DOWN YOUR WAY
pandemic. St Ives Exploring Poetry Group’s March 2020 plans to meet were thwarted by the suspension of public gatherings. Due to meet at the library, offering their responses to William Wordsworth’s ‘Daffodils”, instead they submitted their poems by email to a central collecting point. Here they were collated, brief introductory notes were added, then the assembled works were sent to all contributors and a few others who showed interest. Each month after that a new topic was suggested, poems were submitted, collated and redistributed. From a handful of initial contributors the mailing list now numbers 45, with friends joining to send in poems, or simply enjoy reading them. Some summer visitors, joining St Ives Poetry Circle (meeting again on the first Friday of each month since restrictions were lifted), have swelled the issues. Local poets are joined by email from others as far afield as Oxford, Macclesfield and even Canada.
The March 2024 issue, remembering how things started with ‘Daffodils,’ takes as its theme: “The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra, la!” Copies are available free from stephenbales47@gmail.com
St Just
FREE CHURCH
The ways of the Lord are very different from the ways of the world. Isaiah proclaims: “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord”. Indeed, the world and its desires pass away,but whoever does the will of God lives for ever. What exactly is the will and way of God? Psalm 25 reminds us: “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful”. He guides the humble in what is right. The Saviour said: “I am the way, the truth and the life”. This is important because “it is the Lord’s will that none should perish,but everyone to come to repentance”, so to find out the way and the will of the Lord we must take heed to the words of Jesus.: “My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life and I will raise them up at the last day”. To know the will and the ways of the Lord, the foundation must be in place, for no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ, A willingness to repent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and to receive him to be Lord in our lives will indeed reveal the ways and the will of God.
The Free Church Fellowship welcomes all to 10.30am Sunday worship.
Sancreed
VILLAGE HALL
The Spring Show is on Sunday, April 7. Please check our Facebook
page, ‘Sancreed Village Hall,’ for the schedule and terms or email kate4goodman@gmail.com
The committee request any photos of Sancreed Village Hall in the past (the older the better) be sent to the booking secretary at kate4goodman@gmail.com. We are trying to build a photo archive. Thank you!
Sennen
SOUPER WEDNESDAY
At the church hall every Wednesday, 12pm to 2pm.
COMMUNITY CENTRE
Activities include squash, badminton, bowling, table tennis, basketball, racquetball, Pickleball, karate, keep-fit and a sewing group. Everyone is welcome and if you are interested in any of the above or wish to book the hall please ring 01736 871246 or visit www.sennencommunitycentre.co.uk/
MARKET
In the Community Centre every Tuesday, 9.30am to 12.30pm. Artists, makers and food producers; charity café; Hair by Jen, Incredible Bulk and Zoltan the knife-sharpener. Free entry: free parking.
SK8PZ ROLLER SKATING
At the Community Centre every Saturday, 10am to noon. Booking via GymCatch (app or online): search for SK8PZ. Skate hire (£2) must be booked in advance. Questions? sk8pz@ outlook.com
KEEP-FIT
At the Community Centre on Wednesdays, 10am. Please contact Wynne, 01736 871246.
LAND’S END PARKRUN
Free, timed, 5k run/jog/walk every Saturday at 9am.
Register at www.parkrun.org. uk/landsend/ and bring your barcode with you.
Zennor
CHURCH OF ST SENARA
At our Passion Sunday evening service Beatrice Goodden read from John 12 of Christ’s dark forebodings in his final days on earth, but when he is lifted up in death’s agonies, he will be glorified and draw us to him. The philosopher Kierkegaard said: “When a tyrant dies his rule dies with him but when a martyr dies his rule begins.” The Reverend Aelred Burlton noted that for the disciples the idea of Christ’s impending death was an unthinkable horror and for his mother a sword in her heart, intensifying the mood with thoughts of mourning parents in Gaza and Navalny’s family, to the background of Springsteen’s ‘One minute you’re here, next you’re gone.’ We must face such crowding, grim thoughts as Passiontide hastens on, just as Jesus had to in Gethsemane; sculptures of Christ isolated in his sufferings have long been a point of identity and comfort for humans suffering around the world but through it all, like a candle in the wind, shines Mary’s love for him and his for her, and no less his love for us: all we can do for now is love him back.
Good Friday Service: 6pm. Easter Communion: 11am.
Choir news
DEREK HARVEY
When Derek Harvey joined Mousehole Male Voice Choir as a teenager in 1950 he started on a lifetime of commitment to singing and to the life of the choir. In more than 70 years, and under five musical directors, Derek had spent longer in the choir than any other singer. He started when there was still a founder member from the first choir in 1909 singing, and was still singing into the 2020s. Choir tours to Germany, Brittany and California, as well as to Wales and England, TV and radio broadcasts, countless recordings and numerous competitions were all undertaken with enthusiasm. He was also a stalwart of the Methodist Chapel Choir in the village, and active in many parts of community life.
Derek had received presentations from both Mousehole MVC and the Cornish Federation of Male Choirs to celebrate the remarkable achievement of 70 years as an active singer.
The choir were well represented at a packed funeral service in the beautiful parish church at Paul, with more than 60 members, under the direction of Stephen Lawry and accompanied on the piano by Annette Turton, playing a significant part as we opened the service with ‘As Long As I Have Music,’ a salute to the power of music in a life well lived. After a moving, and at times amusing, eulogy by Derek’s son Simon we were called on again and shared with a rapt congregation ‘We Rise Again,’ reflecting on the echoes we leave behind in music and in family. The church was filled with sound as all present gave full voice to ‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling’ to the well-known tune Blaenwern. At the end of the service Derek’s coffin was borne from the church as the choir sang ‘Sing Your Way Home,’ before we filed out and gave a guard of honour as our farewell to a gentleman, a friend and a comrade in song. As we made our way home from a rehearsal on the evening after the funeral service some of the choir members noted the beautiful Celtic cross on St Clement’s Isle, facing the village of Mousehole, illuminated in Derek’s honour.
WI news
PORTHLEVEN
Porthleven WI held their annual meeting at the Public Hall. The committee were voted back for another year although we were sad that to say goodbye to Cheryl and Karen, who had both decided to step down. They will be missed but assured us they are happy to be called on when needed.
After the business side of the meeting we were delighted to be joined by Dan Jarvis and some of his colleagues from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue. Dan oversees the way BDMLR rescues animals, trains its medics and represents us on the global animal welfare and rescue stage. The ladies very much enjoyed the presentation, and the evening ended with coffee and cake. Porthleven WI meet on the second Wednesday of every month at Porthleven Public Hall. New members are always welcome.
District
WEST CORNWALL WALKERS
A dozen of us met at St Hilary Church for one of our periodic leisure walks, led by Eric and Derek. We intended to walk through Friendship Woods but it was too flooded even for wellies, let alone walking boots, so we went round by the road until we could get back on to footpaths again. The whole area is extremely muddy, which is not surprising given the amount of rain we have been having lately. Alongside the woods was an area where the bushes and trees were scorched from a fire in August 2022 and are only now just beginning to recover. We carried on back to St Hilary Church, where we sat and ate our lunch in the porch just as the rain started to pour down. Our next walk will be on Thursday, April 4, with Clare and John Bennett leading a walk from Hayle and Dick and Denise Belton leading a walk from Sancreed.
For details of West Cornwall Footpath Preservation Society and our full walks programme see www.wcfps.co.uk
HELSTON AND DISTRICT FOOTPATHS SOCIETY
On March 17 John led seven members from Wicca Farm to join the north coast path at River Cove, up to the top of Trevega Cliff before turning inland. It was a fine early spring day: no wind, no rain and pretty good visibility, so that from the trig point at the top of the cliff we could see Pendeen Watch to the south and then all the way up the coast to Trevose Head, 30 miles away. As we walked down the valley to River Cove we saw violets, red campion and primroses in flower and a fine flowering currant. The blackthorn buds were bursting and a few had fully opened. There was an unpleasant muddy section as we approached Trevega but mostly walking boots were fine. On the coast south of River Cove are Wicca Cliff and Wicca Pool from where granite was quarried and shipped for St Ives Church, while the name Wicca is part of Druid folklore and associated with witchcraft.
Why not join a Sunday afternoon walk of about five miles with a group of friendly people in west Cornwall? Email helstonfootpaths@btinternet.com for full details.