the month august 2015

August 2015

■ Mission Oppportunity Fund helps four projects: page 4 ■ Cycle of Prayer: centre pages

Primary schools hit high notes for The Great Big Sing in Chelmsford CathedralPage 3

Christopher Barkerhonoured for commitment toParish SharePage 3

N E E D T O K N O W I S T O R I E S I A R E A U P D AT E S I E V E N T S N E A R Y O U

Bishoptakenfor arideStory: NB Page I www.chelmsford.anglican.org

A r c h d e a c o n ’ s V i e w

By Ven Martin Webster,

Archdeacon of Harlow

I GREW up in Hornchurch in a small suburban

house built between the two world wars.

This house had one of those long but thin gardens full of all sorts of trees

and nooks and crannies. Near the house there was a low wall with what was intended to be a small flower bed in front. Somehow or other I took this over as my play and junior engineering area.

Here I would spend hours and days in the summer playing with the earth, bucket and spade, cars and any other material I could lay my hands on. I reckon I was about three or four years old. I was told long afterwards by my mother that when asked what I was doing, my answer was always ‘menting’, I think a plagiarism of cementing.

What I remember emotionally was a wonderful time of experimenting, building, then reusing again and again. I had created a place to discover the wonders and properties of the world and my budding abilities were given full reign to discover their limits.

This playing and exploration did not threaten the rest of the garden as the resources I used were all reusable and easily assimilated back into the life of the garden. Later of course I climbed its trees, built dens and generally owned the rest of the garden. But I never lost the sense of wonder and joy and delight in that

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

christmasstarts.com

Bring the kids to light a candlefor Christ’s birthday

Christmas startswith

Christingle

THE month — The Class of 2015 biographies final feature — see centre pages

2 THE MONTH August 2015

The joys of Ordination

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Bishop Stephen with the Ordinands, his fellow Bishops and Archdeacons after the three Ordination services in Chelmsford Cathedral on June 27. Pictures: Nick Robinson

Parish Share champion is awarded Order of St Cedd

The GreatBig Singis a hit forchildren

THE MONTH August 2015 3

THE month — Cathedral hosts two concerts for schools

and everyone had a most enjoyable day – not only the children but all the adults too!

Of course, because it was so successful, we were asked to do it again this year.

News had spread and we had so many schools wanting to take part that we decided to hold the concerts over two days.

What was particularly exciting was that the schools taking part were from all parts of the diocese.

On Monday, June 15 seven primary schools took part – The Cathedral School, Terling, Doddinghurst, St James Forest Gate, the Bishops' Chelmsford, which ran the event, St Mary's Kelvedon and William Ford Dagenham.

The songs were interspersed with Bible readings and prayers – all read by the children themselves.

On Tuesday, June 16, the concert was run by teachers from St Luke's Canning Town who were joined by Moreton, St James Colchester, Copford, Trinity St Mary's South Woodham Ferrers, Great Clacton, St Peter's South Weald, Ardleigh, St Luke's Canning Town, St Cedd's Bradwell and St Margaret's Barking.

In all, over the two days, more than

by RUTH COLLIN, Director of Operations, Chelmsford CathedralTHE Chelmsford Cathedral Education team was approached last year by a primary school teacher who asked whether the Cathedral would be willing to host a concert for primary school children from schools in the diocese.

The result was the Great Big Sing and this year's repeat was extended to a second day (pictured right).

While many children come to Chelmsford Cathedral throughout the year to study aspects of the building or to focus on Christian festivals and customs, we had never envisaged hosting a concert of this type.

However, we decided to 'give it a try'. Our misgivings were many. Would we have enough schools on the day to make it successful? Would teachers be willing to take on the extra work involved? Was the Cathedral a suitable place for this? Would the children enjoy it? As the concert drew to a close, we were able to answer, "yes, yes, yes and yes".

Seven primary schools enthusiastically took part; the teachers had obviously worked incredibly hard to prepare the children; the Cathedral was a superb setting for the event;

500 children visited Chelmsford Cathedral.

After spending the morning practising, the schools gathered together for lunch in Guy Harlings garden where they exchanged friendship cards with children from another school.

These cards encourage the children to make new friends. After lunch, the children returned to the Cathedral for their final performance where they were joined by parents and members of the public.

On both days, the children sang like angels - fitting for the Cathedral - and their behaviour was exemplary. It is wonderful to see children from all parts of our diocese joining together in this way. If the popularity of these concerts continues to grow, who knows where it will end.

THE Order of St Cedd has been awarded to Christopher Barker from Berden for being ‘a great example of Christian lay ministry’.

Christopher received the award from Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Chelmsford at the diocesan Parish Share thanksgiving service in June.

Thanking parishes for their stewardship of money, time and skills and their good housekeeping, which are vital to God’s mission of love, the Bishop said: “I hardly need remind this congregation that money is a spiritual issue.

"What we do with our money is a sign of our priorities, of what we think is important and valuable.

"Christian giving is not therefore simply about meeting needs – though there are many needs to be met – it is a sign of thanksgiving and of our love for and dependence on God: ‘All

things come from you O Lord, and of your own do we give you.’

“Over many years - almost a lifetime - Christopher Barker has been a prophetic witness within the church, reminding us and where necessary cajoling us, to give generously and sacrificially; that we, the diocese, would encourage the people of God to budget and to give; that we build a Christian community of mutual and thankful giving and receiving; and that we as individuals go the second mile in joyful generosity; and in this ministry and by his example Christopher has given of himself.

"His life and ministry, his tenacity and commitment is a great example of what Christian lay ministry should be like, and for this it is my great honour to give him the Order of St Cedd.”

In 2014 the collection rate of the Parish Share improved from 92.9 per cent to 93.6 per cent.

Bishop Stephen with Christopher Barker

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THE month — Money for a new Church on the Beaulieu Park development

MOF grants£79,800 tofour projectsby NATHAN WHITEHEAD, Pastoral Secretary, Chelmsford DioceseTHE Mission Opportunity Fund (MOF) has awarded £79,800 in grants between four church projects.

MOF is the major grant making body in the Diocese.

Since 2009 it has awarded more than £3m in support of mission work across the Diocese.

MOF has supported a wide range of applications including youth and children's centres, Christian Against Poverty centres, pioneer ministers and training centres.

The decision making body is the MOF Assessment Committee chaired by the Bishop of Chelmsford, Stephen Cottrell.

In June 24, the MOF Assessment Committee awarded the following grants as part of its second round of awards this year: ● Tye Green over 60s Community Hub £12,800.● Colchester St John Youth Director/Academy Chaplain £45,000.● Beaulieu church £10,000.● Barking St Patrick Debt Advice Centre £12,000.

These awards will make a big difference in their local communities.

The grant to Tye Green will support the growth of their new outreach to those over 60 and the creation of a space for people to gather and grow in a Christian environment.

Revd Dr Sheila Fernandes from Tye Green expressed delight that her church project had been selected for funding: "It is truly exciting and such a blessing for us, that we can continue to reach out to the over 60s in the South Harlow area."

In Colchester the grant will support the employment of a Youth Director/Academy Chaplain and in particular forge a relationship with the chaplaincy to Colchester Academy.

The grant to the new church on the Beaulieu Park development in Chelmsford will provide resources to establish a Christian presence in that new community from the outset.

A grant to St Patrick’s church in Barking means it will be able to offer greater support to those in need of debt advice.

Bishop Stephen has said: "Whether it is helping people out of debt, enabling a new church to be created, or supporting a new ministry the work of the Mission Opportunity Fund is about making Christ present through his church."

New homes for kneelersHUNDREDS of parishes will soon be receiving their Chelmsford Cathedral kneeler, following an overwhelming response to the offer sent to churches across the diocese.

The kneelers, which were created by members of the Essex Handicrafts Association in the 1980s as part of the Cathedral’s re-ordering, depict each of the diocesan parishes.

As their use in the Cathedral has decreased, the Dean of Chelmsford, Very Revd Nicholas Henshall, has offered the kneelers back to their home parishes as a symbol of the Cathedral’s links to the diocese. Over 300 parishes have requested their kneeler and distribution will begin over the summer.

The Dean said: “This has been a fantastic response and we’re delighted that parishes have responded so positively and in such great number!

"The kneelers are beautiful pieces of work and it’s a tribute to the embroiderers that they will go on to be used for many more years. I’m looking forward to delivering many of them as part of my programme of visits to parishes!”

The cathedral now wishes to widen the offer of kneelers to any individual who has a personal link to a parish or an embroiderer.

The office has already received a number of requests from relatives of those involved in the creation of the kneelers and would be delighted to receive such requests. If the kneeler has already been requested by its parish, it may not be available. ● If you would like to request a kneeler, please email Ruth Collin in the Cathedral Office on [email protected]

Queen honours church organistCONGRATULATIONS go to Jonathan Venner, the organist and choirmaster at the Church of St Edward the Confessor in Romford.

Jonathan was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to choral music in Her Majesty’s Birthday Honours.

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THE month — No adult is involved in planning worship

Children are leaders of school worshipBy NICK HUTCHINGS, Headteacher, St John’s CofE Primary School, ColchesterST JOHN'S CofE Primary School runs a ‘pupil-led worship team’. This team of five children runs an act of worship for the whole school once a week.

No adult is involved in the planning or running of the worship.

The children plan their own acts of worship from an opening phrase to a closing prayer.

They use the school's values of courage, peace, hope, faith, respect and compassion as the half-termly theme.

The team control up to 240 children in the hall each week.

This year the team have been to Deanery Synod and to Dedham CofE Primary School to run acts of worship. They are now in the process of working with next year's team, which had 30 children volunteer for the five spaces.

I asked Connor and Georgia (pictured right) about their experiences of working within the St John’s CofE Primary School Pupil Led Worship Team this year. Why did you want to volunteer for the Worship Team:

Connor: Because it made me a confident speaker in front of

people, so that I could be confident about myself.

Georgia: Because I thought it would be a new opportunity to be more confident in front of an audience.What has been your best memory of working on the team this year?

Connor: When we created an iMovie of our value of respect and showed it to all the children in the school and the vicars at Deanery Synod.

Georgia: When we went to

Deanery Synod and showed our iMovie.How do you plan your worship?

Connor: We just think of ideas and write them down on our planning sheet.

Georgia: We have 15 minutes to plan and put our ideas together. We get our ideas from the Bible and our school values which are: courage, peace, hope, faith, respect and compassion.What has been the worst bit about being on the team?

Connor: Nothing really.

Georgia: Getting stuck with ideas.What advice would you give to other schools who want to run a pupil led worship team?

Connor: Always be confident and have courage to speak in front of an audience.

Georgia: Work together as a team and have courage.

We are very proud of our team and the way they engage children from the age of five in worship and understanding God’s presence.

Is worship a life skill?TIM ELBOURNE, the Diocesan Education Director, focuses on the topic of compulsory collective worship in schools...

‘TIM’S in, he can tackle.’ That was probably the kindest thing that was said to me in my school football career; it was at least affirming to be picked for once. The fact is, I was useless. I wasn’t much better

at other sports, but I was truly inept at football.

I neither excelled nor enjoyed playing. A game would progress around me, largely passing me by (literally – so much for being able to tackle...). Yet I don’t regret the experience. It did me good. It taught me to understand the game. I stood on the Kop at Anfield on many Saturdays and appreciated it all the

more for having tried and failed to play myself.

Do we have to join in completely or give ourselves entirely to something for it to be a worthwhile experience? Can we gain from doing things we are not wholeheartedly committed to?

Readers of The Month are most probably wholehearted worshippers in church week by week. They are a minority. An eminent Anglican sociologist describes churchgoing as ‘deviant behaviour’. She does not mean that it is odd or antisocial; merely that it is not among most people’s routine activities. Regular churchgoing is a minority pursuit.

Daily collective worship in schools (of a broadly Christian character) is still a legal requirement. Not just in church schools, but all schools.

This is because Archbishop William Temple fought for its inclusion in the 1944 Education Act. Seventy-one years ago this seemed uncontroversial; promoting Christian citizenship was an uncontested purpose of public education.

If our system were starting from here, daily worship would be an unlikely requirement in schools. But we are not starting from here. Our culture is fashioned from where we have come as well as what we invent in our own generation.

From time to time there are moves to abolish the requirement. Most recently, in June, a report by Charles Clarke (former Secretary of State for Education and Home Secretary) and Linda Woodhead

(founder of the Westminster Faith Debates) advocated its abandonment.

We wait to see whether the government takes hold of this hot potato. The churches and other faith groups will resist its abolition and there are more pressing matters on the education agenda.

Meanwhile, might not daily school worship, if done well, be doing some good? Might not learning to worship by taking part in it be a valuable ‘life skill’?

It is an opportunity, unlike the rest of the curriculum, to look beyond oneself, to consider the numinous - even glimpse God.

Many participate fully. Although some treat it like I treated weekly football, none can know when the impulse to worship ‘in mind and spirit’ will grab hold in future.

Good to learn something about worshipping early in life.

Further reading:

● CofE statement: www. churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2015/06/statement-on-re-and-collective-worship.aspx

● Guardian newspaper report: www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/15/scrap-compulsory-worship-in-schools-former-education- secretary-charles-clarke ● A New Settlement - Religion and Belief in Schools: http:// faithdebates.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/A-New- Settlement-for-Religion-and-Belief-in-schools.pdf

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THE month — Biographical details of Deacons ordained by Bishop Stephen in Chelmsford Cathedral

The class of 2015

Milen Bennett

THE Chelmsford Petertide Ordination candidates' group photograph, taken at The Diocesan Retreat House in Pleshey, prior to three Ordination services held at Chelmsford Cathedral.

Centre front of group: Bishop of Chelmsford Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Bradwell John Wraw, DDO Canon Philip Need, Revd Ann Coleman and Revd Leslie Rogers.

The Ordination candidates are Andrew Finn, Dave Scott, David Bates, Caroline Martin, Pauline Hart, Austin Uzoigwe, David Hoyte, Richard Attew, Hilary Musker, Matthew Simpkins, Sue Finch, Neil Taylor, Lesley McGlynn, Lorraine Smart, Carol Newnham, David Pierce, Simon Lewis, Cherry Sandover, Sue Wise, Mark Blakely, Tracy Marlow, Ray Descombes, Olivia Maxfield-Coote, Alex Jeewan, Milen Bennett, Elis Matthews, Ivo Anderson and Stuart Hull.

Benfleet, for more than 50 years, taught and led at Sunday School, sang in the choir, had a spell as PCC Secretary and was licensed as a Reader there in 2010, having trained with St Mellitus College.

She is a Christian Listener and tutor for Acorn Christian Healing Foundation.

She moved to St Andrew’s, Rochford in 2012 to explore her vocation further.

Tracy MarlowRayleigh Team MinistryTRACY was born in Chelsea and grew up in Fulham.

She has three siblings, two sisters and one brother.

Tracy left school at 16 and worked for Olympia exhibitions, in the kitchens. She had planned to go to college to train as a chef but realised quickly this wasn't for her.

She did various jobs until she had her first child, Teddy. Luke and Ruby were to follow some years later.

Tracy says: "I came to faith in The Lord Jesus when I was 30 years old. One day I was walking past our local church.

"I was very tired. My husband had been in hospital and I was trying to cope with three small children alone. I looked up and saw some writing on the wall it said "Anyone who is tired come to me and I will give you rest."

"I was intrigued. I had never set foot in a church before but the next Sunday I walked in.

THE MONTH meets the new Deacons who were ordained by Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford, at Chelmsford Cathedral on June 27, in the final instalment of a three-part series.

Canon Philip Need, Director of Ordinands (DDO) for the Diocese of Chelmsford, says: “Here we are in the ordination season once again, seeing some of the fruition of the work done by DDOs and Assistant DDOs over recent years. But this isn’t the end of the story, nor should it be.

"Ordination services need to remind the whole church of the ministry of the people of God and, as we celebrate our response to our baptismal calling, the stories of those being ordained challenge others too.

Many ask, “Why do we need deacons and priests?” and the answer is so that we have people in focal positions of leadership and service, people who walk with the church and take others by the arm, providing a sacramental, pastoral and prophetic ministry in today’s world.

"Priesthood is the church’s gift to the world and the priest’s role is to head up the church’s ministry of the Word, of calling, holiness, worship, reconciliation, Eucharist and blessing, to serve the servants of Christ and be signs of the kingdom.

"We affirm those who were ordained this Petertide in the Cathedral and in Ordination Services across the Areas in early July and once again the Diocese and the Church says, “What about you? Do you think YOU could be ordained?” If there is even a flicker in your heart – speak to your local clergy or the Area Ordination Adviser.”Sue WiseWickford & Runwell TMSUE was born in Kensington, and screamed through her own baptism at St Mary Abbot’s. The family moved to Benfleet when she was five. She is married to Simon and has two grown up sons.

Sue has been a primary school teacher and worked in IT, from being a programmer to managing a team of developers.

She has worn a few Girl Guiding hats over time, and currently acts as treasurer for Castle Point division. She enjoys singing and is a member of Sweyne Choral Society.

Sue attended St Mary the Virgin, South

Ivo AndersonStratford St Paul & St JamesIVO was born in a town famous for the highest mountain in the Balkans in 1974. Sitting on the mountain top on a clear day you can see the mythological Greek mountain Olympus. The town is Samokov and the mountain is Rila.

After high school, Ivo studied Theology and European History at VEBI and the New Bulgarian University.

Ivo was youth leader, an assistant pastor and in 2012 a co-founder and pastor of a church in Stratford, East London.

Ivo says: "We have discovered that our doctrines are the same as the doctrines of Church of England and, after tremendous help from Revd Jeremy Fraser and Revd Jean Meadway, we are now part of St Paul & St James church in Stratford.

"Even more so after my placement in May and the blessed training led by Revd Canon Edward Carter, I have found that my home church in Bulgaria was established by American missionaries whose family roots come from Parson John House who was licensed to serve St James, Egerton, near Canterbury.

"Now I'm in a church which is partly St James as a name and this is amazing God's circle of the faith journey. I feel humble and full with appreciation living in this kind of vocation for ministry."

Awaiting the arrival of his fiancee from Germany, they will be married later this year.

Matthew SimpkinsWickford & Runwell TM RAISED on the Suffolk-Essex border, Matt went from Colchester Institute to study music at Oxford.

Here he met his wife (and proud Essex woman) Siân. Matt and Siân settled in Colchester, had Martha, now 7, and five-year-old Jimmy, and became active members of St Peter’s Church.

After working for music magazines in London as a press officer, Matt became a music lecturer, teaching from primary school to degree level.

Matt is also a musician and songwriter, releasing albums with various bands, appearing on national TV and radio, and collaborating with the former drummer of The Who and Small Faces to re-orchestrate the chart-topping psychedelic LP, Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake.

While training in Cuddesdon, Matt has undertaken research into Christian Ethics and Political Theology.

He is an enthusiastic but bad footballer, fascinated by Dominican spirituality, and passionate about politics and society. Matt and family are thrilled to return to Essex.

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THE month — Biographical details of Deacons ordained by Bishop Stephen in Chelmsford Cathedral

The class of 2015

Sue Wise Tracy Marlow

I was welcomed and remember thinking, these people are really pleased to see me. I came back regularly.

"I saw something in the people, something good. I wanted to know more. I was asked if I would like to join in with a course that was being held by the curate's wife, Elisa Beynon.

"It was here that I heard the gospel in such an accessible way. I made a choice to that I would follow Jesus.

"My life was turned upside down. I was taught to run bible studies and evangelism courses. Before I knew it, I was involved with the children's and youth work at church.

"Several years later I joined the school of theology at St Paul's Onslow Square. It was here that I first sensed God calling me to ordination.

"It has at times been a difficult journey but I've known God's blessing all the way through.

"I look forward to serving him as a curate in the Rayleigh Team Ministry where I will serve my title post."

Milen BennettStratford St Paul & St JamesMILEN was born in Bulgaria during the communist regime in an average size town called Kazanlak.

It is a centre of rose oil production and its Festival of the Rose in April each year is visited by around 80,000 guests daily from all over the world. It is also home to three of the most

ancient and well-preserved Thracian tombs in the world.

Soon after graduating in theology at the Assemblies of God USA institution in Sofia and obtaining a degree and recognition from their denomination in Bulgaria as pastor, Milen moved to London in 2003.

About a year after he arrived in the UK, Milen started a construction and cleaning business.

In 2003, Milen met his future wife and they now have three children.

Milen says: "The kids are one of God's greatest blessings.

"Over the last three years I have had the privilege to be used by God to develop and pastor a church, alongside a friend, with the Bulgarians in Stratford.

"We were looking for a family base and Revd Jeremy Fraser stepped in and offered support and help. The Bishop of Chelmsford personally came to officiate at our acceptance into the Church of England and it was a big event.

"Having been raised in a Christian Pentecostal-charismatic, non-dogmatic family is a blessing in itself, but they have showed me how God works in what they taught me. His kindness and faithfulness is an ongoing experience of His blessed touch.

"At the moment I live in South Norwood and would expect to move closer to my church soon.

"I have got a brother who is 'music pedagogy' graduate and he plays the piano at St Paul's and St James'.

Sue FinchGreat Baddow TMSUE moved to Great Baddow when she was three and is still there 50-plus years later.

Sue had a very happy childhood and attended the local primary school where she passed the 11-plus and enjoyed seven years at Chelmsford County High School for Girls.

She went to work for Essex County Council as an auditor and qualified as an accounting technician before becoming involved in GP practices, initially as a practice manager but latterly as a business manager and practice support manager.

In 1980, she married Glenn and they have recently celebrated 35 years of life together. They have two children, one of whom was married earlier this year.

Sue has attended St Mary’s Great Baddow since she was three and is very excited to be ordained as a part-time Locally Deployed Minister within the Great Baddow Team.

Neil Taylor - Chigwell and Chigwell Row Team MinistryNEIL was born in Buckhurst Hill and went to school in Chigwell (where he is now to serve his curacy).

On leaving school he went to work as a management trainee with Thorn Electrical in Enfield, ending up in their internal audit department. Whilst there he qualified as an accountant and moved onto various line management roles in different group companies. He now has a number of different accountancy jobs with different organisations.

Although brought up in a Christian family, it was on a Scripture Union holiday at the age of 13 that he came to realise that faith had to be personal and this was the beginning of his faith journey. This journey has led him to be involved in a number of churches, most recently at St Michael and All Angels in Loughton where he has held roles including churchwarden and Deanery Synod representative.

Having been involved in Scouting as a child, this continued as a major part of his life into adulthood and he has recently retired after 40 years as the Scout leader in Buckhurst Hill. This interest in Scouting also gave him a love for the outdoors and adventurous activities and his main leisure interest now is white water kayaking.

Neil is to serve his curacy in the Chigwell and Chigwell Row Team Ministry and trained for ordination on the Eastern Region Ministry Course.

GUILD

OF ESSEX CRAFTSM

EN

Sat 8th & Sun 9th AugustWorking Art & Craft Show

Ingatestone HallStation Lane, Ingatestone, CM14 9NR

Open 11am to 5 pm each dayNormal House Entrance Fee includes this Event

Tearoom Open

Sun 30th & Mon 31st August (Bank Hol Weekend)The Guild’s Annual Flagship Craft Event

Cressing Temple Barns, Nr Braintree CM77 8PDApprox: 80 Exhibitors, plus other Family Attractions,Live Music, Alpacas & Pygmy Goats, etc. Hot Food.

Open 10:30 am to 5:30 pm each day. Ample Free ParkingEntry £5.00, Accompanied Under 16’s Free

Sat 24th OctoberAutumn Craft Fair

Coggeshall Village HallStoneham Street, Coggeshall, CO6 1RE

Open 10am to 4pm. Ample Free Parking. Hot Food.Entry £2.00 (Accompanied Under 16’s Free)

Events Summer/Autumn 2015All Craft Exhibitors at our events are Guild Members or associates, bringing you a wide range of genuine locally produced crafts of exceptional quality at affordable prices.

RSCM-EEL ANNUAL CHORAL FESTIVAL

2015This year in the beautiful setting of Brentwood Cathedral

Saturday 26th September, 10am - 5pm

Festival service at 4pm

MUSIC IN THE LITURGYAn invitation to all singers to join us for an exciting and innovative day of

music making culminating in a liturgical celebration of music for worship.

Featuring music by Alan Bullard and a dialogue sermon with the Bishop of

Brentwood.

Put the date in your diaries now.

Further information available from our website

www.rscm-eel.org.uk,or email [email protected]

Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Ex 15:11


Psalm 68 says that ‘God sets the lonely in families’, and right from the start of Gilead’s ministry we knew this was a key to successfully rehabilitating people su� ering from life-controlling addictions. The new bungalows we are building allow us to work with people in as close to a family environment as we possibly can, and this model is what has transformed so many lives.

People with addiction problems o� en have deep seated emotional or mental health problems relating to childhood and family di� culties, and by unlocking these problems we can deal with the root causes of addiction and prevent relapse.

We provide a model of rehabilitation with an 85% success rate*, in a safe, ‘family’ environment. Residential rehab which gets to the root of their problems, uses work therapy

as well as one to one and group counselling, giving skills training and practical as well as emotional, mental and spiritual hope; with experienced, quali� ed sta� from support workers through to our on-site mental health nurse – this is what Gilead does best.

To build on what has already been achieved in the last twenty � ve years, our second new bungalow is underway. Faith Lodge will become the home of up to 8 female clients, providing a superb environment for their restoration into a new life, for them and their families.

The foundations and groundworks of ‘Faith Lodge’ are already in place. We are getting various quotes for the rest of the work, choosing the right builders and suppliers. The cost estimate is around £500,000, and this would translate into a valuable asset on the balance sheet once the building is

completed. But more than a sound � nancial investment for us, it is an invaluable investment into people’s lives, and society as a whole, for many years to come.

Grace Lodge, our � rst new bungalow, was completed only because of the generosity of grant making trusts and individuals who sowed their � nances into the vision of ‘unlocking people, releasing potential’. The bene� ts from that building are already adding up, and we want to provide more people, like Valerie (see below), superb quality rehab in our next new bungalow.

Please consider making either a one o�

donation or interest free loan to help us as we steadily build this second ‘ideal home’ over the coming months. Or become one of our regular monthly Partners who sponsor the rehabilitation of our Clients.

There is a form on this page – please take a few minutes to � ll it out with whatever you can a� ord; or go to www.gilead.org.uk where you can � nd out more about us and donate online. Your � nancial partnership with Gilead changes lives every day. Thank you.

*85% success rate for people measured up to two years a� er successfully completing Gilead’s rehab programme.

01837 851240 www.gilead.org.uk

Title (Mr, Mrs, Rev, other)

First Name Surname

Address

Postcode

Organisation / company (if applicable)

Telephone Number

Email

I enclose a one-off gift of £Please make cheques payble to Gilead Foundations

I would like to become a PartnerPlease fill in this form

Any gift you give will be used for the work of Gilead Foundations. If you wish to restrict this for the building fund, please tick this box

Name

Name of your bank

Bank address

Postcode

Account No. Sort Code

Instruction to your bank: Please deduct £from my account on (dd/mm/yy) / / Then monthly until further notice. Pay this sum to Gilead Foundations Account No: 05651441 Sort Code: 54-21-14Nat West Bank, 40 Fore Street, Okehampton, EX20 1EY

Signed Date

Tel: 01837 851240 Fax: 01837 851520 Email: [email protected] www.gilead.org.uk

Registered in England No: 2608644 Limited by Guarantee Registered Charity No: 1002909

PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING GILEADA gift towards our building costs helps us ‘set the lonely in a family’ where they can receive help as they restructure their lives for freedom. Grace Lodge could not have been built without the financial help of donors just like you.If you would prefer to become a regular financial Partner, we welcome donations of any amount but would suggest £20 per month.If you have any questions about our work, please contact Lois Samuel on 01837 851240. If you have questions about making a larger donation or interest free loan to the ministry, please contact Chris Cole (Trustee) on 07957 433973.You can also visit www.gilead.org.uk to find out more about us and donate online.

I am a UK taxpayer and I agree to Gilead Foundations Charity (GFC) claiming tax on all past, present and future donations I make to the charity. Please treat my donations as Gift Aid donations. I confirm that I am paying or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover the amount GFC and any other charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) will reclaim for the tax year (6 April one year to 5 April the next year). Council Tax and VAT do not qualify towards Gift Aid. GFC will reclaim 25 pence of tax for every £1 that has been given.

Signed DatePlease add my details to the Gilead mailing list

Please return this form to Gilead Foundations, Risdon Farm, Jacobstowe, Okehampton, EX20 3AJ

DIO0615

From abuse, depression & drugs to fulfilling my dreamValerie Parsons*, 25, is starting a Mixed Agricultural Apprenticeship at Risdon Farm, ful� lling her dream of working with animals. At Gilead she has overcome signi� cant di� culties and begun to turn her life around from a pattern of self-destructive, addictive behaviour to a more mature and hopeful future. This is her story …

I grew up in a town in Cornwall, living with my Dad till I was 9 years old. Dad had short fuse, brought on by drug use which worsened a mental health condition. He also abused me.

My Gran became concerned for me so she invited me and Dad to go live with her and Grandad. She could see I was neglected, and she suspected something more. She got Social Services involved, and I � nally admitted to them what was happening to me. Dad was made to leave our home and I stayed with my Grandparents.

I always wanted to become a vet, but I couldn’t keep up my studies. At school I was bullied. I didn’t know how to relate to people, so I started to drink. I drank to � t in but also as part of ‘acting out’ the feelings I could not understand or cope with.

From the age of 14 I got worse. Skiving from school, drinking, getting stoned. I was clever, so I just about scraped some GCSE’s. But my behaviour was too much for my Grandparents and they had to ask me to leave.

I became depressed at 16, due to the guilt attached to the abuse, and I became quite promiscuous, which is typical of some abused people, putting myself into positions with men that were exploiting me.

I fell pregnant at 18, and wasn’t able to cope. I had a breakdown and pre-natal depression, and I was in a psychiatric unit until I went to maternity. I had Lisa, and just knew I would not be able to give her the life she deserved so with social services I put her up for adoption. I’ve heard she’s doing really well.

I felt guilty about Lisa and everything else, and I became addicted. I took anything I could get my hands on, and eventually overdosed so badly that I was in a coma for three weeks and in a really bad mental state for four weeks a� erwards. My Grandad came to see me, and said ‘Valerie isn’t even here’. He was accompanied by a Pastor who ran a soup run that I used.

I was scared, and asked the pastor to help me sort my life out. He organised for me to go to Gilead. I found it tough, they told me things about myself

I didn’t want to accept - about my own resentments for example. I couldn’t handle the relationships around me so I ran away, back to my addictions, for a year.

I was working with horses on a farm in the middle of nowhere. The boss was a di� cult person who also couldn’t relate to people, so the two of us together was a nightmare. About this time my Gran was dying and I wanted to make her proud somehow. So I headed back to Gilead, I literally packed my bags and began hitching. I got a li� from a kind man who dropped me at a train station, paid my fare and gave me some money too.

This time at Gilead I am more determined; it’s been a year, I have almost � nished the programme, and I have my apprenticeship on the farm and at Duchy College. Ian Samuel has found a way to lovingly confront me, give me space to think about it, and then help me deal with my problems. My Gran died, and where in the past that would have been reason to go o� the rails, I have dealt with it maturely, obviously still sad but keeping on with my new life.

I am working on how to relate with people all the time. But my love for animals has found a great outlet here. The farm director, Ben, has encouraged me lots in my farm work, and his belief in me really helps, as does the whole experience at Gilead.

My next step is to stay in the community here while I do my apprenticeship. I’d say to anyone who is thinking of supporting Gilead “Please do!” There are people here worth supporting, you continually see talents and gi� s come out of people, they’re not just addicts, they’re troubled and they need help to handle life’s problems in a mature way and they’ll be alright.*some names have been changed for con� dentiality

Building on the successful completion of Grace Lodge

From this... ...to this with your help

Risdon Enterprises is registered with Care Quality Commission Reg No. 1-1230639748.

Advertising Feature


THE month — Report reveals potential for growth

Chair of diocesan budget sub- committee CANON DON CARDY continues his look at church growth

Time for modest self-appraisal?

IN my last two contributions we’ve looked at church growth using two well-established measures of adult church membership.

Firstly, we looked at the change in electoral roll numbers between the renewal years of 2007 and 2013; and secondly, we looked at the change in the Deanery Share Scheme (DSS) membership numbers between 2003 and 2013.

In both cases, when the parishes were arranged in rank order, what was striking was that only about one-third had grown in adult church membership whilst two-thirds had declined.

Furthermore, those which had grown had not grown enough to balance the decline elsewhere, so these two measures indicated that overall adult church membership had declined. However, this smoothing effect appeared not to be present at deanery level, with some deaneries showing small amounts of growth whilst others showed marked decline.

The recent 2016 Budget Report explained how the funding methodology used by the Church of England to help its dioceses provide ministry in every parish would be changing.

From 2017 there will be less emphasis on underpinning

existing patterns of ministry and more on achieving church growth. It is here that an expansion in our Fresh Expressions of Church (FxC) activity will make a vital contribution.

However, the two measures which have just shown that one third of parishes have grown whilst two thirds have declined don’t include FxC, so there is potential in traditional church too.

The importance of this is illustrated in one of the charts included in the 2016 Budget Report which, being for 2010,

excludes FxC as they were not recorded then.

It shows the adult church membership in each diocese in relation to the total number of stipendiary clergy deployed and that this diocese has one of the lowest memberships when measured in this way. Whatever the reason for this, there is clearly potential for growth,

Perhaps, if we haven’t already, we should, within our parishes, engage in a modest amount of self-appraisal?

There are many resources avail-

able, for example Hope for the Church – contemporary strategies for growth and The Road to Growth – towards a thriving Church, both by Bob Jackson.

But, if you haven’t already seen it, go to www. churchgrowthresearch.org.uk/report and read From Anecdote to Evidence which contains much to challenge and stimulate.

● Your views are very important to us - email statistics@ chelmsford.anglican.org

Pray for Paris summitFROM FRONT PAGEgarden. Doing something that threatened or destroyed that garden was not on, even if I had some big ideas of what I could have done with it.

This image comes into my mind as I ponder the world in which we live and its opportunities and challenges. God, I believe has placed us on an extraordinary planet, rich in resources and a

habitat that sustains and feeds and protects us. We have rightly sought to discover how to use creatively these resources to build up our lives and reach further into the universe.

But our major problem is that this exploration has turned into an exploitation that is destroying that which sustains us, destroying the earth. Our use of fossil fuels in particular is now threatening the habitat, the air we breathe, the lives

of millions of people and above all the quality and length of the lives of our children and grandchildren. We are not playing and enjoying this planet but systematically and overwhelmingly destroying it.

In December there is a UN summit meeting of the all the nations to make binding decisions about limiting our pollution through the use of fossil fuels so that the overall temperature rise does not go above two degrees Celsius by the end of the century above pre industrial levels. This is reckoned to be manageable.

Some say it is still too high or some say that we can tolerate a higher temperature rise. It’s clear the climate is changing both naturally in its cycle but made much, much worse by our use and abuse of the world’s resources.

As part of our Christian response as a diocese we have started the Green Collar campaign. We ask all the churches of the Diocese to focus on Advent Sunday (but could be some other occasion) and to celebrate the wonder of our world but also to challenge ourselves and others to think, pray and act about what we must all do. This fits in with the Advent themes of judgment and hope.This crisis involves everyone and we as a church should also be showing that we care about how we steward these resources.

The clergy can put on a green collar for a week, the laity can have special green cross stickers, there are resources to use on the diocesan website or you can contact my office (01279 734524)

and we will send material to you. As summer unfolds look around you and celebrate the places in creation that are important to you where God spoke to you about his love for you through his creation.

I will find ways to get in touch with my ‘menting’ wall and let my heart and mind be changed again as I (and we) discover the length, breadth and depth of his love for us, especially shown in a unique and extraordinary planet that we live on. Venerable Martin Webster● Archdeacon Martin launched the Green Collar Campaign at Diocesan Synod in June, on behalf of Bishop's Council, an initiative of Susan Latchford, who sadly has had to step down as Diocesan Environment Champion.

He began with an eight-foot high line drawing of an elephant, to illustrate the 'elephant in the room', being the frightening effects of runaway climate change (that we would rather not talk about), and the global opportunity to reduce the more disastrous consequences by decisions to be taken at the UN Summit in Paris in 2015.

Each parish is urged to join the campaign in two ways – talking about and praying for the Paris Summit, and in putting on a specific event, celebration or campaign (as part of our interactions with our communities, with those of like-minds and our personal and corporate change in lifestyle).● Read more about the Green Collar campaign online at www.chelmsford.anglican.org/faith/ green-collar-campaign

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Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1 (ESV)

Photo: www.sxc.hu

Volunteers needed for the

Chelmsford Christian Bookshop Do you like reading and have an interest in Christian books and gifts? Do you like working with others?

If you regularly have a few hours to spare (weekly or less often) and would like to come and help customers and undertake general shop duties, then please get in touch.

If you think this sounds interesting or would like to know more please contact Rachel or Sally on 01245 294405 or email [email protected]

Based at the Diocesan Office in Chelmsford.


THE month — Bradwell area says farewell to youth adviser Alice Smith

Diocese has a strongnetwork of volunteersALICE Smith, Youth Ministry Adviser for the Bradwell Area since April 2006 leaves Chelmsford Diocese at the end of July.

Her primary role has been to help and encourage churches in the Area to do youth work well, support youth workers, providing them with resources to deepen their Christian distinctiveness.

Alice has raised the profile of youth ministry in churches, schools and the wider community and has helped to give a voice to young people through young leaders programmes, youth group visits and various events as well as advising the Bishop of Bradwell. The Month asked Alice about her story and youth ministry in the diocese.

TM: What’s going well for youth work in the diocese?

AS: Youth work has been pushed up the agenda in more and more churches in the diocese. The Transforming Presence strategies of evangelism, re-imagining ministry, distinctive living and accountability are a really useful tool for youth work and ministry. We now have an Authorisation Scheme that enables parishes to become accredited for their support of youth ministry and recognises youth work as a valid ministry alongside other lay ministries. There are currently 19 authorised youth workers. About 50 youth workers are employed and funded by parishes, deaneries, trusts and schools across the diocese and there are hundreds more volunteers. We have a strong network.

TM: And what are the challenges?

AS: The challenges for youth workers often are to overcome isolation by networking and to achieve continuity in funding. This involves the whole church community taking responsibility for youth work. Youth work is a profession but it is also the calling of the church as a whole. Youth workers are often only funded for two or three years and this can bring great uncertainty. While some turnover among youth workers is inevitable, it is vital for young people to have continuity and stability. Many volunteers have been serving for decades but it can be a hidden role. Young people need significant adults besides their parents to provide resilience and the church has a key role in providing this.

TM: Did you attend a church youth group growing up?

AS: I did. It was through the local church youth group that I came to faith at the age of 15. The youth leaders accepted me for who I was, we enjoyed the

usual things like weekends away, games and treasure hunts, and I came to wonder what made them do this work.

TM: What did you do next?AS: I did a gap year with Time

for God based at Brentwood URC as a youth and schools worker, exploring my vocation before university. And in the last year of my Theology degree at Leeds I was involved in my church’s holiday club for young people on the estate. Then in a dentist’s waiting room I happened to read an advert in

Church Times for a youth and children’s worker. The church was St Mary’s with Holy Apostles in Scarborough. I worked there for three years before moving to Newcastle with my husband Andy where I trained at Sunderland University as an FE teacher. My last job before joining the diocese was at Aquila Housing where I supported vulnerable women aged 16-30, many of whom struggled with addiction and had children in care.

TM: What has it been like working in the diocese these nine years?

AS: The people in the diocese have been inspiring, faithful and wise. I don’t think I really knew what I was taking on. Looking back if someone had said to me I would be advising a bishop and parishes on youth work or developing a youth work strategy, I would have laughed at them. But I am passionate about what I do, I love working with young people and I have asked questions and learned as I have gone along. It has been great working in a place where young people and youth ministry are valued.

TM: There are fewer young people in our churches. What are young people like and how can they be helped?

AS: Yes, there are fewer young people in our churches, but they are everywhere you look. Young people are full of potential. But some young people cannot see this or feel any hope, especially those who struggle in education or with difficult family relationships. Most reach a crossroads in life where they are faced with choices. Some paths that are open to them are risky and even destructive but taking a step of faith can be scary too. That’s why it is important to offer them faith and exploring spirituality as one of the choices, and not only to young people in church but those outside church as well. Adults can answer their questions honestly, as well as supporting them in life skills like teaching them how to cook a meal or read a bus timetable. Age is no barrier: adults are looked up to by young people as having wisdom and

especially if adults give their time and listen and develop that relationship It’s a great privilege.

TM: What more can be done for young people?

AS: There is always more to be done and that can be disheartening. There is so much good work going on and we want to celebrate and share that. We are trying to build on a lot of creative but low profile ministry in areas like mental health and self-harm as well as a growth in detached youth work to help young people who might not otherwise be connected. God is doing great things – youth work is about meeting young people where they are and joining in with what is already happening. Much depends on youth workers being visible, speaking up, and being well managed and supported by the whole church so that this ministry can be supported, prayed for, encouraged and can grow. Good networking is a must for youth workers and volunteers as well as taking part in Deanery chapters and other committees to keep youth work on the agenda

TM: What’s next for you?AS: A bit of breathing space

for a curate’s wife and mum with two young children (pictured above) after 15 years’ full-time work. But I will still be involved in youth ministry, training, coaching and advocacy in one way or another. I’m leaving this role but youth ministry is my calling and I’m excited to see where that takes me next.

Christian Aidbacks findingsCHRISTIAN Aid has welcomed the findings of a report by UK medical journal The Lancet, giving a stark warning about the threat to health caused by climate change.

Dr Alison Doig, Christian Aid’s Principal Climate Change Advisor, said climate change threatened to undo much of the health gains made in recent years.

She said: “Climate change is effectively development in reverse. The world has made huge progress in the last 50 years reducing poverty and eradicating disease. But this report shows that climate change has the potential to unravel much of this good work.

“Climate change threatens health directly through heat waves, drought and floods, as well as from secondary impacts such as displacement, malnutrition and mental health problems.

“The report is right to point out though that by tackling climate change by embracing a low carbon world there are huge opportunities for better global health and addressing other concerns such as migration and food insecurity.

“Christian Aid partners have experience of this first hand. In Malawi the use of improved cooking stoves reduce deforestation and take polluting wood smoke out of the house.

“The health benefits from better air quality through phase out of coal burning are obvious but renewable energy can also enable clinics in remote areas to keep medication refrigerated and provides power and light to allow better care to be given through the night.”

'Young people are full of potential'

Paul is area deanTHE Bishop of Chelmsford has appointed the Revd Paul Hamilton as the Area Dean of Brentwood.

This appointment took effect on July 22, 2015 for a period of five years.

Paul will remain Rector of Ingrave St Nicholas and Ingrave St Stephen.

THE next Course in Spiritual Direction starts in September at the Chelmsford Diocesan House of Retreat at Pleshey.

It is an 18-month course, during which participants meet one mid-week day per month during the school terms, and it includes three midweek two-night residentials.

As an experiential course, it is designed to develop the participant’s self-knowledge as well as their ability to understand others and their life’s journey in faith. ● Should you be interested in getting more information, including costs, application forms, interview procedures and anything else that would aid your discernment, please get in touch with Fran McEvoy, the course administrator, on 01702 330178 or [email protected].

THE Diocesan Environment Group (DEG), which meets for a couple of hours on a Tuesday in Chelmsford around five times a year to discuss and plan events, campaigns and take policy decisions, is seeking new members. ● Please contact the chair, Archdeacon of Harlow Martin Webster on 01279 734524 or [email protected] for information.

New Course inSpirtual Direction

Recruits sought for environment team

IN BRIEF

“WWWe EEEducate AAAdults”

The ESSEX FEDERATION of the WWEEAA is pleased to announce the opening of bookings for the 64 AAuuttuummnn TTeerrmm 22001155 courses to be run by its 36 branches. Contact details for all branches are given below, and a list of a few of the courses offered by some of our smaller branches is also given as a taste of the variety of topics for study being made available in villages and towns throughout the County. (Courses run from 7 to 10 weeks)

BRANCH CONTACT DETAILS ARDLEIGH

Jill Frostick Tel: 01206 250263 Email: [email protected]

BENFLEET Elaine Cooper Tel: 01268 794770 Email: [email protected]

BILLERICAY Denise Fielding Tel: 01277 651482

BRAINTREE David Stubbs Tel: 01376 322017 Email: [email protected]

BRIGHTLINGSEA Angie Wilson Tel: 01206 303551 Email: [email protected]

CHELMSFORD Mike Wall Tel: 01245 353913 Email: [email protected]

COGGESHALL Nancy Powell Davies Tel: 01376 562657 Email: [email protected]

COLCHESTER Jos Claessen Tel: 01206 502698 Email: [email protected] Bookings: Jane Powell Tel:01206 564363 Website: www.weacolchester.org.uk

DANBURY & LITTLE BADDOW Carol Stevens Tel: 01245 496300 Email: [email protected]

DEDHAM Ruth Higginson Tel: 01206 322598 Email: [email protected]

FELSTED Dick Frost Tel: 07909 526713 or 07901 590372 Email: [email protected]

FRINTON-ON-SEA Katie Andrews Tel: 01255 676734 Email: [email protected]

GREAT BARDFIELD Annette Joyce Tel: 01371 811233 Email: [email protected]

GREAT BENTLEY David Gollifer Tel: 01206 250309 Email: [email protected]

GREAT DUNMOW Kathy Goodwin Tel: 01371 820888

GREAT OAKLEY Helen Francis Tel: 01255 880510

HALSTEAD David Bazley Tel: 01787 476609 Email: [email protected]

HATFIELD PEVEREL Lesley Naish Tel: 01245 380837

HOLLAND-ON-SEA Ken Charnock Tel: 01255 425976 Email: [email protected]

BRANCH CONTACT DETAILS KELVEDON & FEERING

Beverley Painter Tel: 01376 570653 LAWFORD

Mrs Joyce Wrobel Tel: 01206 547405 LEIGH-ON-SEA

Mrs Patricia Gulley Tel: 01702 524889 Mr Charles Sims Tel: 01702 553756

LOUGHTON & EPPING Mrs Pat Dale Tel: 020 8281 1536 Email: [email protected]

MALDON Sue Thomson Tel: 01621 852751 Email: [email protected]

MAPLESTEADS Jean or Bill Bowers Tel: 01787 460181 Email: [email protected]

MERSEA Mrs Margaret Warne Tel: 01206 386166 Email: [email protected]

RAYLEIGH Gill Sutherland Tel: 01268 759070 Email: [email protected]

SAFFRON WALDEN Prue Swarbrick Tel: 01799 526295

SHALFORD John Pearce Tel: 01371 851019 Email: [email protected]

SILVER END Brian Gillion Tel: 01376 583706 Email: [email protected]

THAXTED Alison Howells Tel: 01371 830318 Email: [email protected]

TIPTREE Christine Gunton Tel: 01621 819682 Email: [email protected]

TOLLESBURY Ann Jackson Tel: 01621 868167 Email: [email protected]

WEST BERGHOLT Gill Poole Tel: 01206 240512

WICKFORD Donald Stammers Tel: 01268 732330

WRITTLE Anita Curtis Tel: 01245 420365 Email: [email protected]

ESSEX FEDERATION WEA SECRETARY David Stubbs Tel: 01376 322017 Email: [email protected] Website: www.wea-essex.org.uk

The Workers' Educational Association is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in Scotland (number

SC039239) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910).

Workers' Educational Association, 4 Luke Street, London, EC2A 4XW.

WEA EASTERN REGION Tel: 01223 417320 Email: [email protected]

A TASTE OF THE AUTUMN FARE... ARDLEIGH BRANCH

A History of Painting in East Anglia

BENFLEET BRANCH Art, World War I and Imperialism

BILLERICAY BRANCH Music from Elizabeth to Elizabeth

COGGESHALL BRANCH Plants that Changed History

FRINTON-ON-SEA BRANCH Russia: from Tsars to Commissars and Oligarchs

GREAT BENTLEY BRANCH Church Architecture

GREAT OAKLEY BRANCH Workshop of the World: A Social History of

19th Century Britain 1815-1914

HOLLAND-ON-SEA BRANCH Language, Lore and Legend – The Story of English

LAWFORD BRANCH The Tower of London – A History of England

LEIGH-ON-SEA BRANCH From ‘Jane Eyre’ to ‘Nineteen-Eighty-Four’

Explores a new text every week and links the text to important historical context.

MALDON BRANCH On the Shoulders of Giants

Bruckner, Mahler, Sibelius, Ives, Vaughan Williams, Brian, Shostakovich, Stockhausen, Berio – composers

of monumental symphonies.

MAPLESTEADS BRANCH The Diverse Flora and Fauna of East Anglia

MERSEA BRANCH The Mediterranean Classical World

A mix of history, myth, culture, and antiquity.

RAYLEIGH BRANCH Art and Literature in the 19th and 20th Century

SAFFRON WALDEN BRANCH Mixing with Music

Why can music on TV be annoying? How does music differ country to country? Need opera be hard work?

SHALFORD BRANCH History of the Universe

From the Big Bang to Black Holes; from Aristotle to Stephen Hawking.

THAXTED BRANCH We’ve Got the Power

a study of music that reflects the triumph of ordinary people over poverty and oppression.

TOLLESBURY BRANCH Gloriana: The Age of Elizabeth

WEST BERGHOLT BRANCH Shakespeare’s Villains

An exploration of Shakespeare’s insights into how “one may smile, and smile, and be a villain”...

WICKFORD BRANCH American History after 1945

THE MONTH August 2015 11Advertising Feature

THE month — Roy sings for 75 years in St Nicolas choir


'Be a FaN and love your neighbour'THE people who live in care homes should remain our friends and neighbours, no less than when they were living in their own homes.

This is the creed of a local charity and it has won the backing of the Bishop of Colchester, Rt Revd Roger Morris, left.

My Home Life Essex Community Association aims to make sure people living in Essex care homes are able to enjoy the best possible quality of life according to their individual needs and wishes.

Now everyone who shares this

aim can make a positive difference to the quality of their lives by becoming a ‘FaN’ (or 'Friend and Neighbour') and can also benefit from the experience.

“Residential care is still too often seen as a last resort and an end to a person’s independence,” says Bishop Roger.

“In addition to this, our care homes run the risk of becoming ‘islands of the elderly’, cut off from the rest of the community.

"The inspiring work of people within the FaNs network has meant that links are being

remade between those in residential care and the wider community.

“And it’s not just the residents that benefit from this greater interaction; every volunteer that I’ve met has spoken of what they have gained from the experience. This is as good a way of ‘loving one’s neighbour’ as I have ever encountered.”● Find out more about the pro-ject at www.fansnetwork.org.● For information about My Home Life Essex Community Association go to www.mhlec.org.

Organ pipes stolenHISTORIC organ pipes have been stolen from an Essex village church.

The theft was discovered on June 20, when 50 people were enjoying live music at St Mary’s, in Little Bromley, as part of the church's Midsummer Tea Party.

In total, 20 of the front pipes were taken from the church in Church Lane.

They range from 0.8metres to 1.2m in length and are painted blue with red and gold decoration.

The Friends of Little Bromley Church have issued an appeal for information in an effort to get the pipes returned.

Gregory Frostick, of the Friends of Little Bromley Church, said: “These pipes don’t really have any scrap value, but it would cost a lot of money to have new ones made and decorated.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “The pipes are believed to have been taken from the church on June 16, but the theft was only reported to the police on June 20. Enquiries are continuing.”● Anyone with information should call Essex Police on 101, Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or the churchwarden on 07806 828328.

New photo competition deadlineWITH many evangelism events, church fetes and flower festivals under way, Chelmsford Diocese has decided to extend the deadline for entries to its photo competition on the theme of ‘church summer fun’. The closing date for entries is Monday August 10 at noon. Email your entry with the caption and your name to [email protected].

The entrant judged to have submitted the best photograph of the year will be invited to a masterclass with Paul Starr of photographers and videographers Starr Photos. Terms and conditions are online at www.chelmsford.anglican.org/ photocompetition.

Evangelism Enablers are recruited by Army

Covenant membership is open to all who are engaged in the ministry of evangelism with their churches and communities.

So all Evangelists, Parish Evangelists and Evangelism Enablers have been invited to consider becoming part of the

Church Army Mission Community, connecting with local networks and support groups.

For more details on the

THE first group of parish Evangelism Enablers were welcomed in June as the 'Covenant Members' of the Church Army in Chelmsford Diocese.

The Church Army, established in 1882 by Revd Wilson Carlile, has had a vision to train ordinary Christian men and women to reach those most in need with the gospel.

For more than 130 years it has been the main evangelistic arm of the Church of England.

Since 2012 the Church Army has developed into a mission community, opening up new pathways of membership and support for Christians.

Church Army Mission Community visit www.churcharmy.org.uk or contact Revd Charlie Kosla [email protected].

THE first group of parish Evangelism Enablers – Back row – Ray Barnard, Alison Knights, Charlie Kosla.Front row – Sheila Bradley, Linda Howard, Jacquie Messinger, Hilary Lygoe.

Chorister's remarkable anniversaryTHE Parish Church of St Nicolas, Witham, is this year celebrating the 75th anniversary of one of its choristers joining the choir.

Roy Belsham is the holder of this remarkable record.

Roy, left, moved to Witham as a young boy in 1940 when his house in Hornchurch was bombed.

Roy at once joined the parish church choir and, apart from a short period of National Service, has been a

valued member ever since.

Roy has not just been a stalwart of the tenor line; he also played the organ for many years, acting as a deputy for the three Directors of Music whom he has known.

Roy has served the church in many different ways, notably as Chairman of the Fabric Committee, and used his professional skills as an architect in redesigning the

church when the Kenneth Tickell organ was installed in 2002.

Roy’s favourite hymns include Immortal, invisible, God only wise, and May the grace of Christ our Saviour.

Director of Music David Martin said: "We shall be singing these favourites among others chosen by Roy at a celebration service at 6pm on Sunday, September 13. All are welcome to attend."

Worship & Prayer at Chelmsford Cathedral

A warm welcome to your cathedral, serving Essex

and east London

Sunday

Daily Services

www.chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk

7.45am Morning Prayer8.15am Holy Communion (also Weds at 12.35 and Thurs at 10am)12.00pm Midday Prayer5.15pm Evensong (sung on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri)

8.00am Holy Communion9.30am Parish Eucharist11.15am Choral Eucharist3.30pm Evensong

If you, or someone you know would like more information about Gilead

or would like to make an application, please contact:

Laura Alm Tel: 01837 851240 Fax: 01837 851520

[email protected]

www.gilead.org.uk

Gilead Foundationsis a Therapeutic Community, offering a residential rehabilitation program, called KEY, for people with life-controlling addictions, such as drug or alcohol abuse, homelessness, gambling, eating disorders, self harm, and other addictive behaviours.

Based on a 300 acre dairy farm in rural Devon, Gilead uses the Genesis Process Relapse Prevention programme with our clients.

the month august 2015

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