EVENTS AT AND AROUND ALL SAINTS
The season at All Saints' church started, as usual, with the wonderful Five Church Walk on May Bank Holiday, 6 May, when hundreds of local residents, and some not so local, set off from one of the five churches and walk to one or more of the others on the 16+ mile circular route (this year in an anti-clockwise direction), discovering sandwiches, cakes and other delights available at all the venues. It was meant to be a super day, and the Kent Air Ambulance, Pilgrims' Hospice, and the participating churches all benefitted from the donations made, but the weather was appalling, and most will remember it for getting absolutely drenched! Maybe next year will be better. All details will be on www.thefivechurchwalk.co.uk when it has been updated (and improved).
Then at the end of May, on Spring Bank Holiday 27th, we hosted the 117 taking part in the annual pilgrimage from St Martin-in-the-Fields, London who dropped in for sandwiches and a cup of tea and, as is traditional every year, to warmed themselves by the fire in the Tudor porch before heading off to Chilham and Chartham for tea and cakes. As always it was great fun, but involved a lot of sandwich making! If you would you like to help with this next year - or any other planned event - we'll be pleased to hear from you. Phone 627117 in the first instance.
Next it was the superb Stour Music Festival with some stunning performances of early music enhanced by our brand new sound system to facilitate the spoken word and improve contact between audience and performers. Remember the address for info on next year's programme: www.stourmusic.org.uk
In July we welcomed Prof Berkely Hill, organist and Director of Music, with the combined choirs of St Mary's church Hythe for evensong, followed by a picnic in the churchyard.
Then on Saturday August 3rd we repeated our very popular Fun Day at All Saints, when among the various attractions for adults and children were a Hog Roast, an art show and an art competition, and group trips up the ancient, spooky tower to view our lovely Kent countryside.
That was followed on Sunday 11th August by a visit by the Mancunium Consort and finally, on Friday 6 September we have an evening of Big Band entertainment care of the Big Sound Collective. It's free and you'll get a complementary glass of wine, so again, absolutely not to be missed. Mark the date in your diary - it'll be quite loud!
But not everything takes place at All Saints. On June 23rd we repeated our open-air Sunday service in the beautiful and tranquil setting of St Mary's church, now a ruin, by the lake in Eastwell Park. What a magical setting!
So still quite a lot to look forward to. Further details of all our events will be published here as available and in the weekly benefice pew notices.
