Ludlow Tower April 2021

2

CONTENTS

Counting the cost 5

So many crosses 7

For Christians Easter is a symbol A host of golden daffodils 7
of hope, renewal, and new life, perhaps
never more so than in 2021. The Introducing - Michael Hunt 9
Ludlow Tower goes to print just one
year since the start of the first Our evidence-based faith 11
lockdown in response to the Covid-19
pandemic. As we mark the National Dark Gleamings - a poem 11
Day of Reflection we focus on the
tragic loss of life and ponder the many Revd Fiona Gibson,Archdeacon 13
ways our lives have changed since then. of Ludlow
However the arrival of spring, the falling
R-number and the impressive roll-out PCC meeting summary - March 13
of the vaccination campaign all give us
encouragement. From the registers

In this issue we also offer hope, in Trust130 13
Bishop Richard’s identification of the
resurrection as evidence of the truth of Former glories - St Leonard’s 15
Jesus’ teaching (p11), renewal as the church
Church of England considers how to
reshape itself to meet the challenges of Sunday services in Ludlow 16
a changing world (p25) and new life
with the launch of a new occasional Ludlow local listing - small ads 17
series exploring the stories of the many
former places of worship in Ludlow What’s on in April 21
(p15).
Notes from St John’s 23
Lesley Harling (Editor)
01584 318309 Easter anagrams 23

This month’s cover: April showers us with excitement! 25

Photograph: Richard Orttewell The Church in changing times 25
Lily flower
Did Jesus have a fair trial? 27
Graphic design: Nicky Luck
Christian Aid - helping 29
communities in crisis

Uncle Eustace - on how to run a 31
PCC meeting

Children’s page 33

Parish directory & copy deadline 34

Nickyluck@nannolica.co.uk Opinions expressed in contributed articles in this
Printing : ABC Print Group magazine are those of the contributor and do not
necessarily represent the position or opinions of
Moreton-on-Lugg, the PCC or Editorial Committee.

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4

Counting the cost

We all have an eye for a bargain, and But there is something much deeper to
even those who really don’t have any be drawn from this. Do we really try to
financial worries can be amazingly have our religion on the cheap? You may
pleased at getting something cheap. It is have seen recent press reports of some
a kind of inverse pride: instead of saying. dioceses actively looking to cut the
‘This cost me a fortune’ there is kudos number of paid clergy The income
is saying ‘I got this for a song’. I wonder doesn’t cover the costs. We need to be
how we would apply that to our faith? If concerned about this locally – giving in
the church was a kind of supermarket, our Diocese is almost the lowest in the
would we be saying,‘You get the most whole of the Church of England.
amazing bargains at St Laurence’s – real
quality stuff, but you don’t have to pay Maybe we not only take the financial
through the nose’. And if people did talk issues lightly, but other things as well.
like that, would we be pleased, or We do take things for granted - like
appalled? freedom to worship, freedom to possess
Bibles, freedom to wear a cross, and
There may be ways in
which there is a grain freedom to talk about our
of truth in it. I faith. There are countless
remember reflecting examples from all around
before I retired that if the world of the high costs
I gave time to of taking up Christ’s cross
someone in my and following him – costs
parish with a we cannot begin to imagine
problem I did just in our situation of freedom.
that – I gave - because obviously there
was no charge. But if people came to Jesus quite often said things which are
see me at Relate with a similar problem, on the face of it contradictory: that
it cost them £30 an hour (not that I should make us stop and think. He said,
received that payment, I hasten to add, ‘My yoke is easy, and my burden is light’.
because I gave my time there as well!). But he also said,‘Whoever does not
But it makes you think about what we take up his cross and follow me is not
take for granted. At those rates, I would worthy of me’. Here we are in the
have earned about a third of my stipend Easter season, rejoicing in the best news
just from the time I spent with couples the world has ever had. No-one stops
getting married, and my total stipend us doing that. At the moment we give in
given the hours I worked would have our names as we go into church, as part
been well into six figures! But rightly, I of our Covid safeguarding. But there are
am delighted to say, a parish priest is places where names are taken as people
there to give his or her time to enter church in order that they can be
parishioners at no direct cost to them. watched with suspicion, so that they can
Kelvin and Lawrence really are bargains! be denied promotion, or indeed actively
persecuted.

Continued on p???

5

6

A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY Counting the Cost
You are invited to (continued from page 5)

Sparchford Cottage, Do we realise the cost of what Jesus
Culmington SY8 2DE did? Do we count the cost of
discipleship for ourselves? You may
to enjoy know the story of the man who
became a great saint, who one day
A HOST OF GOLDEN DAFFODILS thought it would be fun to go into the
Easter Monday local church in Italy, and – roaring drunk
– make a wild confession to the priest.
5 April 2021 2—5 pm That wise man gave him a penance to
Please continue to observe perform. He was to stand and look at
the crucifix hanging in the church and
social distancing say three times,‘Lord Jesus, you did all
Donations in aid of this for me, and I don’t care.’ He
Corvedale churches. managed it twice – but the third time
he burst into tears and said,‘But I do
care…’. He had discovered the cost of
God’s love, and went on from that day
to discover the cost of discipleship.

April sees the beginning of the new
financial year. May it inspire us to count
the cost of faith as well.

Andrew Body

SO MANY CROSSES

Andrew Body has prepared six
Meditations (plus an Introduction)
based on the 18 crosses in this picture.
They could be used as six separate
sessions during Holy Week, or as a
replacement for the usual ‘Preaching of
the Cross’ on Good Friday, which isn’t
happening this year because of the
pandemic. They can be found on the
Parish website by clicking on
’Resources’ on the Services page:

https://stlaurences.org.uk/online-
service-resources/

7

3 Parkway, Off Corve Street, Ludlow,
Sy8 2PG

8

INTRODUCING

Please tell us a bit about yourself. a lot of
money –
I’m Michael Hunt. I lived in Surrey all my £30,000 in
life until we came to Ludlow in 2003. I 2019. I’m
left school (Rutlish in Merton Park) with part of a small
ambitions to be a town planner. After a team which
decade or so of assorted admin jobs I counts the
realised that I actually wanted to be an cash from the
accountant. I did a business studies donations
HNC in evening classes, qualified for the boxes, usually
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and weekly. And I also steward for visitors
Administrators by correspondence and events (when we can have them).
course and took the Association of
Taxation Technicians exams, all the while Is there one feature of St
working full time in finance. After that I Laurence's which is special for you?
worked mainly in private practice,
eventually setting up on my own. No one feature but it’s such a
magnificent building with warm and
What brought you to Ludlow? friendly people and glorious music.

We were always going to end up in How do you spend your spare
Shropshire. Jane grew up in the Clun time?
Valley and most of her family are still
local. We came when she retired (as a I enjoy listening to music and reading,
solicitor specialising in family and mostly biography, history and Victorian
matrimonial work) but I went on novels. I used to be an enthusiastic, if
working. not very talented, player of rugby and
cricket – I played for my Old Boys’
And to St Laurence's? Association for years and was very
involved in its club, ending up as
Bill Lloyd-Kitchen - the Friends of St president. I still like watching on TV
Laurence needed a treasurer and I occasionally and as a member of MCC I
offered to help. I became something of go to the Lord’s Tests whenever I can.
a serial treasurer - for the new
Conservation Trust when the Friends Which is your most memorable
and the Fabric Trust merged, for the holiday experience?
Friends of Ludlow Museum, for the
Vision project and eventually in 2015 for Touring Chile - breakfasting in the driest
the PCC. I did it for 3 years and by the place on the planet (the Atacama
end it was taking up 3-4 days a week. Desert) and having dinner the same day
surrounded by glaciers in the far south.
What’s your role now?
What might we be surprised to
I’m still the Gift Aid Secretary, so I check know about you?
and record the donations and submit
monthly claims to HMRC. It generates Whatever I'm reading I'm always likely
to check locations on a map.

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10

Our Evidence-based faith

I’ve lost count of the number of times from the dead. They witnessed it with
people have said to me,“Everything their own eyes. We continue to believe
happens for a reason”. It is normally in the evidence for this historical event is
response to a personal tragedy or compelling and have experienced the
unexplained event. I often wonder what lifechanging reality of encountering Jesus.
evidence lies behind that assertion. The To speak of the resurrection as a
desire to see meaning in the apparent metaphor or in spiritual terms like ‘he
chaos of the world seems entrenched. rose in their hearts’ would have made
Of course, it could be an evolutionary no sense whatever to the disciples. The
artefact, like seeing patterns in the reality was difficult to comprehend, but
clouds, left over from a need to make they couldn’t deny the evidence of their
sense of the world so our ancestors own eyes and fingers as they reached
didn’t get eaten by sabre-tooth tigers! out to touch him.
Faith in that sense would be believing
something in spite of the evidence, or The resurrection was the final evidence
despite evidence to the contrary. they needed that the claims Jesus made
during his earthly life were true. This
Christians use the word faith very was more than just a man, but in a real
differently. In the New Testament, it’s sense, God squeezed into human form.
not seen as an abstract quality, where St Paul put it very starkly,“If Christ has
one person might have 15 units of it, not been raised, our preaching is useless
another 30 or another 5. It’s always and so is your faith. More than that, we
faith in something, much more akin to are then found to be false witnesses
trust than a set of intellectual about God!”.
convictions. For the first disciples, it was
staking their lives, both now and in How very joyous then, that He has!!
eternity, on something they passionately Christ is risen: He is risen indeed,
believed to be true. The root of their Alleluia.
(and our) conviction is that Jesus rose
Bishop Richard

Dark Gleaming

Dark leaks bright gleams which draw you closer
to threads running through and between.
Their gentle persistence refuses denial,
you open and meet with your own inner gleam.

Each one asks the question, again and again;
Will you come? Will you follow? Jump blind in the night?
And be enfolded, surrounded, surprised and delighted,
The gleams of the darkness revealed by new sight.

Lawrence Gittins

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12

PCC ARCHDEACON OF

meeting LUDLOW ARRIVES

23 FEBRUARY Revd Fiona Gibson

Summary of main points is to be the new
10 members of the PCC attended.
Archdeacon of
 Resolutions: to join Parish Giving
Scheme; to add W C Williams VC to Ludlow. Fiona is
roll of honour
the first woman to
 Finance: cash flow stable; funds
available for development projects be appointed to a
(Clive Arch, boiler house, NW
corner mission space) senior position in

 Policies: CCTV reviewed and the diocese of Revd Fiona Gibson
adopted
Hereford and she will be welcomed to
 Discussions: future of Life and
Learning; opportunities for her new post in a special collation
innovations post-pandemic; rising
numbers of weddings and funerals service at St Laurence’s on Sunday 25

 Reports received: Vision -planning April. Covid-19 restrictions mean that
to re-launch NLHF before end 2021
numbers are limited and attendance is
 Date of next meeting: Monday
24 May 2021 (provisional) by invitation only but the service will be

A copy of the two latest sets of live-streamed (see p21).
confirmed PCC minutes is available on
the noticeboard in church. All previous FROM THE
minutes can be viewed in the church REGISTERS
office, by arrangement
FUNERALS

5 Mar Anne Pickering
8 March Dilys Margaret Poole
9 March Margaret Houston Bell
17 March Gilbert Henry Yapp

renewing your home insurance?

Ecclesiastical Insurance & Financial Since 2017 Ecclesiastical has donated
Services specialises, as you might over £430,00 to churches. If your
expect, in insuring churches like home insurance is due for renewal and
St Laurence’s but it also offers home you are interested in learning how
insurance. In line with its charitable Trust130 can benefit your church,
ownership and Christian values, the please contact Ecclesiastical Insurance
group runs a scheme called Trust130 on 0800 7830 130.
which will donate £130 to the church

of a new customer’s choice.

13

Skip Hire, Waste Management &
Recycling

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Home Visits Always Available
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14

St leonard’s church

This is the first in a series of pieces written for us by Nick Ford on the many former places
of worship dotted around Ludlow - 21 at the last count. How many do you know? Ed.

Now the home of a local printing firm, goes - and fell dead. His ghost is last
the former parish church of Saint recorded as having been seen in 1971.
Leonard was completed in 1873, However, the claim that his death
adjoining the older burial ground occurred here in Ludlow is not true: the
donated to the town by the Clive family Coroner's inquest held on 13 March
in 1824. The church was designed by Sir 1825 reports that the event took place
George Gilbert Scott. It was closed as a in the Haymarket, London.
place of worship in
1970 and became an The remains of a far
antiques salesroom older church, that of
before being taken the Priory of Our
over by the present Lady of Mount
owners. It remains a Carmel (Carmelite
Grade II listed Friars), dating from
building. 1349, lie beneath the
turf slightly to the
There is a popular south and west of the
story that the present building.
churchyard is haunted Prior to its
by the ghost of dissolution in 1538, St
William Owen, a successful portrait Mary's Priory occupied an area some
painter who enjoyed the patronage of four times the size of the present site,
William Pitt the younger and the Prince up to and including number 29 Corve
Regent, later King George IV. Owen was Street, and gave the nearby St Mary's
born in Ludlow and returned here from Lane its name. The old choir of the
London whenever his work permitted. priory church was retained as a chapel
According to legend, it was on one such for the use of the residents of Foxe's
visit that Owen fell ill with a minor Almshouses in Corve Street, until its
sickness. A local physician prescribed a demolition in 1760.
medicine and sent a boy off to a chemist
in Corve Street to fetch it. The boy A memorial service is held annually in
picked up the wrong bottle and the churchyard to commemorate the
inadvertently gave Owen an overdose of five servicemen killed in the First World
'Barclay's Drops' – a mixture of aniseed, War who are buried here. The
camphor and opium - instead. Realising churchyard is managed by the parochial
something was wrong, Owen set out for church council of St Laurence, the
the chemist’s shop, but the potion Friends of St Leonard's and local wildlife
overpowered him before he got there. trusts as a resource for the community
He turned in towards the chapel, and to enhance its ecological value and
perhaps seeking divine aid - so the story preserve the archaeological features of
the site.

15

SUNDAY SERVICES in Ludlow

All arrangements are subject to change, depending on the latest regulations, guidance
and risk assessments for Covid-19.

Anglican Ludlow Elim

St Laurence, College Street No services at present.
Contact
Every Sunday ludlowelim@outlook.com
10am Parish Eucharist
Living Waters
Also available to join as a livestream
or a recording on YouTube - go to No services at present.
https://stlaurences.org.uk/livestream Contact
for the link. benwalters@gmail.com

Fortnightly from Sunday 4 April Ludlow Methodist Church
8.30am Holy Communion (BCP)
10.30am Sunday worship
(4 & 18 April; 2, 16 & 30 May) Contact
ludlowmethodist@outlook.com
Contact
office@stlaurences.org.uk
01584 872073

Ludlow Quakers

St John, Gravel Hill No services at present.

From 4 April Garden Meetings for up to six people
will resume when weather permits .
10am 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays

Holy Communion Contact

2nd & 4th Sundays Cynthia Prior 01584 831855

Private prayer until 12 noon

Contact St Peter's Roman Catholic Church
lawrence.gittins@stlaurences.org.uk
07786 625565 Booking required for all services
Open for mass every day
Ludlow Baptist Church Contact
st.peters.ludlow@talktalk.net
10.30am Sunday worship service
on Zoom

Contact
church@ludlowbaptistchurch.org.uk

16

LUDLOW LOCAL LISTING

You can advertise in this listing for one We also accept advertising from clubs,
year (12 issues) for just £30. societies and social groups - perfect for
publicising your group’s activities and
With 600 copies circulating in Ludlow attracting new members.
every month, free of charge, this is an
ideal way of publicising your business, All entries must fit the standard 4-line
shop or service. box (approximately 40 words).

To discuss details or to place an advertisement please contact the parish office on
01584 872073 or email office@stlaurences.org.

Artwork

Ludlow Castle Gallery
Quality affordable picture framing & original objects. Fast friendly service. Gifts & cards
by local artisans. Find us just before the Castle Café or contact on

01584 878527 Info@ludlowcastlegallery.co.uk www.ludlowcastlegallery.co.uk

Books & Stationery

Castle Bookshop

5 Castle Street Ludlow

Booksellers and Stationers Free ordering service

01584 872562 castlebookshop@btconnect.com

Picture Framing

Frames by Sebastian

Bespoke picture framing
6a Pepper Lane

Tel: 07815 111554

IT Services

Matthew Lenthall IT Services

Computers, phones and all things technical. Support and maintenance.

12a Corve Street, Ludlow 07828 081163 or 01584 877946
matthew@matthewlenthall.co.uk

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Property services and maintenance

General Maintenance

M. Davies & Son, Property Maintenance Service
Flooring, Glazed tiles, Painting, Decorating & General repairs.
5 Bitterley Close, Ludlow, SY8 1XP
Call: 01584 873907

Steve Wilson Painting and Decorating
Internal and external work carried out.
Please telephone Steve on: 07818 400764

Email address: steve.decorating@yahoo.com

Carpentry

James Mackenzie Carpentry & Joinery

Reliable / High Quality Work.
Building Services, Gosford Cottage, Little Hereford, Ludlow SY8 4AR
Call 01584 711326 or 07870428948. Email j.mackenzie590@btinternet.com

Chimneys & Stoves

Ken Dodd & Son Chimney Sweep
Rotary sweep and vacuum-assisted. Cowls/bird guards supplied and fitted. Woodburners
serviced and bricks supplied and fitted. Fully insured and certificates issued. Available for
weddings. 01584 873178 • 07702 102044 www.kendoddandsonchimneysweep.co.uk

Ludlow Stoves www.ludlowstoves.co.uk 01584 878552

Showroom with over 50 stoves & cookers, fireplaces, flue systems, electric & gas stoves.
Boilers, biomass & full central heating systems installed. Chimney sweeps. Stove

maintenance. Fully insured inhouse local engineers, reliable. Hetas & Gas Safe registered.

Cleaning

Hydroclean Services
Carpet & Upholstery cleaning : Leather cleaning : Hard floor cleaning and stone polishing :
Gutter cleaning : Fully insured, fast response, reliable and local. Members of the National
Carpet Cleaning Association. www.hydrocleanservices.co.uk 01568 630000

Paul’s Window & Gutter Cleaning Service
We also clean fascias and soffits if required
For a quote

call 07891 862744 or email paulisaacs@ymail.com

18

Electrical

Ian Mackay

Quick response, local and reliable. No-obligation fixed quotes. Domestic installation and
repairs. Landlord & homeowner safety inspections. Condition reports for house sales.

Contact Ian Mackay on 07736 303297 or email ian.gf.mackay@gmail.com

Gardening

Dan Pritchard Garden Services

Fully insured - reliable - experienced - competitive. Lawn mowing / hedge cutting / tree
surgery / pruning / turfing / planting / landscaping. Call Dan on 07779182636. Covers
Ludlow and surrounding areas.

Floral services

Twigs

Flowers and gifts for all occasions
4 Old Street, Ludlow Call in or telephone 07522139928

Local home consultation also available

Food

Paul’s Fresh Fish Ltd

Home delivery of fresh and smoked fish from our family fishmongers based in
Gloucestershire. Price list available.

Tel: 07527 898767 or email info@paulsfish.co.uk

Myriad Organics 22 Corve Street 01584 879373 myriad-organics.co.uk

Ludlow’s widest range of organic produce. Specialists in vegetarian, vegan & gluten-free
food, natural bodycare & natural remedies. Waste-free shopping & refills for your cleaning

products. We also offer a free local delivery service and organic box scheme.

Fitness and Sport

Ludlow Runners www.ludlowrunners.org

A small friendly running club catering for all running abilities; meets every Thursday at 7pm
at Ludlow Leisure Centre; regular ‘Walk to Run’ courses; respected races; teams in county

Cross Country leagues; new and visiting runners always welcome; regular social events.

Pearce Cycles

Friendly, knowledgeable and experienced - your local bike shop for all your cycling needs.
Fishmore Road, Ludlow, SY8 3DP. Tel. 01584 879288; shop@pearcecycles.co.uk;
www.pearcecycles.co.uk. Open Mon-Fri 9.00am to 5.30pm. Bike sales - repair - hire.

19

Insurance Services

Teme Valley Insurance Brokers
For your Home, Car, Business or Farm quote
Call Mark or Sue on 01584 290055

Medical services

Acupuncture 07816 303742

Are you in pain, not sleeping, or anxious? Don’t ignore it, it can be relieved.
Qualified insured therapist, Samuel Jones, offers remedial massages and acupuncture

treatments for a variety of conditions. See www.massageludlow.co.uk for details.

Send those special greetings to your
loved one HERE for just £7.50.
To book email
office@stlaurences.org.uk

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS, CLUB OR SOCIETY
HERE

Contact the Parish Office on 01584 872073 or
office@stlaurences.co.uk

ADVERTISING RATES 2020-21 (for 12 issues)

Full page - £280 Quarter page - £90

Half page - £170 Eighth page - £55

Classified - £30

Rates for part-year available on request

See above for contact details.

20

WHAT’S ON at st Laurence’s IN APRIL

Every day Open for private prayer Sunday 25 April

Sun, Mon,Wed, Fri 11am-1pm 3.30pm Evensong and Collation of
Revd Fiona Gibson as the new
Tue,Thur, Sat 1pm - Archdeacon of Ludlow

Attendance in person by invitation only.

Live-streamed via Hereford Diocese
social media and St Laurence’s website.

Thursday 1 April Maundy Thursday Other Easter services in
7pm Solemn Eucharist Ludlow
Also live-streamed
St John's, Gravel Hill
Friday 2 April Good Friday Good Friday - 7pm Compline (Zoom)
2.30pm Eucharist
Also live-streamed For Zoom link contact
lawrence.gittins@stlaurences.org.uk
Saturday 3 April Easter Saturday Easter Day 10.am Holy Communion
8pm Easter Vigil
Also live-streamed Baptist Church
Good Friday - 10.30am (Zoom)
Sunday 4 April Easter Sunday
8.30am Holy Communion (BCP) Silent prayer service
10am Parish Eucharist Easter Sunday - 10.30 live and Zoom
Ticketed - numbers
limited Please book for the live service

www.stlaurences.org.uk St Peter's Roman Catholic Church
Also live-streamed Maundy Thursday - 7.30 pm

To view livestreams go to the church Mass of The Lord's Supper
website stlaurences.org.uk/live-stream/ Good Friday - 3.00pm
To book places for Easter Sunday use
the Click Here button on the front Celebration of the Lord's Passion
page banner of the church website. Holy Saturday - 9.00pm

Solemn Easter Vigil and First Mass of
Easter
Easter Sunday - 11.00am
Solemn Mass of Easter
Booking required for all services

Methodist Church
Easter Sunday - 10.30 Communion

21

22

NOTES FROM ST JOHN’S

Before coronavirus hit us maintain a physical contact with their
and lockdowns began, the place of worship. We have also kept
annual observance of Lent quite regular contact by phone or email,
featured a series of regarding the maintenance of a sense of
Wednesday addresses and church community as important for the
services of Compline, given health of church. It would be only too
at St John’s by members of the clergy. It easy in the circumstances to dwell on
was good to welcome friends from isolation and to lose the will to make
other Ludlow churches into St John’s for contact with each other!
these spiritual occasions. We remember
with fondness Don Millington who, We offer belated
among his many works and initiatives on congratulations to
behalf of St John’s, the benefice and the Carla and Peter Phelps
wider church in Ludlow, set up these who celebrated their
Lent sessions. The re-introduction of diamond wedding last
this series via Zoom meetings, devised year and warm thanks
by Rev Lawrence Gittins and to them for their massive input to St
churchwarden,Anthony Sibcy, was thus John’s over many years.
reassuring with the warming thought
that here was a product of peoples’ On a personal note, Sheila and I
contemplation, reviving and beginning celebrate our diamond wedding
again to drive the church from grass anniversary this April. It is amazing how
roots, rather than being subject to quickly time has passed, how near yet so
continued, long and enforced inactivity. far beyond reach are the memories of
youth, and what momentous events have
On this note I should like to repeat our occurred during these 60 years. Who
thanks to Mike Beazley, our other
churchwarden, for enabling people to go would have thought
into St John’s every Sunday morning for that we should be in
personal prayer. He has been there the throes of a
every week, opening and closing the pandemic, unable to
church, putting on the lights and heaters hold parties for
and welcoming people, come rain or friends and relatives.
shine, thus enabling those who wish to
John French

Find the Easter Anagrams

Answers on p31.

1. Airy odd fog (4, 5) 4. Coin uric fix (11) 7. Acid air just so (5, 8)
2. Rags see get (6,4)
5. Brunch so toss (3, 5, 4) 8. Torch frowns on (5, 2, 6)
3. Layman spud (4, 6)
6. Apples rust (4, 6) 9. Hen irises (2, 2, 5)

23

Proud to have built The Shop at St Laurence’s

24

The Church in
changing times

The Archbishops of Canterbury and April showers us
York recently wrote in the Spectator with excitement!
magazine, in response to recent media
coverage asking,‘Where is the C of E?’ We are excited to announce that we
can re-open the shop again from
The Archbishops say,“Let us offer an Monday 12 April, during the hours that
answer.. the Church of England has been St Laurence’s is open for private prayer:
a bedrock of faith, love, hope and Monday,Wednesday, Friday 11am - 1pm,
compassion in this country for centuries
through wars, plagues and pandemics - Tuesday,Thursday, Saturday 1 - 3pm,
we still are, and we will go on being just Sunday after service until 1pm.
that.
We know it’s a very short window of
“You can imagine our shock, then, when opportunity for shopping but it means
we read in the media about what is we will be there to welcome our
supposedly happening.. the parish wonderful customers back to the shop.
system, with its beautiful vision of Our range has grown; we have some
serving every inch of the country and exciting new stock items together with
every person in it, is being systematically our already great selection of cards,
dismantled.. clergy being made gifts and homeware goodies: colourful
redundant.. plans to somehow centralise candles, aromatic soaps and hand
everything and for services, even beyond creams, children’s puzzles and toys (like
Covid, to be online rather than in this very fine dragon) to name but a
person. few.

“Let us try to set the record straight. Please come in and see us – and
There are no plans to dismantle the remember that every purchase helps to
parish network. We are committed to support our church.
our calling to be a Christian presence in
every community.. Yes, there are hard The Shop at St Laurence
decisions currently being made across Mobile: 07833 866485
many dioceses.. some stipendiary posts
will be lost.. But the aim is to make www.theshopatstlaurence.com
each parish and each Christian
community sustainable. If that doesn’t
happen, there really will be no Church
of England.. There are rascally voices
around who want to undermine the
church - it was ever thus. The real story
is that we so believe in that vision of
serving every inch of the country, and
every person in it, that we are having to
expand what it is to be the church.”

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Did Jesus have a fair trial?

We have high expectations of the legal So, what was illegal about it?
system. In criminal cases we want
criminals punished and innocent people  There was an unholy rush to accuse,
protected. I have been involved in many
court hearings and all clients want a just convict and kill Jesus before Passover.
result. Some disagree with the decisions,
but few actually question the basic  The judges had conspired to arrest
fairness of the legal system.
and charge Jesus, the procedure was
As a lawyer, I have thought about the muddled, and they tried to fit the
legal trial Jesus faced. I find the biblical charge to suit the evidence. The
accounts of what happened on Good judges were prejudiced, determined
Friday challenging to read, not because to kill Jesus. It is not the judge’s role
the gospels differ a lot, because they are to find witnesses, but to be impartial.
remarkably consistent; nor because the
subject matter is harrowing, though it is.  It was illegal to try capital cases at
They are difficult because the subject
matter is complicated. night, so the Sanhedrin broke the law.
They should have delayed judgment
The legal system was very different to until the next day. It was also illegal
ours. Jesus was in the centre of three to try someone on the day before
different legal jurisdictions: the Jewish the Sabbath or any other holy day.
legal system, the law of the occupying
Romans and that of King Herod, ruler of  Jesus was forced to incriminate
Galilee where Jesus came from. There
was not one trial, but several. One Himself, which was not allowed.
writer has counted six. There were at Jesus had no-one to support Him
least two hearings before the Temple and no time to defend Himself.
council, two procedures with Pontius
Pilate and a hearing of sort with King  The trial should not have taken place
Herod. These were interspersed with
beatings and abuse. in anyone’s home.

Jesus faced two separate sets of legal The whole thing was a travesty of
accusations: one for blasphemy before justice. Jesus was illegally murdered.
the religious council and one of rebellion
before Pilate. The Romans would not If you are in doubt about your legal
have been interested in the Jewish position seek advice from a lawyer. If
religion, but sedition meant trouble. you are interested in knowing more
about Jesus and His life, speak to a
Christian friend or contact your church.

David Pickup, solicitor

Very few of the participants come out of
the story well. The whole procedure
was a setup, the illegal murder of an
innocent man.

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HELPING COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS

I start with a quote from the Campaigns Feminista has been helping women to
and Activities Manager at Christian Aid keep their businesses operating. In
HQ - who better? Nepal Bal Sewa Sama (BSS) has been
"The pandemic has challenged health reaching the most vulnerable and
systems and economies, in every society, marginalised groups with food and
stretching to breaking point. hygiene materials. Many people in Nepal
Simultaneously, the climate crisis already battled poverty and had no
continues to grow more deadly. This ‘safety net’ or savings. In the pandemic
severely impacts on communities around many have lost jobs, prices have risen
the world, especially those battling sharply and food and everyday essentials
poverty. But, even in the toughest are in short supply. The father of one
moments love gives hope". In the face family where both parents have
of anxiety and heartbreak we must seize disabilities, there are five dependent
the opportunity to imagine a better way children and they were living on one
forward for everyone. meal a day was very appreciative of the
food Christian Aid helped to provide. It
COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme reaches Ghana was finite but without it they would
have faced far more difficulties. He said,
Towards the end of February we heard “This assistance has helped hundreds of
the very good news that the WHO Nepalese people". There are millions
COVAX scheme has made its first more we can help. Are we ready for the
vaccine delivery to Ghana. COVAX challenge?
enables rich countries to help give the
poorest nations access to vaccines. It The response to the retiring collections
aims to deliver more than 2 billion held in place of our more usual money-
doses to 190 countries, within a year, raising activities such as Lent lunches has
reaching up to 20% of the population of been very generous, raising over £1,100.
poorer countries, at no cost to their Christian Aid Week will take place this
governments. year, on 9-16 May. The ‘good’ news is
Meanwhile Christian Aid's local partners that we will not be knocking on doors.
have been providing much-needed But how dare I say ‘good’ when this
emergency relief, helping communities means we shall be £9,000- £10,000
around the world in the face of the down, as a result. If the easing of
crisis. In Brazil Sempreviva Organizacao lockdown goes ahead as hoped, we need
to think about the limited range of
activities we can undertake instead.
Please share your ideas on what those
might be. Thank you for all your
support for our brothers and sisters
worldwide.

Claire Wilcox 877199

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Celtic Prayer

An Evening Liturgy

Third Sunday - 6pm on Zoom
A simple service in a style

used by the Iona Community
To join the service go to the
Services page on the website
https://stlaurences.org.uk/

Call Pat Helm 01584 877683
for more information

Sunday 18 April

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on how to run a pcc meeting

Rev Dr Gary Bowness continues his Mrs Eddington never troubles us with
tongue-in-cheek letters from ‘Uncle minutes, largely because she can rarely
Eustace’… read the notes she takes. She just shares
with us whatever she can decipher at
The Rectory our next meeting. Last month, she
St James the Least accidentally brought her shopping list
instead, and so read that out. There
My dear Nephew Darren, followed a lively discussion on whether
carrots from our local shop were better
Thank you for inviting me to speak at than those at the supermarket. When it
your PCC yesterday. I began to suspect was found out she intended to use them
that my theme of why Eusebius’s dislike in a venison casserole, endless recipes
of Sabellianism led to his condemnation were keenly debated.
at the Council of Antioch in 324 was a
little misjudged, when the only question I We always leave our church meetings
was asked after my lecture was if well fed, up to date with village gossip,
Eusebius was on Facebook. and totally untroubled by any church
council business. And the lack of any
I never realised how much technology is minutes ensures that I can then make all
needed these days just to discuss church the decisions myself, between meetings. I
matters. It seemed that everyone had think you will find our system has much
brought their laptop, so they could refer to commend it.
to all the diocesan briefing documents
and reports that you mentioned. I’ve Your loving uncle,
been in the diocese 40 years and have
never heard of most of those papers. Eustace
But then I find it too easy to delete the
diocesan mailings, unread, with a click of EASTER ANAGRAM ANSWERS
my mouse.
1. Good Friday 7. Judas Iscariot
Our church meetings are far more
traditional. Since the church floor seems 2. Easter Eggs 8. Crown of
to have been carved out of permafrost, 3. Palm Sunday Thorns
our meetings circulate round members’ 4. Crucifixion
houses. This introduces a nice element 9. He is Risen!
of competition, as each host tries to
outdo the previous one in the baking of 5. Hot Cross Buns
cakes. Meetings at Colonel Drinkwater’s
– a more inappropriate name one 6. Last Supper
cannot imagine – are the shortest, as we
are always promised wine once the
meeting is over. It is remarkable how
unanimity is achieved on every subject
within minutes, and nothing appears
under ‘any other business’.

31

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33

PARISH DIRECTORy

Ludlow St Laurence Parish Office, 2 College Street, Ludlow, Shropshire. SY8 1AN
Telephone: 01584 872073

e-mail: office@stlaurences.org.uk website: www.stlaurences.org.uk

The office is open to the public on weekdays between 10.00 am and 12.00 pm.

Rector Revd Kelvin Price (available Sunday-Friday) 07799 243867

Curate Revd Lawrence Gittins (available Sunday-Friday) 07786 625565

Assistant Priest Revd Prebendary Ann Barge 01584 877307

Ludlow St Laurence 01584 872073 Ludlow St John Grace Johnson 07432 563545
Nicky Luck Parish Office Mike Beazley 873570
Parish Office Peter Nield Churchwardens Anthony Sibcy 874331
Office Administrator Michael Hunt Peter Phelps 873179
Finance Manager Michael Oakley Treasurer John French 876142
Gift Aid Secretary Matthew Lenthall PCC Secretary John French 876142
Director of Music Electoral Roll Colin Reeves 875608
Custodian Organist

Conservation Trust Chair Sylvia Turner

PCC Ashfords Benefice

Churchwardens Dick Franks 892019 Rector Revd Lynn Money
Parish Office
Lesley Harling 318309 Clare Bicker-Caarten
01584 831585
Deputy Churchwardens

Michael Davies 07970 434822 Bromfield Benefice

Carole Perrett 879406

Electoral Roll Officer Dick Franks 892019 Rector Revd Justin Parker
Parish Office Grace Johnson 07493 247184
Safeguarding Officer Dick Franks 892019

PCC Secretary Nicky Luck 872073

Bible Reading Penelope Bridstrup COPY DEADLINE FOR THE
Fellowship 876992 NEXT ISSUE

Flowers Sue Thornley 872292 TUESDAY 6 APRIL
Sandi Burley 873155
Monthly Prayer There is no guarantee that material
Sandi Burley 873155 submitted will be included.
Group Richard Bracher 811514
Lesley Harling 318309 Please send articles by email to
The Table office@stlaurences.org.uk
Tower Captain
We are happy to receive contributions
Ludlow Tower editor and suggestions for inclusion in the
magazine. Please limit items to no
Find this and previous issues more than 400 words, except by prior
of the Ludlow Tower on line at agreement with the editor.

www.stlaurences.org.uk

Parish of Ludlow Saint Laurence Registered Charity No 1132703

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