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Dear Friends,
As I write the very hot weather has subsided, we have enjoyed some rain and the more usual summer temperatures are with us. Quite a relief! But I’m sure that farmers and gardeners are very concerned and I understand that even bell-ringing can be tricky in such dry times.
We are looking forward to the August Sunday Praise with our celebrations for Peter Saunders’ birthday and we hope that will be a dry, sunny day so that we can be outside after the service.
Some of us are busy with further preparations for the Holiday Club, Journey with Jesus, at the end of the month. It will be over, I expect, by the time this magazine reaches you but I hope you will be able to join us for the Family BBQ at Whitwell Pavilion on Sunday 2 September from 5pm. That’s another occasion when we’d like sunny weather of course.
Our Harvest Festival is earlier this year on Sunday 16 September. At All Saints’ we will have 8am Holy Communion and Harvest Praise at 11am and at St Martin’s the Family Harvest Service at 10am with Harvest Praise at 6pm. I am delighted that Preston Village Voices will be joining us for Harvest Praise.
In Preston the Harvest Supper will take place at the Village Hall on Friday 14 September with the Harvest Auction at The Red Lion on Friday 21 September.
We are unable to hold a Harvest Lunch at All Saints’ this year as the roof is being repaired in August/September and space in the church building will be limited during this time.
My final Sunday in the parish is 30 September when there will be a joint service at 11am at All Saints’. I am very sad to be leaving and I will miss you all, but I am now nearly nine years older than when I arrived and am well past retirement age. It has been good to get to know so many of you. It has been a joy to be involved in village events, to take weddings and baptisms and to celebrate with you. I hope that you will be able to join us for that service. I thank you all for the support you have given me in my ministry here and wish you well for the future.
With my prayers and good wishes to you all
Elizabeth