St Mary's Magaazine Autumn 2010

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St Mary’s Parish Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 3

Autumn 2010

www.stmaryswoodford.org.uk

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Making peace – the heart of our faith Peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians have begun in Washington, and, I hope, will still be progressing by the time this magazine is printed. After so many years of conflict we would love to see reconciliation and a new start in the Holy Land. Christians should be experts at making and preserving peace.

The heart of our faith is that God is a peacemaker – that the death of Jesus on the cross made peace between God and humanity. But we live in a world where people are quick to offend and to take offence. Our politicians are trigger-happy with taunts and insults – both between parties and within them. The press loves to cultivate conflict. Even in our homes and churches some hurry to hurt with harsh words. Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies.’ Loving means taking time to listen, to understand where the other person is coming from, and to stand in their shoes. The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, ‘It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.’ He knew the value of seeing both sides of an argument. And considering that remote possibility that we might be wrong! Once we have seen a situation through the other person’s eyes, we can look for the best way to resolve it to the benefit of all. In Proverbs we read, ‘a gentle answer turns away anger’. Paul wrote, ‘Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up… so that your words may give grace to those who hear.’ When we get this right, we make our church, and society in general, so much the stronger. Around 200AD Tertullian recorded that people said of Christians, ‘How they love one another!’ May people say the same of us today here in Woodford. The peace of the Lord be always with you! Ian

Our cover picture shows Ian meeting Geoffrey Ndwiga, the vicar of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Muchunguri. You can see more about the parish trip to Kenya later in the magazine.

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Parish Register Welcomed into the family of the church by baptism 18th July Jude Michael Pratt 9th August Leighanna Esther Bulma 29th August Paige Louise Antoinette Pearce-Anderson United before God in marriage 9th August Michael Bulman and Ingrid Richards Funerals May they rest in peace and rise in glory 30th July Helen Muspratt 2nd August Albert Gieberman 1st September Ramona (Ray) Parkes

Paige with mum and dad Ray and Lorraine, Uncle Marcel

and godfather Leon

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St Mary’s Summer St Mary’s people have been busy this summer. Read on for articles about trips overseas and in the UK, visits to Royal houses and churches and even a virtual trip by our

young people!

A barn dance, palm wine and a Cameroon police station: Emma Tarrant describes the efforts she and Camille went to, to make sure as many people could celebrate their wedding—wherever

they were

Married – well &

proper

“So how was the wedding?” Asked a colleague on the first day back at work. “Which one?” I replied. Following a month taken off from work, it required sitting down to explain the entire journey Camille and I had been through – both geographically and mentally.

Background

Whilst living and working in Dakar, one Friday in October 2008 I met a Cameroonian guy called Camille through a mutual friend. Little did I know we would be engaged six months later and embarking on a wedding marathon

twelve months after that. From the moment we got engaged, we each wanted the maximum number of people from each side of our family to be involved. With my family in the UK and his in Cameroon, this was always going to be a complex event.

Step one: St Mary’s

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Fast forward to February 2010 – joy as Camille’s UK visa is confirmed, “Mum, you can book the caterers!” Flights to Cameroon are booked and the butterflies come alive as I look forward to the voices on the end of the phone transforming into real life characters, new members of my extended family. Camille cranked up his English practice for his first trip to London, whilst also preparing to see his own family in Cameroon for the first time in 5 years.

Wedding step one – London Saturday 27th March

Getting married in church was the first step and this was always going to be by Dad at his church. The date had been provisionally fixed since the previous summer, even before Dad had been licensed to St Mary’s! I’d visited at Christmas in 2009 and was able to picture the church and the hall for distant wedding planning from Dakar. We arrived in the UK one week prior to the big day – a few days to sort out the final details. Setting off for the church from my Grandma’s house where I’d spent Friday night, I felt excited and also a little nervous. We arrived at the church just after 3.15pm and Grandad walked me up the aisle. At this point it felt completely normal, and I felt completely comfortable and happy to see lots of familiar faces. The choir sang beautifully, a few tears were held back and we made it through the vows! After the service, we went straight over to the hall for a sit down buffet followed by a traditional English barn dance. Camille’s father was really struck by the openness and mix of different cultures present – and I felt incredibly lucky to have people present from my childhood up to friends I have met since I moved to Dakar. In all a beautiful service, fun party, serious speeches and most importantly – a very happy couple!

Wedding step two – Yaounde Saturday 10th April Camille and I flew to Cameroon a few days before the rest of the family, and on my second day there I was introduced to an array of brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends… all a little overwhelming but I clicked immediately with one of Camille’s sisters and she would be by my side the rest of the stay. Seeing as the church ceremony had already taken place, Camille’s family set about organising the traditional ceremony according to Bamileke tradition. The three elements are – the suitcase, the kola nut and the palm wine. Dad received some serious man-to-man pep talks and Camille’s mum fretted about the contents of the suitcase. I received my suitcase on Saturday morning, inside was the outfit I would wear for the afternoon ceremony – complete with soap, body lotion and shoes. The suitcase also contained gifts for the female members of my family and represented the dowry.

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Camille’s family arrived at the house we were renting and faced a series of obstacles before the bride they were after was finally presented (this reminded me of the Leah and Rachel story – making sure that it was the right sister being presented!) I entered the room with a cloth covering the top half of my body and this was lifted to loud cheers! First came the sharing of the Kola nut, a bitter purple nut that breaks into pieces and is shared as a sign of peace between those eating it. Having broken the nuts into pieces, Camille and I each took a bite. Dad then asked if it was OK for the rest of the family to eat it. Once we had confirmed it was, the pieces of nut were shared out between all present. Next came the palm wine – a white cloudy liquid which is in fact the fermented sap tapped from a certain type of palm tree. Side by side were two glasses, one with palm wine and one with fruit juice, “are these liquids the same?” we answered that they weren’t. The liquids were then poured into a third glass. “Can you separate the two liquids now they have been put together?” we answered that we couldn’t. By sharing the glass of mixed liquid, we were accepting to be bound together and to not let anything separate us. The rest of the party then also shared out the palm wine – thereby joining the two families. Cue food and dancing for

the rest of the evening!

Wedding step three – Bayamgam Tuesday

13th April

Following a trip to the police station with our wedding certificate issued in the UK, we discovered that the Cameroonian government would not recognise that Camille was legally married. Camille’s dad being the grandson of the former village chief, he was able to convince the current chief of Bayamgam to perform the ceremony at short notice. We bundled into a minibus the next Wednesday morning at 6am and managed to avoid sitting in the extra seat added into the aisle spaces. We finally arrived in Bayamgam at midday and headed straight for the chefferie – distinguishable from the other buildings by the pointy roofs. Without

time to change after the long journey we were far from being dressed up – I even forgot to remove the sunglasses on my head. Having chosen monogamy (polygamy is an option in Cameroon), we signed the papers and were declared married in the eyes of the state. Done and dusted...

So there it is, no one can challenge that we are married!!!

Step 3—no doubt now!

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Emma Tarrant

A two year wait and passports needed Penny Freeston tells us about a special visit to Highgrove House and

fond memories of her time

with St Mary’s Rainbows

In December I will be taking ‘early retirement’ from running the Rainbow Unit at St. Mary’s, as I have done since we started the Unit. Thankfully, our District Commissioner, Angela Walters, will take over running things while recruiting ‘new blood’ to secure the future of the Unit. I became involved in Guiding nearly 14 years ago when I

was approached by Captain Janet Collins while our younger daughter Bryony was still in the Brownies. When I gave up full-time teaching I started helping with the Rainbow Unit at the United Reformed Church in Woodford Green before committing myself to starting a similar one at St. Mary’s. With the sterling help of Jan McGown, Jenny Harris (retired to Harrogate) and Sue Baxter we have kept going with a long waiting list ever since. I look forward to spending more time with our two grandsons, based in Suffolk, and enjoying some of their Friday assemblies before they leave their village school. Nine years ago my mother-in-law, Biddy, came to live with us following a long spell in hospital, and our previous Rector, Geoffrey helped me to arrange for a group of ladies to come and sit with her on a rota basis while I organised Rainbows on Friday evenings. I really wanted to thank them for all their loyal support over the years so I decided to arrange a coach trip to the gardens of Highgrove, the Prince of Wales’ private residence in Gloucestershire. We had been on the waiting list for over two years when the phone call came and I was able to make the booking. And so on Biddy’s 95th birthday in June we all went to Highgrove; the sun shone and the gardens were magnificent. Sadly, Eileen Duffus’s hip replacement prevented her and Gordon from coming, Helen Petchey was rehearsing with Sir Colin Davis and Vera Patterson was close to moving but the rest of the group was able to come, including Doris Porter who came up from Surrey specially. The garden tour lasted a couple of hours, followed by tea; everyone remembered their passports for the strict security arrangements and no one was sick on the bus!

The Highgrove party

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It was a very memorable day and a good time was had by all. I would love to pass on some organic gardening tips if I could remember any but if you are considering replanting your black and white sundial garden you might consider, like the Prince, injecting some colour by way of your racing colours! I shall, of course, miss Rainbows and the ladies’ visits but I do hope we will all stay in touch in the future. Some of my happiest

memories are of organising impromptu games of ‘hide and seek’ behind headstones in the churchyard on sunlit evenings. In this increasingly pressured, material world I hope the girls retain those simple childhood memories many years from now. I know I shall as life moves on.

From Royal House to Royal Church Martin Seymour describes the choir’s bank holiday visit to

Westminster Abbey to sing Evensong During the Abbey choir’s summer break visiting choirs can sing some of the services and so on the August bank holiday St Mary’s choir had the privilege of singing choral evensong. It is really something quite special to be part of this country’s centuries old tradition of singing in such historic buildings as well as our own churches and enhancing the worship through quality music. Over the last few years I have tried to organise at least one cathedral visit although this year we have fitted in Southwark too back in January. However, Westminster Abbey is on par with St Paul’s Cathedral and it was about 18 months ago that I approached them to see if there were available dates for visiting choirs and what the procedure was for getting accepted. We had to submit a recording of the choir and after a long wait we finally got the go-ahead. As many people are traditionally away during August the amount of rehearsal time we had was limited to just one evening in the week prior to going to sing at the Abbey. On the day itself we all congregated in the song school and sorted out robes for our visiting members before starting to rehearse at two o’clock. Jean Moody and her husband very kindly drove to the Abbey with most of the cassocks and surplices in their car: a big thank you to Jean for her role as ‘mistress of the robes’! I think both of our houses had looked like laundries as I had washed and ironed fourteen of the men’s surplices and I know Jean had done quite a number too.

Some of Penny’s Rainbows

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It did not take too long to blend the voices of what was quite a full sound although I knew that the acoustics of the song school (with its traditionally well used piano) would be quite different from singing in the actual choir stalls. We spent some quality time working on detail to what was a

fairly conservative music list (Ayleward responses, Psalm 147, Moeran in D Canticles, Stanford ‘How beauteous are their feet’) as all the cathedrals prefer you to sing something simple and well, but there was certainly enough in there to stretch us in the available rehearsal time. Having had a well-earned break for a cup of tea we then had the only rehearsal in the Abbey itself along with the very jovial verger leading us through the procession with his Union flag aloft. The organ scholar accompanying us was Edward Tambling (jeans, T shirt and iphone in hand!) and, although he was sight-reading the majority of the music, there weren’t many places that we had to go back to and get the ensemble together. With the more generous acoustic we often had to allow a little more time for the sound to travel and therefore speeds were slower, but we managed to adjust to this quickly. The service started at 5pm and with everyone seated in the congregation it was on with our surplices, lined up on time for the vestry prayer and off we went! Those of you who were there (and there were a good number from St Mary’s) have already paid tribute to what a fantastic uplifting occasion it was and the choir certainly sang to their best capabilities. We’ve been invited back so we must have done something right! It is an awe-inspiring building and choir members found it very moving to sing there. My thanks go to all who sang (some taking time off work), Jean and Gerry our photographer. Would you like to be a choir member? Come and talk to me one Sunday.

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Growing in partnership Images and reflections from the Parish trip to our partner Diocese

and church in Kenya

The party at Heathrow: Back row: Ian Tarrant, Nick Hayes, David Littlejohns Front row:

Nicola Hayes, Kathy Wiltshire, Wendy Littlejohns, Sally Barton

One of Nicola’s main memories from the trip: “The work at Makutano to provide shelter and a safe place for local boys orphaned by HIV/AIDs (and now the sad news that one boy has died from meningitis since we returned)” Kathy Wiltshire was struck by how much the HIV/Aids epidemic affects children and young adults In the area. Wendy comments how “A little help from us can make a world of difference in terms of health care to a community or educating boys in an orphanage.”

Muchunguri Dispensary

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Nick says: "It was an inspiration to see a church growing and expanding, while Anglicanism in England seems to slowly contract. And the struggle to achieve new buildings, helping me really to appreciate the magnificent legacy our forefathers built and left for us." Ian “Rejoiced to see how people are giving sacrificially to put up some wonderful new church buildings.”

Nicola was struck by our partnership in action: “Ian preaching the sermon, in Muchunguri on the Sunday, in Swahili - with Geoffrey Ndwiga who had been appointed as the new vicar in charge less than a week previously, standing beside Ian listening carefully and then interpreting the sermon into English.”

Water is a constant issue for rural Kenyans; Ian was sad to see the acute water shortage in a couple of places that we visited, while David reports that “the area enjoyed a reasonable harvest this year but living there entails a constant battle for water as the top priority of practical living.” Wendy adds “If you live near the tarmac road then water can be piped, but live further away and it is either a bore hole or a

spring that will provide muddy water.” The group noted that Makutano Orphanage now has piped water (and electricity) and Muchunguri will have piped water within a couple of months, but no prospect of power.

The new Church at Mariari and below the thriving Sunday School at Muchunguri

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But David also reports there is progress in the infrastructure: (some of) “The roads are safer and we saw few accidents, the private enterprise minibuses (matatus) being forced to obey the laws about loading and seat belts.”

Kathy was struck by “A group of women making mud bricks by digging the soil, mixing it with water and pouring the mixture into brick shaped moulds to dry in the sun.”

And a personal reflection from David on some of the wider issues in Kenya “The Anglican Church has done itself no favour by protesting against a new constitution that most people wanted and voted for, and oddly many senior figures we talked to did not personally support their church's stand. But at a local level it is the origin of some thoughtful social activities, retains the respect of the people, continues to grow steadily and is certainly the leading Christian institution in Mbeere.”

The group will be making a presentation about the whole trip shortly.

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Life in an expensive tin box Richard Walker on the latest outing of the old and not so old boys

A cool June morning brought the second nostalgic military outing of the old boys, this time going naval rather than aero, taking the drive down to Chatham and the Royal Naval Dockyard Museum. Slightly fewer in numbers, we still had a good showing in numbers for the day, for tours of the last Chatham built submarine (now mothballed), a destroyer that did the Russian convoy runs, the historical lifeboat

collection, the third of a mile - still functional - rope making factory, and much more. Only John Goldsmith had experience of dealing with naval types around Chatham during his National Service so we were reliant upon John for help with local jargon, along with occasional seaman Jones the Voice, but it was as much the interesting buildings and the other unusual exhibits that helped make the day memorable; an early helicopter and a collection of Jaguars certainly added to this. Most of us learnt more than we realised about things naval. Deep respect went to the claustrophobic submariners who lived for months on end squashed like sardines inside their incredibly expensive small tin box. But most respect went to the crews that manned the destroyer that braved mega sub-zero temperatures, icy Artic seas and U-boats to escort the much needed food and munitions merchant convoys bound for a desperate Russia; the ship’s bridge was without roof and windows totally open to the elements; crew members wore all their clothes all the time when on deck in an attempt to keep warm (sounds like this Government’s alternative to the winter fuel allowance). A great and inspirational day out.

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Ordinary people telling an extraordinary story. Chris Meikle describes her visit to the Oberammergau Passion Play

In 1960 I watched a slide show about the Passion Play at my church. Fifty years later I experienced it myself. Was it worth it? The village lies in a lush green valley overlooked by magnificent steep, rocky mountains which are a haven for climbers and ski enthusiasts. The local population

is over 80% practising Catholic, with the remainder mostly attending the Lutheran Church. The equivalent of “Hello” is “Gruss Gott” and people are fiercely protective and proud of their traditions which also include religious frescos on the walls of many houses. No graffiti here! I searched the village shops for a suitable keepsake to mark my visit. I eventually found what I was looking for in the workshop of a local wood-carver. His wife, who ran the shop, was proud to explain the family’s involvement in the play – her husband and daughter in the orchestra, her son in the choir (chosen to sing a tenor solo this year), while she was merely an older woman in the crowd scenes in the second half. She also explained that you have to be born in the village or resident for 20 years to be eligible to take part in the production. The local Mayor had been resident for just 17 years so must wait until the next production in 10 years time! The auditorium of the Passion Play Theatre reminded me of an aircraft hangar. The wooden seats, with little padding, were actually more comfortable than I had expected. Just as well, as the whole performance is nearly 6 hours long and spoken and sung entirely in German. The stage is open-air with a transparent cover suspended high overhead. It proved useful in the 2nd half when the rain poured down relentlessly. The performance started at 2:30. It is divided into scenes involving the words and actions of Jesus and other prominent characters, interspersed with

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performances by the choir and tableaux of notable Old Testament scenes which each make a link with the New Testament. The crowd scenes were amazing; the costumes very effective and the choir’s singing was superb. The interval is two and a half hours long which gives everyone time to be transported by shuttle buses to their designated hotels and guesthouses for a 3-course dinner. The second half of the performance started at 8p.m. Not ideal timing for those visitors who wish to use the translated script which everyone is given. Some people came prepared with a pen-light but most of us decided to just follow the action on stage. The performance can be followed well enough without a script, especially if you have made time to read the longer speeches beforehand. Each time the play is performed, the director chooses a focus. This year it was the political climate under Roman rule and how it influenced the thoughts and actions of some of the principal characters, especially Judas and Pilate. Also the role of women was given more prominence. Both Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Jesus, had high profile roles. Mary gave an impassioned speech about her feelings as a mother. Although her words struck a chord, it was her grey hair which made the biggest impression on me. Why have I never thought of her as an older woman? Altogether it was a high class performance, especially remembering that no-one is a professional performer. Who would have guessed on that evening that “Jesus” was by day a psychologist and “Mary Magdalene” an air-hostess. What a privilege to witness their expression of faith. Was it worth the wait? Most certainly!

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God makes bad things good Ian on the Holiday Club’s virtual trip to Egypt

St Mary's summer holiday club for children aged 5 to 12 was held on four mornings, 26th to 29th July. We welcomed a total of 27 children, some of whom we see on Sundays, and some not. A range of activities was organised for them by a team of helpers almost as large (though not all helpers came every day). We greatly appreciated the assistance of Simon Lloyd from Woodford Methodist Church, who was recruited at the last minute

to play the piano for us - and also participated in other ways. The theme of the club was "Exile in Egypt - the story of Joseph", and we saw how God can bring good things out of bad. Each day we sang a different part of a song about Joseph's life, with the chorus: Joseph had eleven brothers and a coat of many colours. He was sold to work in Egypt; but God makes bad things good. Our all-age service on 1st August gave the wider congregation a taste of the holiday club experience - including a cake of many colours decorated by the children! Many thanks to all who took part and made it a memorable week.

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A Great Aunt - an intrepid traveler Iain Muspratt pays tribute to aunt Helen at her funeral

My sister Marianne and I were Helen’s only Nephew and Niece and we were very fortunate to have three ‘Aunties’ – Stella, Helen’s sister and also Pearl, Helen’s cherished and lifelong companion. We shared Pearl with her proper niece and nephew and we are delighted that Warren is with us here today. Helen’s mother, our ‘Grandma’ was a remarkable woman too – a lady of huge determination in the face of

any challenges – and with considerable success. That spirit of determination became a benchmark of Helen’s life blended as it was with high principles, great faith and consideration for others – and, most important of all, enhanced by her lifelong friendship with Pearl who died just two years ago and whom she greatly missed. Some of us here today are ‘senior’ enough to remember the days when ‘going abroad’ meant a trip on the Isle of Wight Ferry. Against that background Helen set off to America on the Queen Mary to be reunited with Pearl in New York and then Windsor, Ontario. Marianne and I were among the welcoming party when they got back to Southampton a few years later. The spirit of determined adventure was not going to be suppressed and 43 years ago they set off on a ‘working’ world tour taking in Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand the whole of the West Coast of Canada and USA and then across to the East by Greyhound Coach to Washington and New York and then home. Three years with full time jobs at each stop at a time when computers were unheard of and a telephone call from Wanstead to Epping was a trunk call. I worked a great deal overseas and it was very interesting in many places finding myself in my Aunt’s footsteps. I particularly empathise with her experiences of having Monkeys steal lunch. Gibbons can remove windscreens much faster than Autoglass – they don’t replace them afterwards!

Pearl and Helen were determined to go beyond the Isle of Wight

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Returning to UK they settled here in Woodford again. Church was City Temple led at the time by the redoubtable Dr Leslie Wetherhead and then Dr Kenneth Slack, and after some years they both found a spiritual home here in the warmth of St Mary’s. But what to do career wise? Helen’s shorthand was superb – she taught at night school and was a part time Hansard reporter as well. She also worked as a Librarian at Guildhall in the City. ‘Let’s do something that embraces care and consideration for others’, they decided. Abandoning a plan to set up a Secretarial School in Wanstead High Street they both moved into social work. After some very interesting and demanding experiences, Helen became an Almoner at Whipps Cross Hospital ultimately retiring as Chief Social Worker. Care and consideration for others was not just a profession – our other Aunt, Stella, suffered a very severe brain aneurism in 1973 and never fully recovered. Helen and Pearl cared for Stella until she died many years later. Helen then looked after Pearl until she too died. Helen suffered a fall last year and rang me to tell me ‘I’ve had a fall and either cracked my hip or had a small fracture. I’ve called the ambulance so they can check me out’. Well they did and she had, but the operation was not entirely successful and she was determined to overcome this by pursuing corrective surgery. She was due at Royal London for tests to confirm she could withstand the operation the day she died – the day after what would have been Pearls 93rd birthday. Her attitude to the prospect of a further operation was typical and, to us, encouraging and reassuring: ‘if I survive it will be ok because I will be with you – if I do not it will be ok because I will be with Pearl.’ As it happens she is in heaven with Pearl. Helen, we are pleased for that, wonder in your active and selfless life and we will miss you here with us – a wonderful human being and not just an Aunt but a truly Great Aunt.

What about the rest? Ian on eternal life and non Christians Last year, when I preached at our service on All Souls Day, I affirmed the core Christian belief that those who put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord, are assured of forgiveness of sin, and the gift of eternal life. And this not through any virtue of their own, but through their faith they receive the benefits of the cross of Jesus. I did not comment on the fate of those who do not put their trust in Christ; and two members of the congregation, who had evidently been trying to read between the lines, made quite different comments to me as they left the building:

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“I wouldn’t want to see Hitler in heaven!” “What about the good Muslims? I hope they’ll be there!” While Christians agree on the Good News for those who have faith, the fact is that within the Church of England, and within other Christian denominations, there is a diversity of view about what happens to the rest. You will get different

answers even those who see Holy Scripture as their main authority in matters of doctrine. To simplify the diversity, I will briefly spell out here four of the different theological positions. The first is the narrowest: that only the people who put their trust in Jesus will be saved. Proponents of this view will quote Peter addressing the Sanhedrin, ‘There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’ (Acts 4:12) The second opens the door to the Jewish heroes of faith, such as those listed in the letter to the Hebrews: ‘they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.’ (Hebrews 11:16) The third view notes the generosity of God towards those who seek to do his will, even though not signed up as Jews or Christians. Think, for example, of:

• non-Jews in the Old Testament, such as Naaman, who asked whether God would be offended if he went to a pagan temple with his king (2 Kings 5:17-19); and the Ninevites who repented at the teaching of Jonah, and of whom Jesus said that they would judge his own generation.

• those non-Jews said by Paul to do instinctively what the Law requires (Romans 2:14-16).

• those of whom Jesus speaks at the Last Judgment, who meet the needs of their fellow-human beings, even though they do not recognise Christ (Matthew 25:31-46).

This third view emphasises that none of these people would claim moral perfection - any more than we Christians can claim it - but being open to God’s will, they also receive his grace. Nevertheless, Jesus said ‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is

Picture courtesy of 'Joshua Davis Photography'

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narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.’ The fourth view sees God’s love as being even more generous. It is known as universalism, and says that God is so loving and forgiving, and the power of the cross is so great, that in due course all human beings will be welcomed to the heavenly banqueting table. ‘God our Saviour... desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all.’ (1 Tim 2:3-6) Four different views then - which is right? We may not know for sure in this life! In its official reports, such as The Mystery of Salvation (1995), and Sharing the Gospel of Salvation (2010), the Church of England tends towards the third view, holding out the hope of salvation for some who are not Christians; but reserving the assured hope for those who are. However members of the C of E are not required to subscribe to the third view themselves. What do you think the truth is? And how does that affect your enthusiasm to share your faith?

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+ faith-full

Jews

1

Christians

3

+ others

accepted

by God

4

+ everyone

...we naturally pray that God will bring all people, including those of other faiths, to explicit faith in Christ and membership of his Church. This is not because we believe that the God revealed in Christ is unable to save them without this, but because Christ is the truest and fullest expression of his love, and we long for them to share it. The Mystery of Salvation (1995)

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A Godly Harvest:Fruits of the Spirit Rowena Rudkin’s Pentecost sermon has meaning at Harvest time

The Jewish people have three harvests, the barley harvest celebrated the day after Passover, the wheat harvest celebrated fifty days later and Succoth, the fruit harvest which is the occasion for which they build shelters by their synagogues or in their gardens to remind themselves of their time in the wilderness and their (and our) complete dependence on God. This is the feast which the New Testament calls the Feast of the Booths or Tabernacles. It was for the second of these feasts that so many people had gathered into Jerusalem the year of Jesus’ death and when the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles as described in Acts of the Apostles and which Christians have come to call Pentecost. Pentecost is also the feast of the first fruits which have to be given to the Lord; one must not wait until the glut comes and give what can be easily

spared; one must give soon and give of one’s best. The feast of this harvest, first fruits or Pentecost, invites us to look at what we call the Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self Control as in Galatians 5. I am confining myself to talk about love, patience and gentleness. Love is not a matter of the emotions. The love of which St Paul, and many after him, writes is love by choice and not by chance; it asks nothing in return, shows an intelligent concern for others and sees that all humans are of value because, even if we find many of them unlovable, God still loves us all. Patience is sometimes translated as long suffering and linked to fortitude, to which I shall return; it is also, perhaps more obviously linked to self control. It is also a virtue about which I sometimes wonder. I can think of two occasions (I am sure there are more) when I lost patience, lost my self-control, resulting in a row which proved most profitable. Both cleared the air and in one, a colleague, also stung to fury, revealed a misapprehension he had been under, of which I had been unaware, and which had been the root of much of the misunderstanding between us. Doubtless you can all think of such occasions. The virtues have to be treated with thought but probably what is inexcusable is bad temper and peevishness.

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Gentleness is often translated as “meekness”, that difficult word for modern people but which is the opposite of the great sin of pride. It comes back to the Succa of the third harvest and the booths which remind the people of the fragile and transitory nature of human life and our total dependence on God; it is He, not we, who is the centre of the universe, but making ourselves that centre - this is the sin of which we are all guilty at some time or other. It is not just ourselves as individuals whom we make such. It is our families, our friends, our people. I remember listening to Lord Owen, as he now is, when the Bosnian crisis was at its height. The interviewer asked him if the people involved were really as difficult as they seemed ; Lord Owen’s reply was that they were much worse; they believed that their “people”, “folk”, “tribe”, call it what you will, was the centre of the universe and could not see that there was anything of equal, never mind, more importance. This incidentally, is a world view that the Afrikaners, the descendant of the Dutch settlers in South Africa once held and overcame to an amazing degree. To return to the personal level, humility is probably a word better understood than meekness and, after much thought I have come to the conclusion that, because it is such very hard virtue, we of the older generation, accept self debasement as a substitute. I am not sure that this is true of younger people who have been taught to stand up for rights and boast of their achievements in a way that their seniors were not. Those are three of the fruits of the spirit. I return to fortitude which is, one of the seven Christian virtues. It is the only one that is so. Dr Johnson once remarked that courage was not in itself a virtue; bad men can be brave in pursuit of their evil ambitions. It is however, he said, the quality which is necessary to sustain every other virtue. If for courage we substitute fortitude, we see why it is both a virtue, a gift of the Holy Spirit and necessary to sustain those fruits of the spirit of which Pentecost is a reminder that as our forbears, Jewish or Christian offered their first fruits we should be offering to God

Patience and Fortitude—Lions of New York Library

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A roller coaster with lots of joy Annie tells us about her life changing last two months

Bump..bump...bump.... that is the sound of the new curate landing in Woodford! It had been a rollercoaster of a journey which has fortunately had more highs than lows.... but then with such a change in life what can I expect? I finished college in early June having frantically written five 3000 word essays in 3 months and was rewarded with a 2:1 degree in Theological studies. I then spent the next 3 weeks sorting, clearing, planning, helping Simeon revise for his A2 exams, painting (33 Elmhurst Drive) and saying hundreds of goodbyes to people I had come to love in Bristol. I then moved down to Woodford. I came alone because Simeon stayed in Bristol to complete his final AS exam. I was amazed at how quickly the boxes disappeared with the aid of Simeons’ Godparents who came down to help me unpack. Within 60 hours the house (except for Simeon’s room) was box free but I had no idea where everything was!!! I barely had time to put up the pictures because within five days of moving in, with my cassock and surplus carefully ironed, I left my new home to go on my ordination retreat at Pleshey with the other Chelmsford candidates. It was an experience that I will write about another time...

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It was a relief when the morning of the ordination arrived. It had felt like a long time coming and I was keen to get to know you lovely Woodford people and start serving God. I found I was amazingly calm and had a great day. I tried to enjoy every minute and gather lots of memories of the event. The whole process was made even more special in the knowledge that you at St Mary’s were praying for me and that you had sent Ian, Mark Lewis, David and Wendy Littlejohns, Geoff and Jill Jones and Anne Jones to support me. Further to this my close friends and family had travelled to witness the event and brought lots of love and joy with them. After the service Simeon and I joined them at a local pub where we had a buffet meal. It was lovely but we were both grateful to be driven home so we

could unwind and relax. Looking back now I could not have envisioned or prepared myself for the exhaustion I felt after so many stressful changes. . . I hardly remember much of the first few weeks or even month, but I do remember the warmth that Simeon and I felt on our first Sunday at St Mary’s. It was a fantastic lunch we shared with you all -and the ‘Welcome Annie’ sign was so special. I cannot believe it had only just been two months – it feels like home already- and that is due to you all - thank you. Copy date for the Christmas magazine is

November 30th. Please send any copy to Viveca Dutt - 020 8530 6051

preferably by email: [email protected]

And don’t forget pictures!

Annie with Simeon at his 18th birthday party

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Woodford Festival 2010 Opens at St Mary’s Saturday 2nd October 2010. Full details at www.woodfordfestival.org.uk Events at St Mary’s:

Saturday 16th Oct The Big Draw at St Mary’s

Wednesday 20th Oct Celebration of 100 years of Guiding:

Saturday 6th Nov 2pm Annual thanksgiving service for the departed

Saturday 20th Nov Annual Bazaar

Saturday 4th Dec Send A Cow Lunch

Wednesday 8th Dec Woodford Wives Christmas Dinner

Saturday 11th Dec Advent Quiet Day

More Diary Dates

During September we received sermons on “Giving Our Time” These reflections help us see the precious nature of time

When as a child I laughed and wept, time crept. When as a youth I dreamed and talked, time walked. When I became a full grown man, time ran. And later as I older grew, time flew. Soon I shall find while travelling on, time gone. Source Unknown

One little person, giving all of her time to peace, makes news. Many people, giving some of their time, can make history. Peace Pilgrim

Saturday 2nd 11am Opening Ceremony and organ recital 2.00pm Afternoon literary walk starts in churchyard 7.30 pm Concert by Cantori Vocal Ensemble

Sunday 3rd 1.00pm - 5.00pm Jazz Festival

Monday 4th 7.45pm Memorial Hall Lecture

Friday 8th 7.30pm Gloria - a concert featuring St Mary’s Choir, Forest School and The Cavendish Ensemble

Saturday 9th Salvation Army Concert

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A worthwhile exercise John Green found this anonymous snippet about why people might go to church

We should never pour scorn on the fact that going to Church makes a lot of people feel better in a lot of different ways. If it is just a question of enjoying lovely music, or of simply sitting thinking quietly for an hour or so, or listening to a thoughtful speech that isn’t being made for motives of political ambition or money, or saying reassuringly familiar prayers and singing childhood hymns, or even entertaining the possibility that maybe . . . . . Any of these reasons make it a worthwhile exercise for anyone in doubt.

Thank you Geoff As most of you will know, Geoff Jones has moved away from the area and the summer edition was his last as editor. Geoff worked tirelessly for eight years to gather and edit copy and we thank him deeply for all he did. Things moved very fast for Geoff and Jill and this edition is therefore a little lighter than it might otherwise have been, but thank you to

everyone who has contributed. We are going to take the change of editorship as an opportunity to look at how the magazine can move forward, so if you have any ideas or suggestions about content, style or anything else, please let us know. Talk to any member of the communications group, leave a note in the office or email: [email protected] Communication group members are: Ian Tarrant, Wendy Littlejohns, David Nunn, Richard Walker, Sheena Wright, Viveca Dutt.

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Congratulations To Peter Webb and Ian Tarrant

who between them raised around £1,000 for Friends of Essex churches during the

annual Essex ride and stride in early September

And faced some perilous roadways on

the journey

go to: www.stmaryswoodford.org.uk/outreach/deanerymap.html to see a map of the many churches they visited during the day.

Saturday 20th November

St Mary’s Annual Bazaar

11.00am—3.00pm

Food to eat

Food to take away

Gifts

Games

All proceeds to charity