September 2013 L New Series Number 17 L 50P Where Sold Bear Fruit for the Future a Harvest Appeal from Christian Aid
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Christ Church Link September 2013 l New series Number 17 l 50p where sold Bear fruit for the future A harvest appeal from Christian Aid This harvest, as we celebrate God’s mining and logging companies. That’s bountiful creation, Christian Aid is why Christian Aid partner the Pro standing alongside communities in Indigenous Commission of São Paulo Brazil whose most important harvest (CPI) is helping the community gain is under massive threat. the legal rights to its land. Did you know that every Brazil nut Christian Aid’s regional coordinator you’ve ever eaten was gathered from for Somerset, Gillian Alexander, said: wild trees in the Amazon rainforest? “This autumn as I speak in churches They cannot be cultivated: they do and to Christian Aid groups, we will not survive without the complex be remembering CPI’s work, Bebé’s forest ecosystem and are dependent community and their struggle to protect on particular types of bees, orchids this complex and fragile creation. and rodents that live there. “There is much to be thankful for Every March, Bebé Albenize and but a great deal to be done. As Bebé her community work incredibly hard herself said: ‘Pray for us to find a way gathering Brazil nuts from the rain to make a living from the Brazil nuts forest. These nuts play a central role and continue living here on our lands’.” in the life of the community, who live For information about Bebé Albenize in poverty. They provide vital nutrients and her community, visit Christian in a place where up to 10% of children Aid’s website www.christianaid.org.uk/ are malnourished, and they are harvest. There you’ll find a slideshow virtually the only source of income of photos illustrating the lives of the for buying essentials like medicine. Quilombola community and hear some Without the nuts, life would be almost of their music. Donations to the harvest impossible for the community, and appeal will support Christian Aid’s work yet the rainfor est is under threat from in Brazil and around the world. Brazil nuts are gathered from the rainforest. Bebé Albenize is well-known in her community for Photos © Christian Aid/Tabitha Ross her knowledge of where the Brazil nut trees grow. Living with Dementia By Angela Townshend Many of you read the article about “You will have to learn to be!” she Ned and me in the Daily Mail in July. said. Those of you who know me can That article has produced several probably tell that I haven’t learned letters, emails and some contacts that lesson very well! with old friends living in Australia! A few days after the diagnosis Three individuals have asked to come a clergy colleague asked how I was and see me because they are in a coping. I said, “I am okay, but I think similar situation. I allowed the article it is more than Parkinson’s.” to be published because I felt that many Two years later Ned was diagnosed people did not begin to understand what with Lewy Body Dementia. It is a it meant to have been a married couple, difficult illness to diagnose, as it is totally in love, who bit by bit lose the caused by minute “bodies” in the relationship, the intimacy and the joy brain that can be seen only under a of being together because of an illness. microscope at an autopsy. This causes Ned had been ill for about two years the loss of brain cells which cannot be and had been given early retirement in replaced. Symptoms of this sort of 2005 but we had no firm diagnosis until dementia include loss of memory, the Spring of 2006, when we had moved hallucinations, confusion and problems to Guildford. Our new GP saw Ned with speech and understanding. almost straight away and within weeks We have been at Christ Church for Ned had seen the neurologist and been almost two years now and we are very diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. happy in our new spiritual home. You, This was a blow to us both. The like me, will have seen how Ned has Parkinson’s nurse came to see us and deteriorated, and every day I grieve asked me, “Are you a patient person?” for the lovely man that I wish you I replied, “No.” had known. You had a glimpse of him when he presided at the Eucharist to celebrate his 70th birthday in April. We have received a lot of care from people at Christ Church who have seen beyond the illness to the gentle, wise and loving man Ned is. “As a carer, it’s really important to treat the person with dementia with kindness and respect and never forget that in spite of their illness, the person with dementia is still a unique and valuable human being.” (Carers’ Trust) Because I am not a patient person, I often feel I fail, and then that leads to feelings of guilt that I cannot be totally the loving carer I would like to be. It is common to many carers that they are burdened with guilt. It is not You can read the Daily Mail article online at the work that needs to be done (99% http://dailym.ai/12Pfvxn by the carer), it is the emotional stress 2 Christ Church Link September 2013 which is the difficulty. on this,” he said “DO this!” We need I sometimes feel angry that God has to be active in our commitment to our allowed this to happen, angry that my faith. Yes, we need to reflect on these life, as well as Ned’s, has been limited things, read and think about our faith, by this tragic illness. But of course God but we also have to live it out. I need to did not allow this to happen! Illness remember that in many ways I am living happens because we live in a fallen out God’s care in my care for Ned, and world. God weeps for us when we are that I have found I can understand weeping ourselves. If God changed all more of what others are dealing with, that we wanted changed, we would be having been through, and continuing mere puppets. God wants us to have to go through, our own problems. choice, free will, freedom! And freedom Sometimes I find it so very difficult means we have to live with the good to be patient and loving. Your prayers and the hard. God wants us to turn in and your support are very important. love towards him of our own free will. Some people have asked, “How can On the telephone recently a friend told we help?” You do help, by looking after me about a weekend she had helped Ned on Sunday mornings and sitting with at Scargill, a Christian conference with him over coffee. Some have helped centre in Yorkshire. It was for carers practically, and I am always open to and called “Finding God in Dementia”. someone helping me with DIY or cutting I asked her what she had brought away the grass! You can invite us for a simple from that weekend. She said: “One meal and not mind if Ned falls asleep or person pictured God, taking those parts drops his food. of the person he loved that were lost, Most important to me is being your and holding them until their death Priest in Charge, which feeds me and when they were made whole again.” She distracts me from the daytoday also said that several people said how difficulties of our situation. I – we both – important the intimacy of Communion enjoy being a part of the Christ Church and the Peace were to them, a physical community, and draw much energy reminder of Jesus’ love for us. from our worship and fellowship. God Jesus said “Do this in remembrance was at work in bringing me to Christ of me.” He did not say “think or reflect Church, and thank you for being there. Bath Civic Engagement Conference Life in Britain is changing very fast, not least from 10am to 4pm in the Assembly Rooms, because of cuts to public services. This means Bath. Together we will explore why and how the Church is needed more than ever in our Christians and Church institutions can be communities. This is a great opportunity for even more involved in meeting the individual Christians to work together to take real and collective needs of our communities. responsibility for our communities. There will be presentations from local and The new Bath Christian Action Network national speakers, stories about the Church (BathCAN) is encouraging Christians in Bath and civic engagement in villages, towns and to be in touch with each other and serve the cities, an exhibition of Christian projects in city together, opening doors to partnerships Bath and beyond, and a forum for networking with local government and other agencies. and discussions on the way forward. As part of this, on Saturday 28 September The cost is £10 per person including lunch. BathCAN and Somerset Churches Together, There are leaflets at the back of the church in association with the Cinnamon Network, with registration forms; or for more details, are hosting a conference on Civic Engagement visit www.springboardbath.org.uk September 2013 Christ Church Link 3 Talking point “The heart of the matter”: some thoughts on organ donation In early July the Welsh Assembly passed a One major reason for the objection was law making Wales the first part of the UK the specifics of the legislation giving rise to to adopt “presumed consent” to organ a concern that grieving relatives’ feelings donation: adult residents of Wales who won’t be taken into account.