Have you made your mind up about ‘The Armstrongs’?
Are they a genuine married couple also in business
together or are they the creation of a television
scriptwriter? Opinion is divided. If you have not
seen the programme (it’s finished now, but was on BBC2
at 9:30pm on Wednesdays) it is styled as a roving
documentary based on the lives of a married couple in
their 40’s who set up, and run, a business in the
Midlands manufacturing, and selling, conservatories.
They are very successful – indeed are millionaires -
but the way they come across in the programme sees
them as caricatures – sometimes gross, sometimes
pathetic and often ludicrous. No wonder that viewers
cannot decide whether they are real or fictitious.
In the last episode of the series they decided to
branch out into the signage business. They produced
flashing signs – one infamously depicting Jesus in a
stained glass effect – and took them to the premiere
sign-makers convention in Las Vegas. Their efforts
produced no interest whatsoever, so we saw them
consoling themselves in the bath (plenty of foaming
bubbles) eating strawberries and sipping champagne,
ruing their misfortune and planning their next step.
We saw them in all their human glory (not literally I
say again) – vulnerable and bruised, but at the same
time determined to proceed in a defiant fashion
bordering on the arrogant (and again ridiculous).
But the next day really took the biscuit. They had
decided that whilst still in LA they would take the
opportunity to renew their marriage vows with an Elvis
sing-a-like serenading them. It was all too corny for
words and at one level it seemed to be a send up of a
religious ceremony. But then it hit me – these
Armstrongs were for real! This was the point at which
I realised the whole show was not scripted, but the
lives of actual people.
The ceremony, you see, was placed just after a
touching scene in which the couple revealed that Mrs
Armstrong had mis-carried her baby. Although early in
her pregnancy they were understandably upset. Yet, it
was asserted, the husband had given his wife such
support that they resolved to try again for a baby at
a later stage. The blessing of their marriage, then,
was not at all a ‘send-up’. It was a
completely genuine assertion of their mutual love and
dedication. Amidst the Las Vegas glitz, the Elvis
singer and the schmaltzy way the ceremony was
conducted was real love and commitment from two
less-than-perfect human beings. The desire for God to
bless our best efforts is far from dead.
We, as the church, then must not turn our noses up at
the way people express their love and desire for God’s
blessing. We don’t have to employ any Elvis singers
either, but we do well to recognise God in action even
in the most bizarre or unlikely settings.
David
We promised last year that if
you kept reading "Faith Matters", you would
read about Joseph of Arimathea and the Holy Grail, so
here goes. Firstly, there are many theories about the
nature of the Holy Grail. There is a connection
between Joseph and the Wales of King Arthur, and the
first theory is about a similar word to Grail -"greal"
- which is Welsh for a collection of stories, such as
the Bible. Another theory is that it means "stone
of heaven" because the word "Grail" in
medieval literature meant a stone of significance. In
French, the word "groal" meant a tureen used
for serving soup at a banquet, perhaps the Last
Supper? However, the favoured explanation, accepted
by virtually all the experts through the centuries is
that the Holy Grail was the cup used by Jesus to
consecrate the wine at the Last Supper.
Legend has it that Joseph
recovered it after the Last Supper and that at the
crucifixion of our Lord he used it to collect a few
precious drops of His blood as our Saviour's body was
being taken down from the cross. As we saw last year,
there is overwhelming evidence that Joseph came to
Britain, with 12 others, and, had there indeed been a
Holy Grail, it is certain that he would have kept it
in his possession. Legend has it that the Holy Grail
mysteriously disappeared towards the end of King
Arthur's reign in the sixth century, bringing trouble
and natural disasters to the land. We now move into
romantic legend and fantasy in which the knights of
King Arthur, Lancelot, Perceval, Galahad and the rest,
spend their days in futile adventures to find the Holy
Grail, thereby to bring back its powers to the land.
Sadly, we have no proof that it was ever found or
indeed that it existed.
However, conjecture has
abounded over the years that perhaps the Holy Grail
was a bloodline of descendants of the family of
Jesus. As we saw last year, almost certainly the step
sister of the Blessed Mother Mary, Mary Clopas,
arrived in Britain with Joseph of Arimathea. Legend
has it that this Mary was married and various theories
have been produced over the centuries about the
identity of her husband. But there is consistency in
one respect; all accounts say that she had a daughter
Anna who accompanied her to Britain. These same
accounts record that she married an English king so
that a member of the family of Jesus was linked with
our Crown. But we shall never know.
Over the centuries, the Holy
Grail has been the subject of much romantic legend.
During medieval times many so called holy relics were
displayed in churches throughout the world; pieces
from the Cross of Jesus, the Turin Shroud, earthenware
jugs used at Cana and so on, although there is no real
evidence of the authenticity of any of them, including
the Turin Shroud which was revealed by carbon testing
as being of much later origin than the First Century.
There was a flourishing industry in producing
religious fakes in the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, the
Holy Grail still holds a fascination to this day.
Faith does not
require material evidence. Our lives are living proof
of God's creation. Our prayers are our sustenance and
our belief in God is our mainstay throughout the good
and the bad times. We all pursue our own Holy Grail
in the mystery of life and death.
Roger Bryant
It was Helena’s ‘Soup in Church’ which gave me
the idea. Why not invite friends and neighbours to
come to a soup kitchen at my house during Lent and to
ask for donations for the Bishop’s Lent Appeal as a
small payment?
I gave out about a dozen invitations and on the first
Monday in Lent waited at home to see what would
happen. Between midday and 1.30 people came and
stayed and ate and talked around the dining room
table. This happened for every Monday in Lent and
altogether I had nineteen different visitors. Some
came just once or twice, others came every time. The
group included members from a number of different
local churches: from St Alban’s West Leigh and St
Thomas à Becket Warblington as well as St Faith’s.
Other sects and denominations joined in the
discussions around the table – Seventh Day Adventists,
a Unitarian, Roman Catholic, Methodist Church and
United Reform Church members. Richard Acworth managed
to join us in between his visits to France and China
and the Rector was also a welcome visitor. We laughed
a lot and talked a great deal.
I feel we all enjoyed being together exchanging ideas
and meeting new people. Certainly, some of my
neighbours had never met before. I was delighted too
on the last Monday to find that I would be able to
send more that a hundred pounds to the Bishop’s Lent
Appeal. I felt that it had all been worthwhile.
Hilary Deadman
Church Shop
£2,041.97 was banked over the period 13 March –
15 April when the Church Shop was open. Many thanks
to everybody who gave up their time to help during
this session.
A Little ‘Te Deum’ of the Common Place
For those first tiny, prayer-folded hands
That pierce the winters crust, and softly bring
Life out of death, the endless mystery:-
For all the first sweet flushing’s of the spring;
The greening earth, the tender heavenly blue;
The rich brown furrows, gaping for the seed;
For all thy grace in bursting bud and leaf,
The bridal sweetness of the orchard trees,
Rose-tender in their coming fruitfulness
The fragrant snow-drifts flung upon the breeze.
For every bird that builds in joyous hope
For every lamb that frisks beside its dam
For the great cedars benedictory grace
For earths ten thousand fragrant incenses
For that deep sea, a shallow to thy love
For gleam and gloom, for all life’s counter change
For hope that quickens under darkening skies;
For all we see; for all that underlies
We thank thee Lord! Te Deum!
John Oxenham
Molly Griffiths found this in an old school poetry
book (Christmas 1936)
Ember Days
The name Ember comes from the Old English "ymbren"
meaning period or revolution of time - perhaps a
season. (A different etymology from ember meaning a
hot coal.)
The Ember days have been part of the church calendar
since the time of Pope Callistus I (c.220), when they
were days of special prayer and fasting.
From the 5th century, they became
associated with ordinations.
They occur traditionally in four groups on the
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of the weeks following
Lent 1, Pentecost, Holy Cross Day (14th
September), and St Lucy (13th December).
In the Church of England, the Alternative Service Book
(ASB) moved two of the groups (Pentecost and Holy
Cross) to the week before the Sundays closest to St
Peter's day and St Michael and All Angels.
Common Worship keeps the ASB definitions but adds that
ember days should also be observed ("under the
bishop's directions") in the week before an
ordination.
Dear Colin,
It has been very interesting to read the views of the
congregation you have printed in the last two issues.
Clearly there are sincerely held views both for and
against the new arrangement. Personally, I much
prefer to go up to the High Altar right at the east
end of the church, though as many have pointed out,
conducting the bulk of the service from nearer the
centre gives us a greater involvement. There are
practical issues too. In the experimental layout,
there wasn't enough room for the servers to move
around the altar, and the choir were relegated to the
background. These would have to be sorted out if the
central altar was made a permanent feature. And all
of these changes reduce the space available for the
congregation, which happily seems to be growing.
Where are you going to put us? Our church layout is
not really wide enough to make this a successful
change. However, what worries me most is that the
underlying reason for the change seems to be following
current fashion. Fashions change all too quickly, and
I don't believe we should be moving down this route
without much stronger liturgical reasons.
Yours sincerely,
Alan Hakim
Dear Colin,
The ‘Nave Altar’ letters in April ‘Faith
Matters’ made interesting and thoughtful reading
with a different points of view being put with
sincerity and consideration. However, I feel I must
comment on assertions made in Jeremy Toole’s letter.
He wrote, “These days the church is very much a
modern business and, like all modern businesses, it
cannot afford to stand still if it is to succeed”,
and “Change is the one true constant …”. The
Church may, of necessity at times, engage in
‘business’, but as a means, not as an end. Modern
businesses, as businesses always have, worship Mammon;
the Church worships God. As for “change being the
one true constant”; that is more a question of
semantics than a meaningful proposition. The one true
constant is the Love of God.
Elsewhere in ‘Faith Matters’, it was reported
that the PCC had agreed to the replacement of the
flagpole with one containing a mobile phone aerial,
the reason given being, “the advantages to St.
Faith’s are financial”. After reading this I
found myself thinking of money-changers and those who
bought and sold in the temple – strange, sometimes,
how the mind works.
Yours sincerely,
John Bradey
The vicar announced that they would be
having an additional font placed in the church so that
babies could be baptised at both ends
1, The Choir Stalls,
Mouse Mansions,
St Faith’s Church, Havant
Dear Father,
I am writing to you to tell you about some concerns I
have in the changes to arrangements in the building
where I am at present. Have you seen what they have
done to the altar? What do you think about it? It
has certainly thrown me into confusion. There is a
great space now under the tower and for a trial month
an altar was brought down into the body of the
church. It was like having a big table which everyone
could crowd around. You could be closer to the
Communion celebration and feel more a part of the
ritual. Do you think that’s what people want? Should
religious ceremony be far away or should it be more
accessible and understandable? And talking of
accessible, that’s another thing that I noticed
especially. I have a bit of a struggle sometimes in
getting up all those steps in the church but now if
the altar is in the Crossing, wheelchair users can get
much closer at the Communion and I have noticed that
Judy’s guide dog finds it easier too. In fact anyone
who has creaking bones or such like, have far less a
problem. I have thought a lot lately about what non
Christians think of our building and whether we are
praying enough about how we can reach those who have a
need. Should we be more open to the community as a
whole? How can we still make the building a place of
prayerful contemplation? I have to say that it felt
right having the altar in the Centre but perhaps there
should be a little more crowd control in the
services? I look forward with hope to the future.
Sincerely,
A. Mouse
Dear Colin,
We thought you might like to include the following in
“Faith Matters”. It is our little grandson
Tom’s version of Easter.
“Jesus was the ‘Goodie’ and the other
one was the ‘Baddie’ and he stuck Jesus on a pole up a
tree. His four Mummies were standing at the bottom of
the tree but his Daddy wasn’t there ‘cause He was up
in Heaven ‘cause He’s God. His Mummies put him in a
cave but when they went to see him the next day He
wasn’t there because He’s alive really.”
Incidentally Tom has only recently celebrated his 6th
Birthday.
Yours sincerely,
Joan & Mike Vick
Notice in the kitchen of a Church
Hall: ‘Ladies when you have emptied the teapot please
stand upside down in the sink’.
Dear Colin,
A short while ago, as usual, I looked at the
Obituaries page in my daily does of newsprint to see
if there were any ‘obits’ which would interest
me. The main obituary, taking up almost the whole
page, was of a man described as, priest, teacher,
monk”, “regarded as one of the outstanding Anglican
theologians of his day”. I settled in my chair to
read about this distinguished person, and indeed his
obituary was of much interest. I read of his
ordination and two curacies in wartime London. After
a few years he moved into academia, became a lecturer
in theology and wrote a number of books concerning
traditional Christianity and what was termed “new
theology”; a book of his own sermons was
particularly well received. In his sixties he retired
to an Anglican religious community, but was
“occasionally tempted out to preach”. I read on,
and then I came to something which caused an almost
adverse involuntary reaction from me. I laid aside my
newspaper and tried to analyse my thoughts – it was
not easy. I wished that those words I had just read
were not there – but they were. I thought again about
this man and his life. I wondered why I should have
reservations about a man regarded so highly by some
many eminent and learned people.
What were the words which caused my dilemma; a dilemma
similar to that which troubles many in the Anglican
Communion. I quote, “[he] made it clear that his
orientation was homosexual”.
John Bradey
Bing Crosby once said of his
friend and rival, Frank Sinatra, "A voice like
Frank's comes once in a lifetime, but why in mine!"
When Bing died, Frank said movingly of him,
"In my youth, he was my idol; in middle age, he was my
rival; and in old age, he was my friend." In
2004, Sandra Haggan organised a very successful trip
to the King’s to see the musical based on the film,
"Yankee, Doodle Dandy", which starred James
Cagney. He loved dancing but his studio mostly cast
him in gangster films. In an early one, he shocked
cinema audiences by pushing a grapefruit into the face
of an actress named Mae Clarke. Many years later, she
was invited to a Dinner honouring James Cagney. She
said, "I don't mind where I sit as long as there
isn't a grapefruit on the table!" Perhaps the
most famous "put-down" of all time was when the
young Rock Hudson swaggered over to Noel Coward at a
reception and announced "I am Rock Hudson!" To
which Noel replied, "Of course you are, dear
boy!"
Roger Bryant
An English Lady, while visiting Switzerland, was
looking for rooms in which to live, and she asked the
local schoolmaster if he could recommend a place to
stay. He took her to several places and when
everything was settled, the Lady returned home in
order to make preparations for the move. When she
arrived home she suddenly realised she had not seen a
W.C. around. She immediately wrote to the
schoolmaster about this. His English not being very
good, he discussed the meaning of W.C. and could only
find that the letters stood for “Wayside Chapel”.
Accordingly he wrote to the Lady as follows:
Dear Madam,
I take great pleasure in informing you that the W.C.
is situated 9 miles from the house in the centre of a
beautiful grove of pine trees surrounded by lovely
grounds. It is capable of holding 200 people, and it
is open on Sundays and Thursdays only. As a great
number of people are expected during the summer
months, I would suggest you come early although there
is plenty of standing room. This is an unfortunate
situation, particularly if you are in the habit of
going regularly and sitting. You will no doubt be
glad to hear that a good number of people bring their
lunch and make a day of it, while others who can
afford to go by car arrive just in time. I would
especially recommend your Ladyship to go on a Thursday
when there is an organ accompaniment. The acoustics
are excellent and even the most delicate sounds can be
heard by everyone. It may interest you to know that
my daughter was married in the W.C. – it was there she
had met her husband. I can remember the rush for
seats. There were two people who actually occupied a
seat for one. It was wonderful to see the expression
on their faces. The newest attraction is the Bell,
which was donated by a wealthy resident of the
district; it rings each time a person enters. A
Bazaar is to be held to provide plush seats for
everyone, since people feel that it is a long felt
need. My wife is rather delicate so she cannot attend
regularly. It is almost a year since she went last.
Naturally it pains not to be able to go more often.
Hoping I have been of some service to you. I remain,
The Schoolmaster
Fact and Faith
The rector was preaching about the relationship
between “Fact and Faith”.
“That you are sitting in front of me in
church is fact”,
he said.
“That I am speaking to you from the
pulpit is fact. But it is only faith that makes me
believe that any of you are listening”.
Burns Night
Havant indulged in some Scottish culture on Saturday
21 January when a traditional Burns Night celebration
was held in the Church Hall. The event was held in
conjunction with the Ecumenical church with proceeds
divided between the two churches. Although it has
been held for a number of years this was the first
time we had attended and it was a very impressive and
truly family event. With the company of the Lord and
Lady Mayoress, who performed the traditional speeches,
we were entertained with Scottish dancers, music, a
Celidh and, of course, the piping in of the haggis.
The hall was filled to capacity, which is always a
welcome sight, although one that could cause panic
amongst most caterers working in the small kitchen
with its limited facilities. Not so for Sandra and
her team. Demonstrating excellent planning and
resourcefulness a very good full four course hot meal
was somehow prepared and served with the aid of a
willing band of waitresses made up of the younger
members of the church. Sandra demonstrates such
superb skill and determination in her involvement with
the church it would not be too fanciful to believe
that a distant relative of hers was involved in the
efficient distribution of the loaves and fishes!
There are few occasions when all age groups can enjoy
an evening together and they are special because they
help mould our community. To also celebrate the
culture of a valued part of the British Isles made
this a different and memorable occasion and for which
we thank all those involved with the planning, music
and the cooking and serving of the meal.
Colin Hedley
St. Faith’s Church Choir
When I was asked to write a report for the magazine
about the Choir I found it incredible that a whole
year has passed since I became Organist and Choir
Director at St Faith's! In looking back over that
year I realise just how much has been achieved. All
the music in the Vestry has been sorted and
catalogued, and this highlighted the areas that needed
to be addressed where music and robes were concerned.
Anthems and anthem books, carol books, harmony hymn
books and folders, book covers, pencils and rubbers,
adult cassocks and surplices, were all necessary
purchases.
Two generous members of the congregation kindly
donated money enabling us to purchase two adult choir
cassocks and surplices as well as a full set of John
Rutter's anthem "For the Beauty of the Earth".
A further generous donation meant that we could order
more copies of anthem and carol books, and we
anticipate being able to order two new choristers’
cassocks and surplices with the money left over.
The choir numbered only three when I first took over
at the end of January 2005, but gradually choristers
returned, some adults were persuaded to join, and the
choir now numbers twenty. The trebles started
training for the Royal Schools of Church Music (RSCM)
badge scheme. This entailed studying the theory and
singing requirements of the different coloured
ribbons. The first level is Light Blue, followed by
Dark Blue and then Red. In addition, there are
external awards which are moderated by the Diocese -
namely the Dean's and Bishop's badges. For these,
choristers have to go to the Cathedral for both their
examinations and their awards. In the autumn term,
the adults intimated that they, too, would appreciate
the opportunity of training for their badges, and
bravely embarked on - for some of them - a huge
learning curve! Concentration is 100% on Friday
nights!
Having a larger choir meant that anthems could be
tackled in four-part harmony. Several milestones have
been reached, namely two choral Evensongs, a
traditional "Nine Lessons and Carols" at
Christmas, and a super concert "Advent Music,
Poetry and Prose". For these bigger choral
events, visiting organists and extra singers from
around the Diocese were invited to join us. This
enabled us to sing more challenging works. Several
choristers and adults have had the courage to sing
solos, and are at present looking forward to joining
in such local RSCM events as "Meet, Eat and Sing"
at Denmead Church, and a 'Come and Sing' Stainer's
"Crucifixion" at St Mary's Church, Fratton on Good
Friday at 7pm.
Recruitment is a major priority. The choir
desperately needs more altos, tenors and basses. If
you know of any possible candidates, please encourage
them to join us. Younger singers, from the age of
seven, would also be welcome. Choir night is on
Friday with the trebles starting at 6.15pm and the
adults at 7pm. The trebles leave at 7.45pm and the
adults at 8.30pm. The choir sings during school term
times only and have about eleven Sundays off annually.
In return, expert training is given in both singing
and theory, all music and robes are provided free, and
there is also a monthly pay packet for those above
Probationer level.
This was a busy, fun-filled year! I trust that much
will also be achieved in 2006!
Sylvia Willey - Organist & Choir Director
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