ALL SAINTS

News Round-Up

February 2005

ALL SAINTS NEWS ROUND UP

Do you like News Round-Up? We would like to hear from you – with comments or articles. Please keep us in touch with anything and everything happening in the parish and send contributions to the Presbytery marked News Round-Up by the 15th of the month or e-mail aburrage@onetel.com.

 

PARISH REGISTERS -CHRISTENINGS

We welcome into God’s Family

December: Luca Rastelli

January: Edward Barwick

 

MARRIAGES

(None)

 

FUNERALS

(None)

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

4th March: - Women’s World Day of Prayer

12th March - Annual Dinner Dance

29th April 05 - Confirmation, Sacred Heart church Caterham

Reflections and Prayers

"For it is not much knowledge that fills and satisfies the soul, but the intimate understanding and relishing of the truth."

Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises

Womens World Day of Prayer - Let Our Light Shine!

 

On Friday, 4th.March at 8pm the Parish of All Saints will host the evening service for The Women’s World Day of Prayer. Every year members of a different country prepare this service and Poland is the organiser for 2005.

 

There will be an introduction to the country, past and present. After many troubled years, Poland is looking to the spiritual light - hence the title for the day. Prayers and hymns will follow which will encourage confidence for the future.

 

All, male and female are welcome to attend and join the universal celebrations around the world on this day. Please make a note in your diary.

 

Annual Parish Dinner and Dance

Come and join in the fun. You can come on your own and we will make up tables or you can make up your own party. Dave Farrow ‘s report of last years event stated "The dance floor, it was the ideal modelling tool for the M25, no one knew where they where going, contraflows, collisions, overtaking on the inside - and a lot of hard shoulders. The Dinner Dance helps the Parish cohesively and financially. It is enjoyable and undemanding. Most people are wary of the event for the first time – but are pleasantly surprised. Last year 60 people, this year 70." Do come and make it 80 or more.

Positive force: ‘Magnetic wristbands do really work’ as reported in the British Medical Journal after clinical trials commissioned by the Arthritis Research Campaign were successful. For anyone in pain with Osteoarthritis, not wishing to take drugs, contact: Marie on: 01883-714409.

All Saints Christmas Fair December 11th 2004

Anyone attending the 10.30 Mass during November & Early December could not have failed to notice the "Mission Impossible" theme music at the end and the odd people wandering around in black suits and sunglasses! It was not a dare or a late Autumn madness – it was, of course in aid of the All Saints Christmas fair!

This annual and very important fundraiser took place on 11th December 2004 at St Mary’s Hall, Oxted. The organising team (Peter DeVito, Jackie Violet, Cathy Palmer and Juliette Fox) had made two key changes to the usual format - it had been decided to try to run the fair later in the year – to avoid the school fairs and to start it after lunch. Both ideas aimed to attract the maximum number of families to the event. We are pleased to say that the plan worked and lots of people commented on how good it was to see so many children running around the hall having a wild time!

The day of the fair dawned and the Mission was almost upon us; a hectic morning followed and but for the help of David Farrow and his team –as well as numerous other parishioners who came to "just lend a hand" we might have failed at the last hurdle. As it was by 2pm the hall looked magnificent decorated with angels and Christmas balls, and the grotto and café were all lit and sparkling. We just needed the people to come and make the day; and they did! The fair was very busy; there were all the usual stalls: toy’s books and games; gifts and china; handicrafts; and jewellery to name a few. In addition we had a "kids corner" where the children could buy jars of sweets, try the lucky dip, visit the secret room and of course see Santa. The adults had plenty to keep them occupied - masses of delicious home made cakes, the bottle stall which attracted a huge amount of attention, groaning as it was under the weight of over 200 bottles ranging from wine to beer to champagne and whiskey. Also of unique interest was the "win a Canon Camera camera" dice game and the Silent Auction.

All in all the day was a great success. The organising team would like to take this opportunity to thank EVERYONE whose contributions (both before & on the day) helped make the day such a success – and fun! There are far too many people to mention them all by name but some do require specific mention: The Café team under Anna Burrage did their usual sterling job in keeping everyone refreshed and well fed and a special thanks must go to John Nolan as Father Christmas who not only did a fantastic job in seeing all the children but also donated all of the gifts from Santa. Also The Christmas Hamper Raffle led by the Masojada family was a huge success. Mention must also be made of John Younger who donated his artistic talent and time to the fair.

In all the Fair generated £ 2831.09 for the church, up on the previous year by some £400 or more. Accordingly we are very pleased to report that the Mission was a success!!

Juliette Fox & Peter DeVito

UPDATE From Richard Turner

Friday is a national holiday because of the Hindu festival of Divali (a good percentage of the population of Guyana are of Indian (Asia) origin). I decided that I wanted to do something with the long weekend and so Davy and myself have planned a trip up to Paruima – a village about 5 hours upriver, and conveniently, Davy’s village of origin. There are several reasons for heading that way. Firstly, it is reputed to be the best source of fruits in the region and so I would like to raise my vitamin levels sufficiently to last me until Christmas. Secondly there are some beautiful waterfalls there. We intend camping in our hammocks, by the waterfalls, hunting and fishing for a couple of days.. I am now on my way back from my exciting weekend. Travelling to Paruima is difficult by the presence of a waterfall between there and Waramandong. When you get as far as the fall you have to carry everything, including the engine and fuel, up over the falls, load it onto another boat and continue. We discovered that there was no boat for us, so we slung up our hammocks and went to seep. Next morning we made it up to Paruima on the boat that came down in the morning. The next morning we saw some fantastic views of the surrounding rainforest.

Over Christmas Richard had a break from teaching and went to a number of Caribbean Islands.