VIEW FROM THE PEW

Whether or not the summer has passed us by again, we nevertheless had a ban on the use of hosepipes for watering gardens and cleaning cars following the driest Spring for many years, As it happened it didn’t make a great deal of difference because no sooner was the ban imposed than the heavens opened and watering gardens became unnecessary. It came too late to swell the raspberries but rhubarb crumble has temporarily become part of our staple diet and we shall be able to eat al fresco on a verdant lawn if it ever stops raining.

The rain has hindered the refit of the church notice board although following a short conversation with someone who shall remain nameless and should know better, who didn’t miss it when it was dismantled, I am doubtful about its value as a promulgator of information. Perhaps it needs flashing neon lights to attract attention.

What did attract attention was a group of scarecrows called Viillage People but unfortunately it was the attention of vandals so that the churchgoers on Sunday did not have the chance to admire the winning entry in the Scarecrow competition which had been held the previous day. There were some splendid entries which didn’t win and hopefully didn’t get vandalised either, amongst them a very life-like Shrek and a charming piece called All things bright and beautiful. The judging was done by those of us who went around the village; some drove but many went on foot and were probably surprised how far it was. It took me about an hour and three quarters which included a five minute chat at the Boarded Barn and two minutes in the Co-op to buy a bottle of water. The usual suspects were serving tea and sticky buns in the hall and the kids as well as the adults were entertained by a puppet show. The event was a great success, despite the wet morning and many will be looking forward to having another one next year which, for me at least, could do with a comfort stop somewhere around the half way mark.

A couple of weeks later the AMADS produced their latest farce at the Catholic Club where a good laugh was had at the antics of various unprincipled characters although, for once, there were no corpses, imaginary or otherwise. The next production is called Steel Magnolias which will be in the Parish Hall in November. That seems a long time hence, but time flies, and it’s as well to keep an eye out for ticket sales when they start and get them early. The story is told through conversations which take place in Truvy’s beauty parlour surrounding the wedding and the first three years of the marriage of a woman who decides to have children despite having Type 1 diabetes. There are a load of subplots, of course, and the play was made into a successful film starring Julia Roberts. So there’s a little something to whet your appetites.

The Art Show had been on during the last weekend in June and it was as enjoyable and as successful as ever. We continue to sell pictures although the village itself must just about have reached saturation point, so people are coming from far and wide and we welcome them and the contribution they make, if not to the village as a whole, then to the economy of the church and the club. This year the visible part of that contribution was close on nine hundred pounds as well as the bar takings and income from refreshments and cards.  And we intend to have another go next year, God willing, for it will be the Show’s tenth anniversary so we shall have to think of something a bit special to mark the occasion.

The congregation carried the tunes very well on the Sunday we were without an organist assisted, it should be said, by a fairly large christening party who seemed to know the hymns, and which allowed the Vicar to repeat his joke that where there’s a will, there’s a relative. These days it is almost as true to say that where there’s an enterprise there’s a website although many people are sceptical about their usefulness, a bit like the notice board. We have one and, unlike some, it is kept fairly well up to date not only with information about the church but about what is happening both there and in the hall.

I only know of one person who has benefitted from the website and she is now a regular worshiper at the early communion service on Sundays but we have had a hundred and ten visitors to the site this year and, although we don’t know who they are, a good few of them will be people wanting to either get married or to have their babies baptised. There was a time when things were done in that order but these days the off-spring from the relationship are likely to be attendants at the wedding.

Usually, the most recent of these bits of nonsense from the Parish Magazine is included as one of the pages and there is a page about the hall; what goes on and how to hire it. Although it is a great place for receptions and parties it does seem at times to be sadly underused especially when you consider the competitive prices both for the hire and at the bar.

The website address for those who want to have a look is stmichaelsburtonwood.co.uk and from there it really is simple as you will have discovered if you are reading this on a computer screen.  If you’re not and you have the means, why not have a go?

Clivestannrd/nov10/stmi