St Mary’s Woodford Parish Magazine Volume 10 number 2
www.stmaryswoodford.org.uk
Summer 2019
Welcome When I was a science student, an important part of my life was a Christian fellowship group that I happened to join in the first week of my first term. We met weekly and discussed various aspects of our faith, how faith affected our lives, and how faith might influence us in our future careers. Discussion did not always end in agreement, but it brought mutual understanding, care and prayer. Occasionally we would go out for a meal together, or undertake some practical project. Forty years on, I am still in touch with a few people from that group and still remember the issues that united and divided us. In the late twentieth century churches of all denominations re-discovered the value of members meeting in small groups to share their Christian lives: - for learning, including growth in the ability to talk about matters of faith - for prayer, whether formal or informal - for fellowship and mutual support. Our parish was noted for having numerous groups in the past, but many closed as people moved away (or passed away), so that we now have only three, which meet monthly. These groups are full, but it would be great to open some new ones, so that more people can benefit. It’s often good to share responsibility by having one person opening their home, and another to lead the meetings. If you are interested in helping in this way, or simply being a member of a new group, then do get in touch with me.
Revd Canon Ian Tarrant, email: rector@stmaryswoodford.org.uk
Our front cover: the baptism of Alastair & Hugo Sales 2
Parish Register Baptisms 16th June - Hugo & Alastair Sales Confirmations - 7th July Layla Badowska Sophie Dirda-Green Verity Kay Funerals 20th March - Margaret Clark 8th April - Denis Cook 22nd April - Annette Billings 31st May - Linda Benson 21st June - Edna Smart 27th June - Elaine Rigelsford 5th July - Colin Rainbow
We are collecting non-perishable food for the Redbridge Foodbank. The collection box is now in the church foyer every Sunday.
Flowers in St Mary’s on 7th July in memory of Mike Phillips from Sally Phillips 3
Life at St Mary’s Food and Fun Day 18th May 2019
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Our joint conďŹ rma on service with other churches in the West Roding Mission Partnership, at Christ Church Wanstead, on 7th July.
Our joint service in contemporary style with other churches in the West Roding Mission Partnership, at St Gabriel’s Aldersbrook, on 21st July. 5
Interfaith
Dear brothers and sisters, Members of ou r churches wer e horri ied by the news from New Zealand of people being shot in their m osques at a tim e of prayer. As those targeted were members After the mosque shootings of your own faith, we imag ine that you ar in Christchurch, New e al l the more concerned, an Zealand, when believers d we ask you to ac ce co pt our nd ol en ces. were at prayers on Frdiay 15th March, I wrote a letter, We want to af irm the right of with the interim minister at all people of faith to gather for prayer wit hout hindranc Holy Trinity Hermon Hill, fear. We reject e or all violence in to the members of our local the name of religion, and en co urage members mosque. This was to work for be of all faiths tter mutual un delivered by a small derstanding an support. d deputation of lay people on W it h our prayers an the following Friday. They d best wishes, were made most welcome Revd Canon Pat Mossop and brought back the Revd Canon Ia n T arrant thanks of the mosque. A month later, on Easter Day, came ndar, Dear All news of the Christian cale e th in ay d t an dless bombings in Sri On this import eadly and min d l, ta ru b s, ou ll ng Lanka, when lives once again a ca pers in Sri Lanka celebrati ip h rtain rs ce o in w were lost in n ce o attack at violen th s u s d in m , re churches and Easter Sunday ciety having the capacity to so e th hotels. We then f o ds to be sections nt people, nee ce o n in n received a letter of o oc n of society. cause hav y every sectio b ed n condolence from the em d n roundly co stand in mosque. dford Mosque o o s in W th u So thers & sister ro We all at b n ia Anyone who st ri h C h our solidarity wit ave suffered attends meetings of others who h d an a k ighty shower an L i Sr the East London . May God Alm fe li f o ss lo g n d make them devastati Three Faiths Forum arted souls an ep d e th n o y recovery of will know that His Mercy for the speed y ra p e W . ce Christians and rest in pea attacks. in these tragic d re ju in Muslims have se o th ers at South s s and worship different beliefs - but re condolence All the Trustee nd their since se ce e u ea p we have many values sq r o fo M Woodford s. We all pray in common, and we s of the victim ie il m fa e th to oubled times. can live in peace. uring these tr d d rl o w e th in ce prevail Ian Tarrant May God’s Pea Fahim Dr. Mohammed
Solidarity
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Life at St Mary’s: contemplative prayer Vigil for the Diocese of Mbeere in Kenya One of the strategy groups in our parish forum in January was on the topic of the work of Chelmsford Diocese in Kenya, work in which David and Wendy Littlejohns have played such a prominent part. Wendy led this group and said, among other things, how those in Kenya wanted us to pray for them and wanted to know that we were doing so. With this in mind, the Contemplative Prayer Group devoted its May meeting to our work there. Wendy came to lead us by giving us information on which to focus our prayers, which she illustrated with a display stand of photographs and these were complemented by a poster of the Kenyan flag and the national flower of Kenya…an orchid. Members of the group lit candles with prayers for various aspects of the work in Kenya, some of which had been provided but, mostly, these from their own thoughts. Subjects of our prayer were the need for good rains,
good government, including protection from terrorism and that the money raised by Bishop Stephen’s Lenten Appeal be spent wisely. More specifically, we prayed for Bishop Moses and his staff, for St Michael’s and All Angels as for the Church of the Good Shepherd, for the dispensary and the Mothers’ Union and for the education of the young, particularly after their time in main stream schooling is over. Each of us spoke on the aspect which had touched us most, lit a candle and between the lighting of each candle was a period of silent prayer. We also gave thanks for the work of Wendy and David who have given so much of their time, effort and money to this work on our behalf. Wendy will send a photograph of the vigil to Kenya and it is planned to work this theme into the yearly pattern of the Contemplative Prayer Group.
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An historical European missionary Saint Boniface may become Patron Saint of Devon At the time of writing many of us are giving a lot of consideration to what Britain’s future role in Europe may be. It is, I think, particularly exciting to read at this time that St Boniface may become patron saint of Devon. Saint Boniface was a monk who was born in the town of Crediton in Devon in the 7th century. He crossed the Channel and travelled around in
The statue of Saint Boniface in Fulda 8
Europe spreading the word of God. He was made archbishop of Mainz by Pope Gregory III. In his later years he remained passionate about pioneer evangelism. When he was about eighty years old, while on a mission journey, Boniface was killed by a mob on Pentecost Sunday in the town of Dokkum, which is in in what is now The Netherlands. Saint Boniface is buried in Fulda in the abbey which he founded in Northern Germany and which is a place of pilgrimage for Christians. A local county councillor has put forward the idea that St Boniface may become the patron saint of Devon. This idea is supported by the Anglican Bishop of Exeter and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Plymouth. Saint Boniface is currently the patron saint of Germany and the Netherlands. He was appointed Archbishop of Mainz in 745AD. There is also a suggestion that St Boniface’s feast day, 5th June, might also be celebrated as Devonshire Day. St Boniface has been described by historians as “the greatest Englishman of all times” and “the first European” because of his missionary work across a large part of Europe. His Anglo Saxon name was Wynfrith from the Anglo Saxon words for “friend” and “peace”. When he entered the monastery in Exeter he took the Latin name “Boniface”. St Boniface may become Patron saint of Devon. Some of us may go on pilgrimage to Crediton and / or to Fulda. Cheryl Corney
Lent course at St Mary’s Chris ans and Moslems 500AD - 1204AD We were very pleased to host one of the Chelmsford Diocese Lent Modules here at St Mary’s again this year. It was the module on Church History. Our tutor was Miss Rowena Rudkin. The sessions took place on Thursday evenings during Lent in the Gwinnell Room and were attended by about twenty people, some of whom travelled some distance to attend the course. Members of St Mary’s congregation particularly liked the proximity of the location. The refreshments were very welcome too. The subject is of course huge and one is not going to learn everything, but we were given a very good introduction to the topic and were well provided with maps, notes, diagrams and recommendations for further reading. All members of the group were interested in the subject and many had travelled to countries about whose history we were learning. We learnt about the Eastern Mediterranean in 500AD, the religious
policy of the East Roman Emperors and the controversies within the Church as well as about the life of Mohammed, the Arab expansion and the Golden Age of Islam from Bhagdad to Spain. We were told about the conversion of the Slavs to Christianity including Grand Duke Vladimir of Kiev, leader of the Russians, and about the Great Schism between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Later in the course we found out about the Turks entering the Middle East, the Battle of Manzikert and the fall of Jerusalem to the Turks and about the four main Crusades. Those of you have visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre may have noticed that the key has been looked after by a Moslem family for about five hundred years. Surely this is part of what makes the Old City’s cultural and religious history so special. Cheryl Corney 9
Life at St Mary’s Ge ng to know you: Jean Russell We invited Jean Russell, a longstanding member of our congregation, to be interviewed as she celebrated her 80th birthday earlier this year. Jean has been worshipping regularly at St Mary's for about 45 years. Jean and her late husband, Philip, moved to Woodford when their older daughter Philippa was one year old. At first they attended St Barnabas Church but then moved across to St Mary's. Jean was born in Stepney shortly before the outbreak of the Second Wold War. She was an only child and attended Sunday School (sometimes being held in air raid shelters!) at St Dunstan's, and fondly recalls its High Anglican traditions from that era. When Jean was about eight years of age she remembers spending Saturday mornings dusting the Children's Corner. By the time she was 12 she had become a Sunday School teacher; that was to continue until she started college. Jean and Philip were married at St Dunstan's, and Jean ran a Cub pack there. Jean's grandmother was a Roman Catholic; her grandfather was Jewish and her father's family were Presbyterians. However, Jean was baptised into the Church of England at just three weeks (her Roman Catholic grandmother thought it would stop her crying!), and confirmed at aged 11. Jean attended a Jewish Day School – her parents' preference being due to the fact that the school could be seen from 10
their back garden during the War years! During that time Jean recalls a birthday party, cake included, moving down to the air-raid shelter in her back garden and bombs wreaking havoc on the neighbourhood. She was evacuated twice, once to East Farleigh, near Maidstone, to stay with her grandmother. Jean was one of only about seven non-Jewish pupils in the school and went on to study at the Central Foundation Grammar School for Girls in Spital Square. From there Jean went on to train to be a teacher for two years at Bishop Otter College, Chichester. Having studied academic
subjects at school, Jean took up weaving as a main subject in addition to Education studies at college. Her teaching career began at a Junior school in West Ham. Jean taught fulltime for eleven years including time spent teaching English, both as a second language and to Special Needs children. When Jean's husband Philip died prematurely she gave up part-time teaching to support her daughters. Philippa was then 16, and Maria six years old. Jean was a long-standing Sunday School teacher at St Mary's – she was asked to stand in for a couple of months and stayed on for 13 years! Her colleagues included the late Jean Morgans, Shirley Lealman and Pat Smith. Since then Jean has been active on the PCC, Deanery Synod and the Mission Committee. She completed the Christian Studies Course and has regularly attended Lent Study groups and house groups. Over the years Jean has noticed many changes at St Mary's especially the fall in numbers in both congregation and Seekers. On average, Jean taught 14 pupils in her class at Sunday School, and the Nine Lessons and Carols Service attracted so many people that some even sat on the altar steps of the Lady Chapel. It was usual for those attending church to dress less casually; women wore hats and gloves – no trousers in those days! However, Jean considers that nowadays members of the congregation are more friendly and helpful to each other. She recalls Revd. Derek Newton being very supportive when she was widowed in
her late 40s. Jean chose 'For all the Saints' as a favourite hymn and St John as a favourite gospel. Musical choices included 'Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar' and Handel's Messiah. If Jean were asked, 'With whom would you choose to spend the night, locked inside a church?' (a question often used in interviews) she would reply: C.S.Lewis, 'to get another story out of him!' Now she has reached a special birthday, Jean considers one of the best things about growing older is 'getting a seat on the bus' but expresses a downside of ageing as 'Deep down you know you know something, or you know you can do something, but you are no longer able to do it.' Jean is an avid reader and enjoys detective novels, in particular those by Agatha Christie, Ian Rankin and Susan Hill. She says she enjoys re-reading them all over again now because she can't remember them! Many thanks to Jean for sharing her thoughts and memories with us. Do let the magazine team know if you would be willing to be interviewed for our 'Getting to Know You' series. Penny Freeston 11
Jean Bonnick’s wedding at St Mary’s I was born and lived in Grove Hill, next to St Phillips and St James Church. It’s no longer there as it was sold to the Evangelical Church when the M11 was planned. My former home is still there though. My mother Eva Hartland was the caretaker for the Church and Hall for many years and on its closure she worked as a cleaner at St Mary’s until she left in 1976 to care for my daughter when I returned to work. Mum died at Christmas and on the 30th March we brought her ashes to be interred in the garden at St Mary’s where my father’s ashes were scattered. This was a very nostalgic visit as I had not returned there since 1986. I was married in St Mary’s on 3rd June 1972. It was a late wedding because the Church was dedicated on that day after the rebuilding following the fire in 1969. So my wedding was the first in the new church. My daughter Carli and my nephew Paul were both Christened in the church in May 1986. She was 9 years old and she wanted to be Christened, my nephew was 9 months old. Whilst at the church this weekend we bought a copy of the Spring Magazine, commemorating the Fire, 50 years ago in 1969. I read with interest all the articles, especially the one 12
written by Chris Whitfield. His wife was my Doctor, Chris was my sister’s Doctor. He also mention the Reverend Birchnall. Bob was the Vicar who carried out my marriage ceremony. Peter Marshall was the Vicar at St Phillips and St James. One of the articles also mentions the current plans and double glazing the Gwinnell Room. I can remember Mr Gwinnell, but from St Phillip and Sr James Church. Was he a Church Warden there? Maybe someone can let me know. Jean Bonnick
Poem The Night Nurse
And when the lamp is turned low, When the tired world at last surrenders, sleeps, When peacefulness tenderly over pain keeps Vigil, the quiet nurses go; More like ethereal spirits, lovelier though, For they, when twilight creeps, Drift not from unknown ways in unstained deeps But from the earth itself their message know. Dear one in cap, of white and apron neat I think of you now at your work in the dim lit ward Quite practical - so would I deem you, sweet Not only for the healing you afford, But that your soul, in rapture most discreet, So schooled in the service of the Lord. Catharine Colver (in tribute to her sister, Elizabeth, a nurse)
Welcome back to Geraldine and Graham Spearman It was a great pleasure to welcome Geraldine Spearman and her husband Graham from Wickham Bishops to our Easter service. Geraldine was a member of St Mary's congregation in the 1960s and 70s and presented us with a framed fragment of an original stained glass window, salvaged from the fire fifty years ago, depicting a little monk that used to be on the bottom right of the East window. Geraldine was present on the day of the fire as a 13-year-old and helped retrieve some of the artefacts. Her father, Ken Haskell, produced a little red leaflet with the story of the fire at that time. Geraldine contacted St Mary's last December, knowing that it would be 50 years since the fire in February, but it was the Notre Dame fire that brought back memories of 1969. Thank you again to Geraldine for such a special gift. Penny Freeston 13
Travel
Trip to Jerusalem communion was celebrated on Sunday morning; after communion one of the Americans said to me “I’m sorry we took over your service” to which I replied that as we were all Anglicans they were more than welcome. On the first full day of our visit we gave up our independence and joined an organized tour of the Old City, including the main holy sites. For Christians a visit to Jerusalem is bound to give rise to all sorts of emotions, not all of them of a positive nature, and faith, tourism and commercialism can sit unhappily together today just as they did when Jesus cleansed the Temple. It is often said that Jerusalem is anything but a city of peace, and this is as true now as in times of earlier St George’s Anglican Cathedral conflicts, although our brief stay was Jerusalem entirely peaceful. The historic centre seemed to be full of people from every A good place to stay in Jerusalem is St nation, many of whom proclaim their nationality and religious allegiance by George’s pilgrim hostel adjoining the their dress and the symbols they wear; Anglican cathedral with its tower which would not look out of place in an one encouraging sight was that of Moslem and Jewish women sharing a English suburb. Today the cathedral joke together. Unfortunately the has services in English and Arabic (a significant number of Palestinians are timetable for our tour overran so we Christian). The cathedral compound is missed visiting the historic Armenian something of a haven, with its secluded quarter although we saw posters courtyards and gardens. A large group commemorating the 1915 genocide which almost destroyed the Armenian from the Episcopal Church of the community in the Turkish empire. We United States was in residence when we arrived, including a young woman did not go to Betlehem having been there on a previous visit; it can easily priest with hair that would have done be reached from Jerusalem like most credit to a pop star. The Americans other Biblical sites, and day tours and filled the side chapel where In March Gwen and I took a short break in the Holy Land. We had been there before on group visits, but where possible we prefer to travel independently, and since one can book anything online these days we decided to go it alone.
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longer excursions to all these places can easily be arranged. Before leaving Jerusalem we visited Yad Vashem, the Jewish Holocaust museum, where the terrible events of the 20th century and earlier persecutions are vividly described in visual displays and in written and recorded words, showing how demonization and persecution of the Jews began centuries ago. The museum leaves non-Jewish visitors with profound feelings of unease, and should not be missed by any pilgrims to the Holy Land. After leaving Jerusalem we headed for Tel Aviv, an entirely modern city adjoining the historic port of Jaffa, or Joppa, which is mentioned several times in the Bible. Our hotel was run by Messianic Jews, a sect who accept Christianity while retaining Jewish traditions. No holiday would be complete for me without a train trip, and on seeking information before we left home I found myself taking part in email exchanges with Jewish railway enthusiasts, including a helpful Rabbi who seemed to be the equivalent of our numerous Anglican clergy trainspotters. The object of our train ride was Beersheba on the edge of the
Negev desert where in the British military cemetery we visited the grave of Gwen’s great-uncle who served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and died fighting the Turks in 1917. As a chapel-goer from what was then an intensely religious part of North Wales he must have been acutely aware of the significance of the Holy Land; ironically he died just a month before British forces entered Jerusalem. The British occupation of Palestine led to all sorts of turbulent events, and some still blame Britain for the situation today in the Middle East, although our colonial past has been largely overshadowed by more recent tragedies. Any feelings of guilt should not prevent us from going on pilgrimages, if we feel moved to do so. A visit to the Holy Land is a wonderful experience; both Israelis and Palestinians are friendly to visitors, and anyone you meet is likely to have a fascinating story to tell. If you are sensible and take heed of security advice the risks should not be too great. Just remember that Jerusalem can be hot in summer and cold and wet in spring and winter! Stephen Wiggs 15
Book reviews Two autobiographies Leaving Alexandria: a memoir of faith and doubt Richard Holloway Canongate 2012 £9.99 ISBN 978-0857860743 God’s upgrades… my adventures: learning to accept and download John Leach Authentic Media 2014 £7.99 ISBN 978-1860249129 These two autobiographies by Anglican clergymen chart contrasting journeys in ministry, and contrasting spiritual developments. Richard Holloway grew up in Alexandria, a small town north of Edinburgh. Encountering the Rector of the local Scottish Episcopal Church after the death of a cousin, he was invited to join the church choir. From choir he moved to serving at the altar, and then at the age of fourteen a vocation to the priesthood took him to Kelham, a monastic institution in England where young men were prepared for ordination. The book details some of the spiritual trials and temptations of that period of his life, and then quickly passes over two years spent on 16
national service, two years as personal assistant to the Bishop of Accra in Ghana, and a year of study in Edinburgh. The story begins in depth again when he is a curate in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. A one-month scholarship in the USA was formative, and he met his future wife there, before returning to parish ministry in Glasgow and then Edinburgh. Here he was touched by the charismatic revival of the 1970s. Then to a parish in Boston, USA, which he found difficult because of an argumentative church council which he saw as reflecting a cultural difference between Britain and the United States. He was also spiritually challenged when ministering to many suffering from AIDS. He returned to England, to minister in an Oxford, but after just a few years was invited to become Bishop of Edinburgh. However, after some controversial publications, questioning the stance of the Church on sexual issues, and the very existence of God, Holloway was forced to resign. The final chapter includes these words: ‘I no longer believe in religion, but I want it around: weakened, bruised
and bemused, less sure of itself, and purged of everything except the miracle of pity. l know that the people who keep it going will have to believe in it more than I do.’ By contrast, John Leach was an Essex lad from Dagenham. When he was five years old, his father became a Christian, and the family started attending a Baptist church. At university however, John ceased active involvement in church life - until a spiritual encounter next to a Henry Moore statue, which turned him around. Involved in churches of different denominations, he was influenced by the charismatic movement of the 1970s, and eventually followed a call to ordination in the Church of England. After two curacies, he became vicar of a parish in Coventry diocese, and then Director of Anglican Renewal Ministries, an organisation which encouraged and supported charismatic parishes. When this closed, a time of uncertainty followed, including six months as a truck driver for IKEA, and a year as interim Rector of a parish in Jersey. He then became parish development advisor in a Welsh diocese. After this he was appointed to a parish ‘in Dorset’, where things did not go well. John came to realise that
the problem was a mis-match of understandings about the nature of the local church: his church members saw their congregation as a cosy family, but he was longing for it to be an army of Christian soldiers. An opportunity then arose for his dream job, teaching in a theological college; but he was diagnosed with cancer of the jaw. After surgery and radiotherapy he made a good recovery, and laid plans to take up the college job, but disappointingly the offer was withdrawn because of financial problems at the college. Throughout the book John notes points of learning and growth, which he likens to the upgrades of computer software. Despite diverse suffering and setbacks, he does not lose his faith. Towards the end of the book he writes this: ‘Here I am, recovering from serious illness, job-hunting but with no enthusiasm to put myself through parish ministry yet again, afraid of another spell of homelessness, but fortunately with a God who has never let me down, and who will one day make sense of it all - not with answers but with himself.’ Ian Tarrant 17
Book review British exploration and production company. He has always had an interest in ethics, finance and a desire to address social injustice; a Published by Bloomsbury combination of interests that might ISBN 978-1-4729-4607-2 strike some as being unusual. In Reimagining Britain Justin In Reimagining Britain, Foundations for Welby draws on our Britain’s history Hope, Justin Welby, the Archbishop of and Christian tradition to identify our Canterbury, sets out a vision for Britain country’s foundational values. He in response both to growing social considers what is necessary to put inequality and to the divisions brought these values into action in a post about by Brexit. The book was Brexit, multicultural Britain. He published in 2018. reviews the state of affairs chapter by Some might raise an eyebrow that chapter across the spheres of family, Justin Welby has written about this contentious subject. Those aware of his education, health, housing and finance. previous book, Dethroning Mammon, As you would expect, the tone of and of his actions generally will not be the book is civilised. When referring surprised that we have an Archbishop to Lord Lawson’s view that who is not afraid to put his head above generations yet unborn have no right the parapet. to determine our actions now on Justin Welby has an unusual climate change (!!!) Justin Welby background for an Archbishop of disagrees oh so politely. He also notes Canterbury. He became ordained Nigel Lawson’s point that significant relatively late after a varied and actions to address climate change challenging career, including working would particularly bear down on the for eleven years in the oil industry and poor. Justin Welby, I sense and becoming the group treasurer of a large certainly hope, has the wherewithal to take Lawson’s point head on – but this wide ranging book is not the place for this. Much of the book is a fairly brief survey over a wide range of areas. At times, as with Justin Welby’s comments about Sharia law, it didn’t seem clear to me what exactly he is advocating. There isn’t a great deal of ‘re-imagining’. Here is someone who surely must have a good deal more to say. I have to admit that, mindful of his previous outspoken comments such as his criticism of Wonga, I was
Reimagining Britain by Jus n Welby
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a touch disappointed that the book seemed a bit cautious. Others who read the book with me were more positive. Perhaps the fault is mine. After all, the book’s subtitle is ‘Foundations for Hope’. We await more. Who should read this book? I recommend that you tap into Justin
Welby’s thinking, even if you have not been in the habit of doing this with past Archbishops. ‘Reimagining Britain,’ with its chapter by chapter summaries, strikes me as being particularly suitable for youth and other discussion forum groups. Peter Wall
items have been collected they can be sent off, paid for and the money raised given to charity. We all want to recycle I discovered that you can more don’t we? Not an recycle pet food pouches (I easy thing to do if you live take mine to Romford), air in Redbridge as they are so fresheners, bread and sweet restricted in what they take. wrappers and much more. And what about all those Have a look at the website odds and ends we to see what you might be accumulate – pet food able to recycle rather than pouches, air fresheners, bread throw away. But be prepared to spend wrappers, and of course crisp packets! some time battling it! When Walkers announced that they Having fought my way through all were starting a recycling scheme for the difficulties of the website I have their packets, I thought there would be managed to end up as a local collector some easy way of leaving them in a of crisps packets and bread wrapping store – a bit like the plastic bag (the type sliced bread ends up in – not recycling you can now do at many the ones for fresh bread). I am hoping supermarkets. However, in to increase the items I can collect in researching how to get rid of the due course but please do let me have occasional packet of crisps, I was your crisp packets (any brand) and drawn into the world of bread wrapping. Either give them to www.terracycle.com. An organisation me in church or drop them round to 1b with a great purpose but possibly the Eastwood Road; there is a box outside world’s worst website! the front door. Any money raised will There I discovered a huge range of go to Dimbleby Cancer Care. items that can be recycled by taking Happy recycling. them to various collection points. These range from private houses to Viveca Dutt schools and scout huts. When enough
A li le bit for the planet
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Quiz Who or what are we? We are all part of the Christian story and we all begin with “F”.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 20
Christians believe in God the F________ almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. Many Christians fast or refrain from eating meat on this day of the week. My name is F______. During evening services I often sit near the choir. My name is F______ de Sales. I was Bishop of Geneva and a teacher of the faith. Christians particularly remember me on 24th January. I am the clause added by the western church to the Nicene Creed, saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. I am the receptacle used for the water in Baptism. I am a necessary requirement when members of a church wish to make alterations or additions to consecrated buildings. I am a male member, not necessarily ordained, of the Franciscan religious order established by St Francis of Assisi in AD 1209. I am the story presented in the Old Testament book of Genesis by the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. “F________ us our trespasses as we f_________ those who trespass against us”. I am a service which takes place on the occasion of the burial of the dead. The disciples James and Andrew were f__________. We are the animals that Jesus says have holes to live in. My name is Jane F______. I am church treasurer at St Mary’s. Two mites make one of me. Answers: page 23
For reflection
Change Despite our long cultural history, the way in which we live changes through the impact of war and peace, economics, climate change, demographics and many other factors. As a result, the truth of Jesus Christ has been re-expressed in different circumstances. It is an ever growing story of how the great virtues and benefits of gracious love are lived out in the hard pounding of a changing world. When changes are especially dramatic, they call for reimagining on a grand scale. Justin Welby in Reimagining Britain When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. Victor Frankl The job of a leader in ministry wanting to help people to change is first of all to make them unhappy. While everything is fine and working well no-one sees any need for change. So, given the helpful definition of a leader as one who defines reality it is often our task to help people see that in fact things could be so much better. John Leach in God’s upgrades Be the change that you wish to see in the world.
Mahatma Ghandi
Adaptable as human beings are and have to be, I sometimes sympathise with the chameleon who had a nervous breakdown on a patchwork quilt. John Strange To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. Henri Bergson Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights. Pauline Kezer You change people by delight, by pleasure. Thomas Aquinas All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy, for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another. Anatole France God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. Reinhold Niebuhr 21
Travel India India has always held a special place in my heart and I was thrilled to return there recently. Although my father served in the Middle East during the War, his twin brother spent his time in India so I grew up hearing all about this extraordinary place. Similarly, my mother's brother was decorated for bravery at the Battle of Kohima in 1944 and only last week 'popped up' on a Pathe News reel shown on a documentary featuring Lord Mountbatten. The first time we visited India was 33 years ago, although we might have gone sooner had life not 'got in the way'. I was captivated by India then: such a mysterious land of contrasts and extremities. Our older daughter was 12 years old when we travelled to Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. She remembers being taken aback as a beggar suffering from leprosy passed his withered arm through our open taxi window in Delhi. Thankfully, those days are gone, but travelling through
Hands deformed by leprosy 22
In Ranthanbore Na onal Park
Rajahsthan again, although we still saw many cows and camels on the road, I missed the snake charmers and gypsies with their travelling bears, and hundreds of bicycles had been replaced by motorbikes. And where were all the white Ambassador cars we travelled in? In nearly a month we only found one parked in a side street in Kerala. This was our fourth long trip to India - over the years Martin and I have travelled across the north on trains to Shimla, Varanasi, Darjeeling and Kolkata and extensively across nearby Nepal and Sri Lanka. This time, after revisiting Delhi and Jaipur and exploring Udaipur for the first time, we decided to head south and travel on to Mumbai, Goa and Kerala where we stayed on a houseboat. It was, as always, fascinating and thought-provoking. On safari at Ranthambore we were fortunate to come across two tigers in the wild on separate occasions, seen from a short distance away.
Then and now: Penny and Mar n in India 1986and 2019
I have only one regret that we have not visited Kashmir, but I pray that one day the situation there may improve and my dream will be fulfilled. I read recently that the British left a society with 16 per cent literacy, a life expectancy of 27, and over 90 per cent living below what today we would call the poverty line. Today the literacy rate is up at 72 per cent, average life
expectancy is nearer the Biblical three score and ten, and 280 million people have been pulled out of poverty in the 21st century. Although the slums of Mumbai are heartbreaking, overall we saw far less poverty and deprivation than we experienced even seven years ago. India continues to move forward at a pace in its own inimitable way. Penny Freeston
Quiz Answers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Father Friday Fin Francis filioque font faculty
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
friar Fall Forgive, forgive funeral fishermen foxes Fone farthing
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Family
focus
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Humour Church Bulle n Board (from St Somewhere) The following appeared in church bulletins or were announced at church services The sermon this morning: ‘Jesus walks on the water.’ The sermon tonight: ‘Searching for Jesus.’ Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands. Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help you. Miss Marlene Mason sang, ‘I will not pass this way again,’ giving obvious pleasure to the congregation. For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs. Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24th in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days. Potluck supper Sunday at 5.0pm – prayer and medication to follow. The church will host an evening of fine dining, supper entertainment and gracious hostility. At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be ‘What is Hell?’ Come early and listen to our choir practice. The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. That Associate Minister unveiled the church’s new tithing pledge last Sunday: ‘I upped my pledge – Up Yours’ The Low Self Esteem group will meet Thursday at 7pm. Please use the back door.
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Woodford and District National Trust Talks Woodford and District Na onal Trust talks These talks take place at All Saints church hall, Woodford Green or at the Memorial Hall, St Mary's church, South Woodford.
Waddesdon Manor
11th September, 2.30 pm, All Saints church hall.
13th November, 2.30 pm, All Saints church hall
‘Waddesdon Manor, National Trust’ by Godfrey Thorpe. Godfrey is a very experienced guide at Waddesdon Manor and so is the ideal person to talk about this magnificent manor, built in 1874 by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in the style of a French chateau and its elegant interiors and paintings plus of course the Rothschild family.
'Medieval churches of East Anglia' by Peter Lawrence. Peter is well known in this area for his expert knowledge. He now lives in East Anglia but is kindly returning to speak about the vast variety of wonderful churches there, dating back to medieval times. We look forward as always to hearing an excellent speaker and seeing Peter's superb photographs.
15th October, 10.30 am, Memorial Hall.
16th December, 10.30 am, Memorial Hall
‘Tower Hamlets: an ever-changing borough' by Grahame Williams. Grahame was head of administration at Queen Mary, University of London and he will share with us his detailed knowledge of this area and its past, including the prominent people connected with it. Its buildings range from 21st century Canary Wharf to 11th century tower of London.
'Chingford and Loughton railway' by Dr Chris Pond. Chris is an equally well known speaker in this area. He will share his detailed knowledge of the history of the building and changes to two local but very different railways: the overground from Chingford to Liverpool Street and the central line, the longest railway on the underground, which goes as far as West Ruislip.
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Travel Taking off our shoes in a holy place Like many travellers, I have been used to taking my shoes off in mosques and Hindu temples both at home and abroad. Martin recalls a temple in Bali where visitors' shoes were stored in cages to prevent monkeys stealing them! But recently in south India, on visiting the Anglican Church of Saint Francis in Kochi, it was the custom there to do so. I was fascinated to see the way little children had slipped off their shoes and left them with such gay abandon in their enthusiasm to enter church. Built in 1502, the Church of St Francis is one of the oldest European churches in India. Similarly, everyone is required to remove their shoes on entering the historical Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi, recalling Moses' instruction in Exodus 3:5 to remove his sandals as he came close to the burning bush and encountered God's presence 'on holy ground'. Research on the internet reveals that the Japanese custom of removing shoes when entering a house came about because historically most houses had sacred shrines, but one person commented that traditional Japanese rush matting would have been easily damaged by the wearing of outdoor shoes. In Middle Eastern Jewish tradition although many Karaite communities pray barefoot the
practice has been abandoned by Rabbinic Jews. However, in ancient Israel, setting your shoe on a property was seen as a symbolic proclamation of ownership. Removing one's shoes signified the opposite - Moses had to remove his shoes to symbolically assent to the fact that he was entering God's property or special domain. Penny Freeston
Prayer of the red athlete You pick ‘em up, Lord; I’ll put ‘em down. Anon. 27
A big thank you
to everyone submitting contributions and photographs to this edition Please keep them coming, as without them we wouldn’t have a parish magazine. Articles, prayers, book reviews, favourite music, recipes, gardening tips etc. We would love some children’s drawings as well: the choice is yours! Email directly using a subject heading to: magazine@stmaryswoodford.org.uk or pass to Penny Freeston who will type up your handwritten copy. Our next copy date is 19th August 2019 Magazine team: Penny Freeston, Cheryl Corney, Ian Tarrant, Sam McCarthy, Peter Wall. 28