January 2013

I’m not sure where the time has gone, but it seems only yesterday I thought I had two months before I needed to write another article – yet a reminder email from John Stacey landed in my in-box this morning.

We had a very successful Christmas ringing wise.  It’s always very difficult to get enough ringers over the festive period as either they are away or, if they are at home, they are busy with visitors.  However, not only did we ring all eight bells for the Evensong quarter peal on Sunday 23^rd and two quarter peals on Christmas Eve (for theCrib Service and for the Carols by Candlelight Service), but we had 10/11 ringers in the belfry for service ringing before the midnight service and before the Christmas Day morning service.  Wonderful!  The only fly in the ointment is the fact that I was away so I’m hoping the higher than usual turn out wasn’t because of my absence!

I told you some months ago that we sometimes we dedicate our Sunday night quarter peals to a particular person or event.  Last Sunday (13^th Jan) we were delighted to dedicate the quarter peal to Rev’d Nick Brown on the occasion of his licensing as the new Priest in Charge of St James, Louth which took place on Thursday 10th January 2013."  Nick, as you probably know, is the son of Bill Brown and grew up in Swanage, was in the choir, assistant organist and curate here at St Mary's. 

If you have a special occasion coming up, for example like a Golden Wedding, special birthday or birth of a child/grandchild etc and would like us to dedicate a quarter peal to you then please,  just let me know.