Tin Chapel
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Services
For insurance purposes, it is required that all services and special events are announced here at least 16 days before they happen. Attendance figures are recorded so that we can prove to the 'pen-pushers' that the Chapel is a community asset.
Calendar
All scheduled services and events are shown here. Click on the notice for more information,
5 scheduled entries currently listed.
Archive
30 earlier entries listed, 10 per page.
Sunday, 25 October 2026
No service
No Sunday service was held on 25 October owing to my annual fishing trip. I appreciate that some people arrived expecting the Chapel to be open, but the trip takes place every year and should not have come as a surprise.
Saturday, 24 October 2026
An evening of board games will be held at the chapel. Attendees are encouraged to bring along a game from home, preferably one they understand well enough to explain to others without having to consult the instructions throughout.
Other games will be considered on the night.
Anyone bringing a game must ensure that all pieces, cards, dice and other necessary components are present.
Refreshments will be available. Food and drink must be kept away from games belonging to other people.
Please confirm attendance and state which game you intend to bring, so that we do not end up with six copies of Monopoly and no one willing to play it.
This event was cancelled due to a lack of interest.
Mary - I hate to say I told you this was a non-starter, but I did say that. Record TC-2026-IDA-030 refers.
Saturday, 24 October 2026
The Chapel is pleased to welcome author Lilz for a signing of their book, Obscure Ways to Kill Time.
Lilz will be available to meet readers and sign copies at a cost of approximately £25 per signature. This charge does not include the book itself, but we do have some free copies available in the chapel library. Attendees wishing to have more than one item signed should make suitable financial arrangements beforehand.
A short opportunity for questions will follow, subject to there being sufficient time left to do so. It will not be possible to recover any time that has been wasted unnecessarily.
Those not wishing to purchase a signature are welcome to attend but are asked not to obstruct paying customers.
Unfortunately, the availability of pre-signed copies for £10 caused some dissatisfaction among those who had already bought an unsigned copy and paid £25 to have it signed. The offer of a second signature did not resolve the matter. Several attendees requested a refund of the signing fee and purchased a pre-signed copy instead. The question session was devoted entirely to this issue, leaving no time for questions about the book.
Friday, 23 October 2026
The Chapel will be hosting an organised game of hide and seek, making use of the building and surrounding grounds.
The event will run for two hours. The first hour will take place in daylight, allowing participants to familiarise themselves with the available hiding places. The second hour will take place after dark, significantly increasing the opportunities for concealment.
Torches will be permitted for seekers during the second hour.
A headcount will be conducted at the conclusion of the event. Please don't wander off before the end of the game.
We've spent the last two hours looking for Michael. Apparently he was hiding close to Simon at some point during the last round but failed to answer the final roll call.
Does anyone know where he went? It's not the first time he's been absent, the last time he came to an actual service was 2012.
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
The Chapel’s first exercise class took place with an unexpectedly high attendance. This represents one of the largest turnouts for a non-service activity in recent Chapel history.
All attendees were men, predominantly in the 40–65 age bracket. This was not a demographic specifically targeted by the event organiser, although it is encouraging to see such strong interest in personal fitness amongst this section of the community.
Priya led a varied programme of stretching, light cardiovascular exercise and general mobility work. Participants were attentive throughout, with several positioning themselves close to the front to ensure they could follow the instructions accurately.
There was particular enthusiasm for the floor-based exercises, although it was noted that a number of participants appeared to have difficulty maintaining the required positions while simultaneously looking towards the instructor.
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
The Chapel Committee welcomes this renewed interest in physical wellbeing, particularly given the historically poor attendance at comparable activities. Last year’s general fitness session, led by Geoff, attracted four people, including Geoff.
Priya is pleased with how this session went, but has asked that attendees refrain from taking photographs during the class.
Monday, 19 October 2026
It has come to our attention that the three clocks currently in use at the Chapel are displaying different times, with discrepancies of several minutes between them.
This has raised questions about which clock should be relied upon, particularly when determining when a meeting is to be considered as already in progress.
The Committee has therefore agreed to hold a formal Clock Synchronisation Exercise to establish, through scientific observation, which of the three clocks is displaying the correct time.
The successful clock will be designated the Official Chapel Time Reference, and its reading will take precedence in all future time-based discussions, including service times, meeting schedules, Jean’s Hatch opening hours, attendance records and any other circumstances where the time is considered important.
The format of the Exercise can be found here.
This event went ahead as planned although the adoption of chapel time has caused some confusion with younger members who can't read the time from a proper wall clock. For that reason we have also added a digital version to the website so they can now check the official chapel time using their mobile phones. A full report is available.
Sunday, 18 October 2026
Submissions for agenda items are now open.
The draft agenda is:
Apologies that we didn’t have a speaker for Sunday’s service, but thank you to everyone who came along anyway; and I thank (some of) you again for your vote of confidence following my recent website mistakes. Tony and Simon are excluded from this gratitude due to their snide remarks during this part of the service.
The Chapel Computer Club provided a halfway update on October’s Sensible Soccer series, looking at progress so far we'll all be backing Priya's Pixels FC during the second half of the month.
Thursday, 15 October 2026
A short meeting will be held at the chapel to coordinate costumes ahead of this year’s trick-or-treating.
The purpose of the meeting is to ensure that no two participants are wearing the same, or similar, costumes. This is required because we will all be visiting the same houses, and residents may reasonably assume that a second Dracula arriving is the first person returning for additional sweets.
All proposed costumes must be declared at the meeting and will be entered onto the chapel costume register.
Where two or more participants propose costumes which are substantially similar, the committee will work with those people to determine who would look best as that character.
Once a costume has been approved and entered on the register, it will be treated as allocated. Other participants must not wear the same costume, a similar costume, or a variation which could reasonably be mistaken for the already allocated costume.
Failure to attend this event will result in the person concerned forfeiting any claim to a particular costume and accepting to wear whatever alternative is decided by the committee.
Anyone arriving on Halloween in an unapproved or conflicting costume will be required to change before joining the festivities.
No exceptions will be made on the evening.
Please bring full details of your proposed costume, including masks, hats, capes and significant props, but do not wear it to the meeting.
Register completed and available here.
Any changes must be referred to the Committee before 21st October.
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
On behalf of the Chapel Computer Club (CCC), Tony has agreed to host a Wiki Party at the Chapel.
The event will consist of attendees taking turns to press the “random article” button on Wikipedia and then reading the resulting article aloud to the room. No article may be rejected unless it is unsuitable for public reading, excessively technical, or already known to Tony plus one other.
This event is intended to promote general knowledge, shared attention, and to make more use of the Chapel internet connection. It is not a quiz, debate, lecture series, or opportunity to correct Wikipedia in real time, although short factual concerns may be noted on paper for later.
Tony will go first, on the condition that he accepts the first article generated and does not continue pressing the button until he gets “something decent.”
Attendees are reminded that articles should be read clearly and without additional commentary. If an article contains pronunciation difficulties, the reader should make a reasonable attempt and move on.
Tea will be available if someone brings milk.
Probably one of the best evenings we've held this year so far.
Tony and the CCC have kindly prepared a report for posterity.
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Submissions for agenda items are now open.
The draft agenda is:
Sunday’s service was reasonably well attended, although Joseph Brown’s address on freestyling was brought to an early conclusion after it became apparent he had not prepared anything.
The report on the 5G mast demonstration was presented by Geoff with everyone positive the event would lead to the desired outcome. The discussion on improving conversation beyond small talk ended with a brief exchange about the weather and no real progress.
Saturday, 10 October 2026
DATE: 10 October 2026
TIME: 16:00 - 19:00 (unless it gets dark earlier)
LOCATION: Field behind chapel
Further information available here
I am pleased to report that the peaceful demonstration was attended by over 100 people, which clearly shows the strength of local feeling regarding the need for improved signal in the field behind the Chapel.
It should be noted that almost half of those present were a counter-demonstration group from Wrinhale, who object to our area receiving a mast before they receive one of their own. Their position appears to be that, as Wrinhale is a town, its business needs are more important, and that people who chose to live in rural locations should expect poor service as part of the lifestyle.
While I do not accept this argument, I welcome their attendance, as it helped make the event look much larger than expected.
Stephen will raise the issue again with East Thameside council and share my photos with them.
Sunday, 4 October 2026
Submissions for agenda items is closed.
The draft agenda is:
The service was well attended. Henry spoke for approximately 47 minutes, not including interruptions, clarifications from Gayle, and one short pause while the projector bulb was changed.
Website progress was reviewed and members noted the recent additions to the Chapel site. Community suggestions were invited, though all were judged to be either technically impossible or outside the scope of a chapel website.
Tea was served afterwards.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
A Community Signal Walk will take place around the local area to scientifically record mobile telephone reception for evidential purposes.
Participants will walk from the Chapel along the lane, around nearby public paths, and back again, noting where their phones show full signal, one bar, no bars, or a temporary bar which appears briefly and then disappears again. This information will help us build a clearer picture of the communications difficulties affecting residents.
Please bring a charged mobile phone, sensible footwear, and weather-appropriate clothing. A pencil and map of the local area are provided to record your results.
Findings will be collated afterwards and will be used to support future representations about local signal provision. If you can think of a way to ensure that every network provider is covered then let me (Geoff) know ASAP.
Anyone wishing to take part should meet outside the Chapel at the advertised start time.
The collated results show consistently weak mobile reception across the whole walk. All four mobile phone providers represented recorded only 0, 1, or T readings, meaning no service, one bar, or a temporary signal that quickly dropped away.
Coverage is poorest on the northern and western field paths, the wooded stretches, and the southern return loop, where many readings show no service or failed calls. The area around Chapel Lane, the car park, and the Chapel performs slightly better, but still only reaches one bar or temporary signal.
Overall, the results suggest a general local coverage problem affecting all providers, not just one network. The evidence supports residents’ concerns that mobile phone access around the Chapel and nearby public paths is unreliable.
Collated results will be forwarded to the Council to support our campaign.
Friday, 2 October 2026
A neighbourhood potluck will be held in the Chapel hall for local residents and visitors. This is your opportunity to meet new people and get involved.
Please bring a dish to share if you are able. Homemade food is welcome, but a shop-bought contribution is also perfectly acceptable, provided an element of deconfliction with other contributors happens first. Salads, pies, bread, cheese, puddings, fruit, soft drinks, and savoury items would all be appreciated.
The purpose of the evening is to sit together, share food, meet neighbours, and make proper community use of the Chapel hall.
Tables and basic seating will be provided. Please label dishes containing common allergens, and take home any bowls, trays, serving spoons etc.
All ages are welcome, and anyone that is new to the area is especially encouraged to attend.
If someone could knock on the new family in No. 65 then that might be a nice thing to do too.
It was very nice to see some new faces at the neighbourhood potluck, and I hope they will return to future Chapel events.
It was also pleasing that most attendees did not remain entirely in their usual groups, and made at least some effort to mingle.
There was a good range of food. I particularly enjoyed Mary’s lamb chops. It was also good to welcome Joseph back to the Chapel following his latest suspension.
Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Come and help us count wasps.
We will choose a small area around the Chapel and carefully record every wasp we see over the course of an hour.
The method is simple. When you see a wasp, identify what kind it is and record it.
We are interested in how many of each type are present. A good level of fitness is required as you will need to get near enough to inspect its markings, which will involve following the wasp at pace and encouraging it into a corner.
Participants should not attempt to catch, touch or trap the wasps.
You will need to distinguish between several types with very similar markings, while remaining ready to run away promptly when the wasp gets annoyed.
At the end of the hour, we will combine everyone’s observations to create a snapshot of the wasp population around the Chapel on this particular day.
Our results will then be combined with those from other locations, providing scientists with a better understanding of the UK wasp population. It remains unclear what they intend to do with this information.
This is the Great British Wasp Count which is unaffiliated with any other similar endeavour running over the same period.
Bring yourself, a picnic to attract wasps, and something to sit on.
Antihistamine sting cream will be provided while stocks last.
The Wasp Count went ahead with a reasonable number of wasps observed around the Chapel yard. Identification was harder than expected, as most would not stay still long enough to be looked at properly, and several people may have counted the same one more than once.
Thank you to everyone who took part and kept calm when Glyn was becoming hysterical at being repeatedly stung.
Sunday, 27 September 2026
Re-run of cancelled Service on 20 September 2026
Submissions for agenda items is closed.
The draft agenda is:
Sunday’s service returned the Chapel to its normal state after the cancelled Showdown weekend, with the mood and turnout shaped by the week’s wider events: namely the discovery that half the village is apparently living one dropped signal away from revolt.
Saturday, 26 September 2026
Following a request for ideas, the Committee has agreed to hold a Plain-Speaking Evening next Saturday.
This suggestion came from Tony and was felt to be the easiest of the ideas to implement as it does not require any specialist equipment.
The evening is intended as a chance for members to say, plainly and sensibly, what they think needs saying about community matters. This may include discussions about the Chapel, the town, traffic, the condition of local amenities or anything else which people feel has been left unsaid for too long. Points raised could be positive or negative; it would be lovely to hear how great you think everything is.
Members are asked to think beforehand about what they wish to raise. Please keep comments short, direct, and about the matter in hand.
Plain speaking does not mean rudeness, and rudeness should not be dressed up as honesty.
The following rules will apply:
Orange squash will be provided during the event.
A huge turnout tonight. Apparently word had got around that this was a meeting about obtaining better internet services for the local area, so nearly everybody in the village attended.
We heard from residents both young and old who are sick of unacceptable levels of lag when gaming. One elderly lady told the meeting she had lost out on a championship title in the final minute of a match when the whole screen froze. Other residents complained about unreliable phone signal, to the extent that several have been forced to retain their landlines.
By the end of the meeting we had agreed that, as a cohort, we needed to take action.
Nothing else was discussed.
Thursday, 24 September 2026
I am pleased to announce that our next large-scale event will be an outdoor screening of popular cartoons (1833-2025).
I spoke to Mary this morning and she has kindly agreed to lend us her projector and 10 metre screen for four hours next Thursday, subject to the following conditions:
I have secured agreement from Stephen that the Council will not oppose the event. He considers it a welcome idea following the cancellation of the September Showdown, and that we are presently unable to host events inside the Chapel due to the cold caused by the boiler breakdown.
I have confirmed to Stephen my belief that the cartoons available on the site are in the public domain, as the copyright appears to have expired for one reason or another. While we cannot control exactly which cartoons will be shown, Stephen has agreed that due diligence has been carried out and that we are clear to proceed.
Glyn has agreed to help me move the pews into the yard one hour before the event.
There will be no cost to the individual beyond any refreshments they may choose to purchase.
There is a sign-up sheet in a plastic sleeve on the main door - get your name down quickly as places will fill up fast.
What a fantastic evening, although I did expect more interest. I have counted Glyn in the attendance as he did stay a while after helping to set everything up; also included Mary who waited around to take the projector home. Henry, Gayle and Jean can always be relied on. Highlight of the night for me was probably Frozen Frolics (1930)! Here's a photo we took. Regards, Geoff.
Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Members of the congregation are advised that an Autumn Walk will take place next Wednesday, meeting at the Chapel at 4:00pm.
A sign-up sheet has been placed in the chapel foyer.
The route will proceed from the Chapel towards the Old Hall and lake, returning before dark unless there are any straddlers. Suitable footwear is recommended, as parts of the path will be wet, muddy and uneven.
Seasonal observation sheets will be provided at the start of the walk. These will include items to find along the way, such as a brown leaf, a cobweb, an acorn, a feather and evidence of autumn generally. Participants are asked not to remove anything from its place. The list of items will not be provided beforehand to prevent participants from seeding the trail. There are no prizes.
Children and dogs may attend if accompanied by a responsible adult.
Tea will be available at the Chapel afterwards, subject to availability.
Those present (Henry and Gayle Spackmore, and I) completed the route without incident although we concluded that were no pine trees situated along the route so we couldn't finish the observation challenge sheet.
Download the observation sheet
Sunday, 20 September 2026
--CANCELLED--
PLEASE NOTE: The timings of our service this week have shifted due to the annual September Showdown. Our Sunday Service will begin immediately after the showdown concludes.
Submissions for agenda items is now open. Please forward any items to the Secretary.
The draft agenda is:
Please let me know if you see anyone leaving between the showdown and the service.
Event cancelled due to lack of heating.
Sunday, 20 September 2026
--CANCELLED--
Join us for one of our most popular events of the year.
September 20th will be our annual Showdown event, five hours of non-stop sermon delivered by our Parish's finest.
Who will be crowned our 2026 champion orator - the power is in your hands.
Voting opens at 11 AM and closes at 02:30 AM the following Wednesday. See you there!
Event cancelled due to lack of heating.
Sunday, 13 September 2026
As noted on Monday, a further Tiddlywink session will be held on Sunday for those with an interest, or who have previously shown signs of one.
Last week’s attendance was encouraging, and it is hoped that a similar number may present themselves again.
The table will be felted from 5:30 pm for anyone wishing to prepare in advance.
There are sufficient winks available, but attendees are politely asked to bring their own squidgers.
The session covered basic positioning, controlled squopping, and the importance of not flicking without warning. Progress was mixed but not discouraging. I think it prudent that further practice may be beneficial before any public demonstration or competitive match is attempted.
Sunday, 13 September 2026
Submissions for this weeks' main service have now closed.
A slight drop in numbers this week but that was to be expected without Margaret's tribe.
Thanks are recorded to those who remained after the service to assist with clearing away. Particular mention should be made of Jean, Gayle, and Henry Spackmore, whose practical help considerably shortened the process.
Their example is a useful reminder that community spirit is most effective when it is expressed through actual assistance rather than commentary. Let's keep that in mind as we move on towards Christmas.
Sunday, 6 September 2026
Submissions for this weeks' main service have now closed.
The agreed agenda is, as follows:
It was fantastic to see attendance figures rise again this week and it proves our efforts in promoting the Chapel are working as intended. We are still slightly behind the number we were expecting but I am hopeful that next week we will smash this figure out of the sky.
Thanks to Margaret A, for bringing her visiting family along; it was fascinating to hear their tales of life in a big city.
Friday, 4 September 2026
A reflective chapel event inviting the congregation to think together about ethical and moral responses to situations that arise in wider society.
Through a series of guided scenarios, attendees will consider questions of responsibility, compassion, fairness, honesty, forgiveness, courage, and care for others. The emphasis is not on finding perfect answers, but on listening well, weighing difficult choices, and considering how personal conviction might shape action in everyday life.
The session is open to all members of the congregation. No preparation is required, only a willingness to think carefully, speak respectfully, and hear differing views with patience.
Thank you to everyone who attended this event.
We apologise for the misunderstanding that occurred during the evening. Joseph has been spoken to about his inappropriate behaviour and has agreed not to attend the chapel for the next two weeks.
Monday, 3 August 2026
Members of the congregation are invited to contribute cakes, buns, traybakes, and other suitable items for a cake sale to be held in the church yard in support of Jean and Margaret’s proposed trip to Katmandu.
The purpose of the trip is to raise funds for the Chapel. It has been explained to me that the ladies must first raise funds in order to travel to Katmandu, where they will then undertake further fundraising activities, the proceeds of which will subsequently be directed back to the Chapel, after reasonable costs for travel, accommodation, administration and meals have been deducted.
This arrangement may appear indirect, but it should be understood as a modern fundraising circle: the Chapel supports the journey, the journey supports the fundraising, and the fundraising supports the Chapel. In this way, every Victoria sponge baked locally becomes part of a much larger spiritual route.
Suggested contributions include:
Contributors are asked to label tins clearly and collect all plates, lids and tea towels before leaving.
The sale will take place in the church yard on Monday, 3rd August.
All members are encouraged to support this excellent endeavour.
Three cakes were donated and a special thanks are recorded to all contributors. The lemon drizzle bought from A*** supermarket by Mary was sublime.
Attendance was six, which includes the two hikers who entered the yard by mistake while looking for the footpath.
Jean and Margaret have expressed disappointment that the proceeds are unlikely to support the proposed Katmandu fundraising journey in its original form. They are now reviewing a number of alternative local destinations accessible by bus, where similar fundraising may be undertaken at reduced overhead.
Friday, 17 July 2026
A game of Bingo will be held in the hall, with proceeds going towards the patching of the leaking roof.
Sheets will be available at 50p each, with a maximum of five sheets per person. Attendees are asked to bring their own blotter pen.
I will be the caller (Geoff). Following lessons learned after the previous session, numbers will be called at a reduced pace. The calling speed will be set according to the requirements of the slowest player, presently understood to be Mary.
Entry to the hall is one bottle of wine per person. These bottles will form the prizes for the evening, so attendees are reminded that the quality of the prize table depends entirely upon the quality of the bottles brought. Cheap supermarket fizz is therefore discouraged, particularly by those hoping to win.
Unfortunately, the prize table was exhausted well before the end of the evening.
This was because each player brought one prize but purchased five game sheets, which created a slight imbalance between number of games and available prizes. As stated several times on the night, although I agree this might have been obvious, no refunds will be issued.
For the next session, the entry requirement will be amended to two bottles of wine per person, with a maximum of one game sheet per person. Any remaining prizes will then be distributed to those who were owed a prize this week.
Monday, 25 May 2026
The Chapel Computer Club is run by Tony, who is very keen to welcome new members, having so far been the only person to attend the monthly sessions. This has meant that recent meetings have consisted mainly of Tony sitting quietly at a trestle table playing on his laptop until it is time to put the chairs away.
The Computer Club is open to anyone with an interest in computers, whether you already know what you are doing or have never seen one before and would like to understand what all the fuss is about. It is not just for gamers, although gamers are very welcome, provided they use headphones and do not shout “lag” in the nave.
Anyone wishing to learn programming, website development, or other modern computer skills is also encouraged to attend. Tony has confirmed that he will be happy to find some suitable YouTube videos which can provide instructions for both of you to follow together.
Please bring your own laptop if you have one. A limited number of plug sockets are available.
New members are urgently encouraged. Tony has already completed solitaire several times and would like the Club to move in a more outward-facing direction.
Tony reports a record attendance for the club after two middle-aged men from the village arrived carrying Amiga 500s and CRT monitors. Tony believes he would have been invited to the LAN-party if he had the right platform, and has taken this as evidence that the club should purchase three used Amigas for future events. I have refused to support this request using Chapel funds.
Monday, 23 December 2024
A free to attend Christmas Carol Service will be held at the Chapel this Monday, with seasonal readings, traditional carols, and an opportunity for the community to gather together before Christmas.
All are welcome to attend.
Mince pies and warm drinks will be served throughout, subject to availability, on a first-come-first-served basis.
The Christmas Carol Service was well attended by many members of our community.
It was lovely to see you all enjoying the evening, Merry Christmas to you all.
Saturday, 19 May 2018
The Chapel will be open on Saturday, 19 May 2018 for those who wish to watch the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle together.
Doors will open before the ceremony, with seating available on a first-come basis.
Simon will be setting up Mary's projector so we can watch the proceedings on the large screen. Thanks Mary.
You are welcome to bring refreshments, although the drinking of alcohol is restricted to outside areas only.
This is intended to be a pleasant community occasion. We do hope you come along and enjoy it with us.
What a wonderful day we had. It has been a very long time since we have seen so many members of our community gathered together at the Chapel, and the occasion gave everyone a welcome opportunity to share in a happy national moment.
We offer our warmest congratulations to Harry and Meghan, and wish them every happiness as they begin their future Royal lives together. We are sure they will remain a much-loved and settled part of the Royal Family for many years to come.
