We recently celebrated back-to-back Harvest Thanksgiving Services, first at Camber (Sept. 28th) and then at East Guldeford (Oct. 5th). The attendance was surprisingly good. We collected produce and canned goods for the churchwarden tractor bucket challenge, the following week.
The following week we were at East Guldeford where, in addition to celebrating Harvest, we blessed Richard Baker’s new tractor, “christened” Florence. It was new and very clean like it will never be again.
On the following Wednesday, we filled the tractor’s bucket with foods donations collected at both churches and Richard and I drove (he did the driving) down to the food bank where our donations were gratefully received, and photos were taken (see the article in Rye Review – thank you KT and Martin Bruce for your excellent photography work). Such fun!!!
It was a first for me personally, riding in a tractor, blissfully unaware of the long tail-back forming behind us. It was peaceful.
November is the month of Remembrance. It’s the last days of the church year. In the church calendar it starts with All Saints’ Day (where Hallowe’en gets its name), followed by All Souls’ Day where traditionally the church has remembered those in the community who had died, especially those who had died in the past year.
It’s also the month in which the cease fire of WW1 was called, 11-11-11. In the UK, we mark this on the Sunday closest to the 11th. It’s a time to stop and reflect and give thanks for the courage of those who died in recent and past wars, defending our freedom.
At East Guldeford we will remember them with a brief ceremony of naming, silence and prayer at the cenotaph in front of the church. This takes place at 9.45 am on Remembrance Sunday, November 9th.
After that the churchwardens will join the large Remembrance Sunday service at Rye St Mary where we will be joining not only the town church but the many organisations in and around Rye, marking this important day in the life of the nation.
Richard and Annie will lay wreaths on behalf of the two churches of this parish. At Camber we will hold a Remembrance Day service where we will be joined by representatives of the Camber Parish Council, notably the Chair, Ms Madeleine Spanswick. Please join us in any of those acts of Remembrance.
Jacques
