The Parish Church of St Andrew's, Medsteadwelcome | faith | services | events | news | people | church | village | friends | location |
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The Parish Church of St Andrew's, Medsteadwelcome | faith | services | events | news | people | church | village | friends | location |
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Holiday Season
Kathryn Mercy Home
A Committed Fellowship
Summer Jam
PCC Meeting: 19th July
Medstead Fête
Who Will Remember Them?
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Medstead Bowls Club
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Alton Choral Society
Paul Isaac
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Refectory Duties
Hog Roast
Daily Bread
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It was a great delight to welcome to St. Andrew's Hog Roast at the end of July our Bishop-designate of Basingstoke, Peter Hancock, and his wife. Many parishioners had the opportunity of chatting with them both before the soon-to-be-Bishop has even taken up his new post. The Hog Roast was a great success, thanks to the Social Committee, chefs and all. We look forward to meeting them again soon, once Peter has been ordained Bishop.
Another first for St. Andrew's was hosting - because of the Village Hall fire - Medstead's annual Flower Show. This also was a great success; the committee have booked the church and hall again for next year.
You may also have read a report of JAM's Holiday Club for children. This, too, was a very successful three days, the culmination of a great deal of planning and preparation by a dedicated team of leaders, with plenty of assistance during the three days from a small army of volunteers. Thanks to everyone, especially to Dave Stiles for lending us his marquee.
At the final session, the children were asked to name three things about the holiday club, including something to look forward to. Quick as a flash, one said, "Next year's Holiday Club!" It's good to know our efforts are so well appreciated. And then, just into August, I was having a meeting to plan Carol Services!
Once everyone's back from holidays, thoughts turn again to the autumn term and the build-up to, if I dare mention it, Christmas. Hopefully you'll have seen last month the advert, repeated this month, concerning the talk which Jonathan Aitken will give in October. This promises to be a fascinating evening, for which an RSVP is essential. I can thoroughly recommend both this and the two further evenings with different speakers which will follow. Be sure not to miss them!
I'm having to pen this right at the beginning of August, as Kathryn and I are off to the Orkneys and Shetlands on holiday. We expect to return wind-swept and pressure-hosed! Every blessing until we meet again.
Ben Flenley
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Events
We thought this would be a good time to update people on the progress of the Kathryn Mercy Home project which is so dear to our hearts and which has been so generously supported by many people over the years.
Firstly, we would like to thank the sponsors of the children for responding so generously to the annual request for sponsorship. We appreciate, in these rather straightened times, any increase in outgoings presents yet another call on resources. However, rest assured that the money is being well spent on children who rely on our money to provide them with the education we in the West take for granted.
We are grateful to William Allberry, Vicar of Esher and fellow trustee of the newly formed Charity KMHUK: Kathryn Mercy Home UK, who has kindly agreed to take on Mercy Home finances in this country.
Jeyapaul has had to move Parishes in the last few months. Although now nearer to Devakottai he has ten Churches, compared to the one for which he has been Priest for the last fifteen years. He was given very short notice of this new placement and is finding it quite a challenge. A few of the Churches to which he has been sent have not received Holy Communion for over a year!
Here is Jeyapaul's report for 2010 on the Kathryn's Mercy Home Trust and Joans Grace Home:
"Greetings from Kathryn's Mercy Home Trust. I am very happy to send this annual report for 2010. By the abundant grace of Lord Jesus Christ and your kind heart and generous donations our project is entering successfully in the 11th year with much confidence and long vision.
In midst of the many problems and sufferings we are so much encouraged by your kind letters and continuous supports towards my efforts.
We are very grateful to many of you kindly come forward to extend your sponsorship with new children. This year some of the boys and girls are leaving our hostel after they successfully completed their higher secondary Courses. By your continuous support few of our old students have been able to complete their vocational courses and they are able get jobs.
The elderly ladies are very well and living happy. They are very supporting to the girls in maintaining the gardening and cleaning the campus.
The Nursery school servicing the slum area is growing very well. We are extending much more work with the RCDC centers in five villages. Free computer and tailoring classes are very helpful to the unemployed young girls.
With love and prayers, thanking you."
Rev J Jeyapaul
As you may know, Kathryn is training for the Priesthood - yes at her rather advanced years! During the second year she has to undertake a placement and, as such, has the opportunity of visiting Devakottai next year as well as increasing her awareness of ministry to Dalit congregations and the challenges facing the Christian Community in southern India.
Please continue to remember Jeyapaul, Annamuthu, and their family, Charles, Julia, Babu and Ruby as they continue their work with the many families, who depend on our generosity.
We send you our love.
Kathryn and Ben Flenley
The social networking site Facebook has come in for much criticism over its hosting of a tribute page to Raoul Moat, the man who shot his ex-girlfriend and shot and killed her new boyfriend before also shooting and seriously injuring a police officer. As events unfolded, it occurred to me that there was no part of this story which was not truly sad. Whatever was it that tipped Raoul Moat over the edge, that led him to say "Just got out of jail, I've lost everything... Watch and see what happens"? It remains true that stories such as these remain relatively rare in our country, but that doesn't take away from the tragedy at every turn whenever a new case arises.
Whatever it was that caused this disaster, what are we to say of those who contributed to the Facebook page in his honour? Because of the publicity it was receiving, I had a brief look at it (before it was removed) and couldn't believe what I was reading! He was being hailed as some kind of hero and lauded for his actions. Over 30,000 people indicated their support for him, often in terms which made me feel particularly uncomfortable. What on earth was going on? So many people expressed their support for what he did (not to mention the language in which this support was being expressed!), particularly for his having shot a police officer. In contrast, another Facebook page has been opened up looking to re-balance the situation though, again, the language used is appalling.
The Conservative party made use of the phrase Broken Britain in the last election campaign, though no-one seemed quite to be able to put their finger on exactly what that meant. Many, perhaps, would nonetheless be prepared to agree that there is a serious malaise at the heart of society. It has often been observed that religion provides a glue which holds society together; by inculcating a shared set of values; by submission to a higher authority in moral matters, whether out of fear (a God-fearing society) or love (a Church loves because of God's self-giving love).
Jesus spent so much of his time on earth showing his love and care for "all sorts and conditions of men", giving us a pattern to follow. His priority was always in favour of those at the margins - loving the unlovable, bringing back into fellowship those who had been driven out by "respectable" people. The presence of a loving, committed fellowship of Christ-like people has the potential to make so much difference in our daily living. That "committed fellowship" should be a definition of a local church. Let's make it so!
Ben Flenley
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The JAM team - who organise and lead themed days especially for primary-school aged children and families to enjoy - held a summer club from Wednesday, 28th-Friday, 30th July, followed by a family service and picnic at St Mary's Church, Bentworth on Sunday, 1st August.
The Starship Discovery Holiday Club took as its theme Space Travel and all things 'Out of this World' as we explored the story of the Apostle Peter. You probably didn't know he was an astronaut - well he certainly aimed high, even though there was a time when he experienced a Black Hole when he denied he knew his friend Jesus. Once he had been fired by the Holy Spirit, though, he was on the up and up!
Thirty two young people attended the three day event at Bentworth School Hall and in that time learnt many songs, transformed the hall into a galaxy of art work and took part in a variety of competitions, some rather more messy than others! The afternoons were spent out of doors in wonderful weather, enjoying circus skills, sports, parachute games and culminating in an inter-galactic relay race.
The Sunday celebration went with a bang and was followed by a picnic lunch to round off the Event.
Without a huge commitment from about thirty volunteers this Holiday Club could not take place and so they deserve a spectacular round of applause for their dedication. Our thanks must go to Kate Heffer for allowing us to use the Hall and David Stiles for the loan of his Marquee. We also thank the children for making this a very enjoyable experience.
The JAM Team
Related Links:
Summer Jam 2009
Our Child Protection Policy
Events
The Parochial Church Council met on Monday, 19th July and, in addition to the usual items of business, discussed the following:
The next PCC Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 28th September at 8.00pm in the Church Hall, upper room. If you have any matters you would like discussed, please contact the PCC Secretary.
The full minutes of this meeting will be available to download following their approval at the September PCC.
Congratulations to St. Andrew's which achieved the Fête Cup for Best Stall award at the Wild West themed Village Fête held on the Village Green on Saturday, 10th July.
The concept, with clever engineering imagination - a flying eagle suspended between two teepees which contestants had to make release an arrow to burst a row of balloons below - came from Adrian Barnes; construction was courtesy of Ian Jurd, with artistic embellishments by Ewa Adams.
The stall was staffed by Rev Ben, Adrian and Debby Barnes and Ian and Jackie Jurd, all suitably costumed as one gamblin' cowboy and four painted Native American Indians.
The never-ending queue of contestants was testimony to the stall's enormous popularity, well done everybody!
This is the second time in three years St. Andrew's has won the award; it follows the success of our 2007 James Bond-themed stall.
A big thank you to Ben who spent all of the afternoon dazzling our competitors with his wit and enthusiasm, also to all those who contributed prizes to the event. Let's try and make it even better next year.
Ben Flenley & Adrian Barnes
On Saturday, 5th June I was watching the BBC News channel at midday when coverage began of the Memorial Service held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, to commemorate the 119 young men (there not being any women among the fatalities) of the British Armed Forces who lost their lives in Afghanistan in 2009. As you might imagine, it was a very sombre occasion.
The names of the deceased were read aloud by service chiefs, relatives of the deceased had been invited, and wreaths were laid - the first by HRH the Earl of Wessex. During the service, the Chaplain-in-Chief of the RAF, the Ven Ray Pentland, said, "We're here to remember. Everyone is here as one family... Deaths leave lives shattered but dedicating the names is part of remembering... Let us chant their names, recite the litany of remembrance and call them home..." I had hoped to watch for a second time (via BBC's iPlayer) or, at least, read a transcript of what was a most inspired sermon but, sadly, the service was not made available to see again. It seems only programmes like Dr. Who, The X-Factor and Eastenders are thought worthy of repetition.
On Remembrance Sunday, millions will stand and remember, but where was the general public for this solemn day? (Incidentally, the memorial wall at the Arboretum contains 16,000 names of those who've died on active service since 1948). As I write this, the MOD has just announced the deaths of two more young infantrymen in Afghanistan...
It takes me back to that very brief period in the '60s when, for the first time since the end of World War Two, no British troops were deployed in combat anywhere in the world. Back then, many people were calling for Remembrance observances to be ended - "it was all such a long time ago" - people thinking only of the two World Wars. Back then, we in the TA were derogatorily called "weekend soldiers" by the Regulars; now there's general recognition that current deployments couldn't be fulfilled without the Reserves. It reminded me also of Rudyard Kipling's very apposite poem Tommy, which includes:
"For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;"
Oh how quickly we forget those who've given everything for us as soon as our creature comforts return and "normal service" is resumed.
T'was ever thus! The Old Testament is full of warnings from the prophets to the Ancient Israelites not to become complacent in times of prosperity; not to commit the error of believing they could ever prosper entirely in their own strength, and time and again the Bible records the catastrophes which nevertheless befell them when they relegated God to the back of their consciences or became lax in their worship.
Well, they say history repeats itself; what the Israelites of old did all that time ago is seen very much in the present day. It all brings back again the words of Pete Seeger's 1961 song Where have all the flowers gone:-
"When will they ever learn?"
Ben Flenley
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Yet again the hall was packed for the July meeting with members, five visitors and one new member welcomed. While the business part of the meeting was going on three WI husbands were beavering away in the car park sorting out the winner of the potato growing competition. Back in the spring members had been given one potato tuber to grow and July was crunch time with all the pots brought back for the results. Over thirty members returned their pots and the overall winner was Anne Ferryman who had managed to get her tuber to produce 2lb 14oz of potatoes. Judging by the look of all the potatoes produced this had been an excellent competition and no-one will be buying any potatoes for a while!
The meeting was then in for a treat as the speaker was Boni Mpario who arrived looking absolutely resplendent in the traditional costume of a Maasai senior elder. Boni stands at 6'4" tall so is an impressive and colourful sight and something not normally seen in Medstead. Boni was able to tell everyone about the history of the Maasai people, their way of life, cultures and traditions and something of the future for his people. It is a good job there were no other men present when Boni described the circumcision ceremony! This was a wonderful afternoon learning all about the Maasai people from one of their elders.
Gill Siddall
Related Links:
Medstead WI, Apr-Jun 2010
News about our progress in the Stan Hardman League is very good. After our disastrous start to the season we have gradually pulled back with a series of good wins. We haven't yet been notified of all the other clubs' scores in the most recent round but we know from our own results, including a 7-0 points win over leaders Laverstoke, we must certainly be in the top three in our division.
League matches are only a small part of our programme. For most of our players the club's internal competitions are much more important. These have now reached the final two or three rounds and will all be concluded on Finals Day, which this year will be on Saturday, 21st August.
We are also well into a series of friendly matches, where the objective is to enjoy the game without paying too much attention to who wins. Any member can play, irrespective of their standard. In July we shall be holding our annual Half-Day Fun Tournament, a contest for pairs in which members draw lots for partners from club champion to novice. The teams are divided into two leagues and the league winners play each other in a final, finishing around 6.00pm with a barbecue.
As usual, we had a stand at the Village Fête working at full stretch with a constant queue of people waiting to play our Target Bowls game with age group prizes, starting with children up to the age of 7. It is especially popular with family groups; there aren't many other stands where all the family can all play and the young children can achieve higher scores than their parents.
Anyone who would like to try the game or just play casually is always welcome at our rollup sessions. We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon and on Friday evening, just turn up a little before 2.00pm or 6.00pm. We play on the indoor short mat if the weather is too bad to play on the green and there is plenty of club equipment for newcomers to use. For more information, contact the secretary on 01420 560014.
Wilf Robinson
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Medstead Bowls Club, Apr-Jun 2010
On Sunday, 26th September we will be celebrating Harvest Festival and, once again, we will be making a collection for Winchester Churches Nightshelter.
The Nightshelter, a registered charity, offers an essential lifeline to the homeless, with guests - nearly 200 people a year - staying until longer-term accommodation is found to match their needs.
The Nightshelter offers real support and hope to those in crisis, including counselling and advice on housing, employment, health, personal finance, substance misuse and other essential support to help rebuild lives.
Items most needed this year include:
Thank you for considering their vital needs at this time.
To mark the start of the new season, Alton Choral Society will be holding an Open Evening with singing and light refreshments on Wednesday, 8th September from 7.45pm in the North Block Music Room at Amery Hill School, Alton. All voices are welcome.
This season we will be rehearsing Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony for the Petersfield Musical Festival on Saturday, 12th March 2011. We will also be preparing a selection of carols and secular music for the Wonder of Christmas concert on Saturday, 11th December at Alton Maltings Centre and music for spring and summer concerts in 2011.
We have a new conductor in Steven Moore with whom we have had a successful first term culminating in a well-attended summer concert for WaterAid, featuring Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo by Flanders & Horrowitz and an appearance at the Proms in the Park, singing Zadok the Priest with the Alton Concert Orchestra.
If you would like further information about the choir, please contact Nancy Buck: email or telephone 01420 85994, or just turn up on the 8th September.
Paul Isaac is leaving Medstead. Paul came to St. Andrew's after practising as a GP in the Lymington area around 30 years ago.
He and his wife Enid lived in Down House, Hussell Lane. Enid, who sadly died 14 years ago, and Paul's favourite hymn Lord, for the years was sung at our 11.00am Parish Communion, on Sunday, 1st August.
Paul is moving to Belford House in Four Marks, a setting more suiting for a gentleman in suus nonaginta septumdecim annus.
Our Julian Meetings are now held once a month. We have recently started reading The Ladder of Perfection, by Walter Hilton, as our lead-in to the silence.
The next meeting will be on Friday, 6th August at Belmont, Five Ash Road, Medstead.
If quiet Christian contemplation is something you might enjoy, or if you just want to find out more, please contact Gay or Jill. We are always delighted to welcome new members.
Jill Hurley
St. Andrew's is committed to helping out with refectory duty at Winchester Cathedral. Our next duty day is Thursday, 19th August.
If you can help for either a whole day or half a day please contact Mary Spinks.
We are looking for more helpers, so please consider volunteering for this important contribution to the Cathedral's activities. No previous experience is needed and this is an equal opportunity job!
St. Andrew's ninth annual Hog Roast was held in the gardens of the Castle of Comfort on Saturday, 24th July
Around 90 people attended in good weather and demolished the whole roast! Many thanks to all who organised the event and all who worked so hard on the day and contributed some lovely food.
A special thank you to Sue at the Castle of Comfort for the loan of the garden and also to Norman Read for the loan of the spit. It was especially pleasing to be able to greet our next Bishop of Basingstoke, Peter and his wife Jane.
Daily Bread is the Bible reading guide which aims to help you hear from God as you read the Bible.
If you have ever asked the question, what possible relevance can this have for me today? or what difference does this make to my life? this publication could be of help.
Everyone needs a little help when reading the Bible. Sometimes the poetry and prose, history and revelation, or parables and proverbs need some explanation. Daily Bread provides real inspiration each time you read it.
The writers are from all kinds of backgrounds with all kinds of perspectives. We are sure you will be challenged, encouraged, surprised and inspired as God uses the notes to speak into your life.
The July-September issue is now available and includes:
If you would like your own copy please contact David Rowe: email or telephone 01420 562577.
Congratulations to Cassandra and Peter on the occasion of their wedding on Sunday, 1st August at St. Andrew's. May our Lord guide and bless you in your married life.
Congratulations to Joy and Jamie on the occasion of their wedding on Saturday, 31st July at St. Andrew's, and thank you for the flowers from your wedding which decorated our church for the following Sunday Parish Communion.
Please pray for Joy and Jamie as they start their married life together.
On Sunday, 25th July, we baptised Matthew Elliot Enfield at St. Andrew's 11.00am Morning Prayer. Matthew was born on December 9th, 2009 in Auckland, New Zealand. We welcomed parents Mark and Jackie, with Granny Liz, Granddad Roger and Granddad Elliot from New Zealand into our fellowship for this special celebration.
The service on 25th July was joyous and memorable for us. Our sincere thanks to those who made the service so special and to the congregation for welcoming us and our guests so warmly.
Jackie, Mark and Matthew
Congratulations to Andrea and Mark on the occasion of their wedding on Saturday, 24th July at St. Andrew's. Please pray they have a long and happy life together.
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