Parish Newsletter - FRESHFORD LIMPLEY STOKE HINTON CHARTERHOUSE

April 2025

The Parish of Freshford with Limpley Stoke and Hinton Charterhouse

Dear Church Family,

Sunnier days are here to cheer us all up and the 300 bulbs we planted in the churchyard at St Peter’s in November last year are now providing a lovely display! Do come and have a look.

A big thank you to all those who helped making posies for Mothering Sunday and all those who provided flowers and greenery. Also, a big thank you to the helpers and servers at Café church today a very enjoyable Mothering Sunday service!

Thank you as well to all those contributing to our services over Easter. We have a wonderful opportunity to worship in all our churches this month and I do I hope you will be able to come to our services.

Easter Services at St Peter’s are Palm Sunday at 10:30 on the 13th April and Communion at 2:30 pm on Good Friday (the 18th April) following the Walk of Witness.

There will be a retiring collection at both services for Dorothy House, our local hospice. You may know that many of our hospices are struggling financially nationwide and our own hospice is no exception. All details of Easter services are further down the newsletter.

I mentioned The Agape Supper on Thursday 17th April at 7:30 pm in our last newsletter, we would now like to know numbers for catering for this meal, so if you intend to come could you please let me know at debbieashcroft@live.co.uk. Help with setting up and clearing would also be gratefully received.

Debbie Ashcroft

Prayer

For peace between Russia and Ukraine.

For our Vacancy Team seeking to find clergy to lead the services during the interim period.

Please continue to pray for the selection process for the vacancy and the appointment of the right candidate.

For the teachers and governors of our school.

April and Easter services

Sunday 6th April 10.30 am at St St John’s: Morning Service

Sunday 13th April 10.30 am at St Peter’s, Freshford: Palm Sunday Service

Wednesday 16th April 6.30 pm at St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke: Communion Service

Join us for an early evening Communion Service for a short time of reflection before the Easter celebrations. For the first time for many years our glorious Elizabethan silver chalice will be used.

Friday 18th April: Walk of Witness

Meeting at 12:30 pm at St John’s, Hinton Charterhouse, Via St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke (c. 1:45 pm)

Finishing 2:30 pm at St Peter’s Church with Communion Service (Or just join us for the Communion Service at 2:30 pm)

Easter Sunday 20th April 6 am at St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke: Sunrise Service in the churchyard

The first service of Easter remembering the early morning discovery of Jesus’ empty tomb. A very special time for a service.

Easter Sunday 20th April 10:30 am at St John’s, Hinton Charterhouse: Family Service, Communion & Baptism

Easter Egg hunt after the Easter Service. Bring your children or grandchildren to the service and for a bit of fun after.

Easter Sunday 20th April 5:00 pm at St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke: Songs of Praise

Join us in church to sing your favourite well known Easter hymns. If you would like to choose a favourite hymn or reading to celebrate Easter email our organist and churchwarden David at dssibley38@gmail.com and we will include as many as possible!

Sunday 27th April 10:30 am at St Peter’s, Freshford: Sunday Service

Help with afternoon teas

We are looking for people willing to come and do the Afternoon Teas occasionally, maybe every 6-7 weeks or so. It entails preparing the Old Bakery, making tea and coffee and making or buying a cake and some biscuits to serve up and washing and clearing up afterwards. It is 2.30-4pm, so would mean coming in at 2.00 and leaving around 4.15pm. There are usually about 10 of us. Please contact Penny on jonespennyg@gmail if you are interested. Penny

Morning prayer

Wednesday Mornings 8.30am at the Old Bakery. Please join us as we pray for the parish. Pam

Ladies Wednesday walking group

The next walk is on the 9th April, 14th May, 11th June and 9th July. There will be no walking group in August. Please contact Debbie Ashcroft on 07889 780984 or debbieashcroft@live.co.uk if you would like to join the walking group. All welcome! Debbie

Monday Zoom sessions

If you don’t get out much and feel like a chat, a small group of us zoom together for 45 minutes on a Monday morning. To give it a try, please contact Penny Jones on jonespennyg@gmail.com. Penny

Could you be a churchwarden for St John’s?

I’m planning to step down as churchwarden this year after completing my six years. I’d love to hear from anyone who may be interested in the role – happy to chat about the kind of things you’ll get involved in. Please have a think about if this may be something God is calling you to do which will be a great help to the community. It would mean standing for election at the Annual Parochial Church Council meeting on Sunday May 11th (around 12noon after the service at St Peter’s). You can also email me on kgrattage@me.com. Karen

St Mary’s

We are looking for help with St Mary’s Church cleaning – it will only be twice or three times a year and St Mary’s isn’t a big church, or if this isn’t possible, just occasionally to cover holidays and breakages(!) Penny

List of contacts

Rector

Vacant

Churchwardens St Peter’s, Freshford

Roland Birchby birchbyr@gmail.com or Tel: 01225 723432

Debbie Ashcroft debbieashcroft@live.co.uk

Steve Ashcroft steveashcroft@hotmail.co.uk

Churchwarden St John’s, Hinton Charterhouse

Karen Roberts-Wray (Grattage) kgrattage@me.com or Tel: 01225 729364

Churchwardens St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke

Trevor Quartermaine redadmiral7965@gmail.com

David Sibley dssibley38@gmail.com