Design by ADDITIONAL SOLUTIONS LTD

Following the licensing service on  21 November, 2007, Brandeston and Kettleburgh with Easton is now looked after by Canon Harry Edwards and Reverend Robin Alderson.

The Parish Magazine contains full details of the services at All Saints.

Click here to see past copies of the Parish Magazine.

VAT On Church Alterations

A 20% increase in costs for alterations to church buildings was hidden in the recent budget. This will be a major blow to all PCCs who are working to open their churches to wider community use. Alterations such as the installation of loos, kitchens, the building of extensions, plus new lighting and heating systems have in the past all been zero rated. The increase in costs means that projects could be shelved, possibly jeopardising the future of the church building.

The Government is consulting on this change and invites comments on the proposals prior to 4 May – but this doesn’t give us much time.

There are two ways in which you can make your views known: you can write to your MP (model letter and MPs’ names and addresses attached) or you can sign the e-petition:

 http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32229 drafted by the national Church Buildings Council.

If you are going to write to your MP then please add how this will affect your church – preferably give examples rather than just reproduce the standard letter – and please pass the e-petition round as many people as you can.

Please act now.

Best wishes

James

James Halsall

Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches and Pastoral Secretary

Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich

Direct Dial: 01473 298533

Mobile: 07702 079051

Email: james@stedmundsbury.anglican.org

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Board of Finance.

A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity.

Registered in England Reg No. 143034.

Registered Office: Diocesan Office, St Nicholas Centre, 4 Cutler Street, Ipswich. IP1 1UQ.

All Saints Support of Nansambo Primary School, Malawi

Over the last three years, All Saints’ Church has been supporting the work of a primary school of 1000 children in Malawi. We have particularly supported the salaries of four teaching assistants and have also contributed to improvements to the building. We are constantly amazed at the amount that can be achieved with our small contributions. Members of the Tobin family, who coordinate the project, have visited the Church and spoken to us about the work that is being done for the school and for the wider community. This presentation gives an idea of what has been achieved and future plans.

Contact Mary Baker for a copy of the actual Powerpoint presentation.

The presentation as a PDF file (2.2MB).

Malawi is the fifth poorest country in the world. It suffers from limited natural resources, environmental degradation and from the devastating effects of the AIDS epidemic which has already caused over 650,000 deaths and has left 1 million orphans. AIDS is the leading cause of death amongst adults in Malawi, and is a major factor in the country’s low life expectancy of just 39.8 years.

On the positive side Malawi has a functioning democracy, a tradition of peace and is known internationally as “The Warm Heart Of Africa.”