Night Under the Stars

An evening in the churchyard that starts in daylight and ends with telescopes. Bring a rug, bring the children, bring whoever you have been meaning to invite for the last six months.

How the evening runs

Gates open at one o’clock for the afternoon: food from three, games on the south lawn, and the worship band on and off through the afternoon. Nothing is scheduled tightly. People arrive across a four-hour window and that is by design.

At sunset the lights go down. The astronomy club from the college brings four telescopes and runs them until half past ten, weather allowing, and they are exceptionally patient with questions.

What to bring

• Something to sit on — the grass is uneven and there are not enough chairs
• A jumper, because it drops about ten degrees after nine
• A torch with a red filter if you have one; white light ruins everyone’s night vision

Food

The Wednesday meal team runs the grill from three until eight. Everything is free; there is a bucket if you want to put something in it. Vegetarian and halal options are cooked separately and clearly marked.

Last year four hundred and ten people came, and we ran out of bread by seven. This year we have ordered twice as much.

Parking is on the street and fills quickly. If you can walk or come together in one car, please do — the neighbors have been generous about this for years and we would like to keep it that way.