The Parish Church of St Andrew's, Medsteadwelcome | faith | services | events | news | archive | people | church | village | friends | location |
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The Parish Church of St Andrew's, Medsteadwelcome | faith | services | events | news | archive | people | church | village | friends | location |
|
October-December 2009
Christmas At St. Andrew's
Peace
Posada
Village Christmas Card
PCC Meeting: 23rd November
Operation Christmas Child
Fit For Battle?
Ordinand
Celebrating Harvest
Harvest Share
Medstead Bowls Club
Medstead WI
Village Hall Fire
Do You Enjoy Singing?
Organ Recital
Autumn Jumble Sale
Looking at the Bible
Medstead Rectory
Songs Of Praise
Family Services
Karamoja Update
Bishop Nasak Thanks
Julian Meetings
Deanery Synod 15.10
Another Celebration
Cathedral Entry Passes
Medstead Gardeners Club
Births, Deaths & Marriages
Small Ads
July-September 2009
April-June 2009
January-March 2009
October-December 2008
July-September 2008
April-June 2008
January-March 2008
October-December 2007
July-September 2007
April-June 2007
January-March 2007
October-December 2006
July-September 2006
April-June 2006
January-March 2006
October-December 2005
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November-December 2003
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Christmas at St. Andrew's is always a very special time. This year we held the following services and special events:
Sunday, 29th November, Advent Sunday: Organ Recital and Posada began, 6.30pm: The figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey, from our Nativity display, began their journey through Medstead at our Organ Recital.
The traditional themes for the four Sundays of Advent are each symbolised by the lighting of a candle, a light shining in a dark place. They are:
The fifth candle, lit on Christmas Day, represents the birth of Christ. The flame of this candle reminds us He is the light of the world. If we follow Him, we will never walk in darkness, but will have the true light of life.
Sunday, 13th December: Christingle & Family Toy Service, 11.00am: A beautiful Christmas service especially for children, who each received a Christingle, to raise money for The Children's Society. Children were also invited to bring along new or good-as-new toys, unwrapped, to donate to Alton Social Services for distribution to local families in need at Christmas.
Tuesday, 15th December: Carols on the Village Green, from 6.30pm: The Village gathered for festive carols, led by Ben, mulled wine and mince pies. The village Christmas lights were switched on and Father Christmas made an early appearance to distribute presents to village children!
Thanks to the Medstead Village Hall Committee who organised this event.
Sunday, 20th December: Nine Lessons and Carols, 6.00pm: The unfolding story of Jesus' birth, with favourite carols and traditional anthems by the choir, was told in this atmospheric, candle-lit service, followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Church Hall.
Thursday, 24th December: Crib Service, 3.30pm: Our Christmas Eve family service where Mary, Joseph and the donkey returned to the nativity display from their Posada journey through Medstead, whilst children dressed up to participate in our delightful, touching and often anarchic nativity play.
If you would like a copy of the full-sized image from the Crib Service we will happily send you one, please email:
Thursday, 24th December: Midnight Communion, 11.30pm: Our traditional, Christmas Eve, midnight communion service.
Friday, 25th December: Family Christmas Service, folllowed by Communion, 11.00am: Our Christmas morning, family-oriented celebration of the birth of Jesus, followed by Communion.
Thank you to Kerry and her family for decorating the Christmas tree and making the Christingle oranges and to Tony Chivers for putting up the crib again.
We also liked this Advent Calendar from our friends at Paperless. They also produced The Adventures of Mary and Joseph, a road trip retelling the Christmas story in nine short videos, with angels in delivery vans, wise men on motorbikes and... well, click and find out more!
Related Links:
Events
To keep Christmas focused on Christ, we must tell the story of his birth in ways which engage positively with the public.
Hence the ad campaign: Christmas Starts with Christ created by ecumenical charity ChurchAds.net featuring an Andrew Gadd painting which depicts the traditional nativity scene in a modern day setting.
Antoine Meilland might well have been a man whose name, after his death, would have been lost to posterity - like most of us, really!
A Frenchman living in France, his passion was developing new roses and, in 1939, he had a new rose ready to bring to the market. He intended to name it in his mother's honour as Mme A. Meilland.
As we all know, France was quickly subdued by the Germans so he held back. Some part of the German occupying forces became aware of the existence of this new rose and demanded that he hand it over.
Not keen (that might just be typical British understatement) to show any level of support for the Nazi regime, he hastily switched labels and sent them the wrong plant. The real one was smuggled to America for safekeeping until the war should end.
After the war, his rose was brought back and released under the new name Peace, a most delicate and beautiful hybrid tea rose with yellow pink-edged petals and a delightful fragrance.
One of the titles ascribed to Jesus is "Prince of Peace". We'll be reminded of that particularly at our Carol Services, in the prophecy of Isaiah:
"For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Peace is not just when the fighting stops, though God knows that it something for which we all long, especially in Afghanistan so that our young men and women of our armed forces may come home. Nor is it just when we all stop arguing with each other. It is when things are really right between people and between people and God. Jesus came to put things right, to bring real peace. In religious terms, this is often known as reconciliation.
It is often said that, for a little while around Christmas, people are actually nice to each other; sometimes a lament will be heard when it doesn't last. We gather together to sing our carols, come to Midnight mass perhaps, give presents, eat and drink more than normal and then, in no time at all, return to our previous ways.
M. Meilland's rose is still available in garden centres and nurseries - perhaps if we all had a few in our gardens, they might inspire us to live more peaceful lives, to be reconciled with God and our neighbour, to work for the coming of the Prince of Peace.
Happy Christmas to you all.
Ben Flenley
Comments? email
Posada is a Mexican tradition where, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, young people dress as Mary and Joseph, travel from house to house asking for a room for the night and tell people about the imminent arrival of Jesus. On Christmas Eve they visit the local church to re-enact the nativity and place figures of Mary and Joseph in a crib.
Our modern day Posada uses the nativity figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey, who travel through Medstead during Advent, staying with a different family each night, re-enacting their search for lodgings as told in Luke 2:7-20.
Each hosting family has the chance to create their own celebration, before passing them on to the next home. Their journey around our village and their presence in our homes is a great way for villagers, friends and families to come together and remember the true meaning of Christmas: to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The Posada journey began on Advent Sunday, and so far Mary, Joseph and the donkey have been to Lymington Bottom, Alton Lane, South Town Road, Homestead Road, Goatacre Road and Hussell Lane.
Having sucessfully navigated the River Hussell, they spent a day with each year in Medstead School, before returning through a snow-bound Medstead - via Abbey Road, Goatacre Road and South Town Road - to our Church for the Crib Service on Christmas Eve.
We loved seeing your pictures, a selection of which are shown here as a diary of their journey.
To help celebrate, you can also download a Posada Pack containing a set of nativity figures to cut out, colour and make as well as a Posada board game.
Related Links:
Posada
Downloads:
Posada Pack
Right click on the link, select "Save Target As..." to save the file to a local directory. The contents are in Adobe pdf format, compressed using Winzip.
We had a wonderful response from Medstead children who entered our competition to design this year's village Christmas Card.
Local artist, Jennifer Lines had the difficult job of judging the entries, before choosing this year's winner: Christmas Tree by Francis Searle, aged 8, from Medstead School.
Congratulations to Francis, his picture will appear on the cover of this year's card, which has now been distributed to every house in the Parish.
Thanks to Ian Waine at Medstead Primary School for supporting the competition, to Jennifer Lines for judging the entries and to Image Print for printing the 840 cards. Most of all, thank you to all the village children who participated and sent in such great designs! All the entries, including the winning design, are now on display in the Church Hall.
If you would like extra copies of our card to send to your friends, you can download our 2009 card, below. If you are printing the card, is desgined to be A5 in size, folded to A6.
Downloads:
2009 Village Christmas Card
Right click on the link, select "Save Target As..." to save the file to a local directory. The card is in Adobe pdf format, compressed using Winzip.
The Parochial Church Council met on Monday, 23rd November and, in addition to the usual items of business, discussed the following:
The next PCC Meeting will be held on Monday, 25th January at 8.00pm in the Church Hall. If you have any matters you would like discussed, please contact the PCC Secretary.
The full minutes of this meeting are available to download, below.
Related Links:
PCC Minutes, 23rd November 2009
As part of the Benefice's Christmas celebrations we are, once again, joining in with the excellent project Operation Christmas Child, run by Samaritan's Purse.
Samaritan's Purse's philosophy is to meet the critical needs of the victims of war, poverty, famine, disease and natural disaster while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
By the simple donation of a shoe box containing gifts for children, Operation Christmas Child enables people in the developed third of the world to make a small difference in the lives of those whose Christmas will be the direct opposite to that which we will enjoy.
In 2008, Operation Christmas Child sent 1.4 million shoeboxes to children in hospitals, orphanages, Internally Displaced Persons Camps, homeless shelters and impoverished neighbourhoods. When we think of the war-torn areas of the world and the natural disasters befalling many over the past year, such a project could not be more timely.
The practicalities are simple, this is what you need:
...and this is what you do:
Any of the items listed below are suitable for the box:
Please do not include any of the following items:
A grand total of 24 filled boxes were dropped off to St. Andrew's Church on Saturday, 14th November, which means 24 children who otherwise would receive nothing at Christmas will receive a present this year, thanks to your generosity.
If you would still like to pack a box, there is still time: you can bring your filled boxes to Bentworth Primary School on Thursday, November 19th from 8.30am-9.30am or from 7.30pm onwards; to any of the four churches of the Benefice on Sunday, 22nd November, or to the Rectory, until Sunday, 22nd November.
When you bring your box, please collect a leaflet which contains a gift aid envelope and an age-appropriate label. Then, stick your label onto the box and place your cheque in the envelope provided. The person who writes the cheque will also need to fill in their name and address on the envelope and this will then be placed in the box.
Let's try and fill as many boxes as possible - as a Benefice, we were able to send over 150 last year!
On behalf of the many children who are going to receive boxes from the Benefice this year, thank you very much.
Kathryn Flenley
In the past, whenever I was talking to someone about my own military service, I used to say that I had "only" been in the Territorial Army (TA). One of the people who trained alongside me at Theological College, and who had himself just come out of the Regular Army, used to refer to us pejoratively as "weekend soldiers" implying many things, not least that we only did it for a good time and the money.
These days, the TA has more than proved itself in combat, supporting the Regulars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo &c, in the process winning many individual gallantry awards. No-one in the TA would pretend to be equivalent to a Regular in all respects but, frankly, this country can no longer maintain all its commitments without its Reserve Forces. (It's a matter for separate debate as to whether all our current commitments are the right ones).
So it won't surprise you to learn that I - along with countless others, I'm certain - were devastated at the news that all TA training has been stopped for six months. Stopping training is tantamount to cutting off the supply of reserve soldiers: who, after all, is going to want to join up, then perhaps be called upon to go into theatre, unless fully trained? Troops who aren't battle fit aren't fit for battle.
What does it take to be "battle fit"? Learning the basics, indeed having advanced skills; being well-practised, properly equipped, mentally and physically alert, disciplined, motivated and determined - these qualities would be just a few. And yet, changing tack, so many people believe that when it comes to their faith, practically no effort at all is required. Many behave as if, somehow, all we need to be good Christians is already within us; so long as we turn up at church at Christmas, perhaps also on a couple of other special occasions such as Harvest and Remembrance, we'll be fully on track. That would be similar to a Territorial thinking he was fit to go to Afghanistan just having got the uniform and attended drill night a few times.
I find that knowledge of the Bible, participation in corporate worship, a disciplined prayer life, the practice of generous charitable giving (tithing is the traditional norm) - these things, among others, are seen by many as the pursuit of the "lunatic fringe" or "the extremist". And yet, just like troops engaged at the "front", Christians face challenges in our lives or the defence of our Faith daily without a second thought as to the errors we are likely to commit or failures experience through being caught unprepared.
Both on the 11th November, and on Remembrance Sunday many of us - though far from all - will gather to remember the fallen. It would be good to think that everyone would stop what they're doing for two minutes at 11.00 am on the 11th day of the 11th month to offer a quiet prayer for all who have given their lives in the cause of freedom and to rededicate themselves to the pursuit of peace in every aspect of daily living.
It would be good, too, to think that more Christians would understand the need to be "battle fit" for themselves. Already, in many of our towns and cities, the sound of the Islamic call to prayer drowns out the ringing of church bells: how can Christians who don't know the basics of their faith stand firm against Moslems who do know theirs? The papers have been full of the MPs expenses revelations: how do we expect any better when the Christian appeal to love of (and thus concern for) neighbour is swept away by personal greed because faith has come to mean so little?
The Christian Church in this country faces serious challenges to its very existence, largely as a consequence of the presumption that , without our aid, it will somehow always be there. Unless we all take seriously our own discipleship, our own responsibility to be battle fit, there's absolutely no guarantee it will.
Ben Flenley
Comments? email
Thank you to everyone for their kind generosity on Remembrance Sunday. The grand total, including Gift Aid, to be donated to The Earl Haig Fund from the collection was £634.80.
Kerry Prior
Related Links:
BBC News: U-turn on territorial cuts
As many of you will know, Kathryn Flenley is training for ordination to be a Priest. She sends us this from her student's notebook:
I thought I would give you a snapshot of what it is like to be a (very) mature student at Sarum College as I begin my journey towards being a Priest (not a Priestess which is something completely different!)
It is quite daunting sitting on my own in front of a computer reading all the information I have, somehow, to get into my brain - the cells of which are decreasing as I write! The course is based on distance learning which means, apart from weekly tutorials and a weekend in Salisbury every six weeks, my only communication with other students is by email.
Each week we are expected to read extensively, take notes and, after five weeks, write an essay which is not supposed to end with, "and then we went home and had tea!" This module is on Theology and is actually fascinating as it traces the development of thinking from the early church to the present day - including Richard Dawkins. I am sure he would be delighted to think he is mentioned in the same breath as Luther and Rowan Williams!
As well as being in a Tutor group, students are allocated to an "And Co." group. Throughout the time studying we are encouraged to develop close relationships with a group of people from different Tutor groups. I am in "Brown and Co.", taking its name from the member whose surname comes first in the alphabet.
We are a motley crew comprising a Head Teacher in a Primary School in one of the toughest areas of Bristol, a retired BT engineer from Swindon, a Teaching Assistant from Brighton, a teacher in a Secondary School near Guildford and Veronica Brown - hence the name of our group - a young mum from America who has now settled just outside Salisbury. Our first task is to organise the Eucharist Service at the next weekend - no pressure there then!
Writing this gives me the opportunity to thank you all for being so supportive and encouraging. I realise, in undertaking this course, I am cutting down on the number of services I can lead so I must, particularly, express my gratitude to Charlie Shaylor, Carol Fuller, Simon Baker and the long suffering Rector.
From your ordinand, a posh name for a student curate,
Kathryn Flenley
Over eighty village residents came to our Harvest Supper on Friday, 2nd October at Medstead Village Hall and the atmosphere in the hall was lovely.
Our special guest, Bishop James Nasak gave a short talk between courses while I caused mayhem in the kitchen catching my tea towel alight whilst heating the custard!
The raffle, plus profit from the evening came to £254.66 which will be donated to the Karamoja Link Fund.
We also held a Flower Festival & Art Exhibition over the weekend of 3rd-4th October on the theme of Celebrating Harvest. The church was full to bursting with a wonderful display and we would like to thank the, many, organisations in the village who provided an individual arrangement.
The Art Exhibition held in the Church Hall saw a brisk trade, together with refreshments and a raffle.
Thank you to all those involved with the Harvest Festival weekend and in particular to Gill Siddall and Jennifer Lines who spent so much time and effort in ensuring the weekend was so successful, raising approximately £750 towards church funds.
Preparation for the event started many months ago and Gill especially had an enormous amount of planning, cajoling and preparation to ensure the church looked as beautiful as it did.
Thanks also to everyone who so generously donated items towards the raffle, the first and second prizes being won by Pat Searls and Anita Prior.
The Evening Harvest Songs of Praise, on Sunday, 4th October, was also well attended and, again, Bishop James and his wife Rose joined us. The congregation generously provided lots of food gifts for the Winchester Churches Night Shelter.
After the service refreshments were served and a presentation was made to Chris and Elizabeth Tew from all their friends at St Andrew's.
Thank you to all the PCC members who helped with these events, in particular Yvonne and David Haigh and my husband Paul who helped at both.
Kerry Magennis-Prior
We were amazed and delighted at the farewell events of last Sunday evening - and it was a complete surprise! The gift was amazing, the flowers spectacular and the messages in the card, from so many friends at St Andrew's, will be with us forever.
Thank you all and God bless you.
Chris & Elizabeth Tew
What a delight it was to be able to welcome Bishop James Nasak, and his wife Rose, from North Karamoja in Uganda. We held a Choral Evensong at St. Mary's, Lasham on 15th September. The church was full; choirs came from St. Andrew's, Medstead and All Saints', Alton. Thirty-two children from Bentworth School also came, and sang I Believe in Angels absolutely beautifully. Led by the two choirs, the congregation joined in the singing with a will; it was a wonderful act of worship.
A number of people spoke to me afterwards, commenting on how nice it had been to sing Evensong again, many churches not holding any more a service which, not that long ago, was part of the common currency of the Anglican Church worldwide. My thanks to all who came, to Patrick Busby for playing the organ, and to all the musicians. Thanks also to the providers of drinks and nibbles to share afterwards.
Bishop James told us how there has been no rain in Karamoja for the past three years. Consequently, there have been no harvests and the World Food Programme is currently supporting well in excess of one million people as a consequence. The lack of rain, causing crops to fail completely, means that huge numbers of people now live in complete poverty in a country which has for so long been a productive and fertile land.
The support which our deanery, Alton, gives in funding so much of the Church's work is clearly critical. It seemed somehow perverse that Bishop James should be telling us all this on a day when the heavens never ceased to inundate Hampshire with rain. Perhaps it was a reminder to us here of how much we take for granted and how dependent so much of the world is on aid and support simply to maintain the basics of life.
Our harvest, by contrast, is now safely gathered in. It would be easy for us to become complacent, and take these things for granted. There could be an air of self-satisfaction surrounding our Harvest Festivals this month, but even at home things are not what they might seem. You will have noticed that food prices have been rising steeply here at home, yet food producers - farmers and growers - are consistently receiving less. Dairy farmers have been particularly hard hit, from a variety of directions, and are still closing at an alarming rate.
I have no idea what the solution to these problems might be, except that our Faith consistently teaches us to be sensible with our own consumption and to ensure the wellbeing of others. Even from Old Testament times, God has stressed our need to care for one another in a very practical way:
"When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow." (Deuteronomy 24:19-22)
It would be so good to think that it would become second nature in all our hearts to behave like this. No-one would need to go without if the care many of us exercise over managing our wealth for our own needs encompassed the needs of others in this way.
Ben Flenley
Comments? email
We have recently had a substantial influx of new members: some are members of other clubs who play on grass and have joined us to play on our all-weather green during the winter; others have come as a result of our recently advertised weekly sessions for ladies on the indoor short mat. Our membership now stands at 59, the highest in the club's history.
After a fairly hectic summer season we have had the usual comparatively quiet period during September and October giving members an opportunity for some quiet practice. That will all change in November with the start of the winter series of internal competitions that culminates in the Winter Finals in mid-February.
As usual the club was invited to provide a flower arrangement for the St. Andrew's Church Flower Festival. Eileen Gross, who has prepared our arrangement in previous years, has now lost her sight but she was still able to contribute her ideas and collaborated with Hazel Cuff to produce a magnificent display on the font.
During October we shall have held our annual Candle-lit bowls evening. Last year we had our second consecutive year of superb weather for the event. It was warm for the time of the year, almost windless, and with no moon we had almost complete darkness. We can't predict the weather for this year but calculations show that we shall not be so fortunate with the moon. It will be quite bright throughout the evening, reaching its highest point in the sky at 6.00pm and not setting until 10.00pm. Let's hope it turns out cloudy!
Anyone who would like to try the game, or just play casually, is always welcome at our rollup sessions every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday afternoons. We have plenty of club equipment for newcomers to use. Just turn up a little before 2.00pm or contact the secretary for more information.
Wilf Robinson
Related Links:
Medstead Bowls Club, July-Sept 2009
As usual there was a buzz in the Village Hall for the October meeting. There was a special sales table raising money for St. Michael's Hospice and this made over £50, which was a very good result. Also on offer were lots of items from the Craft shop in Alton, which will be changing hands at the end of the year.
Jean Penny and Eileen Pike reported on their recent visit to Denman College where they had thoroughly enjoyed the experience. In all 30 members have attended Denman College during the year as a result of the generous grant from Awards For All. Also as a result of members having attended a Tai Chi course at Denman, it is hoped that a Tai Chi class can be set up in the village.
A full hall of members plus two visitors were then treated to an excellent talk by Dr Lynette Moss who came along with her surgeon husband to talk about the wonderful work they had done restoring sight to so many people in Africa, India and Burma. The presentation graphically brought home, to everyone present, the life lived in the poorer parts of these third world countries.
A record number of members attended the Annual Meeting in November and three new members were warmly welcomed as we reviewed the year and reminded everyone of the main activities and achievements.
A very good selection of speakers had been enjoyed as well as walks organised, lunches attended, visits made, teas and lunches catered for and 29 members had attended Denman College funded by Awards for All. The craft group had concentrated on patchwork during the year and a wonderful display of items made was on show on the stage. Jean Johnson presented the growing selection of annual trophies to the winners.
President Jean Penny, who is standing down after four years in post, was presented with an orchid as a token of appreciation. It was also time to say farewell to Jean Johnson who is retiring as the WI Adviser for Medstead. She was presented with a small gift of thanks. The new committee were elected into office for 2010; the new President will be Cherry Messenger. The programme for 2010 is booked and Medstead WI is confident it enters the New Year in good shape. With the business of the afternoon concluded members enjoyed a tea laid on by the retiring committee.
The November walk was at Holybourne, and on the same day a group of members visited Treloars. At the end of November a full coach of members and friends hit Salisbury for some retail therapy!
Our next meeting is on Thursday, 10th December when there will be a talk on the role of the Pantomime Dame and in January a relaxing New Year lunch will be enjoyed by members. Visitors and new members are always very welcome to the meetings.
Gill Siddall
Related Links:
Medstead WI, Jul-Sep 2009
At the Carol Service on Sunday, 20th December, Ben, on behalf of the congregation, offered our prayers and support to the Medstead Village Hall Committee, following the extensive damage to the Hall caused by that morning's fire.
The fire, which had broken out around an electrical intake unit on the ground floor, spread rapidly, gutting part of the roof and the stairway to the first floor lighting and storage area, the floor of which later collapsed into the Wiltshire Room below. The entrance hall and toilets were also destroyed in the fire.
At least one third of the building is fire damaged and the rest has suffered smoke and water damage. The fire also destroyed costumes collected over thirty years by the Medstead Players.
The building is no longer safe and has been closed, pending an insurance claim.
Around forty firefighters and appliances from Alton, Alresford, Basingstoke, Droxford and Rushmoor arrived from 9.50am and spent four hours bringing the fire under control.
Officer in charge, Group Manager Brian Neat said: "Fire crews worked in extremely difficult circumstances to successfully contain this fire to one end of the building. The hard work and effort by the crews saved this valuable community resource by preventing the fire from spreading and affecting the rest of the building."
Related Links:
Medstead Village Hall
Hampshire Chronicle: Village hall blaze hits Medstead community
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service
We need more choir members to join and especially male voices to sing in the Christmas Services coming up and ideally to continue in supporting, leading and encouraging the congregation in weekly worship on Sundays.
Please contact Wendy if you would like to find out more.
We hosted an Organ Recital in the church, on Sunday, 29th November, featuring talented organist Dominic Desouza, with a programme which included:
Nun Danket Alle Gott, March Triomphale Opus 65, no 59, Sigfried Karg-Elert.
Voluntary in C, John Stanley.
Menuet Gothique (from Suite Gothique, op 25), Leon Boellmann.
Gymnopedie No.1, Erik Satie, arr Peter J Maxwell.
A little trip to the woods, John Bratton, arr Desouza.
Short Interval.
Crown Imperial, William Walton.
Emmanuel (based on Veni, Veni Emanuel), arr Desouza.
Offetoire, Louis Lefebure-Wely.
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (Dorian), Johann Sebastian Bach.
Despite the horrid weather outside, the 40 people who attended were treated to a delightful mixed programme with special guests Mr and Mrs Bear, accompanied by Miss Bear and a welcome glass of wine served during the interval.
A huge thank you to Debby and Adrian for organising the event and particularly for the delicious finger buffet served afterwards in the Church Hall.
At the concert, as it was Advent Sunday, the Posada journey also began.
Kerry Prior
Related Links:
2006 New Church Organ Appeal
Despite the appalling weather conditions, our Autumn Jumble Sale, held on Saturday, 14th November in the Church Hall, was another huge success, with the high quality bargains on offer quickly snapped up.
So many turned out to help that we cannot mention everyone, so grateful thanks are given to Mary Spinks and her wonderful team who did a magnificent job, raising over £825 for the church.
Due to the success of past Jumble Sales, we have accumulated a large quantity and variety of books in the Church Hall, Upper Room.
Please help yourselves to any number of them after the services, as otherwise they will be removed and disposed of during January next year.
Over fifty people enjoyed two talks on the composition of the Bible, given by The Revd Canon Simon Baker on Monday, 2nd and Monday, 16th November in the Church Hall.
The sessions, entitled Looking at the Bible, looked at both the Old Testament and the New Testament and provided an opportunity to think about the Bible, the story it tells and the main themes running through both the Old and New Testaments.
Simon complemented the talks with an accompanied visit to the British Museum on Saturday, 7th November to look at some of the archaeology relating to the Old Testament.
For those who would like to read more, Simon recommends the following books:
If you would like a copy of Simon's guide to the British Museum, please contact Adrian.
Permission has been granted by East Hampshire District Council for planning application 21263/004 by Winchester Diocese, for the erection of a detached two storey house with detached cycle store at The Rectory, Trinity Hill, Medstead.
In September, four members of St. Andrew's Choir: Wendy, Sheila, Sharon and Yvonne, went to the Albert Hall to take part in the making of BBC's Songs of Praise, as part of their in-house choir.
Three programmes were filmed that day: the Big Sing, the Big Sing Christmas Party and the Big Sing Extra.
The first programme was shown on Sunday, 25th October, the second on Sunday, 13th December on Songs of Praise, BBC1 at 16:50-17:30pm, with special guests, including Bryn Terfel, Ruby Turner, Amy Nuttall, Jodie Prenger and The Soldiers. Bryn was fabulous live, so don't miss it!
Related Links:
BBC iPlayer
The chosen theme for September's Family Service was Joseph and his Brothers and everyone had a part to play, with some splendid singing from adults and children to accompany the story.
Special thanks to Judy Totman who produced a magnificent coloured coat, loaned by Medstead School. Charlie Shaylor, as leader, gave an extra dimension to the story and our thanks go to him too.
In October, we shall hear about Joseph meeting the Pharoah; in November we will have a special activity for Remembrance Sunday, before a whole host of special events and services in December. Please come along to support the children if you can.
Our Family Services are on the second Sunday of the month, at 11.00am in the Church Hall.
Related Links:
Services
The Karamoja Link Committee met on Friday, 20th November and discussed items, including:
Famine: there is a little food left in some of the towns but in the villages it has completely run out. Children whose parents can afford to send them to school are being fed by the World Food Programme, but many children are left to walk long distances to other towns in the hope of finding food. Many do not make it back home. Some food aid is getting through but it is patchy and unreliable. People are turning to the clergy for help but they are in the same situation as everyone else.
Insecurity: last year's unrest has now died down. The Lord's Resistance Army has been pushed back to the west and although they are still operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, they have not caused problems in Karamoja for some time. The Ugandan Government's disarmament programme has been more successful in some areas than others but overall, security has improved.
Diocesan Training Centre, Lotome: Ordinand Emmanuel Logit has become Principal of the DTC, following completion of a 3-year Bachelors Degree in Divinity at the Uganda Christian University, Mukono in April 2009. His ordination is planned to take place next year.
Bursary Training Scheme: 10 of the 14 DTC students sponsored by the Alton Deanery, have completed their two-year training programme, including our own Karamoja (South) student, Aguma Joyce. Most have returned to their home parishes to support their parish priest, others are in charge of parishes and sub-parishes alone. Siloi Joshua, the student sponsored by Bentworth, Lasham and Shalden, is now care-taking the Kaabong parish in North Karamoja.
Another graduate, Lotyang Zackaria, has returned to his small tribe, the Ik, who live on a mountain in Kaabong parish in the north. Unlike many Karamojong, they don't keep cattle and Oxfam recently enabled them to produce honey to use and sell. The student was received warmly back into the tribe and has recently prepared 60 people for baptism.
Clergy: the diocese of North Karamoja has around 600,000 people and 50,000 Christians but only 20 ordained clergy. Of these, five are fully trained and seven will be retiring within the next five years. Transport is difficult and the diocese is also lacking a permanent Diocesan Secretary. Bishop James, however, is encouraged that the church is full of young, vibrant people but would value our prayers for people to lead the church and the means for them to travel to do their work.
Jubilee Celebrations: The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi, attended the celebrations - on 3rd-9th November in Moroto, Karamoja (South) and from 24th November in North Karamoja - of the 80 years since missionaries first introduced the gospels to Karamoja. For those in Karamoja, the Gospel is seen as a vital way to bring peace and stability to the region.
David Hayward
Related Links:
Faith In Action: Karamoja
Our Karamoja supper this year was at the Church of the Good Shepherd. For Bishop James and Rose it was nearly the end of a memorable three-and-a-half weeks during which: they visited every benefice in our deanery; spent time in Scotland promoting Karamoja; visited Cross links and the Mothers Union HQ in London; had numerous meals with families and people who wanted to meet them; visited St. Lawrence School and addressed the Green festival at St. Lawrence Church; preached or talked at numerous Churches and ate several Harvest Celebration dinners!
They also had a day at Old Alresford Place and a day with the monks at Alton Abbey. They had discussions with Bishop Michael and worshipped at Winchester Cathedral, dined with representatives of the Mothers Union from Canterbury and also from Alton.
Bishop James started his talk at the Supper with a thank you and then mentioned everyone who had given accommodation, a meal or transport by name.
The Karamoja Link Committee of the Alton Deanery would like to echo their thanks to all whose generosity and Christian love made this a very special time for James and Rose. It was a great team effort. Thank you.
Thank you also James and Rose. It has been our joy to meet you and to talk with you and to learn more of Karamoja. Our prayers and thoughts go with you.
Bishop James has now returned to Uganda. His first engagement was, in the company of a team from the Church of the Good Shepherd, to attend a conference in Jinja where the River Nile flows out of Lake Victoria, before returning to North Karamoja.
In March 2010 the Bishop of South Karamoja is planning to visit Alton Deanery. We look forward to welcoming him.
Charlie Shaylor
Related Links:
Bishop Nasak Visit
Faith In Action: Karamoja
A very special thank you to Elizabeth and Chris Tew for hosting our Julian Meetings every month for the last many years. Members have fluctuated, some moving away, or finding the time difficult, but Elizabeth and Chris have always been there to welcome us to their home, and provide a very peaceful, and centred base for our contemplation.
We wish them well in their future home, nearer their daughter, but will miss them very much.
The Julian Meetings will continue, on a monthly basis. We have recently started reading The Ladder of Perfection, by Walter Hilton, as our lead-in to the silence. The next meetings will be on Friday, 4th December and Friday, 8th January, 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.
Gay Howard & Jill Hurley
The synod, at All Saints, Alton on Thursday, 15th October, opened with representatives sharing highlights of the visit of Bishop James and his wife Rose from Karamoja.
The Diocesan budget for 2010 was then discussed. The budget to cover the mission of the Diocese for next year is currently £12.6 million. So far the parish share and other resources - including £0.6 million from reserves - leaves a deficit of £1 million. Bishop Trevor is leading a small committee to look at how the Diocese can bridge the gap or make savings. We need to be positive and look to the future. Reducing support for training and outreach and shedding expertise in regulatory, financial and building upkeep will leave PCCs exposed, without the backup they need.
Prayerful contemplation of the issues raised by the famine and the deteriorating security situation in Karamoja and the mission of the church here in the Winchester Diocese followed, before Jeremy and Sue Cunningham received a gift and flowers in appreciation of over 20 years service as Synod secretary.
After coffee, Bishop Trevor amusingly - but in his usual thought-provoking manner - read and reflected on items from the official job specification for the office of Rural Dean. We then had a service of compline during which Bishop Trevor officially licenced our new Rural Dean, Howard Wright, the vicar of the Church of the Good Shepherd.
It has also been announced Bishop Trevor is to be the new Bishop of Dover and Bishop in Canterbury. Bishop Trevor, who has been the Bishop of Basingstoke since 2002, will take delegated responsibility for the oversight of the Diocese of Canterbury on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. Bishop Trevor will be installed and welcomed as Bishop of Dover and Bishop in Canterbury on Saturday, 6th February, 2010 at Canterbury Cathedral.
Gay Howard
There is to be a service to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Revd Hugh Coxsedge's Ordination, at Northington Church on Sunday, 4th October at 11.00am.
Since we have no morning service at St Andrew's, you might like to attend; Hugh has been a good friend to St. Andrew's over the years, as well as taking on the role of the Electoral Roll Officer.
It is possible to enter the Cathedral free of charge by borrowing one or more of the six passes held by the Churchwardens, using one pass per person.
If you are often in Winchester and would like to drop into the Cathedral on a regular basis, there is also now an Annual Pass at a cost of £6 per person.
The system works like this: you buy an annual pass at the Cathedral entrance desk and can use it to enter immediately.
The staff at the desk should enquire if you would like the Cathedral to claim Gift Aid on your £6 and, if so, they will show you where to sign and the Cathedral will do the rest.
Enjoy your visits!
A good attendance of members met in October to hear David Stuart talk about Winter Pots & Containers. David is extremely knowledgeable about his subject so much was learnt about suitable containers and all the numerous types of compost which could be used.
David also created a container with plants for the winter and many members had their eyes on the very nice container used! David gave many ideas and useful tips for container planting and a demonstration on taking cuttings from plant material which is propagated at this time of year.
Quite a few cuttings went home with members, so hopefully they may appear at the Plant Sale in May next year as good sized plants!
Chairman Michael Paton welcomed 30 members to the 2009 Annual General Meeting in Medstead Village Hall on Tuesday, 3rd November. The annual report had been circulated to members, highlighting the main events during the year.
About 25 members enjoyed a guided tour of the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey on a beautiful April day, followed by lunch and some retail therapy in the shop and nursery. In May a beetle drive with cheese and wine provided plenty of time for socialising as well as some competitive spirit, with a bug gun being awarded to the winner!
Despite the wet weather, the Club's stall at the Village Fête in July was a success, generating income for both the Club and the Fête. The following weekend the annual open Flower and Vegetable Show took place and the deluge of rain the day before did not diminish the number of entries. Thanks were expressed to Cherry Messenger and Sheron Gillard for organising another very successful show.
The Club continues to thrive and has enjoyed another varied and interesting programme of speakers during 2009. Michael Paton was elected Chairman for the coming year and all but one of the Committee members agreed to stand for re-election.
The December meeting will be a pot luck supper and quiz, providing a sociable end to the Club's programme. Trophies will be presented to the overall winners of the monthly flower and vegetable competitions.
Zoe Fenwick
On Saturday, 17th October St Andrew's was the venue for the wedding of Mike and Liz. The congregation's wait, while the bride's bouquet was retrieved from home, was well rewarded as she looked beautiful in her ivory full length dress with train.
The bridesmaids wore aubergine dresses and this colour was reflected in the flowers and in the Order of Service. The presence of the St. Andrew's choir and the accomplished organist gave the occasion an extra lift which made this a wedding to remember.
Please pray for Mike and Liz, as they start their lives together, that they may have God's blessing throughout their marriage.
Sue Sly will be stepping down after the APCM in April 2010 and we need someone to take over the responsibility for managing hiring of the Church Hall.
Please contact a Churchwarden if you would be interested in the role.
Bill and Jill Davis also held a Garage Sale on Saturday, 21st and Sunday, 22nd November at Beechcroft, Wield Road, Medstead.
They would like to thank everyone who came and enabled them to raise £305 for The Stroke Association.
Following requests for a volunteer to take over preparation of the Pewsheet each week, I am delighted to report Debby and Adrian Barnes have stepped forward, so please support them by providing information and changes so the Pewsheets can be up-to-date.
This is also a good opportunity for me to thank all those who have supported this publication over the ten years I have been preparing it.
Chris Tew
After you have visited the Flower Festival and Art Exhibition, why not call in to the Tew's pre-house move Garage Sale?
The Sale will take place from 10.30am to 4.00pm on Saturday, 3rd and Sunday, 4th October at Cottesmore, Five Ash Road.
To advertise here please contact us. To advertise in the Pewsheet please contact Adrian or Debby.
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