Dear Friends,

At the end of August, Holiday Club was held at Whitwell Pavilion as usual. This year the main story on which we based our activities, craft, songs and games was Jonah and the Whale. We made whales, painted whales and discovered amazing facts about whales and we made some links between Jonah’s story in the Old Testament and Jesus’ life in the New Testament. More than 20 children came along over the three days – it was good to have children from Preston School too this time – and they all seemed to enjoy themselves.  The adults certainly did. Thank you very much to Helen Beavis and the team.

By the time you read this our Harvest celebrations will be nearly over. Our final services are on Sunday 1 October at All Saints’ followed by lunch and the Preston Primary School Service on Wednesday 4 October at St Martin’s.

We have a very special occasion coming up at All Saints’ this month. On Sunday 15 October we will have a Family Service at 11.00am at All Saints’ when we will be celebrating the saints – more recent saints as well as those in the early Church. And on that same occasion we are celebrating the ministry of Ann Males in this parish and her service to the community in Whitwell.  Ann was a licensed Reader for nearly twenty years but her ministry began long before that, continues now, and will I hope carry on for many more years. Please join us in church on this special day for the short service and afterwards for an opportunity to celebrate Ann’s years of ministry as we say a formal ‘Thank you’ to her (and John) for all she does in this community and enjoy ‘fizz’ and cake together.

With my prayers and good wishes

Elizabeth