From the Rector
I wrote in some
detail in the December edition about proposed changes
to the north transept of St. Faith’s designed to
accommodate further weekday and weekend activity
including preparing the necessary space to ensure easy
access to a nave altar. Last month’s “Faith
Matters” reported on a majority feeling in the
worship committee that the scheme as described in a
paper to go forward to an extraordinary PCC meeting on
3rd January was worth further discussion.
The outcome of that discussion meeting also appeared
in the magazine alongside the only other item
permitted on the agenda – namely the budget for 2011.
What exactly to spend money on at a time of financial
stringency produced a vigorous debate. Or put another
way: how do we go on growing when our first instinct
may be to shrink?
I have written so extensively on this matter that I
now think fewer words may actually help to clarify the
argument which eventually, after thorough discussion,
authorised a time-limited experiment to reorder the
north chancel and a vote to acquire a plinth which
will, among other uses, support a portable nave altar.
·
Parish Vision Statements commit us to ‘providing a
variety of worship’. This should include the
different ways of celebrating Holy Communion.
·
At Holy Communion we celebrate our presence around the
Lord’s Table to reflect the unity he promotes among us
as he comes into our midst. When the lessons read
from the bible emphasise this then we can enact it.
·
When the theme of the Sunday stresses God’s
transcendence or otherness then we can revert to
celebrating at the high altar, removing completely the
portable altar and plinth.
·
We are introducing flexibility and not a new permanent
location for a single altar.
·
A nave altar celebration will enable our growing and
ever improving choir to fulfil their responsibility
not only to musically accompany our worship but also
to lead and encourage the singing of the congregation
from a westward facing position immediately behind the
altar.
·
The lightweight robust staging to create the removable
sanctuary will also provide ‘risers’ for
visiting musicians and for the better presentation of
all performing arts. The system we have chosen can be
added to so that this facility can attract larger
groups.
·
The equipment can be easily wheeled to the Church Hall
to meet the needs of other social events. We can add
versatility to portability.
·
The cost of this is about half of the sum it recently
cost to repair and weatherproof the west gable of St.
Nicholas Chapel at Langstone. Worship is our prime
reason for existing and deserves modest investment
even when we are trying to reduce in other areas.
Peter Jones
From the Editor
At the APCM in April 2010, I reported that I would be
retiring at the APCM in 2011. As the APCM will be held
on 13 March, this is my last edition of “Faith
Matters” and from the April edition I am delighted
that Jane Rowthorn will be taking over the editorship.
I have been associated with “Faith Matters” since
September 2002 and viewed it as a challenge, enjoying it
very much, but now is the time for a younger person to
take on the role. I had no difficulties on the
technical side, i.e., the compiling of the magazine and
its reproduction – however, the main problem for any
editor is getting the content. I have been fortunate in
that many people have written interesting articles. I
cannot list everyone but I should like to thank Roger
Bryant for writing in all 100 plus editions on local
stories and beyond, Peter Willey on composers and Peter
Thomas on Palestine, Korean War and trips with Rosemary
around the UK and abroad. More can be read in my
“Editor’s Reflections” article below.
I also have to thank John Bradey (aka Sisyphus) for
compiling 100 crosswords before he retired and to Jack
Griffiths for continuing to give cruciverbalists much
pleasure and frustration.
I found being editor that you are told if somebody finds
an error but very seldom are you told if people enjoy
reading the magazine so it is difficult to know how you
are doing!
My thanks to Beryl and the distributors of the magazine
which keep up the sales figures and to our printers
Mercury Graphics. Finally, I must thank Jan Stuart
for proof reading all editions of the magazine and for
making constructive suggestions.
My giving up the magazine was planned to coincide with
the end of my third period on the PCC and I will not be
seeking re-election for another 3-year term -
everyone must know when the time comes to give up things
and for me the time is now. However, I shall continue as
webmaster for our website, which I started in 2003,
until someone is found that is willing to upgrade it to
a more modern version – and more importantly, keep it
up-to-date.
In January, I visited the latest Royal Navy warship the
Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond in Portsmouth Naval
Base - see article below.
At the meeting on 24 January, the PCC approved a
balanced 2011 budget by a majority.
Don’t forget the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM)
in church on Sunday 13 March at 11am when you will have
the opportunity to ask any questions.
Colin Carter
Woman’s World Day of Prayer
This year it is organised by the woman of Chile and
will be held at St. Thomas Church, Bedhampton, on
Friday 4 March at 2pm.
How Long Has Our Church Magazine Been Going?
Please do not get too excited because I do not know!
However our Editor Colin also asks what is the
earliest copy we can find? I have one with the
following heading: Parish Church Magazine Havant April
1917 Price 1d.
No! I did not buy it that month! It was given to me
by Father Brown many years before he retired. Beneath
the title is a photograph of the front of St Faith’s
Church followed by (Reproduced by kind permission of
Messrs W H Smith and Son, 186 Strand, London.) There
were iron railings on the walls which were removed
during WWII.
The details of services on the front of the magazine
are very imposing both for Sundays and Weekdays which
would have kept the clergy busy. All of this is on
the front cover (25cm x 19cm) or (9¾” x 7¼“). There
are 20 inside pages
The explanation of the absence of a Rector is given
inside on page 1 as follows: “When you read the
last number of the Parish Magazine, you can little
have thought that when the next issue appeared, you
would be reading the words of a stranger. But God’s
ways are not our ways. You will not, I know, think it
impertinent if I express my sincere sympathy with you
in your great loss. One who knew your dear Rector
well told me that his great characteristic was
humility; and as I listened to a very beautiful sermon
on that great Christian virtue from one of the special
preachers in Lent, I thought how very applicable the
words were to him who has been taken from us.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the
earth” – not the earth, with its Kaisers and
Hindenburgs, and its doctrines of frightfulness, but
that new earth, where He who was meek and lowly of
heart will be exalted King above all things. May I
also hope that the vacancy in the Parish will shortly
be filled in a way to bring happiness and blessing to
you all. The Bishop has asked me to take charge of
the Parish during the vacancy; and I am trying, I am
afraid very imperfectly, to carry on the various
services for Lent and Holy Week as well as possible.
If the arrangements are not so satisfactory as they
might be, I know that I shall have your forbearance,
which I greatly need. I gladly take the opportunity
of expressing my gratitude for the kindness with which
I have been received during my short stay in the
Parish; and I have been especially touched by the
welcome that I have received from those who are sick,
whose names I am always glad to have. I need not say
that the little I have been able to do could not have
been done without the very kind and unselfish help of
Mr. Hill, to whom I am sincerely grateful. Wishing
you a very happy Easter, I remain your faithful friend
and servant. Arthur Wentworth Powell 2 Fairfield
Terrace. Passion Week, 1917.”
At this point, I must thank our Editor, Colin, for the
following research he conducted. Colin discovered
that the deceased Rector was the Reverend Arthur
George Musgrave who had become the Incumbent in 1915.
(His funeral on 9 March at the age of just 48 is
recorded in the magazine.) His predecessor was the
Reverend Samuel Gilbert Scott who had been Rector for
23 years. The parish did not have to wait long
because the new Rector, the Reverend Harold Nickinson
Rodgers, arrived in May 1917. He moved on in 1927
when he became Archdeacon of Portsmouth and is
credited with much of the administrative work when
Portsmouth became a Diocese that year.
Returning to the magazine, they must have had a Beryl
Carter because there are a great many advertisements.
There are only two I recognize – CS Davies, MPS,
Pharmacist and Optician, 16 West Street and G&R
Carrell, Builders, Contractors, Undertakers, etc,
South Street. There are notes from various
organizations including Mothers’ Union. In addition
to the Reverend Musgrave, four other funerals are
recorded for March including Edward James Ansell aged
2. To balance up the five deaths, there were five
baptisms. Finally there were three long
articles/stories. Capital letters are highlighted in
red. They were “Red Letter Notes from the Mission
Field” about Africa including German East Africa;
“The Message from Calvary” about our Lord’s
Passion; and “The Brothers. A Battle for a Man’s
Soul” which was a serialization of a book.
As they say in the Disney cartoons – “That’s All
Folks”. When Father Brown RIP retired, Jan took
over as editor of the parish magazine. Who won the
contest to name the magazine? Every one’s hand is up
and you all guessed correctly that it was Shirley
Caunter. Colin took over from Jan and it has been our
great good fortune to have had them both as our
Editors. I am full of admiration for them and of
course Peter Appleby and Beryl who did the
distribution and advertising for the magazine. I
always read the parish magazine whichever church I go
to and not one has come up to the standard of Colin
and Jan.
From what I see of her work on the PCC and committees,
Jane Rowthorn will be a worthy successor.
Roger Bryant
(In the Parish Office archives
the earliest magazine is April 1912 (the month and year
of the sinking of the “Titanic”). For how many more
years will our Parish Magazine still be produced in
paper form before being incorporated into the electronic
information age? – just like books are now – although
many people still prefer a hard copy and cannot cope
with electronic gadgets - Ed.)
Diamonds
 I
joined my first ship in the Royal Navy, HMS Diamond,
in September 1952 after 16 months training in
communications at HMS Ganges, the training
establishment for boys at Shotley, near Ipswich, having
joined at the tender age of 15 as I did not want an
academic career or a 9 to 5 job and wanted to serve King
(George VI – have you seen the film “The
King’s Speech”?) and country and to see the world!
In those days the Communications Branch was the “crème
de la crème”.
Naval
communications was by the Morse code and everything
transmitted was insecure so messages had to be manually
coded/decoded – similar to the Enigma machine if
you have seen it. The Royal Navy had a number of radio
stations around the world to communicate to – Gibraltar,
Malta, South Africa, Ceylon, Mauritius, Singapore, Hong
Kong, Bermuda, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – all
being linked back to the UK. There were no satellites
or cell phone technology that provides instant
communications today.
HMS Diamond,
in 1952, was the
Royal Navy’s newest destroyer and I remember being
excited and apprehensive when I caught the train with my
kit bag and hammock (you took, your bed with you then!)
from Ipswich to Glasgow changing at Newcastle. I
arrived onboard at 9pm and was shown to the
communications mess deck (that accommodated 30 sailors),
and to my locker and where to sling my hammock – this
was to become my home. By the way, a hammock is the
most comfortable way of sleeping when a ship is rolling
around in rough weather – much more comfortable than
sleeping in a bunk as the hammock remains stationary
with the roll.
In Coronation year, 1953, the ship provided the Royal
escort and street lining in Cardiff, Glasgow and Belfast
when Her Majesty visited the cities and Diamond
was also at the Spithead Review of the Fleet.
I started to see the world when the ship went to
Gibraltar, into the Mediterranean and around the
European countries.
On one major exercise in the Denmark Straits, when all
ships were darkened, the Diamond collided with
the Swiftsure and when the Admiral asked our
Captain “What do you intend to do now?” he
replied “Buy a Farm!” I was very fortunate and
felt that someone was watching over us for if the
cruiser Swiftsure had hit the much smaller
destroyer Diamond we would have gone to the
bottom of the sea.
After 20 months in Diamond I was sent to the
radio station in South Africa, just outside Cape Town
and saw more of the world. Although Beryl lived there
at the time, we only met in London the day after I
returned to the UK, which was a shame as the 18 months
there would have been much more interesting!
 When
the latest HMS Diamond arrived in Portsmouth in
September 2010, I wrote to the Captain (Commander Ian
Clarke) to see whether there would be an opportunity to
visit the ship, and I was delighted when he invited me
onboard on 25 January with other ex-Diamond
shipmates.
As you can see in the pictures, and as one would
expect, the external design of ships has changed over
the past 58 years – and so it has internally too.
In the
Diamond I served in, food was collected from the
galley, dished up in the mess and then hot water
collected to wash up. In the latest Diamond
there is a dining room, recreation room and the
crew accommodation is
outstanding with mess decks accommodating no more than
six ratings in bunks with CD players, I-pod charging
points, fitted radio and internet access available!
There is also a modern laundry with two large washing
machines, two dryers and a presser.
The ship is controlled by a number of integrated computer systems
and is powered by two gas turbines with diesel
generators as backup, that provide the electrical power.
During the tour of the ship, all
the people I met were very enthusiastic and proud to be
explaining their particular field to us "old salts"
- in fact they were very professional and it is
encouraging to know that the Royal Navy is in safe hands
in the younger generation.
A very
enjoyable lunch was served in the wardroom with
refreshments in the ante-room.
Apart from
the technology, the
organisation
and structure of personnel has changed to meet the
electronic challenges that are faced in a modern
warship.
The Diamond I served in was affiliated to
De Beers which is the
world’s leading rough diamond company.
De Beers provided the ship with books, magazines and
newspapers and hosted a dance in London every
Christmas. The latest Diamond is also affiliated
to De Beers and to two cities – Aberdeen and Coventry.
To modify the song, “Diamonds are a sailor’s best
friend”.
Colin Carter
John Stephen Smythe RIP
John was born in Birmingham on 21 February 1918 and
joined the Royal Navy to see the world on 10 May 1938 at
Devonport, emerging some 22 years later in Portsmouth.
John and family, Bidie, Penny and Caroline, travelled to
Hong Kong, Londonderry, Cape Town and Singapore; Brazil
and Pakistan followed and very happy years they were for
a couple who loved travel and meeting people.
When he finally left the uniform behind and became a
civilian attached to the Admiralty, his naval records
describe him as a man of high moral standing, impeccable
appearance and a highly professional approach to his
work.
One of his great loves was his singing. He started as a
chorister at Portsmouth Cathedral and was the choir at
St. Faith’s for many years, gamely soldiering on with
the voice of Father Brown adding gravitas to his true
tenor voice. Havant Light Opera acquired his talents,
and the sight of a short but no less enthusiastic
pirate, complete with black eye patch, gave much
laughter and much joy in all their productions.
John loved and was proud of his country - the Flanders
and Swan ditty, “The English, The English, The
English are Best”, could have been written for him
and he could never be persuaded to watch any
international sporting event if England was knocked out
early!
He was a man with a marvellous sense of humour and an
enquiring mind who questioned endlessly, and who liked
nothing better than a long discussion. John would
listen to your arguments and opinions but seldom changed
his! When it came to his religion, he was convinced in
his mind after years of searching and reading, that his
Christian faith was the right way, and in later life was
at peace with that.
He was a modest and uncomplaining person who was
surrounded by a wonderful support system of friends and
neighbours, who looked out for him, brought him joy and
made his life less lonely.
Sunday Club Activities
Sunday club has been keeping busy this year!
We enjoyed an "Epiphany" party on Saturday 15th
January. Mums all contributed some party food and the
children played lots of party games, some themed for
example "finding Baby Jesus" and some old
traditional favourites such as "musical bumps".
Lots of fun and noise!
 During
February Sunday club followed the ‘leaves of life’
theme published by the children’s society. "Leaves
of life” resources help to nurture children's
faith and allow their voices to be heard. We have had
a busy and eventful time over the last few weeks
planting seeds and watching them grow, playing games
and having bible stories and discussions around the
gospel message of new life and linking this to what
helps to make a good childhood. This theme culminated
in a special ‘leaves of life’ celebration led
by Father Peter at the 5pm service on Sunday 6th
February at which new life, childhood and spiritual
growth were celebrated and the congregation shared
thoughts, prayers and memories. At the end of this
service we all wrote our thoughts, reflections, hopes
and prayers on leaves. We hung these on the tree of
life and lit candles afterwards. It was a moving and
thought provoking service. For anyone who missed it
the tree will be in church for a little while longer
and there are prayer leaves next to it for you to
write on.
Due to half term and family services Sunday club is
now taking a break but will resume on Sunday 13th
March. There will be a Sunday club meeting Sunday 6th
March after the morning service, ring Penny (023 9247
2054) for details.
Penny Britt
Aldsworth House Gardens
Are you looking forward to spring after a long winter?
Then why not go to the Aldsworth House garden on the
Emsworth Common Road on Sunday 13 March or Wednesday 16
March between 11am and 5pm. Entrance fee is £3.50.
Edward (Ted) Manning RIP
Ted was born in Copnor, the youngest of four brothers,
the son of a Royal Navy man. He started at Binsted Road
School, continuing at JTS, a Technical College, then
into the Dockyard as an Apprentice Carpenter. In 1938
he began working with BT – in those days the GPO. He
was called up aged 20 in June 1941 and unlike his RN
father and brothers, chose the RAF. He worked mainly in
Pembroke Dock on the large Sunderland seaplanes. At one
time during the War, in 1944, he was posted briefly out
to South Africa. He used this RAF period to continue
his studies and on demob in October 1946 took and passed
the Civil Service Examination.
Ted went into the Telephone industry as an Executive
Officer and was promoted three times during his time
with them.
Ted met Evelyn early in 1945 at a dance at Kimbells in
Portsmouth and they married five years later in St.
James Church, Milton. Their first home for ten years
was in Portsmouth before moving to Woking for three and
a half years when Ted moved to Head Office in London.
Ted then became Manager of the BT Computer Section
situated behind the Guildhall and they moved to
Langstone, his final home, which Evelyn and he shared
for the last 48 years. During this time he worked both
in London and also in Brighton Head Offices.
Ted retired from his lifetime’s career and became in
some ways a quiet ‘stay-at-home’ – where he
worked on and improved his home.
He and Evelyn had a long and happy marriage and had a
lovely family of two daughters, Sheila and Jane, a grand
daughter, Justine, and two great-grand children, Sophia
and James, all of whom brought untold happiness to them
over the years.
Ted was one of the wardens at St. Nicholas Chapel in
Langstone for many years and was a distributor of
“Faith Matters”. He had a gift of making people
feel good with his infectious cheerfulness.
Sadly, Ted missed his 90th birthday by two
days.
The Bishop of Portsmouth’s Lent Appeal 2011
The causes which I have chosen for my 2011 Lent Appeal
are Age Concern (Portsmouth, Hampshire and the Isle of
Wight) and ‘Stop the Traffik’.
Bishop Christopher
Editor’s Reflections
It was interesting to look back and reflect over
the100 plus editions that I have produced for
“Faith Matters” and in comparing the first and
last editions I was pleased to see that the
presentation of the magazine had improved – so the
experience has been a good one.
The PCC made “Faith Matters” the focal
publication for disseminating information about the
parish soon after I became editor but this has not
always been achieved and the communications between
the leaders of groups and the various committees needs
to be improved and the editor informed on the various
activities – only then will readers know what is
happening.
Throughout the nine years, the PCC, PDG and BMC
meetings have been published and hopefully the PDC and
Worship Group meetings will also now be reported.
The “Correspondence Column” needs to get going
again with readers sending in their views for
publication to the editor. We had some lively
discussions on “Credimus or Credo – Contemporary
Language Services” and on the Nave Altar trial in
2006 when, by the letters received, it was split 50-50
for those for and against – there will be an
opportunity to write again when the Nave Altar
experiment takes place again this year.
There was a lively questions and answers space about
the church when readers asked the question as to
‘why are there different colours at different times of
the year; and ‘why do we ring the bell during
communion?’ among many others.
There were articles on the Flower Festivals in 2003,
 when
there were two pages in colour to do the beautiful
arrangements justice (but at an additional £60 to the
printing cost) and 2008; Havant Remembers in 2004;
Havant during WWII in 2005 and V-E Day/WWII Memories.
The annual coach outings, which have since stopped, to
Compton Acres Gardens in Poole and the New Forest; the
Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley; Wilton
House and Salisbury Cathedral; and Leonardslee Gardens
were all reported; together with the coach trips to
the King’s Theatre to see a show once a year – these
have also now stopped.
 The
annual events, the Town Fair, Epiphany dinner, the
Historic Churches Bike Ride & Stroll, the Walsingham
Pilgrimage, the HMS Havant memorial service,
Remembrance Day service and the social events which
included the Royal Marine Training Band and other
concerts in St. Faith’s; the Mamma Mia 70s Disco,
Burns Night, Bellringers Dinner, the Farm Walks and
the Dynamo Youth Theatre exploits in the hall, all
featured.
There have been some interesting trips that
parishioners have shared with us, visiting WWI & WWII
battlefields; Isles of Mull & Iona; California;
Tripoli; China; the Wadi Rum (Jordan); the Holy Land;
cruises to Scandinavia & the Baltic and in the Queen
Elizabeth2, the Queen Mary2 and the Queen Victoria;
sites associated with St. Benedict in Italy; New
Zealand; Australia; the Mbele region of Uganda; to
Armenia (its history and the oldest Christian church –
the Armenian Apostolic Church); a tour around
Lincolnshire visiting the home of the RAF 617 Squadron
(the Dambusters); a South American adventure from the
Amazon to Argentina; Dubrovnik & the Croatian Coast, a
reflection on Taizé in France, Indonesia; the Eden
Project; Life on the Nile; Llandaff Cathedral;
Barrington Hills & Chicago; a trip on Scottish Steam
Trains, a boat trip around the Plymouth area; a visit
to the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Arboretum
at Alrewas in Staffordshire and a Welsh cruise. We
also had a feature from Port Elizabeth, South Africa,
and articles on St. Hilda, Northumbria, and the BUPA
Great South Run when in 2005 four parishioners took
part.
There were first hand reports from readers on the
conditions in a Japanese concentration camp in the
1940s; Dunkirk (including the 70th
anniversary and HMS Havant); on the last
7-months of the British Mandate in Palestine in 1948;
the Korean War 1950-1953; Borneo in the 1960s; Iraq
from the eyes of an RNR Wren Officer; and memories of
a Royal Marine and from a Wren in Afghanistan.
There has been a crossword and word search in most of
the editions, and even tips for Cruciverbalists.
The establishment of ‘Godly Play’ for the
Sunday Club, the choir and the chorister’s badge
awards (light blue, dark blue & red ribbons) were
reported.
We learned about the composers Handel, Chopin, Elgar,
Ralph Vaughan Williams and George Butterworth.
Our IDWAL link to the Parish of St John the Divine,
Nsawam, Ghana, covered the visits by Pam LeGoaziou to
the country in 2004 and 2005, and the visits by Ann &
Michael Fluck in 2006 and 2007 for its 90th
anniversary; plus the visits to St. Faith’s by Fr.
Felix Annancy in 2005 and the church wardens, Nana and
Jeanette, in 2008.
Our overseas missionaries in Sendai, Japan, Rod &
Glenda Thomas, have featured regularly including their
visits to St. Faith’s in 2004 and 2010. Their
daughter Esther also wrote about her trips to South
Korea and to Cambodia; and their eldest daughter Amy
was married in St. Faith’s in 2008.
Anniversaries (silver, ruby, golden and diamond) were
recorded and appreciations on those who died.
We had a series of newsletters from Alan Hakim’s niece
Rachel Phillips when she was training for the
Priesthood, culminating in her Ordination at St.
Paul’s Cathedral in 2007. Rachel also preached in St.
Faith’s.
During this period we said farewell to our Rector
David Gibbons and
his family
and we welcomed our new Rector Peter Jones and his
wife Tricia.
We said farewell to our verger John Edwards, and we
also welcomed and said farewell to two curates,
Charles Keay and David Williams, and our verger Vicki
Mockford.
We reported that the 2001 Census in Havant recorded
85,982 persons as Christian, 29,756 with no religion
and 1,121 as other. What will the figures be for
2011?
I am sure there are many things I have left out and
that somebody will tell me! – but it has been fun and
I have enjoyed being editor - thank you Jan for t me
into it!
My good wishes to Jane – please make her job easy by
giving her plenty of material.
Colin Carter
Back to Magazine |
