The river is very high – taken last week by The Fairford Photographer

South Cotswold Team Ministry

St, Mary’s Church Fairford Newsletter

Sunday 14th February The Sunday next before Lent

It is with regret that the Sunday services have been suspended for the time being.

Online worship: Rev Caroline broadcasts 9am Morning Prayer Monday- Thursday and Saturday) and BCP Evening Prayer at 5pm on a Sunday on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stmarysfairford

Please do also make use of weekly Sunday worship produced by the South Cotswold Team, with Fairford folk regularly contributing. These will be continuing for the foreseeable future. Weekly videos can be found here: https://worship-at- home.weebly.com/

From Caroline: 01285 712467 / [email protected]

Sunday’s readings: 2 Kings 2.1-12 2 Corinthians 4.3-6 Mark 9.2-9

This week has been a tough one, really showing what makes this lockdown harder than those we’ve experienced before. The bitter cold made it difficult to be outside for any length of time, and the short days and long nights of winter are still very much in evidence. Nevertheless, signs of spring are emerging, slowly but surely. The sun is rising earlier, the birds are singing, flowers are beginning to poke through the soil where they’ve been waiting for their chance to bloom. Life continues, and the year turns.

Our readings for this Sunday are about glimpses of heaven, glimpses of the truth. Each one is only for a moment, but changes those who experience them forever. Elisha watches as his mentor Elijah is taken up into heaven in fire and whirlwind, receiving a ‘double portion of his spirit’ in reward. Peter, James and John watch as Jesus, just for a moment, reveals his true glory in the dazzling experience of his Transfiguration, flanked on the right side and the left by Moses and Elijah. The experience is astonishing, shocking, frightening even. Mark spells it out for us: “[Peter] did not know what to say, for they were terrified.” And through this glimpse, those three disciples are left in no doubt of the truth of who Jesus was. And finally in 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks to us of the light of the gospel that shines in Christian hearts, to show them the glory of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus – an experience of glory that can be momentary, but which lives in the heart forever.

We are reminded how experiences of true beauty and wonder in life are often transitory. They are not meant to be held or tamed or controlled. That doesn’t mean we don’t try – with cameras and mobile phones and recording devices and powerful words – but there is something ineffable about being in a moment and truly seeing with your whole self. It is humbling. Because we are left in no doubt that that moment is a gift. It isn’t ours to hold. It is to be received, and lived, with thanks.

In this week, we give thanks to God for glimpses of heaven - those moments that lift our hearts and change our lives, and we ask for attentive hearts – to pay attention so we may notice when those moments come.

With all my love and prayers, Rev’d Caroline From Heather: Telephone: 01285 712428 Email address: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please do phone or email me if you have any queries about anything and I will do my best to answer them.

Do please keep sending in your articles, photos and amusing stories!

Contacts: Rev’d Caroline 01285 712467 Rev’d Canon Denise Hyde 01285 713285 Mike Godsal 01285 713101 Christine Benzie 01285 713395 Jonathan Stebbing 01285 712131 Wendy Graham 01285 711765 Parish News: [email protected]

Please remember the following in your prayers:

Those that are ill: Rev’d David Gray, Helen Foxall, Grace Slack, Niall McDiarmid,

Those that have died: Alan Rogers, Janice Bevans, Betty Shaw, Denny Rawlinson

It is very sad that Denny Rawlinson died last week. She and Curwen were very much part of the St. Marys congregation. Tributes next week.

Betty Shaw This photo was taken at her 97th Birthday party last September (the last photo of her)

Here are some tributes to Betty:

David Lawrence said “When WW2 broke out Betty was living in the Irish Republic which remained neutral throughout the war. Betty decided that she must do what she could to help the Allied cause. She came to Britain and joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force over seventy years ago. There are many ex-RAF and WRAF personnel living in Fairford. Betty was the senior of them”

Linda Nicholls who was one of her carers had this lovely memory of her “Lady Croft (Betty). So many times Betty would introduce herself as Lady Croft to people she first met and wait to see their reaction. She made me laugh every time. Betty was amazing and a very kind lady always thinking of others. I will miss her very much RIP Lady Croft”

Carol Thompson remembers “Always had time to talk to everyone. She sat opposite Andy Cole (the Magician) at the 2017 Christmas Lunch and he thought she was wonderful as he had a very entertaining lunch”

Alison Hobson writes “I was very sorry to hear of the death of Mrs Shaw. As a newcomer to Fairford (20 years) I didn’t know her well, but we always chatted when we met. She had been a member of Fairford History Society since 2004 when it started and always took an interest in FHS and also in the Fairford Preservation Trust (now Fairford Community Voice) which her husband Dr Charlton Shaw founded in the 1960s. She could certainly tell some tales of ‘old Fairford’. One memory was that she donated to FHS a large purple piece of material said to be the handkerchief of John Keble. The only doubt of it being a handkerchief is that it is rather large and we wondered if it might have been a ceremonial item. It is one of FHS’s proudest possessions”

Claire Wilson (nee Veale) “I've known Betty all my life and Charlton was my Godfather and also my father's partner at the Surgery. Robert was part of our family as he was an only child. I've always kept in touch with Betty and even more so after Robert died. I saw her every time I came to Fairford and the last time was just before Christmas and spoke to her about 3 weeks ago. She knew she was dying slowly and I'm glad she went peacefully. She always admitted that she was a hypochondriac! My memories of her are always talking and her love of Ireland obviously and also Balmoral as she used to go up there with Charlton and Robert for fishing holidays. She loved Fairford and was very upset and sad when the Boutique as she called it shut. This was in fact the charity shop! I can't remember what she called the mobility scooter, something like the Red Baron! Her love of her 3 Grandchildren - Olivia and Henry, the twins and Seymour. She was so proud of them. It was wonderful that Olivia spent time with her last summer and again just before Christmas”

My memories are of an amusing incident waiting in the coach to return from Stratford Theatre with the Theatregoers many years ago. The only person missing from the coach was Charlton (Betty’s husband). Betty was pacing up and down the coach absolutely fuming. Eventually just as we were about to send out a search party – a rather flushed Charlton was seen walking from the pub by the car park to the coach. It took nearly all the journey home to pacify Betty (who had a carrying voice) and she kept the whole coach entertained with reprimanding Charlton! Along similar lines! The gardens in the Croft were open to the public one Sunday about sixteen years ago. I was doing the teas and when we had closed the gardens all those involved came to me for drinks. The phone rang and it was Betty – was Charlton with me? Yes I said come and have a drink. Certainly not she said but I want Charlton home and I am coming to get him. She arrived and insisted he goes home. If you knew Charlton he enjoyed company and wasn’t going to budge! I gave Betty a glass of wine… and sometime later they both staggered home!!! A wonderful lady. Heather

Betty’s Funeral – Several members of the St Mary’s community have expressed interest in attending Betty’s funeral, and I’m glad to say that Angela Shaw, Betty’s daughter in law, has confirmed that there will be a limited number of spaces available for people to attend. The funeral will be held at 2pm on Tuesday 16th February at St Mary’s, and if you would like to attend, please ring Angela on 07917 408672 to be added to the attendees list.

If you would like to pay your respects by gathering outside, that is also permitted, provided you wear face masks, and abide by social distancing requirements. The family requests no flowers, but donations to St. Mary’s c/o A Slade & Sons Funeral Directors in Betty’s memory would be gratefully received.

NOTICES

Ash Wednesday. There will be a live-streamed service through Facebook on Ash Wednesday, 17th February at the Cathedral at 4.30pm the link is https://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/worship/services/services-live-stream/

South Cotswolds Lent book 2021: Encounters: Jesus, connection and story: past, present and future, by Bishop Rachel Treweek

Our first session will be led by Bishop Rachel on Wednesday 24th February at 6:30pm

Subsequent discussions will be led by different members of the South Cotswolds Team each Wednesday at 6:30pm 3rd : 10th : 17th : 24th : 31st March at 6.30pm

ZOOM link available from John Swanton on [email protected] Books available from Amazon, Blackwells or all good Christian Bookshops

For those who can’t make Wednesday evenings, we are conducting a parallel group in Fairford on Thursdays at 3pm, beginning Thursday 18th February led by Rev’d Caroline, following the same reading pattern as the Wednesday group. Please contact Rev’d Caroline if you would like to attend this group and to receive the Zoom invitation.

Opening the Church Opening Hours: Monday to Friday the church will be open for private prayer 11am – 1pm. Weekends the church will be open for private prayer 12noon – 1pm. If you feel you’d like to help out to help us open longer through this lockdown period, please do contact Rev Caroline.

Online Prayer and Worship Caroline’s Morning Prayer every day except Friday and Sunday from 9.00 am, and Evening Prayer at 5pm on Sunday: www.facebook.com/stmarysfairford

Services from Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral has been offering high quality online services across this period of lockdown, and continues to do so. You can find their services on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DioceseofGloucester/videos

Pause and Reflect The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are issuing a call to the nation to pause and reflect to remember the more than 100,000 people across the UK who have died after contracting Covid-19 and all those who know and love them. They invite everyone across England – whether they have faith or not – to pause, reflect on the “enormity of this pandemic” and to pray at 6pm each day.

The Real Easter Eggs The Real Easter Egg is the chocolate egg that shares The Easter Story will not be available in supermarkets this year and we as a church will not be doing a bulk order. If you would like to order your own you can do so through their website www.realeasteregg.co.uk

Daily Hope from the Church of England A good option for worship if you can’t access the internet. It is a free phone number where you have the option of the prayer for today, hymn for today and reflections. Telephone 0800 804 8044 Sent by Andrena Miles.

Prayer Requests Our Prayer Team is still fully active, praying for the needs of individuals and our wider community. If you have a prayer request for the team, please email Rev Denise on [email protected].

Sunday Blue Reading Sheet - The February sheets are attached

Food bank The box is in the Church porch for all donations to the Food Bank. Open 10.00 am to 4.00 pm

Messy Church is still meeting at home and each week we write to our families with ideas and suggestions for having their own Messy Church. On Sunday, I am hoping for some thoughts on God's Love as it is St Valentine's Day. For further information or to join our mailing list please contact Sarah Bottomley on 01285712074 or [email protected]

From Ann Nicholls

O perfect Love, be now their full assurance of tender charity, and steadfast faith, Of patient Hope and quiet brave endurance, With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

O Lord, how we love you! To be in your presence, to be able to talk and share, to learn to listen is a privilege beyond words. You challenge and disturb us, inspire and still us, encourage and love us. May our faces always reflect your glory, and through our love for you may others catch a glimpse of the joy that you so freely give. We pray in Jesus name and for his glory. AMEN.

Sent in by a reader – this came from the Vicar of St. Andrews Church, Grafham

Snowdrops I think almost everybody loves snowdrops - whether it’s one or two in the garden or carpets of them as in this picture of Walsingham Abbey in Norfolk. Several gardens, such as Painswick Rococo Garden in Gloucestershire or Benington Lordship in Hertfordshire hold special ’snowdrop weekends’ which in normal years attract huge numbers of visitors. The RHS website says that snowdrops provide ‘welcome assurance that the brighter days of spring are on the way’.

Stories and legends about snowdrops abound and they have a wide variety of country names. ‘Fair Maid of February’ and ’Candlemas Bell’ refer to the time of flowering but also the religious symbolism bestowed on this simple flower. Other names, such as ‘Mary’s taper’ or ‘Mary’s festival of candles’ make more explicit the link with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Another name for Candlemas in addition to the feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple is that of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary’s purity is represented by the simplicity and colour of the flower and many of the earliest colonies of snowdrops occur near churches. One of the French names ‘perce-neige’ may be a reminder of the sword which Simeon said would pierce Mary’s heart (Luke 2:35). People often say how ‘brave’ snowdrops are, pushing through all the odds and Mary offers us a model of determination as well as faithfulness and hope.

Kate McIlhagga’s poem ‘A green heart’ expresses this sense of hope. Like the feast of Candlemas itself and Simeon’s words it offers a bridge between Christmas and Easter. I’ll leave you to make your own associations.

Into a dark world a snowdrop comes, a benison* of hope and peace, carrying with it a green heart, symbol of God’s renewing love. Come to inhabit our darkness Lord Christ, for dark and light are alike to you. Nature’s white candles of hope remind us of your birth and light our journey through Lent and beyond.

(from The Green Heart of the Snowdrop published by Wild Goose Publications) * benison means ‘blessing’.

Possibly today you might like to go outside and spend time looking at a single snowdrop. Maybe go out again as it begins to get dark - I was amazed the other evening how the white of our snowdrops almost shone like candles in the twilight. As you look at your snowdrop, perhaps reflect on God’s love and its renewing power. May this simple flower be a sign of hope for you especially in our present dark times.

A friend of a reader has come up with more details of the car pictured in last week’s Newsletter

The car is a De Dion Bouton and was made some time between 1899 and 1902. If I had to guess, I would say that this one was made in 1899. The model is “Vis-à-vis” (Eye to Eye) as the passengers faced the driver. There are still a number of them in existence today and they are very popular amongst the old car fraternity. The were made in Puteaux, a suburb of Paris. At the turn of the century, De Dion Bouton was the world’s most prolific car manufacturer.

With Shrove Tuesday coming up here is a:

Recipe for Banana Pancakes.

Turn overripe, blackened bananas into sweet and fluffy American-style pancakes. Serve with syrup and crunchy, toasted pecan nuts as a delicious brunch treat

Makes 12 Pancakes

Ingredients • 350g self-raising flour • 1 tsp baking powder • 2 very ripe bananas • 2 medium eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 250ml whole milk • butter, for frying

To serve • 2 just ripe bananas, sliced • maple syrup (optional) • pecan halves, toasted and roughly chopped (optional)

Sieve the flour, baking powder and a generous pinch of salt into a large bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, mash the very ripe bananas with a fork until smooth, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract and milk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, tip in the wet ingredients and swiftly whisk together to create a smooth, silky batter.

Heat a little knob of butter in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add 2-3 tbsp of the batter to the pan and cook for several minutes, or until small bubbles start appearing on the surface. Flip the pancake over and cook for 1-2 mins on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter, keeping the pancakes warm in a low oven.

Stack the pancakes on plates and top with the banana slices, a glug of sticky maple syrup and a handful of pecan nuts, if you like.

Twelve Commandments for Seniors! (from a reader who doesn’t wish to be named!)

1 - Talk to yourself. There are times you need expert advice. 2 - "In Style" are the clothes that still fit. 3 - You don't need anger management. You need people to stop annoying you. 4 - Your people skills are just fine. It's your tolerance for idiots that needs work. 5 - The biggest lie you tell yourself is, "I don't need to write that down. I'll remember it." 6 - "On time" is when you get there. 7 - Even duct tape can't fix stupid, but it sure does muffle the sound. 8 - It would be wonderful if we could put ourselves in the dryer for 10 minutes, then come out wrinkle-free and three sizes smaller! 9 - Lately, you've noticed people your age are so much older than you. 10 - Growing old should have taken longer. 11 - Aging has slowed you down, but it hasn't shut you up. 12 - You still haven't learned to act your age and hope you never will. And one more: "One for the road" means visiting the smallest room before you leave the house.

From Jane Pugh

Spotted this in Highbury C.F. Church newsletter

I was looking out of the bedroom window at an utterly bleak winter world - like today’s. The tall moor grasses were colourless, silent, still. “All dead,” I said to myself, “no life; just dead.” And then a hare silked its way out of the grass, hardly moving it, paused, listening - before loping off. Suddenly, both track and grasses were charged with the electricity of its warmth, its scent, its alertness to danger. “Life upon life is hidden.” it told me, “just waiting to emerge in the unpredictable moment.” © Wendy Jennings ‘Coming not Going’ 2019

and finally a laugh….

Vacationing in Hawaii, two priests decide to wear casual clothes so they won't be identified as clergy. They buy Hawaiian shirts and sandals, and soon head for the beach.

They notice a gorgeous blonde in a tiny bikini. "Good afternoon, Fathers" she says as she strolls by.

The men are stunned. How does she know they are clergy? Later that day, they buy even wilder attire consisting of surfer shorts, tie dyed T-shirts, and dark glasses.

The next day, they return to the beach. The same fabulous blonde, now wearing a string bikini, passes by, nods politely at them and says, "Good morning Fathers."

"Just a minute young lady," says one of the priests. "We are priests and proud of it, but how in the world did you know?"

The blonde replies, "Don't you recognize me? I'm sister Katherine from the convent."