June 2016 - St Mary`s Church

together
June 2016 : Issue 20
Congratulations to
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
on her 90th Birthday
The parish magazine
of the United Benefice of
St Andrew’s Cobham and
St Mary’s Stoke D’Abernon
St Mary’s Church
CONTACTS
Rector:
Revd Canon Robert Jenkins
Associate Rector:
Revd Godfrey Hilliard
Associate Minister
Revd Charleen Hollington
Assistant Curate:
Revd Folli Olokose
Priest for Cobham:
Revd Peter Vickers
Reader:
Hugh Bryant
Children and Youth Worker:
Esther Holley
01932 862109
01932 868428
01372 849699
01932 660345
01932 862497
01932 864575
07961 208024
Editor: Daphne McFarlane, 11 Farmview, Cobham, KT11 3HL
Tel: 01932 864521 email: [email protected]
St Andrew’s : Communications and Administration Manager,
Elaine Bray, Parish Office, Church Gate House,
Downside Bridge Road, Cobham, KT11 3EJ.
Tel: 01932 867883 (ansaphone) 1: Monday - Friday 9am-1pm
email : [email protected]
St Mary’s : Parish Administrator,
Polly Zabari, Parish Office,
78 Stoke Road, Stoke d’Abernon, KT11 3PX.
Tel: 01932 866005 (ansaphone)
Mon/Wed/Fri - 9am-1pm : Tues & Thurs - 9am-11am
email : [email protected]
Church websites:
www.standrewscobham.org.uk
www.stmarysstokedabernon.org.uk
Copy Date for July 2016
Wednesday 15th June
An electronic version of this magazine is available on the church websites as above
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THE SERVANT QUEEN
and the King she serves
On Sunday 12th June we will join churches and communities up and down the country to
celebrate a truly wonderful and historic occasion. It is the day after the Queen's official
90th birthday. (If you are wondering why the Queen has two birthdays, it was a tradition
started by George II in 1748 and owes its origins to British weather. George was born in
November and felt the weather too cold at that time of year for his annual birthday
parade!)
In Cobham, St Andrew's Church is working with the Royal British Legion and our
community organisations to hold a celebration of the Queen's service to our nation. We
want to give thanks to God for her, recognising her Christian faith and role as head of the
Church of England. Her reign is truly inspirational, particularly for those who in their own
way mirror her incredible example of service by contributing to the life of our
community and our churches.
Our celebration will start with a parade of uniformed and community organisations and
local schools, from Hollyhedge Road, through the High Street, to St Andrew's Church. At
the church we will be holding a Service of Celebration which will be similar to the
national service taking place at St Paul's Cathedral on the same morning. We will look
back over the Queen’s life and give thanks for it, celebrating the spirit of our nation and
community that she inspires. Young and old will take part and our choir will have an
opportunity to lead us with some grand royal music.
After the service the parade will reform and will proceed back down the High Street
where the mayor will take a salute and then continue to the Leg o’Mutton Field. There
will be a family picnic to which our whole community is invited. You are encouraged to
bring a picnic, with table and chairs. There will be entertainment and the Lord
Lieutenant, the Queen's representative in Surrey, will be welcomed as our honoured
guest and cut a Birthday Cake.
I do hope you will be able to join us and will invite your friends and neighbours to come
with you. It is a wonderful opportunity for our church and community to come together.
It is very appropriate that our parish church is central to these birthday celebrations.
The Queen wrote the following preface to a book called ‘The Servant Queen and the
King she serves’ celebrating her 90th birthday:
In the last 90 years the extent and pace of change has been truly remarkable. We
have witnessed triumphs and tragedies. Our world has enjoyed great advances in
science and technology, but it has also endured war, conflict and terrible suffering on
an unprecedented scale.
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In my first Christmas broadcast in 1952, I asked the people of the Commonwealth
and Empire to pray for me as I prepared to dedicate myself to their service at my
Coronation. I have been - and remain - very grateful to you for your prayers and to
God for His steadfast love. I have indeed seen His faithfulness.
As I embark on my 91st year, I invite you to join me in reflecting on the words of a
poem quoted by my father, King George VI, in his Christmas Day broadcast in 1938,
the year that this country went to war for the second time in a quarter of a century.
I said to the man who stood a the Gate of the Year
“Give me a light that I might tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied, “Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the
hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.”
Elizabeth R
We wish Her Majesty every blessing for her 90th birthday. I look forward to sharing in
our church and community celebrations as we say together Happy 90th Birthday Ma’am.
With every blessing
Robert
A Service of Celebration for the 90th Birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
10.30am at St Andrew’s Church on Sunday 12th June
The Reverend Canon Robert Jenkins will lead the congregation
in thanksgiving for the reign of the Queen,
the head of the Church of England.
The Choir will sing the anthem I was glad, from Psalm 122,
setting by Hubert Parry, traditionally associated with Royal occasions.
Before the Service St Andrew’s band of Ringers
will call the people of Cobham to prayer,
and as the service ends the bells will peal
across the River Mole.
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Sunday 12th June 2016
Happy 90th Birthday Ma’am
We invite you to join us in celebrating
Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday Party
Part 1:
09.30am : Local Marching Band Parade to St Andrew’s Church meet at Hollyhedge Car Park
10.30am : Church Service at St Andrew’s Church
Followed by parade to Leg o’Mutton field
Part 11:
12.00pm-3.00pm : Family Picnic on Leg o’Mutton Field
1.00pm : The Lord Lieutenant for Surrey will cut the Birthday Cake
Dress Code throughout as for a royal party,
or in the style of the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s ….
Entertainment: Cobham Band, Local Schools etc
Please come along with your picnic lunch, tables, chairs
and even a candelabra, or just with a rug on the ground.
(BBQ, Pimms and lemonade available to buy)
Free Entry
www.cobhamparty.org.uk
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St Andrew’s Church, Cobham
SUNDAY SERVICES
8.00am
10am
Holy Communion
Family Worship
Parish Communion
st
1 Sunday of the month
2nd - 5th Sundays
WEEKDAY SERVICES
9.00am
5.00pm
10.30am
Tuesday and Wednesday
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Friday
Morning Prayer
Evening Prayer
Holy Communion
Enquiries: Baptisms - contact Revd Charleen Hollington
Weddings - contact Revd Robert Jenkins
St Mary’s Church, Stoke D’Abernon
SUNDAY SERVICES
8.00am
10.00am
11.30am
6.00pm
Said Communion
Sung Eucharist
Parish Eucharist
Family Service
Mattins
Evensong
st
1 Sunday of the month
2nd, 4th, 5th Sundays
3rd Sunday
3rd Sunday
Every Sunday
WEEKDAY SERVICES
9.00am
Thursday
Morning Prayer
For all enquiries about the Church, please contact:
The Parish Administrator on 01932 866005
www.stmarysstokedabernon.org.uk
PARISH REGISTERS . . . 30th April - 30th May
Baptisms
Weddings:
We welcome into God’s family:
We offer our congratulations to:
At St Andrew’s
James Graves
Charlotte Crabtree
At St Andrew’s
Oliver Duxbury & Lara Wheatley
Jamie Thompson & Ellie Mules
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Church Gate House Centre : Tuesday 21st June
The Lady in the Van
Films start at 7pm - followed by refreshments and discussion
Admission Free
In This Magazine
Page
From Guildford Cathedral
News from the Dean
the Very Revd Dianna Gwilliams
More than four thousand contributors
have raised £6.9 million for the major
building work, which includes removal of
the acoustic plaster containing asbestos
from the ceiling vaults and the installation
of a new sound and lighting system. The
organ renovation ‘Sponsor a Pipe’ appeal
raised over £100,000. During the
scheduled repairs the Cathedral will
remain open and visitors are now
welcome to watch the work in progress.
Church Forum
The Servant Queen
St Mary’s 2015 Report
Affirming Catholicism
Eco Award
Gift Aid
St Andrew’s Church Clock
3
9
14
18
21
28
Her Majesty The Queen
90th Birthday Celebrations
Dei Gratia
5
12
Features
Menuhin 100 Festival
David and Edna Tipping
Shakespeare in the City
A Poem for Summer
8
16
19
22
For Your Diary
On Saturday 11th June
11am Summer Fair in the Marquee, and
Family Fun Day.
14th June 8pm in Church Gate House
“Difficult Questions” discussion
The EU Referendum
2pm Royal Tea in the Nave.
Booking essential. Tickets:
email Cathedral box office
or tel 01483 547 881
30th June 5-10pm The Gurkha Diner
Nepali Fundraising Buffet Meal
Tickets from St Andrew’s Parish office
01932 867883 or Gurkha Diner
1st-10th July St Mary’s Flower Festival
ST ANDREW’S YELLOW PAGES June 2016
The Annual Directory of Clergy, Pastoral Assistants, PCC Committees and contact details
for all who support the church is now published. A copy is included in your June issue of
“Together”. We hope you will find this useful for reference and communications.
Editor
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Menuhin 100 Festival 1st-10th July 2016
The Menuhin 100 Festival will be held at the Yehudi Menuhin School in early July
commemorating the centenary of its founder. The Festival opens with a gala concert
featuring former YMS pupil, violinist Nicola Benedetti, accompanied by Alexei Grynyuk
and pupils of the School.
St Mary’s Church will play host to two events during the Festival.
On 5 July, James O’Donnell, Organist and Choirmaster of the
Choristers of Westminster Abbey will present an all-Bach lunchtime
concert. And throughout the festival there will be an exhibition of
flower arrangements on a musical theme, echoing a similar event
held in 1996 for the celebration of Yehudi’s 80th birthday. So do
come to St Mary’s to admire the flower arrangements. Entry to the
church will be free, but donations towards the work of St Mary’s
will be welcome.
Other Festival highlights at the Menuhin Hall include six Showcase concerts giving every
pupil the opportunity to perform. Each of these concerts will include one of the six
Partitas and Sonatas for Solo Violin by J S Bach, in recognition of Yehudi Menuhin’s
landmark recordings of these works. In the final concert, pupils will accompany
acclaimed actor Samuel West in a programme of words and music inspired by the Bard
in ‘Shakespeare and Music’.
Associated events include a lecture by film-maker Bruno Monsaingeon entitled Yehudi
on Film, and an exhibition, Musical Lines, of work created by Geraldine van Heemstra
during her recent artist residency at the School.
Menuhin 100 Festival - 1st -10th July
1st -10th Flower Festival in St Mary’s Church 10am - 4pm daily
1st
7.30pm
Nicola Benedetti with Alexei Grynyuk (piano) and pupils
2nd 2pm & 7.30pm Festival Showcase concerts by pupils
3rd
2pm & 7.30pm Festival Showcase concerts by pupils
5th
1pm
James O’Donnell Organ Recital
St Mary’s Church, Stoke D’Abernon
5th
Concerts given by YMS pupils in the Painshill Park Grotto
(note these should be booked directly via ww.painshill.co.uk)
6th
5.30pm
Bruno Monsaingeon: Yehudi on Film
7th
7.30pm
Festival Showcase concert
8th
7.30pm
Festival Showcase concert
10th 6pm
Shakespeare and Music with Samuel West and pupils
For more information and bookings:
Phone: The Menuhin Hall booking office 08700 842 020
Online: www.yehudimenuhinschool.co.uk and click on ‘The Menuhin Hall’
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THE YEAR 2015 AT ST MARY’S
A REPORT FROM THE ASSOCIATE RECTOR
The Reverend Godfrey Hilliard
St Mary’s Church
Stoke D’Abernon
2015 was another year of growth and consolidation at St Mary’s. The highlight of the
year came in October when we took possession of our wonderful new Hall. This has
been long awaited and huge thanks must go to all who have worked so hard to bring this
project to fruition. On that note we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Peter Mathers for
his untiring work in leading the Hall project. The Hall will give us untold opportunities to
grow our church and to share in the work of the Kingdom in this place.
Lent, Holy Week and Easter saw an increase in numbers attending and great thanks must
go to Robert Woolley, the Choir and Scholars for the very high standard of music which
we enjoyed, not just over this period but throughout the whole year. A special thank you
must go to our regular choir who faithfully sing week by week. Music has indeed been a
major feature of our worship and was particularly appreciated by all throughout the past
year.
Worship at St Mary’s has continued to be ordered, liturgical and “catholic” in its tradition
and theology. We have a great variety of worship with the Eucharist being the model on
which our worship is based. These services vary with a said traditional order Holy
Communion at 8.00am every Sunday. The 10.00am service is a Common Worship Parish
Eucharist and on the first Sunday of the month we have a more traditional Cathedral
style Sung Eucharist which is proving to be very popular. The third Sunday sees a more
contemporary Family Service, increasingly Eucharistic, at 10.00am with Matins at
11.30am. I am most grateful for the enthusiasm and dedication of Emma Tomalin and
her growing team for the growth of this service. The Crib service this year saw us at
standing room only and the increased involvement of our children and young people
was clearly seen. The Book of Common Prayer Evensong is now held every Sunday and it
is my belief that, with more advertising on our website, we will attract those who enjoy
a more traditional style of worship.
There have been 12 occasions when we have welcomed new Christians at Holy Baptism
and six adults were confirmed at a Deanery Confirmation in June. There have been ten
weddings and services of blessing throughout the period of this report and it is very
pleasing to report that many of the couples have continued to worship with us, after
their wedding, on a regular basis.
The revamped website has proven to be very popular and there is evidence to prove that
people have come to St Mary’s after viewing the website. I am most grateful to Polly
Zabari, our wonderful Parish Administrator and Geoffrey Trickey, for the work they do in
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keeping the website up to date and for all their efforts on our behalf. Polly performs her
duties with enthusiasm and sometimes over and above her terms of reference, in a most
unselfish way. We have recently increased her hours, and her hard work in carrying out
her administrative duties and managing the new Hall make her a key player in the St
Mary’s team. I am most grateful to Polly for all she does on our behalf.
I am also grateful to the work of the Fundraising Committee and to all who gave so
generously to the Gift Day towards the building of our Hall. The first function in the Hall
was a very successful Christmas Fayre organised by Polly and Sarah Clements. Bill
Maloney, Andrew Stribley and Derek Fellows are exploring other fund raising and grant
possibilities. On the financial front we should heed Anthony Elliott’s words about the
importance of Pledged Giving and the real impact of the Financial Report by our
excellent new Treasurer, Claire Smith. My thanks go to both for their hard work and
loyalty to their church.
The Guild members have again surpassed themselves in providing monthly parish
lunches and other social events throughout the year. I am most grateful to the Guild for
their continued hard work under the leadership of Liz Gordon and know that they are
looking forward to the new challenges and opportunities that the new Hall will provide
for the growth of our church. We also enjoyed a Parish outing to Salisbury in July.
I would like to thank the PCC and Deputy Wardens for their faithful leadership and
service throughout 2015. To those members who have come to the end of their term of
office I am sure you would all join me in expressing our gratitude for all your efforts on
behalf of St Mary’s.
I would like to thank you all for giving so freely and generously of your time in support of
St Mary’s and I trust we will go from strength to strength in the coming year. Next year
will be very challenging as we see the benefits of our new hall and all the exciting
challenges that lie before us.
When the history of St Mary’s comes to be written, 2015 will stand out as a year of note.
Anne Stevens’ very interesting history of Stoke D’Abernon, published this year, reminded
us of the great heritage that we have inherited from the past and that we hold it in trust
for future generations.
St Matthew 28: 16-20, in the Great Commission, reminds us;
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed
them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came
and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
That Commission is the reason why we exist.
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Let us give thanks for all we have achieved in 2015 and look forward to building on those
foundations that have been laid by hard work and God’s guidance.
May God bless us in all our endeavours, past and future in His name, and thank you for
the support you give me in serving you.
Godfrey Hilliard
St Mary’s Parish
Please come and join us in the hall
on Sunday 3rd July from 12 noon,
to celebrate our new hall and the 40th Anniversary
of the ordination to the priesthood
of Revd Godfrey Hilliard
Adults : £15
: Children (under 16) : £10
(under 5s free)
Price includes hog roast, salads,
pudding and first drink.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are
available from the Parish Office or call 01932 866005
---------------------------------------------------I would like ____ adult tickets @ £15 each
I would like ____ child tickets @ £10 each
Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total enclosed £_______ Cash/Cheque
(cheques to be made payable to St Mary’s Stoke D’Abernon)
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DEI GRATIA, THE DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS AND
DEFENDER OF THE FAITH
Research by Dominic Combe
As we celebrate our Queen’s 90th birthday, it is
appropriate to examine the styles by which she is
defined. Firstly, Dei Gratia Regina or, By the Grace of
God Queen, from which arises the concept of the
Divine Right of Kings, and Fidei Defensatrix, Defender
of the Faith. The abbreviated Latin inscription on our
coins is ElizabethIIDGREGFD.
ORIGINS OF ROYALTY
Many of the ancient Kings and Emperors in biblical times, and heathen Roman Emperors
in classical times, were considered divine, so the concept of authority coming from gods
was widespread. But in the context of the Bible, the King or Queen receives authority
from the one God. In the early years after deliverance from the Egyptians by Moses and
his successor, Joshua, the Israelites were governed by warrior administrators called
Judges. Pious as some of these were, governance was erratic and the people demanded
Kings, so God, through the Prophets, let the people have them, starting with Saul,
followed by David and his successors, among them Jesus, the ultimate King.
CHRISTIAN RULERS
In the New Testament, St Peter writes in his Epistle, 1 Peter 2:13-20, Christians are
admonished to “accept the authority of every human institution,” even that of a heathen
Emperor and his officers. Likewise, St Paul in Romans 13:1-7 writes, “Let every person be
subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those
authorities that exist have been instituted by God……. For the same reason you also pay
taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing.” And Jesus Himself
says in Matthew 22:15-22, … “Give therefore to the Emperor the things that are the
Emperor’s, and to God, the things that are God’s.”
Consequently the Church, led by the Popes, endorsed a succession of Emperors
beginning with Constantine and the Eastern Emperors, followed by Charlemagne and the
subsequent Holy Roman Emperors together with other Christian Kings in the ensuing
centuries. These texts demonstrated that the monarch ruled by divine right and that all
power in the kingdom was channelled from God through the sovereign, and that all and
any power wielded by the King’s subjects came from the King, only by the Grace of God.
Where sovereigns are concerned, “Dei Gratia” is not permission from God to do
whatever they want, but rather an awesome responsibility to guide their peoples
according to God’s will. Over the centuries this authority has sometimes been abused
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and as a result, some surviving or re-established monarchies in modern times have had
to add, “and by the will of the people or nation.” In mediaeval Roman Catholic
jurisprudence, the monarch was nevertheless subject to natural and divine law, and for
the worst of abuses of power, Thomas Aquinas wrote, “When there is no recourse to a
superior by whom judgement can be made about an invader, then he who slays a tyrant
to liberate his fatherland is praised and receives a reward.” This process was referred to
as extra-legal tyrannicide and had to be ratified by the Pope.
THE REFORMATION IN EUROPE
In France, the Huguenot clergy and nobles, having ousted the Catholic Church and the
Pope, were left with a King without check on his powers. Likewise, in England, the
Church was the creature of the King who had absolute power. The paradoxical advantage
of Papal authority was that it put some measure of a check on the power of Emperors
and Kings. However, much of the symbolism of monarchy in England remained Catholic
in origin, and the Coronation service of Edgar of Wessex in 959, devised by St Dunstan,
forms the basis of the modern ceremony. The real power of the monarchy was all but
suppressed in the “Glorious” Whig Revolution of 1688-89 which expelled James II from
the throne.
DEFENDER OF THE FAITH OR FIDEI DEFENSATRIX
This style reflects the Queen’s position as the Supreme Governor of the Church of
England. As such, she is technically superior to the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was first
granted to Henry VIII in 1521 by Pope Leo X in recognition of his book, “Defense of the
Seven Sacraments,” which, ironically, defended the sacramental nature of marriage and
the supremacy of the Pope! The style was revoked in 1530 following his decision to
break with Rome and he was excommunicated. Then in 1537, King James V of Scotland
was granted the title by Pope Paul III in the hope of keeping James V in the Catholic fold.
In 1544, Henry VIII’s parliament bestowed the title on the king and his successors, who
by this time were defenders of the new Anglican faith, all that is but Mary Tudor, who
during her five-year reign, sought to reintroduce Catholicism. During the Protectorate of
Oliver Cromwell (1653-59), the title was not used, even though the Puritans claimed
divine sanction for their rule.
WHAT A GRANDMOTHER IS . . . essay by an 8 year old
A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own, so she likes other people’s little
girls and boys. A grandfather is a man grandmother. He goes for walks with the boys
and they talk about fishing and tractors.
Grandmothers don’t have to do anything but be there. They are old, so they shouldn’t
play hard or run. They wear glasses and can take their teeth and gums off.
They don’t have to be clever, only answer questions like why dogs hate cats and why God
isn’t married. When they read to us, they don’t skip bits or mind if its the same story
over again.
Everybody should have one, especially if you don’t have television, because
grandmothers are the only grown-ups who have the time.
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Affirming Catholicism
by Derek Jay
Derek Jay is a Reader at St Paul's, Clifton.
Derek is a retired teacher of Religious
Education, a trade union representative
and
fo r m e r
chair
of
South
Gloucestershire’s Standing Advisory
Council for RE. He has been an LLM (aka
Lay Reader) at St. Paul’s since 1995 and
now focuses on his work as a spiritual
director and is secretary of the local
branch of the Council of Christians and
Jews.
The catholic revival within the Church of England
flowed from the Oxford Movement and led to
the centrality of the Eucharist, celebrated with a
sense of awe and mystery, as the normal Sunday service and to the practice of ‘going to
confession’. There were ‘extreme’ churches that copied Roman Catholic practice and many
more ‘moderate’ parishes that were loyally Anglican.
During the latter half of the Twentieth Century, Anglo Catholicism became negative and
rigid, known more for what is opposed than what is affirmed. The United Church of South
India, Anglican-Methodist unity and the ordination of women were seen as threats and
many Anglo Catholics retreated into a ghetto of the like-minded and had little to do with
the rest of the Church; a very uncatholic stance.
Following an article in the Church Times in which Bishop Richard Holloway lamented the
fossilisation of Anglo Catholicism, Bishop Rowan Williams spoke to a conference in St
Alban’s Holborn in June 1990, calling for Anglo Catholics to affirm tradition ‘in its proper
and fullest sense,’ not as a ‘lifeboat in which to escape the present’ but as a ‘crucible in
which the experiment of Christian life is constantly tested’.
Affirming Catholicism grew from the conference as an educational charity. It seeks to
foster disciplined prayer and spiritual direction amongst its members and in the wider
Anglican Communion. Wishing to get away from the ‘Father knows best’ tradition of some
parishes it tries to enable lay people to have a questioning faith that they can articulate to
enquirers. We believe it essential to bridge the gap between the theology taught in
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universities and that preached in the pulpit and to ensure that ‘outsiders’ can meet a faith
that is broader than the fundamentalism they are most likely to encounter.
It also encourages inspiring worship. In a post-modern age where symbols communicate
more effectively than the written word, we need liturgy that communicates ‘the beauty of
holiness’ and involves all our senses, whilst avoiding ceremonial that is either stiff and
formal or sloppy.
We seek the visible unity of the currently fragmented Church. In the past catholically
minded Anglicans have seen themselves as a bridge between Rome and the Orthodox on
the one hand and Protestantism on the other. The stumbling block has been the insistence
of a particular understanding of episcopacy based on tactile succession. Whilst we believe
that our Anglican style of episcopacy, which has retained the ‘apostolic succession’ and has
a dispersed authority in contrast to the highly centralised Roman catholic model, we
recognise that other churches have gifts to offer us and we wish to proceed with moves
towards church unity which may involve anomalies in the short-term.
Catholicism is, by definition, universal, yet many of our parish churches are monochromely
middle class and middle-aged. Outsiders view us as self-righteous but, as Michael Marshall
pointed out, ‘the acid test of a truly Catholic Christianity is that it seeks not to make good
people better but bad people holy’. We encourage churches to be welcoming and inclusive.
Most non-Christians encounter Christianity as a call to accept Jesus as their ‘personal
saviour’. Whilst affirming the need for personal commitment, we emphasise the social
nature of the gospel. Many pioneer priests of the catholic revival went to work in inner-city
parishes and soon realised that it was not enough to offer charity as a sticking plaster over
wounds but to seek to change the social structures which caused the wounds. In a climate
where many Christians equate ‘morality’ solely with issues of sexuality, we encourage a
wider involvement in social and moral concerns, such as third world poverty and the
environment, through political parties and pressure groups.
Our membership includes those who identify themselves as ‘Anglo Catholics’ but who do
not share the current pathological obsession with women priests, Rome and sexuality
issues and who want to remain Anglican. Other members are ‘broad’ Anglicans who seek a
Church that is open to new insights from scholarship and from other traditions. We also
have some evangelical members who are concerned about the trend towards
fundamentalism and who embrace a wider vision of what salvation entails.
We further our aims through publications; booklets for the ‘educated lay person’ and
tabloid newsletters, through local groups and conferences. The Movement has grown from
the Church of England to Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia and
Sri Lanka.
As a Reader I have found ample scope within the movement for using my gifts. I convened
the Bristol diocesan group at a time when lay people chairing church meetings were
unusual and organised conferences on liturgy, sexuality and ministry. I have also addressed
local house groups and currently was the first web keeper of our website.
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Newman said, ‘To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.’ It is our
hope that the Anglican Communion of the Twenty-first Century will continue to grow in
appreciation of the catholic riches in its heritage and enable Christians to become more
whole.
This article is reproduced with permission from:
https:layreadersbookreviews.wordpress.com/2013/10/19/affirming-catholicism
It originally appeared in 'The Reader'
see: www.readers.cofe.anglican.org/crc_docs.php?5
Meet
David and Edna Tipping
On 19th May 2016 David and Edna were
privileged to attend the Royal Garden
Party at Buckingham Palace by invitation
of Her Majesty the Queen. They were
nominated for their voluntary work in the
community over many years.
They said it had been a very enjoyable
experience and had met some very
friendly people from different parts of
the country. They found it interesting to
hear why people had been invited and to learn about the charities and organisations
with which they were involved.
In Cobham: Since the establishment of the Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust
in 2005, David has been the Vice-Chairman and Edna has been the Membership
Secretary. They have contributed much expertise and energy, as this organisation has
grown to over 1,000 members. They are both on the Trust’s Heritage Day Committee
where Edna has specific responsibility for the stalls and activities. She is also a
volunteer at the new Cedar Centre. David served as an Elmbridge Borough Councillor
for Cobham and Downside Ward for four years, with a particular interest in local
planning. They were involved in Cobham education issues, and were on the committee
of the 'Save Our School' Action Group during the local school amalgamation plans in
1984/5.
The Church: David was brought up in the Methodist Church and became a Local
Preacher. Edna attended her local Anglican church where she ran the Brownie Pack for
many years. In Cobham they joined St Andrew’s where David is a sidesman. He also
16
keeps the church noticeboards in the town up to date and is on the weekly church
cleaning team. He is a reader and occasionally offers the intercessory prayers for the
congregation. Edna is also a sidesperson and is on the Coffee rota and a helper at Messy
Church. She makes a very important contribution to the united benefice with her
computer skills as one of the Publishers of “Together”, on whom the Editor relies for the
design and colour layout of the magazine.
Career Moves: David was born in Gloucestershire, trained as an apprentice engineer for
five years and then in 1961 began his career with the YMCA as Warden of one of their
Residential Training Centres ‘British Boys for British Farms’. After completing the YMCA
training course he became Assistant Secretary to the Bolton YMCA, where he met Edna.
In 1966 they married and moved to Neath in South Wales, where David was General
Secretary of the YMCA. In 1975 they moved to Cobham and David began work for
Elmbridge Borough Council as Head of Community Services for the Elderly (Age Concern
Elmbridge) with responsibility for Day Centres, Meals on Wheels, Transport and other
welfare initiatives for the elderly. After twenty years in this post he decided to take early
retirement in 1995, and took a part time job at Wisley Gardens and then the Walton
Health Centre.
Edna was born in Bolton and took a Commercial Studies course at school, which led to
her first job with British Railways in Manchester and subsequently as Secretary to the
Chairman of a local engineering company, where she worked until her marriage and
move to Cobham. They have two sons, Nigel and Andrew, and Edna initially worked
part-time, as Secretary to the Surrey Chief Probation Officer in Walton on Thames and
later to the Chairman of the North West Surrey Health Authority at St Peter's Hospital.
For 18 years she worked full time at Logica as a Divisional Administrator based in
Cobham Park and then Leatherhead before retiring in 2001.
Edna and David are well known in Cobham and many appreciate their willing help and
kindness. They enjoy holidays in St David’s on the peaceful coast of Pembrokshire. They
are both keen gardeners and Edna enjoys needlework. They are supportive grandparents
to Thomas and Harry who live nearby in Weybridge, and Aimee and Sam in Essex.
Smiling is infectious
You catch it like the flu
When someone smiled at me today
I started smiling too
I walked around the corner
And someone saw me grin
When he smiled I realised
I had passed it on to him
I thought about the smile
And then realised its worth
A single smile like mine
Could travel round the earth
So if you feel a smile begin
Don't leave it undetected
Start an epidemic
And get the world infected.
Author Unknown
17
SUCCESS
FOR THE
ECO COMMITTEE
from Clive Moorman
I am very pleased to let everybody know that we are still an Eco-congregation, as
recently verified and confirmed following an audit in March by A Rocha, a Christian
charity working for the protection and restoration of the natural world. You will
remember that I had advised everyone that we were working towards having the Ecocongregation award, gained in 2013, renewed. This involved us collecting together all
the eco initiatives that we had developed since the original award and documenting
them to show that we are building on our previous work and that we have continued
to develop that work for the future.
The assessor (Anne Martin) from A Rocha was very impressed with all the work we
have done and even picked out some of our initiatives to take back to her own church.
This was very pleasing, as a key part of our role is to raise awareness of eco concerns,
so that our youth and all our congregation understand the issues and can make
informed choices about their decisions and the potential impact on ‘God’s creation’ in
every sense of the word.
Anne picked out for special mention examples of how we get our messages across to
both our children and the wider congregation. She said “They may be congratulated
for commitment and breadth of engagement on ecological concerns, for creativity in
finding new ways to follow through the agenda, such as the Vegetarian Master Chef
Supper, and for the impressive children and youth work. St Andrew’s has been
promoting ecological awareness for some 5-6 years and it seems no exaggeration to
say that awareness has penetrated every aspect of church life, and was being
continually deepened.”
So this is a fantastic result
for us as an eco-team, the
children and youth team,
the PCC and other
committees and for the
whole congregation for
supporting us in the
various initiatives we get
involved in.
We now have a new
plaque and hope to
mount this just below the
current plaque.
18
FAVOURITE BIBLE VERSES from Clive Moorman
Psalm 23 King James Version
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's
sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for
thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest
my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell
in the house of the LORD for ever.
The reason this is my favourite is that I find it both inspirational and comforting. I
think that it has an 'eco' content in the idea of 'green pastures' which to me means
more than grass and still waters, not just about water but about an inner stillness. It
tells me that on our journey there will be many false prophets, but in the end I can
have faith that God will guide us on the path he has chosen for us and all will be well.
Shakespeare in the City
from Anna Stribley
A number of
people from
St Mary’s and
St Andrew’s
participated
recently in a
walk in the
City of London led by City Tour Guide
(and St Mary’s Guide), Stephen Chater,
to raise funds for both churches. This
year marks the 400th anniversary of the
death of William Shakespeare in 1616,
and many activities are taking place in
connection with this throughout the
country, but primarily in London and
Stratford.
Stephen began by explaining
Shakespeare’s reputation was
especially high in the century following his
death. For example, Samuel Pepys was
very critical of Shakespeare’s plays in his
Diary. It was largely through the efforts of,
for example, Samuel Johnson and David
Garrick that his reputation recovered.
There is very little surviving hard evidence
of Shakespeare’s years in London. There
are no surviving documents written by
Shakespeare, and what little is known
provides evidence of him being a
successful businessman rather than a
prominent actor and playwright. Having
admired the bust of Shakespeare outside
the Guildhall Art Gallery, we moved on to
view the memorial to Shakespeare’s
colleagues who were responsible for
publishing the First Folio in 1623.
that
not
19
Blackfriars theatre. From there, we
worked our way through the precincts of
the former Blackfriars priory to the site of
the Blackfriars theatre itself, where we
heard why it was that this particular area
attracted actors and artists. Although the
Globe theatre has a much higher profile,
arguably it is the indoor Blackfriars theatre
which had more long-term influence on
the subsequent development of theatres
in England.
Stephen then shepherded us to the
neighbourhood where Shakespeare
lodged with the Huguenot Mountjoy
family. Some years later, he was called as a
witness in a dispute between his former
landlord and another lodger over a dowry
which had not been paid. From that
location we were able to see the
Shakespeare Tower in the Barbican
complex and the tower of St Giles
Cripplegate, where the children of
Shakespeare’s brother Edmund (also an
actor) were baptised.
I was interested in Stephen's explanation
of why Shakespeare reputably left his
“second best bed” to his wife! The “best
bed” would have been reserved for
guests, and so the “second best” would
have been the marital bed and therefore
not such an unusual bequest as we might
imagine!
Passing by the sites of the Mermaid
Tavern and Paul’s Cross (where a
succession of Puritan divines preached
against the theatres and the acting
profession generally), we reached Carter
Lane. The only surviving letter written to
Shakespeare was composed in a tavern on
this site. However, even in this case, we
heard that the story was not entirely
straightforward.
In the City, churchyards and gardens
provide a haven for birds, butterflies and
other wildlife. The city gardens we visited
were small but well cared for and certainly
attracted wildlife. We heard a wren
singing loudly in one small garden and in
St Paul’s Cathedral garden a blackbird sang
melodiously. There were also gulls atop
tall buildings and I also heard a crow. It
was wonderful to come across small
areas of green amongst the bustling life
of the City, providing an important
habitat for wildlife, and tranquil spots to
be enjoyed by workers and visitors alike.
Around the corner, we found the site of
the only property to have been owned by
Shakespeare in London, in the area of the
former Blackfriars Gatehouse, which
would have been very convenient for the
It was a privilege to be able to
experience echoes of the life of
arguably the world’s leading playwright,
but it is also clear how little hard
evidence remains and how elusive
Shakespeare the man continues to be. I
am sure we would all like to thank
Stephen for such an interesting and
informative tour.
Interior of Blackfriars Theatre 1596
20
Gift Aid: the benefits, but also the traps
by Leonard Beighton
Secretary, St Andrew’s PCC, and many moons ago a member of the Inland Revenue
The Benefits of Gift Aid
Gift Aid has brought considerable advantages for charities, including of course St
Andrew’s and St Mary’s. It is very much more flexible than the former system of
charitable covenants which it replaced in 2000.
In essence, when a taxpayer makes a gift to a charity under Gift Aid, the basic rate tax
which he or she paid on that income is transferred to the charity which can then claim
repayment of it. So, if a taxpayer gives £80 to a charity, then the charity can claim back
the basic rate tax of £20 associated with it, making the gift worth £100 in the hands of
the charity. Moreover, if the donor is a higher rate taxpayer, he or she can claim the
higher rate tax, also of £20, so that the cost of the gift to him or her is £60 (indeed £55
for those whose income is such that they pay additional rate tax).
Both St Andrew’s and St Mary’s have benefited greatly from Gift Aid – and will do so all
the more if every time a taxpayer makes a donation, of whatever size and whether in a
collection bag or otherwise, he or she does so in a yellow envelope for St Andrew’s or a
green one for St Mary’s. The donor has to give his or her name and address on the
envelope. All too often we receive blank envelopes and then the opportunity to claim
the gift aid is lost.
The Traps
However if a donor does not pay tax, there is no tax associated with the income out of
which the gift is paid which the charity can reclaim under Gift Aid. (There is a separate
scheme for cash donations, but that is not something which I need pursue here.)
There is an increasing number of people who do not pay income tax. I shall do my best
to explain why as simply as possible.
First, there has been a steady increase in the personal allowance so that it is now
£11,000. Second, last year the starting rate of tax on savings income was reduced to 0%
on the first £5,000 of savings income where the taxpayer’s total income is under a limit
which is now £16,000.
Then there have been a number of changes which take effect this year. The first £1,000
of interest is now paid tax free to every basic rate taxpayer, as is the first £5,000 of
dividend income. And the tax credit attached to dividends has been abolished, so that
it can no longer be used to set against the tax on Gift Aid donations. If a non-taxpayer
makes a gift saying that it is under Gift Aid and the charity claims the tax, then he or
she - not the charity - is liable to pay back to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
(HMRC) the tax which has been wrongly claimed. It is important therefore that, if you
do not pay tax, you do not state that your gifts are made under Gift Aid.
21
It may be that a number of years ago you started a regular donation to St Andrew’s or St
Mary’s at a time when you were paying tax, in which case we shall continue to claim the
Gift Aid on it until and unless you tell us that you are no longer a taxpayer. So please let
your church Treasurer know if you are no longer paying tax. HMRC are collecting
increasing amounts of incorrectly claimed Gift Aid - in 2015 almost £1 million.
Conclusion
•
All donations to our churches are most welcome.
•
Taxpayers – please make your donations under Gift Aid.
•
Non-taxpayers – please let us know if you no longer pay tax, and please don’t claim
that your donations are made under Gift Aid.
The Way through the Woods
They shut the road through the woods
Seventy years ago.
Weather and rain have undone it again,
And now you would never know
There was once a road through the woods
Before they planted the trees.
It is underneath the coppice and heath
And the thin anenomes.
Only the keeper sees
That, where the ring-dove broods,
And the badgers roll at ease,
There was once a road through the woods.
Yet, if you enter the woods
Of a summer evening late
When the night air cools on the trout-ringed pools
Where the otter whistles his mate,
(They fear not men in the woods,
Because they see so few.)
You will hear the beat of a horse’s feet,
And the swish of a skirt in the dew,
Steadily cantering through
The misty solitudes,
As though they perfectly knew
The old lost road through the woods…
But there is no road through the woods.
22
Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936
Summer School 2016 explores Abundant Life
Abundant Life offers 15 sessions between 4th - 16th July all
around the diocese – many of them FREE – from a wide
range of contributors offering a Christian vision of abundant
life in the everyday activities of work and rest, art and play,
prayer and friendship, as well as in the bigger picture of
culture, environment and politics.
“We have a really exciting and varied range of content for
this year’s programme ” says organiser the Revd Matt Prior,
discipleship development adviser. “From retired Major
General Tim Cross, speaking on being a confident Christian in
the heat of public life, the former Attorney General the Rt. Hon Dominic Grieve MP, on
the way ahead for Britain after June’s EU referendum, to the leading theologian Mike
Ovey on what understanding God as Trinity has to offer to current debates about human
identity. Local favourites are returning too, such as Julie Gittoes engaging in ‘café
theology’ and Suzette Jones, who’ll be helping us to think positively with disability
during Paralympic year.”
More detail is available online at www.cofeguildford.org.uk/summerschool
CHURCH GUIDES at ST MARY’S
Chartered Accountants &
Tax Specialists
Professional advice for individual
& businesses
More volunteers are needed to keep
the church open in the spring and
summer, from March to October – on
Saturday and Sunday from 2 - 4pm, and
also on Bank Holidays.
On open
afternoons we now put out a sandwich
board at the gates to attract visitors and
we expect more this year. Each Guide is
on duty usually one afternoon per
month. Training is on the job with an
experienced Guide.
Tax Services
•
Tax Planning & Compliance
•
Tax Returns
•
Self Assessment
•
Enquiries, Investigations & Disputes
Accounting Services
•
Business Start-ups
•
Management Accounting
•
Book keeping and Pay roll
•
Business Development and Planning
If you would like to learn more about St
Mary’s special brasses and unusual
history and to share your enthusiasm
with our visitors, contact the organiser,
Edwin Bell.
Investigation Cover FREE OF CHARGE to all new
clients for the first year.
CALL 01932 336149
Robert Hewitt FCA FABRP
or Sharon Brayne ACCA CTA
Email: [email protected] or call the
Parish Office 01932 866005.
www.gibsonhewitt.co.uk
5 Park Court, Pyrford Road, West Byfleet
KT14 6SD
23
Jeffries Carpets & Flooring
01932 864215
www.jeffriescarpets.com
48 years in Cobham
Carpet/Amtico/Karndean/Wood/Vinyls
Free quotations. Home visits with samples
Please note our new showroom address : 51 High Street, Cobham KT11 3DP
24
25
DORKING FLOORS LTD
The Flooring Specialists
Wood Floors, Cork, Karndean, Vinyl,
Sanding & Sealing
All work carried out is covered by
our Five Year Fair Wear and Tear
Guarantee
All installations completed by
our own trained staff
Contact:
Dorking Floors Ltd
324 High Street, Dorking,
Surrey RH4 1QX
Tel: 01306 883388 / 882343
email: [email protected]
Visit: www.dorkingfloors.co.uk
26
June
Wednesday 1st
Time
St Andrew’s
9am
7pm
Morning Prayer
14+ Youth Club
Time
Thursday 2nd
Friday 3
rd
10.30am
7pm
Holy Communion
Prayer Stations ‘Thy Kingdom Come’
Saturday 4th
3pm
Wedding
Sunday 5th
8am
10am
Holy Communion
Parish Communion
9am
Morning Prayer
Wednesday 8
9am
10.30am
7pm
Morning Prayer
Baby Talk
14+ Youth Club
Thursday 9th
8pm
Prayer & Praise
Tuesday 7th
th
th
Friday 10
10.30am
12 noon
Holy Communion
Lunch Club
Sunday 12th
8am
10.30am
12noon
6pm
Holy Communion
Family Service
Picnic on Leg O’ Mutton Field
SAY IT’s Sunday
Tuesday 14th
9am
8pm
Wednesday 15th
Thursday 16th
Friday 17th
Sunday 19
9am
10.30am
7pm
8pm
10.30am
th
Tuesday 21st
Wednesday 22nd
Thursday 23rd
th
Friday 24
th
Sunday 26
1st Sunday after Trinity
Morning Prayer
10am
Parish Prayers
8am
10am
6pm
Holy Communion
Choral Eucharist
Evensong
9am
Morning Prayer
8am
10am
6pm
Holy Communion
Parish Eucharist
Evensong
Morning Prayer
Baby Talk
14+ Youth Club
PCC Meeting
9am
12.30pm
Morning Prayer
Parish Lunch
8am
10am
11.30am
6pm
Holy Communion
Family Service
Mattins
Evensong
Holy Communion
8am
10am
6pm
Holy Communion
Parish Communion
SAY it's Sunday
9am
7pm
Morning Prayer
Spiritual Cinema ‘The Lady in the Van’
9am
10.30am
7pm
3.45pm
Morning Prayer
Baby Talk
14+ Youth Club
Messy Church (URC)
10.30am
Holy Communion
8am
10am
12 noon
12.15pm
6pm
Holy Communion
Signs of His Love
Parish BBQ
Holy Baptism
SAY IT’s Sunday
9am
Morning Prayer
Wednesday 29th
9am
Morning Prayer
2pm
Mothers’ Union
Thursday 30
9am
Morning Prayer
Difficult Questions ‘EU Referendum’
Tuesday 28th
th
St Mary’s
9am
Morning Prayer
8am
10am
6pm
Holy Communion
Parish Eucharist
Evensong
10.30an
Holy Communion
9am
27
Morning Prayer
The Clock in St Andrew’s Tower
You may have noticed that the church clock hands were
showing 4 o’clock for a period recently. This clock is over
120 years old and has the same style of escapement that
Dent, the clock manufacturer, installed in Big Ben. It was in
need of repair, so Peter Ostley, Captain of the Bell Tower,
arranged for the some of the badly worn parts, including
the gravity arms and bush bearings, to be sent to the
specialist workshops of Smith of Derby Ltd. The price for
the necessary works is £1,188.00 plus VAT. This has been
generously funded by St Andrew’s Ringers from their
funds, which are provided by fees for ringing at weddings.
photo David Greenwood
The Clock Works
The clock was donated to St Andrew’s in 1893 by a parishioner, Mrs Macaulay, in memory of
her husband Jasper. Installed by Thwaites and Reed, it replaced an old clock and this
donation is recorded on a brass tablet in the belfry. The blue face was regilded in 1998, and in
2009 the clock was fitted with a modern electronic unit. This was the generous gift of Jenny
Vickers in memory of her mother and father, as shown on a memorial plaque. It is a model
C270 Controller, which controls the clock striking each hour and quarter hour. The accuracy
of the clock is checked by adjusting the length of the pendulum by hand. The Controller has a
digital clock read-out, with keyboard and screen, so that alternative programmes can be
installed.
The Steeplekeeper
James McMillan has been the Steeplekeeper for the past ten years and recently stood
down. The Steeplekeeper is responsible for the maintenance of the bell ropes, bell stays,
slide bars and oiling the clock bearings. When the GMT/BST changes occur he has to
advance or put back the clock by one hour by hand, using a spanner on the cam wheel on
the side of the clock. When required he also places the leather muffles on the bells for
Good Friday and Remembrance Sunday. These are fitted to one side of the clapper. The
resultant sound changes in that the alternate strikes of the bell are open first and then
dulled down by the muffle. St Andrew’s is grateful to James for his long and expert
service to ensure that the clock shows the time for us and that we are summoned by bells
on Sundays. Tierran Ostley, an experienced ringer, has been assisting James for several
years and has now taken on the regular work of the Steeplekeeper.
St Andrew’s Ringers
Over the years St Andrew’s Ringers have raised substantial funds for the continuous
maintenance of the clock and the bells in the Tower. The works have included: installing a
new steel frame incorporating a ring of eight bells, removing and refurbishing the two clock
faces, repairing part of the Tower stone work and providing new bell ropes when necessary.
We appreciate their consistent care for this vital part of the fabric of our church. To support
the diocese the PCC makes an annual donation to the Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell
Ringers.
Printed by Dyer & Son28Limited, Leatherhead