Dear Friends,

 

In full bloom at present in the Rectory garden, down in the Elms, are two cascading white rambler roses which we brought with us, and they go by the name of ‘Rambling Rector’. (I hope that is not a comment on my sermons; if so, don’t hesitate to tell me to do some pruning!).

 

The parish has, of course, lost its ‘rambling Rectory’, sadly, and with it, not only that wonderful lawn on which were held the school and the church fetes and baptism teas, but also the parish office, and the ‘Long Room’ (described in the estate agent’s glossy brochure as the ‘ballroom’!), which was used for many meetings and social gatherings. As a result, all we have in the way of accommodation is the church itself, a beautiful building, of course, but not ideally suited for many occasions, with space limited by the fixed pews. At present, we are using the choir vestry in the north choir aisle as a temporary office, but it’s not a permanent solution – and it involves heating the whole church, which is costly.

 

We do, however, have an asset in the church-yard – the Library, where you may have come to vote a few weeks ago. It was built in 1809 with the education of children in mind, thanks to the generosity of the Vaughan family, and it is a grade 2 listed building, its most noticeable  characteristic being three distinctive ‘Gothic’ windows. This building has fallen into disrepair over the years, and is in urgent need of refurbishment. We have been working on plans to re-develop the Library as a resource not just for the church, but for the local community. There are so many possibilities for an attractive meeting room, comfortable and carpeted, light and airy, with a small kitchen attached, toilets, and a parish office. What do I have in mind? A room where our ‘Sunday Club’ for children can have a home, a place for a Mums & Toddlers group, somewhere for coffee mornings and ‘drop-in’ lunches, a venue for a Bereavement Support group, or a Painting & Craft club; a meeting place for people wishing to discuss local issues; as well as a place for discussion groups, prayer and Bible study groups, and of course, church meetings. It would also be an attractive room to hire for, say, a family party, or for refreshments after baptisms or funerals.

 

The prospect is an exciting one. Such a facility would offer so many possibilities for the life of our parish – not just church business, but activities which would benefit the whole community whom we seek to serve. Our architect’s plans have been shown to church members, and they will be put before the Diocesan Advisory Committee meting in Wells next month. Then there will follow the procedures of obtaining the necessary permissions and putting the project out to tender…. And then the fund-raising will begin in earnest!

 

Yes, it will be costly, and we shall need to work hard and give generously; but how exciting and challenging it will be to have such a wonderful goal in mind, one that we hope everyone in Wraxall will be able to enjoy. If you would like to be actively involved in fund-raising, or have suggestions as to how best to do it, we’d love to hear from you. All ideas and contributions will be welcome.

Watch this space for further developments….

 

With love,

Rosey