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.

What’s On In March?

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	Women’s World Day of Prayer
		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

Readings for Sundays and Festivals in March

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)

Saints in March

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

Music at Evensong in March

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

Annual Parochial Church Meeting

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

Cupids 'N' Kisses

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

Holy Week & Easter

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 (11^th). 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

Lent Reading Group

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

Womens World Day Of Prayer

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

“I Thirst”, Stephen Cottrell (Zondervan)

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

I detect a smile…

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

Support For CTBW

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

March's Spring Equinox

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.

Lent Call 2004

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!

Diocese of Madras (Church of South India) Schools Rebuilding Project

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).

SANA - Rebuilding Communities in Bosnia

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.

Christian Hospital in Quetta

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.

Victory Nursery, St John's, Angell Town

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

Croydon Area / Central Zimbabwe: St Patrick's Clinic upgrading

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.

Kingston Area / Matabeleland : St Aidan's Farm Project

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.

Woolwich Area / Manicaland: Give the Church a Voice (Manicaland)

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.)

From the registers

Baptisms

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

Weddings

Feb 14 Paul Barry Denton and Judith Margaret Cole of 12 Greenleaf Avenue, Wallington

Funerals

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

Does It Ring A Bell?…

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!!

And There Was Light…

Candlemas (February 1^st) 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

St David - 1 March

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

St Patrick - 17 March

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.

Lady Day - 25 March

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.

Daily prayer topics in March

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

When Jonathan Edwards retired

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]

Round in circles

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.

No room on the board

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."

Droughts, Deluges and Dust Devils

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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