ELY Ely Cathedral SERVICES for May 1 - 7 THURSDAY: 7.40am – Morning Prayer; 8am – Holy Communion; midday – Quiet Hour; 12.10 - Holy Communion; 5.30pm – Evensong; 7.30pm – Sung Eucharist. Friday: 7.40am – Morning Prayer; 8am – Holy Communion; midday – Qui

ELY

Ely Cathedral

SERVICES for May 1 - 7

THURSDAY: 7.40am - Morning Prayer; 8am - Holy Communion; midday - Quiet Hour; 12.10 - Holy Communion; 5.30pm - Evensong; 7.30pm - Sung Eucharist.

Friday: 7.40am - Morning Prayer; 8am - Holy Communion; midday - Quiet Hour; 5.30pm - Evensong.

Saturday: 7.40am - Morning Prayer; 8am - Holy Communion; midday - Quiet Hour; 5.30pm - Evening Prayer; 7.3-pm May Day Concert.

Sunday: 8.15am - Holy Communion; 10.30am - Sung Eucharist; 4pm - Evensong.

Monday: 7.40am - Morning Prayer; 8am - Holy Communion; midday - Quiet Hour; 5.30pm - Evensong.

Tuesday: 7.40am - Morning Prayer; 8am - Holy Communion; midday - Quiet Hour; 5.30pm - Evensong.

Wednesday: 7.40am - Morning Prayer; 8am - Holy Communion; midday - Quiet Hour; 5.30pm - Evensong.

Methodist Church

SUNDAY Morning Service at 11am opened with five minutes of prayer. David Middleton led the service with Celia Summerfield taking the first part. There were two readings from the New Testament. Text for the day was: 'God said suffer the people to come unto me', and the sermon was based on the love of God and the last supper.

At 6.30pm the Evening Service was led by Rev Edwin Myers (Holy Communion). Musicians were Donald Monk and Pam Austin.

Thursday (May 1) the Shoppers Lunch will be held from noon to 1pm. At 2.30pm there will be Open Fellowship with Rev Christopher Baker.

Friday (May 2) at 7.30pm, Ely Methodist Guild inside out by Douglas Wayman of Bury St Edmunds

The Sunday morning service at 11am will be led by John gautrey. The evening service at 6.30pm will be led by Ian Weatherall. Musicians will be Donald Monk and Ginny Klein.

Quakers (The Religious Society of Friends)

QUAKERS met every Sunday from 10.30am-11.30am at the Vernon Cross Room of the Ely Museum (The Old Gaol). Meetings are held mostly in silence.

Philatelic Society

THE next meeting of the Isle of Ely Philatelic Society will be today (May 1) in the library of the City of Ely Community College at 7.30pm, when members of Huntingdon Philatelic Society will provide the displays.

The Isle of Ely Philatelic Society celebrates its 25th anniversary in September and is keen to make contact with any former members. We have a special programme planned for the year with activities and national speakers.

INFO: contact us on our new club number on 01354 659358.

Rotary Club

THE Rotary Club of Ely-Hereward is holding an event on May 9 at 7.30pm at The Beet Club in Lynn Road. This is an opportunity for local experts to give advice and opinions on antiques or objects of interest brought in by the public. No valuations will be given at the time but they can be arranged. No booking requires £2.50 on the door. Bar and raffle. Proceeds to Strada and Age Concern.

Rock Solid

ROCK Solid is a joint venture between the Countess Free Church and the Lighthouse Centre in Ely and Newmarket and District Youth for Christ.

We meet every Friday during term time at the church, from 7.30pm until 9pm. It costs 50p for the evening and there is also a tuck shop which the young people use during the last half hour, which is known as chill-out time. During the term we offer a range of evening, some follow the national Rock Solid material from national YFC, which takes an issue and looks at it from a Christian point of view. Others are chill-out nights when we play on the X Box 360, play sport, have drama and dance activities as well as pool, table football, table tennis and craft activities.

Once a year we aim to take young people on a residential weekend to Fort Rocky, a weekend at an outdoor pursuit centre. The group will be attending the Pioneer Centre in Kidderminster and this is what we are fund-raising for.

At the Countess Freechurch there are various groups which were open to all: Two by Two Toddler group meets on a Thursday, from 9.30am; Powerpack for children in years two and three meets on a Wednesday evening at 6pm; J Team is for children in years 4, 5 and 6 and meets on a Tuesday evening, 6.30-8.30pm; and 501 which is for year 10 students, meets on Fridays, 8.30-10.30pm. On Sundays there is a full range of children's groups from crèche up to year 10, meeting during the morning service from 10.30am-11.45am and year 10s meet on a Sunday evening once a month.

Ely Inner Wheel Club

THE members of Ely Inner Wheel were mesmerized by their speaker at their April meeting at the Old Dispensary. President Jackie Wade introduced Mike Dixon from Little Downham who has written his first novel and published it himself. Mike told of his engineering student days and how he developed an engine. He explained how he came to write and how his engine was then used in his novel Kicking the Tyres.

This book can be purchased by logging on to: www. kickingthetyres.co.uk.

Mike signed copies of his book for club members, answered questions and was thanked by Mrs Wade for his inspiring talk.

After a coffee break, Mrs Wade conducted a business meeting. Reports were given about the Association Conference in Blackpool, visits to other clubs and notices of future events. The raffle was won by Kathy Bradney and next month's meeting will be the overseas supper in St Mary's Church Room on May 28 when the speaker will be Tariq Amhad, from Addenbrooke's Hospital talking about the 'smile train'.

Countess Freechurch

THE Sunday morning service began with a time of celebration, praise and worship led by Louise Lomax, the Music Group and female singers Joanna and Lucy. Rob Booth gave the message to the congregation under the heading of 'rules for holy living'. The 5.30pm prayer meeting was focussed on intercession and thanks-giving prayers. Sunday evening service began with a worship session led by Joan Johnson. Keith Waters gave the address, under the heading of 'the betrayal of Jesus'.

Wednesday Fellowship Hour was led by Joan Johnson.

The Housegroups met to discuss the passage from John 20 throughout the week. Today, (Thursday) Christians from the churches together in Ely will meet between 7am - 7pm in Ely Cathedral's St Catherine's Chapel for a time of prayer for the city of Ely. The weekly youth group and prayer groups met during the week. Pastor Lowman will speak next Sunday morning on 'meet me in Galilee'. Holy Communion will be celebrated at the close of service. At the evening service, Pastor Lowman will be speaking on 'departure without teams'.

Fenprobe

THE talking news service for the blind and visually impaired in East Cambridgeshire, held its annual meeting last week and appointed a new committee.

Bill Pickess was unanimously voted chairman of the new committee, with his wife Yvonne continuing as a committee member. Peter Heald was appointed vice-chairman and Janet Smith agreed to continue as secretary, Ron Moore as treasurer and Harry Fresco as technical expert. Two new committee members, Linda Franklin (visually impaired representative) and Jim Sartain were welcomed.

Outgoing committee members included partially sighted Brian Gowler and his wife, Annie, who together had worked with Fenprobe for more than 20 years. Vice chairman George Yardy, 86, and his wife Edna had jointly served for nearly 45 years. President Richard Hobbs paid tribute to their work and presented flowers to Annie Gowler and Edna Yardy.

WI

THE Women's Institute's Ladies Day was held on April 25 when 140 members from around the county arrived at the March Youth and Community Centre. Tim Meakin from Outwell gave a demonstration of flower arranging.

A buffet lunch was prepared and served by the home economics committee and members then enjoyed a fashion show by the Edinburgh Woollen Mill of Ely. Eight WI members from across the Isle modelled five different outfits each.

Margaret Sparrow, chairman of home economics, thanked everyone involved in making it such a successful day and the five lucky raffle winners staggered home with the wonderful flower arrangements they had won.

CHETTISHAM

Parish Church

CELEBRANT and preacher at St Michael and All Angels on Sunday was the Rev Alan Partridge. The organist was Rita Bartle. The first lesson was read by Michael Richer and the offertory was presented by Lee Howard.

Next Sunday, morning prayer is at 9.15am.

LITTLEPORT

L.E.A.D.S.

LITTLEPORT, Ely and District Spiritualists would like to say 'thank you' to medium Pauline Porter for taking our service last week.

It was nice to see more new faces. A very warm welcome is given to all so do come along and join us.

Meetings are held on Thursdays. Doors open 6.30pm for spiritual healing which began at 6.40pm to 7.20pm.

Divine service at 7.30pm and guest medium for this week is Barbara Price.

May 8: Arthur Wright.

Light refreshments and raffle will take place after the service.

INFO: Wendie ON 07788795804 alternatively, our webpage:

mjgoodall.co.uk/lead-spirit.htm

MEPAL

A CAR boot will be held at Mepal Recreation Field on Sunday, May 11 at 2pm. Pitches will be £6.

INFO: Telephone 01353 777112 for further details.

LITTLEPORT

St John's Methodist Church

DUNCAN Palmer led last Sunday morning's worship. Daphne Barclay and Yvonne Peacock read the lessons. Peter Kirby was the pianist. There was a united service at St George's Parish Church in the evening when the preacher was Ian Weatherall. St John's will celebrate the chapel anniversary this weekend. On Saturday, there will be a gift day and coffee morning between 9am - 11am. Rev June Mallabon will lead the morning worship, which will include celebration of Holy Communion at 10.45am. This will be followed by a Faith Lunch. Rev Sheila MacInally from Newmarket will lead the evening service at 6.30pm.

St George's Church

THE vicar presided and preached at the 8am Holy Communion. She also presided at the 10am Parish Eucharist, when Carol Swain delivered the sermon. We were joined by our friends from St John's Methodist Church for evensong at 6.30pm, which was led by John Marshall. The preacher was Ian Weatherall from St John's.

Saturday: 9am - men's breakfast club in the Parish Room.

Sunday: the vicar will preside and preach at the 8am Holy Communion and the 10am Parish Eucharist. At 6.30pm, Norman Sarkies will lead First Sunday Praise.

Tuesday: 1.45pm - pram service for pre-school toddlers and their parents or carers.

Wednesday: 9.30am - Holy Communion; 7pm - Holy Communion followed at 7.30pm by a meeting of the PCC.

Saturday (May 10) 9.30am till noon - coffee morning with stalls in the Parish Room; 2pm - puppet workshop for adults and children over 11 years.

Pymoor

Annual Stockmen's Dinner

THE third Annual Stockmen's Dinner and Cattle Show Presentation Night was held in the King's School's monastic barn on April 11. The Pymoor Show committee is delighted to report that 97 people attended, a fantastic increase from two years ago, when it started with 42 attendees. The on-farm competition is gaining momentum every year and the judging had to take place over two days as there were some many entries. The 2008 judge was Guy Kiddy, head of agriculture at Shuttleworth College who kindly gave up a weekend in March to visit 24 farms, with 26 herds. This encompassed an area from Ely to Brampton, Lakenheath and Bury St Edmunds. He was accompanied by Chris Jackson, the competition organiser and Andrew Moore who acted as photographer for the event. Guy spoke enthusiastically on the high standard of the cattle shown and the effort the owners had put into preparing stock and their surroundings.

As in previous years, the On-Farm Cattle Competition is the run-up to the Pymoor

Agricultural and County Show to be this year on July 5. There are still some sites

Available, both on the open showground and in the marquee.

INFO: John Pinnells on 01353 699606 or Steve Knowles on 01353 698569.

STRETHAM

Stretham Bowls Club

A DOZEN members played the club for the first drive of the season, and were joined by friends and family for a fish and chip supper later in the evening. Throughout May, the club is opening its doors on Friday evenings for any interested member of the public to try out the game. Woods provided.

WARDY HILL

Sausage Supper

VILLAGERS and friends gathered in Wardy Hill Social Club on April 19 for a sausage supper and games evening. After enjoying the meal, they played a variety of games, the winners being: Sheila Saberton and Roger Dewsbery, Marilyn and Mike Morgan, Amy and Chris Houghton, Freya Perry and Heidi Pate and consolation Sarah and Mark Divall. The evening finished with a draw.