PARISH NEWSMay 2014

HOLY TRINITY CHURCHBradford on Avon

Benefice  of  Bradford  on  Avon  Holy  Trinity, Westwood  and Wingfield

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DIRECTORY FOR HOLY TRINITY CHURCHRector The Revd Joanna Abecassis, 18A Woolley St, BoA BA15 1AF

joanna@abecassis.freeserve.co.uk 864444Associate Priest The Revd Dr Ali Green, 6 Budbury Close, BoA BA15 1QG

alig9@btinternet.com 0785 547 0069Churchwardens Trevor Ford 25 Downavon, BA15 1JH 862240

Judith Holland 23 Avonfield Avenue, BA15 1JD 866215Benefice Administrator Sally Palmer-Walton beneficeadmin@brad-avon-ht.org.ukAdmin Assistant Aylene Clack beneficeoffice@brad-avon-ht.org.ukAssistant Wardens David Emerson, David Milne, Brian Netley, Val Payne, John WoodsRetired Clergy Canon Richard Askew, The Ven John Burgess, Canon David Driscoll, The Revd Alun Glyn-Jones, Canon Peter Hardman, The Revd Jim Hill, The Rt Revd Bill Ind, The Revd Angela Onions, The Ven Ian Stanes, The Revd Karl Wiggins.Benefice Lay Ministers Graham Dove (licensed) 868654 Andrew Desmond (licensed) 862168 Dr Malcolm Walsh (retired)Director of Music Thomas Pelham 07922 849982Times of Services (Check Bulletins and notices or Church web site)Sundays 8am Eucharist (Traditional language) 9.30am Sung Eucharist (coffee afterwards) 6pm Evensong, Compline, etcWeekday Eucharist 10am Wednesdays 12 noon Fridays (Traditional language) with lunch out afterwardsDaily (not Sundays) Morning and Evening Prayer at 8.30am and 5.30pm (please enter via the north door opposite the Saxon Church.Church opening times April to September: the church is usually open to visitorson weekdays from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.Times of MeetingsChoir Practice 6.30pm Church, TuesdaysTeam Trinity 9.30am Guide HQ (1st and 2nd Sundays in the month, September to July, except Easter)Mothers’ Union 7.30pm 3rd Thursday, Cedar Court, Berryfield Road, BoA.Saxon Club 2–4pm Every Tuesday except August, United Church HallBell Practice 7.30–9pm 2nd and 4th MondaysBenefice web-site www.brad-avon-ht.org.ukWeekly Bulletin Notices to Sally Palmer-Walton not later than Wednesday for the following Sunday.

Please let the Rector, an LLM, or any other member of the PastoralCare Team know if someone needs visiting at home or in hospital.

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DIARY  FOR MAY

Parish News copy date for June is 18th May

WEEKLY GROUPS

Monday 7.30pm ‘Faith Explored’ (fortnightly) (for venue ring 868654)

Tuesday 10.30am mainly music (a group for young children – school terms only)

Thursday 11am ‘ Faith Explored’ (but not 8th May) Vicarage, 18A, Woolley Street

1 Thursday 8pm Contemplative Hour St Mary Tory

4 SUNDAY THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

9.30am Sung Eucharist

6pm Compline

11 SUNDAY THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – Christian Aid

9.30am Sung Eucharist

2.30pm Holy Baptism of the Lewis Family

6pm Evensong Christ Church

15 Thursday 7.30pm Mothers' Union Meeting 'A funny thing happened to me on the way to the church!' Canon Richard Askew Cedar Court

18 SUNDAY THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

9.30am ‘Sing Hosanna’ Eucharist with preacher the Revd Judy Dinnen

6pm Evensong Westwood

19 Monday 7.30pm Archdeaconry Visitation Service with the Archdeacon of Wilts

25 SUNDAY THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

9.30am Sung Eucharist

2pm Holy Baptism of Madison Thornton

6pm Evensong

29 Thursday 7.30pm Ascension Day - MU Eucharist

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Eastertide - Alleluia! Christ is risen!

This year the month of May sits entirely within Eastertide – thatseason of the church year which is so gloriously full of hope and newlife, and yet also of mystery… and ends with one of the most

mysterious and transcendent events of all, the Ascension. I once had aweek’s retreat between Ascension and Pentecost, and it is actually veryexciting and rewarding to ‘freeze-frame’ and attempt to re-live that tensionas the disciples, bewildered yet again, awaited the coming of the HolySpirit at Pentecost. What if it/he/she didn't come?...

Another interesting question I had recently was, if Jesus walked into theroom now, what do I think he would say?! I'd like to do a bit of lateral thinking onthat one. The risen Christ provided the ultimate opportunity to all those whomhe met for hope and transformation. And he surely wasn’t just on some sort ofstate visit for those 40 days: he was seeking to bring the kingdom of heaven thatmuch closer, and was a living, walking, loving witness to the resurrection and tothe power of God. So if he were to come to Bradford on Avon today how, Iwonder, might we be able to show him – without him having to say a word –how we have listened, how we have followed? What might he like to see?

One of the really, really important things is that we are working together,within Holy Trinity, as ‘Churches Together’, and as a whole community. Ofcourse, we are nowhere near perfection – but the doors are open, and so asopportunities arise, we are able to grasp them together – for the good of others:

� Our  church  re‐ordering  project  is  fired  with  a  passion  that  worshippingGod in the beauty of holiness, and providing the space to ‘be still andknow that I am God’ have to lie at the heart of everything we do andare – and then we are in a position to share that passion in all sorts ofcreative ways with those who come through the doors.

� Graham has written later in this issue about the BACT CommunityCentre Project (page 18). This is a hugely exciting proposal whereby weshall be able to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable of ourcommunity, in love and in service, through a Churches Together inspiredand managed initiative.

� The Local Friends is another one – this time involving BACT, LINK, theMayor, the Health Centre and its Patient Participation Group, and theSeniors Forum. It is just about to start with a pilot scheme, and thenwill hopefully spread across town befriending and visiting the lonely andvulnerable – ‘the least of these’.

With my love and prayers and every blessing,

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FROM THE REGISTERS

Baptisms

Phoebe Octavia Locke 13th April

Marriages

James Walsh and Jenny Barker 12th April

Philip Hopley and Alison O'Grady 26th April

Oh,  what  a  lovely  time  we  had  at  the  Coffee  &  CakeMorning on 29�� March organised by the Mothers'Union! All members of the families came, no age orgender restrictions, to see what we get up to on aTuesday morning and to join in with our activities.Grandparents who are unable to come on a Tuesday anddads who are working, now feel part of mainly music.Non-regulars and past members also joined in with thetwo  sessions  held  during  the morning.    Percy  Parrot  flew

in from Paraguay to tell the Bible story of the Five Loaves and Two Fishes.Thank you to all who joined us and made the morning so much fun.

The Tuesday after was our last day until after Easter so all the children wenthome with a posy of flowers and a small chocolate egg.  When Sue was sortingthe posies outside the Church, a young mum and child were passing and Sueinvited them in for the morning. They enjoyed it so much and are now on ourwaiting list!

Marlene Haffenden

A thought. Can atheists get insurance for acts of God?

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On 25�� March a number ofmembers went to AllSaints, Westbury, for an

afternoon service and tea, anuplifting and enjoyable occasion. Onthe Saturday of the same weekmembers were again involved inactivities in church in conjunctionwith our Diocesan President'swalking the Ridgeway. Among allthe various events a small band ofmembers made up the posies forMothering Sunday. Again at themorning service the work of theMU was highlighted with a briefresumé of our work from Marlenefollowed by children wearingappropriate hats and carryingbanners highlighting themembership  in  five  parts  of  theworld – Africa, India, the UK,Australia and Peru. All this was partof raising awareness of the work

the MU do both in this countryand worldwide.

Our April meeting was a morereflective event when we thought

about the eight days between PalmSunday and Easter Day usingreadings, meditations and hymns.Extracts from works by JoyceHuggett, Nick Fawcett, the IonaCommunity, Michel Quoist, CarylMicklem and Ladislaus Boros helpedin our reflections.

Heather, Joy and Ivy served ourrefreshments with mini hot-crossbuns and Easter biscuits provided bySylvia and Sally. The flowers that Patbrought were won by Geneviève andmembers were able to see pictures ofthe 29�� March event on a laptop.

Looking ahead to our May meetingwe shall be welcoming Canon RichardAskew who will speak to the title ‘Afunny thing happened to me on theway to the Church’. We look forwardto this and as usual visitors are alwayswelcome to our meetings.

Sylvia and Ian

On the lovely sunny morning of 29�� March, many families attended ourCoffee  &  Cake morning  where  they  could  see MU members making  posiesfor Mothering Sunday, children making items at the craft section andrhyme, rhythm and music with the mainly music team and the children.The craft section was led by one of our mums from mainly music. Thechurch was buzzing with activities, chatter, fun, and of course, deliciouscakes,  tea  and  coffee.  As  well  as  a  lot  of  help  from  Holy  Trinity,  we  hadmuch support from Christ Church, St Mary the Virgin, Westwood, St

BRADFORD DEANERY MOTHERS' UNIONWALK A WEEK EVENT

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Thanks…Thank you to so many from the congregation who helped to sponsor £250for the Mothers' Union ‘Walk-a-Week’. If you didn't, there are still membersof the MU looking for sponsors!!

Chris Hodge

James, Trowbridge, and St John, Upper Studley. A similar event was held inthe afternoon at St James. We were very pleased to have in attendance atboth events our Diocesan President, Ann Howard, and ArchdeaconryChairman, Jocelyn Short. Grateful thanks to all who helped, supported inmany ways and sponsored the ‘Walk a Week’. Sponsorship is open untilJune. The following Wednesday, there was another event at the WestburyWhite  Horse  where many  were  invited  to  come  and  fly  kites.  There  wasplenty  of  wind  for  flying  kites  and  too much  to  be  able  to  put  up  a  gazebo!

Ann is now over half way on her one day ‘Walk a Week’ along the WessexRidgeway.  In  addition  to  raising  the  profile  of  the Mothers’  Union,  BradfordDeanery have raised over £500 so far for MU projects.

Marlene Haffenden

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THE LICENSING OF ALI GREEN

On Sunday, 23�� March, at an Evensongservice in Holy Trinity, the Revd DrAlison Green was licensed as Associate

Priest  of  the  Benefice  of  Bradford  on  AvonHoly  Trinity, Westwood  and Wingfield  by  theVen Ruth Worsley, Archdeacon of Wilts.

The old and new testament readings for thatSunday were the two closely related texts Joshua1: 1-9 and Ephesians 6:10-20, and although thecongregation were not to know it, these two textswould later form the basis of the Archdeacon’ssermon, effectively expandingon the exhortations, first ofGod to Joshua:

There shall not any man beable to stand before thee allthe days of thy life: as I waswith Moses, so I will bewith thee: I will not failthee, nor forsake thee. Bestrong and of a goodcourage:Have not I commandedthee? Be strong and of agood courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy Godis with thee whithersoever thou goest.

and subsequently of Paul to his converts:Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Puton the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles ofthe devil.

to encourage Ali in her new rôle  in  the  Benefice.  I  wonder  if  Ali  realisedwhat she was getting into!

The licensing ceremony was followed by a traditional Holy Trinity materialcelebration, with wine and a great array of sustenance provided by members ofthe congregation.

Welcome Ali. But keep your helmet of salvation, and your sword of the Spiritto hand, just in case.

Bryan Harris

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RETREAT REPORT

Just a day after being licensed as our Associate Priest, the Revd Dr AliGreen  went  off  with  Judith  Holland  and myself  for  a  five‐day  retreat  inWales. This was an individually guided retreat held in the grounds of an

Anglican Convent near Monmouth. The whole purpose of the retreat was tospend three days in silence, praying and listening to God. Being in silencemeant that we were able to give God our whole attention and allow theHoly Spirit to work within us, withoutdistraction.

So with two others joining us we endedsupper on the first day and prepared for the longsilence ahead. I must admit I was a littleapprehensive as we began but you soon get usedto it and begin to relax into it. Certainly being in amobile-phone-free and internet-freeenvironment was a great help!

 So we used the time to reflect, guided once aday with personal conversations with Ali, as wellas exploring our surroundings and the manywalks all around us. Indeed there was a richvariety of wildlife on our doorstep and somebeautiful sunrises, when the Welsh weatherallowed!

So three days passed quite quicklyand I was just getting used to being insilence when it was time to pack upand come home, our spiritualbatteries recharged. In fact I couldeven have carried on for another dayor two! However I found that the timewe had was really useful in being ableto focus solely on matters spiritualand fortunate also in being able to jointhe nuns for worship in their beautifulstone chapel. In all it was a veryspiritually uplifting experience and I

hope to repeat the exercise with Ali in the future.Text and photos by Graham Dove

PS. If anyone would like to make a short retreat, please email, phone or speak toAli.

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Churchwardens' and Fabric ReportTrevor thanked the ladies of the Catering Team for all their hard work,sometimes with short notice. He also said that the ‘King and Queen’ chairsin front of the Choir Vestry had been taken away by Colin Pearce forrepairs. Anne Willis apologized for the ‘non-peal’ on the previous Sundayevening,  for  Ali  Green's  Licensing.  A  clapper  had  sheared  off  the  5�� bell,but the repair was underway, and the problem turned out to be the boltthat holds the clapper and staple assembly into the bell (see page 29).

Margaret Harris commented on how lovely the churchyard is looking, andthanked the Churchyard Team for all their hard work.

Treasurer's ReportJeremy said the Annual Report Accounts showed only a small variation fromthe report he presented to PCC in January (ie.  a  small  change  in  the  CoffeeAccount). The PCC approved the adoption of the 2013 Accounts which hadbeen audited and agreed. He also said that we had paid the 2014 Share infull in advance so as to obtain a discount.

Metsys Trust Fund InvestmentThe Standing Committee chose to invest in the Charities Aid Foundation,and have put one third of the amount into a 90-day notice account at0.75%,  and  two‐thirds  into  a  1‐year  fixed‐term  deposit  at  1%.  It  was  notpossible to invest in stocks and shares because of the short time involved.

New Treasurer and Book-keeperNo-one has volunteered for this, so it has been decided to pay someone.Advice has been sought from other clergy, and this is becoming standardpractice. Jeremy will stay on for a further year as Treasurer and help Ayleneto learn the ropes as Book-keeper, which, with a further 4 hours a week,she will be able to do. Heartfelt thanks were expressed to Jeremy for all hiswork, and for agreeing to continue in this new rôle with a much lighterwork-load.

WorshipMothering Sunday would be MU themed, with a retiring collection for theOverseas Fund.

Palm Sunday: Evensong will be with BACT (after the Lent Course.)

REPORT OF THE PCC MEETING ON 26TH MARCH, 2014

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Holy Week: there will be a 6pm Eucharist on Monday, Tuesday andWednesday,  with  a  short  reflection  on  the  gospel,  and  then  a  time  of  silencefor the Prayers of Intercession.

Joanna suggested having a ‘duty family’ for the Sing Hosanna services, as theydo in Westwood. There is a rota for the year, when families are sidespersons,readers and intercessors. This was agreed.

Various comments were raised on the present service, and Joanna said thatthe time of the church closure would be the time to change things. ‘MessyChurch’ should be looked at as a possibility, as well.

The Church Re-Ordering ProjectDetailed drawings and a Feasibility Report will be presented to the SteeringCommittee on 11�� April and discussed at PCC on 24�� April.

Mission and the CommunityThe  various  Group  leaders  spoke  to  their  reports,  which  are  on  file.

� Lindsay Driscoll has started duties as a governor at St Laurence, and itis going well. The primary schools in the area have been exploringacademy conversion. The Heads of the schools in the Bradford Clusterall work well together.

� Graham Dove's report on the proposed BACT Community Hub was discussedin his absence. Formal discussions are taking place with the Catholic Dioceseof Bristol to rent the former HSBC building. This is being supported by theTown Council, BoACAN, and the Area Board (Wiltshire Council). The idea isto open a Centre to offer support and advice to the vulnerable within thecommunity, and would include the Hope Debt Advice, an enlarged Foodbank, and hopefully, the Credit Union, amongst others.

� The Mayor, together with other interested groups, is also setting up a groupcalled Local Friends to look after lonely and elderly people. There are lots ofvolunteers and a pilot scheme will start on the Avonfield estate. Joanna isvery involved in this project.

� Mervyn Harris has volunteered to take charge of the Church Stalls at theStreet Market, which is excellent news.

APCM Ma�ers� The Annual Report for 2013 was formally adopted.

� There had been 3 nominations for the new PCC, leaving 3 further places.And there had been 1 so far for the 3 places on the Deanery Synod.Joanna pointed out that this would mean an

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election if the existing 4 Deanery Synod members also wanted to standagain.

� The PCC Secretary will be co-opted for the coming year.

Please also see the full Minutes on the board at the back of church.

There will be an Extraordinary PCC Meeting on 24�� April in church, andthen the next PCC will take place after the APCM on Sunday, 27�� April.

Chris Hodge

As  Kingfishers  Catch  Fire…

Poetry evokes what is good, beautiful and true. It imagines theunimaginable,  describes  the  indefinable,  and  unveils  what  oursenses  cannot  know  or  our  intellect  figure  out.  Poetry  is  theology

leaping  out  of  the  filing  cabinet  and  into  the  heart.  It  is  the Word  orwords that stir our souls.

And, paradoxically, you don’t have to put words to paper to be a poet.Jesus never wrote a poem. The only words he ever wrote were on the sand.And the rain washed those away. His life was poetry. He was the Word madeflesh.

A poet is a poet because, like Jesus, she or he sees what is really there.Jesus saw goodness in the adulteress, wholeness in the leper, forgiveness inthe thief on the cross. He even beheld innocence behind the masks of thosewho taunted, scourged and crucified him. Jesus acted in God’s eye what inGod’s eye he was. When asked who he was and how he healed, Jesus told hisdisciples, “Come and see.”

I say more: the just man justices;Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces;Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is –Christ – for Christ plays in ten thousand places,Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not hisTo the Father through the features of men’s faces.

Lines from As  Kingfishers  Catch  Fire, by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Theabove is taken from an article by Michael Leach in the National CatholicReporter, March 2014, drawn to our attention by Erin Shields-Pett.

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MAKING CHOIR ROBES

Away for the weekend, sitting up in bed, devouring Parish News online (so exciting to be able to read it before it arrives in church), Iturned to page 10, and my breath nearly stopped! Muriel, bless her,

had put in an article about me making the choir robes. Such a long timeago, I can't even remember when! Gerald was always a great supporter ofMuriel,  which  was  how  I  came  to  join  the  choir  in  the  first  place.  He  didn'twant me to leave him to sit on his own, (as if he was ever on his own,with all his lady friends!) but Muriel needed some more altos, so I wasallowed to join.

So, because the choir was Muriel’s, he backed me up in making the robes,doing all the lunches, which he enjoyed cooking, while I laboured away. Theworst part was cutting them all out. The material was 60 inches wide and tooheavy to sit on our big table, and I had to cut out on the lounge floor.

I couldn't have done it a few years later, as my knee went eventually.

I charged each lady £10 for the work, and the resulting money bought me abetter sewing machine!

The collars, which were given by Jennifer Sturmey in memory of her mother,never came to grips with the clothes we wore underneath, so eventually, Idesigned the collar the ladies now wear, and made them, following that withthe white collars the men wear, which were terribly expensive to buy.

I loved seeing the choir in proper robes, and was really pleased I could use thetalent given to me, in order to do it.

Chris Hodge

Postcards for the Church in Sudan and South SudanPlease save your postcards after their useful life has ended to be sold forthe Episcopal Church in Sudan and South Sudan. Place your cards in thebox by the display cabinet at the west end of the church, or pop themthrough my letter box at 20 St Margaret’s Street. Even if you only haveone or two they will be welcome and put to good use. Please leave thestamps on, and be assured that nobody has time to read holiday greetings!Thank you.

Muriel

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BRADFORD DEANERY SYNODDigest of a meeting of on Tuesday March 25th

at St James's Church, Trowbridge

Thirty seven people attended the synod. In the opening prayers theRural Dean remembered Canon Bill Matthews of Holy Trinity,Bradford on Avon, who was Rural Dean for ten years, and Gerald

Gibson, Lay Chairman for twelve years who had died aged 102.An updated version of the Deanery plan had been circulated. The Rural Dean

said that the Plan was very much a ‘Work in Progress’, and asked that those whohad not contributed to the latest update to do so. There were some verypositive signs of growth in the Deanery.

Material on the General Synod Vote on Women Bishops had been circulated.The Rural Dean read out the Guiding Principles and Chris Fielden expanded onvarious points. Salisbury Diocesan Synod will debate the matter next month;bigger questions will arise after General Synod’s vote.

A report on Sudan was circulated. Very sadly the Revd Timo has not beenable to obtain a visa for his proposed visit to the Deanery, despite an appeal andletters from the Bishop and Rural Dean. Chris Fielden will raise the matter, andthe subject of costs (£800), at Diocesan Synod.

Kadugli: Many PCC's and individuals have continued to be more thangenerous and we currently have over £3,300 in our special Kadugli Fund.Christopher Fielden passed a cheque to the treasurer for a further £1,000from  Broughton  Gifford  PCC,  bringing  the  total  to  £4,300.  The  KadugliCommittee is recommending that the Revd Timo's expenses should bereimbursed from this account.

The Treasurer, David Robinson, was very pleased to report that every PCC,with one exception, paid their Share for 2013 in full. In other words out ofa total amount of £648,000, 98% or £635,000 was paid – all but £13,000(the diocesan total was 97%). Following on from 2012 when we paid 100%this is very heartening and speaks to the leadership that now is evident inour  Deanery's  parishes  and  benefices.  In  other  words  a  tribute  to  all  thosepresent tonight. See below for a detailed report of David's presentation:Dispelling the Myths of Share.

Gil Williams, Chairman of the Diocesan Finance Committee, had askedDavid  to  convey  his  gratitude  for  the  Deanery's  generosity  and  effort  toachieve this result.

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Andrew Evans spoke on his recent visit to Colombia and the miracles hehad witnessed there after prayer, including the ability of a most unhappyman to forgive; the re-uniting in love of a separated couple; and therecovery of a woman with secondary cancers in the spine. He will bepraying at The Trinity, Trowbridge at a 6pm service on April 6��.

Congregations are reminded that Deanery Synod elections will take placethis year. Representatives for Diocesan and General Synod are elected byDeanery Synod.

There will be another Lay Pastoral Assistant training course in the autumn

Jen Wilson  of  Great  Chalfield  had  volunteered  to  be  the  DeaneryRepresentative and was looking forward to the task

Future meetings of synod will be on Wednesday June 18t�; ThursdayOctober 23��; venues to be announced. Everybody is welcome to meetingsof Synod.

Dispelling the Myths of ShareDavid Robinson felt that given our recent record he was not sure whetherthis talk was really necessary but that there was no harm in repeatingsome  facts  which members may  find  useful  to mention  to  their  PCCs,  theirmembership, and beyond.

Some of the usual myths relate to Salisbury, the Church Commissioners, etc.Over 90% of the Share paid to Salisbury goes towards the stipends, pensioncontributions, national insurance and housing costs of our stipendiary clergy.Without Share there would be no Stipendiary clergy, full stop. It does not go tothe Cathedral, the Bishops’ residences or anywhere else.

Gil Williams, the Diocesan Treasurer says that the Salisbury Diocese has thelowest overall Share increases of any of the Dioceses in the whole of the SouthWest of England at 1.9% for this year and 1.8% for 2015. All others are showingincreases in excess of 2%, some 3.3% for each of the next three years. It is saidby the national church that Salisbury has the lowest Share amount per memberin the whole of the Church of England – £1 per person per day.

Recently David had an interesting conversation with a [Civil] Parish CouncilChairman. It was a request to the Council to donate a small proportion of theirfunding to the upkeep of a churchyard which, being available to all members ofthe village to be buried there and therefore a public amenity, seemed areasonable request. The Councillor’s initial response was how could he justifysuch a donation with the church getting so much money from Salisbury and thechurch commissioners? He had no clue, and David would

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guarantee that most people in any village or town would also have no clue, thatpractically all the funds for our churches come from the communities in whichthey are located. That is a fantastically positive story to tell. No parish jumps forjoy, certainly not their treasurer, at the payment of Share but it is actuallysomething to celebrate!

Somehow or other it seems to be embarrassing to talk about money butwhere it is widely discussed and leadership is given funds are found, as most ofour parishes are finding. Examples of other worthy causes include Red Nose dayor Sport Aid. When money is talked about loud and clear by the leaders in acommunity, it happens. There are plenty of resources to help with the practicalissues of Stewardship campaigns but it requires positive thinking andleadership, mission if you like, to make such campaigns a success.

A final word on Salisbury’s system of Fairer Share. The last Synod asked thatsome representation be made to Salisbury regarding the category modificationsystem currently employed and the marginal count numbers. This was dulydone at the Ramsbury Share and Finance meeting in December and is nowbeing considered by the Fairer Share working Group. There are always going tobe some who don’t like the system or suggestions made as to how it can beimproved. This particular issue does come up regularly and Michael Armstrongis now acutely aware that something needs to be done regarding the margins –but like taxes, if you are in one band you pay £x and if in another you pay £x plussomething or £x minus something.

David would encourage PCCs, or their Standing Committees, to talk to theother PCCs in their benefice when the membership numbers are counted in Mayand the returns made in July. In the matter of Church plant (ie. equipment, notrhododendrons!) he suggested that those involved talk to him and to Salisbury.

Anne Willis

The Children's Society,The Annual Quiz Evening held on 14�� March wasagain very successful and a wonderful total of

£741 was raised. Following our appeal at the local Co-ops and generousbox contributions we were able to send £1077.00 to the Society.Enormous thanks to everyone for all their support.

Anne Carter

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Reordering Project:

Holy Trinity Church,

Bradford on Avon

Progress Report for April

Although we had no formal Working Party Meeting in March, progress hasbeen going on ‘behind the scenes’. There have been several meetings withconsultants  to  talk  through  a  variety  of  subjects  –  flood management,excavations,  alternative  power,  heating,  finishes  and  lighting  to  name  just  afew. Discussions have continued on archaeology, access and drainage; bothinside and outside the church building.

The topographical survey (together with this winter’s experience of waterlevels) is very informative and highlights the need for further thoughts and aclear decision on levels – the 1 in 100yr (whenever that will be) predicted floodlevel being above the existing internal floor level of the church!

The reports returned on the organ have also been fascinating – what a historyit's got !  Again the flooding issue will have an impact on how we deal with theorgan; we can raise the organ on a plinth or should we raise the whole floorwhich brings other benefits?

Consultations will continue after Easter. A date has been set for a meetingwith the English Heritage representative and the Local Authority Conservationofficer, which in turn will lead to further discussions with the DAC.

Angela Dudley

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At its April meeting BACTagreed to endorse therecommendations of two

papers concerning the proposed newCommunity Centre and the future ofthe Food bank.

A small group had been set upspecifically ‘to establish withinBradford on Avon, a centre where theneeds of the most vulnerable from ourcommunity can be met.’ Furthermore‘such premises would include ameeting space for local communitygroups and to be a centre for publicengagement and consultation.’ Thisgroup has met with representativesfrom the Town Council and BoACANto see how this centre could form partof the Town's Campus plan.

The Centre will include the HopeDebt Advice, an enlarged Food bankand, hopefully, the Credit Union. It isalso envisaged that other agenciesthat provide advice and information,as well as some Council services, coulduse the Centre on a part-time basis.Initial funding will come through BACT

and the Holy Trinity Community Fund,but there are a number of othersources of funding that are beingexplored.

Discussions have taken place withthe Catholic Diocese of Cliftonregarding the renting of the formerHSBC Bank premises. These are on-going but so far have been veryfavourable. Such a large premiseswould be ideal as well as providingmore space for an enlarged food bankservice, operating now under theumbrella of the Trussell Trust, anationally recognised Christianorganisation with a wealth ofexpertise, training and support thatwill help us expand our operationwithin the town and local villages.

A Management Committee,consisting of representatives fromBACT, the Town Council and BoACAN,is being set up to take this project onfurther. If all goes well we hope tohave the Centre up and running in timefor Christmas.

Graham Dove

The political row over the dramaticincrease in the use of food bankscontinues to gather pace. Asreported in The Church Times on 4��April, a parliamentary inquiry intowhy more people are relying onfood  banks  has  been  officiallylaunched at Lambeth Palace. ThisAll-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into

Hunger and Food Poverty in Britainwill be co-chaired by the Labour MPFrank Field and the Bishop of Truro,the Rt Revd Timothy Thornton. Thearticle quoted the Conservative MPfor Salisbury, John Glen, who saidthat he was proud that the TrussellTrust, which runs 404 food banksacross Britain, had started in his

FOOD BANK NEWS

The Bishops and the Food banks, continued…

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constituency. “I hope that thisinquiry will take some of the politicsout of the food-bank debate, whichhas been unhelpfully politicized inrecent months.” Bishop Tim said “Ifwe come out [of this inquiry] withonly bland recommendations, it willhave failed abysmally. I hope thatthis will be very political. We have avoice as Christians.” He said that hehad the backing of the Archbishopof Canterbury, and many otherdiocesan bishops.

Under the headline A tricky balancebetween Church and state, IsabelHardman, writing in The Telegraph on20�� February, said “I do sincerely wishthat bishops, having lost anyconfidence in their ability to save oursouls, could get on with what was atany rate part of their traditional job –looking after the poor – rather thanmake fatuous and ignorantsuggestions.” This statement itselfcould of course be said to be a ‘fatuousand ignorant suggestion’, but later inher article the author made thefollowing telling comment:

Some commentators with a moretribal disposition than me thinkthe bishops – and ArchbishopVincent Nichols, who has beenwrangling with David Cameronover welfare – should jolly wellget back to their ‘traditional job’and stop poking their noses intothings they know nothing about,as suggested by Auberon Waughin the Spectator in 1984. But theBible is clear that it is a Christian

duty to attack social injustice,from the fury in Amos at thosewho “deny justice to theoppressed” to Jesus's commandto “love your neighbour asyourself”.

The Trussell Trust reported (BBCNews, 16th April) that in all, 913,000people received three days ofemergency food supplies in the past 12months. It acknowledged that a third ofthe food boxes were given to repeatvisitors but that there was a ‘shocking’51% rise in clients to established foodbanks. It said benefit payment delayswere the main cause. In a letter toministers, more than 500 clergy say theincrease is ‘terrible’.

The government said there was noevidence of a link between welfarereforms and the use of food banks, butin a recent Government-sponsoredreport of a three-year investigationinto emergency food provision and theextent of food aid in the UK, carriedout by Hannah Lambie-Mumford atSheffield University, the conclusion,published on 9�� April, says the rise indemand for charity food is a clearsignal “of the inadequacy of bothsocial security provision and theprocesses by which it is delivered.” ADept of Work & Pensionsspokesperson said: “This report, whichis based on just 25 interviews, fails toconsider how welfare reforms arehelping people off benefits and intojobs. The truth is that we now haverecord numbers of people in work, thehighest

(Continued on page 20)

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employment rate for five years, andfalling unemployment.”

An article in The Guardian on 11��March by Rowena Mason and PatrickButler claimed to have obtaineddocuments showing that the DWP wasadvising job centres on sendingclaimants to food banks. Ministersinsist job centres “do not refer peopleto food banks or issue vouchers” andthat food banks are “absolutely not apart of the welfare system because wehave other means of supporting

people”. They say job centres only“signpost” the existence of food banksand dispute the link between welfarechanges and a surge in their use.However, the documents obtained byThe Guardian under freedom ofinformation laws show there is a “highlevel process” written by the DWP tobe followed when benefit claimantssay they are in hardship because ofgovernment policy and need food.

Whom do we believe? You decide!Bryan Harris

The article by Laura Gosling in theApril issue of Parish News was clearlythe Wiltshire Highways Department’sofficial  account  of  the  Historic  CoreZone initiative. But it is deceptive. Itdoes not admit the speculative andrisky nature of the proposed scheme,the lack of supporting evidence, orthe unclear connection betweenaspiration and reality. And, of course,it ignores the indignation of peoplewho have checked the contentsagainst ‘what it says on the tin’.

How could such a bold (if somewhatoblique) attempt to tackle Bradford’sintractable problems of trafficcongestion, pedestrian intimidation andair pollution, become a recipe formaking matters worse? How could thepromise to ‘rebalance the relationship

between drivers and pedestrians’ turninto an arrangement which seems todisadvantage both? It's a long story.

Traffic, mostly local, is both the life‐blood and blight of Bradford. With a by-pass recognised as unrealistic, and aone-way system counter-productive,how then to optimize the balancebetween traffic flow and pedestriancomfort, mobility and safety? In 2008,the ‘Taming the Traffic’ conferencedebated how to prevent furtherstrangulation of the town.

The last-minute, last-resort outcomewas a surprise: change the name of thegame! Accept traffic volume, set asidecongestion and pollution, and switchthe problem from traffic dominance toinconsiderate drivers. Let’s experimentwith deregulation – the fashion among

Le�er to the Editors: The Historic Core Zone Illusion

Quote for today…Jesus invented the Big Society 2,000 years ago… David Cameron, April 2014

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highways planners and consultants.Removing the normal rules ofdriver/pedestrian interaction andblurring the demarcations of streetspace should createuncertainty, andtherefore greater care.This ‘Shared Space’theory has been tried inparts of other historictowns, but there are noprecedents comparableto Bradford’s uniquecombination ofproblems [ie. a mainthrough A road, steephills, and deep street‘canyons’, Editors].

The resultingHistoric Core Zonescheme became the only game in town,increasingly self‐justified by the time,effort and cost spent on developing andpromoting it as ‘Priority for People’. It isa seductive vision: substantial fundingfor a make-over of the town centre;‘decluttering’ and upgrading materialsand street furniture; ugly road markingsreplaced by coloured and texturedpaving. The whole area supposedly ‘re-civilized’ with mutual tolerance amongstreet users: benevolent drivers, relaxedpedestrians, happy shoppers. Really?

Would pedestrians’ confidence andmobility be helped by removing theirright of way on a regulated zebracrossing (1,196 signatures on the recent

petition for its retention); or expectingthem to confront two‐way traffic onvoluntary ‘courtesy’ crossings; ordepriving them of the guidance and

safeguard of raisedkerbs in places? Willdrivers’ attitudes topedestrians beimproved byreplacing oneregulated crossing inMarket Street withfour unregulatedcrossings? Why invitetraffic blockage in thenarrows by removingthe yellow boxes?

Somehow, afteryears of deliberationamong dedicated

insiders, ignoring adverse responses inpublic consultation, (71% of the publicresponses in January 2013 werenegative) the resulting HCZ schemeoffers the very opposite of its aims andclaims. It would be more inhibiting toexposed pedestrians than to encloseddrivers; discriminating against theelderly, infirm and children (infringingthe Equality Act 2010?); together withmore driver impatience, congestion andexhaust pollution from slower trafficflow. A pedestrian discomfort zonethreatens, and perhaps a no-go area forsome.

Godfrey Marks,BA15 1NG, 862202

BH

Note: The views expressed in this letter, and also in the original article on theHCZ to which it refers, are not necessarily the views of either the editors or theChurch.

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On  a  fine  Spring  evening,twenty-four people, includingsix from Holy Trinity,

attended the BACT meeting on April7��, which was held in the spaciousSt Nicholas Church Hall, Winsley.The Revd Ann Keating (ChristChurch) opened the meeting with aprayer.

The Evangelism and Nurture Groupis headed by Denise Leigh (ChristChurch). Denise quoted the followingverse from Romans ch. 10:

But how are they to call on one inwhom they have not believed? Andhow are they to believe in one of whomthey have never heard? And how arethey to hear without someone toproclaim him? And how are they toproclaim him unless they are sent? Asit is written – How beautiful are thefeet of those who bring good news..Denise discussed the significance of

this reading and then handed out aquestionnaire asking: 1) How did youcome to faith? and 2) What sustainsyour faith now? People then discussedtheir reasons with their neighbours.The questionnaires were handed backin and will be discussed by theEvangelism Group, who will reportback to the meeting.

Matters arising from the last BACTmeeting were discussed.

Christian Aid: Harry Wishart (UnitedChurch) and John Woods (HolyTrinity) have jointly taken on the

task of Christian Aid co-ordinator. AnnMiddleton, the outgoingco-ordinator was commended for herexcellent work, and thecompleteness of her hand-over toHarry and John.

David Driscoll has askedSainsburys, the Co-op and Budgens forpermission to collect outside theirshops during Christian Aid week.Sainsburys already has a localcollection operating during that week,but the Co-op in Winsley Road has saidthat BACT can collect there. Budgenshave not yet replied, but volunteers forthe Co-op Christian Aid collectionpoint, and for street collections, arerequired. Please contact David Driscollor any BACT member.

There will be a Christian Aid serviceat Christ Church at 6pm. on Sunday11�� May; and on Saturday 17�� May at12 noon there will be a Christian Aidlunch at the Lambert Centre.

The BACT web site is up andrunning and all BACT memberchurches are requested to provide alink from their own church web sitesto the BACT web site –http://together.ourchurchweb.org.uk/bradfordonavon

The Treasurer (Alison Wells – StNicholas, Winsley) advised that theBACT funds were in a satisfactorystate, and it was agreed to obtain

Bradford on Avon Churches Together

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quotes for the renewal of ourinsurance which covers all BACTmember churches for events heldaway from their own premises.

The Chairman (David Driscoll – HolyTrinity)    advised  that  five  of  the  sixLent Course sessions had beensatisfactorily completed and that helooked  forward  to  the  debriefingsession to discuss the outcome. Healso mentioned that the BACTJustice and Peace focus group wasseeking a leader. Anyone from ourmember churches may apply. BACTis also now seeking a vice-chairmanfor, after many years in the position,Peter Walker (United Church) wasstanding down. It was hoped thathis successor would be elected atthe AGM on 28�� April. Memberswere requested prayerfully toconsider taking on this rôle.

Community Project and theFood Bank.Please read Graham Dove’s separatearticle on this subject on page 18. Itis clear that a groundswell ofChristian goodwill is now takingplace in Bradford on Avon!

Working Together Focus Groups� Justice and Peace – no leader

as yet.

� Care for the Environment –Leader Ron Dell (Holy Trinity)

� Service – Leader Jim Clarke(Hope Debt Advice Service)

� Evangelism and Nurture –Leader Denise Leigh (ChristChurch)

Other Business.Local Friends: Joanna is part of agroup comprising the mayor, theSeniors’ Forum, Link, and thePatient Participation Group, whichhas set up a pilot project to visitpeople who live alone and toprovide some company. The fourvolunteers are being CRB checkedand are receiving training. It isintended that when the pilotingperiod has been completed, thevisiting project will spread to includeall of Bradford and the surroundingvillages.

A WWI Memorial Service is to beheld in Westbury Gardens onSunday August 3�� at 3pm. Thisservice is being planned tocommemorate the start of WWI andwill include members of the Germanand French Twinning Associations.

The next BACT meeting will be onMonday. 28�� April at 7.45pm (note theslightly later time) in the QuakerMeeting House, BoA. (Please don'tarrive before 7.30pm because there is aprior meeting). The speaker, VivienneKynaston, is from the ‘Fair Trade’organization. All HT parishionerswelcome – please contact me if youwould like a lift.

David Rawstron

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A year after his enthronement, two dailynewspapers have produced enthusiasticheadlines, both on Good Friday, about

Justin Welby's achievements so far.

John Bingham in The Telegraph leads with:

Justin Welby makes great strides, but hisgreatest challenge is yet to come.

A year aer enthronement, the Archbishop ofCanterbury has proved many doubters wrong.

It could have been like one of those moments ina country parish where a trendy new vicar rollsup with plans to rip out the Victorian pews tomake way for a drum-kit and an overheadprojector. The arrival of Justin Welby, a former businessman whose brand ofChristianity is marked with the zeal of the convert, as the 105th Archbishopof Canterbury had the potential to ruffle more than a few feathers in theestablished Church. Within months of his enthronement, a year ago today, he seemed oncourse to do just that. He had overhauled his staff, with a series of newappointments. He had persuaded rival factions to take part in something akinto drama therapy sessions to confront their differences over women bishops,and he had delivered a blistering address to the General Synod on how itneeded to face up to a sexual ‘revolution’. But a year into the job – which combines the work of a medieval prelate, aFTSE chief executive and a world-weary inner-city rector – he has scored aseries of successes that would have seemed unthinkable in the past. Afterdecades of argument and years of tortuous legislative twists and turns, theChurch of England is on the brink of finally approving the admission ofwomen into the episcopate.

Andrew Brown in The Guardian leads with:

Justin Welby: the hard-nosed realist holding together the Church of England.e archbishop of Canterbury has had successes over female bishops and

payday lenders, and is now trying to steer the church away from telling peoplehow to behave.

Justin Welby now looks like the best Archbishop of Canterbury the Churchof England could possibly have, but when he was appointed he was almostunknown, and had only been a diocesan bishop for nine months. What got

THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY'S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE

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him the job – after he had made the shortlist – was that he was the onlycandidate who did not deny or flinch from the internal research suggestingthat the church would dwindle, on existing trends, from about one millioncommitted members to 150,000 by 2050. His first year in the job has been marked by tremendous energy andrather more physical and moral courage than is expected of an archbishop,but there is a tremendous sense of urgency underlying this display. He has already had two notable successes, and one of them will last. Hehas led the church past the General Synod’s traumatic failure to approvefemale bishops in 2012, so that it seems certain that some will be appointednext year; and in the summer he managed to get the whole country talkingabout loan sharks and thinking of the Church of England as an organizationmore concerned with the evils of payday lending than of sex.

That seems like a warm endorsement from both sides of the politicaldivide.

Bryan Harris

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WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORDAINEDMINISTRY (CHURCH OF ENGLAND)

On Thursday, 20�� March, 2014 there was a debate on this topic inWestminster Hall chaired by Annette Brooke, Lib Dem MP for Mid Dorsetand North Poole. The debate is recorded in Hansard, and can beaccessed at: http://snipurl.com/28tfiem. Clearly we cannot summarize awhole debate in Parish News, but as a matter of historical record it isperhaps worth while publishing the opening and closing statements byCaroline Spelman, Conservative MP for Meriden:

Opening statement:Mrs Spelman: I am delighted that the Backbench Business Committeehas granted us the time to celebrate the 20�� anniversary of theordination of women. A number of colleagues to whom I have spokenhave  been  surprised  that  20  years  have  elapsed  since  the  first  ordination.Indeed,  the  first  of  32  women  priests  was  ordained  in  Bristol  cathedral  on12�� March 1994. Angela Berners-Wilson*  was  the  first  to  be  ordained,making history. Since then, more than 5,000 women have been ordainedto the ministry. Last month, the General Synod also agreed to fast-trackthe  process  towards  ordaining  women  as  bishops,  so  the  first  femalebishop could be chosen as soon as the end of this year, which is to becelebrated.

Concluding statement:Mrs Spelman: I hope our debate has sent a message to the 4,200ordained women that we greatly value what they do. The Church isfacing an inter-generational challenge, so it is important that it attractsmore young men and women. The young generation simply does notunderstand  why  we  do  not  ordain  and  promote  women  to  high  office  inthe Church. The future of our Church is safe in the hands of the newarchbishop, but it is important that we take the next step of consecratingwomen bishops. I am delighted that we have been able to have thisdebate.

Source: Hansard* The Revd Prebendary Angela Berners-Wilson is the Anglican Chaplainof the University of Bath.

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EXERCISE TO IMPROVE STRENGTHAND BALANCE FOR OLDER PEOPLE

WINSLEY VILLAGE HALLWEDNESDAYS 2pm - 3pm (Starting 18th June 2014)

Cost £3 per class

Are  you  and  older  adult  looking  for  a  gentle  yet  effectiveexercise class that also reduces your risk of having a fall?

With  support  from  Age  UK Wiltshire  I  shall  be  offering  a  weekly  classof  exercises  for  older  people  to  improve  flexibility,  strength,

endurance and balance.

The class will be fun –  social  as  well  as  beneficialFor further information, please phone Elaine Crabbe

01225 869363 or 07812 776264

Feel free to turn up on the day

PillarAfter a certain gloomy Dean retired a number of years ago, he began writing forthe press. Even he smiled when a rival paper declared that he was no longer apillar of the Church of England, but now only two columns in the EveningStandard.

Crossword solutionsAcross1 Conscience, 7 Arrival, 8 Yours, 10 Tidy, 11 Restrain, 13 Quaker, 15 Gateau, 17Athenian, 18 Amen, 21 Eliot, 22 Enables, 23 Impressive.Down1 Cured, 2 Nave, 3 Calver, 4 Egyptian, 5 Courage, 6 Earthquake, 9 Sinfulness, 12Leinster, 14 Atheism, 16 Waters, 19 Milne, 20 Taxi.

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DROPPING A CLANGER,or 'The wayward Clapper; a Bell's story'.

Well there we all were, being rung to welcome Ali Green to the parish,when I had a strange feeling in my crown; something was not quite right,and in all my 400 years I couldn't quite work it out. Then all of a sudden,Oh my! I'm voiceless. My clapper had come out. To say it was a shock tome was an understatement – but it must have been more than a shock tothe  ‘rope  pullers’  down  stairs.  Anyhow,  the  kind Mr  Geoffrey,  who  wasringing me, slowed me down and carefully rang me down. It was a goodjob he didn't try to set me as my slider had been knocked clean out ofposition.

Well to my surprise when I came to a rest, myclapper was nowhere to be seen, it had gone – leftthe belfry! It turned out my clapper, being anadventurous chap, decided to visit the clock roomand had found a convenient gap in the floor at theend of my pit.

Some days later the bell doctor visited in theform of that nice Mr David who diagnosed myproblem: the bolt that holds my clapper in hadsnapped. Fortunately he was able to fix theproblem and by the next Sunday I was able to singout with my fellow residents of the tower onceagain.

So my sincerest apologies to Ali for not greeting her in the proper mannerand hopefully at some point she may come and visit us: it is nice to meet thelatest in the line of clergy I've seen over the last 400 years.

By the 5th, (founder John Wallis of Salisbury, 1614)(assisted by David Godwin)

PreachingChurch members were discussing the vicar’s and the curate’s sermons. Thechurchwarden said: “Vicar, now, when she says ‘in conclusion’, sheconcludes. But the curate, when he says ‘lastly’ – my, How he do last.”

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Few will see a connection between thecentenary of World War One and theclergy sitcom Rev., which is now into its

second series. One local churchman born atthe height of that terrible war, however, hada  significant  influence  on  the  hit  BBC  show.

A great conversationalist, Bishop John Cavellembodies the phrase ‘97 years young’. He wasasked for advice when scriptwriter James Woodand lead actor Tom Hollander first decided tomake a show about the life of a vicar.

“I've known James for over 50 years”, BishopCavell said, “and I've known his parents for even longer. I conducted bothJames’s and his mother’s weddings. When they came to see me, I was already in

my nineties, so I made sure they met youngerclergy too. Although Rev. is set in the East Endof London, Salisbury quite influenced it.”Having been a parish vicar for several decades,what does Bishop Cavell think of Rev.?

“I think it's very good”, he repliesconfidently. “In the middle of all theabsurdities, there are moments where onethinks, ‘Oh yes, that's true!’ The Vicar nearlyalways does the right thing, sometimes at realpersonal cost, although usually only afterdebating with himself for a while. I think TomHollander has been much moved by playing theRev.”

Bishop Cavell entered Holy Orders in 1940, and his first months as a youngcurate in Croydon’s Addington Estate were at the height of the Battle of Britain.Only four miles from Fighter Command HQ at Biggin Hill, bombing was just partof life. After working for a mission agency and as a parish vicar, John was madeBishop of Southampton in 1972, where he was also Bishop for Prisons. Heretired to Salisbury 30 years ago, where he is a regular worshipper at theCathedral.

Source: Salisbury Grapevine

MEET THE REAL LIFE REV.

Tom Hollander in the rôle of theRevd Adam Smallbone – Rev.

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The deaths of two of our most lovedpoets are remembered this month.John Betjeman died 30 years ago: hewas the Poet Laureate whomeveryone knew because his versesare accessible and memorable. Whocan forget those “friendly bombs”that he invited to fall on Slough? Orthe enigmatic but lovely tennisplayer, Miss Joan Hunter Dunn?

Betjeman was a practising Anglicanwho, unlike many, was honest abouthis doubts. One of his best knownpoems, Christmas, combinesundeniable wonder with the repeated:“And is it true?”

A traditionalist at heart, he reallywanted it all to be true – and this issomething many of his fellow-countrymen respond to. All right, hefailed Divinity (twice) at Oxford and hecouldn’t stand CS Lewis, but he had amasterly sense of irresistible rhythm,and he remains a likeable, easy fellow.

The same could hardly be said ofJohn Clare, the Northamptonshirepeasant poet, who died 150 years ago.While his poetry was popular at first, it

lost support and had to berediscovered; meanwhile he sufferedgreatly from both poverty and whatwe would today call mental healthissues.

Like Betjeman, he looked backwardrather than forward, bemoaning thedisappearance of ancient countrysidepractices – “the green life of change” –with the destructive advent of theindustrial revolution and, perhapsmore importantly, land enclosures.This too strikes a chord today.

His interpretations of the naturalworld are full of inspiration, vision anda deep if sometimes unconventionalbelief in the supernatural. He lovedtraditional forms of worship, but it wasthe beauty of God's creation thatinspired him, as in these compellinglines from Autumn:

Burning hot is the ground, liquidgold is the air;Whoever looks round seesEternity there.

Tim Lenton, Parish Pump

REMEMBERING THE POETS:JOHN BETJEMAN AND JOHN CLARE

Thanks…Please could you thank all your readers who have contacted us about beingvolunteer receptionists in Bradford on Avon. We now have someone who ishappy to take on this rôle.

Sue ByattFootcare Service Coordinator, Age UK, Wiltshire

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The exam season is upon us once again. The Easter holidays will befilled  with  Years  11,  12  and  13  revising  for  public  examinations  andYear  10  for  their  first  big  internal  school  exams.  Hopefully  they  will

still have time to enjoy the sun and the Festival of Easter.There were many end-of-term achievements including prizes for sport,

maths and individual hard work. One of these was the tree-planting project forthe Community Orchard, participated in by KS4 skillforce students. MartinBonner, Skillforce Area Manager commented, “I was extremely proud to beassociated with the group on Sunday. They were a credit to the school, theirparents and, most importantly, to themselves. To see them working withPrimary School children and old people was absolutely fantastic. I cannotpraise their efforts enough”. This is a great endorsement – well done to all".

Sport Relief 2014Congratulations to everyone who supported the school's Sport Relief day.We raised £1212.67 which is a record for our school. And, to continue thesporting theme, National Celebration Day at Wembley. On Monday 24��March, 2014, the Sports Council (Georgia Walker (13c7), James Walker(11C8), Angus Watts (10H9), JamieHowell (10A3), Jada Kilford (9C9), TillyEdmund (9C2), Sophia Thornton (9W4), Camilla Bush (9A5), AureliaHeyworth (9B1), Isaac Ayers (9A3) and Sam Cook (9C9) had the amazingopportunity to return to Wembley Stadium for the Youth Sports TrustCelebration ceremony. The Sports Council gained a place at the daythrough a nomination process, which selects the most successful YoungAmbassadors across the Country. During the day students got theopportunity to showcase the contributions they make to PE and schoolsport and share ideas with others.

This year the Sports Council have managed to get the whole schoolinvolved and participating in a ‘Lead your Generation’ project. It has takenover 3 months of planning and delivery to St Laurence students, whichdemonstrates the enthusiasm the young ambassadors have for sport andparticipation on a large scale. Furthermore, the Sports Council are in theprocess of training 20 young people to become bronze ambassadors fromboth KS3 and cluster primary schools – carrying on the legacy of 2012. This isjust a snapshot of what they have achieved and what is still to come!

They also had an opportunity to utilize some of the life skills they havedeveloped by doing these projects and be a part of a spectacular National

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Awards ceremony. Athlete mentors such as Kelly Smith (GB football) gave herapproval to the Sports Council for their efforts and achievements.

Magistrates Mock Trial Winning PerformanceOn Saturday 15��  March,  11  Year  9  students  and  staff  set  off  at  7.30am  tojourney to Gloucestershire Magistrate’s Court to take part in a Mock Trialcompetition. They had been given a case about a stolen bicycle to prepareand had been practicing hard since Christmas. However, they were a littlebit anxious as the success of three team members in another competitionhad meant that we had to recruit and train up three new members in justsix days.

In the first round, Jocelyn Spring (9H4) and Georgia Rhodes (9B9) took onthe rôles of defence solicitors and Will Chantry (9B5) and Ruby Gwilliam (9A7)as defence witnesses. They were delighted to receive a Not Guilty verdict,thanks to well planned questions and Jocelyn’s emotive speech. The witnessesheld their own and didn’t give in to the questioning of the other team. In thesecond round, our prosecution solicitors Amanda Pearce (9C2) and Sam Bates(9H9), along with the prosecution witnesses Lizzie Crosby (9H6) and Lucy Vigar(9A10), did an incredible job in being the only team to secure a guilty verdict.They achieved this by questioning the other team to the point that theyadmitted the bike was stolen while the witnesses gave them no reason toconsider that the bike wasn't stolen. Magistrates Bella Pickering (9A5) andIsobel Humphrey (9A6) managed to persuade the other schools to vote againsttheir own teams.

In May, St Laurence go on to the regionals, competing against all thewinners in the South West.

Saint Laurence School AssociationTuesday 29�� April – First planning meeting for this September’s StLaurence Street Party: at 8pm, upstairs room at the Dandy Lion. Comealong  and  find  out  what  it  is  all  about  and  how  you  can  be  involved.

Thursday 15�� May, SLSA meeting, 7.30pm in the School RestaurantLorraine Marlow

Be Spirited Co-Ordinator

FoundOn the church notice board:Contact lens found in church. See vicar. If you can.

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35

The Rectory,St. James the Least

My dear Nephew DarrenIt never fails to amaze me how, in church life, an issue can suddenlybecome an Issue. In the last month, we have acquired an Issue: aproposal to convert a space at the back of church into a kitchen.Inevitably, battle lines have been drawn and trenches dug. Attendance atchurch council meetings have soared and unofficial sub-committeesmeet in the car park after services. It's obvious that feelings are runninghigh, because people have become remarkably polite to one another. Some who are wildly in favour see it as an opportunity of being ableto leave the pews ten minutes early in order to get ready for the rush forweak coffee and damp biscuits. I can already hear in my mind the finalhymn being drowned by kettles being filled, biscuit tins opened, cupsthunderingly placed on saucers, while the volunteers discuss the dresssense of others in the congregation in deafening whispers. I was a little surprised to hear that Colonel Wainwright was all infavour – until I realised that it would give him a place to totter into toread his newspaper once he got bored with my sermon, which usuallyseems to happen in the first minute. Naturally, smaller turf wars havebroken out alongside the major battle. There is conflict about whetherwe should get new crockery, what colour carpeting tiles would look right– and most importantly of all, who will take charge of the coffee rota.

Others are totally against the project: the treasurer dreads thethought of signing yet more cheques, the churchwardens worry aboutremoving pews which have quietly hidden the dry rot, and thetheologically angst-ridden agonise about the fact that St. Paul nevermentioned coffee after Sabbath worship. Naturally, I encourage all sides, especially if it will bring any possibilityof progress to a halt. I proposed bringing in flasks of coffee, thus stoppinganyone being able to escape before the end of the Service; I suggesteddrinks being brought to people in the pews, thus ruining the Colonel'shopes of finding a safe haven; I organized a group to study High Priestlyattitudes to refreshments in the Temple in Jerusalem in Leviticus. I am sure that by the time all these groups have come up with theirconclusions, we will have safely moved on to fight the next Issue.

Your loving uncle,

Eustace

36

Augustine, a 6�� century Italian prior, holds a unique place in Britishhistory. He became the ‘apostle to the English’ – although it was withgreat reluctance.

In 596 Augustine was chosen by Pope Gregory to head a mission of monkswhom he wanted to send to evangelize the Anglo-Saxons. Augustine was not abold man, and by the time he and his band of priests reached Gaul, theywanted to turn back. But Gregory would not hear of it – and bolstered theirconfidence by sending some more priests out to them, and by consecratingAugustine bishop. Finally, the party, now 40 in number, landed at Ebbsfleet, inKent, in 597.

It would be fascinating to have a detailed description of that first meetingbetween Bishop Augustine and Ethelbert, powerful King of Kent. WhateverAugustine said, it must have been effective, for Ethelbert granted the 40 priestspermission to stay in a house in Canterbury. He even allowed them to preach tohis people, while he himself considered their message of Christianity. His wife,Bertha, was a Christian princess from Paris, but she does not seem to haveplayed any rôle in the conversion of Kent.

By 601 Ethelbert and many of his people had been baptised Christians. Themission to the English was well underway. More clergy, some books, a fewrelics and several altar vessels arrived from Rome. At Gregory’s wise urging,Augustine decided to consolidate the mission in one small area, rather than tryand reach all of Kent. So Augustine stayed in Canterbury, where he built thecathedral and founded a school. He left only temporarily to establish a See inLondon.

Also at Gregory's wise urging, Augustine did not destroy the pagan templesof the people of Kent, but only the idols in them. In this way, innocent riteswere taken over and used for the celebration of the Christian feasts.Meanwhile, before his death in 604, Augustine helped Ethelbert to draft theearliest Anglo‐Saxon written laws to survive ‐ and so influenced British law forcenturies to come.

Source: Parish Pump

SAINTS CORNERMay 26th: Augustine of Canterbury, (died ca. 604)

37

Saxon Club Programme for MayWe meet in the United Church Hall at 2 pm on Tuesdays.

You are very welcome to join us.May 6th: Trip to WeymouthMay 13th: Derrick Hunt – The Somerset Coal CanalMay 20th: Ivor Slocombe – The Bridges of Bradford on AvonMay 27th: Helen Holden, – to be confirmed

FOR PRAYER IN MAY

We  pray  for:� Our new PCC� Bradford on Avon Churches Together� The Local Friends Project� The Children's Centre

Bradford on Avon District LinkGood Neighbour volunteers available to help you.

If you have a problem getting to a hospital or doctor’s appointment,shopping, or just visiting a friend…

Phone LINK: 07957 367124

The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, WestwoodChurchwardens:

Jonathan Azis jonathan@azis.co.ukDavid Chalmers chalmers.david8@gmail.com 01225 866734PCC Secretary: Julie Adcock jea194@btinternet.com

  The  Parish  Church  of  St  Mary,  WingfieldChurchwardens:

David Robinson david.robinson@paultonsstreet.com 01225 769018Sue Phillips jandsphillips@hotmail.com 01225 755431PCC Secretary: Sue Phillips

38

Quick Crossword The  Bible  version is  the  NIV

Clues across1 Sense of right and wrong (1 Corinthians

8:7) (10)7 Coming (John 11:17) (7)8 'All I have is - , and all you have is mine'

(John 17:10) (5)10 Smarten (Acts 9:34) (4)11 Hold back (Job 9:13) (8)13 Member of the Society of Friends (6)15 At ague (anag.) (6)17 Citizen of the Greek capital (8)18 So be it (Galatians 6:18) (4)21 Twentieth-century poet and dramatist

who wrote Murder in the Cathedral, T.S.- (5)

22 Empowers (Philippians 3:21) (7)23 Imposing (1 Samuel 9:2) (10)

Clues down1 Healed (Luke 7:21) (5)2 Central space in a church (4)3 Co-founder of Spring Harvest and

General Secretary of the EvangelicalAlliance 1983-97, Clive - (6)

4 Moses killed one when he saw himbeating a Hebrew labourer (Exodus2:12) (8)

5 Bravery (Acts 4:13) (7)6 It interrupted Paul and Silas singing

hymns in a Philippian jail (Acts 16:26)(10)

9 Transgression (Psalm 36:1) (10)12 Irish province in which Dublin is

situated (8)14 Same hit (anag.) (7)16 'The Spirit of God was hovering over

the - ' (Genesis 1:2) (6)19 Author of the immortal stories of

Winnie the Pooh, A.A. - (5)20 Cab (4)

Source: Parish PumpSolutions on page 27

39

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

THE STANDING COMMITTEE Chairman, Churchwardens, LLM and Treasurer

CHURCHWARDENS EMERITIJeremy Lavis, Mike Fuller, Anne Carter, Tony Haffenden, Joan Finch.

THE PASTORAL CARE TEAMJoanna, Graham, Anne Carter, Joan Finch, Marlene Haffenden, Tony Haffenden,Chris Hodge, Evelyn Humphrey, Heather Knight, Sue Lavis, Val Payne,David Rawstron, Hazel Rawstron, Sylvia Stanes.

THE FRIENDS OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCHChairman: John CoxSecretaries: Mike and Jenny Fuller Treasurer: John WoodsCommittee: Anne Carter, Tony Haffenden, Chris Hodge, Jeremy Lavis, Revd Angela Onions, Raymond WinrowEx officio: Judith Holland, Trevor Ford

BRADFORD GROUP MINISTRYThis is a longstanding body which now comprises the two benefices of North Bradfordon Avon and Villages and our own. We look forward to establishing a much closer bondand to this end joint meetings and services have recently been held, and the Groupclergy meet regularly.

PARISH NEWSEditors: Ann Holland (862731) & Bryan Harris (863011)

e-mail: HT.ParishNews@gmail.comDistribution: John and Beryl Cox (864270)

*Deanery Synod representatives

OfficersThe Revd Joanna Abecassis, ChairmanTrevor Ford (Churchwarden), Vice ChairmanJudith Holland (Churchwarden)

Anne Carter Margaret Harris Erin Shields-PettGraham Dove June Harrison* Malcolm Walsh*Elaine Crabbe Chris Hodge (Secretary) Anne Willis*Ron Dell Jeremy Lavis (Treasurer) Ray Crabbe (co-opted)Joan Finch Brian NetleyMarlene Haffenden* Bette Riddle

Members (up to the APCM on 27th April)

Printed  at  the  Parish  Office,  18A Woolley  Street,  Bradford  on  Avon.

Parish News also appears (in colour) on the Holy Trinity web site: www.brad-avon-ht.org.uk/.Previous issues of the magazine can also be found in the magazine archive on the church web site.

OTHER OFFICERS AND ORGANIZERS

PCC Secretary Chris Hodge 869357 email: hodge_c1@sky.comPCC Treasurer Jeremy Lavis 863600Benefice  Administrator    Sally  Palmer‐Walton beneficeadmin@brad‐avon‐ht.org.ukBenefice  Admin  Assistant  Aylene  Clack beneficeoffice@brad-avon-ht.org.ukBellringers Phil Gaisford 863538Bookstall Rev Angela Onions 309001Brass Cleaning Chris Hodge 869357Coffee  on  Sunday  Janet  Brown  and  862188 Malcolm Walsh 862702Church Stewards David Milne 864341Director of Music Thomas Pelham 07922 849982Display Co-ordinator Revd Angela Onions 309001Electoral  Roll  Officer  Alan  Knight  860991Flowers Jonquil Burgess 868905Food Bank Margaret & Bryan Harris 863011Guides & Brownies Bryony Green 865820

email: girlguiding_boa@btinternet.comMothers’ Union Ian & Sylvia Stanes 309036MU Prayer Circle Chris Hodge 869357Servers Mary Ford 862240Saxon Club Revd Angela Onions 309001Saxon Church and St Mary Tory Trustees:                Chairman  Anna  Tanfield  (all  bookings)    863819 Secretary Diana Shaw Stewart 863253 Treasurer Jeremy Lavis 863600Sidesmen Rota Judith Holland 866215Stewardship Secretary Pam Harman 635193Street Market: Community Stalls John Cox 864270 Church Stalls John Woods 863298 Communications Deborah Robinson 866552Team Trinity June Harrison 863745

Parish Representatives on other organisations:Bradford Group Council: The ChurchwardensChildren’s Society: Anne CarterChristian Aid: Jonquil BurgessDeanery  Synod:  June  Harrison,  Marlene  Haffenden, Malcolm Walsh; Anne WillisBoA Churches Together: David RawstronSt Laurence School: The Revd Joanna Abecassis and Lindsay Driscoll (Foundation Governors)

The Chapel of St Mary Tory Inset: East window by Mark Angus

The Saxon church of St Laurence