And finally, Radford Road Church Leamington Spa

Thank you for reading this electronic copy of Radford Road Church Magazine. At present a very limited number of Magazines is being printed and most people are receiving electronic copies. Please let Marjorie know the email addresses of anyone who would like to receive the Magazine by this method. This is a much greener, cheaper and less time consuming way of producing the Church Magazine. What’s more, those receiving the Magazine by email have a colour version! In future we will continue the magazine production electronically and will only print hard copies for those unable to access the internet and for visitors to the church. At present 61 copies of this Magazine are being sent out. Please email [email protected] before Sunday August 23rd if you have any items suitable for publication in the September Magazine.

Radford Road Church web site: www.radfordroadchurch.org.uk July/ August 2020 16

THE MINISTER’S LETTER

Dear friends and family at Radford Road Church, MINISTER (URC) Revd. James Church The last few months have been unlike any we have experienced [email protected] before. We all watch the news anxiously hoping that the R rate of MINISTER (Methodist) Revd. Sam McBratney the virus remains under one, and we can begin to move into a [email protected] new ‘normal’ which many of us long and pray for. So many ADMINISTRATOR Margaret B plans have been disrupted, weddings put on hold, birthday

celebrations postponed, even plans to move house delayed. CHURCH TREASURER Tina Last weekend I saw pictures of friends making promises of commitment to one another in their back garden in an online ceremony, followed by ORGANIST Margaret H the heavens opening up and rain bucketing down. It’s not as pleasant as the sunny May we have enjoyed, but the earth has been crying out for refreshment, and we could all do MID-WEEK WORSHIP Jane with the cleansing of rainfall. Just after the rain the most amazing symbol emerged in the sky above, a strong clear reminder of God’s unbreakable promise of peace, a WEDNESDAY LUNCH Veronica rainbow.

This is another symbol that has been with us over these past months from spot the FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE Margaret H rainbow in children’s windows, a way to lift community spirits, through to rainbows Ruth for keyworkers and the NHS. I believe you can even buy Swarovski rainbow jewellery now in support of the NHS Charities Together. PROPERTY Bridget In the last few weeks media attention seems to have moved on to the ‘Black Lives Andrew Matter’ campaigns, as the world has been deeply shocked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police. It can be hard to watch the anger in the protests and riots, but RAINBOWS Bridget there is hope in them too and a conversation to be had about who we memorialise, why we memorialise them, and how this is perceived by others. BROWNIES Bridget Back to the cleansing rainfall. We often miss this but the destruction of Noah’s flood wasn’t a capricious and unrestrained act but a controlled response born out of the pain GUIDES Emma of God seeing the wickedness of humanity and that every inclination of their hearts was continually evil (Genesis 6:5). Maybe there is something cleansing about these protests RANGERS Sarah too. Maybe we are hearing voices and experiences that need to be heard, and maybe the washing of the Edward Colstons of this world into the River Avon is part of that. BEAVER SCOUTS Matthew The more I read through the account of Noah, the more I am reminded that nothing was simple or easy about it. The whole account is troubling, but at the end of it we see a CUB SCOUTS Matthew rainbow in the sky, a symbol of peace, of hope, of promise. It is no accident that

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and President Nelson Mandela lay hold of the rainbow as a SCOUTS Malcolm symbol of hope for their nation after years of oppression and violence. They spoke of an emerging “rainbow nation” as an aspiration, a vision of the future, to be built after EXPLORER SCOUTS Mark the troubles on the much harder work of truth and reconciliation.

I suspect this will be true for our society also, we will need to come together, after ACTING GROUP SCOUT Mark these protests and this pandemic. Then we will need to grieve what has happened, talk LEADER about our experiences and perceptions of injustice, and to work positively to build strong integrated and hope-filled communities. For this is what I believe God is calling MAGAZINE EDITOR AND Marjorie us to do under the banner of his rainbow, following the Lordship of his Christ, and in WEBSITE COORDINATOR [email protected] the spiritual fellowship of his global church.

With love in Christ Jesus, James 2 15

FAMILY NEWS THE MOUSE TRAP Please remember in your prayers A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might those who have suffered bereavement this contain?" the mouse wondered. Comfort the families and friends who grieve. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the those who are ill Please think especially of Mavis, Ken, John F. Ann and Clarice. warning: "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a those who have worries and anxieties mousetrap in the house!" Give them peace and comfort in the knowledge that you are close to them.

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr Mouse, I can those who are self-isolating and all who have been confined to their homes over tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be recent weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic bothered by it." Please may they know of your nearness to them as they feel cut off from family and The mouse turned to the pig and told him "There is a mousetrap in the house! friends.

There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so th We send our love and sympathy to Sam whose father died of Covid 19 on June 16 . very sorry, Mr Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured Please hold the family in your prayers. you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There Sue’s daughter, Helen, would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers for is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow! Mr Mouse. I'm sorry for her and all the NHS workers over recent weeks. you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the Congratulations to John F who celebrated his 107th farmer's mousetrap alone. birthday on July 7th. We hear that he received 256 That very night a sound was heard throughout the house - like the sound of a birthday greetings! mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. John was born in Enfield, London in 1913 and moved to In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had Leamington in 1943 when he was offered a position caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital within the Ford Motor Company where he was and she returned home with a fever. employed for 40 years. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took He attended Radford Road Church for many years and drove to church in his car his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's each Sunday until he was well over 100 years of age. He is a remarkable sickness continued, so friends and neighbours came to sit with her around the gentleman. clock. He now lives at Cubbington Mill Care Home. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow Many thanks to Sally and Andrew who have spent a lot of time tending the slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. outside area of the church. They keep the car park tidy by sweeping up the leaves The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, and debris that accumulates and they ensure that the surrounding area is neat and the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern tidy. you, remember: when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all Although we are not able to go to church for our regular Sunday Services it is involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another important that the building and surrounding area remain clean and tidy. and make an extra effort to encourage one another. Each of us is a vital thread Thank you Sally and Andrew. in another person's tapestry.

Author Unknown Taken with permission from The Parish Window 3 14

OUR COVER PICTURE RE-OPENING THE CHURCH

This stained glass window is colourful, vibrant, Although the Government has said churches can open for private prayer from and eye catching, and is an expression of our June 15th and be fully open from July 4th this is not an easy process as the risk faith. from Covid 19 is still present. The more you look at it, the more the Christian Risk assessments have to be put in place, the sanctuary of the church has to be message reveals itself in different ways. re-organised to meet social distancing rules and a one way system has to be put To me, it portrays life, death, resurrection, love in place. The church needs to be stewarded by at least 2 people who are under to the world no matter the colour of your skin, 70 years of age and who have no underlying health conditions. your shape, your gender, your appearance or With all this in mind the Elders have decided to open the church on Fridays where you live. from 10.30 am – 12noon for private prayer. The initial thought is to start on It shows Jesus (the central cross) reaching out July 17th . In our preparation we are looking for people to volunteer to steward into the world (the circle) and His message the church in the above age group. stretching out beyond our world and into the We would also like to know if you are likely to attend the church for private whole universe. prayer so we have a rough idea of numbers who may visit. If you are interested The colours represent us all. We are all please contact Margaret Bull (01926 716625). different, but we are all part of God’s wonderful As far as church services are concerned September will be the earliest for these creation. to start and will probably be later than this. Services will be different as singing You can see triangles, rectangles trapeziums and squares but they all fit is banned and over 70s are not advised to attend together. If we work in unison we are following Christ’s teaching. We all We will keep you updated over the summer months have something to offer to create God’s kingdom and to enjoy the gifts given to us. Let us all work together to use our gifts and talents to benefit the whole of humanity PARTIAL RE-OPENING OF PLACES OF WORSHIP Other people may have different and deeper interpretations of this image. th Please consider it and what it means to you. Places of worship have been closed since March 24 , meaning many were unable to mark Easter, Passover, Ramadan or Vaisakhi within their buildings. In preparation for the easing of restrictions, the Methodist Circuit is sending round some material to get people reflecting on what a return will look like. 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 It is called ‘Dreams of a New Normal’ You can read more and complete the survey online by pasting this link into your browser: The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole https://forms.gle/2ZqnBn3dsR86mkaw6 . Please have a look and start body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are dreaming. There is an introductory video at https://youtu.be/W0kW-227s5A Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptised into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I CRAFT FAIR am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because Because of the possibility of a second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic and I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole because, among other things, social distancing will still be an issue, it has been body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, decided that we shall not have a Craft Fair this year. how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God Let us see what 2021 brings. has put each part just where he wants it.

13 4

WHEN I’M 64 MUSICAL TOUR WE WILL MEET WHEN THE DANGER IS OVER

Reluctantly Dan has decided that, because John L. Bell, a renowned Scottish hymn writer and Minister, has written a of the current restrictions on travel and the new hymn which was used at an Iona Community event recently. John has uncertainty of the coronavirus situation, it written both the music and some very moving words which are so relevant will not be possible to undertake his for us at this time. The song has been made freely available provided it is planned tour of the UK this autumn. credited properly.

However, he proposes to come in late We will meet when the danger is over, spring 2021 and we are hoping that this will we will meet when the sad days are over; be feasible. we will meet sitting closely together and be glad our tomorrow has come.

We will join to give thanks and sing gladly, FINANCE we will join to break bread and share wine; and the peace that we pass to each other As Radford Road Church remains closed because of the coronavirus will be more than a casual sign. pandemic, it is important that we all remember our regular giving. Although the church is closed there are still costs as is the case with any building and we So let's make with each other a promise have lost the income from lettings. that when we've all come through is behind, If you would like to consider setting up a standing or give via bank we will share what we missed and find meaning in the things that once troubled our mind. transfer please contact either Tina Wise, Bridget Halpin or Margaret Bull for banking details. Alternatively you can send a cheque made payable to Until then may we always discover ‘Radford Road Church’ to Margaret Bull. faith and love to determine our way. That's our hope and God's will and our calling for our lives and for every new day. EASY GIVING John L Bell (C) Wild Goose Resource Group, The Iona Community Please bear in mind, if you are ordering goods online, to register for easy giving as the church receives a on each order. It costs you nothing KEEP IN TOUCH and it is easy to register. If you download the reminder you will be guided to Copy this link into your browser https://urc.org.uk/ to get URC News, views, which companies are participating. comments and Daily Devotions (which can be emailed to you).

You will find A Prayer for the Day page on the Methodist web site at https:// FACE COVERINGS www.methodist.org.uk There is also a Prayer Wall where you are able to Janine and Edna have made lots of scrubs and bags for NHS workers during MISSION PROJECT ask others to pray for your particular concerns. the pandemic and now Janine is turning her hand (and her sewing machine) to REHOBOTH CHILDREN’S CENTRE IN THE PHILIPPINES https://bit.ly/3ci8ufk gives details of You Tube videos of URC worship the making of face coverings. She has kindly offered to make these for Our Mission Project fund for Rehoboth Children’s Centre in the Philippines services arranged by James. anyone who would like them. The cost will be the price of the material plus a now stands at £962.40 as surplus money carried forward from 2018/19 has Contact Bridget if you would like to join the WhatsApp group. donation to our Mission Project, Rehoboth Children’s Home in the been added. We should be able to hand over the £1000 we were aiming for to Contact Bridget if you would like to join the Zoom Quiz Night. Philippines. complete this project in August. It’s not hard, not serious and lots of fun! Please phone Janine (Tel.:311504) if you would like to place an order. No decision has yet been made concerning a future project for 2020/21 but Contact James if you would like to join the Friday evening Bible Study Zoom there should be further news about this in September. group.

12 5

MAYA ANGELOU WILLIAM WILBERFORCE The Radford Road WhatsApp group has been a wonderful means of keeping William Wilberforce, whose commemoration th members and friends in touch with each other during lockdown. The. Group day is on 30 July, was an English politician has shared snippets of information, music, prayers, humour and fun with who became the voice of the abolition of each other. It has been a way of the church keeping in touch and helping slavery movement in Parliament at the th others through the difficult days which we have all experienced. beginning of the 19 century. Among other things, Jeni has shared quotations from “Today’s William was not alone. The movement to Encouragement” with us all. abolish slavery was happening in other I found one of these quotes particularly poignant and thought inspiring: countries. It was a fundamental challenge to the assumption that non-European peoples “Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved were subordinate and inferior and could be ruthlessly exploited. When one yet.~ Wilberforce wrote a last petition it was unclear how the result would go. The Love recognises no barrier. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates Parliamentary debate lasted three months. On the 26th July 1833, the Abolition walls to arrive at its destination full of hope”. of Slavery Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons. Wilberforce It was written by Maya Angelou. The internet tells had resigned as an MP due to ill health so a messenger was despatched to his us that she was born on April 4th 1928 as house, telling him that at last slavery in British colonies would finally be th Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis and was raised in abolished. William died on 29 July 1833 just two days after hearing that news, segregated rural Arkansas. She died on May 28th a fitting conclusion to the work he had begun nearly half a century before. 2014 at the age of 86. The shame of it though is that slavery did not end with abolition in the th She was a poet, historian, author, actress, 19 century. It still continues today in one form or another in every country in playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and the world including the UK. According to the International Labour director. She lectured throughout the US and Organisation (ILO) around 21 million men, women and children around the abroad and was Reynolds professor of American world are in some form of slavery. In 2013 the UK’s victim identification and Studies at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. She published ten best support process, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), received over 1,746 selling books and numerous magazine articles earning her Pulitzer and referrals of potential victims of trafficking. What should we do about it? National Book nominations. At the request of President Clinton, she As we have been redeemed from the slavery of sin, we should be the foremost wrote and delivered a poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at his 1993 champions of ending human slavery in the world today. presidential inauguration. The ancient world described in the Bible has more than its share of barbarism. Dr. Angelou, who spoke French, Spanish, Italian and West African Fanti, When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt they were given ever more difficult began her career in drama and dance. She married a South African freedom tasks and were ill-treated (Exodus 1:11-14). The Bible reports and accepts that fighter and lived in Cairo where she was editor of The Arab Observer, the slavery was present in those times, but does not appear to have the same only English-language news weekly in the Middle East. In Ghana, she was connotations of cruelty and inhuman treatment given to those William feature editor of The African Review and taught at the University of Ghana. Wilberforce fought to save. In the 1960s, at the request of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ms. Angelou Jewish law provided slaves with limited rights, although they were still became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership expected to obey their masters (Ephesians 6:5). Ephesians goes on to tell those Conference. She was appointed by President Gerald Ford to the masters in 6:9 however to give up threatening their slaves “knowing that your Bicentennial Commission and by President Jimmy Carter to the National own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him”. The same Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year. instruction is given in Colossians 4:1 “Masters, give your bondservants what is She was a truly remarkable woman who led an extraordinary life and she just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven” was a prolific writer of poetry, plays, screenplays for television and film.

11 6

PRAYING TOGETHER IN JULY Scripture required Jewish people to grant their Hebrew slaves freedom in the The monthly Prayer Diary encourages the Church family seventh year and a special year of celebration known as the Jubilee Year to focus prayers on a daily basis (Leviticus 25; Deuteronomy 15:12). The existence of any rights makes the slavery reported in biblical times very 1st Charities which have seen a 16th The church community supporting different from the slavery that was practiced in the past few centuries in many dramatic drop in others parts of the world. It was not based exclusively on race. People were not enslaved because of their nationality or the colour of their skin. Certainly the 2nd Ken 17th All politicians faced with difficult slavery undertaken in the 19th century was often based exclusively on skin decisions colour. Africans were captured by slave-hunters, who sold them to slave- 3rd For all who are grieving 18th All who are suffering from the traders, who brought them to the New World to work on plantations and effects of coronavirus farms. Many were considered slaves because of their nationality and skin 4th Clarice 19th Gill colour and many slave owners truly believed black people to be inferior human beings. 5th All NHS workers as they work 20th Those who are isolated and feeling Here the Bible is clear condemning any form of race-based slavery telling us in these challenging times alone, scared or anxious in Genesis 1:27 that all men are created by God and made in His image. Both the Old and New Testaments condemn the practice of “man-stealing.” The 6th Rehoboth Children’s Centre 21st John F penalty for such a crime was death: (Exodus 21:16). “Anyone who kidnaps 7th Churches Together in 22nd All key workers who are keeping another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to Leamington us safe and maintaining vital death”. Similarly, in the New Testament, slave-traders are listed among those services who are “ungodly and sinful” and are in the same category as those who kill 8th Radford Road Church 23rd Elders of the Church their fathers or mothers, murderers, adulterers and perverts, and liars and perjurers (1 Timothy 1:8–10). 9th Night Shelter volunteers as they 24th Hazel It is these examples we should obey. Slavery in any form is against all support homeless people decency and should be fought with all our strength. George Jevons Written for the Parish Window 10th Methodist & UR Churches as 25th Mavis they prepare for the future 11th Businesses and people who are 26th Joyce WHAT A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT! struggling financially Emily, one of our Brownies, must have been inspired by the achievements of 12th Jherell, Jenny and Helen 27th All home carers who continue to Sir Tom Moore who celebrated his 100th birthday by walking 100 lengths of visit people in their homes his garden to raise money for the NHS. Emily and her younger brother 13th Valerie 28th Staff and residents of Care Homes decided that they would like to emulate Sir Tom and planned to run laps around their garden until they had completed a marathon. They set off 14th Kingsley & Anne 29th Peggy exuberantly, ran their laps exuberantly and finished exuberantly! Yes, they ran 15th Our Ministers and families 30th Ann B the equivalent of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles 385 yards)! Their friends and family supported this wonderful endeavour and gave money to the 31st Our Uniformed organisations who chosen by the children. They were delighted to be able to hand over the have been supporting children magnificent sum of £500 to the charity of their choice. Emily also gained her during lockdown Brownie charity for this wonderful achievement.

10 7

STRANGE TIMES ADD A RIBBON TO SHOW THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT RADFORD ROAD CHURCH IS NOT CLOSED The little book, “Strange Times” compiled by

ALTHOUGH THE BUILDING IS INACCESSIBLE Marjorie and John gives a flavour of how we have all coped during the pandemic. It details anecdotes of the activities of Radford Road members and friends during this very unusual period. Each book costs approximately £2.10 to produce and we are hoping that those who buy one will add a donation for Radford Road Church. Please send your cheque (including donation) made payable to Marjorie Carrier or make a bank transfer: Sort Code 09-01-34 Account Number 35786806 Account name: Marjorie and John Carrier The book is a wonderful keepsake and would make an ideal gift for a friend or relative for a birthday, Christmas present or just as a gift. Initially 100 copies were to be printed but in the end we decided on 50. These have all Have you walked past Radford Road Church recently? been sold and so we have had a re-print of a further 50 copies but this will be If so, you will have noticed ribbons and strips of material tied to the railings by the final edition. the ramp. Some of the ribbons are accompanied by a prayer. There are posters If you would like a book posted to you there will be a further charge of £1.50 explaining the reason for the ribbons being there. to cover postage. People are invited to tie ribbons on to the rails in memory of loved ones, to say a BE AWARE, KEEP SAFE silent prayer, to ask for a blessing or to thank God for his goodness. It is a way of people coming together and showing the community that the church is not Warwickshire Police has issued a warning of a recent telephone scam. closed even if the building is inaccessible. A plausible message tells you that Track and Trace has identified you as So, when you are next out for your daily exercise, please take a ribbon or strip of someone who needs to isolate and have a test for coronavirus. material of any colour with you and tie it on to the hand rail up the ramp at You are asked to give your bank account so that money can be withdrawn Radford Road Church or even on to the side gate. The ribbons will show the from your account to pay for the test. community that we still care for them and that we are still church even if the DON’T DO IT! THIS IS A SCAM! building is closed at present. You may like to add a short prayer too. Tests are free on the NHS and no money should be requested. If you get this phone call please put the phone down immediately and contact the police. Never give out your bank details to anyone over the phone. Another current scam occurs when a phone call or text gives a date and time for a Covid Home Testing team to visit you. It states that the team will step into your front door to put on their protective clothing whilst you must remain in a separate room. This is simply a ruse to gain access to your home. Do not answer the door but phone the police immediately.

8 9