Haslemere Link magazine Feb-Mar 2019

Haslemere LINK THE PARISH MAGAZINE OF ST BARTHOLOMEW’S AND ST CHRISTOPHER’S

‘For I know the plans I have for you, ’declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

February / March 2019 Suggested donation for a printed copy: £2 1

Parish Contacts Rector Currently in vacancy Youth Minister Sandy Clarke 07806 624560 sandy.clarke@hotmail.com Assistant Youth Minister Chloe Adam 07597 565571 LLM (Reader) Peter Sellars 641032 Church Wardens Robert Fox 652055 Margaret Morris 651365 Deputy Wardens Howard Body 658762 Nick Beare 609630 Verger St Bartholomew’s Carol Skeates 642662 PCC Secretary Cathy Moore 07593 814438 Treasurer Alistair Morgan 07880 325597 Assistant Treasurer Andrew Culshaw 658962 Stewardship Secretary Geoff Martin 641907 Director of Music & Organist St Bartholomew’s Clive Osgood 07747 785 940 cliveosgood@hotmail.com St Christopher’s Organists Alan Drake 652198 Helen Bendall 741383 Housegroups Contact the office

Parish Office The Link, Derby Road Haslemere GU27 1BS Tues – Thurs 9.00am-4.00pm office@haslemereparish.org www.haslemereparish.org Parish Administrator Victoria Hicks 644578 St Christopher’s Choir Director Sarah Thomas sarah.thomas6092@gmail.com

Bellringers Paul Bagshaw 656129 Outward Giving Dorothea Nattrass 653216 Friends of the Parish Bernard Coe 651146 Electoral Roll Officer Lynn Lemar 651435 Magazine Secretary Ann Lear 651570 office@haslemereparish.org Advertisements Manager: Geoff Martin 641907 Flowers St Bartholomew’s Sarah Mulliner 643504 St Christopher’s Liz Hawkins 642445 Max Card 652125 Sunday school St Bartholomew’s Sandy Clarke 07806 624560 St Christopher’s Liz Hawkins 642445 BRF Representative Sarah Mulliner 643504 Churchyards Philip Hunt 644120 Church Care Group Roscelin Rees 651561

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Pastoral Assistant Ruth Pattenden 653033 Bereavement Visitors Linda Donaldson 644473 Frances Gaiter 648843 Sarah Mulliner 643504 Safeguarding Officer Cathy Moore 07593 814438 First Steps Mondays in St Christopher’s 0-5 Year Olds Liz Hawkins 642445 Mothers' Union Treasurer Sue Davis 661115 Link Bookings Carol Skeates 642662 skeatMalco@aol.com Facilities for the disabled Both churches and The Link at St Bartholomew’s have ramped access and space for wheelchairs. Toilets suitable for use by the disabled are available in The Link and at St Christopher’s.

Facilities for the hard of hearing Both churches and The Link have sound amplification and hearing loops.

Facilities for the visually impaired Both churches have good interior lighting and large print weekly notice sheets.

Large print service sheets are available at both churches.

Together in Christ, Growing in Faith, Serving in Love

Dear Friends As you read this letter, we will have celebrated our Rector Mary’s ministry in worship and a shared meal. As such the New Year is mingled with sadness as we have said goodbye to Rev. Mary Bowden who retired at the beginning of February after leading our Parish for seven years. Mary has accomplished so much in the parish during her time here, not least enriching our liturgy with all aspects of Common Worship. Mary brought new focus to our prayer life with many creative prayer stations in both churches, working with Sandy, and increased our focus on the Passion journey and Easter celebration. We thank her enormously for all that she has done and pray that she will have a happy and fulfilling life in her new home near Cheltenham.

As you are probably all aware, a small group of us, helped by the PCC, have been busy producing a Parish Profile in conjunction with the Parish of Grayswood and helped by our Archdeacon Paul Davis. The journey we have been on in putting the Profile together has been an enriching one in which we have had our eyes opened to the variety and depth of all aspects of Church life in the United Benefice.

The ‘Statement of Needs’ priorities for the Parish of Haslemere are based on our Parish Vision, ‘Together in Christ, Growing in Faith, Serving in Love’ and include: engaging with the community, a continued commitment to work with children and young families, as well as embracing our aim of ‘one congregation - two churches’ and a breadth of worship style.

The posts are now being advertised and we continue to pray that the right people will be led to serve in our Parish and the Parish of Grayswood and work together to promote unity and partnership in the Benefice. We hope to interview shortlisted candidates for this Parish in February. Please pray regularly for God’s help and guidance at this time.

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This is our vacancy prayer: God our Father, You have welcomed each one of us in Jesus and called us to be His Body in this place.

Send us your Holy Spirit at this time of uncertainty and change, to fill us with vision, energy and faithfulness in prayer, that we may be true to our calling to bring new life to our community.

And guide with your heavenly wisdom those who are to choose a new Incumbent for this parish, that the one whom we receive may be a wise and gentle shepherd of your people: ready to serve us with joy, to build us up in faith, and to lead us by example in loving obedience to your son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen During the vacancy there will an increasing responsibility on many people and we would really appreciate it if you have any spare time to help and support us.

Happy New Year!

Robert Fox and Margaret Morris (Churchwardens)

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Children and Youth Diary Dates Sundays:Families@4

- 4pm at St Bart’s on 10 February and 10 March. Short, interactive, families-orientated service followed by BRING AND SHARE tea.

All Age worship

- 10am at St Bart’s on 17 February and 17 March.

Sunday School

- Preschool and primary school aged - meets during the 10am family service at St Bartholomew’s and St Christopher’s Church.

First Steps

- Our baby through pre-school group meets every Monday during term time at St Christopher’s Church at 10am. Come for stories, worship, crafts, playtime and time to meet other mums, dads and carers.

Messy Church

- 15 February and 22 March. Families are invited to meet in the Link from 3.15 until 5.30 for games, worship, crafts and a cooked tea so much fun.

Breakout - 10-14 year-olds meet in the Crypt on Thursdays from 5.30pm until 7. 00pm

Liquid Youth

- Worship with other young people - ages 14 through 20 (year 10 or above) - on Sunday evenings from 6.30-8.30pm at Jack Robson’s flat.

Holiday Club

- Enter the jungle if you dare, mornings from 27 - 30 August.

Save the dates!

Contact Sandy Clarke on 07806 624560 or sandy.clarke@hotmail.com

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Memories of Christmas Past (2018)

St Bartholomew’s nativity (above) and candles (below)

Nativity scene: St Christopher’s (above) First Steps Christmas Party (below x 2)

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Christmas Café 2018 Despite competition from the Haslemere Town Christmas Fair, the Christmas Café, held in the Link, drew an enthusiastic crowd after the morning service on December 2.

The enticing aroma of bacon butties and mulled wine pervaded the air, and a cheerful array of stalls drew in the customers.

There were Christmas wreaths, cakes, winter woollies and bric a brac, as well as a children’s lucky dip, toy stall, tombola, raffles, and two splendid Christmas cakes, one for the raffle from the Boxalls and another from Cathy Moore for guessing its weight.

The useful sum of £750 was raised and our heartfelt thanks go to Margaret Morris and her team for all their hard work, both on the day and in setting up beforehand.

AL

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Epiphany It might have been just someone else’s story, Some chosen people get a special king.

We leave them to their own peculiar glory, We don’t belong, it doesn’t mean a thing.

But when these three arrive they bring us with them, Gentiles like us, their wisdom might be ours; A steady step that finds an inner rhythm, A pilgrim’s eye that sees beyond the stars.

They did not know his name but still they sought him, They came from otherwhere but still they found; In temples they found those who sold and bought him, But in the filthy stable, hallowed ground.

Their courage gives our questing hearts a voice To seek, to find, to worship, to rejoice.

Malcolm Guite (Read by Rev . Mary Bowden in her sermon of January 6, Epiphany)

Three (local) Kings visiting ‘First Steps’ 8

LENT COURSE 2019 Starting at 7:30 pm on Tuesday 12th March in The Link

This Lent book offers imaginative reflections on Christ's crucifixion. We will use five chapters, each focused on a different key character, who describes his or her experience of the Passion. The nails used to crucify Christ are used as a jumping off point for their reflections. Each character considers the questions, 'who killed Christ' and 'who was responsible'. Each chapter includes a Biblical passage, a reflection from the point of view of the character, and the opportunity for a discussion. We will conclude with a brief version of Night Prayer.

We will share reading through the meditations, and it will be necessary for participants to buy a copy of Bishop Stephen Cottrell’s book. Amazon can supply the Kindle version (£4.68) or paperback (£6.99).

Further details are available from Peter Sellars (641032).

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Ethiopia 2018 Mary’s sermon on 13th January 2019, will have given you a taste of our fascinating trip to Ethiopia in October 2018 (see parish website).

This was a multi-faceted holiday. It was organised by McCabe Pilgrimages with whom we toured the Holy Land in 2016, a wonderfully enriching experience.

But why a visit to a little visited country in Africa should be called a pilgrimage?

Mary came back from her first visit so enthused that I wanted to join the parish pilgrimage a year later, to discover what it was all about.

We travelled as a group of 18 plus Mary and our local guide Yohannes. Mary led daily prayers and occasional communion services for our group, in various settings, so times of worship were quite special. So that was one aspect. We were also learning about a form of Christianity, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, much older than ours, deeply rooted in the Old Testament traditions, and not influenced by western culture.

The tour moved from one historic site to another, in the northern highland region, travelling by plane as well as minibus. The Open air communion nr Simian mtns earliest rock-hewn churches claim to date from the 4th century, but the largest concentration of them is at Lalibela and these are 12th century. Carved out of solid rock, below ground level, are interiors with architectural features like arches, vaulted ceilings, and mural paintings. It is still a mystery how this work was carried out.

Bet Emmanul, Lalibela.

However, all the churches we saw were still living places of worship with a priest in attendance. Yohannes was keen to explain to the priests that we were a Christian group wanting to learn about the sacred features of the churches, as tourist groups such as ours are still quite rare. In St George’s in Lalibela, a priest was reading from his book of Psalms.

Yohannes asked which he was reading and when he said Psalm 139, Mary asked if she could read this very special psalm to us. The 10

priest was obviously touched and, unable to speak to us in our language, he fetched some long tallow candles and lighted them for us to hold. There was a moving sense of sharing faith.

We also learnt a lot about the history of Ethiopia, from really ancient times (yes we saw Lucy a 3 million year old skeleton in a A friendly priest museum), through many dynasties, the time of Haile Selassie, and the dark era of the Derg in the 1970s and 80s. Yohannes, who had herded goats for his father as a child, is a history graduate, and so very able to impart history to us.

He is very optimistic about the new Prime Minister and the fact that half the cabinet he has appointed are women!

Goats, which look very similar to the sheep except that their tails don’t stick up, and load bearing donkeys are much in evidence. The Four parishioners by the Simian mtns subsistence farming in the highlands depends a lot on the grain tef. This is used for the injera bread, the staple diet which is apparently very healthy, being gluten free. It was an acquired taste, being like a rather acidic pancake.

We were staying in comfortable hotels or lodges, but we were very aware of the poverty of the local people in rural areas.

The climate was just perfect. Apart from two or three days at Lake Tana, we were at altitudes of over 2000 metres. The scenery was glorious, some reminiscent of my native South Africa.

Baptism pool, Gonda 11

There is so much more I could say – I have not mentioned the Ark of the Covenant, The Queen of Sheba, the Blue Nile Falls, the coffee ceremonies, the bird life or the art, which is Mary’s passion. This article did not set out to be a plug, but for once I can safely say that you have another opportunity to experience Ethiopia in October, if you join the next McCabe tour which Mary will again lead with even more knowledge and enthusiasm.

Dorothea Nattrass

New Beginnings at Oak Hall How many of us start the New Year with resolutions about how we are going to change our lives? Perhaps to eat more healthily; to get more exercise; drink less alcohol; spend more time with our loved ones; to improve our work/life balance? Sometimes our resolutions extend to helping our older loved ones make decisions about their future and to consider starting a new chapter in their lives.

A new chapter has started in the life of Grade II listed Oak Hall in Haslemere, which many locals will remember as Wispers Park School. Managed by awardwinning Elizabeth Finn Homes, Oak Hall Nursing Home opened in November and during the first week our residents enjoyed coffee and a chat with our local MP the Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who broke into his busy schedule to visit Oak Hall. (above, centre).

At Oak Hall the holistic care of our residents is firmly at the centre of everything we do. Rosemary Hurtley from 360o Forward, a specialist Health and Educational consultancy, has been booked to run innovative training sessions for our staff. The coaching will ensure that all staff, whatever their role, are well equipped to help our residents to continue to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.

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We are keen to encourage those starting a career in the care industry and students will start gaining work experience with us shortly: an ‘A’ level student planning to go to medical school who is keen to gain a grounding in a care setting; a student who intends applying for nurse training after completing his QCF level 3 in Health and Social Care, and a student who is working towards her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and has volunteered to help our care staff organise activities for our residents at weekends.

We offer ‘restaurant-style’ dining with all meals freshly prepared by our chefs.

The 3-course lunch can be enjoyed in our vaulted dining room or, for a change of scene, in the Bistro where residents are joined by residents of the adjacent retirement village.

As we move into 2019, it’s onwards and upwards for Oak Hall. The New Year’s resolution of all staff is to ensure that Oak Hall residents continue to receive the outstanding quality of care and quality of life that we pride ourselves on giving.

Care options at Oak Hall range from residential, respite, convalescence and nursing care to specialist palliative care. Rooms start at £1,000 per week for residential care.

If you would like to arrange a viewing to find out for yourself what makes Oak Hall so very special please contact our Registered Manager, Karen Williams, on 01428 744010.

Oak Hall, Wispers Lane, Haslemere, GU27 1AD oakhall@efhl.co.uk

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A Poem for 2019: PAX by D H Lawrence This year seems destined to be one of uncertainty in both our national politics and that of finding a new rector for our parish. Lawrence wrote “Pax” just before his death in 1930, after a controversial career writing novels such as Lady Chatterly’s Lover, but his final work may have a simpler message for us today.

In the poem, we are called to a place of radical humility - knowing that we don’t actually control anything, and that God has no need of us, even though we are creatures created by His love. God seems both close and far away, both involved and unconcerned, both present and absent. Maybe there’s value in understanding my place as simply that of a cat asleep on a chair in the house of the God of life, enjoying the warmth of life, but having no responsibility for the issues that concern my master in his greater being. Even building or tending the fire is beyond me, perhaps! In that context, joy makes sense. Surrender and dependence make sense. Gratitude and relationship with the great one make sense.

We weren’t created to produce, but because of love.

Peter Sellars

Pax All that matters is to be at one with the living God To be a creature in the house of the God of Life.

Like a cat asleep on a chair at peace, in peace and at one with the master of the house, with the mistress, at home, at home in the house of the living, sleeping on the hearth, and yawning before the fire.

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Sleeping on the hearth of the living world yawning at home before the fire of life feeling the presence of the living God like a great reassurance a deep calm in the heart a presence as of the master sitting at the board in his own and greater being, in the house of life.

D. H. Lawrence

It’s a Small World…!

Early on in their time here, John and Ann Lear invited me to their home.

In the course of conversation, it transpired that they had lived in Argentina. Somewhat naively (after all, Argentina is a big place!) I said some friends of mine had once lived there: Pearl and Rayden Gowar.

‘Oh yes’, said John, ‘I was in Rayden’s Bible class.’

Rayden had died long before I met the Lears. He was a thorough-going Christian, a man of prayer, and a great support to me and my family. He would have been so pleased to hear of this lovely coincidence - and to know what a blessing John and Ann are to us here Evelyn Hughes

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Revd. George Herbert Aitken 1865-1919 This summer will be the centenary of the death of George Herbert Aitken, the second Rector of the newly formed Parish of Haslemere. Aitken was Rector here for almost 20 years, 1897-1917 and, following his sudden death in Lambeth, was buried here on Wednesday July 2nd 1919. A newspaper of the time tells of ‘the esteem and affection which he had won for himself were strikingly attested by the large concourse of people who were at the funeral. Twelve of the clergy who had at one time or another been his fellow workers were present, including 8 of his former curates. The hymns My Soul there is a Country and Lift up your hearts, we lift them Lord to Thee gave fit expression to the motion which filled the hearts of his friends. Real sorrow - deep, swallowed up by greater joy and profound thankfulness for a life which aimed so high and achieved so much. For a personality so gracious and full of charm: for a character so winning and so simple in its strength. “Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven”’ George Herbert Aitken (almost certainly named after the poet-priest George Herbert, as was the late President G. H. Bush) was originally destined for the Law, but abandoned his reading for the Bar and decided to enter the Church. He worked at Toynbee Hall in Whitechapel, was Curate at St. Jude’s and married in St. Jude’s in 1891. His wife, Eva, says he was always over-worked and overstrained. He was teetotal and a non-smoker and they lived the simplest of lives.

His congregation ‘took him into their hearts’. He worked to support the wives and children of the men on strike during the 1889 Dock Strike. And it was said, in 1920, ‘To this day, his name is treasured in Whitechapel, where as he himself confessed, he had left his heart’.

In his memoir to Aitken’s collection of sermons ‘Fellow-Workers with God’ published in 1921, Canon V.F. Storr (his first curate in Haslemere), writes of Aitken ‘over-flowing with eager vitality’, and ‘a man greatly loveable and greatly loved’ whose salient feature was ‘an eager joyousness’. And from this rose ‘his strong faith, his sunny disposition, his conviction that the sun was always hiding behind 16

the clouds.’ His optimism ‘was not of the shallow type. He faced squarely the problems of evil. He had in east London a long experience of squalor, disease and poverty - but he never doubted that a better time was coming, and that Love must win.’ Again and again in his sermons he pointed out that ‘Love was not Love unless it suffered and that had there been no Good Friday, there would have been no Easter’. Storr says that ‘he lived for others’ and that the central message of his preaching was service for the welfare of others, and he was never happier than when discussing a poem or a problem with a group of others. In the preface of his book of sermons, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Randall Davidson, (whose previous appointment had been Bishop of Winchester and whose wife had laid St. Christopher’s foundation stone) writes of ‘his pithy and original pages which mark his Parish Magazines in his successive parishes, so different from ordinary publications of that kind.’ ‘His singular freshness and clarity of thought taught one to care, even eagerly, for his opinion upon any public matter which was astir. He had the power, in a quite unusual degree, of bringing into the sunshine everything he touched and revealing characteristics of good or ill which one had overlooked before’. Of the collection of Aitken’s sermons he writes ‘God speed its sane and Christian message.’

Storr says ‘He had the ‘eternal freshness of a child’. This is shown particularly in his founding of the yearly pantomime in the town, of which he wrote several and acted in them. These took place in the Rectory garden for some years until Haslemere Hall was built. As a 9 year-old, he arranged church services in the schoolroom of his home ‘to which he summoned the whole household. All was done in the most correct and orderly manner, written notices being fixed to the door, the sermons most carefully prepared, while he himself, arrayed in the schoolroom tablecloth with his sister’s black sash as a stole, held forth earnestly to the congregation. Great was his indignation once, when a young maidservant laughed during the service. She was at once requested to leave the room. His younger brother assisted him as clerk.’

One of George Aiken’s many fine qualities was his generosity, both of time and money. It was ‘a salient trait to his character’. The ‘desire to share with others the good things of life was a natural instinct.’ He was a warm supporter of the W.E.A. and founded the Haslemere branch. He ‘took the lead in forming a Garden Suburb in Haslemere’. These are the terraced houses surrounding Haslemere Hall and he invested a considerable sum in the cause. (More details of this and other projects in a future edition of The Link). He contributed largely to the provision of Haslemere Recreation Ground. His interest in education led him 17

to the building of a new school (the old Chestnut Avenue School). It was he who had St. Christopher’s Church built, a fine example of Arts and Crafts buildings, to provide a place of worship for the growing west end of town (although the need for it had been identified by the first Rector, Sanders Etheridge, some years before. He also is buried at St. Bartholomew’s). Of St. Christopher’s (opened free of debt thanks to Aitken’s powers of persuasion) he said it should contain ‘nothing cheap or ordinary. Nothing but the best for God’s House.’ He was a member of the Parish Council and of the Urban District Council (and Chairman of the Sanitary Council dealing with sanitation, and water supply. He assisted in the foundation of The Haslemere Society, was prominent in the continuation of Haslemere Educational Museum and started the Relief Committee which distributed parish funds to deserving causes. Until Aitken’s arrival, only a man with a private income could afford to accept the poorly endowed living; he raised £4,000 to raise the living to £500 p.a. for his successors. He took a great interest in the Parish Choir and started organ recitals. He started District Nurses and provided a house for the District Nurse (in Chestnut Avenue}. He bought and gave a larger house for nurses in Bunch Lane after being moved by the death of Nurse Edith Cavell in WW1.

What a man! It is hoped that we can commemorate his life in some way in late June or early July. Philip Hunt has located his grave and he and his team have started clearing it and restoring it. Unfortunately over nearly a century it has suffered . The Crusaders’ sword which covered it has been lost. If you look for it in the spring it will be carefully tended as it deserves. However if you look above the door from the sanctuary to the outer vestry at St. Bartholomew’s you may see the stone tablet commemorating his life.

Frances Gaiter.

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Just a Thought…

Evelyn Hughes I think it was Charles Lamb who said, in one of his Essays, ‘Change puzzles and disconcerts me.’ I can’t remember how he developed his theme, but that opening sentence does sound rather negative! After all, a change is as good as a rest, we say. We benefit from a change of scene. Changing a job can bring fulfilment. Moving house can be an adventure. A hymn from my past celebrates the change JESUS makes when invited in: ‘I have light in my soul which so long I had sought / I’m possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure’.

That said, people of faith nevertheless can feel ‘disconcerted' at times. A proposed change can be seen as a threat: the status quo is safer. There may be resistance to change on principle: ‘We’ve always done it this way.’ Adversity is no respecter of persons. Change can be devastating when it comes through sad or disabling circumstances - though we marvel at the human capacity to adapt.

In his letter, St. James refers to God as ‘the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change’. Some of our best-loved hymns give assurance of God’s consistency: ‘Great is thy faithfulness / thou changeth not’. Another hymn speaks of abiding in God’s love, thus ‘no change my heart shall fear / and safe is such confiding / for nothing changes here’. Yet another praises God ‘through all the changing scenes of life’. Hymns can enrich our prayer and strengthen our faith. Do get a hymnbook to use at home!

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HASLEMERE *(via Bavaria, Versailles, Oxford, Henley-on-Thames and Chichester ) We recently watched one of Dan Cruikshank's architectural programmes about the obsessive Bavarian king Ludwig ll who acceded to the throne in 1864. It was 'Mad King Ludwig' who was responsible for building, among others, the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle. I attach a thumbnail image.

Ludwig was strongly influenced by a desire to exceed the extravagance of France's Louis XIV, the Sun King, and his palace at Versailles.

The interior of Neuschwanstein Castle is stupendous and its opulence and scale could perhaps be said to eclipse Versailles.

My excuse for including this somewhat incongruous image is tenuous but it led me to consider how much more restrained our own architectural flights of fancy are in this country in general and in Haslemere in particular!

While thinking about a challenge which I might present you with, I looked again at a rather strange old building in our town. Much of the timber seems to have been used before. The two photos may give some clue, answer immediately below. No prizes of course but your thoughts are always welcomed by me even if I do not manage the courtesy of sending a reply!

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In case you have not instantly placed this building, it is part of Half Moon Farm and reputed to have suffered damage to the frontage by a 'runaway dustcart' in the early 1960s. I cannot see how that happened, given its position. Any suggestions?

A recent return to Oxford (where I spent my early life) for the Heritage Open Door Weekend was fruitful. We climbed the old castle mound and looked down on the old prison and Nuffield College (endowed by Lord Nuffield, the car maker William Morris), which is architecturally quite unremarkable.

One of the elegant ways in which buildings on a rather more grand scale can be enhanced is by the use of oriel windows. The Cotswold stone buildings of Oxford's older colleges provide the ideal scale as well as the appropriate building materials for the creation of oriel windows and we can really do no better than view the entrance to Oriel College, see the photos below.

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The oriel differs from simply bay windows which became ubiquitous with the mass housing development boom in the mid 1930s, along with what was termed rather pejoratively "By-Pass Tudor". Bay windows start at ground level and are usually carried on up to eaves height.

In Oxford's Cornmarket, at the Northgate, is a medieval oak version of the oriel windows on both first and second floor. Over the years the place has seen many changes of use but seems to have coped reasonably well: money-changers on the left and fast food to the right.

This unusual variation on a theme is in Henley-onThames. A fairly modern window in a 17th century building.

Haslemere has developed in its own piecemeal way with some very agreeable house styles without any great regard for a comprehensive Town Plan - it is too small for that and perhaps all the better for it.

One rather smaller scale scheme that did take hold was the workers' housing scheme, the brainchild of The Rev Aitken, but more of that next time.

South Street in Chichester provides an elegant Georgian example.

Robert Serman

* Editor’s note 22

News from Missions we support through our

Outward Giving Usually news from Christian Solidarity Worldwide is about people in dire circumstances needing support, and this carries on, but an email came through in early January, which was a cause for celebration. You will remember Mervyn Thomas who has been to speak to us about CSW. CSW is delighted to announce that our Founder and Chief Executive, Mervyn Thomas, has been appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (C.M.G), in recognition of his services to human rights and freedom of religion or belief.

Following the publication of his appointment in the 2019 New Year Honours List, Mervyn Thomas said: “I am greatly honoured and deeply humbled to be recognised in this way. Any success in my work for human rights and freedom of religion or belief has only been made possible by the outstanding talent and total commitment of all my colleagues at CSW. It is on their behalf that I accept this great honour, and also on behalf of the many thousands of courageous Christians and other religious minorities around the world who daily put their lives on the line for what they believe."

It is the fact that there has been recognition of the need for the work of CSW which I find so encouraging. … and another important news item Following the Foreign Secretary’s announcement on 26 December that he has ordered a review into the persecution of Christians globally, Mervyn Thomas added, “I very much look forward to contributing to the review, which will include recommendations for a cohesive and comprehensive policy response from Her Majesty’s Government."

Dorothea Nattrass 23

In My Garden Philip Duly The beauty of the winter garden is primarily its unique combination of shadows, shapes, form and structure. I consider the gardening year begins in December, when most of the previous season's leaves have fallen and the herbaceous border is mostly dormant with a few notable exceptions, especially in the propitious mild climate that was prevalent throughout Autumn 2018. On Christmas Day, I had varieties of rose, salvia, skimmia, leucanthemum, viburnum (in particular beautiful pink V. bodnantense) in bloom, plus the abundant yellow flower spikes of mahonia ‘Winter Sun’ contrasted against its large rosettes of gleaming dark green, holly-like leaves.

This winter's best overall performer and accordingly this month's star plant is however the reliable Jasminum nudiflorum, winter jasmine (pictured), which perhaps surprisingly is another Chinese import! I was lucky enough to inherit a mature plant many years ago but I have since successfully replanted a couple of offshoots which are now establishing themselves. This vigorous, medium-sized, deciduous climber has long, arching branches which benefit from hard pruning and can be grown almost anywhere but appear happiest when trained against a fence, wall or trellis. Their delicate twining stems can even be encouraged to grow within the branches of small trees, against shrubs or on grassy slopes and whilst at their peak performance when flowering in midwinter, their delicate leaves remain attractive from early Spring to late Autumn".

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Roast Chicken Legs with pea puree and asparagus Linda Donaldson This way of fast-roasting chicken joints, either whole legs, thighs or drumsticks, is a favourite in our house. The pieces are oiled and lavishly dusted with Maldon sea flakes, ending up with very crispy skin and moist, juicy flesh. This works well with lemony mashed potato but no extra flavours are needed with creamy pea puree and lightly cooked asparagus.

Serves 4 Cook time 40 mins Ingredients 400g asparagus 4 chicken legs 2 tbsp olive oil Maldon sea salt 300g. frozen petit pois 1 tbsp crème fraiche Thick yoghurt, mascarpone or creamy goats cheese Heat oven to 220C/gas mark 7 Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the woody ends or trim then peel the ends with a potato peeler. Lavishly oil the chicken legs and line up, skin-side uppermost in a small roasting tin leaving a little space between them.

Season the skin with sea salt flakes. Roast for 40 minutes.

Leave to rest as you complete the recipe. Boil a full kettle. Half-fill a spacious pan with kettle water, add salt and boil the peas until tender. Scoop into a food processor. Re-boil the water, add the asparagus and boil for 2-4 minutes until just tender. Scoop into a colander. Add 1 tbsp asparagus cooking water and crème fraiche to the peas and blitz to make a smooth puree. Serve chicken next to puree topped with the asparagus.

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Coming up…

In FEBRUARY / MARCH 2019 At St Bartholomew’s and St Christopher’s

FEBRUARY Sat 2, 2.00pm HMS COME & SING, St Christopher’s. Performance at 5.45pm 11am FRIENDS’ ORGAN RECITAL: Organist Tim Ravalde, St Bart’s 6.45pm CANDLEMAS: CHORAL EVENSONG, St Bartholomew’s Sun 3, 10am UNITED BENEFICE SERVICE AND FAREWELL to Rev Mary Bowden, St Bartholomew’s 11.30ish FAREWELL PARTY FOR MARY, The Link Sat 9,

7.30pm HHH Concert: Duo Antipodes, St Christopher’s

Sun 10, 6.00pm ECUMENICAL TAIZÉ SERVICE, OUR LADY OF LOURDES

Fri 15

3.15pm MESSY CHURCH, The Link at St Bart’s

MARCH Sat 2,

11.00am FRIENDS’ COFFEE CONCERT— Organist Robert Goldfinch, St Bartholomew’s

Tues 12, 7.30pm LENT COURSE “THE NAIL” session 1 of 5, The Link Sat 16, 7.30pm HHH Concert: Raphael Wallfisch & John

York, St Christopher’s Wed 20, 2.45pm HHH FREE TEA-TIME CONCERT (Manus Noble - guitar), St Christopher’s Fri 22, 3.15pm MESSY CHURCH, The Link at St Bart’s

EVERYONE WELCOME TO THESE EVENTS! 26

The Haslemere Farmers’ Market

Invites you to a Charity Breakfast at The Hunter Centre Grayswood Road GU27 2BW

Saturday 23rd February 09.00 - 11.30.

In support of:

Menu provided by The Haslemere Farmers’ Market: Fresh Porridge, Bircher Muesli, ‘The Haslemere English’ (Egg, Bacon & Sausage), Kedgeree, Toast, Tea, Coffee, Croissant, Marmalade & Honey.

TICKETS £10.00 pp.

Tickets from: Elaine Clement at The Hunter Centre - 01428 654710 James Halfhide at Imbhams Farm Granary - 01428 644088 The Hunter Centre, Marjorie Gray Hall, Grayswood Road, Haslemere, GU27 2BW

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Day of Reflection 'Journeying with God through the Wilderness’ We’ve all had experiences of journeying through times of ‘wilderness’ in our lives. These may have been creative times, challenging times, or both. Drawing upon the Exodus story, this day will offer an opportunity to reflect upon and learn from our journeys with God through times of ‘wilderness’ – about how God walks with us and how we might walk with God. We will do this through meditation, reflections on scripture, reflections on experience, and prayer.

Led by Aidan Coyle Aidan Coyle is an academic psychologist whose research has examined various issues to do with religion and society, including religion and mental health, and interfaith engagement. A longstanding meditation practitioner, over the years he has engaged with, studied and learned from Christian, Jewish and Buddhist communities and resources.

Time and Date: Saturday 18th May 2019 10:00-4:00pm Venue: St. John’s Seminary, Cranleigh Road, Wonersh GU5 0QX

Suggested donation £13:00; bring a packed lunch and drinks will be provided To book a place: Contact Patrick Coyne or Rachel Curtis email: paulcnw10@aol.com or 07973 500 811 [state the event and your contact details clearly] www.reflectionsgroup2000.wordpress.com

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Ecumenical TaizĂŠ Service Sunday 10 February 2019 at 6.00pm Our Lady of Lourdes, Derby Road, Haslemere

Come and celebrate a service of meditation, singing, silence and prayer.

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Bluebells Cancer Support Centre at Harry Edwards Healing Sanctuary Burrows Lea, Hook Lane, Shere, GU5 9AL Bluebells is a friendly, sharing group for anyone affected by cancer.

We laugh a lot, cry a little, share experiences and support each other.

Do come along one Thursday to see for yourself!

We meet on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 11am— 1pm ending with a relaxation session.

We like to keep in touch and know how you are at other times too, so please feel free to contact Carolyn Low on 01483 203540 or email Carolyn.graeme@hotmail.co.uk

'What does love mean?'

Some 4 to 8 year olds were asked this question by professionals. Here are some of their answers: 'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' (Jessica - aged 8) 'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' (Terri - aged 4) 'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' (Bobby - aged 7) 'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' (Mary Ann - aged 4) 'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' (Elaine-aged 5) 'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.' (Nikka - aged 6) (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet) 30

The Gondoliers 26th to 30th March 2019 The Haslemere Players’ next musical show will be the hugely successful comic opera The Gondoliers by Gilbert and Sullivan. There are 22 sparkling songs in the production – the most famous of which is Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes.

The story of the opera concerns the young bride of the heir to the throne of the fictional kingdom of Barataria who arrives in Venice to join her husband. It turns out, however, that he cannot be identified, since he was entrusted to the care of a drunken gondolier who mixed up the prince with his own son. To complicate matters, the King of Barataria has just been killed. The two young gondoliers must now jointly rule the kingdom until the nurse of the prince can be brought in to determine which of them is the rightful king. Moreover, when the young queen arrives to claim her husband, she finds that the two gondoliers have both recently married local girls. A last complicating factor is that she, herself, is in love with another man.

The Players will be supporting The Hunter Centre with this production, a local charity which provides care and stimulation for those suffering with various forms of dementia.

Tickets (£9 to £18 with concessions) from the Haslemere Hall box office, 01428 642161 or www.haslemerehall.co.uk

One-liners from the Edinburgh Fringe •

‘I was watching the London Marathon and saw one runner dressed as a chicken and another runner dressed as an egg. I thought: “This could be interesting.”' Paddy Lennox

•

‘I like to imagine the guy who invented the umbrella was going to call it the ‘brella’. But he hesitated’ Andy Field

(From Grove Books Jokes and Quotes) 31

What’s on at Haslemere Museum

February, 2019 Historic Haslemere Runs until 2 March An exhibition which reveals the fascinating history of Haslemere, told through beautifully illustrated story boards, where visitors will be taken on a journey about the history of the town. Some interesting and rare exhibits will also be on display. For anyone interested in local history, this exhibition is a must!

March of the Women: Surrey's Road to the Vote Runs from 23 February to 30 March A touring display, telling the story of key individuals and events in Surrey's suffrage history. 2018 marked the centenary of the first women being granted the right to vote in national elections. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Surrey Heritage has been discovering and sharing the county's role in the long suffrage campaign, through the project 'The March of the Women: Surrey's Road to the Vote'. This project display reveals key moments in Surrey's journey; from Emily Wilding Davison's actions at the 1913 Epsom Derby, and the bombing of David Lloyd George's house in Walton-on-the-Hill, to the Great Pilgrimage passing through the county. Discover more about some of the leading figures on both sides of the fierce debate, including the Pethick Lawrences, the Farrers, Dorothy Hunter, Dame Ethel Smyth, Bertha Broadwood and Margaretta Lemon.

February Half Term Family Drop In Event: Celebrating Stamps Tuesday 19 February, 10.30am - 1.00pm Members £2 - Non Members £4. No need to book Stamps are often one of the first things people collect. Come along and enjoy a fun-filled morning as we celebrate the simple postage stamp with lots of colouring and design activities.

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Early Birds at Haslemere Museum Wednesday 20 February, 9.00am - 10.00am Free. Donations Welcome . Book in Advance Special opening of the Museum, for families with children who have an Autism Spectrum Condition, to come along and enjoy the Museum free from the hustle and bustle of the public. The galleries will be open to explore and there will be an opportunity to handle special artefacts too.

March, 2019 Tea and Talk at the Museum: Penberthy Croft Mine - A West Country Mineral Paradise - Tuesday 19 March , 2.30pm Members FREE. Non Members £3. Includes tea and biscuits. No need to book Looking for something different to do? Then why not come along and enjoy our informal talks for adults with tea and biscuits. Join John Betterton, for a colourful guided tour of one of the most celebrated Cornish locations, known for its large diversity of rare minerals.

Creative Wellbeing Workshops - Spring is in the Air Tuesday 26 March | 2.30pm - 4.30pm or 7.00pm - 9.00pm Members £6 | Non Members £9 | Book in Advance Want to learn something new and create your very own artwork? Then why not go along to the Museum and enjoy a creative wellbeing workshop. Facilitated by professional local artist Diana Burch, the workshops focus on wellbeing and are a fun way to take some time out of your busy day to day life. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon or evening making Spring crafts and decorations using an array of seasonal materials.

Items for the April / May 2019 Magazine to reach us no later than Tuesday, March 12, please, to: office@haslemereparish.org

Responsibility for opinions and accuracy in statements expressed in articles in this magazine rests solely with the individual contributors.

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Ramster Embroidery & Textile Art Exhibition 16th-31st March Daily 10am—5.00pm This delightful exhibition shows over 200 pieces of embroidery and textile art, which are all for sale, worked with skill and dedication by leading artists from around the country.

Combine your visit with a walk around our spring garden. The teahouse is also open every day for delicious cakes, sandwiches and drinks.

Embroidery Exhibition Entrance £6.50 Combined Entry to Garden and Embroidery £13.00 Garden Entrance Adults: £7.50 Group rate: (15+ people) £6.50 Children: Free (under 16 must be accompanied by an adult) Registered Disabled: £4.00 Season Tickets: Unlimited access to garden during opening times. £40 Joint (2 adults), £20.00 (Individual) Groups: We welcome groups and pre-booked coach visits.

Accessibility: Disabled parking bays and toilet.

Some paths are suitable for wheelchairs. Disabled access to teahouse.

Dogs: Welcome on leads in the garden.

Tea-house: Serves drinks and a selection of cakes, sandwiches, and snacks.

Visit www.ramsterevents.com for garden news and to plan your visit 01428 654167 office@ramsterhall.com 34

From the Registers Weddings Cassandra Roberts and Christopher Denman - 22 December 2018 Sarah Thomas and James Young – 29 December 2018

A DV E RT I S E M E N T S Who says ‘I want never gets’…?!

In our last issue we put out a plea: ‘WANTED - Someone to join the Magazine Team to handle advertisements’ - and we are delighted to say that Geoff Martin has agreed to fill this role and we warmly welcome him onto the Link Magazine Team!

Which means… that we will be including advertisements as from the next issue (April / May), so anyone interested in advertising with us, please contact Geoff for details via Vic in the Church Office:— office@haslemereparish.org (644576).

Articles As, of course, we welcome your contributions of articles, such as an interesting experience (something to go into the ‘It’s a Small World’ category, for instance), items of local interest, a book review (if you belong to a book club you might like to share a recommendation or even head up a regular slot on books!) or a special trip….

Contributions please to Vic at the Church Office office@haslemereparish.org (644576).

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Sundays Feb-Mar 2019 3 Feb Candlemas

3 Mar Sunday Next before Lent

MARY’S LAST SUNDAY

08.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist | St Bartholomew’s

08.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 UB Service | St Bartholomew’s Followed by a farewell lunch

6 Mar ASH WEDNESDAY 10.00 Communion with Ashing | St Bart’s 20.00 Communion with Ashing | Grayswood

10 Feb Fourth Sunday before Lent 08.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist | St Christopher’s 11.30 Matins | St Bartholomew’s 16.00 Families@4 | St Bartholomew’s

10 Mar First Sunday of Lent 08.00 10.00 11.30 16.00

17 Feb Third before Lent 08.00 Holy Communion, St Christopher’s 10.00 All Age | St Bartholomew’s 11.30 Praying on Sunday | St Christopher’s

Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s Parish Eucharist | St Christopher’s Matins | St Bartholomew’s Families@4 | St Bartholomew’s

17 Mar Second Sunday of Lent 08.00 Holy Communion, St Christopher’s 10.00 All Age | St Bartholomew’s 11.30 Praying on Sunday | St Christopher’s

24 Feb Second before Lent 08.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist | St Christopher’s 18.00 Evensong | St Bartholomew’s

24 Mar Third Sunday of Lent 08.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist | St Christopher’s 18.00 Evensong | St Bartholomew’s

FOR CHILDREN Sunday School meets during the 10am Parish Eucharist

31 Mar Mothering Sunday

In the Link on 1st Sundays at St Bartholomew’s In St Christopher’s Lady Chapel on 2nd & 4th Sundays Children leave the service after the welcome, and return for communion.

08.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 Mothering Sunday service with the Bishop of Guildford | St Bartholomew’s 36