St Mary’s Church Newsletter Winter 2014

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Christmas services’ details

Meeting Julian of Norwich

Remembering the fallen

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The Grapevine Winter 2014

CONTENTSWinter 2014 edition

Winter reflectionsA Message from The Reverend Mary Bide As a child I was allowed to decorate the Christmas tree, and it was always a pleasure to do so. The box of decorations would be brought out and I would ensure that every single item was used, regardless of the size of the tree. Anything that sparkled got pride of place. When I grew up, unlike St Paul, I did not put away childish things. Decorating the tree remained my territory. It is with a certain degree of shame that I have to admit that I only relinquished my hold on this activity a couple of years ago, and then found myself having to bite my tongue as I still wanted to direct operations. Once I had let go, I realised that I should have done this years ago. I had not been allowing others to enjoy their own freedom of expression. Christmas is a time for family traditions, and it is surprising how important they can become. The annual return to the familiar rituals gives a sense of security, a feeling that whatever has happened during the year, all is still well in the world. Yet that first Christmas, the birth of Jesus, far away from home in an occupied country, was all about risk, not security. Although it led to the wonderful assurance that through Christ we can be reconciled with God, the flip side of that is a responsibility to care for each other, to love God and our neighbour, to enable others to fulfil their potential; it carries the risk of giving others their freedom. However we celebrate Christmas, we need to remember that the gospel is not about comfort or tradition, it is about the generosity of spirit which brings life to others.

May you have a very Happy Christmas.

Mary Bide

CONTACTSThe GrapevineContent Editor: Melanie FrippDesign Editor: Peter Le RichePlease submit articles viawimbledongrapevine@gmail.com

Deadline for Lent edition:5 February 2015

St Mary’s ChurchRector: The Reverend Mary Biderector.wimbledon@gmail.com020 8946 2830

Curate:The Reverend Christopher Griffithswimbledonteamcurate@gmail.com020 8879 0788

The Reverend Cynthia Jackson020 8947 5940

Reader: Mrs Johanna Hearnjhearn@waitrose.com

Youth Worker:Mrs Catherine Linsleyclparkes23@gmail.com07970 969143

Safeguarding Offficer:Jane Sanderson020 8871 1779jane.sanderson164@gmail.com

Page 3: Mary Bide discusses the need for generosity of spirit at Christmas.

Pages 4-5: John Bush and Sarah Canby review recent activities at St Mary’s.

Page 6: Christopher Griffiths explains how the church changes during advent, and the meaning behind those five candles.

Page 7: Christmas services.

Page 8: Catherine Linsley writes on the numerous activities for children and young people which are available throughout the week.

Page 9: Ali McGrath describes how the weekly Toddler Praise meetings work, and the fellowship that comes from them.

Pages 10-11: The commemorations for those lost in war were especially poignant this year, writes John Bush.

Pages 12-13: Clare Morgan tells about the teaching of Julian of Norwich.

Page 14: Elizabeth Broad shares her family’s favourite Christmas stories.

Page 15: John Veale says there are benefits to mass emails.

Page 16: The Good Care Company.

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The Grapevine Winter 2014

CHURCH NEWSViews from the back pews

The late summer and autumn provided several opportunities for spiritual growth and celebration of our church family.

CommemorationTo commemorate the start of World War One, we held a vigil service, in place of Evensong on 3 August. This was a quiet reflection which included readings in both English and German. Later in the Autumn, several members of the choir and readers from the congregation presented a commemorative evening of music, poetry and prose.The St Mary’s choir and a small instrumental group, under the direction of Max Barley, performed a new chamber ensemble arrangement of Brahms’ Requiem in October. As we have come to expect, the standard of music was extremely high and it was a very moving performance. We are privileged to have our weekly worship enhanced by the talents and commitment of the choir, choristers, Max and Colette. On a seasonal note, we have already

enjoyed their contributions to our celebration of Advent and very much look forward to Christmas music at St Mary’s.

Fun, feasting and fellowshipWe celebrated our Patronal Festival in September, on a gloriously sunny day, with a Family Fun Day in the field. This was an opportunity for the congregation to meet socially, to enjoy a barbecue and afternoon tea and many activities, games and stalls. Our thanks go to Catherine Linsley, Dane Morgan, Martine Clark and their team for a successful event.Also in September, we celebrated Harvest Festival and held our annual Harvest Lunch at the All England Club. We enjoyed a delicious lunch in a unique setting and it was a wonderful way to celebrate being part of the family of St Mary’s. Arranging such an event involves an enormous amount of time and effort and we are grateful to Susan Creed, Lucy Uden and all their team.Throughout the Autumn, groups for young and old - Toddler Praise, Sunday School, Friday People, Rafters, Dads Behaving Madly, Tuesday Lunch and the Fountain Group - have all been active and seem to be flourishing.

Many volunteers are involved in these groups and the time and energy they so generously give are much appreciated.

FabricWe are pleased to report that the extensive remedial electrical work which has been ongoing in the church for some time is now complete. Perhaps of more immediate concern to our winter congregations is the welcome news that the problems with the church heating system have been identified and repairs completed. Even the vestry is now warm! Work on the proposed new lighting continues. Installation of the prototype pendant was a useful exercise and

along with the consultation with the congregation revealed a number of further issues for consideration. The lighting consultants have prepared a revised specification and the work is currently out to tender. Whilst much of the work on the fabric of the church has, of necessity, to be carried out by outside professionals and we are conscious that much cleaning, decoration and maintenance of the church, the halls and the churchyard is undertaken regularly by a large number of unsung volunteers. This does not go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated. Thank you!We wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Sarah Canby and John Bush describe a busy few months in the life of St Mary’s Church.

Study and outreachFor those interested in learning more about the Christian faith, the Rector held a series of mid-week evening talks through the autumn on ‘Christian Basics’. Our regular Monday morning Bible studies in the Rose and Crown have continued and during Advent there have been additional study and discussion groups led respectively by Joan Ellis and Chris Griffiths and a parish quiet morning arranged and led by Cynthia Jackson.

Confirmation preparation took place during the autumn and we were delighted that 15 candidates

from St Mary’s went forward for confirmation in November.

Our Mission Action Plan, which had its beginnings in the congregation discussion morning held late last year and the resultant

congregation survey, has recently been approved by the

Church Committee and may well be published by the time you

are reading this. It gives a fascinating view of St Mary’s today and an inspiring plan for the future.

The Churchwardens’ Report

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The Grapevine Winter 2014

Toy Service: 14 December, 11.15am, bring along an unwrapped toy for a child in need.

Sunday School Nativity: 21 December, 9.30am - this highlight of the year will take place at the end of the service.

Christingle Service: 21 December, 11.15am.

Candlelit Carol Service: 21 December, 6.30pm.

Crib services: Christmas Eve, 4.30pm and 6pm – these are Christmas services suitable for all ages.

Midnight Mass: Christmas Eve, 11.30pm

Christmas Day Services:8am: Holy Communion - a traditional service.9.30am: Sung Eucharist.11.15am: Family Service - a short gathering suitable for all ages.

Christmas services

The best way to learn about church is not to read or study it, but to experience it, like learning a language through immersion. Here are some pointers for the perplexed regarding what goes on in St Mary’s at this time of year:

Advent coloursAnyone coming to our carol services and all other worship during Advent will notice that there are no flowers in church, and the altar cloth and clergy stoles (scarves) are purple. Why? The colours change throughout the year to set the mood of the services, and purple during Advent and Lent reminds us that these are times for penitence, fasting and reflection, waiting and preparing; times for attending to our inner lives and our relationships with others ahead of a major festival. When the flowers and white/gold colours return to church on Christmas Day it engages our senses and enhances our sense of celebration and joy.

Advent candles Each Sunday of Advent we light one of the four Advent candles. l The first represents the patriarchs of the Old Testament, reminding us of Jesus’ Jewish history.l The second represents the hope

of the Old Testament prophets whose message of justice Jesus sought to fulfil. l The third reminds us of John the Baptist’s call to repentance ahead of Jesus’ coming.l The fourth commemorates Mary, her bearing of Jesus and her foretelling of his ministry (Luke 1:46-55). l There’s also a fifth white candle, lit for the first time during the midnight service on Christmas Eve, which is a sign of Jesus, God’s light, coming into the World (John 1:1-5).

The CribThe manger scene is laid out during Advent, except for the wise men, sometimes called the three kings, who arrive rather later, in January during Epiphany. The manger is there for us to contemplate and to help us imagine ourselves in the Christmas story. Are we Mary and Joseph, journeying hopefully; the shepherds, excluded yet loved by God; the wise men, discovering God through the natural world; or perhaps Herod (not depicted!), too pre-occupied with material gain to embrace the sacred in the ordinary? Or are we angels, signs of good news in others’ lives? Can we, like Jesus, demonstrate God’s preference for the lonely and the outcast in our lives?

Understanding Advent – the start of the Christian yearChris Griffiths, St Mary’s Curate

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The Grapevine Winter 2014

Ali McGrath

If you’ve attended the 11.15am Sunday service, or a baptism lunch, you may have heard of Toddler Praise but might not be sure what it is, or if it’s for you.Taking place on Wednesday at 9.15am, Toddler Praise is a service run for St Mary’s youngest members and their parents/carers. Its name is a bit misleading as it is not purely for toddlers, all pre-school children are welcome and some of our newest attendees are just weeks old!We start in church, where we hear a child-friendly Bible story, sing some songs (with music from the children) and say some short prayers. We then head over to Garden Hall, for play time with toys and squash for the children, tea and coffee for the adults and, most importantly, biscuits for all.So, that’s the mechanics, but what is

harder to describe, is the amazing group of people who come to the service and make Wednesday mornings a joy. It is just wonderful to see the strong bonds that have been created between both children and parents/carers that have attended since the group began and new members finding a network of support and friendship.This summer, we had our first ‘graduation’ ceremony for children who started coming to Toddler Praise as babies and who were leaving, to start school. To say it was an emotional occasion was an understatement!So, if you’ve just had a baby, or are looking for something to do with your pre-schooler or a child you look after, please do come along. If you would like further information, please email me at ali.mcgrath366@btinternet.com or Catherine Linsley at clparkes23@gmail.com

What exactly is Toddler Praise?

Children at St Mary’s Toddler Praise have been getting ready for Christmas and trying on their nativity costumes.

Church has a full programme of sessions for young and families

Toddler Praise takes place on Wednesday mornings during term time, from 9.15am. For more information see the main article opposite.Dads Behaving Madly is every second Saturday of the month from 9.30am in Fellowship House. Dads, bring your children and enjoy good coffee, chat and a bacon sandwich.Sunday School is held every Sunday morning at 9.30am in Garden Hall and Fellowship House, except on the first Sunday of the month. This runs alongside the Church service and is a wonderful way for children to begin to express their faith.Crèche is for those wishing to attend the

9.30am Sunday service. There is a crèche for children in Fellowship House.Friday People is every other Friday evening in term time, 7.30-8.30pm in Fellowship House. This is a group for all children aged eight-12 - come along for games, crafts and fun, and some teaching about what it means to be a Christian today.Rafters - every Sunday night in term time in Garden Hall, 7.30- 9pm, for all teenagers. This is a youth group with games and activities, shared food and lively discussion.

n Events run throughout the year, including: Good Friday workshops and Easter celebrations; summer outings; a Family Fun Day; a Light Party (as an alternative to Hallowe’en; Christmas activities, and an Adventure Weekend away in Kent in February. For more information, contact Catherine on clparkes23@gmail.com.

Catherine Linsley works with all children, young people and families at St Mary’s. Here she introduces the groups and activities she runs, to which all are welcome. Remember to keep an eye on the weekly news sheet.

This Advent, the church has two sets of Russian dolls, representing the Nativity characters, travelling around the Parish.  Forty-eight families have signed up to be hosts and the dolls spend a night with each family, before moving on. Each set is accompanied by the Christmas story, prayers and a journal, and fam-ilies welcome the dolls in their own way. This is a special way of marking Advent and is the beginning of a wonderful new tradition at St Mary’s. Watch out for the dolls in church - they will return to the Warrior Chapel on Christmas Eve.

Parish’s travelling dolls tell Christmas story

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side of the line was every bit as hard as the British.Finally, we heard how news of the signing of the armistice reached London and Lloyd George’s speech to the House of Commons declaring peace. Concluding the evening, the choir sang For the Fallen, as the long roll call was read of the names of the men of Wimbledon who gave their lives.Congratulations go to Anthony Leonard for compiling an interesting, poignant and fitting programme. It was a truly memorable evening.

The Readers: Anne Archer, Edmund Brandt, Susannah Brandt, Anne Chester, Sonia Elkin, Stephen Farrow, William Featherby, Alice Fookes, Liz Johnson, Helen Jones, Micky King, Anthony Leonard, George Master, Sir Patrick Moberly, Abby Peel, Hugh Peppiatt, Mary Ann Turnbull and John Veale.The Choir: Giles Andrews, Max Barley, John Bright, Andy Evans, Andrew Lenon, Sheila Lenon, James Little, Alison Neilson, Alethea Tabor, John Veale, Dan Whitehead, Eleanor Whitehead and Emlyn Williams.

Tony’s poignant visit to Field of RemembranceAlso commemorating those that took part in World War One and Two were long-standing members of our congregation Major General Tony Richardson and his wife Anthea who attended the Royal British Legion Field of Remembrance Opening Service in November at St Margaret’s Church in the grounds of Westminster Abbey. Prince Harry attended the ceremony, and planted a Cross of Remembrance.The event was particularly poignant for Tony, who landed within the first half hour of D-Day in Normandy, before progressing through France and Holland to the end of the war. A full army career followed culminating in the posts of Director of Army Aviation and Military Attaché in India.

Commemorating the First World War, an evening of poetry, prose and music took place on 29 November in the Garden Hall. Readers ranged in age from a teenager to those in their 90s, and songs of the period were provided by the choir in a sensitive and fitting tribute to the fallen of the Great War.A beautiful rendition of George Butterworth’s Is my Team Ploughing? led to an account of the Prime Minister Herbert Asquith’s speech to Parliament in August 1914 reaffirming Britain’s pledge to defend Belgium’s independence from German aggression and subsequently leaving no alternative but a declaration of war. Men Who March Away, For the Fallen, In Flanders Fields, The Soldier, Dulce et Decorum est and Anthem for Doomed Youth were amongst the many readings.The well-chosen poems charted the

change in mood from the excitement and national fervour of 1914 to the realisation of the true horrors of the trenches and this new mechanised war of machine guns and gas. The songs started with the rousing Your King and Country, lightened the mood with Fred Karno’s Army and We have no Beer and then brought a tear to the eye with Keep the Home Fires Burning.As well as more well-known works by

Owen, Sassoon, and Brooke, we also heard poetry by Rose Macauley and Jesse Pope reflecting on the effects on those left behind and new roles for women. Adding a local connection was the poem My Mate by The Reverend

Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy (Woodbine Willie), grandfather of Andrew Studdert Kennedy, curate at St Mary’s in the 1990s, and the story of HMS Inflexible, whose white ensign hangs above the font.The poems of Alfred Lichtenstein and Wilhelm Klemm and a passage from Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front showed that life on the German

Fitting tributes paid to fallen of the Great War from WimbledonThe centenary of the outbreak of the Great War was commemorated in church with readings and music, as John Bush explains.

‘They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn. At the going down of the Sun, and in the morning, we will remember them’

Lawrence Binyon, For the Fallen

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On Saturday 22 November a group of us from the parish and neighbouring churches met at Susan Mayo’s retreat space for a morning of quiet reflection. Our inspiration was Julian, the 14th-century mystic whose name was taken from the saint to whom the Norwich church, where she was an anchorite, was dedicated. Cynthia introduced us to Julian by explaining how, during a severe illness when she was about 30, Julian had visions of Christ that directed the future course of her life. These inspired first her recording of the series of 16 ‘Showings’ themselves and later her great work of contemplative literature, Revelations of Divine Love. Although it took until the 17th century for her work to be published, Julian, pictured above right, became well known in her own time as a spiritual authority. She may have lived a life of seclusion in her anchorage but a window on to the street meant she could offer prayer, counselling and spiritual direction to the people of Norwich.We prepared ourselves to meditate on some of her writings by each taking a stone symbolising the worries and

concerns we had arrived with and placing it around the cross. Cynthia read extracts expressing Julian’s insistence on God’s eternal and all-embracing love. Included in these were the words Julian claimed were said to her by the Lord:All shall be well,And all shall be well,And all manner of thing shall be well.For Julian to have been open to hearing these words at a time of plague, rebellion and famine as well as personal distress struck me as having been an extraordinary act of faith and courage.Cynthia gave us each a hazelnut to hold and read an extract from Julian’s famous exploration of the nature of creation and the creator: “And in this he

Time for quiet meditation in a morning with Julian of NorwichClare Morgan explains the teachings of Julian of Norwich, following a morning’s reflection on her life and revelations led by The Reverend Cynthia Jackson.

showed me a little thing, the quantity of a hazelnut, lying in the palm of my hand, it seemed, and it was as round as any ball. I looked thereupon with the eye of my understanding, and I thought, ‘What may this be?’ And it was answered generally thus: ‘It is all that is made.’ I wondered how it could last, for I thought it might suddenly fall to nothing for little cause. And I was answered in my understanding: ‘It lasts and ever shall, for God loves it; and so everything has its beginning by the love of God. In this little thing I saw three properties; the first is that God made it; the second is that God loves it; and the third is that God keeps it.”This focus on the littleness of the hazelnut, its fragility and sturdiness, and the ease with which it rested in the palm provided a stirring sense of a cosmos sustained by God. We had a period of silent meditation and space to relax in God’s presence. Using the words ‘All shall be well’ as a mantra proved for me very powerful. We then gathered for a second period of guided meditation in which we were confronted by the difficulties of prayer: for often, says Julian: “We are as barren and dry after our prayers as we were

before”. Her answer to this is expressed in Christ’s words: “I am the ground of thy beseeching. First it is my will that thou have it, and next I make thee to will it, and next I make thee to beseech it - and thou beseechest it! How should it then be that thou shouldst not have thy beseeching?” ‘The ground of thy beseeching’: this seems a wonderful expression of the

way our emptiness, our yearning are all part of what draws us

closer to a God intimately bound up with our suffering and our desire. He ‘is the ground from which our prayer springs’.After we had gathered

for a closing talk and prayers, we were invited to

light a candle and to voice a prayer as we connected ourselves once more to the needs of the world and the demands of our own lives. One of the final quotations to take home emphasised again the importance of trust, ‘in well-being and in woe, for (God) loves us and delights in us, and so he wishes us to love Him and delight in Him and trust greatly in Him, and all will be well.’Huge thanks to Cynthia for directing a truly inspiring morning and to Susan for her generous hospitality.

All shall be well,And all shall be well,

And all manner of thing shall be well.

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The Grapevine Winter 2014

We are accustomed to advice from politicians and others to reduce our individual energy consumption by insulating our homes, or walking to work; to reduce our carbon footprint by using renewable energy, or avoiding air travel. Michael Meacher, in The Green Message, concluded that: “There will only be the radical transformation the world so desperately needs if we, the global commons, make the demand for it irresistible.”There is no shortage of ideas for individual responses to climate change. These are often beneficial to us, regardless of the global environment, by reducing our energy bills and encouraging a healthier lifestyle. But they do not create the transformation needed. How do we, the “global commons”, create an irresistible demand for this transformation?I have been struck, in recent years, by the growth in email petitioning. At one level I find this rather irritating and I feel uncomfortable about becoming a ‘rubber stamp’ for these causes, however worthy they may be.

But I have realised these petitions represent the wishes of the “global commons” and indicate very clearly the “degree to which global awareness and concern about climate change has grown”, noted by Mr Meacher. I therefore support petitions which address large scale environmental abuse or which deal with political developments such as the Transatlantic Trade Investor Partnership, which seem likely to relax existing environmental safeguards. Support for European Citizens Initiatives (ECI) provides another opportunity for influencing political decisions. The Eradicating Ecocide campaign is another cause I support, in the belief that it will radically reduce the likelihood of significant environmental damage.Email petition groups, such as Avaaz, SumOfUs and World Development Movement, already receive support from millions of individuals around the world and cause companies and governments to think again. They provide us, individual global commoners, with an opportunity to increase the demand for “the radical transformation the world so desperately needs”.

John Veale responds to Michael Meacher’s summer Grapevine article entitled The Green Message, and asks what is our response as individual members of the ‘global commons’ invoked by Mr Meacher?

Irritating emails do convey mass opinions and make an impact

Prisoners Trust ready for curry and a quizJoin friends and family for a brain teasing quiz and curry evening on Friday 13 March.This will be the next fund raising event for the Prisoners’ Education Trust and is due to be held at the Blossom School, The Drive, SW20, with the kind permission of Mrs Joey Burgess.For further information, telephone the trust on 020 3752 5680.

Prayer and fasting for our climate’s futureTyphoon Haiyan brought devastation to the Philippines just as climate negotiations were beginning in Warsaw in November 2013. Filipino delegate, Yeb Sano, despairing at the damage to his country and the lack of progress made by world leaders in tackling climate change, began a fast. He said he would continue until the end of the conference or until real progress was achieved. His example led to the Pray and Fast initiative, now a worldwide movement. Participation is very flexible. The aim is to have events on the first day of each month to pray for the crucial UN climate summit in December 2015. There will an opportunity to join us on 1 January in Wimbledon Congregational Church, Dundonald Road SW19 3QH from 12.30 – 1pm.

Our favourite Christmas talesThe annual appearance of Christmas story books was an essential seasonal ritual when her children were young, says Elizabeth Broad, who shares some of her household’s favourites.The First Christmas - Jan Pienkowski.Quite simply the best version of the Christmas story. Jesus’ Christmas Party - Nicholas Allan.All the innkeeper wants is a good night’s sleep. What with extra visitors being sent to the stable, returning to borrow a small blanket, choirs of angels, shepherds hammering at the door, three kings…it simply wasn’t going to happen. Brilliant for younger children. Babushka. The classic Russian folk tale of the search for the Christ-child. Babushka is so busy keeping her house clean and tidy she fails to notice the momentous events unfolding around her. When she realises, she sets off in search. The Oxford Book of Christmas PoemsAn excellent, wide-ranging anthology for sharing. Plenty of material for a wide age-range.Letters from Father Christmas – JRR Tolkien. The collected letters Tolkien wrote to his children, from Father Christmas himself are enchanting, these are the chronicles of life at the North Pole and the difficulties Father Christmas faced each year.

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