Preparation for Christmas

It is Christmas eve and St Nicholas is preparing for the arrival of the Messiah.
A team of highly skilled elves built over 400 Christingles in just over one hour today.
The Oranges were kindly donated by Tesco of Dereham and will be the centrepiece of 3 consecutive services this afternoon and evening.

Induction Photographs

Induction Service

On Wednesday 9th September at St. Nicholas church Dereham Rev. Sally Theakston was instituted as Rector of the Dereham and District Benefice by the Bishop of Lynn, the Venerable James Langstaff.

Tower Augmentation Fund Anagram Competition

The winners of the Norfolk Anagram Quiz were :
!st Vicky Ford, 2nd Mrs C. Bundock.

Their prizes will be delivered to them very soon.
There were31 all correct answer sheets. The winning two names being drawn at the Augmentation Fund Comittee meeting on 3rd of June.

Thank you to all who supported this fund raising event.
Bill Dingle. Chairman

Bell Augmentation Fund News
Gordon Barker has raised over £1000 for the Bell Augmentation Fund by playing the piano.
The Piano Maestro’s Musical Marathon Mozart Musings Made Many a Muckle.
Key pounding playing pleasant partial portions of popular pieces produced pounds and pounds of promises.

News from the PCC
The 20th May was the first meeting of the new 2009 PCC. In recognition of this a PCC photograph was taken.

At the PCC meeting held on 20th May 2009 the topics discussed included:
Thanks and Welcome. Thanks were recorded for the excellent contribution John Baldry had given to the PCC during his time as Secretary. His timely input to discussion and recording of meetings had been much appreciated. His successor, Eileen Davidson was formally introduced and we look forward to working with her.
2. Appointments and Co-options. The list of appointments and co-options was approved and thanks were given to all who contribute to the life of our church.
Damaged Churchyard Wall. After a lengthy process involving the Town Council, architects, surveyors the Diocese and ourselves, a faculty has now been completed and submitted to the Diocesan Registrar. Watch this space!
Unwelcome visitors. Sadly we have had a number of incidences of youths congregating in the south porch and not respecting our beautiful church. This has caused some distress to our vergers, clergy and most importantly, to our visitors. The churchwardens have engaged with the youths and also met with the police (Safer Neighbourhood Team) and at least one youth has been interviewed.
5. Website. Paul Edwards briefed the committee that the benefice website was now live. Please visit the site http://www.derehambenefice.co.uk/. You can view it in the Town Library! The Committee expressed thanks to Barbara and Paul for the excellent work they had done.
6. Interregnum. The committee was unanimous in giving thanks for the continued support to ensure all the designated services were covered. We are so blessed to have a dedicated clergy team.
7. Reports. Reports were received from the Church Estate & Headborough Charity committee, the Bell Augmentation Fund committee, the Social committee, Fabric and the Friends of St Nicholas.
8. Next meeting. Wednesday17th June at 7.30pm.

Welcome to St Nicholas Dereham
St Nicholas Church at East Dereham is the biggest Church within the Benefice. The mission of St. Nicholas is to bring the Christian message to the World in General and to East Dereham in particular. This Includes supporting our overseas mission partners in Thailand. As with all churches the church is always looking for ways to raise funds to maintain our mission.
To support the mission the church has both paid and unpaid clergy and a range of supporting positions within the church community. These include, but are not limited to: Retired clergy, lay readers, vergers and cleaners who ensure our wonderful building always looks its best, flower arrangers, junior church leaders (Sunday school) a vibrant youth group, a music group, bell ringers, social groups, bible study groups and an environmental and fair trade policy.
The more formal planning of our church life is via the Parochial Church Council (PCC) The PCC is made up of church members representing a wide range of skills and interests from Financial to Spiritual matters and guided by the incumbent (Rector) of St Nicholas. The PCC also has representation onto the Diocesan Synod to both pass matters up and down the chain to and from the Bishop and thence if necessary the archbishop. The PCC has formal positions including a Secretary, Churchwardens and a Treasurer. Membership of the PCC carries with it the responsibility of running the Church and maintaining the annual budget of £180,000 estimated for 2009.

St Nicholas (founded 654) by St Withburga (Image above) is a fine church building which is used very flexibly, as much of the furniture and fittings in the chancel and nave altar area are moveable. As well as a place of worship in the centre of the town for over 700 years, the building is an historic landmark and host to many musical and civic events for the community. There has been an extensive programme of internal refurbishment over the past fifteen years which has resulted in an attractive and welcoming church suitable for many different forms of worship and liturgy. During 2006-7 there was a successful programme of fundraising to match a heritage lottery award which enabled the areas of the roof that leaked to be repaired.
The building is central to the town’s population and the churchyard (closed for all but the interment of cremated remains) is also used as a pedestrian thoroughfare. The church is in good repair and kept warm despite its size. The detached bell tower has a ring of eight bells.