Golden Cap E-Magazine April 2020 Rev Chris Martin licensed as new Team Rector Photos by Rose Trafford LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Unfortunately we are unable to publish our normal April magazine. It was already at the printers when the Government introduced more stringent requirements on self-isolation in response to the coronavirus crisis. In these circumstances we felt it would be wrong to try and distribute the magazine as it would not be possible to do so while also being able to guarantee maintaining the requirement for social distancing. As a replacement to your normal magazine, we have produced this newsletter version which is being sent out by email. We intend to send out further newsletters of this kind on a regular basis until we are again able to publish a magazine. A special edition for Easter is planned and we will then aim to produce further issues at the start of each month. This enables us to properly cover the licensing service that recently took place at Charmouth for the new Golden Cap Team Rector, the Rev. Chris Martin. I am most grateful to Rose Trafford for providing us with an excellent photographic record of this memorable occasion. Also included is our normal Spotlight article together with other items of community interest although, of course, a large number of local events have been postponed or cancelled due to the health emergency. We are attempting to distribute this “e-magazine” to all our readers but please forward your copy to anyone who you think would be interested. Mark Van de Weyer, Editor Spotlight There is a wonderful story of a tightrope walker, who was challenged to walk the tightrope across Niagara Falls. Everything was in place. There were huge steel struts on either side of the canyon to hold the rope and a strong, steel tightrope. There were television cameras, reporters and a massive crowd, but there was no safety net. The tightrope walker appeared with a wheelbarrow, which he decided to push in front of him across the rope. The crowd cheered him on, although some begged him not to make this foolish attempt. One voice in the crowd was more vociferous than the rest: “Go on you can do it, I know you can. Don’t listen to those pessimists. I have complete faith in you.” The tightrope walker turned to the speaker.” You have faith in me? You’re certain? You know I can do it?” The speaker emerged from the crowd and nodded. “I am absolutely certain, I have no doubt at all. You can do it. “ “OK” said the tightrope walker. “Hop into my wheelbarrow, I’ll wheel you across !“ Amazingly the speaker put his money where his mouth was and climbed into the wheelbarrow, and the tightrope walker wheeled him safely across to the other side. What incredible, courageous, foolhardy faith! There seems to be a difference between faith and belief. Faith involves belief, but is more than that. Faith involves putting belief into action. Faith means both believing and acting on that belief. At this time of writing we have just started the season of Lent. This is a time for Christians to examine their faith, to reflect on their lives, to look towards the light of Easter and the Cross. Jesus called his first disciples from their employment as fishermen to be fishers of men. Just as he called the first disciples, so does Jesus call us. He calls us not only to follow him, but to become fishers of people for him. It is a challenging thing to do, in effect it is getting into the wheelbarrow for Jesus. Jim Pettifer, Licensed Lay Minister Other news Team quick to respond Golden Cap Team Rector, the Rev. Chris Martin, responded quickly to the challenge of finding different ways to reach out to local communities while traditional public worship is unable to take place. Within two days of church services being suspended, the Golden Cap Team, with technical support from Max Trafford, had set up its own YouTube channel called ‘Golden Cap Team of Churches’ where it is planned to regularly include videos produced by the clergy team. This will enable Chris to produce videos of the remainder of the Lent Courses which otherwise would have had to be cancelled. Also, the Rev. John Eade immediately produced a video of an address for Mothering Sunday. Pancake party—Lyme Regis Church Hall We had a great time with the Get Together Club on Shrove Tuesday at the Church Hall making and tossing between 50 and 60 pancakes. £145 was raised by donations and a raffle. The money was divided between the church and Get Together Club. A big thank you to all the helpers. Shirley Williams Young Farmers help out in Marshwood Vale Marshwood Vale Young Farmers Club is offering help with shopping for people having to self-isolate. They can be contacted on 08901-336382 and members will volunteer to provide doorstep delivery. Remembering Bob Knight from Whitchurch Canonicorum Robert Gifford Knight was born on 31 March 1927 and was the only child of Charles and Florence who lived at Morcombelake. It is assumed that the Knights are the oldest established family in this area of West Dorset as they can trace their ancestry back to 1603. Bob was a general engineer and started his apprenticeship at Buglers in Beaminster aged 16 during the Second World War and was then called up to the armed forces and joined the 16/5 Queens Royal Lancers and did his national service in Egypt. He then spent eight years in the aircraft industry. Two of these were with Vickers Armstrong, and then six years with Westland in Yeovil. On his mother's death in 1966 he returned to Whitchurch Canonicorum and did general engineering in West Dorset. He converted the church clock to electrical winding and worked for Pitfield Brothers building company for a time. Bob could put his hand to most things and spent quite a lot of his time gardening for people in the district. Bob was a great naturalist being born and brought up in what was then a thriving rural countryside. He spoke fondly of a local economy that had a blacksmith, tinker, tailor, baker and a large number of local tradespeople. He knew many of the local birds just by their calls and was an avid naturalist. He loved his garden having bees and producing a wide range of fruit and vegetables. He was also fond of his daily cider right up to his nineties and talked fondly of cider making together with other local folk, especially Alan Pitfield down at Prime Coppice. Alan was in charge of the apple mill (scratter) which chopped up the apples to make the pomace to fill the cider cheese in the press. Cider would be drunk and passed around the circle - all drinking from the same two handled cup. Bob and Alan Pitfield had a strong friendship working in and around the woods together, and they also hunted deer for the pot. Bob was able to deploy his considerable mechanical skills fixing Alan's old crawler tractor and machinery. In 1964 Bob married Diana Seale-Crisp at Whitchurch Canonicorum and they first lived with his parents at Goodens Hill. A little later on they purchased land at Morcombelake and built a cedar wood bungalow on the plot and named it Cedarcote. During the Second World War Diana was in the RAF as a CO Driver. Later she worked in the Meteorological Office for six years. Diana passed away in 2009. Bob remained at Cedarcote until his death in January this year. Bob was a kindly man with a good heart and a great friend to many people in the village. He will be sorely missed as one of the last true remaining Dorset country gentleman. Kit Vaughan, Sylvia Creed-Castle and Jim Coe Volunteers helping their neighbours Char Valley Parish Council, which covers Morcombelake, Stanton St. Gabriel, Ryall, Wootton Fitzpaine, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Fishpond and Monkton Wyld has set up a team to help everyone living in the area who may need help during the current health emergency. The Council said: “We are here to help you through these uncertain and worrying times. Helping neighbours is something we are naturally very good at doing in this area and many of you will already be making personal arrangements with friends, family and neighbours. “We know many vulnerable residents are self-isolating already and the situation is moving hourly. Government provisions may kick in at some time but, meanwhile, volunteers are ready to co-ordinate offers and needs for shopping, medicine collection and practical help if required. If you can offer help or need it, please contact them, preferably by email with your contact details.” The volunteers are: Morcombelake: Clare Mahaddie [email protected] 01297-489813 Ryall: Rachel Coney/Eddie Hall [email protected] and [email protected] telephone 01297-489825 and 07971-225873. Stanton St Gabriel: Andrew Carey [email protected] 01297-560057 Whitchurch Canonicorum: Carolyn Peck [email protected] 01297-489185 Wootton Fitzpaine: Debby Snook [email protected] 01297-561395 Over 200 watch Chris installed as the new Team Rector A congregation of over 200 crowded into St Andrew’s Church, Charmouth, to witness the licensing of the Rev. Chris Martin as the new Team Rector of the Golden Cap Team. The service was conducted by the Bishop of Sherborne, the Rt. Rev. Karen Gorham, assisted by the Archdeacon of Sherborne, the Ven. Penny Sayer. Parish administrator, Margaret Trafford, said the following morning: “It certainly was a night to remember.