“Living for Christ at the heart of the community"

From The Manse: Spring 2009

Dear Friends, As you [may] know, since September 2008 our son Daniel has been serving as a Medic out in Afghanistan, firstly in Kandahar then latterly at Camp Bastion. Just recently he was back in the UK for two weeks R&R and it was lovely to see him safe and well. Colin and I were overjoyed that he took the time whilst home, to make his engagement to girlfriend Lowri official – as in, he took her to buy ‘the ring’!! Before he left, I asked him if he would write a few lines to let you know how the boxes of ‘goodies’ I’ve been sending out to him were distributed. The ‘Buddy Box’ at the back of church has become a familiar sight, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed and Read more

By helen, ago

The February Ramble – Around Garstang Via Calder & Wyre

The walk for this month, led by Veronica, was a pleasant seven mile tour of the countryside to the west of Garstang. The weather turned out to be pleasant and less cold than recently. Starting from the main car park in Garstang, our little party of six and two dogs headed out through the village to join the Lancaster Canal and then walking south towards Catterall. The water had a slight covering of ice, but provided little difficulty for two swans that decided to investigate the dogs. Leaving the canal at Catterall basin, we then followed a mill stream westwards across fields to Calder Bridge, crossing the main road and now following a path by the River Calder. Shortly, we arrived at the confluence of the Calder and the Wyre. Next, we had to cross the busy A6 and pick Read more

By The Editor, ago

The January Ramble – Haskayne

Haskayne is a small village between Ormskirk and Southport located on the Leeds & Liverpool canal. Over the years, we have walked many miles along the towpaths of this canal but this is probably as far to the west as we have been, some fourteen miles from the centre of Liverpool. Starting from the Ship Inn, our party of five and two dogs headed west along the canal. The dogs immediately spotted two ducks’ and gave chase. The ducks took flight and landed on the frozen canal with a very impressive skid. After a mile or so, we left the canal at the Scarisbrick Arms Hotel. This large and well-known pub is now closed and boarded up, like so many these days. After a short road section, we entered the fields of Smithy Farm, followed by Tanpit Farm. The day Read more

By The Editor, ago

Knit and Natter

There will be a ‘Knit and Natter’ group at the Manse on Wednesday 7th January, 2-4pm. All are welcome – including the men! Come and share in Fellowship and refreshments, and knit something useful for our 2009 Operation Christmas Child Initiative. Don’t worry if you don’t have needles or wool – we’ll pool our resources and see what happens! Thanks, Helen.

By helen, ago

The December Ramble

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN. Despite the rain four ramblers met outside the Church willing to brave the elements. It was decided to abandon the 8 mile walk in the Garstang area. To please the two dogs, we drove to the Longridge Fell, parking at the Quarry and walked through the forest for nearly 4 miles. The tracks were covered with ice and rain, making conditions underfoot tricky. The dogs, however, had no problems, barking at every stick and running wildly to retrieve it. Surely this was better than sitting in a comfortable chair in a cosy room looking at the rain? Janet Sommerville

By The Editor, ago

From The Manse: Winter 2008

Dear Friends, ‘Out with the old – in with the new’………. I know this is usually something we say at the turn of the year, but there has been a lot of it going on at the Manse lately! You know the sort of thing that happens – you start one job and problems arise, which leads to other things needing to be done, and before you know it – you’re camping out in the living room with the fridge, the kettle, and the microwave, picking your way through the rubble to get to bed, and wondering if you’ll ever get back to normality! Things, however, are now beginning to get into a more ordered state and apart from a spot of decorating, the job is done. It does beg the question as to why we start these things in Read more

By helen, ago

The November Ramble – Led by J & J Sommerville

On Saturday seven ramblers met in a car park in Hornby, having been promised by the Met Office a dry window in our normal rainy weather. Setting off towards the Wenning Bridge, turning right into a farmyard, and following a farm track initially alongside the Wenning viewing Hornby Castle, then swinging to the right to cross the old disused Little North Western railway line and down a lane into the village of Wray. Here the group turned right then right before the Post Office passing some very old houses, 1649 was the oldest noticed. Following a lane down the side of school, the walkers crossed the River Roeburn on Kitten Bridge and then took the minor road uphill for a kilometre. As the ramble progressed the rain had gradually increased as the group took the footpath to the right across Read more

By The Editor, ago

The September Ramble – Conder Green

This month’s walk was a case of ‘Third time lucky’. Due to the constant heavy rain, the listed walk through fields round Elswick, was a non-starter. However the alternative semi-urban walk, starting from the promenade at Lytham also was found to be impassable. So it was back to an old faithful, always a pleasant and popular walk. Starting from the car park at Conder Green, our little party of five and the dogs, plus three friends from Bolton headed north along the bed of the old railway from Lancaster to Glasson Dock. To the west, on the River Lune, the sailing club were enjoying themselves racing in the warm morning sun. After half an hour of walking on the excellent, scenic track, shared with many cyclists, we turned east up a lane that took us to the little village of Read more

By The Editor, ago

From The Manse: Autumn 2008

Dear Friends, It all began at the end of June, when I attended an EM2 (Education for Ministers) course at The Windermere Centre in the Lake District. Entitled, ‘The Word in the Arts’, we were given a rich feast of creativity and fresh engagement with the Bible, as well as some pretty amazingly creative food by the Centre’s Chef! We looked at Theology and Social comment in Cinema – 2000 years of the Bible in Art – and Handel and Cohen: Eschatology Set to Music. If that all sounds rather high brow, it wasn’t – just an honest look at how we see God in Film, Art and Music, and something which is very close to my heart. Next, I was off to Ushaw College in Durham, for Minister’s Summer School, which dealt with the first of a three year Read more

By helen, ago