portsea parish news not the case. this was not a familiar tale –cinderella, or snow white or...

PORTSEA PARISH NEWS 1

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PORTSEAPORTSEAPORTSEAPORTSEA

PARISH NEWSPARISH NEWSPARISH NEWSPARISH NEWS

PARISH WEBSITE

www.portseaparish.co.uk MARCH 2013MARCH 2013MARCH 2013MARCH 2013

50p

WELCOME TO THE MAGAZINE FOR THE PARISH OF SAINT MARY, PORTSEA,

WITH SAINT FAITH AND SAINT WILFRID

“Trouble in Pantoland” – this year’s parish

pantomime

Read all about the panto on pages 7-8


PARISH DIARY

For Lent Programme ‘Finding Space for

God’ see separate leaflet Saturday March 2

nd

10.30 a.m. Coffee Morning at Saint Faith’s—Bishop’s Lent Appeal Sunday March 3

rd

11.30 a.m. Confirmation Groups at Saint Mary’s 11.30 a.m. Fundraising Committee meets 3 p.m. Cluster Young People Bowling Monday March 4

th

7.30 p.m. Lenten Reflections at Saint Faith’s Tuesday March 5

th

9.30 a.m. Stations of the Cross at Saint Faith’s 10.30 a.m. Mass and Bible Study at Saint Mary’s Wednesday March 6

th

12 noon Mass and Charity Lunch at Saint Mary’s—Lent Appeal 2.30 p.m. Fellowship Lent Course at Saint Mary’s 7 p.m. Parish Mothers Union meets 7.30 p.m. Marriage preparation at Saint Mary’s Thursday March 7

th

9.30 a.m. Stations of the Cross at Saint Wilfrid’s 7.30 p.m. PCC review of the year at Saint Mary’s Saturday March 9

th

10 a.m. British Orthodox at Saint Faith’s 7.30 p.m. Southsea Rotary Concert at Saint Mary’s Sunday March 10

th

Special Services for Mothering Sunday 11.30 a.m. Confirmation Groups at Saint Mary’s

Monday March 11th 5.15 p.m. Finance Committee meets 7.30 p.m. Lenten Reflection at Saint Faith’s Tuesday March 12th 9.30 a.m. Stations of the Cross at Saint Faith’s 10.30 a.m. Bible Study at Saint Mary’s Diocesan Mothers’ Union Quiet Day at Saint Mary’s Wednesday March 13th 10 a.m. Young Families Group meets 12 noon Mass and Charity Lunch at Saint Mary’s—Lent Appeal 2.30 p.m. Fellowship Lent Course at Saint Mary’s Thursday March 14

th

9.30 a.m. Stations of the Cross at Saint Wilfrid’s 12 noon Charity Lunch at Saint Wilfrid’s Friday March 15

th

Parish Quiet Day led by Revd Max Millet Saturday March 16

th

9 a.m. Mass at Saint Wilfrid’s 10 a.m. Saint Wilfrid’s Spring Fayre 7.30 p.m. Portsmouth University and Festival Choir concert at Saint Mary’s Sunday March 17

th

11.30 a.m. Confirmation Groups at Saint Mary’s 3.15 p.m. Mass at Nicholson Gardens 4 p.m. Saint Mary’s Music Foundation Passiontide meditations at Saint Mary’s Monday March 18

th

10.30 a.m. Mass at Brunel Court 7.30 p.m. Lenten Reflection at Saint Faith’s Exploring Confirmation Group meets Tuesday March 19

th

9.30 a.m. Stations of the Cross at Saint Faith’s


10.30 a.m. Mass and Bible Study at Saint Mary’s Wednesday March 20

th

12 noon Mass and Charity Lunch at Saint Mary’s—Lent Appeal 2.30 pm Fellowship Lent Course at Saint Mary’s 7.30 p.m. Marriage Preparation at Saint Mary’s Thursday March 22

nd

9.30 a.m. Stations of the Cross at Saint Wilfrid’s 7.30 p.m. Journeys Prayer Group meets at Saint Faith’s 7.30 p.m. Royal Marines School of Music Concert at Saint Mary’s Friday March 23

rd

7.30 p.m. Youth Gathering ‘Chill Out’

Holy Week 2013

Saturday March 23rd

10 a.m. May Fayre meeting at Saint Mary’s 12 noon Parish Passover Meal at Saint Faith’s Sunday March 24

th

Palm Sunday 9.30 a.m. Palm Sunday Procession from Saint Wilfrid’s Church George Street to St Mary’s Church 10 a.m. Parish Mass at Saint Mary’s Church 11.30 a.m. Confirmation Group at Saint Mary’s Church 5 p.m. 3 Saints meet at St Mary’s Monday March 25

th

2 p.m. Newbridge School Service at St Mary’s 7.30 p.m. Holy Week Mass and Reflection at Saint Mary’s Tuesday March 26

th

10.30 a.m. Mass and Bible Study at Saint Mary’s

7.30 p.m. Holy Week Mass and Reflection at Saint Wilfrid’s Wednesday March 27th 12 noon Mass and Charity Lunch at Saint Mary’s 2.30 p.m. Fellowship meets at Saint Mary’s 7.30 p.m. Holy Week Mass and Reflection at Saint Faith’s Thursday March 28

th

Maundy Thursday 7.30 p.m. Eucharist of the last Supper and Watch at all three churches Friday March 29

th

Good Friday Noon Young People’s Service at Saint Mary’s 1 p.m. Reflections on the Cross at St Mary’s 2 p.m. The Liturgy of the Cross at all 3 churches Saturday March 30

th

Holy Saturday 9 a.m. Church tidy 8.30 p.m. Vigil and First Mass of Easter at all 3 churches Sunday March 31

st

Easter Day 9.30 a.m. Special Easter Day Services at Saint Faith’s and Saint Wilfrid’s 10 a.m. Special Easter Day Service at Saint Mary’s 4 p.m. Parish Choral Evensong at Saint Mary’s


USED STAMPS

Thank you to everyone who gave me their used postage stamps - I have just received £14 for them which will be donated to the church. (Keep them coming!)

Thank you! Ken Nash

200 Club Winners

1st £6 Rhoda Jones (SF)

2nd

£5 Ken Nash (SM) 3

rd £4 Karan Nash (SW)

4th £3 Peter Dolbear (SW)

5th £2.50 Rita Ferguson(SM)

Don’t forget to pay your 2013 subscriptions to Ken Nash.

Baptism in January

Daisy-Mai Louise Smout

at Saint Mary’s

Paula Duah and Sean Finch Christelle Bonine and

Adeyeye Amigun Hannah Bailey and Simon Winter

Wedding Anniversary

Colin and Jean Theakston

Dropping the pancake!


So Pantoland has been and gone for another year. The wigs and frocks (and that is just mine!) have been put in a case and can be forgotten about for another year. Elsewhere you can read about this year’s panto, but that review won’t mention one of the challenging aspects for the audience (other than the cold – for it was one of the coldest days of the year outside). This was understanding and following the twists and turns of the plot. My heart sank at the performances when I (as Widow Twankey) had to ask the audience for some information about what had happened in a previous scene. There was a deafening lack of response … did I really mean them? … what was I asking? … what had happened? To follow the plot was fine for those of us who had been through 4 months of rehearsals – we knew the story, we knew what happened and what the ending would be. But for the audience that was not the case. This was not a familiar tale –Cinderella, or Snow White or Aladdin – where everyone knew the story well. This was a new blend of a number of tales and characters and its twists and turns required a certain amount of concentration and engagement. There is a danger with familiar tales, or pantos, that we think we know them well and so don’t need to engage with them at anything other than the superficial level. We can let it all drift along in front of us – and if asked we could recite the plot with our eyes

closed. Not so with an unfamiliar tale – and that was where Widow Twankey met stunned silence! But what has this to do with Holy Week and Easter? Well the danger is that we treat that week from Palm Sunday as something we are familiar with. We don’t need to engage with it and follow the twists and turns of the week because we know what will happen and we can dip in and out when we feel like it. We know that we can turn up on Easter Day and we will celebrate the new life of Jesus. Do we really know the story well? Is it such a familiar tale? Each year we need to allow ourselves to engage fully in the week. We need to come together day by day – at the significant services that mark the events of that week – and explore afresh what Jesus does for us and what our response should be. This year we have been encouraging all of us to find space for God. If you have not yet managed to do that, then perhaps this Holy Week you can create that space each day to be at the Church Services and walk with us as we follow Jesus to the Cross and then onto the joy of Easter. So this year see if you can find space for God and journey with us and discover afresh what He does for us. Father Bob

The next issue of the magazine – for April 2013 - will be available on

Sunday March 31st

.

The deadline for the April magazine will be Sunday 17

th March 2013.

Articles are always welcome but publication is at the discretion of

the Editor.


The last month has seen the Church as the focus for a wide variety of activities alongside our rhythm of worship and prayer. One of the most notable was the move of the Caribbean night from the Community Centre to the Church. This was a good evening – the temperature being one of the downsides, but this was easily remedied by active dancing and pancake racing! Once again we were delighted to have Neil with us as our DJ with his distinctive blend of music and by the end of the evening most of the people from 8 – 80 had been seen on the dance floor. Those who were there also enjoyed the usual high quality of Caribbean food provided by Vida and Sonia – and

many returned for seconds! One improvement on the Community Centre was having a better race track for the Pancake races. A straight run down the aisle from the Font to the Dais proved to be a more acceptable Health and Safety route than previously. In fact this year there were no injuries or falls – pancake racing can be a dangerous pursuit! The need to toss the pancake 3 times, however, proved to be challenge few could manage. The notorious ministry team race again proved controversial. Mother Charlotte clearly arrived first – but the observant noticed she had no pancake (see the picture below!). Father Bob was second but others accused him of pushing and cheating (as if he would …) so in the end as chaos reigned it was declared a ‘no contest’. Thanks to all who helped to arrange the evening, food and fun. Another aspect of the move to the Church was the stark contrast it presented for those who were at the party with the services the next day. There was a strong sense of moving from celebrating to a season of reflection and stillness – finding space for God amidst all that hustle, bustle and noise. It was good to have Revd Charlie Peer with us to help us refocus our minds from all the things we normally do into the discipline and pattern of Lent.

M other Charlotte clearly arrived first – but the

observant noticed she had no pancake


Lent has meant extra Charity Lunches on Wednesdays at Saint Mary’s. Rita and her team work hard throughout the year to provide these lunches which raise significant sums for charity, and especially during Lent for the Bishop’s Lent Appeal. Rita is concerned that numbers attending seem very low this year – and that as a consequence the sums raised will be down. If you are able to come along for an hour on a Wednesday – you will find a warm welcome, a good soup lunch (and a pudding!) and you will be helping us to support a worthwhile cause. The other activity at Saint Mary’s this last month has been the Parish Panto – also in its new ‘home’ and for that read on ….

Trouble in Pantoland …

This was the title of this year’s production – and not a description of events surrounding the move from Saint Peter’s Hall etc! The Trouble was caused by the wicked villain – Father Phill, modelling a fine moustache and head of hair – who sought to be the King of Pantoland. His evil laugh echoed around the space – and was matched by the Boos and Hisses of the audience. He was attempting to wrestle power from the Wicked Queen, Mother Charlotte. Her poise and bearing revealed that her ‘wickedness’ was not that deep. She was ably supported (and sometimes prompted) by her Number One, Pip Collins White. He performed with confidence and often helped the more senior members of the cast in remembering what happened next. There were some rather familiar faces in familiar roles …the Dame had a strange resemblance to the Vicar (whose eye liner on Sunday morning revealed the connection) and the Manic ( sorry Magic) Mirror was dramatized in his own unique way by Brian Moles, who also acted as one man band and ‘scene describer’. The comic characters also played their part to the full – Denis Housley was a brilliant, but clumsy, foil to the Dame and the Guards, Andrew

Bellinger, Pam Kennell and Mark Vincent provided light relief from the drama of the wicked wizard and his plot. This plot meant that all our panto heroes were turned to stone – Adam Bullivant, Andrew Liddiard, and Andrew Bellinger (I am sure he was a guard as well!) but their acting was full of life and colour. Likewise their shrieking and wailing loves – Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty – were silenced and frozen by the Wizard. Julie Bulmer, Sarah Jamieson and Joy Leslie ensured these characters sang and danced their way through the panto and graced the final scene with their betrotheds. But the main love story was that of a frog, Irene James, who proved she could hop and croak with the best of them turned into a prince – albeit green faced – who married his ‘girl’ – Maggie Moles – who dealt with the attentions of the Wizard, and other characters with aplomb – and managed not to be distracted by the Dames snoring and wailing. To round it off, there were ‘3 strange women’ ably portrayed in all their strangeness by Jenny Stemp, Revd Sue and Colin Macbeth (a very strange woman!). All of these were supported by the chorus in their various guises as Ghosts and Villagers and the usual range of characters including Aladdin and Harry the Potter – Louise Norris, Sally Anne Baker, Lucy Rogers and Frank Leslie. The new ‘venue’ meant that there was a greater sense of engagement with the audience which was enjoyed by the cast – and the audience? But also a greater challenge to them was to tell the story without a reliance on scenery. It was a very minimalist production with the major props consisting of a walk in mirror, a shop door, a large throne and a wheelbarrow. But the staging and production was used to its best by the cast and was greatly enjoyed by everyone – once more as the audience left there were many positive comments including the annual pronouncement ‘that was the best ever’.


So we wait to see what next year will bring to Pantoland and its new setting! Well done and thanks to all who provided the entertainment. (Director’s note: I also want to say thank you and well done to everyone – and especially our back stage crew – Brian Ross on sound, Catherine Newnham our prompt, Hayley and Julie Rogers our choreographers and stage mangers, Francesca Dante for the costumes; Clare Hector and Leonie Oliver for our make-up; Ken Noy and Peter Dolbier for our large props and Brian Moles for the music. But most of all, our thanks to Barry from Saint Peter’s for helping us to create a stage space and the lighting).


Saint Mary’s Choir News

After an extremely busy year and an eventful Christmas, it was nice to enter the New Year by welcoming 3 new choristers as full members of the Saint Mary's Choir.

To enter the choir as a full chorister you must have completed the White Voice for Life level which teaches you the fundamentals of being in a choir and its role in worship. It is with great pleasure that we welcome Kimberley England, Augustine Bowden and James Stanton.

As the choristers progress throughout the choir, they have the opportunities to develop their musical skills and abilities through gaining ribbons, regardless of age, from light blue through to gold, it is therefore wonderful to see 3 more choristers presented with their dark blue ribbon, these are Frank Leslie, Jack de la Haye and Chloe de la Haye, which now means they have a more senior role in leading worship within the choir.

While in the choir, choristers are entitled to free lessons through the music foundation and this year we need to celebrate 3 choristers gaining exam success; Emile Duda - Grade 1 piano, Louise Norris - Grade 2 singing and Harry Bond-Carpenter - Grade 5 piano: A huge well done to all.

I think we all need to applaud our choristers and be extremely proud of what they have achieved. The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed a rather crowded front row in the choir stalls and I for one think it is wonderful to see a full row of new and old choristers. We now have a staggering total of 20 choristers which means we have nearly doubled our chorister intake over the last 3 years. Please do keep up the good work of encouraging these young talented people. It is sad when choristers leave us and some have had to take time out due to exams etc, so it is lovely when they decide to come back and so it is great to welcome Eleanor Leslie back after exams. Once the choristers reach the end of the academic year at the age of 16, they can move onto the back row and join the adult choristers and it is lovely to welcome both Angel Neal and Eleanor Leslie onto the back row.

Thanks to you all for your valuable support throughout the years

God bless,

Maggie Moles


‘To make a brew of strength, you bubbled. To write an article, I’ve toiled & troubled!’ By the time you read this, the panto will be over for another year! It really is time for me to stop talking in rhyme and offering people random cups of tea! Congratulations to all who took part in this year’s performance, especially those treading the boards for the first time! Love was very much in the air at our Valentine’s coffee morning; Stuart’s multiple choice (and multiple paged!) love quiz was won by the Housley family, with Kate also going on to win ‘the cake’ of the day! A Traidcraft stall selling all sorts of goodies raised £5; the morning itself raised £90 for the British Heart Foundation. Thank you to the Mothers’ Union for hosting this event and for all who supported it. A few hours later the Church was full of Scouters celebrating 100 years of the 21

st Scout

group around a campfire. Our Spring Fair will soon be upon us; this year it falls on Saturday 16

th March. Our

fundraising events attract many from our local community and the fair continues to be one of our main fundraising events of the

year. If you are able to help on the day or provide stock for any of the stalls, please let me know. We have recently been thinking about ways we can continue to cover the many tasks and responsibilities undertaken at Saint Wilfrid’s. In the run up to Easter, please think about how you can help and what you would like to offer, to support the body of Christ at Saint Wilfrid’s. It may be you would value the opportunity of ‘giving up’ a job. If there is something you would like to be ‘rested from’ or involved with, be it making tea, assisting in our worship by serving or leading intercessions or by money counting, please let either myself, Robert or Debbie know what you would like to do and what you are willing to continue with. You will know from the Lent Leaflet already distributed that our theme for Lent is finding space for God and looking at how we can create that space either in Church or at home. We will be looking at and thinking about how we can create space for God in our church or at home. With this in mind, there is a prayer station in Church to assist us in our reflection. Other opportunities at Saint Wilfrid’s in the coming weeks are: Thursdays 9.30 a.m. Mass with Stations of the Cross, Charity Lunches in aid of the Bishops Lent Appeal at Midday on Thursday 28

th Feb and 14

th March, Mass

and Parish Mothers’ Union on March 6th at

7 p.m. Revd Sue

The display for the Scouting Centenary

Event


Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who supported our parish pantomime this year – it was a different experience to be performing it at Saint Mary’s, and I think the general feeling was that it was better for being there, despite the chilliness of the building in a very cold snap. The cast certainly had a lot of fun, and enjoyed the ‘buzz’ of responsive audiences at both performances. Quite what Saint Faith’s should make of the wickedness of the roles played by the ministry team members who serve amongst them is up for discussion – it seems to come to us so naturally! On the same day at Saint Faith’s the Third Order of the Franciscans were holding their annual gathering in the church, and basking in the relative efficiency of the heating system there! One of our cluster colleagues, Revd Judith Swayne from All Saints’ Church celebrated the mass, and all the reports have been of a very good day, and an appreciation of the welcome and care that Saint Faith’s provided. Another larger gathering hosted by Saint Faith’s was the Parish Candlemas service some weeks before on the Feast of the Presentation (Feb. 2

nd). Although usually

an evening service, because it fell this year

on a Saturday, we held it at noon, and were able to offer a soup and cheese lunch to anyone who could stay on afterwards – and it was a lovely sight to see the Barnabas Room crammed with people tucking in happily and enjoying the fellowship. At the service itself it was very good to have the Parish Choir in good voice, and to welcome some of those at the start of their journey towards confirmation, with some of Saint Faith’s youngsters among them. That weekend gave us an opportunity to raise money for the charity Médecins sans Frontières that we had intended to support at our January coffee morning that had to be cancelled. A sale table over the two days raised around £164 for this charity which provides medical care in the world’s most troubled places. Now all our efforts are concentrated on the March coffee morning for the Bishop’s Lent Appeal, and of course beyond that, for our Saint Faith’s corner at the May Fayre. How the year rushes round! Two baptisms have been held at Saint Faith’s over the last month. De’La Rose Webster was baptised on Sunday January 27

th, and two weeks later on February 10

th it

was the turn of Lilli-Mai Bloomfield. Now that we are in the season of Lent there will be a lull in baptisms but Saint Faith’s is again the church to come to for the series of Lent Reflections on a Monday evening that allow for space and stillness, and the chance to reflect on the Word of God. That is just one way to find space to be with God over the weeks ahead, and I hope that everyone, with the help of the Lent leaflet laying out what is on offer, will find the best way for them of keeping a good Lent, and so prepare to enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice, and the meaning of the resurrection, in the world and in our hearts. Mother Charlotte


CONTACT DETAILS

Canon Bob W hite The Vicarage, Fratton Road, Portsmouth PO1 5PA 023 9282 2687

[email protected] Mother Charlotte Hetherington No. 10, Saint Mary’s Parish Flat 1 Bill Sargent Crescent Portsmouth PO1 4JP

023 9282 6892 [email protected] Father Phill Bowden 166 Shearer Road Portsmouth PO1 5LS

023 92 350245 [email protected] Father Terry Carter C/o Cluster Admin. Officer 023 92 293020

Rev. Sue W hitelock C/o Parish Admin. Office St. Faith’s Church Crasswell Street 07810 002388

[email protected] Parish Deacons: Rev. Ken Appleford C/o Cluster Admin. Officer 023 9229 3020

Licensed Reader and Pastoral Support W orker Jenny Stemp C/o Cluster Admin. Officer 023 9229 3020

[email protected]

Parish W ardens

Eugene Organ 6 Simon Way Thornhill Park, Southampton 023 80 572677

Shirley Rudder 34 Ernest Road, Portsmouth PO1 5RB 023 9261 3617 Director of Music

Brian Moles C/o Cluster Admin. Officer 023 92 293020 Cluster Admin. Officer

Inner City Portsea Parishes Office All Saints Centre, All Saints Church Commercial Road, PO1 4BT 023 9229 3020 [email protected]

Parish Office 023 92 822990 [email protected]

Saint Faith’s Office 023 9282 7322 Parish Clerks Janet Gillard, Sandra Harris and Ken

Noy (Saint Mary's Only) C/o Cluster Admin. Officer 023 9229 3020 or 023 9281 4444 (The Parish Office is open on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. for

the signing of papers and the booking of Weddings and Baptisms.)

CHURCH SERVICES

Saint Mary's Sunday

8.00 a.m. Holy Communion (BCP)

10.00 a.m. Family Eucharist and Sunday School

Holy Communion during the week

Tuesday 10.30 a.m. (with Bible Study)

Wednesday 12 noon Saint Faith's Sunday

9.30 a.m. Sung Eucharist and

Sunday Club Holy Communion during the week

Tuesday 9.30 a.m. Wednesday 9.30 a.m. Friday 7 p.m.

Saint W ilfrid's Sunday

9.30 a.m. Sung Eucharist and Sunday School

Holy Communion during the week

Tuesday 4 p.m. Thursday 9.30 a.m.

For details of Sunday afternoon and evening services, Monday evening and Saturday morning services in the Parish, please see the weekly pewsheet.

portsea parish news not the case. this was not a familiar tale –cinderella, or snow white or...

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