K i n g s w o o d G r a p e v i n e

Issue No. 121 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2008

Editors: Diane White (843783) & Gill Hemming (842734)

D a t e s F o r Y o u r D i a r y

Sat 1^st Dec St Mary’s Christmas Craft Fair Village Hall 2.00pm-5.00pm

Fri 7^th “ Mince Pies and Coffee Morning St. Mary’s Church 10.00am-12.30pm

Fri 7^th “ Fascinating Rhythm Village Hall 7.30pm

Sat 8^th “ Children’s Christmas Craft Morning Village Hall 10.00am-12noon

Sun 9^th “ Mobile Police Station Chipping 11.30am

Thurs 13^th “ KSA Christmas Fair School 5.30pm-7.30pm

Thurs 20^th “ Carols Round the Tree Chipping 6.30pm-7.30pm

Mon 24^th “ Mobile Police Station Chipping 11.30am

FEBRUARY ISSUE DEADLINE: FRIDAY JANUARY 18^th

Tues 8^th Jan Vintage Wonders – Ruth Jacobs Village Hall 7.30pm

Sat 26^th “ Burns Supper Village Hall

KINGSWOOD VILLAGE ASSOCIATION

Senior Citizens' KVA Celebration Luncheon - Monday 31st December 2007

If you or your partner is 60 or over, and live (or have lived) in Kingswood Village, the KVA invites you to their annual Senior Citizens' Luncheon on New Year's Eve in the village hall.  Starting at 12.30pm, we provide a two-course meal with sherry, wine & soft drinks, followed by tea/coffee and mints with entertainment.  The event is entirely free and the KVA members are available to pick up and take home as required.  We try to include everyone and personal invitations will be delivered shortly but, if we miss you, don't be shy - just contact Jim Sinkinson on 843074 before Christmas to book a place.

New Year's Eve Children's Party - Monday 31st December 2007.

The KVA will also be hosting their annual children's party on New Year's Eve for children aged 2 - 10 from 3.30 to 5.30pm in the village hall.  There will be a children's entertainer followed by a tea party and games.  To book a place, please call Claire Adams on 842026 or Jim Smillie on 842467, before 20 December.

Kingswood Village Association organises fund raising events (such as Showday and Halloween) throughout the year in order to bring the community together and provide financial support for other Kingswood groups.  If you are involved with a project that may need some extra funding, why not approach the KVA?  Write to the committee secretary, Sheila Alexander at The Old Plume, Abbey Street, GL12 8RN or e-mail alexplume@freeuk.com.

Online Shopping For Our Village School:

If you or your business is shopping on line, at any time, but particularly for Christmas, please think about using the "buy at ksa " website. All you need do is type in www.buy.at/ksa . From this website you can click onto the sites for all your favourite shops eg Tescos, Amazon, Asda, Sky, HMV etc etc. When you place an order with any of these shops, via the ksa website, then a small percentage is paid to the school. It doesn’t alter the price you pay & it does benefit our village school. Remember you can buy almost anything via this site; DVDs, toys, books, stationary, insurance, electrical goods, groceries etc. So feel less guilty buying that expensive present this Christmas, after all it’s for charity!

KINGSWOOD HISTORICAL SOCIETY Contact Sheila Alexander, The Old Plume 843398 or alexplume@freeuk.com

At our Annual General Meeting in November, the committee was re-elected en bloc and looks forward to arranging another interesting year.  Subscriptions will continue unchanged at £5 for families, £2.50 for individuals and £1.50 for concessions (students & pensioners).   We are always happy to welcome new members and details of our activities can be found periodically in Grapevine.  Our next meeting is on Thursday evening February 21st at Wotton St Mary's Parish Room where Andrew Harper, Tower Captain, will talk about the Bells of St Mary's followed by a hands-on demonstration and visit (for the very fit) into the belfry.  Car transport will be organised and, If you wish to attend this meeting, please contact Sheila Alexander on 843398 or e-mail alexplume@freeuk.com On Saturday 17th May there is a unique opportunity to attend a Study Day at Gloucester Cathedral to learn in depth about the Benedictine monks and their life at St Peter's which later became the cathedral church of the Diocese of Gloucester.  The cost is £15 per head to include coffee and a light lunch.  It will include a guided tour of many aspects of the building, which are not normally accessible (and therefore not suitable for the physically challenged).  Please contact Sheila Alexander to obtain further details and to register your interest. 

Friends of St Mary’s

This is a new organisation for everyone, in the village and the surrounding area, who appreciates that Kingswood continues to have a Parish Church. We feel that St. Mary’s should not only be a place of worship, it should be a social centre for the whole community too.

We are busily converting the north aisle of the church into a new Community Room. Much work has already been done (and you will see a lot more), but the good news is that the area is now usable. What we need, therefore, are your ideas on what you would like to see done with this new facility. We will therefore be holding a Mince Pies and Coffee Morning at St. Mary’s on Friday 7^th December (10.00-12.30) to which everyone is welcome. This will be your opportunity to tell us what the community needs and how we might help.

If you wish to phone us – to discuss your ideas on the use of the Community Room, to comment on what direction Friends of St. Mary’s should take in future, or simply because you need a lift to church on 7^th December – please do not hesitate to ring John Jennings-Chick 520359, Rod Alexander 843398, Claire Adams 842026 or Fran McCubbin 844274.

Kingswood Playgroup and Toddlers

Our Christmas craft/coffee morning is on Saturday the 8th December in Kingswood village hall 10am - 12 noon.

This will be a great morning with craft activities in the main hall for children to make cards, decorations crowns and decorate plates amongst many other things.  There will be tea/coffee /cakes and hot chocolate for adults available in the small hall. Also refreshments for children. Tickets available for children to do craft activities 50pence from Sarah Deadman 01453 521817/07805 217125

or Beckett 01453 843225. Or email sarahselect@aol.com.

We would also be grateful of any donations of cakes for this event. Please drop off on the day or tel. Sarah for collections.

KINGSWOOD SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

Notice for the upcoming Christmas Fair on Thursday December 13^th - 5:30 to 7:30 at the school. Santa will be in attendance for all good children. Hot Chocolate and pancakes will be available, Fun and goodies available for pocket money. Bring a parent with plenty of pennies! Same as last year we will guarantee that we will have SNOW!!! 

ST MARY'S PARISH CHURCH Viv Kerner (Parish priest) 01454 261751

Dare I mention the 'C' word!! December sees the busyness of preparation for Christmas and after the wonderful turnout we had for Remembrance Day, we're looking forward to equally well-attended events in our Christmas build up. We have already started practising with both the Adult and Junior choir and were thrilled to see 17, yes 17 youngsters join us at our Wednesday practices. This month we have our Christingle service on 2nd at 6 pm when we use Oranges and sweets to signify the world and the fruits of the seasons. Link this to the red tape... the blood of Christ and a Candle...the Light of the world.. and we have a beautiful symbol to take home. The money raised goes to the Children's Society. If you haven't experienced this before, do come along. We're planning the Carols at the Chipping on Thursday 20th at 6.30pm, in conjunction with lots of other village groups and hope for a lively evening singing those well-known carols by the tree. There will also be a chance to buy hot drinks and a few things to eat! On 7th we have a Mince pie social event courtesy of F.o.S.M. (see elsewhere) and we hope to hear what YOU would like us to do in the new Community/Parish room when it's finished. Our Carol Service in St. Mary's will be at 6 pm on Sunday 23rd and of course the Crib service at 6pm on 24th with 'Midnight ' service at 11.30. Does that sound busy enough? If YOU know of someone who needs a visit at this special time of year, please let us know.  May the Joy of Christmas be with you all. Rev. Viv Kerner.

Services in December
2^nd 11.00 am Parish Eucharist  6.00 pm Christingle
9^th 11.00 am Sung Matins
16^th 11.00 am Parish Eucharist
23^rd 6.00 pm Carol Service
Christmas Eve 6.00 pm Crib Service  11.30 pm Midnight Communion Service
Christmas Day 10.30 am Family Service 30 Dec 10.30 am Benefice Service at Charfield

FASCINATING RHYTHM

Christmas Concerts – Friday 7^th December at Kingswood Village Hall, 7.30pm and Saturday 8^th December at King George V Memorial Hall, Rangeworthy, 7.30pm. Don’t forget to buy your tickets for Fascinating Rhythm Christmas concerts featuring our very special guests: the UK Men’s Quartet Gold Medal winners QED (both nights), the UK women’s quartet Gold medal winners HAVOC (Friday only) and the Castle School Gospel Choir (Saturday only). Tickets £7 (under 12’s £4) available from Brenda Roberts 01453 845356 and Emma Richardson 01453 845214.

Free Singing course (women only) starts Thursday 17^th January

Do you love to sing? Would you like to learn to sing in harmony? Develop your voice and confidence? Have lots of fun and make new friends? Then come along to our FREE 6 week Learn to Sing course at King George V Memorial Hall starting on Thursday 17^th January. Beginner and experienced singers welcome and there’s no need to read music. To book your place contact Emma Richardson on 01453 845214. Further details can be found on our website www.fascinating-rhythm.com

KINGSWOOD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

December The membership and fellowship pray that your Christmas will be a happy and peaceful one and that at some time during all the business of the season, you will remember when a little baby came into the world over 2000 years ago – Jesus a star is born.

By the time you receive this months Grapevine, the repairs to the ceiling and the decoration of the chapel will be complete.  Our Christmas programme is as follows:

8^th 7.00pm Christmas Concert - ‘Follow a Star’ performed by the Choir

16^th 10.30am The Signpost Theatre 6pm Evening Service

20^th 6.30-7.30pm Carols on the Chipping

21^st from 6.30pm Coffee Evening at the home of Matt and Carmen, 36 Walkmill Lane

23^rd 10.30am Children’s Gift Service (All gifts will go the Mullers Homes) 6pm Lessons and Carols

24^th 6.00pm Christmas Eve Family Service

25^th 10.30am Christmas Day Family Service

31^st 11.30pm Watchnight Service

January We welcome a New Year, which is going to be very special for us at the Congregational Church  - it is our 350^TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR. We have various events planned throughout the year, which we hope you will be able to join with us and enjoy.  We will publicise these through the Grapevine so please watch out for them.

Our services for January are as usual at 10.30am and 6.00pm where a warm welcome awaits you. Kings Klub and Crèche also meet at 10.30am.  Zion Club is at 6.30pm on Mondays followed by Z+, which is for years 7 & 8. Tuesdays at 2.15pm is Bright Hour and Ladies Prayer Group alternately, at 7.30pm is our weekly Prayer Meeting and Bible Study.  Thursdays at 10.15am is Kings Kidz and at 7.30pm is Choir Practice.  On Friday at 9.00pm and Saturdays at 8.00am are the times of our Prayer Meetings. Our services are held in the chapel, all other meetings in the School Room. A warm welcome always awaits you - Please contact Jennie on 01453 843803 or email linandnorv@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to know more about any of our ministries

VILLAGE CAROL SINGING

6.30pm - 7.30pm Thursday 20th December on THE CHIPPING

Kingswood families and friends: come along and sing favourite carols under the Christmas tree, where the choirs of St Mary's, the Congregational Church and the Primary School will lead the singing ably assisted by some members of the Wotton Silver Band. The tree is very kindly donated by Tyndales and Rio Pools.

Carol sheets will be provided, so wrap-up well, bring a torch or candle-lantern and help make this a joyful festive occasion.

Tyndales are opening the ground-floor of the Upper Schoolroom, where you can sit and enjoy hot and cold drinks (courtesy of Tyndales). Traditional fare will also be available. Money collected on the night will go to "Winstone's Wish", a charity that supports children and families who have been bereaved.  

Kingswood Bridgers Project

Thanks to all those who supported our fundraising evening on Saturday 10th November, helping us towards our goal of building a BMX track for the local youngsters.  Special thanks to the members of the KVA for help with ticket sales and support on the night.  For more information, call Barnaby Beere on 01453 844040.  Thanks for your support!

Kingswood Parish Council

Note that Stroud District Council now enforces both on and off-street parking in the district and issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCN).

There is a discount for paying within 14 days of the issue date on the PCN and any appeal must be lodged with the District Council within this time. The address of the district parking office is printed on the PCN and this is the only way an appeal can be lodged.

Further information can be found at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/parking

The Village Diary can be viewed on the Grapevine website. For an entry please email Grapevine or telephone Gill on 842734.