Paul Hardingham continues his new series.
What’s the Big Idea? An Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament:
1 and 2 Samuel.
1 and 2 Samuel was originally a single work, which focuses on Samuel, Saul and David, around 1,000 BC, mid-way between Abraham and Jesus. It was Samuel who established the monarchy in Israel after the period of the judges. He was commanded by God to give the people a king, although their request is seen as a rejection of God’s rule over Israel (8:7).
The people simply wanted to be like other nations, however their king was still subject to God’s law and the word of the prophet. Although Samuel anointed Saul, he soon showed an unwillingness to submit to these requirements, leading to his rejection as king (15:23). God chose David as Saul’s successor, and 1 Samuel depicts David’s years of waiting until the right time arrived to claim the throne.
2 Samuel depicts David’s rule, in which the nation prospers and its enemies are defeated. The promise of the perfect king is fulfilled in Jesus Himself, as David’s descendant. The second half of the book depicts the darker side of David’s reign, describing his weaknesses and failures, including his adultery with Bathsheba and the rebellion of his son Absalom.
Nevertheless, David remained a man after God’s own heart: ‘The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:7). The characters in this book are not always great examples of faith, however, ‘They do not show us how we should live but how in fact we do live, authenticating the reality of our daily experience as the stuff that God uses to work his purposes of salvation in us and in the world.’ (Eugene Peterson).
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Prospect of winter energy bills causing anxiety for millions, says Archbishop of York
Millions are looking ahead to this winter with ‘fear and anxiety’ about the cost of heating their homes, the Archbishop of York has said as he backed the recent launch of a campaign to provide a network of warm spaces for people who struggle to pay their energy bills.
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell is encouraging churches to consider getting involved in the Warm Welcome campaign, a network of venues from community centres to churches providing warm spaces over the winter for people struggling to heat their homes
.
Archbishop Stephen said: “Sadly, what began as a cost-of-living crisis has simply become the new normal for many.
“Millions of people will look ahead to this winter with fear and anxiety, wondering how they are going to cope with high living costs. That is why I am proud to endorse the Warm Welcome campaign this winter.
“But a warm welcome isn’t only about the temperature. It is about kindness and community, giving people the chance to be seen and known, to belong and to be part of something. It is about celebrating the God-given value and dignity of every single person, finding hope and community together. But of course, none of that will happen if people are cold.”
The Warm Welcome campaign is led by a coalition of over 50 charitable organisations who joined together in response to the cost of living crisis to provide emergency support to communities struggling to pay for rising food costs and to heat their homes.
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The mysterious ways of mistletoe
Mistletoe has long been used as part of our Christmas decorations. It is not your usual kind of plant.
Instead, it is hemiparasitic, meaning that although its leaves enable it to feed itself through photosynthesis, its roots invade the host tree or shrub to extract water and other nutrients
.
Mistletoe loves living in apple, lime, hawthorn, poplar or oak trees. You may spot it high up, as a large globe, on the bare trees in winter. There is one spectacular example in Windsor Great Park, clearly visible from the path on the opposite side of the Thames
.
Mistletoe’s berries are almost translucent, fleshy and sticky. They form in the forks of mistletoe’s many branches. While they are toxic to humans, they are attractive to birds, who wipe the remaining seeds off their beaks onto the nearest branch, which of course helps the plant to spread.
For some reason, Romans thought mistletoe represented Peace, Love and Understanding. Perhaps that is how it got into our Christmas celebrations? The earliest documentary evidence for kissing under mistletoe dates from the 16th century, but we don’t know who got kissed first.
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Doctor Livingstone, I presume?
It was 150 years ago, on 10th November 1871, that Welsh journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley located the missing missionary Dr David Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika, in present-day Tanzania. He may or may not have greeted him with the words: “Doctor Livingstone, I presume?”
Stanley’s real name was John Rowlands. He was born in Denbigh to an unmarried 18-year-old who abandoned him. He ended up in a workhouse until he was 15, then went to America, where he changed his name and became an American citizen. When he found Livingstone, he was working for the New York Herald.
Known for his strength of will, Stanley also had an African name – Bula Matari – Breaker of Rocks. Much of his life was spent in Central Africa, and his reputation was mixed: he was said by some to be violent toward Africans, but by others to have treated them well. His feats as an explorer were impressive: he played a big part in locating the true source of both the Nile and the Congo, and he helped open up the Congo on behalf of King Leopold of Belgium.
Though not overtly religious, he felt he was engaged in a “sacred task”. He was re-naturalised a British subject in 1892, following his marriage.
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All in the month of March
It was:
300 years ago, on 8th March 1723 that Sir Christopher Wren, English architect, died. Best known for designing St Paul’s Cathedral.
125 years ago, on 16th March 1898 that Aubrey Beardsley, British illustrator, died. His black ink drawings, influenced by Japanese woodcuts, contributed to the development of Art Nouveau.
100 years ago, on 4th March 1923 that Patrick Moore, the amateur astronomer, TV presenter, writer and musician was born. Best known for presenting the TV astronomy show The Sky at Night for over 50 years. (Died 2012)
80 years ago, on 13th March 1943 that the final liquidation of Krakow Ghetto in Poland took place. 8,000 Jews were transported to Plaszow labour camp, 2000 more were simply killed in the streets, and the rest were sent to Auschwitz.
70 years ago, on 19th March 1953 that the Academy Awards ceremony (the Oscars) were televised for the first time.
Also 70 years ago, on 26th March 1953 that Dr Jonas Salk announced that he had completed the first small-scale test of a polio vaccine. Larger tests began in February 1954, and mass vaccinations began in April 1955.
65 years ago, on 2nd March 1958 that the first land crossing of Antarctica was completed by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, led by Vivian Fuchs. The team of 12 men travelled 2,158 miles from Shackleton Base to Scott Base (via the South Pole) in 99 days, using six vehicles.
60 years ago, on 22nd March 1963 that the British Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, made a statement in the House of Commons in which he denied there was any impropriety in his relationship with Christine Keeler, a model who was also in a sexual relationship with a drug dealer and a Soviet naval attaché. (In June he admitted he had lied, and resigned.)
50 years ago, on 8th March 1973 that the citizens of Northern Ireland voted in a referendum to remain within the United Kingdom. That same day the IRA carried out its first bombing in Britain since WWII, planting car bombs in London. One person died, 200 were injured.
40 years ago, on 6th March 1983 that Donald Maclean, British-born Soviet spy died. He was a member of the Cambridge Spy Ring.
Also 40 years ago, on 26th March 1983, that Anthony Blunt, British art historian and Soviet spy, died.
25 years ago, on 16th March 1998 that Rwanda began mass trials for the country’s 1994 genocide. There were 125,000 suspects for 500,000 murders.
20 years ago, on 1st March 2003 that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the al-Qaeda terrorist who masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the USA, was captured in Pakistan.
Also 20 years ago, on 12th March 2003 that the World Health Organisation issued a global alert about a severe form of pneumonia (now known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – SARS) that was affecting people in China, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
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Isherwood Hall. (The original hall)
Tables and chairs are available.
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October Magazine 2025
Once again life and it's bugs get in the way of producing this magazine, but it must be worth waiting for !!
Pauline & Bob - co-editors..
Updated 1st October 2025
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DON’T FORGET!!
THE CLOCKS GO BACK ONE HOUR ON SUNDAY 26th OCTOBER as British Summer time ends….
Extra hour in bed!!
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Dear Friends,
I was deeply moved by hearing a woman on the radio very recently. In tears, she proclaimed that she forgave the man who had murdered her husband. ‘My husband wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life. I forgive him. I forgive him because that was what Jesus did.’ The woman was the wife of Charlie Kirk. Until his assassination, I had never heard of Charlie Kirk, and I still know very little about him. The point I wish to make to you is about forgiveness and the power of forgiveness.
The assassination was a most shocking event. In a place like the United States, one expects people to be able to express their thoughts freely, without suffering persecution, let alone being murdered. I am sure that we all wish to see justice to be done in such a situation, that is to say, to have the suspect tried and the trial that yielding an appropriate outcome. I, like many listeners around the world, was shocked and sadden by the savage and cruel action of taking someone’s life because of a difference of opinion.
As I was listening to the radio, I asked myself , as a Christian, whether I would be able, like Mrs Kirk, to offer forgiveness to her husband’s killer. I reflected that I would pray first for the strength to face such a horrible situation, and pray too for the safety and protections of the children. I would ask God how this could happen and for what purpose, and pray for Charlie’s soul, and pray too for justice to be done. I find that forgiveness is absent from this, my first or instinctive prayer list. Of course, Christians know forgiveness, we pray every day to God to ‘forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us’. Each Eucharistic worship on Sunday begins with confession: ‘… forgive us all that is past’, and receive the absolution. To forgive and to be forgiven is part of the Christian life. Why, then, the absence from this first list?
We demand justice before we come to forgiveness. Someone did something wrong, someone did something that damaged others. In this case, someone murdered Charlie Kirk, and the response to all such wrongs is to seek justice. It is justice that gives each his due, keeps the society in order and deters violence. To seek justice is an instinct and it is when justice is at least in view or when it is secured that we think of forgiveness. Our Lord, of course, could do more. He forgave those who murdered Him ahead of justice for them. But Jesus was and is God. We humans seek justice, and, when it is before us, turn to forgiveness.
Mrs Kirk’s forgiveness is very moving, because she reflects the forgiveness of Jesus on the Cross. She must be crushed, all the while, by unbearable grief. But high among all her priorities she put forgiveness first, and she declared that to all. ‘I forgive him’, the three simple words were heavy – they bear her pain as, she uttered them with all the might she could summon. At that moment, Christ was there with her, carrying her cross, sharing her pain and her profound darkness. Hatred has its power, the power of destruction, but forgiveness also is powerful, it is able to melt the stony heart, it is like the gentle spring wind that brings warmth and life. Christ on the Cross says that though you have sinned, though you have hated me, though you put me on this Cross, I forgive you and love you and will give you life if you but repent and believe. Mrs Kirk demonstrates this message of Cross two millennia later, bearing her pain and telling the world that though hate destroyed her husband’s life, she will follow Christ and, through her own grief, will nurture life. This is what Christ calls all His followers to do. Let us, then, follow Him.
Norma
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SERVICE OF COMMEMORATION OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED
SUNDAY 2nd NOVEMBER 3pm
A service of reflective hymns and readings to remember loved ones who have died.
This is a chance to light a candle in their memory while their names are read out.
If you wish to have the name of a loved one read out at this service, please
add to the list at the back of church.
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October Diary Page
Holy Communion service each Sunday at 9.00am (Said BCP service)
Sung Eucharist each Sunday at 10.00am (Common Worship)
Holy Communion each Tuesday at 10.00am (Said BCP service)
Said Evening Prayer each Sunday at 6.30pm.
BIBLE STUDY (via ZOOM) EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 7PM DURING TERM TIME.
PRAYER MEETING FIRST MONDAY IN THE MONTH 7pm IN CHURCH
SATURDAY 4th OCTOBER
9.30am Churchyard tidy / Church cleaning
SUNDAY 5th OCTOBER
DEDICATION SUNDAY
Services at usual times
WEDNESDAY 8th OCTOBER
Coffee Morning 10am -11.30am
PCC Meeting 7.00pm
WEDNESDAYS 15th & 22nd OCTOBER
Come have a cuppa and chat at the church between 2-3pm.
We will share a cup of tea/coffee, cakes and faith.
All welcome.
SUNDAY 26th OCTOBER CLOCKS GO BACK!!!
BIBLE SUNDAY
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Parish Pump Contributors
The Rev Ron Wood has been a parish priest for more than half his life so far, and a cartoonist since he was eighteen. St Gargoyle’s has appeared in Church Times for more than 25 years, and has inspired three collections of cartoons and two funny novels. He currently lives in Somerset with his wife and his conscience.
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Editor: The Revd Dr Jo White considers…
Reflecting Faith: Glory to God
For the last few months we’ve been looking at the way that church services are put together.
Last time we looked at how we begin by recognising how great and amazing God is, and therefore apologise for all the things we’ve done wrong – or should have done and haven’t – in the light of His ‘perfection’.
We then receive God’s forgiveness.
At this point, recognising how gracious and forgiving God is, we are asked to rise from our knees and stand together to give ‘Glory to God’.
Known in Latin as ‘The Gloria’.
You will recognise those words from those spoken by the angels announcing the birth of Christ to the shepherds on the hills over Bethlehem:
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people of good will” (Luke 2:15)
Traditionally this ‘angelic hymn’ has been sung and begins with praise to God the Father. It then asks for the mercy from God the Son, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
The final lines soar into the blinding mystery of the Trinity: ‘Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father’. Because it is so full of joy it is not included in worship during Advent and Lent.
This hymn dates back to the third century of the Church. Tradition holds that it was first composed as a prayer in the East, and then translated to Latin by Saint Hilary of Poitiers around the year 360.
Because this hymn is so special over the years there have been limitations on who was allowed to sing or recite it. At first it was only bishops and then in the 11th century priests were allowed to do so.
Now we all sing or say it together. That means we take our place in our Christian heritage alongside those angels singing or saying it each week. What a privilege!
This month
Next time you go to a Sunday church service think about those angels as you stand to say or sing ‘The Gloria’. Can you feel their wings alongside you?
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Theological colleges face critical drop in residential students
The number of C of E ordination candidates entering residential training has fallen from 218 to 65 in the decade to 2024. Seven of the ten colleges had fewer than ten new students at the beginning of the last academic year.
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David Pickup, a solicitor, reflects on how few church services we now hold.
All Day Breakfasts
For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)
You can get most things whenever you want these days. We had three services recently in one day at our local church. Not much to brag about I suppose, but for us in small rural village it was encouraging. It was hard work having several times for worship, but there is something rather marvellous about a church being used nearly all day long. Some people came once, others twice and a few three times.
More than one weekly service was the pattern of worship for centuries. There would be a continual cycle of prayer and worship, and up until quite recently there would be two or three services every Sunday. On high days such as Easter and Christmas the vicar and curate would start in the early hours, and continue through midday, afternoon and evening. I wonder what happened to change this and make a single service the norm. I suppose television happened! People wanted to stay at home and watch the box, and church attendances fell.
Perhaps we should start having more services again. It suits some of us to have an early service, because then you have the rest of the day to do whatever you like. Other people are busy during Sunday, and so an evening service fits their needs.
“People will not come” or “we cannot ask the vicar” some will say. Well, what about more lay led services? Every church is different and what suits one will not work in the neighbouring parish, but what do you think?
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Praying with the Prayers of the Bible – the Prayer for Holy Love
1 Thessalonians 3:12, 13, runs: ‘May the Lord …establish your hearts unblameable in holiness.’ Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church, dating from about 51 AD, is generally regarded as the first book in the New Testament to have been written. That means that this prayer is the first New Testament prayer to have been composed.
Paul has already highly commended the genuine spiritual experience and character of these new Christians. He thanked God for their faith, love and hope, 1:3; they were examples to others, 1:7; their faith in God was being widely spoken about, 1:8; and having turned from idolatry they were now serving the true God and expecting Christ’s Second Coming, 1:9, 10. It is for these new and enthusiastic believers that Paul now prays.
The prayer asks for two great blessings for these Christians. First that they may abound in love toward each other and to the world, and then that their conduct will be characterised by holy living. What a model prayer this is for Christians in every age! Note Paul’s words, ‘may the Lord make you increase and abound in love’ (v.12). This is not merely asking that these believers will love one another, but that their love will be full and overflowing.
Perhaps Paul is recalling that Jesus said the world would recognise His disciples by their love toward one another (John 13:35). But this love, the essence of Christian experience, is not narrow or parochial. Paul prayed that their love would abound not only to each other but also ‘to all men.’ What a picture of what His church should be! All of us who claim to be His people should be known by our love for one another and for the world for which He died.
Then comes the second request in the prayer, that their hearts will be ‘established unblameable in holiness.’ (v.13). The word translated ‘established’ means to be fixed, to be settled, indicating constant character. In this world no Christian can be faultless, but by His grace and mercy we are called to be blameless. In the prayer Paul brings together the condition of our hearts – overflowing in love, and the quality of our conduct – steadfast in holy living. What a combination of holy love, a reflection of what Jesus was!
One other aspect of this prayer is worth noting. When Paul prays that the love of these Christians will abound to each other, he adds that this is how he feels about them; ‘as we do to you’ (v.12). Likewise, in 2:10 Paul says the Thessalonians are witnesses of His holy, righteous and blameless conduct among them.
The love and holiness for which Paul prays for these believers can be seen in his own life and work. Surely the most pressing need in all our congregations is that all of us as Christ’s disciples will consistently bear witness to His love controlling our hearts and our conduct.
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October Crossword
Across
1 He was replaced as king of Judah by his uncle Mattaniah (2 Kings 24) (10)
7 ‘Who for the joy set before him — the cross’ (Hebrews 12) (7)
8 Relieved (5)
10 Impetuous (Acts 19) (4)
11 Surprised and alarmed (Luke 24) (8)
13 ‘It is — for a camel to go through the eye of a needle’ (Mark 10) (6)
15 Directions for the conduct of a church service (6)
17 One of the acts of the sinful nature (Galatians 5) (8)
18 and 20 Down ‘She began to wet his — with her tears. Then she wiped them with her — ’ (Luke 7) (4,4)
21 ‘In the twinkling of an — , — the last trumpet’ (1 Corinthians 15) (3,2)
22 ‘But he replied, “Lord, I am — — go with you”’ (Luke 22) (5,2)
23 Third person of the Trinity (2 Corinthians 13) (4,6)
Down
1 He betrayed Jesus (Matthew 27) (5)
2 ‘Don’t — yourself! We are all here!’ (Acts 16) (4)
3 ‘For this — the whole — of man’ (Ecclesiastes 12) (2,4)
4 The sort of giver God loves (2 Corinthians 9) (8)
5 Sun rail (anag.) (7)
6 Naboth, the ill-fated vineyard owner, was one (1 Kings 21) (10)
9 ‘When their sensual desires overcome their — to Christ’ (1 Timothy 5) (10)
12 This was how Joseph of Arimathea practiced his discipleship (John 19) (8)
14 Mop ruse (anag.) (7)
16 Foment (Philippians 1) (4,2)
19 Where Joseph and Mary escaped to with the baby Jesus (Matthew 2) (5)
20 See 18 Across
September Answers
ACROSS: 1, Also. 3, Offering. 9, The Magi. 10, Rules. 11, Soper. 12, Help me. 14, Isaac and Jacob. 17, Scorch. 19, In man. 22, Loads. 23, Inertia. 24, Vicinity. 25, Belt.
DOWN: 1, Artistic. 2, Sleep. 4, Faith in Christ. 5, Enrol. 6, Islamic. 7, Gasp. 8, Fabric. 13, Abundant. 15, Archaic. 16, Jailer. 18, Resin. 20, Mitre. 21, Slav.
Winners Peter Warren
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October Anagrams
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Rearrange these letters to form the names of 11 UNESCO world heritage sites to be found in the U.K. Answers may consist of one,
two, three or four words.
1. THE NEE SONG 2. THE TIN GRILL IS SACKED 3. RED FIG BROTH 4. THEN CARRY A CRADLE TUB 5. RAIL TEAS
6. GROGGIE IN BORDER 7. ANICY WAS A GUEST 8. SOYA BEAN FUNBIT 9. THEN A DUAL CATLADDERS CHARM
10. RORYS JAB EVENT BORD ALL OK 11. MAY LENT LIVERS DWELL
Compiled by Peter Warren
September Anagram Answers
ENGLISH COUNTIES:
1. STAFFORDSHIRE 2. SOMERSET 3. CUMBERLAND 4. BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 5. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
6. NORTHUMBERLAND 7. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 8. HEREFORDSHIRE 9. WESTMORLAND 10. LEICESTERSHIRE
11. WORCESTERSHIRE 12. COUNTY DURHAM
Winner: Wyn Hirst
Send your answers with your name to the editors.
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October Sudoku
September Answer
Winner Jack Thompson
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by Canon Paul Hardingham
The Friend at Midnight
As we remember St Luke this month, let’s note that one of the major themes in his gospel is prayer. Jesus tells the Parable of the Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:5-8) in the context of teaching His disciples to pray (1).
Pray Shamelessly:
In the parable a man approaches his friend at midnight and asking: ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’ (5-6). Despite the hour, the rules of hospitality mean that this is not an unreasonable request. Jesus says, ‘though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will rise and give him whatever he needs’ (8). Jesus is telling us to approach our heavenly Father in ‘shameless boldness’ with our needs. As adopted children we should have no hesitancy in coming to talk with our Father. It is not God who is reluctant to answer, but we to ask. Do we pray with shameless boldness?
Pray Persistently:
Like children we should be persistent in our requests: ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.’ (9). All three verbs indicate a continual habit: ‘Keep on asking…seeking…knocking’. We will not be content simply to ask once and then move on. Jesus tells us to bring our prayers to God persistently. Do we give up too easily in prayer?
Pray Expectantly:
‘For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.’(10). Are we expectant in our prayers, believing that God delights in meeting our requests? Why not begin this adventure of prayer today!
Send your love with these flowers
A flower used by Victorians when they wanted to send a ‘hidden message’ of love is making a big comeback.
It is the aster. It’s popularity in bouquets has quadrupled in two years. Sales at Tesco alone have soared by nearly 350 per cent
.
And no wonder: asters are vivid, fast-growing British flowers with a good vase life. They come in blue, purple, pink, dark pink, red and white – all with a bright yellow centre. They originally came from Japan and are related to dahlias and chrysanthemums.
The Victorians believed that asters symbolised love, patience, wisdom, elegance and grace. That made asters a sure winner for bearing discreet messages of affection.
More than five million were grown in the UK this year, so there must be a lot of love about!
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Younger drivers and older drivers
Drivers aged 17 to 24 are twice as likely to be killed or seriously injured as those aged over 70. So says recent data from the Department for Transport.
But there has also been a rise in the likelihood of serious accidents involving drivers aged 86 or over.
Police data reveals that older drivers are more likely to cause accidents by failing to look properly. Young drivers who cause accidents are often found to be drunk or high on drugs.
Meanwhile, the Government is preparing to introduce compulsory eye tests for the over-70s. This has been greeted with relief by driving agencies.
One commented that it is “totally inadequate” that drivers aged over 70 “can self-certify that they can see.” He remembered a case where it was found that an older driver who caused a death had self-certified his eyesight as being fine, when he could barely see his own steering wheel.
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by Tim Lenton
The brave Desmond Doss of Hacksaw Ridge
Eighty years ago, on 12th October 1945, US Army combat medic Desmond Doss became the first conscientious objector in US history to receive a Medal of Honour for heroic actions. He saved the lives of 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa. The film Hacksaw Ridge told his story.
Doss was born in Virginia in 1919, and became a strong believer in the Bible, especially the Ten Commandments. As a devout Seventh Day Adventist and conscientious objector, he determined to join the Army after Pearl Harbour – his goal being to save as many lives as possible, and to kill no-one.
He enlisted as a medic and refused to carry a rifle, despite receiving abuse from his fellow soldiers and officers. This diminished when it became clear that he bore no grudges and was the first to help when anyone got into difficulty.
He served in combat on the islands of Guam, Leyte, and Okinawa – but it was the last that was most remarkable, because the fighting took place on the top of a sheer 400ft cliff with booby traps and hidden machine gun nests. Doss refused to retreat with his battalion and kept on returning to the battlefield before lowering injured comrades down the cliff (known as Hacksaw Ridge). He thought he had saved 50 men – praying aloud each time “Lord, please help me get one more”. His comrades thought he had saved 100: the official report split the difference.
Of the 16 million Americans in uniform during World War Two, only 431 received the Congressional Medal of Honour. Before leaving the Army Doss had contracted tuberculosis, and eventually he had to have a lung and five ribs removed. He lived with one lung to the age of 87.
David Pickup, a solicitor, writes on complaining
Complaints – how do you make them effective?
I cried unto the Lord with my voice;… I poured out my complaint before Him; I shewed before Him my trouble. (Psalm 142:1,2 KJV)
Perhaps it is a British thing, but we do not like to complain, do we? But the psalmist was not British, so he did not mind complaining – even to God, we are told. Nowadays, most large organisations, especially public bodies, want us to complain if something is wrong, because good service standards are important. They have well designed complaints systems and independent ombudsmen to oversee it all.
The first thing is to try to resolve an issue informally. If this has not worked, use the proper procedure. You can probably find how to on the company’s website.
Be precise about what you are complaining about. Be clear – use account numbers, references and dates. Put in the names of persons involved, if you know them. Do not leave it too long because most procedures have deadlines.
Keep it short, simple and to the point. Ask a friend to look at it first, to make sure they understand what you are complaining about. Be firm but polite and business-like – you are more likely to be listened to. It may be helpful to use numbered points, in date order. Keep a note of dates. Be reasonable. It may be an apology will suffice, but do not be fobbed off.
Think about what outcome you want. Is it an apology? If so, get a genuine apology. If you are told “we are sorry you felt let down” that is not an apology; “We let you down” is. Perhaps you want the organisation to change their ways so something bad does not happen to other people.
And another thing: if you get a good service from someone, tell the company. It might make their day.
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Editor: The Revd Dr Gary Bowness continues his tongue-in-cheek letters from ‘Uncle Eustace’…
The Rectory
St James the Least of All
My dear Nephew Darren
So, you are being encouraged to look at adverts for parishes for that happy day when you will have charge of your own church. You wonder if you should look to moving to another part of the country; I suspect it may be better if you look to moving to another planet, as your reputation may not yet have travelled that far.
Reading the specifications that parishes provide, giving a picture of life in their community, need to be read in the same way as estate agents’ specifications for houses for sale. Both demonstrate a triumph of optimism over reality. Let me help you decode some of the statements you will find:
“We look to grow our Sunday School” – We do not have a Sunday School.
“We have an enthusiastic choir” – We have a choir totally out of control.
“Our youth group is always eager to learn” – Our youth group experiments with some strange substances.
“The new incumbent should be sympathetic to our musical tradition”- The new incumbent must be able to play the organ as well as lead the Services.
“While cherishing our traditions, we see the need for change” – We always see the need for change, but alter anything at your peril.
“Plans for church renovations are in hand” – The building is in imminent danger of collapse.
“We have a large range of church groups” – You will have to run a large range of church groups singlehandedly.
“The vicarage is being refurbished” – The vicarage is a death trap. Its rising damp and dangerous electrics will not be fixed for many months yet.
“There is opportunity for developing ecumenical relations” – No one in living memory has ever spoken to clergy of other denominations in our town.
“The new incumbent should have a sense of humour” – He or she will need it when reading this specification.
My dear nephew, caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware!
Your loving uncle,
Eustace
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Let Him lead me to the banquet hall,
and let His banner over me be love.
Song of Songs 2:4
I like a good harvest festival. ‘Come, Ye Thankful People, Come’, ‘For the Fruits of His Creation’, ‘Now Thank We All Our God’ and my favourite, ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’, the last one is not everyone’s favourite but I like it. It reminds me of school assembly and teacher who pointed out the words sound like ploughing fields and then running away. I can remember the fields near where I lived and seeing the tractor followed by flocks of birds, eager for food.
Harvest is about being thankful for God’s provision and how the harvest, in this part of the world at least, never fails. No matter how dry or wet the growing seasons are, we always get a harvest.
I enjoy a good harvest lunch. We used to have really good ones in the parish, and it brought out people who were not regular church goers but occasional attenders, mainly when food was on the table. I like a buffet because you can choose what you want and how much of it, and if you are clever, you can get two helpings. My advice is let the polite people go first, as they eat little and then go for it when most people have had their fill. No! don’t be greedy but do tuck in and make sure you help others.
God invites us to a banquet where there is plenty to eat for everyone and everyone makes sure all have their fill.
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The Poppy Appeal – could you help by giving
some time this autumn?
The 2025 Poppy Appeal will be launched this month.
The Poppy is a powerful symbol worn by people right across the UK to commemorate the sacrifices of our Armed Forces and to show support to those still serving today.
The Royal British Legion was first set up to help those returning from the First World War. Almost a century on, they’re still helping today’s Service people, veterans, and their families coping with bereavement, living with disability or finding employment.
However, the Poppy Appeal would not be able to continue without the dedication of the teams of volunteers who stand in the streets, shops and supermarkets. Each town and village has their own Poppy Appeal Organiser – also a volunteer – who runs these teams, arranges for cover, drops off and collects the boxes.
The Poppy Appeal is always grateful for the work of these dedicated people, but the volunteers say they proud to be selling Poppies to show support for those who sacrificed their lives for us.
If you want to volunteer, or if you would like a visit from a local volunteer who can speak to your community/church group, please go to: 
https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer.
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Plastic carrier bags
This year marks ten years since England introduced the 5p charge for single-use plastic carrier bags. The charge has had a dramatic effect – with a reduction of 98% in sales.
In 2014, 7.6 billion single-use plastic bags were sold in the UK. By 2023, 133 million single-use bags had been sold in the major supermarkets. The average person in the UK now buys only about two single-use plastic bags per year.
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Seats to avoid on passenger planes
Have you flown recently? How was your seat? It seems that some seats are rather weird.
Like the Jet2.com passenger who discovered that his seat came with an armrest that was literally 1.5 inches long. The reason? It was an emergency exit row seat and needed to be kept clear.
Or those planes (like some with Loganair and BA) which offer you rear-facing seats in row one. That means bracing yourself for a difficult take-off, and then you’ll spend the trip with everyone else staring at you. And, as going backwards makes some people airsick, they may have to watch you throw up…
Or those seats which should have a window, but don’t. Yes, windowless window seats really do exist. Some 777s and some 737s have these – something to do with air conditioning ducts.
As for the worst seats for odours – try to avoid being near the loos and the kitchen. The queues for the loos mean that you keep getting prodded by people’s elbows, and the smells can be so nauseating that some nurses on social media even advise bringing along Vicks VapoRub, to distract your nose.
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As you tidy your garden for winter…
Gardens are preparing to go to sleep, but next Spring will soon be here. So why not consider some changes now:
~ Install a water butt now, to store up the winter rain for the Spring.
~ Reduce the hard standing in your garden. Instead, let rain soak into the soil, rather than go down a drain.
~ Plant something tall to create shade in your garden next year – the soil will remain wetter.
~ Put in more plants – the more you have, the more protection they give the ground. Try to use native species, as your local wildlife depends on them.
~ Consider adding a pond – it will be a great boost to your local wildlife!
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Those magnificent men in their flying machine…
It was 125 years ago, on 20th October 1900, that the American aviation pioneers the Wright Brothers made their first untethered glider flight at Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina.
This was a key moment in the history of aviation, although their first powered flight of a heavier-than-air aircraft came three years later, on 17th December 1903, also at Kill Devil Hills, which is near Kitty Hawk.
Orville and Wilbur Wright, who lived in Dayton, Ohio – more than 600 miles from Kitty Hawk – were the sons of a bishop in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, and were both named after clergymen. However, they became inventive mechanics and owned a bicycle shop at a time when cycling was becoming safer and popular. They chose the Kitty Hawk area for flight attempts, based on advice from the US Weather Bureau.
There had been many unpowered glider flights in Europe before, and the Wrights, who were in their thirties, were particularly impressed by the successful German pioneer Otto Lilienthal, who had been killed in 1896. The Wrights’ big leap forward, however, was a system of three-axis controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible. It enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft and maintain its equilibrium. It remains standard on aircraft today.
Flying changed the world for us all. It had long been a dream, dating back at least as far as the Greek legend of Icarus and Daedalus, and including kite-flying in China and ballooning in 18th-century France, with the Montgolfier brothers. A small piece of the Wright Flyer is now on Mars – a piece of cloth attached to a small but active reconnaissance helicopter called Ingenuity.
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Paul Hardingham continues his series on the books of the Bible, which will run until the end of 2025.
What’s the Big Idea?
An Introduction to the Books of the New Testament: Galatians
Paul’s letter to the Galatians has been described as the ‘Magna Carta of Christian Liberty’, because it emphasises the freedom that we have through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul vigorously defends the truth that people are justified (‘made right with God’) by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Our standing with God is not determined by what we do, but by dependence on what Christ has done.
It is generally believed that Paul wrote this letter in 48/9AD to the churches in the southern area of Galatia, which he planted on his first missionary journey. It was written before the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15), making it the earliest of Paul’s letters.
Paul is dealing with Jewish-Christians (or Judaizers) who were advocating ceremonial practices of the Jewish law, including circumcision, in addition to faith in Christ as the means of salvation. They were undermining Paul’s authority as an apostle, by asserting that his gospel didn’t agree with the apostles in Jerusalem.
In response, Paul defends his apostolic authority and presents the true gospel, by emphasising the unique importance of Christ and His cross in salvation. He argues that ‘a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ’ (2:16). He appeals especially to the examples of Abraham (3:6-9) and Hagar and Sarah (4:21-31), who stand in contrast as being a ‘slave’ under the law and ‘free’ in Christ.
‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.’ (5:1). We are justified through faith alone and it is by faith alone that we live out our new life in the freedom of the Spirit.
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Time to make your Will?
Been putting off writing or updating your Will? Next month the charity Will Aid’s ‘Make a Will Month’ will offer you the opportunity to put your affairs in order, secure your loved one’s future and give to charities helping those in need.
Participating solicitors are inviting people to contact them to book appointments for November, when they will prepare basic Wills without charging their normal fee. All that they will ask in return is that clients consider making a voluntary donation to Will Aid. The suggested donation is just £120 for a single Will, or £200 for a pair of mirror Wills.
The money raised is shared by nine UK charities: namely ActionAid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Crisis, NSPCC, SCIAF (Scotland) and Trocaire (N. Ireland).
As many as half of all UK adults in the UK don’t have a Will. They have not made any legally valid provision for what they would like to happen after their death. This can lead to a great deal of stress and uncertainty, as well as financial hardship, for those left behind.
Even if you have a Will, it is important to keep it up to date. Experts recommend routinely reviewing a Will every three to five years, and making a new Will as soon as significant family changes occur.
More details at https://www.willaid.org.uk/register. Please book early as solicitors tend to fill their appointments very quickly.
The Iron Lady of Britain
One hundred years ago, on 13th October 1925, Margaret Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, was born. She was the first woman Prime Minister of Britain (1979-90).
Her father, Alfred Roberts, was a grocer and Methodist local preacher in Grantham, and she was brought up as a strict Wesleyan Methodist. At one point just before the Second World War, the family gave sanctuary to a young Jewish girl who had escaped the Nazis.
Margaret later became a lay preacher herself, and was married at Wesley’s Chapel in City Road, London, where her children were baptised. Afterwards she and her husband Denis (later Sir Denis) attended Church of England services and became Anglicans. She felt her policies as a Conservative aligned closely with Christianity.
She was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 20th century and, partly because of her resilience, aroused strong feelings both for and against, having to weather difficulties and misjudgements, such as the poll tax. Those opposing her described her policies as ‘Thatcherism’, but others put a positive slant on this. Her nickname of Iron Lady – first used by a Soviet journalist – aptly described her leadership style and lack of compromise.
Before becoming Prime Minister, she had studied chemistry at Oxford, and then the law, qualifying as a barrister. She became an MP – for Finchley – in 1959 and progressed to Secretary of State for Education and Science before defeating Edward Heath in the 1975 Tory leadership election, making her leader of the Opposition and the first woman to lead a major UK political party.
When she arrived at Downing Street, she adapted a prayer of St Francis beginning “Where there is discord, may we bring harmony”. She died from a stroke while staying at the Ritz Hotel in London in 2013 at the age of 87, having been unwell for some years.
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Book Review
A Good Old Age – An A to Z of Loving and Following the Lord Jesus in Later Years
By Derek Prime, 10Publishing, £7.99
Old age often gets a bad press. Associated with grumpiness, aches and pains, loneliness, and isolation it’s not something we particularly look forward to or relish when we’re there.
Pastor and Bible teacher, Derek Prime, writing in his 80s, shows us that there is another way to view old age. He guides us through 26 Christian priorities that we should hold to in later life.
With biblical wisdom and practical advice, Prime helps us to navigate the unique challenges and joys that old age can bring. This is a book to dip into, meditate on and read prayerfully as you let the truths it contains gently transform the way you live your old age.
**
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All in the month of October
It was:
750 years ago, on 27th Oct 1275 that the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands is traditionally considered to have been founded.
200 years ago, on 25th Oct 1825 that Johann Strauss II, was born. This Austrian composer is best known for his waltzes, including The Blue Danube.
125 years ago, on 20th Oct 1900 that the American aviation pioneers the Wright Brothers made their first untethered glider flight at Kill Devil Hills, in North Carolina.
100 years ago, on 13th Oct 1925 that Margaret Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was born. She was the first woman Prime Minister of Britain (1979-90). (Died 2013.)
90 years ago, on 12th Oct 1935 that Luciano Pavorotti, Italian operatic tenor, was born. Considered one of the finest tenors of the 20th century, and one of the most commercially successful of all time. (Died 2007.)
70 years ago, on 20th Oct 1955 that The Return of the King, the third and final part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, was published.
65 years ago, on 12th Oct 1960 that, at a meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York, the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev is reported to have removed his shoe and pounded his table, in protest at a speech by another delegate.
Also 65 years ago, on 30th Oct 1965 that Diego Maradona was born. The Argentine football player, manager and coach is regarded as one of the greatest football players in history. (Died 2020.)
60 years ago, on 8th Oct 1965 that the Post Office Tower (now the BT Tower) in London was officially opened. It was the tallest building in the UK until 1980.
50 years ago, on 9th Oct 1975 that the IRA detonated a bomb near the Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly. One person was killed and at least 20 injured.
40 years ago, on 1st Oct 1985 that riots broke out in Toxteth in Liverpool and Peckham in London. Five days later (6th Oct) Met Police Constable Keith Blacklock was killed in the Broadwater Farm housing estate riot in Tottenham. He was the first British constable to be killed in a riot since 1833.
Also 40 years, on 26th Oct 1985 that the Australian government returned the ownership of Uluru / Ayers Rock to the local Pitjantjatjara people, on condition that they lease it to the National Parks and Wildlife Agency for 99 years and allow it to be jointly managed.
20 years ago, on 3rd Oct 2005 that Ronnie Barker, TV comedian, actor and writer, died. Known for The Frost Report, The Two Ronnies, Porridge, Going Straight and Open All Hours.
Also 20 years ago, on 18th to 26th Oct 2005 that Hurricane Wilma, the most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, hit the Caribbean, Central America and the eastern USA. 63 people died. The storm caused £18.1 billion worth of damage.
15 years ago, on 13th Oct 2010 that 33 Chilean miners who had been trapped underground for 69 days following the collapse of the San Jose copper-gold mine were rescued. Around one billion TV viewers around the world watched them being pulled to the surface one-by-one, in a specially designed capsule.
10 years ago, on 26th Oct 2015 that the Hindu Kush earthquake hit Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. At least 399 people were killed, and 2,536 more injured.
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Smile Lines
Lost in translation
Sign on a door in Istanbul: American dentist – 2nd floor. Teeth extracted by a new Methodist.
**
Reply
A curt reply to a bishop who had suggested that a certain incumbent consider moving read:
Dear bishop,
I REMAIN,
yours faithfully….
**
An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys.
A child will not spill on a dirty floor.
Having children is like having a bowling alley installed in your brain.
Having children will turn you into your parents.
If you have trouble getting your children’s attention, just sit down and look comfortable.
Avenge yourself; live long enough to be a problem to your children.
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Not any more
Two young tourists went into a Quaker Guest house in Lakeland. As they were strangers, the warden approached them and asked, “Are you Friends?”
The answer came back politely, “Oh no, not now, we are married.”
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Choice
Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president, and 50 for Miss America?
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Wear out
Three little boys were bragging about how tough they were. “I’m so tough,” said the first boy, “that I can wear out a pair of shoes in a week.”
“Well,” said the second little boy, “I’m so tough, I can wear out a pair of jeans in a day.”
“That’s nothing,” said the third boy. “When my parents take me to see my grandma and grandpa, I can wear them out in just one hour.”
**
If you understand it…
When you get to the point where you really understand your computer, it’s probably obsolete.
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Ouch
A lady who had been absent from church for some weeks, due to an illness, proudly told her new doctor: “The Vicar dropped on me.”
**
All Angels?
The slightly harassed minister stood on the railway station platform with a number of lively Sunday School children, while the two Sunday School teachers went off to buy tickets. A porter came up to him and asked: “Excuse me, are you St Michael and all the Angels?”
**
Bye bye
Our lay preacher is from France and occasionally amuses us with using words slightly out of context. One morning, coming to the end of a long sermon, he solemnly assured us: “Just a few more words, and then I will definitely decease.”
**
Where two or three are gathered…
A lady was describing the small attendance at her local church. “We were so few last Sunday that when the vicar began ‘Dearly beloved,’ I blushed.”
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Oddest
The parish magazine was reporting on a recent parish away-day at the seaside. It said: ‘The results of our competition for the oddest item found on the beach were: First prize: Mrs Wainwright; second prize: The Vicar; and third prize, Mr Simpson.’
**
Ten
Asked to name one of the Ten Commandments, one little girl replied: “Do not admit adultery.”
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Cheap at the price
A little boy was pestering his parents for a baby brother or sister. They kept telling him ‘maybe one day, but we can’t afford one yet.’ Then one Sunday the little boy dragged his parents over to the noticeboard at the back of church. It was advertising a coming sale at the church and announced: ‘Children: free’.
**
Golf
A golf player is a person who can drive 70 miles an hour in traffic with perfect ease, but who goes to pieces on a two-foot putt if somebody coughs.
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Who is God?
During a youth service, the minister asked if anyone could tell her who God is. One youngster waved a hand, and ventured: “Isn’t God the man who saves the King?”
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Sales
It is getting harder to find a courteous person who isn’t trying to sell you something.
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Film
The newspapers report how a cinemagoer arose from his seat while watching a film and shot himself. I believe that I have also seen that picture.
**
Listening
While visiting a cathedral recently, I couldn’t hear the service over the chatter of the two people sitting in front of me. Finally, I tapped one of them on the shoulder. “Excuse me,” I said, “I can’t hear.”
The reply was swift and indignant. “I should hope not! This is a private conversation.”
**
Flying
I love flying. I’ve been to almost as many places as my luggage.
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Truths about children
A young child is a noise with dirt on it.
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Dear Lord,
So far today, I am doing all right. I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or self-indulgent. I have not whined, complained, or cursed. I have not charged on my credit card or eaten any chocolate. However, I am going to get out of bed in a few minutes, and I will need a lot more help after that! Amen.
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The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of St Mary's, it's clergy, the Church of England
or the Editors.