Margaret sent me this …

This weekend, the Abbey Group of artists (Claire Cross, Margaret Horton, Marion Owen and Dougie Simpson) together with ceramicist Charlie Leech are delighted to say that their Christmas Artweeks exhibition is going ahead. It had to be postponed from November but we are now raring to go.

It is at St. Ethelwold’s House in East St. Helen Street, Abingdon, from 10.00 to 5.00pm on Sat. 12th and Sun. 13th December. There will be new, original paintings, prints and cards for sale together with Charlie’s ceramics, Margaret’s jewellery and Claire’s gifts.

To make it covid secure, there will be a one way system through the building and limited numbers. Please wear masks, use the sanitiser provided and give contact details. Card payment preferred. 20% of sales will go to St. Ethelwold’s House.

With another hat Margaret says …

As we are not able to run our usual, well supported Christingle service this year, St. Helen’s church is promoting a “make your own Christingle and join in online” service. From 16th to the 23rd Dec we shall be handing out Christingle bags from the west door of the church, where you will also be able to look at the Christmas crib scene. The bags will contain everything needed to make your own Christingle at home – except for the orange. Then, on Christmas eve, there will be a chance either to join in a live, zoom service of about 20 mins or to watch a recorded service online from 4.30pm. Details about this can be found by emailing aot.christingle@gmail.com for the zoom service or going to https://www.abingdon-st-helens.org.uk/ and following instructions for the recorded service.

We are also setting up a trail of sheep and angels around the outside of the church to lead you to the christingles.

The money raised at Christingle services always goes to the Children’s Society so we are hoping that people will still give generously even if they are celebrating at home and not in church

By this time of year St Helen’s Church would normally be busy every evening with different groups celebrating Christmas. The 2020 pandemic has changed that.

There is also the need to do some repairs of the historic church. St. Helen’s is half full of scaffolding at the moment. Following plaster falls from the ceilings of both the nave and the north aisle there have been builders in since mid October doing repairs and checking other ceiling panels. Margaret says … St Helen’s are grateful to the Culture Recovery Fund for providing a grant of £20,000 to go towards the cost of repairs.