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L I N K Monthly M agazine

50p

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

SEPTEMBER 2012

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

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

TIME SERVICE FORM SUNDAYS Weekly 8.00AM Holy Communion Anglican BCP

1st 10.00AM Family Eucharist United Rite followed by coffee in the Church Centre

2nd–5th 10.00AM Parish Eucharist followed by coffee in the Church Centre

Children’s Church in the Church Centre Crèche in the Tower

2nd 12.15PM Holy Communion United Rite

Weekly 6.00PM Evening Service

WEEKDAYS

Mon–Fri 8.30AM Morning Prayer

Tue 9.30AM Holy Communion United Rite

Mon–Fri 5.45PM Evening Prayer

CONTACTS The code for all telephone numbers is 01923, unless otherwise indicated.

CHURCH WEBSITE www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk VICAR Revd Deborah Snowball The Vicarage, Bury Lane 772627 vicar@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk ASSISTANT Revd Scott Talbott 40 Berks Hill, C’wood 07802 244877 PRIEST scott.talbott@talk21.com

READER Michael Baker 5 Parsonage Farm, Townfield 776109

PARISH OFFICE Parish Secretary Louise Wotherspoon Church Street, Rickmansworth 721002

Address WD3 1JB e-mail parishoffice@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk Opening Hours 9.30AM–1.30PM, Mon, Thu, Fri, and 1.00–3.00pm Wed, in school term time

CONTINUED ON INSIDE BACK OF COVER

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9. Follow the Flame A happy evening with good food

10. All The Bells St Mary’s joins in Olympic peal

12. CALENDAR

14. Library News Elusive Edmonds and Amazing Grace

15. Logos How ours originated

17. St Mary’s in the Past Magazine matters in 1922; Centre plans and Church re-ordering ideas in 1972

19. The Book of Common Prayer How it came to be

20. From the Registers A baptism and a wedding

21. St Mary’s People A new grandchild

21. Fine Arts Lecture On Tiffany jewellery

21. Watersmeet Programme

22. Food for Thought Servant maid’s prayer

23. LINK News This month’s cover; our email − the last word!

23. Smile The Lord’s my shepherd

24. Back to Church Sunday A Dave Walker cartoon

24. October LINK Copy and Publication Dates

LINK

September 2012

In this month’s issue

2. Vicar’s Letter Working in the community

3. Sunday Service Readings

3. Prayer Topics For churches, congregation and community

5. A Prayer for September

5. Patronal Festival Weekend To Wesley’s Chapel on the day; Festival Service and lunch on the Sunday

5. Sponsored Bike and Hike

6. Deanery Abbey Pilgrimage Only a few days to sign up!

6. Harvest Celebrations Gifts of food, produce and money; creative displays and the Supper

7. The New Methodist Circuit: The West Herts and Borders

8. Entertaining Angels Unawares Diocesan day in Hertford

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Our Church and the Community The Revd Deborah Snowball

Dear Friends,

Some of you may have heard of the singer Heather Small. She is well known within the world of Soul Music (you may have heard her recording of Pearl’s a Singer). If you don’t know her from this realm, some of you may remember her from the 2008 series of the BBC Show, Strictly Come Dancing. She is a charismatic personality, and one of the phrases sung by some who know her music is: What have you done today to make you feel proud? This phrase has come to mind as I look back on the activities of recent months with which St Mary’s has been involved and look forward to what is to come.

We have set up a weekly collecting point for Watford Credit Union and already it is making a difference in people’s lives. Just before Easter we delivered our new Newsletter into every household in the Parish (and by the time you read this another one will have been printed ready to be delivered). In June we organised and hosted the superb Community Jubilee Picnic to which well over 400 people came.

I feel immensely proud to belong to a church community that has organised these things for the local community – meeting a range of needs for all ages, and completely free of charge to all.

In the coming weeks we have two major opportunities for inviting people into the heart of our worshipping life: Back to Church Sunday and our Harvest Festival Celebrations. These are further opportunities for offering our skills and gifts and welcome to many people who know us well – as well as those who don’t. In extending a wide and open welcome we reflect the welcome of Christ to all – whoever, however, wherever they were.

Over the years we have engaged with Back to Church Sunday in different ways, but the most successful year was 2010 when five people came back (and they have stayed!) The reason they came back was because they were invited personally. The strapline for Back to Church Sunday is ‘one person inviting one person’. It takes courage, but we can all do it… Can I invite you to be part of it − taking rightful pride in your faith and seeking to share it with others? Often all people want is someone to ask them along.

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If someone hasn’t been to church for a while, or if they have never been, it is hard to walk through the door on a Sunday morning.

For Harvest, we are going to extend our activities to across the weekend! You’ll find details about this on pages 6−7… but it will include displays, children’s craft activities, church decorating, and a Harvest Supper! Why not come along yourself and invite someone new along too.

It’s all about showing people we are here and that we are proud to belong to a community and to follow a way of life that is life-enhancing and life-enriching. I end with a quote I picked up from the Twitter Community: Community is one of the greatest things the Church has to offer (Henri Nouwen). I say, we are part of it – let’s share it!

With good wishes,

Sunday Service Readings

8.00am and 10.00 am

2 Sept Deut 4.1‒2,6‒9* James 1.17‒27* Mark 7.1‒8,14‒15, 21‒23 9 Sept Isaiah 61.10‒11 Galatians 4.4‒7 Luke 1.46‒55 16 Sept Isaiah 50.4‒9a James 3.1‒12 Mark 8.27‒38 23 Sept Jer 11.18‒20 James 3.13 ‒ 4.3, 7‒8a Mark 9.30‒37 30 Sept Ezek 34.11b‒15 1 Peter 2. 22‒25 Luke 15.1‒7.

*8.00am service only

Prayers

Weekly Pointers for the Month

Week beginning: 2 Sept Children starting school and their parents 9 Sept Our Church and its work in our local Community 16 Sept Local Councillors and public officials 23 Sept Those engaged in medical research 30 Sept Those who have lost touch with the Church

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For Local Churches

The Deanery The Methodist Circuit

2 Sept St Andrew’s, Chorleywood Abbots Langley 9 Sept St Lawrence, Bovingdon All Saints’, Berkhamsted 16 Sept St Mary’s, Rickmansworth Batford 23 Sept All Saints’, Croxley Green Berry Lane, Mill End 30 Sept Christ Church, Chorleywood Bushey and Oxhey

People living in Rickmansworth

2 Sept Nightingale Road 9 Sept Victoria Close, Raven Close, Nightingale Place 16 Sept Swallow Close, Thrush Green 23 Sept Townfield 30 Sept Parsonage Farm

St Mary’s Network

3 Sept Malcolm and Jenny Woods, Pat Woollams 4 Sept Margaret Wronski, David and Jaleh Yeaman 5 Sept Nana and Ivy Addison-Quarshie, Simon and Julie Allard 6 Sept Steve and Pat Allard, Heather Allum 7 Sept Ian and Deborah Anderson, John and Myrica Anson

10 Sept Michael and Caroline Aries, Richard Ayling, Christine Martin- Ayling 11 Sept Madge Ayres, John and Diane Back 12 Sept Michael and Beryl Baker, Gillian Baker 13 Sept Jonathan and Jo Baker, Nicole Banks 14 Sept Tina Bannerman, Agnes Bantock

17 Sept Doris Barfoot, Julie Barraclough 18 Sept Angela Bartholomew, Lennox and Elizabeth Barton 19 Sept Colin and Gill Bayley, Dorothy Beard 20 Sept Audrey Begg, Brenda Bell 21 Sept Neill and Sarah Bennett, Tony and Jean Berry

24 Sept Geoffrey Birch, Andrew and Isabelle Bond 25 Sept Geoff and Mary Bond, Michael and Suzanne Bond 26 Sept Ann Bott, Anthea Brennan 27 Sept Marjorie Broadhurst, Marion Brooks 28 Sept David and Gertrud Brown, Allen and Elisabeth Browning

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A Prayer for September

As we leave behind the heady days of the past summer, Lord, with its memories of Jubilee, Olympics and holidays beginning to fade, may we derive strength and purpose from the routines of our lives, and from the courage and tenacity of the Paralympians’ achievements; and may we truly appreciate the opportunities that you have given us and greet new ones with eager anticipation and fresh energy, whether they be big: a new job or school or college, marriage, children or retirement; or those smaller challenges we encounter day by day. May we enjoy the fresh days of autumn renewed by breaks from routine and filled with excitement and joy. Amen

Patronal Festival Weekend

Pilgrimage to Wesley’s Chapel

Saturday 8 September

9.30am Tube from Rickmansworth to Old Street (approx. 10 minutes’ walk to Chapel)

11.00am Tour of Chapel, followed by a short walk to Susanna Wesley’s grave

Free time, lunch

Patronal Festival Day

Sunday 9 September

10.00am Parish Eucharist (the only service that day)

12.00 noon Bring and Share Lunch at the Vicarage

Saturday 8 September

This is organised by the Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust whose motto is Saving the Past for theFuture. It raises money from sponsorship of walkers, cyclists and others who visit as many

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churches as possible during the day. People from St Mary’s have taken part in the past. Again this year our church is on the list of those welcoming visitors. Ask around and look out for further details.

Deanery Evening Pilgrimage

to St Albans Abbey Wednesday 3 October

7.00pm Arrival and buffet

7.45pm Pilgrimage prayer trail

9.00pm Compline and procession to St Alban’s shrine 9.30pm Depart

Tickets, £6.00 per person from Sally Morgan (c/o the Parish Office) before 31 August

Harvest Celebrations

Gift Collections

As for the past two years, our Harvest Collections will concentrate on celebrating the fruits and gifts of the earth: food and produce. As usual, we give everything away, some to local folk who need a few treats, but most to charities that undertake their dispersal to those in need: Watford New Hope Trust, Herts Young Homeless, and the Watford and Three Rivers Refugee Project. Produce for decorating the church should be brought along on Thursday 4 October and placed under the Tower. If you’d like to help with decorating the Church, this will take place on the Friday morning.

Money Collections

We will hold Special Collections at each of the Services on Harvest Festival to raise money for the Bishop of St Alban’s Harvest Appeal: 'Action for Hope'. The money will go to the Dominican Republic where Christian Aid is assisting with projects that are helping people to adapt to the effects of a changing climate in the Caribbean.

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From teaching about more resilient crops to helping communities cope with the annual hurricanes, our gifts will make a real difference. Further details may be found in the literature that will soon be available in Church.

Celebrations of Creativity

Do you paint, draw, sculpt, compose, write…? Following the success of the displays in 2009 and 2010, we hope even more of you will come and share your skills and gifts with us. If you have anything you would like to be on display, please bring it to church on the afternoon of Saturday 6 October at 2.30pm. If you plan to bring something, or can help set up the displays, please let Deborah know.

Displays will be on view from 4.00pm to 5.30pm on Saturday

6 October and again on the Sunday 7 October from 2.00 to 5.30pm.

Harvest Supper

An event for all the family, the Harvest Supper will be on Saturday 6 October, with an early start time of 5.30pm. Come and enjoy an evening with activities and entertainment all related to a Harvest theme. Tickets will be available through September – snap up yours quickly!

A New Beginning Derek Day

On 1 September three Methodist circuits, Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted, Harpenden and Watford will join together to become one circuit. It will be known as The West Herts and Borders Circuit. (Two of the churches are in Bucks, hence the ‘Borders’.)

The new Circuit will have twenty-three churches, ranging from a membership of ten to more than four hundred. The Chair of District is The Revd Anne Brown, and the Superintendent of the new Circuit will be The Revd Linda Woollacott. There will be nine ministers, including Deborah, who is authorised to serve as a Methodist minister. They are supported by local preachers, who take Sunday services that are non-Eucharistic.

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There will also be six circuit stewards, who are responsible for running the Circuit; among many duties they undertake is inviting ministers to the Circuit via the Chair of District and in consultation with the churches involved, when a vacancy occurs. Each church will have representatives at each Circuit meeting; St Mary’s will have two representatives.

On Saturday 1 September there will be activities and tea at the Vineyard Church, Brick Knoll Park, St Albans from 3.00pm and an inaugural service at 6.00pm.

Your prayers are asked for this venture in continuing God’s work.

Diocesan Day: Exploring Prayer and Spirituality

If anyone is going and could offer a lift, perhaps they would let the Parish Office know at the time of booking, and those who would like one also could let the Office know.

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Follow the Flame Barbara Owen was the host for a very happy evening in the Church Centre in July. The scene was set with Olympic-themed decorations, including a beautiful patchwork wall-hanging of national flags, and round the walls, pictures of the flowers used in the floral emblems of British counties.

The tables were beautifully laid, with miniature Olympic torches as the centre-pieces.

The chefs had been working away in the kitchen and the waitresses and wine waiters were lined up ready to serve us a delicious four-course meal.

The menu card, complete with inspirational photo of Jessica Talbot on the front with her

Olympic Torch (See article in August LINK), promised smoked mackerel pâte followed by roast gammon with Cumberland sauce (or tomato delight then celebration loaf for vegetarians), a choice from chocolate mousse, lemon tart, raspberry meringue and strawberries and cream and a selection of

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cheeses, ingredients all sourced in the United Kingdom. Very good it was too, and everyone appeared to enjoy the food and the traditional folk songs and communal singing of the entertainment.

A few weeks later, Scott Talbott brought his daughter Jessica’s actual Olympic Torch to the Sunday morning services and afterwards during coffee he allowed people to touch and hold it and take photographs.

Photo of Jess on the menu provided by Scott

Olympic Ring David Hibbert

Nine of us rang on the morning of 27 July starting at 8.12am, for the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games, which was the national time specified for all types of bells to ring out thoughout Great Britain.

1. Angela Bartholomew 6. Colin Lucas 2. ---------- 7. Hugh Thomas 3. Daisy Kelly 8. Jenny Chapman 4. Joan Fox 9. David Hibbert 5. Oliver Bond 10. Graham Hodge

Also the 69th Birthday of the ringer of the 9th.

Photos on the day and of Scott thanks to David Hibbert

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Afterwards, the countrywide organisers of ‘All the Bells’, sent the following message, a digital card and certificate to mark the occasion.

We want to thank you all for your incredibly generous support which helped to make ‘All The Bells’ an astonishing performance to welcome in the London 2012 Olympic Games. We couldn’t have done it without your enthusiasm and passion; thank you.

Deborah presented the certificate to the ringers at the start of the Family Service on Sunday 5 August.

Ringing for the Opening of the 2012 London Olympic Games (Photo by David Hibbert)

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CALENDAR September 2012

1 Sat 3.00pm New Methodist Circuit Launch Activities and Service (see p. 7) 6.30pm Institution and Induction of The Revd David Hall as Vicar of Christ Church, Chorleywood

2 SUN THE THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 8.00am Holy Communion (Anglican BCP) 10.00am Family Communion (United Rite) Home Communions 6.00pm Said Evening Prayer

3 Mon Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, Teacher, 604 4 Tue 9.30am Holy Communion (United Rite) 5 Wed 7.30pm Bellringing Practice: New members welcome 6 Thu 8.00pm Choir Practice: New members welcome 8 Sat The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary Bike and Hike (see p. 5) 9.30am Patronal Festival Pilgrimage: train leaves Ricky Station (see p.5) 2.00pm Wedding: James Sheriden and Jennifer Grey

9 SUN PATRONAL FESTIVAL 10.00am Parish Eucharist (United Rite) 12.00noon Bring and Share Lunch, Vicarage 7.00pm X Team meets

10 Mon 11.30am Prayer for Healing Group 12.30pm J Club at St Mary’s School 7.45pm United Church Council, Cloisters Hall 11 Tue 9.30am Holy Communion (United Rite) 2.00pm Deanery Chapter meets 7.45pm Exploring Prayer: Look to the Cross, an hour of quiet Reflection at The Vicarage, all welcome! 12 Wed 10.30am Tour of St Paul’s Cathedral (Details from Deborah) 7.30pm Bellringing Practice: New members welcome 7.30pm St Mary’s School Governing Body meets 7.45pm House Group 13 Thu John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, Teacher, 407 10.00am Deborah attending Rural Deans’ meeting 8.00pm Choir Practice: New members welcome LINK copy deadline 14 Fri Holy Cross Day 9.00am St Mary’s School New Year Service 15 Sat Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, 258

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16 SUN THE FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 8.00am Holy Communion (Anglican BCP) 10.00am Parish Communion (United Rite) 6.00pm Choral Evensong

17 Mon Hildegard, Abbess of Bingen, Visionary, 1179 12.30pm J Club at St Mary’s School 4.30pm Rural Dean and Lay Chair’s meeting at St Albans 7.30pm LINK Committee 18 Tue 9.30am Holy Communion (United Rite) 12.15pm and through the afternoon, Home Communions 5.45pm Meeting of Senior Steward, Churchwardens and Vicar 19 Wed 7.30pm Bellringing Practice: New members welcome 20 Thu John Coleridge Patteson, first Bishop of Melanesia,1871 10.15am Assemblies at St Mary’s School 8.00pm Choir Practice: New members welcome 21 Fri Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist 22 Sat 10.00am Theology Group: John Wesley: A Brand from the Burning 10.00am Churchyard Tidy 3.30pm Wedding: Ashley Webber and Lynsay Curtis

23 SUN THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY 8.00am Holy Communion (Anglican BCP) 10.00am Parish Communion (United Rite) 6.00pm Said Evening Prayer 7.00pm X Team meets

25 Tue Lancelot Andrewes, Bp of Winchester, Spiritual Writer, 1628 9.30am Holy Communion (United Rite) 11.00am Service at Seymour House 4.00pm Service at Hunter’s Lodge 26 Wed 10.00am Deanery Chapter Study Day 7.30pm Bellringing Practice: New members welcome 27 Thu Vincent de Paul, Founder of the Lazarists, 1660 10.15am Assemblies at St Mary’s School 8.00pm Choir Practice: New members welcome 29 Sat Michael and All Angels 10.00am Diocesan Exploring Prayer and Spirituality Day: Entertaining Angels Unawares (see p. 8)

30 SUN BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY 8.00am Holy Communion (Anglican BCP) 10.00am Parish Communion (United Rite) 12.00noon Baptism: Fredrick Hylands, son of Emma and Peter 6.00pm Said Evening Prayer October LINK is published

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October

1 Mon 7.45pm Community and Outreach Committee meets 2 Tue 9.30am Holy Communion (United Rite) 3 Wed 7.00pm Deanery Evening Pilgrimage to St Albans (see p. 6) 7.30pm Bellringing Practice: New members welcome 4 Thu Francis of Assisi, Friar, Founder of the Friars Minor, 1226 8.00pm Choir Practice: New members welcome 6 Sat William Tyndale, Translator of the Scriptures, 1536 1.00pm Wedding: Jonathan Payne and Lorraine Byrne 4.00pm Creative work displays in Church (see p. 7) 5.30pm Harvest Supper, Church Centre

7 SUN HARVEST FESTIVAL 8.00am Holy Communion (Anglican BCP) 10.00am Family Communion (United Rite) Home Communions 2.00pm Creative work displays in Church 6.00pm Harvest Praise

Library News Michael Baker

The Elusive Edmonds & Rickmansworth

Graham Martin has been studying the history of St Mary’s during the upheavals of the seventeenth century before, during and after the English Civil War. Confusingly, during the period between 1590 and 1670, the Vicar of Rickmansworth is listed as ‘William Edmonds’. This was at one time, improbably, assumed to refer to one person but, in fact, they were father and son – the father was Vicar from 1590 to 1621, as well as being Rector of Ibstone and Taplow in Buckinghamshire, presumably delegating his duties there to curates. His son, also called William, may have acted for his father either at Rickmansworth or Taplow after his ordination in 1617, William Edmonds Senior having been deprived of Ibstone in 1615 after a charge of simony* was brought against him.

William Edmonds Junior became Vicar of Rickmansworth in 1621 (he became incumbent of Taplow in 1623 after his father’s death). Puritanism seems to have been strong in Rickmansworth at the time, as complaints were made against him for wearing a surplice and moving the Communion table to an ‘altar-wise’ position, as

*‘The buying or selling of ecclesiastical privileges such as pardons or benefices’ OED

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Required by Bishop (later Archbishop) William Laud, who was trying to move English churchmanship to a ‘higher’ position. William Junior was evidently unpopular in his parish as well as being out of favour with the Parliamentary authorities. He was denounced as a ‘delinquent’ (i.e. a Royalist) and deprived of the livings of Rickmansworth and Taplow. Puritan ministers took over the Parish, and were well received locally.

After the restoration of the monarchy, William Edmonds returned and resumed his duties until his death in 1670 at Taplow. The lives of the Edmonds, father and son, with an outline of the state of the Rickmansworth neighbourhood and St Mary’s, are dealt with in The Elusive Edmonds & Rickmansworth, a study by Graham Martin, who has kindly donated a copy to our Church Library.

What’s so Amazing about Grace?

Another recent addition to the library is What’s so Amazing about Grace?, a book by Philip Yancey. Mr Yancey is a popular American religious author, who writes from an Evangelical standpoint. It is, however, unlikely that anyone in this country would disagree with his basic thesis, that God’s grace is freely available to all and that it does not have to be earned, either by specific ‘good works’ or by conforming to the standards of any particular group, religious or otherwise. He illustrates the points he makes with a series of anecdotes and illustrations that make the book very readable. What will be shocking to many is the venom with which, by his account, he has been assailed for voicing opinions that in this country would be thought of as mildly ‘liberal’. A good and thought-provoking read.

Logos Graham Martin

Logos are all around us, striving to gain our attention, or recognition,

as to a meaning, or brand or quality. Logos, symbols, trademarks ‒they are a modern phenomenon in their proliferation and ubiquity. But symbols are as old as man, manifest for example in Egyptian hieroglyphics and in mediaeval heraldry and saints' attributes; the crown represents sovereignty, and the cross the great symbol of the crucified and risen Christ.

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No doubt you have noticed St Mary's logo on our service books,

magazine and literature ‒ the M under the cross ‒ but it didn't

originate for that purpose. In 1980‒81 it was proposed to replace the old hassocks at St Mary's with hand-worked kneelers and Jane Sharp, leading the project, asked me to make some special designs relating to our church. The first of these were quite complex representations of traditional symbols for the virgin mother of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the sun and moon, and the fountain; then followed a design, easier to work, based on the M monogram for St Mary. It was a very common mediaeval feature, surmounted by a crown; but instead of Gothic black letter I re-worked the M in a style based on a hand-script, with its thick and thin strokes, but stylised and refined to a symmetrical form and expanded, in good heraldic practice, to utilise more of the area of the kneeler. It had the virtues of clean lines for the stitch work that would be involved and sufficient substance and clarity to be readily seen when in use. A simplified crown completed the kneeler image you see today in the pews.

In the 1990s a project was begun to improve St Mary's publicity material and various ideas for a logo were explored. By 2000 the M monogram had been chosen, but with the cross above to identify St Mary's as a distinctive entity, a living church in the community. Because the design had worked well on the kneelers, it adapted readily to these new applications and has appeared in or influenced other uses. Thus it can be clearly seen on the glazing above the entrance to the Lady Chapel; and it forms the silver-plated finials to the churchwardens' wands, used on special occasions. More subtly, it forms the fibrous-plaster housings to the nave light fittings; the door handles to the glazed tower doors; the base for the paschal candlestick; and the under-supports for the nave altar table and its candlesticks.

This monogram in origin was, within the practical parameters, substantially intuitive, part of the design skill; but in retrospect, as a symbol for the Virgin Mary, it may have other connotations than just the initial letter M. It can be seen as a combination of M and V, a graceful poise at its centre developing outwards with a supple

strength and vigour ‒ but what do you think?

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St Mary’s in the Past

1922

In September 1922, the Editorial was once more concerned with the Parish Magazine, and especially its finances. Readers were being asked to pay two pence a month, the usual cost of church magazines at that time, but the total cost of printing together with that of paying for the Bishop’s letter amounted to three pence, so that the Gazette was making a loss. Although our magazine was considered ‘an improvement on the ordinary type of magazine’, it was not felt that the price could be raised to cover the cost because that would be out of line with other churches. Even when some advertising revenue was added to the money raised by selling most of the 670 copies there was still a shortfall considered to be too great to be solved by increasing readership or reducing the number of unsold copies. The suggested solution was to appeal to readers to voluntarily give the extra that covered costs and for those who could afford it to give a good deal more, say a guinea a year, to raise the average of the income from readers, ‘because giving that others may get is at the heart of Christianity’.

Meanwhile a Jumble Sale and Auction would be held to pay off the previous year’s deficit. People were asked to give jumble: not only items they no longer needed, but also some they felt reluctant to part with, for ‘sacrifice is the essence of Christianity’. The editor went on to write of the value of a parish magazine, while acknowledging that some were better than others.

A parish magazine falls into the hands of many who are not regularly at church. It is read by some who seldom hear sermons or read books that give them information on religious matters. So it is, or may be, a means of informing people on subjects bound up with their Christian life and religion. It may, then, be a means of increasing knowledge ‒ not only of current events, but also of important facts of past history ‒ and of stimulating keenness.

If we regard the Church… as a fellowship, some means of keeping in touch with one another is essential. Members of the Christian fellowship should know what others are doing or planning; they should learn to think and act as one body; and clearly … there must be some one person who collects all the information and, by means of a periodical publication, passes it round to all members of the fellowship. That is why we think that every churchman should read

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his own parish magazine at the very least; if he does not, he is to some extent cut off from the fellowship.

The Editor went on to describe how the idea of parish magazines started before the New Testament was compiled; and that St Paul’s letters served the same purpose.

The Vicar in his letter wrote about the forthcoming Mission at the end of October: a mission to the whole congregation, but they were urged to say, “This is a mission to me”. They would be encouraged to use their talents more fully so that the Church was transformed and renewed; and meanwhile to pray for the right open-minded spirit ready to learn and to serve, and for God to drive out their self-satisfaction and make them see the Church through his eyes and how it might become. [Does some of this sound familiar? Ed.]

1972

The September Letter was written by Father John Furness, Curate of those days. He advertised a meeting of Street Wardens and Magazine Distributors, to be held in response to a comment in a Diocesan Liaison Team report that “the Road Steward scheme needs to be redefined and given teeth”. The PCC would be discussing the rest of the report.

He also advertised a special service, ‘Sunday Evening with Sir Bernard Miles’, who had sent the following explanation:

I could never see why Sunday service shouldn’t be entertaining as well as illuminating and instructive. My own youth is clouded with memories of dull and unhumourous sessions, more like a penal settlement or a morgue than a house of joy. Christianity is supposed to shine with hope and happiness. So I shall be giving you laughter as well as tears, good solid instruction lightened with humour, together with half a dozen old favourites from Ancient and Modern or The English Hymnal, whichever you happen to use.

[The Editor’s main recollection of that evening was the pain of sides aching with laughter; he was an excellent raconteur.]

We learn from Graham Blacktop, then PCC Secretary, in his PCC Phronistery* that plans for the Church extension {i.e.Church Centre] were almost complete and were being finalised before making planning applications to the County Planning Officer,

*place for thinking in

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Rickmansworth UDC and St Albans Diocesan Authorities. He commented that tact and skill would be required to meet the requirements of all three.

Graham Martin’s article the previous month following his visit to a modern church had suggested that the layout of St Mary’s was more suitable for nineteenth century worship than today’s and would benefit from updating. That roused one parishioner to respond with consternation and indignation. Graham’s ideas for modernisation were not described in detail, other than to suggest removal of the screen and bring the altar forward ‘to the midst of the congregation’, but the parishioner had let his imagination run wild and imagined the church to be demolished and a “glass octagon in its place, with a Henry Moore statue in the churchyard”!

The Book of Common Prayer

As we’re sure you know, the Church of England is celebrating the 350th anniversary of The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) this year. David Hibbert passed on to us an interesting and readable article by The Revd Canon Jan Steen in The Bridge, the Southwark Diocese’s equivalent of our See Round. We cannot reproduce it without the author’s permission, but we thought if we reported some of its content that would be of interest.

Jan Steen claims that the first service to be written in English, Holy Communion, was used for worship for the first time within the Southwark Diocese in St Mary’s Farleigh in 1549. Also included in the 1549 Prayer Book was Miles Coverdale’s version of the Psalms and this version was later incorporated into our 1662 BCP. It is somewhat different from the one in the King James Bible, because they are different translations. She cited Psalm 15: 1-2 as an example, not only of the differences in translation, but also of the way translators of that day were thinking carefully of the words used to communicate meaning.

Thus parts of the BCP date back to much earlier than 1662. Cranmer was largely responsible for the rest, but did not write all of it. The General Confession used in both Morning and Evening Prayer, ‘Most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep…’, that dates back to 1552, is almost certainly his. It is thought that Alexander Nowell, then Dean of St Pauls, was probably

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responsible for some of the teaching of the Catechism, though some believe it was either the then Bishop of Rochester or Bishop of Ely. The explanation of the sacraments was probably the work of John Overall, Nowell’s successor as Dean of St Pauls. However, Cranmer was a great translator, and much more of the BCP is translated than the Psalms and the readings. The Collects are Cranmer’s own translations of Medieval Latin prayers.

While the BCP was part of the doctrinal renewal of the Reformation, its content was not a break with tradition, more a ‘spring clean’ of the Church’s inheritance to decide what was good to keep and what should be discarded. Canon Steen reminds us that people who think differently from ourselves may have a point, and believes that the BCP has survived thus long because it holds differences. That can be seen clearly in the Thirty-nine Articles, parts of which are not dogmatic; in its preface one example regarding retaining baptism of children in Article XXVII, Of Baptism explains that ‘The Baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ’ and goes on in similar fashion, suggesting it to be a good thing but not insisting on it.

The BCP, which has lasted for hundreds of years, still endures. Modern services are just alternatives. Canon Steen suggests her readers might learn a lot and come closer to God by attending occasional services using the liturgy of The Book of Common Prayer or by using its collects in personal prayers. She considers that prayers for the Royal Family are valuable in reminding us that Christianity is the historic faith of our country, a faith that does something for us as a community and a society, not only for us as individuals.

From the Registers

Mid-July‒Mid-August

Baptism

29 July LEWIS SKINNER, son of Anna and Graeme

Wedding

10 Aug DAVID WHITE and HANNAH SMALLBONE

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St Mary’s People

Congratulations

Congratulations to KATHERINE (née Hillier) and STEVE GOULD on the birth of a son DYLAN on 23 July − a fourth grandchild for Sue and Chris Hillier and a seventh great-grandchild for Kenneth.

RDFAS Diana Jefkins

Rickmansworth and District Fine Arts Society (RDFAS) start their next season in September with a talk:

American Glamour:

150 years of Tiffany & Co. Jewellery

Clare Phillips

The development of American jewellery design

to match the best that Europe could offer

on Tuesday 11 September

Our meetings are held at Sarratt Village Hall on the second Tuesday of the month; talks start at 11.00am, with coffee or tea from 10.30am.

Visitors are always welcome, and most find it so interesting they then join the Society, so why not give us a try?

For further details call Diana on 01494 874507.

Watersmeet

September

Thu 20 2.00 & 7.45pm Film: The Angels’ Share Narrowly avoiding jail, new dad Robbie vows to turn over a new leaf. A visit to a whiskey distillery inspires him and his mates to seek a way out of their hopeless lives.

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Watersmeet (continued)

October

Thu 11 2.00pm & 7.45pm Film: Your Sister’s Sister

Fri 12 7.30pm The Mark Armstrong Big Band : Swinging around the World

Sat 20 7.30pm Friends of Watersmeet Jazz Night

Tue 23 7.30pm Oliver, Harrow Light Opera ‒Sat 27 2.30pm matinee Oliver

Tue 30 7.30pm Coppelia, Vienna Festival Ballet

Food for Thought

A Servant Maid’s Prayer

With thanks to Peter Heath, who lives in Rickmansworth and reads our magazine, but worships in Northwood for sending a copy of the Bucklesham, Nacton and Levington Churches’ magazine, where we found this charming prayer discovered by a member of their congregations at the Kite Centre at Tregaron in Wales on a sampler worked by a 12-year-old girl in 1848.

Lord of all pots and pans and things, since I’ve no time to be a saint

By doing lovely things or watching late with Thee

Or dreaming in the dawn light, or storming heaven’s gates,

Make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates.

Although I have a Martha’s hands, I have a Mary’s mind

And when I black the boots and shoes, Thy sandals, Lord I find.

I think of how they trod the earth, what time I scrub the floor.

Accept this meditation Lord, I haven’t time for more.

Warm all the kitchen with Thy love and light it with Thy peace,

Forgive me all my worrying, and make all grumbling cease.

Thou who didst live to give men food, in room, or by the sea,

Accept this service that I do; I do it unto Thee.

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LINK Brenda Bell

We have Peter Loosley to thank for this month’s cover picture, an isometric drawing of the Church and Church Centre. The observant are sure to notice that it was drawn before the kitchen extension to the Centre was added, a fairly minor change when seen from above.

Our email, link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk has been working well and safely for the past month. I am always delighted to receive your copy however it comes, but it would help if you get back into the habit of using the above address rather than my personal one, as if I am not available other members of the team need to be able to pick up your copy, and also it is easier not to miss material if it is all in one in-box.

It would still be useful if you are prepared to trust us with your email address, so that we can contact you or send reminders of copy dates. We have found a somewhat out of date email that was once sent to most of our regulars, but it will be rather tedious cutting and pasting in addresses. Please let us know if you don’t want us to do so or if we previously sent you copy date reminders and you would rather we no longer did.

Smile

The Lord is my Shepherd

From the magazine of the Parish of Minehead, passed on by Joan Martin

A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorise one of the most quoted passages in the Bible, Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to memorise the short psalm. Little Richard was

excited about the task ‒ but he just couldn’t remember things very well. On the day that the children were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Richard was very nervous. When it was finally his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly,

“The Lord is my Shepherd and … that’s all I need to know.”

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Back to Church Sunday

This Dave Walker cartoon was included in a Church Times article about Back to Church Sunday and is reproduced with his permission

October LINK

Copy Deadline: Thursday 13 September Publication Date: Sunday 30 September

LINK welcomes contributions of interest to members of the Church and the local community. Copy should reach a member of the Committee* by the above copy date. It helps if it is sent by email, (link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk), typed without formatting (which can be time-consuming or impossible to remove). Alternatively we can also accept typed or handwritten copy. We may have to edit copy because of space constraints or for other reasons and we are sorry that it is not always possible to discuss alterations with authors. We may also enhance artwork that will not reproduce well. Every care is taken to avoid inaccuracies and factual misstatements; opinions expressed are those of the contributors alone, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editors of LINK or St Mary’s Church.

*Please see back cover for addresses and phone numbers

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CONTACTS (continued)

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

CHURCHWARDENS Barbara Paterson 720356 Roger Willett 443586

METHODIST STEWARDS Derek Day 237248

Julie Smethurst 282927

THE UNITED CHURCH COUNCIL Secretary Tracy Phillipps 718775

Treasurer Robert Kay 773470

CHURCH HALLS Church Centre Bookings Kasia Todd 07801 049687 centrebookings@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk

Treasurer Simon Allard 776641

Cloisters Hall Bookings Sarah Bennett 775613 Treasurer Michael Butler 778001

CHURCH MUSIC Organist &Choirmaster Andrew Sykes 718561

SACRISTAN Team Leader David Gilbert 332572

ALTAR SERVERS Chris Hillier 779580 Sue Hillier 779580

BAPTISMS Contact Parish Office 721002

BELL RINGING Tower Captain David Hibbert 773735

Sun 9.15–10.00AM, 5.15–6.00PM Wed 7.30PM–9.15PM

Handbells Suzanne Warren 01442 385922

BIBLE READING FELLOWSHIP Sue Hillier 779580

CARE Representative Angela Hall 720543

CATERING COMMITTEE Barbara Owen 772325

CHARITABLE GIVING Working Party John Shaw 775219

CHILDREN’S CHURCH Sun 10.00AM, Church Centre

Junior Church Libby Kershaw 776251

Sunbeams (3–5 years) Christine Martin-Ayling 825159

CHURCH CLEANING Derek Day 237248

COFFEE AFTER CHURCH Anne Kay 773470

COMMUNITY AND OUTREACH Revd Deborah Snowball 772627

ELECTORAL ROLL John Glidden 223613

FABRIC & CHURCHYARD COMMITTEE Secretary David Hibbert 773735

FLOWER ROTA Julie Smethurst 282927

CONTINUED ON BACK OF COVER

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CHURCH SCHOOL St Mary’s Church of England Primary Headteacher Helen Gill 776529 Address Stockers Farm Road School Website www.stmarys698.herts.sch.uk

CONTACTS (continued)

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

HEALING MINISTRY Revd Deborah Snowball 772627

HOUSE GROUPS 4th Tue, 10.15AM Gillian Baker 775890 Brenda Bell 772482

2nd Wed, 7.45PM Jane Pummell 774343

LIBRARY Librarian Michael Baker 776109

LINK Published monthly On last Sunday of previous month

Copy to: link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk or an editor by the Thursday just over 2 weeks before the publication date (see last page).

Editors Brenda Bell 772482

Geoff Hall 720543 Jane Pummell 774343

Subscriptions : Jane Pummell 774343

LUNCH CLUB 2nd Sun Joan Martin 775433

MEET FOR TEA 1st Thu Joan Martin 775433

MOTLEY CREW Chris Hillier 779580 Suzanne Harding 770992

SIDESPEOPLE Roger Willett 443586

SOCIAL COMMITTEE Chris Hillier 779580

ST MARY’S NETWORK John Hill 772809 Suzanne Hill 772809

STEWARDSHIP AND FINANCE John Hill 772809

STEWARDSHIP RECORDER Brian Warmington 775360

SUNDAY SERVICE ROTAS Bible readings Jane Pummell 774343

Intercessions John Glidden 223613

TODDLERS’ CLUB Church Centre, Wed 10.00AM Gillian Thomas 446931

UNIFORMED ORGANISATIONS Rainbows Tue Janet Eavis via Parish Office 721002

Brownies Mon Carol Thomas 447622

Guides Fri Tracy Jenkins 336771

WEDDINGS Bookings Contact Parish Office 721002 Marriage Preparation The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 Marian Lantree 01727 862602

YOUTH GROUP X-Team David Carruthers 897928