Stambourne

In this issue:

• STAMBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL
• STAMBOURNE BONFIRE NIGHT 2021
• ST. PETER & ST. THOMAS BECKET PARISH CHURCH
• SERVICES AT STAMBOURNE FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS
• RECTOR’S RAMBLINGS
• STAMBOURNE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
• WHAT’S ON AT THE CHAPEL
• STAMBOURNE LADIES GROUP
• STAMBOURNE ACTIVITIES
• CONNIE JAMES — EPIC SOLO RIDE FOR CHARITY

Playing Field

This continues to be kept neat and tidy by our grass cutting contractor, Michael. Thank you Michael for your hard work.

Pavilion

Since coming out of lockdown the Pavilion has seen regular use. We are looking for a cleaner to keep it in good order throughout the year. See the advert below if you are interested.

Highways

We continue to report in any highways issues and fly tipping as and when the arise. Highways issues can be reported in direct at essex.gov.uk/highways.

Thank you to our team of Stambourne Wombles who are still regularly out litter picking to keep the village tidy.

Footpaths

We are aware that some of the footbridges need repair. These have all been reported to Essex County Council. Please take care on our footpaths.

The final meeting of the year will take place on Wednesday, 17th November 2021 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall, Stambourne.

Full minutes are available on the village website: stambourne.com/parish-council.

Debbie Hilliard, Parish Clerk

debbiehilliard614@gmail.com, 01440 785 629

Our second cream tea on 22nd August was very well supported. A very big thank you to all those helping and attending. We just about finished before the rain came down!

It is so nice to be able to sing again at our Church services. Although our organist, David, has retired, we have recorded music at most services which is easy to sing along to.

We have a variety of services coming up in the next three months which are not at our set time of 9.30am. So do please check the Church notice board or this newsletter before you set out.

In Stambourne, and around about, there have been a number of memorials recently in church for people who died during the last eighteen months where the numbers permitted to attend a funeral were very limited.

Families who had no opportunities to say goodbye to their loved ones or had to watch over Zoom are gathering to remember. We have also had the twenty year anniversary of 9/11 and we are beginning to reflect on those who lost their lives in the war as Remembrance day approaches. We think of the soldiers who died or were wounded in Afghanistan and the impact war continues to make in the lives of their families.

One helpful way to deal with loss and bereavement is to give these difficult feelings over to God. It is especially true when you are able to do this in the company of others who understand the way you are feeling, because they have (or still are) experiencing the same emotions themselves.

On Tuesday, 2nd November at 2pm we are meeting together in St Margaret’s Church, Toppesfield to pay our respects to all those whom we still love but see no longer. We call this service ‘All Souls’ where we pray together, light candles for our loved ones, comfort each other and, with God’s help, come to accept the new shapes of our lives without the family and friends who have died.

This last two months has been a time of getting back to something like normal. Shops seem fuller, people seem to have more freedom, some have even managed to travel away from this country! But at the same time the news isn’t good, and I was reminded that life has always been like this. We think we are in control, but then something hits and we find that we are led down a path that we couldn’t have expected. It is at times like these that we turn to others, and as a church we turn to God and pray.

These last two months have been full of surprises, many of them not good. But then there have been the good surprises — Val and Adrian completed a 50 mile sponsored bicycle ride, and one of the people we support used his tricycle, and between us we raised around £500 for the Stambourne Chapel Care charity and the building project that is ongoing.

At the same time we have been able to help pay the hospital and food bills for many people in rural India, where the loss of a job has meant total loss of income.

He could see that all the effort we put in, all the things we chase after, everything we collect and store away, all of it is pointless. And yet he concludes that this is what we do! So we pray that we will all find peace and joy in our lives. We will find the place where we can enjoy the relationships we have and find room to “love one another” as Jesus commanded us to do, for surely our relationships matter more than anything else.

Have a lovely Autumn!

Every blessing,

Adrian Burr, Minister

Stambourne Ladies Group »

Day out at Helmingham Hall Gardens »

On a warm, sunny day in August we enjoyed a day out at Helmingham Hall in Suffolk.

Fish and chips supper »

In September the weather was once again kind to us when fish and chips were delivered to the Pavilion. We didn’t let the twilight stop our fun!

Future events

• We’re meeting up at 2pm on Wednesday, 13th October at Debden Barns for coffee and cake.
• A trip with Felix Coaches from Haverhill to Norwich is planned on Tuesday, 30th November for sightseeing and shopping.
• We’ve booked our table on Wednesday, 8th December at The Red Lion, Sturmer to celebrate Christmas.

If you’d like to know more than please contact Vicky on 07908 099 904 or Lorna on 07980 922 636.

Village Hall available for hire

Cost:

• For residents: £8 per hour (including use of indoor bowls mats and bowls: £10 per hour)
• For non-residents: £10 per hour

There is also a table tennis table to hire. To hire the Hall, ring Rosemary on 01440 785 339. More info »

Christmas Draw

This year there will be a Grand Christmas Draw so make sure you get your tickets!! On Saturday, 11th December at 7pm we will have a free Cheese and Wine get-together (bring your own glass) with live 60’s music, The Reflections. We will draw the raffle at the end of this evening.

Women’s workout

This friendly group meets every Tuesday at 6pm at the Playing Field or in the Village Hall (depending on the time of year / weather) and via Zoom. The group is great for beginners and intermediates who wish to improve their fitness levels in a fun non-competitive supportive environment. Sessions are pay-as-you-go so come along and try it out!

For more details, contact Lara on 07471 105 210.

Silver Link Club

Stambourne Chapel from 2pm to 4pm every two weeks.

Dates for next meetings: 12th October, 26th October, 9th November, 23rd November, 7th December, 21st December, 4th January 2022 — PARTY TIME!

If anyone would like to come along please just turn up or if you need a lift just give Vanessa a call on 01440 785 122 or Lois on 01440 578 720. We love to welcome new members.

Stambourne born and raised, Connie James undertook a mammoth challenge!

Family with a campervan acted as support as she cycled solo from Land’s End to John O’Groats!

Connie completed the 970 miles in just nine days (an unbelievable average of 108 miles a day!) with just one puncture and apparently no aches and pains!

So far Connie has raised £2,625 for her chosen charity Back Up, who help people with spinal injury transform their lives. A big thank you to all those who have already donated.

If anyone would still like support this good cause and recognise Connie’s huge achievement, then her JustGiving page is still open. Thanks!

Well done Connie!