The Beacon February 2011 - Beacon Parish of Ditchling, Streat ...

Vicar:
Churchwardens:
Readers:
DIRECTORY
The Revd David Wallis
The Vicarage, 2 Charlton Gardens,
Lewes Road, Ditchling, BN6 8WA
Geoffrey Heath
St Margaret’s
Andrew Martin
(01273) 843165
(01273) 845134
(01273) 846123
Mike Sewell Streat Church (01273) 890366
Mark Moody-Stuart
Doreen Kallman
Richard Allen
Colyeen Blanchard
St Martin’s
(01273) 846525
(01273) 844743
(01273) 842919
01444 246186
Hon Treasurer: Mark Moody-Stuart (01273) 846525
Bookkeeper: Sue Sewell (01273) 890366
Hon Secretary: Margaret Bovill (01273) 845319
Organists and
Choirmasters:
Hon Organists:
Nick Hancock
John Sandford
Lynette Walker
Lynn Bond
St Margaret’s
Streat Church
St Martin’s
(01273) 841980
07855 957644
(01273) 891005
(01273) 842387
The Beacon
Editor: Graham Sharpless (01273) 845368
Advertising
Sue & George Hancock (01273) 890298
Managers:
Distribution
Managers:
Jenny Bell
Margaret Moore
Ditchling
(01273) 843194
(01273) 843805
Paul Charman Streat & Westmeston (01273) 844743
Full membership of the PCC can be found on the website at:
www.BeaconParishes.org
The Revd David Wallis’s day off is Friday
The Beacon Parish is a registered charity, number 1132488
Front cover: an unusual view of the chancel in St Margaret’s Church
taken from the scaffolding (photo by Graham Sharpless)

The Beacon Churches Calendar February 2011
During February there will be no weekday public services of Morning Prayer
2 Wed Eucharist at the home of Tony
and Briony Coomber
Cherry Tree Cottage, 45
East End Lane, Ditchling
10.30am
6 Sun THE FIFTH SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
Eucharist (BCP) The School 8.00am
All age Eucharist The School 9.45am
Morning Prayer Westmeston 9.45am
9 Wed Eucharist at the home of Pam and
Alec Gaskin (All Welcome)
13 Sun THE FOURTH SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
1 Beaconhurst,
Keymer
10.30am
Family Eucharist The School 9.45am
Morning Prayer Streat 9.45am
16 Wed Eucharist at the home of Geoff and
Valerie Heath (All Welcome)
20 Sun THE THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
Oakshade, Nye
Lane, Ditchling
10.30am
Eucharist (BCP) The School 8.00am
Morning Prayer The School 9.45am
Family Eucharist Streat 9.45am
Eucharist Westmeston 4.00pm
23 Wed Eucharist at The Vicarage (All
Welcome)
27 Sun THE SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
THE BEACON EUCHARIST
Charlton Gardens
St Margaret’s
School, Ditchling
10.30am
9.45am
1

Fr David Writes
Dear Friends
There has been much in the news recently about divisions
in the Church. Three Anglican bishops, a number of clergy
and several congregations have decided to leave the
Church of England and become Roman Catholics and it is
likely that, as the debate over women bishops continues,
further divisions will appear.
On Thursday 24 th March, we shall be holding an open
meeting of the PCC at Streat Barn at 6 pm to explore the
debate further. All are welcome to attend this meeting.
Divisions in the Church are not a new phenomenon. The apostle Paul had to
write to the church in Corinth appealing to them in the strongest terms that
there ‘should be agreement and no divisions’ and that they should be ’united in
the same mind and the same purpose’. Throughout the history of the church
such schisms and divisions have continued. The very fact that there are so many
different Christian denominations is an illustration of this. For as long as there
have been different denominations, people have changed between them and so
when we see three Anglican bishops leaving our Church to join another, as sad as
this may seem, we shouldn’t be too alarmed. Just by way of balancing the scales
a little, I know of a number of formerly Roman Catholic priests in this Diocese
alone who have become Anglican clergy, some because they wanted to get
married!
“Our divisions obscure people from seeing Christ”
Nevertheless, this is a particularly painful time of division in the Anglican Church
and this needs to be recognised. If the Church truly is the body of Christ, just as
all bodies have times of growth and flourishing so also all bodies have times of
sickness and at the moment we need to pray for the healing of our sickness and
the wounds of our division. The need for healing is of paramount importance as
our divisions make the Church look irrelevant to the rest of the world as they
look on. Our divisions obscure people from seeing Christ. Instead of hearing his
gospel, they hear our arguments and our bickering, and so the Church appears to
have nothing of any worth to offer the world. ‘They claim to offer the world
God’s gift of peace and reconciliation but they can’t even get on with each other’
the critics may cry and to misquote St Paul slightly, ‘we make The Cross look like
foolishness to those who don’t believe’.
2

When we feel passionate about an issue, it can become very easy for us to tie
ourselves up in knots about it. It can become all we think about and the focus of
our lives. So when Jesus called the first disciples to give up their lives as
fishermen and follow him, we hear in the gospel that ‘immediately they put
down their nets and followed him’.
A Gallilean fisherman’s net was his lifetime’s occupation, always needing to be
repaired, disentangled and re-knotted. It was the focus of his day. Jesus tells
them ‘put down your nets because now you must focus on me’. So often we get
our focus wrong when we are concerned with a particular issue. Albeit with the
best of intentions, we tangle ourselves up and tie ourselves in knots over who
can and can’t be ordained, who can and can’t lead the Church, what worship
should be like and where it should take place. All of these are important issues
to consider, but if they have become our focus – then Christ is not. When issues
such as these are all we think about, we have taken our eyes off the cross. It is
often said that if we have a problem we should ‘take it to the Cross’ in the hope
that there we shall find a solution. But instead, we often find that at the Cross,
Christ becomes our focus once more and the issue we are concerned about is
put into perspective.
“We make The Cross look like foolishness to
those who don’t believe”
The Cross is THE place of unity. It is the place where Christ dies for all of us, it is
the place where we all find the forgiveness of God and of course, the closer we
draw to the Cross, the closer we come to one another. And so let us ask
ourselves when we speak world of criticism ‘would I say this if I were standing at
the Cross’?
The Cross is the place where we see the burden Christ tolerated for us and
where we should ask ourselves ‘surely I must be more tolerant of others?’
The Cross is the place where Christ begins to construct the Church from wood
and nails and where we should ask ourselves ‘do my words build up that
Church?’
The Cross is the place where Jesus prays ‘Father forgive them, they know not
what they do’ and where we should ask ourselves ‘do I really try to see things
from the perspective of others?’ ‘Do I pray for them?’
The Cross is the place where even though we have broken our relationship with
God, it is God who is making the offer of reconciliation and we should ask
ourselves ‘do I really want to be reconciled with those with whom I disagree?’
3

The Cross is the place from where God looks at us in our worst and lowest
moment and loves us and were where we should ask ourselves ‘how can I
emulate that love’?
May God’s blessing be upon his whole Church and upon you
Fr David
In the Steps of the Plantagenets
Canon Peter Sills, the Rural Dean, is leading a pilgrimage from 5 – 19 September
2011 following the route taken by the Plantagenet Kings through western
France. From Mont-Saint-Michel to Bordeaux, the route passes though places
intertwined in French and English history and sanctified by the prayers of
countless pilgrims.
Highlights include the dramatic island sanctuary of Mont-Saint-Michel; the Castle
at Angers which houses the monumental Tapestry of the Apocalypse; the royal
Abbey of Fontevraud, burial place of the early Plantagenets; the magnificent
Romanesque Church of Ste-Marie-La-Grande in Poitiers; St-Savin-sur-Gartempe,
housing the largest collection of medieval wall paintings in France; St-Pierre in
Aulnay and St-Eutrope in Saintes, two of the most important Romanesque
churches in France; and the great city of Bordeaux with its cathedral and the
Basilica of St-Seurin, one of the earliest Christian sites in south-west France.
The itinerary allows a good amount of time for exploration, and there will also be
some fun times: a night tour of Angers and a visit to one of the Graves vineyards.
For full details contact Canon Sills on 01273 842760 / sills824@btinternet.com.
Ditchling Services in St Margaret’s School
St Margaret’s Church is closed for major redecoration
until the beginning of March.
During that time all services will be held in
St Margaret’s School
4

Bible Notes
I start this month with the verses I finished last month “he who seeks finds”
Matthew 7:8 “You will seek me (God) and find me when you seek me with all
your heart” Jeremiah 29:13. They explain just what happened to Tony Jordan
who wrote The Nativity for the BBC shown during Christmas week which I am
sure a lot of you will have seen.
“The words I read as coming from Jesus Christ are
the most truthful thing I have ever heard”
Apparently Tony Jordan writes for EastEnders and was asked to write a new
version of the nativity story. From studying the story deeply he produced this
excellent series and in an interview with The Telegraph stated: “The only thing I
know for sure is that the words I read as coming from Jesus Christ are the most
truthful thing I have ever heard”.
How good it was to hear the Queen speak about the good influence the Bible has
on this country. As we celebrate the 400 th anniversary of the King James Version
this year, let’s read the Bible regularly ourselves and value it as God’s word to us.
To read the Bible regularly it can be very helpful to have Bible Reading notes.
There are different types for all ages, some examples are Scripture Union which I
can provide (telephone: 843381), Bible Reading Fellowship available from Judy
Essex (telephone: 843089) and The Good Book Company.
http://www.scriptureunion.org.uk
http://www.brf.org.uk/
http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/ a free “Open up the Bible” magazine is
available online.
Jill Veness
Churchyard Working Parties
The next working party will be at Streat on Saturday February 12 th starting at
9.30 am. Please come along with cutters, clippers, gloves etc. and help to tidy
these lovely churchyard areas ready for the Spring - coffee and home-made cake
will as usual be provided.
Janet Cragg
5

Beacon Parish Church Duties February 2011
Time Church Service Lessons Readers Prayers Sidesmen
6 The Fifth Sunday before Lent Flowers:
8am
Ditchling
9.45am Ditchling
9.45am
Westmeston
Eucharist
BCP
All-Age
Eucharist
Morning
Prayer
1 Corinthians 2. 1-12
Matthew 5. 13-20
1 Corinthians 2. 1-12
Matthew 5. 13-20
1 Corinthians 2. 1-12
Matthew 5. 13-20
13 The Fourth Sunday before Lent Flowers:
9.45am Ditchling Eucharist
9.45am
Streat
Morning
Prayer
Deuteronomy 30.15 -
end
1 Corinthians 3. 1-9
Deuteronomy 30.15 -
end
1 Corinthians 3. 1-9
20 The Third Sunday before Lent Flowers:
8am
9.45am Ditchling
Ditchling Eucharist
BCP
Morning
Prayer
9.45am Streat Family Eucharist
4.00pm
Westmeston
Eucharist
1 Corinthians 3.10-
11,16-end
Matthew 5. 38-end
1 Corinthians 3.10-
11,16-end
Matthew 5. 38-end
1 Corinthians 3.10-
11,16-end
Matthew 5. 38-end
27 The Second Sunday before Lent Flowers:
9.45am Ditchling
Beacon Eucharist
7
Streat: Millie Taylor
Westmeston: Jo Wratten
Jenny Bell
tba
Mark
Moody-
Stuart
Vicky
Brandon
Jenny Bell
Carl Belfield
Penny Tyas
Colyeen
Brenda Hall
Blanchard
Streat: Sallie Heine
Westmeston: Jo Wratten
Mary
Dodds
Derek
Walker
Myrtle
Skelton
George
Hancock
Judy Essex
Di Martin
Sue Sewell
Streat: Sallie Heine
Westmeston:Sonia Norman
Ivor
Blomfield
Pam Allen
Lyn Bond
Doreen
Kallman
Fr David
Ivor
Blomfield
Joan
Styles
Jane Roberts
Paul
Charman
Streat: Jane Juniper
Westmeston:Sonia Norman
Romans
8.18-25 Penelope
Matthew Bennett
6.25-end

In Memoriam
In February we remember:
2 nd James Allen 19 th Braunda Pickup
3 rd Terence Covington 21 st Roy William Edwards
9 th Philip Petherbridge 22 nd Peggy Jean Spacek
16 th Roderick Webb 24 th Edward Armitage
17 th Alfred Crofton 28 th Joyce Sochon
17 th Sylvia Stevens 29 th Pamela Lane Owen
PCC Briefings
On Thursday 20 th January the first PCC meeting of 2011 was held at Westmeston
Parish Hall. Among the topics discussed were the new Treasurer, Mark Moody-
Stuart, and Bookkeeper, Sue Sewell. Sue will deal with day to day banking (for
the first time electronically) whilst Mark will oversee all the Beacon Churches
finances and produce the ACPM Report for the Auditors.
The re-decoration of the interior of St Margaret’s was also discussed as this will
now cost an extra £4,000 to remove additional cement rendering from the walls
before replastering. It was decided to inform Parishioners about this to see if
they would be prepared to contribute to this extra expense.
Other issues were the Mission Action Plan (MAP) which is now discussed at
every PCC Meeting. MAP covers all aspects of the Church (ie Worship, Home
Groups, Social Events, Weddings etc) and will be discussed at the Annual
Meeting in March.
The next PCC Meeting will be on Thursday 24 th March, 2011, at Streat Barn,
starting at 6.30 pm to which all Parishioners will be invited as one of the topics
up for discussion will be the role of Women Bishops and the Diocese has asked
for comments from the laity.
Margaret Bovill, PCC Secretary
8

Closure of St Margaret’s Church
St Margaret’s has been closed for the month of January and will not reopen until
the beginning of March. During this time the disfigured plasterwork is being
removed and replaced, and many parts of the interior are being redecorated.
The builders have unfortunately come across several areas where more work is
needed than was originally thought, and the outcome is that the budget will
over-run by £4,000. The Friends of St Margaret’s will be contributing £20,000 of
the total of £31,000, leaving £11,000 to be paid by the Beacon Parish.
Any contributions towards this over-run would be very gratefully received.
Mike Sewell
St Margaret's Cleaning Rota
We are all pleased to worship in a beautiful and clean church. We have been
fortunate over the years to have had a team of volunteers who have dusted and
polished the pews etc. However, this team has been reducing in numbers over
the years and we desperately require some new additions to ease the load of the
existing team. The greater the number of helpers the less frequently they have
to clean. The work is quite light, and usually takes about an hour. Often, a pair
of friends works together but our reduced numbers have caused more single
working in recent years.
If you feel able to help with this essential and rewarding work please let me
know as soon as possible as I must have the list completed well before the
church re-opens in March. I look forward to hundreds of replies!
Geoff Heath – Churchwarden
Apologies
The Editor would like to apologise for errors and omissions in the January
issue of The Beacon, particularly the incorrect times for some services and
the omission of the word ‘weekday’ from the text concerning morning
prayer services.
While all contributions are checked and any errors found corrected, some
errors do unfortunately go unnoticed particularly when time is short.
9

St Margaret’s Church Choir
In a recent television programme, Great British Railway Journeys, Michael
Portillo visited Durham Cathedral, where he asked James Lancelot, Director of
Music, how long a choir had existed there. The answer was since the Cathedral
was built.
St Margaret’s choir has probably not existed as long, but there has been a choir
for a considerable length of time. In recent years the choir has become very
much smaller. Currently there are five sopranos, three altos, one tenor and two
basses. Most members attend nearly all choir practices and Sunday services plus
weddings, funerals and other special services.
The choir is fortunate to have two excellent organists, Nick Hancock and John
Sandford, who spend a lot of time training and rehearsing the choir, as well as
choosing and preparing the music for us to sing.
If it is to survive, the choir desperately needs new singers in all voice parts. We
were fortunate that the Jubilee Choir sand with us for the Carol Service, but this
is not possible at other times.
11

The success of the newly formed Ditchling Singers shows that people like to sing.
If you enjoy singing please come along to one of our practices, which in February
are held on Fridays at 6.15 pm at Margaret Moore’s home, 46a Lewes Road,
which is just opposite the school. You will find a very friendly group of people
who enjoy singing.
Graham Sharpless
BEACON CHURCHES “100 CLUB” 2011
For 17 years we have been running the “100 Club” and raised much needed
funds and many people have enjoyed the thrill of winning a prize.
The initial outlay is £12 per share which amounts to £1 a month. We draw
two £20 prizes for eleven months of the year and two £50 prizes at Easter.
The Club will begin when 100 shares have been received, hopefully by the
end of February. Winners are notified and names placed in The Beacon each
month.
If you would like to take part, please fill in the form below and send it to Mrs.
Pam Gaskin, 1 Beaconhurst, Keymer, Hassocks BN6 8RE. Tel 843182.
Cheques or cash will be passed to the Treasurer of the PCC.
The winners of the December 2010 Draw were Margaret Moore and
Shirley Cox.
ENJOY THIS WAY OF RAISING FUNDS FOR OUR CHURCHES!
Pam Gaskin
BEACON CHURCHES “100 CLUB” 2011
Name(s) ……………………………………………………………………………
Address……………………………………………………………………………
…….……………………………………………………………………………....
No. of Shares …… (no limit!) Signed……………………………………………
Cheques made payable to “Ditchling, Streat and Westmeston P.C.C.”
numbered cards and receipt will be sent when all the shares are received.
Your
12

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13

Prayer Diary – February 2011
Feast Days
1 Brigid, Abbess of
Kildare, c525
2 Presentation of our
Lord: Candlemas
3 Anskar, Abp of
Hamburg,
Missionary in
Denmark and
Sweden, 865
4 Gilbert of
Sempringham, 1189
Prayer for the world church
& for this diocese
Machakos (Kenya)
Archdeaconry of Horsham:
Roger Combes, AD
Madhya Kerala (India)
Rural deanery of Cuckfield
Madi & West Nile (Uganda)
Ardingly
14
Prayer topic for the day
The people of Haiti
Lord, now lettest thou they
servant depart in peace,
according to thy word; For
mine eyes have seen thy
salvation, which thou has
prepared before the face of
all people, to be a light to
lighten the Gentiles, and to
be the glory of thy people
Israel
Ditchling Pre-School
Madurai-Ramnad (India) Outreach Committee
Balcombe
5 Mahajanga (Indian Ocean) Events Group
Bolney, St Mary Magdalene
6 5th Sunday before
Lent
Jerusalem
Youth, Church House
Accession of Queen
Elizabeth II
7 Maiduguri (Nigeria)
Cuckfield, Holy Trinity
For those preparing for
confirmation
8 Maine (USA)
Haywards Heath, St Wilfrid
St Peter and St James’
Hospice
9 Makamba (Burundi)
Haywards Heath, St Richard
For those who are stressed
by work
10 Scholastica, c.543 Makurdi (Nigeria)
For Fellowship
Highbrook and West Hoathly
11 Malaita (Melanesia) For new parents
12 Malakal (Sudan)
Lindfield
Streat Churchyard working
party
13 4th Sunday before
Lent
Those going through
marriage breakup
Kampala (Uganda)
For the young people on the
Encounter Scheme: Leah
Wagstaff and Luke Evason

Feast Days
14 Valentine, Martyr at
Rome, c269
Prayer for the world church
& for this diocese
Manchester
Scaynes Hill
15 Thomas Bray, Priest,
Founder of SPCK and
SPG, 1730
Mandalay (Myanmar)
Slaugham & Staplefield
Common
16 Manicaland (Central Africa)
Wivelsfield
17 Janani Luwum, Abp
of Uganda, Martyr,
1977
Mara (Tanzania)
Haywards Heath, The
Ascention
18 Marathwada (North India)
Deanery of East Grinstead
19 Maridi (Sudan)
Copthorne
20 3rd Sunday before Llandaff
Lent
Education Sunday
21 Maryland (USA)
Crawley
22 Masasi (Tanzania)
Crawley Down
23 Polycarp c 155 Maseno North (Kenya)
Crawley, Southgate
24 Matthias the Apostle Masindi-Kitara (Uganda)
East Grinstead, St Swithun
25 Massachusetts
East Grinstead, St Mary
26 Masvingo (Central Africa)
Forest Row
27 2nd Sunday before
Lent
George Herbert,
1633
Singapore
Ministry and Adult Christian
Education Department
(MACE), Church House
28 Matabeleland (Central
Africa)
Cowden with Hammerwood
Prayer topic for the day
For all those who will be
married in our churches
this year
For humility
For our neighbours
Deanery Synod meeting
tonight
For all who work outside
For our local surgery
For those in the
community who go to
other churches
For our local undertakers
For all involved in
producing and distributing
the Beacon Magazine
For our neighbouring
parishes
For our Parish Coffee
Morning today
For our District and County
Councils
For Ditchling Village Post
Office
The Parish Finance Team
For the first signs of spring
15

William Booth (1829 – 1912)
William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, just gets into our list of leading
20 th century Christian leaders, but the result of his work was to last for the full
hundred years and beyond.
He was born in Nottingham, was apprenticed to a local pawnbroker and soon
experienced at first hand the poverty in which so many lived. Through early
membership of the Methodist Church, Booth came to believe that his mission in
life was to preach and to convert. He was always graphically aware of the
contrast between a life of salvation through Christ and the hell of life through
the evil of Satan. Hence his preaching and his energies were directed at rescuing
those he saw living a life of squalor, dogged by violence, drink and despair.
His move to London was followed by marriage to Catherine Mumford in 1855
and she was a tremendous influence on William in his work. Together they broke
away from their Methodist affiliations and set up independent Christian missions
relying increasingly on open-air preaching. In this way they were able to reach
those who would be reluctant to enter a church – indeed Salvationists often
claim that the movement began life in a tent in a Quaker cemetery in
Whitechapel, East London.
“The advent of the … brass band was originally to drown
out the jeers of the crowds who gathered to mock”
By 1878, the Salvation Army was formed with its military structure, its uniforms
and its marching. The Army insisted always on equality for women and on all
members being teetotal. As the movement grew, so it continued to attack the
evils of drink and prostitution but it also called for practical reforms such as the
creation of labour exchanges to help the unemployed, the provision of legal aid
for the poor and it set up a bureau to help families trace missing relations.
The advent of the familiar brass band was originally to drown out the jeers of the
crowds who gathered to mock. Unscrupulous brewers and innkeepers were
quick to encourage such attacks and there were many serious riots in Sussex,
particularly in the sedate resorts of Worthing and Eastbourne. Captain Margetts
reporting on the Army’s visit to Worthing in 1883: ‘Hall packed at night; crowds
outside; stormy meeting; many wounded…..’ Whilst, later in 1991, William Head,
a young Salvationist, reported a huge gathering of opponents in Eastbourne
where there was ‘cursing and swearing, boos, hoots, whistles coupled with flour,
rotten eggs, fish, rotten fruit and vegetables, and many more horrible and dirty
16

things were thrown at us’ Yet the Diocesan Bishop, Bishop Durnford addressed
the Chichester Diocesan Conference and advised Anglicans not to treat the
Salvation Army with contempt or dislike ‘lest haply we be found to fight against
God!’
Thus by the beginning of the 20 th Century, the Salvation Army was seen to be
much more than just a revivalist craze, and was fully established as a section of
the Christian Church. William Booth was received by King Edward VII in 1904,
and in 1905 he became a Freeman of the City of London. By the time he died in
1912, he could point to the Salvation Army in 58 different countries, and he was
said to have travelled 5 million miles himself and preached just under 60,000
sermons!!
Richard Allen
Chinese New Year Meal
Come along for a Chinese inspired meal and lots of fun at
The General on Friday 5 th February 7.30pm
Tickets £12
Contact Nicky Amas (842791)
Putting St Margaret’s back together again
Please come along to help ‘set up’ the church after the building
work is completed on
Monday 28 th February at 9.30am
Women Bishops
Every parish in the Diocese has been asked to discuss this current issue.
We shall be doing this at an open PCC meeting on Thursday 24 th March at
Streat Barn. All are welcome to attend.
17

What’s On in February 2011
1 Tue
Ditchling Downs WI meeting and talk I Married
the Vicar, Friends Meeting House, East Gardens,
Ditchling
p 22
7.30pm
3 Thu
Ditchling WI meeting and talk Adur
Valley,Ditchling Village Hall
Ditchling Film Society Film Departures, Ditchling
Village Hall
p 22
p 27
2.30 pm
8 pm
4 Fri
Ditchling History Project talk The place of Fairs
in English social history, Ditchling Village Hall
p 34
7.30 pm
5 Sat
Ditchling Pre-School Charity Jumble Sale,
Ditchling Village Hall
p 29
2 pm
Chinese New Year Meal, The General, Ditchling p 19 7.30pm
8 Tue
Newick Decorative and Fine Arts Society lecture
Porcelain for the Chinese Emperors, Plumpton
Village Hall
p 32
2.15 pm
9 Wed Frugal Lunch, Emmanuel Chapel 12.30 pm
12 Sat Churchyard Working Party, Streat Church p 5 9.30 am
15 Tue
Ditchling Village Asssociation Coffee Morning,
Ditchling Village Hall
10.30 am
Women’s Fellowship meeting, 81 Lewes Road p 22 7.30 pm
17 Thu
Ditchling Film Society film All My Loved One,
Ditchling village Hall
p 28
8 pm
19 Sat
Ditchling WI ‘Marmalade Morning’, Ditchling
village Hall
p 22
10.30 am
22 Tue Whist Drive, Westmeston Parish Hall p 34 7.15 pm
24 Thu Beacon Parish Coffee Morning, Southwind, Streat p 30 10.45 am
28 Mon Putting St Margaret’s back together again p 17 9.30 am
18

3 Thu
What’s On in March 2011
Ditchling Film Society film Everlasting Moments,
Ditchling Village Hall
8 pm
6 Sun Pilgrimage Preparation Evening, St Margaret’s Church 6 pm
18 Fri
Ditchling Village Asssociation Newcomers’ Party,
Ditchling Village Hall
8 pm
24 Thu PCC Meeting, Streat Barn 6.30 pm
27 Sun APCM, St Margaret’s Church, Ditchling
29 Tue Whist Drive, Westmeston Parish Hall 7.15 pm
"Something old, something new"
The events group have had their first meeting of the year and already we have
something planned for most months in 2011. Some events will be back by
popular demand and we have some new ideas for you to try too. There are even
a few surprises up our sleeves but you will have to wait till nearer the time to
find out about those.
It may be too late by the time you read this but in February we thought we
would use Chinese New Year as our theme and on Saturday the 5 th we will be
celebrating this with a Chinese style meal at The General. And in case you didn't
know, it is the Year of the Rabbit. We may float a few lanterns but I am not sure
if we will be treated to one of Father David's infamous themed quizzes yet.
Confirmed future dates for your diary include the following:
April 30 th (Sat) The "wear a hat" BBQ. Come and celebrate the royal wedding
with a street party style lunch.
June 18 th (Sat) Safari Supper. As last year this will start and end in the Church
with your main course at the house of a mystery host.
October 1 st (Sat) Concert by Ambrose Page playing the music of Rossini.
October - date to be confirmed. Race night. Get ready to lay your bets for a
fun filled evening at the Ditchling Derby
November 26 th (Sat) St Andrews Night. Haggis, music and dancing (kilts
optional).
19

During the summer months there will also be another 6 aside cricket
competition and Jazz on the Green picnic.
Please put these dates in your diary and perhaps consider bringing someone
along who does not come to Church. These events are open to everyone in our
community.
We need your support to make these events worthwhile. If you would like to
join the Events Group, help out with or attend a specific event then please
contact Nicki on 01273 842791.
Nicki Amas
Ditchling (St Margaret's) CE Primary School
Visiting The Globe
On Tuesday 18 th January 2011 Key Stage 2 went to The Globe Theatre in London.
We met at Hassocks station at 9.10 am, but we had to wait ages for the train. It
was cold too! When the train eventually arrived, I sat with Ellie and Natalie. The
train was good fun because we played hangman and other games.
We arrived at London Bridge station and had a short walk to The Globe, along
which we saw The Golden Hind. First we went in the exhibition. We saw William
Shakespeare's will and many amazing costumes that had been worn in
performances around 400 years ago. We also saw some actors practising their
sword fighting. At midday we had our lunch.
The afternoon started with a drama workshop. An actor called Adam led us
through some activities, such as warm-ups and role play. Then we practised
some excerpts from Romeo & Juliet. Finally we went into The Globe theatre,
which was amazing.
Adam told us about the history of The Globe. The highlight of the day was for us
to perform our parts of Romeo & Juliet on the stage. I think this was everyone's
favourite part of the day.
Finally, we headed back to the train station, arriving back in Hassocks at 4.10 pm.
It had been a brilliant day that I'll always remember.
Isabella Axtell, Year 6
20

Ditchling Women’s Groups
Ditchling Downs WI
After a highly successful concert featuring Paul Weakley called 'A Tenor's Worth'
in The Old Meeting House we have pleasure in welcoming for our meeting on
Tuesday 1 st February Romy McCabe whose talk is entitled 'I Married the Vicar'.
This will be in the Friends Meeting House, East Gardens, Ditchling, 7.30pm for
8pm.
Barbara Dollings, 01273 843892
Ditchling WI
Ditchling WI Held its New Year meeting on January 6 th 2011 in the Village hall.
We had a fascinating talk, with slides, on Family Trees given by Roma Leon. It
was made easy to follow as she used her own family history as an example.
After the talk we had ‘flower of the month’, a raffle, and tea and biscuits.
Our next meeting will be on February 3 rd at 2.30 pm in the Village Hall when Dr
Janet Pennington will talk on the ‘Adur Valley’.
We will be holding our famous ‘Marmalade Morning’ on Saturday 19 th February
2011 at 10.30 until 12.00 pm in Ditchling village Hall. Coffee and refreshments
will be served and there will be stalls where you can purchase cakes and also
Plants. A Grand Raffle with some great prizes will also be held. All welcome.
Joan Sayer, 01273 845255
Women’s Fellowship
Our first meeting of the year was at the home of Pam Burr, on 18 th January.
Nineteen members attended. Ideas were given and venues arranged. Pam Burr
opened the meeting with a prayer. Joan Styles gave an account of the money
donations - £315 was sent to St Peter and St James Hospice and it was agreed to
do the same this year. Joan was thanked and agreed to continue.
Pam Burr went through the monthly dates and ideas and speakers were
suggested. We look forward to learning new things and enjoying each others
company.
Pam was thanked for her hospitality. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 15 th
February at 7.30 pm at Jonn Grinstead's home, 81 Lewes Road. Janet and David
Cragg are bringing the handbells, hoping to teach us to join in.
Please phone Jonn 01273 846752 to let her know if you will be coming.
Rosemary Taylor
22

1st Ditchling Scout Group
Beavers – Beavers started the new term in January with a very active games
evening.
Cubs – Thanks to John Bacon the Cubs were able to enjoy an evening learning
about and practising the skills of Morris Dancing, something which is very
popular in our village.
Scouts – The new session started with an evening of rifle shooting which is
always very popular. The following week the Scouts were planning their menus
ready for the annual inter-Patrol cooking competition and it is expected that the
standard will match the very high level of achievement which was reached last
year.
Plans are already afoot for the main events taking place this year including a
joint Cub and Scout camp in the Spring.
Alec Gaskin, Group Chairman
The Turner-Dumbrell Foundation
During the year Ivor Blomfeld retired after serving as Chairman, and the
remaining Trustees expressed their thanks to him for all his hard work and
commitment to the Foundation. Janet Cragg took over as Chairman. After an
unprecedented number of applications this year, at their meeting in January the
Trustees agreed grants totalling £23,000 to the following:
St Margaret’s Church
St Peter & St James Hospice
Oldland Mill
The Monday Group
Ditchling Museum
The Pavilion Club
Ditchling Pre-School Group
The Old Meeting House
You can find out more about the Foundation - its history and purpose and the
Workshops in North End on our new web site at www.turner-dumbrell.org.
Roma Leon
Ditchling Village Asssociation
TO ALL NEWCOMERS to Ditchling since March last year – we look forward to
meeting you at our annual Newcomers’ Party on Friday 18 th March at 8 pm in
the Village Hall. You will soon be receiving an invitation from your Good
Neighbour but if you don’t, please get in touch with us so that we can send you
one. This is a lovely evening and a great way to meet other newcomers to the
23

village and representatives of the many clubs and societies that exist here
making Ditchling the village it is. Please contact Pam Gaskin on 01273 843182 e-
mail address: pamandalec@care4free.net.
Pam Gaskin
Ditchling Pre-school
Christmas is always a fantastic time to be working with children as you get to
share in the wonder of it every year with fresh eyes. This year has been no
exception and the children at Ditchling Pre-school have been really enjoying
learning about the Christmas story. They helped to create a nativity scene on
our display board using a variety of media, including a whole lot of glitter! We
then added in their own words, thoughts and ideas of the nativity story and were
very impressed with how much they knew and had remembered about it.
Last week we were lucky enough to visit Father David and Sally in St Margaret's
Church. As ever the children had a fantastic time. They went on a treasure hunt
around the Church to find different figurines from the Nativity scene and then
got to create their very own Christmas tableau. We then learnt a new song
about advent (which we are still singing) as we lit the advent candles and even
got to play musical bumps. It is always wonderful to see the children having so
much fun and being part of such a magical experience for them.
Katy Widdows
Photos of St Margaret’s church clockwise from top left: View of scaffolding in nave
and crossing; removing old plaster in south transept; top view of the south arch
above the scaffolding; chapel wall with plaster removed and south aisle wall.
24

Ditchling Film Society
In February we shall be screening two films with the first on Thursday, 3 rd
February being Departures which tells the story of Daigo Kobayashi, a devoted
cellist in an orchestra which has just been dissolved. When Diago finds himself
without a job, he decides to moves from Tokyo back to his old hometown with
his understanding wife, Mika, to look for employment. He replies to a classified
advert entitled “Departures” believing it to be for a travel agency only to find he
has the job of a mortician’s assistant. Shamed by the idea of making a living by
death, he continues the well paid job keeping it a secret from everyone,
including his wife. The film is not only a delightful journey into the heartland of
Japan but also an astonishingly beautiful look at a sacred part of Japan’s cultural
heritage.
Director: Yôjirô Takita. Japan 2009. 130 min.
On Thursday 17 th February 2011 our film will be All My Loved Ones – Matej
Minac’s heartbreaking and poignant story of one family’s experience at the
onset of World War II was inspired by the real life heroics of Nicholas Winton, an
English stockbroker, who saved hundreds of Czech Jewish children from the
Nazis. The film centres on the Silbersteins, a large and close knit extended family
living a good life in the countryside. Believing in the decency of mankind, they
pay little heed to the Nazi threat and although their daily life becomes more
intolerable, they realize too late the true horror of what is happening and have
to make their toughest decision ever – do they entrust their young son to
Winton and risk never seeing him again? This is a tragic story but one where
warm humour alternates with poignant scenes of family life in the shadow of the
Nazi threat. Rupert Graves gives a very sensitive performance as Nicholas
Winton.
Director: Matej Minac. Czech Republic 2000. 91 min.
On Thursday, 3 rd March 2011 our film will be Everlasting Moments, a beautiful,
tender unsentimental film set in Malmo, southern Sweden from Jan Troell. It
tells the true story of Maria Larsson, a young woman, who in 1909 wins a camera
in a lottery. Her delight in the emerging magic of photography stands in stark
contrast to the often grim reality of working class life and marriage.
Director: Jan Troell. Sweden 2008. 125 min.
The films will be shown in Ditchling Village Hall. Films start at 8.00 pm. Doors
open at 7.30 pm. Free coffee and biscuits beforehand and ample free parking
behind the hall. Guests and temporary members are welcome for a small charge
payable at the door.
Rowena Cager and Melanie Samuel
27

EASTER WORKSHOP
www.themusicexpress.co.uk
The Music Express runs music and drama workshops for children
aged 7 to 12.
A 3 day workshop is being held at Great Walstead School from
12 th to 14 th April. If you wish to be on our mailing list to
receive more information or would like an application, please ring
John Sandford on 07855 957644.
The April workshop will include the usual mix of activities
including songs, drama and percussion work. The cost of the 3
day workshop is £75. Please book early to avoid disappointment.
The Music Express Team
Ditchling Pre-School Charity Jumble Sale
Saturday 5th February, Ditchling Village Hall
£1 entry
Doors open 2 pm - get there early to avoid the queue.
Final sale 4pm.
Drop your jumble in advance of the event at Lisa's
07934474572 or Laurie 07776242992
29

Beacon Parish Coffee Morning
Thursday 24 th February at 10.45 am
at Southwind, Streat
Thorn in my Side
Valentine’s Day approaches when red, scentless cut roses that seem to wilt
within a day, will be bought in their millions. I cannot be the only person who
would prefer receiving a rose bush that will produce magnificent scented blooms
for the entire summer.
Bare-rooted plants are still available now and are much cheaper than potted
roses, which of course means that you can buy more! A newly planted single
rose does not pack much punch in a border. Try planting three of the same
variety, very closely together. When flowering it will look like a single plant and
will give impact in its first year.
It is easy to be seduced by a rose in picture, but I would strongly recommend
that you research your subject thoroughly before committing to purchase. Roses
come in all shapes, sizes, colours ….. and some have appalling thorns. There are
roses that are more problem-free than others. I would never purchase a rose
that only blooms once a year, has no scent, or is prone to “rose balling” (a
condition that prevents a flower from opening).
Roses in themselves are remarkably ugly plants. From the neck down, they
really need disguising and their ankles are truly awful. Surround them with
perennials that provide the modesty they need, the size of which will be
determined by the height of your rose. Climbers obviously need to have clouds
of planting compared to shorter shrub roses. There is no mystery about pruning.
In late autumn, reduce the length of stems by about a third and remove any
deadwood. Then in the spring when the sap starts to rise, look out for buds
starting to swell and prune hard to encourage the production of plenty of new
stems.
Any man reading this article who has not organised a fabulous weekend in Paris
for his beloved, would do well to start looking at rose websites right away!
Karoline Baird
30

Newick Decorative and Fine Arts Society
Tuesday February 8th at Plumpton Village Hall 2.15 pm
Porcelain for the Chinese Emperors.
For this lecture we are lucky enough to have Anne Haworth who not only
lectures at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the British Museum but is also a
Guide for private tours of the State Rooms and the Queen's Gallery at
Buckingham Palace. This will be a digital presentation and the illustrations are
superb.
Porcelain was originally only made for the Emperors and their families from as
early as 500 AD. It was not until much later in the 17 th century that it was begun
to be made for the Western market.
Come and enjoy what should be a very interesting lecture. Payment for non
members is £5 on the door with tea and biscuits afterwards. If you need any
further information please contact our secretary Carole Burgon on 01273
890301 or Marjorie Blunden on 01825 723250.
Annette Shelford
Nature Notes
The Waxwings I wrote about in the December magazine, duly made it to this part
of the country. Typically the ones I saw just after Christmas were in Tesco’s car
park in Lewes. Many supermarket car parks have attracted these birds, not by
any of the products in the stores, but because many of them have been planted
with berry-bearing trees, the food supply of these wandering birds. The light was
not good but we had clear views of over a dozen of them.
An idea of how far they wander is demonstrated by the colour-ringing of an
early one that arrived in Scotland from northern Russia, in October being
photographed on Portland just after the New Year. The advantage of putting a
combination of coloured rings on the legs of birds is that, without capture they
can be positively identified in the field or in this case a television aerial.
After the second bout of cold weather, there are still many birds coming to the
feeders but there must have been considerable mortality in such severe
temperatures. This will be confirmed and measured by the many surveys that
amateur naturalists take part in. These can be by the simple Garden Bird Counts
many of us complete to the more complex ongoing studies of breeding
populations and the Atlas work. The smallest contributions are valuable, putting
32

another tiny splash into the large bucket of knowledge being collected all the
time.
If, in February we do get any days of warmth and bright sunshine, the first
butterflies will emerge from hibernation. Peacock and Brimstone will be the first
we see and what a wonderful sign of Spring and of hope they are. These two
species are at the adult stage of their life cycle for longer than any others. They
will have emerged from the chrysalis at the end of last July or early August, fed
on flower nectar in the late summer, found a dry safe place in a shed or wood
pile for the winter and will feed on spring flowers before pairing up and laying
eggs on Stinging Nettles in late April or May. They are therefore an adult for
about nine months of their yearly cycle.
February is also a good month to erect hole-fronted nest boxes for Blue tits,
Great tits and Nuthatches and half-fronted ones for Robins, Pied Wagtails etc.
We have had boxes put up as late as March used just a few weeks later but
generally the birds need a few weeks to become accustomed to new sites. Nest
boxes are also vital for use as a roost during the winter. Any existing boxes
should be cleaned out to avoid a build up of parasites, so always provide a lid
that can be opened. In that way the contents and breeding success or otherwise
can be proved.
Reg Lanaway
The Ditchling Dialogue is Recorded on Cassette
Anyone who finds it very difficult to read the print edition of the Ditchling
Dialogue can enjoy a copy sent free by post every month, recorded on audio
cassette. Known as Talk About on Tape, it includes
Ninety minutes of local news read by local people
Each issue begins with a calendar of events in the area and lists all Age
Concern activities
Edited for easy listening
A unique section provides updates on special services for people with poor
sight
Funded by Friends & Neighbours and local donations
Telephone 01273 845882 to join or receive a sample copy
33

Great Walstead School
Great Walstead is a delightful and
distinctively Christian independent
prep school just outside Lindfield.
The School is seeking to appoint a
new Bursar (Chief Financial Officer)
and details of the vacancy can be
found on the school website at
www.greatwalstead.co.uk. If you
are interested in this post or know
of someone who may be, please
have a look."
WHIST DRIVE
Tuesday 22 nd February
Westmeston Parish Hall
starting at 7.15pm
Everyone is welcome to join the
friendly team of players.
The next whist drive will be
held on Tuesday 29 th
March.
For more details contact
Doreen Kallman on 844743.
Ditchling History Project
The Ditchling History Project is delighted and proud to sponsor an illustrated
talk by Robert Harris titled “The place of Fairs in English social history”, on
Friday February 4 th 2011 in Ditchling Village Hall starting at 7.30pm.
Tickets are £6 including a glass of wine or soft drink and are available from the
Post Office or Parkers in Ditchling High Street or by phoning Penney Pepler
01273 835770, Tom Dufty 844110, Roma Leon 843113, Janet Cragg 845383.
The Beacon in the Past
Below are excerpts from previous issues of the Ditchling Beacon.
40 years ago
In his letter in the February 1971 issue the Vicar, Rev Tony Way, referred to the
Christmas services and thanked the organist, choir, servers and “so many others
for helping to make this, my first major Festival in Ditchling, such a joyful and
wonderful occasion”.
34

Lent started in February in 1971 but the Vicar was “not yet in a position to
announce any details of a Lent Programme except to tell you that I am trying to
arrange a series of sermons at Evensong by laymen on the theme ‘Christianity
and my work.’”
The Vicar also referred to his second job. “In 1963, when the Sussex Church
Campaign was first launched, I was asked by the Bishop … to serve on the
Diocesan Buildings Committee. … Faced with a large building programme of
twenty-six new churches, ten new halls, and eighteen enlargements to existing
church buildings several of us on the Committee recommended that a first step
might be a thorough study of the problem to see what modern methods of
building technique could be applied to keep costs down and make the best
possible use of our resources.
“At the end of about eighteen month’s very intensive work we produced our
report entitled ‘Buildings and Breakthrough’ which the Institute for Study of
Worship and Religious Architecture … published for us”.
One of its recommendations was to appoint someone “with suitable
qualifications to carry out most of the others”. The Vicar was appointed and had
been carrying out these duties for the past four years on a part time basis. But
he stressed that “I look upon myself as first and foremost your Parish Priest”.
20 years ago
The February 1991 issue included a reference by the Vicar to the loss of another
of Ditchling’s major characters, Joanna Bourne, “whose contribution to the life of
Ditchling and to its preservation has been incalculable”. She was born in India on
3 rd December 1906. Following her education in England “she became French
Mistress at Bradford High School but had to leave after two years as a result of
increasing deafness”. After being tutor to the daughters of Lord Howard de
Walden, Joanna “joined the Childrens’ Country Holidays Fund and was
responsible for finding homes for children from London to give them a
fortnight’s holiday in the country”.
After the war she became sub-editor of the weekly review Time and Tide, but
“once her career in London was over, Joanna concentrated her efforts and
interests in preserving Ditchling as a true downland village working tirelessly
with others to ensure that threats to the integrity of the place were met with
determined resistance”.
Graham Sharpless
35

DITCHLING
POST OFFICE
Newsagents & Stationers
1 Lewes Road, Ditchling
Tel: 01273 842736
Confectionery
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Ice cream Postcards
Greetings cards Stationery
Maps Parking vouchers
Gifts
36

For practical services
from friendly people
Wills & Estates
Property Sales & Purchases
Personal injury
Inheritance tax planning
Family matters
Services for businesses
32-34 Keymer Road, Hassocks
01273 843405
hassocks@gsfwsolicitors.co.uk
www.gsfwsolicitors.co.uk
Regulated by the Solicitors
Regulation Authority
Specialists in Landscape Planning
Garden Construction Waterscape Landscape
& Waterscape Maintenance Service
ASHDOWN COTTAGE
UNDERHILL LANE, DITCHLING
SUSSEX
TEL: (01273) 843283, FAX: 842335
Directors: A L Standen & S M May
C o mp a n y R e g . No . 81 4 63 0 R e g is t er e d at
As hd o w n Co tt a g e, U nd er h ill L a ne ,
Ditchling, Sussex, BN6 8XE

If you would like to contribute to our magazine on church and village
community matters, or receive further copies, please get in touch with:
Graham Sharpless, 23 North Court, Hassocks, BN6 8JS
Tel: 01273 845368 E-mail: sharpless@btinternet.com
www.BeaconParishes.org
Copy deadline for the March 2011 edition is
Friday 18 th February
Contributions should, where possible, be sent by email to the email
address above either in the body of the email or as a Microsoft Word
file. For events please ensure that all necessary details are included,
such as title, venue, date, time, ticket prices and availability.
Printed by DPS Ltd, Burgess Hill