The Green Spire
The Parish Magazine of
St Andrew, Orford with Longford
October 2016
School News 2
From the Vicar – autumn, creation and stewardship 3
What’s on in October 5
At the Cathedral this month 6
Who’s On in October 7
Greenbelt Festival 2016 8
What the PCC decided… 9
Church and School together events 10
Parish finances – a new record 11
Christian Aid News 12
The Christmas fair 13
Notice Board 14
Snippets from the Church Times 17
Doris Jepson RIP 18
All Souls Requiem 19
As I see it – by Churchmouse 20
Praying for the world-wide Church 22
From the Registers 26
Prayer Intentions for October 28
The Green Spire is published monthly. Copies are 35p per month, or £3.50 for a year’s subscription – normally payable in January. Enquiries about advertisements welcome.
School News
The long-expected visit by inspectors from Ofsted took place at the end of September. It’s two years since the last visit and a lot has happened in the meantime. Visually, there have been plenty of improvements to the building and grounds but more importantly, there have been many improvements to the way things are done. Attendance has improved, children respond to the high expectations placed on them and school is a well-ordered and happy place to learn. Standards has risen dramatically at all levels. We are pleased with all that’s happened and we hope the inspectors share our belief that we are a good school. We hope to be able to let you know the outcome next month.
It has been a joy to welcome the whole school to church on Tuesday mornings for worship. We’ve also welcomed a few members of the church to share that special time. The final ‘worship in church’ will take place on Tuesday 18th October and then revert to school for the winter. You are most welcome to join us either in church or in school. We intend returning to church on Tuesday mornings in the spring.
Children from Year 4 made a visit to Fiddlers Ferry this month. Not only do children love going out to various places, but it enhances their learning in many ways. It can be applied in most subject areas and every last drop of benefit is squeezed from our trips.
Parents’ staff and governors were invited to a training day concerning radicalisation and extremism. The aim was to raise awareness and prevent children being ‘sucked in’ to something they don’t understand until it’s too late. We were reminded that radicalisation extends beyond religious fundamentalism and includes right-wing group and animal activists. It was well attended and really made us think.
Preparations are under way for Harvest. We are joining the church in supporting the local foodbank and look forward to coming to church for our Harvest festival service. Do come an join us – it is being led by Years 2 and 4 this year and we’ll also be in church on Sunday 9th for the church’s Harvest service.
From the Vicar:
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Living where we do, half way between the equator and the pole, we enjoy changing seasons. It might seem a little odd but I really like autumn. I think there are a number of reasons for this.
A few years ago, we went to Derbyshire for a few days. It had been quite a wet summer and the trees had kept every last leaf. All of a sudden, in mid-October, they stated to colour and change. We visited the Amber Valley and both sides of this immensely beautiful landscape was aglow with the most amazing golds and oranges. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it.
At this time of the year, the Church celebrates our unique relationship with the earth, the most notable being Harvest Thanksgiving. [As an aside, I have to say that I particularly like calling it a thanksgiving as it reminds us ‘town-folk’ not to take for granted the produce that comes from the land.] It is a time to recognise that all the produce we enjoy – food, water, fish and many more – are the gift of a generous God even though we have to work with him to bring them to fruition.
In addition to being thankful, Harvest reminds us that not everyone is as fortunate as we are. Over the years, we have supported a number of projects that try to help some of these people live in dignity and with sufficient food or clean water. This year, our focus is on the Foodbank which aims to support people in this town who presently do not have enough to eat, often through no fault of their own. I hope we will give them the support they deserve.
I think it was the sheer beauty of that Derbyshire valley that made me realise just how wonderful and intricate the world we live in really is. To get that effect, a number of different features have to come together – features that no one person or group could possibly engineer, no matter how clever they are.
Scientists are constantly finding new ways in which the elements of creation fit together. So many things are dependent on one another and if we take one away, everything else suffers. That might seem obvious today but as recently as fifty years ago, only a few people had made the connection and they were mostly written off as ‘eccentric’. Our understanding of the natural world has blossomed thanks to the work of scientists and ecologists.
There has been a blossoming of knowledge in many areas of life including medicine. The suggestion of a disease-free world within fifty years still feels unlikely, but not so long ago would have been considered wishful thinking to put it mildly!
Knowledge too is a gift from God. We are learning to build on the discoveries of former scientists and technologists and also to collaborate more closely. The result is an ever accelerating trend to greater knowledge. And the brains and deductive power that feeds this process comes from God who uses us to work with him. Our hope is that each of these steps forward will be for the greater good of humankind and the world on which we live. While that may not always be the true driving force, it should still be our aim. Channelled in the right direction, that disease-free world is probably more likely than once thought.
The breadth of creation is quite awesome. We’ve had some really clear nights recently and even with the light pollution we experience it’s surprising how many stars and planets are visible to the naked eye. If you go out into the dark countryside, or look at photos taken from space telescopes, the true magnitude of the ‘created world’ is staggering.
There is, though, another world that is just as amazing though more difficult to see. I’m thinking about bacteria, viruses and living cells. We tend to think of bacteria as harmful, and some are, but they are an essential part of daily life and many are necessary to processes like digestion. There is some very clever work going on using cells to improve life as new cures for genetic illnesses come within reach.
Of course, all these things need close monitoring to ensure that they are used for good and do not inadvertently produce new problems and fears. Those who work on these ground-breaking frontiers of science need the critical support of people of faith to ensure that only good comes out of their discoveries.
The world we live in is a truly awesome place and autumn reminds us of the immense beauty and intricacy of it. It is time to thank God for the wonder of creation and pray that we might be good stewards of all he has given us.
Michael Raynor
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What’s on in October...
Sunday 2nd The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
October 10.00am Sung Eucharist
12 noon Holy Baptism
Friday 7th 9.15am School Harvest Festival in church – all welcome
7.30pm Scout sleepover and Hike
Saturday 8th 6.00pm Harvest Supper in the Hall
Sunday 9th Harvest Thanksgiving
10.00am Sung Eucharist
with children and families from school
6.00pm Choral Evensong
Thursday 13th 8.00pm Thursday Ladies’ Club meet at the vicarage
Saturday 15th 1.00pm Wedding of Jonathan Harrison and Chloe Robinson
Sunday 16th The Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity
10.00am Sung Eucharist
12 noon Holy Baptism
Friday 21st 2.15pm Afternoon Tea – with church members and Reception children and parents
Sunday 23rd The Last Sunday after Trinity
10.00am Sung Eucharist
Thursday 27th 8.00pm Thursday Ladies’ Club meet at the vicarage
Saturday 29th Overnight – clocks go back 1 hour
Sunday 30th All Saints’ Day
10.00am Sung Eucharist
Sunday 6th The Third Sunday before Advent
November 10.00am Sung Eucharist
12 noon Holy Baptism
6.00pm Commemoration of All Souls Requiem
There are regular weekly celebrations of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) on Wednesday evening at 7.00pm and Thursday morning at 10.30am. Celebrations on Saint’s Days are published on the Sunday sheet. All are welcome.
At the cathedral:
Families are invited to the cathedral on Monday 24th October from 11 am to 3pm for a fun-day with Derby Mouse. It is free and everyone is welcome. There will be a range of art and craft activities, a chance to have a photo with Derby Mouse and children eat free when accompanying a full paying adult.
The cathedral will be closed to visitors on Wednesday 26th October for the day as filming is taking place. There’s no hint yet as to what is being filmed but we’ll let you know as soon as we find out!
On Thursday 27th and Friday 28th October starting at 10am, there’s a singing club for boys – a chance to learn singing techniques and musicianship in one of the finest settings in the country.
The cathedral shop is now selling a wide range of Christmas books, gifts and accessories including Christmas nativity sets. They can be bought online if you have access to the internet and can be posted out. The web address is https://www.cathedralshop.com/
Details of Christmas at the cathedral in next month’s edition of Green Spire.
Who’s on in October …
2016 / sides-people / reader / intercessor / offertory2 Oct / M. Greatorex
H. Smythe / A. Gorman / K. Rowan / M. Ellison
Z. Zahorcova
9 Oct
Harvest / I. Appleton
M. Harrington / School / School / School
16 Oct
Tri 21 / J. Devereux
M. Ellison / M. Harrington / W. McKinnon / M. Greatorex
H. Smythe
23 Oct
Last Tri / L. Giblin
F. Greatorex / Don Miller / M. Harrington / J. Brookman
C. Muir
30 Oct
All SS / B. Boscoe
B. Glover / M. Brown / M. Brown / C. Worrall
R. Worrall
6 Nov
3 Adv. / M. Greatorex
H. Smythe / W. Reddish / N. Lee / A. Gorman
M. Parker
All Souls – 6pm / Volunteers please / J. Raynor / Fr Michael
F. Greatorex
2016 / Tea Rota / Counting collections
2 Oct / M. Harrington / L. Manfredi / V. Carter / J. Raynor
9 Oct / B. Boscoe / B. Glover / B. Boscoe / B. Glover
16 Oct / M. Ellison / volunteer
23 Oct / F. Greatorex / L. Giblin / I. Appleton / M. Ellison
30 Oct / M. Harrington / L. Manfredi / V. Carter / J. Raynor
6 Nov / B. Boscoe / B. Glover / B. Boscoe / B. Glover
2016 / Read on Weds Eve / Hall Cleaning
2 Oct / N. Lee (5 Oct) / C. Worrall
9 Oct / D. Kirk (12 Oct) / Fr Michael
16 Oct / Fr Michael (19 Oct) / J. Devereux
23 Oct / N. Lee (26 Oct) / C. Worrall
30 Oct / D. Kirk (2 Nov) / Fr Michael
6 Nov / Fr Michael (9 Nov) / Fr Michael
Greenbelt
Greenbelt is a Bank Holiday Christian Festival that has a long history. It recently moved from a racecourse to a new venue in Northamptonshire and despite fears that this might be an adverse move seems to have done quite the opposite and widened its appeal. There is a rich mix of worship and discussion, and a chance to meet new people and exchange ideas in a convivial, enjoyable setting. Among the many speakers was the Archbishop of Canterbury – a first visit for the Archbishop. The music is varied and the whole family is catered for with special events aimed at young children.
Among the more serious and thought-provoking events, discussions ranged from designer babies led by a professor from the University of Winchester to climate change led by veteran activist Bill McKibben. Abdel-fattah Abusrour, born in a refugee camp in occupied Bethlehem showed how he uses theatre and the arts to help young people tell their story as part of what he calls “beautiful resistance” giving young West Bank Palestinians a way to oppose occupation which does not involve taking up arms. Syria, fostering, Black Britain, Brexit and immigration all got an airing.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was interviewed as part of the Sunday morning Eucharist. In his opening remarks, he said, “The Church needs fewer meetings and more parties.” The previous evening, after torrential storms, campers were entertained by a Brass Band from New Orleans that led the party spirit.
In a separate interview with Channel 4’s Gogglebox vicar, Kate Bottley, Archbishop Justin was taken to heart by many of his audience. He spoke with true humility in an often amusing way. He said he spent a lot of his time feeling a fraud, and God’s calling to be an Archbishop made him “seriously doubt the infallibility of God.”
Safeguarding and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) both figured during their discussion and the Archbishop said they were two issues that kept him constantly awake at night. He spoke of being ‘constantly consumed with horror’ at the way the Church had treated gay people and admitted that he couldn’t see a way forward at that moment (referring to the divisions in the Anglican Communion).