URC Magazine April 2024

A MESSAGE FROM OUR MINISTER

Dear friends in Christ,

Perhaps we find the idea of resurrection a very difficult one to understand, as central to the Christian faith as it is: the resurrection of Jesus; our resurrection after our earthly life has concluded? What happens, how, when?

These are not new questions! St Paul evidently grappled with these kinds of questions too, probably asked by the first believers of the emerging church more than two thousand years ago. “How are the dead raised?” “With what kind of body do they come?” (1 Corinthians 15:35). We all need to understand there will always be an element of mystery surrounding resurrection – Jesus’ and ours. All the same, Paul attempts to reassure people of the truth and reality of new life after death.

He writes that new life can come about only through death; like a seed is sown and dies, to spring into new life. He continues: “So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

So, even with all the mystery, we can be assured that the resurrection means a new and eternal life, with none of the things that limit us as we live our human lives.

The picture of the transformation from a caterpillar to a butterfly might be a helpful one. The caterpillar doesn’t simply sprout wings and fly away! It changes into a chrysalis and remains so from one to two weeks. Then the butterfly emerges having changed into something of great beauty!

At Easter time the church celebrates and shouts out loud: “Christ is risen, he is risen indeed!” Jesus had died, had been placed in a tomb, and then broke through from darkness into the light of new life!

So, the Easter message is, in reality, a simple one: Jesus is risen, and he rises again to enable us to enter new life in all its fullness, by faith in him. We wish you all a joyful time in our celebration of new life in him, the Risen Christ!

In Christian love, Mike

MORNING PRAYER

If you would like to take the opportunity to reflect upon God’s word and to pray for the needs of the world and the Church in your own time during the week, here are the Psalm and Gospel readings for April:

7 Psalm 133

14 Psalm 4

21 Psalm 23

28 Psalm 22:25-31

John 20: 19-31 or Acts 4:32-35

Luke 24:36b-48 or Acts 3:12-19

John 10:11-18 or Acts 4:5-12

John 15:1-8 or Acts 8:26-40

PRAYER FOR THE MONTH

This month of April sees the Christian church enter the season of Easter, lasting from Easter Sunday through to the celebration of Pentecost on 19 May. Following the solemn time of reflection in Lent, the arrival of Easter brings reasons for joy and thanksgiving for the risen Lord.

So, I offer this prayer from the 2024 URC Prayer handbook, written by Hazel McCorrisken, a member of Helensburgh URC in Scotland.

When it was still dark, when all seemed lost, Mary stared at the empty tomb in disbelief, shadows of night slipping into light of dawn.

Then you came, Jesus, comforting Mary in her despair, and hearing your voice changed everything.

That very first Easter morning gives an image of Mary, her sorrow turning into feelings of elation. Today, wherever we are, whatever our circumstances, our story, we have this promise: Your love is ours forever. In dying, you conquered death, your love giving purpose to our living, and the promise of life beyond.

Your words echo through the realms of eternity “I am the resurrection and Life”

Fear and trepidation linger, but darkness is not forever. Easter offers hope, love so strong nothing can stop it, spilling into our hearts, filling us to the brim with joy. You long to wipe away our tears, our hurting. And as church bells ring across this earth, Something deep within our soul rejoices, knowing every day is Easter!

Al-Maseeh Qam (Christ is Risen) Haqqan Qam (He is risen indeed!)

MAGAZINE DEADLINE

Material for May 2024 to be submitted by 2pm (latest) on Sunday, 21 April 2024

Please email to abbeyurcnews@gmail.com

Alternatively, you could call Carole C, pop it in her letter box, or leave in the pigeon-hole at the back of the church. Thank you.

BIBLE STUDY AND DISCUSSION GROUP

Our next Bible study and discussion group will take place on 5 April at 6.30pm on Zoom; ID 864 1780 6994 PC learning.

We will look more deeply at the Gospel verses we hear at our morning service at Abbey URC. All welcome!

EASTER IN ITS OWN TIME

As I write this article, I'm looking out of the study window at my very bedraggled daffodils. It was no problem to find enough daffs for Mothering Sunday. By the time it's Easter, and we might want masses of them to decorate our churches? They may be over and gone - these ones will, anyway! If I want to enjoy my daffodils, I have to do so not according to the calendar, but going by when they actually flower. And I wonder: might the same apply for Holy Week and Easter; that instead of forcing our own experiences to chime in with the biblical story, we need to take account of what's actually going on inside us, in our lives, and in the world's life too?

The phases of the biblical story each have their own mood. On Palm Sunday we rejoice with Jesus' friends, as he enters Jerusalem and it seems the whole world is on his side. On Maundy Thursday we share with Jesus in table fellowship, reminding us both of God's liberating powers, and of Jesus' presence with us here and now. On Good Friday we catch a glimpse of the suffering, the feeling of abandonment he goes through for love of us. And on Easter Sunday, joy mingles with confusion, as we come to terms with his empty tomb and the new life God gives him.

Yet, we know all too well that life here and now doesn't always mirror Jesus' story there and then. Our own Good Friday, our own Easter Sunday may arrive out of order and when we least expect it. So, God doesn't ask of us either that we pull sad faces or stick on beaming smiles, if that's not at all where we are in our personal journeys. Like my daffodils, the events of our lives and our feelings will bloom and fade by their own timing, not as we would have them do.

Yet, if on this year's Good Friday your heart is Easter-bright, say a prayer for those who, in our world today, feel that the darkness of their sorrow may never lift.

And, if on Easter Sunday all around you are carolling Hallelujah, but the stone has yet to be lifted on the tomb of your own hopes? Don't forget that the promise of new life to come is also for you.

Revd Sarah Hall

JOIN US ON THE EASTER JOURNEY

If you are unable to join us for a Sunday service during the Easter period, you are still invited to join in with our journey towards Easter Sunday. On 24 March we remember Palm Sunday as we receive palm crosses; our Easter cross is in our front garden with palm crosses available at the foot of the cross. Drop down any time during the day to pick up a palm cross and remember

Revd Mike will be sharing food in the short Maundy Thursday communion in the Abbey Hall Lounge. This is known as an agape service and is based on gatherings of early Christians when they shared simple fare together.

At 10.30am on Good Friday, Revd Mike will hold a short service, prior to the Churches Together act of witness in Romsey

Easter Sunday, our Easter cross will be in our front garden, please visit anytime during the day to bring a flower to add to the cross to celebrate the risen Lord.

A HAZE OF DRINKING SONGS!

Join Kirsty on Saturday, 20 April from 7.30pm in Abbey Hall for an evening full of your favourite drinking songs through the years, from folk to opera and music hall to pop songs! Performances by Ann Turner, David Turner and Kirsty Newbury (Purves).

Light refreshments and snacks provided on each table; however, you are invited to bring your favourite tipple!

There will be a raffle plus a game of heads and tails. Free entry, donations welcomed. All funds raised will go towards church funds.

BALM

We held our Spring meal on 11 March at The Nightingale in Latimer Street. It was very enjoyable and we were made very welcome. The food was excellent and very reasonably priced. It was lovely that Stella and Maureen were able to join us. It was interesting to hear that the current owners had previously run the Hatchet in Sheffield English for many years, George and l retired there so knew it well.

Our next meeting will be on 8 April at 10.30am in Abbey Hall Lounge.

Christine T

THURSDAY COMMUNION

Our monthly Thursday Communion takes place at 10.30am on the fourth Thursday of the month.

We join together for a 25-minute informal service, during which we share communion, followed by chat over refreshments. We next meet on 25 April. All are welcome.

FUTURE WORKING PARTIES

At our recent Fabric Group meeting we agreedto discontinue our monthly Saturday morning working parties. Instead, each quarter the Fabric Group will establish maintenance and repair tasks which volunteers will be able to undertake at a time mutually convenient to all.

With the current “regulars” helping on the first Saturday of the month now down to a small band of workers this seemed a sensible way forward. It also means that the opening of the church on Saturdays to allow people to come into the church for quiet and meditation is not disturbed by working parties undertaking, sometimes noisy, works. Thank you to all those who have turned up regularly in the past, your help has always been much appreciated.

Our first task will be to co-ordinate tidying up the gardens around the church buildings, including alongside the hall. If you would be willing to join this gardening party, or you have any DIY or cleaning skills you would like to offer for the future, please do let me know.

Andy B

CELEBRATE EASTER MORNING TOGETHER

Join us for Easter breakfast in the Abbey Hall Lounge at 9am on Sunday, 31 March 2024, everyone is welcome. Cost £2.50 per head. Thank you to those who have already signed up, the list is at the back of church.

If you have missed the deadline, please email Sarah on abbeyurcpr@gmail.com and she will add you to the list. We look forward to seeing you.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Sending our love and best wishes to Roy and Jeannine on their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Congratulations!

THANK YOU

I want to thank you all for welcoming into the church and accepting me as a member on Mothering Sunday. It makes such a difference to be part of the church family here and I hope I will be able to play my part in church life. Thank you again – I really appreciate it.

Barbara

Thank you from Alice for the lovely flowers for her 91st birthday, which were delivered by Gwen. She had a lovely birthday with family.

To everyone who donated posies for Mothering Sunday, thank you so much! I was delighted to receive a beautiful bunch of daffodils, and I took a bunch to my aunt – who said it brightened her day. Thank you.

Sarah

IMPROVE YOUR LISTENING SKILLS

Mary Thomas and Ray Stanyon regularly get asked by elders and pastoral visitors for one-off training events for skills that are useful in their roles. These listening days are being offered in both the north and the south of the synod and will be run by Revd Wendy White, who is often welcomed at Braishfield and Abbey URCs.

Come and improve your listening skills, and enjoy a listening space, which allows for silence - but also laughter and understanding.

Join Wendy on Saturday, 27 April at Collinwood Road URC, Oxford from 10.30am–3.30pm. Book your place via RSVP on the Synod website https://www.urcwessex.org.uk/event/listening-day-n/

Or for a more local opportunity why not attend on Saturday, 18 May at Avenue St Andrew’s URC, Southampton from 10.30am–3.30pm. Please book your place through the Synod website via the link https://www.urcwessex.org.uk/event/listening-day-s/

6

May

1 2.30pm Church table tennis in Abbey Hall

4 10am-12.30pm Church open for quiet reflection

4 10am-5pm Synod Big Day out at Hollycombe Steam in the Country

MINISTER’S LEAVE

Please note, Revd Mike will be on annual leave from 1-7 April 2024. During his absence, please contact

Braishfield: Shirley Smith 01794 368447

Romsey: Andy Bevan 07483 319618 email andybevan1@btinternet.com

FIND SPACE FOR RELECTION

The Wisdom Centre hold weekly in-person meditation every Wednesday evening 7.30pm-8.30pm. This is free of charge and there is no need to pre-book. If you would like any further information, please contact: reception@wisdomhouseromsey.co.uk The Labyrinth, Rose Patio and Centenary Garden are also available at the Wisdom Centre for rest and reflection.

Braishfield United Reformed Church

Minister: The Reverend Mike Perrott, MA 01794 512163

e-mail: revd.mike13@gmail.com

Day off: Mondays

Secretary: Shirley Smith 01794 368447

Treasurer: Sharon Whitfield 01794 521937

Serving Elders: Shirley Smith 01794 368447

Allison Symes 02380 262803

April

7 9.30 am Holy Communion led by Derek Hiscocks

14 10.00 am Family Worship led by Pat Oliver

21 10.00 am Family Worship led by the Revd Dr Sarah Hall

28 10.00 am Family Worship led by Daniel Symes

May

5 9.30 am Holy Communion led by the Minister

12 9.30 am United Christian Aid Service to be held at All Saints Parish Church. Andy Bevan will be taking part in this. Please note the earlier starting time.

19 10.00 am Family Worship led by the Minister

26 10.00 am Family Worship led by Sharon Whitfield

Please note that the third Sunday of the month is the time to bring in tinned goods etc for the food bank collection.

News from Braishfield

I hope you have all have a lovely Easter, this magazine should be issued just before the Easter weekend.

The Lord Is Risen He Is Risen Indeed.

I am glad to report I will be undergoing training at Avenue St. Andrews, Southampton on Saturday, 13 April so I can take Communion services should the need ever arise.

Carole Cox from Romsey URC will be at the same training day as me. I am sure this will prove to be useful for us both and for Braishfield and Romsey. Many thanks go to Revd Mike for organising this.

Braishfield held its first Annual General Meeting on a Sunday on 17 March and it worked well.

All of us at Braishfield would like to thank Margaret and Jack for the lovely daffodils for the Mothering Sunday service on 10 March. It was a delight to see (and receive) the flowers.

Don’t forget to name that bear! Our thanks go to Alan and Dawn for providing the bear, the idea being to raise funds for our church. There is a list of potential names for the bear and we have to guess which it is. All you do is put your name against one of 124 names on the list. You can have as many goes as you like at £1 per name. When the names on the list have been sold, the name Alan and Dawn have given him or her (which is in a sealed envelope) will be revealed and someone will be the proud new owner of a lovely bear. You can ring Shirley if you would like to have a go. She would be delighted to hear from you.

We look forward to joining in with our friends at All Saints Parish Church for the United Christian Aid Service on 12 May. Please note it is being held at the Parish Church and there is an earlier start time of 9.30am. Back to normal for Braishfield URC the following week!

Allison Symes

AMNESTY MARCH UPDATE

On Saturday 16 March we had a stall on Romsey market for the morning to raise awareness of the group's work. We used it to highlight the cases of two men, both affected by current Russian politics and policies. Alexei Navalny died while in a Russian prison in February, and Mariano Calatayud, a 75-year-old Spanish grandfather, who was volunteering in Ukraine by helping war-affected children and was abducted by the occupying Russians. People were invited to sign a card to Mariano to let him know we were thinking about him, and over 150 people added their signatures.

John

HAND IN HAND PUPPET TEAM VISITS

ABBEY URC TO TELL THE EASTER STORY

Twenty children, and their families, were entertained by Chandlers Ford Methodist Church Hand in Hand Puppet Team on 16 March. Through story and song, they heard the good news of the Easter story whilst adults reminisced to the tunes of songs by Queen and The Blues Brother – with different words!

The special guest star of the show was Grandpa Joe who seemed more preoccupied with trying to remember where he had hidden his Easter eggs. With the audience help, these were quickly discovered to allow the story to be told.

The puppets certainly kept the children’s attention with their many characters and lively song. We look forward to welcoming them back again soon.

JANE SCARTH HOUSE –NEW MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUP

Jane Scarth House are pleased to be introducing a new monthly Men’s Prostate Cancer Support Group here in Romsey. It will be a chance to get together and chat freely with people who have shared a similar experience. Refreshments will be provided. They are currently trying to find out which day/time may work better for everyone, so please contact them if you would be interested to come along. Please email sarah@janescarthhouse.co.uk or phone the office on 01794 830 374. Thank you.

THE ORLANDO SINGERS CONCERT

2 March 2024

The Orlando Singers Dorset is a chamber choir of approximately 25 singers performing a wide variety of sacred and secular choral works across Dorset and beyond. It has become widely known as one of the South West's most engaging chamber choirs.

Since its formation in 1993, the choir has given over 150 concerts, been in residence at twenty different cathedrals including Westminster Abbey, Winchester Cathedral and St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, to name but a few. It has broadcast on Radio 2, made three CDs and toured across Europe and into Africa.

I was privileged to steward their concert on 2 March entitled Videte Miraculum. Their works were centred around the theme of Lent and Mary, the mother of Jesus, with the centre piece being The Lamentations of Jeremiah composed by Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) and sung in Latin. Other works ranged from the 20th century composer Sergi Rachmaninov’s Bogoroditse Dyevo sung in Russian to another 20th century composer, Max Reger’s composition Unnser lieben Fruuen sung in German.

The range of eras and languages covered in the concert was truly amazing, with the standard of singing exceptional. The acoustics and setting of the concert within our church brought added perfection to the evening. I hope they will return soon. If you want to hear sacred music from across the centuries The Orlando Singers will not disappoint you.

Andy B

WHAT DO THESE WORDS HAVE IN COMMON?!

These words all have something in common. They all belong to a rare group; do you know what? Answers will be given in the May magazine.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

‘It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness’

Last year, John H gave a talk to Churches Together in Romsey; it was very interesting and it is reproduced here for your information.

Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally-recognised human rights. John’s first contact was when he was about 12-13, with Peter Benenson, Amnesty’s founder, at Camden Town Presbyterian Church.

John summarised an Observer article from 1961, when two Portuguese students were jailed for 7 years for toasting freedom in a bar. Amnesty International was established with the candle-in-barbed wire symbol, inspired by the ancient proverb ‘It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness’.

Most of what Amnesty International stands for is written in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was written 75 years ago and ratified by every country in the world. The list of rights includes: a fair trial, education, health, and culture for everyone. It also includes freedom for peaceful assembly and to seek asylum.

Amnesty International is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. It is concerned solely with the impartial protection of human rights. A lot of governments see Amnesty International as a political organisation, and do their best to silence it; in India, Amnesty International criticised Modi’s government for its treatment of minorities. Their response was to designate Amnesty International as an illegal terrorist organisation.

Amnesty International has members and supporters around the world. At the latest count, there were more than 10 million members and supporters in over 150 countries and territories in every region of the world. Although they come from many different backgrounds and have widely different political and religious beliefs, they are united by a determination to work for a world where everyone enjoys human rights.

What do Amnesty International do?

o Search out the facts;

o Send experts to talk with victims;

o Observe trials;

o Interview local human rights’ activists and officials;

o Monitor thousands of media outlets;

o Maintain contact with reliable sources of information all over the world;

o Publish detailed reports. They inform the news media, and you’ll often see Amnesty International quoted in newspapers or on television. They also publicise their concerns in leaflets, posters, advertisements, newsletters and websites.

Amnesty International members, supporters and staff around the world mobilise the public to put pressure on governments and others with influence to stop the abuses. Activities range from public demonstrations to letter writing. Here in Romsey they do a lot of letter writing, mainly to foreign government officials. When asked if we can have any effect on a powerful country’s government, we say that it feels more constructive doing something instead of just thinking about how bad things are. In other words: ‘It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness’. Having said that, the scope of Amnesty International is widening and they’re trying to cover many more human rights issues. There are several that are particularly pertinent at the moment: you may have seen Amnesty International in the news recently criticising the Migration Bill and the scheme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Incidentally, our MP Caroline Nokes (who was Immigration Minister under Theresa May), supports our opposition to this and many other human rights issues we contact her about.

Also in the UK, Amnesty International has had the campaign ‘Protect the Protest’ to try and preserve the right we’ve had in the UK for peaceful protest. They point out that the flimsy powers used by the police during the Coronation to detain a handful of protesters could become the norm, and that marches we’ve seen in the past to highlight things like BLM or Pride could become illegal.

And with the war in Ukraine, Amnesty International is publicising that those responsible for war crimes (on both sides) must eventually be held to account, including forced deportations into Russia, and blocking of humanitarian evacuation routes.

These give an idea of the scale of the organisation, but there’s also Israel, Iran, FGM…

Amnesty International want to get more people involved and it feels like they’re moving away from their heritage and encouraging people to copy and paste emails or sign online signatures, though it is doubtful whether that has as much impact as a hand-written letter.

Historically, Amnesty International's campaigning has been to:

o Free all prisoners of conscience…..A person imprisoned for their political, religious or other beliefs, or for their ethnic origin, sex or colour, who has not used or encouraged violence;

o Ensure a prompt and fair trial for all political prisoners;

o Abolish the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;

o End extrajudicial executions and "disappearances" of people.

o by working to ensure perpetrators of such abuses are brought to justice in accordance with international standards.

Sometimes they will target appeals on behalf of a single individual, sometimes global campaigns on a specific country or issue. Amnesty International’s worldwide network generates thousands of appeal letters on behalf of individuals and communities at risk. If urgent action is needed to save lives, volunteers around the world are alerted so that emails and letters are sent within hours.

Sometimes groups take on the case of specific individuals or issues if necessary, for years — seeking freedom for prisoners of conscience or working to abolish the death penalty in specific countries. For about five years Romsey worked on behalf of Ali Aarrass, a Belgian-Moroccan man with dual nationality. He was held in prison in Morocco, incommunicado and tortured, until he gave a confession under duress for terrorism charges. That was the only evidence used to prosecute him so Romsey (and dozens of other groups around the world) campaigned for his release until he was freed in 2018 with no explanation. They do not claim that their letters were the reason in his case, but here is a letter from a former prisoner in the Dominican Republic:

“When the first two hundred letters came, the guards gave me back my clothes. Then the next two hundred came, and the prison director came to see me. When the next pile of letters arrived, the director got in touch with his superior. The letters kept coming and coming: three thousand of them. The President was informed. The letters still kept arriving and the President called the prison and told them to let me go.”

The main activities for Romsey group are writing letters, and raising funds for postage and in order that the researchers can continue their work around the world. They meet once a month on the third Monday evening at 7.30pm at the URC Abbey Hall.

WISDOM CENTRE FOR YOUR WELLBEING

Myriam of Nazareth: Icon of Wisdom to be held on Saturday, 20 April from 10am-4pm. Facilitated by Sr Marie Turner DW.

Kindfulness: A Day on the Importance of Self-Compassion on Saturday, 18 May from 10am-4pm. Facilitated by David Cole.

A Day of Wellbeing: Mindfulness, Yoga, Sacred Sound, Meditation, Creativity held on Saturday, 15 June from 10am-4pm. Facilitated by Carolyn, Fran, Helen, Lou and Yasmin.

Mysticism of the East and the Spirituality of the West on Saturday, 6 July. Facilitated by David Cole

Also, the Wisom Centre’s Community Café will be held on Friday, 26 April or Friday, 24 May from 12noon-1.30pm. The 'pop-up' lunch café, serves a choice of either soup and a roll, panini or jacket potato with filling choices; a dessert or fruit; tea or coffee for the suggested donation of £6 per person. Please contact the Wisdom Centre to book your place.

For full details of the Wisdom Centre 2024 events programme, please visit https://www.wisdomhouseromsey.org.uk/ or alternatively, please call their Reception Team on 01794 830206.