History 2000 to date

2000

The sale of the chaplaincy house and the purchase of the chaplaincy apartment were synchronised for February 14^th. The apartment was secured for FF760,000 plus legal fees of FF52,000, which with removal fees brought the whole cost a little over FF15,000 over budget. A house-warming luncheon was held on the 6^th May combined with a fund-raising effort for the St. Luke’s Hospital appeal.

On the social front, a series of 4 gourmet lunches were held, and a Food and Wine Fair.

2001

2002

In September Rev David Sharpe left the chaplaincy after 5 years service, and returned to England. The new chaplain, Rev Canon Ben Eaton, was appointed in October, entering retirement after 14 years in Maisons-Laffitte, near Paris. He and his wife, Anne, bought their own property in Fréjus, which meant that the chaplaincy flat could be rented out as a source of additional income.

Sister Cecile and Sister Jean decided to focus their efforts on their conventual house, Prasada, in Montaroux. St. John’s recorded its grateful thanks for their support and help over the years.

The church expenditure for the year exceeded income by €5,000, some of which was blamed on the introduction of the Euro. Fundraising activities included the gourmet lunches, paella lunch, a quiz lunch, curry supper and harvest festival picnic.

2003

Services continued weekly at St. John’s, with monthly services at the Maison des Pères (a retirement community for French Catholic priests) in Lorgues. Bi-monthly services took place in Seillans, and in the summer season services were also held in Port Grimaud. In this period, it became evident that there was a growing number of regular “visitors” to St. John’s (people with a second home in the Var) who would spend periods of time in the area but who were not permanent residents. The St. John’s web site was inaugurated to facilitate communications with these itinerant worshippers, and also with those in the further reaches of the Var who could not always get into St. Raphaël or one of the monthly services.

Social activities included a Paella Party, a Curry Lunch, a Gourmet Lunch, the Ascension Day Picnic at Prasada, and the Harvest Festival Picnic. Ben and Anne also introduced a monthly parish lunch at their house, held on the third Sunday of the month after the service.

2004

The same service format continued in 2004. In the autumn it was decided to formalise the existence of a Church Choir, in recognition of the musical and singing skills of a number of members of the congregation, with regular choir practices after the services.

It was also decided to inaugurate an appeal to raise funds to put the fabric of the church into a good state for its approaching centenary (2007)

Social events continued alongside fund-raising events, beginning with a New Years Eve Wine and Cheese evening, Quiz evenings, the Ascension Day picnic, Paella Lunch, Curry supper and Harvest Festival picnic. The monthly lunches at the Chaplain’s house continued, including one which fell on Mothering Sunday, when the men offered to do the washing up! Particular highlights were the musical evenings, held at the beginning of September and featuring the young pianist Robert Scamardella.