LINK Monthly Magazine 50p December 2015 ‘Light and life to all he brings’ St Mary the Virgin,Rickmansworth The Church of England and The Methodist Church in Partnership Serving the whole community We wish our readers all the blessings of Christmas
L I N K Monthly Magazine
50p
December 2015
‘Light and life to all he brings’
St Mary the Virgin,Rickmansworth The Church of England and The Methodist Church in Partnership
Serving the whole community
We wish our readers all the blessings of Christmas
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REGULAR SERVICES
PLEASE SEE CALENDAR ON CENTRE PAGES FOR FURTHER DETAILS, AND OCCASIONAL VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS
TIME SERVICE LANGUAGE
Sundays Weekly 8.00AM Holy Communion Traditional
1st 10.00AM Family Communion Modern followed by coffee in
the Church Centre
2nd–5th 10.00AM Sung Holy Communion Modern followed by coffee in the Church Centre
Children’s Church in the Church Centre
2nd 12.15PM Holy Communion Modern
Weekly 6.00PM Evening Service
Weekdays
Mon−Fri 8.30AM Morning Prayer
Tue 9.30AM Holy Communion: Modern
5.45PM Evening Prayer: Mon–Fri, Mar–Oct
Contacts The code for all 6 digit telephone numbers is 01923, unless otherwise indicated.
Church Address: Church Street Rickmansworth WD3 1JB Website: www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk
Ministers at St Mary’s
Vicar and Minister authorised to The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 serve within the Methodist Church [email protected]
Methodist Minister at St Mary’s, The Revd Richard Lowson 223906
and three other Methodist churches
Priest Self-supporting Minister with The Revd Scott Talbott 07802 244877
Permission to Officiate [email protected]
Reader Michael Baker 776109
Church Office Church Secretary Karen Ellis 721002 [email protected]
Opening Hours Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9.30am–1.00pm
CONTINUED ON INSIDE BACK OF COVER
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LINK
December 2015
In This Month’s Issue
4. The Vicar’s Letter
Getting ready for Christmas
5. Readings at Communion
5. Prayer Topics
6. Thanksgiving for Ministry
We celebrate Michael Baker’s
20 years of ministry
8. Thank you for the Thanksgiving
Michael and Beryl’s appreciation
8. Advent Reminders
Services; sources of inspiration
9. Christmas at St Mary’s
What’s happening and when
11. Christmas Experience
It’s big! It’s going live. How can
you be involved?
13. Christmas Extravaganza
Let’s have a party to celebrate
14 UCC Update: November
14. Harvest Thanks
From the Refugee Partnership
15. Shoe Box Appeal
A first batch of boxes, ready to go
15. Books in the Library
Lots of new books; old ones to go
16. St Mary’s School News
Harvest Festival; an award; a
picture of Mary from St Mary’s
17. Goings On in the Parish
At the Vicarage and in the
Churchyard
18. December CALENDAR
20. Phantom Firms Hurt People
St Mary’s gives support to
Christian Aid’s campaign
22. Remembrance Sunday
A full church and a long Parade
23. Lest We Forget
An evening to remember
24. Marriage and Relationships
Circuit discussion sessions
24. St Mary’s in the Past
25. St Mary’s People
Marjorie Broadhurst; June Field
26. From the Registers
Baptism; Thanksgiving Service
26. Nature Notes
Meet Robin the robin
28. The New Reredos at St Albans
For 900 year Anniversary
29. Bushey’s Bells
Are back in their tower
30. What’s On in Ricky
Panto, RDFAS and Lemon Tuesday
31. Today will be with Me Forever
Helping refugees in Greece
33. The Bright Star
Topical verse
33. LINK News
The cover; 2016 subscriptions
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The Vicar’s Letter
Dear Friends,
Are you getting ready for Christmas?’ asked Lori, as I
sought to extricate myself from the pile of presents and
wrapping paper that I was attempting to tidy away into
the cupboard. “Oh no,” I replied, “this is the collection
of gifts I have gathered through the year and at some
point soon I’ll get them all out and realise that I’ve
forgotten someone!” So, in fact, whilst I wasn’t specifically ‘getting
ready’ at that point, I discover that am in a perpetual state of
getting ready: noticing here and there something that someone
might like (and so ending up with five gifts for one person and none
for another!)
The state of ‘getting ready’ is what Advent is about. Many use the
time, rightly, to prepare for Christmas and all the jollifications that
come with it. Tinsel, frost fairs and John Lewis television adverts do
not a Christmas make though — as we well know. Advent allows us,
if we mark it well, to prepare our hearts, souls and minds to meet
our maker in the new-born infant Christ who is also our Lord and
Judge.
As in previous years, I have bought some new Advent-themed books
for the Church Library which I commend to you as you seek to find
space amidst the tinsel, fairs and TV ads. Space is always at a
premium in life for us all but, if you can, do try to find space to
prepare to welcome Christ, to be changed by Christ, and for the
living Christ in you to change the lives of those around you.
With good wishes for a holy and blessed Advent, Christmas and
New Year.
The Revd Deborah Snowball
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Readings at Communion
6 Dec Mal 3.1—4 Phil 1.3—11 Luke 3.1—6
13 Dec Zeph 3.14—20 Phil 4.4—7 Luke 3.7—18
20 Dec Mic 5.2—5a Heb 10.5—10 Luke 1.39—55
24 Dec Isa 9.2—7 Titus 2.11—14 Luke 2.1—14
25 Dec Isa 52.7—11 Heb 1.1—4 John 1.1—14
27 Dec Exod 33.7—11a 1 John 1.1—10 John 21.19b—25
Prayers
Weekly Pointers for the Month
Week beginning:
6 Dec Children and Young People
13 Dec Writers and Artists
20 Dec Preparations for Christmas
27 Dec Thanksgiving for the Incarnation
For Local Churches
The Deanery The Circuit
6 Dec St Mary’s, Rickmansworth Hemel Hempstead
13 Dec All Saints’, Croxley Green High St, Harpenden
20 Dec Christ Church, Chorleywood Kings Langley
27 Dec Mill End, W Hyde & Heronsgate Ley Hill
People Living in Rickmansworth
6 Dec Plaitford Close, Landford Close
13 Dec Rushmore Close, Malm Close
20 Dec Sherfield Avenue
27 Dec Woodcock Hill, Shrubs Road
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St Mary’s Network
1 Dec Louise Coulter, Graham and Diana Crocker
2 Dec Colin and Lina Date, Rob and Caroline Davis
3 Dec Derek and Jennett Day, Dorothy Denzer
4 Dec Jean Dodds, Peter and Dorothy Doughty
7 Dec Margaret Down, Vi Dudgeon
8 Dec Beatrice Durham, Barbara Earl
9 Dec Jane Earl, Joan Eastgate
10 Dec Joyce Edwards, John and Annaliese Ellis
11 Dec Colin Ensor, Dorothy Entwistle
14 Dec Bob and Catherine Fenton, Lewis and Susan Foreman
15 Dec Janet Foster, Joan Fox
16 Dec Karen Frakes, Anthony and Andrea Fraser
17 Dec Edith Frow, Louise Garbet
18 Dec Mary Ann Gibson, David Gilbert
A Prayer for December
In the darkest days of winter you came as a helpless child, bringing
light and life and love into the world long ago in Bethlehem, just as
you are always present, as Light of the World, especially in our
darkest hours today, whether we realise it or not. May we prepare to
celebrate your birth again by reflecting upon all that your earthly life
and death meant for humanity; all that it means for us. Let us pray
for peace in this troubled world; for nation to cease attacking nation,
neighbour to live in harmony with neighbour and everyone to show
nothing but courtesy and consideration to those they meet. Amen
Thanksgiving For Ministry
At the 10.00am service on Sunday 18 October, we gave
thanks for Michael Baker’s ministry as Reader at St
Mary’s and throughout the Deanery and Circuit over
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the past 20 years, joined by Michael’s family and other visitors. At the
end Michael was presented with an icon of the Archangel Michael from
Bethlehem and a cheque and Beryl with a plant.
Michael preached ‘his last sermon’ (we hope not!) during the service.
It deserves a second reading with time to ponder but was too long to
reproduce in full here. You can find it on the Church website, or if you
haven’t access to that, Michael has kindly agreed to produce a printed
copy for you. Meanwhile we can’t resist including this short extract,
inimitably Michael:
St Paul tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for
the spirit of God is working in us. Is there a contradiction here? I am put in
mind of a passage from that strange book, The Wind in the Willows,
where the Water-Rat and the Mole encounter the woodland god Pan:
‘Ratty,’ whispered the Mole, ‘are you afraid?’ ‘Afraid?’ whispered
the Rat, his eyes shining with love, ‘of him? O, never, never! And
yet — and yet — O Mole, I am afraid!’
Perhaps, then, awe, not fear, is the right word to use. We must
never forget the inconceivable majesty of God.
The service was followed by a reception, with drinks and delicious
delicacies and a cake, duly cut with ceremony and shared.
We hope that Michael and Beryl will enjoy some extra leisure time,
but Michael is not giving up all of the many jobs he does for the
Parish. The next we heard he was conducting the interment of a
parishioner’s ashes in the churchyard and he is continuing to look
after the Church Library, amongst other tasks.
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Thank You for the Thanksgiving
Beryl and Michael Baker
Dear St Mary’s People,
Thank you all for the wonderful Thanksgiving for Ministry Service,
for the kind things that were said to us, and for your generous and
totally unexpected gifts. We have found a place for the Ikon of the
Archangel Michael on our living-room wall, and the cheque has been
safely paid into the bank.
We feel very humble, and cherished. Our daughters and their
families found St Mary’s very welcoming, for which we are grateful.
With love to you all from us both.
Advent—a Reminder
We published the Vicar’s article covering Advent in the
November LINK and this item is merely to remind you of
salient points; for services, dates and times see the
Calendar (pages 18—19).
A wide choice of ways is available to help us reflect on the miracle
of Christ’s birth: Sunday sermons and the Jesse tree, the Posada or
Travelling Crib. You can have the St Albans Diocese’s Advent
Challenge emailed to you daily (visit livethechallenge.co.uk) or look
at Follow the Star (www.followingthestar.org) or borrow one of the
Advent books from the Church Library.
Christmas at St Mary’s
Batchworth Lock Carol-singing 4.30pm, Saturday 12 December
Christmas is certainly on its way when we gather for the Carol Service
organised by the Boaters’ Christian Fellowship at Batchworth Lock.
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Telling the story of Christmas, and singing favourite Christmas Carols to
the accompaniment of a Brass Band — this is a lovely event to get us
into the ‘Christmas Spirit’. Wrap up warm and bring along a torch!
Christingle Service 4pm, Sunday 13 December
Come and join us as we sing carols as well as make and light our
Christingles in this delightful service — one with children especially
in mind. Following the service we enjoy cakes and drinks in the
Church Centre. If you can call to let us know you’re coming that
would be helpful — but if you don’t get a chance, come along
anyway.
This service raises money for a really good cause — The Children’s
Society. If you would like a special Christingle ‘candle’ to collect
money in, drop into or call the Church Office and Karen can let you
have one.
The Christmas Tree of Prayer
Continuing the tradition of decorating our
Christmas Tree of Prayer with the names of those
family, friends or situations we are thinking of at
this time, the ‘decorations’ on this special tree
are the stars that shine as lights of hope. The
tree will be in Church from Sunday 20 December
until Twelfth Night. The Church is open during
daylight hours for you to come and add names,
and you are welcome to invite others to do so too. Feel free to
spread the word about this lovely tree of prayer and hope.
Carol Singing with Churches Together
We’re engaging in another spot of Community
Carol Singing around the town – along with friends
from other churches in Rickmansworth and Mill
End. Feel free to come and join us on Saturday 19
December: 10.00—11.00am at Marks and Spencer
(car park side) and 2.00-3.00pm at Tudor Parade.
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Decorating the Church
The Church will be decorated for Christmas on Monday 21 December
from 10.00am. Please bring foliage with berries to the Church that
morning. (Please do not leave it in the tower area before then as
this is used by children and families on Sunday mornings!)
Christmas Greetings
There are two options for sharing Christmas Greetings at St Mary’s:
The Greetings Board at the back of church is used by an
increasing number of members of our congregation, to put up a
card to everyone in the parish. Money that would have been
spent on cards is then given to the charities named below via the
same system.
Or Letter boxes will be at the back of Church for people to post
their cards to other members of the congregation. The ‘charge’
of 10p per card will be divided equally between The Children’s
Society and National Children’s Homes (Action for Children).
Please drop payment into the Parish Office. The boxes will be
available from Sunday 13 December until after the services on
Sunday 3 January. Any cards not collected by then will be given
to a recycling facility.
There are many cards left behind each year, which is a real shame:
if you see some cards you could deliver, please take them and pop
through the person’s letter box. Thanks.
Carol Service 6.00pm Sunday 20 December
Our Carol Service will be followed by mince pies and mulled wine in
the Church Centre. Members of X Team will be making pies again
this year, but if you would like to donate a few, feel free: please
bring them along in the morning.
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Crib Service 4.00pm Christmas Eve
This service is principally for families — but others are also welcome
to attend. If you are bringing along younger family members, please
encourage them to dress up as a shepherd, a lamb or an angel. We
usually have far too many Josephs… yes, really!
Services through the Christmas Season
Our usual Sunday Services continue the Christmas theme through
until Epiphany. In addition there is:
Blue Christmas 6.00pm, Sunday 27 December
Christmas is a difficult time for some, for all sorts of reasons. This is
a quieter, more reflective service, with readings and music to offer
comfort. All are welcome.
Looking forward to Epiphany, Wednesday 6 January
On the Feast of the Epiphany, we shall have a Sung Eucharist at
7.45pm. By special request, we shall be using incense. If you are
able, come and join us for the Service and then for refreshments at
The Vicarage afterwards.
We need help developing five areas in Church, each portraying a
particular part of the Christmas narrative — as outlined below. If
Christmas Experience: Can you help…?
The Revd Deborah Snowball
As you’ll have read last month, we are organising a week-long event
during the days leading up to Christmas (Monday 14 to Friday 18
December) called Christmas Experience, culminating in Christmas
Experience Live! on Saturday 19 December at which we hope to have
people in costume as characters from the Nativity Story.
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you can provide any of the props/materials can you phone or email
me asap! Thanks!
The Visitation (Lady Chapel) — to look like the Angel Gabriel is in
conversation with Mary: Life-size, free-standing models of Mary and
Gabriel; dark paper with stars on put up against the glass; a mattress
with ‘bedding’ to look like a bed (!); mats/small carpets to cover the
floor.
The Appearance of the Angels to the Shepherds (Resurrection
Altar area) — to look like the Shepherds have just left to go to
Bethlehem: a small ‘fire’; some sheepskins on the ground; perhaps
some toy sheep left behind; earthenware pots, plates and cups; lots
of angels (some of which are going to be made by the TG —
hopefully! )
The Kings on their journey (Children’s Area) – to look like the Kings
are about to go to sleep for the night: silken (nylon!) fabric to form a
‘tent’; plump, colourful cushions set up as ‘beds’; a telescope and
simple star-gazing books; ‘posh’ silver (coloured) cups and jugs.
Stable (under the Tower) to look like the stable!: painted back-drop
to look like the inside of a stable (Brian Morgan is doing this for us);
life-sized, free-standing models of Mary and Joseph and three
shepherds, with a doll in the manger; floor carpet-covered with
straw or rushes on the ground.
There will also be a Customs Desk, which I am delighted to say the
Wednesday Evening House Group are masterminding — hoorah!
Each area will also have a combination of activities for children and
thought-provoking/prayer-provoking information and questions for
adults (with some for the children too…).
We are going to have a Workshop on Sunday 6 December, 3pm—5pm
to make and decorate the life-size figures. We’ll then be setting up
the Church for this event between 10.00am and 12noon on Saturday
12 and 7.00pm and 9.00pm on Sunday 13 December. There are so
many exciting things to be done! And then, of course, there is the
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taking it all down — which we plan to do on the morning of 21
December, so that the flower arrangers can set to asap!
Christmas Experience Live On Saturday 19 December at the Live
Experience we’d like to have people dressed up in costume as the
various characters in place of the life-sized figures created at the
workshops. If you are willing to be a Mary, Shepherd or King then do
let us know. The Live part will be between 10-11am and 2-3pm. If
you are available to welcome people (whether or not you are
dressed in costume!) it would be great to have you around. As this is
the first time we have done this, we have no idea how many people
to expect, but we hope there may be plenty coming whose children
have either visited with their class, or families who have heard on
the grapevine that this event is happening. Again if you are able to
help, we would be really glad to have you along. Please speak to
Chris Hillier or Deborah.
Christmas Extravaganza
December 19 at 7.00pm
Church Centre
"Have yourself a merry little Christmas" for just £5.00. Leave your
Christmas shopping and other preparations and join us for an
evening of festive fun and entertainment. Carols, Christmas songs,
short readings, a prize Christmas quiz and a mini panto! There will
also be prizes for the most Christmassy jumper or outfit. In addition
to the usual St Mary's 'performers' we will be joined by some surprise
guests. Light refreshments will be provided including mince pies and
mulled wine. A cash bar will be available. Anyone willing to 'do a
turn' or lead community singing please contact John Poppleton
(773388 or [email protected]). Tickets from Church Office.
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Update from the United Church Council (UCC)
At the November meeting of the UCC items discussed, amongst other
things, were: the Christmas Eve Service; money for the school;
St Alban Angel; new hymn books; safeguarding training; MAP review.
Following discussions over the year, the Christmas Eve Communion
Service will move to the slightly earlier time of 11.15pm. We noted
Letters of Thanks from St Mary’s School for the gift of Bibles for Key
Stage Two and £1,500 to pay for the new Sound System for the School
Hall, also from St Albans for the purchase of an ‘Alban Angel’ as part
of the Appeal towards the development of a new Education Centre.
Safeguarding Training will take place on Saturday 16 April from
9:30am to 12.30pm. This will be open to all. The Methodist Council at
St Mary’s have kindly offered £2,500 towards the purchase of the new
Methodist Hymnbook, Singing the Faith — the UCC accepted this
generous gift most warmly. A MAP Review will begin in January —
more details to follow.
Christmas Experience will take place during the week beginning 14
December leading up to Christmas Experience Live! on Saturday 19
December and volunteers will be needed.
Harvest Thanks From Watford & Three Rivers Refugee Partnership (WTRRP)
Dear Friends
I'm writing to convey our sincere thanks to you all for the extremely
generous donation of goods to the Partnership from your recent
Harvest Festival.
WTRRP has been operating now for well over ten years and recently
we achieved Charitable Status. Unfortunately our case load continues
to grow and we are currently helping over 70 adults and children. So
on behalf of the Partnership I would like to take this opportunity to
thank you for your interest and support for all that we are doing to
help asylum seekers and refugees in the Watford area.
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We give these impoverished families a monthly food parcel, as
generally they have no access to any public funds nor are allowed to
work. Your food, toiletries and other donations will be a vital part of
us being able to provide just the basic necessities of life.
We very much appreciate your continuing support and interest in the
work of the Partnership.
Kind regards
Mick Hayter, Volunteer (262781)
The Shoe Box Appeal
Sally Morgan
These are photos of the first batch of shoe boxes
ready to go to Serbia and Romania; thank you to
everyone who has donated complete boxes as well
as lovely knitted
items and essential
contents which will
be so good for the
recipients. We have a
grand variety of extras for the boxes too,
so many, many thanks on behalf of the
Shoe Box Appeal.
Books In The Library
Michael Baker
During the last couple of months, the Church Library has
received a hefty injection of new stock from the Vicar,
who has donated a box of assorted books received from
the Canterbury Press. Dorothy Denzer, too, has been
most generous, in giving St Mary’s much of her own
collection, and we are also grateful to Ruth Lake for her
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contribution. To make room, I have embarked on a process of
weeding out books from our shelves which have been
overtaken by age, either in their physical condition or because
the issues they address are no longer relevant.
This exercise is still continuing.
Ours is not a ‘party church’. Visitors have remarked on
the wide variety of books in our Library, books of all
kinds written from many different viewpoints. We don’t in general
exercise any kind of censorship, unless the Vicar and I agree that
some particular work is actually harmful. But the presence of a book
on the shelves should not be taken as meaning that either of us
necessarily agree with or adopt any statement advanced in it.
St Mary’s School News
Samantha Clarke
It was wonderful to see so many
parents and carers attend Church for
our Harvest Service. We received
many generous gifts which were
donated to Herts Young Homeless,
Watford and Three Rivers Refugee
Partnership and New Hope in
Watford. We hope everyone enjoyed
being able to join in with our round
singing of It’s our Harvest celebration!
The Reception class were lucky enough to have ‘real’ dinosaur eggs
hatch. Our children have been completely captivated by dinosaur
exploration, and their imaginations have been ignited!
Our Christian value this half-term is
thankfulness. In our collective worship, Amy,
in Year Six, received a leaf for our values
tree, as she has demonstrated thankfulness
for our school resources. Max, in Year Two,
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has also shown thankfulness by being polite and thankful at all times
and having fantastic manners.
We celebrated our 47-year re-dedication and anniversary of the
school moving to its current building here in Stockers Farm Road.
The whole school took part in a special assembly and worship
attended by all members of staff and The
Revd Snowball. We were delighted to be
presented with a picture of The Virgin Mary
by Revd Snowball who offered the gift to the
school as part of its service. This will take
pride of place in our entrance area, and gives
a visual reminder to all who come to our
school of our Christian ethos and meaning
behind the school’s name.
As part of their Design and Technology and Science, Year Two made
fruit smoothies. Lots of the children experimented with some unusual
combinations of fruit and got to try their finished products at the end.
Parish Goings On
Thanks to
Ann Sykes
who spotted
Audrey and
Vic working
in the
churchyard
clear-up
after
everyone else
had left
No, the Vicar doesn’t celebrate
Halloween — just practises good
housekeeping
We can vouch for that as we omitted
to put David Hibbert’s September
photo in last month.
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CALENDAR
December 2015
Traditional language is used for the 8.00am Sunday Communion services;
modern language is used for all other Communion Services
1 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion
11.00am Meeting of Rural Deans with Bishop and Archdeacon
7.45pm Lemon Tuesday rehearsal, in Church
7.45pm Stewardship and Finance Committee, Vicarage
2 Wed 8.00pm Deborah speaking at meeting of Local Preachers
3 Thu 9.30am Little Angels Baby and Toddler Group, Cloisters Hall
10.30am Collective Worship at St Mary’s School
January LINK copy deadline
4 Fri 7.30pm Lemon Tuesday concert, in Church (see p. 30)
6 SUN THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
10.00am Family Communion with Bishop of Hertford
Home Communions
7 Mon 12.15pm J Club at St Mary’s School
7.30pm LINK Editors meeting
7.45pm Community & Outreach Committee, Cloisters Hall
8 Tue The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
9.30am Said Holy Communion
7.45pm Exploring Prayer, at the Vicarage. All welcome
9 Wed 9.00am St Mary’s School Carol Service Rehearsal, in Church
7.45pm Housegroup (for contact, see cover)
10 Thu 9.30am Little Angels Baby and Toddler Group, Cloisters Hall
10.30am Collective Worship at St Mary’s School
12noon Clergy Deanery Chapter Lunch, Vicarage
7.00pm Meeting of St Mary’s School Governing Body
12 Sat 4.30pm Batchworth Lock carol singing (see p. 8)
13 SUN THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
8.00am Said Holy Communion
10.00am Sung Holy Communion
12.15pm Said Holy Communion
1.00pm Lunch Club
4.00pm Christingle Service
6.00pm Said Evening Prayer
7.00pm X Team meets
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14 Mon Week-long ‘Christmas Experience’ begins in Church (see p. 11)
11.30am Prayer for Healing Group (in Church)
7.45pm Fabric and Churchyard Committee, Cloisters Hall
15 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion
Home Communions
6.00pm St Mary’s School Christmas Carol Service, in Church
7.30pm Churchwardens, Steward and Vicar meet
16 Wed 11.00am Charlotte House Carol Service
17 Thu 9.30am Little Angels Baby and Toddler Group, Cloisters Hall
18 Fri 9.00am St Mary’s School End of Term Service, in Church
19 Sat 10.00am Churches Together Carol Singing at Marks & Spencer
11.00am Christmas Experience Live! (see p. 13)
2.00pm Christmas Experience Live!
2.00pm Churches Together Carol Singing at Tudor Parade
7.00pm Christmas Extravaganza (see p. 13)
20 SUN THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
8.00am Said Holy Communion
10.00am Sung Holy Communion
6.00pm Christmas Carol Service followed by
mince pies and mulled wine (see p. 10)
21 Mon 1.30pm Children’s Christmas Craft Workshop
22 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion
12 noon 10-bell Ringing Practice (all ringers welcome)
7.30pm Carol singing at the Rose and Crown, Harefield
24 Thu Christmas Eve
4.00pm Crib Service
11.15pm Midnight Communion Service with Blessing of Crib
25 Fri CHRISTMAS DAY
8.00am Said Holy Communion
10.00am Sung Holy Communion
27 SUN JOHN, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST
8.00am Said Holy Communion
10.00am Sung Holy Communion
12 noon Holy Baptism
6.00pm Blue Christmas Service
January LINK is published
29 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion
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January 2016
3 SUN THE SECOND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS
8.00am Said Holy Communion
10.00am Family Communion
Home Communions
6.00pm Said Evening Prayer
5 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion
6 Wed THE EPIPHANY
7.45pm Sung Holy Communion (with incense)
Phantom Firms Hurt Real People St Mary’s People Support Christian Aid’s Campaign
Gill and Martyn Gowing
St Mary’s representatives on the Rickmansworth and Croxley Green
Christian Aid Committee
Tax dodging costs lives
Tax revenues in developing countries like Sierra Leone could help
pay for robust healthcare systems, not only to care for the health of
the nation but also help prevent epidemics like Ebola.
Multi-national companies are taking advantage of the secrecy in tax
havens — such as the British Virgin Islands and other British Overseas
Territories — to dodge the taxes they owe in countries like Sierra Leone.
Choir and Bellringers Regular Weekly Practices
Wed 7.30pm Bellringing
Thu 7.45pm Choir
New members welcome at both practices – just come along
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What’s the solution?
In 2015 the UK passed a law which created a public register of
beneficial ownership in the UK. This has helped reveal who truly
owns companies in the UK, uncover who is dodging tax and hold
them to account. However, for it to work properly, the UK’s
Overseas Territories also need to play ball. Otherwise, companies
can just turn to them for secrecy.
The information such registers provide would enable tax authorities
to claw back lost tax revenues that could be used to tackle poverty.
Getting our house in order!
Join Christian Aid in calling on David Cameron to show leadership
and ensure that all seven British Overseas Territories with financial
centres adopt public registers of beneficial ownership. It is very easy
to do — just use this link which takes you straight to an e-mail
petition to David Cameron.
http://act.christianaid.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=48&ea.campaign.id=43136
What We Did at St Mary’s
Eight of us gathered at very
short notice in St Mary’s
and had our photo taken by
Adrian Whalley, Christian
Aid’s regional coordinator
for Hertfordshire, who had
visited St Mary’s on Sunday
24 October. Four of the
eight were masked to
emphasise the need for
disclosure. We (Martyn and
Gill) also wrote to David Gauke asking him to use his influence to
press for the speedy creation of public registers in the UK’s Overseas
Territories and Crown Dependencies. We said in our letter that
-22-
“there is a great deal of support within the St Mary’s community for
a more just and fairer world which is demonstrated by our
commitment, as a Church, to give away 20% of our income to various
charities locally, nationally and internationally”. We have received a
reply from him saying he will discuss the matter with Treasury
officials.
Photo by Gill Gowing
Note The retiring collections for Christian Aid’s Refugee Appeal
following Adrian Whalley’s visit raised a total of £658.24 and much
of this was Gift-Aided.
Remembrance Sunday
Photos of the Parade of Uniformed Organisations
as it Came Down Church Street
Some 400 local people joined in the town’s traditional service of
Remembrance in church and round the War Memorial.
Photos by Suzanne Harding and Brenda Bell
-23-
Lest We Forget
Jane Pummell
This evening of remembrance on 11
November began with a medley of
songs from the trenches performed
by two uniformed Tommies standing
behind a simple arrangement of
barbed wire and poppies.
There was both humour and
pathos in the miscellany of
poems, songs and readings that
followed. Some pieces were very
familiar but others less so,
including extracts from the local
newspaper, the diary of a
munitions worker and the remarks
of a general.
Then, as we listened to the
final poem, In Flanders
Fields, the British Legion
Standard was paraded in
front of us. The evening
finished with a rousing
rendition of Pack up Your
Troubles and It’s a Long
Way to Tipperary with full
audience participation.
Thank you to the producer, Chris Hillier, and all the performers — it was
a fine contribution to the continuing commemoration of the hundredth
anniversary of WW1. Photos by David Hibbert
-24-
Marriage and Relationships
How to Serve the Present Age
In a changing world, how should the Methodist Church and its
people respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by new
understandings of marriage and relationships in our society? What
should we say about issues such as co-habitation, divorce,
singleness, gay marriage and civil partnerships? What issues would
you like to see your Church addressing in the coming years and how
can we speak about such issues while respecting faithfully-held
differences?
The Methodist Church is inviting all its people to have their say
about these issues and others, and your voice needs to be heard.
Please come along and join one of the discussions organised by
the Circuit, and our friends in St Albans. Each one will include a
presentation on recent developments and guided discussion.
Sunday 17 January at 6.30pm at Hatfield Road Methodist Church,
St Albans
Thursday 28 January at 2.00pm at Abbots Langley Methodist Church.
St Mary’s in the Past
To the minds of the LINK editors the years 1905 and 1960 have
proved disappointing in their interest to us today and we will try to
find better periods to look back to in 2016.
1905
The mystery of what had happened to the Revd Charles Parkinson
continues. Clergy are not listed at the start of the magazine and
there is no letter or word from him. The last we heard that he
had rushed back from holiday because he thought his brother
fatally ill, but that the brother was recovering. We will see
whether we can find out what happened from 1906 magazines in
our archives.
-25-
This issue of the magazine was short and gloomy, dwelling as it did on
the traditional Advent themes of death and judgement, ‘from which
people shrink, but nevertheless have for them an undue fascination’
as ‘preparation for the Birthday of our Lord’. However the Choir were
already preparing at the time of writing for ‘the usual Carol Service’
at 4.00pm on Christmas afternoon.
1960
By contrast, the Revd Norman Hill looked forward to what was his
first Christmas in Rickmansworth and the first of his married life; not
only to the celebrations in church, ‘but gathered round your own
tables and firesides to celebrate the birth in all the good old
traditional ways’.
A recent leaflet from the Diocese had urged people to celebrate
Christmas simply and he planned to concentrate on its meaning
and ‘to avoid a last minute mad rush and prepare for our
Christmas Communion with prayer and fasting to do this’.
There was Evensong with carols at 6.30pm on Christmas Day in
those days.
St Mary’s People
MARJORIE BROADHURST
An appreciation by the parent of a past pupil
Miss Broadhurst, who died in August, taught at St Mary’s School while
her brother was headmaster. She loved art, craftwork and nature.
In art, our children were encouraged to make colourful and
extravagant paintings. They worked clay into many shapes and a
sample, with a good glaze, is still displayed in my house — not
discarded as too childish. She taught a beautiful, tidy but impractical
script. Nor was there any sex discrimination — the boys sat working at
their samplers discussing football.
In those days there was livestock at the school — practical nature
study with guinea pigs and mice, which Miss Broadhurst’s class looked
-26-
after, and chickens to be fed. An old pupil, now middle-aged
remembers being sent out frequently to catch Blackie the ageing
sheep who was roaming the playground.
JUNE FIELD
June sadly died at Michael Sobell House in Oxford on 31 October Many
people at St Mary’s will remember June, Janet Page’s sister, although
she moved away to live near her daughter Teresa some while ago.
From the Registers
Baptism
May God bless the life of
25 October LILY, daughter of Laura and Benjamin
Funeral
May she rest in peace
18 November JUNE FIELD
Nature Notes
Angela Hall
On 25 October the arrival of the first Bewick
swan from Siberia was reported from the
Severn Wildfowl Trust. Apparently the
individual bird was recognised and it was
twenty-five days earlier than expected. This is
supposed to auger a long winter, although, as I
write, the weather remains remarkably mild. What beats me is how it
knows to come to Slimbridge rather than, say, Rutland Water or the
Aquadrome. Funnily enough, Geoff glimpsed a solitary redwing in our
garden in mid-October which is unusually early. So perhaps we should
prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
-27-
The other long-distance bird that has been in the
news was a short-eared owl that had been blown
off course and landed on an oil rig in the North
Sea. It was taken on a routine helicopter flight to
Scotland to recover in an animal sanctuary.
Meanwhile, back home, gulls at the Aquadrome
have been seen attacking a heron. I think it must
have had something they wanted to eat. Thinking
of herons, Helen, our bird expert friend, told us a strange tale of a
heron that, she thought, had been the victim of some sort of pollution
and become completely bald. Some people on a canal boat gave it food
and shelter until it grew new feathers and flew away. They are now
visited by a very tame heron! She said its body was amazingly small
compared to its beak, neck, wings and legs.
Recently I was puzzled to hear a lot of agitated noise from a magpie
in the hawthorn in our garden. It was being mobbed by one of the
mixed flocks of tits that travel around at this time of year finding
safety in numbers. Earlier there had been two rather wimpish young
magpies that followed their parents around for a long time
demanding food before they became independent. I suspect it was
one of these. Eventually it flew away.
The young robin that I mentioned in September being intimidated by
a vigorous worm has now established a territory in our garden. So I
was saddened to see a crumpled heap of speckled brown feathers on
the bird table. I need not have worried. The sun went in and the
heap composed itself into an adolescent robin and it flew away. It
had been sunbathing with its feathers all fluffed out! It is now in
adult plumage and can be heard singing. I said to Geoff, “That bird
is a character, we should give it a name.” He suggested Robin which
I thought lacked originality but has the advantage of being unisex as
Helen says females also sing and establish territory. So you may be
hearing more of Robin the robin in due course!
-28-
St Albans’ New Reredos
If you have not been to the
Abbey recently, look out for
the new reredos that was
commissioned to mark its 900
year anniversary. It features
the following seven saints.
Alban, Britain’s first
Christian martyr, probably
executed and buried there
around AD 303
Amphibalus, the priest whom
Alban sheltered and helped to escape, but who was later martyred
at Redbourn, and his relics brought to St Albans.
George Tankerfield, a Protestant martyr burned under Queen Mary
on Romeland, opposite the Cathedral’s west front.
Alban Roe, Catholic priest and martyr, arrested under the
Commonwealth and imprisoned in the Abbey gatehouse until his
execution in London.
St Elisabeth Romanova, a member of the Russian Royal Family and
granddaughter of Queen Victoria, who in her widowhood became a
nun and Abbess and was murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918,
because they feared that the people, who admired her holiness and
acts of charity, might try to re-establish the monarchy through her.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned in a concentration camp for his
opposition to the Nazis and executed in 1945. He had the chance to
escape to America, but chose to stay in Germany to fight the Nazis
and stand up for genuine Christianity, at a time when the majority
of the Church there had chosen to follow Hitler.
Oscar Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador, was assassinated in 1980
while celebrating Mass at the chapel of the hospital where he lived,
because of his outspoken defence of the poor and his condemnation
of the totalitarian regime in his country.
-29-
Bushey’s Bells
The bells of Bushey, where guns were found in the belfry, have now
been returned, and here they are, being unloaded and hoisted up
the tower — and for our Christmas magazine — a shot of a robin
sitting on the bell’s headstock.
The bells were due to be rung for the first time in about
mid–November [when LINK was being prepared].
Photos by David Hibbert
-30-
What’s On in Rickmansworth
Watersmeet
Cinderella Throughout December Times vary
Lemon Tuesday Concert
Please come to support 'Lemon Tuesday' at their Christmas concert
on Friday 4 December in their 10th anniversary year!
Music includes Christmas favourites and other popular tunes. Guest
singers are Thomas Sherwood (Baritone) and Arnett Hills JMI
School.
The tickets cost £10 (£7 for children) and include refreshments.
They can be bought through www.lemontuesday.ticketsource.co.uk
or 0333 6663366 (£1.50 booking charge if purchased by phone).
Proceeds are in aid of the Peace Hospice
RDFAS
Sarratt Village Hall
Tuesday 1 December
Norman Rockwell’s Christmas Wish Charles Harris
11.00am; tea and coffee from 10.30am
For further information contact Gill Gowing (777715)
-31-
Today, Will Live with Me Forever…
Sent in by Mary Weatherilt
Mary’s brother's one-time foster child, Maeve, now grown up and a
very competent nurse, is at present with a group of volunteers on
the Greek Island of Lesbos, giving aid to refugees there. This letter
has come from their group leader, Holli.
We had made the decision last night to divide and conquer, by
sending Courtney and Lisa to the main camp an hour away, while
Maeve and I would assess locally. As we were walking down the pier
on our way to Stage 1 — an arrival site, we received word of five or
six boats on the horizon. “Good timing” so we thought, and
continued talking as we hustled our steps a bit.
As we approached the rocky shores, trembling waves of emotions washed
over us as the waves lightly crashed on the tattered and torn life vests
strewn about the arrival site. Half-sunken rafts resembled pool noodles
[swimming aids] for children and carried sometimes up to 60 refugees
packed on board. As boats reached the shallower waters, they began to
cheer, they began to scream and cry as babies wailed with fear.
An overwhelming sense of relief washes over their faces. It’s a mad
dash to get them off the boat, get wet clothes off, wrap babies and
elders in foil blankets, moving people up the beach to get bottled
water and collect themselves. It is important to get them up and
dry, so that they can head down to Stage 1 for hot tea, biscuits and
a sandwich, and find some warm clothes and shoes for the adults.
I had been passed children to run up and get stripped of their wet
clothes, and on my third child — he was clearly afraid and crying —
I wildly searched the sea of faces to see if I could find a parent
looking for a child. It was then, that my eyes locked with this
gentleman, and he said to me “this is mine” and he pointed to the
crying baby in my arms. As I walk towards him he says with tears in
his eyes “Thanks God for these people — Thanks God for you” …
these words will forever echo in my soul. I hand over his son, and
-32-
just wrap my arms around him tightly. In that moment, all went
silent on the beach. There was no one screaming, no confusion, no
fear — it was just the three of us on the beach in a tight embrace,
crying and holding each other. He then whispers in my ear- “Thank
you, Thank you, Thank you” and breaks down sobbing as we clung to
each other. This would prove to be the best hug I have ever received
in all my life. The child had stopped crying, as the three us
embraced, and then slowly the reality started to seep back in. We
must get them moving as there are more boats arriving.
In that moment I not only looked gratitude in the face, but I felt it
rushing through my body. It filled the air surrounding all of us, and
as my eyes scanned the shores, every face screamed “thank you”
and every soul radiated graciousness and love. As that first boat
emptied and we took care of immediate needs and got them moving
along to medical or stage 1, the mad fury of cleaning the beach
began. Piling up life vests on the banks, picking up water bottles
and remnants of a life left behind — all in minutes, to prepare for
the next couple of rafts quickly approaching. Trying to process that.
Several minutes, hundreds of lives, five deflated rafts, and an
infinite amount of emotions. What you’re left with is the realization
of this unreal insanity — a small glimpse into their nightmare, a
hellish world in a filthy boat.
I decided to walk down to stage 1 to check on people and my fellow
volunteers. As I walked the short stretch down the waterline, my
thoughts returned to these gentle refugees now filled with hope, as
they move along to Stage 2, and then on to the largest camp,
Moyria. Conditions there are beyond devastating. Inhumane doesn’t
even begin to describe the state it is in. Your heart begins to shatter
into a million pieces, as you know what they do not. Their hell is not
over. Their journey ahead is not light. And even as they depart this
island, their journey is not safe and nothing is certain. But for now
they have made it. For now, they are alive. Today, they made it to
Greece…
Today will live with me, Forever.
-33-
Know Your Church
A Christmas question set by a reader
Where is this in the Church?
Answer next month
The Bright Star
‘Jingle Bell’
Long ago in Palestine
A star was shining bright;
Men and creatures saw it —
It was quite a sight,
And that is why I’d like to think
The robin sings all night.
Shepherds came from down the hill,
Each brought with them a beast;
Wise men with gifts came from afar
Travelling from the East,
And still today we mark Christ’s birth
As a special feast
LINK
Thank you to Alice Tims for her charming interpretation of the Nativity,
the cover design for this month, one of two she drew especially for us.
We know that there is a great wealth of talent in the Parish and we are getting somewhat tired of the cover designs we have. Please
would anyone else like to do one?
-34-
Subscriptions
Annual subscriptions for LINK for 2016 are now due. Enclosed with
this issue is an order form (unless your copy is delivered to you in
which case your distributor will collect the money and you do not
need to fill in a form).
Please do sign up for the year; it helps us know how many copies to
print which reduces wastage and also means there is less loose
money lying around. The annual subscription is still £6.00 (£13.00 by
post).
The e-version of LINK is in colour so you can fully appreciate the
photos (and enlarge them too). To subscribe, either send an email to
[email protected] so we can add you to the mailing
list, or sign up yourself via the LINK page of our website
www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk.
For e-subscriptions we use MailChimp which is a free, secure mailing
service. Your details will only be used for sending you LINK each
month. There is no charge for the e-version but donations to the
Church to cover general production costs would be much
appreciated.
You can, of course, subscribe to both versions.
January 2016 LINK
Copy deadline: Thursday 3 December
Publication date: Sunday 27 December
We are very pleased to receive contributions of interest to members of the Church
and the local community. Your name should be included (we will respect requests
not to publish it) and items should not be subject to copyright. Please let a member
of the LINK Committee* have them by the above copy date, preferably by email at
[email protected]; we can accept handwritten copy. We may
have to edit for space or other reasons and tight deadlines do not always allow for
discussion of changes with authors. We like good quality photographs. Please note
that opinions expressed in LINK are not necessarily those of the Editors of LINK or St
Mary’s Church.
Contacts (continued) The code for all phone numbers, unless otherwise stated, is 01923;
the Church Office number is 721002
Officers
Churchwardens (A) David Carruthers 07831 387541
David Hibbert 773735
Barbara Paterson 720356
Church Stewards (M) June Poppleton (Senior Steward) 773388
Church Council Secretary 721002
The CofE Electoral Roll John Glidden 223613
Methodist Council Secretary Petra Hedges 222715
Methodist Members Roll Derek Day 237248
Stewardship Recorder (A) Brian Warmington 775360
Treasurer Robert Kay 773470
Worship
Altar Servers Chris & Sue Hillier 779580
Bellringers David Hibbert (Captain) 773735
Choir Andrew Sykes 718561
Intercessors John Rhodes 779491
Lesson Readers Jane Pummell 774343
Organist Andrew Sykes 718561
Sacristan David Gilbert and team via Church Office
Sidespeople via Church Office
Christian Teaching and Prayer
Bible Reading Fellowship Sue Hillier 779580
Exploring Prayer Group The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 House Groups: Tues am: Gillian Baker 775890 Brenda Bell 772482
Wed pm: Jane Pummell 774343
Pastoral
Baptism (Christening) via Church Office Confirmation The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 Children’s Communion The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627
Home Communion via Church Office St Mary’s Network John and Suzanne Hill 772809
Home/Hospital Visiting The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627
Wedding Bookings Church Office
Social
Coffee after Church Anne Kay 773470
Events Committee The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627
Handbell Ringers Suzanne Warren 01442 385922
Meet for Tea Joan Martin 775433
Motley Crew (Drama Group) Chris and Sue Hillier 779580 Sunday Lunch Club Gill Gowing 777715 [email protected] Maxine Plaxman 896622
CONTINUED ON BACK OF COVER
-4-
Contacts (continued)
The code for all phone numbers, unless otherwise stated, is 01923; the Church Office number is 721002
Children and Young People
Sunbeams (3–5s) Rachel Turvey via Church Office
Shooting stars (6–11) Christine Martin Ayling via Church Office
X Team (Youth Group, yr 7+) David Carruthers 07831 387541
Little Angels: babies & toddlers, Gillian Thomas 07959 749636 Thursday am, Cloisters Hall Claire Husbands 07736 849154
Girlguiding UK:
Rainbows Samantha Swinchatt via Church Office Brownies Ali Hampton 07803 928158 Guides Tracy Jenkins via Church Office
Church School St Mary’s C of E Primary 776529
Headteacher Aaron Wanford School website www.stmarys698.herts.sch.uk
Administration Charitable Giving Comm John Shaw (Chair) 775219
Community and Outreach David Carruthers (Chair) 07831 387541
Harvest Giving Jennett Day 237248
Stewardship and Finance John Rhodes 779491
Buildings and Support
Church Centre Booking Kasia Todd 07801 049687
Church Centre Committee Martyn Gowing (Chair) 777715 Church Bookings via Church Office
Church Cleaning Derek Day 237248
Cloisters Hall Bookings Sarah Bennett 775613 Fabric & Churchyard David Hibbert (Secretary) 773735
Flowers Julie Smethurst 282927
Library Michael Baker 776109
Steeple Keeping David Hibbert 773735 Sewing Group Beryl Baker 776109
Communications
LINK (Church Magazine) Editors Brenda Bell 772482 Geoff Hall 720543 Jane Pummell (& Subscriptions) 774343
email [email protected]
Newsletter c/o Communication Committee
Website Buzz Coster 775908
Representatives for Organisations Beyond St Mary’s Action for Children Christine Butler 778001
CARE (07935 269144) Angela Hall (St Mary’s Rep) 720543
The Children’s Society Suzanne Powell via Church Office
Christian Aid Gill & Martyn Gowing 777715
St Albans Abbey Welcoming Anne Rhodes 779491
See Round on line by email: via LINK link at www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk