Old Parish Magazines

of St James A. & M.

Issue No 

Bream Vicarage,
24th February, 1937.

My dear Friends,
You will probably expect me to make some reference in this letter to the subject of the Church of England School. Every effort will be made in the near future to remedy the appalling condition of the School playground, but, even under the changed conditions to which I referred at the Annual Church Meeting, the question of ways and means still presents great difficulties.
To put the playground only in a proper condition may entail an expenditure of £400, of which the Parish will probably have to contribute £100. This is a considerable sum of money to raise in addition to the money which must be raised each year to finance the Church. Any expenditure on the Church School must be looked upon as an additional sum to be raised in the Parish and should not entail a transference of monies from normal sources for a special purpose.
I shall never willingly consent, for example, for Churchyard finance to be jeopardized, by applying its legitimate funds to some other use. Neither would it be right to withhold our support from those Societies outside the Parish which we have consistently helped in the past.
If our Annual Bazaar proceeds are to be given entirely to the School, the loss of those funds to the Church ought to he made up by a larger number of contributors to the Free Will Offering Scheme. If this is done, then I cannot see why the extra money required for the School should not be raised without a great deal of difficulty. This, I believe, is a statement of sound financial policy and I earnestly ask you to give it your careful consideration.
This letter is virtually an appeal to the Parish as a whole to work together, and with a determination to succeed, for a cause which deserves the support of all, namely your Parish Church and its dependent interests.
Your sincere friend and Vicar,
ARTHUR M. PARR.

Our sympathies are due to the relatives of those whose deaths are recorded in this issue. Of Mr. Johns it may be said that he has been mercifully released from a life of continued suffering and ill-health, frequently hidden by a smiling face. I always regret when someone passes away in the Parish with whom I am unable to speak from personal knowledge; but of Mrs. Wildin and Miss Boyce I know but little, and therefore I can do no more than to express my sympathy with their relatives.
Mr. Watkins was well known to me, and his “passing on” removes from me and the Parish a man of exceptional personality. He was the oldest resident in the Parish and probably in the Forest, His mind, which remained wonderfully clear almost to the last, was stored with most interesting memories of events which took place nearly a century ago, memories which he often shared with me. Towards the end of his life, he longed for and looked forward to his end, which came to him, peacefully and quietly.

CONFIRMATION SERVICE
On Monday, 22nd February, the following were confirmed by the Bishop of the Diocese in our Parish Church :— Phyllis Parr, Monica Worgan, Eileen Beech, Stella Hoare, Eileen Williams, Muriel Ford,
Beatrice Vaughan, Elizabeth Ferley, Rita Price, Pamela Searle, Mrs. Saturley, Nurse Jones.
We welcome them as full members of our Church and must pray for them that they may be loyal to their promises. Our own loyalty may go far in helping them to be so.
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Morris on the occasion of the birth of a daughter to them.

CHILDRENS CORNER
The following were asked to be responsible for the care of and provision of flowers, in the corner during March :—
Mar. 7 - Ramsey Cooper and Godfrey Meek.
Mar. 14 - Joan Johns and Mary Edmunds.
Mar. 21 - Jimmy Edmunds and Phillip Horsley.

FARTHING FUND
John Morris, 12; Muriel Farr, 1; Jean Lucas, 2; Ivor Windridge, 30.

PALM SUNDAY.
I will gladly include in the Act of Memorial at the Memorial Service at 4 p.m., any names other than those who have passed away since last Palm Sunday. The collection at this Service will be for the Churchyard Fund and boxes will be put up in the Churchyard for visitors who come to the Churchyard at other times during the day. I should like to express a hope that no one will pass them by.

CHURCHYARD.
No returfing of graves can be undertaken in the week prior to Palm Sunday. Please give your instructions, therefore, as early possible to Mr. R. Lodge, the Churchwardens or myself.

CHERISTIAN BURIAL
"The care of them is with the Most High."
Feb. 10 - Thomas Johns, aged 63 years.
Feb. 14 - Sarah Wildin, aged 64 years.
Feb. 14 - Ethel Boyce, aged 45 years.
Feb. 17 - Thomas Watkins, aged 96 years