Par Parish News: 

Thank you to Rachel and all who came up to St Mary’s for the Creation Care session in June.  Rachel produced brochures about things that should be looked out for and the flora and wildlife found in the churchyard that day, was noted and  recorded.  I used to know the names of all wild flowers and was disappointed that I had forgotten most of them, perhaps a good time to get to know them again!  The approach to the church looks tidier thanks to those who hoed and swept.  The azalea bushes can now be seen without the growth around them.  The main part of the churchyard is still very much overgrown, as you will all have noticed, we just have to think of the flora and fauna, hopefully thriving among the chaos, which I have to make myself think about every time I look at it in despair! 

  

The service for the 130th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Good        Shepherd was a joyful service where we were aware of all those who had worshipped there for the past 130 years making it the house of prayer it is    today. Fr Paul reminded us of how different the lives of people would have been at the time of building, but the message is still the same today as we go forward to spread the message of the Good Shepherd and follow in the ways of his teaching.  We continued to celebrate with coffee and cake following the service.  Thanks to Ann D for the cake. 

  

A couple of weeks earlier we had  all been made very welcome at St Paul’s Charlestown as they celebrated their 175th Anniversary of the church. The former Dean of Truro Cathedral, Roger Bush preached a very meaningful  sermon and it was a joyful service. Jan Reid read one of the lessons and Par Choir sang with St Paul’s choir and many of our parish attended.  There was a sumptuous lunch served in the hall following the service with people from the Benefice and many visiting priests and other friends of Charlestown. 

  

Congratulations to Lorna on winning First Prize in the section “A Cottage Garden Tea Party” at the Royal Cornwall Show for her cakes and napkins .  It was a pity that the Royal Cornwall Show was cancelled on the Saturday due to the storms after all the hard work and preparation put into the Show. 

  

Sea Sunday this year is being celebrated on 12th July and we shall be        celebrating the day with at the service at St Mary’s.  The parish has had a long association with the Mission to Seafarers, (formerly the Mission to Seamen) with the Vicar of the Parish being the Chaplain to the Mission.  When Par Harbour was a thriving port, the sea played a great part in our local           community. There was  the fishing industry and boat building,  many  were    employed at the harbour with the  many ships coming in on one tide and    going out with the next, bringing in coal and taking out china clay.  Most local families had a connection with the sea and ships and  Par was the busiest port in the UK at one time.   

The original building of the  Mission to Seafarers in Par was  in Harbour Rd.  I can remember going there from the age of 4 years and being allowed to take the collection at the service, my mother, grandmother and many other family members being very involved with the mission.  The place was a  welcoming space to all seamen coming into the harbour where they socialised and       received spiritual care.  The local ladies met together there and knitted socks and other items for their use when at sea. 

Eventually the Mission moved to new and larger premises on the harbour with the Vicar of Par continuing to be the Chaplain.  On Sea Sunday for many years we gathered on the harbour quay for a special service and eventually in the chapel of the Seafarers building, probably for health and safety reasons. 

When the harbour closed the Mission to Seafarers moved to Fowey and the work continues there, but we were fortunate to be given the altar cloths that were used at Par and are proud to take them out each Sea Sunday and use them and both of our churches display the Missions to Seafarers flag. 

I hope you can join with us to celebrate this day. 

Sailing boats were also created at Little Lambs  then they were sailed and raced with wind from our breath  and then the splashing began….. lovely fun on one of the hottest days in July