January 1997
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In this issue January 1997 What’s in a Name? Choir life between the wars A Berkhamsted Lifeboat The History of England A Question of Stewardship This month’s Notes & Events The Parish Magazine of St Peter’s with All Saints’ Welcome to the January issue of the Review, and a very happy new year to In this month’s issue... you. A new year is of course a time to What’s in a Name? reflect on the previous twelve months and Confused by clergy titles? Father Mark to look forward to the next year and Bonney bravely navigates through the beyond. Before we consign 1996 to that maze of terminology. pile of old diaries in the cupboard let’s just look back over the last year of the Review. How Many People? Back in January we introduced some Over 300 people take an active part in major changes to the magazine, and at the the work of our parish. Tony Roberts same time moved production (though not and Christopher Green invite you to the printing) ‘in parish’. Judging by your join in. comments, we seem on balance to be getting it right despite occasional hiccups. Going back a bit Many thanks for all your comments - Fred Ryder was thrown into a holly favourable and critical. The new year will bush. Read his piece on choir practices see new ideas in the magazine, and your between the wars to find out why. contributions are as always welcome. There are also many people to thank at The History of England this time of year. Let me, though, thank The great historian G.M. Trevelyan lived one particular group without whom the in Berkhamsted, as Stephen Halliday magazine would not reach many readers - recounts. our distributors. At this time of year, trudging through snow and ice delivering The Berkhamsted Lifeboat magazines and collecting subscriptions, Courtney Edenborough highlights the it’s not much fun but is absolutely RNLI’s appeal to launch a lifeboat named essential. So, many thanks indeed! And if after our town. you would like to help distributing the magazine please do get in touch with us. ... plus much more, including our regular Chris Smalley features, dairy dates and notes & notices. Editorial Team: David Woodward, 3 Murray Road HP4 1JD (862723) Barbara Belchamber, 38 Gaveston Drive HP4 1JF (864933) Chris Smalley, 18 Osmington Place, Tring HP23 4EG (826821) Advertising: David Woodward, 3 Murray Road HP4 1JD (862723) Circulation: Daphne Montague, 27 Hill View HP4 1SA (875320) Treasurer: Miles Nicholas, 46 Fieldway HP4 2NY (871598) Committee Sec.: John Cook, The Gardeners’ Arms, Castle Street HP4 2DW Responsibility for opinions expressed in articles and letters published in this Review and for the accuracy of any statements in them rests solely with the individual contributor Next Copy Dates (all Fridays): 3 January 31 January* 7 March (* note early date due to short month of February) 2 review leader In response to the Priests do a variety of jobs - Curate, letter last month Vicar, Rector, Canon, Chaplain, Fr Mark Bonney from Mr Bill Prebendary, Dean, Provost, Archdeacon, reflects on the Frew I will Team Vicar, Priest-in-Charge - whatever complexities of attempt to explain the title they are all priests! the differences Vicars and Rectors are in charge of ecclesiastical between certain parish churches. Nowadays there is no nomenclature. ecclesiastical difference between the two, although titles, and inform Rectors sometimes think of themselves as about the correct superior to Vicars (as occasionally do their forms of address for the clergy. Nearly all congregations!). The distinction between of what follows refers only to the Church the two goes back to the time of tithes of England. I hope it’s not a water- from the land. A Rector received the muddying exercise! tithes; often the abbot of the monastery The Church of England follows the was the Rector and he would put in a Church of Rome and the Orthodox Vicar to take the services whilst taking the Churches in having three types of tithes for himself. A parish with a Vicar ordained ministry known as holy orders - often started life as an offshoot from Deacons, Priests and Bishops. This three- another church that had a Rector. In days fold ordained ministry developed very gone by a good ‘living’ meant land with quickly during the second century and was good tithes. Today Vicars and Rectors are retained by the Church of England at the paid the same and do not receive any Reformation in the sixteenth century. The tithes. Book of Common Prayer refers to ‘the Deans and Provosts are in charge of Ordering of Bishops, Priests and Cathedrals. Ancient cathedrals (like Deacons’. Durham, Lincoln, Canterbury) have Deans It is unusual for someone to be a (who are appointed by the Crown) whilst Deacon for longer than a year, after which newer cathedrals (like Southwark, one is ordained a Priest (a priest is able to Portsmouth, Chelmsford) have Provosts preside at Holy Communion, pronounce (who are appointed by the Diocesan the forgiveness of sins and give God’s Bishop). However, under new legislation blessing - things that a deacon cannot do - being prepared at the moment it is likely hence a deacon may baptise, but may not that all Provosts will soon become Deans. solemnise a marriage or preside at the Deans used to have a habit of thinking of Holy Communion). Only a few are themselves as superior to Provosts and ordained again as a Bishop! Bishops are held separate meetings!. able to administer Confirmation and (continued on page 5) Ordination and have oversight of a diocese. Within these three tiers a number Cover: A detail from a litho dating from of different jobs are done. 1830 showing the North Transept of St A Deacon will usually be found as an Peter’s and the Sayer Tomb in its original assistant curate (commonly simply called position (where the seats in the Lady the curate) in a parish and will remain a Chapel are now). A feature of these prints curate when ordained a priest. will be in a future issue of the Review. Photograph: Harry Arnfield 3 MALCOLM JONES & METCALFE Funeral Service 284 High Street, Berkhamsted Day and Night Service Phone or Fax 864548 or 864943 Funeral Directors Private Private Car Park Chapels Memorials Supplied of Rest TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SPACE call David Woodward on 862723 The Review has a wide local readership; advertise and get the message across to your customers! 4 The other clergy on the cathedral A very thick volume on my desk is a staff are called Canons and they directory of all the clergy in the Church of normally live in the vicinity of the England. It has an opening section entitled cathedral. Honorary Canons and How to address the Clergy which is Prebendaries (like our beloved Basil entertaining reading and what follows is a Jones and Stephen Wells) received their digest of that. To avoid extending this titles from the Bishop as a mark of article even more I will simply refer to the distinctive work and ministry in the forms of address for a Rector, Vicar or diocese, they have a stall in the Priest-in-Charge. On an envelope one writes cathedral but are not involved in its day The Reverend A B Smith or The Reverend to day running. A diocese that has Alan Smith (The Revd or The Rev. are honorary prebendaries rather than acceptable abbreviations). In a letter or in honorary canons reflects a pre- conversation one uses Mr Smith, Alan, Reformation situation when the Father Smith, or Father Alan depending on cathedral wasn’t a monastery and the preference of the priest involved (I prebendaries were paid to come to the follow the pattern set by my predecessor cathedral to say the psalms. who used the title Father, and I have always An Archdeacon is not a deacon but a been taught to call priests by that title). It is priest - it is a senior appointment in the incorrect to write Dear Vicar, Dear Rector or diocese held by someone who assists the Dear Priest-in-Charge! If someone is a Bishop in the management of the Canon/Prebendary that designation is diocese. Other titles used are: inserted after Reverend; they may be Parson (can be used of a vicar or rector addressed by letter or in conversation as who holds the freehold - although it Canon Smith, but not simply as Canon or as is a slightly Trollopian term these Canon Alan. days, I would say. The freehold is I love the line in this section of my held by some 45% of clergy and directory which reads ‘The form Reverend means they have tenure of their post Smith or The Reverend Smith should never until aged 70, subject to extreme be used this side of the Atlantic’!! misdemeanour). So there we are - I hope that’s all Priest-in-Charge refers to someone with illuminating. In the end it doesn’t all matter responsibility for a church or a very much, but some folk like to know the parish but who doesn’t have the history, others like to know what is accepted, freehold. preferred and even officially correct practice. Padre (only of forces chaplains). You can call me what you like if that makes Chaplains are to be found in schools, you happy! (although I must say I don’t hospitals, prisons and other really like being called Mr Bonney and even institutions. The majority of the time less do I like Rector - plain Mark is good they are priests, although some enough if Father Mark sticks in your throat; chaplaincies are held by lay people.