NOVEMBER 2020 £1 £1 THE CUCKMERE CHURCHES Rector Revd Prebendary Stephen Stuckes The Rector’s day of rest The Rectory, Sloe Lane, Alfriston, BN26 5UP 871042 is Friday [email protected] Associate Priest Reverend Christyan James [email protected] 07595 910443 Pastoral Minister Kelly Ellis [email protected] 07903 687705 Parish Administrator Pauline Kennard, The Parish Office, St Andrew’s Church, 871093 The Tye, Alfriston, BN26 5TL [email protected] Website www.cuckmerechurches.org.uk Facebook St Andrew's Church, Alfriston, Sussex ST ANDREW, ALFRISTON WITH LULLINGTON Churchwardens Diana Monteath-Wilson 871143 Bill Rendall [email protected] 870057 Secretary to the PCC c/o Benefice Administrator [email protected] 871093 Organist Vacant Bell Tower Captain Pauline Kennard [email protected] 07792 948709 Director of Music & 07412 526671 Events Co-ordinator Kathryn Maulkin [email protected] ST MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL, LITLINGTON Churchwardens Richard Hayward - Lavenders, Litlington, BN26 5RA 870383 Rosie Beddows - Pipers Cottage, Litlington, BN26 5RA 870139 Secretary to the PCC Claire Hayward - Lavenders, Litlington 870383 ALL SAINTS, WEST DEAN Churchwardens Brian Paterson - 1 Woodland Cottages, Seaford 897065 Susan De Angeli 870466 Secretary to the PCC Trish Bullivent, [email protected] 07927 411032 ST PETER ad VINCULA, FOLKINGTON Churchwardens Sabrina Harcourt-Smith 482036 Tony Catchpole 484877 Secretary to the PCC Julia Caffyn 01435 862830 CUCKMERE NEWS Editorial The Parish Office, St Andrew’s Church, The Tye, Alfriston, 871093 BN26 5TL [email protected] Advertisements Heather Hurst 07880 723947 We reserve the right to edit any contributions to this magazine with regard to length and content All material for inclusion in the Cuckmere News to be received by the 10th of each month please. Stephen Writes … The change of season that the arrival of Autumn announces reminds us of the way in which autumn as an idea resonates in our wider vocabulary. Specifically we speak of the autumn of our lives. I once lived in a community with the oldest average age in the country but community thrives on a diversity of ages. Inter-generational activity keeps us young. In fact the average age in Wealden is 44 (perhaps this seems young to some). Someone I know was once disparagingly referred to as in the autumn of their career, indicating that any further ambitions were now misplaced. So what does Autumn represent for you? Perhaps like me you love it as a season. The last warm sunshine and then the low sun glinting on first-frosted fields. The turning of the trees and the changing hues. The prospect of log fires and woodland walks. Short, bright, clear days. We are so blessed by the changing of the seasons and especially so in Cuckmere Valley where we can observe it happening so beautifully simply by going outdoors. There is an invitation in all this to take stock. Our ancestors would be assessing the Harvest and judging if its produce would carry them through the long dark cold days of winter. We might usefully reflect upon our lives at such a time and ask what resources we have accrued to sustain us into later life. Not so much what we have achieved but what have learned, what skills have we acquired that will enable us to live well in Winter. A number of things become more important priorities at such a time. Spending time with, keeping in touch with family and friends (something that can still happen safely, with care), making ourselves available to those we love is justified as we become realistically conscious of the available time remaining. Relationships built up over more than 20 or 30 years cannot now be replicated and therefore grow in significance. Taking stock of our spiritual life matters too. What do we believe? What have we let go of and what have we learned to our advantage in living before God in community? What do we need to be forgiven and who do we need to forgive? These are all Autumn questions that may reward fruitful reflection. Autumn is indeed a time to get our affairs in order. I hope that this Autumn Season is a blessed and rewarding one for you. Stephen. CUCKMERE NEWS - 3 - November 2020 IN TIMES OF STRESS I spoke to my GP recently as I have been experiencing vague aches and pains and I was surprised when he asked me whether I was suffering from stress. I’ve since discovered that the word ‘stress’ was first used in the fields of physics, engineering and manufacturing to test the tolerance of load bearing materials. The human counterpart is to be overburdened for a long period. But it wasn’t until the 1930s that the modern medical concept of stress was formulated, which was defined as the rate of wear and tear on the body, such as the response to injury, disease or trauma. When we feel stressed energy is mobilised for muscular exertion by diverting resources from the body’s house-keeping functions – tissue maintenance and repair, digestion and our immune system. Inevitably, stress is a fact of life. A little bit of stress is a good thing but feeling persistently stressed-out is not. Chronic stress occurs when the body is on emergency alert over a prolonged period. A constant demand on our resources, energy, emotions, and intellect affect us emotionally, cognitively, physically, and spiritually. Consequently, changes in our body chemistry and balance can weaken our immune system, making us more prone to infection and disease, increased blood-pressure and heart disease, digestive problems, depression, headaches, changes in sleep patterns and mental illness etc. The list is endless. Worryingly, the coronavirus pandemic has caused a significant increase in acute stress, depressive symptoms, and obsessive behaviour in many of us. What will ease the strain of all this restlessness? Here are a few pointers… Get in touch with nature One of the chief antidotes to stress is the healing effect of nature. Closeness to the natural world can profoundly affect our pace, our view of time, our expectations, and even our endurance of pain or difficulty. A love of the nature can give us a sense of belonging. Daily rest We all know that lack of sleep results in a less than desired effect on our health, work, and relational habits. We need to be refreshed to be refreshment to others. continued on page 6 CUCKMERE NEWS - 5 - November 2020 continued from page 5 Simplify A cluttered space can be harsh on the eye and tough on the mind. Keep, store, or give away – repeat every six months. Our ‘stuff’ becomes a burden in the end. Physical activity It’s thought that stress becomes less of a millstone in an active body. Laugh out loud every day! A good laugh improves our mood by tricking the nervous system into making us happy. Laughter is the sun that drives the winter from the human face. Connect to others Even just a brief exchange of kind words or a friendly smile from another human being can calm and sooth us. Ask for help Asking for help is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about and is not a sign of weakness. One of the most powerful phrases in all of life is “I wonder if you could help me with something.” The stillness of prayer An hour of anxiety cannot change our circumstances, but a minute of prayer can alter everything. An Old Wives Tale… There are more things to alarm us than to harm us, and we suffer more apprehension than reality. Christyan REMEMBRANCE DAY There will be services of Remembrance on Sunday 8th October in Alfriston, Litlington and Folkington Churches. This year, due to Covid, there can be no procession in Alfriston from the Market Square. The Standard will still be presented and the names of the fallen will be read. On Wednesday 11th November at 11am there will be a short act of Remembrance in the Market Square. CUCKMERE NEWS - 6 - November 2020 Collectibles and Antiques sought Nick-nacks, memorabilia, cameras, china, vintage toys, jewellery, musical instruments, postcards and photographs … also purchased Fair prices paid to you in cash Furniture also considered Please call Joanne or Martin to discuss your requirements 07780 704659 and 07493 394193 Professional, discreet and efficient service with a £10 donation made to St Andrew’s Church Alfriston Restoration Fund with each house call LEAF LITTER My Grandad used to pollard the trees in his garden every year to reduce the amount of leaf litter. The pruning got more and more severe as the years went by. He couldn’t stand the idea of leaves messing up his immaculate lawn. A windfall apple barely had time to bruise before it had been whisked away to the composting area. Grandad could often be found in knee pads and sleeve garters (to keep his cuffs from muddying), trimming the perfectly circular beds at the base of his trees. Unbeknown to him, the latter habit was good garden practice while the former certainly was not. The method of removing competing grass or ground cover plants from the root zone of trees leaving a fine tilth of soil has been adopted by Kew Gardens over the last twenty years to encourage the health of its trees. They will not, however, be removing the fallen leaves. These are an essential part of the tree's ecosystem. The decomposing leaves not only keep encroaching grass and plants at bay, but they nourish the very soil that the tree is growing in. A multitude of aerating invertebrates feed on the rotting material and drag it down into the areas where the intricate root systems work their magic.