July 2015 in Law and Where There Is Still a Deeply Rooted Sense of Britain Being a Christian Country, Despite Society’S Radical Secularisation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
View from the Rectory We live in a country where freedom of religion is enshrined July 2015 in law and where there is still a deeply rooted sense of Britain being a Christian country, despite society’s radical secularisation. However, headlines relating to matters of faith are sensational or distorted and reporting is often deeply racist - especially when it comes to the topic of Islam. This impacts directly on the lives of British Muslims across the UK. Some of the stories that are emerging are painful and disturbing. Muslim women in particular are bearing the brunt of Islamophobic abuse - verbal and physical - on the streets, at schools and colleges, in the office and online. The Everyday Bigotry Project has found that many Muslims are internalising islamophobia and it is being seen as normal to encounter such prejudice. And even to accept it as ‘this is just what happens now!’ One friend of mine, a devoted and principled British citizen who happens to be Muslim, spoke openly and movingly of a series of recent encounters which reflected his growing uneasiness and a growing sense of fear and isolation. I share his view that the actions of extremists are distorting and colouring what ordinary British people are thinking and feeling about Muslims. I have witnessed this first hand recently. Even in the school his children attend, where after years of hardship they are now loved and safe, a Christian school, he encounters prejudice and latent bigotry from Upper Kennet Churches Notice Board fellow parents, and so do his children. His wife feels increasingly uncomfortable wearing the hijab (headscarf) that Baptisms marks her out as a woman of faith and devotion to his faith, Elodie Hallam Winterbourne Monkton 14 June Thomas Butler Avebury 28 June even as do crosses, pentacles or the Star of David. As someone who has been spat at for wearing the clergy collar Weddings and ridiculed for being a woman priest in this country, I have Hannah Sutcliffe & West Overton 6 June not encountered such bigotry when I have travelled in the Andrew Oram Middle East as a follower of Jesus, except from Evangelical Christians. Oh the irony! Stuart Marshall and Nicola Bailey will be getting married In our villages we are truly blessed to have a wide variety this month at Avebury and Robert Kitson and Rosalind of people of Faith, whether we share that faith or not. I Baring will be getting married at Fyfield, and we would like to think that we can meet people where they are, remember them in our prayers. accept them for what they are and support them when they are subjected to racism, bigotry or sexism. I would like to Burial of Ashes think we are communities where we get to know people for Violet Truby Broad Hinton 12 June who they are and not attribute to them the actions and beliefs of extremists. I am delighted that we have more people living amongst us who believe that this is the hall mark of humanity. I pray that we have the courage to work together Kennet Valley Fun Day to overcome bigotry, ignorance and latent aggression - especially when it is founded not in fact but in deeply rooted 20th June prejudice and ignorance. Maria Shepherdson Rector Kennet Valley Lottery Club June winning numbers £100 Number 64 £75 Number 37 Tanya Lawson £50 Number 63 Alice Hues If you would like to join the lottery, please pick up an application form from any church, or ring David Snape on 01672 www.upperkennetnews.co.uk861267 or email [email protected] UPPER KENNET CHURCHES SERVICES St Nicholas St Michael & Christ St James St Mary St Katherine & St St Peter ad FYFIELD All Angels Church AVEBURY Magdalene Peter Vincula WEST EAST WINTERBOURN WINTERBOURNE BROAD OVERTON KENNETT E MONKTON BASSETT HINTON 5 July 8.00 am 10.00 am 11.15 am 9.45 am Env week Prayer Book Informal Holy Holy Communion Service Communion Communion 12 July 8.00 am 10.00 am .0.80 am 1.25 am Prayer Book Holy (oly Env week Communion Communion Prayer Boo- Communion & Corbe5 Ma7ns Bap7sm .1 July 10.30 AM — BENEFICE SERVICE — COMMUNION - EAST KENNETT Env week 4.00 pm - Pet Service —FYFIELD —Children & Family Tea Service 2 29 July .0.00 am 9.00 pm 9.00 pm .0.80 am ....5 am (oly (oly Communion E0ening Patronal Communion Morning Prayer Env week Prayer Fes70al E0ensong Wednesday Communion Services will take place at 10.00 am at 9, The Beeches, Winterbourne Monkton. Clergy will attend on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. We can also provide home communion any time for those that are housebound. Please contact the Benefice Office - (01672 861786) or one of the Lay Pastoral Assistants to request this. (Claire Stiles – 01793 731620 or Graham Kitchen – 01672 861349.) Readings for month SOLSTICE @ Avebury Sunday 5 July – Green Sunday 2 August - Green A huge and heartfelt thank you to the team of volunteers who Trinity 5 Trinity 9 acted as Stewards, formed the Worship Planning Group, 2 Samuel 5. 1 – 5, 9 – 10 2 Samuel 11. 26 – 12. 13a supported Teas for Tourists, Man -handled/Woman -handled pews Psalm 48 Psalm 51. 1 – 13 in and out of church, brought their Goods for display and sale, 2 Corinthians 12. 2 – 10 Ephesians 4. 1 – 16 welcomed strangers, wept with the bereaved, supported the Mark 6. 1 – 13 John 6. 24 – 35 travellers, fed the hungry and sang their hearts out at the worship. TROJAN effort, amazing experiences, and True Peace and Unity. Sunday 12 July - Green Sunday 9 August - Green We look forward to planting two plum trees in the Spring as a sing Trinity 6 Trinity 10 2 Samuel 6. 1 – 5, 12b – 19 2 Samuel 18. 5 – 9, 15, 31 and symbol of our ' bearing fruit' together and feeding the world. Psalm 24 – 33 Maria Ephesians 1. 3 - 14 Psalm 130 Mark 6. 14 – 29 Ephesians 4. 25 – 5.2 John 6. 35, 41 - 51 Fyfield Pet Service Sunday 19 July - Green Date: Sunday 19 th July 2015 Trinity7 Where: St Nicholas, Fyfield 2 Samuel 7. 1 – 14a Time: 4pm Psalm 89 20 – 37 Ephesians 2. 11 - end Mark 6 30 – 34, 53 – end Come along to a fun service to celebrate our pets and animals. Please bring all your pets Sunday 26 July - Green along. Last year we had 27 dogs - can we beat this number? Trinity 8 2 Samuel 11. 1 – 15 Also bring your more unusual pets. There will be cake for Psalm 14 all afterwards. We look forward to seeing you and all your Ephesians 3. 14 – end four legged, and maybe even eight or more legged friends. John 6. 1 – 21 www.upperkennetnews.co.uk 2 Avebury Shop Shop Phone Number: 01672 539200 Summer Opening Hours Saturday 25th July Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm Sundays & Bank Holidays 10.30 -4,30 Enjoy a summer’s evening in the Summer Trade beautiful gardens of Lockeridge As I write this, we are getting ready for the House solstice and the summer holidays which is our busiest time. The solstice is always very busy and we offer extended opening hours to Wander around the gardens make the most of the crowds. Thank you to and along the River bank all our volunteers who have offered to work Relax to a background of live music extra shifts at this busy time. The money we make over the summer helps to keep our shop going during the winter months. Bring a picnic (plus chairs etc) if you wish Volunteering Opportunities Pimms, wine, strawberries Because many of our volunteers take holidays and cream available over the summer, we are always looking for new people to help us particularly if you can AUCTION OF PROMISES spare a few hours at this time of year. We would welcome enquiries from anyone * Gates open 6.30 for 7pm * who would like to help as a volunteer shop Tickets £10 in advance from assistant or gardeners. This is a great opportunity to gain work experience and Vicky 861622 / Graham 861798 several of our volunteers have gone on to gain Proceeds in aid of West Overton, East Kennett & permanent jobs. Please contact Lyn or Fyfield Churches Lynda in the shop for details. Full training will be given. We also urgently need volunteer bakers to allow us to have fresh bread every day. It is quite straightforward and full training will be given. Baking normally takes about an hour and a half and is done in the morning. Please contact Lyn or Lynda or 539200 for more details Gather up your posse it’s time New Security System to head out to the Wild We have installed CCTV at the shop to try to Frontier ensure the safety of our staff and to protect us from thefts. We were advised by the for a rootin’-tootin’, side- Wiltshire Police that CCTV would be very splittin’, toe-tappin’, Hoe-down useful as a deterrent and to help identify dancin’, culprits in the event of problems. quick-draw slinging, Spaghetti Home Deliveries Western adventure….YEEHAH! We offer a home delivery service for anyone who is unable to get to the shop for age or health reasons. We deliver to Avebury, Wednesday 8th July Avebury Trusloe, Beckhampton, West and East Kennet, Winterbourne Monkton and 20.5 Berwick Bassett. If you would like to have a home delivery please telephone the shop on in the garden of Maizey Lodge, 01672 539200 and ask for Lyn or Lynda. Ogbourne Maizey nr. Marlborough SN8 1RY performance starts 7.30pm (whatever the weather!) Michele Lomas Chair of Avebury Community Shop Gates open from 6.00pm for picnics.