February 2004
Churchwardens: Mrs. J. H. Mannings, Mr. J. R. Wyld
ASH WEDNESDAY
The Gateway to Lent
Ash Wednesday is a very unusual day.
It is a special day in the life of the Church, but it does not commemorate a special person or a special event.
It is an important day for Christians because it marks the beginning of Lent, a penitential period of forty days (excluding Sundays) before Easter.
Easter Day is always on a Sunday; therefore the beginning of Lent is always on a Wednesday.
The date of Easter is governed by the moon - it is a lunar festival, and therefore varies according to the lunar cycle. Easter Day is always the first Sunday after the Full Moon following the Spring Equinox. This is in contrast to the fixed date of Christmas which is a solar festival, based on the dating of the Winter Solstice (or rather the Winter Solstice as it occurred two thousand years ago).
Ash Wednesday becomes the barrier between the solar Christmas and lunar Easter season. Perhaps it is one of the delights of the Christian Year that the period from Ash Wednesday to Trinity Sunday always falls on different dates each year, often changing by several weeks from year to year.
Although the timing of the Lenten season changes each year, the character of these six and a half weeks remains constant. Christians are invited by the Church to reflect on their spiritual lives and turn to God in penitence and faith.
As we prepare ourselves for Easter Day and the Easter season which follows it, we can spend time examining ourselves, turning to God and asking for his forgiveness for all that we have done which is contrary to his will. In this way we can then be open to all the new opportunities for Christian living that God makes possible for us through the action of his Holy Spirit.
I hope that this Lent will be such an opportunity for all of us as we continue on our Christian journey of faith towards the Easter dawn.
Hugh Bonsey
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CHURCH NEWS The church was almost full for our candle lit service on Sunday, 21st December. Thank you to all who read lessons or helped in any way for this service. Our thanks to Claire and Simon Veysey for providing the mulled wine to go with the mince pies. It was good to see so many young families at this service. On Christmas Eve at 10.00 pm the First Mass of Christmas took place but the numbers attending was disappointing. Christmas Day made up for this with a goodly number attending family Eucharist. We will let you know later what collection was sent to Julian House for the homeless from these services. We hope you all had a good Christmas (now the diets start). We are planning quite a few events to take place in the church this year. A fashion parade and a musical evening with a large orchestra being two events to hopefully happen in the spring and summertime. So watch this space. Thanks are due to all who decorated our church so beautifully once again this Christmas. It was much appreciated.
Revd Hugh Bonsey will be taking his last service at St. Julian's on Sunday, 22nd February at 11.15 am. At this service a presentation to Hugh will be made on behalf of Wellow Parish. It would be nice to see as many as possible at this Service. If anyone wishes to make a donation will they let Clover Holland our Treasurer have them. Cheques should be made payable to St. Julian's PCC by 16th February if possible.
Churchwardens
FREDDIE MATTHEWS We learnt of the death of Freddie with great sadness. He was very much part of the village life here in Wellow. A regular worshipper at St. Julian's he served on the PCC for many years and did sidesperson duties, reading lessons until failing eyesight stopped him doing so. He was for a very long time Diocesan Representative for St. Julian's. Always at hand to help in any way he could Freddie was also a very keen member of Wellow Horticultural Society winning many prizes for his vegetables and flowers at the Flower Show and taking office of many jobs including Chairman. At his thanksgiving service in St. Julian's his wreath was of miniature vegetables (Freddie would have approved of that). We shall all miss him very much for sense of humour, his helpfulness and kindness over the years above all a perfect gentleman in all ways. To Jenny his wife, and all at he family we send our thoughts and prayers at this sad time. Rest in peace Freddie.
DOROTHY STONE Again we heard of the passing of another well-known villager with much sadness. Dot or Dotty as she was known was born in Wellow seventy five years ago, the eldest daughter of Elsie and Mark Golledge she married Bill Stone from Double Hill and continued to live in her parent's home when they died. Dot was often seen walking her beloved dog Sam around the village. Although she had no children of her own she was always interested in the young ones. Running a Youth Club for many years and was called Aunty Dot by many of them, and would try and sort out any problems for them if she could. She was also tea lady to the football team for quite a few years serving cuppas from an old bus up on the Hayes till a super hut was put on the now playing field, which meant she didn't have far to go to her home. We shall miss seeing her around making us laugh with sayings. To Thelma her sister and Alan her brother and families we send our thoughts and prayers at this sad time. Rest in Peace Dot.
Joyce Mannings
SEVILLE MARMALADE IN AID OF ST JULIAN'S I have been filling the house with lovely sunny smells! Anyone who would like some Marmalade do contact me - I have jars in many shapes and could do with some more, preferable 1Lb size. Cost approx £1.50 a jar, obviously depending on size.
Libby Kerr - Leesons, Twinhoe - 833589
WELLOW CHRISTMAS CARDS The sale of Christmas Cards this year raised a profit of £70.00 for St. Julian's Church. This has been Gift Aided, which brings the total to almost £90.00. My thanks to all who bought the cards and especially to the shop through which the majority were sold.
Colin Tremellen
POSTMAN, RAY As you may know, our treasured postman Ray is leaving the Post Office after 13 years of punctual deliveries in Wellow. I'm sure we all agree that he has done a fantastic job as a community postman, combining a cheery good humour with great reliability, as well as keeping an eye on our general well-being, as he whistles down the wind towards our letter boxes. Sadly his last post will be on Friday, 30th January and he will be greatly missed. If you would like to make a donation to a 'thank you box' from the whole village please give your donation in at the Parlour Shop ASAP, along with any suggestions as to a suitable gift.
WINNERS OF THE WELLOW VILLAGE HALL 150 CLUB PRIZE DRAW FOR January 2004
1st £30.00 Mr. R. Twose No. 33
2nd £11.00 Mrs. P. Brigden No. 8
3rd £7.00 Mr. W. Wilcox No 79
4th £5.00 Mrs. L Wharton No. 57
Thank you for your support B Messer Chairman
Cheers!! A big thank you to all of you that made the wine tasting evening such a success. Congratulations to the winners of the wine tasting and the "Guess the number of marbles" competitions.
Next week we will be holding the History of Wellow Talk, to hear about a murder, Wellow's ancient history, the daily struggles, and much much more, courtesy of Mr Chedgy's slide show presentation, and Gordon Hewlett's display of Wellow photographs, held in the Hall on Friday, 30th January at 7.30 pm - £5. Bring your own booze for a fun filled night and contact Sarah on 833331 or Steph on 835977 for tickets and any further information.
Our next Village Hall fund raising event will be a First Aid Course kindly to be run by Annelise and Martyn Smith at 7.00pm on Friday 2nd April. Should you wish to learn more about First Aid, or just refresh your memory, information regarding tickets, as well as further events will be made nearer the time.
FROM THE PAST
August 1900
The case of Willcox v Horton and Davis came before Judge Hastings in the County Court. Willcox, a builder of Weston-Super-Mare, who also farmed sheep at Midford, sought to recover £7-11s, the value of three sheep which he alleged had been worried to death by the defendants' dogs. There was no doubt that the sheep had been killed by dogs; and the case revolved around the ownership of them. The evidence and identity principally depended on a boy called Day, he saw two dogs attacking the sheep, one belonged to the Rev. Horton and the other to Davis, the Vicar's gardener; a second lad, Pritchard, corroborated the evidence.
Mr. Horton brought forward the evidence of his cowman, Greenman, who said that the dog was with him at the alleged time and Mrs. Greenman swore she had subsequently seen the dog lying on straw at the Vicarage, Wellow. The alibi was accepted and judgement was in favour of the Rev Horton, "it was a case of mistaken identity of the Vicar's dog".
With regard to Davis's dog no alibi could be offered. Mr. Titley, in defence of Davis, asked "his Honour to accept that the evidence referred to only one sheep, the other two were in all probability killed the day before, and no evidence was forthcoming as to connect either dog to these events". This was allowed and Davis was ordered to pay £2-8s with costs in respect of one of the sheep only.
Gordon Hewlett
LUNCH CLUB This month's lunch will be on Thursday, 26th February, at 1.00 pm in the Village Hall. New members welcome just ring Marian Osborne on 832561.
THE PARLOUR SHOP All shareholders in Wellow Village Shop Association are invited to the AGM on Thursday 19th February in the Village Hall at 8.00 pm to hear the annual report on the shop's activities and finances, and to discuss future plans. Shares are limited to one per person and are more like membership fees than normal shares; they cost £10.00 each, do not produce interest, and are not returnable! If you would nevertheless like to support the shop and be involved in the running of it in this way, do come along to the AGM and buy a share.
Marian Osborne
WELLOW WOMEN'S INSTITUTE The next meeting will be on Thursday, 12th February at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall. Our speaker will be Mr. B. Horseman who will talk about "A Bit of This and That" a sort of autobiography. The competition will be for a Bell - any size. Suggestions for a place to visit in the summer are needed, all proposals will be considered so please give this request some thought before the next meeting. New members are always welcome - please just come along.
Pam Brigden
WELLOW & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY - Subscriptions are now due for the year 2004 - the Programme will be sent with the Membership Card. The Membership Secretary is: Janet Plater, The Stations, Station Road, Wellow - Tel.837944. The subscription is - £10 for Family Membership and £6.00 for Individual Membership.
Next meeting, which is open to everyone, is a Quiz Evening on Thursday, 26th February at the Village Hall, 7.30 for 8 pm start - Alan Taylor is our Master of Questions. Tables of 4 with a charge of £1.00 per head. So start collecting your Team and decide on a name. To book a table let Shirley Betts know on 833683.
To whet your appetite in March, Thursday 18th Daniele Altieri will be coming to talk on "Plants for difficult places".
Also, this year we are planning to hold two "Plant Bring and Buy Afternoons", one in the Spring, on Saturday, 8th May and an Autumn one on Saturday, 2nd October. More details to follow but please start collecting, nurturing and potting. There will be an entrance fee if you do not bring a plant!!
JUNIOR GARDENING CLUB - the February meeting will be on Sunday, 15th February at the Village Hall 10.30 - 12.00 noon. For details and offers to help, badly needed, contact Lisa Layzell-Davis on 309007.
Libby Kerr
NEWSLETTER Please may I have all copy for the Newsletter by 20th February. It can be left in the shop or delivered to me at St Julian's Well. If you miss the deadline give me a ring it may not be too late. If you have email that would be very helpful. Thank you very much.
Jill Tremellen 833506
Please note my new email address: jilltremellen@onetel.com