L I N K Monthly Magazine

50p

St Mary the Virgin,Rickmansworth The Church of England and The Methodist Church in Partnership

Serving the whole community

May 2017

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Regular Services Please see calendar on centre pages for further details, and occasional variations and additions

Time Service Language

Sundays

Weekly 8.00am Holy Communion Traditional

1st 10.00am Family Communion (NB see Feb Calendar) Modern followed by coffee in the Church

2nd–5th 10.00am Sung Holy Communiion Modern followed by coffee in the Church Centre

Children’s Church in the Church Centre

2nd 12.15pm Holy Communion Modern Weekly 6.00pm Evening Service

Weekdays

Tue 9.30am Holy Communion Modern

Contacts The code for all 6 digit telephone numbers is 01923, unless otherwise indicated.

Church Address: Church Street Rickmansworth WD3 1JB Website: www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk

Ministers at St Mary’s

Vicar and Minister authorised to The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 serve within the Methodist Church vicar@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk

Methodist Minister at St Mary’s, The Revd Richard Lowson 223906 and three other Methodist churches

Associate Priest; Self-supporting The Revd Scott Talbott 07802 244877 Minister scott.talbott@talk21.com

Reader Michael Baker 776109

Officers

Churchwardens (A) David Carruthers 07831 387541 Jane Earl 711695 David Hibbert 773735

Senior Steward (M) June Poppleton 773388

Church Office

Church Secretary Karen Ellis 721002

Opening Hours Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9.15am–12.45pm Email: churchoffice@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk

continued on inside back of cover

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LINK

May 2017

In This Month’s Issue

4. The Vicar’s Letter Easter Eggs and non-Easter Eggs

5. Sunday Communion Readings

5. Prayer Topics for the Month Topics, people and churches and a Prayer for May

6. Thy Kingdom Come Praying for the Holy Spirit during the 10 days between Ascension and Pentecost

8. St Mary’s for Ricky Week Bell Tower opening is curtailed; Jolly Jam Jars are being filled; veggie plants grown; and Quiz questions selected

9. A Community Picnic: An Independence Day theme; go all American

10. A Taste of Lent Two views of Mary Magdalene; Music for Passion Sunday; the Palm Sunday procession and Lent Lunch

12. Library News A book on St Paul’s journeys

13. St Mary’s People Ken Hillier has died; the Smethursts and the Bak-ers have celebrated significant wedding anniversaries

13. The Colin Lucas Trophy For bellringers’ achievement

14. CALENDAR

16. What’s on in Rickmansworth Watersmeet, RDFAS, TG and The Horticultural Society

17. Stanmore’s Bells Returning from Whitechapel

19. Young Musician of the Year Details of preliminaries and final

19. St Mary’s in the Past 1907: Easter, fruits of the Mission and concerns over Christian Education

1972: Lent meetings, Easter and Whitsun, the APCM, Care, Wensum Court, a long ramble and the St Albans Pilgrimage

22. Nature Notes Spring, birds, hedges and trees and a mystery solved

24. LINKWord A word puzzle to solve

24. Christian Aid A magical evening with a familiar magician’s assistant; bedding plant sales in Croxley

25. A Danish Summer Bazaar At Hanné Stamper’s London Church, good lunches

26. LINKWord Solution

26. Soul Agents

26. June LINK Copy deadline and publication dates

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The Vicar’s Letter

Dear Friends,

Rather to my surprise, I was contacted by the i Newspaper, in the wake of the National Trust Cadbury Egg Hunt debate just before Easter and asked to write an opinion piece on ‘Eggs, the Easter Bunny, and the real meaning of Easter’. I thought you might be interested to read what I submitted…

Some of you will have picked up on the news that the National Trust have omitted the word ‘Easter’ from the advertising of Egg Hunts taking place at a good number of its properties – the Archbishop of York and the Prime Minister certainly have. Instead of Easter you’ll see Cadbury. For some, the loss of the word Easter from these Egg Hunts will make no difference, for others it will be seen as a ‘sign of the times’ when anything to do with Christianity is either diminished or ignored.

Spring is the season of new life – it’s all around us and can’t be missed: daffodils, blossom, lambs and calves all signal the move from the dark days of Winter to the brighter and longer days of Spring. These symbols around us in the world are all about new life – and for Christians, Easter is wholly about New Life too. You’ll see cards with lambs, bunnies and daffodils and, if you are lucky, you might find a card that says Happy Easter too. Finding an Easter Egg that says Happy Easter amidst the ones emblazoned with Aero, Lego or Star Wars logos might be rather more of a challenge though. (If you’d like to buy one that includes the story of Easter, try the ‘Meaningful Chocolate Company’.)

Who can blame the world of advertising and commerce for hitching a ride on a train that will bring in a fortune? Who doesn’t love a mini egg, let’s face it? However, when jumping on a train, it’s worth checking out the driver. For Christians, the driver will be Jesus.

There’s nothing wrong with eggs and bunnies, but the invitation is to look beyond these things in order to know and understand what they are pointing towards. Hot Cross Buns remind us of the Cross of Good Friday and Easter Eggs remind us of the resurrection on Easter Day. Like so many things in life, you can take things at face value or you can seek to understand their meaning and depth. The ‘real meaning’ of Easter is the gift of Eternal Life offered

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through the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead – which is celebrated each year on Easter Day. Through the Resurrection, Eternal Life is offered to everyone – anyone and everyone – freely and without reserve.

I tried not to be ‘vicar-fed-up-with-you-diminishing-my-religion’ as I didn’t feel like that at all. I was actually more upset with what Archbishop Sentamu said about spitting on graves. Overall, it makes me think we need to work a bit harder to ensure that, if others wish to capitalise on the feasts and festivals of the church, we should match them in positive and encouraging ways and not go all holier-than-thou and thereby put people off.

The Reverend Deborah Snowball

Readings at Communion

7 May Gen 7.1-24 Acts 2.42-47 John 10.1-10

14 May Gen 8.1-19 Acts 7.55-60 John 14.1-14

21 May Gen 8.20 - 9.17 Acts 17.22-31 John 14.15-21

28 May Ezek 36.24-28 Acts 1.6-14 John 17.1-11

Weekly Pointers for the Month

Week beginning:

7 May Christian thinkers and writers

14 May Those called to ministry in the Church

21 May Those working overseas

28 May Our Health Service

For Local Churches

The Deanery The Methodist Circuit

7 May Christ Church, Chorleywood North Watford

14 May Mill End, W Hyde & Heronsgate Redbourn

21 May St Oswald’s, Croxley Green Southdown

28 May Sarratt and Chipperfield St Andrew’s, Bushey Heath

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People Living in Rickmansworth

7 May Talbot Road

14 May Church Street

21 May Skidmore Way, St Mary's Court

28 May Bury Lane, The Bury, Bury Meadows

A Prayer for May

Living Saviour may we continue to give thanks for your resurrection, prepare to celebrate your Ascension and make room for the presence of your Holy Spirit in our lives. Let us remember all that we have learned and thought about and prayed for through Lent and Easter and allow it to transform us.

Lord, we lay before you our lack of courage, our distractedness and we pray that you will strengthen us in faith and in your service day by day. Amen

Thy Kingdom Come

Ascension Day – Pentecost

Running from Ascension Day (25 May) until the Day of Pentecost (4 June) this initiative of praying for the Holy Spirit, which began just last year, is now ecumenical and international. One of the ‘highlights’ of the event then was the banning of an advertisement in cinemas during which a variety of ordinary people recited the words of the Lord’s Prayer. I am delighted to tell you that this year we are going to be participating in the week – and there is much with which you can be involved – whoever you are, and whatever your circumstance.

Nine days of Prayer (Novena): In early May, we’ll be printing off copies of a specially-produced booklet from the Thy Kingdom Come website. For each of the nine days there is a Bible Passage, and reflection and there are prompts for prayer. We’re encouraging everyone to take one of the booklets and join in each day. There will be a gathering in church at 4.00pm so that those who wish – and are able to - can undertake this activity together – along with conversation.

Five @ 5: One of the motivations underpinning this whole event is to pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire people to come to faith. Through a #Pledge2Pray, we are all encouraged to pray each day at 5.00pm for

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five people we know who we would like to come to know Jesus Christ more fully in their lives. If you know five people great, if you only know one or two, then that is fine too! In the weeks before Ascension Day, we’ll be making a wall of fire (mini-flames) with the names of everyone being prayed for and asking God to send the Holy Spirit into their lives. Perhaps you can begin thinking now for whom you could pray.

Icthus Trail: An opportunity to get out and about to look for the 20 fish that will be put out on ‘fishing lines’ around the town. On each ‘fish’ will be the name of a particular group of people within our community who we would like to bring before God in prayer. We hope the fish will be made by Children’s Church and J Club – and put in place by X Team. So, get your walking shoes and binoculars out to see what you can find!

Prayer on the Street: Many people are surprised by just how many visitors we have dropping into our church to pray. The church is not just in our building though; we are called to go out… and that is just what we are planning to do. On Wednesday 31 May, Friday 2 and Saturday 3 June we’re inviting you to join some of us in asking people what they would like to pray for or us to pray about with and for them. Anything that is given to us for prayer will be brought to the 4.00pm gatherings and held in prayer there – as well as to the Sunday Morning Communion Service. If you’d like to be involved, let Deborah, Jane Earl or June Poppleton know.

Prayer Stations in Church: Linked to the Lord’s Prayer, there will be activities in church to encourage people to explore different ways of praying. Anyone is welcome to come in, so do share the information with friends and family – as well as coming along yourself.

24/7 Prayer Vigil: The main event of the week is a Prayer Vigil that will run from 8.00am on Saturday 3 June to 8.00am on Sunday 4 June. Beginning with breakfast and a short service of commitment, the 24 hours will be split up into six-hour sections and anyone and everyone is welcome to come for as little or as much time as you can manage. A brief taster and overview is given below and overleaf.

First time slot; 8am – 2pm: Breakfast (bacon rolls!), Service, making bread, lunch at 1pm.

Second time slot; 2pm – 8pm: Making Pentecost banners, supper at 7pm.

Third time slot; 8pm – 2am: Watching a film, snack at 1am.

Fourth time slot; 2am – 8am: Decorating the church, preparing for breakfast, snack at 7am.

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During each time slot there will be worship, a short and simple Bible Study, the Church will be open for Silent Prayer, and for the Prayer Stations. We really do hope you will come and join in – popping in and out, or staying for the whole thing if you like. If you’d like to come along but can’t get there under your own steam, we will arrange a lift for you. If you’d like to be involved but are unable to be present for the whole time, that’s fine.

On the Feast of Pentecost itself, we shall all gather for Breakfast at 8.00am (well, those who wish!) and then join together at the 10.00am Eucharist to celebrate the great day!

Please begin praying now for all the events and for everyone who will be involved – in planning, in executing, in preparing, in praying, in being prayed for… in Rickmansworth and across the world! Remember, we’re praying for the Holy Spirit to come. Amen!

St Mary’s in Ricky Week These are our church’s contribution to the Week

Bell Tower Open - Please note time

Saturday 13 May This year, because we have a wedding to ring for at 1.00pm on the first Saturday of Ricky Week, the bell tower will be open to the public in the morning and not the afternoon, and due to earlier uncertainty of the time of the wedding, for a shorter time than stated in the Ricky Week Programme.

We shall open at 11.00am, as advertised, but regret that we will have to stop visitors entering the tower from 12.20pm onwards as we shall need to ring the bells up at about 12.40pm. Visitors can of course stay in the Ringing Room, watching us until 1.00 pm, but will need to be down at this level by 12.40pm.

Wednesday 17 May The Ringing Room will also be open to visitors from 7.30pm on our practice night to see us ringing and have a (supervised) go if they wish, as well.

Jolly Jam Jars

For our stall at the Bury Fête on Saturday 13 May

At the time of writing Barbara Paterson is still awaiting your jam jars filled with prizes that will persuade people to part with a pound (£1): wrapped sweets (not chocolate that can melt in the sun), small toys or toiletries – anything you can get in a jar.

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By the time you read LINK there will be just a week left to bring them. Barbara needs the filled jars by Sunday 7 May. If you need empty ones to fill you should find some on the table near the Children’s Corner. Let’s beat last year’s record of 300 jars this year.

If you fancy helping on the stall on the day or have any questions, please contact Barbara (720356).

Veggie Plants - and Only Veggie Plants

For our stall at the Rickmansworth Festival, 20-21 May

May your seeds have fallen on good ground, been kept away from the birds of the air and the things that crawl or slither and your vegetable plants now be growing straight and strong, nearly ready for our stall at the Festival.

It will be time to gather them in during the week before the Festival (ie earlier in Ricky Week). David Carruthers suggested in March LINK that the plants would be collected. If you have some for the stall watch the Pew Sheet for arrangements or phone him (07831 387541).

The stall will need manning over 2 days. Also look out for lists for volunteering to help.

Ricky Week Quiz

We shall be running our ever-popular quiz as usual on the first Saturday of Ricky Week, 13 May, with tables of eight. Book as a team, or we can try to fit you in to make up an eight. Tickets, which may still be available from the Parish Office (721002), cost £10 and include a Ploughman’s Supper. There will be a cash bar. Be sure to arrive in time to buy your drinks and be ready for a prompt 7.30pm start.

Independence Day Community Picnic This year’s picnic will follow a similar pattern to those of previous years, but with an American theme. It will start at 3pm. So brush off your Stetson and put Sunday 2 July down in your diaries now. More information will follow next month.

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A Taste of Lent Two Views of Mary Magdalene

Michael Baker

On 13 March Deborah led a very small group from St Mary’s to look at two very different pictures of Mary Magdalene in the National Gallery.

One of these was by a seventeenth century Italian artist, Guido Cagnacci. He adopts wholeheartedly the mediaeval (and unscriptural) legend of Mary the one-time prostitute. His picture depicts The Repentant Magdalene, slumped to the floor, virtually naked and beautiful, having stripped off her fine clothes and jewels, being admonished by her sister Martha, who points to the figure of Virtue, also naked, winged and beautiful, expelling Vice (naked but repulsive) from the room with a rod of punishment. The picture conflates Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and the legendary ‘Mary of Egypt’, who is supposed to have been a prostitute. Though a remarkable, and spectacularly beautiful, work of composition and drawing, to my mind at least, it is far from being a devotional work (though Deborah does not agree). The descriptive wall panel told us that Cagnacci was renowned for his sensuous depiction of female saints. To a fallen male it was both disturbing and in some respects faintly ridiculous. The picture is on loan to the National Gallery from a private American collection until 21 May and so may not be reproduced here. There are no other pictures by Cagnacci on public display in this country.

Before looking at the Cagnacci picture, we viewed another much less disturbingly showy, though quite mysterious painting. It is dated 1535-40; the artist is Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo. Magdalene is wearing a silver-grey mantle over her red dress, which is just visible at her left wrist. A pot of oil stands in a niche in a wall, which surprisingly overlooks a harbour. She seems to have been surprised as she descends a flight of steps – there is a light shining from behind her as she half-turns towards us. The expression of her face is of a sorrowful woman suddenly hearing the sound of a familiar and loved voice.

The painting seems to be of Mary at the tomb of Jesus, (but why the harbour and ships?). She has discarded her pot of oil as she has found the tomb empty, with no body to anoint. It looks as if the painter is capturing the moment when, weeping alone, Mary heard

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Jesus’ voice behind her pronouncing her name. The silver mantle would either be a symbol of her attempt at disguise, or of the grace of Christ covering her sins. The light behind her could be the light of dawn, or the radiance of the Risen Jesus.

But this is only my interpretation. The more one looks at this picture, the more enigmatic it becomes; far more rewarding to me than the somewhat ‘in-your-face’ though spectacular work of Cagnacci. The Savoldo picture is part of the National Gallery’s permanent display, in Room 9. If you have internet access it can be found at http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/giovanni-girolamo-savoldo-mary-magdalene. We are not allowed to publish it here but Deborah says it could be printed off for anyone interested by the Parish Office.

I was grateful to Deborah for this Lenten series of museum and gallery visits. It is a pity so few people were able to come with us.

As the Lent activities had not finished when LINK was prepared we intend to cover them more fully in June LINK.

Music for Passion Sunday Patty Hibbert

Works by Gabriel Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine Sicilienne Requiem

It was a restful, moving and thought-provoking evening for Lent. The well-balanced voices of the choir responded well to the guest conductor, Chris Weaver. They managed to balance the quiet atmosphere of the performance. Keith Champion’s rendering of Sicilienne was super. Hilary Pearce’s rendering of Pie Jesu was absolutely beautiful. The lovely music of Libera me, was sung by Geoff Horwood. The brass ensemble played very well. The reflective readings added to the peaceful atmosphere. Andrew Sykes and the choir worked so very hard to give us an excellent evening.

Thank you very much.

Don’t miss next year’s performance!

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Palm Sunday

Some photos of the procession through the churchyard ...

and the Lent Lunch.

Library News Michael Baker

Brenda Bell has kindly donated a book from her collection, The Journeys of St Paul. This is lavishly illustrated and with clear maps, and will be useful to anyone wishing to follow up the account in the Acts of the Apostles.

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St Mary’s People

Rest in Peace

We are sad to hear that KEN HILLIER, father of Chris and father-in-law of Sue, died on Saturday 8 April. Let us hold him and his family in our love at this sad time. His final illness was mercifully short and his passing peaceful.

Congratulations

To JULIE AND JACK SMETHURST who enjoyed their Diamond Wedding in March; their family planned a lovely surprise at the hotel where they chose to celebrate their 60 years of marriage.

To BERYL and MICHAEL BAKER on their Golden Wedding. We thank them for generously sharing their celebration with us.

Anniversary Thanks

Beryl and Michael Baker

We would like to thank all our friends at St Mary’s who joined the celebration of our 50 years of marriage after the 10.00 am service on 2 April. The actual anniversary was on 8 April, but as there was to be a Frugal Lenten Lunch on the 9th we thought fizz and nibbles beforehand would be inappropriate. We have been worshipping at St Mary’s ever since our

marriage, and it was very good to see so many of you and to receive unexpected cards and good wishes. We were glad too that our younger daughters Kate and Rachel with their children Jack, Eva and Imogen were able to join us and make this a family occasion.

We understand that this is a year of several Golden and Diamond celebrations and LINK is always pleased to include your happy event, if you wish, so that our congregation may rejoice with you.

The Colin Lucas Trophy

The new bell-shaped trophy in memory of Colin Lucas, will be presented, at the 10.00am service on 7 May. It is to be awarded to a bellringer showing significant achievement during the year. Congratulations to Oliver Bond, its first recipient.

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CALENDAR May 2017

1 Mon Philip and James, Apostles May Day Bank Holiday 2 Tue Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher, 373 9.30am Said Holy Communion 3 Wed 10.15am Collective Worship at St Mary’s School 4 Thu 9.30am St Mary’s Little Angels Toddlers, Cloisters Hall 6 Sat 9.30am Wedding Preparation Day 9.30am Churchyard Gardening Session

7 SUN THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER BCP EASTER 3 8.00am Said Holy Communion 10.00am Communion4All Service

with the presentation of the Colin Lucas Trophy (see p 13)

Home Communion 6.00pm Said Evening Prayer

8 Mon 2.00pm Threads for Change sewing group, in Church 3.15pm J Club at St Mary’s School 7.45pm United Church Council meeting, Cloisters Hall 9 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion 10 Wed 9.30am Cloisters Hall Meeting 10.15am Collective Worship at St Mary’s School 7.45pm Housegroup (for contact, see cover) 11 Thu 9.30am St Mary’s Little Angels Toddlers, Cloisters Hall Copy deadline for June LINK material 12 Fri 6.30pm Wedding Rehearsal 13 Sat Start of Ricky Week 11.00am St Mary’s Tower open (see p 8) 1.00pm Service of Holy Matrimony 2.00pm Jolly Jam Jar stall at Bury Fête 7.30pm St Mary’s Ricky Week Quiz, Church Centre

14 SUN THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER BCP EASTER 4 8.00am Said Holy Communion 10.00am Sung Holy Communion 12.15pm Said Holy Communion 1.00pm Lunch Club 6.00pm Said Evening Prayer 7.00pm X Team

15 Mon Matthias the Apostle 2.00pm Threads for Change sewing group, in Church 3.15pm J Club at St Mary’s School 7.30pm LINK editors meeting to review June copy 16 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion 10.30am Methodist Circuit Staff Meeting, The Vicarage 12.30pm Home Communions through afternoon 17 Wed 10.15am Collective Worship at St Mary’s School 7.30pm Ringing Chamber open to visitors (see p 8) 18 Thu 9.30am St Mary’s Little Angels Toddlers, Cloisters Hall 7.00pm St Mary’s School Governing Body meets

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20 Sat 9.30am Cloisters Hall garden tidy 10.00am St Mary’s Stall at the Festival Weekend

21 SUN ROGATION SUNDAY BCP EASTER 4 (Rogation) 8.00am Said Holy Communion 10.00am Sung Communion Service 10.00am St Mary’s Stall at the Festival Weekend 6.00pm Choral Evensong

22 Mon 2.00pm Threads for Change sewing group, in Church 3.15pm J Club at St Mary’s School 23 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion 10.15am House Group (for contact, see cover) 11.00am Service at Seymour House 12.00 noon 10-bell ringing practice (all ringers welcome) 24 Wed John & Charles Wesley, Evangelists, Hymn Writers 25 Thu ASCENSION DAY 9.30am St Mary’s Little Angels Toddlers, Cloisters Hall 7.45pm Deanery Ascension Day Service at St Oswald’s 26 Fri 4.00pm Thy Kingdom Come Novena gathering (See page 6)

28 SUN THE SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER BCP The Sunday after Ascension Day 8.00am Said Holy Communion 10.00am Sung Holy Communion 12 noon Holy Baptism 4.00pm Thy Kingdom Come Novena gathering 6.00pm Said Evening Prayer June LINK is published

29 Mon Spring Bank Holiday 4.00pm Thy Kingdom Come Novena gathering 30 Tue 9.30am Said Holy Communion 4.00pm Thy Kingdom Come Novena gathering 31 Wed The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth 10.00am Prayer on the Streets 4.00pm Thy Kingdom Come Novena gathering June 1 Thu 4.00pm Thy Kingdom Come Novena gathering 2 Fri 10.00am Prayer on the Streets 4.00pm Thy Kingdom Come Novena gathering 3 Sat 8.00am Breakfast for start of 24/7 Prayer Vigil (see p 7) Activities through the day 4.00pm Thy Kingdom Come Novena gathering

4 SUN PENTECOST BCP WHIT SUNDAY 8.00am Breakfast for all – ahead of: 10.00am Pentecost Celebration Service Home Communions 2.00pm South-West Herts LGBT Group: Deborah speaking Home Communions

Regular Weekly Practices Bellringing Wed 7.30pm Choir Thu 7.45pm

New members welcome at both practices – just come along

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What’s On in Rickmansworth

Watersmeet

Film: Beauty and the Beast Sun 7 11am, 2pm, 5pm

Film: Hidden Figures Wed 10 2pm, 5pm, 8pm

NT Live: Obsession Thu 11 7pm

Cinderella, Vienna Festival Ballet Fri 12 7.30pm

Legends, Pink Academy Sat 13 7pm Sun 14 1pm

Annie, Rare Productions Thu 18-Sat 20 7.30pm Sat 20 2pm

Film: Logan Wed 24 2pm, 5pm, 8pm

Film: La La Land Thu 25 2pm, 7.45pm

Film: The Boss Baby Tue 30 11am, 2pm, 5pm

Film: Peppa Pig –my first Wed 31 11am, 2pm Cinema experience

RDFAS Sarratt Village Hall

Tuesday 9 May

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING AND LECTURE

And so to Vauxhall Music and Culture at the Celebrated Gardens

Peter Medhurst

11.00am; tea and coffee from 10.30am

For further information contact Gill Gowing (777715)

Rickmansworth Evening Townswomen’s Guild

Thursday 18 May 7.30pm for 7.45pm

Church Centre

OPEN MEETING

Guide Dogs for the Blind

Julie Norris

Contact Suzanne Hill (772809) for further information

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Stanmore’s Bells Return

David Hibbert

Great Stanmore is part of the Watford District of Bellringers

The bells of the Parish Church of St John the Evangelist, Great Stanmore, Middlesex range in date from 1632 to 1922. Three years ago, an inspection was undertaken by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry which discovered that three of the bells required attention at the foundry. After a successful appeal for £25,000, two members of the Foundry duly turned up earlier this year to remove these bells.

However, nothing is that simple and when undertaking this work, a fourth bell was found to be in need of repairs, such that it also required to be taken to the foundry. A new fabricated steel walkway was also installed in the bell frame area.

On Monday 20 March this year, the bells were returned from the foundry complete with a new set of wheels and using a fork lift truck, the bells were unloaded from its flat back,

Rickmansworth & District Horticultural Society

Wednesday 17 May, 8.00pm

OPEN EVENING

Ricky Old Houses and People Alan Jameson and Barbara Owen

St John’s Church Hall, Berry Lane, Mill End

l, The return of the bells; r, Moving the treble

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and temporarily positioned in front of the church entrance.

The foundry staff then set up an electric hoist in the tower requiring the intermediate trap doors to be opened. Each bell was then moved with the fork lift truck to the tower ground floor, attached to the lifting gear and hoisted up to the ringing room.

This completed the first day of work. During the rest of the week and part of the following week, the bells were lifted into their frame and were first rung as a peal, on Thursday 30 March, the ringers’ practice night.

Bells being hoisted up a tower is not something you see every day; in fact it is not something you really would wish to see, as a lot of money is always involved, let alone the effort required in raising such large sums.

As you have no doubt heard on the news media, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry was due to close at the end of April and the work carried out on these bells at Great Stanmore, was one of the last jobs undertaken from their premises in the Whitechapel Road. The Foundry was established in 1570 and has cast many notable bells: the

b

a c

a: A bell about to pass through the trap door of the ringing room floor

b: The four bells spaced around the ringing room trap door prior to been hoisted up to the bell frame

c: A bell being hoisted up to the bell frame. Note the lathe tuning marks of bright metal on both the outside of the rim and on the inside of the bell mouth.

Tuning Stanmore’s treble at Whitechapel

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Liberty Bell in 1752 and the largest of them all, Big Ben in 1858. This bell weighs 13.5 tons. Just inside their front door, is the template for Big Ben (see March LINK for a picture of yours truly standing inside it to give an idea of the scale).

The Foundry made large single sets of tower bells for change ringing, handbells and all their associated fittings. Whitechapel bells can be found around the world, most notably in countries of the old British Empire. It was sad to hear that they were closing but there is now a rumour that they may have found a foundry in the Birmingham area, to which they may be able to transfer.

At St Mary’s, only our 6th bell came from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Originally, our back 8 bells came from Warner’s and the two trebles were cast by John Taylors in Loughborough. However, the 6th developed a crack in 1964, and was recast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, as Warner’s, based in the Shoreditch area of London, was completely destroyed by bombs during the Second World War.

Photos by David Hibbert, except for the one of the bells arriving back on a flat-back truck, taken by Elizabeth Bowen of Gt Stanmore

Rickmansworth Young Musician of the Year

Shirley Lupton

This is the 35th year of the Competition. The preliminary round will be held on Tuesday 16 May, at 7.00pm in the Mark Hall, Royal Masonic School. Eight entrants will be chosen to play in the Final Concert on Saturday, 1 July, at 7.00pm. Please make a note of these dates, and also a change of venue from previous years as the Final Concert will be in the Baptist Church, High Street. We hope to see you there.

St Mary’s in the Past

1907

Easter was over that year by the time The Reverend Parkinson wrote his May ‘Notes’. He and his congregation were clearly feeling the benefits of Lent, the joys of Easter, and the results of their recent Mission. They had listened to the Mission’s ‘parting charge’, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God”. The Revd Parkinson implored his readers to see that the good that had been sown in the Mission was permanent and fruit-bearing.

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There was a ‘very fair muster’ at the Easter Vestry [annual meeting] and for the first time in their memory they had to hold elections for the various lay offices in the church.

Christian teaching in schools was much on the Reverend Parkinson’s mind that May, partly because the Education Bill to which there had been much local opposition was now before Parliament. If it became law, Church people would be required to pay that part of the teachers’ salaries proportionate to the time spent on Christian teaching in church schools. Local opposition was on the grounds that the churches lent their premises rent-free, while having to maintain them in proper repair and thought of the new charges as paying twice. Solutions suggested if the Bill became law, were for denominational schools to receive rent for use of premises out of which they could reimburse the Local Authority for special religious instruction or for the money received towards teachers’ salaries to be allocated to Church Schools or to Christian teaching for ‘children of the church’ in County Council schools.

The Vicar was also concerned that local Nonconformist Churches had declined the offer of facilities to teach their children in County Council Schools, saying Religious Education should be of one kind only. This meant the teaching would not be the Church’s, but a syllabus planned by the County Council. He thought the current one was ‘fairly satisfactory’, but worried that un-denominational could become un-Christian if objections of all the various denominations were all heeded.

Members of the Rickmansworth Guild of Bellringers had gone to Chesham to take part with the Chesham members in ‘a friendly touch’. Some excellent ringing was heard throughout the evening and the Chesham ringers were invited to come and ring in Rickmansworth.

A meeting in aid of the St Albans Diocese Union for Preventative, Rescue and Penitentiary Work was to be held in Mill End. Apparently Rickmansworth owed much to ‘this noble agency… that sought to provide a haven of refuge for our fallen sisters’.

There was a call for more people to join in intercession for the work of the Church overseas at 6pm on Monday evenings, because ‘we cannot feel any real interest in Foreign Missions if we do not pray for them’. The fast-expanding Church in Canada was in need of prayer.

Mr F Hoole had won the CEMS Club’s billiards tournament without a single defeat. The Young Men’s Institute had had a successful opening season. Their Sunday afternoon Bible class was well-attended and recently they had a Tea and Social Evening, with a ‘bright and rousing address’ by the Vicar of Ealing. The Gymnasium Class was suspended for Summer; they hoped for outdoor sports instead.

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1972

Fr Norman Hill was still enthused by the ecumenical Lent evenings, the first in Rickmansworth. They finished strongly with a Passion Play at Rickmansworth Baptist Church. We are left intrigued by his comment, “It certainly made you think, as many people have said to me.” He regretted that more people had not taken part: “If we persist in turning our backs on all joint Christian activities, we shall be resisting the Holy Spirit, which is obviously pushing us mightily in this direction”.

Later in the magazine a reader tells us that one week Mill End Baptist Church held an international students forum with students from India, Ceylon and the United States taking part, and another St Peter’s held an Open Discussion, with the Priest-in-Charge and three young men of the Parish leading off. Unfortunately the debate only really warmed up towards the end.

The joy of Easter at St Mary’s was greatly helped by ‘the lovely way the church was decorated with flowers’. Fr Hill commented that because Easter joy followed ‘the stark bleakness of Good Friday’ so swiftly, it was easier to understand the disciples ‘blank astonishment and utter bewilderment when they found the tomb empty and were confronted by the risen Jesus’.

He believed that Whit Sunday should be held just as important as Christmas and Easter, as the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples so that they could spread that news was the final goal of those festivals.

The APCM was attended by 80 people out of a possible 262 on the Electoral Roll. ‘It was a good meeting, though hardly a representative gathering.’ Howard Beard, John Shaw and Bert Bradbury were all re-elected as churchwardens and there were 18 nominations for 12 places on the PCC.

There was to be a mid-summer barbeque in the Vicarage Garden.

All Saints’ Croxley Green were celebrating their centenary that year with a programme of events and the Revd Barry Swift had been appointed Vicar of St Peter’s.

An article on the church plate that was sold was about to be published in the Rickmansworth Historian (No 23, Spring 1972).

As the Toddlers Club in the Ebury Hall was popular and over-subscribed, with a long waiting list, a new ‘Ebury Playroom’ was to house a smaller, informal group to serve as an introduction. Children, accompanied by a responsible adult would be welcome from any age.

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‘Care’ reported that in their first month they received most requests for help with gardening (about two calls a day, but only just exceeding the number for transport).

Residents had settled in extraordinarily well to Wensum Court and it had an unmistakable atmosphere of happiness. The team that brought it into being would stay, largely unchanged, to manage its finance and maintenance, supported by the ‘Friends’ who were formed to take an interest and support the residents in any way possible. Over 100 church people were Friends, but there could never be too many. They had raised money for a tumble dryer in a single coffee morning. Activities like whist drives were proving popular among residents.

‘Young Eyes’ wrote about a 12 mile parish ramble on a gorgeous day. Starting from Tring Station, they worked their way back to Ricky, at first through ‘glorious mud’, and a kissing gate, so narrow that even with rucksacks off ‘it was like doing some sort of yoga exercise to get through‛. They stopped for drinks at a pub in Aldbury and lunch at Clipper Down near Ivinghoe. In the afternoon they had views of the white lion cut in the chalk and watched radio-controlled gliders and kites being flown before continuing through woods and fields to the canal, which they followed back to Rickmansworth.

Plenty more mud was available on that year’s St Albans Youth Pilgrimage and shoes were soon ‘filthy’. Points of interest en route included a lock overflowing and looking like a waterfall and a narrowboat with the roof covered with mirrors, pans and vases beautifully decorated in traditional canal designs. When they reached St Albans they found the queue to the Abbey was about half a mile long. The service was ‘very good and very different’.

Nature Notes Angela Hall

I wrote last month about how the hawthorn hedge leading up to William Penn Leisure Centre is always early coming into leaf. Well, as I write, at the end of March, some may blossom is already out. This really is unusually early. Spring is now said to arrive eleven days earlier than in 1890.

In the middle of March we passed a nest being constructed by long-tailed tits in brambles near Stockers Lake. These small edifices are a wonder of nature, having a waterproof dome made of wool, moss, hair and lichen woven together with spiders’ webs. The walls are of moss coated with lichens, and it is thickly lined with feathers.

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There is a small entrance hole in the side and up to twenty eggs have been recorded. Once these hatch it must get awfully snug in there.

Chiffchaffs are now calling and I have seen yellowhammers pairing up but haven’t heard their characteristic “A little bit of bread and no cheese,” yet.

Some of the hedges on the Cedars Estate appear to follow the original field boundaries which may mean that the violets under them, both purple and white, are descended from those that grew when it was still farmland.

Another reminder of the past can be found in a line of somewhat deformed hornbeams along the edge of part of Pheasants Wood on the far side of the M25. A long time ago I think these must have formed part of a cut and laid hedge now changed almost beyond recognition. The footpath marked on our 1899 map still runs beside it.

Another item of interest is in Solomons Wood on the other side of Berry Lane where a holly tree from which a branch has snapped off has re-rooted itself to form a new tree, one of the ways by which trees reproduce.

Walking along Meadow Way recently I noticed a carrion crow stripping cherry blossom from a branch and eating it! Quite a departure from its normal diet and something I don’t remember seeing before. I suppose the nectar must taste sweet and it had found it to its liking.

A small mystery has now been solved. A friend in Tudor Way had seen a strange brown bird feeding on her lawn, and one early morning Geoff saw it disappearing into a nearby hedge. Then we got a better view of it in our garden. It is a hen pheasant, less speckled than usual but as chicks are imported for game shooting there are quite a

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lot of variations. Indeed pheasants are believed to have been first imported by the Romans. Maybe someone has been feeding this one but if she stays here she should be safe from the guns when October comes round, but will she find a mate?

‘LINKWord’

Can you think of these link-words and unjumble the letters in the boxes to find a nine-letter word especially used at Easter.

LEAVE — — — — VERDICT BICYCLE — — — — BLACK

ONLY — — — — WILLIAM BAD — — — — DESK HEAVENLY — — — — COMPUTER TURN — — — — STRETCHED FLAT — — — — DOCTOR TIGER — — — — WHITE DATE — — — — OIL

— — — — — — — — —

Answers on p 26

Christian Aid

An Evening of Magic

We heard how much people had enjoyed the evening — but didn’t find anyone who wanted to tell others, even with our encouragement. They all said how good little Alexander Haigh was on stage though and so we asked him. Here is what he remembered, with a little help from his Mum, Helen.

The Magic Show for Christian Aid

Alexander Haigh, aged 5

I went to the magic show with my family. It was really good. I loved the tricks and got to stay up really late. At first the magicians visited our tables, I got made a balloon spiderman, floated a £10 note with "wingardium leviosa". One lady even made chocolate reappear after I had eaten it.

I went up on stage to help the lady magician cut a rope, but it kept fixing itself. Then I helped another magician by writing my name on a card and tearing my uncles money up. The magician found my card, changed half the £20 note into a £10 note and then back to half a £20. Later my uncle found the other half note in a kiwi.

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I really enjoyed the show and loved being on stage. I am now practising with my magic set at home.

Gill Gowing is pleased to report that over £1000 was raised for Christian Aid, which is a magnificent sum.

Sale of Bedding Plants 16-20 May

Gill Gowing

For many years very good quality commercially produced bedding plants have been sold in Croxley Green to raise money to support the work of Christian Aid.

They are to be first sold at Croxley Methodist Church on Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 from 10am to 12 noon, then at Croxley Baptist Church on Thursday 18 and Friday 19, also between 10am and 12 noon; and on Thursday 18 evening from 7pm to 8pm too.

If any plants remain by the Saturday they are sold from Croxley Library. Please make a note of the dates in your diary and take advantage of what I am reliably informed are bedding plants that are excellent value for money at the same time as supporting the work of Christian Aid.

A Danish Summer Bazaar The Danish Church in Regents Park, to which Hanné Stamper belongs, is having its annual bazaar on Saturday 13 May, from 11am to 4pm. Unfortunately that is the first Saturday of Ricky Week, but if you are free and fancy a change they have tables laid out, rather like at the Bury Fête, and sell ‘all things Danish‛, including food and

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ingredients to make Danish food, as well as needlework and other items. Hanné says nice lunches are available.

She has been contributing her lovely needlework to the sale for 40 years, but it has all been sold this year in advance of the sale. If that is what interests you, she has offered to show some of her work, mainly samplers that she has at home to up to six people. Please contact Beryl Baker if you are interested in either making up a small group to visit the Bazaar or in seeing Hanné’s work, or if you would like directions to the Danish Church (776109).

‘LINK Word’ Solution OPEN, LAMP, JUST, NEWS, HOST, OVER, SPIN, LILY, PALM

Nine-letter word: SALVATION

Sign pictured on a church; other churches are available!

June LINK Copy deadline Thursday 11 May Publication date Sunday 28 May

We are very pleased to receive contributions of interest to members of the Church and the local community. Your name should be included (we will respect requests not to publish it) and items should not be subject to copyright. Please let a member of the LINK Committee, whose phone numbers are on the back cover, have them by the above copy date preferably by email

at link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk; we can accept handwritten copy. We may have to edit for space or other reasons and tight deadlines do not always allow for discussion of changes with authors. We like good quality photographs. Please note that opinions expressed in

LINK are not necessarily those of the Editors of LINK or St Mary’s Church.

Contacts (continued) The code for all phone numbers, unless otherwise stated, is 01923

Officers (continued) Church Council Secretary Buzz Coster via Church Office

CofE Electoral Roll and Methodist Members Roll John Glidden 223613

Methodist Council Secretary Petra Hedges 222715

Stewardship Recorder (A) Brian Warmington 775360

Treasurer Robert Kay 773470

Worship Altar Servers Chris & Sue Hillier 779580 Bellringers David Hibbert (Captain) 773735 Choir Andrew Sykes 718561 organistsmr@gmail.com Intercessors The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627

Lesson Readers June Poppleton 773388

Organist Andrew Sykes 0794 360 1717 Sacristan David Gilbert and team via Church Office Sidespeople David Hibbert 773735 Welcomers David Carruthers 07831 387541

Christian Teaching and Prayer Bible Reading Fellowship Sue Hillier 779580 House Groups Tues am: Gillian Baker 775890 Brenda Bell 772482 Wed pm: Jane Pummell 774343

Pastoral Baptism (Christening) via Church Office Confirmation The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 Children’s Communion The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 Home Communion via Church Office Home/Hospital Visiting The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 Wedding Bookings via Church Office Social Committee The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 Coffee after Church Anne Kay 773470 Events Committee The Revd Deborah Snowball 772627 Handbell Ringers Suzanne Warren 01442 385922 Meet for Tea Joan Martin 775433 Motley Crew (Drama Group) Chris and Sue Hillier 779580 Sunday Lunch Club Gill Gowing 777715 gmgowing@btopenworld.com Maxine Platzman 896622

Children and Young People Children’s Church Leader Rachel Turvey via Church Office Sunbeams (3–5s) Rachel Turvey via Church Office

Shooting stars (6–11) Christine Martin Ayling via Church Office

continued on back of cover

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The code for all phone numbers, unless otherwise stated, is 01923

Contacts (continued)

Children and Young People (continued)

X Team (Youth Group, year 7+) David Carruthers 07831 387541

Little Angels: babies & toddlers, Gillian Thomas 07957 749636 Thurs am, Cloisters Hall Girlguiding UK Rainbows: Yvonne Wells via Church Office Brownies: Ali Hampton via Church Office Guides: Tracy Jenkins via Church Office

Church School St Mary’s CofE Primary 776529 Headteacher: Mr Wanford School website: www.stmarys698.herts.sch.uk

Administration

Charitable Giving Committee Jane Earl (Chair) 711695 Community and Outreach David Carruthers (Chair) 07831 87541 Harvest Giving Jennett Day 237248 Safeguarding officers: Heather Allum 07715 558802 Mary Weatherilt 371503 email: safeguarding@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk Stewardship and Finance John Rhodes via Church Office

Buildings and Support Church Centre Booking Kasia Todd 07801 049687 Church Centre Committee Martyn Gowing (Chair) 777715 Church Bookings via Church Office Church Cleaning June Poppleton 773388 Cloisters Hall Bookings Janet Carruthers 07799 050532 Cloisters Hall Committee The Revd Deborah Snowball (Chair) 772627 Fabric & Churchyard David Hibbert (Chair) 773735 Flowers Julie Smethurst 282927 Library Michael Baker 776109 Steeple Keeping David Hibbert 773735 Sewing Group Beryl Baker 776109

Communications LINK (Church Magazine) editors: Brenda Bell 772482 Geoff Hall 720543 Jane Pummell (& Subscriptions) 774343 email: link@stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk Newsletter c/o Communication Committee Website Buzz Coster 775908

Representatives for Organisations Beyond St Mary’s Action for Children Christine Butler 778001 CARE (07935 269144) Jenny Woods (St Mary’s Rep) 447417 The Children’s Society Suzanne Powell via Church Office Christian Aid Gill & Martyn Gowing 777715

See Round-on-line by email LINK link www.stmarysrickmansworth.org.uk