October 2017 Contact by St. John's Hythe

OCTOBER 2017

Charity Christmas Card Sale and Coffee Morning

The Parish of Hythe St. John the Baptist St. Anne

10:00—12:00 Saturday 4 November 2017

Come and buy your Christmas cards And stay for coffee and a chat Offers of cakes and scones would be appreciated—please see Liz Beeson

Psalm 67:6

50p

THE PARISH OF ST JOHN’S AND ST ANNE’S SUNDAY: 8.00am Holy Communion at St John's 9:00am Holy Communion at St Anne's (3rd Sunday 3.30) 10:30am Parish Eucharist at St John's (2nd Sunday of the month)

10:30am ‘Open House’ - All Age Worship at St John's (1st Sunday of the month) 5:00pm Jubilatte Café Church Fellowship, Worship, Discussion and Refreshments (2nd,3rd, 4th & 5th Sundays) 6:30pm Sung Evensong at St John's TUESDAY: 9:00am Holy Communion at St John's 10:00-11:30am Coffee and Pause for Thought at St John's FRIDAY: 10:00am Holy Communion at St John's (1st Friday of the month] 3:30-5:30pm Messy Church at St Anne’s Fun, Activities, Crafts, Worship and a Meal

WHO’S WHO VICAR: Revd. Jo Elvidge (Tel. 023 80845615) The Vicarage, 14 Atheling Road, Hythe SO45 6BR e-mail: vicar@stjohnshythe.org LICENSED LAY MINISTER: Sue Blomley (Tel. 023 8084 9482) e-mail: sue.blomley@gmail.com CHURCHWARDENS: David Blomley (Tel. 023 80849482) e-mail: daveblomley@yahoo.co.uk Martin Deadman (Tel. 023 8178 2640) e-mail: mdeadman@gmail.com ST JOHN’S HALL: (Tel. 0238084 4336) e-mail: office@stjohnshythe.org ‘CONTACT’ EDITORS: Phil & Catherine Preston (or contributions to the parish office) e-mail: philmex123@gmail.com

PARISH CONTACT NUMBERS

Bible Reading Fellowship notes Pamela Gilson 8084 2965 Brass cleaning June Smith 8084 8201 Catering Coordinator Parish Office 8084 4336 Children & Families Ministry Coordinator Chris Stubbington 8084 4336 Children's Society Trish Murphy 8089 3243 Choir Master & Organist Philip Dowd Christian Aid Ann Tong 8084 7455 Church Treasury Team Sue Harvey 8084 2333 Clergy Secretary Parish Office 8084 4336 Data Protection Officer Phil Preston 8084 4336 Electoral Roll Officer Elizabeth Ausden 8084 6765 Fairs Committee Ann Heslop 8084 2256 Flowers (St Anne's) Greta Wall 8084 9394 Gift Aid Secretary Barbara Griffiths 07833105099 St John's Hall bookings Parish Office 8084 4336 Hythe2000 Management Geoff Read 8084 8748 Intercessions Ann Heslop 8084 2256 Julian Group Norman Curtis 8084 6861 Mothers' Union Committee Sue Harvey 8084 2333 New Road Parish Office 8084 4336 One World Group June Smith 8084 8201 Parish Prayers Ann Heslop 8084 2256 Parish Visitors Coordinator Margot Lewis 8084 4336 P.C.C. Secretary Peter Lawson 8086 6794 Prayer Chain Margot Lewis 8084 4336 Registers Clerk Elizabeth Ausden 8084 6765 Sacristan & servers (St John's) Trish Murphy 8089 3243 Safeguarding Officer Catherine Preston 8084 2666 St John's cleaning Parish Office 8084 4336 Sidespeople Roy German 8084 3198 Verger Team (Funeral & Weddings) Trish Murphy 8089 3243 Website enquiries Elizabeth Deadman 8178 2640

ADVERTISING: via Hall Office (Tel. 023 8084 4336) e-mail: office@stjohnshythe.org DISTRIBUTION: Maureen Curtis (Tel. 023 8084 6861) For Weddings and Baptisms please phone the Hall Office 023 80844336

Have you taken on a new role? Do you have a role we haven’t listed? Has your phone number changed? Please email: philmex123@gmail.com or phone the Parish Office 8084 4336 and leave a message for the editors.

ADVERTISEMENTS

TIME, TALENTS & TREASURE On 1 October ‘Time, Talents & Treasure’ questionnaires will be issued to everyone on St John’s and St Anne’s Electoral Roll. We are asking you to tick the tasks you do now and are willing to continue doing; then tick something you would be interested in doing in the future. To continue the successful times we are enjoying at the moment as a Parish it is really important that we have your support in whatever form that takes with the time and talents you would be able to offer. Please think carefully when completing the questionnaire and if you want any further details about anything listed please ask.

Please complete your questionnaire and return it as part of our offering at Harvest Festival (8 October) or to the Church office. Thank you in anticipation. VOTE OF THANKS!

Steve’s Piano Tuning and Repairs Steve Robson 19 Depden Gardens, Dibden Purlieu SO45 4RX Tel: 02381843827 Mob: 07905 451131

A big thank you to Janet Chapman, Rosemary Watson and David Blomley for helping to give the hall kitchen and appliances a deep clean. This is a necessary job that we try and do quarterly and, as always, their help is greatly appreciated. If anyone else would like to join the team please see Barbara in the office and we could then take turns in doing it throughout the year.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

ADVERTISEMENTS A Pilgrim Prayer

Quaternary

or four-cornered Celtic knot George Bain, a Scottish Celtic art professor says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Celtic knots that have a closed path (no end or beginning) are considered to be a symbol of eternity or represent the infinite. Those with open paths are said to signify a journey (both

physical and otherwise)â&#x20AC;?

Eternal God, you call us to be a pilgrim people, grant that we may run the race that is set before us with stronger faith, firmer hope and greater love; that, persevering to the end, we in our generation may bear the baton of the Gospel with our eyes fixed on Jesus. Amen.

PARISH OF HYTHE MONTHLY PRAYER LIST

We pray that our church family will be united in our worship of God, in fellowship with one another, and in ministry to the community.

Today, we pray especially for: Frances Short John Madgwick Janet Papworth Harry Went Sheila Kendrick Margaret Legate Kenny Sweetman

Mary Moat Val Wright Pat Hill Ann Cowburn Michael Whittington

We continue to pray for our Rwandan family and their community.

COULD YOU HELP WATERSIDE FOODBANK?

WHAT WE SAID 100 YEARS AGO

What We Said 100 Years Ago Taken from the New Forest Magazine for Hythe, October 1917

SHOPPING LIST Milk (uht) and powdered Instant mashed potato Fish (tinned) Coffee/tea Sponge puddings Fruit juice (long life cartons)

Carrots/Peas/Sweetcorn (tin) Fruit (tinned) Rice Pudding (tinned) Sugar Toilet rolls Toiletries

Waterside Foodbank can be contacted on 077 68713329 www.watersidefoodbank.org.uk or email info@waterside.foodbank.org.uk ADVERTISEMENTS

Please note that we are working with our advertisers to update you with good quality adverts. New advertisers are always welcome!

(As we see below, the Revd. Hooke seems to have taken the request of the General Editor to heart. However, he is back on form for December! Watch this space!) As the General Editor has made a special appeal for economy in the matter of space and paper, it is only right to restrict the local news as far as possible. We are asked by the Secretary to say that the amount raised for the Prisoners of War during August by the New Forest South Branch was £45. It is hoped that £40 at least will be raised each month now. The Vicar hopes that The Rev. F. L. H. Adam will be spending a Sunday in Hythe and will preach during October, but the actual date is not yet fixed. Please send fruit and flowers to the Church for the Harvest Thanksgiving at 10 a.m. Saturday October 6. Notice of services will be found in the August magazine.

Would you like to advertise in this space? Please contact Barbara in St John’s Hall office: 023 80844336

PRAYER NET

In St John’s church we have a prayer net in the Lady Chapel. If you would like us to pray for you, or someone you love, please write details on one of the paper fish and tie it to the net. We will pray as requested each evening and the fish will be offered up to the altar at the 10.30 Eucharist on Sunday.

WORLD CHURCH

COULD THIS BE YOU?

SO HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A NEW ARCHBISHOP? Edgar Ruddock reflects on a recent visit to the Anglican Church of the Indian Ocean There was no sympathy anywhere in the Ruddock household recently whenever I grumbled at the prospect of a 12 hour flight to Mauritius! And only groans when I tried to explain I would be working hard….. “Meeting on the beach then?” “Gin and tonic with Any Other Business?” - I was on Always time for a selfie! Some of the a hiding to nothing, especially bishops, with you-know-who! from my children (and a few well known faces at St John’s, I might add!) So what was I doing? I had been invited to lead a three day “Accompaniment” for the House of Bishops of the Indian Ocean (Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles), as a lead in to the General Synod, and then the election of their new Archbishop, as the current one stood down after an eleven year mandate. In the Indian Ocean, as in many parts of the Communion, Bishops and Archbishops are elected, not appointed, as they are here. The system is very open, very democratic and has many strengths. However, it can lead to a lot of politics, caucusing and subtle pressure on electors to support one or other candidate. Sometimes practical pressures take over from prayer and discernment about good leaders! The purpose of the Accompaniment on this occasion was therefore to give the bishops space to stand back from the politics and ambitions, and seek to reflect on God’s call to his church to be the servant of the world, and its priests and bishops to be the servants not rulers of the church!

Volunteer Cook wanted Do you love cooking? Nothing fancy - just good, wholesome, home-cooked food.

Our Wednesday Lunch Club caters for an average of 40 senior citizens each week. We are looking for a volunteer cook to join our happy team of helpers. Could this be you? If so, for more information please contact St John’s Hall Office, New Road, Hythe. 02380 844336 email: office@stjohnshythe.org

Contact We hope you enjoy this issue of ‘Contact’. Your ideas and contributions are welcome: please send them to us by the 14th of each month. Please note that we cannot publish copyright images or articles without the express permission of the author/artist. Phil & Cat Preston - email: philmex123@gmail.com Do you have any personal VHS videos you are unable to watch, i.e. weddings, holidays, precious memories? For a small donation to our Rwandan fund, I will transfer your videos on to a DVD Contact Sue Wood 02380842320

HAVE YOU BEEN HERE?

WORLD CHURCH

Have you looked at our church website recently? On your computer, tablet or smartphone search for www.stjohnshythe.org This is where you’ll find ………… • • • • • •

Dates and times of Services Information about our Parish The Parish Calendar Diocesan News A History of St John’s Church Photos from Parish events

………… and more! For further info, please contact our webmistress Elizabeth Deadman 023 8178 2670 HUMOUR CORNER

A man was talking to God…”Please tell me Lord, what is a million years like to you in time as we recognise it here on Earth?” And God responded…”It would be like a second to you, my child.” The man then asked…“So Father what would a million pounds be like?” God said…”Like a penny to you, my child”. The man then took a deep breath and asked God…”Please Lord give me a penny”. And God replied…”Of course I will, my child… in a second”.

The meeting went very well, despite two of the bishops arriving unwell from Madagascar and needing fairly urgent medical attention. On Day One we reflected on the nature of God, and how we approach an understanding and belief in God through different cultures and experiences. On the second day we explored God’s world, undertaking a pilgrimage around the island, observing poverty and wealth, commerce and industry, education, governance and healthcare. At each point we paused The outgoing archbishop, for prayer and reflection, before Ian Ernest (right), of Mauritius, with (left) the new archbishop, continuing our journey. It was a very James Wong from the moving experience, which we later Seychelles debriefed together. On the third day, our focus was on the church that God has called to serve the world, and the kind of leaders the church needs to enable its mission and ministry. And from there we asked what were the qualities we sought in a new archbishop. Two days of Synod followed - the church’s Parliament, with delegates from clergy and lay people from each diocese across the Province. This was a busy time, typical of any church gathering with long agendas, debates and decisions. On the Saturday I was invited to lead a meditation for an hour prior to the election, again focussing away from the politics and other agendas, and inviting people to prepare to vote, seeking the guidance of God’s Spirit. We then moved to the church for worship, and the election. Those of us invited as observers watched from the back as four candidates were nominated, and then electors were asked to write three names on the first ballot. From this, one candidate was eliminated. The second ballot asked for two names for three remaining candidates ..

WORLD CHURCH

.. then the third, final ballot sought one name from the remaining two. And so we had our new archbishop! He is Bishop James Wong, bishop of the diocese of the Seychelles. There was much excitement as he was brought forward and presented, as the sixth archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean. The following day, delegates moved across the island to preach in every parish in the Mauritian Diocese. Then in the afternoon there was a big national service of thanksgiving for the ministry of the outgoing archbishop, and the formal installation of Archbishop James. It was my challenge to preach at this event also! We concluded a long day - a long week! - with a celebration meal in a local Chinese restaurant. And that was a real Mauritian party! So I came down to earth after a further twelve hours in the sky, to reflect on a memorable experience, and to give thanks for the life and vigour of this part of our wonderful Anglican Communion.

MUSICAL EVENT

DIARY DATES

COULD THIS BE YOU? Waterside Churches Homeless Shelter Volunteers are still urgently needed to help out with this important initiative, especially acting as night wardens. The Shelter will be starting this winter. If you would like to help, please contact Rev Jo Elvidge or the Church Office

St John’s and St Anne’s Harvest Supper Saturday 7 October @ St John’s Church

Coffee Shop Volunteers Needed

Food and entertainment from 6pm.

Are you able to spare some time on a Tuesday morning to help in the hall coffee shop? We are looking for more volunteers to take an role in this important community activity. Would you like to help set up at the beginning and close down at the end? Do you have a food hygiene certificate or would you like to apply for one? If you are interested in this please see Barbara in the hall office. 02380 844336.

Jacket potatoes with a choice of fillings, followed by a variety show performed by many artistes!

Sue’s Christmas Angel Project Come along to help with making Angels! Angel workshops every Friday 10.30 am in Sue is challenging St John’s and St Anne’s congregations to produce 500 small angels as Christmas tree decorations. We will attach a label to each angel saying, 'Please take me home and take me to a Carol Service.' On the back we'll put the times of our carol services. Then at the beginning of December we'll start to give them away to everyone in the village. As God’s messengers are angels what better way to spread the word than with angels?

Tickets £3 per person available from the hall office.

We are holding a COFFEE MORNING in St John’s Hall, Hythe Saturday 14 October 2017 9.30 - 12.00 Please come along and bring your friends Tea, coffee and cakes Bring & Buy Gifts & Raffle Greetings Cards

ONE WORLD

WELL DONE, BEAVERS!

The following article is taken, with kind permission, from ‘Barnabas Aid’ magazine. Contributed by J.Smith and J. Shewry.

In Charles Dickens’ famous book Bleak House, there is a memorable character called Mrs Jellyby, who badly neglects her many children. Mrs Jellyby is a committed Christian and feels a great burden for missions in Africa. All her time, attention and money are focused on Africa, leaving her husband, children and needy neighbours uncared for. She feels no responsibility for those close to her but focuses primarily on the needs of those far, far away with whom she had no previous connection. Today the Christian Church is under great pressure. According to the Pew Foundation, Christians are now persecuted in more countries than any other religion on the face of the earth. In some parts of the world, a further tragedy is unfolding. For alongside persecution there is now growing famine and deprivation caused either by climate change or by man-made conflicts. The Christians in these areas cry out for help, but all too often their cries go unheeded. Most Christian relief agencies and mission agencies in the West say their calling is to help everyone, irrespective of their religion. In fact, one major evangelical agency commissioned a report last year on Christians in the Middle East which concluded that they were in no greater need than Muslims. Apparently they did not recognise the attempted genocide of Christians by the Islamic State group and the anti-Christian hostility, threats and violence that have become commonplace in recent years. Others argue that it is unfair to discriminate in favour of Christians. Others again hold that it is a good witness for Christians to help non-Christians, in obedience to the Biblical command to love your neighbour as yourself. One way or another, Christians find themselves at the back of the queue.

Photo courtesy of Ali Lansley

It has come to the Editors’ notice that many lovely comments are being made in the Hythe community about the Beavers’ hard work to make the furthest corner of the churchyard an eyecatching space. It has looked beautiful throughout the summer and has been the subject of photographs appearing on Facebook; so a huge ‘Thank you’ to everyone who helped with this.

FOR SALE

Do you know a bride-to-be? Mel has 5 different wedding dresses in sizes 10,12 and14. which she is willing to sell for church funds. £40 each negotiable. Her phone number for enquiries is 07754143149.

Jill's Silky Scarves Several people said to me at the September Fair-----Oh, I mustn't buy any scarves --I've got drawers full at home. The answer is obvious! Give me those scarves to sell and treat yourself to some 'new' ones at the Christmas Fair on November 25th! Looking forward to receiving bags full of scarves! Jill xx MESSY CHURCH

ONE WORLD What all of this illustrates is that modern Western Christianity has no concept of what it means to be a Christian family, where our giving should start. It has come to be a religion devoid of brotherly or sisterly responsibility. We love the world but we cannot stand our own. In Islam there is the concept of the umma, meaning the worldwide community or nation of Muslims. The Arabic word umma may be derived from the word for “mother”; certainly there is a very strong intrinsic identity with and concern for fellow Muslims, as if all come from one womb. The compulsory alms-giving, called zakat, which is one of the five duties of Islam, is only used to help fellow Muslims. Christianity rightly teaches (succinctly summarised in Galatians 6:10) that we are to do good to all but especially to the household of faith, i.e. the worldwide community of Christians, the Body of Christ. After our loyalty to God, our next loyalty must be to our Christian family. When we read passages like Matthew 25:31-46 about the sheep and the goats, we may want to stretch the interpretation of Jesus’ parable to make it an affirmation of those who help the whole world. But close analysis and reference to other Bible passages show that Jesus is commending those who help their fellow Christians. Jesus’ last commandment to His disciples was that they should love one another as He had loved them. This love for our Christian family would be a witness to the world (John 13:34-35). His disciple John reminds us of the commandment in these words, “Those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” (1 John 4:21) (NRSV). And this must be a love that is shown in practical ways. “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?” (1 John 3:17 NRSV)

BATTLE OF BRITAIN MEMORIAL SERVICE On Sunday 3rd September we welcomed members of the 2495 Hythe Air Training Squadron to our 10.30am service at St John’s. Their presence at the service was to commemorate the sacrifice made by brave RAF pilots during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Members of the Corps participated in the service and the Last Post was played. It was a very moving occasion.

GROUP NOTICES

CALLING ALL MEN! After a successful Curry Night last month launching the new parish Men’s Group…. Now

A FISH’n’CHAP SUPPER Wednesday October 11th at St John’s Church, at 7.30pm And a chance to build the programme for the winter months. Time to ketchup with friends, old and new!

Dementia Drop-in The Dementia Drop-in runs alongside our Tuesday morning coffee from 10:00- 11:30am on the first Tuesday of each month. There is a local advisor from the Alzheimer's Society available for advice and support.

BABY SIGNING COURSE

Baby Signing Course A five week course approximately 1hr each

OPEN THE BOOK

SUMMER FETE 2017 Many thanks to everyone who helped out and visited St John’s Summer Fete on Saturday 2nd September. The event was a huge success and raised over £1900! Our next fete will be the Christmas Fete, which will take place in December. More details to follow in November’s ‘Contact’.

SUMMER FETE 2017