Picture the scene for a moment. It’s early morning and dawn is breaking. Alone in the garden you watch as the first shadowy trees emerge, silhouetted against the dawn sky. It will be a warm spring morning. Soon, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city, this will be a place of peaceful refuge, but for the moment all is quiet, all is still. At this hour the city still sleeps and you are alone.

Except, not everyone is sleeping. By a fresh grave stands a young woman. She is weeping. She has come here mourning for a friend; a man she loved; a man who had given her a sense of dignity and purpose. She had joined him on a journey, full of hope and expectation. Now he lies dead; murdered. Now she has come to mourn his passing and as she does, she mourns for herself too. She stands and weeps. The grave is as empty as her heart; where have they taken him, why couldn’t they just leave his body in peace?

The woman at the graveside is Mary Magdalene, it’s Easter morning and the grave she has come to is Jesus’. [It feels strange to be writing about Easter before we have even started Lent. But this is a story for our time.]

Now is a season of mourning. As we mourn for those who have died; we also mourn a wider loss: jobs, businesses, friendships and family connections; education and the many joys and challenges for young people just branching out into the world; plans for retirement and closing years; above all, perhaps, a sense of a loss of freedom. We mourn as if the life we know has been stolen from us.

St John (John 20:11-18) tells us that as Mary wept a man appeared behind her. “Why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?” he asked. Slowly the penny drops. Jesus is alive. The tomb is empty because he no longer needs it. “Do not hold on to me” he says. Now, seeing him before her once more, she has to let him go again, but now she knows she is letting go, not into death but into new life. As we watch them both go, Mary back to the city, Jesus to his father, a new day has dawned. Where will that day take us?

Rev Philip

St Mary and St Lambert,

Stonham Aspal and Mickfield

ALTHOUGH THE CHURCH IS CLOSED FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP, IT IS STILL ALIVE AND BUSY.

If we can help you in any way please contact any one of us:

RECTOR: Rev Philip Payne Tel: 01449 711684 revphilippayne@btinternet.com

ASSISTANT PRIEST: Revd. Helen Norris, Tel: 01449 761867 h.norris1@hotmail.co.uk

Churchwardens and Lay Elders:          

David Tydeman 01449 711124 djtydeman@gmail.com

Alex Pratt 01449 711393 alexjenkinson@btopenworld.com

Lay Elders:

Mary Payne 01449711684 pjma_payne@hotmail.com

Liz Ince 01449 711365 lizandjohnince@gmail.com

THE CHURCH IS OPEN FOR PRIVATE PRAYER ON SUNDAYS: 10am – 4pm

ALL THE SERVICES ARE BENEFICE SERVICES ON ZOOM.

YOU ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND ANY SERVICE.

Contact: reader@ruthdennigan@gmail.com for the link

There may be changes to services due to Covid 19 regulations. More up to date information can be found on the weekly Pew Sheet. If you would like to be added to the email circulation please send your email address to lizandjohnince@gmail.com

ZOOM SERVICES

Sundays	9.30am	Morning Worship
Wednesdays	9.00am	Morning Prayer
Fridays   Friday 5 March Sunday 14 March Sunday 28 March	6.30pm   6.30pm 9.30am 9.30am	Compline   World Day of Prayer Mothering Sunday Worship Palm Sunday Worship

LENT IN A BAG

Activities for children during Lent have been delivered to families around the parish. The activities began with the launch of the Bishops’ Kagera Lent Appeal on Ash Wednesday and follow with more for all the weeks during Lent, including World Day of Prayer, Mothering Sunday, Palm Sunday and Easter.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

This year the day of prayer has been prepared by the Christian Women of Vanuatu which is just over 1,100 miles east of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. To find out more about Vanuatu and to join in this world wide ecumenical day of prayer contact Ruth for the link. The service will be held on Zoom at 6.30pm on 5 March.

MOTHERING SUNDAY

The service at 9.30am on Sunday 14 March on Zoom will celebrate ‘mothering’ in all its diverse forms, and remember how young women in service in the past would make the journey home to their ‘Mother Church’ mid-way through Lent.

PALM SUNDAY

As I write this we are still in lockdown and are not expecting that much will change before Easter, so our usual walk with a donkey will once again be impossible. We will celebrate Palm Sunday in a different way, on Zoom at 9.30am on 28 March, remembering Christ’s final journey into Jerusalem.

200 CLUB WINNERS

We have some pennies to give out, congratulations to all those who have been lucky in the January and February draw. Thank you to all those who continue to support this village hall and church fundraiser. A donation of £12 gives one number which is included in the draw each month of the year, with prize money being doubled up for December. If you are not already in the draw and would like to take part, please contact me on 711393 or alexjenkinson@btopenworld.com

Once again thank you again for supporting this fundraiser during these challenging times, it is very much appreciated. Alex

January Winners

1st prize £50 No 18 H Fuller

2nd prize £20 No 61 L Power

=3rd prize £15 No 213 J Mitchel

=3rd prize £15 No 47 M Greaves

February Winners

1st prize £50 No 7 G Kinsey

2nd prize £20 No 73 J Wright

=3rd prize £15 No 103 R Boulton

=3rd prize £15 No 213 J Mitchel

See www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/coronavirus for the latest details

From 15 February libraries will reopen for Select and Collect service and reservations so that people can request and pick up items from their library.

There will be no rush to bring items back as loan periods will again be extended and charges suspended. Browsing inside libraries and the use of computers will remain unavailable for the time being. The mobile library services and home library service will also remain suspended for now.

As always our plans are dependent on any changes in infection rates or government guidance.

At Debenham the garden outside the library has been receiving attention, and we have planted primulas in the letters SRH cut in the grass beside the drive. We hope they will still be there when you visit, despite the snow and cold!

For free audiobooks, ebooks, films and other services, use your library card at  www.suffolklibraries.co.uk. There are also podcasts and videos available on the YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/SuffolkLibraries.

• Book ahead to use a computer: phone or email the library; or just turn up. Printing, faxing and photocopying are also available.
•   We have reintroduced charges for overdue items. This will only apply to items borrowed on or after Monday 5 October which are due back on 2 November onwards. Library loan periods will remain at four weeks.
•   We have also reintroduced charges for DVDs.

School corner, Debenham IP14 6PL (next to the Primary School). Opening hours:

Tuesday:     0930 am – 1300 pm        Wednesday : 1500  – 1930 pm

Saturday:     0900 am – 1300 pm        Sunday:         1200 – 1600 pm

Tel: 01728 861940      www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/visit/locations-and-times/debenham-library
Facebook: @DebenhamLibraryFriends          Email: debenham.library@suffolklibraries.co.uk

Content from Dr Dan Poulter MP                                                         01 February 2021

Having been contacted by a number of parents and schools concerned about the disparity of higher needs education funding here in Suffolk compared to our neighbouring counties, I have urged the Education Secretary to urgently review Suffolk’s funding allocation and to level up education funding for our children and young people. 

I share the concerns of parents and schools and I am growing increasingly concerned that without a meaningful injection of cash, many of Suffolk’s children risk losing out on their fair share.  We already know that Suffolk is facing a substantial increase in the number of children and young people in need of additional support, yet rates for special school places in the county are significantly below those of our neighbours.

Suffolk children and Suffolk schools deserve better and at the very least, a level playing field.  The current funding allocation is not right and nor is it fair and this is why I have written to the Secretary of State setting out the case for Suffolk and requesting that his Department levels up Suffolk’s SEND funding to secure a fairer future for our brilliant children and young people.

Although our schools currently remain closed under the current restrictions, I have been heartened to hear of the innovative examples of home learning, both from parents and our teachers.  That said, home learning cannot take the place of being in class for face to face teaching and I remain hopeful that our schools can begin to return in early March.

Ahead of our schools returning, the Government continues to make great progress with the vaccination programme and I am continuing to press the case with the Vaccination Minister and local health leaders to make sure that Suffolk residents are invited to receive their vaccine just as soon as is practicably possible. 

As more and more of us receive the vaccine, light is very definitely at the end of the tunnel with many millions of people having being vaccinated across the country.  This is a fantastic achievement and my thanks go to all who have been involved in co-ordinating the herculean effort of rolling out the vaccination programme. 

We still have some way to go and cannot rest on our laurels, so it remains vital that we all continue to play our part in helping to stop the spread of COVID.  We mustn’t drop our guard now when we have come so far and the end goal is in sight.  The single most important action we can all take is to follow the guidance to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.

NOTES FROM THE CART TRACK   January 13^th 2021

The first ten days of the new decade has given us a little frost, rain, fog and sunshine but no gales yet.  At least leaving the European Union has not removed the variable British weather that we know and love!  As one who did not want to leave, I must say that I am very relieved that even a poor deal has been struck and we must now all forget what has been in the past and make the best of what is to come.  Some of the changes will be to our advantage, some will not.  It seems that leisure travel will be messier which may result in more people staying in the UK.  I hope that will not mean that our Suffolk roads will become much busier.  A brief Sunday trip to North Norfolk, in our motor home last July, was so dire because of congestion on the narrow lanes, that Stonham Aspal seemed the best place around for leisure activities.  It would appear that the quantity of folks walking, cycling, running and riding the footpaths on the farm since last March would indicate that others have the same idea.

Since the last notes, the only work done on the land has been to mark out the cover crops ready for spraying off before spring sowing and to drill our neighbours ex-sugar beet land with wheat.  Conditions have been too wet to sow our two fields at Crowfield with oats.  If the land remains saturated  for the next month, that plan will have to be abandoned and beans put in instead.  Spraying off the cover crops will be a challenge.  They have grown very well through the wet warm autumn to the extent that, had the mixture been one we could harvest in some way, we would be highly delighted.  We now have to spray them with a hefty dose of round-up which needs a dry leaf to stick to.  Rather difficult to achieve with the very lush phacelia shielding the rye underneath.  Dry days in February tend to be accompanied by strong wind.  Not ideal spraying weather.

Many sugar beet growers this year had the worst crops they have grown for many seasons.  Partly due to unfavourable weather conditions but also to the ban on neonicotinoid seed dressings which were used to protect the crop from aphid attack.  Aphids carry a virus which infects the plant with ‘sugar beet yellows’.  Many crops this year were badly affected and the sugar content was anything up to 25% less.  In some cases crops could have become unprofitable which in a high value crop like beet is very serious both to British Sugar ad the grower.  So neonics are being allowed again for one year but with stringent rules.  If a grower uses a neonic seed dressing on beet no flowering crop, such as beans, peas, linseed or a bird/pollinator mix can be grown for two year and no rape for 3 years on that field.  The powers that be are obviously not going to allow us to protect our rape crops in this way.   I have to say that I am very concerned about being pushed into using several doses of a kill all pyrethroid insecticide to try and protect the rape. This does not feel like sustainable farming.  Let’s hope that a better way can be found to grow a good safe oil producing crop for the UK

David Tydeman

…… in line with Government instructions

OUR CHURCH BUILDINGS ARE CLOSED

except for Private Prayer, but the church community continues to flourish….on line….

ROTA OF SERVICES FOR FEBRUARY 2021 

ALL THE SERVICES ARE BENEFICE SERVICES ON ZOOM.

CHURCH BUILDINGS ARE OPEN FOR PRIVATE PRAYER ONLY.

To attend Zoom services please email reader.ruthdennigan@gmail.com at least 2 days beforehand and Ruth will send you an email with the link. You can ask for the link for just one service, or to be added to her list and receive the link for all future Zoom services.

Wednesday 3 February

9.00am

Online Zoom

Morning Prayer

Friday 5 February

6.30pm

Online Zoom

Evening Prayer

Sunday 7 February: 2^nd Sunday before Lent

G

9.30am

Online Zoom

Morning Worship

Proverbs 8. 1, 22-31 Colossians 1. 15-20 John1. 1-14

Wednesday 10 February

9.00am

Online Zoom

Morning Prayer

Friday 12 February

6.30pm

Online Zoom

Evening Prayer

Sunday 14 February: Sunday before Lent

G

9.30am

Online Zoom

Morning Worship Kagera

2 Kings 2. 1-12 2 Corinthians 4. 3-6 Mark 9. 2-9

Wednesday 17 February: Ash Wednesday

P

7.00pm

Online Zoom

Reflective Service

Isaiah 58. 1-12 2 Corinthians 5. 20b-6.10 John 8. 1-11

Friday 19 February

6.30pm

Online Zoom

Evening Prayer

Sunday 21 February: Lent 1

P

9.30am

Online Zoom

Morning Worship

Genesis 9. 8-17 1 Peter 3. 18-22 Mark 1. 9-15

Tuesday 23 February

7.30pm

Online Zoom

Lent Group

Wednesday 24 February

9.00am 10.00am

Online Zoom Online Zoom

Morning Prayer Lent Group

Friday 26 February

6.30pm

Online Zoom

Compline

Sunday 28 February: Lent 2

P

9.30am

Online Zoom

Morning Worship

Genesis 17. 1-7, 15-16 Romans 4. 13-25 Mark 8. 31-38

These services are correct at the time of going to press but there may be some changes.

Please check on the weekly notice sheet.

CHURCHES OPEN FOR PRIVATE PRAYER ONLY

Coddenham:           Thursdays 8am – 5pm

Creeting St Mary:    Sundays 2pm-4pm

Creeting St Peter:    Sundays 10am-3pm

Crowfield:               Sundays 10am-4pm

Earl Stonham:      Sundays 12pm-4pm

Gosbeck:                Wednesdays and Sundays 9am-6pm

Hemingstone:         Every day

Stonham Aspal:       Sundays 10am-4pm

FROM THE RECTORY – A BEAUTIFUL DAY

It has been a wonderful day.  White frost glistened in the golden sunlight.  Trees, dripping melting ice, stood boldly against a clear wintry-blue sky.  Birds busied themselves, no doubt making the most of the sun’s warmth after a miserable few days.  Although the thermometer read zero, there was a feeling of warmth in the sunlit air.  As we took our regulation walk, the beauty of it all lifted our spirits, and the spirits of all who we met on our travels.

It is not only the sun which brings beauty and lifts the spirits.  In recent days a new neighbour has moved in.  Looking up from my desk one recent morning I saw on the drive, wings outstretched and with the sunlight catching on his rich brown coat, a kestrel; just a few yards from the study window.  Our seventh winter; and although we often see kestrels in the fields this is the first time that we have seen one in the Rectory garden.  He (or she we’re not sure which) has visited several times since then.  The kestrel is not the only new arrival.  Migrant blackbirds have arrived in force.  Every year in autumn, we gather windfall fruit around the base of our mighty pear tree.  There it gently ferments until the blackbirds arrive, then swiftly it vanishes.

Now all is quiet.  The mist has risen, the sky turns grey and the temperature is falling; night will soon be upon us.  The daily news remains gloomy, the depths of winter are probably still to come but everywhere we look; across the garden and in the fields around us, there are signs of new life.  One swallow may not a summer make (and the swallows are still many months away) but a day like today lifts the soul.   The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1).  Thank God that he shares its’ beauty with us.

Rev Philip

February 2021

We’re all living in this same situation. We’re all trying to live our day-to-day lives. We’re all having to make difficult decisions. How does a Christian view what’s going on?

For what it’s worth here’s a few ways we approach the virus:

First up, we’re not surprised, but saddened. Sorry if that sounds glib. Or trite. It’s not meant to be. As Christian’s we believe that the world is fundamentally good. It’s God’s good creation. But it’s become a fallen and broken world. So, we know that we will experience illness, viruses, and sadness. And we are deeply moved and saddened by all that’s happening. It’s affected us personally in a variety of ways. Covid-19 is a particularly nasty virus. Perhaps you’ve felt that sense that this isn’t how life should be? That It’s just, not right? We’d agree. The world is not as it should be. It’s good, but broken. It’s beautiful, but disfigured. All at the same time.

Next, we’re not passive, but active. I hope. As Christian’s we can’t just say “oh well never mind”. The bible teaches us to take great care around human life. To love our neighbour. To take steps to protect other people. To care for the vulnerable and needy in our society. We applaud our emergency services, our NHS, carers, all sorts of key workers and frontline health care professionals and so on. They do a fantastic job. We have a number of NHS workers in our church. And other key workers. Jesus came into our world of sadness’s and illnesses and viruses and had compassion on people. He healed people. He spent time with people. As a church, we’re being cautious and careful regarding all the basics of social distancing, hygiene, ventilation and so on. Currently we’re open on a Sunday for a very short, 30min, small-scale outdoor service. All our other meetings are held on Zoom. This situation is evolving all the time. We may find ourselves closed again. And as individuals, like you, we’re doing what we can to help others.

Finally, perhaps most importantly, we’re not hopeless but hopeful. Personally, I have great confidence in the vaccine programme, and I hope that the lock-down and warmer weather will combine with this, alongside the valiant efforts of the NHS. And I hope the summer will bring better times. But I have a hope that isn’t built on my next holiday, or the NHS or the vaccine or even the total removal of Covid-19 from our lives. My hope is grounded in something much more secure. Something outside of all this. Something much more certain. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus. My solid foundation for life is this: that because he conquered death, I can have forever life. Ultimately that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. That’s what’s getting me through this crisis. That’s something that nothing and no-one can take away. 

Rich T