Winchelsea

Hollywood action: Last Friday evening screenwriter Matt Charman attended the Literary Society’s meeting in the Court Hall where he was first interviewed by Bill Docherty and then kept busy answering questions from the floor. Without giving too much away Matt provided hints and tips about being a screenwriter. Important to the craft is having that good idea and Matt achieved this when he researched into the true story behind the Bridge of Spies. The difference between screenwriting and other forms of writing is that it deals with a visual medium whereby the audience are not told the story but are shown it. So a screenplay is written visually describing what the audience will see and hear. A look on an actor’s face may be all that is needed to show the character’s significance. This means the screenwriter needs only to write the pictures sounds and speeches as the filmmaker does the rest. Although it may seem easy Matt pointed out that every scene is an integral part of the process so should be thoughtfully planned for that right effect. Matt also described how he had sat and observed the director Steven Spielberg and his actor friend Tom Hanks working together to mould Hanks’ character into that of James Donovan the lawyer. Much of this was accomplished through appropriate choice of speech. Watching these professionals turn his script of Bridge of Spies into a Hollywood box office hit was a fascinating learning experience for Matt which has helped him to develop new ideas. His latest venture will involve working with Spielberg on a political historical project about Walter Cronkite and the Vietnam War.

Crossing the bridge: Icy conditions on roads and paving stones kept some of the Friends from taking to their cars last Sunday for the joint gathering at St Thomas’ Church. As a result, there were fewer Methodists this year but a good number of Anglicans from the town attended the combined service to mark the Christian Week of Prayer. Canon Richard Orchard led the service while the Revd Ian Pruden (from the Methodist circuit) gave a sermon concerning Jesus Christ on the cross; reminding how through this sacrificial act Jesus brings together all believers in reconcilement to God. He illustrated this with a pile of stones which he arranged into a wall showing how sin divides and separates mankind from having a relationship with God. After which he rearranged the stones into a cross describing how this forms the bridge to God through repentance, enabling the individual to become a new creation wherein the old things are passed away. The readings were from 2 Corinthians 5:14-20 and Luke 15:11.32. A collection was taken after the service with proceeds going towards the upkeep of the Wesley Chapel. During the service Ian revealed that he was getting married to his girlfriend Liz in 5 weeks’ time and we are pleased to wish them Christian blessings for the future. She currently lives in Peterborough and they plan to hold the wedding in Peterborough Cathedral.

Winchelsea Beach

Final service: Before going into retirement Canon Robin Whitehead will conduct his final service at St Richard’s Church on Sunday January 29th. The service begins at 9.30am and friends and visitors are all welcome to attend. On that day there will not be an 8am service at St Thomas’ Church. During the interregnum before a new minister is appointed to the parish the aim is to have a 9.30am morning service at St Richard’s on the second and fourth Sundays from February onwards with no afternoon service at least until spring time.

Look out: If you are wondering when the Bingo evenings are due to start then do keep a look out on the noticeboard outside the co-op. These are scheduled to recommence in February at the usual time. Also take note that in the event of heavy rain and possible flooding some of the notice boards may be concealed by the tankering lorry usually stationed outside the Community Hall.

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