Read the latest newsletter from St Peter’s churchwardens Bridget Frier and Martin Melia for an update on repairs to the church roof, the latest on the search for a new vicar, information about the graveyard and news about church events.
Church Repairs
Hopefully you will have heard that we have been successful with our application to the Government Grant Scheme (LPOW, ‘Listed Places of Worship’) and have been awarded 2/3rds of the amount we required to replace the Church roof. We have applied to Viridor for the other 1/3rd, whilst continuing to raise funds in various ways ourselves, in order to pay for other necessary repairs (tower, churchyard walls etc).
The builders are due to begin work on the first Monday after Easter 2016 and the church will be closed for about twelve weeks while work is carried out. We will still be holding regular church services, hopefully in Catcott School Hall, and certainly there will be the usual services in all the other churches in the benefice.
We hope everyone will take a keen interest in the project and possibly take plenty of photos (please be mindful of Health & Safety issues).
Extending the Graveyard
We have recently approached Catcott parish council to ask for their help in searching for additional space for burials. St Peter’s churchyard is rapidly running out of room for burials and, unless we can find additional space in Catcott, then future burials will have to be at the Sedgemoor District Council cemetery in Bridgwater. If you know of anyone owning land in Catcott who might be prepared to sell it for this purpose then please contact Geoff Barnett, chairman of Catcott Parish Council, or one of the churchwardens.
Church Events
Coffee Mornings are a regular monthly event and always popular. The next two dates are: Wednesday 18th November at Ryecroft, Lippetts Way and Wednesday16th December at Court Farm, Steel Lane. Both begin at 10.30 a.m. All are most welcome!
We are also having a table at the Playing Fields Christmas Fayre, to be held at the Crown Inn on Saturday 21st November. If anyone has any Christmas items that they would like to donate, or maybe a cake or two, a pot of jam or homemade mincemeat, we would be pleased to receive them. Please contact Bridget.
School Links
We were delighted to host Catcott School in September, as they held their Harvest service in the church. The children behaved impeccably and sang their hearts out! Those who read were excellent as well. All in all, they were a credit to their teachers and parents.
The Search Continues…
We are still in a vacancy and seeking a new vicar. Thanks to the tireless efforts of one or two people in the Benefice however we have kept all the services running as usual.
We have so far advertised twice in the Church Times but only received one applicant. Sadly it was agreed that neither they nor we were suitable for each other. Nevertheless we do believe that, with prayer, the right one will come in time!
Keeping St Peter’s Running
If anyone would like to help with the general running of the Church (Flower arranging or just donating to a flower fund, serving refreshments after services, helping to clean the church, locking the church at the end of the day, churchyard tidy-ups, cleaning the altar brass, washing and ironing the altar linen, etc), then Bridget and Fran, would love to hear from you.
Christmas
Perhaps it’s a little early but we’ll finish by wishing you a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year in 2016! If you would like to get into the Christmas spirit, then the CVA are holding their traditional Carol Singing event by the war memorial on Monday 21st December at 7 p.m.
Don’t forget that your Christmas service at St. Peter’s will be on Christmas Day at 9 a.m. this year. Please come along and join us in celebrating Christ’s birthday!
With best wishes,
Bridget Frier and Martin Melia, Churchwardens.