Saints,
Commemorations and Feast Days
How
can I understand unless someone guides me?
Charity
Concert for The Royal Marsden Hospital
Friends
of Beddington and Grange Parks
Easter
Vestry and Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Surrey
Churches Preservation Society
Inspired!
campaign to save historic churches
Signs
& Symbols in Church : Flowers
Whats on in June? |
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Thu |
1 |
MU&OG. The Centre A talk by Allan Palmer on Music about Churches |
7.30 pm |
|
Sat |
3 |
IGNITE Youth Service at St Johns, Sylvan Road, Upper Norwood |
5.00 pm |
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SUN |
4 |
PENTECOST. Whit Sunday Meeting of Servers in church |
11.00 am |
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Wed |
7 |
St Marys Guild Tea Party at St Marys Court - in the garden weather permitting! |
2.30 pm |
|
Sat |
10 |
London Borough of Suttons Take Part, Take Pride event in Beddington Park. Church open 10 am to 1.30 pm. Churchyard tidy-up by members of the congregation during the afternoon Albinoni String Orchestra Concert |
7.30 pm |
|
Sun |
11 |
TRINITY SUNDAY Guides and Brownies at 9.30 am Eucharist Baptisms Picnic in the Park with Churches Together in Beddington and Wallington. The Paddock |
11.15 am Midday |
|
Thu |
15 |
MU&OG. Topic to be arranged |
7.30 pm |
|
Fri |
16 |
Travelling Trends Fashion Show at St Elpheges - raising money for Beddington District Guiding |
7.00 pm |
|
SUN |
18 |
TRINITY 1 |
|
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Wed |
21 |
MU Corporate Eucharist Friends of Beddington & Grange Parks |
10.00 am 7.00 pm |
|
Sat |
24 |
Progressive Supper (see weekly notices for more info.) |
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SUN |
25 |
TRINITY 2 Churches Together in Beddington and Wallington Music Festival at St Elpheges (No Evensong at St Marys) |
7.00 pm |
Whats on in July? |
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|
Sat |
1 |
May Charity Concert in aid of The Royal Marsden Hospital |
1.00 pm 7.30 pm |
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SUN |
2 |
TRINITY 3 Families At St Marys Fun Day and BB |
2.-5.00 pm |
|
Wed |
5 |
Magazine Panel meets at 35 Vanguard Way St Marys Guild meeting. Whats In A Name? - talk by Pat Kingsbury |
11.00 am 2.30 pm |
|
Thu |
6 |
MU&OG. Dining Out Evening |
7.30 pm |
|
SUN |
9 |
TRINITY 4 |
|
|
Sat |
15 |
St Swithun |
|
|
SUN |
16 |
TRINITY 5 SMYLEs Duck Day |
11.30-3.00 |
|
Sat |
22 |
Mary Magdalene |
|
|
SUN |
23 |
TRINITY 6 (Last Choral Evensong before our choirs summer break) |
|
|
SUN |
30 |
TRINITY 7 |
|
Thu 1 Justin, Martyr at Rome, c165
Sat 3 Martyrs of Uganda, 1885-7 and 1977
Mon 5 Boniface (Wynfrith) of Crediton, Bishop, Apostle of Germany, Martyr, 754
Thu 8 Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath & Wells, Nonjuror, Hymn Writer, 1711
Fri 9 Columba, Abbot of Iona, Missionary, 597
Mon 12 BARNABAS THE APOSTLE
Tue 22 Alban, first Martyr of Britain, c250
Fri 23 Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely, c678
Sat 24 BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
Wed 28 Irenaus, Bishop of Lyons, Teacher, c200
Thu 29 PETER and PAUL, APOSTLES
Sat 1 Henry, John and Henry Venn the Younger, Priests, Evangelical
Divines, 1797, 1813 and 1873
Mon 3 THOMAS THE APOSTLE
Thu 6 Thomas More, Scholar, and John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester,
Reformation Martyrs, 1535
Tue 11 Benedict of Nursia, Abbot of Monte Cassino, Father of
Monasticism, c550
Fri 14 John Keble, Priest, Tractarian, Poet, 1866
Sat 15 Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, c862
Bonaventure, Friar, Bishop, Teacher, 1274
Tue 18 Elizabeth Ferard, first deaconess of the Church of England,
Founder of the Community of St Andrew, 1883
Wed 19 Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, and his sister Macrina, Deaconess,
Teachers of the Faith, c394 and c379
Thu 20 Margaret of Antioch, Martyr, 4th Century
Bartolom de las Casas, Apostle to the Indies, 1566
Sat 22 MARY MAGDALENE
Tue 25 JAMES THE APOSTLE
Wed 26 Anne and Joachim, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thu 27 Brooke Foss Westcott, Bishop of Durham, Teacher, 1901
Sat 29 Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Companions of our Lord
Mon 31 Ignatius of Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus, 1556
Sunday, 4 June
Pentecost
Acts 2: 1-21
Romans 8: 22-27
John 15: 26-27, 16: 4b-15
Sunday, 11 June
Trinity Sunday
Readings to be presented by
the Guides and Brownies
Sunday, 18 June
Trinity 1
Genesis 14: 18-20
1 Corinthians 11: 23-26
John 6: 51-58
Sunday, 25 June
Trinity 2
Job 38: 1-11
2 Corinthians 6: 1-13
Mark 4: 35-end
Sunday, 2 July
Trinity 3
Lamentations 3: 23-33
2 Corinthians 8: 7-15
Mark 5: 21-43
Sunday, 9 July
Trinity 4
Ezekiel 2: 1-5
2 Corinthians 12: 2-10
Mark 6: 1-13
Sunday, 16 July
Trinity 5
Amos 7: 7-15
Ephesians 1: 3-14
Mark 6: 14-29
Sunday, 23 July
Trinity 6
Jeremiah 23: 1-6
Ephesians 2: 11-22
Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56
Sunday, 30 July
Trinity 7
2 Kings 4: 42-44
Ephesians 3: 14-21
John 6: 1-21
Sunday 4 June
Canticles: Holman in F Minor
Anthem: And Didst Thou Travel Light - Shephard
Sunday 11 June
Canticles: Sumsion in G atb
Anthem: Rejoice in the Lord Always - Lang
Sunday 18 June
Canticles: Harwood in Ab
Anthem: Jubilate Deo - Britten
Sunday 25 June
No Evensong at St Marys.
The choir will be singing at the Churches Together Music Festival at St Elpheges Church
Sunday 2 July
Canticles: Sumsion in G
Anthem: I Will Love Thee - Kalinikoff
Sunday 9 July
Canticles: Moore Fauxbordun No 2
Anthem: Seek Him the Seven Stars - Elgar
Sunday 16 July
Canticles: Howells in G
Anthem: My Eyes For Beauty Pine - Howells
Sunday 23 July
Canticles: Sumsion in A
Anthem: The Heavens Are Telling - Haydn
Choral Evensong will recommence on 3 September after our choirs summer break. We wish them happy holidays.
Every Sunday we pray for people living and working in two or three roads in the parish.
Sunday 4 June
Bristow Road, Collyer Avenue
Sunday 11 June
Bedlow Way, Nicholas Road
Sunday 18 June
Willoughby Avenue, Oakley Avenue
Sunday 25 June
Claydon Drive
Sunday 2 July
Sunday 9 July
Crispin Close, Crispin Crescent
Sunday 16 July
Harrington Close, Beddington Lane
Sunday 23 July
Therapia Lane, Elberon Avenue, Jessops Way
Sunday 30 July
Brookmead Road, Oakmead Road, Homemead Road
Later in this magazine is an article by
It was also, unexpectedly, an opportunity to talk about God. We didnt go looking for the opportunities, they just happened. I know I wasnt the only one who was asked to explain things about Christianity, asked about my faith and what it means to me, or asked about the Bible and ways of beginning to read it. People were genuinely interested. They wanted to know, they wanted to have an opportunity to discuss their faith and their belief. They needed to have someone alongside them who wouldnt laugh at them, who would treat them as a real human being and who could help in some small way. In our arguably post-Christian world its something that may happen to any of us in the most unlikely circumstances a challenge and an opportunity for us all.
It made me reflect on a theme that runs through our readings between Easter and Pentecost the need to have someone by our side as we make our journeys in faith. We began on Easter Day with the story of the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus, talking to the frightened disciples, explaining to them the events of Holy Week, opening their eyes to a new way of being. Then there was the story of Philip talking to the Ethiopian, explaining to him what lay behind the words that he was reading, encouraging him, teaching him. And we have read about Peter in the home of Cornelius, again teaching, explaining, discussing.
Its a story thats common in our lives. We often need someone to explore things with, to discuss things with, a wise man or woman we can turn to. We need people around us to encourage us, to help us to see and to understand what hasnt been clear before. Many of us can look back in our lives and point to the people who have been important for us in that way: parents, Sunday School teachers, youth leaders, friends. And we may have been there for other people, helping them as they explore what God might mean for them.
Its easy to forget that we need to keep on feeding ourselves, that our Christian development doesnt stop when were confirmed. Its only by continually looking after our faith-life that we can look after other people. As we get older, our need to have people by our side doesnt diminish we still need opportunities to learn and to explore. Part of that we do as we gather in church week by week, as we worship together, as we read and study the Bible together, teasing out what our faith might mean in our lives. But sometimes we need something a little more formal. Over the coming year, we will be running three short courses at St Marys with the aim of helping us explore our beliefs, nurturing our own faith and so being more able to accompany others. The courses will run in September, in Lent and in the summer, and each will last from 4 to 6 weeks. The courses will run in the evenings and during the day. In those sessions, we will reflect on our own experiences of life, sharing and learning from each other.
For those who would like to do something more academic, the
diocese is offering a three term course in Biblical and Theological studies.
This course is built on the academic pattern of Old and New Testament, Doctrine,
Ethics and Liturgy and runs at Croydon Parish Church or Trinity House near
London Bridge. If you want to know more details, talk to
If all of that seems too daunting, please remember that Im only a phone call away. If there is anything that you want to talk about, anything thats confusing you or worrying you, then please grab me after church or call me. Please dont think that you are taking up valuable time, or that your question is too trivial. Jenifer, our Reader, or Heather our Pastoral Assistant are also there to help too. Please talk to us, wed love to accompany you on your journey.
Justine
Fireworks! Fires! .. and a huge party!
Saturday, 3 June at 5 pm
Its all part of IGNITE, a celebration of Pentecost thats being organised by St Johns Upper Norwood for the younger members of the churches in Croydon. The hope is that, as we worship together, well all catch the enthusiasm and unpredictability of the Holy Spirit as we celebrate that wonderful gift of God together and that we will be sent out filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Some of the members of SMYLE will be going, together with Justine (who still fondly imagines she falls into the category of younger member) and well let you know all about it in the next edition of the magazine.
Saturday 10 June 2006
7.30 pm
Conductor Ian Butterworth
Leader Jillian Warburton
Harp Stephen Lewis
Programme:
Concerto in E Minor - Charles Avison
Five Variants of Dives & Lazarus - Ralph Vaughan Williams
Lady Radnors Suite - Hubert Parry
Aria in Classical style for Harp & Strings - Marcel Grandjany
Fugue in A minor - Johann Sebastian Bach
Simple Symphony - Benjamin Britten
Tickets (including interval refreshments)
Adults 6 Students 2 under 12s free Family ticket 15
available from Sue (8669 3220), Pat (8660 1047), Pam (8643 7948), or at door
Proceeds to Friends
of the Elderly and Church Funds
As mentioned in last months magazine, this years Albinoni String Orchestra Concert will be part of St Marys contribution to the London Borough of Suttons Take Part, Take Pride event. The church will be open from 10 am, closing at 1.30 pm so that the musicians can rehearse. But members of the congregation will be busy in the churchyard during the afternoon doing their bit for our immediate environment - and happy to talk to visitors about the church and its place in the park and the community.
In Church on
Saturday, 1 July at 7.30 pm
Featuring:
Sutton Schools Percussion Group
Collingwood School Choir
St Marys Handbell Ringers
plus soloists and ensembles
Tickets: 2 Under 16s: 1 (includes refreshments)
available from church or order on 020 8669 7011/020 8647 4376
There will be a collection in aid of The Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton
The Royal Marsden Hospital
The above concert will be in aid of The Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton.
In 1851 Dr William Marsden founded a specialist cancer hospital in Fulham and in 1963, a second site was opened in Sutton. The hospital is a leader in its field and remains at the forefront of cancer research.
Many of us know someone who has been treated there and when the Handbell ringers decided they wanted to organise a concert, they thought they would like to support the place where one of their founder-members, Stewart Kimber, had died in 2004.
Stewarts younger son, Chris, runs the Borough Percussion Group and he is bringing members along to take part. They are very good. Stewarts daughter-in-law runs the choir at Collingwood School and she is bringing them to entertain as well. The Handbell ringers will feature too and there will be items from other members of the congregation.
There is a only a small entry fee because we want people to make generous donations to this very worthy local cause.
Please buy your tickets early and come and support us.
Sunday, 16 July
11.30am to 3.00pm
SMYLE wants to invite you to write
A limerick, cheery and bright
A duck must be in it,
Could even begin it,
Just let your ideas take flight!
OK, we admit it wasnt that good. Think you could do better? Well heres your chance. As part of our Duck Day, were holding a limerick competition. From now until July 9th, we want you to write as many 5-lined verses on ducks as you can think of. You are welcome to submit more than one, at 50p per entry. Winner will receive a great prize on Duck Day.
Were also holding a short story competition. As with the limericks, stories should have at least one duck/duckling in them, but feel free to be as imaginative as you like. Entries are 50p each, and should also be in by the 9th.
Please clearly mark your entries Limerick/Story Competition and place in box under tower, or send to the Rectory. Happy Writing!!!
Other fun attractions on our Duck Day (which, we assure you, will cause no harm to any ducks!) will include:
- A sponsored duck race on the Wandle.
- Decorated Hat Competition
- Whack-a-Duck and other side-show games, including guessing games
- Drinks stall (non-alcoholic)
So come, bring your picnic lunch, and join in the fun
And just to remind you, the proceeds from the day will go to our chosen charity of the year, Bag Books. This charity writes and produces multi-sensory story books for children with severe learning difficulties.
Please help SMYLE to put a smile on the face of a child.
There once was a youth
group called SMYLE,
Who planned a fun day
in duck-style.
Itll be such a treat,
With bills and webbed
feet,
And we promise that it
wont be vile!
Families at St
Marys invite you to join them in the Paddock for their Fun Day and BB
Churches Together in Beddington and Wallington welcome you to two events:
Sunday, 11 June Picnic in the Park lunchtime event. All welcome! Bring a packed lunch and join everyone in the Paddock just in front of Sts.
Sunday, 25 June Churches Together Music Festival - 7pm at StElpheges Church, Stafford Road.and support Churches Together and our own choir and handbell ringers.
Stop Press! . Stop Press! . Stop Press! Watch out for notices/posters announcing
Happening at St Marys at the end of July
We are delighted to report that during Christian Aid Week, 14-20 May, we beat our target and collected a grand total of 1,068.69.
If anyone still has a donation that hasnt been collected, get it to Jane and she will pay it in for you.
DIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK
Wednesday, 17 May
2006
On Wednesday, 17 May, our MU Banner had a trip out to Southwark Cathedral. Some clever person had made a strong denim bag in which to carry the three parts of the dissembled banner. The rather unusual shape of the elongated shoulder bag aroused some curiosity as I sat on the platform at Wallington Station, and I began to wonder if the anti-terrorist squad would be sent for to investigate the suspicious looking baggage! The man sitting next to me on the bench could contain his curiosity no longer, Thats an interesting looking shape he said. I explained that I was a member of the Mothers Union and that the shape contained the MU Banner which I was taking to the Cathedral. A young woman standing on the other side of him grinned widely, she too was probably wondering what such a shape could be.
Having got safely to the Cathedral without causing injury to fellow travellers with pole ends, I made my way to the South Transept in order to re-assemble the banner. Two kind MU members who had already got their banners together turned to help and as soon as St Mary the Virgin Beddington was revealed, the face of one of the ladies lit up, Oh, she said, St Marys. I was baptised, confirmed and married there, and my husband was in the choir as a boy in about 1938. She now lives in Coulsdon and said that it was quite a time before she and her husband were weaned away from St Marys.
It never ceases to amaze me just how many people both in and outside the parish have fond memories of St Marys. We have such a responsibility to maintain this beautiful church, not only as an historic gem, but a place where people can feel welcome and at home, a place where the love of God can always be found.
Anyway, back to the MU and the Morning Service at the Cathedral, which was well attended and banners from all over the Diocese were processed in at the beginning. The trouble with being a banner carrier is that you miss seeing this riot of colour from such a variety of banners, from so many parishes still maintaining a branch of the Mothers Union, supporting and upholding Christian family life. The theme of the service was Answering Gods Call. The MU suffers the same problems as all church organisations in that it is difficult to find people to lead, and even to find new members. We all live such busy lives.
The Diocesan Chaplain, Revd Graham Paddick, gave the address, which was both entertaining and inspiring, and at the end of the service we each had a candle which was lit from the Paschal Candle, representing our commitment to go out into the world carrying the light and love of Christ to all. Inside our service sheets we each received a copy of the following prayer to take away with us and to use:
You Lord are our light.
You dwell amongst us,
enlarging our vision,
stretching our horizons,
and calling us to new possibilities.
Carry us beyond the boundaries
of our small dreams.
Help us to respond to your call,
to join in your dance of life
and to share your light and peace
wherever there is darkness
in the world.
AMEN
Jenifer Davision
MU Member
Weve got a film company coming to make a TV programme at the church, said Justine, and they want to use the tower. I think we need a ringer present. Right.
The technical crew came for a recce in April and Chris Kimber went to meet them. They were rapt with the church and surrounds (isnt everyone?) and they went off to sort the details.
The filming date was set for May 17, starting at midday. Justine and I met with the assistant location manager and then it all began to happen. Three or four pantechnicons arrived and disgorged what looked like miles of cable, enough lights to rival Blackpool, big furry microphones, bags of radios, clothes and clutches of huge umbrellas (good thinking, as it turned out).
The props crew arrived with armfuls of flowers with which they decorated the lychgate and two huge pedestals beside the west door. Interestingly they had all been made by young men! (Ideas for recruitment to your team, Sue?)
The aim of the day was to film scenes for a BBC production of a political/comedy/drama (their description), called, I believe, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard and starring Jane Horrocks in the title role. Briefly, her daughter gets jilted by the groom on her wedding day. The Best Man has the unenviable task of giving her the news under the lychgate. The groom later has a fit of conscience and, as night falls, decides to throw himself off the tower! I wont spoil it by telling you what happens next
What I will tell you is that the Best Man spent most of the afternoon rushing down the church path waving a mobile to impart the bad news to Jane Horrocks. The director didnt seem to like any of the takes and the poor chap was almost on his knees by the time they got it in the can. Of course, the weather didnt help. It kept pouring down and halting proceedings. By six oclock theyd had enough and went away for a meal. Justine and I locked up and walked over to the Rectory for a sit on a chair with a cushion, as she put it. Half-an-hour later, my phone rang - they wanted to get back in. I obliged - and then the fun began.
Authentic-looking police cars, an ambulance and a fire engine all turned up. Tough-looking policemen in their glo-jackets strolled around the church admiring the art-work and enquiring about the strings concert. It was bizarre. A cherry-picker lorry turned up and, after a serious struggle, manoeuvred itself into Carew Manor. The lights were then craned up to a death-defying height. Far below in the churchyard and inside the church, other huge lamps, that wouldnt look out of place in a lighthouse, were set up. Cables like giant snakes wound all round the church and in and out of doors and windows. What looked like a miniature railway crossed in front of the west door and strange pieces of equipment rode up and down it. There were dozens of people everywhere, each with their very specific jobs. It was fascinating to watch.
During the afternoon Id realised the floodlighting would come on just as it wasnt needed! I wont bore you with all the efforts to prevent it, sufficient to say, that when those efforts proved in vain and the unwanted lights did appear, Chris was there to right the wrong! He and Tamasine had arrived to cover the late shift and kindly fetched a much-needed take-away.
When the electrician had arrived in the morning, Id taken him up the tower so that he could see where to plug in his cables for the top-of-the-tower scene. As he put it, he was built on the lines of Winnie-the-Pooh and on reaching the top part of the staircase, felt he might suffer the same fate and get stuck! However, he panted and puffed his way safely up and down and later I took the stuntman and the stunt co-ordinator up the same route. As was to be expected, they were somewhat fitter!
With the darkness, came more heavy rain. The Director and his minions seated themselves inside the church and everyone watched the actions on monitors. I detected the first signs of rising concern as time ticked inexorably by. They needed to be finished by midnight or else it meant another days pay! The stuntman (playing the part of the groom) had been dressed in his morning suit since about half past seven, so by half past eleven he was probably ready to throw himself off the tower out of sheer boredom. The actors said they got used to all the waiting around; some chatted, some wandered round the church (one even read a Bible!) and some flipped through magazines. Just after 11.30, the stuntman and the co-ordinator climbed up the tower, attached the harness and there he sat, for the next half hour, dangling over the top of the tower, 80 feet or so above the ground. Fortunately the rain had ceased because an umbrella would have been out of the question up there - the wind was so strong, hed have taken off like Mary Poppins!
Again, this scene took a while to get right. Im not sure how many times the police car skidded up the church path and the paramedics and firemen scuttled around like ants. Eventually the director was satisfied and they all packed up. We had to wait till every vestige was gone from the church before we could lock up. The props lads brought us some of the leftover flowers. The big one wouldnt go in my car so Chris took it and I got a modest bunch of carnations and lilies. Chris and I eventually left the church about twenty to one.
One of the things that amazed me the most was how polite and considerate everyone was. Id expected a lot of luvvies who swanned around importantly but they couldnt have been more different. They asked permission for absolutely everything from drinking a cup of coffee in the vestry to sitting in a pew! They were friendly and kept thanking us for every tiny bit of help. Im grateful also for Justines company from time to time (as well as Chris and Tamasines) and I hope Justines forgiven me for plunging her into semi-darkness as she was saying Evening Prayer - well they needed the lights off in the church and I couldnt find the Carew Chapel button!
Do look out for this Kudos production to be screened on the BBC sometime after September. I hope it turns out well. It was certainly an amazing day.
In the past, St Marys ringers have held an annual coach outing. Many of you have joined us on such occasions. Unfortunately, the rising costs of hiring a coach, together with reduction of coach drivers hours, were making such a venture prohibitively expensive and it was decided we couldnt justify such an Outing this year.
However, ringing at other towers is good experience, so as we had some new recruits, we thought wed take them on a little trip round a few local towers. All but two of our band were able to come along and I invited the two new members from St Marys congregation to write their views on the day. The following contribution is the work of Ian Atkins and Rob Churchyard.
This year the tower outing was held on Saturday 20th May. There was a wonderful turn out, with 15 members of the St Marys Beddington tower and two guest helpers. We all had a great time. It was nice that a number of members families also joined us on our day out and supported the band.
We started at the first tower at 9.45pm at Merstham, with its ground-floor ring of eight bells. Because our members are at very differing stages of ability, we were able to do a variety of ringing. The newer, less-experienced members were helped by the more advanced ringers with the easier type of ringing called call changes. This is where someone calls the moves out and we try to keep up; all very complicated but thoroughly enjoyable! With such a happy, fun group as we have in our tower, when a mistake is made (and they are!) everyone helps, pointing out where you should be - all with very little fuss.
We had about 45 minutes at the first tower, then moved on to the second at Nutfield. Members of the tower were there to greet us (and show us the ropes!) and after some more fun at this tower on the six bells, we headed to Bletchingley, another lovely church in a lovely village setting. Here we rang on 10 bells, very similar to ours, only conveniently on the ground floor. At 12.45pm it was time for lunch at The Star at Lingfield. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the fayre and to our delight the food arrived very quickly, meaning there was time for pudding! The portions were very generous, and with tea and coffee to finish, very agreeable.
We didnt have far to go to the next tower - just across the road, past some lovely old houses and into the churchyard. This church was in a wonderful setting in gorgeously manicured grounds. Again, we were met on arrival, and in the small rope chamber at the base of the tower we were able to ring several different methods as well as call changes. As the ringing room was on the smallish size, if you werent ringing you could look around the church and at the amazing statues dating back to the mid 14th century.
Our last tower was St Marys at Caterham-on-the-Hill. We arrived at 3.45pm and some of our group didnt like the ladder affair to get up to the tower, but it was worth the climb and at the top we found a note welcoming us to the tower, and the walls were festooned with pictures and jokes, so those not ringing could pass their time reading the walls. Sts is a nice little church and the eight bells sounded wonderful. We left this final tower at 4.30pm and set off for home talking about our great day out.
Thank you to
Our annual Parish
Wednesday, 21 June, 7pm at The
Grange,
Fish & Chip Supper ... Bar Available
Teams of 1-6 players : Entry 2 per person, payable on the night
To register your team and book your supper call 020 8286 2640
In September 2005 I attended a seminar on Handling the Inclusive Ministry Report. This Report was concerned that the number of black and other ethnic minorities in ministry was very small compared with their numbers in our congregations. One of the ways in which it was recommended that parishes address this problem was by building on black theology. At a subsequent PCC meeting we realised that we didnt know what black theology was! And so on Tuesday, 7 March, off I went to Trinity House to attend a course on this subject. The course leader was Garnet Parris who is a director on this subject at Birmingham University.
It all began in the USA in the 1960s with the Civil Rights Movement led by people such as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and Stokely Carmichael. Black Liberation Theology (which is its full title) was having its own struggles out of which arose the National Coalition of Black Churches. They asked themselves, What have we been saying? What is the relevance of Black Churches in all this? and How can we respond to what is going on?, and so the first statement of Black Theology was that it had to speak to black experience. The problems could not be addressed by traditional theology due to the massive unrest in black communities and their fight for the right to vote. The Churches began asking What is the Gospel saying to black people? - to those living in ghettos and other deprived situations. Back clergy felt they had to relate to the black experience.
The 1960s was awash with liberation theologies. James Cone, a very strong political theologian has written books on Black Theology. In South Africa similar things were taking place. The first black theologians stuck to the Bible, whereas others saw things from a cultural aspect. The Bible stories such as Exodus gave hope when seen through the prism of black experience. So the churches have become a source of liberation, building on their own faith traditions. Cultural sources, such as art, music and dance, are important. Black Theology uses African thought, black resources and aspects of black life and culture, including African traditional religions. There is a large growth in African Initiated Churches which are taking some things out of African religions, such as ancestor worship. For them, this world and the next has no great separation and they see their ancestors affecting things in this life. The question for the churches is How can these things be accommodated? But this is not a movement detached from the scriptures, they still want to hold on to the Bible.
I came away from the course having learned something of what Black Theology is all about. The miracle of the Bible is that it speaks to all peoples, of all races and cultures, bringing redemption, hope and strength in all the circumstances of our lives. Jesus Christ came to set us free from the power of sin and death. Our understanding of what that means will of course be seen through the prism of our own life experiences, but may this understanding of how God works in our lives - as individuals, as people of a certain race or culture - never divide us, for we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, making the same spiritual journey to our Lord and God. Our Lords commandment is that we should be one, even as He and the Father are One. May we all be given the grace to see and understand things from the other persons point of view, and love one another even as our Lord loves us.
Jenifer Davison
This year's London Bridge walk will take place on Saturday, 16 September.
For the past two years St Marys has been represented by myself, Oliver my son, Diana my mother,
The walk will once again start from the Tate Modern. Scooby-Doo and Shaggy will be at the start to cheer on walkers. The Thames Festival will start on the day of the walk so the South Bank will be awash with food and craft stalls and entertainment. There will be complimentary goody bags and a medal on completion of the walk. There will also be prizes for the most successful fundraisers.
I have been sent information and registration packs so if you would like to join "Team St Marys" please can you let me know by Sunday, 4 June. The event is open to all ages, all I recommend is that you have comfortable shoes and something waterproof!
For more information please go to www.childrenssociety.org.uk/walks
Emma Thompson
Childrens Society
Representative
A very sincere thank you to everyone for all your prayers, kind thoughts and lovely get well cards you sent me while in hospital - all were very much appreciated, comforting and a support. Thank you to those who kindly came and visited me - it was so nice to see you and cheered me up; nice to catch up on local news too!
Its nice to be home again - at the moment I am getting around indoors with the aid of a frame. I look forward to being more mobile and hope to see you all again soon.
Joan Walker
St Marys Court, or to give it its formal title, The Hospital of St Mary and Hamilton Almshouses, is a complex of 15 self-contained flats for Residents (plus one for a Warden) situated in Bute Road. In order to qualify for occupancy of one of the flats, for which a modest maintenance charge is made, residents must be aged 60 or over, members of the Church of England and have lived in the ancient parish of Beddington, or be on the Electoral Roll of one of its present-day parishes, for the previous five years. The parishes in question are St Marys, Beddington; Holy Trinity, Wallington; St Michaels, South Beddington, and All Saints, Hackbridge. Since St Marys Court is designated as an Almshouse and not a Nursing or Care Home, residents are required to cater for their own needs, and the assistance of the Warden is meant for emergencies only.
Over the past few months, for a variety of reasons - moving nearer to family or into residential care or, sadly, through death - a number of flats have become vacant. Recent advertising has enabled two flats to be occupied, but others remain vacant.
The Trustees intend to advertise the vacant flats (by means
of posters in each of the above-mentioned parish churches) at the end of June /
beginning of July. They have set a closing date of 17th July, with interviews
of would-be applicants on 29th July. If you are interested in applying for a flat,
or would like to know more, do have a word with
There once was a young
duck named Phil,
Who lived underneath
an old mill.
With a feathery back,
He went
Til
someone said Shut your big bill!
Sunday, 23 April 2006
at 11.00 am
This year, for the first time, the meetings were held after the Sunday morning service. This timing was welcomed by the congregation who found it more convenient than the usual weekday evening slot.
The Easter Vestry meeting saw the re-appointment of Pat
Kingsbury and
The APCM received the usual reports from the Churchwardens and the Treasurer. Further reports were received from the Social Committee, Churchyard Committee, the Church Centre Committee, our Deanery Synod representative and Families at St Marys. All hard-working stalwarts were thanked for what they do.
The Centre Committee Chairman told us that since the present committee had remained largely unchanged since 1995, more hands in helping to keep the Centre managed and running smoothly would be welcome. Any offers?
Another plea was for more people to help on Bank Holidays and Sunday afternoons when the church is open - just an hour of your time is needed to meet and greet visitors.
Although ashes can still be accommodated in the current area, this will eventually run out of space. A Faculty has therefore been granted for a small new area in the churchyard to be established for the deposition of ashes. The area will be marked out with box bushes.
Families celebrated their third year this Easter. They saw their remit as being to bring families together to socialise and join in Christian fellowship. The help given by SMYLE was much appreciated and its members loved by children and families alike.
Voting for the 2006/7 P