Eastry Benefice News
St Mary's Church Fete 2010
St Mary's Church Fete was held on Saturday 17th July from 2 - 5pm in The Aumbry Gardens, Church Street, Eastry; by kind permission of Mr George Matheson.
Photos of the event can be see on our sister site: www.eastrypc.co.uk
Eastry Flower Festival 2010
The
2010 Eastry Flower Festival took place from 15th -
18th July.
The standard of flower arranging was as high as ever this year and we are pleased to show you a glimpse of the beauty of the arrangements in the following web album. Copies of the original digital files, but in high quality, are available at £5 each from the webmaster@eastrybenefice.co.uk , with £2 going towards church funds for each purchase:
Lunch Club Celebrates 6th Birthday!
On Friday 9th October 2009 the Lunch Club celebrated its 6th birthday in the church hall.
Over 60 people enjoyed a roast beef dinner, followed by fruit jelly, birthday cake and tea or coffee.
We would like to offer our sincere thanks to everyone who helped prepare and serve the meal.
Cont: Liz Kinns
Jazz in the Garden - 2009
Once again the "Jazz in the Garden" event on 22nd August in the Aumbry Garden was hugely successful.
The A1 Jazz Band and the Deal Hoodeners were in great form and the weather was superb. With such a wonderful setting, great music and glorious weather the picnickers couldn't have asked for more!
Photos courtesy of LIz KInns
Eastry Music Extravaganza - 14th May 2009
What a night! Inspired by a similar diverse music event about 15 years ago I finally got around to suggesting it was repeated. Well it’s always best to mull things over before rushing in isn’t it? 15 mostly local acts gave their all and wowed the audience. Held at St Mary’s it was a glorious setting supplemented by a backdrop of 200 candles and fresh flowers, and with wonderful acoustics. The aim of the night was to have some fun listening to a wide variety of music while raising a bit of money for the marvellous Eastry Village news and church.
Maureen Norman, the resident organist, started proceedings with a rousing rendition of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue before backing a number of the acts including the choir. Marika Shenk’s moving rendition of ‘where is Love’ from Oliver was a highlight for me and was followed by her sister Anik’s playing of ‘Soldier’s Joy’ on the violin.
John Baker played 2 piano pieces by Grieg, Thomas Carnegie played solo trumpet, Helen Tottenham sung some Handel then Martin Holloway deftly played organ tunes spanning various musical eras. To round off the first half we had Rebecca Robinson singing Franck’s Panis Angelicus and Drohne performing original and French tunes on various weird instruments including hurdy-gurdy.
While people sipped wine in the interval the Drum Doctors set up two kits facing each other. I wasn’t sure what to expect but as both teach drums at the like of Kings school and Northbourne they had to be good at their craft.
Sure enough the second half started with an exciting medley of different rhythms including Latin American as the two vied with each other on drums and assorted percussion. Geoff Higgins then walked down the aisle playing tabor and drum. I played a couple of original pieces on low whistle and melodeon before we got funky with Janet Smith’s band Happy Shark.
The Deal Hoodeners played some English folk tunes and The Buckthorn band from the Romney Marsh played some Irish tunes.
So, all in all, a very diverse collection of music that got a great response from the audience making it all worthwhile. We made £220 profit. There have been calls for a repeat show so I’m sure there will be one next year, if not sooner! Lots of folk were involved to make it so special - performing, sorting flowers (Jenny Charman, Lizzie Wilkinson, Kath Cotterill) candles (Jinny Fag) advertising (Carole Finch), ordering the wine and glasses (Gill Hughes-Wilson), serving wine (Karen Hill), collecting money (Michael and Liz Kinns) etc. Maureen Norman deserves a special mention as she rehearsed with and backed a lot of the acts on organ. Bickers and the General Store sold tickets for us and I’m sure others were involved I’ve forgotten! It was a real community affair. A huge thank you to everyone for making the night so enjoyable.
Photos & article by Simon Dundas
A Letter to the Parish - by Revd. Diane Deer
"Hello! My name is Diane and I am to be your parish priest from February 2009. I have been asked to do what for me is a really difficult job – write something about myself. Well here goes.
"Contrary to what the local paper said, I was born in the Medway Towns and moved to Deal in the late 1960’s where I lived with my family until 2000 when I was ordained.
"I began my Christian journey at St. George’s Church in Deal and was later to move to St. Mary’s Walmer when we moved to that end of the town. It was from here that I first trained as a Reader and I am sure many of you at Eastry and Northbourne will remember my first faltering steps in ministry as I came to your churches to lead the odd service or two.
"It was also from St Mary’s that I was ordained in 2000 and I spent the next three and a half years in Canterbury. Then they let me loose on the Church of England in Pitsea with Nevendon (Basildon) in Essex.
"I have ministered in this parish for five years, an area where everything seems larger than life to this Kentish girl. In a parish of 25,000 people there are huge deprivation areas; high unemployment leading to numerous crimes and mental health issues. Drink problems: drug problems: homeless problems: in fact you probably think of a problem and I have dealt with it. It is a totally diverse parish – we have the largest number of sheltered housing for the elderly in the Deanery and the percentage of young people living here is higher than the national average. To reflect these rising numbers there are eight schools and a very overworked police force.
"I want to give you an outline of where I have come from because the ministry God has called me to in your villages is so vastly different. I am going to make mistakes; I may seem off my trolley at times so I would ask your forgiveness in advance. Now that’s out of the way may I say how much I am looking forward to working with you all and I hope that as time goes on I will become as much a part of your lives as you will become of mine
God Bless
Diane"
New Priest in Charge Licensing
The Service of Licensing by the Bishop of Maidstone, the Right Revd. Graham Cray, and the installation by the Archdeacon of Canterbury, the Ven. Sheila Watson, of the Revd. Diane Deer as Priest in Charge and Area Dean of Sandwich Deanery, took place on Monday February 16th 2009 at St Mary the Virgin, Eastry at 7:30pm.
Above: Revd. Diane Deer with Bishop Graham Cray and the Archdeacon, the Venerable Sheila Watson.
Above: Revd. Diane Deer with Bishop Graham Cray, Revd. Jennifer Pilcher, the Archdeacon, the Venerable Sheila Watson and the Churchwardens of Eastry, Tilmanstone and Northbourne.
Photos courtesy of Georgina Maddox.
Eastry Flower Festival 2008
please click on the image above to enlarge one of 2006's beautiful arrangements
We are pleased to announce the 46th annual Eastry Flower Festival was a huge success! There were hundreds of visitors from all across Kent who made the trip to our beautiful St. Mary's church.
One of the original founders of flower festivals in 1962, the event made a welcome return.
The festival was held over the three days of 17th, 18th and 19th of July, 2008 in St. Mary's church. Eastry.
In addition to the magnificent festival itself we are delighted that The Aumbry, Church Street, Eastry also hosted the traditional Garden Fete in its grounds; offering morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. There was also an opportunity to listen to the peal of the recently refurbished bells, now increased to eight in number.
See a montage of the photographs of this year's festival by clicking here...
Bell Fund - "Thank you"
The Bell Restoration Fund is now closed after reaching our target. We therefore would like to thank all those who contributed by their kind donations of money, gifts or time to the project - far too numerous to mention here - but a very sincere "thank you"!
St Mary's Bells Return!
We were delighted to see the return on Thursday and Friday, 20th and 21st December 2007, of the bells ready to be re-hung in the tower in the New Year.
It is hoped that the new peal consisting of eight, rather than the previous 5, bells will be rung for the first time during mid-January.
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Eastry's Christmas Star
Here we see Bob Barwick and Jeremy Kemp assembling the Christmas Star at Eastry.
I'm sure few of us would be valiant enough to attempt this! Well done both...
Eastry Bell-Ringers: a message from the new Tower Captain
"My
name is Mick Johnson and I have taken on the task of Tower
Captain at Eastry. Jenny Merrington, the previous Captain has
moved to Carslisle in Cumbria. The previous peal of bells at
Eastry was a ring of 5, which weighed a total of 3.5 tons and
was one of the heaviest in the UK — The Tenor alone weighed 20
cwt. The 5 bells have been recast at Whitechapel Bell Foundry
and will be supplemented by 3 new bells, to provide a ring of 8.
The Local pub at the Cross in Eastry will therefore have its
name changed from “The (5) Bells” to “The 8 Bells”!
I have been ringing on and off for about 40 years. The present band of bell ringers, mostly learners, consists of: Jinny, Jacqui, Margaret, Pat, Angela Sharon, Joyce, Barbara, Carey and the newest is John—I felt a bit alone being the only male ringer ! As our bells are still not hung at Eastry we are currently practising at St Leonards Church, Deal."
Victorian Christmas Market Success!
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The Victorian Christmas Market, held in the Village Hall, was a great success with a number of stalls selling gifts, crafts, books, plants and Christmas decorations. Mr Douglas Welby sold several copies of his book "The Kentish Village of Eastry 1800-2000" and Dr Charles Coulson's new Eastry Church Guide.
Mr Aldred Wright brought some of his wooden ornaments and Rani Baine her jewellery. Mulled wine and mince pies were served as refreshments. The produce stall did a good trade in various pickles, vegetables and freshly-made bacon and cheese baguettes from France.
The steam engine outside had a steady stream of visitors and hot chestnuts were available to warm onlookers.
Almost £900 was raised, which was a wonderful result, and many thanks must go to all those who helped and came to support us.
£200 will go to "Action Kenya" for children with disabilities; the charity through which Angie Lawton sponsors a child.
Contact from Australia...
The Benefice has had an email from an "old boy" of Eastry, circa 1930 - 1942, by the name of Reg Newham. Currently living in northern New South Wales, Reg would like to get in touch with anyone who remembers him or his family from the 1930s and 40s. Naturally we would love to know if anyone does remember Reg, but in the first instance please email him directly at chopin3@bigpond.com
Our Website
Welcome to the "revised" Eastry Benefice Website!
Our website was re-launched on 21 July 2006. We have experienced a huge number of visitors to the 'site from all over the globe since its "revamp" and have been fortunate enough to have several contributors to help make it both interesting and, we hope, informative.
There are further developments we hope to make as time goes on with the assistance of contributors from within the Parish and elsewhere, and look forward to your continued support.
All those who wish to contribute photos or general information should, in the first instance, contact: webmaster@eastrybenefice.co.uk .
Our webmaster, and ex-Chairman of Eastry Parish Council and now Ramsgate Councillor, David Carr, continues to maintain the website. His efforts ensure it remains as up-to-date as possible with information received.
The website aims to be easily navigable, quick to load and "easy on the eye". It has been designed specifically to give Eastry Benefice, and its companion site Eastry Parish Council, a common theme. We hope you enjoy the improvements, find it easy to use and will return again soon for the latest news and information from the Benefice.
Coffee Break
Every Friday from 9:30am in the Village Hall. All are most welcome. For more details see the Eastry Parish Council website here.