Newsletter, September 2008
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From the Rectory

The Domesday survey of 1086 has eight entries about the land in Turvey. It tells us, amongst other things, that there was one Lordship, held by the Bishop of Coutances. Three sokeman had held the Lordship in the previous reign and it consisted of 4 hides worth £6. We are also told that ‘Alwin the priest holds a sixth part of a hide and held it tempore Regis Edwardi, and could do what he liked with it. King William afterwards gave it to him in alms, on condition that he should celebrate two ferras missas [ferial (weekday) masses] for the souls of the King and Queen twice a week.’

Alwyn, spelt differently because no one cared much about correct spelling in those days, is the first name on our list of ‘Rectors of Turvey’ in the church – at present I am the last! It is thought that William’s survey of all England was called the Domesday Book because he expected nothing to change until Domesday, the day of judgement. In fact the survey was most probably intended as a document to assess how much tax William could gather from his new kingdom.

It is interesting to think how much Turvey has changed since Alwyn’s name appeared on the list of Rectors – and still at the time of writing we have not reached Domesday! We are, however, very busy with our own preparations for ‘Domesday’! We shall be producing the third in the Tony Harrison cycle of Mystery Plays in church on 17th and 18th October.

The play opens after Jesus death when he confronts the devil at the gates of hell. It moves through the resurrection and ascension to the final judgement of the world. There is lots of drama, some humour and some very thought provoking stuff as Jesus finally separates those who will sit with him in Heaven from those who are condemned to Hell for all eternity. The play ends with some very strong warnings to the audience!

At the time of Alwyn and William, Domesday, the Day of Judgement, was taken very seriously indeed. The Bible warns us that we shall be called to account for the way we have chosen to live here on earth – in times gone by there were wall paintings and carvings in most churches to show how horrible it would be to be ‘condemned to eternal perdition’. Nowadays, in our lovely cuddly society, there is a tendency to think that anything goes and provided we say the word ‘sorry’ we shall get away with it. I am not so sure! The Bible also tells us the ‘God is not mocked’.

We have the wonderful example of Our Lord’s life on which to model our own. He was no killjoy; he liked a good party and he was capable of very robust action when he thought it necessary. But he was also quite adamant about the way we should live and respond to one another. All this comes through in our play.

Come and see it – if you dare!!

Yours in Christ

Jo

All involved in Turvey Mysteries, especially those who are not regular members of our congregation

All who are sick or awaiting diagnosis

All returning to school and college – and especially those starting school or

going away for the first time.

The choir are looking for new members from age 8 upwards, if you are interested please contact Tim Brewster 01234 881484

The next coffee morning will be at 10:15am on Saturday the 13th September at 23 Norfolk Road by kind invitation of Mike and Margaret Marshall. There will be a raffle and bring stall. At this time of the year contributions of produce would be very acceptable. We are still without a venue for Octobers coffee morning, if anyone would be willing to host this Anne Claypole White would be delighted to hear from you 881661.

Yes you did read Christmas! If anyone has any containers, bowls or baskets suitable for planting bulbs or plants to sell on a stall we are planning at the Christmas Market please contact Pat (881281) or Gill (720615) or leave them at the back of the church. Thank you.

Our Harvest Festival Services this year are on Sunday 28th September. This is also ‘Back to Church Sunday’. Don’t forget to collect an invitation from the tithe table to give to the person you have chosen to bring back to church.

The Harvest Supper will be on Friday 3rd October in the Village Hall. Tickets available shortly.

In Britain, thanks have been given for successful harvest since pagan times. The celebrations on this day usually include singing hymns, praying and decorating churches with baskets of fruit and food in the festival known as Harvest Festival or Harvest Home or Harvest Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving. In British churches, chapels, and schools people bring in food from the garden, the allotment or farm. The food is often distributed among the poor and senior citizens of the local community, or used to raise funds for the church, or charity. In the USA and Canada, many churches also bring in food from the garden or farm in order to celebrate harvest. Also in the USA and Canada, the festival is set on a certain day and has become a National Holiday known as "Thanksgiving". In North America it has become a national secular holiday with religious origins, but in Britain it remains a church festival giving thanks to God for the harvest.

An early Harvest Festival used to be celebrated at the beginning of the Harvest season on the 1st August and was called Lammas, meaning "loaf mass". Farmers made loaves of bread from the fresh wheat crop. These were given to the local church as the Communion bread during a special service thanking God for the harvest. Early settlers took the idea of harvest Thanksgiving to North America. The most famous one is the harvest thanksgiving held by the Pilgrims in 1621. The modern tradition of celebrating Harvest Festival in churches began in 1843, when the Reverend Robert Hawker invited parishioners to a special thanksgiving service at his church in Morwenstow in Cornwall. Victorian hymns such as "We plough the fields and Scatter", "Come ye thankful people come" and "All things bright and beautiful" helped popularise his idea of harvest festival and spread the annual custom of decorating churches with home grown produce for the Harvest Festival service. In the early days, there were ceremonies and rituals at the beginning as well as at the end of the harvest.

Be gentle with the earth

"A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain alike, knowing that the gentlest of hands will keep what is worth keeping and, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away."

Arab proverb