The Sodbury Vale Benefice
magazine
Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Horton & Little Sodbury
Norway’s Arctic Cathedral
O U T LO O K
See Page 12
September 2012
1 Jane is enrolled as a Companion of the Society of St Francis by Brother Damian.
Old Sodbury
Contacts
Val Walker 16A Melrose Avenue, Yate, BS37 7AL 01454 318286 Tony Dixon 16 Chatterton Road, Yate, BS37 4BJ 01454 321528
Rector The Rev. Canon Jane Kenchington, 01454 313159 email jane@kenchington.plus.com
If you would like to know more about Little Sodbury Nigel Rawlins the Christian faith or are thinking about baptism or confirmation please Little Sodbury House, Little Sodbury, speak to Jane BS37 6QA, 01454 312269 Nancy Nagle Regular Weekly Events Winchcombe Cottage,Little Sodbury End BS37 6QE, 01454 319798 Monday 8.45am Morning Prayer, St John’s Chipping Sodbury Horton 7.30pm Bell Ringers’ practice Tina Hildick-Smith Church Tower Chipping Sodbury Kirrin House, King Lane, Horton Wednesday 8.30am Morning Prayer, BS37 6PD, 01454 320380 St John’s Chipping Sodbury Thursday 8.45am Morning Prayer, Church Office 10.00am Holy Communion Open during term time St John’s Chipping Sodbury Monday, Tuesday & Thursday mornings 7.00pm Choir Practice, 9.00 - 12.00 01454 325160 St John’s Chipping Sodbury Email Friday 10.00am Tubbie Tots sodburyvalebenefice@gmail.com Church Centre Chipping Sodbury Web Site 7.00pm Youth Club (age 11-18) www.sodburyvalechurches.wordpress.com Baptist Church Centre
Advertising
Churchwardens Chipping Sodbury
Sylvia Franklin St. John’s Church Centre 07788 111 726
Paul Jones-Williams 1 Meadow Mead, Yate, BS37 7UT 01454 324970 Anne Mudge 22 Gorlands Road, Chipping Sodbury BS37 6LA, 01454 880613
October Deadline Can you have all editorial to Michelle by September 12th please. 2
Dear Friends, As I write this, the Olympics are still in progress – and what a great time we’ve had! There’s been a real “feel good” factor about them and many of us feel proud to be British when we see the lengths our sportsmen and sportswomen have gone to get in peak condition to compete at such a high level. Despite the shockingly high cost of putting on the games, it has been an excellent way for Britain to show hospitality to the thousands of people who have travelled here from across the world to participate in the games or to spectate. In morning Prayer during August, one of the set readings has been from the Acts of the Apostles and today I was reading the account of the Day of Pentecost. People from all over the eastern Mediterranean had converged on Jerusalem where there was that pouring out of the Holy Spirit on everyone and when Peter preached his great converting sermon. We’re given a list of many of the nationalities present – and surprisingly, there are people from outside the empire (from countries too fierce for Rome to conquer) as well as many from the Roman Empire. God’s Good News (the Gospel) is for everyone: citizens of the Roman Empire and the uncivilized; respected people from ancient cultures and dodgy nouveau riche; people from the visible church and those beyond it. When we consider the staggering breadth of people to whom the gospel was preached, it makes us pause for thought as to how we fare as a church in being open to that sort of breadth of people. It takes courage for people to come across the threshold of the church. If they do dare, how do we receive them? How do we chat to them over coffee (or do we ignore them?); how do we welcome them? Perhaps a good place to start is to try to imagine what it must feel like if we were in their shoes and thinking about that should propel us into warmly welcoming them and being considerate of their needs. The Good News of God’s love is for all – black and white, chav and toff, gay and straight, young and old, men and women, African and American, poor and rich…and so on. May our churches become truly inclusive and be made up of a rainbow of peoples just like the Olympic Games are made up of many different nations. With love and prayers,
Rev. Canon Jane, Kenchington, 01454 313159, email:jane@kenchington.plus.com
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Baptisms: We welcomed into the Church: Dottie Gillian Winkworth on 1 July at St Adelines’s, Little Sodbury Ami Leah Jodrell on 8 July at St John’s, Old Sodbury
Marriages: We send our congratulations to: Mike Edwards and Emma Rawlinson on 15 June at St Adeline’s, Little Sodbury Amy Harris and Ryan Briggs on 16 June at St John’s, Old Sodbury Mark Turner and Siobhan Fannon on 23 June at St James’, Horton Charlotte Malone and Thomas Hodder on 7 July at St John’s, Old Sodbury Luke Passmore and Jennifer Farmer on 14 July at St John’s, Old Sodbury Amy Krych and James Suckling on 4 August at St James’, Horton
THE DESIGN OF THIS TEMPLE PUTS WAY TOO MUCH SUPPORT ON THESE TWO CENTRE COLUMNS, THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE EXCELLENT FOR CHAINING UP PRISONERS
Mother’s Union Our Annual service will be held on Monday 10th September at St John’s Chipping Sodbury. The speaker will be Pat Harris.
Funerals:We extend our sympathy to the family and friends of:
Eric Paul Mortiboys on 19 June at Westerleigh Crematorium Phyllis (Nancy) Mary Greader on 21 June Interment at St John’s, Chipping Sodbury Dawn Cowley on 11 July at Westerleigh Crematorium Thomas John Crockett on 2 August at Westerleigh Crematorium Dorothy Febry on 8 August Interment of ashes at St John’s Old Sodbury
Mother’s union afternoon tea was held at Margaret Hardwick’s home,with Derrick providing extra “T” in the form of his model T Ford. Here we see president Audrey in the driving seat. Gentlemen were invited and Derrick gave us a fascinating afternoon looking around his engine collection.
Explorers’ and Confirmation Group for Adults I will be running a course for adults interested in exploring the Christian faith starting on Tuesday 25 September at 7.30pm. If you wish to refresh your faith or aren’t confirmed and would like to be, please do get in touch with me. Jane 4
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Hidden corners of Gloucester Cathedral
Christians increasingly vulnerable in Syria Christians in Syria are becoming extremely concerned that they are vulnerable to the violence sweeping the country. They make up 10 per cent of the population of 22 million people and are afraid that the country will become another Iraq, with Christians caught in the crossfire between rival Islamic groups.
The Bible is still the world's best seller Bible Society have argued that the Bible will stand the test of time, after a Lake District hotel said it was replacing it, in their rooms, with the bestselling book, Fifty Shades of Grey. In a statement to the press, Bible Society said: 'While Fifty Shades of Grey is in vogue this summer, we doubt that in 2000 years’ time people will still be talking about it as they do about the Bible.
Here's an unusual shot taken from the Gallery of the Lady Chapel South Chantry Chapel. It is also known as the Musicians' Chapel because of its memorials to Herbert Howells, S.S.Wesley, Herbert Brewer, Herbert Sumsion, Hubert Parry and John Sanders 5
Friends of Old Sodbury Church
At Camers, Old Sodbury on Sunday, 7th October 2012 1pm for 1.30pm
Dear Turning Point Supporter I am taking the unusual step of writing to you as Chairman of Trustees. There are a number of different reasons for doing so, as I hope will become clear in what follows.
Join us for lunch and musical entertainment in the beautiful gardens of Camers.
Thank You
Tickets: ÂŁ15.00 each
Firstly, I wanted to write to say thank you to everyone who responded to our recent appeal following the fire in Laina Saba. We were overwhelmed by your generosity, and this has enabled us to provide emergency relief to the families impacted, begin re-building our own centre, and to have a little left over for some longer term work in the community. I’m sure you will also join me in saying a huge thank you to our amazing team in Kenya who worked really hard to deliver this on the ground.
Please call Tracy on 01454 324673 or Shelley on 07717 501993 for tickets
Profits to Old Sodbury Church
Energy Performance Certificates for:
Sales,
Our Finances Next, I want to bring to your attention our longer term financial needs. Late last year the Trustees approved a budget for 2012 which reflected our vision to expand what we are doing (including opening the centre in Laina Saba), recognised the enormous need in Kibera which has been exacerbated by the rise in food prices, and acknowledged that through our experience gained over the last ten years, and our great staff team, we have the skills and capacity to help.
Rental & Holiday Lets, Floor Plans
Lynn Edwards MA, MCIEH, MCIH Domestic Energy Assessor Tel: 07973 166 692 or 01454 323 340 Email: office@lenergy-assessor.co.uk 6
To give you some idea of what different sums of money can do:· £15 provides the first loan to help to get a business up and running · £25 provides a school uniform and shoes for a primary school child · £25 per month supports a child at secondary school · £40 per month will support ten children at primary school · £40 per month supports a young adult in vocational training · £125 per month pays a teacher's salary
The Barber Shop Roger Franklin 07855 887671
Paul Franklin 07772 789210
83 Broad Street Chipping Sodbury Bristol BS37 6AD
Please Pray As well as the fire, there has been a robbery at our Mashimoni centre. Our staff are facing potential security issues on a weekly basis. Please pray for protection for them all as they continue the work, and for wisdom for us in knowing what practical steps we can take to mitigate the risks. And do please pray too that God will supply the resources we need to help us fulfil the calling we believe we have from Him for the work in Kibera.
Opening Hours Monday-Friday: 9:30 am-5:00pm Saturday: 9:00am-3:00pm
Appeal for Trustees Lastly, we are again looking to recruit one or two more individuals to join the UK Trustees. Trustees are volunteers who commit a bit of time and expertise to help guide the charity in future strategy. If you think this is something you may be able to help with, please contact us via the details above for a no obligations conversation! Thank you for your attention, and for standing with us and the people of Kibera.
Peter Wichmann, Chairman of Trustees 7
Richard Kenchington
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Raising funds for The Bristol Cots & Tots Appeal. All enquiries to Debbie Elliott 01454 885552
The Vicarage, Horse Shoe Lane, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol BS37 6ET
Telephone: 01454 324888
HOLIDAY HOME “Trash or Treasure? An evening with Philip Taubenheim of Wotton Auction Rooms at The Old Grammar School, High Street, Chipping Sodbury on Thursday 27th September at 7 for 7.30 pm Bring along a possession you would like to know more about and have valued – anything from an ornament to a wardrobe! Entry £5 on the door. Light refreshments available.
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A fundraising event organised by the Yate and Chipping Sodbury Support Group.
01454 313880 bobandsueal@gmail.com
www.mariecurie.org.uk 8
Fantastic fun mini Olympics
Mrs. E.J. Gauntlett M.Ch.S.
On Wednesday the 23rd May, all students of St John’s Mead and St Andrew’s school joined together to take part in a mini Olympic day. It began with a spectacular opening ceremony, joined by Vicar Jane. The house captains lead an Olympic song; they were followed by all the talented marshal artists, performing a brilliant routine. Then the amazing gymnasts at St John’s Mead, with their rolls, flips and handstands put on a fantastic performance! To round up the ceremony the ‘Yate Star Twirlers’ put on one of their show-stopping routines.
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All students had been split into three teams: team GB, team Sweden and team France. Now let the games begin! Pupils were organised by year and team, for example the year 6 French team started on skipping, before moving on to the welly toss, which was really fun, judging by the smiles on everyone’s faces. This was followed by: triple ski, long jump, basket ball shoot and speed stacking. Pretty full on!
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After the exhausting activities came the relay, with all the fastest students going head to head, who would win? However Sweden came out on top, but very closely followed by France, and GB far behind!
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So after such a tiring day, everyone sat down for the awards ceremony, unfortunately there wasn’t enough time so they simply announced the winner. It was…France! They cheered until school ended!
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So over all, a fantastic day for everyone! What a day to remember!
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Private Chapels of Rest at Coalpit Heath & Yate
Saskia Marrett (Year 6) 9
the Dean of Women’s Clergy, Robbin Clark, and Sandra Millar, whizzing around on the teacup roundabout (Jane and I The weekend of 20 - 22 July was very have the photographic evidence!). special in the calendar of the Gloucester Diocese with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams coming to visit. A full itinerary of events had been arranged, but for the Saturday, Gloucester Cathedral was transformed into a children’s playground, full of inflatable slides, inflatable Noah’s Ark, stilt walkers and jugglers, live music, a football pitch, magic shows, prayer mazes, crafts and much more, before a Communion service to round the day off.
A weekend with the Archbishop
The Diocesan Children’s Officer, Sandra Millar, had put out a plea for volunteers to assist with the running of the day, to which Jane and I responded, only too happy to help, carrying out duties which not only fulfilled ambitions but also took us out of our comfort zones. I hadn’t realised that Jane had always wanted to don a fluorescent jacket, and direct cars. Yes, a car park attendant; but the challenge came later in the day when we were assigned to supervising children on the inflatable slide and the Noah’s Ark bouncy castle! (Maybe there are some similarities to directing traffic ….).
In fact there were three highlights! Just before the procession in for the service in the afternoon, the Cathedral choir sang the Alleluia Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, to be accompanied completely spontaneously by the whole congregation, followed by thunderous applause. It was very moving. A wonderful day, lots of laughs, special moments, memories to treasure, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to be involved. Jane and Paul Jones-Williams
Archbishop Rowan had a picnic lunch with a number of families before the service, Gloucester Christians with one little boy asking the “crunch” receive an apology question. Who made God? Christians who were barred by a council However the highlight of the day was to worker from handing out Bible leaflets in see the Dean of the Cathedral, Bishop Gloucester have received an apology Michael, and the Archbishop of from the city council. It said a member of Canterbury behind the dais altar, dancing its staff had mistakenly enforced a byand clapping exuberantly as the whole law to prevent the group from distributing cathedral sang “We are marching in the literature on Bible Day Gloucester, 23 light of God”. I think that vision will stay June. The authority's chief executive has with us for ever. Well there were actually written to the group offering unreserved two highlights, the second was to the see apologies. 10
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The Horton bell ringers who rang at 8.12am on Friday 27th July as part of a mass bell ring to welcome the Olympic Games to London. Bells throughout the land rang for 3 minutes to take part in musician Martin Creed’s Work No 1197 “All the Bells” to herald the Olympics and included Big Ben ringing 40 times. The bells of St John’s Chipping Sodbury were also rung by Alan Pidgeon and the team. 11
Adam and Eve, representing human kind, welcoming him with exultation and On our recent holiday to Norway Diane worship. At the top is the hand of God and I visited the churches in many of the portraying God’s intervention in the history places we went to. Some were part of a of man. tour, but others we found as we walked round. Most of them were quite old, but perhaps the most striking was the Tromsdalen Church in Tromso in the north of Norway which is known as the Arctic Cathedral, the front of which can be seen on the Front Cover. I must confess that is not my photo, as it was a bit of a grey day by the time we arrived there.
Norway’s Arctic Cathedral.
The cathedral was completed and consecrated in 1965, which is fairly modern as our churches go. Its architecture and ambiance is a little reminiscent of Coventry Cathedral. The Arctic Cathedral stands out among its surroundings and can be seen from both the island and mainland parts of Tromso, but it is still dwarfed by the fjords and mountains of its natural environment as you can see in the photograph.
At the other end of the church, a splendid organ is situated high above the congregation. This was inaugurated in 2005 during the celebration of the cathedral’s 40th anniversary. It is built in the shape of a ship, the sea and the fjords being a main communication route for Tromso. On the day of our visit there was a confirmation service which was just finishing as we arrived. The cathedral had been full for the service and, as is apparently the custom in Norway, many of the confirmation candidates and their families were wearing traditional Norwegian clothes. Some were very happy to be photographed by us as you can see.
Behind the altar is a huge triangular stained g l a s s window, which was inaugurated in 1972. The w i n d o w depicts the return of Michael and Diane Christ in Stephenson Glory with 12
Welcoming Churches I’m always interested in what brings adults to confirmation. Recently I confirmed two women in their 50s. When I asked what had brought them to faith, they spoke about the welcome they’d received in their local church; they had found the church to be like an extended family, experiencing a great sense of warmth, care and love.
churchgoers find it incredibly hard to own up to their faith. Some aren’t sufficiently confident in their local church to invite a friend along. In some of our villages church members recognise that most people in the village regard the local church as theirs; so language of inviting back to church may seem inappropriate. Yet surveys reveal that thousands of people across our land are wide open to being invited by a church member to church. The challenge is what kind of welcome will they find if they accept that invitation? Will the experience of worship be sufficiently attractive that they will want to return for more? Pray for the Holy Spirit’s renewing work in our churches.
Our society is increasingly characterised by isolation, fragmentation, loneliness. A local church that shows to the world unconditional welcome and warm fellowship which has a more distinctive quality than that which people find at their local pub, will prove very attractive. 30th September is Back to Church To find out more about going “Back to Church” visit Sunday. www.backtochurch.co.uk
Across our country thousands of Christians From “Our Diocese of Gloucester” (www.gloucester.anglican.org), will seize the opportunity to invite friends and From the Bishop of Tewkesbury neighbours to join them at church. Many The Rt. Revd. John Went
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'Samson seal' found by Israeli archaeologists Archaeologists excavating near Jerusalem have said they have discovered an ancient stone seal that appears to depict the Old Testament story of Samson's fight with a lion. The tiny seal, less than an inch in diameter, shows a large animal with a feline tail attacking a human figure. The seal was dated to the 11th century BC when the Jews had judges, one of whom was Samson.
Dutch millionaire builds modern-day ark Johan Huibers has opened his own Noah's Ark to members of the public, on the Merwede River, Dordrecht. The ark, built in 4 years, used the dimensions set out in Genesis. The 137m x 21m ark is complete with life-size plastic animals. 'We wanted to build something that can help explain the Bible in real terms,' he said.
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Sodbury Vale Benefice Calendar September 2012 Sun 2nd Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity Tues
4th
Thurs
6th
Sat
8th
Sun 9th Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity
8.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
9.30am
St John’s Praise
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Mattins (BCP)
St James’ Horton
11.15am
Family Communion
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
7.00pm
LS PCC
Winchcombe Cottage
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
1.00pm to 4.00pm
‘A Right Royal Olympic Do’ September Summer Show
St. John’s C/S
9.30am
Parish Communion
St John’s C/S
11.15am
Holy Communion
St James’ Horton
11.15am
St John’s Praise
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
Mon
10th
7.30pm
Mother’s Union Annual Service
St John’s,CS
Tue
11th
3.00pm
Meditation Meeting
10 Lark Rise, Yate
7.30pm
CS PCC
Church Centre C/S
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
7.30pm
OS PCC
O/S Village Hall
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Family Communion
St John’s C/S
Sun 16th 11.15am Fifteenth Sunday 11.15am after Trinity 6.00pm
Morning Prayer (CW)
St James’ Horton
Holy Communion (BCP)
St John’s O/S
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
Thur
20th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
Sat
22nd
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
Sun 23rd Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
9.30am
Parish Communion
St John’s C/S
11.15am
Holy Communion (CW)
St James’ Horton
11.15am
Morning Praise
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Holy Communion (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
Thurs
Sat
13th
15th
Tue
25th
3.00pm
Meditation Meeting
10 Lark Rise, Yate
Thurs
27th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
29th
9.00am
Benefice Prayer Meeting
Church Centre C/S
Sun 30th Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity
9.30am
Harvest Parish Communion
St John’s C/S
11.15am
Mattins (BCP)
St James’ Horton
11.15am
Harvest Family Communion
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Evensong (BCP)
St Adeline’s L/S
Sat
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S tt JJ o h n n ’’ s C C hh u u rr c h Su um mm m ee r S S hh oo w A RR ii g h tt R R oo y aa ll O l ym m pp ii c D D oo S a t u r d a y 11 p m –– 44 p m S e p t e m bb e r 8 th 2 0 1 2 S t JJ o h n ’ s C h u r c h W ii c k w a a r R oa d C h ip p in g S S odbu ry Schedule of Classes available from Church and the Tourist Information Centre 16