Saints
and Commemorations in May
Readings
for Sundays and Festivals in May
But
what am I supposed to do with my life?
Strong
Man vs. Man of Strength
I know I speak for many when I say that the service of meditations on the Seven Last Words from the Cross was one of the most profound parts of Holy Week for me. Imoved by the eloquence and passion with which seven people from the congregation reflected on the words of Jesus as he was dying on the cross, and the way they related that to our lives today. I felt that God was very much with us as we listened and learned together.
I was also moved by the variety of ways in which people had approached the task some structured their meditation as a prayer, in others we had a strong sense of personal engagement and passion, others took a step back and conveyed the power of events in a cooler, more analytical style yet no less committed . And I know from the comments of those who were there that this range of styles was greatly appreciated by the congregation, and Im pleased to say that through the generosity of those who led the service we will be publishing the reflections as a small booklet.
As each person used their gifts and their personalities to lead us in our thinking about the events of Good Friday and Gods gift to us in the death and resurrection of Jesus, I reflected on another gift of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit given to the Church at Pentecost.
That gift of the Holy Spirit is one which enlivens each one of us, making us more of who we are. The gift of the Holy Spirit takes our gifts and our talents and allows them to be turned towards God and used in Gods service. The gift of the Holy Spirit shakes the Church up, stopping it from being a uniform block and making it into the body of Christ united in its diversity. Of course that can lead to tension too, but I thank God for our differences.
What we often remember about the biblical depiction of the first Pentecost is the wind and the fire of the Spirit and the way that the people could suddenly hear and understand the message of God. But the important part is that they could understand God in their own language. God doesnt speak to us in a way that we cant understand, but in a way that we can. That is why in our worship God speaks to us in music, in words, in actions through the liturgy, in symbols through the building and through the sacraments. God speaks to us, and we speak to God most fully as we engage all of ourselves and every aspect of our widely different personalities in Gods service.
Over Holy Week and Easter I came face to face with this reality again and again. Those arranging the flowers spoke of what, in spiritual terms, their arrangements meant to them and what they were trying to convey about God with foliage, petal and fragrance; those responsible for the music were engaged not only in providing beautiful music but in drawing us into the mystery of God; those who prepared the church for worship thought not only of logistics but of how they could help the building speak of Gods love.
The reality of Pentecost is that God calls us to be ourselves, but to be ourselves in and for Christ. Were not asked to become identical Christians but to blossom and flourish as we are, provided we direct that towards God. The gift of the Spirit that enables us to so this is wonderful, awesome and liberating. Our challenge is to allow ourselves to respond to that Spirit with all our heart, mind and strength. Lets revel and enjoy our differences, and the many and varied talents and skills God has given us in this place.
Justine
Whats on in May? |
|||
|
Tue |
1 |
Magazine Panel meets at 35 Vanguard Way |
10.45 am |
|
Wed |
2 |
St Marys Guild Meeting. A talk by Anne Asquith on the Guides Movement. |
2.30 pm |
|
Thu
|
3 |
Praise & Play for pre-school toddlers MU&OG. The Rectors Evening. The Centre |
10.00 am 7.30 pm |
|
SUN |
6 |
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER |
|
|
Mon |
7 |
Bank Holiday. Church and Tower open Beddington Park Old Fayre in the Park |
1.30-5.30 pm 11 am-4.00 pm |
|
Tue |
8 |
Churches Together AGM at St Patricks Church |
7.45 pm |
|
SUN |
13 |
SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Christian Aid Week Service at St Marys will replace Evensong |
6.30 pm |
|
Tue
|
15 |
Time for God quiet worship. The Carew Chapel Friends of Beddington Park meet at The Grange PCC Meeting. The Centre |
9.30 am 7.30 pm 8.00 pm |
|
Wed |
16 |
MU Corporate Eucharist |
10.00 am |
|
THU |
17 |
Praise & Play for pre-school toddlers ASCENSION DAY. Sung Eucharist |
10.00 am 7.30 pm |
|
Sat |
19 |
Avocado to Zinfandel an evening of Words and Music. |
7.30 pm |
|
SUN |
20 |
THE SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION |
|
|
Thu |
24 |
Sutton Deanery Synod meets at St Nicholas Church, Sutton |
7.45 pm |
|
Fri |
25 |
Kith, Kin & Kanine Coffee & Cake morning. All welcome |
10.00- 11.30 am |
|
SUN |
27 |
PENTECOST |
|
|
Mon |
28 |
Bank Holiday Church open |
1.30-5.30 pm |
Tue 1 PHILIP and JAMES, Apostles
Wed 2 Athanasius, Bishop, Teacher of the Faith, 373
Fri 4 English Saints and Martyrs of the Reformation Era
Tue 8 Julian of Norwich, Spiritual Writer, c1417
Mon 14 MATTHIAS THE APOSTLE
Wed 16 Caroline Chisholm, Social Reformer, 1877
Sat 19 Dunstan, Archbishop, Monastic Reformer, 988
Mon 21 Helena, Protector of the Holy Places, 330
Thu 24 John & Charles Wesley, Evangelists, Hymn Writers, 1791 and 1788
Fri 25 Veneral Bede, Monk, Scholar, Historian, 735
Sat 26 Augustine, Archbishop, 605
Sat 26 John Calvin, Reformer, 1564
Philip Neri, Spiritual Guide, 1595
Mon 28 Lanfranc, Monk, Archbishop, Scholar, 1089
Wed 30 Josephine Butler, Social Reformer, 1906
Joan of Arc, Visionary, 1431
Apolo Kivebulaya, Priest, Evangelist, 1933
Thu 31 VISIT OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY TO ELIZABETH
Sunday, 6 May
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts 11 : 1-18
Revelation 21 : 1-6
John 13 : 31-35
Sunday, 13 May
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Acts 16 : 9-15
Revelation 21 : 10, 22 - 22 : 5
John 14 : 23-29
Thursday, 17 May
Ascension Day
Acts 1 : 1-11
Ephesians 1 : 15-end
Luke 24 : 44-end
Sunday, 20 May
Sunday after Ascension
Acts 16 : 16-34
Revelation 22 : 12-14, 16-17, 20- end
John 17 : 20-end
Sunday. 27 May
Pentecost
Acts 2 : 1-21
Romans 8 : 14-17
John 14 : 8-17
Every Sunday we pray for people living and working in two or three roads in the parish.
The roads in May will be:
Sunday 6 May
Bristow Road & Collyer Avenue
Sunday 13 May
Bedlow Way & Nicholas Road
Sunday 20 May
Willoughby Avenue & Oakley Avenue
Sunday 27 May
Claydon Drive
The Choristers Social Evening and prizegiving followed a wonderful Easter Choral Evensong. New members and their families were welcomed along with several old choristers. Congratulations to Daniel, Jack, Michael, Patrick and Tim - all prizewinners. And many thanks again to Sherrold and her team for a mouth-watering spread of sandwiches and cake.
On 17 April St Elpheges came again to celebrate their Patronal
Festival. Father Hough, their Parish Priest, enjoyed remnding
us that the saint himself must have been here too - when he was Bishop of
Winchester - so the relationship between the parish in Wallington and their
patron saint is a very special one. St Elphege is the
patron saint of hostages, so in our prayers we remembered all hostages, and Alan Johnston the BBC correspondent missing in
If youre interested in running, you may like to know that the Leprosy Mission has guaranteed in the British 10K run which takes place in Central London on 1 July 2007. For more details see the notice on the board at the back of church.
Bank Holiday Weekend,
5, 6 & 7 May
FLOWER FESTIVAL at Bandon Hill Methodist Church, Sandy Lane
North, Wallington. We know the hours of hard work that go into a Flower
Festival (if you don't, just ask
Bank Holiday Monday,
7 May
BEDDINGTON PARK OLDE FAYRE.
St Marys will be having their own gazebos which will include childrens games, etc. A busy day - the church and tower will be open in the afternoon for people to browse and enjoy the beauty of the building.
Thursday, 10 May
The Revd Dr Richard Burridge of King'sCollege London is giving the EricAbbott Memorial Lecture on 10 May at 6.15pm in Westminster Abbey, entitled "Being Biblical? Slavery, Sexuality, and the Inclusive Community."Admission is free, just turn up.
Sunday, 13 May
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK starts this year with a service held at St Mary's at 6.30. John Rilchards of CT South London will be preaching at the service. For more about Christian Aid Week see below
Tuesday, 15 May
The Friends of Beddington Park meet at The Grange at 7.30 pm. There will be a talk given by Dan Cooke of Viridor - the waste management company that manages the Beddington Farm Landfill and Recycling Centre
Saturday, 19 May
If you are within earshot of the church around 3 pm you will have the pleasure of hearing our bells being rung in a Peal for St Magnus the Martyr.
Stop Press . Stop Press . Stop Press .
Stop Press .
Justine is involved in leading a pilgrimage to Jordan and Israel in January/February next year. As well as all the biblical sights, the visit will include an opportunity to meet with and talk to Palestinian Christians, and an opportunity to visit the Rose Red City of Petra. More details to follow, or see Justine in the meantime.
Snippets is where we shall be putting those little bits of news etc that deserve a mention. So let the editor know if there is anything or anyone you would like included.
Members of the Sunday morning congregation see me arrive at church, accompanied by my two lovely sons and husband, and some have asked what it is like to be a wife and mother living with Multiple Sclerosis. So.
The diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis wasnt made until I was 26. Although at the time I had no idea of just what Multiple Sclerosis was, the image that sprung to my mind was of a grey-haired old lady linked up to a collecting bottle.
I had been born in England but moved to Ghana when I was two. I was nine when the political situation in Ghana became very difficult and stressful and so we returned to England. I do wonder whether the difficulties I experienced in Ghana as a young child somehow triggered the otherwise latent MS.
I suppose I first knew there was something really wrong when I was about 13. I fainted and was woken by my dog licking my face and my seven year old brother glaring at me. When I was 18, together with some friends, I bought a house, but the stress of all that and the wrong sort of diet once again brought about a flare up as a few months later I suddenly found that my legs would not move me from the lounge to the kitchen. I was admitted to hospital for investigations and rest, but I wasnt given of a diagnosis.
At 25 I was working when suddenly I couldnt see out of my right eye and my right leg didnt want to walk. Lots of further investigations were made and at last I had the diagnosis - Multiple Sclerosis.
I was told to avoid stress, colds, and advised not to have children. However, life has surprises in store and my gift, William, was born. I was 30 and it was a difficult pregnancy. I had two relapses which caused difficulties in eating, using my hands and legs, and also being understood. Without the endless help and support of my husband Rob and my mum, I know not where I would be. Medication made me much better, sufficiently so that when I was 35 Frederick was born.
Having two young, energetic boys is a challenge, but interesting and fun. Maybe I cant run and play football with my legs, but my two sticks definitely help.
MS affects every sufferer in a different way (no wonder its called multiple sclerosis!) and a lot of us look for ways of helping ourselves beyond what medication can achieve. I have found that excluding gluten and full-fat dairy products from my diet has helped me a lot. MS can be an extremely painful condition and I consider myself fortunate and thank God that I do not suffer any pain. I am also happy to say that Ive always managed to keep working although, thanks to the understanding of my current employer, BT, I now do this from home.
It may surprise you to know that I am actually grateful to God for believing that I have the strength to deal with this condition. Yes, initially I did resent the limitations MS put on me when I was so young (even though I didnt know it was MS then), but I certainly dont feel sorry for myself now; rather I consider myself blessed with my husband and boys. Im certainly not that grey-haired old lady yet!
Babs Baidoo
8 April Brooke Kathleen Phillips
Emily Ann Jones
15 April James Robert Edward Kimber
22 April Christopher Francis George Lawrence
9 March Sharon Anne Dendy, age 44 yrs
2 April John Edward Haines, age 64 yrs
3 April Joan Mary Tyne, age 78 yrs
Just before the end of the Easter Term one of my year 10 students (14-15 year old) approached me with the flyer for a concert in his hand, wondering whether I would like to attend. He is a percussionist and said he would be the youngest performer in the orchestra.
The music on offer was some standard orchestral fare: the overture to Russlan and Ludmilla by Glinka, Crown Imperial by William Walton, the galop from the overture to William Tell by Rossini, the last movement of the Third Organ Symphony by Saint Sans along with some other bits and pieces. The orchestra had been trained and was conducted by Nol Tredennick who has been involved with these concerts since their inception 30 years ago.
The audience/congregation was also to be treated to some worship songs, one of them specially written for the occasion. There were a couple of songs by that bastion of the modern worship song Graham Kendrick and some by a relative newcomer Stuart Townend. There was also a modern version of the Lords Prayer for solo voice and chorus.
We were also addressed by Rico Tice, associate minister at All Souls Church, Langham Place, on the meaning and importance of the Resurrection. The address, which included Mr. Tice hurling a rugby ball across the floor of the Albert Hall in order to make a point, was lively, well constructed and thought provoking.
The whole evening was toward the evangelical end of churchmanship and (here I may be accused of snobbery) the religious musical offerings, though having some singable melodies, were not tremendously memorable. The concert was very popular: the hall was full and if I saw half a dozen empty seats that was all.
Talking of the hall it is surprising how uncomfortable and cramped it feels. Ia seat in one of the second tier boxes for 22.50 from which it was not possible to see the whole stage (fortunately I could follow the antics of the young lad who had invited me) and which offered a small, hard and back-ricking chair.
While I was flattered to be asked, I do not think I shall be repeating the experience next year.
May 1987
You remember the excitement of last year when St Marys was used for the filming of The Amazing Mrs Pritchard? Twenty years ago, there was similar interest when Humphrey Barclay Productions hired the church for an episode of a new comedy series Never Say Die by Lou Wakefield, to be screened on Channel 4. Apparently filming began on April 1 and two real police officers gave a parking ticket to the bridal car being used. The car was parked on yellow lines which had been put down for the day as part of the filming. When challenged, the police officers showed them the unwritten ticket with the greeting April Fool!
Last months report said 100 people had been expected at the
APCM. There were actually 54, so maybe we stand a better chance of competing
with that this year. Harold Hore and June Fenn had just relinquished their places as churchwardens
and Chris Holmes and
The choirboys had been issued with new ruffs, courtesy of Eunice Goodbourn. In order to complete their smartness, attention needed to be paid to their footwear. No such problems nowadays.
Mary Tapp recorded her feelings on the Mothering Sunday service. The church had been full and she thought what a dreadful shame it was that those who had seen fit to deny St Marys the opportunity to build - in every sense of the word - had not been present. (It took nearly 10 years more, but we made it!)
The Townswomens Guild had been told at one of their talks, that we have the best water in the London area because it comes from the chalk wells. So, take heart, all that rain and floods we endured at the beginning of this year, will soon turn into delicious water for those of us lucky enough to live in the area supplied by Sutton & East Surrey - so dont waste it!
How a green guide book for
churches grew and grew!
Do you have a good idea for a project that would be even better if more churches were involved? Heres what happened in London .
Last year, Gillian Straine, a young ordinand who trained as a climate scientist, and Nathan Oxley, who works for a sustainable development consultancy, approached the Conservation Foundation with an idea of producing a guide book to help churches manage themselves more environmentally.
It seemed like a good idea, but anyone who has been involved with publishing will know that having an idea is the easy bit. Even the simplest booklet costs money to design and print and then youve got to get copies out of boxes into the readers hands.
So it seemed to David Shreeve of
the Conservation Foundation that: If we could create a demand and find some
support from potential readers, that might encourage
someone to support the idea with some funding. The demand soon came from the
Anglican Diocese of London led by its Bishop, Richard Chartres,
well known for his green leanings.
The book, For Creed and Creation, began to take shape as a guide for the four
hundred Anglican churches of the London Diocese. The cost, however, of such a
relatively small number of copies seemed expensive and so the Conservation
Foundation next looked for ways of increasing the print run.
David Shreeve approached the Catholic Diocese of Westminster. After all, it shares the same environment! He was delighted at the enthusiastic response. Soon there was the added encouragement when the neighbouring RC diocese south of the Thames joined in. This, in turn, meant making a further approach to the Anglicans in their Southwark Diocese.
After that, it seemed only common sense to approach the London Church Leaders group to bring in ALL the other denominations - including the Salvation Army, the Baptists, the Greek Orthodox and the Black-led churches. They all wanted in.
Funding was found and in March this year the book was launched at a reception hosted by the Mayor of London. The print run had multiplied from 400 to 5000 and every Christian Church in London (including St Marys) was given a copy.
The plan now is to produce versions for the other faiths in
London, and there are hopes that this guide can also be made available
throughout the country. You can find an electronic version on http://www.conservationfoundation.co.uk
In February I was invited to be part of the Church of Englands stall at the National Wedding Show held at Kensington Olympia.
The hall was packed with hundreds of wedding related stalls from wedding dresses in all styles and price ranges, through florists, chauffeurs, design your own dance floors, stag and hen night venues, to photographers, stationers and my favourite the wedding cake designers. There were what seemed like thousands of people, often mums and daughters, or brides-to-be with their bridesmaids and frequently the bride dragging round a somewhat bored (or do I mean stunned) looking groom, often laden with bags full of brochures and freebies.
Our stand seemed to cause quite a lot of consternation. One of the most frequent questions that came up was Why are you here? We dealt with questions from the doctrinal to the practical, from the spiritual to the detailed. We talked about Christian marriage and what it meant; the laws governing in which church you can get married (we spent a lot of time identifying peoples local churches and clergy) and reassured people that you didnt have to be a regular churchgoer to get married in your parish church. We encouraged people to talk to their local clergy and to share their stories with them; we explained that getting married in church didnt have to be expensive, and most importantly, I hope we helped people to see that the Church of England wasnt an unapproachable establishment, but full of people who laughed and smiled and were there to help them not only have the wedding day that they wanted but more importantly to support them in their married life. In some ways we acted as chaplains to the Show as a whole, and were often approached by fellow exhibitors who had a wide range of questions about Christianity and had now found some captive vicars to ask. It was an exhausting day, but one that was great fun. I spoke to so many people who had so many interesting questions and backgrounds.
And what are my overwhelming memories? Helping people to realise that a church wedding would be possible for them was the most moving part of the day. My funniest memories are of one of my colleagues being asked about the Crucifixion by a woman wearing a bikini (she was from the sarong stall next door!) and the very glamorous model in the 10,000 dress wearing Nike trainers underneath it.
A very special day as we helped others prepare for their special day!
Justine
A feast of words and music
on food and drink
to be held at St Marys Church,
Church Road, Wallington, SM6 7NJ
Saturday, 19th May 2007 at 7.30
pm
Tickets 5.00, to include wine and nibbles during the interval,
available from Pam &
Proceeds will be donated to Church funds
13th -19th May
Once again I am looking for people to help with the Christian Aid Week collection. If you can help in distributing, collecting or emptying envelopes I would be glad to hear from you.
The list for the house to house collection can be found at the back of church. Please help if you can.
Last year 11 collectors managed to raise just over 1100! The more volunteers we have the greater the difference we can make.
Jane Seymour
We definitely have more hurricanes and floods than we used to. Ive lived here all my life and it wasnt like this before. Strong winds and big waves from the sea cause more floods now.
Dominica Echevarra
Jess Antonio Echevarra, usually known as Chus, is 15 and lives with his sister Dominica and her husband in the San Luis la Herradura area of El Salvador. This area is particularly prone to natural disasters. Hurricanes are a growing threat, and the low-lying land is very susceptible to flooding.
Chuss father died when he was a baby and he sees his mother only occasionally. He has been brought up by his sister and her husband. Chus and his brother-in-law are crab fishers: their average daily earnings as a family are 1.70. On a bad day they can earn as little as 57p.
The family live in three huts close together. Chus shares a hut with his brother and the familys livestock. Chuss hut was battered by Hurricane Stan in 2005, and this has left holes in the roof.
Chus likes to get involved with his community in a practical way, and has worked on the local river bank with Christian Aid partner Aprodehni. He has always wanted to do this, although he was initially told he was too young. However, his enthusiasm paid off and he was allowed to work, in return for some food. He has been working on strengthening the river bank with tyres and sandbags. In the aftermath of Hurricane Stan he helped to make up food parcels for other families.
Chus is not the only member of his family to be involved with Aprodehni. His sister and brother-in-law play an active part in analysing what needs to be done in the community, organising working groups, and carrying out practical work on the river bank and drainage channels. Even his seven-year-old cousin, Jackeline, participates in Aprodehnis workshops, which use sport and art to help children forget the trauma of hurricanes and earthquakes. She has also taken part in rubbish-collecting brigades.
Aprodehni encourages people to get involved in, and take responsibility for, protecting and developing their own communities. Its work includes reducing the risks created by natural disasters, reducing environmental pollution and responding to emergencies. The changing climate is creating a situation that calls for an urgent response. The increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes and subsequent flooding demonstrate the catastrophic effects that climate change is already having on some of the worlds poorest people.
Archbishop Oscar Romero memorably referred to the 80 per cent of El Salvadoreans living in poverty as a crucified people. Romero worked tirelessly on behalf of poor people, speaking out against injustice and oppression. This brought him into conflict with the government and the military. He was assassinated by the army in 1980.
Chus is just one of these crucified people. Yet with the help of Aprodehni, he is helping to save lives. Although he is poor, he is helping people to adapt to climate change and to live with the effects of natural disasters.
A gift of just 6 to Christian Aid would enable Aprodehni to clean a well after a flood. However, your support will be giving so much more than this. You will also be paying for the education and training of the local community people who can make an immediate difference, particularly young people like Chus.
Donations made in Christian Aid Week change lives. Heres what your money could buy in El Salvador:
5 could pay the monthly tuition fees for a young person like Chus to go to school
12 could pay for a school uniform
90 could pay for the construction of a latrine
Lord, give us open eyes that we may see injustice,
ears attuned to the quiet suffering of the oppressed,
and hearts soft enough to break.
Give us the strength to be different,
to make fools of ourselves,
and to stand out for justice,
that we may be part of the preparations for your reign
of love.
The matter of discovering our Christian vocation, our calling, is one which stays with us throughout our lives as we continually try to hear Gods voice calling to us and sending us out in a variety of different ministries from pouring the tea to joining a religious community.
If youd like to spend some time thinking about what God might be calling you to do at this point in your life, why not attend the Diocesan Vocations Day on Saturday, 9 June 10 am-4 pm in the Cathedral. Its a chance to take some time out, to listen to what God might be saying to you. There is also the chance to meet with people from a large range of ministries youth work, Reader ministry, Southwark Pastoral Auxiliaries, missionary societies, ordained ministry, the Board of Education.....the list goes on and on.
Theres no obligation and no commitment, you are simply asked to register in advance so that the organisers can sort out numbers for seminars, but if you want to talk to Justine, Jenifer or Heather about it in advance then give them a call.
To register for the day call Sue Hoad on 020 7939 9400
Endurance is the ability to stand up under adversity; perseverance is the ability to progress in spite of it.
Jerry Bridges
Prisoner of War to Parish Priest" .. a new book by John Read
John was working in a bank when Singapore was invaded by the Japanese in late 1941. He was captured and sent to work on the Burma Railway and later a zinc smelting factory in Japan. He survived and when he returned to Britain trained, was ordained and became a parish priest.
He spent over 20 years as Rector of St Mary's before his 'retirement', moving with Frances, his wife, to Icklesham, East Sussex.They remained in contact and have visited us many times since leaving. John died in July 2004 before completing the revision of his book and Frances has "enjoyed the challenge" of completing and publishing it.
If you are interested in ordering a copy (priced 8), have a
word with me(020 8647 9102). Alternatively you can order
it direct from EdgertonServices, Jasmine Cottage,
On Thursday, 19 April, we were looking forward to hearing Mark Tomlinson tell us about the Faith & Belief Forum, but unfortunately at the last minute he was unable to come along and speak to us - we will book him for a future meeting. Nevertheless, we had a very good evening as our own Pam Vernon gave us an interesting talk entitled Retirement and for her it involves hospital visiting and helping out at the Welcare Contact Centre. We were encouraged to carry organ donor cards and to volunteer to help at the Centre with this very much needed and worthwhile work.
At the MU Coffee Morning in February we were delighted to meet up with Judy Acheson, who is the nationwide youth work co-ordinator for the Anglican Church in Congo, and to establish through her a link with the work of the Revd Azama who is one of the first women to be ordained in Congo. She is an amazing lady, a widow with grown-up children, who managed to complete her studies at theological college in spite of many difficulties, and she now works with the girls department at a provincial level. She gives herself to teaching young girls the very basic skills of how to live, how to respect and love themselves, and how to relate to others. Many of these girls have suffered greatly during the war, being sex slaves to a group of men until they could escape from the forest. The Revd Azama has set up groups in many of the local parishes around Kindu. 160 girls were drawn into these groups led by the Mothers Union members where they found love, understanding and healing. Through singing, drama and individual sessions many have been helped to come to terms with the violence that they have experienced.
Azama has amazing energy and initiative. She started making bricks to bring in funding for these girls so that they could learn to sew, crochet, etc, to make some sort of living. Also from the sale of bricks she has bought a piece of land on which to build a girls centre to give them training in literacy, embroidery, crochet and tailoring, as well as a place to live if necessary.
We as a branch of the MU will be supporting this work through our prayers and through any practical ways that we can. At the moment we are collecting large crochet hooks and frisbies, to give to Judy in January when she is next in England to take back with her. Judy has agreed to speak to our branch meeting about her work in Congo when she is with us in January 2008.
Jenifer Davison,
Branch Leader
The Venerable Bede
672-735
The Venerable Bede spent almost
his whole life in a monastery. At the age of seven he had been taken to live
with the monks at Wearmouth and later moved to
Jarrow, an important centre of learning, where he worked as a theologian and
historian until his death in AD735. AD is significant in this context. Bede was one of the first writers to date events from the
incarnation, and the popularity of his writings both in
The Ecclesiastical History may leave some tantalising gaps but it is still regarded as a vital source of modern study of the times it records. Bede wrote at a time and at a place when memories of these times were still alive - and he conveys both the facts and the feelings with a unique innocence and charm which say much about the man himself. His reputation as father of English History is amply justified.
A distinguished 21st century historian said recently that the best history writing wraps scholarship round a good yarn - and this is just what Bede did. Credible or incredible, here to enjoy are some of the best yarns of Bedes day.
We celebrate his life on 25 May - the anniversary of his death 1272 years ago.
As a single mum of two very lively boys, with a full-time 24/7 job, I have a lot of spare time on my hands (!). So when Justine was encouraging us to think about taking a diocesan certificate or some other theological qualification, I naturally thought that the time had come to realise my long-held ambition to take on the Cardiff University LL.M in Canon Law! Despite the time commitment of four residential weekends a year, I have absolutely no regrets about doing so and am writing to recommend it to others.
You can see the prospectus on the web at: http://www.law.cf.ac.uk/course/pg/prospectus/canon/Canon.pdf. You do not need to be a lawyer to do the course, all you need is to show that you are capable of doing research. For me this means the novel experience of putting footnotes in my essays which refer to Bible verses, alongside references to articles or legal decisions. Canon law has its roots in the Gospel and looking at Acts or the writings of the Church Fathers is every bit as important as referring to the decisions of our General Synod.
There are only 12 places a year and my fellow students include a few English lawyers, an American bishop, a Canadian vicar and an American vicar who is a single mum of one adopted son!
For me, the weekends are both intellectually stimulating and spiritually uplifting. It is a bit like going on a retreat, as there are (usually) eight of us, as opposed to two or three, all gathered in Our Lords name and aware that he is among us, even though what we are learning about is how his Church works. There is nothing dry about the course and I have discovered some strengths in other peoples churches which I think will act as a spur to working together with other Christians.
The course covers mainly the churches of the Anglican communion, the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic
Church. Other churches also get a respectable mention, such as the
The escape from London every three months is very welcome. The seminars take place at St Michaels College, Llandaff, just across the road from the celebrated cathedral, and there is a beautiful private chapel as well.
I cant recommend this course too highly and, to judge from our feedback session last weekend, this is true of other students also. It has been a pure source of blessing and a way of helping me keep that commandment to worship the Lord our God with the mind as well as with heart and soul and strength.
A strong man works out every day to keep his body in shape ...
but a man of strength kneels in prayer to keep his soul in shape.
A strong man isn't afraid of anything ...
but a man of strength shows courage in the midst of his fear.
A strong man won't let anyone get the best of him ...
but a man of strength gives the best of himself to everyone.
A strong man walks sure footedly...
but a man of strength knows God will catch him when he falls.
A strong man wears the look of confidence on his face ...
but a man of strength wears grace.
A strong man has faith that he is strong enough for the
journey ...
But a man of strength has faith that it is in the journey that he will become
strong.
We believe in life before death
Tue 1 All priests, pastors and lay ministers
Wed 2 Inter-church relationships
Thu 3 Our parish industries, shops and supermarkets
Fri 4 Dairy farmers and all who work in agriculture
Sat 5 Our local schools and colleges
Sun 6 Thanksgiving that God loves and accepts us
Mon 7 The Beddington Park Fayre and all taking part
Tue 8 Spiritual writers and counsellors
Wed 9 All areas of ethnic violence and racial hatred
Thu 10 The United Nations and all who work for peace and unity
Fri 11 Homes where there is neglect, abuse or violence
Sat 12 All families suffering from breakdown of relationships
Sun 13 Christian Aid Week
Mon 14 The peoples
of
Tue 15 Our PCC Meeting tonight
Wed 16 All who work for justice and social reform
Thu 17 Praise Christ our Ascended and Glorified Lord
Fri 18 The hungry, the homeless and the poor
Sat 19 All churches dedicated to St Dunstan
Sun 20 That we may be with Christ and see his glory
Mon 21 Thanksgiving that the ascended Lord is with us
Tue 22 All who have lost faith and are without hope
Wed 23 The leaders of the nations of the world
Thu 24 The Deanery Synod Meeting tonight
Fri 25 All attending the Kith, Kin and Canine morning
Sat 26 World unity and peace
Sun 27 Thanksgiving for the gift of the Holy Spirit
Mon 28 That we may live to Gods praise and glory
Tue 29 For the gifts of the Holy Spirit
Wed 30 Manicaland, Matabeleland, and Central Zimbabwe
Thu 31 Thanksgiving for the mother of our Lord