The Parish of Keynsham magazine
50p June 2021 Coronavirus / Covid-19 - Update for June We continue to cautiously follow the government’s roadmap out of the national lockdown restrictions. Our Churches are now open again for services and weare continuing with a mixture of both online and in-Church provision. We are following the guidelines of the government and national church and so are asking people who come to major physical services to pre-book. Everyone who comes to physical services should wear a mask, keep socially distanced and not sing. Service patterns are not the same as the pre-pandemic patterns, so please therefore keep in touch if you can, with the Parish website at: https://www.keynshamparish.org.uk The weekly News Sheet can be found there at: https://www.keynshamparish.org.uk/news and this has the detailed news each week. St John’s Church is open for private prayer on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am-12pm. Weddings and baptisms for up to 30 people, are allowed under the current restrictions. The number allowed to attend Funerals is now limited by the capacity of the Church concerned, so can be more than 30. It remains to be seen whether all restrictions are able to be lifted on 21st June. If visiting any of the Churches, to keep yourselves and others safe, please read the guidelines upon arrival. Please remember to wear your face mask and use the hand sanitiser provided on your way in and out of the buildings. When we return to a printed version of Contact for all our readers is not yet decided. At present our office staff are continuing to work the majority of time from home as the government continues to advise. Online Our online provision has now settled into a regular pattern: Sunday morning service at 10.30am on the St John’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/stjohnskeynsham/ Other Sunday services as advertised in the News Sheet. https://www.keynshamparish.org.uk/news Morning Prayer – each weekday morning at 9am Evening Prayer – some weekday evenings at 8pm If you have any questions about services or anything else, please email the Parish Office at:[email protected] Stephen M’Caw THE PARISH OF KEYNSHAM DIRECTORY (www.keynshamparish.org.uk)
Please note the Parish Office is currently closed to visitors and staff are often working at home. The best way to make contact is by email. If you are unable to email please phone and leave a message on the answerphone if there is no reply. Phone: 0117 986 3354 Email: [email protected]
Office Manager: Pam Gardner - Facilities Manager: Vacancy Team Rector: Rev’d. Dr Stephen M’Caw - Tel: 0117 986 4437
Team Vicar - St Francis: Rev’d. Anika Gardiner - Tel:0117 985 3470.
Missioner and Team Vicar - St John’s: Rev’d. Mike Burke - Tel: 0117 909 9425
Curate - Keynsham Parish: Rev’d Nigel Williams - Tel: 07850887498
Pioneer Missioner: Trevor James - Tel: 07368 526997.
Readers: Rachel Hall, June Lowe, Rachel Shaw. Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults: Parish officer: Wendy Harwood - Tel: 0117 986 2323 Directors of Music / Choirmaster: St John’s: Christopher Thomas - contact via Parish Office St Francis: vacant Bell Captain: Martin Pearson - Tel: 0117 956 4184 Parish Youth Worker: Philippa Traynar - contact via the Parish Office Parish Children and Families Worker: Vacant
contact via the Parish Office Caretakers: St John’s: - Steve Spiteri - contact via Parish Office St Francis: - Jenny Minty and Katie Poynter
1 Would you like to provide the front cover picture for Contact? We enjoy creating the front cover pictures for Contact but would love readers and their families to join in by sending in suitable pictures to create a bank of illustrations for the front cover. They could be photos or original art work. Children’s drawings are welcome but all must be in portrait orientation. If you copy a picture from another source you must be sure there are no copywrite issues. Ideally we will have a bank of pictures to draw on and, if as we hope there are lots of them, we will have a mini- exhibition in Contact from time to time for everyone to enjoy. Photos and pictures need to be good resolution (1Mb or more) Send your pictures to Contact at [email protected] with a short explanatory note. Kath, Robert and Hero
2
June 2021 One practical outworking of our faith is hospitality. Something that we haven’t been able to do a lot in this last year due to Covid. But finally we are able to see more of each other, even mix in houses a little more by now. We are able to have people round for a meal, not having to rely on good weather. Able to share life with one another. Shane Claiborne speaks about hospitality in the book: Common Prayer - a liturgy for ordinary radicals. ‘Hospitality was one of the marks of the early Church. Jesus was always going to people’s homes, and his healings and teaching often happened around a dinner table or in a living room. The early church ate and met in each other’s homes. It has been noted that when the disciples were sent out with nothing at all (no money, no extra clothes, no provisions…), it was not because Jesus wanted them to suffer in poverty or be left alone in the street, but because they were to rely on the hospitality of others. Not only were the early Christians to practice hospitality; they were to depend on it. There was no “us” and “them.” My house is no longer mine but is God’s, which means it is open to all. One of the early Christians pointed out the miracle of hospitality nda the abundance that comes from sharing, and said, “We have no house, but we have homes everywhere we go.”...Our Saviour came into the world dependent on hospitality, from the moment he was born in a borrowed manger until he died in a donated tomb. What is more, Jesus longs to meet us face to face in the disguise of the stranger, the guest at our door.‘ The Bible is full of stories of hospitality, life shared with one another. We worship a God who is a refuge to the widow, orphan and alien. A God who is generous. As Christians, we are called to be like that - to open our homes to others, open up our lives. Growing up, whenever we had people over for Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) or a meal in the evening, we made sure everything was tidy. Apart from grandparents, people didn’t just pop round. That was not the way we did things. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, inviting people over for a meal, a scheduled time. ’I d just like to challenge us to also embrace hospitality when our homes are untidy, when we haven’t planned for someone to come over, when all we have to offer is a cup of tea. Anika Gardiner 3 Vicki MacRae
It is sad to have to say good-bye to Vicki after more than seven years of devoted work in the Parish Office. Vicki has always been knowledgeable, hard working and helpful in her post as well as raising a lot of laughs. As a volunteer in the office I was always grateful for her kindness to the bumbling amateur. As much of her work has been involved in looking after the buildings and their contents she has not always been in the public eye, working steadily to maintain the site, as well as building up a large network of friends and contacts who smooth the process. However, her presence in the Parish Office has inevitably meant that she has also played her part in keeping the myriad tasks of running the parish under control. We wish her well in her new post at Julian House where she will be helping to keep the supported living accommodation in good order. The good news is that we are not losing her altogether, she will still be part of the St. John’s family and we look forward to seeing her in church. Kath McCarthy
Notable Days in June 12 June: HM The Queen’s Official Birthday 20 June: Father’s Day Environment Days in June By good fortune, June also has some special days linked with an environment theme and, of course, summer officially begins on 21 June. There is a lot of material available online for the special days, such as: 30 May - 5 June: Bike Week - cyclinguk.org/bikeweek (there are alternative dates online - some sites list Bike Week as 5-13 June) 5 June: World Environment Day - worldenvironmentday.global 8 June: World Oceans - oceanic.global/projects/united-nations-world-oceans- day-2021 21 June: World Giraffe Day- giraffeconservation.org/world-giraffe-day/ (held appropriately on the ‘longest’ day of the year!)
4 Believe Together on KTCRfm Have you listened to it yet? … the Churches Together in Keynsham and Saltford radio programme broadcast every week on Wednesday at 4 pm and repeated on Sunday at 8 am on KTCRfm 105.8? This is a magazine type programme with information about what is going on in all the churches in the area, a great variety of music to suit all tastes from the well-known hymns to the latest modern Christian songs of all genres. There are interviews with special guests, poems, and a just-for-fun quiz, and we incorporate the epilogue from the Keynsham Talking Newspaper and end with a blessing. The weekly Believe Together hour is put together by a small team of people – of a very wide range of ages – drawn from different churches. We started broadcasting just before the first lockdown in the KTCRfm studio with all the equipment available there, but when it became impossible to meet there, due to the pandemic, microphones etc. were purchased by a couple of people, with the help of CTKS, to enable recording to be carried out in their homes. So the team has managed to continue producing Believe Together hours throughout this difficult time. We are a small team working very well together but we would love, and need, others to join us, either weekly, fortnightly, or occasionally. So, if you have any technical skills, something you would like to share or a story to tell, or you would like to choose a hymn/song for yourself or someone else … or would just like to know more … please contact us by email at [email protected] or ring Peter on 07879402114, or leave a message on our Facebook page (Believe Together radio). And please tell others who might like to listen to the Believe Together hour, and also any who might like to help with it, including (possibly young) people with tech skills! Thank you.
5 This is a Christian outreach from Churches Together in Keynsham and Saltford to this area and its surrounds, but it can be heard anywhere round the world as it’s also broadcast on KTCRfm.com. (Also it can be heard anytime there on the Listen Again feature for 7 days after it is first broadcast.) So please do listen to Believe Together sometime and most importantly … tell us you’ve listened, what you thought of it, and what else you think we should broadcast. Many thanks. Celia Wallace
6 Communications The means of communication have changed considerably since 1784, when letters were generally carried by post-boys who travelled on horseback from stage to stage at approximately 4 miles per hour. A journey between Bristol and London could take 30-40 hours. However, a businessman looked for more speedy and reliable means of transport and came up with the idea of a stage coach. It would have a coachman and a guard and could do the journey in 24 hours. It was John Palmer, the owner of the Theatre Royal, Bath, who also had business interests in Bristol, who conceived the idea of introducing a regular service of small coaches which would be controlled by the Postmaster General. It was turned down by the Post Office. However when Palmer explained his idea to William Pitt, the Prime Minister, Pitt insisted on a trial service from London to Bristol, and on 24th August 1784 the first mail coach ran. The journey took 16 hours with a two horse coach carrying four passengers, with the fare costing one pound and two shillings. The service from Bristol started at the Corn Exchange and travelled along the A4 to Keynsham, where it proceeded along the High Street and Temple Street, then down Dapps Hill and crossed the Chew Bridge before climbing up the road to Wellsway. It then proceeded along Manor Road to Saltford and thenon to Bath. It then travelled through Chippenham, Hungerford, Newbury and Reading into London. It left Bristol at 4pm and arrived at London at 10am the following morning. I was told by a reliable source that before the Chew Bridge was built there was a ford across the river which was used by the stage coaches. The Mail Coach service was eventually replaced by the Great Western Railway which commenced in 1840 when the railway line opened between Bristol and Paddington. This means of communication was succeeded by the telegram. Then the telephone and the internet. I understand we will soon be able to travel to the moon. Wow! Bob Porton
7 The Clock and Tower The Friends’ meeting held via Zoom on 26 April 2021 After Stephen M’Caw welcomed everyone, Edmund Prideaux gave an illustrated talk on St John’s tower and church exterior. He drew attention to the differences in architectural styles of the aisles, and the numbering on the buttresses. He told us about the sundials on the west and south sides of the tower, noting that these were both installed after the clock. Keith Norton then explained the history of the clock, and the fascinating detective work carried out to try to discover its maker. Andrew Nicholls, clock advisor to the Diocesan Advisory Committee, gave a most interesting overview of 600 years of mechanical clock development up to the 20th Century. He started with the first wrought iron clocks, made by blacksmiths, which were supported in wrought iron frames with mortice and tenon joints, and continued to the sophisticated, precision engineered, highly accurate clocks of Victorian times. He explained the development of different components: regulators, escapements, pendulums and drive trains for the clock. A range of photographs from his personal collection illustrated the developments with great clarity. We then turned to our own clock and its problems. George Colbourne showed a short video to demonstrate what is wrong with our clock, and why it doesn’t chime the hours. A video tour of the ringing chamber showed where the clock mechanism is sited. He described how the various components which Andrew had talked about are laid out in our clock. This included the three train mechanisms, the winding weights and the electric winders fitted in 1975. Lesley Organ gave a personal account about winding the weights daily before electrification, which she did when the official winder was not available. It involved climbing 52 steps, moving all the bell ringers’ boxes and then winding three weights 30 feet with a long throw handle. Quite a task. Stephen then outlined arrangements for the future. He had received three quotes to repair the broken hour train ranging from £10,000 to £33,000 (all plus VAT). An alternative might be a brand-new steel shaft engineered to match the softer 1729 one, but the price for this is not yet known. When it is decided which option to follow, we will need to start fund raising. A lively question and answer session rounded off a truly fascinating evening. Mike Garside 8 THESE CHARITIES NEED YOUR HELP!
On Sunday 6th June and for the rest of the month of June, the World Wide Mission Committee are asking you all to contribute towards our annual Gift Day collection for these four Christian charities. CMS support our Mission partners Colin and Audrey Gibson working in the Lebanon and Prayer Partner Ruth Radley working in Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Their vision is to see all God’s people engaged in God’s mission, bringing challenge, change, hope and freedom to the world. www.churchmissionsociety.org TLM is where Dr Ruth Butlin worked for many years and with whom she still collaborates despite being officially retired! Following Jesus Christ, they seek to bring about transformation; breaking the chains of leprosy, empowering people to attain healing, dignity and life in all its fullness. www.leprosymission.org The Bible Society who work in over 200 countries and is a charity on a global mission to bring the Bible to life for every man, woman and child. They believe that when people engage with the Bible, lives can change - for good. www.biblesociety.org.uk inHope (formerly Crisis Centre Ministries) inhope.uk They offer food, shelter, hope and support in the community in Bristol. A drop-in centre for people who are homeless or who have low incomes, to receive a hot meal, clothes, and other practical support, in a supportive community. An emergency women-only night shelter for women fleeing domestic abuse, addiction, homelessness, and prostitution. The Life Course and Life Recovery Groups offer clients in recovery from addiction and abuse, mutual support and the development of life skills. 9 Emergency food parcels for people experiencing food poverty across South and East Bristol. Benefits advice, assistance with budgeting and healthy cooking are offered. You can donate using any of the following methods:- 1) Bank transfer (St John’s account) stating that the gift is for WWMC Gift day 2) Online on the link below or using the link on the parish website givealittle.co/campaigns/e2373631-08c8-4b2c-a79b-3607c7073431 3) Cash or cheques in the yellow envelopes available in St John’s Church Please contact any of the members of the WWMC if you need any help with giving. Alison Bracken, Rev Anika Gardiner, Penny Garrett, Di Nutt, Tabu Paul, Sue Sprague, Trevor Stubbs, Christine Woodward. So please support the Gift Day prayerfully, with faith and open your hearts. Give as generously as you feel able, as all these charities fulfil such vital needs and particularly at this difficult time, are all in need of as much financial support as we as individuals and as a Parish can afford. Susan Sprague
While having my prayer time this morning I found this prayer in the pocket of my bible cover on the back of a photo of St John’s Church. When I read it I was rather moved so wished to share it.
A Prayer for Parents ( Grandparents) Heavenly Father, out of Your wisdom give me understanding: show me when to act and when to remain passive: when to speak and when to remain neutral. Out of Your love give me patience, tolerance, and ceaseless care for the children you have entrusted to me. Out of Your forgiveness save me from taking personally words spoken in theoretical argument, and from becoming bitter, resentful or hurt. Out of Your Fatherhood give my husband and me the capacity to be the kind of parents that our children need. Because You are our Father we come to You in our helpless dependence. Thank you that You want us to do so.
Penny Garrett
10 Frommanna the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells June 2021 Giving back to our schools eachers and headteachers have been doing admirable work to support pupils during Tthe pandemic. They have not been alone in that dedication, however, they have been supported by a community of committed school governors. Since January, we have been appealing for more volunteers to become governors in our church Weston-super-Mare. He says, "It's schools and while some places great fun, hard work and gives me a have been filled, schools still have great sense of achievement when I vacancies to fill. see all the positive outcomes." Governors are crucial to the School Organisation and successful running of schools, Governance Adviser, Vicky offering a variety of skills and Christopher says, “It’s a great knowledge to support the overall opportunity for people to put their operation of the school. While all skills and experience to good use governors share these common and develop skills in other areas. responsibilities, there are vacancies Now more than ever our fabulous too for Foundation Governors who church schools need our support, also promote the distinctiveness and what better way to do that than of the school as a church school by volunteering as a governor?” and help with the development of Schools are looking for governors positive relationships between the from all walks of life, could you have school and its local churches. something to offer? Ray Pilgrim is a School Governor Find out more and hear from more at Christchurch Primary School in of our existing governors. ■ 11 News in brief News in brief
Twin your bin Around 2 billion people worldwide don't have their rubbish collected which is why St Andrew’s Church, Backwell has twinned their bins with Tearfund. By twinning your bin for £45, you can help fund a community project that's preventing disease, protecting Wild and beautiful Priddy the environment, and creating jobs. Jane Canning from St Andrew’s Join us for Wilder Churches said: “We’re delighted to be involved If you missed the popular Wilder with an initiative of such global reach Churches events run in partnership and importance. My husband Martin with the Somerset Wildlife Trust and I worked in Tanzania for two (SWT) in March, don’t worry, you years. When we arrived we expected haven’t missed out. terrible roads and poverty, but You can still watch the March what shocked me was that nobody session on line or register to join a collected our rubbish. We had to session on 30 June. burn it or bury it in the garden.” Visit the Somerset Wildlife Trust Find out more about Bin Twinning ■ website to find out more ■
Marking a year of chaplaincy Just over a year ago, Ewen to work on site throughout the year Huffman became Chaplain to and has quickly become a familiar Hinckley Point C, the first salaried and valued part of the team. Chaplain to the construction He’s established a Christian group, industry. Starting work at Europe’s runs regular prayer meetings and largest building site just as a global works alongside other health and pandemic took hold was never going mental health workers to provide to be easy, but Ewen has continued support to anyone who needs it ■ 12 Bishop’s Letter A time to learn By Ruth Worsley, Bishop of Taunton
am always ready to learn They’ve had a very different learning although I do not always experience than normal, with not so like being taught,’ wrote much opportunity of the ‘hands-on’ Winston Churchill. I think experience. I’m looking forward to 'Imany of us would echo that. hearing their stories! A huge ‘thank you’ to our teachers Our incoming deacons are being and all who support our schools! licensed as lay curates initially this There has been a tremendous June. For them, colleges and courses effort across to ensure our children have taken place principally online have been able to continue their and they’ve had experience of digital education during the pandemic. Not worship on top of regular lectures only have the children been learning and seminars. How might that but teaching staff have had to learn prepare them for our ‘new normal’ new means of communication. of blended worship, with live- Governors, church communities and streaming of services in person? individual volunteers have gone the As the Church emerges into extra mile too, to encourage our this ‘new normal’ we have the teachers through gifts and cards opportunity together to learn and and prayer. The whole school team discover new things, new gifts, new deserves our gratitude. ways of being the people of God. It is Learning online is a challenge. the same good God, the same story Those of us who are spending many of His love to share with others, but hours in Zoom rooms online can there’s a new landscape. vouch for that. It’s tiring! At the end “One learns from books and of this month we shall be celebrating example only that certain things can the ordinations of our new priests. be done. Actual learning requires Last year they were ordained as that you do those things.” (Frank deacons in September following Herbert) three months as lay curates as a Every blessing result of the pandemic restrictions. What a year to be a deacon!
13 Interview Bridging the diversity gap Sharon Warmington, CEO of the National Black Governors Network (NBGN), on improving school governor and leadership diversity.
diverse governing body, without it being a box ticking exercise. What practical steps can schools take? Skills audits and succession planning is one area to look at. If you review your governing body and realise that you could really do with Sharon Warmington, CEO of the NBGN. supplementing your legal skills, where hat brought about are you going to look for that person? the NGBN? Have you approached the Society of After many years of Black Lawyers? Have you approached being both a governor your local university for a young andW a clerk to governing bodies, I person’s voice? realised I was often the only person What are you hopes for the future in of colour in the room, and I felt very schools? strongly that that needed to change. There are no quick wins here. Change You recently led a session for will take time. Every school needs Somerset schools on Bridging the good governance and I hope to Diversity Gap, what did that cover? continue to support schools in their I always try and promote an honest bid to diversify their governing boards conversation, suspending political and also their leadership teams. correctness and pussyfooting around Find out more the challenges. We talked about Read more of this interview on the governance through the lens of Bath and Wells website. Hear more race and identified practical steps to from Sharon on the The Governors' help them recruit and retain a more Podcast or visit the NGBN website. Follow us on @BathWells bathandwells churchofengland_somerset 14 Queen Charlton Village and St Margaret’s Church Christopher McFee has written the story of Queen Charlton for us, based on the research and writing of Geoffrey A.J. Loxton. Part 1, The Village, is in this Month’s Contact and Part2, The Church, will be in July. Kath McCarthy The Village Early history Queen Charlton, less than two miles from Keynsham, is probably the smallest village in the district, situated on the former main road from Bristol to Bath. Reliable records are scant as to how far back the village goes. However, Queen Charlton can be pictured as a medieval village, with primitive dwellings. The name Charlton comes from the Anglo-Saxon Ceorl-tun, a farmstead of churls (free peasants). The medieval village cross stands on the green; it was moved there to celebrate Queen Victoria’s jubilee. The Manor At the time of the Norman Conquest, the farmstead formed part of the large manor of Keynsham; it is not mentioned in Doomsday Book as a separate manor. Keynsham Manor was given to Keynsham Abbey when it was built. In 1539 the Abbey was dissolved. Charlton was separated from Keynsham and all its estates reverted to the crown. Henry VIII granted it to his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, in 1544 and it assumed the additional name of Queen. After Catherine’s death in 1548 it passed into the hands of the Popham family, who sold it to Vickris Dickinson in 1769 and subsequently to a descendant, the Marchesa Chigi. The Norman arch opposite the manor, which probably led to the tithe barn, still stands. The village Most of the current stone houses were built in the mid- 17th century for tenant farmers. Poor houses were built on the corner of Queen Charlton Road and Red Lynch Lane in 1788, a row of six two roomed dwellings with an earth closet at each end of the row. 15 They were updated over the centuries. Until recently a lady who lived there as a small girl attended St. Margaret’s. These houses are now one large house called The Poplars. The school closed in 1922, when the last of the pupils moved to Whitchurch.
The school building is now the Village Hall; the attached Headmistress’s house is a private residence. A coal mine at Charlton Bottom was a local employer in the 18th century. It was never a commercial success. In 1781 it was put up for sale complete with pumping engine and waterwheel, but there is no evidence that it worked after this date. Dick King-Smith was a distinguished village resident. He wrote all his books in Queen Charlton, including “The Sheep Pig” (Babe). The village has developed over time, and now has about 35 houses, about which there is a wealth of information available. Christopher McFee
The Village Cross
The Sheep Pig’s Birthplace
Mounting Block 16 BOOK REVIEW: SECRET GARDENS OF SOMERSET By Abigail Willis. Photographs by Clive Boursnell Inspired by attending a zoom talk by Abigail with my gardening club, I am reading her book and am amazed by the wealth and diversity of gardens so close to Keynsham. Many of them will be well known to our readers but she includes some new (secret!) and private ones. Actual the sub-title is‘ A Private Tour’ and what a pleasure it must have been to research this book. Abigail visits over 20 gardens meeting owners, gardeners and gives a chapter on each with history, design information, key plant names and gorgeous photos. I enjoyed the peak into many private homes and the owners’ vision to create gardens within the landscape. Gardens new to me include: Greencombe Gardens, Common Farm, Batcombe House, The Newt, Westbrook House, and of course I am building up a (garden) bucket list of visits where ever possible! I was intrigued to read that ‘The Newt’ is a new garden at the well-known Hadspen House financed by a South African Koos Bekker. He developed the famous gardens at Babylonstoren, Western Cape, that I visited a year ago, and it seems to be on a similar grand scale. In contrast, Elworthy Cotttage is the life time work of a dedicated couple, the Spillers, who are now highly respected plant breeders. Abigail also included Common Farm at Charlton Musgrove, home of Georgie Newbery, doyenne of modern cut flower farming, so the range of gardens is varied. Much more than a coffee table book, Abigail makes the gardens accessible to us all, and has given me a greater appreciation for the county of Somerset and the gardeners who live there. - Amanda Judge
A GARDEN is a lovesome thing, God wot! Rose plot, Fringed pool, Fern'd grot— The veriest school Of peace; and yet the fool Contends that God is not— Not God! in gardens! when the eve is cool? Nay, but I have a sign; 'Tis very sure God walks in mine. Thomas Edward Brown
17 In association with: Keynsham Rocks
Hope Rocks is a new group that meets term-time every Monday 10am - 12.00pm in the Sanctuary Garden. Trevor James (Pioneer Minister and host of the Sanctuary Garden), Hero (Keynsham Rocks, Facebook) and Christine Woodward (St Johns choir & mission team member), came together to dis- cuss how they can spread some hope around Keynsham. Hero and Christine both have a creative, artistic flair and a love for rock painting. Afterew af prayer sessions and meetings, Hope Rocks was born! ‘We hope to provide a space for the community where they can escape the hustle and bustle of life, meet other people and enjoy some peace by the
18 river, whilst spreading hope around Keynsham. We want to be here for our com- munity and for it to know there is always a listening ear and space to be listened to’. (Trevor James) At present, Hope Rocks can host up to 6 people at a time and requires ookingb a space due to restrictions, but this will change once lockdown has ended, where it will run drop-in sessions. At present it is adults only, but it hopes to provide future sessions for parent and tots. Hope Rocks will also be going mobile in June as part of the Wild About Community gazebo that will be popping up around Keynsham, so keep an eye out on Facebook at the beginning of June for more details!
To book a space on a Monday contact: Trevor James, Tel: 07369 526997 Email: [email protected]
19 Keynsham Contact Printed Version As many will have realised the Covid situation has interrupted the printing and distribution of the printed version of Contact as many of the people who distributed it were understandably reluctant to do so while the risks were high. However, the magazine has continued to be available on the parish web site and has also improved by enabling links and all articles can be eens in glorious colour which costs preclude in the printed version. In the absence of the printed edition many have found the web version is all they need although we recognise that others either don’t have internet access or simply like to have it in booklet form. With the Covid risk reducing it may be possible to increase the availability of the printed edition although there are still some difficultiesrelated un to Covid to be overcome. If you would like to register your preference for a printed copy when these are available would you please complete the attached form. ------
Name: (please print) ……………………………………………………………. Address: ………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………. Postcode: ………………….. Telephone: …………………………………… Mobile: (optional)………………………………….. Email: (if you have one) ……………………………………………….. I would like Contact delivered I can collect a copy of Contact from ………………………………………….. Church Please return this form to the Parish Office or hand it to a member of the clergy or a churchwarden Alternatively you can email the above details to [email protected] NB: Completing this form is not a guarantee that we will be able to provide a printed copy
20 BACH YOU KNOW AND BACH YOU DON'T YET KNOW
In the continued absence of our 'Vespers@6' here at St John's Keynsham, here's something to keep you going: J S Bach's 147th cantata: Herz un Mund und That und Leben'
Of all Bach cantatas, this is my favourite - not just because of the timeless melody which we hear when we sing the words 'Jesu joy of man's desiring' (it comes twice in this cantata) - but because of the ingenious matching of truth and beauty in every movement!
So here are all the bits you probably didn't know - let the opening chorus thrill you as it does me every time I hear it. This is a recording of the Netherlands Bach Society in the 'All of Bach' project: https://youtu.be/h97JE4--p84
Among the comments below the YouTube video, you'll find this: "Absolutely wonderful! The LORD ALMIGHTY be praised for HIS amazing GRACE in CHRIST to a dark and desperately needy world - and HIS gift of J. S. BACH whose musical ministry continues to point us to HIM. Thank you for such a glorious performance"
I look forward one day to performing a complete Bach cantata at one of our Saturday vespers - it promises to be a steep hill to climb, but SO worthwhile!
Christopher Thomas
21 GLOBAL WARMING We have some naysayers and some who say it is not anthropogenic (man made). We are still in the midst of a global pandemic that has claimed many lives. However, the need to reign in our use of energy and materials is paramount as the world population has gone up so much recently. Sir David Attenborough drew attention to this. It is hoped that we can share stories of what works and what it costs in order to encourage all of us to support perhaps the greatest threat to mankind. Farming is committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. False starts have occurred with the government's promotion of diesel cars now rescinded. Government has subsidised renewable electricity production and committed to the banning of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. Although the CEO of Stellantis the owner of Vauxhall, Carlos Tavares, said recently that this may mean that car driving could become the preserve of the wealthy. This would particularly impact those of us who live in rural areas. In the words of our Prime Minister, we need to follow the science. That is debatable in a lot of matters. Simple things householders can do: Recycle everything the council is collecting. E.g. our food waste goes to the local bio- digester to make electricity and mains gas. LED (light emitting diode) light bulbs in place of incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes are also a simple start. The LED’s are longer lasting and use less electricity (typically a seventh) for the same light output. They are only slightly more expensive. We have moved on from compact fluorescent bulbs. Loft insulation is also a cheap start. 12 inches or 300 mm is now the accepted norm. Richard Graham
22 FARM DIARY
In the Field. In May we had lots of rain after a dry April. Any bare fields will probably be fields sown to maize. This is forage maize and there is no point taking a cob and cooking it for yourself as the varieties for forage maize don’t lend themselves to that. I speak with the experience of a non-farming neighbour although I did warn them! Forage maize is harvested and ensiled and is a source of energy for animals. In rations for animals after the vitamins and minerals are added, energy and protein are the main considerations. Grass silage can be okay for energy but only if it is cut at the appropriate time which is before too many seed heads appear. The wet May weather is impacting on the correct cutting dates for grass silage. The lack of sun may also mean that the grass does not have the usual energy content. Tree planting.Lots of talk about this in the press. We receive no help planting trees on small patches - 5 acres or less. The economics of planting are interesting. We recently planted a 0.2 ha. patch at 1600 plants/ha as part of our Forestry Commission approved woodland management plan. It used to be an area of firs and failed firs. We planted a mixture of English oak, wan,ro small leaved lime, hornbeam, hazel, crab apple, elder, wild cherry and field maple. Between calf and knee height, they were planted with a protective tube and stake by contractors. The tree cost 80p each but the tube and stake were £1.94 and the planting cost was about £1.56. A free tree is not much help therefore. No expected income from this area of land. In the dry April, we spent half a day watering them. The wet May means June will probably be the next time they need watering. This is an added expense as is weed control. The reason we can incur this expenditure is because at the moment we are supported by the government with what is called the Basic Payment Scheme or B.P.S. This is being phased out over the next five of six years. Richard Graham
Wise Words: The best vitamin for a Christian is B1
23 Parish Register & Diary for June
BAPTISMS
None
WEDDINGS
Date of Marriage Names 22nd May 2021 Kevin Nash and Kelly Roberts
DEATHS
Date of Death Name Age 4th May 2021 George Hares 91
DIARY FOR JUNE
Date Time Activity / Event Venue 2nd 7am-9pm NHS Vaccination Centre Parish Hall 8th 7.30pm PCC Meeting Zoom 9th 7am-9pm NHS Vaccination Centre Parish Hall
15th 7.30pm St John’s DCC Meeting Zoom 16th 7am-9pm NHS Vaccination Centre Parish Hall 18th 1.30pm NHS Blood Transfusion Service Parish Hall 23rd 7am-9pm NHS Vaccination Centre Parish Hall 30th 7am-9pm NHS Vaccination Centre Parish Hall
24 Pam Cooper This tribute was sent by Mayumi Nakamura, who worked closely with Pam in the English Dept at Poole College and came to Keynsham on several occasions. A few people will still remember her. The closing service mentioned was for Poole College; the main college in Osaka still functions.
At this time, we’d like to remember the Reverend Pamela Cooper who passed away on February 8, 2021. Pamela was a CMS missionary and part of the Poole Gakuin community from 1968 to 2009, first as an English teacher and later as the chaplain. In 2004, she was ordained as a priest in Osaka and in 2009, she retired and returned to the UK. In 2016 she received an award for her work in Japan from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Many of us here today remember Cooper Sensei well. She could be fierce, focused, and determined when necessary, but she was also caring, compassionate and down-to-earth. Her unshakeable faith and concern for others touched those around her and she was loved and respected by many. We are so grateful for her many years of service and dedication to Japan and the Poole Gakuin community. May she rest in peace.
Rebecca Arthur Town & Country Roofing Services
Slating, Tiling, Carpentry, Leadwork
Contact: Tony Burford
01761 413430, 0779 9235 555
6 Millward Terrace, Paulton, Bristol BS39 7NP
902
1 High Street, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 1DP Tel: 0117 986 3681 Fax: 0117 986 8220 www.daviesandway.com 911
CONTACT EDITORIAL TEAM: St Augustine’s Neal’s Yard Kath McCarthy, Robert Cook & Hero. e-mail: [email protected] c/o Parish Office, 1 The Park, Keynsham T: 0117 986 3354
COVER PICTURE: Credit Amy Genovese
• House Manager. Less than £200 •