#254 February 2014 by Diocese of Oxford

thedoor

www.oxford.anglican.org February 2014 no 254

Around the Deaneries: Mursley

God in the Life of an Archdeacon - page 16

Mission: Church Weddings - Centrespread

Win afternoon tea - page five

‘Noah’s Ark’ church in flood chaos By Jo Duckles THE heaviest rains in years have caused chaos to communities across the Diocese. Oxford was particularly badly hit, with two main roads into the city closed for days due to the high water levels. As houses flooded, the Revd Jane Sherwood, vicar of St Luke’s, Canning Crescent, helped vulnerable residents to access services that could help them. St Luke’s was also opened up as a refuge for those whose homes were under water, or whose drains were not working. The church has become known as the community’s ‘Noah’s Ark’.

Jane says: “St Luke’s was built 18 inches higher than the previous church buiding to prevent flooding. We’ve offered the church as a shelter for the last few days. I’ve been helping one elderly woman who did not have insurance and others who are vulnerable and have needed help to access the right services,” said Jane. Berkshire was affected with the Revd David Archer, Rector of St Mary’s, Purley describing how this winter’s floods led to four roads in the village being closed and only accessible by boat. “It’s comparable to our last big flood in 2003,” said David. Despite being closer to the river than

St Luke’s, Canning Crescent. Left: the Revd Jane Sherwood in her husband’s canoe. The couple helped people get to and from work along Oxford’s flooded Abingdon Road. Photos: Jane and Jeremy Sherwood

most houses in the village, the church was built on high ground and was not thought to have flooded since the 1940s. David said: “When it was built in the 12th Century it was recognised that it should be built on higher ground. In the worst place in Purley the water is about four feet deep.” “ -----------------------------------------------------------

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Out of 100 houses affected there are about 20 that actually get water flowing through them. The church does not flood. The Revd Mary Barnes, Vicar of St Luke’s Church, Old Windsor, said: “The river is really high. Thank goodness the church itself doesn’t get flooded but Ham Island is cut off. Residents can only get

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in and out by boat or wearing waders.” Mary says St Luke’s was offered as a refuge along with other community buildings in the village. “We’ve told people they can have showers at our house and told some more elderly eople they are welcome to stay, although most people prefer to stay in their own home.”

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2 News All about bacteria

BISHOP Andrew is pictured with farmer Ian Brown, a churchwarden from Leckhamstead during Plough Wednesday in January. Ian had

just finished talking about the bacteria grown on his farm which is used for water free urinals and composting materials saving water and the environment.

BRIAN Newey is stepping down as Chair of the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance after 12 years in the role. Brian says one of the highlights of his volunteer position has been the people he has met and the encouraging responses he has received when asking for people to donate a lot of money. He said it has been a challenge to keep the message fresh and looking at things that are concerning people. He said: “It’s trying to get an angle on them that helps them and helping deaneries that were in trouble. It’s about thinking in new ways about money and that is still working. It’s a case of seeing so many opportunities. Brian began working in the

rail industry as a management trainee in 1960. He was a station master in London, a divisional manager in Birmingham. “It was a really lovely career. It brought together a lot of communicating and financial and project management skills and that fits in very well with working alongside professionals in the diocese,” he says. Brian is a Licensed Lay Minister at St Laurence’s, Warborough, where he has worshipped since he moved to the parish. The Revd John Tattersall will be taking over as Chair of the Board of Finance. Nigel Wearne, the Director of Finance at the Diocese of Oxford is also retiring this month.

Farewell to money man

Space and time to think in Amersham

Mrs Burgess leads children in the reflective prayer space at St George’s, Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

SPRING term has started with a week of thoughtful reflection at St George’s CE Infant School, Amersham. Children from across school have returned from their Christmas break to ‘Prayer Spaces Week’ on a Lord’s Prayer theme. Teaching Assistant and Foundation Governor Mrs Penny Steven explained: “We have created a Prayer Space within the school for the children to visit in groups of 15. This will enable them to explore and reflect on prayer and praying. Each child will attend

the Prayer Space on two occasions during the week, providing them with a valuable time to reflect and think about the year ahead. Head Teacher Toby Long added: “This wonderful opportunity with space for meaningful thought within the school week will support work in the children’s Personal, Social, Emotional and Religious Education lessons. Our fantastic links with our school and church families within the local community have come together to help facilitate our Prayer Spaces Week, hand in hand with our dedicated staff.”

‘Unique’ radiator at St Mary’s

Urdu interview for Bucks curate A CURATE has given a media interview on a Christian television that reaches out to the Pakistani community. The Revd Sally Baily, from St Mary’s Church in Great Chesham in Buckinghamshire, was interviewed by Gateway Television last month. Sally is married to Hammad Baily, a Pakistani musician and her dissertation during her MA in theology was a study of cultural factors leading to the fragmentation and disunity of Christian Churches in Youhanabad, Pakistan. Her background before ordination includes an 18 year career at the London Stock Exchange and six years of music ministry with the band Voice for Jesus, led by her husband Hammad Baily. They have released six albums and

toured extensively in Pakistan to encourage and uplift Christian communities. “The interview went well,” says Sally. “It was interesting for them to have a British woman with insight into Pakistani culture. It was great to be able to talk about my research and to encourage people to know that there is support and to encourage people to pray for people in Pakistan.” Following her dissertation, Sally aims to get Pakistani leaders together so that she can share her finding and help them redefine what brings honour and respect so some of the issues within particular cultures can be overcome. Sally is looking forward to getting involved with the Pakistani community in Chesham.

A VICTORIAN radiator hidden inside St Mary’s Church in Twyford is causing excitement among building experts. The radiator has been described by buildings engineer Frank Ferris (pictured above) as a real treasure. The find came to light as the church, built in 1847, prepares to replace its existing boiler and heating system before it breaks down entirely. An expert in church buildings spotted the importance of the small radiator and that’s when Mr Ferris was called in to investigate. He is a member of the Heritage Group of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers and runs their website. “It is a wonderful example of Victorian engineering craftsmanship,” he said. “It was made by Rosser and Russell. The company has a history dating back to the late 1700’s but it was probably during the 1860’s when this radiator was manufactured.” Mr Ferris believes the radiator may be unique. The church now plans to keep the radiator, which still works, when the remainder of the existing heating system is removed. “We might even get round to putting a little plaque above it to show future generations just how special it is,” said the Revd Simon Howard, Vicar of Ruscombe and Twyford with Hurst.

Book now for social media course IS your church making the most of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media? Learn the basics and compare notes with others at a social media course being organised by the Communications Team from the Diocese of Oxford. The event takes place 10am to 4pm on Saturday 29 March at Diocesan Church House, North Hinksey Lane, Oxford, OX2 0NB. It is free and participants should bring a packed lunch. To book contact Jo Duckles or Phil Hind on jo.duckles@oxford.anglican.org or phil.hind@oxford.anglican.org or call 01865 208262.

New Archdeaconry THE plan for the new Archdeaconry of Dorchester, which comes into being on 1 March is gaining momentum. The new post of Archdeacon of Dorchester has been advertised in the Church Times and the new Archdeaconry will be made up of the deaneries of Abingdon, Aston and Cuddesdon, Bicester and Islip, Chipping Norton, Deddington, Henley, Vale of White Horse, Wallingford, Wantage, Witney and Woodstock.

News 3

Causing a buzz at St Thomas’s by Jo Duckles THOUSANDS of honey bees have been given a home in a church yard in central Oxford. Since last spring the sound of buzzing could be heard in the grounds of St Thomas’s Church. Priest-in-Charge, the Revd Jonathan Beswick, has wanted to keep bees since he was a boy and is delighted with the occupants of the hives. They were introduced last spring after a conversation with an enthusiastic PCC and advice from a local bee keeping expert. In their first season alone they produced 100 lbs of honey.

Environmental Bee Summit

Jonathan, who will be going to Oxford Friends of the Earth’s Bee Summit as Bishop John’s representative on 7 February, says: “The churchyard is like an acre of the most gorgeous countryside. It feels like a village churchyard in many ways. “One of the figures in the glass at St Thomas’s is St Ambrose, one of the fathers of the church, holding a bee hive in his hands. When he was a baby in his cot a swarm landed on his face. When they left, they had just left a drop of honey on his

lips, foretelling of the sweetness of his future teaching and preaching.” Jonathan says the bees and the Christian faith go hand in hand in many ways, from the beeswax traditionally used to make church candles through to parallels with individual bees forming colonies to individual Christians making up the body of Christ. “I lived in a monastery for five years when I left school. Some of the older brothers were committed to keeping bees. Over the years people who keep bees have interested or intrigued me,” he says.

2,000 eggs a day In the right conditions, bee colonies can grow very quickly, with a queen laying 2,000 eggs a day at the height of the season. Jonathan, who describes keeping the stripy insects as a life changing experience, says: “One amazing moment was a friend taking a swarm and letting them out next to the hive, seeing them find their way into their new home, especially taking my glove off and putting my hand into the hive. Contrary to a lot of people’s expectations when bees swarm they are unlikely to sting anyone. They are not aggressive. If you put your hand amongst them they will walk over it without hurting you. It was an experience putting my hand into 20,000 bees and feeling all of those tiny feet tickling but going about their business.” Another memorable moment last year was encountering a swarm of bees on Holywell Street. Jonathan was told that pest control were going to remove them, so offered to give them a new home in

Technology for “Appy” prayers

The Revd Jonathan Beswick is buzzing with enthusiasm for bee keeping. Photo: Jo Duckles

the church yard. “My beekeeping friend, who has done this before, very carefully broke them off the gutter into a box and we took them to St Thomas’s. I see them as Beckett’s Bees.Thomas Beckett, our patron saint, used to walk through the church yard. It’s good that our patron saint was familiar with the area.”

A different pace of life Jonathan admits to a few stings in his first few months as a beekeeper but believes the pain has been worth it. “Historically clergy have been beekeepers. Keeping bees speaks of a different pace of life in a society where we are encouraged to run ever faster on the treadmill.” And the hives have attracted plenty of attention from people who use the churchyard as a short cut, with interested

passers-by even leaving notes on the hives asking Jonathan to get in touch. So, as Jonathan prepares to go along to the bee summit, he has been reading up on the plight of this declining species. Watching More Than Honey a 2012 film by Markus Imhoof, hammered home the sobering thought that if bees die out, a third of the world’s food supply will disappear. It highlights how in China, where bees have died out due to excessive use of pesticides, migrant workers collect pollen and have to go around with paint brushes, pollinating plants. Another film on bees is 2009’s Vanishing of the Bees by George Langworthy and Maryam Henein. For more on bee keeping contact the British Bee Keepers Association, www. bbka.org.uk, 0871 811 2282.

Big Questions at Chesterton

by Jane Tucker IF you often find yourself saying to a friend or colleague, ‘I’ll say a prayer for you’ and then can’t remember who needed prayer and what for, there is help on the horizon! Andrew Geers who grew up in Hughenden Valley, High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire has developed and launched an ‘App’ called PrayerMate. PrayerMate comes in versions for iPhone and Android so whatever device you own, you can download it for £1.99. It allows users to capture, store and archive information on prayers; sort them into categories, such as Personal, Family, Small Group, Church, Non-believers etc. and also include such things as Church of England Collect for the Day, photos and links to lists of email contacts. I am finding it a very useful addition to the paper prayer diaries that I use for reference during my quiet-time, and of course I can add to it it wherever I am, with my phone during the day. PrayerMate was Runner-up in Christian Mobile/Tablet App of the year 2013 in the Christian New Media Awards. To paraphrase the words of the early Methodist evangelist Rowland Hill who said ‘Why should the devil have all the best tunes?’, why should the

devil have all the apps? For more information go to www.geero. net/prayermate/ And don’t forget that the Church of England has produced a Lectionary App, allowing subscribers to access the daily readings and prayers throughout the year. Since launching in October 2011 the Lectionary has been downloaded 35,000 times. Find full details of when seasons, CHILDREN faced big questions during Principal Feasts and Festivals (Saints’ days) occur and which liturgical colours are investigative RE lessons at Chesterton CE appropriate for the day. For the Lectionary Primary School. Diocesan RE Adviser, Jo Fageant, app see http://itunes/i6JP7V8 met teachers to formulate a new, cross curricular project, exploring in Key Stage 1 whether Jesus has the power to change people’s lives, using biblical texts including the Road to Damascus. In Key Stage 2, they explored the burning bush and were given a commission from God: “Looking down on the world I feel dispirited to see so much sadness in the world that I created. It was not meant to be like this. I see my people suffering at the hands of nature but also at the hands of man.” God asked the children to report back to him their findings. Years Three and Four explored religion in Britain in the time of the Tudors and then through investigation of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Years 5 and 6 found out about religion in the Holy Land learning about the Crusades and the modern Arab/ Israeli conflict.

The children came up with thoughtful responses. Adam said: “This has been one of the best topics we’ve worked on because it was exploring a big question that linked together subjects I like, history, geography and RE. We learned about Greek gods when we were in Year 3 but this project has helped me to understand more about Greek history and conflicts in the Holy Land involving Romans and Jews. We also learned about the Crusades and compared all this history with the modern situation in Syria.” Emma said: “I most enjoyed learning about the Arab/Israeli conflict. I’ve seen things about it on the news but never really knew what it was about. Finding out about it was so interesting and how people’s different religious beliefs were not making them behave well towards one another.” Lottie in Year 4 said: “‘Protestants’ and ‘Catholics’ are just labels. The charities that try to help want people to know that Jesus didn’t want that, he said faith was important.”

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Resources 5 Another Story Must Begin Jonathan Meyer Darton, Longman and Todd

The Image of Christ in Modern Art Richard Harries Ashgate

by John Pritchard

y distinguished predecessor has produced a fascinating, richly illustrated exploration of his stated theme, offering wise and insightful analysis of scores of the most important works of art with Christian references produced since the beginning of the twentieth century. At a time when our culture’s shared narratives and common images have largely disappeared, he demonstrates a continuing and lively engagement with Christian iconography among contemporary artists. Richard discusses earlier artists such as Georges Rouault, Marc Chagall and Stanley Spencer, and the elegant Catholic vision of Eric Gill and David Jones, but then describes the post World War Two recovery of confidence represented by Graham Sutherland, John Piper and Ceri Richards before moving us on to the exciting creativity of Craigie Aitchison, John Reilly, Albert Herbert, Helen Meyer and Peter Howson, among many others. I was particularly pleased to see such strong representation of Fenwick Lawson whose wood sculptures enhanced my appreciation of Durham Cathedral for

by Sarah Meyrick

many years, and of Nicholas Mynheer and Roger Wagner who continue to grace and invigorate the Oxford scene so remarkably. Richard has succeeded in encompassing a huge amount of information, wisdom and inspiration in a manageable shape so that we can learn afresh what good Christian art offers both Christians and the wider artistic world. The journey goes on and in Richard Harries we have an authoritative guide. The Rt Revd John Pritchard is the Bishop of Oxford. Lord Harries of Pentragarth is the former Bishop of Oxford.

Go bananas for Fairtrade Fortnight Maranda St John Nicolle on the importance of making the banana trade fair as the yellow fruit becomes the theme of the 2014 Fairtrade Fortnight.

hen I visited Dominica in 2010, banana farmer Cato Ferreira commented: “Forty years ago bananas used to be sold in England on the bunch … Someone else would hand it (split up the bunches), treat them, box them, put them into the supermarket. 40 years later we end up doing everything, yet the price does not compensate us for our work.” Other food prices, he noted, have gone up, but the cost of bananas has gone down and down. “Every housewife is looking to receive cheaper food. But I sometimes think...: ‘Don’t you have a conscience to [wonder] why 40 years ago [you] used to pay much more for a banana in the supermarket?” It was a good point. For years, most supermarkets have competed with each other in cutting the price of bananas, hoping to attract customers to their stores. But they’ve passed the cuts in prices on to banana farmers around the world, leaving them unable to cover the costs of Photo: The Fairtrade Foundation/Simon Rawles sustainable production. That’s not do to help, at foncho.fairtrade.org. right. One way to help is to buy Fairtrade This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight campaign bananas. And you can do two good things aims to change the way things work. It’s called “Stick with Foncho to Make Bananas at once by holding a Big Brew tea party in support of Traidcraft, and using Fairtrade Fair,” Foncho being a Colombian banana bananas as part of your refreshments. Find farmer who is the figurehead for the Big Brew resources at www.traidcraft. campaign. You can find out more about co.uk. Foncho, the campaign, and what you can

hen the Revd Jonathan Meyer took a phone call from a location manager in March 2012 to explore a possible filming project at St Mary the Virgin, Ewelme, he admits being slightly put out by the request for a 7.30 a.m. meeting the following day. What he didn’t realise then was that the film was the record-breaking musical, Les Miserables. So began the journey that led (via a Faculty, of course) to the transformation of the church into the house of the Bishop of Digne, who in Victor Hugo’s novel offers hospitality to the recently released convict Jean Valjean. The encounter shapes the rest of Valjean’s life: having sneaked out early, with the Bishop’s silver under his cloak, he is caught and dragged back. Faced with the evidence of his theft, the Bishop greets Valjean warmly, and says, “Had you forgotten that I gave you the candlesticks as well?” The Bishop quietly challenges Valjean to use the money to make himself an honest man. If you haven’t seen the film it won’t spoil it to know that this is the transforming moment of Valjean’s life that shapes all his choices – and the entire

narrative. This moment of fame for Ewelme gave birth to this Lent course, now published as a short book. Jonathan uses the characters in the novel to lead us through Lent: Fantine represents our state of sin; Cosette allows us to consider hope; the Bishop challenges us to think about how we judge others; Valjean and Javert illustrate our life choices; and the final section on Redemption and Salvation invites us to consider how the grace of God transforms lives. There are five parts, with notes for leaders, suggested clips, questions and reflections for group discussion, related Bible passages to consider and closing prayers. This study course offers an imaginative approach to Lent and should appeal to a wide audience, if the box office success of the film is anything to go by. Sarah Meyrick is Director of Communications for the Oxford Diocese and Strategic Advisor to the Bishop of Oxford.

Getting creative CREATIVE Worship is one of the lastest releases from the Abingdon based Bible Reading Fellowship. John Guest provides 20 outlines for all-age worship using the five methods of Signs and Symbols, Storytelling, Slapstick, Surrogacy and Slant. There are four different outlines for each delivery method with the major festivals of Easter, Christmas and Remembrance all covered. Each service outline has a Bible base and there are suggestions for props, songs and prayers to expand the theme. Creative Worship costs £7.99 and was published on 24 January. www.brf.org.uk

Win a Champagne Afternoon Tea for two We are offering one lucky reader the chance to take their loved one to the Feathers Hotel in Woodstock for afternoon tea. Located in the old market town of Woodstock in Oxfordshire, the Feathers is within walking distance of Blenheim Palace. The historic St Mary Magdalene Church and the award winning Oxfordshire Museum are both within a five minute walk from the hotel. For the chance to win send your name and address on a postcard to Champagne Afternoon Tea Competition, The Door, Diocesan Church House, North Hinksey Lane, Oxford, OX2 0NB. The closing date for entries is Friday 7 February. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. See pages eight and nine to read about how one couple booked the Feathers Hotel for their wedding reception and got married at the nearby St Mary Magdalene Church.

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he Salvation Army General Insurance Company Ltd (SAGIC) is celebrating a re-launch, offering reduced household insurance rates, wider policy wordings and speedier services to customers, while continuing to retain its ethical stance and donating all profits to continued good work of The Salvation Army. Since 1909 SAGIC has insured all The Salvation Army’s churches and homes, buildings and contents, and has recently expanded its portfolio to include motor and travel insurance. Managing Director Gordon Dewar has, with his team, been working hard on a company revamp. Gordon says he now wants to push the company further ‘to offer competitive rates and first rate claims handling and settlement’. To ensure the company fulfils demands, SAGIC first had to scrap its outdated website, which advised surfers hunting for online quotes to phone the office instead! Its fresh-look site marketing SAGIC products as ‘insurance that changes lives’ – a nod to company donations to The Salvation Army,

is much more aesthetically pleasing, the site also provides visitors with insurance quotes in minutes! (Visit www.sagic.co.uk for details.) The policy update has also simpliﬁed the process of obtaining contents insurance. In the past customers had to provide a list of items, with serial numbers, that might be taken out of the house. ‘We’ve done away with that!’ Gordon admits. ‘I can’t keep up with what my kids have and I don’t know what they take out of the house! People tell us what they want covering and we price that accordingly.’ Better choices of products are on offer. By linking to insurance brokers Devitt and Pinnacle Cardif, SAGIC customers are offered more competitive rates on motor and Pet insurance. Request from customers have also shaped SAGIC’s direction. Church fellowships frequently requested insurance to cover not only their church buildings but charities using their buildings or special events. Able to underwrite this in-house through a Community Groups Special Events product has made the process simple and cost-effective.

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If competitive rates alone don’t attract new customers, perhaps SAGIC’s ethics will in the present ﬁnancial climate. Insurance is a necessity, but purchasing through SAGIC ensures the life of someone in need will be changed for the better. With no shareholders to pay, SAGIC passes back to The Salvation Army its proﬁts from its motor, travel and home and building policies. SAGIC also does not charge its customers for any mid term alterations to their policy nor do they pay any interest on their premiums if they pay by direct debit over 10 months. We treat people as we would like to be treated ourselves. Christian customers attracted to SAGIC play their part in keeping premium low. Gordon shares: ‘A woman phones, having had her purse stolen – she lost £8 and a £1,200 ring. As we were writing the cheque to settle the claim she phones to say she’d found the ring and wishes to cancel her claim. I’ve told that story to a couple of people working in big insurance companies and they’re dumbfounded. They don’t get many calls like that – but we do!’ Ensuring customers receive excellent

service, a new staff member has been added to the claims department – ‘The best advert you can get is in receiving a claim on Monday and settling it in five days,’ Gordon advises. In the future, Gordon hopes to further speed up the process by introducing an automated money transfer system between SAGIC and customer bank account – BACS. The team is looking to expand its House and home property and contents business as well as write a new Church policy. They are looking ahead already in preparing a winter campaign to encourage householders and caretakers to plan ahead for conditions that wreak havoc in properties. ‘My degree was in Risk management,’ Gordon explains, ‘and I firmly believe prevention of problems is better than a cure. Gordon says his target profit for 2014 will be £1 million, which will be paid to The Salvation Army via Gift Aid to support its charitable work. Gordon concludes: ‘We want to be a onestop shop for all Christians. We’ve been on the go since 1909; we’ll be on the go for another hundred years!’

Feature 7 Around the Deaneries - Mursley THE Revd Laurence Meering (left), Area Dean of Mursley had just returned from a sabbatical that had included a trip to Israel when this page was being put together. Laurence has been vicar of St Mary’s for seven years, and Area Dean for six of those years. It’s a rural area with the biggest village having a population of just 3,500. “We don’t

have a centre of the deanery which makes it difficult to get unity. We extend from the borders of Milton Keynes down to Ivinghoe, which is nearly at Tring. “We do have a bigger percentage of our population who are regular church members and we have contact with so many more people in the village that we are in,” says Laurence, who used to be involved in a suburban ministry in Aylesbury. You get far fewer Damascus Road stories. People come gradually into the church like the parable of the yeast, we see that growth.” Area Dean: The Revd Laurence Meering “We have to try to provide Lay Chair: Bobbie Ward different worship experiences for different people in Number of Parishes: 20 the benefice.” Right is the Number of Benefices: 4

Vital statistics:

Number of Clergy: 8

Millennium Window from St Mary’s, Mursley.

‘Beacon Church’ restored by Stuart Leeming BOW Brickhill is one of the four parishes making up the Benefice of the Brickhills and Stoke Hammond at the northern end of the Mursley Deanery. All Saints, once known as the “Beacon Church” due to its location on the ancient heathland of the greens and ridge above the village, is now surrounded by trees and partially hidden in the woods from the village it serves. A rector was first appointed in 1185 but the present church building is 15th century with repairs in the 17th and 18th centuries and Victorian additions. Over the years its exposure to the prevailing south westerly winds caused severe erosion to tower masonry and despite Victorian rendering “repairs” the erosion continued and had been highlighted in our last few quinquennial architect’s reports. In 2011 the PCC decided it was time to act to

prevent the tower becoming irreparable without great future costs. We knew we needed the support of the community and through our parish magazine asked for interested volunteers to form a subcommittee of the PCC with the task of overseeing the necessary repairs to the tower. Our prayers were answered when several people led by a recently retired local businessman, Alan Preen, took up the challenge and the All Saints Tower Restoration Appeal (Astra) committee was formed. Funds were raised, grants obtained, faculty applications approved, volunteers found and skilled contractors approved. For several weekends volunteers (pictured right) worked, sustained by on-site catering, and helped clean out the tower belfry gathering up around a hundred sacks of dust, feathers, twigs and pigeon waste accumulated over many years, whilst

Going for growth by Joy Derbyshire On Sunday 12th January 2014 Jubilee Junior Church met at The Hut in Stewkley. There were 14 children aged four to nine along with parents and helpers. We looked at the story of Simeon and Anna and God’s 100 per cent commitment to keep his promises to us. Jubilee Jubilee Junior Church goes on a farm visit in Stewkely. Junior Church (JJC) is nearly two years old and God has definitely kept his promise to us as JJC grows and God’s message is reaching more children. As a country parish we could not sustain a weekly Sunday school so decided on a meeting once a month with JJC feeding into the monthly family service. Both JJC and the family service have grown in number. Having started with one regular attendee and no regular meeting place, we now have up to 15 children and have a Portacabin with a kitchen and toilets. JJC is a meeting for the families and parents are very welcome to attend. We include visits and outdoor activities, and we run a wellattended summer school, Advent school and throw a Christmas party for JJC children and friends at our CofE school. We also have lots of drama activities and adults take part too. We have a lot to learn but we are grateful for where God is leading us. Joy Derbyshire is the Children and Families work co-ordinator Cottesloe Team

Photo: Sue Malleson.

during the week the stonemasons worked on the tower windows and buttresses. We now have a completely repointed church tower with repaired belfry windows and buttresses and a tower interior and belfry cleaned out and re-floored with gates and safety rails, a spiral staircase

with repaired newel stones and a nave and chancel cleaned and repainted. This project has had a positive effect in uniting our community and its legacy is the formation of ASTRA Community Projects which will undertake tasks for the benefit of the village.

Ten wonderful years SUNDAY 23 February will mark ten years since I began my role in the benefice, serving a local community that is overlooked by the Ivinghoe Beacon, writes Tracey Doyle. It will also be my last service as we move to our home in Devon to run a Christian retreat and B&B. The 10 years here have been a wonderful experience sharing God’s message. We have welcomed lots of new arrivals, shared countless celebrations and said goodbye to some dear friends. I have been privileged to support two licensed lay ministers through their training and watch them go from strength to strength in their ministry. I have treasured every moment of working in a team with them. Children’s work has always been a priority for me and I have formed strong links with schools, toddler groups, preschools and the children’s centre. Our children’s work at Ivinghoe with Pitstone and at Slapton has been recognised by the Diocese and we proudly display our Family Friendly Church awards. (See page 11.) The uniformed groups have been

welcomed at the church. It has been my pleasure to forge new links and strengthen existing ones with the community. We have held holiday clubs, and seasonal parties. One of our most successful outreach events is our senior citizens’ Christmas lunch. Music has also been a big part of my time and our choirs have sung at many events. St Mary’s choir also expanded into the Beacon Choir, inviting nonchurch members to join them. My time here has been wonderful and I will take many special memories with me that I will always remember and hold in my heart. The Revd Tracey Doyle (pictured) is the outgoing Vicar of Ivinghoe with Pitstone, Slapton and Marsworth.

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As Valentine’s Day approaches the Door takes a look at how this Diocese is encouraging couples to tie the knot in its various beautiful churches.

hen Bishop Colin, the Bishop of Dorchester, asked me to coordinate piloting the weddings project in the Oxford/Dorchester area in the Autumn of 2011, I felt very excited and saw it as a mission opportunity, writes Debbie Dallimore. We worked closely with the national team on training, branding ideas and resources. The National Weddings Project was launched in 2008 when the new Church of England Marriage Measure was introduced. The majority of wedding shows are always held on a Sunday and it was vital to have a clergy person present on our stand. This is where the Revd Tony Adams, a retired priest and his wife, Iris, a licensed lay minister stepped in. They are passionate about being at the shows to talk to people and reassure them about church weddings. Tony says, “We were surprised by the welcome and comments from other exhibitors - The Church ought to be involved! Why has it taken so long? “We found that many couples did not realise they were eligible to marry in church and felt more comfortable discussing their wedding in the anonymity of a wedding fair rather than in a vicarage or church.”

“The Church ought to be involved!” We were welcomed by the wedding show organisers and the other exhibitors and more importantly by the general public. We offer

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couples a small gift to take away with them which points them to the national weddings project website www.yourchurchwedding.org which answers the majority of the questions they ask. I am still amazed by how many couples assume they cannot marry in church because they are not baptized. I can honestly say that after every show I attend I come away feeling like I have helped a couple with their decision about whether to marry in church or not. It may be that they are unaware of the qualifying connections which would allow them to marry in a church that is not in their parish or they feel uneasy about marrying in church as they are not regular church goers.

We also offer the couples a prayer card to fill in with details of their ‘special’ day and Bishop John and Bishop Colin will pray for them in the week leading up to their wedding. This gesture is really appreciated at the wedding shows and couples are genuinely touched by the offer of prayer. As I write this article, I am in the process of making preparations for the first show of 2014 which took place at Eynsham Hall on Sunday, 12 January. If you would like to find out about local wedding shows in your area or would like to come along and help at one of the shows booked during 2014 then please email debbie.dallimore@oxford.anglican.org or phone 01865 208225.

alk to couples who have opted for a Church Wedding and nine out of ten of them rate the initial response they receive from vicars as good or very good – and the percentage rises still higher when they talk about the experience of their great day itself, writes Bishop Colin. In fact the only thing where we ‘could do better’ is in our followup to a couple’s wedding and there are comparatively easy ways to address that according to the research done a few years ago for ‘The Weddings Project’ in the Buckingham Archdeaconry and the Diocese of Bradford. Yet, despite having satisfaction scores that most businesses would love to have, the fact is that whilst we are still conducting about 1,000 weddings a week, this is less than half the number we did a few decades ago. The reasons for this are numerous. Many couples prefer to cohabit rather than getting married. For those that do want to marry there is now a far greater choice of venues both at home and abroad. Church weddings cannot, in most cases, offer a ‘complete package’ unlike many hotels and golf clubs. Yet whilst over half of English people believe that church is still the ‘proper’ place for a wedding, fewer than a quarter marry in church – and the reason they often give is that they feel that, because they do not go to church on a regular basis it would be hypocritical to ask to do so. In other words we have got a major pastoral challenge on our hands to invite people to think again and to assure them both of their legal rights and, much more importantly, to encourage them to contact their vicar. This is the work which I am very grateful that Debbie Dallimore, Tony and Iris Adams and their colleagues have been doing at Wedding Fairs in Oxfordshire. They attend local shows in the

Paul and Sue Otter on their wedding day at St M sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Pictured right: The

Going to St Mary Magdalene in Woodstock for six months before they got married made Paul and Sue Otter feel part of the church family. The couple had been together for 13 years and had two sons Joseph, 12 and Benjamin, nine, when they decided to tie the knot in October 2013. As they were planning their wedding they went along to a fair at Blenheim Palace where they met Debbie Dallimore, Diocese of Oxford Internal Communications Officer and Editorial Assistant on the Door. Debbie was running one of our stands, with information for couples informing

‘season’ to say that we are wanting people to consider beginning married life in church. I cannot prove that, as a direct result, numbers have gone up significantly but, having been with them myself, I know that their presence is greatly appreciated. Couples are happy to leave their names to ask for the prayers of Bishop John and myself and many discover a new ‘face’ to a Church which they assumed would say ‘no’ but in fact delights to say ‘yes’. Contact Debbie on 01865 208225 or email debbie.dallimore@ oxford.anglican.org if you’d like to know more. Visit www.yourchurchwedding.org for useful resources that can be used by parishes and for couples to use for up-to-date information on Church of England weddings, including readings, hymns, etc. There is a free new pastoral diary that can be used by clergy to assist in the pastoral and administrative work needed before and after a wedding - see www.pastoralservicesdiary.org The Big Promise is a nationwide opportunity for couples to re-affirm their wedding vows on Saturday 8 February. See www.thebigpromise.org.uk for more details.

and say that’s it. We feel part of the church family and that is purely because of the way they conduct the services and the boys are always made welcome,” says Paul, 48. Sue, 51, a graphic designer who now works in a north Oxford community centre, met HGV driver Paul when she worked with his mum and one day asked if he would like to take her out. But when Sue’s father died she did not feel she could face a wedding without dad walking her down the aisle. Paul says: “I got sick of asking her to marry me and being told no. Then she asked me, in a garden centre, telling me she needed to change her name on her driving licence.”

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Sue says: “We decided we wanted to get married. Joe was really pleased as it was important to him that my name was the same as theirs.” Joe walked his mum down the aisle, although didn’t officially give her away, and did a reading during the ceremony. And do things feel different after the ceremony? Paul says: “Yes, I like it, it feels really whole.” Now the couple are also committed to the church. “I saw adverts for people to volunteer for the children’s work and as my children go along, I thought I’d join in,” says Sue. Paul and the boys are also signed up for the Easter 2014 Passion Play.

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them just how easy it is to choose a church as a wedding venue. Next to the Diocese was a stand advertising the Feathers Hotel in Woodstock. “Thanks to the conversation with Debbie, we chose to book the Feathers for the reception and decided to get married nearby in Woodstock Church,” says Sue. With no connection to Woodstock, Sue and Paul went along to St Mary Magdalene for the qualifying six month period and say they fell in love with the leaders, Revd Clare Hayns (Curate in training) and Revd Canon Adrian Daffern (Team Rector). “We weren’t just going to go for the six months

Wedding Fairs with a Difference THE Amersham Deanery hosted a normal wedding fair but with ‘a difference’ — held in a Christian building it would offer the opportunity for couples to find out about marriage in a church and how to go about arranging a ceremony at any location within the Church of England, writes Camilla Walton. The first ‘Wedding Fair with a difference’ was held in the Church of St Michael & All Angels, in Beaconsfield in 2012 and in October 2013 All Saints Church, Chalfont St Peter hosted another great event. The fair was a success with a classic car, glass top carriage and a Routemaster bus lining the drive of All Saints to welcome our visitors to a church full of varied and interesting stands. Our visitors were greeted with champagne whilst listening to the harp or the Pavone String Quartet. At the Church of England stand we were able to answer many enquiries about weddings in churches and have been pleased to advise on bookings for weddings in our churches right through until the end of 2015. At both fairs we have found that there are twofold blessings.

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Firstly that we can be part of breaking long held myths surrounding weddings and marriage in a church and be discovered to be the church that can and will say ‘yes’ showing that we will help as much and as far as we can to support couples in their longed for day. Secondly we discover a deeper and new relationship with the local traders whose livelihood revolves around this particular ministry. A model for running a church located wedding fair can be obtained from Camilla, the Area Dean of Amersham. Email camillawalton@googlemail.com or phone 01494 673464. St Mary’s Witney worked with a business to deliver two wedding fairs, writes Toby Wright. The first fair was held solely in the church. The second — which had grown significantly — was held in the church and outside in giant marquees. The venture arose out of the renewal and restoration of St Mary’s ancient building. The vision is to generate sufficient income through the letting of St Mary’s for wedding receptions, dinners, balls and other functions to cover the upkeep of the church. The wedding fairs have led to good contacts with local businesses and people loved the church hosting them. It obviously gave an opportunity to meet a wide variety of local people intending to get married – we’ve had hundreds of brides through. We know that it has led to a small increase in weddings too. Over time we believe this will have a more significant impact. The one-stop wedding venues are so convincing in their marketing and the church has to wake up to this. It has been a positive experience at all sorts of levels. We have one wedding couple whose marriage is coming up soon where the couple came to the church having no venue, no priest, no caterer and no date. They left the church with all four! It has been a good experience and if others have an opportunity to support weddings fairs, or even host them, it is a great missional gift. The Revd Toby Wright is the Vicar of St Mary’s, Witney and Area Dean for Witney.

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Feature 11 Welcoming children and young people MORE and more churches are being officially presented with awards recognising their work with children and young people. Jo Duckles explores how and why.

o far 11 churches have received distinctive plaques after meeting the criteria for the Diocese’s Child and Youth Friendly Church scheme. A “welcome award” and a “good news” award are available to those churches that meet the criteria put together by diocesan children’s adviser Yvonne Morris and diocesan youth adviser, Ian Macdonald. The first award was presented to St Mary’s, Charlbury last year. Below are some examples of how the awards schemes have helped churches in their work with children and young people. einvigorating its children’s work has reversed a declining congregation at St Mary’s, Freeland. The Revd David Tyler, Vicar, said: “Since focusing on families and children we have started to grow. The awards process was a good one.” Over the last couple of years the team at St Mary’s has breathed new life into an after-school club, set up a toddler group and integrated a Sunday school (Junior Church) into its morning service once a month. “Prior to that we re-invigorated the family service as well and we are involved in school assemblies every week, building relationships with the children.

“It is important that churches engage with children and families.”

“If we hadn’t done the work we have done in this area the church congregation would be much smaller than it is. It is important that churches engage with children and families as one of the groups we must reach out to.” hen Rosemary Robinson read about the launch of Family Friendly Church Awards in the Door, the churchwardens and PCC at Wing had already been considering what could be done to make families more welcome at All Saints’. So the church held a Family Friendly Forum meeting and decided to make its Sunday services as child-friendly as possible. “It’s not a very big congregation and it took some adapting but on the whole we are getting on well with it,” said Rosemary. As a result of these changes, children’s work has become more visible. “There are three or four parents on our PCC now. The Family Friendly Church Awards scheme talks about decision making processes for the church and whether families’ needs are taken into account,” said Rosemary. On Christmas Eve their two Christingle services attract more than 400 people altogether each year. “We always ran one service and eventually decided to move to two,” she said. “Village families now know what to expect each week. We don’t have enormous numbers of families, we can get eight to ten children but normally about five or six attend our Sunday school. Quite a few babies have been born in the last year and more are expected. Some of these families have also supported our Church Mice and after school Pop-In-and-Paint groups which have been running for several years. “In many churches, work with children and families has not been seen as vital to the continuity of a Christian community. Children’s workers and family workers need to be nurtured spiritually as much as anyone else. The Family Friendly Award has brought children and families to the forefront of our church community. Everyone is much more positive about the future of the church generally, and we hope this will be extended across our Team and Deanery as we experience genuine and sustainable renewal in our parishes.” Following a visit from Yvonne Morris, the Diocesan children’s advisor, All Saints’, Wing was given a Welcome Award in October 2013. The Revd Christa Pumfrey and her team at St Michael’s, Lavendon, and All Saints, Ravenstone face the challenges of working in small, rural villages that don’t have huge numbers of children. So they have concentrated on reaching out into the community, rather than expecting the busy community to come to church on Sundays. “We might have two or three children in church for Sunday services but we get 19 when we go to the school,” said Christa, who runs an after school club, Spirit Level, with eight or nine volunteers. At Spirit Level,

St Mary’s Charlbury becomes the first church to get the award.

children play games and hear Bible stories. Christa has worked in the Buckinghamshire villages for 13 years, slowly building relationships and bridges within the communities she serves. The Welcome Award process helped leaders at Christ Church Flackwell Heath in Buckinghamshire find ways of helping their children’s and families work to grow. Children’s worker Ellie Wartew got on board with the Welcome Award process after it was recommended by Yvonne Morris through the Children’s Workers Network. The leaders have recently surveyed the church, asking how welcoming the congregation feel it is, how they feel it could be developed etc. They did a childfriendly version for the junior church, asking youngsters if Christ Church was somewhere they felt they could invite their friends.

“The Family Friendly Award has brought children and families to the forefront.” “A lot of them were saying they really enjoy church and there was nothing they would change but that they didn’t feel they could bring friends because they didn’t think their parents would let them come. We asked them what they felt we could

Children’s activities at All Saint’s Church, Wing.

improve and they said they would like chairs as they sit on the floor during their sessions. They also asked for pens and biscuits. Ellie said: “Adults wanted better biscuits as well so we have overhauled our refreshment system. We realised that we run a coffee shop during the week and go for broke with the quality but once people are in church we give them custard creams.” The church has been involved in Leading Your Church into Growth (LYCIG) conferences run by the diocese and is looking at where they are making room for growth spiritually and numerically, as the building is quite small. ”We wanted to make sure there was room at our services to invite other people to them. The 8.30am service is now at 9am and is followed by a 10.30am service which aims to be a more modern service and we hope families will feel at home.” The other churches to receive an Award are: St Mary’s Burghfield, Holy Cross, Slapton, St Mary’s, Ivinghoe, St Michael’s, Hughenden and St Mary’s, Iffley, and as reported previously in the Door, St Mary’s Charlbury, which was the very first church to receive the Welcome Award. If your Church would like to become an official Child and Youth Friendly Church email yvonne.morris@oxford. anglican.org or ian.macdonald@ oxford.anglican.org

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Creating space for God in 2014 The first signs of Spring are starting to appear – the daffodils and crocuses beginning to show themselves, the days slowly lengthening – and many of us start to think of getting out and about or taking holidays.

Easter and Lenten retreats, prayer retreats, a retreat offering support in difficult times, a biblically themed retreat, individual guided retreats, retreats for groups, retreats for those new to retreats and for those who regularly enjoy retreats – there really is an almost endless list.

This can also be a good time to plan some time out, time to find a place of reflection, a time of peace and stillness, to draw aside and listen to the still small voice in the quiet of our soul’s rest. Taking a retreat can be a wonderful way to help us do this.

Retreats, like people, come in all shapes and sizes, and in many different settings throughout the UK. Some take place in Abbeys and other communities that have traditions of prayer stretching through the centuries. Stately homes are sometimes converted to become centres for retreat, and sometimes more modern purpose built centres are used.

If you have not been on a retreat before, you could be wondering just how you go about it. Is it for me? Will I be comfortable? Can I find a place that will help me get closer to God? Even if you have been on retreat before, these questions can arise. Whether you are confident or a bit more tentative in your faith, the good news is that there are a wide range of retreats available with something suitable for just about everyone.

Retreats can be in the countryside or in towns. You may have the opportunity to use libraries, chapels, prayer rooms and sitting rooms, or perhaps to enjoy beautiful grounds and gardens. Themed retreats may have facilities such as an art room, or opportunities for counselling or a relaxing massage. There is a lot on offer for you to choose from.

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A Lent course that will restore your heart for mission Our Lent study course for 2014 draws inspiration from the church in Myanmar

Our Lent study guide for 2014 – ‘A heart for mission’ – will help churches rediscover their passion for mission. The five-week guide looks at church growth, putting faith into action, caring for the environment, working for justice, and nurturing new believers. It also draws inspiration from Myanmar, where the church is reaching out to communities in word and deed with the help of people like health workers Naw Law La and Naw Bwe Hser (pictured). This is a chance to be transformed by re-discovering the role that mission plays at the heart of our faith. Order FREE Lent resources today: ► A heart for mission – 32-page Lent study course ► 40 days of mission – daily meditations for Lent ► Lent collection boxes and collection envelopes To order, call 020 7921 2200, email info@weareUs.org.uk or visit www.weareUs/lent

Us. The new name for USPG We are Us. We are a Christian charity working in partnership with local Anglican churches around the world. Together, we work with local communities to improve health, put children in school, tackle discrimination, give a voice to women, nurture leaders, and much more.

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Comment, letters Chichester a year on

News

Letters to the editor are very welcome and should be sent either by email to jo.duckles@oxford.anglican.org or by post to Letters at the Door, Diocesan Church House, North Hinksey, Oxford. OX2 0NB. The Editor reserves the right to edit all submissions.

by Stephen Barber

Churchyard outreach

year ago the Chichester clergy child abuse scandal exploded a bomb under the Church of England. No longer could we pretend that this was a problem specific to the Roman Catholics. It had happened to us as well. Archbishop Rowan did something which had not been done for a hundred years: he took back Chichester’s delegated responsibility for safeguarding children and sent in his own commissaries, to find out what had been going on. One of these was our own former chancellor, Rupert Bursell, who in a previous life had been a judge.

become drinking and drug dens which deter anyone else from visiting. Far from it. Boundaries are an important dimension of love, and the police, as well as alcohol and drug professionals have an important part to play. But support of the vulnerable is a part of our mission as Christians, and our attitude to such people should be rooted in the deepest compassion, for: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”. Matthew 25:40 Daniel Emlyn Jones, SS Mary and John Church, East Oxford.

Looking forward to confident, collaborative ministry.

Recommendations They issued two reports and made recommendations both for their own diocese and for the national Church. Some of these are about doing simple things well, such as making sure that clergy are properly authorised and trained and making records. Some are about the handling of allegations and also dealing appropriately and fairly with people about whom there are concerns which, for whatever reason, cannot be brought to court. And, perhaps most important, there is the need to acknowledge and apologize to survivors of clergy abuse for the harm done to them and to do what we can to alleviate it. The world is full of reports. What happened to these? The national Church has led a stream of initiatives. Some of these are straightforward, such as checking that all dioceses have a link to Safeguarding on the front page of their website. Some are far more complicated, such as revising the Clergy Discipline measure, which is primary legislation, to introduce new powers to handle sexual abuse allegations better. This has involved widespread consultation with clergy although in practice very few indeed will ever need to know about it.

Formal apology Perhaps the most important thing to have happened so far is the debate at General Synod in July 2013 which included a formal apology to survivors of clergy sexual abuse. But this was nearer the beginning than the end of the process. Over the longer term standards for Diocesan safeguarding work, for clergy training, for such things as risk assessments and responding to survivors will all be set or raised.

Specialist training Some of these will take time to come to fruition. But in this diocese we have not waited for national initiatives. We have checked our recruitment and appointment processes. We are considering an external audit of our diocesan work. We are preparing and have started rolling out a new programme of training for clergy and lay ministers. Parish training continues thanks to a team of volunteer trainers and local specialists. We shall recruit and train a team of authorized listeners to respond to survivors of abuse – not only by clergy. And although the Chichester case concerned children we are developing our work with vulnerable adults, learning from the recent case in Winchester Diocese. And, as always, a great deal depends on people in dioceses and parishes doing their safer recruitment properly and reporting concerns – doing the simple things well. Stephen Barber is the safeguarding officer for the Oxford Diocese.

Editor: Jo Duckles Tel: 01865 208227 Email: jo.duckles@oxford.anglican.org Editorial Assistant/Distribution: Debbie Dallimore Tel: 01865 208225 Email: debbie.dallimore@oxford.anglican.org Advertising: Glenda Charitos Tel: 01752 225623 Email: glenda@cornerstonevision.com Editorial Support Group Chair: The Revd Graham Sykes Email: prayerdiary@oxford.anglican.org

Ruth Conway explains the Labyrinth, part of a major regeneration project in the churchyard, to American students.

Over the summer months last year, we at SS Mary and John Church in East Oxford conducted a pilot project of ‘presence ministry’ in our churchyard. Our churchyard is a social and spiritual hub in East Oxford, and an important wildlife area and thoroughfare. Working in a team including the Revd Sabina Alkire, Ruth Conway and the Revd Adam Romanis, my job was to do maintenance work while positively engaging with churchyard users. A wide variety of people use our churchyard, but the most in need of help tend to be vulnerable people such as street drinkers, drug addicts and the homeless. Indeed, it seems that many church properties are havens for such people. Vulnerable groups such as these are often associated with antisocial behaviour, and it is tempting to see them as nuisances. My experience this summer, spending time getting to know them and trying to understand them, has taught me that, far from being problems, to be wished away, they are opportunities for Christian outreach. I have met alcoholics who began drinking due to bereavement, one who suffers excruciating pancreatitis, (a disease associated with drinking), and another whose early experience of religion was being dragged around by nuns. For me the presence of vulnerable people on Holy ground harkens back to old ideas of troubled people claiming sanctuary in churchyards. Of course, this does not mean that churches or churchyards should be doormats, that church properties should be allowed to

IT was good to read about the 2014 focus on shaping confident collaborative ministry. (Stable Door 2014) Some may say that they have been doing this very effectively for years; but for others it will present new challenges and opportunities and is therefore to be welcomed. There is much about it that appeals: the flexibility it offers, the use of all the God-given gifts of the people and so on. There’s something almost biblical about it and I look forward to seeing what initiatives emerge. It is also to be hoped that this can be achieved without sliding into a culture of managers and staff, and of professionals and amateurs. The Ordinal does not make a distinction between paid and unpaid clergy, and rightly so: a priest is a priest is a priest, whether you think ontologically or simply in terms of the rights, privileges and obligations that ordination brings. In fact one in five male and two thirds of female newly ordained priests are self-supporting (Church of England statistics 2012). Their ministry will be pivotal to the Church’s ability to offer anything remotely resembling the sacramental worship and pastoral support that is needed. All forms of ministry should therefore be honoured, and self-supporting ministry is something that we should especially celebrate. Matthew Caminer, Old Windsor, Berkshire.

Calling all Tweeters

THROUGHOUT the next year 52 people will be spending a week Tweeting about their life in the Church of England. Bishops, chaplains, youth leaders, cathedral staff, diocesan staff, congregations, volunteers, ordinands, CofE school staff and others are needed to Tweet for one week. Their Tweets should offer a glimpse behind the curtain at funny encounters, dayto-day activities and how God is with them through all of that. For one week, starting from Lent, each person will take over the new @ourcofe account. For more information or to offer to take part email talitha.proud@churchofengland.org.

Deadline for March 2014 issue: Friday 31 January 2014. Published: Monday 17 February 2014. The Door is published by Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance (Diocesan Secretary Mrs Rosemary Pearce). The registered office is Diocesan Church House, North Hinksey Lane, Oxford, OX2 ONB. Tel: 01865 208200. While every care is taken to ensure the reliability of our advertisements, their inclusion in The Door does not guarantee it or mean that they are endorsed by the Diocese of Oxford.

Audio version Sight impaired people can get a free audio verison of the Door by contacting the Oxford Diocese on 01865 208227

16 God in the life of… The Ven. Olivia Graham tells Jo Duckles about her life from becoming a Montessori teacher in Nairobi, to a career in international development and the road to becoming the Archdeacon of Berkshire.

livia tells me her story from Foxglove House in Newbury – her base since she became Archdeacon in October 2013. Despite being a cradle Anglican, attending Matins every Sunday and getting confirmed at 13, Olivia woke up aged 14 and decided that Christianity was “a load of baloney”. It would be more than a decade later, after a couple of stints in Africa, that she returned to faith. After her A levels Olivia moved to Kenya where she worked in a co-educational secondary school on the Uganda border. Aged just 18 and with some of the students older than her, Olivia ended up running the school when the head left. She then trained to be a Montessori teacher and worked with children aged two-and-a-half to six in Nairobi. She kept deferring a place to study Swahili and Linguistics at SOAS (the School of Oriental and African Studies) until eventually the university asked her if she really wanted to do the degree. By the time she was 25 she had decided that what she really wanted to do was a degree in Development Studies. “I had a wonderful three years at the University of East Anglia,” says Olivia. “My dissertation field work was done on a Maasai group ranch in Kenya.” It was while she was at university that Olivia began to re-engage with faith, when a cousin asked her to be a godmother to her baby. “It was a bit ridiculous to say I would be a godmother if I didn’t believe in God,” says Olivia. “I started going to the university chaplaincy and talking to the chaplain and came back to faith that way. I have always been grateful for that challenging question and I later had some powerful charismatic experiences which left me with no doubt at all about the reality of God.” After graduating she co-ordinated a UN funded education programme, for refugees

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There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

1Ch 17:20 (ESV)

in Djibouti, a small country in the Horn of Africa, which borders Ethiopia. “There had been a large influx of refugees from the Ogaden War in Ethiopia. I worked in the camps for a couple of years but made myself unpopular because I wrote a report that was critical about the lack of protection for women refugees,” says Olivia, who went on to run a relief and development programme for Oxfam in Somalia before moving back to Oxford to run a networking project covering 17 countries in Sub Saharan Africa. “It was helping local project workers in different countries to not re-invent the wheel. They were doing similar sorts of work but with no mechanisms to contact each other.” During this time, she met and married Keith and their son Robert was born. After a couple of years, the project headquarters was moved to Senegal, and the family moved to West Africa. Olivia says she first considered ordination during a power cut in Mogadishu.

“I was sitting with a group of people one hot evening in semi-darkness, drinking beer and chatting about what we would be doing in 10 years. I heard a voice saying ‘I think I’ll be ordained.’ I realised I’d said it, then having said it I had to carry it around with me.” In 1992, as Olivia was coming to the end of her time in Senegal, General Synod voted to allow the ordination of women.“I came back to England and started exploring ordination. I went to my selection conference six months pregnant with Philip, my second child. Olivia says: “One of the selectors looked over his glasses and asked ‘ are you sure this is the right time dear?’”. It clearly was as she was recommended and began training on what was then the St Albans and Oxford Ministry Course, based at St Stephen’s House, Oxford. “In my third year I got pregnant with Sophie, my youngest, who was born in the July. I missed the final summer school but took her to the closing Eucharist when she was three days old.”

TAYLORS (OF OXFORD)

Not wanting to up sticks with a new baby, leaving the support of friends, Olivia served her first year as a curate in Garsington, on the outskirts of Oxford. She completed her training in Princes Risborough before becoming team vicar at St Peter’s, Burnham, for seven very happy years. Sheila Watson, the Archdeacon of Buckingham at the time, encouraged Olivia to apply for the role of Parish Development Adviser (PDA) for the Oxford Archdeaconry. It’s a role she is extremely enthusiastic about, once telling Bishop John it was the best job in the Church of England. “I am grateful to have been able to continue my ministry of spiritual direction which I trained for during my curacy, and also to train in supervision skills. Another good project was the Festival of Prayer. It was a really good, creative time.” “I was enjoying my role and when a senior colleague suggested I might apply for the Archdeacon of Berkshire role when my predecessor, the Ven. Norman Russell retired, it came as a big shock to me. I hadn’t considered being an archdeacon. A large element in applying for a job like this is allowing the wisdom of others to come to bear on the discernment, trusting that the process has God in it and that the outcome will be the right outcome for everybody, which is a good strategy. If you believe that, you never have any reason to feel disappointed...” Since starting her new role, Olivia has been extremely busy. “Although I’ve worked in the Diocese for the whole of my ministry, I’m in a new county and a new archdeaconry. A lot of the things I am called on to do require a depth of knowledge and a different kind of knowledge and I’m on a steep learning curve. Newbury is a lovely town. I’m really happy to be doing this job, excited about what God might be doing in Berkshire, and energised by sharing that with wonderful colleagues and lay people.” Olivia is married to Keith, who is on the admin team at Ripon College Cuddesdon and choir master at St George’s, Wash Common. They have three children, Robert, an ordinand at Cuddesdon, Philip who is studying in Liverpool and Sophie who is doing her A levels.

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February 2014

Pull this section out. Keep it handy for your own prayers and involvement in the Diocese.

By Sue Booys

www.oxford.anglican.org

Do you have piles of things?

on a list to read again, put it on another to acquire a copy and ordered it from Amazon, unwrapped the book, felt excited, then put it in one of those piles to read when I had time to do it justice! Fortunately I excavated that particular pile and took the book away with me to read after Christmas. Just as archaeologists discover historical treasures the result of this particular excavation was the discovery of a spiritual treasure. Jean Vanier writes about community with clarity and passion and although his experience is based in a very particular kind of community, the lessons that he draws are universal. I was particularly caught up by the chapter on mission.

have piles of books I haven’t quite got around to reading – but I acquired them because I knew I wanted to… a pile of DVD’s loaned because I would really love to watch them and “it is so good because….” I have piles of washing and ironing too – sometimes even a stack of washing up! I’m not even going to start thinking about lists but sometimes I feel as if I have piles of those as well! I don’t know about you but I find the idea of these piles positively debilitating – so I cover them up. I have even been known to say that I dare not excavate such and such a pile in case it contains an “unexploded bomb” – a thank you letter not written for example or, worse still written and crossed off the list but not actually posted.

“...literature and the arts... inspire and inform my whole being, thinking and praying.” In the lull after Christmas I have addressed some of my piles and it has been a real joy. I watched The Help and The Life of Pi. If you haven’t got round to watching them yet you must. Each of them is the kind of film that helps me to think of the vulnerability of humanity and the extraordinary strength and resilience of human beings in the face of injustice and mental and physical challenge.

“...a community in communion with others will receive and give life.”

Thanks to my book club I’ve also read the Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society, a wonderfully gentle book about the Island under German Occupation. I even managed two items from just one of my lists by making it to see almost the final showings in Oxfordshire of both The Butler and Saving Mr Banks. The group of friends I go to the cinema with nearly always say to me as we leave: “Quite a few sermons in there then, Sue.’

To be honest I rarely preach a sermon that’s only about a book or a film but I’m very aware that the depths that literature and the arts touch in me inspire and inform my whole being, thinking and praying. Further down one of my piles was a book by the leader of the L’Arche community Jean Vanier – Community and Growth. I knew I’d read at least some of it before because I came across some notes. I put it

The mission of a community is to bring life and in order to do so they must be a place of engagement that engages with the communities that surround them: “A community that isolates itself will wither and die; a community in communion with others will receive and give life.” A community will say “Come and see”. Perhaps that simple statement invites a question we might ask ourselves in order to help our mission: “Would we want to say ‘Come and See’ about this community?” The Revd Canon Sue Booys is the Rector of Dorchester Abbey.

Let there be light

Thought for the month By David Winter

Then God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light Genesis 1:3

raditionally, on the second Sunday before Lent the Old Testament reading in church is the opening chapter of Genesis. With utter simplicity and using a very limited vocabulary, it presumes to answer the most elusive question of all, the one with which Stephen Hawking ended his Brief History of Time: ‘Why does the universe bother to exist?’ It’s the unspoken question behind all those probes and state of the art telescopes that now clutter space.. It’s why science fiction fascinates so many people. It’s why

one day human beings will crawl about on Mars and perhaps, who knows, venture far beyond into the vastness of eternal space. It’s the question I remember worrying over as a schoolboy — what is there when space ends? I know the answer is almost certainly more of the same, but my mind can’t comprehend it. There is something both terrifying and thrilling about being a self-conscious being in what is, at present, a silent universe. Everything else we know has a meaning, a purpose — but what’s the purpose of this? I think Genesis chapter one gives as good an answer as we can want, provided we read it with eyes of faith and imagination. It is not a scientific account of a single event. The universe didn’t pop out of nowhere ready made. In poetry — yes, it’s even got a refrain: ‘there was evening, there was morning, the second day’ - it describes a stunning process, which culminates in the judgment that ‘everything is very good’.

That process still continues, and will, it seems, until a great purpose is fulfilled. Genesis (as its name tells us) is the beginning. The end (go to Revelation chapter 21) is a new heaven and a new earth. It’s right and natural that human beings imagine, ask and search for the answer to that unspoken question: “What’s it all about?” That is, the Bible tells us, the way we are made. We want to know. The intriguing truth, however, is that all our searching really leads us back to Genesis chapter one. There is light. There is life. There is a process going on before our eyes and our instruments. We are part of that process and, thank God, part of its purpose. It is not simply accident. The creation is going somewhere. Do enjoy the second Sunday before Lent! David Winter’s new book At the End of the Day was published by BRF on 22 November (£6.99).

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Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalm 1 (ESV) Photo: www.sxc.hu

SATURDAY 1 Holy Trinity Walton. Andrew Blyth, Richard Phillips, Peter Wheeler, Martin Roper, Glynis Axtell, Carolyn Edwards and Richard Turner. Please pray for us as we pursue our mission priorities to reach families and those in their twenties & thirties and for our refocusing of church community life around mission clusters. MONDAY 3 Worminghall with Ickford, Oakley and Shabbington. David Kaboleh and Susan Small. That we may have the courage to share the Gospel with our local communities and that God will refresh our current leadership teams and also to call out new leaders. Oakley (VC) School. TUESDAY 4 Burnham and Slough Deanery. Rod Cosh (Area Dean), Mark Johnson, Zarah Wilson, Bob Chapman, Allen Walker, Linda Hillier, Michael Wilcockson and Richard Rooley. Please pray for Slough Deaf Church and their Chaplains Vera Hunt and Roger Williams. The parishes of the Deanery as they develop their individual Mission Action Plans and become a Missionary Deanery. The Slough Winter Night Shelter and all the churches and organisations that offer accommodation to those without anywhere to sleep. Glebe Committee Meeting.

WEDNESDAY 5 The Jubilee River Group Ministry – Burnham. Bill Jackson, Jim Barlow, Barry Marsden and Bob Saunders. For developing work in Cornerstone and all our volunteers. For the ministry group as it begins to plan for 2014 and beyond and our Curate who is in his final year. St Peter’s Burnham (VA) School.

WEDNESDAY 12 Horton and Wraysbury. Colin Gibson, Mike Miller and Beryl Walters. For the growth of Crafty Church, especially Kids’ Crafty Church, a new initiative featuring interactive crafts started in Horton and in Wraysbury for the development of a Mission Action Plan for the parish. General Synod.

THURSDAY 6 The Jubilee River Group Ministry – Cippenham. Janet Minkinnen. For the parish as we seek to appoint our new Incumbent ; for our outreach in mission to young families through Poppets and our ministry in our care homes of REACH, Applegarth and Elthan Avenue.

THURSDAY 13 Langley Marish. Robin and Juliet Grayson on Sabbatical. Colin Hartley and Bruce Russell as they take on extra responsibilities during the sabbatical and for Bill Birmingham. General Synod.

FRIDAY 7 The Jubilee River Group Ministry - Eton, Eton Wick, and Boveney and Dorney. For this benefice in vacancy as they seek, under God, a new vicar. For those lay people who have taken on extra responsibility and for visiting clergy. Eton Dorney and Eton Wick (VC) Schools. For National Marriage Week starting today. The Bishop’s Council / Standing Committee of ODBF meeting today. SATURDAY 8 The Jubilee River Group Ministry – Hitcham. Nicky Pledger and Alan Pledger. Our ministry amongst children and young people through Roots and Shoots, Big Friendly God Club, The Shed and Impact. The planning of Lighthouse, our summer club, and for our support of Maidenhead’s Open Kitchen Food Share Scheme. Bishop David Jennings confirming at St George’s School. MONDAY 10 The Jubilee River Group – Taplow and Dropmore. Alan Dibden. For the Jubilee River Group Ministry working through two vacancies. For the Diocesan Advisory Committee meeting today and General Synod. TUESDAY 11 Colnbrook and Datchet Peter Wyard, Rod Cosh and Suzanne Johnson. Give thanks for a growing congregation, and pray that all will help to deepen their faith and discipleship. For God’s wisdom over plans for a new church building in Colnbrook, especially for young people and children, and pray that it will help to bring the community together. In Datchet give thanks that fundraising is complete for our new church community centre and pray that the building will progress well in the next three months. May it energise our congregation and strengthen our service in the community . Churchmead Aided School Datchet and St Mary’s Acadamy Datchet and Colnbrook Academy. For the Partnership in World Mission meeting today. General Synod.

Our Bishops on Sundays SUNDAY 2: Candlemas. Bishop Colin confirming at Witney. SUNDAY 9: Bishop John confirming at St Edward’s School Oxford, Bishop Alan Confirming at Wycombe Abbey School and Bishop Andrew Confirming at St Michael’s Bray.

FRIDAY 14 Upton-cum-Chalvey. Andrew Allen, Alistair Stewart, Linda Hillier and Julie Wearing. For our work with the homeless and the wider community and in our local schools — Slough and Eton Academy and St Mary’s (VC) School. General Synod. SATURDAY 15 Britwell – John Chorlton. As the parish population rises to 18,000 give thanks for the vision which led to the new church building opening four years ago. For work on our first Mission Action Plan. For outreach to the 200 new homes and new shopping area being built next to the Church. Give thanks for the encouragement of seeing all that God has done with all the new possibilities. Ministry to the two big state schools. Bishop Bill Down confirming at Downe House School. MONDAY 17 Farnham Royal With Hedgerley. Graham Saunders, Gordon Briggs and Helen Chamberlain. For continued guidance as we implement our New Mission Action Plan for 20142016 centred on prayer and spiritual renewal. Also for God’s guidance in the consolidation of our life together in three churches - that we may be creative and resourceful together in our life and mission. TUESDAY 18 Manor Park, St John and Whitby Road St Michael. For our guidance in discerning how the church should respond to God’s call in the parish as decisions are made on the appointment of a new minister and for the housebound members of our congregation. The North Slough Local Ecumenical Partnership. WEDNESDAY 19 St Paul’s Slough. Mike Cotterell and David Gilbert. For new Staff for our youth work and our training for Adults, also for those considering ordination and other ministries. THURSDAY 20 Stoke Poges. Harry Latham, Andrew Parry, Nigel Lowe & Paul Elderfield. For our plan to “prayer walk” in the parish, for our Friday night youth club and search for youth interns, and for our fruit from our guest service which took place on 16 February.

SUNDAY 16: Education Sunday Please pray for all our schools and academies, for our Education Department and for all who support them through the Board of Education. Pray for Bishop John as Chair of the National Society and lead Bishop on Education matters. SUNDAY 23: Please pray for the Department of Mission – Mission in the World Team. Alison Webster, Joanna Collicutt, Glyn Evans, Matt Freer, Helen Keely and Maranda St John Nicolle.

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ions and, if you wish, produce your own deanery prayer diaries. FRIDAY 21 Iver. Robert Gooding, Brian Griffiths, George Howard and Jim Dashper. For good relationships with the local community and other organisations within the parish and our work with children and young people and wisdom relating to the appointment of a part time youth worker.

Gilead Foundations is a Therapeutic Community,

SATURDAY 22 Iver Heath. Andrew Montgomerie and John Mitchell. For the development of our children’s work ‘Living Stones’ and building relationships with other local churches.

offering a residential rehabilitation programme, called KEY, for people with life-controlling addictions, such as drug or alcohol abuse, homelessness, gambling, eating disorders, self harm, and other addictive behaviours.

MONDAY 24 Wexham. For this parish at it goes through vacancy and the people as they seek a new Vicar; for those who take on extra responsibility and for visiting clergy. Fairtrade Fortnight begins. TUESDAY 25 Claydon Deanery. David Meakin (Area Dean), Richard Lightbown, Ron Aspinall and Lorna Piper. For the preparations being made for the multi-deanery stand at the Bucks County Show and the Deanery involvement in the forthcoming vacancy at Winslow. Fairtrade issues. WEDNESDAY 26 Schorne Team Ministry. David Meakin, Mary Cruddas, Jim Gorringe, Phillip Mears, Janet Bayly, Richard Lightbown and Robert Kemp. Pray that we may find ways of building on the work that we are doing to develop a ministry of hospitality and that we may find new ways of the churches within the Team working together. Fairtrade issues. North Marston and Quainton (VC) Schools, Waddesdon Academy and Westcott (VA) School. THURSDAY 27 The Claydons and Swan Team Ministry. David Hiscock, Wendy Callan and Angela Mann. For Diane Phillips appointed as Licensed Lay Minister to the Team on 26 January as she begins her new ministry in these parishes and for all our churches and communities threatened by HS2, particularly at Chetwode, Twyford and Calvert. Fairtrade issues. Twyford (VC) School and Marsh Gibbon (VA) School. FRIDAY 28 Winslow with Great Horwood and Addington. Belinda Searle-Barnes and Geoffrey Ball. For the smooth running of the vacancy and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as a new incumbent is sought to take the three parishes onwards in their pilgrimage with God. Fairtrade issues. Winslow and Great Horwood (VC) Schools.

Competition winners The winners of the competition in Stable Door were: Penny Hollings from Princes Risborough, The Revd Maureen Devine from Earley and Richard Heckman from Charlbury. They have all won a copy of At the End of the Day by David Winter.

Comings and Goings The Revd David Payne will take up post as Associate Minister at Vale Benefice; The Revd Priscilla Slusar will take up post as Rector of Bernwode; The Revd Lorraine Colam will take up post as Chaplain of NHS Foundation Trust at the Royal Berkshire Hospital; The Revd Kate Seagrave will take up post as Associate Priest at St Aldate’s; The Revd Dr Elizabeth Thomson will be leaving her post as Team Vicar in Witney; The Revd

Services at Christ Church Cathedral SUNDAYS: 8am Holy Communion; 10am Matins (coffee in Priory Room); 11.15am Sung Eucharist; 6pm Evensong. WEEKDAYS: 7.15am Morning Prayer; 7.35am Holy Communion; 1pm (Wednesday only) Holy Communion; 6pm Evensong (Thursday Sung Eucharist 6pm). Tel: 01865 276155

www.chch.ox.ac.uk

Ian Mountford will be leaving his post as Team Vicar of Thame; The Revd Maggie Rode and The Revd Nigel Rode will be leaving their posts as Associate Clergy at Chalfont St Peter. The following have been given permission to officiate: The Revd Peter Silva; The Revd Carole Hough. We recall with sadness the deaths of The Revd Canon Jim Payne and The Revd Geoffrey Williams.

Based on a 300 acre dairy farm in rural Devon, Gilead uses the Genesis Process Relapse Prevention programme with our clients. If you, or someone you know would like more information about Gilead or would like to make an application, please contact:

Laura Alm

Tel: 01837 851240 Fax: 01837 851520

laura.alm@gilead.org.uk

www.gilead.org.uk

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Courses, training, conferences and workshops in February

The Doorpost is a free service for churches to advertise their events and is designed to be hung on church noticeboards. Please send your events to doorpost@oxford.anglican.org or by post to Church House. The deadline for the next issue is Friday 31 January 2014. SATURDAY 1 FEBRUARY Thame: An opportunity for the spouses of clergy in the Diocese of Oxford to spend time together and have a bring and share lunch. There will also be time for worship, prayer and reflection on The Worry Book by Will van der Hart & Rob Waller. The day will be held at Thame Barns Centre OX9 3AJ from 10am to around 4pm. Email matthewcaminer@gmail.com for details.

Details at www.readingbachchoir.org.uk or phone 0118 947 8097.

Milton Keynes: ‘How does God speak to me?’ - A Quiet Day at The Well at Willen from 10am - 4pm. The day will include creative approaches using pictures, music, poetry and prayer techniques. Details and booking information at www.thewellatwillen. org.uk or phone 01908 242190.

TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY Oxford: ‘Oh what a Lovely War?’ Lecture on the First World War at Christ Church Cathedral from 5pm 6.30pm in the Blue Boar Theatre. ‘1914 - 1918: Was Britain right to fight?’ by Nigel Biggar. Phone 01865 276155 for details.

TUESDAY 4 FEBRUARY Oxford: ‘Oh what a Lovely War?’ A series of lectures on the First World War are taking place at Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesdays from 21 January to 25 February from 5pm 6.30pm in the Blue Boar Theatre The talk today will be by Gary Sheffield ‘Victorious Donkeys? British Generals and Generalship of the First World War Reconsidered’. Phone 01865 276155 for details. THURSDAY 6 FEBRUARY Oxford: The Retired Clergy meeting will take place at 10.30am in the Priory Room at Christ Church Cathedral. Speaker: Revd Canon Professor Dr Martyn Percy, The Principal of Ripon College, Cuddesdon - ‘The Clergy: The Origin of the species - some updates on recent Evolution’. Details from 01865 761476. Oxford: St Giles’ Church lunchtime talks on Dominican Spirituality: to learn Christ’s truth and to pass it on are on Thursdays until 13 March in St Giles Parish Rooms at 12.30pm. Today’s talk is by Timothy Radcliffe OP ‘ The Spirituality of Dominican Government’. Email info@ocsg.uk.net or visit www. ocsg.uk.net for details. SATURDAY 8 FEBRUARY Cowley: St James Church, Beauchamp Lane have a Snowdrop weekend begins today from 10.30am - 4pm and tomorrow 2pm - 4pm. Refreshments available. Reading: Sacred Spaces: works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Schoenberg and Sandstrom will be performed by the Reading Bach Choir at Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton RG7 5TQ at 7.45pm. There is also a pre-concert talk by Revd Hilary Benson which begins at 7pm. Tickets: £12 (concessions £10).

SUNDAY 9 FEBRUARY Wantage: Come and sing Messiah at St John Vianney RC Church from 2pm - 5pm. Tickets for singers and audience £10 (£5 for singers under 18, free admission for under 14s). Fundraising event in aid of SeeSaw and Breakthrough Breast Cancer charities. Details from 01235 763756.

THURSDAY 13 FEBRUARY Oxford: St Giles’ Church lunchtime talk on Dominican Spirituality: to learn Christ’s truth and to pass it on is in St Giles Parish Rooms at 12.30pm. Talk by Peter Hunter OP ‘St Thomas Aquinas: God as the Ground of Being.’ Email info@ ocsg.uk.net or visit www.ocsg.uk.net for details. SATURDAY 15 FEBRUARY Cowley: St James Church, Beauchamp Lane have a Snowdrop weekend today from 10.30am - 4pm and tomorrow 2pm - 4pm. Refreshments available. TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY Oxford: ‘Oh what a Lovely War?’. A lecture on the First World War at Christ Church Cathedral from 5pm 6.30pm in the Blue Boar Theatre. ‘The War and English Region’ by Matthew Grimley. Phone 01865 276155 for details. THURSDAY 20 FEBRUARY Oxford: The Council for Christians and Jews (Oxford) talk by Patrick Morrow, the CCJ Programmes manager, will explain what CCJ is doing to ensure that the next generation of rabbis and Christian clergy are aware of the imperatives of Jewish/Christian dialogue - ‘The next Generation: Who will carry our dialogue banner?’ Begins at 7.30pm at Queens College, High Street. Email cjrelations@ccj.org.uk Oxford: St Giles’ Church lunchtime talk on Dominican Spirituality: to learn Christ’s truth and to pass it on is in St Giles Parish Rooms at 12.30pm. Talk by Robert Ombres OP ‘St Catherine of Siena: Compassion and Mysticism’. Email info@ocsg.uk.net or visit www.ocsg. uk.net for details.

A series of lectures on the First World War is taking place at Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesdays during February SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY Earley: Come and sing Fauré Requiem and Cantique de Jean Racine at Earley St Peter’s Church RG6 1EY. Day begins at 3.15pm with registration, followed by rehearsal, refreshments and the performance begins at 7.30pm. Book your place by emailing readingchorale@ gmail.com or visit www.ambernunn.com/ reading-chorale. TUESDAY 25 FEBRUARY Oxford: ‘Oh what a Lovely War?’. Lecture on the First World War at Christ Church Cathedral on 5pm 6.30pm in the Blue Boar Theatre. ‘If you do not want to see God’s hand in everything, even in the most unbearable, you are lost.’ by Holger Afflerbach. Phone 01865 276155 for details. WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY Turville: Hambleden Valley, near Henley. Healing service with laying on of hands and anointing at Holy Communion at 10.15am. Details 01491 571231. Tilehurst: St Mary Magdalen - Vivaldi ‘Gloria’. Reading Concert Singers at 7.30pm. Programmes £8 (£4 under 16). Details 0118 942 5290. THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY Oxford: St Giles’ Church lunchtime talks on Dominican Spirituality: to learn Christ’s truth and to pass it on is in St Giles Parish Rooms at 12.30pm. Talk by Carsten Barwasser OP ‘Meister Eckhart’. Email info@ocsg.uk.net or visit www. ocsg.uk.net for details.

NOTICE Please note that the 33rd Amersham Millennium Lecture due to take place on 29 January with Dr Paula Gooder has been cancelled.

Courses and Special Events CAP MONEY: This free budgeting course is held at The Mish, 57F St Clement’s Street, Oxford OX4 1AG. The evening courses run on 27 January, 3 and 10 February from 7.30pm 9.30pm and the daytime courses run on 6, 13, and 20 March from 9.30am - 11.30am. Register your place by visiting www. capmoney.org/ or phoning 01865 246674.

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LIVING IN THE END TIMES: A training day. which is part of the Continuing Ministerial Development Programme, led by Revd Dr Joanna Collicutt on helping people to live well at the end of life and to prepare for death. Tuesday 18 February from 10am - 4.30pm at Diocesan Church House, Oxford. Cost £10. Book your place by emailing helen.keely@oxford.anglican.org PASSION FOR PASTORAL CARE: A practical and theological resource day for those involved in pastoral care in parishes. The

day runs from 9.30am - 3.30pm at Emmanuel Church, Bicester. Cost £15 (bring your own lunch). Email helen.keely@oxford. anglican.org for details and booking information. CONFERENCE ON NEW MONASTICISM: Thursday 27 February from 10am - 4pm at the Anglican Community of St Mary the Virgin (CSMV), Wantage OX12 9DJ. Cost: £20 (includes light lunch and refreshments). Places are limited and you need to book by 31 January. Phone 01793 702715 or 07861 223347. INTRODUCTION TO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND: This day will explain the history and structures of the Church of England and is open to anyone to attend. Saturday 15 March from 10am - 4pm at Diocesan Church House, Oxford. Cost £20. Email sheila.townsend@oxford.anglican.org for details.