COMMENTOctober 2018 £1 The magazine of the Churches in Tring A4 Jazz at Tring Park 2018 Poster_Layout 1 14/11/2017 09:51 Page 1 Editorial The fact that you are reading a 40- One Sunday morning recently I was life since Tring days page magazine right now is something called on to hold a baby in my arms for – as Mrs Dorothy of a miracle. A few days before the a good part of the service. Now there’s Howells has in this deadline I had five articles in and no a lovely job I wasn’t expecting that day! edition. If you have more promised. It is thanks to teamwork But baby Gabriel was amazingly tolerant just celebrated a that everything changed so quickly. I of the strange lady cuddling him and wonderful event – sent out an SOS to some of our usual allowed his mum to take part in leading we want to share contributors and people responded to the service. in the good news help: thus you have an October edition of If you enjoy reading Comment, do – as Kelly Chester Comment full of news and views. consider writing a few words for us. has here. If you want to attempt I suppose it’s a little like life. There’s If you live far away but used to live in the questions on a 1959 RE exam paper, an expectation that things will happen Tring – tell us what has changed in your have a go and maybe I could print your Join your “FOTCH” Friends for the Connoisseur’s Choice of Entertainment at Tring’s most Sumptuous Venue. as they usually do. There will always be answer! Thank you to Carole Wells for We are privileged to have been offered the date at someone to open the Church doors or sending that in this time. If you have Tring Park Mansion and we are delighted to welcome back the clean the Church or arrange the flowers; Comment been to any kind of Church event and seductive sounds of “The Jolly Jazzers”. someone makes the tea or buys the milk The magazine of the want to tell us what it was like, send that We start with a finger buffet and splendid wines in the Red Room, or washes up; someone plays the music in to me, with photos if you can. then move into the Ballroom for a club-style evening of Churches in Tring or fixes the microphone or welcomes DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 £1 We welcome contributions from all entertainment and refreshment. COMMENT THE MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCHES IN TRING SEPTEMBER 2017 £1 TN ME O C NO V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 £ 1 There will be a big-prize raffle, a short auction and some surprise you at the door; someone sweeps the M HOT EAFN GE AI Z the churches and you don’t have to be HESIN TRING C T THE CHUR HE CHUR COMMENT N GRTCI N I H SE entertainment to ensure the evening goes with a swing. path before you get there on snowy THEMAGAZINE OF asked to write it. Someone said last days. But unless that someone is YOU, month that the job of Editor was easy JOLLY it just happens. It always does. And really – I just have to nag people. Well, I

IN THIS ISSUE: • The refugees • Christmas in the vicarage • Notes on blindness • My journey of faith JAZZERS • 100 favourite hymns • All are welcome • Harvest beer and hymns • New home for old piano we all take things – and sometimes the • Called to be holy • A day in the life of a Baptist Minister • Let the bells ring out • Finding friends in TringIN THIS ISSUE: Rem hate to nag people. It would be so much ternal• Reflectionsquestion on a quiet day • A musing from John Bly • Light up the dark • 100 favourite places • Women o embering • Thank you • What glory of God • Two messages from the Queen • Archbishop Desmond Tutu • ‘The Problem of fPain’ the Reformation• Welcome t • Confirming harvest • Harvesthe festival Princes Centre• The e • The commercialisation and secularisation of Christian festivals • Eco Church Award • The legacy of Grenfe ct 2018• 100 favourite books • Feedback • Tweet of the month • Thy kingdom come a harvest • An awful big adventu riage • Cleaningaughters toilets for ‘n’ the dogs ll • Tring’s Memorialo Tring Garden Cinema faith • • Retiremen Salvation • Comment Army in days gone by f the Other •formation Giving thanks • Celebrating for harvest • T • First-timers• Dens and Sleepold-timers Out • Inat the f sschendaele • The Poppy Proje th • The questionand vocations of gay • marDads ‘n’ tylads • Benjamin ‘n’ d Britten’sess, failure War and Requiem faith • The thank you I ne re IN THIS ISSUE: A• sense500 years o of the Re • Bishop John Cosin • Pia ootsteps of Great Uncle Alb visit to St Martha’s eturn to Burma • The Battle of Pa ver got to saythe • WhatMega is Stick an o Walk • The t Magicof Canon o Vincent Berry ply Walk’ at Collegens • NewsLake • from Succ Bishop Wood School • A good life• deserves Why I am a angood Anglican deahment • Gifts • Times change • Parish par no and More • Since last y of Maureener Dickenson Parnell ert more enjoyable if people volunteered… kindness of others – for granted. • What is an ethical flower? • R blate? • A youngsterf Christingle in the war • Tweet of there’ month Concert • •‘Sim 100 favourite hym • Tweet of the All Souls Day • The history of ACTS • Tring War Memorial refurbis he Grenfell tragedyk Walk • • In In memor memory of Pet month • Out with the old… • Men’s Society• •Fairtrade ‘Piano and Tring Mo • T It is only when something goes • Another year, another Megastic So a final appeal here: how did your wrong that we realise there’s a big gap. Please submit your article to the spouse propose to you? Where was And sometimes we are that person Editor by the 6th of the month. it? When? Can you look back at it with who needs to step up to help because Aim for 400 or 800 words and amusement or fond memories? Write we have the skills or the time or the please send a head and shoulders to me in a few words and I will print it. willingness. There is always something colour photo or jpg and any other Tell me how long ago it was – if you can photos in high resolution. that needs to be done and the more we remember the date (my husband can’t!). Contact spread the work around between us, the [email protected] The Editor easier it is for everyone. Fallible pilgrims, openly seeking God As we move into October, the days encourage Christians to lead open and lighting will enable get shorter and light becomes a more transparent lives. That, of course, is very us to truly enjoy our pressing issue. It is no surprise that different from living pure and perfect beautiful Church in many religious festivals will have light lives. We may hope to be pure and the same way that as a theme, whether this is Diwali or a perfect, but we know that for most of us the light of Christ Christian celebration of the light who that is something unattainable. There is a enables us to enjoy is coming into the world. At the end of huge difference between a fallible pilgrim life itself. There is a this month many people will celebrate openly seeking God and a person who hope that proper Hallowe’en, which has almost become tries to hide away their faults as they lighting will make a celebration of darkness (or more pretend to be good. The church knows our Church ever more welcoming realistically a celebration of having fun this as well as anyone. The recent IICSA and useable, and that it will reflect our whilst pretending to be scary) and equally has shone a light onto the church which Christian journeys of walking in the light many churches will offer an alternative has shown an institution which tried (in of Christ. There is a hope that we as a celebration of light. vain) to protect itself. The light may be church will never be tempted to hide The image of light is vitally important. uncomfortable, but ultimately it is good. things away in the dark corners and that It conjures up an image of living our lives As I write this article we are eagerly as the nights draw in, we may all be in the full light of day and not hiding in awaiting new lighting in St Peter & St drawn to the Light. the shadows. I think it is reflected in Paul’s Church. Maybe by the time you As Bernadette Farrell writes in her the prayer which is used at the start of are reading this article it will be in place. hymn: ‘Christ, be our light! Shine in our many Anglican services, the collect for There is a fear that wonderful new hearts. Shine through the darkness. purity: ‘Almighty God… from whom no lighting will show up the cobwebs and Christ, be our light! Shine in Your church secrets are hidden’. In the light of Christ tired decoration in our historic building. gathered today.’ there are no hiding places. This should However there is also a hope that proper Huw Bellis, Tring Team 3 Computer & Printer Repairs & Support Friendly, patient and expert help with all Seven types of Atheism your computing needs. In the first school Atheisms that are happy with a godless he does not pretend that he or other where I worked as a world or an unnameable God.’ It would Atheists are infallible, he is open to Plaques for all Occasions [email protected] Maintenance Free Stainless Steel teacher, one of my take more than the page your very strict criticism and can see the weaknesses in colleagues grew up editor has allowed me to do justice to his views. Gray displayed an intellectual Barry Child in a Catholic family the seven different types of Atheism honesty and chatted with Giles Fraser as in the Republic of Gray identifies, so I will just pick out two people having a drink and mulling Child Associates Ireland close to some key points of the book. over an issue on which they were 01296 488902 01442 826092 the border with Gray gives a simple definition of an prepared to differ and still remain friends. 07879 497704 Northern Ireland Atheist as ‘anyone with no use for the This contrasts with Richard Dawkins No call out fee in Tring near Londonderry/Derry. She came idea of a divine mind that has fashioned who seems to be sure that his position to England for University and met a the world’. He says that the belief that is the correct one. Dawkins is also young man from Berkhamsted (always humans are gradually improving is guilty of what Lewis calls ‘chronological a risky thing to do). She knew Grandma the central article of faith of modern snobbery’, the position that the current would want to know what his faith was humanism and goes on to say, ‘When intellectual trend must be correct and St Kilda’s when they decided to get married, but secular thinkers tell the history of that anything older is obviously wrong she was ready with her answer. humankind as a story of progress they because it is not current. Dental Practice ‘So what faith is he, my dear?’ flatter themselves that they embody the Gray writes: ‘Few things are more ‘He is an Atheist, Grandma.’ progress of which they speak.’ natural for humans than religion. To 93 High Street, ‘Arr, is he a Protestant or Catholic Gray, throughout the book, is critical be sure, religion has brought much Tring, Herts, HP23 4AB Atheist?’ of institutional Christianity but also suffering. So has love and the pursuit of Tel: Tring (01442) 826565 ‘Grandma, he is an Atheist. He can’t equally critical of many well-known knowledge. Like them, religion is part of be Protestant or Catholic.’ prophets of Atheism: Karl Marx, Bertrand being human.’ ‘What are his parents?’ Russell, John Stuart Mill and Richard So, in summary, if you want a good, J. P. Norris B.D.S. (Lond) ‘Church of England, I think.’ Dawkins. He quotes some of Marx’s honest book on Atheism, try John Gray’s Miss E. N. Parsons B.D.S. (Lon) ‘He is a Protestant Atheist then. What anti-Jewish and anti-negro rhetoric Seven Types of Atheism. If you want to are you doing marrying a Protestant from a recent biography. Gray shows hear more about what I think is wrong LDS RCS (Eng) Atheist when you could be marrying a us Atheism, ‘warts and all’ as Oliver with Richard Dawkins’ ideas, I am happy good Catholic Atheist?’ Cromwell instructed the artist sent to to come and talk to church or other Grandma’s comments shed some paint his portrait. groups on the topic. light on what we used to call the This is the strength of Gray’s writing: Jon Reynolds, Tring Team OIL SERVICE TYRES Northern Ireland Question, but she was, of course, right. A Catholic Atheist is 3D WHEEL ALIGNMENT quite different from a Protestant Atheist. Earlier this year I attended a session Considering confirmation? VEHICLE MAINTENANCE organised by The Guardian in which the Some of us were christened as communion. Many Revd Giles Fraser of Thought for the Day children, taken to Church on a regular of our young people SPORTS EXHAUSTS and The Moral Maze interviewed John basis and, as teenagers confirmed and already receive Gray about his latest excellent book became communicant members of the communion PERFORMANCE UPGRADES Seven Types of Atheism. [The event church. We receive the bread and wine and adults new was held in the Barbican and was full on a weekly basis. We are part of the to church are ALLOY WHEELS TUNING of Guardian types: you know, bearded church. welcome to the left-wing teachers. I sat next to a retired Others might find a large gap Lord’s table: MOT TRACK DAY PREP Methodist Minister and his wife.] between distant memories of Sunday for here we are John Gray grew up in a working- Club and finding that faith in God is formed as Christians. It is DRIFT CAR SET-UPS class home in County Durham and went important in adult life. an opportunity to have your faith ALUMINIUM from the local state school to Oxford Others still may never have had a confirmed and for the Bishop to pray 3 Quarry Court, Quarry Road, and then on to an academic career childhood experience of Church and it that the Holy Spirt will be with you on & STEEL around the world. It may seem odd for is all new as an adult. your continued Christian journey. Pitstone Green Business Park, a Christian preacher to recommend a A confirmation service marks a The Bishop of Hertford, Michael WELDING!!! book on Atheism, but this is a rather Pitstone LU7 9GW rite of passage for people on their Beasley, will be with the Tring Team good one, far superior to anything journey of faith. It is a point where one on Wednesday 21 November in the Opening hours Mon - Fri from 9.00 - 6.00 written by Richard Dawkins, who seems makes one’s own decisions and says evening for a confirmation service. Saturdays by appointment to think that religions in general are, and ‘I choose to believe and to be part Anyone who wishes to be confirmed, Christianity in particular is, a failed form of God’s church’. It can happen at or would like to find out more, should 01296 661171 / 07954 302974 of science. any point in your Christian journey as speak to one of the clergy. We will run Wikipedia describes Gray as an long as you are old enough or mature confirmation classes for teenagers and www.irockperformance.co.uk Atheist; when he spoke he sounded enough for it to be a genuine personal for adults after the summer holidays. BMW M SPECIALIST Please follow us on Facebook more Agnostic to me – in his book he response. Huw Bellis, Tring Team writes, ‘I am drawn to the last two, It isn’t a rite of admission to

4 5 Just a small cog Upcycling, recycling and creativity Having been the well as several new vicars. As societies develop, there is a point Year 7s. This is a day when each year to the mix. We created Lay Chair of the The role I enjoy the best is the when items that used to be essential concentrates on one particular subject a cross template on Berkhamsted Deanery carrying out of the annual Church become items of choice, or even and does so in a very different way. The hessian, and the for the past ten inspections on behalf of the Archdeacon luxuries. Recipes that used to be year 7s were doing PRS (RE or RS in old idea was to fill in years, I thought that of St Albans. He visits each of the seen as peasant food are advertised money) and for our part, Michelle Grace the shape with all Comment readers deaneries every five years and the in restaurants as robust and rustic, and I decided to look at religious art. the colours. I was might be interested other four years, the inspections are and cost far more than they used to. We started by showing them pictures a little ambitious in knowing the the responsibility of the Rural Dean, Patchwork that was made of remnants of different sorts of religious art from thinking it could be background and Revd Jonathan Gordon, assisted by of worn-out clothing are instead pieced all ages and encouraged them to talk done in a day as it details of what I do. The role me as the Lay Chair. Jonathan inspects from brand new custom-made pieces about what they liked and what they took to the end of the summer involves supporting the Rural Dean the Tring Team, I do Northchurch and of cloth (a bundle of which is called a thought it showed. As always, they term. After the Extended Learning Day, it by undertaking some of the deanery Wigginton, and we split the rest between fat quarter for some unknown reason!). were honest and imaginative and it was was kept in the library, and any student activities and is for a period of three us (Berkhamsted, Potten End, Great and We knit and crochet not because we a very good starting point to making (or staff) who wanted to could come in years, though one can be re-elected for a Little Gaddesden, Nettleden, Sunnyside need to make clothes and blankets but something themselves, and they had and work on it at lunchtimes. It was a further term. and Bourne End). because we want to, often as we want to a choice of three things. One was to great way of providing an activity for During the latter stage of my first The inspection is in two parts: the give hand-made gifts, or because of the create a collage, one was scratch art students on their own, and also a good triennium as a member of the Deanery first, which is every year, covers the satisfaction it gives us to create things. and one was rag-rugging. The collages time to work together with others and Synod, I was approached by the then Mission Action Plan, implementation There are programmes and magazines were made with a base template that talk. Rural Dean, David Abbott, and asked if of the Quinquennial inspection report, encouraging us to upcycle, to recycle, Michelle created of simple images of the The finished article looks wonderful, I would consider taking on the role of safeguarding and development of the for the future. Needless to say, there to create a home full of beautiful hand- Stations of the Cross, and we used old with its mix of colours and textures, Lay Chair as the current incumbent was role of the Church building. The second are occasional hiccups. This year, for made items (Kirstie Allsop must take a magazines to cover them. You may have and the fact that it is created from old to retire the following April. After careful part this year, which is on a three-year the first time, I managed to get two large part of the responsibility for this). seen some of the finished pictures over uniform adds a real sense of ownership. consideration, I agreed. So, what do I cycle, covers Church registers and Churches crossed in my diary much to But I should not be cynical: creating Easter, which were extremely effective. The decision has been made to display do, apart from chairing the synod on the churchyards. One of the key things I was the surprise and consternation of one items whether as gifts or artwork or to The students did put their own stamp it in the entrance hall of Tring School as rare occasions when the Rural Dean is taught when I started was to ensure that of the Church Wardens, but he rallied to reuse old goods does carry with it a on them, so for example, the cross in there is a wall space big enough, and it not present? the signatures of the witnesses in the the occasion. Another situation saw me great deal of satisfaction, and there is one had the word ‘Gucci’ on it, and the will be a very visible sign of the Christian One of the roles involves taking wedding registers were either legible or arriving at a locked Church and having, also a wonderful sense of community drying time was longer than expected as ethos. The students, however, rarely part in the licensing of clergy into the were printed at the side. This is in case by a chain of phone calls, to contact the when this is done with others, as so much glue was used. spend any time in the entrance hall, so deanery. The first licensing which I was a copy must be produced later. Other Church Warden who had just returned the poppy-makers and the Tuesday The scratch art were crosses bought those who made it would probably rather involved in was that of the Rector of the years include checking the Church plate. from holiday and not checked his diary. afternoon group in the Parish Church from Baker Ross, a craft supplies it were somewhere where they can see Tring Team in Autumn 2008. (Huw Bellis It is very rewarding, after the formal Several of the Churches, including (Craft and a Cuppa) would testify. firm, and were crosses with a rainbow it. So we will probably make another has just celebrated ten years in Tring!) I part of the inspection, to talk with the one in the Tring Team, have a trust It is this satisfaction and community base that one scratched the black one. have also participated in the licensing of churchwardens about the plans they grave. This is where a sum of money that we wanted to tap into at Tring top coating off to create whatever All ideas for any future projects will the current Rector of Berkhamsted, as are working on and their enthusiasm has been left to the Church to pay for School earlier in the year when we were pattern the students wanted. What was be gratefully received! the upkeep of the part of the Extended Learning Day for interesting is how this one worked much Jane Banister, Chaplain, Tring School grave and these are better for some students than others: inspected every three it was an individual craft and required years to ensure that concentration and having an idea of the they are being faithfully design, and for some this was just what maintained. they wanted to do. The results are still Finally, there are displayed in school. occasionally special The third option was one of those events where the times when I had a good idea that Lay Chairs join the slightly ran away with me. School had procession in the changed their PE kit a year or so ago, Abbey. During my and so there was a large supply of old time, we have had rugby and polo shirts to be disposed the installation of a of. There is no religious art displayed new Bishop and the in school, and so a desire to create re-dedication of the something, along with a minimal budget, Abbey’s bells. led me to think of rag rugging. This is just a brief This was a very common way of description of the role creating small rugs in the past: a hessian of the Deanery Lay base, often old sacks, with strips of Chair, a small cog in cloth, again from worn-out items, the organisation of the threaded through to create patterns. All Anglican Church. the old PE kit provided white and blue, Ted Oram and I had a stash of old curtain sample St Peter & St Paul books that added red, yellow and green

6 7 Peace-making and War-waging Coming home to Tring

St Albans Cathedral runs an Adult Dr Kevin Shaw of Northwood HQ will Have I got everything? beloved boat ‘The Griffin’, moored near on. We reached the Festival and had Learning programme which aims to offer be explaining how Britain’s forces This is always a Tring, and picked up our life with friends reunions with old boating friends with life-long learning opportunities through engage in conflicts around the world problem – for me in the south. While it was wonderful to the usual feeling of picking up where talks, study days, workshops and with a perspective that is less focused anyway – when catch up with everyone, especially those we left off as if we’d only seen them courses. Such events vary from theology on winning battles and more focused setting off on my at St Peter & St Paul, the contrast of the the previous week. I even had a go at and history to art, music and languages, on winning peace, and will show how travels. We were pace of life compared with that on our learning to play the mandolin at one of and all are most welcome to attend. Christian ethics still underpin how the UK leaving our life in island off the north coast of Scotland the music sessions! With the anniversary of the Armistice military engages in conflicts. Orkney for nearly was quite a shock. The amount of Our visit back south demonstrated of 11 November 1918 coming up this Tutor: Dr Kevin Shaw, Northwood HQ Study Days three months, traffic battling for space on the roads that although we now live in Orkney, a autumn, the Adult Learning programme Creativity and Conflict heading south to spend time was difficult to adjust to, and we were place we love, it is still valuable for me includes a topical series focusing on the Public Memorialisation of the Dead in Date: Saturday 17 November on our narrowboat and as usual I have surprised at the scale of construction to maintain connections with my roots issues of peace and war, and exploring St Albans, 1914-25 Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm Price: £25 far too much ‘stuff’, overlooking the fact taking place in Tring itself as well as in England. It is part of my identity and responses to them. We look forward to Date: Thursday 25 October Focusing on the western tradition of that there are shops in Hertfordshire, the surrounding area. Having been even as we head back home to Northern hearing a range of excellent speakers, Time: 7.30-9.00pm Price: £10 art from the earliest surviving works so anything I forget can probably be away for nearly a year, the changes are climes with its space and spectacular such as Dr Kevin Shaw of Northwood This talk charts the development of the to the present day, this study day will purchased. perhaps more apparent – one of the beauty, I know I will back visiting the Headquarters and the Rev’d Dr Sam tradition of public commemoration in St examine the way in which visual art has Our trip sadly incorporated the most problematical for me being the south again. Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Albans from the Boer War through the represented war and reacted to it. funeral of my mother who passed away new parking machines in Tring. A kind Carrie Dodge who will be exploring the theme from Great War itself and finishing in 1925, Tutor: The Rev’d Iain Lane, Tutor in a few days before our departure south. gentleman advised me on how they St Mary the Virgin, Stromness different angles. We’ll be looking at by which time most of the city’s forty Theology and the Visual Arts Despite the fact I had seen her a week worked, seeing the bewilderment of this modern warfare, the treatment of war war memorials had been erected. It also before she died, and her passing was perplexed visitor. I subsequently helped and genocide in the Bible, the effect considers the significance of large set- War and Violence in the Bible: a Case not unexpected, to be so far away other perplexed visitors, hopefully of conflict on art, and the search for piece commemorative events staged in Study of the Book of Joshua from her and my family at that time had continuing the tradition of the kindness universal peace, amongst other thought- the city centre in 1919. Date: Saturday 24 November been difficult. However, the support of and courtesy of Tring folk. provoking topics. Tutor: Jonathan Mein, Local Historian Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm Price: £25 my husband Mac and friends both in Despite Mac’s premonitions of We look forward to this opportunity Nobody can read the Book of Joshua Orkney and around the country, had doom (he calls it being realistic, I call to explore some challenging issues without being alert to ethical issues of been invaluable. It was lovely that close it being pessimistic) we set off on our surrounding peace-making and war- war and genocide, yet it is considered friends and family attended the funeral, boating trip, heading for a Festival in waging, and hope to welcome you as part of holy scripture. We will seek to and as can happen on these occasions, the village of Shackerstone in the wilds we mark this significant event in world get beneath the surface of this book, it ended up as a good celebration of of Leicestershire. Unfortunately Mac’s history. confronting these questions face on, and my mother’s long life. In the evening premonitions proved to be correct, evaluating different responses to them. we enjoyed a great dinner and a certain with a number of minor incidents, but Tutor: The Rev’d Dr Kevin Walton, quantity of wine and Pimms was culminating in the engine breaking Canon Chancellor consumed, with fond reminiscences down. It resulted in us being stranded Theology and Peacebuilding about my mum. I know she would have and unable to move for about four days. Date: Wednesday 21 November Augustine’s City of God: In Search of approved! However, the canal equivalent of the AA Time: 8.00-9.30pm Price: £10 Eternal Peace After the funeral we headed to our sorted us out and we eventually moved The Rev’d Dr Sam Wells looks at Date: Saturday 8 December 12 steps that lead to peace, and Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm Price: £25 distinguishes between different models “There may be peace without war, but Talks of reconciliation, notably peacebuilding, there cannot be war without some kind Modern Warfare: More Trying to Win peacewaging, peacekeeping and of peace”. St Augustine’s City of God Peace peacemaking. raises question after question on the Date: Thursday 18 October Tutor: The Rev’d Dr Sam Wells, Vicar topics of war and peace, so we’ll be Time: 7.30-9.00pm Price: £10 of St Martin-in-the-Fields asking if there’s hope in his claim. Tutor: Kirsty Borthwick, University of Cambridge

To book tickets and see the full Adult Learning programme: • Go to our webpages at www. stalbanscathedral.org/learning • Call the Box Office on 01727 890290 • Visit the Box Office (situated in the Cathedral Gift Shop) We do not wish the cost of our events to be prohibitive, so are pleased to be able to offer a small bursary fund. Please email [email protected] for more information.

8 9 Lunches at St Martha’s After a very long There is a lovely atmosphere each wait, our kitchen week as people gather and chat and it at St Martha’s is would be lovely to welcome some more now usable and people from across the town. Please every Tuesday come along – you’ll be well fed! we are serving PS We are also doing afternoon teas lunches. Jean, on the third Saturday in the month from our wonderful 3.00-5.00pm. It would be lovely to see cook, has already you there. served up some delicious food, Rachael Hawkins including cottage pie, meatballs, lemon St Martha’s Methodist Church tart and rice pudding. Prisons week At a recent Justice and Peace Group 100% Graduates remain in contact with meeting, a local organisation called BLAST for 15 months BLAST Foundation was brought to our attention. In view of Prisons Week BLAST have no paid employees so taking place from 14-20 October, I have all the money raised goes to support been asked to give a brief outline of the students. Further information and sterling work this organisation does. opportunities to support or volunteer BLAST is a Christian charity plan their future, with the benefit of are available on their website www. founded in 2009, working in prisons ongoing support from people they trust. blastfoundation.org.uk. with individuals of all-faiths and none. Feedback from their students is also BLAST’s vision is that ‘No BLAST How BLAST works included. graduate will ever re-offend...!’ It delivers two-week transformation and ‘Continue to remember those in BLAST is about change, which engagement programmes in prison, prison as if you were together with them Quality Nursing Care happens through building relationships providing ongoing 1:1 meetings pre- in prison, and those who are ill-treated in prison and ‘through-the-gate’ into the release… It offers Through the Gate as if you yourselves were suffering.’ community. Resettlement Support, meeting at the (Hebrews 13:3) Students on BLAST’s Transform gate as needed, with a caseworker on I am sure that BLAST and all other for a Better Life programme, develop new ways of release, support to find accommodation organisations working within the prison Sunrise is dedicated to championing the delivery of high Report Published 31 August 2018 thinking about themselves, confronting and employment, etc. It offers ongoing service will appreciate your prayers quality, personalised care. Our team is devoted to ensuring their past and developing new resettlement support for at least twelve during this special week of prayer that individual care needs are catered for. From assisted perspectives on their future. months after release in the community. in October 2018, not forgetting all living and nursing, to dementia care and independent BLAST also teach life and persecuted Christians suffering for their employability skills for ‘Effective Results so far faith worldwide. living – we have everything covered. Sunrise of Chorleywood Resettlement’. This work is done within 1.9% Reoffending rate (UK 66%) Gill Barber a co-operative, openly creative learning St Martha’s Methodist Church The bespoke care programmes and state-of-the-art High View, Chorleywood, 97% Graduates working within 90 days environment, where relationships are of release Rickmansworth, facilities allow residents to continue to lead fulfilling, valued and students feel confident to 100% Accommodated on release independent lives, all in the comfort and security of a Hertfordshire WD3 5TQ supportive and compassionate environment. A home that SunriseChorleywood.co.uk feels just like their own. Parish registers We host weekly talks, parties, live music and much more. Baptisms Weddings Funerals Everyone is welcome to attend. We welcome these children into our We offer our congratulations and prayers We thank God for the lives of the church family and pray for their parents to these couples as they begin their departed and pray for comfort for those and Godparents. married lives together. who mourn.

Join us as a Resident For a Day on the third Thursday Poppy Maggie Mildred Wattam Tom Taylor & Cydney Rimmer Ivor Yates of every month. Please call 01923 287750 to book your Ruby Gibson George Campbell & Alice Kelway- Peter Ray Draycon, 74 place or for details of our other events. Hal Warhurst Bamber Murray Harold Julian Fieldhouse, 93 CHORLEYWOOD Charlotte Read Gavin Barry Payne & Jennifer Janet Routley Margaret Drake Stephen Hannan

10 11 ADV_CHO_0918_Comment_01.indd 1 13/09/2018 14:41 TRING CHARITIES (Registered Charity No 207805) The Changing Church of England

Many members reminisced over Graham Kendrick services in the 1960s; Martin grew up in whom I had heard ALMSHOUSES IN TRING the ‘High Church’. With five churches in speak at an We are Winners! evangelistic concert From time to time, one and two-bedroom the Tring Team traditional services are still conducted, together with others like as a student. bungalows become available to let, for Taizé. Lack of time people who currently live in Aldbury, Long David then went on to baptism. prevented other Marston, Marsworth, Pitstone, Puttenham, Not only have the responsibilities on issues being Tring, Wigginton or Wilstone. Godparents been reduced, traditional raised, but Beechwood Fine Foods fonts by the Church door have been as an architect, I mentioned Applicants, one of whom must be aged 55 replaced by bowls at the front of the design and reordering of Church in Tring have been In the absence of John, away on holiday, or over, must not own their own home or Clive R chaired the September meeting, the Church where all can see what buildings, and churchmanship. The rise voted ‘Retail Hero’ have savings in excess of £16,000. and David G presented a well-prepared is happening. Some thought that of evangelicalism and the charismatic in the inaugural baptism has become the occasion for movement influenced all denominations. overview of changes in the Church of The average weekly maintenance Dacorum Business England over the last fifty years or so. a family party with participants not While fewer people attend Church contribution (equivalent to ‘rent’ for housing Heroes Awards. Bill Carpenter was unable to attend always understanding what they were today, those who go are committed; they benefit purposes) is £96 for a one bedroom while recovering from a fall, while Mike committing themselves to. tend not to go as a social norm. Being property and £115 for a two bedroom Visit us today to find was able to come pain-free and mobile, Confirmation, especially with a town Church used for Tring events, property. out why! and David W was visiting the States. instruction from the Catechism, is vastly many people who would otherwise The most important changes from reduced in numbers since the days never enter a Church visit St Peter & St If you would like to be considered for the the BCP (Book of Common Prayer of the Whit holiday, but is no longer a Paul, together with tourists. The Food Waiting List, please telephone Elaine Winter, dating from the 16th century) were to requirement for receiving communion. Bank is one of many ways God’s love Secretary to the Trustees, on Sunday worship starting with Series We were divided over whether the open is demonstrated now that most have a invitation was appropriate. limited idea of basic Christianity. 01442 827913 (weekday office hours only), 1, 2 and 3 booklets, through the ASB (Alternative Services Book) to the Book Not only has the marriage service The majority of the Men’s Society for an application form or email of Common Worship today. If you look changed, but divorcees are allowed to present accepted the changes over the [email protected] at the copyright notes on the overheads remarry; which all accepted as good. last fifty years as the Church of England at St Peter & St Paul you will see that Like christenings, funerals have attempts to be relevant to contemporary we sometimes use liturgy from other become social gatherings for family society. As there were good and bad sources, and are also experimenting and friends, whereas many thought the points (the loss of our Sunday school) with some of our own prayers for the congregation should be reminded of we decided to celebrate all that was congregation. their mortality, and eulogies come in a positive at our next meeting on 3 Service names have also changed later memorial service. October. The discussion will be on the and Matins, with its canticles and The most controversial change was future of the church. psalms, has been replaced with Worship the introduction of women priests, and We meet on the first Wednesday of for All. Holy Communion is now much especially women bishops, which some each month, at 7.30pm at the Half Moon • Loose covers more frequent and central to our parishes still reject, and are overseen by in Wilstone. All men, whether Church of worship. Evensong and most evening independent ‘flying bishops’. England or not, are welcome. Food is • Curtains services have vanished (to the regret of The history of hymns was also available. • Re-Upholstery many). discussed but ended fifty years ago with Leslie Barker, St Peter & St Paul • Tracks & Poles Could you pass this exam? For personal, helpful service, The Religious 1(i): The early historical and religious of Common Prayer, Jewish History Knowledge ‘O’ Level traditions of the Hebrew people 200BC – 70AD and Church History 70AD please call paper which I sat (basically Genesis and most of Exodus) – 325AD. Questions included: What in 1959 took a bit and section 2: The Life and Teaching evidence of the hellenisation of the Jews Tel: 01844 261769 of navigating. It of Jesus according to the Synoptic do we find in I Maccabees?; What light contained no fewer Gospels. is thrown on Judaism by the Dead Sea Mob: 07802 213381 than sixty questions Questions included: Describe the Scrolls?; State what parts of Morning and the rubric intended sacrifice of Isaac and discuss and Evening Prayer are taken from the at the top said its meaning; Write notes on THREE of Bible. Why have these two services been [email protected] Answer SIX questions choosing the following: Bethel, Peniel, Laban, called one of the most satisfactory forms THREE from each of TWO sections only, the coat of many colours, the priest of of Christian worship in existence?; What www.grahamblake.com one of which must be either (1), ( 2), Midian and What did Jesus teach about led to the appointment of the Seven? (3) or (4). Phew! (The Editor is already material riches? I won’t tell you what mark I got; it TEN YEAR GUARANTEE confused…) Other parts of the paper tested does me no credit. We had been studying section knowledge of the Apocrypha, the Book Carole Wells, St Peter & St Paul 12 13 them, each of you is Jesus Christ. Thank great fanfare. The Gospel of the family hearts, into our families, into our homes you for the trust that you give us. You is truly joy for the world, since there, in and parishes… How much our world The ninth World Meeting of Families, 2018 are the Church, you are God’s people. our families, Jesus can always be found, needs this encouragement that is God’s Jesus is with you.’ dwelling in simplicity and poverty as he gift and promise! As one of the fruits of How quickly news reflecting on their fifty years of marriage. about a love that gives rise to new life. did in the home of the Holy Family of this celebration of family life, may you comes and goes Thanking them for their words of It involves mutual responsibility for the Little acts of kindness Nazareth.’ go back to your homes and become and, when it comes, encouragement and challenge addressed transmission of God’s gift of life, and it When the Pope attended the Festival A sad story had earlier been related a source of encouragement to others, how challenging it to a new generation of newlyweds and provides a stable environment in which of Families at Croke Park, for the World by an Iraqi couple, Enass and Sarmaad to share with them Jesus’ “words of is sometimes to engaged couples, and referring to this that new life can grow and flourish. Meeting of Families, he said: ‘God wants Mekhael, refugees now living in Australia. eternal life”. For your families are both discern the good new generation, Pope Francis said to every family to be a beacon of the joy Enass’ brother, Fr Ragheed Aziz Ganni, a privileged place for, and an important from the bad. the couple: ‘They are not going to be like Passing on faith of his love in our world. What does this a thirty-five-year-old Chaldean Catholic means of, spreading these words as Among the recent you; they are different. But they need Newly-weds Stephen and Jordan asked mean? It means that we, who have priest had been murdered by Daesh in “Good News” for everyone… good news was your experience to be different, to keep how parents can pass the faith on to their encountered God’s saving love, try, with 2007 at his parish in Mosul, Iraq. The ‘The challenges that Christians the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland moving forward. It is so important to children. The Pope answered: ‘The first or without words, to express it in little Pope commented: ‘Their story reminds face today are, in their own way, no in August when he attended the ninth listen to the elderly, to our grandparents!’ and most important place for passing on acts of kindness in our daily routine us of the tragic situations endured daily less difficult than those faced by the World Meeting of Families. When a holy The Pope asked Vincent and Teresa the faith is the home. It is in the home and in the most hidden moments of our by so many families forced to flee their earliest Irish missionaries. I think of Saint man speaks out to the world it is wise to if they had quarrelled a lot and then that we learn to believe, through the day… That is what holiness is all about. I homes in search of security and peace. Columbanus, who with his small band listen and to draw strength from what he remarked to his audience: ‘A marriage quiet daily example of parents who love like to speak of the saints “next door”, all But they also show us how, starting from of companions brought the light of the says. Here are some of the highlights of without arguments is pretty boring… our Lord and trust in his word… The faith those ordinary people who reflect God’s the family, and thanks to the solidarity Gospel to the lands of Europe in an age his trip. Yet there is a secret: plates can even fly, is passed on “around the family table”, presence in the life and history of our shown by so many other families, lives of darkness and cultural dissolution… but the secret is to make up before the at home in ordinary conversation, in the world… can be rebuilt and hope born anew.’ It was their daily witness of fidelity to Families are glue end of the day. And to make up there language that persevering love alone ‘The vocation to love and to Christ and to each other that won hearts The Pope addressed members of the is no need to talk; a caress is enough, knows how to speak. holiness is not something reserved for Sharing the good news of Christ yearning for a word of grace and helped Irish government and others in Dublin like that, and peace returns… Yes, fight a privileged few. Even now, if we have Before the Pope celebrated Mass in give birth to the culture of Europe. That Castle. He began by giving the reason for all you want, but make up at night. Losing our ability to love? eyes to see, we can see it being lived Phoenix Park, Dublin, he asked for witness remains a perennial source of his visit and said: ‘I would like to see the All right? Don’t forget this, you young ‘Today’s world has little use for the weak, out all around us. It is silently present in forgiveness for past sexual and physical spiritual and missionary renewal for World Meeting of Families as a prophetic people…’ the vulnerable and all those it deems the heart of all those families that offer abuses by Catholics in Ireland. Later he God’s holy and faithful people.’ witness to the rich patrimony of ethical Denis and Sinead, an engaged “unproductive”. The world tells us to be love, forgiveness and mercy when they said: ‘The Spirit of God, who constantly Michael Demidecki and spiritual values that it is the duty of couple, asked the Pope how they can strong and independent, with little care see the need, and do so quietly, without breathes new life into our world, into our Corpus Christi Church every generation to cherish and protect. help others to see that marriage is not for those who are alone or sad, rejected Make sure you One need not be a prophet to perceive simply an institution but a vocation, a or sick, not yet born or dying… A few get Comment the difficulties faced by our families in life that moves forward, a conscious months ago, someone told me that we Refugee children The magazine of the Churches in Tring today’s rapidly evolving society, or to be and life-long decision to cherish, assist are losing our ability to love. Slowly troubled by the effects that breakdown in and protect one another. The Pope but surely, we are forgetting the direct ‘A Point of View’ on Michael then gave examples from marriage and family life will necessarily remarked: ‘The words “All the days of language of a caress, the strength of Radio 4 on 29 July before the two World Wars, and after the entail for the future of our communities my life” are a commitment to make love tenderness. There will be no revolution of Beginning “Close your Second. at every level. Families are the glue of grow, because love has nothing of the love without a revolution of tenderness! eyes. Imagine…” He described a new initiative to help society; their welfare cannot be taken provisional… As we say in my country, It is as if the word “tenderness” has was not a personal refugee children, with awareness raising for granted, but must be promoted and it is “half of the orange”: you are my been taken out of the dictionary. By your viewpoint on politics events from September onwards, which protected by every appropriate means.’ half of the orange and I am your half example, may your children be guided but a plea by will involve children. This will lead to a of the orange. That is what love is like: to become a kinder, more loving, more Michael Morpurgo presentation to the Government on 15 Ensure you get every issue of Make up before the day ends everything and every day for all the days faith-filled generation… In this way, your to our consciences November, the 80th anniversary of a Comment as soon as it’s published The Pope visited St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral of your life.’ love, which is God’s gift, will sink ever - a plea to follow ‘the fine delegation which led to the Government by taking out a subscription. in Dublin, where he met 350 married and The Pope went on: ‘I would say deeper roots.” examples of how our predecessors allowing child refugees to enter Britain All ten issues engaged couples. Vincent and Teresa, to you, of all the kinds of human have shown great kindness towards the in 1939. are only £10.00 per year. an elderly couple, were the first to speak, fruitfulness, marriage is unique. It is Accepting people as they are suffering of child refugees.’ Leslie Barker It can also be posted at an Pope Francis spoke to the Capuchin ‘It shames us that Britain in recent Comment will print an article on the topic additional cost. Contact Fathers who run a day centre for years has done so little to help child in November. David Whiting on 01442 767403 [email protected] homeless families. Addressing the refugees.’ Capuchin Fathers he said: ‘You accept life as it comes, you give comfort and, if need be, you forgive… Your witness Happy news! teaches priests to listen, to be close, to forgive and not ask too many questions. Congratulations to Kelly Chester and knew that one was the one! It got sent ‘All we know is To be simple, as Jesus said that father Sam Biddlecombe who were engaged off for resizing and Sam picked it up that it’ll be June did when his son returned, full of sins to be married on 16 August! Kelly and when it was ready (I wasn’t sure when). 2020 at St Peter & and vices. That father did not… start Sam are both CareGivers for Home He then did it the old fashioned way and St Paul’s Church asking question after question. He Instead Senior Care; Sam is also the co- got down on one knee and, of course, I and we’ll be having accepted the son’s repentance and ordinator, arranging and allocating care said yes!’ a fun Country and embraced him.’ calls. The couple, who both live in Hunter’s Western Barn Dance for our Turning to the homeless families ‘We’d talked about marriage and Close, Tring, are regulars at the Parish evening do, at a hall in this area, not yet he said: ‘Do you know why you come walked past a little jewellers and just Church. They have already met Huw confirmed. We are so excited and can’t here with trust? Because they help you had a look. We both looked at the same Bellis to talk about their plans but they wait to share our special day with our without detracting from your dignity. For ring, then just looked at each other and haven’t yet set a precise date. family and friends at our lovely Church.’ 14 15 Isaac Watts D.D.

It could be called from worship. ‘Then give us something hymn beginning ‘I am not ashamed to strange, if not better, young man,’ was his father’s own my Lord, Or to defend His cause’. perverse, to have reply. And he did. Next Sunday he For us, today, it is good to be kept an article about brought to chapel not another psalm reminded how much we owe to Isaac Isaac Watts until paraphrase but a hymn of his own Watts for some of our best-known now. A well-known composition: ‘Behold the glory of the hymns. In an earlier article I mentioned theologian and the Lamb, Amidst the Father’s throne; Tennyson’s opinion that ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ author of many Prepare new honours for his Name, was the best hymn ever written. Another well-loved hymns, And songs unknown.’ view might suggest ‘When I survey the he has been called ‘the father of While this hymn is probably not wondrous Cross’ as the best. This is the English hymnody’. This year, 2018, marks familiar, Watts went on to produce ‘new first to use ‘I’ in expressing a personal 270 years since his death. honours’ and ‘songs unknown’ for half a experience rather than a communal faith. Watts was born in Southampton century, many of which are very familiar. For others, particularly on Remembrance in 1674 and brought up in a family of One such is ‘Come let us join our Sunday, a classic hymn is ‘O God, our committed religious Non-Conformists. cheerful songs’ – cheerfulness had help in ages past’. (We never think He had a classical education first at not previously been a characteristic too carefully about the words, ‘They King Edward’s School and later fly forgotten as a dream’ as we at the Dissenters’ Academy at proclaim ‘We will remember them’ Newington Green. (Oxford and and assert ‘Their name liveth for Cambridge were not open to Non- evermore!). Conformists.) Watts was granted Another great and familiar an honorary DD from Edinburgh hymn is ‘There is a land of pure University many years later. delight’ recognising the way in Outstanding care provided for you As a resident tutor in a local which, in spite of our faith, many in the comfort and privacy of your family of well-known Dissenters of us are fearful of death – ‘But in London, he met Sir Thomas timorous mortals start and shrink own home by caring, kind and Abney, Alderman and Sheriff of To cross this narrow sea’. Watts compassionate staff who are London and one of the original frequently wrote about death handpicked for their commitment promoters of the Bank of England. and the fleeting nature of life as Watts became Minister of a it was a constant concern to his and passion for excellent care. famous Independent Chapel in contemporaries in a way that in Safety, kindness and gentleness the City, but ill health made him the 21st century it is a fact we resign aged thirty-eight and the try to avoid! Yet he stressed the are our core values. next thirty-six years he spent as a continuity of praise in heaven. guest of the Abney family, first in Perhaps as a counterweight With a fast-growing reputation for Abney House in Theobalds Park, it should be mentioned that excellence in service delivery, we Cheshunt, and later in their house Watts was not only a pioneer at Stoke Newington. This property, hymn writer for adults but also are your trusted local provider of along with neighbouring houses the author of poems and songs home care. We are independent, and gardens, later became the for children. He compiled a book family owned and managed. site of a huge public cemetery called ‘Divine Moral Songs for the – appropriate for one who wrote Use of Children’. Dog lovers will often of death: ‘I’ll praise my like to know he wrote – ‘Let dogs Maker while I’ve breath, And when of worship. Another similar example is delight to bark and bite. For ‘tis their my voice is lost in death, Praise shall ‘Jesus shall reign where’er the sun…’ nature to’! Another popular poem started employ my nobler powers...’ Watts called his hymns Christian psalms with the words – ‘How doth the little The Anglican tradition as exemplified and asserted they expressed the Old busy bee improve each shining hour’. by Bishop Heber was not sure about Testament Psalms in New Testament Watts was buried in the Non- hymns in worship as they were not part ways, hence the title of his collection Conformist burial ground at Bunhill of the Book of Common Prayer (with published in 1719: ‘The Psalms of David, Fields. Many years later, in 1845, a one exception). There was a similar Imitated in the Language of the New statue of him was paid for by public To talk to us about your care requirements, reluctance in the Free Church tradition. Testament’. subscription and erected in Abney Park or if you would like to work for us, please call: Before Isaac Watts wrote his hymns Present-day tolerance and/or cemetery, five years after this garden Helen Yates RGN on 01442 843064 there was a feeling they were ‘a Popish indifference can make it hard for us to cemetery opened. The statue stands aberration’, putting human words on understand earlier attitudes to religious on a mound said to be the place where or email [email protected] a level with Scripture. The Dissenters differences. Watts senior had been Watts had done much of his writing. confined their singing to metrical psalms. imprisoned for his beliefs and Watts There is also a monument to him in Apparently young Watts thought these junior could not attend university Westminster Abbey. heavy-going and said so to his father because he was not a member of the Martin Banister, St Albans Abbey one Sunday when they were returning Established Church. Hence, perhaps a 16 17 Tweet of the month Huw’s Curry and Quiz Night recipe The Raven is the first bird mentioned by of Britain – particularly favouring cliffs Ravens near Wilstone Reservoir and I never particularly or chapatis (which tend to be cheapest remember to check we have enough salt name in the Bible. In Genesis chapter and craggy areas for nesting. since then their numbers have increased realised that being at the budget supermarkets in Aylesbury) and oil in stock as a surprisingly large 8, Noah sends out a Raven to look for When I was a boy I had to travel further and they breed sparsely across a Vicar would also it is easier to do it all in one go. So, my amount is used. land and it doesn’t come back – not to see my first Ravens and I saw them Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. lead me down the shopping list for this year’s curry will be: It can take quite a long time to dice exactly a good opening image for a very first in Pembrokeshire in 1979. For the These days I see them regularly and mass catering line. the beef, peel the potatoes and peel and intelligent bird. In Deuteronomy have even seen one over the In the summer it 9 kg shin of beef slice the onions. Using a food processor 14 the Raven is mentioned as house. is BBQing but it 10 kg potatoes is definitely the way forward on onion unclean and not to be eaten While they are all-black is gratifying to 5 kg tinned tomatoes slicing duty. When it comes to the actual – presumably because it is a birds and this doesn’t give them know that one can 5 kg basmati rice recipe, it is sort of done by ‘eye’ these scavenger. In 1 Kings 17 Ravens an obvious aesthetic appeal, still feed eighty-plus people 2 large bags chillis days. I get the biggest pan onto a back were ordered by God to take their heavy bills, wedge-shaped using an ordinary size domestic oven. 2 large bags coriander ring with a good slug of oil and the jars Elijah bread and meat for him to tails and distinctive ‘kronk’ call However, the key is big pans! When we 1 kg garlic of rogan josh. On the diagonal front eat. In Luke 12 it is specifically give them a charismatic appeal first started out doing the Curry and 2 kg chana daal ring I heat my largest frying pan. They Ravens that don’t sow or – well for me at least. Quiz nights I was able to borrow three 5 kg red onions have to be diagonal rings to fit that size reap yet God feeds them – in What I also like about magnificent pans from Aldbury Memorial 2 kg yogurt pan on! The key is that each frying pan Matthew’s Gospel it is the more Ravens are the parallels in the Hall. Sadly, one year they got ‘borrowed’ 1 kg spinach full of meat for browning is more like familiar ‘birds of the air’. Bible between Ravens and us. by someone else and never returned, so I 2 kg red lentils a standard size curry, so I add in what Ravens belong to the Crow In Genesis 8 they demonstrate have invested in my own pans, not quite 72 chapatis feels to be the right amount of each family and, like most of them, is that they don’t always do what as glorious but not bad. 1 big jar of mango chutney of the spices (not the black mustard intelligent and resourceful and God hopes they will do. In 1 The other development is that these 1 box poppadoms seeds: they are for the potato dish) and has been known to use tools Kings 17 we see that they will days I tend to do a single shopping trip 3 jars rogan josh paste chopped chilli for a standard size curry to get at food. They have had mixed next twenty-five years, travelling was do what God wants them to as well. to a Cash and Carry. Previously I used rather than trying to guess how much I fortunes in this country and in medieval still required to see Ravens – usually in Finally in Luke 12 we see that God also to keep my eye open for when Beef was I still have lots of silver foil trays in need for eighty people. As each pan is times they were common in our towns south-west England, Wales or Scotland. cares for Ravens in much the same on offer in the supermarket (ideally down stock from last year (I bought 500!) and browned it is added to the big pan at the and cities. The cleaning up of our towns However, in the 1990s Ravens started way that he does for us. Although he to £5 per kilo) and stock up the freezer. we always have the big tubs of spices back, and then the tomato and yogurt and cities coupled with persecution and recovering from persecution and also sent his Son to die for us, truly Small tins of tomatoes are cheaper in in stock (Tumeric, Coriander, Ginger, are stirred in. Simple really; well, I hope control caused their population to drop spreading back to former haunts across demonstrating his love. the supermarket but I have found saving Ground Cumin, Cloves, Cardomon so. I am always incredibly nervous that it and they retreated to the north and west the country. In 2006 I saw my first local Roy Hargreaves, St Peter & St Paul every penny doesn’t always work and Seeds, Black Mustard Seeds) which turns out alright, but so far people have it is easier to buy big catering tins, and we buy from the excellent Asian been kind enough to say they enjoy it. CLUES ACROSS rather than getting the best deal on naan supermarket in Hemel. I also need to Huw Bellis, Tring Team 1. Book of the O.T. (6) 4. 3rd of the Trinity (6) 7. Cannot be changed (9) 9. ‘….’ of Cleeves (4) 10. Way out (4) 11. Long, wordy narration (5) 13. Large shops (6) 14. Speak up for (6) 15. Action taken to pray (6) 17. Outdated term for girl (6) 19. ‘Thou shalt not ‘…..’ (5) 20. Old fashioned for ‘do’ (4) 22. Man, given over to God (4) 23. Parable ‘The good ………’ (9) 24. Warrior and ruler of Assyria (6) 25. Left to oneself (6)

CLUES DOWN 1. Where Jesus appeared after the resurrection (6) 2. Title of female peer (4) 3. Trees, cut down (6) 4. Treated with mercy (6) 5. Surrounded by water (4) 6. Sampled (6) 7. Children killed by Herod (9) 8. Made to create more room (9) 11. Makes secure (5) 12. According to the law (5) 15. A biblical brook (6) 16. Small piece of (6) 17. O. T. Prophet (6) 18. Possibly (6) 21. Grown on the head (4) 22. The most prominent (4) Answers on page 38 18 19 a real dog, not a toy.’ ‘Of course he isn’t real,’ she said, ‘He A dog is a man (or woman’s) best friend, part 1 must have a price tag.’ ‘But he is real. Can’t you see his tail Dogs have always wagging?’ I asked. been part of my life, ‘Nonsense!’ replied the lady. ‘Just from our first dog, look around you: all the dogs’ tails are Smudger, who was wagging. my companion when And she was quite right: as all the I was a child in dogs around us were mechanical with India, to our farm wagging tails. Eric, of course, lay there dogs, Tangey and totally inert apart from his thumping tail. Sadie in England, In the end I had to ask the person at the and then to my till if he could stay behind the counter. Mother’s Corgi, whom we finally adopted Once I was waiting for a delayed when she went to New Zealand for a train at Tring station while I was working couple of years. But these dogs were just for six months at the Festival Hall. pets, greatly loved, but there to play with, When the train finally arrived it was so to take for walks and generally to have crowded that there was standing room around. only. I wondered whether to wait for the It was not until I had my first Guide next train but Eric decided otherwise Dog, Eric, that I found that dogs could and already put his front paws on the be so much more than this, and become used him as a baby-walker, and quite On one occasion, my friend Hilary and carriage step and refused to move an integral part of the family, just like unperturbed, he matched his steps to I, as well as our own children, had eight forward or back, and just gazed intently another child or friend. hers as she tottered round the house others to take on the train to the Science at a man sitting on a seat reading his Although the basic principle of Guide and garden. He was a regular part of the Museum, Eric leading the group like the paper. Nothing I could do would make Dogs has always been to enable visually it was really the young, working people help to me. So I applied for a dog, and children’s make-believe games, played Pied Piper of Hamlin. Before we knew it, him move, and so intense was his gaze impaired people to become more who trained with a Guide dog, and Eric came into our lives. ‘hide and seek’ and rolled about with crowds had fallen in behind us saying, that the man finally looked up and said: independent, in the early days, this was many visually impaired people who had Eric was a large, Retriever-cross them on the lawn; but, once in harness, ‘Follow that dog! Look how he gets ‘It’s all right, dog, stop looking at me more related to work and getting to and become used to getting around with just Labrador, dependable, unflappable, he transformed into a grown-up, through the crowds!’ like that! I’ve only been travelling up and from the office. Training was strict, both a white cane never really considered a and wonderful with children. He was responsible Guide Dog, accompanying Eric was with me when I returned to down to London on this train for the past for the dog and for its owner, and it was dog as being an alternative option. like Nanna, in ‘Peter Pan and Wendy’, the children to school and to all their work at Stoke Mandeville Hospital once fifteen years, but if you must, you can not easy to bend or break the rules. For Certainly, for all the years I worked though he also had an air of Eeyore other activities like Swimming, Piano, the children were all in school. When have my seat, if you stop looking at me! the dog, once it was a year old, training as a Medical Social Worker, in various about him, and he was so laid-back, Guitar and Ballet lessons, and visiting I was working in the Geriatric wards, Just let me first collect my paper and my generally took about six months; and for hospitals in and around London, I only that even the Vet commented that he their friends. I shall never forget the one of my Alzheimer patients became briefcase and my glasses and my coat, the owner, it took a further month with used a cane to get about and never would have pronounced him ‘dead’, shouts of ‘There’s Eric!’ when the doors particularly attached to him. On one and you can have this seat.’ the dog at one of the residential Guide thought of having a dog, as there didn’t had he not twitched an ear! From the opened and the children came out of occasion, a nurse from the ward came My embarrassment, however, did Dog centres. Being away from home for seem to be time to go away to train. beginning, he took charge of the children school each day, and how one little boy to my office very apologetically saying not end there, as ever afterwards, Eric a month was obligatory, and obviously When our children were born, – guarding them, looking out for them in particular came flying to meet him, that the patient wouldn’t go to bed until would try to pull the same trick on far easier for a single person to arrange however, I gave up work for twelve years and being totally devoted to their needs. hotly pursued by his distraught Mother he had seen ‘The Management”. Once the Underground, and no matter how than for a married person with family until they were all at school, and my Our daughter, Heloise, was eighteen shouting, ‘Tommy, Tommy come back! the door was open, my patient rushed crowded the carriage was, he would commitments. For some time, therefore, husband thought a dog could be a real months old when he came, and she You know how frightened you are of in exclaiming ecstatically: ‘There’s the stand half in and half out of the train, dogs!’ And Tommy’s excited cry: ‘But Management! Look, under the desk!’ fixing his gaze on some unsuspecting that’s not a dog – That’s an Eric!’ Whereupon Eric emerged with great traveller, until he stood up to give me his At Half-term, Eric and I would make dignity and took him back to the ward, seat. regular trips to London with the children where he happily got back into bed My second dog, Lenny, literally came to visit the various Museums, Galleries without further ado. tap-dancing into our lives… but that is and Exhibitions, and Eric was so good When I took the children to the subject of another story, and you will at steering a course through the crowds, Hamleys toyshop in London just before have to wait for the November edition of that working mothers often asked me to Christmas, the place was so crowded Comment to read about him! take their children up to London as well. that I put our oldest son, Andrew, Jenny Revel, St Peter & St Paul in charge and he went upstairs with his brother and sister to look at the Lego and games while I waited below amongst the soft toys and clockwork models. Eric, as usual, was flat out at my feet, when I became aware of a lady lifting his paws and looking inside his ears and opening his mouth. ‘Can I help you?’ I asked. ‘Well, no. I’m just looking for his price tag,’ she said. ‘But he’s not for sale,’ I replied. ‘He’s

20 21 Vanity Fayre CHIROPODIST Bereavement, a fresh and uncharted path The Sky News presenter Colin Brazier A survey of 2,000 people by ICM surprising. We are a secular society and Hairdressers asked people not to wear bright colours suggests that 54% wanted their funeral most don’t believe in eternal life, so For Ladies, Gents Wendy Hilliard at his wife’s funeral. He told mourners to to be approached in this way. And looking back at the life that has ended is ‘leave their Hawaiian shirts at home’ and according to the not-to-be-missed really the only way to go. And because and Children MSSCh MBChA HCPC Registered wear black. Co-op Funeral Care music charts, people are paying undertakers for a What’s interesting is that he feels ‘Always Look on The Bright Side of Life’ service, increasingly, they want that Established for over 30 years he needs to say this. But then he’s is presently the most popular song. service personalised, whether it’s an For nail cutting, treatment of ‘ill at ease’ with some of the modern (When I was taking funerals, we’d have Everton scarf on the coffin, or a camper Come and try our professional, friendly, hard skin, corns, thickened nails, conventions surrounding funerals. He to sit through ‘I Did it My Way’, more van for a hearse. great value-for-money salon does not plan to deliver a gushing often than not. It was everyone’s choice. Van Gogh had a quantity of yellow advice on diabetic feet etc eulogy at his wife’s funeral and has The irony of that wasn’t lost on me.) roses on the white sheet that lay where your wish is our command! politely asked beneath his coffin. Tel: 01442 822275 friends and former They were chosen Please call 01296 630189 colleagues to wear for him. ‘It was his 74 Western Road, Tring or ‘black please, if you favourite colour, don’t mind’. if you remember,’ Opening Hours 07969 741792 ‘It’s unfair on wrote his friend Tuesday-Thursday 9am-5pm for an appointment in children,’ he says Émile Bernard. ‘The Friday 9am-7pm the comfort of your ‘to insist that a symbol of light he Saturday 8:30am-1pm funeral should mean dreamed in our Appointments not always necessary own home rejoicing in a life hearts, as in his now passed. Maybe works.’ Simple, but grown-ups can effective. All new customers: bring this ad for a handle the cognitive Princess dissonance required Diana’s funeral, in ‘celebrating’ a life with its Elton John 10% discount rather than, you know, being all morbid. Meanwhile, back with the music soundtrack and public displays of grief, But I seriously doubt children can.’ charts, Queen is the most popular group, is often cited as a watershed moment in He says there is ‘nothing funky about with nine tracks requested, including, which the British lost their stiff upper lip turning death into a fashion parade and ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ and ‘Don’t when it came to public mourning. This MILLENNIUM EDUCATION a free-for-all of self-realisation’, adding Stop Me Now’. The theme tunes to could be true, except that extravagant FOUNDATION it can ‘inhibit the necessary catharsis of Coronation Street, Downton Abbey and burials were a status symbol in Victorian the grieving process’. ‘The old stuff – the Strictly Come Dancing also feature. times, so it’s hardly anything new. Registered Charity No. 1077157 black and the solemn – works because Meanwhile, JCBs, camper vans, pickup ‘I believe my marble angel is bigger it distils the wisdom of ages,’ says Mr trucks, skip lorries and double-decker than yours.’ There’s just more money Brazier, who is a practising Catholic. buses are among the vehicles that have around now for people to play out their But he’s probably swimming against headed funeral processions. fantasies. the emotional tide, for the Great British You may not be surprised to hear The journalist Hunter J Thompson funeral has been transformed over the that I am uncomfortable when people tell had his ashes sent skywards in a rocket. last twenty or so years. Increasingly, the me what to feel; when people plan their He asked his friends to remember him ceremony is a ‘celebration of life’ rather own funeral with upbeat, self-knitted with the clink of ice in their whisky. While Are you hoping to go to University or College in 2019, than an act of mourning. Yes, death is ceremonies, and insist on a particular Jesus asked to be remembered in the but are concerned that financial resources might not changing its clothes before our eyes. response. ‘I want no one in black, no breaking of the bread. match up to the requirements? Are you under the Now it’s a time to be joyful. one being sad – and I want you all to What is important in any funeral is age of 22? Have you lived in Aldbury, Long Marston, Instead of pondering the sadness have a good time!’ that we’re allowed to feel what we feel, Marsworth, Pitstone, Puttenham, Tring, Wigginton or in our hearts and looking ahead to the I’d prefer to be allowed to feel what and remember as we need to – whether Wilstone for at least three years? afterlife, British funerals increasingly look I feel. This may mean I don’t wear pink. fondly, or in anger, sadness or both. back. They look back at the deceased’s This may mean I cry. This may mean And we’ll find the symbols that matter To see if you would be eligible for a grant, apply to life and celebrate their triumphs and I rage at the person who has died, for to us, symbols personal to us, whether Tring Charities’ Millennium Education Foundation for idiosyncrasies… and their favourite the things they did. Someone else’s instructed to or not. information and an application form. songs. The tone is happy rather than predilections and instructions don’t help. It may be that having ‘a good laugh’ mournful, celebratory instead of sombre. I also think that the creation of the at a funeral, dressed up in pink, is just Website details: www.tringcharities.co.uk/education ‘Everyone wear pink!’ as I’ve been funeral is a helpful and healing act for the best thing for you; or it may be instructed to do on more than one those left behind. When I die, I’d like that it isn’t. Bereavement is a fresh Telephone: Elaine Winter, Secretary to the Trustees occasion. those left behind to plan the funeral, as and uncharted path, and a personal 01442 827913 Email: [email protected] In this new world of loss, wearing they’ll know what’s necessary now I’m one, which we walk with honesty, self- black is often discouraged, and you’re gone. I’m happy to pay for it, but I think kindness – and whatever musical choice Please note that the closing date is 15 November 2018 more likely to hear Monty Python’s they’ll create a better service than my seems good at the time. to lodge a completed application for grants payable ‘Always Look on The Bright Side of Life’ ego would. Simon Parke http://simonparke.com from Autumn 2019. than Verdi’s Requiem. The shift in tone is perhaps not Reproduced with permission 22 23 Running for fun… What do you know about the Tring Churches?

When I was asked into Altzheimers so my friends and 1 Churches 5 Lunches, teas and coffees if I’d like to join the family were a bit ‘sponsored out’. But I a. Name all eleven Churches in Tring and Tring Parish. a. Which Church offers lunch on a Tuesday? runners on the Bike still raised over £300 towards the total – b. Which church does not meet in a Church building? b. Which day does High Street Baptist serve lunches? n Hike for the Beds thank you, Sponsors! c. Which Church has recently had a new kitchen? c. Which Church offers monthly lunches for the bereaved? & Herts Historic The idea this time was to find ten d. Which church is a Fairtrade Church? d. Where can you have afternoon tea on the fourth Tuesday of Churches Trust, my runners who would visit ten Churches e. Which churches are currently without a minister? the month? mum was really and run 10km. I haven’t run that far 2 Clergy e. Who offers coffee for a cause each Tuesday? surprised at my often but usually I don’t stop and, on a. Which two priests are married to each other? 6 Activities for adults reply – ‘I’d love this run – well there was the promise of b. Which minister has just moved to Frinton-on-Sea? a. When does St Peter & St Paul’s offer Craft and a Cuppa? to – it’s a great cause!’ But I love to refreshments and delicious shortbread c. Name the priest at Corpus Christi. b. Which day does High Street Baptist Church offer traditional run! I may not be quite as ambitious (yet) and jam tarts! There might have been d. Which Tring Church is associated with Rachael Hawkins? games and puzzles? as my older brother, Tom, who runs up lemon drizzle cake and sausage rolls too e. Name two other priests in the Tring Team. c. Where does Men’s Society meet on the first Wednesday? mountains and does half marathons not but my companions were always keen to 3 Music d. Who organizes the Ladies Group for Corpus Christi? just here but in other countries too, but I press on… a. Where does Tring Choral Society rehearse? e. When does the Justice and Peace Group meet? regularly do local Park Runs – and enjoy Huw led the way as he had planned b. Where does Choral Evensong still feature? 7 Activities for children new places to run. It’s fun running in the route but that meant Lee Dimond c. Which church regularly has links with the Salvation Army? a. Which afternoon does Youth Café meet at St P&P? company too, even if I do listen to music and I ran at his speed. I was told he d. Which Church do you associate with Anna Le Hair’s Piano b. Who offers crafts, stories and songs for under 4s on a and have my ears ‘plugged in’. Over the planned to ‘walk fast’ and do the event and More? Tuesday morning? summer I have been running for research alone but we did much better than that e. Which Church does David Berdinner belong to? c. Where can tots go on a Wednesday morning? and managed all ten Churches together. 4 Friends d. Which morning is Play Café at High Street Baptist Church? Nettle came too and created several a. Which Church is associated with the name FOTCH? e. Where can 7-11s meet on a Friday evening? diversions when he jumped in the canal! b. Which Friends’ event is regularly held in early May each 8 Comment magazine We talked on the way when not out of year? a. In which months is Comment not published? breath – about children (theirs not mine!) c. Which Church had a new floor and lighting last year? b. What is the deadline for your contribution to Comment? and the beautiful scenery we all take d. Which other village Churches also have Friends’ c. How many words make up a whole page article? for granted in Hertfordshire. We also organizations? d. Who contributes the Tweet each month? had confirmed sightings of Neil and e. Which Church had new lighting in September? e. Who composes the crossword? Judy Brown who were cycling between Answers on page 35 Churches (I was at school with their daughter Jenny, who recently married in All Saints, Long Marston, and my brother All Souls Services in Tring Parish James is still great friends with their son Andrew who was at school with him). Tuesday 30th October 10.00am I even learned some new routes I now “Rosemary for Remembrance” plan to run when on my own. St Cross, Wilstone The funniest thing was that Lee had thought the Jon Reynolds who was Wednesday 31st October running was the other one – my dad. 5.30pm - 7.30pm While he walks a lot, I can’t imagine him running except for a train… “Hot dogs and prayers” I hope we will do it again next year. I All Saints, Long Marston am certainly up for it. Jon W Reynolds, not the other one! Sunday 4th November 6.00pm St John the Baptist, Aldbury

Sunday 4th November 6.30pm St Peter and St Paul, Tring You are invited to come and remember those who have died.

You may wish to bring a sprig of rosemary or a flower to lay on the altar.

You are also invited to add names to a list of the depart- ed which will be in each of the Churches. Living God’s Love

24 25 with its connection to St Peter & St attached to the church: the Men’s or food but not money. One day however, Paul’s, Dundale Road School and New Society; the Young Wives, the Young one broke into the study and stole Changing times Mill. Tring School was where they moved Wives Playgroup; Mothers Union; the Donald’s wallet, discarding the wallet over aged eleven and Mr Stan Thomas was Youth Club. The latter used to walk to St the churchyard but not the money! Most ‘Times change’ we truthfully say but it is On Sundays there had been 7.00am, Head. Some children went to Ashlyns Albans every year for the Easter Monday of them travelled as casual labourers, only on reflection that one realises how 8.00am, 10.00am Parish Communions in Berkhamsted, where Dennis Aldridge Pilgrimage, picnic and service at the picking fruit, hops, potatoes etc. much. My late husband, Donald Howells, plus an 11.30am service at least once a was Headmaster, or to Aylesbury Abbey (they still do!). It is a fifteen-mile The editor of the magazine in was inducted to the parish of Tring on 28 month. There was a regular Evensong. Grammar School. walk – but they were driven home! They those days was Peter Bell who was a September 1966 – it was not to become I remember Donald soon decided to Donald used to visit Bishop Wood were given badges and my own sons, professional journalist working for a a Team Ministry until much later. When drop the 7.00am service which was regularly to take assembly. Shortly after who walked when they were older, still national agricultural paper. It was, of we arrived Chris Badrick, Vanda Emery’s very poorly attended, but still met with our move a new Head needed to be have their badges. course, only printed in black and white father who was Captain of the Tower, some disapproval. There was a splendid appointed there. The interviews were Derek Sandy was involved with the with a traditional church photo cover. rang a welcoming peal of bells. choir under Roland Stevens who was held in the Old Vicarage and I remember club. The format did change to a modern The first difference was that clergy ably supported by his two sons, Colin plying tea to about five candidates – all Tring had, then as today, a flourishing style and when we left it cost 12p. The then were generally only asked or and Robert. The churchwardens were white males! Paul Van As was appointed. Choral Society who regular gave change now is phenomenal and although invited to look at a parish by the patron Tom Grace and Chris Slemeck, and the There was also the Arts Educational concerts. The Red Cross meetings were I see many parochial magazines, of the living. Nowadays one can apply verger was Roland Tapping. The latter School, mainly a boarding school for then held in the Victoria Hall before the Comment is quite outstanding. oneself to be considered for a vacancy had been a steward on a cruise liner and prospective dancers and actors. But New Red Cross Hall was built, but still Relations with all denominations or even to become an Archdeacon! The on all parochial social occasions wore providing full time education, Beryl with Nora Grace as their leader. Scouts, appeared to be good when we came patronage of Tring had in 1966 been our furniture had to be carried by hand that uniform. Grey, a former principal ballerina at the Guides, Cubs and probably Brownies to Tring, although probably not to the passed by Dorian Williams of Pendley to the house – an unexpected expense. It’s a long while since I have visited Royal Ballet, was Head. She was shortly were strong. I believe there were several extent that exists now. Manor to the Bishop of St Albans. However, we moved – but with high- Tring and I imagine the shops are very followed by the strong personality of sports clubs but Jeremy joined the junior I am still in contact with a few Tring Another change for Tring was that pitched ceilings I do remember wearing different now from when I left in 1985 Mrs Jack. At that time about twenty- Rugby Club which was coached by Stan people. Jeremy was confirmed there, the previous incumbent, Canon Lowdell, woolly hats in bed on wintry nights! but the difference then must have been five girls were prepared every year for Thomas. Robert was married there and both had recently moved from the Vicarage in There was a large garden, but almost total. Next door to Frank Bly’s confirmation. They would appear all Both the Save the Children and my parents are buried in the cemetery Station Road back to the Old Vicarage, beyond the Vicarage was a field, now antique shop was a private grocers’. The clothed in beautiful white dresses and the Children’s Society had energetic in Tring: it still has many personal now Sutton Court. When I went to look covered by houses, but which then held bacon machine allowed one to order the curtsying to the Bishop – much to his members who held many fundraising memories as well as the warmth and at it I think I was mad to even consider a yearly visit by a circus and fair ground, thickness of the rashers required and astonishment. At times they came for efforts. friendship of its parishioners. moving there. Among other features much to everyone’s delight. whilst one was waiting, there was a chair tea as some were homesick with parents Now the Vicarage was adjacent to Dorothy Howells it had a large stone-floored hall; a Tring parish then was composed so that one could sit whilst your order abroad. the Church we had many callers wanting Ex-St Peter & St Paul big dining room far from the kitchen; of the Parish Church, St Martha’s in was made up. Metcalfes had yet to Then there were several clubs food or money. We always gave a meal bedrooms on two floors with only one Park Lane and St Georges at New Mill. become a funeral directors. Mr Cooper bathroom; no efficient central heating. When Donald arrived, Donald Flatt had had recently taken over the pharmacy. A redeeming feature for my children been curate but was to become Vicar of One surprise was that in Henry Street was that it had a wonderful bannister Wigginton. There were what were then there was a Jewish slaughter house, Mothers Union Tring Team Group for sliding down! However, a further called Readers: Ralph Seymour, Ernest to which a Rabbi regularly came to We have now been enjoyed each other’s company as well as disadvantage was that a removal lorry Philp, Victor Organ. The Church Hall was supervise the slaughter of Kosher meat. a group of Diocesan delicious cake! I don’t think anyone went wasn’t able to drive under the Gateway in Western Road, near the farther end of Tring had thriving schools – three members for about for a walk as it was so hot but enjoyed and had to be parked in Church Lane. All Christchurch Road. primary and one senior. Bishop Wood, nine months and our the views from the café over the reserve. meetings have been In August some members went to the well supported and Mary Sumner service and tea party at relaxed affairs. We All Saints Berkhamsted as guests of the have met for Holy branch. Mary Sumner was our founder Communion on a who started the Mothers Union in 1876 Thursday morning at 10.00am in and it continues as a global Christian Tring Parish Church every other month organisation which demonstrates faith and gathered together for coffee and through action. a chat afterwards. This will continue in In early September about sixteen October and December this year and so members met at our annual garden on in next year. party at Mike and Sandra Watkin’s In July about a dozen of us met home. We held a bring-and-buy for the on a very hot day at College Lake and Summer of Hope appeal and raised £48.00. We heard news of Deborah Munday who moved from Long Marston to Dalwhinnie in Scotland about six years ago. Deborah has recently been commissioned as Diocesan President for the Moray, Ross and Caithness Diocese, in effect the top half of Scotland, an area of remote and isolated towns and villages with challenges of how to keep branches going and keep them relevant. The Young Wives Playgroup children Roland Tapping, verger, in his steward’s Please pray for her. uniform Janet Goodyer, St Peter & St Paul 26 27 The Pen and the Sword – Nevil Shute Uprooted. Overlooked. Ignored. ‘To travel hopefully is life experience Legal challenges We need to talk about But what can I do? a better thing than to should increase alone would displacement. More As we go about our daily lives in Tring, arrive, and the true your political probably make than 40 million people this issue might seem remote and not success is to labour.’ credentials and anything like it are displaced within relevant. But as Christians we are called So said Robert Louis gain you extra unworkable. their own country. to respond to injustice and speak up Stevenson. votes. Nevil Shute ‘Slide If we knew all their for the oppressed, hungry and poor. One of our was a strong Rule’, Shute’s names, it would There are a number of ways we can do ongoing truisms proponent of this. early years’ take us well over a something. is that the pen Although British autobiography, year to read them Add your voice to the campaign. is mightier than the sword. born, he became was written in aloud – even without stopping to driven displacement is counted. Ensure that the UK, and other states, Nevil Shute, the author, can lay some disaffected with 1953; a biography sleep. The reasons for their displacement Why is this such a big issue? uphold and protect the rights of all claim to its truth. Many older Comment the post-WW2 by Julian Smith, are many: conflict, flooding, drought, Poor countries bear the brunt of both people on the move. Join the calls subscribers will have read one or more socialist government in the UK and an American academic, was published fear. But invariably, the poorest face the internal displacement and hosting for a follow-up process to strengthen of his books – in his time he was a best- emigrated to Australia. For some reason in 1976 following Shute’s death in 1960. hardest challenges. Displacement leaves refugees. The countries of the global protection for internally displaced selling author, although the professional it seems that he was unhappy about Shute himself had planned to produce many without a safe place to call home. North are failing poorer communities by people. Read more and sign the literati discounted his work almost the possibility of a future Welsh prime a second autobiography called ‘Set It increases the chances of losing out on neglecting their responsibility to support petition by visiting www.christianaid. completely. Several of his stories were minister! Square’, but it was never written. jobs and education, and it puts people at people on the move. Even though they org.uk/campaigns/christian-aid-week- made into successful films. Finding his He outlined his ideas in one of his Shute’s biographer examines his increased risk of violence. make up around two thirds of those campaign-action or www.caid.org.uk/ books in the existing public book lending later books: ‘In The Wet’. The story is legacy in some detail. He suggests that People who have been forced to who have been forced from home, displaced. system now requires some effort; Tring effectively a dream by a priest suffering between them, Nevil Shute (‘In the Wet’ flee are among the most vulnerable to the international community largely Tell your friends, family and people Library does not currently have one title from malaria, watching over a dying and other novels) and George Orwell poverty and exploitation in the world. ignores them. They’re denied the official at Church about the reality of displaced of his on its shelves. parishioner in the Australian Outback. (‘Animal Farm’) have probably been a Their health is incredibly precarious. protection given to refugees. people today. Invite them to come Shute was a deeply religious man The dream was a detailed look into the more significant influence on current Conflict hits them hardest. They and But Christian Aid believes that along to the exhibition on Friday 19 and although he rarely preached overtly in future. In recording it Shute described social (and economic?) thinking in the their children are almost twice as everybody counts. In response to this Saturday 20 October between 10.00am his books. His beliefs were implicit in a system of voting to be adopted in the UK and around the English-speaking likely as refugees to die from conflict- global issue, Christian Aid has created and 2.00pm at High Street Baptist his stories and appear to be part of his British Commonwealth. world, than any politician. related causes, particularly disease and a stunning photography exhibition Church. There will be special events on character. He was a ‘muscular’ Christian His proposed system was: ‘A basic Bill Bradford, St Peter & St Paul starvation. which will be in Tring on Friday 19 and Saturday for children and adults to learn who pursued his faith through his vote for everyone; Even 40 million is probably an Saturday 20 October. This exhibition more and respond to the exhibition, as professional work, both as an engineer a vote for gaining a underestimate. We don’t know the true brings to life the personal stories of well as refreshments. Contact me for and as a writer. The RL Stevenson university degree; scale of displacement because of the displaced people. Through photographs more information on 01442 824054 or quotation above was the preamble to his a vote for serving complexity of the situations, because and ID cards you will learn more email [email protected]. autobiography. as a commissioned vulnerable people are often overlooked, about people’s lives in the midst of Polly Eaton Shute’s early experience in the officer in the Armed and because not all climate- or disaster- displacement and uncertainty. High Street Baptist Church UK, pre-WW2, was as a senior airship Forces; a vote for designer. His observation of government working overseas for officials and politicians on a major two years; a vote for national project (the R100), did much raising two children to form his philosophy. It led him to a to the age of 14 very negative view of ministers and civil without divorce; servants. a vote for being a He later, with others, set up a priest in a ‘Christian’ manufacturing company called Airspeed church; a vote for Ltd, that designed and produced one of being a successful WW2’s most successful training aircraft private sector – the Airspeed Oxford. After he left the entrepreneur; and a company it went on to manufacture the discretionary vote Horsa series of towed gliders, widely given by the Queen used in the invasions in Europe. for outstanding Most of us have lived all our lives in achievement.’ a democracy based on the idea of ‘one Not surprisingly person, one vote’. It is rarely questioned. perhaps, it would It was not always so, and students of have given Nevil British history are well aware of the Shute five votes. development of a universal franchise Leaving aside based simply on a minimum age. It the changes in defines our own democracy and is now British society since he wrote it, effectively an accepted global norm. Falmata Bulama Borno state. The conditions are appalling. Because there’s the question of There is, however, a school of Falmata Bulama and her children Yagana and Bakuva fled the no provision and protection for people like Falmata and her administering it thought about ‘earning’ a multiple terror of Boko Haram. Now, they’re forced to live in a makeshift children, this temporary dwelling is the closest thing they have is mind-boggling. vote. One idea is that appropriate community just outside Maiduguri, the biggest town in Nigeria’s to safety. 28 29 Food and fun… Tring Mansion and the jazz baroness

‘So I commend Last month the Tring governesses, tutors, footmen, valets, to New York, in particular Thelonious enjoyment, for there & District Local chauffeurs and grooms.’ At sixteen she Monk and Charlie Parker. All this put her is nothing better for History & Museum went to a Parisian finishing school and marriage under great strain and she and people under the Society hosted a then travelled with her sister through her disapproving husband effectively sun than to eat, and sold-out Jazz Event Germany, Austria and Italy, where they separated. In March 1955 Parker was drink, and enjoy at the Mansion to found dead in Nica’s apartment at the themselves, for this commemorate Stanhope Hotel. Not surprisingly, she will go with them Pannonica and her husband divorced soon after. in their toil through Rothschild (known She had problems with money and the days of life that God gives them as ‘Nica’). It told the highly unlikely her musician visitors, and had various under the sun.’ (Ecclesiastes 8:15 New story of how Nica became known as run-ins with other New York Hotels, but Revised Standard Version, Anglicised) the jazz baroness and the leading eventually found an attractive house patron of jazz musicians in New York. directly across the Hudson River from Anyone who knows Huw Bellis will know Her identification with their bohemian midtown New York. that he enjoys cooking, and he particularly lifestyles also got her into some serious Jazz combos rehearsed there and enjoys cooking outdoors. We both like trouble. Monk occasionally composed at the inviting people to share in the glorious However, her story began in Tring piano. His wife Nellie became a firm food he makes, and over the summer, Mansion, where around 100 years ago friend. Nica became a sounding board we invite the governors of the Church she and her three elder siblings, Miriam for the musicians’ personal problems schools round for BBQs, to say thank (who became an eminent zoologist), and acted from time to time as a you for all their commitment and hard Liberty and Victor, lived and played manager. She was also renowned for work. Needless to say, Huw sees this as around the house and its extensive park. her generous hospitality and lack of any an excuse to add to the vast amount of Nica was born in 1913, the daughter of colour prejudice. However, in October catering equipment he already has. Charles Rothschild and his impressive Pannonica de Koenigswarter (née 1958 there was an incident in which she We also cook a curry for the Austrian-Jewish wife, Rózsika Edle Rothschild) defended Monk from rough handling fundraising curry and quiz at Long Donations how will people get to it? Practicalities von Wertheimstein, a descendant of first encountered anti-semitism. She by the police, when he was reluctant Marston (this year on 26 October – If people ask what they can bring, we are very important. And we recommend an old noble family. Charles worked had her coming-out ball at eighteen and to leave her car and go to the police tickets available!) and while we don’t usually say salads or a pudding. We have the primary school system for the end in his family’s banking business, but spent the next three years attending station. The car was searched and a cook this outdoors, it is amazing that had the most wonderful imaginative and – one pot for cutlery, one pot for scraps really preferred attending to his insect parties, enjoying cars and learning to can of marijuana was found. She was you can produce a meal for eighty on a tasty salads this way, many of which and a pile of plates. But we don’t make collection. Nica was named after a fly. She met a mining engineer, Baron arrested, convicted of possession of domestic cooker. are very simple to copy (grated carrot you finish the first course before you rare type of moth! Charles was also a Jules de Koenigswarter, another highly narcotics and sentenced to a three-year In our years of catering together, we with olive oil and pine nuts and a grating have your pudding. leading proponent of nature conservation organized person, whom she married jail term. One of her musician friends have learnt some lessons, and so I share of black pepper to name one). The and involved in public service. Sadly, in New York after some determined commented: ‘she often gets into trouble them with you, in case you ever feel the puddings alternate between the lovely Many hands make…? in 1923, after suffering encephalitis, wooing on his part. They lived in some just by being white and hanging out with need to cater for forty on a regular basis. shop-bought ones that I have spent Anyone who offers to help needs to be he committed suicide and therefore style in France, but in 1939 her husband us negroes. It figures. If you’re driving years telling the kids they cannot have, able to follow orders/instructions. To get predeceased his older brother, Walter, was called up to join the French army. with colored cats in a Rolls-Royce, Roles and responsibility to gorgeous home-made numbers. The food out to a large number of people the 2nd Baron Rothschild. The suicide In the following year, with the Germans you’re going to attract attention.’ In It will come as no surprise to anyone to only disadvantage of this is that if there requires organisation, and people who deeply affected Nica and her family. coming, she fled with her children and the end the case was dismissed on a know that I am in charge of crockery, is a huge choice of puddings, people do will do what is asked are a great bonus! As Walter died without issue, Victor servants to London. On her husband’s technicality. cutlery, glasses, table decorations and like to take some of several, so it can became the 3rd Baron Rothschild. orders she took her children to America, She continued to champion Monk’s anything that is not actually to do with work better being more specific and ask It is a great honour and a great joy to Incidentally, I was shocked to read in where she left them with a Long Island work and he eventually retired to her food. Huw does the food. And the for apple pie or tray bakes, for example. be able to share food with others, and it Hannah Rothschild’s biography ‘The family for six years. house where he died in 1982. Many jazz moving of garden furniture. Play to your feels very much part of our faith and our Baroness: the search for Nica the During the war years Nica became compositions were composed in her strengths. Proper plates and cutlery ministry. I recommend it. rebellious Rothschild’ that in 1936 evermore independent and engaged honour, including Monk’s ‘Pannonica’. I know that it can make it easier for those Jane Banister, Tring Team Victor was refused service in an English in various activities to support the She died in 1988, surrounded by her Keep it simple hosting to use disposable stuff, but I restaurant as he was a Jew. Anti- French war effort, eventually becoming cats and disinherited by the Rothschilds. Large quantities of good food cooked find it difficult to do both because it is so semitism was obviously rife way beyond a soldier in the Free French Army. After Nica’s involvement with jazz arose well always works (and feeds the family wasteful, and because I hate trying to eat that in Nazi Germany. This resonates the war her husband was appointed to because she found it very sad and for several days afterwards as we always a burger with a plastic fork on a paper with the current disgraceful row within the French diplomatic service, which beautiful, expressing for her a desire have leftovers). Anything cooked in plate. I usually end up breaking the fork, the Labour Party. she found increasingly tedious. During for freedom and friendship which she one big pot – curry, paella – looks very eating at least one of the tines, and the Nica and her siblings had a very a posting to Mexico, she escaped from found with the musicians. After noting impressive. plate slowly absorbs the ketchup and organized childhood, micro-managed by time to time to New York to pursue her her strict upbringing, the early tragic bends in half. It doesn’t matter if nothing her brilliant but dominant mother. They interest in jazz and to meet the jazz loss of her father and years of marriage Suppliers matches – call it shabby chic (or just were segregated from other children musicians. This interest had started in with a controlling husband, coupled Cash and carries are great, as is shabby in our case). to avoid catching any disease. Nica her late teens, when she found the music with her strong desire for independence, the Mosaic Supermarket in Hemel recalled that she ‘was moved from beautiful. She thought that the musicians one can begin to see the reason for the Hempstead. If you have never been to How to serve? one great country house to another would also be beautiful in some way, baroness’s unlikely obsession with jazz. the latter, I recommend it. Why buy a tiny Think about how you serve the food as in the germless immunity of reserved as she believed they played with such Martin Wells 40g pot of cinnamon, when you can buy much as what you cook. Will it all be Pullman coaches while being guarded truth. She began meeting various jazz Tring & District Local History & a 500g bag? ready at the same time, will it stay hot, night and day by a regiment of nurses, musicians in her ever-lengthening trips Museum Society 30 31 Parish magazine October 1918 Christ at the Checkpoint

Albert Bandy, M.M., L/c. K/R. Rifles, within 200 yards, and the infantry had The biennial ‘Christ at home. This place has a theatre (I was joined up on 12 Sep 1914 and was withdrawn through his position. He then at the Checkpoint’ told the best in Jerusalem) which is used wounded in November of the same year, personally superintended the dismantling conference is a by all groups for cultural events. While we and received the Military Medal. In July of his guns.’ His death was the greatest few days that were there we saw an Israeli Graduation 1917 he again proceeded to the front blow yet received in France to his brings together celebration with proud parents and and was killed on the 23 August last, and battery. in Bethlehem graduates dressed in their finest gear. The buried by his own comrades in a Military On the 7 September Captain and people from many next day there was a party for members Cemetery. His Major says: ‘He fought Adjutant Roland Maddison Vaisey, R.F.A, backgrounds of the Muslim population, which included nobly, and died a brave man’s death’. was instantaneously killed in action to wrestle with opening up a huge store of ‘pre-loved’ Sidney Thomas Fountain joined by an enemy shell. Possessing great the question ‘How would Christ clothing. As it was Ramadan, food and up in August 1916 and was killed on physical strength, and fond of outdoor respond at the checkpoints in the Wall drink waited till sunset, but then it was a 28 August last. His Lieut says: ‘His pursuits, he entered whole-heartedly that divides Israel from the occupied party, with a North African music group Company were getting dug in when we into the life of the Army, and having also territories?’. and whirling dancing. were shelled fairly heavily. Several shells three years he served continuously a gift of superb courage, he had come There are speakers with different Our developing respect and sense fell almost on top of us, in front of, and in France, and assisted in practically serene and cheerful through some of the stances on the Israeli /Palestinian of friendship with some of the people behind our trenches. He suffered no pain every large operation that has taken hardest fighting of the War. His fine and conflict, as well as some who have behind ‘Christ at the Checkpoint’ gives at all, and was buried on the spot.’ place on the Western Front during that manly character, and lovable disposition seen conflict around the world. Colin us some hope. The word Musalaha Frank Robinson joined the Herts period. He was awarded the Military will long be remembered in the town of and I went for a second time this year, is Arabic for Reconciliation, and also Territorials in February 1914, and was Cross on 16 August 1917, for an act of his birth. His family know that he lived and again gained hope and inspiration the name of the charity we support. among those camping in Ashridge Park, great bravery: ‘He showed the greatest and died in the faith of a true Christian from the people we met, in particular Each summer they organise children’s just before the war began. He was in personal courage and presence of man. He leaves for them, for his children, a speaker from Sri Lanka talking ‘camps’, week-long events that bring France by November 1914. He was mind in climbing on the top of a blazing and for us all, a good record of Duty well about how the church there has been together children from the different invalided home, but returned to the front gunpit and extinguishing a fire which and simply done. responding to the recent war. factions: Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, later on, and was attached to the Tanks, was threatening to blow up the whole of Our impression of the situation for Christians and Muslims, learning about and killed in action 11 June 1918, and the ammunition at any moment. There Palestinians was sombre to say the least the other side in the conflict. This buried in a Cemetery about eight miles were 30 rounds of high explosive shell – we visited a village in the countryside experience has touched thousands of behind the line. in the blazing pit whilst he was standing that is having its land and livelihood kids, and this summer the numbers Harold Edward Pope joined the on the top.’ For another act of equal eaten away by an intrusive Settlement, exceeded expectations to such an Inns of Court O.T.C. as a trooper, and, gallantry, on 5 February 1918 he won and whose people are living in fear of extent that budgets need rethinking. on the completion of his training, was a bar to his cross at Gouzeaucourt, a their homes being demolished. They are In a context where Palestinian immediately given a commission in village between Peronne and Cambrai. deeply glad when folk from the outside children only see Israelis who are the Royal Garrison Artillery and 117th ‘He kept his battery in action under world visit and get some idea of the soldiers, and Israeli children fear heavy Battery to France, but, owing direct machine gun fire and sniper fire injustices they experience. Palestinians, this is challenging and to a reorganisation, was transferred to and checked the enemy’s advance. He In contrast, the centre of Jerusalem encouraging work. Among adults, there the 1/2 Lancs Heavy Battery. For over did not cease fire till the enemy was was decorated with bunting and huge are groups who commit to listening to posters saying ‘Thank you Donald Trump’ each other and some very deep and as we were there just days after his supporting friendships have developed. visit. We stayed a few days in Jerusalem This work is challenging and takes time, The Poppy Project YMCA, an amazing legacy of the British and deserves support. mandate, deliberately designed so the Janet Briant When we started dreaming of the poppy that will start to appear in and around St we still have supplies. We want to use all Christians, Jews, and Muslims can feel High Street Baptist Church project to adorn Tring Parish Church Peter & St Paul’s from 1 November. poppies that are made. with poppies nearly two years ago, we At the end of August, we invited We intend to put Tring on the had no idea it would touch people’s supporters to come and help and we’re map and join the hundreds of other imaginations and that so many people pleased to say twenty-two people spent communities across the world, all would want to take part. Now with the evening happily sewing and chatting, preparing their own installations; all November fast approaching we have a common aim bringing us together. wanting, like us, to remember those who been busy, with help, by sewing the Encouraged by friends saying, ‘when died 100 years ago. enormous number of poppies onto ropes is the next one?, we have two more Janet Goodyer, St Peter & St Paul and fishing line, ready for the installation dates, Saturdays 29 September and 20 October both from 2.00pm in Tring Parish Hall. All welcome. Many poppies are now attached but there are still more to do. Just in case you hadn’t heard, we don’t need any new ones started now as we have plenty to use, so please let me have any you still have lurking in your homes as soon as possible. If they don’t have buttons, please send them without as

32 33 TringMarket How well did you know the Tring churches? Auctions 1 Churches c. St Martha’s Methodist Church has b. High Street Baptist Church offers Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers a. St Martha’s Methodist Church, Corpus links with the Salvation Army. traditional games and puzzles on and Valuers. Est. 1982 Christi Catholic Church, High Street d. Anna Le Hair’s Piano and More takes Wednesday afternoons. Baptist Church, Akeman Street Baptist place one Sunday a month in the c. The Men’s Society meets at the Our salerooms continue to attract a wide range of customers from Church, St Peter & St Paul, New Mill Parish Church. Half Moon in Wilstone on the first throughout the UK and across the Baptist Church, Tring Community e. David Berdinner belongs to St Wednesday of the month. world and we deal with almost Church, St John the Baptist, Aldbury, Martha’s Methodist Church. d. Annabelle Halliday organizes the everything that comes out of your home whether 17th century or 21st All Saints, Long Marston, St Mary’s, Ladies Group for Corpus Christi. century. Puttenham, St Cross, Wilstone. 4 Friends e. The Justice and Peace Group meet on Visit our website and view the sale b. Tring Community Church meets in the a. FOTCH, the Friends of Tring Church the last Wednesday of each month. catalogues with accompanying Nora Grace Hall. Heritage, is the Friends organization illustrations, you will find us at c. St Martha’s Methodist Church has 7 Activities for children www.tringmarketauctions.co.uk. for St Peter & St Paul. recently had a new kitchen. b. The FOTCH Family Fun Day is held in a. Find Youth Café on Monday Look out for us on television - Flog It and Cash in the Attic are regular d. High Street Baptist Church is a early May each year for the whole of afternoons after school at St Peter & visitors, making the salerooms an Fairtrade Church. Tring. St Paul’s. exciting place to search for antique e. High Street Baptist and New Mill c. St Mary’s, Puttenham, had a new floor b. High Street Baptist Church offers and quality home furnishings. Baptist Churches are currently without and lighting in 2017. crafts, stories and songs for under 4s Buying or selling - we welcome a minister. your enquiries. d. Aldbury, Puttenham and Wilstone also on a Tuesday morning. have Friends’ organizations. c. Tots can go for soft play to High Street Fine Art Sales e. St Peter & St Paul’s lighting was Baptist Church on a Wednesday Total and and Fortnightly recently replaced with help from morning. Valuations for Part House Sales of Antique FOTCH and other sources. d. Play Café is held on Thursday Furniture and Sale, Probate Clearance mornings at High Street Baptist & Insurance Specialists Collectables 5 Lunches, teas and coffees Church. BROOK STREET, TRING, HERTFORDSHIRE HP23 5EF a. St Martha’s Methodist Church offers e. Corpus Christi has a group for 7-11s TELEPHONE: 01442 826446 lunch on a Tuesday. on a Friday evening called SPOG. www.tringmarketauctions.co.uk b. High Street Baptist Church 8 Comment magazine 2 Clergy serve lunches a. Comment is not published in January a. Huw Bellis and Jane Banister are on a Friday. or August. married to each other. c. St Peter & b. Please supply your articles and b. Andrew Openshaw and his family St Paul’s pictures by the 6th of each month. have just moved to Frinton-on-Sea. Church offers c. 400 words and a picture make half a c. Father David Burke is the priest at lunches for page; 800 and two pictures make a Corpus Christi. the bereaved whole page. You need lots of pictures d. Rachael Hawkins is the minister at St on the first to make a good double page article. Martha’s Methodist Church. Saturday of the d. Roy Hargreaves contributes the Tweet e Michelle Grace (Aldbury) and Didier month. each month. Jaquet (Wilstone) are also priests in d. Go to All Saints, Long Marston, for e. David Gittins composes the the Tring Team. afternoon tea on the fourth Tuesday of crossword. the month. 3 Music A local family business offering regular, occasional and e. Coffee for a cause is held at High one off gardening and maintenance services. a. Tring Choral Society rehearse in Street Baptist Church each Tuesday. Akeman Street Baptist Church. We can help with: b. St Mary’s Puttenham still have Choral 6 Activities for adults Lawn Mowing • Hedge cutting * Weeding Evensong on the fourth Sunday of the a. Craft and a Cuppa is on Tuesday • Garden Clearance • Fencing • Power Washing/ month. afternoons at St Peter & St Paul’s. Sealing • Turfing • General Maintenance • and much more Contact us now for a free quote and to claim your 10% discount on our first visit!

34 35

Notices from the Tring Churches Tring Team Anglican Churches St Martha’s Berdinner and students. Corpus Christi High Street The Tring Team consists of five churches: St Peter & St Paul in Tring; All Saints, Long Marston; St Cross, Wilstone; St Mary’s, Methodist This year’s concert focuses Catholic Baptist Puttenham; and St John the Baptist, Aldbury. Church on the Moments Musicaux, Church Church 1st Sunday of the month Weekday Services Afternoon Tea Impromptus, Songs and 8.00am Holy Communion BCP Tring Mondays 9.00am Morning Prayer Tring Fourth Tuesday in the month Sonata movements by Franz Sunday Mass 8.00am Holy Communion BCP Aldbury Tuesdays 8.30am Morning Prayer Tring 2.00-3.30pm All Saints, Long Marston Schubert. Refreshments Confession 5.15pm 10.00am All Age Communion Tring Tuesdays 9.15am Holy Communion CW served; admission free with a & by appointment 10.00am Sunday Worship CW Long Tring Book Group retiring collection for Christian Saturdays 6.00pm (Vigil) Marston Wednesdays 8.30am Morning Prayer Fourth Sunday in the month 6.45pm Aid. Sundays 12.15pm with 10.00am Worship for All Aldbury Aldbury St P&P Children’s Liturgy 10.00am Holy Communion CW Wilstone Thursdays10.00am Holy Communion FRIENDSHIP CLUB Coffee afterwards 12.00 midday Baptisms Tring BCP Tring Craft and a cuppa Regular meetings of the Weekday Mass 12.00 midday Baptisms Aldbury Fridays 8.30am Morning Prayer Tring Tuesdays 2.00pm, St P&P Friendship Club will start Mondays 10.00am 3.30pm Holy Communion Puttenham Fourth Tuesday in the month 10.00am again in October, on the Thursdays 10.00am Holy Communion Wilstone Men’s Society first Tuesday of each month Rosary Prayer group after 2nd Sunday of the month Wednesday 3 October 7.30pm at 2.30pm. Revd Rachael Mass 8.00am Holy Communion CW Tring Dacorum Foodbank Half Moon, Wilstone Hawkins will be visiting the Thursdays 10.00am Holy Communion BCP Aldbury Weekdays 10.00am St P&P club for the first meeting on 10.00am Holy Communion Long October Supper Christian Meditation Group Tuesday 2 October. Marston Youth Café Saturday 6 October 7:00pm 8.00pm in Sacristy 10.00am Sunday Worship Wilstone Mondays in term time 3.30pm St P&P Puttenham Fridays NEW MILL 10.00am Worship for All Tring Secondary School aged children meet Baptist 5.00-6.00pm Church Hall 11.30am Holy Communion BCP Tring for toast, crisps, coke and chat. Cecilia Tea Rooms Church SPOG (Small People of God) 3.30pm Evening Prayer Puttenham Friday 12 October 3.00pm Age 7 + onwards: SUNDAY MORNING 6.00pm Evening Prayer Long Marston Stick Sunday Walk Puttenham Tricia Apps WORSHIP 21 October 3.00 St P&P Saturdays Service at 10.30am with 3rd Sunday of the month One-hour gentle stroll Harvest Festival 9.00-10.00am Tricia Apps Junior Church and Crèche 8.00am Holy Communion BCP Tring followed by informal service and tea Sunday 14 October 10.00am SERVICES Sacramental Preparation SUNDAYS @ 7 10.00am Holy Communion CW Tring Tring St Peter & St Paul Sunday 7 October 10.00am First Reconciliation and First Sunday of the month at 10.00am Holy Communion CW Wilstone Baby Song John Watkins Communion 7.00pm 10.00am Worship for All Long Marston Mondays in term time 11.00am StP&P Piano & More Sundays ACTIVITY ROOM 10.00am Holy Communion Aldbury Sunday 14 October 3.00pm Sunday 14 October 10.00am 2.00-3.00pm Power Hour Tuesdays 9.30-11.30am 12.00 midday Baptisms Aldbury Coffee Mornings Tring St Peter & St Paul Audrey Cox Group Craft, stories, songs and 3.30pm Taizé Puttenham Tuesdays 10.30am Aldbury

Years 7 – 9 more! Suitable for 0 to 4yrs Tuesdays 10.30am Wilstone FOTCH Quiz Lunch Sunday 21 October 10.00am 4th Sunday of the month Pete Emmott COFFEE FOR A CAUSE Fridays 10.00am St P&P Sunday 14 October 12.30pm Revd Rachael Hawkins 8.00am Holy Communion BCP Tring Saturdays 10.00am St P&P Tring Parish Hall Parish Youth Worker Tuesdays 10.30am – 12noon 10.00am Holy Communion CW Tring Justice and Peace Coffee in the foyer in aid of Sunday 28 October 10.00am 10.00am Worship for All Wilstone Young Adults Group TAYA Harvest Beer & Hymns Group BMS World Mission Katie Breedyk SERVICES 10.00am Holy Communion Aldbury First and third Thursdays 7.30pm St P&P Sunday 14 October 6.00pm Michael Demidecki TOTS 7 October 10.30am Tring Brewery, booking essential michaeldemidecki@gmail. 10.00am Holy Communion Long A discussion group for young adults JEAN’S CAFÉ Morning Worship Wednesdays 9.30-11.30am com Marston Making use of our new Aubrey Dunford Baby play area, soft play, 3.30pm Evensong Puttenham First Saturday Lunch Justice & Peace kitchen facilities, Jean has Rosary Prayer group trikes, scooters! 14 October 10.30am 6.00pm Alternative Communion CW Saturday 6 October Saturday 20 October 7.00pm started providing lunches at Thursdays, after 10.00am Suitable for 0 to 4yrs Morning Worship Tring From 1.00pm for those who have been Bum Notes Band St Martha’s every Tuesday Mass GAMES AFTERNOON David Nash bereaved to meet and eat with others. Cheddington Village Hall (12.00 midday to 1.30pm) Ladies Group Wednesdays 2.00-4.00pm 5th Sunday of the month Contact Margaret Oram for information 21 October 10.30am and afternoon teas on the Annabelle Halliday Traditional games, puzzles 8.00am Holy Communion BCP Tring on 01442 824575. Quiz Night Morning Worship third Saturday of each Children’s Liturgy and refreshments 10.00am Holy Communion CW Tring Friday 26 October 7.30pm month (3.00pm to 5.00pm). Tim Prouse Viv Bryan, Helen Bojarski PLAY CAFÉ 10.00am Holy Communion Long CTT Prayer Breakfast All Saints Long Marston Everyone is welcome to drop 28 October 10.30am Safeguarding Thursdays 9.30-11.30am Marston Saturday 6 October at 8.30am St P&P in for soup (£3.00), lunch with Morning Worship Relax while the little ones 10.00am Holy Communion Aldbury FOTCH The Jolly Jazzers pudding (£5.00 plus £3.00), Harold Liberty Caroline Burmaster play 10.00am Holy Communion CW Wilstone CTT Open Meeting Saturday 27 October 8.00pm tea or coffee, etc. [email protected] Suitable for 0 to 3yrs 3.30pm Sunday Worship Puttenham Tuesday 9 October 8:00pm Tring Park Mansion Tring Mary Miles [email protected] FRIDAY CAFÉ New Mill Baptist DAVID BERDINNER AND Community All Souls Hot Dogs & Prayers FRIENDS CONCERT Meditation Fridays 12.00-1.30pm Church Baptism Preparation Wednesday 31 October 5.30pm Thursdays 8.00pm Freshly cooked lunches On Saturday 6 October Second Sunday in the month 11.20am All Saints Long Marston SERVICES WHO LET THE DADS OUT at 7.30pm there will be a St P&P Emmie Hobbs Room concert of piano music Every Sunday 10.30am First Saturday of the month at given by teacher David Nora Grace Hall 8.30am to 10.00am 36 37 Useful contacts

TRING TEAM PARISH Ken Martin (Wilstone) HIGH STREET COMMENT Team Rector 01442 822894 BAPTIST CHURCH Editor (Tring & Puttenham) Minister Annette Reynolds Rev Huw Bellis Rev Jane Banister (Long Vacancy 0845 8681333 2 The Limes, Station Road Marston) 07968 312161 01442 822170 or 01442 822170 Assistant Minister [email protected] 07411 483229 Kevin Rogers [email protected] Tring Team Administration [email protected] Distribution (Day off Thursday) Administrator David Whiting Trish Dowden Administration/facilities hire 01442 767403 School Chaplaincy [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] and Team Vicar 01442 824054 (Aldbury, Tring School) Janet Goodyer Treasurer Rev Michelle Grace [email protected] NEW MILL Chris Hoare 01442 822915 Aldbury Vicarage BAPTIST CHURCH 01442 851200 Hall Bookings Minister Advertising [email protected] Janet Goodyer Vacancy Sue Mayhew [email protected] 01442 824929 0845 8681333 (Day off Friday) [email protected] JUSTICE & PEACE GROUP [email protected] affiliated to Design School Chaplaincy Churches Together in Tring Doug Hewitt and Team Vicar Hall Secretary Secretary Anno Domini Publishing (Long Marston, Tring School) Barbara Anscombe Michael Demidecki Rev Jane Banister 01442 828325 07887 980004 Please contact the Treasurer NEW MENU AVAILABLE NOW 01442 822170 [email protected] [email protected] if you would like to take a [email protected] www.justiceandpeacetring.org subscription to Comment: [email protected] Safeguarding £10.00 for 10 issues each year. Jenny Scholes 01442 825276 OUR CHURCHES ONLINE Contact David Whiting if you Associate Priest www.tringteamparish.org.uk would like it posted. (Wilstone) ST MARTHA’S www.tringchurchmusic.org.uk Rev Didier Jaquet METHODIST CHURCH www.stmarthas-tring.org.uk Articles and photos for the [email protected] Minister www.tringbaptistchurch.co.uk next edition should arrive with (Day off Saturday) Rev Rachael Hawkins www.newmillbaptist.org.uk the Editor no later than the 6th 01442 866324 www.akemanstreet.org.uk of the previous month. Diocesan Lay Minister [email protected] www.rcdow.org.uk/tring Mike Watkin 01442 890407 Senior Steward SOCIAL NETWORKING Rosemary Berdinner Parish Co-ordinators 01442 822305 Tring Parish Roy Hargreaves 01442 823624 AKEMAN STREET @revhuw [email protected] BAPTIST CHURCH Minister Ted Oram Rev David Williams 01442 824575 01442 827881 [email protected] Crossword puzzle answers Administrator From page 18 Church Wardens Emma Nash ANSWERS ACROSS ANSWERS DOWN 1. EXODUS 1. EMMAUS 01442 827881 Chris Hoare (Tring) 4. SPIRIT 2. DAME 01442 822915 7. IMMUTABLE 3. STUMPS CORPUS CHRISTI 9. ANNE 4. SHAPED Ian Matthews (Tring) ROMAN CATHOLIC 10. EXIT 5. ISLE 01442 823327 CHURCH 11. SPIEL 6. TASTED 13. STORES 7. INNOCENTS Parish Priest 14. DEFEND 8. EXTENSION Jane Brown (Aldbury) Father David Burke 15. KNEELS 11. SEALS 01442 851396 01442 863845 17. DAMSEL 12. LEGAL [email protected] 19. STEAL 15. KIDRON Ray Willmore (Aldbury) www.rcdow.org.uk/tring 20. DOTH 16. STRAND 01442 825723 22. MONK 17. DANIEL WWW.THEAKEMAN.CO.UK | TEL. 01442 826027 23. SAMARITAN 18. LIKELY 24. NIMROD 21. HAIR 9 AKEMAN STREET, TRING, HP23 6AA Christine Rutter (Puttenham) 25. LONELY 22. MAIN 01296 668337 38 $WUDGLWLRQRIGLJQLW\UHVSHFW FKRLFH

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