SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2015
The annual CHURCHYARD MAINTENANCE MORNING took place in customary sunshine on 16th May when 20 hardworking volunteers undertook valuable jobs inside and outside the church. Later in the month, on 31st May, the Church was open for home-made teas as part of the NATIONAL GARDENS SCHEME at Madingley Hall. Despite the rather miserable weather, £478 was raised for the Church Fabric Fund with £102.46 coming from the sale of plants. Many thanks to everyone who helped by baking, arranging flowers, making music, washing up, growing plants, cutting the grass, humping tables and much, much more. These were very happy, enjoyable and worthwhile events.
REDEDICATION OF HISTORIC ALTAR FRONTAL SUNDAY 24th MAY The Parish Magazine of 1898 noted that “ … a new altar frontal of red Japanese velvet, with gold ornaments was presented for the use of the church by some twenty women of the parish. Through the kind offices of a friend in Japan the velvet was specially woven for us at Tokyo, and the frontal has therefore a further interest …” The names of the ladies who gifted this precious frontal were written onto a piece of fabric stitched into the back. Villagers with these surnames of Johnson, Wakefield, Stourbridge, Kester or Barlow are no longer resident in Madingley but the Church Council hopes that the original donors would be delighted to see the extraordinary restoration of this precious gift.
NADFAS (National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies) Heritage Volunteer embroiderers, under the leadership of Mrs Isobel Lattimore, have painstakingly pieced together the original material over very many hours, hand stitching the fragile original velvet between a new backing and strengthening net covering as well as restoring the decorative features of the frontal.
At the 11 o’clock Pentecost service on 24th June, the Rev’d Christine Barrow rededicated the frontal for use in the church. Refreshments were served afterwards and the congregation took the opportunity to thank the embroiderers for their skill and commitment which has resulted in the frontal being put back into use for another hundred years.
A Bring and Share Lunch was held at the Village Hall on Sunday 14 June to CELEBRATE OUR WONDERFUL ORGANISTS: Jan, Emma, John and Susan who make such an important and much appreciated contribution to our Sunday services.