BERKELEY. After a dull and wet season, Christmas morning turned out bright and frosty. The Church Bells rang a merry peal soon after seven, and then at 8 a.m. the first Celebration began with the Hymn "Christians, Awake! Salute the Happy Morn." There were 45 Communicants at this service, the largest number we have ever known at an early Celebration. We are truly glad to see that our Communicants are beginning more and more to appreciate the great benefit of early Communion, and also to approve of the adjunct of music in the Eucharist. The Church was well filled at the usual service at 11 a.m., but there were only 22 Communicants. In the evening we had a good congregation, nearly all of whom remained after service to hear the Christmas Carols, which were prettily sung by the Choir outside the Chancel Screen. The Offertories were, at the early Celebration £2. 3s., at the second £4. 12s. 11d. A profusion of holly berries, kindly sent by Mr. Cary of Hamfield, made the Decorations unusually bright; the Font was covered with beautiful berried wreaths, and Christmas Roses all round the Pulpit looked exceedingly well. Many hands, as usual, were busy about the Decorations on Christmas Eve, and their kind labour made the Church look very beautiful. The Church at Purton was also decorated with a great deal of taste, and looked bright and cheerful on Christmas Day, when it was filled with a large congregation. The School-Chapel at Wick was full at the Service in the afternoon, and had been carefully decorated by members of the congregation. A strong branch of the Church of England Temperance Society has been started in Berkeley. The members have agreed to meet every Monday, at 8 p.m. There is also a large Band of Hope for girls, and one for boys is in course of formation. A large grant of books for the sailors at Sharpness has been sent by the Rev. W. Fred. Bryant, Vicar of St. Mary the Virgin, Tyndall's Park, Bristol. We are happy to say all our Pupil Teachers did well at the Diocesan Examination in religious subjects. Alice Cope was the best of the three, being 13th in the first class of the senior group. Helena Long was 29th of the first class in the junior group, and Albert Baldwin was 15th of the second class in the senior group. CHURCH REGISTER. BAPTISMS. Dec. 3-Frances Cotterell, daughter of Edward and Frances Willmet, Berkeley. 12-Jane, daughter of Saul Powell and Jane Savage, Bread stone. 16-Ernest, son of James and Ellen Pullen, Cold Elm. 19-Alice Mabel, daughter of Hartley and Annie Maria Hodder, Sharpness. Mary Elizabeth Rialto, daughter of John Harris Freeman and Matilda Ann Ayris, Berkeley. 23-Thomas William, son of Eli William and Mary Ann Newman, Gloucester. Dec. 25-Alice Maud Mary, daughter of John and Maria Cole, Wick. Maud Harriet, daughter of Charles and Mary Ann Davis, Purton. MARRIAGES. Dec. 5-Robert Sendall to Elizabeth Hart Hill, both of Berkeley. 13-Davey Allen, of Llandilo, to Elizabeth King, Berkeley. 23-Joseph Edge to Matilda Lawrence, both of Swanley. 25-Frederick Lewis to Caroline Hazel, both of Woodford. BURIALS Nov. 27-George Cole, Berkeley, aged 40 years. 29-Henry Charles Price, Berkeley, aged 10 months. 12-Henry Bowyer, Wotton-under-Edge, aged 54 years. ·00 COALEY. We wish our readers a very happy New Year. May the New Year be full of blessings to our Parish. As our Church bells ring out the old and ring in the new year, may they ring out all that is base and unchristianly amongst us, and ring in an increase of godliness. May we all enter upon the new year with the earnest desire in our hearts to serve our God and our neighbour better this year than we have hitherto done! During the month of December we had a service in Church on the Thursday evenings, to mark the Advent Season. The weather was unfavourable, so the congregations were not so large as we had hoped to have seen them; but we think all who were able to attend must have felt that it is well to have a week-day service to assist us to maintain a religious spirit throughout our week-day duties. On December 10th, there was an Entertainment at the School consisting of music and readings: similar Entertainments will, it is hoped, be held occasionally through the winter. Four Lamps, with reflectors, have been presented to the School by Mr. Leonard Thomas of this Parish-a gift which all who attend our Evening Entertainments will deeply appreciate. The Lamps for the Church Porch and Churchyard Gate were obtained as noted in the following account: The Collections toward the expense of Lighting the Church for Evening Service which were made in Church on Sunday, December 16th, amounted to £1. 8s. 72d. The Room formerly known as the "Temperance Hall" has been engaged by the Vicar and Mr. Thomas. We hope to turn it to very good account. It is proposed to hold a Mothers' Meeting there: and in the evenings to open it as a Reading Room, etc. for young men further particulars will be announced in a later number of the Magazine. CHURCH REGISTER. BAPTISM. Dec. 9-Arthur Edward, son of Edward and Amelia Workman, Coaley. BURIAL. Dec. 14-George Arthur Smith, Coaley, aged 26 years. 00 DURSLEY. It will be well at the beginning of a New Year to put upon record the arrangements lately made with regard to the Offertory Collections. Nothing can be more appropriate or consistent with Christian Faith and Duty, than that what we give in God's service, should be offered in His House, and presented upon His Altar. And also that Offerings should be made in secret, no one knowing the amount given by each one, except the giver himself and his God, is in full accordance with our Lord's precept (St. Matt. 6, 3-4). The "cheerful giver" will not fail of his reward. The Offertory Collections are to be thus applied : 1st Sunday in the month-to the sick and needy. 2nd to Special Objects, such as Parochial, Diocesan, or General Charities, Home and Foreign Missions, &c. 3rd to maintaining the Services of the Church, including providing the Elements for Holy Communion, Books, Surplices, Organist's Salary, &c. 4th to the Churchwardens' Fund, including the more generally necessary expenses of keeping the Burial grounds in ordercleaning, warming, and lighting the Church-the care of the Clock, Bells, &c. When there is a 5th Sunday in the month, it will be employed as most required. Notice will always be given of the purpose to which each Offertory Collection will be applied. At the present time, the Churchwardens' Fund is the most in need of support. During the month of December, the amounts collected were as follow: 1st Sunday, Sick and Needy 2nd do. £ s. d. 6 3 1 5 18 11 4 1 4 6 11 1 7 0 7 3rd do. National Schools 4th do. Churchwardens' Fund Christmas do. for the Poor and the Church Services The Inspection of the National Schools will take place, as usual, in February, but the day is not yet fixed. It is most important that the children should attend regularly, as the funds for maintaining the School so much depend upon the result of the examination. |