36

11:00 PC

11:00 MS

11:00 PC

8th January The Epiphany 15th January The Baptism of Christ 22nd January Third Sunday of Epiphany 29th January Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

11:00 PC 18:30 CW

1st January First Sunday of Christmas

Fownhope

10:30 HC

8:00 HC BCP

9:30 HC BCP

9:30 MP BCP

Mordiford

9:30 PC

9:30 PC

Brockhampton

15:00 Evensong BCP

11:00 PC

8:00 HC BCP

11:00 MP BCP

Woolhope

SERVICES IN THE BENEFICE FOR JANUARY 2017

9:30 PC

11:00 MS

9:30 MS

Checkley

The BENEFICIAL JANUARY 2017

1

40p

For the United Benefice of Fownhope, Mordiford, Brockhampton, and Woolhope with Checkley

Abbreviations used overleaf to indicate the form of service

CONTENTS From the Rectory From the Bishop From the Parishes From the PCC From Mordiford Primary School New Year, New Life by Paul Hardingham Cathedral Programme The Man who created GMT by Tim Lenton Lost and Found by John Barton Who’s Head by David Pickup The Way I see it by David Winter We have a new word by John Barton Why we have Trump and Brexit When we are never made to wait We, three kings? By David Winter Nehemiah: Overcoming Opposition by Paul Hardingham Staying positive! By Richard Bewes 75 Years on a Desert Island Word Search Pause for Thought by Christopher Whitmey God in the Arts by Michael Burgess Puzzles Herefordshire Wildlife Trust programme Nature Notes for December by Bob Hall Regular Services and other activities

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 23 25 27 28 30 31 35

SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE BENEFICIAL To subscribe to this magazine, the minimum cost for one calendar year (12 issues) is £4.80. Higher donations will always be welcome. Existing subscribers will be asked for payment when the magazine is delivered in January. Delivery is free within the Benefice area. Subscribing after January will be charged pro rata. Please contact your local distributor for further information.

Distributors of The Beneficial Brockhampton: Bridget Hope, 3 The Parks, Brockhampton, Hereford HR1 4SD Checkley: Mr. Bob Hall, Woodbines, Checkley HR1 4ND Telephone 01432 850623 Fownhope: Mrs Ann Corby, Pippins, Capler Lane, Fownhope. Telephone 01432 860677 Mordiford: Mr John Ashton-Jones, 31 Scotch Firs, Fownhope, Telephone 01432 860736 Woolhope: Mrs E. Godsell, Avenue Cottage, Woolhope. Telephone 01432 860288 2

PC = Parish Communion HC = Holy Communion FS = Family Service MP = Morning Prayer EP = Evening Prayer BCP = Book of Common Prayer BC = Benefice Communion MS = Morning Service CW=Contemporary Worship Unless otherwise stated the Communion Service will be from Common Worship

W EEKDAY S ERVICES

IN J ANUARY

Holy Communion: Wednesdays at 10am at Fownhope (with coffee)

R EGULAR A CTIVITIES St Mary’s Stars: Questions Group: Craft Group: Bible Study: In 2 Hours:

No meeting in January 11am, Wednesday 4th January 7pm, Monday 16th at the Rectory 7pm, Mondays 9th and 23rd at the Rectory 10am, 7th January at the Rectory

F ROM Funerals 4th November 11th November 18th November 2nd December 7th December

IN J ANUARY

THE

R EGISTERS

IN

N OVEMBER

Richard Phillips Brockhampton John Harris Mordiford Deedle Tulloch Brockhampton Dennis Evans Woolhope Betty Barnett Fownhope ‘Rest eternal grant unto them O Lord’

S UNDAY R EADINGS F OR J ANUARY January 1st January 8th January 15th January 22nd January 29th

Isaiah 63.7-9 Isaiah 60.1-6 Isaiah 42.1-9 Isaiah 9.1-4 1 Kings 17.8-16

Hebrews 2.10-18 Ephesians 3.1-12 Acts 10.34-43 1 Corinthians 1.10-18 1 Corinthians 1.18-31 35

Matt. 2.13-23 Matt. 2.1-12 Matt.3.13-17 Matt. 4.12-23 John 2.1-11

OFFICE BEARERS Rector: Revd. Dr Chris Moore (Day off Tuesday) 860365 Choir master and Organist for Fownhope and Brockhampton: Mr Mark Johnson 861169 Readers: Mr. Christopher Whitmey, Oldstone Furlong, Fownhope 860449 Prayer Chain - confidential requests for urgent prayer. Telephone Rosemay on 860449 or Ann on 860677 Churchwardens: St Mary’s Fownhope: Michael Best 860276 email [email protected] Gina Children 860255 email [email protected] St George’s Woolhope: Bill Gunn 860624 email [email protected] Joyce Pitts 860616 email [email protected] Holy Rood Mordiford: James Hereford 870268 email [email protected] Edgar Moss 870629 email [email protected] All Saints Brockhampton: Rodney Walker 01989 740863 [email protected] St Nicholas Checkley: Bob Hall 850623 email [email protected]

Overnight Short Breaks. We are currently recruiting for Family Based Overnight Short Break Carers for Children with Disabilities. We are looking for people with relevant skills and experience to provide this much needed service for children and families. A short break could be between one and six nights per month. Carers will be assessed as approved foster carers, receive £108 per overnight/24 hours and will be offered continuous training and development and ongoing support. If you are interested in this rewarding work, please contact Stuart Barber or Sue Powell on 01432 383 240 or email [email protected]. To see more information please go to www.herefordshire.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/ children-and-family-care/fostering/short-breaks-carers. Stuart Barber (Social Worker) Overnight and Shortbreaks Coordinator (CwD) Moor House Widemarsh Common Hereford HR4 9NA [email protected] 01432 383 225 (Ext. 3225) 34

The Benefice Ministry Group Ann Corby – 860677 Judith Hereford – 870268 Helen Owen – 853176 Christopher Whitmey - 860449

Bill Gunn – 860624 Chris Moore – 860365 Anne Watkins - 01989 740294 Rosemary Whitmey - 860449

Editor of The Beneficial Brian Dukes 01432870308 email [email protected] 4 Pentaloe Close, Mordiford. HR1 4LS Beneficial Treasurer Alastair Glover, The Chestnuts, Checkley, HR1 4ND Benefice Website: - www.fownhoperectory.com Brockhampton website: www.allsaintsbrockhampton.org. Mordiford Parish website: www.dormingtonmordifordgroup-pc.gov.uk This Magazine is printed by Pip Printing, 1 Aubrey Street, Hereford HR4 0BU Telephone 01432344744. Email: [email protected] NEXT COPY DATE IS 10th JANUARYFOR THE FEBRUARY EDITION

It is beneficial to send items for inclusion before this date. All items should be sent to the Editor, Brian Dukes, 4 Pentaloe Close, Mordiford, Hereford, HR1 4LS. Telephone 01432 870308. E-mail address, [email protected] 3

FROM THE RECTORY In January the church internationally keeps a week of prayer for Christian Unity, which runs from the 18th to the 25th January. Quite often there are joint services held with churches of other denominations, and the opportunity to experience the worship of another church. However, in a rural benefice such as ours where there are no other churches except Anglican it is rather difficult to mark this week. So I haven’t. But that is something of a shame, since we miss the opportunity to experience something which might stretch our understanding of prayer. Something which might open for us a new way in which we might meet with God. So, perhaps we might try this instead: during the week try and visit another church for a service and then reflect on what inspired you. You might go to Belmont Abbey or to Freedom Church, you might visit the URC or Hereford Baptist Church. If you are absent from the benefice that Sunday because you are worshipping elsewhere, don’t worry that I will put you on my list of backsliders! If you would rather be in the benefice on Sunday, then perhaps you might go to a midweek service elsewhere instead. If nothing else, the week of prayer for Christian unity should remind us that there is truth outside the good old C of E! The Revd Chris Moore Rector of Fownhope, Mordiford, Brockhampton & Woolhope with Checkley Rural Dean of Hereford

ATTENTION ALL GARDENERS You are all invited to visit the 9th Annual Seed Swap event, to be held on Saturday 4th February 2017 at the Courtyard Theatre, Hereford 12 – 3.30pm There is no entry charge and there will be stalls, a talk, tool sharpening and the regular Courtyard food and drink. From beginners to seasoned gardeners please come along and swap seeds, plants and tips. Don’t worry if you have nothing to swap, you can still join in and take home some seeds or plants. Cash contributions gratefully received! Are your tools in need of a good sharpening? Then bring them along for a service. Do you have unwanted tools that need a good home? Then bring them along. Tools for Self Reliance charity will be there on the day to collect old tools, and will also be selling a wide range of their refurbished tools. The previous 8 events have been great fun and we have shared a vast array of seeds, tubers, bulbs and plants including many traditional vegetable varieties no longer on sale. Talk: 1.30pm “The Adventures of a Seed Detective” by Adam Alexander, a trustee of Garden Organic, seed guardian, a widely travelled seed collector and vegaholic. For more information about the seed swap day contact Suzanne Noble on 01531 671004 or visit www.swapseeds.org.uk 4

HOME START HEREFORDSHIRE All parents know that those years before children go off to school and then college are vital in a child’s life and having a good start at home is of utmost importance – but we also know things don’t run smoothly all the time. Home-Start Herefordshire believes parents have the key role in creating a secure childhood for their children. It’s just sometimes they need a bit of help…your help, could make the difference. Reasons for giving support are varied: Isolation, Domestic abuse, multiple births, child’s behaviour, School attainment, mental illness, self esteem, disability and many more. Last year we supported 208 Herefordshire families. This would not have been possible without the help of our home-visiting volunteers. These wonderful people visit families at home, giving support to help them overcome a multitude of difficult situations. Our volunteers tend to be parents or have parenting experience. We have male and female volunteers of all ages and from all backgrounds. Some choose to train to volunteer as mentors and others may be experienced in specific fields and offer their support in different ways. All making the commitment to guide and support a family through their troubled time Before they are matched with a family, an initial recruitment policy is adhered to. All new prospective volunteers attend a course of preparation, have an enhanced criminal records check, and references to support their application. We now recruiting for our New Year course that starts on the 26 th January it will run every Thursday for 10 weeks 9.30 -2.50 Volunteers give 2-3 hours a week to visit a family. In return our volunteers find that they have fun, feel rewarded and honoured that they are allowed into the life of a family. Our volunteers are given excellent training and support, a chance to join in with our social events and all out of pocket expenses are paid. If you would like to find out more about Home-Start or make a donation please give us a call on 01432 371212 (weekdays between 9am – 4 pm). Or visit us at www.home-startherefordshire.co.uk

Did You Know You Can Hire Out A Room At Grange Court? Meetings, Exhibitions, Weddings Parties/Celebrations/Reunions; Yoga/Pilates Classes Workshops We have rooms available to hire by the

Hour, Half Day or Full Day Competitive Rates for Community Groups, Clubs & Societies Free use of Wi-Fi & internet In House Caterers or Hire Our Kitchen For Further information, please contact Ian Doody 01568 737980 [email protected] 33

FROM THE BISHOP

Mindfulness An 8 Week Stress Reduction Course Tuesday afternoons 3pm until 5pm 10 January – 7 March 2017 £80 per person (£15 deposit) Concessionary rates for volunteers and carers For more details please contact: E: [email protected] T: 01432 279906 M: 07527 579488 www.marchescounselling.org Registered Charity No.1140780 BACP Accredited Member 102661

Careline Help at the push of a button Careline can give you or your loved ones the reassurance and peace of mind that if you require help, it is not far away! Careline is a 24-hour personal emergency response service, based in Hereford, which is connected to your home through an alarm unit linked to your telephone line. In times of need, help is just the push of a button away! Our alarms are connected to our friendly operators who are on hand to answer your calls instantly and get you the help you need. The service helps people to continue to live independently in their own homes. We have lots of products to choose from including pendants, watches and sensors. The Careline service can cost you as little as 58p per day. In addition, we can also offer you our Mobile Responder Service, a personal onsite visit when you activate your Careline alarm - for an additional 36p per day. For more information please speak to our Careline team on 01432 384100. Herefordshire Careline is run by the Independence Trust, part of the Herefordshire Housing Group

Letter from Bishop Richard Happy New Year! Two years ago I wrote a magazine letter giving my first impressions of the diocese; this time last year I wrote an update. Now it’s time for that update to be updated. I pay tribute again to what I have described each year as the “the heroic, faithful and imaginative Christian ministry being exercised across the diocese by clergy and laity alike”. As last year too, I want to highlight two major issues, namely growth, both spiritual and numerical, and money. Spiritual growth. At its last meeting, the Diocesan Synod spent some time not just talking about prayer but actually praying for the life of the diocese. I really hope that this can serve as a sign of a deepening commitment to prayer. Watch out for “Thy Kingdom Come”, the Archbishops’ call to prayer in 2017. Numerical growth. Each year I have written, “I long to see more people becoming Christians.” I rejoice whenever I see this happening. By making spiritual and numerical growth our number one priority, we are proclaiming that we have a faith to be shared. Money. Our financial situation is very serious, but within our grasp to remedy. The good news is that the principles of the Offer system contributing to the Common Fund are widely understood; so too is the need for generosity, and there is indeed much evidence of such generosity. The bad news is that there are significant numbers of places where the understanding and commitment in principle have not been responded to with increased offers. Please do all you can to ensure that your own giving, and that of your PCC, represents a generous, realistic and joyful response to the Christian good news. +Richard

WANTED A volunteer to act as treasurer for The Beneficial. Tasks:

Open Your Garden Opening your garden for St Michael’s Hospice can be a very rewarding and valuable experience, for you, your visitors and the patients and families that need our services. If you have a garden that you feel is worth visiting, please contact St Michael’s Hospice Community Fundraising Team. Why not band together with some of your neighbours for a community Open Garden? To find out more, please call us on 01432 851 000 or email [email protected] 32

Collect subscriptions from advertisers and parishes Pay monthly invoices from printers Prepare simple (one page) annual accounts. Skills required: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. Reward: Personal satisfaction Would anyone interested in adding this position to their CV please contact the current treasurer (Alastair Glover) on 01432 850277, or the Editor. 5

FROM THE PARISHES Mordiford 200 Club The results of the draw on 1 December which was held at the church were:1st Prize £100.00 Number 84 Margaret Reed 2nd Prize £60.00 Number 156 Paddy Lewis 3rd Prize £30.00 Number 180 Jayne Pitt 4th Prize £15.00 Number 85 Mr & Mrs John Litchfield January's draw with 4 additional prizes of £25.00 will take place at Moon Inn at 3pm on New Years Day News from Brockhampton Ramp – We now have a temporary moveable ramp to assist the disabled to enter the church; indeed it is there for anyone who has difficulties in climbing the steps into the church. A Special Thank you – while all members of the PCC play an important role in keeping our lovely church in good order and welcoming, there are two ladies on whom we totally depend for its opening and closing as well as looking after the day-to-day routine. So publicly we would like to thank Bridget and Mary Hope for their continuing incredible dedication on behalf of all of us. Website – our website – www.allsaintsbrockhampton.org – continues to climb the ratings. Please take a look as every visit adds to its credibility and there is lots of interesting material on it. A page has been added recently on Sales and in particular mail order selling of the wonderful wild flower booklet – Stitches in Time. Altar Flowers – we would like to thank all those who have already offered to fill the altar flower rota for 2017. January’s flowers will be arranged by Emma Roberts. Christmas Tree – our thanks to Simon Anderson for providing our Christmas Tree and to all those who assisted in making our church so fitting for the Christmas carol service. ‘Walker’s Walks’ – the next walk is planned to take place at 10am on Saturday 14 January. If you are interested in joining this group please contact Rodney Walker on 01989 740863. Ladies meeting – this small social group meets on the second Tuesday of alternative months. The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 14 March 2017. More details will follow. Brockhampton Book Café – there is no meeting of the Café in January. Table Tennis - an informal table tennis club now meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 7.30pm at the Village Hall. It attracts regular players from teenagers to athletic pensioners – both male and female. New players are very welcome. 6

Cost: There is no entry charge but all donations received will go towards supporting the work of the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust. Refreshments will be an additional cost. Book online at www.herefordshirewt.org or call 01432 356872 Cider making course Sat 14 January 10am-4pm All you need to know about choosing and using apples to make cider legally without going blind! There will be the chance to juice some of our fruit using a variety of equipment, so waterproofs are advisable. Venue: Lower House Farm, Ledbury Road, Tupsley, Hereford, HR1 1UT Cost: £60 Booking essential: www.herefordshirewt.org / 01432 356872 Salt Marshes of the Western Coast - talk by John Clark, HWT Development Director Tues 26 January 7.30-9pm Aymestrey branch of the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust Venue: Aymestrey Village Hall, A4110 Aymestrey, Herefordshire, HR6 9SX Cost: £1 HWT members, £1.50 non members No booking required Bumblebees and pollinating insects - talk by Phil Ward Tues 31 January 7.30 -9pm Kington branch of the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust Venue: Kington Primary School, Mill Street, Kington, HR5 3AL Cost: £1 HWT members, £2 non members No booking required

Nature Notes—January Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh The meeting of the Wise Men and Jesus marks Epiphany. The date set for this is January 6th, also known as Twelfth Night. Gold is the icon of wealth for much of recorded history, and remains so. Frankincense and Myrrh are dried resins made from tree sap. They are harvested by gouging the tree's bark, and later, collecting the thick sticky sap that oozes out. This dries into rock hard pieces that resemble dirty fragments of coloured glass. Both resins were used for incense burning. Frankincense comes from the Boswellia tree , native to East Africa. The resin has been traded for at least 5000 years. Now, it is still used as a perfume, but also aids digestion. Myrrh is produced by the Commiphora tree found in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian peninsular. Myrrh has always been much more valuable than frankincense because it is believed to have magical medicinal properties. It was used as an antiseptic in wounds and as a pain reliever. The Ancient Egyptians used myrrh as part of an embalming process when preparing mummies. Source : A Natural History of Christmas : Michael Leach and Meriel Lland 31

From St. Mary’s Parochial Church Council

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust’s programme for January 2017. Weekend Hedge-laying workshop Sat 7/ Sun 8 January 10am-4pm A fantastic opportunity to learn this traditional rural skill. The 2-day workshop will be run by Living Landscape Officer, Doug Lloyd. All tools are provided. Please wear sturdy boots and warm, waterproof clothing. Tea and coffee will be provided but please bring a packed lunch. Venue: Lower House Farm, Ledbury Road, Tupsley, Hereford, HR1 1UT Cost: £70 Booking: Essential Bromyard Downs Project: Practical Work Parties Tues 10, Sat 14, Wed 25 January 10am-3.30pm Join the Bromyard Downs work party for practical habitat management work such as scrub clearance and woodland work. Bring a packed lunch and suitable outdoor clothes. The Bromyard Downs Project is a collaboration between Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and the Bromyard Downs Common Association (BDCA). For further information about the project, go to http://www.bromyarddowns.co.uk/ Venue: Meet 10am at the main Downs car park, Bromyard Downs, Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 4QP Please contact Hannah Welsh, the Bromyard Downs Project Officer, in advance if you are planning to come to a work party session on 01432 356872 / 07341 736182 Please be aware that there are no toilets or handwashing facilities on the Downs Wassail at Lower House Farm orchard Fri 13 January 5-8pm Now becoming a regular fixture in Herefordshire Wildlife Trust’s annual calendar, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust will be offering a bit of post Christmas cheer and seek to ensure a bountiful apple harvest with its annual Wassail held at its headquarters in Tupsley, Hereford. There will be a chance to sample some of Orchard Origins’ mulled cider and apple juice and warming food from Hereford’s very own Rocket Café. There will also be fun activities for children too, including some night games, fun with glow-sticks and sparklers and the chance to toast some marshmallows and make some popcorn on the fire. The procession will set off at 5.30pm and food will be served from 6.15pm when our merry band of musicians will again perform some wassailing songs around the fire. Please dress warmly, wear sturdy footwear and remember to bring torches for yourself and your children, who will need them for the children’s activities. Do also bring something you can bang to make a lot of noise, such as a metal dustbin lid or a metal spoon, in order to chase away the evil spirits during the wassail ceremony! Venue: Lower House Farm, Ledbury Road, Tupsley, Hereford HR1 1UT 30

At our meeting in December we acknowledged that our re-ordering, a process that has occupied our time for much more than anyone anticipated, was complete. Those that attended Betty Barnet’s Thanksgiving service will have noticed the deployment of the (much cheaper) reserve chairs which also do justice to the high standards of furniture required of a List 1 building. Now we can turn our attention to other improvements which we believe are needed for the Church. The Rector has a new radio mic. which is vastly superior to its predecessor and thought is now being given to further improve the audio system by replacing the existing speakers and amplifier. A permanent screen and projector would also serve to enhance many of our services- particularly the monthly contemporary service which is becoming increasingly more popular. On a similar note, we are also looking at the possibility of installing a CCTV system to benefit communication between the organist and the high altar and the main entrance. This will supersede the manual telegraph (and therefore fallible) system which currently exists! As to lighting on the path to the car park, a specification is being drawn up for forwarding to the DAC. The detail will be resolved in the process. Meanwhile, the path to the tower will be constructed early in the New Year. Two spiritual matters. First, after much discussion it has been agreed to leave unchanged, at least for the time being, the reading of a psalm during Eucharistic services. Secondly, thought is being given to extend the opportunity for healing prayer, currently in existence at mid-week communion, to a Sunday service. The PCC would welcome comment on any matter outlined in these articles- either to Chris or the PCC member of your choice. After all it is your Church. Peter Davis Plough Sunday Service at Woolhope: Sunday 15 January, 3.00 pm 'Plough Sunday’ marks the traditional start of the farming year, in the same way that Harvest Festival marks the end. Woolhope, with its rich farming heritage, will be celebrating the festival this year with a special service to which all are warmly invited, to include a procession of tractors to the church and the blessing of a plough. The service is being supported by the Woolhope Young Farmers. A BIG BREAKFAST will be on sale at the Woolhope Farmers Market at the Parish Hall on Saturday, 28th January 2017. For just £5 we will be offering eggs, bacon, sausages, black pudding, baked beans, hash browns, tomatoes and mushrooms plus unlimited toast and home-made marmalade. Or just come for a cup of Tea or Coffee if you prefer. Proceeds will go to St George's Church, Woolhope." 7

News from Mordiford C. of E. Primary School Children at Mordiford C. of E. Primary School have had a busy time since September taking part in a range of activities and events.

Sudoko Puzzles. Fill in the grids so that every column, every row and 3 by 3 box contains each of the digits 1 to 9. Answers will be given next month Easy Sudoko

Less Easy Sudoko

The annual Bonfire and Fireworks evening, organised by the PTFA, again proved very popular. As a build up to the event, children from all classes in the school designed and made guys which were then judged by staff members with the winner leading the parade in the evening. This year, due to other events taking place, the school did not hold its Remembrance Service in Holy Rood church but this did not stop the children from reflecting and showing their respect. In recent years the school has started a tradition of reading the names from the War Memorial as part of the Service to show respect and also to help the younger children have a greater understanding of what they are remembering and why they are wearing poppies. A new Crossing Patrol Warden is in post, helping children and families cross the road safely and carefully. The Warden will be supporting families both before and after school five days a week. On the 15th, 16th and 17th November children from the school’s Year 6 class took part in cycling training. The sessions included learning the basics of road safety, practicing riding their bikes through courses on the playground, and then finally taking to the roads. The children learnt how to check their bikes for safety, and had to complete a test to gain their cycling proficiency certificates.

Solutions for last month’s puzzles

Primary Schools are special places at Christmas time and this year the younger children from Key Stage 1 have performed a Nativity show to parents and friends and the older children in Key Stage 2 have held a Carol Concert in Holy Rood Church. All children in the school finished the term making Christingles which they lit and held during a service on the final day of term. Richard Foster

8

29

New Year, New Life

CROSSWORD FOR JANAURY 2017 Across 1 Protective covering recommended to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:11) (6) 4 The number of apostles (Matthew 10:2) (6) 8 Tenth-century Bishop of Augsberg for 48 years, who became the first saint to be canonized by a pope (5) 9 ‘Do not — what is evil but what is good’ (3 John 11) (7) 10 Reading desk in a church (7) 11 ‘He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like — walking around”’ (Mark 8:24) (5) 12 One of the qualities that Paul exhorted Timothy to pursue (1 Timothy 6:11) (9) 17 One of the meaningless pleasures acquired by the Teacher (Ecclesiastes 2:8) (5) 19 ‘Like — babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation’ (1 Peter 2:2) (7) 21 Jesus said that Moses allowed this only because men’s hearts were hard (Matthew 19:8) (7) 22 Girl’s name (5) 23 Most sagacious (Judges 5:29) (6) 24 How Stephen, the first Christian martyr, died: after being — (Acts 7:59) (6) Down 1 A Jew whom Paul met in Corinth, whose wife was Priscilla (Acts 18:2) (6) 2 For example, turning water into wine, feeding the five thousand, walking on water (John 7:21) (7) 3 Abram’s relationship to Lot (Genesis 14:12) (5) 5 ‘Jesus answered, “It is —: ‘Man does not live by bread alone.’”’ (Matthew 4:4) (7) 6 ‘Peace I — with you; my peace I give you’ (John 14:27) (5) 7 ‘May the Lord deal with me, be it — — severely, if anything but death separates you and me’ (Ruth 1:17) (4,2) 9 Lack of knowledge (Acts 17:30) (9) 13 This woman ‘followed Paul and believed’ after his words to the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17:34) (7) 14 Or noise (anag.) (7) 15 ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the — of death, I will fear no evil’ (Psalm 23:4) (6) 16 ‘ — Christian soldiers, marching as to war’ (6) 18 Saver (anag.) (5) 20 ‘Unless a grain of — falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed’ (John 12:24) (5)

28

The month of January is named after the Roman god Janus, who is depicted with two faces. We may look back to the old year with sadness or regret, but how can we make a fresh start at the beginning of 2017? The apostle Paul writes ‘But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 3:13,14). Firstly, if you want a new start, you need to forget the things which are behind. Paul pictures himself as an athlete running for Christ, yet not looking back. He refused to allow his past sins and failures to define who he was. By God’s grace, he no longer saw himself that way. The same can be true of ourselves, as we confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness and new life. Secondly, we need to focus on the things that lie ahead. The athlete is entirely focused on winning the race and gaining the prize. Like Paul, we have to be singleminded in making Jesus the focus of everything we do. How can we go deeper in our prayer life and Bible reading this year? What will it mean to better serve Christ in our workplace and career, or family and children? Paul looked forward to the day when he would stand before God, and God will say, ‘well done, good and faithful servant’. In light of all that Jesus had done for him, Paul wanted to give his very best to Jesus. As we stand at the beginning of this New Year, let’s ask ourselves, ‘What can I do this year that will help me bring glory and honour to God?’ The Rev Paul Hardingham

A Spectacular Aerial View of St Michael’s Hospice. We have just had Trevor from Viewfrontiers come round with his amazing drone to take some pictures. Here is just one of them! 9

THE CATHEDRAL PROGRAMME JANUARY 2017 Sunday 8 January Epiphany Carol Service 3.30 pm Sung by Hereford Cathedral Voluntary Choir, celebrating the veneration of the Christ-Child by the Magi. All welcome; no tickets required. Saturday 28 January La Nativité du Seigneur 7.30 pm Messiaen’s organ masterpiece played by Peter Dyke, Assistant Director of Music at Hereford Cathedral. Tickets £5 from Hereford Cathedral Shop T: 01432 374210 or on the door. Sunday 29 January Installation of new Prebendaries and Canon 3.30 pm All welcome! SAS Memorial To support the SAS Memorial being installed in Hereford cathedral visit www.herefordcathedral.org.

The man who created Greenwich Mean Time The British mathematician and astronomer Sir George Biddell Airy died 125 years ago this month. Not a household name, he nevertheless had a long-term effect on everyone’s lives by establishing Greenwich as the location of the prime meridian, through calculations made using an immensely accurate telescope he invented called the Airy Transit Circle. Greenwich Mean Time became legal time in Britain in 1880, and was adopted in principle as the basis of universal time in 1884. Sir George was not so much a brilliant scientist as a meticulous engineer and a self -taught expert in many areas, including theology. His wife Ricarda, who he met on a walking holiday and proposed to after two days, was the daughter of the Rev Richard Smith, private chaplain to the Duke of Devonshire. After being initially rejected by Mr Smith, because of his limited means and prospects, he persisted in his suit for six years until he was successful. Sir George was elected president of the Royal Astronomical Society four times, for a total of seven years between 1835 and 1864. No other person has been president more than four times. He was famous (or notorious) for the care and foresight with which he planned his life. He made a careful note of everything that occurred in his life or interested him, and never threw anything away. These records still exist. Tim Lenton 10

GOD IN THE ARTS Outstanding people in great stories of the Bible - as depicted in painting or sculpture – that is the theme of God in the Arts this year. Michael Burgess begins way back – with Noah and the Flood.

God in the Arts – Noah and the Flood ‘Once upon a time’ is the traditional way to begin a story. In the Bible it might be ‘in the days of’ or ‘it came to pass’: those words introduce us to the wealth of stories in Scripture. We read stories about the triumph of good over evil, others that are full of derring-do, and yet others that are heart-rending and poignant. And all of them revolve around colourful individuals. This year we shall be exploring that treasury of stories narrated in the Bible – it might be a patriarch or a king, a mother or a wife, a disciple or an evangelist. We shall see them described in Scripture and also reflected in a painting or sculpture. We begin this year with Noah and the Flood, vividly described in Genesis and taken up by the Chester Mystery Plays and Britten’s ‘Noye’s Fludde.’ God’s intention at the Flood is to judge the world and purify it, but to save a remnant. He chooses Noah, a just man, who with his family will be saved to people that renewed world. Like the other stories, we see human figures caught up in God’s plans, and they abound in the glorious mosaics that decorate the interior of the magnificent 12th century cathedral of Monreale, near Palermo in Sicily. Among the scenes depicted there, one mosaic shows Noah and his family looking out of the ark. The bodies floating in the water are signs of the old sinful world, but Noah is leaning out to welcome back the dove. It bears an olive twig – a sign that the waters have receded. The dove and the olive twig promise a new earth and a new life to faithful Noah, who will preside over that reborn world. January marks a new year for us, and our hopes echo this scene as we pray for our world and a renewed desire for peace and harmony in it.

27

S.R.J PLUMBING & HEATING GAS SAFE REGISTERED Telephone: 01432 870583 Mobile: 07974 797 999

Boiler Installations Central Heating Bathroom Suites Showers Wet room adaptations Wall/Floor Tiling General Plumbing Disabled Work

Free Quotes

LEVEL PLUMBING & BATHROOMS Plumbing & maintenance

Complete bathroom service Floor & Wall Tiling Wet Room specialists Kitchen design & installation We can also supply 01432 860459 07776 260345 IF IT’S POSSIBLE WE’LL HAVE A GO

RG MOSS Motor and Agricultural ENGINEER Littlehope, MORDIFORD TELEPHONE 01432870476 REPAIRS AND SERVICING ETC. MOT TESTS (CLASSES lV & Vll)

Call Today to have your Oven, Hob, Extractor, Microwave or Aga professionally cleaned Colin Hadley Tel 01885 400337 Mob 07817 477850 Email: Colinhadley @ovenwizards.com

Fothergill Foot Clinic It is only when your feet hurt that you realise their importance...

Essential foot care in the comfort of your own home

Foot Health Practitioner MAFHP MCFHP BA(Hons) Registered Member of th British Health Professionals

Call me on 077196 37414 for an appointment Ross on Wye, Monmouth, Forest of Dean, Hereford

[email protected] Nail Trimming & Filing Hard Skin, Corns and Callus Removal, Ingrowing Toenail Treatment, Cracked Heels & Fissures Fungal Nail and Foot Infections Treatment of Verruca, Thickened Nail Reduction, Care of Diabetic Foot, General Foot Health Advice

Hampton House

James Patridge

Hampton Bishop Care Assistants required

Roofing, Building, Maintenance Quality Domestic Services including: Renovations , Extensions, Conversions ,Roofing , Bricklaying / Stonework, Joinery, Plastering / Tiling , General Maintenance 01989 730591 / 07922 330739 [email protected] www.james-partridge.org.uk

No experience necessary Training will be provided Also

Activities Organiser 10 hours per week Contact Hampton House for an application form 01432 870287

Lost and found A little boy is lost in a crowded department store. Unknown to him, his mother is searching, too. Catching sight of her he cries, “Mummy, Mummy where have you been?” “I’ve been looking for you,” she says as she gathers him up in her arms. The Bible’s wise men from the East were also searching for someone. If T. S. Eliot got it right in his poem ‘The Journey of the Magi’, theirs was a gruelling experience: “A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey…” Eventually, they found “the One who has been born king of the Jews” and worshipped Him. After all that effort on their part, they might not have taken kindly to the suggestion that in reality they were responding to God’s initiative. It takes a while for God-seekers - past and present - to accept that the human quest for truth is actually a response to God’s inner prompting. The 17th Century scientist and philosopher Blaise Pascal imagined Jesus saying: "Be of good cheer - you would not seek Me if you had not found Me.” Jesus summarised His mission as, “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost”. When criticised for keeping bad company, He told the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the Prodigal Son. The Bible unfolds the story of God in pursuit of a defiant human race. Adam and Eve are on the run from Him. They are prototypes of mortals in every age, who have “have erred and strayed like lost sheep”, in the words of the Book of Common Prayer. In the New Testament, the Pharisee Saul, convinced that he was already serving the Almighty by pursuing Christians, was actually resisting God, or “kicking against the goad”. His moment of truth was dramatic and violent: a volte face accompanied by three days loss of sight. John Newton was an 18th Century Captain of slave ships. He described his conversion thus: “I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.” It was an epiphany. Significantly, Epiphany is our name for the meeting of the Wise Men with Jesus, commemorated on 6th January and the weeks following. The Ven John Barton

Highly recommended, professional workmanship

26

11

Whose head?

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

Take a look at a coin in your pocket. Chances are it has on it the Queen’s portrait, a Latin inscription, a date and the value. In New Testament times coins were similar. They were gold, silver and copper, some with Latin or Greek and some with dates or values.

Fit to drop? or Fit for what? in 2017.

In the First Century everyday currency was rather like when you just got back from holiday abroad. You would have a pocket full of different currencies and have to sort them out. You have to change your dollars at a bank and not many places will take euro coins. There would be local Jewish coins, Roman Coins produced by the empire, local Greek coins for small states and foreign coins. You could only pay for some things with a particular type of coin. Temple taxes had to be paid with one sort, Roman taxes with imperial coins and probably local purchases with local coins. That is why the Temple was full of money changers. Worshippers changed their local coins into the currency accepted by the Jewish treasury. The Bible gives us lots of names of different coins and tells us what you could buy with them. In a famous example, Our Lord was asked whether we should pay tax at all to the Romans. A denarius was a Roman silver coin. ‘Show me the coin used for paying the tax.’ They brought him a denarius, and He asked them, ‘Whose image is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. Then He said to them, ‘So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.’ Matthew 22 19-21 On another day Saint Peter was asked if Jesus paid the half drachma temple tax. Miraculously Jesus provides enough money for two. Drachma was a type of Greek coin. After Jesus and His disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the twodrachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, ‘Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?’ ‘Yes, He does,’ he replied. … Jesus said to him. ‘… go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a fourdrachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.’ Matthew 17:24 Coin collecting is a fascinating hobby and examples of the commoner Roman, Greek and even Jewish coins can be got at affordable prices. David Pickup

12

How did your Christmas go? Boxing Day walk to try and offset the Christmas Day feast? Made any New Year’s resolutions? Are you keeping fit? Fit for what you may ask! Mark Brother’s interesting Pause for Thought in the December’s Beneficial combined with a visit to Hereford Cathedral on Thursday 24 November for the ‘Follow! Inspire!’event has caused me to reflect. What am I doing to ensure my spiritual fitness as a Christian? Mark’s theme was on giving ‘Thanks’. But in it there seemed to be an undercurrent of helping to ensure one’s daily spiritual fitness. At the Cathedral event the various stalls echoed the Follow! strap-line of ‘Hereford Diocese: Proclaiming Christ, Growing Disciples. Inspiring each generation to follow Jesus Christ.’. What do you understand from those words? What would you say if someone asked you, ‘What do they mean?’. At first glance my reaction to ‘each generation to follow’ was thinking of passing on the Christian message to the next generation. I guess this is because we are conditioned by the media buzz that we must ensure this or that for the next generation. When I think of generations I tend to think of those who came before and those who will come after: but not my generation! I fear it is too easy to take the strapline as meaning we must proclaim Christ and grow disciples in the next generation. This begs the question as to what are you and I doing to ensure we as individuals grow spiritually and follow Jesus Christ in our own daily lives? Even with advancing years we probably pay attention to what we eat and drink and exercise, even taking tablets/medicines, to try and ensure we keep as physically fit as possible. We may ask each other, ‘How are you?’. But do we pay as much attention to our Christian spiritual health? Is there a Christian ‘spiritual food’ equivalent to the five-a-day? Mark’s commendation of a ‘Daily Examen’ may well count as one of the five. A more general time of prayer and bible-study may make up another two. The other day a fellow member of St Mary’s asked how I was. I mentioned I’d a touch of …: well it doesn’t matter what. The instant reply was, ‘Oh you must take XYZ. It’s marvellous.’. Why are we so slow to share matters of our Christian spiritual fitness? Thank you, Mark, for sharing your experience and commenting, “I’ve … found it very helpful.”. Each day I read a passage from the Bible and use a study-bible and Daily Bread reading notes. This I find very helpful. Does anyone else use Bible reading notes of any sort? If you do please let me know. Or for that matter any other one of a spiritual five-aday that helps you live a daily life that proclaims Jesus Christ covertly or overtly as our daily round gives opportunity. Christopher Whitmey

25

THE WAY I SEE IT : Everything New? ABBEYFIELD SSAFA HEREFORD SOCIETY Anslie House, 4 St John Street, Hereford The Abbeyfield SSAFA Hereford Society is a charity providing housing and support for the active elderly with the following benefits:  All rooms are en suite  People furnish their own rooms and choose the decor  Residents enjoy the inclusive two meals each day in the dining room  Take tea and coffee in the lounge  Join together for social activities  Join in the life of the wider community To find out more please call our House Manager on 01432 264737or email [email protected]

Rodent

Backbury House Vineyard. Now open for tasting and sales at Backbury House, Checkley, Hereford HR1 4NA. Medium dry white wine made locally. Please phone 01432 850255 before your visit. St Michael’s: The Hospice That Love Built St Michael’s Hospice has been built by its community.

Riddance 30 years experience in Domestic, Commercial and Agricultural Fields.

Qualified. 07771153885

Caplor Energy is an established, local company specialising in a range of renewable energy solutions. Speak to one of our team members about how to reduce your energy bills and protect yourself from future price increases. [email protected] or 01432 860644 www.caplor.co.uk/energy

From cutting the first sod to the recent unveiling of your state-of-the-art Hospice, the past 30-plus years have been quite a journey. It’s a story full of dedicated, selfless people who come from every corner of Herefordshire and beyond. St Michael’s Hospice can present this story to a group of any size and we may even be able to fill in last-minute gaps in your schedule with a short illustrated talk. To find out more, please contact Rachel Entwisle on 01432 851 000 or [email protected] to book a St Michael’s Hospice talk. Wishing you all joy in 2017, Rachel Entwisle St Michael's Hospice

I have now reached the point in life when the mere sight of the adjective ‘new’ attached to anything causes mild panic. My favourite tomato soup comes in a newfangled can, and I know I won’t be able to open it. My internet provider insists on burdening me with an ‘update’ - a ‘new’ approach to computing. I’m thrown into blind panic, until I see that I can click on ‘decline’ which I always do. 2016 had more than enough that was ‘new’ – Brexit, a new Prime Minister, and a new President-elect of the USA. Is there a pause button somewhere? So how do I approach the New Year? Well, it’s a nuisance to have to change my computer letter-head, and I know in mid-February I shall absent-mindedly revert to typing ‘2016’ everywhere, but on the whole it’s a bit of a non-event. So what? Some numbers have changed. Nothing significant is different. What the people baptising themselves in the Trafalgar Square fountains are celebrating eludes me. Peace in the Middle East? An end to poverty, homelessness and loneliness? The coming of an age of justice, love and compassion? It might take a bit more than a change in a single digit on the calendar to bring those about. What I suppose New Year does spark, in a low-key kind of way, is hope. Really, that should be celebrated at Advent, when the great theme is the ‘Christian Hope’ of a new kingdom of justice and love. Or at Easter, when the Spring’s new colours are matched by our songs of resurrection and new life. In ordinary English usage, ‘hope’ can imply doubt – ‘I hope so’. But in the language of faith, hope is something clear and promised. Human hopes can be dashed. Hope in an unchanging God is another matter altogether. Canon David Winter

Fownhope Beyond Memory Everyday life in Victorian and Edwardian times in Fownhope has come to light in our latest book, Fownhope Beyond Memory, which follows the much-acclaimed Fownhope Remembered. The new book's 228 pages, with more than 200 photographs and illustrations as well as press reports and adverts. There's detail on the Church and chapels, schools, farming, shops, pubs, crime and more. Fownhope's story has plenty to say about Brockhampton, Woolhope and Mordiford, including local doctors, the early horse-drawn bus , coming of the railway, club walks, the flower show and much much more. The book is on sale for just £12 from Ann Corby at Pippins, Fownhope HR1 4PJ, add £3 for postage, cheques payable to Fownhope Local History Group.

24

13

We’ve got a new word: Post-truth The Oxford Dictionaries selected ‘post-truth’ as their 2016 word of the year. Originally coined in the 1990’s, it came to the fore as a description of the way the UK Referendum and the US Presidential election were fought last year. Rather than concentrating on facts and policies, these campaigns relied on the repetition of unsubstantiated claims and stories. Emotion won over argument. In an uncharacteristically severe reproof, Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury described all this as the “fact-free manipulation of emotion by populist adventurers.” In the TV panel game “Would I Lie to You?” each participant tells a personal story, and the opposing team has to decide whether it’s true or a lie. It only works because, at the end, the storytellers are honour-bound to admit whether or not they have told the truth. In the Radio 4 game “The Unbelievable Truth” each player is given a subject to define, with four truths secreted in what is otherwise a fictional account. The other players have to spot the truths. Are they right or wrong? Again, honesty has to prevail or the game wouldn’t work. Telling the truth isn’t easy. Like the fabled angler who exaggerated the size of the fish which got away, many of us have caught ourselves out embroidering the facts. ‘Post-truth’ means that none of this matters. It was entertaining when a Sunday newspaper carried these headlines: "London Bus Found Frozen in Antarctic Ice", and "World War II Bomber Found on the Moon". Whether or not they were true was irrelevant.

Wordsearch for January 2017 January 2017 brings us numerous significant dates. 75 years ago, in Jan 1942, the first US troops arrived in Europe. 50 years ago, in Jan 1967, the Apollo 1 caught fire at Cape Canaveral. 30 years ago, in Jan 1987, Terry Waite, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s special envoy in the Middle East, was kidnapped in Beirut, Lebanon. 20 years ago, in Jan 1997, Bill Clinton became President of the USA for a second term. 15 years ago, in Jan 2002, the Euro became the official currency of the EU. And this month, Donald Trump becomes President of the USA. Numerous

Significant

Dates

Troops

Europe

Apollo

Cape

Waite

Envoy

Kidnapped

Beirut

President

Bill

Euro

Official

Currency

Donald

Trump

United

States

“What is truth?” asked Pontius Pilate, as he handed Jesus over to be crucified. He wasn’t to know that history would record him as a failure, whereas his prisoner would be worshipped as “the Way, the Truth and the Life”. Ven John Barton

Are you legal, decent, honest and truthful? Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you..? 2 Corinthians 13:5 The Bible encourages us to test whether we are right with God. New Year is a time to think whether we are legally on the right lines. Are you in love and charity with your neighbours? This includes the people in your street and those on the other side of the world. We ought to be charitable, but think about charity giving. Do you need to review which organisations you support? If you are on less than good terms with some neighbours, New Year might be a time to mend fences in more than one way! 14

Continued on following page

Can we Celebrate 75 years of Desert Island Discs locally? If you would like to participate, contact the Editor with answers to the following questions. 1 How would you cope with being a solitary cast-away on a desert island?’ 2 Name the eight pieces of music you would want to take with you, and give some reason for each one - i.e Try and relate each choice to a memory or event in your life. 3 What luxury would you choose? 4 What single disc would you have, if you could choose just one? Why is this particularly special to you. It is hoped that we will be able to publish one response each month during 2017. Who will be first to relate their love of music to memories or events in their life? 23

Extensions Alterations Stonework Repairs

Why we have Trump and Brexit Voters surprised politicians on both sides of the Atlantic last year. As a result, America has an unlikely President and the United Kingdom is in the process of leaving the European Union. There are hints that the electorate in other countries are also disgruntled with the status quo and may vote for untried alternatives.

P. Howells & Sons Builders The Brooklands Woolhope Hereford HR1 4RF Telephone 01432860203

Why? Here’s one suggestion. Dreams of utopia have evaporated. Not so long ago we thought the human race was set on a moving walkway called progress, which would deliver health, wealth and happiness. Up to a point it has done that. Modern medicine has kept millions alive. We can fly to the other side of the world in a day or if we prefer, sit at home and communicate with our distant relatives via Skype. Astonishing advances are being made, but simultaneously the bloodiest wars are being fought and there’s no sign of a let-up. Human beings are no nicer than they ever were.

01531 670926 & 07450782569

Green Things of Herefordshire

Garden Care and Maintenance Do you need help in your garden? Digging, mowing, pruning, planting, weeding, living willow structures, wildlife area establishment and more. I can care for your garden so you can enjoy your garden. Victoria Oaten

[email protected] Mobile: 07986 203623 Don’t let your garden be a thorn in your side.

Hampton House Hampton Bishop Not for Profit Home set in 6 acres Serving the Community since 1951

Full time residential care Respite and Day Care Weekly doctors’ surgeryWeekly hair dresserMonthly chiropodist For more information call 01432 870287 and speak to the Care Manager

L. S. Cleaning Services

K. C. Maintenance Grass Cutting Service, Garden Maintenance, Fencing, House, Garage and Garden Clearances. Tel; 01432 279551 / 07711476494

Unit 48, The Hop pocket craft centre, Bishops Frome, Worcester. WR6 5BT Call for a free quotation Tel 01885 490326 or 07968343174 Handmade Bespoke, Fine furniture, Kitchens, Home offices, Bedrooms, Conservatories, Doors and Windows. Come and see our showroom, British made home accessories & stockists of www.designercreations.co.uk

Natural Soles Reflexology Kate Hemblade 14 Backbury Road, Hereford, HR1 1SD

House cleaning, End of 01432 272440 / tenancy, Moves in and 07870 933030 out, Domestic Cleans, [email protected] Oven cleans, Carpet www.naturalsoles.co.uk and weekend apCleans, Regular and One- Evening pointments available. Off Cleans. Reflexology can help relax, Tel;

01432 279551 07423401658 22

improve mood and sleep, helps relieve tension and improve sense of well being. Member of the Association of Reflexologists (MAR)

Confidence has been rocked by nightly news of carnage across the world. We are losing faith in progress and in politics. And when it comes to prosperity, we have witnessed the world’s economy shipwrecked by a handful of bonus-greedy bankers. The outcome? The rich have become richer and the poor, poorer. We still have a built-in yearning for something more stable, more trustworthy, more just. Imagine a different world where the Kingdom belongs to the spiritually poor, where mourners find comfort and meekness is rewarded. Where a deep desire for right to prevail will be satisfied, mercy is offered and received, purity of heart brings a vision of God, and peacemakers are His children. This is Christ’s alternative to the status quo. It isn’t cheap. Some will be persecuted, as He was, simply for being identified with righteousness. Their place, too, is in heaven. Is that the manifesto we're seeking?

Are your affairs in order? If you could not make decisions for yourself, who would do it? If you passed on are your wishes clear and your assets easy to sort out? Are you a model citizen? Do you walk round with your eyes open or turn a blind eye? We should complain if necessary and thank the authorities if they do a good job. Think about joining a neighbourhood watch scheme or perhaps even standing for a local authority or parish council. We are told to follow the commandments of God. It is probably motoring that causes most conflict with the law. Are you a good, careful considerate driver or do you take chances? David Pickup 15

When we are never made to wait

75 Years on a Desert Island

Recently the giant online retailer Amazon launched its latest innovation in ‘smart shopping’ - ‘Amazon Dash’. Now, with just a click of a button, you can order any one of 40 basic household items, and have it on our doorstep 24 hours later.

Seventy five years ago this month, on 29th January 1942, the now familiar signature tune ‘By a Sleepy Lagoon’ heralded the very first edition of ‘Desert Island Discs’.

Dash is just the latest in an increasing number of products and services offered by retailers to satiate our every need, whim or desire in eye-wateringly fast times. At the click of our online fingers, we can have our favourite restaurant meal on our table within 30 minutes, or that iPad that little Jonny wants by bedtime. Yes, really. So how do we respond to this reality of shopping becoming an on-demand, instant gratification experience? As with all new technologies, the benefits are undoubted – imagine the joy of never running out of loo roll! But below the surface are potentially negative impacts that are deeply challenging to the fabric of society, which go beyond the obvious costs to the environment and smaller retailers. Are we becoming a society that is losing the ability to wait, rely on our neighbours, or simply to ‘do without’? If we never have to wait for goods and services, how will that affect our ability to sit and listen to each other, to work through difficult relationships, to listen to our own thoughts, and especially to hear God? For those of us who have children, how will they learn these essential life skills? The implications are profound. There is no doubting the value God places on patience and waiting. The Bible is brimming with stories of people who had to wait for God to move – think of Abraham, Moses, or Anna. Patience and its close cousin self-control are two fruits of the Spirit. Countering this ‘culture of now’ requires self-awareness, self-discipline and healthy boundaries. If we can pursue these, tough though it may be, they will not only keep us healthy, but might also serve as a witness to others that God’s ways are indeed good – even if not always as fast as we would like!

Blowing the Organ My father, and his father before him, blew the organ at St Mary’s Church, Credenhill. I followed them pumping at Credenhill but also at St George’s Church, Brinsop. At Credenhill, the pumping mechanism was hidden away in a small L-shaped vestry behind the organ. This vestry was used by the minister for changing and preparing himself for the service. The organ blower was hidden from his view, around a corner. The resident rector was aware of the presence of the organ blower but some visiting ministers were not. This could lead to some embarrassing moments for Continued on the following page 16

Devised and presented by Roy Plomley, it was broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme. In the dark days of the War it was an instant hit – well known people asked to choose which eight records they would choose to have with them if they were cast-away on a desert island. Helpfully, they were granted a copy of the Bible and the works of Shakespeare, as well as ‘an inexhaustible supply of gramophone needles’, essential accessories for the gramophone player that had somehow survived the ship-wreck. They could then choose one ‘luxury’ to have with them. It could not be a means of escape nor of communication with the outside world. Two have chosen a piano. ‘Desert Island Discs’ is still on the air. I remember the producer telling me that no one turned down a chance to be on it. ‘Why would they?’ she said. ‘A nice free lunch, your own choice of music and a chance to talk about yourself for 45 minutes’. The programme still has a loyal and large audience, with distinguished presenters – currently Kirsty Young - taking over since Roy Plomley’s death about 30 years ago. It’s living proof that the best ideas don’t have to be complicated. They simply have to work, as ‘Desert Island Discs’ has done on BBC radio for 75 years. Will it make it to 100, I wonder. BANISH THOSE WINTER BLUES Do you get bored on a dull winter’s afternoon? Would you like a little light exercise? Why not meet up for a couple of hours of fun at Fownhope Dance Club? The friendly members will welcome you and help you to dance along. We include ballroom, sequence and latin dancing in the programme, all in a light hearted way. There is no panel to give a score! Fancy giving it a try? Then come along to The Memorial Hall on a Thursday afternoon from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. If you would like further details please contact Jean Boothman 860488 or Ann Brown 860445. Tea and biscuits are provided. 21

We, three kings? They’re there in most Nativity plays, resplendent in regal gowns and cardboard crowns, carrying their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Actually, the Church celebrates the coming of these exotic people to the stable at Bethlehem not at Christmas but now, in January, in a season called ‘Epiphany’.

Sophie Limming Dip FH MCFHP MAFHP Qualified & Registered Foot Health Practitioner T 0749 309 2960 E [email protected] W www.benefeet.co.uk

The word means ‘revealing’, and it reminds us that the Saviour was a gift to the whole world – even Gentiles from ‘the East’ were welcome at His coming. The story of the Wise Men, as we usually call them (but more accurately the Magi), is a ‘revealing’ – the ‘new king’ was to be the Saviour of the world, ‘good news for all people’, as the angels proclaimed to the shepherds. The name ‘Magi’ should alert us to their true role. They were ‘wise’ in the sense that they knew and studied the stars, but their primary trade was fortune-telling. ‘Magi’ is the root of our word ‘magic’, and people like them held the ancient world in thrall to their predictions. In the Greek and Roman world of the time no major decision would be made without their sanction. Think of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and the superstitious fear that dominated people’s lives. Yet when these powerful representatives of the world of magic, portent and fear came to the stable, they prostrated themselves before the infant Jesus, as they gave Him their gifts. Thus, as the first Christians saw it, the old world of fear and superstition gave way to the new world of love, grace and faith. That was the ‘revealing’ that we celebrate in Epiphany – not some elderly men bringing gifts to a baby, but a baby bringing to the world the greatest gift of all, a Saviour. Canon David Winter

Do you need a Gardener? Cherry’s Gardening Services offers: Lawn mowing, weeding, hedge cutting, pruning, repotting, sheds,and greenhouses cleared, hanging baskets & much more, Away on holiday or business? I will look after your garden

both the minister and the organ blower. To avoid these awkward situations, my father suggested I should make my presence known as the minister entered the vestry, with some discreet coughing

Reliable lady gardener fully insured and DBS checked (formally CRB) I use all my own equipment Call Cherry on 07855525247 or email [email protected]

Your local MARS volunteer Dr Katie White of Mordiford, Hereford is a member of this highly trained and experienced pre-hospital team. She qualified at Cardiff Medical School and now works in Birmingham as an Anaesthetist. Dr White's hobbies include horse riding and running, she has two young children who keep her busy! This local charity is funded solely through public donation and to help support Dr White of Mercia Accident Rescue Service please visit their webpage: http://www.marsbasics.org.uk/

The vestry had no ventilation and at one evensong, on a very hot summer's evening, the organ wasn’t able to start for the final hymn. The organist kicked against the woodwork under the manual without getting any response. She naturally thought my grandfather was asleep so suggested to the congregation that the hymn should be sung unaccompanied. At the end of the service she went to wake up my grandfather and found that he had been taken ill. She called for help and, with assistance from my father, managed to get him into the fresh air. There he leaned on a grave stone and became bilious. After a little while he recovered and was able to stand up and walk home. My mother told my father that his father had made an exhibition of himself and should not be allowed the glass of sherry before the evening service. Continued on following page

20

17

Nehemiah: Overcoming Opposition

Staying positive!

Nehemiah faced real hostility in the task God had given him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. His enemies began mocking him (Nehemiah 2:19), which turned to anger and insults (4:1), and then to outright opposition: ‘But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.’ (Nehemiah 4:7,8).

Here’s a test! Who said, “I dare not marry; the future is so unsettled.” Was it Olympic multi-medallist Katherine Grainger? Wrong - it was William Wilberforce in 1801. Who said, “There is scarcely anything about us but ruin and depression.” Maggie Smith? No – it was William Pitt in 1805. Who said, “In industry, commerce and agriculture there is no hope.” Gordon Brown perhaps? No – it was Benjamin Disraeli in 1844.

When we stand up for Christ, we too can experience opposition. As with Nehemiah, this can take various forms, including mockery, as well as attacks on our motives and integrity. In some places, hostility to Christians can lead to violence and death threats.

Life can always seem difficult. But let the Bible help! Deuteronomy 33:25 serves as a golden Bible promise for believers facing the unknown: ‘As your days,’ declared Moses, ‘so shall your strength be.’ Here’s a promise for New Year: More days - more strength!’

How do we deal with the opposition that we might experience as followers of Christ? We can simply lash out in anger, hide, or even give up! Nehemiah dealt with it by encouraging the people to pray and preparing them to fight: ‘But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.’ (4:9). He reminded them to ‘remember the Lord, who is great and awesome’ (14) and fight together. Nehemiah organised half the workforce to keep working on the wall, while the other half kept guard (16,21). We are also engaged in a spiritual battle for kingdom of God and we need to be armed ready for the fight (Ephesians 6:10-20). As a result of their stand, the people completed rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 days (6:15)! What can we do in the face of opposition? Let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, pray constantly and press on knowing that God’s work can never ultimately be stopped. Paul Hardingham

Think now of the terrain that would test God’s ancient people, there on the borders of the Promised Land. First, they would face:

I had some unpleasant experience with an RAF Aircraftsman, Ginger, who was teaching my sister to play the organ. He informed my parents that he didn't require payment for the lessons; he only needed me to pump for her and then again later, after she had gone home, to allow him time to practice. Unfortunately, in an empty church, his mind shifted to other things and I hated to be alone with him. To deal with the problem, I used to lock the vestry door as my sister left. For a number of years my sister played the organ for services at Brinsop Church. Soon after she started, the organ blower, a very elderly gentleman, retired, saying he couldn't keep up with her playing, presumably because she used up so much air! She asked if I would pump the organ for her. I was a bit reluctant to make the commitment but when my father suggested that I could use the 'new' family 1937 Austin 7 Ruby to take her to Brinsop, I was delighted with the idea and we travelled to Brinsop each Sunday until my sister went up to university.

THE ENDURING HIGHWAY Before the ancient people of God, there lay many scary adventures - but they were to see the way ahead as God’s appointed path. For us today, ‘the highway’ is a portrayal of the lifelong discipleship of the Christian believer. Think prayerfully about 2017! Then there was also: THE ACCOMPANYING ROCK In Deuteronomy 32, Moses had described the Lord as ‘the Rock of salvation’ contrasting Israel’s faith with the empty rituals of the godless society: ‘For their rock is not as our Rock, as even as our enemies concede.’ Against the surrounding rocks of idolatry and superstition stood Israel’s Rock of Creation, the rock face of the Ten Commandments - and the abiding love by which God was pledged to His people. Later, Paul declared that the Rock accompanying God’s people - is Christ himself (1 Corinthians 10: 4). Here’s a third piece of terrain awaiting us! THE BECKONING LAND Moses could see it from afar – the Land of Promise. For the Christian of today ‘The Land’ stands for salvation itself – with sins covered, the promise of a new inner power, the presence every day of Jesus - and assurance of life in the hereafter. In the words of hymn-writer, Isaac Watts: If we could climb where Moses stood, and fear that view no more; Nor Jordan’s stream nor death’s cold flood would keep us from that shore. Stay with the pace, then; More days, more strength! Preb Richard Bewes

18

19