October 2019 Keynotes
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KEYNOTES October 2019 60p THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST PETER’S, WEST BLATCHINGTON Rector The Reverend Daniel Smith, BTh (Oxon), Dip Min The Rectory 23 Windmill Close, Hove. BN3 7LJ Tel: 01273 732459 E-mail: [email protected] During Father Daniel’s absence, please contact one of the Churchwardens CHURCHWARDENS Jonathan Cooke Tel: 563178 David Keeling Tel:501504 HON. TREASURER Mandy Gander Tel: 271982 CENTRE BOOKINGS Richard Delacour Tel: 07968 227639 PASTORAL CARE Transport to Church Keith Bassant Tel: 561345 Sick Visiting Carol Gander Tel: 555414 KEYNOTES EDITORIAL TEAM William Holden Tel: 706482 David Keeling Tel: 501504 Jane Cummings Tel: 880274 Michael Evans Tel: 567399 Charlie Flackhill Tel: 965122 Mandy Gander Tel: 271982 Maggie Holden Tel: 706482 E-mail: [email protected] Church website : www.stpeterswestblatchington.org.uk EDITORIAL Welcome to the October edition of Keynotes. We hope that you have all enjoyed the summer. We are most grateful to the Revd Erika Howard, Fr John Joyce and many others who have celebrated our Sunday services over the last few months. We are excited to have King’s School move into their new building just up the road from us and look forward to opportunities ahead for supporting them and hopefully growing our Church. We wish to remind our readers that everyone is welcome to our services and events. Whether you are new to our Church or are a regular, why not pop in for coffee and cake the first Friday of the month and / or enjoy a lunch time concert free of charge usually on the third Friday of each month? As the weather is becoming autumnal we start to look forward to the lead up to Advent and Christmas. In particular the Christmas Tree Festival which opens on Thursday 28th November at 1pm- 8pm. This year’s theme is Book Titles and there will be a celebrity appearance! On Friday 29th November there will be a concert in the evening and on Saturday the Festival will be open from 10am until 2pm with the Hangleton Band playing at 1.15pm. You may be aware that Bishop Richard, who is currently Suffragan Bishop of Lewes in East Sussex, will take up his role in the New Year and will be the 106th Bishop of Hereford, a church position that dates back to 676. We pray for him as he moves into his new role. Blessings, Editorial Committee And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he will he hear us. 1 John 5.14 ITB Electrical Services All Domestic Electrics Part P Compliant Fully Insured For a free quote call: Ian Barrett 01273 417484 or 07902 909605 The Valet Man Cars fully valeted at your home from £25 Call Paul Breeze on 01273 421115 or 07598 188440 WOMEN’S SOCIAL GROUP During the summer months we continued with our programme of coffee mornings and events (though there were a few changes!). Jane Cummings (with Carol's help) hosted a coffee morning at her lovely home in June and then in July we were guests of Iris (with help from Jean) and we enjoyed her lovely cakes and equally welcome sunshine in the garden. The planned visit to High Beeches in July was cancelled and instead Jane organised a trip to Hassocks Garden Centre for coffee/lunch. There were 13 of us who then had the opportunity to enjoy some retail therapy in the plant and gifts sections. On 8th August Janet was our delightful host for our coffee morning (with Stella and Georgette helping). Our annual Charity Lunch this year in aid of Whoopsadaisy (a children's charity based in Preston Park) was scheduled for 27th June but was postponed until 22nd August. It was a very successful event with 31 guests enjoying a delicious buffet lunch in Maggie and David's beautiful garden. The question of the hour - how do they always pick a day with wall to wall sunshine! It was a lively occasion and raised over £270 for Whoopsadaisy. After we go to press .... Our September coffee morning will take place on the 12th at Jean's house in Fallowfield Close. Looking forward to October... Coffee with Moz on the 10th. Our visit to The Bull, Henfield, on 24th October, for lunch and skittles is postponed and members will be informed of the new date. Plans for our entry in the Christmas Tree Festival are well underway. Six of us are meeting regularly to discuss ideas and make items (and eat cake!). The theme is 'Book Titles'. We have decided to stay 'local' and chose 'A Guide to Brighton' - we couldn't resist a Sussex and seaside theme. NB. Friday Coffee Mornings at the church (1st Friday of each month). Several of our ladies take turns to host these and we've been en- couraged by the 'new' people who have come to the church on these mornings. It would be lovely to see members of our group joining us. Maggie Holden Father Daniel As everyone knows, Fr Daniel has been on sick leave since February. A while ago he decided, after a great deal of thought, sadness and regret, to apply to the Church of England Pensions Board for early retirement on medical grounds. Last week he was advised that his request had been granted. This means that he will shortly formalise his resignation as our Rector. We will then officially be in an interregnum and at that point the formal PCC process will begin for the search for his replacement. It is difficult to say how long this process will take. In the meantime, we continue to be blessed with the support of local clergy in the conduct of our services and in other ways in our parish life. We continue to pray for Fr Dan, Zoe and their family at this very difficult time for them. SATURDAY 9th November ST PETER’S COMMUNITY CENTRE 7pm for 7.30pm start TEAMS of 6-8 (Maximum number of 10 Teams) SIGN UP AT THE BACK OF CHURCH WITH YOUR TEAM DETAILS. £5 PER PERSON (PAY ON THE EVENING) BRING YOUR OWN DRINKS, GLASSES & NIBBLES FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: ALISON & PAUL SAWTELL 07970 474528 OR EMAIL [email protected] In tribute to the recently-departed Father Raymonde, who was temporary priest in charge at St Peter's from September 2010 until June 2011, Keynotes is publishing his interview with Fran Breeze. This took place in March 2011 and appeared in our April 2011 issue. Welcome to In the Hot Seat. People who form part of St Peter’s ‘family’ discuss their work within the Parish and reveal a little more about themselves. In the interview chair is Father Raymonde. Name: Raymonde Robin Robinson. My father wanted to call me Robin, but my mother was keen on Raymonde with an e, so the two were put together (and you can guess who got her way about the first name!). Role: Temporary priest in charge of St Peter’s from September 2010 until June this year. Before this role/decision to become a priest: As long as I can remember I wanted to be a priest. When I was around four or five, I was riding my tricycle outside my house in Shoreditch (London’s East End) when a lady (Miss Flower) approached me and asked if I wanted to attend Sunday School with her. I was very keen so she asked my mother, who said yes, and off we went. Such was my excitement that I wet myself at Sunday School and poor Miss Flower had to explain to my mother what happened. From then on, Sunday School and the church became the central part of my life. After grammar school I went to see the Bishop of Stepney, Evered Lune, asking if I could become a priest, he told me I was too young and suggested I got some ‘life experience’ first. I joined the Civil Service as a Clerical Officer near East Acton, Shepherds Bush, and after a year, was advised by the Bishop to go to university. From 1963 to 1966, I studied social sciences (psychology, economics and politics) at St John’s College, Durham, ending up with a 2:1 degree. The Bishop then suggested I needed more ‘industry’ experience, so I worked on the EMI shop floor, cutting steel bits for electrical components. My work colleagues were non-Christian and knew of my desire to be a priest. When I left a year later, they bought me a crucifix which I still have today. Next step was theological college at Chichester, but a year later (there’s a distinct pattern here), the Bishop advised I needed another degree – in those days trainee priests with degrees were encouraged to educate themselves further so I read Theology at Trinity College, Oxford (where I joined the Bach choir), completing the degree in one year. I finished my theological training at Chichester and in 1970 was ordained as Deacon and joined the parish of St Barnabas, Ealing. Sadly, I wasn’t treated particularly well there, so the Bishop of Willesden, Graham Leonard, moved me to St John the Baptist in Pinner, north London. At Ealing I was not allowed to officiate at weddings or funerals and when I mentioned this to David Ritchie, the vicar at Pinner, he advised I could take my pick from eight weddings every Saturday. It was a beautiful medieval church on a wonderful site, so was very popular. After a wobbly start at Ealing, my faith was restored by the people of Pinner.