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Calendar for January 2002

Services in Kingscote

Services in Horsley

• The Taize worship meeting will be held at 7.30 pm on Thursday 3rd January in the Lady Chapel
• Clergy have been engaged for all of the normal Kingscote services in January. However this may not always be possible in future months. When it is clear that we cannot find a minister for a future service, this will be indicated in the Forerunner. The editor will try to ensure that the services in Horsley are correctly advertised, so that if there is not a service in Kingscote then parishioners can attend there in confidence. Please make a special effort to support these services as the clergy are severely stretched by local demands at this time.
• The next PCC Meeting will be held on Monday 4th February at 8.00 pm in the Village Hall. We are delighted to welcome Brooks Childress who is taking over the PCC Accounts from Jane Nichols on 1st January 2002. In order to spread the workload we have separated out the role of Cashier, which will be done by Harry Tubbs. Also Philip Kendell has kindly agreed to take on the role of Covenants/Gift Aid officer, which has been carried out by Robert Whitworth for many years. We thank Jane and Robert for their huge contributions to the running of the church in these key roles.
• Forerunner Internet Site www.geocities.com/forerunneruk/
• Diocesan Internet News Site www.glosdioc.org.uk

Have you read the instructions ? How often in this modern world we hear that question, particularly around Christmas time. Although in our excitement we may try to do without them, we know that they are important and that if 'it doesn't work' we must consult them . Furthermore we know that they are inherently correct and reliable. There may be a mistranslation here, there may be a printing mistake there, there may be a word or two which we do not quite understand, but we know that when we have understood them they show how to make it work as intended.

It is reported that men are less likely to consult the instructions, preferring to rely on their natural skill and experience. When one considers the things which appeal to men - motor cars, chain saws, financial speculation, women etc. this is a little surprising since all are complex and involve a degree of risk !

It seems that this misplaced masculine self-confidence also applies to religion, which in general plays a role as 'instructions for life'. It is an established fact that women outnumber men in church attendance in Britain, as in Kingscote. This is a pity since all we humans are spectacularly capable of making a mess of our own and other people's lives, and we all need the maker's guidance.

There really is only one thing wrong with the world, and that is humans. This is very sad because we are manifestly the pinnacle of mental and physical development, with the awesome ability to distinguish and choose between good and evil.

Harry Tubbs

Jan 6th and 13th Mrs C. Hatherall

Jan 20th and 27th Mrs S. Padden

Feb 3rd and 10th Mrs J. Bateman

Jo Spash

All children of 3 years or over are welcome to join us on the 6th of January at 11.00 am in the Village Hall for games, discussions and other activities. Our Sunday collections in 2001 amounted to £22.12. A cheque has been sent to the Toybox Charity which supports street children in Guatemala. Thank you for these contributions. Also 15 children and 6 adults braved the cold to sing carols around the village. Through their efforts and the generosity of residents £117.82 was raised. This has been shared between two charities linked with the Church of England, Christian Aid and The Children's Society. Thank you all.

We have added to the amount we made at the Coffee Morning for the Fabric Fund, bringing it up to £1000. We meet again in the church on Wednesday 16th January at 2.30 pm, and we would be very pleased to welcome some new members. We are a very small group, shrinking all the time !

Vida Sutton

Our Skittles Evening on 21st November was a very jolly affair. We were a bit short on numbers, being only seven ladies plus three husbands, so we just played for the highest single score and guess what ? - we went and let a Man win by the name of Harry Tubbs. We enjoyed our Christmas Dinner at the Amberly Inn on 11th December, and our first meeting in 2002 will be on Wednesday 9th January when we visit the Stroud Museum at Stratford Park. We meet at the Village Hall at 2.00 pm.

Vida Sutton

We take this opportunity to thank Rosemary Sims our faithful organist who holds our singing together whatever the weather.

The PCC

We send our special best wishes and congratulations to Jack and Marjory Streak who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on 31st December 2001.

Mrs Vera Hill's daughter (Mrs Monica Parker) rang recently to say that her mother will be 100 years old on 3rd January 2002, and asked if anyone would like to send her a birthday card. Vera's father, Charles Henry Palfrey was the wheelwright and carpenter for the village, and he built Rosemary Villas, and the church Lych Gate and altar rails.

Vera was christened, confirmed and married in Kingscote church, and lived here until about 1950. Before she married, probably between 1916 and 1918, she taught at Bagpath school. She has an excellent memory and if anyone would like to know about the life and people of Kingscote at the beginning of the last century, she would be delighted to help.

Vera's address is: Hawthorns House, Hawthorns Lane, Keynsham, Bristol,

BS31 1BE

Mrs Parker's address is: The Old Market, Station Road, Bruton, Somerset.

Georgina Harford

On 13th December the ashes of two old former residents of Kingscote were interred in the church yard. Colin Vickery was known to many current residents, having run the Post Office with his wife for many years. He also sang in the church choir and played a key role as sexton and verger. He donated the flags which hang on either side of the altar. Margaret Baldwin was less well known having left the village several years ago. She attended the village school, ran the Kingscote Brownie pack and was married in the church.

As we approach the end of the year the final result for Appeal 2001 will be approximately £15,000 in cash donated, to which we expect to be able to add some £3,000 in Gift Aid recovered from the Inland Revenue. This is a wonderful achievement for such a small community, for which we are most grateful. Georgina is very busy applying to all likely sources of supporting Grant Aid.

The PCC

On behalf of the Royal British Legion we thank all who contributed and collected in 2001, resulting in a total for the parish of £506-20. We also thank John Giddings who is retiring as a collector after many years.

Tony Wooldridge

Commencing on Wednesday 9th January, yoga classes for all levels of ability will be held from 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm in the Village Hall. To find out more, and make bookings for the programme of 10 sessions costing £40, ring Christine Hewett

The Post Office is open on every normal working Tuesday and Thursday :

from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm and from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

Mobile Library

The mobile library will be by The Walled Garden from 9.40 am to 9.55 am on Thursdays January 10th and 24th.

The boxes will be emptied as follows:

Newington and Bagpath - Tues. 8th and Mon. 21st January.

Kingscote - Wed. 9th and Tues. 22nd January.

Material for the next issue of the Forerunner please by 20th January to H. Tubbs, 3 The Walled Garden, Tel. 860 194, Email .

The Editor

Many people in the Cotswold District live out in rural areas and villages and are at a disadvantage accessing many services and facilities, including cinema and arts events.

Cotswold District Council recognises that not everyone has access into main towns for these leisure facilities and is working with the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council on a Rural Cinema project.

The mobile cinema equipment consists of a screen, DVD and video player projector, speakers and amplifiers. It is intended that the equipment, which fits into the back of a car, will travel around the Cotswold district to village halls and community centres showing a selection of recent and old films.

This project provides an opportunity for local people to work together to bring quality arts provision to their community, providing a valuable service as well as increasing the use of their hall, raising some funds and promoting community spirit.

A meeting is to be held in Northleach, at the Westwood centre, on 5th February 2002 at 7.00 pm for those interested to see the equipment and hear more about the project.

For further information on this subject please contact Margaret Mernaugh, Cotswold District Council Arts Officer, on Tel. 01285 640 349.

For general information on GRCC activities contact Caroline Edwards, Cotswold Field Officer on Tel. 01452 528 491.

John Giddings and Lutz Wagner are retiring from the committee at the end of 2001, and we all thank them for their years of service in that role.

Angela Wooldridge

We thank all who came and helped on Saturday morning 24th November. A number of important tasks were completed including clearing the gutters, removing the jackdaws' nests from the tower, cutting back brushwood and washing windows.

The PCC

The first day of Christmas my true love said to me
I'm glad we bought fresh turkey and a proper Christmas tree.

On the second day of Christmas much laughter could be heard
As we tucked into our turkey, a most delicious bird.

On the third day of Christmas, we'd people from next door
The turkey tasted just as good as it had the day before.

Day four relations came to stay; poor Gran is looking old
We finished up the Christmas pud and ate the turkey cold.

On the fifth day of Christmas, outside the snowflakes flurried
But we were nice and warm inside, we had our turkey curried.

On the sixth day, I must admit, the Christmas spirit died
The children fought and bickered, we had turkey rissoles fried.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave a wince
When he sat down at table, and was offered turkey mince.

Day eight, our nerves were getting frayed, the dog had run for shelter
I served up turkey pancakes, with a glass of Alka Seltzer.

On day nine our cat left home, by lunch-time Dad was blotto
He said he had to have a drink to face turkey risotto.

By the tenth day, the wine had gone, except our home-made brew
As if that wasn't bad enough, we suffered turkey stew.

On the eleventh day of Christmas the Christmas tree was moulting
The mince pies were as hard as rock and the turkey was revolting.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Dad loudly smacked his lips
The guests had gone, the turkey too...we dined on fish and chips.

A happy new year from Lutz Wagner.

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