Churchwardens’ Report

June 2012

By the time you read this we will be well on the way to our opening celebrations and dedication of the Annexe by our Archdeacon, The Venerable Roger Combes, but as I write the last finishing touches are being made. We are still hopeful the main entrance doors will arrive on time - it will be a close run thing as they wing their way across Europe, but we will carry on regardless.

Now that the actual building is in place and the covering to the Memorial Garden has been removed we can concentrate on its design and the groundwork for this is in hand. The essential layout of the memorial plaques and the central area where the roses were planted will remain but, because of the closeness of the building to the plots, the garden will be re-orientated. The approach will be, via a paved path, through a wicket gate between the side of the annexe and the hedge; from here a gravel path will sweep down the left side of the garden and connect with the existing gravel at the far end; the area of rubbish will be cleared, the leylandii hedge behind the Madonna removed and the Madonna repositioned at the opposite end adjacent to the building. The plaque to Rev. William Gibb, in whose memory the garden was created, will be placed on the wall of the Annexe as you enter the garden. There will be other work to be done, including planting, but the foregoing is the base on which to build.

Plans are well advanced for the Open Gardens event in the village on Saturday 30th June when four owners have kindly agreed to open their gardens in aid of the Annexe appeal and tea will be available in the church. We hope the weather will be kind to us, so put the date in your diary.

You now have two fully licensed churchwardens for the next twelve months. We both attended the annual service where we were licensed by the Archdeacon on behalf of the Bishop. The service moves across the diocese and this year ours was at St. Andrews, Furnace Green which is part of a Team Ministry in Crawley and was completely rebuilt two years ago, modern and very impressive - well worth a visit.

A new diocesan bishop, Dr. Martin Warner, has been appointed and he will be officially installed later this year in Chichester Cathedral.

Many thanks to Ben for his inspirational idea of a cricket match between St. Augustine’s and Scaynes Hill C. C. as a fund raiser for the annexe, and thanks to everybody who contributed to making it such a success. As one spectator put it, “a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon”. Congratulations to SHCC, the winners but only thirty runs in it. Return match next year?

We now look forward hopefully to an improved summer and the exciting challenge of our new Annexe.

Best wishes,

Alan and Lynne

Churchwardens

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