THE VILLAGE FETE IS June 24th
on Overton Playing Fields
THIS SATURDAY!

2.00 GRAND OPENING 2.30 FANCY DRESS 3.00 DANCE DISPLAY 3.30 GYMNASTICS

Stalls Live Band
BBQ Snacks & drinks
Bouncy Castle Beat the Goalie
Toddlers Craft Corner & Activities
Hoopla Penalty Shoot–out
Fire Engine Children’s Games

Changes at the Oracle
by David Burton

We apologise for this late interim June edition of the Oracle. Maxine our Volunteer Editor is working extremely long hours at work and has been unable to publish the June edition so we offer you this interim abbreviated edition. Those of us on the editorial team have much sympathy, after all the Oracle is a voluntary job and the real one must come first, but we thank Maxine for all her help over the last few years and hope that she will continue to contribute.. So what to do? The editorial committee has an obligation to you in the community (our readers) and to the Community Council who pay the printing costs. So the only answer is to find someone else. In the meantime I will take on the responsibility and have therefore relinquished the chair of the editorial committee.

The job of Chair should go to Lesley Pugh, the other Community Councillor on the editorial committee; however, at the May meeting of Overton Community Council Lesley announced her decision to leave the Oracle Team due to family reasons. Lesley has had a tough year and has decided she need’s more time for herself. This is sad news for the Oracle Team as Lesley has been a stalwart member since June 1999. Over the last seven years she has contributed many articles including some very witty pieces for the ill-fated “Stargazer” column. More recently many of us were much amused by her 7 questions piece with Santa Claus in December.

Lesley has been a staunch supporter of the Oracle’s editorial independence from the Council although she has also been a strong advocate of reporting village life and resisting the temptation to comment on it; that influence has been very noticeable over the last two years. We have resisted the Sun’s “It woz the Oracle wot reported it first” approach. We will certainly miss her dry sense of humour. She has promised to write the occasional article, which we look forward to, so thanks Lesley and enjoy your retirement!

Two new members have filled Lesley’s place on the team. Jacky Maskall is the other member of the Oracle team representing the Community Council and therefore she is going to fill the position of Chairman of the editorial committee – a real baptism of fire! She has been a councillor for just over a year, but is also Group Administrator for Overton Scout Group. Previously she has been the Cub’s Akela. Cynthia Davies is well known around the village and hopes to bring her knowledge of the village and its villagers to the Oracle team. For the last eleven years Cynthia has run a ‘before and after club’ at St Mary’s School, she also works there during the lunchtimes and takes a reading hour with year 3. We wish them both well! We will also welcome any more offers of help; we are particularly looking for someone to manage the advertising.

Please continue to e-mail your contributions to info@overton-on-dee.co.uk or leave them at the Corner Shop or put contributions through my letterbox.

Special Weekend
by Josie Ralphs
at the Methodist Church

During the weekend Friday 23rd, Sat. 24th & Sunday 25th June we are holding a special Open House at the Methodist Church . We are hoping to show arts and crafts our members have created and works achieved by our Thursday afternoon Needlework Class. New members are always welcome. We will also be decorating the Chapel with special flower arrangements. This will coincide with the Village Fete on the Saturday and will provide an added interest for visitors to our village. Donations will be most welcome.

Proceeds from our Special Weekend are to help fund one of our young members, Gareth Braisdell, for his trip to Belize, Central America, after completing his ‘A’ levels. He has been accepted on the Experience Exchange Programme organised by the Methodist Church United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. He will be working in junior schools and with youth groups, helping to teach sporting activities and their development. Gareth has to raise a considerable amount of money for his fares and keep, and we are committed to helping him. On his return he hopes to go to Sheffield University.

Gareth’s mother, Bronwyn, one of our Methodist Local Preachers is preparing a Songs of Praise Service which will be at 6.30pm on Sunday 25th June. All are welcome and it will be a fitting conclusion to our special weekend. We would also like to congratulate Paul, Gareth's father who has recently been accepted as a candidate for the Methodist Ministry.

Ramblings from the Rectory
By David Lewis

Because the priest was rather deaf, the parishioners were asked to write their sins on a piece of paper and pass it over in confessional.
This worked well until one woman passed him a slip bearing the message “1/2lb tea, 1/2lb butter 2 lb sugar, 1/2lb cheese”.
When it was passed back, the absent minded woman was overcome with acute embarrassment at the list of sins she had left at the grocers.
That little story made me smile. But as I write this in the first week of May, the sun is streaming through my study window, the birds are in full voice and there are ample signs of new life and new beginning all around.
So often we Human Beings carry all our guilt and anger around with us, like huge suitcase of luggage. Jesus offers us the opportunity of new life and new beginnings if we just let him into our hearts and lives.
What ever we have done in the past, Jesus offers us forgiveness and a new start. That is the wonderful; news he came to earth to bring. Believe in me and let go of all that hurts and destroys life.
Charles Wesley wrote this beautiful verse:
“Long my imprisoned spirit lay…
I woke; the dungeon flamed with light,
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.”
Jesus offers that new start to us. In our own lives may the chains that hold us back, chains of hurt, anger, guilt fall off and may we all follow Him.
Your Friend and Rector,
David

THANK YOU

To Eastwick Plant Centre for the kind donation of flowers & compost for the Overton Play Centre
To friends, neighbours & local businesses for help & support at the Nightingale House Barn Dance (April 22nd) and making the evening such a success and raising £150 for funds