The Parish Magazine February 2021

The Parish Magazine - January 2021 1 

The 

Parish 

Magazine 

The John King Trophy and Gold Award 

Best Magazine of the Year 2018 

National Parish Magazine Awards 

Best Overall Magazine 2020 

Best Editor 2019 

Best Print 2018 

Best Content 2016 


Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning & Sonning Eye since 1869 

February 2021 — Candlemas and Lent 

Church of St Andrew 

Serving Sonning, Charvil & Sonning Eye 

the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF 

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY

2 The Parish Magazine - February 2021 

Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement 

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Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning & Sonning Eye since 1869 




The John King Trophy and Gold Award 

Best Magazine of the Year 2018 

National Parish Magazine Awards 


Best Editor 2019 

Best Print 2018 

Best Content 2016 


information — 1 

Contents February 2021 

THE VICAR'S LETTER, 5 

THE PARISH NOTICEBOARD 

— Sunday Club Nativity, 7 

— For your prayers, 7 

— Ash on Wednesday, 9 

— STAY, 10-11 

— Not being weary, 13 

— The Persecuted Church, 15 

features 

— Revaluing The Pound, 17 

— Rydal Summer holidays, 19-21 

— Light for the World, 22-23 

— St Valentine's Day, 24-25 

— Counting Climate Costs, 27 

around the villages 

— Music for the Community, 29 

— Santa at Hare Hatch, 31 

— Jenny Adams retires, 31 

— Pleasure on the Thames, 31 

This month's FRONT COVER 

February 2021 — Candlemas and Lent 

The 

Parish 

Magazine 

the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF 

CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY 

Candlemas (see page 22) 

Pictures: Peter Rennie/Tom Farncombe 

EDITORIAL DEADLINE 

The editorial deadline for every issue 

of The Parish Magazine is 12 noon on 

the sixth day of the month prior to the 

date of publication. 

The deadline for the March 

issue of The Parish Magazine is: 

Saturday 6 February at 12 noon 


Services at 

St Andrew’s 

At the time this issue went to press a 

third national Covid-19 lockdown had 

started. For the latest information about 

services in St Andrew's Church please 

check the St Andrew's website at: 

http://www.sonningparish.org.uk 

Or call the 

Parish Office 

on: 

0118 969 3298 

HOME & GARDEN 

— Birds in the garden, 33 

— Recipe of the Month, 33 

the sciences 

— Hope for 2021, 33 

HEALTH 

— Dr Simon Ruffle writes, 35-36 

THE ARTS 

— Forty Days and Nights, 36 

— Storytelling Week, 36 

— Book Reviews, 37 

— Poetry Corner, 37 

PUZZLE PAGE, 39 

children's page, 41 

information 

— Church services, 3 

— From the registers, 3 

— Parish contacts, 42 

— Advertisers index, 42 

AN APOLOGY 

Since just before Christmas I 

have had an intermittent/zero 

email service caused by a serious 

failure of a server through which 

all my emails pass. By the time 

you read this I am hoping that all 

will be restored. I apologise for 

any unanswered emails that you 

may have sent to me during the 

Christmas and New Year season. 

Bob Peters, editor 

From the 

registers 

The Parish Magazine online 

This issue can be viewed online at: 

http://www.theparishmagazine.co.uk 

Earlier issues from 1869 onwards are 

stored in a secure online archive. If you 

wish to view these archives contact the 

editor who will authorise 

access for you: 

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk 

Weddings 

— Friday 11 December, Ben Marson and Francesca Knight 

— Saturday 19 December, Sean Lambert and Grace Whittingham 

— Saturday 19 December, Jonathan Henry Rich and Antonia Rowanne Barker 

Funerals 

— Tuesday 15 December, Rosalind Buchanan, St Andrew's Church 

— Wednesday 23 December, Rosaline Ivy Simpson, Easthampstead Park 

— Wednesday 6 January, Constance Faith Belsham, Easthampstead Park


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The vicar's letter 

POSITIVE CHANGES 

The Parish Magazine - February 2021 5 

Dear friends, 

I hope you are somehow managing during this latest lockdown. We at least 

had the consolation of fine weather during the first one last year, and I 

really worry, especially for those who live alone. The darkness of isolation 

can be all pervading, but of course loneliness is not merely the preserve of 

those who live alone. It is my own personal experience that you can feel 

lonely in a room full of people, although we can be very good at concealing 

this. 

The darkness of bereavement is something that I have experience of 

from an early age. I well recall the almost tangible darkness which seemed 

to surround me and only kept it at bay by trying to ignore it; a huge mistake 

as I was to learn. I heard somebody recently talking on tv about how he 

felt 'bereaved for his former life' because of Covid-19, and I must confess 

to thinking, 'well at least you still have your life', but, on reflection, while 

'bereaved' was perhaps not the best choice of word, I think I can see his 

point. We have all had to step back from many normal activities, including 

seeing family and friends, and yes, this does bring a sense of loss. 

As vicar, I feel regret that all the new ways of serving our community 

that we had launched and that were thriving, have had to be mothballed. 

A Sunday service without congregational singing is an experience we have 

learnt to get used to, but something is very clearly missing, and we all look 

forward to raising the roof again, especially with our new organ. I am also aware of the sadness and frustration of 

pupils and teachers alike who are missing out on all the activities of the school year. 

So yes, there is a sense of loss and a feeling that some of the light has gone out of our lives, but at least we can 

remind ourselves that the light of the vaccine is shining brighter and brighter each week and that better days are 

on the horizon. 

There is no doubt that some things will never be the same again. Sadly, some jobs will be lost forever, retail 

chains are being consigned to history and I am sure there will be churches that went to sleep at the start of this 

pandemic, and they will never wake up. 

There are also positive changes that I am witnessing. I see a more caring church family at St Andrew’s, more 

ready to reach out to those who are elderly or on their own. I see communities that are more ready to be likewise 

and I pay tribute to those in our parish who have organised these initiatives. 

I have been aware of a greater awareness of the important work of foodbanks and other charitable endeavours 

and I would remind everyone that there is a collection point for the Woodley foodbank in church. Donations to 

the Sonning Welfare Trust, of which I am chairman, would be warmly welcomed and can either be given online 

or by cheque sent to me at the church office. The communities the Trust includes are Charvil, Woodley, Earley, 

Sonning Eye, Dunsden, Playhatch and Sonning Common — the old parish of Sonning. There are some very real 

cases of hardship out there at the moment, some enough to reduce me to tears in all honesty, and we only have a 

limited investment income so donations would enable us to bring light into some very dark situations. 

THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS 

At the start of February, the church celebrates Candlemas, the occasion when the infant Jesus was presented 

in the temple. He was proclaimed by Simeon to be 'A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people 

Israel.' We have traditionally held a Christingle service on this day where children place a candle in an orange to 

symbolise Jesus as the light of the world. [See the centre pages]. John’s gospel states that 'Light has come into the 

world, and people loved darkness rather than light ...'. And yet, the light of the world has come, and it is Jesus. Not 

just any light, but the light of the one who 'brings grace and truth.' He reveals the truth of who we are and who we 

are not. He also shines forth the grace of a God who gives life and rebirth. His truth is a light that exposes and 

reveals. But his grace is a light that renews as well as reveals, exposes, and yet also forgives. The light is more than 

a candle in the night. The light of the world is Jesus, our Saviour. It is a light that our world needs more than ever. 

'I am the light of the world,' says Jesus. 'Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life'. 

And the church affirms, 'The light shines in the darkness, and no darkness shall overcome it'. 

With warm wishes. 

Jamie


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Sunday Club could not perform the Nativity in Church on Christmas Eve as they usually do, so they divided the story among 

nine Sunday Club families and each one filmed their part. The clips were combined and Sunday Club watched their final 

production on Christmas Eve over Zoom, along with playing Christmas themed games! 

Throughout last year Sunday Club met virtually during 

lockdowns and looked at the Christian foundations of our 

faith and Christian character (Living like Jesus). 

Advent candles for the countdown to Christmas were 

sent to families to reflect and pray each day when lighting 

it. The Nativity video came together brilliantly, was good 

fun and a wonderful way to celebrate the Christmas story 

together. 

Sunday Club will continue via Zoom during the current 

lockdown — it will be on the second, fourth and fifth 

Sundays of the month at 9.30am. When lockdown ends it 

is hoped that children will be able to meet in The Ark on 

the same Sundays of the month. 

If you have primary school age children and are 

interested in joining Sunday Club you would be very 

welcome. Please contact Hilary at the church office for 

further details: 

office@sonningparish.org.uk 

For your prayers 

in February 

— The work of the Children's Society 

— Her Majesty the Queen on the 68th 

anniversary of her Accession on 6 February 

— For the work of local foodbanks 

—For the family of Olly Stephens (13 years) 

murdered in Emmer Green 

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From the desk 

of the editor 


editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk 

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday 17 February. But why 

'Ash' Wednesday? The reason has to do with getting things 

right between you and God, and the tradition goes back to 

the Israelites in the Old Testament. 

The Israelites, being human, often sinned. When they came 

to their senses, and saw their evil ways as God saw them, 

they could do nothing but repent in sorrow. They mourned 

for the damage and evil they had done and to show their 

repentance they covered their heads with ashes. This, and 

rending their clothes, was an outward sign of their heart-felt 

repentance and acknowledgement of sin. (Genesis 18:27; 2 

Samuel 13:19; Job 2:8, 30:19; Isaiah 58:5; Jeremiah 6:26; Jonah 3:6) 

In the early Christian Church, the annual 'class' of 

penitents had ashes sprinkled over them at the beginning 

of Lent. They were turning to God for the first time, and 

mourning their sins. But soon many other Christians wanted 

to take part in the custom, and to do so at the start of Lent. 

They heeded Joel's call to 'rend your hearts and not your 

garments' (Joel 2:12-19). Ash Wednesday became known as 

either the 'beginning of the fast' or ‘the day of the ashes’. 

The collect for Ash Wednesday stresses the penitential 

character of the day. It encourages us with the reminder of 

the readiness of God to forgive us and to renew us. 

MORTALITY 

Ahna Ziegler, unsplash.com 

Why 'Ash' on Wednesday? 

The Bible readings set for the day are often Joel 2:1-2, 

12–18, Matthew 6: 1-6,16 – 21 and Paul’s moving catalogue of 

suffering, 'as having nothing and yet possessing everything.' 

(2 Corinthians 5:20b - 6:10) 

The custom of 'ashing' was abolished at the Reformation, 

though the old name for the day remained. Today, 

throughout the Church of England, receiving the mark of 

ashes on one’s forehead is optional. Certainly, the mark 

of ashes on the forehead reminds us of our mortality: 

'Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return...' 

(Genesis 3:19) 

The late medieval custom was to burn the branches used 

on Palm Sunday in the previous year in order to create the 

ashes for this year, which is how the ashes used on Ash 

Wednesday in St Andrew's Church are created. 

The Collect for Ash Wednesday is: Almighty and everlasting 

God, you hate nothing that you have made and forgive the 

sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new 

and contrite hearts that we, worthily lamenting our sins and 

acknowledging our wretchedness, may receive from you, the God 

of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus 

Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the 

unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. 

A lesson to learn 

We all take things for granted in life but it is not until 

they are not there that we really appreciate them. I first 

used email in the 1970's to communicate with some of my 

team of writers who were based in distant offices. It was 

not always easy to use but the seeds for this revolution 

in communications were steadily being sown. Today, like 

most people of my generation, emailing is as natural as 

using the telephone, which itself, only became widespread 

in my youth. When I write in this column that something 

arrived on my desk, it is almost always in the form of an 

email. The second source is magazines and newspapers. 

Letters through the postal service are rare sources of 

information for this magazine. 

CATCH-22 

Just before Christmas, a computer used as an email 

server through which all my emails are routed failed and 

all the emails and files stored on it were lost. Although 

I have back up copies, it could not have failed at a worse 

time, with the world moving into the biggest holiday 

season of the year and Covid restrictions affecting every 

aspect of our daily lives. 

Added to this, the server affected was in the United 

States, and the engineers who manage my internet 

services, and have done so for more than 20 years, are 

based in Australia. To cut a long story short, the result was 

that my registered internet domain names used for my 

emails — and which are provided by another trustworthy 

company that I have also used for more than 20 years — 

were locked because their security monitoring system 

could not communicate with the server that had failed. 

The process of unlocking the domain names can only be 

achieved by email, and I could not email them because my 

email system was down! It was, and at the time of writing, 

still is, a Catch-22 situation! Hopefully, by the time you 

read this, it will be resolved and my preferred method for 

communications will be restored. 

ONLY ONE CERTAINTY 

The lesson to learn from this affair is not to take 

anything for granted in life, particularly when it involves 

technology. Whether it's old or new we need to be 

prepared for every eventuality and we should never rely 

completely on man-made things. 

In the midst of trying to re-establish my email 

communications with the world I was asked to take the 

funeral of a 95 year old lady whom I knew had been a 

faithful Christian throughout her life. 

This privilege reminded me that while we can never 

be certain about the reliability of our worldly things, we 

always have our unchanging, everlasting God on whom we 

can, and ought, to rely!



STAY 

ST Andrew's Youth 

STAY in Schools 

This crucial work in schools continued until the 

schools broke up before Christmas. This includes: 

mentoring 20 pupils each week, and assemblies 

at all four local primary and secondary schools 

— the picture of me as an alien is so Rev Kate 

could explain Christmas to me! Could there 

have been more than three wise men? Why 

do we give and receive gifts? Why did God 

send Jesus to a dirty animal trough for us, 

and not to a five star hotel with a pool? 

Plus I have the privilege of the new Piggott 

lunch time hang out work and it’s been fun 

planning the advocacy group. 

STAY on Friday 

In December we had two Friday evenings at the 

youth club when we played games, listened to 

music, painted our nails, munched on tuck, toasted 

marshmallows and enjoyed one another’s company. 

Sadly we had to cancel the Christmas party night as 

we didn’t want to risk ruining anyone’s Christmas 

with a positive case of Covid-19. 

The families and young people who continued to 

be involved in the youth club in 2020 are a joy and a 

pleasure to work with. The STAY on Friday team love 

working with all the local young people! They’re such 

a lovely and energetic bunch of young people that it 

makes our Friday nights such a blessing! 

STAY on Sunday 

We were able to meet for only one Sunday in 

December when we looked at ‘The Bible — how and 

why do we read it?’ The Alpha Youth series has really 

lent itself to being on Zoom and I pray this continues 

in 2021. The young people chat and joke more, and the 

discussions go deeper than when meeting in person. 

STAY Christmas Gift Bags 

Throughout December I was able to gather a bunch 

of goodies to put into paper bags ready to deliver to 

all the STAY on Sunday youth! The gift bag included 

sweets, chocolate, a wristband with a Bible verse on, 

a card wishing them a merry Christmas as well as 

advertising a new summer camp hoping to start in 

2021, and a pin badge with an encouraging message 

that relates to a Bible verse. The bags were delivered 

on Christmas Eve. Here’s what some of the young 

people said about them: 

— 'I like the wristband because when I wear it, it reminds 

me of Jesus' 

— 'I really appreciated the gift bags and found them 

really helpful and uplifting especially given that I had no 

idea I was going to get one. They had lots of lovely things 

inside for example a little pin badge which has a nice 

phrase on — mine says ‘FEAR LESS’ — accompanied 

by a wristband with a Bible quote on, a card and a few 

sweets. They were a lovely surprise which I have really 

been encouraged by this Christmas'. 

— 'My favourite item was definitely the pin badge as 

it reminded me that God is always with us and we are 

unstoppable through Christ. The item I’ve used most also 

has to be the pin badge as it is on my school bag. It gives 

me motivation knowing I'm not alone. The pin badge also 

lets me think about his goodness and how we can look to 

him when we need him the most' 

STAY Advent Reflections 

On 1 December, I posted to 30 young people from 

STAY an Advent reflection. One of the parents wrote 

this to me, which sums it up beautifully! 

This year Westy and the STAY team put together a 

thoughtful Advent calendar for the youth club members. 

We received ours appropriately socially distanced 

through the post :). Inside were four envelopes dated 

each week of Advent in December. Charlie was excited 

to open the first envelope which related to Elizabeth and 

Zechariah. Inside was a reflection, an action, a Bible 

verse and a treat. The treat was consumed in short order, 

but while doing so we read through the reflection and 

Charlie really enjoyed spraying his room with a new 

scent. He decided to use Eucalyptus because it reminded 

him of outdoors and woods and Christmas trees 

strangely enough! Then Charlie asked if we could read 

the Bible passage listed in the Advent envelope. I was 

touched that Charlie wished to do this and it actually 

become a new bedtime activity. We would read a passage 

together and I was then asked a lot of searching and 

surprising questions about it. Surprising because I was 

amazed at the depth and thought Charlie had applied to


the themes and topics. So much so that Charlie asked for 

his own personal copy of the Bible. 

The Advent seemed very relevant to the current times 

and the many issues people have been facing during the 

pandemic especially. 

For Charlie it linked to his participation in the Big Sleep 

Out at Home for Launchpad Reading and he wanted to 

do something more and asked if he could give practical 

help for a local homeless charity. Unfortunately, the Covid 

restrictions and the new tiers put paid to this but he 

suggested we put a remote version in place instead and we 

were able to do this safely. 

I was proud and touched that he was thinking of others 

and putting thought into practise and I thank Westy and 

the STAY team for the Advent calendar which sparked 

this energy. 

He looked forward to each weekly Advent envelope 

and tried each action enthusiastically (especially the 

Shepherds and Joseph). We both enjoyed standing 

barefoot in the garden and came back into the warmth of 

the house refreshed. Charlie mentioned those that don’t 

have the option to go back into warmth and it made us 

both reflect on that. 

His enthusiasm was catching and it made us all think 

about and consider things we could do. Those small 

actions and acts that add up to make a bigger difference 

and don’t seem so big as to appear impossible, like the 

shepherds at the manger. It was such a lovely way to 

remind us of the true spirit of Christmas and we again 

thank Westy and the STAY team for such a thoughtful 

Advent'. 

Another parent and their children also gave some 

useful feedback on the Advent reflections... 

'The reflections were a good prompt each week to read 

the Bible together over a meal. We found it useful to place 

ourselves in the shoes of the different characters in the 

story to better be able to empathise and understand how 

they felt. Although not all the actions were completed, 

directing us through the footsteps of the individuals 

was meaningful and a good way of journeying through 

Advent.” 

Lastly, one young person simply put it like this... 

'I think it was nice to know how Mary felt'. 

STAY & Sunday Club Shortbread Delivery 

My wife has many hair-brained ideas throughout a 

normal month, but this one was too good not to do! 

'Let’s get the youth and children to make shortbread for 

all the older people from church and hand deliver it to 

their doors!' OK I thought ... so we got recruiting and 

managed to bag some willing volunteers and off we 

went. We’ve had so much lovely feedback in phone 

calls, emails, texts and face to face at church (while 

staying 2m away of course!) 

Here’s a few lovely feedback emails (paraphrased) 

from those who received shortbread: 

'What a lovely surprise to see you the Wednesday 

before Christmas bearing gifts of beautifully wrapped 

homemade shortbread stars made by Phoebe and her 

One of the STAY Advent cards 

Grandma. Having not been able to get to church for the 

last four weeks due to Covid-19 it was lovely to chat to 

you from a distance. It gave us so much pleasure to see 

you all in what was to be a very quiet Christmas. The 

shortbread was very much enjoyed on Christmas Day, 

thank you Phoebe and Grandma. Many thanks again for 

your support, which is very much appreciated. Keith and 

Daphne' 

'We would like to thank you both for the lovely idea of 

making and delivering shortbread to us 'oldies' of St 

Andrew’s from the Youth Group. We wish you both and 

Phoebe a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 

2021. Rosemary and Gordon' 

'What a surprise! Thank you and STAY for the lovely 

cookies delivered yesterday. With love and best wishes to 

you all. Sonia' 

As we are set to STAY at Home for the start of 2021 

I’d like to say a prayer for all the young people and 

their families. 

Dear God. I pray that you would be close to each and every 

young person and their families at this time. I ask you 

Jesus for an abundance of patience, kindness and grace. 

Help us all by your Holy Spirit to be quick to say sorry and 

quick to forgive. Finally, I want to pray against the feelings 

of being angry, overwhelmed and lonely at this time. 

Amen. 

I am always here to chat or text me on 0794 622 4106 

or youthminister@sonningparish.org.uk 

Peace and Love! Westy!



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'Let us not be weary in well doing' (Galatians 6:9 KJV) 

By Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, international director, Barnabas Aid 

Most Christians who have committed their lives wholeheartedly to the Lord's 

service know what it is to become dejected, listless and discouraged. We cease 

to feel much for the things that we used to be passionate about. We have 

little empathy for the suffering, or righteous anger about injustice. Prayer, 

worship and reading the Bible seem to be meaningless mechanical exercises. 

In modern times, an extreme version 

of this state is sometimes called by the 

exciting name of 'burn-out'. Long ago, 

however, the Greek word acedia was 

used, literally meaning 'not caring'. 

Such sluggishness of heart was greatly 

feared by the early Christians. 

Although the word does not occur 

in the Bible, acedia was considered one 

of the most dangerous sins into which 

a believer could fall. 

OVERWHELMED 

Even towering spiritual heroes 

can be overtaken by acedia, especially 

after a time of great stress, exertion 

or persecution. Elijah was afflicted so 

badly at one point that he begged to die: 

I have had enough, Lord. Take my life; I 

am no better than my ancestors. 

(1Kings 19:4) 

Jeremiah, worn down by mockery 

and opposition to his prophetic 

ministry, reached such a low that 

he cursed the day he had been born 

(Jeremiah 20:7-18). 

John the Baptist was apparently 

overwhelmed with doubts while in 

prison and needed assurance that his 

cousin Jesus was indeed the Messiah 

(Matthew 11:3). 

BIBLICAL MESSAGE 

We have all come through a long 

hard year of Coronavirus. Even if not 

much affected ourselves, we were 

burdened by the knowledge of rising 

poverty, shrinking economies and 

growing inequality across the globe, 

with increasing anti-Christian violence 

in many places too. At the same time, 

our normal spiritual disciplines and 

input were probably disrupted by 

lockdown. 

Perhaps some of us feel the 

inertness of acedia creeping up on us? 

As a new year starts, our hearts sink 

and we struggle to find the energy to 

keep giving of ourselves. If so, the Bible 

has a message for us at the beginning 

of 2021: Let us not become weary in doing 

good. (Galatians 6:9) 

These words were written by Paul, 

who knew all about stress, danger and 

exhaustion. In the first chapter of 2 

Corinthians, he shares with us very 

frankly about a time when he hit rock 

bottom, when he became so extremely 

discouraged and his afflictions were 

so crushingly great that he despaired 

even of life itself. (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) 

But he goes on in the same letter to 

state, with determination that: we do 

not lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4:1,16) 

In fact, the Greek word that Paul 

uses to the Corinthians, enkakoumen, 

usually translated into English along 

the lines of 'not losing heart' or 'not 

being discouraged', is the same word 

that he uses to the Galatians, where it 

is most often translated along the lines 

of 'not becoming weary'. 

BE STILL 

What is clear is that we must strive 

to conquer inner discouragement, 

rather than yield to it. We must not 

give up seeking to walk closely with 

the Lord, to hear his voice and to do his 

will. We must continue to do good, in 

Christ's name. 

Paul goes on to clarify what he 

means about doing good: ' 

As we have opportunity, let us do good to 

all people, especially to those who belong 

to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10) 

So, we face a new year with courage, 

with faith, with trust in God and with 

a resolution that we will continue to 

serve him with our whole being. 

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast'ning on 

When we shall be forever with the Lord, 

When disappointment, grief, 

and fear are gone, 

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. 

Be still, my soul: 

when change and tears are past, 

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last. 

(Katharina von Schlegel, translation, Jane 

Borthwick) 

This article, which first appeared in the 

Barnabas Aid journal, is republished here with 

permission. 

Praying for the 

Persecuted Church 

barnabasfund.org 

Travel the world 

in your Lenten 

prayers 

When Lent begins this month on 

Ash Wednesday 17 February, none 

of us know if it will be possible to 

meet in groups to explore the Bible 

and pray together, but there are lots 

of alternative ideas for individuals 

to have their own Lent activities 

at home — and here, as the saying 

goes, is something different! 

Barnabas Aid has published for Lent 

a free booklet called 'Praying for the 

Persecuted Church' that highlights 

the plight of millions of Christians 

around the world who are being 

persecuted for their faith. 

FREE BOOKLET 

Each day throughout Lent there 

is a short, one page introduction 

to the persecuted church in a 

different country — or on some 

days it is about a particular topic 

such as 'women', 'children', 'refugees' 

'converts', 'pastors', or 'martyrs' — 

which ends with a brief suggestion 

for your prayers. 

The Lent prayer booklet shown 

above — and others —can be 

downloaded free from: 

https://barnabasfund.org/resources/ 

The prayer booklets can be found 

towards the bottom of the page.



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The persecuted church 

A round-up of news, features, and links by Colin Bailey: please read for 

awareness, and support through prayer and any further support — 

financial or otherwise. This month we look at the conflict in Nagorno- 

Karabakh, the Armenian populated enclave of Azerbaijan, and reflect 

on the Armenian genocide of 100 years earlier. 

Azerbaijan is a mostly Muslim country, while the majority 

of Armenia is Christian. 

Between September and November 2020, an armed conflict 

took place in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Open Doors 

reports that thousands were killed, including Christians: 

'many Christians in Azerbaijan from Muslim backgrounds have 

been killed in the recent fighting, including church leaders'. 

In Armenia, Orthodox and Protestant Christians have 

been killed, as have believers from Yezidi backgrounds. 

Several churches in the two countries have been bombed and 

seriously damaged, including properties where two small 

house groups met. 

The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) has 

provided a chronology of events. The region is within the 

borders of Azerbaijan and recognised under international 

law as a part of it. It is under de facto control by the Republic 

of Artsakh, which is supported by Armenia. This was 

established after a referendum and led to a war between 1992 

and 1994. 

There had been a 'Four Day War' in 2016, resulting in some 

territorial gains by Azerbaijan. The clashes in 2020 started 

on 27 September and led to the announcement by Armenia, 

Azerbaijan and Russia of the signing of a ceasefire agreement 

on 10 November, 'according to which Azerbaijan would maintain 

its control over the territories it captured in Nagorno- Karabakh 

and adjacent areas, and gain the regions of Agdam and Lachin.' 

CHRISTIANS TARGETED 

In recent articles, Barnabas Fund described how this 

conflict has echoes of the genocide of 100 years earlier, 

when an estimated 3.75 million Christians died. Not only 

Armenians but also Assyrian, Syriac and Greek Christians 

were targeted for their faith by the Ottoman authorities. 

Even today only 31 countries recognise the genocide. 

The United Kingdom is not among them, although the 

parliaments of Wales and Scotland have voted to do so. 

Turkey continues to deny the genocide. 

Barnabas outline how on the eve of the German 

invasion of Poland at the beginning of the Second World 

War, Hitler said to his generals 'Who, after all, speaks today 

of the annihilation of the Armenians?' They describe how 'His 

directive was to kill every man, woman and child of the mainly 

Roman Catholic Polish population, just as the Nazis were soon to 

slaughter millions of Jews, and other ‘undesirables’, in Germany.' 

This 'chilling analysis' has proved to be correct, they 

say — not because no one knew what had happened to the 

Christians, but because countries’ own vested interests took 

priority. 

Their argument is that Armenia today believes her 

existence is at risk, and that Armenians see the prospect 

of a new genocide before them. If the world 'stood on the 

sidelines' during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict then what 

of the fate of Christian minorities in other parts of the world 

– even if they were to be facing genocide? 

Armenian genocide demonstrators 


Maria Oswalt, unsplash.com 

In the preface to the 2015 edition of his book The Crossing 

Place, Philip Marsden also talks about how the Turkish state 

has denied that there was an organised campaign to kill 

Armenians, and this despite growing evidence since the 

events of a century earlier. 

In his memoir Surviving the Forgotten Armenian Genocide, 

Smpat Chorbadjian describes how wives and children of 

young Armenians in Turkey were killed in front of them. 

Turkey had run out of coal during the First World War. The 

young men were working in the forests, cutting down trees to 

aid Turkey’s war effort. But after their efforts of labouring in 

the forests and building roads for the Turks, they were then 

sent 'to join their wives'. 

'One of the great forgotten catastrophes of the 20th century', 

is how film-maker Terry George described the Armenian 

Genocide. His 2016 film The Promise is a fascinating tale, set 

in the last days of the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian 

genocide, at the start of the First World War. Writer and 

director George said of it that he ' jumped at the opportunity' to 

make it. He admits that it is 'one of the most contentious subjects 

out there. Even now, they’re locking up journalists who speak up on 

the matter.' 

'The story of the Armenian Genocide has been suppressed by 

successive Turkish governments, and we were well aware of that, 

but we wanted to go after it anyway', George says. 'We never 

wanted to dictate perception, just tell the truth. He adds, 'The 

genocide is burned into the soul of the Armenian diaspora. And 

until they get some kind of recognition, it’s not going to go away'. 

References and further reading 

Open Doors Christians among thousands killed in fighting between 

Armenia and Azerbaijan; ceasefire agreed. 

https://tinyurl.com/y9k85fxb [2 Jan 2021]. 

European Asylum Support Office (EASO) COI Chronology: The course 

of the Nagorno-Karabakh armed conflict and its impact on the civilian 

population. https://tinyurl.com/yd87bxk9 [2 Jan 2021]. 

Barnabas Fund A blanket of shame covers the world’s continued denial 

of the Armenian Genocide. https://tinyurl.com/yc5v2lp4 [2 Jan 2021]. 

Barnabas Fund Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh: a forgotten genocide 

– a people in repeated peril. https://tinyurl.com/ya53nxyq [2 Jan 2021] 

Terry George quotes on The Promise: IMDb (Internet Movie Database) 

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0313623/ [2 Jan 2021]. 

The Promise (2016) Directed by Terry George. Amazon Prime Video 

[Dec 2020]. 

Philip Marsden (1993) The Crossing Place: a journey among the 

Armenians. London: William Collins. 

Vasily Grossman (2014) An Armenian Sketchbook. London: MacLehose 

Press. 

Smpat Chorbadjian (2015) Surviving the Forgotten Armenian Genocide: 

a moving personal story. McLean VA (USA): Isaac Publishing.



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feature — 1 

Revaluing The Pound 

By Prof Alastair Driver 

Sandwiched between King George’s Field car park and 

Pound Lane is a small area of enclosed woodland about 80 

by 10 metres. It is known as 'The Pound', because, as the 

hugely informative 'Book of Sonning' by Angela Perkins tells 

us, it was, until the early part of the last century, a fencedin 

enclosure for straying livestock, that could be retrieved 

by their owners through payment of a fine. 

In 1938, the recreation ground, which had been purchased by 

Sonning Parish Council two years earlier, was designated as a 

King George’s Field for recreation, an amenity in perpetuity. 

At the same time, natural succession took over in The 

Pound with nearby tree and shrub species self-seeding. 

A probable exception to this natural re-wilding was the 

planting of a couple of Scots Pines which are not native 

to this part of the country. Sadly they have gone. The last 

remaining specimen succumbing very rapidly to red needle 

blight last year which led to its felling for safety reasons. 

15 years ago, with the support of the Parish Council and 

some willing volunteers, I oversaw some clearance work in 

The Pound when we created a pathway through it, planted 

native snowdrop, bluebell and wild daffodil bulbs, and a few 

native trees and shrubs, to complement what had established 

naturally. For several years it looked great but it gradually 

became overgrown again so, about 5 years ago, I offered to 

repeat the exercise and enhance it. The offer was declined by 

the Parish Council until last year when they changed their 

minds. Bolstered by the fact that the Friends of Ali’s Pond 

now exceed 70 volunteers and that I was struggling to find 

enough work for them, I agreed to take on the task. And so it 

was that 20 volunteers put in a total of 60 man-hours in two 

work party sessions in late November 2020 and transformed 

The Pound to its former glory — and hopefully beyond. 

TASK THANKS 

— Removal of brambles and ivy from the main pathway area and 

less densely covered areas of the sloping bank 

— Removal of ivy from selected trees 

— Raking leaves and woody debris to clear areas for wildflower 

seeding 

— Transfer of 12 ballast bags of debris to Reading waste tip 

— Creation of 3 habitat piles for great crested newts and other 

wildlife using remaining wood and leaf 

— Litter picking (app 3 bin bags full) 

— Creation of steps in the slope down from the car park 

— Restoration of clear pathway through the site 

— Planting of 1,025 native wildflower plants, bulbs and corms: 

300 snowdrops, 250 wild daffodils, 250 bluebells, 100 aconites, 

50 wild garlic, 50 wood anemone, and 25 primrose. 

— Sowing of a native woodland wildflower mix in the barer areas 

I would like to sincerely thank all the volunteers who 

worked hard to get the job done swiftly and who told me that 

they found it very enjoyable and a great way to exercise while 

'giving something back to the community' in difficult times. 

I also thank parish councillor Trefor Fisher for his positive 

support and the Parish Council for funding the purchase of 

the wildflower bulbs and seeds. Roll on the spring, by which 

time The Pound should be realising its true value once again! 

1 2 

6 


5 

1: Bluebells and snow in 2008; 2: Summer in 2004; 3: The 

Pound after being cleared in 2005; 4: Greg Elphick crafting the 

new steps; 5: Jim (bramble basher) Reeve; 6&7: Volunteers 

clearing The Pound and below 8: the result of their hard work! 

Pictures: Ali Driver 

8 

3 

7 

4


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feature — 2 

A young man came out of his chalet 

in the dark and walked straight 

over a 20 foot high cliff, landing on 

his knees. Shaken, but otherwise 

unhurt he staggered into the 

kitchen and sat down for a rest. 

This is the time of year when 

holidays are planned and after 

the Covid restrictions they will be 

looked forward to. 

The first summer holiday I had 

was just after the Second World War 

ended. I was 12 years old. 

The holiday was in Exmouth 

where my cousin and I found a land 

mine in the sand on a remote part 

of the beach. Not thinking that it 

might not be a dud we picked it up 

and played with it. 

There have been many holidays 

since then but none better than 

those spent at Rydal Hall, Ambleside 

in the Cumbrian Lake District. 

My youngest son Chris was a 

parish worker, living with a priest 

in a very rough part of Sunderland. 

The vicarage had a 10 foot high chain 

link fence with barbed wire all round 

it at the top and there were steel 

shutters over the windows at night. 

THE BISHOP CALLS 

Barbara, my wife and I, stayed 

there overnight on one occasion 

and it was feared that there might 

not be any wheels on my car in the 

morning! 

While there, my son trained 

as a chef at a local college and 

then worked at St John's college 

in Durham. When working in the 

kitchen there he was told 'There's 

some bishop on the phone asking for 

you'. 

It was the Bishop of Carlisle 

asking him if he would be interested 

in a job at Rydal Hall. 

A former stately home built in 

1789, Rydal Hall is set in over 30 

acres of grounds and is a UNESCO 

World Heritage site. 

It is at the foot of Nab Scar, which 

is the peak at the western end of the 

ring of fells known as the Fairfield 

Horseshoe. 

It is also at the southern end of a 

rocky footpath known as the Coffin 

Trail because the remains of William 

Wordsworth were carried along it to 

his funeral at Grasmere in 1850. 

The hall was bought by the 

Diocese of Carlisle in 1970 for use as 

a retreat house and holiday venue. It 

accommodated about 50 guests when 

Chris went there in 1992. 

There were about four or 

five permanent staff and a few 

Hungarians who came for the 

English experience. Each of them 

worked there for a year or so, making 

a community of about 10. 

The warden was Rev Peter Walker, 

a very nice man liked by everyone. 

Guests made their own beds and 

were expected to make their own 

bed with clean sheets before leaving. 

On the ground floor in the middle 

of the grand façade is a small chapel 

and to one side is the dining room 

and the other a large lounge. 

OVER THE CLIFF 

So it was in 1992 that Barbara 

and I started to stay there as paying 

guests of the community, twice, 

sometimes three times a year, 

and on one occasion to the lavish 

Christmas party. Barbara says that 

we never went on retreat. Only to 

the bar! 

It was when Chris was going 

to prepare the evening meal on 

Christmas Eve that he went over the 

cliff. 


Happy summer holiday memories of Rydal 

By Claude Masters 

Claude and Barbara Masters in the Lake District 

Claude Masters 

In 1997 we organised a group of 

about 12, mostly elderly ladies, from 

St Luke's with St Bartholomew's 

Reading to go there for a holiday. 

Weekends were booked by local 

parishes so we went mid-week 

travelling on Sunday and returning 

Friday. 

Barbara arranged insurance for 

the group and the insurers needed 

to know the name, age and state of 

health of each individual and they 

would not cover one of the two very 

old ladies. We knew she was really 

looking forward to the holiday and 

we wanted her to go. So we said 

nothing to her, prayed, and took 

her along anyway. She died three 

months later. 

These two ladies were too frail 

to travel by rail or clamber on a 

mini bus, so on the morning of 

departure I picked them up from 

their homes in my car and drove 

them to Cumbria — and then took 

them around in my car for the whole 

holiday. 

Chris took time off to drive a 

hired mini bus and met Barbara 

with the others when they arrived at 

Windermere railway station. 

We had been to Rydal Hall 

a month earlier and toured the 

Lake District to decide where to 

go, find where the car parks were 

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feature — 3 

Rydal Hall dates from 1409 when 

Sir Thomas le Fleming and his family 

built the first Rydal Hall at St John's 

Knott. In 1600 William Fleming built 

a new hall on the present site. The 

original house is adjacent to the tea 

shop and now is known as the 'Old 

Kitchen and Bar'. 

Rydal Hall was passed down 

through the Fleming family and in 

1757 the fourth baronet Sir Michael 

built the Georgian south wing which 

is the modern front of Rydal Hall in 

1789. 

After the death of the last Squire 

le Fleming, the Hall was let from the 

1940's and during the Second World 

War, it was used as a school. Later 

it became a hotel and then in 1963, 

it was let to the Diocese of Carlisle 

as a retreat house for 'hospitality, 

tranquillity and spirituality for all'. 

In 1970 the Diocese of Carlisle 

purchased Rydal Hall and 30 acres of 

the surrounding land. 

Today, Rydal Hall is still owned by 

the Diocese of Carlisle and continues 

to provide Christian hospitality 

regardless of faith. It now has enfrom 

page 19 

Rydal Hall 

and to make sure there were toilets 

available. 

During the four days we visited 

Beatrix Potter's home 'Hill Top' set in 

its beautiful gardens, and the nearby 

small lake Tarn Howes. We also had 

a boat trip on Lake Windermere and 

Ullswater, rode on 'Ratty' the narrow 

gauge railway from Ravenglass to 

Eskdale and saw most of the lakes 

as well as going over the treacherous 

Hardknot pass with its precipitous 

sharp bends. 

The hall kitchen provided each of 

us with a picnic lunch every day and 

we were fortunate indeed to have 

fine warm weather all the time — the 

locals say that the Lake District has 

its own micro climate rather than 

that it rains a lot! 

A party of 11 year old children and 

their teachers from Northern Ireland 

were staying at Rydal at the same 

time. The youngsters were very polite 

and helped we oldies whenever they 

could. 

What was particularly nice was 

that they sang grace before each 

meal. 

The only man in our group, other 

than me, was Dougie Ewers who was 

jovial and joking, and amused the 

children — once taking a chip off of 

one of the teachers plates when she 

wasn't looking. 

On the last evening we all 

got together in the lounge and 

Rydal Hall, a Christian holiday and retreat centre 

entertained each other. Some of the 

children did turns and Dougie's wife 

Eileen, who played the piano by ear, 

led a sing song and supported me 

when doing my party piece. It was an 

enjoyable evening for everyone. 

The next morning we made our 

beds and went home with happy 

memories. 

RYDAL HISTORY 


suite rooms and is run on a more 

commercial basis. 

The grounds are set at the foot of 

the valley formed by the horseshoe 

and around a stream with a 3m metre 

high waterfall. There are a couple of 

self catering cottages, a camp site 

with eco pods, an adventure play 

ground and, next to the falls, there is 

a popular snack bar. Outside the site 

and further up into the valley there 

is a reservoir which supplies water 

for the complex and an even more 

impressive waterfall. 

For more about Rydal Hall see: 

https://rydalhall.org/ 

Dreamstime.com 

The waterfall at Rydal Claude Masters Rydal Water Claude Masters


feature — 4 

While candles, electricity and LEDs light the c 

Peter Rennie 

The Christian festival of Candlemas, celebrated 

annually on 2 February, marks the ‘Presentation 

of Christ in the Temple’ (Luke 2:22-40), which is 

the official name for this feast day. It is an occasion 

that is considered almost as sacred as Easter and 

Christmas for millions of Christians around the 

world, writes Bob Peters. 

Ten years ago, when in Madeira, I witnessed an 

amazing celebration when hundreds of local people, 

carried lighted candles through the streets as they 

processed into a cathedral. There were so many people 

that most of them had to stand outside, as I did, and 

listen to the service on loudspeakers. 

The name, ‘Candlemas’ evolved from a tradition 

that when churches celebrated the time that Mary 

and Joseph took the child Jesus to the temple in 

Jerusalem in order to present him to God according 

to the Jewish law, many churches would also bless the 

candles that they had bought for the coming year. 

According to the Gospel of Luke, when the family 

was in the temple they met an elderly man named 

Simeon who took Jesus in his arms and declared that 

this child was 'the light of the world'. He said: 

'Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now 

dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen 

your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all 

nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory 

of your people Israel.' 

Candles, of course, were the usual source of light 

in dark church buildings before the electric light 

became available in the early 1900’s. In our parish 

church of St Andrew's a single electric light bulb was 

installed in October 1934 to supplement the candles 

that had always been used. It was first light bulb in 

Sonning and caused a huge amount of interest. The 

2014: Midnight Mass in St Andrew's begins in candlelight 

vicar, writing in this magazine, said: ‘At Evensong, 

when the congregation was even larger than usual, 

the church looked extraordinarily beautiful … and 

the combination of the electric light and the candles 

throughout the church being markedly effective.’ 

ESSENTIAL COMMODITY 

Candles were not only one of the main sources 

of light at the time in churches but also in people’s 

homes and workplaces. Most villages, and certainly 

most towns and cities, had a candlestick maker. The 

Sonning candlestick maker lived in the High Street. 

Candles, or the light they provided, were an 

essential commodity, hence the nursery rhyme, 

‘Rub a dub dub, three men in a tub, the butcher, 

the baker and the candlestick maker’. 

It is estimated that today in the UK we spend £1.9 

billion on candles every year but apart from the rare 

power cut, very few are used for lighting, although 

Holy Trinity Church York 

Leklek73, Dreamstime.com 

Holy Trinity Church in York 

electricity, still relies on c 

Despite a modern day L 

welcomes visitors to St And 

still used for all services. Be 

over 650 candles every year 

candlesticks and chandelie 

especially at weddings. Our 

use, and featured on the fro 

CURIOUS M 

The chandelier was dona 

a member of a local family w 

several churches in Reading 

At sometime in its histo 

removed from the centre of 

Sonning Boys' School room 

'I must not forget the old b 

which hung in the centre of th 

Boys’ Schoolroom. On it is the 

'The gift of George Blagrave, o 

Some will no doubt remember 

lighting up of this chandelier f 

could remember, on Ash Wedn 

began to have a week-day eve 

The chandelier is not th 

that the Blagrave family lef 

monument in the St Andre 

that was found in the unde 

Victorian refurbishment. 

It was the Blagrave fami 

people that are thought to b 

three daughters of a Blagra 

James 1 who reigned 1603 – 

60 years before the chande


hurch only 'God gives light to our eyes' (Ezra 9:8) 

Christingle at home 

It seems almost certain that there will not be a 

Christingle service in St Andrew's this year, but 

it should not stop you making one at home. You 

will need: A candle, an orange, four cocktail sticks, 

some fruit or sweets, red ribbon, and a small piece 

of aluminium foil to catch the drips from the 

candle. Make a hole in the orange and the foil to 

hold the candle. Push the cocktail sticks 

into the orange as shown in the diagram. 

LEAVE ONE OF THE COCKTAIL 

STICKS EMPTY TO REMIND US OF 

THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO 

ARE HUNGRY 

which does not have 

andles. 

ED lighting system that 

rew's today, candles are 

fore Covid, we bought 

to replenish the 100+ 

rs that are used regularly, 

oldest chandelier still in 

nt cover, dates from 1675. 

ONUMENT 

ted by George Blagrave, 

ho were benefactors of 

and the surrounding area. 

ry the chandelier was 

the nave and hung in a 

: 

rass chandelier, of 16 lights, 

e Nave, and is now in the 

following inscription: 

f Bulmarsh, Gent, 1675'. 

the interest excited by the 

or the first time that anyone 

esday, 1846, when we 

ning service in Lent. 

ought to be the only thing 

t us. There is a curious 

w's Church side chapel 

rground crypt during the 

ly tomb and depicts six 

e the three sons and 

ve from the time of King 

1625, which is only 50 to 

lier was donated. 

Picture above: Keith Nichols 

CANDLEMAS 

FOIL 

Like some other churches, Candlemas has also 

become the time when St Andrew's celebrates 

Christingle. Many churches celebrate during the 

weeks immediately at Christmas but at St Andrew's 

we are usually extremely busy with carol services 

for the three schools in the parish, and other very 

popular celebrations, such as Nine Lessons and 

Carols, the Crib Service and Midnight Mass, that 

holding Christingle at Candlemas on the first Sunday 

of February has become a very popular family 

occasion amidst the dark days of February. And, of 

course, it fits perfectly with the Candlemas feast day. 

Sadly, like most of the Christmas services, it is 

highly unlikely that Christingle will take place in 

its usual way at St Andrew's this year because of the 

Covid restrictions. However, there is no reason why 

it can't be celebrated at home, hence the instructions 

on the right show you how easy it to make a 

Christingle. 

The Blagrave monument in St Andrew's 

Peter Rennie 

PUT THE FRUIT OR SWEETS ON 

THE STICKS TO SYMBOLISE THE 

'FRUITS OF THE WORLD' 

TIE THE RED RIBBON AROUND 

THE ORANGE TO SYMBOLISE THE 

BLOOD OF CHRIST SHED FOR 

EVERYONE IN THE WORLD 

TIP: BEFORE MAKING YOUR 

CHRISTINGLE CUT OFF A PIECE OF 

THE ORANGE SO THAT IT STANDS 

UP SAFELY 

Finally, keep the Christingle in a safe place that 

can be seen and light the candle at Candlemas — 

Tuesday 2 February — and say this prayer: 

Father God, the orange represents the world. We 

pray for our world, that men and women, boys and 

girls can live together peacefully and that there will 

be no more wars. We pray for children who are sad 

and lonely, especially refugees in our country. 

The red ribbon reminds us that Jesus died at 

Easter time. We pray that people may be able to 

choose their religion and practice it freely. Comfort 

those who are sad because a relative or neighbour 

has died, and please look after children whose 

parents have died. 

The cocktail sticks remind us of the spring, 

summer, autumn and winter. Thank you for your 

world. 

The sweets or fruit remind us that the things we 

have come from God, who made the world. Thank 

you for the sun and the rain which make crops 

grow, we pray for children who are hungry because 

bad weather has spoiled the food their family were 

growing. 

The candle reminds us that Jesus Christ is the 

light of the world. We pray for those who have died 

and we have lit the candle to symbolise the light of 

Christ which shines to bring hope to our world. 

Amen.


feature — 5 

St Valentine's Day — myths, love, 

On these two pages we take a look at some of the myths, legends, poetry and what the Bible tells us about love. 

There are some confusing things about 14 February being a day of romance, with anonymous love and 

cards strewn with lace, cupids and ribbon. There seem to have been two different Valentines in the 4th 

century — one a priest martyred on the Flaminian Way, under the emperor Claudius, the other a bishop 

of Terni martyred at Rome. Neither seem to have any clear connection with lovers or courting couples. 

So why has Valentine become the patron saint of romantic love? By Chaucer’s time in the late 1300's the link 

was assumed to be because on the 14 February the birds are supposed to pair. Or perhaps the custom of 

seeking a partner on St Valentine’s Day is a surviving scrap of the old Roman Lupercalia festival, which took 

place in the middle of February. 

One of the Roman gods honoured during the festival was Pan, the god of nature. Another was Juno, the 

goddess of women and marriage. During the Lupercalia it was a popular custom for young men to draw the 

name of a young unmarried woman from a box. The two would then be partners or ‘sweethearts’ during the 

time of the celebrations. Even modern Valentine decorations bear an ancient symbol of love — Roman cupids 

with their bows and love-arrows. 

For better or for worse, to love and to cherish 

By Rev Peter Crumpler, a former communications director for the Church of England 

You do not see many Zimmer frames, wheelchairs or 

hearing aids on Valentine’s Day cards. 

Young love is wonderful and beautiful, full of 

optimism, and plans and hopes for the future. But 

love in later life is also precious. It is a love that has 

been forged through years of shared experiences 

and joy, maybe raising children together, perhaps 

enjoying grandchildren. 

It is a love that has stood the test of time, 

and deeper, much deeper, than any shop-bought 

Valentine’s Day card can describe. 

That long-term love can also be shown by the 

devoted wife or husband who visits their spouse in a 

care home each day, gently talking with them when 

they are, perhaps, deep into dementia. Or sitting for 

long hours by a hospital bed. Or dutifully caring for 

them at home. Love is a marathon, not a sprint. It 

starts with white lace and promises and grows over 

the years. 

Mature love is about the commitment that spans 

decades and is seldom shown on the cards on sale in 

the High Street this Valentine’s Day. 

LOVE AND MARRIAGE 

As a priest, when I marry a couple and take them 

through their wedding vows, I hear them make their 

lifelong commitment 'for better, for worse, for richer, 

for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to 

cherish, till death us do part.' 

It is so wonderful to see the bride and groom 

smiling, and enjoying this precious moment, making 

vows that will, hopefully, span the rest of their lives. 

I love taking weddings — it’s an immense privilege to 

be part of a couple’s special day. 

And I find myself pondering what the future will 

hold for them. I wonder, as I pray a blessing on their 

marriage, what shape that lifelong commitment 

will take. How much wealth or poverty will come 

their way? Will it be sickness or health that will 

accompany them through the years? How will they 

support each other as the years go by? 

‘Love is patient. Love is kind.’ These are familiar 

words from the popular wedding reading in Paul’s 

letter to the Corinthians. Patience and kindness are 

qualities that can develop over years of marriage. 

Just how much patience will be needed in the years 

ahead cannot usually be known on the wedding day. 

So, this year, as I look at the rows of red or pink 

Valentine’s Day cards on sale in the shops, I shall 

look out for cards that have a deeper message. 

I shall seek out cards that celebrate long-term 

love. Cards that say something about the joys and 

challenges of growing older together. 

Cards that go beyond hearts and roses to the 

deeper love that transcends love’s first blossoming. I 

just hope I can find some! 

Dying for love legend 

The Roman Emperor Claudius II needed soldiers. 

He suspected that marriage made men want to stay 

at home with their wives, instead of fighting wars, 

so he outlawed marriage. 

A kind-hearted young priest named Valentine felt 

sorry for all the couples who wanted to marry, s0 

secretly he married as many as he could until the 

Emperor found out and condemned him to death. 

While he was in prison awaiting execution, 

Valentine showed love and compassion to everyone 

around him, including his jailer. The jailer had 

a young daughter who was blind, but through 

Valentine’s prayers, she was healed. Just before 

his death in Rome on 14 February, he wrote her a 

farewell message signed ‘From your Valentine.’ 

So, the first Valentine card was not between 

lovers, but between a priest about to die, and a little 

girl, healed through his prayers! 

Saint Valentine depicted in an 18t 

Metzinger 

Public 

Love takes many forms. Here a g 

his granddaughter share a mom


cards, legends, lyrics and the Bible 

h Century painting by Valentin 

domain, Wikimedia Commons 

randfather out walking with 

ent of love. 

Jana Sabeth, unsplash.com 

Porcupines huddling together 

The prickly side of love 

By Canon Paul Hardingham 

Devoxer, dreamstime.com 

As we mark Valentine's Day on 14 February, it’s good to ask the question: what does real love look like? 

The Apostle Paul says: ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not 

dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’ 

(1 Corinthians 13: 4-8). 

Love is unconditional 

At its heart, love is not just feelings but action! Paul 

talks here about unconditional love — the Greek 

word Paul used was agape, meaning 'brotherly love' — 

which is demonstrated in God’s love for us: 

‘We love, because he first loved us.’ (1 John 4:19). 

Love is forgiving 

According to the film Love Story, ‘Love means never 

having to say you’re sorry.’ This is rarely true of 

course! According to Paul, love is being ready to 

forgive others and ‘keeping no record of wrongs’ 

(1 Corinthians 13: 5). We can only forgive others 

because we know God's forgiveness in our own lives. 

Love is sacrificial 

Paul says that agape is not selfish or self-seeking, 

but selfless and self-sacrificial, putting the needs of 

others first. This is modelled by Jesus giving his life 

for us on the cross. Take the words from 

1 Corinthians and instead of the word love, substitute 

your own name. Now substitute the word Jesus. This 

is the Jesus who is available to you to make your love 

for others grow and flourish. 

Love is prickly 

Someone once compared love to being like a group 

of porcupines huddling together on a cold night. The 

closer they get, the more they jab and hurt each other. 

‘To love at all is to be vulnerable.’ (C S Lewis). 

Poetry of love 

St Valentine’s Day, many believe, was named 

after one or more Christian martyrs and was 

established by Pope Gelasius 1 in 496 AD. 

Valentine of Rome was martyred about 269, and 

this day usually ‘belongs’ to him. 

The first recorded association of Valentine's Day 

with romantic love (1382) is from Geoffrey Chaucer. 

He wrote, ‘For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when 

every bird cometh there to choose his mate.’ This 

poem was in honour of the first anniversary of 

the engagement of King Richard II of England to 

Anne of Bohemia. Valentine's Day is referred to by 

Ophelia in Hamlet (1600-1601): 

To-morrow is St Valentine’s day 

All in the morning betime 

And I a maid at your window 

To be your Valentine. 

A more modern mention of Valentine’s Day can be 

found in a collection of English nursery rhymes 

(1784): 

The rose is red, the violet’s blue 

The honey’s sweet, and so are you. 

Thou are my love and I am thine 

I drew thee to my Valentine.

26 The Parish Magazine - February 2021 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements 

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feature — 6 

Counting the 2020 climate costs 


A huge cyclone thought to be the result of climate change brings increased rainfall 

A new report by Christian Aid, 

'Counting the cost 2020: a year of 

climate breakdown', has identified 

15 of the most destructive climate 

disasters of last year. 

Ten of the 2020 events cost $1.5 billion 

or more, with nine of them causing 

damage worth at least $5 billion. 

Most of these estimates are based 

on insured losses, meaning the true 

financial costs are likely to be higher. 

Among them is Storm Ciara 

which struck the UK, Ireland and 

other European countries in February 

costing, $2.7 billion and killing 14. The 

UK’s Environment Agency issued 251 

flood warnings. 

WORST FLOODS EVER 

While the report focuses on 

financial costs, which are usually 

higher in richer countries because they 

have more valuable property, some 

extreme weather events in 2020 were 

devastating in poorer countries, even 

though the price tag was lower. South 

Sudan, for example, experienced one 

of its worst floods ever. It killed 138 

people and destroyed the year’s crops. 

Some of the disasters hit fast, like 

Cyclone Amphan, which struck the 

Bay of Bengal in May and caused losses 

valued at $13 billion in just a few days. 

Other events unfolded over months, 

like floods in China and India, which 

had an estimated cost of $32 billion 

and $10 billion respectively. 

Forest fires 

Toxic water 

Elantsey, dreamstime.com 

Motortion, dreamstime.com 

Floods Andril Biletskyi, dreamstime.com 

Six of the ten most costly events 

took place in Asia, five of them 

associated with an unusually rainy 

monsoon. And in Africa, huge locust 

swarms ravaged crops and vegetation 

across several countries, causing 

damages estimated at $8.5 billion. 

The outbreak has been linked to wet 

Karayuschij, dreamstime.com 

conditions brought about by unusual 

rains fuelled by climate change. 

But the impact of extreme weather 

was felt all over the world. In Europe, 

two extra-tropical cyclones, Ciara and 

Alex, had a combined cost of almost $6 

billion. The US suffered from a recordbreaking 

hurricane season and a 

record-breaking fire season adding up 

to more than $60 billion in damages. 

URGENT ACTION 

Less populated places also suffered 

the consequences of a warming world. 

In Siberia, a heat wave during the first 

half of the year set a record in the city 

of Verkhoyansk, with temperatures 

reaching 38°C. A few months later, on 

the other side of the world, heat and 

drought drove the fires in Bolivia, 

Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. 

While there were no human casualties 

reported from these events, the 

destruction of these areas has a great 

impact on biodiversity and the planet’s 

capacity to respond to a warmer world. 

Christian Aid says that: 'These 

extreme events highlight the need 

for urgent climate action. The Paris 

Agreement, which set the goal of keeping 

temperature rise ‘well below’ 2°C, and 

ideally 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial 

levels, has just turned five years old. It 

is critical that countries commit to bold 

new targets ahead of the next climate 

conference, which will take place in 

Glasgow, in November 2021.' 

Read the full report at: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-12/Counting%20the%20cost%202020.pdf



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around the villages — 1 

LINKS 

http://www.gf.me/u/zdzs8g 

https://www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=o4O4o-Lgc3g 

He said: 'While Covid-19 has had a 

huge impact on almost every part 

of our daily lives, there are some 

workplace and entertainment sectors 

that have suffered the most — 

particularly the performing arts. 

'Never before has the performing 

community been forced to leave 

the stage, cancel events for months 

and not be able to offer their work 

to the eyes and ears of their bereft 

audiences. 

'In order to make music and the 

arts more widely available in the 

local community, some people have 

been developing the knowledge and 

technology to livestream and prerecord 

events to broadcast via the 

internet. However, a lot more needs 

to be done.' 

LEADING ROLE 

During the Christmas period, 

Nathan took a leading role in live 

streaming and pre-recording services 

for St Andrew's Church, including 

directing and managing the 

technical aspects of the Nine Lessons 

and Carols service that was livestreamed 

around the world. To-date, 

more than 500 viewings have been 

achieved making it a great success. 

(You can view the service using the 

youtube link on the left) 


Young musician of the year plans for 

more music in the local community 

Nathan May (left), St Andrew's organ scholar, and winner of Reading 

Symphony Orchestra's 2020 young musician of year competition, is hoping 

to share his love of music and the performing arts more widely in the local 

community. 

To undertake the task, Nathan 

was able to borrow equipment from 

Reading Blue Coat School, which 

fortunately was unusually available. 

To further his ambition to share 

music and the arts more widely 

in the community, Nathan needs 

to have access to the type of high 

technology equipment he was able 

to borrow from the local school. The 

equipment is not usually available 

because it is in great demand during 

school time. 

GRATEFUL 

Undaunted by the situation, 

Nathan started an online fundraiser 

project to raise the money he needs 

to buy the equipment needed for his 

community service plans. 

Nathan said: 'If you are able, I 

would be so grateful for any donation 

of any size. 

'You really would be helping me, 

not only in the first steps of beginning 

a career in the production industry, 

but also you will be doing your 

part to bring music back into the 

community. 

'Please also share the link (on the 

left) for the fundraiser with your 

social media friends and family. The 

more people who hear about it, the 

better!' 

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1130763-0 

When shopping online with Amazon you can help raise 

funds for St Andrew's Church by logging in to Amazon 

using the link above. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon 

you know — except Amazon will donate 0.5% of the net 

purchase price (excluding VAT, returns and shipping 

fees) of eligible purchases to the 

Parochial Church Council 

of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Sonning.



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around the villages — 2 

Santa and his elves 

feed the community 


Jenny 'the hall' retires after 42 years 

Santa at Hare Hatch Sheeplands 

The Covid-safe Santa area at Hare 

Hatch Sheeplands Garden Centre 

was a resounding success in the run 

up to Christmas with all visits to 

Santa being fully booked. Sadly, 

however, the lockdown meant some 

families were disappointed. 

The Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs of 

Reading Maiden Erlegh were hugely 

indebted to the generosity of Hare 

Hatch Sheeplands who continue to 

support them and donate food and 

funds towards their community work. 

Since March 2020, the clubs have 

supported Woodley Food Bank, 

CIRDIC, the Salvation Army and 

Wycliffe Baptist Church FoodShare 

scheme. Right up to Christmas Eve 

they were delivering funds and 

foodstuffs to support the many 

families who have been struggling 

since the first lockdown. 

The income from Christmas 2020 

will allow them to continue tackling 

food poverty in our community. 

The clubs also made donations 

to JAC (Just Around the Corner), 

Samaritans, Dingley’s Promise, 

Daisy’s Dream, Yeldall Manor, Arc 

Counselling, Launchpad and KidsOut. 

LIKE TO HELP? 

Rotary and Inner Wheel are ‘service 

clubs’, meeting on Zoom at present, for 

friendship, fun and forward planning. 

Their focus is on improving the lives of 

others mainly through organisations 

carrying out great work in our locality. 

The clubs thanked all the readers of 

this magazine who have supported 

them. If you would like to become 

involved with their community work, 

contact them on Facebook or: 

http://www.innerwheelrme.org 

http://www.readingmaidenerlegh.org 

Ricture: Penny Adams 

There cannot be many people who use the Pearson Hall who don’t know Jenny 

Adams. Jenny has been the caretaker since 1978, when she moved into the 

Pearson Hall Cottage with husband Arthur. At the time life was a lot simpler. 

Jenny gave birth to Penny and Richard in the early 1980's and the family spent 

many happy years together in the cottage until it became a little small for the 

couple and their growing children. Happily, they were able to move, along with 

their four cats and two dogs, to Little Glebe in 1993. However, the hall has always 

played an important part in Jenny’s life and this has continued up until now. 

Jenny recalls her worst moment during her period as caretaker when she 

returned home after shopping to find the fire brigade tackling a fire in the kitchen 

just after Arthur had finished its redecoration. 

Jenny has devoted a large part of her life to the hall and has taken part in, and 

enjoyed, many of the activities. During this time, she has also made many friends 

and Jenny will continue to enjoy using the hall after her retirement without the 

responsibility she has managed so ably over the last 42 years. 

There have been many changes over the years and Jenny’s retirement will not 

be the last as the hall moves to a computerised system. It will however be quite 

different without Jenny’s involvement and she will be missed. 

Lesley Bates, chairman of Pearson Hall Trustees, said: 'On behalf of the current 

and past trustees of the hall and all users we wish Jenny a very happy retirement, 

which is well deserved after 42 years of sterling service.' 

In pursuit of pleasure 

On 12 March at 7.30pm in Pearson Hall, Sonning and Sonning Eye Society are 

hoping to host a talk by Simon Wenham, author of several books about pleasure 

boating on the Thames. His lecture, subject to Covid restrictions, will be entitled 

'The Pursuit of Pleasure: Victorian and Edwardian Leisure'. Our picture, dated 

1888 is one of the earliest 'boating' images from the Hoyle collection. Tickets may 

be strictly limited so book in advance with Penny Feathers on 0118 934 3193 or 

penny.feathers@btinternet.com



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HOME AND GARDEN 

Leave them alone 

The National Trust is urging the public 

to stay away from certain areas during 

breeding season this spring. It hopes to 

mimic the effects of lockdown last year, 

which helped more vulnerable species. 

The call follows the discovery last year that 

lockdown did our peregrine falcons, (Pictured 

left by Michael De Nysschen, dreamstime.com) grey 

partridges and other species a favour. The 

tern colony at Blakeney Point in Norfolk 

had a bumper season, with more than 200 tern chicks 

fledged, the most in 25 years. The Peak District had more 

curlew, and the Llyn ˆ Peninsula saw more stoats, weasels 

and rabbits emerging from the woodlands of Plas yn 

Rhiw. Meanwhile, the ruins of Corfe Castle in Dorset 

became home to peregrine falcons, and a cuckoo arrived 

in Osterley, west London. Even Dartford warblers were on 

the move, some to as far as Shropshire. 

Some Charvil residents might be thinking that this 

might explain the appearance of a lone peregrine falcon 

that seems to have adopted our neighbourhood. 

And while talking about our neighbourhood, some of 

our local birds are short of nesting holes, because gardens, 

parks and woodland are much neater than they used to be, 

and modern homes offer few crannies for nest building. To 

help with this, National Nestbox Week, which is celebrated 

from 14 February each year, aims to encourage us to 

put up more nestboxes and to consider planting shrubs 

or trees with fruit that birds eat. These can make a big 

difference to birds struggling to survive, especially blue 

tits, great tits, house sparrows, robins and starlings. 

The British Trust for Ornithologiy offers a variety of 

ideas for building and placing nestboxes at: 

https://www.nestboxweek.com 

Recipe of the month 

From Emma's Kitchen 

Spanish Turron de Chocolate 

'A nice simple recipe to use up the 

leftover chocolate!' says Emma! 

Ingredients 

— 250g of dark chocolate (70%) 

— 125 of hazelnut chocolate spread 

— 50g of Rice Krispies 

Method 

Melt chocolate either in the microwave 

or in a bowl over hot water until shiny and smooth. 

Add the chocolate spread and mix until fully combined. 

Add the rice krispies and fold gently until all combined. 

Pour into a lined rectangular tin. 

Cover with baking parchment and leave to set on the 

side (shouldn't need to go in the fridge but if you have a 

particularly warm house then you may need to) 

When set, turn out onto a chopping board and slice into 

any shape you like! 


the sciences 

Hope for now and the 

future creation 

By Dr Ruth M Bancewicz, Church engagement director at The Faraday 

Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge 

Gabriella Clare Marino, unsplash.com 

I find watching buds swelling on trees and plants during 

the winter months gives me a tremendous sense of hope, 

and we all need some need extra hope for 2021. 

When you read this a number of us may have been 

fortunate to receive a Covid vaccine, but we will all still be 

under various restrictions. After creation’s winter shutdown, 

the sight of tiny flowers poking out of brown earth 

may be more important than ever. 

Getting outdoors during daylight hours, enjoying 

green spaces and getting some fresh air and exercise are 

great ways to keep ourselves healthy at any time of year. 

A psychologist colleague wrote, 'Attending to the details 

of nature can also inspire awe, which has been linked to 

positive mood and increased life satisfaction.' I expect it 

is this sense of awe that makes it easier for many of us to 

connect with God outdoors. 

ULTIMATE HOPE 

Helping ourselves and others to thrive is a good start 

to 2021, but it is also vital to have hope for the future. 

The Covid-19 pandemic was caused by an animal virus 

jumping into the human population. Diseases like this are 

not ‘natural disasters’, but are almost certainly caused by 

environmental destruction and poor farming practices - 

either from greed or the desperation born of poverty. Part 

of the answer to the current crisis is for us to care for all 

of creation, human and everything else, with God’s help. 

Our ultimate hope is in God’s promise that he will 

bring about a new heaven and new earth. We can look 

forward to the day when creation will be fully redeemed 

and liberated from evil. The Greek word to describe the 

new creation is the same as that used to describe someone 

who becomes a Christian, whose humanity is restored and 

renewed. There will be continuity between the old and 

new earth as it is cleansed and purified, surpassing and 

perfecting what has gone before. There will also be some 

discontinuity, as there will be no more suffering or death. 

One source of hope for 2021 is that we can enjoy caring 

for, and meeting, God in creation. The parts of creation we 

find most beautiful, give us a sense of awe, and help us to 

worship, are also a reminder that there is something much 

better to come.



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discuss the possibility of 

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beautiful parish church. 

If so, call the vicar, Jamie 

0118 969 3298 

He will be pleased to help! 

ALL WASTE CLEARANCE 

John and his team can clear all waste and 

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He can deal with property clearance for probate 

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email: j.garmston@ntlworld.com 

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we will work hard to provide you with a memorable and 

moving occasion. We can provide a choir, organ, peal of 

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churchyard as a backdrop for your photographs. 



the church of st andrew SERVING CHARVIL, 

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HEALTH — 1 


Dr Simon Ruffle writes . . . Communicating Covid-19 

So much scientific information is in the media at this time. 

As someone who grew up with a scientifically minded 

elder brother and a father who was a master welder and 

engineer, this is exciting. It seemed inevitable that I’d end 

up in a science based discipline. 

The ability to communicate, highly complex systems, in 

a way that anyone can understand, and enjoy, is difficult. 

This difficulty has been helped and hindered by social media, 

and by the reduction in teacher numbers in science and 

the growth of professional politicians. Mrs Thatcher was 

a chemist graduate, Mr Baldwin a metallurgist and Mrs 

May a geographer. Whatever you think of these politicians 

I would rather see them in cabinet jobs where the ability to 

understand and communicate ideas is vital. I’m not saying I 

could communicate better. For a cabinet of talents see Canada 

2015!1 You need to understand the fundamentals to educate, 

let alone accept evidence and form policy. 

TEACHER 

Doctor comes from the Latin ‘to teach’ — docere. Good 

medical practice is the guiding document from the General 

Medical Council and part of it states: 'we as a profession have 

a duty to maintain a good standard of practice and care.' This 

statement is later clarified: 'You should be willing to contribute 

to the education of students or colleagues.' 

Therefore, as a doctor, one of my duties is to teach and 

this comes in many forms: 

— Encouraging young people to explore the options to 

join the profession. 

— Teaching medical students. 

— Teaching and supervising junior doctors. 

— Clearly communicating with colleagues about patients 

and their care. 

— And the most important, the day-to-day, teaching of 

patients about their condition, what to do about it and 

what to watch out for. Let’s take an example: 

‘It is really important that if you get a pyrexia, rigours and 

diaphoresis that you contact me.' This means little or nothing 

to lots of people. They are symptoms that sepsis might be 

developing from a pyelonephritis. 

Jargon: The previous sentences are gobble-de-gook. What 

they mean is if you feel hot, shake uncontrollably and sweat, 

a lot, your kidney infection may be spreading to your blood. 

STEM 

STEM2 is an organisation that support teaching and teachers 

in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This 

work is massively important especially in deprived areas and 

those with teacher shortages. It is something I’d like to be 

involved in someday. 

BLUEPRINTS 

In manufacturing a design is produced. The final product is 

made from many smaller parts being created. The blueprint 

is transcribed into smaller instructions. These instructions 

then multiply the parts required and then those transcribed 

blueprints are no longer required. 

The parts made then go on to make the whole or is the 

final product. 

DNA 

What I have just described is the production of proteins 

that allow cells and, thus, the body to function. DNA is the 

blueprint, this is unpackaged and segments of it produce 

mRNA — Messenger RNA. This instructs (messages) the 

cells to make proteins. (Here comes the small print — the 

previous sections have been deliberately shortened, Ts+Cs apply.) 

COVID VACCINE 

Vaccine syringe, my surgery and a virus 

The Pfizer vaccine is mRNA surrounded by a lipid (fat) 

coating. Many of these particles are injected into muscle 

cells in the arm. These delicate sections are taken up by 

our cells. Our cellular mechanisms are already producing 

proteins from our native DNA — via RNA — and they will 

do the same with the mRNA in the vaccine. Because there 

is only a small part of the blueprint, not the whole plan, the 

cells cannot create the virus, they create a small piece of 

the virus surface, known as the spike protein. The mRNA 

then disintegrates. Any mRNA not taken up into the cells 

degrades naturally, so never leaves the site of injection. 

LOCK AND KEY 

Simon.Ruffle 

The spike protein, on the surface of the natural virus, is a 

key. It unlocks a door in human cells so the whole virus RNA 

can enter the cell. As the cell will recreate proteins, from the 

instructions delivered, it produces new viruses that then go 

on to infect other cells. 

Our body recognises these proteins and new viruses as 

foreign and produces antibodies. These will attach to the key 

and stop them entering the lock. The door remains closed 

and the virus is then useless. 

As the vaccine has already produced the spike protein, via 

our own cells, our body gets busy producing the antibodies 

to block the spike key. If we then meet the natural virus key 

protein we are already to block its action. It does not mean 

you cannot catch the virus but it does mean you will respond 

to the virus quickly and prevent major illness. 

turn to page 36


HEALTH — 2 

from page 35 

One of the best ways to improve communication is 

to get feedback. When I taught Oxford students we 

had to receive anonymous feedback. I was told that 

the students had a lecture on how to give feedback 

and had to produce feedback on that lecture. I 

cannot possibly disclose the results but it is as 

ironic as you may think. 

If you can, please feedback to anyone who is 

explaining things to you; even better question 

it. If I cannot answer your question or cannot 

communicate it properly then I need to learn and 

grow. 

I hope my analogy of blueprints to protein 

synthesis (production) and the Covid vaccine is 

clear. If not I have failed and need feedback. Take 

this article as educational mRNA. If we have all 

understood my missive, we are all now teachers or 

doctors in the Latin sense. 

References 

Dr Simon Ruffle writes 

Our very own Sonning resident and magazine contributor, 

Robert Lobley, receiving his Covid vaccine. Simon Ruffle 

FEEDBACK 

1. https://www.stem.org.uk/ 

2. https://www.macleans.ca/politics/the-bestqualified-cabinet-since-all-the-other-ones/ 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! 

Please wait for a call to receive your Covid vaccine. 

Please accept your appointment. 

Please get vaccinated and allow those muscle cells 

in your arm to produce a little bit of magic 

— oops, science! 

THE ARTS 

Forty days and forty nights 

By Rev Michael Burgess 

This month we enter Lent: 40 days when we follow 

Jesus into the wilderness and prepare to celebrate 

his Easter victory. In the last century Stanley 

Spencer planned 40 paintings, each depicting a day 

in the wilderness. He completed nine, one of which is 

‘Christ in the Wilderness – Scorpions’ from 1938. It is 

currently held in a private collection. 

Stanley Spencer lived and worked in Cookham, 

Berkshire. Through the everyday life of local people he 

tried to glimpse and convey the transcendent. ‘Angels 

and dirt’ he called it: the divine seen in the ordinary. 

So, in a painting of Christ carrying his cross, Jesus 

has the face of the local grocer. 

Another villager modelled for this Jesus in the 

wilderness: a strong, hefty, broad figure. This is a 

great contrast to the Christ of stained-glass windows 

who often seems too good to be part of our world. 

Here is real life: a large man filling the canvas with 

his head, his hands and his feet. This figure of Jesus 

comes as a shock: a very human model, ordinary with 

nothing handsome or special about him, apart from 

his tunic which seems to sprawl and undulate like the 

hills around. Here is a Jesus born into this world and 

one with it. 

There are two focal points – the neat, little 

scorpion and the massive, unkempt head 

contemplating each other. One is life in all its hefty 

reality; the other a tiny creature able to squeeze that 

life out by one swift flick of its tail. 

Jesus is shown in the wilderness pondering the 

The Society for Storytelling was set up in 1995 

to promote the oldest art form in the world — 

storytelling. 

Storytelling is at the root of every art form: we 

think in story form, make sense of our world in 

narrative — from something we’ve seen, through 

last night’s television, to what family and folk 

stories we remember and retell. 

Storytelling can be a powerful experience, both 

entertaining and moving. 

From Biblical times it is the traditional medium 

of communication from generation to generation, 

a tool for education and therapy. 

National Storytelling Week began 20 years ago 

to increase public awareness of the art and is held 

during the first week of February every year. It 

coincides with Candlemas, on 2 February, when 

part of the ancient rituals for this festival included 

a blessing on the throat, a prime tool in the store 

of nearly all storytellers of every belief and culture. 

The Society for Storytelling provides advice on 

organising and publicising events, and possible 

life and ministry that will 

countryside into the town 

to his death on Good Frida 

strength and renewal to e 

during his time in the des 

follow Jesus, we seek to liv 

mean dying to all that sep 

He has a calling for each 

that calling this Lent, we m 

through the 40 days to life 

find it a journey that calls u 

our God. 

Are you sitting comfortab 

NATIONAL STORYTELLING WEEK 30 January — 6 Feb 

sources for funding inform 

Directory of Storytellers, wh 

information on over 150 s 

the UK. 

For more information 

Storytelli 

https://www.sfs.org.uk/na


Book reviews 

Poetry corner 

WikiArt.org 

take him from the 

s and villages and also 

y. Will he find the 

mbrace that ministry 

ert? During Lent, as we 

e for God. That may 

arates us from God. 

of us. As we contemplate 

ay find that it leads us 

and Easter life – we may 

s to 'die to self' to find 

ly? 

ruary 

Ben, unsplash.com 

ation. It publishes The 

ich provides detailed 

torytellers throughout 

about the society and 

ng Week: 

tional-storytelling-week 

The Bible: a story that makes sense of life 

By Andrew Ollerton, Bible Society, £14.99 

This book explores how the story of the Bible helps us 

understand our lives and gives a framework for making 

sense of life in general. Helpful diagrams and maps are 

integrated throughout. 

Holy Habits: following Jesus 

By Andrew Roberts, BRF, £6.99 

This book provides seven weeks of material for Lent. 

Although written before Covid-19, many of the 

applications, questions and take-home ideas are highly 

relevant to the pastoral needs, and challenges created 

by it. Andrew Roberts writes: ‘No one can know with 

any certainty the range and scope of challenges that 

will be present when you use this material, but I believe 

that whatever they are, the life and example of Jesus 

and the way he responded to the challenges he faced 

will always be of utmost value in shaping our lives as we 

seek to him.’ 

Come and See – learning from the life of Peter 

By Stephen Cottrell, BRF, £7.99 

When we look at the life of Peter – fisherman, disciple, 

leader of the early Church – we find a man who 

responded wholeheartedly to the call to ‘come and 

see’. This book focuses on Peter, not because he is the 

best-known of Jesus’ friends, nor the most loyal, but 

because he shows us what being a disciple of Jesus is 

actually like. Like us, he takes a step of faith, flounders, 

and needs the saving hand of God. 

A London Sparrow – the inspiring and true story of 

Gladys Aylward By Phyllis Thompson, 10Publishing, £9.99 

A down-to-earth London girl, without prospects, 

Gladys Aylward became a Christian when she was 

18. She felt God’s call to go to China as a missionary, 

overcame great obstacles in order to obey. She is 

remembered for her ‘incredible journey’ during the 

Second World War, when the Japanese invaded China 

and she led hundreds of Chinese children to safety. 

Opening our Lives – devotional readings for Lent 

By Trystan Owain Hughes, BRF, £8.99 

The author offers six weeks of reflections to encourage 

and challenge readers to open their lives to God and 

the final reflection, for Easter Day, invites us to open 

our world to God’s hope. The book is imbued with the 

Welsh culture, language and landscape 

Stories from the Streets – an insight into the work 

of Street Pastors By Luke Randall & Sue Shaw, Instant 

Apostle, £9.99 

A celebration of the work of the formidable UK army 

of ‘Street Pastors’. Whether offering a listening ear 

to the vulnerable, mentoring a troubled teen, giving 

food to a homeless person or responding to a national 

emergency, Street Pastors have been credited with 

saving police and NHS time and money, reducing crime 

and improving neighbourhoods. 

If you enjoyed Jane Gascoine's book, 'Doggerel 

Days' or if you were disappointed that it did not 

include more of your favourite poems, then rest 

assured that her latest collection will probably 

satisfy your need! 

'More Doggerel Days' includes another 51 of Jane's 

often hilarious, thought provoking and candid 

view of life poetry. 

It is a handy sized, 72 page paperback that looks 

at every aspect of life from babies to old age, from 

work to pleasure and all the ups and downs of 

everyday life. 

Jane's book is now available in the Village 

Hamper, Sonning High Street, for £10 per copy 

and will be a great way to take your mind off Covid 

while eating one of the Village Hamper's cakes! 

Here's a few lines taken from To Life, one of 

Jane's poems based on the experience of her first 

92 years ... 

If you're old at 80, 

you were old at 18 

Its no good thinking of 

what might have been 

Life's for the living 

and all for the taking 

No matter how sad 

or even heartbreaking 

And I've still got a lot of living to do 

People to meet, 

places to see 

I'll try, on the way, 

to help others who 

Haven't been quite as lucky as me.

38 The Parish Magazine - February 2021 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements 

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PUZZLE PAGE 

CROSSWORD 

Across 

1 Plant yield (4) 

3 Out of date (8) 

9 Concepts (7) 

10 Set of moral principles (5) 

11 Monotonous hum (5) 

12 Reindeer (7) 

13 Insurgents (6) 

15 Sacred phrase (6) 

17 Eg Mo Farah (7) 

18 Commerce (5) 

20 Where one finds Rome (5) 

21 Farewell remark (7) 

22 Gibberish (8) 

23 Run at a moderate pace (4) 

Down 

1 Dismay and amazement (13) 

2 Semiaquatic mammal (5) 

4 Split into two (6) 

5 Excessive response (12) 

6 Show (7) 

7 Expression of approval (13) 

8 Pungent gas preservative (12) 

14 Persian Gulf Sheikdom (7) 

16 Rules over (6) 

19 Natural yellow resin (5) 

CODEWORD 

ANSWERS IN THE NEXT ISSUE 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

8 

9 10 

11 12 

13 14 15 

17 18 19 

16 

20 21 

22 23 

Across 

1 - Plant yield (4) 

3 - Out of date (8) 

9 - Concepts (7) 

10 - Set of moral principles (5) 

11 - Monotonous hum (5) 

12 - Reindeer (7) 

13 - Insurgents (6) 

15 - Sacred phrase (6) 

17 - Eg Mo Farah (7) 

18 - Commerce (5) 

20 - Where one finds Rome (5) 

21 - Farewell remark (7) 

22 - Gibberish (8) 

23 - Run at a moderate pace (4) 

10 2 10 13 21 16 10 9 1 12 13 21 

23 4 25 8 8 23 

22 7 12 16 10 19 12 17 16 20 7 10 

8 22 17 5 16 22 

16 10 20 8 17 16 10 22 9 

7 6 10 11 25 5 8 16 9 20 

22 11 25 8 

17 16 10 1 25 10 26 20 8 15 

17 7 6 10 25 18 5 16 8 

10 5 14 7 9 3 

16 17 12 8 22 13 20 6 22 20 24 12 

16 15 17 10 15 23 

10 7 6 5 7 6 22 25 7 5 22 23 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

SOLUTIONS FOR THE JANUARY PUZZLES 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 

E 

Down 

1 - Dismay and amazement (13) 

2 - Semiaquatic mammal (5) 

4 - Split into two (6) 

5 - Excessive response (12) 

6 - Show (7) 

7 - Expression of approval (13) 


SUDOKU 

8 - Pungent gas used as a preservative (12) 

14 - Sheikdom in the Persian Gulf (7) 

16 - Rules over (6) 

19 - Natural yellow resin (5) 

Each of the nine blocks has to contain all the 

numbers 1-9 within its squares. Each number can 

only appear once in a row, column or box. 

WORDSEARCH FOR FEBRUARY 

In this month's Wordsearch grid above there are 

23 words, all of which are hidden below. 

February — the time for love 

February opens with Candlemas – the 

naming of Jesus in the temple. Simeon 

and Anna praised God to see the 

promised Messiah, sent by a loving 

God to save his people. February also 

celebrates the love between a man and 

woman: Valentine cards and romance 

abound. ‘Love’ as in social compassion is 

also remembered: Fair Trade fortnight, 

Holocaust Memorial Day, World Leprosy 

Day, and National Nest Box Week.... Love 

is truly needed by everyone! 

QUIZ 

CROSSWORD CODEWORD SUDOKU WORDSEARCH 

14 15 16 17 18 A 19 R M 20 Y R21I V22U L 23 E T 24 S U25R G 26 E N T U N I Q U E 

The February G 

Quiz answers 

will be 

here 

next 

month! 

THE FEBRUARY QUIZ 

1 Who said 'Who will rid me of this base, turbulent priest? 

2 What notable event occurred on 25 October 1415? 

3 Which war began in 1455? 

4 What English battle victory occurred in 1588? 

5 Who was 'the wisest fool in Christendom’? 

6 What happened on 30 January 1649 in Whitehall? 

7 Who was the last British sovereign to be on a battlefield? 

8 Who said as he lay dying 'Thank God, I have done my duty'? 

R O L N N M E 

B E T W E E N F A B L E 

O I G L R M 

R E F R I G E R A T O R 

E T I T I M 

A P E I N G O T L E A 

L A M H E C 

B R E A K T H R O U G H 

I L T I P I 

N O I S E K I N G P I N 

C E L I G E E 

H U R R Y I N G A R T S 

R 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

E 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

G 

R 

N A O D E U R 

S A M U R A I A I A 

E B M S T R A T U S 

A X L E S P E E 

T I L S C A N S 

N K N E L T D 

D O G M A A J V 

E R S C R A Z E 

T I M P A N I O C R 

O A O N E W N E S S 

U N K G E N U 

R H Y M E D F R O T H S 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

I 

J 

K 

L 

M 

N 

O 

P 

Q 

R 

S 

T 

U 

V 

W 

X 

Y 

Z


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For local odd jobs please call Phil on 

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CARER — COMPANION 

Experienced lady carer who is local to this area 

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Excellent references provided — Contact Louise 

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CHILDREN'S PAGE 

? 

The Parish Magazine - February 2021 41

42 The Parish Magazine - February 2021 Please mention The Parish Magazine when replying to advertisements 

information — 2 

Parish contacts 

Ministry Team 

— The Vicar: Revd Jamie Taylor* 

The Parish Office, Thames Street, Sonning, RG4 6UR 

vicar@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298 

*Day off Friday 

— Associate Vicar: Revd Kate Wakeman-Toogood 

revkate@sonningparish.org.uk / 0746 380 6735 

On duty Tuesday, Friday and Sunday 

— Youth Minister: Chris West (Westy) 

youthminister@sonningparish.org.uk / 0794 622 4106 

— Licensed Lay Minister: Bob Peters 

bob@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 377 5887 

Children's Ministry 

— Alison Smyly office@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298 

Churchwardens 

— Perry Mills perry@oaktreeoffice.com / 0786 035 5457 

— Stuart Bowman sdbowman73@aol.com / 0118 978 8414 

Deputy Churchwardens 

— Liz Nelson liz.nelson1@ntlworld.com / 0118 934 4837 

— Simon Darvall sdarvall@businessmoves.com 0793 928 2535 

— Sue Peters mail@susanjpeters.com / 0118 377 5887 

— Molly Woodley (deputy churchwarden emeritus) 

mollywoodley@live.co.uk / 0118 946 3667 

Parish Administrator 

— Hilary Rennie 

office@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298 

Parochial Church Council 

— Secretary: Hilary Rennie 0118 969 3298 

— Treasurer: Richard Moore 0118 969 2588 

Director of Music, organist and choirmaster 

— Chris Goodwin MA (Cantab), ARCO (CHM), ARCM, LRAM 

music@sonningparish.org.uk 

Sacristan 

— Helen Goodwin 0134 462 7697 

Parish Website: http://www.sonningparish.org.uk 

The Parish Magazine: http://www.theparishmagazine.co.uk 

— Editor: Bob Peters 

editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 0118 377 5887 

— Advertising and Distribution: Gordon Nutbrown 

advertising@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 0118 969 3282 

— Treasurer: Pat Livesey 

pat.livesey@yahoo.co.uk / 0118 961 8017 

— The Parish Magazine is produced by St Andrew’s PCC and delivered 

free of charge to every home in Charvil, Sonning and Sonning Eye. 

— The Parish Magazine is printed in the United Kingdom by The Print 

Factory at Sarum Graphics Ltd, Old Sarum, Salisbury SP4 6QX 

— The Parish Magazine is distributed by Abracadabra Leaflet 

Distribution Ltd, Reading RG7 1AW 

— The Parish Magazine template was designed in 2012 by Roger 

Swindale rogerswindale@hotmail.co.uk and David Woodward 

david@designforprint.org 

Advertisers index 

ABD Construction 20 

ACG Services Locksmith 40 

ADD Plumbing 12 

Aerial Phil 40 

AJH Roofing 40 

All Waste Clearance 34 

Barn Store Henley 16 

Beechwood Carpentry and Construction 40 

Big Heart Tree Care 40 

Blandy & Blandy Solicitors 14 

Blinds Direct 26 

Blue Moose 8 

Bridge House 43 

Bridges Home Care 14 

Bright and Fresh Cleaning 26 

Bull Inn 8 

Carer Companion 40 

Chimney Sweep, Thames 40 

Chiropody, Linda Frewin 40 

Chris the Plumber 32 

Clark Bicknell 40 

Complete Pest Solutions 16 

Computer Frustrations 40 

Cruz Kitchens 34 

David Shailes Plumbing & Decorating 26 

Design for Print 28 

Freebody Boatbuilders 6 

Fields Pharmacy 32 

French Horn 44 

Gardiners Nursing 8 

Graham Blake Soft Furnishing 6 

Great House Sonning 26 

Handyman, Decorating 40 

Haslams Estate Agents 2 

Hicks Group 16 

Intersmart Electrical Installations 40 

James Autos 40 

Jones & Sheppard Stone Masons 16 

Just Brickwork 20 

Kingfisher Bathrooms 18 

MC Cleaning 40 

Mill at Sonning 4 

M & L Healthcare Solutions 12 

Mortgage Required 18 

Muck & Mulch 28 

Odd Jobs 40 

Pearson Hall Sonning 30 

Q1 Care 30 

Reading Blue Coat School 18 

Richfield Flooring 14 

Sabella Interiors 38 

Shiplake College 20 

Signature Cliveden Manor Care Home 28 

Sonning Golf Club 32 

Sonning Scouts Marquees 32 

Smallwood Garden Services 40 

Style by Julie 20 

Sunrise of Sonning Senior Living 34 

Thames Valley Water Softeners 20 

Thames Valley Wills Service 40 

Tomalin Funerals 30 

Velvaere Studio 6 

Village Hamper 20 

Walker Funerals 12 

Water Softener Salt 28 

Window Cleaner 30

Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding this advertisements 


BRIDGE HOUSE 

of TWYFORD 

Because you deserve 

the very best 

Welcome to Bridge House Nursing Home 

Established for 35 years, the elegant Georgian Grade II listed Bridge House has extended its facilities to 

include a beautiful, light-filled and airy purpose built nursing home. 

Our philosophy is built upon helping residents maintain their independence and dignity, whilst ensuring 

their needs and expectations are fully met. We believe that being independent means having the freedom 

of choice and flexibility over how the day is spent. Working closely with families and professionals 

is fundamental in delivering and maintaining the required level of health and wellbeing. 

At Bridge House, our comprehensive facilities and care provision is designed to deliver skilled, 

professional and individually planned care in an unobtrusive manner. 

Call 0800 230 0206 

Visit www.bridgehouseoftwyford.co.uk 

INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • NURSING HOME 

190821 - Bridge House Ad Parish Mag v01.indd 1 21/08/2019 18:06

44 The Parish Magazine - February Please mention 2021 The Parish Magazine when responding this advertisements 

The French Horn, 

Sonning. Quality. 

A continuing commitment to 

wonderful food and wine. 

0118 969 2204 

www.thefrenchhorn.co.uk

The Parish Magazine February 2021

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