Weather and Coming Events!

This of course is not Potton but I think some parts of Britain may well have looked like this over the last few days

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I think we have been lucky with our weather these last few days, mainly heavy rain to contend with which didn’t cause any major floods in this area as far as I know. I have an elderly cousin who lives in Dundee and she tells me it’s a very different story there with massive floods all around and wind damage across a large area, as well. She was lucky and escaped most of it but Arbroath just up the road from there, and the home of my late Grandmother’s family, suffered very badly. The Keith family, which was their name and whose ancestry can be traced back to Dunnottar Castle further up the coast, owned, in partnership, a large engineering works in Arbroath who specialised in gas lighting and boilers, and actually were the company who made and fitted the first gas street lighting in the streets of London, some of these lights still survive. But doing family tree research some time ago, I discovered that my grandmother was actually born in West Ham in London, as her father was the project manager for the gas lighting project. Two more of her siblings were also born there! They later all returned to Arbroath and were educated there. I really hope the family home still stands after the terrible weather, it looks quite impressive in the photographs I have seen. I must go there one day but no family live in Arbroath any longer as far as I'm aware!.

The morning service on Sunday was a Choral Holy Communion led by our Rector the Revd Alex Wheatley with a sermon by Rdr Simon Gutteridge on Safeguarding.

The service next Sunday which is All Saints Day, will be a Benefice Patronal Service and will be held at All Saints Church at Sutton.

The following week’s service will be one of our favourites, Friends and Families which will have a theme of Remembrance for the younger members of the congregation to learn about and they will make craft items and pictures all based on the theme.

The service on November 12, will be Remembrance Sunday held in Potton Market Square from 10am, and around the War Memorial in the Sandy Road Cemetery. Potton always has a very good attendance for this service and ceremonies, so let’s hope the weather has vastly improved by then.

Social Events. Many are planned but the first one will be the Bonfire Night on Saturday November 4th, in the church field. As last year, there will not be fireworks but there will be a bonfire and in addition, a Barbecue and other types of hot and cold food and we’re told this year will have a new type of “American style dogs”. There will also be home made hot soups and cakes in the hall, plenty to look forward to on a cold night. Gates open at 6pm and the bonfire will be lit at 6.30pm. Entry is free and food is available at reasonable prices. All proceeds go towards the church maintenance. But, please do not bring fireworks or sparklers. We hope you all enjoy the evening with us, it’s always a good place to catch up with old friends, and perhaps make new ones!

Events Diary. Did you know that in the Library, there is a large town diary especially to record events that are to take place in Potton with a view to try and avoid events clashes with other groups? This diary has recently been replaced so there is plenty of room in it and we would like to see many entries for big or small events entered in with event news for every one able to see what is coming up. It’s a good idea so if you have friends who don’t know about this, pass it on and let’s see a lot of new entries appearing.

Services for Next Sunday October 29th, All Saints Day

9 am St Mary’s Church, Potton, Morning Prayer

10 am All Saints Church, Sutton, Holy Communion for All Saints Day, Benefice Patronal Service

10.30 am St Mary’s Church, Potton, No service today, see Sutton 10am