Sunday 13 December
The Carol Service was held on Sunday 13 December at 5.00p.m. and due to government restrictions of just 30 people the congregation had to reserve a seat. Congregational singing was not allowed but we enjoyed some lovely solos from Katherine Fitton and Rosie Sands and the Crosby and Ward-Fitton family groups which made for a memorable service.
The congregation was asked to stand outside in the wet and cold to sing the last Carol; all very different this year but enjoyable. Special thanks to the Rowlett and Fitton families for supplying and decorating the very beautiful Christmas tree.
St Andrew’s Church Roof Appeal
A letter was sent to Cotterstock residents asking for their financial help with the cost of urgent repairs to the church roof last month. We had a wonderful response and over £5500 has been raised so far towards the estimated cost of £18500. The Parochial Church Council would like to say a sincere thank you to all who contributed. The Archdeacon has approved the work and a contractor has been appointed. Scaffolding will hopefully be erected in the middle of January and work will commence on the first phase of the project soon afterwards.
Remembrance Sunday
A memorable Act of Remembrance was held outside St Andrew’s at 11.00am on Remembrance Sunday. The gates and porch were decorated with the knitted and crocheted poppies villagers originally created for Angela Wright’s art installation in 2018. The bell was tolled, the names of the fallen from Cotterstock were read out and children planted small crosses representing each man who fell.
This shortened Act of Remembrance lost none of its dignity and significance as villagers paid their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. £284.10 was collected and donated to the Royal British Legion.
Friday, 6th November
Monday, 5th October
We made the mistake of launching and displaying our 'Limited Edition Christmas Tree Decoration for 2020' in the village hall window, (in a Covid-19 compliant way) on the weekend of the 3 October, only to find it rained non stop (almost) from Friday through to Monday!
However people still turned out with umbrellas and wellies at the ready to see the decorations and sales have already started. All proceeds from the sale of these very cute, china, hand painted cup and saucer Christmas tree decorations will go towards the upkeep of St Andrew's; if you would like one, please do get in touch, details on the notice below.
1st October 2020 - Limited Edition Christmas Tree Decorations
Saturday 12 September - Ride + Stride
Thank you so much to all of you who supported Ride and Stride this year in such strange circumstances, it was much appreciated!
Happily the sun shone, and we had 28 riders and striders signing in at the church on their various journeys raising funds for Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust. Our outdoor churchyard coffee morning attracted people and helpers from the village and beyond, and thank you to our new vicar Rev. Donald McFadyen and his wife Netta for coming along to support. A huge thank you to all of you who helped, donated, baked and supported the coffee morning, do hope you all enjoyed the opportunity to see each other and catch up.
We raised £300 in total, a little more than last year, which will be divided between NHCT and Cotterstock church. In the circumstances I think that was a very good total; hopefully next year we can have some Cotterstock cyclists raising sponsorship funds too!
Saturday 5th September
We welcomed Hilary Hardie and the Nassington band of church bell ringers to St Andrew’s on Saturday 5th September. It was the first time the bells have been rung since the country went into lockdown in March so an absolute joy for villagers to hear the bells ringing out over Cotterstock once again.
Saturday 22 August
We received this reflective and thoughtful poem from Lucy Gale today who is just 16 years old, stimulated by Reverend Richard Price's story in 'Vicars of Cotterstock'. If you haven't looked at the 'Vicars of Cotterstock' section of the website yet, you might find it interesting, It charts all the vicars of St Andrew's Church from 1232 to the present day.
Sunday 9th August
Reverend Dr. Donald McFadyen conducted his first service in St Andrew's at 9.30am on Sunday 9th August. All the necessary Covid19 precautions were in place to ensure that villagers felt safe during this engaging service of morning prayer. Afterwards the congregation had the opportunity to stay and chat with Reverend Donald.
Thursday 9th July 2020
In the Bible, God put a rainbow in the sky as a sign of his promise that he would never again destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:13-17), also in Greek Mythology rainbows were thought to be a path between Earth and Heaven. Throughout this year's Coronavirus pandemic people have displayed rainbows to make us smile and to offer a message of peace and hope in these darkest of times; so lovely to see a rainbow framing St Andrew's Church.
