Tarvin Methodist Church is back in action!

Surveying the indoor stall

Santa at the Christmas Market

Cooks after the rush

The Band

Audience

It has been a really slow process recovering from the problems presented by CoViD19, but the folk at TMC have gradually been restoring all of the things that we did, week in and week out, year in and year out. The challenges presented by coffee mornings, soup lunches, Knit & Natter and even the Craft Fair were as nothing compared to those encountered during the week beginning on Saturday, 4th December. We began gently, with a Coffee Morning, followed by preparations for our part in Tarvin's Christmas Market. We were due to be offering hot drinks and mince pies indoors, with beefburgers and hot dogs on the Chapel front and the Chapel's own gift stall in the market itself. However, the experiences of Saturday evening could not be described as gentle for anyone. The driving rain drove our gift stall indoors, to be followed by the beefburgers and hotdogs, subsequently driven indoors by 5" of hailstones! Jacqui Wilson's bakery stall also took refuge in the Chapel – as did Santa, his very cold and wet fairy and large numbers of the market visitors, seeking warmth. As with most others, our takings on the evening were down, but the CHAPEL COPED with all of the eventualities!

Everything was put back to normal on Saturday evening, ready for our Morning Service on Sunday. Knit and Natter went ahead on Thursday afternoon, after which the church was set up, ready for the Salvation Army Carol Service on Thursday evening. For many Tarvin folk, the visit of the Salvation Army marks the beginning of Christmas and this years' service was every bit as wonderful as usual. A retiring collection for the work of the Salvation Army raised well over £200. Afterwards, the church was re-set to enable catering for the refreshments that followed the funeral of Mrs May Thorp on Friday afternoon. Saturday morning saw another Coffee Morning and, as usual, morning service was held on Sunday, 12th December.

What a lot has happened in just eight days! And, if evidence were needed, we can now say with confidence that Tarvin Methodist Church is back and able to play the full part in village life for which it is noted. After such a long time when we were apart and the Chapel was empty, that feels SO good!