Village News & Notices

(28th March 2007)


ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETINGS


Broome 7.30 p.m. Tuesday, 24th April, Broome Village Hall

Churchill with Blakedown, 7.45 p.m. Thursday, 26th April, Churchill Village Hall


With the exception of worship, the Annual Parochial Church Meetings should be considered the most important meeting in the life of the church. ALL on the Church Electoral Roll are eligible to attend and elect the Parochial Church Council, and most are eligible for election.
This is the time of year when we should take stock of the life and witness of the local church. I am sometimes asked if any of our churches will close. The answer to the question is the same now as when I first came to the benefice. No church will close providing there is a worshipping congregation and willing people able to carry on the work and provide sufficient funds to finance the work. So it is up to the local community whether there is a church building open for worship Sunday-by-Sunday and available for baptisms, weddings and funerals.
So, if we want a church in our area we need to:
A. ATTEND. To use the Post Office slogan, 'Use it or lose it'.
B. BE READY to examine our talents and offer them by taking some office or responsibility in the church. You may feel at times that you need the church. Remember, the church needs YOU.
C. CONSIDER whether what we give to the church is realistic in 2007 and not what was realistic 20, 30 or 40 years ago.
If we don't, we may end up with a museum and not a living church serving and witnessing in the community.