Lacey Green Church

2025.The Time Line of Lacey Green Church to 2025.

click Church Reports in Hallmark August 2020 to February 2025 inc

click Church Reports in Hallmark August 1983 to March 1996 inc

click Flower Festival in 1980s photos for all the photos.

click 2015 Exhibition of Wedding Dresses held in the church.

click 2015 Visitors to the Wedding Dresses Exhibition

click RAF Local Residents. Part of 2018 centenary exhibition in the church.

click Reverend Steward for report in the Parish magazine in November 1955

1925. The Bucks Free Press published the following report: -

The Centenary Celebrations of St John's Church, Lacey Green, commenced in the evening of July 2nd 1925 when there was a Preparation Service at which the Rev. A M Berry preached.

On July 3rd there were three celebrations of the Holy Communion at 6,8 and 10.20 am; the third of these was choral (Merbecke being sung); and the sermon was preached by the Rev. F C Burgess, son of the first vicar. Several neighbourhood clergy took part in the service.

At evensong the Bishop of Buckingham preached in place of the late Bishop of Oxford.

Festival services were continued on Sunday. At Sunday evensong Bishop of E.A. Copleston, formerly of Colombo, was the preacher. The choir, trained by Miss Hawes (the organist) sang Jackson's "Te Deum" at the two evening services as a special act of praise and thanksgiving.

On Saturday afternoon there was a cricket match (played in the field kindly lent by Mr. F Floyd), between the boys of Speen and Lacey Green with Loosley Row. The former were no match for the latter, suffering defeat by an innings, but played a sporting game.

At 3.30 tea was given to 137 children of the parish.

The tea for adults followed, for which 8d tickets had been sold. There were two sittings for 205 persons. The tea, shared in by the Church and Chapel-folk alike was a veritable love-feast.

Miss Tighe and her band of helpers deserve hearty congratulations for the admirable arrangements.

Sports for the children followed, from 5.30 to 8.30; Mr H E Carter being the President and Referee.

Mr W Plumridge brought the Speen String and Brass Band without charge, and they played during all three teas in the Village Hall and during the Sports, the music greatly added to the enjoyment of the afternoon, and the spirit of brotherly co-operation which led them to come, was highly appreciated."

1975 150th Centenary of St John's Curch. The Festival Service is at 10 a.m. on Sunday 6th July, with the Bishop of Grantham, who will dedicate the new doors, and the closing service is at 6 p.m. that day. Announcement by St John's PCC published in 'Hallmark'. click Celebrations for similar events

In celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the dedication of the church we have various functions planned and a programme will be available shortly, while posters will be put up over a fairly wide area. Meantime these are some of the events proposed :-

A special service will open the Festival Week at 10 a.m. on 29th June when G/Capt. Rev. Desmond Sheppard, Assistant Chaplain-in-Chief, R.A.F. Strike Command, will be preaching and will dedicate gifts to the church

On Tuesday afternoon there will be a special service, followed by a tea party for the 81st Club.

A concert is being arranged for Wednesday evening, in the church, with the Chinnor Singers and also handbell ringers.

Thursday 3rd July is the actual Anniversary Day and there will be a short evening service in the church, with the Rev. Hugh Jones of Princes Risborough.

The school is staging an exhibition which will be open from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Flower Festival in the church will open at 5 p.m. on the Friday, 4th, and in the evening there will be a concert of sacred music in the church, given by Raymond Isaacson and the Hampden Singers.

Mrs June Bedford is arranging an Exhibition of paintings and arts and crafts in the school for Saturday and this may also be open on Sunday.

In the evening of Saturday there will be a Birthday Dance with supper, in the Village Hall.

During early evening Friday and at intervals Saturday, when people will be visiting the church and viewing the flowers, we shall have organ music.

The Festival Service is at 10 a.m. on Sunday 6th July, with the Bishop of Grantham, who will dedicate the new doors, and the closing service is at 6 p.m. that day. Various organisations, including the Baptist and Methodist Churches are taking part in the Flower Festival and their members joining the St. John's congregation at the services and of course everyone will be very welcome.

It is a lovely thought that we can unite in such a celebration both in praisegiving at church and in the other functions organised and we hope that this unique opportunity will be enjoyed by many.

Choir. report added by Madeline Cleaver

The choir will be singing at all the services and will include modern as well as traditional music. Although we are not at present well balanced in that we have no tenor section and only two bass and we are still relatively inexperienced, we hope with hard work to make our efforts worth listening to but we would welcome men, especially tenors, both on a regular basis and even just for the Festival. The choir members and organist were officially invested with badges of the Royal School of Church Music on Whitsunday and with the help of that organisation we hope we shall improve our standards.

Fortified with soup and barbecued sausages the choir members had an afternoon with them appealing for donations towards the cost of the new doors and so far we have just under £300, with promises for more. We are extending the appeal by letter to the whole parish so that everyone who wishes can subscribe and however small the donation maid it will be very welcomed by the treasurer: Mr.M.P. Beaumont, c/o The Vicarage. The prints of the drawing of the doors, which are costing £585, are nearly ready and with the newly decorated porch the entrance will, we hope, give an attractive reception to all our friends joining us in the services and other events.

1980 Gift of £9,300 given by Mrs Waite (click Arthur & Joyce Waite for their life story) to re-roof the church in Arthur's memory.

Hallmark October 1990. Extract from the Editor's Diary - "The new vicar inaugurated a pram service on Tuesday mornings

Hallmark November 1990. Church News by The Rev. Peter Hale

Church ceiling

church interior. note lamps!

Most Tuesday mornings sees a growing number of prams wending their way into the churchyard and church with mothers and toddlers coming to share in a very informal activity of action songs and stories. As the weeks have passed since this was started it is obvious to us that this is filling a need and is much appreciated by the young mothers who come along. Every Thursday evening at 6.15 pm a group of older children meets in church, at the moment about 14 of them, called Explorers. Bible-based, this is meant to be fun and includes games, activity sheets and model-making and is thoroughly enjoyed by those who come along to it.

Each Sunday morning at 10 am Junior Church meets in the church at the same time as Parish Eucharist and children of all ages are welcome to come along and share in teaching at their own level, before joining their parents for a blessing at the altar.

Easter Sunday Cross. The service started at the cross.

More recently a group of teenagers – 11 – met after Evensong on Sunday evening in the Vicarage and they are to continue meeting on the first Sunday of every month in the Vicarage. Other teenagers would be welcome to come along and join them.

Such is the Outreach activity taking shape at St. John's, a Ministry of serving the community and we are encouraged by the response so far. Here is the facility – do use it!

Hallmark February 1994. Letter to the editor from Stuart King, Holly Tree Cottage, Kiln Lane :-

Dear Sir,

The Christmas crib comes out every year

You asked in the last edition, "What became of Naka Rafju Swayamvarapu?" As Organist and Choir Director at St. John's Church I am probably the best qualified to give a reply to this question. When I took over the post in 1988 our sponsorship of Nuka Raju continued for a further 5 years. We received regular letters from him and the children and adults in the Choir followed his progress with interest. At the end of 1992 we were advised by The Save The Children Fund that as he was 18 years old and was seeking full time employment, we should end the relationship. In his place, however, the Church Choir now sponsors a young girl in Kenya called Jane Wambui Muthoka who is one of a family of eight. Our annual contribution helps her family pay towards the cost of her secondary education.

Not much Christmas decoration due to Covid

Not much Christmas decoration due to Covid

Incidentally, Lacey Green can be proud of the fact that unlike many villages of its size it has a flourishing Church Choir, a village tradition and institution I have been most honoured to be entrusted with. With a current membership of 20 we work hard week in week out come rain, snow or plagues of locusts assisting Sunday and Holy Day worship. Apart from singing which we love, we have been known to have the occasional party with silly games, the odd barbeque, outing and our carol singing round the pub at Christmas; 1993 raised over £300 for less fortunate children. Our doors are always open to new members. At present we would particularly welcome more youngsters (minimum age 7 with a good reading skill, some basic musical knowledge and an ability to submit to firm but fair discipline) and we require urgently an assistant choir director and organist.

Stuart king

Hallmark March 1995. VE Day Commemoration and Celebration By Peter Hale

There are probably many in our community who remember the day in 1945 – I recall it as a teenager in Lincolnshire. Fifty years is a long time and generations are now growing up which have no knowledge of the events which preceded that day. The horrors of the war in Europe, the bombing of our country, and the tremendous loss of life, both military and civilian. When we come to such an anniversary it is good that we pause to do two things – to celebrate and commemorate

In our community, together with Speen, there will be a Thanksgiving & Commemoration Service in St. John's on Sunday May 7^th at 10.00am. I hope that many in our community will come along that morning and share in that worship. I shall be sending out letters to various organisations but please take this as An Omnibus Invitation to say 'Thank You' to God for our deliverance on that day and the 50 years that have followed

This is our Commemoration so my wife and I would like very much to extend that to a Celebration on the next day which is going to be a Bank Holiday. We would like to have a Parash Picnic in the Vicarage grounds. Every one bring their own picnic, and drinks, and games for the children we will provide. No charge for admission to the ground. Come and celebrate and have fun. We would like to suggest that everyone coming wears or carries something in our national colours to make it all bright and jolly (I daren't say gay!)

Let us make good use of this Commemoration, for most of us will not see the Centenary!