2022 Autumn final

St Mary’s Woodford
Parish Magazine

Volume 13 number 3 www.stmaryswoodford.org.uk

Autumn 2022

Welcome

What a summer this has been! So much glorious sunshine. Beautiful and yet also
scarey because of what it shows us about climate change and the risks of
drought, wildfires, floods and more. We reduced the number of vestments worn
during services, provided cold drinks instead of tea and coffee, and encouraged
the congregation to stay seated. The grass in the churchyard went so pale that
when Junior Church made a bird seed prayer labyrinth in July [see photograph
on the front cover] we had to buy sunflower seeds because the other seeds were
the same colour as the grass and blended in so the labyrinth pathways weren’t
clear. We are continuing to make plans for Greening St Mary’s and working
with people across our community to become greener together.

As the weather begins to cool, we recognise that we are already in a cost of
living crisis and that things are likely to get much more difficult as energy prices
and inflation in general rise further. As we talk, think and pray about where we
can discover hope together, let’s remember Jesus’ incarnation means God really
knows what it’s like to be cold, hungry and scared, and to have huge compassion
for people in need.

In July, PCC discussed how we might be able to help people struggling with
the cost of living, with loneliness and seeking hope. It was a very fruitful ten
minutes! Lots of connections were made with things we’re doing already, with
organisations we know well, and new ideas. From there, we are planning a Free
Sustainability event in the Memorial Hall on Saturday 15 October 10.30-1.30 in
partnership with Redbridge Council, South Woodford Society and the Coop. The
Welfare Benefits team (see Judy Noble’s article on page 12) will also be present.
The event will be completely free and aimed at both helping us become more
environmentally friendly and helping with the financial squeeze. There will be a
repair café (electrical, sewing, bike), free refreshments, advice about recycling,
using less energy, benefits and finances, free toy swap shop and more. Many
other ideas are also being discussed, including whether churches and other
places of worship could provide community cafés offering warmth, refreshment,
company and entertainment. Maybe there will be a low-fuel cookbook, make do

Front cover: the bird seed labyrinth in front of St Mary’s

2

and mend tips, food sharing… please do Parish Register
get in touch with your ideas.
Many familiar events in the St Mary’s
calendar are planned – Harvest on 25 For your Prayers:

September benefiting the Manna Centre, Marriage
Soul Night (that’s wonderful music!)
during the evening on 15 October, Gift
Day benefiting St Mary’s on 16 October, a 17th June Paula Davies and
concert of Dvořák’s music on 29 October, Michael Aristides

All Souls on 2 November, our annual Baptisms
memorial service with W.English funeral 28th August Charlotte K
director on 5 November, Civic
Remembrance followed by children’s
activities on 12 November, Remembrance Funerals
Sunday on 13 November and our Charity .
Bazaar on 19 November. Amidst all this 13th June Patrick Flynn
activity, let’s continue to pray for those in 14th July Michael Oates
need, and for one another, as we recognise 19th July Jean Thorogood
the power of Jesus’ love. 12th August Olive Simmonds

Revd Dr Elizabeth Lowson,
e mail:
[email protected]

The recent Lambeth Conference
www.lambethconference.org and the Chelmsford Bishops’ letter

following the Lambeth Conference https://tinyurl.com/2p8hnrer and the
text of Bishop Guli’s keynote speech: https://tinyurl.com/27jrzzxv

There is always a copy of the latest parish magazine on the St Mary’s
website www.stmaryswoodford.org.uk
To contact the parish office [email protected]
or tel 020 8505 3000
You can find it by scrolling down to the ‘Our Publications’ heading.
See also Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube: @stmaryswoodford
You can find a copy of the Word, the publication of local Roman Catholic
churches, on https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-
0Hld9qIGfm6f0mYe7Lk_afBpVjWr7GI/view?usp=sharing

3

Life at St Mary’s

Sweet singing in the choir: A celebration and

thanks for Jean Moody’s service

. congregation sitting on the left side of
On 31st July St. Mary's officially the church and the old St. Mary's
thanked Jean for her dedicated service congregation sitting on the right!
and celebrated her long-standing
membership of the church choir for the Altogether Jean has worked with
past 71 years. over 14 music directors and was
wardrobe mistress for many years,
She joined St. Philip and St. James both organising replacement robes and
Choir in 1951, aged 14 years, regularly surplices and being responsible for
attending the church in Grove Hill everyone, including visiting choristers,
with her parents. This family tradition being suitably robed before the
continued when Jean, her daughter Sue service.
and son Nigel transferred to St. Mary's
when the churches amalgamated. In Jean also sang with both the North
later years Sue's daughters attended St. East London Polytechnic Choir and
Mary's regularly with their mother and the South West Essex Choir. She
grandmother. Jean recalls Michael recalls singing at St. Paul's Cathedral
Lovejoy playing the organ and piano with St. Mary's and regularly singing
and singing in the choir in the 'early in concerts with NELP at St. John's,
days' and the new 'Pip and Jim' Smith Square, the Royal Festival Hall
and Westminster Abbey. One of her
most memorable occasions was a
performance of Mahler's Symphony
No. 8 at the Royal Albert Hall
attended by the Queen to celebrate her
Silver Jubilee. Jean also accompanied
NELP on a trip to Israel.

Jean's favourite anthem is Parry’s 'I
was Glad' and her favourite hymn is
'Lord of the Dance'.
Susan Baxter and Penny Freeston

4

Life at St Mary’s

The return of Santa to the Bazaar on 19th November
This year's Christmas Charity Bazaar will see a few changes, hopefully all
for the better. After a prolonged absence there should be a welcome return
for Santa Claus' grotto. The Guides will be taking a greater involvement,
hopefully the Scouts too.

St Mary’s is a Redbridge Food
Bank collection point. Woodford
Baptist Church on George Lane
is both a collection and
distribution point (Distribution
2.30 - 4.30 pm Fridays.)

5

A special type of bereavement and loss

Wave of Light service during Baby Loss
Awareness Week: Thursday 13 October 7pm
in the Chapel, followed by refreshments

Church is where many of us gather to worship God and to bring our
greatest joys and deepest sorrows. Autumn is a time for remembering and
we have a good tradition of Remembrance and marking our loved ones.
There is a growing awareness that one sadly very common sorrow hasn’t
always been given the recognition it deserves, and that’s the grief when a
baby dies, at any stage of pregnancy and during or after birth. We will be
holding a special Wave of Light service in the Chapel on Thursday 13
October at 7pm during Pregnancy Loss Awareness Week. This will be a
short service with candle lighting, followed by refreshments. Everyone is
welcome, whether affected by any aspect of loss and grief about babies
and pregnancy at any time, or whether you’d like to be there to pray for
those affected by this often hidden grief. Please get in touch with
Elizabeth for more information, support or prayer.

6

Life at St Mary’s

Home is where the check it was ok. We needed to
heart is: Practical have gas safety certificates,
electrical safety certificates, DBSs
support for Ukrainians and fire blankets which has been
an additional level of bureaucracy.
Earlier this summer at a main I understand the concerns but it
service we welcomed Artem and has been a bit of a pain.
Nana to St Mary’s. Adela Kay
writes about her experience in Nana has cooked a few meals
hosting them. which has been great and the girls
have enjoyed trying Borscht and
In June we welcomed Artem and Nana Ukrainian mushroom soup. They
to our home. They are two young are really keen to work and Artem
people who were based in Odessa but has already had a couple of job
who left as the war started and have interviews. It just feels quite sad
been looking for a place to settle ever that they may well not be able to
since. return home for some time.
Adela Kay
They were put in touch with
Chelmsford Diocese and as a result Latest update: Artem and Nana
through St Marys were paired with us. have been able to return home.
I filled out the visa application form
which was fairly straightforward Free English classes for
particularly as both of them had filled Ukrainians and others newly
out the questionnaire that Canon Andy arrived are running in the
Griffiths, the Diocesan Coordinator for Memorial Hall on Wednesday
Communities for Ukrainians, had sent evenings. Contact the Parish
them and that covered most of the Office (contact details page 3)
main points. They got their visa in for further information.
about 10 days and arrived with us on
the 23rd June.

Since they arrived there has been
quite a lot of paperwork and support
necessary. Jano Goodchild was
amazing and her experience with the
benefits system really helped with all
the paperwork, getting a bank account
and registering with the doctors.

With regards us, Redbridge has
been quite organised, our house was
inspected and the room measured to

7

Life at St Mary’s

Pilates with Karen on A seed from a Taizé
Fridays service invokes
Ukraine
In the Gwinnell Room at St

Mary’s

Pilates is a slow, precise and Back in March, at the Taizé service, we
controlled form of exercise. When were invited to take and plant sunflower
performed correctly it helps people seeds. The sunflower being the National
gain maximum mobility and flower of Ukraine. We planted several;
flexibility at their joints. It may also some failed to germinate; Some
be interesting for people to gain produced a few leaves but no flower;
awareness of their movement two finally got going and started to shoot
patterns, strengths and challenges. up but one suddenly withered
I work with small groups of people away. Finally, the last remaining plant
to focus on achieving this with a got serious and burst into bloom (above)
community feel. The Pilates and was both a magnet for a bee or two
workout can be considered as and a reminder of the tragic situation in
mindful movement and all clients the country it represented.
leave feeling relaxed yet happy to
have worked out.
I have a mixed ability class running
on Fridays at 10am and am hoping
to start a Pilates therapy group using
chairs etc for those who are more
challenged physically.
If these sound of any interest please
call me, Karen, on 07930 267400 or
take a look at my web-
site www.coolandthegong.co.uk

Diana Newlands and David Hatch

8

Angels, witches and all things between

A Thursday Lunchtime Treat – free lectures
given by the Churches Conservation Trust

During periods of CWhahmaptinigs iCs chaammpinpginovge?rnight in a
lockdown a friend
and I discovered church. The CCT launched this
some wonderful initiative in 2015. For more details
Thursday lunchtime see the CCT website.
lectures on Face-
book. They became The lectures can be accessed live at
(and still are) a 12.50 pm on Thursdays on the Face-
weekly treat. At book page of The Churches
12.50pm each Conservation Trust or they can be
Thursday we were viewed later on the internet at
introduced to the
church of the week. https://bit.ly/30B14Ub
This would be one Those who view the lectures live can
of the churches comment and ask questions via
cared for by the Churches Facebook.
Conservation Trust. Then at 1pm we
heard an illustrated lecture. The
lectures that have already been given
can be found at CCTdigital.com

Examples of titles include
Suffolk Gravestones, Angel roofs of
East Anglia, Singing the Saints in
Medieval England: Curious Case of
St Katherine of Alexandria and Faith
and Fury : The Last Witches of
England.

I hope at some point to visit some
of the churches cared for by the
Churches Conservation Trust
Visitors are welcome (including
dogs). You can have a Champing
holiday in some of the churches.
Cheryl Corney

9

Obituary

David Ward

22nd June 1925 to 3rd May

David Ward was a long-standing
member of Woodford, born in Walpole
Road in 1925 and moving to 58 Derby
Road in 1929. After a short period
away when David and Eileen got
married, he bought the house of his
mother for the sum of £500. He stayed
in this house and brought up their
family with Eileen until 2005 when
they moved to St Ives in Cambridge-
shire.
David joined St Marys Church in
1955 when he and his fiancé Eileen
were looking for a church to get
married in. The Rev Christopher
Wansey married them in 1956.
David quickly became involved in
the life of St Mary’s and with his energy, enthusiasm and commitment
gregarious personality he became a helped the team reach their
popular and well known member of the fundraising goal and the new church
congregation. He soon became a was opened in 1972.
sidesman and then later a
churchwarden. Alongside David, After ten years of service, David
Eileen ran Pathfinders then later a stood down as churchwarden and
youth group. took on the position as an honorary
steward at the Royal Albert Hall.
David was churchwarden along Many friends from Derby Road and
with David Wright, known the church will have happy
affectionately as the ‘Two Davids’. In memories of benefitting from getting
1969, St Mary’s was devastated by free tickets to events including Frank
fire. The Rector, Reverend Robert Sinatra, The Proms, Abba and James
Birchnall and the ‘Two Davids’ spear- Last.
headed the raising of funds for the
rebuilding of the church. This David continued to play an
included the infamous ‘Battle of important part in the life of the
Woodford’ where Woodford was taken church. For many years, he became
over by Cavaliers and Roundheads. well known as Woodford’s Father
There are so many funny stories Christmas at the annual St Mary’s
connected to this event! David’s Christmas bazaar in the Memorial
Hall. Many of you may remember
visiting his grotto on the stage.

10

David and Eileen also A Music quiz
contributed to other events
including the St Mary’s food 1 Why did the soprano’s husband
fayre selling gorgeous portions of ask her to sing in the front
paella from an enormous paella garden?
pan.
2 Why are harps like elderly
In 1998, under the Reverend parents?
Geoffrey Smith’s tenure David
became the verger continuing his 3 Why do viola players spend a lot
enthusiastic and passionate of time outside houses?
involvement in church life.
David was always willing to 4 What’s the difference between an
stand up for his principles and accordion and a trampoline?
convictions including voicing his
opposition to the church tower 5 What’s the difference between an
being used as a mobile phone orchestra and a bull?
mast.
6 Why did Stephen’s parents call
David was a highly influential their son a spiritualist musician?
member of a close-knit Derby
Road community. Often involved 7 Man to barman, ‘how late does
in organising parties and events the band play’?
including the 1977 Silver Jubilee
street party. In 2002, David hit 8 What do a violin and a lawsuit
the headlines when he protested have in common?
against the local council about
charging for closing the cul-de- 9 What’s the definition of perfect
sac. Appearing on national news pitch on a piccolo?
as ‘David Ward, Royalist’ and
ending up on The Richard and 10 Why did the conductor say that
Judy show, dancing with the the tenors in his choir sing like
Cheeky Girls! pirates?

David had a larger than life 11 How can you tell if bagpipes are
personality with a zest for life. out of tune?
He loved people, and his and
Eileen’s hospitality and warmth 12 What did conductor Sir Thomas
were renowned. Wherever David Beecham say to the interviewer
was involved there was fun and who asked him if he had ever
laughter and something happen- conducted any Stockhausen?
ing, whether expected or
unexpected. He will be missed. 13 Why are a violinist’s fingers like
Sarah Stafford lightning?

14 What do you call an organist with
a mobile phone?

15 What do you call an organist with
a mobile phone playing a fugue?

16 How do you get two viola players
to play in unison?

17 How is playing bagpipes like
throwing a javelin blindfolded?

18 How is a drum solo like a sneeze?
19 What’s the range of a piccolo?
20 How did rap music get its name?

Answers page 27

11

Local inter faith discussions and actions

Redbridge Faith Forum Network Meeting on
the Cost of Living crisis (see also pages 2 and 3)

On 26th July the Redbridge Faith personal care services, for people
Forum invited several groups involved to stay in their own home.
with supporting individual people and
families to share what they can do to The emergence of Volunteers
increase their resources. to help people not just with
money and goods but also with
The Faith Forum is a partner practical skills and personal
organisation of the Council who fund contact, is perhaps one of the
some administration costs, and consult most useful things. Community
on many issues, some of which the at work.
Forum itself will raise. Meetings are Our own Bishop Guli speaks
hosted in Mosques, Temples, of the importance of inter
Churches and Synagogues. It was good faith groups
to see this one hosted by the Reverend
Sujeeth and chaired gently by Inter-Faith groups were
Mohammed Omer, the RFF co-chair. discussed at the recent Lambeth
Conference by Dr. Guli Francis-
The speakers were the Borough’s Dehquani. They are truly
newly set up Welfare Benefits Team. valuable, but agreement on
They deal with all additional benefits, certain things – as here, the need
such as Attendance Allowance and to pro-actively help people
support for carers. They also signpost struggling - should not blind us to
people to the initiatives developed in the fact that important
the past few years. differences exist, and should be
faced. With such an established
These independent initiatives group, where trust and cross-
include The Trussell Trust and other cultural representation is
foodbanks. Valentines Park has a growing, we should not waste the
Forest Garden where people can grow opportunity to develop serious
food and make friends. Many provide dialogue to resolve or re-appraise
help to increase cooking skills and differences hand in hand with
management of meagre resources. finding common ground.
There are energy cafés helping reduce Judy Noble
bills or question bills. To get involved or find out
more Google Redbridge Faith
Several people in the audience Forum
explained what help their organisation
could provide.

The Welfare Benefits Team do not
deal with Universal Credit or Working
Tax credit, nor do they assess for

12

Quiz

A Special Sort of c) Religious orders are groups of
men or women, clergy or laity, who
bind themselves in a life-long
Church Quiz commitment and fellowship

according to a monastic discipline or
rule.
3 a) Living in Love and Faith is what
is required of choir leaders, especially
if choristers are late for choir practice
or sing wrong notes.
b) Living in Love and Faith
encourages people to fall in love
quickly and to take a leap of faith.
c) Living in Love and Faith is a C
of E initiative in which people
explore how questions about identity,
sexuality, relationships and marriage
True or false? fit within the bigger picture of the
Good News of Jesus Christ.
1 a) An archabbey is an abbey 4 a) Intinction is not to be practised at
which has a lot of arches. this time because of Covid.

b) There are two archabbeys in b) Intinction is the action of dipping
England, in York and Canterbury. the bread in the wine at a Eucharist so

that a communicant receives both
together.
c) Intinction is derived from the
Latin intingere (in-into, tingere - to
dip).
What am I?
5 I am a firm chump of grass or
vegetation in mainly boggy ground. I
am a cushion for kneeling on in
church. I am often something which
c) There are eleven archabbeys in members of church congregations
the world. have spent a lot of time embroidering.
d) An archabbey is an abbey which 6 I am different ways of doing or
is in the seat of an archabbot. being church. I am designed to appeal
2 a) Religious orders are instructions to people who do not usually go to
given by the vicar. church.
b) Religious orders are orders made
for tea, coffee etc for the church
kitchen. Answers page 25

13

Some like it hot
Islamic gardens

We have all been aware of the
shortage of rain recently. Penny and
Martin Freeston share their interest
in Islamic gardens: something for all
of us to think about.

The Amber Palace Jaipur flowing water are essential,
representing four rivers of
’Truly I tell you, today you will be milk, honey, water and wine.
with me in Paradise’ : some of the Four is a holy number so
loveliest words spoken by Jesus in the patterns of four and eight
New Testament (Luke 23:43). cube-shaped structures for
planting are common. Fruit
I have long been interested in trees are planted in deeply
visiting Islamic gardens all over the sunken beds allowing fruit to
world with their formal structure, be plucked at will.
originally conceived in Iran many
centuries ago. Traditionally celebrating The first Paradise
heaven on earth, they are places for Garden we came across was
rest and reflection, scented with fruit at the Amber Palace in
trees and cooled by the soothing Jaipur in 1986. Originally the
sounds of running water. The Koran octagonal beds were planted
has 120 references to gardens of
paradise. Central fountains and Lister Gardens Bradford

14

Some like it hot

with saffron in the 16th
century - now the climate is
too hot to sustain such
planting. Over the years we
have visited similar gardens
in Granada, Seville,
Istanbul, Marrakech and
Rabat and others in India in
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
This year we were
fortunate to visit Kashmir:
the beautiful gardens were
truly how I imagined
Paradise to be. Both Nishat
Bagh and Shalimar Bagh Penny and Martin at Nishat Bagh

are renowned for their
beauty. In early May the weather in
Kashmir is like an English summer Garden in Lister Park, Bradford on
afternoon in June; delphiniums, the way home from Scotland later
lupins and roses are blooming in this summer: a tranquil place
abundance. The gardens are framed reflecting the culture of many
against a stunning background of Muslims living close by. There
mountains and lakes; the air is fresh were fewer flowers, but trees and
with a cooling gentle breeze. hedges were luxuriously abundant
and water was, of course, a
Fascinated by this subject, I prominent feature. Perhaps one day
determined to visit the Mughal
we may have somewhere
similar in East London.
Meanwhile, you may book
a tour to visit the Aga Khan
Centre in Kings Cross,
where several spaces have
been constructed reflecting
elements of this tradition.
Contact agakhancen-
tre.org.uk for details.

Penny Freeston

Shalimar Bagh

15

Prayer

Diana Newlands and David Hatch are reminded of a
sermon by Mark Lewis when visiting York Minster

Just before David and I went to
York recently, we enjoyed very
much Mark Lewis's sermon on
Prayer. We were reminded of it
very visibly in York Minster! I
couldn't help thinking of that
familiar quotation: ‘Those who pray
together stay together’. Those two
(left) have stayed together for
a very long time. The other man
(below left) looks, perhaps, like the
chap who was glad ‘he wasn't like
other me’. (Luke 18 v 11).
Diana Newlands

Do you agree with Diana’s
characterisation of the figure on the
left? I do rather see her point.
When alive, of course, the man
may have been not like that at all.
So who gets to decide how people
are depicted on tomb effigies? Is it
the church authorities, the family
of the deceased or the mason?
Come on all you ecclesiastical
historians out there. Let’s be
hearing from you! A special bonus
if anyone can come up with an
example of a couple as above but
with the wife in front, thereby not
being able to ‘keep an eye on him’.
Peter Wall

16

Poetry and music

After Trinity The longest Sundays of all;
The placid Sundays after Trinity,
by John Meade Falkner Wheat-harvest, fruit-harvest, Fall.
Spring with its burst is over,
Thanks to Charles Leedham— Summer has had its day,
Green for drawing our attention to The scented grasses and clover
the poem given below by John Are cut, and dried into hay;
Meade Falkner and to the anthem by The singing-birds are silent,
William Boyce to which the poem And the swallows flown away.
refers. Post pugnam pausa fiet;
In case your Latin is rusty. ‘Post Lord, we have made our choice;
pugnam pausa fiet’ means, ‘After In the stillness of autumn quiet,
the battle (Easter) let there be a We have heard the still, small
pause (the Sundays after Easter)’; voice.
Omnia vanitas’ means ’All things We have sung Oh where shall
are vanity’ from the beginning of Wisdom?
Ecclesiastes; and ‘Tibi cras’ means Thick paper, folio, Boyce.
‘It is your turn tomorrow,’ which Let it not all be sadness,
might appear on a tombstone Not omnia vanitas,
epitaph. Stir up a little gladness
If you type, ‘O where shall wisdom To lighten the Tibi cras;
be found ? Boyce’ you will find Send us that little summer,
various choirs singing this anthem, That comes with Martinmas.
the words of which come from the When still the cloudlet dapples
Book of Job. The windless cobalt blue,
We have done with dogma and And the scent of gathered apples
divinity, Fills all the store-rooms through,
Easter and Whitsun past, The gossamer silvers the bramble,
The long, long Sundays after Trinity, The lawns are gemmed with dew.
Are with us at last; An end of tombstone Latinity,
The passionless Sundays after Stir up sober mirth,
Trinity, Twenty-fifth after Trinity,
Neither feast-day nor fast. Kneel with the listening earth,
Christmas comes with plenty, Behind the Advent trumpets
Lent spreads out its pall, They are singing Emmanuel's
But these are five and twenty, birth.

17

Who Do You Think You Are?

Are you struck by similarities rheumatic
between members of your family fever that
and someone from a previous made her a
generation? And isn’t it chronic
fascinating to consider what’s invalid for
changed and what remains the the last
same when looking back at past years of
family history! Penny Freeston her life. After her demise Emily was
shares one such recollection drafted in to bring up my mother and
about her great aunt Emily. her older brothers in their family
home. My grandfather never
Recently I found myself re-married. Consequently, when my
remembering my great aunt, mother married Emily came to live
Emily Lock, who lived with us with us like a resident 'au pair', while
throughout my childhood. Hers my mother, ahead of her time in those
was a sad life in many ways, days, worked throughout our
unfulfilled, some might say, but childhood, though not always
for me, looking back, it was a full-time.
triumph of self-sacrifice and
gracious acceptance of the lot she I knew that Emily had married,
had been dealt. but her husband Jack was never
spoken of. I have hazy memories of
Emily was born in 1879, her going to visit him at Claybury
coincidentally the same year that Asylum where he became
our house had been built, an institutionalised for the rest of his
older sister to my grandmother life. Years later, I learned that he
whom I never knew, who had went to the Docks looking for work
died when my mother was barely in the 1920s, and not being 'picked'
seven years of age from a heart for work several times in a row,
condition brought on by threw a brick through a window,
smashing the glass. This random act
18 of frustration and despair caused him
to be incarcerated for the rest of his
life. Emily was left destitute and
taken in by her family. She died aged
89 years when I was 14 years old.
There were no children from the
marriage, and Emily's maternal
instincts were diverted to nurturing
my sisters and me and a distant
cousin's son she used to stay with in
Surrey every summer. She was a

Who do you think you are?

very patient, kind lady and often sat Somehow I felt quite content
on the kitchen chair in the back saying that, knowing that this was a
garden turning my skipping rope for role I needed to play for the time
hours, its handle tied to the shed being: a calling beyond my own
door. She would buy us little toy ambitions, and none the worse for
farm animals in the local shop, and that. 'A man in his life plays many
her time was spent peeling parts...' it is said, and providing we
vegetables and making endless cups can still find time to travel while
of tea for my father who worked we are able, I will work round my
freelance from home. She was from 'new career'. Compared to Emily, I
another era with her 1920s clothes - have been blessed with a life filled
she called her best outfit her with opportunities and personal
'costoome' - and told me how, on happiness she could never have
leaving school, she went to work in imagined. It is the least I can do to
a hat factory, paying her employer give something back. Who knows?
for the pins she broke at the end of I may even be turning a skipping
her first week's employment. She rope in years to come, sitting on a
was frightened of the telephone, and kitchen chair in the sunshine...
her face held the same expression of Penny Freeston
fear when she told me she had been
hit at school as a small child for not 19
being able to draw. Little did I know
then that Victorian teachers were
'paid by results'.

Why am I remembering all this
now? Now retired, I spend a lot of
time looking after our youngest
grandson, and said to my older sister
in Chicago recently on FaceTime, 'I
think I'm turning into Aunt Em...'

Church of England moves to Net Zero Carbon
Progress nationally and locally

GENERAL SYNOD: Routemap to Net Zero Carbon by 2030 - Carbon
Reduction Action Plan A Supporting Paper from the Environment Working
Group. Summary
The General Synod of February 2020 recognised that there is a global climate
emergency and called upon all parts of the Church of England to work to reduce
emissions and produce a plan of action to achieve net zero carbon by 2030. This
Paper delivers that plan of action in the form of the attached Routemap to Net
Zero Carbon by 2030 document. This motion asks for endorsement of the
Routemap, requests Diocesan Synods to debate and plan action on the Route-
map whilst high energy-using buildings develop a programme of actions. It also
calls for three-yearly progress reports against the Routemap along with annual
carbon emission reports.
To read the Church of England’s detailed route map for reaching net carbon
zero by 2020 and for information on our own progress at St Marys at the time
of the bronze award last year award go to
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Ryq1p_yPLXVSFd0NU4akV_-
ZlOWzJAbW?usp=shari

This lesser stag beetle (left) was photographed
on the edge of St Mary’s churchyard at the
beginning of the summer. Stag beetles are
nowhere near as common as they used to be.
Indeed these days they are on the
‘red’ (endangered) list so it’s good that our
churchyard is a good habitat. Stag beetles are
one of those insects which like some dead wood
around; a good reason for not making the
churchyard too tidy.

20

A happy announcement

New Children’s and Families’ Ministry
Coordinator for Woodford, Wanstead and
Aldersbrook Parishes

We are delighted to announce that more recently she has taken on
Clare Reeves will be joining our three short term contracts in a
parishes as Children’s and Families’ safeguarding role and supporting a
Ministry Coordinator. This is a part forensic mental health practitioner
time two year fixed term post, team to widen her scope.
following a recent recruitment process
and is subject to the usual Girlguiding has played a huge
employment checks. part in her life with over 20 years of
service as a leader. She loves ad-
This new role coordinates and ventures, camps and holidays and
supports ministry with 0-17 year olds finds any excuse to get outdoors.
and their families in our parishes and
communities. Clare’s specific Her interests include balcony
responsibilities will be agreed gardening, crafting and any quiz
following a time of induction, shows/nights/books.
listening and learning across the three
parishes. St Mary’s Woodford, St
Mary’s with Christ Church Wanstead
and St Gabriel’s Aldersbrook have
been working together on ministry
with children and young people for
several years. We look forward to
this new chapter in discovering and
sharing Jesus’ love with Clare’s
experience and creativity.

Clare has lived and worshipped in
Woodford all her life with a short
move to Canterbury to study
Psychology at Kent University. She is
one of four generations currently
worshipping at St Mary’s Woodford!

She lives in Woodford Green with
her husband Ricky and six year old
son Max.

Clare’s working background is in
charity operations and development,

21

fFoamcilyus

WORDSEARCH
Peter Recognises Jesus

1 Read chapter 5 of the Gospel of Luke
2 Find the words on the grid:-

ANDREW, PETER, ROCK, WATER , MIRACLE, GOD, NETS, JESUS,
SIMON, TEACHING, BOAT, FISHERMAN

22

Book Review

Back to school quiz My name is not Refugee by Kate
Milner
1 What do elves learn in school? Published by Barrington Stoke
2 Why do teachers wear sunglasses ISBN 978-1-911370-06-2
to school? How would you feel if you had to
3 Why do maths books always look leave your home behind?
so sad? ‘A much-needed, lovely book for
4 Why did Jason eat his homework? small children which explains the
5 What sweets are allowed in refugee crisis in a simple, child-
science classes? friendly way.’ Jacqueline Wilson
6 Why did Susan bring a ladder to ‘Helps show readers that children
school? forced from their homes are not just
7 What did the paper say to the refugees but children just like them.’
pencil? Lily Caprani, UNICEF UK
8 Why isn’t there a clock in the Endorsed by Amnesty International
library? UK
9 Why did Amelia’s teacher jump
into the swimming pool?
10 Why can’t pirates learn the
alphabet? Answers page 25

23

Book review

Real God, Real Life
by Jo Saxton

Published by Hodder and Stoughton
General Division
ISBN 9780340995297

This is one of my favourite books the highs and lows in each area in turn
about practising as a Christian. Both over your chosen time period. What
in the sense of being an active went well and not so well in the last
member of the Christian faith, and month in terms of your finances, for
also “practising” daily how to be a example? Pray for any pertinent verses
better Christian, often getting it of scripture to come to you. As the
wrong, and trying again. As one of author says, ‘it’s a long, hard look, not
my friends and baptism sponsors a performance. It doesn’t have to be
often prays, help me to ‘fail better’! completed in one sitting; take time
over it’.
What do I like so much about
this book? It is practical. It offers I tend to conduct a life review
suggestions on how one can about every six months. A range of
establish and maintain a regular things have emerged for me from this
time to connect with God, whatever practice. I began sponsoring a child. I
that might look like to you. If you began recycling. I planned and went
are comfortable with silence, have on a retreat at the Diocesan House of
solitary prayer time. If you are more Retreat in Pleshey. I list these things
of a people person, find a faith not to pat myself on the back but to
group to support you. If you like illustrate the ways this book, and
music or like to move, then sing or particularly the life review, can help
dance!

The most fruitful part of the
book for me has been what Jo
Saxton refers to as a Life Review.
The author suggests taking a
specific time period to look at more
closely, whether that be a week, a
month or a year. Pick a handful of
areas of one’s life to focus on. The
life areas don’t have to be explicitly
related to one’s spiritual life,
although they can be.

After getting oneself in a
prayerful state of mind, think about

24

one to make practical changes to one’s Back to School quiz (on page
walk with God. 23) ANSWERS
1 The elf-abet
Jo Saxton doesn’t shy away from 2 Because their students are
difficult topics. Just a few of these she
touches on include surrendering so bright
(oneself and one’s desires) to God, 3 They are full of problems
forgiveness, how to practise in pain, 4 Because his teacher said it
and giving thanks. However dark the
testimony, there is always light. Jo was a piece of cake.
Saxton speaks movingly about her own 5 Experi-mints!
miscarriage, for example. The author 6 Because she wanted to go
describes this as a ‘devastating’
experience. Yet it was followed by the to high school.
joy of her successful second pregnancy
which she describes as ‘God’s
blessing’.

7 Write –on!

8 Because it tocks too much

9 He wanted to test the water

Throughout the book, Jo Saxton 10 They keep getting lost at
uses the analogy of a runner in training ‘C’
to describe the commitment,
perseverance and dedication required to A Special Sort of church Quiz (on
‘practise’ as a Christian, in every sense page 13) ANSWERS
of the word! As she says, ‘I’m not the 1 a) not necessarily, although it
only one. There’s a […] community, may have a lot of arches b) false
who have chosen the dirt trail instead c) true d) true
of the easy road to travel on […] We 2 a) they can be b) possibly c)
take it at different paces, in different true
ways, but we’re all there together […] 3 a) probably b) false c) true
Keep running.’ 4 a) true b) true c) true
Bryony Bennett 5 hassock
6 Fresh Expressions

25

Music at St Mary’s

St Mary’s Chamber Music Ensemble plays
Dvořák on Saturday October 29th

The next St Mary’s Chamber Music
Ensemble concert will be on Saturday,
October 29th at 7.30 pm. This time it
will feature the delightful music of the
Czech composer Antonín Dvořák who
has been described as probably the
most approachable of all the great
composers and ‘a wellspring of
melody, with joy and anguish in equal
measure’.
A theme that will run throughout
our concert will be the folk music of
Dvořák’s homeland. Dvořák was
born in the small town of
Nelahozeves, near Prague, and grew Deborah Aloba

to love his Bohemian heritage and
popular culture. Indeed, in our concert open with the ‘Dumky’ Piano Trio
all of the music will be strongly and close with the Piano Quintet
influenced by a range of folk styles which has been described as ‘a serene
that he must have heard as a child: work radiating with prevailing
there are several examples of the optimist’. And, indeed, more than one
Ukranian Dumka folk ballade style of our performers for our concert have
which features contrasting slow, told me how much they are looking
melancholic moments intermixed with forward to playing it. As usual for
energetic bursts of cheerful, high SMCME concerts, there will be some
energy, high-stepping folk dances and songs too. The Ensemble will be
we have a movement based on the joined by our own Deborah Aloba
rapid and fiery Bohemian Furiant who will be singing one of Dvořák’s
dance, a polka embedded in a larger most famous, and vivacious, set of
movement, and music influenced by Gypsy songs, plus an early set of
the so-called ‘Gypsy’ style. songs based on Serbian folk texts and
The Ensemble’s instrumentalists music, and the stunning ‘Song to the
will perform two of Dvořák’s best Moon’ aria from his opera Rusalka.
known, and best loved chamber music Dvořák’s music took Europe by
pieces, both of which are packed with storm in the late 19th century. Indeed,
charming and lively music: we will the 27-year-old Edward Elgar was a

26

convert: after first playing in one of his Musical humour quiz (page 11)
symphonies, he wrote to a friend: ‘I ANSWERS
wish you could hear Dvořák‘s music. It 1 He didn’t want the neighbours
is simply ravishing, so tuneful and
clever.’ The great composer Johannes to think he was beating her.
Brahms became a lifelong supporter 2 They are both unforgiving and
after being first impressed by Dvořák’s
Moravian Duets in the 1870s. hard to get in and out of cars.
3 They can’t find the key and
In spite of the success of his great
and much loved music, Dvořák don’t know when to come in.
retained his modesty and humility to 4 You are supposed to take your
the end, and in a letter to a friend, the
composer-conductor Bohumil Fidler, shoes off before jumping on the
he said: ‘I am just a plain Czech trampoline.
musician, […] and despite the fact that 5 The bull has its horns at the
I have moved a little in the great front and its arse at the back.
musical world, I shall remain just what 6 Every time he plays there’s
I was: a simple Czech musician.’ rapping on the walls.
John Bradley 7 About one and a half beats
behind the drummer.
Have you wondered about singing 8 Everyone is much happier
in the choir at St Mary’s? If so then when the case is closed.
why not have a word with Henry 9 When you throw it into the
Metcalfe, our Director of Music? toilet and it doesn’t hit the rim.
Contact him at 10 They are murder on the high
[email protected] ‘C’s.
11 Someone is blowing into them.
Back cover: See Elizabeth’s 12 ‘No, but I once trod in
editorial on page 2 about the some’ (true story).
Repair shop 13 They rarely strike the same spot
twice.
14 An optimist
15 Baching mad
16 You shoot one of them.
17 You don’t have to be very good
to get people’s attention.
18 You can tell it’s coming but
you can’t do anything about it.
19 Twenty yards on a good day.
20 The letter ‘C’ fell off at the
printers.

27

A big
thank you

to everyone submitting contributions
and photographs to this edition

Please keep them coming, as without them we wouldn’t have a parish
magazine. Articles, prayers, book reviews, favourite music,
recipes, gardening tips etc.

We would love some children’s drawings as well: the choice is yours!
Email directly using a subject heading to:
[email protected]

or pass to Penny Freeston who will type up your handwritten copy.
Our next copy date is
31st October 2022

Magazine team: Elizabeth Lowson, Penny Freeston, Cheryl Corney,
Sam McCarthy, Bryony Bennett and Peter Wall.

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