Pastoral Le�er

St. Wilfrid’s Parish Magazine DECEMBER 2020 Dear Friends Hope is here. The prayers of many people around the world have been answered. Since I last wrote, a vaccine for the Corona Virus has been identi�ied by a number of laboratories. It looks as if this, combined with an expansion of mass testing, will lead to life returning back to some kind of normality next year. Leonard Cohen, the legendary Canadian poet and singer, once penned these words: ‘There is a crack, a crack in everything That’s how the light gets in.’ It’s been hard at times over the last few months to remain hopeful. Yet the message of hope in the darkness, seems more pertinent to the world this advent, than perhaps it has done for many years. Being hopeful in the darkness is at the heart of the Christian faith and it’s at the heart of advent: this special time of the year that we have entered, for expectant waiting and preparation. “Hope is here”, is the message that we will be communicating to the people of Bognor Regis this Advent and Christmas. Of course, many people put their hope in all sorts of places: vaccines, included. Many of these are wonderful (and we particularly thank God for the vaccine) and bring hope in deeply hopeless situations. Yet, unfortunately, each are fallible and will be outdated by the next virus, or other shaking circumstance. Writing on the same subject, the Psalmist wrote ‘some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God’ (Psalm 20. 7). The hope that we proclaim is in Jesus Christ, who is an anchor to the soul, �irm and secure (Hebrews 6.19). His teaching is like a solid and unmoveable rock; upon which we are to build our lives. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the First Continued page 3 Parish Church of St Wilfrid Ellasdale Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 2SG h�ps://saintwilfrid.church 01243 841275 [email protected] Registered Charity1 No. 1142723 PastoralLetter1 HopeinAction-LoveYourNeighbour3 Re-openingChurchesforPublicWorship4 ChurchHallRepainting4 StWilfrid’shasaListeningEar5 ToPapatuanuku6 Cathedral ‘Drop Down, Ye Heavens’ Advent & Christmas Celebrations7 ParishPump8 ChichesterCathedralStreamedCarolService9 HighDaysandHolyDaysforDecember10 ParishPump17 LookingatGod19 LookingatYou25 LookingatCommunity34 Smilelines37 DecemberMaze40 TheFirstChristmas41 BibleBite-SimeonheldJesusinthetemple42 WordSearch-ALongAwaitedPromise43 Crossword44 WordSearch-SilentNight46 CrosswordSolution48 WordSearchAnswers-SilentNight49 WordSearchAnswers-ALongAwaitedPromise49 Contacts51 AdventatChichesterCathedral52 2 and Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22. 13). As the old hymns say: [He is] ‘Immortal, Invisible...Ancient of Days’, and ‘There is no shadow of turning with thee’. Our hope is placed in One who will not be moved and changed, outdated or replaced. Of God’s coming into the world, John said that in Jesus Christ, a light was given to all people, that shone in the darkness and which the darkness would never be able to overcome (John 1. 1- 18). Furthermore, that Jesus is light and in him there is no darkness (1 John 1.5). In Jesus Christ, there is light in the darkest of nights and hope in the most hopeless of situations. When all else seems lost, Jesus can still be seen and still be found. The message of advent and Christmas is that the God who is above and beyond all understanding; in Jesus Christ, came down to earth in human likeness. One of His names is Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us’. Hope is here. The true Light is here. Although the darkness doesn’t understand it and tries to extinguish it, the Light of Jesus Christ will never be put out. Today, the Light is not simply shining from some distant heaven, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, is found in the hearts of all who believe and call upon His name. As those in whom the Light resides, may we not hide the Light away under bushels (Matthew 5.15), but let it shine before others, that through us (through our words and actions) may Bognor Regis know that Hope is here. Lella and I pray God’s richest blessings upon you this Advent and ask that the God of Hope may �ill your hearts with joy and peace as your trust in Him, so that you may over�low with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15.13). With love, Joel and Lella. Hope in Ac�on - Love Your Neighbour For the last few weeks, it has been a privilege to be part of the national Love Your Neighbour campaign. Love Your Neighbour is a strategic partnership between volunteers, churches, schools, hospitals, charities, businesses, local councils and others across the UK to help as many people as possible. This unique expanding network has been sourcing and delivering food at scale to those in need and have so far delivered over 3.5 million meals across the nation. Starting with an emergency pop-up food bank in London, Love Your Neighbour has grown in a few months to become a nation- 3 wide alliance of over 290 churches of all denominations, and over 1,000 schools and local community projects. Transforming the church into a pop-up food distribution centre, Saint Wilfrid church have partnered with Family Support Work and are providing approximately 60 Bags of Blessing to those particularly in need, in Bognor Regis, at this time. We have experienced incredible generosity and felt the wind of God’s Spirit bringing this opportunity to life. People have donated fridges, freezers, fresh and frozen and dried produce, as well as other essentials. The COOK shop have committed to providing 60 frozen meals for distribution each week and a team of volunteers have been involved in the packing up and distributing of the Bags. Thank you to all those who have given their time, energy and money to enable this valuable initiative to take place. Please join us as we pray for all those to whom these Bags of Blessing are given. Re-opening Churches for Public Worship Like many people up and down the country, we have been keeping an eye on the most recent advice for places of public worship. We are delighted that following the commencement of lockdown 2.0, public worship may recommence. We will therefore be opening our doors again from Sunday 6th December. We will continue our new pattern of a traditional service at 9.30am and an informal service at 11.15am. Additionally, we will commit to making a short service available online, from 8am each Sunday morning. Church Hall Repain�ng Whilst there has been a lull in the hall bookings, we have ceased the opportunity to have the church hall repainted. The work took just over a week to complete and we hope you’ll agree that the decorators have done a spectacular job. In the coming months, further work is being planned, including the installation of some large corner cupboards for the storage of the tables, chairs, and hirer equipment. Our painters have been very generous and seems that no job is too big for Cameron and his team at Spectrum Painting and Decorating Services. Tel: 07495 347779, https://www.facebook.com/Cameronjws [email protected]

4 St Wilfrid’s has a Listening Ear The long winter days are nearly upon us and we know that there are many people in our parish and beyond who may spend many hours and days without speaking to anyone. They may only have a phone and not be able to access other technology that most of us use to communicate. St Wilfrids is setting up a service where people can ask for a friendly telephone contact from the same person each week. They will be able to look forward to a friendly chat on the phone from someone who cares and shows interest in them. We will provide a good listener who also gives of their time. It is not a service where we offer practical things, although we may be able to ‘signpost’ the person if there is real need. Would you appreciate a friendly weekly telephone call or do you know of anyone who would appreciate this? If so, please contact: Jan Slough on 07971 251994

5 To Papatuanuku

A Prayer (Appropriate for surviving the Pandemic?) Rest now Mother Earth Breathe easy and se�le Right here where you are We’ll not move upon you – For a while. We’ll stop, we’ll cease We’ll stay down and stay home, Draw each other close, And be kind, kinder than we’ve ever been. I wish we could Sy we are doing it for you As much as for ourselves But “hei oha” We are doing it anyway It’s right, it’s �me….. Time to return…. Time to remember Time to listen and forgive Time to withhold judgement Time to cry, to think about others…. Remove our shoes, press hands to earth Si� grains between fingers and gentle palms Time to plant, Time to wait, Time to no�ce to whom we belong, For now it’s just you….. and the wind, and the forests, and the oceans, and the sky full of rain! Embrace it, this sacrifice of solitude. We have carved out for you – as a small offering….. People always said it wasn’t possible – To ground flights and stay at home ans stop our habits of consump�on….. But it was, always was, that we were just afraid Of how much it was going to hurt……… And it’s hur�ng And will con�nue to hurt.

6 So now “BE STILL” Wrap your hills around our absence Loosen the “concrete” belt around your waist…. Cinched �ght at your waist….. REST……. BREATHE……. RECOVER……. HEAL…… And we will do the same XXXX Amen Gill Hutchison kindly gave us this for inclusion in the December magazine

Cathedral ‘Drop Down, Ye Heavens’ Advent & Christmas Celebra�ons See-https://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/news/drop-down-ye-heavens- advent-christmas-celebrations-announced-chichester-cathedral

7

Carol Service 2020

Chichester Cathedral's pre-recorded Carol Service will appear on the web page h�ps://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/carol-service-2020 from the beginning of December 2020. If you wish to receive advance notice of the publication of the service, please contact: [email protected]

17th December: Lazarus of Bethany Some people have near-death experiences.... Lazarus should be their patron saint. Except that he went all the way, and actually died for four days. He was quiet in his tomb and the mourners of Bethany were in full swing - before Jesus called him back to life. (See John 11.) What happened next to Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary? The New Testament never tells us, but there are some clues from early church history and legends. It seems that Lazarus became very popular with the early Christian Church because he was living evidence that Jesus could bring people back from the dead. It also seems that Lazarus was NOT popular with the local Jews, for the very same reason. They wanted to forget Jesus, and here Lazarus was still walking around, talking about resurrection... So eventually some exasperated Jews decided to act. According to an early Eastern tradition, they placed Lazarus and his sisters into a leaky boat and set them adrift in the Mediterranean.... where the little boat carried them safely to Cyprus. Here Lazarus became bishop and lived for another 30 years. Another, later, tradition has it that the boat had no rudder or oars, but still bore them safely to Gaul, where Lazarus founded a church and became the �irst bishop of Marseilles, so to speak... until he was martyred under Domitian (81-96AD). By the late Middle Ages, anyone who had a vision of the afterlife knew just whom to thank for this ‘postcard from heaven’ – St Lazarus! 17th December: Eglantyne Jebb – founder of ‘Save the Children’ Here is a modern-day saint whose compassion and determination has saved literally millions of lives. Eglantyne did not begin as an obvious ‘mover and shaker’ of people. Born in Shropshire in 1876, she grew up in Ellesmere, studied history at Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford, taught at Marlborough, and then resigned as she was not physically robust. Eglantyne moved to live with her mother in Cambridge, and it would have been so easy to settle for a life of peaceful obscurity. But she was a Christian, and at Oxford she had developed a passion for social concerns, so this compassion now drove her to take action. She began in 1906 by publishing research on the poverty she’d found in Cambridge. Then in 1912 the Balkan Wars broke out, and Eglantyne left Cambridge for Macedonia. Her months among the refugees led her to decide that long-term constructive aid was more effective than short-term handouts. The First World War left Eglantyne horri�ied by the prolonged Allied blockade on Germany and Austria-Hungary, which even after Armistice meant 12 starvation for millions of civilians, especially children. And so in1919 Eglantyne and her sister Dorothy Buxton helped found the ‘Fight the Famine’ Council, which wanted to end the blockade and establish a League of Nations. One day during a rally in Trafalgar Square, Eglantyne was arrested for distributing a lea�let showing starving children which read: “Our blockade has caused this – millions of children are starving to death.” She ended up in court and was �ined, but the judge was so impressed with Eglantyne’s commitment to children that he himself paid her �ine. His money became the �irst donation to Save the Children, the new charity just set up by Eglantyne and Dorothy. Save the Children was of�icially launched at the Albert Hall in May 1919, with the aim of helping the starving civilians of central Europe. It was a success, raising £400,000 in that �irst year alone. When in the autumn of 1921 Russia was facing famine, Save the Children chartered a cargo ship, the SS Torcello, to carry 600 tons of lifesaving food and medical supplies to Russia – saving hundreds of thousands of lives. By 1922 Save the Children had become one of Britain’s biggest charities. Eglantyne’s Declaration of the Rights of the Child, written in 1923, was adopted by the League of Nations the following year. The present-day UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is derived from it. But ten years of running Save the Children had sapped Eglantyne’s fragile strength, and she died in Geneva in 1928, aged only 52. 24th December: Christmas Eve How do you celebrate Christmas Eve? It has its own customs, the most popular of which is going to Midnight Mass, or the Christ-Mas. This is the only Mass of the year that is allowed to start after sunset. In Catholic countries such as Spain, Italy and Poland, Midnight Mass is in fact the most important church service of the entire Christmas season, and many people traditionally fast beforehand. In other countries, such as Belgium and Denmark, people dine during the evening, and then go on to the Midnight Service. The British are behind some countries when it comes to exchanging presents: in Germany, Sweden and Portugal the custom is to exchange on Christmas Eve. But the British are ahead of Serbia and Slovakia, where the Christmas tree is not even brought into the house and decorated until Christmas Eve. Yule logs are not so popular since the decline of the �ireplace, but traditionally it was lit on Christmas Eve from a bit of the previous year’s log, and then would be burned non-stop until 12th Night (6th January). Tradition also decreed that any greenery such as holly, ivy or mistletoe must wait until Christmas Eve until being brought into the house.

13 25th December: Christmas throughout the Chris�an world For nearly four weeks leading up to Christmas Christians recognise a period called Advent. It means ‘coming’. It is a time of spiritual preparation. 'Coming' refers to Jesus’ �irst coming as a baby, but it also looks forward to a day when Jesus is expected to return in triumph at His ‘second coming’ to establish perfect justice and a new order of peace. Originally Christians marked Advent as a time when they refrained from excessive eating and drinking. Then Christmas Day reintroduced them to the joys of feasting. Christmas celebrations lasted for 12 days, with gifts exchanged as a climax at Epiphany (6th January). Today, however, Advent is more likely to be associated with accelerating festivity, with the days following Christmas something of an anti-climax until ‘twelfth night’, on which decorations are removed. Many Christians worldwide are trying to revive the spirit of Advent by setting aside time to pray and address global poverty. Christmas Day is celebrated as the anniversary of Jesus’ birth, although the actual date is not known. Most Christians celebrate it on 25th December. However, the Orthodox Church (the ancient churches in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia) follows a different calendar and celebrates on 7th January. Christians make a point of taking communion on Christmas Day. Many make it the �irst thing they do as the clock strikes midnight. On 6th January the Christmas festival continues with a celebration of Epiphany, which means ‘the appearance’. Christians remember the visit of wise men (magi) to Jesus, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Christmas tradition of exchanging gifts originally honoured these men, who were the �irst non-Jews (Gentiles) to worship Jesus. It forms a reminder that in Jesus God was giving Himself for the bene�it of the entire world. Orthodox Christians use this day to recall the baptism of Jesus as a grown man. The signi�icance of Jesus being baptised was that He identi�ied Himself with human beings in all their need. They mark the day by praying for God’s blessing on rivers, wells and water sources. Christmas has never been just an escapist festival for Christians. Those who treat it seriously recognise that not all the world is able to face the days with frivolity or joy. The day after Christmas, Boxing Day, was historically marked as the feast of St Stephen. He was the �irst man to be put to death rather than give up his belief that Jesus was God. And two days later a day remembering the Massacre of the Innocents recalls Herod’s attempt to destroy Jesus by killing all male babies in Bethlehem. It gives Christians the opportunity to pray for children in today’s world who suffer as a result of the actions of adults. 25th December: The story of the Chris�ngle The word ‘Christingle’ actually means ‘Christ Light’, and celebrates the light of Jesus coming into the world. Stories of how the Christingle began look back to the Moravian Church, which is found in the Czech Republic. The Moravians

14 have held Christingle services for more than 200 years, and according to them, this is how the �irst Christingle might have been made: Many years ago the children in a village were asked to bring a Christmas gift to put beside the crib in the church. One family was very poor, and had no money for gifts, but the three children were still determined to take something. The only nice thing they had was an orange, so they decided to give the Christ-child that. But then they discovered the top was going green, so the eldest cut it out, and put a candle in the hole. To add some colour, one of the girls took a red ribbon from her hair and tied it around the middle of the orange. It was hard to make the ribbon stay still, so they fastened it in place with toothpicks. The toothpicks looked a bit bare, so the youngest child added some raisins to them. The children took their decorated orange lantern to the church for the Christmas Mass. The other children sneered at their meagre gift, but the priest seized upon it with joy. He held it up as an example of the true understanding of the meaning of Christmas, for the following reasons: the orange is round, like the world; the candle gives us light in the dark, like the love of God; the red ribbon goes round the ‘world’, as a symbol of Christ’s blood, given for everyone; the four sticks point in all directions, and symbolise that God is over all: North, South, East and West; and the fruit and nuts remind us of God’s blessings. The Children’s Society �irst introduced the Christingle Service to The Church of England in 1968, and it has since become a popular event in the church calendar. This candlelit celebration is an ideal way to share the key messages of the Christian faith, while helping to raise vital funds to help vulnerable children across the country. 26th December: St Stephen – the first martyr (died c 35 AD) Have you ever stopped to consider that the very �irst martyr of the Christian Church was a deacon? It was Stephen, one of the �irst seven deacons of the Christian Church. He’d been appointed by the apostles to look after the distribution of alms to the faithful poor, and to help in the ministry of preaching. Acts 6 and 7 tells us all that we know of his life, and the passages seem to suggest that he was an educated Hellenistic Jew. Certainly, Stephen’s famous challenge to the Jews reveals him to have been learned in the Scriptures and the history of Judaism, besides being eloquent and forceful. Stephen's proclamation on the day of his martyrdom pulled no punches. He told the Jews that God did not depend on the Temple. The Temple was but a temporary institution destined to be ful�illed and superseded by Christ, who was the prophet foreseen by Moses as the Messiah for whom the Jewish race had so long awaited. Stephen then challenged his hearers for resisting the Spirit and for killing the Christ, as their fathers before them had killed the prophets. The Jews were so 15 outraged by this that they stoned Stephen on the spot for blasphemy. As he died, Stephen saw a vision of Christ on God's right hand. The men who were witness to the stoning placed their clothes at the feet of Saul (afterwards Paul), who (to his deep regret later) consented to Stephen's death. By the fourth century Stephen had his own feast day in both East and West Churches. When his supposed tomb was discovered in 415, his popularity soared. His (supposed) relics were taken to Constantinople and then Rome, along with some stones (allegedly) used at his martyrdom. Early on the Church made Stephen the patron saint of deacons. In the late Middle Ages he was also invoked to help against headaches (?!). In England, 46 ancient churches are dedicated to him, most of them built after the Norman Conquest. In art Stephen is usually given a book of the Gospels and a stone, and sometimes the palm of martyrdom. 28th December: Holy Innocents The death of a very young child is perhaps the hardest grief of all to bear. So, the 28th December is a very poignant day in the church calendar. It is when the worldwide Church joins with bereaved parents to grieve the loss of babies and young children. For Holy Innocents day recalls the massacre of the young male children of Bethlehem by Herod the Great. Herod had been told by the Magi, or Wise Men, that a great king had been born in Bethlehem, and he felt shaken. How could a child in unimportant little Bethlehem be so powerful that the stars in the night sky honoured His birth?! Herod took the Magi so seriously that he decided to try and kill this new young rival. He decreed that every male baby of two years and under should be killed. (Matthew 2:1-18). Bethlehem was not a large place, and Bible commentators estimate that between six and 25 infants were slaughtered by Roman soldiers. Their mothers were inconsolable at the death of their babies, as indeed mothers have always been. The death of these innocent baby boys of Bethlehem became a feast-day in the western Church by the 4th century. This was because the Church considered them to be martyrs because they not only died for Christ, but instead of Christ. Down the centuries, the tragic loss of the Holy Innocents has touched the imagination and hearts of poets, preachers and artists. Though heart- broken parents still grieve today, the Church can offer them one �irm assurance: that young children who die to this world will undoubtedly “this day be with Me in Paradise.” The One who eagerly said “Suffer the little children to come unto Me” will be the last person to turn them away. 16 “God is with us in our pain and fear’ – Bishop of London’s message of hope The Bishop of London, Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, has said that despite this being a time of “great uncertainty and challenge” as the world struggles to “overcome a devastating pandemic that has cut short earthly lives, destroyed livelihoods, and separated us from the people and activities we enjoy,” yet still “we are not without hope.” Speaking recently in St Paul’s Cathedral, she said: “Through word, prayer, song and symbol, we are reminded that God’s love for us can never be destroyed. God is with us in our pain and fear and will lead us to a yet more glorious day.” Bishop Sarah also praised the ongoing work of the “real heroes and heroines at work in intensive care units, the Emergency Department, oncology and elderly care wards.” These people have been “giving their all, and are continuing to give their all, because we are still very much in the midst of the Covid pandemic.” “Yet,” she went on, ‘The hope we have in our hearts as Christians is eternal. Hope that is in Christ will not be disappointed.” Going to church in the coronavirus pandemic More than 17,000 online services and events have been provided by Church of England churches since the introduction of the lockdown and restrictions on public worship earlier this year. Figures from the Church of England’s A Church Near You website, which allows people to search for church services and events, show that more than 17,000 online services or events are now listed, including Sunday Communion services, Bible studies and morning or night prayer. Many of these services take place regularly and this �igure represents a snapshot of the likely total number. The statistics do not include the Church of England’s national online weekly services broadcast on Sundays and shared on Facebook and YouTube. There have been nearly three million views of the national online services and posts about the weekly broadcasts have been seen 23.6 million times. Contributors have included the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Duke of Cambridge and Pope Francis. The national online services are being watched by a wide range of ages and around one in �ive people viewing go to church infrequently or not at all. Other �igures in the report show that of�icial Church of England apps from Church House Publishing – the most popular being Daily Prayer, or the Daily Of�ice of morning, evening and night prayer - have been used more than seven million times so far this year, up from �ive million in 2019. Church of England social media posts have been seen 86 million times so far, nearly double the total for last year. 17 The growth in online services has been helped by the Church of England stepping up its digital training programme for congregations. More than 4,200 vicars and local church leaders have taken part in remote digital training courses so far this year, four times the number as in 2019. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said: “At a time when many have felt isolated and fearful, Church of England parishes and clergy have broadcast thousands of online church services and events, seeking to bring comfort and hope to their communities. We know that tens of thousands of those tuning in will never have had contact with their local Church of England parish before and may never have heard the Christian message. Their welcome presence is a sign of the great hunger we all have for spiritual meaning in our lives.” Parishes serving their communi�es Recently published Mission Statistics for 2019 show that parishes were already running or supporting 35,000 social action projects before the pandemic, serving communities across the country from lunch clubs for older people to parent and toddler groups and food banks. More than 4,000 parent/carer toddler groups are run or supported by Church of England churches, while more than 5,000 churches run or support lunch clubs, coffee mornings or similar hospitality for older people. The �igures also show the extent of church support for people living in food poverty, with nearly 8,000 food banks run or supported by Church of England churches. Nearly 60% of churches are involved in food bank provision, while nearly one in three reported either running, hosting or supporting a parent/toddler group. Other �igures showed 2,700 churches involved in community cafes, 2,400 in night shelters and 2,300 in holiday or breakfast clubs. The �indings show Church of England churches were involved in 35,000 social action projects, compared to 33,000 recorded in 2017. These �igures for social action have been released alongside statistics showing that the number of regular worshippers attending church once a month or more decreased by 1% in 2019 to 1.11 million. On average, 854,000 people attended Church of England services and acts of worship each week in October 2019, a decline of 2.1% compared to the year before. The additional number of people attending services for schools in Church of England churches rose by 3% to 182,000. Usual Sunday attendance fell by 2% to 690,000 in 2019. In 2019 there were nearly eight million attendances at Christmas and Advent services, and more than a million people attended Church of England church services at Easter. Church of England launches its An�-Racism Taskforce A Taskforce has been set up to ensure racial equality in the Church of England. The Anti-Racism Taskforce will carry out preparatory work ahead of the launch of the Archbishops’ Commission to address racism in Spring next year. 18 It is expected to complete its work by the end of January. The Revd Sonia Barron, Co-Chair of the Taskforce, and a former adviser to the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns, (CMEAC) said: “The Taskforce has been set up at a critical time in the history of the Church of England, with the Black Lives Matter movement pushing racial justice right up the agenda. The Church has an opportunity that it cannot afford to miss – we cannot just pay lip service to issues of racism as we have done for so long. It is vital that we listen to all the different voices out there and having listened, ful�il our mission as a Church, by taking appropriate action.” Fewer than four per cent of serving clergy identify as being from a UKME background, according to the latest statistics. The General Synod voted in February to apologise for racism experienced by UKME people in the Church of England since the arrival of the Windrush Generation. Speaking to the General Synod, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said there was ‘no doubt’ that the Church of England was still ‘deeply institutionally racist’. More than £10m in grants to 66 churches and cathedrals The Church of England has welcomed the award of grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England for grants amounting to £10.7m to 66 churches and cathedrals across the country. A total of 16 cathedrals and 50 parish churches will receive grants under the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage. The grants will support churches and cathedrals, which would normally welcome millions of visitors each year, in ensuring organisational viability, covering costs incurred by Covid-19, and allowing for business planning and job retention. Living in Love and Faith The Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith teaching resources have been recently published. They explore questions of human identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage. The resources, commissioned by the House of Bishops, include a book, a series of �ilms and podcasts and a course. They will initiate a process of whole Church learning, that will contribute to the Bishops’ discernment of a way forward in relation to questions of human identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage. Looking at God

The Story is s�ll the same! by Canon Paul Hardingham. ‘Christmas may look different, but the story is still the same!’ That’s the 19 message for Christmas in 2020. Coronavirus will make our celebrations this year look very different from usual. However, the message of the baby born in Bethlehem is still relevant! In one nativity play, the highlight was to illuminate Jesus, with a light in the manger, when all the other lights were turned off. At the appropriate time, all the lights went out, including the manger one. The silence was broken when one of the shepherds loudly whispered: ‘Hey, you turned off Jesus.’ Of course, nobody can turn off Jesus this Christmas! The angels announced, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.’ (Luke 2: 10,11). The birth of this baby brings great joy and good news for everyone! As the king of the universe, He has come as our Saviour. In an uncertain world, He offers joy and hope, because He holds this pandemic in His hands. This is a real cause for joy! ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests.’ (Luke 2:14). We may feel anything but peace amid the anxieties over our current circumstances. How can a Jewish infant born to a peasant family in �irst century Palestine bring peace to our lives today? Jesus established peace with God through His death on the cross. Trusting the Prince of Peace for our lives brings God’s peace amid the huge uncertainties we face. As the carol says, ‘Joy to the world, the Lord has come, let earth receive her King.’ Christmas can’t come too early The Revd Peter Crumpler, a Church of England priest in St Albans, Herts, and a former communications director for the CofE, considers a new response to a yearly complaint. Every year it happens. I hear Christians lamenting how ‘Christmas comes earlier every year.’ Since this September (or before!) supermarkets, shops and garden centres have been selling Christmas jumpers, socks and pyjamas and all kinds of other seasonal merchandise. Should we be annoyed or exasperated? Should we have gone around reminding people that it’s much too early for tinsel and mistletoe? This year, of all years, the answer from churches and Christians of all denominations must surely be a resounding ‘NO.’ As people began looking to Christmas for some light in the gloom of the pandemic – and hard-hit businesses desperately need to increase their income and chances of survival – it sounds a woefully wrong note if the Church is saying ‘hold back, it’s not time yet…’ Because Christmas is that time of year when increasing numbers of people want to come to church services and share in the story of the new-born King. It is when carols are played in shopping centres, and there are openings to speak of the meaning of the season. 20 Churches might not be able to host big indoor carol services this year, but the challenge is how we take the Christmas message out into the streets and neighbourhoods around our buildings. This year has been one like no other for millions of people, with little prospect of better news into the New Year. So we need to be declaring the Christmas message of hope and light and joy in the darkness. And to be doing so at every opportunity. But also, we need to be doing so with sensitivity and care, for the many who will �ind it hard to be celebrating this pandemic year, and with the prospect of large family gatherings in doubt because of Covid 19 regulations. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell wrote in his 2009 book ‘Do Nothing Christmas is Coming’, “Christmas is one of the most joyful times of the year. It is also one of the most stressful. It is laden with expectations. It is often overtaken with grief. It might be the season of good will, but it can feel like the last straw on an already overburdened camel.” He added ruefully, “Wise men would not ride this one.” Archbishop Cottrell is right that Christmas has to be approached sensitively, that we need to take care in how we celebrate, that for many people who have lost loved ones and livelihoods during this traumatic year, Christmas will not be easy. We come alongside people with the news that the baby born in the manger grew up to be the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief, who experienced suffering and bereavement. God, born as Man, who shared our pain as well as our celebrations, ultimately died on a cross to rise again. Our mission is to bring a message of hope, and to do so with love, humility and sensitivity to a hurting disorientated world – one that’s eager for light in the gloom. Hope amid uncertainty Canon Paul Hardingham on how the promise to King Ahaz is relevant today. ‘Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel.’ (Isaiah 7:14) This promise to King Ahaz in 8th century Judah is ful�illed in the coming of Jesus at the �irst Christmas: ‘God with Us’ (Matthew 1:23). Ahaz faced the military threat of Syria invading Israel, but Isaiah tells him not to panic. He can trust God, who is in control of the nation. For us, Coronavirus brings deep uncertainty as we come to another New Year. We live with the threat from the virus, economic uncertainty, separation from family and friends, the loss of loved ones and the anxiety that isolation brings. Yet the message of Immanuel brings hope, as it did for Ahaz! Christmas changes everything forever! God has declared in Christ that He is with us and for us, not absent from or against us. His love is larger than our sin, fears or guilt: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31).

21 As we prepare for the most unusual Christmas ever, let’s not forget: God with us means that He is on my side and by my side. In the uncertainties of life I am never alone. God with us means that everything will work out according to His plan. My life isn’t just a series of meaningless occasions or mistakes. God with us means that even when others show they are not there for me, God is. God with us means when circumstances change, He will give me the strength I need. God is with me: He isn’t far away, but has made the journey into my world. Here is the hope for the future, once we get past the trees, gifts, turkey stuf�ing and pudding! Journeys or lockdown this Christmas? by Lester Amann Christmas is a busy time for travel, as many of us venture a great distance to see family or friends again. But this year coronavirus has put an end to all that. Seeing all our loved ones this Christmas will be dif�icult, if not impossible. Soon we may not be travelling anywhere very much at all. Have you noticed that the Christmas story is about journeys? It begins with Mary and Joseph travelling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Then, some shepherds receive news from an angel about a special birth. They travel through the night, across dark �ields and down unlit streets to search for the baby Jesus. After this, in an eastern country some wise men see a new star, one that heralds a new king. They leave home and set out with only the star to guide them, and their faith to reassure them that Someone special is waiting at the end of their journey. All these travellers must have wondered what really lay ahead. Nothing was fully understood, carefully planned for, or safe. They all travelled with questions and uncertainties. But God had come unexpectedly into their lives, and suddenly they were given new roles to serve Him. Despite worldly circumstances that could have crushed them, they stood �irm and trusted God all the way. These travellers’ tales tell us that God may suddenly enter into our familiar, or this year, unfamiliar circumstances. He may come in surprising ways, to prompt us into new avenues of service. At �irst His call on us may be uncomfortable and challenging. If our response is anything like Joseph, Mary, the shepherds and wise men – to be obedient to His call in serving, witnessing and worshipping, we shall be greatly blessed and rewarded. We are all on life’s journey. If we travel with God, He will be faithful and lead us 22 to His heavenly Home. What Mary taught me Norma Murrain, of Silver�ish Jewellery in Birmingham considers Mary "And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and call His name JESUS…” (Luke 1:31) On 8th December Roman Catholics celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. While non-Roman Catholics do not venerate Mary in the same way, we can still learn so much from the Mother of Jesus. Trust. A woman’s trust can only be built on an intimate relationship and strong communication over time. Mary therefore must have had a relationship with God for years prior to the visit by the angel Gabriel. She would have known the Jewish scriptures of the coming Messiah, and this enabled her to recognise God's will in the voice of the angel. (Luke 1:26-38) She trusted Him because she already knew Him. Willingness to obey. She was willing to surrender to God's will, without even asking why He had chosen her. "Let it be to me according to your Word." (Luke 1:34) Her asking ‘how’ only re�lected her willingness to obey Him. "How will this be,” Mary said, “since I am a virgin." (Luke 1:34) Testimony. It’s one thing to say we believe God, but far harder to go and tell somebody about Him. Yet Mary did just that: “At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth” (Luke 1:39-40). And her cousin saluted her faith: “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished”. (Luke 1:45) Worship. Finally, Mary worshiped, her poetic song full of love and reverence for God: "My soul magni�ies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my saviour..." (Luke 1:46) This Christmas, as we remember Mary, what has God been able to conceive in us lately? The Bible is clear that Jesus wants to implant His Holy Spirit into each one of us, so that we may live our lives in His presence, grow to become more like Him, and ful�il His particular will for our lives. Like Mary, our prayer can also be: “Let it be to me according to your Word" (Luke 1:34)

Reflected Faith Series: Grace for all The Revd Dr Jo White concludes her series that began in March. Last month we thought about one key element of gathered worship – the Welcome. It is for everyone, regardless of how they look, or dress, their faith or their behaviour. This month, being the month of Advent and Christmas, let’s focus on Grace.

23 God, in Jesus, did not wait for us to become perfect or reach up to Him but rather He came to us, in the daily mess of our lives; as and where we are. I recently heard someone say: ‘God’s nature is goodness’, and the Bible con�irms that this is true. He cannot help it. That’s what He is. He is goodness, and grace, and forgiveness, and faithfulness, and all those wonderful attributes that come from the pure essence of love. It’s what we strive for – to be more like Him every day. Then our welcome to others will also be full of grace, His grace, and not guided by our own likes or prejudices. Instead, we can reach out to others spontaneously, from a heart of love. This Advent and Christmas it will probably be harder to welcome people into our times of worship. Virtual is not the same as actual, and actual will include facemasks. But that does not mean that we should give up on reaching out to those who visit our church. This year, more than ever, they may need us. Many will be lonely this Christmas, far from their families. So, although our normal church services may be disrupted, we have to remember that services are not the church; WE are the church. In what has been an extraordinary year, perhaps we can each of us �ind an informal way of sharing our Christmas joy with anyone whom God sends our way. This month: Have a think about what it is about Christmastime services that people love. How can we distil that into a socially distanced service or meeting, a virtual experience or into an envelope or maybe a box to their doors? Christmas: Celebra�ng the Incarna�on The Revd Dr Roger Roberts considers Christmas. C.S. Lewis called it the Grand Miracle and the Central Miracle. He noted that “Every other miracle prepares for this, exhibits this, or result.s from this...The �itness, and therefore credibility, of the particular miracles depend on their relations to the Grand Miracle.” So if you can believe in Christmas – the incarnation of the Son of God: the Grand, the Central Miracle, you should have no problem believing the miracles in the Old Testament narratives or the miracle of the Virgin Birth, the miracles Jesus performed of feeding the multitudes, of His healing the sick, raising the dead, walking on water and calming the storms. You also need have no problem in believing in the bodily resurrection of Jesus and His ascension back into the heavenly realms, where He reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. In other words, to believe the essence of the Christmas story is to believe the miracle that will open the pathway to faith and eternal life, a life of following this risen Jesus as your Lord. To understand and believe the truth of the Incarnation will not only transform your idea of Christmas—it will change your life now and your everlasting destiny.

24 Looking at You

Joseph and his Amazing Journey David Pickup a solicitor, considers governments ordering travel – and stay-at- home. In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world… And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David. Luke 2 1-4 What a year we have had! But I suppose Joseph had had a demanding year as well. Having learning that his betrothed was pregnant due to divine intervention, he then learned of the Roman government’s demand for a census. These Bible verses show Joseph being a good citizen. Leaving home for a long journey in order to please the government would not have been welcome, but Joseph complied and obeyed the law. This year the situation is reversed. Millions of us want to make a long journey, to visit our loved ones across the UK. But this year, because of coronavirus, the Government is asking us to stay at home. The Romans had censuses for a good reason: to help them run the business of the empire. This Government has restrictions in place for a good reason: to help the slow the spread of a deadly virus. Following government rules and laws it not always easy or pleasant but as Christians we should be good citizens. As always this is a light-hearted guide to a complicated subject. If you are going home for Christmas, get proper advice - and have a Merry one. Struggling for relinquishment. Here is the second of a three-part series by Tony Collins. He considers the question of how much BUSYNESS do we really need in our lives? In October I wrote about my addiction to cars. But how about the addiction to a busy life? Until a few years ago I ran a couple of imprints at a well-known publishing company, and feared I was slacking if I didn’t receive a hundred emails a day. I regularly attended events such as the Frankfurt Book Fair, where the diary took months of planning and each day was divided into thirty-minute slots. The buzz was intense: I have rarely felt more alive. I was publishing 60 books a year and keeping my feet in the complex web of relationships that that required. It all took intense concentration. Like many business folk, I have been an adrenaline junkie. Which is another way of saying: your life is probably at war with your ethics. Continued p 28 25 GREETINGS Roger and Lynda Hollingshead send their love and best wishes to all their friends at St. Wilfrid’s. Don and Peggy Durrant sending loving Xmas wishes to all our old friends at St. Wilfrid’s and hope circumstances will change soon so that you may all get together. Louise and Gordon Smith, Cerys and Adam wish everyone at St. Wilfrid’s a very Happy Christmas. John and Jayne Haste wish everyone at St. Wilfrid’s a Merry Christmas and Happy New Happy Christmas to all our Year friends at St. Wilfrid’s with love from Margaret, Glenda and Keith Richards. To all our friends at St. Wilfrid’s Church. Wishing you a happy Christmas and peaceful New Year. Elaine , Alan and Justin Mowat send Stuart and Gill Hutchison fond Christmas wishes to all their friends at St. Wilfrid’s Wishing everyone a healthy and peaceful Christmas and Christmas Greetings to all our New Year that will us Hope and friends at St. Wilfrid’s from Val and many Blessings. Love Jan Bert Johnson. Slough.

26 Helen and Rex wish all their friends at St. Wilfrid’s a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year

Lots of love, prayers and blessings to all my friends at St Wilfrid's, and my prayers also to your Patron Saint for the future. Happy Christ- Mass. Fr Ray Whelan.

Wishing to all in the family of St. Wilfrid’s a very Merry Christmas for Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas! yourselves and families with our Praying God's blessings on you and your thoughts and prayers that in this families. strange time you will be able to see We are so glad to have been really welcomed and meet to celebrate. into the church family and to have met so many people since joining the church in Also that everyone keeps safe and September. well in a Happy and Prosperous New Alex, Emma and Theodore Coakley-Youngs Year. Elaine & Malcolm,

Wishing everyone at St Wilfrid’s best wishes for a joyous and healthy Christmas. Our continuing prayers and Julie Starmer and Dorothy thoughts for those affected by the Smith wish everyone at Coronavirus pandemic and all the work Saint Wilfrid’s a very happy being done by hospitals, our support Christmas and a peaceful agencies and our churches to care and New Year protect those at risk. Elaine and Peter Green

Wishing all my friends at St. Wilfrid’s a very Happy Christmas. Hazel Tucker Wishing everyone at St. Wilfrid’s a very happy Christmas and New Year. Rosemary Hawkes and Alison Dodd.

27 Continued from page 25 If you �ill every minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, as Kipling had it, you cannot think critically. This is where relinquishment comes in. It helps us stop trashing the planet, for a start. Relinquishment allows us to concentrate on priorities. If we are trying to live a sustainable life, to eat meat from animals farmed with integrity and butchered without cruelty; to seek out fruit and vegetables that are locally sourced, grown without arti�icial fertilizer, and packaged without plastic; these things require space to think. Pollution, land degradation and climate change all result from the premise that more = better, which is the lie behind our enslavement to the Gross Domestic Product. We cannot afford to keep going as we are. In the everyday routine of our lives, if we are to live as faithful disciples, we must undertake the detailed work of �inding out and considering the implications of our choices as voters and as consumers. We should ask, ‘Who made this shirt? Why is it so cheap? Where was the cotton sourced? How was the factory run? What were the workers paid? Did they work reasonable hours? As a customer, am I a partner in their wellbeing, or exploiting their vulnerability?’ It takes time to make considered decisions – and relinquishment creates time. These ideas, and many more, are explored by Pen Wilcock in her new book Relinquishment: Making Space for What Really Matters, available from Amazon in paperback and ebook. A Quiz on 2020 David Pickup offers a quiz for this Christmas. 1. Job applications from weirdos and mis�its were invited from people to work at which place in London? 2. Which famous actor who died this year is associated with the phrase “I am Spartacus?” 3. In February the Church of England advised against the practice of ‘intinction’ – what is it? 4. In a world “where you can be anything, be ______” – what, wrote actress Caroline Flack on Instagram in December 2019? 5. What were we supposed to do in March while singing the National Anthem or Happy Birthday twice? 6. This year was a leap year. What do we call other years? 7. Which village in the Peak District is associated with self-isolation during a previous plague? 8. How long, literally, is quarantine? 9. Why did President Macron visit Britain on 18th July? What other Anglo- 28 French anniversary could he have remembered but for some reason it was not mentioned? 10. How many countries launched space rockets to Mars this year? 11. Who, in their resignation letter in August, on Twitter posted, “I have championed our work, built our relationships and celebrated the diversity of our staff… and will always be an ambassador for the UK and the new Foreign Commonwealth and Development Of�ice” after a four year career in Downing Street which had included scraps with a neighbour? He was going to spend more time with a family in the country. 12. Which day is the furthest away from Christmas Day? 13. What was the Battle of the Tennis Court and why was it remembered in August? 14. The BBC banned singing the lyrics from which song from the Last night of the Proms, because it had a link in their mind with slavery and colonialism? 15. This year marked the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the May�lower. What event did they start which led to a public holiday? Answers on page 33 12 ways to avoid stress this Christmas Change your expectations this Christmas. Don’t waste time lamenting what should have been. Instead, try and enjoy whatever is possible this year. Make a list. Include sending cards, buying presents and organising food for the big day. Having a lists helps keep you in control of your life. Set a reduced budget this year. With a pandemic raging, this no time to take on Christmas debt. If you can’t pay for it this month, probably best not to buy it. Exercise each day - it releases happiness-inducing serotonin. That will help you to keep calm and positive over the festive period. Don’t overindulge. Too much alcohol and rich food won’t improve your life. Keep calm and keep kind – urge your family members to try and avoid any �lare up of family tensions. If you need to cry, cry, but then, keep on keeping on. Remember those everyday essentials: batteries for new toys, toilet paper, milk, paper towel. Those things you never think about – until they are gone. Entertain the kids: plan ahead various �ilms, games and whatever it takes to give them a memorable Christmas. Make the most of Zoom this year with far-�lung relatives and friends. Most of all, include God in your Christmas! This is His Son’s birthday - include Bible readings and carols in your family routine over the festive period.

29 How many Christmas carols do you really know? Here is a challenge: why not spend some time learning the words to traditional carols this year? Polls have found that too many of us know the title of a carol and the tune and the opening line or so, but then we have to make it up. This year you probably have more time at home, so get going! The one benefit of a Covid Christmas? A Covid Christmas (no more than six) could actually help take some �inancial pressure off you, according to Martin Lewis, the personal �inance expert. The Money Saving Expert founder recently pointed out that because of the enormous pressure on people to spend, spend spend at Christmas, the festive period has become one of the ‘biggest causes of debt and misery’ in the UK. This year, though, could be different. Most of us will be visiting fewer people, buying fewer presents and having smaller dinners. So, ‘it might just take the pressure off people.’ How to impress the cat this Christmas If you are going to spend Christmas in a house with a resident cat, it may be worth knowing how to win its favour on the big day. Recent research at Sussex University has found that humans become more attractive to a cat when they slowly blink at it, and mimic what is known as a ‘cat smile.’ Cats are more likely to slow-blink at their owners after their owners have slow-blinked at them. Cats are also more likely to approach an outstretched hand after a person has slow-blinked the cat. As one professor said, this is something ‘you can try yourself with your own cat at home, or with cats you meet in the street. It’s a great way of enhancing the bond you have with cats.’ (Presuming you want such a bond!) Try narrowing your eyes at them as you would in a relaxed smile, followed by closing your eyes for a couple of seconds. You should �ind they respond to you in the same way. You might even start a sort-of conversation. Stark sign of the �mes Children’s piggy banks have been raided by a quarter of parents this year, struggling to pay their bills during lockdown. A survey by Direct Line Life Insurance has found that buying food was among the most common reasons for 23 percent of adults admitting they had actually had to dip into their children’s savings. ‘There, there dear …’ A recent poll has found that the over-60s often face patronising, though usually well-meant, comments from the younger generation. One older woman was amused, when going into a shop before Christmas, to be met by a 30 younger assistant who asked, ‘And how are we doing so far today?’ ‘I suspect she had taken one look at me and decided that I was lucky to have even made it alive to lunchtime!’ Bishops warn of a ‘divided na�on’ The Government should give more �inancial aid to our poorest communities, as they are suffering disproportionately from the pandemic. Otherwise, it runs the risk in a rise of “disillusion and unrest”. So warns the Archbishop of York and the Bishops of Manchester and Leeds. In a recent article jointly published in the Yorkshire Post, the bishops warn of the “terrible double whammy” of poverty and exposure to coronavirus, because “those in more deprived communities, urban and rural, are also most likely to be living in smaller and more cramped homes.” Cathedrals ba�ered by the pandemic Cathedrals have struggled this year, as Covid-19 drastically cut visitor numbers, and thus income has plummeted. Numbers of lay staff in cathedrals across the country have been facing possible redundancy, as the �inancial impact of the pandemic continues to hit. Westminster Abbey alone is losing 20 per cent of its staff as it faces a “breath- taking” loss of up to £12million next year. Now 20 other cathedrals have been handed a lifeline by the Government’s £1.57billion Culture Recovery Fund. They include Canterbury, Chichester, Coventry, Derby, Ely, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Southwell Minster, St Albans, Shef�ield, Truro, Wells, Winchester and Worcester. Church of England launches resources on God’s generosity The Church of England’s Giving Team has produced a new series of week-long resources (Sunday to Sunday) to encourage people to live generously. It hoped that parishes will use them to organise their own Generosity Week, at a time suitable for them. The material includes eight daily podcast re�lections based on generosity in the Bible. A verse of scripture is followed by a re�lection by a range of contributors that include Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Bishop Guli Francis- Dehqani. Bishop Francis-Dehqani says: “The best generosity comes not from those who live a miserly existence, but from those whose enjoyment of the good things of life brims over into a desire to share their blessings with others.” Major clergy wellbeing study results shared What helps clergy to �lourish? Some insights from an ongoing Church of England research programme have now been sent to curates across the

31 country. The study has found six main principles that contribute to the wellbeing of ordained ministers. They include the ability to handle expectations, recognise times of personal vulnerability, establish healthy boundaries, and the importance of af�irmation. How Clergy Thrive will be a practical resource for dioceses as they discuss the Covenant for Clergy Care and Wellbeing, launched earlier this year. The booklet is published by Church House Publishing. Bishop’s call for a be�er migra�on policy The EU needs a more “humane, tolerant and equitable migration policy.” So says the Bishop in Europe, Dr Robert Innes, responding to news of recent deaths of migrants who have attempted to cross the English Channel in small boats. Dr Innes spoke of the recent cases as “deeply saddening”. “Refugees, including children, have perished as desperate souls �lee con�lict and violence to make new lives in Europe.” He said that the situation “underlines the urgent need for a humane, tolerant, and equitable migration policy to be applied across the EU, and for the full respect and protection of the rights of refugees under international law.” The Bishop of Dover, the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin said: “My heart is full of sadness. We cannot stand by while those who seek refuge and safety are dying at the hands of those who exploit them and their hope.” The traf�ic in illegal migrants has quadrupled this year, from 1825 in 2019 to 7400 in 2020. So many denomina�ons! By Doctor Peter Brierley Church leaders often talk about new churches and church planting, but probably talk less about new denominations. Yet new denominations are also being started. In the UK the number has grown from the 97 listed, when they were �irst counted in 1977, to 250 by the year 2000, falling to 230 by this year. The number of denominations has grown worldwide also. When �irst counted globally in 1970, the total number was 16,100. It reached 33,100 by 1995, and the number is now reckoned to be 44,800. In 2020, Africa had almost half (46%) of all the global denominations. This is primarily because the charismatic Pentecostals are extremely strong in Africa, and, as in the UK, they are formed of many small denominations. Across the rest of the globe inter-continental comparisons are fairly even in terms of number of denominations, although Oceania has fewer.

32 Answers for Quiz on 2020 1. Job applications from weirdos and mis�its were invited from people to work at 10 Downing Street. 2. Kirk Douglas was the famous actor who died this year and is associated with the phrase “I am Spartacus”. 3. In February the Church of England advised against the practice of ‘intinction’ – which is dipping the communion wafer in wine. 4. In a world “where you can be anything, be kind” wrote actress Caroline Flack on Instagram in December 2019. 5. We were supposed to wash our hands in March while singing the National Anthem or Happy Birthday twice. 6. This year was a leap year. We call other years common years. 7. Eyam is the village in the peak district is associated with self-isolation during a previous plague. 8. Quarantine is forty days long, literally, the word derives from the Italian expression quaranta giorni. 9. President Macron visited Britain on 18th July to commemorate De Gaulle’s broadcast to France in 1940. It was also the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. 10. The United States, Europe, Russia and China have all launched space rockets to Mars this year. 11. The Foreign Of�ice cat, Palmerston, in his resignation letter in August on Twitter posted, “I have championed our work, built our relationships and celebrated the diversity of our staff… and will always be an ambassador for the UK and the new Foreign Commonwealth and Development Of�ice” after a four year career in Downing Street which had included scraps with a neighbour. He was going to spend more time with a family in the country. 12. Boxing Day is the day furthest away from Christmas Day (because you cannot travel backwards in time - think about it) 13. The Battle of the Tennis Court was part of the Burma Campaign during the Second World War. It was remembered in August as part of VJ commemorations. 14. The BBC banned singing the lyrics from which Rule Britannia from the Last night of the Proms because it had a link in their mind with slavery and colonialism. The decision was since reviewed. 15. This year marked the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the May�lower. Their celebration of harvest gave rise to Thanksgiving.

33 Looking at Community

All in the month of December It was: 400 years ago, on 21st December 1620 that the �irst landing party from the British ship May�lower arrived at what would become Plymouth Colony (now Plymouth Massachusetts). They began building houses there two days later. 300 years ago, on 31st December 1720 that Charles Edward Stuart, commonly known as ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ was born. Stuart claimant to the British throne and leader of the unsuccessful Jacobite rebellion of 1745-46. Grandson of King James II of England and Ireland (also known as James VII of Scotland). 250 years ago, on 16th December 1770 that Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer and pianist was born. 90 years ago, on 2nd December 1930 that in his second State of the Union address, US President Herbert Hoover announced a huge public works programme to stimulate the economy and create jobs during the Great Depression. 80 years ago, on 29th December 1940 that Germany dropped thousands of incendiary bombs on London, causing the worst �ire damage since the Great Fire of London in 1666. About 200 people were killed. 75 years ago, on 27th December 1945 that the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development were formally founded. 70 years ago, on 14th December 1950 that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (also known as the UN Refugee Agency) was established. 65 years ago, on 1st December 1955 that African American civil rights activist Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama, violating the city’s racial segregation laws. This incident led to the birth of the modern American civil rights movement. 60 years ago, on 9th December 1960 that the �irst episode of the television soap opera Coronation Street was broadcast in the UK. 40 years ago, on 8th December 1980 that John Lennon, rock musician and peace activist and a member of the Beatles, was shot dead, aged 40, outside his New York City apartment by Mark Chapman, a deranged fan. 30 years ago, on 1st December 1990 that British and French construction workers on the Channel Tunnel broke through the last wall of rock separating the two halves, and Britain and France were linked for the �irst time in thousands of years. 25 years ago, on 13th December 1995 that the Brixton riot took place in south London. Hundreds of youths rioted on the streets following the death of a 34 black man in police custody. 20 years ago, on 13th December 2000 that George W Bush �inally claimed the US presidency, 36 days after the election was held, following a legal battle over disputed votes in Florida. 15 years ago, on 19th December 2005 that the Civil Partnership Act came into effect in the UK. The �irst civil partnership under the act was formed in Belfast, that same day. The �irst in England and Wales were on 21st December. 10 years ago, from 18th December 2010 to December 2012 that the Arab Spring took place in North Africa and the Middle East. The Tunisian Revolution spread and became a wave of demonstrations, protests, riots, coups, foreign interventions, and civil wars in North Africa and the Middle East. The leaders and governments of several countries were overthrown and ousted, and Libyan leader Muammar Gadda�i was killed (October 2011). BEETHOVEN: ‘from the heart to the heart’ The Revd Michael Burgess considers the life and work of a genius. This year, 2020, is a special year for Beethoven: it marks the 250th anniversary of his birth on 16th December 1770. And so it was very �itting that back in August, at the �irst Live Prom this year in the Royal Albert Hall, the BBC Symphony Orchestra played his 3rd symphony, the Eroica. Beethoven composed it in 1804. A few years earlier he had noticed the �irst symptoms of his deafness. He wrote in a letter to his brothers that was found after his death, ‘I must live like an exile.’ The deafness brought in its wake depression and thoughts of suicide, but Beethoven wrote that ‘the only thing that held me back was my art.’ He went on to compose works which expressed the tragedy this cross of deafness brought, but also conveyed the power of the human spirit which proved indomitable in the face of that struggle. ‘Music,’ he wrote, ‘is the electric soil in which the spirit thinks, lives and invents.’ Beethoven was to compose six more symphonies after the Eroica and a wealth of other music up to his death in 1827. He spent most of his life in Vienna, but through his music his creative genius travelled far and wide. Scholars divide his work into three stages. Up to 1800 he composed very much in the classical tradition. That year marked a second stage with works like the 5th Symphony, which opens with the famous eight-note motif of fate knocking at the door, and his opera Fidelio. Then in 1817 came a �inal stage when his compositions explored new territories of the human spirit altogether. Although his deafness brought loneliness and isolation, he found in music the means to express those experiences: his struggle with Destiny, his love of Nature and that search for an inner peace and serenity. Weighed down by physical limitations, he found a freedom to express himself and his longing for transcendence and light. 35 It is there in the Prisoners’ Chorus in his opera Fidelio as they emerge from the dungeon into the sunlight. And it is quintessentially present in his last great works: the late String Quartets, the 9th Symphony with its exultant hymn to Joy, and the Missa Solemnis where there is a beauty and a serenity in the Benedictus and Agnus Dei. On the score of this work, Beethoven wrote above the Kyrie It comes from the heart - may it go to the heart. In this month which marks the 250th anniversary of his birth, we give thanks for his music which continues to speak to hearts in every age. It is music that tells us of the pain and struggle of life, but also the discovery of a courage and freedom that can help us to step out in his company and welcome the light and the joy, the peace and the beauty. The Arab Spring of 2010 Tim Lenton looks back on a season of hope that has faded… The so-called Arab Spring started 10 years ago, in December 2010, when Tunisian street vendor Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on �ire in protest at police seizing his vegetable stand over failure to obtain a permit. What was originally Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution became a tsunami of demonstrations, protests, riots, coups, foreign interventions and civil wars throughout North Africa and the Middle East. The leaders and governments of several countries were overthrown and ousted, and Libyan leader Muammar Gadda�i was killed a year later. The effects in Tunisia were mainly favourable, but elsewhere they were mixed, and in some cases disastrous. Full-scale civil wars erupted in countries such as Libya, Syria and Yemen. In Egypt authoritarian rule seems to have returned after the ousting of President Mubarak, and Libya remains in a state of violent and largely anarchic civil war, contributing signi�icantly to the worldwide refugee crisis. In Syria, although ISIS has largely been defeated, the oppressive regime of long-time dictator Bashar al Assad persists. The anti-Christian sentiments of almost all Arab Spring groups means that violence against Christians has increased considerably. Islamic State, which emerged as a result, is known particularly for its ethnic cleansing of Christians and other faith groups in Syria and Iraq. Mistletoe We continue our occasional series on different common �lowers by Kirsty Steele, a retired teacher and active church organist. You could invite your readers to look out for mistletoe this month, and to send in pix of any they �ind in your locality. This time of year you can see all sorts of traditions played out with regard to Christmas decorations. Strict adherents use holly, ivy and of course, mistletoe. While holly and ivy are to be found in gardens and hedgerows, mistletoe usually only appears in greengrocers' shops, or high in a tree well out of reach. 36 Mistletoe is hemiparasitic, meaning that although its leaves enable it to feed itself through photosynthesis, its roots invade the host tree or shrub to extract water and other nutrients. Its favourite host trees are apple, lime, hawthorn, poplar or oak and it normally hangs as a large globe, tantalisingly high and totally visible once winter arrives and it is the only green left on the tree. There are some spectacular examples in Windsor Great Park, clearly visible from the path on the opposite side of the River Thames. We all know about the almost translucent white berries, �leshy and sticky, which form in the forks of mistletoe's many branches. While they are toxic to humans, they are attractive to birds. When birds have enjoyed the juicy �lesh, they wipe the remaining seeds off their beaks onto the nearest branch [somewhat like small children wiping sticky hands on any surface close by – mummy's face or clothes?]. With luck the seed remains stuck to the bark and solves mistletoe's problem of reproduction. In Greek mythology, mistletoe gave access to the Underworld. Romans thought it represented Peace, Love and Understanding and perhaps that is how it has sidled into our Christmas celebrations. The earliest documentary evidence for kissing under mistletoe dates from the sixteenth century. Some people think a berry should be removed after each kiss. Given the small size of pieces generally available these days, perhaps that is a practice not to be pursued! Smile lines

Titles of carols, as misunderstood by children… Deck the Halls with Buddy Holly We three kings of porridge and tar On the �irst day of Christmas my tulip gave to me Later on we'll perspire, as we dream by the �ire. He's makin a list, chicken and rice. Noel, Noel, Barney's the king of Israel. With the jelly toast proclaim Olive, the other reindeer Frosty the Snowman is a ferret elf, I say Sleep in heavenly peas. In the meadow we can build a snowman, then pretend that he is sparse and brown O come, froggy faithful.

37 Picture The teacher asked her Sunday School class to draw a picture of a Bible story with a Christmas theme. She was puzzled by Kate’s picture, which showed four people on an airplane. She asked her which story it was meant to represent. ‘The Flight to Egypt,’ was the reply. Pointing at each �igure, the teacher ventured: ‘That must be Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. But who's the fourth person?"’ ‘Oh,’ explained Kate happily, ‘that's Pontius - the pilot!’ Next Christmas The grandson had just taken a photograph of his grandmother who’d come to stay for Christmas and her 89th birthday. ‘Grannie, I sure hope I’m around next year to photograph you on your 90th birthday,’ he said tactfully. ‘Why not?’ his grandmother shrugged. ‘You look healthy enough.’ Fric�on at Christmas This Christmas, when your family gets together, remember: a certain friction between the generations is inevitable. After all, the young and the old have all the answers and those in between are stuck with all the questions. Drive He was a careful driver during the Christmas period. At the railway crossing he stopped, looked and listened. All he heard was the car behind him, smashing into his boot. Present First man: ‘My wife doesn’t know what she wants for Christmas.’ Second man: ‘You’re lucky. Mine does.’ Li�le "I didn't look much - I've only got little eyes!" 7 year-old, about to be scolded for peeking at her Christmas presents

Christmas cake Every Christmas, composer Giacomo Puccini would have a cake baked for each of his friends. One year, having quarrelled with Arturo Toscanini just before Christmas, he tried to cancel the order for the conductor's cake. But it was too late, as the cake had already been dispatched. The following day, Toscanini received a telegram from Puccini: "Cake sent by mistake." He replied by return: "Cake eaten by mistake."

38 Angels? Two daughters had been given parts in a Christmas pageant at their Church. At dinner that night, they got into an argument as to who had the most important role. Finally, the 14 year-old said to her 8 year-old younger sister, ‘Well, you just ask Mum. She'll tell you it's much harder to be a virgin than it is to be an angel.’ A�en�on With a number of relatives visiting, I was struggling to get my wife's attention. So, I simply sat down and looked comfortable. That did the trick. Angels on high The young minister was tense as he announced a Christmas carol for his �irst live-streamed church service. ‘Our next hymn,’ he said, ‘is “Angels We Have Heard Get High”.’ Miscellaneous observa�ons during the Christmas season… Putting on weight is the penalty for exceeding the feed limit. Christmas: The time when everyone gets Santamental. People say it’s the thought that counts, not the gift, but couldn't people think a little bigger? Christmas is the season when your neighbour keeps you awake playing ‘Silent Night’. You might as well do your Christmas hinting early this year. Father to three-year old: "No, a reindeer is not a horse with TV antenna.” Every year, Christmas becomes less a birthday and more a Clearance Sale. Christmas is in my heart 12 months a year, and thanks to credit cards, it's on my Visa card statement 12 months a year as well. Some of these new toys are so creative and inventive. This year they have a Neurotic Doll. It's wound up already. Christmas is a time when people get emotional over family ties, particularly if they have to wear one. New Year’s Eve is coming soon… The inventor of the bagpipes was inspired when he saw a man carrying an indignant asthmatic pig under his arm. Unfortunately, the man-made sound never equalled the purity of the sound achieved by the pig. - Alfred Hitchcock. Bring not a bagpipe to a man in trouble. - Jonathan Swift.

39 December Maze

40 The First Christmas

41 Bible Bite -Simeon held Jesus in the temple

42 Word Search - A Long Awaited Promise

43 Crossword

Across 1 Rely (Psalm 62:7) (6) 4 ‘He stretches out the heavens like a — , and spreads them out like a tent to live in’ (Isaiah 40:22) (6) 7 What the dove carried the olive leaf in, when it returned to Noah’s ark (Genesis 8:11) (4) 8 Annoy (1 Samuel 1:6) (8) 9 Judah’s last king, who ended his days as a blind prisoner in Babylon (Jeremiah 52:11) (8) 13 ‘They all — and were satis�ied’ (Luke 9:17) (3) 44 16 Eliphaz the Temanite was one; so was Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite (Job 2:11; 16:2) (4,9) 17 National Association of Evangelicals (of the USA) (1,1,1) 19 Popular song for New Year’s Eve, Auld — — (4,4) 24 Able dock (anag.) (8) 25 The number of stones David chose for his confrontation with Goliath (1 Samuel 17:40) (4) 26 Elgar’s best-known ‘Variations’ (6) 27 Soak (Isaiah 16:9) (6)

Down 1 Money owing (Deuteronomy 15:3) (4) 2 Conciliatory (Titus 3:2) (9) 3 ‘Do this, whenever you — it, in remembrance of me’ (1 Corinthians 11:25) (5) 4 A group assisting in the governance of the Roman Catholic Church (5) 5 One of the gifts Joseph’s brothers took with them on their second journey to Egypt (Genesis 43:11) (4) 6 ‘Reach out your hand and — — into my side. Stop doubting and believe’ (John 20:27) (3,2) 10 Be outstandingly good (2 Corinthians 8:7) (5) 11 ‘What — — that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?’ (Psalm 8:4) (2,3) 12 Horse’s feet (Judges 5:22) (5) 13 Notice (Deuteronomy 17:4) (9) 14 Comes between 2 Chronicles and Nehemiah (4) 15 One of Israel’s northern towns conquered by Ben-Hadad (1 Kings 15:20) (4) 18 Narnia’s Lion (5) 20 One of the two rivers in which Naaman would have preferred to wash (2 Kings 5:12) (5) 21 Avarice—one of the evils that come from inside people (Mark 7:22) (5) 22 Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George (1,1,1,1) 23 Jacob’s �irst wife (Genesis 29:23) (4)

45 Word Search - Silent Night Silent Night

This much-loved carol comes from Austria, where it was �irst sung as Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht on Christmas Eve, 1818. It was written by Father Joseph Mohr, a young priest at St Nicholas parish church, in the village of Oberndorf bei Salzburg. As Christmas 1818 approached, he asked the local schoolmaster, Franz Xaver Gruber, to compose a melody for his carol. Gruber was organist in the nearby village of Arnsdorf, and so was happy to oblige. On Christmas Eve they presented the carol to the church during the midnight mass. The carol went on to become loved world-wide; and the Silent version sung by Bing Crosby is the third best-selling single of Night alltime. Loved Carol Austria

First Sung S�lle Nacht Heilige

Christmas Eve Father Joseph Mohr

Young Priest Organist Midnight Mass

Melody Single Bing Version Third

46 47 Crossword Solu�on

48 Word Search Answers - Silent Night

Word Search Answers - A Long Awaited Promise

49 Vicar Hon. Asst. Clergy Revd Joel Mennie Fr. Mark Everi� [email protected]

PCC Members Churchwardens: Elaine Green, Malcolm Vernone Diocesan Synod Representa�ve: Vacant Deanery Synod Representa�ves: Hazel Barkworth Elected Members: Simon Pia� (Treasurer), Roger Hollingshead, Glenda Richards, Keith Richards, Louise Smith (PCC Secretary), Julie Starmer, Janice Slough (Safeguarding Officer).

50 Contacts OPERATIONS MANAGER AlexCoakley-Youngs � 01243841275 [email protected]

CHURCHWARDENS Elaine Green� 01243 587825 Malcolm Vernone� 01243 826725

PCC SECRETARY Louise Smith� 01243 860750

TREASURER & GIFT AID OFFICER Simon Piatt � 07845 769799 [email protected]

ELECTORAL ROLL Malcolm Vernone� 01243 826725

SUNDAY SCHOOL ENQUIRIES Julie James� 07909951855 [email protected] WIVES GROUP Anne Latter� 01243 868780

SAFEGUARDING OFFICER Janice Slough� 07971251994 [email protected] FAMILY SUPPORT REP Linda Beckley,� 01243 840772

NYEWOOD INFANTS SCHOOL Anna Wells 01243 823283

NYEWOOD JUNIOR SCHOOL Jon Williams 01243 825871

BISHOP LUFFA CE SCHOOL Austen Hindman 01243 787741

51 Advent at Chichester Cathedral

South Transept in Chichester Cathedral during Advent