July promises to be a very special month for Clarborough Church. Firstly, as part of Open Churches weekend, on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th July, the beautiful old building will be open for visitors, and volunteers, with tea, coffee and biscuits will be served too. It’ll be well worth calling in, having a look around, and seeing how the building has been brought into the 21st century whilst still maintaining its 12th century origins.
The weekend of 28th and 29th July is their ‘Lammas’ festival, traditionally this was ‘Loaf Mass’ when the first wheat was cut from the field, brought in and prepared, and from it a loaf of bread was made. A celebration was held and thanks were given to God for the harvest. Most churches nowadays celebrate only the ‘Harvest Festival’, traditionally the end of the harvest season, when ‘all is safely gathered in’. Clarborough is unique in the area in being the only church to celebrate Lammas. The church will be open from 10.00am to 4.00pm on the Saturday, with displays of artwork inside, and refreshments being served. Saturday evening is going to be a very special occasion, the first visit of the ‘Celebration Choir’ to Clarborough. The Celebration Choir was formed way back in the days when the preacher Billy Graham was touring the country, giving out his evangelical message, and accompanied on his Sheffield rallies by the choir singing music. Choir members stayed together, new members joined, and the Celebration Choir carried on performing Gospel and Christian music, bright cheerful, uplifting songs, bringing the joy of their music to hundreds of people and lots of different venues. Tickets are available for this special event, please call Lesley Keating on 07551 381965, or June Taylor-Rabjohn on 01427 880965. Tickets cost £5.00, including light refreshments, and it is essential to book in advance as this will be a very popular event.
On Sunday 29th July, the church will again be open from 10.00am to 4.00pm, serving afternoon tea with scones, jam and cream, and there will be plenty of artwork to view. A service of ‘Loaf Mass’ will follow at 4.00pm, and everyone is welcome to join in this informal short act of worship and thanksgiving.