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In this issue The Crucifix What Children Really Need Blue Remembered Hills Cold, Cramped and Dirty All Saints’: The Future The Running Disciples This Month’s Notes and Events 30p The Parish Magazine of St Peter’s with All Saints’ Welcome to the April 2007 issue of the IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE… Berkhamsted review Climate change and global warming have, THE CRUCIFIX over the last couple of years, received a Father Michael Bowie reminds us of its rapidly increasing amount of attention in meaning ................................................p3 the media. This has not passed unnoticed. In recent opinion polls in this country, WHAT CHILDREN REALLY NEED 25% of those questioned thought the Margaret Burbidge looks at the MU future of the environment to be the most Parenting Programme ...........................p5 important issue facing the country. A few years ago it was 5%. The review is not BLUE REMEMBERED HILLS unaffected by this trend. In this issue Ian Ian Reay in praise of the Reay ponders the future of our local English Bluebell....................................p7 flora, Victoria Vosper reviews a new book on environmental sustainability and COLD, CRAMPED & DIRTY we give space to the far-reaching Margaret Burbidge describes environmental concerns of Christian maintenance work on the bells............p14 Aid. What is the truth? Yes, the global ALL SAINTS’ climate is changing, but do we really Father Michael Bowie outlines the way know why? Or to what extent we are the culprits? Perhaps these questions are forward ...............................................p16 unimportant and the truth that we need to THE RUNNING DISCIPLES grasp, regardless of the conflicting The Revd Jonathan Gordon senses the evidence, is that we are responsible for a excitement of the First Easter Day......... p21 world in which we are the stewards and not the masters. What matters is that we should use every resource wisely and plus our regular features, with a loving regard for God's creation in notes & notices and diary dates all its living and inanimate splendour and complexity. Cover photo: The East window (p13) Christopher Green Photo: Tony Firshman Editorial Team: Christopher Green, 17 Cowper Road, Berkhamsted, HP4 3DE (863241) email: [email protected] Tony Firshman, 29 Longfield Road, Tring, HP23 4DG (828254) email: [email protected] fax: 828255 Joe Garstin, 26 Priory Gardens, Berkhamsted, HP4 2DS (866846) email: [email protected] Advertising: David Woodward, 3 Murray Road, Berkhamsted, HP4 1JD (862723) [email protected] Circulation: Sheila Miller, 31 Lincoln Court, Berkhamsted, HP4 3EN (864277) Treasurer: Miles Nicholas, 46 Fieldway, HP4 2NY (871598) email: [email protected] Responsibility for opinions expressed in articles and letters published in this review and for the accuracy of any statements in them rests solely with the individual contributor Next copy dates (all Fridays) 4 May 1 June 6 July 2 review leader Like Christmas, Easter service. We must look at the cross with Jesus reminds us that God is on it, not as an empty symbol, or we are in a player, not a danger of forgetting that God cares about The Crucifix commentator, in suffering. There on the cross we can see how Father Michael human life. We need God expresses solidarity first with the Bowie reminds the commentators – in victims of torture and violence, not the rich sport, in politics, in the and powerful. And there too we can see the us of its arts – but we all have a beginning of death’s defeat, if we believe in meaning sneaking suspicion that Easter and the resurrection. But that’s the they couldn’t cut it in point – we don’t properly arrive at or the game itself. understand the new life without what came Christmas gives us the story of how God got before it. Not looking at it can be a way of involved; Easter tells us about what God did not facing the suffering which we can so with that opportunity. easily ignore in other lives, near at hand or far away; not looking at it can also be a way In certain types of fairytale or even some of failing to accept that God cares about our religious myths (I’m thinking of ancient pain. Greece or Rome) this might be a story of God making mischief with human life – I have a powerful if disturbing illustration of playing at being human. The Rocky Horror how this image can be misused. I would say Show, if you remember that piece of that a plain cross doesn’t tell much of story, seventies exuberance, was a science-fiction but in Chile I bought something in the Bible spoof of the same kind – aliens playing at Society bookshop which is much worse. It is human decadence. Interestingly, that story a wooden cross, brightly painted. On it is proves difficult to finish and, despite the wit depicted a little girl – a smiling cartoon sort and fun of what has gone before, dissolves of figure with plaits and, I think, wings. On into a rather solemn nihilism at the end. the cross is written Baby Jesus, guide me with your light. To me that is a grotesque The story of Jesus is the opposite of mischief image; what it says about the Chilean psyche, or nihilism. It shows us God choosing to get trying to distance itself from the brutal involved, not with the trivia, but the difficult Pinochet years, might be worth considering. bits of human life. For this reason we look Despite the inoffensive sentiment of the very hard at the cross in the week before words, it is the opposite of a Christian Easter. On Palm Sunday, as well as hearing symbol, because it cosifies and trivialises about Jesus being carried into Jerusalem on a what Jesus did and suffered. It really says, donkey and given a royal welcome with don’t worry about this bit, cut straight to the palms strewn before him, we all join in glory. reading the story of the torture and death of Jesus. On Good Friday we do that again, but But if God is a player and not a commentator this time in a service during which a crucifix he wants us to know that he is with us in the is unveiled. pain and the awfulness, not to pretend it didn’t happen. Whatever our pain may be, he St Paul said we should glory in the cross, not wants us to see that he doesn’t just offer us be ashamed of it. He didn’t mean pieces of words in response. The crucifix is a powerful jewellery or even huge crossbars of wood. reminder of that – of how brutality and He meant the figure of Christ on the cross, violence cannot kill love. If we distance which we remind ourselves to take seriously ourselves from it, we distance ourselves from and look at afresh by unveiling it in that the new life of Easter too. 3 Sarah Davey MSTAT, RCST ajw home services gardening Teacher of the ANDREW Alexander building works WRIGHT Technique plumbing Cranio Sacral carpentry 01442 862681 Therapist electrical (answerphone) decorating Tel: (01442) 250712 email: [email protected] Friendly, efficient service - over 30 years experience in property BOOKS PURCHASED HARDBACK BOOKS WANTED OLD OR NEW LARGE OR SMALL AMOUNTS HOUSE CLEARANCE DISCRETION ASSURED PROMPT PAYMENT 01442 862036 D J PROCTOR GENTLE TREATMENT FOR Sports or work related injuries Muscular-skeletal disorders, back, neck and knee problems. Stress and tension based issues. Hayfever and bronchial symptoms. Fatigue, headaches, lymphatic drainage, general relaxation, body balancing and more Contact: Robert Ford on 01442 824192 http://www.bowentherapy4u.co.uk Email: [email protected] 4 ere you in St WHAT CHILDREN acknowledging the W Peter’s on Sunday importance of the father th REALLY NEED 10 December, 2006? A in parenting. Among long time ago, I know, the topics covered in the but if you were, then you Margaret Burbidge looks at the groups are What would have heard Reg MU Parenting Programme Children Really Need, Bailey, the MU Chief Keeping Children Safe, Executive, speak about Setting Love Limits for its work overseas. This dealing with discipline parish makes a and Keeping Sane as significant annual Parents. These and donation to the MU many other issues are Overseas Fund. In his sermon Reg spoke of topics that concern parents the world over. parenting, but not in this country. Sheran reports that as well as benefits to It is easy to think that the difficulties of family life, relationships between parents in family life and problems with children are the home and with colleagues at work have confined to western societies and the improved. This year there are plans to take developed world. The Mothers’ Union the Parenting Programme to the knows this is not so. MU workers in Amerindians in remote areas of the developing countries tell of the problems country. Sheran is aware of the extra families experience in dealing with their demands of adapting handbooks and children. The importance of parenting is additional travel expenses as the often overshadowed by poverty, famine programme expands, but it is her fervent and illness, especially HIV/AIDS. Survival prayer that one day every church in the on a day-to-day basis, providing food and country will be equipped to run its own obtaining water, and trying to generate MU parenting group. In his sermon Reg income, mean that time and energy for Bailey said that all MU work is developing relationships with children, take undergirded by prayer. Many MU members a back seat. The MU's successful Parenting around the world say Mid-day Prayers in Programme, begun in this country for the their homes or when meeting together, Millenium, has become a world wide something Sheran Harper knows about project.