St. Luke Formby
P a r i s h M a g a z i n e
Price: £1.20
Cheaper by annual subscription
Simon Peter answered him,
“Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of ETERNAL LIFE.”
John 6:68 (NIV)
June 2021
Shyira Trus t
Patron: The Rt Revd Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool
Hon President: Prof Allan Hobson MBE
Supporting people in North West Rwanda, Africa
re l ieving pover ty
advancing education
p reserving and protect ing good health
Mothers Union
Aim: To support MU members in serving their communities
Achieved: • Members supported with bedding and kitchen utensils
• Training of 25 MU trainers from all over the Diocese.
• Successful Revolving Goat Loan project.
Challenges: • To extend the MU support across Kivu diocese
• To work through the Gisenyi MU to help the most needy
parts of the diocese
Butaka Parish Church
Aim: To provide a church in Butaka
Achieved: • Building completed
• Worshipping community in church
Challenges: • Fund windows, doors and flooring
Groupe Scolaire Secondary School
• Continuing to support needy students in Shyira
Primary Schools
Aim: • To support school ministry by providing equipment,
school materials and evangelistic outreach.
How YOU can help
See our website: http://www.shyiratrust.org.uk
Email us for further information: [email protected]
Donations may be sent to: Shyira Trust, Secretary: Ken Davies
53 Stapleton Road, Formby, Liverpool L37 2YT
Donate online: https://www.give.net/shyiratrust
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shyiratrust
Registered Charity Number 1118979
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Vicar – Rev. Dr. Matt Davis
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The Vicarage
Dear Friends,
It’s that time of year when the sound of lawnmowers and the smell of cut grass begin to fill the air. With all the rain in May, the vicarage lawn has been growing at a decent rate and keeping me busy. I enjoy cutting grass, but do I sound strange if I confess that I actually missed cutting it when we lived in Aigburth and only had a concrete covered backyard? I even once offered to cut my brother-in-law’s grass as I was missing it that much. He happily took me up on the offer!
There’s something almost therapeutic about walking in a straight line, turning around and repeating—only stopping occasionally to empty the accumulated cuttings onto the compost heap. And even if the grass doesn’t seem that long beforehand, the garden always looks so much tidier afterwards. And then there’s that smell … evoking countless memories of happy summer days. It’s a good thing I enjoy cutting grass as the garden here is pretty big. Doing it an hour at a time, it can easily spread across a week. So once I’ve finished, it’s time to start all over again!
There are so many jobs in life that we can never quite get on top of. We think we’ve tidied the last room in the house, only to find the kids have emptied a box of toys in another. We finish the dishes, and a glass mysteriously appears by the sink. We can try to get rid of all the emails in our inbox, but the more we reply to, the more we receive! Life can feel a bit like a treadmill, endlessly going round and round.
It might surprise you to know that the Bible taps into that sense of meaningless chores endlessly repeated in life. The author of the book of Ecclesiastes says this in the opening lines:
‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.
‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’
What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?
We finish a job, only to have to do it again. We work hard all our life, only for someone else to enjoy what we’ve done after we’ve gone. We try to gain more wealth or knowledge or pleasure or possessions, but we all die in the end. What is the point?!
After twelve chapters of Ecclsiastes, the writer’s conclusion might surprise you:
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Editor: Margaret Cooke (e-mail: [email protected]) Illustrator: Joan MacDonald
St. Luke's Web Site: http://www.stlukesformby.org.uk St. Luke’s Facebook Page: facebook.com/StLukesChurchFormby
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Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:
fear God and keep his commandments. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
It’s not quite what we were expecting, is it? We might think, “crack on and let your hair down at the weekend” or, “get others to do as much as possible” or even, “see what you can get away with” would be better solutions. But no, after trying everything else, the writer’s solution to the treadmill of life is to fear God and live his way. Not fear in the sense of terror or anxiety, but rather reverence and respect for God.
You see, even the mundane things in life have meaning when lived in the context of the one who created them, the one who made me and you for a relationship with him. I wonder if you have discovered this meaning for your day to day life? Why not join us on a Sunday to find out more. We’d love to see you.
with every blessing
Matt
DATES AND NOTES SERVICES
Services are now being held in Church at 8.30am and 10.30am (with Children’s Church). The 2nd service is being streamed. For Zoom details, please contact the Vicar.‘
Services in church will have strict social distancing measures in place -: masks, sitting separately, no singing, etc. As restrictions are relaxed and guidance is updated in the future, these changes will be reflected in our services.
Different people will feel differently depending upon their personal circumstances: some will feel more comfortable and others more anxious about returning to services in person. We all long for the day when we can meet without worry or restrictions, but please do not feel guilty if you are not yet ready. Instead, please continue to access the Zoom service at 10.30am or sermon recordings (via https://anchor.fm/stlukesformby or 01704 336689), and keep in touch with each other on the phone.
JUST GIVING
With the impending bank closures in Formby St Luke’s now has a JUST GIVING link so that payments and donations can be made easily using a debit or credit card. If you use this link please include in the Message Boxes your Name and also the reason for the payment eg: Magazine Subscription, Lent Project Donation, Other Donation etc. Regular giving to our church should continue to be made via the Parish Giving Scheme.
If you need any further information please contact Hugh Dixon, Rachel Patterson or Andrew Cox.
Please note if you are paying for a magazine subscription these are not eligible for Gift Aid.
To use the link either:
Go to the church Website https://www.stlukesformby.org.uk/ and click on the Donate button.
Or click on https://www.justgiving.com/onecheckout/donation/direct/charity/3095465
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YES – YOU!
We really need your help. We are planning to open our Tea Room on Friday 25th June and, to keep it going, we need many volunteers. The work isn’t hard (usually!) and volunteering for even just one day a month could make all the difference (as we will only be open for 2 months that shouldn’t be too taxing). There are lots of ways you could help. Setting up (inside and outside), food preparation, serving, clearing up, washing up and putting away. The rota is up in church at the moment and has the days divided into 2 shifts, 10 – 2 and 12:30 – 4:30. Some people find half a day enough and others prefer the whole day – we are very flexible! Refreshments are provided to keep your strength up. Any questions? - then speak to Gwyneth or myself and come and join us! Jean Cox (879377) ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
DATES AND NOTES CONTD. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS
We are supplying all subscribers with paper copies again this month but distributors will not be able to ring doorbells to ask for outstanding payments until at least the end of June. If you have been receiving paper copies and haven’t already paid, please could you do your best to get a cheque for £10 (made out to St. Luke’s PCC) to Colin Cooke, 29 Stapleton Rd., Formby, L37 2YN. If you are delivering by hand, it’s the last house but one on the left before Range High School. Alternatively, you can pay by Credit or Debit Card using our Just Giving Link. Please add your Name and quote Magazine in the Message boxes. The link is: https://www.justgiving.com/onecheckout/donation/direct/charity/3095465 Or go to the church website https://www.stlukesformby.org.uk/ and then click on the Donate Button.
We suggest that people who have been reading the magazine on the website might like to make a £5 donation to help to keep the magazine afloat but there is NO OBLIGATION TO DO THIS.
PLEASE CONTNUE TO SUPPORT OUR PAPER COPIES – IT’S NOT JUST THE FINANCIAL ASPECT IN ITSELF – IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO ADVERTISERS THAT WE ARE DISTRIBUTING A REASONABLE NUMBER OF COPIES SO THAT IT IS WORTH THEIR WHILE TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR ADS.
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY – this was postponed from January to avoid having to do the whole thing on Zoom. During the week starting May 17th services were held at St. Jerome’s, St. Luke’s, Formby Methodist Church, Elim, St. Stephen’s and URC (on Zoom). The final Sunday service was held outside Holy Trinity Church.
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS In his Gospel Matthew tells us of the time when Jesus came back to Nazareth early on in his ministry, back to family and friends. He taught in the synagogue at Capernaum - the ruins of which are still visible under the third century re-build. It was at this time that he heard of the death of John the Baptist at the hands of Herod. Distressed by the news, in the morning he went to the north shore of the lake and took a boat out to be by himself only to be disturbed by the crowds who had followed him. He had compassion when he saw them, left the lake and cured the sick. Some time ago Barbara and I also spent a day around that area of the lake leading our pilgrims and finding some of the places associated with Jesus' day so vividly portrayed by Matthew.
Jesus fed the crowds that day with what is known in the Eastern Church as the Miracle of the Multiplication, not our Feeding of the Five Thousand. He fed the crowds with five loaves and two fishes. Just above the lake stands a beautiful modern church known as the Church of the Multiplication. It stands on the site of the 4th century church which once housed beautiful mosaics of the flora and fauna of the lake. In the middle is the preserved mosaic of four loaves and two lake mullet. This original mosaic now stands in front of a dressed limestone rock, now an altar on which Jesus was said to have fed the crowds. In 381 AD a Spanish nun named Egeria made a journey from the Atlantic coast to visit the holy sites and
of this place she wrote that it was 'A grassy field with plenty of hay and many palm trees. By them are seven springs, each flowing strongly and this is the field where the Lord fed the people with five loaves and two fish’. The bare stone where the Lord is said to have placed the bread has now been made into a rough altar. Rarely asked by those who see it is, where is the fifth loaf? The answer is that it is in the hands of the priest at the altar who will use it there. Real bread to be consecrated and given to those who come to the Eucharist. Our guide Hussam, with whom I had worked before, had booked an outdoor altar there for us right on the lake shore and I consecrated a small loaf and local wine for our communion and we all thought of the bread as the fifth loaf. Jesus was deeply troubled by the news of John the Baptist's death, so later on in the day he needed to be alone and he made the disciples take to the lake in the half light as decoys whilst he slipped away up the Tabgha Valley. We did the same and saw the seven warm springs which flowed down into the lake just as they were described by Egeria, the Bordeaux Pilgrim in 381 AD. It was there that we left Jesus as it was time to return to Tiberius. As darkness shrouded the hills his prayers were disturbed by one of the features of the lake which as a local he knew only too well. A sudden summer squall coming off the Golan Heights started to whip the lake into a frenzy. He couldn't see anything below but he knew what was happening. The disciples’ boat was in danger from the violent winds coming from the north east. He was afraid for their safety and so at first light he made his way down. At last he saw them trying to make the shore and, if Matthew is to be believed, He walked out on the water towards them. So unexpected was the sight that they thought at first that he was a ghost. Matthew, Mark and John all have different versions of this story. John has Jesus standing on
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the shore-line with dry feet. Matthew has him walking on water whilst Mark has Jesus walking on the lake right past them and then turning round. Peter started to sink. For Matthew it is a failure of faith. What can we learn from this? Well, Matthew tells us that up there in the Tabgha Valley Jesus watches and is concerned. As the winds start to howl he is not too busy with his father to think of them. He was deeply concerned and this should teach us a lesson. When we are up against it, Jesus watches. He lets us go out into the storms of life but he is always anxious for us and like a good parent always seeks us out. Faith is life lived with his loving eye upon us. He does not watch us with serene detachment. He held out a hand to keep Peter from sinking and so, when we are sinking in life, we can also receive a helping hand up. 'Take heart, do not be afraid, it’s me.' And so we returned to Tiberias in the Bethlehem Coach Company's luxury coach. We had spent a day with Jesus and looking out over the lake from our bedroom window in the Ron Beach Hotel, our day with Jesus had really come to life. Sitting in the lounge after dinner, Bert - one of our pilgrims - suddenly jumped to his feet and pointed to a roll of carpet in the corner. A rat jumped out and scuttled across the floor - much to the consternation of the ladies! We went to find the owner Ron and asked what room the rat was staying in and told him that we would like to buy him a drink! All good fun and Ron had heard it all before and said that the rat would like to buy us a drink, which he did. We christened the rat Ron as we raised our glasses to 'Ron the Rat.' All good fun and Ron the owner put our minds at rest when he said, 'What do you expect with the lake washing up against the hotel walls – fish?!' Revd Roy Baker ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
SMILE LINES For sale - An estate agent’s board outside a redundant church: FOR SALE. Suitable for conversion. On a church notice board: Visitors welcome. Members expected.
with acknowledgment to the Oldie magazine
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WOODLAND WORKSHOP. WHAT? WHERE? WHO, WHY?
THESE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
First we need to define what we’re talking about. The
woodland is the area of ground, outside of the graveyards,
delineated by the fence separating our site from that owned by
the National Trust, so our ground is contiguous with that of the
Trust. It is part of the Mersey Forest.
The woodland, in its current form is very much the
brainchild of Bob Wagstaff. In the past there was a move to plant
up the area with local species. Now, I know many of you will
walk into the churchyard, survey the trees and think to
yourselves, “Oh, that’s very green.” However, I urge you to
download a plant identification app on to your smartphone.
Alternatively, find a young member of your family and get them to do it. You will find that what
you thought of as a monoculture of sycamores with the odd white poplar is, in fact, a carefully
planted variety of English trees. As for the sycamores, they
are an invasive species that we try to eradicate before they
become too large; as you will see we have had mixed
success. To all lovers of this variety of maple, I say, “Fear
not, the blasted things grow like dandelions in your lawn.”
The Woodland Workshop team is drawn from a
variety of people with an interest in managing the wild area
in our churchyard. We have a pretty free hand but are
effectively a sub group who answer to the PCC. This may
seem needlessly bureaucratic but is very useful to access
funding for tree surgeons, for example, when some forty
metre high white poplar has reached the end of its life and is
about to take out the Meeting Room.
Perhaps I can give you an idea of the sort of work we
do by describing a few of the current projects. The western
boundary fence has a few gaps. Fair enough, nothing lasts
forever. Instead of replacing the fence, we are going for a greener option and planting a
hawthorn hedge. The hawthorn is not native to sand dunes but will provide a valuable habitat
for nesting birds and is a source of nectar for pollinating insects. The insects then form a food
source for smaller woodland birds, as do the berries from the bushes. Those birds then form
part of the wider food chain.
Hazel saplings
Wildlife
enclosure
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We are clearing some areas of ivy. Whilst a useful habitat, providing cover for insects
and small mammals, you can have too much of a good thing. We are steadily clearing a space
to the south of the Meeting Room and attempting to introduce some wild flower species. In one
of the attached photos, you will see a fenced area that looks like a version of Guantanamo Bay
designed for Action Man. In fact, this is not to keep the wild flowers imprisoned, but to provide
protection from the ravages of local Lagomorphs (rabbits), in the hope that they will lunch on
the grass of the graveyard, thereby reducing the amount of mowing we have to do.
Our tree planting has also resumed. We are working on an understorey of hazel, which
we hope will encourage red squirrels into our area as the nuts will provide a source of
sustenance for our little bushy tailed friends.
I hope this has given you a flavour of what we do. I look forward to welcoming more
volunteers; we normally meet on the second Saturday morning of each month.
Peter Griffin, Woodland Workshop Co-ordinator
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BISHOP TELLS GENERAL SYNOD TO SPEAK AGAINST PERSECUTION OF
RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS AND ATHEISTS
The Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, recently told General Synod that “human dignity and flourishing is diminished” when religious believers and atheists are persecuted. He also warned the Church of England’s decision-making body that it would be an “act of self-harm” only to speak up for persecuted Christians. Speaking in a debate on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), Bishop Nick addressed many abuses including against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, China, atheists in Saudi Arabia, and Christians in Pakistan. "If human rights mean anything, then the freedom to choose our religion or belief, the freedom to change our religion or belief and the freedom to have no religion or stated belief at all is a right we all have by virtue of being human," Bishop Nick said. He continued: “Violations are increasing and intensifying involving not just intolerance and exclusion but active discrimination. “In its ultimate form this can culminate in genocide, a phenomenon that has sadly been seen with increasing frequency, whether that of Christians and Yazidis at the hands of Isis in Iraq, Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar or Uighurs in China.” (from the Parish Pump website) ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
QUOTE FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE The ability to speak several languages is an asset, but to be able to hold your tongue in one language is priceless. - Anon
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NEWS FROM ST. LUKE’S SCHOOL
On Thursday 13th May, children at St. Luke's CE Primary School celebrated Ascension Day. This is what we found out:
Ascension Day takes place in order to remember the ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven from the Mount of Olives. On the 40th day of His resurrection - Easter Sunday being reckoned as the first day - He ascended into Heaven to be with His Father, God - and His role on Earth was complete. So, like Easter, it doesn't take place on the same day every year. Jesus made an important promise before He left His people,
to prepare a place in Heaven for His followers and to one day return to them, and see the results of His impression on the world. Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come down and they should wait at the Mount of Olives. After ten days the Holy Spirit descended as tongues of fire and helped His disciples and followers to connect on a larger spectrum, giving them the ability to speak many languages and to share the wonderful teachings of their Teacher in Heaven. The descent of the Holy Spirit is celebrated as Pentecostal. This account is one of the most influential in the bible, but many might not notice that it talks of His wise words and the enormous impact of Jesus' life on Earth, his ascension into Heaven and the Holy Spirit's descent to Earth. Ascension Day is very important to Christians everywhere. We know that He is alive and with God the Father in Heaven. Matt sent us one of his brilliant assembly video recordings for Ascension Day and we enjoyed watching it on our big screens and talking about it afterwards. Next year, the assembly should be able to take place in school, but we will be at high school by then. We hope it is celebrated there, too. Edie and Megan ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
2ND JUNE - ERASMUS, A GOOD SAINT WHEN YOU’RE
ALL AT SEA
Do you like messing about in boats? If so, then you’ll have heard of St Elmo’s Fire. It is the light that is sometimes seen on mastheads of boats after storms at sea.
St Elmo is another name for St Erasmus, a fourth century Syrian bishop who was not afraid of violent storms. Legend has it that one day when Erasmus was preaching outside, a thunderbolt hit the ground right beside him. That might have distracted many modern bishops, but not Erasmus – he just kept on preaching. His courage won him the respect of sailors, who also had to brave the elements of nature in their daily work. He died about 300AD
But when Erasmus was made the patron saint of sailors, it led to a curious confusion. His emblem became the windlass, a kind of hoist used by many sailors at sea. So far so good, but many medieval Christians, seeing the windlass emblem, assumed it was some sort of torture instrument. They knew that Erasmus had died in the persecution of Diocletian, and so concluded that a windlass had been used to hoist out his intestines (which it hadn’t).
But no matter - Erasmus was still adopted by another set of suffering people. Not only did sailors remember the thunderbolt, and look to him, but soon, anyone with gut ache as well!
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WORDSEARCH - ST ALBAN - THE FIRST BRITISH MARTYR Persecution of Christians worldwide is rising fast, so it is worth remembering St Alban, the first British martyr. Alban was a Roman citizen living in England when the Roman emperor, Diocletian, began a fierce persecution. Soon Alban found a desperate priest on his doorstep, hunted by local soldiers. Alban gave the priest shelter, and within days was converted. When the soldiers arrived, Alban took the priest’s place, refused to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods, and was condemned to death. Alban went to his execution on 22nd June 250AD with such serenity that one of the executioners was converted. He died on the site of the Hertfordshire town that now bears his name.
Alban martyr persecution Roman emperor Diocletian priest
converted soldiers sacrifice gods condemned death execution
serenity died site town name doorstep
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THOUGHTS AROUND SHYIRA AND STORM DAMAGE.
I have just received an email from Moise (you may know him as Moses) in Rwanda. He has moved on from both Shyira and Butaka and is now serving in a parish in Shyira diocese. A line from the email read as follows: “It's rain season here, where there is a cold and many erosion and floods.” It is actually quite close to the end of the long rainy season. Over recent years storms have become common in May. When Alan Powell and I were in Rwanda in May 2014 we had to wait in Musanze until the flood waters had cleared along the road out of Musanze, and we then had to climb the mountain path from Vunga to Shyira because the road up the hill was blocked by a landslip. Fortunately some boys from Groupe Scolaire took care of our heavy bags, we were carrying many gifts, and went ahead with them on their heads. We were also fortunate we had to spend some time in Musanze because that enabled us to become accustomed to the altitude before tackling the climb.
The road up the hill always seems to suffer from landslips when there are storms. When the hospital was at the top of the hill the road would be quickly cleared but it seems that no longer happens. There has been a blockage waiting to be cleared since the storms in May 2020, with additional landslips this year. See the picture alongside, which I believe to be a new landslip. Yes, that really is the road up the hill! After one visit with people that had not been before I noted “I was amazed at how quiet my travelling companions were. What were they thinking, I wondered, as we climbed the hill bumping our way over boulders and ruts with the drop close to the right hand side of the vehicle getting ever larger.” However, we have always got safely to the top and back. I have seen someone go over the edge. We were in a minibus going downhill and he tried to overtake us on his push-bike. Fortunately he and his bike landed in a tree and were able to continue their journey.
Following the closure of Shyira hospital part of it has been converted for use as a health centre. That allowed accommodation rented for a health centre to be given up, and money to be saved. In common with most buildings in Rwanda the health centre has iron sheets for roofing. The storm has dislodged some sheets causing water damage inside the building. The picture shows some iron sheets missing and gaps where water can enter the building. The floor is very wet. It is hoped that “The District” will pay for the repair of the health centre, but that is not certain. We have been requested to pray for the health centre and the people it serves. The latest news from Revd Jacques, the new pastor of Shyira, is “The road damage is being increased for it is raining cats and dogs here. About the toilets of Groupe Scolaire Shyira, we are going to repair them very soon.” (The outside toilets were also damaged in the storms.) Moise concluded his email with a message for everyone at St. Luke’s: “Send our greetings to our friends in Christ, and our prayers always on you all.” Allan Hobson
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THE ANCIENT CHURCH
At times I sit within my pew And gaze upon an ancient view Of stones, which, set by mason’s line Have stood through centuries of time; Of glass, whose colours, vivid, bright Have told their wondrous tales of light And filtered sunshine’s timeless rays To countless eyes through countless days. The pulpit where, through long past years God’s servants preached to faithful ears; The lectern and its Bible read Aloud to both the quick and dead; The feet, which down that aisle have trod To worship everlasting God; The angels, as they downward gaze Have heard ten thousand songs of praise! Songs of joy, and infant cries As they gathered to baptize, Songs of love and celebrations In marriages and confirmations, Songs of sadness and of loss Sung before the Saviour’s cross. So many lives have come, then flown Within this ancient house of stone. So, as I sit and wonder how Such history should guide me now? Such faithful worship through the years May move me to shed humble tears. These ghosts bring me joy, not fear I know I’m just a tenant here And in one way they are my guide – They keep me free from pompous pride! By Nigel Beeton Nigel Beeton, a member of St. Anne’s Church in Bury St. Edmunds, writes: ‘We’re still having to listen to the choir singing hymns rather than joining in with them. Ironically, we heard ‘The King of Love’ this morning: And so through all the length of daysThy goodness faileth never; Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise Within thy house for ever. I suppose ‘Within thy house except during global pandemics’ wouldn’t scan....?! But when you go to an old church like ours (St Mary, Bury St Edmunds) you do become acutely conscious of that legacy of faithful prayer and praise down the centuries. Editor – St. Mary’s is a 15th century building close to the Abbey in Bury. It is the civic church of Bury St Edmunds and is one of the largest parish churches in England. It claims to have the second longest aisle, and the largest West Window of any parish church in the country. It was part of the abbey complex and originally was one of three large churches in the town. Mary Tudor, sister of Henry Vlll, is buried there. We visited this church when staying with our friends in Ely. It was a gloriously sunny day and the flower beds in the Abbey Gardens were a riot of colour.
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WHO’S WHO Vicar Rev. Dr. Matt Davis Readers Prof. Allan Hobson Mrs Anne Dixon Mrs Jean Watts Readers emeritus Mr Colin Trollope Mr Chris Mulford Churchwardens Mrs Fiona Grieveson Mr Steve Ginn Deputy Churchwardens Mrs Andrea Brown Mr John McGibbon Mrs Sheila Rodger Mr Peter Griffin Treasurer Mr Hugh Dixon Deputy Treasurer Mrs Gwyneth Croft PCC Secretary Mrs Christine Payne Electoral Roll Officer Mrs Jean Cox Deanery Synod Representatives Mr James Patterson Mrs Chris Payne Mr Andrew Cox Mr David Moore Weekly Envelope Scheme Mrs Rachel Patterson and Gift Aid Legacy Officer Mr John McGibbon Parish Hall Secretary Mr Steve Ginn Meeting Room Secretary Mrs Gwyneth Croft Newsletter Editor Mrs Irene Powell Magazine Editor Mrs Margaret Cooke (Contributions to Margaret by 10th of the month please by e-mail if possible – see Page 1) Assistant Editor Mr Ken Davies Magazine Distribution Mr Colin Cooke Magazine Adverts Mrs Margaret Cooke Church and Churchyard Maintenance Mr Allan Worthington Safeguarding Officer Mrs Joyce Eddlestone Child Protection Officer Vicar Pastoral Care co-ordinator Mrs Jean Watts Vulnerable Adults Officer Mrs Jean Watts Health & Safety Officer please see wardens Woodland Workshop Co-ordinator Mr Peter Griffin Cathedral Representative Mrs Elizabeth Lowe Church Mission Society and Mrs June McGibbon Mid-Africa Mission Children’s Society Boxes Mrs Rachel Patterson
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EASY SUDOKU MEDIUM SUDOKU
THOSE WHO CRY OVER SPILT MILK
What happens when you spill a cup of coffee? Does the minor irritation ruin the rest of your day? Or do you simply clear up the mess and not give it a second thought?
Our brains respond in different ways to minor negative experiences. Now a study by psychologists at the University of Miami has found that the way in which your brain responds may even impact your long-term psychological well-being.
Psychologists refer to this as ‘spill-over’, which is the extent to which small negative experiences affect your mood and your day-to-day life. Not surprisingly, people who fixate on small things are less happy.
As one psychologist said: “Basically, we found that the persistence of a person’s brain in holding on to a negative stimulus is what predicts more negative and less positive daily emotional experiences.”
DON’T MAKE DECISIONS ON AN EMPTY STOMACH
Scientists at Harvard have found that when you have higher levels of the body’s hunger hormone, ghrelin, in your system, you are more likely to be impulsive. This means that you will be liable to make poor decisions, tending towards instant gratification rather than long-term achievement.
In one experiment, hungry women with a higher amount of the hunger hormone chose to receive £20 the same day, instead of £80 in two weeks’ time.
So, ghrelin may well “play a broader role in human related behaviour and decision making, such as monetary choices.”
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SMILE LINES - Egyptian this and that A group of tourists was watching the re-enactment of an ancient Egyptian religious ritual. One pointed to the statue that was being praised, and asked a nearby local for the name of the god. "Why do you ask?" the local man replied. The tourist shrugged. "Oh, just idol curiosity!"
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ALL IN THE MONTH OF JUNE It was: 175 years ago, on 28th June 1846 that Belgian musical instrument maker Adolphe Sax patented the saxophone. 125 years ago, on 4th June 1896 that Henry Ford completed his first automobile, the Ford Quadricycle, and gave it a test run around Detroit Michigan. It was a simple frame with an engine, two gears, a tiller for steering and four bicycle wheels. It had a top speed of 20mph. Its success led him to establish the Ford Motor Company. 100 years ago on 10th June 1921 that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born on a dining room table in Corfu. Prince Philip came very close to being able to celebrate his 100th birthday but sadly died on April 9th and his funeral was held on April 17th in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. 90 years ago, on 13th June 1931 that Jesse Boot, 1st Baron Trent, British pharmacist and philanthropist, died. He had turned his father’s Boots Company into a national chain of chemists. 80 years ago, from 22nd June to 5th December 1941 that Operation Barbarossa took place. It was the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the largest military operation in history. In the end, it was a Soviet victory, for the German invaders were repelled when they reached Moscow, and then driven out of Russia by a Soviet counter-attack. 75 years ago, on 26th June 1946 that Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery became Chief of the Imperial General Staff (head of the British army). 65 years ago, on 13th June 1956 that the first European Cup final (soccer) was held, in Paris. Real Madrid (Spain) beat Stade de Reims (France) 4-3. The European Cup is now known as the UEFA Champions League. 60 years ago, on 6th June 1961 that Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist, died. He was the founder of analytical psychology. 50 years ago, on 16th June 1971 that John Reith (Lord Reith), 1st Baron Reith, Scottish business executive and politician, died. He was Manager and Director General of the BBC in its formative years. He is commemorated every year in the Reith lectures broadcast on Radio 4.These began in 1948. Reith maintained that broadcasting should be a public service which enriches the intellectual and cultural life of the nation and. It is in this spirit that the BBC each year invites a leading figure to deliver a series of lectures on radio. Reith also formed BOAC (now British Airways). 40 years ago, on 5th June 1981 that the first report of AIDS took place. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA reported that five homosexual men in Los Angeles were suffering from a rare form of pneumonia found in patients with weakened immune systems. These were later recognised as the first official AIDS cases. Also 40 years ago, on 22nd June 1981 that American tennis player John McEnroe earned the press nickname ‘Superbrat’ when he threw a tantrum during his first-round match against Tom Gullikson at Wimbledon. He hurled abuse at the umpire, swore at the referee, and popularised the phrase ‘you cannot be serious’ when he disputed a line call. Nevertheless, he went on to win the men’s singles championship that year. 25 years ago, on 4th June 1996 that the Second Severn Crossing was officially opened. The bridge spans the River Severn and links England and Wales via the M4 motorway.
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CROSSWORD 1 Military tactic used by Joshua to attack and destroy the city of Ai (Joshua 8:2) (6) 4 Place of learning (6) 8 ‘When Moses’ hands grew — , they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it’ (Exodus 17:12) (5) 9 Unpleasant auguries of the end of the age, as forecast by Jesus (Matthew 24:7) (7) 10 Stronghold to which girls in King Xerxes’ harem (including Esther) were taken (Esther 2:8) (7) 11 Where Saul went to consult a medium before fighting the Philistines (1 Samuel 28:7) (5)
12 Propitiation (Hebrews 2:17) (9) 17 Turn away (Jeremiah 11:15) (5) 19 So clear (anag.) (7) 21 ‘I have just got — , so I can’t come’: one excuse to be absent from the great banquet (Luke 14:20) (7) 22 Long weapon with a pointed head used by horsemen (Job 39:23) (5) 23 Musical beat (6) 24 What the Israelites were told to use to daub blood on their door-frames at the first Passover (Exodus 12:22) (6) Down 1 Fasten (Exodus 28:37) (6) 2 Art bite (anag.) (7) 3 ‘The people of the city were divided; some — with the Jews, others with the apostles’ (Acts 14:4) (5) 5 Contend (Jeremiah 12:5) (7) 6 Possessed (Job 1:3) (5) 7 Sheen (Lamentations 4:1) (6) 9 ‘You love evil rather than good, — rather than speaking the truth’ (Psalm 52:3) (9) 13 Large flightless bird (Job 39:13) (7) 14 They were worth several hundred pounds each (Matthew 25:15) (7) 15 ‘A — went out to sow his seed’ (Matthew 13:3) (6) 16 How Jesus described Jairus’s daughter when he went into the room where she lay (Mark 5:39) (6) 18 The part of the day when the women went to the tomb on the first Easter morning (John 20:1) (5) 20 Narrow passageway between buildings (Luke 14:21) (5)
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CHURCHES TO LAUNCH NATURE COUNT WITHIN THE
‘NATIONAL PARK’ OF CHURCHYARDS Hundreds of churches have signed up to a week-long ‘nature count’ occurring this month (June), which will encourage people to visit churchyards and record what they see. Churches Count on Nature, to run between 5th-13th June, is a citizen-science event covering churchyards across England and Wales. Communities and visitors will be asked to make a note of the animals, birds, insects, or fungi in their local churchyard. Their data will then be collated on the National Biodiversity Network. It is being jointly run by the conservation charities Caring for God’s Acre,
A Rocha UK, the Church of England, and the Church in Wales. Church land, often uniquely unploughed and undeveloped, can be a habitat for precious, endangered plants and wildlife. Together, churchyards cover a huge area –estimated to be equivalent to a small national park. The week is open to anyone with a love of nature, and churches are seeking links with local schools and local wildlife groups. Various online guidance about getting to know fauna and flora is being shared with the churches who are participating. A similar national event Love Your Burial Ground Week will be combined with this project. Registration for the webinars is on the Church of England’s website and also at Churches Count on Nature online. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
ENVIRONMENTAL ATTENDANCE When we think of analysing church attendance, we usually do it by denomination, churchmanship or people’s age. But there is another way. We should also consider the environment (catchment area) of where people attend a church. The most recent Rural Digest was issued by the Government Statistical Service in March of this year, comparing the rural and urban populations in England. Those of us living in rural towns, villages and hamlets are one-sixth, 16%, of the total population, while those of us living in urban areas (major and minor conurbations, cities and towns) are 83% of the population. (The remaining 1% are living in what are called “sparse settings,” mostly remote rural areas.) Churchgoing analyses have different classifications, but broadly speaking, those living in commuter rural areas are 10% of all churchgoers, and those in remoter rural areas (which would include sparse areas) are a further 7%, and the total of these two is 17%, the same as the total in the general population. Urban and suburban churchgoers form the remaining 83%. Over the past 20 years, Inner City church attendance has dropped just -4%, the smallest decline of all environments. Why? Because this is the area where so many Pentecostal churches are located. However, there are three environments where their proportion of all churchgoers in 2020 is greater than in 2000 – City Centres (growth mainly growing larger churches), Inner City (growth due to the planting of many Pentecostal churches as well as congregational growth) and Suburban areas (also where many church plants have taken place). Both factors are important for growth. Dr. Peter Brierley
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JUNE 29TH IS ST. PETER’S DAY
I don’t know the man.
I don’t know Him. I don’t know Him.
But I did.
From the moment I turned to Him, That day by the Sea,
I knew Him, Knew He was the Lord.
I so wanted to serve Him,
Speak for Him, Follow Him, Fish for Him
Live and give my life for Him No matter what.
He is the Lord
And I let Him down Again and again and again.
I go on letting Him down.
But Jesus, Who knows the best and worst of me, Who knows how I rush in and blurt out,
Mix and mess things, Fail and fall asleep,
Who feels the agony of the denied one, Understands the agony of the one who denies.
He is the Lord
And He forgives Again and again and again.
He goes on forgiving.
Feed my lambs, Take care of my sheep
Feed my sheep.
by Daphne Kitching
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Caroline Speakman, Estate Planning Consultant Willwriting Service
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Caroline Speakman, Estate Planning Consultant Willwriting Service
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9TH JUNE - COLUMBA OF IONA
MISSIONARY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM
In 563 AD St Columba sailed from Ireland to Iona – a tiny island off Mull, in the Western Highlands. He brought Christianity with him. Columba (c. 521 -97) was born in Donegal of the royal Ui Neill clan, and he trained as a monk. He founded the monasteries of Derry (546), Durrow (c.556) and probably Kells. But in 565 Columba left Ireland with twelve companions for Iona, an island off southwest Scotland. Iona had been given to him for a monastery by the ruler of the Irish Dalriada. Why would a monk in his mid-40s go into such voluntary exile? Various explanations include: voluntary exile for Christ, an attempt to help
overseas compatriots in their struggle for survival, or even as some sort of punishment for his part in a row over a psalter in Ireland. Whatever the reason, Columba went to Iona and spent the rest of his life in Scotland, returning to Ireland only for occasional visits. Columba’s biographer, Adomnan, portrays him as a tall, striking figure of powerful build and impressive presence, who combined the skills of scholar, poet and ruler with a fearless commitment to God’s cause. Able, ardent, and sometimes harsh, Columba seems to have mellowed with age. As well as building his monastery on Iona, Columba also converted Brude, king of the Picts. Columba had great skill as a scribe, and an example of this can be seen in the Cathach of Columba, a late 6th century psalter in the Irish Academy, which is the oldest surviving example of Irish majuscule writing. In his later years Columba spent much time transcribing books. Columba’s death was apparently foreseen by his community, and even, it seems, sensed by his favourite horse. He died in the church just before Matins, and it is a tribute to this man that his traditions were upheld by his followers for about a century, not least in the Synod of Whitby and in Irish monasteries on the continent of Europe. Here is a prayer of St Columba: Christ With Us My dearest Lord, Be Thou a bright flame before me, Be Thou a guiding star above me, Be Thou a smooth path beneath me, Be Thou a kindly shepherd behind me, Today and evermore. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
INTERESTING REPLIES TO EXAM QUESTIONS A momentum is what you give a person when they are leaving. Trigonometry is when a lady marries 3 men at the same time Michelangelo painted the selling of the cistern chapel. An anachronism is a thing that a man puts in writing in the past before it has taken place in the future. Hamlet had an edible complex. Europe was disrupted by the fast paste of change. Industrialization was precipitating in England (from “Could Do Better” by N McGreevy)
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THE BEGINNINGS OF BOOTS THE CHEMIST
Jesse Boot, the British pharmacist and philanthropist, died 90 years ago, on 13th June 1931. He turned the Boots Company which was started by his father John – a former agricultural worker – into a chain of chemists branded ‘Chemists to the Nation’. The 1st Baron Trent, as Jesse became in 1929, sold his controlling interest to American investors in 1920, but Boots continues to be a familiar name to all Britons. Ironically John Boot had offered his close friend and business associate John Harston the opportunity of going into business with him, but Harston had felt it was not a good investment. Jesse Boot was a great benefactor to the City of Nottingham. He gave land for what is now the University of Nottingham, endowed at least one of the buildings of the university. and was presented with the Freedom of the City of Nottingham in 1920. It is largely thanks to Jesse Boot that Nottingham University is well regarded for the study of Chemistry. He met his wife, Florence Rowe, in a Wesleyan Chapel in Jersey while he was recuperating from illness. She was also an astute businesswoman, who helped to develop the Boots business, and her home island of Jersey benefited from the couple’s generosity. After her husband’s death she commissioned the glass artist René Lalique to refit the Anglican church of St Matthew there as a memorial to him.
THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE SAXOPHONE
It was 175 years ago, on 28th June 1846, that Belgian musical instrument maker Adolphe Sax patented the saxophone. Born Antoine-Joseph in 1814, Sax quickly became known for his brilliant inventiveness and his abrasive personality, but also – to the despair of his mother – for his brushes with death as a child. He fell from a height of three floors and was believed dead, drank a bowl of dilute sulphuric acid thinking it was milk, swallowed a pin, and received serious burns from a gunpowder explosion. He also fell on to a hot cast-iron frying pan, was struck by a cobblestone and fell into a river, then several times narrowly escaped poisoning from sleeping in a room where varnished furniture was drying.
He also contracted lip cancer in the 1850s but made a full recovery. It was surprising then, that he lived until his 80th year, dying in poverty in Paris despite his many musical instrument inventions, which did not bring him wealth because they were copied by others, despite his patents. As well as the saxophone, which received huge support from classical composer Berlioz, he also invented the saxatromba, saxhorn and saxtuba. He himself played flute and clarinet. His parents were also instrument designers.
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CROSSWORD ANSWERS
ACROSS: 1, Ambush. 4, School. 8, Tired. 9, Famines. 10, Citadel. 11, Endor. 12, Atonement. 17, Avert. 19, Oracles. 21, Married. 22, Lance. 23, Rhythm. 24, Hyssop.
DOWN: 1, Attach. 2, Biretta. 3, Sided. 5, Compete. 6, Owned. 7, Lustre. 9, Falsehood. 13, Ostrich. 14, Talents. 15, Farmer. 16, Asleep. 18, Early. 20, Alley.
EASY SUDOKU SOLUTION
MEDIUM SUDOKU
SMILE LINES
Neighbourhood Watch
In one small rural village the local vet also led the local Neighbourhood Watch group. Late one night the phone rang, and his wife answered. An agitated voice inquired, "Is your husband there?"
"He is, but tell me, do you need him as the vet or the Neighbourhood Watch?" the wife asked.
"Both!" was the reply. "We can't get our dog's mouth open, and there's a burglar in it!"
BOOK REVIEW
Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God? by Andy Bannister, IVP, £9.99
Are Islam and Christianity essentially the same? Should we seek to overcome divisions by seeing Muslims and Christians as part of one family of Abrahamic faith?
Andy Bannister shares his journey from the multicultural streets of inner-city London to being a Christian with a PhD in Qur’anic Studies. Along the way,
he came to understand that far from being the same, Islam and Christianity are profoundly different.Get to the heart of what the world’s two largest religions say about life’s biggest questions—and discover the uniqueness of Christianity’s answer to the question of who God really is.
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