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Heaven is not an optional extra Down with supermarket liturgy Standing up for family life Bishop Richard's Easter message
Update on The Mothers' Union
Up with the Book of Common Prayer
theD r WE BRING GOOD NEWS
Pancakes with amazing grace The DOOR goes to Olney, famous for its annual pancake dash, its shriving service and its hymns page 20
www.oxford.anghcanorg
APRIL 2001
No 121
Hope in dark times Church fund helps struggling farmers AS FOOT AND MOUTH
Didcot Power Station inspires remarkable Crucifixion MENORAH is the title of this remarkable painting by the Oxford Christian artist, Roger Wagner which the Bishop of Oxford suggests should hang permanently in Dorchester Abbey. The painting, which the Bishop believes will prove to be 'one of the outstanding paintings of the late 20th century', is hanging temporarily in the Abbey, close to the huge cooling towers of Didcot Power station which inspired the artist as he passed by on a train. The sense of vulnerability experienced by Roger Wagner when he saw the smoke and steam pouring from the power station gave him the idea of
placing a crucifixion in the foreground. Afterwards the six towers and a chimney reminded him of the menorah, the seven-branched candelbrum which is a Jewish symbol of God's presence. So this Menorah speaks of a God who identifies with our suffering through the death of his Son and brings the possibility of hope even to the stark and wintry landscape of Auschwitz. The Rector of Dorchester, Canon John Crowe, is encouraging people to come and see the painting and to record their comments in order to widen the discussion about whether it should be purchased for Dorchester Abbey.
All this comes from one village i
reaches epidemic proportions, Church leaders in the Diocese have affirmed their strong support for farmers and all affected by the outbreak. The Bishop of Dorchester, Cohn Fletcher has been in contact with local farmers from the outset. 'Many of them have underlined to me just how difficult things are. They will need all our support and prayers over the coming weeks and months,' he said. So far there have been three confirmed cases in the Oxford Diocese and the widespread restrictions on the movement of animals have also created huge problems says the Revd Glyn Evans, the Diocese's Rural and Regional Officer. 'Many farmers have cash flow problems. They can't take their stock to market to generate income but they have feed bills to pay,' he said. It is to help with emergency situations like this that the major Churches have set up a national relief fund. It is being administered by the Arthur Rank Centre, the Churches' Rural Resource Centre at Stoneleigh Park. The fund has reached £2 million and is dealing with many requests for help. Donation form on page 2.
Churches are also asked to ring their tolling bell for five minutes at noon on Sundays as an invitation to pray for farmers, vets, slaughtermen and all who are affected by the Foot and Mouth crisis. The Bishop of Oxford has written
to all rural clergy offering his support and including some suitable prayers. In Great Milton in Oxfordshire copies of the prayers were delivered to every household. A strong spirit of self-help is developing within the farming network and the wider community says Glyn Evans. He has received calls, some from people with counselling skills, offering to be 'a voice at the end of the telephone' for isolated farmers and their families. Some churches have been directly touched by the crisis. At Suihanistead church, close to a major dairy herd of over 300 cows, mourners at a funeral were limited to close family and friends and had to walk through disinfectant before entering the ancient churchyard. Glyn Evans urges people not to relax their vigilance because the crisis could last for months. Don't ignore 'keep out' notices, do keep dogs on leads and don't visit the countryside unless it is essential, he says. 'The Church can do a great deal to help support farmers and their families' says Glyn Evans. 'We need our congregations and clergy to be well informed about their problems. We need to use the agricultural festivals to show that God really cares about farmers and we need to be pro-active in providing individual support to farmers and their families. We need to buy British and buy local', he says. You can reach Glyn Evanson 01608 674567 or mobile 07870405241
the Doorpost One page says it all Courses, training, festivals, events •
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The place to shop for interiors • On the A44 in Woodstock
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Craft made articles for the home • From craftmakers' cooperatives
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Easter recipe
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