holy trinity church parish magazine May 2015 30p

1 Spirit of Life (Jn20:21,22; Ez37:4-6)

Breathe on us, Lord Jesus. Fill us with your Spirit. Send us out, as the Father sent you. Send us out into the world to live, to work, to make decisions, to change and influence and transform; that as your people we might truly make a difference in our generation. Send us out Lord. Breathe on us, and into us, your kiss of life, resuscitating these dry bones to go, with your power and wisdom, to build for your Kingdom today. Breathe on us Lord Jesus fill us with your Spirit, for the work you have given us to do.

By Daphne Kitching

2 Inside This Month

4/5 From the Vicarage - Neil Robbie 6/7 Prayer Focus - The Elecon 8 Comfort in solidarity 9 The Gospel writers - Part 1 - St Mark 10 Ascension Day 11 More notes on Ascension Day 12/13 More About The Holy Spirit The meal at the heart of Chrisan 14/15 worship 15 The Wit of Churchill - John Pegler Are you sing comfortably? - 16/19 nine decades of radio voices 20 Do you remember? Votewise 2015 - making a difference at 21 the ballot box and beyond 22/23 People, Remembrance and News 24 Forthcoming Events

3 From the Vicarage

Why Britain needs a new heart.

It's the general election on 7th May. It seems like the general election has been going on for a year! The electioneering has left me deeply depressed by petty squabbling over the economy and the lack any real solution to our biggest national problem of unplayable and burgeoning debt, £1,560,000,000,000 which increases by £107,000,000,000 per annum with only £513,000,000,000 tax receipts (or “the deficit” as everyone tamely refers to it).

Politicians naturally (naively) believe that the solutions are political: increase tax here, reduce spending there, tinker with welfare payments in this way, plough more money into health, adjust the dial here and turn the nob there.

But the solution cannot be by political management and engineering, because the problem is not political it is pastoral. Britain needs a new heart.

Our nation's heart beats to the tune of remuneration and spending. Money is our god. We have reduced every problem to one which can be paid for. If we find the right person, with the right skills, to address the problem in the right way, and pay them enough, we can fix it.

So, we motivate public service by offering salaries commensurate with the private sector, “in order to attract the right talent.” We encourage individual (credit) spending to increase economic activity, as if rampant consumerism will solve the cash flow problem in the treasury. We define poverty as a lack of food on the table and no roof over our heads.

But what if the love of God and neighbour were our goals? What is life was not about money? What if the self sacrificial love of Christ, who gave his life as a ransom for many, was the heartbeat of our nation?

4 What if poverty was, therefore, overcome by communities of people who loved God and each other? In these communities, no one went hungry because they shared they food and looked out for one another? What if those who made it in industry or commerce shared their profits with their neighbours? What of public servants were attracted and motivated to work because it was an opportunity to serve, as Christ came to serve, to show compassion to the hurting and care for the weak?

What if we don't love like this? Then, what if the God of love is also the God of perfect justice? What if anyone who does not love God and neighbour but loves money instead, has to face the ultimate justice of God?

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. Matthew 12:18

The church in this nation is alive and well and dances to a different beat to the rest of the nation. It's hard to swim against the tide, but we do it, because we know the servant King and his Spirit. As we live for our King at Holy Trinity, let's pray that the nation will find a new heart in Him.

With love, Neil

There is a land that me forgot Money's never needed where they love their fellow man, it only causes greed, where help and friendship form ev'ry law one policy called giving, and are first in each command. fulfilling ev'ry need.

No one wants in this strange land No wars with needless killing, but no one's share immense, there is no need of them. for all's bestowed by common law. No armies, so no bales, Priority - common sense. no bales, no problem.

No polics, for there's no need, You may wonder where this land is no false promises or lies, without worry fear or fuss. just pure thoughts in honest minds I'll tell you where this land is! that no one can despise. It's here, in all of us.

I make no apologies for this poem, as corny or badly composed that it may be. I just believe it to be true. Roger Stapenhil

5 Prayer Focus - The Election

Prayer points

Parliament • Pray for your MP - their faith, the pressure of being away from home, their workload – and write to them to tell them that you / your church pray for them and ask them how you as a church might be able to support them in serving local communities • Thank God for freedom to pray and worship together and pray that this precious freedom is protected • Pray that Christian MPs, Peers, Policy Staff and House Staff will grow in quantity and in the depth of their faith and also that they would be a positive and gracious influence in Parliament

Politics • Pray for politics of wisdom, integrity, self-sacrifice and policymaking for the good of all • Pray for effective and gracious Christian presence and influence in political debate • Pray for the wise explanation of God's truth in the public square • Pray that the wisdom of the Bible would be listened to in what it says about human flourishing across all policy areas • Pray that the Christian groups in each of the three main parties would grow in influence and the positive contribution that they can make

Government • Pray for wisdom for the Queen, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet • Pray for integrity, truth and compassion throughout Government • Pray for the positive influence of God’s people for the good of all throughout all Government departments • Pray that the UK Government would be a strong force for good in foreign policy and bringing relief to those suffering throughout the world

Church • Pray for greater Christian engagement in local and national politics • Pray that churches across the country would seek to love and serve their local MPs, be prayerful for them and seek ways in which they can support them in serving their communities

6 Prayers- The Election

Loving God, Thank you for caring about how our country is run, and that we have the right to vote for our politicians and government. But in the run-up to this general election there are so many policies to understand, and so many different points of view to consider - Sometimes I wonder whether there's any point in voting, whether anyone cares what I think. As I choose who I am going to vote for, help me not to be cynical about politics and politicians, help me to remember that my vote can make a difference, and help me vote for those people who will protect the poor and vulnerable, and do all they can to make our nation a place of fairness and peace. Because you call us to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen.

Heavenly Father, We need your wisdom at this Election time. There are so many issues, so many voices clamouring for attention, clamouring for votes, clamouring for power. Thank you that you give your people a different sort of power, the power of your Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. Help us Lord to receive your Spirit, to listen to him, so that we make good decisions on Election Day - and every day of our lives. Thank you for the wonderful gift of your Spirit, In Jesus name. Amen.

Heavenly Father, source of all truth and wisdom, who knows and loves the whole creation, watch over our nation at election time: that truth may prevail over distortion, wisdom triumph over recklessness and the concerns of every person be heard. Amen.

7 Canon David Williams, a chaplain with the Thames Gateway NHS Trust (laerly, in rerement, in a voluntary capacity), considers the power of simple ‘comfort’ to those in need. Comfort in solidarity Earlier this Spring a poignant service in St. Paul’s Cathedral celebrated the memory of almost 450 service men and women who died in the war in Afghanistan, and honoured the hundreds injured. Comfort was a major theme; comfort of those bereaved and comfort of those with life-changing wounds. Outside the cathedral one grieving mother said she was overwhelmed by the presence of so many who had come to stand silently in solidarity with her loss, and the loss of so many others. She could not find words to express her gratitude. The comfort was in the solidarity, of feeling surrounded by the care of strangers. Around Jesus, as He hung on the Cross, was a little group with their hearts breaking in solidarity with Him. Who were they? Jesus’s own mother Mary, her sister Salome, Mary Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (Mark 15:40) With them was the Apostle John, Salome’s son. But as they sought to comfort Jesus, so He was comforting them. He felt His mother’s vulnerability, and turning to John said to him, ‘look after her as if she were your own mother’. And turning to His mother, He commended her to John’s care. In the 1662 Prayer Book Service of Holy Communion we hear the ‘Comfortable Words’. These are words of Jesus to encourage those who set out to follow in His way. The word ‘comfortable’ has subtly changed its meaning over the years. Today, we feel comfortable when we nestle into an easy chair with a hot chocolate before the TV. But in the Prayer Book, ‘comfortable words’ means also ‘strengthening words’. For example: ‘Come unto me all that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.’ The comfort is both in the sharing of our burdens and in being refreshed to carry them. As always, the strength comes in the solidarity of the comforter even more than in the words. A young Vicar in the Midlands, sat with a woman whose husband had just been killed in a coal mining accident. He felt impotent, not knowing what to say, so he sat silently, holding the woman’s hand. A few weeks later she said to him: ‘Vicar, I want to thank you for all you did for me the other day.’ ‘But I didn’t do anything.’ ‘You did. You held my hand.

8 The Gospel Writers - Part 1 St Mark

This is the first of four articles that look at the writers behind the four gospels in the New Testament.

In contrast to their order in the New Testament, the first of the four gospels to be written was that according to Mark. It was probably written between AD 65 and 75, at least thirty years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Mark’s gospel was not the earliest book of the New Testament to be written. Paul’s letters to the churches he founded were written much earlier.

Mark was not a disciple of Jesus and we are not really sure of his true identity. Some think he was the young man who ran naked from the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:51) or the companion of Barnabas and Paul on one of their journeys (Acts 12:25) or the friend of the writer of 1 Peter (1 Peter 5: 13) However, as Mark was the most common name in the Roman Empire at that time, we have no way of definitely identifying him. It appears that he was most probably a member of a Christian community in Rome and that he very likely knew the disciple, Peter, very well.

Before Mark wrote his gospel, stories about Jesus circulated in the Early Church both orally and in writing. The main source of these would, of course, be the disciples. The reason Mark decided to bring these together into a gospel was, probably, the passing of many of the original twelve disciples, in many cases through martyrdom. Mark took these stories and wove them together into his gospel. Rather like a seamstress making a bedcover out of different coloured or patterned squares of cloth, Mark assembled them in the way he felt they would go together best, acting both as an editor and writer.

Mark’s gospel is very short - you can read it all in a couple of hours. It is not a life story of Jesus and has little chronology except for the last week of Jesus’ life, to which Mark devotes a quarter of his gospel. It starts with Jesus, as a man, being baptised by John the Baptist and ends abruptly at chapter 16 verse 8 with the women fleeing from the empty tomb. The rest of chapter 16 - verses 9 to 20 - is an addition to the gospel, written by someone else at a much later date. Scholars are divided in their opinions as to whether Mark originally finished his gospel on such an abrupt note. Some think Mark’s original ending was lost, others that he died before he could complete it while others feel that was the way Mark intended to end it, leaving the reader to draw the conclusion, through faith, that Jesus had been raised from the dead. What do you think?

By writing the first gospel, Mark paved the way for the others. Indeed, as we shall see, his gospel acted as a blueprint, particularly for the writers of Matthew and Luke who copied great chunks of Mark’s gospel into their own writings.

Alan Jones (Article from The Parish Window)

9 May 14: Ascension Day - 40 Days with the Risen Christ

40 days after Easter comes Ascension Day. These are the 40 days during which the Risen Christ appeared again and again to his disciples, following his death and resurrection.

The Gospels give us little of Christ’s teachings and deeds during those forty days. Jesus was seen by numerous disciples: on the road to Emmaus, by the Sea of Galilee, in houses, etc. He strengthened and encouraged his disciples, and at last opened their eyes to all that the Scriptures had promised about the Messiah. Jesus also told them that as the Father had sent Him, He was now going to send them - to all corners of the earth, as his witnesses.

(More detail to Christ’s appearances, the stories can be found in Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; and John 20.)

The above picture depicng the Ascension of Jesus was given by The Rev. Frederick Suon and his wife Florence in gratude to God for 25 years of happy ministry in the parish of Holy Trinity, and also in loving memory of their cousins Joseph Dainty Teague and Lucy Jane Teague.

Picture located on the north wall.

10 More notes on Ascension Day

Surely the most tender, moving ‘farewell’ in history took place on Ascension Day. Luke records the story with great poignancy: “When Jesus had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands - and blessed them.” As Christmas began the story of Jesus’ life on earth, so Ascension Day completes it, with his return to his Father in heaven. Jesus’ last act on earth was to bless his disciples. He and they had a bond as close as could be: they had just lived through three tumultuous years of public ministry and miracles – persecution and death – and resurrection! Just as we part from our nearest and dearest by still looking at them with love and memories in our eyes, so exactly did Jesus: “While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven.” (Luke 24:50-1) He was not forsaking them, but merely going on ahead to a kingdom which would also be theirs one day: “I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God...” (John 20:17) The disciples were surely the most favoured folk in history. Imagine being one of the last few people on earth to be face to face with Jesus, and have Him look on you with love. No wonder then that Luke goes on: “they worshipped Him - and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” (Luke 24:52,53) No wonder they praised God! They knew they would see Jesus again one day! “I am going to prepare a place for you... I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2,3) In the meantime, Jesus had work for them to do: to take the Gospel to every nation on earth.

11 More About The Holy Spirit

This is a different kind of arcle from those I usually write – it relies on you to do most of the work! You’ll need a Bible to hand – in case you’re not used to looking up Bible references, ‘Exodus 33:7-11’, for example, means that we’re looking at the Book of Exodus, Chapter 33, Verses (small numbers in the text) 7-11.

I think that we often feel a bit confused about God the Holy Spirit, and that it might help to look at a few things we know about Him.

In the Old Testament The Holy Spirit gets a mention right at the beginning of the Bible (Genesis 1:2, though not all translations show it). From the start He’s God ‘down here’, at work hands-on in the world. We read of the Holy Spirit coming to prophets, kings and other key people through the Old Testament (eg Judges 3:10, 6:34; 1 Samuel 10:9-10; Ezekiel 2:2) but came to them temporarily, for particular moments and tasks. For day-to-day contact with God, people had to go first to the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:7-11) and then to the Temple (from 2 Chronicles 7:1 onward). Through this time, there was a promise that one day God would transform his relationship with his people (Ezek.36:26-27, Joel 2:28-29)

In the New Testament Jesus spoke several times about the Holy Spirit (eg. Luke 4:18-19, Matt. 10:20, John 3:5). He said that the Father would always send the Spirit when we ask (Luke 11:9-13), and he promised that when he returned to heaven he would send the Spirit to his disciples in a new and fuller way (John 14:15-17). This happened at the first Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), seven weeks after Easter. That was the day when Joel’s prophecy began to be fulfilled, the Christian Church started, and things would never be the same again!

The Spirit leads us At the Last Supper, Jesus concentrated on how the Holy Spirit would lead his disciples onward when he was no longer with them to teach them how to face new situations. (John 14:15-27, John 16:5-15) We need to pray for God’s help to interpret Jesus’ teaching and example for our own day – we face questions that he never had to, as well as many that would have been very familiar!

12 The Spirit makes us ‘different but together’ St Paul writes about the Church as the ‘Body of Christ’, made alive through the Spirit of Christ. It’s a wonderful image, especially as Paul develops it to show us how our different gifts, personalities and abilities are all needed to make the body whole, just as the different limbs and organs of the body work together. He’s clear that the Spirit unites us as one body, but also that the same Spirit gives us all different gifts and abilities – some seeming ‘ordinary’, some quite strange! (Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12). What gifts has the Spirit given to you to use as part of the Church? The Spirit makes us more like Jesus While the Spirit gives different gifts to different people, St Paul tells us that there are some things He helps us all to grow in – the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23) – essentially the marks of a character becoming more like Jesus. Do take note that the key thing is the becoming more like Jesus – some of us start with further to go than others! The important thing is that we (and others around us) can see that we’re making some progress with the Spirit’s help. In which of these do you most need the Spirit to be at work? The Spirit helps us to pray In fact, it’s more than just that the Spirit helps us to pray. He somehow, living within us, draws us into the whole life of God. But let’s start with prayer. Most of us who try to pray find times when it’s hard to find the words. Paul tells us that at these times the Spirit prays from within us (Romans 8:26-27 – in fact it’s worth reading the whole of chapter 8 to think about life in the Spirit) – God speaks to God, and gives us the chance to get involved in the conversation! Receiving the Holy Spirit The sign and sacrament of receiving the Holy Spirit is confirmation. But there’s a long tradition of asking another Christian to pray for you to receive, or to know that you’ve received, the Holy Spirit to work in your life. If you’d like to talk more about this, please talk to your Church minister. Enjoy life with God, in the strength of his Holy Spirit!

The Rev’d Nick Watson

(Article from The Parish Window)

13 The meal at the heart of Christian worship

'For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, aer supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)

These words have been the focus for the Church’s celebrations of Communion, the Lord’s Supper, and the Eucharist ever since Jesus spoke them at the Last Supper two thousand years ago. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul describes the meal that is at the heart of Christian worship. The reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice for our salvation has fed and inspired Christians ever since.

In his letter to the Philippians (2:5-11), Paul widens his scope to embrace the whole of God’s redemptive plan. From Jesus’ divinity, incarnation, life, death, resurrection and ascension to His ultimate triumph, Paul’s picture of the cosmic Christ is based on historical fact. But his immediate purpose, as he launches into this soaring poem of praise, is to urge believers to humility and unity: ‘in your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus’ (2:5). How often do we bring to mind the facts of our redemption? How far do we allow them to shape our lives? Do we, when we pray, acknowledge the high priestly role of Jesus, through whom alone we can ‘approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16)?

14 All the New Testament writers looked to the Old Testament to understand the significance and implications of the Gospel. Not only in the letter to the Hebrews, where the writer demonstrates Jesus’ fulfilment of the sacrificial system, but from Matthew to Revelation, the events and prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures are brought into a new light, as God’s cosmic purposes – from Creation to New Creation – are revealed. It’s impossible to overstate the enrichment that comes from understanding our faith in the context of those purposes.

But it is not only enrichment that comes from a grasp of God’s ‘big story’, but truth. In the ‘pick and mix’ culture in which we live, it’s all too easy to select those parts of the Bible – those attributes of God, those promises and prophecies, those aspects of Jesus’ character – that seem to satisfy our personal yearnings. In a society in which the purpose of life is being redefined in terms of personal fulfilment, and often reduced to image and self-esteem, we must beware of reinventing the Church to satisfy these aspirations.

A robust re-immersion in biblical history would be a good place to start. Helen Parry is lecturer in biblical interpretation and globalisation for LICC.

The Wit of Churchill

For the next few months JP is presenng a series on the Wit of Sir Winston Churchill.

Some of Churchill's witty comments may have been seen as somewhat childish, but they were all said for a reason.....mainly to keep his audience listening.

I particularly like this one from the House of Commons in April 1941.

WSC: 'We have all heard of how Dr Guillotine was executed by the instrument he invented -'

Sir Herbert Samuel: 'He was not...... '

WSC: 'Well, he ought to have been !'

15 Are You Sitting Comfortably

I suspect that much of today’s radio listening is done on the move. People listen to the radio in their cars and via a range of mobile phones and portable devices, whilst out and about – travelling to and from work, walking or jogging etc. How different it was years ago when, during the evenings, we sat as families around our ‘wirelesses’ - just as we sit watching the television these days. Of course, during the daytime, some radio programmes would lend themselves to accompanying other tasks - like Housewives’ Choice and Two Way Family Favourites. I wonder how many of you can remember listening to the latter, while mum cooked the roast dinner and dad read the Sunday papers?

The reason I mention this is because I have just read a book by Simon Elmes entitled, Hello Again…Nine decades of radio voices, which has brought back many personal memories of listening to the radio during the late 40’s and 50’s – perhaps the golden age of radio! These were the days before television became the staple entertainment diet of the nation.

My most enduring memories are of the many comedy programmes that filled the airways – programmes that lightened the austerity of the post war years. Take it from Here was first broadcast on the Light Programme in 1948. The well known comedian, Jimmy Edwards, was joined by the Australian comedian, Dick Bentley, and by Joy Nichols. In 1953, Joy Nichols left and was replaced by June Whitfield and many of us will never forget her opening words, ‘Oh…Ron,’ in the weekly cameo of the Glum family. Her fiancé, Ron, played by Dick Bentley, was far from the macho stereotype Australian of the Crocodile Dundee films of later years!

16 My only recollection of Much Binding in the Marsh, a sitcom based on an imaginary R.A.F. base, is of the gentle opening and closing music sung by its stars Kenneth Horne and Richard Murdoch - who did the, ‘tiddlyum pom pom,’ bit. The former went onto have great success in the sixties with his iconic comedy series, Round the Horne.

Broadcast in the 50’s, Life with the Lyons, was unusual because the stars were a real life American family who had settled in England during the war. Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels were accompanied by their children, Barbara and Richard, though the star of the show was, undoubtedly, Mollie Weir who played their Scottish housekeeper, Aggie. Ted Ray’s series, Ray’s a laugh, started in 1949 and co-starred Kitty Bluett. I recall, vividly, Ted’s continuity lines such as, ‘Here’s the door, I’ll go in.’ At that time, Ted’s sister worked as cashier alongside my father in a fish shop in Hoylake, Wirral, and Ted used to call in to see her.

Young people today would be surprised to discover that another popular series of the 50’s involved a ventriloquist and his dummy – on the radio! Peter Brough and his dummy, Archie Andrews, starred in, Educating Archie, through much of the 50’s. I think the success of the series lay, not in the quality of the ventriloquism which, of course, could not be seen, but in the sound of Archie’s voice which, ideally, suited that of a mischievous young boy. Tony Hancock, Max Bygraves and Julie Andrews all took part in the series in their early show business days. Another series involving a mischievous young boy, which I had totally forgotten about until I read Simon Elmes’ book, was, The Clitheroe Kid, which started broadcasting in 1957. The star was Jimmy Clitheroe, a diminutive adult who, apparently, dressed up as a boy for the studio recordings in order to get into character! Simon Elmes observes that Jimmy found the often thoughtless attitudes of people in those days to someone of his unusual size difficult to handle. He died, after some personal tragedies, at the early age of 51yrs from an overdose. The inquest verdict was accidental death.

17 I have deliberately kept my favourite comedy programme until last. It took me some time to understand the anarchic, Goon Show, but, once I ‘got’ it, I was hooked! The early shows involved Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Michael Bentine but the latter left after the first two years. (You may remember his later BAFTA award winning television series, It’s a square world! ) Along with the rest of the nation, I waited, patiently, each week for Bluebottle to utter those immortal words, ‘He’s fallen in the water!’

The two jokes I recall most vividly are:

1. The cold war inspired episode when the dramatic observation was made, ‘Natasha will never walk the streets again! ’ Cue loud musical chord and the chorused question, ‘Why?’ Answer – ‘Because she’s bought a motor scooter! ’

2. Neddy Seagoon declares, ‘I’ll join the navy! ’ Cue at least 5 minutes of the Radio Orchestra raucously playing snatches from almost every seafaring tune imaginable – Anchors Away, I’ll join the navy, Popeye the Sailor Man, The Sailors’ Hornpipe, etc – at the end of which Seagoon announces, ‘No I won’t, I’ll join the army instead – it’s too damn noisy in the navy!’

Of course, broadcasting in the post war years was far from restricted to comedy. By January 1957, Any Questions had notched up its 300th edition and programmes like Woman’s Hour and Book at Bedtime had become enduring jewels in BBC Radio’s crown. Even the Shipping Forecast became a national institution! How many of us can still recite the magical names of those shipping areas around our coast – Fair Isle, Dogger, Viking, Forties, Cromarty, German Bight etc? In 1946, a quiz show was launched which built up an audience of over 20 million – far outnumbering anything that Chris Tarrant could muster for his famous television show, Who wants to be a millionaire? The host was one Wilfred Pickles. (Earlier, in his broadcasting career, this broad speaking Yorkshire man had caused no small upset when, in 1941, he was chosen to read the news. His Yorkshire accent was so far removed from the ‘cut glass’ pronunciation used by other newsreaders it caused outrage among some listeners.) The show was called, Have a go, Joe, and Wilfred was accompanied by his wife, Mable, who sat, ‘at the table’.

18 The top prize was a guinea (one pound one shilling or, in today’s money, £1.05) and, to reach these dizzy heights, contestants had to answer four questions with the prize money ratcheting up from an initial half a crown (two shillings and sixpence – today, 12 and a half pence). Piano accompaniment was by Violet Carson who also worked on Children’s Hour and Women’s Hour - before taking on the television role of the formidable Ena Sharples in Coronation Street.

Drama was also a feature of 40s and 50s radio broadcasting. To date, the longest running drama in the world, The Archers, commenced broadcasting in 1950. Dan and Doris were the central characters of the original cast, though they have long since died. If you are old enough, you may remember the demise of Phil’s wife, Grace, in a fire – an event that shook the nation and that marked a spectacular coup for the BBC in 1955! Before The Archers took to the air, we listened, along with 15 million others, to Dick Barton, Special Agent. We also let our imaginations run riot with Journey into Space, written and produced by Charles Chiltern. The eerie voice at the beginning was that of David Jacobs and the cast included Andrew Faulds as Jet Morgan and David Kossof as Lemme, though he was later replaced by Alfie Bass - both of whom switched, effortlessly, to television in subsequent years.

My reminiscences have covered only a small fraction of the nine decades of radio voices Simon Elmes writes about in his fascinating book, which traces the history of BBC broadcasting from its early, tentative days to the modern era. If you are, or have been, a radio listener at any time in the past or present, you are bound to find something of interest within its pages.

Alan Jones

Simon Elmes’ book, Hello Again…Nine decades of radio voices, is published as a paperback by Arrow Books, Random House Press.

(Article from The Parish Window)

19 Do you remember?

20 Votewise 2015 - making a difference at the ballot box and beyond “We are a nation of disaffected voters. The last three elections have seen the lowest turnout in living memory and there's no indication that 2015 will be any different… With the threat of a hung parliament, a drastic shake-up of the Union… it seems a hopeless time for politics.” So writes Guy Brandon, in his timely new book, Votewise 2015, a guide to Christians facing the General Election. Yet Brandon insists that “as Christians, hopelessness is not something we can afford, much less subscribe to.” And so Votewise 2015 aims to help Christians consider the main issues from a Christian perspective: the economy, debt and austerity; Europe and immigration; the environment; the NHS; education. “Taking the trip to the polling station once every five years is not the beginning and end of political engagement – especially for Christians, who are taught to pray ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.’ We are commanded to seek transformation here on earth, not simply to sit back and wait for the Age to Come. “God did not intend for politicians to bear full responsibility for transforming an imperfect world. That responsibility lies, first and foremost, with Christians.” Brandon says. So as well as prayer and bottom-up local initiatives, he also encourages Christians to effect change by getting involved in direct engagement with the political process: “lobbying your council, joining a party, becoming a councillor yourself, writing to your MP or visiting one of their surgeries: all the activity that occurs the other four years and 364 days before the next General Election. Although change can be slow, it is absolutely valid for Christians to seek to change a faulty system, as well as to address its injustices. That’s why voting is the last thing we should be doing.”

*Votewise 2015, by Guy Brandon, SPCK/Jubilee Centre, £8.99. Also available on Kindle.

21 People and News Birthday Celebrations - May 2015 Happy Birthday to you 8th Delphy Happy Birthday to you 10th Aiden May God Bless you and keep you Happy Birthday to you. 21st Levi Happy Birthday to you 27th Madeline To Jesus be true May the Lord bless you richly In all that you do Remembrance - May 2015

3rd Holbrooke - Jones: Stanley and Chris Holbrooke Jones, together with their sons, Jonathan, David and Timothy, humbly record their grateful thanks to our Heavenly Father for many material and spiritual blessings received, for His remarkable providenal working in maers great and small, and for the Chrisan love and generous support of His people during their very happy 121/2 year Ministry at Holy Trinity. 10th Gamage - In loving memory of Evelyn Ada Gamage. In heavenly love abiding. Also Edmund John Gamage. 17th Edith H. Tuckey - Treasured memories of a dear wife and mother. Also William Harry Tuckey.

24th Cashmore - In loving memory of Doris Cashmere. 31st Florence Elizabeth Benne - In loving memory of dear wife aer 62 years of happy marriage. Grant unto them eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them . May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

MIDWEEK MORNING NEW MONDAY GROUP A new Monday aernoon group led PRAYER TIME by Sonia supported by Liz and Tess Every Monday and Wednesday will start shortly. The group will be mornings at 8.00am there is a based around friendship, fellowship, me for quiet prayer. All prayer and music. Please contact welcome. Please join us if you Sonia, Liz or Tess if you are are able. interested in joining.

22 League of Friends WEST BROMWICH FOOD Sandwell Hospital BANK WELCOME THE The Food Bank collect and stores food DONATIONS ready to freely distribute to individuals of or families in crisis (who cannot afford BOOKS and to feed themselves). MAGAZINES * Milk (UHT or powdered) * Sugar (500g) PLEASE KEEP THEM * Fruit juice (carton) Soup * Pasta sauces COMING * Sponge pudding (nned) * Tomatoes If you need any further (nned) *Cereals * Rice pudding (nned) informaon please see * Tea Bags/instant coffee * Instant mash Madeline Page. potato * Rice/pasta * Tinned meat/fish * Thank you all very much for Tinned fruit * Jam *Biscuits or snack bars your generous donaons. * Or cash donaon

EVERYBODY WELCOME TRAINING Church welcome training provisionally booked for 16th May. Final date and details to be confirmed.

SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER TIME Every Sunday morning at 10.00am before the morning service there is a me for quiet prayer. All welcome. Please join us if you are able.

APPEAL - CHURCH HALL CLEANING ROTA We no longer have a cleaner for the church hall. The hall is extensively used by church groups, parishioners and outside groups and needs regular cleaning. Unl we find a new cleaner we are asking for volunteers to help by joining a rota for cleaning duty. You will not be on your own and all equipment and materials will be provided. Please consider helping out on an occasional basis.

23 Forthcoming Events

ROGATION SUNDAY Sunday 10th May with Prayer Walk “The Lord of Harvest”

Saturday 5th September Bethel Convention Centre

Bishop Jonathan said in his retirement message on St Chad's Day: “I invite people to represent every single parish at the Celebration of the Goodness of God to us and to celebrate our life as a Diocese.” The Goodness of God Celebration

The Goodness of God is a celebration of God’s goodness and love. On Saturday, September 5th, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., the doors of the 2,500-capacity Bethel Convention Centre will be thrown open, and Christians of all ages from across the Diocese are welcome to attend. It will be a day of great worship, powerful music, video witness, live testimony, prayer, thanksgiving...and chocolate. You can join in with the activities for children and young people, participate in our Messy Church, or hear Rt Revd Gordon Mursell, former Bishop of Stafford and an inspiring speaker, talk on the Goodness of God.

Tickets are limited and available through a draw at Holy Trinity later in the year. If you would like a ticket please put your name on the list at the back of church

Find Holy Trinity holy trinity on Facebook church www.facebook.com/ 1 burlington road west bromwich Vicar: The Revd. Neil Robbie B70 6LF 24