St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

Our biggest single fund-raiser of the year, the Autumn Fair, will be held in Church on Saturday 13 November, between 11am and 1pm and will be opened by Judith Rainford, the recently appointed head of St Andrew's School.

Entertainment will be provided by the St Andrew's School choir and there will be the usual raffles and tombola as well as a wide variety of stalls selling cakes, bottles, books, chocolate, children's games and many other items too numerous to mention.

The following items are still needed: anything in a bottle; tinned soups, meats etc; home-baked items (please take to Church on the day of the Fair); chocolate (to be handed to Sheila or Janice in advance); tomobola items; good-as-new toys.

In these difficult times on the financial front it is important that as a Church, a Parish and a community we make the most of once-a-year events like this so the plea to the parishioners of Dearnley and Smithy Bridge is this: Support your Church at the Fair, have an enjoyable time with friends old and new and perhaps pick up some Christmas bargains.

The steering group for our Wider Welcome Scheme met in the vicarage last week and heard that the appeal for funding to hugely extend and improve our community facilities in and around the parish room at the back of Church had got off to an encouraging start. It is planned to keep parishioners informed by releasing an updated 'work in progress' report every third month or so throughout the year, and beyond.

Advance notice that on Friday 19 November, at 6.30pm in the Parish Room internationally-known potter Ken Isherwood (Camberwell School of Art, London) will be holding a sale of his own hand-thrown pottery in aid of Church funds. Drinks and nibbles will be available.

Finally, congratulations from everyone at St Andrew's go to our vicar, the Rev. Sharon Jones, who has been elected to represent the Diocese of Manchester on General Synod, the governing body of the Church of England.

Every five years the entire General Synod is re-elected, giving 378 people a chance to bring contemporary social and ethnic diversity to the governing body.

Sharon, one of six clergy elected to represent the Manchester diocese, will be strengthened in the knowledge that everyone at St Andrew's will be offering their support and prayers for the role she will play in what threatens to be a difficult few years for the Church of England.