The Parish Magazine March 2024

More documents

Recommendations

Info

30 The Parish Magazine - March 2024 THE ARTS — 1 ‘A feather on the breath of God’ Rev Michael Burgess continues his series looking at great works of music. In this series we have looked at the psalms of the Old Testament and the songs of the New Testament, and now we enter the Middle Ages. But it is the Middle Ages through the eyes of a record producer in the last century. In 1980 Ted Perry decided to found a new independent record company, Hyperion. If that was not financial risk enough, in the following year Hyperion issued a CD of a composer virtually unknown in the 1980s — Hildegard of Bingen. The risk paid off, and Gothic Voices’ recording of the music of this remarkable medieval nun became a best seller. The CD sold in its thousands and received awards from the gramophone industry. AIR BORNE ‘A Feather on the Breath of God’, the title of the CD, is how Hildegard described herself. ‘Listen, there was a king sitting on his throne. Around him stood great and wonderfully beautiful columns ornamented with ivory, bearing the banners of the king with great honour. 'Then it pleased the king to raise a small feather from the ground and he commanded it to fly. The feather flew, not because of anything in itself, but because the air bore it along. Thus, am I, a feather on the breath of God.’ Hildegard was born in 1098, the tenth child of noble parents who lived in western Germany. Aged only eight, she was given into the care of Jutta, abbess of a monastery in the Rhineland, near Bingen where she lived the life of an enclosed nun. Her only contact with the world outside was a grille through which food was passed. After 30 years, Hildegard left that cell and was assigned a scribe, who wrote down her visions and meditations in two volumes. She founded two monasteries, wrote books on medicine and natural healing and the first morality play, Hildegard Zatletic, dreamstime.com and composed a great range of songs. She corresponded with the great and the good, and as the ‘Sybil of the Rhine,’ her advice was sought by popes, emperors, kings and bishops. She lived a truly creative life of prayer and service until her death in 1179. The starting point for her own compositions was the plainsong of that time. Plainsongs are unaccompanied church music sung in unison. They have a free rhythm corresponding to the accentuation of the words, which were taken from the liturgy. Modern techniques of singing and performing often make plainsong slow and heavy. The secret to bringing plainchant alive is to sing it with relaxed attention. In many ways that is the secret of the life of prayer: that paradox of resting in the Lord while being alert to the prompting of his spirit. Hildegard realised that secret as she brought it to her music, as she did to everything, an intensity of emotion and faith, developing the medieval plainchant into melodies that flowed off the page and soared into the skies. ARMOUR It is all there in the chant ‘O ignis spiritus’ on the CD – an ecstatic song, praising the life of God’s Spirit as breath and spark of flame, as a power within and armour without. As Hildegard contemplates this gift, her music moves and grows, reaching upwards to God’s throne of glory in praise and adoration and outwards to those who listen. The art of saying 'hello' By Rev Peter Crumpler, a former CofE communications director What lessons can Christians learn from a London rail worker who was recently honoured by King Charles, for talking 29 people out of taking their own lives? Maybe something about the power of conversation and being willing to ‘stop for a chat.’ The 'chats' led to him being awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours. Rev Jemima Prasadam calls this style of talking with people in need as ‘bus stop theology.’ Her engaging approach is featured in Stick with Love, by Rt Rev Arun Arora, Bishop of Kirkstall. Jemima explained: 'I don’t go out looking to talk to people, but I am ready to do it. I don’t pass anybody without saying ‘Hello’ and when I leave, I always say ‘God bless you.’ Meetings happen on a daily basis, but often only last as long as it takes for the bus to arrive. 'People often say they are not religious, but I say we are all spiritual beings, and they agree. So, I simply tell them that weak and simple people like me call that God.' QUESTIONS Sadly, we are living in a society where conversations are being closed down. People who might have chatted on the bus or train, are now deeply involved with their mobile phones. Supermarkets are phasing out staffed checkout points, so that those who live alone are deprived of the conversations that can make a difference to their day. Jesus asked questions as a vital component of his earthly ministry. His deep conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 begins with him asking for a drink. Maybe we, as Christians we need to be looking out for more chances to start conversations, to give people the opportunity to open up about their lives. In our busy, rushing around world, there are many people out there who are longing for a chat.
THE ARTS — 2 Poetry Corner Constant Creator By Steven Rolling Tune: Lux Eoi (‘Alleluia, Alleluia! Heart to heaven and voices raise’) Based on a prayer by St Patrick c389-461 AD. Our God, you God of all mankind God of all things so we find God of heaven, earth, rivers, seas Making all as you do please God of sun and moon and each start Things that be near and things far God of high mount, lowly valley You the great Creator be God over heaven, and in heaven Life unto all you have given God under heaven, for you dwell In heaven, earth, sea, we tell And live in all things that therein Are, let fresh praises begin He inspires, give life to all things Of Him His creation sings He over all things, He supports All things, different kinds and sorts He makes the light of sun to shine His surrounds the moon, stars fine He has made wells in the dry earth Islands in seas brings to birth Father, Holy Spirit, and Son Three in One while ages run Splank, dreamstime.com This Easter marks the 150th birthday of a much-loved hymn, sung each year by millions of Christians worldwide. It all began on a little pump organ in the living room of a college professor in Pennsylvania, in 1874. Robert Lowry was professor of literature at Bucknell University, and pastor of a nearby church. He had a passion for poetry and music, and explained his ‘muse’ this way: 'I watch my moods and when anything strikes me, whether words or music, no matter where I am, at home, on the street, I jot it down. My brain is a sort of spinning machine, for there is music running through it all the time. Sometimes the words come, and the music follows.' Easter 1874 was approaching, and on this particular day Robert Lowry had been meditating on the gospel narratives of the Passion and Resurrection. The angel’s words at the empty tomb, ‘He is not here, but is risen’ kept running through his mind. There was something there… Lowry moved to the little pump organ in his living room and gave himself up to the moment. Soon the words and the music for this joyous Easter hymn just fell into place: Christ Arose Low in the grave He lay Jesus my Saviour! Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord! Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever with His saints to reign, He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Saviour! Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord! Death cannot keep his prey, Jesus my Saviour! He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord! The Parish Magazine - March 2024 31 150th birthday for joyous Easter hymn Robert Lowry (1826-1899) Youth and Age From: More Doggerel Days By Jane Gascoine Public Domain Jane Gascoine RIP Jane Gascoine, who was a contributor to The Parish Magazine with stories of parish life and her distinctive poetry, sadly died in January. As a tribute, here is one of her poems: Give me green fields And green hills And sheep and cattle and trees. Give me running brooks And homing rooks And bells on the evening breeze. And sunny lawns And bright new dawns And gentle rain on my face. And heavenly choirs And dreaming spires And I’ll know I have found my place. Autumn inspires Cosy fires And a need to stay close to home. The song of the birds Are comforting words To those unable to roam. Music and dance, Books and romance, Pets and laughter and space. Friendship and love And heavens above, I’ll know that I’ve found my place.
Page 1 and 2: The Parish Magazine Magazine Parish
Page 3 and 4: Serving the communities of Charvil,
Page 5 and 6: The Parish Magazine - March 2024 5
Page 7 and 8: the parish noticeboard — 1 From M
Page 11 and 12: the parish noticeboard — 4 Claude
Page 13 and 14: Who is CIRDIC? Churches In Reading
Page 15 and 16: feature — 1 The Parish Magazine -
Page 23 and 24: around the villages — 1 Community
Page 25 and 26: around the villages — 3 100 dance
Page 27 and 28: HEALTH Dr Simon Ruffle writes . . .
Page 29: FASHION BY HARRIET NELSON Fashions
Page 33 and 34: BOOK REVIEWS FOR EASTER The Empty T
Page 35 and 36: PUZZLE PAGE — 2 CROSSWORD 1 2 3 4
Page 37 and 38: CHILDREN'S PAGE The Parish Magazine
Page 39 and 40: Sabella Interiors Parish ad.qxp_Lay

The Parish Magazine March 2024

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?