The Pointer June 2024

Area Dean

The Rev Canon Myrtle Morrison For emergencies only 028 4372 2439

The Magazine of the Church of Ireland Parishes of

Clonallon & Warrenpoint with Kilbroney in the Diocese of Down and Dromore

Clonallon and Warrenpoint Facebook https://www.facebook.com/warrenpointcoi/ Kilbroney Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KilbroneyParishChurchRostrevor/

As Saint Columba’s Day is on 9th June I’m drawn again to this piece of calligraphy that hangs in my hallway. A quotation from Saint Columba. “In the silence of my heart I can hear his will. I am but a servant who is guided by the King when I stand alone and listen.” Our society has noise everywhere, and silence is often filled with music or chat, so it can be hard to find the quiet that we need in order to hear God’s voice.

It is interesting that Alan Titchmarsh, in a recent edition of Gardeners’ World wrote, ‘It's clear to me the rarest thing in any garden is silence. It appears to be the one commodity money can't buy.’ ‘I was worried I would sound holier-than-thou when I explained that I never use power tools on a Sunday. I believe profoundly there

should be at least one day in the week when we could go out into our gardens and experience a bit of peace and quiet.’

There are two Sunday evenings in the month, and each Wednesday, when you can find a quiet space in our parishes.

In Rostrevor, Kilbroney Parish Church at 7.00 pm on the first Sunday of the month there is a quiet and reflective healing service. This has been a popular gathering over many decades. All of us need to feel God’s touch in our lives, we need wholeness and healing. No one asks why you’ve come or for whom you wish to pray that’s between you and God. We simply welcome you and offer prayer and anointing. It is, like all our services, open to anyone who wants to come.

On the third Sunday of the month, in the same location at 7.00 pm, there is the ancient service of Compline. It is another chance to find peace and quiet in a troubled world.

Each Wednesday of the month, between 11.00 am and noon, the Parish Church in Warrenpoint is open for private prayer. Folk can simply drop in when they’re free and admire the beautiful stained glass as they spend a few minutes in God’s healing presence.

May each of us find peace in the silence of our hearts. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Elizabeth Hanna (Editor)

2nd June

Lectors

10.00 am 11.30 am

United Holy Communion Open Air at 11.30 am

Kilbroney Centre

Liz Farnan

9th June

16th June

23rd June

Clonallon HC

Stephen Cooper

Elizabeth Hanna

Warrenpoint MP

Christopher Cooper

Hugh Tyrrell

Emma Cooper

Clonallon MP

Evelyn Greer

Rene Murphy

Dorothy Major

30

7

Kilbroney Family Service

Alanah Donaldson

Annie Hassan

Kilbroney HC

Jonathan Heyhoe

Joan Thompson

Kilbroney MP

Timothy Alexander

Rosie Teggarty

Shelagh Roberts

Evelyn Greer

Warrenpoint HC1

Stephen Cooper

Maurice McCabe

Kilbroney HC

Stuart Nash

Patricia Trenier

It is helpful if those reading the scriptures move to the lectern towards the end of the prayer/hymn preceding it. The readings at Morning/Evening Prayer end in silence and those at Holy Communion follow the responses in the BCP. Apart from the Gospel at HC, readings are usually introduced “A reading from chapter beginning at verse …”. Never “taken from”!)

Bishop’s Bible Week

Bishop Stuart Bell is the speaker.

Tuesday 27th August: Unvarnished realism (Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43)

Wednesday 28th August: Unfinished business (Luke 13:1–9)

Thursday 29th August: Unfair grace (Matthew 20:1–16)

Friday 30th August: Unforeseen consequences (Luke 15:11–32)

Christian Burial

We extend our prayerful sympathy to all who mourn, especially to the family and friends of

Sidney Donaldson

23rd November 1939 4th May 2024

Eveline Mary Louisa Cowden

28th June 1928—26th April 2024

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. They are blessed indeed, says the Spirit, for they rest from their labours.

Revelation 14:13

‘I am the resurrection and the life,’ says the Lord. ’Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.’

John 11:25-26

The Church of Ireland believes that children should never experience abuse of any kind. Everyone has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and to keep them safe. The Church of Ireland is committed to implementing procedures and practices which safeguard all children.

The Diocese of Down and Dromore adheres to Safeguarding Trust: the Church of Ireland Code of Good Practice for Ministry with Children. It is designed to enable all parties within the Church of Ireland to fulfil their proper responsibilities within this ministry. We are committed to safeguarding children.

It is the policy of the Church of Ireland to safeguard all vulnerable adults sharing in its ministry and to protect them from all forms of harm and abuse.

The Diocese of Down and Dromore adheres to the Church of Ireland Adult Safeguarding Code of Good Practice. It applies to all bishops, clergy, staff and volunteers but especially those who have regular contact with adults who may be more at risk of harm or abuse because of their personal or life circumstances.

Names of the local officers are on the notice boards in our churches.

Church Services

new mount for the bell from Saint Paul's … full details in the July/August Pointer.

Lectionary Year B

Our Area Dean, the Rev Myrtle Morrison, is to be installed as a Canon in Dromore Cathedral on Thursday, 7th June at 7.30 pm.

Bishop David plans to be with us on Sunday 23rd June for the ten o’clock service in Clonallon and then for the 11.30 am service in Kilbroney.

Crafters on Wednesdays

Crafting (or chatting) in the Parish Room 11.00 am to 1.00 pm.

All levels of Crafters welcome. Tea, coffee, a biscuit and craic are obligatory! All are welcome

Tower Bells and Handbells on Thursdays

Tower bells 6.45 to 7.30 pm

Handbells 7.30 to 9.00 pm

Badminton

Warrenpoint Parish Hall

Mondays from 5.30 pm and Thursdays 5.30 pm until 7.30 pm

Join the WhatsApp group for updates.

Ladies Bible Study

Back in October

Sunday Explorers

11.30 am each Sunday

We’ll keep going until 23rd June!

Kilbroney Parish Room

Parish Prayer Time

10.00 am in the Parish Room Kilbroney

Each Wednesday

Everyone Welcome

Warrenpoint Parish Church

Open Church

From 11.00 am until Noon

Each Wednesday

Everyone is welcome to drop in for a bit of quiet.

1st Sunday each month Wholeness and Healing

7.00 pm in Kilbroney Parish Church

This service will follow the liturgy printed in the Book of Common Prayer on pages 457 464. There will be an opportunity for the laying on of hands and anointing with oil for those who wish. When you come for prayer you’ll have a moment to tell God what it is that is on your mind … we don’t ask any questions! Your request is known to God alone. Everyone is welcome to join us.

3rd Sunday in each month

Compline

7.00 pm in Kilbroney Parish Church

Everyone is welcome to join us for this traditional evening service.

Thursday 27th June

Morning Coffee in F.E.McWilliams Centre. Tour of Hillsborough Castle. Early dinner at the Halfway House Restaurant. Travel by bus from Rostrevor or Warrenpoint. Cost, which includes everything, £50.

Please book now with Dorothy Major who will supply menu details. If you’d like to join this trip and aren’t a member of Ladies Guild, you are still welcome, just have a word with Dorothy! Open to men and women!

The Fruit of the

Spirit

Proposed metal railings and hand rail at Kilbroney Parish Church to honour the memory of Canon Dermot Jameson

This proposal has been enacted by Kilbroney Parish Church for the stone steps in the church grounds which lead down onto the village square.

The existing gates which usually remain locked, have steep steps and are in a wide open area. This zone would really benefit from the addition of a rail or balustrade to keep all users safe, and this would also open up the church grounds from a different angle, to welcome the wider community.

The proposed railings would extend inwards from the two pillars and turn downwards towards the stone steps leading down into the square, thus preventing falls into the stairwell. The hand rails would provide a secure grip on either side, for individuals going up or down steps … balance support, safety and fall prevention for all ages!

9th June Saint Columba

In 563 AD Saint Columba sailed from Ireland to Iona –a tiny island off Mull, in the Western Highlands. He brought Christianity with him.

Columba (c. 521 -97) was born in Donegal of the royal Ui Neill clan, and he trained as a monk. He founded the monasteries of Derry (546), Durrow (c.556) and possibly Kells. But in 565 Columba left Ireland with twelve companions for Iona, an island off southwest Scotland. Iona had been given to him for a monastery by the ruler of the Irish Dalriada.

Why would a monk in his mid-40s go into such voluntary exile? Various explanations include going into voluntary exile for Christ, an attempt to help overseas compatriots in their struggle for survival, or even as some sort of punishment for his part in a row over a psalter in Ireland. Whatever the reason, Columba went to Iona and spent the rest of his life in Scotland, returning to Ireland only for occasional visits.

Canon Dermot was much loved and respected within this community and we see this project as a fitting tribute to his memory, welcoming you with a cheery smile and an outstretched hand!!

This is an opportunity for all who wish to contribute to a lasting tribute to the late Canon Dermot. If you would like to donate to these railings and become part of this legacy … please place your donation in an envelope and give to Shelagh Roberts who is coordinating this project. ALSO … If you are a tax payer, you have the option to please, complete a ‘Gift Aid’ for your donation.

If we receive enough donations, we hope to place an arch linking the two pillars. The Christmas lights will also make a feature of Canon Dermot’s railings.

Shelagh Roberts

Columba’s biographer, Adomnan, portrays him as a tall, striking figure of powerful build and impressive presence, who combined the skills of scholar, poet and ruler with a fearless commitment to God’s cause. Able, ardent, and sometimes harsh, Columba seems to have mellowed with age.

As well as building his monastery on Iona, Columba also converted Brude, king of the Picts. Columba had great skill as a scribe, and an example of this can be seen in the Cathach of Columba, a late 6th century psalter in the Irish Academy, which is the oldest surviving example of Irish majuscule writing. In his later years Columba spent much time transcribing books.

Columba’s death was apparently foreseen by his community, and even, it seems, sensed by his favourite horse. He died in the church just before Matins, and it is a tribute to this man that his traditions were upheld by his followers for about a century, not least in the Synod of Whitby and in Irish monasteries on the continent of Europe.

This is a prayer of Saint Columba:

Christ With Us

My dearest Lord, Be Thou a bright flame before me, Be Thou a guiding star above me, Be Thou a smooth path beneath me, Be Thou a kindly shepherd behind me, Today and evermore.

Iona abbey

Intercessions

We come boldly to the throne of grace, praying to the almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for mercy and grace.

We plead before your throne in heaven.

Father of heaven, whose love profound a ransom for our souls has found: We pray for the world, created by your love, for its nations and governments Extend to them your peace, pardoning love, mercy and grace. We plead before your throne in heaven.

Almighty Son, incarnate Word, our Prophet, Priest, Redeemer, Lord: We pray for the Church, created for your glory, for its ministry to reflect those works of yours Extend to us your salvation, growth, mercy and grace.

We plead before your throne in heaven. Eternal Spirit, by whose breath the soul is raised from sin and death: We pray for families and individuals, created in your image, for the lonely, the bereaved, the sick and the dying Breathe on them the breath of life and bring them to your mercy and grace. We plead before your throne in heaven.

Thrice holy! Father, Spirit, Son, Mysterious Godhead, Three in One: We pray for ourselves, for your Church, for all whom we remember before you … Bring us all to bow before your throne in heaven, to receive life and pardon, mercy and grace for all eternity, as we worship you, saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Amen.

Across

1 Military tactic used by Joshua to attack and destroy the city of Ai (Joshua 8:2) (6)

4 Place of learning (6)

8 ‘When Moses’ hands grew , they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it’ (Exodus 17:12) (5)

9 Unpleasant auguries of the end of the age, as forecast by Jesus (Matthew 24:7) (7)

10 Stronghold to which girls in King Xerxes’ harem (including Esther) were taken (Esther 2:8) (7)

11 Where Saul went to consult a medium before fighting the Philistines (1 Samuel 28:7) (5)

12 Propitiation (Hebrews 2:17) (9)

17 Turn away (Jeremiah 11:15) (5)

19 So clear (anag.) (7)

21 ‘I have just got , so I can’t come’: one excuse to be absent from the great banquet (Luke 14:20) (7)

22 Long weapon with a pointed head used by horsemen (Job 39:23) (5)

23 Musical beat (6)

24 What the Israelites were told to use to daub blood on their door-frames at the first Passover (Exodus 12:22) (6)

Down

1 Fasten (Exodus 28:37) (6)

2 Art bite (anag.) (7)

3 ‘The people of the city were divided; some with the Jews, others with the apostles’ (Acts 14:4) (5)

5 Contend (Jeremiah 12:5) (7)

6 Possessed (Job 1:3) (5)

7 Sheen (Lamentations 4:1) (6)

9 ‘You love evil rather than good, rather than speaking the truth’ (Psalm 52:3) (9)

13 Large flightless bird (Job 39:13) (7)

14 They were worth several hundred pounds each (Matthew 25:15) (7)

15 ‘A went out to sow his seed’ (Matthew 13:3) (6)

16 How Jesus described Jairus’s daughter when he went into the room where she lay (Mark 5:39) (6)

18 The part of the day when the women went to the tomb on the first Easter morning (John 20:1) (5)

20 Narrow passageway between buildings (Luke 14:21) (5)

Answers on page 17

A Cup of Tea!

One day a two-and-a-half year old girl was home alone with her dad. She had just recovered from a bad cold and someone had given her a little tea set as a get-well gift and it was one of her favourite toys.

Her father was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when she brought him a tiny cup of "tea," which was just water.

After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such good tea, her Mammy came home.

Dad made his wife wait in the living room to watch their daughter bring him a cup of tea. (“It's just the cutest thing,” he said!)

Mother waited and sure enough, the wee girl came down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy. She watched him drink it, then said (as only a mother would) "Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is from the toilet?"

There was a barber who felt he should share his faith with his customers more. So, the next morning he decided: “Today I am going to witness to the first man who walks through my door.”

Soon after he opened his shop the first man came in for a shave. The barber sat him down and then fled to the back of the shop to pray. “God, please give me the wisdom to know just the right thing to say. Amen.”

Then the barber approached the man with his cut throat razor in hand. “Right then, sir I wonder, are you ready to die?”

The special person called to do missionary work is every person who is a member of the church of Christ. The call does not come to a chosen few, it is to every one of us. –Oswald Chambers

Ladies Guild

The Pointer will be printed by the time we have our May meeting, so you will have to wait until the July/ August edition for an update.

Our Meeting on the 30th May will be our last Meeting in the Parish Room this term. This is our gardening slot with Joanna McCall (director) from the Ark Community Gardens.

Hopefully, we will have our outing on Thursday 27th June. Unfortunately the date clashes with a couple more events in the area and so has a knock-on effect. Everyone has been everywhere, so places to go are nothing new … except for the fact it is a day out together. Outings are becoming a thing of the past and maybe it is time to think of an alternative event for the end of term. Meanwhile, I do need to have the numbers for our Outing as soon as possible please, together with your choice of menu and payment of £50.

All in all this has been a good year but we have missed Karen and trust that she has settled in to Church life in Saint Paul’s in Lisburn.

Attendances have been good which made it more worthwhile for our visiting speakers.

We started back in September 2023 when we went on the 4 peak challenge with Jill Aulds from Newcastle.

There was great concentration at our October meeting when Karen Campbell from Kilkeel took our craft evening. Each of us made a lovely little Carol Singer complete with her music sheet.

November we enjoyed the Christmas Dinner in Warrenpoint Golf Club.

So that gives you an idea of what happens in the Ladies Guild. All ladies are most welcome. We meet on the last Thursday of every month at 7.00 pm in the Parish Room, Kilbroney Parish Church and the fee for the year is £20. There is a cup of tea and a wee biscuit after the meeting.

We were saddened at the beginning of May to hear of the death of Sidney Donaldson. We extend our love and sympathy to Lorraine, Alanah, David, and the whole family circle. We are praying for you in these days of sorrow and grief.

Ladies, I would like to thank you all for supporting and encouraging me this year as your temporary Group Leader. It is all very new for me, it has been daunting but I have enjoyed it and look forward to the incoming year.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Dorothy Major

I was in a shoe shop the other day, trying on a new pair of shoes. I said to the assistant, “It’s too tight.” He told me to try it with the tongue out. I replied, “Ith thtill thoo thight.”

“You’re not listening to me,” said my wife. I thought to myself, “that’s a strange way to begin a conversation”.

Maths: The only place where you can buy sixty-four avocados without anyone wondering why.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with trying to find a place to park your car near the church.

The cleric stood up and said: “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. You’ll be glad to know that when I asked my secretary to type this sermon I asked her to remove anything that was dull or confusing. So, in conclusion ….”

January 2024 was a food adventure with Eithne Kinsella of Mourne Food Adventures when we saw how we can forage for natural ingredients and use them in cooking and baking.

February we discovered the benefits of seaweed with Michelle Wilson of Crawford’s Rock.

Signing the register at a wedding, the groom had some difficulty in making his pen work. “Put your weight on it,” said the rector.

So the groom complied and wrote: John Smith (twelve stone and four pounds).

Our March meeting was during Holy Week and members were encouraged to go to the Maundy Thursday Holy Communion Service in Warrenpoint Church.

April we once again saw how God is working in Uganda with David Charlton from Fields of Life.

“Well, well,” said the old gentleman to some boys who were playing cricket. “I wish I could join your game, but I’m too old.” “Not at all,” replied one of the boys politely. “In fact, we need you. Our ball has just gone through that window. You could go and ask for it back.”

Bishop Patrick Rooke … Patron

WATER DROPS is delighted to introduce +Patrick Rooke as its new Patron. He comes with a wide experience of community development in Kenya and brings wisdom and insight for the future development of WATER DROPS

On accepting the role of Patron of WATER DROPS he said: “I have been delighted to see the efforts of all involved bearing fruit as projects in Kajiado have been completed. I know something of the significant difference these will have made to the lives of all those benefiting from them. It will indeed be a privilege to play some small part in growing this work.”

School Assembly for Rogation

Both Liz Farnan and Elizabeth Hanna joined the staff and pupils of Kilbroney Integrated Primary School to mark Rogationtide. We talked about farming and noticing the number of tractors on the roads and in the fields at this time of year. The tradition of “Beating the Bounds” was explained as the parish boundary lines were passed on from one generation to another. The young folk joined in enthusiastic singing of “We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, but it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand.” Some plants and seeds were given to the P7 pupils to add to the school garden. Do remember to pray for the staff and pupils at KIPS as they work now towards the end of term. P7 will be moving on to various schools and are facing days of change and challenge.

God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing. – Billy Graham

In order to keep a true perspective of one’s importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him. – Dereke Bruce

"How was your golf game, dear?" asked Jack's wife.

"Well, I was hitting pretty well, but my eyesight's got so bad I couldn't see where the ball went."

Solution on page 17

"But you're nearly eighty years old, Jack!" admonished his wife, "Why don't you take my brother Scott along?"

"But he's eighty-five and doesn't even play golf anymore," protested Jack.

"But he's got perfect eyesight. He could watch your ball," Tracy pointed out.

The next day Jack teed off with Scott looking on. Jack swung, and the ball disappeared down the middle of the fairway. "Do you see it?" asked Jack.

"Yup," Scott answered.

"Well, where is it?" asked Jack, peering off into the distance.

"I forgot," replied Scott.

The East Window in Warrenpoint Church

The Ascension window was installed in 1908. it is dedicated in memory of William James Hall and Elizabeth Theodosia Catherine Hall and was made by Heaton, Butler & Bayne, London.

The angelic figures hold scrolls which read: In my Father’s house (left) are many mansions (right).

Eleven apostles watch as Jesus ascends to heaven, with Jerusalem in the background.

This image is from gloine.ie

The late Dr David Lawrence spent over twenty-five years visiting every Church of Ireland where there is stained glass. From 1991 until 2017 windows were meticulously studied, photographed, and recorded. This has provided a valuable resource for all CoI churches.

The Church of Ireland is unique within the Anglican Church in having commissioned a comprehensive record of its stained glass windows.

A certain vicar had a kindly, pastoral heart. He often wrote little notes to any parishioners in distress, assuring them of his prayers.

Then came the day he heard that one of the older ladies in the church had been injured in a bad fall. The vicar felt so much sympathy that he wanted to add a note of pastoral affection. He thought of the little postscript that his young niece always added to her emails to him, which he took as a sign of her affection, and decided to add that to this note.

It read: “Dear Mrs Gantry, I am told that you fell down the stairs, broke both legs, and may be in hospital for some weeks. This is just to assure you that you are much in my thoughts.”

Then he added the postscript: LOL (LOL means Laughing out Loud)

The Day of Pentecost in Warrenpoint

Wayside posters and a number flame coloured flower arrangements marked the Day of Pentecost in the Warrenpoint Church.

Acts 2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ 38 Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Pentecost in Kilbroney

Over the weeks leading up to the Day of Pentecost the young folk, and some maybe not so young, created an art installation on the notice board. Last month you saw the early stages of the project here are some more images of the folk at work, and of the completed display. The final piece, the hanging doves, was an adult up the step ladder and

To get the almost invisible fishing line tied to the doves was a challenge, and then the smaller birds were stuck to the line with hot glue. One brave soul did all the step ladder bit to suspend them from the ceiling. Team work at its best!

Checking to see if the bits would work well together. Then there was some adding a bit of colour to the letters. This is the key verse, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Gardening Quiz

1. Which flower's name comes from the Ancient Greek word for star?

2. What common name was dianthus barbatus given to honour the Duke of Cumberland's victory at the Battle of Culloden? Or, what name do the Scots sometimes call the weed noxious ragwort also in memory of the infamous Duke?

3. Which plant, widespread in Britain, if touched causes a serious chemical reaction which makes skin hypersensitive to ultraviolet light?

4. What is the common name for salix babylonica?

5. Which flower is also the goddess of the rainbow in Greek Mythology?

6. Most species of eucalyptus are native to which country?

7. True or false. Ericaceous plants like acid soil?

8. Who designed the Blue Peter Garden in 1974?

9. The Avenue of the Baobabs is a group of famous trees in which African country?

10. Which garden in the Cotswolds is notable for its miles of sculptured hedges?

11. True or false. Tulips were once so valuable in Holland that their bulbs were worth more than gold?

12. Which king created the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

13. True or False. Garden gnomes are forbidden in The Chelsea Flower Show?

14. True or False. The Chelsea Flower Show is Britain’s largest flower show?

15. Which long-running BBC television programme has been presented by Percy Thrower, Alan Titchmarsh and Toby Buckland?

16. What type of flower is a Michaelmas daisy?

17. Which flowering plant takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow?

18. What is the common name for the flower Dianthus caryophyllus?

19. Alan Titchmarsh, teamed up with Tommy Walsh and Charlie Dimmock to make which series about rapid garden makeovers?

20. What colour is the flower speedwell?

21. What colour is a Welsh poppy?

22. The Major Oak, one of the most famous and most visited trees in England, is found in which forest?

23. Which campaign encouraged the British population to use gardens, parks and sports pitches to grow vegetables during World War Two?

24. Which charity was founded in Devon in 1972 by farmer Kenneth Watkins? Answers page 20

Using Rest to Pray

Most of us think of prayer as a very demanding activity, but it can be extremely restful.

One of the great verses in the Bible says this: ‘Be still and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10). It suggests we experience God most fully when we are still. When we cease rushing around, and pause for a moment of thought and recollection, then we become prayerful, and God is very near.

Even a break for a morning coffee can be a moment of prayer, if we slow ourselves down and allow our thoughts to turn towards God.

An essential part of resting is to breathe slowly. Christian tradition has always made a connection between prayer and breathing. You can learn to pray to the rhythm of your breathing, using chosen prayer words to focus. As you breathe in, you might say ‘Abba’, and then as you breathe out, add the word ‘Father’. Choose words which are meaningful to you, deliberately slowing your breathing so you become relaxed and peaceful.

Perhaps you have a favourite chair where you are able to unwind easily. For a few moments sit and do nothing.

Simply become aware of the present moment, reminding yourself you are in the presence of God. As you feel yourself relax, bask in the knowledge of God’s love and acceptance of you. Sense God’s smile of approval upon you. You don’t have to do anything, just ‘be’ for a moment. This too is prayer.

Sometimes we are forced to rest by circumstances illness, disability, growing older and so on, slow us down and we can’t rush around like we used to do. Never mind. Don’t fight against your circumstances. Enter into the place of rest that God is giving you. God loves you for who you are, not for what you do. Turn your thoughts into prayer and offer them to God. You don’t need to advise God as to what God should do; simply hold people before in God’s presence, leaving the outcome to him.

Prayer should be a natural expression of our relationship with God. Sometimes we have words, sometimes silence is enough. We don’t need to impress God with our fervour. We can relax and be rested, even as we pray.

The Revd Dr Roger Roberts

We had a lovely morning when seven of us gathered around God's Word as we had now come to the final steps in our journey with Esther. In Chapters 8-10 there's hope; there is a great deliverance when the Jews went from victims to victors.

A lot happened in the space of one day. Haman was hanged that morning and already there was a Government re-shuffle taking place.

"What a difference a day makes, twenty-four little hours" so runs the song.

In the opening verses of Esther Chapter 8, we read, "that same day the King gave Esther Haman's estate". He could have kept it himself and accumulated more wealth, but he chose to give it to Esther. Maybe it was his way of trying to make up for all the foolish decisions he had made in the past.

By now the King was aware that Esther and Mordecai were Jews and now Esther told him they were cousins that made the King and Mordecai related through marriage.

The King gave Mordecai his signet ring … the one he took off Haman before he died; he gave Mordecai Haman's job promoting Mordecai to Prime Minister and gave him new clothes. In verse 15 they are described as royal garments of blue and white; a golden crown (maybe turban shape) and a purple robe. When he left the King's presence he was wearing these clothes. Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's estate.

There must have been the 'quare buzz' around the Palace!

With a Jewish Queen and a Jewish Prime Minister, the Jewish people were in a better political position.

However, all the wealth and position in the world could not satisfy Esther. As long as her people were still in danger, she couldn't settle until the matter was settled. The most important thing in life was not about her own comfort it was the deliverance of her people. She couldn't do everything but she could do something and what she could do, she did!

Verses 3-6 of Chapter 8 tell us that she went before the King and fell at his feet and pleaded with him to end this evil plot against her people. The King held out his golden sceptre giving her permission to make her request. She asked the King to send out letters cancelling the order to destroy the Jews in all the Kings provinces. The King loved Esther and he granted her request.

It was Mordecai's job to draft out the new decree that the Jews weren't to be attacked (Ch 8 v 8). It also gave the Jews permission to defend themselves if the enemies tried to kill them or take their property (Ch 8 v 11). Now, while they were ALLOWED TO DEFEND THEMSELVES, they were NOT ALLOWED TO BE THE AGGESSORS.

The new decree was written and dispatched through the Province and in every city. There was a lot of feasting and celebration among the Jews (Chapter 8 vs 16-18). So there was HOPE!!

Chapter 9 verses 1-16 could be described as 'A great great deliverance'. The Jews went from 'Victims to Victors'. On the very day that the enemies were to destroy the Jews they joined together to protect themselves from all who hated them. They were hated by thousands, but in verse 2 … "no-one could stand against them". (Do you remember in Chapter 6 verse 13 where Haman's wife and advisors warned him that because Mordecai was a Jew, Haman couldn't stand against him).

God was on their side. It says in verses 2-4 the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of the Jews. Every Ruler in the land helped the Jews because they were afraid of Mordecai who had become more and more powerful.

It was a fierce battle, the enemies of the Jews were killed and Haman's ten sons were hanged. All died by Haman's evil plan.

Such a great deliverance, the victims became victors and all because of Esther. Esther was God's method of bringing about the deliverance of his people. She was in the right place at the right time. Read again Esther 4 v 13-15.

God gave Esther the gifts of wisdom and discernment so that she would know how to approach the King and convince him to stop the massed killings.

She risked her own life to save her people, remember her pledge in Chapter 4 verse 16 "if I perish I perish".

She was patient as she prayed and fasted.

After this mighty deliverance the Jews had a holiday. Mordecai wanted them to remember the wicked plot of Haman and commemorate the bravery of Queen Esther whom God used to deliver them.

To this day, every year the Jews celebrate with a

special holiday called Purim. It is a joyful fun-filled day with lots of activities. It is said that when the Book of Esther is read it is greeted with happy cheers. When Haman's name is mentioned everyone stamps their feet and boos.

Chapter 10 tells us that Mordecai used his office to serve the King and help the Jews. Mordecai never forgot his roots or ignored the needs of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.

The drama of Esther is over but the blessings go right on. We need more Esthers.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his word: firm is his promise, and his mercy sure. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord to children's children and for evermore.

Our study on Esther started at the same time as to what is happening now. We can take comfort that God made a promise to Abram way back in Genesis 12 v 13. God takes his promises seriously. That doesn't mean God approves of everything that Israel has done, or will do, but it does mean that God doesn't approve of those who try to destroy his chosen people. Whether it was Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Haman, Hitler and right down to the present day. The enemy of the Jews is the enemy of God and will not succeed.

For why, the Lord our God is good, his mercy is forever sure; his truth at all times firmly stood, and shall from age to age endure. AMEN.

Our Bible Study closes now for the Summer and DV recommences on Tuesday 8th October. Thank you for your faithfulness this past year, without you there would be no Bible Study.

We pray Lord that you will be with us, that you will bless us, our homes and families and those who can't be with us. Keep us safe over the holidays and may we return feeling refreshed and ready to learn more from you. In Jesus strong name. Amen Love, God Bless and stay safe Dorothy Major Xx

School Examination Answers!

The following are answers to various exam papers. What is a nitrate? – Cheaper than a day rate.

What was Sir Walter Raleigh famous for? – He is a noted figure in history because he invented cigarettes and started a craze for bicycles.

What did Mahatma Gandhi and Genghis Khan have in common? – Unusual names.

Name one of the Romans’ greatest achievements. –Learning to speak Latin

Name six animals which live specifically in the Arctic. – Two polar bears. Four seals

Assess Fashion House plc’s choice to locate its factory near Birmingham. Is Birmingham the right location for this type of business? – No. People from the city of Birmingham aren’t very fashionable.

How does Romeo’s character develop throughout the play? – It doesn’t, it’s just self, self, self, all the way through.

Name the wife of Orpheus, whom he attempted to save from the underworld. – Mrs Orpheus.

Where was the American Declaration of Independence signed? – At the bottom.

State three drawbacks of hedgerow removal. – All the cows will escape. The cars drive into the fields. There is nowhere to hide.

What is the meaning of the word varicose? – Close by What is a fibula? – A little lie.

Why would living close to a mobile phone mast cause ill health? – You might walk into it.

Where was Hadrian’s Wall built? – Around Hadrian’s garden.

Please, give me a push!

A man is in bed when there is knocking on the door. "I'm not getting out of bed at this time," he thinks, and rolls over. Then, a louder knock follows. "Aren't you going to answer that?" says his wife. So he drags himself out of bed, and goes downstairs, opens the door and there’s a drunk man standing there.

"Hi there," he slurs, "Can you give me a push?"

"No, it's half past three. I was in bed," says the man. He goes back to bed and tells his wife what happened and she says "Dave, that wasn't nice. Remember that night we broke down in the pouring rain and you had to knock on that man's house? What would have happened if he'd told us to get lost?"

"But this guy was drunk," says the husband.

"It doesn't matter," says the wife. "He needs our help and it would be the Christian thing to help him."

So the husband gets dressed, and goes downstairs. He opens the door, and shouts, "Hey, do you still want a push?" and he hears a voice cry out, "Yeah, please!"

Unable to see him, he shouts: "Where are you?"

And the stranger replies: "I'm over here, on your swing."

Sermon

Generosity – Time and Talents

Last week we looked together at the many ways that God has been generous to us and his most generous gift of all in giving his only Son to die for us to save us from our sins. This week we are going to consider how we should respond to God by how we use our time and the talents or skills that God has entrusted to us.

Interrupting Plans Luke 10:33-

35

The Good Samaritan came across a man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. In comparison with the priest and the Levite who had previously passed the injured man, the Good Samaritan looked after the man who was beaten.

But what did that involve? He stopped He interrupted his journey. He invested his time in this man: - time to look after his wounds, - time to take him to an inn, - time to look after him in the inn. He intentionally planned to invest his time to come back to the innkeeper to settle up the account for the man’s ongoing lodging and care. Does anyone else, like me, get frustrated when the plans you have for a day get interrupted or derailed. Why is this so frustrating? For me it is usually because the time that I had planned to use for some other activity gets taken up with the interruption.

Theophrastus, he was a Greek philosopher from the 4th century BC, said that Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.

Stephen Covey, a contemporary business guru, suggested a different way of viewing how we use our time. He said the key is in not spending time but in investing it.

What does the Bible say about our time?

In Psalm 139 v 16, the psalmist says “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

In Ephesians 5 v 15-16 we read “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

What really struck me about verse 16 is the phrase –making the most of every opportunity.

What if I change my view of interruptions as being disruptive to view interruptions as opportunities that God is giving me to do his will.

As Jesus travelled on his preaching journey around the countryside of Judea, his schedule was repeatedly interrupted: a demon-possessed man; leprosy sufferers, the friends of a paralysed man, a Centurion’s servant, Jairus, the ruler of the Synagogue, and a blind man.

On each occasion, Jesus deviated from his schedule, he took up opportunity to listen to people, to answer questions, to heal, to speak truth into their lives. Jesus modelled generosity with his time and invested time and love in people who interrupted him.

In Romans 12 v 15, Paul exhorts the believers to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn.”

We cannot be present with people in their grief or in their joy, if we are always in a hurry. If today is my day, I will hold on to my time selfishly and will not give it back to God or share my time with others. However, if I acknowledge that today is a gift that I have received from God, then why wouldn’t I want to give part of my day back to God. When God interrupts our plans, we need to decide: are we going to keep pushing ahead with our own agenda or are we going to submit and surrender to what God is doing? This is going to be a test of how we manage our time.

Giving someone else attention is generosity – in fact one could say that attention is the rarest form of generosity. In view of the loneliness and isolation in our communities, what many people need even more than money, is our heart, our time, our listening ears, our presence. How we spend our time reveals our heart. Where our time goes, there our hearts will be also. We should be intentional about how we invest it but be willing to be interrupted by God.

The Good Samaritan also used his first aid skills – in pouring his oil and wine on the man’s wounds to clean them and presumably used his own clothing to bandage the man’s wounds. He used his skills in controlling his donkey to take the man to the inn. He also used his organizational and planning skills to arrange for the innkeeper to care for the wounded man and to undertake to cover any additional expenses that the innkeeper was exposed to.

Skills matter to God

In Exodus 36 v 1-2 we read the instructions God gave Moses concerning the construction of the Tabernacle, where the Israelites could worship God:

“So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”

God has chosen to give people skills. It is God’s deliberate plan to give us different skills. In the neighbouring verses we discover that these skills included engraving, weaving, embroidery, designing and teaching.

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We need to see ourselves as God’s handiwork, he gives us our identity. God has given us our different personalities, skills and abilities and he has given us these skills for a purpose:to do good works The work is God’s but he chooses individuals like us to do his work.

Using our Talents

1 Peter 4 v 10-11, “ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

In these verses Peter tells us that each person has been given a gift from God and that we should use these gifts to serve others. We need to focus on the TALENTS or SKILLS that we have been given rather than what skills we have not been given.

Peter referred to two types of gifts, speaking and serving.

Speaking refers to upfront activity, for example, priests, lay readers, and those leading the prayers and reading the lessons etc.

There are also those with serving gifts – those who use their skills to welcome people to church, provide the audiovisual support, serve on the select vestry, look after the property, count the offering, prepare tea, coffee and food. These are the people behind the scenes who make everything work for the church, the brains of the local church.

But look at what Peter says about both these sets of people.

The one who speaks speaks God’s words.

The one who serves serves by God’s strength. Whether we speak or serve or do both, we act as God’s representatives.

The other principle in these verses is to use our

lives as examples for others- as it says in verse 11 “so that in all things God may be praised.”

Billy Graham said, “We are the bibles that the world is reading, they aren’t reading the actual text. We are living epistles or letters from Christ.”

We are to show others God’s love by living as we are instructed in the Bible. We are to use our skills and abilities in a way that we are able to show others the way to Jesus, by demonstrating God’s love, by DOING God’s work. We can show others the face of Jesus in how we speak and serve.

Excuses we make

We can all offer excuses as to why we cannot offer our talents, or our skills for God’s work. For example: I don’t speak well, I wouldn’t know what to say, I might make a mistake, that’s not my job, I don’t have time, I can’t sing or play an instrument.

Isn’t it so easy to focus on what we cannot do – rather than what we can do. It does not matter whether we think we have been given greater talents or abilities or lesser talents, what matters to God is whether we have made good use of what we have been given.

Being Generous with our time and talents

There are many ways that we can give our time to God’s work. This includes how we look after our families, and invest our time in showing God’s love to our friends, neighbours and work colleagues.

Could we solve someone’s problem?

Could God use us to ease someone’s loneliness, to cheer someone up?

Could we help someone understand that they are precious in God’s sight?

The choices we make about how we use our time or our talents will either enable, or hinder, our ability to have an impact in God’s Kingdom. Each day provides new opportunities to have an impact on the lives of others, to show God’s love to them.

Using our time and talents for God’s purposes and glory has eternal value. Being generous with our time and talents to serve God will delight God and provide an opportunity to grow in faith in God.

Millie Bellew

ACROSS: 1, Ambush. 4, School. 8, Tired. 9, Famines. 10, Citadel. 11, Endor. 12, Atonement. 17, Avert. 19, Oracles. 21, Married. 22, Lance. 23, Rhythm. 24, Hyssop.

DOWN: 1, Attach. 2, Biretta. 3, Sided. 5, Compete. 6, Owned. 7, Lustre. 9, Falsehood. 13, Ostrich. 14, Talents. 15, Farmer. 16, Asleep. 18, Early. 20, Alley.

‘Morning in the Riesengebirge.’ Caspar David Friedrich, 1774-1840.

Schloß Charlottenburg, Berlin

I WILL LIFT UP MY EYES TO THE HILLS

“The artist should not only paint what he sees before him, but also what he sees within him.” These are the words of a German romantic painter, Caspar David Friedrich.

The inspiration for most of his paintings was the countryside and the world of nature around. As he looked at its beauty and grandeur, it awoke in him feelings of wonder and awe, which he expressed through his art.

At the age of 34 he painted a cross in the mountains as an altarpiece for a church in Dresden: the first time a pure landscape had been used for an altar. Later in 1811 he painted a similar, but more profound and more moving work: ‘Morning in the Riesengebirge.’

Friedrich was a great walker and climber, and he loved the mountains of East Saxony depicted here. The first rays of the sun are coming over the horizon to illuminate both the beauty of the hills, and the tall crucifix placed on the mountain top. Friedrich looked at the glory of nature at sunrise and saw there a sign of God the Creator, and God the one who sent his Son to redeem that creation.

Like Caspar David Friedrich, and like the psalmist, we can look to the hills and see the glory and greatness of God. We give thanks for creation and the bounty of the world at a time when we hear reports of glaciers melting, water levels rising, greenhouse gases

warming up our planet, and resources of food and fuel wasted and depleted. It is too easy to take this world for granted and imagine it is here solely for us.

Caspar David Friedrich invites us to look at the world, its beauty and greatness, as a gift to cherish, not to manipulate and exploit for our own use. As we look at this earth with eyes of wonder and gratitude, then we shall find the God who created and redeemed it, and ask what service and stewardship we can offer him in the world.

Rev Michael Burgess

Interview with Alister McGrath

Professor Alister McGrath

Alister is Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at Oxford University, director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion, and associate priest in the Diocese of Oxford. He studied Chemistry, Molecular Biophysics and Theology at Oxford. He studied for Church of England ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge, and served as a curate in Nottingham. He returned to Oxford as tutor at Wycliffe Hall, was awarded a Professorship in Theology, is the first director of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and Professor of Theology at King’s College, London. He retired in 2022.

Our latest interview in the Wonders of the Living World series is with Professor Alister McGrath who started his career in science before moving to theology. Over the last few years Alister has been thinking about how wonder at the natural order can lead to questions of meaning and purpose, including theological questions. Here he explains how he came to Christian faith while a student at Oxford, and shares some of his own experiences of wonder.

What got you into science?

I became a scientist because of my sense of wonder at the beauty and immensity of the world. I felt that I was about to begin a journey of discovery which would answer all my great questions about life and the universe. I had no idea where this excitement about the beauty of the world would lead me. I just knew it would be worthwhile and satisfying.

Can you tell us a bit about your faith journey?

What role does wonder play in your own research?

My research these days focusses on the relation of science and religious faith, and I find that both are deeply affected by wonder. After all, Christian worship is a sense of wonder at the beauty and glory of God, which draws us into a deeper and more fulfilling vision of faith. One of the major themes of my recent writing has been how a sense of wonder at the natural world can become a gateway to faith. It’s really about an area of theology known as “natural theology”, which sees the beauty and vastness of the natural world as pointers to God. It is a truly wonderful thought that even the beauty of an Alpine landscape or the night sky can be transcended by the greater beauty of God.

Preliminary data from a recent study shows that biologists tend to find complexity beautiful, while physicists are more likely to admire simplicity. Which aspects of the living world do you find beautiful?

As a teenager, I believed that science and religion were at war with each other. Because I loved science, I had no option other than to reject and ridicule religion. Initially, I was quite excited about being an atheist, as it seemed to be terribly trendy. Yet I began to have doubts about it. After all, I couldn’t prove that atheism was true. I found this to be a real source of concern. I rejected Christianity because it was a position of faith that could not be proved to be right. But I couldn’t prove my own atheism. I went up to Oxford to study chemistry, and discovered that Christianity was a much more interesting and attractive intellectual option than atheism. And since then, I have taken delight in exploring the landscape of the Christian faith, especially the way Christianity creates intellectual space for the natural sciences. I talk in some detail about my own move from atheism to Christianity in my book Through a Glass Darkly: Journeys through Science, Faith andDoubt.

I find myself responding to both the simplicity of Einstein’s mathematical representations of the world, and the complexity of the living world around us. It speaks to me of the many levels of our world, and the need to find a way of holding these together. One of the reasons why I have become so interested in the world of the British public philosopher Mary Midgley is that she gives us a set of tools to hold these multiple aspects of nature together, and appreciate the greater whole to which they point. It helps me connect these thoughts with that rich statement that “all things hold together” in Christ (Colossians 1:17).

The same study found that 66% of scientists feel a sense of reverence or respect about the things they discover, and 57% feel as if they are in the presence of something grand, at least several times a year. Can you describe a time when your experience of the living world gave you a similar sense of awe?

I’ve had this experience many times, but perhaps most memorably in 1976, when I found myself in the midst of a vast dark desert in Iran in the middle of

the night, and saw the stars with a brilliance that I had never seen before. It blew me away, overwhelming my imagination. I don’t think I could ever recreate that experience of awe. Somehow, I knew I could never express in words that sense of immensity and vastness that I experienced, which suggested that I was a very small part of something much bigger. It helped me understand the limits of words when speaking of our universe – and, of course, God.

When Wonders of the Living World was written you mentioned some big questions about meaning and purpose that science raises for us all. Are you still asking similar questions today, or has your thinking moved on in any way?

I still think that questions of meaning and purpose are of central importance. Science may raise these questions, but it can’t answer them. I love the comments of Neil Postman, who was a powerful critic of people like Richard Dawkins who think that science can answer all of life’s big questions. Here’s what he says: “To the question, ‘How did it all begin?’, science answers, ‘Probably by an accident.’ To the question, ‘How will it all end?’, science answers, ‘Probably by an accident.’ And to many people, the accidental life is not worth living.” Paradoxically, science helps us to appreciate how important meaning and purpose are to human wellbeing – but it can’t itself tell us what that meaning and purpose are.

What sorts of questions do you think you will be asking, or would like to be asking, in your work in ten (or twenty) years time? Might future scientific

discoveries raise even more big questions of meaning or purpose?

I don’t know! I often find myself circling old questions, gradually giving better answers than those I found ten or twenty years ago. I have no doubt that new questions will arise about human nature and destiny, and our place within the natural world – questions that we need to engage, rather than to avoid or hope that they will just go away. But I am confident that Christianity will be able to offer us ways of engaging these new questions, and helping us to think them through.

Dr Ruth M Bancewicz Church Engagement Director at The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge.

Gardening Quiz answers

1. Aster

2. Sweet William or Stinking Billy

3. Giant hogweed

4. Weeping Willow

5. Iris

6. Australia

7. True

8. Percy Thrower

9. Madagascar

10. Hidcote

11. True

12. Nebuchadnezzar II

13. True

14. False - it's second to The Hampton Court Flower Show

15. Gardeners' World

16. Aster

17. Iris

18. Carnation

19. Ground Force

20. Blue

21. Yellow

22. Sherwood Forest

23. Dig for Victory

24. The Woodland Trust

Aster

Iris

The Photograph above ...

Eternal Father, Strong to Save, a three-light window in the parish church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Sandringham, in the south transept, added to the medieval church by Sir Arthur Blomfield after the estate was acquired by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. It was given by the sea-faring Prince Alfred in honour of his brother Edward's 50th birthday in 1891.

It shows three miracles of Jesus associated with the waves:

• the disciples drawing in a haul of fish,

• Peter walking on the water, and

• Jesus calming a storm.

Rigging, seabirds and lightning make appropriate backgrounds, while underneath run verses of William Whiting's hymn.

Photograph and text (adapted) by Jacqueline Banerjee.

1 Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm doth bind the restless wave, who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.

2 O Saviour, whose almighty word the winds and waves submissive heard, who walkedst on the foaming deep and calm amid its rage didst sleep: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.

3 O Holy Spirit, who didst sweep across the dark and formless deep, to bid its angry tumult cease, and give, for wild confusion, peace: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.

4 O Trinity of love and power, sustain us all in danger's hour; through wreck and tempest, grief and loss, renew the triumph of the Cross: and ever let there rise to thee glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

Willliam Whiting (1825-78) (RAF verse)

O ruler of the earth and sky be with our airmen when they fly; and keep them in thy loving care from all the perils of the air: O let our cry come up to thee for those who fly o’er land and sea.

The Trinitarian hymn was written in 1860 by William Whiting, an Anglican churchman from Winchester. Whiting grew up near the the coast and at the age of thirty-five had felt his life spared by God when a violent storm nearly claimed the ship he was travelling on, instilling a belief in God's command over the rage and calm of the sea.

He became headmaster of the Winchester College Choristers' School where he remained for thirty-six years. During this time he was approached by a pupil who was about to travel to the United States, and who confided in Whiting an overwhelming fear of the ocean voyage.

Whiting shared his experiences of the ocean and wrote the hymn to ‘anchor his faith’.

In writing it, Whiting is generally thought to have been inspired by Psalm 107, which describes the power and fury of the seas in great detail:

Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep.

For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.

They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.

Psalm 107: 23–26

The trinitarian structure of this hymn follows a familiar pattern.

Verse 1. This verse addressed God the Father and may refer to Milton’s Paradise Lost’ rather than any specific scripture. “… and bid the deep within appointed bounds be heaven and earth.”

Verse 2. Jesus is addressed, reminding us of those occasions when he walked on the surface of the Sea of Galilee and stilled the violent storm.

Verse 3. This verse, speaking to the Holy Spirit, brings us back to creation when ‘the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters.’ The Spirit brought order out of chaos.

Verse 4. Addressed to the Trinity and makes the hymn a prayer for all of us when we face danger or grief. It is a prayer that we will be helped to triumph through Christ’s victory over death on the cross.

Over the years many revisions to the original text have been made, some by the author, others by various branches of the armed forces. The Royal Air Force verse printed is one of these verses. They aren’t included in the Church Hymnal as it was felt that this would not be in keeping with the original Trinitarian structure of the hymn.

The tune, Melita, was composed in 1861 by the Rev J.B. Dykes who was a Minor Canon and Precentor in Durham Cathedral.

Melita, better known as Malta, is the island on which Saint Peter was shipwrecked. Acta 28:1

Pastoral Search Report

The following is our confidential report on the present candidates for the role of our next cleric.

Adam: Good man, but has problems with his wife and he enjoys walking nude in the woods.

Noah: Prone to unrealistic building projects.

Abraham: He offered to share his wife with another man.

Joseph: Probably boastful; believes in interpreting dreams, and has a prison record.

Moses: A modest and meek man, but stutters at times. Sometimes acts rashly, and had to leave an earlier position over a murder charge.

David: The most promising leader of all, until we discovered the affair he had with his neighbour’s wife.

Solomon: Great preacher, but our rectory would never hold all those wives.

Elijah: Prone to depression - collapses under pressure.

Elisha: Reported to have lived with a single widow.

Hosea: A tender and loving pastor, but our people could never handle his wife’s occupation.

Deborah: Female.

Jeremiah: Emotionally unstable, alarmist, negative, always lamenting over things.

Isaiah: On the fringe? Claims to have seen angels in church. Has trouble with his language.

Jonah: Refused God’s call into ministry until he was forced to obey by getting swallowed up by a great fish. He told us the fish later spit him out on the shore near here. We hung up.

Amos: Too unpolished. With some training he might have promise, but he’s against wealthy people.

John: Has slept in the outdoors for months on end, has a weird diet, and provokes religious leaders.

Peter: Too blue collar. Has a bad temper. Aggressive, and a loose canon.

Paul: Powerful CEO type leader. Short on tact, and has been known to preach all night.

Timothy: Too young.

Jesus: Has had popular times, but once when his church grew to 5000 he managed to offend them all and this church dwindled to twelve people. Seldom stays in one place very long. And he’s single.

Judas: His references are solid. A steady plodder. Conservative. Good connections. Knows how to handle money. We’re inviting him to preach this Sunday. Possibilities there.

Rev John Bacchus Dykes William Whiting

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