St Andrew's, Dearnley

St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

Work behind the scenes on preparation for our Autumn Fair is gathering momentum as we look forward to an exceedingly important annual fund-raiser which has increased in popularity year on year over the last decade.

This year's fair will be in church on Saturday, 12 November, with an official opening at 11.00am by two of our most senior of senior citizens, the much-loved and respected Marjorie Greenhalgh and Barbara Gordon, whose collective devotion to St Andrew's adds up to more than 80 years.

The fair will run for two hours, offering raffles, refreshments, all the usual home-made stalls etc. and plenty more to keep everyone interested and occupied while emptying purses to provide St Andrew's with a much-needed income boost or socialising over a cuppa and a biscuit in the parish room.

As with everything we do, all are welcome.

In the meantime please see Ada regarding donations of items for the bottle stall, raffle prizes or home-made stalls which will be offering cakes, pastries, scones, pies, buns, jams and chutneys -- anything, in fact, which our ladies will produce on the big day.

Some are already knitting earnestly to donate winter woollies for the months ahead, speaking of which we will also welcome -- for different reasons --- any unwanted items of winter clothing which we can donate to those less fortunate than ourselves and who are now urgently in need of gloves, scarves, headwear, winter coats etc.

The Mothers Union will meet on Monday, 7 November at 7.00pm in the parish room for a talk on the Bronte Sisters.

We had three Holy Baptisms last Sunday; and this coming Sunday, 6 November, after our 9.30am Sung Eucharist, we will have two more, timed at 11.30am and 12.30pm.

Our 'Baptism Angels' will be on hand to make all our visitors feel welcome and 'at home' on a very special and holy day for the families involved.

Parish rota: lay assistants, C Ashton, D Owen; readers, D Owen, F Cragg; Intercessions, C Cook; sidespersons, G Kilpatrick, M Sheridan; refreshments, Graham, Sandra, Ashley.

Looking ahead, Rev Canon Roger Hill will lead an Advent Quiet Day on Saturday, December 3, further details to follow in the November issue of our parish magazine.

Our Friendship Club continues to meet every Tuesday between 1.30pm and 3.30pm in the parish room for games, bingo, other activities and a good, old-fashioned yarn or two over tea and biscuits. Admission is a nominal £1.50, all welcome.

Every Thursday morning, at 9.30am, we have a said Eucharist in the Lady Chapel.