Friends, grace and peace to you as we enter this sacred Easter season; a season that is steeped in the profound mysteries of hope, love, and resurrection. We are positioned to reflect on a poignant convergence and it is noteworthy that at this time, the United Nations marks the Monday of Holy Week as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
This is a moment that calls us into deep spiritual engagement, which urges us to plait the threads of Easter’s promise of renewal, the infinite reach of God’s love through God’s son Jesus Christ, and the act of honouring the memories of the lives of those ancestors which were irrevocably changed by the horrors of slavery.
In the community of our Easter gatherings, we think of what Jesus experienced on the cross at the hands of those bent on doing harm to his body, even as we hold in our hearts the indomitable spirit of those who endured through the abyss of one of history’s most grievous chapters. Easter calls us way out of our comfort zones to celebrate life’s victory over the shadow of death.
And we have been presented with this opportunity to remember the enslaved across the Atlantic. Friends, this an invitation to confront the reality of human anguish and marvel at the resilience of the soul in its quest for freedom. As Easter people we have a sacred duty to cherish the memory of those affected by slavery by participating in cultivating a church that mirrors the virtues of love, justice, and communal harmony.
If we pay attention, we will see how greatly we would benefit from confronting the lasting scars that some colleagues among you right
here in the URC carry, owed to the legacy of bondage. Then, what if we dedicate ourselves to mending the breaches brought by centuries of injustice with compassion, understanding, and acts of reconciliation? For in honouring the memory of the enslaved and descendants of the enslaved, we testify to the enduring capacity for hope and rebirth in our collective journey.
So, as we celebrate the joy of resurrection this Easter season, may we be filled with God’s unfailing kindness, stirring us to transform both the world around us and the inner landscapes of our soul.
As we try to grasp the promise of rebirth, propelled by the spirit of Easter to commit anew to the ideals of equity, justice, and universal peace, let us not only pay tribute to the legacies of those who have gone before us, but also lay the groundwork for a future in which every person is valued and embraced for their inherent dignity and worth.
Friends, may this Easter season inspire each of us to be agents of God’s love and justice, rekindling in our hearts and communities the brightly lit hope of rebirth and the steadfast pursuit of a world where the full humanity of all is celebrated and safeguarded.
As we shout our hallelujahs, mindfully embracing the transformative power of Easter, may we remember to dedicate ourselves to the creation of a more just, loving way of being in the world; and as Isaiah urges…
“You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in”. May God bless us all.
Happy Easter!
Amen
Daffodils, blossom and tulips jostle to the front of the stage in April. I love these early perennials: they may be more modest but they nearly all have that one special quality that a plant needs to transform your affections from admiration to affectioncharm.
Monty Don
News of the Church Family
Ela continues her recovery from knee surgery and has good and bad days. Her leg is still swollen and painful. She thanks everyone for their prayers.
Barbara is steadily getting stronger and is now very pleased to be taken out occasionally, with support from friends and family. She is very grateful for our prayers.
JohnAxbey returned to hospital for two weeks as he had an infection, but is now pleased to be back home again with Margaret.
Jean remains much the same - still in a lot of pain and with limited mobility but not letting herself become depressed She still takes an active interest in all Ealing Green activity.
I had my hip replaced on 7th March, but instead of returning home within the usual time of 48 hours, I was there for 11 days, mostly due to occasional very low blood pressure when I became woozy and was told to return to bed. I was most grateful for the great care and kindness I received from all the staff.
I thank Ealing Green folk too for prayers and kind messages. We pray for all those mentioned above as well as anyone else in our Church Family who may be struggling at the moment for any reason. We pray that we will all be aware of God's presence with us and receive His comfort and strength for the days ahead.
Gill Hatherall
Mothering Sunday
This is on Sunday 30th March this year. Sue will be taking the service
Easter Sunday. 20th April Decoration of the Easter Cross
During this special service we will continue our tradition of transforming the bare wooden cross to one of colour and beauty. To help us to achieve this, you are invited to bring a flower with which to decorate the cross. This will take place during the service. It would be helpful if the stem is cut quite short. Thank you.
Gill Hatherall
fromStanleyMudzingwa Chinhoyi,Zimbabwe
Somehow got busy with mostly non rewarding stuff over the past couple of weeks but am glad I just managed to go through the Unity Magazine today. Thank you for putting that piece on the clinic in there. Really grateful. Here's hoping it will get a response which will help ease our ever-deteriorating financial situation.
Our country, Zimbabwe, has ceased functioning for now. They, the government, say they are busy fixing everything but we don't see anything positive coming out of it. Only deepening crises, one after another. And now cancer is having a mighty party with my kinsmen, along with unrelenting fatal attacks from various other diseases, which are supposed to be treatable. The situation is so suffocating when you are supposed to live with it and experience it frequently.
Went to Zambia the other day to buy some medicines for the clinic, courtesy of your last donation. Bought quite a bit of stuff only to hear the same story from the clinic of ‘out of stock on this, out of stock on that’ barely a week later.
Traffic into the clinic has more than tripled recently, all because there's nothing at the public hospitals. Every time we manage to treat a client, however insignificant the gravity of the ailments, we give glory to God for you at Ealing Green. As I always say, from that distance you may never get to really appreciate how much impact you are making in the lives of many over here. How I wish all humanity was like that!
Meanwhile, the struggle continues for us, for me. Can really get depressing...but we always hope on hope.
Much love, God bless Stanley
[Please let Sarah or myself know if you would like to donate to the clinic. – Lee]
Right, we’re in the middle of Lent right now, but soon the Easter brek will be here, arguably the most important celebration in the Christian calendar.
I will leave the serious religious message to those more qualified to preach it. In its place I came across a BBC story showing several ways Easter is celebrated around the world.
You’ve seen the email from Stanley Mudzingwa and in Collection Point we have the suggestion from Glynis for Dementia Concern, a local charity here in Ealing. Both of them, and the others we feature through the year, deserve whatever help you can afford, so please think about how much most of us have and how our ‘widows mite’ could help others.
I’ve come across a couple of items in the Methodist and URC magazines that may interest you and, as the weather is improving I have (paradoxically) found a couple of indoor events that are both local and, hopefully, of interest.
The open days at TFL’s Acton Depot are actually of interest to all ages, although I doubt that many of you reading this would go just to try the outdoor bouncy castle - prove me wrong! I went a few years ago and was amazed, not only at the huge range of tube trains and buses, all too much to keep in the museum in the middle of London, but also the equipment and systems that kept the tube running before modern computers. Many are there along with all sorts of other equipment you might remember from times gone by. Be careful if you take small children, you might get more out of it than them –although that wasn’t the problem when I went, there’s plenty for all.
As there is in the Musical Museum, down in Brentford. I have listed just one of their events, which I thought might be of interest. And don’t get me started on the Steam and Water Museum. We are very lucky to have such institutions nearby
And with the weather warning up I hope you are able to enjoy all the greenery we have around us.
God bless you
Foodbank
Dear Foodbank supporters,
Thank you so muchfor your tins, packets and donations of other items. Each item given goes straight to a local individual or family who isstruggling at the moment. You might noticethat our shopping list looks a bit shorterthis month than usual. This month we've listed only the most critically needed items.
Despitethe shorterlist, we continue to offer a full parcelof items to all of the peoplewho need our service. If you do have other in date,long life items that you'd like to donate, we will gratefullyreceive them aswell.
As always, thank you so much for your support. Your donations allow us to keep the doors of the foodbankopen all over the borough.
“We deeply lament the government’s stated intention to make further cuts to the UK’s international development budget. This would break a manifesto promise made to people in the world’s poorest communities, and have a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods across the globe. While there is a case to be made for increasing defence spending to support Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression, that shouldn’t come at the cost of vital humanitarian and development programmes, which play a crucial role in promoting human security around the world.
“UK aid programmes protect women and gir cost-effective vaccines to babies and young children and support human rights defenders who work to prevent future conflict. Such programmes will be under threat if UK aid is further slashed by 40%.
In the statement, the leaders said: the government’s stated intention to UK’s international This would break world’s poorest and have a lives livelihoods the globe. there is a to increasing to support Ukraine the cost of crucial security around the and girls from violence, provide effective vaccines babies rights defenders who future conflict. programmes will if UK aid is further
“Our Churches encouraged and supported the UK in its to development, not as a of care to our neighbours, UK’s historic address the causes of y, change
It a source regret to see that massively reduced be experienced bitter blow and
“Our Churches have strongly en commitment to international development, not only as a way of showing care to our global neighbours, but in recognition of the UK’s historic and ongoing responsibilities to address the causes of global injustice, poverty, forced migration, climate change and conflict. It is a source of deep regret to see a backing away from that responsibility. A massively reduced UK aid budget would be experienced as a bitter blow by partners and communities in the global south,
especially coming so soon after the devastating USAID cuts. We urge the government to rethink its decision immediately.”
Signedby:
The Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of GreatBritain
Emma Jackson, Convener of the Public Life and Social Justice Programme Group, The Church of Scotland
The Revd Helen Cameron and Carolyn Godfrey, President and VicePresident, The Methodist Church in Britain
Tim Dunwoody, Team Leader for Irish Methodist World Development and Relief, The Methodist Church in Ireland
The Revd Philip Brooks, Deputy General Secretary (Mission), The United Reformed Church
Celebration of the Nicene Creed
You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six.
Yogi Berra
Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter
TheEpilogue
The Night Shelter continues until the end of March albeit at other churches in the circuit. I thought I would try and wrap things up a little and relate some of the successes, and failures as there will inevitably be some when dealing with people in the world that we live in.
Of the 11 people who came to us immediately after Christmas, we are happy to report that three of them, Abdi, Conner and Karol have all found a place to live, so they are no longer looking forward to living on the streets. Tomasz has gone back to Poland, where he believes his future lies. Stephen , when last heard, was looking at potential places to move in to.
Muhammad is still trying to get his immigration status sorted. His cousin was killed in Bangladesh the other day, so he is understandably upset. Yasir is still very quiet and still looking for a property.
Claudine has passed her habitual residency test and is now waiting for the upcoming confirmation. She has 5 job offers to start in June/July.
Noel is still going to the gym and church and looking for a room and voluntary work.
Lawrence took one of the camp beds and disappeared – they have not been able to contact him (he has also left some of his stuff at the church).
Bahram is still working and hopefully will have a property by mid April.
Our thanks again, go to everyone from the church who volunteered. We, and the guests, are most grateful. As many of the volunteers are not from the church we will be sending this out to them by email.
We also have Marie to thank for all her hard work and the backing of the Trustees.
Please let me know if you would be interested in helping out next year. We are on unitymagazine@hotmail.com
Lee & Jane
Easter Traditions Around the World
There are lots of ways people celebrate Easter around the world that are different from how we mark it in the UK.
We've been taking a look at a few of them.
Greece
Look out below!
In the Greek island of Corfu, old pots are thrown out of the windows on to the streets as an Easter Saturday morning tradition. It's thought the tradition was copied from the people of Venice, in Italy, who throw out their possessions.
Poland
Easter traditions make a splash in Poland
In Poland, people throw water over each other on Easter Monday.
It's known as Wet Monday and happens in many other countries too.
It's a tradition is connected with the baptism of a Polish prince hundreds of years ago.
France
Anyone for an omelette? There's plenty to go around!
In a small town in the south of France people gather every Easter Monday to share a massive... omelette!
Around 15,000 eggs are used and it's big enough to feed thousands of people. Legend has it that the French Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte liked an omelette he'd eaten in a small town and wanted a huge one made for him and his army. From that a tradition was born.
USA
annual Easter egg roll is held on the lawn.
Former President Barack Obama helps out with the annual spoon rolling race at The White House
Going beyond Europe, at the White House in America where the country's president lives, an
The tradition dates back to 1878 when President Rutherford B Hayes ran the country.
It's held on Easter Monday and it's usually the President's wife, known as the First Lady, who is in charge of the event.
NorthernEurope
This might look like Halloween in the UK, but it's Easter in Finland. In parts of Scandinavia children dress up, a bit like Halloween, and ask for chocolates and treats out on the streets. They may wear head scarves, make up and carry twigs with feathers as part of the tradition.
Bermuda
Kite flying is an easter tradition across the world
Bermuda has a long tradition of flying kites around Easter time. The Caribbean country has special festivals on Good Friday where people make kites shaped like hexagons. They're not the only place to fly kites around Easter though, there are some places in Spain which have kite festivals this time of the year too. Flying the kite is apparently to symbolise Jesus rising to heaven in the Easter story.
From the BBC
However much you deny the truth, the truth goes on existing George Orwell
Eating in the UK in the Fifties
Pasta had not been invented
Curry was a surname
A takeaway was a mathematical problem
A pizza was something to do with a leaning tower
Bananas and oranges only appeared at Christmas time
All crisps were plain; the only choice we had was whether to put the salt on or not.
A Chinese chippy was a foreign carpenter
Rice was a milk pudding and never, never, ever part of our dinner.
A Big Mac was what we wore when it was raining.
Brown bread was something only poor people ate.
Oil was for lubrication, fat was for cooking
Tea was made in a teapot using tea leaves and never green.
Coffee was Camp, and came in a bottle
Cubed sugar was regarded as posh.
Only Heinz made beans
Fish didn’t have fingers in those days
Eating raw fish was called poverty, not sushi
None of us had ever heard of yoghurt.
Healthy food consisted of anything edible
People who didn’t peel potatoes were regarded as lazy
Cooking outside was called camping
Seaweed was not a recognised food
‘Kebab’ was not even a word, never mind a food.
Sugar enjoyed a good press in those days, and was regarded as being white gold.
Prunes were medicinal.
Surprisingly, muesli was readily available, it was called cattle feed.
Pineapples came in chunks in a tin; we had only ever seen a picture of a real one.
Water came out of the tap. If somebody had suggested bottling it and charging more than petrol for it they would have become a laughing stock.
The one thing that we never ever had on our table in the fifties . . . was elbows.
As seen by, and thanks to, Marian Elizabeth White: A teenage preacher in 19-century England
Elizabeth White – a part of Women’s HistoryMonth
At just 15 years old, Elizabeth White became a local preacher, a testament to the Primitive Methodists' revolutionary stance on a woman’s role in religious life. Unlike the Wesleyan Methodists, who in 1803 had strictly limited women to Sunday School work and philanthropic meetings, the Primitive Methodists embraced a democratic approach that saw all members as equal, addressing each other as brothers and sisters.
Elizabeth White was born on 19 November 1816 in Stratum St. Margaret's (now Stratton St Margaret near Swindon) to James and Sarah White, who were farmers. Orphaned at a young age, she experienced a profound religious conversion in 1831 at the age of fourteen. She wrote in her diary:
O Lord, help me to praise thee! O hadst not thou loved my soul, I should have been reaping my reward in the bottomless pit. Bless thy name, thou hast given me a heart to love thee, and hast made me truly happy in thy love, whereof I am glad. But how can I praise thee enough, for what thou hast done for me? O how can I sufficiently make known thy goodness! Had I a thousand tongues I could not utter all thy love. “I’ll carve my passion on the bark Of every forest tree; And every leaf shall bear the mark, That Jesus died for me”
Memoir of Elizabeth White by her husband, Boaz Tripp, Primitive Methodist Itinerant Preacher.
Elizabeth’s preaching career began in 1832, when she was officially placed on the preachers' plan. Her ministry was characterised by a simplicity that deeply moved her congregations. Her husband described her preaching style as profoundly affecting, with listeners frequently moved to tears by her simple yet vulnerable manner of
sermons.
The challenges she faced were significant. Elizabeth would often travel extensive distances, sometimes walking up to twenty-five miles to deliver her message. On one occasion, she noted her extreme exhaustion after such a journey, yet remained committed to "preaching the word of life to perishing sinners". Her dedication came at a considerable personal cost, with her health often suffering from the physical demands of her ministry.
What made Elizabeth's journey particularly remarkable was the cultural context in which she was operating. In an era when women were expected to be passive and focused on domestic tasks, she boldly stepped into a public religious role. Her preaching was not just about delivering sermons, but about challenging societal norms and demonstrating women's spiritual capabilities. Her impact extended beyond her immediate congregations. She was instrumental in the conversion of several soldiers in the Caribbean:
“I have received a letter from James Hicks, a soldier in the West Indies. He informs me that my letters have been a mean of his conversion to God; and also thirty more of his mates (fellow soldiers) are brought into the way; and he believes they al enjoy the love of God in their hearts. He begs me to accept his thanks for my letters. This is good news from a far country. E. White.”
This highlights the broader evangelical mission of the Primitive Methodists and the potential for spiritual influence beyond traditional ministerial boundaries.
In 1836, she married Boaz Tripp, a Primitive Methodist itinerant preacher, but she passed away months after her marriage on 16 February 1837. Elizabeth’s legacy stands as a testament to the Primitive Methodists' commitment to spiritual equality and the extraordinary potential of young women in ministry.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein
A poem from Brian Bilston
Experience the Magic of the Mighty Wurlitzer!
7th April 2025; 13:00 - 15:00
A concert featuring the Museum's Cinema Pipe Organ with David Lobban at the console.
Step back in time and immerse yourself in the golden age of cinema and music with an unforgettable Theatre Organ Concert at the historic Musical Museum in Brentford. This is your chance to hear the spectacular Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ—an extraordinary instrument that once brought silent films to life - played live by a master organist in a stunning, atmospheric setting.
WhattoExpect:
Thrilling live performance featuring classic film scores, show tunes, and timeless favourites
A rich, surround-sound experience from one of the few fully restored Wurlitzer organs in the UK
A journey through musical history in an intimate, nostalgic venue Perfect for music lovers, film buffs, and anyone looking to enjoy a unique afternoon of entertainment!
Time: Concerts are from 1.00pm to 2.30pm, with an interval. If you would also like to tour the collection before the show, there is a guided tour which begins at 12.30pm.
Tickets: Book online to guarantee your seat – limited availability!
Let the Mighty Wurlitzer whisk you away—anexperienceyouwon’t forget!
Musical Museum
399 High Street
Brentford
TW8 0DU
United Kingdom
+44 20 8560 8108
visit@musicalmuseum.co.uk
The Museum Depot at Acton
Friday4th April–Sunday6th April
The Museum Depot in Acton is a working museum store, and a treasure trove of over 320,000 objects
Three times a year the doors are thrown open and thousands of visitors are welcomed to explore the rare road and rail vehicles spanning over 100 years, signs, ceramic tiles, original posters, ephemera, ticket machines and more.
This year the depot id celebrating 200 years of the UK’s railways and 25 years of Transport for London at the first Museum Depot Open Days of the year! This three-day extravaganza invites you to explore our rich and exciting collection of over 320,000 objects
From the world’s first underground railway through to the up-andcoming walk-through Piccadilly line trains, and from engineering feats on the Underground to design masterpieces, London’s transport has had a front row seat to a remarkable history. With a focus on the importance of rail and the Underground, visit the Depot and discover how the collection has showcased this evolution
With historic vehicles, behind the scenes mini tours, expert talks, family friendly activities, special displays and demonstrations and much more, there is something for everyone.
The Open Days take place three times a year. With talks, activities, tours and fun for all the family, these festival-style events are an exciting opportunity to celebrate, learn, and enjoy one of the most comprehensive collections of urban transport anywhere in the world
The depot is also home to the London Transport Miniature Railway, a working miniature railway based on real London Underground locomotives, carriages, signals and signs run by volunteers
Collection Point
DementiaConcernsupportspeoplein Ealingwithdementiaandtheircarers to liveasindependentlyaspossible
Weprovidemonitoringandsupportservices
At Dementia Concern, we provide a monitoring and support service for people with dementia who live alone.
Those eligible for this service will be assigned a Safe at Home Worker, who will continue to support the person. Safe at Home Worker's provide on-going emotional and practical support via phone calls and home visits. This better enables a person with dementia to remain living at home. We will regularly monitor the situation to ensure relevant and effective services are in place, as well as helping to ensure the person with dementia attends key appointments.
This service is unique in offering a range of support and interventions which address complex problems and plugs gaps in services. Safe at Home Worker's liaise with other services, carers, and health care professionals to advocate and support the person with dementia. This service is free of charge.
Firstpointofcontact
Advisers are the first point of contact for people with dementia, their carers and other professionals who may need advice and support. These people can be referred to services outside of Dementia Concern as required. This typically starts with a home visit to assess the needs of person with dementia and the carers. During these visits, advice and information can be provided on a wide range of subjects. Our advisers visit people with dementia and support them in a
number of different ways, including:
ClientRepresentation
Our staff can advocate on behalf of someone with dementia and their carer to access services and represent them at meetings. They can liaise with a range of organisations and professionals to coordinate care and services.
AdviceandInformation
We advise and inform carers about all aspects of dementia, including how to care more effectively for a relative or friend with dementia, as well as the services available. We can then refer them to other services offered by the charity, such as community support workers or social clubs.
We also give specialist advice and assistance on things like welfare benefits. Our advice service holds Advice Quality Standard accreditation.
EalingandtheWestLondonHealthTrust.
They support people (with and without dementia medication) who have been transferred from the cognitive and dementia services with a diagnosis of dementia.
Theserviceisfreeandconsistsofthefollowing:
Dementia Link Workers provide support and advice to people with dementia, their carers and their families, which often enables them to stay in their own homes.
This support includes regular assessments, providing information and appropriate referrals to a number of other services. Visit our Dementia Link Worker service on the NHS.
We support carers on an ongoing basis to help them come to terms with the diagnosis of dementia and relieve stress. With support, carers are more able to understand their role and make appropriate decisions in relation to caring.
Telephone: 020 8568 4448 - Option 1 to speak to a dementia specialist.
Email: enquiries@dementiaconcern.co.uk for any general enquiries Thank you and God bless you .
