St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

Following the success of the recent Autumn Fair, attention on the social side of life at St Andrew's, Dearnley now switches to one of our other major events of the year - our answer to Simon Cowell and his Britain's Got Talent show.
 
In Church on Saturday night,  (27 November) we present St Andrew's Got Talent and if similar shows in previous years are anything to go by it will be an occasion to savour.
 
It's the night when members of the congregation throw off their shyness and self-doubt and go up front to sing, tell jokes, recite poetry, play a musical instrument or show off their talents in any other way.
 
At best, it's all good fun; a night for letting hair down; enjoying each other's company; and raising a few quid for Church funds at the same time.
 
Tickets at £6 are available from Sheila Moore or Ada Pratt and include a jacket potato supper, so why not give X-Factor a miss on Saturday night and instead try St Andrew's Got Talent. You might be in for a surprise or two! Doors open at 6pm for a 6.30pm start.
 
Incidentally, the Autumn Fair raised the magnificent sum of £1,422, which represented an increase of 40 per cent on the previous year - a particularly pleasing result in the current financial climate. Thanks to all who contributed and to all who worked so hard behind the scenes to make it a resounding success.
 
We have also made an encouraging start to the Wider Welcome Scheme, but anyone still requiring donor and gift-aid forms can get them in Church from Debbie Macrae, the scheme's financial administrator.
 
A meeting of the steering team, chaired by Peter Shrigley, unanimously approved Debbie's appointment as head of finance and Lynn Kirkham's as the group's secretary.
 
The team will work in conjunction with the Parish Social Committee on fund-raising issues, with particular regard to the organising of events. Several are already on the agenda, details to follow.
 
PCC will be given regular progress reports, and quarterly updates will be published in the Parish magazine, starting in February.
 
Wider Welcome is an ambitious £150,000 scheme to extend, improve and update the parish room and other much-needed community facilities for the benefit of the estimated 8,000 people who live in the parish of Dearnley and Smithy Bridge.
 
Stuart Carmichael, meanwhile, is promoting a Wider Welcome Draw, tickets £1. Prizes include £100 cash; a framed embroidery (which can be seen on the Church website at www.standrewsdearnley.co.uk) and a selection of spirits.
 
Cash, counterfoils and unsold tickets must be returned by Sunday 12 December. The draw will be made in Church on Sunday 19 December.
 
Through Stuart and Jackie, parishioners support the Chernobyl Children's Project (UK). Thanks for donations of knitting wools and other crafts. Christmas cards painted by disabled children from Belarus are available from Jackie at 30p for a pack of six to clear old stock.
 
Turning from social topics and fund-raising to matters of a more spiritual nature we will be celebrating St Andrew's day on Tuesday 30 November  with a special Sung Eurcharist at 7.30pm at which the celebrant and preacher will be the Rt.Revd.Mark Davies, Bishop of Middleton.