Aggie Weston’s (http://www.aggies.org.uk/ ) is a Christian Charity that supports the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and their families through the provision of Pastoral Workers in military bases and establishments around the country.

We are now looking to recruit several people to join a couple of our teams based in the Portsmouth area. The roles call for people with a Christian vocation.

Closing date for applications is Monday 23^rd May 2022.

1045, Monday, 4th April 2022 – Peak Farm, Warnford

In 1943 the 7th Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers  (KOSB) was converted to the Airborne Infantry role; utilizing Gliders.  The Battalion was part of the  1st Airlanding Brigade within the 1st Airborne Division.  The Battalion fought at Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden ‘ A Bridge too Far’ in September 1944.

Through 1943 and 1944 exercises took place to prepare the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions for parachute and glider borne operations in support of D-Day and subsequent operations in NW Europe.  On the night of 4th April 1944 the Battalion was part of Exercise ‘Dreme’.  This was a large glider borne exercise in which the Gliders with their Bomber ‘tugs’ conducted a circuit from RAF Keevil in Wiltshire to East Sussex and returning to release their gliders over RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.  This route took the gliders over Warnford on the return leg. 1 HGSU, Horsa 1 glider, LG999 towed by Stirling IV LJ-842 of 196 Squadron and containing the two glider pilots and members of No. 3 Platoon, ‘A’ Company, 7th (Airborne) Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers

The night was very dark and with low cloud forcing the pilots to fly low and with no ambient light as the blackout was in force.  Tragically the Stirling struck a tree to the East of Warnford Park, the Horsa Glider was released but crashed  in the fields of Warnford Park killing all 27 soldiers on board.  The Stirling Bomber flew on with catastrophic damage and also crashed near Romsey; also killing all 6 of the RAF aircrew.

A local group recently became aware of this accident and felt that there ought to be a memorial to the soldiers and airmen that were killed. The initial step was to obtain planning permission from the South Downs National Park Authority which was obtained in August 2021 and to gain permission from the landowners, Hugh and Sally Thomas, to place the memorial on their land and directly beside the South Downs Way. We are very grateful to both the South Downs NPA and Hugh and Sally Thomas for their support.
The memorial will be a Sussex Sandstone block with plaques detailing the event and those who lost their lives.
We will be holding dedication event at from 10-12 AM, Monday 04 April 2022 which will be open to all who wish to attend.
Funds have been provided by the KOSB, AAC, RAF, RAAF, Airborne Forces Charity and the RAMC to cover the cost of the stone and the event. Any surplus will be gifted to the Poppy Appeal and we will also have the service charities present on the day for collections.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning

We will remember them

No. 3 Platoon ‘A’ Company, 7th (Airborne) Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers,  (25)

Lieutenant Leslie Albert Eastman. 284937. Age 26

Lance Sergeant Henry James V. Read. 4751147. Age 27

Lance Corporal David Provan. 14213409. Age 29

Lance Corporal John Murdoch Dirom. 3189248. Age 22

Lance Corporal Roy Murray Stewart. 3056450. Age 37

Corporal Robert Fowler Foley. 3193060. Age 24

Corporal Thomas MacGregor. 3187776. Age 28

Private Benjamin Philip Bamforth. 14351878. Age 20

Private William Henry Battye. 4613955. Age 25

Private George Frederick Jones. 14377951. Age 34

Private William Love. 3314631. Age 23

Private  Joseph Lucas. 4751048. Age 27

Private George Mole. 14620742. Age 18

Private Charles Myles. 991164. Age 28

Private William McMillan. 14210673. Age 37

Private Thomas McNamara. 14211483. Age 21

Private William McWhirter. 3190876. Age 22

Private James Ramsay MacPherson. 14211484. Age 21

Private John Park. 14202004. Age 21

Private Thomas Harper Reid. Age 26

Private Frank Stapleton. 5571917. Age 24

Private John William Steel. 3323987. Age 29

Private Robert Donald Wells. 1645311  (Age…)

Private Kenneth William Scott-Browne. 14645622. Age 23

Lance Corporal Horace AB Pope  RAMC  7372035  Age 25

Glider Pilot Regiment  (2)

Pilot: Staff Sergeant Henry Thomas Joel. 2058248. The Glider Pilot Regiment. Age 22

Pilot: Sergeant William Geoffrey Walker. 2581834. The Glider Pilot Regiment. Age 24

Stirling Bomber Crew:  Royal Air Force & Royal Australian Air Force (6)

RAAF  410069 WO John Hugh Lees, Captain (Pilot)   Age. 28

RAF 1697800 Sgt Shayrene Meera, (Flight Engineer)  Age 19

RAF 145397 FO John Robert Teece, (Navigator)  Age 32

RAF 1532527 Sgt John Thomas Wilkinson, (Air Bomber)  Age 29

RAAF 408353 Flt Sgt Kenrick Payne, (Wireless Air Gunner)  Age 21

RAF 1229967 Sgt Sidney Claypole, (Rear Gunner  Age 23)

Deepening Faith ~ Seeking to Serve
Growing for God ~ Welcoming All
Praying Together

Advance Notice is hereby given of the planned Parochial Meetings within the Benefice.

Other ordinary meetings may be called as required and when in accordance with the Church Representation Rules (Appendix 2 [General Provisions]– Items 2, 3 and 4).  The Chair may also call Short Notice Emergency Meetings (Item 8) when an important item needs to be addressed urgently.

All or any of the meetings may take place over Zoom should the conditions dictate that this is necessary.

Formal notice and timelines for applications and amendments to the electoral rolls will follow and be published on or near the door of each church.

In this Notice “parish” means an ecclesiastical parish.

The Revd A W Forrest (Rector & Chair of PCCs)

Dated: 28^th January 2022

THE MEETINGS FOR THE ELECTION OF CHURCHWARDENS

Annual Parishioners’ Meeting ((Vestry Meeting) 2022

This meeting may be attended by:

1. All persons whose names are entered on the church electoral roll of the parish and
2. All persons resident in the parish whose names are entered on a register of local government electors by reason of such residence

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING (APCM) 2022

For the election of Parochial representatives of the laity as follows:

• To the Deanery Synod 2 representatives at the triennium point or annually where there are vacancies
• To the Parochial Church Council.
• For the appointment of Sidesmen and the Independent Examiner.

For the consideration of:

(a)      A Report on changes in the roll since the annual parochial church meeting;

(b)      An Annual Report of the proceedings of the parochial church council and the activities of the parish generally;

(c)      The Financial Statements of the Council for the year ending on the 31st December immediately preceding the meeting audited or independently examined;

(d)      A Report on the fabric, goods and ornaments of the church of the parish;

(e)      A Report on the proceedings of the Deanery Synod and other matters of parochial or general Church interest.

NOTES

1. All persons whose names are entered upon the Church Electoral Roll of the parish (and such persons only) are entitled to vote at the election of parochial representatives of the laity.
2. Subject to the provisions of rule 12(2)(c), a person is qualified to be elected a parochial representative of the laity if
3. a) their name is entered on the church electoral roll of the parish and, unless they are under the age of eighteen years at the date of the election, has been so entered for at least the preceding period of six months;
4. b) the person is an actual communicant which means that they have received Communion according to the use of the Church of England or of a Church in communion with the Church of England at least three times during the twelve months preceding the date of the election and;
5. c) the person is sixteen years or upwards and
6. d) the person is not disqualified as referred to in paragraph 5 of these notes.

3         a)       A person shall be disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected from serving as a churchwarden, a member of a parochial church council, a district church council or any synod under these rules if he is disqualified from being a charity trustee under section 72(1) of the Charities Act 1993 and the disqualification is not for the time being subject to a general waiver by the Charity Commissioners under subsection (4) of that section or to a waiver by them under that subsection in respect of all ecclesiastical charities established for purposes relating to the parish concerned.

(aa)    A person shall be disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected or from serving as a churchwarden or member of a parochial church council, a district church council or any synod under these rules if the person is included in a barred list (within the meaning of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006).

(ab)    A person shall be disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected or from serving as a churchwarden or member of a parochial church council, a district church council or any synod under these rules if the person has been convicted of an offence mentioned in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

(ac)    A person’s disqualification under paragraph (ab) may be waived by the bishop of the diocese in question giving the person notice in writing.

1977. b) A person shall also be disqualified from being nominated, chosen or elected from serving as a churchwarden or member pf parochial church council if they have been so disqualified from holding office under section 10(6) of the Incumbents (Vacation of Benefice) Measure 1977., a member of a parochial church council, a district church council or any synod under these rules if they are disqualified from being a charity trustee under section 178 of the Charities Act 2011 and the disqualification is not for the time being subject to a general waiver by the Charity Commissioners under subsection 4 of that section or to a waiver by them under that subsection in respect of all ecclesiastical charities§ established for purposes relating to the parish concerned.
1978. Any person whose name is on the electoral roll may be appointed as a sidesman.

NOTE — In this notice “parish” means an ecclesiastical parish.

• ”Ecclesiastical charity” has the same meaning as that assigned to that expression in the Local Government Act 1894.

W(h)ither the Church?

I have been struck recently by two events and a set of data that have reminded me that the relationship between the rural church and its community is far from dead, in fact, even to say its significance has withered would be going too far.

In our benefice, an average of 4% of the adult population attend church each week, 3.5% in our neighbours in Hambledon, Newtown and Soberton, the next highest in the deanery. ‘That proves not many people go to church’, I hear you say, but hold on – that is more than double the proportion attending in some more built-up areas of our deanery and even more than the diocese overall (Source: Deanery Synod papers).  It’s certainly a better position than we sometimes think!

However, we cannot be complacent.  The church nationally and locally has been on a significant journey over the last five years and not always an easy one. Slow progress and the impact of COVID-19 have taken their toll on mission and ministry; there will no doubt be further changes of direction.

In our local deanery, we are looking for ways to share our resources to best effect. We are shaping a vision of working more collegially.  We hope to create different and diverse ways for us to learn more about our faith, to equip us to serve the community better and succeed in our ministry.

As the church seeks to ensure its relevance and build sustainability, across the deanery we have identified what seems to be a way ahead:

• Collaborate across historic parish boundaries
• Retain and develop a vibrant local presence in communities
• Increase the overall capacity for leadership
• Enable clergy to focus on spiritual leadership
• Provide co-ordinated administrative support
• Slim down governance structures

If the future of your local church matters to you:

• What do you see as the strength(s) in this approach?
• What might be a concern or worry?
• Over what timescale should such a change in our ways of working take place?
• What about our buildings?
• What could parishes share in general? What could we share specifically?
  (Skills, people or resources)

The local rural church and its communities have been intertwined for centuries, and many of us believe that we lose the relationship at our peril.  Email me or write with your views or ideas for sustaining that relationship or even building it further, so we can serve you better and not just survive, but have the capacity to go from strength to strength.

General Synod Paper – The  Emerging Church

Diocese Paper_4_Live_Pray_Serve_Update__Context

The Primacy of the Parish by Bishop Philip North

Pop-In for Coffee

The Meonstoke ‘Pop-In’ starts again from 1^st September in
St Andrew’s Church on the first and third Wednesday of the month from 10 am until noon.

All very welcome.

The informal library ‘Book Out’ is also available too.

Wilfrid’s Café has re-opened

Delicious coffee and cakes and much more

The Café is open on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from 10.00a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

Also, Wilfrid’s is still offering takeaways and we can now offer you a choice of indoor or outdoor tables and seating.

Indoor seating is available from 1045 on Thursdays after the friendly midweek Eucharist
Please join us for the service and a coffee in the café afterwards

The Enthronement of  Dr Neville Lovett as the first Bishop Of Portsmouth in 1927 

Bishop of Portsmouth (1927 – 1936)
Bishop of Salisbury (1936 – 1949)

The Enthronement of  Dr Neville Lovett
as the first Bishop Of Portsmouth in 1927

Click [HERE] to see a slice of our diocesan history with a very local connection to our own community.  The link will take you to the Reuters historic archive of Pathe News films.

In the Lady Chapel a stone plaque is dedicated to Neville Lovett, who retired to Droxford in 1946.

Click here for information about how you can inform the choice of our new bishop!

The Bishop of Portsmouth, together with Team Rector Richard England have appointed Mother Samantha Martell, formerly Curate in our Benefice, to one of two newly created roles of Team Vicar in Gosport North Team Ministry.  This is a key part of the Diocesan vision and an exciting opportunity for her to help grow the church of God in this newly formed parish.  Samantha will serve together with The Revd Jude Greenfield for the benefice of Bridgemary, Elson and Rowner.
We extend our congratulations to her on her appointment as she says goodbye to the parishes of Ryde, All Saints’ with Swanmore, St Michael and All Angels.
It is wonderful to think that the people nd her colleagues in the Gosport North Team Ministry will benefit from her experience, enthusiasm, vision and unwavering faith.
Mother Samantha’s final Sunday in Ryde will be Easter Day.

The New Church and Community Notice Board in Meonstoke was dedicated by the Rector, Fr Tony Forrest, on Friday 22nd January to the greater glory of God and as a blessing all who visit this place.

We extend our sincerest thanks to Angela, Church Warden, for seeing the project through, for those who granted permissions, for those who did all the manual work to site it and erect it.  We also offer our great thanks to our local County Councillor, Roger Huxstep, and to the South Downs National Park Authority for their generous support.  Everyone who has been involved has helped deliver a resource for both community and church, providing information about our locality and the life of the Church.

Click [HERE] or on the thumbnail above to see the short dedication.