from the Editor ...
1
Welcome to our June edition of ‘Crosstalk’. This month we chose to focus on the subject of Monarchy. Our Queen has her official 90th birthday (although she was actually 90 in April) and she has now been the longest reigning British monarch. She is, as the Vicar points out in his letter, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Head of the Commonwealth of 53 nations. Her life is one full of duty and service and there are lessons to be learned by us all about how to live a life which empowers and improves the lives of others. The Queen is known to have said that she is in “the happiness business”. Although most of us don’t make the world light up by just walking into a room, we must never under-estimate the value that we can be to others by paying them attention and taking an interest in their lives. And that involves listening to people, because by listening we learn. Whenever people tell us something of themselves, it is an invariable, almost instinctive, response to relate what they are saying to something in our own life. But a really good listener allows the other to talk freely and is pleased to ask
2
questions of the person they are listening to. Another example the Queen sets us is of that simple word ‘duty’. It is very rarely that we hear that she has been unable to attend a public engagement and she continues to fulfil all of her ceremonial duties to the full. It was only this year, at the State Opening of Parliament, that she chose to use the lift rather than climb the two very large flights of The Sovereign’s Steps up to the House of Lords to deliver her Queen’s Speech. So here we have just two examples for living from our very special Monarch; listening to and being interested in others and fulfilling the duties which are expected of us. In our own quiet ways we can all model our lives on our Queen’s life of service. With love and God Bless,
Rev’d Ruth
Magazine Contacts St Cuthbert’s crosstalk@ shadforthchurch.org.uk
St Giles’ crosstalk@ stgilesdurham.org.uk
St Mary’s crosstalk@ sherburnchurch.org.uk
The Vicar Writes Our Queen’s Faith
I don’t know whether you are a royalist or a republican. As an ordained member of the Church of England, when I was ordained and every time I am given a new job, I have to re-make my oath of allegiance to the Crown. “I, Alan Bartlett, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law: So help me God.” All my ordained and licensed colleagues will have made a similar vow. It is of course interesting to ponder this fact, that the monarch is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and has been since the reign of Elizabeth I. She is responsible for ensuring that the Church of England is well governed, so that its spiritual life is available for the whole nation. The Church of England remains the church of the English state (different in Ireland, Scotland and Wales) and that means, to take just one example, that people can come to us and ask, indeed require us to marry them, within certain constraints. I for one am glad that our church still has a welcome for everyone in our communities. The motto of the Church of England is “A Christian Presence in Every Community”. Whilst that is becoming harder to sustain it is a grand vision. But that is not really what I want to reflect on this month. Our Queen recently celebrated her 90th birthday. I am unashamedly impressed by her character, workload and above all her continuing devotion to her task. As a 21 year old young woman, Princess Elizabeth promised: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong”. Some of the language comes from a different era, but the promise has been faithfully kept. One of the highlights of my year is to sit down after Christmas lunch – always a good moment! – to hear the Queen’s Speech. This is in part because she often speaks simply and in a heartfelt way about her own Christian Faith. Increasingly so, if my memory is accurate … To celebrate her life and her faith a new book has been published by the Bible Society, The Servant Queen and the King She Serves. We will be getting some 3
copies for our churches. It tells both the story of her life but also includes many of her statements about her own faith. In 2002 she said: “I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God ... I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian gospel.” It is a remarkably human and recognisable statement of what it is to be a Christian in the midst of all the stresses and strain of life. She is clear that she tries to follow the example of Jesus, especially in the work of reconciliation. In 2011 she said: “Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God’s love.” For me, one of her very great gifts is being able to hold together deep faith in Christ alongside transparent respect for people of other faiths and world views. As she said in 2014: “For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace…is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role-model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.” And the Queen combines a big faith with the common sense that we live by taking small steps: “Remember that good spreads outwards and every little does help. Mighty things from small beginnings grow as indeed they grew from the small child of Bethlehem.” For those of us living and working in small local churches, this is a huge encouragement. I could go on. But won’t. Read the book when it arrives in our churches! And in the meantime, please continue to pray for the Queen, as we do Sunday by Sunday in our churches. She is clear where the strength has come from to live her life of Rev’d Canon Dr Alan Bartlett service. ‘I have been – and remain – very Vicar of St Giles’ and Priest in Charge grateful to you for your prayers and to God of St Cuthbert’s and St Mary’s for his steadfast love. I have indeed seen his e-mail: faithfulness.’ vicar@stgilesdurham.co.uk
Your friend and vicar
Alan Vestry Hours
4
At St Giles’ if you wish to book a Baptism (Christening) or Wedding, or to have your Banns of Marriage called, please come to the Church on FRIDAY evenings between 6.00 and 7.00pm
Enquiries regarding Baptisms, Weddings or calling of Banns for both St Mary’s and St Cuthbert’s should be made by calling at St Mary’s Vestry on TUESDAY evenings between 6.00 and 7.00pm
will make this step of faith. Bits and Bobs from the Vicarpeople Please pray for them and if you have An Answer to Prayer? We prayed hard in the week after Ascension for God to give us his Spirit in a new way and to guide us to “what next…?” That same week, we were invited to help welcome the Syrian refugees coming to Co Durham. There will be more information in notices in church but we believe that Christ himself as a child was a refugee and that God commands us to love our neighbour as we would like to be loved ourselves…. Please be ready to help when the call comes. Richard’s Ordination The Church is rightly called a “kingdom of priests” because together we are God’s priests, loving his world. Some people within that are called to represent publicly the priesthood of the whole People of God. Richard is being called to do that and on Saturday 2 July at 5pm in Durham Cathedral he will be ordained priest. Do please pray for him especially in these coming weeks, and for his family, as he takes this next step of obedience. And join us in the Cathedral (please order your ticket in church) and on Sunday morning, 3 July at 10am in St Giles’, when for his first time Richard will lead us in our celebration of the Eucharist – followed by a bring and share picnic. PS and pray for Petrica ordained deacon on Sunday 3 July and Edward ordained deacon on 2 July in London.
not made this step of commitment, there will be more opportunities in the year to come… Patronal Festivals ‘What’s that’ some of you may be asking? It is when we give thanks for the life of a particular church – often named after its “patron” – and pray for its future. We do this three times a year: in St Cuthbert’s in March, close to St Cuthbert’s Day; in St Giles’ in June close to St Barnabas’ Day [11 June] when the church was consecrated; in St Mary’s on the Sunday in September closest to 8 September [when the Church celebrates the birth of Mary the Mother of Jesus]. We don’t have lots of united services but this is our chance to show our fellow Anglicans in our group of churches that we love them and value the church where they serve. I hope we will make it a priority to go to these services. Our next is on Sunday 12 June at St Giles at 6pm when we will have a full Choral Evensong with Canon Richard Davison, our former vicar, as the visiting preacher. There will of course be a party afterwards!
Unity A couple of years ago, St Mary’s Church Council did some hard work with an organisation called Bridge Builders to help us to work together more effectively. I was struck by one of their simple principles. If you have a problem Confirmation with a fellow church member, go and We start our Christian lives in baptism talk with them about it: don’t grumble but for many of us Confirmation is when to a third church member, because that we say publicly, this Faith is my faith sets off ripples of unhappiness through too. On Sunday 19 June at 6pm in St the congregations. Triplets of poisonous Oswald’s Church several of our young gossip. 5
I said in a recent sermon, and I really mean it, that disunity is the cancer that kills off local churches more certainly than anything else. I am constantly depressed by how unkind we can be to each other. By how we hate it when someone says something hurtful to us, but can then hurt someone else by being
Welcome To our new parish administrator, Andrew Moss. We will let Andrew introduce himself properly next month, but his working hours are on the pewsheet so do pop in or phone to say “hello” when you can.
Alan
abrupt or rude with them. Or how we give criticism freely but cannot receive the truth when offered in love back to us. I am of course not immune to behaving like this myself. But I can hear our Lord saying loud and clear, “love one another”. Christ has told us. We will bear the responsibility if we do not listen.
Forthcoming Events in Brief .... Date
Time
7 June
3.30pm
Event Messy Church at St Mary’s
11 June
10.00 - 11.30
14 June
3.15pm
Messy Church at Ludworth School
19 June
6.00pm
Confirmation Service in St Oswald’s Church
20 June
St Giles’ Mothers’ Union Strawberry Fayre St Giles’ Church Hall
St Mary’s Mothers’ Union outing to Helmsley
25 June
9.30 - 11.30am
Summer Fair at Sherburn Village Community Centre
26 June
2.00pm
St Cuthbert’s Cuddy’s Summer Bash
Ludworth Community Centre - regular events 5.00pm Ordination Service in Durham Cathedral Please note there have been some changes to days and events
2 July
Legion
Mondays Tuesdays
7.00-8.00pm 7.00pm
Wednesdays Fridays
(soon to be disbanded) 6.00-7.15pm Bingo 6.30-7.45pm Youth Club
7.30pm
Look out for individual
Saturdays events 6
Pilates British
St Cuthbert’s and St Mary’s Services in
June ....
5 June Trinity 2 9.00am Service with a Difference at St Cuthbert’s 10.45am Sung Eucharist at St Mary’s Gospel for the day Luke 7. 11-17 12 June 9.00am 10.45am Gospel for the day
Trinity 3 Sung Eucharist at St Cuthbert’s Sung Eucharist at St Mary’s Luke 7. 36-8.3
19 June Trinity 4 9.00am Sung Eucharist at St Cuthbert’s 10.45am Sung Eucharist at St Mary’s Gospel for the day Luke 8. 26-39 26 June Trinity 5 9.00am Sung Eucharist at St Cuthbert’s 10.45am Friends and Family Service at St Mary’s Gospel for the day Luke 9. 51-end 3 July 10.00am Gospel for the day
Trinity 6: St Thomas the Apostle No services at St Cuthbert’s or St Mary’s United Eucharist at St Giles’ John 20. 24-29
Regular Activities at St Cuthbert’s and St Mary’s Tuesdays Wednesdays Fridays
7
6.00-7.00pm 9.00am 9.30am 6.00pm 7.00pm - 8.30pm
Vestry Hour at St Mary's Morning Prayer at St Mary’s Holy Communion at St Mary’s Holy Communion at St Cuthbert’s SCUFFS Youth Club at St Cuthbert’s
St Giles’ Church Services in June ...
8
5 June 8.00am 10.00am 6.00pm Gospel for the day
Trinity 2 Holy Communion Service of the Word Evening Prayer Luke 7. 11-17
12 June 8.00am 10.00am 6.00pm Gospel for the day
Trinity 3 Holy Communion Sung Eucharist Dedication Festival Evensong Luke 7. 36-8.3
19 June 8.00am 10.00am 6.00pm Gospel for the day
Trinity 4 Holy Communion Sung Eucharist Evening Prayer Luke 8. 26-39
26 June 8.00am 10.00am 4.00pm Gospel for the day
Trinity 5 Holy Communion Sung Eucharist 4 for All Luke 9. 51-end
3 July 8.00am 10.00am 6.00pm Gospel for the day
Trinity 6: St Thomas the Apostle Holy Communion United Eucharist Evening Prayer John 20. 24-29
Regular Activities at St Giles’ Morning Prayer in Church 8.45am Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri - all welcome Holy Communion in Church every Wednesday at 10.00am Little Lights in Church every Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am - 11.30am Bereavement Drop In every Friday 10.30am to 12 noon 1st Saturday in month: Coffee morning 10-11.30am 1st Wednesday in month: Broth & Bun Lunch 12 noon - 2.00pm 2nd Wednesday in month: Mothers’ Union 2.00pm (except July/August) 2nd Thursday in month: Lunch Club at 12 noon at Queen’s Head Last Sunday in month: 4forAll 4.00pm
.... at St Mary’s and Ludworth At our Messy Church in April, Rev’d Allison told the story of the First Easter - the day when Jesus rose from the dead. We then enjoyed singing a song about Jesus being alive! We held a Resurrection party to celebrate Jesus' resurrection and had fun playing different games before our wonderful tea! And in May, we started a new series looking at the life of Gideon. Gideon was called by God to set Israel free from the Midianites who were a tribe from the east of the River Jordan who were oppressing Israel at that time! Gideon was given this message by an angel who was a messenger of God. The children had fun making angels out of card, decorating angel biscuits, making a model of the story out of Lego as well as doing some colouring and creating the message of the story - that God is with us regardless of what we are facing - out of plasticene and by making letter shapes with their bodies! As usual, it was a busy time and everyone enjoyed themselves very much. Our next Messy Church will be on 7 June at St Mary's and on 14 June at Ludworth School. Come along and find out what happened next in Gideon's story!
Answers on page 35
9
News from St Cuthbert’s .... St Cuthbert’s 150 March 1st C Dent 2nd K Lowery 3rd S Laycock
St Cuthbert’s Fashion Show What a fun night this proved to be. Several members of the congregation and one or two of their friends volunteered to be models for the Edinburgh Woollen Mills shop in
Club 132 193 100
St Cuthbert’s 150 Club April 1st Syd Cook 53 2nd Heather Convery 67 3rd Sarah Dawson 145 Thank you for your support
Durham, sponsors for the night. Each person was asked to visit the shop a few days beforehand and choose two outfits. These and other products were brought into church. One of the staff members organised the order of presentation and also took part. Most were nervous to start with but very soon both models and audience were enjoying themselves and entering into the spirit. Almost £300 was raised for church funds and thanks must go to everyone who came.
St Cuthbert’s Cuddy’s Summer Bash
This concert will take place on Sunday 26 June, starting at 2.00pm with Houghton Area Youth Band and featuring Mr Chris Dakers (International Singer) and other musical acts. Entrance is £5 with tickets, available soon, or pay at the door. Strawberry Cream teas are included. The musical event should be over by 3.30pm. There will also be a raffle with great prizes. Contact one of the churchwardens for tickets or further information.
St Cuthbert’s Tree Festival
This is to take place from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 December and this is a plea.
10
Would anyone who is interested in taking part in this event either by sponsoring a 6’ real tree (£35) and/or decorating a tree or entering a novelty tree please contact the co-ordinator. This is to be a Communities Event and is open to individuals/ families/ organisations/businesses/ churches. Thank you.
11
News from St Mary’s .... 1st 2nd 1st 2nd
St Mary’s Number Draw March St Mary’s Number Draw H Murray February 87 J York 70 P Strachan 66 J Wilkinson 112
Mothers’ Union Outing .... to Helmsley Monday 20 June
Box Opening and Donations May I thank all who gave so generously this year. The total raised is £402.15. The Children’s Society is one of the oldest charities and has projects helping children in area. Anyone wishing to support the Children’s Society please contact me. Yours sincerely, Jean Wilkinson
12
our own
Please note that there will be no mini minors in June next meeting will be at 10.30am on Wednesday 6 July with crafts for parents and tots
Saturday 25 June 9.30 – 11.30 am Sherburn Village Community Centre Lots of stalls Bacon Butties and Home Made Cakes It was with some regret that St Mary’s DCC received the resignation of Margaret Ross as our flower lady. She started helping arrange flowers 25 years ago (originally as Joan Wright’s assistant) and has been producing flower displays of an excellent quality in church since then, more recently helped by Helen Murray and Ethel Scorer. We are very grateful to her for her years of hard work. Margaret says: ‘It has been a very enjoyable experience. I would like to thank all those who have given me encouragement and support over the years.’ with the Easter flowers.
The photograph of her here, taken by Paul Willey, is
There will always be flowers in church and everyone is welcome to give us a donation towards them. If you would like to make a donation please place it in an envelope marked ‘FLOWERS’. If the flowers are for a specific event, please add a note stating what the donation is for and whether there is a specific Sunday for the flowers to be used. We will accept cash or cheques made payable to St Mary’s DCC. You can give the envelope to one of the churchwardens – Alison Fawell or Ethel Scorer - or drop it through the door of the vicarage, 89 Front Street, Sherburn. If you would like to help with the flowers, please have a word with one of the church wardens. Rev’d Allison 13
News from St Giles’ .... 4 For All in February
‘Spot the difference’ pictures were up on the screen – there were ten to find – while we were finding our seats. Young Lewis found all ten. Well done! Rev’d Alan welcomed everyone and asked if we could remember what we did last time we met. We had some good feedback from our 4 for All Good Friday service with over sixty in attendance. Brilliant. We learned a new song “God’s not dead, he is alive” – complete with actions (we all love our action songs) and our shout out today was “God knows” (said by Rev’d Alan) to which we replied “We can do it”. We watched an animated film of ‘Moses in the Bullrushes’. You could hear a pin drop during this film (expertly done by Andrew.) Then Helen read us the story of what happened to Moses when he became a man, and the things God asked him to do – God told Moses “You can do it.” After the story we went off around the church for the various activities on offer...
We coloured in flame pictures with a prayer on the back with Jen to put on the tree.
We had our names translated into Hebrew with Richard
Candle prayers and written ones with Rowena at the altar
A big tree made with our hands representing flames with Andrew
We made Moses baskets with shredded wheat, chocolate and a jelly baby Moses inside with Jen Moss
When Rev’d Alan rang his bell we all came back to the side chapel for final prayers, offerings and a blessing. We sang our 4 for All song, said the Lord’s prayer and the 4 for All grace. Then Rev’d Alan invited us all to tea. The tables were laden with scrumptious food provided by Jacqui and Jean, and lots of tea and juice. We also celebrated young Ben’s 5th birthday with chocolate cake and candles for him to blow out while we sang ‘Happy birthday’ to him. 14
What a brilliant time we had!
Love Jen Kell
Ludworth Community Centre - regular events Mondays and Toddlers Mondays Tuesdays Legion Wednesdays Crafts Wednesdays Thursdays and Toddlers Fridays
15
10.00-11.30am
Mothers
7.00-8.00pm 7.00pm
Pilates British
4.00-5.15pm
Arts and
6.00-7.15pm 10.00-11.30am
Bingo Mothers
6.00-8.30pm
Youth Club
The Shirley Community Chaplaincy (North East). HMP Northumberland to Newcastle 26 mile walk! Paul Hobbs and his team will set off this summer to walk from HMP Northumberland to Newcastle, for this Charity which provides essential support to ex-offenders. Paul asks “Could you help us please, by ‘chipping in’ with a donation for our sponsored walk?” If yes, please sign up on the form which can be found in St Giles’ Church or see Helen
Bartlett. Thanks!
St Giles’ PCC
Further to elections held during the St Giles’ APCM on 10 April 2016 and the PCC meeting on 10 May 2016, these are the current members of St Giles’ PCC: Rev’d Canon Dr Alan Bartlett (Chair); Ann Chipchase (Lay Chair); Pat Morgan (Churchwarden); Jean Ramshaw (Churchwarden); Andrew Moss (Administrator, Treasurer and Deanery Synod Representative); Slavka Petrovic (Deanery Synod Representative); Jacqui Robinson (Secretary); David Banks; Margaret Cullingford; Pru Ferguson; Brian Haynes; Audrey Kelly; Andrew Robinson; Doreen Sams. Ex Officio: Rev’d Dr Richard Briggs; Rev’d Ruth Thomas; Rev’d Allison Fenton. There remains a vacancy for 1 PCC member. The PCC contributes to the smooth running of St Giles’; if you would like to become a member, please speak to anyone on the list.
Broth & Bun Lunch at St Giles’ first Wednesday of every month in St Giles’ Church Hall from 12 noon ‘til 2pm Come along to our free lunch – a bowl of broth with a bun and a cup of tea. Plenty of time to sit and chat.
16
The next lunch will be on: Wednesday 1 June We’d love to see you there
St Giles’ Mothers’ Union
Strawberry Fayre Saturday 11 June 10.00am - 11.30am St Giles’ Church Hall
Raffle and cakes Everyone welcome
In aid of Mothers’ Union overseas project Next Crosstalk Planning Meeting
The theme for our July edition is ‘Harmony in Nature’. If you have anything you would like to share about this theme, please send it to any of the contacts on page 1 as soon as you can but no later than 15 June please or come along to the meeting.
WWI
Itinerary, 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
17
A June Saint ....
Saint Barnabas
We celebrate St Barnabas on 11 June each year, which coincides with St Giles’ Feast of Dedication. Born into a Cypriot family of the tribe of Levi, he was named Joseph and was a cousin of John Mark who is credited with having written the Gospel of Mark. Barnabas was a witness to some of Christ’s miracles and teachings . He sold land and gave the proceeds for the benefit of the Christians in Jerusalem, after which he was re-named Barnabas, meaning ‘son of exhortation and encouragement.’ When Paul made his way to Jerusalem after his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, it was Barnabas who received him and introduced him to the other apostles and the growing Christian community. Barnabas was sent by Paul to Antioch to oversee the new and rapidly-growing church there. He took his cousin John Mark with him to help in this daunting task. It was hard going and there was a lot to do. Eventually, Barnabas and John Mark returned to Jerusalem with gifts for the congregation from the well-off Church in Antioch. Barnabas and John Mark travelled widely in Asia Minor, Syria and Cyprus; and it was whilst he was in Salamis, Cyprus that Barnabas annoyed the local population because of the success of his preaching. They tortured him then stoned him to death, hiding his body, intending to bury it at sea. It was left to John Mark and his companions to secretly bury his body in a cave. The date is thought to be around 61AD. The Monastery of St Barnabas in Cyprus is important to the Orthodox Church and a place of pilgrimage. About 100 yards from the monastery, there is a small mausoleum built on the spot where the saint's remains were discovered. There are 14 steps which take you down to the cave under the building where the body of St Barnabas was hidden by his friends. The tomb was renovated in 1953. St Barnabas is the patron saint of Cyprus and is also invoked as a peacemaker and for protection against hailstones. PAM
18
Why Kings? An Old Testament View
Around about the book of 1 Samuel, after several hundred years with judges in charge of them, ancient Israel decided it wanted a king. Like everyone else. ‘Give us a king to govern us,’ they said. (1 Samuel 8:6) The judges had not been working out so well. Some think the judges were like local chiefs, with influence over their own tribe or area, but not actually maintaining justice across the whole nation. The book of Judges does end with several dark tales of woe, and a repeated refrain: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes’. (Judges 21:25) So a king was a good thing, right? Well, that depends. On the one hand, the request for a king is treated as a rejection of God as king. (1 Samuel 8:7) So perhaps ideally, they would not have needed a king. But on the other hand, it becomes clear that a good king was a gift for the life of Israel. Some of the Psalms seem to celebrate the coronation of a king almost as a representative of God, a ‘son of God’ as they put it in the ancient world. (Psalm 2: 6-7) A good king was to rule on behalf of the poor, including the ‘alien’ among them or, in other words, foreigners finding refuge among God’s people. A good king protected Israel from enemy threats. The ideal king would do all of this with God’s blessing, as in the famous verses of Isaiah 9:7 (and the passage leading up to it). Israel in the Old Testament is a society with kingship but also with checks and balances. The priests (and later on the High Priest) could hold the king to account. Prophets exercised public ministries that held the royal power in check. At its best, there was healthy debate about the right courses of action. The books of Kings have no hesitation in condemning bad kings, but also praise good ones. The criteria for ‘good’ and ‘bad’ come from the book of Deuteronomy: upholding justice, and seeking the glory (and worship) of God rather than themselves as king. In this way, Israel’s perspective is not so unlike that of many subsequent nations: recognising the benefits of wise rule, and struggling under the injustices of selfish rule. The Old Testament paints us a picture of power and authority that is very relevant to our world. Rejoice over those who rule us well. Seek God’s justice, like the prophets of old, in the face of those who do not. Perhaps most of all we might take to heart the words of 1 Timothy: ‘I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.’ (2:1-2) 19
Rev’d Richard
A Constitutional Monarch ....
We chose the picture for the front of this magazine, because it shows the Queen at her most ceremonial, dressed in all the regalia of State and seated on the throne. Even though she looks every inch a monarch, wearing the State Crown, what she is doing has its origins way back into the past. She is reading out the plans which the elected government have made for the coming session in parliament. She does not make the laws of the land: she reigns but she does not rule. History has seen many disagreements between the monarch and the people. We recently had a magazine cover showing King John signing Magna Carta, and this document could be said to the first written statement of the roles of the two sets of leadership in the country - a King or Queen and a Parliament. The relationship between these two has sometimes been very fraught as the Crown and Parliament struggled to take supreme control. This all came to a head, when Parliament had King Charles I executed because he believed that he had an absolute right from God to dictate what should be the law. Over the centuries the Parliament itself became more and more representative of all of the people. The Parliament began with the Barons – the ones who got King John to sign the Magna Carta - and went on to introduce another ‘House’, for the people, called the House of Commons. It has only been within the last 100 years that every adult in the land has been allowed to vote. And the system is still changing, for example some power has gone to regional parliaments, such as the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament. Our Queen is the Head of State, and she has to sign every Act which is agreed by parliament, for it to become Law. She can’t, in practice, change what parliament wants to do. 20
Rev’d Ruth
21
They were both monarch and saint ....
A list of our monarchs going back to the 7 th Century shows that quite a few were also saints. Perhaps this was because, as king, a man had influence over his subjects in many areas of life, especially in religion. If he encouraged his people to become Christian, supported the Church, lived a pious life, and denounced other religions, he could be looked upon as a champion of Christianity, leaving the way clear for him to be made a saint. Edwin of Northumbria, who reigned between 616 and 633, lived in unsettled times. He spent much of his early life in exile out of the way of King Aethelfrith who didn’t like him, but he was eventually made King of Northumbria. Bede reckoned he was an indecisive man, unwilling to take risks and not sure whether to become a Christian. Probably because of his Christian wife, he did convert, as did many of his subjects, and was the first Christian king of Northumbria. He is the patron saint of homeless people, kings and parents of large families. Oswald, King of Northumbria 634 – 642, and his family became Christians when they were in exile in Scotland and it was there that Oswald gained a reputation as a brave young soldier. His saintly status came about because he re-introduced Christianity to Northumbria and also because of a legend. One Easter, Oswald was feasting with his court, including Bishop Aidan. Starving men came to the door, so Oswald took platters of food and gave it to them. Aidan was impressed and prayed that the arm which had offered the food should never perish. On his death in battle, the arm was placed in a shrine and remained intact for nine hundred years. In 589, Aethelbert became King of Kent and ruled until his death in 616. He was the first English king to convert to Christianity when St Augustine arrived in Kent and his leadership in state and church led to a relationship between the two which is evident today. He founded many churches and donated land in Canterbury, establishing the foundation of what would become the Anglican Church. Because of his zeal, Aethelbert became known as a saint. There was a second King Aethelbert, this time of East Anglia. Little is known about him and although he had a reputation as a miracle worker and martyr, there is doubt about the authenticity of some of the stories. He was a prayerful person and became king at a very early age. He believed that the higher the station a man held, the humbler he should be and this was the maxim for his own life. He ruled benevolently for 44 years but was murdered by King Offa of Mercia who wanted to annexe Aethelbert’s kingdom. Certain miracles are associated with his body, and his shrine in Hereford was second only to Canterbury as a place of pilgrimage. 22
The original patron saint of England was St Edmund who ruled East Anglia from 856 to 869. Born a Christian, he fought alongside King Alfred against the Vikings. When captured by the Viking invaders he was ordered to renounce his Christian faith but refused. So he was tied to a tree, beaten, shot with arrows and beheaded. In 902 his remains were moved to Bury St Edmunds where a monastic order was founded to care for the shrine. Alfred the Great was a pious Christian ruler of Wessex, noted for his intellect and mercy, who considered it his duty to oversee the spiritual as well as physical well-being of his subjects. He fought against the Viking invaders, accepting their surrender in 878 which led to the baptism of the Danish King Guthrun. Although considered a saint by many at the time, the Pope refused canonisation. On their father’s death in 975 Edward and Aethelred (the Unready) both claimed the throne of England. Edward was eventually asked to be king and so began his very short reign. He was murdered at Corfe Castle in 978 whilst visiting Aethelred; the circumstances surrounding this event are unclear. However, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records “Men murdered him but God exalted him. In life he was an earthly king; after death he is now a heavenly saint.” He was buried at Wareham with no special royal honours. The first Anglo-Saxon and only English king to be made a saint by the Roman Catholic Church is Edward the Confessor who ruled between 1042 and 1066. He grew up with deeply religious views, earning him the title “Confessor”, his early years being spent in exile (probably in Normandy); England at the time was under attack from the Vikings. He became King of on the death of his half-brother, but found it difficult to deal diplomatically with the thegns and the Church. He is a most unlikely saint in that he would fly into a rage at the drop of a hat and took a “worldly attitude to church appointments” according to one historian. He was, however, instrumental in founding Westminster Abbey which no doubt made a case for him to be made a saint. Although married, Edward had taken a vow of celibacy and it was this lack of children that brought about the row over the succession which resulted in the Battle of Hastings. Charles 1 of England, Scotland and Ireland is the only saint canonised by the Anglican Church after the Reformation (and is now remembered as a Martyr). He was king from 1625 until his execution in1649. It was mainly his firm belief in the divine right of kings which brought him into conflict with Parliament but his marriage to Princess Henrietta Maria (a Roman Catholic) and his preference for ‘high Church’ practices did not help! After attempting to have five Members of Parliament arrested, Charles provoked Parliament by raising the royal standard at Nottingham; thus began the English Civil War. Eventually, a radical 23
group of MPs accused the king of treason. He was tried, found guilty and executed on 30 January in London.
Monarchs Fact and Fiction?
King Arthur There are fictitious monarchs as well as those that really existed and some are a blend of both. One of the first monarchs to spring to mind is King Arthur but did he really exist? We’ve all heard stories about this king of Camelot, who according to medieval legend led British forces (including his trusted Knights of the Round Table). But was King Arthur actually a real person, or simply a hero of Celtic mythology? Though debate has gone on for centuries, historians have been unable to confirm that Arthur really existed. He doesn’t appear in the only surviving contemporary source about the Saxon invasion, in which the Celtic monk Gildas (left) wrote of a real-life battle at Mons Badonicus (Badon Hills) around 500 A.D. Several hundred years later, Arthur appears for the first time in the writings of a Welsh historian named Nennius, who gave a list of 12 battles the warrior king supposedly fought. All drawn from Welsh poetry, the battles took place in so many different times and places that it would have been impossible for one man to have participated in all of them. The legendary Arthur developed as a figure of international interest largely through the popularity of Geoffrey of Monmouth's fanciful and imaginative ‘History of the kings of Britain’. In some Welsh and Breton tales and poems that date from before this work, Arthur appears either as a great warrior defending Britain from human and supernatural enemies. How much of Geoffrey's history (completed in 1138) was adapted from such earlier sources, rather than invented by Geoffrey himself, is unknown. Geoffrey's version of events often served as the starting point for later stories. Geoffrey depicted Arthur as a king of Britain who defeated the Saxons and established an empire over Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway and Gaul. Many elements and incidents that are now an integral part of the Arthurian story appear in his book, including Arthur's father Uther Pendragon, the wizard Merlin, Arthur's wife Guinevere, and the sword Excalibur.The 12th-century French writer Chrétien de Troyes, added Lancelot and the Holy Grail to the story. In the French stories relating to Arthur the narrative often shifts from the King himself to other characters, such as the Knights of the Round Table. Arthurian literature thrived during the Middle Ages but waned in the centuries that followed until it experienced a major resurgence in the 19th century. Tennyson and Thomas Hardy perpetuated the legend in their Victorian fictitious writing and poems, and in the 21st 24
century the legend lives on not only in literature but also in adaptations for theatre, film, television, comics and other media.
25
‘The White Queen’ Elizabeth Woodville is the central character in The White Queen – a good blend of fact and fiction by Philippa Gregory. The book brings to life the extraordinary story of Elizabeth Woodville, a real woman who rises from Elizabeth Woodville was a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition. Her mother is Jacquetta, also known as the mystical lady of the rivers, and she is determined to bring power and wealth to the family line. While riding in the woods one day, Elizabeth captured the attentions of the newly crowned King Edward IV and, despite her common upbringing, married him in secret. The English court was outraged, but Elizabeth rose to the demands of her exalted position and fought for her family’s dominance. Yet despite her best efforts, and even with the help of her mother’s powers, her two sons became pawns in a famous unsolved mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the lost princes in the Tower of London. It is unclear what happened to the boys after they disappeared in the Tower. It is generally assumed that they were murdered and the most common theory is that they were murdered by Richard, Duke of Gloucester, (the Lord Protector, later Richard III -the one recently buried in Leicester) in an attempt to secure his hold on the throne. Nobody really knows the truth of this. Elizabeth remained politically influential even after another of her sons, briefly proclaimed King Edward V of England, was deposed by Richard III (her brother-in-law) and she would play an important role in securing the accession of Henry VII to the throne in 1485, which ended the Wars of the Roses. Elizabeth Woodville died on the Friday before Whitsuntide, 1492. Her will shows that she died destitute of personal property. On Whit Sunday Elizabeth’s body was conveyed by water to Windsor, and then privately, as she had requested, to the castle. Her three daughters, the lady Anne, the lady Katharine, and the lady Bridget (the nun-princess from Dartford), came by way of the Thames, with many ladies. And her son Lord Dorset, (who kneeled at the head of the hearse) paid the cost of the funeral. She is buried with her husband in the north aisle of St George's chapel Windsor Castle. On a flat stone at the foot of this monument are engraved in old English characters, the words — King Edward and his Queen, Elizabeth Widville.
26
As we were in 1916 .... This month, the Manor of Gilligate Capital Court of the Most Honourable the Marquess of Londonderry, Lord of the Borough and Manor of Gilligate was held, as it had been every seven years for centuries. It had been the custom, after court business was concluded, to ‘ride the boundaries’ of the manor, but this year it was deemed inappropriate. “A more fitting time to ride the boundaries would be after the declaration of peace” according to one official. There was obviously an optimistic view amongst the population of Durham that the war would soon be over. A letter from Pte Charles Curtis to his wife
evidence of the toll trench warfare and escalating activity leading up to the Battle of the Somme was having on the troops. For those in POW camps life was tough
too. Rations were meagre: at 7am a small piece of black bread and coffee, at noon turnip or potato soup (very watery with hardly any vegetable), at 6pm more soup and occasionally a piece of herring, eaten raw. This left the prisoners in a weak state. When food parcels began to arrive from home they were indeed a blessing and few could have survived without them. A memorial service was held at St Giles’ for five brave soldiers of the parish who “nobly gave their lives in the service of their King and country”. The latest of these victims of war was L/Cpl F Lockey whose family and friends attended the service led by the vicar, Rev F Thomas. What goes around, comes around... Attention was called to the closing of the Carrville Post Office and it was resolved to protest in the strongest possible terms.
(pictured here with their children) in Claypath was also cheery in tone. He wrote: “We get a lot of shells and bullets but we take little notice of them. As long as we can get some brown twists of tobacco we are all right. When we have to go down into the trenches we are all merry and bright. All the young men in England who are in good health ought to be out here; they are wanted.” The reality was somewhat different and the growing lists of casualties showed 27
And in June 1966 an appeal went out to support the church envelope scheme at St Giles’ and St Francis’ (population 6622 and 209 respectively). The parish magazine went out to 400 homes and Miss Rodgers, who was in charge of St Francis’ said “Another hundred people giving regularly would help church finances greatly”. There was an article and lovely photo of St Mary’s Church in the Durham Advertiser, part of their series on places of worship in Durham and the surrounding area. The building was described as “14th Century-style built in
1872 with a western tower. The Rev W E Latimer being twenty-nine years the priest.” A Sherburn Hill couple, Mr and Mrs Samuel Cole, had been married for fifty years and to help them celebrate this lovely occasion, friends and family gathered at St Cuthbert’s Church, Shadforth for a special service of thanksgiving. Married in our parishes this month were Elizabeth Rosaline Mallow and Brian Jefferson at St Mary’s, Brenda Armstrong and Lawrence Buck at St Cuthbert’s, and Eileen Crampton and Thomas McCourt and Sandra Ruth Kirk and James Musgrave both at St Giles’. What goes around, comes around Part 2 ... Roadworks were causing chaos as the underpass linking the newly-
constructed Milburngate Bridge and Leazes spur road were built. This was the first phase of the new through road and underpass project costing £840,000. PS Whilst working on this road improvement, men found a skeleton in a cardboard coffin “of apparent recent origin” in a large vault two feet below the level of the road. Let’s hope that the chaps working on the current chaotic roadworks on the A690 don’t come across anything like that!
WLM
Lions
Lions have been called the king of beasts throughout history. The adult males have a very distinctive look: the mane giving the lion a very regal and majestic air. In ancient Egypt lions symbolised power and kingship. Some pharaohs kept lions as pets and even hunted with them to show that they were in control of these wild, powerful animals. Lions roamed and hunted at the edge of the desert in Egypt, and so they were seen as keepers, protectors and guardians of the horizons to the east and west. These were the places where the sun rose and set every day. The sphinx has the body of a lion and represents the goddess who protected pharaohs. Sekhmet was the goddess of war - a woman with the head of a lioness. Pliny and Aristotle regarded lions as having the reputation for kindness and magnanimity, as well as being ferocious and almost impossible to defeat in the animal kingdom. Heracles killed the Nemean lion and then used its skin as an invulnerable magic cloak. In Europe, lions have been used for centuries as powerful symbols in heraldry, in particular for monarchs. Some European countries have chosen lions as their national emblem rather than a native animal – e.g. Albania, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and U.K. In U.K. we were all encouraged to ‘go to 28
work on an egg’ – which had a wonderful picture of a rampant, crowned lion on the shell. The lion was used to describe the power of some kings: Richard the Lionheart, Robert III was the Lion of Flanders. In Syria, the ruling family are ‘The Lions’ = Al-Assad. Even thirteen popes have taken the name Leo = Lion. Question: Which Biblical story pulls together a lion and honey bees? (see page 27)
29
Queen Bee
I’m not one for looking too closely at any type of insect in real life. I have a genetically built-in, total freak out reaction to any insect that comes near me. So, I have never actually seen a hive, or a Queen Bee apart from on TV programmes. I have this picture in my mind of a very large, plump bee sitting in the centre of the hive, enjoying life to the full, as the worker bees run around taking care of her. It almost conjures up a sultan in the Arabian Nights, lying around on a mountain of soft cushions on a divan, being fed by some beautiful ladies of the harem….But I digress. What does a Queen Bee do? First and foremost, the Queen Bee is absolutely vital to the hive. The hive cannot survive without a queen, but there can only be one at any given time. Her main role is twofold: she produces chemical scents that regulate the unity of the hive, and she lays eggs. A queen will produce around 1,500 to 2,000 eggs per day, which weigh more than her body weight! The queen is always attended by other bees, as she cannot feed herself, nor clean herself, nor relieve herself. The attendants take care of all her basic needs. A queen can live as long as two years. If the food supply is plentiful, more eggs are produced. This means that any extra space within the hive is used up. A mature queen will leave the hive and swarm with half of the workers, and establish a new colony. A new queen will hatch and the remaining workers will take care of her. When a new queen emerges, she kills all other potential queens immediately. If two queens emerge at the same time, there will be a fight to the death. The difference between workers and queens is the food they eat. Workers are fed royal jelly only for the first two days as larvae; the queen eats royal jelly all her life. The Queen Bee mates with drones in mid-air. The drones then die immediately. The sperm are stored in the queen’s body. She can potentially lay millions of eggs throughout her life. Fertilized eggs will become workers or future queens; unfertilized eggs become drones. All in all, I really do like honey. I must apologise to all the bees, past and future, that are mistaken for wasps and end up splattered by me. I am very happy for other, braver people to look after hives and all the drones and queens. Keep up the good work!! 30
SAP
31
Could you be of royal lineage?
Are there any signs to indicate that someone comes from royal stock? Let’s look at two theories. We must all have heard the myth that blue blood runs in the veins of royalty. But, where does such an idea come from? Is there any truth in it? It is said that the term ‘blue blood’ comes from the Spanish ‘sangre azul’. It was used with regard to very old families in the Castile region, who claimed never to have intermarried with Moors, Jews, etc. Originally, it may have been a reference to the blueness of veins of people with a fair complexion when compared to people with a dark skin. In recent times, it has been found that nearly all European royal families and their extended families have what is called ‘Royal RH Factor’. This is a RH Negative blood with a high degree of ‘O’ type blood. Less than 5% of the world population have this blood group. The European Royals also have a raised copper content in their blood which could also give it a more pronounced blue colour. (Quora) Monarchs and their families were also very proud that they were not sun-tanned. Royalty tended to be protected from the sun’s rays as a sign of their high status. This would also lead to their veins appearing a deeper blue than others against their fair skin. Another factor was that royalty often used spoons, goblets and plates made of silver. There is a high transfer of silver into the body. Too much silver in the body leads to a condition called ‘Argyria’ – which in extreme cases causes the skin to turn blue, but also gives a very deep blue colouration to veins and arteries viewed beneath the skin. So, there is some possible truth to the idea of blue-blooded royalty. However, my favourite indicator of royalty is encompassed in Hans Christian Anderson’s story of the Princess and the Pea. Here we have a prince looking for a princess to marry. Only someone who is truly of royal descent can feel a single pea placed beneath twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds. If the pea causes a dreadful night’s sleep and possibly bruising, this is an indication of royalty – that need for total comfort. I am convinced that I have this problem too! Well, a sort of modern day version of it. I cannot sleep on any sheet that has any hint of a crease or a bit of crumpling. It really affects my sleep. I am sure I even have bruises. But I do play it down. There’s no need to curtsy or anything, but I do wave regally from buses or cars as I travel around. I think this is a true indication of royal blood. How do you measure up on the royalty scale? Answer from page 25: Samson and his riddle: Judges 14. 32
Symbols of the British Monarchy
Symbols of the Monarchy are widespread in the United Kingdom, on the money we use, on postage stamps and on the flags we fly and even on the food we eat. Many symbols represent the British Monarchy, the monarch’s reign, the historical significance of the crown and the nation’s sovereignty. Coat of Arms: The Sovereign’s coat of arms reflects the Monarchy and the country. In the United Kingdom the Royal Coat of Arms is borne only by the sovereign and identifies the Head of State and shows the various Royal emblems of different parts of the Kingdom. Royal Warrants: Companies and people who have for a minimum of five years regularly supplied goods or services to the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh or the Prince of Wales are granted a Royal Warrant. Strict regulations govern the warrant, which allows the grantee or company to use the legend 'By Appointment' and display the Royal coat of arms on products related to their business, in premises and on vehicles. These warrants are initially granted for five years and then reviewed by the Royal Household Tradesmen’s Warrant Committee and may not be renewed if the product or service is not up to standard. At the present time over 1100 warrants have been granted to about 800 warrant holders. Royal Mint and British Coinage: The monarchy is represented on all circulating British coinage. A tradition developed in the reign of Charles II (b.1630 d.1685) of monarchs being represented on coinage was that they should face the opposite direction to their immediate predecessor. Royal Mail and Stamps: Our postal service today has Royal origins. Centuries ago wartime dispatches, court documents and letters on affairs of state, were carried to and from the Royal Court by messengers and couriers. An image of the Queen appears on postage stamps with the exception of some commemorating Royal weddings. The world's first official stamp, the Penny Black, was first issued for use on May 6, 1840 and featured the profile of a young Queen Victoria. The Royal Standard: represents the Sovereign and the United Kingdom and is flown when The Queen is in residence in one of the Royal Palaces, on the Queen's car on official journeys and on stationary aircraft and if requested by the proprietor or owner of premises during an official visit, with the exception of ecclesiastical buildings. The Royal Standard was flown on board the Royal Yacht when it was in service and the Queen was on board. If the Union Jack is flying above Buckingham Palace the Queen is not in residence. The Queen’s personal flag is also flown on a number of Commonwealth occasions in the United Kingdom. 33
The Prince of Wales has a personal flag exclusively for use in Wales in addition to his standard as Prince of Wales. The Crown Jewels: These ceremonial treasures acquired by Kings and Queens of England since about 1660 include regalia used at coronations, crowns, orders, robes and Royal christening fonts, to name a few. Britain is the only European monarchy still using its regalia for the consecration ceremony of crowning the Sovereign. William 1 was the first monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day in 1066. The Coronation Chair used today is that used in every coronation since 1300. In 1671 Colonel Thomas Blood who had lost his Irish Estate with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 attempted to steal the jewels but was caught at the East Gate of the Tower of London with the crown, one sceptre and the orb. During the Second World War the jewels were hidden in a secret location that has never been disclosed. The British National Anthem: Was publicly performed in London in 1745 for the first time and came to be known as the National Anthem at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The words and tune are anonymous, and may date back to the seventeenth century. In September 1745 Prince Charles Edward Stuart, ‘The Young Pretender’ to the British Throne, defeated the army of King George II in Scotland and when news of the defeat reached London, the leader of the band at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, arranged ‘God Save The King’ for performance after a play. It was a great success and was repeated nightly and the practice soon spread to other theatres. The custom of greeting monarchs with the song as he or she entered a place of public entertainment was thus established. Great Seal of the Realm: This is the chief seal of the Crown and is used to show the Monarch’s approval of State documents. The seal was first used in the eleventh century during the reign of Edward the Confessor and remains an important symbol of the Sovereign’s role as Head of State, although today the Sovereign acts on the advice of the Government. Centuries ago when few people could read or write the image on the seal was something they could recognise and understand. In common with Queen Victoria who reigned for a very long time and had several seals, our present
34
This is the Queen’s approval for the marriage of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. Tied to the bottom of the approval by gold braiding is a large red wax Great Seal of the Realm.
Queen Elizabeth has had two. The first, which came into service in 1953 became worn with so much use and a second seal was produced by the Royal Mint in 2001 and is still used today. Some of the information for this article was sourced from the British Monarchist League and the British Monarchist Foundation.
35
Being Prepared
I’ve never liked getting up in the morning. This was true when I was a teenager (typical!) but I didn’t grow out of it. My best friend at school, Lisa, used to ring me every evening (even in those days before mobile phones) to remind me to pack my bag because I would otherwise inevitably miss some vital piece of ‘kit’ in the fluster of the morning rush. She trained me well, even now I tend to pack my bag the night before - just in case the next day brings a return to my teenage sleepiness. I suppose it’s about being prepared for what is to come. Some of us are better at it than others. One of the congregation looked at the me the day before she was going on a very exciting holiday and said that she was so stressed by the preparations she didn’t really know why she was going – ‘Never again!’ That might be a familiar feeling. But preparation is so important in so many areas, Benjamin Franklin famously said, ‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.’ I’ve been thinking about how we prepare for being at church – for the service, for the praying and worship. The people who set up before our services have a set routine, in St Mary’s there is even a check–list as there are so many things to forget – lights, PA system, elements for communion, hymns....the list goes on. The women (and it is usually women) who set up arrive hours before each service to ensure that everything gets done in time and is ready. This isn’t about compulsion, but about faithfulness. A duty not to the PCC or the vicar, but to God. These preparations (down to the ironing of the linen for the altar) are part of a personal spiritual discipline. Actually lots of people get to church in lots of time to prepare for the service. Quite a lot of that time is spent chatting: but maybe it’s important also to pray, to be ready by having the right books, to maybe having found the hymns in the hymn book, to calling to mind what it is that has brought us here. Maybe to leave behind for an hour the tasks that are ours as we set aside this hour (or so) for God. As Christians we are called to be prepared - to watch out for the coming of Christ among us, for signs of the Holy Spirit at work. We can’t do that when we are always busy or fretful. It takes a bit of time and thought to be prepared.
36
As Jimmy Carter once said, ‘We should live our lives as though Christ was coming this afternoon.’ What a difference would that make! Rev’d Allison
37
As We Were in March 1916 ....
Anagram answers from page 10 angel; attack; camp; drink; fleece; hands; jars; Midianites, proof
Prayer of a Tourist This prayer was found in the visitors’ book in a small church on the pilgrim route to Limoges – written in French , on a small piece of crumpled paper. Here I am, lord, before you, Why? I don’t really know. The church door was open ... I went in … and walked around … And then, I thought of you. You, God, who I may have forgotten about, but who still lives deep down inside me. I remember that you created me in your likeness, and your mark is still there … even if I don’t give it a thought. Yes, you may have called me in a discreet and friendly way, so what shall I say? Maybe nothing – I just want to spend a few moments before you, as I am a pilgrim and I have plenty of time. Jesus, your son, spent thirty years of his life amongst us, so can’t I just spare a few minutes? Yes, awaken in me your presence, your love, your trust, your forgiveness. And then, let me take this opportunity of telling you what is deep down in my heart: My joys…my hopes… My worries…my misgivings… My sorrows…my failures… Yes, all that I am, and all that I wish I were. Take care of all those I love, of those I cannot love, And of the world with its greatness and its hardship. Lord, I shall say “goodbye”, because a pilgrim doesn’t stay for long; They wouldn’t be a pilgrim if they did, would they? But you may come with me Lord, and walk with me; you are so discreet, nobody will notice you…but I shall know that you are always with me.