News from St Mark's
St Mark’s Church Burial Ground
Cremation Memorials
St Mark's Lent Hunger Lunches: A Big Thank you!
Many thanks to all those who hosted a lunch and to those who came along and gave so generously. They have been very enjoyable, informal and convivial occasions. We shall let you know in the May edition of Seek how much money you have raised for the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity; I think we may all be in for a pleasant surprise!
Once again a very big thank you to all those who opened their homes, and to their friends who helped them, to host the hunger lunches, as well as to all of you who supported them and gave so generously. Together we definitely raised £876 for the Arthur Rank Hospice. The Charity is still verifying the paper work for the Gift Aid reclaimable on many of the donations, but it looks as if the final total should be around £1,000! A formal certificate will be posted in the Narthex.
Evening Worship in the New Year
Before I came to St Mark’s, the Worship Working Group of the PCC was already discussing whether evening worship might need a facelift; numbers attending have declined markedly over the years, and while for some it is still highly valued, there might be others who would respond to fresh approaches.
The Ministry Forum discussed the matter in October, and then took some proposals to the PCC in November, which were then modified in the light of responses which our evening worshippers gave to a letter I sent them. We hope to offer something, over the course of a month, which will attract a variety of people. Therefore, it is now proposed that, for a three-month experimental period from January [now extended until the end of 2010], the following pattern is followed:
All evening services to be at 6.00 pm (half an hour earlier). Refreshments to be served in the Vestry from 5.15 pm for those who would enjoy fellowship before the service.
1st Sundays: Meditative Communion, reflecting on ‘a saint for the season’.
2nd Sundays: Traditional Evensong and Sermon
3rd Sundays: Informal Service
4th Sundays: Less formal Evensong, with Discussion
5th Sundays: Holy Communion
We shall continue to have organists, and to sing, at all the services. The readings at the evening services on the second and fourth Sundays will be the same as those at 10 am, but will be handled differently – so people who come to both services may find enrichment rather than repetition!
Cremation Memorials
The Consistory Court of the Diocese of Ely granted a Faculty on the 25th May 2010, relating to the wall donated by the Fuchs family in about 1990, on which are recorded the names of the interred to the West of the wall.
The Faculty also grants memorialisation of interments to the East of the wall, in the area surrounded by the low hedge, in York or Portland stone slabs of dimensions 18”x 18”x 2”.
The Diocese of Ely publication Memorials in Churchyards (2004) covers in some detail the powers delegated to the local Priest and gives guidelines on and indicates restrictions to memorial slabs.
The Petition for the Faculty was prompted by a wish expressed for more space for epitaphs than has been available until now. Any enquiries should be directed to Canon Maggie Guite.
The Faculty also grants memorialisation of interments to the East of the wall, in the area surrounded by the low hedge, in York or Portland stone slabs of dimensions 18”x 18”x 2”.
The Diocese of Ely publication Memorials in Churchyards (2004) covers in some detail the powers delegated to the local Priest and gives guidelines on and indicates restrictions to memorial slabs.
The Petition for the Faculty was prompted by a wish expressed for more space for epitaphs than has been available until now. Any enquiries should be directed to Canon Maggie Guite.
Miles Elliott , Churchwarden
St Mark's Lent Hunger Lunches: A Big Thank you!
Many thanks to all those who hosted a lunch and to those who came along and gave so generously. They have been very enjoyable, informal and convivial occasions. We shall let you know in the May edition of Seek how much money you have raised for the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity; I think we may all be in for a pleasant surprise!
Tina Wilson
May Update:Once again a very big thank you to all those who opened their homes, and to their friends who helped them, to host the hunger lunches, as well as to all of you who supported them and gave so generously. Together we definitely raised £876 for the Arthur Rank Hospice. The Charity is still verifying the paper work for the Gift Aid reclaimable on many of the donations, but it looks as if the final total should be around £1,000! A formal certificate will be posted in the Narthex.
Tina Wilson
Evening Worship in the New Year
Before I came to St Mark’s, the Worship Working Group of the PCC was already discussing whether evening worship might need a facelift; numbers attending have declined markedly over the years, and while for some it is still highly valued, there might be others who would respond to fresh approaches.
The Ministry Forum discussed the matter in October, and then took some proposals to the PCC in November, which were then modified in the light of responses which our evening worshippers gave to a letter I sent them. We hope to offer something, over the course of a month, which will attract a variety of people. Therefore, it is now proposed that, for a three-month experimental period from January [now extended until the end of 2010], the following pattern is followed:
All evening services to be at 6.00 pm (half an hour earlier). Refreshments to be served in the Vestry from 5.15 pm for those who would enjoy fellowship before the service.
1st Sundays: Meditative Communion, reflecting on ‘a saint for the season’.
2nd Sundays: Traditional Evensong and Sermon
3rd Sundays: Informal Service
4th Sundays: Less formal Evensong, with Discussion
5th Sundays: Holy Communion
We shall continue to have organists, and to sing, at all the services. The readings at the evening services on the second and fourth Sundays will be the same as those at 10 am, but will be handled differently – so people who come to both services may find enrichment rather than repetition!
Maggie Guite
