Rector Rev’d Carol Morrison 01689 853186 [email protected] Days working for Keston Parish: Sunday to Wednesday Licensed Lay Minister Tricia Coward 01689 854373 [email protected] & Parish Administrator Churchwardens Neil Morrison 07900 081696 John Molnar 07709 818073 [email protected] Verger Patricia Geiger 01959 574008 Parish Secretary & Heather Molnar 07816 464880 Safeguarding Officer [email protected] Treasurer Anna Bailey 01689 852583 Organist & Choirmaster David Cook 020 8289 5768 Church Hall Tricia Coward 01689 854373 [email protected] Messy Church Tricia Coward 01689 854373 Magazine Editor & Sally Churchus 020 8462 8750 Book Reading Fellowship [email protected] Keston Singers Pam Robertson 01689 856318 Beavers/Cubs/Scouts Samantha Strange 07507 519114 27th Bromley [email protected] Women’s Institute [email protected] Residents’ Association www.kvra.org.uk Village Hall Tina Lupton 01689 859906 Bless the Children Jean Goldby 01689 851000 Welcare in Bromley Caroline Cook 020 8289 5768 Keston C.E. Primary School Julia Evison 01689 858399 Friends of Keston Common High Elms Country Park 01689 862815 www.friendsofkestoncommon.btck.co.uk Front cover: Autumn at Keston Ponds by Ambi Puvi © Ambi Puvi by at Keston Ponds cover: Autumn Front Keston Residents’ Road Safety Group [email protected] There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: … a time to weep and a time to laugh Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 2 also be time and opportunities to celebrate and be happy. Families have discovered how much they enjoy being together, people have found the pleasure of doing simple things. Some have realised that simple things, like the company of loved ones or going for a walk, can give the greatest joy. The environment has begun to recover. There are some words that we only hear Sometimes we need to proactively in certain settings – some words are just look for those opportunities for joy – fusty. (Which means old fashioned or out of to use a few words that are unfamiliar date!). On a recent visit to the bank the to us now, we need times of jubilation, cashier was very confused by the word rejoicing and delight! The Bible in the name of the church bank account, encourages us to do this: You’ll do best the word ‘Parochial.’ The governing by filling your minds and meditating on body of a local Anglican church is called things that are true, noble, reputable, a Parochial Church Council (or PCC). authentic, compelling, gracious – the Not many would know this word unless best, not the worst; the beautiful, not they were involved in a church context. the ugly… (Philippians 4:8 – The Message). A word that comes to my mind as I The church has for centuries walked reflect on the previous months shaped with people through times of lament – by the Covid-19 virus, and is heard it has also journeyed with people in sometimes in church in prayers and times of joy too! Church has been the Bible passages, is the word ‘lament’. place where families are joined together This means ‘to express passionate grief, in marriage, new life is celebrated in sorrow, regret or disappointment’. baptism and loved ones are commended Finding a way to express our pain can to their final resting place. Often these help us move forward – it’s healthy occasions proceed with words we might to lament. not use in any other circumstances. This year many have lamented the Whatever words we find ourselves postponement of weddings and using let them at least be words that will baptisms, the lack of a church funeral encourage and bless the people who and even new born babies who could hear them, and then we will all have a not visit close relatives. There is much better chance of recovering and healing to lament over this year, and we must from the 2020 experience. You might give ourselves time and opportunities like to use the prayer further on in this to do this, to process and express how magazine – ‘A Masking Prayer.’ we feel, so we might heal and move May you have space to lament and forward. occasions for joy! As surely as there are two sides to a coin, this year there has been and will Rev’d Carol Morrison 3 The congregation of Keston Parish Church noticed a few changes when they returned after five months! During June the church has had a new purple noticeboard on the Westerham Road which can be seen from both We would once again like to say a huge directions, to replace the old red one. thank you for the generous donations The rotting wooden gates have also that have been made towards the costs now been replaced by beautiful new of producing The Keston Magazine. metal ones incorporating the Keston They are much appreciated and mean Marke logo, which were funded by a we can continue to publish the generous donation. magazine. Please send articles, news or items of interest for inclusion to the Editor, Sally Churchus, by email to [email protected] or phone 020 8462 8750 to discuss. Thank you. Please don’t buy your calendar for next year – wait for The Keston Calendar to be available! Let’s hope we will have some engagements to write in it next year... 4 At last, a bigger car park! In February wooden posts marking out where to 2019 we were finally granted planning park are in place. To comply with the permission and by March this year we planning permission, a number of oak had managed to raise around £25k and trees and flowering cherries were so the work was put out to tender. Once planted between the new car park and the replies were back the PCC selected the Westerham Road, unfortunately just the final builder and it was agreed to go as the weather became extremely hot ahead with the first three phases of the and dry, so we had to introduce a work. The contract was signed by the watering rota – we are praying that they builder and the Rector and work started will all survive. on 13th July. There was a lot of digging We still have three phases to go, to clear the greenery and old garden which include solar lighting, further waste and also push the current earth planting and hedging, slight widening banks back. A large number of tipper of the drive and double entrance gates, lorries came and went until we had an plus a plastic grid with earth and grass extended car park, a mirror image of the seed over the surface of the new bit of old one. The work was finished on the car park. Although the car park is 7th August. As well as the new extended useable, donations are still required so car park, the woodland pathway was that these phases can be completed. constructed and the whole of the car A huge thank you to Geoff Carr for park was resurfaced. The poles for the project managing all the work. lighting have been erected and the 5 A bit of style: my wife Gail is an interior designer and with her é partner Gaynor, Christie Spencer Interiors will be overseeing all the design. The only thing I am in charge of is the music – my taste is eclectic, so please be prepared for everything, from chilled Soul to Norwegian Folk… So, what to expect? We’re not looking to reinvent the wheel, a fresh and well prepared menu, old classics and new twists will be on offer during the day. We want you to feel as comfortable At this moment we are incredibly having a coffee and mushrooms on excited and scared in equal measure – toast, as you do a glass of wine and a after years of boring my family and cheeky homemade sausage, vegan roll or friends about wanting to leave the world one of our ‘charcuterie boards’. of media to buy and run a café/bar, I’ve We want everyone to feel welcome, only gone and done it! locals, dogs (and some of their owners), My ambition is to create a truly cyclists, runners, walkers and also those neighbourhood café and bar and aim for looking to venture to our lovely village. people to leave feeling better than when Families and children will hopefully love they arrived, or at least not worse… and both inside and outside, where we will never to lose sight of why I started. No have our Heathfields ‘colouring wall’. small feat, but with wonderful support Monthly Specials: we’d welcome your of my family and friends I don’t think I ideas – so any dishes you would like to will – yep ask me again in 12 months! see on our menu, please let us know and So what do we want for our customers? we will name the chosen monthly A community place – we have special after you. lived in this wonderful village for We can’t wait to see you all soon, so six years, with both our children please follow us on Facebook and Ruben and Florence attending Instagram ‘Heathfieldskeston’ to see our Keston school and our little dog progress and if we are on track for our ‘Rolo’ who is probably more well October opening. known than us. Cheesy – but we really want this to be a place Paul (Gail, Ruben, Florence and Rolo) where everyone feels they can be a part of it. Local: where possible we want to use local produce, to support local farmers, bakers and makers and also do our bit for the environment.