Apparently it’s a misquotation, but St Augustine is alleged to have said “He who sings, prays twice”. It’s a good point, because so much of what we believe is shaped through the words that we sing and the way we sing them. That’s why choosing hymns is such a difficult job and why, at St Mary’s, Jenifer, Andrew and I choose hymns together so that, even if you don’t like all the ones we choose, you don’t end up with one person’s favourite hymns week after week.

The words and the music together are important, and our favourite ones are often associated with significant times in our lives – weddings, baptisms, confirmations, funerals. They remind us of times and of places, of people we love and stories we hold dear. In many ways the hymnody of the Church throughout the centuries is the repository for the emotions and response of the Church to God’s love. We can encounter that transformation on an emotional level that we can’t always do when we read the Bible or listen to a sermon. Music can in many ways take us into the heart of God.

It’s certainly like that for me when I hear the Exsultet, the traditional first hymn of Easter. It’s a call to wake up and rejoice – not just a call to a sleepy congregation at 5.30 in the morning but to all of creation and all of heaven:

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!

Exult all creation around God's throne!

But why this rejoicing? The Exsultet is at the centre of our story as Christians, a story of our liberation through Jesus’ birth, death and most importantly resurrection. If God had not raised Jesus from the dead on Easter morning then Jesus is a prophet who teaches us about God’s love and God’s kingdom, but perhaps no more than that. But on Easter morning we celebrate the mystery and triumph of the Resurrection:

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendour!

Radiant in the brightness of your King!

Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!

Darkness vanishes for ever!

In order for us to enter into this song with all our heart and mind we need to get ready and prepare ourselves for the feast. Part of that is caught up in the way we live Lent; part of it is in the way we approach and live through the drama of Holy Week. You can read below about our services for old and young, services that help us to sing the song of Easter with hearts and minds on fire with God’s love.

So this Easter, rejoice and sing as well as you can, exult with all creation that God’s love has conquered and we are inheritors with and through Christ of God’s kingdom.

Walking with Jesus

Our programme during Holy Week is designed to help in our spiritual pilgrimage as we prepare to walk with Jesus the way of the Cross and to celebrate together the joy of his resurrection.

We begin on Palm Sunday with the Procession of Palms and a Passover Supper, remembering that we too share the heritage of this feast of liberation. As we share the ritual food, including the lamb that was the sign of the Passover, we remember that, particularly in John’s Gospel, Jesus is portrayed as the ultimate Passover lamb without blemish, by whose blood we are saved.

Throughout the week we journey on, day by day spending time with Christ and in church we’re offering meditations on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and Monday and Tuesday evenings. Others may choose to travel with Jesus through the events of Good Friday as we contemplate the Stations of the Cross on Wednesday evening.

By Maundy Thursday the drama is picking up speed, moving beyond our control. We remember Jesus offering himself as servant and slave of all as he washes his disciples’ feet, before prefiguring his death in the Last Supper as he tells his disciples “This is my body; this is my blood.” While we rejoice in our salvation, we huddle in terror as the altars are brutally, even violently stripped and we wait and watch throughout the night as we remain in prayer with Jesus in the barrenness of the garden.

Eventually we reach God’s Friday – Good Friday. At 10.30 am there will be a children’s service and workshop in the Centre. The Churches Together Walk of Witness begins at 12 noon from St Elphege’s. At St Mary’s, from 1-2.00 pm we have a service of words and music, followed by a more liturgical service at 2.00 pm.

Throughout these services our desire is to truly enter with Jesus into his Passion, so that when we hear the echoing shout of Alleluia! He is Risen! we are able to make it our own. May you have a precious, holy and life giving Week.

Justine

What's on in March
Sat	1	21st Century Marriage . The Centre	10.00 am - 2.00 pm
SUN	2	LENT 4 - MOTHERING SUNDAY The preacher at the 9.30 am Eucharist will be the Reverend Canon Robert Titley, Canon Treasurer of Southwark Cathedral and Senior Diocesan Director of Ordinands
Mon	3	Lent Course. The Centre	8.00 pm
Tue "	4 "	Magazine Panel meets at 35 Vanguard Way Social Committee meets at 2 Caraway Place	10.30 am 7.30 pm
Wed "	5 "	Lent Course. The Centre St Mary's Guild meets at St Mary's Court. Speaker to be advised	10.30 am 2.30 pm
Thu	6	MU&OG. Sue Stevens of Sutton Women's Aid will be speaking on the subject of Domestic Violence. The Centre	7.30 pm
Fri	7	Women's World Day of Prayer Services: St Mary's St Patrick's, Wallington	10.30 am 7.30 pm
Sat	8	21st Century Marriage. The Centre	10 am - 2.00 pm
SUN	9	LENT 5 - PASSION SUNDAY
Mon "`	10 "	Staff meeting at The Rectory Lent Course. The Centre	9.30 am 8.00 pm
Tue "	11 "	Time for God Quiet Worship. The Carew Chapel PCC meeting. The Centre	9.30 am 8.00 pm
Wed	12	Lent Course. The Centre	10.30 am
Thu	13	'Praise & Play' for pre-school toddlers Palm Sunday - ‘A Donkey for a King’	10.00 am
Sat "	15 "	A Workshop on Admitting Children to Communion. Led by Diane Craven, Diocesan Children's Adviser. The Centre PCC "at home" afternoon. The Centre	10.00 - 12 noon 12.15-4.00 pm
Holy Week
SUN	16	PALM SUNDAY Eucharist Procession of Palms and Sung Eucharist Passover Supper in the Centre (No Evensong tonight)		8.00 am 9.30 am 7.00 pm
Mon	17	Eucharist Meditation Meditation		9.00 am 9.30 am 7.30 pm

Tue	18	Eucharist Meditation Sherwood Park School Service Meditation	9.00 am 9.30 am 10.30 am 7.30 pm
Wed	19	Meditation Eucharist Poetry for Pleasure. The Centre Stations of the Cross	9.30 am 10.00 am 2.00 pm 7.30 pm
Thu	20	MAUNDY THURSDAY Morning Prayer Eucharist, washing of feet and stripping of the Altar A vigil of silent prayer will be kept in the Carew Chapel following the end of the Eucharist until the start of tomorrow’s 1.00 pm service	9.00 am 7.30 pm
FRI	21	GOOD FRIDAY Children's Workshop and Service in the Centre Churches Together Walk of Witness starting at St’s Church, Stafford Road, Wallington Service of Words & Music Last Hour by the Cross	10.30 am 12.00 pm 1.00 pm 2.00 pm
SUN	23	EASTER DAY Vigil and First Eucharist of Easter Eucharist Sung Eucharist Choral Evensong	5.30 am 8.00 am 9.30 am 6.30 pm
Mon	24	Easter Monday Bank Holiday. Church open	2.00-5.00 pm
Thu	27	Praise & Play for pre-school toddlers The Resurrection - ‘The Happiest Day’	10.00 am
Fri	28	'Kith Kin & Kanine'. The Centre open for Coffee and Cake	10-11.30 am
Sat 29 March Don't forget to put your clocks forward one hour before you go to bed
SUN	30	EASTER 2

Readings for Sundays and Festivals in March

Sunday, 2 March

Mothering Sunday

1 Samuel 1 : 20:28

Colossians 3 : 12-17

John 19 : 25b-27

Sunday, 9 March

Lent 5

Ezekiel 37 : 1-14

Romans 8 : 6-11

John 11 : 1-4

Sunday, 16 March

Palm Sunday

Isaiah 50 : 4-9a

Matthew 26 : 14-end of 27

Thursday, 20 March

Maundy Thursday

Exodus 12 : 1-14

1 Corinthians 11 : 23-26

John 13 : 1-17, 31b-35

Sunday, 23 March

Easter Day

Acts 10 : 34-43

Colossians 3 : 1-4

John 20 : 1-18

Sunday, 30 March

Easter 2

Acts 2 : 14a, 22-32

1 Peter 1 : 3-9

John 20 : 19-31

Top of the Document

Saints and Commemorations in March

Some Saint and Feast Days have been moved … see below for details

Sat 1 David, Bishop of Menevia, Patron of Wales c601

Fri 7 Perpetua, Felicity and their Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 203

Sat 8 Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln, 1910

" " Felix, Bishop, Apostle to the East Angles, 647

" " Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy, Priest, Poet, 1929

Sat 15 Patrick, Bishop, Missionary, Patron of Ireland, c460

Mon 31 John Donne, Priest, Poet, 1631

Shifting the Saints

St Patrick's Day has moved to 15 March. The Roman Catholic Church on discovering it clashed with the second day of Holy Week, moved the Irish patron saint's feast, normally on 17 March, to the 15th. Church rules decree the saint's feast day does not rank as highly as the Monday before Easter and therefore it had to be moved two days back to 15 March, which falls on a Saturday. Senior Irish clerics wanted to keep the date as close to international civic celebrations as possible, as they are planned years in advance. The last time St Patrick's Day had to be moved was in 1940 when it coincided with Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week. The next date it will have to be moved again is 2160.

Joseph of Nazareth has moved from 19 March to 1 April

The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lady Day) from 25 March to 31 March

(Strictly speaking, John Donne on 31 March shouldn't have been included as his feast day also falls within the Easter Octave, but a piece about him had already been written for the magazine, so we put him in.)

Thinking of you

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

in the parish.

The roads in March will be:

Sunday 2 March

Crichton Avenue & Rookwood Avenue

Sunday 9 March

Queenswood Avenue & Queen Elizabeth's Walk

Sunday 16 March

Royston Avenue & Sandhills

Sunday 23 March

Iberian Avenue & Goidel Close

Sunday 30 March

Plough Lane & Plough Lane Close

From the Registers

Baptisms

13 January        Charlie Musgrove
20 January        Gerald, Jamie and Georgea Hall
                        Gracie Drewelus-Paul
                        Tillie Johnson

Wedding

2 February Paul Edward Kossowicz

and Vicky Angela Wiltshire.

Funeral

31 January Evelyn Rose Poulter, age 89 years

Snippets

A great deal of interest has been expressed to those returning from the recent Pilgrimage to the Holy Land for them to share their experiences with others. Plans are being made to do this early in April. Be warned! The digital camera age has meant that well over 1,000 photos were taken!

Time For God quiet prayer. Starting this month, this popular service will be held on the second rather than the third Tuesday of each month at 9.30 am in the Carew Chapel

Poetry for Pleasure at 2 pm on Wednesday, 19 March. Please bring along one (or two) poems that you would like to read and share with the group. All are welcome.

The ringers said a fond farewell to one of their number at a lunch to mark the occasion on 24 February. Derek Spittle has been a ringer at St Mary's for over 40 years, but he and his wife Margaret are moving away to Fareham. Thank you, Derek, for all your years of dedication and service.

Date for your Diary

Spring Clean! The spring clean day last year was such fun (and did our church building no end of good too) that there will be another on Saturday, 26 April. Dusters at the ready folks!

Sorry, still no confirmation of the date for the Guy Middlemiss and David Tabbat Recital as mentioned in the last magazine.

Watch the weekly notices for further info .

Sutton Deanery Synod

Tuesday, 12 February

Church of the Good Shepherd, Carshalton

There was a warm welcome for Deanery Synod at the Good Shepherd. After opening prayers, the business matters of minutes and reports was over in a very short time leaving our guest, Bishop Nick Baines, almost lost for words.

The Bishops of Southwark had made a plan that all three Area Bishops would visit every parish in their Bishopric on a four-year cycle. Bishop Nick came to Croydon in 2003 half way through the initial four years cycle and so set about visiting the 8 deaneries with 103 parishes in record time. On such a visit he spends a day in a parish talking with the priest(s), travelling around the area, visiting the church and meeting the churchwardens, the PCC and members of the congregation. Bishop Nick said his visits can be divided into two main headings:

1. Pastoral

To know and to be known

- Addressing agendas in the parish

- To encourage and stimulate, giving suggestions of ‘how’

- To support, stressing he was not coming to judge and criticise but to help.

2. Strategic

- Setting details on a larger canvas – learning the trends

- Learning the parochial REALITIES on site, (sometimes finding reality very different from what he had been told beforehand)

- Considering the ‘particular’ in the light of the ‘general’

He recorded facts and impressions, sharing his observations with the parish; realising the strengths and weaknesses in a parish, offering help where he felt it was needed if he could and encouraging everybody as they seek to serve Christ. He reminded us all that the priests have the cure of souls of the whole parish, not just the church. Bishop Nick had re-read reports from all the 103 parishes in the Croydon Episcopal Area on the day of his visit and he shared his observations and the issues they raised under several headings.

FAITH

- Knowledge. He stressed the need to read the Bible: we cannot gain knowledge by ‘liturgical osmosis’

- Ways must be found to help build confidence and different ways of learning.

- He said how important it is for people to hold a Bible and so might learn to find their way around it easily. He encouraged the use of bibles in the pews rather than biblical extracts on sheets.

- We need confidence in our Christian faith and knowledge of the bible, but he found that lacking. We should remember that NOBODY will teach the Christian Faith except the churches, whereas anybody can organise a party.

- We must have confidence in the Church (of England).

- We must be attractive to those outside the churches.

- There are parishes in the very run down areas where all other agencies have moved out but where the parish church remains because it is subsidised by other parishes through our Fairer Shares contributions.

- We must have confidence in our identity knowing who we are and what we are for.

PEOPLE

He felt that he needed to split the needs for clergy and laity because their needs were different:

Clergy

- He looked at staffing levels and changing models of staffing.

- The demands on the clergy in a complex world and society. There is lots of legislation to work with as well as grappling with organisation, finance and buildings etc.

- There may be personal pastoral issues.

- Things come the way of the vicar that never used to; there are no boundaries; there are often conflicting expectations.

- Management of change such as new ways of communication.

- How do they keep their vision and their spirituality

- What resources are there to help them? How do they show leadership – learning from each other – supporting each other – being supported by the Bishop. Some Deaneries have been reshaped making it easier for the clergy and the churches to work together and with local organisations.

Laity

Bishop Nick spoke about

- Perceptions – opportunities – frustrations.

- Identifying gifts and leaders. Creating trust and release.

- Confidence, particularly in evangelism and outreach.

- Vocations and succession planning, seeing where a gap will soon appear.

- Children and young people.

- Desire versus change.

- Losing the competitiveness.

- Working together in neighbourhoods.

Concluding questions he had identified

- How to identify, appoint, nurture, encourage and equip clergy to do what we are asking of them in a complicated world.

- How can clergy identify, appoint, nurture, encourage, train and equip lay leaders and ministers.

- How to prioritise and be disciplined.

Two very good observations he has identified:

- Clergy and lay commitment

- Ministry of Encouragement

How can we know where God’s spirit is at work? We cannot measure how we are getting on.

Bishop Nick was happy to take questions on any subject. One of the questioners ask how do we know what to believe when the Christian teachings have changed over the years. He reminded us that a Christian view of scripture is to engage with the world in which we live and using the scriptures to find the will of God. We need to use our Bibles more and maybe in different ways; we could use the Psalms as a way of speaking with God, remembering that the Psalms were Jesus’ hymn book.

The evening was very relaxed and informative and the Bishop stayed around after the meeting had closed with the Grace, talking to all who wanted to see him.

Heather Cosgrove

Deanery Synod Representative

Friends

Have you heard of The Friends of St Mary’s?

In 1961 a group of church members realised that certain desirable, though not strictly essential, projects at St Mary’s could not be carried out because all the money in the church funds had to be used on the day to day running of the church. Cornerstones was formed to collect a small donation from interested people to create funds finance these projects.

In 1971 it was realised that such a fund was still needed and the group reformed as Friends, with a constitution agreed by the PCC, to raise funds for enhancing both the worship and the building at St Mary’s. Everybody who was interested was invited to join and many members of the congregation gave a donation to the fund, usually once a year.

When many of the original members moved away and joined other churches they continued to give to Friends as a way of keeping in touch with St’s even if living far away; a letter telling of the ‘news’ of the church as well as the projects recently financed is produced about once a year. Friends has also attracted people who visited St Mary’s, maybe for a concert, a special service, on an open day or who just dropped in on a summer Sunday afternoon.

Projects that Friends have funded over the last 25 years have included the polycarbonate sheeting that protects the stained glass windows which were being vandalised on a regular basis, the original floodlighting, equipment for the Junior Church, the amplification system, the New English Hymnals, repairs to the Carew Chapel floor, the Years’ Mind book, new altar frontals and linen, and the restoration of the brass of the Gothic Knight.

At the beginning of 2008 there are less than 40 members. New members are needed.

One project Friends hope to help is the restoration of the Chancel stained glass window that was destroyed by bomb blast in the 1940s. A donation is promised from the family of an ex-churchwarden and his wife which will pay for much of this work but more money might be needed to complete it. There are other requests for help for projects both large and small, and to help Friends to respond it needs to build up its funds.

To become a member please give a donation (which currently range from £1 to £60 a year). Margaret Treasurer, the Friends’ treasurer (really!), will willingly accept your donation or give you a standing order form for the Friends’ account.

Please consider joining, it is surprising how relatively small donations from many people can be gathered together and used for the glory of our Lord at St Mary’s.

Heather Cosgrove

Top of the Document

2008

26 March

30 April

28 May

25 June

30 July

27 Aug

24 Sept

29 Oct

26 Nov

December

St Mary's

Springfield

Wallington Christian Centre

St Patrick's

St Michael's

Wallington Baptist

Wallington Methodist

Wallington URC

All Saints Hackbridge

No Meeting

2009

28 Jan

25 Feb

25 March

Bandon Hill Methodist

Holy Trinity

St Elphege's

CAN YOU HELP?

Preparations are well under way for our forthcoming Flower Festival and various members of the flower-arranging team and other church groups can already be seen looking speculatively at different areas in church as they begin to think about their displays.

The plan is that, as well as having a programme listing all the displays, eachshould also be labelled individually. In addition, some pieces of prosepoetry will also guide the visitor and highlight the theme of the festival, A Walk Through Life.

This is where YOU may come in. Do you have beautiful handwriting? Can you do calligraphy? If your answer to either of those questions is 'yes', would you be willing to make some labels or copy some pieces of prose or poetry for us? Of course we can make labels on the computer, but if you have the skill and the time we would love to display your talent as part of the Festival.

If you would like to help please send an example of your skill to:

The PCC Secretary of St. Mary's Church

55 Upland Road

Sutton, Surrey

SM2 5HW

….. or leave it in an envelope on the table at the back of the church, labelled

'For the attention of PCC Secretary'. Please remember to include your own contact details. We look forward to hearing from you.

What is the sixth commandment?…

………. was one of the questions asked at the Ringers Quiz Night. I am ashamed to say only one team got the answer! Apart from that, all went well and £360 was counted at the end of another enjoyable evening.

The ringers have had an enjoyable year all round. Early last February, the first "Society" child for 10 years was born to Chris and Tamasine and we were able to ring a Quarter Peal to welcome Jack. On his visits to the belfry he has behaved impeccably.

The fame of our own Quiz Night had spread and we were asked to run the Association Quiz in April. It was a great success but meant we couldn't take part. We were also unable to take part in the 6-bell competition but had more luck in the others. We were placed 1st and 3rd in the Call Change competition at Oxted and 3rd in the 8-bell at Bermondsey.

During the summer we were delighted to acquire a new, fully-fledged ringer. Alan Brown had learnt at Camberwell about 25 years ago, moved away and has now come back. Luckily for us, he chose to join the Beddington band and a Quarter Peal was rung to welcome him to our ranks.

But then came the blow……Derek Spittle, one of our most senior and experienced ringers announced he was moving away. He's off to Fareham in Hampshire where, although they also have 10 bells, there is no proper band and the sound they make is reminiscent of kitchen utensils! He'll have the fun of finding a suitable tower. (My son, Nick, recommends Portsmouth Cathedral; 10 good bells and a friendly local band. We'll see)

We manned the tower during the May Day celebrations in the Park, attracting a goodly crowd when the rain came down! We were back again at the end of the month and again in September. In between we had been on our Outing to six Surrey towers. We also hosted the Association's Summer Business meeting in June, producing one of our eagerly-awaited teas.

Once more we improved our blood pressure by climbing 400 stairs over the Christmas and New Year period. At our AGM we had a change of personnel. Ian Atkins has been appointed as our Steeplekeeper, while Diana and I remain in the other posts. Grateful thanks were expressed to Stan Coleman who had done sterling work as our previous steeplekeeper. Valerie has been very unwell for the past six months but it is good to see her joining in our activities again, albeit at ground level for the time being.

Jean Kimber

John Donne

- Poet, Priest and Orator 1571-1631

31 March

Sweetest love, I do not go

For weariness of thee,

Nor in hope the world can show

A fitter love for me ……..

…. the beginning of 'Song' are of the best known lyrics which established John Donne's reputation as one of the greatest love poets of the English language.

John Donne who is commemorated on 31 March was brought up as an English Catholic. His education was carefully planned and followed by travel in Italy and Spain to prepare him for a career as diplomat or Catholic priest. But at 19 he rebelled, came to London to study law, sailed with Raleigh and Essex to hunt down Spanish treasure ships and became the young man about town - “Jack Donne, a great visitor of ladies and frequenter of plays”. He was noticed at Court and had a future assured.

All this came to a sudden end when his secret marriage to Anne More was discovered. He lost his job. Anne lost her dowry. Years of living in poverty followed - first at Pyrford near Woking, then at Mitcham. It was at sometime during these years that Donne became an Anglican and a priest, but not until after Anne’s death was he appointed Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral.

At St Paul’s Donne’s gifts as a preacher blossomed and he became known as an outstanding orator. His religious verse, as well as his love poetry is regarded as some of the greatest in the English language. Unusually for the poetry of that time, it reveals much of the man himself - his conflicts, his longings and his ‘holy discontent’ - all expressed in a direct and compelling colloquial style.

In 'Good Friday, 1613', he writes of how he himself would not have been able to face the sight of Christ on the Cross, and goes on:

"Could I behold those hands which span the Poles,

And tune all spheres at once, pierced with those holes?

………………. or that flesh which was worn

By God, for his apparel, rag'd and torn? …….

Though these things, as I ride, be from mine eye,

They're present yet unto my memory,

For that looks towards them; and thou look'st towards me,

O Saviour as thou hang'st upon the tree

Anne’s sister Mary (or Marie) was married to Nicholas Throckmorton, two names very familiar to St Mary’s congregation and visitors to the Carew Chapel. Take another look at those inscriptions and think “what if?” On a fine day, before the arrival of motor vehicles, it could have been a very pleasant walk from Mitcham to Beddington ……………..

Pat Kingsbury

Twenty Years Ago

February/March 1988

As January and February magazines were combined and came out in December, February news seemed a bit early, so you have it now.

In the February article of 1988 I was amused to read that an invitation to a "Making of Easter Eggs" demonstration was extended, specifically, to all parish ladies. How did the men feel - snubbed or grateful?

The coffee morning held for the Boys' Brigade had raised enough for two bugles and they were very pleased. In the Cross Country competition, StMary's had been placed 3rd in the Junior class and the 11 year-olds, running in the 11-15 age group, had won their event!

In his Twenty Years ago, Stewart Kimber reminded everyone we had a "twinning" link with the parish of St Augustine, Wilmette, Chicago. Does anyone know if we still have?

There was a SMYF article entitled "Metal Messiah". This was a heavy metal group consisting of three members of SMYF and a vocalist. Nicola Woolvin and Chris Kimber had written their impressions of the event. Nicola was a heavy metal fan; Chris, unsurprisingly, was not. Both writers had been overwhelmed by the sound and sorry that lyrics and instrumental solos had been somewhat lost. I wonder if those youngsters' music tastes have changed in 20 years.

An article by yours truly entitled "The Seventy Days of Christmas" bewailed the fact that "Christmas" started much too early, allowing time for the magic to fade and perhaps causing the actual event to be something of an anti-climax. Things haven't changed and most of us could still relate to my closing lines:

On the seventieth day of Christmas, my truelove sent to me………

some aspirins and a double brandy!

The March Carousel invited the "hardy and wide-awake" to a Dawn Watch service on Easter Day to be held at 6.15am on the open space opposite StPaul's, Roundshaw. Quite a "lie-in" compared with this year's requirement!

Elsewhere in this magazine is a report on ringing activities. Twenty years ago, there was a similar article and part of it was a heartfelt plea for more ringers. I seem to remember we were going through a rather thin patch. It's taken nearly 20 years to build up the band again.

There was an amusing article entitled "The Visit", written by Chris Kimber. It was an account of his puppy's first visit to the vet for her inoculations and was written from Rosie's point of view. (I believe her successor, Max, also put paw to paper in later years)

There were contributions from the MU, the Boys' Brigade and the Guides and Brownies plus a curious absence of certain letters throughout the publication, which made it read a bit like our PA system on some Sunday mornings!

Jean Kimber

In his pastoral letter, Bishop Tom writes:

"I am very pleased to be able to write to you once again about the Lent Call. In Lent we are given an opportunity to reflect on our call to discipleship both as individuals and through our membership of the world-wide Church.

It is also a time when we might give some thought to personal sacrifice and of how we might help those who are less well off than ourselves. The Lent appeal offers us an opportunity to share in giving to others in different parts of the world.

May I commend these projects to you and assure you of my prayers for a holy Lent."

The four projects from around the world that have been selected to benefit from money raised this year are:

Under Tree Schools, Sudan

Under Tree Schools is a project to provide Christian schooling for girls who would otherwise get no education in Southern Sudan. The project was started by Revd Joseph Ayok-Loewenberg in 2000 and provided basic schooling for children from 6-14 years. Classes were held under trees and equipment was simple, with volunteer teachers from the local area.

Under Tree Schools is creating an independent primary/secondary Church school in Malek, the principal town of Aweil South County. It will be mainly for girls, as the government is planning to concentrate on boys’ education.

Through fund raising the erection of a school building has begun, and eight classrooms and the teachers’ living accommodation have already been built. Further building can only continue as funds are raised to buy the materials.

Cry InThe Dark, Romania

Cry InThe Dark (CITD), a UK registered charity, was founded in 1998 to support the care of children with special needs and chronic non-curable conditions in the Bacau region of North East Romania.

Having established positive relationships with local authorities and health and social care providers CITD decided in 2002 to extend its services to provide specialist palliative care to children and young adults across the Bacau region.

Services will operate from Casa Albert and will provide symptom management, end of life care, respite nursing, psychosocial and spiritual support and palliative care education. Supporting CITD through the Bishop’s Lent Call will help them to finish equipping and staffing Casa Albert, the Hospice Day Care centre.

Centro Social Alvorada, Brazil

The Centro Social Alvorada will, when completed, be a social centre run by the Anglican Episcopal Church in Brazil. It will serve 75 families in most need in the village of Alvorada, a poor and marginalized area of Brazil, comprising approx. 500 former landless people living in minifúndios (smallholdings).

The centre will offer families a complete package of support, enabling them to become self-sufficient with skills that are transferable to others in the community.

£5,000 finishes the building works, £20,000 allows for training courses to be increased, greater long-term security for staff posts and the potential for the community to become independent of outside help will become more of a reality.

The Salmon Centre, Bermondsey

The Salmon Youth Centre has been inspiring young people in Bermondsey to realise their potential since 1907.

The post of Spiritual/Pastoral Director is being created to provide spiritual support and leadership for the Centre’s volunteers and staff. The post holder would also build up and strengthen links with local churches and the wider Christian community. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Salmon Centre. CMS recognises their need for pastoral care and support as they minister to young people in a challenging environment.

A contribution of £15,000 would ensure that this exciting project becomes reality.

Envelopes are available in church for you to make a donation towards the projects supported by the Lent Call, or you can get one by ringing Heather on 020 8647 9102. However, donations can be sent directly to:

The Hon. Treasurer
Derek Foster
2 Burford Lane
East Ewell

Surrey KT17 3EY

Cheques should be made payable to: 'The Bishop of Southwark's Lent Fund'.

Diocesan Zimbabwe links

Our links with three of the Dioceses in Zimbabwe are very important to the Southwark Diocese. For many years now the Croydon Area has been linked with Central Zimbabwe; Kingston with Matabeleland and Woolwich with Manicaland.

In recent years the Bishop’s Lent Call has asked for your help and support for specific projects in each of our link Dioceses in Zimbabwe. As you will know from the media the situation in Zimbabwe is very complex and changes very fast. It is clear at present that money raised for Zimbabwe through the Lent Call will be of benefit to the people but the Bishops have had to consider how best to use it. So, because the situation is so difficult and changing so fast and the value of the Zimbabwean dollar is plummeting rapidly, the Bishops in Southwark have agreed with their counterparts in Zimbabwe that this year’s Lent Call for Zimbabwe should go towards a reconstruction fund for the Church when the situation is more settled.

In this way the people, clergy and Bishops of Southwark Diocese can ensure that they have a great deal of help available for the people, clergy and Bishops in the churches in Zimbabwe just as soon as it can be used to good effect in re-building the infrastructure of the churches there.

Pray for Zimbabwe

There is to be a special prayer time, led by Rev Steve Gendall, before the forthcoming Zimbabwean elections. Please come and 'watch one hour' for a nation in desperate need of change.

Tuesday,11 March, 8.00-9.00 pm

St Peter & St Paul,

Old Town, Lingfield

(Park at Star pub over the road)

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Daily prayer topics in March

Sat 1 The Church and people of Wales

Sun 2 Mothers and all who care for children

Mon 3 Children who do not know a mother's love

Tue 4 Children who live in conditions of great poverty

Wed 5 Children who are the main carers in their home

Thu 6 All suffering from domestic violence

Fri 7 The Church and people of Guyana

Sat 8 Poets, musicians and artists

Sun 9 That we may follow Christ to the end of our lives

Mon 10 That we may repent of our denial of Christ by our behaviour

Tue 11 For grace to overcome sins which lead to spiritual death

Wed 12 For Christian people and the overcoming of our disunity

Thu 13 All who make laws, interpret and administer them

Fri 14 All who work for justice and peace

Sat 15 The Church and people of Ireland

Sun 16 The faithful observance of Holy Week

Mon 17 That we may serve and care for one another

Tue 18 That we may love our neighbour as ourselves

Wed 19 That we may forgive as we have been forgiven

Thu 20 Thanksgiving for the Sacrament of our Lord's Body and Blood

Fri 21 All who have been killed through injustice and cruelty

Sat 22 All who mourn the loss of a loved one

Sun 23 Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen

Mon 24 Alleluia for our God who has broken the power of death

Tue 25 All attending Spring Harvest, leaders and people

Wed 26 Alleluia for our Lord who has won for us life eternal

Thu 27 That the Good News may be proclaimed throughout the world

Fri 28 That we may rejoice in the power of the Risen Lord

Sat 29 For all struggling peoples that they may find hope in God

Sun 30 Praise God that we have been given new life and new hope

Mon 31 Praise God for the 'Yes' of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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