The latest meeting of the parish council took place on Thursday 15 September 2011 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall, Stambourne.

Pavilion - A quote for cleaning the floor of the pavilion has been received. Some discussion ensued about how much work should be carried out on the pavilion and the associated costs.

Playing field – A suggestion has been made that the playing field would benefit from a hard surface area for playing tennis, basketball etc. Do any of you have any further ideas or suggestions? Contact any of the parish councillors or me if you have any suggestions.

Highways – We are well aware of the poor state of the roads in this parish. All potholes that we are aware of have been reported to Essex Highways but we have no indication of when any repairs might take place. Wesley End Road particularly is a problem so please drive carefully and with consideration for other road users. Any potholes can be reported to me or direct to Essex County Council at www.Essex.gov.uk or by telephoning 0845 6037631.

Footpaths – Essex County Council has been in the area checking all the footpaths. There is a possibility that Essex CC may install the footbridge on footpath 28.

Diamond Jubilee 2012- We have ordered a Jubilee Oak tree to plant within the parish. More details of this and any events to celebrate the jubilee will follow

Finance – The external auditor has finalised the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2011.

The next meeting takes place on Thursday 17 November 2011 at 7.30pm in the village hall, Stambourne. There being no other matters to discuss the meeting finished at approximately 9.00pm.

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

St. Peter & St. Thomas Becket Parish Church Barbara DennisOne of the books we had to study for our exams when I was at school was Lord of the Flies by William Golding. After we had read the book we went to watch the film at a local cinema and I found the message a powerful one. In case you haven’t read the book, a group of boys are being evacuated from a war and the plane they are in crashes and they are stranded on an isolated Island.

The boys are all below 13 years old. One by one they turn into animalistic savages and eventually they kill a pig, then they kill one of the boys called Simon during a primal dance. Another boy, who they call Piggy, is bullied then falls to his death after being chased by one of the boys with a boulder. Others hide in fear of their lives.

The boys are eventually rescued by a Naval Officer. The Naval Officer is disappointed that the British Boys should have descended into chaos and savagery so quickly.

On Monday the 8th August a gang of youths in my home town of Romford went on the rampage. Debenhams was damaged, but with extra police officers drafted in they managed to limit the damage, other towns did not fare so well.
An eleven year old boy appeared in court for the damage to Debenhams in Romford.

Anyone who watched the riots on TV could not have failed to be appalled by what they saw and I have to admit to being in tears at what I saw and heard and it reminded me of ‘Lord of the Flies’.

The descent into savagery was quick and frightening. As we know three young men in Birmingham were killed and another man died from his injuries. Scores of officers and some of their dogs were injured. Homes and livelihoods were burnt and looted. What went wrong?

The politicians will tell you that it’s Liberalism that has created this, that it’s the cuts that have created it. That young people have no money or prospects and all maybe true, but that doesn’t excuse the behaviour.

Whatever my politics I do believe that it has something to do with the fact we are now a secular society.
Christianity has always had a lot to do with social cohesion, with building communities and yes with social control. St Paul says ‘Lawlessness is a sin.’ Jesus says’ Love thy neighbour.’

The Ten Commandments say ‘You shall not steal nor covet.’


When I was a child and even now I would be too scared to do break the law in case I was punished not only by society, but by God.


Nowadays many people do not believe in God, or Church, or care what people in the communities think of them. They covet what is not theirs because material goods are their Gods. The descent into evil was rapid because God and the goodness and love and beauty he is, does not exist for them, nor does the order and power he has over us and the universe.


This was contrasted with the reason and sense of community both Muslims and Sikhs displayed after the death of the three young men in their community. Their sense of the Holy united them and it was religion and community at its best.


Communities need rules and regulations to survive and I also think that they need to believe that life is sacred and develop a sense of what is Holy, if future generations are to flourish.


01787 237138
revbarbara8@btinternet.com


Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebration

Weekend 2nd/3rd June 2012
(The Bank Holiday is 4th and 5th June 2012).



Come and join in the celebrations!

We hope you would like to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June, so we are organising a few events that you may like to participate in.

Ideas so far:

An exhibition in the church - themes - 1952, jubilees, Royalty, Coronations, local history.

A family picnic on Sunday 3rd June, 2012, in the afternoon, with games.

A fancy dress competition - one for children and one for adults- themes, Red white and blue, 1952, Coronations, Jubilees, Diamonds, Royalty. We have organised an independent judge!!!

Last, but really the best - decorate/make a scarecrow and place it in your garden- themes as above!!

We hope that gives you plenty of time to get your thinking caps on and perhaps go to the jumble sale for all you need to make that scarecrow or your costume!!!

If you have any other ideas about how to celebrate the jubilee or photos of the coronation in 1952, about Stambourne preferably, or anything, please contact Elizabeth Fall on 01440 785289Harvest Supper, 1st October

This year’s Harvest Supper will take place in the Village Hall on the 1st October

Come and enjoy a lovely evening with others in the village

Local author Ashley Cooper will speak on ‘Harvest Memories’

Stambourne Congregational Church Adrian Burr 07983 656166From The Chapel
There seems to be so much illness about at the moment. Someone said to me the other day “well it’s reaping as we sowed”. All that junk food we ate, all those chemicals that we used on land, on our bodies, and in our houses. Is that what we sowed? If so, why do some people live long happy lives and others are taken early in life? I don’t have an answer, as it seems illogical, but then, the Bible explains why illness is in the world... it also explains that the world is designed to decay. Most of us think of decay as a negative, something to be fought against. We clean, and polish and dust and shine. We keep our gardens pristine and remove any signs of decay. But nature sees decay as the opportunity for renewal... Renewal of something different perhaps, but in essence without decay renewal could not happen.

And yet the Bible tells us of a time when “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God”. Romans 8:21
And commentators talk of this as being the whole of creation that is today subject to withering and dying. Jesus understood these principles well. He talks of a seed that is planted which must die before it can grow to become a new plant and yield a ten fold harvest.

At harvest time we think of the seeds that were planted and expect that ten fold increase. Indeed experts tell us that we will require much higher yields if we are to feed the predicted population in just 20-30 years time. And yet sometimes there is a much smaller return because of weather conditions, such as too much or too little rain, too high or too low a temperature, too much or too little wind. I can imagine living in a world where the weather was ideal at every step in the growth of a field of wheat. The probability is that apples and pears would not be so good. It is the very fact that non-ideal variations occur that means diverse crops can survive. Nothing is ever ideal for any one thing. Some years the weather is better for apples and some years for plums. Have you noticed how good the fruit crops have been this year? And yet we would hardly have said the May frost was conducive to a good yield – how much do we know!

Is it all by chance? Is all this variation and carefully balanced world all by chance? I suppose it could be, but many knowledgeable and distinguished scientists have come to the conclusion that all of creation cannot be “by chance”, but rather there is an intelligence behind creation and we are only discovering a little more of the genius of that intelligence whenever we make new discoveries.

Oh to be free of the bondage of decay!! Free of the bondage that appears to make this world work. Free from the “some days feeling good and others not so good”. Free to be well and fit and able every day. The Bible promises that the day is coming when that is what we will know. A promise that seems impossible, but if it is in the hands of a God who made up all the clever things we still are discovering then surely I can trust that He will come good on His promise for that day...

In the meantime let us continue to work.. for our Bible tells us “So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them?” Ecclesiastes 3:22

Adrian Burr, Minister
07983 656166 or 01440 730211

Stambourne Chapel News



HOLIDAY CLUB 23-25th AUGUST 2011 at the Chapel
Our thanks to all who helped to make the Holiday Club so enjoyable, both helpers and young people who enjoyed asking the question “Why Y?” (Y was one of the agents who kept coming up with funny ideas!!)

BIG BAKE: Thanks to cookers and eaters show came and enjoyed coffee and cake, and all the games and fun and helped raise £272 for the chapel and NoviMost, the charity supporting children’s work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (includes money raised at the car boot sale in Steeple Bumpstead). If you would like to know more about this work Gill Rowell of NoviMost will be leading worship and telling us about the work of the charity on Sunday 23rd October (10:45 start).

PEWS
The remaining 4 long (10foot) pews are available for a donation - let us know if you are interested! We can get them cut down to a length if required!






FAMILY FOUNDATIONS COURSE
Anne and John Smith from Canada will be teaching this course on the following days:

Thursday 27th October 7pm start
Friday 28th October 7pm start
Saturday 29th October 10am until 4pm.

Family Foundations International is committed to delivering to God His inheritance in the saints. That inheritance is YOU, understanding your identity and living and fulfilling your destiny in Christ!

Anne writes that her own heart was deeply stirred years ago upon reading Gary Smalley and John Trent’s Book, The Blessing. She realized upon reading this book that we in western culture had inadvertently, over time, departed far from many of God’s basic life principles. Many of the biblical foundations of families, including the practice of imparting the blessing from one generation to the next, have been ripped right out from under us in our culture.

Consequently, many people are often frustrated in their attempts to deal with the symptoms and consequences of long-term (multi-generational) destructive sowing and reaping patterns in their lives and the lives of their families.

This course is for individuals and couples who want to explore such issues and find out how they can break the mould and move out of the generational issues that exist in their life. The cost of the course is £25 per person. Contact Adrian Burr (07983 656166) for more details or to book. Places are limited.

INDIA – Bethesda Gospel Ministries

We have been raising money to support a group of Christian Churches build an orphanage in India and I am pleased to say that Pastor John will be visiting us sometime before Christmas!! Wish him a good journey from Hyderabad to our village! They still need several thousand pounds to complete this work and then we hope to support some of the children.

SERVICES
Services in October and November are at 10:45 and led by our minister unless otherwise stated

OCTOBER
2nd Wendy and Franco Podlesny – a testimony service with modern worship.
9th Communion
16th Stella Wallace-Tween
23rd Gill Rowell from NoviMost
30th Family Worship



NOVEMBER
6th Communion
13th Remembrance at the Church of England at 9:30am. The chapel will be open at 10:45-11:00am
20th Dianne Thomson
27th Family Service

Children’s Church meets every week at 10.45am

EVENTS and activities at the chapel - ALL WELCOME

Every Tuesday Coffee ’n Chat in the Chapel - 10-12am

Sat 22nd October Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Box Packing day – come and help pack shoe boxes and enjoy a time of fellowship together!

27 - 29th October




FAMILY FOUNDATIONS Course in the chapel
Thursday 27th at 7pm, Friday 28th at 7pm, and Saturday 28th at 10am and until 4pm.

Monday 31st October
All Saints Fun Evening for children 5-12 years old – 6pm-8pm

Our Christmas celebrations are:

11th December
Christmas Carol Service 10:45am in the chapel

25th December
Christmas Day Celebration 9:30-10:15am

You are always warmly welcomed at our Sunday services, coffee ‘n chat or just call us at any time. We are here to help!




CATH’S CHRISTMAS WREATHS

Saturday 26th November
11am – 3pm

Stambourne Village Hall

Christmas Wreaths
Gifts
Candles
June’s Homemade Cakes
Cards for Good Causes


Free Mince Pies and Mulled Wine

Cath: 01440 785678

Alive @ 5

ALIVE @ 5
SATURDAY 19th NOVEMBER
5.00pm at
ST. ANDREW’s CHURCH
GREAT YELDHAM

Our regular service of praise and prayer

Welcoming people from all our local Christian churches
Praying for the churches in the Colne Valley
Refreshments afterwards

Everyone welcome!

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING BUS 2011 FROM TOPPESFIELD

Christmas Shopping Bus to Norwich from Toppesfield

Saturday 12th November 8am, Toppesfield pump

Returns home for 6.30pm.

Cost per seat £15.

Also, 50...50 raffle with any money left over going to Toppesfield School and Toddlers.

Contact Zoe on 01440 785778 to book your seat



BONFIRE NIGHT 2011

SATURDAY 5th NOVEMBER

Stambourne’s annual Bonfire Night celebration will take place on Saturday 5 November 2011. The fire will be lit at 6.30pm.
Food and drink available.

Contributions of hedge trimmings, etc can be put on the fire site from Saturday 16 October but please no inappropriate materials or fly tipping.

Entry - £4.00 adults
£2.00 children



STAMBOURNE VILLAGE JUMBLE SALE

WITH CAKE STALL & RAFFLE

SATURDAY 5th NOVEMBER

2PM ONWARDS

All proceeds to Essex Air Ambulance



Please bring all jumble to the village hall:
Friday 4th morning or 2-4pm or 7-9pm.
Saturday 5th 10am – 12pm

Donations for Cake Stall gratefully received

Lois Hunter 01440 785720

DIARY DATES

October

Saturday 1st
Harvest Supper, Village Hall

Wednesday 12th
Ladies’ group, a talk on a trek along the Great Wall of China

November

Saturday 5th
Jumble Sale, Village Hall, 2pm
Bonfire Night, Playing Fields

Wednesday 9th
Ladies group, a talk about being a royal butler. Open to everyone

Saturday 12th
Christmas Shopping trip to Norwich, Toppesfield Pump, 8am

Thursday 17th
Parish Council Meeting, 7.30pm, Village Hall

Saturday 26th
Cath’s Christmas Wreaths, Village Hall, 11am – 3pm



Items for the next Newsletter by 17th November please
Steve Platt Tel : 01440 785638 Mobile : 07767 357016
email : me@stephenplatt.com


Essex Gliding Club, Ridgewell

Want an idea for a local treat?

Essex Gliding Club is a small, firiendly club operating from our superb airfield at Ridgewell.

You are welcome to come and visit our club: families are very welcome.
We operate Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from Ridgewell Airfield on days during the summer months whenever the weather is good enough to fly.


A short flight is a highly memorable experience as you are launched high into the sky to fly silently over the local countryside. But it doesn’t have to end there – many choose to continue their gliding adventure and go onto fly solo – so why not try it today!

http://essexgliding.com/THE BACKPAGE

The information below is taken from Stambourne’s weather website, www.stambourne.com/weather

It shows each month’s rainfall in centimetres from January to September and you can clearly see how dry the months from March to May were, with high amounts of rainfall in the summer months.

For the year, we’ve also had the following highs and lows

Temperature High: 31.1 °C on 27/6/2011
Temperature Low: -5.2 °C on 8/3/2011
Wind gust High: 37.5 mph on 4/2/2011

The low of -5.2 is not particularly cold when compared to the temperature of -13.3 recorded in the week before Christmas last year!

Months, January to September