The Tintern News
Produced
by the Friends of Tintern – December 2006
Christmas Lights at the
Do
come along to the switch-on of the Christmas lights at the
The annual Christmas lunch for Tintern Seniors will be held at the Anchor Hotel on Monday 11th December starting at 12.00pm. The lunch is free to those residents of Tintern who are aged 60 and over. Ex-residents of Tintern, who are 60+ are also welcome to come to the lunch but will be asked to pay a contribution of £5.00 towards the meal.
Reservations
for the lunch and transport if required, should have
been made by the 1st December, but there may still be some places
left if you hurry and telephone:
Janet Hill 01291 689591 or Sue Ball 01291 689629 without delay.
On behalf of Barnardo’s Children’s Charity the annual Candlelit Carol Service will begin at 7.00pm on 11th December 2006 at The Abbey Hotel. Hot snacks and mulled wine will be available from 6.00pm with partial proceeds going to Barnardo’s. There is no need to book so just turn up on the evening.
There will be a traditional candlelit carol service conducted by the Rev. Norah Hill at St. Michaels Church, Tintern on Christmas Eve at 4.00pm. The service will take the form of 9 lessons and carols with the accompaniment of the organist who will play beautiful Christmas music to create a wonderful atmosphere for the service.
Please come along and sing all the old favourite carols. Bring the family – all ages welcome from 0 to 100 plus.
J. Davey.
Julia
Bohanna (daughter of Hermoine
Ford) has recently won first prize in a short story competition run by Woman
and Home magazine. The story, Ghosts of Jamaica
centres on Jenny and her brother, who after their father’s death go on holiday
to
************************
Ingredients:
1 bottle red wine
60g/2oz demerara sugar
1 cinnamon stick
grated nutmeg
1 orange, halved
1 dried bay leaf
60ml/2fl oz sloe or damson gin (optional)
Method
1. Put the wine in a saucepan with the orange, sugar, bay leaf and
the spices.
2. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Taste to see if you
want the wine sweeter, and add more sugar to taste. (Do not boil).
3. Off the heat, stir in the sloe or
damson gin if you are using it.
4. Strain into heatproof glasses and serve at once.
************************
TINTERN WI
At our November meeting 14 members and one visitor were busy making Christmas cards and decorations. Wonderful creations with holly, fir, ivy, candles and baubles were taken home as well as many lovely cards. An enjoyable afternoon was further helped by the delicious home made cakes on offer, a good cup of tea and plenty of chatter!
We will once again be helping at the Soup Lunch on Wednesday 6th December in the Village Hall. Having made soup and puddings many members will also be serving out the food and washing up. The WI will be running a Bring and Buy stall at the lunch with profits going to the Air Ambulance Service. Donations will be welcome.
For our December meeting we are going for Christmas Lunch at The Florence. We look forward to being waited upon as a change from doing the cooking and washing up. Members are reminded that, as usual, we will all take a small Christmas present costing no more than £3.00.
TINTERN VPA
The monthly meeting of Tintern VPA was held on Friday 17th November in the Village Hall.
Dr. Stephanie Tyler from Penallt gave us an illustrated talk on River Birds in
Monmouthshire. She has studied our local
birdlife for more than 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge of the subject,
which was shared with us. The initial part of the talk was devoted to the
Dipper and the Grey Wagtail, which, during the breeding season, are to be found
along fast flowing streams such as the upper reaches of the Monnow and the
The next meeting is our Christmas Party to be held on Friday 15th December at 6.30 pm in the Village Hall (note the earlier start than usual). Bring along some nibbles to share and whatever you wish to drink. New members are always welcome.
Community
Council Minutes – are
available at the Cherry Tree shop and on the Tintern
Website at www.tintern.org.uk
It is wonderful
to hear that people in the village are willing to help with cleaning the
church, it looks lovely and we are really grateful. In recent years this has
been a struggle for church members, alongside all the other tasks associated
with a lively, active, growing congregation. Maintaining the church building
and services is a huge financial commitment for the 35 families in the
congregations. The Church in
There seems to be some confusion about church services in the village. The service times are a little complicated (!) but are an attempt to respect the wishes of everyone in the parish, while meeting the needs of the current congregation.
The main church festivals are always celebrated in the church buildings and
there is a service every Sunday in St Michael’s Church (even though the average congregation is two people).
This service is at 9am, (10.30 on the last Sunday in each month for those who find 9am a little early!).
These times are clearly posted on the church door.
There are also services at 10.30am each Sunday in Tintern Village Hall (First Sunday in the month) and Llandogo Village Hall (other Sundays).
Quite simply a
growing congregation of 70+, including 30 children of all ages, doesn’t fit
into
Initially we
divided our time evenly between the villages of Llandogo
and Tintern. However, we continue to grow and when we
found ourselves rehearsing a group for the Christmas Carol Service in the
disabled toilet at
Kate Barnes, Geoff Smith & Mary Shipton (Church Wardens}
6pm
A Service in ‘Celebration of Christmas’ in St
(No
Morning Service)
4pm
Traditional
Candlelit Carol Service in St Michael’s Church, Tintern
11pm Midnight
Mass in St Oudoceus Church, Llandogo
1030am
Family Service in St Michael’s
Church, Tintern
1030am
Holy Communion, St Michael’s Church, Tintern
1030am Family Service and ‘Kids for Christ’
with Holy Communion in Llandogo Village Hall
1115pm Service to celebrate the New Year in
Tintern Pentecostal Church, Trellech
Road
We will be decorating St Michael’s for
the Christmas celebrations at 1030 on Saturday 16th December and would welcome
any offers of help. Please contact Mary on 689673, Pam on 689457 or Kate
on 680046
Twas the Night before Christmas
Make
it Snow !
Twas the night before
Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by
the chimney with care,
In hopes that St
Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all
snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums
danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief,
and I in my cap,
Had just settled
our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there
arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see
what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew
like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and
threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the
new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of
mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering
eyes should appear,
But a miniature
sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so
lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be
St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his
coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted,
and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the
wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an
obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the
coursers they flew,
With the sleigh
full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I
heard on the roof
The prancing and
pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was
turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas
came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur,
from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all
tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung
on his back,
And he looked like a peddler,
just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses,
his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was
drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was
as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held
tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled
his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a
little round belly,
That shook when he laughed,
like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a
right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him,
in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist
of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had
nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went
straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings,
then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside
of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the
chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to
his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like
the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere
he drove out of sight,
"Happy
Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
[also
called “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by
Clement Clarke Moore (1779 – 1863)
Are pleased to announce that owing to popular demand they will, in addition to their current advertisement be offering:
Christmas Day Lunch £45.00
Reservations only
Tel: 01291 689411
Happy Birthday
to Glenys Luff on 4th December.
Sarah Addison and Martin Woodford would like to wish a big Happy Birthday to their children Helena who will be 18 on the 21st Dec. Victoria Eve will be 9 on the 24th Dec. and Alistair who will be 15 on January 3rd.
Wednesday 6th December – 7.30pm Bingo at the Anchor Hotel
Sunday 10th December 6.30pm – Christmas Lights Switch
On at the
Monday 11th December, 12 noon – Tintern
Senior Citizens Christmas Party at the Anchor Hotel.
Monday 11th December – 7.00pm - Carols at Tintern Abbey – assemble at the Abbey Hotel.
Friday 15th December – 6.30pm – Village Hall – VPA
Christmas Party
CATBROOK MEMORIAL HALL EVENTS 2006
Saturday 9th December 7.30pm
- Dougie Watts Singing Duo. Supper Dance. BYO Drink. Tickets £7.00 per head.
Sunday 17th December at 3 p.m. - Carol Service with Monmouth Band. Refreshments
afterwards
Friday 15th & 29th December - Whist Drives. 7.30 p.m.
Wednesday 20th December - 7.30pm
The Narth Singers with mulled wine and mince pies.
New Year's Eve – Cabaret Evening with suppoer. Tickets £15.00 per head. Not suitable for children under 14.
Friday 19th January
– Fashion show.
Friday 9th March 2007 - Ceilidh.
Coffee Mornings held in the hall on the third Tuesday of each month at 10.30
a.m.
Yoga Classes held every Tuesday, 7-9 p.m. and Thursday, 10.30-12.00. Call
Ruth Routh for details on 01600-860648.
For details of all other events or to hire the hall contact Rosemary Stevens on
01600-860451.
TINTERN YOUTH CLUB
Final meeting for 2006 will be on
Wednesday 6th December 6.30pm
–8.00pm
Sports and Well-being
In
The Village Hall
Items for the Newsletter – dates for the January 2007 edition
Items for the Tintern Newsletter from
home or abroad can be sent by email to andrew.elspeth@virgin.net
delivered to Wye Barn, Tintern, or tel 01291 689456.
Advertisements for the January
edition should be received by 22th
December 2006.
All other items should be
received by 27th December 2006
The Tintern Newsletter is sponsored by the Lower Wye Area Committee.
The Tintern News is a vehicle for the expression of opinion by
all members of the Tintern community. While it does
not necessarily endorse the views of any particular contributors, it does
wholeheartedly support the promotion of lively debate on the development of the
village and of freedom of speech in general. However, it will reserve the right
to edit any contributions in order to preserve moderation and a spirit of good
intent in the presentation of arguments. Thoughts from everyone in our
community will continue to be very welcome. ER