St Mary’s Church Parish
Magazine – March 2004
Readings for
Sundays and Festivals in March
Annual Parochial
Church Meeting
“I Thirst”, Stephen
Cottrell (Zondervan)
Diocese of Madras
(Church of South India) Schools Rebuilding Project
SANA - Rebuilding
Communities in Bosnia
Victory Nursery, St
John's, Angell Town
Croydon Area /
Central Zimbabwe: St Patrick's Clinic upgrading
Kingston Area /
Matabeleland : St Aidan's Farm Project
Woolwich Area /
Manicaland: Give the Church a Voice (Manicaland)
Droughts, Deluges
and Dust Devils
We will receive a
visit from the Archdeacon on Saturday, 13 March. The Archdeacon's Visitation
is an annual event in two parts: one the Visitation Services (this year to be
held at Addiscombe and Cheam) when churchwardens are sworn in at the beginning
of their year of office and to which members of PCCs and Deanery Synods are
also invited to attend; the other part
is the annual church inspection. This
is when the Archdeacon or his representative visit every parish to 'check the
books' and ensure that the business side of running the parish is being done
properly.
On Sunday evening, 21
March, Evening Prayer will be said at 6.30 pm. On Thursday, 25th (The
Annunciation), there will be a Sung Eucharist at 7.30 pm
Join Andrew Wilson on
Saturday, 27 March, at 7.30 pm when he plays music for all tastes at an Organ
Extravaganza. Tickets will cost £6
for adults, £2 for students - and the under 12s get in free. Don't forget to
put your clocks forward an hour that night in readiness for the start of
British Summertime.
Churches Together are not organising any joint groups or events
through the body of Lent this year, in the hope that as many people as possible
will be able to take part in an all-day event (more on page 14) in preparation
for Holy Week on Saturday 3 April. Accordingly it may be even more
important than usual to be able to attend a devotional exercise of some kind
during each week of Lent. The Friday Lent Lunches will take place at 12.45 pm at
the Rectory throughout Lent (with the exception of 5 March, which is the
Women’s World Day of Prayer, and Good Friday).
There will also be an additional Eucharist every Friday in Lent, once
again apart from 5 March and Good Friday. This service will normally be at
7.30 pm except on Friday, 12th (not 19th as previously advised) when it
will be at 9.30 am.
|
Mon |
1 |
Lent Reading
Group meets at 24 St George's Road |
8.00 pm |
|
Wed |
3 |
St Mary's Guild.
Carolyn Churchyard talks about 'Families at St Mary's' |
2.30 pm |
|
Thu |
4 |
MU&OG.
Jenifer Davison leads Lent Meditation. Church Centre |
8.00 pm |
|
Fri |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
Service at St
Mary's |
10.30 am |
|
|
|
Service at St
Patrick's |
7.30 pm |
|
SUN |
7 |
LENT 2 |
|
|
Mon |
8 |
Lent Reading
Group meets at 24 St George's Road |
8.00 pm |
|
Fri |
12 |
Eucharist |
9.30 am |
|
|
|
Lent Lunch at
the Rectory |
12.45 pm |
|
Sat |
13 |
Archdeacon's
Inspection |
|
|
SUN |
14 |
LENT 3 |
|
|
Mon |
15 |
Lent Reading
Group meets at 24 St George's Road |
8.00 pm |
|
Wed |
17 |
MU Corporate
Eucharist |
10.00 am |
|
Thu |
18 |
MU&OG. Bring
& Buy and Coffee Evening. Church Centre |
8.00 pm |
|
Fri |
19 |
Lent Lunch at
the Rectory |
12.45 pm |
|
|
|
Eucharist |
7.30 pm |
|
SUN |
21 |
LENT 4. MOTHERING SUNDAY |
|
|
|
|
Evening Prayers
will be said |
|
|
Mon |
22 |
Lent Reading Group
meets at 24 St George's Road |
8.00 pm |
|
THU |
25 |
THE ANNUNCIATION
|
7.30 pm |
|
|
|
Sung Eucharist |
|
|
Fri |
26 |
Lent Lunch at
the Rectory |
12.45 pm |
|
|
|
Eucharist |
7.30 pm |
|
Sat |
27 |
Organ
Extravaganza with Andrew Wilson British Summer
Time begins. Clocks go forward one
hour tonight |
7.30 pm |
|
SUN |
28 |
LENT 5 |
|
|
|
|
London
Appreciation Society visiting church |
3.30pm |
|
Mon |
29 |
Lent Reading
Group meets at 24 St George's Road |
8.00 pm |
|
Wed |
31 |
Ian Currie talks
on Droughts, Deluges and Dust Devils at Carshalton Library |
7.00 pm |
Thu 25 March
The Annunciation
Isaiah 7: 10-14 (page 1071)
Hebrews 10: 4-10 (page 1072)
Luke 1: 26-38 (page 1073)
Sun 28 March
Lent 5
Isaiah 43: 16-21 (page 835)
Philippians 3: 4b-14 (page 836)
John 12: 1-8 (page 837)
Sun 7 March
Lent 2
Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18 (page 822)
Philippians 3: 17-4: 1 (page 825)
Luke 13: 31-3 (page 826)
Sun 14 March
Lent 3
Isaiah 55: 1-9 (page 827)
1 Corinthians 10: 1-13 (page 829)
Luke 13: 1-9 (page 830)
Sun 21 March
Lent 4
Joshua 5: 9-12 (page 831)
2 Corinthians 5: 16-21 (page 832)
Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32
(page 833)
Mon 1 David,
Bishop of Menevia, Patron of Wales, c601
Wed 17 Patrick,
Bishop, Missionary, Patron of Ireland, c460
Fri 19 JOSEPH
OF NAZARETH
Thu 25 THE
ANNUNCIATION OF OUR LORD TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Sunday 21 March
Canticles: Sumsion in A
Anthem: Turn Thee Again - Atwood
Sunday 28 March
Canticles: Holman in F Minor
Anthem: Cast Me Not Away - Wesley
Sunday 7 March
Canticles: Arnold in A
Anthem: Libera Me - Patrick Gowers
Sunday 14
March
Canticles: Noble in A Minor
Anthem: All The Ends Of The World – Boyce
If you are not on the
Electoral Roll of St Mary's (Anglican-speak for our official membership list)
but would like to be, you have the opportunity soon when the Roll receives its
annual update before the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Simply obtain an application form from
Eileen England any time from Wednesday 24 March onwards, and
return it to her, duly completed, at any time up to the end of Tuesday 6
April (in other words the actual revision process runs for just under a
fortnight). Eileen or the form itself
will explain the necessary qualifications, and once she has your returned form
the system will do the rest. You will
then be eligible to vote during the Annual Meeting itself, which takes place in
the Centre at 8.00 pm on Wednesday 21 April.
The minutes of last
year's Annual Meeting, this year's Annual Report and Financial statement from the
PCC, and the Agenda for this year's Meeting, will all be available in good
time, from Saturday 10 April at the latest. Among the business of the Meeting is the
election of Churchwardens and PCC members for the coming year. If you are considering standing for election
in either of these capacities, then once again you need to be on the Electoral
Roll, and the relevant forms will be available in plenty of time, from Saturday
10 April if not before.
Once you have got
yourself on to the Roll, you may like to take part in this year’s elections,
but are not able to attend the meeting itself. In that case you can apply
beforehand for a postal vote.
Application forms for these will also be available in plenty of time. Once again the system will then spring into
operation. It works like this.
Return your
application form to Selwyn, Ian, Pat or Diana before the Annual Meeting. Should an election be necessary, a voting
paper will be got to you by the late evening of Friday 23 April –
or you could always come to the Choral Eucharist for St George’s Day, at 7:30
that night, and pick one up yourself!
You then have up to 12 days in which to think, pray, vote, fold your
paper and return it to The Rectory.
Papers must be returned there sometime during the week from
Wednesday 28 April to Wednesday 5 May, and they will be stored safely
and unopened as they arrive, together with the papers filled out during the
Meeting itself.
Voting papers will be
counted on the morning of Friday 7 May, by people who have not been
candidates in any of the elections. All
candidates will be notified of the result that same day, and the new PCC will
be announced and commissioned during the 9.30 Eucharist on Sunday
9 May.
That is just in time for
the Churchwardens and PCC members to be in training for the first meeting of
the new PCC which will happen later in May, and to attend the Archdeacon's
Visitation and Swearing-In either at St Mary Magdalene’s, Addiscombe on the
evening of Tuesday, 18 May, or at St Dunstan's, Cheam on Tuesday 25th.
Selwyn Tillett
February 14th - the
day for love and roses; what better day for Families to have one of their now
legendary parties !!!
Mid afternoon saw
Lizzie Atkins perched precariously on a ladder draping neon tube lighting all
around the centre (breaking every health and safety rule ever invented!),
Carolyn and Helena red-faced and dizzy blowing up bundles of pink and red
balloons and trying to lay out tables with cloths and napkins with lots of
little helpers removing them as soon as they were put down. Two hours later we
departed to get dressed for the occasion, hoping that we didn't return to find
that they (a) had all fallen down; (b) blown the new electric system; or (c)
set the hall alight!
Once again the event
was well attended and we were pleased to welcome Cassie and Selwyn -
resplendent in pink feather boa and cherub waistcoat (Cassie wore the boa!). I
must say that I thought they might have chosen a cosy, romantic corner of the
local curry house to celebrate but we were very pleased indeed they chose Chez
Families.
It was lovely to see
Liz, Russ and Harley who'd been chucked off the bus at the Plough after a day
out. We were assured that they hadn't
been singing and dancing on the bus and that it was just that the bus wasn't
going any farther!
A small disaster
ensued with the food - we were inundated with puds and sweets but ran dry of the
savouries after the first sitting (most people have become used to being able
to have thirds at these events), so we heroically ploughed our way through a
mountain of choux buns, chocolate cakes, waffleberry pudding and Mrs Lawrence's
Wallington-famous flapjacks - it was tough to eat all those sweet things but we
managed!
Anyway,
sugar-overloaded, we set the children to a 'Make a Valentine Crown' competition
ably helped by our youth group and friends. Then they provided the cabaret
(quite unintentially) by doing some of those wonderful dance-along songs that
make it in Ibiza every summer - much to the delight of the little girls who
mimicked and wanted to be 'just like the big girls'.
We had a raffle to
raise money for social stationery and paper goods (we go through them at a
great rate) and postage to get info/invites to our families who live across the
other side of the borough.
Plans are now underway
for our Easter Egg Hunt and party with hopefully a visit from the Easter Bunny.
If anyone has a bunny costume (but not the Bunny Girl sort from your other life
in the 60s), or would like to donate a small chocolate egg we would be most
grateful. Also if anyone would like to help out on the day with the Egg Hunt
contact any of the Families group.
Carolyn
On Sunday 4 April we
begin Holy Week - the annual celebration of the events of Jesus’s death and
resurrection. As those events are at the heart of our faith, the services that
mark them are uniquely important in the Church’s year, and substantially
different from our regular celebrations. If you haven’t been to any of them
before, why not make this the year when you try to come to them all? The atmosphere of prayer, as it builds
through the week, becomes very powerful and very personal. Leaflets giving full
details of all the services in Holy Week will be available in church
from Sunday 21 March.
The week begins with
the 9.30 Eucharist on Palm Sunday. We assemble in the church Centre
to hear the Gospel reading of Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm
Sunday. Our palm crosses are blessed, and we sing appropriate hymns as we walk
in procession out of the Centre, around by the churchyard wall, through the
lych-gate and into church. Then the whole narrative of Jesus’s arrest, trial,
death and burial is read, with members of the congregation reading the words of
individuals as the story develops.
Then, following the
great success of the last few years, we shall be celebrating a Passover supper
again on the evening of the Wednesday in Holy Week, 7 April, at 7.30 pm
in the Church Centre. It has proved to
be a wonderful exercise in discovering the roots of our Eucharist and the
meaning of one of the many layers of symbolism behind what we do week by
week. It will also mean that we can
have the memory of Passover fresh in our minds as we share in the Eucharist of
Maundy Thursday the following day.
The Centre is laid out
with our normal tables, arranged around three sides of a square as they would
have been in Jesus’s time. We keep as near as possible to the outline of a
modern Passover meal. It begins with readings from Exodus, telling parts of the
original Passover story, interspersed with the traditional questions and answers
as to the meaning and symbolism of this night. There will be a
‘service-leaflet’ giving all the words everyone needs, and the questions will
be asked, and answers given, by a man, a woman, a child, as traditional and
appropriate. As the meal progresses the necessary elements of food and drink
are produced, explained and shared; there is also the opportunity to sing one
or two well-known hymns as the ‘commentary’ on what we are doing, plus some
readings from the New Testament to keep us in touch with Jesus and his
disciples as they kept Passover together.
The second of the
three elements of the evening is the opportunity to share in a real meal
together, and there will soon be the inevitable lists in church to sign up -
both to say if you would like to come, and to indicate what you might come with,
so that we can enjoy a ‘bring and share’ supper together. Jewish tradition insists that we grapple
with lamb stew eaten with pitta bread, bitter herbs dipped in salt water,
homemade fruit puree and ideally four glasses of wine; the simpler the food you
might bring, and the nearer to this ideal of lamb stew, fruit and bread, the
better. It does not hurt to remember
that Passover is a time of huge rejoicing and conviviality, as well as the
solemn memorial of God’s tremendous acts for his people in the past!
Finally - just as we
are around the tables, once some of the dishes have been cleared away, we join
in a simple celebration of the Eucharist together, using some of the bread we have
been eating, and the wine we have been drinking, to provide the gifts which
will be taken, blessed, broken and shared. This is always one of the most
powerful moments of the evening - it is not often we have the ability to
recognise how it must have felt when Jesus took the ordinary constituents of
the Passover meal and for the first time gave them a new meaning for his
disciples then and now.
We will as usual make
use of side lighting and candles - the lighting in the Centre not being
particularly atmospheric. In order to
arrange the tables as described above, and to retain the right atmosphere for
the occasion, we have previously limited numbers to about 45 people. So many thoroughly enjoyed the last three
years that it would not be surprising if many more wanted to come this year!
For this reason, as well as for the practicalities of catering, please sign up
as soon as possible on the list under the tower. We will do our best to accommodate all who would like to be
there, but it may be necessary to close the list sometime in advance of Holy
Week itself. We look forward to welcoming you to what we hope will be a very
special part of our Holy Week celebrations.
By Maundy Thursday
(8th) the events of the week have led us to the Last Supper with Jesus and his
disciples, during which he washed their feet as a practical example of humility
and service, and instituted the Eucharist as the means by which we remember him
day by day. The Sung Eucharist at 8.00 pm therefore includes readings that tell
of both those actions, and there will be a list under the tower for you to add
your name if you would like to be one of the 12 having their feet washed in a
memorial of this event.
At the end of the
Thursday Eucharist we commemorate Jesus’s time in the Garden of Gethsemane. He
prayed for strength to face the agony that would await him next day, and his
disciples first of all fell asleep waiting and watching with him, then ran away
and left him alone in the hands of those who came to arrest him. We mark his
abandonment by formally stripping the altar and the sanctuary of all the Lenten
hangings at the end of this service, leaving it stark, bare and disfigured -
and while this is being done we read Psalm 22, the cry of loneliness and
desperation which Jesus himself quoted on the cross.
Those who wish to do
so then move into the Carew Chapel to begin “watching” with Jesus in the
garden. A continuous vigil of silent prayer is kept up from the end of the
evening’s Eucharist until the start of the Friday afternoon service. There will
be another list under the tower, dividing this time into half-hour sections.
Please indicate when you will be “on watch” by initials or a simple tick. And most important - don’t feel you have to
come alone, especially if you are going to be there in the early hours of
Friday morning. It is a wonderful thing to do with another person, or with a
small group of friends, or even as a family.
On Good Friday Churches
Together has organised the usual Procession of Witness through Wallington
at lunchtime. This will depart from St Michael’s at 11:45am and end by 1.30pm,
allowing people to be in church in ample time before 2.00pm. The walk is led by someone carrying a large
cross, and we stop at various places along the route for readings, prayers and
hymns.
Our own afternoon
service will begin at 2.00pm. There
will be about an hour’s meditation, including anthems sung by the choir,
congregational hymns, the familiar Passion readings from Isaiah, Hebrews and St
John’s Gospel, intercessions at the foot of the stark wooden cross and plenty
of time for silence and reflection. It is an opportunity to focus on the
reality of Jesus’s death and to thank God for his love, even at this most
difficult and painful time of the year.
Finally our
celebration of Easter begins with the Paschal Vigil at 6.00am on Easter
Sunday morning (11th). This service has its roots in what the
earliest Christians did in the early hours of every Sunday morning. We proclaim
Christ as risen by the kindling of new fire and the lighting of the new Paschal
Candle, and our own rising to life with him in Baptism forms the theme of the
rest of the service.
We read the Old
Testament narratives of the creation, the flood, and the crossing of the Red
Sea - occasions when through water the great power of God has been shown - and
make the link with the water of Baptism when we were washed into new life by
our membership of the church. Accordingly we take the best opportunity there is
to renew our own Baptismal promises, and are sprinkled (depending on the
Rector’s aim) with water from the font. The symbolism of Christ rising from the
darkness of sin and death is reinforced as the world around us itself comes
back to light and life at the start of a new day. As Easter is earlier this year than last, we can revert to our
regular time of 6:00 am for this celebration!
As I have frequently
said, if you’ve never been before, please try to make this the year in which
you come to these special events and services; and if you have, then you will
look forward to having your own faith tested and renewed once again as we walk
with Jesus through this Holy Week.
Selwyn Tillett
The Bible Study Group has changed its name temporarily
for Lent, as we will be reading the Archbishop of Canterbury's recommended book
for Lent entitled "I Thirst" by Stephen Cottrell, and published
by Zondervan.
Babs Taylor has
written a review of the book which you will find overleaf. We hope you will be
interested enough to come and join us for the six weeks of Lent. The book consists of six chapters, one for
each week, and we plan to read the relevant chapter at home during the week and
then get together on the following Monday evening to discuss what we have read,
to raise questions, to read and meditate on the set scripture for that chapter
and then end the meeting with prayer. It is hoped that through our reading of
the book and our reflection on God's word, that our understanding of Lent will
be deepened and that we will grow in faithfulness to Christ.
You can get a copy of
the book from the Oasis bookshop in Wallington, price £8.99. The Lent Reading Group will meet at 8 pm on Monday
1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 March and 5 April, at Carolyn and Rob's house, 24 St
George's Road, Wallington.
[Also see our
new Booklinks
page]
Jenifer Davison
Friday, 5 March 2004
Wallington services
will be as follows:
10.30 am St Mary's, Beddington
Speaker:
Mrs Marion Simpson
Refreshments
to follow
7.30 pm St Patrick's, Wallington
Speaker: Mrs Nicholas Baines
Refreshments
to follow
In an age when most
English people regard themselves as “spiritual”, but may express this through
crystals, Reiki or New Age beliefs, it is distressing that the church is not regarded
as a place where spirituality can be explored. Perhaps this is because those
practices which deepen Christian spirituality are done in secret, as Jesus
commanded us, so that our right hand does not know when our left hand gives or
we go about looking completely normal when we fast. Or it may be that such
things are not happening at all, in secret or otherwise! Sometimes, we are
little flippant or self-deprecating about our rituals and reduce “giving
something up for Lent” to a light-hearted topic of conversation – possibly
lacking the seriousness of Ramadan or Yom Kippur.
Nevertheless, Lent is
a time for giving ourselves a spiritual spring clean and revisiting the
disciplines which deepen our knowledge and love of God and neighbour. I
Thirst invites us to start our Lenten journey by reflecting on the Christ
who thirsts for us: the one, who on the Cross, plumbed the depths of human
experience in order to reach out to those who rejected him. Thirst, of course,
is more intense and unbearable even than hunger and offers a perfect metaphor
for a love so passionate and urgent. Canon Cottrell invites us to experience
something of Jesus’s overwhelming desire for God and the coming of his Kingdom.
In six chapters, one
for each week of Lent, he considers the disciplines of fasting and self
–denial; Bible study and meditation; self-examination and repentance; prayer
and the love of God; almsgiving and stewardship; and, lastly as a celebration
of Easter, evangelism. Each chapter begins with a discussion of an aspect of
Jesus’s thirst, which is then related to our lives. A section in each chapter,
entitled “Implications for Today” offers practical ways of living out Jesus’s
example, as we seek to deepen our understanding of Lent. For Lent Groups, a
particular passage (for example The Suffering Servant poem from Isaiah 53) is
offered for reading and discussion. Ways of reflecting on the passage or on
what has emerged through the group’s comments are suggested. Each section
concludes with a Lenten prayer. The whole book is deeply rooted in the Gospel,
especially that of St John, focusing on the narratives of the Crucifixion.
Many of us can aspire
to no greater Lenten sacrifice than that of giving up biscuits! Without
dismissing this relatively low level of self-denial, which may after all
symbolise something far holier, Canon Cottrell invites us to take up our Cross
and follow the Christ who cannot say “It is finished!” until his thirst for our
salvation has been assuaged.
There is much to
provoke thought and lead to prayer in this book and through it you may well
rediscover, as the Archbishop of Canterbury hopes, “the fresh waters of faith”.
I wish you much Lenten joy of what you may find in its pages.
[Also see our
new Booklinks
page]
Araba Taylor
And now for something
quite different - a novel and laugh out loud funny 'The No 1 Ladies
Detective Agency' by Alexander McCall Smith. The heroine, Precious Ramotswe, runs the Agency with the
assistance of Mma Makutsi who makes the tea and does the filing, and with
support and advice from her good friend Mr J L B Matekoni.
Mma Ramotswe loves her
country, Botswana, as obviously does the author who transports us to a
wonderful landscape and gives us insight into a very different way of life from
that in Beddington. Mma Ramotswe, who
only set out to help people solve the little mysteries of life, finds herself
involved in some of the big mysteries which puzzle us all - good and evil,
human relationships and all the very strange things that can happen.
The book and its
sequels are published in paperback by Abacus, price £6.99.
[Also see our
new Booklinks
page]
Pat Kingsbury
Churches Together in
Beddington & Wallington, as you know, is a well established group. We meet
regularly to plan services and events and discuss issues that affect all our
worshiping locals. The aim is that all congregations can meet together to get
to know each other, share ideas and, most of all, provide a unity for all
Christians in the area.
There is an event
taking place on Saturday, 3 April, from 9.30 to 4 pm at the new Holy Trinity
Centre and it is hoped that many from St Mary's will give it keen support. The
event is being hosted by Pilgrim Hearts, a Christian charity that aims to help
us discover our creativity whilst conveying the Christian message.
If you have ever
wanted to try your hand at graphic design, mosaic glass, art, creative writing,
drama or music workshops but have never been brave enough (perhaps because
others have made you feel that you need to be good at something before you try
it!), or you've simply never had the time or opportunity - this is the day for
you!
Tickets are £7 (£5 for
concessions) and as well as being able to choose three workshops you get a light
lent lunch and liquid refreshments.
If you are interested
and would like a booking form or would like more information talk to me either
after the service on Sunday or call me on 020 8254 9522. Booking forms are also
available from Oasis Bookshop in Wallington High Street.
It would be nice to
see lots of St Mary's faces on the day - so go on treat yourself to a day full
of new opportunities.
Carolyn Churchyard
On 20 March we have
the vernal (spring) equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumn equinox
in the southern hemisphere. What does this mean, exactly?
Well, according to the
UK's National Physical Laboratory, the astronomical events closely related to
the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter are the equinoxes and the
solstices.
The equinoxes occur in
March and September when the Sun is 'edgewise' to the Earth's axis of rotation
so that (neglecting the effect of atmospheric refraction) everywhere on Earth
has twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness.
The solstices occur in
June and December when the Earth's axis is at its extreme tilt towards and away
from the Sun so at mid-day it appears at its highest in one hemisphere and at
its lowest in the other.
These four events
repeat every 'tropical' year (365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes), so they become
later by about six hours, or (if there has been an intervening leap day)
earlier by about 18 hours, from one year to the next. They are not equally
spaced in the year, because the Earth's orbit around the Sun is elliptical, not
circular.
The Bishop Of
Southwark's…
Bishop Tom has
suggested the following seven projects as worthy of our generosity for Lent
2004. If you would like to support
these projects, then don't forget to come to Selwyn's Lent Lunches - the first
is on Friday, 27 February!
Currently 78,078
students get access to education through more than 200 education institutions
run by the diocese. However torrential
rain in 2002 damaged many schools and students have been using temporary
locations. The project is to rebuild 11
city schools and 9 rural schools, renovate 13 other schools and repair
others at a total cost of $440,000 (£300,000).
Started as a joint
Methodist Relief and Development Fund and Islamic Relief Association project
helping women suffering loss and hardship after war in Bosnia, SANA brings
together Christians and Muslims to help restore communities. The work involves helping local farmers
restart their businesses, assisting Bosnian schools and raising money for the
Tuzla orphanage for 180 babies and children.
The aim of SANA is to help people made enemies by war to become
neighbours again.
Founded in 1886 by
British missionaries, the Christian Hospital in Quetta is 50 miles from the
Afghan border. It covers an area from
600 miles in the north in Afghanistan to Karachi, 500 miles to the south.
As the level of the water table sinks there is now an urgent need to keep
the well functioning and repair piping and pumps.
A three-way project
between St John's Angell Town, the Christian Victory Group and St John's C of E
Primary School, to set up a nursery for children aged 0-5 years (full and
part-time) with space for learning opportunities and practical support for
parents and carers.
ZIMBABWE
PROJECTS
30km north of Gweru, the
clinic serves a fairly large rural population.
Before independence it was a hospital and the Diocese wishes to provide
that service again. Croydon Area
donations enabled the clinic to be renovated in the early 1990s, and also
provided an ambulance. The aim now is
to construct an administration block plus a ward and ablution facilities each
for: school boys, school girls, women, men, antenatal, labour, post-natal; and
a mortuary. The new complex will
include facilities for counselling and testing for HIV/AIDS, which is causing
untold suffering to people in Zimbabwe.
Over 3,000 people die each week from HIV/AIDS related diseases.
To restore the farm to
profitability and so avoid it being taken over by the authorities. The 200ha St Aidan's Farm, owned by the
Diocese of Matabeleland, is situated about 40kms north of Bulawayo. Due to financial constraints, the farm has not
been used for over 20 years and three bore holes, constructed in 1980, have been vandalised. Long term goals include developing
agricultural skills, and an orphanage and primary school for AIDS orphans.
The creation of an
Information/Communications Desk at the Diocese of Manicaland head office,
aiming to raise popular awareness of contemporary issues, and produce materials
to inform and educate church members and the public. (From USPG but being used as Woolwich Area project in
Zimbabwe.)
Feb 8 Harley Taylor Jamel and Kai
Junior Jamel both of 89 Croydon Road, Beddington
Feb 8 Louis John Leonard Thorpe of
62 Guy Road, Wallington
Feb 8 George Alan Gardiner of 9
Longfield Avenue, Wallington
Feb 8 Ben Thomas James Cannon of 51
Collyer Avenue, Beddington
Feb 14 Paul
Barry Denton and Judith Margaret Cole of 12 Greenleaf Avenue, Wallington
Jan
5 Joan Doreen Scott,
aged 79, of 102 Plough Lane
Jan 14 Maggie
Brown, aged 85, of 2 Marlesford Court
Jan 27 Rose
Lilian Davis, aged 79, of 80 Queenswood Avenue
Jan 30 Ronald
Payton, aged 79, of 67 Russell Court
Feb 4 May Elizabeth Payne, aged 93,
of 17 Richmond Green
Feb 6 Raymond Arthur Field, aged
75, of 1 Avro Way
Feb 16 Eileen
Louisa Mary Whitehouse, aged 91, of 4 Cavendish Court
Have you ever been
asked a perfectly straightforward question to which you are absolutely sure you
know the answer, and then … total blank?
I'm quite sure there were some of us who found ourselves in this
position at the Bell-Ringers' Annual Quiz last month.
The church centre was
full to capacity on the evening and once again it was good to be able to
welcome so many teams from neighbouring churches. Who would the winner be this year?
Once the
"starting pistol" was fired we were off! Scrap paper having already been distributed, we were able to look
to our first category of questions - general knowledge. Oh dear, we thought we might be OK on this
one! - but never mind, there was more to come.
After five rounds we
had a welcome break for supper.
Excellent though the fish was, I doubt it did much for our brain-power
at such short notice.
In the second half we
looked anxiously at the scoreboard several times - who was leading? - which
team had played their joker? - were we near the bottom?
Suddenly it was nearly
10.30 pm and the results were being announced.
The Kimber family had been extremely efficient with their adding-up and
declared the Rector's team the winner!
Well-done to all concerned. I
shall not comment on our final score.
Thank you,
bell-ringers, once again for a most enjoyable evening - and the financial
result (£411 for the Tower & Bells Fund) was brilliant, too.
Mary Tapp
PS I also had some very tasty marmalade for
my breakfast the next morning!!
Candlemas (February 1st)
saw the dedication by Bishop Nick of the new lighting system in the church, some
fifteen months after Selwyn first told us of the need to replace the old wiring
and lighting, and assured us that, though must we do it, we could afford to do
so.
Fund raising continued
over the next twelve months, some generous anonymous donations were received,
and tax rebates from covenanted giving, owed to us by the Inland Revenue, were
applied to the cause. The external
lighting was complete by the end of the summer, and, after some short but
frustrating delays at the end of November, Steve and his team from CES
Electrical and Lighting Engineers moved into the church in early December. Disruption was confined to a minimum up to
Christmas, while the initial works were carried out, though the church resembled
(and indeed was classified as) a building site during the week.
After Christmas, when
low level temporary lighting had to be installed for three weeks, the impact
was more obvious, though fate took a hand when the boilers gave out in a
particularly cold snap in January, and Selwyn and the wardens decided that we
could inflict either poor lighting or a cold church on the
congregation, but decidedly not both at the same time, and moved the Eucharist
into the Parish Centre, which was both warm and well-lit.
Final tests were
carried out in the last week of January (one of the perks of being a warden
being that we were given a sneak preview of what was to be unveiled) and it was
thus with a sense of excited anticipation that we welcomed Bishop Nick to the
9:30 Eucharist on February 1st. As
usual for Candlemas, we gathered in the Parish Centre, and, after prayers, lit
our candles and processed into the unlit church. For the Collect, readings and the Bishop’s sermon, spotlights
were lit over the lectern and pulpit. Then, after dedicatory prayers, the
candles were extinguished and the lights turned full on, giving us the
opportunity to look around and up, up into the roofs of the nave and the
Nicholas Chapel, with their newly-revealed and splendid decorations, while the
Choir sang “Holy is the True Light” by William Harris. In his sermon, the
Bishop had reminded us that the light was a means to an end, not a purpose in
itself, and that that end was to enable us, the people of the Church, to see
better what we were doing, and particularly, to see each other more clearly.
After the service,
there were wine and nibbles in the Centre, and then Graham Smith of CES, who
had earlier been welcomed and thanked by Selwyn, gave a brief demonstration of
some the different lighting scenes which this new system affords us. The lighting is not just “on” or “off”, but
can be altered in intensity, and through a number of pre-set scenes, permits
the effective lighting of different parts of the church for different purposes,
from the 9:30 Eucharist, through Evensong, to weekday Evening Prayer, from
Choir practice, through cleaning, to weddings - to name but six out of a
possible forty! Additional pleasures
include the special lighting of the Nicholas window, permitting us to see the
detail of the depiction of Beddington at night for perhaps the first time.
We are still
experimenting with the scenes, and would welcome your feedback to help us get
the levels right for each service. It
is surprising what a difference sensitive lighting makes to the feel of the
church at different times of day - for Evensong, for example, the lighting
encourages a calm, reflective, more intimate approach to worship, while the
setting for weddings, brightly lit, emphasises the joy of the occasion.
And now, we move on to
complete the job by renewing the lighting - and heating - in the tower and
vestries, which we hope to be able to undertake by the end of this year. We shall have some of the old fitments
available for sale - if you are in need of three very substantial candelabra
from the Nicholas Chapel, for instance, please see Pat or Ian.
In the meantime, our
warm thanks go to all who have supported the project so far, and particularly
to Graham Smith and his team from CES, who have provided us with a work of
great beauty to enhance our worship.
Ian Akhurst
1 March is St David's
Day, and it's time for the Welsh to wear daffodils or leeks. Shakespeare called
this custom 'an honourable tradition begun upon an honourable request' - but
nobody knows the reason. Why should anyone have ever 'requested' that the Welsh
wear leeks or daffodils to honour their patron saint? It's a mystery!
We do know that David -
or Dafydd - of Pembrokeshire was a monk and bishop of the 6th century. In the
12th century he was made patron of Wales, and he has the honour of being the
only Welsh saint to be canonised and culted in the Western Church. Tradition
has it that he was austere with himself, and generous with others - living on
water and vegetables (leeks, perhaps?!) and devoting himself to works of mercy.
He was much loved.
In art, St David is
usually depicted in Episcopal vestments, standing on a mound with a dove at his
shoulder, in memory of his share at an important Synod for the Welsh Church -
the Synod of Brevi
Everyone has heard of
St Patrick - the patron saint of Ireland. If you've ever been in New York on St
Patrick's Day, you'd think he was the patron saint of New York as well... the
vast, flamboyant parade is full of American/Irish razzmatazz.
It's all a far cry
from the hard life of this 5th century humble Christian who became in time both
bishop and apostle of Ireland. Patrick was born the son of a town councillor in
the west of England, but as a young man he was captured by Irish pirates, taken
to Ireland and reduced to slavery tending his master's herds.
Desolate and
despairing, Patrick turned to prayer. He found God was there for him, even in
such desperate circumstances. He spent much time in prayer, and his faith grew
and deepened, in contrast to his earlier years when he "knew not the true
God".
Then, after six
gruelling, lonely years he was told in a dream he would soon go to his own
country. He either escaped or was freed, made his way to a port 200 miles away
and eventually persuaded some sailors to take him with them away from Ireland.
After various
adventures in other lands, including near-starvation, Patrick landed on English
soil at last, and returned to his family. But he was much changed. He had
enjoyed his life of plenty before; now he wanted to devote the rest of his life
to Christ. Patrick received some form of training for the priesthood, but not
the higher education he really wanted.
But by 435, well
educated or not, Patrick was badly needed. Palladius' mission to the Irish had
failed, and so the Pope sent Patrick back to the land of his slavery. He set up
his see at Armagh, and worked principally in the north. He urged the Irish to
greater spirituality, set up a school, and made several missionary journeys.
Patrick's writings are
the first literature certainly identified from the British Church. They reveal
sincere simplicity and a deep pastoral care. He wanted to abolish paganism,
idolatry, and was ready for imprisonment or death in the following of Christ.
Patrick remains the
most popular of the Irish saints. The principal cathedral of New York is
dedicated to him, as, of course, is the Anglican cathedral of Dublin.
The Annunciation
of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This story (Luke
1.26-38) takes place in Nazareth, when Mary is already betrothed to Joseph. The
Archangel Gabriel comes to Mary, greets her as highly favoured, tells her not
to be afraid, that she will bear a son Jesus, and that her elderly cousin
Elizabeth is already pregnant (with John the Baptist).
The church calendar is
never quite as neat as some would like it. To celebrate the Annunciation on 25
March does indeed place the conception of Jesus exactly nine months from his
birth on 25 December, but the latter part of March almost inevitably falls
during Lent. But the birth and death of Jesus are intrinsically linked - he was
born to die, and thus fulfil God's purposes.
The Annunciation is a
significant date in the Christian calendar - it is one of the most frequent
depicted in Christian art. Gabriel's gracious strength and Mary's humble
dignity have inspired many artists. Certainly Mary's response to the angel has
for centuries been an example of good faith in practise - humility, enquiry of
God, and trusting acceptance in his will for her life.
Mon 1 The Lent Reading Group
Tue 2 Asylum seekers and refugees
Wed 3 Battered wives and runaway children
Thu 4 MU & Open Group Lent Meditation
tonight
Fri
5 Womens World Day of
Prayer services
Sat
6 Vocations to the
priesthood
Sun 7 Give thanks for the Church of the
Province of Central Africa
Mon 8 The Commonwealth
Tue 9 Our Link Dioceses in Zimbabwe
Wed 10 Our
local clergy fraternity
Thu 11 Give
thanks for our cultural diversity
Fri 12 Lent
lunches and the Bishop's Lent Appeal
Sat 13 Increase
of understanding between peoples of different faiths
Sun 14 Give
thanks for the Anglican Church of the Central American region
Mon 15 Work
as creative activity
Tue 16 All
who have to make difficult choices
Wed 17 Peace
in Northern Ireland
Thu 18 The
Church in Jerusalem
Fri 19 All
foster parents and the children they care for
Sat 20 Unemployed
people and all who work to help them
Sun 21 Give
thanks for all loving and caring mothers
Mon 22 All
churches as they plan for Holy Week and Easter
Tue 23 A
closer walk with God
Wed 24 Augustinian
religious communities
Thu 25 The
Mothers Union worldwide
Fri 26 Strengthening
of family life
Sat 27 Ann
Wright being commissioned today as MU Diocesan President
Sun 28 Give
thanks for the Province of the Anglican Church in the Congo
Mon 29 All
victims of violence and their families
Tue 30 Give
thanks for all poets and hymn writers
Wed 31 Rev'd
Robin Weeks and wife, Ursula, serving with "Crosslinks"
in Delhi
Retirement for a sportsperson
can be a traumatic experience. For many years so much of the person's own
identity has come from their sporting achievements and then it all comes to an
end.
At the World Track and
Field Championships in Paris in August 2003, Jonathan Edwards brought down the
curtain on an illustrious career. It was a career that had brought him world
titles, world records and an Olympic gold medal. Perhaps the highest accolade
was being called "the man who made triple jump sexy"!
However Jonathan knew
it was time to call and halt and move on. The catalyst was a fall in a
competition at Crystal Palace in mid August, when initially it seemed that he
had sustained a serious injury. It seemed that his career had ended in that
moment. Nonetheless, he recovered and was able to compete in the World
Championships in Paris.
In the press
conference where he announced his retirement, he surprised journalists with his
opening words: "I would like to preface what I say with a verse from the
Bible. Proverbs 16, verse 9, says: 'A man devises a plan in his heart but God
directs his path'. I probably thought God had directed my path off the triple
jump track at Crystal Palace two weeks ago and that was the end of my career.
As I lay in the pit, that was what was going through my mind. I thought I had broken my ankle, ruptured my
ligaments and tendons, and I could not have walked if I had wanted to. I pretty
much thought that was it and here endeth my career. Then, over the next few
days, something quite miraculous happened, in that my ankle was not badly hurt
at all. I sit here now feeling that almost a miracle has taken place.
I should not be here.
I come back to Proverbs 16, verse 9. I had planned to carry on to the Olympics
but God directed his path (for me), so I will jump here [Paris] and that will
be the end of my career. I feel God has been very gracious to allow my career
to end at Paris rather than on a stretcher at Crystal Palace".
Sadly there was no
final fanfare. He competed in the World Championships but made no real impact
on the competition.
His Christianity is
simple yet life-changing. He sums up what he believes like this:
"Man is sinful
and separated from God and can do nothing about that, and God of his own will
sent his Son to die on the cross for our sins and rose again. By virtue of
having faith in him we can be reconciled to God, as a gift, not something that
we can earn but as a gift and then out of that gift we give our lives in
service to God. My relationship with Jesus and with God is fundamental to
everything I do".
Jonathan's
achievements are enough to fill a book – literally*. He has been European
Champion, Commonwealth Champion, World Champion, Olympic Champion and world
record holder.
One thing which has
helped Jonathan throughout his career has been an ability to keep it all in
perspective. He describes himself as "jumping into a sand-pit for a
living!" He goes on, "I think you can get terribly serious about
sport. It can become the be-all and end-all, but when you reduce it to its
fundamentals, rationalise it, football is kicking around on grass, trying to
stick between two posts with a net a piece of plastic with air inside it. You
jump three times into a sand-pit, they measure the distance and suddenly you're
famous!"
As he contemplates
life after triple-jump, with an attitude of keeping his relationship with Jesus
at the centre of everything whether in broadcasting, business or whatever life
takes him, he can have confidence for the future.
This article was
written by Stuart Weir of Christians in Sport.
*A Time to Jump (The authorised biography of Jonathan
Edwards), Malcolm Folley, Harper Collins 2000.
[Also see our
new Booklinks
page]
To get his wealth he
spent his health
And then with might and main
He turned around and spent his wealth
To get his health again.
The magnificent new
QM2, the pride of the Cunard fleet, has casinos and swimming pools and restaurants
and even a theatre on board – but no chapel and no chaplain. One Christian
minister has said: "How many Christians who own shares in the shipping
company are prepared to raise the matter at the annual general meeting? Matters
will only change if Christians care enough to make their voices heard."
Join weatherman, Ian
Currie, at Carshalton Library where he will be giving a talk on the above.
Date: 31 March,
from 7-9 pm. Tickets cost £1.95 - book
in advance or check ticket availability.
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