PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – Thursday 19th March
The latest Parish Council meeting and the last before the upcoming elections took place on Thursday 19 March 2015 at 7.30pm in the village hall, Stambourne. There was one member of the public attending.

Pavilion – As previously reported the Parish Council have been awarded a grant from the Community Initiatives Fund to enable the roof of the pavilion to be replaced and other work carried out. Arrangements are proceeding well and it is hoped to have the work completed before the village fete on 28th June 2015.

Playing field – I am pleased to report that Sonia Antonioni has been been successful in obtaining a grant for £500 from Greenfields Housing Association to be used to purchase a new item of play equipment. Sonia has been in discussion with Wickstead Leisure who have suggested a suitable item of equipment and we will keep you advised as to when this will be installed. Thank you to Sonia for all her work.

Highways – As ever the state of the roads in and around the parish continue to cause concern. Please remember that anyone can report in a Highways issue by going to www.essex.gov.uk/reportahighwayproblem and follow the link.

Footpaths – There have been a couple of signage problems on footpaths which will be reported into the Footpaths Officer for attention.
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Village Sign – The design has been agreed and the work is now underway. The sign will be fitted as soon as it is ready.

Parish Plan - Michael Crago and the committee have been working hard to compile all the information received as a result of the survey and the finished product should soon be available. Thank you to everyone involved in this project.

As you will no doubt be aware elections are due to take place on 7th May 2015 and the next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Thursday 21 May 2015 at 7.30pm in the village hall.

Minutes and agendas are available on the website at
www.Stambourne.com

Debbie Hilliard
Parish Clerk
Tel: 01440 785629
Email: debbiehilliard614@gmail.com

ATTEMPTED DOG THEFTS

A white transit van with a couple of males have been offering the owners money for dog/s, and then using aggressive behaviour when refusing to give them the dog.  Great Bardfield have experienced these situations lately and I'm very concerned and feel very strongly that local dog owners should be aware.

CHARITY BARN DANCE

Charity Barn Dance - Saturday 6th June - Bailey Hill Farm, Birdbrook


Raising money for the Essex Air Ambulance and the Stroke Association.


For tickets please call 01440788211 or email barn.dance@yahoo.co.uk

ST. PETER & ST. THOMAS BECKET PARISH CHURCHCHURCH NEWS

Our next major Service will be on Easter Sunday, the 5th April 2015 at 11.15am.
 
It will be taken by Joan Redmond who has been taking Services for us for the last few months on the first Sunday.  She is accompanied by a small choir led by the organist, John Bohling.  They have been a great success and we thank them.
 
The other main Service last month was the funeral of Kenneth Tarbin, the foreman of the farm of Mr Jim Shand.  He was a popular local man, father and grandfather. The Church was full with over a hundred in the congregation, including many children of his own family and friends.
 
SERVICES MAY TO JUNE 2015
 
Besides our Easter Sunday Service there will be Good Friday Services at Tilbury Juxta Clare at 10.00am and Toppesfield at 6.30pm.
 
3rd May     Holy Communion by extension with Joan Redmond at 11.15am
10th May   Holy Communion with the Vicar at 9.30am
17th May   No Service
24th May   Morning Prayer. Dave Brown or Ministry Team at 9.30am
31st May   Trinity Sunday Benefice Service at Great Yeldham 10.00am
 
7th June     Holy Communion by extension with Joan Redmond at 11.15am
14th June   Holy Communion with the Vicar at 9.30am
21st June   No Service
28th June   Holy Communion with the Vicar at 9.30am
 
Richard Day
Val Kerrison
Church Wardens



STAMBOURNE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Adrian BurrHave you decide who to vote for yet?   I found a web site the other day that asked my views on some of the questions that politicians think we should be interested in, and the software then compared my answers with the seven political parties that seem to have come to the fore recently.  And guess what... I agree with roughly 60% of all the policies of all the parties (according to the software)!!  Well I suppose that means there is a core of things that we can all agree on!  But it does make the choice of candidate so difficult!  I hope you are all having an easier time of it!

Some say that politics and religion shouldn't mix.  I can understand that in our pluralistic society it is sensible for politics to remain aloof from religion, but the problem is then politics seems to push non-religious beliefs, and so gets caught in this difficult place where it ends up supporting a belief system, though not "religious", which in itself becomes against all other religions and "for" its own beliefs.

What I suppose I am saying is that politics cannot, by its very nature, be outside of some form of belief system.  If we believe in fairness, and caring, and the free market, and social justice we are expressing a form of religion, for we come to worship those things.  So our beliefs form our religion and what we worship.  The Bible puts it succinctly:  "Matthew 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  That is to say we will always worship what we treasure most - and politicians are not above this!  It is what they believe in that motivates them, so perhaps we should be asking what our candidates treasure most.  Where is their heart?  For then we will find out what their "religion" is and consequently what sort of government we will have!

I hope that hasn't made your job too much more difficult when choosing our next representative to Westminster!  Enjoy your Easter break and this wonderful spring we are having!

Every blessing    Adrian Burr, Minster, Stambourne Chapel,  07983 656166
Services are at 10:45 am and led by our minister or one of the fellowship, though on occasions we have visiting preachers.


1st Sunday is Communion Service
2nd and 3rd Sundays are a mix of contemporary and traditional worship
4th Sunday service is led by our REACH band and is followed by a bring and share meal

April and May Diary
3rd April      Good Friday reflection at 10am with a Last Supper Communion
5th April      Easter Sunday Celebration service at 10:45am
19th May    Tuesday Coffee Morning and Plant Swap - bring along your spare plants and swap with friends and neighbours over a cup of coffee
If you would like our Newsletter email your request to aburr@inbox.com
Any queries about family history please call 07983 656166

Please "like" us on Facebook at Stambourne Chapel



SCARECROW COMPETITION
The theme is NURSERY RHYMES

Judging will take place on Saturday 27th June and the winner will be announced on Sunday 28th June at the
STAMBOURNE VILLAGE FETE

Jumble Sale to be held on the 2nd May 2015. Doors open at 2.00pm Entrance fee 50p.

Help on Friday 1st May would be most welcome Morning afternoon or evening.We will have a cake stall so any donations of cakes would be most welcome.

All proceeds to the Essex Air Ambulance

For any further information please ring Lois Hunter 01440785720

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS
Stambourne Post Office, open Tuesday & Thursday 1pm – 5pm
01440 785100

Milk Deliveries Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Dairy Crest Ltd. 0345 6063606

Newspapers
Gt. Yeldham Post Office 01787 237201

DIARY DATES
Easter Sunday Celebration Service, The Chapel, 5th April
Easter Sunday Service, The Church, 5th April
SCARECROW Competition, see article
JUMBLE SALE, 2nd May
Steve Platt Email : me@stephenplatt.com or phone 07767 357016