Category: Church

Church 

As the country has entered a new period of lockdown, we have re-located all the benefice church services onto Zoom.  However, as this is an ever-changing situation, please check the Benefice website www.bartonbenefice.org.uk, the church notice board (located to the left of the lychgate, or contact Clare Burgess DTclare@bartonbenefice.org.uk  for the latest information with regard to services.  

Duns Tew church will be open for private prayer, generally between 9am and dusk. For opening times of other churches in the Benefice check the website www.bartonbenefice.org.uk.  Visitors to our churches are requested to observe all current Covid-19 regulations and recommendations NHS Covid 19 Track and Trace app. If you can, do download the NHS app to your phone https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/nhs-covid-19/ and scan the QR code when visiting our churches.

Benefice Service on Zoom

The 30minute internet-based Sunday morning service will continue on Zoom.   Log-in is from 9.20am for a prompt start at 9.30am.  Please email  zoom@bartonbenefice.org.uk for further details on how to join. If you would like to receive weekly church notices by email, contact Clare 347382, email: DTclare@bartonbenefice.org.uk

Benefice Bible Study on Zoom

The bible study group continues to meet on Zoom on Tuesdays at 7.15pm.  Log-in details are on the weekly email which accompanies the notice sheet.  For more details contact Maria on 01869 340826 studythebible@bartonbenefice.org.uk

Coffee and Prayer Group on Zoom

During lockdown there will be a Zoom Coffee and Prayer Group on Wednesday mornings at 11.30 am.  This will be informal and group-led for parishioners in the Barton and Cherwell Valley Benefices which will last about half an hour.  Information on joining the group, queries or prayer requests can be emailed to prayergroup@bartonbenefice.org.uk or by contacting Frances or Sally Anne on 01869 345689. 

Advance Notice

Women’s World Day of Prayer, 7pm, Friday 5^th March 

The service this year has been written by the women of Vanuatu, islands in the South Pacific. It will go ahead as usual, but most probably on Zoom. More details next month, but if you would like to play a part please contact DTclare@bartonbenefice.org.uk.

Benefice Facebook Page:  Please remember to look at our Facebook page, and follow us on www.facebook.com/bartonbenefice/.  You can still look at our Facebook page even if you don’t have a Facebook account.

Keeping In Touch During Lockdown

As we are in lockdown and many of us have to self-isolate again, these winter days can seem very bleak.  So, if you fancy a regular phone call to stay in touch please contact one of us on the list below. This is in addition to the ‘Spreading Kindness Duns Tew’ initiative.

Lockdown Pop-Up Church Bistro

Following the success of Dine In Delivered last July and our Italian Supper in January, we are intending to offer, subject to any change in the current situation, a 2 course supper with a box of homemade chocolate for Valentine’s.  All to be delivered on Saturday, Feb 13th Valentine Meal. Deadline for orders is 6 February. Price £12.50 or £5 for an extra box of chocolates.

Lockdown pop-up Church bistro | 0.00 KB

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Lockdown pop-up Church bistro chocolates | 0.00 KB

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Our Charities 

Charity of the Quarter

We are supporting SeeSaw from January to March.  This charity provides bereavement counselling for children, young people and their families in Oxfordshire through appropriate and timely support, including telephone conversations, home visits and tailored individual support for instance when a parent or sibling is dying.  For more information: https://www.seesaw.org.uk/

Thanks to generous donations during 2020 the following support was given to the following Charities of the Quarter: MOP £132, Samaritans £135, Polly £917 and Katharine House £194.  In addition, the Christmas appeal raised £225 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance, £185 for the Children’s Society and £150 for Open Doors.  Thank you for your support.

Polly 

To continue to make donations to Polly both financial and in kind please either make an on-line payment to Duns Tew PCC, Sort Code: 30-90-42 (Lloyds) Account No: 00096480 reference ‘Polly’.  Alternatively, please take cash/cheques (payable to Polly Preedy) and any clothing or food (baked goods/tinned/packets) to Clare Burgess, 5 Hill Farm Lane.  

Please do not leave items outside the church if it is locked. Any queries: Clare 347382 DTclare@bartonbenefice.org.uk. 

Thank you for all your help. 

Church 

Whilst the latest Lockdown 3.0 continues, there will be no “in person” services in any of the Benefice churches for the time being. Our friendly Zoom services will continue for the foreseeable, every Sunday at 09.30am. If you would like to join us, please email Zoom@bartonbenefice.org.uk . All you need to do is click on the link that will be sent to you, at the relevant start time.

Duns Tew Church will be open for private prayer from approximately 9am to dusk each day. Please sanitise your hands on entering and leaving.

For details of resources for worshipping at home, please check the Benefice website www.bartonbenefice.org.uk, the church notice board (located to the left of the lychgate), or contact Clare Burgess (347382, DTclare@bartonbenefice.org.uk). There are Weekly Bible Study and Prayer groups within the Benefice, plus a variety of programmes on BBC TV and Radio, and free apps etc.

When services in church resume, they will be advertised on the church noticeboard. Under Covid-19 restrictions if you wish to attend one of the services in church, please let Steph Lacey know by the afternoon of the day before each service, by phoning 347350 or by emailing services@bartonbenefice.org.uk

Come into the Light

Thank you to everyone, children and adults, for braving the awful weather to come to our “Come into the Light” event.  We so enjoyed hearing the children re-tell the Christmas story, which had a definite 2020 twist!  Many thanks to everyone who read and acted, to Diane Thornton for her script, to Gareth and Beth who lent us the sound system and to everyone who came.  Thank you also for the many messages sharing appreciation for the goody-bags and for the amazing collection of photos. 

Benefice Service on Zoom

The 30 minute internet-based Sunday morning service will continue on Zoom.   Log-in is from 9.20am for a prompt start at 9.30am.  Please email  dunstewpcc@gmail.com for further details on how to join. If you would like to receive weekly church notices by email, contact Clare 347382, email: clarebugress@gmail.com

Benefice Bible Study on Zoom

The bible study group continues to meet on Zoom on Tuesdays at 7.15pm.  Log-in details are on the weekly email which accompanies the notice sheet.  For more details contact Maria on 01869 340826 

studythebible@bartonbenefice.org.uk. 

Benefice Facebook Page:  Please remember to look at our Facebook page, and follow us on 

www.facebook.com/bartonbenefice/.  You can still look at our Facebook page even if you don’t have a Facebook account. 

Choir News Not Yet …….. But Soon!

Although there are still many restrictions around singing in churches, we want to be ready to launch our two new choirs as soon as we are able.  We want to welcome children, young people as well as adults to make music at our services in all the different villages of our Benefice.

We are planning to offer uplifting modern music as well as ancient motets and time-honoured favourites.  So let us know if you are interested in singing, accompanying, learning encouraging, playing instruments or percussion or participating in any way at all!  To register potential interest (no need to commit yourself yet), or ask for more information, please email choir@bartonbenefice.org.uk or ring Frances on 07880 518744, or Clare on 01869 347382

Christmas Lights for the Church 

A very big thank you to freelance lighting designer, Tony Simpson, who designed and installed the amazing lights for the outside of Duns Tew Church and back lit some of its windows.  Our thanks also go to Matt Ilott of Christie Lights who helped with the installation and to White Light Ltd who sponsored the lighting.  It brought some much needed festive cheer to the village in these difficult times. 

If you enjoyed the lights you can make a donation to Tony’s chosen charity, Thames Valley Air Ambulance, details of which can be found in the charities section below. 

Our Charities 

Charity of the Quarter

We are supporting SeeSaw from January to March.  This charity provides bereavement counselling for children, young people and their families in Oxfordshire through appropriate and timely support, including telephone conversations, home visits and tailored individual support for instance when a parent or sibling is dying.  For more information: https://www.seesaw.org.uk/

Not too late to support our Christmas Charities: We supported 3 additional charities over Christmas this year.  These were: Open Doors (International aid for persecuted Christians.) www.opendoorsuk.org. The Children’s Society (Helping children who are victims of abuse, exploitation and neglect.) www.childrenssociety.org.uk. Thames Valley Air Ambulance (Providing the best possible chance of survival and recovery when the worst happens) www.tvairambulance.org.uk.

You can make a donation, via the PCC, in a number of ways: online to Duns Tew PCC, Sort Code: 30-90-42 (Lloyds) Account No: 00096480 reference Christmas if you wish your donation to be shared equally between the three charities, or to donate specifically to one use the following reference:

Open Doors: Doors    
Children’s Society: Child
Thames Valley Air Ambulance: Air

Cheques payable to Duns Tew PCC or cash can be dropped off at 2 Longfield or Nonesuch, Hill Farm Lane.

More information next month on how much was raised.

Polly – Reverse Advent Calendar Boxes

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Reverse Advent Calendar Boxes for Polly. Polly was so touched when I took the first batch of food and gifts for the poor. She loves her work with these vulnerable people, but your help makes it much easier for her to help them.  In addition we were able to give her £450 through your generous donations.

To continue to make donations to Polly both financial and in kind please either make an on-line payment to Duns Tew PCC, Sort Code: 30-90-42 (Lloyds) Account No: 00096480 reference ‘Polly’.  Alternatively, please take cash/cheques (payable to Polly Preedy) and any clothing or food (baked goods/tinned/packets) to Clare Burgess, 5 Hill Farm Lane.  

Please do not leave items outside the church if it is locked. Any queries: Clare 347382.  Thank you for all your help. 

Duns Tew Book Group 

Book Group – On Thursday 14 January at 8pm we will be holding our annual book group social and planning meeting on Zoom. So, why not drop in, with a glass of something in hand, and help us select our books for 2021.  As 2020 was not a year for travel and as there is on-going uncertainty as to where we will be able to go in 2021, we thought that perhaps travel could be a theme for our book choices.  Meetings are held monthly, usually on a Wednesday at 8pm, currently on Zoom, but we will hopefully be able to revert to meeting in person during the year. The journey begins on Wednesday, 10th February when to start things off we will be discussing Middle England by Jonathon Coe – “a wry, mercilessly funny novel of modern Britain and the madness of Brexit”.  If you would like to join us please contact Carol Rigby (nonesuchcarol@gmail.com) for further information and zoom details.  

Due to Covid-19, our Advent and Christmas celebrations will look different this year, with many of our regular features having to be cancelled or done in a different way. However, living in a year of uncertainty the one thing we do know for certain is that what we are permitted to do can change very quickly. So please check the Benefice website www.bartonbenefice.org.uk, the church notice board (located to the left of the lychgate, or contact Clare Burgess (347382 clarebugress@gmail.com) for the latest information with regard to services and the opening of the church. The proposed schedule for December around the Benefice is:

Any services in the churches will be under Covid-19 restrictions. If you wish to attend, please let Steph Lacey know by the afternoon of the day before each service, by phoning 347350 or by emailing services@bartonbenefice.org.uk (please note this new address). Please wear face-coverings whilst in church.

Come into the Light

This will take place on Sunday, 13 December, at 3.30pm when we will celebrate Christmas as a time when Jesus brought light and love into the world. It is for all ages and we hope to hold this event in our churchyard, against the wonderful backdrop of our lights. Bring chairs, torches and dress up as your favourite character in the nativity story. If we are unable to hold it outside due to either Covid restrictions or the weather, then the event will transfer online to Zoom. So please check on social media and our website beforehand. Please book your space beforehand by phoning 347350 or by emailing services@bartonbenefice.org.uk.

Benefice Service on Zoom

The 30 minute internet-based Sunday morning service will continue on Zoom. Log-in is from 9.20am for a prompt start at 9.30am. Please email dunstewpcc@gmail.com for further details on how to join. If you would like to receive weekly church notices by email, contact Clare 347382, email: clarebugress@gmail.com

Benefice Bible Study on Zoom

The bible study group continues to meet on Zoom on Tuesdays at 7.15pm. Log-in details are on the weekly email which accompanies the notice sheet. For more details contact Maria on 01869 340826 m.coonick@btinternet.com.

Benefice Facebook Page: Please remember to look at our Facebook page, and follow us on www.facebook.com/bartonbenefice/. You can still look at our Facebook page even if you don’t have a Facebook account.

Christmas Lights for the Church

We are delighted that freelance lighting designer, Tony Simpson, will be designing and installing some very special lights for the outside of Duns Tew Church. In a year of such uncertainty we hope that this will bring a sense of festive cheer to the village.

The lighting is kindly sponsored by White Light Ltd, one of the biggest lighting suppliers in the UK. www.whitelight.ltd.uk. Tony has worked with and for White Light for over 25 years and is currently lighting the Christmas@Stourhead lights trail for the same company that produces Christmas@Blenheim www.tonysimpson.com.

We had hoped that everyone would be able to attend a big switch-on, but sadly due to the current restrictions this will not be possible, but hopefully you will enjoy them as you visit or pass by the church during December.

If you enjoy the lights, please consider donating to Tony’s chosen charity, Thames Valley Air Ambulance. See Christmas charities section below.

Christmas Is Coming

This year there are 4 very different Christmas cards available (50p each) for Christmas, not necessarily what you would normally expect to see inside the church!

In addition to the cards, an A4 spiral wall calendar entitled “Duns Tew Up Close & Local” is also available showing 12 different local views and is priced at £7. To place an order for the cards and/or calendar email us at dunstewpcc@gmail.com or phone Carol Rigby on (340632). Proceeds towards the upkeep of the church.

Our Charities

Charity of the Quarter

Katharine House Hospice provides specialist palliative care for adults who live locally with life limiting conditions as well as support for symptom management and pain relief. The care is offered throughout the local community including at the hospice in Adderbury, in people’s homes and care homes. For more information: www.khh.org.uk. To donate while church services are suspended please make an on-line payment to Duns Tew PCC, Sort Code: 30-90-42 (Lloyds) Account No: 00096480 reference KHouse.

Christmas Charities

3 additional charities are being supported over Christmas this year:

• Open Doors (International aid for persecuted Christians.) www.opendoorsuk.org
• The Children’s Society (Helping children who are victims of abuse, exploitation and neglect.) www.childrenssociety.org.uk
• Thames Valley Air Ambulance (Providing the best possible chance of survival and recovery when the worst happens.) www.tvairambulance.org.uk

Please make your donations via the collection in services, or make an on-line payment to Duns Tew PCC, Sort Code: 30-90-42 (Lloyds) Account No: 00096480 reference Christmas if you wish your donation to be shared equally between the three charities, or to donate specifically to one use the following reference:

Open Doors: Doors Children’s Society: Child Thames Valley Air Ambulance: Air

Cheques payable to Duns Tew PCC or cash can be dropped off at 2 Longfield or Nonesuch, Hill Farm Lane.

Polly – Reverse Advent Calendar Boxes

Once again we would like to set Duns Tew the challenge of making Reverse Advent Calendar Boxes for Polly’s homeless and vulnerable people in Banbury The idea is that each day, throughout December, you collect something suitable for someone who lives in hostel type accommodation or is sleeping rough. This could be a gift of sweets or chocolates, toiletries, a packet of biscuits, some tins of soup or even a pair of warm gloves, however, please don’t wrap the individual items. Please bring your bags/boxes to Clare Burgess, 5 Hill Farm Lane, Duns Tew, OX25 6JH by 22nd December. Ring 347382 for more info.

Polly is extremely grateful for all our continuing support, particularly, as many of her normal sources of surplus food and clothing have dried up due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To continue to make donations to Polly both financial and in kind please either make an on-line payment to Duns Tew PCC, Sort Code: 30-90-42 (Lloyds) Account No: 00096480 reference ‘Polly’. Alternatively, please take cash/cheques (payable to Polly Preedy) and any clothing or food (baked goods/tinned/packets) to Clare Burgess, 5 Hill Farm Lane.

Please do not leave items outside the church while it is locked. Any queries: Clare 347382. Thank you for all your help

2020 December Church newsletter | 0.00 KB

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Services will continue to be held in our churches and churchyards across the benefice during October, subject to Government and CoE guidelines, with the requirement to wear face coverings and strict cleaning measures and/or quarantining of areas of the church required between visits.

Please check the Benefice website www.bartonbenefice.org.uk, the church notice board (located to the left of the lychgate, or contact Clare Burgess tel 347382, email: clarebugress@gmail.com) for the latest information with regard to services and the opening of the church. The proposed schedule for October around the Benefice is:

All are very welcome to any of these face-to-face services. It would be helpful for Test and Trace if you could let Clare Burgess know a couple of days in advance of each service (07909 881596).

Benefice Service on Zoom

The 30 minute internet-based Sunday morning service will continue on Zoom. If you haven’t Zoomed in yet, why not give it a try? Log-in is from 9.20am for a prompt start at 9.30am. Please email dunstewpcc@gmail.com for further details on how to join.

Benefice Bible Study on Zoom

The bible study group continues to meet on Zoom on Tuesdays at 8pm. Log-in details are on the weekly email which accompanies the notice sheet. For more details contact Maria on 01869 340826 m.coonick@btinternet.com.

Benefice Facebook Page

Please remember to look at our Facebook page, and follow us on www.facebook.com/bartonbenefice/. You can still look at our Facebook page even if you don’t have a Facebook account.

Our Charities

Katharine House Hospice

Our Charity of the Quarter for October, November and December. This charity provides specialist palliative care for adults who live locally with life limiting conditions as well as support for symptom management and pain relief. The care is offered throughout the local community including at the hospice in Adderbury, in people’s homes and care homes. For more information please visit their website www.khh.org.uk.

To donate while church services are suspended please make an on-line payment to Duns Tew PCC, Sort Code: 30-90-42 (Lloyds) Account No: 00096480 reference KHouse.

Thank You from Polly

Polly has been extremely grateful for all our continuing support, particularly, as many of her normal sources of surplus food and clothing have dried up due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She says: “Life is very different for us all, yet you still find it in your hearts to help me to provide for the many empty tummies! Thank you” An amazing £422 was donated during the last quarter in Duns Tew and at the Wortons’ Harvest Festival.

Even though Polly is not our charity this quarter, you can continue to make donations to Polly both financial and in kind either by making an on-line payment to Duns Tew PCC, Sort Code: 30-90-42 (Lloyds) Account No: 0096480 reference ‘Polly’. Alternatively, please take cash/cheques (payable to Polly Preedy) and any suitable clothing or food (baked goods/tinned/packets) to Clare Burgess, 5 Hill Farm Lane, Duns Tew, OX25 6JH, please do not leave outside the church while it is locked. Any queries: Clare 347382. Thank you for all your help.

Grand Finale of our Virtual Duns Tew Church Fete

Raffle & Potpourri of Produce!

Sadly, due to Covid-19 restrictions, we were unable to hold our planned ‘grand finale’ in the churchyard on Saturday 19 September. Instead, and at very short notice, we had to relocate our ‘Potpourri of Autumn Produce’ on-line, however, despite this change everyone came up trumps with produce, plants and cakes and we were able to raise over £250 in sales.

Our Grand Raffle Draw also had to be a more of a subdued event this year but we are pleased to report that we raised nearly £1,000 in raffle takings and a further £1700 in donations. Thank you to everyone who gave us such brilliant prizes with special thanks going to: Nicholsons’ Nurseries, Karcher, Tolly McRae, Soho Farm House, Brockway Carpets, the White Horse, CK Leatherworks, Eagles of Deddington, Mark’s Cotswold Bakery, North Aston Dairy, Nelly & Dove and to all those who donated bottles of wine and other goodies. Thank you also to Clive Tompkins at Cherwell Graphics for printing the raffle tickets and to everyone who distributed and bought them.

We also had a very successful Silent Auction this year and would like to thank the generosity of Smiths of Bletchingdon for the 15 tonnes of aggregate, to Sebastian and Charles of Farms and Gardens Ltd for the hedge laying experience and to Sarah Chambers of Brook Pilates. Thank you also to everyone who bid. The silent auction raised nearly £600.

Finally, we would like to thank everyone who participated in our virtual church fete this summer, especially to those who donated, cooked, baked, delivered and of course bought. Thank you also to our amazing team of organisers (Carol, Sarah, Clare B and Clare H) who made it all possible.

So far, we have raised an amazing £5,300! We hope to be back next year in our more normal guise and look forward to seeing you all then.

Thank You Duns Tew.

Ride & Stride Sponsored Bike Ride

Saturday 12th September

Thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust Ride & Stride event. It may have been a bit different due to the restrictions but our great Duns Tew team of Sarah, Clare, Jos, Ali and Chris cycled undeterred to raise sponsorship for our historic churches. It is not too late to sponsor our team as half of any money raised by them goes towards our church. For further information please contact Sarah Taylor, 340826.

Harvest Lunch

We are very sorry that, due to the pandemic, it will not be possible to hold our annual Harvest Lunch in October this year. We do, however, hope to be back next year when we look forward to seeing you all again and welcoming some new faces too.

Christmas

It may only be October, but the PCC has been busily working on a selection of 4 very different cards for Christmas, not necessarily what you would normally expect to see inside the church! Watch out for more information. To express early interest please email dunstewpcc@gmail.com or contact Carol Rigby (340632).

In addition, a calendar entitled Duns Tew Up Close & Local is being produced showing 12 different local views. More news next month!

Grants Available – Duns Tew Poor’s Charity Trust

This charity is the amalgamation of three small charities, the purpose being to provide financial grants or goods to those in need, hardship or distress who live in the parish of Duns Tew. The charity owns land (the Poor’s Land) and so has income from rent as well as dividends from some small investments.

The Trustees are able to make grants to individuals or societies in need in the village. If you wish to be considered for a grant, please submit a request by 1st November 2020 at the latest to Clare Burgess who is a Trustee, at 5 Hill Farm Lane, Duns Tew, or via email clarebugress@gmail.com. Please note spelling of email address.

2020 October Church newsletter | 0.00 KB

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