6 features features 7

Q: Is it OK to use The bishop’s message: ‘Trust in the Comic Sans as the main typeface for our ask the parish magazine? providence of God, whatever happens.’ Debbie Sutton, parish magazine editor, Q: How did you react when ple project their own demands Broadcasting God’s adviser St Jude’s, Southsea you heard you had EXTRACTS FROM INTERVIEW ON on clergy, which are often not ing a lively, informative publi- leukaemia? terribly helpful. ‘SUNDAY SOLENT TODAY’ A: Please don’t! Comic Sans cation full of interesting sto- A: I looked the consultant in (a typeface that looks like ries about people, photo- the eyes, then looked Sarah in very memorable and far longer Q: Anger? Q: So how can you turn this graphs and spiritual input the eyes, and I then looked than normal life. A: No, not too much of that. personal experience of the this) was invented to be used instantly looks more amateur back at the consultant, and Irritation at the small things. last six months into some- for speech bubbles in cartoon than you intended. It may be a said: “Well, that means there Q: Have you brooded about But the illness has not left me thing productive for other strips. For some reason, sub-conscious thing, but peo- are three possible outcomes. death? with “Why was it me that was Christian ministers? work across south umpteen librarians, teachers, ple gain a certain impression One that I won’t survive, one A: No. I don’t think there's ill?” because I know the A: I’d preface the reply by say- amateur signwriters and - I’m of your church - a silliness or that it’ll be early retirement, really time for that. The next human body is highly complex ing you’re not seeing a ISHOP Kenneth is selves. afraid - parish magazine edi- child-like naivete that will be and one that it’ll be back to day [after the diagnosis], I got and some people get cancer, changed personality, but the “Our listeners are not all tors decided that it looked like talking frankly at odds with the reality. work.” That kind of realism up and I wrote my funeral other people live long trouble- same Kenneth who has been churchgoers. In fact, vast num- a ‘friendly, informal’ typeface about how his Such is the backlash that has been with me from the service and I also wrote down free lives. marked by a unique experi- B bers listen who don’t go to that would fit their needs. a website has been created - word go. some notes for Sarah as to God isn't fair. I know that. ence. I want to see the Church life and faith were These things are open to church. It’s made me realise www.bancomicsans.com - to how to dispose of the books People get God wrong if they much more engaging with the opinion, but it’s instructive to affected by his six- there’s a huge appetite for matters prevent its use! Q: What has the treatment in my study, and some of my project their own view of questions that people actually note that no professional month battle against of faith beyond the walls of the Neil Pugmire, communications involved? special treasures from family - human rights onto him. Life have. graphic designer, web design- church or any denomination. I adviser (023-9282 5731 or A: Four courses of chemother- things like my grandfather’s isn’t fair. We’re equal in the If I were a nurse on the leukaemia. er, signwriter, newspaper edi- don’t think churches have begun communications@portsmouth. apy, which is a treatment to pectoral cross, because he sight of God, but we’re not the haemotology unit of the QA He talks about how he had to tor or book publisher ever to work out how to communicate anglican.org) get rid of the bad things in the was a bishop as well. There’s same in the sight of God. and were a committed face death as a reality, how he uses it, partly because It blood that are killing the blood a great sense of relief that I’d Christian, 24 hours a day I'd with people who are interested in looks like the kind of lettering wrote his own funeral service the  Do you have a question for one cells. The first course of dealt with that. I hadn’t dealt Q: Has it been easy to take be wrestling with genetics - religion, but not the organised a teacher would use to help a day after he was diagnosed, and of our diocesan advisers? chemotherapy is the longest - with everything, but something six months off? this person has arrived with Church.” small child learn how to write. how he would suddenly burst into So, almost by definition, it Contact: Ask the Adviser at that was 10 days. Then the was done so that if I did die, A: Yes and no. Yes, all you can the illness and the bone mar- Tim originally became Cathedral House, St Thomas’s tears at times when he felt fragile. looks amateur. next one was eight days and that was out of the way. I do when you’re told you’ve got row test is taken and when involved after being interviewed Street, Portsmouth, PO1 2HA, The man sitting with him on Using it means your the last two were six days know what it’s like when fami- this illness is to be passive the result comes back it may by others at BBC Radio Solent, (023-9282 5731 or communicat lies are completely thrown: and take the treatment. But in the sofa holding the microphone painstaking efforts at produc- [email protected]) each. It’s pretty grim, but be more easily treatable, as it especially in the aftermath of the you’re surrounded by people what do I do about the funeral, between the chemotherapies was in my case, or less easily nods empathetically. It’s only September 11 bombings. who know the ropes. You are or what do I do about this, when I’ve felt quite strong, treatable. Squaring genetics been a few minutes since the He made a pilot programme, unique, but you’re also anoth- that and the other. and then in the last few weeks and chance with the provi- bishop met Tim Daykin, but and was then asked to take over er patient who's come in for Having done those practi- as I’ve adjusted to not going dence of God is the question Kenneth is already talking can- cal things, I then said Morning back into hospital with an the slot in February 2003. He was Earl Mountbatten Hospice THE treatment, and they know what that that whole culture is didly about how the experience of to do, and you’re entirely in Prayer from the book. I’ve said infection, I’ve felt more and wrestling with, if it has a reli- team rector of Fordingbridge in Halberry Lane a potentially terminal illness left Newport their hands. Morning Prayer and Evening more frustrated. I feel much gious faith. Too often the the New Forest at the time, but have to contain elements that will HOSPICE him permanently scarred. Prayer pretty well every day, in stronger now than I did even Church presents itself as con- the Bishop of Winchester man- appeal to people across the whole PO30 2ER the hospital and also at home, two weeks ago. I know that I This is the first of a series of Tel: (01983) 529511 Q: You've devoted your life to cerned with other things which aged to find him a new position in of , and the Isle Email: [email protected] and sometimes it’s meant a can do more, but it is one bite interviews Kenneth is doing Reg Charity No: 1039086 serving other people. How are simply not where people a city centre church, which made of Wight. So, for instance, we easy has it been allowing huge amount to me, like of the elephant each day. are. ahead of his tentative return to managing his time, as well as covered the ecumenical event in other people to serve you? Psalms that refer to counting public duties this month. The Rev held as an alternative to The Rowans Hospice the hairs on your head. Q: So you've had more time travelling, easier. A: Much easier. When you’re Q: You’re looking forward to Tim Daykin is the producer and Hallowe’en because Christians Purbrook Heath Road told you’ve got this illness and Of course, although I’m to watch TV, listen to the getting back to work in the He starts to think about his Waterlooville, Hants PO7 5RU presenter of BBC Radio Solent’s Tel: (023) 9225 0001 you suddenly find yourself full quite bald, I did actually keep radio, read novels. Has that next few weeks. Tell us what programme on a Monday. Some across the region would be won- ‘Sunday Solent Today’ pro- E: [email protected] of medicine, all you can actu- my hair - I lost my grey hair been valuable? the future holds. dates will already be in his diary – dering what to do about that Web-site: www.rowanshospice.co.uk ally do is let them get on with and then it grew again at the A: Oh yes. I've enjoyed, for A: I shall play myself back gramme, which is broadcast such as anniversaries of important issue. Reg Charity No: 299731 it. When you’re told why you’re end! I had this great sense of instance, having time to read slowly. Everybody’s telling me between 6am and 8am each dates, or the launch of a film such “It’s a shame, but I think Sunday morning. Kenneth’s inter- not feeling terribly well, resting in the arms of God, the newspaper each day. to be careful, but often the as The Lion, the Witch and the many church people have a huge (reproduced left) there’s actually an enormous resting in the arms of my ones telling me to be careful view is the main Wardrobe or The Da Vinci Code fear of the media. Of course, there Between us, our two hospices provide specialist loved ones, and also I was Q: Do you think Christian min- sense of relief, whatever the are the ones who are most feature in his next programme. – and some information will are elements of the national palliative care for some 900 adults with life-lim- outcome is. You know why completely overwhelmed by isters spend enough time bossy about what I've got to Tim works as team vicar at the media that are hostile, but those iting illness throughout the Diocese every year. messages from people from sharing the interests of the come from churches, dioceses inside you for the last few do! I’m immune to “Oh, you city centre churches of St Michael in the local media want to We also help to care for their families and weeks you've been lacking in all over the diocese, different world, or are clergy perhaps a must be very careful, but and other religious organisations and St Mary’s in – celebrate what’s happening in the friends. energy. The last weekend parts of the country, and even bit too busy with the affairs please come and do this, this, themselves. Top: Bishop Kenneth is interviewed by Tim Daykin in his only a few hundred yards away communities they serve. It before I went in was horren- the world. of the church. this and this!” Other current news stories – Bishopsgrove study; below: Tim presents the programme from the BBC studios where saddens me that people in faith dous. I had three big services A: What I’m looking for is I've got a very good jailer the controversy over the cartoons from the BBC Radio Solent studios Both hospices are heavily dependent upon vol- over a very hot weekend, and I Q: We expect bishops to be depth. Often the church here, Sarah, and a very good Radio Solent is broadcast. In a of the prophet Mohammed, or a communities aren’t more friendly be scheduled to fit precisely into that you have all sorts of elements untary giving in order to provide their services sweat very easily. I had to be men of robust and strong makes clergy too busy. A lot of household who watch me like unique arrangement, he is general synod debate about towards the media because there the time available. On Sundays, to fit in, including news, weather entirely free of charge. Our combined expendi- take the thinnest of outfits so faith. Have you had the odd clergy feel they need to be hawks. I know that there'll be employed two-thirds of his time women bishops – might suggest are incredible stories of faith that wobble along the way? busy inside in order to justify he’ll sit in the studio with his and sport, as well as interviews ture this year will be over £5.2 million. The that I didn’t sweat even more. good days and bad days in the by the Church and one-third by certain interview possibilities. aren’t being told.” A: Oh yes. And the wobbles their existence. One of the early stages. I’ve got some running order on one screen, his and music,” he said. “It’s a bit the BBC. Some will be invited to come to His remit also includes other largest single source of fundraising income for Q: What impact did the expe- have always been about the most difficult things that I’ve public engagements - the first scripts on another and listeners’ like slotting together readings, He also presents ‘Ancient and the studio, others may contribute faiths as well as Christianity, but each of us is from legacies. rience at the beginning of the little things, when something had to face in the last six really big public one is not e-mails and texts displayed on a sermons and intercessions in a Modern’, a programme combin- live over the phone, and some some items on other faiths may treatment have on your faith? doesn’t work or when you're months is actually feeling use- until 13th April when I have a third. Jingles will be on one church service. Just as I do when getting an infection. I always less. I get up, I say my ing traditional hymns and modern interviews – like Kenneth’s – may not be so local. He can interview A: I had to face death as a service in the cathedral on machine, while another means he I’m leading a service, I put a huge reality and, until September found it was those little prayers, I do a bit of reading, Maundy Thursday and bless worship songs that follows be pre-recorded. He generally people around the country by ask- can talk to interviewees and amount of thought into what will Please would you remember 8th, for me, death was some- moments, or when I threw up, but I actually haven’t got the the oils, and I’m hoping that ‘Sunday Solent Today’. Both are spends two afternoons each week ing interviewees to go into one of listeners on the phone. fit well together. thing that other people did. as I did once because I ate energy to do anything. one of the nurses will bring up the only wholly religious radio in the BBC studios preparing the the network of BBC studios Tim’s computer also includes “I get a considerable postbag us in your Will? The first time I really was the wrong thing. Also there the oil for anointing of the programmes broadcast across our show. across Britain. He edits pre- a piece of software he created and I’m deeply moved by all the faced with my own mortality. were emotional moments, Q: Do you think that dying and the sick. entire diocese. “The difference between a recorded interviews down to the Facing it, I’m actually not when I suddenly burst into experience is going to make himself – Hymnbase – which lists letters I get, in which people talk “I understand that my audi- radio programme and a newspa- required length, writes an intro- frightened of it. tears, partly because of the you a better bishop? Q: Do you have a message, every CD track he possesses and about their own lives. A lot of ence from 6am to 9am on per is that papers tend to cover duction, and then drops it into the Further advice on making a bequest The thing about dying, obvi- medication and partly because A: Yes. particularly for the people of when he has played it on either of people would love to feel part of Sundays outperforms that on smaller areas, such as running order. ously, that I don't like is leav- I was just in a very fragile way the Diocese of Portsmouth. his shows. On certain Sundays, a worshipping community, but Radio 4 and Radio 2 in this area, Bournemouth or Portsmouth,” he With the advent of digital to your local hospice is available ing behind my loved ones. and feeling quite raw. I never Q: How? A: Trust in the providence of such as Remembrance Sunday, don’t know how to, or feel alien- That’s something that the doubted the existence of a lov- A: Because it will make me God, whatever happens. God which I’m very proud of,” he said. “But stories that I cover technology, much of his show can specific hymns are appropriate, ated. I’m very clear that the BBC closeness of those around you ing God, but I questioned, as I look much more critically is good, God is loving, and said. “I’d like to think that’s from the Legacies Officer at either of while you’re very ill makes do in normal life, lots of the about how I operate, and sometimes we measure time because we’re offering something CONTACT DETAILS but he otherwise tries to include a don’t employ me in a pastoral even more tender and beauti- detailed implications of what about how other people oper- too easily in length, and not that is engaging, fun and scratch- range of traditional and modern role, but I hope that we create the above addresses, or you can ask ful, and the moments become that means. ate, and about how other peo- often enough in its depth. es where people are itching. You can write to the Rev Tim Daykin at: BBC Radio Solent, music. something of a virtual community Broadcasting House, Southampton, SO14 7PW, or e-mail him at your solicitor to help you. We’re trying to ask the questions “Programming a radio pro- each Sunday morning on the To hear the interview in full, see: www.portsmouth.anglican.org [email protected] that listeners would ask them- gramme is not unlike liturgy, in radio.”