The Parish Magazine June 2023
Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning, and Sonning Eye since 1869
Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning, and Sonning Eye since 1869
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From page 13<br />
PARISH NOTICEBOARD — 5<br />
Commonwealth<br />
persecution<br />
are Christians, and most severe<br />
persecution is reserved for those<br />
who come from Muslim, Hindu,<br />
Buddhist or tribal backgrounds.<br />
In Brunei, 12% are Christians and<br />
their insecurity has increased due<br />
to the recent implementation of<br />
Sharia (Islamic law), governing<br />
non-Muslims as well as Muslims.<br />
<strong>The</strong> constitution of Malaysia<br />
says that to leave Islam is<br />
punishable by death, although<br />
this has never been implemented.<br />
Every ethnic Malay is expected to<br />
be Muslim. <strong>The</strong> Maldives contains,<br />
according to Open Doors, ‘a very<br />
small number’ of Christians. No<br />
religious minorities are recognised<br />
by the state and every citizen is<br />
considered Muslim.<br />
Christian converts must follow<br />
Jesus in the greatest secrecy. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
can, if discovered, be stripped of<br />
their citizenship or even given the<br />
death penalty.<br />
PRAYER<br />
In the early days of this new<br />
Carolean era, let us pray for the<br />
new monarch and royal family. Let<br />
us remember to lift up in prayer<br />
the believers in the countries<br />
where Christians are persecuted<br />
in the Commonwealth of Nations<br />
of which he is head.<br />
References and further reading<br />
Good Morning America on the<br />
Commonwealth and the Coronation:<br />
https://www.goodmorningamerica.<br />
com/news/story/monarchy-diedqueen-commonwealth-countriesmuted-view-ahead-99078801<br />
Washington Post on the<br />
Commonwealth:<br />
https://www.washingtonpost.com/<br />
world/<strong>2023</strong>/05/04/king-charlescoronation-commonwealth-realms/<br />
<strong>The</strong> Commonwealth website:<br />
https://thecommonwealth.org/<br />
Open Doors World Watch List <strong>2023</strong>:<br />
https://www.opendoorsuk.org/<br />
persecution/world-watch-list/<br />
Head of the Commonwealth on<br />
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/<br />
wiki/Head_of_the_Commonwealth<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Parish</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> - <strong>June</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 15<br />
Coronation memories<br />
Claude's<br />
I have been reflecting on my memories<br />
of three Coronations in my lifetime.<br />
From 1937, aged 3 years, I have a remarkable<br />
memory of sitting on a pillar box in Friar<br />
Street for the Coronation of King George VI.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n, in 1953 I remember being<br />
crammed into our living room, with<br />
numerous friends and neighbours, as we<br />
watched Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation<br />
on a 9 inch black and white screen.<br />
This compares with sitting with my<br />
family to watch King Charles III and Queen<br />
Camilla on a colour TV screen 10 times<br />
the size! However, I was disappointed not<br />
to see any notable street decorations, as<br />
there had been in 1953 — and which I had<br />
captured on my Retina camera.<br />
Of course, it was a very different world<br />
then. <strong>The</strong> country was still shaking off the<br />
hardship of World War II and was ready for<br />
a good time. On the other hand, modern<br />
technology makes being part of a national<br />
event so much easier.<br />
1953 decorations: Above: Reading Station,<br />
and right: Heelas (now John Lewis)<br />
Claude's<br />
view<br />
from<br />
the<br />
pew<br />
UK food banks busier than ever!<br />
More food parcels were given out in the UK in the past year than ever before. Last<br />
December an emergency food parcel was handed out every 8 seconds.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se are the most recent figures from the Trussell Trust, which supports more than<br />
1,300 food banks in the UK. <strong>The</strong> charity says it gave out nearly 3 million food<br />
parcels between April 2022 and April <strong>2023</strong>. More than 1 million of these were<br />
for children. Compared with 2021, the charity recorded a 37% increase in the<br />
number of food parcels given out in England.<br />
More than 760,000 people used a food bank for the first time, which is up<br />
more than one third in 2021-22. Soaring inflation and energy costs have driven<br />
the increase in demand. <strong>The</strong> charity<br />
reports an unprecedented rise in<br />
the number of employed people<br />
using their food banks, because they<br />
are 'no longer able to balance a low<br />
income against rising living costs.'<br />
<strong>The</strong> problem now, says the trust,<br />
is that food donation levels are not<br />
keeping up with the need. 'This is<br />
putting us under a lot of strain.'<br />
Just think what an impact we at<br />
St Andrew's Church could make if we<br />
remembered to take just one item<br />
each week for the collection bin!<br />
Please remember<br />
your donations for<br />
the Woodley Food<br />
Bank inside<br />
St Andrew's Church