wards of hospitals who have no Vicar's Notes friends or relatives to visit them: Parish Voluntary Service Yes, there is ample scope for us all, whether we can give only a Two suggestions put forward few minutes or a few hours. by the Commission on the Wider We have an organising sec­ Church have already been brought retary ready to take charge of before the Church Council, and the scheme when the names are approved, so that steps can now there; and when there are suffi­ be taken to bring them into effect. Cient names, the scheme will be This Commission, lil{e the other launched. People who would like two set up by the Council, is still to give in th,ir names for this only at the beginning of its worl{, service, or would like further but it is feU that ,if a matter is detaIls of what is proposed, are one on which action might well invited to get in touch with me be taken without delay, then at the Vicarage, or with any of there is no reason to go on the following:- waiting until the finished report Mrs. Bird, 37, Uxbridge Road. is presented, which may not be for another six months. Mr. Forrow, 68, Sunnyside Rd. The first· suggestion concerns Mrs. Mills, 14, Uxbridge Road. the development. of the spirit and Mrs. Orton, 30, St. James's Rd. practice of voluntary service in the parish. We know that there A Church Badminton Club are plenty of good-neighbourly The second suggestion which actions going. on all the time, has been endorsed is that en­ and that in an emergency there quiries should be made to see if are' not many people without another Badminton Club, giving someone to whom they feel they priority to members of the can turn. But there are some, Church, would meet a need. If and we don't want there to be there is sufficient ,demand, plans any. And as well of cases of have been made to reserve the sudden distress, there are people, Hall on two Wednesdays a month both young and old, who could for this during the autumn and do with that extra bit of personal winter. No concession with regard help and interest as a regular to rental can be given-the Club, thing. if formed, would have to pay the What we want to do then is same as the other Clubs (32/6 per to get the names of as many night), and therefore the sub­ people as possible who are will­ scription of membership might ing to give neighbourly service have to be fairly high. We should anywhere wIthin the parish like to know by the next meeting when the need arises which they of the Church Council at the end can meet, Some may have of July what the demand for special gifts and skills which they membership is. If more apply could offer, such as the ability than can be accommodated, it may to look after a baby for a day or be necessary to resort to drawing part of a day when mother is names out of a hat, or some other not too well, and a day's relief means of choosing the first mem­ would make a world of differ­ bers. If you would like to join ence; or the skill to deal with such a club if formed, please that house-bound old lady's apply in writing either to me, or tiresome coril. Others would to the secretary of the Church come in to do an infirm person's Council, Mr. Forrow. shopping, or to do the heavy work iii, a garden that has Charges for the Hall always been the pride and joy The Church . Council has deci· of its owner, but is now getting . ded that organisations connected beyond his strength. Wood­ . with the. Church using the Hall chopping; bringing in the coal; shall be charged as follows: 5/­ calling for a chat with that per session for ordinary meetings; lonely old man whose eyesight £1-~-0 per session for l?rofit-mak­ is failing, and perhaps reading ing functions; Dress rehearsals to him now and again-not for­ of plays 10/6; Browni.es and Cubs, getting those in the chronic 1/- per meeting. bein, notes and news about AROUND THE SPIRE people, activities & organisations

NEWS·TEAM FELLOWSHIP The first prayer meeting in! church will be held on Tuesday, i No doubt you have seen this 1st June, at 8 p.m. announcemen·t on the first page You will be very welcome, so of our parish magazine, and please come if you can. perhaps you have wondered what S.V.J.F,· it means. The title "News Team" was coined by the late Pre­ THE GUIDE COMPANY bendary Wilson Carlisle when he We are very pleased to be able was Chief of the Cllurcll Army, to report that our 'trading' proved in response to Archbishop Lang's a great success, amounting to a "Recall to Religion "-way bac], grand total of £7-12-4d. A small in 1935. The vision was to mal(e prize was awarded for the best every communicant a missionary individual effort and this was and to open the moutll of the won bY Christine Giles who earn­ person in the pew. ed £1-15-9d. The fellowship is composed of We have two badge silccesseS a number of people who meet to report this month, Janice West' once a month to train in prayer, won the Laundress badge and bible study and evangelism. Sonia Baldwin completed the You may have learned from N.eedlewoman's badge. Sonia has your friends in the parish that now won all of the six badges the St. James's News Team bas needed to mal{e her a holder of carried out house-to-house visiting the Little House Emblem. and held home-meetings. The On May Gth, we were pleased Team has also met regularly to welcome Mrs. Casev and the month by month. for prayers, Brownies to our meeting when bible study and discussion. Ruth Mills and Jennifer Alexan­ der 'flew up' to tlle Company. Removals from the parish have Nineteen of our Guides attended depleted the Team, and "recruits" the District Churcll Parade on have apparently fought shy of May 16th, and afterwards re­ joining, perhaps because they turned for tea at the Lady Eleanor. didn't know wllat it was all about HoUes School where we were or because they felt they could entertained by the boarding not take .part in acts of evan­ school members of the Company. gelism which necessitated house­ We are now looking forward to-house calls. You will now to Whitsun when two of our know something about the News patrol sei:onds and all our leaders Team. and realise that as prayer. will be attending the District· is its greatest and most important Leaders' camp at Blackland Farm. 'action, it will be possible for you to join in. A football-team was S.E.S. recently given oxygen to increase SMALL ADVERTISEM'ENTS Its vitality in an important match. Prayer is the oxygen of the News WANTED. Fishing rod, good con-· Teamer and in fact, of every dition. 53, Burton's Road. Christian. Because of this the WANTED. Child's Tricycle, good News Team has arranged to hold condition.-Ring Mol. 880. its future monthly meetings (usually the first Tuesday in eacll DATES TO NOTE month) in the church, in the May 31.-7.30 p.m. Drama Group hope that it will encourage others (Windmill Road School). to come along and take part in June 1.-8,0 p.m. News Team Fel­ this spE)cLal act of prayer. The lowship (Church). first half-hour, from 8 p.m. on­ June 2.-3.0 p.m. Mother's Union wards, will be spent in prayer. Speaker: Miss Gough. (Hall). This will be followed by a dis­ June 3.-8.0 p.m. Fete Committee cussion in the vestry (attendance (Laurel Dene). optional) and later, by the Office June G.-Whitsunday. of Compline, this ending about Holy Communion 7.08.010.0 a.m. 9.30 p.m. and 12.15 p.m. June 7t11 & Stll-Holy Communion 3.0 p.m. M.U. Committee (Vic-· 10.30 a.m. arage). June 8.-8.0 p.m. P.C.C. 7.45 p.m. Y.W.G.-Hygiene in Commission on 'The Wider the Kitchen (Hall). Church' (also meets on June 16). July 3.-3.0 p.m. Summer Fete June 10.-9.0 a:m. Y.W.G. Outing (Laurel Dene). to Felpham. N.B. No Holy Communion at June 11.-8.0 p.m. Junior Sunday 10.30 a.m. on Thursdays June 3rd School Teachers (Vicarage) . and 10th. June 12-3.0 p.m. Scout & Guide Garden Party (POSTPONED). BAPTISMS June 15.-St. Barnabas Apr. 25.-Martin Tallent 43, Ham­ Holy Communion 7.0 a.m. pton Road. June 16.-7.30 p.m. Mothers' Union May 9.-Gillian Ann Winn, 169. Diocesan Service at st. Paul's High Street. Cathedral. 9.-Pauline Kelly, 153, Ux­ bridge Road. June 18.-8.0 a.m. Mothers' Union 9.-D a v i d Christopher Outing to Bournemouth. Thompson, 13, Longford June 22.-7.45 p.m. Y.W.G. Com­ Close. mittee (77, Burton's Road). 9.-Helen Jane Bennett, 64. June 23.-3.0 p.m. Y.W.G. Child­ Kings Road. ren's Party (Vicarage). 9.-Lesley Anne Carpenter. June 24.-St. John Baptist. Holy 60, Windmill Road. Communion 7.0 and 10.30 a.m. BURIALS June 25.-7.30 p.m. Magazine Dis­ May n.-Percy Dunbar, 120, Ux­ tributors (Vicarage). bridge Road, aged 71, June 29.-St. Peter Holy Com­ years (at Hampton). munion 7.0 a.m. May 19.-George Warnett, 12, June 30.-2.45 p.m. Mother's Union Park Place, aged 85 Prayer Group (Church). years. FROM BEYOND THE SPIRE THE DIOCESE O}<' LONDON ham in Essex were given for its upkeep. The new diocese com­ 1. The Saxon Church Colttinued prised the East Saxon kingdom, First he sent St. Augustine in which then included Essex, Middle­ 597 to the kingdom of Kent, whose sex, and part of Hertfordshire and ruler Ethelbert was overlord of Buckinghamshire. eastern England. Ethelbert's wife On Ethelbert's death in 616, Se­ Bertha, daughter of the Frankish bert's sons lapsed into paganism, king, was a Christian, and her and Mellitus was forced to flee, pagan husband had allowed her to and for 37 years London and the continue the practice of her reli­ kingdom. of Essex were wit.hout gion. Augustine received a kindly the Faith. Re-conversion came welcome and a hearing, and Ethel­ from the North. Sigebert II of bert himself became a Christian. Essex became a Christian while on So many of his people followed his a visit to Oswy, King of Northum­ example that Augustine sent to bria, in 653, and asked for a priest Rome for reinforcements, and to be sent to Essex. Oswy chose Gregory in 601 sent Justus and Cedd,' gn experienced missionary, Mellitus to support him. In 604 who was consecrated Bishop in Justus was made Bishop ofRo­ '654 by St. Innan of Lindisfarne. chester, and Mellitus was sent to His chief churches were at Tilbury the East Saxons, whose king Se­ and Ythancaestr (Bradwell-next­ bert was a nephew of Ethelbert; the-Sea). London was at this time and it is here that the story of part of the kingdom of Mercia. London as a diocese begins. Ethel­ Cedd died in 664 after ten years of bert gave a plot of land at Lon­ fruitful activity. His successor don, on which Mellitus built the Wini was rather a scandalous per~ church of St. Paul in 607, and two son. After being driven out ot"the years later the lands of Tilling- see of Winchester, he bought the :Bishopric of London from the king 2. The Middle Ages ·of Mercia. In contrast, his suc­ The Norman Conquest forged a -cessor Erconwald was a saint new link with the continent which -whose memory was venerated had. its inevitable effect upon the throughout the Middle Ages. From Church, in which the higher offices '675 to 693 he ruled the diocese, were soon filled by Normans, 10unding monasteries and rebuild­ though Ulfstan, the Saxon Dean ing St. Paul's. It was during his of St. Paul's, was still in Office episcopate that the Church of in 1090. William I confirmed to -England was reorganised by Arch­ the Church in London the pro­ bishop Theodore. The seven dio­ perties and privileges which had -ceses which corresponded with the been conferred upon it by Saxon old seven kingdoms were divided kings, but the diocese was to feel into fifteen, but London retained the, effects of reform when Lan­ -its old boundaries. As a result of franc became Archbishop of Erconwald's labours the diocese Canterbury in 1070. The Bishop achieved a stability which enabled was henceforth to rank next to the it to survive the impact of the Archbishop of York, third in Danish invasions in the 9th and importance among the Bishops of _10th centuries. Bishop succeeded England. The number of Arch­ bishop. Little is known of most of deacons was increased to four; them but their names. The great London, Essex, Middlesex and St. Dunstan was bishop for a year Colchester; and the Archpriests -(959-960). His successor Aelfstan became Rural Deans. The de,velop­ combined episcopal duties with ment of the manorial system in­ those of a commander of the fleet creased the number of parishes, which repelled the Danes from the and the late 11th and early 12th mouth of the Thames. centuries were a great age of church building, so that Peter of BlOiS, The organisation of the diocese on becoming Achdeacon of London at this -period bore within itself in the late 12th century, could the seeds of the medieval system report that there were, some 120 which still has its influence today. parish churches in the City alone. The Bishop, when he was not jour­ The Saxon Cathedral was burnt neying through the diocese, lived .down in 1087, and a great new beside his Cathedral amongst a building in the continental manner small body of clergy, who advised took its place. The great Norman and assisted him. They lived a nave, begun by Bishop Maurice communal life according to a rule. (1086-1107), stood till 1666. In the Long before the Norman Conquest crypt was set the tomb of St. Ercon­ the Canons of St. Paul's had their wald, whose body was later "St. Paul's Rule." The Bishop's transferred to a golden shrine chief official was the Archdeacon, behind the High Altar, which be­ and in St. Paul's there is to this came popular as a place of pilgrim­ day a reminder of his old import­ age throughout the Middle Ages. ance, for he ranks next .to the Around the Cathedral was gathered Dean among the dignitaries of the a company of clergy of consid­ Cathedral. The parochial system erable brilliance whose talents developed from the time of St. Er­ were used not only for the Church, conwald, when landowners began but also for the State.. Thus in to provide priests to minister to the 13th century we find the Bishop those who lived on their estates. sometimes as Chancellor or Treas­ An arch-priest, in charge of one urer of England, and Canons of of the. more important centres, St. Paul's among the Barons of presided over the priests in a cer­ the Exchequer. Deans of St. Pauls tain area, and was tl;1e forerunner were sometimes sent on diplomatic of the Rural Dean. As the Saxon missions to the continent or to period drew to a close, continental Scotland. Hence arose early in influence was ever increasing, and the 14th century the appOintment. in 1044 Robert of Jumleges, a Nor­ of suffragan bishops with titular man, became Bishop of London. sees in such places as Nazareth, His successor William (1051-1075) Gallipoli, Sidon, or Colchester. was also a Norman. The diocese (The remainder of the article is was being prepared to face-an age held over antil next" month owing of change. to pressure of space.)