The Chase Benefice Parish Magazine July-August 2020
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THE CHASE BENEFICE PARISH MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST CHETTLE 2020 GUSSAGE ALL SAINTS FARNHAM TOLLARD GUSSAGE ROYAL SAINT MICHAEL THE CHASE BENEFICE RECTOR. Vacancy . Please contact the Benefice Administrator or The Rural Dean, The Rev’d Justin Pottnger 01929 459244 Retired Priests with Licence to Officiate The Rev’d Paul Renyard 01202 682460 The Rev’d John Graves 01202 669808 The Rev’d Paul Skinner 01725 552785 Parish Staff Local Licensed Ministers Canon Simon Tong. Bridge House. Gussage St Michael. 01258 840061 Mrs Carol Neilson, ‘Dormers’, Tarrant Hinton, DT11 8JB. 01258 830876 Mrs Pat Harris. 36 Holland Way. Blandford. DT11 7RU 01258 452863 Mr Robin Bragg. China Cottage, Tarrant Gunville. DT11 8JR 01258 830941 Benefice Administrator: Mrs Gill Baverstock, telephone 01725 516311, email [email protected] Magazine Editor Items for inclusion in the Advertisements Mr Bob McCarthy Sept 2020 magazine copy to Culpepper House the editor by Mrs Jane Benson Gussage All Saints 12th August please. Amen Corner Wimborne Opinions expressed Gussage All Saints BH21 5ET in articles submitted for BH21 5ET Tel: 01258 840168 publication are personal Tel: 01258 840824 [email protected] to the contributors. [email protected] A Reflection on Lockdown Canon Simon Tong has kindly submitted this article with the Gussages in mind but others will be able to relate to what he says and find it an interesting read. Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…. I’m writing this from Gussage St Michael in the eleventh week of lockdown, at a time when there is a huge debate about quarantine, air bridges, face masks and other economy-related issues; and out of nowhere, a new suspect in the Madeleine McCann story. So, this is how it looked back in early June… Life must go on, as we all say from time to time. Rosemary and I are looking back on these weeks of almost unbroken sunshine as a space in which we led a very quiet and peaceful life, enjoying walking across the empty spaces of Cranborne Chase, keeping in touch with family and friends by various permitted means, and spending less time reading and clearing out the loft than we’d predicted. We learned how to Zoom, and last Sunday we had more than 25 attenders at the weekly service. But they’ve also been weeks of almost un- remitting media gloom and despondency, punctuated by some of the most poignant and distressing interviews with bereaved families that either of us can remember. Here in the south-west of England, we have been spared many of the worst effects of the virus so far. That may be a greater cause for thankfulness than we yet know. Could things have been worse? Yes, of course. Water, electricity, internet, telephone, Joe the postman – they’ve all kept going, along with many other unsung heroes both locally and nationally. Local NHS has been heroic in maintaining GP services, often against the odds, and we all have much to thank them for too. We’ve been grateful to Martin and Harvelle at The Drovers for providing timely cook’s evenings off – with some really great takeaways. The Thursday clapping was a great idea, but it was probably right to call it off after ten weeks. Here, we’ll continue to ring the church bell at 8 pm on Thursday, as a reminder of all that effort and sacrifice, still continuing. The church bell is also rung on Sunday at about 12:15, when I’ve wound the clock for the week. I then ring the bell, and as the Bishop has requested us to do, say a prayer for the whole community, our people of all faiths and of none. Although we all want to see an end to lockdown, and just now that still seems a way off, there must be things that we’ll remember with some happiness. I often think back to my grown-up relations who would reminisce to me as a child about hard times in the war – but often with a smile and some joke about the blackout, spivs, rationing or the trials of daily life. How will we remember these long weeks of lockdown, in whatever becomes the dreaded ‘new normal’? What have you learned in this time? About yourself, your family, the place where you live? What will you return to, make afresh, or hold on to? What will your ‘new normal’ be? Simon Tong. Quote of the Month "Our true nationality is mankind" - H.G. Wells Editors Message Once again our intrepid reporters have helped me to produce a magazine for July-August, we normally get a month off, but if there is a big change we will produce a magazine next month for August. Everyone appears to be coping well with the lockdown and it is bringing the communities together. In the following page there is an appreciation by Antony, his son, of Canon John Standen McDougal, whose death was reported in last months magazine. Many of the more longstanding residents of the Benefice will remember John. An appreciation – Canon John Standen McDougal Rural Ministry played a vital role in Dad’s life and he spent 16 enjoyable years working in the beautiful Chase benefice. His support and interest in others was very much part of his life, which began in Camberley in late December 1933. Dad was the youngest son of a Times newspaper salesman, Bertie, and younger brother to Peter. During the height of the Battle of Britain, he was evacuated to Budleigh Salterton, before returning to Surrey to continue his studies. Educated traditionally at Eagle House preparatory school and then Canford, Dad’s love of sports was tempered by a cricketing accident when he lost the sight of an eye when struck while keeping wicket. However, it didn’t stop him reading history at King’s College London. His love of antiques led him to take a position with London-based auctioneers Trollops in the mid-1950s, which for a time he enjoyed. But inspired by London City Missions in the East End he took the calling to go into the Church, studying at Warminster, Wiltshire. During this time, his brother became increasingly frail with kidney failure. Peter’s death in 1962 was a considerable blow to his confidence. But with the support of friends, he took up his first post as Assistant Curate of St Mary’s, Bury St Edmunds (1963-65), where he used to spend some Saturday’s at nearby Portman Road, watching Ipswich Town. It was at this time he met Sue (Mum) during a trip to the Holy Land. They became engaged in 1965 and luckily he was posted to Wadhurst with Tidebrook in Sussex that year – close to Sue’s agricultural work with the Milk Marketing Board in Hampshire. Anthony was born a year later and Clare in 1970 just as Dad was taking up a role on the Cranborne Chase. The family moved to a modern rectory on the village of Farnham, better known for its Pitt-Rivers Museum. Starting with two parishes (Farnham and Tollard Royal), he quickly accumulated others – Gussage St Michael, Gussage All Saints, Ashmore and Chettle) and also became Rural Dean of Blandford and Milton. We would barely see him on Sundays as he would have 8am, 9.30am, 11am, 12noon communion, 3.30pm and 6.30pm services and he became known as the “Flying Rev”, riding his 50CC Vespa around the narrow roads, cassock billowing in the wind. His determination to treat everyone equal and to visit all his parishioners, whether they had a faith or not, was a deeply impressive trait, and this was evident throughout the year. Some parishioners I am sure will remember Dad’s dedication to the carol singing cause, which would see him out every night in December, sometimes two or three nights running in a village. In 1986 he moved to his last parish as team rector of the Bride Valley, where he lived in the seaside village of Burton Bradstock and looked after Shipton Gorge, Chilcombe, Litton Cheney and the Bredy’s, but would also sometimes be found preaching at Puncknowle and Swyre. It was at this time that he became Canon of Salisbury Cathedral (1986-94), before retiring to North Chideock. For a few years he led services at St Giles’ Church, but he quickly became involved in community life, spending time with the Chideock Society, volunteering at both the Charmouth Coast Heritage Centre and the National Trust’s Stonebarrow shop as well as regularly turning out to play table tennis in the Village Hall. As a committed Christian, Dad was keen to support a number of Christian charities, promoting the work of the Bible Society, collecting for Christian Aid Week as well as being the Lyme Bay deanery representative for the Dorset Historic Churches Trust, where each year he cycled and more latterly walked to support Ride and Stride. He was also a strong supporter of the Under Tree Schools South Sudan education charity, started by Chideock’s vicar Joseph and his wife Karin. Mum’s death in 2016 from cancer, after 50 years of married life, came as a profound shock, but he learnt new domestic skills, and was often seen walking to and from the village shop. He took over decorating Mum’s Church window and was a keen supporter of the Friends of St Giles. When he became poorly two years ago, he moved to Maiden Castle House in Dorchester, and despite increasing dementia, he enjoyed taking part in quizzes, cookery, balloon volleyball and church services at the home.