June the 24th is celebrated in the Church as the birthday of John the Baptist. Clearly the story of his birth is very important, introducing and paralleling the birth of Jesus at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel. Like Jesus, he was conceived by the grace of God, to a father and mother who thought that the possibility of having a child was long since passed. So they simply got on with their lives, never forgetting their dream, but living day by day, serving God, taking their place in the worship of the temple, faithfully playing their full part as members of the children of Israel. I wonder what they felt? Did they believe that God had abandoned them? Did they feel that they were being punished by God or by society for something that they had done? Were they ever tempted to give up on God, a God who had failed to answer their prayers. They may have been tempted, but they didn’t give up. They continued, model followers of God and finally their prayer was answered and John was born amid much wonder and excitement.

As he grew up, John must have appeared to go off the rails to his parents and community. He is portrayed in all the Gospels as looking just like the prophets of old, living in the wilderness and calling out to the people with the very unpopular message of repentance and redemption. It can’t have been a message that went down well with most people, for none of us like to be told we need to repent. Yet John spoke out and many heard, if the queues that formed to receive baptism from him were anything to judge by. But John wasn’t doing this for his own sake or to build up a reputation for himself as a charismatic prophet, preacher and teacher. Rather he was constantly looking for the one who he served, the one who was to come and would baptise with the Spirit as well as water. Like his parents, John served faithfully, not looking for his own glory, not looking to be praised but seeking only to serve God.

Faithful daily service is something that doesn’t come easily to us – the willingness to go on day after day, month after month, year after year. It’s a matter of discipline, not a matter of desire. It’s about committing ourselves to a discipline that we may not always enjoy, yet knowing ourselves to be doing what we do for a greater good, pointing like John the Baptist to the one who is greater than us. It’s a struggle sometimes, but as we remember the joy that surrounded the birth of John, may we remember the joy with which our faithful service will be greeted.

Justine

What’s on in June?
SUN	3	TRINITY SUNDAY
TUE	5	Magazine Panel meets at 35 Vanguard Way	10.45 am
Wed	6	St Mary’s Guild. Garden Party at St Mary’s Court Social Committee meets at 2 Caraway Place	2.30 pm 7.30 pm
Thu	7	CORPUS CHRISTI ‘Praise & Play’ for pre-school toddlers MU&OG - ‘An Evening with the Rector’. The Centre	10.00 am 7.30 pm
SUN	10	TRINITY 1 Our Guides, Brownies & Rainbows join the 9.30 service Baptism Sunday
Wed	13	Bernard Mizeke Festival at Southwark Cathedral	6.30 pm
SUN	17	TRINITY 2
Tue	19	‘Time for God’ quiet worship. The Carew Chapel	9.30 am
Wed	20	MU Corporate Eucharist	10.00 am
Thu	21	‘Praise & Play’ for pre-school toddlers	10.00 am
Sat	23	St Mary’s Choir Concert at Carshalton Methodist Church, Ruskin Road (See weekly notices for details)	7.30 pm
SUN	24	BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Churches Together Music Festival at St Elphege’s Church, Stafford Road No Evensong at St Mary’s	7.00 pm
Wed	27	Churches Together Prayer Meeting at Wallington Baptist Church, Queens Road, Wallington	8.00 pm
Fri	29	‘Kith Kin & Canine’ morning - coffee & cake in the Centre	10.00- 11.30 am

Saints and Commemorations in June

Fri 1 Justin, Martyr at Rome, c165

Mon 4 Petroc, Abbot of Padstow, 6th century

Tue 5 Boniface (Wynfrith), Bishop of Crediton, Apostle of Germany, Martyr, 754

Wed 6 Ini Kopuria, founder of the Melanesian Brotherhood, 1945

Fri 8 Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath & Wells, Nonjuror, Hymn Writer, 1711

Sat 9 Columba, Abbot of Iona, Missionary, 597

“ “ Ephrem of Syria, Beacon, Hymn Writer, Teacher of the Faith, 373

Mon 11 BARNABAS THE APOSTLE

Thu 14 Richard Baxter, Puritan Divine, 1691

Fri 15 Evelyn Underhill, Spiritual Writer, 1941

Sat 16 Richard, Bishop of Chichester, 1253

“ “ Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, Philosopher, 1752

Mon 18 Bernard Mizeki, Apostle of the Mashona, Martyr, 1896

Tue 19 Sundar Singh, Sadhu (Holy Man), Evangelist, Teacher of the Faith, 1929

Fri 22 Alban, First Martyr of Britain, c250

Sat 23 Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely, c678

Wed 27 Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher of the Faith, 444

Thu 28 Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, Teacher of the Faith, c200

Fri 29 PETER & PAUL, APOSTLES

Readings for Sundays in June

Sunday, 3 June

Trinity Sunday

Proverbs 8 : 1-4, 22-31

Romans 5 : 1-5

John 16 : 12-15

Sunday, 10 June

Readings presented by

Guides and Brownies

Sunday, 17 June

Trinity 2

2 Samuel 11 : 26-12 : 10, 13-15

Galatians 2 : 15-end

Luke 7 : 36-8 : 3

Sunday, 24 June

Birth of John the Baptist

Isaiah 40 : 1-11

Galatians 3 : 23-end

Luke 1 : 57-66, 80

Thinking of you

Every Sunday we pray for people living and working in two or three roads in the parish. The roads in June will be:

Sunday 3 June

Therapia Lane & Elberon Avenue

Sunday 10 June

Brookmead Road & Oakmead Road

Sunday 17 June

Homemead Road & Redhouse Road

Sunday 24 June

Rosemary Close, Cinnamon Close & Saffron Close

From the registers

Weddings

27 April Luke Ferguson and Hannah Avis

5 May Paul Andrew Bullock and Lorraine Marie Botfield

Baptisms

13 May Lucy and Ben Arram

Emma Browne

Funerals

16 May Raymond Boxall

23 May Ronald Day

Snippets

Slightly belated Birthday Greetings to Joan Walker who celebrated her 90th birthday in May.

A great achievement by Jill Piddler who ran her first (and last?!) London Marathon this year. In the process she has raised about £1,000 for the British Heart Foundation and Motor Neurone Disease Foundation. She thanks everyone for their sponsorship. Well done!

A Closet Ringer? You probably didn't notice what happened to the ringer of the Sanctus bell the other Sunday morning. Linda Wood processed in a dignified manner to the back of the church at the appropriate time, only to be unable to see a rope. On closer inspection, she saw the rope had dropped inside the cupboard housing the light switches. There was no way she could get it out, so with great presence of mind, she opened the door and rang the bell from inside the cupboard! The rope was rescued after the service but we're curious to know which joker thought up that one.

May Medals - and more congratulations to Choristers Elliot, Jack, James and Sam on being awarded their light blue ribbons - and to Harley for his red ribbon.

Zimbabwe Link The recent group trip to Central Zimbabwe passed off safely and healthily for all concerned. Bishop Nick and other group members will be sharing their experience of the generosity and welcome from people whose whole country is descending into chaos at two separate meetings - 16June and 18 July. If you are interested in going along to the Sanderstead event on 18 July please speak to Justine.

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A Note of Praise with some Play in the mix….

Much fun and chat is being had at Praise & Play, our toddlers service on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Thursday of each month between 10.00 and 11.00 am.

Since Easter, animals have featured one way or another: lots of cuddly ones, with a few boats for company, as we enjoyed making Arks, complete with rainbows, to the tune of “Old Man Noah built an Ark, ee I ee I oh”; we’ve had a fishy story - ‘Jonah and the Whale’ - with at least nine whales for company that morning which the little ones had brought along. Many babies, in dolly form, at our last gathering were hushed to sleep as we told the story of baby Moses, Exodus 1 & 2 – ‘The Princess and the baby’. Yummy chocolate and jelly babies were also involved!

Our stories over the coming months will be:

‘God to the Rescue’: The Great Escape and the Parting of the Red Sea, Exodus 12 & 14: 5-31

‘Samuel, hears a voice’: Listen to God, 1 Samuel 3: 1-10. Music and statues will be in the mix at some point.

‘A sleep-over with Lions’: Daniel. 6: 1-23 - for which wonderful masks and many roars, I’m sure, will be created.

‘A famous coat of all colours’. The story of Joseph, the dreamer and Genesis 37-50 The number seven may feature? Red & Orange & Pink &….music and song (of course) and you guessed it, animals also, maybe even some food, once again.

Helena, Justine and I would be delighted to share your company and sense of fun - do come and join us.

Catherine Lawrence

Your Used Stamps

I continue to send your used stamps to USPG and they are always most grateful to us for supporting their mission work in this way.

So with the imminent flood of postcards from those holidaying in foreign places, please remember to keep the stamps and put them in the box on the table under the Tower. Many thanks .

Betty Walker

PS I can find a worthy home for UK stamps too.

Sir Edward Elgar

1857-1934

You’ll be hearing a lot of Elgar’s music this month, since we celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth on June 2nd 1857.

Elgar was born in Lower Broadheath, a village three miles from Worcester, where his father ran a music shop. As a young man he taught music at the County Lunatic Asylum and succeeded his father as organist of St’s Roman Catholic church in Worcester.

In 1889 he married Alice Roberts, the daughter of a distinguished military family, but it was a union opposed by Alice’s family; marrying the son of a tradesman was seen as being socially beneath her. But Alice became the driving force behind Edward’s decision to devote his life to composition.

Their move to London wasn’t the success they’d hoped for. In Edwardian England Elgar struggled to establish himself, handicapped by his lowly origins in a very class-conscious society, and by his Roman Catholicism in an often bigoted protestant country.

They returned to Worcestershire, to Malvern, as a love of the countryside, especially of the Malvern hills, was always an inspiration to him. Success came in 1899 when the conductor Richter performed Elgar’s ‘Enigma ’. ‘The Dream of Gerontius’ followed in 1900, the words being from Cardinal John Henry Newman’s poem. Many regard this as his masterpiece – although its first performance in Birmingham was a failure because of inadequate rehearsal. But music critics of the day recognised its worth.

His projected trilogy of oratorios, with words from the New Testament, was never completed. ‘The Apostles’ in 1903 and ‘The Kingdom’ in 1906 never got their third partner, largely because Elgar’s own Christian faith, always shaky, largely disappeared.

His earlier music was full of brash enthusiasm and pomp. He knew he was on to a good thing with his first ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ march, with the tune that had the words ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ added to it, when he said “I’ve got a tune that will knock them flat”. But after the horrors of World War 1 Elgar came to regret the cheap jingoism of these words.

After his death, his music rapidly lost its popularity. A new world was dawning and Elgar’s rural, open-air optimism was no longer in tune with the times, but Elgar had been the first British composer to get international recognition for over 200 years. He can rightly be called a national composer, because his music in many ways reflects the English temperament. How ironic that the Bank of England should have chosen to remove his portrait from our £20 notes just in time for this 150th anniversary.

Avocado to Zinfandel

Saturday 19 May

We seem, as a church, unable to resist the lure of culture, and last Saturday was no exception. The warm sunny evening added encouragement and 65 of us were to be found at St Mary’s being entertained by a talented group of congregation members and friends. Those of you who recall the ‘Transport’ evening some months ago will be familiar with the conceit of an evening of words and music around a theme – this time food and drink. If you were sensible, you had eaten before you came, as the fare was calculated to induce mouth-watering and tummy-rumbling - assuaged a little by the light repast of wine and nibbles offered at half time.

The items covered both ends of the culinary and gastric spectrum – there were heart-breaking extracts from the diary of a slowly starving family on Tristan da Cunha, which we left as the writer wondered if a ship would ever come in time to save them. There were also the more familiar quotes from war-time writings and well-meaning government advice about using oatmeal in everything to add bulk and nutrition, as well as news of a ‘dozen surprising’ (and happily unspecified) ‘ways with carrots’.

At the other end of the scale were items on the indigestible excesses of a Venetian breakfast – sounding somewhat like the Edwardian fare we have been seeing recently on television, and the disquieting victory banquet from Sarawak, featuring the severed heads of the losing side, still recognisable to their surviving children.

In the middle was the magic of Kevin Winstone’s Pooh impression – and Ian Akhurst’s equally convincing Rabbit, all without benefit of props. Mention must also be made of the appropriate ‘Hymn’ with the ensemble as a congregation singing a hymn affirming peace of mind, as Pam Akhurst’s Joyce Grenfell fretted over a stock pot left on the stove.

At this point I must pass on the invaluable advice to gentlemen that they need not wear gloves at dinner parties, and that it is no longer fashionable to become intoxicated after the meal…. something to bear in mind at the next Parish catered event. And the somewhat more useful advice that ‘white wine goes with carpets’.

Many thanks to all concerned, (who seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the audience) – to Pam & Ian Akhurst, Jackie Egerton, Rhodri Flower, Elizabeth Hopkins, Catherine Lawrence, Guy Middlemiss, Rachel Waterhouse and Kevin Winstone. And a special thank you to the indefatigable and versatile accompanist, Richard Hare, who Jenifer says she is ‘always bumping into at the crematorium’….

Can we have some more please?

Marion Martin

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Churchwardens are charged

Churchwardens, Sidespeople and PCC members are all invited each year to the Archdeacon’s Visitation Service which this year was held at St Nicholas, Sutton on 8 May. But for Churchwardens this is more than an invitation, it is an order, because this is the occasion when we are sworn in for office for the year.

Every Churchwarden comes away with a Charge as to temporalities - which is church-speak for the Archdeacon’s annual reminder about the important everyday parts of their job, dealing with such things as Faculty applications (that is the church’s equivalent to planning permission) when we want to make additions or changes to the building; Child Protection - ensuring that our young people are protected from danger; the new legislation about smoking - making it mandatory to display ‘No Smoking’ signs and to “restrain” smokers who do not comply. Insurance cover and fire regulations also figure in the Charge.

This year we were reminded that the celebrations to mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade were only the beginning. We need to continue to help make our mark through acknowledging how the past affects our present situation within and outside the Church. Looking to the future, the Archdeacon reminds us about “Shrinking our Footprint” and “Back to Church Sunday”.

‘Shrinking our Footprint’ is the Church of England’s campaign to address issues of climate change and our use of non-renewable energy sources. The Diocesan Synod has adopted an Environmental Policy which seeks to implement practical ways of becoming a ‘greener’ church - more of this anon (and also on page 17 - Ed.). And yet more anon about ‘Back to Church Sunday’ on 30 September, in which we are all encouraged to take part. This is another ‘watch this space’ item, for which St’s already has plans.

Pat Kingsbury

Bernard Mizeki 18 June

Catechist and Martyr in Africa

Bernard Mizeki was born in Mozambique around 1861. He moved to Cape Town when he was 12, with older cousins, to find work. He worked as a labourer for white settlers in Rondesbosch, a suburb of Cape Town, and commuted each day from his home in the slums. While in Cape Town, he enrolled in an Anglican night school for blacks. He converted to Christianity and was baptised in St Philip’s Mission, taking the name “Bernard” at that time.

During his time in Cape Town, Bernard experienced the poverty and effects of drunkenness in the slums, which led him to be a life-long teetotaller. He had become well-educated and had learned English, French and Dutch as well as speaking eight different African languages. This led to work for him as a translator of the Bible into indigenous languages.

In January 1891, Bernard accompanied the new missionary bishop of Mashonaland as a lay catechist among the Shona people of Southern Rhodesia (now, of course, Zimbabwe). He was sent to work in the Marondero district among the Nhowe people, living in the kraal of the Magwende. He became an early pioneer of the incorporation of local culture into the Christian faith.

In 1896, Bernard married Mutwa, a granddaughter of the Magwende. She converted to Christianity and took the name Lily at her baptism. On June 18 of the same year, during a tribal uprising, Bernard was murdered outside his home.

His martyrdom was a catalyst for the conversion of the Shona people. He became greatly revered by all African Christians. Bernard Mizeki College stands where he once lived and the Magwende’s kraal, above the village, is now topped with a large concrete cross to commemorate him. There are many memorials, of various kinds, to him all over South Africa.

The place of his martyrdom has become a pilgrimage shrine for Christians of all denominations, especially round June 18, when one of the greatest of all Christian festivals in Africa takes place there every year. Nearer to home is the Bernard Mizeki Festival to be held at Southwark Cathedral on Wednesday, 16at 6.30where the preacher will be Bishop Nick

A prayer for June 18 reads:

Almighty God, whose glory is commemorated in the life of Bernard Mizeki, we thank you for the ministry of your servant among the people of South Africa as missionary, catechist and martyr. Through the example of this steadfast courage even in death, may your church be called to renewed faith in you, the Great Shepherd of the people.

Jean Kimber

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Women’s World Day of Prayer

On Saturday, 12 April, I travelled to London to the City Temple in High Holborn, to take part in the Celebration Service of the 75th Anniversary of the first WWDP service in England in 1932. The National President of the movement, Marlene Moore, had this to say in her opening message:-

“Seventy five years ago a small group of women caught the vision of Grace Forgan who, two years earlier, founded the Day of Prayer in Scotland. In faith they formed a committee and organised the very first Women’s World Day of Prayer to be held in England. The venue was City Temple and 250 women attended. The flame had been ignited and nothing would extinguish it, not even the dark days of World War 2. During the years that followed the number of services increased with the Day being observed also in Wales and Northern Ireland. We had become part of the largest global, ecumenical prayer movement, organised and run by women.

Today there are over 3,000 branches in our three nations and a National Committee comprising 20 women, who represent 18 churches or denominations. Our office in Tunbridge Wells ably and efficiently administers our Movement.”

The City Temple is a very large building and there must have been at least 500 people there from all over England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It was such a privilege to meet so many Christians from so many denominations - Baptists, Methodists, Roman Catholics, Salvation Army, URC churches, as well as Anglicans.

The service followed a journey through the years from that first service in 1932 until the present day, accompanied by film, music, and dance performed by girls of the Senior Dance Group from the Hurst Lodge School, Ascot.

We received greetings from Eileen King, World Day of Prayer executive in New York, and from committee members world-wide. The guest speaker was Jennifer Rees-Larcombe, a writer and counsellor, who firmly believes that we can achieve far more good through prayer than by anything else. Her talk was very inspiring.

Not only is the world prayed for on a regular basis, but the collections at the services offer practical help to so many as monies raised at the services are donated to a long list of charities included in which are: The Royal National Institute for the Blind, The Leprosy Mission, the Bible Society, Cafod, Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen, and many others.

I am grateful to Mary Tapp, Chair of our local committee, for introducing me to this great prayer movement.

Jenifer Davison

Richard Baxter 1615-1691 14 June

Richard Baxter’s name is associated with Kidderminster, the town he loved and where the church was enlarged during his time to accommodate his growing congregation.

He was not only a popular preacher, he was a loved and respected pastor and his parish became a model for many clergy.

In spite of having left school, as his schoolmaster said, “destitute of all mathematical and physical science, ignorant of Hebrew, a mere smatterer of Greek and possessed of as much Latin as enabled him in after life to use it with reckless facility”, Richard Baxter had an acute mind and even spent some time as a schoolmaster himself before being ordained in 1638.

These were troubled times, particularly for a thinker and man of conscience. Baxter was for a while chaplain to the parliamentary army and later involved in the restoration of the king. All the while he was working for peace between the various protestant denominations and arguing for moderation and for tolerance of different opinions. His efforts landed him in prison for 18 months, but the Act of Toleration passed in the reign of William & Mary at last gave him the freedom he had worked for for others.

As well as his autobiography, ‘Mr Richard Baxter’s Narrative on the Most Memorable Passages of his Life and Times’, Richard Baxter wrote about 200 other books and he is credited with being the creator of popular Christian literature.

It is but right that our hearts should be on God,

when the heart of God is so much on us.

Richard Baxter

Childhood accidents – they just aren’t what they used to be!

Remember the days when summer holidays meant that most children climbed trees – and some fell out of them? And when most children rode bicycles – and some fell off them?

Well, all that is changing. A recent study of hospital admissions shows that the number of tree-related incidents has fallen by 36 per cent from 1999 to 2006. And there has been a 22 per cent fall in the number of children injured in bike accidents.

On the other hand, RSI injuries brought on by playing “PlayStation Generation” are up 35 per cent. And last year more under-14s were injured falling out of bed, or even falling off their chair, than falling out of a tree!

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Twenty Years Ago

May 1987

Two significant events occurred in Wallington in June 1987 - the United Reformed and the Presbyterian churches were formally joined together on the sixth and the following day the Methodists celebrated their 100th birthday.

Many of you will remember our newspaper collections, which brought in worthwhile revenue. There was, however, a plea not to leave papers outside the doors of the church. A fire had been started with paper left outside the vestry door and had caused serious damage to the boiler house.

Another plea was the perennial one for people to come and help cut the grass in the churchyard. Readers were asked to speak to Stewart Kimber without delay and not let the grass grow under their feet. How that exhortation echoes down the years!

Nigel Thomson, then one of St Mary’s ringers, had just taken part in the London Marathon. This was a remarkable achievement as, 13 months previously, he had had both legs smashed in a serious car crash. Still bearing the steel rods and plates needed to mend his bones, he’d had to walk most of the way but had finished with a triumphant run over Westminster Bridge. He had raised several hundred pounds for the East Surrey Hospital, which he was soon to re-enter to have his metal-work removed. (Nigel now lives in East Grinstead and has taken part in many marathons since.)

Margaret Freeman had written an appreciation of the choir’s performance of Fauré’s Requiem on Good Friday. George Smith (son of Anna) had been the treble soloist.

A Guide article reported that Claire Terry of 5th Company, had been chosen to take part in a Festival of Arts at the Guildhall in London. She had written a poem called “A Seabird” and it had been selected to be included in the concert.

Mary Tapp had written about the Service of Dedication and the Blessing of St Raphael’s Hospice. St Mary’s MU had been fund-raising for the Hospice and Mary and Joyce Hore had felt very privileged to be included in the celebrations.

There was a brief report of the APCM. Eileen Reynolds, the PCC Secretary, bewailed the fact that less than 50% of the Electoral Roll had attended. She hoped the rest were satisfied with everything! (Just for comparison, 2007’s attendance was …er, around 36%, oh dear!)

Jean Kimber

Notes from the APCM

The meeting, which took place on Sunday 29th April after the morning service, was attended by 40 people. It began with the Vestry meeting, the sole purpose of which is to elect two churchwardens for the coming year. Ian Akhurst and Pat Kingsbury were thanked by Justine for their many hours of public and private work during the previous year and, having been persuaded to stand again, were elected by acclamation as churchwardens for the coming year.

Having accepted the minutes of the previous year's meeting as a true record, the next task of the meeting should have been to elect four members of the electoral roll to membership of the Parochial Church Council to replace four members whose terms of office had come to an end. The latter four, Margaret Treasurer, Harold Hore, Catherine Lawrence and Keith Lewis, were warmly applauded for their work on the PCC. As only four nominations had been received it was not necessary to hold an election, so Lizzie Atkins, Catherine Lawrence (eligible for a further term), Mike Morgan and Andrew Wilson were unanimously voted onto the PCC for a term of three years.

In addition to their written report, available in advance of the meeting, the churchwardens gave notice that a quinquennial inspection of the church is due this year. They undertook to keep us informed of any necessary building work. Justine amplified her written report by focusing mainly on the rôle of St's within the community. She expressed her pleasure that local schools are pleased to come to the church for fact-finding visits and have also offered their work as part of our prayer and praise; TS Puma have held a fundraising concert for their unit in church and are to collaborate with us on Teddy Bear Day in July, an event which, like Duck Day, Justine hopes will bring our church and the wider community into greater contact.

Our Treasurer, Hugh Crozier, was sad to report that last year's offerings and stewardship raised only about half the annual running costs. As all our tax rebates have now been claimed we have no extra income to cushion this shortfall and a TRIO campaign will be organised in the coming months to increase stewardship.

Jean Kimber presented the Deanery Synod report, explaining its rôle as the link between parishes and the diocese. She reported that Sutton Deanery Synod meets about three times per year, each time in a different parish. The meetings, which generally include a talk by a visiting speaker on a topical issue, are open to all.

Andrew Wilson reporting on the choir, commented that within a 10 mile radius of the church 10 years ago, you would have found seven choirs; of those only two remain. He was therefore happy to report that St Mary’s choir is flourishing and enjoys a good social side as well. He told the meeting that events within the year had included a gig for the boys at the Waldorf Hotel, a bonfire party, a sponsored swim and a Hands and Voices concert; he was pleased to announce that a monthly fixture had been organised between the boys' football team and that of the local cubs. Andrew and the choir are looking forward to a concert which they will give in Carshalton Methodist Church on 23rd June and a Christmas gig at a local golf club.

For the magazine panel, Chris Morgan reported on the joys and difficulties of producing 11 editions of the parish magazine per year. She told the meeting that, of the 230 copies printed each month, 170 are delivered to people who have paid an annual subscription for them and who maybe only rarely attend church for one reason or another. The rest remain at church for purchase or as a means of introducing newcomers and visitors to St Mary's-the- community, rather than just St Mary's-the-beautiful-building.

Jenifer Davison, the new branch leader, gave a report of the Mothers' Union and Open Group activities which ranged from tasting evenings (eg cheeses, juices, each other's recipes) via talks on a wide variety of subjects (eg beekeeping, crime prevention in the home), to a visit to a pantomime. She reminded the meeting that MU&OG meetings are open to all and extended an invitation to join them.

Justine thanked all those who had given reports and also the coordinators and members of all the committees whose work enables St. Mary's to function as efficiently as possible.

The meeting closed with The Grace.

Pam Akhurst, Secretary to the PCC

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What makes June so special

June is the month of light – the month of the summer solstice, when millions of people in northernmost Europe stay out late to enjoy the sight of the midnight sun. Light and glory where there is usually darkness is something we celebrate, we welcome.

In John 9 Jesus said: “I am the light of the world.” He wasn’t preaching over the summer solstice, but at a Jewish occasion which celebrated light every bit as much. It was the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:14), which was a celebration not only of God’s provision of water, but also of the light of God’s presence with the Israelites in the wilderness.

During the Feast of Tabernacles there was a joyful celebration. The priests would light four huge lamps in the Court of Women. The flames would reach as high as the temple walls and would provide a light that could be seen all throughout Jerusalem. Men of deep piety would dance throughout the night for the entire week of celebrating. A choir, accompanied by an orchestra of instruments, would sing psalms like Psalm 27, which declares “The Lord is my light and my salvation”

At the height of this grand celebration, Jesus had the temerity to stand and say that HE was the light that was foreshadowed by the light for the Israelites in the wilderness. The Jewish leaders were furious, and tried to stone him to death. Jesus did not fight back, he simply illustrated his claim to be the Light of the World by immediately giving sight to a man born blind. (John 9).

In the 20 centuries since then, the Word of God, when it is proclaimed, has drawn people out of the darkness and into the light of Jesus. The Word is, as the psalmist said, “a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Is good spelling really necessary?

"I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulacity uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid! Aoccdmig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the lttleers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas thguoht slpeling was ipmorantt!" (Nice theory, but it is belied by this magazine’s readers who always manage to spot my spelling/grammar/typo errors. I know - because they tell me!! Chris)

How Big Business and the C of E are now ‘…in This Together!”

When No 10 Downing Street decided that a major initiative was required to help the public take steps to reduce their personal carbon dioxide emissions, the Prime Minister not only invited some of the top companies in the country to participate, but also the Church of England to be a partner.

As a result eight leading businesses have joined in the ‘We’re in This Together’ campaign, supported by the C of E, representing civil society.

Designed to reach every UK household, the campaign will provide both ideas for behavioural change and practical ways in which everyone can play their part. It is a deliberate response to research which shows the powerlessness that many people feel when faced with the challenge of climate change.

In an unprecedented demonstration of support, retailers, banking and service providers from across the UK (B&Q, Barclaycard, British Gas, HSBC, Marks & Spencer, O2, Royal & SunAlliance, Sky & Tesco) have all united behind this initiative, with more brands set to join throughout 2007. The coalition also includes the Energy Saving Trust, Defra, and the National Consumer Council.

The campaign will see each partner providing products, services and advice for consumers that will actively facilitate the reduction of emissions. These initiatives will be brought together on www.together.com where the collective reduction in emissions will be calculated, intermediate targets established, and people given access to information and advice on how they can take part.

The Church of England was invited to be a partner because it had already launched its own carbon reducing campaign – ‘Shrinking the Footprint’. This is currently ‘Measuring our Footprint’ with all its 16,000 churches, diocesan offices and bishops’ houses recording their 2005 energy use. A further survey will take place in 2008 to record the reduction which the General Synod has called for.

Supporting the initiative Dr Richard Chartres The Bishop of London, said’ “The Church of England is officially committed to ‘cutting the carbon’. Our ‘Shrinking the Footprint’ campaign is helping congregations to see the connection between caring for God’s creation and embracing a greener way of life. We are glad to support this effort because it is true that ‘We’re in this together’ and to engage our own members and those of other faiths.

The launch of ‘We’re in This Together’ was celebrated by the Church with the publication of ‘How many Lightbulbs does it take to Change a Christian?’

…… a report from the Conservation Foundation

Top of the Document

Daily prayer topics in June

Fri 1 All who suffer through illness, neglect or violence

Sat 2 Our homes, our community and places of work

Sun 3 Praise God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Mon 4 Thanksgiving for our creation and preservation

Tue 5 That we may reflect God’s love in the world

Wed 6 The Melanesian Brotherhood

Thu 7 Thanksgiving for the Institution of the Holy Communion

Fri 8 That the Church may give strength to family life

Sat 9 Emergency services and relief agencies

Sun 10 Our Guides, Brownies and Rainbows

Mon 11 All who seek to support others in their faith

Tue 12 Pastoral visitors, counsellors and spiritual directors

Wed 13 The oppressed, the hungry and the homeless

Thu 14 The leaders of the nations

Fri 15 Our armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan

Sat 16 The Glastonbury Pilgrimage

Sun 17 Thanksgiving for all good and caring fathers

Mon 18 The Church and people of Zimbabwe

Tue 19 Our local schools, teachers and pupils

Wed 20 Refugees world-wide

Thu 21 That all may know God’s forgiveness

Fri 22 Our local prisons, inmates and chaplains

Sat 23 Ely Cathedral, Dean & Chapter

Sun 24 Thanksgiving for the life and witness of John the Baptist

Mon 25 All who come to St Mary’s with hopes and fears

Tue 26 Victims of drug abuse and illicit trafficking

Wed 27 Children caught up in gang warfare and violence

Thu 28 The war-torn areas of our world

Fri 29 Thanksgiving for the lives and witness of SS Peter and Paul

Sat 30 Our Link Dioceses in Zimbabwe