The Comfort Zone

What’s on in August?

Choral Evensong

What’s on in September?

Saints and Commemorations

August

September

Readings

August

September

Thinking of you

August

September

Snippets

Some very early dates for your diary:

The Top Thirty Hymns

The Mothers’ Union General Meeting

Twenty Years Ago

Octavia Hill

Back to Church Sunday

The Poetry Circle

Parish Garden

Holy Cross Day

Mary Sumner

“If only we had a decent piano …..”

Brave Bears and Mad Englishmen

In the steps of Jesus

Pam Jordan talks about Zimbabwe

Parish Quiet Day

From the registers

Weddings

Baptisms

Funerals

Church Diary Bookings

Coffee Culture Comes to Carshalton!

Open House Weekend

St Dominic

Love Use – Or Hate Use!

Helping Christians to Lead like Christians.

Signs & Symbols:

Daily prayer topics in August

Daily prayer topics in September

 


The Comfort Zone

Have you ever had one of those moments when your life suddenly feels completely surreal and you can’t believe you’re doing what your eyes and ears seem to tell you you’re doing. Over the last few weeks I’ve had many of those moments, when I’ve found myself discussing in all seriousness the most appropriate safety harness for small, medium and large teddy bears, the correct way to describe much loved non-bear soft toys and the correct training programme for bears who were about to go down a zip wire. And all of these conversations were with adults!!

 

But it was well worth it, to see the churchyard packed with ooh-ing and gasping owners as their beloved animals came whizzing (mostly) down the wire. There was something very profound and wonderful in watching the faces of children of all ages (from 6 months up to 93 years) all so engrossed and involved in the event. The churchyard was full of such community and good spirits despite the torrential downpour that threatened to destroy the afternoon. All in all about 100 much loved companions whizzed down to earth, and they all seemed to enjoy it very much (you can read a personal account of one such experience below) Brave Bears and Mad Englishmen

 

And the sense of community and involvement continued in ‘Praise in the Park’, when about 80 people joined together to sing some of St Mary’s favourite hymns. There were 130 votes cast for 68 different hymns, ranging from Come Holy Ghost Our Souls Inspire to Shine Jesus Shine. Again what was so powerful was the feeling of total engagement, of people throwing themselves into worship. The singing was incredible, a real powerhouse of praise. It was clearly an emotional event for many people, with some leaving in tears, whispering “I enjoyed that so much”. Certainly I heard many stories of the memories that hymns hold for so many people. Thank you to all who voted, and thank you particularly to Andrew and the choir who lead us so well. (The Top 30 is published below). The Top Thirty Hymns

 

Over the last week or so I’ve been reflecting on those two events. They seem to have something in common -  a powerful sense of the familiar and comforting. Both the bears and the music can take us back to a safe and secure place – perhaps our early childhood or school life, perhaps a wonderful memory of a special event of a wedding or christening, or perhaps a memory of a loved one. Both the hymns and the bears seem to have the power to take us back to a place where we know or knew ourselves to be truly loved.

 

And church itself can often seem like that, somewhere where it’s safe to go with all our burdens and troubles, somewhere we can seek solace and comfort, somewhere we can know ourselves to be loved “just as we are”. It’s absolutely right that church should be like that, for in that building we are in a set aside space to contemplate our relationship with Love itself.

 

But church sometimes should be a bit different. Church needs to be a place where we are challenged in love to move on and out of our comfort zone. As we discover as we grow up that life isn’t all teddies and fun – sometimes it a bit more risky. Like Mary Magdalene trying to cling to the risen Christ in the garden, we often want to cling to what we know and what we feel safe with. But Jesus challenges us now as he did then to do more, to move beyond that into an unknown zone, relying on our knowledge of God’s love and the power of the Resurrection for our security. That is what it meant for Mary to be the Apostle to the Apostles, that is what it means for us to be apostles to the world.

 

That means taking a risk, daring to go beyond our current boundaries. As the book by John Ortberg puts it, “If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat” …. or as the teddy bears at the top of the tower might have said “One.... two... three… Go!!!”

Justine


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What’s on in August?

Wed

1

St Mary’s Guild. A talk by Pat Kingsbury

2.30 pm

SUN

5

TRINITY 9 The Transfiguration

 

Mon

6

Centre Committee meets at 19 Redford Avenue

8.00 pm

SUN

12

TRINITY 10

MU Wave of Prayer. The Centre

 

1.00-2.00 pm

Wed

15

MU Corporate Eucharist

10.00 am

Sat

18

‘Praise Upraising’ performed by Liberty Gospel Choir at Carshalton Methodist Church.

7.00 pm

SUN

19

TRINITY 11

 

Tue

21

‘Time for God’ quiet worship. The Carew Chapel

9.30 am

SUN

26

TRINITY 12

 

Mon

27

Bank Holiday Monday. Church open

 

Thu

30

Magazine Panel meets at 35 Vanguard Way

10.00 am

Fri

31

Kith, Kin & Kanine - Centre open for Coffee & Cake

10-11.30 am

Choral Evensong

Please remember that Evening Prayer will be SAID on Sundays throughout August whilst our choir

takes a well-earned break. Choral Evensong will recommence on Sunday, 2 September

 

 


What’s on in September?

Sat

1

Parish Quiet Day at West Malling Abbey

SUN

2

PATRONAL FESTIVAL - The Blessed Virgin Mary

Choral Evensong will recommence

Tue

4

Social Committee meets at 2 Caraway Place

7.30 pm

Wed

5

St Mary’s Guild. A Outing

2.30 pm

Thu

6

‘Praise & Play’ for pre-school toddlers

MU&OG. ‘Unusual Postcards’ with Mary Campbell

10.00 am

7.30 pm

Sat

8

‘A Jazz Evening’ with Hugh Crozier

7.30 pm

SUN

9

TRINITY 14

Canon Andrew Wilson will preside at both Eucharists

Sat

15

Church open for London Open House Weekend

 

10.30 am -

3.30 pm

SUN

16

TRINITY 15

Church open for London Open House Weekend

12 noon –

5.00 pm

Mon

17

Rev’d David Gatliffe will give a talk about next year’s Pilgrimage. The Centre.

7.30 pm

Tue

18

‘Time for God’ quiet worship. The Carew Chapel

PCC Meeting. The Centre

9.30 am

8.00 pm

Wed

19

MU Corporate Eucharist

Poetry for Pleasure. The Centre (see page opposite)

10.00 am

2.00-4.00 pm

Thu

20

‘Praise & Play’ for pre-school toddlers

10.00 am

Sat

22

Model Railway Exhibition

10.00 am to

5.00 pm

SUN

23

TRINITY 16.   Carew Manor and Church Open

Fri

28

‘Kith Kin & Kanine’ - Centre open for coffee and cake

10-11.30 am

SUN

30

TRINITY 17

Back to Church Sunday with a BBQ lunch following the morning service

Saints and Commemorations

August

Wed          1            Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, died at Beddington 984

Sat            4            Oswald, Founder of the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans) 1221

Wed          8            Dominic, Priest, Founder of the Order of Preachers, 1221St Dominic

Thu           9            Mary Sumner, Founder of the Mother’s Union, 1921 Mary Sumner

Fri           19           Laurence, Deacon of Rome, Martyr, 258

Sat          11           Clare of Assisi, Founder of the Minoresses (Poor Clares) 1253

                            John Henry Newman, Priest, Tractarian, 1890

Mon       13           Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down & Connor, Teacher of the Faith. 1667

                            Florence Nightingale, Nurse, Social Reformer, 1910

                           Octavia Hill, Social Reformer, 1912 Octavia Hill

Tue         14           Maximilian Kolbe, Friar, Martyr. 1941

Mon       20           Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, Teacher of the Faith, 1153

                            William & Catherine Booth, Founders of the Salvation Army, 1912 & 1890

Fri           24           BARTHOLOMEW THE APOSTLE

Tue         28           Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Teacher of the Faith, 430

Fri           31           Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary, 651

September

Sun           2            THE BIRTH OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Mon         3            Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, Teacher of the Faith, 604

Thu         13           John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, Teacher of the Faith, 407

Fri           14           HOLY CROSS DAY Holy Cross Day

Sat          15           Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, 258

Sun         16           Ninian, Bishop of Galloway, Apostle of the Picts, c432

                            Edward Bouverie Pusey, Priest, Tractarian, 1882

Mon       17           Hildegard, Abbess of Bingen, Visionary, 1179

Fri           21           MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST

Tue         25           Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, Spiritual Writer, 1626

Wed        26           Wilson Carlile, Founder of the Church Army, 1942

Sat          29           MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS

Sun         30           Jerome, Translator of the Scriptures, Teacher of the Faith, 420

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Readings

August

Sunday,  5 August 

Transfiguration

2 Peter 1 : 16-19 

Luke 9 : 28-38                      

Sunday, 12 August

Trinity 10

Genesis 15 : 1-6  

Luke 12 : 32-40

Sunday, 19 August            

Trinity 11

Jeremiah 23 : 23-29

Luke 12 : 49-56

Sunday, 26 August

 Trinity 12

Isaiah 58 : 9b-end

Luke 13 : 10-17

September

Sunday, 2 September          

Patronal Festival

Isaiah 61 : 10-end              

Galatians 4 : 4-7

Luke 1 : 46-55                                      

Sunday, 9 September                        

Trinity 14

Deuteronomy 30 : 15-end

Philemon 1-21     

Luke 14 : 25-33  

Sunday, 16 September     

Trinity 15

Exodus 32 : 7-14

1 Timothy 1 : 12-17

Luke 15 : 1-10    

Sunday, 23 September

Trinity 16

Amos 8 : 4-7

1 Timothy 2 : 1-7               

Luke 16 : 1-13

Sunday, 30 September     

 Trinity 17

Amos 6 : 1a, 4-7 

1 Timothy 6 : 6-19

Luke 16 : 19-end

Thinking of you

August


Every Sunday we pray for people living and working in two or three roads in the parish

The roads in August will be:

Sunday 5 August

Hilliers Lane & Wandle Bank

Sunday 12 August

Hallowell Avenue & Tritton Avenue

Sunday 19 August

Bridges Lane & Wandle Court Gardens

Sunday 26 August

Wandle Road & Blandford Close

September

The roads in September will be:

Sunday 2 September

Chiswick Close & Twickenham Close

Sunday 9 September

Mortlake Close

Sunday 16 September

Richmond Road

Sunday 23 September

Richmond Green

Sunday, 30 September

Windsor Gardens & Kingston Gardens

Snippets

A huge thank you to everyone who helped at the events on the 15th July – to those who created and ran the stalls, to those who baked cakes and served teas (so welcome in the rain) and to Andrew and the choir who led the singing. A special thank you must go to TS Puma who organised and managed the zipwire itself. We raised approximately £350 for church funds.

St Mary's ringers entered two teams in the Association Call Change Competition held at Oxted on July 7. This is a competition which includes student ringers, the aim being to produce the best-sounding ringing possible at a "beginner" level. We gained two podium places by coming first and third! The rather grand shield we received was displayed in the Centre the following morning. So if you think our ringing is a little "off key" sometimes, just consider that perhaps it's the best in Surrey!

Our annual Diocesan MU Wave of Prayer on Sunday, 12 August, will this year take place in the Centre between 1.00 and 2.00 pm

You are invited to ‘Praise Upraising’ performed by the Liberty Gospel Choir at Carshalton Methodist Church on August 18th at 7.00 pm. No tickets needed, just come, donations welcome. The concert will be followed by a BBQ supper for which you will need to book with Jacky Waite on 0204181 The cost is £3.50 each.

Some very early dates for your diary:

Saturday, 6 October

Harvest Supper in the Centre followed by ‘Hands & Voices’ concert

Sunday, 7 October

Harvest Thanksgiving Service where we will be joined by our Rainbows, Guides and Brownies

Sunday, 14 October

There will be a Confirmation Service at 10.00 am at St Michael’s, Wallington in which candidates from St Mary’s will participate.

Saturday, 24 November

Christmas Fair

The Top Thirty Hymns

as voted for by you

Guide me O thou Great Redeemer

All things bright and beautiful

Just as I am

Lord of the dance

Make me a channel of your peace

Tell out my soul

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Now the green blade riseth

For all the saints

The day thou gavest, Lord has ended

Lead us heavenly Father, lead us

Come holy Ghost our souls inspire

The Lord's my shepherd

All creatures of our God and King

All people that on earth do dwell

Jerusalem

Amazing Grace

Breathe on me breath of God

Let all the world in every corner sing

Onward Christian soldiers

Angel voices ever singing

I the Lord of Sea and Sky

Thy hand O God has guided

Be thou my vision

At the name of Jesus

Now thank we all our God

Love divine

Thine be the glory

Shine Jesus shine

Crown him with many crowns

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The Mothers’ Union General Meeting

LIVERPOOL 2007

I was fortunate in obtaining a ticket for this event in June. When you belong to a small branch of any organisation it is good to meet with members from all over the world and to discover what is being done in so many places. "Faith in Action" was the subject of the service on the Wednesday evening, 2000 people singing to the 9,765 pipe Willis organ is quite something. The preacher was Bishop of Liverpool RR James Jones who during his talk about slavery told us of two black lady ex-slaves who had written against slavery in 1774.

At the General Meeting the next day we heard reports from the co-ordinators about all the work being done in the name of the MU, including smaller schemes being carried out by individual branches. The speaker was Jonathan Aitken who gave a moving account of his 18 months in prison. He told us:

It felt as if he were entering a different world as he arrived in handcuffs, surrounded by guards. He is the only cabinet member to have been in prison. He was interviewed by the prison psychiatrist who asked, "Does anybody know that you are in prison?" Having fought his entry through photographers, he answered "Thousands." This obviously prompted the next question "Do you suffer from delusions of grandeur?". He said that the only two uses of the word "induction" is in the Church of England and on entering prison. He passed his literacy test!  But a third of prisoners cannot read or write.

He spoke of the awful moment when the steel door of his cell slammed shut. That night the men in the adjacent cells, hearing of his admission, started a very obscene chant about Tory MPs which was soon taken up by the others. He was very frightened. Somebody had given him the book ‘Praying the Psalms’ and the one for that day was number 130, ‘Out of the Depths Have I Cried’. He awoke to the command "Unlock. Everybody out." He came out dreading meeting the prisoners who had so frightened him during the night to be met with, "Sorry about last night. We were on drugs." There were many young vulnerable people (the average age of prisoners was 23) and one came to him for help. He had received a letter and could not read. It was saying that his family was to be evicted because of non-payment of rent. Jonathan wrote a letter for him and he went along the corridor, brandishing it and saying, "That MP geezer has fantastic joined-up writing!" After that he had a queue - bigger than any when he was an MP - of men needing letters read or written. One told him, "You are having a great impact on the girls in Brixton - they think we have shown great improvement!"

One day Paddy came to thank him for all his help in letter writing. He wanted to give him one of his books. They were all porn! Jonathan said that he did not need them and at first Paddy was angry thinking that he thought himself too good for them. But he explained that he was a Christian and his faith was in Jesus Christ. There was silence for a while, then Paddy remembered his Christian grandmother for whom life had such meaning. How do you get that faith? Jonathan prayed with him nightly and gradually he brought others until 20 men were meeting. He said it was a real "cell group". Some dropped out but most stayed. They shared their pain which cannot be hidden in prison, their perseverance and penitence. Gradually they began to change - there was less swearing; they treated the guards better; some started to come off drugs. They prayed to the Father as so many needed a father figure which few had had; they prayed to the Son as they needed someone who loved them; and they prayed to the Holy Spirit as they knew that they needed a power outside themselves if they were to give up drugs. They were burglars, murderers, lifers - all meeting in prayer.

Paddy was the most committed member. He worked with the Chaplain and gave up swearing, porn and drugs. When his wife was pregnant, he asked if he could have the baby baptised in the prison chapel and it was agreed. The others in the group all attended. Jonathan was the Godfather. 12 bottles of "baby food" were delivered, with Paddy explaining that his daughter was a very thirsty baby! But when some of the bottles were found to contain vodka, they were removed. The very elaborate dress was, he thought, intended for a very large bride! Every so often, the baby slipped down into a sleeve and the others came forward so caringly to help. There was such great love shown at that service. Why? Because they had met with Christ. Jesus changes lives today.

Jonathan has kept in touch with them. One was there at the meeting selling his books. Only three have so far gone back to prison since 1999.

I came away reflecting on how the work of the MU in prison visiting is so vital, especially in the overcrowded situations where there is little time for personal help.

Pam Vernon

Twenty Years Ago

September 1987

Carousel noted that October 11 would be a day of celebration for the Mothers' Union. There would be the usual Guides and Brownies service at 9.30 followed by a Festival Eucharist for the MU. As this was to celebrate the branch's 90th birthday, it was planned that a lunch in Rectory Lane Hall for MU members and representatives of all St Mary's organisations, should follow the service.

Members had recently had “a very jolly " evening enjoying a meal at The Kingswood Arms. Exactly how jolly, one wonders?

Russell Stableford had written an appreciation of the concerts by St Mary's youngsters for the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children. He commented not only on how much pleasure the audience had obviously derived from the performances but how much he had derived from seeing how the young players had developed in the few years the group had been together, gathering ability and confidence along the way.

Four young ladies from the Junior Group, Lucy and Amy Cutbush and Julie and Sally Branson, had also written an article on the concerts from their point of view. It was their first experience of concerts on such a scale and they expressed  a) their alarm and disappointment at the way the dress rehearsal had gone and b) their joy and amazement at the actual performances. They hadn't been around musicians long enough! The concerts raised £275 for the Fund.

Heather Cosgrove had returned the previous month's compliment by writing about Chris Holmes, her fellow churchwarden and there were articles from the Boys' Brigade and the Arthritic Care group.

In Stewart Kimber's Twenty years Ago, it emerged that in 1967 we had ditched our English Hymnal books of 15 years in favour of the Revised Ancient and Modern hymn book. We swapped back again some years ago and there are still many of us who miss the authentic words and harmonies we then lost.

Also back in 1987, congratulations were offered to Kathleen and Michael Hodgson on 40 years of marriage. The mathematically-minded will quickly work out what that means this year!!

Jean Kimber

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Octavia Hill    

13 August

Mr James Hill was a wealthy corn merchant and banker in Wisbech, and an educational reformer. He and his wife, said to be both charming and cultured, had a large family whom Mrs Hill educated herself. Unusually for her time, she intended them all to grow up able to earn their own living. Octavia born in 1838, the eighth child, was a bright and a particular favourite of her grandfather who was an authority on fever epidemics and sanitation. He used to tell her stories about the ‘poor people’ he met in the course of his work.

In due course Octavia and her sisters went to live in London, in St Marylebone very near to some of the worst of the slums. Octavia worked for a while at a project to teach Ragged School children to make and sell toys. The sisters also started a school of their own. Octavia, a good artist, earned some money copying pictures for the National Portrait Gallery.

Octavia Hill was learning fast - from the children she taught, from the working conditions nearby and from the people involved in local projects, including the Rev F D Maurice and the Christian Socialist Movement who were among the first to discuss the importance of politics and economics in connection with the living con