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TRANSCRIPT
SPIRE
<February 2014
suggested
donation
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The Magazine of the Parish of
St Paul Wokingham
www.stpauls-wokingham.org.uk
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH Rector Fr Richard Lamey The Rectory, Holt Lane
[email protected] 327 9116
Associate Priest Fr Patrick King [email protected] 977 3397 Assistant Curate Mthr Debbie Davison [email protected] 978 7658 Assistant Priest Fr Roy Holmes 58 Copse Drive 978 4141 PCC Secretary Mary Cassidy [email protected] 979 5096 Treasurer Lyn Austen 17 Martins Drive 978 9123 Children’s Advocate Jason Searancke 07900
678572 Stewardship J & C Selwyn-Smith 2 Bird Mews 979 2819 Music Director Louise Turner [email protected] 988 2815 Organist David Pether [email protected] 966 3565 Choir Secretary Lesley Ruddock 1 Tigerseye Close 979 4920 Senior Server Peter Wells 1 Barkhart Drive 377 6351 Junior Church Becca Lamey The Rectory, Holt Lane 327 9116 Mothers’ Union Ann Grice [email protected] Welcome Club Jackie Alexander 49 Cantley Crescent 962 9667 Tower Captain Ken Davenport 47 Brookside 978 6554 Editorial & Advertising [email protected] Church Flowers Sue Davenport 47 Brookside 978 6554 Head Teacher Julieanne Taylor St. Paul’s C of E Controlled Junior School 978 5219 Parish Administrator Val Clifford [email protected] 979 2122
THE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS Pro-Warden Liz Gallagher 10 Ashton Road 989 1176 Pro-Warden Paul Armitage 49 Emmbrook Vale 979 3533 Treasurer Tony Roberts 22 Lowther Road 979 5351 Secretary Pamela Roberts 22 Lowther Road 979 5351 Sunday School Anne Armitage 49 Emmbrook Vale 979 3533 Newsletter Lynne Judge [email protected]
WOOSEHILL COMMUNITY CHURCH Lay Minister Elaine Steere [email protected] 962 9031 Snr Steward/ Churchwarden Louise Cole [email protected] 977 2239 Steward/Churchwarden John Hoskins [email protected] 979 2597 Steward (Youth) Gillian Payne [email protected] 961 9100 Treasurer Tony Sayer [email protected] 978 6560 Secretary Jeanette Beecher [email protected] Music Group Leader Mike Cole [email protected] 977 2239 Newsletter [email protected] 977 3255 Cover Photograph ‘St Paul’s Church’ by John Foster.
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CONTENTS
Page
2 Letter from the Clergy 5 A Message from Fr. David M. West Assistant Priest, 1976-79 7 Our Stained Glass windows. 10 Tadpoles at Woosehill 11 Wokingham Foodbank 12 Spring Workshop ( Flower arranging) 13 St. Valentine 14 Recipe of the Month 14 W.A.D.E. 18&19 Music for February 20 Frozen ( A report on a current film) 21 C.M.S. 24 Christian Aid 26 Wokingham Society. 28 From the Parish Archives. 30 Welcome Club 31 Lucky Numbers
33 Churches Together in Wokingham
EDITORIAL
We hope you will enjoy our second edition of Spire. Several new ideas will be appearing over the next few months. One of these ideas is a profile of a member of our congregations. Do not be surprised if you are approached and interviewed. We will respect the privacy of anyone who declines to be interviewed. We feel it could be a nice way of drawing everyone together and getting to know members of the church we have not met. Often our profile will be of anyone in the congregations – not just always of key figures.
This is your magazine and we would welcome any comments, articles, photographs etc for future editions.
We will look forward to hearing from you.
Advertising in Spire helps with costs. We would welcome any suggestions of possible advertisers.
Our Editorial Team comprises Gordon Lupton, Ann Grice and John Griffin.
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LETTER FROM THE Clergy - "Going Deeper into God".
And so we’re off… rushing into 2014, into the Sesquicentennial (150th) Anniversary of the Consecration of St Paul’s Church. The logo and the collect are finalised and Bishop Andrew has come to launch the celebrations with a thoughtful and nuanced sermon on Paul’s closeness to God even through suffering. The plans are coming together for the rest of the year. Do make sure that everything is in your diary because you don’t want to miss out! Add in a crucial Away Day for St Nicholas’ at the start of February, which is a chance to reflect on what is going well and what more we need to be doing to show the community God’s love, and it feels an exciting and pivotal few months in the life of our churches. All the way through the planning for 2014 we have wanted to use the
anniversary as a way of building up our profile in the community and deepening our links there. That is clearly important: but the other side of the coin has to be using this special year to deepen our relationship with God. Two festivals at this time of year are making me think about the primacy of our personal relationship with our amazing God. Is our relationship getting better? Are we more dependent on God than we were this time last year, or when we were younger? Are we talking to God enough? Are we listening to God enough? Are we looking to God for his guidance and strength in the midst of the busyness or the boredom of life? The first festival is the Conversion of Paul (January the 25th). There is a massive academic debate about whether Paul was converted in that moment, blinded by the light and blown from his horse by the presence of God, or whether this was the culmination of a long period of preparation and reflection. In previous years I have taken this very seriously, and it is important- but what strikes me this year, much as Paul gained through this encounter, is how much Paul had to surrender by turning to Christ. There is a definite ‘before’ and a distinct ‘after’ with the Damascene conversion- he changes teams from inherited, instinctive power and the culture he had always been an honoured part of and the weight of tradition to help lead an oppressed and marginal group of people on the edge of society and on the edge of respectability. In the end that moment will cost Paul his very life. Something massive must have happened to change so much, to make Paul change sides- and that something is realising who Jesus is and what he has done. Can we understand what Paul did? Is our faith and understanding lively enough to understand? The second is Candlemas (February the 2nd) , the end of our keeping of Christmas. It is a beautiful and undervalued festival in the life of the Church. The Infant Jesus is carried into the Temple by his parents and Simeon and
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Anna, near the end of their lives, dance and sing with joy. They dance and sing because God has kept his promise to Israel and sent the true King, and he has kept his promise to them and let them see the Christ before they die. It is a transforming moment as people who love God utterly rejoice at what God is doing right in front of their eyes. It speaks of God’s faithfulness and love, which is what God offers to us. May you know with the certainty of Paul that Jesus is the Messiah and may that knowledge inspire you to put all of your eggs in the basket of God: and may you, like ancient Simeon, hear God’s promises to you and know those promises fulfilled in your own lifetime.
Lord God of past delights, present joys and future dreams, we thank
and praise you for our inheritance.
Inspired by your guiding Spirit and by the example of St Paul,
may we build on what we have received and welcome everyone through
open doors.
As our spire points heavenward, may we reveal your Resurrection love
through lives transformed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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SUNDAY SERVICES IN THE COMING MONTH
Please check Pews News or the parish web site for possible late changes to the following services:
2 Feb 2014 Candlemas 9 Feb 2014 Epiphany 5
16 Feb 2014 Septuagesima 23 Feb 2014 Sexagesima
S Nicholas’ services are held in Emmbrook Village Hall
Speakers at Evensong at our special Evensong Services in 2014.
16th February Roy Burgess
16th March Norman Russell
18th May Fr Peter Rapsey
29th June Fr Peter Day
20th July Fr Richard Lamey
21st September Fr Tony Kemp
19th October Archdeacon Olivia Graham
16th November Fr John Connell
On Sunday 16th February we will be delighted to welcome Roy Burgess to preach at Evensong. A lot of people will remember Roy, who was priest at St Nicks for about 5 years leaving in 2004 to take up the post at St Georges, Owlsmoor.
WEEKDAY SERVICES
Monday 8.30am Said Morning Prayer
5.00pm Said Evening Prayer
Tuesday 8.30am Said Morning Prayer
5.00pm Said Evening Prayer
Wednesday 10.30am House Mass
5.00pm Said Evening Prayer
Thursday 8.30am Said Morning Prayer
10.30am Low Mass
5.00pm Evening Prayer
Saturday 9.00am Rosary Prayers
9.30am Low Mass
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ROSARY
It is our tradition at St. Paul’s with St. Nicholas’ to offer the rosary as prayer of intercession. We meet for prayer in St. Paul’s on Saturday mornings at 9.00am. This means that the rosary prayers lead into Mass. Please, come if you like to, but anyway let us know of people you know who need our prayers.
Geraldine Lea (0118 978 6420)
CLERGY REST DAYS
Fr Richard Saturday
Fr Patrick Friday
The clergy will be grateful to be spared all but the most urgent matters on these days.
Fr Roy Saturday
Mthr Debbie Friday
A Message from Fr. David M. West Assistant Priest, 1976-79
In January 1976, long before the advent of Wokingham town centre supermarkets and the existence of Woosehill, I arrived to take up my second curacy here. For nearly four years I would have the privilege of working alongside Lloyd Davies, the Rector, at a time of considerable change for both town and parish. Lloyd's tactic was to let me "get on with the job". Lloyd had a vision to establish a Community Church for the people of Emmbrook, centring on the Joel Park estate, and it was my task to implement it.This meant, inevitably, that the good people of St Paul's, paying my expenses, were going to see far less of me than they had of any previous curate!
The plan focussed upon an old corrugated tin hut that had come to be known locally as the W.l.Hall. This old mission hut was, in fact, owned by the Diocese
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in Trust and had been leased to the W.I. for a period of 21 years on a peppercorn rent basis; that lease was due to terminate at the end of 1976. The parish had access to the building on Sundays and so no time was wasted : in the 70's Joel Park had many young families and a successful Sunday school was soon in place. Before long,willing adults were helping out and a pattern of activities and occasional informal worship had been established. From the beginning of 1977 things really took off: a regular pattern of weekly worship began in the hall; a monthly newsletter was distributed locally; childrens' activities were organised; a mums and toddlers group set up; social events were arranged - from coffee mornings to barn dances; house Eucharists became a regular feature as did Bible/study groups. Every child and adult was invited to propose a name for this new Community Church and vote accordingly; not surprisingly, given the large number of children in our midst, the name of St. Nicholas was chosen! Before too long, a kind invitation enabled us to move out of cramped facilities in the hall (by now,officially, the Village Hall) to Emmbrook Senior School for Sunday worship. At this point in time, in the formal sense, a new Church came into being: the Bishop's visit to dedicate St. Nicholas to its mission was one of the most memorable days of my entire ministry. As I reflect on these events, at the very beginning of my retirement, I acknowledge my sense of privilege at having served in the Parish of St Paul's at such an exciting time in its history. As I understand it, there is to be further development in Emmbrook - beyond Matthewsgreen Road, and I am pleased that, in this important anniversary year, the not-so-fledgling Community Church of St Nicholas, with the support of Woosehill and St Paul's congregations, will be well placed to meet this new missionary challenge in time to come.
Civic Awards Do you know a local hero? Someone that gives up their free time to help in the community over and above the call of duty? Each year the Town Council presents an award at a ceremony in April to anyone living or working in Wokingham as recognition for outstanding achievements within the community. If you would like to nominate anyone you know for such an award, please download the form at www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk/civic/civic-awards or apply directly to the Town Council. Closing date for nominations is Thursday 27th February 2014.
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OUR STAINED GLASS – A GUIDE
Last time we concluded our look at the big East Window. In previous issues, I have covered the Sanctuary and the Walter Chapel. So now it is time to start to look at the five windows on the south side of the church
>
South - first window (S1)
(The priest of Zeus prepares to offer sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas) Title verse: “Why do ye these things” [Acts 14:15] (AV)
When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the
Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human
form!’ Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes,
because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple
was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he
and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. When the apostles
Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, why are you doing this? We are
mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should
turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the
heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. Acts 14: 11 – 15 This window is out of chronological sequence – it is the only one of the ten panels (north and south sides) which is and one wonders why this should be so. N4 showed us Paul healing the crippled man. This window, S1, describes what followed and precedes the stoning, which is shown in N5.
N2 N3 N4 N5
S4 S3 S2 S1
SE2
S5
C 1-4
SW1
W1
N1
C5
NE1
SE1
E1
Main Door - North Side
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Here then we see the adoring mob on the left, calling out that the gods have descended to earth. In the centre, Paul raises his finger and points to heaven as he calls on them to “turn to the living god who made the sky”. At his feet are serving boys carrying garlands – these could be simply flowers, or they could be laurel wreaths which would be used to honour the guests (see how the priests on the right are also wearing laurel wreaths). One’s eye is also taken by the beautiful detail of the city skyline. Most sources describe Lystra as a smaller city, in contrast to the larger and more prominent cities of Paul’s mission journeys. However, here it seems to be a sophisticated
place, and is shown having several fine buildings, which are seen in these panels in fine detail. There is a clarity about them, and the choice of contrasting colours enhances their impact:
Interestingly, Lystra apparently had no synagogue and so, perhaps for the first time in his missionary work, Paul was reaching Gentiles with the gospel of Christ without approaching them through the common ground of Judaism.
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Returning to the narrative, Paul and Barnabas are declaring their human nature, while on the right are the priests of Zeus, with the bull for a sacrifice. This would have been the correct choice of sacrificial animal, since Zeus was believed to have descended to earth several times in various guises, often as a bull. However, Zeus’ motives in so doing were rarely what one would expect of a god, and usually involved something dishonourable with an attractive young lady. For example, this was an explanation for the birth of the Minotaur, half man and half bull, who lived in a labyrinth at Knossos on
Crete and who was eventually slain by Theseus. One is taken here however, by the beautiful detail of the bull, (the hair, the hoof, the curved horn and especially the bovine eye) and the sacrificial knife that the priest holds, with its crosshatched hilt.
And note also the vivid red flames and the details of the altar as the bull is led to sacrifice.
Colin Weedon 0118-979-1156
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NEWS FROM TADPOLES AT WOOSEHILL
Every Wednesday morning during term-time our Tadpoles group for the under-fives and their families meets at Woosehill Church and it’s a Good News story! Our loyal group of regulars have always told us that they value the fact that our group is quite small compared to other Toddler groups which meet in large halls and are often very noisy. Being smaller means we can really get to know the (mainly) mums and have a quiet chat in the kitchen if life is a bit tough for them at the moment. We have now set up a register of members with a limit of 20 families and we are full. We also have a visitor limit of just three so other families can come along and see what we’re about and go on the waiting list if they so wish. The format of the morning is always the same, starting with free play for the children, with toys, Playdoh, or craft and a mug of excellent Fairtrade coffee for the mums - much appreciated. Then we have snack time for the children and gather for circle time with songs and rhymes, sometimes a story and finishing with a prayer. A new event took place in December at our last session of the term, when Richard and Paddy came along to do a double act and share with us in a special Toddler Praise service. It was rewarding to see that, as well as our regulars, we had a few who came along as a result of the Christmas card that was put through people’s doors in December. In all, counting children and adults, there were 45 of us at the service. We all sang along to Little Donkey, with Paddy on guitar and the children enjoyed a story interspersed with carols for young attention spans. Finishing with prayers, followed by festive drinks and snacks it was a really special morning. A good number of our families came along to the Crib service too and we give thanks for the success of this outreach project. Thank you to Richard and Paddy for coming and sharing with us and we look forward to another service, perhaps for Easter?
Val Weedon and Doreen Murgatroyd
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WOKINGHAM FOODBANK
Thought I should update you on a few things: 1. It’s just over four months since we opened the doors and we fed our 500th person. We have now helped over 180 families. I think you’d agree that this shows how much the Foodbank is needed, even in a wealthy town like Wokingham. 2. The Foodbank Facebook page carries a lot of information about current happenings and future plans. If you haven’t already, why not pay us a visit. 3. We’re now on Twitter! Visit @WKGFoodbank to see the very latest updates and why not send us a tweet?
4. We have launched Wokingham Foodbank Angels, a scheme where you, or your friends and family, can make a small, regular financial donation to help us cover the Foodbank’s costs (rent, insurance etc). We have no paid employees. Everyone who works in the Foodbank are volunteers. If you donate via Local Giving, they not only claim the gift aid for us (which we can’t do because we are not a registered charity), but also will match donations of up to £10 a month for the first 6 months. That means if you donate £10 the Foodbank could receive up to £22.38. Please share this information with your family and friends and encourage them to sign up as Angels. We only need 65 people giving us £10 per month to cover all of our costs. Attached is a flier that explains this in more detail, please feel free to duplicate this or pick up some copies from the Foodbank and circulate it as widely as you can. Also don’t forget you can also get information from our webpage http://www.wokingham.foodbank.org.uk Once again thank you for your support which enables us to help those who need our services.
David Atkinson
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Spring Flower Workshop
A Spring flower arranging workshop has been arranged, in conjunction with Wokingham Flower Club, for Saturday 5th April 2014 in the Parish Rooms from 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. The cost of the Workshop is £15.00 which includes all materials. If you would like to take part please contact me on.
Sue Davenport 0118 978 6554
QUIZ NIGHT 2014
When is it? Saturday 8th February
Where is it? St Paul’s Parish Rooms
What time? 7pm for 7.30pm start
How much? £10 children under 12 go free
What does this include? Fish & Chips or Chicken & Chips Supper*
What do you bring? Bring your own drink and glasses please
What else is there? A Chinese raffle
Is it team or individual answers? Teams of 8 max bring your team or join one on the night
How do you buy tickets? See one of the following at:
St Paul’s Janet Charlton (9785508)
St Nicholas’ Margaret Davies (987788)
Geraldine Lea (9786420)
Parish Office Val Clifford (9792122)
What else? Half the profits to the Alzheimer’s Society
*Please state your food preference when buying your ticket
ALWAYS POPULAR SO GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY!!
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St Valentine.
Who was St Valentine and what relevance does it have today with our celebration of Valentine’s Day? The Feast Day for St Valentine was established by Pope Gelasius in AD 496. St Valentine was a third century saint who became associated with love and romance in the Middle Ages through the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer and his circle of friends. There are at least two St Valentines although it has been suggested that they the same person. One was a priest who was put to death by Claudius because he secretly married Christian’s couples thus defying Claudius. Married men did not have to go to war and as soldiers were sparse at the time this was an inconvenience for Claudius. The second St Valentine was the Bishop of Terni who is said to have founded the first Christian community in Ternia and performed many miracles. The burial place of St Valentine on the Flaminia Way is at what is now called the Porta Popola but used to be called the St Valentine’s Gate. The link between St Valentine and love and romance is tenuous. One possibility being that the priest secretly married Christians and the Bishop of Ternia gave a rose to a young couple who were quarrelling. Whatever one chooses to believe and associate with St Valentine it is a lovely opportunity to be romantic and show appreciation of the one you love.
BERKSHIRE CRUSE BEREAVEMENT CARE
Berkshire Cruse Bereavement Care offers guidance to those who are facing life without a loved one. Cruse Bereavement Care operates in East Berkshire. Take a leaflet from the Parish Rooms to a friend if you think they need help.
Cruse Bereavement Care offers telephone support during office on 0844 736 0441. An answer phone operates outside of these hours – leave a message and a volunteer will get back to you.
The group meets every second Thursday of the month at 10.30am in The Cornerstone, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE.
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WADE DAY CENTRE WOKINGHAM & DISTRICT ASSOCIATION FOR THE ELDERLY
Wade is a Registered Charity that promotes the welfare of the elderly in the Wokingham Borough area and was founded in 1968 by the late Jean Davy. Wade provides a pleasant location near the centre of Wokingham for the use of the over 60’s and residents of the Wokingham Borough area.
The centre is open from Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm. There is provision of two minibuses with drivers to bring in Members at a low cost. Freshly cooked, healthy midday meals, with morning and afternoon refreshments are available. Amongst others, activities include sing-alongs, quizzes, bridge, music therapy, outings, bingo & exercise.
Members pay an annual membership fee and a charge for midday meals and refreshments. For further information, please contact
Wade Day Centre, 40 Reading Road Wokingham, RG41 1EH Tel 0118 978 7025, Web: www.wadedaycentre.co.uk RECIPE OF THE MONTH Stovies is an old country supper recipe for a cold winter’s night. Peel and slice enough potatoes and onions to suit your family needs. Layer slices in a casserole dish. If you have any leftover meat or sausages, they can be added to the layers. Salt and Pepper. Cover with any juice left over from a roast and stock cubes of your choice. Cook slowly in oven until tender. This is a good recipe for using up leftovers which is tasty and warming.
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WE NEED LOCAL VOLUNTEERS To help in the management and development
of Warren Close, Finchampstead Road
Dedicated to independent living for people aged 55 or over, the Wokingham Area Housing Society was formed in the late 1940s by local
volunteers to provide affordable homes for retired people.
The Society plans to redevelop the site so that more homes can be built to modern standards whilst retaining the rural character of the site. We need volunteers with experience of committees, building projects, PR or
Marketing, work with older people or general goodwill.
For further details please contact: The Secretary
WOKINGHAM AREA HOUSING SOCIETY LTD (a charitable housing association)
Telephone 07816 590 537
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MUSIC FOR FEBRUARY 2014
2nd – Candlemas
9.30 am Parish Mass
Hymns: 33, 338, 187, 234
Setting: Mass of St Thomas, Thorne
Gradual: Oriel Alleluia
Anthem: When to the temple Mary went, J Eccard
Voluntary:
6.15pm Solemn Evensong
Responses: Plainsong
Psalm: 132
Office Hymn: 54
Canticles: Fauxbourdons, D Jones
Anthem: When to the temple Mary went, J Eccard
9th – Epiphany 5
9.30am Parish Mass
Hymns: 388, 355, 341, 499
Setting: Mass of St Thomas, Thorne
Gradual: Oriel Alleluia
Anthem: Ave Maria, T L de Victoria
Voluntary:
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16th– Septuagesima
9.30am Parish Mass
Hymns: 457, 383, 382, 476
Gradual: Oriel Alleluia
Setting: Mass of St Thomas, Thorne
Anthem: If ye love me, P Wilby
Voluntary:
6.15pm Choral Evensong
Responses: Smith
Psalm: 13
Hymns: 349, 250
Canticles: Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D minor, T A Walmisley
Anthem: If ye love me, P Wilby
Voluntary:
23rd – Sexagesima
9.30am Parish Mass
Hymns: 265, 433, 294, 336
Gradual: Oriel Alleluia
Setting: Mass of St Thomas, Thorne
Anthem: Here O my Lord, P Whitlock
Voluntary:
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FROZEN – A VIEW ON A RECENT FILM by Fr Richard.
From time to time a film really lives with you long after you have left the cinema. Sometimes that is for good reasons and sometimes that is for bad (Did I really pay good money to see Troy?) and sometimes, in the case of the current Disney film Frozen, it is because your children can’t stop singing the songs and because it is rare and special when a story so moving and beautiful is matched by the imagination and wit and honesty of the film- including a snowman who longs for summer, a hero who’s soul-mate is his reindeer, and a wonderful soundtrack which includes “My soul is spiralling like frozen fractals all around.” Very loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “Snow Queen”, Frozen is the story of two orphaned sisters. The elder, Elsa, will one day by Queen of Arendelle but she struggles with a great secret which isolates her utterly from those around her- she can make snow and ice, a power she lives in fear of, and which becomes uncontrollable when she is frightened. Her younger sister, Anna, could not be more different- curious, sociable, friendly, open, she thinks all things are possible. Both of them will pay a heavy price because of the way they see the world, because the bits of us we reject break through and because innocent trust will often be abused. In the end, though, together, they learn from each other and heal each other. Watching Frozen with my two daughters, I was delighted that Elsa and Anna are fully-developed Disney heroines- feisty, engaging and courageous. They do not simply sit around waiting for a Prince to come and kiss them and make their lives complete. The main theme of Frozen is a Christian one- that growing up and being human are about learning to accept and love who we are. Elsa can only control her ability to create snow and ice when she stops fighting it and embraces it is part of her. We all have bits we wish we could change: sometimes we can and sometimes we can’t. The key thing is that we know that God made us and loves us, and delights in us. Elsa learns to accept who she is as she grows up and grows into her responsibilities as Queen. The final scene of the film completes her amazing journey as private shame becomes public joy and pleasure. Secondly, Elsa learns to accept who she is in community, through love. Being loved makes her lovely. She is saved by the trust and love and selflessness of her sister, Anna, who risks everything to bring her back. It is the same thing that Jesus does for us, and what good parents did for us, and what our family and our friends and our Church do for us now. Even when we feel worthless and silly we are loved and embraced into wholeness and flourishing. The world of Frozen is very like our world. People are different. Cruelty sometimes wears a pleasant mask. We don’t always do what we mean to. We
can hurt people in ways we never intended. But through and in and around everything is the transforming power of love and affection which gives us the confidence to be who we were born to be.
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SOUTH SUDAN CRISIS
Please pray for South Sudan and our partner churches and CMS people in mission.
Please continue to pray for the conflict in South Sudan: that the peace talks in Addis Ababa may be fruitful, for cessation of the fighting in some parts of South Sudan. [See "Documents to download" at the foot of this article for a map of the current crisis. Remember mission partners Trisha Wick and Lyn Treneary in Maridi Diocese, Helen Burningham and Ruth Radley who are planning to return in the next few weeks. Pray for Archbishop Daniel Deng, and his leadership in this peacebuilding. He has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury, saying, "I urge you to appeal on our behalf to the rest of the Anglican Communion partners to pray for us and lobby your governments to come in to end this senseless war. "The crisis began as a political struggle within the SPLM party, but it turned into a military struggle which later on took the dimension of ethnic problems. And we as the Church are deeply concerned and worried that if the situation is not contained it will lead into chaos which will be uncontrollable."We still don’t know how the situation may evolve in the next twenty-four hours, days weeks and months ahead of us. Also do appeal to some charitable organisations and agencies to please help alleviate the affected people as some of them are now dying of hunger, diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria, particularly the children. Although there are some NGOs present providing some assistance, the humanitarian crisis has reached a breaking point." CMS will be working with the Anglican Alliance to channel donations to the local church's relief efforts:
FROM OUR CMS PARTNERS.
Dear Friends, Thank you for your emails and telephone calls. We are all well and went to Hyderabad for 2 weeks in December. We had a few Christmas parties with church friends and work friends in Chennai. We met up with family and friends over Christmas and also went to a wedding in Hyderabad. Now back in Chennai, we have had some time with Gautam's parents. Please keep us in your prayers. With love and prayers, Sabrina, Gautam and Tryphaena
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Haiti earthquake: four years on
237,115 hot meals, 10,060 hygiene kits, 511 new permanent houses. As our Haiti Earthquake Appeal programme comes to an end in March this year, we look back over the work that has been achieved over the last four years
Christian Aid News is our supporter magazine that puts you in the picture about the policies, people and activities of Christian Aid as, together, we strive to bring an end to poverty.
The magazine is available to view online and is available to download in PDF format. www.christianaid.org.uk
A sample of their work is shown below.
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THE WOKINGHAM SOCIETY
Each month the Wokingham Society is advertised in Spire and it is possible that not everybody knows or understands the role played by the Society in the community. I would therefore like to take the opportunity of outlining what we do and how we aim to serve the people of Wokingham. First of all I need to explain that the Wokingham Society is a Civic Society, a charity which is concerned with preserving the heritage of the town’s buildings, institutions and amenities to the benefit of the community of this ancient market town. Residents of long-standing will be fully aware of the pride that we take in our wonderful historic building like the medieval houses in Rose Street and on the Terrace for example, as well as splendid Victorian buildings like the Town Hall and our own church with its impressive spire and classical proportions so generously given to the town by John Walter 150 years ago. Its beautiful stained glass windows and murals remind us of the vital connection between our religion and the creative talents and skills of craftsmen and architects of the past particularly when we face the back of the church at the end of Mass or when we celebrate festivals or celebrations in the church’s calendar. The Society believes it is vitally important to preserve the integrity of our architectural jewels and also to maintain the balance between open spaces, highways and buildings. We are a non-political organisation, but as a Civic Society we have an obligation to communicate our concerns about developments which could adversely affect the town’s heritage. We are neither nay-sayers nor Luddites; we do not automatically believe in the status quo in every situation; we do not permanently respond to progress negatively. Instead we look at each case on its own merits and make decisions rationally and on the basis of what we consider to be in the interests of the community. We are not necessarily always correct in our evaluation and response, but we ensure that our case is put to the relevant authorities in a reasoned and balanced way with due and proper regard for the need for accuracy and proper research. Over the years the Society has had considerable success in helping to preserve the best of Wokingham and we shall continue to do our best to serve the town in a variety of ways, by for instance recording the architectural, historical or cultural importance of specific buildings by the award of a Blue Plaque. We have devised a Blue Plaque Trail leaflet, copies of which may be seen in our Parish Rooms. Another way in which we help the community is by the award of Grants to organisations and individuals in support of their activities or projects. In the past St Paul’s has received a grant in support of the restoration of the stained-glass windows and the repairs to the steeple after the fire. We have been delighted to have been associated with the local historian and archivist Jim Bell in particular as he continues to chronicle many different aspects of life in Wokingham, not least by his fascinating and informative research into the history of our own church. His most recent superb achievement was the production of an eBook sponsored by the Society called Wokingham in the News: A Chronological History of Wokingham from the Reading Mercury, 1858 – 1938. You can read these fascinating transcriptions on line and, if you turn to the year 1863, you will find an article on the building of a new church in the Reading Road! Worshippers at St Nicholas may be interested to know that we have also awarded grants to Peter Shilham for
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his books on the history of Emmbrook as well as the Friends of the Emm Brook and the Holts Copse Nature Reserve for their important ecological and restoration projects. We believe it is vital that we support annual events like the May Fayre, the Winter Carnival and the Town Council’s Heritage Weekend, and our involvement in celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee was of very special significance to us. Currently we are involved with Wokingham in Bloom and when you pass the Terrace in a few weeks’ time, you will hopefully see crocuses in full bloom as the outcome of a project jointly undertaken by the society and the Town Council. I hope this has given you a clearer impression of what we represent: for a more detailed presentation of our activities achievements and aims, you can go to our website www.wokinghamsociety.org.uk . We are currently involved on two very interesting projects and we hope they will shortly come to fruition. In the meantime we assure you that we shall continue to look sympathetically at any request for a Grant in support of a project which may enhance or benefit to the community. John Griffin Secretary of the Wokingham Society
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FROM THE PARISH MAGAZINE ARCHIVES
Wokingham Volunteer Fire Brigade
The booklet is entitled, “A Short History of Wokingham Volunteer Fire Brigade,” and is priced £3.00. It will be on sale in the Information Bureau of Wokingham Town Hall, Wokingham Library and Embrook Post Office, Reading Road. The fire brigade was formed in September 1976 as the result of a meeting in Wokingham Town Hall. Until then firefighting was the responsibility of the police. One big problem in England in the 19th century was arson, the targets being mainly farms, barns, hayricks etc. To combat this a special police force was set up in 1830 to catch arsonists (then called incendiaries) and to fight fires. Over the years the special police did such a good job that, in 1876, it was decided to hand the responsibility over to a brigade that came to be known as the Wokingham Volunteer Fire Brigade. Early equipment comprised mainly manual pumps and brooms to beat out the flames. The pumps were drawn by two horses and required thirty men to operate them. Although the brigade did their best, quite often there wasn’t a nearby pond from which the pump could draw water so they could only remove what items they could away from the flames and watch the fire burn out. The manual pumps were replaced with steam-driven pumps (called steamers) in early 1890s. In addition to fighting fires the steamers were in demand for social events including making tea and boiling vegetables. At Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Wokingham the firemen took charge of
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roasting the ox and boiling the vegetables in the Market Place. The ox was also donated by fireman Edwin Ifould, one-time Mayor of Wokingham. The fire brigade horses were stabled at The Molly Miller Public House. There was a period when one of the horses was white and the other black. When not in use for firefighting the former was used for weddings and the latter for funerals. If a fire occurred during either event the horses were quickly located and hitched to the fire engine leaving the occupants stranded.
The efficiency of the brigade increased when the Marquis of Downshire (also a fireman) made arrangements, at his own expense, for horses to be provided by the Thomas Tilling Company, supplier to the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. These horses were highly trained and mostly grey. The steamers were followed by the first motorised fire engine in 1914. The last fire engine, a Leyland pump escape was later used in a Benny Hill comedy film, A Tribute to the Lower Tidmarsh Volunteer Fire Brigade. The brigade was funded by public subscription and rewards from insurance companies.
The National Fire Service was created in August 1941 by the amalgamation of the wartime National Auxiliary Fire Service and the local authority fire brigades. The Wokingham Volunteer Fire Service thus became defunct and its members and most of its equipment were absorbed into the new organisation. The remaining pieces of equipment were sold off in the latter half of 1942.
Jim Bell Tel: 0118 9629820
Email: [email protected]
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WELCOME CLUB
Welcome Club Christmas Lunch, Tuesday 14th January 2014 Jackie welcomed us all and our guest speaker, David Tinker, and we all wished each other a Happy New Year!. David gave us a slide show and talked on 'Wish You Were Here' about our visits to the seaside over the years. Beginning in the 18th century when travel was very slow and expensive, so only the rich could visit, mainly for spas and medicinal purposes. They drank the seawater rather than swim in it. The Royals did begin to swim, George 3rd in Weymouth and Queen Victoria on the Isle of Wight. When railways arrived during the 19th century it was possible for many more people to visit the seaside, and companies ran special excursions for their workers, so that the beaches would sometimes become very crowded. Also at this time, piers were built to enable the new steamships to call at the resorts. After the world wars many resorts had their heydays in the fifties, many now coming by car. Then came cheap air travel and package holidays and it became more fashionable to go abroad on holidays, and many resorts went into decline. Jackie thanked David for his interesting talk and we had tea with home-made cakes, and the raffle was drawn. Next month, Tuesday 11th February, Tony King will give us his talk on 'Things aren't what they used to be'. For further information concerning the Welcome Club please don't hesitate to ring Jackie Alexander on 0118 962 9667.
The Wokingham Society is a Civic Society committed to assisting with the conservation of Wokingham’s character, history, traditions, architecture and environment. Grants are offered to local organisation, societies and individuals planning projects which will benefit the community. In recent years the Society has awarded Grants to St. Paul’s in support of major projects.
For more information please contact the Membership Secretary on: 01189786913 or www.wokinghamsociety.org.uk
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LUCKY NUMBERS DRAW The Lucky Numbers draw took place at coffee after the communion service at St Nicholas on the 12th of January. Many congratulations to the winners, who were: £50 Lesley & David Ruddock £25 Malcolm Armstrong-Irving £15 Lesley & David Ruddock £10 Margaret Davies For those Spire readers who are not shareholders in the LUCKY NUMBERS draw and who would like to join this fun way of providing funds for the repairs and renewals to the Church, or just want further information about it, please contact Tony Roberts (979 5351), Liz Gallagher (989 1176), or Kay Piggott (978 4718) - or in person at church (Kay at St Paul's; Tony or Liz at St Nicholas). Renewal notices for those paying by annual cheque were distributed at the end of December. If you have not received yours, please contact Tony Roberts. If you did receive it, and have not yet renewed and wish to continue as a subscriber, please do so as soon as possible. Any unpaid numbers will be removed from the draw with effect from 8th of February .
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FROM THE PARISH REGISTERS
Holy Baptism
19th January 2014 Joseph Terry DIXON 19th January 2014 Jessica Fay DUFFIN 26th January 2014 Lily Janet HARTFREE
26th January 2014 Isabella Victoria HARTFREE
26th January 2014 Kristina Elizabeth SMITH
Burials 13th January 2014 Sheila Mary WRIGHT 14th January 2014 Rita HUGHES Readers and Intercessors for the coming month
Reader Intercessor
2 Feb 2014 Candlemass Janet Wickham Teri Austen 9 Feb 2014 Epiphany 5 Tom Lewis Rhoda Hart
16 Feb 2014 Septuagesima Sunday Rhoda Hart Mary Cassidy 23 Feb 2014 Sexagesima Sunday Hannah Fairhead Kate Harrison
YOUTH ORGANISATIONS Prayers & Bears Liz Gallagher 10 Ashton Road 989 1176
Rainbow Guides Amanda Loosemore 15 Rotherfield Avenue 978 3442
Brownie Guides Barbara Bone 979 0810
Cubs & Scouts Andy McBain and Steph Gould
iBelieve Rachel Paine [email protected]
J Club Becca Lamey The Rectory, Holt Lane 3279116
St. Paul's Play Group Mary Parker 9 Blenheim Close 978 5874
Sunday Club Mark Payne [email protected] 961 9100 Tadpoles (babies & toddlers) Doreen Murgatroyd [email protected] 978 9713 Rainbows/Brownies/Guides Nicky Hopkins www.girlguidingwokingham.btck.co.uk 978 5453
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Churches Together in Wokingham:
NEWS 21January 2014
Good Friday Passion Play Approved.
At the CTW Ministers’ lunch today the ministers approved the holding of a Passion
Play in Wokingham Market Place at 12:00 noon on Good Friday, 18th April 2014.
Rev. Michael Johnson welcomed the approval on behalf of Stage Fright. Michael
emphasised that the content of the play and its success depended upon input from the
churches, both in terms of suggestions and financial support.
Ministers are asked to poll their members and give Michael input on the following:
- ideas for the play, its subject and content.
- any sensitivities the play should avoid
- ideas on integration of the Procession of the Cross
- the type of music that should be used
- seating arrangements
Michael said that one suggestion that seemed worth pursuing was that during Lent the
Cross undertakes a journey around the town, perhaps spending each Sunday in a
different church, travelling to schools, the library, the market place, other public places
during the week.
Could you let him know what you think of this idea, and particularly if you or your
members would like to get involved in the journey.
Is there someone out there who could coordinate this?
Wokingham Market Place Good Friday 2013
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Praying for Wokingham and the new housing developments
The Mulberry Grove Development of 225 homes to the North of
Norreys – work has already begun Come and hear the latest news, catch the vision & pray for
Wokingham’s churches and our engagement with the 10,000 people who will be moving in to our town.
WHEN? WEDNESDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 7.45PM
Where? The Lecture Room, Wokingham Baptist Church, Milton Road RG40 1DE Contact: Church Office 0118 978 7174 [email protected] New Housing Developments - Feedback on Discussion with WBC Rev. David Hodgson reported that a small group met with representatives from Wokingham Borough
Council to discuss how the Churches and council could work together on issues in the town. Plan is to
interact with the council in 4 areas:
- Youth
- The Elderly and Socially Isolated
- Families (fostering, etc.)
- Process (possible covenant between Churches and WBC)
It is intended that the group will look at what the churches are already doing in the town and investigate
how these activities could be better “joined up”. A meeting is planned for 24th Feb at St Pauls and all are
invited to attend.
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Can anyone suggest a suitable caption for this?
Please email [email protected] with your suggestions, thanks.
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CHIROPODIST Helena. S. Gold M.S.S.Ch., M.B.Ch.A. Registered Member of The British Chiropody & Podiatry
Association and Health Professions Council
Modern surgery in Binfield village
10 minutes from Wokingham
Very easy parking
Evening appointments
Cryosurgical treatment for Verrucae and Warts
Tel: 01344-459371
67, Knox Green, Binfield, Bracknell RG42 4NZ
FOR NEWCOMERS AND VISITORS
Thank you for your visit and for the interest you have shown by taking our Parish Magazine.
If you would like to join our congregation on a regular basis, we should be delighted to welcome you and will make every effort to ensure that you feel at home.
If you are ‘just visiting’ we hope you have enjoyed your visit.
We hope you will wish to remain in touch and invite you to fill in appropriate sections of the form below to enable us to assist you in any way we can.
Name
Address
Postcode
Telephone
Please e-mail details to us, or hand this page to a sidesman during a church service, or send it (or drop in the letter box at the Parish Rooms) to:
Parish Administrator
St Paul’s Parish Rooms
Reading Road
Wokingham RG41 1EH
Tel & Fax 0118 979 2122
Email: [email protected]
Fridays (during school term)
1.30pm – 3.00pm
St. Paul’s Parish Rooms, Reading Road, Wokingham
Only £1 per family
Includes drinks and biscuits
Adult and Toddler Group
Bears
Prayers
Contact:
E-mail : [email protected]
Tel : (0118) 979 2122