News from the pews
On 5th April Saint Laurence’s held the Annual General Meetings and, although much has changed during the last 2 years, it was good to look back on what we had achieved and to look forward to what we might achieve in the future, if we work together.
Firstly, it was sad to see Stan Kerr step down from the Parochial church Council after so many years. Stan has served the church faithfully for so long, including many years as churchwarden, and he fully deserves the opportunity for a bit of a rest, although, knowing Stan, he will still do what he can for the church. Stan has served not only at Saint Laurence’s but was, for many years, the village chemist and many will remember the excellent service he gave there. It is good to know that Stan retains his sense of humour and is still always ready for a chat.
Of the church building, we can say that the structure is much sounder now than it was at the turn of the century. Last year further repairs to the north wall and the high-level parapets mean that most of the architect’s recommendations from the 2020 inspection have been addressed. However, with a building of this age there is always more to do and it is hoped that further funding can be obtained to achieve our aims.
Saint Laurence’s is, of course, a major feature of our village, but it is the people who really count, both the congregation and the village population. In 2021 we were able to open the church doors for services and visitors before most other churches in Leicestershire and the country in general. A dedicated group of volunteers kept the building safe for both services and individuals who enjoy the quietness of the church. In the same way, we were able to open the Church Hall for activities almost as soon as we were allowed to. With Measham Leisure Centre being busy as a vaccination Centre, it was good to be able to offer a temporary home to many of their groups as well as our own. Again, rigorous safety protocols and regular cleaning saw no known cases of Covid due to our buildings.
A major achievement over the last year has been the development of Little Fishes, our pre-school group, which re-started as an outside activity during the summer, only moving indoors when the weather became cooler. With an enthusiastic group of leaders and helpers, the group have now moved to weekly meetings. We have also continued to tun Ready, Steady, Stick as a holiday activity for primary age children.
Of course, we did say goodbye to Vivien in September and she is very much missed. Vivien is now settled into her retirement in Yorkshire and we do get regular updates about her new life.
Now, in 2022, we are looking to the future. We want to have an open and honest discussion about how we can see Saint Laurence’s open more often, firstly how we can at least make sure that the church will be open on a Sunday. There is a shortage of ministers, but there may be other options. With this in mind, we are planning a special service on May 15th, during which we can look at a variety of opportunities that could help us achieve this. So, please come along on May 15th at 10.00 am to listen and, if you can, to contribute to the discussion.
Brian Abraham
(Churchwarden)