April 2011
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THE EAST WALL Thanks to the donor who has made a HUGE difference to the east wall of the church. My thanks also go to Jane Dobbie who has worked alongside the team who has been organising the donation. Robert Dobbie has also produced an article on the new decoration. I was asked to reflect on the theological aspects of the decoration. The two major items are a Cross and an Ammonite. One legend about St Hilda tells of a plague of snakes which Hilda turned to stone, supposedly explaining the presence of ammonite fossils on the Whitby sea-shore. In fact, the ammonite genus Hildoceras takes its scientific name from St. Hilda. It was not unknown for local “artisans” to carve snakes' heads onto ammonites, and sell these relics as proof of her miracle. The Coat of Arms of Whitby includes three such snakestones. Hence the Ammonite takes a central position in the decoration. The Cross of Jesus is surrounded by symbolism. You can find nine nails to one side and five spots of blood below the cross. Only three nails were used on Our Lord but two criminals were also crucified with him. The extra nails remind us of that fact. The five spots of blood represent the falling onto the earth of Christ’s Blood, from both His hands and feet and also from the spear wound in his side. The spots of blood which fell onto the ground sanctified the very earth on which we live. Robert’s article notes the part of the stars in Creation. The stars reflect that creative process but you will also notice that there is one very bright star, whilst the others are less so. The bright start reminds us of the rising of the eastern star at the birth of Christ. The new bright light shows that Jesus came as the “Light of the World”, not only for the Jews but the whole of Creation. The outward spiral of flames from the centre shows that Christ’s love is for all Creation, and it reminds us of the Pentecostal tongues of fire which brought the Holy Spirit into our lives. The blue of the water and its movement encourages us to think not only about the stories of the Sea of Galilee but also of the Baptism of Christ and the sacrament of baptism: water not only cleanses butsustains life itself. Finally why three panels? Certainly, it follows the pattern of the windows above but it also shows the threefold nature of our Faith: the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The more I gaze at this wonderful piece of art the more I am reminded of Gods gifts to us. Just try to spend a few quiet moments to gaze and explore the detail in the decoration. Father Chris Rogers
CONNECTIONS WITH AFGHANISTAN We have all become very familiar with the trouble in Afghanistan in the last few years. It is constantly in the news and a number of St Hilda’s people and friends have sent many parcels to our military forces out there. Some people may think that the problems of Afghanistan are quite recent. However, I was recently privileged to look at a collection of documents belonging to Elsie and Roy Stone. These showed that Elsie’s father, Henry William Turner who originally joined the Navy, found himself in the Army in Warizistan on the borders of Afghanistan in the 1920s. Henry joined the Navy as a boy in 1915, becoming a full seaman in 1917 and after serving on a number of ships was unfortunately invalided out in July 1919. But his desire for a military life led him to enlist in the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment in September of the same year. His India General Service medal with the clasps for Warizistan 1919 – 1921 and 1921 – 1924 shows that he was there at a time of considerable trouble. This region of what is now North-west Pakistan is part of the tribal territories bordering Afghanistan and is one of the strongholds of the Taliban. Henry’s regiment and a number of other British units were involved in consider-able skirmishing with the warlike tribes in that area in the 1920s. Henry liked to talk about his adventures to Elsie’s son, but Elsie and Roy did not approve of him showing Andrew one of the photographs that Henry Turner brought back showing a number of beheaded bodies lying on the ground! We all know that this barbarity is still going on today in Afghanistan and that Warizistan remains a major problem for the present government of Pakistan. Elsie and Roy are very well known in the area and Elsie has been very much involved in a number of aspects of the life of St Hilda’s. She is very much a “local girl”. Her father and grandfather were born in Feltham, and Elsie’s family were at one time in Bedfont, an area with a strong community spirit. Her mother helped her neighbours in many ways which included acting as a midwife and laying out the dead. And what an interesting father Elsie had. Ken Clarke
50% OF ADULTS COULD CAUSE THEIR LOVED ONES UNNECESSARY PROBLEMS AND EXPENSE AFTER THEIR Research shows that over half the UK adult population have not written a will so far. Yet without a will that has been properly witnessed, UK law requires the Courts to decide how to distribute an estate according to a fixed legal formula. This takes time, incurs cost and almost certainly differs from what was really wanted. Many other adults have wills that are out of date, containing old ad-dresses, or not reflecting their current family situation. For nearly 500 years the Church of England has encouraged people to make a will. When Archbishop Thomas Cranmer wrote the first English Prayer Book in the sixteenth century, he reminded parishioners to keep their wills up to date while they were still in good health, for their own peace of mind as well as to help their executors. In thinking about making a will, it is good to be reminded of David's prayer as he dedicated the Temple to God (1 Chronicles 29). As we determine our wishes for what should happen to our property, money and belongings; we re-member that we are merely stewards of all that God has blessed us with during our lifetime. If you are thinking about making or revising your will, please consider leaving a gift to the Church. As God's people, we have much to be thankful for. If it were not for the generations of Christians before us, faithfully sharing the Good News of God's forgiveness through Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we would not be here as members of the Church today. The very building we meet in is a testimony to their love and generosity, built and maintained by our predecessors' in-vestment and stewardship. They have left us a precious gift. Our inheritance was their legacy for the future. So what will we hand to our children's children? In future years will they too know of Christ's love in this community? Will there still be a faithful community of Christians witnessing to God's love and forgiveness through practical service and regular worship? With our help, prayers and practical support all things are possible. Why consider leaving a gift in your will to the Church? It's a practical way of saying "thank you" to God for all the blessings we have enjoyed during our lives. It enables us to make a lasting contribution to our Church family and helps secure the work of the Church for future generations. The Bible challenges us to be careful stewards of all that God has given to us. Many Christians today follow St Paul's advice in 1 Corinthians 16:2 and give a regular pro-portion of their income to the Church. That principle can be extended to cover what we will give back to God when we have no further earthly use for it. Giving a proportion of· your estate is called a "residuary legacy". Gifts made to the Church and other charities are exempt from inheritance tax, and are deducted from the value of your estate before in-heritance tax liability is calculated. Over the centuries, generous Church members have left gifts to their local churches in their wills. These gifts have often been transformational in helping their parish in its mission and in continuing to play its part in the unfolding Christian story of our country. One parish received a legacy of £37,000. They used it to launch an appeal to build a new church centre to pro-vide much-needed community facilities, and eventually raised over £650,000. Very often legacies are able to provide the initial funding that will unlock the generosity of others, both individual donors and trust funds. Another church used a legacy to employ a children's and youth worker to work with local youngsters. Having someone dedicated to this area of work made a real difference to their ministry with young people. Yet a third parish was left with a gift of £700. This enabled the purchase of a new bible for the lectern in a more modern translation and a complete set of pew bibles in the same translation. A further 100 bibles were sent to Ethiopia as the PCC knew that would fit with the donor's wishes. All these gifts have provided an ongoing opportunity to develop parish mission, as well as creating a lasting memorial for those who gave them. Leaving a gift in your will could make a real difference to the future life of your church. Out of date wills (e.g. old addresses, missing beneficiaries) can cause unnecessary complications, distress and costs for the surviving family and friends. A new will can be made at any time with a solicitor, and shouldn't cost much. It may be tempting to write a will yourself, but home-made wills can be dangerous, and leave your loved ones with problems. A will made with a solicitor is far more reliable. There is a free pack available to help you prepare to make a will, including a guide explaining some of the terms used in writing a will. This can be ordered from: The Church of England's Legacy In-formation Line: 08445 870875 (A Local Number). OR by writing to: The National Stewardship Officer, Church House, Great Smith Street, LONDON, SW1P 3NZ The contents of the pack can also be downloaded from: www.churchlegacy.org.uk
Father Chris Rogers
RSCM LONDON AREA FESTIVAL St. Hilda's choir will be joining other church choirs affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music at the biennial festival in St. Paul's Cathedral. This year it will be held on Saturday 14th May. Everyone is welcome at the service at 5p.m. Peter Pritchard
ST HILDA’S TO GO EVEN GREENER The Parochial Church Council agreed to explore the possibility of creation of electric from solar power on Monday. This is the first stage of seeking to having zero cost electric within the parish church as we generate electric from the sun. The process will take up to 2 years before any decision can be made. This is true stewardship of our God given gift of sunlight Father Chris Rogers |