The Parish of Acton ST MARY’S and ALL SAINTS
Rector The Revd Nick Jones 020 8992 8876 020 8993 0422 (parish office) [email protected] Twitter: @georgenewbrook
Associate Rector The Revd Dean Ayres 020 8992 9384 The Acorn [email protected]
Curate
The Revd Mary Spredbury 020 8995 8879
Facebook (www.facebook.com/stmaryacton).
Churchwardens Yvonne Kisiedu 020 8248 4891 Lara Hill
Other Church Officers PCC Secretary: Janet Coker Treasurer: Elizabeth Simpson June 2021 Stewardship Secretary: vacancy
Parish Secretary: Janet Coker Telephone: 020 8993 0422
Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.stmaryacton.org.uk Registered charity no. 1130252
‘An inclusive and progressive Christian community at the heart of The magazine is edited by Alan McCallum Acton reimagining our faith for the 21st century’ Items for inclusion in the June edition should be sent by email to [email protected] by 27th June
Services at St Mary’s Volume 25 No.6
Sunday Services at St Mary’s: CONTENTS
8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) Page 10.30am Sung Eucharist From the Associate Rector 5 Our Monthly Giving Project 6 Weekday Services at St Mary’s: Remembering the departed 7 Giving to the Church 7 11.00am Thursday: Holy Communion (BCP) From the registers 8 The London Kalender 9 Online Services in June: Some Diary Dates for June 10 Edward Cobden 11 9.00am Tuesday to Thursday A Prayer 12 Morning Prayer via Zoom Ealing Foodbank 12 St Columba 13 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82010686882?pwd=MFpGZ25vQzR uSTdxY0tLbjlIc1VZQT09 Daily Readings for June 15 St Etheldreda 16 12noon Monday to Wednesday 10 Minute Prayers on Facebook
www.facebook.com/stmaryacton
St Mary’s is open daily 10.30am. – 12.30pm.
From the Associate Rector Our Monthly Giving Project The Revd Dean Ayres
Christian Aid Dear friends, Usually at this time of year a group of us would be going for a walk We have just completed our annual remembrance of the great around churches in the City of London to raise funds for Christian Aid. drama of Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, and resurrection, leading to the Sadly, for the second year running, this isn’t possible but I very much ascension and the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Our services were hope the Circle the City walk will re-start next year. on-line throughout Lent, but the gradual opening-up of our society has felt Christian Aid’s message is everyone is equal in the sight of like Resurrection to me. I read an article in a newspaper last week talking God. For over 75 years, this truth has inspired us to stand together in about the mental health of the nation as we come out of lockdown. When solidarity with our most marginalised global neighbours, of all faiths and lockdown started, we went through a terribly difficult set of changes as none. many aspects of lives were taken away. Change is a significant source of Poverty is an outrage against humanity. It robs people of their stress, and the changes we are going through as lockdown is eased have dignity and lets injustice thrive. almost as much potential to cause stress as the changes of March We seek to eradicate extreme poverty by tackling its root causes. 2020. So be kind to yourselves, and to the people around you. It’s a joy Together with people living in poverty, we amplify our voices to speak to be able to meet people again, but some people will need more time truth to power and create lasting change. than others to feel comfortable doing so. The parish clergy are here to This year their current appeal is to raise funds for climate justice to support you. If you would like a chat, please contact us. assist those in the poorest communities who are most affected by climate During Lent this year we ran the Bible Course as a joint venture change. with St. Martin’s Church in West Acton. It was well-attended, and we This is the 75th year of Christian Aid – We work with local partners sensed a desire among the attendees to study the Bible in more depth. and communities to fight injustice, respond to humanitarian emergencies, Last month I ran a stand-alone session on Mark’s gospel, and this month campaign for change, and help people claim the services and rights they The Revd. Julia Palmer from St. Martin’s is offering an evening on the are entitled to. nd gospel of John on 22 June. The details of the evening are on our weekly service sheet. It’s open to everyone, not just those who attended There is more information on their website at: the Bible course. If you wish to come, drop me an email or WhatsApp https://www.christianaid.org.uk/ message, and I will send you the Zoom link directly. Best Wishes, Dean
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Remembering the departed
We remember all who have died and particularly those who suffered from the Covid-19 virus.
God of compassion, be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation. In their loneliness, be their consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope; in their darkness, be their light; If you would like more information about the Scheme or would through him who suffered alone on the cross, prefer to join using a paper form then please do speak to me or to our but reigns with you in glory, Treasurer, Elizabeth Simpson. Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Mary
Parish Giving Scheme
From the registers Like most churches, St Mary’s and All Saints were hit hard financially last year – we had virtually no income from our parish hall and lower rental income at All Saints as well as less at collections. 2nd May I realize that for many individuals it has also been a difficult year Admission to Holy Communion financially as well and, if you are one of those, I really don’t expect you to Ruby Wittingham consider starting or increasing your giving. However, if you are able to increase your regular giving or, if you 12th May are not currently giving regularly, are able to start doing so then that would Burial of ashes be hugely helpful at this time as we re-start church activities and also get Juliet Ebinezar on with some of the building repairs. The Parish Giving Scheme is a way to give monthly to St Mary’s 16th May and All Saints that is secure and easy – the Scheme is administered by Baptisms the Parish Giving Scheme which we have registered with and you can set Winnie Everett up a monthly direct debit with them – they will pass on the funds and any Joey Everett Gift Aid to us the same month as your gift. There is lots of information at www.parishgiving.org and our church number is 230623435 or you can search for Acton St Mary or use the QR code on page 8 to go straight to our page. 7 8
Alban was probably buried in the Roman cemetery now located by The London Kalender modern archaeological digs to the south of the present Cathedral. Alban is honoured as the first British martyr, and his grave on this hillside quickly became a place of pilgrimage. (from St Alban’s Cathedral website) th 4 William Juxon, Bishop of London, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1663 William Juxon was born in Chichester in 1582. He was educated at Merchant Taylors’ School and St John’s College, Oxford. When ordained Some Diary Dates for June he became Vicar of St Giles Church in Oxford. In 1627 he became Dean of Worcester and in 1633 was consecrated Bishop of London. As Chaplain to Charles I he attended him on the scaffold in 1649 to rd administer the last rites. Then, deprived of his bishopric, Juxon retired to 3 Corpus Christi th Gloucestershire. At the Restoration he became Archbishop of Canterbury 6 Environment Sunday th and officiated at the Coronation of Charles II. He was responsible for the 9 St Columba th restoration of Lambeth Palace. He died on this day in 1663. 11 St Barnabas th (c) The London Kalender 14 Refugee week begins 20th Fathers' Day and World Refugee Day 22nd Alban first martyr of Britain 23rd St Etheldreda St Alban’s story and the Cathedral built in his honour takes us 24th Birth of John the Baptist back to the beginning of the Christian faith in Britain. 26th Victims of Torture Alban is believed to have been a Romano-British citizen of the 29th SS Peter & Paul third century in the Roman city of Verulamium, in the valley below the present Cathedral. The earliest versions of his history say that he gave shelter to a stranger fleeing from persecution. This was a Christian priest, originally un-named but later called Amphibalus in the re-telling of the story. Alban was so moved by the priest’s faith and courage that he asked to be taught more about Christianity, then still a forbidden religion. Before long the authorities came to arrest the fugitive priest. But Alban, inspired by his new-found faith, exchanged clothes with
Amphibalus, allowing him to escape. Instead Alban was arrested and brought before the city magistrate. Alban refused to sacrifice to the emperor and the Roman gods. When asked to identify himself he declared: ‘I am called Alban and I worship and adore the true and living God, who created all things’. The magistrate ordered that Alban should receive the punishment due to the priest. He was brought out of the town and up the hillside to the site of execution where he was beheaded. Despite escaping, Amphibalus too was later arrested and martyred at Redbourn, a few miles away.
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Edward Cobden A Prayer
Edward Cobden was Rector of Acton from 1726 to 1764. He had God of compassion, been born in Haslemere in Surrey in 1683 and went to Trinity College, be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation. Oxford where he took a B.A. degree. He then went to King’s College, In their loneliness, be their consolation; Cambridge for his M.A. He then went back to Oxford for his B.D. and in their anxiety, be their hope; obtained his D.D. there in 1723. in their darkness, be their light; In 1721 he was appointed chaplain to the Bishop of Lincoln and through him who suffered alone on the cross, given the prebend of Erpingham, followed by the prebend of Buckden in but reigns with you in glory, 1726. He also became Rector of St Mary in Acton in 1726 and in 1727 he Jesus Christ our Lord. became a prebend at St Paul’s Cathedral together with the united Amen rectories of St Augustine and St Faith in the City of London. He was also Archdeacon of London from 1742 until his death. In 1730 he became chaplain to King George II. Unfortunately, for Ealing Foodbank Edward he preached to the king a sermon entitled “A Persuasive to Chastity”. Chastity not being a virtue of particular interest to the royal family at that time. It is sometimes thought this was the reason his The Ealing Foodbank is open and will welcome clients with referrals, chaplaincy to the king came to an end in 1748. Although he claimed he between 10am and 12noon, at St Mellitus Hall, 1 Church Rd, Hanwell could not live well on his income. W7 3BA on Edward Cobden wrote a large amount of poetry which he had to Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. publish at his own expense and this resulted in him incurring huge debts. NOTE - NOT WEDNESDAY Chambers General Biographical Dictionary says that “His poetical talents, That day is reserved for donations to be received, between 10am - 4pm. which he was fond of exercising, are not of the first rate.” During lockdown we will only be able to receive donations at our Central In 1749 he fell from his horse and this seriously impaired his Store in Hanwell on Wednesdays between 10am and 4pm. memory. Please check the website: In 1728 Edward had married Elizabeth the daughter of Thomas https://ealing.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/ Jessop who was Rector of Wells in Norfolk. Elizabeth died in 1762 and Edward followed in 1764 and both are buried in St Mary’s. Edward wrote an epitaph to his wife and this can be seen as you enter the church.
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Scottish mainland. There Conall, king of Dal Riata - who was probably St Columba also his kinsman - gave him the island of Iona, where he established his monastery. For the rest of his life he was the leading religious leader in Dal Riata, but he also maintained close links with northern Ireland and
played a part, as religious leaders often did, in political affairs. He is also St Columba, whose feast-day we celebrate on 9th June, was one said to have consecrated Conall’s successor as king, and to have of the great Irish saints of the early middle ages, famed above all for his travelled to the land of the Picts in eastern Scotland, converting the founding of the monastery of Iona. Columba, or Columcille as he is people and founding churches. commonly known in Ireland, died in 597, the year that St Augustine Columba’s departure from Ireland in 563 is customarily represented landed in Kent on a mission from Pope Gregory the Great. The as an act of expiation on his part: the synod’s censure may have been monastery flourished and when, in the early 630s, King Oswald of politically engineered, but it appears that Columba had a troubled Northumbria wanted a missionary to convert his people, it was to Iona that conscience about what had brought this about. Politically his departure he turned. In his eyes this was a major centre of the Celtic tradition of could be described as ‘exile’ but it is more usually set within the tradition Christianity into which he himself had been converted when in exile in the of ‘pilgrimage for the love of God’, peregrinatio pro amore Dei. This was a kingdom of Dal Riata, in what is now southwest Scotland. The powerful concept within the Celtic church: saints would let the waves take Northumbrian mission was headed by St Aidan, to whom Oswald granted them where God willed, and then, depending on the landfall, live out their Lindisfarne, which soon became another beacon of Christianity. lives as missionaries or hermits. Although, in 664 at the Synod of Whitby, the Northumbrian church decided to follow the traditions of the Roman church rather than the Celtic, Joyce Hill close contacts continued between the monasteries of both traditions. This fostered learning and manuscript production, giving us, for example, the Lindisfarne Gospels, whose illuminations draw upon Roman and Celtic art. Iona seems remote to us now, but in Columba’s lifetime and for centuries after it was in the middle of the highway of the sea, which offered easier travel than was then possible across land. The earliest account of Columba’s life was written by Adomnán, ninth abbot of Iona, who died in 704. It’s very much a saint’s life, Book 1 being devoted to his prophetic revelations, Book 2 to his miraculous powers, and Book 3 to various apparitions which were seen by Columba and those seen by other regarding Columba himself. But if we piece together the details that emerge from this and take account also of references in other texts, such as Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, we can work out that Columba was born round about 521 into a family that was the ruling dynasty of Donegal. He became a priest, studied under several teachers, and reputedly founded a number of churches and monasteries. But his life began to change in 561 when he took sides in a political dispute. This led to his censure at a synod convened by his family’s political opponents, and in 563 Columba left Ireland, heading for the
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Daily Readings for June St Etheldreda
Date Psalm 1st Reading 2nd reading Etheldreda is commemorated on 23rd June. She was probably 1st 5 Job 8 Romans 4:13-end born in Exning, near Newmarket in Suffolk. She was one of the four 2nd 119:1-32 Job 9 Romans 5:1-11 saintly daughters of Anna of East Anglia, 3rd 147 Deuteronomy 8:2-16 1 Corinthians 10:1-17 including Wendreda and Seaxburh of Ely, all of whom eventually retired 4th 19 Job 11 Rom. 6:1-14 from secular life and founded abbeys. 5th 23 Job 12 Rom. 6:15-end Etheldreda made an early first marriage in around 652 to 6th 36 Deut. 6:10-end Acts 22.2-23.11 Tondberct, chief or prince of the South Gyrwe. She managed to persuade 7th 30 Job 13 Rom. 7:1-6 her husband to respect her vow of perpetual virginity that she had made 8th 36 Job 14 Rom. 7:7-end prior to their marriage. Upon his death in 655, she retired to the Isle of 9th 34 Job 15 Rom. 8:1-11 Ely, which she had received from Tondberct as a morning gift. 10th 37 Job 16.1-17.2 Rom 8:12-17 Etheldreda was subsequently remarried for political reasons in 11th 100 Jeremiah 9:23-24 Acts 4:32-end 660, this time to Ecgfrith of Northumbria, who was fourteen or fifteen at 12th 42 Job 18 Rom. 8:32-end the time. Shortly after his accession to the throne in 670, Etheldreda 13th 42 Deut. 10.12-11.3 Acts 23:12-35 wished to become a nun. This step possibly led to Ecgfrith's long quarrel 14th 44 Job 19 Rom. 9:1-18 with Wilfrid, bishop of York, who was her spiritual counsellor. One account 15th 48 Job 21 Rom. 9:19-end relates that while Ecgfrith initially agreed Etheldreda should continue to 16th 119:57-80 Job 22 Rom. 10:1-10 remain a virgin, about 672 he appealed to Wilfrid for the enforcement of 17th 57 Job 23 Rom. 10:11-end his marital rights as against Etheldreda's religious vocation. The bishop 18th 51 Job 24 Rom. 11:1-12 succeeded at first in persuading the king to consent that Etheldreda 19th 68 Job 25 & 26 Rom. 11:13-24 should live for some time in peace as a sister of the Coldingham nunnery, 20th 48 Deut. 11:1-15 Acts 27:1-12 founded by his aunt, Æbbe of Coldingham. Eventually, in light of the 21st 71 Job 27 Rom. 11:25-end danger of being forcibly carried off by the king, Etheldreda then fled back 22nd 73 Job 28 Rom. 12:1-8 to the Isle of Ely with two nuns as companions. They managed to evade 23rd 77 Job 29 Rom. 12:9-end capture, thanks in part to the rising of the tide. 24th 50 Malachi 3:1-6 Luke 3:1-17 Another version of the legend related that she halted on the 25th 55 Job 31 Romans 13:8-end journey at 'Stow' and sheltered under a miraculously growing ash 26th 76 Job 32 Romans 14:1-12 tree which came from her staff planted in the ground. Stow came to be 27th 56 Deut. 15:1-11 Acts 27:33-end known as 'St Etheldred's Stow', when a church was built to commemorate 28th 80 Job 33 Romans 14:13-end this event. It is more likely that this 'Stow' actually refers to another fair, 29th 71 Isaiah 49:1-6 Acts 11:1-18 near Threekingham. Ecgfrith later married Eormenburg and expelled 30th 119:105-128 Job 39 Rom. 15:14-21 Wilfrid from his kingdom in 678. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Etheldreda founded a double monastery at Ely in 673, which was later destroyed in the Danish invasion of 870.
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