April 2022

We are firmly in Lent, so we look at a flowerless altar, the only colour is on

the altar frontal, which for Lent is purple, and ours resembles a 70’s duvet,

did we have duvets back then? The simpleness concentrates the mind as

the Easter season approaches. We have Palm Sunday on 10th April, and we

hear the importance of the donkey and significance of our palm crosses. On

Easter Sunday we are pleased that Rev Nick Grew can return to lead our

holy communion service. This Easter Sherfield English will have several

more communicants as the previous week 15 people from Sherfield and

Wellow, and Lockerley, East & West Tytherly, and East Dean (known as the

Thorngate Benefice) will be taking the decision to be confirmed into the

Church of England faith at St Leonard’s church with the service taken by

acting Bishop of Winchester, Debbie Sellin, and Rev James Pitkin, our Area

Dean. Some are teenagers and some adults, but we are delighted to been

given the opportunity to host this rite of passage, it is decades since the

last time we held such a service, we think the 70’s. Is that why we had a

new duvet, sorry altar frontal? We even get to enjoy a joint choir from the

two benefices, I am sure Bishop Debbie will be mind blown by what we can

all achieve in a small rural parish church!

There has been much discussion by the “knit and knatterers” about a

display in the church for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at the

beginning of June. Their woollen scenes are going to be complemented by

royal flower arrangements to totally bling out the church. I am not sure

how you can knit or crochet St Edward’s crown, I have no knitty or sewy

talents, but I have heard it is possible. Those involved always find

enthusiasm and joyfulness in their arty projects and sharing that with

enthralled family and friends is a delight for St Leonard’s to be part of in

this village. We will be hosting a quiz in the church on the Thursday

evening, a coffee morning on the Saturday and a special jubilee and

communion service on the Sunday with Rev James Pitkin leading us.

Hopefully you can drop in to admire the villagers’ talents at St Leonard’s as

well as celebrate at other village jubilee events.

Julia Noble, Churchwarden

March 2022

SUNDAY SERVICES 10am

6TH MAR MRS GWEN LESLIE

13TH MAR MRS K RAWLINS

20TH MAR MRS MOIRA BURTON

27TH MAR MR J KINGSLEY

There will be a prayer meeting for the Wellow and Sherfield English areas, fortnightly on the following Thursdays Commencing at 7pm, Followed by light refreshment 3rd & 17TH March 2022

Please contact, for information, or transport:

Mr Graham Wigmore 01794 389000 or Miss S Caplen 01794 521774

Our communion services are open to all

February 2022 Update

Following the AGM on the 15th November 2021 the Chair (Stephen Dovey) and Secretary (Barbara Griffiths) did indeed both step down after many years of dedicated service. The committee, and I’m sure many of us in Sherfield English, would like to extend our very warmest thanks to them for all their hard work.

A new Chair (Jerome Hoffman) and Secretary (Julianna Bellamy) were appointed and we look forward to trying to do as good a job as Stephen and Barbara - big shoes to fill for sure!

We’re still very keen to hear from anyone with any suggestions about how we can make further progress on addressing the weeds around the edge of the field and also generally maintaining the football pitches.

In addition we now have two vacancies on the committee for SERP so please let us know if you think that you can help – no deep experience required just a desire to help support the maintenance and development of one of our local facilities that adds so much to village life.

To find out more about SERP, if you have any suggestions or if you’re interested in joining the committee then please drop us an email at serp.field@gmail.com