L I N K Monthly M agazine

50p

July

2014

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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 Communion United Rite followed by coffee in the Church Centre

2nd–5th 10.00AM Sung Holy Communion 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 721002

Address Church St, Rickmansworth WD3 1JB e-mail parishofice@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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LINK

July 2014

In This Month’s Issue

4. The Vicar’s Letter

5. Readings for Sunday Services

5. Prayer Rotas

6. Situations Vacant

Our Warden responds to last

month’s letter

8. The Family Picnic

Where you will find us

8. Coffee After Church

A change on third Sundays

8. Repair of the Altar Frontal

A progress report

9. Conference 2014

It’s happening!

9. Synod this Month

Coming up…

10. Deanery Ascension Day

It was a real celebration

11.Ricky Week and The Festival

We were there, wet or fine

12. Community Picnic

Some pictures

14. St Mary’s School News

15. The Perfect City

A musical about William Penn

15. Diocesan Harvest Appeals

For Egypt 2014 and Guyana 2015

17. Charitable Giving

Emergency funds for Philippines

18. CALENDAR

20. How Philippines Spent DEC Aid

20. A Grand Day Out

Three go to Bloxham Festival

23 St Mary’s People

A new little cygnet!

23. From the Registers

23. St Mary’s in the Past

The days before Stewardship;

new forms for Eucharists

25. Nature Notes

Bird and animal sounds and

sightings

26. Local Events

Watersmeet programme; a

Summer Show; Julie Felix at

Folk Festival and Wildacre Art

28. The Mill Opens

A café and other facilities for

the Food Bank

29. The English Church, Funchal

30. More Stations of the Cross

32. Holidays Too

Holidays: release; time to

nourish faith

33. Thoughts suggested by the

LINK cover

34. Dave Walker Cartoon

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The Vicar’s Letter

Dear Friends,

Many of you will, I imagine, have watched at least some

of the events commemorating the D-Day Landings. As

I watched President Mitterrand address the assembled

Veterans, Leaders of Nations and associated dignitaries,

I could not help but reflect on the serenity of the sea and

clear blue sky which offered a stark contrast to what must have been acrid

-smelling smoke that filled the air in 1944, obliterating the sky, to the

accompaniment of bombing, shells, bullet-fire and blood-curdling screams

as men were wounded or lay dying. As we honour their memory this

particular year – as well as the memory of those who died in the First

World War throughout the current and forthcoming four years – this

provides a focussed time for reflection on just how we respond to conflict

across the world, conflict in our nation, conflict in our own

neighbourhood, and indeed within our own circle of families or friends.

Facing the outcome of conflict is difficult – and so is the challenge of

forgiving those who have ‘done us wrong’. I was, therefore, captivated

to hear Mpho Tutu, daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speak

recently of the book she has written with her father, The Book of

Forgiving. Finding its locus within the experiences of both the

apartheid era in South Africa and the subsequent work of the Truth

and Reconciliation Commission, the book offers a route whereby one

might explore those events of life which one needs to forgive – and

seek to do so. I found myself reflecting on this whilst watching Mr

Mitterrand welcome the leaders of the nations, including the German

Chancellor, Mrs Angela Merkel. As Mrs Merkel arrived she was greeted

with warm applause, and then the hand of friendship was proffered by

each of the Veterans selected to represent those who had participated

in the D-Day landings and ensuing battles. This was a most profound

moment of reconciliation. The welcome Mrs Merkel received was quite

different to that offered to President Putin who, in the last weeks, has

contravened international agreements as to how countries are meant

to operate with regard to both boundaries and government.

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In the coming months, eyes will continue to be focussed on the

Hundredth Anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War and we

at St Mary’s will offer occasions on which we may pray in

remembrance, pray in hope and pray in peace. I hope that you will be

able to join us – wherever you may be.

With continued good wishes,

Readings at Communion

6 Jul Zech 9.9–12* Rom 7.15–25a* Matt 11.16–19, 25–30

13 Jul Isa 55.10–13 Rom 8.1–11 Matt 13.1–9, 18–23

20 Jul Isa 44.6–8 Rom 8.12–25 Matt 13.24–30, 36–43

27 Jul 1 Kings 3.5–12 Rom 8.26–39 Matt 13.31–33, 44–52

*8.00am service only

Prayers

Weekly Pointers for the Month Week beginning:

6 Jul Divided families

13 Jul Those who feel abandoned by God

20 Jul Those searching for a purpose in life

27 Jul Those going on holiday

For Local Churches

The Deanery The Methodist Circuit

6 Jul St Andrew’s, Chorleywood Bushey and Oxhey

13 Jul St Lawrence, Bovingdon Carpenders Park & South Oxhey

20 Jul St Mary’s, Rickmansworth Croxley Green

27 Jul All Saints’, Croxley Green Flamstead

People Living in Rickmansworth

6 Jul The Royal Masonic School, Southgate Cottages

13 Jul Hampton Hall Farm, canal boats

20 Jul Batchworth Hill

27 Jul Home Farm Road, Park Close

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St Mary’s Network

1 Jul Tim and Elizabeth Tims, Alice Tims

2 Jul Mabel Tindall, Andrew and Lynne Turner

3 Jul Neil and Rachel Turvey, Louise Ungar

4 Jul Alison Vincent, John and Helen Walker

7 Jul Brian and Pat Warmington, Audrey Begg

8 Jul Mary Weatherilt, Jackie Wilcox

9 Jul Roger and Frances Willett, Nesta Williams

10 Jul Marion Willmore, Margaret Winder

11 Jul Gillian Winder, Malcolm and Jenny Woods

14 Jul Pat Woollams, Margaret Wronski

15 Jul David and Jaleh Yeaman, Ivy Addison-Quarshie

16 Jul Simon and Julie Allard, Steve and Pat Allard

17 Jul Heather Allum, Sami Amponsah

18 Jul Ian and Deborah Anderson, John and Myrica Anson

21 Jul Michael and Caroline Aries, Richard Ayling, Christine Martin-Ayling

22 Jul Madge Ayres, John and Diane Back

23 Jul Michael and Beryl Baker, Gillian Baker

24 Jul Jonathan and Jo Baker, Nicole Banks

25 Jul Tina Bannerman, Agnes Bantock

28 Jul Doris Barfoot, Julie Barraclough

29 Jul Angela Bartholomew, Lennox and Elizabeth Barton

30 Jul Michael Bawden, Bridget Shilling-Bawden, Colin and Gill Bayley

31 Jul John Bazley, Dorothy Beard

A Prayer for the Month

Anonymous

O Lord, let me greet the coming day in peace; in every hour reveal

Thy will to me; give me strength to face everything that the day may

bring; teach me to pray and pray Thou Thyself in me. Amen

Situations Vacant

Barbara Paterson

My response to the ‘situations vacant’ letter in June’s LINK

Yes, I also could feel disappointed – three wardens would be wonderful,

and I do consider my place as a privilege and a calling; very much so.

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Therefore, to fill the other two spaces would require like-minded

folk who also feel ‘called’ and capable of taking on such an office.

Several members were approached to consider standing as

churchwarden, including all the PCC members, but nobody came

forward who felt able to do so at this point in their lives.

Yes people are busy, and not everyone would feel comfortable

taking on such a responsibility. I don’t believe Roger and I would be

a hard act to follow, everyone has their own skills and talents to

offer and contribute.

As for the other vacant posts on the UCC, our numbers have

been boosted by co-opting three members onto some of the

sub-committees. However, we are still short of one Methodist

member, and three Deanery Synod representatives.

I do think we all need to look at our commitment to St Mary’s; a

number of people have undertaken the same tasks for a long time,

and may like a change. It is not only Churchwarden and UCC places

that are vacant. Would you consider helping with coffee after

church, joining the cleaning rota, assisting in hosting the web page

or preparing the church magazine, getting involved with the events

committee, singing in the choir, bell-ringing and so on?

In this busy world of ours, we need to take the time to stop, think,

prioritise and pray. What could you offer to the church and

community?

Of course there are many members who do huge amounts for St

Mary’s for whom we are all extremely grateful – we do have much

to be ‘up-beat’ about.

I thank you for the enormous support I have received and, as you

know, I am not alone – I work closely with Derek, and we meet

regularly with Deborah.

I will continue to serve the best I can but, as I have said before,

I cannot attend every service or committee meeting, although I

promise I will go on doing what I can. That is all we can ask of any

one of us.

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Family Picnic Saturday 12 July, 12.30pm–3.30pm

An afternoon of fun for all our Church Family

Coffee after Church

Following experiments serving coffee at the back of church earlier

in the year, it has been decided to have coffee in church on the

third Sunday of every month from now on.

Several parishioners welcomed the arrangement and found they

spoke to more people when at close quarters! Coffee on other

Sundays will remain in the Centre as before.

Repair of the Altar Frontal

Beryl Baker

The repair of the Resurrection Altar frontal damaged by fire is being

done, albeit very slowly. It has been taken apart and each piece has

been made narrower. We have removed and repositioned forty ivy

leaves and the main gold cords. We cannot progress until I can resource

some gold thread that is similar in weight and colour to the original.

(Specialist needlework shops are becoming few and far between.)

With games and activities for

children, we’ll be based at

Oxhey Nature Reserve, giving

us a chance to explore the

Sculpture Trail. All are welcome

to come along for the fun!

We’ll meet at the Car Park at

12.30pm and wait until

12.45pm. If you come later than

that – you’ll have to come and

find us. Good luck!

Northwood Headquaters

A4125

CAR P

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I know that one can buy online but I need to examine what I am buying

as it is very expensive and I cannot afford to make a mistake. We hope

to work on the altar frontal during the summer when the light is good

and hopefully we can use the Church Centre. I would love this to

become a Parish project and I hope to recruit some more ‘sewers’.

The sewing is not difficult and I can teach you the stitches that you will

need if necessary. Please contact me (776109) if you would like to help.

Methodist Conference 2014

This Year’s Methodist Conference is taking place from Thursday

26 June to Thursday 3 July. Conference is a gathering of 306 full

members, the representatives drawn from each Methodist district,

along with some who have been elected by Conference, some

ex-officio members, international, ecumenical and youth

representatives, and associate members. This year’s President of

Conference, the Revd Kenneth Howcroft, and the Vice-President,

Gill Dascombe, are due to be inducted on Saturday 28 June.

Conference meets annually and includes a number of ecumenical

members. The Methodist Conference website gives more

information, including the full timetable and agenda for the

Conference, along with information about fringe events. Video of

the debates is being streamed live online through the website from

Saturday 28 June onwards. This year’s Agenda includes discussions

on commitment to further unity between the Methodist Church and

the Church of England on Tuesday 1 July. If you would like to know

more about Conference, the Revd Gareth Powell is the one to ask.

Conference will debate the Methodist Church's response to same-sex

marriage legislation and civil partnerships in the morning of

Wednesday 2 July. The report to accompany this debate is available

as part of Volume Two of the Methodist Conference Agenda.

The Church of England Synod, July 2014

Synod will meet this month from Friday 11–Tuesday 15 July. A draft

agenda shows that there is a full and varied programme of

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legislation, reports, discussions and other business to get through.

This includes legislation on amending Church of England pensions,

amendments to rules on voting in Synod, consideration of additional

texts for Holy Baptism, presentations on the Churches Mutual Credit

Union and a presentation, The Common Good, followed by

discussion and a variety of reports and business.

Once more coming up among other items on the agenda is discussion

of the legislation that permits women priests to become bishops,

first at the 3.00pm–6.15pm session on the Friday evening as

‘legislative business’, followed by opportunities for questions

between 8.30pm and 10.00pm. After that, the issue is not scheduled

to come up again until the Monday when there are two sessions

dedicated to ‘Women in the Episcopate legislation – Final Approval’

in the late morning and early afternoon. Reports in Church Times

have suggested that such optimism as indicated may well be

justified as more dioceses than expected have now voted in favour,

but a note of caution creeps in mentioning the dates of a further

session of Synod in November – ‘if required’.

The Deanery Ascension Day Eucharist

Joanna Swan

The Ascension of Christ into heaven was celebrated by the

Rickmansworth Deanery at All Saints’, Croxley Green whose Vicar

led the service. Our Rural Dean, Deborah was there, and a

contingent from St Mary’s. The choir, which almost outnumbered

the congregation, came from various churches in the Deanery. The

Vicar of St Oswald’s in his sermon took us to Bethel on the Mount of

Olives where Jesus had started his triumphal entry into Jerusalem

that became the starting point for the disciples to spread the gospel

of Christ. The well thought-out intercessions were led by Gill

Gowing, St Mary’s Deanery Representative.

Afterwards our hosts served sparkling wine and delicious refreshments

and then, in the garden let off four magnificent fireworks. It was good

to socialise with others from across the Deanery.

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Ricky Week and Rickmansworth Festival Stalls

To be working with the community and having a presence at these

events was important; the money raised, almost £600, was a bonus.

Barbara Paterson

It was a week of two halves, a very

wet and cold beginning, to a hot

and sunny end.

On the Bury, many thanks to those

who shivered in the wet to help on

t the Jolly Jam Jar stall. We had a

magnificent 250 jars. Due to bad

weather 80 were unsold, but we

had them for the Aquadrome

the following Saturday.

Many thanks too to all those who

got sunburnt helping over the two

days of the festival weekend!

Splat the Rat appeared again,

with the Water and Wine game

and one to find buried treasure.

I am always on the lookout for

new games – if anyone has a

bright idea, please let me know.

Biscuit baking next: details later. Photos by Barbara Paterson and

Jane Pummell

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Face-painting was skilful,

inventive and very popular —

not only with the children.

Photos: David Hibbert,

Jane Pummell and Brenda Bell

The Community Commonwealth Picnic

It was an afternoon, blessed by good weather, but with fewer

people than on previous occasions. It may have been because the

date coincided with the end of half-term, insufficient advertising,

or simply that people were not in ‘party mood’, but everyone who

came had a great time, especially the children.

L. A bear floating down from a great height; R. The intrepid ’Otter’ before hooking himself on

the stonework – Geoff was prepared and freed him – to have several more drops.

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n

Punch &Judy, magic,

coasters to design,

Morris and limbo

dancers too

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St Mary’s School News

Meera Chauha

The pace of the Summer term at St Mary's Primary School is hotting

up, just like the weather. The PTA planned another stunning

Summer Fair and we are grateful to everyone who helped with or

supported the event.

We are pleased to announce that we are working in partnership with

Living Streets, a charity which actively promotes walking to school

and active travel. This has already further raised the profile of

walking, cycling and scootering to school and the children have

started to collect pin badges as rewards for travelling to school

actively. Our aim is to signifcantly decrease the number of children

travelling to school by car, thus reducing congestion and pollution in

the area as well as improving our fitness. We took part in Walk to

School Week and Bike to School Week. There are also a number of

other initiatives planned before the end of the school year to

encourage safe and sustainable travel to school.

The Key Stage 2 gardeners have been very busy carefully tending to

their plants. If you are interested in buying produce or plants,

having a tour of the garden, or would like to help on Tuesdays from

12 noon to 1.30pm please contact the School Office (776529).

Classroom updates:

Year 5 have been deconstructing movie scenes, revising speech

rules and had an enjoyable trip to Woburn Safari Park.

Year 3 are learning about the events of World War 2 and what life

was like for children during the war. This is a large and particularly

significant topic so their research will be quite extensive.

Year 1 have been writing apology letters from Goldilocks to the

three bears and understanding how to use words and language to

help resolve issues between people. They have also made super hero

sliders and will be producing comic strips with conversation between

their super heros and bad people.

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Reception class are enjoying their 'Going on a Bear Hunt' role play

area and linking this to literacy work. They have also been making

flags of the world, working on improving their handwriting, and

making spaceman puppets and square-based pyramids.

The summer holidays will soon be here. We wish our Year 6 pupils every

success in their new schools and look forward to this time when we

reflect on our achievements and progress we have made during the year.

The Perfect City

Jane Pummell

In May St Mary’s hosted one performance of the spring tour of a new

musical, The Perfect City, about William Penn. This was an

imaginative production which portrayed the injustice and persecution

of 1600s England and Penn’s vision of a new life of freedom in

America where he hoped to create the Perfect City. It was a most

enjoyable evening; there was no scenery and were few props but

thought-provoking dialogue and lively, well-performed songs. It was

good to see the church used in this way, especially as we learnt from a

note in the programme that in 1675 William Penn and a Mr Richard Baxter

engaged in a long theological debate in the church.

Some readers may not be aware that there is a William Penn

exhibition in the Three Rivers Museum housed in Basing House which

is on the site of the house in which Penn and his first wife lived for a

few years following their marriage in Chorleywood, about the time

when this work is set.

Diocesan Harvest Appeals

2014: Learning for Life

The 2014 Harvest Appeal, Learning for Life, working with the Coptic

Orthodox Church with Headquarters in Stevenage, is to raise funds for

a literacy project in Egypt (see www.harvestappeal.org).

This replaces the planned project in Guyana, below; timings did not

work out for this year.

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2015: Fruits of Friendship

A summary of the information provided in a letter from Canon John Kiddle

and a project update that he enclosed

The project is to

raise money for a

proposed Day Care Centre for Senior

Citizens in Georgetown through the

Bishop's Harvest Appeal in 2015,

working with Mission Direct. Teams

are intended to go out to Guyana in

2015 and in 2016. Canon Kiddle

wrote, “It’s a great opportunity; we’d

love it if people from your parish were able to join one of the

teams”. Currently volunteers are particularly needed as team

leaders. They would need to be able

to invest quite a lot of time in the

project.

The programme of visits between the

Dioceses of Guyana and St Albans is

exciting. The aim is to build

friendships and understanding

between the two dioceses, and in

doing so to help make a practical difference. The teams will

participate in the life of the diocese and have the time to develop

friendships and to explore some of the beauty of Guyana.

In brief, the plan is as follows:

2015 Take teams to Guyana at Easter and in August (details are

being worked out with the Diocese of Guyana and should be

available in the autumn).

2015 In June there will be a joyful Caribbean Festival at St Albans

Cathedral which will celebrate the Fruits of Friendship initiative and

help to launch the Bishop’s Harvest Appeal 2015.

In 2015 The Bishop of St Albans Harvest Appeal will raise funds for

the planned Day Care Centre for Senior Citizens in Georgetown.

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2016 Teams will go to Guyana at Easter and over the summer. Their

major practical task will be helping construct the Day Care Centre.

Please pray for this initiative. Please talk about it with people at

church and in the parish.

Staff Team Members

In particular we are looking for some key people to help lead the teams.

Do you have enthusiasm and spare time? Would you like to make a

major contribution to Fruits of Friendship and take up a unique

opportunity. Do you know someone who might be up for it?

We are looking for 6 or 8 people to act as Team Leaders for the trips

to Guyana in 2014–2016.

It will involve:

a ‘recce’ trip to Guyana; at present planned for 3–9 November 2014

a training trip with Mission Direct; the suggestion is 17–31 January

2015 in Cambodia

five weeks in Guyana at Easter or August 2015, preparing, leading a

team and tidying up

raising funds for these trips

The organisers would love to hear from you if you or someone you

know might be interested in becoming a team leader, which might

suit a couple very well, or in joining one of the teams. Please get in

touch with Carol Chisnall at the Diocese Office:

cchisnall@stalbans.anglican.org (01727 818148).

Charitable Giving

John Shaw

Last year St Mary’s gave £1,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee

(DEC) appeal for the Philippines out of its Emergency Fund money

retained when allocating our annual donations to enable help to be

sent to people caught up in major disasters. You will find a summary

of how DEC spent the money they received on page 20; I thought you

might like to know.

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CALENDAR

July

1 Tue 9.30am Holy Communion Service United Rite

3 Thu THOMAS THE APOSTLE

10.45am Assembly at St Mary’s School

7.45pm Deanery Standing and Pastoral Committee meeting

5 Sat 2.00pm Young Musician of the Year rehearsals in Church

7. 00pm Final of the Young Musician of the Year

6 SUN THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

8.00am Holy Communion Service Anglican BCP

10.00am Family Communion Service United Rite

Home Communions

6.00pm Said Evening Prayer

7 Mon 12.30pm J Club at St Mary’s School

8 Tue 9.30am Holy Communion Service United Rite

12 noon Ten-bell Ringing Practice, all ringers welcome

7.45pm Exploring Prayer Group (at Vicarage) All welcome

9 Wed 7.45pm Housegroup (for contact, see cover)

10 Thu 10.45am Assembly at St Mary’s School

12.30pm Clergy Chapter Meeting

6.15pm Wedding Rehearsal

7.30pm Meeting of St Mary’s School Governing Body

LINK copy deadline

11 Fri 12 noon Service of Holy Matrimony

12 Sat 12.30pm Church Family Picnic, Oxhey Woods (see p.8)

13 SUN THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

8.00am Holy Communion Service Anglican BCP

10.00am Sung Communion Service United Rite

12.15pm Holy Communion Service United Rite

1.00pm Lunch Club

6.00pm Said Evening Prayer

7.00pm X Team

14 Mon 11.30am Prayer for Healing Group (in Church)

12.30pm J Club at St Mary’s School

7.30pm LINK Committee meeting

7.45pm United Church Council Meeting (Cloisters Hall)

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15 Tue 9.30am Holy Communion Service United Rite

12 noon Home Communions through afternoon

5.45pm Churchwarden, Steward and Vicar meet

16 Wed 7.45pm God Matters group (at Vicarage), all welcome

17 Thu 7.15pm Deanery Quiet Evening, Christ Church, Chorleywood

18 Fri 9.00am St Mary’s School End of Year Service

19 Sat 7.30pm Rickmansworth Folk Day Concert in Church (see p.27)

20 SUN THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

8.00am Holy Communion Service Anglican BCP

10.00am Parish Communion Service United Rite

6.00pm Choral Evensong

21 Mon 12.30pm Clergy Fraternal Lunch

22 Tue MARY MAGDALENE

9.30am Holy Communion Service United Rite

10.15am House Group (for contact, see cover)

11.00am Service at Seymour House

3.30pm Service at Westerley

4.15pm Holy Communion at Hunters Lodge

7.45pm Events Committee meets

25 Fri JAMES THE APOSTLE

12.30pm Service of Holy Matrimony

27 SUN THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

8.00am Holy Communion Service Anglican BCP

10.00am Parish Communion Service United Rite

12 noon Baptism

6.00pm Said Evening Prayer

7.00pm X Team

August LINK is published

29 Tue 9.30am Holy Communion Service United Rite

Aug

3 SUN THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

8.00am Holy Communion Service Anglican BCP

10.00am Family Communion Service United Rite

Home Communions

6.00pm Said Evening Prayer

Choir and Bellringers: Regular Weekly Practices

Bellringing Wed 7.30pm; Choir Thu 8.00pm

New members welcome at both practices – just come along

-20-

How the Philippines Emergency Fund was Spent

A Grand Day Out

Michael Baker

“Is anyone keen to go to this Bloxham Festival?” asked John Shaw at

a recent meeting of the ‘God Matters’ discussion group. Everyone

looked blank, so he produced a cutting from the Church Times,

which is associated with the Festival, billed as ‘The Bloxham Festival

of Faith and Literature – a literary festival with a theological slant’.

It was apparent from the cutting that Lord Harries, formerly Bishop

of Oxford, is a moving spirit at the Festival, and I could see at least

one item on the programme that caught my interest. So I signed up,

tickets were purchased, and in the event John and I set out on

Saturday morning, 31 May in Deborah’s car, driven by her, for

Bloxham, a small village 3 miles from Banbury.

The weather was good, the roads were clear, and we arrived in good

time at the venue, Bloxham School. The Festival takes place over

the weekend when the school is closed for the half-term, but we

had only signed up for the Saturday, four sessions each. After

refreshing ourselves in the Refectory, John and I repaired to the

Great Hall for a discussion between the Revd Lucy Winkett and

Graham Turner, formerly BBC Radio 4 Economics Editor, on ‘The

Sound of Silence’, each of them having written books on the effect

of silence on them. Lucy Winkett spoke on our need for silence in an

increasingly noisy world; she had attended a 30-day silent retreat,

which she found initially difficult but finally rewarding. Graham

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Turner told us about the practice he has adopted for many years of

sitting in silence for 20 minutes a day and writing down, as they

come to him, the thoughts that strike him, which he considers

messages from ‘the Companionate God’. John was impressed by

Graham and went to the Festival Bookshop to buy a copy of his book

‘The Power of Silence’.

We returned for our next session, a discussion about Geoffrey

Studdert-Kennedy, ‘Woodbine Willie’, the famous Anglican military

chaplain in the Great War, given his nickname for his distribution of

cigarettes (then thought of as harmless nerve-calmers) to soldiers

going into battle. After the war, he went on to work for the

Industrial Christian Fellowship but died on a speaking tour in 1929,

aged only 45. The speakers were Bob Holman, who has written a

biography of Studdert-Kennedy, and Canon Andrew Studdert-

Kennedy, Geoffrey’s grandson. Bob Holman spoke of Woodbine

Willie’s life, and Canon Andrew and he discussed whether or not he

could properly be described as a Christian Socialist (Canon Andrew

thought not). During the audience questions that followed, there

was much admiration expressed for Studdert-Kennedy’s simple,

direct poetry or ‘rhymes’, as he described them. I asked whether it

could fairly be said that the Church wasted Studdert-Kennedy’s

talents. Canon Andrew denied that this was so, saying that he was

kept fully occupied with public speaking. It seemed to me that this

somewhat missed the point, which was whether working a man to

death at 45 was really making the best use of his gifts.

After lunch John and I returned to hear Lord Harries interview

Douglas Hurd, the former Foreign Secretary about his book ‘Choose

your Weapons’, a study of nineteenth and twentieth century Foreign

Secretaries and their relationship with their Prime Ministers. There

was a brief alarm at the outset when it was discovered that Lord

Hurd had been seen going into the Parish Church at the time he was

expected at the School, but he was speedily winkled out. He was in

good form and skilfully (and, where necessary, diplomatically) dealt

with the points Lord Harries bowled to him. He thought that it is

unwise, in diplomacy, to make grand commitments such as that the

-22-

state you represent will invariably act in an ethical manner or

always champion ‘human rights’, whatever the consequences.

He was clearly not entirely happy with some aspects of the present

government’s conduct of foreign policy; it is difficult, he said, for a

Foreign Secretary when the Prime Minister takes over conduct of

foreign affairs. I was inspired to repair to the bookshop and buy a

copy of his book. On the way back to the Great Hall, I encountered

the author posing for a photo-shoot. As he was signing my copy, I

put it to him that knowledge of history is necessary for the conduct

of a successful foreign policy. ‘Ah, yes,’ he replied, ‘but there is

good history and there is bad history!’

Deborah, meanwhile, had been attending sessions on the lives (and

love) of William and Catherine Booth, the founders of the Salvation

Army, on The Book of Forgiving, by the Revd Mpho Tutu, daughter of

the Archbishop, which she thought very good, and a talk by Kenneth

Steven on a series of poems he has written about Celtic monks and

their journey from Iona to Iceland. She and John now attended a

talk by the journalist Clive Aslet on a war memorial in the Devon

village of Lydford. This, they said afterwards, was something of a

disappointment, as the slide presentation which Mr Aslet had

prepared to illustrate his talk failed to display properly, and the talk

was built around the slides.

For my own part, I had been attracted to the Festival by the last

session on my list for the afternoon, a talk by Lord Harries on the

artist Stanley Spencer and David Jones, a poet and artist whose

great work, In Parenthesis, a soldiers-eye account of trench life and

the Battle of the Somme, I have known and loved for many years.

Spencer and Jones both saw their war experience in a broadly

positive light, and celebrated the companionship they separately

found in it, as well as viewing it as a symbol of the Christian life

and, indeed, the life of Christ. Lord Harries showed us slides of

David Jones’ paintings and drawings. For my own part, I felt that it

was impossible in the time available to explain David Jones’

extraordinary poem, with its references to Welsh myth and

-23-

Arthurian legend, and make it intelligible to an audience who have

never heard of him. One can only hope that someone will recover it

for the current Great War commemoration.

Driving home afterwards, we agreed that the Festival had been well

worth while, but that four sessions in a day was probably a bit

exhausting!

St Mary’s People

Birth

ARTHUR BEN SWAN, born on 13 June, a brother for RORY.

Congratulations to parents BEN and LAUREL, to MARIA on becoming

a grandparent and JOANNA on becoming a great grandparent again.

From the Registers

Baptism

We welcome into the Church

25 May MILLIE PAYNE, daughter of Lorraine and Jonnie

Marriage

We ask God’s blessing on the union of

7 Jun CHARLOTTE CORDEN and ALEX BARTON

Funeral

May he rest in peace

22 May MAURICE SUCH

St Mary’s in the Past

1924

In June, the Revd Newton and the Methodist Minister had preached

in each other’s pulpits, with the Bishop’s permission and with the

‘perfectly definite purpose … of promoting a clearer understanding

of the points on which we differ and the points on which we are

agreed’. He expounded on the Anglican view of Holy Orders and

Catholicism, ‘not trying to pretend that we all think alike’, for it

-24-

was ‘so obvious that we do not’ and he was given ‘a most patient and

considerate hearing’.

He declared the visit of the organist of Westminster Abbey and his

choir of trained singers as ‘something that Rickmansworth has

probably never had before and is unlikely to have again’. The choir

sang the music of the evening service on ‘strictly English lines’ and

people afterwards had commented on the dignity of the procession in

which the priest led the choir; and on the ruffs of the choirboys. The

service provided illustrations for the talk that followed on how much

music might be included in services.

However, as ever, money was a concern on the mind of the Revd Newton.

But―oh, dear brethren, the collection―about 400 people from

Rickmansworth and the neighbourhood thought that great experience

was worth to them somewhere about 2¾d each on the average, which

included their lavish contribution to the great work that Mr Nicholson is

doing week by week in various central churches, and some thought it

worth only a halfpenny and possibly a hundred thought it worth nothing

at all, though they did get an expensive printed copy of the service

(much more printing than in any concert programme) free of charge.

Tuppence three-farthings! They would not offer it to a waiter or a taxi

driver.

And after requesting intentions for a monthly list of intercession

topics and asking whether anyone could make a box to hold

missionary books and newspapers, he was back to money again, for

the shortfall between costs and donations received for the

materials for the banner that a lady had made, the Demonstration

Choir service, and for church printing. He had had to make up the

shortfalls on each from his own pocket, and was the considerable

sum [in those days] of ‘£10 down’.

Two ladies from Chorleywood had presented the Church with a very

beautiful white silk chasuble and the Vicar had aspirations of replacing

the rest of the linen vestments with silk ones and providing matching

silk dalmatics for the deacon in appropriate colours… and was once

more looking for donors.

-25-

1974

The main items of interest in the July parish magazine that year concern

people unknown to those who have joined our church since 1974, but I

believe a part of their spirit still remains, creating an atmosphere

hallowed by their prayers and helping one’s own to come more easily.

We learn that it was at that time that our pattern of Sunday services was

established. It was decided to use Series 1, a traditional form of Holy

Communion similar to the ‘Prayer Book’ version at 8.00am and Series 3,

the then modern form, at other times, starting from August.

Rickmansworth Deanery had taken a shop in Rickmansworth High Street

for a day to raise money towards the £5,000 that they had pledged to

raise during that year for the Church of England Children’s Society.

See Round for July reported that a Council for Voluntary Service was to be

formed in Watford with a grant of £1,240 from the Council and more than

70 organisations included.

Nature Notes

Angela Hall

Towards the end of May I was delighted to hear a song

thrush singing near our garden for the first time for

months. He has stayed around, sometimes coming to our

old, stag-headed pear tree. The birds love that tree and

almost queue up to sing from it, though I have never

known different species to sing in competition with each other. Anyway,

I hope our thrush has a nest nearby and will manage to raise a family.

I was even more delighted to hear a cuckoo

calling near Cholesbury. I didn’t hear one at all

last year though I understand that one was

tracked on the internet as it went up the Colne

Valley. That shows how uncommon they have become.

Several people expressed an interest in my aide memoir for bird calls,

so here are a few more I have thought of: jackdaws say “jack”,

greenfinches go “wheee”, the yellowhammer says “a little bit of bread

Song thrush

Cuckoo

-26-

and no cheese”, and the goldfinches’ song can best be described as

a merry twittering. Then there is the call of the green woodpecker.

How to describe that? It is sometimes said to be a laughing noise

but that doesn’t seem to me to do it justice. One of my bird books

renders it as “pleu-pleu-pleu”, which I think is probably the nearest

anyone can get.

Not only the birds are making a noise. I was woken at 3.00am recently

by a yowling and snarling which I think was an altercation between two

foxes, one of which I saw. Or it might possibly have been between a fox

and a cat. The woodmouse that lives in a crack under the birdbath has

lost its tail, presumably having had a close encounter with one of the

above. It seems, however, to be functioning all right without it. Also the

brown rat that had been hanging around the chicken run, having defied

all attempts to trap or poison it, has now disappeared. So perhaps the

fox or cat has done us a favour.

Going onto something quite different; I was reading that a recent

survey by British Waterways has found that canals provide a dark,

insect-rich habitat for seventeen species of bat as well as safe

channels for them to move along and places to roost under bridges.

The bad news is that research here and in America has shown that

wind turbines slaughter a great many bats which would otherwise

have eaten insects which damage crops, thus requiring farmers to

spend more on pesticides. Is the destruction really so large scale?

I am not a lover of wind farms so am inclined to believe it. Perhaps

we all tend to believe what we want to believe.

Local Events

Watersmeet

July

Fr1 4 & 7.30 pm Grease, Sharpe Academy

Sat 5 2.30pm & 7.30pm Grease

Sat 12 6.00pm Annual Showcase 2014,

Razzamataz Theatre Schools

Thu 17 2.00pm & 7.45pm Film: The Book Thief

-27-

An evening with

Julie Felix Supported by Warp and Weft

St Mary’s Church

Saturday 19 July

7.30–10.00pm

Tickets £10.00 in advance or £12.50 on the door

Any profit from the event will be paid to three local charities: CVSS, Swan Care and St Marys Church

impy@rickmansworthtown.co.uk Rickmansworth Town Team is a Community Interest Company

registered at Companies House – No. 8782137

This concert forms part of part of the Rickmansworth Folk

Festival on that day. There will be Folk singing and Morris

dancing around the town from 11.00am to 4.00pm – at

‘Basing Square’ The Feathers, St Mary’s Church,

Batchworth Lock and the White Bear.

Wildacre Art Group Exhibition

Barbara Holden

Wildacre Art Group will be holding its twenty-second annual

Exhibition, over the August Bank Holiday weekend, as usual, from

Saturday, 23– Monday 25 August inclusive from 10.00am to 5.00pm

Rickmansworth Horticultural Society

SUMMER SHOW

St Mary’s Church Centre

Saturday 5 July

2.00pm–5.00pm

Open to the public Afternoon teas available

-28-

GRAND OPENING OF THE MILL CAFÉ

by the Mill End Community Trust

Methodist Church, Berry Lane, Rickmansworth

Tuesday 1 JULY, 10.00–11.30am

Refreshments will be served.

RSVP to Iris Bangs-info@rickmansworth.foodbank.org.uk

each day at Chenies School. Entry is just 50p, parking is free and

there will be refreshments available. There will be approximately

250 paintings on display, both framed and unframed, in a variety of

media: acrylic, watercolour, oil and pastel. There will also be

greetings card on sale. A proportion of the proceeds will be donated

to the Peace Hospice and also to Chenies School.

Rickmansworth Foodbank &

Café Opening

We are sorry that the timing of LINK means short notice of the invitation

to the opening, but Iris Bangs’ letter below makes it clear that you could

go at other times too.

A Letter from Iris Bangs

Dear All

Please see attached the invite to the opening of The Mill café, by

the Mill End Community Trust, organisers of the Rickmansworth

Foodbank. This is an exciting development.

Wildacre Art Exhibition

Chenies School

Friday 23–Monday 25 August

10.00am–5.00pm

Entry 50p Refreshments

-29-

In the first instance on Tuesdays and Fridays, 10.00am–4.00pm we

will be open for anyone in the community to come and we will also

be providing a Cap budgeting course on Tuesdays 8, 15 and 22 July

from 10.00am–11.30am. We are open every Tuesday, 1.00pm–

2.00pm for the Watford Credit Union, and every Tuesday afternoon

for the Foodbank, 2.00–4.00pm.

In the summer school holidays we will be aiming to provide low cost

lunches for families.

On Fridays,10.00am–11.30am, there is to be a Job Skills Club, an

extension of the Mill End Community Centre Job Club, and on Friday

afternoons, a general café.

The ‘English Church’, Funchal, Madeira

Gill Gowing

Holy Trinity, Funchal more commonly known as ‘The English Church’,

has served as the centre for Anglican worship in Madeira since 1822.

The church itself is built in a neoclassical style with a central dome

and sits within a garden surrounded by high walls. It is located off a

backstreet close to the city centre and takes some finding if you are

not guided, as we were, by others also making their way to the

11.00am service.

A warm welcome was offered; the service was almost identical to our

10.00am service – we even sang a Wesley hymn. After the service all

were invited to stay for a 'Garden Reception' at which, in addition to

coffee, Madeira wine and honey cake are on offer.

As well as the church building itself, of particular interest was the

‘Via Sacre’ that had been created in the garden – and here I risk

encroaching on David Hibbert's speciality; the Stations of the

Cross. However, a while back some LINK readers may recall, I wrote a

couple of articles on mazes-labyrinths, one at St Michael and All

Angels, Amersham and the other at Greys Court, near Henley. Here in

the garden of the English Church there seems to me to be a merging

of the two concepts.

-30-

The English Church introduces their ‘Via Sacre’ with the words, “Life is

a pilgrimage for all of us; it is a Vale of Soul-Making. There are many

turns and false alleys along the way. We make mistakes, but

sometimes it is these mistakes and painful experiences that prove in

the end to be the most productive”. This is

the labyrinth concept. At the English Church

they have tried to create a garden that

symbolises that journey of faith in the form

of a winding path. Visitors are invited to

follow the ‘Via Sacre’, the Sacred Way

formed by fifteen Stations of the Cross

commissioned by the Church and made from

traditional hand-painted Portuguese tiles.

And they are asked to reflect on their own

individual journey of faith, saying that “it is a

journey all of us must make and in its end we

will find freedom”.

Along the way you follow the progress of Jesus from Pilate's palace to

his place of execution at Golgotha, and beyond this, to His glorious

resurrection on the third day – the fifteenth Station. Many of the

plants along the way are apparently mentioned in the Bible, but my

knowledge of plants and of the Bible is not sufficient for identification

purposes.

Stations of the Cross

David Hibbert

I have only managed to see three

sets since my last article.

The first, a Twelfth Station, was in a

small church adjacent to

the traditional House of the Virgin

Mary, which we visited during our

Pilgrimage to Turkey.

The 15th Station

-31-

The next examples come from the Roman Catholic Church of St

Silas, Kentish Town and originate from the same source as ours at St

Mary's, but have been highly decorated. To give you a better idea of

these decorations I have included Stations One, Eight and Twelve.

The last example is from All Saints’,

Croxley Green: another Twelfth Station.

The Gospel Around Us

Holidays Too!

Brian Evans

The recession has possibly hit holidays more than other aspects of

life. Destinations have to be curtailed, with Thailand becoming the

Algarve, anywhere abroad giving way to a week on the Cornish

Riviera, or perhaps you have to be content with a weekend in

Eastbourne. Wherever you go, one thing that is common to all

holidays is luggage.

What’s a holiday for, anyway? For some it’s a chance for adventure,

attempting a hitherto unattained achievement; maybe it simply

provides a change, and a rest from the routines that fill the

Stations 1, 8 and 12 from St Silas’,

Kentish Town

Station 12, All Saints’,

Croxley Green

-32-

remainder of the year. Only the saddest suitcase fetish would see a

holiday as an opportunity to take his rucksack for a ride …but even for

him, a holiday will require luggage.

For many people a holiday will provide release from a tight timeframe.

There will be more time, so that things can be ‘done properly’, which

reminds me … are you one of those people who get a few miles down

the road and worry about what has been left out of their packing?

One thing I always try to remember is a good book, and then I can

indulge myself, using some of that extra time to do some serious

reading.

I recently acquired a copy of a new book, Forgetful Heart by Lucy Mills.

I found that at the end of each chapter comes a selection of ideas or

questions for meditation, and the invitation to employ a notebook or

journal to record these, enabling the reader to link such thoughts to one

another. It’s a feature that is common to many publications, and I

wondered how often such ideas or suggestions are ignored, for example

when we come across them in our Bible notes. It’s easy to think that they

are there ‘for other people’, or ‘for people who have time for that sort of

thing’. I confess that, in defiance of James’s exhortation “be doers of the

word and not hearers [or readers] only” (James 1.22), this is often my

reaction. However, I repeat, a holiday offers more time …so we can do

things properly!

Is that thing that you’ve forgotten not something missing from the

suitcase, but an arrangement for a friend to water your pot-plants?

If so, you could come home to find them flagging and drooping, or

worse: dead! Do you remember to take your Bible and those regular

Bible-reading notes with you on holiday? Our faith is in need of

constant nourishment, just like those pot-plants that we water

regularly when we’re at home; but unless we make provision for this

spiritual nourishment to continue when we’re away, our faith can

meet the same fate as the plants.

Finally, while we’re thinking of both plants and the rich soil of our

hearts, just look at the parable of the soil (often called the parable of

the sower), where the final verse carries a real gem. “… He produces

-33-

a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was

sown.” (Matt. 13.23b). If our faith is to produce a crop, it’s no use

letting it flag and wither …holiday or not!

Dave Walker Cartoon

More Notices from Church Noticeboards

From Barbara Owen’s collection

A sacristan was so pleased to inform the congregation that their priest

had recovered from his illness, that he displayed the following notice:

‘God is good; the Vicar is better’.

This is the gate of heaven. Enter ye all by this door. (This door is kept

locked because of draughts. Please use side entrance).

Church parking only. Violators will be baptised.

Wanted – workers for God; plenty of overtime.

U.C.C. UNITED

-34-

LINK

This month’s cover design initially appealed to me because I feared

there would be insufficient copy for this month’s magazine. In the

event, it has been a modern equivalent of the feeding of the 5,000:

emails arriving on my computer with enough material to fill 32 pages

and more. Thank you to those who responded. A later thought was that

fishes symbolised the sea and so holidays. We wish those of you who are

about to go a happy time—and hope you’ll return and, like Gill, tell us

something about it. Another editor pointed to a picnic association, also

very appropriate for July.

Items already planned for next month’s issue are: the pilgrimage to

Turkey, the Italian Evening (if you would like to write about it,

please let us know!) and something about The Revd David Goodwin

as he leaves for pastures new. …But we shall still need more and

September events will need to be included. We shall not need to

call for copy unusually early either for next month or for the

September LINK—but it really does help us if it comes early, and

means extra work if much arrives after the deadline. We recently

learned the origin of the word, ‘deadline’: a line beyond which

escaping prisoners could be shot—ie really final folks! Please make a

note of the date for August now.

August LINK

Copy deadline: Thursday 10 July

Publication date: Sunday 27 July

We are very pleased to receive contributions of interest to members of the Church and the local community. Copy should reach a member of the LINK Committee* by the above copy date, preferably by email (please leave the formatting to us) at link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk, but we can accept handwritten copy. We may have to edit for space or other reasons and tight deadlines do not always allow for discussion of changes with authors. We like good quality photographs with enough contrast to reproduce well in black and white. Please note that opinions expressed in LINK are not necessarily those of the Editors of LINK or St Mary’s Church.

*Please see back cover for phone numbers.

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

June Poppleton 773388

THE UNITED CHURCH COUNCIL Secretary Louise Wotherspoon 721002

Treasurer Robert Kay 773470

CHURCH HALLS

Church Centre Bookings Kasia Todd 07801 049687

centrebookings@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk Treasurer David Gilbert 332572 Cloisters Hall Bookings Sarah Bennett 775613

Treasurer David Morgan 779740

CHURCH MUSIC Organist & Choir Director Andrew Sykes 718561

SACRISTAN Team Leader David Gilbert 332572

ALTAR SERVERS Chris and 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

CHARITABLE GIVING COMMITTEE

Chair John Shaw 775219

CHILDREN’S CHURCH Sun 10.00AM, Church Centre

Junior Church Libby Kershaw 776251

Sunbeams (3–5 years) Rachel Turvey c/o 721002

CHURCH CLEANING Derek Day 237248

COFFEE AFTER CHURCH Anne Kay 773470

COMMUNITY & OUTREACH COMMITTEE Chair David Carruthers 897928

ELECTORAL ROLL John Glidden 223613

EVENTS COMMITTEE Chair Deborah Snowball 772627 FABRIC & CHURCHYARD COMMITTEE Chair Colin Leveridge 282198

Secretary David Hibbert 773735

FLOWER ROTA Julie Smethurst 282927

CONTINUED ON BACK OF COVER

-4-

CONTACTS (continued)

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

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 date given on the last page of the previous copy

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

ST MARY’S NETWORK John Hill 772809

Suzanne Hill 772809

STEWARDSHIP AND FINANCE

Chair John Rhodes 779491

Stewardship Recorder Brian Warmington 775360

SUNDAY SERVICE ROTAS

Bible readings Jane Pummell 774343

Intercessions John Glidden 223613

UNIFORMED ORGANISATIONS

Rainbows Tue Samantha Swinchatt c/o 721002

Brownies Mon Ali Hampton 07803 928158

Yvonne Wells 07790 935192

Guides Fri Tracy Jenkins c/o 721002

WEDDINGS

Bookings Contact Parish Office 721002

Marriage Preparation Marian Lantree 01727 862602

YOUTH GROUP X-Team David Carruthers 897928

CHURCH SCHOOL St Mary’s Church of England Primary

Headteacher Mrs Gill 776529

Address Stockers Farm Road

School Website www.stmarys698.herts.sch.uk