Bridge Cover Apr - May 2019.qxp_Layout 1 14/05/2019 18:17 Page 10-3 BRIDG HE E T June - July 2019 The Parish Magazine for Droxford, Exton, Meonstoke & Corhampton The Bridge ~ June - July 2019 e Magazine for the Meon Bridge Benefice of Droxford, Exton, Meonstoke & Corhampton (& Preshaw) THE BRIDGE CHURCHES WEBSITE: www.bridgechurches.org.uk RECTOR: Rev’d A W (Tony) Forrest, The Rectory, Rectory Lane, Meonstoke SO32 3NF Tel: 877422 Email: [email protected] (Note: The Rector’s usual rest day is Monday) ASSISTANT CURATE: Rev’d Samantha Martell 01489 232041 Email: [email protected] (Note: The Curate’s usual rest day is Friday) LICENSED LAY MINISTERS: Reader: Cathy Mathews 877804 Reader emeritus: Pauline Quarendon 877392 ASSISTANT CLERGY: The Rev’d Canon Anthony Hulbert 01489 878289 CHURCH SUPPLIES: Position vacant, applications welcome For information about Baptisms and Funerals, please contact the Rector For information about Weddings, please contact the Weddings Administrator: Sue Wells 01329 834130 Email: [email protected] DROXFORD MEONSTOKE WITH CORHAMPTON Churchwardens: Sheila Matthissen 877867 Churchwardens: Angela Peagram 878725 Gill Edmunds 877705 Secretary: (via Churchwardens) Secretary: Gill Edmunds 877705 Treasurer: Elizabeth Ridge 899102 Treasurer: Richard Baxter 877227 Gift Aid Secretary: Iain Gammell 878162 Gift Aid Secretary: - Organists: (Meonstoke) Position vacant, applications welcome Organist: John Martin 877385 (Corhampton) John Martin (am) 877385 Sacristan: Laura Jerosch 01329 231956 Sacristan: Joanna Buchanan 877737 Verger: Norman Bell 877230 3rd Sunday Services: Ros Collins 877782 PRESHAW Coordinator: Position Vacant EXTON Churchwardens: Richard Pepys 878035 THE BRIDGE MAGAZINE Secretary: Richard Pepys 878035 Editor: Norman Bell 877230 Treasurer & Gift Aid Secretary: Briar Cottage, South Hill, David Frere-Cook 877838 Droxford SO32 3PB Organist: Position vacant, applications welcome Email: [email protected] Sacristan: Advertising Manager: Verger: Bob Miles David Neale 878541 Email: [email protected] OTHER DENOMINATIONS Treasurer: Diana Arthur 877390 Roman Catholic Church (Bishop’s Waltham) Artwork by: i-DEASIGN 07891 149866 Canon Alan Griffiths 07760 220346 Printed by: The Print Room, Chandler’s Ford Methodist & United Free Church (Bishop’s Waltham) The Rev’d David Moss MA 01329 833518 The Bridge is delivered at the start of the month of February, April, June, August, October, and December. Ideally, copy should be sent by email to The Bridge editor at the address shown above, preferably attached as a Microsoft Word document (Times 11 point font). or PDF. Typed or handwritten hardcopy is also acceptable. If you are responsible for village activities, diaries and schedules, please note that any material received late (after the copy date – see page 2) may not be included. Cover Photograph: Taken by Lynne Gardner last year is of Bridge 41 (Jackson’s Bridge), at Market Bosworth on the Ashby Canal in Leicestershire. Bosworth was, of course, where Richard III fought in the final battle of the Wars of the Roses in 1485, and where he famously cried "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!" (according to William Shakespeare). 1 The Bridge ~ June - July 2019 LIST OF ARTICLES TITLE PAGE TITLE PAGE Parish Lists ..................................................................... 1 Winchester City Councillor Report ................................ 13 List of Articles ................................................................. 2 Meon Valley Lions Club ................................................. 14 From The Rector .............................................................. 3 Whats On ...................................................................... 15 Look-in & Book-out ......................................................... 4 Meon Valley Active Retirement Association .................. 16 Droxford Village Hall News .............................................. 5 The Rudes Are Back! .................................................... 16 Forthcoming Events in Droxford Village Hall ....................5 Meon Valley Carers Group ........................................... 17 The Meon Hall Report ..................................................... 6 Meon Valley Food Bank Report ..................................... 18 Corhampton Saxon Church ............................................. 7 Meon Valley Community Bus Timetable ....................... 19 Archaeological Dig .......................................................... 7 Local Services Information ........................................... 20 The Valley Pre-School ...................................................... 8 District Diary - June ...................................................... 21 News from Droxford Fire Station .................................... 9 District Diary - July ..................................................... 22 In the Garden & MV Garden Club....................................10 Droxford & District Community Care Group .................. 23 The Royal British Legion ............................................... 11 From The Registers and We Welcome .......................... 24 Meonstoke, Corhampton & Exton Church Fete ............. 12 List of Advertisers ......................................................... 24 Friday 5th - Saturday 13th July Celebrating 22 years, this annual festival showcases music, talks, drama, visual arts and guided walks in nine days of events in venues across the city. This years speakers include: Michael Palin, Ed Balls, Nina Campbell, Andrew Marr, Max Hastings, Simon Schama, Rachel Carver and Sir Chris Bonnington Award-winning choirs the Tallis Scholars and the Royal Choral Society perform in the Cathedral, with other musical offerings from emerging talent the Castalian Quartet and our popular lunchtime concerts by young musicians. Bookings: Cathedral Box Office on 01962 857276 or www.winchesterfestival.co.uk The COPY DEADLINE for the next issue of THE BRIDGE is: MONDAY 8th JULY 2 The Bridge ~ June - July 2019 From the RECTOR What you thought you knew about Mary Magdalene N 22ND JULY EACH YEAR, THE CHURCH REMEMBERS MARY MAGDALENE, WHO IS The most personal story about Mary Magdalene from the PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST FAMILIAR Bible is in Luke Chapter 8. She is identified in a list of saints and yet about whom little is known for certain. Her women who provided, out of their own resources, for Jesus Opopularity as a saint has led to both Oxford and Cambridge and the disciples. According to the text, Mary Magdalene naming a college after her; to her being the patron of almost was freed from seven demons, but it is not clear exactly what 200 ancient churches in England; and her universal those demons were. Mental illness? Physical illness? Sexual appearance in church calendars throughout history, even sin? We shall never be certain. Mary was restored to health surviving the English reformation and being remembered in when she was freed and given new life in Jesus, but we just the Book of Common Prayer. do not know what her old life was like. Her close association with Jesus may explain So, what do we know? We do know her enduring popularity, but in her being that she loved Jesus deeply and that both the patron saint of the contemplative she held an important place in his life life and of sinners, we also see something of and ministry, being present at Jesus’ the wide range of ideas about this scriptural crucifixion, at the empty tomb on that woman, about whom legends and traditions first Easter morning, and at his burial. abound. According to John, she was the first In art, she is sometimes depicted with a jar of ointment, one to see the resurrected Jesus. sometimes with a skull, sometimes with her hair caressing Though Mary Magdalene has often Christ’s feet, sometimes at the site of the crucifixion and been misunderstood, she can teach sometimes in the scene of the resurrection. In these artistic about loving Jesus. representations, we find some biblically accurate representations and some of the confusion caused by various characters in • We can learn persistence from Mary Magdalene. Only the Church’s history, including Gregory the Great of ‘angels Mary Magdalene remained at the site of the empty tomb. not Angles’ fame. He concluded that she was the sister of She could not give up; this persistent woman would not Martha and Lazarus, but this is highly unlikely. leave. Sometimes, we give up on God too quickly. Mary Magdalene was undoubtedly a dedicated follower of • We can learn sincerity from her. When a man who she Jesus and probably the most important thing to remember is assumed to be the gardener asked what she was looking that she was the apostle to the Apostles, she was the one who for, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me told them that Christ had risen on Easter morning, although where you have put him, and I will get him.’ they could not take her seriously. This woman sincerely believed that she could carry Jesus’ body back to the tomb herself. Mary Magdalene just Legends about Mary Magdalene abound; unsubstantiated opened her heart and sincerely said what she felt. suppositions about her are probably better known than actual biblical events. She is often identified as a former prostitute, • We can learn enthusiasm too. Once she realized to whom but there is nothing in the Bible that backs this up. she was speaking, her precious teacher, and when he had Frequently, people identify her with the