The Mobile Post Office Van will continue to run as normal during this lockdown period.
Mobile Post Office Van services include:
Monday, Tuesday and Friday
9.30am –11.00am
Chapel End, Great Gidding
PE28 5NP
St Michael’s Church, Great Gidding
The Parochial Church Council explored the viability of a short Carol Service at St Michael’s, accepting the congregation would not be able to sing etc. We even found four people from outside the village to sing, socially distanced in the chancel. However, with the new COVID rules and Tier regulations, it was felt there were too many associated problems to ensure compliance with COVID rules, and keeping everyone (congregation and singers) safe.
There will be a Benefice Carol Service ‘online’ at 7pm on Christmas Eve. To join online please click on the benefice website: www.norleigh.org.uk
There will be no Midnight Communion on Christmas Eve this year. However there will be a short service of Holy Communion (no longer than thirty minutes) on Christmas Eve, to which you are all invited to celebrate the birth of Jesus. This service will start at the earlier time of 6.00pm.
If you wish to come to this service, can you please help us by informing John De Val of your intention to attend – this will be much appreciated.
You may either telephone him on 01832/293417 or email him
COVID requirements of masks, sanitizations, self distancing etc. will be followed.
Finally, the church will be CLOSED on Thursday morning (24th December) in order to meet the necessary safety regulations for our Christmas Eve service later in the day.
St John’s Church, Little Gidding
There will be no Carol Service at Little Gidding this year.
However it is planned to hold a service of Holy Communion on Sunday 27th December at 11am. However this is subject to completion of restoration work, and the appropriate Risk Assessment being carried out. Please check with the Gidding website nearer the time. Alternatively you can contact the churchwarden, John De Val (tel: 01832/293417).
UPDATE from Michael Keck following lockdown announcement:
You will have seen the Act of Remembrance for Remembrance Sunday next week advertised in St Michael’s Church. Sadly, events have now overtaken us, and this service can no longer take place. However, whilst congregational worship is not permitted, private prayer is still allowed. St Michael’s will continue to be open for private prayer as previously, that is:
Thursday 9.30am – 1pm
Sunday 1pm – 4pm
Sunday opening has been shortened by an hour due to the earlier hour of darkness.
People in this community will be remembering those who have died or been wounded in war and praying for peace. You’re invited to join us by saying a prayer on this special Remembrance Day.
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting and Vestry meeting will be held at 2.30pm on 10 October 2020 via Zoom. Anyone interested in attending these meetings will need to email Mary Read so that she can invite them to the Zoom meeting.
Only those on the Electoral Roll may vote at the Vestry meeting for the appointment of officers. Anyone wishing to join the Electoral Roll prior to the APCM must do so by this Saturday 26th September. Application forms can be obtained from Amanda Williams, email: amanda@thegiddings.org.uk or tel: 01832 293037.
Agenda for APM and APCM :
Great with Little and Steeple Gidding
Saturday 10 October 2020 at 2.30pm
Meeting to be held via Zoom video conference.
Annual Parish Meeting
Apologies for absence
Proposal to suspend Article 3 until 2021
Proposal that Churchwardens Measures S3(Churchwarden’s Disqualification) shall not apply for the period up to the date of the APCM 2021.
Election of churchwardens
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Apologies for absence
Minutes of 2019 APCM
Matters arising
Electoral Role
Annual Report
Fabric Report
Synod Representative- recommended link for communication purposes
Election of PCC members
Any other business
Many many thanks from Sawtry foodbank for the continuing support shown by people of the Giddings, and particularly Jed and Aruna at the village shop who are acting as a collection point.
This weeks donations from the village to the foodbank are shown in the photo. Requests for support from the foodbank are starting to increase, and they provided food support for 30 families last week. Every donation is important….even one tin or packet can make a difference. If you would like to contribute, there is a collection basket in the shop, together with a list of what is needed.
Maggi Stewart (Winwick)
We are delighted to announce that St Michael’s Church will re-open on Sunday 5th July. However, in line with safeguarding rules, the church will only be open for private prayer, and this will be limited to the south aisle, the area to your right as you come into the church. The rest of the church (nave, north aisle, chancel etc) will be closed off and inaccessible.
The church will only be open for two days a week:
Sunday 1pm – 5pm
Thursday 9.30am – 1pm
There will be a sanitation station in the porch, and you are asked to wash your hands on entering and leaving the church. At all times, social distancing of two metres should be observed, and this is especially relevant in the porch area. To help maintain this protocol, certain pews will be marked as ‘out of use’. We have had to remove all prayer books, bibles and other literature.
Whilst churches are allowed to open for public worship (subject to social distancing) from 4th July, we still have to complete a Risk Assessment and other arrangements before we can open up the rest of St Michael’s church for public worship, and this will not be before the beginning of August.
It is over two months since we closed the doors of our church buildings as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. We are delighted that we can now plan towards a gradual reopening over the coming months. We continue to follow the guidance provided by the Government, the Church of England and the Diocese of Ely.
We believe in life in all its fullness. In the current situation, that means that we need to keep everyone who will be using the church, safe. We are currently working through the guidance to see how and when we can safely open our churches for individual prayer, and ensure that the necessary health and safety measures are taken (regular cleaning, social distancing etc). Until this has been done in the best way possible, our buildings will remain closed.
The church, however, is not closed. There are regular acts of worship posted on the North Leightonstone website, and the North Leightonstone Facebook Group. Our ministers – Mandy, Fiona, Jim and Kim – are available to talk or offer prayer (currently over the phone). Contact details can be found on the website (www.norleigh.org.uk).
We are looking forward to welcoming you back into St Michael’s church shortly.
PLEASE NOTE: Little Gidding church is closed, and shrouded, for some months to come while the roof is being restored. Unfortunately this means there is no possibility of visiting it. Ferrar House is also closed at present.
In July 2019 I was fortunate to be able to attend the funeral of Dorothy Atkinson who had reached the great age of 100. Mrs Atkinson was one of the most joy-filled people I’ve ever met. She was still visiting the elderly, so she told me, well into her 90s.
Whenever I went to visit her in her latter years, her face would light up as she told me how lucky she felt, and what a wonderful life she had. It was impossible to come away from seeing her without feeling lighter, and feeling lucky myself to have known her.
After the service I was given a carrier bag by Mrs Atkinson’s daughter just as they were heading off for the burial. In it was a photo album with bright red tulips on, and, in writing I recognised, a label saying ‘Friday Club’. Immediately I was transported back to the 1980s and the Friday Club that Great Gidding Baptist Church ran for the local children. I think pretty much all my school friends went – I suspect my parents, at least, enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet with me out of the house every Friday.
The younger Friday Club was run by two extraordinary ladies, Doris Tapps and Annie Davidson who had moved to Great Gidding from London during the Blitz. Miss Tapps and Miss Davidson (I never did pluck up courage to call them by their first names) were gentle, dedicated and patient in all their interactions with children. The older group was run by Ernie and Dorothy Atkinson from their home on Milking Slade Lane. Mr and Mrs A never seemed to mind as we rampaged through their house. We got to run amok in their garden. They always seemed to so calm, unflappable and at ease with the invasion of children after school every Friday.
The photo album feels like a great gift – a way of reliving those carefree days and to be reminded how grateful I feel to have known the patient and loving care of of Miss Tapps, Miss Davidson, and Mr and Mrs A.
Laura Jorgensen (Burgess)
Photos taken on the 75th anniversary of VE Day around Great Gidding (and Little Gidding) during the ‘lockdown’ due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Despite social-isolation restrictions everyone managed to have a joyful day with lots of photo sharing via social media. Thanks to everyone that got involved and to Michael and Julie for orchestrating the day.
If anyone wants to add their photos just email them to paulcrank@thegiddings.org.uk
A few photographs taken during the Coronavirus pandemic ‘lockdown’ during Spring 2020. Hoping that in a year’s time we’ll be looking back at these as a distant memory!
If you’ve got any photos that you would like to share please send them to paulcrank@thegiddings.org.uk and I’ll add them to the gallery. Thanks.
Paul
