On the evening of Thursday 6^th June 2024 Ringing out for Peace for the 80^th anniversary of the D-Day landings took place at St. Mary’s Church, Chard, by their team of bell ringers and visitors at 6.30pm. Rounds and call changes were rung on the bells to mark this special occasion.

If anyone would like to join St Mary’s bell ringing team, you will be welcome, either as an existing bell ringer or if you would like to learn. Please contact the Bell Ringing Secretary on 01460 63496 who will be pleased to hear from you and can give you further information.

At our last meeting we had a fascinating presentation by Pippa and Rob Evans on the building of their straw house here in Chard.

Pippa had for a long time wanted to build a house and her first thought was to make it from wattle and daub, but she decided making the wattle and daub would be too messy and so decided that straw would be less messy.

When she met Rob, it was at their second meeting that she told him she wanted to do this, but it did not put him off, and as husband and wife they started building in 2021, after reading books by Barbara Jones on how this could be done. Then getting plans etc passed. They had no problem getting them passed and so they started with their foundations. Then the wooden frame for the straw. Insulation was very important right from the start including under the floor.

A local farmer gave them a place to keep the bales of straw, and many bales had to be restrung and made the right size. Building with the straw took three weeks. The walls were six bales high, but to fit they had to be strapped with lorry straps to compress them, so the last layer could be fitted tight within the framing. To keep the straw dry they had a six foot overhang on the front and back roof and 3 feet on the side roof.

The roof was covered in cedar shingles. Doors and windows were triple glazed in a wooden frame. The bales were sprayed with lime plaster both inside and out. Building was complete in 2022. They were very pleased with the insulation. Passive houses are rated ‘O’ Modern houses are rated as ‘10’. Their house is ‘2.5’.

Best wishes, Heather Elphick, Branch Leader

Prayer is such a fundamental part of being a Christian and we see this in the whole of Jesus’ life recorded throughout the New Testament. At the most challenging times, when he was in the garden in Gethsemane (Matthew 26.36-46) and at the time of his crucifixion ( Luke 23.46),  to happier times when he gave thanks to God for his revelation (Matthew 11.25) and at the feeding of the 5000 (Matthew 14.13-21). But one of the most powerful passages that I have found about prayer is in John 17, as Jesus prays for his disciples.

Prayer is all about a conversation with God; it involves listening as well as speaking. So often we only pray to God when we are in the darkest places or want something, and more often than not we will suggest to Him what the solution is.

We have to trust God to decide what the best answer is for us in our current situation.

Jesus gave us that special prayer that most of us use at least once a week where we pray ‘Your will be done.’ We have to trust in God; that is what faith is all about; and as it says in Proverbs 3.5 ‘trust in the Lord with all you might and be not wise in your own sight.’

I believe that a regular prayer life is so important. Not only does this give each of us an opportunity to be still and to share with God our worries and concerns, but also to give thanks for all the amazing things that we have in our lives. It gives us the chance to start the day afresh and to be empowered to carry out the tasks that we need to do, or to end the day by giving thanks for the good things that have happened and to share the burdens that we may have been carrying.

If you are not already doing so, I would encourage each of you to try to set aside a little time each day for prayer, just quietly telling God what is in your thoughts. Why not give it a go, it really can make a power of difference both to your life and the world.

With every blessing

John

After a very successful series of concert at St Mary’s earlier this year Speranza have agreed to new dates for the remainder of the year. See below for the ‘Music for Summertime’ dates.  Don’t forget to join us for a community lunch beforehand in the church rooms.