ST. MARY THE VIRGIN, elham

 The present Parish Church of Elham, dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, built of ragstone and flint, dates from 1170 to 1200, when it replaced a Saxon Church on the same sloping site in the valley of the Nailbourne. The view from across the Square reveals an impressive building with a massive tower of fine proportions completed during the 15th century. The real beauty of the place, however, is in the quality of its furnishings and owes much to the careful restoration of the interior carried out in the early part of the 20th century.

Christian people have worshipped God on this site for over 1000 years. Today, the people of Elham gather here every Sunday to worship in many ways, from the traditional Holy Communion, to the family-orientated Café Church. All ages are welcome to our services and we have a children's corner where they can play. 

Members of the community join together in the church for events other than worship, such as concerts and markets. 

We maintain our church as the living centre of our own Christian life and worship, and we also seek to hand on to succeeding generations not only the building, but also the living faith symbolised by it.  

SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS!

  Dear Friends 

tooTents

The weather’s getting warmer, and families are planning for the summer holidays. Some of them will be going camping and for others part of the holiday at home could be under canvas. Lots of children like the idea of sleeping out under the stars, in a makeshift shelter, maybe building the shelter first. They listen for snuffling animals like hedgehogs or to night bird noises. The National Trust suggests it too as one of the 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾.

We used to love putting up our tents in the Yorkshire Dales near Pen-y-Ghent, beside a stream, falling asleep to the sound of the stream or the rain… we didn’t worry, that was up to our parents. My father used to make the breakfast in the morning, porridge or scrambled eggs or fried bacon, my mother coped with the weather and clothes. We got the milk from the farmer but then spent the days out exploring, looking at caves, climbing the mountain or building dams in the stream.

In Leviticus 23 we hear of a weeklong celebration where there are instructions for building makeshift shelters: ” On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. …. Live in temporary shelters for seven days: ….. so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

This was part of the harvest festival of tabernacles or booths or tents, it started with serious things but ended with these days of celebration and thanks for harvest. However the tents or temporary shelters were a reminder of days spent on the move, without a fixed home, probably with few possessions, time in the wilderness, where there was no harvest. The Israelites needed to trust God completely. He doesn’t need to live in a solid structure, in church, but He meets us there because we often need the shelter.

These days we think of refugees, whether driven from their homes or with little except for the hope of a better life. So as we see tents let us also remember those who have no fixed dwelling place, not by choice but necessity. We might have mattresses or camp beds but some only have the hard ground, so like the Jews let us remember hard times. “When a foreigner lives with you in your land, don’t take advantage of him. Treat the foreigner the same as one born among you…. Remember that you were once foreigners in Egypt. I am God, your God.” We also remember with thankfulness the friendliness and hospitality we have experienced in foreign lands.

Janet Butcher-Weisner 

St. Mary’s: 

Services for MAY

1st   8am Holy Communion BCP 

8th 9.30am Eucharist CW1 

15th 9.30am Service of the Word

22nd  9am Short service then Rogation Walk to Denton & Wootton

29th 10am Benefice Service at St Martin’s, Acrise (outside if fine)

Every Wednesday 8am – Morning Prayer by Zoom – For details see: www.elhamvalleygroupofchurches.co.uk 

Methodist Church – Contact the Circuit Office at methchurch12@gmail.com

St Mary’s – the church remains open daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm for private prayer and meditation.

Churches Together in Elham 

is     once again hosting a prayer meeting    in the Methodist Hall, open to     all persons of any denomination or none. Bi-monthly, on a Saturday     morning, at 8 am, half an hour of prayer followed by breakfast at 8.30    (please let David Whitethread know if you are coming – 840650 or     07961053335). 

The  next Prayer Breakfast is 11th    June.  All welcome, come and join us.

 Dear Friends 

People may disagree about how a head of state should be appointed, but few would deny that Queen Elizabeth has fulfilled the role of sovereign with dignity, showing a commitment to service that has earned her almost universal admiration and respect. She embodies a sense of vocation that has led her always to put her duty as Queen before her life as a wife and mother. As Head of the Church she has testified to a deep personal faith and put Christian values at the heart of the nation’s moral and ethical standards.

There is much to give thanks for over the four days set aside at the beginning of June to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. There will be bunting, street parties, concerts, military parades, special TV programmes, school events, commemorative plaques and merchandise. Trees will be planted, gardens opened, and new recipes created; bells will be rung and services held in churches, mosques and temples. At their best these celebrations can bring communities together and contribute to a positive sense of our identity and character as a diverse and inclusive nation. 

A rather different concept of Jubilee is to be found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus. After God freed the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, He led the tribes through the wilderness for many years, gradually preparing them to become His people, ready to settle in the land He had promised to give them. This process of nation-building involved a detailed system of Laws designed to shape the Israelites into a just society in which resources were to be distributed for the welfare of the whole nation. Some of these Laws describe the Year of Jubilee, which was to be celebrated every forty-nine years with the purpose of resetting the clock, correcting imbalances and unfairness that inevitably creep in and accrue over time in the life of all societies. Under the Jubilee Laws resources are not freely at the disposal of human beings but given in trust to be managed fairly and passed on equitably to the next generation, so that wealth, power and privilege could not be steadily accumulated by certain families to the detriment of others. Even the land and animals were given rights so that they could not simply be exploited. 

Although there is no evidence that the Jubilee Laws were ever enforced, perhaps because they were just as radical and challenging for the Israelites to consider as they are for us today, there is much that we could learn from them. In this 70th year of the Queen’s reign, we know we live in a country where inequalities in wealth, health, and opportunity are entrenched and increasing. The Jubilee Laws set the standard for how human societies could order themselves to be just and fair. What a fitting tribute it would be to a Queen who has been such a faithful servant of God and her people were we to include in her Jubilee celebrations a commitment to break down all that perpetuates injustice in our societies, and to build renewed communities, in which all are enabled to enjoy fully human lives. 

Sarah Montgomery

St. Mary’s: 

Services for JUNE

5th  11am Outdoor Praise on Elham Green or in St Mary’s, depending on weather 

12th No service

19th 9.30am Eucharist CW1 

26th 9.30am Morning Prayer

Every Wednesday 8am – Morning Prayer by Zoom – For details see: www.elhamvalleygroupofchurches.co.uk 

St Mary’s – the church remains open daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm for private prayer and meditation.

Methodist Church:

5th– see above

12th– Richard Blackwell

19th– G Songer

26th– Ralph Bradshaw

 Though the project has taken three years from concept to completion, and involved overcoming many challenges associated with building in an 800 year-old building, the New Facilities at St.Mary’s are now complete. The improvements include an addition to the South Porch to house accessible toilet facilities (including a baby changing station, and a sink for flower arranging); greatly improved access for wheelchairs by the installation of new ramps from outside into the heart of the Church; new main doors to the South Porch; new central heating boilers concealed in an enclosure in the South Porch; and inside the Church, a large servery with storage, and even a dishwasher! 

None of this would have been possible without the generous financial support of parishioners and the whole community of Elham through donations and various fund-raising events, and also the generosity of outside funding agencies. 

We are pleased to report that the entire project cost has been covered by these donations, coupled with fabric funds available from Church reserves for the cost of the replacement boilers.

By the time you read this, a celebration will have taken place in the Church to mark the commissioning of the facilities. A lucky raffle ticket holder will have had the honour of completing the first official flush! It is hoped that many of you will be attending events in a more user-friendly environment in the future. The servery area inside the Church can be viewed any time during weekdays when the Church is open (9.00am to 5.00pm), and the whole project viewed when the South Porch is open for services every Sunday. 

The Parochial Church Council of St.Mary’s would like to extend sincere thanks to the design and construction professionals, and to all who contributed time and financial resources to the New Facilities project.

Peter Swain and Graham Ernest-Jones - Church Wardens