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

Issue No. 123                                                                                                                            MARCH 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

 

Fri        29th       Feb                   R.N.L.I Quiz Night                                  Village Hall                            7.30pm for 8.00pm

Sun      2nd       March               Mobile Police Station                             Chipping                                               11.30am

Wed     5th                               R.N.L.I AGM                                          Star, Wotton                                          8.00pm

Fri        7th                               Women’s World Day of Prayer                Congregational Church                           7.00pm

Mon      10th                              Bridgers Project A.G.M                          Village Hall                                            8.00pm

Tues     11th                              W.I.                                                      Village Hall                                            7.30pm

APRIL  ISSUE  DEADLINE:                    FRIDAY  MARCH 14th

Mon      17th       March               Mobile Police Station                             Chipping                                               11.30am

Tues     18th                              Tubbs Turf A.G.M                                   Village Hall                                            8.00pm

Wotton-under-Edge Branch R.N.L.I      Quiz Night

 A Quiz Night will be held on February 29th in Kingswood Village Hall, (7.30pm for an 8.00pm start) with teams of up to 6 people. Tickets costing £6 each will include a ploughman’s supper. Tickets available from Kingswood Spar shop, Gill and Paul Hemming (842734), and John Barnett (Charfield) on 844709. Tickets still available.

The Wotton branch will be holding its A.G.M on Wednesday 5th March in the Star, Wotton at 8.00pm. All are very welcome to come along.

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

Pick Your Own Pea & Bean Sticks at Lower Woods Nature Reserve - Sunday 24th February, 12pm – 4pm

We will be hosting the 4th annual “Pick Your Own Pea and Bean Sticks” event at Lower Woods Nature Reserve. Just like Pick Your Own strawberries, people can come along at any time, but rather than picking fruit you will be able to cut your own hazel pea sticks, bean sticks or canes for the garden or allotment. Sticks cost 20p each, with all proceeds going to Lower Woods Nature Reserve, and with all work helping to manage bird habitat at the nature reserve. Tools and gloves supplied, but people can bring their own if they would rather. The woods can be muddy in February so stout footwear is recommended. There’s no need to book, just turn up. Unlimited places.

ST MARY'S PARISH CHURCH   Viv K   -  01454 261751 The Rectory, Charfield. 

St Mary's church is a little dusty at the moment. The builders are in and a lot of the 'de'struction work is done. The 'con' struction is starting too, with roof coping tiles being cemented into place and lots of electrical wires being hidden in the walls. The stone pillars are in place and I am still anticipating us having the Agape Supper there on Maundy Thursday. Dulux seem to be having a problem mixing the exact paint shade but we are winning.

Our children have been singing again at regular practices and at the Candlemas Service. Some of them are busy with Gym club after school on the same day as practices so we shall look forward to seeing them again soon. Those who have been able to join us are using the Diocesan Experience Easter scheme. It's an Egg with beads, stickers, a plan, and details of how to follow the Easter story, whilst earning the beads to make into a bracelet. The Local Ministry Team (L.M.T.) are moving on with their 'training' and we're getting to grips with a scheme for more Pastoral care... visiting is something we recognise as important. We're hoping to put together a comprehensive list of those who visit, those who need visiting and those who are missing out. If you fall into one of these categories please let us know.  Plans are under way to share the Palm Sunday walk of witness with the Congregational Church, as usual I believe.... my first year...  and of course on March 7th we have the Women's World Day of Prayer, in the Chapel at 7 pm. That's just after Mothering Sunday and before Palm Sunday. Do keep an eye on the notice board to see which services are coming up. Mothering Sunday will include the usual distribution of posies and we shall be making them in the church on the day before at about 11.00. For Easter Day itself we shall have an Egg hunt after the service... if you want to do the hunt, we need you in church first!!! We will be welcoming Rob Axford and his wife Christine to Wotton under Edge at the end of February as he is licensed as Priest in Charge. When Charfield and Kingswood merge with that larger group of churches, he will become the Vicar. Someone asked me if that meant I was leaving! No... I'm not the vicar...I just do the work! It's a Diocesan policy that a Vicar should be a paid minister, so he will be my Line manager, so-to-speak, but I shall retain responsibility for Kingswood St Mary's as well as Charfield St John's.... and I'm still enjoying it.  The warmer weather is with us, as I write this, and spring seems to be coming swiftly. I hope the sunshine stays a while so we can all enjoy the outdoors again.

Best wishes to you all.

Sunday services for March

 2nd       Mothering Sunday  11.00 am Family Service
 9th                                       11.00 am Sung Matins
16th       Palm Sunday          11.00 am Family Service (Starts at the Chipping)         3.00 pm Evensong
20th       Maundy Thursday                                                                                  7.30 pm Agape Supper
21st       Good Friday           11.15 am Stations of the Cross (starts at the Congregational Church)
                                                                                                                        2.00 pm Service of the Last Hour
23rd       Easter Day             11.00 am Easter Eucharist
30th                                    10.30 am Benefice Eucharist
 

St Mary’s Church Fête Book-stall

Books in good condition are sought for the bookstall at St Mary's Fête, June 7th. Please contact Simon Wood or Patricia Hammond on 845204 and we can arrange a time when we are in to receive books, or we can collect within a ten-mile radius of Kingswood. Please may we have them by June 1st at the latest as we sort them carefully before the day. Thank you in anticipation. 

Rose Hill School

Rose Hill School and Rose Buds Nursery are holding an Open Day on Friday 7th March from 10.00 - 12.30pm. All are very welcome to join us to meet the children and staff, tour the School, house and gardens and stay for lunch (booking required). For further information please call 01453 843196. We look forward to seeing you.
We are putting on the musical 'Honk' on Saturday 15th March (matinee) and Monday 17th March (evening) All welcome.

 TUBBS TURF

Tubbs Turf‘s Annual General Meeting is on Tuesday 18th March at 8pm at the Village Hall. Please come along, give us your views, and find out how this village sports facility is faring – we’ll welcome you with some wine (or a soft drink) & nibbles to make it worthwhile!

KINGSWOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH                    

We in Kingswood regret that the March visits will be the last by P.C Rueben Wyatt before his retirement from the force. His support and cheerful presence over recent years has been greatly appreciated by Kingswood residents.

The Police Information Point is available in the Post Office should you wish to report any problem to be followed up.

KINGSWOOD'S FITTING TRIBUTE  - Remembering Gav, Kaz and Phil

 After a longer period than we would have hoped for, things are now moving forward rapidly.  A generous donor has given all the money for the central finger-post and the order for this has now been placed.  It will be made by Leander Architectural; perhaps the country's leading manufacturer of traditional cast metal signs.

We are in detailed discussions with a local stonemason about building the rest of the memorial.  We are delighted that the Parish Council has resolved to take ownership of the structure on behalf of the community.  We are also in discussion with the County Council about the licence agreement that will be necessary for our community to own a structure located on the highway. 

Finally, although we are confident that we now have enough money to complete construction, we are not closing the appeal.  This is because we want to establish an endowment, so that there will always be money available for plants and to keep the memorial looking a credit to the village. 

Please contact David Scott (845354) if you would like to make a donation.

KINGSWOOD ABBEY WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

Our meeting on February 12th shared a very enjoyable and interesting evening with Janet Walshe and her husband, when they came to talk to us on the ‘History of Wotton Cinema’. The building has come a long way from being a stable block without a roof in 1900, through various stages to the comfortable community focused digital cinema which we are now able to enjoy, showing up to date films. Congratulations to the team and supporters for such a successful project that is benefiting so many people and organisations.

Next meeting is March 11th – John Dixon “From where did you obtain your first pair of nylons?”.

KINGSWOOD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.           Contacts: Jennie on 842803 or email linandnorv@yahoo.co.uk

This month we host the Women's World Day of Prayer on Friday 7 March at 7.00pm. This year it has been prepared by the women of Guyana and is entitled God's Wisdom Provides New Understanding, the speaker will be Rev Viv Kerner.  Everyone is warmly invited.

On the 14th March at 7.30pm in the chapel, as part of our 350th Anniversary Year the President of the Congregational Federation, Dr Alan Argent, will be visiting us to talk about the History of Congregationalism.  This should be a very interesting evening; Alan is a very engaging and interesting speaker.  Please come along, you will be very welcome.

There are other events planned for the year, our main celebration weekend will be the 26/27th July when we will be welcoming Noel & Tricia Richards, well known Christian song writers and worship leaders, on the Saturday, and the Signpost Puppet Theatre on the Sunday.  We will let you know more about this soon.

Our Sunday Services are at 10.30am and 6.00pm. 

This year we will be joining with our friends from St Mary's for a joint service for Palm Sunday on the 16th March.

During the morning service Kings Klub and Crèche meet*

JIMS is held at 8.00pm on Sundays*; Zion Club is at 6.30pm and Z+ at 7.30pm on Mondays*

Bible Study Lent Groups are meeting in various homes; Bright Hour is held on alternate Tuesdays at 2.15pm

Kings Kidz is at 10.15am on Thursdays*

Choir Practice is at 7.30pm on Thursday* and we are pleased to welcome Mrs Julie Philips as the leader of the choir

Prayer Meetings are held on Friday at 9.00pm and Saturday at 8.00am

* Held in the Lower School Room.

A warm welcome awaits you at any of our services and meetings

Kingswood Bridgers Project

We're holding our Annual General Meeting on Monday 10th March, 8pm in the Community Room in the Village Hall, all welcome.  Come along and find out how we're getting on with building the BMX track for the local youngsters.  For more information, call Barnaby Beere on 01453 844040.  Thanks for your support!

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