www.oxford.anglican.org February 2018 No. 299 thedoor Bishop Steven on banning the Lord’s Prayer Win a book page 5 the Door: tell us what you think page 15 God in the Life of Joseph page 16 WEDDINGS MINISTRY THRIVES ACROSS DIOCESE By Jo Duckles CHURCHES in the Oxford Diocese are bucking a national trend as couples queue up to tie the knot in our historic buildings. Recent research by the national Church shows that couples are positive about saying their vows in a sacred place where people have been doing the same before them for hundreds of years. The research will be explored in detail on March 13 at a national CofE conference entitled Engaging the Engaged. Nationally, church weddings declined by 10 per cent between 2011 and 2016 with the Oxford Diocese seeing a decline of 13 per cent in that time period. The Door talked to three of the many parishes across the Thames Valley where a welcoming and joined up approach has had positive results. In Wasing, Berkshire, the partnership between St Nicholas Church and the Wasing Estate, which includes a reception venue, is a huge success. “The sense of purpose the wedding ministry has given our church community has been phenomenal,” says Joshua Dugdale, of Wasing Estate. “People might come and A happy couple enjoy the picturesque surroundings at St Nicholas’ Church, Wasing Photo: Studio Rouge enquire about a civil ceremony, but they then go for a church wedding and before you know it, they are turning up to church Little Chalfont, Latimer and Flaunden church weddings. “Couples have to attend nearby Soho Farmhouse, which is often services. Wasing is full to the rafters with Benefice in Buckinghamshire. church before we marry them, but on the used as a wedding venue. people of all ages.” Bishop John was told to expect two to first Sunday of the month is a relaxed, “I was told to expect to do two or three Sam Cave’s job as weddings three weddings per year. But a welcoming informal all-age service and that’s the one weddings a year, but I did 13, including adminstrator for the benefice was created approach, and working with a nearby they usually come to.” wedding blessings. We don’t have a huge because of demand for weddings in hotel reception venue, has seen that population in Great Tew, but it’s the Aldermaston and Wasing. “We have four number increase to 23. I was told to expect to nearby Soho Farmhouse that people use parishes, but between Aldermaston and “The organisers in the hotel now ask as a venue for their receptions. We had Wasing alone we have between 45 and people who are looking for a secular do“ two or three weddings a seven in 2017 and I have around that 48 weddings every year. We have a great wedding if they would like a church year, but I did 13…” number booked in for this year.” relationship with Wasing Park.” wedding. If they say yes, then the organisers When the Rt Revd John Went retired recommend they come and have a chat.” Engaging the Engaged takes place in as Bishop of Tewkesbury he received Often, he will dispel myths, The Revd Ginny Thomas, the Vicar of Solihull on March 13. Sign up here Permission to Officiate and became part particularly for people who have been the Great Tew Benefice in Oxfordshire, www.weddingsconference.org of the clergy team in the Chenies and divorced and those with children, about has also seen an increase due to the 2 News £10k grant for vital roof repairs at St Mary’s ST MARY the Virgin church, Buckland, grant-making bodies whose generous has received a £10,000 funding boost for contributions have made this huge re- vital roof repairs. roofing project possible for this church, Once the repairs are carried out, St and have helped us to ensure we can hand Mary the Virgin will be removed from the it on to future generations.” Historic England At Risk Register. There has been a church on the site The church is one of 93 churches and of St Mary the Virgin in Buckland since chapels in England, Wales and Scotland set before the Domesday Book. The church to benefit from rescue funding of £680,230 has a 12th century Norman nave while from the National Churches Trust, the UK’s the chancel, tower and transepts are 13th church support charity. It is one of only century. The Yate and Throckmorton 2.5 per cent of UK listed buildings that are Catholic families from the adjacent classified as Grade 1, which means they are Buckland Manor regarded the north of ‘exceptional’ interest. transept as their family chapel, and the The roof of St Mary the Virgin currently church had a Catholic patron until 1910. leaks and the urgent repairs will make The tower houses eight bells, some it watertight - and safe. After the roof of which date back to the 17th century. has been repaired, the next project is to Bell ringers encourage the faithful to improve the heating which is conspicuously come to church and they are much in poor for a large church. As a result, old demand at weddings. people and the very young children do not Huw Edwards, Broadcaster and attend the church in winter. Journalist and Vice-President of the The Revd Talisker Tracey-MacLeod, National Churches Trust said: the Vicar, said: “The ancient church of “I’m delighted that St Mary the Virgin St Mary the Virgin is at the heart of this church in Buckland is to be saved for the small, rural Oxfordshire village and is future with the help of a £10,000 National loved and valued by the community. Churches Trust Repair Grant.” This will Our fundraising efforts to re-roof this help ensure that this church rich in church have involved the entire village architectural details and packed with local community, and many people from the history, remains open and at the service of wider benefice.” local people.” “The PCC is very grateful to the St Mary the Virgin, Buckland. Photo: The National Churches Trust National Churches Trust and to other www.cherbury-gainfield.org.uk Remembering World War Two in Newbury EXPLOSIONS ricocheted through family. They were having their tea at the Newbury leaving 15 dead, 43 injured and time. They thought the explosion, was a several buildings, including St John’s vehicle collision, until they realised the wall Church, flattened. at the end of their house had been blown off. The time was 4.35pm on 10 February His father popped his head out and saw the 1943 and among those killed were children, rubble that was, a few minutes earlier, the a teacher and a caretaker left in the town’s church. “We were very lucky,” Michael says. school. A special service takes place on 11 A row of glasses on a pub shelf was intact February at 3pm to remember that day. but the roof was blown off. For survivors, the memories are still Doug Brindley, was 14 at the time and poignant. “For me it was a plume of was at work when the red warning light smoke. I suppose it was a mixture of came on and he went with his colleagues smoke and dust, which went right up to the shelter. The walls shook violently into the sky. I was home from school as the bombs went off. Doug and his then, and playing on Wash Common,” brothers were members of the choir at said one. St John’s. His way home that afternoon Another man recalls hearing the took him past the ruins of his church and bombs drop; the huge explosion, as he surrounding streets and homes. Several was heading home from school on his years later, Doug and his wife Mary bike. His first, reflex thought was: “Oh were to be one of the first couples to be good no school tomorrow,” followed, married in the newly rebuilt St John’s. instantaneously, by the awful thought of Everyone is welcome at the service at what could have happened. St John’s Church, which is thought to be Newbury bombing: Two elderly women stand amid the ruins of the Almshouse that had been their home Michael was in the Wellington pub, the only church in the diocese to be totally in Newbury following the bombing on February 10 1943. Photo: Shutterstock. where he was born, and lived with his destroyed in WW2. Volunteers needed to help combat poverty VOLUNTEERS are needed to help manager says: “The more volunteers we #GodWithUs reaches 6.8m at Christians Against Poverty debt have the more clients we can see and the A NATIONAL initiative that featured videos of a High Wycombe church has been declared counselling centres across the Thames greater the impact we can have in our a huge success. Valley region. communities.” The December edition of the Door ran a story urging churches and individuals to CAP provides debt counselling, helping Ronnie had been part of an initiative help make the #GodWithUs national campaign a huge success. The aims were to share a people to pay off crippling loans and credit at St Paul’s Church in Slough, where the Christian message with the public, encourage people to attend church and to ensure a cards. Nationally 78 per cent of CAP clients CAP centre is based, which saw volunteers series of Your Christmas Journey reflections were read as widely as possible. with children had been unable to afford to put together seven Christmas hampers for Three videos produced at All Saints, High Wycombe were aimed at those who feed or clothe them.