Sunday 20th December 2015 at 6.00 p.m. Reverend Ian Browne officiated at our Carols by Candlelight service. The Church looked resplendant, decorated with evergreens, candles and floral arrangements and the Christmas tree twinkled with new lights kindly donated by Mary Shurville. Reverend Browne delivered a service that told us about the family tree of Jesus and the origins of some of our favourite Christmas carols through carefully chosen bible readings, passages and poems that were read by villagers. The congregation completed a proforma prepared by Lindsay Rooms asking for their preferred time of family services in 2016. This data will be shared with Reverend Anne Hindle so that she will feel informed when she takes up her new position and plans services for the benefice. People sitting in pews with new heaters reported that they were lovely and warm, Jake, Shelley and Adrian removed their coats! Monica Crosby was our organist and members of the PCC had prepared delicious refreshments which people stayed to enjoy after the service. The mulled wine produced by our new vintner Cherrill Sands was enjoyed by all.
Sunday 6th December 2015 at 4.00 p.m., Reverend Lynda Davies officiated at the annual candlelit Christingle Service. Lynda encouraged the children to participate by doing readings and prayers and everyone stood in a circle to be given a Christingle and to have their candle lit. It was very well attended with 29 people taking part and it really helped to make a lovely start to the Christmas season. We are very grateful to Lynda for making it such a lovely service; £128 was raised for Save the Children and Lucy Horne wanted to thank everyone for their generosity towards this amazing charity which helps children in poverty or with the traumas of exploitation or the burden of caring for a loved one. The PCC are indebted to Lucy for once again making the christingles, organising the collection and the service with Reverend Lynda Davies.
Sunday 29th November 2015 at 6.00 p.m., The Venerable Richard Ormston officiated at our St Andrew's Day Service. The Warmington bell ringers signalled the start of this service and Angela Whiteway sang a beautiful solo whilst adults and children read lessons and poems. The Archdeacon had combined Advent and St Andrew's Day which made it a very thoughtful and relevant service. It was fitting that we sang one of Reverend Brian Roger's favourite hymns, "I Cannot Tell How He Whom Angels Worship" as Brian started the tradition of having a patronal service and his name was mentioned a number of times during the course of the evening. The Church was full of villagers and visitors who stayed to enjoy wine, soft drinks and nibbles whilst catching up with Archdeacon Richard and chatting with friends. We were very grateful to the Archdeacon of Northampton for bringing his faith, enthusaism and generosity of spirit to our lovely church.
Saturday 21st November 2015 at 7.30 p.m. Viscount William Addison and Bob Davies did a fundraising talk in Cotterstock Village Hall.
They regaled people with tales and pictures of their five-week motorcycling adventure in Patagonia, South America to raise money for the bell restoration project at St Andrew's. This was a 'sell out' event; people enjoyed empanadas kindly made and donated by the Red Lion at Warmington, followed by eclairs and Grace's chocolate brownies. Will and Bob inspired people with their amazing exploits and had one of their BMW R1200GS motorbikes in the hall which some people couldn't resist trying on for size! Incredibly £829.50 was raised and an enjoyable evening was had by all.
St Andrew's hosted its first Service of Remembrance for many years on Sunday 8th November 2015 at 6.00 p.m. Reverend David Bond officiated at this moving service which sixty people attended. Les Starks, the chairman of Oundle Royal British Legion and the British Legion standard bearer took part; Brandon Crozier and Alex Kroese who are in the Army Cadets handed out the orders of service and organised the collection which was in aid of the Legion. We were fortunate to have Philip James from Oundle School to play the Last Post and the Rouse; two minutes silence was observed and villagers read lessons and poems. A 'Pop-Up Museum' of WW1 and WW2 artefacts was created in Church and villagers also suplied a fascinating array of items belonging to relatives who lived through that period. Oundle Museum also brought memorabilia which meant that there was lots to look at and to talk about whilst enjoying a hot drink and Anzac biscuits after the service. It was suggested that a service of remembrance might be held every year in future, particularly as we do not have a war memorial in the village.
Tuesday 24th November 2015 saw the completion of Phase One of our heating project. An anonymous bequest was received by the PCC to improve the heating in St Andrew's and Jeff and Mavis Rowlett have worked tirelessly on getting Faculty permission to do the project, choosing suitable heaters and organising the fitting of them on the back of the pews. Approximately half of the pews have new heaters now and hopefully at a later date we can try to procure a grant to complete the project. The PCC are very grateful to Mavis and Jeff for overcoming many obstacles before bringing this project to completion.
Bishop John Flack officiated at our Songs of Praise service on Sunday 18th October 2015 at 6.00 p.m. The Warmington bell ringers heralded the start of the service and the Church was adorned with beautiful flower arrangements for the occasion.
42 people attended the service and enjoyed singing the top seven hymns chosen in our recent hymn survey, all accompanied by John Miley. Bishop John delivered a thoughtfully crafted service around St Luke's Day and explained the background of how the selected hymns were written. Bryan Green, Fabian Sommerville-Cotton, Cherrill Sands and Bob Davies read the lessons. Bishop John said that he could feel a "tangible warmth from the congregation" and commented on the special community atmosphere; he said he would like to be invited to take another service in Cotterstock.
After the service people stayed to enjoy wine and canapes served in the chancel.
St Andrew's looked beautiful for our traditional Harvest Service on Sunday 27th September 2015 at 6.00 p.m. led by the Reverend Ian Browne. Villagers decorated the church with produce from field, hedgerow and garden and the scent from the flowers was stunnng as you entered.
A peal of bells by Warmington bell ringers heralded the start of the service which was very well attended.
Reverend Ian Browne had prepared a lovely service and Esme and Emerald assisted him by bringing produce to the front as he gave thanks for our varied harvest. The flowers and produce were auctioned at the harvest supper the following Friday.
After the service hot drinks and nibbles were served in the chancel and people stayed to enjoy the harvest displays and to catch up with friends and neighbours.
On Sunday 14th June 2015 Reverend David Bond conducted a Garden Service in his beautiful "Quiet Garden" in Cotterstock. It was a very special service giving time for thought and reflection in the open air.
After the service cream teas were served on the lawn and there was time to take a leisurely stroll around the different parts of David's lovely garden.
Reverend Brian Rogers retired after being the respected and highly regarded vicar of Cotterstock for 20 years; his last service in Cotterstock was on Sunday 26th April 2015 and the church was full of villagers past and present who wanted to say farewell. People had journeyed from London, Harrogate and Caerphilly to attend his last service in the village and to wish him well in his retirement.
The “One Night Only Choir” reformed again with Gill Potts as their conductor and they practised for six weeks to mark this memorable occasion.
Brian was presented with a card by Reverend David Bond; it was full of messages of thanks and good wishes and David shared some special anecdotes of times he had shared with him over the years. A champagne toast was made by Lindsay Rooms, Church Warden, and the congregation enjoyed a piece of appropriately decorated fruit cake. Villagers had contributed towards a benefice cheque which Brian was presented with at another reception in Warmington.
On Thursday 23rd April 2015 Anne Cotton did a brilliant talk on the History of Women’s Shoes to raise money towards the refurbishment of the bell frame in St Andrew’s Church. A staggering £1861 was raised and an enjoyable evening was had by all.
