Icklesham

CHURCH NEWS: After a wonderful Easter Day service, surrounded by lovely lilies perfuming the air, we move now to Low Sunday, when the 9.30am service will be Parish Eucharist led by Rev. Malcolm Pickering. The service will be followed by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. April 23rd is St. George’s Day, Patron Saint of England.. But because it falls on a Sunday in Eastertide, the commemoration is deferred to Monday. There is apparently pressure to declare this date a bank holiday. April 23rd is also the anniversary of both the birth and death of William Shakespeare. Tuesday 25th is St. Mark’s day. Mark was an Evangelist. The second Tuesday after Easter was for many centuries a holiday in England, commemorating Ethelred’s victory over the Danes in 1002. The Church and other landlords received an annual tribute, Hock Money, as a compensation for giving their labourers a holiday. Those unable to pay were “in hock “ until the debt was discharged. On Thursday we remember Christina Rossetti from 1894.

WEATHER: We were promised some rain, but it hasn’t shown up yet. If you can keep bird baths full, the feathered friends will appreciate it, there is so little water about. The sky is very dramatic at the moment : There are towering cumulus, black underneath, blue bits in between ,and every shade of grey, never mind 50 different shades.

QUEEN’S HEAD: The live music on Sunday will be played by the Shauna Parker Band playing Country music.

QUIZ NIGHT: The final quiz of the season will be held at the Memorial Hall on Saturday 22nd April starting at 7.30 pm. There is still room for another team, so be quick and enter. Teams of up to 6 please, at £2.50 per person. Bring your own food and drink. Please contact Stuart Baker.

SCHOOL NEWS: The new term began on Tuesday 18th. I hope everyone had some rest and relaxation.

WINCHELSEA SINGERS: The Spring Concert will be on Saturday 29th April at 7 pm in St. Thomas’ Church. The music includes some of the choruses from Carl Jenkins’ The Armed Man, a Mass for Peace; the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves; arrangements of some well known folk songs and spirituals; and Laudate Dominum. The soloists are Grace Constable and Michael White. The Musical Director is Duncan Reid and the accompanist on this occasion will be Nigel Howard. Tickets are £10 at the door and a bar is available.

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AND FINALLY: No more comments. Do have a good week.

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