Mickleton Parish MAGAZINE FEBRUARY

An exam for R.E. asked the following question: ‘What does a Bishop do?’

Came one answer: ‘Move diagonally

church services at st Lawrence church FEBRUARY 2021 are not available - please look on notice boards for information

Welcome to Our February Edtion

We hope that you are all keeping well as possible in these strange times, and that you are able to see at least some of your loved ones occasionally .

This is our February issue, with lots of material that is sure to kick -start your magazine into February-themed stories such as Valen- tine’s Day and Lent.

May God bless you and keep you in the months ahead. He alone is our refuge and strength when times get tough. May we continue to do our work for Him in the grace which He alone can provide.

Stay safe and stay alert - Warm wishes from

Your Editors - Niki and Phil

When is spring sprung? To live is to grow and to flourish

There is a philosophic puzzle, called the Sorites paradox, which wonders how many grains of sand are required to distinguish a heap of sand from a pile of individual sand grains. Logic suggests that if individual grains are added one by one there must be a precise point when the individual grains suddenly becomes a heap of sand. Asking the question when has spring begun or arrived is a similar sort of question.

On our daily exercise trips outside the house we can delight in noticing the signs of spring; the first snowdrops, the first daffodils. Bulbs are emerging from the soil. The birds’ plumage is becoming brighter. At this time of year and over the next couple of months the changes come quick and fast. These first changes are prescient of the things to come. They remind us better times are coming. The days are getting longer, the sun is getting stronger, slowly surely spring is coming and nothing can stop it.

One day, this lockdown and this dreadful epidemic will be past. The longing for the end of lockdown and the pandemic is not dissimilar to the desire we have for Jesus’ return, which we reflect on during Advent. In Advent we look forward to Jesus’ return and the justice, mercy and peace he will bring. This promise can comfort us; despite what we experience in the present we have a hope for the future. During Epiphany we ponder what God becoming flesh means for us and the world. We discover that our extraordinary God transforms ordinary lives. We seek to live out our ‘Everyday Faith,’ as we live lives shaped by our hope for the future. In Lent (which starts on the 17th February) we open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit through discipline, study, prayer and sacrificial giving. We invite him to shape us and form us. We earnestly aspire that we would draw closer to Christ, that we would become more Christ-like because of the hope we hold. Our response to Jesus is not static; to grow and to flourish are marks of spiritual health. The seasons delightfully repeat their cycle throughout the years but the good news of Jesus is that this is not true for us. We are travelling towards a time when we shall know God completely. Not in a mirror darkly but face to face (cf 1 Corinthains 13: 12). A few words from Morning Prayer in Advent,

“As we look for your coming this day, open our eyes to behold your presence and strengthen our hands to do your will that the world may rejoice (and sing your praise).

These words are appropriate for spring as we see and notice the change of the seasons. Slowly, day by day spring is emerging in the fields and gardens all around us. We can let this time act as a reminder that we are promised that things will get better. A time is coming when God will dwell with his people, when there will be no more mourning, crying and pain (cf Revelation 21: 3 and 4). How do we welcome Jesus into our homes, families and community? How do we live out our faith in the everyday, in the ordinary things of life? This month and this spring may we notice God all around us; may our faith impact the choices we make this day and month; may our lives echo the silent music of creation’s praise. Every blessing Revd Craig

“Opening Our Lives” is a book of practical daily devotional readings looking at how we can open up our lives to God that we will be following this Lent.

The book focuses on a different theme of opening our lives each week: opening our eyes to God’s presence, our ears to his call, our hearts to his love, our ways to his will, our actions to his compassion and our pain to his peace.

The author wrote the book during lockdown and each short reflection is rooted in his own experience and ob- servations. He aims to inspire people to find God at challenging times by taking a fresh approach to Lent. Trystan says, “Through writing Opening Our Lives I want to inspire readers to find God in every part of their lives - in moments of quiet, in walks in the countryside, in time spent with family, in work or hobbies, and even in watching TV in the evening.”

Lent is not simply a time to ‘give up’ things but it can instead be a time to ‘open up’ - as we open up our own lives, as well as the lives of those around us, to God’s peace, hope, joy, and compassion.

The book is endorsed by the Archbishop of Wales, John Davies. He says, “Trystan offers material for each day of Lent through to Easter, drawing on literature, theology, scripture and easily appreciated events from his own daily life and the lives of others. I thank him for the work he has done to provide such an accessible, stimulating and refreshing resource and I am happy to recommend it as a Lenten read for both individuals and groups.”

Do your days rush by at a hectic pace?

Have you ever stopped to think that your mobile phone and emails have not given you more time? Just more things to do in the same amount of time.

We leave our messages in one place while we take our bodies elsewhere. Instead of doing one thing after another, we shoot out a variety of tasks, and then swoop down on them later, needing to deal with them all at once.

In a four-minute clip from a street scene from an old Orson Welles film and a similar clip from a more recent film, you will see an amazing difference. In the early film, the camera records ‘real time’ – people get out of their cars, walk across streets, wait for lights, speak to other people, enter a bank. In the more recent film, a similar sequence was reduced to ahalf a dozen quick cuts. Transition time was eliminated.

Modern life teaches us that ‘down time’ is wasted. Time is money. So mobile phones, emails, etc, enable us to ‘waste’ less time. The tempo of cultural life picks up, the heartbeat of daily life races, and our own body rhythms respond with adrenaline, cramped muscles and heart attacks.

To take time out for daily prayer, for a quiet walk that is not to the next meeting, for daydreaming or for Bible study becomes a cross-cultural act. Following Christ, waiting on Him, is a countercultural act.

One lovely biblical phrase is ‘in the fullness of time, it came to pass’. This suggests four things: that time crests like a wave; that there is a right moment for things to happen; that it’s not ours to plan that moment, but to recognise it; and that we are not the primary agents of what happens in the world.

So, feel free to accept God’s offer of rest when you are weary; receive each moment of your life as a gift from God’s hand; pray to discern what each new encounter you make requires of you, and freely entrust everything else to God’s care.

Update on Mickleton Post Office and Stores

The Post office in Mickleton closed on December 30th and the Village Stores on January 16th. Efforts are still being made to bring some form of mobile Post Office to the village , however there is a shortage of necessary vehicles and qualified personnel to operate this service at the current time.

Stamps can be purchased from the King George’s Hall on Wednesday and Friday morning, continuing throughout the lock down and on-going.

The Village shop and Post Office as it was in 1912, when it was owned by two brothers, Frank and Herbert Kinchin.

In the doorway is Frank with his wife and their daughter, Mary

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Your Parish Magazine deliverer should by now have called on you to collect the £5 magazine subscription for 2021 If you’ve not yet paid please contact Niki on the e mail address below

If you prefer a downloadable version rather than the hard copy, please e mail your address to:

[email protected] We will send you details and you can pay on-line and you will then automatically receive the magazine in your e mail in-tray *This will be the final edition you receive if no pay- ment has been made* Also would you please spread around about the magazine and get others to contact us to ensure they receive ongoing copies

Back copies of this magazine can be found on www.king-georges-hall-mickleton.co.uk

Cheques for the subscription are to be payable to PCC Mickleton.

FeB 3 Anskar – the busy evangelist

Anskar (801-865) should be the patron saint of any Christian who loves doing mission… and who dis- covers that evangelists meet the most amazing people, and that their lives are full of surprises….

It was the 9th century, and Anskar had grown up in a noble family in Amiens. He decided to forsake it all in order to become a monk. It may have sounded dull to his non-Christian acquaintances, but it opened a life of international adventure and a lasting achievement that has affected millions down the centuries.

Anskar began by going to Picardie and becoming a monk. Soon he felt called to Corvey (Westphalia) where he began apostolic work – or in modern par- lance, evangelism and church planting. But that was just the start. For here Anskar met the king of Denmark (as one does). King Harold was in temporary exile, and during his stay in Westphalia, had become a Christian. When the time came, he persuaded Anskar to return to Denmark with him, and under his royal patronage to evangelise Denmark. The trip was a success, and then in 832 Anskar was made Bishop of Hamburg.

When the Vikings sacked Hamburg in 845, another unexpected opportunity came Anskar’s way. The Pope made him archbishop of both Hamburg and Bremen, with some responsibility over Denmark, Norway and Sweden. It was an enormous job, but Anskar was up to it. He seems to have worked around the clock – establishing schools, giving great sums to the poor, and preach- ing the Gospel at every opportunity. Somehow, he even found time to tackle the Viking slave-trade, and somewhat di- minish this cruel practice.

But Anskar’s most lasting success was as a Christian mis- sionary to Denmark, whose patron he became. It is said that he dressed austerely, ate only simple food, and added short personal prayers to each psalm in his psalter, thus contributing to a form of devotion that soon became widespread. He died and was buried at Bremen.

7 31st

Christian Aid report surveys climate breakdown

A new report by Christian Aid, Counting the cost 2020: a year of climate breakdown, has identified 15 of the most destructive climate disasters of the year.

Ten of those events cost $1.5 billion or more, with nine of them causing damage worth at least $5 billion. Most of these estimates are based only on in- sured losses, meaning the true financial costs are likely Storm Ciara to be higher.

Among them is Storm Ciara which struck the UK, Ireland and other European countries in February costing, $2.7 billion and killing 14. The UK’s Environment Agency issued 251 flood warnings.

While the report focuses on financial costs, which are usually higher in richer countries because they have more valuable property, some extreme weather events in 2020 were devastating in poorer countries, even though the price tag was lower. South Sudan, for ex- ample, experienced one of its worst floods on record, which killed 138 people and destroyed the year’s crops.

Some of the disasters hit fast, like Cyclone Amphan, which struck the Bay of Ben- gal in May and caused losses valued at $13 billion in just a few days. Other events unfolded over months, like floods in China and India, which had an estimated cost of $32 billion and $10 billion respectively.

Six of the ten most costly events took place in Asia, five of them associated with an unusually rainy monsoon. And in Africa, huge locust swarms ravaged crops and vegetation across several countries, causing damages estimated at $8.5 billion. The outbreak has been linked to wet conditions brought about by unusual rains fuelled by climate change.

Alex But the impact of extreme weather was felt all over the world. In Eu- rope, two extra-tropical cyclones, Ciara and Alex, had a combined cost of almost $6 billion. And the US suffered from both a record- breaking hurricane season and a record-breaking fire season add- ing up to more than $60 billion in damages.

Alex

Some less populated places also suffered the consequences of a warming world. In Siberia, a heat wave during the first half of the year set a record in the city of Verkhoyansk, with temperatures Heatwave in the Arctic Circle city of Verkhoyansk reaching 38°C. A few months later, on the other side of the world, heat and drought drove the fires in Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. While there were no human casualties reported from these events, the destruction of these areas has a great impact on biodiversity and the planet’s capacity to respond to a warmer world. Fires in South America and Christian Aid says that: “These Australia extreme events highlight the need for urgent climate action. The Paris Agreement, which set the goal of keeping temperature rise ‘well below’ 2°C, and ideally 1.5°C, compared to pre- industrial levels, has just turned five years old. It is critical that countries commit to bold new targets ahead of the next climate conference, which will take place in Glas- gow, in November 2021.”

FEBRUARY AT ST. LAWRENCE’S, MICKLETON UJp-to-date details on Church Opening can be found via the church web-site

https:// www.stjameschurchcampden.co.uk/ mickletonparish.htm

You can also find short videos from the Vicar Revd Craig reflect- ing on various aspects of faith and lockdown on the web-site Services at St Lawrence February 2021

Due to the latest Government restrictions it has been decided to close St Lawrenece Church. Please look on local noticeboards for any change to these conditions

ST LAWRENCE CHURCH

CO-ORDINATORS FOR - Treasurer Richard Day 01386 438279 Bells David Clark 01386 438785 Flowers Janet Barlow 01386 430183 Ministry of Welcome } Anne Clifford 01386 438695 Coffee & Biscuits }

Parish Magazine Editor Phil and Niki Britt 01386 430175 Adverts Edward Stowe 01386 858900

Feb 4th Phileas – brave bishop and martyr of Egypt When did you first encounter Christianity? If it was as an adult, then Phileas is a saint for you. His life shows that Truth matters, whenever you encounter it, but is also a warning that you need to count the cost of becoming a Christian.

Phileas was a rich man living in Egypt at the end of the third century, when he first met Christians. Highly educated, he did not convert quickly, but instead studied their Gospels, and also at least part of the New Testament. Only then did he conclude that Jesus was indeed the Son of God.

It was good that Phileas had done his research and was firm in his faith, because after his conversion, events came thick and fast. In those pressured times, the Church hadn’t the luxury of long training programmes for leaders, and so Phileas was chosen to be bishop of his city in the Thebaid, a desert region of ancient Egypt.

Sadly, the new bishop hardly ever had a chance to pastor his flock. Soon after his consecration at Alexandria in 303, Phileas was arrested under the edicts of the Roman emperor Diocletian. He spent the next three years in prison, deeply moved by the willing martyrdoms of other Christians around him. Finally, in 306, it was Phileas’ turn. He faced the questioning of the prefect, Culcianus, who could not fathom why such a previously wealthy man had thrown his life away to follow some (long dead?) carpenter from Galilee.

Phileas’ strength now was that he really knew what the Bible said. And so when questioned about Jesus’s divinity, he replied that “… He performed the works of God in power and actuality… He cleansed lepers, made the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the dumb speak, He drove demons from His creatures at a command; He cured paralytics, raised the dead to life, and performed many other signs and wonders.”

Still Culcianus urged him to save his life, by sacrificing to the gods. Phileas again had a biblical answer ready. Paraphrasing St Paul, he said that the sacrifices which God requires are “a pure heart, a spotless soul and spiritual perceptions which lead to deeds of piety and justice…” Pressed one final time, he replied “I have reflected many times, and this is my decision.” And so, he was led out and beheaded.

CINEMA showings at King geoRge’s hall Government restrictions allowing, King George's Hall Rural Cinema will show a different film every week on Thursdays at 2.30 pm throughout March Tickets £4.50 can be purchased in advance from the Hall on Wednesday or Friday mornings between 10 am and noon, or purchased on the door The King George's Hall is operating new entrance and exit procedures and the main room is regularly "fogged" with V2 Antiviral disinfectant in line with completely revised KGH risk assessments, plus all other necessary social distancing and sanitization requirements. Future cinema performances will be:- (See Mickleton Notice Board on Facebook or www.king-georges-hall-mickleton.co.uk for latest info

Thursday March 4th The Good Liar at 2.30 p.m.

Thursday March 11th Parasite at 2.30 p.m.

Thursday March 18th Radioactive at 2.30 p.m.

Thursday March 25th Dark Waters at 2.30 p.m.

Thursday April 1st Stage Mother at 2.30 p.m.

Thursday April 8th Ad Astra at 2.30 p.m.

UNLESS GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS CHANGE - NO FILMS IN FEBRUARY

MICKLETON PARISH COUNCIL Vacancy for a

Parish Councillor

Applications are invited for a Parish Councillor

to serve with Mickleton Parish Council

Please send your application, in writing giving brief details to

The Clerk, Mickleton Parish Council,

The Parish Office, King George’s Hall, Chapel Lane, Mickleton, GL55 6SD. King George’s Hall Mickleton A.G.M. Friday February 12th at 7.30 pm For ZOOM link e mail [email protected]

JM DIXON CHARITY

The above Charity invites applications for Grants from Organisations within the Ecclesiastical Parish of Mickleton, Gloucestershire.

Interested parties should be able to demonstrate clearly an involvement in the advancement of education in literature, the arts, science, technology, physical education or domestic economics.

Applications in writing should be accompanied by a Certfied Statement of the accounts and sent to the Trustees:-

c/o Mrs Karen Smith at

32, Nursery Close, Mickleton, Gloucestershire GL55 6TX

To be received by March 31st 2021 By Order of the Trustees

FeB 14th valentine’s day MysteRy

There are two confusing things about this day of romance and anonymous love-cards strewn with lace, cupids and ribbon: firstly, there seems to have been two different Valentines in the 4th century – one a priest martyred on the Flaminian Way, under the emperor Claudius, the other a bishop of Terni martyred at Rome. And neither seems to have had any clear connection with lovers or courting couples. So why has Valentine become the patron saint of romantic love? By Chaucer’s time the link was assumed to be because on these saints’ day -14th February – the birds are supposed to pair. Or perhaps the custom of seeking a partner on St Valentine’s Day is a surviving scrap of the old Roman Lupercalia festival, which took place in the middle of February. One of the Roman gods honoured during this Festival was Pan, the god of nature. Another was Juno, the goddess of women and marriage. During the Lupercalia it was a popular custom for young men to draw the name of a young unmarried woman from a name-box. The two would then be partners or ‘sweethearts’ during the time of the celebrations. Even modern Valentine decorations bear an ancient symbol of love – Roman cupids with their bows and love- arrows. There are no churches in England dedicated to Valentine, but since 1835 his relics have been claimed by the Carmelite church in Dublin. Feb 14th A Legend

The Roman Emperor Claudius II needed soldiers. He suspected that marriage made men want to stay at home with their wives, instead of fighting wars, so he outlawed marriage.

A kind-hearted young priest named Valentine felt sorry for all the couples who wanted to marry, but who couldn’t. So secretly he married as many couples as he could – until the Emperor found out and con- demned him to death. While he was in prison await- ing execution, Valentine showed love and compassion to everyone around him, including his jailer. The jailer had a young daughter who was blind, but through Valentine’s prayers, she was healed. Just before his death in Rome on 14th February, he wrote her a farewell message signed ‘From your Valentine.’

So, the very first Valentine card was not between lovers, but between a priest about to die, and a little girl, healed through his prayers.

14th FeB st valentine’s day – a poem St Valentine’s Day, many believe, was named after one or more Christian martyrs and was established by Pope Gelasius 1 in 496 AD. Valentine of Rome was martyred about 269, and this day usually ‘belongs’ to him.

The first recorded association of Valentine Day with romantic love (1382) is from Geoffrey Chaucer. He wrote, ‘For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.’ This poem was in

honour of the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. Valentine Day is referred to by Ophelia in Hamlet (1600-1601).

To-morrow is St Valentine’s day All in the morning betime And I a maid at your window To be your Valentine.

The modern mention of Valentine’s Day can be found in a collection of English nursery rhymes (1784):

The rose is red, the violet’s blue The honey’s sweet, and so are you. Thou are my love and I am thine I drew thee to my Valentine. St. Valentine, died in the 3rd century in Rome and bore the name of one or two legendary Christian martyrs whose lives seem to be historically based. Although the Roman Catholic Church continues to recognize St. Valentine as a saint of the church, he was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969 because of the lack of reliable information about him. He is the patron saint of lovers, epileptics, and beekeepers.

By some accounts, St. Valentine was a Roman priest and physician who suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Christians by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus about 270. He was buried on the Via Flaminia, and Pope Julius I reportedly built a basilica over his grave. Other narratives identify him as the bishop of Terni, Italy, who was martyred, apparently also in Rome, and whose relics were later taken to Terni. It is possible these are different versions of the same original account and refer to only one person.

According to legend, St. Valentine signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and healed from blindness. Another common legend states that he defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war.

ROMANTIC VALENTINE’S DAY QUOTES “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” — Harry, When Harry Met Sally

“The single most extraordinary thing I’ve ever done with my life is fall in love with you. I’ve never been seen so completely, loved so passionately and protected so fiercely.” — Beth Pearson, This Is Us

"You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imper- fect person perfectly." — Sam Keen

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." — Helen Keller

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." — Aristotle

"Gravity cannot be held responsible for people falling in love." — Albert Ein- stein

"Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worth- while." — Franklin P. Jones

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind." — William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

“You are my sun, my moon, and all my stars.” — E.E. Cummings

“You are my greatest adventure.” — Mr. Incredible, The Incredibles

"There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgot- ten. But I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough." — Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

“When you're a kid, you assume your parents are soulmates. My kids are gonna be right about that.” — Pam, The Office

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." — Charles M. Schulz

“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” ― Oscar Wilde

WHAT TO SPOT IN THE FEBRUARY SKIES

Special Events February 18th - The reddish “star” above the Moon is the planet Mars and above them is the Pleiades February 19th - to the left of the First Quarter Moon you’ll find Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster, while to its right lie the Pleiades and the Red Planet Mars. This month or soon after three ambitious space missions should reach Mars NASA’s Perseverance rover will find and cache rocks that may bear traces of life to be returned to Earth by a future mission. It also carries a miniature helicopter for aerial surveys. China is sending both an orbiter and a small rover, while the United Arab Emirates’ Hope mission will survey the atmosphere from orbit. The Exomars mission, originally planned to land this month, has been delayed fot two years. It has a Russian fixed base and a European rover intended to search for life on the planet. The Red Planet pretty much has February’s dark hours to itself, brightening up the south-western sky until it sets around 1.15 a.m. The two outermost planets of the solar system lie to the lower right of Mars. Neptune sets about 7.30 p.m. while the slightly brighter Uranus sinks below the horizon around midnight. On the first couple of nights of February you may catch Mercury very low in the south-west setting about 6 p.m. before it swings between us and the sun to reappear in the morning sky in the last week of the month. Here Mercury joins the Solar System’s two giants, which emerge from the Sun’s glare at the end of February. To the left is brilliant Jupiter while Mercury lies in the middle and Saturn to the right. The trio of planets rise around 6 a.m. while Venus lies too close to the Sun to be easily seen this month.

The winter star patterns Orion, Taurus and Gemini are drifting westward, as a result of our annual orbit around the Sun. Imagine you’re whirling round on a fairground carousel and looking out around you. At times you spot the ghost train, sometimes you see the roller-coaster and then you swing past the can- dy-floss stall. So it is with the sky, as we circle our local star, we get to see different stars and constellations with the changing seasons. February’s Constellation Crowned by Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, Canis Major is the larger of Orion’s two hunting dogs. He is represented as chasing Lepus the Hare, a very faint constellation below Orion, but his main quarry is Taurus the Bull. Take a line from Sirius through Orion’s Belt and you’ll spot the celestial bo- vine on the other side. Arabian astronomers accorded great importance to Canis Major, while the Indians regarded both cosmic dogs, Canis Minor lies to the left of Orion, as being ‘watchdogs of the Milky Way’ which runs between the 2 constellations. To the right of Sirius is the star Mirzam. Its Arabic name means the Announc- er, because the presence of Mirzam heralded the appearance of Sirius, one of the heaven’s most venerated stars. Just below Sirius is the beautiful star cluster M41. This lovely grouping of around a hun- dred young stars, 2300 light years away, is easily visible through bin- oculars and even to the unaided eye. It’s rumoured that the Greek philosopher Aristotle, in 325 BC, called it ’a cloudy spot’, the ear- liest descrip- tion of a deep -sky object. love is….?

As we mark Valentines’ Day this month, it’s good to ask the question: what does real love look like?

The Apostle Paul says: ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dis- honour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’ (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8).

Love is unconditional: At heart, love is not just feelings but action! Paul talks here about unconditional love, using the word agape, which demonstrated in God’s love for us: ‘We love, because He first loved us.’ (1 John 4:19).

Love is forgiving: According to the film Love Story, ‘Love means never having to say you’re sorry.’ This is rarely true in our experience! According to Paul, love is being ready to forgive others and ‘keeping no record of wrongs’ (5). We can only forgive others because we know God forgiveness in our own lives. Love is sacrificial: Paul says that agape love is not selfish or self-seeking, but selfless and self- sacrificial, putting the needs of other people first. This is modelled by Jesus giving His life for us on the cross. Take the words from 1 Corinthians and instead of the word love, substitute your own name. Now substitute the word Jesus. This is the Jesus who is available to you to make your love for others grow and flourish.

Someone once compared love being like a group of porcupines hud- dling together on a cold night. The closer they get, the more they jab and hurt each other. ‘To love at all is to be vulnerable.’ (C S Lewis).

THE NEW TENNIS COURTS/MUGA AND FITNESS EQUIPMENT

The contractors began laying tarmac during the week immediately preceding Christmas and then after the holiday, sank the holes for the court fencing posts. The project is still on course for a mid to late February completion

7 8

Engraved in the Memory - Churches not to miss 35 Truro Cathedral

The Diocese of Truro was established in December 1876, and its first bishop, Edward White Benson, was con- secrated on 25 April 1877 at St Paul's Cathedral.

Construction began in 1880 to a design by the leading Gothic Revival architect John Loughborough Pearson. Truro was the first Anglican cathedral to be built on a new site in England since Salisbury Cathedral in 1220. It was built on the site of the 16th- century parish church of St Mary the Virgin, a building in the Perpendicular style with a spire 128 feet (39 m) tall. The final services in St Mary's were held on Sunday 3 October 1880 and the church was demolished that month, leaving only the south aisle, which was retained to serve as the parish church. From 24 October 1880 until 1887 a temporary wooden building on an adjacent site served as the cathedral. The seats were free and unappropriated, accommodated fewer than 400 people and was extremely hot in summer and cold in winter. It was in this building that Benson introduced the new evening service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve, 1880.

The choir and transepts were complete by Octo- ber 1887. The service of consecration took place on 3 November, performed by E. W. Ben- son, by then Archbishop of Canterbury. His suc- cessor as Bishop of Truro, George Wilkinson, and twenty other bishops were also present, together with civic representatives and diocesan clergy, and about 2,000 other people. The central tower was finished by 1905 and the building was completed with the opening of the two western towers in 1910. J. L. Pearson died in 1897 and his son Frank took over the project. Frank Loughborough Pearson's other works include St Matthew's, Auckland in New Zealand, a reduced ver- [ sion of Truro Cathedral. Pearson's design combines the Early English style with certain French characteristics, chiefly spires and rose windows. Its resemblance to Lincoln Ca- thedral is not coincidental; Pearson had been ap- pointed as Lincoln Cathedral's architect and the first Bishop of Truro, Edward Benson, had previously been Canon Chancellor at Lincoln. The central tower and spire stands 250 feet (76 m) tall, while the western towers reach to 200 feet (61 m). Four kinds of stone were used: Mabe granite for the exterior, and St Stephen's granite for the inte- rior, with dressings and shafts of Bath and Polyphant stone. The spires and turret roofs are of stone, except for a copper spire over the bell tower at west end of St Mary's Aisle. The other roofs are of slate. The cathedral is vaulted throughout. Nathaniel Hitch was responsible for the decorative sculpture, including the reredos.

The original south aisle of St Mary's Church survives, incorpo- rated into the south-east corner of the cathedral and known as St Mary's Aisle. It still functions as the city centre's parish church. Three brasses were described by Ed- win Dunkin in 1882: those of Cuthbert Sydnam (1630), Thomas Hasell (1567) and George Fitzpen, rector of the parish. As the cathedral is dedicated to the Blessed Vir- gin Mary, it has no Lady Chapel. A Jesus Chapel and the Chapel of Unity and Peace are reserved for quiet and prayer throughout the day. There was no chapter house until 1967 when the opportunity to enlarge the building on the south-east arose. The architect of the new building was John Taylor.

Upon the foundation of Truro Cathedral the bishop was authorised to establish honorary canonries which Dr, Benson did; these numbered 24. In 1878 a new act of Parliament authorised the bishop to establish residentiary canonries; in 1882 an existing canonry was transferred to Truro from Exeter whose income enabled the provision of two canonries at Truro. In 1906 the office of sub-dean was endowed; the bishop was also the dean (at least until 1925). This was the position until it became possible to fund the office of Dean. The Victorian acts of Parliament which apply to the cathedral are the Bishopric of Truro Act, 1876; the Truro Chapter Act, 1878; and an act to amend the latter. Preach- ing duties in the cathedral are shared out among the bishop, residentiary canons and honorary canons.

The Royal Maundy Service was held in the cathedral in 1994 when Elizabeth II presented 134 Cornish people with the traditional Maundy money.

In 2002 the cathedral embarked on what was hoped to be a fifteen-year project to restore the east end, the west front and the central tower and spire. Each of the projects would be undertak- en as funds allowed. The east end restoration repaired stonework and damage to the iron work on the stained glass windows. From 2004, a year-long project saw the restoration of the massive west front and

towers. In 2009 and 2010 work on the

central tower and spire began.

Restoration work is being carried out by W. R. Bedford; Stuart Aston, managing director, said that the problem is the Bath Stone used on the

the more decorative areas of the cathedral, has not stood up well to the salts and sand in the maritime climate of Cornwall. Erosion of the stonework has left much of the exposed stonework in such a damaged condition that it resembles honeycomb. Funding for the restoration of the tower and spire has been partly met by grants from English Heritage, Friends of Tru- ro Cathedral, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Tanner Trust, the cathedral itself and by public subscription. The "Save Our Spire" campaign has raised nearly £50,000 towards the cost.

The Father Willis organ of 1887 is widely regarded as one of the finest instruments in the country. "It is not easy, even today, to think how the magnifi- cence of the Willis organ in Truro Cathedral could be im- proved" wrote W. L. Sumner in his 1952 book The Organ. It was built in 1887 in London and arrived in Cornwall by boat. It has an almost identical specification to the organ he built a year earlier for the then parish church of St Michael, Coven- try (later Coventry Cathedral). Both instruments have the standard Willis hallmarks — tierce mixtures on Great and Swell, characterful gedackts on the Choir, and a small but telling pedal division.

Apart from the addition of the electric blower in the 1920s, no major work was done until 1963, when the grandson of the original builder carried out a conservative restoration, at a cost of some £17,000. Before this time, the organ console was situated high up within the main case of the instrument, necessitating a walk of two or three minutes up a spiral staircase in the North Transept. The action was a mixture of Barker lever, pneumatic and tracker. There were very few playing aids and contact between the organist and choir, some 40 feet (12 m) below, must have been almost impossible. In 1963, the organ committee decided to keep the original tonal scheme and voicing, and move the console over on to the south side in a new gallery placed above the choir stalls to a design by the architect John Phillips. Here the organist can hear the instrument properly, and maintain close contact with the choir.

The other main organ in the cathedral is a two-manual instrument in St Mary's aisle, the sole remnant of the former parish church. It was originally built by Renatus Harris and was installed in Truro in 1750 by John Byfield. It was re-installed in the temporary church in 1880, but was significantly rebuilt and reduced in size in 1887 for installation in its current location. There is also a four-stop continuo organ by Kenneth Tickell.

In 2012, Tim Rice backed the 125-year anniversary appeal to support Truro Cathedral's choir and music

taKing a MatuRe looK at valentine’s day

You do not see many Zimmer frames, wheelchairs or hearing aids on Valen- tine’s Day cards. They mostly seem to be full of young love, hearts and roses. Young love is wonderful and beautiful, full of optimism, and plans and hopes for the future.

But love in later life is precious too. It is a love that has been forged through years of shared experiences and joy, maybe raising children together, perhaps enjoying grandchildren. It’s a love that’s stood the test of time, and deeper, much deeper, than any shop-bought Valentine’s Day card can describe.

That long-term love can also be shown by the devoted wife or husband who visits their spouse in a care home each day, gently talking with them when they are, perhaps, deep into dementia. Or sitting for long hours by a hospital bed. Or dutifully caring for them at home. Love is a marathon, not a sprint. It starts with white lace and promises and grows over the years. Mature love is about the commitment that spans decades and is seldom shown on the cards on sale in the High Street this Valentine’s Day. When a couple marry and take their wedding vows, they make their lifelong commitment “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part…”

It’s so wonderful to see the bride and groom smiling, and enjoying this precious moment, making vows that will, hopefully, span the rest of their lives. However, what will the future hold for them? What shape that lifelong commitment will take, as the priest prays a blessing on their marriage.

How much wealth or poverty will come their way? Will it be sickness or health that will accompany them through the years? How will they support each other as the years go by?

‘Love is patient. Love is kind.’ These are familiar words from the popular wedding reading in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. That patience, that kindness are qualities that can develop over years of marriage. Just how much patience will be needed in the years ahead cannot usually be known on the wedding day.

So, this year, looking at the rows of red or pink Valentine’s Day cards on sale in the shops, look out for cards that have a deeper message. Seek out cards that celebrate long-term love. Cards that say something about the joys and challenges of growing older together. Cards that go beyond hearts and roses to the deeper love that transcends love’s first blossoming. Let’s just hope you can find some… LOCAL WALKS

DOVER’S HILL WOODLAND WALK

Begin the walk at the Market Hall in Chipping Campden High Street and continue along the footpath with the war memorial on your right before turning right just after the St Catherine’s Roman Catholic Church and then walking straight until reaching the next Cotswold Way signpost. Turn left and go up Hoo Lane where you follow the track for about half a mile until you go through a gate at the top onto Kingcomb Lane. This is a busty stretch of road so be careful when Tturning left and walking for 100 metres until turning right opposite another Cotswold Way signpost and crossing over the road. The footpath leads to a kissing gate leading onto Dover’s Hill. After going through the kissing gate follow the bridleway on the right before then following the fence line before going through a gate on your right and entering the woodland taking the left-hand path. When you reach the end of the wood, turn left going downhill towards another kissing gate. Keep onto the hillside and follow the path straight forward with the fence on your right before continuing downhill to the next set of woodland. Go through another kissing gate into Lynches Wood and take the left-hand trail and ignore the path on your right. At the bottom of the woods follow to the left and then carry on uphill taking the steps. At the top of the steps turn right and take the path to the kissing gate. Make sure you wear suitable footware if wet as this can get very muddy LOCAL WALKS ctd Go through the gate into the fields and climb the rough track straight uphill and going to the right by the way-marker. The arrow on it will point through the middle of the field which you take, going past the pond until reaching the signpost near the end. Turn left and climb up to the top of Dover’s Hill and then follow the edge of the hill back down and around before reaching the bridleway you walked earlier. You can then walk back down the hill into Chipping Campden Distance Four and a half miles Time 2-3 hours Make sure you wear suitable footware if wet as this can get very muddy

M.P.M. Aug ‘20

TEMPORARY FOOTPATH CLOSURE

For information, the public footpath running from Milking Pale Lane and Ballards Close through to Church Lane has been closed by Gloucestershire Highways with immediate effect whilst repairs are carried out on a dangerous stretch of wall running alongside the footpath. This footpath may be closed for a number of weeks whilst the wall repairs take place and subject to weather conditions allowing work to take place.

Meon Singers Harnessing the spirit of the choir nurtured so expertly by Rebecca since our Zoom rehearsals began in early September, we got together on 17th December for a Zoom Christmas social. This included a great quiz (thanks Richard!) and a sing-song of carols finishing the 2.5h night with 'our song' As Long As I Have Music. It was great fun. I wonder what we'll be doing in Dec. 2021? Hopefully singing for the village and good causes.

Online rehearsals will start again on 18th February until Easter, with flexibility thereafter to changing circumstances. If you'd like to know more about the choir please visit us at www.meonsingers.co.uk

RECENT FUNERALS AT ST LAWRENCE Sarah Johns (Mollie) aged 67 on October 30th 2020 Ernest Stanley Lodge aged 86 on 16th November 2020 Joan Ann Bartlett aged 84 on January 8th 2021 Peter Marriott Page aged 83 on January 11th 2021

MICKLETON PRIMARY SCHOOL

School’s collection brings Christmas cheer to village Children, parents and staff at Mickleton Primary School have donated grocer- ies and treats for Christmas boxes to share around the local community. The ‘Christmas Together’ boxes are being handed out to families connected to the school, and were available in the Village Hall for people who needed them to collect. The aim of the boxes was to provide festive treats for people who might not otherwise be able to have them during the Christmas break, perhaps due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic or other circumstances. Contributions included mince pies, candles, Christmas crackers, biscuits and nibbles. Head teacher Tom Roberts said: “Following the incredibly generosity of our school community we had a huge number of boxes to give out. After such a challenging year, it’s heartening to see that the Christmas spirit is alive and well amongst families here in Mickleton.” Mr Roberts thanked Mickleton Parish Council, King George’s Hall, the Rever- end Craig Bishop and the Church Wardens for their support in distributing the boxes. “We’re proud that we’ve made a real community effort to support those in need this Christmas,” he added. Pupils at Mickleton Primary School prepare ‘Christmas Together’ boxes for the local community

CARERS’ SUPPORT GROUP

Are you caring for someone with dementia or other chronic condition? Would you appreciate an occasional break with others in a similar situation?

A CARERS’ SUPPORT GROUP now meets on the first Thursday of each month for about an hour from 12.15 pm for coffee in the upper room at Huxley’s, Chipping Campden. If you are a carer you are very welcome to come and join us for friendly support and conversation. No need to book, just come along. More information from [email protected]

Campden Volunteers needs YOU! Folk move away to new adventures and folk move here because its great! In the process we loose volunteers from our village to run people to the Campden doctor’s surgery. Its NOT onerous!!! The surgery rings the volunteer ‘switchboard’ and they ring you with a date and a name and a time when a trip for a patient is required. You are free to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. No pressure. If there are enough people on the volunteer list then the next person is approached with the same request; should you say ’no'. You get a parking pass to park outside the surgery whilst you wait (and read a book/listen to the radio/meditate?). The volunteer organisers invite the team to garden/house parties in winter and summer so you meet others from around and about too. GO ON! RING US! Jane Glennie 01386 841980 or Judy Barclay 841849

FREE Confidential Advisory Service available to older people to assist in accessing the following services: Benefits such as Attendance Allowance Support services such as carers, cleaners & gardeners Equipment such as walking aids Blue Badge applications Adult Social Care Referrals to Social Care Advice on general well being For free support, advice & information please contact: Louise Kington, Campden & Cotswold Edge Advisory Service on 07703 566772 or email [email protected]

M.P.M.

BOOK CLUB To join the group ‘phone Phil on 01386 430175

To join the Book Club Group ‘phone 430175 We meet on the second Tuesday of the month at King George’s Hall and on-line when rules prevent direct contact. We are a very friendly group who enjoy a glass or two of wine whilst discussing the chosen books and any others we may have read during the month, in between the odd spurious conversation on matters in general!! The first Book Club meeting of the New Year was held on Zoom. The group were unable to access a book from the library during the November lockdown so we agreed to each read a book we received for Christmas to discuss at the January meeting. We were pleased to greet a new member, Michael, which takes our membership to fifteen. What was very obvious was that the group as a whole read a wide variety of books over the Christmas period. The following are a sample of the books read and discussed by the group. ‘The Running Book’ by John Connell is a follow up book to ‘The Cow Book’ the author was not to know about COVID-19 when he started to write this book but it has come at an opti- mal time. Especially as fresh lockdowns are making running all the more compel- ling. ‘The Cleaner of Chartes’ by Sally Vickers is a perfect Book Club book. ‘A lovely book full of colourful characters,’ says Joanna Harris the author of ‘Chocolat’. ‘Away with the Penguins’ by Hazel Prior. This is a beautiful book about friendship, family and second chances. ‘Uplifting’, was the word used to describe this book. ‘A Keeper’ by Graham Norton is a gripping, thoughtful tale about the search for identity, belonging and self-possession. Our reader was not expecting to enjoy this but was pleasantly surprised.

A Keeper’ by GrahamBernadine Norton Evaristo is a gripping,is the first thoughtful black woman tale aboutto win thethe searchBooker for identity, belongingprize andwith self ‘Girl,-possession. Woman, Other. Our ’reader She shared was not the expecting prize in 2019 to enjoy this but waswith pleasantly Margaret surprised. Atwood. The book is teeming with life and crack- Bernadine Evaristoles with is theenergy. first Asblack the woman Waterstone to win’s thereview Booker says, prize it is witha love ‘Girl, Woman, Other.song’ She to shared modern the life prize and in black 2019 woman-with Margaret Atwood. The book is teeming withhood. life and Each crackles chapter with tells energy. a story As about the Waterstone’s review says, it is a love songtwelve to modern very different life and womanblack womanhood. and their fam- Each chapter tells a story about twelveilies, veryfrien ddifferents and lo womanvers. and their families, friends and lovers. ‘The Distant Echo‘The ‘Distantby Val McDermid Echo ‘by Val is anMcDermid absorbing is anpsychological novel of revenge. A reallyabsorbing good read. psychological novel of revenge. A really good read. ‘The Snow Child’ by Eowyn Ivey is set in Alaska and is based on a Russian fairy tale. This‘ Thedebut Snow novel Child is full’ by of Eowyn the wilderness Ivey is set atmosphere in and the wonderful descriptionsAlaska make and isyou based feel youon a have Russian been fairy there tale. yourself. This debut novel is full of the wilderness at- ‘Christ stopped at Eboli’ by Carlo Levi is a modern classic written in 1947 de- mosphere and the wonderful descriptions tailing the authors exile in southern Italy after he has offended Mussolini. make you feel you have been there yourself. Our newest member has been given a copy of the WI history of Mickleton and ‘Christ stopped at Eboli’ by Carlo Levi is a modern classic is reading this with interest. These are only a small sample of the books read written in 1947 detailing the authors exile in southern Italy and discussed by the group. It is clear that people are able to really focus on after he has offended Mussolini. their reading in our present lockdown situation. Our newest member has been giv- Next month’s book is ‘Never Greener ‘ by Ruth Jones of Gavin and Stacey en a copy of the WI history of Mickleton and is fame. reading this with interest. These are only a small sample of the books read and discussed by the group. It is clear that people are able to really focus on their reading in our present lockdown situation. Phillipa Ashley’s series of books set in a West Cornish fishing tourist village were enjoyed by another member who described them as being where Doc Martin meets Agatha Raisen, a comfort- able while at the same time an en- joyable read Next month’s book is ‘Never Greener ‘ by Ruth Jones of Gavin and Stacey fame. Feb 16th Shrove Tuesday – Pancake Day Ever wonder why we eat pancakes just before Lent? The tradition dates back to Anglo-Saxon times, when Christians spent Lent in repentance and severe fasting. So on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the church bell would summon them to confession, where they would be ‘shriven’, or absolved from their sins, which gives us Shrove Tuesday. At home, they would then eat up their last eggs and fat, and making a pancake was the easiest way to do this. For the next 47 days, they pretty well starved themselves. Pancakes feature in cookery books as far back as 1439, and today’s pancake races are in remembrance of a panicked woman back in 1445 in Olney, Buck- inghamshire. She was making pancakes when she heard the shriving bell calling her to confession. Afraid she’d be late, she ran to the church in a pan- ic, still in her apron, and still holding the pan. Flipping pancakes is also centuries old. A poem from Pasquil’s Palin in 1619 runs: “And every man and maide doe take their turne, And tosse their Pan- cakes up for feare they burne.” Some people have noted that the ingredients of pancakes can be used to highlight four significant things about this time of year: eggs stand for creation, flour is the staff of life, while salt keeps things wholesome, and milk stands for purity. Shrove Tuesday is always 47 days before Easter Sunday and falls between 3rd February and 9th March.

Feb 17th Ash Wednesday - A good time to admit you’re sorry

Have you done something which haunts you? Which makes you feel restless and defen- sive, every time you think of it? Why not deal with it this month, and put it behind you? Whatever your mistake has been, consider what the Bible has to say to you: ‘I have not come to call the virtuous but sinners to repentance’ (said Jesus). (Luke 5.32) ‘Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unright- eous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundant- ly pardon. (Isaiah 55.7) ‘Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing.

Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.’ (Joel 2:12-13) God is inviting you to come to Him this Ash Wednesday. What a wonderful offer! Make the most of it and remember how the prodigal son was welcomed back by his compassionate father. BaKe a valentine’s day CaKe in MiCKleton

MINI heart-shaped chocolate cake

Ingredients Makes: 4 cakes  125g chocolate, good quality dark  3 tablespoons milk  150g butter, softened  150g golden caster sugar (Billington's®)  3 Happy Eggs®  200g plain flour (Allinson® Nature Friendly)  1 tablespoon cocoa powder  1 teaspoon baking powder  1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda  100g white chocolate flavour cake covering (Silver Spoon® Cakecraft)  140g butter  140g icing sugar (Silver Spoon® Homegrown)  1 pink food colour (Silver Spoon® Create)  1 (Silver Spoon® Create) to decorate  1 coloured choco beans (Silver Spoon® Create) to decorate 1 pink designer icing (Silver Spoon® Create) to decorate Method

Prep:20min › Cook:30min › Ready in:50min 1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Butter and flour the sides of four 10 cm heart shaped tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper. 2. For the cake: Snap the chocolate into chunks and place in a bowl. Add the milk and sit the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until the chocolate has melted. (Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the surface of the water.) Set aside to cool slightly. 3. Beat the 150g butter until very soft then add the caster sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then fold in the melted chocolate. 4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and the bicarbonate of soda, and fold in gently to mix. Divide the mixture between the tins. 5. Bake in the oven until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. 6. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to sit for five minutes before turning them out of their tins and placing them on a wire rack to cool. When cool slice the cake in half. 7. For the white chocolate butter icing: Melt the white chocolate in the micro- wave on High for 1½ minutes, stirring halfway. Leave to cool. Beat the 140g butter, icing sugar and pink food colouring in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in the white chocolate until smooth. Spread the butter icing on the bottom half of the cake and sandwich with the other half. 8. Decorate as desired with the cake decorations.

MICKLETON PARISH COUNCIL Climate Emergency Declaration Statement

Mickleton Parish Council recognises that there is a state of Climate Emergency. Action is required by everyone to mitigate the impact of Climate Change on our Community, our Country and our Planet. Climate Change represents a threat to the life opportunities and well-being of future generations, and needs to be addressed at all levels of government.

Strategy

Mickleton Parish Council pledges to take local action to contribute to National Carbon Neutral targets by the development of our own practices and policies.

The Mickleton Parish Council also recognises that addressing the challenges of Climate Change will result in many benefits in terms of health, wellbeing, and community resilience.

As a council we have a leading role to play in addressing the climate emergency.

However, we cannot deliver these outcomes alone.

We will need support from all of our residents who have an important role to play in making change happen.

Identified Opportunities

Initially the Mickleton Parish Council will work in conjunction with lindividuals, ocal groups and societies on initiatives to:-

 Educate and inform residents through the Mickleton Parish Council website  Develop a Tree Planting Programme on identified sites in the village of Mickleton  To reduce the consumption of treated water by encouraging rain water collection throughout Mickleton  Work to include Mickleton Youth in developing the identified initiatives  Investigate opportunities to remove use of plastic carrier bags in Mickleton  Research opportunities to create a “Men in Sheds” facility in Mickleton  Identify locations for public electrical charging points in Mickleton  Identify grant and funding resources available to support these initiatives Action Plan

Hold Zoom meeting with residents

Liase with other Environmental Groups in Mickleton to ensure no duplication of effort

Appraise residents’ input and suggestions

Prioritise identified initiatives

Allocate resources

Establish timing programmes

Minutes of the 1st Mickleton Parish Council Climate Emergency Meeting Wednesday January 6th 2021

The meeting was Chaired by P.Britt Chairman of Mickleton Parish Council with CDC District Councillor Gina Blomefield , 6 Mickleton Parish Councillors and 23 Mickleton residents in attendance

 Phil Britt (P.B.) welcomed everyone. Mickleton Parish Council had decided to declare a climate emergency after two councillors had attended a day conference given by Cotswold District Council (CDC).  CDC had stated that Parish Councils should take the lead with the Cli- mate Emergency but also work hand in hand with other local groups.  Greening Mickleton is an environmental group formed last year to tackle the climate emergency. They surveyed the village just before the Pan- demic began. Further action was stalled by the National Lockdown.  The Parish Council have come up with some simple actions that can be implemented quickly but P.B. pointed out that these quick wins are just the start of something bigger. They are the first step in opening a conversation but we need people on board to achieve these simple goals. Then we can move on and grow this. The actions identified are not exclusive and we welcome ideas from others.  P.B. continued saying that COVID-19 not only makes completing projects difficult but is also sucking money out of the system so CDC and Gloucester County Council do not have a lot of cash to spare. However, there are still some grants available for certain projects.

P.B. mentioned several of the projects identified by the Parish Council; Tree Planting on Parish Council land, Rainwater Collection and Men in Sheds. The meeting was intended for setting up team groups for existing ideas and then to add ideas generated in discussion. Some ideas can be left for the future e.g., ideas for green building of new houses, as at present there are no new builds in Mickleton.

 PB then opened the meeting up for discussion. He asked for a show of hands of people who would be prepared to be actively involved in projects.  Less than half present raised their hands. PB felt that there would be suf- ficient people to get some of the identified projects progressed.

 Mark Weatherly said that there would be some people who would want to select the projects they were interested in.

 Clare Charlton (C.C.) said people needed to be involved in projects they are interested in. She suggested using the Mickleton Greening survey to look at things people are interested in and what their concerns were.

 Jonathan Collins discussed the Tree planting and pointed out that there was a 15-acre field for sale on Baker’s hill which could be bought by the Parish Council for this purpose. This would cost £150,000 and the clos- ing date is the 15th January. This could be a resource for the village. JC thought that monthly updates on progress would be useful.

 He felt that we could inform people of simple ways they could to change their behaviour and went on to list simple things they could do to change.

 Niki Britt reminded people that one of the most important things to think about was communication putting it out through a variety of ways e.g., Parish Website, Facebook, Parish Magazine. Residents need information on ways we can all reduce emissions and therefore we need to be aware of areas of influence so that we reach all groups in the village.

 Mark Boulton (M.B.) said he was delighted with the PC’s action but he reminded the meeting that time is short and there is often too much talk and not enough action. He feels that his focus must be on things that have maximum impact.

He pointed out that there are lots of things we can do without spending money such as using renewable energy providers in places such as King George’s Hall. The Methodist church had followed schemes such as 10/10. People measured the energy used and then aimed to use 10% less.  Jill Delaney stated that she had worked with Mark on the Three Bees garden. She talked about the Woodland Trust programme where every primary school child can plant a tree. A lot of things can be happening and the little things help. Rewilding a small part of the garden is another action people can take this will have an impact on attracting pollinators and absorbing carbon. Also reducing the grass cutting has a similar impact. We need to get the many families in the village involved with simple af- fordable actions. Messages should be short and simple and we should not set ourselves up to fail. We must consider that some families will be enthusiastic but cannot afford to do some of the things suggested.  P.B. said that our ideas are actions that can be implemented quickly and will get us a short way to the solution. Quick wins are just the start of something bigger. Hey are the first step in opening a conversation which we will never have in full if we don’t start with these simple actions. We need to have people saying ‘Yes I will take that on’ otherwise we are in danger of leaving this meeting with no commitment to actioning any of the objectives.  Geoff Field pointed out that everyone is aware of these issues and everyone has different levels of commitment. We can ask the village to plant trees in their own gardens. He also talked about having a plastic free village suggested persuading shops to provide paper bags.  Rebecca Cottrell (R.C.) said that one of the main issues is engagement and education. Mickleton is a large village and we need to engage the village. It could take a lot of work to engage people in any one of the suggested programmes and without further engagement there is a danger they won’t be progressed.  Gina Blomfield, as District Councillor for Mickleton, was pleased to see the start that has been made. She said that electric charging points were discussed in Cabinet for other villages in the area but Mickleton was not mentioned. She is going to follow this up.  G.B. said that Mark Connelly of the Cotswold Conservation board and is involved with the woodland trust. They had a working programme with schools for tree planting and people should talk to him. She reminded the meeting that it is one thing to plant a tree but it takes a lot to take care of it. Trees need to be planted in the right place. Gloucester County Council also have a programme for planting trees. She mentioned funding for a variety of projects and said she would provide the information

 C.C. referred to the idea of seed funding. For instance, for the plastic free village the Parish Council could pay for cotton bags that could be purchased in the shop instead of plastic bags. She reminded the meeting that Policy decisions are an important way of influencing actions.  M.B. is prepared to take on Energy and Energy related issues. He will also work on Rewilding as this is another area of expertise for him. Caro- line Byrne will work with him.  M.B. feels strongly that each group formed needs to look at educating residents. There should be a recognised way of putting information out to different groups in the village.  We also need to do a monthly zoom meeting with all groups to report on progress.  R. C.l will be responsible for putting together a communication strategy and making sure it is easily accessible. This will include how the website interfaces with the Parish magazine a, village notice boards etc.  Stuart Hall said that there needed to be some central point for the whole group. He hopes any communication will be dual badged Parish Council and Mickleton Greening so that this venture is recognised as a community venture.  C.C. is happy to take action on walking and cycling in the village and pointed out that safe places to park bikes were needed in the village. Jon- athan Collins is happy to work with Clare on this.  Mark Weatherly agreed to undertake an action to investigate the feasibil- ity installing charging points for electric cars in Mickleton. This would include approaching management at the Public houses and the Hotel with a view to their installing such facilities in existing car parks. Whilst making no explicit commitment the chairman and members of the Parish council agreed to the principle and to look favourably on the idea of making grants towards installation costs.  Caroline Byrne reminded the meeting that renewable energy should be used in charging points.  Keith Riste mentioned concerns about what the usage would be in the future. He has concerns about people being put off by the possibility of energy companies going out of business.  G. B. replied that Electrical charging is a complex field and at present points only last five years. She is happy to share knowledge with the groups.  M. B. did not think there was a problem with providers going bust as renewable energy providers are usually established businesses. Personal charging point cost approximately £1200 to install. He thought that there was a lot of funding out there to be obtained.  Mac Moull says that the local area is something of a black hole for charg-

charging points. The Four Alls in Welford have a charger in their car park and it might be worth talking to them to get idea about costs etc. Working Groups Encouraging walking and cycling in the village – Clare Charlton and Jonathan Collins Tree Planting – Stuart Hall, Jonathan Collins, Phil Britt, Alex Fuoco- Lang, and Gina Blomfield Energy and Rewilding – Mark Boulton, Caroline Byrne and Mac Moull Rainwater Collection – Niki Britt, Graham Tyler, Keith Riste Electric charge points – Mark Weatherly Communication and education- Rebecca Cottrell and Geoff Field MICKLETON CLIMATE ACTION GROUP Your Parish Council and Greening Group in partnership Our next Zoom meeting is on Wednesday February 10th at 7.30pm. If you are interested in being involved and making a difference join us. Initiatives include: •improve energy efficiency •re-wilding •encourage rain water collection •safe walking and cycling routes •electric car charging facilities •repair and recycle shop For access to the zoom meeting please E MAIL [email protected] with your name and e-mail address

POEMS FOR FEBRUARY February Rain - Mark Slaughter February Twilight - Sara Teasdale To be the mud, the bog, the mire; I stood beside a hill To soak the bones in February – Smooth with new-laid snow, Eons from the autumn shower– A single star looked out

Even from a summer berry! From the cold evening glow.

There was no other creature Sparrows chirp a desperate call, That saw what I could see-- Darting questions at the cows – I stood and watched the evening star Oblivious to the dousing squall, they As long as it watched me. Churn the sludge with pastern ploughs. To Yasmeen February 14, 2003 - Rafey Habib The crying air was lost in rhythm: What I have loved in you Drums incessant in the drops; Is a world shimmering, like a white sea, Not a chance for rainbow prism – Unmoved, sailing upon itself, Even if the hammering stops! Whose unknown depth of richness Pearls from below. Metallic chills entrap machines – Tractors hushed within the shed. In my heart, I ache for you Inside the house, a full cuisine Like land seething, seeking its own shape To bless with mead – and little said! Substance craving form, Idea knowing itself as end. But out across the tiring field, A sodden fox is hunting down And I have nothing – no substance, no form, no His prey of sorts – but nil of yield; Words Perhaps he’ll starve; perhaps he’ll To sing again in Love’s dimension: drown. After your eyes, After your beauty, Still the clouds are hammering, All language is lost; Hammering home their dreary aim – All is shadow, all is chaos, borne A chatterbox in constant yammering, Helpless on Love’s endless voice. Drenching all to make a claim.

February - Ralph Hodgson No bird sang then; no thorn, Of Winter's many minds A few tossed thrushes save No tree was green beside Abused and whipt in vain - That carolled less than cried Them only never shorn - Swarth yew and ivy kinds Against the dying rave The few by all the winds And iron breeds germane. And moan that never died, And chill mutations born

FEBRUARY SMILE LINES

Disperse them

A young clergyman, fresh out of training, thought it would help him better understand the harsh realities his future congregations faced if he first took a job as a policeman for several months. He passed the physical examination; then came the oral exam to test his ability to act quickly and wisely in an emergency. Among other questions he was asked, “What would you do to disperse a frenzied crowd?”

He thought for a moment and then said, “I would pass an offering plate.” He got the job.

Dressed

During my surgical residency I was called out of a sound sleep to the emergency room. Unshaven and with tousled hair, I showed up with an equally unpresentable medical student. In A&E we encountered the on-call medical resident and his student, both neatly attired in clean white lab coats. The resident said to his student, “You can always tell the surgeons by their absolute disregard for appearance.”

Two evenings later, I was at a banquet when called to A&E for another emergency.

I was stitching away, wearing my dinner jacket, when I encountered that same medical resident. He looked at me, then said to his student, “Sure is sensitive to criticism, isn’t he?”

Portrait A primary teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.”

The teacher blinked: “But no one knows what God looks like.”

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, “They will in a minute.”

Tribute A minister had agreed to step in and take a funeral at short notice. He said a few general words of comfort, and then added: “As I did not know the deceased, is there anyone here who would like to give a few words of tribute?”

There was silence for a few moments, and then a voice from the back observed: “His brother was far worse.”

27th Feb: George Herbert, priest……..and poet If we were to name someone prominent from the 17th century, we might mention Rembrandt or Shakespeare. It is unlikely we would remember George Herbert. However, he was a prolific writer, a gifted speaker and musician. His hymns are still sung today.

Herbert was born into a wealthy family in Mid-Wales on 3rd April 1593. His father was a Member of Parliament who died when Herbert was three years old. His mother moved her large family to London where, aged 12, Herbert entered Westminster School. In 1609, his mother remarried, and Herbert left home to be a student at Trinity College, Cambridge.

By the age of 23, Herbert had graduated with two degrees. He was fluent in Latin and Greek and in 1620 was elected as the University’s Public Orator. He held this position for seven years, and for a short time was MP in his hometown in Wales.

Although Herbert was securing an illustrious future and his speeches had gained the attention of King James 1, he was restless. He felt God was calling him to the priesthood and much of Herbert’s poetry expressed his inner spiritual conflicts.

When the King died in 1625, and two influential patrons also died at about the same time, Herbert responded to God’s call on his life and gave up his secular ambitions. He married in 1629 and became a priest in a small Anglican church in Bemerton in Wiltshire.

Here he found inner peace at last, serving God in the local community. His poetic talent continued to flourish along with his musicianship as a skilled lutenist. After only three years as a priest, he died of tuberculosis on 1st March 1633. He was 39.

Some ninety of Herbert’s poems have been set to music by such composers as Ralph Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten. His most well-known hymns are Teach me my God and King, Let all the world in every corner sing and King of glory, king of peace.

A number of artistic commemorations of Herbert exists in several churches and cathedrals including a stained-glass window in Westminster Abbey and a statue at the front of Salisbury Cathedral. 3 5 SUDOKU No 65 Easier 1 7 8 9 The objective is to fill a 9×9 7 6 3 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each 3 1 9 7 of the nine 3×3 sub-grids that compose the grid (also called "boxes", "blocks", or "regions") contains all of the 7 5 4 2 digits from 1 to 9. The puzzle setter provides a partially 7 6 2 completed grid, which for a well-posed puzzle has a 5 9 7 8 single solution. 8 4 No 66 More Difficult 1 4 9 In completed games, same single number may not appear twice in the 4 7 6 5 same row, column, or any of the nine 3×3 sub 6 2 3 8 regions of the 9x9 play- 2 ing board. 5 8 1 2 2 5 6 7 2 9 3 2 8 Solution 63 January 2021 Solution 64 January 2021

8 2 3 5 7 9 1 4 6 7 3 4 6 2 8 9 5 1 7 5 1 4 6 2 3 8 9 1 6 8 9 4 5 3 2 7 9 4 6 1 8 3 5 2 7 2 5 9 7 1 3 4 6 8 5 1 8 9 3 4 7 6 2 9 4 5 3 8 1 6 7 2 3 9 7 6 2 1 4 5 8 6 8 7 2 9 4 1 3 5 4 6 2 7 5 8 9 1 3 3 2 1 5 7 6 8 9 4 6 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 4 8 7 2 1 3 9 5 4 6 2 8 4 3 9 5 6 7 1 5 1 3 4 6 7 2 8 9 1 7 9 8 4 6 2 3 5 4 9 6 8 5 2 7 1 3

CHARITY URGENTLY NEEDS DRIVERS AS SERVICE DEMAND INCREASE

Local charity Cotswold Friends is putting out a plea for drivers, as the demand on its Community Transport Service continues to increase. Amanda Howard, CEO of Cotswold Friends commented, “There is so much to be gained from volunteering. Our drivers tell us that they feel more connected to their community and enjoy meeting new people. Drivers are paid 50p for every passen- ger mile which significantly helps with the running costs of their vehicle.” Jenny Smith has been driving for Cotswold Friends for over 20 years and said, “It’s got busier. The service is being used more and more so we are short of drivers. Driving makes my day, because I’m on my own. You get out meeting people and they hear your stories and you hear theirs. I think it’s a wonderful service and so do the Members.” A driving role at Cotswold Friends provides complete volunteering flexibility. Drivers can let the Booking Office know when they want to drive and what types of journey they are happy to do. If you think this might be for you, please do get in touch with Sheryl on Tel: 01608 697007 or email:: [email protected]. Press Release Contact: Joanna Hammond, Marketing Manager, Tel: 01608 697006 Cotswold Friends, Moreton Area Centre, High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 0AZ

Tel: 01608 651415, Email:[email protected], Web:ww.cotswoldfriends.org

GLOUCESTERSHIRE COMMUNITY WELLBEING SERVICE (previously VIL- LAGE AGENTS) Hello – my name is CAROL STOCKMAN and I am your local Community Wellbeing Agent (previously Village Agent) together with JO SPICER (Social Prescriber - who is based at several surgeries in the North Cotswolds) we support, offer advice and provide information to anyone over the age of 16 in times of need. The service can be helpful for people in times of change (after redundancy, health issues, retire- ment) / in times of emotional hardship, such as bereavement / worries around debt or financial issues / who don’t know where to turn for support / who would like to volunteer in the community If you think that we may be able to help you, a family member, neighbour, friend or relative please call our office on the number below. We are able to see you at home, in the GP surgery and/or a community venue. Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) 01452 528491 or email in- [email protected]

.The Rectory St James the Least of All

My dear Nephew Darren

I appreciated your recent concern when you heard one of our parishioners had slipped on a grave- stone. Your desire to help was entirely commenda- ble, and I do know that sending your own church’s health and safety officer to give us some advice was kindly meant. But the 200-page report was not welcome. If we implemented even half of your officer’s suggestions, life would become unbearably safe.

St James the Least of All has survived perfectly well for the last 600 years without gutter cleaning inspections, path degreasing and electrical safety cer- tificates, so I think we may survive a little longer without them. As far as I am aware, the only disaster to hit us was when Cromwell’s soldiers stabled their horses in the nave – which I suspect a few of our oldest members still clearly remember.

The shock the sidesmen sometimes get when switching on the lights occurs only occasionally, is relatively mild and soon over – and if it happens when preparing for the 8am Service, helps to wake them up. The weight of the Duke of Clumber’s marble sarcophagus is slowly detaching the south aisle from the rest of the church, but it is very slow – and the pews in that area are used only once a year when his relations visit from America to commemorate his death at Agincourt – which is probably just beyond remembrance of the oldest of our congregation.

Leaks from the ceiling in the north aisle are solved with a row of buckets – and even you must concede that the fungi on the oak beams look really rather attractive when the sun catches them. The sapling growing out of the spire is certainly an issue – although it looks so attractive in Spring when in blossom. As for our fire extinguishers, they were serviced when my predecessor-but- two was in office, and I have the certificate to prove it.

So, do thank your health and safety officer for all his work and tell him we will bear his recommendations in mind. Also tell him I was so sorry he slipped and broke his leg in our choir stalls while he was with us. But that bit of floor has been out of alignment since 1748, and it seems a shame to disturb it now. If only he had arrived encased in bubble wrap, it would never have happened. Perhaps you could put that on the agenda of your next health and safety meeting.

Your loving uncle,

Eustace

All in the month of FEBRUARY 200 years ago, on 23rd Feb 1821 that John Keats, the poet, died of tuberculosis, aged 25.

125 years ago, on 1st Feb 1896 that the premiere of Giacomo Pucci- ni’s opera La bo- heme, took place in Turin, Italy.

75 years ago, on 11th Feb 1946 that The Revised Standard Version of the New Testament was published. It was the first major English-language update of the Bible since the King James version published in 1611.

70 years ago, on 27th Feb 1951 that the 22nd Amend- ment to the US Constitution was ratified. It limits the President to two terms in office.

65 years ago, on 11th Feb 1956 that two members of the Cam- bridge spy ring, British diplomats Guy Burgess and Donald Mac- lean, announced that they had de- fected to the Soviet Union. They had both vanished in mysterious circumstances in 1951.

50 years ago, on 15th Feb 1971 that the UK’s currency was decimalised.

All in the month of FEBRUARY

40 years ago, on 24th Feb 1981 that Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

30 years ago, on 28th Feb 1991 that the Gulf War ended at midnight when a ceasefire came into effect. 25 years ago, on 15th Feb 1996 that the oil tanker Sea Empress ran aground near Milford Haven, Wales, causing a major oil spill along the coastlines of Wales and Ireland.

20 years ago, on 19th Feb 2001 that the first case of foot-and-mouth disease in the 2001 UK outbreak was detected at an abattoir in Essex. The EU subsequently banned all British meat, milk and livestock exports.

10 years ago, on 22nd Feb 2011 that the Canterbury earthquake in New Zealand took place. 185 people were killed and up to 2,000 injured., and there was widespread damage across the city.

keeping safe. Luncheons, Trips 4

Meon Health Centre Patient Participation Group (PPG) Both the surgery and its Mickleton PPG members would like patients to have an easy way to comment on the surgery's services and so help the surgery supply effective primary care for its Mickleton patients.

The Mickleton members of the patient group are Marilyn and Tim Phillips (01386 430377) and Jonathan Collins (01386 430293).

We are here to represent you, to reflect your thoughts on what GP services you require, and to help by relaying your views and comments - praise or concerns, developing new services etc. - to the surgery.

We don't get involved in your personal health details and all information given will remain anonymous if required and always confidential but we may be able to put you in contact with the right person at the surgery if required.

We aim simply to maintain the good dialogue between patients and surgery and to ensure that information from the surgery for patients is useful and what is needed.

To keep up-to-date with surgery news do look at the Meon Health Centre website https://www.meonmedicalcentre.nhs.uk/ - and give us comments on this too if you'd like to.

NEWS FROM MEON VALE Nosh and Natter Group Hello everyone and hope that you are adjusting to the new circumstances and keeping safe. Luncheons, Trips 4 U and Meon Tea and Chatter- 3M’s Café + NEW Nosh on Wheels - Following the recent announcements from The Government about the new variant of Covid 19 it may still be a while before our Lunches can take place. So, we are unable to announce when our lunches may restart, or the Meon Tea and Chatter. Trips4U We can confirm that our summer holiday to Beaumaris, Isle of Anglesey has been altered to Monday 24th May to Friday 28th May 2021 so put the dates in your diary as this will be a lovely trip. Spoken with the hotel and they have confirmed that the booking still stands. Should we have to rearrange because of Covid then we have problems as they are fully booked.— Cost to stay at this hotel double is £75 per person per night and for single £95.00 per person per night this includes Diner Bed and Breakfast. Coach cost will depend on how many people book.—About sea view etc there is no extra charge but allocated on a first come basis. Keeping Positive we are looking to arrange a couple of days out to: - Weston Super Mare with an afternoon Tea on the way home September 6th, 2021 Hereford for festive shopping and lunch November 15t,h 2021 Our Turkey Tinsel Trip to Potters will be going ahead not sure of dates yet as Potters have not organised those dates yet Nosh on Wheels This venture is still going ahead for the next three months February March and April Nosh on Wheels continuation will depend on the Government rules for Covid and our members wish. The team of volunteers and Isobel Slatter thank the members for all the messages of gratitude and praise. Meon Vale The Elf’s from the Santa weekend are looking to plan something for Easter so please look out for the posters and Face book page for their plans. Quotes (all) for February

Editor: Lent is a time for taking stock of oneself spiritually. It is a time for ‘walking in the wilderness’ in preparation for Easter. With this in mind, we offer: A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs because they speak to him of her. So, if we love the Lord Jesus, we shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of Him. – John R W Stott

Repentance is ultimate honesty. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Repentance is the process by which we see ourselves, day by day, as we really are: sinful, needy, dependent people. – Charles Colson

To get the world right, start with yourself. – Anon

Repentance unravels sin and makes sin not to be. – Thomas Watson

The best prayers have often more groans than words. – John Bunyan