October 2025
The Parish of Freshford with Limpley Stoke and
Hinton Charterhouse
A message from the Rector Revd Nigel Rawlinson
Greetings. And prayers for this Harvest Festival season. I led the first, at St Mary’s, on the 21st September. Kathy’s freshly baked loaf – complete with a mouse figure – adorned the altar.
Recently, as I drove into Limpley Stoke, this glorious rainbow appeared. It is a blessed place. We are also having some fabulous sunrises too in these early Autumn days.
At the harvest service we thank God for the abundance of his blessing, and also honour our farmers. There is such a need in today’s consumer society, and Ocado delivered provision (Oh how they love our roads in Freshford and Limpley Stoke!), to recognise our farmers’ work, and their devotion and mindset. Many young people think that the food we eat comes from Sainsbury’s. And yet every day, rain or shine, farmer’s care for the land and its animals.
And there is also the wonder at God’s creation. I think that we can so easily take this for granted. Farmers see first hand the awesome natural complexity of how things grow and flourish. We all need to pause and think, I feel. Our world is so remarkable. It does not take much more to realise that there MUST be a grand designer. Life is all too extraordinary to have happened by random chance.
Then we can all sing:
All good things around us
Are sent from heaven above
Then thank the lord, O thank the Lord
For all his love
Please join us for Harvest services at St Peter’s Freshford, 10.30am on 28th September, or St John’s Hinton Charterhouse at 10.30am 5th October. Nigel
St Peter’s News
You may have noticed a new revolving bookcase… huge thanks to Men in Maintenance for their help in putting it together, which took over two hours!
Following a busy few weeks since Nigel’s licensing service, we now look forward to our Autumn services. The next is on September 28th at 10.30, when we will be celebrating Harvest in St Peter’s and we welcome donations of all non-perishable food items, as well as toiletries. Donations can be left in the church during the days before the service. The Hub in Bradford on Avon provides a range of important services including a foodbank, welfare and debt advice, so a cash collection at that service will also go to the Hub.
Then on October 12th we welcome Revd William Challis who will lead and preach at our 10.30 service. Penny
St Mary’s News
There was an initial meeting of the resurrected Friends of St Mary’s a couple of weeks ago. Eight interested people attended and there was much positive discussion about fundraising and the possible way forward for different services and events. All intended to raise the profile of St Mary’s and increase the congregation at all age groups.
There were two funerals in September – Tessa Moriarty and Donald Macintyre.
You may have noticed that Nigel has brought the altar forward a little so that he can get behind it in order to face the congregation when celebrating communion. Nigel feels that we are one congregation and should worship together. This is an established practice in today’s church.
Nigel is reintroducing a Traditional BCP Communion service at St Mary’s. This will complement the BCP Evening Prayer services we already have on the fifth Sundays during the year. There have been many requests for this to happen and this will be a regular feature, held on the first Sunday of each month for a trial period of six months. It will be a short, spoken service with no hymns lasting around forty minutes. The first one will be at St Mary’s on: Sunday 5th October 12.15pm. Come and hear those fabulous words from the Book of Common Prayer and Sunday 19th October 10.30am Morning Service with communion (Common Worship) David
St John’s News
Every Tuesday at 5.30pm during September we have had a short and peaceful service of Evening Prayer. This will continue during October and has been appreciated by those who have come and like to see the church used more than once a month. Our next service is Harvest Festival on 5th October with collection of food and donations to The Hub in Bradford on Avon.
The building itself has had some attention with its outside windows cleaned for the first time in many years. The first of two small working parties took place on 20th September with a second one on 4th October when the roof will get some attention. Our aim is not just to protect the church from leaks and repair damage but to make it looked loved. Liz
News from the school
A new school year has begun. Nigel and the school team are enjoying connecting with the children and staff as we develop ideas for the coming term and beyond.
In October, we will be celebrating Harvest with the children in St Peter’s Church. This is a joyous occasion, and always results in many carloads of food and toiletry donations being taken to the Hub in Bradford-on-Avon!
Freshford Pre-School will also be celebrating harvest, in St Mary’s Church. These very young children walk across the fields from Freshford Hall to the church with their contributions for the Hub and sing their harvest songs in the church accompanied on the piano by our very own David Sibley and his harvest teddy!
We are so blessed to have the support and encouragement of Ruth Poole and her staff at the school and Debbie Giles and her staff at the pre-school, and we look forward to more happy times together over the coming school year. Penny
Services for late September and October
28th September 10:30 am St Peter’s Harvest Festival and Holy Communion
(Common worship)
30th September 5.30pm St John’s Evening Prayer
5th October 10:30 am St John’s Harvest Festival and Holy Communion
(Common worship)
7th October 5.30pm St John’s Evening Prayer
12th October 10:30 am St Peter’s Holy Communion (Common worship)
14th October 5.30pm St John’s Evening Prayer
19th October 10:30 am St Mary’s Holy Communion (Common worship)
21st October 5.30pm St John’s Evening Prayer
26th October 10:30 am St Peter’s Morning Prayer
28th October 5.30pm St John’s Evening Prayer
Ladies Wednesday walking group
The next walk will be on the 8th October, 12th November, 1oth December and the 14th of January 2026. Please contact Debbie Ashcroft on 07889 780984 or debbieashcroft@live.co.uk if you would like to join the walking group. All welcome! Debbie
Wednesday afternoons – Tea, cake & chat
Please do come and join us in the Old Bakery on Wednesday afternoons from 2.30 – 4.00 for tea, coffee, cake and chat. Everyone is very welcome.
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
List of contacts
Rector
Nigel Rawlinson rectornigel2025@gmail.com
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
Liz Wordsworth hintonwords@icloud.com
Churchwardens St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke
Trevor Quartermaine redadmiral7965@gmail.com
David Sibley dssibley38@gmail.com
Parish Administrator
Debs Jones contact.parishoffice@gmail.com 01225 720347