Holy Week at Hernhill: village green Cross and Zoom services

There is now a wooden cross on the Green which will be bare all through this coming week, Holy Week, but on Easter Day it will be covered with netting so that anyone who would like to can place flowers, prayers or messages on the cross.  They can be in memory of a loved one who has died, a prayer, a thanksgiving or simply placed in celebration of the resurrection.

You will need to observe social distancing and may like to wear gloves to place your flowers / prayers / messages and sanitize your hands before and after.

As we go through this coronavirus emergency more than ever we need to be reminded there is no darkness that God, in the end, cannot turn to good.  Please do come anytime during Easter Day and help make our cross a symbol of resurrection and new life.

Holy Week and Easter services

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 7.30 pm

Night Prayer with short address (Zoom only)

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Maundy Thursday 7.30 pm Holy Communion  (Zoom only)

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Good Friday, 2 pm (Zoom only)

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Easter Day 10 am Holy Communion (Zoom only)

Anyone is welcome to join in our Zoom services but you need an invitation, please email jeanburrows@jeanius.me.uk.  Zoom services are 40 minutes max.

There are also lots of resources online, radio and television to accompany us through Holy Week and Easter.

Hernhill News April 2020

You can find the Hernhill News for April 2020 here:

Hernhill News APRIL 2020

Support for Vulnerable People – Covid 19

Swale Borough Council are starting a scheme to support vulnerable people during the present crisis. The scheme should be in operation from the beginning of April.

 

If you need support, then details of the scheme and how to register will be available from Swale Borough Council after the end of March. If you need help before then or have any difficulty contacting Swale Borough Council, please telephone Councillor Chris Page on 01227 750284 or 07971 178974. He is the Parish Council’s point of contact for any questions about the scheme or coronavirus community support.

 

The scheme needs volunteers to help with deliveries of food and medicines to vulnerable residents. Training will be given. Volunteers should not be in one of the high risk categories listed on the Public Health England website.

 

If you are willing to help, then please visit the scheme’s online forum to register. A link to the forum is on the Swale Borough Council website or available by emailing the Parish Council at cllrpagehernhillpc@gmail.com.

 

https://www.swale.gov.uk/coronavirus/

No Bonfires – Please!

Respiratory/breathing problems can be made worse by breathing in smoke. Respiratory problems are one of the possible symptoms of Coronavirus. Please be a good neighbour and wait until this crisis has passed before having a bonfire.
Keep safe & well everyone!

A message from Reverend Jean

Hello everyone, I hope you are all keeping safe and well. I’m sure you’ve all heard on the news that all worship services as well as all our church events have been suspended until further notice. I’m very disappointed to say this includes our Hernhill 900 events, we had a big village celebration event on the Green planned for mid-June and many other special events throughout the year. Hopefully once this pandemic is over we will be able to hold our celebration events, even if it is 900+1.

 

Although church services are no longer being held the church still exists and we are still able to worship, albeit in a different way. There are many resources online and I’ve also sent out resources to regular church members by email and post, please contact me if you would like to receive these. A reminder that Hernhill Church is still open during the day every day so do go in if you would like to, we are also going to put some extra prayer resources in there to help you reflect and pray, especially with Easter approaching.

 

Baptisms and weddings can still go ahead in church but only five people can attend, including me, so most have been postponed. This also affects funerals where immediate family only may attend although this advice may change and crems and funeral directors may also have their own rules about attendance.

 

The caring and concern people within our villages are showing for those who are vulnerable and self-isolating is heart-warming but at the same time we see horrendous selfishness and greed as people are binge-buying, please don’t do it, it’s not necessary. Remember to keep social distancing however old you are. If there is anything that you think I might be able to help you with or if you would like specific prayer please get in touch.

 

Keep well, keep praying, keep connected.

 

Revd Jean

01227 751410 jeanburrows@jeanius.me.uk

Hernhill News March 2020

You can read the March 2020 Hernhill News here:

Hernhill News March 2020

Neighbourhood Area Designation

Neighbourhood Area Designation – Hernhill Parish Council

Hernhill Parish Council has made an application to Swale Borough Council to designate a neighbourhood area. This is in area within which a neighbourhood plan can be prepared.

Neighbourhood plans give communities power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area. The area applied for is the same as the Parish boundary, and can be viewed on a map, along with a letter for the reasons for the application, on Swale Borough Council’s website here:
https://www.swale.gov.uk/Hernhill-NAD.

Swale Borough Council is seeking your views on the suitability of the proposed area to be designated as a neighbourhood area. If you have any comments, you can submit these via email to: aaronwilkinson@swale.gov.uk or by post to:

Planning Policy,
Swale House,
East Street,
Sittingbourne,
Kent,
ME10 3HT
Comments must be received by midday on Monday 16 March 2020, after which a decision will be made and published on Swale Borough Council’s website. If you have any questions, please contact 01795 417395 or aaronwilkinson@swale.gov.uk.

The Parish Council in due course will be looking for parishioners who are interested in contributing to and shaping the Neighbourhood Plan. More information will follow in the coming months

 

Weight restrictions for Boughton & Staplestreet

The Kent County Council (Various Roads, Boughton & Dunkirk, Borough of Swale) (Weight Restriction) Order 2020 Can be viewed here:

KCC WEIGHT RESTRICTION ORDER

This Order restricts the weight of goods vehicles to 7.5 Tonnes through The Street Boughton, Staplestreet Road and Stockers Hill.

The weight restriction does NOT apply to “vehicles for the purposes of agriculture” –  exemptions section 3 (f).

This should make our lives much easier! Thanks go to Jeff Tutt, Alastair Gould and all those who have campaigned for this restriction.

Safe journey!

 

Hernhill 900

This year Hernhill will be celebrating 900 years of St. Michael’s Church!

Celebrations will include:

Friday 7th March – presentation about the stained glass windows

Friday 15th May – Launch of new church guide & talk on the history of the church

Friday 22nd May – Concert by the University of Kent Chamber Choir

3rd – 5th July – Flower Festival

and most importantly

20 – 21st June – Celebration Weekend! Including events and entertainment on the Village Green and special celebration service on the 21st at 11.00am.

and more to follow…….

Image: St. Michael’s, Hernhill. Watercolour by Ted Battersea

 

Hernhill Horticultural Society AGM

Hernhill Horticultural Society AGM 2020

Hernhill Horticultural Annual General Meeting will be held on
Saturday 8th February
from 2.30pm.

With presentation of annual cups & talk on growing Dahlias.

Tea will be provided. All welcome, including friends & neighbours.

The society asks for two contributions towards refreshments from members and three from non-members.