st. john baptist claines - clainesfriends.org.ukclainesfriends.org.uk/parish magazine - november...
TRANSCRIPT
ST. JOHN BAPTIST CLAINES
November 2017
50p
£4.50 a class
MON 9.30am – Ombersley Mem. Hall MON 6.30pm – Claines Church Hall TUES 6.30pm – Martley Village Mem Hall TUES 7.35pm – Martley Village Mem Hall WEDS 9.30am – Hallow Parish Hall WEDS 6pm – St Martin’s Church Hall THUR 7pm - Leigh & Bransford Hall FRI 10am – Martley Village Mem Hall
Zumba GOLD class (less active): WED 2-3pm St. Mark's Hall, Bath Road
Suitable for all No experience needed www.judymaund.zumba.com for map and more details Contact Jude on: 01905 356281 / 07948356894 [email protected] No need to book, just turn up
MOBILE VALETING FOR CARS, CARAVANS AND VANS
We come to your home or work and offer just a wash and a vac or
complete full valet.
Professional services provided by Car-a-Val on 01905 456732 or 07831 444992. You can visit our website at car-a-val.co.uk.
2 Hurst Lane, Fernhill Heath Worcester WR3 8RR Tel 01905 756074 Mobile 07899 948596
Gary M Barnes, Gas Safe Registered (Reg 30917) Qualified and Experienced Plumbing/Heating Engineer Service & Installation of Gas Central Heating and Gas Fires All aspects of Plumbing, Bathroom Fitting and Tiling, Kitchen Equipment Competitive Prices ● Friendly Service ● Estimates Free
ESTABLISHED 1895
GEORGE CRUMP & SON FUNERAL DIRECTORS
(Prop: Michael J. Crump) PERSONAL ATTENTION ALWAYS
- also - CRUMPS FLORISTS
Flowers for all Occasions
33 HANBURY ROAD DROITWICH
TEL: 01905 773339
E.J.GUMERY & SON ♦ Funeral Directors ♦
♦ Independent, Family Funeral Directors
♦ Established 1870 ♦ Helpful & Efficient Personal
Service Tel: 01905 22094
24 HOURS 68,70 & 72 Ombersley Road,
Worcester WR3 7EU www.ejgumery.co.uk
Email:[email protected]
A. V. BAND LTD St. Nicholas Street and Sansome Walk
Funeral Directors
PRIVATE CHAPEL Tel: 01905 22892
G.R.W. DECORATORS PAINTING & DECORATING
INTERIOR & EXTERIOR Gordon Wilcox
63 Dilmore Avenue, Fernhill Heath, Worcester Tel: 01905 454674
‘Reliable Richard’ Gardener & Handyman
Gardening, Painting, Carpentry, etc Honest, Dependable & Local
07723 319 335 [email protected]
SCOUT & GUIDE HQ AVAILABLE For use during the daytime and occasional
weekends. Location -Cornmeadow Lane, Claines, Worcester.
Facilities - Large sports hall, small meeting hall, kitchen and toilet facilities.
For more information please contact: Kelly Maiden - Tel:07884 337265
RON SIMS HEATING & ELECTRICAL SERVICES
GREGORY'S MILL STREET, WORCESTER Installation - Servicing - Repairs
To all Heating Equipment Tel: 01905 25214 or 21572
WORTHINGTONS For all your Cycle, D.I.Y., Hardware Gardening and Electrical Supplies
COME TO WORTHINGTONS
152 Ombersley Road Tel: 01905 451932
Church House Bed & Breakfast
Church House is a working farm, conveniently situated just five minutes from Junction 6 of the M5 motorway and two miles from the centre of the historic city of Worcester. There is an extensive range of good local pubs and restaurants to choose from, with the renowned Mug House, just a two minute walk away.
We welcome all guests, whether your visit to the area is business related, attending one of the numerous cultural or sporting events, or just taking the opportunity to explore this lovely area. We very much look forward to welcoming you. Julia Philips Church House Claines Worcester T: 01905 452366 WR3 7RL M: 07909 968938 email: [email protected] www.churchhousebandb.co.uk
Lavender Beauty Claines’s Beauty Salon
At Bevere Gallery, Bevere, Worcester. Open Mondays to Saturdays, late night Thursdays.
Appointments: 01905 755744 Decléor Treatments * Hot Stone Massage * Silhouette Dermalift and
Diamond Micro Dermabrasion Treatments * Shellac gel nails * Manicures and pedicures * Body Massage * All waxing * Eyebrow shaping and false lashes * Reflexology & Hopi ear candles * Make ups for special occasions.
Special evenings for groups of ladies can be arranged.
Gift vouchers available
Stockist of Mavala and Decléor Products.
Can you guess who
has just seen the activities & events schedule
at Fernhill House?
NURSING | RESIDENTIAL | DEMENTIA | PALLIATIVE
Visit our website for the latest program of events lined up
for our lucky residents, or call to arrange your viewing.
OPENING APRIL 2017
Grange Lane, Fernhill Heath, Worcester WR3 7UR
fernhillhousecare.com
01905 679 300
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LETTER FROM JEAN SMALLWOOD
In my article for the July magazine, I said that I was going to dip my toes into the Sea of Galilee (see footnote below). Well, that didn’t quite come off. It wasn’t because I didn’t have the time, which I didn’t, but because the public beaches were less than spicy and I didn’t want to come home with something quite nasty. The hotels which look out onto a beach do keep their beach clean but of course they are not open to the public. The people of Tiberius are a bit ambivalent about Lake Kinneret, as they call it and obviously don’t hold it in the high regard that we do.
Their attitude started me thinking about things we take for granted. Sunday services, because there always is at least one, is it important that we attend? The role of the PCC, well, there is always someone who will volunteer so need I do it? The Churchwarden, no doubt the Vicar will twist somebody’s arm and as long as it isn’t mine, that’s OK. What a good job Jesus never had this state of mind. Can you imagine him saying “I won’t bother to read the scrolls today, the Synagogue is full of people so somebody will do it” or “yes, well, sometimes poorly people get better without any intervention so I will just ignore their request”?
We are coming up to Advent. This is probably, as well as Lent, a really good time to look at ourself and ask “Do I take things for granted? Because something is there and always has been there and probably always will be there, do I need to do anything about it? “ The answer? Well, use it or lose it comes to mind and also what we have in God and His Son is something so pure and so precious that we have to protect it and not ignore it or take it for granted. Over the last two months I have met people from all over the world. What I have seen time and time again was faith in action.
We too can be part of a powerful movement as long as we remember that faith grows as we use it and every day is a good day to exercise that growth.
It is good to be back with my spiritual family of Claines.
Jean Smallwood Lay Reader Editor's footnote: The Sea of Galilee also known as Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret or Lake Tiberias, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is approximately 33 miles in circumference, about 13 miles long, and 8 miles wide. It has an area of 64.4 sq miles at its fullest, and its maximum depth is approximately 141 feet. at levels between 686-705 feet below sea level. It is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second lowest lake in the world (after the Dead Sea, a saltwater lake). The lake is fed partly by underground springs although its main source is the Jordan River which flows through it from north to south.
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Parish Priest THE REVEREND JO MUSSON
The Vicarage, Claines Lane, Claines, Worcester WR3 7RN T: 01905 780200 E:[email protected]
(normal rest day - Friday)
CURATE Rev Paula Honniball T: 07902 098500 (normal rest days - Thursdays And Fridays)
ASSOCIATE PRIESTS
Rev Jennie Hayward Rev Peter Davies T: 01905 29545 T: 07810 008026 (normal rest day - Wednesday) (normal rest day - Friday)
CHURCHWARDENSRachel Cramp, 11 Willowslea Road, Northwick, Worcester WR3 7QP T: 01905 457749 E: [email protected]
Phil Kear, 1 Hadley Villas, Droitwich Road, Worcester WR3 7SW T: 01905 451099 E: [email protected]
PARISH OFFICE Parish Administrators: Gwen Clifford and John Brady
Claines Church Hall, Cornmeadow Lane, Worcester WR3 7NY Open: Monday-Friday 10am to 1pm
T: 01905 759702 E: [email protected] All enquiries for Baptisms and Weddings should be made to the Parish Office
ABOUT ORGANISATIONS
Children's Ministry: Ann Sansome 01905 754561 [email protected] Little Fish: Pat Price 01905 455514 Little Friends Baby and Toddler Group: Jennifer Chow 07563 509715 Mothers’ Union: Gwen Clifford 01905 451574 LinC Lunches: Pat Harris 01905 451305 Church Hall and Institute bookings: Katrina Boucher 01905 759215 Magazine Distribution Secretary: Margaret Sturdy 01905 456624
CLAINES ON THE INTERNET Keep up to date with news about Claines on
Website address: www.clainesfriends.org.uk
MAGAZINE ARTICLES
Please let me have articles by 10th of the month prior to publication. Editor and Treasurer: Stephen Taylor, The Crest, 257 Droitwich Road, Fernhill Heath, Worcester WR3 7UH T: 01905 457165 E: [email protected]
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PARISH CALENDAR - NOVEMBER Thursday 2 10.30am
12.30pm Holy Communion Funeral in church
Saturday 4 9.30am 10am-4.30pm
Choir Practice in church Festival of Healing and Wholeness at Worcester Cathedral
Sunday 5 4th Sunday before Advent 8am 11am 6.30pm
Traditional Holy Communion Choral Eucharist Evening Prayer
Monday 6 7.30pm Ministry Team Meeting in the Vicarage Tuesday 7 10.00am
12-2pm
Little Friends, Baby and Toddler Group, in Claines Parish Hall Deanery Clergy Chapter meet in Vicarage with Bishop Graham
Wednesday 8 7pm 7.30pm
Woden Cubs Group meet in Church Mothers’ Union meet in Institute
Thursday 9 10.30am Holy CommunionFriday 10 10.30am Claines School Remembrance Service in
Church Saturday 11 9.30am
12.30pm Choir Practice in Church LinC Lunch in Claines Parish Hall
Sunday 12 RemembranceSunday 8am 10.40am 11am 6pm 6.30pm
Traditional Holy Communion Gathering at the War Memorial Remembrance Service Youth Group in Claines Parish Hall Contemplative Communion
Monday 13 2.30pm North Worcester Churches Group at St Stephen's
Tuesday 14 9.30am 10am 7.30pm
Kingdom Arts at St George’s Church Stay ‘n Play, Baby & Toddler Group in Claines Parish Hall Celebration of Ministry Service at St Barnabas' Church
Wednesday 15 7.30pm Pilgrim Group in the Vicarage Thursday 16 10.30am Holy Communion Saturday 18
7.30pm Messy Church Discipleship Day at Top Barn Volante Strings Concert at St George’s
Sunday 19 2nd Sundaybefore Advent 8am 11am 6.30pm
Traditional Holy Communion Parish Communion Choral Evensong
Tuesday 21 10am Little Fish, Baby & Toddler Group, in Claines Parish Hall
Wednesday 22 4pm 7.30pm
AMG Meeting in Vicarage Pilgrim Course in Vicarage
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Thursday 23 10am 10.30am 7.30pm
Noah’s Ark, Baby & Toddler Group, at St George’s Church Holy Communion Diocesan Synod meet
Friday 24 12.30-3pm Quiet Garden Afternoon at St George’s Church Saturday 25 9.30am
11am-2pm 2pm-4pm 7pm
Choir Practice Christmas Fayre at St George’s Table Top Sale in Claines Parish Hall Quiz and Fish & Chip Supper in Claines Parish Hall
Sunday 26 Christ the King8am 11am 1pm 6pm 6.30pm
Traditional Holy Communion Celebration Communion Holy Baptism Youth Group Christmas Party in Claines Parish Hall Celtic Worship
Monday 27 Deanery Finance Committee & Parish Treasurers Meeting
Tuesday 28 10am 2pm
Stay ‘n Play, Baby & Toddler Group, in Claines Parish Hall Quest in Claines Parish Hall
Wednesday 29 7.30pm PCC Meeting in Institute Thursday 30 10.30am Holy Communion LOOKING AHEAD Sunday 3 December - Christingle Service at Claines Church, 4.30pm Sunday 10 December - Carol Service at Claines, 6.30pm Saturday 16 December - Christmassy Coffee/Tea Drop-in in Parish Hall 9am-12noon
- Carol Singing at the Big Co-Op, Ombersley Road, 10am-12noon - Christmas Messy Church at St George’s 10am-1pm Friday 22 December - Beer and Carols at The Mug, 7.30pm, New Inn, 8.30pm all welcome Christmas Eve - Crib Service at Claines at 2.30pm and 4.30pm New Year’s Eve - Carols and Readings for the New Year at Claines Church, 6.30pm
PARISH REGISTERS Holy Baptism 1 October Millie Peta Lambert Hattie Georgia Lambert 22 October Annie Rose Taylor Lyra Jeannie-Rose Bibby Aurora Dorothy Anne Bibby Christian Burial and Cremation 1 October Brian Axten aged 83 years
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LITTLE FISH
Bumps, babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers –
everybody welcome Light refreshments and the chance to
have a chat! Tuesday 21st November
10.00-11.15am Joshua and the Big Battle
ADVENT FAIR
A specially selected group of sellers will help you prepare for the festive season during our advent fair at the parish hall on the afternoon of Saturday, 25th November, 2-4 p.m. Come along with the entire family to browse unique and appealing gifts in the heart of your community. Our stalls will feature jewellery, cosmetics, handmade baby items, books, confectionery, and much more. Mothers' Union will join us with a cake stall and we'll also have refreshments available to enjoy in our cafe corner. This fundraising event is being organised by the Little Friends team and will benefit our new outdoor play area at the parish hall. Please come along and support our efforts at this lovely afternoon of shopping and socialising - you're sure to see a friendly neighbour or two and you may find the perfect gift you didn't know you were looking for. For more information or to donate tombola prizes, please speak with Jan Hayden or Jennifer Chow (Little Friends contact number in front of magazine).
Jennifer Chow
CASS I promised you another interesting evening at our meeting on Wednesday 4th October and I don't think I let you down, or should I say our speaker secretaries came up trumps again with Anthony Collis's talk on Swinging Ladies. Who would have thought it was about pub signs. It was so nice to hear members joining in when he asked questions and knowing so many signs. It showed how many of us remember these old pubs or maybe visited them around the country. I hope you will all be able to join us at our meeting on Wednesday November 1st and bring a friend with you. This is an open meeting when we have Linda Marshall with her jewellery stall and also Shirley Tansell with her keepsake boxes. There will be plenty going on while you enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. Please make an effort to be with us as the ladies have put a lot work into it. Also, don't forget to bring along your annual meal forms and payment.
Jill Cale
The speaker at our October meeting was Cathy Jones. Cathy suffers with multiple sclerosis and is wheelchair bound but, accompanied by her husband, she is a busy speaker around Worcestershire. Cathy was born on the Isle of Man and her talks about the island and island folk are fascinating. She talked to our members about the part the island played during the two World Wars. Although the island was not technically part of the UK during WW1, the UK government interned male citizens from Germany, Austria and Turkey on the island. They
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lived in several large camps built around this small island. During World War II the island was also used for the internment of civilian enemy aliens, both male and female and also children. This time the UK government commandeered hotels and boarding houses in Douglas and the other seaside towns. Barbed wire fences and military guards were familiar sites surrounding the male accommodation. Families were not allowed to live together. The internees, however, worked on farms on the island. The camps ceased to be in operation in 1945. Although the majority of the internees left the island, some remained and settled into island life. Joseph Pilates was a WW1 internee and during his stay developed his regime of muscle strengthening exercises that we are familiar with today. Our meeting in November is on Wednesday November 8 at 7.30pm in the Institute when we will learn all about Hounds for Heroes. Everyone is welcome at our meetings and please call at our cake stall in the Parish Hall on Saturday 25 November between 2-4pm.
Gwen Clifford
L☺VE IN A SH☺E-BOX - SAMARITANS PURSE 2☺17
The world's largest Christmas project of its kind, Operation Christmas Child, uses gift-filled shoeboxes to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Since 1993, the Samaritan's Purse project has collected
and delivered more than 146 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories. Last year 11,485,662 gift-filled shoeboxes were distributed. We would once again like to encourage anyone who does not already have a school or other collection-point, to prepare their shoeboxes and bring them to Church. So Soon? The logistics of collecting and packing freight into lorries and aircraft for delivery and distribution means shoeboxes need to be ready early. Time to grab one of our boy/girl labels, a shoebox, and brush up your wrapping skills with some cheerful wrapping-paper. Not so good at wrapping a shoebox ? No, it isn’t as easy as it looks, so If that’s not for you, we have some "flat-pack" easy-to-assemble pre-decorated boxes. Or perhaps you could make a donation towards the contents of someone’s shoebox, or the freight cost of £5 ? To meet the Samaritans Purse collection date, could you please bring your shoeboxes to Church no later than Sunday 5th November.
Why £5?
A suggested donation of £5 for each shoebox is requested by Samaritan's Purse. It covers collection via 1,000's of volunteers; processing at over 100 centres in readiness for export; shipping, and training for local overseas project teams.
https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/follow-your-box-donation/
Mike Rees
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BACK FROM THE DEEP PART 1
This year reader Jean Smallwood spent two months in a Greek Orthodox Pilgrim Centre in Magdala, an archaeological site in Tiberius. Jean is now back safe and sound and recounts her experiences over the next two magazines. Magdala is where Mary the disciple of Jesus lived, where Jesus healed the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years and where Jairus’ daughter was brought back from the dead. "Well, no, I didn’t make it into the Sea of Galilee because the public beaches around Tiberius were not that savoury (we take care of Lake Windermere much better than the Sea of Galilee is cared for) but I did trail my hand in it on two occasions when we had our hour of prayer in a tiny boat on the Sea at half past eight at night. One of the nights when this happened was the night of the lunar eclipse and that was so atmospheric, but anyway that was the closest I got to “holy water”. How can I best describe my time in the Galilee? Well, broken up into food and accommodation. I didn’t live in a “house” I lived in a room, my room. I was lucky that I had a room to myself and it had a window, air-conditioning and shower, toilet and wash basin. Some of the volunteers had windowless rooms, known as the cave and the bat cave. They did have air conditioning and washing facilities but there were four or five people to the room. The food? Well, if I tell you that the majority of the volunteers were in the eighteen to twenty-four age range and came from Mexico, you might guess what the menu looked like. I have pledged that “Doritos” in thick tomato sauce will never darken my kitchen door step and I’ll bet that the producers of Tabasco sauce are wondering why their production is high in
Israel. Please don’t think that I am being unduly hard on the chef as some of the meals were very good but I couldn’t eat a hot spicy meal at one o’clock on a hot afternoon.
I used to go to the local supermarket to buy a bread roll and a slice of cheese or ham, yes, some very tasty ham, and make a sandwich and eat that later in the afternoon. One of the problems with meal times was that I often had a “tour” and so missed the meal time anyway. On my last day as I was about to come home, I told the assistants on the deli-counter, where I had frequently bought “one slice”, that I was leaving and they said “Oh Mrs One-slice! We shall miss you! “This was in English and after I had carefully learned to say “one slice, thank you” in Hebrew. Working on the site. We had very long days. Leaving at 7.15 a.m. and arriving back home at anything up to 6.30 or 6.45 p.m. Yes, we were not busy all of that time but as a guide, I was always available for the booked tours and for the “passing trade” and that was after I had started my day by cleaning the toilets,
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cleaning the perspex cover of the replica Magdala stone and watering the plants. Guiding the tours was usually a pleasure, I say usually because I did have a couple of tours where I did wonder why the people had come. They were not particularly interested in any part of the site but most people were so surprised at the size of the site and the history of Magdala and the development of the site since 2009. Often the group would say that they had forty minutes to look round and it would be they who extended the time and asked questions and lingered over some of the artefacts or spent more time in the Spirituality centre, as known as the Altum. I was always at their disposal and often a discussion would continue as they returned to the ticket office on the way out! It was interesting that Christians and Jewish people became quite emotional about what they were seeing." Part 2 of Jean's article will appear in the next magazine.
Jean Smallwood
Somebody sat in Minnie Hyssop's pew
ARCHERS ACTOR TO VISIT FERNHILL HOUSE
Wednesday November 22 November sees a visit by distinguished actor and broadcaster Graham Seed.
For those fans of the Archers he is best known for his role as the charming and eccentric Nigel Pargetter, whom he played for 27 years until his dramatic exit in January 2011. His numerous credits include: Brideshead Revisited I Claudius Gandhi Jeeves and Wooster Midsomer Murders Coronation Street Dinnerladies The Victoria Wood Sketches (the infamous ‘Trolley’ sketch) Wild Target with Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt He has also had a distinguished stage career.
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He was the recipient of the ‘Broadcaster of the Year Award’ in 2010 and ‘The Voice of the Listener‘ and ‘Viewer Special Award’. Now he’s a regular member of ‘What The Papers Say’ and occasional presenter of ‘Pick of the Week’, both for Radio 4. He also tours his one man show ‘Don’t Call Me Nigel… an Evening with Graham Seed’. You are welcome to attend Graham's talk free of charge at Fernhill House. Be there at 6.00pm for drinks and nibbles. Just let the manager Peta know you would like to go by phoning 01905 679300 or emailing her at [email protected]
Editor
Do you have skills such as DIY, gardening, IT, arts, crafts, music or enjoy spending time getting alongside people? If so would you consider being a Myriad Volunteer? The Myriad Centre is an independent Worcester charity, based in St Georges' Walk, who support young adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Many of the young adults attending the centre have little speech, some are blind, and most need a wheel chair to help them with movement, but it is
amazing what they can do in a supported environment and how rewarding it can be to share some time with them. I have recently become a trustee with Myriad and so enjoy my time at the centre, getting to know the people who attend and their families. The centre acts as a hub for physio and music therapy, arts and crafts, socialising and the learning of further life skills as well coordinating trips out such as swimming, shopping, going to the park, or the theatre or a boat trip up the river Severn. There is also a club for teenagers on Saturdays and additional support for some clients in their own homes. Each person attending the centre has an individual plan of the care that they need which also includes how they can develop further life skills and also any dreams for the future. This could perhaps entail a trip to the top of the Malvern Hills or to a football stadium for example. To enable them to do all these events and more, Myriad are asking for volunteers to help. This could be taking part in the many activities, events and special occasions that are planned through the year, like the open day to celebrate their 10th anniversary in August this year or it could be as simple as helping out at lunchtime and/or spending time alongside those who are attending for the day. If you are interested then please contact Myriad for a chat on 01905 729190 or email [email protected], or speak to myself Jan Butterworth on 01905 615078.
Jan Butterworth
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PEDAL POWER Residents at Fernhill House are looking forward to getting out and about in an unusual way - on a bicycle rickshaw! Fernhill House is running a series of fun fundraising activities to buy the £6,500 vehicle – also known as a trishaw – starting with a sweepstake to predict the winner of this season’s Strictly Come Dancing competition. Home manager Peta Mandleberg, whose colleagues came up with the idea, explained: “We’re all about having fun here and living our lives to the full. We often run days out – to the beach, the races, to stately homes – and have drinks, barbecues and musical events. “We’ve recently acquired an old fashioned ice cream bicycle and that gave us the idea that it would be fun for the residents to sit in the side car and be cycled around the grounds and the village – rather like Wallace and Gromit but with slightly less Wensleydale.”
The idea of enabling residents to take to the nearby highways and byways under pedal power was mooted after staff read about a similar scheme launched in progressive Denmark whose fun and independent approach to retirement living has been a model for Fernhill House.
That project, Cycling without Age, has now spread to more than 30 other countries where some 1,500 trishaws are in use, some of which have elderly friendly features such as lifts, safety belts and specially designed blankets. All money raised will be matched by the home’s owners Majesticare.
Editor
CLAINES CALENDAR 2018 The 2018 calendar is now available at £6. Please contact me on 01905 457165, email: [email protected]. Copies can also be obtained in church, from the Parish Office, Gwillams Farm Shop or Bevere Gallery.
Editor
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WOMEN IN ORDAINED MINISTRY AT RECORD HIGH
The number of people entering training to become priests in the Church of England is at the highest level for a decade with women making up more than half the total, according to new figures released today. A total of 544 men and women began training for ordained ministry this autumn (known as ordinands), an increase of 14% on last year and the highest figure for 10 years, according to statistics from the Ministry Division of the Church of England. Women make up more than half of those entering training, or 274 ordinands, the biggest intake of female ordinands for a decade, and an increase of 19% compared to last year. At the same time, the number of younger ordinands, in the under 32 age group, rose by nearly two fifths, and now accounts for 28% of the total. The figures, covering the period from 2008 to 2017, are published alongside Ministry Statistics for 2016 showing the number of women serving in ordained ministry in the Church of England rose by 7% from 5,310 in 2013, to a record high of 5,690 last year. However women still make up less than a third, or 29%, of the total number of active clergy. The figures have been released as the Church of England steps up efforts to increase the number of candidates for ordination by 50% by 2020 as part of the Renewal and Reform programme, with an emphasis on increasing the number of women and the youthfulness and ethnic diversity of candidates for ordination.
REMEMBERING FORGOTTEN HEROES
Today, 9.4% of British Army personnel are from ethnic minorities. You would never know from reading most history books that Britain’s troops in World War 1 included volunteers from Nigeria, the Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and other African colonies. Many had paid their own way. They have been airbrushed out of the record. Throughout that war, 60,000 Black South African and 120,000 other Africans served in uniformed Labour Units. A separate black unit was formed in 1915: The British West Indies Regiment. By the end of the war, over 15,000 had served in it, from Jamaica and all the Caribbean Colonies. They were paid less than white soldiers and weren’t allowed to fight. They dug trenches, carried and loaded ammunition, laid telephone wires and were stretcher-bearers, often under fire. By the end of the war, 185 had been killed, 700 wounded and over 1,000 had died of illness. Many African and West Indian survivors who had fought for their ‘Mother Country’ decided to make Britain their home. In Cardiff, Liverpool and other cities, they were competing for work and housing and were resented. So-called ‘race riots’ ensued. In 1919, 2,000 white people attacked shops and houses associated with black people in Cardiff’s Tiger Bay. In the same year many black Liverpudlians were sacked from jobs at local oil mills and sugar refineries because whites refused to work alongside them. Charles Wotten, a black ex-soldier was chased into a dock and drowned. The incident was covered up.
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After the riots, no black troops were allowed to take part in London’s Victory Celebrations. Today it would be unthinkable if they were excluded from their rightful place at the Festival of Remembrance on 11th November, or London’s Cenotaph Service and Parade the next day.
ONE OF MY FAVOURITE HYMS
Is it the words or the music that makes this one of my favourite hymns? I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love; the love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, that lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; the love that never falters, the love that pays the price, the love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice. And there's another country, I've heard of long ago most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know; we may not count her armies, we may not see her King; her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering; and soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, and her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace. This well-loved poem/hymn was written nearly 100 years ago, by the then serving British ambassador to the United States of America, Sir Cecil Spring-Rice.
Sir Cecil had served his government abroad for many years, and was preparing to leave Washington on 12th January 1918. The words of his hymn reflect on being a citizen of two countries; his own native land and also the heavenly kingdom. (Phil 3:20) Some six or seven years earlier, when Minister to Sweden, Sir Cecil had first composed a poem entitled Urbs Dei (city of God), in two stanzas. It had expressed a belligerent type of patriotism, glorifying and glamorising war, as well as a vision of that ‘other country’, a vision of gentleness and peace. But then The Great War had come, and by 1918 Sir Cecil had come to see that the only patriotism worth celebrating was the spirit of self-sacrificing love, as expressed in the cross of Christ. In a speech at Ottawa, shortly before he left North America, he said that the Cross was a sign of patience under suffering, but not patience under wrong. The Cross is the banner under which we fight. We are all subjects of the Prince of Peace, who fought the greatest fight ever fought upon this earth, who won the greatest victory, and won it by his blood.’ The poem/hymn was the last thing Sir Cecil ever wrote, as he died suddenly, on 14th February 1918. The tune to the hymn is Thaxted, an adaptation of Gustav Holst (1874 – 1934) from the movement ‘Jupiter’ in his orchestral suite ‘The Planets’, written at Thaxted, Essex, in 1917. I love the words and also the music.
Editor
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Everything you would expect to see in a proper farm shop and fresh fish at
The Fish Emporium Our staff are very friendly & helpful too
Opening times: Shop: Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm The Fish Emporium: Wed, Thurs & Fri 8am - 4.30pm (01905 453337) Sat 8am - 3.00pm
Website: www.gwillamsfarmshop.com Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01905 756490 Ombersley Road, Claines,
Worcester WR3 7RH
The Dog House, Fernhill Heath Canine Care for the Conscientious Owner
Professional dog grooming service Hand stripping expert, clipping and bathing also available
Small animal Microchipping also available
Brand new grooming salon just opened Owners are most welcome to stay with their dog
Dawn 01905 452078 www.thedoghousefernhillheath.co.uk
01905 780304 07871 848600 www.rp-joinery.com [email protected]
Offering the complete property package
NEW MILL SERVICES
COMMERCIAL GROUNDS MAINTENACE EQUIPMENT AND GARDEN MACHINERY
SERVICE AND REPAIR
SPECIALIST WITH OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE
MEW MILL FARM
LADYWOOD, DROITWICH WR9 0AL
01905 458290 07788 703430 EMail: [email protected]
Free quotes & small jobs welcome Bespoke joinery & cabinet making Painting & decorating Garden & property maintenance Kitchen makeovers – new doors & worktops
Design&Print������� �������������� �������
For fast high quality printing in the heart of Worcestershire
01905 [email protected]
Martyn Griffin T/as Print & Design2 Netherton Court, Infirmary Walk Worcester WR1 3AU
Wishing Well Nursery - Claines
Before & After School Clubs
Claines Institute
Quality childcare and education for children aged 2 - 5 years
Before and after school care for aged 2 - 11 years
Flexible childcare for all ages - Ofsted approved
Free Nursery Education Places available
Open 7.45am. - 5.45pm.
We pride ourselves on providing a rounded curriculum ensuring that the children
develop as individuals. We know how important these formative years are and we
want to work with you to provide the very best start in your child's education.
www.wishingwellnurseries.co.uk
Nursery Tel: 01905 759031 Office: 01905 745168
CHATTERBOX PRE-SCHOOL
A safe educational and fun environment for your child to learn and grow.
For children age 2-4 years old.
OFSTED accredited with caring qualified and dedicated staff.
Open from 8.30-5.45.
Sessional or full day care available. For more information visit our website
www.chatterboxpreschool.co.uk
or contact us on 07540142551 or 01905 756920
CLAINES CHURCH HALL AND INSTITUTE
The Church Hall and the Institute are available for your wedding reception,
christening party, birthday party and for meetings or social events. Both buildings
have excellent facilities and wheelchair access
For booking contact: Katrina Boucher 01905 759215
ANDREW'S BUILDING SERVICES
General construction, refurbishment and maintenance
Your local and friendly builder who is happy to view and quote for big or small jobs.
Call me now on: 07794402356
Email: [email protected]
