As part of our Coronation celebrations, we held a beautiful service in Calstone church on ‘Coronation Sunday’, 7th May 2023, accompanied by suitably patriotic music from James Harpham based on Elgar’s ‘Land of Hope and Glory’. Matt Earwicker, the Rector, gave a thoughtful sermon on the Bible’s sometimes ambivalent view of kings – noting that while it was clearly positive on some (King David, for instance), it was less so on others. His observation was that the Bible judges monarchs based on their character – essentially whether they are kind and willing to serve. He concluded that it is in the power of each of us to be kind and to serve others – just as it is for the King.
On the following day, a number of volunteers very kindly gave up part of their Bank Holiday to give the church a thorough spring-clean as part of the Big Help Out. After a morning of intense polishing, dusting and hoovering – fuelled by cake and coffee – the church is now sparkling! We are hugely grateful for the extra help received – as indeed we are to all those who help regularly to keep the church in good order.
Oliver Steel, Churchwarden
During the spring-clean we managed to clean many of the spots that can’t be reached during the normal weekly cleaning rota. Everyone did a great job but special mentions must go to Gill Barnes for coming all the way from Old Derry Hill to help, and to Annabel Redmayne for cleaning the tight spots with a toothbrush! Sarah Pink tackled cleaning the vestry, I focussed on the porch whilst Geoff and Benita Buckland, Marilyn Price, Sue Bridger and Oliver Steel, with Gill and Annabel, focussed on the rest of the church.
Thanks to Jacqui Steel for making such a lovely ginger cake to keep our energy levels up!
Doug Price