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tidy up our buildings and block up holes and crevices, and a lack of insects that Are you in the 64%?
the swifts feed on (Remember when your car windscreen used to be covered in
squashed insects at the end of a long journey). Part of the community outreach that the American team helped us with included
speaking with people in the village in order to gauge the general perception
For information on how to help keep our swifts please see www.swift- towards the Chapel, but also towards Christianity in general. It is apparent that
conservation.org. Bere Regis has a diverse range of beliefs when it comes to spiritual matters. Of
Angie Talbot those we spoke with, there are a significant amount of atheists and agnostics, but
several people also labelled themselves as Christian, even if they were not
attending church anywhere.
According to the 2011 census (2021 data is still to be released) 64% of Bere Regis is
Christian. Whilst it was somewhat less than 64%, we met several people who
described themselves as Christians. However, when asked what makes someone
THE MORETON FUND a Christian, there were a variety of answers given, such as:
- being a good person
The Moreton Fund, registered charity number 306227, provides funds for young - going to church
people from Moreton and Affpuddle to meet the costs of their education, training
and career start-up. - being christened, confirmed and married in a church

“We know that young people are really concerned about funding the next stage - being brought up by Christian parents
in their lives” says Richard Frampton-Hobbs, Chair of the trust fund “so if we can
help we will.” - doing good things for others
Richard notes that young people starting work, training or an apprenticeship, or All of these things are well and good, but the Bible teaches that there is only one
continuing in education, are discouraged by huge expenses in the next year or thing that can make someone a Christian. In the gospel of John, chapter 3, Jesus
so. spoke with a man named Nicodemus. He was the highest rabbi of his day, so had
reached the very top of his religion. He had observed all the rituals and
The Moreton Fund, working name of the William Frampton Educational Trust, gives regulations required of him and he had been the best person he could possibly
awards of up to £1000 to young people to help with the cost of training, travel, be. If anyone was good enough to have right standing with God and to go to
purchase of equipment to help them move to the next stage in their lives. heaven when they died, it was Nicodemus. If you were to imagine what a ‘good’
person would be like, Nicodemus would be it.
The applicants must be resident in the parishes of Moreton or Affpuddle - which
also covers Waddock Cross, Briantspuddle and Throop. We are told Nicodemus approached Jesus at night, most probably because
despite his outward goodness and adherence to the rules, he had some inward
Richard says “We made a number of grants last year and expect to do the same turmoil. Jesus put His finger on the issue when He said ‘No one can see the
this year.“ kingdom of heaven unless they are born again.’ In other words, all the good
Grants are usually awarded in early September (but can be considered on a one- things Nicodemus had done were not actually good enough. The inside was
off basis throughout the year) and to apply check out the facebook page for the more important than the outside. In modern terms, being good, going to church,
William Frampton Educational Foundation or email themoretonfund@hotmail.com being christened and being a nice person, whilst commendable, does not make
someone a Christian.
A few verses on in the same chapter, there is a verse that explains how a person
becomes a Christian. This verse is the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16,
which says ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but will have eternal life.’

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