The Parish Magazine February 2025
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The Parish Magazine —February 2025 1
The
Parish
Magazine
The John King Trophy and Gold Award
Best Magazine of the Year 2018
National Parish Magazine Awards
Best Overall 2015, 2020, 2022, 2023
Best Content 2016, 2021
Best Editor 2019
Best Print 2018
Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning & Sonning Eye since 1869
February 2025 — Christingle for Candlemas
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
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Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning & Sonning Eye since 1869
Church of St Andrew
Serving Sonning, Charvil & Sonning Eye
The Parish Magazine —February 2025 1
The John King Trophy and Gold Award
Best Magazine of the Year 2018
National Parish Magazine Awards
Best Overall 2015, 2020, 2022, 2023
Best Content 2016, 2021
Best Editor 2019
Best Print 2018
information — 1
Contents February 2025
THE VICAR'S LETTEr, 5
THE PARISH NOTICEBOARD
— Christingle, 7
— STAY, 8-9
— Epiphany letter from York, 10-11
— The Cost of being Christian, 13
— St Valentine, 13
— The Persecuted Church, 15
— Creed Challenge, 15
— Bible Prayers Part 2, 16
— Keeping on the right track, 16
— From the choir benches, 17
— From the editor's desk, 17
FEATURES
— The Mill at Sonning, 19
— Claude on biscuits and bananas, 21
— Karun update, 22-23
around tHE VILLages
— Sonning School, 24-25
— Rendezvous in The Ark, 27
— Questions of dying, 27
HOME AND GARDEN, 29
— Afoot in the Garden
— The big freeze of 1955
HISTORY, 31
— St Margaret
— Was it really?
THE SCIENCES, 33
— Dr Ruth Bancewicz,
— Science is for everyone
FASHION, 35
— Valentine fashions
This ISSUE's FRONT COVER
The
Parish
Magazine
February 2025 — Christingle for Candlemas
the church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF
CHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURY
Christingle images:
Powerofflowers, Dreamstime.com
Liz Nelson, St Andrew's Church
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 2025
issue of The Parish Magazine is:
Thursday 6 February
at 12 noon
Recent issues of The Parish Magazine
can also be read online at
https://theparishmagazine.co.uk
For access to The Parish Magazine
archives which holds copies of the
magazine from 1869, please contact:
editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk
The Parish Magazine —February 2025 3
Services in
St Andrew's
Church Sonning
Candlemas Sunday 2 February
— 10.30am Christingle Service
(See page 7 for details)
— 4.00pm Evensong
Sunday 9 February
— 8.00am Holy Communion
— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with
STAY and Sunday Club
Sunday 16 February
— 8.00am Holy Communion
— 10.30am Family Communion
— 3.00pm Messy Church in The Ark
Sunday 23 February
— 8.00am Holy Communion
— 10.30am Parish Eucharist with
STAY and Sunday Club
OTHER REGULAR SERVICES
Morning Prayer is held in the church
every Tuesday at 9.30am.
Mid-week Communion in The Ark is
held every Wednesday at 10.00am. Tea
and coffee follows the service.
Home Communion at Sonning
Gardens Care Home is held on the first
Monday of each month at 11.00am.
THE ARTS,
— Book Reviews, 36
— My first sermon, 37
PUZZLE PAGES, 38-39
children's page, 41
INFORMATION
— Church services, 3
— From the registers, 3
— Local Trades and Services, 40
— Parish contacts, 42
— Advertisers' index, 42
From the Registers
WEDDINGS
— Saturday 4 January: John Matthew Baker and Rebekah Mary Nunn
FUNERALS
— Monday 6 January: Wyndham Llewelyn Jones, Service in St Andrew's
Church and Cremation at Reading Crematorium
— Wednesday 8 January: Stephen John Dixon, Service in St Andrew's
Church and Cremation at Reading Crematorium
4 The Parish Magazine — February 2025 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to this advertisement
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The Parish Magazine — February 2025 5
The vicar's letter
D e a r F r i e n d S,
On 6 February it will be 72 years since Her Late Majesty, Queen
Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne. There can be little doubt that her
legacy of faithful service and duty, for over seventy years, is unrivalled,
and in looking back on her reign, we are aware just how fortunate we
have been as a nation.
Political careers rarely end with legacies being celebrated, but
occasionally a leader does come along for whom it can be said that they
left the nation in a better state than when they took power. I have views
on who this might and might not apply to, but I’m not getting into that
here!
HOT TOPIC
The word legacy is also of course used to describe the passing on of
money or property in a will. It has been a hot topic of late because of the
government’s decision to force farmers to pay inheritance tax on their
land, something that I sense we will be hearing much more about in the
coming months as the farmers ramp up their protests.
We are often being reminded to leave a legacy for all manner of
charitable causes and there is no doubt that much good work is done
because of the foresight of donors, before their deaths. In my time in
this parish, we as a church have benefited from departed parishioners’
generosity on several occasions and usually at times when we have
significant expenditure.
I am reminded of a substantial bequest from the late John Edmonds,
just at the time of our mammoth fundraising campaign for the building
of The Ark.
The latest bequest was from the late Jean Busby, for many years a
member of our choir, and we have been able to use this to pay for the
restoration work on the ancient memorial brasses between the choir
stalls. This was work we had to do but really didn’t want to have to use
church funds as the cost was around £10,000. Thanks be to God and
thank you to Jean!
HAPPY DAYS
In thinking of leaving a legacy for a charitable cause, I am reminded of
the inscription on the magnificent pipe organ at Blenheim Palace:
'In memory of happy days and as a tribute to this glorious home, we have
thy voice to speak within these walls in years to come when ours are still. '
In a similar way, leaving something in our wills for the ministry and
mission of our local church, or any other worthwhile charity, is a way
of looking to the future when our voices are still, and still being able to
make a positive contribution to society.
With warm wishes.
Jamie
6 The Parish Magazine — February 2025 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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the parish noticeboard — 1
How to make a Christingle
for our Family Service
on Sunday 2 February
You will need:
— a responsible adult to help!
— one orange
— one candle
— four cocktail sticks
— enough red ribbon to wrap round the orange
— dried fruit or sweets
— a pin
— a small piece of aluminium foil
— scissors
ASK AN ADULT to cut a thin slice off the bottom of the
orange so that it stands firmly on a flat surface, and
ask them to make a hole in the top of the orange large
enough for the candle, but don’t push the candle in yet.
Wrap the red ribbon around the middle of the orange
and fix it in position with the pin.
Cut the aluminium foil with the scissors to cover the top
of the orange and press it into the candle hole in the
centre.
Push the candle into the top of the orange where the foil
is and make sure it is held firmly in place.
Put the dried fruit or sweets on three of the cocktail
sticks, leaving the fourth one empty.
Push the cocktail sticks into the orange so they are
spaced equally around it — see the picture above.
DO NOT LIGHT THE CANDLE YET!
Bring your unlit Christingle to the St Andrew's Church
Sonning Family Service at 10.30am on Sunday 2
February and it will be lit for you — and you will be able
to eat the sweets afterwards!
Why Christingles in February?
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 7
What does your Christingle mean?
The orange represents the world that God created.
The red ribbon indicates the love and blood of
Christ.
The dried fruits and sweets are symbols of the
fruits of the earth created by God for all his people.
The four sticks represent all the people of the world.
The empty stick reminds us that not everyone has
their fair share of the food provided by God.
The lit candle symbolises Jesus, the light of the
world that shines even in the darkest corners of our
planet.
At a children's service in Marienborn, Germany, in 1747, Bishop Johannes de Watteville looked for a simple way to explain the
happiness that had come to people through Jesus, and created a symbol — the Christingle — to do this. The idea spread throughout
the world and in 1968, after John Pensom used a Christingle to raise funds for the Children's Society, it was adopted by the
charity as an fund raising event. Many churches in the UK celebrate Christingle as part of their Christmas celebrations but here in
Sonning, partly because during December our church is extremely busy with a large number of carol and Nativity services, it was
decided that a more appropriate time would be the first Sunday of February when the Church celebrates the Feast of Candlemas.
Traditionally, before mains electricity, Candlemas was a service held to bless all the candles that were to be used to light a church
throughout the coming year. During our Christingle Candlemas service a cash collection is made in aid of the Children's Society, so
as well bringing your Christingles please bring your donation for the Children's Society.
8 The Parish Magazine — February 2025
the parish noticeboard — 2
St Andrew's Youth
Westy
email or text me, Westy, for ideas,
a chat or to encourage
what we are doing:
youthminister@sonningparish.org.uk
0794 622 4106
STAY ON FRIDAY — DODGEBALL, COOKING AND SPORTS
We met for our weekly Friday night youth club three times in December, finishing with our Christmas party on
Friday 20 December where Year 6 also joined us. We played Christmas party games and dodgeball to end 2024 and
everyone had a blast! We will be starting back on Friday 10 January with all the usual favourite games, cooking,
sports and consoles from 6.45pm-8.15pm. Year 6 will be welcome every fourth Friday in 2025: 28 February, 28
March, 25 April, 23 May, 27 June and 18 July.
STAY ON SUNDAY — VIDEOS, SNACKS AND GAMES
Our Sunday youth group met three times in December for Christian themed videos and snacks in the upper room
(2nd Sunday), big games in The Ark with a Christian themed thought to end (3rd Sunday) and card games and a
game of dirty Santa in the bull (4th Sunday). The young people learn about the same scripture as the adults from
the CofE Lectionary to provide continuity of learning across the whole church.
STAY ON MONDAY — LEARNING MORE ABOUT CHRISTIANITY
Our two meetings in December for STAY on Monday included Christmas party games, drinks and pizza. We meet
every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month in different young people’s homes from 6.00-7.15pm. The usual format is
a game, some snacks, a video, a thought to discuss and an activity to get us thinking deeper about the Christian
faith. Every young person is welcome to STAY on Monday who wants to know a little more about the Christian
faith in a relaxed environment.
STAY IN SCHOOLS — VITAL MINISTRY
Our work in schools continues to be a vital part of our ministry at St Andrew's Church. We mentor around 35
students, we deliver assemblies across all the four local schools, we run a Christian Union (CU) at Piggott and over
December we attended as many Nativity and Carol Concerts as we could. Corinne and I also spent time in Sonning
CofE school doing a Q&A on ‘Is Christmas real?’. Finally, I had the honour of attending the Blue Coat Staff School
Christmas Lunch, which was so good!
BEER AND CAROLS — SONNING AT ITS BEST!
I want to say a huge personal thanks to everyone who made the amazing Beers & Carols so so good at the Bull Inn
in Sonning. It was only our second time of doing it and we were bowled over by its popularity. We counted around
230 people, that’s 100 more than last year. The Bull Inn staff were run off their socks, the PA team and band were
setting up and rehearsing all afternoon and the punters gave their all in the singing department. All in all, Ali
Driver summed it up best in his Sonning Buzz post : 'Sonning at its best!'
Westy: you
Corrinne:
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 9
thminister@sonningparish.org.uk / 0794 622 4106
corinne@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298
Wishing
you all
health and
happiness
in 2025
Corinne
Advent and Christmas were a busy and exciting
time for all the ministries at St Andrew's, and in
my completely biased opinion, the children and
young people had the most fun!
In addition to all the STAY activities, which I colead
with Westy, we also attended the local school's
nativity plays, carol services, and other various
Christmas parties and celebrations.
It was such fun attending and appreciating
all the hard work that the students and staff put
forth this time of year to celebrate the season and
commemorate the end of the year.
It feels like a real treat to be invited to these,
in addition to our mentoring sessions, assemblies,
and other work we do in the schools.
A TRADITIONAL . . .
As is the St Andrew's tradition, we had our crib
service on 24 December when Sunday Club, Messy
Church, and STAY came together — in reading
and in costumes — to re-tell the Christmas story,
guided by Bob Hartman's Rhyming Bible.
With room for audience participation, guided
carols with the junior choir, and lots of help from
the ministry team and volunteers at St Andrew's,
we all came together to remember the moment in
which the Word became flesh.
During Sunday Club, we spent our time
together preparing for the crib service as well as
making table decorations and party favours for the
Rendezvous Lunch Club Christmas lunch.
. . . AND A MESSY CHRISTMAS!
At Messy Church, we held our Messy Christmas
party with party games and food, carols led on the
piano beautifully by Jamie, and an opportunity for
Christmas crafts.
From all of us at St Andrew's Church, we hope
you had a wonderful Christmas and wish you
health and happiness heading into 2025.
We are so grateful for all
those who supported our children's
and young people work in any
way during 2024 and look
forward to sharing more
time together in the
coming year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
10 The Parish Magazine —February 2025
the parish noticeboard — 3
the parish noticeboard — 3
Dear Friends in Christ,
6 January 2025
Mindful of the ongoing challenges facing the Church
of England, I write to you, the clergy, lay ministers and
people of the Church of England on this Feast of the
Epiphany, trusting that with God’s guidance, we can look
to the future with great hopefulness in Christ. The Magi
came to the Christ child and their lives were re-directed.
Please join me in praying for the renewal of our church
as we come again to Christ to seek God’s way for God’s
church.
First, I want to express my deep gratitude for your
faithfulness. The unstinting witness and service of parish
churches, chaplaincies and other Christian communities
brings hope and light, embodying the message of the
Gospel, a message of peace and of new beginnings that is
needed so urgently in our world as well as our church.
The events of recent weeks, particularly the publication
of the Makin Review, have sometimes felt as though we
have been separated from the light and hope of Christ.
Reading reports of abuse, cover-ups, and institutional
failure, we are confronted with a darkness that has
harmed so many. To those who have been hurt, I offer my
deepest apologies.
These painful reports serve as a stark reminder that
victims and survivors are asking for – and deserve – more
than words of lament. They call us to action.
DEDICATION
Significant progress has been made. Every week,
thousands of parish safeguarding officers faithfully
attend to their duties in churches across England. They
are supported by over 100 professionally qualified
safeguarding staff working at both regional and national
levels. More than 20,000 clergy, lay ministers, and church
officers now undergo safeguarding training as part of
their roles. Alongside them, thousands of volunteers
who work with children and vulnerable adults complete
rigorous vetting through the Disclosure and Barring
Service. This essential safeguarding work is so important,
and I am profoundly grateful for the dedication and
commitment of all involved.
However, there is still more to do in order for us to
become a safer and more accountable church, and for our
processes to be trusted. Whether it is my decisions that
are called into question or anyone’s within the church,
An Epiphany Letter from the
Archbishop of York: Let us
commit ourselves to becoming
a Church that looks and
sounds like Jesus
our safeguarding practices must be subject to independent
oversight and scrutiny.
Consequently, the House of Bishops, the Archbishops’
Council and the other relevant National Church
Institutions are committed to leading this change and are
working with the lead bishop for safeguarding and others
on several key initiatives, including:
— Bringing forward new proposals on independent
safeguarding to the General Synod in February. This would
include models for independent oversight, scrutiny, audit, and
complaints, as well as for day-to-day operational safeguarding.
— Seeking final approval in February for new clergy conduct
measures that will strengthen the Church’s disciplinary
provisions.
— Ensuring the Church’s National Safeguarding Team
continues its work alongside Safe Spaces to provide support
for anyone wishing to raise safeguarding concerns, while also
managing the process for addressing issues raised in recent
reports.
— Reviewing the recommendations of recent reviews through
the National Safeguarding Steering Group and implementing
them with guidance from the independently chaired National
Safeguarding Panel.
— Finalising the provisions of the forthcoming Redress Scheme
so as to express in tangible ways the Church's heartfelt sorrow
and shame for the abuse survivors have suffered.
REACH OUT
I want to reach out to all people of goodwill, and
especially those who have been consistently and
courageously advocating for change in the Church of
England and invite support for these proposals.
There are other things to consider this year. We must
attend to issues around clergy wellbeing and do all that we
can to increase the stipend level.
It may also be the time to look again at clergy terms
of service to increase accountability — including that of
bishops—and possibly ask the question as to whether
clergy should become employees.
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 11
Dmitry Rukhlenko, dreamstime.com
Moreover, as we remember Archbishop Justin’s
ministry and his decision to step down as an
acknowledgement of the institutional and collective
failings of the Church he served so steadfastly, we need to
reflect deeply on what we expect from an Archbishop of
Canterbury.
It is at least four jobs wrapped into one. Spiritual
leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Spiritual
Head of the Church of England. Primate of the Province of
Canterbury. Diocesan Bishop.
We also face decisions about Living in Love and Faith
(LLF). I believe we should focus again on the things we
have in common, whatever our theological conviction on
these issues.
In this respect, I am convinced we are united in
our desire to ensure that all our churches are places of
welcome for everyone regardless of difference, but we also
live with profound disagreement about how that welcome
should be expressed towards same sex-couples.
Prayers of Love and Faith have become one option.
They are now commended for use in existing services.
Many same-sex couples in faithful, stable relationships
have benefited from this, something I welcome.
BESPOKE SERVICES
Later this year, we will consider introducing bespoke
services. With this must go provision for those who
cannot support these developments. We must, therefore,
properly honour the conscience and theological conviction
of clergy, lay ministers and churches who can’t use the
services and then develop our practice of delegated
episcopal ministry for these ministers and communities.
In this way we will have that symmetry of provision I have
always believed necessary.
But since the Makin Review itself warns how tribalism
can endanger accountability and make oversight more
difficult, we must not do this in a way that further breaks
the Body of Christ.
Working closely with Sarah, the Bishop of London,
in her role as Dean of the Province of Canterbury, for
most of the next year it falls to me to help guide the
Church of England through these challenging times. I
am hugely grateful for the affirmation and support I have
received, though I know and accept that some people have
concerns.
But aware of my own needs and shortcomings I pledge
myself to learn, and I pledge myself to do what I can to
steer through the change we need on these important
issues and to hold myself accountable, both to the
processes we have at the moment and to the new ones we
will introduce.
I invite the clergy and people of the Church of England
to do the same and in your parish and worshipping
community to pray for the stability, good governance, and
renewal of our Church.
I will then look forward to working closely with
whomever the Spirit calls to be the next Archbishop of
Canterbury.
Alongside this, I will continue the work I have been
called to in the North of England, particularly getting
on the road to teach about the way of discipleship Jesus
offers us in the prayer he taught us.
The Lord’s Prayer, the prayer of Jesus, is the prayer
that takes us right to the heart of God. It teaches us how
to live, as well as how to pray. At the moment, we need
this more than ever. Such a renewal of prayer, a new
dependence upon God and a new focus on discipleship,
living out our Christian vocation each day, will,
I believe, help us to become a simpler, humbler and
bolder church and by ‘church’ I mean here both the
universal Church, the bride of Christ and the community
of the redeemed, and the thousands of local parishes,
chaplaincies and other expressions of Christian
community that are the bedrock and lifeblood of the
Church of England.
MORE ACCOUNTABLE
Finally, in this Epiphany-tide, I am reminded that in
Christ God comes to us in the most vulnerable thing we
can imagine: a tiny, newborn child.
Let us learn from this and ensure that we are putting
the needs of the vulnerable first.
Let us commit ourselves to becoming a Church that
looks and sounds like Jesus: penitent, kind, and in tune
with the will and purposes of God, the safer and more
accountable Church I believe we are called to be.
12 The Parish Magazine — February 2025 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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parish noticeboard — 5
When did you first encounter
Christianity? If it was as an adult,
then Phileas is a saint for you to
take notice of. His life shows that
truth matters, whenever you
encounter it, but is also a warning
that you need to count the cost of
becoming a Christian.
Phileas was a rich man who was born
and lived in Alexandria, Egypt at the
end of the third century, and it was
here that he first met Christians.
Being highly educated, he did
not convert instantly, but instead
studied their Gospels, and also, at
least, part of the New Testament.
Only then did he conclude that
Jesus was indeed the Son of God.
FIRM IN FAITH
It was good that Phileas had done
his research and he became firm in
his faith.
After his conversion, events came
thick and fast. In those pressured
times, the early church did not
have the luxury of long training
programmes for leaders, and so
Phileas was chosen to be bishop
of his city in the Thebaid, a desert
region of ancient Egypt.
Sadly, the new bishop hardly ever
had a chance to pastor his flock.
Soon after his consecration
at Alexandria in 303, Phileas was
arrested under the edicts of the
Roman emperor Diocletian.
He spent the next three years in
prison, deeply moved by the willing
martyrdoms of other Christians
around him.
Finally, in 306, it was Phileas’
turn. He faced the questioning of
the prefect, Maximian Culcianus. A
prefect in ancient Rome was a highranking
official or magistrate with a
variety of military and civil roles.
In a military role, prefects
commanded auxiliary troops or
served as garrison commanders.
Civil prefects were appointed
to carry out special tasks, such as
maintaining law and order in Rome,
or distributing food to the people.
Culcianus could not fathom why
Phileas, such a previously wealthy
man, had thrown his life away to
follow some, long dead — as he
assumed — carpenter from Galilee.
However, Phileas’ strength was
that he really knew what the Bible
says, and so when questioned about
Jesus’s divinity, he replied that:
'… He performed the works of God
in power and actuality… He cleansed
lepers, made the blind see, the deaf
hear, the lame walk, the dumb speak,
he drove demons from His creatures at
a command; He cured paralytics, raised
the dead to life, and performed many
other signs and wonders.'
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 13
Counting the cost of being a Christian
ARRESTED
QUESTIONING
Part of an ancient manuscript that refers to St Phileas
What about St Valentine?
Public Domain, Wikipedia
Still Culcianus urged him to save
his life, by sacrificing to the Roman
gods, but Phileas had a biblical
answer ready.
Paraphrasing St Paul, he said that
the sacrifices which God requires are:
'a pure heart, a spotless soul and
spiritual perceptions which lead to
deeds of piety and justice…'
Pressed again, he replied 'I
have reflected many times, and this
is my decision.' Phileas was led out
and beheaded and became one of
approximately 600 Christians put
to death during the persecution of
Maximian Galerius.
There are two confusing things about this day of romance and anonymous lovecards
strewn with lace, cupids and ribbon: firstly, there seems to have been two
different Valentines in the 4th Century — a priest martyred on the Flaminian
Way, under the emperor Claudius, and a bishop of Terni martyred at Rome. Neither
seems to have had any clear connection with lovers or courting couples.
So why has Valentine become the patron saint of romantic love? By Chaucer’s time
the link was assumed to be because on February 14, 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 this 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 name-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.
There are no churches in England dedicated to Valentine, but since 1835 his relics
have been claimed by the Carmelite church in Dublin.
14 The Parish Magazine — February 2025 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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parish noticeboard — 6
Eritrea appears at number four in
Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List
of the 50 countries where Christians
experience the most extreme
persecution, up three places from
when we last discussed the country
in this column (July 2019).
It is known as the 'North Korea
of Africa' due to its intense
authoritarian government.
Christians make up around
46% of the population. Only three
Christian denominations (Eritrean
Orthodox, Roman Catholic and
Lutheran) exist in Eritrea and they
are heavily monitored.
PRISONERS OF FAITH
Outside of these, anyone who
follows Jesus is at risk.
Raids to round up 'unsanctioned'
Christians, particularly church
leaders, are commonplace.
Estimates suggest around 1,000
Eritrean Christians are in prison
although not charged with any crime.
Members of some house churches
have been in prison for more than 10
years.
Release International reports
that Christians imprisoned without
going through any formal trial
process are often locked up in
shipping containers in the desert,
which means enduring awful heat
during the daytime and freezing cold
temperatures during the night.
2025 is a year of Jubilee in the Roman Catholic Church, a year which takes
place every 25 years. It’s a special year of forgiveness and reconciliation, in
which people are invited to come back into a right relationship with God,
with one another, and with all of creation. This acts as a challenge for all
Christians, whatever our creed:
— How can we spend more time talking and listening to God through reading
the Bible and prayer?
— How can we grow our love for our family and friends?
— How can we make more impact at work, by demonstrating an attractive
faith to colleagues?
When Joshua led God’s people to the banks of the Jordan, ready to cross
over into the Promised Land, he said: ‘you have never been this way before’
(Joshua 3:4).
Question: When we don’t know what the future holds, how can we grow in
our relationship with God?
Answer: Keep our focus on God: The people were told to follow Noah's Ark,
symbolising God’s presence, as they crossed the river. Let’s keep our focus on
God and his word throughout this year and keep in step with where he is leads us.
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 15
THE PERSECUTED CHURCH BY COLIN BAILEY
Prayers are asked for a change of heart in Eritea
The US Department of State
Report on International Religious
Freedom for Eritrea (2022) says that
the government in that year arrested
individuals on the basis of religion.
It states that members of
unregistered religious groups lack the
privileges of registered groups and
that their members 'risked arrest,
mistreatment, and renunciation of
their faith as a condition of their
release.'
On 30 November 2022 the US
Secretary of State redesignated
Eritrea as a 'CPC (Country of
Particular Concern) under the 1998
International Religious Freedom Act.
Please pray for Christians in Eritrea,
Taras Vykhopen, dreamstime.com
especially those believers in prison.
Please ask the Lord to be with them
and comfort them. And please
pray for a change of heart of the
authorities who target them.
References and further reading
Open Doors World Watch List 2024
– Eritrea: https://www.opendoorsuk.
org/countries-watch/eritrea/
Release International – Eritrea:
https://releaseinternational.org/
country/eritrea/
US Department of State 2022 Report
on International Religious Freedom
– Eritrea: https://www.state.gov/
reports/2022-report-on-internationalreligious-freedom/eritrea/
A Roman Catholic Church challenge whatever your Creed
Public domain, wikipedia
16 The Parish Magazine —February 2025
parish noticeboard — 7
BIBLE PRAYERS PART TWO
Praying in your
Discouragements
By Rev Dr Herbert McGonigle
In this series we are looking at 12 prayers found in the Bible. Some prayers are for personal circumstances, others
relate to family, church or nation. In studying the prayers the emphasis is on what we can learn about prayer and how
we can be encouraged to pray more regularly, more fervently and more expectantly.
Moses said to the Lord, '… I am not
able to carry all this people alone,
the burden is too heavy for me…'
Numbers 11:10-15
Moses prayed this prayer in a day of
dark depression and discouragement.
The opening verses of the chapter
relate how divine punishment fell
on the people of Israel because they
complained about almost everything.
Moses prayed and the punishment
stopped but not the people’s
complaints. They wanted meat to eat.
For years they had been sustained
by manna from heaven, but now they
longed for the fish, cucumbers and
melons they had eaten in Egypt (5,6).
They forget how the Lord had
delivered them from Pharaoh’s
bondage.
Now they preferred Egyptian
food, and the slavery that went with
it, to the goodness of the Lord and
his provision for them.
QUESTIONS
Moses was beside himself with
despair. Would these ungrateful
people never stop complaining?
Then the Lord’s anger threatened
the people again (10). Moses was
caught in the middle.
On one side of him the people
complained, and on the other side
God’s wrath was about to fall. Moses
couldn’t go on.
His frustration broke out in
petulant questions to the Lord. ‘Why
are you dealing so severely with me?’
‘Why do you lay this burden on me?’
‘Did I conceive these people?’ ‘Why
am I a nursing mother to them?’
‘Am I responsible for getting them
to Egypt?’ ‘How can I provide meat
for so many?’ ‘Lord, this burden is
too great for me.’ ‘I’d rather die now
than go on like this’ (11-15).
Moses was depressed, irritable
and resentful. He poured it all out
before the Lord. It was a prayer born
of frustration and anger.
He was angry with his ungrateful
congregation, and he was angry with
God. Why did the Lord leave it all to
him? After all, it was God’s plan to
bring the Israelites from Egypt to
Canaan.
Moses had only gone along with
it because God commanded him. But
now it was all too much.
Worn out with listening to the
people’s whining and not sure of
what God would do next, Moses had
had enough. He blamed the Lord
for giving him a burden he couldn’t
carry, and he wanted to die.
But God answered Moses
graciously! He understood the
Thodonal, dreamstime.com
frustration, the petulance, the
lack of faith and the rebellious
spirit that blamed God for it all. He
provided Moses with 70 elders who
eased the burden of leadership (16,
17).
He sent an east wind that
brought quails into the camp and
provided meat for them (31, 32).
In grace and mercy God
‘overlooked’ the faults of Moses and
sent him help and refreshment.
In our deepest disappointments,
God understands.
In our frustrations, God is
merciful. When we lash out at
circumstances and even at God,
he does not answer in kind. In our
deepest discouragement, His love
and grace and understanding are
with us still.
Keeping on the right track?
A little over 50 years ago, I was on board a ferry crossing the Irish Sea to Rosslare
in the south-east corner of Ireland. For once the sea was calm as the ferry cut
through the water, writes Alan Rickards, Association for Church Editors.
As I looked across the bow, I couldn’t help noticing that
Peter
every
Krocka,
couple
Dreamstime.com
of minutes,
the direction we were travelling changed Flynt, very Dreamstime.com
slightly — almost imperceptibly —
first a slight deviation to the south, then maybe a minor movement to the north.
Speaking to one of the crew, I discovered that there were two beacons — one
in the south west corner of Pembrokeshire and the other near the entrance to
Rosslare Harbour. A signal passed between the two beacons creating an invisible
line. Ships would 'latch on' to this line and every minute or two, correct the
direction in which the vessel was sailing.
Watching these slight deviations in the ferry’s passage reminded me that,
according to the Bible, God guides people in the right direction through prayer:
Proverbs 3:6: Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Psalms 25:4-11: Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me.
Is your 'ship' keeping on the right track?
parish noticeboard — 8
From the
choir benches
By Richard Meehan, director of music
St Andrew's Church Sonning
Doing our best for God
and the community
Christmas is a busy time for a great number of choirs, and
there is certainly no exception for St Andrew’s choirs, with
our calendar of duties incorporating the three big services as
well as a number of smaller ones. As we head into the cold and
drab winter months, I find it good for the soul to take stock of
the wonderful times spent together making music over the
Christmas season.
The first of our special services was the Advent Carol Service.
This focussed on the more reflective and anticipatory side of
Christmas, allowing us a moment of contemplation before the
louder and more joyful events to come.
Beginning in darkness, with the choir at the back of the
church suddenly bursting into acapella harmony with the Matin
Responses was a magical moment. The magic continued as the
congregation launched into a hearty rendition of Come, thou long
expected Jesus. This year, we were particularly proud to have our
new organ scholar, Will Luff, play for the whole service, during
which he demonstrated his increasing agility and sensitivity
at the console. This is no mean feat for anyone, particularly
someone of his age.
Our main carol service on 15 December was the traditional
Nine Lessons and Carols. It might be surprising that, at not
much over 100 years old, it is more modern than you might
think it is. A joyful element was the addition of a brass ensemble,
which blasted out exuberant fanfares over the top of the
much-loved congregational carols. There was a palpable feeling
of ‘Christmas starts here’ with a real sense of family among
the choir as we welcomed singers and players returning from
university.
SPINE-TINGLING
Adamk32321, Dreamstime.com
After what felt like weeks — it was only 10 days — the choir
led Midnight Mass. This is an important part of community life
for many in Sonning, so we worked hard to do our best for those
who might not often hear the choir. The most exciting moment
was when, in the first few minutes of Christmas day, we sing
the seventh verse of O Come All The Faithful, ‘Yea Lord, We Greet
Thee, Born This Happy Morning!’. The spine-tingling use of a halfdiminished
chord on the ‘word’ is always relished by the choir.
And then suddenly, we find ourselves in the austerity and
ascetism of January, preparing our first Evensong of the year, as
it seems the world has yet to get started. Here is where our wider
family of young people of university age home for the holidays
really came into their own. They enabled us to present some lush
choral harmonies and really committed in-the-moment singing
which moved all who heard it.
And so, we move on to the fresh challenges of 2025, with the
momentum and joy of the Christmas season at our backs, taking
time to be thankful for our choral family, and resolving to do our
best for the community, congregation and ourselves.
From
the
editor's
desk
Clapping?
The Parish Magazine —February 2025 17
When earning my living as a journalist I was in regular
contact with a number of news and picture agencies.
These were staffed by trustworthy journalists and
professional photographers but rather than writing or
taking pictures for a specific newspaper or magazine,
they fed well researched editorial information and
images to editors, for a reasonable fee, of course.
When I became editor of this magazine I was pleased to
discover there is a well respected news agency that serves
parish magazines such as this one with an excellent
selection of news and ideas for a very fair fee.
It is run by Christian journalists and has a well
established large number of different 'experts' in church
affairs who also write for them. Each month I turn to
them for topical ideas and articles, that I usually edit to
suit the aims of our magazine.
BECOMING COMMONPLACE
MutareHawk, Dreamstime.com
One of the editorial items for February magazines
struck a chord with me because it is a development I have
noticed in recent years concerning the way people act in
church, particularly with clapping, which is something
that seems to becoming commonplace.
This is mainly with people who do not attend
regularly, other than for special services such as at
Christmas, Easter, baptisms, weddings and funerals. This
is what my news agency wrote:
Some people are beginning to clap in church, if they are
pleased with something.
For tired vicars and timid curates, having a sermon greeted
with warm clapping might be an encouragement, if also a
complete surprise.
But the applauding of sermons, or applause at the end
of services, also reveals a dark side: churchgoing has now
declined to such a degree in the UK, that even the knowledge
of ‘how to behave’ in church is fading.
That leaves some people unaware that in the UK, aside
from a few ‘mega churches’ where American style singing,
dancing and clapping is the norm, applause is not something
we ‘do’ in church.
As one vicar puts it: 'I think it has to do with cultural
expectations. People are less and less familiar with acts of
worship directed to God. Instead, they have a sense of a
performance.'
I think what the vicar quoted above is saying is worth
noting, namely, that worship is directed to God, we don't
go to church to be entertained but to worship God and as
the Archbishhop of York writes in his letter on pages 10
and 11 of this issue: 'Let us commit ourselves to becoming
a church that looks and sounds like Jesus.'
18 The Parish Magazine — February 2025 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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feature — 1
In 1982, my good neighbours, Zoe and
Thomas Feak, offered me some free
tickets to a show at a new theatre
that was opening in a converted flour
mill on the River Thames in Sonning,
writes Bob Peters . . .
The original mill was mentioned in
the Domesday Book and by Victorian
times its water-powered milling
machinery was still grinding out
flour for companies such as Huntley
& Palmers the well-known biscuit
makers in Reading.
However, during the 1960s the
relatively small mill at Sonning faced
competition from larger millers and it
became increasingly difficult to survive
financially.
And then, Huntley & Palmers
stopped making biscuits in Reading
forcing Sonning Mill to close in 1969.
The site stood empty for 8 years
until in 1977 it was discovered by Tim
and Eileen Richards who had, what
some people thought, the strange idea
of converting the derelict site into a
theatre restaurant.
They enlisted the help of Tim's
brother, Frank and got down to work.
Four years later The Mill at Sonning
Dinner Theatre opened. It was then
that Zoe and Thomas Feak offered me
the tickets. Zoe was very involved in
local amatuer dramatics and Thomas
was the headmaster at Sonning
School, and also played the organ in
St Andrew's Church when the regular
organist was unable to be there.
Like other local residents, Zoe and
Tom were offered complimentary
tickets and I was lucky enough to be
given one of them.
Personally, I had always enjoyed
a night out at the theatre and was in
the habit of seeing shows in London
venues although, nowadays, because of
the time and expense it takes to travel
to London, and the Covid restrictions,
my first choice is The Mill at Sonning.
In fact, the last London show I saw
was in 2012. It was called, A Sentimental
Journey, and was about the life of Doris
Day. the world famous singer, actor
and film star.
It was performed at the historic
Wilton's Music Hall in the East End
of London and was the main reason
why I no longer put up with the
uncomfortable, time-consuming and
expensive travel cost to and from
London.
Wilton's Music Hall was very dated
and in what was a tired looking part of
London, at least it was then.
The show, however, was excellent,
but the surrounding environment and
finding somewhere good to eat was
sadly lacking.
And to cap it all, the star of the
show who played Doris Day was none
other than Sally Hughes, the daughter
of Tim and Eileen Richards the
founders of the Mill at Sonning.
Following the death of her parents,
Sally, as well as being an excellent actor
and singer, became the owner and
artistic director of The Mill at Sonning!
The much acclaimed Doris Day
story had made its public debut in the
Mill at Sonning but it was only for two
weeks and had been sold out instantly!
The reason I am writing this is
that every time I have been to the Mill
at Sonning this year I have been left
with the same thought — why would
anyone want to travel to London to
see live entertainment when we have
such a high class entertainment venue
on our doorstep? The shows I have
been fortunate to see have been very
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 19
The Mill's self-serve buffet becomes history . . .
FIRST CHOICE
Roger Utting
| Dreamstime.com
THE SAME THOUGHT
Roger Utting, dreamstime.com
varied, with something for almost
everyone. For example, I enjoyed an
evening of music presented by the Born
Again Shadows, an excellent group of
musicians who are often praised by
critcs as being the best Cliff Richard
and Shadows impersonators in the
country.
Then there was a thrilling drama
called The Whistling, an excellent
version of the Calendar Girls and most
recently, White Christmas, during
which I was snowed 0n!
NEW TABLE SERVICE
As well as a wide range of shows
it is also a venue that has always
continued to improve its facilities.
Parking was sometimes a little
frustrating, but this has been radically
changed by employing a team of very
polite, but authoritative, parking
attendants who now ensure that such
hassle is a thing of the past.
Another, sometimes slightly
irriating, part of the experience has
sometimes been the inevitable queues
for the self-service meals, but this
month this will change as a new full
table service is being introduced with
a new British menu. But don't worry,
if you are like me and enjoy the Mill's
steak and ale pie followed by bread and
butter pudding then fear not, they will
still be on the menu!
20 The Parish Magazine — February 2025
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feature — 2
2025 reminds Claude of
broken biscuits and bananas!
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 21
Bozenafulawka, dreamstime.com
Biscuits: Dusan Nikolic dreamstime.com
tree © Luckypic, dreamstime.com
2025! So, a quarter of a century has gone by and it seems only yesterday
that we welcomed in the new millennium! Although, for anybody born at the
beginning of this millennium, it’s a lifetime, writes Claude Masters!
My childhood memories started
in the war but I hope that young
people today don’t have to suffer
the shortages and hardship that
we endured.
There were many food
shortages as a result of the
Second World War and shortly
afterwards too.
When I was a lad, I remember
a friend I had met in the Scouts
who lived in London. I used to
visit and stay with him and he
came to visit me. One time when
I visited him in London, I took a
bag of broken biscuits from my
aunt.
His mother was delighted as she
had not seen a biscuit since before
the war!
My Aunt Rene was my mother’s
sister and she worked at Huntley &
Palmers in Reading.
She often brought home bags of
biscuits, all broken!
We were never short!
I often wondered if the workers
in the factory made sure that there
were plenty of broken biscuits, as we
received these bags quite regularly!
I suppose that the whole biscuits
were sent to the armed forces or
maybe some were sold on the black
market.
There were some foods which
I had never eaten. I knew what a
banana looked like, as I used to look
at the adverts in shop windows, but
had never tasted one.
However, during my National
Service in Singapore, I bought a
banana from a local.
It had been picked from the wild
and was delicious! Bananas have
never been the same to me since,
because of that one.
I hope that there won’t be
another world war this century
that young people have to put up
with, and that their lives will be
full of the joys and surprises of new
experiences, and plentiful supplies
of bananas!
St St Andrew's Ark Ark
St Andrew's Ark
Third Third Sunday Sunday of the of month the month (accept (accept August) August)
Third Sunday 3pm of — 3pm the 4pm — month 4pm (accept (except August)
Craft— Craft— Science Science 3pm —— — 4pmPuzzles
Stories Stories — Games — Craft— Games — Songs Science — Songs —— Celebration — Puzzles Celebration
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An afternoon An afternoon of fun, of fellowship fun, fellowship and a and free a meal free together meal together
An afternoon A different A of different fun, theme fellowship theme each month each and month a free meal together
For A more different For information:
more theme information: each month
For Corinne more Corinne information:
corinne@sonningparish.org.uk
Corinne
Reading’s local charity caring for o
22 The Parish Magazine — February 2025
around FEATURE the — 3villages — 1
KARUN: BREAKING THE POV
The story so far . . .
In 2006 Leslie and Janet Stephen, members of the
St Andrew's Church Sonning congregation, visited
Trichy in Southern India and learned that a children's
home set up by Leslie’s father was soon to close due to
lack of funding.
Back in the UK they created a charitable trust with
David and Caroline Cotton to continue the good work
of the home, and were later joined by Steve and Lesley
Turville to create a UK Board of Trustees. Funding is
through a separate Indian Charitable Trust.
Their objective was to continue the secular grounding
of the home and to 'Break the cycle of poverty through
education' which has become the trust’s strapline.
Indian government standards are constantly
changing to improve teaching and social welfare.
Ten years ago most children were of
itinerant workers but now many more
children are local, and parents make an
active choice to send their children to
school.
One such school is Karun on the edge of
a village in Tamil Nadu, South India. It is a
project of the Breakthrough Trust (India), a
UK charity that funds educational projects
for children from poor families.
Primary school teaching is provided but
some children live in the home and attend
the village senior school.
The Karun School's campus aims to
provide a holistic learning experience for
children. As well as working closely with the
village's primary and secondary school, its
staff members also work with village leaders
to find ways to use the campus's facilities to
support the local community, for example,
by providing space for handicraft and
computer training.
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 23
ERTY CYCLE BY EDUCATION
. . . and the latest update . . .
Trustees visited Karun in the autumn last year and met staff,
students and the local community to learn about the work
that is taking place on the campus. The school is running well.
The government now provides funding for daily breakfast
and lunch, and everyone enjoyed their annual Christmas
celebration when staff and students received gifts.
The computers in the school that had been provided by Loddon
Vale Rotary Club in 2010 are now too expensive to update and
many are not functioning properly.
All primary schools in India are now required to teach basic
IT skills and there is a weekly assessment of pupils. On this visit
two new computers, and a tablet for school assessment were
purchased. A part time IT teacher has been recruited for a year
and the old computers will be replaced when funding permits.
Sewing classes for the local community continue to be very
successful. Ten women who attended the classes have secured
employment. This gives them a great sense of pride and allows
them to contribute to their family income.
In discussions with villagers it was discovered that
most applications for social and health benefits must
now be completed online.
As many do not have access to internet services or
support to do this, Karun is looking at developing such
facilities to help the whole community.
Helping disadvantaged girls and boys who wish to
study vocational courses continues to be a priority, so
the trustees visited three colleges where students are
being supported financially on Nursing and Technical
courses such as plumbing, welding and electricity.
Three of the girls are funded on a BSc nursing course
at the local nursing college, and are doing well.
One girl achieved a distinction for her year end
exams and has also been chosen to portray the students
on the cover of their magazine.
Another girl (picture: bottom right) who completed her
nursing degree last year is now employed as a nurse in a
local hospital.
TECHNICAL LINKS
Karun has a good link with the local technical college
where two of their boys are on a welding course. The
trustees were pleased to learn that that two girls are
also training to be electricians.
The trustees met a boy who had completed his
training as an electrician last year. He was very proud to
say that he got a job quickly in a big car dealership.
A boy and a girl are also being funded at the media
college on a diploma course accredited by the local
university that teaches visual editing and multimedia
sound design.
This area is rapidly growing and once students
complete the course, they can quickly find employment
and some go on to start their own business.
The Breakthrough Trustees thank everyone at
St Andrew’s for their prayers, encouragement and
continued financial support that enables them to give
children and young people a brighter future.
24 The Parish Magazine —February 2025
arounD the villages — 1
Magical Christmas as Sonning Primary School
December is always a magical time,
and this was certainly the case at
Sonning Primary School, writes
head teacher, Phil Sherwood.
Our annual nativity and carol
service, which sees the entire school
come together at St Andrew’s for
the special evening, was incredibly
well-attended.
It was also, as many family
members said, one of our best! At
the end of the service, Mrs Walton,
chair of governors spoke about the
successes of the school during the
year and thanked the school and
local community for their support.
I echoed these sentiments, and
added that Sonning Primary had
been placed in the top 1,000 schools
in the country — number 226 — in
The Sunday Times’ list. This means
that our school is in the top 0.9% of
the country.
We are certainly proud of this
achievement, and the nativity and
carol service reminded us that
our offer of excellent academic
standards and opportunities for the
pupils is something quite special.
We also thoroughly enjoyed our
annual Christmas tree decorating
event, where each pupil in the
school made a bauble to place on
our tree. This hour-long event was
filled with us all singing Christmas
classics and even some dancing
from staff!
Earlier in the term Year 5 (Maple
class) pupils visited The Mill at
Sonning, where they heard from
some of The Mill’s staff about life
in theatre and were able to perform
their poetry on stage.
This was an incredible experience
for our pupils. As someone who
visited The Mill over Christmas
for their performance of White
Christmas
(which was
excellent!), the
chance to stand
on the same
stage as such
talented actors
and expert
production
teams was
inspiring.
Thank you,
as always, to
Sally Hughes
and The Mill for
providing such
a wonderful theatre house in our
village and for always supporting us
as a school.
Our thriving choir had a very
busy December, performing at the
Wokingham Schools’ Carol Concert
in Earley, Sonning Primary’s
Christmas Fayre, local care homes
and Coppa Club! We are enjoying our
partnership with Coppa Club and
loved getting to perform there.
The Parish Magazine —February 2025 25
is declared as one of the best in the country!
26 The Parish Magazine — February 2025
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around the villages — 1
around the villages — 2
Here are three
important
questions
we should
all be asking
ourselves . . .
1. Do I have an up-to-date Will and
am I aware of the reasons, ranging
from children or grandchildren to
marriage or divorce?
2. Do I have Lasting Powers of
Attorney (LPAs) in place to provide
peace of mind for me and my family
in the longer term?
3. Have I considered my funeral
wishes and how would I like the cost
of any arrangements to be covered in
the future?
If your answers are no, or you need
to revise the answers that you have
made previously, then here's a free
opportunity to do so . . .
The Wokingham-based law
firm Blandy & Blandy and funeral
directors AB Walker are hosting two
free information events at All Saints
Church, Wiltshire Road, Wokingham,
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The events are being held on:
— Thursday 27 March at 5.00pm
— Thursday 3 April at 11.30am
Both talks will be followed by an
opportunity to ask questions and
Blandy & Blandy and AB Walker
staff will also be available afterwards
for short informal discussions or to
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Refreshments will be served.
For further information, or to
book a place at one of these free
events, please email:
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Blandy & Blandy and AB Walker,
together with All Saints Church, look
forward to welcoming and meeting
you.
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 27
Happy 100 years birthday to Inner Wheel!
As well as celebrating Christmas (above), members of the Inner Wheel Club
of Reading Maiden Erlegh have been celebrating the 100 year anniversary of
the formation of the Inner Wheel Association of Great Britain and Ireland.
They celebrated Christmas at Trinity Church Earley with entertainment from
the Phoenix Ukelele Band who had them joining in with their many festive
songs.
Since its foundation in Manchester by a group of ladies, who were the wives
of Rotarians, the ladies group has grown into an international organisation and
now has open membership for all ladies.
Reading Maiden Erlegh Inner Wheel members have been celebrating by
undertaking a series of challenges each involving 100 items and all with a focus
on raising money for local charities. Among their chosen charities this year are:
the Link Visiting Scheme, the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Cancer Care Unit in
Reading, The Cowshed, which provides support to people of all backgrounds
in a time of personal crisis, and they will also be taking part in the annual
Macmillan Coffee Mornings.
For more information see: http://innerwheelrme.org
Rendezvous in The Ark
Now in our 7th successful
year, Rendezvous in the
Ark continues to welcome
everyone from 12 noon to
meet for lunch followed
by tea and coffee on the
second and fourth Tuesday
of every month.
For more details or to
reserve your seat call:
0118 969 3298
office@sonningparish.org
February Rendezvous
Tuesday 11 February
Tuesday 25 February
28 The Parish Magazine — February 2025
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HOME AND GARDEN
AFOOT IN THE GARDEN by Ray Puddefoot
For clock winders and watch
watchers the New Year starts on
the first day of January. But, for
gardens it begins with snowdrops.
Their wintery white bells are a
promise of all the lush verdant
greenness to come. A promise of
warming sunshine and the early
naked flowers — without leaves.
As the ground warms, the soul of
spring seems to escape from the soil
and the little bulbs and perennials
flower. Snowdrops, crocus, winter
aconites, dwarf narcissus, primroses,
hellebores and friends dance in the
low sunlight.
Once the air warms, our
perennials and shrubs follow.
Mild February days are a great
opportunity to give the garden a
spring prune and tidy.
Perennials, shrubs, roses and
climbers can be pruned, lawns edged
and borders feed and mulched. The
last few springs have thrown a dry
spell at our gardens so mulching
could prove to be a really important
come Summer 2025.
Box Tree Caterpillars are
sweeping through our villages.
Keeping your box trees will mean
taking control measures for many
years ahead.
Initially caterpillars eat the leaf
blades then as the infestation grows
they strip the box bark. At this stage
your only chance of saving your
plants is to cut them down to ground
and keep killing the caterpillars.
My advice for most gardeners is
to replace your box trees with an
alternative and save yourself the
hassle.
Spring has become the planting
time of choice for most gardeners,
the earlier the better so find an
opportunity in February.
Feed when you plant and always
mulch after you have watered your
new plantings.
You can start to sow half-hardy
annuals and perennial seeds from
now along with the hardier types of
vegetables.
FEBRUARY TOP TIPS
— Prune and tidy
— Plant trees and shrubs
— Mulch borders
— Service lawn mowers
— Plan 2025 projects
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 29
Looking forward to the soul of Spring in your garden
WARMER SOIL
CATERPILLAR WARNING
Do you remember the 'Big Freeze' of 1955?
70 years ago, from early February 1955 and well into March, a 'Big Freeze'
took place in Britain. Deep snow and freezing temperatures caused havoc,
with many places cut off. The RAF dropped food and medical supplies to
affected areas, while thousands of sheep died from exposure.
Severe weather affected most parts of Britain, as well as in Europe and North
America. Snow fell from 11 February, with night frosts gradually worsening and
blizzards developing over the north of Scotland where the RAF scrambled to
several rescues: in Caithness the response by emergency services was known as
Operation Snowdrop. An exhausting search for a postman from Thurso, who went
missing eventually led to him being found taking refuge at a remote farm.
Several snowploughs were stranded, and the heavy snow spread gradually
south, reaching as far as the Scillies and the Channel Islands. In North Norfolk
there were 10ft drifts on the coast road, and Lancashire had its worst storm for 14
years. Devon, Cornwall and the Peak District had similar experiences.
More than 70 roads in Britain were blocked by snow, according to the
Automobile Association, and hundreds of vehicles were abandoned in snowdrifts.
Many parts of the country were cut off from essential supplies, and rail travel was
disrupted. Church attendance was also hit, of course.
On 23 February , the lowest temperature that winter was set at -25C (-13F) in
Braemar, Aberdeenshire. That year also experienced the last May snowfall of the
century, but despite all that, there was plenty of sunshine, and as a total contrast,
there was a drought and a heatwave the following summer.
30 The Parish Magazine — February 2025
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HISTORY
Putting life right
Did you have a miserable
childhood? Were your
parents more absorbed in
themselves than in you?
Later, looking for love, did
you fall for the wrong man?
Perhaps you now have
children of your own, and
struggle to raise them. If
you feel your life has been
‘wrong-footed’ from the
start, and that there is no
way of ‘putting it right’
now, then Margaret of
Cortona (c. 1247–97) is a
saint for you.
She was the daughter of a
small farmer in Tuscany.
Her mother died in her
childhood, and a jealous
stepmother moved in
and distanced her from
her father’s love. Lonely
and vulnerable, Margaret
was then seduced by a
Montepulcian knight. He
did not offer marriage, and
so she lived as his mistress
for nine years, hanging on
to the only affection she
Saint Margaret Cortona stained
glass at the Saint Mary Basilica in
Phoenix Arizona
William Perry, Dreamstime.com
had ever known. She even
bore him a son. Then one day her knight was murdered
by persons unknown. What happened next suggests that
Margaret was desperate to ‘put her life right’, in the only way
she knew how. She gave away the riches that she inherited
and returned to her father and stepmother, humbly seeking
forgiveness and reconciliation.
They, who had let her down previously, shut the door in
her face, so Margaret went to the Franciscans and became
a penitent. She was desperate for kindness, forgiveness and
peace in her sad life.
WONDERFUL NEWS
When Margaret turned to the Franciscans, they did
not tell her the wonderful news that she could be forgiven,
because Jesus had paid the price to ‘redeem’ her. They told
her that she would have to ‘earn’ forgiveness by acts of
abasement and severe mortifications. She was never told
that God loved her, and lavished forgiveness on her.
So she practised severe acts of self-abasement: starvation,
sleeplessness, the daily torment of hair-shirts. She was never
told that this was pointless, that her sins had been gladly
forgiven her because Jesus had died for them on the cross.
But because Margaret never found that out, she must
have had an almighty surprise when, on 22 February, she
died, and woke in heaven!
Forgiveness is the beginning of the good things that God
wants to give us. He wants to restore and heal our lives.
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 31
Was it really? . . .
Sbysal, dreamstime.com
. . . 175 YEARS AGO on 23 February 1850 that Cesar Ritz,
the Swiss hotelier, was born. He founded several notable
hotels including the Ritz and Carlton Hotels in London.
. . . 125 YEARS AGO on 27 February 1900 that the UK
Labour Party was founded.
. . . 90 YEARS AGO on 26 February 1935 that British radio
engineer Robert Watson-Watt demonstrated a working
radar system for the first time, in Daventry.
. . . 80 YEARS AGO during February 1945 that Anne Frank
died aged 15 in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
. . . ALSO 80 YEARS AGO from 4-11 February 1945 that
the Yalta Conference took place in Crimea. US President
Franklin D Roosevelt, Winston Roosevelt and Joseph
Stalin met to plan the final defeat of Nazi Germany.
. . . 75 YEARS AGO on 8 February 1950 that the world’s
first payment by credit card took place. The founders of
Diners Club used it to pay their restaurant bill at Majero’s
Cabin Grill in New York City.
. . . 70 YEARS AGO from 24 February 1955 to March that
Britain’s Big Freeze took place. Deep snow and freezing
temperatures caused havoc, with many places cut off. The
RAF dropped food and medical supplies to affected areas,
while thousands of sheep died from exposure.
. . . 65 YEARS AGO on 8 February 1960 that Queen
Elizabeth II issued an Order-in-Council stating that she
and her family would be known as the House of Windsor,
and that her descendants would use the surname
Mountbatten-Windsor.
. . . 50 YEARS AGO on 11 February 1975 that Margaret
Thatcher became the first female leader of the
Conservative Party. She became Britain’s first female
Prime Minister in 1979.
. . . 40 YEARS AGO on 16 February 1985 that the Islamic
militant group and political party Hezbollah was founded
in Lebanon.
. . . 25 YEARS AGO on 11 February until 29 May 2000
that the British government suspended the Northern
Ireland Assembly, after it failed to strike a deal on
decommissioning IRA weapons.
.
32 The Parish Magazine — February 2025 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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THE christmas SCIENCES quiz
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 33
Dr Ruth Bancewicz (above), whose
articles we often publish in The
Parish Magazine, is the church
engagement director at the Faraday
Institute, Cambridge, where her
remit is to equip and encourage UK
churches to include engagement
with science as part of their regular
ministry and mission.
Ruth studied genetics at Aberdeen
and Edinburgh universities, and
more recently theology, ministry and
mission at Ridley Hall, Cambridge.
After graduating she became
development officer for Christians in
Science, as well as doing postdoctoral
research at Edinburgh University.
ANGELIC ECHOES
Ruth joined the Faraday Institute,
when it was founded in 2006, to
develop resources for churches.
She was appointed as the Faraday
church engagement director in 2018,
remains a member of Christians in
Science, and is an elected fellow of
their US counterpart, the American
Scientific Affiliation which is a
Christian religious organization
of scientists and people in sciencerelated
disciplines.
Their stated purpose is 'to
investigate any area relating Christian
faith and science.'
Ruth's current theology studies
are with Highland Theological
College. She is a senior research
associate at St Edmund’s College,
Cambridge, and a member of City
Church.
Science is for everyone to
enjoy and explore God's world
By Dr Ruth Bancewicz
Some time ago a scientist was invited to speak at the Dewsbury Women’s
Institute. He spoke about his research on polymers, hoping that the women of
this Yorkshire mill town would connect with his desire to develop new fibres.
One person in particular, a woman called Betty who had worked in a mill since the
age of 15, listened as if her life depended on it, and peppered him with questions
afterwards. She had always been interested in how things work, but until that day
had not found anyone to answer her questions. Whenever she had asked about the
processes that they were using in the mill, she was just told to get on with her job.
From the outside, science can seem a closed specialty, hemmed in by
intimidating jargon. When McLeish described science as ‘the love of wisdom of
natural things’, however, he realised he was opening a door. He was moved to
see that Betty was not the only person who shed a tear when her questions were
finally taken seriously, confirming that her enquiring mind was indeed probing in
the right direction – only 50 years too late.
A NATURAL ACTIVITY
Hearing about people like Betty reminds me that science is a very natural
activity for anyone to be involved in. McLeish is convinced that there is a future
in ‘science therapy’. In his book Faith and Wisdom in Science, where this story
appears, he asks the question “If a reintroduction to the activity of representing
both inner and outer worlds in paint, music and drama can help to heal minds,
what hope might there be for a participation in a gentle and contemplative science
in restoring a broken or misunderstood relationship with the physical world?”
This story inspired me to run a number of hands-on science activities with
adult audiences in churches. I have extracted DNA from strawberries with a
midweek group for older people, organised hands-on exhibits to liven up lecture
or discussion events, and even had groups extracting DNA from their own cheek
cells.
Every time I lead activities like these, I find that grown-ups are grateful for
the opportunity to have a go at science themselves. I love helping church-based
groups, in particular, to reconnect with science and celebrate what they find.
Science is not just for children and professionals – it is for everyone to enjoy and
explore the world God made.
34 The Parish Magazine — February 2025
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FASHION BY harriet nelson
Love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is coming quickly,
and if you haven't already seen chocolate-shaped hearts
and cheesy love-filled cards in every shop window, I'd be
surprised.
It's finally approaching February, and the winter
weather is still upon us, with snow and rain everywhere.
Christmas is a distant hangover; we need something
to celebrate, and love and romance is this month's next
chapter!
What better way to celebrate this lovely romantic
occasion than by dressing up in the style of love? Whether
you're planning a romantic dinner for two, a night out
with friends, or a cosy evening at home, or maybe you are
single and ready to mingle, your outfit can make all the
difference and make you feel perfect during this love-filled
month. Let's explore the latest Valentine's Day fashion
trends that will make your heart skip a beat this February.
WHIMSICAL
In Valentine's Day fashion, soft, feminine, romantic
colours always win. Think blush pinks, romantic reds, and
dusty roses. These romantic shades are perfect for creating
a whimsical look to impress your loved one.
Chic, bold colours are a staple. However, there are other
unique colours to consider to make you stand out from the
crowd. Instead of the bright pinks, consider changing it to
a soft, pastel pink, a classic Valentine's Day colour.
Pastel colours were a massive trend in the 1980s when
Coco Chanel's pastel colours were introduced into the
winter runway collection. Be different and try a delicate
blue pastel shade to transform your outfit, and pair it with
white or pale pink for a romantic look. Think about trying
a warm, muted rose colour that's perfect for adding a
touch of elegance to any outfit.
Consider adding darker colours to your wardrobe if
you're looking for a more edgy take on Valentine's Day
fashion. Black lace is a pretty fabric perfect for creating
a dramatic, edgy, dark look that feels bold. Add a leather
jacket to add some depth to your outfit. You could pair it
with a flowy dress or skirt for a chic and edgy look with
Doc Martens.
Accessories can make or break an outfit, and
Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse to go all out. Here are
some statement accessories that will be trending this year.
A heart-shaped necklace or earrings is a classic
Valentine's Day accessory that will make you feel loved.
Although this may feel cringy, this beautiful shape will
pull your look together and make your outfit even more
delicate, and on theme with the evening.
How about trying a dainty bow, a lovely and romantic
accessory perfect for an evening dinner or a night out
with friends? Think about pairing a felt red bow with a felt
dress for a romantic dark look. Think burgundy and reds
to make you feel stunning on date night. High heels would
be a perfect pair and are always a winner on Valentine's
Day. Wear glamorous heels in bold colours or designs to
add glamour to your outfit and make heads turn your way
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 35
Valentine's Day fashion trends to make your heart skip a beat!
DRAMATIC
Images: pexels.com
on Valentine's Day. Think also about pairing gloves and
scarves into your outfit for the cold evenings ahead. This
comfy, elegant look will bring your outfit together and
warm you during late-night strolls through the town or
the park.
CONFIDENT
When creating the perfect Valentine's Day look, don't
overdo it with too many accessories. Stick to one or two
statement pieces to avoid overwhelming your outfit. Keep
it simple! Don't be afraid to mix and match different
patterns and textures. Wear what makes you feel
confident and comfortable. After all, that's what matters
most on Valentine's Day.
ROMANTIC
If you want a more subtle look this Valentine's Day,
remove the classic red heart tights and the 'I Love You'
sweater and save it for a rainy day. Personally, I would
switch it out for a subtle approach and wear a comfy
pair of fitting jeans, such as black Levies. A jumper with
a romantic colour, red or pink to add a loved feel to the
look. Then, add a winter coat and boots to bring the look
together. This outfit works for a date night dinner in a
restaurant, an at-home meal, or any other outing you may
be participating in this Valentine's Day.
GALENTINE
If you don't have a partner this year, don't fret!
Valentine's Day is about celebrating love, and one of our
most loving relationships doesn't have to be a partner;
our beautiful friends can also enjoy this love-filled Day as
well! 'Galentines' is a girls' night out with friends.
Whether it's a night out on the town or cosy up in bed
watching romantic comedies. This year, you can plan an
outfit perfect for Galentines. Think of something with
feathers, satin, or lace to make your look as romantic and
edgy as possible to stand out. Or think of cosy and comfy
outfits and wear matching pink pyjamas for the perfect
movie night at home.
Valentine's Day fashion is about expressing love and
passion through your outfit. So, if you are going for a
romantic look or an edgy-chic vibe to impress a date, get
creative and create your own perfect romantic Valentine's
Day style!
36 The Parish Magazine —February 2025
THE ARTS — 1
Book Reviews
Making the Most of Your Church
Wedding By Rev Ally Barrett, SPCK, £5.99
This short, attractive, colour guide to the
Anglican wedding service is for couples
planning a church wedding and explores
the big questions of life.
Waking the Women — Faith,
Menopause, and the Meaning of Midlife
By Jayne Manfredi, Canterbury Press, £10.39
Biblical reflection, prophetic storytelling
and prayer is used to journey alongside
those experiencing menopause.
Marriage - 6 Gospel Commitments Every
Couple Needs to Make By Paul Tripp,
10Publishing, £17.15. When people marry
they begin a lifetime journey and they
expect it to be perfect, but it needs to be
grounded in more than romance.
The Poetry of Pilgrimage: Reflections
on Celtic Pilgrimage sites in Ireland and
Britain By Michael Mitton, BRF, £12.99
Drawing from his experience of co-leading
pilgrimages Michael Mitton captures the
essence of 23 significant pilgrimage sites.
Easter Inside Out - the story as if you
were there By David Kitchen, BRF, £12.99
Acclaimed storyteller David Kitchen
reimagines the Easter narrative
through a cast of characters.
Surviving Separation and Divorce —
Dealing with Divorce Day-to-Day
By Ruth Clements, SPCK, £10.99
A no-nonsense, compassionate guide to
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Prayer Book of Days - With Saints
Through the Ages By Gregory Cameron,
Canterbury Press, £12.99. This popular
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from the treasury of Christian spirituality
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Something Needs To Change – a
Call to Make Your Life Count in a
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10Publishing, £8.99. It takes you on a
soul-searching journey through villages
in the Himalayan mountains, and
with riveting passion and surprising
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100 Ways to Get Your Church
Noticed (3rd edition) By Neil
Pugmire, CHP, £18.99. A practical
guide by a media professional has helped
countless churches to raise their profile
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Phil Mason
THE ARTS — 2
There is a story of two men talking
about their new vicar. One says
to the other, 'This new one’s not a
patch on the old vicar. With the old
one preaching I was asleep in five
minutes. With the new one it takes all
of ten.' Some churches in times past
employed ‘sluggard-walkers’ who had
long rods and walked down the aisles,
ready to wake up the faithful if they
had nodded off during the sermon.
Sluggard-walkers are not needed for
this month’s painting, My First Sermon
by John Everett Millais.
It hangs in the Guildhall Art
Gallery in London, which houses the
art collection of our capital city.
The Gallery is built on the site
of an amphitheatre and was only
completed in 1999, having replaced
a building that was destroyed in the
blitz of 1941.
It has over 4,000 works of art,
many of them from the Victorian and
Pre-Raphaelite period.
Among them is a painting, My
First Sermon, (right) by Millais which
depicts Effie, his 5 year old daughter
sitting in Kingston Church.
Effie is dressed properly and
sensibly for the occasion with
feathered hat, muff and a cloak of
vivid red. Her mother’s prayer book
and gloves are by her side and she is
listening with great concentration.
My First Sermon by John Everett Millais
The Parish Magazine —February 2025 37
Sluggard walkers not required for the first sermon
By The Rev Michael Burgess
EFFIE
My Second Sermon by John Everett Millais
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
When the painting was exhibited in
1863, it was a great success.
In the following year Millais
produced My Second Sermon (left) – a
very different occasion, for Effie has
fallen asleep with her hat by her side.
Millais was often criticised for
his sentimental portraits of children
as in Cherry Ripe and Bubbles. But in
1864 the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Charles Longley, praised this second
painting for reminding us of ‘the
evil of lengthy sermons and drowsy
discourses.’
As we look at Effie alert one
Sunday, asleep the next, we can
smile. But we might also ask how we
respond to the Word that comes to us
through the medium of words in the
weekly sermon. The preacher has the
daunting task of using this everyday
coinage of words to draw us into that
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
mysterious, life-giving realm of the
Word, Jesus. The words spoken must
make a straight path for the Lord to
reach each human heart.
The two paintings by Millais
depict the reality and fragility of this
endeavour. Sometimes our attention
is engaged; at others, drowsiness
closes our eyes and even our hearts
to the good news of salvation. On
occasions the sermon sows seeds,
which can bear fruit.
At other times, all kinds of factors
mitigate against the sermon’s
success. Let us pray that as listener
or as preacher, we may be aware
of the dynamic power of the Word,
which, as Karl Rahner wrote, calls
us ‘out of the little house of our
homely, close-hugged truths into the
strangeness of the mystery of God
that is our real home.’
38 The Parish Magazine —February 2025
PUZZLE PAGE — 1
BIBLE CROSSWORD
ACROSS
8 Interrogated (Acts 12:19) (5-8)
9 ‘Burn it in a wood fire on the — heap’ (Leviticus 4:12) (3)
10 Tobit, Judith, Baruch and the books of Esdras and the Maccabees are
part of it (9)
11 Science fiction (abbrev.) (3-2)
13 Clay pit (anag.) (7)
16 Went to (John 4:46) (7)
19 ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to — your
bodies as living sacrifices’ (Romans 12:1) (5)
22 David’s plea to God concerning those referred to in 14 Down:
‘On — — let them escape’ (Psalm 56:7) (2,7)
24 Royal Automobile Club (1,1,1) 25 How the book of Ezekiel refers to
God more than 200 times (Ezekiel 2:4) (9,4)
DOWN
1 Seas (Proverbs 8:24) (6)
2 One of the sons of Eli the priest, killed in battle by the Philistines
(1 Samuel 4:11) (6)
3 Specialist in the study of the Muslim religion (8)
4 ‘Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but — him as if he were your
father’ (1 Timothy 5:1) (6)
5 One of Esau’s grandsons (Genesis 36:11) (4)
6 Taking a chance (colloq.) (2,4)
7 God’s instructions to the Israelites concerning grain offerings:
‘ — salt to — your offerings’ (Leviticus 2:13) (3,3)
12 Confederation of British Industry (1,1,1)
14 ‘All day long they twist my words; they are always — to harm me
(Psalm 56:5) (8)
15 The crowd’s reaction to Jesus bringing back to life a widow’s son in
Nain (Luke 7:16) (3)
16 Disappear (Psalm 104:35) (6)
17 How Jeremiah was likely to die if he wasn’t rescued from the cistern
where he was imprisoned (Jeremiah 38:9) (6)
18 What the prophets do to a wall, with whitewash
(Ezekiel 13:10, RSV) (4,2)
20 Made by a plough (Job 39:10) (6)
21 Noah was relieved when the flood waters continued to —
(Genesis 8:5) (6)
23 Jesus gave the Twelve the power and authority to do this to diseases
(Luke 9:1) (4)
NUMERICAL VERSE SEARCH BY RALPH
E
H
T
W
N
O
I
L
L
I
R
D
A
U
Q
L
E
E
H
N
NC
E
E
T
F
I
F
F
Y
U
E
G
H
D
I
T
R
I
O
R
E
U
T
M
A
V
A
O
N
A
Y
T
R
I
H
T
N
A
N
R
E
G
E
O
N
C
T
H
Y
B
E
E
T
N
T
N
G
Q
E
G
Y
E
N
W
W
R
E
F
H
E
X
L
V
U
T
O
O
D
T
E
T
A
O
U
T
Ralph's numerical word search grid above contains 34
numbers including a few obscure ones. Their initial letters
of the numbers are: B, C, 2D, E, 3F, 2G, 2L, 3M, N, 5Q, R,
3S, 8T, and U. If you find all 34 you will also notice that the
unused letters in the grid spell out a relevant verse from
the Good News Bible. You might even manage to identify
the verse. Good luck, and God Bless!
Write your answers here . . .
I
E
E
F
O
I
L
D
U
N
V
U
C
H
R
A
O
L
E
I
H
Q
M
N
E
T
T
W
W
E
ANSWERS TO RALPH'S JANUARY VERSE SEARCH
ANGSTROM
ATMOSPHERE
BARREL
BOTTLE
BUSHEL
CALORIE
CHAIN
CORD
CURIE
DEGREE
FARENHEIT
FATHOM
FURLONG
GALLON
GRAIN
HAND
HENRY
HOGSHEAD
HOUR
INCH
KELVIN
LEAGUE
METHUSELAH
METRE
MINUTE
NEWTON
NOGGIN
PERCH
POLE
POUND
QUANTUM
QUART
RADIAN
SCRUPLE
SECOND
VOLT
S
S
I
E
G
R
R
E
I
T
S
L
I
E
N
D
F
I
E
R
A
U
U
S
A
I
R
E
M
E
I
A
Z
L
T
U
T
D
E
E
X
T
L
B
T
R
I
L
E
I
H
S
A
E
L
B
T
I
U
P
I
I
S
R
N
C
E
N
T
U
R
Y
E
E
M
M
D
E
T
A
R
I
V
M
U
I
R
T
T
U
The hidden Bible verse was from Deuteronomy 25:15
Good News Bible
USE TRUE AND HONEST WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
PUZZLE PAGE — 2
CROSSWORD
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9 10
11 12
13 14 15
16
SUDOKU
The Parish Magazine —February 2025 39
answers in the next issue
January
Solutions
CROSSWORD
C A R T O B S C U R E D
R I S U O E U
E X P E C T S N I G H T
S E R S I Y
C O N T I N U A T I O N
E P S I N A
N I B T A U N T S U N
T U W R U T
D I S R E P U T A B L E
A L I I A C
C A D E T T R O U N C E
E U E O N D D
S U P E R I O R T Y P E
17 18 19
20 21
22 23
Across
ACROSS
(4)
1 - Associate (4)
3
-- Glass-like
volcanic
volcanic
rock (8)
rock (8)
9 -- Rotating (7) (7)
10 10 - - One One who who avoids avoids animal products animal (5)
products (5)
11 Puff up (5)
11 - Puff up (5)
- (7)
12 - Sincere (7)
13 -- Scrape (anag) (anag) (6) (6)
15 -- Person to whom to whom a lease is a granted lease (6) is
granted (6)
17 - Efficiency (7)
17 - Efficiency (7)
- Swift (5)
18 - Swift (5)
20
- - Mental
impressions
impressions
(5)
(5)
21 -- Skilled worker worker (7) (7)
22 22 - Campaigner - Campaigner (8) (8)
23 - Land surrounded by water (4)
23 - Land surrounded by water (4)
CODEWORD
Down
DOWN
1 - Destroying microorganisms
(13)
2 - Slow tempo (of music) (5)
4 - Pleaded 5 - Not with; having asked a backbone for (12)
money (6)
6 - Act of entering (7)
5 - Not having a backbone (12)
7 - Absence (13)
6 - Act of entering (7)
7 - Absence 8 - Triumphantly (13) (12)
8 - Triumphantly 14 - Popular (12) saying (7)
14 - Popular saying (7)
16 - Go around (6)
16 - Go around (6)
19 - Models for photograph (5)
22 3 1 26 5 22 15 8 17 3
22 16 22 1 17 23 16 25
14 17 22 3 2 1 12 24 3 26
12 15 26 15 2 3 26 23
4 1 12 21 5 17 2 3 26 21
20 3 22 20 12 16
21 26 22 22 16 22 11 26 14 7 16 3
9 25 5 23 22 10
1 1 23 25 17 3 24 2 1 25
6 13 9 16 20 16 5 22
15 9 15 22 18 17 1 9 26 14
12 15 1 3 25 22 22 15
1 - Destroying microorganisms (13)
2 - In a slow tempo (of music) (5)
4 - Pleaded with; asked for money (6)
19 - Models for a photograph (5)
22 15 19 25 22 3 5 15 12 7
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
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
T
J
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
S
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
CANDLEMAS Sunday 2 February
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 men and women:
Valentine cards and wedding
fayres abound. ‘Love’ as in social
compassion is also remembered:
Fair Trade fortnight, Holocaust
Memorial Day, World Leprosy Day,
Education Sunday and National Nest
Box Week....
Love is truly needed by everyone!
NAMING
CHRIST
CANDLEMAS
SIMEON
ANNA
TEMPLE
LOVE
VALENTINE
ROMANCE
MATTHIAS
FAIRTRADE
FORTNIGHT
COFFEE
BANANAS
CHOCOLATE
JUSTICE
POVERTY
NEST BOX
MARRIAGE
WEDDING
HOLOCAUST
LEPROSY
EDUCATION
SUNDAY
CODEWORD
E X E M P T E C S
R N E N V E L O P E
S E T A I I R
A R A M M E D Q U A Y
T A S E U N
Z I P P Y E N D I N G S
A V T S
S H I R K E R T H R O B
O A R F E I
J O W L S I L I C A G
R L I A R O W
M A C A R O N I E I
Y X N L A P D O G
SUDOKU
WORDSEARCH
BIBLE CROSSWORD
40 The Parish Magazine — February 2025
Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisements
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We are a family business with excellent references
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Member of the Guild of Master Sweeps
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Latest narrow access machinery
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0118 969 8989 https://www.smallwoodlandscaping.co.uk/
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CHILDREN'S PAGE
The Parish Magazine — February 2025 41
42 The Parish Magazine — February 2025 Please mention The Parish Magazine when replying to advertisements
information — 2
Parish contacts
Ministry Team
— The Vicar: Revd Jamie Taylor (Day off Friday)
The Parish Office, Thames Street, Sonning, RG4 6UR
vicar@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298
— 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 and Youth Minister: Corinne Robertson
corinne@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298
Churchwardens
— Liz Nelson, liz.nelson1@ntlworld.com / 0779 194 4270
— Ruth Jeffery, ruth@jefferyfamily.net / 0797 101 8730
Deputy Churchwardens
— Kevin Wilson, kevinmichaelwilson@gmail.com / 0118 969 3298
— Sue Peters, mail@susanjpeters.com / 0118 377 5887
Parish Office Manager
— Hilary Rennie, office@sonningparish.org.uk / 0118 969 3298
Parochial Church Council
— Secretary: Hilary Rennie 0118 969 3298
— Treasurer: Jerry Wood 0118 969 3298
Director of Music, Organist and Choirmaster
— Richard Meehan MA ARCO
music@sonningparish.org.uk
Safeguarding Officer
— Nicola Riley: nic.nige@sky.com / 0742 517 3359
Sonning Bell Ringers
— Tower Captain: Pam Elliston
pam.elliston@talktalk.net / 0118 969 5967
— Deputy Tower Captain: Rob Needham
r06needham@gmail.com / 0118 926 7724
St Andrew's Church Parish Website
https://www.sonningparish.org.uk
Advertisers' index
Abbeyfield Care 32
A B Walkers Funeral Directors 12
ACG Locksmith Services 40
Active Security 30
AMS Water Softners 14
Barn Store 20
Berkshire Stump Removals 40
BHR Maintence Handyman Services 40
Big Heart Tree Care 40
Blandy & Blandy Solictors 14
Blus Moose Quality Graphics 26
Bridges Meals on Wheels 20
Bull Inn Sonning 32
Canon Tree Care 30
Clark & Bignell Plumbing & Heating 40
Crosfields Crossfields School
12
French Horn 4
Gardiners Home Care 40
Good Oaks Home Care 26
Handyman & Decorating Services 40
Haslams Estate Agents 2
Hicks MOT & Service 18
Home Stair Lifts 20
I Plumber 12
Kingfisher Bathrooms & Kitchens 30
Little Knellies Nursery at the Abbey 43
Lock Fit 20
MC Cleaning 40
Mossinator Roof Cleaning Systems 6
Professional Tree & Hedge Services 40
Reading Blue Coat School 14
Richfield Flooring 12
Shiplake College 20
Smallwood Landscaping 40
Sonning Golf Club 6
Sonning Scouts 32
Thames Chimney Sweeps 40
The Great House Coppa Club 18
The Mill at Sonning 44
Tomalin & Son Funeral Directors 14
Water Softener Salt 20
Window Cleaner 34
Woodchips Tree Surgery 40
The Parish Magazine: https://www.theparishmagazine.co.uk
— Editor: Bob Peters
editor@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 0118 377 5887
— Advertising: Ian and Lauren McCann
advertising@theparishmagazine.co.uk / 0776 815 1100
— Print and Distribution: Gordon Nutbrown
gordon@caxtonhouse.co.uk / 0118 969 3282
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
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
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44 The Parish Magazine —February 2025
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