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Paul Hardingham continues his new series.
What’s the Big Idea? An Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament:
1 and 2 Samuel.
1 and 2 Samuel was originally a single work, which focuses on Samuel, Saul and David, around 1,000 BC, mid-way between Abraham and Jesus. It was Samuel who established the monarchy in Israel after the period of the judges. He was commanded by God to give the people a king, although their request is seen as a rejection of God’s rule over Israel (8:7).
The people simply wanted to be like other nations, however their king was still subject to God’s law and the word of the prophet. Although Samuel anointed Saul, he soon showed an unwillingness to submit to these requirements, leading to his rejection as king (15:23). God chose David as Saul’s successor, and 1 Samuel depicts David’s years of waiting until the right time arrived to claim the throne.
2 Samuel depicts David’s rule, in which the nation prospers and its enemies are defeated. The promise of the perfect king is fulfilled in Jesus Himself, as David’s descendant. The second half of the book depicts the darker side of David’s reign, describing his weaknesses and failures, including his adultery with Bathsheba and the rebellion of his son Absalom.
Nevertheless, David remained a man after God’s own heart: ‘The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:7). The characters in this book are not always great examples of faith, however, ‘They do not show us how we should live but how in fact we do live, authenticating the reality of our daily experience as the stuff that God uses to work his purposes of salvation in us and in the world.’ (Eugene Peterson).
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Prospect of winter energy bills causing anxiety for millions, says Archbishop of York
Millions are looking ahead to this winter with ‘fear and anxiety’ about the cost of heating their homes, the Archbishop of York has said as he backed the recent launch of a campaign to provide a network of warm spaces for people who struggle to pay their energy bills.
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell is encouraging churches to consider getting involved in the Warm Welcome campaign, a network of venues from community centres to churches providing warm spaces over the winter for people struggling to heat their homes
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Archbishop Stephen said: “Sadly, what began as a cost-of-living crisis has simply become the new normal for many.
“Millions of people will look ahead to this winter with fear and anxiety, wondering how they are going to cope with high living costs. That is why I am proud to endorse the Warm Welcome campaign this winter.
“But a warm welcome isn’t only about the temperature. It is about kindness and community, giving people the chance to be seen and known, to belong and to be part of something. It is about celebrating the God-given value and dignity of every single person, finding hope and community together. But of course, none of that will happen if people are cold.”
The Warm Welcome campaign is led by a coalition of over 50 charitable organisations who joined together in response to the cost of living crisis to provide emergency support to communities struggling to pay for rising food costs and to heat their homes.
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The mysterious ways of mistletoe
Mistletoe has long been used as part of our Christmas decorations. It is not your usual kind of plant.
Instead, it is hemiparasitic, meaning that although its leaves enable it to feed itself through photosynthesis, its roots invade the host tree or shrub to extract water and other nutrients
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Mistletoe loves living in apple, lime, hawthorn, poplar or oak trees. You may spot it high up, as a large globe, on the bare trees in winter. There is one spectacular example in Windsor Great Park, clearly visible from the path on the opposite side of the Thames
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Mistletoe’s berries are almost translucent, fleshy and sticky. They form in the forks of mistletoe’s many branches. While they are toxic to humans, they are attractive to birds, who wipe the remaining seeds off their beaks onto the nearest branch, which of course helps the plant to spread.
For some reason, Romans thought mistletoe represented Peace, Love and Understanding. Perhaps that is how it got into our Christmas celebrations? The earliest documentary evidence for kissing under mistletoe dates from the 16th century, but we don’t know who got kissed first.
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Doctor Livingstone, I presume?
It was 150 years ago, on 10th November 1871, that Welsh journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley located the missing missionary Dr David Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika, in present-day Tanzania. He may or may not have greeted him with the words: “Doctor Livingstone, I presume?”
Stanley’s real name was John Rowlands. He was born in Denbigh to an unmarried 18-year-old who abandoned him. He ended up in a workhouse until he was 15, then went to America, where he changed his name and became an American citizen. When he found Livingstone, he was working for the New York Herald.
Known for his strength of will, Stanley also had an African name – Bula Matari – Breaker of Rocks. Much of his life was spent in Central Africa, and his reputation was mixed: he was said by some to be violent toward Africans, but by others to have treated them well. His feats as an explorer were impressive: he played a big part in locating the true source of both the Nile and the Congo, and he helped open up the Congo on behalf of King Leopold of Belgium.
Though not overtly religious, he felt he was engaged in a “sacred task”. He was re-naturalised a British subject in 1892, following his marriage.
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All in the month of March
It was:
300 years ago, on 8th March 1723 that Sir Christopher Wren, English architect, died. Best known for designing St Paul’s Cathedral.
125 years ago, on 16th March 1898 that Aubrey Beardsley, British illustrator, died. His black ink drawings, influenced by Japanese woodcuts, contributed to the development of Art Nouveau.
100 years ago, on 4th March 1923 that Patrick Moore, the amateur astronomer, TV presenter, writer and musician was born. Best known for presenting the TV astronomy show The Sky at Night for over 50 years. (Died 2012)
80 years ago, on 13th March 1943 that the final liquidation of Krakow Ghetto in Poland took place. 8,000 Jews were transported to Plaszow labour camp, 2000 more were simply killed in the streets, and the rest were sent to Auschwitz.
70 years ago, on 19th March 1953 that the Academy Awards ceremony (the Oscars) were televised for the first time.
Also 70 years ago, on 26th March 1953 that Dr Jonas Salk announced that he had completed the first small-scale test of a polio vaccine. Larger tests began in February 1954, and mass vaccinations began in April 1955.
65 years ago, on 2nd March 1958 that the first land crossing of Antarctica was completed by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, led by Vivian Fuchs. The team of 12 men travelled 2,158 miles from Shackleton Base to Scott Base (via the South Pole) in 99 days, using six vehicles.
60 years ago, on 22nd March 1963 that the British Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, made a statement in the House of Commons in which he denied there was any impropriety in his relationship with Christine Keeler, a model who was also in a sexual relationship with a drug dealer and a Soviet naval attaché. (In June he admitted he had lied, and resigned.)
50 years ago, on 8th March 1973 that the citizens of Northern Ireland voted in a referendum to remain within the United Kingdom. That same day the IRA carried out its first bombing in Britain since WWII, planting car bombs in London. One person died, 200 were injured.
40 years ago, on 6th March 1983 that Donald Maclean, British-born Soviet spy died. He was a member of the Cambridge Spy Ring.
Also 40 years ago, on 26th March 1983, that Anthony Blunt, British art historian and Soviet spy, died.
25 years ago, on 16th March 1998 that Rwanda began mass trials for the country’s 1994 genocide. There were 125,000 suspects for 500,000 murders.
20 years ago, on 1st March 2003 that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the al-Qaeda terrorist who masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the USA, was captured in Pakistan.
Also 20 years ago, on 12th March 2003 that the World Health Organisation issued a global alert about a severe form of pneumonia (now known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – SARS) that was affecting people in China, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
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Isherwood Hall. (The original hall)
Tables and chairs are available.
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April 2025 Magazine
We as always, thank all who have contacted us and sent us comments and articles for inclusion. Please keep in touch and send us things.
We suggest that as there are a lot of articles, you can dip into them a bit at a time and not read all at once.
Pauline & Bob - co-editors..
Updated 2nd April 2025
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No, we’re not banning ‘gluten-free’ bread or ‘non-alcoholic’ Communion wine
Contrary to recent reports following a question asked by a General Synod member, the Church of England is not banning ‘gluten-free’ wafers nor ‘non-alcoholic’ wine at Holy Communion.
A spokesman for the C of E said that Anglican churches across the country “routinely offer ‘gluten-free’ bread or ‘non-alcoholic’ wine at Holy Communion.”
He said: “Many professional ecclesiastical suppliers have long provided wine or bread which may contain tiny traces of alcohol or gluten which can legitimately be considered non-alcoholic or gluten free.”
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Church of England launches National Survivor Participation Framework
The Church of England has launched the National Survivor Participation Framework. It is a guide for all Church bodies and any victim or survivor who currently participates – or wants to participate – in the safeguarding work of the Church.
The development of the Framework started with a survey which heard from 171 victims and survivors. It went on to include safeguarding professionals in dioceses and cathedrals, the National Safeguarding Team, subject experts in the NCIs, and external experts.
Deputy Lead Bishop for Safeguarding Julie Conalty thanked all who were involved, “particularly victims and survivors. This framework brings much needed clarity and helps us to create safe spaces.”
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April Diary Page
Holy Communion service each Sunday at 9.00am (Said BCP service)
Sung Eucharist each Sunday at 10.00am (Common Worship)
Holy Communion each Tuesday at 10.00am (Said BCP service)
Said Evening Prayer each Sunday at 6.30pm.
BIBLE STUDY (via ZOOM) EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 7pm DURING TERM TIME.
PRAYER MEETING FIRST MONDAY IN THE MONTH 7pm IN CHURCH
Saturday 5th
9.30am Church cleaning/churchyard tidy
Sunday 6th
LENT 5 PASSIONTIDE BEGINS
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.00am PARISH COMMUNION
6.30pm Evening Prayer
Tuesday 7th
10.00am Holy Communion
Wednesday 9th
COFFEE MORNING 10.aam – 11.30am
PCC Meeting in church 7pm
HOLY WEEK
Sunday 13th
PALM SUNDAY
9.00am Holy Communion with Blessing of Palms
10.00am Parish Communion with Blessing of Palms
6.30pm Evening Prayer
Tuesday 15th
NO 10am COMMUNION SERVICE
Thursday 17th
MAUNDY THURSDAY
7.00pm Holy Communion with stripping of the altar and washing of feet
Friday 18th
GOOD FRIDAY
10.00am Stations of the Cross
3.00pm Good Friday Liturgy with Holy Communion
Sunday 20th
EASTER DAY
6.00am Sunrise Service
9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.00am Easter Liturgy (CW) with Lighting of Easter Candle
and renewal of Baptismal Vows (CW)
6.00pm Evening Prayer
Sunday 27th
EASTER 2
9.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Parish Communion
6.30pm Evening Prayer
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2025
Sunday 11th May - 11am after the 10am service
Reports and Financial statements will be available to view beforehand.
Vestry Meeting for the election of two Churchwardens.
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
To receive the reports from various church organisations, and to elect PCC members and 2 Deanery Synod representatives.
If you feel you would like to become a church warden or a member of the PCC, please contact the PCC Secretary, Brian Livingstone (01642 279272). Nomination forms will be on the church notice board at back of church.
All who are on the Electoral Roll and eligible to vote, should attend this meeting.
ALL REPORTS SHOULD BE IN BY SUNDAY 13TH APRIL.
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THE CHILDREN’S SOCIETY
A big Thank You to all holders of Children’s Society boxes. This year we have raised £607.28.
If you would like a box to fill during the year please contact:
Margaret Dabbs (01642 816369) (mobile: 07985368682)
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80th Anniversary of VE Day
To celebrate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day on 8th May, the church will be decorated with Union Flags, and the church bell will be rung at 6.30pm, together with other churches across the country, as a symbolic act of remembrance.
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Who are the most generous Christians?
Those who attend church and read their Bible at least once a week.
So says Stewardship, in its 2025 Generosity Report. Stewardship, which manages charitable donations from church, charities and individuals, has found that, in donating an average of £314 a month, not only do ‘committed Christians’ give away almost five times the UK monthly average, but they experience “the most joy” from doing so.
Stewardshop’s recent survey found that ‘Committed Christians’ give an average of 11.6 per cent of monthly income, ‘Practising Christians’ give 7.99 per cent, ‘Churchgoing Christians’ give 5.30 percent, and ‘Cultural Christians’ give 0.84 per cent.
The C of E’s National Adviser on Giving and Income Generation, Jonathan de Bernhardt Wood, points out: “The more we realise that everything we have is a gift from God, the more we are able to give it away,” he said.
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Parish Pump Contributors
The Ven. John Barton spent 20 years in parishes and was the Church of England’s Chief Broadcasting Officer before becoming an Archdeacon in the Midlands. Though officially retired, he has worked for both Archbishops and conducts services in dozens of East Kent churches. He is also trying to learn how to write, with the aim of linking daily life to the ever-present Christ.
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MY SISTER’S PLACE
On Sunday 23rd March we welcomed Sarah Stephenson, Community Fundraiser at My Sister’s Place.
Sarah came along to give a brief outline of the work My Sister’s Place does to support women who are experiencing domestic abuse.
Women who flee domestic violence often do so with nothing but the clothes they are wearing… and many have a child/children with them.
My Sister’s Place offers a safe space for them, with practical support, face to face counselling and therapeutic support. The service provides essential items to help them when they are maybe put into a safe house or hotel room.
Over the last few years St Mary’s has regularly donated toiletries etc. for these women, and Sarah wanted to thank the congregations for their invaluable help.
If you wish to donate, there is a basket in church, or give to Pauline Simpson, 25 Heather Drive.
Items needed:
Clothing: Basic Women’s T shirts, jumpers, leggings, underwear (new) etc All sizes.
Baby and children’s clothing and disposable nappies.
Toiletries: Deodorant, Shampoo & Conditioner, Hair brushes and combs
Sponges/flannels, Soap, Shower Gel, Sanitary items.
Baby lotions/creams, Baby wipes, Baby shampoo and body wash
Food: (Anything that can be used with just a kettle)
Porridge Oats, Coffee sachets/Tea bags/Hot chocolate sachets
Long life milk. Juice cartons/bottles of water/cans of pop.
Crisps, Biscuits, Pot Noodles/Pasta pots, Cuppa soups
More information can be found on My Sister’s Place website: www/mysistersplace.org.uk
Thank you to all who donate regularly, it is very much appreciated.
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Justin Welby is still living at Lambeth Palace
Justin Welby and his family will live in their private apartments in the medieval palace until the summer. The former Archbishop of Canterbury was forced to step down last November after a report found that he had failed to take appropriate action against John Smyth, who has been called the most prolific sexual abuser in the history of the C of E. It is hoped that Welby’s successor will be appointed by the end of the year.
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By Rev Peter Crumpler
Could older people hold the key to church growth?
New research is highlighting the wide range of activities that churches are offering to older people – and the growing opportunities to present the Christian gospel.
The survey, carried out in the UK and Ireland by Christian charity Faith in Later Life asked churches what they were doing to minister to seniors in their congregation and beyond. The results reflect a broad spectrum of events and activities.
These include lunch clubs, exercise sessions, singing classes, tea and coffee times, outings and a broad range of social activities open to the community. Some churches offered a ‘holiday at home’ with special events organised, and one provided a monthly chiropodist’s visit.
Many churches are visiting care homes and holding services in their lounges. One respondent recalled “It was so uplifting to see the joy on their faces. Many with severe dementia were recalling words long forgotten and joining in.”
Alexandra Drew, chief executive officer of Faith in Later Life, explained, “There is something very powerful about ministering to those who are very old, and the experience of journeying with someone to the very end of life.”
Community work goes hand in hand with reaching out with the gospel. The research showed that 83 per cent of those delivering social activities for older people are also running worship services, Bible study groups and groups to explore faith. A quarter of those who responded had seen people come to faith in the last year, and half had seen people grow in their interest in faith.
Faith in Later Life is a charity “dedicated to inspiring and equipping Christians to reach, serve and empower older people everywhere, through the local church.”
The research highlights the important role of ministry to older people at a time when many churches are focussing on ‘growing younger’ – and perhaps overlooking increasing numbers of older people in our communities. Many respondents felt that ministry with seniors was marginalised or neglected within their church.
Alexandra Drew said, “The impact on the wider church of mission to older people is significant. More than half of those responding said their work is leading to greater recognition of older people, more age-inclusivity and greater awareness of older people’s spiritual needs.”
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Canon Paul Hardingham considers the effect of Easter…
The Real Easter
In CS Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the lion Aslan is put to death by the White Witch. The stone table on which He is killed cracks in two, but Aslan meets with Lucy and Susan alive again. He explains the Witch’s failure:
‘her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, she would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack, and Death itself would start working backwards.’
This is a great picture of what Jesus’ cross and His resurrection has achieved. As Paul writes, ‘I want to know Christ, to know the power of His resurrection’ (Philippians 3:10). To understand the real Easter, we should experience the same power that raised Jesus from the dead!
New Hope: Like the girls in the story, Easter highlights the sadness and confusion that loss brings. Yet the resurrection of Jesus brings new hope, as it demonstrates the victory secured by the cross over sin, Satan and death. We can face life’s difficulties knowing that Jesus walks beside us.
New Love: Our relationships are often characterised by a lack of forgiveness, hurt and betrayal. Yet Jesus’ resurrection opens the possibility of new love, as His power enables us to accept others and forgive them.
New Life: When we are trying to make sense of life, like the girls in the story, Jesus offers us a living relationship with Himself. It’s a friendship with God through Jesus that can begin today and continue for eternity.
When Lucy met Aslan again, she cried: ‘Oh, you’re real, you’re real!’ We too can find the real Easter through a life changing encounter with the living Christ.
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Canon Paul Hardingham continues a new series which will run until 2025.
What’s the Big Idea? – An Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament: Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs is an anthology of sayings (‘mishle’) that are generally attributed to Solomon (Proverbs 1:1), who uttered 3000 proverbs (1Kings 4:32). The purpose of these oracles is ‘for attaining wisdom and discipline’ (1:2). Solomon was concerned that people, especially the young, would understand ‘the sayings and riddles of the wise.’ (1:3-6). His guiding principle is that ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.’ (1:7).
To give an idea of the recurring themes in the book, here are a few examples:
Knowing God: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding’ (9:10).
Guarding Our Speech: ‘A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver’ (25:11).
Marital faithfulness: ‘May your fountain be blessed and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth’ (5:15-20).
Our Work: ‘Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!’ (6:6-11).
Dangers of Strong Drink: ‘Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise’ (20:1).
Justice and Honesty: ‘The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are His delight’ (11:1).
Underlying these sayings is a conviction about God’s omniscience, ‘For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all his paths’ (5:21); providence, ‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails’ (19:21) and goodness, ‘The LORD is far from the wicked but He hears the prayer of the righteous’ (15:29).
Proverbs reminds us that God is concerned with the way we live today. ‘Wisdom is the art of living skilfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves’ (Eugene Peterson).
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Mellitus, the Saxon pagans, and St Paul’s Cathedral
Our present bishops have big troubles within the Church. Mellitus had big troubles outside the Church.
It all began quietly enough in Rome, where Mellitus was born into a noble family, and became abbot of a monastic community. Then in 601 Pope Gregory the Great sent him to help Augustine, who had arrived in Canterbury in 597.
In 604/5 Augustine consecrated Mellitus to be first Bishop of the East Saxons. Mellitus settled in the capital, Londinium (London), and his wooden cathedral stood on the site of what is now St Paul’s.
Mellitus began to evangelise but struggled to make any progress. The Anglo Saxons were very attached to their pagan temples and celebrations. Then Pope Gregory had an inspiration: he told Mellitus not to destroy the pagan temples and banish the pagan feasts. Instead, he should adapt them. So, Mellitus simply cleansed the Saxon temples and removed the Saxon idols. He then re-dedicated the buildings to God and re-directed the pagan Saxon feasts towards Christan feast days.
Bede reports that Pope Gregory had reasoned: “If the people are allowed some worldly pleasures … they will more readily come to desire the joys of the Spirit.” The Pope was right – the new approach certainly transformed and spread missionary endeavour throughout the Saxon kingdom.
But then, in 616, Kent and the East Saxons had two new kings. These new rulers reverted to paganism but demanded that Mellitus still give them the Eucharist.
Mellitus refused, was banished, and then fled to Gaul for safety. When it was safe to return, he got as far as Canterbury, where in 619 he was chosen to be the third Archbishop of Canterbury.
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April Crossword
Across
1 Relating to the whole universe (6)
4 The disciple who made the remark in 8 Across (John 20) (6)
8 ‘Unless I see the nail marks — — hands, ’ (John 20) (2,3)
9 He urged King Jehoiakim not to burn the scroll (Jeremiah 36) (7)
10 Baptist minister, controversial founder of America’s Moral Majority, Jerry — (7)
11 ‘Look, here is — . Why shouldn’t I be baptized?’ (Acts 8) (5)
12 Repossessed (Genesis 14) (9)
17 Port from which Paul sailed on his last journey to Rome (Acts 27) (5)
19 ‘Moses was not aware that his face was —’ (Exodus 34) (7)
21 Roonwit, C.S. Lewis’s half-man, half-horse (7)
22 Grill (Luke 24) (5)
23 ‘So he was added to the — apostles’ (Acts 1) (6)
24 ‘I was in — and you came to visit me’ (Matthew 25) (6)
Down
1 Coastal rockfaces (Psalm 141) (6)
2 Academic (1 Corinthians 1) (7)
3 Publish (Daniel 6) (5)
5 For example, the Crusades (4,3)
6 11 Across is certainly this (5)
7 He reps (anag.) (6)
9 Liberator (Psalm 18) (9)
13 Man who asked the question in 11 Across was in charge of all her treasury (Acts 8) (7)
14 They must be ‘worthy of respect’ (1 Timothy 3) (7)
15 The human mind or soul (6)
16 ‘O Lord, while precious children starve, the tools of war increase; their bread is — ’ (Graham Kendrick) (6)
18 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not — ’ (Matthew 11) (5)
20 Bared (anag.) (5)
March Answers
ACROSS: 1, Corinthians. 9, Abandon. 10, Eglon. 11, Spa. 13, Deem. 16, Hi-fi. 17, Abijah. 18, Ohad. 20, Myth. 21, Now see. 22, Knit. 23, Tide. 25, Arm. 28, Nahor. 29, All done. 30, Kind-hearted.
DOWN: 2, Of age. 3, ISDN. 4, Tens. 5, Idea. 6, Nullify. 7, Hardworking. 8, Enlightened. 12, Praise. 14, Mad. 15, Vigour. 19, Abishai. 20, Met. 24, Is one. 25, Arid. 26, Male. 27, Slur.
Winners
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April Anagrams
BRITISH PRIME MINISTERS
Rearrange these letters to form the names of 12 people who served as Prime Minister between 1908 and the present day. Each answer consists
of two words.
1. LET ME NET A CELT 2. A WHERDED HAT 3. THE SQUARE THRIB 4. BEST WILD ANNALY 5. CRAVE A MIDDON
6. MALLAN JAGCHASE 7. THE NOANY END 8. WHO IS RANDOLL 9. CHILLIE BEANN MARVEL
10. THAT GREAT CHARMER 11. SMARMALADO CANDY 12. A MANORMALL CHILD
Compiled by Peter Warren
March Anagram Answers
SHAKESPEARE PLAYS:
1. ROMEO AND JULIET 2. LOVE'S LABOURS LOST 3. MEASURE FOR MEASURE 4. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
5. THE WINTER'S TALE 6. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING 7. THE TAMING OF THE SHREW 8. ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
9. MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR 10. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 11. THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
12. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Winner: Wyn Hirst
Send your answers with your name to the editors.
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April Sudoku
March Answer
Winner Jack Thompson
Canon David Winter considers graveyards – and the Resurrection
Easter Thoughts in a Churchyard
It’s a yearly paradox. You’ve brought some flowers to the churchyard to lay on the grave of a loved one. All around you are graves and headstones, reminders of the inevitable end of life’s earthly journey. But it’s Easter Day, and from within the church you can hear the singing: ‘Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!’ Perhaps then you notice a few other things. You’re standing among the fresh daffodils and the grass that’s suddenly green and growing again. For a moment you pause and reflect on the reverse of an old saying. In the midst of death – we are in life!
That essentially is what Easter is about – an annual reminder that death is not the end of the story. Cookham, in Berkshire, was once the home of the great 20th century painter, Stanley Spencer. Perhaps his most famous painting is ‘Resurrection in Cookham Churchyard’, which depicts local residents – many of them recognisable village characters – rising up out of their graves to be greeted by the risen Jesus, standing in the church porch. It’s a glorious, vivid, shocking reminder of a great assertion. The graveyard is not a terminus, but a junction.
The resurrection of Jesus (and hence our resurrections, too) is the defining claim of Christianity. Christians don’t follow the teaching of a prophet who died many centuries ago, or of a holy man whose life is an example to follow, excellent as that may be. They put their trust in a Saviour whom they believe is alive and with them now, and they also believe that through Him they too will move through the junction of death to the journey that lies beyond – a journey he talked about to His followers.
The annual paradox lies in the inescapable fact of death, indelibly represented by those graves and headstones, and in the equally inescapable fact that – in apparent defiance of all logic – human beings down the ages have clung to the belief that death is not the end.
Every culture has its story of the life beyond – the Elysian fields, Valhalla, Nirvana, Abraham’s bosom. But only with the coming of Jesus, and the witnessed events of that first Easter morning, has our instinctive belief been given wings. The paradox is the heart of everything. Death is a fact, but life is greater than death. ‘Because I live’, said Jesus, ‘you will also live’.
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By David Pickup, a solicitor
Being children in church
We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you. (1 Thessalonians 2 6-7)
I came across this passage recently and it struck me as relevant for now. It is one of the earliest pieces in writing in the New Testament, and St Paul was looking back at his eventful visit to a northern Greek city.
Often our efforts in running our local church do not go to plan. The national Church has had a tough time recently, and questions have been asked about its future and the way it is run. I do not think we should write the Church off yet, as it is has had problems over its history and recovered. However, we do have to be honest, and face up to reality.
St Paul was also facing problems in Greece. He was accused of being a wanted criminal or even being off his head. However, despite the challenges, his three-week visit was brilliantly successful. St Paul encouraged the church to be bold but gentle, and God-centred, not people-led. It is worth reading the whole chapter.
His message was bold. He told them straight the Good News, but he was gentle with it. He says he was like someone looking after children. His message was what God wanted to say, not what he thought people wanted to hear. Too often we water down or compromise the message, and we are not bold and gentle – but timid and judgmental.
Our society is like that Greek city, Thessalonica: bustling, money-mad, diverse and well connected. The challenge for us is to be part of a church that is both bold and gentle and serving God. Like children, we need to be eager to learn from the teacher.
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Car signal jammers to be outlawed
Why would you need a device that scrambles the radio signal from a remote locking device on a modern car? Unless you wanted to steal it?
Exactly. And so, the government is now banning the sale and even possession of such electronic devices.
And not too soon, either, as the device is currently used in four in ten of all car thefts in country. Last year 132,412 cars were stolen across England and Wales, at a rate of 370 a day.
Lemon juice, anyone?
In the morning, do you drink coffee, tea or freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed with warm water?
Lemon juice has recently become a fashionably healthy lifestyle choice, according to nutritionist and autoimmunity specialist V J Hamilton.
She explains that, as well as being high in Vitamin C, lemon juice helps with hydration and digestion, and can help reduce bloating, constipation and free radicals.
Lemon juice is full of goodies: vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium and potassium, and antioxidants and flavonoids. These all help to keep your skin, liver, kidney and heart healthy.
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Editor: The Revd Dr Gary Bowness continues his tongue-in-cheek letters from ‘Uncle Eustace’…
The Rectory
St James the Least of All
My dear Nephew Darren
There are times when I indulge you too much; why I ever let you run your course ‘Taking Responsibility for your Church’ among our congregation, I am now unable to understand. I had hopes that it might encourage a few more people to volunteer for the flower rota, or to give occasional help mowing the churchyard. I even had a vague fantasy that someone might turn detective, and discover who had been eating the chocolate biscuits between Sundays, condemning the rest of us to munch on Rich Tea after Services.
Unfortunately, your course turned out to be inspirational, and it has fired up our members to take on all sorts of new initiatives. Enthusiasm in a congregation can be a very dangerous thing, especially if people start making decisions on their own.
Those who formed a welcoming group are admittedly well-meaning – although it was more than a little traumatic for those coming through the door the next Sunday to be greeted with frenzied handshakes, big toothy smiles, and even hymnbooks. That is unheard of in this church – we always ignore people and leave them to find hymnbooks – if they can.
Naturally, all those offering to take the prayers, produce new Orders of Service and even to give the occasional sermon have been booked on the appropriate training courses. By the time they have been completed, I can only hope they will have gone off the idea.
But it was the group which decided to “beautify” the church who have proved the most tiresome. Hanging the Christmas tree lights round the altar made it look as if I was standing behind a fairground stall, waiting to invite people to throw hoops round teddy bears – although I would have rather enjoyed making winners sit for the rest of the Service holding a polythene bag containing a goldfish.
Our pulpit has also been given a makeover, with the various panels painted in contrasting colours; I am sure the sixteenth century Flemish woodcarvers would be delighted with the result, although the next time any medieval historians come to view it, I shall take the day off – probably travelling abroad.
My dear Darren, your course took the stopper out of the bottle; would you please run another to put it back?
Your loving uncle,
Eustace
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The Ven John Barton considers Easter amid the evil all around us…
The Ultimate Offer to Humanity
This Easter the media will rightly remind us of the carnage in Ukraine and the Middle East. For as we celebrate this great Festival, commemorating Christ’s victory over evil, we are confronted with death, barbarity and terror in the world. Unless we choose to live in fantasyland, we have to relate the two.
First, Jesus Christ did not escape death. Nor did He promise His followers a trouble-free world. Actually, they themselves can expect an above average share of suffering.
Secondly, we believe that Christ’s death was no accident, no mistake. It was typical of the evil deeds that human beings mete out to each other. Innocent suffering did not begin in Jerusalem and will not end there. But the crucifixion was a calculated risk: God’s costly and unexpected intervention in human affairs. The Christian claim that God’s Son was put to death is deeply offensive to religious groups who cannot believe that the remote and all-powerful God to whom human beings should submit, has Himself submitted to our brutality. Yet it is in this way that God enlists in His creation without violating it.
Thirdly, Christ’s way of sacrifice, forgiveness and reconciliation is God’s ultimate offer to the human race.
The first reaction of the people who witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ was fear. Incredulity, too, but fear. And no wonder: they were seeing the King of Kings.
In the last book of the Bible, the Risen Christ is described like this: “I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash across His chest. His head and His hair were white as white wool, white as snow; His eyes were like a flame of fire, His feet were like burnished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters…….. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead.”
That is the proper first response of reverence and respect to a vision of God. Only then can we hear the words spoken by this terrifying figure:
“Do not be afraid: I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, and see I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of death and the world of the dead.”
God’s rule over the world – the world at its worst and the world at its best – was reasserted at the first Easter. This is no domestic, ecclesiastical event. It is God’s glorious yet solemn challenge to His rebellious creation: the grip of evil and death is terminally weakened. Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
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Ukrainians in desperate need of help
As Ukraine recently marked the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, charities have warned of the desperate need for humanitarian aid for the country.
An estimated one in three people in Ukraine have been displaced by the war. Roughly 3.6 million have been internally displaced, while 6.5 million have fled the country. 90 per cent of these refugees are women and children.
The children remaining are also traumatised, with schools destroyed, homes bombed, and an ongoing lack of food. As World Vision warns: “The emotional burden faced by Ukrainian children cannot be overlooked.”
One Ukrainian mother says simply: “We see death. We see destruction every day. There’s too much pain and sorrow.”
Russia launched its largest-ever drone strike on Ukraine on the eve of the anniversary.
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London Marathon 2025 – Sunday 27th April
Last year’s London Marathon attracted more than 53,000 runners, which made it the world’s biggest annual one-day fund-raising event EVER. It also raised a world record-breaking amount of £73.5 million for charities.
The route is 26.2 miles long. Greenwich and Blackheath is the starting point, and then the route takes in Woolwich, Greenwich, Rotherhithe, Bermondsey, Tower Bridge, Limehouse, Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, Shadwell, Tower Gateway, Westminster Bridge, Great George Street, Birdcage Walk, Buckingham Palace and finally to the iconic finish line on The Mall.
It is all a far cry from the first London Marathon back in March 1981, when 6,747 people ran, and which did not raise any money specifically for charities.
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The genius of Madame Tussaud
Some 175 years ago, on 16th April 1850, Madame Marie Tussaud, a French artist known for her wax sculptures, died. She was the founder in 1835 of Madame Tussauds wax museum in London.
Born Anna Maria Grosholtz, she was taught wax modelling in Paris by Philippe Curtius, from whom she inherited two wax museums. Imprisoned as a royalist during the French Revolution, she was given the job of making death masks from heads freshly removed from their bodies by the guillotine.
Her subsequent marriage to François Tussaud was not a success and she moved to England, where she toured for over 30 years with her collection of wax models until she found it a permanent home in Baker Street, London, where it became extremely popular: Charles Dickens described it as “more than an exhibition… an institution”. Her grandson Joseph Randall moved it to its current location on Marylebone Road in 1883.
The extensive exhibition is now operated by Merlin Entertainments and has locations in cities across four continents. The waxwork figures depict prominent people from many fields, including three Popes, Martin Luther King and Billy Graham. But it has not been without controversy: in 2004 a Nativity scene using “celebrities” – including David and Victoria Beckham as Joseph and Mary, Graham Norton as a shepherd and Kylie Minogue as an angel – was roundly criticised by the Roman Catholic Church in particular, and removed after it was damaged in an attack.
Wax figures of gods were used in funeral rites in ancient Egypt; the Greeks and Romans also used them in religious ceremonies, and dolls for children were also made of wax. In the Middle Ages, churches sometimes received votive or thanks offerings of wax figures.
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Guarding the Easter chocolate
Was there a security tag on your Easter egg this year? If so, it wasn’t because high street bosses feared the Easter Bunny might take it.
It’s that shoplifting has soared to an unprecedented amount. There were more than 20 million shoplifting incidents last year – an average of about 50,000 cases a day, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). In all, retailers lost £2.2 billion.
And it seems that shoplifters also like chocolate. Which is why some WH Smith shops have been tagging the Cadbury Mini Eggs, and why some Tesco stores have put Quality Street chocolates under a wire net, to name but a couple of examples.
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Penny killed off in the USA, but saved in the UK
President Trump has ordered the US Treasury to stop minting one cent pennies.
But Downing Street is standing firm: our 1p and 2p coins are not being phased out in Britain. In fact, no British coin has been scrapped since 1984, when the halfpenny was taken out of circulation.
But there are some changes at the Treasury: no new coins are being minted this year, for the first time in decades. This is because our use of cash continues to decline, making the 27 billion coins currently in circulation within the UK quite sufficient for now.
In the UK, about 1.5 million people still use mostly cash, according to a 2023 survey by UK Finance.
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Where did your Easter egg come from?
Your Easter egg can be traced back to the early Church in Mesopotamia.
Since ancient times, people had been giving each other eggs at pagan Spring festivals, as eggs were a symbol of the new life and rebirth in nature all around them. Then came Jesus and His death and resurrection, which made Easter the ultimate time for Christians to celebrate new life and rebirth. After that, it was only a matter of time before eggs found their way into commemorating Easter.
This seems to have first happened with the very early church in Mesopotamia, where those early Christians began dyeing their eggs after Easter, to celebrate the new birth that Jesus had given to them. The practise of using eggs in Easter celebrations then spread to the Orthodox Churches, and from there to the Western Churches across Europe.
Remembering Albert Einstein
Seventy years ago this month, on 18th April 1955, Albert Einstein, the German-born theoretical physicist, died. Considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century, he is known especially for developing the special and general theories of relativity.
He formulated possibly the best-known theory in the world – the special theory of relativity (including the iconic equation E = mc2) – in 1905 while working as a technical expert, third class, at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern. He went on to become widely known and admired as a physicist of genius. He died in his local hospital in New Jersey of a haemorrhage, having become an American citizen. He was also a Swiss citizen.
Einstein’s family were secular Ashkenazi Jews. He was never convinced that God intervened on a personal level, regarding such an idea as naïve. But he had a firm belief in God as creator and sustainer of the universe.
He had an ongoing and never settled debate with Niels Bohr, the Danish theoretical physicist, about the way the universe was described by quantum mechanics, holding that chance could not be behind it because “God does not play dice”.
Einstein was clear that he was not an atheist – more a “religious nonbeliever”. He was disappointed in the end by his failure to prove non-randomness and to come up with a unified field theory by including electromagnetism in his geometric theory of gravitation. He did receive the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his theory of the photoelectric effect.
Not long before he died, he wrote in a letter to physicist David Bohm: “If God created the world, His primary concern was certainly not to make its understanding easy for us.”
Albert Einstein was married twice and had three children by his first wife, Mileva Marić. He also played violin – hence the subtle reference to him “playing electric violin” in Bob Dylan’s Desolation Row.
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Book Review
An Easter Book of Days – meeting the characters of the Cross and Resurrection
By Gregory Cameron, Canterbury Press, £10.99
Here are 25 characters from the stories of Lent, Holy Week and Easter – from the perspectives of scripture, history and legend. How can they enrich our practice of faith today?
As well as the familiar figures – Christ Himself, Mary His mother, Mary Magdalene, the disciples, Pilate, the soldiers, and the thieves crucified with Jesus, there is Veronica, wiping the face of Jesus as He carried his cross.
The author also explores the rich traditions that have built up around the cross and the crown of thorns, as well as tales of how the robin got its red breast, or what happened to the disciples after the Ascension. All in all, the book offers a richly textured guide to the Easter season.
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All in the month of April
It was:
250 years ago, on 18th April 1775 that American silversmith and folk hero Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride on horseback from Charleston to Lexington to warn residents that the British were about to attack.
175 years ago, on 16th April 1850 that Madame Marie Tussaud, French artist known for her wax sculptures, died. Founder of Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London.
Also 150 years ago, on 17th April 1875 that the game of snooker was invented by Neville Chamberlain, a British army officer stationed in India.
80 years ago, from 1st April to 22nd June 1945 that the Battle of Okinawa, Japan took place. The largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War, it was an Allied victory.
Also 80 years ago, on 30th April 1945 that Adolf Hitler, Austrian-born German Nazi Party Leader, Chancellor of Germany (1933-45) and dictator (1934-45) committed suicide along with his wife, Eva Braun.
70 years ago, on 5th April 1955 that Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced his retirement because of failing health. He was succeeded by Anthony Eden on 7th April.
50 years ago, on 4th April 1975 that Microsoft, the computer software/hardware company, was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque New Mexico.
Also 50 years ago, on 23rd April 1975 that US President Gerald Ford gave a televised speech in which he announced that the USA’s involvement in the Vietnam war was over, and all US aid to South Vietnam had ended. The war itself ended on 30th April, when North Vietnamese forces captured the South Vietnamese capital Saigon.
Also 40 years ago, on 23rd April 1985 that the Coca-Cola Company changed the formula of Coca-Cola and launched it on the market as New Coke. The public were out-raged, and the original formula was restored within three months.
30 years ago, on 4th April 1995 that Kenny Everett, DJ, comedian and TV entertainer, died. Known for his zany humour, characters and sketches.
25 years ago, on 12th April 2000 that Queen Elizabeth II awarded the Royal Ulster Constabulary the George Cross in recognition of its collective and sustained bravery during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Also 25 years ago, on 22nd April 2000 that the ‘The Big Number’ change took place on the UK’s telephone system. Many area codes were updated or replaced, and new ones created for mobile, freephone, local rate, national rate, and premium rate services.
20 years ago, on 2nd April 2005 that Pope John Paul II died. Succeeded by Pope Benedict XVI on 19th April.
Also 20 years ago, on 9th April 2005 that Charles, Prince of Wales, married Camilla Parker Bowles, who gained the title the Duchess of Cornwall.
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Smile Lines
Good Friday
I was standing in line at the bank when there was a commotion at the counter. A woman was very distressed, exclaiming, “Where will I put my money?! I have all my money and my mortgage here!! What will happen to my mortgage?! You can’t do this to us!”
It turned out that she had misunderstood a small sign on the counter. The sign read: WE WILL BE CLOSED FOR GOOD FRIDAY.
**
What can I eat for Easter?
Can’t eat beef……mad cow.
Can’t eat chicken…… bird flu.
Can’t eat eggs….. Salmonella.
Can’t eat pork…..fears that bird flu will infect pigs.
Can’t eat fish……. heavy metals in the waters.
Can’t eat fruits and veggies……. insecticides and herbicides.
Can’t eat potatoes, pasta, bread, rice…….nasty carbs.
Hmmmmmmmm! I believe that leaves…….chocolate.
**
Joseph’s tomb
Pontius Pilate: “Joseph, I really don’t understand you. You’re one of the richest men in the region, and you’ve just spent a fortune on that new tomb for you and your family – and now you want to suddenly give it to this man Jesus?”
Joseph: “Well it’s just for the weekend.”
**
Easter chocolate dilemma
364 days of the year we tell our kids: “Do NOT eat anything you find on the ground, or anything from strangers!”
On Easter morning we tell them: “Why don’t you go outside and search in the dirt for chocolates that a strange giant bunny has left for you?”
**
Why Easter
A Sunday School teacher had been explaining why Easter should matter to us, and wanted to make sure her group understood. So she asked, “Can anyone tell me what you must do before you can obtain forgiveness of sin?”
There was a short pause and then, from the back of the room, a small boy spoke up. “Sin?”
**
10 Easter one-liners
What do you need if your chocolate eggs mysteriously disappear? An eggsplanation
What kind of jewellery does the Easter Bunny wear? 14-carrot gold
What is the Easter Bunny’s favourite kind of music? Hip hop
What do you call an Easter Bunny wearing a kilt? Hopscotch
What do you call a bunny with fleas? Bugs Bunny
What do you call a line of rabbits jumping backwards? A receding hare-line
How can you tell which rabbits are oldest in a group? Just look for the gray hares.
Why do people paint eggs for Easter? It’s easier than trying to wallpaper them!
What do rabbits say before they eat? “Lettuce pray.”
Where does Christmas come before Easter? The dictionary.
**
Bulletin announcements that didn’t come out quite right…
On Easter Sunday, our bulletin read: “Jesus was buried in a bomb but He lives today!”
Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, even though he diets, yet shall he live.’
Hymn: ‘I Need Three Every Hour’
Women in the Word wanted to advertise their forthcoming series of Bible studies. They posted: “We have excellent studies to choose from. So, ladies, make sure you sign up for a stud before next week.”
**
The taxi
The passenger tapped the cab driver on the shoulder to ask him something. The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the pavement, and stopped inches from a shop window. For a second everything went quiet in the cab, then the driver said, “Look mate, don’t ever do that again. You scared me half to death!”
The passenger apologised and said he hadn’t realised that a little tap would scare him so much. The driver replied, “You’re right. I’m sorry. Really, it’s not your fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver. I’ve been driving a hearse for 25 years.”
**
Wrong number?
Yesterday I dialled the Red Cross but got the HMRC in error. When the HMRC operator asked me what number I had meant to dial, I explained: “The Red Cross, you know, where they take people’s blood.” She said, “Well, you aren’t too far off, are you?”
**
Twitter – X
A man walked into a church and approached the minister. “I need help. I think I’m addicted to Twitter-X.” The minister looked at him, and said gently, “I’m so sorry, I don’t follow you.”
**
Mr Bones
The orthopedic surgeon I work for was moving to a new office, and we, his staff, were helping transport many of the items. I sat the display skeleton in the front of my car, his boney arm across the back of my seat. I hadn’t considered the drive across town. At one traffic light, the stares of the people in the car beside me became obvious, and I looked across and called, “I’m delivering him to my doctor’s office.”
The other driver leaned out of his window. “I hate to tell you, lady,” he said, “but I think it’s too late!”
**
Letter to God
A Sunday School teacher invited her children to write a letter to God. They were to bring their letter back the following Sunday. One little boy wrote, “Dear God, we had a good time at church today. Wish You could have been there.”
**
Miscellaneous observations on life:
In the 60s, people took LSD to make the world weird. Now the world is weird, and people take Prozac to make it normal.
When a minister rehearses his sermon, is he practising what he preaches?
If walking/cycling is good for your health, our postmen will be immortal.
The fastest land mammal is a toddler who’s been asked what’s in their mouth.
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The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of St Mary's, it's clergy, the Church of England
or the Editors.