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Unity The Newsletter of Ealing Green Church Ealing Green Church, The Green, Ealing, London W5 5QT

September 2019

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Ealing Green Church (Methodist & United Reformed)

Minister: the Rev Susan Male

07939 150194 ~ susan.d.male@googlemail.com

Church Office: egcadministrator@btconnect.com / 020 8810 0136

open weekdays 10am ~ 3pm, apart from on Wednesdays, when it is open 1pm ~ 6pm

Website: www.ealinggreenchurch.com

Contributions to Unity: unitymagazine@hotmail.com

~ Groups ~

Afternoon Bible Study: first Thursday monthly at 1.30pm Monday Fellowship: 2nd & 4th Mondays monthly at 1.45pm Choir Practice: before and after the service each Sunday

Luncheon Club: Thursdays 12 noon—1.15pm

Full details can be found in the weekly notice sheet ~ You are welcome to come to any meeting ~

Superintendent Rev Rachel Bending 07986 461787

Church Secretary Position Vacant

Church Secretariat Hector Chidiya

Choir Leader Fleur Hatherall 020 08248 6774

Organist Fleur Hatherall 020 8248 6774

Communion Steward Nora Masih

Unity Magazine Lee Horwich 020 8567 2851

Unity Distributor Helen Harper

Ecumenical Officer David Groves 020 893 8315

Bible Reading Rota Church Office 020 8810 0136

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September 2019

Welcome to your Unity Magazine for September 2019, and the start of the new Methodist Year. I am standing in for your regular editor, Lee, and hope you enjoy your magazine. Please see below for the contents this month, and thank-you all for your submissions. Closing date for submissions for the October issue is Sunday

15th September, thanks!

Contents: Letter from our Minister, Sue p.4 News of the Church Family p.6 MacMillan Coffee Morning p.7 Harvest Festival news p.8 Christian Aid Week Update p.9 Walk the Way of St James #6 p.10 Tales from the Church Office p.12 Capital Ring, days 9 & 10 p.13 Holidays (when clubs return) p.17 OWL p18 Collection Point: 3Generate p.20 Choral Evensong at St George’s Chapel p.23 Rotas p.24 You will find lots of dates for your diaries contained within Sue’s newsletter.

Sarah Hunter

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Dear all

Welcome to the beginning of a new Methodist year - my second with you! I hope you have enjoyed a lovely summer. We have many things in store for this next term.

DON’T FORGET THE CIRCUIT GARDEN PARTY IN RACHEL’S MANSE at any time between 2-6pm on Saturday 7 September

Our church Harvest Festival will take place on September 22nd at 11AM, and we will be sharing a “Potluck Lunch” together after the service. We will be encouraging you to bring items for the foodbank. Please note that any items you bring, for harvest, or at any other time, should not be put into our food cupboard but in the box provided in the foyer, since stocks in the cupboard are controlled so that we know what we are using and what we need to order from the warehouse. Thanks though for all the support you are giving. The Foodbank often has shortages of food, and your donations are really appreciated!

I am looking forward to the Macmillan Coffee Morning which will be held at Ealing Green on the morning of 28th September, and about which I am sure you will hear much more. Come along. Put the date in your diary now so that you don’t forget!

And don’t forget our planned Inter-faith visit on 13th Oct at 11am – 1pm to Ealing Liberal synagogue to get to know the community, and to learn from each other about the way the two religions celebrate the harvest. Please add your name to the list by letting me know, since numbers will need to be limited as this will include lunch. I hope you will support this attempt to get to know some of our non-Christian neighbours and friends … particularly as we have the personal link through Brenda at Kingsdown and her husband at the Liberal Synagogue.

On October 19th, in the evening, Kingsdown and Ealing Green are organizing a Quiz together at Kingsdown to raise money for Christian Aid, for the Circuit project – specifically for projects aiding Syrian refugees in Iraq and Lebanon. More info to follow but star thinking about your teams – from the church and

elsewhere and book the evening in your diaries.

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I am also hoping to begin a fortnightly Bible Study and fellowship group. I am just surveying your responses to that at the moment. In due course I will give a firm indication of what we will be doing. Some responses so far have asked for Bible Study which works through a Book of the Bible a

chapter at a time, studies on how to apply the messages and challenges of

the Bible today, reflective sessions on events and issues current in the

church, the news and society, and at how we should, and can respond as Christians,

sessions looking at the nature of and engaging in prayer...

I know you are all busy, and hence need to know the best morning out of Monday, Thursday and Friday for this venture. Let me know which suits you. On any morning the session would run. From 10am for one and a half hours. Whilst we can use the church to host this, it would be nice if - at least sometimes, it could be hosted in people’s houses. If you would welcome this in your house once a year, or more, let me know.

If you would be willing to assist me the leadership – please also be in touch.,

You will of course be able to opt in and out of the group as we cover different areas, depending on what kind of study suits you. I do need a core of six people who are interested in attending to begin this project though please so again, let me know. I will give you some more specific information about this in October. I think that’s enough for one letter. Please do think and pray about what. You can do to make this a memorable year for Ealing Green. Happy New Year (yes really!) With blessings and prayers

Sue x

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News of the Church Family

We have missed 4 of our regular Church members over the last 2 – 3 months – Valerie, David, Janette & Jean.

Valerie is gradually regaining her strength & energy but is still having further investigations. Please pray that she will soon feel completely well once more and able to get back to Church and work.

David is much better now and gradually getting the strength back in his legs, so is now able to get out a bit more. Please pray that this recovery will continue.

Janette is doing well following surgery to her ankle. She is looking forward to being mobile once more and able to get out in the garden before Summer ends! She has had 2 plaster of Paris casts, one was bright green and the other pink, both with add-ed sparkle! She now has a grey surgical boot – boring in com-parison. We pray that Janette will soon be allowed to put her foot to the ground, then there will be no stopping her!

Jean is still unwell but is improving. She thanks folk from Church for their prayers and for the cards and flowers she has received. She misses coming to Church but hopes to return quite soon. We miss you too, Jean.

Please also pray for Margaret Cooper who continues to have pain, which limits her mobility. She is expecting to have surgery later this year.

Rev Hugh & Tina Sheehan send their love to anyone who re-members them! Hugh is having knee surgery later this month, so we wish him well.

We continue to remember in our prayers those of our church Family who are housebound:- Rene Edwards, Robina Thexton, Dorothy Ravillious and Peggy Allaway. We want them to know that although they can no longer join us at Sunday Worship,

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Macmillan Coffee Morning

Well, here we are in September already. I hope you have enjoyed the summer and managed to spend a little time sorting out some nice stuff for us to sell at the coffee morning on the 28th. Apart from your donations of goods (and cakes too!) I really need some help to set it up and help to serve the coffee and man the bring and buy stall(s). Please get you pinnies on and look out some delicious recipes to make for sale too. Please let me know if you can help in any way on Friday to set up or Saturday to serve, I can also collect things for sale. Thank you! Helen

they are not forgotten.

We pray for those mentioned above and for all who carry the burden of illness and for their families and friends.

Welcome visit!

Once again our friends Colin & Merle Paige are coming to UK from South Africa. They arrive on Friday 6th September& are staying until 27th October. They are looking forward to coming to Ealing Green a few times while they are here & we look forward to welcoming them!

Gill Hatherall

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HARVEST FESTIVAL

“Come ye thankful people, come”

This year, we will celebrate our Harvest Festival on Sunday

22nd September at 11.00am.

Any gifts of fresh produce will go to a local Residential Care Home and the Lunch Club. However, we would be grateful if most gifts could be for the Food Bank. Each month, the Foodbank requests specific items but we have not yet received the Harvest List. We will give out printouts in Church, nearer the time.

If you prefer, you could bring a small basket of fruit &/or packet of tea &/or biscuits which can then be taken to any of our Church Family who are housebound or unwell, OR you may have a neighbour who would appreciate a gift.

If possible, please bring your gifts to the church on:- Thursday - between 10.am and 1.30pm when Lunch

Club is taking place in the Hall, OR on Saturday – as soon as possible after 9.30am and before

11.30am. Otherwise, your Harvest gifts may be brought to Church

on the Sunday morning.

POT LUCK LUNCH

We will be having a Pot Luck Lunch in the Hall after our Harvest Service which will start as soon as the Harvest Display has been dismantled. Help with this will be much appreciated.

Coffee will be served in the Foyer as usual.

Do bring a friend to join us for both the Service and Lunch. All are most welcome!

Gill Hatherall

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Christian Aid Week 2019 Christian Aid has 70 years’ experience of working in partnership to support communities to thrive and tackles the root causes of poverty so that women, men and children the world over are strengthened against future knocks. When disasters happen, Christian Aid gets people the help they want straight away. The focus this year was on childbirth in Sierra Leone. Thank you to everyone who contributed in any way during Christian Aid week. The focus this year was on childbirth in Sierra Leone. We had a variety of activities and raised a total of £1195.86. Amounts raised were: Communion collection: £425 Donation from Lunch Club: £200 Sunday morning refreshments: £129.96 Junior church cake sale: £104.20 Hunger Lunch: £55 Envelopes: £281.70 Thank you

Deb Lovell

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Walking the Way of St. James – Episode #6 Between April 2015 and October 2018, I walked the French stage (730 km) of the 1,500 km long-distance footpath or ‘grande randonee’ leading from Le Puy en Valay in France ultimately to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. In my last article, Sue and I made it to Lectoure. Lectoure to La Romieu (23 kms)

The day didn’t start well. I’d managed to get GMT and CET muddled up on my mobile phone alarm; so we got a call from reception to say that our bags needed to be collected. Baggage transfer is a little luxury that makes a big difference; your bags get transferred between your accommodation leaving you just to carry enough food and water for the day, plus any waterproofs. We had breakfast (it wasn’t duck), picked up our sandwiches and refilled our water bottles.

The weather was still quite hot (23C), so we were glad of the extra water. Soon we were up the first hill, and could see the town of Lectoure behind us. We then passed through a farm and

saw that typical French scene, some chickens.

Most of our walk was in the region of Gascony; an area famous for its food and drink. Gascony was part of the linguistic and cultural area known as Occitania; a region in southern France where the language of Occitan (a Romance language akin to Catalan) was spoken. Until fairly recently it’s use was discouraged by the French government. However, in modern times it has had somewhat of a renaissance; and I noticed a political sticker with the Occitanian flag and a slogan on it (which I think read something like “one land, one tongue, one people”; but I know very little about this language).

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At our mid-way luncheon spot; Marsolan, we met two Germans undertaking the pilgrimage. Although they hadn’t started together, they’d decided to walk together for a while. On the walk, you often encounter the same people many times, sometimes with a few days in-between each meeting, we would meet the Germans again.

By the early afternoon, we found ourselves walking through some orchards, passed some public botanical gardens and could now see the large cathedral of La Romieu ahead of us. Many of the small towns feature a large cathedral or church, testimony to their power as way-stops on the Way of St. James in years gone by. These imposing structures are often visible long before you reach them.

Domaine de Pellecahus

Our next place to stay was around 2 kms outside of La Romieu; we needed to use the GPS map on Sue’s phone to track it down. However, on arrival we weren’t disappointed. We had a two story traditional gite; with bedroom, bathroom, sitting room and kitchen! Pretty amazing. Having our own kitchen meant that we could make ourselves as many teas as we wanted to; and we sat out on the porch to enjoy them.

In the evening, the owner drove us to our evening restaurant; Le Cardinal. Here we had a salad for starter and then a magret of duck. This is seared duck breast. For pudding, I had another gateaux and Sue had a rather nice creme broulee. We were picked up by our host afterwards.

She teased me that England were to only country to have been knocked out of the rugby world cup whilst hosting the games. I explained that were very good at losing the sports that we’d

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invented. However, I retorted that we had won the Tour de France! Our host denied that that was possible.

In the next episode we’ll get to D’Artagnon’s birthplace. One for all, and all for one.

Phil Male

Tales from the Church Office

Hello! I do hope you have all been enjoying a lovely summer? Here at Ealing Green Church we have been undergoing a small programme of renovation: the Rainbow Room has been redecorated, the oak flooring has been cleaned and oiled, and the hall floor has been lightly re-varnished. Most illuminating of all are the new lights in the church hall, which are daylight bulbs and much brighter.

Although many of our groups have been on holiday for the summer (please see page 15 for when they return) various film production companies from Ealing Studios have been making use of our premises, so we have remained busy.

In other news, flushed with success from my marathon walk, I am now walking a half-marathon at the end of September, in aid of Girlguiding. I am doing this in a team with fellow leaders from 7th Ealing: Karen Whitehouse (Brown Owl), who some of you might know from Northolt, and Sarah Clark (Snowy Owl). If any of you would like to sponsor me you can go to my Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sarah-hunter42

or pass it to me in the office. Thank-you!

Sarah Hunter (Rainbow Owl)

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Day 9 of walking the London Capital Ring:

Greenford to South Kenton This was a lovely walk which included more hills than usual and, as my trusty guide noted, took me to one of the highest points in West London. Martin joined me for the walk and we both enjoyed the greenery, hills and views.

We started with an easy amble along the Grand Union Canal. This was a more open part of the canal, and on such a sunny day was a very pleasant walk

We walked on past Perivale wood local nature reserve. The birds were tweeting but otherwise it was very quiet. After

reaching the interestingly named Ballot Box Bridge, we turned off and made our way up to Horsenden Hill. It is nearly 40 years since I had last been to Horsenden Hill. It really is a lovely place to walk. Woodlands are interspersed with open meadows where Jersey cows graze. And the paths wonder off in different directions over the hill as you take in the views across Buckinghamshire and points further North. As my trusty guide noted, ‘This is one of the best natural viewpoints in Greater London.’ (P.98) Though the views told you this is part of London, the fields and woods made it feel like you were in the middle of the countryside.

After Horsenden Hill, we rambled through the cool of Horsenden woods and then onto the various streets

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around Sudbury Hill. We found a nice cafe and indulged ourselves in a cherry cake and cup of tea to help us on our way. Next stop was Harrow on the Hill.

In Harrow on the Hill the Capital Ring signs, which help guide us on our walks, are black rather than their usual green. Apparently the good folk of Harrow preferred it that way so that the signs did not stand out too much. Other points of interest for us Capital Ring walkers are that the village green at Harrow on the Hill is one of the highest points on the walk and, along the Capital Ring, is also the furthest out from Charing Cross (10 miles). It’s a very quaint looking village green and the area has quite a bit of history. The name Harrow means ‘sacred grove’ and it is thought it was once a place for pagan worship as it is a high hill. (Trusty guide, p.100) The Norman’s built one of their earliest English churches here, and you can see its spire from far afield.

We walked around and descended through the various buildings and grounds of Harrow school ( past pupils include Winston Churchill, Robert Byron and Anthony Trollope) to their sports fields. We arrived near the grounds of Northwick Park hospital to take an ‘uneven and sometimes muddy path’ (Trusty guide, p102) beside the hospital. I would add other descriptors such as ‘overgrown’, ‘ full of brambles and stinging nettles.’ It is the 1st time in walking the Capital Ring walk that we have had any problems walking along the designated path. However sheer determination got us through the undergrowth along the narrow path. It would have been helpful to have had a scythe for this part of the walk- or whatever jungle explorers carry!

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Having extracted ourselves from the undergrowth we then briskly made our way across fields to South Kenton tube station and the end of the walk. Next section, we walk onto Hendon Park.

Day 10 of the Capital Ring walk:

South Kenton to Hendon Park This was a walk of contrasts. There was some stupendous scenery and also some very grotty parts of the walk as we progressed around the Capital Ring and were never too far from the North Circular. t was a hot and sunny day and we were armed with lots of liquid, soft fruit and our sandwiches for lunch- as well as floppy hats.

The walk started somewhat inauspiciously from South Kenton tube station and zig zagged through the back streets to arrive at Fryent Country Park. This is a glorious place to go walking and we walked for 2-3 miles in this large nature reserve, through fields stacked with hay bales, or uncut grass, into cool woods, and up Barn hill to obtain glorious views across Wembley and over to the North Downs. The hay is still grown, cut and used for local stables. If you have never been to this park, I would very much recommend it. And it’s not that far from the North Circular! In the photo you get some idea of the park. And the signpost carries the signs for the Capital Ring. The only people we met were people who were out bird or butterfly watching. And there were lots of butterflies out and about with us, of many different colours. Red, black and white, yellow and blue.

Near the top of Barn hill we came to a delightful little pond,

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originally designed by Humphrey Reston ( Trusty guide p106) where dogs were cooling off in the water- or using their owners as props.

Rather sadly, we left the park to arrive in the back streets of East Kingsbury. We navigated our way through the back streets to pass by St Andrews church. This church was originally built , ‘in 1847 in Wells street, Marylebone, and was well known in its day for musical performances.’ (Trusty guide, p111). In the early 1930s, it was moved to East Kingsbury, brick by brick. It is quite striking inside. I doubt the nursery children playing around in the grounds of the church, enjoying an early picnic lunch, cared much about the church’s history. However, the sight of their lunch reminded us that we were getting hungry, so we walked on rapidly to the Brent reservoir.

Though it was still very hot and sunny, the sight of the Brent reservoir, shimmering in the distance, made us feel a bit cooler and we found some shade where we could enjoy our lunch and watch all the activities on the reservoir: sailing, bird play and dogs at play. Brent reservoir is one of the

‘largest sheets of water in Greater London, at nearly a mile in length.....for a while, this was one of London’s leading visitor attractions, with its own railway station nearby.....and the rowing events of the 1948 Olympic Games were held here.’ (Trusty guide, p112). Even though you can hear the sound of the North Circular traffic, it’s still a great place to come to see all the bird life, and just relax.

We walked to the end of the reservoir, and to a little spur of the reservoir formed by the Silk Stream. This is a rather pretty little area where you could imagine ( if you ignore the housing developments round it) that you were walking through a little

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~ Holidays ~

Lunch Club

is now on holiday until Thursday 5th September (however St Mary’s Lunch Club is meeting here until the end

of September on a Wednesday and all are welcome.

Bible Study

are also now on holiday until Thursday 5th September.

Monday Fellowship are on holiday until Monday 9th September.

Ealing Green Choir Returns on Sunday 1st September, with rehearsal times of

10.15am-10.45am in the church, and then 12.30pm-1.00pm in the hall. New members most welcome!

village as you watched the birds at play. We then left the feeling of countryside to fall into the back streets of Hendon, Watling street (A5), the Hendon Way, and the wonders of the pedestrian pathways that crisscross under the North Circular, to get to Brent Cross shopping centre. Though it did not take long to walk, it was a huge and not very pleasant contrast to the park and reservoir. But having run out of anything to drink, it was good to be able to buy drinks before we took the 112 back home!

Next walk will not be till mid-August, and I move onto Highgate.

Pat Sucher

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OWL The police have set up a programme called OWL across Ealing, Hounslow and other boroughs. You may have come across it. The basic aim of OWL is to give us messages including crime alerts and timely crime prevention advice for our local area to keep us updated. It is a good scheme, but it will only work if as many people as possible have joined it. Churches have a lot of vulnerable people in their congregations, so we are asked to get involved to help keep us all safe. They are also contacting other faith-based centres. Members of churches are being invited to join OWL so that, as well as keeping ourselves safe, we can also help the elderly members and our neighbours from becoming victims of crime. A somewhat extreme example occurred a few months ago, when there were incidents of criminals in our churches stealing handbags while we prayed. There have also been numerous incidents of elderly being scammed by rogue roofers and builders. These incidents made them go downhill and feel guilty, ashamed and alone. I personally have been approached by the roofers, and it was an enormous relief to find, through OWL, that I was right to be sceptical and decline their services – up till then I had been wondering if I really did have a loose tile on my roof! Information is always helpful. The messages come by email, and as many of our elderly do not have access, it is particularly helpful if other members of the congregation can get the information and pass it on. So what precisely is OWL?

This is the technical bit. It is an electronic communications database which enables messaging rom the Police and from your local Neighbourhood Watch coordinators to you, the registered users. Regular messages relevant to you, including crime alerts and

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timely crime prevention advice for your local area are sent to you by email to keep you updated. OWL infrastructure is by postcode. So you will be receiving local crime updates from your Ward Police/ Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Local Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators. Occasionally the Police send out borough-wide messages that are also relevant to everyone in Ealing. How Safe is OWL?

OWL is the only system of its kind approved by Secured By Design. Secured By Design is the official UK Police initiative combining ‘designing out crime’ with physical security. The system has been designed from the ground up to be secure. OWL is also CESG-approved. CESG is part of the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). OWL is also GDPR Compliant! Targeted messages are only related safety and crime update. No advertisement and no marketing. We never provide your details to third parties. What do we in the churches need to do?

Register for free on www.owl.co.uk The OWL administrator would appreciate having the name of one or more representatives from each of our churches. The representative will then act as the conduit so that relevant alerts can be passed to all elderly and other worshippers who are not on the internet and are without email addresses.

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Collection Point This month’s Communion Collection goes to supporting the 3Generate annual

Methodist children’s and youth assembly where 8-23-year-olds can engage with, speak out about and respond to issues that are important to them.

3Generate: In previous years, children and young people have explored a diverse range of subjects such as poverty, mental health and worship. Each year, as a result of the conversations that children and young people have at 3Generate, a manifesto is produced that details what changes they would like to see in the Church and wider society. The 3Generate weekend is always a significant opportunity for the Church to hear the prophetic voice of children and young people – and be prompted into action as a result. By making ourselves aware of what was discussed at the event and considering our own response, and by continuing to listen to children and young people throughout the year, we can ensure that 3Generate goes beyond just a weekend away and becomes part of a process of engaging, speaking out and responding at both a local and national level.

About 3Generate: 3Generate is planned and shaped by children and young people for children and young people - alongside a team of adult facilitators from the Connexion (the Methodist Church in the whole of Britain), who specialise in working with children and young people. It is a speak out event for children and young people and is the Children and Youth Assembly of The Methodist Church (Standing Order 250). Woven into each year's event will be: a chance for children and young people to have a say

and vote for their representatives at the Youth President and Youth Rep elections

a chance to meet up with friends and make new ones -

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from other Methodist Churches all over the country a weekend of conversation, debate, indoor and outdoor

activities, games, music, sport, crafts and challenges time and space to worship together in a range of creative

and imaginative ways an opportunity for children and young people to talk

about the issues that affect and really matter to them, the world and the Church - to listen to each other and to God.

Who is 3Generate for? There are lots of activities and entertainment to choose from, often organised together but sometimes in age streams: 8-11s , 11-14s 14 -18s and 19-23s.

Last year's event - 3Generate 2018: This took place from 24 to 26 November at Pontins, Southport and welcomed over 1000 children and young people from all over the country, including Scotland and the Channel Islands. A total of 11 young people attended from our Circuit accompanied by 3 adults.

Your support could help to fund more places for families who find it difficult to meet the cost for the 3Generate weekend to be held in November this year. The 2019 manifesto is testament to how this valuable experience is helping young people to shape the future for the Church and its role in society. Please give generously.

Thank you.

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Choral Evensong at

St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle Earlier this year when Ann Hughes came to Monday Fellowship to give an illustrated talk on St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle she suggested that members might like to attend Choral Evensong in the Chapel sometime in the future. Members took up the offer and on Monday 24 June, eight members travelled from Ealing Broadway station to Windsor. We were met at the Windsor station by Ann and after a cup of tea at a café near to the castle we were escorted to St. George’s Chapel, where we were seated in the Knights of Garter stalls. We heard some splendid singing by the men and boys of the choir and came away from the service very much uplifted by the experience. Our thanks to Ann for arranging the afternoon for members.

John Collingbourne

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Rotas will be emailed when finalised

~ CCLI Licence no.7861 ~