]St. Michael’s Elton
7 Mark Andrew Maddock & Sarah Caroline Box Langar
14 Paul Jepson & Zoe Munday St. Giles Cropwell Bishop

FUNERALS

May 21 Peter Clarke St. Giles Cropwell Bishop
23 Nellie Doubleday All Saints’ Granby
June 20 Maud (Molly) Hannington Parr Cropwell Butler

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Explorers and JAMMAY to unite
From Monday Sept 8th Explorers and JAMMAY will come together fortnightlyto form one group for 6+ with a new name yet to be decided. The evening will include games; crafts; Christian teaching and having fun! Due to the wide age-range of the group some of the activities will be undertaken in two different age groups: 6-10 years, and 10+. Both age groups will meet from 7-8pm but those who are 10+ will be able to stay on until 8.30pm. The group will meet on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month in the Cropwell Bishop Chapel Schoolroom.We also would be glad to hear from anyone willing to consider taking thisgroup on as leader from any time after Christmas. Please contact Sr. Kathy.
All 6+ are welcome to join us
For further details please contact Sister Kathy 01949 842952

Cropwell Bishop Heritage Group Open Afternoon - Sunday, April 26th

These are comments made at a meeting of the Heritage Group committee a few weeks after this event in the Memorial Hall

A very successful, enjoyable and well attended event which has given us the necessary mandate to go ahead with our plans for:
i. preserving Cropwell Bishop’s Heritage and
ii. restoring the St. Giles Parish Room as a Heritage Centre.
Several people brought in photographs and other documents which are of real interest.
i. Mr Jack Scanlon from Mill Lane brought in scrapbooks of village life and personalities which he has made over many years, and which he has kindly lent to us.
ii. Tony Carter brought in about 50 photographs, and Elaine Robinson has lent recent photographs of views from the Church tower, which make an interesting comparison with earlier photos from the same viewpoint.
Villagers, including some who have moved away, were pleased to join in the afternoon. Many showed real interest and enthusiasm for our plans.There were plenty of interesting displays and photographs to look at and discuss and several people requested that we should repeat the event, perhaps annually.
The Quiz was very well received and we were very grateful to Michael Ledgard for organising it and providing the photographs. The winner of the Quiz was Andrew Arbon and the runner-up was Daniel Mellor. Both received Easter eggs as prizes.
During the afternoon the W.I. ladies provided teas and cakes, which were most welcome. They were happy with the event and the profit they made for their own funds.
There was a very encouraging response to our Questionnaire about our ideas for the St. Giles Parish room. We had a total of 110 positive responses(not including our own!) and 5 negative.
Between us we are storing a considerable number of documents and photographs about Cropwell Bishop’s history. We have decided that we need a database for all these items.

Wiverton Group Parish Weekend - revised dates

Following the postponement of the original dates in early July, because of so many people being away or unable to join in, new dates have been set. Do something beautiful will now take place on SATURDAY 20 & SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER at St. Andrew’s Langar. This is an opportunity to display your talents, or learn about a new talent. The Saturday programme begins at 10am. You will be able to choose your ‘hands on’ fun activity. These include: candle making, mosaic workshop, flower arranging, games and young people’s activities, making music,drama, bell-ringing, relaxation.............Bring your own pack lunch and try a different workshop in the afternoon!
The Sunday programme centres round a Group Service in St.Andrew’s at 10am. It will give a chance to thank God for his talents, to celebrate his creative gifts, and to include some of the fruits of the Saturday workshops! Sign-up sheets will be displayed in churches from late August.
Phone contact for more information: Chris Dolby 01949 850127