ST ALBAN’S CHURCH

MAGAZINE FOR THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN

2018 www.st-albans.dk November – December

Alban’s is a bi-monthly magazine printed by: JESPERSEN TRYK, Ved Langebro 1, 2300 København S. Email: [email protected]

Copies are available in church and it is available to view on our website: www.st-albans.dk Maria Kvan Mortensen kindly distributes it by post to members of our community who cannot access it electronically.

Editor: Beverly Lloyd-Roberts Managing Editor: Revd Smitha Prasadam, Nigel Rowley Photographers: As stated. Article authors: As stated.

Contributions, articles and photographs are gratefully received. Saint Alban's Church follows the Danish copyright law. If we have unintentionally published something without permission, please contact us.

Cover photo: St Alban’s Church, autumn 2018 by Bev Lloyd-Roberts

Printed by Jespersen Tryk + Digital ~ 2 ~

Worship in November / December

St Alban’s Church, Copenhagen

NOVEMBER

Sunday 4 10:30 Sung Eucharist at All Saints Wednesday 7 10:30 Holy Communion Saturday 10 11:00 Prayer Vigil on centenary of WW1 Sunday 11 09:00 Holy Communion on Remembrance Sun 10:30 Service of Commemoration & Bell Peal 12:15 Wreath laying at Cemetery 14:00 “2nd” Sunday: Taize service for Peace Wednesday 14 10:30 Holy Communion Sunday 18 10:30 Sung Eucharist Wednesday 21 10:30 Holy Communion Sunday 25 10:30 Sung Eucharist at Christ the King with Archdeacon Colin Williams Licensing Peter Prasadam as Lay Reader Wednesday 28 10:30 Holy Communion

DECEMBER

Sunday 2 10:30 Sung Eucharist on Advent Sunday Wednesday 5 10:30 Holy Communion Sunday 9 10:30 Sung Eucharist for Advent 2 16:00 Carol Service Monday 10 19:00 Carol Service Wednesday 12 10:30 Holy Communion Saturday 15 16:00 Carols and Poetry Sunday 16 10:30 Sung Eucharist for Advent 3 Wednesday 19 10:30 Holy Communion Sunday 23 10:30 Sung Eucharist for Advent 4 Christmas Eve 12:00 Children’s Nativity with Carols 23:30 Midnight Mass Christmas Day 10:30 Festival Eucharist Sunday 30 10:30 Sung Eucharist for Christmas 1

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“Second” Sunday Services

As its title suggests, the “Second Sunday Service” is held on the Second Sunday of each month. Services are at 14:00

Different styles of worship will be undertaken each time.

More detailed information on these services are on the notice boards and the website closer to the time of the service. Useful Information

• If you use a hearing aid, please use the T-switch to connect to the loop system. • Coffee and tea are served after most Sunday services. • On days when there is a Sunday school, it starts at 10:25. Children wishing to join are asked to meet at 10:25 by the Font.

St Alban’s Church in Jutland

We also have an English-speaking congregation in Aarhus, Jutland, which meets at 18:00 on the last Sunday of the month (except July), in a church we gratefully borrow from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark.

Our Chaplain, Revd Smitha Prasadam of Saint Alban’s, Copenhagen, will normally lead the services. The dates for the next coming months are:

Aarhus – at Møllevangskirken, Møllevangs Allé 49, 8210 Aarhus V 25 November – Holy Communion at 18:00 16 December – Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 18:00

Refreshments are served in Sognegården after the service. Everyone is welcome. Further details are available from Angela Hansen at cont [email protected]

Jelling The social arrangements, “Eat and Sing”, in Jelling continue to be held each first Thursday of the month at 17:30 and further details can be found on our website.

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Message from the Chaplain

In November we stand at the end of one year while December sees us at the Advent of the next – liturgically speaking. With the grand sweep of All Hallows, All Souls, Remembrance and Christ the King: we journey to Bethlehem recalling a baby destined to be the salvation of the world.

From greyness to glory; from blindness to sight; from death to new birth. The pages of this magazine show the extent to which healing and reconciliation is needed in our individual and corporate lives. Historical hurts from the ravages of war, deep sorrow at the death of loved ones whose lives filled and enriched ours.

Reconciliation and healing do not happen however, without our permission and say-so. If we come with bitterness, we need to be persuaded by Jesus’ sweetness, If we come with anger, we ask God to pacify us with patience If we come with pain, we ask to be soothed by Christ’s tenderness

Bartimaeus, a road-side beggar cries: “Have mercy on me!” Within earshot of Jesus, he throws off his garments and run towards the place of restoration and clear sight. We are called to render our own garments of arrogance, self-sufficiency, animosity, rage and sorrow to meet one who comes as vulnerable as a new born baby. One who comes as the Prince of Peace

With me, you may like to use this reflection in the coming weeks

“Open our eyes Lord especially if they are half shut because we are tired of looking Or half open because we fear to see too much

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Or bleared with tears because yesterday and today and tomorrow are filled with pain Or contracted because we only look at what we want to see

Open our eyes Lord to gently scan the life we lead, the home we have and the world we live in – to find – among the gremlins and the greyness – signs of hope that we can hold onto

Give us, whose eyes are dimmed by familiarity – a bigger vision of what you can do- Even with hopeless cases and lost causes – and with people of limited ability

Show us the world as in your sight – riddled by debt, deceit and disbelief: Yet also - shot through with possibility for recovery, renewal and redemption

And, lest we fail to distinguish vision from fantasy today, tomorrow and this week- Open our eyes to one person, one place, one event – Where we – even for one moment being prophetic – might identify and wean a potential in the waiting

In all our fears and frailties, visions and divisions, occupations and preoccupations Open our eyes in yearning for Jesus In this church, in this community, in our streets To help, to heal, to comfort, to confront and even to convert Knowing that we can “stand up and raise our heads for our redemption is near.

“Maranatha!” - Come Lord Jesus, Come!

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Deanery Synod 2018

This year's Deanery Synod was held in Reykjavik, hosted by Revd Bjarni Thor Bjarnasson in the Parish Hall of Reykjavik Cathedral. There were representatives from 6 of our 7 countries (sadly nobody was available from Estonia) along with Archdeacon Colin, Bishop David and his Chaplain, Frances Hiller, Liz Hudson, Communications Consultant for the Diocese and Canon Ulla Monberg, Director of Ministerial Development for the Diocese. Our Area Dean, Revd Nick Howe, welcomed everyone on Friday 14 September at 16:00, but there was a special welcome to Smitha, our Chaplain, since she was the only "new" member of the Deanery. Archdeacon Colin said a prayer.

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The Synod started with a presentation, A Christian pragmatic response to climate change, by Dr. Solveig Anna Boasdottir, Professor at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Iceland. This was most interesting and we hope to receive a bibliography from her, since there were many relevant books and papers which she mentioned.

Next was tea, coffee and cake, followed by a group photo.

Then we walked to the Cathedral to share in Evening Prayer led by our own Victoria.

After this, we met up at Hallgrimskyrka and walked from there to the residence of the Rt Revd Bishop of Iceland, Agnes M. Sigurdardottir, for a dinner reception. It was extremely generous of her to invite around 40 virtual strangers to her home and she made us very welcome. Another group photo was taken while we were there.

On Saturday we started with Morning Prayer at the Cathedral, led by Susan Boyd (our Diocesan rep and Safeguarding Trainer). This was followed by Bible Study on Justice, using Micah chapter 6 and Matthew's parable of the workers, led by Revd Jana Jeruma- Grinberga (Chaplain in Riga).

Then it was time for the Lay Chapter meeting. We started with a quick round of introductions from which it transpired that there is a lot of fundraising going on around the Deanery.

Then it was time to elect a new Deanery Secretary (there was no secretary last year, so we were hoping to find one this time). Our own

~ 8 ~

John Mills volunteered for the rest of the triennium (this year and next) and we were all very grateful.

And a new Lay Chair will be required from next year, since Nigel Rowley has stood down from the Diocesan Synod and will therefore not be part of the Deanery Synod next year. Linda White from Trondheim in Norway volunteered and again we were all very grateful.

The next item on the agenda was GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) and Nigel tried to use a presentation from Diocesan Synod. However, the technical side of things didn't work, so we are looking forward to receiving this presentation after the event. The general feeling is that we have all started work on this but are by no means finished. The Diocese tells us that what we really need is a plan, even if we haven't completed it.

A short update on Safeguarding was next, shared by our trainer, Susan Boyd. She made it clear that there is lots of safeguarding information, including a newsletter, on the Diocesan website. We also need to know that our own policy (each chaplaincy) and officers need to

Then we talked about Finances and the increase in payment to the Common Fund. There was much discontent about this. Most of us felt we have been served with a "fait accompli". This was discussed further in the Business Meeting where both clergy and lay took part.

After lunch we went on an amazing bus trip to the Thingvellir National Park, with a wonderful guide (Dr. Pall Einarsson, Professor of Geophysics at the Faculty of Geology at the University of Iceland), to hear about volcanoes, earthquakes, geothermal springs etc. and we actually got to see a fissure between two tectonic plates, which was quite amazing. We also saw the power plant where steam from under the ground (borings are often more than 2 kilometers deep) is piped to the whole of Iceland to give hot water and heating.

During our tea/coffee break, Bishop David gave us some news from the Diocese, all of which can be found on the Diocesan website.

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The Business Meeting followed. We started by welcoming our new Deanery Secretary and Lay Chair. We also welcomed our new Diocesan Lay reps (Susan Boyd and Emmanuel Eneh) and our new clergy rep (Revd Darren McCallig). Also, we thanked Nigel for his contribution during many years, both as Diocesan Synod rep and as Lay Chair at our Deanery Synod.

After that we got down to business and again, there was much discontent about the proposal from the Diocese to solve the financial problems and a proposal (to the Bishops' Council) was made to change the plan by only budgeting for Safeguarding until such time as we have all had the chance to be a part of a discussion about this.

Another proposal (to the Diocesan Synod) about electronic voting was made. This is something we have been trying to get through for some time, without any real success, but we keep trying and hope one day that this will be possible.

Next item on the agenda was Eucharist in the Cathedral, led by Archdeacon Colin. And after that we walked back to the Parish Hall for dinner.

On Sunday (our last day at Synod) we were part of a wonderful bilingual (Icelandic and English) Eucharist with Bishop David and his Chaplain Frances, as well as the Rt Revd Agnes M. Sigurdardottir, Bishop of Iceland, the Very Revd Helga Soffia Konradsdottir, the Dean of Reykjavik Deanery West, the Very Revd Sveinn Valgeirsson, rector of the Cathedral Parish and our own Revd Bjarni Thor Bjarnasson, vicar of Seltjarnarnes Parish and Anglican priest-in-charge in Iceland. After Bishop David's sermon, Bjarni was relicensed in the presence of Deanery Synod members, local Anglican members and lots of his family.

We then all went back to the Parish Hall for lunch. It was an amazing Synod and we went off to Keflavik airport at about 13:30 for various long flights home.

Words and photos from Pauleen Bang

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Harvest Festival 2018

"This year's Harvest Festival (on 30 September) was slightly different from previous years. Both perishable and non-perishable foods were kindly donated. The non-perishable foods were taken to the Women's shelter (Dannerhuset) by Smitha and were much appreciated. The perishable foods were auctioned off after the service in aid of our fundraising campaign for the building project. Our auctioneer was churchwarden Philip Davies and there was enthusiastic bidding, sometimes at wildly inflated prices. There were fruit and vegetables, curry dinners, onion bhajis and flowers auctioned. The star item was a huge cake made by Rebecca Thomas one of the newest members of our Church family. It was great fun and we raised 3563 DKK for our building project. Many thanks to all who donated and all who bid so generously."

Words by Pauleen Bang Photos by Peter Prasadam

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Pet Blessing Service

The second Sunday service in September was the ‘Pet Blessing Service’. I must admit this is my favourite service of the year. The pleasure of seeing so many happy dogs and their owners in our church fills my heart with joy. Of course, all pets are welcome to the service, but owners of cats brought photographs of them to be blessed, probably a good idea considering the number of dogs in Church. I was surprised not to see anyone with hamsters, giant snails or tortoises in Church but maybe people do not keep these as pets so much in Denmark.

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Ursula led the service and Smitha did the blessings and the homily. The dogs actually seemed to listen to what was going on as they were all extremely quiet whilst the service proceeded.

It is great to see that we get new people as well as regulars with their pets. It is actually outreach when you think about it, we are getting new comers to Church who for one reason or another do not come the rest of the year. Pets are not just animals to most people, they are members of their family and in some cases the only family they have, so to welcome people with their pet family on one day of the year is outreach indeed.

Words and photographs by Bev Lloyd-Roberts

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Meditation as Prayer

Meditation is a whole range of bodily and mental practices and disciplines which play a part in a wide variety of religions and none. They are always about becoming still and focussed in body, mind and heart. Often they offer a way of entering into beliefs at a deeper level than thought and in a more interior way. This is also why people of different religions and none who meditate can sometimes feel at home with one another, despite very different beliefs and doctrines. In talking about meditation practice, we are talking about different shapes of attention, of directing our awareness – to the breath, to bodily sensations, to resisting distractions. Below this “meditative activity” lies our intention, our desire to be in the presence of God, because, in a Christian context, the orientation of our meditation will be towards God – and this may be in adoration of the Father, in union and friendship with Christ, or in the attempt to be attentive towards the promptings of the Spirit. We might call this “the prayer of silent awareness”. Then into this sanctuary of stillness comes the bogey-man, the wrecker : Distraction. - Did I lock the front door? - Have I enough petrol to get home? - Why isn’t so-and-so speaking to me any more? - etc., etc. And so the struggle begins. Now there is nothing which distractions like more than a good fight. It makes them grow tough and resistant. And if we go actively into battle with them, we shall feel our prayer-time becoming a never-ending wrestling match and end up very bruised. A woman once said to Thomas Keating (the great teacher of Centering prayer), “I’m such a failure at prayer. In twenty minutes I’ve had ten thousand thoughts”. “How lovely”, said Thomas Keating, “ten thousand opportunities to return to God.” Or, as Isaiah puts it – “In returning and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and trust shall be your strength.” (Is. 35)

Now what Isaiah’s and Thomas Keating’s words point to is that it is not the quality of our attention and certainly not of our achievement in sustaining a high level of attention and awareness that is the key to meditation as prayer, but the repeated confrontation with our poverty and the repeated reinstatement of our intention, without fuss or flurry, which is our true

~ 14 ~ prayer. And this is because our intention is awoken by God in the first place and anchored in God’s initiative, not our own.

Karl Rahner, the great Jesuit theologian, defined prayer very simply, very profoundly: “It is ultimately the loving response – somehow made explicit – which accepts God’s will to love.” So the thing to recognise is God’s initiative. It is God’s will to love – to love us and all creation – that is the source, the foundation and the enabling of genuine prayer. And the poet T.S. Eliot puts it very strongly: “With the drawing of this love and the Voice of this Calling We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time”. (Four Quartets)

Notice how Rahner’s and Eliot’s words run counter to the pressures of productiveness and efficiency which currently dominate our culture and our society and so how we see ourselves as persons and what we end up setting as our goals. In this light – or rather darkness! – prayerful meditation is by its very orientation and practice an act of resistance to the powers and principalities of our time.

A version of the General Thanksgiving (Can be used to re-enter the world of words at the end of a period of deep quiet. Slight changes in wording can refresh our attention in repeating familiar and well-loved prayers) All-loving God, Father of all mercies, we the stewards of your creation give you most humble and heart-felt thanks for all your goodness and loving- kindness to us and to all people. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your incalculable love in the healing restoration of all creation by your Son, our Bother and Friend Jesus Christ, for the ways of growth and for the hope of unity in your glory. And, we implore you, give us that full sense of all your gifts and mercies, that our hearts may be sincerely thankful, and that we show forth your praise, not only with our lips and in our hearts, but also in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in justice, compassion and selflessness all our days, in union with Jesus Christ, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honour, glory and love, world without end. Amen. John Nicholson, July 2018

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Revd Smitha Prasadam’s First Wedding in St Alban’s, with a little official help from Revd Palle Thordal.

When our daughter, Gemma, first mentioned getting married in St Alban’s, it was a very long time ago, so long in fact that Darren was still here. It seems that young people these days like to plan their weddings far in advance. So, of course the interregnum seemed a long time to us as we waited patiently to see who our new chaplain would be, the wait was thoroughly worth it, as it is a pleasure to have Smitha here as chaplain.

Now in-between Chaplains, Palle, had agreed to do Gemma and Steve’s wedding, and he indeed did the official bits as Smitha had not been here long enough (complicated red-tape too difficult to understand). So, now we had two priests in place which made us all very happy. But there was more red-tape to come in the way of paperwork from the town hall, for an English, Irish wedding in a C of E Church in Denmark, with the last piece of paperwork only getting finished the day before the wedding! A big thank-you to our registrar, Lis, for her patience and understanding.

As the wedding day approached we saw all the gear for building work appear at the front of the Church and we wondered how long we could hold off telling Gemma about it but at the advice of Palle we told her sooner rather than later and she took it in her stride, realising that what was going on inside the Church that day mattered more.

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Smitha and Palle went through the wedding details with Steve and Gemma on the Thursday and everything was planned to the finest detail. The care taken to make everything special was truly appreciated. All we needed was a nice day and it was indeed a beautiful day, the sun shone down on us all without being the heatwave-sun of the previous few weeks.

I was told there was not a dry-eye in the Church that day, mine certainly weren’t. The choir sang beautifully, and Victoria did an amazing solo performance. The flowers were stunning, and Jean had managed to get Gemma’s favourite flowers, hydrangeas, that were her late Grandma’s favourite flower too. Smitha’s homily went down extremely well, everyone loved the bit about the ‘Irish Breakfast’. Palle gave the service the Danish flair that is so loved by everyone in the United Kingdom.

Thank-you to everyone involved in making our daughter’s day one to gladden all our hearts forever. You know who you all are and if I make a list I would risk missing someone out.

Words by Bev Lloyd-Roberts

Official photos by Steve Addo

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In the Season of Saints and Angels……. ………an Obituary for Peter Alan Rohling

Peter Alan Rohling (73) of Copenhagen died in Bispebjerg Hospital on 27 September 2018. Peter was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin on 16 July 1945 to Marian and Ingvar Rohling, formerly Superintendent of Sturgeon Bay Schools. Peter graduated from Sturgeon Bay High School in 1963, best remembered for his performance in music and theatre. He completed his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees form the prestigious School of Speech at Northwestern University, Illinois, in 1968. Peter taught English and theatre at Jamestown University, North Dakota, and was the artistic director of the Chimera Theatre n St Paul, Minnesota.

Having been raised in a Danish-speaking home by first generation parents, and greatly influenced by maternal and paternal grandparents who emigrated from Denmark, Peter travelled to Denmark in search of employment in the Danish schools. In the early 70s, he secured licensure and a position teaching English to High School students at the Advanced College Preparatory Level (Gymnasium) and took up residence in Copenhagen. Peter served as a professor of English in the Danish schools until his retirement from Vanlose in 2010. He was also employed by the International Baccalaureate programme.

Peter studied piano with Gustav Abrahamson of Sturgeon Bay and served as organist for several area churches while in High School. After settling in Copenhagen, Peter became an organist at St Alban’s Church and was subsequently appointed organist and choirmaster. After his recent retirement from that position, he continued to play an active part in the music programme at St Alban’s as substitute organist and chorister. ~ 18 ~

Peter is survived by his sister Anne Rohling Garcia of Menominee, Michigan; his beloved friend Waleed Ahmedi of Copenhagen; nieces Karen Garcia Buckman of Menominee and Emily Garcia of Milwaukee; and grand-nephews Soren Ingvar Holder and Matthew John Rohling-Garcia of Menominee. He is further survived by cousins in Wisconsin, Minenesota and Florida, and Bagenkop, Denmark.

A memorial service of celebration and thanksgiving for his life was held on Sunday, 7 October at ST Alban’s Church. A memorial service of remembrance will be held at Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin at a later date.

The family would like to thank Revd Smitha Prasadam and friends at St Alban’s; and the staff of Bispebjerg Hospital where Peter will be part of research project on oxygenation of patients in critical care.

“With joy we depart for the Promised Land; and there we shall walk in endless light” (NFS Grundtvig)

Peter’s Memorial Service will be remembered as an Act of Love by all those who gathered in his honour. JS Bach’s Chorale Prelude: Ich ruf zu dir, played by Michael Emery and WA Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus sung by the choir, Rabia’s poem Breath of God, vignettes of his life, Grundtvigs glorious hymnody and tributes from his sister, friend and the Chaplain.

The text of Revd Smitha Prasadam’s sermon earlier in the day had been “Blessed are the cracked; for they let in God’s light.” Unbeknown to the giver, Waleed, she was gifted the angel (pictured); in whose gaze the service was conducted. Note the cracked wing!

The service ended with the strains of the American Spiritual: “Soon and very soon, we’re going to see the King” as the Chaplain, Anne and Waleed led the people out of Church

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We also mourn the passing of Stephanie Miles Carlsen (Guardian and Friend of St Alban’s) and Annabel Kirstine Chapman (Poet, Artist and Former member of St Alban’s “May the souls of the faithful departed by the grace and mercy of God rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen”

Words by Revd Smitha Prasadam Photos by Bev Lloyd-Roberts

Bells Ring Out

Earlier this year the UK government announced a programme of national and international bell ringing to mark the centenary of the Armistice on 11 November. We consulted with our German counterparts in Denmark.

On 11 November 1918 church and other bells, which had fallen silent during the course of the First World War, rang out spontaneously as news of the Armistice spread.

In his 1978 book “The Church of England and the First World War”, Alan Wilkinson wrote: “Eleven o’clock struck on 11th November 1918: it seemed almost as if one heard a dead silence and then that the whole nation gave a sigh of relief. A few moments later, the people had gone mad. Church bells, long silent, rang out.”

Following the traditional morning Remembrance Services, the ringing of church and other bells worldwide will be a symbolic way of giving thanks for the end of war and remembering the importance of peace.

St Alban’s Church bells will ring after the Remembrance Sunday Service, when crowds will gather around the WWI Overseas Victoria Cross plaque in and the newly erected statue of the Danish WWI Victoria Cross recipient Private Thomas Dinesen.

Words by Revd Smitha Prasadam

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Unveiling of the memorial Bust of Thomas Dinesen

Thomas Dinesen was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award of gallantry that can be awarded from the British, he was also awarded the Order of Dannebrog by the Danish.

Thomas’s grandson gave a speech recalling what a wonderful grandfather he was as well as being a hero. Some people may remember Thomas Dinesen as being the brother of the famous Danish author Karen Blixen.

Thoma’s bravery included: When he was just 26 years-old he rushed forwarded alone five times to put enemy guns out of action, this was at the battle of Amiens.

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Queen Margrethe of Denmark unveiled the memorial bust of, Thomas Dinesen, a brave and heroic soldier. The unveiling ceremony was attended by many decorated soldiers, ambassadors of Britain and Canada, Revd Smitha Prasadam, Canon Ulla Monberg, Revd Jemima Prasadam and many others including a solo bagpiper. The bagpiper was dressed in the colours of the Black Watch, the regiment Thomas served under and many Danish flags were proudly held by flag bearers, as Thomas Dinesen was indeed Danish.

Words and photos by Bev Lloyd-Roberts

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Remembrance Sunday – what are we remembering?

The 11th November this year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the event that inspired annual Remembrance Days that after World War II evolved into annual Remembrance Sundays.

The ceremony made sense when I was young. In my home town, we stood around the memorial cross in the cold November wind while many names were read out, for what seemed like a very long time. I did not know them, as I was born a generation after the Second World War ended, but I knew their families, for they had the same surnames as the kids I went to school with. We honoured their relatives who had given their lives in the two World Wars to ensure that we could live in freedom from our enemies, while the survivors – old men with long rows of medals – stood solemnly contemplating lost comrades and what they had lived through many years earlier. The Last Post was played on the bugle, and the Union Jack lowered. Two minutes of silence followed, that amplified the sound of the wind, while we reaffirmed a mutual promise to remember them.

I am older now, and during the passing years I have acquired my own first-hand experiences of war. I have also spent two decades investigating war crimes, thus leading me to realise that war is far more complex than the narrative I was brought up to believe. It is never a simple story of the good guys fighting the bad guys – and winning.

World War II might seem to follow that straightforward narrative. Many of my countrymen lost their lives or were wounded in order to protect Britain from being invaded by the Nazi war machine. Some died liberating Europe from Hitler’s tyranny, and that probably saved the life of my Danish grandfather who had gone into hiding to escape re-arrest by the Gestapo. It would only have been a matter of time before he was discovered and then executed, but British troops arrived before that happened. So I have much to be grateful for.

But World War II also involved huge numbers of soldiers from India as well as West and East Africa, who fought on “my side”, mostly against the Japanese but also in Europe. They did so as colonial subjects, and some were forced to fight in a war between competing imperial powers, which

~ 23 ~ means that they were not fighting to defend their own freedom and liberty, as they were under imposed British rule. Ironically, they were finally released from colonial subjugation after the war was over, because Britain had become so weakened that it could no longer exert military authority over its empire.

This contradiction illustrates one of the many problems I have with Remembrance Sunday in its current form. I think the time has come to question what and who we are remembering, why, and how we do so.

If we are giving thanks for the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to ensure our freedom, then it is inappropriate to mention World War I, for it seems wrong to give thanks that so many young men were forced (conscripted) to fight in a senseless war that had nothing to do with freedom. If we give thanks for being liberated from Nazi rule, then it might be appropriate to also give thanks for the liberation from colonialism of the countries whose citizens come to our church, and for the liberation of East Europe from communist dictatorships that also freed the rest of Europe from the threat of a third World War.

If we are remembering the tragedy of soldiers who were victims of war, then it seems very selective to only remember those from our own side, rather than also remembering the soldiers who were conscripted, i.e. forced to fight on the other side. Should we not also mourn that they were senselessly killed? The Germans and Japanese are our friends now – remembering their war dead would be the ultimate mark of reconciliation, which we as Christians should be striving to achieve.

If we are remembering the horrors of war then it seems unbalanced to predominantly remember the major wars that Britain has been involved in, without thinking about the many other wars that have happened throughout the world. Those conflicts have caused countless victims, some of who are known personally to members of our congregation. It is certainly highly relevant to remember them too.

There is surely a difference between how we remember war as Christians rather than as patriots. What is therefore appropriate – and inappropriate for a Christian service? Are we doing what is right in God’s eyes?

Words and photo by Phil Clarke

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To Remember or Reflect?

As the calendar nears November many TV presenters begin adding something colourful to their wardrobe: adorning their torsos with scarlet corn poppies. For the last four years I have enacted my own small ritual act of remembrance. From the back of a dusty shelf in my basement I retrieve the plain white box bearing the name of a very dear friend. Loosening the sides of the cardboard gently reveals on the underside of the lid a freeze of the Tower of London draped in ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ created in 2014 by artists Paul Cummins and Tom Piper to commemorate 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War. Nestled safely underneath, protected further by bubble wrap, is my unique handmade red clay tribute made in honour of a life lost. The transient display consisting of 888,246 scarlet Papaver rhoeas or the Common Poppy, layed out briefly and reflected on by thousands, was a true physical one for one representation of the total number of British or Colonial fatalities in World War 1. Each year since 1921 at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month it is the British and Commonwealth tradition to observe a Two Minute Silence. If at no other time in the year, these 120 seconds should be used by each of us to be humbled, to be grateful and to put in perspective all that we value as important in our life and what we see as fundamental to the country in which we live or come from. We should value that for the most of us memories of war, the carnage that it brings, and the raw, painful memories it leaves in its wake are not personal ones. The Royal British Legion features on its website the views and feelings expressed by Tom Boardman, who died aged 99 in Jan of this year. He was a Japanese prisoner of war in Singapore in 1942 and one of thousands of

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Allied prisoners who built a rail link between Bangkok and Rangoon. Throughout his long life, in spite of the gift of time, he never ever forgot or fully recovered from the personal loss of his best friend Les Day and believed in never forgetting the times they shared:-

"It was a grim life and I consider myself very lucky to have got through it" “Les Day is the one person I really think about. I was with him all through the war days in Singapore and into captivity. I moved into Changi concentration camp with him but unfortunately, he didn’t survive. I think it’s not just a case of remembering in November. For me we should remember every day and every month, and that’s what I try and do.”

Wearing a poppy is a way of showing public appreciation for the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families in safeguarding our freedoms and values. It represents all those who lost their lives on active service in all conflicts; from the beginning of the First World War right up to the present day. It also now honours the contribution of civilian and uniformed services which contribute to national peace and security. The British Legion, the organization behind the poppy emblem was founded on 15 May 1921 by bringing together four national institutions of ex-Servicemen that had established themselves after the First World War. The main purpose of the Legion was straightforward: to care for those who had suffered as a result of service in the Armed Forces during the war, whether through their own service or through that of a husband, father or son. Even those who had come through the war relatively unscathed struggled with employment. As a result of the war, Britain's economy plummeted and in 1921 there were two million unemployed. Over six million men had served in the war - 725,000 never returned. Of those who came back, 1.75 million had suffered some kind of disability and half of these were permanently disabled. Added to this figure were the families who depended on those who had gone to war - the wives and children, widows and orphans as well as the parents who had lost sons in the war, who often contributed to the household income. The British Legion gained “Royal “status in 1971 and continues to support and advise members and ex-members of the armed services. From sports-based rehabilitation courses and careers advice to dedicated care homes for older veterans, The Royal British Legion is here to ensure every member of the Armed Forces community receives the support they need with both practical help and advice on such matters as finance issues, disability grants and independent living.

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The overriding aim is to ensure that all beneficiaries are able to live with dignity.

Displayed in the Ryvangen Memorial Park, Mindelunden I found advice from Canadian born Dane, Kim Malthe-Bruun in his moving letter to his mother. He wrote it on 4th April 1945, the day he was condemned to death for resisting the German occupiers and the night before he was shot in cold blood. How very, very sad that such a young man, should have to write to his mother about how he should be remembered:-

“I am just a small thing that soon will be forgotten, but the idea, the life, the inspiration that fills me will live on. You will find it everywhere, in the trees in autumn, in people you meet on your way, in a small caring smile; you will meet the things that maybe had value for me, you will love them and you will not forget me. I will be allowed to grow and mature and I will live on with you, you will know that I am ahead of you and not as you first thought behind. “

So for the 100 Anniversary of the end of World War 1, for all the casualties of war and conflict in the intervening years; treasure your poppy.

Wear it because YOU can.

Wear it with pride: reflecting conscientiously on and reaffirming the values you believe are most important and should not be compromised.

Wear it humbly: in true recognition of the courage and selflessness shown by so many.

Wear it with empathy: as an outward sign to those for whom loss is still raw and painful or are living with debilitating combat injuries.

And finally wear it with vision: wear it for the future that we carve for ourselves each and every day.

Words by and photo by a caring comrade.

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Poppies for Sale Now in Narthex. Below is a letter of appreciation for last year’s sale of poppies.

A representative of the Royal British Legion with Smitha on the day of the unveiling of the new memorial in Churchillparken.

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The Danish Scheme

Vestre Kirkegaard taken by Bent Kristiansen

The above photograph is from Vestre Kirkegaard in Copenhagen showing the Monument and Headstones of the British and Commonwealth ex- prisoners-of-war who died in Denmark on their way back to Britain at the end of World War 1. There is also a photo of the Memorial plaque in St. Alban's Church. The Danish Government, Red Cross and other authorities sailed 40,000 British and other ex-prisoners-of-war from Stettin to Copenhagen from November 17, 1918 to January 22, 1919.

Amanda Collinson came from England to attend the Remembrance Sunday Service here in 2016 as her grandfather, Lance Corporal Walter E. Walker, had been one of the prisoners who survived and she had found his diary. He sailed on the Kong Haakon and in his diary, he writes of having a meal of roast beef, gravy, bottle beer, cigarette and fruit. He said, "I can tell you it was a splendid treat to sit down to a meal like that after the experiences I have been through this last nine months". He also says " December 3, service was given by the Padre of the English Church in Copenhagen”. The men had to sail from Stettin which was then in Germany as the railway systems had been ruined, there were epidemics

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of Spanish-flu and pneumonia in Europe and there was a fear of the revolution spreading from Russia. Therefore, it was urgent that the ex- prisoners-of-war were evacuated. Thanks to a naval attaché in Copenhagen and the Danish Red Cross this scheme was put into action as the War Office in London was not prepared. Most of the ships were Danish and sailed from Baltic ports. This is known as The Danish Scheme. Two ladies from Copenhagen sang English songs. Every man received a cigar and cigarette".

Photo by Bev L-R Words by Val Kristiansen

Amenities Update

At the start of October, the builders major concern was - weather delays! I told them to have faith, as we do, and it appears the Lord again answered our prayers. The frost didn’t come, and we experienced a fabulous building month which has helped put everything on track. we are now fast approaching being water-tight and all internal finishes can be made without fear of the intruding weather elements.

Not shown on the collage of photos is also the work being carried out inside on the new kitchen area. We will indeed get a shock coming down the old spiral staircase for the first time in early December to be greeted with a fully fitted kitchen meeting more than our daily needs and supporting all the demands of a fete and other larger events requiring catering.

The building site is due to be cleared for 1st December. This will mean the removal of large containers and the hoardings. Work on the landscaping will start immediately, weather permitting, and it is very much hoped all will be functioning for the weekend of the Christmas Carol service. So let’s keep our prayers strong to our God who controls all things and hope we are blessed with a clear path to completion. Words by Philip Davies Photos on the next page by Philip Davies and Pauleen Bang

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Flowers on the Altar

We at St Alban’s are certainly blessed with people willing to do flowers for on the altar. There are some very talented people in our congregation who have a way with flowers, the above photograph is Bodil in front of some flowers that she arranged.

You do not have to have any special talent though because a few fresh flowers in a couple of vases is all that is needed some weeks. A display of fresh flowers is far more interesting and beautiful than having to resort to putting silk flowers on the altar. Men can do this as well as ladies, Junior Williams quite often does the flowers.

There is a flower rota on the left as you go out through the narthex. New people are always welcome. If you need any advice contact Carole Rasmussen or Jean Gram Anderson. If you cannot find Carole or Jean, I am usually around somewhere and can give you some idea of all that is needed.

Words and photo by Bev Lloyd-Roberts

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Taizé Service Sunday 11th November 2018 at 14:00

"Prayer is a serene force at work within human beings, stirring them up, transforming them; never allowing them to close their eyes in the face of evil, of wars, of all that threatens the weak of the world. From it we draw the energy to wage other struggles – to enable our loved ones to survive, to transform the human condition, to make the earth a place fit to live in. All who walk in the footsteps of Christ, while being in the presence of God, remain alongside other people as well.” Brother Roger of Taize

O God we praise you for the multitudes of women, men, young people and children who are seeking to be witnesses of peace, trust and reconciliation throughout the world. In the footsteps of the holy witnesses of all the ages since Mary and the apostles, to the believers of today, grant us to prepare ourselves inwardly, day after day, to place our trust in the mystery of faith. Amen

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Where to find us on social media:

Website www.st-albans.dk

Facebook @StAlbansCopenhagen @StAlbansJutland

Twitter @AnglicanDK

Instagram @anglicandenmark

to inform the Electoral Roll Officer when you change your name, address, telephone number or e-mail.

electoralroll@st -albans.dk

St Alban’s receives no subsidy from the state or national Church and is funded by the generosity of the congregation and visitors.

To support the mission and ministry of the Church, contributions can be made to St Alban’s Church’s Bank account number 3001-4140514136 or via our new MobilePay number 32664

UK tax payers using Gift Aid, increase the value of their donation by 25 %

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Saint Alban’s Church

Churchillparken 11, 1263 Copenhagen K Under the Patronage of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II

Weekly Eucharists: Sundays and Wednesdays at 10:30 All are very welcome Sunday School for children most Sundays.

Contact details:

Chaplain: Revd Smitha Prasadam chaplain@st -albans.dk

Affiliated: Diocesan Director of Ministerial Development, Canon Ulla Monberg 35260660 [email protected]

Permission to Officiate: Palle Thordal [email protected] -albans.dk

Licensed Readers: Graeme Lloyd-Roberts [email protected] -albans.dk

Victoria Wadsworth-Hansen [email protected]

Ursula Sonnewald [email protected] -albans.dk

Julian Simpson – Reader in Training [email protected] -albans.dk

Churchwardens: Nigel Rowley & Philip Davies churchwardens@st -albans.dk

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