Bells presentation

 

Friday 23rd  February 2024 at 7pm – Drinkstone Village Hall

Ringing the Changes: an intriguing look into the world of Bell Ringing”

Neal Dodge, the Suffolk Guild of Ringers Publicity Officer, is giving this talk to help publicise the Drinkstone Bell Restoration project. 

Refreshments will be available afterwards. Whilst the talk is primarily for non-ringers, Neal is an acknowledged expert on local bell history, so there should be something for everyone. 

ALL WELCOME

 

 There is no charge for this event but there will be a retiring collection in aid of the project. 

For any further details contact: Nigel Gale on 07751 765675 or drinkstone@suffolkbells.org.uk

Third Sunday service and sausages

IN ALL SAINTS CHURCH

Sunday 18th February 2024 at 9:00am

This is not your usual sort of service!

We start at the back of the church for a socialble breakfast – this month, sausages and proper coffee, and probably fruit…

This is for anyone and everyone!

Breakfast is followed by a Bible reading and a very informal discussion on what it might mean for us, or how it could help us. There could be some singing too. And coffee refills. 

2019 Carol Service

The Carol Service is always a memorable occasion, with the ‘Ahhhh’ moments usually being provided by the children’s Nativity tableau – but we did something different this year.

The story was about a dog who wanted to give something special to Jesus. He thought he could join the angels maybe, or the shepherds, or perhaps the kings. But it was clear that none of these were going to be possible – for some rather hilarious reasons. In the end, he decide to just be himself and do what dogs do so well; he curled up at the Baby Jesus’ feet and kept him warm.  And that’s what we need to do – be ourselves and do what we can. As the Carol puts it: ‘Yet what I can I give him, give my heart’.

The children were asked to come dressed as their favourite animal, which lent itself to an excellent photo opportunity, which included two brave adults…

As in other years, we managed to put together a scratch four part choir, accompanied by the very clever Calvin on keyboard, and the amazing Astrid on oboe, which according to the congregation, sounded really rather super.

We had mulled wine and mice pies afterwards, along with flapjacks and assorted  cakes.

 

2019 Harvest

The weekend started with the annual Harvest Supper,  which took place without a hitch. Many folk said it was the best ever. Indeed the atmosphere was fantastic; and new choices for the vegetarian option had the meat eaters clamouring to try them too. The generosity of many produced the best raffle ever (if a little embarrassing when one of the organising  team won the first prize…). Unfortunately, the photos that were taken have been lost…

On the Sunday, at the Harvest Service— the decorations were amazing, as ever, despite the scaffolding in the chancel. Numbers were swelled because it was a Benefice Sunday. Practical goods were collected for the Bury Women’s Refuge, and a monetary collection went to the Bahamas Relief appeal. Displays here.

 

2019 Murder Mystery

What an evening! ‘Champagne Moments’ was set in 1953, seven years after the 2018 event. Rev’s Ruth excelled herself with this script, combining lots of fifties references (some laugh out loud moments here) and even more references back to previous Mysteries.

He knack of bringing back ‘murdered’ characters is second to none, all the while  finding a way to refer to missing characters who had booked a holiday at just the wrong time and ingenious ways of bringing in new characters to accommodate new people clamouring to be in the cast.

And this time, Dr Will (already a murderer who got away with it) was the one who was murdered. Deserved it too! How will she bring him back next year? And Mrs Tate Lyle – who shot him inn cold blood? We can’t wait.

Sorry there are so many photos!

2018 Carol service

The 2018 Carol service was as well attended as ever. This time, we were fortunate to have a Drinkstone family who had a very new baby (albeit female) to be our holy family. Thank you Ben and Georgina!  The theme was ‘Follow the Star’, with an imagining that animals could see the star, while adults could not. So the donkey saw it and followed it to Bethlehem, other animals came, too. The shepherds and angels then arrived. We didn’t have a child who wanted to be a donkey (total free choice!) but wonderful Stuart stepped into the breach.  The now traditionaL carol singers were joined by more new voices, plus a wonderful oboe playing the descant melodies. See the photos

2018 Christingle comes to MYB2

Me, You and Breakfast 2 falls on the first Sunday; the first Sunday in December is traditionally a Christingle service. So, we did a mash-up of both to quote modern music parlance! We sat in pews, like a service, but there was lots of movement around church. Ruth talked us through the meaning of the Christingle, then we all moved to the craft tables to make our own. We came back to sing the Christingle song with a veritable orchestra of percussion instruments. Back to the tables to write prayers on Christingle shapes, thinking about on who or where we would like Jesus’ light to shine. Then we carefully lit our Christingles and had another jolly good sing! Refreshments went down well with doughnuts (round like the Christingle, with red (jam) in the middle like the blood shed by Jesus), choc chip brioche and Christmas cup cakes. See how it went! Photos

2018 All Saints Christmas Coffee Morning

The 2018 Coffee morning took place on a Saturday for the first time in years. It was also at the Old Rectory, a truly beautiful and historic house, remembered by many of the villagers as a great place where children were welcome to many an afternoon of fun in the garden, quite a long time ago.  It was simply the best attended Coffee Morning ever! Was it because it was a Saturday (and children were welcome!), or because of all the fond memories, or was it simply the warmth of the welcome that Nick and Jane Hill have given to everyone since they moved in less than a year ago? We don’t know – but  it was a wonderful morning. A huge success financially, but warm and sociable too. Our Treasurer had to count the money more than once because he couldn’t believe the figure  – £1,418 on the day with after sales and quiz results to come. Take a look at the photos here.

2018 Centenary of the end of WW1

Drinkstone Poppy display on the Centenary of end of WW1

Brenda Elphick found inspiration in the 2017 Walsham le Willows Remembrance display; she thought Drinkstone should do something similar for the Centenary. She started with the Tuesday Club drop-in; by late spring, she had around 50 people knitting poppies. She would call in wherever or whenever there was a meeting to find more knitters and sell them wool and a pattern, so much so that people started to avoid her! But word spread and soon people from outside the village were knitting too – and quite a number wanted to crochet.

But what to do with all the poppies? That is when Sue Medcalf came in with the vision of a waterfall of poppies from the church tower balcony, flowing down from a wreath of remembrance to the Cross which promises new life for those who have died.

November 7th was set for the sewing on of 5,000 poppies. Would it get done in a day? An impossible task, some thought. On that day, many were stitching poppies onto the waterfall netting, jostling to find space to sew; others were on their knees outside, stapling poppies into the ground to make a runway up to the church, fed by a team in the porch cutting up wires to use as staples. Christine Lambert was quietly creating beautiful displays elsewhere in the church; other members of the All Saints Flower team were filling windowsills. Not just ladies, gentlemen were involved too.

The waterfall was hoisted into place to gasps of amazement. Finishing off the fine details overran into Thursday, but all the efforts produced an amazing display. And there were enough poppies left to make panels for outside the Village Hall.

All the hard work was gratifying rewarded by a single remark. One viewer was so taken aback (and emotional!) that he remarked, “How did this little village produce this?” We know though – it was the community spirit that brought the village together in an amazing way. 

Brenda and Sue pass on their grateful thanks to  everyone who contributed poppies, whether by knitting or crocheting; to Christine Lambert and All Saints flower team, the 20+ people who helped put it all together in just over one day, those who hoisted the finished creation up to the balcony, and very importantly, made the coffee!

A member of Duncan Vere Webb’s family also asked for grateful thanks to be passed on the whole team. (Duncan died just a short while before this war ended.) This was truly a wonderful way of remembering the fallen, who sacrificed their lives that we might be free.

In case you were not aware, the scattering of purple poppies is to mark the many, many animals who have also died in service to man in war.

Selection of photos