Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Finedon. Parish Magazine
July 2014
50p 1
Finedon Parish Church: St Mary The Virgin Vicar:
The Revd Richard Coles, Parish Priest, St Mary the Virgin Finedon, The Vicarage, Church Hill, Finedon, Northants, NN9 5NR 01933 681 786, Mobile 07885 967 960 email: revdrichardcoles@yahoo.co.uk
Assistant Honorary Priest
Fr Peter Baden,01832 733186 email: p.baden36@btinternet.com
Parish Clerk
Mrs Gill Foster Tel: 680364 (To whom first contact for Baptisms and weddings must be made).
Churchwardens:
Mrs Jane Read Tel: 680522 Mr Neil Forster Tel: 682177
PCC Secretary: Treasurer:
Mrs Gill Foster Tel: 680364 Mr Andrew Weatherill Tel: 682212
Magazine Editor:
Mrs Janet Millington, Tel: 681161. E-mail: millingtonjanet@aol.com (to whom all copy should addressed by the 15th of the month prior to publication)
Director of Music
Mr Jonathan Harris Tel: 01604 881182 Email: Hjonathan83@aol.com
Deputy Organists
Mrs. Kathy Roberts Mr Oliver Grigg
Choirmaster:
Mr. Bryan Chapman Tel: 398818
Tower Captain Web Site
Mr Bryan Chapman, Tel 398818 www.finedonphotographs.org.uk/ bellringers.html
Archivist
Mr John Bailey Tel 680747
St Michael’s Mission Room:
Bryan & Christine Chapman Tel: 01933 398818
Times Of Services:
Sundays 8.00 am Holy Eucharist 9.30 am Parish Eucharist. 6.00 pm Evensong (1st Sunday of the Month) 2
From the Vicarage To Birmingham last night to see the great Dolly Parton in concert. We rendezvoused at Coventry and took the train to the NEC entirely filled with Dolly Parton fans, easy to recognise by their air of excitement (and the giveaway pink stetsons). The air of excitement intensified as we joined the throng making its way from the station to the venue, sixteen thousand people, young and old, men and women, all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, humming ‘Nine till Five’ and ‘Jolene,’ stopping only for chilli dogs, cardboard vats of pop, and ambitiously priced Dolly t shirts. We were seated in Row Z, about half a mile from the stage in a venue about as atmospheric as a jumbo jet hangar, but when Dolly, pint sized and well past her free bus pass, stepped on to the stage the whole place lit up. She was just magnificent. She sang all her old favourites, she played the guitar and the pedal steel and the saxophone and the penny whistle and the organ, she had us on our feet, clapping along and cheering as if it had been barn dance in her Smoky Mountain home. She has an extraordinary gift for connecting with an audience, four times the population of Finedon in the NEC, but you felt nevertheless that she as talking to you. One of the things I liked most about the show, apart from hearing songs live I have known half my life on records, is the parts in between numbers when Dolly talks about her life, her upbringing, one of twelve children born on a mountain farm in Tennessee at a time when marrying your first cousin would be thought the equivalent of wedding a Martian. Or so she made it sound, with a bit of homespun wisdom thrown in, and some jokes so well rehearsed you never felt for a moment she was not absolutely in control. There was stories of her family, the hills and valleys and streams and woods of her childhood, the town tart, of material poverty endured and spiritual riches enjoyed. She spoke too of her grandpa, a preacher, and we sat their captivated, laughing when she would splice into the narrative a little thread of self-knowing comedy. Suddenly I thought of Jesus telling stories to the disciples, parables so carefully thought out and told that they cast a spell on all who heard them, and cast a spell still on us today. The power of story telling, it seems, is unabated, even in a world of social media and instant communication and rolling news; stories of servants and masters, of prodigal sons, of mites and motes, of widows and orphans and the overlooked, people and situations we still identify with even this remote, in time and place, from the teller and his audience. So are you sitting comfortably?... Yours in Christ, Fr Richard.
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Anthem: J.S.Bach Jesu, joy of man desiring 557 Praise to the Holiest in the height
Our Worship in July Year A 6th – 3rd Sunday after Trinity Genesis 24: 34–38, 42–49, 58 to end Psalm 45: 10–17 Romans 7:15–25a Matthew 11: 16–19, 25 to end.
20th - 5th Sunday after Trinity Genesis 28: 10–19a Psalm 139: 1–11 Romans 8: 12–25 Matthew 13: 24–30, 36–43.
Hymns 278 Alleluia, sing to Jesus Peace, perfect peace (Children’s Choir) 308 (Tune 2) Just as I am, without one plea Anthem: Farrant Lord, for thy tender mercies sake Father we adore you (297) 28 Hark what a sound, and too divine for hearing
Hymns 362 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord 321 Rise and hear! The Lord is speaking 105 Beneath the cross of Jesus Anthem: Harris Holy is the true light 536 O God of Bethel, by whose hand 27th - 6th Sunday after Trinity Genesis. 29 15 – 28 Psalm105: 1–11 Romans 8: 26 to end Matthew 13: 31–33. 44–52.
6th – Evensong Accompanied by a Consort of Viols as part of RSCM 50:50 Sunday Introit: Purcell Rejoice in the Lord always (Bell Anthem) Responses: Smith Psalm 56 14 Glory to thee my God this night Canticles: Henry Purcell in G minor Anthem: Gibbons This is the Record of John 13 Before the ending of the day
Hymns 369 All people that on earth do dwell 393 Brother, sister, let me serve you 301 God is here! As we his people Anthem: Goss I heard a voice from heaven 455 Guide me, O thou great Redeemer
13th - 4th Sunday after Trinity Genesis 25: 19 to end Psalm 119: 105–112 Romans 8: 1–11 Matthew 13: 1-9, 18–23.
Organ Voluntaries following the 9.30am services 6th July – J. Clarke: Trumpet Voluntary 13th July – Max Reger: Chorale Prelude Ein’ feste burg ist unser Gott 20th July – Bach: Fugue from Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in C major BWV 564
Hymns
477 385 515
In Christ there is no east or west Be thou my guardian and my guide Lord, thy word abidith 4
From the Registers Holy Baptism 1st June Toby Alexander Walker 8th June John Terence Thomas Watson Lilac-Willow Rosie Howe Holy Matrimony 24th May Louise Ellen Newton and Thomas Oliver Garrod 14th June James Scott Cooling and Kelly Louise Wood Funerals 20th May Phyllis Ingfield, 29th May Robert Steven Clent age 66 12th June Mark Williams
Floodlight Sponsorship 1st June Ann & Peter Ayres & Family : in memory of Ruth Turner (on what would have been her 40th birthday) Dale & Family & Glenn & Family : remembering Richard Anthony Pinnock with love 8th June Barbara Haseldine & Pat Parker - in memory of their mum Milly Woods (on what would have been her birthday) Anne Reed - in memory of Alan Reed John & Elaine Turner - to celebrate Ruth Turner’s Memorial Concert (in aid of The British Heart Foundation) Madge Toop & Family - in memory of Ken Toop (on what would have been his birthday)
15th June Carolyn, Jane & Roger - in memory of Andrea Neville & Keith Jarvis (on the 48th Anniversary of their Deaths) Margaret Coombs & Family remembering Eric Coombs with love (on what would have been his Birthday) Christian, Michael, Jacob & Oliver to Celebrate Grumpy’s 75th birthday – Bob Haseldine J. A. Minchinton -to celebrate the lives of the late Edith & Edward Minchinton & the late Betty & Geoffrey Berry Irene Brown - in loving memory of Margaret 22nd June Janice & Peter Childs - to commemorate the 62nd Wedding Anniversary of Jean & Terry Giles, married in Finedon Church & now living in Canada 29th June Denis & Dorothy Howell - in memory of Florence Ruth Howell Ian, Irene, Susan & Sue - in memory of their dad Jack Collis The grandchildren & greatgrandchildren - in memory of : Jack Collis.
Christian Care for Families The Mothers’ Union invite you to come along to their Strawberry Tea on Tuesday 1st July at 2.30 pm in the Mission Room. Ann Swann will be in attendance to read some of her poems - ’from the sublime to the hilarious’. Tickets at £3.00 each can be obtained from all MU members and all proceeds will go to the work of the Mothers’ Union 5
Come and Sing Choral Evensong accompanied by a Consort of Viols
be performing and staying overnight in Finedon. Please come and support them if you can. Those on Twitter can follow their pilgrimage @Song_Cycle
Come and sing choral Evensong on Sunday 6th July 2014 at 6.00 pm at St Mary’s, Finedon, rehearsal,at 3.30 pm. Any visiting singers are welcome to join us to sing at this occasion which is an RSCM 50:50 Sunday event. Music includes Purcell’s Rejoice in the Lord alway and his Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in G minor, together with Gibbons’ This is the Record of John. The entire service will be accompanied by a consort of four viols; we will be joined by a Viol Consort which recently performed in the St John Smith Square lunchtime concert series. For further details or copies of the music, please ask Jonathan Harris or a member of the choir.
Organ Update
Song Cycle Concert Song Cycle is a Musical Pilgrimage from London to Norfolk which will be calling at St Mary's Church, Finedon on Tuesday 22nd July at 7.30pm Suggested £5 donation – all proceeds in aid of church funds A concert of vocal, piano, organ and horn music performed as part of a two week musical pilgrimage. A group of around four musicians are cycling from London to Norfolk giving concerts in churches and cathedrals along the way. Led by Kathryn Rose, a talented pianist, organist and horn player, we are delighted the group will 6
The restoration work is continuing to progress on schedule. We hope the scaffolding will have come down by the end of June; the restoration work is scheduled for completion around the end of July. The original c.1705 pipework has been analysed by our organ consultant, John Norman, who has confirmed that the pipes and casework are definitely by the organ builder Father Smith. This is a significant conclusion as the organ has previously been attributed to Father Smith's son-in-law, Christopher Schrider. Comparison of the markings on the pipe work in Finedon organ with those in the organ at Great St Mary's, Cambridge, which is known to contain a significant number of organ pipes built by Father Smith, has produced conclusive evidence that the Finedon organ pipes from the original c.1705 organ were made by Father Smith. Another video blog tracking the organ restoration has been posted on You Tube; search for St Mary's Finedon Organ Restoration Part 5'. We are also pleased to announce that we have recently been awarded a grant of £1000 from the ON Organ Fund towards the restoration project; this is an organisation that provides assistance towards the restoration of organs in places of worship in the British Isles.
day for the Church Fete. Thank you to all who worked so hard and gave so much to make it a tremendous success. Special thanks go to Colin Needle, Chris Butts and the old age pensioners that that did all the humping, erecting and dumping. Also the Hendry's who showed us how to erect the pergolas as we floundered at the beginning. Thank you to the BUFFS who lent us a marquee and erected it. Taking the Fete into the community is important to show we are a thriving, caring and welcoming church We raised after expenses nearly £1400. Well done everyone. Ideas for next year's Fete very welcome
May Celebrations
The May celebrations on Sunday 25th May were a happy occasion and appeared to be enjoyed by all. The weather was fortunately very kind to us. So thank you to Ellie Coles, Fr. Richard's niece, for being the May Queen. Thank you to the very pretty attendants Abi, Taylor, Lauren and Chloe. To Jared who held the crown on the cushion so splendidly. To Mrs Lesley Baden for crowning the Queen. To Muriel and Christine, chief flower arrangers. To the Mummer Players and Choir for their performances. Finally to Brian and Helen Brooks for providing the Hot Dogs etc. The first attempt at maypole dancing was a little bit of a disaster but the second attempt turned out successful, both provided amusing entertainment. Fr.Richard was a natural Maypole dancer.
Post-restoration Organ Recital A post-restoration organ recital will be held on Saturday 13th September at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church as part of the Flower Festival weekend. To celebrate the completion of the restoration of the organ, we are delighted to have arranged a concert to be given by the international recitalist, Stephen Farr. Stephen is the Director of Music of St Paul's Knightsbridge, Father Richard's previous parish. There will be a retiring collection in aid of church funds.
Thank You Marjorie Wood wishes to say a big thank you to everyone who came to her Coffee Morning in aid of the Cardiac Unit at Kettering General Hospital. The final total raised was £540.
Summer Fete Brilliant weather, brilliant music and brilliant company was the order of the 7
holding a Coffee morning at The Bowls Club in aid of Cancer Research. Please try to come and support us to raise money for this very worthy cause. Doors will open at 9.30am and the admission will be 75p which will include a cup of coffee, a biscuit and a ticket for the mini raffle. There will also be a Grand Raffle and a Bring and Buy Table.
Finedon Local History Society Finedon Local History Society are now preparing for their next exhibition, FINEDON AT WAR (commemorating the 1st World War). The exhibition will be opened on Saturday 2nd August; they hope to concentrate on the role of Finedon people in the war and the impact of the war effort. If anyone has any memorabilia, letters, postcards, service records or medals, memories of extended family who served in the Armed Forces which they are willing to share, the History Society would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact Malcolm Peet 01933 680773.
Finedon Library Baby & Toddler Time For the under 5’s
July Meeting The July meeting of the society will be on Monday 28th July 2014 at the Mission Room, Well Street, Finedon at 7-30pm. The speaker will be Derek Blunt on Spires and Squires. Admission is £2-50 for members and £3-50 for non members, after the evening light refreshment will be served
Townswomen’s Guild
Every Saturday 11.00 am - 11.30 am Different week! Different Theme! Join us for stories, songs, playtimes and lots, lots more
Rhyme Time Babies, toddlers and pre-school children are welcome with their parent/carer.
Every Thursday 10.30 to 11.00 am
This month we will be celebrating our Birthday with a ''Tea at the Ritz'' themed party to be held on Thursday 3rd July at 7.30pm in The Town Hall. Our entertainment for the evening will be a Murder Mystery performed for us by members of Tingdene Players and the competition is for a bit of 'Bling'. On Tuesday 8th July we shall be
Come along to Finedon Library to enjoy singing, music, stories and nursery rhymes with your little ones
Free of Charge 8
Finedon Over 60’s Club
ACCORDING TO MARY
Finedon Over 60’ Group meets on Wednesday afternoons at the Bowls Club, Wellingborough Road between 1.45 pm and 3.30 pm. Admission £1.00.
The Magdalene
Future Programme 2nd July Trip down memory lane Margaret Burgon 9th July Garden Party, 31 Millers Close 16th July Call my Bluff 23rd July Telephone Kiosks Helen Crabtree 30th July Outing to Spring Field Everyone Welcome
SUNDAY JULY 20TH 3pm & 8pm At
ST BARNABAS CHURCH WELLINGBOROUGH
Friends of Finedon Library
A HAUNTING AND EXCITING NEW CHORAL WORK by KAYE TOMPKINS
You are invited to our commemoration for the
This brand new choral work had its premiere at St Matthews Church Northampton in April and the response was so huge, it is being performed again in the beautiful St Barnabas Church in Wellingborough.
Centenary of the 1st World War at Finedon Town Hall on Sunday 3rd August 1.00 to 4.00 pm
“Such a powerful and moving piece of work” “Stunning and immensely beautiful” “A work that could stand proud on any world stage”
Join us in a re-enactment of enlistment and enjoy a cup of tea in our ‘NAFFI’
A choir of 70 and 8 soloists tell the traditional story of Jesus but through the eyes of Mary Magdalene.
We will be remembering each of the 133 people from Finedon who did not return from the war. See their photo and make a poppy to honour them.
Directed and Conducted by Graham Tear TICKETS £8 BOX OFFICE 01933 226730 9
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 2014 Adrian Cale In March this year, Father Richard and Father David led a 10 day Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. There were 11 pilgrims from Finedon and a further 14 from around the country. Here are a few personal thoughts about the experience. We began the Pilgrimage proper on the banks of the Sea of Galilee (or Lake Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias). For me these first few days were the most enjoyable. I had expected the whole country to be a dry barren desert but here in the north everything was green and fertile. The sea was calm and the whole atmosphere was peaceful and untroubled. Looking out across the lake and later actually sailing on it, it was easy to imagine life there 2,000 years ago. A feature of the trip was the short services we held at each location. In Galilee we held an emotional Eucharist beside the lake. This proved to be the foundation for the strong bond that grew amongst us. The services defined the difference between Pilgrims and Tourist. Of course, we could appreciate the beauty of a church, mosque or cathedral like any tourist but for us there was the extra dimension of the spirituality of the journey. In the North there was no intrusion by the modern day divisions in the country. However, this all changed as we travelled south. The landscape dried and the country took on a 21st century veneer. 10
For example an innocent trip to the River Jordan for the re-affirmation of baptism was overseen by heavily armed soldiers patrolling both sides of the border. Reminders of conflicts lined our route to the river bank. Abandoned religious buildings bearing the scars of battle displayed warning signs; ‘Beware Landmines’. Approaching Bethlehem we found the city surrounded by a high wall built by the government and emphasising the seemingly everlasting divisions. Locals complained that their livelihood was threatened by the isolation that in their view turned the city into an open prison. And in the midst of this stood the huge echoing Church of the Nativity. It makes you think. There is a tendency to celebrate the many sacred sites by marking them with these elaborate churches (often designed by the same Italian architect). By doing this, I think something of the original atmosphere is lost. For example, standing in the shadows of one such monument in Shepherds Fields, I found myself longing for shepherds, sheep and fields. Similarly, it was not easy to visualise events in the Garden of Gethsemane when a large church now dominates a small olive grove. I understand why this has been done but like I say, I feel something has been lost. But these are minor criticisms. Elsewhere we were shown what life was like all those years ago. The country was sparsely populated with travel between settlements made on foot. Many lived in defensively designed cave-like dwellings. And, to crush one final myth, a manger was not some rickety wooden structure but a robust stone trough.
Despite endless reminders of current unrest you could not fail to be infused by the spirit of Christianity. Even the latent tension in Jerusalem could not stop us. We declared our faith at the Stations of the Cross that are scattered throughout the claustrophobic, alleys of the old city, whilst all about us people went about their normal daily business. We joined the crowds in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, marking Calvary and the Tomb. We visited the Wailing Wall and witnessed a degree of religious devotion that I found unsettling, and Hebron where we were advised to speak to no one. Finally, Emmaus, where in a way we had our own apparition. We were invited to attend Vespers with the Monks and Nuns of the monastery and listened to wonderfully evocative singing. A very moving conclusion to our pilgrimage. The ten days were packed with rich thought provoking experiences. There was fun, laughter and tears. Emotions were often drawn to the surface. Lifelong friendships were forged and lives were changed. If you have an opportunity to visit this complicated, flawed country, I urge you; go!
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 2014 Joyce Williams, Gill Foster & Valerie Richardson Monday 17th March We all met at Heathrow Airport at some unearthly hour to catch an early flight to Tel Aviv. After a five hour flight we arrived and were met by our guide Rami, a Palestinian Christian, who was extremely knowledgeable
about the country and its religion. We were taken to our hotel The Pilgerhaus for our first three nights on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Our group of twenty five pilgrims was made up of authors, producers, a wonderful hermit from Scotland and the contingency from St Marys. A lovely group of people – fun loving, interesting and all deeply moved by the experiences we shared. Our first service together was held in the Hotel Chapel
Sea of Galilee Tuesday 18th March Our first visit as a group was to Cana where we saw a wedding party outside the Franciscan Church built on the original site of the wedding feast and the first miracle performed by Jesus of changing water into wine. We then travelled to Nazareth where we visited The Church of the Annunciation, which was built over the house of The Virgin Mary. On to The Synagogue Church and St Joseph’s Church. We then visited the house where Joseph lived which resembled a cave. Lunch was at The Christ Church School and we arrived back at the Hotel by 3pm. We celebrated Mass in the Hotel Chapel and then walked along the shores of the Sea of Galilee where we found an outdoor chapel and sat there thinking that maybe Jesus had sat on that very spot. So tranquil. We saw families of rock badgers and met a friendly donkey. Wednesday 19th March Today we held a Eucharist in the open air on the shores of The Sea of Galilee, a most emotional and 11
powerful service. We were joined by a German priest named Christian. We then travelled to Tabgha, where seven springs still exist, to the Church of the Multiplication built on the site of the miracle where Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fishes – an amazing Church. The Sea of Galilee itself was so beautiful, tranquil and unchanged as we found out as we sailed across the still waters. It was hard to imagine what time we were in. We saw a boat from the time of Jesus and a film as to how it was recovered from the mud. On to lunch where we ate St Peter’s fish – a local fish as caught at the time of Jesus. After lunch we visited the Church of the Beatitudes, where the Sermon on the Mount was commemorated – a most beautiful Church. We then travelled to Capernaum and held our service in the Church built over the house of St Peter and afterwards walked to the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Then we visited the partially excavated site of this town which Jesus adopted as his own and where he performed many miracles.
Israeli occupation on the way, electric fencing, a rocket base which brought home the conflict happening in this beautiful country. This area is still known as ‘The Wilderness’ and was still majestic in its emptiness. We travelled to Jericho for lunch on our way to Bethlehem to our next hotel. This was situated next to the Church of the Nativity just off Manger Square. to be continued…...
Christian Meditation The next Christian Meditation meetings will be held on the following dates at 13 Rockleigh Close at 7.30 pm on Mondays 7th and 21st July and Monday 4th August If you would like to find out more about Christian Mediation or join the group, please contact Pat Peet, 680773 for further information,
Church of St Mary the Virgin
Meat Bingo on
Friday 11th July
th
Thursday 20 March Today we travelled to Mount Tabor where we took a minibus to the top of the mountain to the Church of the Transfiguration built to commemorate the event. Beautiful views and extremely atmospheric. We returned to our coach accompanied by sight seeing armed soldiers. We celebrated mass in an outside chapel which again was a very emotional service. Unable to travel through the West Bank due to killings and unrest we drove south through the Jordan Valley. There were many signs of the
at the
Mission Room Well Street at 7.30 pm Admission Free Refreshments available Raffle Everyone Welcome Transport is available. For details please telephone Andrew Weatherill on 682212 12
In My Day the ramblings of Hubert James
In my day it was about this time of year that tennis reared its head and pushed cricket to one side. A time when football was a distant memory. Then someone came up with the idea of a five-a-side tournament and we were playing football all year round. Mind you it was hard work, lumbering around in your big heavy boots with leather studs that couldn’t sink in to the rock hard dry ground. It had a feel of ice skating with sweaty feet. But at least the ball was dry. Those old footballs could leave you dazed and confused if you headed the lace when the leather was soaked with icy winter rain. In summer the ball was lighter and you didn’t need to plaster it with Dubbin. Any concussion was only mild. We tried to organise our own five-aside world cup with teams from as far a field as; Wollaston, Rothwell and Crow Hill. Those lads from the hill had some lungs on them. Something to do with altitude training. We hit a bit of a snag when we weren’t allowed to use any of the winter pitches. Luckily, our goalie was
a lad called Sterling Sturridge whose Dad had a farm. He let us borrow a field where he’d been growing root vegetables. As tradition dictates, we used jumpers for goalposts and marked out the pitches with whitewash. You had to watch how you tackled because you could end up dislodging a long forgotten potato or turnip, whilst covering your backside with a white skid mark.. Famously, Sterling once launched himself in the air to save a thunderbolt shot and found himself grabbing a carrot whilst the ball bounced off a cardigan into the space where a net would have been. He had a right old rant. He shouted at the carrot, calling it all the names under the sun. From that moment on, he always used to say that carrots were the most stupid vegetable. We never let him forget it and whenever anyone lost their temper on the pitch we would say they were as thick as a carrot……
Church Monthly Draw Total receipts of £272.00 are divided equally between the winners and the church funds. Winning numbers for the June monthly draw are: 1st prize 2nd prize 3rd prize
53 326 54
£68.00 £40.80 £27.20
If you would like to join the monthly draw (£1.00 per share per month) which takes place in the church on the first Sunday of the month, please contact Kathy Hobbs on 01933 398794. 13
After recovering from his shock, the officer greeted the man warmly as a fellow soldier. Once they had been enemies, now they could be friends. Such reconciliation is at the heart of our Christian good news. As Christ makes it possible for us to be at peace with God, so he calls us to make peace with one another.
Rt Revd John Holbrook, Bishop of Brixworth writes War and Peace
As I’m writing this reflection, the news is full of the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings and it has been good to see German veterans amongst those being honoured and their casualties also being remembered. Former enemies can now be reconciled. This is a true story. Thirty years ago a young Englishman joined the army. The Argentine military invaded the Falkland Islands and, much to his surprise, he found himself fighting in the South Atlantic. He had, in that slightly oldfashioned phrase, “a good war” and decided to stay in the army, rising to a very senior rank.
At the time of the 60th anniversary I well remember taking the Mayor of our German twin town to meet a distinguished Normandy veteran, who promptly showed off his full scale-model of the D-Day landings! The visitor showed no sign of being offended and they later shared a good drink. Reconciliation is possible.
One day he was making his way to a meeting at the Ministry of Defence in London. Coming out of the Underground station he saw another man crouched in the entrance hall holding a cardboard sign with the words “Falklands War Veteran”. The officer was deeply moved and so he decided to help. To his dismay, the only money he had was a £50 note. He thought “but for the grace of God, that could be me” and so he folded the note and gave it to the old soldier. The other man looked at it suspiciously, but when he unfolded the gift he looked straight at the officer and said; “Muchas gracias Senor”! He was a Falklands War Veteran, but an Argentine one!
Later this summer, we will begin 4 years of commemorations, marking the 100year anniversaries of landmark moments in the First World War. We remember that appalling conflict from the safe distance of over 60 years without a major war in Western Europe. That peace and the reconciliation which lies behind it are well worth our thanksgiving.
+John
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Town Diary July
August
1st
9.45 Coffee Morning Bowls Club 2.30 Mothers’ Union, Mission Room, Strawberry Tea
2nd
1.45 Over 60’s, Bowls Club, ‘Trip down Memory Lane’, Margaret Burgon
4th
British :Legion Chat night
September 1st
British Legion, Every Picture Tells Two Stories, Michael Leonards
6.00 Choral Evensong, St Mary’s Church
12th/ 14th
St Mary’s Church, Flower Festival weekend
7th
British :Legion Quiz Night
13th
7.30 Post Restoration Organ Recital, St Mary’s Church.
8th
10.00 Coffee Morning, Football Club 21st
Harvest, Wesleyan Chapel
3rd
7.30 TG, Town Hall, ‘Tea at the Ritz’
6th
9th
1.45 Over 60’s, Bowls Club, Garden Party, 31 Millers Close
11th
7.30 St Mary's Church Meat Bingo, Mission Room
4th
15th
9.45 Coffee Morning, Bowls club
6th
16th
1.45 Over 60’s, Bowls Club, Call my Bluff
22nd
10.00 Coffee Morning, Football Club 7.30 Song Cycle concert, St Mary’s Church,
23rd
1.45 Over 60’s, Bowls Club, Telephone Kiosks, Helen Crabtree.
28th
7.30 History Society, Mission Room, Derek Blunt ‘Spires & Squires’‘
29th
9.45 Coffee Morning, Bowls Club
30th
October 9-12 noon Table top sale, Wesleyan Chapel
November 3rd
British Legion AGM
16th
11am-3pm Christmas Market & Craft Fair, Finedon Community Centre
December 1st
BL Chat night
5th
8pm St Mary’s Church Wassail Evening British Legion, Entertainment
Over 60’s, Outing to Springfield
St Michael’s Mission Room, Well Street, Finedon Available for hire weekdays and Saturdays. Suitable for most social functions, charitable events, children's parties (no late discos)
For all enquiries and information contact Bryan & Christine Chapman Tel: 01933 398818 Email: bryanchapman2@aol.com 15