PARISH NEWS for Gainford and Winston JUNE 2020
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PARISH NEWS For Gainford and Winston JUNE 2020 PARISH NEWS for Gainford & Winston Editorial Team: From The Editors Jenny Harrison Peter Dransfield We may possibly allow ourselves to hope that Paula Holmes some semblance of normality may be possible very Neil Russell soon. But hope should be realistic. Christine Maughan Email: [email protected] We are trying to find our way out of a maze. For every suggestion the Government makes, another The Editors welcome items for publishing in the one is offered by its opponents. Mistakes will Parish News magazine - articles and photos of local be made; after all, we are in uncharted waters. interest, publicity, notices, reports, events, letters, It is entirely proper that those with experience, etc. A name and address must be provided but knowledge and training should challenge may not be published if requested. The editors decisions, but criticism which comes from those reserve the right not to publish an item if no space who have a political agenda, or who want to sell is available in the current magazine and to edit any newspapers, is unhelpful. material submitted for publishing; or reject content which they consider unsuitable. It is also inevitable that theories which claim to All comments and opinions expressed in articles know the source of the virus are being reported, are those of the authors and not necessary those of from Donald Trump’s claim that he has proof that the editors. China manufactured the virus, to fundamental Christians who believe God sent the plague as punishment for human sin. The former is another Copy deadline: 15th June Trump thoughtless comment and the latter a belief Send items to: that God is a being who intervenes in our world. Jenny Harrison, 39 Low Green, Gainford Tel. 730487 If the answer is to be found, it will be by exhaustive Peter Dransfield, 36 Balmer Hill, Gainford human research and God will be present as the Tel. 730450 source of all being in every human heart as eternal Chrissie Barnett, 3 Church Mews, Winston Love. Tel. 730112 Neil Russell or email: [email protected] Our Annual Appeal Our annual envelope appeal has been postponed until we start again later with a printed magazine. In the meantime your donations will be still be welcome to enable the magazine to continue providing a useful service to the community. There is a collecting box in the Post Office or you may pay by bank transfer to Parish News, account: 25693285, sort code: 09-01-53. Thank you. Editors Cover Photo:- High Green, Gainford - home of Dr Mike Neville The World Pivots t is heartening when one’s foresight is realised. June is more than ever the fulcrum month of the ILast month I had written that it “would be good year when the world may find a new and life- news if (relaxation of measures) correspond to giving future. The Summer Solstice in our northern markedly lower new C-19 cases, markedly higher hemisphere occurs this year on June 20th, and in number of recovered patients, and markedly less the places of the south it is their Winter Solstice. loss of life across the country. May relaxed measures The word ‘solstice’ is taken from the Latin word involve the opening of garden centres, hardware ‘solstitium’, ‘Sol’ meaning ‘the Sun’ and ‘stitium’ shops, computer retail centres, and D-I-Y stores meaning ‘still or stopped’. This is a pivotal time for to encourage productive expending of energy as the world regardless of whether we are in the north we remain at home…”. This is happening in many or the south. Will we find the spread and mortal countries in Europe, in the UK, and across Asia. threat of Covid-19 stilled or stopped? Will our lives be lightened because we are enlightened? As Spring breathes life into Summer and buds have burst forth into blooms, the Spirit of Pentecost The first Sunday in June celebrates the Holy Trinity: moves us from May to bless us in June. Shall we God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy be renewed by the Holy Spirit, having sown good Spirit. We are called to celebrate the power and seed in time of adversity, so that we may live to nature of the completeness of God in unity, and rejoice with blessings together? For many weeks, this power and unity is ours to receive and to live. we have helped each other to remain resolute in The first missionary, St Paul, whose life had been discipline; brought cheer and enthusiasm with transformed by this holy power, wrote: community events; and together acknowledged with applause the NHS and key workers saving For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and lives. And now, more is asked of us. The changing drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the situation concerning our children’s education is a Holy Spirit Romans 14.17 challenge. Working arrangements as relaxation is And hope does not disappoint us, because God has offered is a challenge. The use of technology for poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy live broadcast and mass connectivity is a necessary Spirit, whom He has given us. 1 Corinthians 2.10-11a benefit but has been found wanting under the strain of unanticipated new users. Movements in public In the past months of unintended and unplanned places is as unwelcome to many as it is welcome enforced shared experiences, we can look back with to some. Debates among clergy about how to thankfulness. Nature has breathed, been renewed, prepare for the re-opening of churches for prayer, and refreshed like never before in our living worship, and sharing of Communion, is giving me memory, greatly blessing all in its liberation. We more headache than the reality requires. We have have been blessed by the help and encouragement become familiar with statistics and graphs, but will of strangers, our communities showering love in these bring relief and gladden us or show unlearned practical ways. We have prayed for one another, history such as the second and third spikes of the for ourselves and for others we have never met. Spanish Flu? More than ever before we require the Let us resolve for this month to be momentous Spirit that has brought us together and filled us with in delivering and sustaining a future that we can both wisdom and love through these first months thankful for. against Covid-19 to defeat it and to fully realise hope. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen Rev’d Eileen Harrop Face to Face with Dr Mike Neville transcribed my notes for this Face to Face on the I day the nation commemorated VE Day. I was in isolation as a result of the Corona virus pandemic, now recognised as the greatest crisis this country has faced since the events which led to the moment, 75 years ago when peace was restored in Europe. The notes were the fruit of my meeting with Dr Mike Neville using online technology, a resource we are all having to grapple with. Approaching the age of 65 Mike has decided that it is time to bring to a close his work as a General Practitioner in Gainford. He has served the community faithfully and with dedication for 38 years and is known and loved by everyone in the village and surrounding area. It was a tremendous privilege to be asked to interview him for Parish News and to convey to him how much the community values all that he has done to facilitate health care locally. Dr Mike Neville Royal Army Medical Corps in Malaya he joined Dr Mike could not have imagined that, in the few Hickey in his General Practice in Gainford. Their weeks prior to his retirement, the world would be home, West Cottage, Spa Road, was also the surgery in such a turmoil. He described the situation as and Mike recalls that the 5 children were expected ‘unprecedented’. Thousands of people have lost to be especially quiet during surgery hours. their lives, among them health care workers who were aware of the risk but continued to care for their Mike’s first school was St Colette’s Infant School patients. The NHS is engaged in a battle to stop which was situated at 16 High Green, a building the virus spreading and to destroy it. Doctors and which was to become Gainford Surgery. He nurses at Gainford Surgery have responded quickly remembers his 2 teachers well, Sisters Winifred and effectively to ensure the surgery continues to and Agatha who were based at St Peter’s. His next provide a safe, professional and efficient service, school was St Mary’s Primary School in Barnard and much of the credit for that goes to Mike. Castle where he stayed until he was 11. It was then that Mike was to spread his wings to spend the Mike admitted that it was a sad and difficult time for remainder of his school years in a boarding school him and the staff, with consultations taking place by in Ireland. He was the only one in the family to go to telephone. “I am particularly concerned for those the school. who are vulnerable, including our older patients but I am encouraged by the positive response of the Mike decided he, too, would like to become a staff and patients.” doctor and obtained a place at Sheffield University where he studied medicine.