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The Christmas advertising onslaught begins this year with Monty the Penguin from John Lewis, soon rivalled by Sainsbury and the blue
wrap chocolate of the WW1 trenches. These adverts are compelling viewing — albeit in the name of commercialism — drawing in our human emotions with the themes of companionship and compassion. Here is something of the real meaning of Christmas of course: preparing to stop for one special day in the name of our shared humanity, whether or not we acknowledge 25th December as a Christian festival.
However, it came as a surprise to me to read recent research data that just 12% of adults* know the nativity story and more than one third of children do not know whose birthday it marks.
Meanwhile, apparently, 51% of people now say the birth of Jesus is irrelevant to their Christmas.
Christmas starts with Christ is a campaign aimed at helping churches make Christ and the narrative of his birth the focus of the nation’s favourite time of year (to quote the website). Resources, such as the posters above, are to be found at christmasstartswithchrist.com – posters, ideas and radio clips, pointing to the incarnation of the
Christian life and opening up a wider perspective on unwrapping the present!
Wishing you a holy and blessed Christmas; recognising not only our shared humanity but also the God who shares the reality of that humanity – the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
*ChristianToday national statistics 2013
Does Christmas Start with a Penguin?
Editor Margaret Morrissey OBE
9 Hessary Street, Poundbury Dorchester DT1 3SF
01305 250366 [email protected]
Advertising Manager Liz Green
7 Sydenham Way, Dorchester DT1 1DN
01305 269610 [email protected]
Production Editor Lucy Connelly
15 Came View Road Dorchester DT1 2AE
01305 751249 magazine@lucy—connelly.co.uk
Vicky
Thurtell
Magazine Copy
All copy for consideration by the Editor for publication should be sent to [email protected] or by mail to Margaret Morrissey OBE, 9 Hessary Street, Poundbury, Dorchester, DT1 3SF, to arrive not later than the 20th of the month. There are no publications in August or January.
The lovely image of a Christingle on the front cover of the December Parish Magazine reminds us that we are approaching one of the most
wonderful periods in our Christian calendar leading up to the birth of Jesus. The Christingle is a visual and physical symbol which tells the gospel message of the Christmas story through its combined parts. It consists of:
An orange representing the world: A red ribbon around it representing the love and blood
of Jesus Soft sweets or dried fruits on sticks pushed into the
orange represent the fruits of the earth and the four seasons
A lit candle pushed into the centre of the orange, represents Jesus Christ as the light of the world who brings hope to people living in darkness.
For 46 years lives of children in need have been helped through Christingle services. The Children’s Society first introduced Christingle to the Church of England in 1968
and it has since become one of the most popular events for families and communities. There are services throughout our Benefice leading up to Christmas and everyone is invited to attend whether young or just young at heart. You are all very welcome and your donations will help to improve the lives of young people in our country who are in need of support and guidance at vulnerable times in their lives. Thank you.
Dorothy is the Chair of Dorchester Committee of The Children’s Society. Thank you to Richard Budd for the very seasonal and colourful photograph.
Dorothy
Maggs
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Dorchester Noticeboard? Mothers’ Union
Visitors and newcomers welcome at all of our meetings.
Tuesday 2 December St. Peter’s MU meet at 2.15pm in the hall for a Christmas afternoon. Details 267724.
Wednesday 3 December Dorcas MU Bible Study group meet at 10am at 155 Damers Road. Walking with Gospel Women - Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth. Luke 1: 21-38. Details 260259.
Monday 8 December Dorcas MU meet at 7.30pm at 10 Weatherbury Way. Advent meditation led by Sue Allen. Details 260259.
Tuesday 9 December Dorchester Deanery MU Carol Service with the Disabled Club at 2.30pm at United Church, South Street followed by refreshments. All welcome.
Tuesday 6 January St. Peter’s MU meet at 2.15pm at St. Peter’s for Holy Communion. Details 267724.
Wednesday 7 January Dorcas MU Bible Study group meet at 10am at 4 Kingsbere Crescent. Walking with Gospel Women – Anna the prophetess. Luke 2: 21-38. Details 260592.
Monday 19 January Dorcas MU meet at 7.30pm at 28 Maiden Castle Road. AGM & “United in Prayer”, MU theme for 2015. Details 260259.
Wednesday 21 January Dorcas MU Bible Study group meet at 10am at 28 Maiden Castle Road. Why We Shouldn’t Worry. Matthew 6: 25-34. Details 260259.
Tuesday 3 February St. Peter’s MU meet at 2.15pm in the hall. Rev Nigel Thomas talking about the Community Farm at Milborne St. Andrew. Details 267724.
THE THURSDAY GROUP
The next meeting of the Thursday Group will take place on 11th December in St George’s Church Hall, starting at 2.15 pm Come and enjoy an afternoon of Mince Pies and Carols (accompanied by Evelyn Kingman) plus a cup of tea/coffee charge £1 At this meeting we will be collecting tins and/or packages to go to the Dorchester Food Bank. If possible, please give this collection your support, as the Food Bank will need supplies to assist local people at Christmas. There will be no meeting in January, but the post Christmas Lunch will be held in Pine Lodge. There will be limited transport available. Contact Vernon Moffet for further details 01305 250 755
THE MONDAY CLUB
The Monday Club will meet in St Mary’s hall on 8th December – Christmas Lunch
THE DORCHESTER BENEFICE
A Meditative Communion with Prayers for Wholeness and Healing
at St Mary’s Church, Edward Rd on Sunday 30th November at 6pm
Preacher — Thomas Woodhouse You are invited to this wholeness and
healing service during which there will be an opportunity for the laying on of hands with prayers and anointing
YP@D—Young People @ Dorchester
YP@D is the Benefice’s group for 12-18 year olds. For more information contact Teresa—01305 319662
7th Dec Come to St Mary’s for the Taize Service at 6pm
11th Jan New Year Hot Choc & Spacehopperball
18th Jan Epiphany Procession at Salisbury Cathedral £5 per person
25th Jan Quiet Day preparation
1st Feb Candlemaking for Candlemass
A Message from the Parish Office
Thank you to all who visit the office over the year, we aim to do our best for you. Happy Christmas from
myself June and Brian.
3
Dorchester Noticeboard?
Tea Under the Tree St Mary’s Church Edward Road will be celebrating
Christmas with Tea Under the Tree Sunday 14th December — 4–6pm
Information and competition available from Audrey Litson. Tickets £2.50
Christmas card deliveries
On Sunday 7th December St Mary's will be delivering a Christmas card to the houses in the Victoria Park area of our town. We deliver as a group between 2pm - 3.30pm. We then all congregate at the Rectory for tea and mince pies. Any who feel they cannot deliver due to infirmity are encouraged to come to St Mary's and pray for this venture whilst we are delivering. Kath Joslin
St. Peter’s Church High West Street, Dorchester
Christmas Bazaar
Saturday 6th December 10am – 12noon
* FREE ADMISSION * * Gifts * Presents *
* Produce * Seasonal Refreshments *
St George’s Church — Christmas Tree Festival 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th December
Commencing on Friday 5th December at 7pm following Carols on the Green at 6pm. The trees will be on display throughout Saturday 6th, Sunday 7th and Monday 8th. The Christmas Café will also be open for refreshments. Free entry. All are welcome to browse the lovely decorated trees by various community groups. For more information please e-mail [email protected].
Christingle Services
St. Mary's — 24th December — 4pm St. Andrew's, West Stafford — 24th December — 4pm
A Dorset Voices Evening with the New Hardy Players: A Festive Celebration of Dorset in Words, Music and
Song
Friday 5th December at 7.30pm at Charminster Village Hall
In aid of Charminster Flood Appeal Refreshments available. Victorian Costume optional!
Tickets : £7 includes a glass of mulled wine, from 01305 259431, or on the door. Local books and
CDs on sale will make super Christmas presents.
Christian Aid — There will be carol singing outside Barclays Bank in South Street from 9am to 10am on Tuesday 23rd December. All are welcome.
Carols and Cake ST PETER’S CHURCH
High West Street, Dorchester
Saturday 13th December, 2pm – 4pm
Come and sing your favourite carol, including Christmas readings and poems and musical items from members of the church.
You are welcome to drop in anytime between 2pm and 4pm to enjoy music, cuppa and cake
Donations please towards the upkeep of this ancient parish church.
Journey to the Stable Dorchester United Church, South St, Dorchester
Saturday 13th December Wednesday 17th — Saturday 20th December
11am — 3pm each day
See article on page 19 for more details
Christian Aid ‘Big Sing’ will be taking place in the Dorchester United Church on ‘Cracker Night’ (Thursday 4th December) between 6pm and 8pm with the United Church choir and brass. People can pop in to sing a carol or two or stay for the evening. Collection for Christian Aid.
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Dorchester Noticeboard?
Hang On In There Sharing & caring group for parents with challenging teenagers — meets fortnightly. Please email [email protected] for more info.
St George’s Church — Burns Night
Forward notice of a Burns Night Supper at St. George's Church Hall on Saturday 24th January 2015 at 7pm. Traditional supper with traditional dancing. By ticket only. For more details please contact [email protected].
Growth Out Of Discussion THEOLOGY Discussion Group – All welcome
St Peter’s Church Hall — 7pm
Tuesday 13th January 2015 Michael Insley: Atonement
Thursday 19th February Marj Snape: The Wisdom of the Upanishads (optional pre-reading: “Upanishads”, version by Eknath Easwaran ISBN9781586380212)
Monday 16th March John Foskett: ‘Passion’ seen through our eyes and experience interpreted by the gospel stories of Jesus’ passion and the writings of W.H. (Bill) Vanstone ‘The stature of waiting’ and ‘Love’s endeavour love’s expense’.
Rowan Cottage Activity Centre
Age UK Dorchester’s Activity Centre is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays – 9.30 am to 3pm
We provide refreshments, a two course lunch served with tea or coffee, a selection of activities and games throughout the day – all this for just £12.50 per day!
If you would like to find out what we do or to arrange a taster visit, please call Judy on 01305 269444.
Rowan Cottage, 4 Prince of Wales Road, DT1 1PW T: 01305 269444 — E: [email protected]
www.ageukdorchester.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1142519
Social Media Basics for Christians Getting to Grips with Facebook and Twitter
Tutor: Michael Ford
Tuesday 20th January, 7—9pm The Lantern Church, Wimborne, BH21 1SN
Saturday 24th January, 10am—noon Church House, Crane Street, Salisbury, SP1 2QB
See article on page 20 for more details
5
Don’t Forget the Christmas Tree Festival!
St George's Church annual Christmas Tree Festival will be held from Friday 5th— Monday 8th December in the church. The theme for this year is "Celebrations". The festival will be preceded by Carols on the Green at 6pm on the Friday evening.
For more information please contact Maggie Carter on 01305 266072 or email [email protected]
St George’s Church Fordington, Dorchester
Church Correspondent: Revd Fiona Hall
6
Service dates for December/January
Sunday 7th December 8.00am – Holy Eucharist (said) 9.45am – Holy Eucharist (sung) 6.00pm – Taize service
Sunday 14th December 8.00am – Holy Eucharist (said) 9.45am – Holy Eucharist (sung)
Sunday 21st December 8.00am – Holy Eucharist (said) 9.45am – Holy Eucharist (sung) 6.00pm – Carol Service
Wednesday 24th December — Christmas Eve 4.30pm — Crib service with lighting of Christingles (Children’s Society) 10.30pm — Carols before ... 11pm — Mass
Thursday 25th December — Christmas Day 8.00am – Holy Eucharist (said) 9.45am – all-age Eucharist for Christmas Day
Sunday 28th December 8.00am – Holy Eucharist (said) 9.45am – Holy Eucharist (sung)
Sunday 4th January (Epiphany) 8.00am - Holy Eucharist (said) 9.45am – Holy Eucharist Sung 6.00pm - Taize
Sundays 11th, 18th & 25th January 8.00am – Holy Eucharist (said) 9.45am – Holy Eucharist (sung)
Morning Prayer is said on Tuedays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 o’clock with a weekday Eucharist on Tuesdays at 9.30.
The Contemplative prayer group will meet each Weds at 5pm in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel (but not 24th Dec) and at the Quiet Space at 7.30pm on 11th Dec (but not 25th Dec) and on 8th & 22nd January. All are welcome.
For details contact Rosemary Bassett 01305 262615 or Anita Finnigan 01305 259032
Tea under the Tree in the church
A social event on Sunday 14th December at 4 o’clock. Tickets from Audrey Litson and her usual team.
Monday Club
On Mon 8th December the Monday Club will be having a Christmas Lunch at the Pine Lodge Tearooms & Restaurant. On Mon 19th January we will begin our 2015 programme with a musical afternoon with Allen Knott. New members are welcome and transport is available. 2015 programme is available at the back of the church.
Cleaning group
The cleaning group will not meet in December but will resume again on the 4th Thursday of each month beginning on Thursday 22nd January.
Christmas Card Leaflets
Those who have kindly volunt-eered to deliver the Christmas card leaflet to the Victoria Park area of our town will meet in the
Church at 2pm. It will be good to start together with a prayer before we set out. Your reward ! Tea and mince pies in the Rectory when we have finished.
Ministry Matters
St. Mary’s Church Open Evenings are held every Thursday when people will be free to visit the Rectory, 17a Edward Road,
Dorchester to arrange a baptism or wedding. There will be no need to make an appointment just turn up between 6.15pm and 7.15pm. If you would like to chat with the Team Rector, Thomas Woodhouse, ring 01305 267944.
Confirmation: if you would like to discuss the possibly of confirmation ring Thomas on 267944; no one is too old and there is some flexibility at the other end of life too!
Revd Jean Saddington
It was such a joyous evening when we gathered together to support Jean when she was licensed to the Benefice of Dorchester and the
Winterbournes, as a fully-fledged Team Vicar.
The church was crammed and it just showed what can be
Thomas
Woodhouse
St Mary the Virgin Dorchester
Church Correspondent: Robert Potter
Kath
Joslin
Adrian
Downton
7
achieved when churches in the benefice support each other. I referred to this in my role as Lay Chairman when our Rector joined us.
The setting of the evening was created by a superb choir which sat behind the main congregation. Their voices blended so beautifully and it was a fitting start to an evening, full of dignity and joy. It was also a great joy to see Canon Harold Stephens and the Revd. David Fayle, former incumbents of St Mary’s. It is good to know that we are not losing Jean but that she will be a member of an enthusiastic and developing Team.
A Prayer from Mexico
I am only a spark. Make me a fire I am only a string. Make me a lyre I am only a drop. Make me a fountain I am only an anthill. Make me a mountain I am only a feather. Make me a wing I am only a rag. Make me a King
Persecution
This is not a very Christmasy theme but it is topical. It is the subject of a recent article in The Times about the fate of Christians in the war-torn
countries of the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq.
A former envoy of the archbishop has been, for 9 years, vicar of St George’s in Baghdad, a church inside a heavily barricaded compound, and the archbishop has now forbidden his return there because of the danger. In the past few years more than 1,200 members of his congregation and several of his staff have been murdered, according to Melanie Phillips, the author of the article. Christians are being murdered or driven out, their houses daubed to mark the occupants for slaughter and children kidnapped. Methods of killing are grotesque in western eyes.
It seems that Christianity is about to be wiped out in the lands where it has been cradled for 2,000 years. This crusade against Christians is also being waged by radical Muslims in many other countries including several African ones in which European colonists of the 19th century established Christianity as the religion.
We hear of the general violence and the barbaric murders in that area but little seems to be said about the global onslaught against Christianity. Are we afraid to acknowledge the existence of a holy war? Is this the latest phase in the 1,300 year struggle between Islam and Christianity? Before the Crusades, Muslims forced Christians in North Africa and the middle east to convert to Islam and they went on to spread north through Spain until finally stopped at the battle of Tours, only about 200
miles south of Paris. The Crusades pushed them back and the Christian world became dominant. Until now.
We may wonder what the future holds and we must be thankful that, for the time being, we are able to worship in peace and not be afraid to profess ourselves as Christians. Let us enjoy the Nativity season here and pray for those who live closer to the historic roots of our faith.
The Fabric Saga Continues
After the storms and repairs, which were necessary last year, we were hoping for some
respite so early in the winter season. Not so!!
We are carrying out repairs to the gutters and roof on the north side of the church. Lead flashings are being replaced and a considerable amount of repointing and window repair high up is required, to stop the choir getting a free shower when it rains on a Sunday.
The inspection of the roof, which is very high, by our architect indicated that the tall chimney from the boiler house needed immediate attention. This has been beautifully repaired, but was an unexpected cost.
Finishing this report I have just been informed that the roof over the kitchen area in the hall is leaking and once again will need a considerable repair.
It is no wonder that I listen carefully to the daily weather forecasts and pray for those quiet sunny days which are always welcomed by all of us.
Sanctuary Lamp Candles
December 2014 14th Given by Gill and Adrian Downton in thanksgiving 21st Given by Audrey and Peter Buckingham in thanksgiving for their family and friends 28th Given by Janet Comley in memory of her parents whose wedding anniversary was on 28th Dec January 2015 4th Given by Kath Joslin in memory of her father William Cashman, and by Joan Hodgkins to mark family birthdays 11th Given by Ellie Stephens in memory of her nephew Karl Branston whose years mind falls at this time. 18th Given by Mary Boulter in memory of her husband David whose years mind falls on the 17th January. Also by Eileen Dixon and family in memory of her husband John whose years mind falls at this time 25th Given by Diane Keir in loving memory of her parents and dear aunt Lizbeth whose anniversaries fall at this time.
St Mary the Virgin — continued
Robert
Potter
Bob
Wishart
Adrian Downton
& Audrey Litson
8
A New Pastoral Team for St Mary the Virgin “Live adventurously”.
When choices arise, do you take the way that offers the fullest opportunity for the use of your gifts in the service of God and the community?
Let your life speak. When decisions have to be made, are you ready to join with others in seeking clearness, asking for God’s guidance and offering counsel to one another ?
On Tuesday 27th January at 7.30pm in The Rectory I invite you to help me establish a Pastoral Team at St Mary’s Church. Already our Lay Pastoral Assistants (LPAs), Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs) and clergy work to maintain a focus of care and companionship that is a cause for celebration. What I hope to develop alongside this work is baptismal preparation, marriage preparation and bereavement visiting.
I will coordinate the team to start with but it will only function properly if you offer your time and talents. We need people with a willing heart, listening ear and the ability to hold others before God in prayer. We are not looking for super-humans, instead there needs to be a commitment to work in a team of equals! You do not need to be licensed, but you do need to be willing to engage in training where and when appropriate.
You will have new ideas of how we can better serve the community beyond our building! By growing a pastoral team around current practitioners they can share good practice and enthusiasm and together we can develop the scope of our ministry. We might also encourage more vocations to LPA ministry, LLM ministry and the Ordained ministry!
Please pray about this and if you feel God prompting you to join us or you want to suggest a name ring me on 267944.
Thomas
Woodhouse
In the Church Choir I like to be in the church choir To pass a pleasant happy hour In singing psalming and response To follow each and every nuance I find it calming to proceed At stately pace throughout each phase Of the church calendar, and gaze Serenely at stained glass between, Or listen to the rumbling drone Of the ancient organ, and I’m keen To find the page of the next hymn We have to sing at the right time Is it the red book or the green Or that small sheet I think I’ve seen By someone’s sweets laid out in rows And what’s that scuffling near my toes? The church mouse has been here again And nibbled at my file, for shame But blest he is, it is his home And who would grudge him a church
flower Or even lodging in the tower I like to be in the church choir The architecture to admire But I digress, we’re here to sing And to thank God for everything
A chorister of St Peter’s Church
Two young boys were spending the night with their Grandparents the week before Christmas. At bedtime the boys knelt beside their bed to say their prayers. The youngest one began praying at the top of his voice: “I PRAY FOR A BICYCLE. I PRAY FOR A NINTENTO. I PRAY FOR A NEW DVD…” His older brother asked, “Why are you shouting? God is not deaf.” “No,” his brother replied, “but Grandma is.”
In Jane’s Christmas drawing, two camels were approaching
the inn, over which was pictured a huge star. The third camel and its rider were going directly away from it. “Why is the third man going a different direction?” her mother asked.
Jane replied, “Oh, he is looking for a place to park.”
On New Year's Eve, Marilyn stood up in the local pub and said that it
was time to get ready. At the stroke of midnight, she wanted
every husband to be standing next to the one person who made his
life worth living. Well, it was kind of embarrassing. As the clock
struck - the bartender was almost crushed to death.
9
It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas children in church is with teenagers who are beginning to live their own lives. This makes them more independent and confident. The more caring of them look out for causes. Christians too ought to be looking out for causes because our Lord told us to.
Is there not a natural connection here between Christians and teenagers? Perhaps so, perhaps not.
Let’s have a good pray about this in the coming Christmas season. Pray for our children wherever they have got to and for our grandchildren who we will see if we are lucky and spoil them rotten with chocolate which is lovely for both of us provided we hand them back to their parents when they get the tummy ache!
Christmas is coming and we look back to the days when our churches were full of children. They still are to some extent but a bit less every year.
I don’t suppose it will happen this year but wouldn’t it be great if we had more children around in our churches ?Where have they all gone to ? They have grown up and moved away.
I blame the petrol engine myself. We oldies have family members scattered all over the land and beyond. That breaks up families and leaves loneliness both in and out of church.
Personally, I think the best hope for doing things with
Silent Night, Stille Nacht
white almost everywhere . . . there was a lot of commotion in the German trenches and then there were those lights – I don’t know what they were. And then they sang “Stille Nacht” – “Silent Night”. I shall never forget it. It was one of the highlights of my life.”
Many letters from the World War One trenches were re-printed in local newspapers. Some of these letters have been collated from newspapers around the country and may be seen on the website: www.christmastruce.co.uk
To honour that very special event, the Dorchester Choral Society and their twinned choir, the Kantorei an St Andreas of Lübbecke in Germany, have recorded a commemorative CD. The haunting first bars, sung unaccompanied by Heinz-Herman Grüber (the Kantorei choir master), with the bass and tenor voices from both choirs slowly joining in the singing, recreate this moment in history.
The CD continues by telling the story of “The Little Peace in the Great War” by Michael Jürgs. The German voice is that of Eckhard Struckmeier, a priest at the church of St Andreas. Christine Page, the Director of Dorchester Choral Society, provides the English version. Fittingly, the finale is provided by the combined choirs, men and women, German and English, singing in unison. A musical expression of the friendships and harmony which has resulted from the twinning of our two towns and our choral partnership.
Further details and copies of the CD are now available and may be ordered from:
Jenny Dennis — 01305 251338 Email: [email protected]
The Christmas carol, Silent Night, will be a common theme for thousands of services in December 2014 as churches and communities gather to celebrate
Christmas and to remember the temporary truce in the trenches of World War One.
A British soldier, Albert Moren, who was in the front-line trenches near the village of La Chapelle d’Armentières recalled hearing Silent Night sung during the Christmas truce of 1914:
“It was a beautiful moonlit night, frost on the ground,
Tony
Wheeler
Jenny
Dennis
An
n O
ny
mu
s
10
News from Friends of the Hub
You will have seen in the local press that BCHA announced the closure of the Hub Service at the end
of September.
As you know, BCHA took over the management of The Hub in 2009, when it was supporting on average 34 people each month and they ran it well and in close cooperation with the local statutory services.
Over the past 18 months we have reported to you the decrease in the number of people needing help and support at The Hub, and this summer, with the move into a High Street office, this reduced further. None of the itinerant folks who usually come through the town (and who mostly have no need to be homeless!) made use of the service, so the actual number of clients was down to an average of 3 people a month. It was clearly not financially viable for BCHA to continue paying an experienced project worker, so, in consultation with the Trustees of Friends of the Hub, the decision was made to close.
The good news is that the decrease in demand is predominantly the result of more flexible housing options for people who find themselves sleeping rough here, and a quick response from the Street Homeless Outreach Team. That Team is managed by EDP (Exeter Drug Project, who run most of the drug and alcohol service for the whole of this area) who are commissioned by the local Councils to provide a street outreach service to people sleeping rough in Dorchester, Weymouth, Sherborne and Bridport and they are providing a very effective service. They will be able to make use of the BCHA office and toilet facilities at 19 High West Street for individual rough sleepers when necessary.
In addition, the Housing service for WDDC and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council has signed up to ‘No Second Night Out’ which aims to be able to provide prompt emergency accommodation for someone with local connections whilst their housing needs are sorted out.
The inevitable sadness that I think we all feel is that the Hub did provide something more than getting people housed. It was somewhere for its clients to go for help when they were in trouble, regardless of whether or not they were in housing, and that is a loss. However, we have to admit that those long-term clients who feared the loss of our building last Christmas have coped well without it and have found their own support within the community.
So what happens now?
The Friends of The Hub will work with EDP to continue
to support the homeless people of this area. We will provide:
sleeping bags for the Outreach Worker to distribute,
basic furniture when homeless people are first housed
help with expenses for individual clients trying to get training or travel to interviews or other opportunities to improve their situation.
We have confirmation that the NHS Dental Van will continue to visit on the last Thursday of each month, at the Durnovaria Band Hall in Fordington, with the costs for that venue covered by the Friends of the Hub.
We will run a coffee morning there with hot drinks, toast and biscuits and a chat from 9.30 to 12 on each of those mornings, both for users of the dental van and for everyone.
Information
We have had small cards printed with telephone numbers and other information. One is enclosed with this Newsletter for your information and to pas on. For those who receive the newsletter by e-mail I will attach the printed proof of the card for you to keep.
Our advice sheet for the Churches and Parish Magazine has been updated and it plus the cards will be distributed to all useful community resource places.
Wanted! — Yes there is still a ‘Wanted’ column!
The volunteer team now only needs to be small but we do need a rota to run the coffee mornings once a month. We have just enough people right now but will be seeking more of you in future.
Goods! You have all been so good at supplying anything that was needed over the past 12 years which has been a tremendous support. Now there will no longer be any need to store a stock of food, toiletries and winter clothes but we will still need to purchase them for individuals when the Outreach Team asks for such items. So…
Money! We know that it may be tempting to feel that your help is no longer vital – but PLEASE don’t abandon the Friends of the Hub now. The trustees want to be able to offer help whenever we are asked by the Outreach Team, so your steady ongoing help is vital and much appreciated.
The Contact for the Friends is: Margaret Barker — 01305 260959; 43 Bridport Rd, Dorchester DT1 2NG
Margaret Barker
& Julia Whiting
11
Reading the Bible Too Much… and Not Enough If you are one of those people who feel they could not understand or appreciate the Bible more than you already do, then hearty congratula-
tions to you — stop reading this, make yourself a cup of tea, and ponder your uniqueness. As for the rest of us... Most of us don't read the Bible as often as we would like, and when we do it sometimes fails to move us. If we are over familiar with the texts we can find ourselves mentally drifting away, coming to as the reader leaves the lectern, only to realise we haven't heard a word. It is even more daunting if like me you have been brought up with only a cursory knowledge of the Bible. To plough through just one book is a Herculean task and requires patience, study guides, Bible dictionaries and frustration at not being able to put events into context. I know this is shocking but sometimes I just prefer to watch Bake Off. It was on a long walk back through the lovely village of Milton Abbas last year that we were accosted by a well-placed sign offering afternoon tea and cake in the church. As we did some damage to the cake display and drained the tea pot, we began to pick over the selection of Bibles that had been carefully placed at the back of the cafe within the church. It was there that we discovered The Street Bible. We started reading out of curiosity, and found ourselves initially laughing at its bold humour, but were also excited by its verve and its theology. The author Rob Lacey had painstakingly 'translated' the whole Bible into vernacular English; English as it is spoken by ordinary people rather than the language that foreign students are taught.
There is also a narrator who fills in the background, with little asides. Formality is gone and in its place are the stories and dramatis personae passionately refreshed. Ignatian style we are transported back to the events, and into the shoes of Adam, Job, Mary, Jesus, Paul etc. We feel their pains, their fears and passions. The teenager in your life or in you would love it. Adam is the Garden of Eden, God tells Moses off for 'whining at him' in Exodus, the book of Job is memorably subtitled as ' Bad things happen.' and the parables are picked apart and re-defined in a way that is really invigorating. Irreverent? Absolutely not. The core of our faith is strongly redefined by a new poetry. It's humorous in parts because the Bible ,and of course, Life, is funny. It is billed as a Bible for 'Those who've never read the Bible and for those who read it too much,' and this describes it pretty well. Rob Lacey was on his own heroic journey during its writing, as he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the knowledge of this infuses the book with a reality that makes it very special. The
passionate and robust poetry of his words dig deep into the text and it is surprisingly moving to rediscover favourite chapters. I will end with a section from Psalm 23 that gives a flavour of Lacey's struggles and his way with words: 'I crawl through the alley of the shadow of cancer I know you know the answer and the battle won't rattle me. You're around and I've found there's something about your empathy, Your symphony of sympathy, that comforts me...'
Helen
Harley
Dorchester United Church for the last few years have been proud to present their ‘Journey to the Stable’, this is an interactive experience helping to explain the true meaning of Christmas. This is suitable for both adults & children alike. So how does it work?
You will enter via the front of the church; where a map is given to help you along the way. Each of the 7 stations focuses on a person or element from the Christmas story. At each station you will find a small Bible reading followed by a reflection for you to read. In addition a small activity or object is available for you to take away, all this culminates in you taking home a bag of reflections and goodies. The highlight of our journey is the final station ‘The Stable’.
The average journey time is approx 20 – 30 mins.
The dates/times available for this year are:
Saturday 13th December 11am—3pm Wednesday 17th to Saturday 20th December 11am—3pm
You will be assured of a very warm welcome.
Journey to the Stable at Dorchester United Church
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Make a Date With Tunisia It is highly improbable that Mohamed Bouazizi had ever heard of Hugh Latimer or Nicholas Ridley one time Bishops of Worcester and
London respectively who perished together at the stake in Oxford in 1555. It is even more improbable that he would have heard of the Latimer’s black humour when commenting to his fellow martyr “We shall this day, by God’s grace, light up such a candle in England, as I trust will never be put out” — or so Fox tells us in his Book of Martyrs.
Mr Bouazizi was a Tunisian market vendor. Fed up with the harassment and humiliation he suffered from petty officials of a notoriously corrupt regime he set fire to himself on 17 December 2010 and died a few weeks later from his burns. The candle Mr Bouazizi lit up was to spark off protests and riots in his own country leading in less than a month to the resignation of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The revolt soon spread to next door Libya, to Egypt, and to Syria. These outbursts of popular fury against autocracy, greed, corruption and brutality were quickly dubbed the Arab Spring but as we know only
too well that spring has in almost all places gone backwards to the depths of winter.
But, remarkably, not in Tunisia where it all began – at least not yet. As in other Arab states the religion is that of Islam and almost all Tunisian Muslims are of the orthodox, moderate Sunni persuasion. There is also a strong secular element made up of groups with different agendas and in the febrile world of Arab politics there is plenty of explosive material to hand.
Following Ben Ali’s flight elections brought to office the Islamic party though not with an absolute majority. Conflict with their secular rivals broke out but unlike what happened in Egypt where the Islamic party overplayed its hand the parties were persuaded to compromise and control was passed to a technocrat to pave the way for fresh elections. Those elections took place last month and the result, giving the edge to the secularists, seems to have been accepted as fair and has not been challenged.
So far so good. But Tunisia faces a huge task if it is to become a stable nation where ordinary people can lead their lives securely and with a reasonable degree of prosperity and where the likes of Mr Bouazizi can carry on their business without fear. Tunisia is not a rich country. Unlike Libya it has no significant quantities of oil, which is perhaps a blessing; it has substantial unemployment and a rocky economy. If Tunisia is to make it then it needs help and support from the west.
One way ordinary people can assist is by going to Tunisia as a tourist. There is a huge amount to see and enjoy — the remains of Carthage, the mosaics in the Bardo museum in Tunis, the glories of the Roman ruins at El Jem, the Mediterranean beaches and the benign climate. If you get the chance go. If you’ve been, go again. And if you can’t do either at least buy some Tunisian dates this Christmas.
David
Lang
Social Media Basics for Christians Getting to Grips with Facebook and Twitter
Tutor: Michael Ford
Are you bewildered by the world of Facebook and Twitter? Have you got a laptop or tablet, but are still struggling to make it work properly? Or are privacy concerns putting you off from engaging with social media? And do you find it difficult to see how all of this fits into the mission of the Church? If so, this event is for you.
We'll look at the two most popular social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter - how they work, how to have fun with them, some of the potential pitfalls that frighten people as well as what you might be losing by failing to engage on social media. There will be time to ask any questions.
We'll also explore why social media matters as a mission field for individual Christians, and how to share your faith online without becoming a bore.
Who is this event useful for? This event is aimed at people who have no experience or limited experience of using Facebook and Twitter, and whose IT skills are limited or moderate.
Upcoming events
Tuesday 20th January, 7-9 pm, The Lantern Church, Wimborne, BH21 1SN Saturday 24th January, 10 am - noon, Church House, Crane Street, Salisbury, SP1 2QB
Admission free. E-mail [email protected] to secure your place.
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Services – December 2014
Sunday 7th December — Advent 2 9am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Sung Eucharist
Sunday 14th December — Advent 3 9am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Sung Eucharist
Thursday 18th December 7.30pm Carol Service Thomas Hardye School, Chapel Choir
Sunday 21st December — Advent 4 9am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Sung Eucharist 6.30pm Traditional Nine Lessons & Carols
Christmas Eve 11.30pm Choral Midnight Mass
Christmas Day 10am Christmas Eucharist
Sunday 28th December — Sunday after Christmas/Holy Innocents 9am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Sung Eucharist
Services – January 2015
All Sundays: 9am BCP Said Communion 10.30am Sung Eucharist
Regular weekday services
Thursdays: 10am Said Eucharist with coffee afterwards in the hall – open for ‘drop in’ until 1pm Midday prayer in church @noon on Thurs
Mondays and Thursdays: 9am Morning Prayer in the Hardy Chapel (15 minutes)
Advance Notice 2015
Monday 2nd February for Candlemas 7pm Taize style evening prayer – informal; ~30minutes.
Wednesday 18th February for Ash Wednesday 7.30pm Choral Compline with Ashing
Christmas Bazaar
Saturday 6th December — 10am until 12noon Donations for stalls would be much appreciated - red and gold, blue and silver, green and purple, books, gardening and Christmas produce especially mince pies. Items can be brought to church or contact Val Beavis (268756), Beryl Shuttleworth ([email protected]).Thank you.
Carols and Cake Fundraiser
St Peter’s Church Saturday 13th December
2pm – 4pm We are having another fundraiser here at St. Peter’s. You all did a fantastic job back in the summer encouraging your families and friends to come and support us. Could you do the same for Saturday 13th December between 2pm and 4pm when we will be singing carols, having Christmas readings and poems and listening to some of our talented congregation making music.
Work under the tower at St Peter’s
The re-ordering of the space under the tower is now complete, providing a new multipurpose space for the church – socially, liturgically and more. There will be a short act of blessing and dedication of this space on Sunday 14th December during the 10.30am service.
Confirmation 2015
There are already a few names noted of candidates for Confirmation Classes 2015. The service will be at Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday 9th May at 6.30pm. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of being Confirmed (all ages eligible – and preparation times negotiated accordingly) then please contact Revd Vicky Thurtell 01305 268767 [email protected].
Many Birthdays and Celebrations:
Please read your name(s) here if omitted! There was a ‘mass’ celebration at the beginning of November with refreshments in church for chorister Jamie’s 18th birthday; Rob’s half century; also for Brian, Kate, Matthew,
St Peter’s Church High West Street, Dorchester
Church Correspondent: Revd Vicky Thurtell
14
Margaret, Vicky, Judy, John, Clive, Debbie, Beryl’s Doreen and more...Scorpios...also, many congratulations to Barbara F at 90 later in the month.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
A Honeymooon with a Difference
Mr & Mrs Jed (server at St Peter’s) and Sammi Germodo were married in church earlier this year – here is a report from them about their
honeymoon with a difference!
It all started on an indecisive evening as we chose our honeymoon destination. We just couldn't seem to agree on what to do, except that we were certain about one thing, to do something different!
As we browsed our options on the internet, whilst on Facebook, of course, an ad appeared about the Weldmar Hospice's Iceland Trek challenge. We didn't think any of it until the following morning when Sammie's sister rang her and mentioned
it; which then tied in perfectly to what we unconsciously wanted; be somewhere so awe inspiring whilst doing it for a good cause!
Icelandic challenge was perfect!!! Or at least until we started trekking...reality hit. It was a challenge indeed. Sub zero temperatures whilst we walk up and down the hills wasn't quite what we pictured as our honeymoon. No running water, no toilets, no electrics. We were living with the most basic amenities, or lack of.
Although, after the days of blizzards, high winds and the painfully cold days, we also trekked through black ash covered hills with moss that are far and few between which somehow made the distant hills looked so vibrant, we realised that we were what most would probably call, lucky. We were given the opportunity to sign up for it. We somehow had the will and the drive to do all the fundraising as well as taking that leap of faith as we signed up to something that's little extreme for it to be a
honeymoon. This we must say just gave us this feeling that we were lucky.
We witnessed some of nature's most beautiful scenes, canyons with rivers you can see for miles, clouds trapped in icicle covered ravines on a misty noon, knee high snow blanketing a whole region, glaciers, waterfalls and even the blue lagoon!
Iceland was truly magical!
Jed & Sammi
Germodo
Two little boys, ages 8 and 10, are excessively mischievous. They are always getting into trouble and their parents know if any mischief occurs in their town, the two boys are probably involved.
The boys' mother heard that a preacher in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The preacher agreed, but he asked to see them individually.
The mother sent the 8 year old in the morning, with the older boy to see the preacher in the afternoon.
The preacher, a huge man with a deep booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Do you know where God is, son?"
The boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open.
So the preacher repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God?!”
Again, the boy made no attempt to answer.
The preacher raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "WHERE IS GOD?!"
The boy screamed & bolted from the room, ran directly home & dived into his closet, slamming the door behind him.
When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"
The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time!...
"GOD is missing, and they think WE did it!"
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Dates for December and January
6 December 7.30pm Reading of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens
7 December 10am Parish Communion
14 December 10am Morning Prayer
21 December 10am Parish Communion (said) 3pm Nativity play Rehearsal 6.30pm Candlelit service of Carols and Lessons
24 December — Christmas Eve 10am Making Christingles 4.30pm Crib and Christingle Service with Children’s Nativity play 11.30pm Midnight Communion
25 December — Christmas Day 10am Christmas Communion for all the Family
28 December 10am Parish Communion
4 January — Epiphany 10am Parish Communion
11 January 10am Morning Prayer
18 January 10am Parish Communion
25 January 9am Holy Communion 10am Come and Worship
Christmas Carol
On Saturday 6th December David Bowen will be reading that well loved classic, Charles Dickens’ ‘Christmas Carol’ in St Andrew’s Church, lit by flickering candles to create the right atmosphere for such a ghostly tale, a real pre- Christmas treat. Tickets at £7 can be obtained from the wardens Tim 251338 or Esther 757377. Proceeds will be shared between The Children’s Society and St Andrew’s Church servery project.
To reflect the seasonal cheer of a Victorian Christmas, mulled wine and mince pies will be available in the interval.
Water Aid
The project to bring a water supply inside the church, creating a servery area at the back of the church by
removing four pews, moves slowly forward. Providing the required authorisation (faculty) is given the work should begin next year. The long term vision once the water supply and drainage are in place, is to have a toilet but that will take even more planning and fundraising. While we long to have modern facilities in the church, many parts of the world long for a reliable water supply or basic toilet, even one to be shared communally. So this year, the collections at the Christmas services (apart from the Crib and Christingle Service) will go to Water Aid, a charity that works to provide safe water and sanitation.
Christmas and Children
One of the features of Christmas at St Andrew’s Church is the service on Christmas Eve attended by lots of families with children of all ages and sizes. The children are invited to dress up to take part in a nativity play.
While there are always plenty of volunteers to be angels or Mary, last year we struggled even to find a Joseph or shepherds as being a sheep or a wise man seemed a better option!
The crib scene is also set by those too shy or too young to take part in the play so all can be involved in telling the Christmas story.
Towards the end of the service the Christingles are distributed and then lit while the candle collecting boxes to support the work of the Children’s Society are gathered up.
It is always very special but I breathe a sigh of relief if nothing has caught fire although it is usually a bit chaotic! All are welcome at this service –whether a child or only a child at heart!
St Andrew’s Church West Stafford
Church Correspondent: Revd Jane Culliford
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Including creation and its precious resources in our prayers and worship
Actions in our churches
Actions in the community in partnership with others, especially our friends of the Transition Towns.
A key international climate summit is being held in Lima from 1-12 December. High level government ministers from around the world will discuss and hopefully agree a credible draft climate agreement before the crucial Paris summit in 2015. An initiative ‘LightForLima’ invites people around the world to light a candle during the first week of December and to hold vigils to meditate and reflect on our future.
The Quiet Space
We are working on a set of guidelines for wider use of the Quiet Space, mainly outside the day time public opening times. In the garden Sally Burrage is preparing a list of the existing plants and how to care for them. She would welcome helpers, particularly those who can do heavy work. Contact [email protected]
Snowdrop Service
This lovely service for those who have lost someone they love will take place in the Borough Gardens at 3pm on Sunday 1st February. Sally Bedborough, Chaplain of the Weldmar Hospice, will lead it.
Nicholas becomes C of E's lead bishop on the environment
The Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, has accepted the invitation of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to succeed the Bishop of London as the Church of England’s lead bishop for Environmental Affairs with immediate effect.
In his new role Bishop Nicholas will work with the Mission and Public Affairs
department of the Archbishops’ Council and also with the Cathedral and Church Buildings Division on the Church of England’s Shrinking the Footprint campaign. He will also Chair the new Working Group on the Environment established by General Synod in February 2014.
Bishop Nicholas said:
“There is an urgency about environmental issues. They press hard on all of us, but the poorest of the earth are the most vulnerable. Faith communities are taking this seriously.
“Christianity is about our turning to a way which is life-giving. The environmental challenges facing us can seem insurmountable, but our deepest resources can renew the hope that we will act to sustain and renew the life of the earth. My hope as I take on this new role, is that this work
will energise the Church of England and everyone who cares for creation.”
Philip Fletcher, Chair of the Mission and Public Affairs Council, said:
“The need for a senior figure of Bishop Nicholas’ skills and experience to champion and advocate the work of the Church of England in this area is vital. At a time when Climate Change and environmental issues are being rightly viewed with increasing urgency, the appointment of Bishop Nicholas is as timely as it is welcome. His role in chairing the networking group on the Environment is good news for all who hope to see an increasingly effective and engaged response from the Church of England.”
Source: http://www.salisbury.anglican.org/news/bishop-of-the-planet
Bishop of the Planet
Churches Together Dorchester—continued from page 31
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CHURCHES TOGETHER
DORCHESTER
Compiled by Val Potter
264416
Churches Together — Looking Back
At the recent AGM of Churches Together in the Dorchester Area the Chair (Catherine Dearlove of the River of Life Church) reported: This year has seen a wonderful sense of working together on newer projects which hopefully are the catalyst for more to come. These included the Time of Peace in May; the morning working together at the Community Farm; the new project for International Peace Day ‘Ringing the Gardens’ and the Town Centre Chaplaincy Programme.
We have also made progress with communication, with a dedicated email address [email protected]. All churches and church organisations are invited to send us notices of relevant events so that we can help to publicise them to other churches. Our 3 times a year newsletter will pull together information and be sent out electronically. If you are not on the list for the newsletter then please let us know so we can add you.
The financial report shows we have a healthy reserve, some of which is for new projects, e.g any costs incurred by the new Town Centre Chaplaincy project but it was agreed to send £400 to the DEC or Christian Aid for efforts to tackle Ebola. It was also agreed to allocate £100 locally for advent calendars to people with children who use the foodbank as an additional treat for them.
Dorchester Poverty Action Group
Margaret Barker reported that financial help has been given to almost 100 families in urgent need of help in the past year, and the Christmas voucher scheme will be continued this year.
Margaret then gave the reasons for the closure of the Hub and distributed information cards and sheets to help homeless people.
The group’s recommendation for the future is that the issue of the living wage could be taken up by local church-es – this area has low incomes and high housing costs.
Churches Together — Looking Forward
Margaret Barker was elected as Chair and mapped out her vision for 2015. In January during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we will focus on the needs of this area and its churches to bring us closer to each other. This will take place at the Quiet Space at midday each day for half an hour with readings, an opportunity for silent prayer and refreshments. At the end of the week there will be a united service on Sunday evening of 25th January.
There will be a series of half hour monthly gatherings for prayer, open to all, including those churches not formally members of Churches Together, to provide a space for quiet reflection and listening. These will be at different times of the day, different days of the week, held at the Quiet Space.
For those who wish to follow the theme prepared internationally you can download the material, including readings and prayers from the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland website www.ctbi.org.uk The 2015 theme is ‘The Well is Deep’ and was prepared by the people of Brazil.
Christmas is Coming
The United Church is again holding a ‘Blue Christmas’ service for those who have lost someone recently, or who are struggling with the concept of celebration this Christmas. It is on 14th December at 3pm.
There will be Carol Singing on 23rd December at 9.30am outside Barclay’s Bank, with a collection for Christian Aid. The stalwarts would really welcome some new faces and voices. Come for just a carol or two or stay for the full hour.
Town Centre Chaplaincy
There will be a training day at the end of January for those interested in taking part in this scheme to support the life and businesses of our town centre. You probably need to be quite outgoing, with an interest in people and with good listening skills. You do not need to have attended the initial meeting in the summer about the scheme, and if you want to know more you can contact me on 264416 or [email protected] . After the initial training day you might say that it is not for you and a sensitive process or selecting only suitable people will take place to ensure this is about supportive presence, not overt evangelism.
Action to Save the World
The Churches Ecology Group welcomed the appointment of Bishop Nicholas to his national brief in the Church of England for the Environment and Climate Change. [See article on page 29.] We wrote to him about our recent meal and were pleased to hear that our speaker, Martyn Goss, is on his national consultative committee. We are now trying to find an appropriate focus for our efforts to persuade the churches to take the issues more seriously. The areas for action can be helpfully summarised: Continued on page 29
18
Life is never dull. I was detailed to take Rocco and elder sister Vivien to purchase spiked running shoes. If anyone had ever told me you could
buy a pair of shoes one orange one green I would have thought they were mad. Perhaps it would have been easier to take one child at a time, I had all five. The eldest turned into her mother, dishing out orders and giving Rocco a push at intervals, the youngest two decided to try all the equipment in the sports shop. Not having eyes in the back of my head, despite what some people may think, I swiftly reached the point of wanting the floor to swallow me up. My stress level not helped by my insisting when the children had a red shoe on they bring the other one and being told you have it, no one explained for first twenty minutes the other one was green, not only that they were £50 a pair for odd shoes!! We eventually established two pairs and I put them on hold for their mother to check out, by this time the little ones had made a den with the cube seats over the running machine. Another shop that now closes when it sees us heading in.
——— The school had a special Heroes Day. Year 3 did a super display of Nelson and his flagship whilst most but not all of the other children came dressed as their personal hero. My Horror when Year 4 trouped in with Rocco in a tutu, “being Darcy Bussell, Grandma”, I can assure you amid many titters from the children it was hastily removed, still not sure what he left home dressed as, that child what will he be, the death of me?
——— A few days later the Prince of Wales visited the Prince of Wales School. Of all the children Rocco was detailed for hall door monitor. The Prince arrived and into the hall he went, and after the children had sung and performed the Prince spoke to them. All through the video that appeared in the Dorset Echo, at the end of the line-up of dignitaries with the Prince is Rocco, who kept popping out to have a look at the Prince. Very funny, and brave of the school, I would have kept him well out of harm’s way. It did not end there, never does with Roc, when asked by his mother that evening if the Prince had been to school, he said “No”. “Are you sure?” said his mother. “No, he didn’t come but his Dad did,” said Rocco!!!
Walking update We went to Thorncombe woods last week with dog and got lost, bit scary as the light was fading, oh says Margaret W, I have a map compass and torch. What a relief, till she
A Month in the Life of a Grandma added, but they are in my bag in the spare bedroom!!!
Nativity Even after forty years of going to children’s Nativity plays I shed a tear every year at the pure innocence of small children singing Away in a Manger. It reminds me of a true story which happened when I was an OFSTED inspector. The school were putting on the play early for us, it had been very well rehearsed. The school was in North Derbyshire, almost Yorkshire. All went well till it came to the adoration of the shepherds and the Magi . In came a baby lamb, a few words said, then the Kings each with a few words. King number three who had been waiting for ages and getting more and more nervous brought his gift and stopped, no words. Despite loud whisper from the side he took matters into his own hands, bent over the crib and in a very loud voice said, “Eeh he looks just like his Dad!” Never ever will I forget his mother’s face, she did not know if to laugh or cry, thinking with inspectors there it was ruined Of course it was a show stopper.
In the same school I was inspecting an RE lesson. The teacher was telling the children about God’s house, the church, and how people went there every Sunday to be together with God and to pray. Up goes a hand at the back, would have been safer to say no questions but impressed the children were taking an active part the teacher said, “Johnny, you have a question?” He had: “Can you tell me, if the church is God’s house and he is
there, how can he be in all the churches in the world at once?” From the mouths of babes. I thought it a decent thing to do to leave at this point as the face of the teacher showed all the signs of sheer terror at such a profound question in front of OFSTED.
Red Admiral Like a number of you I was at the service of Licencing in Martinstown in November as Jean Saddington became the vicar for Winterbournes and Compton Valence, a really
beautiful service where all the clergy renewed their licence and the new team came into place. Throughout the service a very large red admiral butterfly, not common in November, fluttered amongst us bringing a kind of peace and serenity to the event. On Remembrance Sunday as the wreath was laid in St Mary’s Church the same thing happened — as we left the cross the butterfly settled on the wreath. Some kind of magic seems to be happening.
Happy Christmas and New Year to All !
Margaret
Morrissey
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particular type but a person who is treated in a particular way. There is no definitive list of saints because a saint might be treated as such at one time and place but not another. The Roman Catholic Church published a list of saints between 1961 and 1969 listing over 20,000 saints! The Saints are categorised in the Litany as the Virgin Mary, angels, apostles, martyrs, confessors and virgins and the exact definition of the saint (whether one apostle, an apostle and evangelist, an evangelist, a martyr, several martyrs, etc.) determined the form of the liturgical service required to properly mark the saint’s day.
The discussion on dissent makes clear that from the very beginning there was doubt about the cult of saints. Augustine writing in the 4th century was aware that from the pagan perspective there was little difference between the worship of the old gods and the innovation of the saints. Opposition arose in the 12th century amongst the Cathars and in England two centuries later from the Lollards. In Northern Europe the Reformation brought about a revision of the place and importance of saints in Christian worship but as this book makes clear for millions over the centuries and for many now the Saints hold a central role, the invisible friend, a bridge between the human and the divine.
“Why Can the Dead Do Such Great Things?”
By Robert Bartlett
Princeton £20
Robert Bartlett is Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Medieval History at the University of St Andrews and in this new book he surveys and tells the history of
Saints and their worshippers from the age of the Martyrs to the Reformation. It answers every query you might have about Saints (and a lot you might never have thought of). I read it from beginning to end over a week and although I enjoyed it and would recommend it I think that it is a book for dipping into rather than as a straight read.
The first 90 pages of the book are a brisk chronological history and overview of the place of saints in the Christian church from the earliest state-sponsored assaults on the faith under Nero in AD 64 to 1563 and Article 22 of the 39 Articles of the Church of England “worshipping and adoration as well as images as of relics and invocations of saints is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded on no warranty of scripture; but repugnant to the word of God”.
What makes this very scholarly book engaging is that Bartlett carries his scholarship lightly and is adept an illustrating the points he is making with telling and often amusing illustrations. He writes that while those invoking the Saints had duties, to respect and revere the saint, to bring offerings and to participate in celebrations on feast days the saints had duties too. He or she was expected to provide help and worshippers were free to reproach saints who failed to do so. Adomnan (hagiographer of St Columba) records that he was supervising the transport of timber when an adverse wind sprang up, he prays to Saint Columba making clear that “we had hoped to obtain from you, with God’s aid, some encouraging help in our efforts, considering you were someone with high honour before God”. The imputation of low heavenly status spurs Columba into activity and the wind changes!
Bartlett makes the point that a saint is not a person of a
Jean
Lang
Bookworm
For all the Saints
Editor’s Comment
On page 17 of the November magazine we read a message from Canon Andrew White of St George’s, Baghdad, Iraq. I was listening to Radio 4 the other morning and who should read the Daily Prayer but Canon Andrew White, and suddenly his message became very real. Although he has now had to leave Baghdad and is in Jerusalem we need to hold him and his church, to which we hope he can one day return, in our prayers through Advent, Christmas and into 2015.
On behalf of the magazine team our thanks to all who have contributed over the past year and especially to our readers without whom our work would be in vain — many thanks.
A very happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year to all from Margaret, Lucy & Liz.
