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From
the Rector
Our assistant curate tells me she is featuring chocolate
as an important ingredient of the Christmas morning
Family Communion. Like one retail company that deals in
Traidcraft approved goods she’s probably twigged
(forgive the pun) that most of the UK’s twenty million
Christmas Trees have nothing of religious meaning
hanging on them - but let’s wait and see on Christmas
morning.
And so it is that the Meaningful Chocolate Company has
come up with the idea of selling a box of six chocolate
Christmas tree decorations each designed to tell a part
of the story of Christmas. The National Church
Advertising Fund have an arresting poster campaign up
and running this year whose message proclaims: “However
you dress it up – Christmas starts with Christ”. The
poster features a contemporary group gathered around a
wickerwork crib. The focus of the group is Jesus who is
placed at the centre of high street shoppers momentarily
distracted by reality which has broken through the eve
of the Christmas crush. One of the young men holds up
his star buy – a replica Damian Hirst diamond encrusted
skull: others flaunt a Swarovski crystal perfume bottle
and a Faberge egg. This is perhaps an interesting take
on the gifts offered by the three wise men.
Oddly, the skull sits right at the centre of the
picture. Normally a symbol of death, here, it is
illuminated by the light of the new life that is offered
by the Christ child shining out from the nearby crib.
This is a good thing to think about at the beginning of
November as we contemplate the season of Advent. Again,
chocolate has almost triumphed here too as we now buy
Advent calendars whose attraction is less in the
traditional Advent themes and more in the sweetie
novelties on daily offer.
But what are those Advent themes? Well, at the risk of
upsetting your cruise up to Christmas, the skull at the
centre of the Christmas advertisement gives us a clue to
one of them : death; the other three are judgement,
heaven and hell. Beginning on Advent Sunday 27th
November and taking us through to 18th
December four preachers will be tackling these themes at
the 9.30am Parish Eucharist beginning with ‘death’.
Hardly Christmassy! You may think. Indeed, that is
because Advent is a time of watching and waiting as we
prepare, really prepare for a Christmas that starts…and
ends with Christ. His coming into our high streets, our
homes, our workplaces or into any part of our lives
confronts us with the light of truth about ourselves and
about himself. Death can either haunt us or free us.
Judgement can either consign us to imprisonment in our
own self-reliance or it can cleanse us and bathe us in
god’s gleaming forgiveness. We can cast ourselves into a
hellish darkness as a result of not allowing God to
gather us into his community of heaven. We can dress up
Christmas to be something it really isn’t in the same
way that we can dress life up to be something that’s
wasted through our own self-centredness instead of it
being the opportunity to see what Jesus can bring to the
challenges we so often believe we must face alone. And
those who have tasted Jesus’ love say that it’s better
even than chocolate. So why not start up your
preparations for Christmas on the day that it all really
begins – Advent Sunday. That afternoon we shall be
holding our annual Christingle service at 5pm in support
of the Children’s Society. Children come and collect a
Christingle and light up the darkness with the light of
Christ.
May your
Christmas start with Christ.
Peter Jones
For more information on the chocolate decorations visit:
www.meaningfulchristmas.co.uk
For more information on the nativity advert:
www.churchads.net/2011/donations.html
A to Z of the Church of England
Confused by the jargon used in church? Want to know what
some of the words your vicar uses actually mean? This
issue of FM sees the continuation of our new feature,
first seen in the Diocese newspaper, Pompey Chimes in
2003. It aims to take a light-hearted look and take the
mystery out of church life.
B is for…
BIBLE:
Ancient piece of writing that includes stories about the
nomadic tribe of Israel, songs from King David and dire
predictions from various prophets. It is still the
best-selling book in the world, mostly because of the
inspirational story of Jesus rather than a great
marketing strategy.
BLESSED VIRGIN
MARY:
Jesus’ mother. In Catholic theology, often referred to
as ‘Our Lady’ and counted as the most important of the
saints: first among equals.
BODY OF CHRIST:
Confusingly, this refers to a) Jesus’ actual human body;
b) the bread or wafer we eat in a Communion service; and
c) the worldwide church, which is the community that has
continued to do Jesus’ work since Biblical times. Look
sharp at Communion services, when all three meanings
could be used.
BLOOD OF CHRIST:
the Communion takes some ordinary things (bread and
wine) and makes them into something extraordinary (the
body & blood of Jesus).
BREAD:
Anything from a home-baked loaf to a wafer with a cross
imprinted on it, which is eaten during Communion. It’s a
deliberate echo of the Last Supper, when Jesus tore up
bread and gave it to his disciples to eat, urging them
to repeat the action to remind them of the way his body
would be torn apart at crucifixion.
C is for…
CANONS:
Clergy who staff cathedrals. Those who work there full
time are ‘residentiary canons’, some who work elsewhere
are made ‘honorary canons’, and can lead occasional
services. The title Canon is used as an alternative to
‘the Rev’.
CASSOCK:
The long, usually black, garment worn by clergy.
CATHEDRAL:
Big church where important services are held. One in
each diocese. Ours is unusual in that it has its own
parish. There’s also a Roman Catholic cathedral nearby,
which causes endless confusion for deliveries, wedding
parties and tourists.
CELEBRANT:
The priest in charge at a Communion service. You don’t
normally celebrate someone’s death, but Communion is
about death and resurrection of Jesus, which makes it
more understandable.
CHALICE:
Posh cup for the wine in Communion services. Some people
choose not to hold it all when drinking the wine, some
take the chalice to drink from, all very confusing for
the person serving the wine.
CHANCEL:
The bit of the church where an altar, clergy and choir
can usually be found, often at the east end of the
building.
CHOIR:
Group of people who are given the un-singable bits to
sing during a service, so that the congregation doesn’t
have to.
CHRISTIANITY:
The religion based on the revolutionary teachings of
Jesus Christ, developed over 2,000 years.
CHRISTINGLE:
The pre -Christmas ceremony that involves small children
lighting candles that have been stuck into oranges. It
reminds us of God’s goodness, Christ’s sacrifice for us,
and the need for comprehensive fire insurance.
CHURCH:
Like a corner shop, there’s one in every community, so
no one has to go too far to find one.
More A_Z next issue. Thanks again to Pompey Chimes for
the original version.
The Beacon Furniture Shop
29 Market Parade, Havant
Tel: 07771 697708
Changing your furniture? Why not donate it to charity?
The Beacon Furniture Shop sells good quality furniture
and other household goods at very reasonable prices. It
also provides free furniture (subject to referral) to
households in the Borough who are in crisis.
The shop is run by the Portsdown Community Church. The
money which is raised from the sale of the goods enables
the Beacon to continue with their help to families who
have problems
The collection of donated goods is free and the
furniture van is staffed by very friendly and helpful
volunteers. They do have a duty to ensure that the
goods are saleable and have the right to refuse to
accept items which are in an unsuitable condition. All
mattresses and upholstered furniture must have a B.S.
fire safety label. The shop is however able to accept
certain electrical goods such as table lamps, hoovers
etc. These are checked rigorously by an electrical
expert before they go on sale.
Visit the Shop or donate your unwanted furniture. You
are assured of a warm welcome when you pay it a visit!
The opening hours are from 9.30am until 12.30pm, Monday
to Friday.
Taize-style Evening Prayer
Occasionally St. Faith’s offers a Taize-style evening
prayer on Sunday evenings. We sit under the crossing
around a cross laid out in small candles for a
reflective and quiet service. Taize chants are easy to
follow and their repetitive nature means that even those
who are new to this style of singing soon find that they
can join in.
The service is structured so that we moved through the
songs and prayers, bible reading, silence and candle
lighting seamlessly. The service sheet and simple
accompaniment on the guitar provide all that we need in
terms of instruction.
The minister puts everyone at their ease by explaining
that if anyone feels unable to sing, humming or just
sitting is fine. The Taize-style brings peace and space
and enables us to draw closer to God in a quiet and
relaxed way.
The next Taize is Sunday 13th November at 6.00pm - We do
hope that you will be able to join us.
Youth Club
We meet at Church House or Church
Hall
on alternate Sunday evenings,
term time: 6pm-7.30pm
Come along for fun and games.
For next session date & further
details
contact: Fiona Hedley 023
92498229
Havant Symphony Orchestra
Oakland’s Catholic School, Stakes Hill Road,
WATERLOOVILLE,
Saturday 3 December, 7.30pm
Havant Symphony Orchestra celebrates the beginning of
their 50th season with a monumental concert at their
former ‘home’ - Oakland’s Catholic School in Stakes Hill
Road, Waterlooville - on Saturday 3 December at 7.30pm.
The overture and symphony were suggestions by members of
the Orchestra. Bill Clarke, violin, is a devotee of
Berlioz whose Overture Beatrice and Benedict opens the
concert, while bass trombone Robin Thomas’s favourite
epic symphony – Sibelius 2nd comes after the interval.
The concerto was a favourite of a former long-standing
supporter and is considered by Musical Director Peter
Craddock ‘probably the best-known classical concerto in
the world’ – Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ (No 5). The soloist
will be Karen Kingsley who has been referred to as the
soloist ‘with a smile on her face and in her music’.
Karen must be the most familiar pianist in Hampshire and
further afield and will be making no less than her 13th
appearance with Havant’s Orchestras. She really is a
very popular artiste!
There are two conductors for the concert. The
Orchestra’s new Bob Harding Conducting Bursary Holder,
Robert Hodge will be making his first public appearance
with HSO conducting the Overture and Peter Craddock will
direct the remainder of the concert.
The subject of the Talk before the concert at 6.30pm
will be Sibelius’ 2nd Symphony. It will be given by
Geoffrey Porter who has regular programmes introducing
and talking about music on Angel Radio on Wednesdays at
7.30pm and Sundays at 10.30am and who is the Festival
Director of Musical Evenings at Stansted House in
Rowlands Castle. At the same time Upbeat Club will be
in session for younger listeners and at 7.00pm there
will be an Interlude by local young musicians.
Tickets £16.00; 14.00; 11.00; 6.00 with concessions for
students 50%; and children £1.00 are available now from
The Tickets Secretary, 1 Beacon Square, EMSWORTH, PO10
7HU with cheques payable to HADOS and please enclose an
SAE.
The complete Season’s brochure is available from
Libraries, TICs and various shops or by calling 023 9248
3228. All the details are also online at:
www.havantorchestras.hampshire.org.uk.
Community
Community – a word much used by politicians to describe
a group of people living in a particular place or
sharing a particular way of living. We have community
centres and community schools, we hear of the Muslim
community or the travelling community, we have gated
communities and rural communities; the word community
denotes closeness and an element of the shared life.
But would we consider ourselves here to be part of a
community, a Christian community?
For the writer of Matthew it was unthinkable that the
early Christians did not consider themselves to be a
community, a close knit group of people. Mainly Jews
who had been excommunicated from the synagogue for
accepting Jesus as the foretold Messiah, they may have
been outcasts within their own society. Questioned by
families and friends to supply reasons for setting aside
the religion of their ancestors, the early Christians
would have clung to each other for mutual support,
meeting in each other’s houses. Their new found faith
in Jesus had brought them together and together they
were working out what being a follower of Jesus meant.
The passage from Matthew’s gospel (18, 15-20) is
addressed to such a group of early Christians. It
speaks of discipline, forgiveness and the presence of
Christ within the community. In a small community where
the members are dependent upon one another it is
important that any disagreements, animosity or lapses in
acceptable behaviour are dealt with quickly and
effectively; but pointing out faults to one another must
spring from a radical caring for the marginal and the
straying rather than a feeling of self-righteousness or
from self–interest. The acceptance of fault brings grace
and forgiveness beyond imagining and the prayerful
community in which this takes place brings the presence
of Christ into each part of the life of the community.
Our contemporary Christian community is not dependent
upon each other in the same way the early Christians
were. Many of us live life where our individual concerns
come before our communal life. To create a community
where we can find the courage and humility to admit and
name each other’s faults requires an acceptance of who
we are “warts and all” as well as an acceptance of each
other. God loves us unconditionally and forgives
unconditionally but in order to find our way to this
radical love we need to let go of our individual
concerns. Holding on to past hurts, resentments and our
own wrongdoing can prevent us from being open to each
other and to God.
Maggi Dawn a priest and until recently chaplain at
Robinson College, Cambridge has this to say: we need to
know who we are in our imperfections as well as our
gifts in order to live every day as if it counts for
something. Repentance or accepting our faults, isn’t
supposed to leave us dour or obsessed with our own or
other’s failings. Instead it’s a call to turn away
decisively from what keeps us from God, alienates us
from other people and stops us from living well.
In the chapter Exodus there is a reminder of how
far-reaching this letting go can be. In order to leave
their captivity in Egypt the Israelites must leave
behind their homes and the only security they have ever
known to journey into the unknown. They have been in
Egypt for over 400 years. Their community and their
relationship with God are to sustain them. Can you
imagine how frightening it must have been, whole
families gathered together and dressed for travelling,
standing up to eat and waiting for the signal to leave –
not knowing where they were going, where they would
sleep or what they would eat. Putting their trust
completely in God. Letting go of everything they have
ever known.
The apostle Paul, too, exhorts his readers to live
actively in Jesus Christ putting aside the behaviour of
the world in favour of modelling neighbourly love. Love
which respects and values others for no other reason but
that they too are made in the image of God. Not an easy
thing to do when you live in a society that regards you
with suspicion and hostility. Letting go the values and
behaviours of the world.
For ourselves here in this 21st century Christian
community who do not have the same pressures of living
as outcasts or being faced with leaving our homes or
regarded with suspicion by society, what is it that
binds us together and motivates us to create a community
of radical Christian love.
It is the same answer now as it was for those first
century Christians: The love of God as shown through the
death of Jesus Christ. In the service of the Eucharist
we continually refer to ourselves as the Body of Christ
united through our belief in the death and resurrection
of Christ. To be Christian is to be bound together in
Christ. “We are not worthy” of such a gift we say and
although that is undoubtedly true, we should not settle
for some kind of passive Christian life but pursue an
active life in Christ that builds up our common life –
our community.
This is not an easy challenge to accept for it calls
upon each one of us to critically examine ourselves and
let go of those actions or feelings that prevent us from
truly loving each other, ourselves or God. Without this
we cannot hope to create the kind of community that the
Gospel writer had in mind that is able to accept and
name each other’s faults in true Christian love. But
where a community applies itself to this kind of gritty
and realistic Christian living – Christ is present.
Sources:
Dawn, M. (2009) “Giving it up” BRF: Abingdon
New Interpreters Bible Volume VIII (1994) Abingdon
Press: Nashville
Extra
Parochial Giving 2011
This year £6,000, from the 2010 Budget for St. Faith’s
has been given to: United Society for the Propagation of
the Gospel (£1,500), Tearfund (£1,500), Roberts Centre,
Portsmouth (£1,000), Havant Women’s Aid (£1,000) and
Sendai Mission, Japan (£1,000)
A Prayer
Heavenly Father, by your grace enable me to see your
image in every one I meet this day and your vision of
hope for every situation in which I find myself both
expected and unexpected. And although I shall forget you
many times this day, thank you for not forgetting me.
Amen.
Harvest Time Thoughts
Here
is a saying in farming, one which was often aired by my
father, which states that “The Weather is the Boss”.
And that is the eternal truth. No matter how good a
farmer you are, how experienced your agronomist, how
good your livestock, how up-to-date your machinery or
how benevolent your bank manager the greatest influence
on the success of your business is dictated by factors
totally outside of your control.
At Harvest time, at church services we give thanks for
the abundance of the harvest, celebrate the results of a
partnership between man, the land, the weather and
perhaps not a little divine intervention, and also
remember those for whom food is not so affordable or
available. In this area with its excellent light
levels, good soils and proximity to the sea we are lucky
to have an amazing diversity of local produce including
milk, beef, eggs and poultry, tomatoes, peppers, field
vegetables, apples, strawberries, cereals, water cress,
flowers and the fruits of the coast – fish, shellfish
and even plants such as samphire (poor man’s asparagus
to me). There are less obvious parts of our harvest –
the bounty of our woods for building and fuel, and the
fruits of the countryside such as blackberries, damsons
and, a personal favourite, sloes.
This is a truly wonderful diversity of colours, textures
and tastes originating from a wonderfully diverse
countryside. The effects of the varying weather and
seasons will affect the availability of all to varying
degrees year to year but overall we are provided with a
bountiful harvest and one for which we should be truly
grateful.
To an extent abundance is a state of mind; an attitude
of the cup being always half full. The cold winter and
hot April concerned many but was ideal for orchard
growers. The wet summer frustrated the combine
harvester as much as the holidaymaker but was literally
a Godsend for livestock farmers concerned about summer
grazing and winter feed after another dry spring. June
rains came just in time for flowering cereals with the
result that yields for many arable farmers were far
better than expected. Heavy rain is still plaguing
cereal farmers in the north as they struggle to finish
their harvest which is why we need to remember all those
who battle to produce our daily bread as well as those
who battle to find it. Perhaps though we should always
be grateful to have rain when so many countries suffer
shortages and drought.
The fruits of our harvest are hard earnt and to fully
appreciate them, and generally the world around us, it
seems a sad weakness of the human character that we need
to be reminded of the alternatives.
Do we really appreciate the rain unless we have endured
drought? Keenly feel the warmth of the sun until we
have been burnt by the cold? Enjoy water unless we have
been parched? Know silence until we have walked in the
snow? Know a bountiful harvest until we have laboured
over a miserable one? Celebrated a disease free year
unless we have known the stress of Foot and Mouth? Been
cheered by the sight of healthy playful calves until we
have known the weight of a dead one in our arms?)
To be a good farmer is like being a good Christian which
is like being one of the many of this year’s crop of
swallow fledglings in my barn. You have to trust your
fate to powers far superior to your own, have faith in
your instinct that this is the path for you, move away
from the sanctuary of safety and take a step into the
unknown. Perhaps then, like this year’s cereal harvest,
despite the worry, things can come together and work out
for the better. We need faith and resilience to keep
going, to believe that times will improve and to revel
in the small but significant things which enrich our
lives each day. The stunning landscapes and countryside
which have evolved through man’s partnership with the
land, the wildlife which inhabits it, the joy of new
life and the weather which invigorates our senses.
I have always been impressed with the strong community
spirit of farmers, often demonstrated by the
enthusiastic singing and responses at funeral services
even though I would guess that a minority are regular
church goers. It could be that the majority need to
have a sense of spirituality to be a farmer or perhaps
it grows on you when working in all weathers out in the
splendour of God’s world. As we toil to bring in the
full harvest for his people’s daily needs perhaps too it
is only when the background noise of our busy lives is
hushed; on still summer mornings, late star lit evenings
or when the wind of a gale ruffles our hair that God
whispers in our ear.
Colin Hedley
 
Move, Pray, Love
Claire and I moved to Havant just over a year ago. We
chose Havant because of its great location – near the
coast, and with good transport links to Portsmouth,
Chichester, Southampton and London. We’d both spent
years travelling round the UK a lot with our jobs, and
we’d both been divorced over the previous few years.
So when we decided to settle in Havant, we planned to be
here for 30 years! A couple of months after moving in,
our neighbour, Alan Hakim, invited us to St Faith’s on
“Back to Church Sunday”. It’s been a long time since
either of us were regular church goers. We’d each sung
in our local Church Choirs, but attendance had been
pretty random as adults. You know what it’s like, with
pressures of work, jobs to do on the house, things to do
with the kids – there just never seems enough time.
Anyway, we went along to St Faith’s and were made really
welcome. The congregation is very mixed – all ages and
backgrounds – and people were genuinely pleased to meet
us and get to know us. Over the last year or so we’ve
become quite regular attendees at the 9.30am Service –
probably about twice a month, but sometime we go to the
8.00am service. This is a lovely, short spoken
Communion service which is all over by about 9.00am, and
which means that you still have the rest of the day free
if you have other stuff to do.
The Church also organises a very wide range of
activities and groups. There’s a men’s group, a ladies
group, youth club, Sunday club (for children, during the
9.30 service), choir, bell ringing, art group. They’re
all just different ways to meet and get to know people.
There’s also the usual bunch of committees that are
needed to run the Church, led by the Parochial Church
Council, but supported by committees for buildings,
worship, finance, pastoral care etc. Volunteers are
always welcome on these committees, and it’s a good way
to use your skills to benefit the community. I’ve
started to get involved with some of the buildings work
– it’s fascinating finding out more about such an
historic church and working to preserve it.
In September, Claire and I got married – at St Faith’s.
The Rector, Peter Jones, helped us to prepare for the
big day really well, with a couple of planning sessions
beforehand. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about all
aspects of the Wedding Service and we learnt a lot about
things that we could have just taken for granted. With a
combination of lovely readings, the choir, the Church
bells and stunning flowers, the Wedding Service was just
wonderful. We couldn’t have asked for a better way of
celebrating our marriage.
So, 1 year in, St Faith’s has become a major piece of
our life in Havant, and we would encourage anyone who is
thinking about trying Church to come along and give it a
go.
Richard & Claire Stokes
 
Did you know this...? About St Faith...
The Parish Church in Havant is named after St Faith and
has been so apparently since the eleventh century. How
did it get its name? That is unknown but every year we
celebrate our saint’s patronal festival on October 6.
Why on that date? We don’t know that either!
A mediaeval image of Saint Faith. It is one of a series
of cloisonné champlevé enamel figures decorating the
border of the early 12th century Sainte Foy portable
altar, part of the splendid Conques Treasure.
The Latin inscription reads Sancta Fides
What we do know is that St Faith of Aquitaine is said to
have been a girl or young woman in the Aquitaine region
of South West France. She was arrested in one of the
late Roman persecutions of Christians around 300 A.D.
She refused to make a sacrifice to the Roman Gods, even
under torture, and was eventually tortured to death with
a red hot brazier. More can be read about this in
Church. There is a notice about her hanging on one of
the pillars in the North transept.
Did you know that St Faith is a patron of soldiers,
pilgrims and prisoners? Rather a mixed bunch!
In the Middle Ages, a monk of Conques in France, stole
St Faith’s relics from Agen where she had been killed
and took them to his town which then became the centre
of veneration to the Saint. At Conques she acquired a
reputation which is hardly saintly but which might
become useful for fundraising: she was reputed to bring
harm on people who gave less to her shrine than they
could afford. It is said that a lady left a very
valuable wedding ring to the shrine. After her death,
her husband removed the ring and gave it to his second
wife. The finger on which the new wife wore the ring
became unbearably painful until the ring was finally
returned to the saint. (Or did a wily monk invent this
story?)
Another place of veneration to St Faith is at St Cugar
in Catalonia. A poem in her honour, written between 1054
and 1076, is believed to be the oldest written work in
the Catalan language.
Should this also be written up for visitors to our
Church to read, or is it all hearsay?
The jewel-encrusted container, at the church in Conques,
which is reputed to hold the relics of St Faith.
Richard Acworth & Hilary Deadman
Pamela Josephine Bowley RIP
The funeral of Pam Bowley was held at St. Faith’s Church
on 22 September.
St. Faith’s was very important to Pam since moving from
Lincolnshire to Havant in 1997 and she was a big
supporter of the Church in many ways.
Pam was the Treasurer when both Father Brown and Father
David were the Rectors. She kept the accounts in the
now “old fashion way” by writing all transactions into a
book and producing the annual reports in the same way
which was very time consuming. When the accounts were
computerised, Pam answered all the questions that were
sometimes repeated, without ever becoming flustered and
taking up even more of her time. She had tremendous
patience and was always extremely helpful. Pam was very
conscientious, and it is interesting to note that the
duties she did as Treasurer are now carried out by a
team of four people.
When the accounts were computerised Pam gave up the
Treasurer duties and then worked in the Church Shop,
helped at the monthly coffee mornings and baked cakes
for the coffee mornings and the Town Fair.
Pam was a lovely lady, made many friends at St. Faith’s
and will be sorely missed.
Colin Carter
Kenneth George Bracher RIP
Ken will be sadly missed by many at St Faith’s Church.
He and his wife, Mary, moved to Denvilles fourteen years
ago. When they first started coming to St. Faith’s they
said how welcome they had been made to feel. Ken and
Mary became involved with many activities around the
church, including the restoration fundraising appeal
committee. Ken was able to bring his expertise to this
from when he had worked with National Children’s Home.
Ken and Mary also started up the church library and the
St Faith’s Tear Fund link. Sadly Mary died in February
2010. Ken continued to support St. Faith’s and was
committed to his involvement with the Church of England
up until his sudden death in October 2011. He will be
missed by all who knew him, especially those who
remember his frequent acts of kindness to others.
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