The 50p Herald

May 2021 The parishes of St Margaret Downham St Mary the Virgin and St Peter

Ministry Team Rector (currently vacant) For general enquiries please phone or text 07485 039204 or email [email protected] and a member of the ministry team will contact you

Associate Priests The Revd Barry Hobson April Cottage, Highwood Road, Edney Common, CM1 3QE Tel: 01245 249099 email: [email protected]

The Revd Jean Andrews 3 Sewards End, SS12 9PB Tel: 01268 733817 email: [email protected] Note: The Revd Jean is currently on sick leave, therefore please do not contact her unless in an emergency. Churchwardens

St Margaret Downham Lee Baxter 30 Louvaine Avenue, Wickford SS12 0DP Tel: 01268 734266 email: [email protected] Michael Roome 1 Broome Close, CM11 1SX Tel: 07770 795388 email: [email protected] Joan Griggs 8 Warren Road, Wickford SS11 8NE (Assistant warden) Tel: 01268 763924 email: [email protected]

St Mary the Virgin Ramsden Bellhouse Beryl Clements 8 Duffield Road, , Chelmsford CM2 9RY Tel: 01245 601298 email: [email protected] Derek Hayden Laurel Cottage, 7 The Grove, Billericay CM11 1AU Tel: 01277 656211 email: [email protected]

St Peter South Hanningfield Derek Greasley 67 Park Lane, M11 1NL Tel: 01268 711092 email: [email protected] Melissa Clark Poplars Farm, Warren Road, Common CM3 8DG Tel: 07807 177464 email: [email protected] Contents Back to normal? 2 From the Ministry Team 2 May Day: unbridled merriment 3 From the registers 4 News from St Margaret’s Downham 4 News from Downham C of E Primary School 7 Community coffee mornings in Ramsden Heath 9 News from Ramsden Heath Luncheon Club 10 News from Ramsden Heath Horticultural Society 11 Ramsden Heath Social Club 12 News from St Peter’s South Hanningfield 12 Not Even the News 13 News from South Hanningfield Parish Council 15 South Hanningfield illageV Hall 15 What’s on where and when 17 Reflected Faith: Hiding, waiting, hoping – FREE! 18 Emails - a blessing or a problem? 19 Puzzle corner 20 Children’s pages 22 Smile lines 32 Contacting The Herald 33

The Herald is published monthly by Downham Parochial Church Council on behalf of the churches in Downham, Ramsden Bellhouse and South Hanningfield. Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Downham PCC. The Herald is on sale in St Margaret’s, St Mary’s and St Peter’s at 50p per copy. Alternatively you may purchase an annual subscription for £5.00. If you wish The Herald to be delivered to you please contact Robert Andrews on 01268 733817 or email [email protected]

1 Back to normal? Easter Sunday saw us return to worship in our three churches. It was good to see so many people again. At Downham we had to bend the numbers a little to ensure that everyone who wished to come could find a place, whilst remaining Covid compliant. We hope that we can now return to our normal service pattern, with the exception of the Family Service at Downham, which unfortunately cannot be accommodated in a Covid safe way. Please be aware that there may be last minute changes so do please make allowances if you arrive and find that the service is not as you had expected. Do check our websites and Facebook pages for last minute changes, or call one of the churchwardens whose details you will find on the inside front cover.

From the Ministry Team Hello everybody and welcome to spring! This is my first letter to you as the new Associate Minister to our Benefice of St Margaret’s, St Mary’s and St Peter’s. Thank you for the warm welcome that you have given to me, which I know is a bit difficult in these restricted days of Covid. But times are changing, and restrictions are slowly beginning to lift and who knows in a few weeks we may be able to meet more freely with each other. There’s always hope. Of course, for the church Easter is a season that reminds us that even death, however dreadful, can be overcome. But and there is always a ‘but’ in life, we first have to be courageous enough to accept what ‘hope’ is offering. New beginnings are always uncomfortable as by their nature they take us out of our comfort zone and put us somewhere unfamiliar. And if you are anything like me then the way you cope with the new is to try and take with you something of the old, of the familiar, into the new. Perfectly understandable really, but not very helpful when you need to leave the old behind. For me, as I begin a new ministry among you, I have to learn what is good to bring with me from the past and what is better left behind as I get to know the parish/s. It’s no good going somewhere new if all you do is transplant in total where you have come from, I might as well have stayed where I was if I am to live in that fashion: I suppose that is part of the message of a risen Christ. How can seeing Jesus risen from the dead mean that you can carry on in the same old way as before? A risen Jesus means a new way of interpreting the world, if it doesn’t then we will have denied what we have seen and experienced. The early disciples had to grapple with a new truth and with that truth came a reorientation of life’s priorities. For those of us who grapple with this God who can raise his son from the dead we to need to ask ourselves in

2 the light of this new birth how will we begin to see the world differently; and perhaps spring is not a bad time of the year to reflect on such things. Out with the old and in with the new. God Bless Revd Barry Hobson

May Day: unbridled merriment Having begun the return to normal after more than a year of lockdown, perhaps May is the month that will start to bring us some happiness. May is the month when the ancient pagans used to get up to ‘all sorts’! The Romans held their festival to honour the mother-goddess Maia, goddess of nature and growth. (May is named after her) The early Celts celebrated the feast of Beltane, in honour of the sun god, Beli. For centuries in ‘Olde ’ the people went mad in May. After the hardship of winter, and hunger of early Spring, May was a time of indulgence. One Philip Stubbes, writing in 1583, was scandalised: ‘for what kissing and bussing, what smooching and slabbering one of another, is not practised?’ Henry VIII went ‘maying’ on many occasions. Then folk would stay out all night in the dark rain-warm thickets and return in the morning for dancing on the green around the May pole, archery, vaulting, wrestling, and evening bonfires. The Protestant reformers took a strong stand against May Day, and in 1644 May Day was abolished altogether. Many May poles came down - only to go up again at the Restoration, when the first May Day of King Charles’s reign was ‘the happiest Mayday that hath been many a year in England’, according to Pepys. May Day to most people today brings vague folk memories of a young Queen of the May decorated with garlands and streamers and flowers, a May Pole to weave, Morris dancing, and the intricacies of well dressing at Tissington in Derbyshire. May Day is a medley of natural themes such as sunrise, the advent of summer, growth in nature, and - since 1833 - Robert Owen’s vision of a millennium in the future, beginning on May Day, when there would be no more poverty, injustice or cruelty, but harmony and friendship. This is why, in modern times, May Day has become Labour Day, which honours the dignity of workers. And until recently, in communist countries May Day processions were in honour of the achievement of Marxism. There has never been a Christian content to May Day, but nevertheless there

3 is the well-known 6.00am service on the top of Magdalen Tower at Oxford where a choir sings in the dawn of May Day. An old May carol includes the lines: The life of man is but a span, it flourishes like a flower We are here today and gone tomorrow - we are dead within an hour. There is something of a sadness about it, both in words and tune, as there is about all purely sensuous joy. For May Day is not Easter, and the joys it represents have always been earth-bound and fleeting.

From the registers

Downham Funeral in church followed by burial in churchyard 7 April Henry George Simpson Funeral in church followed by cremation 12 April Dorothy May Killworth

News from St Margaret’s Downham

Resumption of services It was good to welcome so many people at our Easter day service. In order to comply with social distancing we have been restricting the number of worshippers to around 30 people, dependent upon the mix of families and single people, but with careful management we managed 40 for Easter day. We were unable to worship in church last Easter, but looking back to 2019 we recorded a total of 140 people at our two Easter services. Perhaps next year Covid-19 will have been banished and we will be back to our normal numbers. Don’t forget to contact Mike Roome if you intend to come to a service so that we can be certain of offering you a place.

Party in the church car park On 1 April, with lockdown restrictions starting to lift, the Chief Constable of appeared on BBC Look East to implore the public to show restraint and not to indulge in riotous outdoor parties. Unfortunately the message did not appear to get through to the “youth” of our area. That evening we were alerted to a party being held in the church car park. Following the Chief Constable’s advice we rang 999 to report it, although we are not sure whether any police actually attended. Unfortunately they left the detritus of their revelling for our churchwardens to clear up. Approximately 200 laughing gas (hippy crack) 4 cartridges were recovered, along with “fag” packets, drinks bottles etc. Hopefully they didn’t encounter too many people on their drive home, because the mixture of laughing gas and alcohol would have done little to enhance their driving skills.

After the party was over! 5 The Jam factory Jean Pavely has quite a few jams and chutneys in her garage. If you would like to purchase some could you please give her a call on 01268 710810 to arrange collection and payment or Jean can deliver. She has Victoria plum, yellow plum, damson, greengage (only 2) blackberry & apple, blackcurrant, raspberry, gooseberry (only 2). Thin cut marmalade, thick cut, orange & grapefruit and one lemon which you can fight over! Chutney - pumpkin apricot and almond, courgette and walnut. Plenty of pickled onions. The price as ever £1.80 per jar or £5 for 3 jars.

6 News from Downham C of E Primary School

Downham-On-Sea Downham Church of England Primary School are pleased to announce the grand opening of “Dowham-on-Sea”; a beach on the front playground! The children will be able to use this beach area as part of their outdoor learning to support the curriculum as well as at playtimes for fun and exploration. The beach will be a fantastic asset to Year 2’s topic this term, “Beachcombers”. They were able to use it this week thinking about what should and should not be at the beach in their “beach clean-up” activity. We couldn’t have done this without the support of the local community who gave up their time and money to bring the project to fruition. On behalf of the school, the staff, the children and parents – thank you!

Swimming costumes at the ready? Brrrr

more photos over

7 Has the tide gone out?

8 Teachers have a go first?

Community coffee mornings in Ramsden Heath We hope that everyone is safe and well. We are still not sure when we can use the Christian Growth Centre again, but hopefully not too long to wait now. We may have to be outside until the lockdown rules ease again. Take care

Ramsden Cupcakes

9 News from Ramsden Heath Luncheon Club Like every other club and organisation, the Luncheon Club has suffered through the pandemic. It is now over a year since we met in the Village Hall and had our home cooked roast dinners. However, all has not been lost, we have kept contact with all our diners, by cooking a dessert pudding each week and delivering to their doors. Of course, when we began this back in April last year, we thought it was going to be for about three months and then everything would be back to normal. How wrong we all were! This Easter we delivered an Easter treat which included a chocolate pudding, simnel cake, hot cross bun and chocolates. We have been very blessed in the support we have received from South Hanningfield Parish Council as well as individual donations from around the village. We thank all those who have supported us through this time. The most important thing of all has been to keep contact with everyone and ensure that they are well and cared for. We are pleased to Derek Greasley pleased with his Easter gift report that our diners are well and looking forward to getting back together again for a lunch and catch up with friends. Barbara & Jenny

10 News from Ramsden Heath Horticultural Society What crazy weather we are having this Spring, just two weeks ago we were basking in glorious sunshine with temperatures in the seventies and a week later shivering in snow and freezing conditions. All this has had a confusing effect on our poor delicate plants which we were nurturing to display in our Spring Show. Of course, we haven’t been able to have a physical Spring Show once again this year, but we have been receiving lovely photos of your blooms which are being put into a slideshow for a ‘virtual’ Spring Show. As an experiment this year we have asked for your photos of the Unity bulb to be judged by an independent judge and the best one to receive a £10 gift voucher. The results of this and details of the virtual show will be given in next month’s edition of The Herald. The Committee are working together to see how we can begin our regular meetings and social events and details of this will be sent to members as soon as we have a date.

Pauline Maycey It is with great sadness that we report the death of our friend and long standing horticultural member, Pauline Maycey. Pauline was a very active contributor to our shows with flowers, paintings, crafts and cakes. She also served on the Committee for a number of years. She will be sorely missed and our thoughts and prayers are with her husband Ken at this very sad time.

11 Ramsden Heath Social Club As the lockdown arrangements are broadly following HM Government advice, the committee will shortly be meeting to ascertain whether or not an event or two can be held before too long. We will keep you informed via The Herald and the regular emails from Dave Charlton. Don’t forget the numbers for club enquiries etc. Dave Charlton 711671 or Dave Quinney 719238

Pauline Maycey RIP This is a sad time for the club as we mourn the loss of Pauline Maycey who died last month after a progressive illness. Pauline was a mainstay of the club since its inception and it is fair to say that many events held over the years would not have taken place without Pauline’s enthusiastic efforts. It will feel very strange when Pauline does not turn up at the next committee meeting and quiz nights and murder mysteries will not be the same without her. Happily, husband Ken has assured us that he will continue to sit on the committee and we will all do our best to continue Pauline’s sterling efforts to provide the village with a variety of events once this awful pandemic allows. It is nice to think that Pauline will be ascending to a better place at around the same time as Prince Philip. Let’s hope that they can both enjoy a mystery trip on a celestial coach one day soon. God Bless you, Pauline, rest in peace.

News from St Peter’s South Hanningfield In spite of the waning pandemic, the parishioners of South Hanningfield kept themselves to themselves and didn’t darken the doors of St Peter’s on Easter morning, when the Rev Peter Nicholson from Rayleigh took our communion service. The following Sunday the group’s new Associate Priest (pro tem), Barry Hobson came with his wife Mary, to conduct Evening Prayer. Both gentlemen mentioned are retired, but definitely capable of leading our worship and giving a good sermon. We thank them and look forward to their presence with us again. The diocese hoped that our Annual Parish Meetings could be conducted electronically and not bodily, but as we are not all Zoomable (including your correspondent), we have to postpone them until after May 17, assuming BoJo hasn’t been led down an even longer roadmap by his advisers than at present imagined. Now, some news from oop North: the Most Reverend and Right Honourable

12 Archbishop of York, Stephen Cotterell, late of this diocese, is advertising for a Chief of Staff, a new post paying £90,000p.a. We must be grateful that he didn’t have the idea when in Chelmsford, the Parish Share would be even higher than it presently is. For the time being, St Peter’s has excused itself from contributing to the Parish Share Scheme, because in 2020 our funds decreased by more than £3000, the third deficit in a row. This year we are expecting to have some necessary repairs done, so……. Quite clearly, some people do read my ‘stream of consciousness’ in The Herald, when I questioned the whereabouts of the peripatetic Cowley football managerial duo last month, a little voice in a giant frame whispered in my ear ‘Portsmouth’. Lo and behold – a couple of days later I received a phone call from that city. The caller on 6195xx remained unidentified and did not converse with me. However, thanks to Google I now know that Danny C was appointed manager from 19 March until the end of the season. Presumably promotion from League 1 to the Championship is the immediate target for the club’s owner and for Danny. Unfortunately, on 10 April they lost at home, but are still fifth and in the play-off zone, as, curiously, are Lincoln City, who, having moved up a League via the Cowley boys’ inspiration, are next to ‘Pompey’. Let’s hope they can work some more magic. Derek Greasley Churchwarden

Not Even the News Whatever else one might say about Napoleon Bonaparte, he was a man whose life, from beginning to end and a bit in the middle, was that of an islander, though never by choice: he was born on Corsica in the Mediterranean in 1769 and became a soldier in Revolutionary Period, narrowly avoiding the fate of his friend Robespierre. His military career blossomed and he became France’s most successful general, by defeating the Papal States, Austria, Prussia; he over-ran Spain and reached Moscow (before disastrously retreating). He became Emperor of France and initiated various reforms, including education and the metric system. The other nations, including England, negotiated a truce with France, resulting in Napoleon being exiled in 1814 by being given the sovereignty of Elba, off the Italian coast. He stayed there less than a year before feeling that Les Francais needed his touch of genius again. He landed on the south coast of France and in 100 days, travelling northwards, he collected what would be his last army. They met their Waterloo at, I forget where, but this time, Napoleon was exiled to the tiny extinct-volcano island of St Helena, which was lent to the British Government. He died there, two hundred years ago this month. And how do you pronounce 13 Helena? Hel’ina, Heleen’a or Helay’na? Derek - I think it is Hel’ina. In 2010, when I was appointed treasurer of The Guild of Church Musicians, one of the other trustees was a Dr Richard Fenwick who a little later was appointed as Bishop of St Helena. He has recently retired and returned to the UK, but I was in regular touch with him during his ministry on the island. It was interesting to hear about the way of life there and about the churches. I was involved in raising funds in the UK to provide the island’s cathedral with a digital organ, similar to the one I play at St Margaret’s Downham. Robert Andrews - Editor When you stop to consider conditions at work in the nineteenth century, as you often do, thinking things must have been better then than WFH in these Covid Times, second thoughts might be advisable. Around 1800AD there were Combination Laws which made joining together, for example to get better wages by striking, illegal because that was a ‘restraint of trade’. The most famous case was that of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, from a Dorset village, who were sentenced to seven years transportation in Australia in 1834. (The Laws were repealed around 1821 and the Martyrs pardoned). Somehow or other a way had to be found for setting up a ‘trade union’ which fitted in with the law and could act for its members without threatening employers and yet improving conditions. By careful planning, a way was found using the laws regarding Friendly Societies – of which there are some still in existence - but it was not until 1871 that Gladstone’s first government passed a Trade Union Act, making them legal. The restrictions of the Act turned out to be too severe, an example being the Gas Stokers’ Case in 1872, and changes had to be made. Many more have been in the 150 years since. Does anyone remember ‘Grunwicks’? A little before 1871 came the arrival of matches, no, not more football, but little bits of wood with a flammable tip in a box. The government needed to raise more money for the army, and proposed putting a revenue stamp on match- boxes. The manufacturers said smokers would go back to using tinder and their business would be ruined. A ‘demo’ by very poor ‘match-girls’, probably from Bryant & May’s in Stratford E15, marched to the House of Commons, and the government decided to raise income tax instead. The health of the match- girls would later command attention due to their absorption through their skin of phosphorus (used in the flammable tip), giving a disease called ‘phossy jaw’. Ironically, the matches were sold as ‘safety matches’. Around 1971 I used to travel in and out of Stratford Station, and the homebound platform faced the huge multi-storey B & M factory. It was, of course, demolished when Stratford was re-developed for the 2012 Olympics. Derek Greasley 14 News from South Hanningfield Parish Council South Hanningfield Parish Council has signed up to the Great British Spring Clean campaign. This will be held between 28 May and 13 June. If anyone is interested in joining us, please do contact me. We will choose a specific date for each Ward and there will be one person in each Ward who will be the designated co-ordinator for that area. Please email me on [email protected] or phone 07985 430365. Litter pickers, high vis waistcoats, gloves and black sacks will be provided. This year’s Annual Parish Meeting will be taking place via Zoom on Thursday 29 April commencing 8.00pm. Anyone wishing to join us, please contact me and I will send you the Zoom link. I will be returning to the Parish Office on 6 July. Covid restrictions will still apply and anyone wishing to make a visit will need to call me 01268 710820 to make an appointment. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Julie Moule Clerk to South Hanningfield Parish Council

South Hanningfield Village Hall We are making plans in anticipation of the Government relaxation of lockdown rules, however, all dates are subject to change. All Covid precautions will remain in place. We are all looking forward to resuming activities at the hall as soon as we are able.

Dates for Your Diary

Village Hall AGM Tuesday 6 July at 7.00pm We are looking for new members to join the Village Hall Management Committee, in particular a new Chairperson and new Secretary. We are also looking for a Bookings Secretary. If you are interested in any of these roles or just helping with the running of our village hall, please call Val on 07803 750780.

15 Village Hall Open Day - 10.30am - 3.00pm Saturday 10 July We would like to invite you all to tea/coffee and cake to celebrate the re- opening of our refurbished hall.

Regular Activities Please check with the listed contacts to find out when their activities will resume. South Hanningfield Village Hall Coffee Morning Second Wednesday of each month 10.30am - 12.30pm Upholstery Class Friday mornings 9.30am - 1.00pm Contact Fiona on 01621 776586 or 07887 507208 Pilates & Keep Fit Monday 9.45am - 10.45am Thursday 10.00am - 12.00pm Contact Hayley on 07758 427379 If you would like to book the South Hanningfield illageV Hall for any regular activities or events, please call our Bookings Line 07396 546050 to check availability and prices. Please ‘Like’ our Facebook Page ‘South Hanningfield Village Hall’ where we advertise all our events such as coffee mornings, quiz nights, etc.

NOTICE SOUTH HANNINGFIELD VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The AGM of the Village Hall Management Committee will be held on Tuesday 6 July 2021 at 7.00pm in the Top Hall

The meeting is open to all residents in the Parish, and any other persons with an interest in the Village Hall. Nominations for the trustees, which should be seconded, are requested and should be received by the Secretary no later than 29 June. All nominees and seconders should be residents of the Parish of South Hanningfield. Nominations to: Mrs P Coster, 52 Brent Avenue, South , CM3 5SQ or email: [email protected]

16 What’s on where and when The following dates are provisional and may change at short notice. Sunday 2 May - Easter 5 10.00am St Peter’s South Hanningfield Holy Communion 11.00am St Margaret’s Dowham Holy Communion 6.30pm St Mary’s Ramsden Bellhouse Evening Prayer Sunday 9 May - Easter 6 9.30am St Mary’s Ramsden Bellhouse Holy Communion 11.00am St Margaret’s Downham Holy Communion 6.30pm St Peter’s South Hanningfield Evening Prayer Thursday 13 May - Ascension Day There will be no service in the Benefice, but you are invited to join the Compass Churches service via Zoom at 8.00pm. You will find details on the Sandon church website https://www.sandon-church.info/index.php?page=OnlineServices.php Sunday 16 May - Sunday after Ascension Day 10.00am St Peter’s South Hanningfield Family Service 11.00am St Margaret’s Downham Holy Communion 6.30pm St Mary’s Ramsden Bellhouse Holy Communion Sunday 23 May - Pentecost 9.00am St Peter’s South Hanningfield Holy Communion 10.30am St Mary’s Ramsden Bellhouse Family Service 11.00am St Margaret’s Downham Holy Communion Sunday 30 May - Trinity Sunday As this is a fifth Sunday, normally there would be a joint benefice service at one of the churches. Unfortunately, because of social distancing requirements none of the churches is big enough to hold a joint service. Further details of arrangements will be published in due course. Sunday 6 June - Trinity 1 The Revd Barry will be away on this day, therefore we are not sure yet what services can be arranged. Further details will be published in due course.

Please note: because of the need for social distancing it will still be necessary to pre-book places at St Margaret’s Downham. Please contact Mike Roome (contact details on inside front cover) by mid-day Saturday.

17 Reflected Faith: Hiding, waiting, hoping – FREE!

A reflection on faith by the Revd Dr Jo White After many long months during the Covid pandemic we are at last beginning to be able to come together again. Some countries and some areas of some countries will be more open than others and we can only hope, pray and wait for all of us to be able to be ‘free’ again. May, in the Church’s calendar, is supremely the month of freedom. During the first few weeks we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus and reflect on the Bible stories of those who met Him after His crucifixion and resurrection. Then we celebrate His Ascension – Jesus’ return to His Father. And finally, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and all those locked in that Upper Room – with the subsequent birth of His Church. Freedom indeed! This last year has for most of us felt like a waiting time to see and hold friends and family again. We have some understanding of fear and the hope within us. What a celebration there must have been when Jesus returned to His Father – and what a celebration also when the Holy Spirit so powerfully descended. It is the story of those ’simple’ men who were scared and hiding one day and the next day bold and outspoken that speaks to me of something outstanding happening. As I received my anti-Covid vaccination I felt that same freedom from fear. Not that I would be 100% safe and never ill again, but rather that whatever happened now would be manageable. This month: Have a think this month about fears that you may have held inside you in this past year and how you have been able to manage them. Have you known the Spirit of Our Lord by your side as you have walked these roads? I hope so, and I hope also that together we can help others to know His reassurance from fear. Freedom indeed. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of all people and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

18 Emails - a blessing or a problem? With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. (James 3 v 9-10) I wonder what St James would say about emails! He had plenty to say about how what we say can cause lots of damage. He wrote that the tongue is like a spark which starts a forest fire. It is easy to say a thoughtless thing or inadvertently spread gossip or speculation. Emails are a great way of communicating. You can send a message to someone in the same parish or across the world almost instantly. Lawyers always ask, “have you got evidence in writing?” Telephone calls or face to face conversations are still evidence but it is difficult to prove what was said. Conversations are recorded so you can see the chain of who said what and when. Emails are quick and free. Emails can, however, easily be harmful. You can accidentally send a personal or private message to the wrong person or even worse copy it to lots of people. It is also difficult to judge the tone of an email, whether it is light- hearted or serious, cross or joyful. When are on the telephone or speaking face to face it is easier to tell whether the speaker is feeling angry or light- hearted. Sometimes we need a break. Emails are good but many people find you can never get away from them and constantly check for business messages while at home or on leave. Perhaps we should not send emails to the vicar on a Sunday night while she is watching Strictly. Some discussions are better face to face, and always double check who you are sending it to or copying to.

My Garden I thought I owned a garden The wild-life around me A lovely place to be So loudly do protest! A bird said, “Beg your pardon, They growl and screech till I can see “This land belongs to me!” That I am just a guest! A squirrel dropped a nut on me By Nigel Beeton Which wasn’t what I’d planned “Get lost!”, said he, “for can’t you see “You trespass on my land?” A pheasant flapped and squawked so loud I scarce could hear me think! “Get off my ground, for two’s a crowd!” He kicked up such a stink!

19 Puzzle corner

Across 1 Sense of right and wrong (1 Corinthians 8:7) (10) 7 Coming (John 11:17) (7) 8 ‘All I have is — , and all you have is mine’ (John 17:10) (5) 10 Smarten (Acts 9:34) (4) 11 Hold back (Job 9:13) (8) 13 Member of the Society of Friends (6) 15 At ague (anag.) (6)

20 17 Citizen of the Greek capital (8) 18 So be it (Galatians 6:18) (4) 21 Twentieth-century poet and dramatist who wrote Murder in the Cathedral, T.S. — (5) 22 Empowers (Philippians 3:21) (7) 23 Imposing (1 Samuel 9:2) (10)

Down 1 Healed (Luke 7:21) (5) 2 Central space in a church (4) 3 Co-founder of Spring Harvest and General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance 1983–97, Clive — (6) 4 Moses killed one when he saw him beating a Hebrew labourer (Exodus 2:12) (8) 5 Bravery (Acts 4:13) (7) 6 It interrupted Paul and Silas singing hymns in a Philippian jail (Acts 16:26) (10) 9 Transgression (Psalm 36:1) (10) 12 Irish province in which Dublin is situated (8) 14 Same hit (anag.) (7) 16 ‘The Spirit of God was hovering over the — ’ (Genesis 1:2) (6) 19 Author of the immortal stories of Winnie the Pooh, A.A. — (5) 20 Cab (4)

Solution on page 33

To spend an hour worrying on our knees is not prayer. Indeed, there are times when it is our duty, having committed a problem to God in prayer, to stop praying and to trust and to do the necessary work to arrive at a solution. – Oliver Barclay

21 Children’s pages

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Tel: 01245 381256 Mob: 07775 165978

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27 䄀爀攀 礀漀甀 氀漀漀欀椀渀最 昀漀爀 愀 䴀愀椀搀 琀漀 搀漀 琀栀攀 挀氀攀愀渀椀渀最 漀爀 椀爀漀渀椀渀最 礀漀甀 搀漀渀ᤠ琀 栀愀瘀攀 琀椀洀攀 昀漀爀㼀

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匀愀洀攀 搀攀搀椀挀愀琀攀搀 洀愀椀搀 攀愀挀栀 眀攀攀欀⸀ 䌀漀洀瀀攀琀椀琀椀瘀攀 栀漀甀爀氀礀 爀愀琀攀⸀

䌀愀氀氀 漀爀 攀洀愀椀氀 琀漀搀愀礀 昀漀爀 洀漀爀攀 椀渀昀漀爀洀愀琀椀漀渀 漀爀 琀漀 戀漀漀欀 䔀洀愀椀氀㨀 椀渀昀漀䀀洀愀椀搀椀渀攀猀猀攀砀⸀挀漀洀 䌀愀氀氀 甀猀 漀渀 ㄀㈀㜀㜀 㠀㄀ ㈀㈀ ㈀ 眀眀眀⸀洀愀椀搀椀渀攀猀猀攀砀⸀挀漀洀 䐀漀洀攀猀琀椀挀 挀氀攀愀渀椀渀最 愀渀搀 椀爀漀渀椀渀最 ⴀ 洀愀欀椀渀最 氀椀昀攀 攀愀猀椀攀爀 昀漀爀 礀漀甀

28 WREATHS CROSSES BOUQUETS

Eileen’s Florist

272 London Rd, Wickford SS12 0JZ 01268 735388

WEDDING FLOWERS

29 30 31 Smile lines

How to stay safe this Spring 1. Avoid riding in automobiles. They are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents. 2. Do not stay home. 17% of all accidents occur in the home. 3. Avoid walking on streets or pavements. 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians. 4. Avoid travelling by air, rail, or water. 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation. 5. Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in hospitals. So, above all else, avoid hospitals. BUT: You will be pleased to learn that only 0.001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at church! A Bible study is safe, too. In fact, the percentage of deaths during Bible study is not even 0.001%... So, attend church, and read your Bible - IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Coronavirus – warning about vaccine This happened recently and is an important lesson for our friends and family in the older age group. A friend had his second dose of vaccine at the vaccination centre. Shortly afterwards he began to have blurred vision and struggled to get home. He rang the vaccination centre and asked if he should go straight to the hospital for help. He was told NOT to go to the hospital, but instead to return at once to the vaccination centre and pick up his glasses….

Miscellaneous observations on daily life: • You know you’re into middle age when you realise that caution is the only thing you care to exercise. • Some people you’re glad to see coming; some people you’re glad to see going. • How do you start a fairy tale in the modern age? “If elected, I promise...”

32 Contacting The Herald

Contributions to the June edition Copy for the next edition of The Herald should be sent by email to Robert Andrews at [email protected] by Friday 21 May. Please send files in .doc, .docx or .rtf format. Because we wish to maintain a common house style please keep any formatting to an absolute minimum and do not embed photographs or other artwork. If you wish to include photographs or other artwork they should be sent separately in .jpeg or .pdf format. If you are unable to use email or are unsure about file types please telephone Robert on 01268 733817, but be aware that the telephone line has BT Call Guardian installed to deter nuisance callers, therefore you may have to announce your name and press the # key in order to be put through.

Advertising in The Herald All general enquiries about advertising should be addressed to Mike Roome on 07770 795388 or email [email protected] Advertising rates are currently: Full page £100 for 12 insertions Half page £60 for 12 insertions Quarter page £40 for 12 insertions We will accept one off or limited run insertions on a pro rata basis If you have existing artwork your advertisements should be emailed to [email protected] preferably in .jpeg or .pdf format. If you wish us to produce artwork for you this can be arranged for a small one- off fee.

Crossword solution

33 Independent Family Funeral Directors & Monumental Masons Serving the Community since 1840

Prompt personal attention day or night Funerals carried out in all districts Pre Arranged Funeral Plans available Ample on site parking • Horse drawn funerals Woodland burials • Green Funerals • Private Chapels of Rest Dove release • Home visits by appointment Funerals tailored to your requirements Memorial Headstones, additional inscriptions and renovations

32 London Road, Wickford, Essex SS12 0AN 01268 733108 Email: [email protected] www.scarterandson.co.uk