News & Events
"Well, you couldn't have asked for better weather for a wedding- sunny outside and very sunny inside too; the 'emotional weather' in church was wonderful: nobody stressed out or tetchy, everyone 'going with the flow'. Rachel and Euan beamed throughout, and our vicar Nigel was relaxed, inspiring and obviously enjoying himself presiding over a happy occasion with two lovely people. The three-dog-guard in church were amazingly well-behaved, and, I kid you not, when the congregation said one of the 'Amens' at the end of a prayer, one of the dogs gently barked twice in quick succession, as if to say his 'A-men', too. Heather played them out with Bach's wonderful "Jesu, joy of mans' desiring" on possibly one of Bach's original scores! Congratulations, Euan and Rachel. Don't be strangers; we've enjoyed hosting you and we'd love to see you again in the future.
Ceremony for the loss of a child
Churchyards throughout the country have the highest population of yew trees, and Bexwell church is no exception. Under one of our magnificent yews is something of a hidden, but poignant, gem. It is a little tablet stone upon which is written:
In memory of
Paul Geoffrey Davies
beloved son of
Ramsey and Marjorie Callaby
Fell asleep 23rd March 1951
Aged one day
I think of him every time I clean the stone. Paul would have been almost 72 if he had lived, and who knows what he might have gone on to do in life. In 2023 we are much more open to discussing the grief that accompanies miscarriages, stillbirths and very early deaths like Paul's, and it is testament to his parents that this stone was put up in 1951 and sits quietly under one of our beautiful yew trees.
I have been meaning to do this for some years now, but I would like to hold a very simple, short event / ceremony around Paul's tablet stone on Sunday March 26th at 11am (the nearest Sunday to the 23rd). This would be to remember Paul, and to invite anyone who is familiar with the loss of a child (even those lost as adults) to come and be present in their own way, whether to cry, speak or remain silent- whatever. We might invite people to tie a little ribbon on one of the yew's branches to commemorate their own loss, and we will leave the ribbons there for a while.
Holly Tree
The large holly tree that stood near the north door died suddenly last year and needed to be removed. We are extremely grateful that Nick Brett and his colleagues at Downham Market's 'Lawnboy' services have now removed the tree. Nick also arranges for Lawnboy personnel to cut the churchyard grass, and we know we are extremely fortunate to have Nick and Sandra as members of Bexwell church offering such practical help.
Thank you so much to Nick, Sandra and 'Lawnboy' staff.
"It's an ill wind that blow no good" as they say, and now there is an
unobscured view of the church from Bexwell lane as you can see in the
picture.
Help and support with living costs.pdfThe wisdom of children after a visit to Downham Market Foodbank
On Tuesday 18th October members of our Denver School Council travelled to the Downham Market Foodbank to find out more about what they do to support the community and to take the generous donations made during their Harvest collection. School Council members Kayla and Chloe wrote this lovely report about their visit...
“The food bank was incredible! It showed us just how many people are suffering and how much the food bank relies on our donations. All the staff (who are volunteers) were very welcoming. If you look worried, they give you tea or coffee and a biscuit. Also, they will talk to you about your problems.
It isn’t just food for people that they provide, they also provide cat food, dog food, toiletries and even clothing in case you need to attend an important event (such as a job interview). This is because if you are unable to feed yourself, you are also unable to feed your other family members, including your pets.
When someone donates a tin or other product, it is weighed, and the date is checked. This is displayed clearly on the top so it is easier to see and is not wasted. There are items on the front desk that are out of date, that they leave out so everyone has a choice if they want to take it or not as they don’t want people to become ill. Once the items have been dated, they are then sorted into categories: toothpaste, sauces, animal foods and more.
My favourite part (Kayla) is that they have a reverse advent calendar! Instead of receiving chocolate or an object, you donate that to the food bank instead. It is a really creative idea. You can donate as much or as little as you can manage. Everything counts and is valued.
It really was an incredible experience and we learnt a lot from visiting. They help anyone in need which is so kind. Please remember to spare something whenever you can."
What a privilege to hear the thoughts of children about the workings of the food bank. Go to our Giving page for more information.