| The Sun Shone on our Olympic Fun Day at Shelley School!
| | Christine Kirkham nurtured the idea for the children of Shelley School and others that attend our Family Service and Sunday Special. Saturday 26th May dawned brightly and the sun continued to shine all day. Some people said it was too hot! So we were blessed with the perfect day. Forty children arrived and a number of mums and dads and lots of helpers. | | | | The first hour was spent having races. There was plenty of cheering and ‘well dones’. There was an Olympic style medal ceremony at the end of the afternoon. | | | | In joint bronze position were Brooke & Bailey Keown, Jade Cleary in silver
with Eddie Cleary in gold.
| | Refreshments were gladly received after the sports and the rest of the time was spent on Olympic related craft activities. | | | | Our Rector joined in the fun, here perfecting her bubble blowing skills
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A great deal of work was put in to make this afternoon such a success and we extend a big ‘thank you’ to Christine (to whom – see right – a small presentation was made at the end of the afternoon), her committee, to everyone who baked and provided the delicious fairy cakes, the many other people who helped both before and on the day and the grant from the Joseph King Trust which made the event possible.
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Ongar Deanery Confirmation Service 2012 Thursday, 28 June was a special day for seven of our members, along with 15 others from the rest of the Deanery, when they were confirmed by David, Bishop of Barking in front of a packed congregation in St Margaret’s Stanford Rivers.
| | | | Paul Kenny, Heather Kenny, Iseabail Anderson, Sarah Anderson, Nick Charles,
Joanne Cole & Sarah Charles | Those who have heard Bishop David before, will know that his confirmation addresses are always filled with fun and laughter not forgetting numerous props. This evening was no exception!
Although his homily was nominally addressed to the candidates, as always it was a valuable refresher for all of us concerning our commitment and faith to serve Christ’s church. His address was a topical one in this Olympic year and concentrated on three areas common to both the athlete and the Christian.
Medals · In the Olympics there can be only one winner of gold, but in the Christian race every single one of us wins gold Training · There has to be discipline (remember “disciples”) … there can be no short cuts · Our training manual is the Word of God … this ensures our minds stay focused · We talk to our “trainer” every day … prayer · We feed our spirit through the Eucharist Inspiration · Another word for breathing … to fill with air … be filled with the Holy Spirit · Balls in sport need to be filled at the right pressure – a flat ball is ineffective … don’t be a “let down” – be filled
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Parish of Canvey Island start their pilgrimage from St Martin’s |  | | We are always interested to read the many comments in the Visitors’ Book, but the above was fairly unique and special. The St Peter’s Way is a 41 mile long footpath which starts from Chipping Ongar and ends at the seventh century chapel of St. Peter-on-the-Wall near Bradwell-on-Sea
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| U3A from Rayleigh visit St Martin’s | | On Monday, 1 October we were very pleased to welcome a branch of the Rayleigh U3A for a tour of St Martin’s Church led by our very own Frank Hart. | | | | The U3A Group from Rayleigh with Frank Hart (centre) | Frank pointed out many interesting features in the Church including the traces of the original lancet windows at the east end of the Chancel, the Pankhurst Pews and their interesting history, the contentious building of the Lady Chapel and South Aisle in the nineteenth century, the original north door and the fifteenth century font only rediscovered in a local garden in 1963.
Outside, in a very rainy churchyard, we inspected the Boodle Tomb, the blocked doorway of the priest’s door with its small sundial and of course the rare Anchorite Cell hewn into the side of the church wall.
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The evening of 1 October was a special one in St Martin’s when David, Bishop of Barking licenced the Revd Sam Brazier-Gibbs as Pioneer Minister in the Benifices of Fyfield and Ongar and Lay Trainer for the Deanery of Ongar.
As a Pioneer Minister, Sam will reach outside our regular Sunday congregations to further engage with the wider community and share the love of God with those around us. She will aim to set up “New Worshipping Communities” within our Benefices, develop youth work and family projects, work with our local schools, have a base in the existing Family Services in Fyfield and Ongar and also be the primary lay training resource to the Ongar Deanery.
Sam has spent the last three years working as a Pioneer Minister in Harlow. She is passionate about Jesus – the Church – young people and children and is looking forward to starting this new adventure with us and Jesus!
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People & Events 
