Fourth Anniversary

Four years since we came to live at Dulverton - Church of England Pensions Board complex of 34 flats ( 4 forcouples, 30 singles).

In our chapel each Sunday there are 3 services:
8.15 a.m. Prayer Book Eucharist(said)
10.30 a.m. Common Worship Eucharist (with hymns and sermon)
5.30 p.m. Prayer Book Evening Prayer(said)
Resident clergymen officiate.
Today I assisted at 8.15 a celebrant not too good on his pins and we have to go down into the congregation to some communicants; I presided at 10.30 for a sick priest and took him his communion in his room afterwards. 3rd before Advent in CW but we interrupted the liturgy at 11.00 a.m. for Remembrance Sunday act of remembrance. Where we are situated we can hear the 2 minute silence starting and concluding booms at the town ceremony held at the top of nearby Olivers Mount.

Attendance at 8.15 was 8 and at 10.30 another 12. Other residents go out to worship at local Anglican churches. Dulverton was remembered in the diocesan intercessions today "We pray for the Manager, Staff and support workers, asking God to strengthen the happy relationship between them and residents. We ask for a blessing on those who have newly come to the house and pray for growth in the common life and contentment of our community. For the lonely, ill or frail. We give thanks for the long life and service of Archdeacon Charles who will be 100 on 6th January."

The local parish church is dedicated to St Martin. His feast day coincides with Armistice Day so each year as we keep Remembrance of the war dead we also thank God for Martin who in about 316 in Pannonia(in modern day Hungary) was a soldier in the Roman army and a Christian before becoming a priest and then a monk bishop until his death in 397.

At Martinmas in past days in rural England it was the time for rent settlements, land payments and hiring fairs. Farm workers called it Pack-rag Day, as their hiring agreements ended then and they bundled up their belongings to move on. If things had gone well their soon-to-be ex employer would treat them to a feast before they departed, with plenty of Martlemas beef or mutton.