The first meeting since the election took place on on Thursday 19 May 2011 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. I am pleased to welcome some new faces onto the Parish Council.

Your Parish Council is now made up as follows:

Martyn Fall (Chairman)
Michael Crago (Vice Chairman)
Oscar Pickess
Andrew Drysdale
Vanessa Young
Jenny James

Since the meeting Sonia Antonioni has been co-opted onto the Parish Council to fill the final vacancy. I would like to thank Joanne Cruddas and Mick Pyman, who stepped down at the end of their terms of office, for all their hard work over the years. Mick Pyman deserves special mention having served on the Parish Council for some 30 years.

Pavilion and playing field – Thank you to Mick Dowling who has carried out the necessary plumbing repairs in the pavilion. The pavilion floor needs specialist cleaning and the parish council will look at giving the pavilion an overhaul and tidy up. The Parochial Church Council has requested use of the playing field for a cricket match to take place in August. A small area will have to be cordoned off for the pitch.

Highways - winter gritting – Although winter seems a long way ahead especially with the sunny and dry weather we are getting at the moment, the Parish Council are mindful of the situation regarding gritting in bad weather. We are currently in discussion with Essex Highways about getting Chapel End Way gritted, however Essex Highways are reluctant to implement any changes. However, we will continue to persevere and keep you advised of developments. The state of our roads is also a continuing concern.

Financial year end – The end of year accounts have been completed and agreed by internal audit. They will shortly be sent to our external auditor for final agreement.

The next meeting takes place on Thursday 21 July 2011 at 7.30pm in the village hall, Stambourne.

Debbie Hilliard
Parish Clerk
Tel: 01440 785629
Email: Debbie.Hilliard@Duffields.co.uk

St. Peter & St. Thomas Becket Parish Church Richard Day 01440 785580

On my notice board in my office I have a picture of my friend Jimmy who is a verger at Westminster Abbey and next to him are the newly married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Kate and Prince William.


On their wedding day I was glued to the television set for I love a good wedding. I love the dresses and flowers and liturgy and the happiness and joy that surrounds the occasion.


We are in fact in the traditional wedding season and there are weddings in several of my parishes this year. The Church of England has made getting married in church easier and the rules have changed for those wanting to marry in church.


It used to be that those wanting to marry in an Anglican Church had to either live in the parish or had to attend their parish church for six months and then become part of the Electoral Roll of the parish before they could marry.


Now those who have a qualifying connection can be married in an Anglican Church. Couples will have the right to marry in:

June services at St. Peter & St. Thomas Becket Parish Church

June 5th 9.30 am Morning Prayer
June 12th 9.30 am Holy Communion
June 19th 9.30 am Morning Prayer
June 26th 9.30 am Holy Communion

Roadside channel sweeping dates from Braintree Council

Braintree District Council will be clearing the roadside channels on the following dates:

15 Aug 2011
21 Nov 2011
27 Feb 2012

Jumble Sale – a Thank You

Thank you to everyone who brought jumble and those who helped sort out jumble. Thanks for everyone that made cakes also those who bought from the sale.

We took £1,005, minus the hire of the hall of £40 means that £965 was sent to Essex Air Ambulance.

Louis Hunter

Stambourne Congregational Church Adrian Burr 07983 656166
From The Chapel

Our Mission Spies from the Holiday Club “MISSION RESCUE” will have completed their first two missions by the time you read this. They will have successfully discovered that there is a mole in their midst and that we keep having to ask Agent Y, “but why, Y?”

Midst fun and laughter the agents find that God is at the centre of rescuing us. And in life it is often when things are difficult that people turn to God and say “God, if you are there, please help me out of this difficulty”. And for many people, that is exactly what happens.

God loves us so much that he wants us to know that he is there to help in the good times and the bad. He wants us to know that, just as He did in all the time recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible, right through Biblical times and then through the middle ages and right up to the present day, He is there to help us, so long as we put our trust in Him.

Yet so often we put our trust in money, houses, or people, and then discover that these things are all wanting. The banking crisis of a couple of years ago has shown us that the monetary system is a risky business and when it goes against us it affects us all – and not just in the UK, but all over the world.

Yet if we put our trust in God we can know that He has been consistent, reliable and trust worthy for the 5000 years plus that we know about! So in whom do you put your trust?

Adrian Burr, Minister
07983 656166 or 01440 730211

Stambourne Chapel News

Thanks to all who have contributed to the chapel through the purchase of pews. The remaining 4 short and 5 long pews will be available later this year - let us know if you are interested!

Our children’s Holiday Club, Mission Rescue, will continue through 23rd, 24th and 25th August.... Look forward to seeing the agents again then, as well as new agents ... The club is for 4-11 year olds. Older young people are welcome to come and help! Call for details. 07983 656166

An area for the Internment of Ashes and for memorial stones has been set aside in the chapel graveyard. If you would like to make use of this area, please contact us.

After our Course on Healing we are looking at another topical subject.... It asks the question “what do you make of Marriage?” Our autumn course will explore the issues of marriage, from choosing a partner, living together, marriage and living through the later years of marriage, plus all the things that come in between such as the struggles of the highs and lows of our relationship, the question of divorce and separation, and the meaning of love. The institute of marriage was established by God so it’s good to know what He has to say about it. If you are interested please contact our minister, Adrian Burr, and we will let you know the dates and times of each of the sessions.

Operation Christmas Child – the Shoe Box appeal – is already underway with people knitting hats scarves and gloves, purchasing the essentials, and collecting the toys, pens and paper and other small gifts are put in each shoe box. At this moment we don’t know where our boxes will be sent to, but we can guarantee they will be received by children whose faces will light up as they receive a shoe box lovingly given with no expectation of any return. See http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/

Building an Orphanage in India – our young people have committed to raising funds to build an orphanage in India. Bethesda Gospel Ministries is a church in a small town near Hyderabad, central India, who have already laid foundations, but don’t have funds to put up the walls for this much needed facility. Watch this space!

Services in June and July are at 10:45 and led by our minister unless otherwise stated

5th June, Chris Stirling,
19th June Dianne Thomson
3rd July Dianne Thomson,
17th Stella Wallace-Tween (our 349th Anniversary)

Children’s Church meets every week at 10.45am





EVENTS and activities at the chapel - ALL WELCOME

Every Tuesday 10-12am – Coffee and a chat in the chapel

Every Thursday 10-12am during June – Bible Study on Healing

Wed 1st & Thurs 2nd June – Holiday Club for 4-11 year olds – Mission Rescue

Tuesday 7th June at 7:30pm Church Meeting

Sunday 17th July at 10:45am Church Anniversary

Recipes needed for Stambourne Community Cookbook

In the last newsletter we told you about our plans to produce a Stambourne Cook Book. If all goes according to plan the book will be on sale in the autumn and any proceeds will go towards the maintenance of our historic church. We have received some great recipes, but not enough as yet, so if the book is to be published we need more entries. We are sure many of you have a special recipe you would like to share. Your name will appear in the book alongside your recipe, unless you prefer to remain anonymous.

Last time we did not give a closing date, but we are hoping to complete this project by late summer so please let us have your recipes by the end of July.

Please send to Jane Waller, White House, Chapel End Way, CO9 4NX. E-mail: pjanewaller@yahoo.com or Sheila Harvey, Robin Hood Barn, Finchingfield Road, CO9 4NJ. E-mail: sheila.harvey26@btinternet.com.

If you have any queries please telephone Sheila on 01440788033.

We look forward to hearing from you, Sheila Harvey and Jane Waller

Budding Artists – Haverhill Arts Group

We meet in the Arts Centre at Haverhill on the second Wednesday in every month at 7.30pm and new members are always welcome. Go to the following link or call the numbers below:

http://www.haverhillartscentre.co.uk/comm-arts-art-group.htm

or call 01440 730723 or 01440 762740

It’s a really friendly and diverse group ranging from complete novices to actual tutors and covering many different mediums (watercolour, oil, acrylics etc). We have artists attending throughout the year giving demonstrations and in the summer months manage to get out into the countryside to paint – weather pending.

Family Picnic for the Royal Wedding – a Thank You
The committee would like to thank everybody who came and made the event such a success.

The cake was won by Mr. David Waller, who kindly donated it to Stanley Wilson Lodge (Old People's Home) in Saffron Walden. The raffle made £50.00

towards any expenses incurred in the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in June 2012.









Diamond Jubilee of the Coronation Celebration June 2012.
If anybody has any ideas about how the village should celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the Coronation in June 2012, can they please contact Elizabeth Fall on 01440 785289? For example, an exhibition in the Church, fancy dress, or whatever, being able to help either before the day or on the day. Thank you




WWW – World Wide Web

Although not everyone in Stambourne has internet access, many do and there is a vast array of local information out there.

Here are some of the websites of local villages

http://www.stambourne.com/

STAMBOURNE FETE 2011
SUNDAY JULY 3rd
2pm – 5pm

Come and be entertained by The Amazing Mr Zippy
Children’s Entertainer, puppets, comedy magic, balloons, games 2.30 – 4.30

Test your skill & courage on THE CLIMBING WALL

Face Painting
Tombola stalls
Grand Raffle
Knobbly Knee Contest
Tug of War
White Elephant Stall
Side Shows

Burgers, Hot Dogs, Ice Creams, Teas, Coffees, cold drinks, cakes

CAKES – Please ladies remember to cook all those lovely cakes for the tea room

We will be round on the evening of Friday 1st July for any donations towards the tombola draw & grand draw stalls. Or you can bring them along on Sat 2nd July to the pavilion between 10am – 12.00. PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY

If you would like to help on the day or have any questions, please ring Cath on 01440 785 678

THE BACKPAGE


Questions to the editor

Q. Where does the word ‘Stambourne’ come from?
Shirley Crabtree, Dyers End

A. Good question, Shirley. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon ‘stan’ and ‘burn’ which means ‘Stony Brook’, a reference to the stream that runs through the village and is, in fact, the start of the River Colne.

Q. I think my ancestors lived and worked in Stambourne as servants, how can I find out more?
E. Blackadder, Chapel End Way

A. Well, the www.stambourne.com website has some census details (1841 – 1861 and 1901) along with records from the parish church. Otherwise, internet sites such as ancestry.com will allow you to search their online records, for a fee of course. Good luck!

Q. I used to come to Stambourne for my Summer Holidays and I can remember a shop, a school, a post office and a petrol station. Was this all a dream?
Richard Cliff, Stambourne Green

A. No! You have remembered correctly. Stambourne Stores was the shop which closed around 20 years ago and there were even a couple of hand-drawn petrol pumps at one time, located on the opposite side of the road near The Manse. The school and two pubs sadly all gone.

Q. Is the parish church available for weddings?
P. Middleton, Church Road

A. Yes, it is. In fact, there’s an article in this edition giving details