L I N K Monthly Magazine

50p

December 2015

‘Light and life to all he brings’

St Mary the Virgin,Rickmansworth The Church of England and The Methodist Church in Partnership

Serving the whole community

We wish our readers all the blessings of Christmas

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REGULAR SERVICES

PLEASE SEE CALENDAR ON CENTRE PAGES FOR FURTHER DETAILS, AND OCCASIONAL VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS

TIME SERVICE LANGUAGE

Sundays Weekly 8.00AM Holy Communion Traditional

1st 10.00AM Family Communion Modern followed by coffee in

the Church Centre

2nd–5th 10.00AM Sung Holy Communion Modern followed by coffee in the Church Centre

Children’s Church in the Church Centre

2nd 12.15PM Holy Communion Modern

Weekly 6.00PM Evening Service

Weekdays

Mon−Fri 8.30AM Morning Prayer

Tue 9.30AM Holy Communion: Modern

5.45PM Evening Prayer: Mon–Fri, Mar–Oct

Contacts The code for all 6 digit telephone numbers is 01923, unless otherwise indicated.

Church Address: Church Street Rickmansworth WD3 1JB Website: www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk

Ministers at St Mary’s

Vicar and Minister authorised to The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 serve within the Methodist Church vicar@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk

Methodist Minister at St Mary’s, The Revd Richard Lowson 223906

and three other Methodist churches

Priest Self-supporting Minister with The Revd Scott Talbott 07802 244877

Permission to Officiate scott.talbott@talk21.com

Reader Michael Baker 776109

Church Office Church Secretary Karen Ellis 721002 churchoffice@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk

Opening Hours Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9.30am–1.00pm

CONTINUED ON INSIDE BACK OF COVER

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LINK

December 2015

In This Month’s Issue

4. The Vicar’s Letter

Getting ready for Christmas

5. Readings at Communion

5. Prayer Topics

6. Thanksgiving for Ministry

We celebrate Michael Baker’s

20 years of ministry

8. Thank you for the Thanksgiving

Michael and Beryl’s appreciation

8. Advent Reminders

Services; sources of inspiration

9. Christmas at St Mary’s

What’s happening and when

11. Christmas Experience

It’s big! It’s going live. How can

you be involved?

13. Christmas Extravaganza

Let’s have a party to celebrate

14 UCC Update: November

14. Harvest Thanks

From the Refugee Partnership

15. Shoe Box Appeal

A first batch of boxes, ready to go

15. Books in the Library

Lots of new books; old ones to go

16. St Mary’s School News

Harvest Festival; an award; a

picture of Mary from St Mary’s

17. Goings On in the Parish

At the Vicarage and in the

Churchyard

18. December CALENDAR

20. Phantom Firms Hurt People

St Mary’s gives support to

Christian Aid’s campaign

22. Remembrance Sunday

A full church and a long Parade

23. Lest We Forget

An evening to remember

24. Marriage and Relationships

Circuit discussion sessions

24. St Mary’s in the Past

25. St Mary’s People

Marjorie Broadhurst; June Field

26. From the Registers

Baptism; Thanksgiving Service

26. Nature Notes

Meet Robin the robin

28. The New Reredos at St Albans

For 900 year Anniversary

29. Bushey’s Bells

Are back in their tower

30. What’s On in Ricky

Panto, RDFAS and Lemon Tuesday

31. Today will be with Me Forever

Helping refugees in Greece

33. The Bright Star

Topical verse

33. LINK News

The cover; 2016 subscriptions

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The Vicar’s Letter

Dear Friends,

Are you getting ready for Christmas?’ asked Lori, as I

sought to extricate myself from the pile of presents and

wrapping paper that I was attempting to tidy away into

the cupboard. “Oh no,” I replied, “this is the collection

of gifts I have gathered through the year and at some

point soon I’ll get them all out and realise that I’ve

forgotten someone!” So, in fact, whilst I wasn’t specifically ‘getting

ready’ at that point, I discover that am in a perpetual state of

getting ready: noticing here and there something that someone

might like (and so ending up with five gifts for one person and none

for another!)

The state of ‘getting ready’ is what Advent is about. Many use the

time, rightly, to prepare for Christmas and all the jollifications that

come with it. Tinsel, frost fairs and John Lewis television adverts do

not a Christmas make though — as we well know. Advent allows us,

if we mark it well, to prepare our hearts, souls and minds to meet

our maker in the new-born infant Christ who is also our Lord and

Judge.

As in previous years, I have bought some new Advent-themed books

for the Church Library which I commend to you as you seek to find

space amidst the tinsel, fairs and TV ads. Space is always at a

premium in life for us all but, if you can, do try to find space to

prepare to welcome Christ, to be changed by Christ, and for the

living Christ in you to change the lives of those around you.

With good wishes for a holy and blessed Advent, Christmas and

New Year.

The Revd Deborah Snowball

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Readings at Communion

6 Dec Mal 3.1—4 Phil 1.3—11 Luke 3.1—6

13 Dec Zeph 3.14—20 Phil 4.4—7 Luke 3.7—18

20 Dec Mic 5.2—5a Heb 10.5—10 Luke 1.39—55

24 Dec Isa 9.2—7 Titus 2.11—14 Luke 2.1—14

25 Dec Isa 52.7—11 Heb 1.1—4 John 1.1—14

27 Dec Exod 33.7—11a 1 John 1.1—10 John 21.19b—25

Prayers

Weekly Pointers for the Month

Week beginning:

6 Dec Children and Young People

13 Dec Writers and Artists

20 Dec Preparations for Christmas

27 Dec Thanksgiving for the Incarnation

For Local Churches

The Deanery The Circuit

6 Dec St Mary’s, Rickmansworth Hemel Hempstead

13 Dec All Saints’, Croxley Green High St, Harpenden

20 Dec Christ Church, Chorleywood Kings Langley

27 Dec Mill End, W Hyde & Heronsgate Ley Hill

People Living in Rickmansworth

6 Dec Plaitford Close, Landford Close

13 Dec Rushmore Close, Malm Close

20 Dec Sherfield Avenue

27 Dec Woodcock Hill, Shrubs Road

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St Mary’s Network

1 Dec Louise Coulter, Graham and Diana Crocker

2 Dec Colin and Lina Date, Rob and Caroline Davis

3 Dec Derek and Jennett Day, Dorothy Denzer

4 Dec Jean Dodds, Peter and Dorothy Doughty

7 Dec Margaret Down, Vi Dudgeon

8 Dec Beatrice Durham, Barbara Earl

9 Dec Jane Earl, Joan Eastgate

10 Dec Joyce Edwards, John and Annaliese Ellis

11 Dec Colin Ensor, Dorothy Entwistle

14 Dec Bob and Catherine Fenton, Lewis and Susan Foreman

15 Dec Janet Foster, Joan Fox

16 Dec Karen Frakes, Anthony and Andrea Fraser

17 Dec Edith Frow, Louise Garbet

18 Dec Mary Ann Gibson, David Gilbert

A Prayer for December

In the darkest days of winter you came as a helpless child, bringing

light and life and love into the world long ago in Bethlehem, just as

you are always present, as Light of the World, especially in our

darkest hours today, whether we realise it or not. May we prepare to

celebrate your birth again by reflecting upon all that your earthly life

and death meant for humanity; all that it means for us. Let us pray

for peace in this troubled world; for nation to cease attacking nation,

neighbour to live in harmony with neighbour and everyone to show

nothing but courtesy and consideration to those they meet. Amen

Thanksgiving For Ministry

At the 10.00am service on Sunday 18 October, we gave

thanks for Michael Baker’s ministry as Reader at St

Mary’s and throughout the Deanery and Circuit over

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the past 20 years, joined by Michael’s family and other visitors. At the

end Michael was presented with an icon of the Archangel Michael from

Bethlehem and a cheque and Beryl with a plant.

Michael preached ‘his last sermon’ (we hope not!) during the service.

It deserves a second reading with time to ponder but was too long to

reproduce in full here. You can find it on the Church website, or if you

haven’t access to that, Michael has kindly agreed to produce a printed

copy for you. Meanwhile we can’t resist including this short extract,

inimitably Michael:

St Paul tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for

the spirit of God is working in us. Is there a contradiction here? I am put in

mind of a passage from that strange book, The Wind in the Willows,

where the Water-Rat and the Mole encounter the woodland god Pan:

‘Ratty,’ whispered the Mole, ‘are you afraid?’ ‘Afraid?’ whispered

the Rat, his eyes shining with love, ‘of him? O, never, never! And

yet — and yet — O Mole, I am afraid!’

Perhaps, then, awe, not fear, is the right word to use. We must

never forget the inconceivable majesty of God.

The service was followed by a reception, with drinks and delicious

delicacies and a cake, duly cut with ceremony and shared.

We hope that Michael and Beryl will enjoy some extra leisure time,

but Michael is not giving up all of the many jobs he does for the

Parish. The next we heard he was conducting the interment of a

parishioner’s ashes in the churchyard and he is continuing to look

after the Church Library, amongst other tasks.

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Thank You for the Thanksgiving

Beryl and Michael Baker

Dear St Mary’s People,

Thank you all for the wonderful Thanksgiving for Ministry Service,

for the kind things that were said to us, and for your generous and

totally unexpected gifts. We have found a place for the Ikon of the

Archangel Michael on our living-room wall, and the cheque has been

safely paid into the bank.

We feel very humble, and cherished. Our daughters and their

families found St Mary’s very welcoming, for which we are grateful.

With love to you all from us both.

Advent—a Reminder

We published the Vicar’s article covering Advent in the

November LINK and this item is merely to remind you of

salient points; for services, dates and times see the

Calendar (pages 18—19).

A wide choice of ways is available to help us reflect on the miracle

of Christ’s birth: Sunday sermons and the Jesse tree, the Posada or

Travelling Crib. You can have the St Albans Diocese’s Advent

Challenge emailed to you daily (visit livethechallenge.co.uk) or look

at Follow the Star (www.followingthestar.org) or borrow one of the

Advent books from the Church Library.

Christmas at St Mary’s

Batchworth Lock Carol-singing 4.30pm, Saturday 12 December

Christmas is certainly on its way when we gather for the Carol Service

organised by the Boaters’ Christian Fellowship at Batchworth Lock.

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Telling the story of Christmas, and singing favourite Christmas Carols to

the accompaniment of a Brass Band — this is a lovely event to get us

into the ‘Christmas Spirit’. Wrap up warm and bring along a torch!

Christingle Service 4pm, Sunday 13 December

Come and join us as we sing carols as well as make and light our

Christingles in this delightful service — one with children especially

in mind. Following the service we enjoy cakes and drinks in the

Church Centre. If you can call to let us know you’re coming that

would be helpful — but if you don’t get a chance, come along

anyway.

This service raises money for a really good cause — The Children’s

Society. If you would like a special Christingle ‘candle’ to collect

money in, drop into or call the Church Office and Karen can let you

have one.

The Christmas Tree of Prayer

Continuing the tradition of decorating our

Christmas Tree of Prayer with the names of those

family, friends or situations we are thinking of at

this time, the ‘decorations’ on this special tree

are the stars that shine as lights of hope. The

tree will be in Church from Sunday 20 December

until Twelfth Night. The Church is open during

daylight hours for you to come and add names,

and you are welcome to invite others to do so too. Feel free to

spread the word about this lovely tree of prayer and hope.

Carol Singing with Churches Together

We’re engaging in another spot of Community

Carol Singing around the town – along with friends

from other churches in Rickmansworth and Mill

End. Feel free to come and join us on Saturday 19

December: 10.00—11.00am at Marks and Spencer

(car park side) and 2.00-3.00pm at Tudor Parade.

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Decorating the Church

The Church will be decorated for Christmas on Monday 21 December

from 10.00am. Please bring foliage with berries to the Church that

morning. (Please do not leave it in the tower area before then as

this is used by children and families on Sunday mornings!)

Christmas Greetings

There are two options for sharing Christmas Greetings at St Mary’s:

The Greetings Board at the back of church is used by an

increasing number of members of our congregation, to put up a

card to everyone in the parish. Money that would have been

spent on cards is then given to the charities named below via the

same system.

Or Letter boxes will be at the back of Church for people to post

their cards to other members of the congregation. The ‘charge’

of 10p per card will be divided equally between The Children’s

Society and National Children’s Homes (Action for Children).

Please drop payment into the Parish Office. The boxes will be

available from Sunday 13 December until after the services on

Sunday 3 January. Any cards not collected by then will be given

to a recycling facility.

There are many cards left behind each year, which is a real shame:

if you see some cards you could deliver, please take them and pop

through the person’s letter box. Thanks.

Carol Service 6.00pm Sunday 20 December

Our Carol Service will be followed by mince pies and mulled wine in

the Church Centre. Members of X Team will be making pies again

this year, but if you would like to donate a few, feel free: please

bring them along in the morning.

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Crib Service 4.00pm Christmas Eve

This service is principally for families — but others are also welcome

to attend. If you are bringing along younger family members, please

encourage them to dress up as a shepherd, a lamb or an angel. We

usually have far too many Josephs… yes, really!

Services through the Christmas Season

Our usual Sunday Services continue the Christmas theme through

until Epiphany. In addition there is:

Blue Christmas 6.00pm, Sunday 27 December

Christmas is a difficult time for some, for all sorts of reasons. This is

a quieter, more reflective service, with readings and music to offer

comfort. All are welcome.

Looking forward to Epiphany, Wednesday 6 January

On the Feast of the Epiphany, we shall have a Sung Eucharist at

7.45pm. By special request, we shall be using incense. If you are

able, come and join us for the Service and then for refreshments at

The Vicarage afterwards.

We need help developing five areas in Church, each portraying a

particular part of the Christmas narrative — as outlined below. If

Christmas Experience: Can you help…?

The Revd Deborah Snowball

As you’ll have read last month, we are organising a week-long event

during the days leading up to Christmas (Monday 14 to Friday 18

December) called Christmas Experience, culminating in Christmas

Experience Live! on Saturday 19 December at which we hope to have

people in costume as characters from the Nativity Story.

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you can provide any of the props/materials can you phone or email

me asap! Thanks!

The Visitation (Lady Chapel) — to look like the Angel Gabriel is in

conversation with Mary: Life-size, free-standing models of Mary and

Gabriel; dark paper with stars on put up against the glass; a mattress

with ‘bedding’ to look like a bed (!); mats/small carpets to cover the

floor.

The Appearance of the Angels to the Shepherds (Resurrection

Altar area) — to look like the Shepherds have just left to go to

Bethlehem: a small ‘fire’; some sheepskins on the ground; perhaps

some toy sheep left behind; earthenware pots, plates and cups; lots

of angels (some of which are going to be made by the TG —

hopefully! )

The Kings on their journey (Children’s Area) – to look like the Kings

are about to go to sleep for the night: silken (nylon!) fabric to form a

‘tent’; plump, colourful cushions set up as ‘beds’; a telescope and

simple star-gazing books; ‘posh’ silver (coloured) cups and jugs.

Stable (under the Tower) to look like the stable!: painted back-drop

to look like the inside of a stable (Brian Morgan is doing this for us);

life-sized, free-standing models of Mary and Joseph and three

shepherds, with a doll in the manger; floor carpet-covered with

straw or rushes on the ground.

There will also be a Customs Desk, which I am delighted to say the

Wednesday Evening House Group are masterminding — hoorah!

Each area will also have a combination of activities for children and

thought-provoking/prayer-provoking information and questions for

adults (with some for the children too…).

We are going to have a Workshop on Sunday 6 December, 3pm—5pm

to make and decorate the life-size figures. We’ll then be setting up

the Church for this event between 10.00am and 12noon on Saturday

12 and 7.00pm and 9.00pm on Sunday 13 December. There are so

many exciting things to be done! And then, of course, there is the

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taking it all down — which we plan to do on the morning of 21

December, so that the flower arrangers can set to asap!

Christmas Experience Live On Saturday 19 December at the Live

Experience we’d like to have people dressed up in costume as the

various characters in place of the life-sized figures created at the

workshops. If you are willing to be a Mary, Shepherd or King then do

let us know. The Live part will be between 10-11am and 2-3pm. If

you are available to welcome people (whether or not you are

dressed in costume!) it would be great to have you around. As this is

the first time we have done this, we have no idea how many people

to expect, but we hope there may be plenty coming whose children

have either visited with their class, or families who have heard on

the grapevine that this event is happening. Again if you are able to

help, we would be really glad to have you along. Please speak to

Chris Hillier or Deborah.

Christmas Extravaganza

December 19 at 7.00pm

Church Centre

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas" for just £5.00. Leave your

Christmas shopping and other preparations and join us for an

evening of festive fun and entertainment. Carols, Christmas songs,

short readings, a prize Christmas quiz and a mini panto! There will

also be prizes for the most Christmassy jumper or outfit. In addition

to the usual St Mary's 'performers' we will be joined by some surprise

guests. Light refreshments will be provided including mince pies and

mulled wine. A cash bar will be available. Anyone willing to 'do a

turn' or lead community singing please contact John Poppleton

(773388 or jtpoppleton@outlook.com). Tickets from Church Office.

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Update from the United Church Council (UCC)

At the November meeting of the UCC items discussed, amongst other

things, were: the Christmas Eve Service; money for the school;

St Alban Angel; new hymn books; safeguarding training; MAP review.

Following discussions over the year, the Christmas Eve Communion

Service will move to the slightly earlier time of 11.15pm. We noted

Letters of Thanks from St Mary’s School for the gift of Bibles for Key

Stage Two and £1,500 to pay for the new Sound System for the School

Hall, also from St Albans for the purchase of an ‘Alban Angel’ as part

of the Appeal towards the development of a new Education Centre.

Safeguarding Training will take place on Saturday 16 April from

9:30am to 12.30pm. This will be open to all. The Methodist Council at

St Mary’s have kindly offered £2,500 towards the purchase of the new

Methodist Hymnbook, Singing the Faith — the UCC accepted this

generous gift most warmly. A MAP Review will begin in January —

more details to follow.

Christmas Experience will take place during the week beginning 14

December leading up to Christmas Experience Live! on Saturday 19

December and volunteers will be needed.

Harvest Thanks From Watford & Three Rivers Refugee Partnership (WTRRP)

Dear Friends

I'm writing to convey our sincere thanks to you all for the extremely

generous donation of goods to the Partnership from your recent

Harvest Festival.

WTRRP has been operating now for well over ten years and recently

we achieved Charitable Status. Unfortunately our case load continues

to grow and we are currently helping over 70 adults and children. So

on behalf of the Partnership I would like to take this opportunity to

thank you for your interest and support for all that we are doing to

help asylum seekers and refugees in the Watford area.

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We give these impoverished families a monthly food parcel, as

generally they have no access to any public funds nor are allowed to

work. Your food, toiletries and other donations will be a vital part of

us being able to provide just the basic necessities of life.

We very much appreciate your continuing support and interest in the

work of the Partnership.

Kind regards

Mick Hayter, Volunteer (262781)

The Shoe Box Appeal

Sally Morgan

These are photos of the first batch of shoe boxes

ready to go to Serbia and Romania; thank you to

everyone who has donated complete boxes as well

as lovely knitted

items and essential

contents which will

be so good for the

recipients. We have a

grand variety of extras for the boxes too,

so many, many thanks on behalf of the

Shoe Box Appeal.

Books In The Library

Michael Baker

During the last couple of months, the Church Library has

received a hefty injection of new stock from the Vicar,

who has donated a box of assorted books received from

the Canterbury Press. Dorothy Denzer, too, has been

most generous, in giving St Mary’s much of her own

collection, and we are also grateful to Ruth Lake for her

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contribution. To make room, I have embarked on a process of

weeding out books from our shelves which have been

overtaken by age, either in their physical condition or because

the issues they address are no longer relevant.

This exercise is still continuing.

Ours is not a ‘party church’. Visitors have remarked on

the wide variety of books in our Library, books of all

kinds written from many different viewpoints. We don’t in general

exercise any kind of censorship, unless the Vicar and I agree that

some particular work is actually harmful. But the presence of a book

on the shelves should not be taken as meaning that either of us

necessarily agree with or adopt any statement advanced in it.

St Mary’s School News

Samantha Clarke

It was wonderful to see so many

parents and carers attend Church for

our Harvest Service. We received

many generous gifts which were

donated to Herts Young Homeless,

Watford and Three Rivers Refugee

Partnership and New Hope in

Watford. We hope everyone enjoyed

being able to join in with our round

singing of It’s our Harvest celebration!

The Reception class were lucky enough to have ‘real’ dinosaur eggs

hatch. Our children have been completely captivated by dinosaur

exploration, and their imaginations have been ignited!

Our Christian value this half-term is

thankfulness. In our collective worship, Amy,

in Year Six, received a leaf for our values

tree, as she has demonstrated thankfulness

for our school resources. Max, in Year Two,

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has also shown thankfulness by being polite and thankful at all times

and having fantastic manners.

We celebrated our 47-year re-dedication and anniversary of the

school moving to its current building here in Stockers Farm Road.

The whole school took part in a special assembly and worship

attended by all members of staff and The

Revd Snowball. We were delighted to be

presented with a picture of The Virgin Mary

by Revd Snowball who offered the gift to the

school as part of its service. This will take

pride of place in our entrance area, and gives

a visual reminder to all who come to our

school of our Christian ethos and meaning

behind the school’s name.

As part of their Design and Technology and Science, Year Two made

fruit smoothies. Lots of the children experimented with some unusual

combinations of fruit and got to try their finished products at the end.

Parish Goings On

Thanks to

Ann Sykes

who spotted

Audrey and

Vic working

in the

churchyard

clear-up

after

everyone else

had left

No, the Vicar doesn’t celebrate

Halloween — just practises good

housekeeping

We can vouch for that as we omitted

to put David Hibbert’s September

photo in last month.

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CALENDAR

December 2015

Traditional language is used for the 8.00am Sunday Communion services;

modern language is used for all other Communion Services

1 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion

11.00am Meeting of Rural Deans with Bishop and Archdeacon

7.45pm Lemon Tuesday rehearsal, in Church

7.45pm Stewardship and Finance Committee, Vicarage

2 Wed 8.00pm Deborah speaking at meeting of Local Preachers

3 Thu 9.30am Little Angels Baby and Toddler Group, Cloisters Hall

10.30am Collective Worship at St Mary’s School

January LINK copy deadline

4 Fri 7.30pm Lemon Tuesday concert, in Church (see p. 30)

6 SUN THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

10.00am Family Communion with Bishop of Hertford

Home Communions

7 Mon 12.15pm J Club at St Mary’s School

7.30pm LINK Editors meeting

7.45pm Community & Outreach Committee, Cloisters Hall

8 Tue The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

9.30am Said Holy Communion

7.45pm Exploring Prayer, at the Vicarage. All welcome

9 Wed 9.00am St Mary’s School Carol Service Rehearsal, in Church

7.45pm Housegroup (for contact, see cover)

10 Thu 9.30am Little Angels Baby and Toddler Group, Cloisters Hall

10.30am Collective Worship at St Mary’s School

12noon Clergy Deanery Chapter Lunch, Vicarage

7.00pm Meeting of St Mary’s School Governing Body

12 Sat 4.30pm Batchworth Lock carol singing (see p. 8)

13 SUN THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

8.00am Said Holy Communion

10.00am Sung Holy Communion

12.15pm Said Holy Communion

1.00pm Lunch Club

4.00pm Christingle Service

6.00pm Said Evening Prayer

7.00pm X Team meets

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14 Mon Week-long ‘Christmas Experience’ begins in Church (see p. 11)

11.30am Prayer for Healing Group (in Church)

7.45pm Fabric and Churchyard Committee, Cloisters Hall

15 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion

Home Communions

6.00pm St Mary’s School Christmas Carol Service, in Church

7.30pm Churchwardens, Steward and Vicar meet

16 Wed 11.00am Charlotte House Carol Service

17 Thu 9.30am Little Angels Baby and Toddler Group, Cloisters Hall

18 Fri 9.00am St Mary’s School End of Term Service, in Church

19 Sat 10.00am Churches Together Carol Singing at Marks & Spencer

11.00am Christmas Experience Live! (see p. 13)

2.00pm Christmas Experience Live!

2.00pm Churches Together Carol Singing at Tudor Parade

7.00pm Christmas Extravaganza (see p. 13)

20 SUN THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

8.00am Said Holy Communion

10.00am Sung Holy Communion

6.00pm Christmas Carol Service followed by

mince pies and mulled wine (see p. 10)

21 Mon 1.30pm Children’s Christmas Craft Workshop

22 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion

12 noon 10-bell Ringing Practice (all ringers welcome)

7.30pm Carol singing at the Rose and Crown, Harefield

24 Thu Christmas Eve

4.00pm Crib Service

11.15pm Midnight Communion Service with Blessing of Crib

25 Fri CHRISTMAS DAY

8.00am Said Holy Communion

10.00am Sung Holy Communion

27 SUN JOHN, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST

8.00am Said Holy Communion

10.00am Sung Holy Communion

12 noon Holy Baptism

6.00pm Blue Christmas Service

January LINK is published

29 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion

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January 2016

3 SUN THE SECOND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS

8.00am Said Holy Communion

10.00am Family Communion

Home Communions

6.00pm Said Evening Prayer

5 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion

6 Wed THE EPIPHANY

7.45pm Sung Holy Communion (with incense)

Phantom Firms Hurt Real People St Mary’s People Support Christian Aid’s Campaign

Gill and Martyn Gowing

St Mary’s representatives on the Rickmansworth and Croxley Green

Christian Aid Committee

Tax dodging costs lives

Tax revenues in developing countries like Sierra Leone could help

pay for robust healthcare systems, not only to care for the health of

the nation but also help prevent epidemics like Ebola.

Multi-national companies are taking advantage of the secrecy in tax

havens — such as the British Virgin Islands and other British Overseas

Territories — to dodge the taxes they owe in countries like Sierra Leone.

Choir and Bellringers Regular Weekly Practices

Wed 7.30pm Bellringing

Thu 7.45pm Choir

New members welcome at both practices – just come along

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What’s the solution?

In 2015 the UK passed a law which created a public register of

beneficial ownership in the UK. This has helped reveal who truly

owns companies in the UK, uncover who is dodging tax and hold

them to account. However, for it to work properly, the UK’s

Overseas Territories also need to play ball. Otherwise, companies

can just turn to them for secrecy.

The information such registers provide would enable tax authorities

to claw back lost tax revenues that could be used to tackle poverty.

Getting our house in order!

Join Christian Aid in calling on David Cameron to show leadership

and ensure that all seven British Overseas Territories with financial

centres adopt public registers of beneficial ownership. It is very easy

to do — just use this link which takes you straight to an e-mail

petition to David Cameron.

http://act.christianaid.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=48&ea.campaign.id=43136

What We Did at St Mary’s

Eight of us gathered at very

short notice in St Mary’s

and had our photo taken by

Adrian Whalley, Christian

Aid’s regional coordinator

for Hertfordshire, who had

visited St Mary’s on Sunday

24 October. Four of the

eight were masked to

emphasise the need for

disclosure. We (Martyn and

Gill) also wrote to David Gauke asking him to use his influence to

press for the speedy creation of public registers in the UK’s Overseas

Territories and Crown Dependencies. We said in our letter that

-22-

“there is a great deal of support within the St Mary’s community for

a more just and fairer world which is demonstrated by our

commitment, as a Church, to give away 20% of our income to various

charities locally, nationally and internationally”. We have received a

reply from him saying he will discuss the matter with Treasury

officials.

Photo by Gill Gowing

Note The retiring collections for Christian Aid’s Refugee Appeal

following Adrian Whalley’s visit raised a total of £658.24 and much

of this was Gift-Aided.

Remembrance Sunday

Photos of the Parade of Uniformed Organisations

as it Came Down Church Street

Some 400 local people joined in the town’s traditional service of

Remembrance in church and round the War Memorial.

Photos by Suzanne Harding and Brenda Bell

-23-

Lest We Forget

Jane Pummell

This evening of remembrance on 11

November began with a medley of

songs from the trenches performed

by two uniformed Tommies standing

behind a simple arrangement of

barbed wire and poppies.

There was both humour and

pathos in the miscellany of

poems, songs and readings that

followed. Some pieces were very

familiar but others less so,

including extracts from the local

newspaper, the diary of a

munitions worker and the remarks

of a general.

Then, as we listened to the

final poem, In Flanders

Fields, the British Legion

Standard was paraded in

front of us. The evening

finished with a rousing

rendition of Pack up Your

Troubles and It’s a Long

Way to Tipperary with full

audience participation.

Thank you to the producer, Chris Hillier, and all the performers — it was

a fine contribution to the continuing commemoration of the hundredth

anniversary of WW1. Photos by David Hibbert

-24-

Marriage and Relationships

How to Serve the Present Age

In a changing world, how should the Methodist Church and its

people respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by new

understandings of marriage and relationships in our society? What

should we say about issues such as co-habitation, divorce,

singleness, gay marriage and civil partnerships? What issues would

you like to see your Church addressing in the coming years and how

can we speak about such issues while respecting faithfully-held

differences?

The Methodist Church is inviting all its people to have their say

about these issues and others, and your voice needs to be heard.

Please come along and join one of the discussions organised by

the Circuit, and our friends in St Albans. Each one will include a

presentation on recent developments and guided discussion.

Sunday 17 January at 6.30pm at Hatfield Road Methodist Church,

St Albans

Thursday 28 January at 2.00pm at Abbots Langley Methodist Church.

St Mary’s in the Past

To the minds of the LINK editors the years 1905 and 1960 have

proved disappointing in their interest to us today and we will try to

find better periods to look back to in 2016.

1905

The mystery of what had happened to the Revd Charles Parkinson

continues. Clergy are not listed at the start of the magazine and

there is no letter or word from him. The last we heard that he

had rushed back from holiday because he thought his brother

fatally ill, but that the brother was recovering. We will see

whether we can find out what happened from 1906 magazines in

our archives.

-25-

This issue of the magazine was short and gloomy, dwelling as it did on

the traditional Advent themes of death and judgement, ‘from which

people shrink, but nevertheless have for them an undue fascination’

as ‘preparation for the Birthday of our Lord’. However the Choir were

already preparing at the time of writing for ‘the usual Carol Service’

at 4.00pm on Christmas afternoon.

1960

By contrast, the Revd Norman Hill looked forward to what was his

first Christmas in Rickmansworth and the first of his married life; not

only to the celebrations in church, ‘but gathered round your own

tables and firesides to celebrate the birth in all the good old

traditional ways’.

A recent leaflet from the Diocese had urged people to celebrate

Christmas simply and he planned to concentrate on its meaning

and ‘to avoid a last minute mad rush and prepare for our

Christmas Communion with prayer and fasting to do this’.

There was Evensong with carols at 6.30pm on Christmas Day in

those days.

St Mary’s People

MARJORIE BROADHURST

An appreciation by the parent of a past pupil

Miss Broadhurst, who died in August, taught at St Mary’s School while

her brother was headmaster. She loved art, craftwork and nature.

In art, our children were encouraged to make colourful and

extravagant paintings. They worked clay into many shapes and a

sample, with a good glaze, is still displayed in my house — not

discarded as too childish. She taught a beautiful, tidy but impractical

script. Nor was there any sex discrimination — the boys sat working at

their samplers discussing football.

In those days there was livestock at the school — practical nature

study with guinea pigs and mice, which Miss Broadhurst’s class looked

-26-

after, and chickens to be fed. An old pupil, now middle-aged

remembers being sent out frequently to catch Blackie the ageing

sheep who was roaming the playground.

JUNE FIELD

June sadly died at Michael Sobell House in Oxford on 31 October Many

people at St Mary’s will remember June, Janet Page’s sister, although

she moved away to live near her daughter Teresa some while ago.

From the Registers

Baptism

May God bless the life of

25 October LILY, daughter of Laura and Benjamin

Funeral

May she rest in peace

18 November JUNE FIELD

Nature Notes

Angela Hall

On 25 October the arrival of the first Bewick

swan from Siberia was reported from the

Severn Wildfowl Trust. Apparently the

individual bird was recognised and it was

twenty-five days earlier than expected. This is

supposed to auger a long winter, although, as I

write, the weather remains remarkably mild. What beats me is how it

knows to come to Slimbridge rather than, say, Rutland Water or the

Aquadrome. Funnily enough, Geoff glimpsed a solitary redwing in our

garden in mid-October which is unusually early. So perhaps we should

prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

-27-

The other long-distance bird that has been in the

news was a short-eared owl that had been blown

off course and landed on an oil rig in the North

Sea. It was taken on a routine helicopter flight to

Scotland to recover in an animal sanctuary.

Meanwhile, back home, gulls at the Aquadrome

have been seen attacking a heron. I think it must

have had something they wanted to eat. Thinking

of herons, Helen, our bird expert friend, told us a strange tale of a

heron that, she thought, had been the victim of some sort of pollution

and become completely bald. Some people on a canal boat gave it food

and shelter until it grew new feathers and flew away. They are now

visited by a very tame heron! She said its body was amazingly small

compared to its beak, neck, wings and legs.

Recently I was puzzled to hear a lot of agitated noise from a magpie

in the hawthorn in our garden. It was being mobbed by one of the

mixed flocks of tits that travel around at this time of year finding

safety in numbers. Earlier there had been two rather wimpish young

magpies that followed their parents around for a long time

demanding food before they became independent. I suspect it was

one of these. Eventually it flew away.

The young robin that I mentioned in September being intimidated by

a vigorous worm has now established a territory in our garden. So I

was saddened to see a crumpled heap of speckled brown feathers on

the bird table. I need not have worried. The sun went in and the

heap composed itself into an adolescent robin and it flew away. It

had been sunbathing with its feathers all fluffed out! It is now in

adult plumage and can be heard singing. I said to Geoff, “That bird

is a character, we should give it a name.” He suggested Robin which

I thought lacked originality but has the advantage of being unisex as

Helen says females also sing and establish territory. So you may be

hearing more of Robin the robin in due course!

-28-

St Albans’ New Reredos

If you have not been to the

Abbey recently, look out for

the new reredos that was

commissioned to mark its 900

year anniversary. It features

the following seven saints.

Alban, Britain’s first

Christian martyr, probably

executed and buried there

around AD 303

Amphibalus, the priest whom

Alban sheltered and helped to escape, but who was later martyred

at Redbourn, and his relics brought to St Albans.

George Tankerfield, a Protestant martyr burned under Queen Mary

on Romeland, opposite the Cathedral’s west front.

Alban Roe, Catholic priest and martyr, arrested under the

Commonwealth and imprisoned in the Abbey gatehouse until his

execution in London.

St Elisabeth Romanova, a member of the Russian Royal Family and

granddaughter of Queen Victoria, who in her widowhood became a

nun and Abbess and was murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918,

because they feared that the people, who admired her holiness and

acts of charity, might try to re-establish the monarchy through her.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned in a concentration camp for his

opposition to the Nazis and executed in 1945. He had the chance to

escape to America, but chose to stay in Germany to fight the Nazis

and stand up for genuine Christianity, at a time when the majority

of the Church there had chosen to follow Hitler.

Oscar Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador, was assassinated in 1980

while celebrating Mass at the chapel of the hospital where he lived,

because of his outspoken defence of the poor and his condemnation

of the totalitarian regime in his country.

-29-

Bushey’s Bells

The bells of Bushey, where guns were found in the belfry, have now

been returned, and here they are, being unloaded and hoisted up

the tower — and for our Christmas magazine — a shot of a robin

sitting on the bell’s headstock.

The bells were due to be rung for the first time in about

mid–November [when LINK was being prepared].

Photos by David Hibbert

-30-

What’s On in Rickmansworth

Watersmeet

Cinderella Throughout December Times vary

Lemon Tuesday Concert

Please come to support 'Lemon Tuesday' at their Christmas concert

on Friday 4 December in their 10th anniversary year!

Music includes Christmas favourites and other popular tunes. Guest

singers are Thomas Sherwood (Baritone) and Arnett Hills JMI

School.

The tickets cost £10 (£7 for children) and include refreshments.

They can be bought through www.lemontuesday.ticketsource.co.uk

or 0333 6663366 (£1.50 booking charge if purchased by phone).

Proceeds are in aid of the Peace Hospice

RDFAS

Sarratt Village Hall

Tuesday 1 December

Norman Rockwell’s Christmas Wish Charles Harris

11.00am; tea and coffee from 10.30am

For further information contact Gill Gowing (777715)

-31-

Today, Will Live with Me Forever…

Sent in by Mary Weatherilt

Mary’s brother's one-time foster child, Maeve, now grown up and a

very competent nurse, is at present with a group of volunteers on

the Greek Island of Lesbos, giving aid to refugees there. This letter

has come from their group leader, Holli.

We had made the decision last night to divide and conquer, by

sending Courtney and Lisa to the main camp an hour away, while

Maeve and I would assess locally. As we were walking down the pier

on our way to Stage 1 — an arrival site, we received word of five or

six boats on the horizon. “Good timing” so we thought, and

continued talking as we hustled our steps a bit.

As we approached the rocky shores, trembling waves of emotions washed

over us as the waves lightly crashed on the tattered and torn life vests

strewn about the arrival site. Half-sunken rafts resembled pool noodles

[swimming aids] for children and carried sometimes up to 60 refugees

packed on board. As boats reached the shallower waters, they began to

cheer, they began to scream and cry as babies wailed with fear.

An overwhelming sense of relief washes over their faces. It’s a mad

dash to get them off the boat, get wet clothes off, wrap babies and

elders in foil blankets, moving people up the beach to get bottled

water and collect themselves. It is important to get them up and

dry, so that they can head down to Stage 1 for hot tea, biscuits and

a sandwich, and find some warm clothes and shoes for the adults.

I had been passed children to run up and get stripped of their wet

clothes, and on my third child — he was clearly afraid and crying —

I wildly searched the sea of faces to see if I could find a parent

looking for a child. It was then, that my eyes locked with this

gentleman, and he said to me “this is mine” and he pointed to the

crying baby in my arms. As I walk towards him he says with tears in

his eyes “Thanks God for these people — Thanks God for you” …

these words will forever echo in my soul. I hand over his son, and

-32-

just wrap my arms around him tightly. In that moment, all went

silent on the beach. There was no one screaming, no confusion, no

fear — it was just the three of us on the beach in a tight embrace,

crying and holding each other. He then whispers in my ear- “Thank

you, Thank you, Thank you” and breaks down sobbing as we clung to

each other. This would prove to be the best hug I have ever received

in all my life. The child had stopped crying, as the three us

embraced, and then slowly the reality started to seep back in. We

must get them moving as there are more boats arriving.

In that moment I not only looked gratitude in the face, but I felt it

rushing through my body. It filled the air surrounding all of us, and

as my eyes scanned the shores, every face screamed “thank you”

and every soul radiated graciousness and love. As that first boat

emptied and we took care of immediate needs and got them moving

along to medical or stage 1, the mad fury of cleaning the beach

began. Piling up life vests on the banks, picking up water bottles

and remnants of a life left behind — all in minutes, to prepare for

the next couple of rafts quickly approaching. Trying to process that.

Several minutes, hundreds of lives, five deflated rafts, and an

infinite amount of emotions. What you’re left with is the realization

of this unreal insanity — a small glimpse into their nightmare, a

hellish world in a filthy boat.

I decided to walk down to stage 1 to check on people and my fellow

volunteers. As I walked the short stretch down the waterline, my

thoughts returned to these gentle refugees now filled with hope, as

they move along to Stage 2, and then on to the largest camp,

Moyria. Conditions there are beyond devastating. Inhumane doesn’t

even begin to describe the state it is in. Your heart begins to shatter

into a million pieces, as you know what they do not. Their hell is not

over. Their journey ahead is not light. And even as they depart this

island, their journey is not safe and nothing is certain. But for now

they have made it. For now, they are alive. Today, they made it to

Greece…

Today will live with me, Forever.

-33-

Know Your Church

A Christmas question set by a reader

Where is this in the Church?

Answer next month

The Bright Star

‘Jingle Bell’

Long ago in Palestine

A star was shining bright;

Men and creatures saw it —

It was quite a sight,

And that is why I’d like to think

The robin sings all night.

Shepherds came from down the hill,

Each brought with them a beast;

Wise men with gifts came from afar

Travelling from the East,

And still today we mark Christ’s birth

As a special feast

LINK

Thank you to Alice Tims for her charming interpretation of the Nativity,

the cover design for this month, one of two she drew especially for us.

We know that there is a great wealth of talent in the Parish and we are getting somewhat tired of the cover designs we have. Please

would anyone else like to do one?

-34-

Subscriptions

Annual subscriptions for LINK for 2016 are now due. Enclosed with

this issue is an order form (unless your copy is delivered to you in

which case your distributor will collect the money and you do not

need to fill in a form).

Please do sign up for the year; it helps us know how many copies to

print which reduces wastage and also means there is less loose

money lying around. The annual subscription is still £6.00 (£13.00 by

post).

The e-version of LINK is in colour so you can fully appreciate the

photos (and enlarge them too). To subscribe, either send an email to

link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk so we can add you to the mailing

list, or sign up yourself via the LINK page of our website

www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk.

For e-subscriptions we use MailChimp which is a free, secure mailing

service. Your details will only be used for sending you LINK each

month. There is no charge for the e-version but donations to the

Church to cover general production costs would be much

appreciated.

You can, of course, subscribe to both versions.

January 2016 LINK

Copy deadline: Thursday 3 December

Publication date: Sunday 27 December

We are very pleased to receive contributions of interest to members of the Church

and the local community. Your name should be included (we will respect requests

not to publish it) and items should not be subject to copyright. Please let a member

of the LINK Committee* have them by the above copy date, preferably by email at

link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk; we can accept handwritten copy. We may

have to edit for space or other reasons and tight deadlines do not always allow for

discussion of changes with authors. We like good quality photographs. Please note

that opinions expressed in LINK are not necessarily those of the Editors of LINK or St

Mary’s Church.

Contacts (continued) The code for all phone numbers, unless otherwise stated, is 01923;

the Church Office number is 721002

Officers

Churchwardens (A) David Carruthers 07831 387541

David Hibbert 773735

Barbara Paterson 720356

Church Stewards (M) June Poppleton (Senior Steward) 773388

Church Council Secretary 721002

The CofE Electoral Roll John Glidden 223613

Methodist Council Secretary Petra Hedges 222715

Methodist Members Roll Derek Day 237248

Stewardship Recorder (A) Brian Warmington 775360

Treasurer Robert Kay 773470

Worship

Altar Servers Chris & Sue Hillier 779580

Bellringers David Hibbert (Captain) 773735

Choir Andrew Sykes 718561

Intercessors John Rhodes 779491

Lesson Readers Jane Pummell 774343

Organist Andrew Sykes 718561

Sacristan David Gilbert and team via Church Office

Sidespeople via Church Office

Christian Teaching and Prayer

Bible Reading Fellowship Sue Hillier 779580

Exploring Prayer Group The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 House Groups: Tues am: Gillian Baker 775890 Brenda Bell 772482

Wed pm: Jane Pummell 774343

Pastoral

Baptism (Christening) via Church Office Confirmation The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 Children’s Communion The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627

Home Communion via Church Office St Mary’s Network John and Suzanne Hill 772809

Home/Hospital Visiting The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627

Wedding Bookings Church Office

Social

Coffee after Church Anne Kay 773470

Events Committee The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627

Handbell Ringers Suzanne Warren 01442 385922

Meet for Tea Joan Martin 775433

Motley Crew (Drama Group) Chris and Sue Hillier 779580 Sunday Lunch Club Gill Gowing 777715 gmgowing@btopenworld.com Maxine Plaxman 896622

CONTINUED ON BACK OF COVER

-4-

Contacts (continued)

The code for all phone numbers, unless otherwise stated, is 01923; the Church Office number is 721002

Children and Young People

Sunbeams (3–5s) Rachel Turvey via Church Office

Shooting stars (6–11) Christine Martin Ayling via Church Office

X Team (Youth Group, yr 7+) David Carruthers 07831 387541

Little Angels: babies & toddlers, Gillian Thomas 07959 749636 Thursday am, Cloisters Hall Claire Husbands 07736 849154

Girlguiding UK:

Rainbows Samantha Swinchatt via Church Office Brownies Ali Hampton 07803 928158 Guides Tracy Jenkins via Church Office

Church School St Mary’s C of E Primary 776529

Headteacher Aaron Wanford School website www.stmarys698.herts.sch.uk

Administration Charitable Giving Comm John Shaw (Chair) 775219

Community and Outreach David Carruthers (Chair) 07831 387541

Harvest Giving Jennett Day 237248

Stewardship and Finance John Rhodes 779491

Buildings and Support

Church Centre Booking Kasia Todd 07801 049687

Church Centre Committee Martyn Gowing (Chair) 777715 Church Bookings via Church Office

Church Cleaning Derek Day 237248

Cloisters Hall Bookings Sarah Bennett 775613 Fabric & Churchyard David Hibbert (Secretary) 773735

Flowers Julie Smethurst 282927

Library Michael Baker 776109

Steeple Keeping David Hibbert 773735 Sewing Group Beryl Baker 776109

Communications

LINK (Church Magazine) Editors Brenda Bell 772482 Geoff Hall 720543 Jane Pummell (& Subscriptions) 774343

email link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk

Newsletter c/o Communication Committee

Website Buzz Coster 775908

Representatives for Organisations Beyond St Mary’s Action for Children Christine Butler 778001

CARE (07935 269144) Angela Hall (St Mary’s Rep) 720543

The Children’s Society Suzanne Powell via Church Office

Christian Aid Gill & Martyn Gowing 777715

St Albans Abbey Welcoming Anne Rhodes 779491

See Round on line by email: via LINK link at www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk