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CALENDAR FOR APRIL 2009 – No: 377
1 9.30am Morning Prayer at St Mabyn 6.30pm St Tudy Football Club – every Wed 7.00pm Michaelstow APCM – Church 7.00pm St Mabyn APCM 3 School break up for Easter 4 10.00am Coffee in the Clink – St Tudy Over 60s
5 PALM SUNDAY (SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE EASTER) Isaiah 50: 4-9a, Phil 2: 5-11 (Hopefully we will have a donkey!) 6 7.00pm Compline St Tudy 7 7.00pm Compline St Mabyn 8 7.00pm Compline Michaelstow 7.30pm St Mabyn Garden Club 9 7.00pm MAUNDY THURSDAY Agape at St Mabyn 10 GOOD FRIDAY 12-1.00pm Good Friday Meditations at St Tudy 2-3.00pm Good Friday Meditations at St Mabyn 10 7.30pm Meditation on Passion of Christ St Tudy Church 11 10.00am Easter Coffee in the Clink St Tudy Pre-school, Easter Trails round the village 10.00am Magazine Deadline
12 EASTER DAY – CHRIST IS RISEN ALLELUIA Isaiah 25: 6-9, Acts 10: 34-43 14 10.30am Treveighan Coffee Morning 15 7.00pm St Tudy Fete Committee Meeting Rectory 17 7.00pm St Tudy W I
19 SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER Acts 4: 32-35, 1John 1:1-22 20 7.00pm St Tudy Village Hall AGM & business meeting 7.30pm Benefice Meeting Rectory 21 12noon Soup & Sweet Lunch St Tudy Methodist Church 23 John & Anthea Lobb’s Golden Wedding 25 7.00pm Concert – Wadebridge Male Voice Choir St Tudy Chapel
26 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER - ROGATION Acts 3: 12-19, 1 John 3: 1-7 Little Jazz Mass by Chilcott Cadon Chamber Choir 27 10.am Michaelstow Fete Meeting – Hilary Cragg’s
ST TUDY METHODIST CHURCH
There is a warm welcome to everyone to join us on all or any of the following dates:
Sunday 5th April 11.00am Revd Stella Long. Holy Communion Sunday 12th April 11.00am Mr T Waters Sunday 19th April 11.00am Mr M Hicks Sunday 26th April 11.00am Revd Bryan Ede
Soup & Sweet lunch this month, which will be the last one in the winter series, is on Tuesday, 21st April at 12 noon. Cost £3. Names and numbers to Pat Hodge on 850321 asap please.
We are looking forward to a concert by the Wadebridge Male Voice Choir on Saturday 25th April at 7pm. Admission by ticket only at £5 and are on sale at St Tudy Village Stores. This promises to be a very enjoyable evening so do come along and support it.
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St Tudy Garden Produce Association
We had a most enjoyable and informative visit on Monday 9th March to Bodmin Herb and Plant Nursery. We arrived there at around 6.30 in various cars to be welcomed by Mark, the owner who, along with his wife, took over the business in 2000. Although it was almost dark he took us on a tour of the greenhouses with their controlled lighting, and explaining along the way the modern technology they have installed. They aim to ensure plants develop good root systems in the most efficient manner possible with minimal use of chemical control. By using “warm” water from the river to heat the under floor of the greenhouses they are able to keep the roots of the plants “warm” with their tops “cool” and thus are very strong specimens. We are looking forward to returning for another evening in July, but most of us will certainly have re-visited before then to buy!
An advance notice of our annual May Day Bank Holiday outing on Monday 4th May – to Trelawney Garden Centre. NO, not the one at Wadebridge! The other one up in Devon at Ashford near Barnstaple! We will arrive there in time for lunch then hopefully go on to visit Marwood Hill Gardens which Dr James Smart established when he moved there in 1949. There are lakes, streams, bog gardens, arbours, greenhouses and walled garden to explore as well as plants to buy and a tearoom. Watch out for posters of more details of costs etc. Jane King
MEDITATION ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST
….. in St Tudy Church Good Friday 10th April at 7.30pm. This Meditation is based on the St Matthew Passion narrative and will consist of Nine Lessons from the Gospel interspersed with Hymns for Congregation and Choir, and Chorales for Choir from the “St Matthew passion” of JS Bach. The whole performance will last about one hour.
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ST TUDY PRE-SCHOOL
Things are getting busy at Pre-school, with more children arriving and the new time for the toddler session being extremely popular. Welcome to Alfie and Lotte who have just started with us. We're also busy with fundraising, and would like to say a big thank you to everyone who donated to and came out to the Bingo night last month - with your help we raised £367.17. All of us from the Preschool and the School would like to say a special thank you to Nat and her family for giving their time and materials so freely, and organising the night so seamlessly, with a load of novices in tow!
This month we will be in The Clink at 10am on 11th April. We will have Easter trails for little people and bigger people, as well as tea and coffee and cakes for sitting-down-people - we would love to see you there.
Dave Ricketts will be taking on the gruelling North Cornwall Tor cycle ride (43 miles!) on 19th April to raise money for the Pre-school. If anyone would like to sponsor Dave, please phone him on 01208 850638. We hope to put a sponsor form in the shop, and there will be one on our notice board in the village hall. Please feel free to sponsor some money. Good luck Dave!
Looking forward to May, we are holding a Clothes Show in the village hall on 30th May. The clothes being modelled will be end of line or discontinued high street/designer labels, available to buy after the show at a discount. Tickets are £3.50, refreshments will be available, a fun evening for everybody - look out for posters and more details nearer the time. Tickets available from Liz 01208 850278 and Kath 01208 851369. We run baby and toddler sessions on Thursday mornings, 9 - 11am for £2 per child (tea and coffee for parents included, as well as snack for little ones), and Preschool sessions run on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. If you are interested in enrolling a child, please pop along to one our sessions in St Tudy Village Hall and try us out. Susie Ballerstedt
REPORT FOR THE APCM TO BE HELD IN ST TUDY CLINK ON MONDAY 15TH MARCH
I was very surprised to discover when I was preparing this report just how busy 2008/2009 has been. Life has supplied its usual ups and downs which have been very much part of the village community. Since our last APCM there have been two baptisms in church. There have been four weddings and sadly the funerals of Elsie Bevan, Joan Flage, Eileen Sandry, Bernice Hancock, Leilia Selby, Ron Skyner and Kevin Bartlett have all taken place. Their deaths have left a great gap in the village.
We retain our faithful band of worshippers on a Sunday morning and we have also welcomed new villagers. Remembrance Sunday is always a very special occasion and this year we were extremely privileged to hear an inspiring address by Major General Peter Williams. This was also one of our four combined services with our friends at the Methodist Church. Easter and Christmas services are always well attended and the Harvest Festival, even if it was postponed by bad weather was a pleasant occasion. We were very blessed by glorious weather for the Fete and this contributed to its success. The Benefice Choir still functions well under the baton of Dr Gibbons and his organ playing inspires us on a Sunday morning. Thank you Geoffrey. Several people took part in Songs of Praise when it was filmed in Truro Cathedral. I continue to be very involved in the school where I take a weekly assembly. Sadly our new school will not now be built. This is a big disappointment. We were well represented at the Cathedral on 7th March when our new bishop, Bishop Tim, was installed.
Producing this report provides me with the opportunity to thank everyone once again for all the hard work that they have done for the benefit of the church and, which, is not always known to the public. My thanks go to Peter Coster and John Brendon-Cook for helping me maintain the services. I should like to thank Peter and Ken, my Churchwardens, Jenny and Joy, my Parish Secretaries, Pat, my Treasurer, Chris my Auditor and all members of the PCC. I should also like to thank all who helped with the Fete, Lesley for cleaning the church, all who arrange the flowers, the bell ringers, the “caterers” and in fact everyone and anyone who helps in any way. Please, even if you have not been specially named, count yourself as “thanked”. Finally I should like to say once again what a joy and privilege it is to serve you as your priest here in St Tudy. This is made possible by all the help, which you give to me and also by the unstinting help (often unseen) and support given to me by Alan my husband. Long may the love and care, which epitomises St Tudy, continue and may God bless you all. REVEREND MARGARET L MILLSON PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
MEETING OF ST TUDY CHURCH FETE COMMITTEE
There will be a further meeting of the organising committee at the Rectory on Wednesday 15th April at 7pm to complete arrangements for the Fete on 13th June. * * * * * * * * *
Just a Thought
As a flower lover it makes me very uncomfortable to see these drooping bunches of flowers and wind blown wrappings.
Why not take the flowers to the grieving relatives, who can read the card messages and also look after the flowers? Or, perhaps, a welcome meal sent round to the bereaved? A letter of condolence or some help offered? Please no more polythene wrapped flowers by the roadsides. M.E-C
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TREGARDOCK GEESE
Up to 36 white ganders free to a good home. As lawn mowers, security officers or for breeding. They respond to hand signals and are friendly. Tel Hugo on 01840 213300 or email tregardock1@hotmail.com if interested.
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ST TUDY CHURCH SPRING CLEAN
It would be appreciated if as many parishioners as possible could spend a little time on 6th or 7th April to help spring clean our lovely church. Please bring polish, dusters, cleaning cloths or brushes. Coffee and biscuits will be provided.
EASTER LILIESIn recent years it has been the custom to place lilies in St Tudy Church at Easter to remember loved ones.
If you would like a lily for this purpose please place £3 in an envelope with the name and give to Judith Jasper at Woodcote, Wadebridge Road, or to myself at Long Barn, Tremeer Lane by 5th April. The £3 will cover the cost for one person or a couple. Please could all flower arrangements help to decorate the church on Easter Saturday morning. P TANNER
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Allen Valley Singers
March winds did blow and rain and snow and sleet fell also but our concert at the Social Club in Padstow certainly brought some cheer to both the audience and the singers. Our soloists were Zoe Ray, who never fails to charm us with her singing and Steve Tyrrell, who played a piano piece that he had not performed before, with his usual consummate skill.
On Sunday 8th March, we manned a beautifully decorated table as part of the Pencarrow Bridal Fair. We were there to promote the choir in its contribution of the music at weddings. We have successfully taken part in many nuptials, in that we have recommended suitable hymns and organ music if necessary, in addition to singing a selection of songs, whilst the registration takes place. Many thanks to all those members who contributed to the day’s success, with the decoration of the table and the flowers especially worthy of note.
May I remind you of our first Recruitment Evening on the 21st April. Please do join us for the evening in one of our practices and meet the choir. We look forward to welcoming you at 7.15 p.m. at the St. Kew Highway Village Community Hall. You may just want to listen or perhaps join in with a warm-up exercise (voice, not hips and thighs!). You may well be inspired to join us on a more permanent basis. Come anyway, we will be delighted to meet you. For membership, please get in touch with our Musical Director, Janette Man, Telephone 01208 841784. To book the choir or have any other enquiries, please contact our Secretary Jane Smith 01840 211490. Mobile 07714 155268 Publicity Officer. Dr. Joyce Hargrave-Wright 01208264004
TREE RINGS AND HISTORY
A tree grows well one year, next year its growth is less vigorous. Growth rings in the wood of the trunk correspond, widely spaced at the end of a good season, narrowly after a bad one. 7 “fat years” will leave 7 wide spaces; 7 lean years will leave 7 narrower spaces. In this over-simple example the pattern will be distinctive, even if a little modified in other trees at a short distance. When there is a more subtle pattern statistical methods can give a measured degree of confidence in matching the records of different trees. Although the original measurements are widths of spaces, the critical analysis is based on the ratios of spaces between successive rings.
The restoration of about half of the main roof of St Mabyn Church, financed in part by English Heritage, is now virtually complete; English Heritage has given the church a copy of an article entitled “Church of St Mabena, St Mabyn, Cornwall. Dendrochronological Analysis of Oak Timbers”. The author, Ian Tyers, describes the church and its relationship to the village. He mentions that “a temporary weatherproof (!) roof” was erected before the work began. He shows in detail how: (a) a longer record of variation can sometimes be based with confidence on a joined-up record combining records of trees felled at different dates and (b) such records when compared with those of timber found in other buildings of known date can indicate the date of felling of a particular sample. He says the timbers show signs of “trestle sawing”. 23 cores were drilled from the timbers. Each core was of 15mm thickness and these were analysed. The author’s main conclusions are “the calculations of common felling periods for the three roofs suggest construction dated AD1513-1535 for the north aisle, AD1485-1514 for the nave and AD1487-1523 for the porch.”
I am left with several questions for which I would like answers, perhaps from English Heritage. The author tells us that some of the timbers in the roof have numbers cut on them, all in Roman numerals. No details are given. What is their relevance? Did a surge of church building about late 15th century/early 16th coincide with the clearance of woodland (with much oak) for farming? The churches of St Mabyn, St Tudy and Michaelstow are, I believe, of roughly the same period. They must have demanded the timber of thousands of oak trees. Was this at about the same time as the building of the “wool churches” of East Anglia when England exported wool with great profit? What was Cornwall like before great clearances? Deep valleys still seem to have plenty of oaks. But the moors and other high ground can’t have been much good for quality oak timber. What about exposed land near the coast, washed with salt in winter gales? GEORGE DYKE ST MEWAN SINFONIA
….Saturday 9th May in St Tudy Church at 7.30pm. The Sinfonia has over the last thirty years acquired a reputation for the very high standard of its performances. In the last twelve months it has given concerts in Launceston and Truro Cathedral. Tickets for this concert will be available from early April or at the door on the evening of the performance at the modest price of £5. They can be obtained from Geoffrey Gibbons (851267) or other members of the PCC. This should be a splendid occasion and it is hoped that it will have general support. Details of the programme will appear in the May Magazine.
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CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES TO:
John and Anthea Lobb who celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 23rd April. * * * * * * * * *
QUIZ NIGHTS
… at the Cornish Arms, St Tudy. Every Wednesday 7.30 for 8pm. All proceeds to charity. Teams of up to 4 people. 1st prize Roast meal for 4. Winner gets to choose following week’s charity. 2nd prize Bar meal for 4. Come along and have fun. * * * * * * * * *
St Tudy Village Hall Management Committee Margaret Shelley Hon Sec
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FROM THE PARISH DIARIES
Rest in Peace 26th February at St Mabyn Howard Guy Hoskin (known as Bunty or Bomber)
ST TUDY CHURCH FETE
As you will have read in a previous copy of this Magazine, the Church Fete will be held on 13th June in the Rectory Garden by kind permission of Rev Margaret and Alan Millson. In the event of inclement weather we shall use the Village Hall.
As always we are blessed with a band of helpers to prepare, manage the various stalls and clear up at the end of the afternoon. However, if there are others not presently actively engaged in looking after stalls who would like to assist, please give name and telephone numbers to Ken Alford (851261), Jennie Muir (851293) or Geoffrey Gibbons (851267).
In addition, we would be grateful for items for the following stalls: Household, Plant, Cakes, Books and Toys, Sweets, Books, Glass, Bottle Stall etc. Prizes of any sort or description for the Raffle or Tombola would be most welcome, as would volunteers to help with the catering for the occasion and selling teas on the day. If there is any way in which you can help to make the Church Fete a success please speak to any member of the PCC, or telephone Ken Alford, Jennie Muir or Geoffrey Gibbons.
* * * * * * * * * OVER 60s COMMITTEE
We will be holding a Coffee Morning in the Clink on Saturday 4th April from 10.00-11.30am. Raffle and Bring and Buy. All very welcome.
As we know, rising costs are affecting us all in some way or another at the moment. To this end, we have unfortunately had to increase the price of the outing to £7 for members and £8 for guests, in order to help cover costs.
Our outing this year will be on Wednesday 20th May, visiting Endsleigh Garden Centre near Ivybridge and stopping for tea on the way back. We will leave the Chestnut Tree at 1.15pm and return at approximately 7pm. We hope you will join us; the invitations will be sent out shortly.
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FROM REVEREND MARGARET
On 26th April during the 11.05am service at St Tudy, the Cadon Chamber Choir will be performing the “Little Jazz Mass”. Please come along to hear it - in exchange there will be no sermon.
New lightweight folding tables and chairs have been ordered for the Clink. We have been given a grant from the Diocese towards “outreach” within the community. They have to be lightweight and easily portable so that they can be used in the church and other venues as the need arises.
We are hoping to have a small lending library in the Clink. If you have any books that are in very good condition and would like to donate them to the library, please leave them at the Clink. We are also looking for a bookcase. It is hoped that the library will be open several times each week. (Any volunteers?) A voluntary donation of 10p every visit where books are borrowed is requested in order to help towards the cost of the electricity. Hopefully this will happen very soon.
FREE GIFTS. Phil Tizzard has 10 wooden tables that he is willing to give away to anyone who might like them. Please contact Phil if you are interested.
We begin this month with Easter just over the horizon. Palm Sunday is the joyous occasion when we remember Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, and so proclaiming himself to be King (of heaven). Then from Monday onwards the sombre clouds gather overhead as we prepare for Good Friday and the Crucifixion.
As usual during Holy Week, we have on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the short peaceful Monastic evening service of Compline. On Maundy Thursday we remember the Last Supper in our Agape or “Love Feast” at 7pm at St Mabyn. This follows the Jewish Feast of the Passover. We enjoy a three-course meal and fellowship. It is a very pleasant occasion and everyone is most welcome.
On Good Friday we will be having our usual hour meditation at both St Tudy and St Mabyn. In the evening at 7.30pm in St Tudy there will be a Meditation on the Passion interspersed with hymns. The Benefice Choir will be leading the singing. On Easter Day itself the 11.05am service at St Tudy will be Holy Communion (CW) with a Baptism in the service. I do hope that all three churches will be full as we celebrate “Christ is Risen”. May the joy of Easter shine in your hearts.
Dear Friends A recent advertisement on the London buses stated that "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." The advert originally omitted the word ‘probably’ but this was vetoed because it couldn’t be proved that there is no God. Many Christians objected to the advert and some bus drivers refused to drive those buses. However it is interesting that an advert promoting atheism has actually served Christianity more as it has initiated discussion. Some people say they couldn’t be Christians because there is no proof that God exists but, as this advert highlights, it also can’t be proved that God doesn’t exist.
Faith is believing in something, which cannot be proved for if it could be proved there would be no need of faith. But faith is more than just believing it is about trusting. Unless we are can trust God with our lives then our faith means nothing. In one of the Indiana Jones films, Indiana is fleeing danger when he finds himself at the mouth of a cave half way up a towering cliff with no way up or down. His instructions tell him to step out into the void and it is only when he takes the first step that he finds a causeway crossing the void. Sometimes our faith in God is a little like that - the first steps feel like stepping into the void but with each step our confidence in God grows as we learn we really can trust Him.
How much faith Jesus must have had to allow himself to suffer as he did that first Good Friday. And God didn’t disappoint him or us as Easter saw his victory over death. If God could do that for Jesus surely we should all be able to put our faith in Him. Perhaps there is no God but are you willing to take the risk? Happy Easter – Stella
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Thanks
Agnes Hoskin, Joanne, Susannah and families would like to thank the many friends and relatives for cards, messages of sympathy and offers of help. Thank you to all who attended Howard's (Bunty's) funeral, to the Rev. Margaret Millson for officiating at the lovely service and for donations to RNLI, in lieu of flowers.
Jennifer and Bernard Skinner would like to thank everyone who made their Golden Wedding Anniversary special. Also for the lovely cards and flowers. Thank you.
I would like to thank everyone who sent me cards, flowers, chocolates, books etc after my recent operation. It was much appreciated and overwhelming. Thank you. LILIAN LAMERTON
FRIENDS OF ST MABYN CHURCH
Almost £700 was raised at our fifth meal and talk in St Mabyn Village Hall on 27th February when nearly 60 guests enjoyed a three-course meal and talk by Carole Vivian (Bard). The meal received well-deserved accolades thanks to Liz Williams and her team. Special thanks are also due to everyone who worked so hard on the day, especially Ann and Alex who could not have imagined what they were letting themselves in for!
Carole’s talk was absolutely fascinating and she managed to cover a wide area starting at Bodmin then on to St Mabyn, St Tudy, St Kew and St Endellion. Copies of her extremely informative publication “Churches to the West of Bodmin Moor” (in aid of Cornwall Historic Churches Trust) were for sale and eagerly snapped up. Carole’s booklet most certainly adds a further dimension to St Mabyn Church, as it is so easy to take in the beautiful architecture without noticing many of the other interesting features. It is somewhat ironic that when the Hext Family Memorial Window was installed in 1803 it cost £100. At today’s value that equates to about £7000, which is approximately how much it would cost for it to be restored.
Apart from an ancient chest with no less than five locks, the village stocks, and what appears to be a little ‘green man’ (who is in fact yellow) in one of the windows in the Church, there is a constable’s truncheon on the wall behind the font dating from 1807. Among his many other duties a police constable was responsible for collecting child maintenance from the fathers of illegitimate children in the Parish!
The list of Rectors on the East wall dates back to 1207, many of whom were from distinguished families. When the Reverend Leveson-Gower was appointed in 1818 he upset many parishioners who accused him of vandalism as a result of making considerable alterations to the Church and throwing out mural tablets and monuments commemorating local families. However, a little personal research reveals that when he died suddenly in 1841 his obituary stated “Rev. Gower's loss will be greatly felt by the poor of the neighbourhood, to whom he was a constant and liberal benefactor.”
Hopefully, Carole Vivian, will return some time in the future and enlighten us further. In the meantime, if anyone has any early photographs of the interior of St Mabyn Church, we’d love to hear from you (01208 841607). Enquiries, Membership and Donations – 01208 841378 or 02108 841607. AUDREY COOKE
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