THE REVEND TONY CUMBERLIDGE

8th November 2011

Dear Friends,

 

You are all aware, I believe, that our Vicar, The Revd Tony Cumberlidge is retiring at the end of 2011 on health grounds. Sadly I am now writing to say that Tony is in hospital again and awaiting transfer to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, for heart by-pass surgery.

 

This means that Tony is unable to conduct the Remembrance services this weekend, which is particularly upsetting for him as he introduced the Saturday service at the War Memorial when he arrived in our parish in 2004. However, Tony has today, in hospital, written an article for our Remembrance in which he personally played a part. You will find his message immediately below this letter. click here.
Tony hopes very much that you will still come to the service on Saturday morning as in the past – his thoughts will be with us.

 

It is likely that Tony will not be fit to return to take our Christmas services either, but we will keep you informed on his progress. It is particularly disappointing for him as he resumed his ministry in East Garston at the end of June having been on sickness leave for three and a half years. We have had four months of splendid services and festivals, with Tony on top form.

 

I had been talking with him, before the problems with his heart occurred, about plans for his farewell. His wishes are that the arrangements will be organised by East Garston Parish and coordinated by me as his churchwarden. Tony’s preference is to return for this occasion, after he officially retires as our Parish Priest on 31 December 2011, and we had settled on Saturday evening 14 January 2012. However we will need to review the situation after Tony’s operation, before confirming a date. Every household in this parish will be contacted to ask whether they would like to be involved and/or donate towards a retirement gift for Tony. People in the other two parishes will also be invited to take part if they wish.

 

I am sorry that the nature of this letter is not very happy, but I am sure you will join with me in thinking positive thoughts and praying for Tony and Gaynor in the days ahead.

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lays down his life for his friends”
John 15:13

Over recent weeks, there have been many reports in the media about a particularly disturbing crime against our communities - the theft of the metal on which are recorded the names of our war dead on War Memorials throughout the country. The thieves who perpetrate these heinous crimes have no idea of the distress that they cause, especially to the families of those who fought for their country and never lived to enjoy the freedom that their sacrifice bought.

 

Each one of those names was someone special to his or her family and it is right and proper that they should be so honoured in their own town or village. What is a little unusual is to learn that a bridge has recently been re-named after a young soldier who died in the cause of freedom in a village a long way from home.

 

L/Cpl Wayne Edwards was a Royal Welch Fusilier attached to the Cheshire Regiment as part of the UN peacekeeping force in Bosnia. In 1993 he was driving a Warrior Armoured Vehicle in the back of which were 3 injured women, 2 of whom were pregnant. As he was crossing the bridge in the village of Gorni Vakuf on the way to the local hospital, he was shot and killed by a sniper, the first of 53 British servicemen and women to be killed in the war from 1992 to 1995. That bridge marked the division between the warring factions - Croats on one side and Muslims on the other - with each side bombarding one another. A memorial to Wayne was erected by the bridge where he died but had to be rebuilt a couple of years later when the bridge was extensively repaired.

 

At that time in late 1995, I was the senior UN Chaplain in Bosnia and re-dedicated the renovated memorial; some weeks later Wayne’s mother made the long journey from the UK to visit the place where her son died. I escorted her to the bridge and we both looked across it to the hills on the other side, reminiscent of the hills around Wrexham in North Wales where Wayne was born. At the memorial I said some prayers with her and then she was very sensitively interviewed for BBC News by Martin Bell.

 

Now, some 18 years later, the town’s mayor and municipal council renamed the bridge in tribute to Wayne and the other peacekeepers who lost their lives.
The ceremony last month was attended by the British Ambassador as well as the now retired former CO of the Cheshire Regiment, Colonel Bob Stewart. Wayne’s sister Kimberley was there and said she drew comfort from seeing where her brother had died and realising that he had not died in vain. The two pregnant women in his vehicle later gave birth in hospital and the town is once again at peace although the scars of war are still to be seen in the bombed out and bullet ridden buildings.

 

Over this coming weekend, we shall be remembering those from East Garston who left this village to fight for freedom and never returned. Their names are on our War Memorial in the village and in All Saints Church; by remembering them we honour them and remind ourselves that these are not just names, but real people, mother’s sons just like Wayne Edwards.

The Parish of East Garston
The Reverend Tony Cumberlidge
Priest in Charge: All Saints Church, East Garston
The Vicarage, Newbury Street, Lambourn, Hungerford, RG17 8PD
Tel: 01488 71546 email: Vicaratlambourn@aol.com

 

Churchwarden: Sally Wright
Willow brook Cottage, Front street, East Garston, Hungerford, RG17 7HW
Tel: 01488 648 679 email: sally-m-wright@lineone.net

2nd of October 2011
Dear Friends,

 

This letter is to inform you that The Bishop of Reading, The Rt Revd Andrew Proud, made an announcement in Lambourn Church on Sunday morning, concerning the future of our parish. The Bishop reminded us that The Revd Tony Cumberlidge has been on sickness leave during the last three and a half years and has had several serious operations with complications arising during his recovery period. Tony has however been able to resume his ministry in East Garston since July of this year, although his health problems have meant that he could not fulfil his duties in all three parishes.

 

The Bishop referred to Tony’s distinguished service as an Army Chaplain before joining us as Priest in Charge of the parishes of Lambourn, Eastbury and East Garston, in September 2004. In view of Tony’s continuing health problems, sadly for us, he has decided to take early retirement. Tony will continue his ministry in East Garston until the end of 2011, though he will be moving house to the Diocese of Southwell in Nottinghamshire in mid November. Tony will be returning to take our Christmas services in East Garston.
He has now retired from the parishes of Lambourn and Eastbury.
Tony is awaiting a further major operation, but after that he plans to continue his ministry on a part time basis in his new diocese. Of course we wish him well for the future.

 

We will be writing separately to you regarding Tony’s ministry in East Garston and all that it has meant to the parish. We will then be able to thank Tony for his outstanding contribution as our parish priest, but for now we need to concentrate on following up recent activities and listing our Church calendar for the rest of 2011.

 

 

Firstly, we want to say a very big thank you to all who again made superb cakes for the church stall at the Village Fete. We are very grateful to Freddie and Sue Tulloch for the lovely setting of their garden at Parsonage Farm, for the fete venue this year and for a very generous donation to Church funds from the proceeds.

 

Secondly thank you to all who contributed in whatever way, or came, to our very successful Festival on 10th/11th September on the theme of Baptisms through the Ages at East Garston, when the church and churchyard were beautifully decorated with dainty white baptismal flower arrangements. The exhibition of Christening memorabilia with 14 beautiful gowns dating back over the last 137 years attracted a lot of attention as did the Baptism registers that record every Baptism at East Garston since 1540. We used our silver chalices of 1576 and 1675 at our Eucharist service on Sunday morning.

 

We are indebted to the artists – Joya, Peter, Andrew, Roger and the Wantage Youth Brass, who  performed superbly in the concert on Saturday evening – we have received many letters and complimentary remarks from those in the audience. The Renewal of Baptism Promises by 35 children took place at a special service on Sunday afternoon when the children came to the altar rail for a blessing from Tony, with parents and families supporting them nearby.  Our special thanks go to all those people who made a donation to the church as a consequence of the festival – we are very grateful for your help in swelling church funds.

 

For the full story and pictures of the festival please go to the East Garston website:
www.east-garston.com / All Saints Church /2011 Events / Church Festival

 

Our next major service on 16 October is Harvest Festival. We are having a Family Service at 12 noon, with children from Pat Glover’s Active Music Club taking part. Harvest Lunch will follow in the Village Hall. We will be decorating the church of course on Friday and Saturday mornings the 14th and 15th October.
If you would like to help with this, or supply foliage, fruit or berries, please contact Sally 648 679. If your children would like to decorate the south aisle as in previous years, please contact Vikki 649 744.

 

The lunch will be two courses with wine/soft drinks, plus cheese and coffee or tea. The cost will be
£8 for adults and £3 for children. It would be helpful to know in advance if you will be joining us for lunch – ideally by Thursday 13 October. Please ring Sally 648 679. Thank you.

 

The parish will remember that we celebrated Lammas – the start of the Harvest season, on 31July this year. The text and pictures are on the East Garston website (also under 2011 events), but as not everyone has access to the internet we will have a photographic exhibition of this occasion in the church at our Harvest service.

On the 30th October we celebrate our Patronal Festival of All Saints. We will be hosting a joint Holy Communion Service at 1030am for our three churches at which The Revd Canon David Winter will be our guest preacher. We will also commemorate The Faithful Departed as All Souls Day falls on Wednesday 2nd November and the congregation will be invited to light a candle in memory of someone dear to them.
We will have a photographic exhibition in the church at this time, of the Baptisms Through the Ages at East Garston Festival.

We will again hold our Remembrance Service at the War Memorial on Saturday 12 November at 10.45am. The service which will be conducted by The Revd Tony Cumberlidge, is an especially important occasion, as it was introduced by Tony when he first came to our parish. The Wantage Youth Brass will again be with us. There will be a 9am Holy Communion service with Remembrance in church, on Sunday 13th November, when the Roll of Honour will be called.

Our service of Lessons and Carols - entirely by candlelight, will be on Sunday 11th December 6pm. Tony Cumberlidge will be back with us to conduct this service. Afterwards mulled wine and mince pies will be served.

We are contemplating a children’s Nativity Service to take place on Christmas Eve at 3pm. This will involve older children with speaking parts as well as the younger children and babies. If the service does take place then it will be conducted by Tony, as he is returning then in readiness for our Christmas Day service.

On Christmas morning our Holy Communion Service will be at 9am, conducted by The Revd Tony Cumberlidge. It is possible that The Active Music Club and the children of the parish will take a special part in this service.
We will confirm the Christmas arrangements shortly with you.

Thank you for your continuing and loyal support.

 

With every blessing,

 

Yours sincerely

 

All Saints Church - JUNE 2011

Our combined team of adults and children again built a superb Easter Garden in which the children placed the posies they had made, along the path to Calvary, after our Service on Easter Day. The garden seems to have acquired a reputation: people in the parish, as well as those from further afield enjoy coming to see it. This year some visitors telephoned to ask if we had built the garden again as they had enjoyed seeing it two years ago and wanted to come again. The glorious weather helped of course and our churchyard looked so calm and tranquil. Thank you Martyn, Trevor and Richard for giving everyone so much pleasure in the immaculate way you keep the churchyard and Ann for planting out the Easter Garden. Thank you also Diana, Nicky, Ann and Vanessa for your most beautiful flowers inside the church.

We said goodbye to Gay Kindersley on 5th May. Much has been written about Gay’s achievements in the racing world, but Gay had also been a very regular and devoted churchgoer in the last five years. Latterly of course with his failing health and mobility problems, it became more difficult for him, as he needed to get up at 4am in order to be with us for our 9am service. Happily for all, the funeral service was conducted by The Revd Tony Cumberlidge at the express wish of Gay, and he has been buried in East Garston Churchyard just as he wished. A memorial service is to take place in Lambourn Church on 1 June, as there are too many expected to attend, for the service to be held at East Garston.

 

Thanks to Freddie Tulloch, a very successful fundraising dinner was held at The Queens Arms on May 12th. The celebrity guest speaker was Francis Fulford – Freddie’s brother in law. Please click here for the full report and pictures of the occasion.

 

Our Midsummer Festival was to have taken place on 25/26June, but then was changed to 2/3 July. We were to have a concert in church on Saturday 2nd July at 6pm, with the same artists who performed at our Christmas concert. Joya Logan was planning to bring her children’s choir from St Thomas’ School, London. Joya plans of course to be performing again, as does organist Andrew King, the Wantage Youth Brass with their band leader, Roger Middlebrook and our own East Garston Male Voice Group. However, the band are not now available for the 2nd July and so we are back to the drawing board again on dates. We will publicise the new date, just as soon as it has been agreed.

All Saints Church - MAY 2011

Our Mothering Sunday service was a delightful occasion as always, but this year was enhanced by the children in the Young Families Group not just taking a prominent part in the service, but the degree of reverence and solemnity that they brought, being almost beyond their years. These are primary and pre-school children – the youngest being almost 5 years. It was greatly encouraging to see this next generation of young people attaching such importance and dedication to their tasks, and setting set a fine example.

We also had the pleasure of three mothers bringing their newborn babies in prams to the service and them telling us afterwards how important the service was to them. Their enjoyment of motherhood was obvious.

We enjoyed having a small group of visitors recently, who visit churches in the Oxford Diocese. Their knowledge and interest in our church, together with their informative comments was refreshing. We are in discussion about a possible return of a couple of them to give another historical talk. The group commented favourably on the state of the church and churchyard, which is so well looked after by a wide range of people. On that note we thank George Bodman for his very kind and thoughtful gift of 600 snowdrops, which are now planted in the churchyard.

In January Village Views we wrote about Parish Share: East Garston’s being £6,105 in 2011. If all parishes pay 20% by the end of March, 50% by the end of June and 100% by the end of November, then the Deanery receives a rebate, which can be paid back to parishes. The possible rebate in 2011 is £24,000. There is therefore an incentive not just to pay the minimum on time, but to pay more, earlier if possible, to help other parishes who may not have paid. The significance of this is that East Garston was able to pay almost 30% of Share by the end of March, for which the Deanery is extremely grateful. So thank you everyone who contributed in any way during December to our Christmas festivities and fundraising.

 

We are continuing our fund raising thrust. With the help of Freddie Tulloch, we are organising a fundraising dinner on 12th May at the Queens Arms with a celebrity after dinner speaker. Francis Fulford and family have featured in a Channel Four series of programmes. For those who may not be familiar, Francis is a highly entertaining, but outrageous character. The title of his speech will be “How I would save the church”! For more information and tickets, please contact Freddie on 649 590 or Sally on 648 679.

Vicar’s Report – All Saints Church, East Garston. APCM on 12th April 2011

Again in 2010, the church has enjoyed an ever widening circle of people in the parish lending support and contributing in many different ways. The response of the parish to requests for help, is impressive – whether cakes for the fete (we took £400 on the stall this year), arranging flowers, cleaning the church, cutting the churchyard grass, maintenance tasks, helping to fundraise, helping at festivals, contributing financially and coming to the church (in large numbers) for festivals, special services and events. Thank you all, for the tremendous support that you give.

 

There are far too many, to be able to refer to you all by name, but forgive me for mentioning just one or two of you: Ken Tarbox for his unfailing support in displaying our activities in such an appealing and professional way on the village website, Peter Cook who twice every week climbs the tower to manually wind our Church clock which keeps such excellent time, the bellringers who not only summon us to prayer, but ring for funerals, weddings, baptisms and special occasions such as our Saturday Remembrance Service and ringing in the New Year, Martyn Wright, who is groundsman in the churchyard, but does a million other jobs as well inside the church and in the parish generally, and many other people besides.

 

The Parochial Church Council, most of whom are relatively new to their tasks, are growing and developing into a lively and supportive team. They provide a strong link with The Young Families Group and are keenly involved with fundraising, under the stern and watchful eye of our very professional treasurer!

The Young Families Group grows in number and support for the church and the children are growing in years, so that they are now taking part in services. More babies are being born in East Garston – how lovely to have 3 mothers with new born babies in their prams at Mothering Sunday service last week. Two sets of these parents are now enquiring about Baptisms, the first one will take place on 3rd July 2011. Vikki and Richard Brooks’ daughter Kate, was Baptised on 6 February this year – see the EG web site for pictures and an account of the occasion.

There have been though, some times of extreme sadness in 2010. In January David Rabbitts, much loved and respected East Garston farmer died. David was a splendid and generous supporter of the church. Hazel Wayman who had been a very regular, devoted and active member of the congregation died in February and then in June, Mary Lane a wise and valued member of our PCC died in hospital. We miss all three of them, but we do not forget them.

There have also been some golden moments during the year: the Rogation Festival in May, when a service was held at the farm of Neil and Alice Walker – Westfield. Neil talked about his progressive modern farming policy. Apart from his extensive arable operation, Neil has diversified and has taken part in a scheme to provide green fuel to local power stations.
Diana and Peter Smith celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on April 23rd 2010. After their evening meal, Diana stepped out into the garden at 7.30pm, to hear the church bells ringing for St. George’s Day. She called to Peter to come and hear the same bells ringing as on their wedding day 50 years before.

Harvest Festival in October, with the children taking an active part in the service, had been preceded by mothers and children decorating the south aisle of the church. A splendid Harvest Lunch for 60 children and adults followed after the service in the Village Hall, expertly cooked and served by Antonia McAlpine and team.

A fundraising afternoon on the theme of local history took place during the Harvest weekend, when two superb speakers came to talk: Geoffrey Tyack author of the updated Pevsner Guide on the Buildings in Berkshire, spoke on the churches of Lambourn, Eastbury and East Garston and other buildings of note in the vicinity. Graham Dowding, conservator of glass at Gloucester Cathedral, gave an illustrated talk showing how he had restored the 3 Stained glass windows, which were vandalised during break-ins to East Garston church.

Our Remembrance service conducted by The Revd Canon David Winter, was again a splendid, but sober occasion. The Wantage Youth Brass were with us and Last Post and Reveille were played quite remarkably by 13 year old Matthew Ellacott and 15 year old Olivia Middlebrook.

Our Christmas festivities were a real high spot, with congregations and collections the highest in recent years. The church looked spectacular with the paths and trees candlelit in the snow and the Concert at which our Male Voice Group performed, was a huge success. The Children’s Service and Tea Party was very popular and delightful to watch. We held a Gift Appeal for Church funds in December since, like many other country parishes, we need to strengthen our financial position. The good news is that our collections and donations in December amounted to the magnificent sum of £3189. However this is only the beginning, we still have a lot more to find.

Lastly, despite our Priest in Charge – The Revd Tony Cumberlidge, being in hospital again several times during 2010, this did not prevent him from staying very much in control of East Garston church activities. We are very grateful to him for his unfailing support and his claim that East Garston parish is every country parson’s dream! Happily Tony was able to conduct David Rabbitt’s funeral service and give the address at Mary Lane’s funeral. He presided at the Harvest Lunch, hosted the Local History afternoon and led The Act of Dedication at our Remembrance service. At Christmas time he hosted our Concert, was with us for the Carol Service, the Children’s Nativity Service and for Holy Communion on Christmas Day. Thank you Tony, it has been so good to have you back with us whenever you have been able. May your health improve considerably in 2011.

All Saints Church - April 2011

On Mothering Sunday – 3rd April, our Family Service will be at 12noon with the children of the parish playing a prominent part. Posies and cards made by children the previous day, will be presented to their Mothers during the service. Adults are encouraged to bring a flower or posy either to give to their mothers or to take to the priest in the sanctuary in memory, where they are laid on the altar for the duration of the service.

 

Our Annual Parochial Church Meeting is on 12th April at the Friends Meeting House. People on the church electoral roll are entitled to attend. The Parishioners meeting at 7.15pm, to elect church wardens is immediately before the APCM, and all who are on the civic electoral roll or the church electoral roll are entitled to attend.

 

On 23 April – Easter Saturday, we plan to build an Easter Garden in the churchyard again – since this is on a large scale, we are looking for adult helpers. Please contact Sally 648 679 if you can help on Easter Saturday morning. Children are welcome to come in the afternoon and plant flowers in the garden or make posies.

 

Our Easter Day Holy Communion service at 9.00am is normally a Family occasion in our church. The children will again put posies in the Easter Garden after the service.

 

Wednesday 27 April our new architect - Andrew Townsend will carry out our 5 year (quinquennial) inspection of the church and churchyard. This will almost certainly result in much work to be carried out – at some considerable cost – no doubt. As we have said before, the maintenance of a building dating back to mediaeval times is a costly affair.

 

Christmas Funds - happily our December activities including our Gift Appeal for church funds, yielded a magnificent total of £3,189. Thank you to everyone who contributed in any way to this. But on a sobering note this is just half of our annual Parish Share, so there is still much fundraising work to do. Those who came to our Christmas services and events may be interested to see the record of these on the website. Go to east-garston.com to All Saints Church, then to carol service, church concert, childrens service. – Thank you Ken for your dedicated work on this.

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH INTO 2011

We started 2011 with 3 babies being born in the village in January, one of which was on New Year’s Day to Natasha and Steve – congratulations to all the parents. Natasha was in church on Christmas morning and is a member of our Young Families Group. Kate Brooks was baptised on 6 February – daughter of Vikki and Richard Brooks who are also in our Young Families Group. Vikki is on our PCC and took a lead part in conducting our Children’s Christmas Service.

 

We have written previously about the healthy influx of young families in our parish and this is more evidence of a vibrant community growing and developing: young and not so young, long established and newcomers, alongside each other. Remarkably since January 2005, forty three babies, children and young people in our small parish have been baptised in our church.

 

We are currently finalising our programme of services, festivals and events for 2011. Our Mothering Sunday Family Service on Sunday April 3rd will again be preceded on Saturday 2nd April with children making cards and posies to give to their Mothers in church. We are planning a Midsummer Festival probably to take place on 24 – 26 June. Details of the whole programme will be in an East Garston Church Newsletter delivered to every house, shortly.

 

We are very fortunate to have secured a new Church Architect – Andrew Townsend, who comes with a high recommendation from the Oxford Diocesan Advisory Committee. Andrew is a specialist on Grade 2* listed churches and also receives commissions from English Heritage. We are keen that the parish should be aware of and involved in restoration and maintenance projects, so we will be staying in touch on this. As we have said before, the church is there for everyone and together we must ensure that we preserve this precious asset, for future generations of East Garston residents.

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH GIFT APPEAL - DECEMBER 2010

Dear Friends,

 

We are extremely grateful for the support you have given the Church throughout 2010, at major festivals, services and appeals for help. You also showed considerable commitment to seeing the Church continue to be there for everyone in future, with 80% of respondents to the Community Parish Plan questionnaire saying that it is quite or very important to have an active local church and 86% saying it is quite or very important to properly maintain our church building, which dates back to the 12th century.

 

We are pleased and encouraged to have such a willing group of people in the parish who contribute to the life of the church in a variety of ways including financial. We could not continue without them.  Nevertheless the funds required to keep the church operating each year, so that it can be there for everyone, for funerals, weddings, Christenings, normal services or just as a quiet haven - perhaps for prayer, are considerable.

 

The state does not provide any funding for the Church of England, so every parish however small has to contribute a “parish share”. East Garston’s contribution for 2011 will be £6,105, ie £120 a week. Around 80% of this contribution is to support our parish ministry (i.e. our minister’s salary, housing and pension) with the remainder supporting areas such as training of ministers, church schools and the running of the Oxford Diocese.

 

On top of this, there are the costs of insurance, electricity, fire & safety inspections, organ maintenance, licences and organists fees. The total of the parish share and just these essential services lead to costs of around £200 per week to run our church.  We do not intend to sit back and ask the parish to donate funds to keep things afloat, without providing something interesting for people to enjoy. We are arranging a programme of occasions in December, to suit all ages, at which we hope you will join us.

 

We have not yet held a Gift Appeal in 2010, though we are aware of course that some people have already donated this year and others have offered to do so. We would be most grateful for any donation that you can give, large or small. Please give as generously as you can. We are enclosing an envelope for donations, with an option for the sum to be Gift Aided. This means that for every £1 you donate, the church can recover an additional 28p from HM Revenue & Customs (unfortunately it will only be 25p after 6 April 2011). If you are a higher rate tax payer, you can also personally reclaim a further 25p.

Please, either bring your donation to Church during December, or deliver it to Mrs Rachel Brown, Muchmore, Front Street, East Garston,
RG17 7EU.   If you would like us to collect your donation, please contact Rachel on 648 740, or Ann Phillips PCC Secretary on 648 660 or, Churchwarden  Sally Wright on 648 679.

 

Thank you very much for supporting East Garston Church. We often say it and always mean it – “we are all stewards of our church, which is nearly 1000 years old, and we are privileged to be holding it in trust, for generations of East Garston residents yet unborn.” Let us together play our part in making sure that our church is still there in another 1000 years. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
With every blessing,

Reverend Tony Cumberlidge                                                           Sally Wright – Churchwarden                                                                              Rachel Brown - Treasurer

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH

It was such a pleasure on July 10th in perfect weather to have David Pryer – son of James and Jenny, be married to Emma Glover, in our beautiful church. We do not have many weddings each year, but perhaps it is because of this, that the occasion is so special. The church and churchyard – thanks to our dedicated teams of cleaners and groundsmen, looked immaculate. It was a joy to see this young couple starting their married life together and a reminder that the traditions of a Christian marriage are still important to today’s young people. We wish David and Emma every happiness.

We gathered on July 21st to say farewell to a dedicated and well respected member of our Parochial Church Council, for the last eight years of her life. Mary Lane’s funeral service, conducted by The Revd Nigel Sands, was particularly solemn since Mary was taken ill as she was preparing to come to our Annual Parochial Church Council meeting on April 29th and sadly did not recover, but died in hospital.

 

The Revd Tony Cumberlidge gave the Address, at the specific request of Mary and her daughter Ann. Here we learned with great interest something of the career and considerable achievements of Mary. Ann has written a fuller account in an obituary of her Mother, which is on the East Garston website and on our Church notice boards

Thank you Ann for sharing your Mother’s life story with us. On a personal note, I am deeply grateful to Mary for her staunch support and encouragement to me, particularly when a newly elected churchwarden. I have lost a wise and valued friend, whom we miss greatly in our church.

Looking ahead to the village fete on September 12th, the church will again be running the cake stall for which we will be very grateful for cakes and savouries: see fete publicity page

We are planning a fundraising historical talk on 16th October. Geoffrey Tyack, who has recently co-authored the updated Pevsner Guide to the Buildings of Berkshire and who has previously talked to us during our Gift Festival in 2007, will be coming again to talk about our church and the buildings in the western end of the Lambourn Valley. We also have the conservator of Gloucester Cathedral, Graham Dowding to speak on the restoration of our stained glass windows, following three break-ins. Both talks will be illustrated presentations with tours of the church in support, and both will feature the work of Nathanial Westlake – Victorian artist of our wall paintings and all our stained glass. Needless to say there will be refreshments – afternoon tea in the interval and wine and canapés afterwards. More detail next month.                                                                                                                                                 Sally Wright  Churchwarden

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Dear Friends,

Many millions have watched the TV programme "Rev". The portrayal of the Vicar is far removed from the "Gas and Gaiters" stereotype of the 60's or the “Vicar of Dibley” with Dawn French. Here is portrayed a real Vicar, with contributions to the script provided by practising Vicars in London, describing how life really is for a clergyman, with all his imperfections.

The final episode sums it all up. Here is a dedicated priest who, despite all of his commitment to God and his parishioners feels alone and unwanted. On his night off, the police seek him out to be with a lady who is dying, and, of course, he responds to the call despite feeling desperately unworthy.

Many years ago, as a newly ordained priest, I was on my way home from a meeting of a Parochial Church Council. I felt battered and bruised. The Churchwardens had been in post since the year dot and their fathers before them, the members of the PCC had remained in place for years. The opportunities for growth in the parish had been stifled, by the very people elected to promote the growth of God's family. I felt thoroughly demoralised.

 

As I passed Llandudno General Hospital, where I had pastoral responsibility for the Medical and Intensive Care Wards, my ancient Ford Cortina stuttered and pointed me in the direction of the Car Park. I entered the Intensive Care Ward and the Night Sister said "Thank God you are here Vicar, we've been trying to get hold of you for the last hour or so". In one of the side wards was a lady in her 60s who had just died of a heart attack on a day trip to Llandudno. I have no idea why I felt called to visit the hospital at that particular time, but clearly it was meant to be. Like the Vicar in the TV programme, I was able to commend the soul of the departed lady into the hands of God and, I hope, brought some comfort to her grieving husband. It also reminded me that my vocation and ordination vows were more concerned with the pastoral and sacramental care of those in need, than squabbling in committee meetings.

We should never underestimate the way that God can use us each one of us, not only priests, in his service and for the good of others. We in this country are preparing for a state visit by Pope Benedict XV1 and I remember vividly the last pastoral visit by his predecessor John Paul II in 1982. In an address to hundreds of thousands in Cardiff, he began by saying... "I want to speak to you about something very important, something which is essential to our Christian lives.......it is prayer."

We can all be engaged in a ministry of prayer, even if we are unable to go to church; we can pray at home, in bed, on the bus, in the car or wherever we are. Our prayers can be wide ranging as well. They can be for ourselves in times of pain, difficulty or anxiety or they can be for others. It is especially important that when we come together as the Family of God to worship in church that we are a praying community. There are those who criticise "Notices" in church and say "Of what interest is that to us - that's not in our parish" How incredibly narrow minded and short sighted!

As Christians we have a duty to pray for one another, to remember the sick in all of our parishes, to commend in prayer the meetings and events taking place in each of our parishes, not just our own. Praying for others is a simple way of showing how much we care about those around us; prayer can bring spiritual healing and comfort to those in need and give them the courage to face what lies ahead.

None of us is perfect; God knows that. But God can still use us despite our imperfection as the "Rev" programme showed us. And, as Pope John Paul II reminded us the greatest, essential aspect of our Christian contribution to the world is prayer.

Someone once wrote "sudden prayers make God jump". Why not give him a surprise today!

WITH THE HELP OF PRAYER

Sadly for us in East Garston in the last 18 months, we have said goodbye to some very dear and distinguished residents: Angela Lee, Ann Bett, David Rabbitts, Hazel Wayman and now Mary Lane. It is not surprising that the idea fostered by The Revd Tony Cumberlidge of people asking to have friends or relatives who are sick, or who have departed this life, being included in prayers in church, has become increasingly welcome to those affected.

Perhaps this simple gesture is a way of sharing our troubles, showing how much we care or maybe in situations where we seem helpless or need to accept the inevitable, the act of prayer is a dedicated contribution that we can make towards a loved one. What seems clear is that prayer can bring spiritual healing, comfort and the courage to face what lies ahead.
The remembering of those dear to us, in prayers, does not need to cease when they are no longer with us - we can ask for them to be included at anniversaries.

Showing that we haven’t forgotten is deeply fortifying. It has become customary for us at East Garston to Commemorate the Faithful Departed, on All Souls Day at the beginning of November. The Revd Tony Cumberlidge, introduced us to the idea of lighting a candle, which is placed in the Sanctuary, at our Patronal Festival Holy Communion Service. This act of remembrance is now firmly embedded here in East Garston Church.

GOLDEN WEDDING BELLS

Congratulations to Peter and Diana Smith on their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 23 April 2010. What a wonderful surprise present the couple had after their evening meal, when Diana stepped out into the garden at 7.30pm and heard the bells at All Saints Church, East Garston, being rung for St Georges Day. She called to Peter to come and hear the same bells being rung as on their wedding day, 50 years before.
Hearty Congratulations to you both, from all your friends in East Garston.

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There is a growing initiative in some dioceses of the Church of England, to encourage parishes to celebrate St George’s Day by ringing the church bells.
Early in 2009 a campaign was launched to encourage the celebration of St George's Day - 23rd April - by ringing out bells from as many English church towers as possible. It received positive coverage in both the Sunday and weekday National Press and throughout many local papers.It would be great to build on that initiative in 2010 and this can only be achieved with the participation of many more bell ringers.

 

There is no sinister political motive behind this campaign: it is a straightforward attempt to raise awareness of our traditional English culture and heritage - nothing more and nothing less. Bell ringing is universally identified as the quintessential 'Sound of England'. The unique cascading sound of our bells announces not only Christian feast days, but for generations has played an integral part in the Nation's pageantry at times of sadness and joy; notably Coronations and momentous events such as the end of the two World Wars.

Bells celebrate the culture and architecture of our Nation in a very special way. They are brought alive by the skills of ringers and the art and science of change-ringing; created in England and practised now in many parts of the world that have strong connections with our country.What a splendid and rich inheritance. Some towers already have a long-standing tradition of marking St George's Day with dedicated ringing. This year it would be wonderful to encourage as many Ringing Associations as possible to participate in this event with special peals, quarter peals or general ringing

Thank you, to the East Garston band of ringers and also those from Lambourn, who joined forces to ring at All Saints Church as well as at St Michael and All Angels, from the Vicar, Churchwarden and the Parochial Church Council

Sally Wright Churchwarden and Libby Alexander CCCBR