Welcome to Jason and Maranda

It is lovely to have Jason and Maranda here in the benefice. Here are some pictures supplied by Ian Parsons - thanks Ian

The Institution, Induction and Installation

of

The Revd Jason St John Nicolle

as
Rector of the Churn Benefice
by
The Rt Revd John Pritchard,
Bishop of Oxford.

will take place
on
Friday 2nd May 2008 at 7.30pm
at
St Andrew’s Church,
East Hagbourne.

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH FETE

SATURDAY 14TH JUNE 2008

The theme is HEROES, HEROINES AND VILLAINS

This is the major fundraising event for St Andrew’s Church each year as well as providing a very pleasant afternoon for the whole family in a beautiful garden.

If you enjoyed last year’s fete, why not get involved and help to make it an even greater success this year.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you can help this year, either on a sideshow or a stall, by selling raffle tickets, or with the setting up before and also after the fete.

NEW IDEAS AND HELPERS ARE MOST WELCOME.

Telephone Ben Lawson, 212404 or Andrea Mitchell, 850719,
or come along to St Andrew’s on Sunday 27th April
for coffee and planning at 11.30a.m.

Visit by the Bishop of Oxford

On 16th January John, Bishop of Oxford, and his Chaplain, the Reverend Amanda Bloor, visited the Wallingford Deanery. The day included some time in each of the parishes / benefices, which for the Churn Benefice was marked by a visit to Churn Knob. The day was blessed with the finest weather of the week, no wind, good visibility and underfoot the Downs were fairly dry. The party was able to enjoy the view over the Deanery and beyond, albeit late in the afternoon as the light began to fade.

The Bishop was accompanied by the Reverend Louise Butler and Graham Goy who identified some of the landmarks and provided background information on their history. From this vantage point the group was also able to see the Harwell Business Centre, the areas of Didcot and Hagbourne earmarked for development and across to Wallingford. The Bishop had earlier visited the South Oxfordshire District Council offices in Crowmarsh where the development plans had been described to him.

Approaching the ancient monument of Churn Knob itself, the Bishop heard about St. Birinus and the annual pilgrimage to Dorchester from Churn Knob. He saw that the cross originally erected by Fr. Edwin was now lying beside the mound and he expressed an interest in having it re-erected. He was also told that Blewbury Primary School have an annual service here.

The visit concluded with a walk / slither down the chalk pit path. The grassy area around the chalk pit itself provided a pleasant detour and a chance for Louise to describe the annual Easter Egg Rolling event enjoyed by the village community and their dogs. A car was waiting at Ticker’s Folly car park to take the Bishop back to Graham’s house for a well earned rest and meal before an evening service at St. Peter’s, Didcot.

The Church expresses its thanks to Churn Estates for permission to access the Downs by car.