Category Archives: Church

February 2023 Newsletter


In this edition:

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Four go to Westminster


On Tuesday 15th November four of us from St Sampson’s joined a Save the Parish event at The Houses of Parliament. Not quite a Trelawny uprising, but we did our bit! One hundred parishioners and clergy from around the country and MPs and Lords were in attendance. The speakers did a great job outlining the problems parishes are facing, the finances behind the scenes, and just how parliament can help change the tide.

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South Hill Remembers J.H. Dennis


John Henry Dennis was born in Flushing on 20 Jun 1876 and joined the Royal Navy in April 1896 as a Stoker. He married Mary Selina Rogers, Aaron Roger’s sister, on 21 April 1903 in Kinsale in Ireland. By 1908 they were living in Valentine Row Callington with their baby daughter, Lavinia. In November 1915 John Henry Dennis joined HMS Wallington, a ship patrolling the icy waters around the east coast. His service certificate states:

DD* 8th February 1916 (Accidentally drowned, but no evidence to show how deceased got into the water). Verdict of Inquest “Found drowned” *Discharged Dead

South Hill Remembers Aaron Rogers | South Hill Connection (south-hill.co.uk)

Callington – Cornwall War History (cornwallfhs.com) 

Callington War Book

South Hill Remembers Aaron Rogers


Aaron Rogers was born on 30 April 1880 in (Templebrady) Crosshaven, County Cork in Ireland, the fifth of eight children.  His father, Plymouth born Aaron Rogers Snr, was in the Royal Navy and was based in Ireland. In January 1896 Aaron, a servant boy, followed his widowed father and joined the Royal Navy as a Seaman, enlisting at Devonport and joining HMS Vivid.

The 1911 census states that both were living at 2 Stoke Terrace in Kelly Bray, Aaron a Seaman and his father a Naval pensioner. During WW1 Aaron was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his part in the battle at Gallipoli and is mentioned in the London Gazette of 15 May 1916. His service certificate states that he was invalided out of the Royal Navy in 1920 and the reason given was ‘Disease of the brain’. Aaron died 10 Feb 1921 aged 40 at Northcote, Honiton and is buried in South Hill at St. Sampsons.

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Church Matters December 2022


How Much Do You Trust Jesus? …….. Mark 4:35-41

Jesus was in the boat fast asleep, a furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. The disciples woke him and said to him “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown? He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves “Quiet Be Still” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

In our lives we all go through our own personal storms, it’s how we deal with it when we are in those storms. Do we turn to Jesus or try to deal with it ourselves? As Joyce Meyer says, “Do you go to the phone, or go to the Throne?”

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Church Matters November 2022


CHURCH COMMUNITY MATTERS:

There is a change of title for this month’s ‘Church Matters’ as it’s content is more about the community as a whole, including the church.

As I write there is growing concern for the economy of the nation and how it is going to affect everyone. The cost of energy, food and mortgages; not to mention the impact on the National Health Service and other public services.

The energy price cap and winter fuel payments from the Government are a welcome help to many but for a significant number, both locally and nationally, rising prices will result in a bleak and cold winter.

All over the country organisations are preparing to open their premises as warm and welcoming spaces to give those who most need it some respite, these include libraries, churches and village halls. At the Linkinhorne Parish Hall Committee meeting last week we discussed the possibility of opening the hall as a warm and welcoming space and agreed to look into this further. I wonder if Stoke Climsland and South Hill have had similar thoughts for some of their buildings.

Martin Lewis (the money saving expert) has sponsored a guide to outline best practice of how to set up a warm and welcoming space. It starts with the words: Local communities have stepped up in many ways to support their neighbours through the cost of living crisis. Very close to what Jesus identified as the second most important principle to live by; ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. Communities across the country seem to have perceived that this is simply the best way communities work, regardless of whether they are faith based or not. Further information at: https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2022/10/martin-lewis–new-guide-to-set-up-a-warm-space—somewhere-for-p/

Another way communities are helping their struggling neighbours is with foodbanks, community fridges and similar initiatives, one warm welcome centre offers as many groceries as are needed for £3.00! Most of these initiatives are in cities or towns but some rural neighbours are finding the current cost of living just as challenging as their city counterparts. What can be done locally in our rural settings and how can they be funded?

Several local people have mentioned to me that they don’t really need the Government handout over the winter months and have considered giving it to an organisation that can channel it to those in greater need. It would not need many to channel their £400 winter fuel payment to a local ‘warm welcome’ to provide enough capital to fund it’s running!

Before any action is taken on providing warm spaces locally, some questions need to be asked and answered – and very quickly before the really cold weather begins to bite.

Firstly, how many locally would benefit from a warm space and how many of those would feel comfortable using one and have transport if was needed?

Secondly, are the necessary resources available, venue, finance and volunteers willing to staff warm spaces? If you have answers or would be willing to help set up and run a warm space locally please contact me in the first instance at briannorrisics@hotmail.com or phone 01579 363515.

Brian Norris

St Sampson’s Church Going for Gold!


Our accolade of a bronze Eco award is an achievement, but we want silver and then gold.   With everything we do at St Sampson’s Church, we try to consider environmental impacts.  From the cups we drink from, the energy we use and the care of the building every day and as part of the restoration project.  We are pleased to say we are not far off a silver award, which only three other churches in Cornwall have achieved.