December 2017 Churchwardens' Report
The harvest is in now, but as is traditional, Peldon Harvest Festival was at the end of September with the Harvest Supper at 7pm on September 30th, and the Harvest Service is the following day at 11am. Here, we see the first of the offerings on the altar (we took more than double that in bags to the Night Shelter the next day) and one of the 4 tables of diners at the Supper
St Mary’s is host for the Saturday rehearsals of Octavia and Towering Angels (two of the small groups formed from Quire, the World Music Choir). The first of our evening concerts was on Friday November 17th at 7 30pm Youth must have some Dalliance –
Here we have the sackbuts and shawms and drums in full flow, and Towering Angels in full song.
TA and Octavia are presenting a concert of American songs and Geordie Music Hall songs early in the New Year – a concert called Winter Warmer on Friday February 23rd in St Mary’s.
Our traditional Peldon Village Carols (singing round the village) is on Tuesday December 19th meeting initially at PWCH at 6.30pm.
We have booked the new Community Hall for The Highland Fling – which the Friends run annually. This year the Fling is on Saturday February 10th from 7pm. Contact Bill on 735 770 and he will put you in touch with the ticket lady!!
And get your diaries out – put in Peldon Village Fete Saturday June 9th at Lodge Cottage, Lodge Lane. starting at 12 noon.
Autumn in Peldon 2017
Our new, joint Peldon and Wigborough Community Hall (PWCH) opened on September 2nd 2017.
On September the 3rd there was THE Cricket Match between Wigborough and Peldon! Peldon could not muster a complete team, so Wigborough kindly stepped in to provide a few players. Peldon lost... by a lot! With good grace though. The weather was not kind but we had fun and showed once again that the villages can work together. This ‘working together’ will show itself again in the running of the new Community Hall.
St Mary’s hosts Messy Church on Saturday September 23rd at 2 30. This is organised jointly with the Wigboroughs .
With the autumn term upon us, St Mary’s is host for the Saturday rehearsals of Octavia and Towering Angels (two of the small groups formed from Quire, the World Music Choir). We have the first of our evening concerts on Friday November 17th at 7 30pm in which Towering Angels sing with Colchester Waits – Youth must have some Dalliance – (a quote from Henry 8’s song Pastime with good company) which should be interesting – Quire has never sung with shawms and sackbuts before). TA and Octavia are hoping to present a concert of American songs and Geordie Music Hall songs early in the New Year.
The harvest must be in by now, but as is traditional, Peldon Harvest Festival is at the end of September the Harvest Supper is at 7pm on September 30th, and the Harvest Service is the following day at 11am.
The Peldon Christmas Bazaar is in the church from 11am – 3pm on Saturday December 2nd.
Our traditional Peldon Village Carols (singing round the village) is on Tuesday December 19th meeting initially at PWCH at 6.30pm.
Summer 2017 Report
Many lovely things have happened in the village since Easter:
Bill Tamblyn’s son Will organised a gentle celebration of Spring with an entertainment of songs, instrumental music, poems and prose called Spring Song in St Mary’s on Saturday July April 29th at 7.30pm . A good and appreciative audience. Profits from Spring Song went to support our student in Uganda through the Truan Trust which is based in Peldon Village.
Just up the road from St Mary’s, June Village Fete and Craft Fair was held at Lodge Cottage for the first time, attracting a record attendance on what was a lovely day. The highlight was the air display organised for us by the Kearney’s - complete with commentary by the local air display company.
St Mary’s celebrated John Ball day on July 16th at Café church. John Ball was the spiritual leader of the Peasants’ Revolt, but Kay Gilmore, in her history of Peldon, recalls that his parents lived in Peldon, so Peldonians count him as ‘one of ours!
Our new, joint – Peldon and Wigborough Community Hall opens on September 2nd at 7 30. There is much excitement in Peldon as we wait to see the inside. The fine red brick outer skin has been completed for a while.
On September the 3rd there is the Cricket Match between Wigborough and Peldon. An annual event for the keen cricketers – at Steve Copland’s field at Elmdale just down the road from St Mary’s.
St Mary’s hosts Messy Church on Saturday September 23rd at 2 30. This is organised jointly with the Wigboroughs, as will be our Bazaar on December 2nd will also be hosted by St Mary’s this year.
Churchwarden Bill Tamblyn
Peldon Churchwardens' Easter 2017 Report
A favourite event in Peldon is the Passover Meal, Tuesday evening April 11th at 7.30pm. Here, (again by custom,) we use Rabbi Lionel Blue’s moving ‘Passover for Christians’ as our structure for the ritual meal. Please let us know if you can come. In the recent past we have welcomed diners from the Wigboroughs, Abberton and Mersea. Call Bill on 01206 735 770.
After some years off, we are resuming the Good Friday Meditation at 10 am at St Mary’s led by Jill and John with readers from the parish.
Let us hope for good weather as we climb the tower on April 16th at 10.30am to sing Easter Carols as our congregation assemble for Easter Sunday Communion at 11am.
Bill Tamblyn’s son Will is organising a gentle celebration of Spring with an entertainment of songs, instrumental music, poems and prose called Spring Song on Saturday July April 29th at 7.30pm. (Will has returned from the music school at the University in Edinburgh. He was a chorister in St Giles Cathedral for two years and returns to Stirling in the autumn to take an MSc in Psychology.) Profits from Spring Song will go to support our student in Uganda through the Truan Trust which is based in Peldon Village.
For news of the June Village Fete and Craft Fair, please see our local Parish News ( which, by the way, is on sale in reception at Mersea Dental Practice!)’Lots planned for an exciting day to be held this year at Lodge Cottage starting at 12 noon.
As if by magic, the Barn Dance planned for July 15th has transformed into a Greek Themed Night with food and entertainment starting at 7 30pm.. If it goes the way of the French night last year it will be packed so book early. Call Bill on 735 770.
If you want to take part in The Great Potato Challenge at Harvest weekend, you need to plant a potato soon! Preferably a good old ‘King Edward’, (as this is the variety I will give out here for the parents and children to plant in Spring.) The winner last year, George, beat all the adults with a whopping yield of 2 ½ kilos!
On February 4th the Friends have an event – The Highland Fling. from 7pm at Abberton Village Hall. This is one of a series of social events used partly as fundraisers for the fabric fund. Details of tickets in Peldon Parish News or contact Sally on 735 931 : tickets £10 and £6 for Under 12’s
The sequence of Sunday Morning services at St Mary’s will probably change from February with the Café Church moving to the third Sunday.
March 26th we will, as always, celebrate Mothering Sunday with posies for everyone – a little custom we have over here at the top of Pylta’s Dune!
Another favourite coming soon will be the Passover Meal, Tuesday evening April 11th at 7.30pm. Here, again by custom, we use Rabbi Lionel Blue’s moving ‘Passover for Christians’ as our structure for the ritual meal. And, after some years off, we are resuming the Good Friday Meditation at 9 30am at St Mary’s and, let us hope for good weather as we climb the tower on April 16th at 10.30am to sing Easter Carols as our congregation assemble for Easter Sunday Communion at 11am.
We will have a gentle celebration of Spring with an entertainment of songs, instrumental music, poems and prose called Spring Song on Saturday July April 29th at 7.30pm. Profits to support our student in Uganda through the Truan Trust which is based in Peldon Village.
Epiphany Report 2017
Unusual things afoot at the start of 2017 – The Panto comes to St Mary’s!
As the village hall is a pile of rubble and wont be rebuilt until June, Village Hall things are moving into the church – and this includes Panto. “Oh no it doesn’t! Oh yes it does!” So our congregation is moving to St Stephens in January and assembles back in the church on the evening of Candlemas, January 29th when we hope we can celebrate with candles by the hundred ( well, we can try for hundreds without burning the church down ! )
Friends have many events planned for 2017, but for news of the June Village Fete and Craft Fair, the Packed events at Harvest Weekend – more in the next issue!.
Oh no! In true panto form I have left the best to last !!! if you want to take part in The Great Potato Challenge at Harvest weekend, you need to plant a potato soon! Preferably a good old ‘King Edward’, (as this is the variety I will give out here for the parents and children to plant in Spring.) The winner last year, George beat all the adults with a whopping yield of 2 ½ kilos!
Bill Tamblyn
Advent Report 2016
St Mary’s will be busier than usual this Advent and indeed after Christmas too, because the church is hosting a number of events that usually take place in the Village Hall ( which, as I write, is being pulled down. We can enjoy a new hall in mid 2017).
For the Christian community we will begin Advent by lowering the wrought iron structure that will hold the Advent Candles Sunday by Sunday. Technically this is the ‘advent wreath’ and, decorated with its candles and ivy, so it is. The poor old warden has to haul this ‘thing’ up into the roof after services and then battle with it again the following week! At least it will have a new coat of paint this year! At Christingle we will collect toys and take them to the Rotary Appeal via Fenwicks ( who collect such offerings each year)
Our Traditional Nine Lessons and Carols will be on Sunday evening December 18th and two days later the Friends of St Mary’s organise carol singing around the village. We usually raise a reasonable sum for the church Fabric Fund but the main reason for singing carols is because we have sung carols round the village as long as I can remember. I guess by now you could call it a ‘tradition’!
We are back again, at the carol singing, on Christmas Day. Though the main congregation arrive in time for the service, a few stalwarts go up the tower to sing to the village before the service starts – another ‘tradition’. Even villagers who don’t come to service do stand in their front gardens and wave ! The year we did not sing ( because of torrential rain) there were a good few complaints! Christmas, it seems, is not complete without carols from the tower!
Finally, in late January, we will host the village panto so advance warning that on January 15th and 22nd will we join the Wigboroughs for their morning services. We resume at St Mary’s on the evening of January 29th with the church ablaze with light for Candlemas.
Bill Tamblyn
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