Welcome to our website dedicated to Bell Ringing and the Village of Haughton, near Stafford. Please subscribe to receive updates and news by email. Feel free to contact us with information you would like us to put on the site and Share the link www.thebellringers.org.uk with your friends, family and neighbours. We practice weekly on a Tuesday at 8pm.
It was such a pleasure to welcome our new Rector, Rev. Cath Brumfitt to St Giles’ Church last Sunday for her first Service in the Benefice. Thank you to everyone who attended the service - complete with their masks! We are restricted through social distancing to a maximum of 27 members in the congregation and we reached capacity! These are strange times indeed and we thank everyone for being so understanding.
St Giles will be open for private prayer from 10a.m. - 11.00a.m (The church bells will ring from 9.30am) on August 2nd, 9th and 16th and on those Sundays, the Rector will be taking a service at each of the other parishes. We will try to keep everyone updated with what is happening across the Benefice.
The Shropshire Inn Haughton have Steak Night every Thursday 5pm until 9pm and are also offering a Fish and Chip Takeaway service, see menu below or click here to get a PDF file of the Menu.
Haughton Village Hall will reopen on Saturday 1st August, following the
Covid lockdown and we look forward to welcoming hirers back.
The Hall and all its furnishings have been deep cleaned according to
Government guidelines, a risk assessment carried out, and measures are now in
place to safely reopen.
The hall will be cleaned in between each booking and we have guidelines
available to hirers with regard to social distancing rules etc.
New markings and signage is in place for disabled parking, and traffic
calming measures have been put in place to try and reduce the number of
unauthorised heavy vehicles coming onto the carpark.
If anyone has any queries please contact the Chairperson, Peter Skelson on
Stafford 780564
To book the hall, contact Berni Chadwick on 07722 003626
Tonight we managed rounds on 6 for the first time since Lockdown. Over the next few weeks, we are going to work on our handling techniques to really get our rounds good, before moving on to changes,
After working up a thirst we went and refreshed down to The Shropshire... Although we're all still very carefully social distancing, it's great that things are slowly returning to normal.
Welcome to the July Haughton BKV Newsletter, I would like to start by thanking the wonderful people who have donated to the BKV fund which will allow us to continue with the planting of the borders around the village for the autumn season. As an independent group in the village we cannot survive without your support and we are very grateful..
Normally this time of year we are all trying to keep a lookout for BKV judges in July as this would mean we have good chance of winning something, alas as the competition is not running the lookouts are not needed. It is also the time of year when we start running our hanging basket and garden competition which has also been put on hold due to social distancing. instead I have enclosed some pictures of village gardens at their best. If you would like your garden shown next month then please send me some photos, as you will notice I have to keep the exact location a secret due to Data protection.
If you cannot read the archive please let me know.
I would like to welcome our recent subscribers to the site. Last week Sophie Grindley posted leaflets around the village, Thank You Sophie, and now we have over 120 subscribers. Our aim is to 'fill the gap' that the Church and Village magazine has left since the last edition was published in December 2019.
If you have any news please let us share, just email it to us!
In view of the ongoing complications with coronavirus, it has been decided to cancel the monthly meetings until January. It is a shame that we are unable to have our usual events but better to be safe than sorry. And my dahlias are really good this year!!
Stay well everyone and hopefully we will be able to resume usual activities next year.
Sue Edwards
Regards, Sue Edwards | sje46(at)hotmail.co.uk (at)= @
We will resume with the alter flowers from 1st August will all the ladies involved please check the rota to see their week. Please contact myself or Sue if you have any problems Many thanks Jocelyne.
We had a good practice again on Wednesday 22nd July, with 5 ringers turning out. We managed Plain Hunt on 3 and 'Around the Clock'. Karen, our latest recruit who started just before Lockdown came and managed to ring rounds for the first time.
Revd, Cath Brumfit came and introduce herself, she had a good chat with the team and we are all looking forward to working together.
Social-Distancing measures were in place throughout the practice. Our next ringing session will be for Sunday's service (ringing starting at 9.30 am for a 10 o'clock service). Our next practice is planned for Wednesday 30th July at 8pm.
The new vicar Revd. Cath Brumfit, is now able to hold services in all four parishes, social distancing rules and regulations will be in place. It has been decided to alternate the services between the four parishes each Sunday, when there is no service at Haughton the Church will be open for private prayer, as it has been for the last few Sundays since the slow easing of the Lockdown.
This Sunday (26th) there will be a Eucharist Service at 10 am at Haughton, where you'll be able to meet Revd. cath Brumfit. Congregation numbers are restricted to 27 and it has been strongly recommended by the Church of England that facemasks should be worn, to try and prevent the spreading of Covid-19.
We had a good practice on Wednesday, although only 4 ringers could make it. We stuck to our same ropes and rang rounds and call changes and Plain Hunt singles, maintaining social distancing throughout.
Unfortunately we haven't enough ringers to ring for the quiet prayer meeting on Sunday 19th July, but we should have enough to practice on Wednesday evening.
I would like to thank Geoffrey Smith for all the hard work he's put in writing our online worship throughout Lockdown, I think I speak for the Village by saying they've been uplifting and sole searching throughout these very difficult and strange times.
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
HYMN: “Colours of day””
Pray the Collect of the day.
Merciful God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as pass our understanding; pour into our hearts such love towards you that we, loving you in all things and above all things may obtain your promises which exceed all that we can desire or deserve through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Read the Epistle from Romans chapter 8 verses 28, 31-35 and 37- 39
Read the Gospel from St. Matthew chapter 13 verses 24 - 30 and 36 - 43
Hymn: “Praise my soul the King of heaven”
All right, I must come clean, I gave you two weeks of epistles from Romans chapter 8 last week, and today you’ve got next Sundays reading! I’ve done this intentionally because this passage has always meant a great deal to me. It all started when I failed my New Testament Greek exam at the end of my first year in college and if the lecturer concerned had his own way I would have been thrown out! In the letter he wrote to me he quoted the first verse of todays reading “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose” Well I got back to college and two years’ later I was ordained in Lichfield Cathedral! This passage came to me again during my second curacy at Trentham when the vicar always used it as the last reading at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols – so much better than some of the early Old Testament readings so often used in that service, and in my years as a vicar with my own parish I did the same. It is also a passage which speaks of our response to the wonderful story of the Bible. At the end of a carol service it asks us to make our response to the story we have just heard. Throughout the 60 years since I was ordained it has been a kind of fall back when things seemed to be going pear-shaped! And at each funeral we hear the words from verses 38 and 39 “I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” In some ways it speaks of the way we do the jobs we find ourselves in, and this is especially true for the parish clergy who must be aware that communities require the presence of their clergy, they must be people who know the streets, roads, clubs and organisations of their parishes becoming an informed and kindly presence nurtured by the worship of the God and the living bread of Christ, and to have a willingness to see people at home or at work or where ever they meet and be with them in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Hymn: “One more step along the world I go”
Offer some Prayers
(These prayer suggestions are based on a Church Times cartoon by Dave Walker and on the Beatitudes from St. Matthew Chapter 5 verses 2-11)
Blessed are those who stay indoors, for they have protected others
Blessed are the unemployed and the self employed, for their need of God is great
Blessed are the corner shopkeepers, for they are the purveyors of scarce things
Blessed are the delivery drivers and postal workers for they are bringers of essential things
Blessed are the checkout workers, for they have patience in the face of frustration
Blessed are the refuse collectors, for they see God despite mountains of waste
Blessed are those who are alone for they are children of God and with him will notbe alone
Blessed are the bereaved, for whom the worst has happened they shall be comforted
Blesses are all during this time who have pure hearts, all who still hunger and thirst for justice; all who work for peace and who show mercy. May you know comfort, may you know calm and may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen
And the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today pour daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
This Saturday (18th July) our new rector, Revd Cath Brumfit, will be Instituted to the four parishes of Bradley, Church Eaton, Derrington and Haughton and so will end what has been a long time without a rector. So pray this prayer for our four parishes and churches.
God bless these four parishes and churches of Bradley, Church Eaton, Derrington and Haughton, their new rector, Cath, and their officers and congregations and prosper all our attempts to be faithful in work, worship and witness and to draw others to you, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
HYMN: “Thine be the glory”
(Sadly in a way, this will be my last contribution as now we have a new rector and our churches should be re-opening, but over the past 19 weeks I hope these few words and ideas for home worship have helped a little to keep the idea of “church” alive and have helped to keep you in the ways of worship. I am particularly indebted to my wife Margaret whose idea this was in the first place and to Trevor Lock and his Bellringers web-site for the patience he has shown and for the much appreciated additions of church bells and hymns which came after the first few weeks.)
The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ establish, strengthen and settle you in the faith. Amen
This week's bell ringing practice will be on Wednesday 15th July 8pm until 9pm. Currently we have 6 ringers attending, and so there are no spare ropes. Any changes will be announced on this website, so please keep checking..
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
HYMN: “The Spirit lives to set us free”
Pray the Collect of the day.
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose spirit the whole body of the church is governed and sanctified; hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry, they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Read the Epistle from Romans chapter 8 verses 1-25
Read the Gospel from St. Matthew chapter 13 verses 1- 9 and 18 - 23
Hymn: “I heard the voice of Jesus say"
Offer some Prayers
(These prayer suggestions are based on a Church Times cartoon by Dave Walker and on the Beatitudes from St. Matthew Chapter 5 verses 2-11)
Blessed are those who stay indoors, for they have protected others
Blessed are the unemployed and the self employed, for their need of God is great
Blessed are the corner shopkeepers, for they are the purveyors of scarce things
Blessed are the delivery drivers and postal workers for they are bringers of essential things
Blessed are the checkout workers, for they have patience in the face of frustration
Blessed are the refuse collectors, for they see God despite mountains of waste
Blessed are those who are alone for they are children of God and with him will notbe alone
Blessed are the bereaved, for whom the worst has happened they shall be comforted
Blesses are all during this time who have pure hearts, all who still hunger and thirst for justice; all who work for peace and who show mercy. May you know comfort, may you know calm and may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen
And the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today pour daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
This prayer is an alternative collect for today
Grant, O Lord, we beseech you that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by your governance, that your church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
I observed Sea Sunday two weeks early! It should be this week-end, so our final hymn has at least some thought of the sea in it. By now we may all be thinking of the sea!
HYMN: “Jesus calls us: o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea”
(Sadly in a way, next week will be my last contribution as our new Rector will be licensed on 18th July, and our churches should be re-opening shortly after that date.)
The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ establish, strengthen and settle you in the faith. Amen
As lockdown eases and we are gradually getting back to some sort of normality, we are going to regroup and ring the church bells again.
Our main priority is safety to our ringers and to limit the risks of spreading Covid-19 as much as we can. Some ringers are still self isolating as either they or a family member are classed at 'risk'.
We have set down some guidelines to follow to try and limit any risk to each other.
1. Each ringer will be designated a bell and will remain on that bell throughout the ringing session.
2. Only 6 people will be allowed at each ringing session, so would any visitors please contact us to see if we have any spare ropes.
3. Two or Three days will be given between ringing sessions, to let them ropes rest between use, so our practices will be temporarily moved to Wednesday or Thursdays. Starting Thursday 9th July at 8pm.
4. Disposable gloves will be worn, face masks are an optional extra.
5. Ropes will be disinfected before and after each ringing session.
6. Social distancing (2M apart) when not ringing.
We feel these measures will help us to keep safe and help prevent the spread of the virus, but also start to bring village life back to normality.
On behalf of Haughton Bell Ringing Team, I would like to congratulate Emma and Rory Sanderson on the birth of their identical twin daughters Ivy and Nancy. They were born on 30th June weighing 4lb 4 and 4lb 8.
Emma is a Stafford ringer who has often attended our 6 bell practices at Haughton and has also rung a peal of Bob Minor.
Some Good News at Last!!!
Congratulations to all of them, and not forgetting Erin the twin's big sister,
This week's bell ringing is Stedman Doubles from at Abson, Gloucestershire. We don't very often get a team to ring Stedman at Haughton on a Sunday Morning, but we do manage it some practice nights. (Click here to see the bells on Dove's Guide)
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
HYMN: “I danced in the morning”
Pray the Collect of the day.
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy increase and multiply upon us your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide we may so pass through things temporal that we lose not our hold on things eternal, grant this, heavenly Father for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Read the Epistle from Romans chapter 7 verses 15-25
Read the Gospel from St. Matthew chapter 11 verses 16-30 (verses 20-24 optional!)
Hymn: “Happy are they, they that love God”
Offer some Prayers
(These prayer suggestions are based on a Church Times cartoon by Dave Walker and on the Beatitudes from St. Matthew Chapter verses 2-11)
Blessed are those who stay indoors, for they have protected others
Blessed are the unemployed and the self employed, for their need of God is great
Blessed are the corner shopkeepers, for they are the purveyors of scarce things
Blessed are the delivery drivers and postal workers for they are bringers of essential things
Blessed are the checkout workers, for they have patience in the face of frustration
Blessed are the refuse collectors, for they see God despite mountains of waste
Blessed are those who are alone for they are children of God and with him will not be alone
Blessed are the bereaved, for whom the worst has happened they shall be comforted
Blesses are all during this time who have pure hearts, all who still hunger and thirst for justice; all who work for peace and who show mercy. May you know comfort, may you know calm and may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen
And the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today pour daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
A prayer for those who doubt
Most merciful God, we pray for those who doubt your love; for those who find it difficult to believe or to pray; for those who have lost the faith they once had. May the Holy Spirit enlighten their minds and lead them into all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
HYMN: “Forth in thy name, O Lord I go”
The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ establish, strengthen and settle you in the faith. Amen
